Okay, who guessed hood?

I’m really very happy with the way this came out.

Let’s recap:

The outside, you’ll remember, is one skein of the MV Fiber Farm yarn I bought in April. 70% kid mohair/30% cormo in the color Saffron. So, so soft, and such a gorgeous color.

I started knitting this in June, and finished the outside just a couple days after Chappy’s birthday. I used a “light” cable stitch and, in fact, used the exact same stitch on the socks I made for Susan, it just seemed appropriate, somehow.

Then, using some of the Sublime Yarn I’ve had in my stash for ages, I started the lining. (I bought it in July 2007 and, except for the yarn for my Autumn Rose, the STR at Rhinebeck, and those couple skeins at the MV Fiber Festival, it was more or less the last yarn I bought.) Anyway, it IS sublime: 75% extra fine merino, 20% silk, 5% cashmere, and just heavenly soft. About its only flaw is that it splits fairly easily, but it’s so gorgeous, it’s worth it.

I picked up stitches along one of the long edges and then knit the lining in a nice, textured stitch. I forget what it’s called or which stitch dictionary I got it from, but it’s like a double moss stitch. You knit into the front and back of the first stitch, purl into the front and back of the next stitch, and alternate all along your row. Then when you turn the work, you knit-2-together, purl-2-together all the way back. This gives this really lush, textured, thick fabric.

The idea was for this to resemble shearling–with the smooth outside and the fluffy inside. I did this for a couple of reasons. One, since the MV Fiber Farm yarn has so much mohair, I wanted to cut down on the amount of friction to avoid pills for as long as possible.

Two, the one other time I tried knitting a hood, it looked fine but it did nothing to keep my head warm when the wind blew–the wind would go straight through all the little gaps between stitches. I wanted this one to have a fair shot at keeping my head warm, so it’s got the outer layer with mohair, the inner layer with extra-thick moss stitch, and seems like it should have a fair chance.

The only thing left to do is to add something to the neck to keep it on. (Because, you know, one of the advantages of a hood is you can slide it off your head and not have to CARRY it–something you can’t do with a hat!)

I’m thinking either something along the lines of a frog knit out of matching yarn, or maybe some I-cord with a couple tassels at the bottom. I had also knit eyelets along all four borders, in case I decided I wanted a drawstring, and am thinking that  I could run a ribbon down the back of the hood for decoration. I had thought about lacing it together in the back, but decided I wanted something more secure and wind-tight, and sewed the back seam instead. But the eyelets are there if I want them!

I said yesterday that it hadn’t come out quite the way I wanted? So, what, you’re wondering, is the problem? Well, my gauge issues being what they are, I ended up with vastly different-sized rectangles for the outside and the lining, but since they were already joined at the one edge, there was nothing I could do. I had planned on the lining being longer, so that I could fold it over at the front edge, but I didn’t expect it to be so much wider, and for a little while, I was afraid I had ruined the project with my poor gauge skills.

But, it turns out, the extra white hanging down past the front corner actually looks pretty nice, and it will give me some place to attach the closure (whatever it turns out to be), so … even though I didn’t plan that, it worked. The problem is that I don’t see how I could write up the pattern and sell it without re-thinking all the math to either fix it or take the happy-circumstance into account so that it can be duplicated with people whose gauge does NOT change in the middle of a project.

Anyway, I’m really happy with the way it came out, and it feels so nice on my head–warm and cozy, with some real weight and substance to it.

Just what you need on an August night.

So far as weekend plans go, I’m getting my hair cut tomorrow. You can see how badly it needs a trim. My last one was March 29th, and this cut has done really, really well, growing out. Now, it’s not looking its best in this picture. I had it in a french braid all day today (because I figured I won’t be able to do a “decent” length braid after tomorrow’s cut, so I should take advantage while I could). And then I wore the hood for the photos–though hopefully it will be ‘curl-friendly’ come winter–so my hair looks a little less curly and a little flatter than usual. But, still. It’s definitely getting long. No complaints about the hair cut, though–even though it’s been almost five months, it still looks good–not all over-grown and “poufy,” so, no complaints. But, really, see how long it is? Especially around my face? It definitely needs some more shape!

And, one more question: My review of Wendy’s book went over so well the other day, I was thinking I’d make it a regular thing. But let me ask you–when you read a review of a knitting book, what specific details are you looking for in the review?

• Tags: Finished Knitting, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Hoodwinked! // 4 Comments »

Well, it’s done … What do you think it is?

Now, I haven’t shown it before because I was hoping to maybe sell the pattern, but there were a couple glitches, so it’s not a perfect pattern. (Yet?)

That said, I am really, really pleased with the way it came out, so who cares about glitches? It’s really just what I hoped it would be. It just needs one final touch.

The big question? What do you think it is?

(I, of course, already know.)

Oh, and the Bias Eyelet Stole? It’s hit a second snag. While knitting earlier, somehow the yarn got too tightly wound and it broke on the stitch I was trying to knit into. Which means, of course, that the whole thing is in danger of unravelling. This is two problems so far, and I’m leery about a third! But, we’ll see.

• Tags: Finished Knitting, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Well, it LOOKS finished // 7 Comments »

So, Eunny Jang’s Biased Eyelet Stole in the Fall 2008 Interweave Knits–is anybody else making it? I just started it and am having problems, and am wondering if anybody else is.

The problem is the 3-strand garter rows. See, every 12 rows, there are 2 rows of garter stitch knit with three strands of yarn held together. Two of them are cut at the end and then rejoined 12 rows later when you come to the next garter row, and the instructions say “weave in ends as you go.”

Am I the only person finding this to be difficult?

Weave in the ends HOW, exactly? Where? If I try running the thread along the back, it slips too much and ends up looking terrible. I tried knitting it into the row, but then ended up with ends sticking out in the middle. Both very tacky looking. Should I pull out the tapestry needle every 12 rows and just sew the ends in? That’s awkward and inconvenient, and I’m not happy about it–it seems way too “fiddly.” Not to mention juggling two different size needles for the garter rows and the lace rows. All those dangling ends, getting tangled in all the extra strands of yarn … um. I like the way this looks, but I’m not loving the process so far.

