Beak Knits

Color Mixing

2011-04-26T10:13:00.001-04:00

My new obsession: Dyeing Yarn

Sunday I finished dyeing my birthday stash. I'll try to get photos up this week.

My last batch turned out great - lilac and acid green, my favorites.

My second to last batch turned out awful. DREADFUL. I was trying to do several colors. I wanted a light celadon and a salmon. I need to practice getting colors exactly. They ended up way too dark.

Ironically I ended up with yarn the exact color of my collection of Gap socks from the late eighties.

So in my search to fix my color problems: Color Scheme Designer

This site is addictive.

Envy these socks!

2011-04-23T12:57:00.000-04:00

Finished socks!

This is the yarn I dyed last weekend. My goal was to dye and finish a pair of socks for spring break-laundry be damned!

Here is the heel detail. This was my fist toe up gusset which worked petty well. The pattern on the heel is from an old knitting book from 1915. It was supposed to form a diamond pattern - so clearly I got a bit off. I still like the way it works out. It incorporates yarn overs (yarn in front if you are from 1925) and slipped stitched. I'd like to play with it again and see if I can get it right. Either way, this made a nice cushy heel flap, so it is not quite correct, but I do consider it a success, seeing as I now have new socks and all.

I also tried to do the two at a time thing for the leg part. I can see why people like it...when you are done, you are DONE, which is very appealing. In all honesty I would have made these longer if I had been using my DPN's. I can roll much faster, and the circular needle is fiddly, and I am not so much on fiddly stuff. My cheapo circs don't really help[, so I probably ought to invest in a better pair of needles and try it again.

The basic yarn is KnitPicks bare which I rather like, soft, and my other socks I have done in it have worn well. With my Dahrma Trading Company order I get some Wildfoote Luxury Sock yarn. A bit scratchy before dyeing, but afterwards it softens up. My plan is to crank out a pair in that ASAP. That way I can compare how these socks and the Wildefoote wear over the next year. If it about the same then the Knitpicks is much cheaper. They both are 75% wool 25% nylon, so the race is on.

Of course this means (in my sad little math brain) that I cannot wear these socks again until I have the second pair, so they do not get over-used before the second pair is ready.

Green with Envy

2011-04-20T16:05:00.001-04:00

My birthday present to myself this week - dyeing yarn.

This is with the new Jacquard iDye packs. Kelly green and royal blue. I live in a town with a huge college art program and all our local art stores had was the iDye stuff.

In fairness Plaza Art can do special orders for the regular Jacquard acid dyes, but I didn't plan this out so well. The order wouldn't get here until next week. Whoops.

So I've been playing with the iDyes until my order from Dharma Trading Company gets here.

Spring cleaning is almost done. If the laundry isn't washed by this afternoon it's not happening. Next two days I'll be up to my elbows in yarn.

Hyperbolic Coral Reef

2011-04-19T17:39:00.002-04:00

We sent the day at the Natural History Museum today. Hands down our favorite museum. This was the first time we got to see the new human origins exhibit. While I miss the old dioramas, this one is really well done. Lots of interactive stuff for the kiddos and lots for the husband to read. I even got the heel flap on my sock done while they were all doing their thing.

This is a must see: it is a giant crocheted coral reef. I'm on my iTouch (free wiFi- thanks Smithsonian!) so I'll try to add more photos tomorrow. This thing is incredible. All sorts of materials were used. I spotted cassette tape and Noro in the mix. Huge hit.

Edited to add photo:

Yarn vs. Urn

2011-04-13T19:41:00.000-04:00

I love this, but I'm saving up for yarn.

Dyeing

2011-04-13T15:27:00.011-04:00

Next week is Spring Break, and my birthday. My gift to myself this year is to do some dyeing over break.

Some references for dyeing yarn

Great Inspiration - they have beutiful colors and lots of information about the yarns they use: Sunshine Yarns
Blank Yarn for Socks - this cone has 5500 yards!! That's enough for over 12 skeins at 450 yards each: Yarn Workshop
Color and Style trends Cosmo Worlds
Color trends for clothing and household - lots of great ideas: Design Options

Links to Sock Sizes

2011-04-07T16:56:00.003-04:00

Purely Utilitarian. I am doing some sock design and needed sock sizes:

Wants and Needs

2011-04-04T13:44:00.000-04:00

So lets be honest - I have NO extra time right now. My work pile is ridiculous. I even forgot about sending in cupcakes for little-sis' birthday last week. Don't even try peeking at my UFO pile, it might eat you.

I do not need one more thing to do/knit/plan for/shop for...

And I still want this book. Saw it last week at the bookstore. I don't really care much for royal weddings, but you can knit the Queen and her Corgies.

Zip - it

2011-03-30T16:13:00.000-04:00

So March is proving to be wacky busy around here. Soccer has started, but we are not at the point where the weather is nice enough to sit and knit while the kiddos run around. More huddle and try to stay dry.

So I am behind on the knitting. And the grading, but frankly that is less important. Not that grades are due Friday or anything.

So next in the queue I need to finish up little-sis' monkey cardigan. Part of why I am stalled is the idea of doing the zipper. It sort of makes sense...anyway, here's a tutorial that seems to make it look much easier than I was thinking. We'll see.

Easiest Knitted Zipper Tutorial

If I don't get this done soon I am going to be in big trouble. I finished Big-Sis' Owlet over Winter Break. It goes faster when the kid involved doesn't want sleeves. And the pattern is all worked out for you.

Owlet Pattern by Kate Davies

Owlet Ravelry Page

Algebraic Anklets

2011-03-22T08:30:00.000-04:00

OK, I realize that as a math major I have a bias to such things. This is the coolest thing ever - an algebraic formula for socks.

Expressed in terms of x. Heaven.

Algebraic Universal Sock Pattern

Dallas

2011-03-11T12:23:00.002-05:00

Inspiration:

This is the view from my hotel room. I am thinking sock pattern.

Everything is bigger in Texas

2011-03-09T19:06:00.001-05:00

I'm in Dallas for the week for the SIGCSE conference. A computer science thing.
I have two passions when I travel. I always try out the public transportation. It's my trip and I like trains, so sue me. You want to really get the feel of a city- try the trains.
I also make sure I track down the local yarn store.
So about a 20 minute walk from the hotel I arrived at the Shabby Sheep.
This store is great. Cute dog, great selection, lots of light. Seriously worth the trek.

March of the penguins

2011-03-02T08:05:00.001-05:00

I just got this link from a student...she's in the process of applying for a knitting scholarship and is working on penguins. Isn't this cute??

Here's the pattern. The site has great pictures and directions.

Must not start new project....if I repeat it often enough it might sink in.

Fighting Start-itis

2011-02-27T12:45:00.000-05:00

Must

not

start

new

project.

It's a Snap!

2011-02-22T08:00:00.011-05:00

OK, confession. Normally all I have available to edit photos is Paint. IT can crop, and resize and rotate, but that is pretty much it.

So recently I discovered Piknik.

So a before shot:

And after:

The color correction is subtle, since the original photo pretty close. It did a good job of sharpening the shot.

Iknow, this isn't exactly knitting technique, but without photos the blog is dullsville.

February Socks Done!

2011-02-21T11:31:00.000-05:00

I have been doing the Self Imposed Sock Club on Ravelry this year. The idea is you bag up sock yarn and patterns at the beginning of the year, and each month you grab one and go. It has been great fun so far. My main problem is now I have a much longer list of have-to socks I want to make.

The yarn is Lorna's Laces in Unicorn Parade. I got it last month at the Knitting Sisters in Williamsburg. My favorite yarn store. Local (ish ). Great selection. Friendly.

Lorna's Laces Unicorn Parade

So I had planned on these becoming Jaywalkers. No offense to the pattern, but this yarn turned out to be much busier than I originally thought so they weren't a good match. When I bought it the blues and purples were more on top and the orange was not as visible, I have a backup yarn for that pattern, so I will get a pair of Jaywalkers.

So I frogged, and frogged again after trying basic toe up vanilla socks. I'm a math person and the random stripy-ness was bugging me. I know, I know, really it makes no difference. The socks are for big-sis, not me. And she's in shoes most of the time, and...anyway, it bugged me.

So I came up with this pattern. It alternates regular stockinette with bands of slipped stitch patterns. Just enough to a) not be boring and b) break up the stripes.

Plus it required counting, so it made me happy.

Afterthought heel. Not the best picture but big-sis was getting tired of posing.

I plan on playing with the pattern again. It seems to work well with all the crazy variegated yarn I pick up but can't ever seem to find a use for.

Suck in that Gut!

2011-02-15T08:00:00.000-05:00

This handy calculator takes your measurements and gauge and figures out your waist shaping:

http://www.interweave.com/Waist-Shaping-Calculator/

(I love math)

Be Mine

2011-02-14T13:48:00.002-05:00

From 7 Deadly Sinners: Enjoy!

I wish...

2011-02-13T12:33:00.002-05:00

This was my local yarn store.

n the spirit of true confessions I am a yarn store stalker. In my dreams I am brave enough to go in and plop down and the table, whip out my latest knit and chat away.

Reality is I am a total chicken about these things. Like I lose the ability to speak.

But Loop-I think I could eventually settle in there. Maybe not the chat part at first, but they were so nice and not scary.

Plus they had yarn with lots of color. I love the idea of my local store- but it is dreary. Fifteen shades if olive brown and puce. And all rather expensive. Loop had some Berroco wool- I could have done a sweater for under $40. I'd so much rather shop local than do the big box stores.

Buy I wanted to get stuff out of my usually shopping range. Madeline Tosh for a Citron and some Berroco Ultra Alpaca.

Say Cheese!

2011-02-08T08:00:00.004-05:00

My theme this year is "do it right" when it comes to my knitting, so I am working on technical details. Last few days I have been working on photography.

Well, working = reading about and wishing I had a better camera.

So basically pretending to take snappy pics.

In my reasearch I came accross this how to: http://www.conradhoffman.com/photographing_your_knitting.pdf

Funny how when you Google something the answer is right there. Seriously worth the read. I need new lightbulbs.

Tropical Granola

2011-02-03T08:00:00.002-05:00

This was supposed to be breakfast for the husband and I this week. It didn't quite make it that long, so I figured I'd better write it down.

Tropical Granola

4 cups rolled oats
1 cup unsweatened coconut
1/2 cup ground flax seed
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup honey
1 cup diced dried pineapple
1 cup diced crystalized ginger
1 cup raisins
1 cup dried banana

Preheat the oven to 350.
Mix the oats, coconut, flax, oil and honey.
Cook the mix in the oven for 25 - 30 minutes. Stir the mix every 10 minutes - seriously, don't skip this. Burned granola is yucky.
Let the granola cool. Mix in the dried fruit.

The ladies like granola

Technique Tuesday: SSK

2011-02-01T08:00:00.001-05:00

So my knitting resolution this year is to expand my technique. I've gotten into a bit of a rut - I do things the same way everytime.

Brandywine by Romi Hill

So while working on the Brandywine shawl my SSK's were bugging me - they slant the right way, but end up all crooked.

Enter the Tech Knitter. This is my new favorite site. The illustrations alone are amazing.

Here is her post on a fixed SSK. This rings some bells - I probably read it int he past and thought "why bother". Except my old ones made wonky stitches, so there.

2011-01-31T08:00:00.001-05:00

Wish I could remember what this yarn is. I bought it last summer at Knitting Addiction while on vacation with the parental units and the girls at Nags Head, NC. It is cotton, and gorgeous, and I am pretty sure the label floated away while I was knitting it on the beach.

Side note: This is hands down one of the BEST knitting stores I have ever been to. They were stocked mostly with cotton and non-wolly stuff, since it was July, at the beach. Huge, sunny, and LOTS of samples - well labeled. I would be there now if I was a less responsible mother.

So the yarn. Really it would be pretty just nailed to the wall. Originally I turned it into two shrugs for the girls. The shrugs were CUTE, but by December they had worn them exactly once. Enter FPS (Fiber Protective Services). Yarn abandonment.

So I re-purposed it into a cowl for me. Size 11 needles, cast on 80 stitches. Four rows garter, Knit until you think you might not have enough for the last four rows of garter -do the four rows of garter, cast off. If you get bores of the knit throw in a line of purls. I did prime numbers (3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19 or 23) Because I'm nerdy like that. Perfect.

Problem is I cannot get my hands on it. Yesterday the girls and I went to Carytown to look at their favorite toy store - World of Mirth:

And our local yarn store, the Yarn Lounge:

And now I can't get it back - Little-sis refused her coat so she spent the afternoon with it wrapped over her head. Last night big-sis wore it for movie night. No longer abandoned.

Knitting Books

2011-01-30T11:40:00.000-05:00

We had an unexpected snow day today. We've had pretty miserable weather lately so the girls are gitting rather crabby with the indoors.

To liven things up we went to the bookstore to hang out. In betwee reading "Llama llama mad at mamma" and Barack Obama's new kids book I got to look at some knitting books.

I seriously want to make this:

Vicarious Thrills

2011-01-25T16:03:00.000-05:00

So it is exam week, which has been unusually hectic this year. Generally I can get some knitting in while the kids test and I peer menacingly, but so far I have been swamped with work. Blah.

So some window shopping, if I can't knit I can pretend, right?

Paradise Fibers I don't keep a bucket list, but an "empty nest" list of all the things I hope to have time for after my soccer mom days have passed. One is dying yarn. I have done a few projects, and I am totally ready to convert the basement into my own mini laboratory, but time and budget (and the husband) do not yet permit.

Opposite Day

2011-01-20T14:19:00.000-05:00

So today is opposite day. I do these occasionally to prevent a funk from settling in. All day I do the opposite of my first instinct.

So today I did not stay in bed, I did wash my hair and I did not have marshmallows for breakfast.

Ice Day

2011-01-18T10:08:00.001-05:00

We have an unexpected day home due to an ice storm. Two thing on the agenda-catch up on lesson plans and knitting.

I just finished chart A on the Brandywine shawl. The bright blue helps on such a dreary day.

Needing Color

2011-01-17T10:40:00.000-05:00

Typical gray January day here. I decided yesterday I needed some color to get me through the rest of the month so I cast on the Brandywine Shawl in Blue Yonder Stroll by Knit Picks. It is the happiest blue I can find right now.

The chart is pretty easy to follow so far - it took a bit for me to get that the first few rows were essentially garter stitich. Today my goal is to find a printer - trying to follow a lcae chart on my tiny iTouch is huting the eyeballs.

Comfort

2011-01-15T12:47:00.002-05:00

Why I Love the Internet, reason #57

2011-01-09T11:29:00.004-05:00

I am plugging away at Little-Sis' monkey sweater today. I am at the point of putting the underarm stitches on waste yarn, and I have no idea of how many to do.

Internet to the rescue!

Wool Works Raglan Pattern

Accoring to this I need 1" under the arm. Back to knitting.

I am so consistent

2011-01-08T12:49:00.001-05:00

So I am participating in the Self Imposed Sock Club (http://www.ravelry.com/groups/self-imposed-sock-club) over at Ravelry. The idea us you kit up 12 socks-yarn and pattern and each month you randomly grab one of your sock kits.

Great idea-I do have a pile and a half of the sock stuff sitting around. When I started putting together my kits this morning I found this:

Granted a small, but consistent, selection of my sock yarns. Green & blue. The rainbow one on top is the only exception.

Next in the Queue

2011-01-07T14:44:00.002-05:00

So the queue feature in Ravelry might make it a bit too easy to imagine project after project...but once I finish Little Sis' mystery monkey sweater, and my Purple Thursday socks this is my next contender:

Brandywine Shawl

The Brandywine Shawl is by Romi Hill. I love the idea of some lace and a lot of garter - semi-mindless is good right now. Also she is donating $5 for every pattern purchased to Haiti relief.

This past August The Husband spent a week in Haiti covering a local effort to bring Haitian college kids tot he US to finish their degrees. The entire college system was destroyed in the earthquake. The cause couldn't be better.

The Husband's Article on Haiti

Added: I must try this:

Beaded Bind Off

Knitting Socks

2011-01-04T21:46:00.000-05:00

Must be the extreme cold this winter that is making me obsess over socks. I have joined the "Self Impossed Sock Club" Group over at Ravelry. The idea is you bag up patterns and yarn - one per month, then every month graba bog and knit.

Course I have no bags, patterns or yarn yet, but I am trying to finish a few things first. Mainly my garter rib socks.

Some good links to techniques. This one lets you cast on (for top down) without the bump where you join the round.

Afterthought Heel

2010-12-30T16:45:00.004-05:00

This is my first stab at an afterthought heel. I forgot to bring waste yarn with me while out today so I bought some cheapo embroidery floss to use. Even the afterthought was an afterthought.

The front side is a garter stitch rib. I am working it toe up- increasing until I had 12 stitches on each needle.

Yarn: Sock Ease by Lionbrand
Needle size: 0

Owlet is done

2010-12-30T13:22:00.001-05:00

I still need to block it and weave in the yarn ends-if only I could get it off big-Sis for ten minutes!

Miralda Done!

2010-02-08T13:30:00.000-05:00

I finished last night, while watching Emma on PBS (sorry Superbowl - Jane Austin won). Normally this kind of project would have been full of fits and starts, but since we've been snowed in for almost a week now I've had plenty of time to finish.

The latest round was this past Saturday. Snow Friday, rain, then snow all day Saturday. We got 6 inches or so. Our total for this year is about 33 inches.

Poor big - sis is ready to go back to school. We had a late opening last Thursday, but between the snow and the teacher workday after exams she's not been to class for a full day since Wednesday before last. She spent most of yesterday frantically making worksheets for herself, and getting the husband to create selling lists for her.

Little-sis is thrilled with all the time off, and would spend the rest of the year playing quite happily at home if given the choice.

Miralda

2010-02-02T09:33:00.000-05:00

We've been snowed in since Saturday - 13 inches this time. The last winter with this kind of snow was 2000, but this time we've had two big ones. No that I am not totally fond of the short people, but it is proving to be a lot of time entertaining kiddos.

Yesterday we made marshmallows. Today I hope we can get out to the bookstore for a bit. Big - sis and I are reading our way through the Sisters Grim series. I had checked out books 3 - 5 before the storm, but t we're almost done. Right now we're both reading the fifth-tough to share.

Anyway, this is the yarn I got from the fiber festival at Montpelier back in October. It is the Classic Merino Lace from Knitting Notions in Green Apple. It is my favorite green. I had bought a pattern to use with it, Lacewing, but on second look it is way more complicated than I thought. I've not done a huge amount of lace.

So instead I am doing Miralda from Knitted Lace of Estonia. The thing I love about this pattern is that you cast on a bazillion stitches, then reduce each row making the triangle shape - also making it go faster. I had to pull out yesterday when the center diamond section got off by a good five stitches. Thus, the photos.

I am having one bit of a puzzle - the pattern uses a three-cross stitch that I cannot find described anywhere in the book - I am sure I can't find it. I did find it described on Things Soo Likes.

Her description:

The cross is worked over 2 rows. On the first row you slip the first stitch purlwise, knit the next tow stitches together and then pass the slipped stitch over (so 3 stitches become 2). On the return row you insert a YO between the two stitches (so the 2 stitches become 3 again).

If this weather keeps up I should finish this week.

Sometimes you just gotta have it

2009-12-28T11:43:00.000-05:00

Wednesday, March 28th, 2007

The husband and I got a day out a few weekends back and we ended up doing the thrift stores. I know, exciting lives.

This is my new favorite thing. It is a lamp for a child’s room.

Aren’t they great? They are painted wood. The center part can be wound up and then they spin and play music.

I am revamping the guest room. Right now it is where the kids play stuff is. The plan is to turn it back into a fully dedicated guest room and do it in red and white. I have an old red and white quilt from my mom’s family, and this lamp will work perfectly.