Oh, and the yarn I’m using? Claudia’s handpainted silk (I showed you last week). It’s beautiful and very sleek, so it slips, rather than “sticking” to itself like wool would, but even so, I’d still be having the same problem. Is it just me?

And–is it just me, or does it seem like I’m whining and complaining about a lot of things lately? Ranting about unhelpful customer service, worrying about money, wheezing over my hair color. … Considering what an optimistic, sunshine-and-light person I usually am, this is SO unlike me! Anyway, if so, I apologize. I was just thinking back over my last few posts and seemed to notice an unwelcome trend.

Of course, I can always smile over Chappy. I thought this looked particularly cute last night–he piled his towel up and laid his chin on the top and fell sound asleep.

Yes, I think he’s adorable when he’s asleep. I can’t help it!

Tomorrow should be fun–kind of an extended family day. We’re going up to my sister’s house, but it won’t just be the eight of us (because of course Chappy is coming). My aunt and cousin are coming up also, along with the three daughters of my OTHER cousin, who’ve been visiting Dianne’s horse farm for the summer. I’ve been racking my brain to try to figure out the last time I saw the girls. The older two are twins and are around 14, and their younger sister is … 10? 8? But, either way, I’m not altogether sure that I’ve ever actually met her–and if I have, she was very, very little. It’s been a while. The rest of the family have seen them, but they’ve usually scheduled their visits down to the farm on weekdays when I’ve been at work, so this is my first chance in a while.

For Chappy, too, who’s never been invited to the Farm (so, really, why would I want to go if he can’t?) I mean, we’ve never been told NOT to bring him, either, but I haven’t asked because I’d be crushed if they said he wasn’t invited–by leaving it vague, there are no hard feelings. Though he’d probably love a horse farm, and he really IS a good guest.

Anyway, it should be an interesting visit!

And, added–OMG, Michael Phelps! What a FINISH! That race could not have been any closer … the gold medal by .01 second. Wow. Just. Wow.

• Tags: Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Too Biased Against the Stole? // 4 Comments »

So, thinking ahead….I really like this sweater in the new IK. Actually, technically, it’s a Veronik Avery sweater in the soon-to-come “Color Style” book by Pam Allen and Ann Budd (I love that cover sweater, too), but its pattern is printed in Interweave Knits as a book excerpt.

Anyway, I like it, and I think it would work with some Jo Sharp DK Wool I have in my stash. They’re completely different colors, of course, but the weight of the yarn is the same, and you know I like to pick my own color combinations, anyway. I would need four pairs of colors. Two for the mosaic pattern that makes up the bulk of the sweater, and then three pairs for the color stripes in the yoke … then back to the original pair again for the shoulders. I paired up the colors here–the pairs on each end are the same (a bluish-gray and a deep purple), with the three possible sets of duos in between… It looks like it would work. I think. Mostly.

This doesn’t mean that I have decided to make this, but it’s a possibility. Of course, I’d need to try to get gauge, and you KNOW the problems I have with that! There are some patterns in the Vogue Knitting I like, too–and this yarn would work for a couple of those, too. And then there are one or two (or three) patterns I saw on Ravelry from the new Classic Elite book. Those, of course, aren’t options because I don’t have that book, but I really liked a couple of those sweaters.

The plus side is that I HAVE the pattern and more-or-less appropriate yarn for this sweater already here, in the house. That’s a wonderful thing, don’t you think? Who knew that stashing yarn was going to end up being so economical of me?

In other words, thank heaven the Fall patterns are finally out. Am I the only one who finds summer knitting to be kind of boring? The bad part? There are a whole slew of really great BOOKS coming out and I want every single one of them.

Not only is there the Color Style that I mentioned earlier, but there’s the new Mason-Dixon book, which just has to be good. Nicki Epstein’s Knitting on Top of the World. The Yarn Harlot’s new book, of course, and Franklin’s book of knitting cartoons (with my very favorite one on the cover.) Wendy Johnson has a new book of toe-up sock patterns coming, which you know is going to be great, because the socks on her blog are always fantastic. Then there’s Classic Elite knits, and their patterns are always gorgeous. Wendy Bernard (Knit and Tonic) has her first book coming out, for designing your own top-down sweaters. (Hey, her Not-so-shrunken cardigan was a good pattern, I’m game!) Melissa Leapman has a new Cable book coming, too, and considering how good her first one was, that seems awfully promising. And, oh, the peek at accessories in Boutique Knits looks so, so good.

(Really, considering how dire our financial situation is, I hesitate to tell you how many of these I’ve pre-ordered. I need to come up with a way to make my book habit pay for itself! I’ve barely bought any yarn in over a year, but I can’t quite completely reign in the book habit. But, um, in the meantime, if you’re feeling inclined to buy any of them and were kind enough to do so using my links so that I get a commission from Amazon, I’d be very grateful.)

Anyway, another pattern in the IK that I liked? Eunny’s bias stole. In fact, I liked it so much, I finally wound my skein of Claudia silk lace yarn into balls, with the intent to make it. The color (on my monitor, at least) is fairly close–it’s called “Just Plum” and is a lovely, plummy, shade of rosy purple. Not too pink, but not too blue, it’s really a smashing color.

It’s been a much quieter day, today–cloudy, for one thing, and we had some rain this afternoon. Chappy got his much-needed haircut and, while concentrating so much on not accidentally cutting him, I cut my own finger with the scissors. Silly! It’s okay, though. I would have felt worse if I’d cut him by mistake. We had roast chicken for supper, which Chappy ADORES, and he sat and obsessed about it from the time it came out of the oven until he got some in his food dish … not to mention the opportunity of cleaning off the carving board. (He’s really very helpful that way.)

• Tags: Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Thinking Ahead // 4 Comments »

I promised you knitting content today, and so, after work, I brought down my knitting bag to take some pictures in real light for a change, instead of by flash in my yellow bedroom after dark.