This makes me so happy!

Happy Spring…Achoo!

2009-12-28T11:40:00.000-05:00

Monday, March 26th, 2007

I truely have not meant to ignore this lonely blog the past few days. We’ve been in Williamsburg heping the parental units get their house ready for sale. They are moving up here near us. (Yay!)

The husband has now tiled their kitchen and master bath, hung new lights, plumed things…all sorts of general handyman things.
Moi? What have I been doing? My KoolAid sweater is almost done…I lost one ball of the purple yarn has disappeared, so I am having to improvise a bit.
I have also done some shopping for fabric for the girl’s spring wardrobe. I need to get cracking on this too, they have outgrown most of the rest of their clothes.

We now resume our regularly scheduled program

2009-12-28T11:39:00.000-05:00

Monday, March 19th, 2007

Today was soooo much calmer. Kids survived school. I survived school. Thanks for all the lovely comments…I will catch up on responding, promise!
And this evening I got an hour to work on:

Sorry for the grainy photo…The camera doesn’t work so well indoors.
I started this while we were in Florida. This is a better shot of all the colors:

It is a bunch of Knit Picks yarn I over-dyed with koolaid. I was almost done, but the sleeves were getting tedious. I figure I have a few weeks left where I can use a lightweight sweater, so I might as well crank it out. It now has half a sleeve and a neck.
In the vien of sprint cleaning I am trying to finish a few things.

Weekend Wrap up

2009-12-28T11:36:00.000-05:00

Sunday, March 18th, 2007

(Warning: This is a long post mostly concerned with near-miss disasters. If you are looking for crafting content please check back later. This mom is lucky to be awake, and should not be touching anything sharp or pointy.)
This weekend was one of those where you can’t quite wait for Monday to get here.
It all started Friday afternoon…40 degrees, pouring rain…you get the idea. Big-sis tripped as we left my school and landed on her bottom in a puddle of water.
Actually, calling the moat that surrounds the back of the building a puddle is a bit of an understatement. She has more chance of leaping the River Nile.
So there she is, submerged up to her waist in 40 degree water…pants soaked, shoes filled with water. Total disaster.
Let this serve as a word to the wise: your car cannot be well enough stocked in time of emergency or disaster. I had always planned on keeping an extra set of clothes in the van…as of today they are firmly in place, but I digress.
I did have dry socks, and I managed to sop up some of the water in her pants with paper towels. I poured the water out of her shoes (yes, poured). Then I wrapped in in the spare blanket, and called the husband to let him know he needed to pick up Little-sis since I needed to hurry home to get big-sis dry.
At this point it is important to set the stage. I teach in a school isolated from the hustle and bustle of city life. Cows roam across the street. The picture of rustic simplicity.
This means the “highway” we use to drive there is narrow and has no real shoulder. Not entirely safe.
It winds over hills through gorgeous farm land. Gorgeous, unless your power steering goes out because of a puddle. A puddle that cannot be avoided because of an oncoming truck.
I did manage the next few miles to town without crashing and stopped at the local tea house and called the husband (my hero!) A mini van is not easy to steer even with the power steering, and at five foot one and a quarter inches I am quite proud of myself for being able to get to a place I could stop without needing to be towed out.
The folks at the tea shop were wonderful, and gave Big-sis an extra big hot chocolate with lots of extra whipped cream. They didn’t complain when I let her take her wet shoes off.
Never fear, the husband arrived about 30 minutes later with clean clothes and Little-sis. Everyone is dry and safe now, fully restored.
The rest of our weekend was eaten up with getting the van fixed…the serpentine belt fell off, if you ever heard of such a thing. Not broke, fell off.
Today the super-husband (he might need a cape) spent the day tiling my parents kitchen floor. They needed this done super fast since they are moving! They were down in Williamsburg, but will now be about 10 miles from our house, mere blocks away from big-sis’ school.
As Big-sis put it: “Once they move I won’t ever have to wait an hour for dry pants again!”
Amen, sister!

Window Shopping

2009-12-28T11:35:00.000-05:00

Sunday, March 18th, 2007

Look at this site, go ahead, I’ll wait…

They have the best shirts! This one is our favorite right now…As the mother of child determined to be the first librarian in space (and no, I’m not kidding), I have to endorse this shirt. Isn’t that the best? I am planning on ordering one ASAP.
She plays library almost all weekend. Makes you sign out the books and sends out overdue notices. For my next paper project I am planning on creating a printable for her to make the little library cards and pockets so she can check things out for real. I might even request the Easter Bunny deliver a rubber stamp that does dates. If I work it out I’ll post it. My child can’t be the only library freak out there.
As a side note Big-sis has announced her backup plan in case the whole librarian thing doesn’t happen. She wants to be a crossing guard and live in an RV. That way she can just drive her house to work.
We are all keeping our fingers crossed about the librarian thing.

2009-12-28T11:33:00.000-05:00

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Saturday, March 17th, 2007

The how to and stencil are here.

Spring has Sprung

2009-12-28T11:30:00.000-05:00

Thursday, March 15th, 2007

This is the witch hazel the girls gave me for Mother’s day 3 years ago. I haven’t been able to see it bloom since we’ve been in Florida the last two springs.

It smells amazing!

Mia’s Blanket Done

2009-12-28T11:28:00.000-05:00

Wednesday, March 14th, 2007

I just finished this blanket for the girl’s newest cousin this weekend. I started in November, when my sister in law asked for a blanket with holes in it.

a tease

Since I slammed my hand in the car door a few weeks back I wasn’t sure if it would ever end. I do not crochet much anymore, so with the bruised hand it felt like it took forever. . but now, done!
I used Valley Cotton from Webs, which is always one of my favorite yarns. Little sis’ ni-night was made in this yarn, and it has survived for four years now.
There was also this:

Needless to say I love the stuff.

Free Sewing patterns…vintage!

2009-12-28T11:25:00.002-05:00

Tuesday, March 13th, 2007

I had to share:

The Ladies Treasury of Costume and Fashion

It has a ton of free patterns, including stuff for children.
This one is my current favorite:

It has that sort of 80’s flair that is in right now. I know a lot of folks that are not enthused about the return of the 80’s, but as a high school teacher it is great…much better than the underwear-as-outerwear thing that left everyone’s bellies exposed!

Freezer Paper Stencil How-To

2009-12-28T11:24:00.000-05:00

Thursday, March 8th, 2007

Materials:

Freezer Paper
Acrylic Paint
T-Shirt or other fabric
Washable fabric glitter

Tools:

Iron
X-actoacto Knife
Sponge brush

Note: Be careful with the iron and the freezer paper. You should never touch the iron to the shiny side of the paper, it will stick and can ruin your iron!

Directions:

Transfer the design onto the non-shiny side of the freezer paper. To save time you can print a design directly onto the paper by cutting it to fit in your printer.
Cut out the design using aactoacto knife.
Set the iron to the highest setting.
Put a piece of freezer paper and iron it onto the back side of the fabric you are stenciling. Make sure the shiny side is touching the back side of the fabric as you iron.
Position the stencil pieces shiny side down on the fabric. Remember that any place where the freezer paper is placed will show the fabric.
Hold the iron on the freezer-paper stencil. Check every few seconds until the paper is sticking to the fabric.
Use the sponge brush to apply a light coat of the acrylic paint. Make sure no fabric is showing through.
Optional: Sprinkle glitter over the wet paint.
Wait a few minutes until the paint dries, then carefully remove the stencil.

You can reuse the stencil. Just use a regular piece of paper over the stencil before you iron so the paint doesn’t stick to the iron.

Freezer Paper Stencil:

Appreciation

2009-12-28T11:14:00.003-05:00

Wednesday, February 28th, 2007

For the past few days I have been bogged down with doing taxes. I won’t bore you with details, but between the husband’s business, the move back from Florida and all I have at least 5 sets to file.
Long, deep sigh.
So to help lift the spirits I am trying to focus on appreciation today.
First a call from the husband…”You want some dirt?”

Bad photo of the dirt and the 71 Volvo.

He was working on an article out in Powhatan, a good 45 minutes away, and had come across a guy selling dirt, well, for dirt cheap (sorry, couldn’t resist). So he called, I said yes, and in the middle of the day he brought home dirt.
That’s the kind of guy my husband is. He’ll take a time out of an overcrowded day to bring home a huge truckful of dirt for our vegetable garden.

Nerd Day

2009-12-28T11:14:00.000-05:00

Tuesday, February 27th, 2007

I am and always will be a nerd. Majored in math. I enjoy doing taxes. I teach computer science. It’s not my fault, I was born this way.

So I thought I’d share my two favorite new websites:

www.stikkit.com -this site lets you create “sticky” notes. It can create categories, contacts and to do lists. Fun! Plus I can access my to do list at any computer. I am so into categorizing the endless stream of things I gotta do.

This is my stickkit to remember my next cool site:

The Pocket Mod - This site lets you create a small fold-able book to fit in your pocket. It has fun templates, like graph paper and SuDokus. You print it out, two folds, one snip, viola! Handy tiny organizer.

The girls love the storyboard pages…they draw a picture then write a story.

New Project

2009-12-28T11:10:00.000-05:00

Monday, February 26th, 2007

I haven’t really worked on anything for me lately, which is fine. I have had a ton of fun knitting and sewing projects to work on. However, in a few weeks I need to start on the spring/summer sewing for the girls, so now is my last chance for a while.

I have all this great Peruvian Collection Highland Wool yarn from Elann, this is from a contest I won last year. I thought it was going to become Rogue from Girl from Auntie. But as I look at the color I don’t think the color is quite right. I think I want a light blue Rogue.

So now I am fixated on the idea of a cropped jacket for spring.The swatch is on size 6 needles…if I could only find my size 6 circulars I’ll be all set.

It’s Here!

2009-12-28T11:08:00.000-05:00

Saturday, February 24th, 2007

So I ordered these on Thursday…and they are here! Two days!