And, as I opened my bag to pull out my knitting? Chappy jumped up on the ottoman. Really, I had no choice but to drape it over him!

I’ll be starting skein number three of the white “Sublime” tonight. That might be enough to finish the lining, but … maybe not. I’ve got another 12 skeins in the bag, though, so it’s not really a concern (grin).

And, spinning. How about a nice, spinning picture? One that–on my computer at least–looks pretty accurate for color. Kind of a rosy gray.

I didn’t actually get to do any plying last night–I’ve been eking about five minutes a night–usually at about 11:20–but last night I was just too tired. Maybe I’ll get some more plying done tonight, since Burn Notice is on.

My Fall Interweave Knits came today, but I haven’t looked through it yet, except for a quick glance. (I wanted to finish reading Harry Potter #5 when I got home from work. Remember the other day when I said I was thinking about rereading the series? Well, um, yeah, that idea certainly worked!)

Speaking of the knitting magazines–have you seen the Galleries for IK knits over at Knitting Daily? A chance to see the same sweater on different body types, to give you a “real-life” idea before you commit yourself to the knitting. Something I think is a wonderful idea.

Well, Vogue Knitting may have just trumped that. They have 3D video of the sweaters, on models, with a look at the detail, the shape, the fit … absolutely brilliant. In fact, I’m loving the Greenland sweater a whole lot more now than I was from the photo in the magazine. Ditto the Nordic Tradition sweater. Though those socks? I still do NOT get them at all!

Otherwise? Trying to redesign Dad’s website–a laborious process for a non-programmer such as myself. Trying to write articles to get traffic TO his website. Trying to write an ebook that I could actually sell online and get some money that way. These are the things taking up my time. (And keeping me from the spinning wheel.)

But the hour between 8:00 and 9:00? That’s for knitting and watching television with Mom and Chappy!

Now, I wonder if I have anything in my stash that would remotely get me the gauge for that Greenland sweater? Although, in the glance that I took, I really liked that colorwork sweater at the beginning of IK, too, in the “Book Excerpt” section…. Thank heaven the Fall knitting patterns are finally out. I really miss making sweaters.

• Tags: Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Usually, He Avoids the Camera // 4 Comments »

Appearing now, on your computer screen, something never before seen. My sister found an old camera with some used film, and when she got it developed, she found these:

Baby Chappy photos!

These are from October 2001, when he was three and a half months old, and they’ve just been SITTING there in her camera for the last seven years.

Say it with me now … “Awwww!” Because, wasn’t he just adorable?

(sniffle)

Then there are these lovely socks. Completely done and ready to be mailed back to Martha’s Vineyard whence they came. We just need to cross our fingers and hope they fit Susan, is all… All that’s left is wrapping them up and putting them in the mail.

And, how about some brand-new yarn? I haven’t gotten very far, plying it, but this is from the singles I finished on Saturday. It’s stil got that pretty, “Old Rose” feel and is soft as anything. (50/50 Merino/Silk, you’ll remember.)

Okay, this isn’t new–in fact, it’s from 1962–but how about a tour of the White House, hosted by the First Lady, herself? I’ve seen pieces, but never the whole thing, so it’s new to me.

As was this. I saw an article in the newspaper this morning. Apparently there was a young, indie singer named Katie Reider in Montclair who died recently from a rare disease, and as a tribute, some of her fans are trying to get 500,000 people to visit her website and download her music. You can download 9 of her songs for a $1 donation–which I did (hey, money can’t be that tight, right?), and have to tell you, I’m enjoying them. They also ask that you “link” to one more person to add to their count. (Actually, the only thing I can’t find on their site is what the current count IS.) Anyway, their mission statement is this:

For over 10 years singer/songwriter Katie Reider (pronounced RIDER) has inspired the hearts of thousands with her music and genuine personality. Just as she was reaching the peak of her music career a tumor developed in her upper left jaw that progressed into her sinus, skull base and left eye orbit. Over the course of one year, the rare facial tumor took away her sight in one eye, her voice, and most importantly her ability to perform.
500Kin365.org, was created with the help of Katie Reider’s loyal fanbase to reconnect and introduce 500,000 people to Katie Reider, her music and her story over the next year. Help us continue to spread her music over the next year by downloading “katie’s Voice” (9 original songs written and performed by Katie Reider over the last 10 years) for a $1.00 donation to her cause and linking up ONE other person to www.500Kin365.org

Go take a listen. The comments over at her blog are kind of heart-breaking, too. What a shame. Because, really, I’ve got her music playing right now while I type, and what a nice voice she had…

Ooh, and this is also new to me–”Endless Shoes and Handbags.” Doesn’t the name just sound heavenly?

• Tags: Chappy, Finished Knitting, General, Knitting/Spinning, Martha's Vineyard • Permalink:Never Before Seen // 8 Comments »

I’m really tired, so this is going to be short and sweet–more pictures than words. The short explanation of my day? After having an urgent family-finances meeting, baking cranberry-corn muffins, and after consoling Chappy through a massive thunderstorm that rolled overhead, I climbed in my car with my wheel and my knitting and headed to Jessica’s for an afternoon of fun and friends. Good day, lots of fun. Got home about 5:45, fed Chappy, took him for a walk (to gain back some of the Mommy-points I’d lost by abandoning him in a storm), watched a movie (My Best Friend’s Wedding) with Mom, and now … exhausted!

You’ll have to forgive me for not filling this post with all the relevant, bloggy links, but I did snap some pictures–they’re not great pictures, but at least I tried.

Jessica’s bunny, Stitches, is darn cute, too–and getting so big! I absolutely loved the tufts of fur on the very top of her ears.

And, if you haven’t seen Jessica’s Etsy shop for fiber? You really must go. I was privileged to see the pile of finished fiber that she hasn’t posted yet and it’s really lovely stuff. I was sorely tempted, but considering the scary-finance meeting we had this morning, and the fact that my Visa bill with the needed-but-we-really-couldn’t-afford-it new computer from last month arrived yesterday, buying some really just wasn’t an option. At some point, though? Oh my, yes. It’s really gorgeous.

On the plus side, I finished my second bobbin of that old-rose merino/tussah blend. Considering I only started that bobbin three weeks ago, and the first one took me three months, that’s pretty good! Now all I have to do is ply it and those 8 oz will be done. It’s really quite pretty.

Okay–climbing into bed, now. I’m on Harry Potter #3, and Chappy is privileged to sleep on the bed tonight, so …

Oh–one more thing–this great You Tube video of the “Evolution of Dance.” (The embedding never seems to work on my blog for some reason, but the direct link to the video is right here.) I admit I didn’t recognize all of the dance moves, but more than half, and the man is talented. I saw it over at Liz Strauss’s Successful Blog.

• Tags: Friends, General, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Fibery Saturday // 8 Comments »

I haven’t shown you this in a while–the white lining to my nameless MV Fiber Farm knitted object. I’m knitting it in Sublime yarn, you’ll remember. It’s white, even though the picture is yellowish. (I swear, I TRIED to adjust the white balance on my camera but it kept giving me “cannot record settings” error messages, so I adjusted it as best I could in Photoshop.)

The Sublime yarn, I’ve got to tell you, is one of the softest, smoothest, prettiest yarns I’ve worked with in ages, and I’m thrilled with the resulting fabric. BUT, it is also one of the “splittiest” yarns I’ve ever used. It’s made of up lots of tiny little plies of yarn (I didn’t count), and it splits really easily. Which is the main reason that I’m using it for this rather than some elaborate, cabled sweater like I originally planned. When I tried a swatch, it did NOT like doing cables, and we agreed that it was better for both of us to use it for something else. This stitch pattern is a great compromise because it’s got interesting texture and shows off the smooth, silky lustrous qualities of the yarn without ever having to knit anything out of sequence.

Ooh, and did you hear? J.K. Rowling announced the publication of Beedle the Bard in December. This is the book of short stories she auctioned off earlier this year for a massive amount of money for charity, and this release isn’t any difference–all the proceeds of the sales will be going to the Children’s High Level Group (a British charity). There are two editions, too, the one for normal people like you and me, and one lush, collectible copy for the really serious collectors. They both look great–go take a look! How can you not love a book of Potter-universe fairy tales with Dumbledore’s marginalia?

Which reminds me, it’s been a while since I read the Harry Potter books….

• Tags: Knitting/Spinning, Reading • Permalink:White // 4 Comments »

Well, there’s no question that wrenching money problems stink–not least of which because I just saw the Rowan 44: 30th anniversary preview and it looks just lovely–but at least the knitting moves on.

Susan’s socks, of course, are showing the most progress. In fact, I’m just about ready to start the ribbing for the top of the leg. My general rule of thumb is that I like the leg to be about the same length as the foot, when folded in half at the heel–maybe a little longer–and these are just about two inches from the tip of the toe. Just the right amount of ribbing. I just did a cable row, so I’ll knit a few plain rows first, and then, the ribbing.

Which means, Susan, I’m going to need your snail mail address sometime soon. Unless, of course, you want to come pick them up in person? (Or, gee, delivering them in person sounds good, too, but, well…)

And, don’t they kind of look like bunny ears? You know, Paprika-colored bunny ears?

Somehow, taking pictures of Chappy in his crate seems to be happening a lot lately!

And, thanks for all your kind words. We are scared but trying to come up with new (any!) streams of income, and will gratefully take all the good vibes we can get!

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Okay, and I have another affiliate link for you to look at. This one is for Blog Mastermind, another course that I took, learned a lot from, and then failed to carry through on (grin). Apparently, actually monetizing is my weak point. (Though, lordy, do I hate the verb “monetize.” Maybe that’s the problem?)Actually, I DID learn a lot from Blog Mastermind. The whole idea is to learn how to make your blog strong, attract a readership, and then, yes, to make money from it. I definitely learned useful things, even if I didn’t take those last few steps to “monetize.” Of course, a lot of knitting bloggers frown on that kind of thing, and I don’t want to alienate any of you, either, so I’ve been reluctant anyway. Hence the reason I haven’t pointed out this program to you earlier.Well, that, and because they had actually shut the doors to new members right around the time I joined. It just reopened today, though, so if you ARE interested in trying to make some money by blogging–go take a look.

(And, I know, that’s two affiliate programs I’ve mentioned, two days in a row. I really do promise not to make a habit of it, but honestly, they were both time-sensitive. Yesterday’s program is closing in a couple days, and today’s just reopened for the first time since January. I had to!)

• Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Bunny Ears // 3 Comments »

My socks … er, I mean Susan’s socks … are coming along.

I mean, they’ve got heels and everything! And you know, for me, these socks are coming along lightning fast. Considering I only started them on the 14th.

Oh, and the color, for the record, is called “Smoked Paprika,” and the color really is just about the color of the paprika in your spice cupboard. Just in case the color on your monitor is different than mine.

Otherwise? Scary money things….

Which reminds me–I’ve upgraded my Cafe Press store.

• Tags: Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Paprika Heels // 3 Comments »

I so wish I had more exciting things to show you.

I have been knitting. In fact, for the last couple of days, I’ve been carrying Susan’s socks around the house with me–making my Dad shake his head every time he walks by and sees me knitting while reading.

Although, that only works when reading something that more or less stays open by itself, since I am totally adverse to anything that will crack the binding of one of my books. I’m, well, not actually obsessive, but very concerned about keeping my books as unmarred as possible. Obviously, you need to open a book to read it, but you shouldn’t open it so far that it causes damage. Having the spine cracked open bothers me; the very sound of it makes me wince. And when I read (which you know I do a lot), I never open the book without supporting the spine. Which means that, if I want to read while I’m knitting, it’s got to be a book that can stay open more or less on its own. Just about every one of those special book-holding, pillow/stand things I’ve ever seen requires the book to be pressed flat and held down at the corners. They are torture instruments; they are book equivalent of the Rack. Not something I’m willing to inflict on my poor, innocent books.