I cannot even begin to tell you how excited I am. Sewzanne’s Online Fabrics is amazing. I think this is hand down the fasted internet delivery I have ever had.
Plus, they sell this:

This is a Heather Ross fabric. Is it not amazing??
And my favorite Heather Ross fabric:

Wouldn’t this be amazing as PJ’s? I’m saving my pennies.
Here’s a shot of the Ottobre designs…not enough to violate any copyright, but enough to get an idea:

Look at all those lines!!

Treats!

2009-12-28T11:03:00.002-05:00

Thursday, February 22nd, 2007

Well…I am off sweets for Lent. I try to cut this out every year. Sugar is my one true vice.

So I am trying to find other ways to treat myself. Especially since I am currently mired in the husband’s corporate taxes.

So, what’s my treat? Ottobre Design Magazine

These are from Finland (don’t worry, they publish in English). If you haven’t seen them it is really worth a look. Lots of great ideas. I love that you get so many patterns for only $14.
I ordered them last night from Sewzanne’s Online Fabrics. I just got an e-mail saying they are on the way…can you beat it? One day turn-around!!
Big-sis has announced her new favorite color is blue, so she wants some Capri’s. Little-sis is still obsessed with pink, so we know where that’s going.
Next stop, the fabric store!

Happy President’s Day

2009-12-22T15:49:00.001-05:00

Monday, February 19th, 2007

I have a thing for corny historical plates. The top is Abraham Lincoln during the Lincoln Douglas debates.

This one hangs in the girl’s bathroom which is pink, green and black.

This is the home of Martha Washington, mother of George. It’s hard to see in the photo, but around the edges are scenes of her garden and her drawing room.
I have visions of eventually having a whole set of president plates…the ones with all the presidents heads, like George through Eisenhower, or Nixon. Hilarious!
So happy birthdays Abe and George!

2009-12-22T15:47:00.000-05:00

Gray Day…Gray Socks

Sunday, February 18th, 2007

Is anyone else missing the You Knit What? blog? It’s been such a grey few days I need a good laugh.

View from our front door

The husband is sick. The girls have been locked in for days now, so I have been trying to get them to play in the basement so he can sleep.

These are the socks I am working on fro the husband…sort of a late Valentine’s Day gift. He has the world’s widest feet, so they are taking a while.

For the record it is very hard to get semi-interesting/visible pictures of gray socks. This is Wildfoote yarn I got last weekend from The Yarn Lounge.
Nothing else of note, so here are some interesting blog posts from today:

Knitting while Reading: Note the snappy bee-hive (too cool)
1870 Pearl: Recipe for Apple Cobbler
Dim Sum Knitting: Look at the color on this hat:

Spring Cleaning

2009-12-22T15:42:00.000-05:00

Thursday, February 15th, 2007

OK, I realize I am trying to force spring to happen. Daffodils and now this.
I am used to being very organized. The difference now that I am back to work after staying home with the girls is that I am no longer willing to bring home hours of work each night to finish.
So I decided to list every current project, personal or work:
I eventually ran out of post it notes

.
I got this idea from skimming “Getting things Done” by David Allen. Apparently he’s a guru of such things. I didn’t even know such things had gurus. What can I say, I broke up two girl fights in the past week, I don’t get out much.
Then I grouped everything into three piles…must do, maybe and manana (later). The idea is you develop a system to track all ongoing projects so that you do not have to actively think about it. You create routines to check your system, and have a less cluttered brain.
My poor brain needs all the dusting it can get. I have to teach recursive algorithms next week…enough said.

I needed to focus on. In the middle of the pictures is the calendar I use to organize house and kid stuff. (click here to see it better). I might eventually try to rework it along the lines oprojects.Anyone
Anyone else have any ideas? I can’t be the only one a bit overwhelmed with the to do list…

Busy Bag

2009-12-22T15:37:00.004-05:00

aturday, February 17th, 2007

We have officially entered birthday season. Little sis and I just got back from one today. We have 2 more this coming week.

As always, our budget is pretty well stretched. I also prefer homemade gifts. So this year we are giving Busy Bags.

These are just bags I made from leftover fabric. Then the girls and I pack them with things to keep kids busy…crayons, blank books, stickers, plastic animals, etc. I got a great deal on all this stuff from Michael’s a while back, so we are fully stocked.

These are pink and white stripped on the outside, ad blue gingham inside, left over from Halloween 2005:

The girls in Florida

I decorated this one with silk flowers. I remove them from the stem and sew on with a button.

I might redo this one…I want one for myself!

Movin' on up...

2007-01-30T13:01:00.000-05:00

Image from the Doggie Bookplates pdf. Available at www.handmademom.com.

The blog has moved to it's new home:

Handmade Mom Blog

Still me and my knitting, plus all the other crafty mom stuff. See you there!

The best

2007-01-17T15:09:00.001-05:00

I am finishing up some leg warmers for big-sis. Friday is wacky sock day at school, and we really do not have any wacky socks.

Here's a preview:

And the best description of kitcherner's stitich on the web? Here you go. I love the pictures with the huge needles...makes it easy to follow.

We're supposed to start getting some wintery weather the next few days, so even if it is a snow day she'll need something warm. Fingers crossed...we could use a snow day.

I plan on posting the pattern when I launch my new website in Early Feb. I decided to start collecting my sewing/knitting/crafting patterns all in one place. I am a bit nervous about it, and heve spent the last week obsessing over the HTMl and CSS stuff.

Fingers Crossed...

Big News!!

2007-01-16T18:05:00.000-05:00

OK, quick bit of news here. Yesterday the girls and I stopped by the craft store, and what did I see next to the Cascade 220??

Cotton Ease.

I know I have been out of it for a while. I am busy crocheting the world's most tedious baby blanket. Taking forever...but the baby could come any day now, so onward we crochet.

Still, you think I would have heard some fanfare about its return. I am not in that much of a bubble.

The official site: http://www.lionbrand.com/cgi-bin/yarnInfo.cgi?yarnPage=1694582 At the store it was about $4.50. I don't remember the old price, but the colors seem better.

I really wanted some of the lime and violet, but held off. I am behind on projects as it is.

Has anyone else spotted it?

Oh, and a total side note...someone asked about the color of our dining room walls...it is one of the Behr colors-“rain washed”. We love it, matches everything. They have a fun paint matcher online:

http://www.behr.com/behrx/workbook/

It is so much fun to play with colors...I actually use it a bit to match up yarn colors...why don't any of the yarn companies offer something like this for their lines?? I could spend hours playing with the colors.

Thanks for all the kind comments about the Piggle Hat on Knitty.com...this has been one of the most exciting things to happen around here lately.

Happy Holidays!

2006-12-10T12:22:00.000-05:00

We're decking the halls here. Tree is up. Cookies are made. Holiday knitting is almost done.

I am even almost done with the girls' Christmas dresses. No, I am not staying up unitl 3 AM. I have had a few unexpected days at home because little-sis has pink eye.

As a working-mom side note, pink eye is not such a bad gig. You have to be home, no one questions the need to be here. They would prefer NOT see you until it is over. On the other hand she feels fine (it's a mild case), so there is not a lot of grouchy sick kid. Basically it has been a very relaxing few days of being mom. Dad takes over tomorrow so I can go in and catch up. That's the downside to teaching...coming up with sub plans is so much more work than just being there to teach! I have four preps this year, so it is not easy to come up with enough to fill an hour and a half class.

And a small bit of self promotion...have you seen the new Knitty?? Yup! I have a pattern in there! My kids have hit the "yeah, that's nice mom" stage that comes right before outright eye rolling, so I figured I'd tell folks who might care. This might just be the most exciting thing that has ever happened to me (well OK, close to it anyway) so I am trying to enjoy as much as possible.

I am doing some personal knitting right now also...I mentioned a week or so back a bag I was working on to be felted. Here's little sis in the before shot:

It's in the machine now, so we'll see how it turns out.

2006-12-07T12:07:00.000-05:00

This is a test. I am just experimenting with posting a picture. Actual content to follow.

The picture is a bad sketch that was done as an experiment with the drawing tablet we have.

Chill dude

2006-12-02T17:04:00.000-05:00

Thank goodness, it's finally getting chilly here. I even got to wear wool out of the house today.

Everyone I know will think that I've lost it. I generally hate the cold and prefer things on the 90 degrees and humid side of life.

But, we've just moved back "north" to VA. After a year and a half in Florida I have been really missing the seasons. We sort of had a fall down there. Three days before Christmas the leaves fell off the trees, and then by New Year's Day they were growing back again. Not much foliage to enjoy.

So the leaves have been great. I do not even mind the raking. In honor of all this chill I have tried to wear something hand knit to work everyday last week. I think I made it, but I did cheat a bit on Tues...the long wool scarf I was wearing kept getting snagged on the remote tablet thing I use to do class notes. Not effective teaching strategy. It did amuse though, let me tell you.

What a work week too...the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas is always hectic, but for kids with rough home situations it can be total chaos. And for the record, yes, I was the idiot teacher telling the kid to hand over the cell phone that kept ringing, only to find out it was a house arrest ankle bracelet going off. Embarrassing!

I do not want to send the wrong idea. I teach at a great school, with really wonderful kids. But any school, public or private, is ultimately a human endeavor, and we are not collectively speaking, perfect.

In knitting news, I finished the World's Worst Hat for my brother. Seriously. Ugly.

It started off fine, but somewhere towards the end I stopped counting right or something, because it puckers something awful. I am almost tempted to write up the pattern as a cautionary tale...the hat not to knit. It is disappointing too because I managed to do a two-needle tubular cast on in the round...no small feat let me tell you. I will eventually frog and try again, but I cannot face it yet.

So that's been pretty much the week. Choked myself on a scarf. Shocked by teenagers, and knitted a record-breakingly bad hat.

None of it perfect, but pretty good nonetheless.

Sewing here

2006-11-20T20:24:00.000-05:00

OK...I AM knitting these days, but right now I am in the middle of my third ball of patton's wool for a felted bag. The bag should be great, but right now it is just a huge heap of knitting, nothing interesting.

So today I'll post some sewing updates:

This is the coat I just finished this weekend for little sis. The lining is a sage fleece. It matched the pink better than the pics show. The outer fabric is actually some upholstery fabric I found. I had visions of some wide wale corduroy, but they had none when I went looking last week. I wandered into the home decor section and there it was.

I had some difficulty getting pics, she was not having a photographic moment. I'll try to get a better lit shot soon.

It still needs buttons, and I haven't decided how to do those yet. It's just starting to get chilly, so those can wait till this weekend.

Oh, and unlike the photo the pattern does line up. That was the hardest part...cutting it out. I love knitting, but sewing is done so quickly, there is a lot of satisfaction in that. The funny thing is I am so much more likely to goof it up, since I get impatient and don't think things out. Knitting gives me time to catch up with my thinking.

I am the queen!

2006-11-16T21:21:00.000-05:00

So the other day at dinner, our resident three year old announced that she is "the queen of cheese".

We are not sure why, but she's "creative" and we try not to stifle. I think the husband congratulated her, and we all moved on.

But really I don't think I did. Deep down I want to be the queen of something. Something substantial.

At work I am often called the queen of the nerds, which is nice, but not quite lofty enough.

So today, I am declaring myself "queen of the world's most neglected knitting blog".

I have actually been knitting, but blogging has been nigh on impossible here recently. All "personal" pages are blocked at work. I have managed a work around that lets me read a lot of my usual blogs, but I cannot comment, or see pictures. This is all a bit of a killjoy.

So, actual knitting news:

I came very close to getting a visit from the Fiber Protective Services(FPS) folks this week. I have this grand alpaca I got to make a holiday present for someone TBA (translation: they might read this) I tried about 7 different patterns with this poor stuff...and frogged, and frogged, and frogged...

Then it dawned on me that I was abusing the yarn. It didn't want to be a scarf. It wanted to be a hat. So in about 6 hours it turned into the Shedir hat by Jenna Wilson from the Knitty special issue on breast cancer. I loved this hat until I blocked it, and then the entire family avoided the kitchen for a day and a half while it was blocked.

Note: Wet Alpaca Stinks!

But totally worth it. It is a great pattern that I will probably do again. I did 7 repeats instead of 8, which worked out fine. I have visions of adapting it into all kinds of snappy snowflake-like patterns.

More news...I will have a pattern published soon. Details to follow.

I am in progress on a felted tote for fall, that will probably be ready right in time for spring, the way things are going. I just finished a pair of baby pants in pink Wildfoote sock yarn. I love this stuff.

I have a pile of gift ideas for Christmas, but none can be serviced by my immediate stash, so they are on hold. The sump pump died this week, so no new yarn for a while.

I my defense I did protest spending my hard earned yarn-money on a new pump, but when the husband suggested sopping up some of the eight inches of rain we've had this week with woolen items I came to my senses. My poor stash has been in enough danger what with the FPS folks looking into the alpaca situation.

The queen has responsibilities after all. It's not all merino and bon-bons.

Boo!

2006-10-30T07:08:00.000-05:00

So it is time to catch up a bit. Again, I cannot post or read blogs at work, and what with the kids at home and all it is hard to get this done. The husband is now back in town (permanantly...no more trips!), so things are easing up a bit.

This is big-sis' school spirit/halloween vest. The bobble up the front are ment to represent tiger paws. She has been very kind and supportive of this..."Sure mom, just like paw prints". She said this without rolling her eyes, which takes real self control.

As for the Homecoming outfit...I wore a cammo t-shirt with a green knitted vest. This vest:
And a parting shot of the orange vest:

(Hmmmm...she's lost it this time!)

In other knitting news I just finished a pair of pants for a baby shower. It was one of those showers where as soon as you walk in in a ponytail you feel as if homemade was not, possibly, the way to go. I included gas drops, which every mother ought to have, just in case, so perhaps that rounded it out. I am almost done with socktoberfest. Still no word on my pattern submission, so either a good sign, or I cannot properly e-mail. I'll fill y'all in later.

Oh, and a bit of crochet to round things out...an old hat worn by little sis:

What I do to educate the youth of America

2006-10-07T11:33:00.000-04:00

OK, so teaching. You know…must be nice with all this time off we get, right??

I really do like it, but this is Homecoming week. Which means spirit garb. I am just faking jersey day, and twin day I have all worked out. Then there’s Thursday…cammo day.

Yes, I teach in the sticks. Actual cows roam in the field across the street from our high school.

Under normal circumstances I would also skip cammo day, but what with the kids I have this year, and being newly returned at all, I think I need to make a good show.

So my three options are:

1) Do the easy thing and buy a cammo bandana and wear it like a festive scarf

2) Borrow some of my dad’s old airborne ranger gear

3) Make a pink/green camo skirt (and yes, I can get the fabric for like $2 a yard)

I was leaning towards three until I remembered my doctor’s appt that afternoon. Thoughts? Opinions?

Anyhoo, knitting at school has been a kick. We have a pretty active knitting club. My computer guys are fascinated by the socks/vests/sweaters I leave on my desk. Frankly I’ve had almost no time to knit this week, what with the husband out of town and all, but it is amazing. The kids that are the most reluctant to talk or do anything all have some story about their Mumma (translation: mom) or Memaw (grandma) and the blanket/sweater/scarf they knit for them.

It may be the sticks, but handcrafting is a big part of life out here, which I love.

Girls and I are about to head out to the yarn store. I need some red sock yarn for spirit Fridays.

Go team!!

October, Argh!

2006-10-03T18:14:00.000-04:00

So here we are October. I promised myself last year that I would not do it. Nope, not I. I would plan small reasonable gifts for people. No need to knit for everyone. My mental health is a valuable thing.

And we all know where that kind of thinking goes once fall hits. One chilly evening and all I can think is "who needs socks?"

Last year I did BIG projects. This year I am at least trying to think small.

So in the spirit of small, here's a wee pattern for Halloween. It would make a good stocking stuffer too, if you know any pirates. I also like these since the girls LOVE piraes right now, and I love their eyeballs, so the soft hook is a win-win scenario.

Materials: One ball chunky, cheap black yarn
One hank of plastic canvas thread in silver (the fat kind)
Optional: chunky yarn in a contrasting color. Use what you have...you could even double up some worsted stuff.

One set METAL DPN’s in a size 8. Seriously, the silver stuff is scratchy, and I do not want to be responsible for messing up your best pair of bamboo needles.

This is all based on i-chord. So simple it hurts.

Start with the black yarn and work in a 5 stitch i-chord for about 2-3 inches. Depends on your pirate's hand. Switch to the silver. Work another inch or so. Then, every other row, slip the first three stitches and knit the other two. This will cause the hook to curve. When you think it is long enough taper the end by doing 1 row k2tog, across, then next row knit the remaining 3 stitches together. Pull the tail through and work in the end.

Now you need a cuff. Pick up about 10 stitches around the edge where the silver and black meet. Distribute the stitches evenly over 3 DPN’s.

K 1 row.

K1M1 for next row.

Repeat these two rows until the circle is wide enough to cover the pirate’s hand. Then knit straight until the cuff measures abut 4 inches. If you like knit the last two rows in the contrasting yarn. Bind off, weave in loose ends, then shiver me timbers! You’re a pirate.

If I can find my notes I’ll try to also post the eye patch and hat patterns. Again, super simple.

Enjoy!

This weekend’s theme:

2006-09-25T11:34:00.000-04:00

This weekend’s theme:

Obnoxious orange.

I mean the almost fluorescent kind.

Posting has been difficult. All personal pages are blocked from work. I can READ blogs, but I cannot comment or post. We’re trying the e-mail post today. I’ll add (orange!) photos later.

My students are testing today, so it is a lot of time to walk around and knit while I make sure each student is doing his/her own work with no undue assistance.

And what I am knitting? An orange vest!

Big-sis is a tiger cub this year at school, so I am making a vest out of kitchen cotton. Under the fluorescent here it GLOWS, let me tell you.

The vest has simple cables and bobbles to form tiger paws going up the front. The plan is to do a v-neck and have the paws continue up each side. We’ll see how that looks.

And other orange?

Two pumpkin t-shirts. We tried the freezer paper stencil thing and it worked out quite well. T Shirts were on sale at Michaels for $2, so we stocked up. This could get quite addictive. I have visions of a Spock shirt for the husband’s birthday.

And last? Ginger Carrot Soup. Very orange and very tasty!

Carrot and Ginger Soup

1 medium yellow onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, diced

2 Tbsp fresh ginger, diced

2 stalks celery diced

1 medium bag whole carrots, sliced

2 medium potatoes, cut into 1 inch pieces

Vegetable stock

Optional: Sour Cream or heavy cream

Cook the onion and celery with a pinch of salt in olive oil over medium heat until translucent. Add the garlic and ginger ands sauté for a minute. Add the carrots and sauté for another minute. Add the potatoes and enough stock and water to cover all the vegetables. Simmer for about 30 min until all the veggies are tender. Puree using a blender until smooth.

Add the sour cream or cream if desired. My girls like it with skim milk.

Hmmmm...

2006-09-12T19:52:00.000-04:00

I am actually out of things to knit.

I know! Can you believe it? Even the spare project is done. I do have a sock I need to finish for my dad, but I can't find the second ball of yarn, so I might need to buy a new ball to finish.

So it is time to turn to holiday knitting. This year I start early. I plan simple short projects.

Right.

So we were at the mall a few weeks back and the Muz (the girls grandmother) let it be known that she could use a lace shawl. After some not-so-subtle questioning on my part I surmised:

1. She prefers rectangles
2. She prefers cotton (hot flashes and wool do not mix)

So I am thinking of starting a Print O' the Wave stole by Euny. I did a medium sized patch of it a few months back to experiment with lace, and I really like the way the pattern works. I have some Valley Cotton from Webs. (As I have mentioned I LOVE this stuff). Once the girls are in bed I think I will give it a try.