Anyway, I am making great progress on Susan’s socks. I have about one more inch before starting the heel. The stitch pattern (which is hard to see) matches the cable I’m using in that nameless Saffron project of mine. I thought the symmetry of using the same stitch for both projects using MV Fiber Farm yarn was kind of nice.

The yarn is really lovely.  SO soft. For those of you who have lost track, it’s 70% kid mohair and 30% cormo, making it ultra-soft and just a little fuzzy. And I love the colors–they’re “semi-solids” which is one of my favorite kinds of colors. Little variations, but it “scans” as a solid when you look at it.

The only thing I’m not crazy about is that–for the sock yarn in particular–I don’t think it’s very well plied. As in, it’s often barely plied at all. If I had realized how irregular it was, I could have actually run both skeins through my spinning wheel to make the twist a little tighter, but I didn’t think of it soon enough. The knitted fabric is fine, too–but the fact that there’s really not quite enough twist makes the two plies lie next to each other on my needles for every stitch, so it’s almost like knitting with two separate strands. That’s a little annoying on the cable rows because the plies don’t want to work together, but that’s okay. It’s still beautiful and soft and handgrown on Martha’s Vineyard.

Otherwise? I spent most of yesterday either reading or in front of the computer. The ongoing money crisis is still ongoing and yesterday was one of the bad days (sigh). My father is just not a salesman, and while it’s not strictly necessary for what he’s trying to do, it would be a help. And the company he’s working with has great products that we’re all impressed with–especially the new, Heartland Select drink which just blows us all away–so we all believe in what he’s trying to promote (both as items to sell himself and for other people to sell to make money for themselves, kind of like selling Avon, but better). But, while he’s great at getting things set up, he’s not good at the promotion part, and that’s where we’re running into trouble.

And even though I spent much of the day yesterday reading, at the moment, I’m “fictionless.” The only book I’ve got going is a non-fiction biography of the Beatles, Can’t Buy Me Love: The Beatles, Britain, and America.  It’s actually more than just a biography–it’s almost a cultural analysis of their musical influences and their impact. It just seemed like a good “next” book after reading Girls Like Us, the biography of Carole King, Joni Mitchell, and Carly Simon. And, at least with the Beatles book, I know most of the songs being discussed!

It’s interesting (to me) how very auditorially suggestible I am, though. All I need to do is read the title or description of a song and, boom, it’s stuck in my head.  Every time I see Dream When You’re Feeling Blue on my bookcase, for example, the song jumps into my head. It’s a lovely song, but it’s particularly annoying because I don’t know all the words, and darn it, if I’m going to be humming something, I at least want to be able to follow the lyrics. And don’t get me started on that movie that just opened on Friday–whether you like ABBA or not, their music is addictive.

I just remembered that I wanted to make banana bread today. It’s 11:30 and already in the 80s and humid, so if I want to use the oven, I’d better do it NOW.

• Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning, Reading • Permalink:Knitting and Reading // 8 Comments »

Here’s an update on my knitting project. The gold-orange yarn, you’ll remember, is the Kid Mohair/Cormo 70/30 blend from MV Fiber Farm. The white is the Sublime yarn from my stash. The white part is going slowly–it takes me about half an hour to knit two rows (the “there-and-back” kind of knitting)

Besides, it’s been three days since I mentioned the Martha’s Vineyard Fiber Farm. That won’t do!

Besides, right now I’m knitting TWO things out of MV Fiber Farm yarn. See? I finally got Susan’s foot measurements and was able to start her socks. (You remember, the ones she gave me yarn for in April, so I could make her a pair of socks from her own yarn?)

Otherwise, well, it’s been a Monday. Dad’s fighting a cold. It was raining when I got up, and I found a mouse dropping in Chappy’s food dish. (NOT something he wants for breakfast!) And, anyway, I’m tired. So, these couple pictures of knitting will just have to do (grin).

• Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning, Martha's Vineyard • Permalink:MV Knitting // 6 Comments »

As I told you yesterday, Kim came over for a couple hours of spinning this morning.

I started this bobbin almost exactly three months ago, so it’s really a good and helpful thing that she gave me an excuse to sit at my wheel and SPIN. I haven’t started spinning the second half of the roving yet, but, well, give me time. The roving, if you don’t remember, is a skein I got from the Sheep Shed at Rhinebeck last year–8 oz of merino wool and tussah silk. The color doesn’t have a name (that I know of), but I keep thinking about it as “Old Rose.” It comes out as almost a rosy-grey, very nice.

It was nice to have another knitter to show my current project to–and to get an informed opinion as to whether or not it’s likely to work as I hope. Unfortunately, of course, we both suffered from camnesia and forgot to take pictures. (For that matter, I completely forgot to ask if she got a new camera to replace the damaged one. So, um, Kim, did you?) I did, however, provide blueberry scones to go with the “Box o’Joe” she brought with her from Dunkin Donuts, so I didn’t completely fall down on my hostessing duties.

I spent most of the rest of the day reading. I finished The Mirror of Her Dreams and started A Man Rides Through, both of which I’ve had for years. In fact, they are a rarity in my library in that they make up a series that doesn’t “match.” I bought the first book in paperback and was so anxious to find out what happened next, I bought the sequel in hardcover.

I remember this quite clearly, in fact. It was my junior year in college when I really had no right spending $20 on a book, but the first one ended with such a cliffhanger, I just had to go and look at the bookstore to see if, by any chance, the sequel was out yet. (This was early 1988, before the internet.) I hopped in my little VW Golf and went to the nearest bookstore and almost jumped for joy when I saw this sitting on the shelf. I remember that my fingers almost tingled with anticipation while I paid, and I even stopped at a Dunkin Donuts on the way back to Drew to get a headstart. In fact, it was the end of the week, and I was heading home for the weekend, because I remember spending hours on the couch that afternoon, while Mom made lasagne in the kitchen … and then Dad getting home from work and coming in to say hello at one of the worst possible times, story-wise.

Now, as to why I picked up the book in the first place–well, there’s a story to that, too. I liked the cover (so much better than the current one, I think), but more importantly, the title reminded me of a line from one of my favorite books.