Really...who needs lesson plans? I'm sure my students will understand.

I should be writing lesson plans

2006-09-11T19:02:00.000-04:00

Seriously…but I’m not. So there!

I got my fabulous hurricane sock in the mail over the weekend from Laura (but I do not know the address of her blog…will post it once I know!). Just look:

Isn’t it pretty? I have to say I am rather nervous about finishing the other. Just look at her stitches:

Aren’t they perfect? What if I can’t match it?

Oh, and the yarn. It is Sockotta, by Plymoth. I love that it is a cotton wool blend. I can totally see using it for Christmas gifts this year. Great stuff. Plus the name sounds like SOC CAH TOA, which makes my inner math teacher happy (it’s a memory aid for trig, sin, cosine, in case you're curious)

Plus she sent some fun spa stuff that I am just waiting to try out. It needs free time, which I could use, soon.

I had a moment at work today where the line for the copier dies down, and suddenly I was ALONE in the teacher’s lounge. I realized I hadn’t been alone in like 5 days.

Our building is super full of students this year, so I am roaming during my planning periods. Supplies are a mess…I was given 3 dry erase markers for the year. I have a friend that was given three strips of staples and tools to “make it work!” Despite this all in high spirits and the school year is getting off to a good start. Teenagers are teenagers, but mine generally behave, so I can’t complain.

So for personal knitting, I finished my hurricane sock and mailed it out. I am hoping she doesn’t hate me forever. The yarn was a tad on the *bright* side. I think it turned out well, but I hope she doesn’t need to stare at her feet…it could cause vision loss.

I am almost done with a baby blanket. We have like 5 impending babies, between family and friends, so I am cranking them out. I’ll post a picture and hopefully a pattern. I have an easy formula that is quick, cheap, and works for boys or girls. We’ll see what you all think once it is blocked.

A few folks asked about the raglan sweater from the last post. I really isn’t have a pattern…just used the basic raglan formula and did a picot edge. I meant it to be for little sis, but it grew, if you get my meaning. I tend to be loose on gauge, so when it is something I plan to knit for both I start by making one for little sis, so in a worse case scenario I end up with the bigger one done first.

In the next few days I have a pattern submission to send off. We’ll see how that goes.

OH!! I totally forgot! The pattern I sold to Elann is up. They used different colors than I did, and I really like the way it turned out. Go see!!

Kitchen Cotton + Raglan =

2006-08-27T13:28:00.001-04:00

One snappy new sweater!

(Warning, this is mostly about sewing)

We are in full back to school mode. I return to work tomorrow (deep sigh). Big sis starts kindergarten in a week, and little sis starts preschool.

The girls are still small enough to tolerate handmade items, so I'm on a roll. The sweater is done in Sugar-and-Cream kitchen cotton. It is top down, no seaming. It took about 4 days to do and used about6 balls of the cotton. I was going to redo the neck, make it less wide, but out Kindergartener-to-be says she loves it and thinks the neck is fashionable, so who am I to argue?

Here are some skirts I finished yesterday:

The red is for big-sis’ first day of Kindergarten and the blue is for little sis.

I have finished several for myself, including:
AND finished the valences I started for this house before we moved to Florida a year and a half ago:

I am totally crafting-for-avoidance. I want to go back to work, but I don’t want to leave the girls. The thought of kindergarten is scary. She is SOOOO ready though, she is counting the days on a calendar. Her school is great, and she rides the bus to my high school in the afternoon, so I really cannot complain.

I am done, the sewing machine is put away for now. I need to finish some socks for presents, so it’s back to knitting!

How knitting saved the day

2006-08-14T09:55:00.000-04:00

I have always been someone that travels pretty light. Before the upswing in my knitting I could manage a 5 day trip with a small backpack.

Then started the knitting.

Now, I still take the same volume of clothing, but once the knitting is added I need a good sized suitcase.

The husband, oh he of infinite patience, thinks this is ridiculous. But he tolerates, because he is patient that way.

So we went to Williamsburg to see the family and a few friends. So I had to bring the car-knitting project, the mindless-knitting-while-visiting project, the kids-are-busy-so-I-can-concentrate project. Plus, extra yarn.

We went to visit a high school buddy of the husbands and his new baby. About four hours before we headed over there we realized we had no baby gift. What to do?

Knit a bib, borrow a button from my stepmother, and go visit a new babe. He gooed once at the bib, and then it was taken over by his big-sis Emma. Quite popular.

And on the way home the husband actually said "Good thing we had all that yarn in your suitcase!"

Notice the WE...

I wish I had pics, but the husband is back in Florida with the camera.

Home

2006-08-10T21:42:00.000-04:00

Our house in the snow, 2004

We are back. We’ve been in the house for ten days. We’ve actually almost finished unpacking. This is my 16^th move in 33 years…you get to a point where you just gotta get it done.

It feels so good to be back. Just the thrill of running into someone I know at the store is amazing. Of course this also has it’s drawbacks. It is very embarrassing to buy wine from one of my students at the grocery store. And I do not buy any undergarments in Richmond. Too much risk.

I remember when I was in high school the attendance secretary was spotted purchasing undergarments by a classmate. It was the biggest piece of gossip for WEEKS. Small town, small school, but still, I take these threats seriously.

Which makes my husband laugh, since I have the most boring life ever when it comes to high school gossip. “Did you hear, she knits….socks!”

The camera is still with the husband in Florida. So there are a few “see, we really have unpacked” pictures, but no knitting. I'll try to put one up tomorrow.

I have finished a hat for little sis. Something to help with her big hair this fall. Full of innovations. And it’s pink.

I am trying lace yet again. The trellis scarf from IK (maybe this spring?). I am finally able to do it, and am really making progress. I have realized I was knitting way too tight. This is one of the problems with knitting in isolation in Florida, no advice from folks that had been there. I generally do like to figure things out for myself, but knitting advice is well appreciated.

This is one of the things I am VERY excited about. There are multiple knitting groups here. Lots. As in more than none. I can interact with other humans face to face and not be the only one knitting. Once the husband returns from Florida I am planning on getting out of the house.

I finished all my back to work orientation the other day, and got though it admirably knitting away on a snappy wool/silk scarf I started ages ago. It is getting very long, but there always seems to be the same amount of yarn in the ball. It is some great Elsbeth Lavold stuff. I have come to think that the yarn is magic. Really, the ball stays the same size. The thing has so much of my life over the past few months knit into it. I’s my “in between projects” project. It has been to playgrounds, trains, airports, cars, doctor’s offices, job interviews, the list goes on. It has a great soapy smell, that yarn.

That's the short update. I have a lot of knitting I've been working on. Don't let me forget to tell you the story about eh value of a traveling stash. I actually saved the day with knitting.

Three days left

2006-07-25T22:18:00.000-04:00

Oh boy, what a mess. I am mired in the move, so I am sorry if I am a bit behind down here.

Seriously, I can barely find the floor. Like a fool I packed most of my yarn in the load we took up last week, so I am left with a totally odd assortment of stuff. You know how it is, the few balls of knit-picks will in impossibly odd colors.

I did manage to finish one hat for little-sis. I think I also have enough to do mittens for this fall.

I asked her what she wants in a mitten the other night on the phone (the girls are staying with my parents during the final chaos of the move). She thought for a minute, then said she wants a thumb that can open. She's a thumb sucker. I am trying to think of a way to work it without ending up with a spit soaked mitten. Knowing her if I do not figure out this bit of knit-geneering she just will go gloveless is the frosty wasteland that is Richmond in January.

We leave on Saturday. Big truck full of furniture. For the record I turned 33 this April and this is my 16th move. Wish us luck!

Blog...what blog?

2006-07-14T10:44:00.000-04:00

OK, so we are SUPPOSED to be driving to VA with the girls today. Like right now.

Except for the van is in the shop, or the "car doctor" as the children call the mechanic. It was doing this funky thing where as you speed up the AC, lights and radio volume would go up, and as you slow they went down. Fun for like 3 minutes.

The house is 33% packed and 100% messy. I am not even pretending that it could be clean again.

Plus big-sis is currently obsessed with spelling things. She is like THIS close to reading.

Problem is I do math, not spelling. You should have heard her huff when her dad told her I had spelled dinosaur wrong and she had to fix it on all the pages of her notebook. (What?!? There's no "E"?? Betcha you can't do partial integration!!). Her exasperated "mom is losing it" glare stung, I tell you.

Oh, and the server is down at the school board office, so the kids in the online class I am teaching are in a bit of a panic. They have a midterm next week.

The one oasis right now is my knitting. I am rolling away on my hurricane swap sock, I think I have the kinks in the pattern worked out.

I actually submitted a pattern somewhere...fingers crossed.

So I have all day to pack, and balance the checkbook, and stretch the last of the food for one more day.

And try to figure out what to knit in the car tomorrow.

Oh, here's little sis posing in the vest I mentioned last post.

The yarn is some leftover KnitPicks stuff I had. The pattern I made up as I went along. Moss stitch center, stockingette along the sides.

I used a tubular cast on...I am obsessed with this cast on now...it makes things look so nice!

Here is a real shot:

Sad part is I had to go outside in the rain to take this...there is not a clean surface in the house!!

So, where have I been?

2006-07-06T08:29:00.000-04:00

Right now I am on the top bunk of an Amtrak sleeper car, heading south to Florida. Both girls are giggling in the bunk underneath me. It is 9:30 and they usually do not calm down enough to sleep until about 10. We have traveled by train a lot this year. We love it.

For the past week we’ve been staying with my folks in VA while I got started on the online class I am teaching this summer. Summer school is always an interesting mix of kids that need to pass to graduate, and kids that are trying to get ahead. It is a good group this year, ranging from 14 to 19. Quite the mix.

You’d think since I spent all week staring at a computer that I would have been able to post once, but no. This has been very consuming. I have done algebra online in the past, not geometry, so this is a new experience.

I am working on several things right now. A sock for my hurricane sock swap gal. I started doing the Pomatomus pattern from knitty. I love the pattern, but I kept making all the YO’s too big, especially the ones between the needles. I would like to try the pattern again to get it right, but since this is for someone else I want it to look better. It was getting huge holes where the YO’s were. You could use a toe in those holes. My fault, not the pattern. I’ve been too distracted to do fidgety technique.

So I am trying my own thing. On a side note, I have NEVER completed someone else’s pattern. EVER. I have started a few. I am always attracted to something with a new technique or pattern. But I quickly get tired and frog.

So it is with this poor sock. I am doing something simpler with ribbing and meandering Yo’s. Small manageable YO’s. I like the look so far. I’ll add pictures once we get home.

Home…another side issue. We move in three weeks. The girls are only down for two more weeks, then they get to stay with my folks while the husband and I drive up to VA with all our worldly possessions. How many boxes are packed?? Do not ask.

I did manage to get the office /yarn room painted while we were in Va. The room has two great walk in closets. One is big with shelves all the way around.

The other? Cedar lined. Yes, cedar. Even the floor. Even the ceiling. When we lived there before it was mostly full of baby clothes. I have come to my senses and ditched the baby clothes and accumulated a lot more wool since then.

Time to fuss at the girls. They are singing to the moon about roly-poly bugs. Loudly. At home this might be cute, but other people here are trying to sleep. Usually they play little house on the prairie, so I am not sure why we are on the roly-poly kick.

Goodnight! I’ll upload this sometime tomorrow.

Catch up

2006-06-24T22:04:00.000-04:00

apologies for the lack of news...we had family show up TWO DAYS early for a visit. They called as they got off the interstate.

Anyhow, the girls and I are up in Williamsburg for a week. I am teaching an online summer school class this summer, and I get to meet and greet the parents on Monday.

I have my official teaching assignment for next year. Deep sigh of relief.

So on the drive up I got oodles of knitting time. Since we move in five weeks, and my working wardrobe is a bit thin I have set a challenge for myself. I am trying to go through as much yarn and fabric as I can to rebuild a work wardrobe.

I am finishing a raglan sweater I did in knit picks palette a few months back...It has been sad and sleeveless.

I am also halfway through a vest in a snappy green color. the yarn was left over from another project from last fall...Recycling at it's best.

I have also made a good stab at a project I might submit to one of the online mags...it's for a Halloween costume for the girls, so I am not sure it Knitty or Magknits would be a better option...any ideas?

Otherwise, some sewing, some packing, and a whole lot of entertaining (did I mention TWO days early!!). A busy week.

While I am here in Willy I plan on hitting the stores to find some sock yarn and other sundries for my hurricane sock buddy. To the person that got me (if they are even still bothering reading this sad neglected blog) I do have the questions halfway filled out, and should get them e-mailed to you tomorrow.

2006-06-17T10:15:00.001-04:00

I have the best stepmother ever. Really.

As I have mentioned my mom died while I was in college, and my dad married pretty soon afterwards. I won’t go into her patience at inheriting a house full of teenagers. She is amazing.

Plus she’s crafty. She paints, sews. Used to weave. Gardens. She even made my wedding dress, out of antique lace of my grandmother’s. There was not a lot of yardage and she made it work. Plus, she did both bride’s maid dresses. Every year both girls get at least one homemade dress from their “Muz”.

Muz with little-sis.

As I have also mentioned I am living in a fiber desert. Unless you count Walmart and Red Heart, and I really don’t. So every time I head home my first mission is to get over to the Knitting Sisters in Williamsburg. And she’s right there with me, sniffing the yarn.

So this winter she decided to take a knitting class. She bought a ton of this gorgeous yarn, and has been doing this rather snappy garter stitch scarf. The only problem was that about 7 inches in there was some snaffoo and a hole was knitted in…a mistaken yarn over I think. And she wanted to fix the first few inches anyway, since they were a bit lumpy. And I felt so bad, because this last trip I had promised to cut it off and bind off just after all this for her, but we ran out of time.

This is a bag I made in the yarn she is using.

Again this amazes me, because this is the first beginner’s project I have ever known anyone to actually plan on wearing.

So this week I got this e-mail:

I enjoyed the updates on the blog. Thanks. We will post some pictures soon but Dad is now playing with loading more music on his ipod and playing with his new TV. I am getting into a sewing binge and just unraveled my entire scarf to reknit!

Let me stress she had already done at least two feet on this thing. Can you imagine the fortitude of frogging your first project??

I think we have a knitter.

The door is open

2006-06-14T20:15:00.000-04:00

OK, so a while back I mentioned the husband allowing me to knit for him.

Did it work out? And how! He's worn that hat everyday for three weeks. I can't get it alone long enough to take a picture.

Then, two weekends ago, while we were camping he said, nonchalant like, "You know, we could use a bag to hold stuff like food, but something we could see into. Could you knit that?"

What was I going to say? "Nope, too dull!" This my friends is opportunity knocking.

So I am working up something. More of a hammock than a bag. The prototype is for the girl's room to hold stuffed animals. If this works he'll be getting his camping bag really soon. And you all will be getting another pattern.

And of course, you know what this means...not too obvious? I'll explain.

He sees my knitting as a solution to real world problems. A useful activity.

This is big folks, big. It's all part of the master plan.

It started with getting him to pose in items knitted for others (see above). Then we replaced his favorite hat, the one he's had since middle school. An exact museum quality copy. Then finally this breakthrough.

Next he needs socks. He has feet shaped like hobbit feet, and that's being nice about them...very wide. So socks with a custom fit...he won't be able to say no.

Eggplant Tank Pattern

2006-06-13T20:01:00.000-04:00

Read about it here.

Eggplant Tank

Supplies:

#2 circular needles
#4 circular needles

I cone of Valley cotton in 3/2 size from Webs, or Paton’s Grace (about 5 balls)

Gauge:

5 stitches = 1 inch on size 4 needles.

Finished size:

Fits a size 34 bust.

Some references you might use:

tubular cast on/bind off:
http://www.math.unl.edu/~gmeisters1/papers/Knitting/techniques.html

ssk:
http://knitting.about.com/library/bllearnssk.htm

Cast on 180 using tubular cast on using the #2 needles.

Here's how:

I use a crochet chain to do a provisional cast on. Chain 92 stitches.

Tip, tie a knot in the end of the yarn that you pull through to end the

chain, that way you know what end to undo to "unzip" the cast on.

Pick up the bumps along the back of the chain (90 total) using a size

two circular needle.

Set up row: K1, yo across row. K1 in last stitch.

Being careful not to twist the stitches join both sides. Slip the first stitch on the right hand needle to the left needle. K2tog. Place marker.

Work the round as follows: [K1, yarn in front, slip stitch] repeat across round

Next row [yarn in back, slip stitch, purl] repeat for this round.

Repeat for the next two rows.

Body of the tank:

Work in 1x1 ribbing for 2 ½ inches.

Switch to the size four circular needles and knit in plain stockinette stitch until the piece measures 13 inches from the cast on edge.

(If you need to adjust the finished length this is the place to do it. Add or remove a few inches as necessary. To figure out how much to adjust, measure from your armpit to where you want the tank to hit on your hip. Add about 1 ½ to 2 inches to this.)

Knit 60 stitches. Place the next three stitches on a cable needle. K1, then knit the three stitches from the cable needle. Work the next stitches in 1x1 ribbing until you get to the last four stitches. Place the next three stitches on a cable needle. K1, then knit the three stitches from the cable needle.

Repeat this row until the 1x1 ribbing measures one inch. If you are concerned that the ribbing might not be tight enough, switch back to the number two needles just for the ribbing section.

Knit the first 60 stitches. Place the next three stitches on a cable needle. K1, then knit the three stitches from the cable needle. Cut a length of yarn about 3 times the length of the ribbed section. Cast off these stitches only using the tubular bind off.

Top of shirt front:

Row 1: Looking at the right side of the tank, reattach the yarn on the right. Place the first three stitches on a cable needle. K1, then knit the three stitches from the cable needle. Knit until you reach the last four stitches. Place the next three stitches on a cable needle. K1, then knit the three stitches from the cable needle.

Row 2: Slip one stitch to right needle, purl to last stitch, slip last stitch to right needle.

Row 3: Place the first three stitches on a cable needle. K1, then knit the three stitches from the cable needle. K 2 tog. Knit until you reach the last six stitches. SSK. Place the next three stitches on a cable needle. K1, then knit the three stitches from the cable needle.

Row 4: Slip one stitch to right needle, purl to last stitch, slip last stitch to right needle.

Rows 5 – 12: Repeat rows 3 and 4 four more times.

You should now have 58 stitches left.

Row 13: Place the next three stitches on a cable needle. K1, then knit the three stitches from the cable needle. [P2tog, yo] repeat to last four stitches. Place the next three stitches on a cable needle. K1, then knit the three stitches from the cable needle.

Row 14: Slip one stitch to right needle, purl to last stitch, slip last stitch to right needle.

Row 15: Place the next three stitches on a cable needle. K1, then knit the three stitches from the cable needle. Knit to last four stitches. Place the next three stitches on a cable needle. K1, then knit the three stitches from the cable needle.

Row 16: Slip one stitch to right needle, purl next three stitches. [K2tog, yo] repeat to last four stitches, purl 3, slip last stitch to right needle.

Row 17: Place the next three stitches on a cable needle. K1, then knit the three stitches from the cable needle. Knit to last four stitches. Place the next three stitches on a cable needle. K1, then knit the three stitches from the cable needle.

Row 18: Slip one stitch to right needle, purl to last stitch, slip last stitch to right needle.

Row 19: Place the next three stitches on a cable needle. K1, then knit the three stitches from the cable needle. Purl to last four stitches. Place the next three stitches on a cable needle. K1, then knit the three stitches from the cable needle.

Row 20: Slip one stitch to right needle, purl to last stitch, slip last stitch to right needle.