It turns out, there was a reason for that. Because the stanza from the song/poem it reminded me of is quoted right there on the title page.

I was pretty impressed, too, because John Myers Myers’ Silverlock isn’t exactly common reading. I’ve mentioned it before, back in 2005, but it made quite an impression on me back in high school, and it was definitely one of the books I brought with me to college. A completely unique book with an enormous cast of characters–just about anyone who lives in the canon of literature is either in there or could be in there. Of those who make an actual appearance? Just a few: Merlin, the Mad Hatter, Beowulf, Hester Prynne, Odin, Circe, Thomas Rhymer, Puck from Midsummer Night’s Dream, Robin Hood, Captain Ahab, Prometheus … the list goes on. It’s not always pleasant, mostly because A. Clarence Shandon is not always a pleasant character, but I’ve never found anything else that compared. And the writer? Well, one of the raves at the beginning of the book mentions that he must get “drunk on words” and it’s clearly true. At one point he describes a character’s infatuation with, “She fell for him like a ton of bricks through greased air.” Isn’t that perfect? Because, you know, a ton of bricks doesn’t fall quickly or hard enough on its own (grin).

Actually, I can’t recommend Silverlock highly enough, though I’ll grant that it’s not to every taste. How much do I like it? Well, over the years, I’ve bought three copies. Just in case! (A wise decision considering that I’m down to two copies because one was never returned.) So, anyway, even though I hadn’t liked Donaldson’s Thomas Covenant series, when I realized that he was obviously a Silverlock fan too, well, I had to give it a chance. And, here it is, 21 years later and I’m still drawn to rereading the duology. That’s a sign of a good story in my book–even if they ARE in different sizes.

• Tags: Friends, General, Knitting/Spinning, Reading • Permalink:At Last, There Was Spinning // 7 Comments »

Well, it’s been a while since I got to show a picture like this–new yarn!

I liked my finished string bag so much that I decided to make more, and then I saw a thread on Ravelry mentioning how Birds-n-Yarn was having a (now-finished) sale on Hempathy, so I ordered some. The service was great, too, and the yarn came with some Werther’s butterscotch to sweeten the deal. (Sorry, couldn’t resist. I think the new-yarn fumes are making me giddy.)

  As to current knitting, I finished step one of my current, unnamed project. I ended just in time, too, with just that little bit of yarn left over. Next comes Step Two.

Hey, have you heard about the Dr. Horrible musical? It sounds absolutely hilarious. And, well Josh Whedon and Neil Patrick Harris…

• Tags: Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Well, That’s Been a While // 6 Comments »

We went to the movies today and, luckily, I had a sock in my purse. It was, oh, not out of the goldish color yet when we went into the theater, and all the rest, I did during the movie. I do love being able to knit in the dark! And I’m liking this color, too. It’s Meilenweit “Mega Boots Stretch” in color 702. I’ve had it in my stash for a few years now and figured it was time it got used.

Oh, and if you look really closely at the background of that picture, you’ll see my other knitting project–the one that doesn’t have a name, a pattern, or anything terribly specific. I’m kind of making it up as I go along, and so can’t really tell you what it’s going to be. Or if it’s going to come out as I hope, which is why I’m not being more specific. Why get anybody’s hopes up, mine included? (grin). It sure looks lovely, though. SUCH a pretty color.

The movie? “Wall-E” which I enjoyed quite a bit, Mom thought was okay but disappointing, and which kept putting Dad asleep. (No, I didn’t understand that, either.) The little Pixar short film (Presto) before the movie was adorable, too–I sometimes look forward to those more than to the actual movies!

Otherwise? Mom and I checked out the Aldi’s grocery store that just opened this week, and then went to A&P to pick up stuff for Chappy’s birthday cake. Because, of course, my boy deserves a birthday cake! I’m making him carrot cake, which all of us like. Besides, he loves carrots, why wouldn’t he love carrot CAKE? (Hey, I used to make our mini-dachshund Jilly a cheesecake every year because I figured she loved cheese above all things, so it had to be her favorite. Sadly, I didn’t have time to figure out the perfect birthday cake for Katy–I had so been looking forward to coming up with “Katy-cakes,” since it was my favorite nickname for her.) Anyway, I’m using the recipe I tried last month and will be doing that tomorrow.

No fireworks or picnics for us tomorrow–we’re doing all our celebrating on Saturday when my sister comes down. Chappy’s just dreading tomorrow night–all those fireworks, you know. Those of you in the US, have a good holiday tomorrow!

• Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Knitted Toe // 2 Comments »

Don’t ask me what it is, because I’m really not sure yet myself, but it’s something, anyway.

It’s being made in the Saffron yarn I got from the MV Fiber Farm at the Festival last month. Isn’t it lovely? 70% kid mohair, 30% cormo and so, so soft. Great color, too!

Okay, so that problem I’ve been having with my keyboard? It’s not going to be bothering me for much longer. Mom’s computer has been visited by the Blue Screen of Death. Tradition for the last, oh, four or five computers has been that when I get a new computer, I pass my old one to Mom. We’ve both been very happy with this arrangement, and with the exception of my D and S keys, and the fact that the battery doesn’t last for much more than 30 minutes, I wasn’t in any rush to get a new computer. Especially when you consider how awful the money situation is. But, then the BSOD struck and since I am (sadly) the family “expert” there appears to be no way to salvage the poor thing. So, as of tonight, I am the preumptively proud new almost-owner of a HP Pavilion DV6871US which should arrive on Wednesday. Mom will then get this computer and since she never unplugs her computer to take anywhere, and she always uses a separate keyboard, the two things that are annoying me shouldn’t be a problem for her.

Now I just have to hope and pray that Vista doesn’t cause me problems. And that the new keyboard has a good “feel” to it (and that all the keys work). It’s a gamble, ordering one without ever having seen it! In the meantime, I’ll make sure that MY backup is current so my files are ready to transfer. Luckily, I was able to get Mom’s computer up in Safe Mode and got her pictures and such copied off the hard drive. And I back up my own computer fairly regularly, AND even signed up for Mozy. But, folks, if you don’t regularly do backups, DO THEM NOW!

Oh, and sadly, this article explains the traffic, flashing lights, sirens, and helicopters this morning. What a sad start for tonight’s high school graduation.

• Tags: Family, General, Knitting/Spinning, Martha's Vineyard • Permalink:Blue Screen of Death // 8 Comments »

Well, that’s done…

Normally, a finished object would be a GOOD thing, but since I’m still in the Project Doldrums, this just means that now I need to find something ELSE.

Sigh.

In the meantime? I started another of these in a different color. I mean, don’t get me wrong. This is a lovely little pattern and all, and the bag will come in handy. I just want to find something FUN to knit.

• Tags: Finished Knitting, General, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Doldrums // 8 Comments »

I know, you’ve been desperate to see some signs of knitting, haven’t you? Well, here you go. My string bag, almost finished. A couple more rows, a bind-off, and then handles. But, seriously, I need to find something more “serious” to do.

And, here’s a blast from my past. There’s a thread on Ravelry for graduates of New Jersey schools, and I saw someone who posted the same middle school and same high school as I went to, only two years before me. When I clicked on her Ravelry ID, I realized that I knew her! In fact, we were good friends my sophomore year, before she graduated and headed off to college. Here’s a picture of her and my best friend at the Renaissance Festival. Because, naturally, after I found her, I went rooting through my old photos (grin). Talk about a small world. We’d completely lost touch sometime during college, so this was particularly fun, running into each other.

Speaking of high school, guess what I was doing 23 years ago tonight?

• Tags: Friends, General, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Stringing Along // 13 Comments »

I know, it’s not much, but this is all I’ve got to show you by way of a current knitting project–the base of a string bag, just waiting for the sides to start.

Fascinating, I know.

Let’s see … in other news, I did something I haven’t done in ages. I made popcorn tonight. Not that naughty, microwave popcorn–the real stuff. Made in a pot on the stove, served with a little salt and a little butter. The only inconvenient part is that then there’s a pot and bowl to clean up. Well, three bowls–one for each of us. I used to have this beautiful, glass, microwave popper that worked as a serving bowl as well as a popper, but it broke. (Twice, because the replacement broke, too, darn it. I miss that popper.) Although, stove-popped tastes best. For some great tips and flavor ideas, check out this thread.

• Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Popcorn // 8 Comments »

I got stopped in traffic on my way home today. Kind of unusual, really, since most of my drive is along quiet little back roads. But while I was sitting there, I realized that, duh, look out the window! Because I was stopped right on the bridge that goes over Indian Lake. I’ve shown you a picture of this lake before, mind you, but not from this angle. Look at that view, huh? Even to the hawk (?) coasting above the water.

The most amazing part? Look at the sky. It’s actually blue, not that hazy, imitation blue it’s been for the last four days. I took this picture at lunch–it’s the first time in weeks, or even months, that I saw interesting-enough clouds worth taking their picture. This one is kind of cool, I think, because even though I rolled down the car window, it almost looks like I took it through a smeary window because that one cloud is almost transparent.

Hey, did you know the new Knitty is up?

Speaking of Knitty, I do have something on my knitting needles right now, but I’m pretty much thinking of it as a stop-gap kind of project. The Everlasting Bagstopper string bag from last year’s Knitty. I pulled out some Hempathy (Ravelry link) from my stash and figured it was worth a try. It’s something, anyway, and certainly better than a totally empty knitting bag.

Oh, and you’ll be glad to hear that Chappy got a walk today. Yes, we’re all relieved (grin). He said it was almost worth having to suffer through those huge thunderstorms last night.

• Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning, Sky • Permalink:Indian Lake Revisited // 5 Comments »

Do you realize that (as we write out the date here in the U.S., anyway), that today is six, seven, eight? And that at 9:10 this morning, that made for 06/07/08 9:10? Just a little trivia for you.

As for my cardigan, I got tired of waiting for it to dry–lying flat on the blocking board, it wasn’t making any real progress–so I moved it to my Wooly Board. I ran blocking wires along the bottom to keep it straight, and I ran one up the button band for the same reason. (And, I must say, it is so very handy having a guest room I can prop this up in, so poor Chappy doesn’t need to risk poking himself in the eye.)

As you can see, though, it angles ever so slightly to the left. My yarn wasn’t perfectly balanced, and so there’s just a little extra twist.

See? They lean, just a bit. No complaints, though, it’s still gorgeous and perfect and, being up off the bed, hopefully I’ll be able to actually try it on tomorrow.

Because, naturally, what ELSE does one do on a day with temperatures in the 90s? Wearing a handmade wool sweater is of COURSE going to be your first choice!

As to my next knitting project? Still a mystery. I read in front of the television last night and didn’t work on any socks while out for coffee this morning. My knitting bag is still empty, poor thing. I’ve been searching through my books, looking for ideas on what to do with that lovely MV Fiber Farm yarn, but all I can really decide is that I’d like it to be something to keep my head and/or neck warm during the winter, and that I’d love for it to be two-sided–the gold on one side, and the green on the other. I love the way the two colors look together, but don’t really want them intermingled, like in stranded colorwork. Ideally, whatever-it-is would be two-sided and reversible. And versatile. And, of course, warm and relatively wind-proof for walks. That doesn’t seem impossible, or anything, does it?

Or, I could browse through the stash and start another sweater, bypassing the lovely green and gold yarn, maybe by doing another top-down cardigan a la Barbara Walker, to go with my beautiful blue one. It certainly was one of the most rewarding sweaters I’ve made in a while (not least because it’s one I should actually get to wear). I could just pick a stitch pattern and go to town, no worries. It could be fun.

But, still, there’s that lovely MV yarn, just sitting there…. I love it, I really do, but I don’t know what I was thinking. I KNOW that I tend to dislike smallish projects, and yet I bought two skeins of yarn in different colors, even. Talk about the thinking process breaking down. At the very least, I should have at least bought the same colors! (grin). But, they ARE so pretty….

I hope you’re all staying cool. It’s in the mid-90s here, and humid, the first really hot day we’ve had so far. And, have I mentioned lately that I hate hot weather? My sister, the birthday girl, is participating in a community-wide garage sale today, and I certainly hope that she’s staying cool. They’ve got lots of trees for shade, but no air conditioning, and on a day like this, that can really make a difference.

• Tags: Finished Knitting, General, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Six, Seven, Eight… // 9 Comments »

Well, she’s had her bath.

And now she’s stretched out, drying.

  With all her buttons in place, of course.

Oh, and you want a better look at exactly how much yarn I had leftover? I rolled it into a ball, which is smaller than a golf ball. It neatly fits in the tiny plastic envelope that the buttons came in, with the extra button to keep it company.

Now, is that good planning, or what?

Well, I mean, OTHER than the fact that I finished this just in time for the first heatwave of the summer?

And, um, the fact that I have absolutely no other project waiting in the wings and my knitting bag is EMPTY??

Okay, so maybe I didn’t plan everything as well as I could have….

Have a nice weekend, everyone! I bet YOU have stuff to knit….

• Tags: Finished Knitting, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Bathing Beauty // 3 Comments »

Yep.

That’s right. The knitting is done and THIS is how much yarn I have left. I would maybe, maybe, have considered one more row on the neckband, but it wasn’t necessary and, well, look at this! Such a small amount of yarn to be leftover from an entire sweater, especially when it was handspun and there simply was not any more to be had. A nice, comfortable amount to keep around in case of unexpected emergencies.

Perfect. (happy sigh)

Now, I need to block the sweater to make the hem lie flat, and I need to sew on the buttons. I haven’t decided which I’ll do first, but neither is going to happen tonight, and I’m not showing you the finished sweater until they’re done. But … yay! I am just so ridiculously pleased with the way this sweater came out. Its length is perfect, falling right at my hip bone. The sleeves are 3/4 length and I hit just the right rate of narrowing them without having given it any real thought. AND they got to the point of the ribbing with exactly 48 stitches–perfectly divisible by four for the 3×1 ribbing I wanted to use at the cuffs without requiring any additional decreasing. The color is great. The drape and feel of the fabric is soft and cozy.

It’s SUCH a relief to finally end up with a sweater that’s going to fit and look good and be eminently wearable. Unlike Autumn Rose, which just couldn’t compete with my wonky gauge issues. Or the Flutter-Sleeve cardigan which looks lovely flat but I’d need to be at least four inches taller to wear. There are a couple things I can think of that might (might!) salvage it, but I just haven’t the inclination. So, this sweater? Entirely done by hand and being so very obliging about the entire process? I can’t wait to show it to you.

And, to think, it looked like this just a few, short months ago.

Oh, I’ve been seeing some beautiful flower pictures around lately (like Carole’s post today), but here are some more for you. So, so lovely! There are no words. And, Lord, I sure would love a macro lens! There are, I admit, things I want more (You know what they are), but that’s definitely on the list.

You realize what this means, don’t you?

My knitting bag is empty again.

Uh-oh.

• Tags: Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Perfect Timing // 2 Comments »

Yep, one little neckband to go, sew on a few buttons, and this sweater is done. So, so close!

• Tags: Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Almost…. // 6 Comments »

It’s hard to see the details, of course, but if you look really carefully (or, okay, just trust me), I’ve started the ribbing on the sleeves. They are–or are just about to be–3/4 length which is one of my favorite sleeve lengths, and I figure I can put an inch or two of ribbing and still have enough yarn for the collar.

I did consider doing a hem instead of ribbing. It would have mimicked the hem on the body and the double-knit button bands, but I figured I didn’t need extra width on the ends of the sleeves. Instead, I opted for 3×1 ribbing which will give it a little inward pull without looking too much like ordinary ribbing, you know?

But, really, this mean this sweater is CLOSE to being done. Woohoo!

Photography question for you: Over at the Digital Photography School forum (a great message board for photography tips, may I just say), they have weekly “assignments” and the one coming up this week is for contrasting colors–photos using opposite colors on the color wheel. Like, say, blue and orange. For this week’ project, which of these two pictures do you think is a better photograph? (As in, not necessarily the best rendition of my current knitting, but the best-composed photo.)

Hey, Chappy got to do a good deed today. While we were out walking at lunch, we saw one of our neighbors pulling out of her driveway with a disgusted look on her face. She’s been sick and her mother came to help with the kids, and she went out to bring the dog in … unclipped her from the run outside, brought her into the garage, and then let go of the collar … and Ella took off. Because Ella–one of Chappy’s good friends–likes to escape and run around, playing tag, or whatever. (Don’t get me started on how terrible this is, especially since I lost Katy to a car.) But, anyway, Ella’s Mom asked us to keep an eye out for her. Well, as luck would have it, just a we got to the intersection, we saw her and called her name–she saw Chappy and came tearing over to visit. Now, if it had just been Mom and me, she might have come near us (I’ve done this before) but she might not have come close enough to grab her collar. But with Chappy? Well, she was MORE than happy to hang out with Chappy until her Mom came driving back around. So, Chappy did his good deed today and helped out a friend.

And, of course, the whole rest of the walk home, Mom and I were talking about how concerned we were about Ella being loose–she’s a medium-sized, gray dog who practically blend in with the street, making it hard for a car to see her–and about how her Mom really didn’t look like she felt well at all, and how glad we are that Chappy’s not the kind of dog to enjoy running away. I’m not saying he could never get loose or lost, because accidents happen, but we’ve got two dogs in our neighborhood who think that running off on their own is just the most fun thing ever. Sure, 50 years ago that’s how every body’s dog acted, but these days? Much as I like Ella’s family, it’s just irresponsible, and I’d hate to see anything bad happen to such a sweet dog.

Now, I just need to figure out what my next knitting project should be … obviously, I’m going to need a new one soon. And, what luck, this nice, wool cardigan is going to be ready just in time for Summer! (grin)

• Tags: Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Boy Scout // 7 Comments »