Row 21: Slip one stitch to right needle, purl 3, work in 1x1 ribbing purl to last four stitches, purl 3, slip last stitch to right needle.

Row 22: Place the next three stitches on a cable needle. K1, then knit the three stitches from the cable needle. Work across in established 1x1 ribbing until last four stitches. Place the next three stitches on a cable needle. K1, then knit the three stitches from the cable needle.

Bind off: Slip first stitch. Purl 3. Cut the yarn with a length about three times the length of the ribbing. Cast off ONLY the ribbing stitches using the tubular bind off. The first four and last four stitches should NOT be bound off.

Working on one set of four stitches at a time, reattach the yarn, then using the #4 circular needle work an i-chord until it measures 11 inches. Put the stitches on a stitch holder, and cut the yarn, leaving several inches to use to sew it to the back. Repeat on the other side with four remaining stitches.

At this point you might want to try it on to make sure that the i-chord is the right length, adjust as necessary.

Sew the ends of the i-chords to the back of the tank along the ribbed edge. I sewed mine five inches back from the front of the armpit section.

That's one snappy tank!!

Belly? What belly?

2006-06-13T15:34:00.000-04:00

Lets face it, after birthing two children there are just certain things that I cannot wear. No amount of dieting and exercise will reattach the skin to my torso. Stretch marks? You better believe it.

So all these cute summer tops are grand, but short of surgical intervention there will always be a bulge. If I was a female form the TV series Manimal, all I would be able to turn into would be a Shar-pei.

And my obsession was born. I have wanted a knittable summer top that would not hug the belly. Nothing too hot or clingy, it’s hot here!!

So for the last four days all I have done is measure, knit, re-knit. And at last I have it.

(Pardon the goofy grin...the husband was making rude comments about the freckles.)

It is done on size two and four needles using the Valley mercerized cotton from webs. (By the way, have you seen the new website? Very nice re-design. Looks great, and much easier to find things.)

As I have said before, I love this stuff. For less that $17 you get an entire cone of yarn. 1260 yards. Do you know how much yarn that is?? This top took less than a half a pound. I have so much left over!!

Also, it comes in over 70 colors. SEVENTY. I have gone through at least six cones over the years.

You could also substitute Paton's Grace. I get about the same gauge with it.

I have half the pattern typed up, and will try to get it up by tomorrow. It is for a size 34 bust. I can try to work it up in another size if someone is interested.

You think I could count

2006-06-06T14:49:00.000-04:00

OK, I am a math teacher, for crying out loud, you think I could cast on the right number of stitches.

So I was out to dinner the other night (we were coming home form camping) and this gal walked by in a very snappy tank top. It was tight at the hip, then a bit blousy. A few rows of lace at the top. Hers was a jersey knit, but I think it will translate well. I figured this would be nice and cool.

So I have been busy casting on what I thought was 342 stitches. And doing 3 inches of 1x1 ribbing.

And it was looking a bit small, but I just kept going. Then I counted. 180 stitches. My hips cannot be circles by a mere 180 stitches.

So, rip, goodbye eggplant ribbing. This was using the tubular cast on.

Deep sigh. Progress shot later. I have some counting to do.

Call David Horowitz

2006-06-02T23:07:00.000-04:00

Do you remember that show? “Fight Back with David Horowitz”. He exposed consumer fraud and allowed the viewer to fight back.

Well, in researching this blog post I found out he’s still out there, and it might be my time to contact him. Really, check out the site. It even has the old theme song.

My sister loved this show. When she was in the sixth grade she was on the lookout constantly. She wrote in to the show and got a letter back and everything. I have vague memories of her getting a fight back badge in the mail…I should ask if she still has it.

OK, here’s my deal. So everyone in the civilized world knows about Mason Dixon Knitting and the amazing new book. I have visited it at Barnes and Noble several times now. The girls play with the Thomas the Tank engine trains and I flip through it. No purchase yet since I am trying not to add any more bulk…moving next month and all.

I NEED that book. What I have skimmed has been so snappy, so we won’t be asking David to fight back against the book.

Here’s my issue. That Peaches and Cream cotton is like crack. Seriously, I almost never just buy random yarn. I generally have something in mind for everything I get. I might not ever get to it, but it has an intended purpose.

That said, there is something about $1.19 for a ball of yarn that just intoxicates me. So I have a few in my stash. And now there is a book of really great pattenrs using this stuff. So obviously I need more.

And the girls just happen to have killed the last bathmat. And Mason Dixon Knitting has a great pattern for a bathmat made of this cotton crack.

Side story, the death of the bathmat involves a turtle named Broccoli, markers, glitter glue, and toothpaste. Don’t ask. The turtle, federally protected endangered turtle the husband unknowingly brought home, I might add, is back safe and sound in its natural environment unharmed, but the mat is no more. There are things even I cannot wash out.

So I pulled out a few balls, then headed to the store to make sure I had enough. Here’s the problem:

Yup, they’ve gotten smaller. The one on the right is the ball from a year ago, the left the one I got yesterday. Same price, but a whole 1 oz. smaller. I want a Fight Back badge for this!!

Deep sigh.

The bathmat is going great and should be done by tomorrow. Pictures once it is done.

I also made a bib to be mailed of Monday, the girl’s newest step-cousin.

I am telling you, addictive stuff these patterns.

Oh, and I sold a pattern. Cannot yet say where it's going, but I am so happy I could burst. We even ate dinner out...I couldn't concentrate to cook.

We're home

2006-06-01T12:06:00.000-04:00

Well, we are back home in Florida. It has really hit me today though, this place is only home for 2 months, then we are back up to Virginia.

This is a test post via e-mail. Since things will be up in the air over the next few weeks I am trying out new ways to keep this up to date. I'll be back later today with some photos. It's baby central around here, I have two new babies to knit for, so it's time to get crackin'.

What was that?

2006-05-24T20:43:00.000-04:00

You appear to be speaking.

Yes, you. Don’t think I don’t know what you are up to. This is my PTK, and you cannot waste it.
Fine, cry, it’s good for your sinuses.

No, I cannot come in there. If your feet are cold cover them up. That is why I knit after all...all these hours knitting and you can lay there and complain of cold feet.

Did I forget to remind you that tonight is the finale of Top Chef? Prime Potential Knitting Time. I can finish a whole sock in this time. Think of your feet, if not of me.

Yes, I am aware too much TV will rot your brain out, I remember telling you. Have you heard what childbearing does to it?? No?? Perhaps later...

Now, GO TO BED!!!

Happy Birthday!

2006-05-24T13:47:00.001-04:00

Happy birthday Queen Victoria! To celebrate the girls and their Muz (translation: Grandmother) are having tea this afternoon.

We are back from San Diego and are visiting here in Willy until the weekend. San Diego was grand, and I got in lots of PTK (Potential Knitting Time). We were out for my baby brother’s wedding, so sorry folks, some non-knitting photos follow. His wife is originally from Kobe Japan, and her family made their first trip to the US for the event. They are moving to Tokyo next month, so we are all trying to learn Japanese so we can visit. I took Japanese in college, but I need serious brushing up.

I am now almost done with this Walking sock from Knitting Vintage Socks. Since we’re at my folks house there are lots of fun spots to take photos.

Here he is lounging with friends on the 200-year old bed.

Visiting with my great-great-grandfather.

And some of the other locals.

And soaking up the sun in the front garden.

On Location

2006-05-19T19:16:00.001-04:00

Howdy from California! We are on location at the lovely Glorietta Bay Inn Here on Coronado Island in CA. My brother is getting married (tonight!). I'll have some photos later...I forgot the camera cable.

Yesterday we went to the San Diego Zoo. Very exciting. I am working on a secret pair of socks for my dad's birthday, mostly while he's sitting right there. Good thing he tunes out my knitting.

"See" you all soon!

What to bring?

2006-05-09T22:23:00.000-04:00

OK, so it's the usual. We're going on a road trip. 12 hours in the car. 6 hours on the plane, both ways. Total of 36 hours of Potential Knitting Time (PKT). This is important people, not to be wasted.

(And all that travel is over 15 days. My brother is getting married, and the travel arrangements are convoluded, to say the least)

Last time I had this much knitting time it turned out Awful!

I am debating ...socks? Too many needles to lose.

Hubby Hat? Good thought, but he won't be there so I can measure his head.

Sweater? Too big.

I have three days left to decide.

This is actually interfering with sleep. I have to drive to Orlando on Thursday to pick up the parental units at the airport. My plan in to stop by the knitting store there on the way to find something.

And yes, this means leaving two hours early, and bringing dinner for the girls. But think of all that wasted time if I didn't have the right project. Wasted PKT time. I shudder at the thought.

(And also, I just found out I am a finalist in the Elann.com competition...Very exciting!!)

Hat!

2006-05-05T19:00:00.000-04:00

OK, so I ordered all this yarn, Reynold’s Saucy if you must know. I am planning some summer tops for the girls, but that is for another post.

One looked so pretty online, but it turned out to be a cammo-green. I was complaining to the husband about it last night, since the girls both groaned when they saw it. Then, it happened.

“That would make a good hat. I like the color”

Can you believe it???

For years I have been under strict orders to not get any ideas and knit for him. He is super picky about clothes (the slouchier the better) and we agreed a long time ago it was best for our relationship if the yarn was my thing. We figured I would be crushed if he didn’t like it, and he would be uncomfortable wearing something out of obligation.

But now he wants a hat. This is big. It’s the crack in his armor that I have been waiting for.

(The picture is little-sis in the old hat)

Next, I’ll tempt him with socks, and before you know it he’s wearing a sweater. I just know it.

And yes, this is a lot of responsibility for one hat.

It’ll have to be ribbed, and boring, but he wants me to knit something for him. He actually wears caps year round. I know, we live in Florida, and it’s wacky to want headgear in the summer…it serves a higher purpose.

So, little sis and I drove an hour to the knitting store to get the right sized needles. She was so good about all the time in the car seat that I took her for a cookie at Barnes and Noble afterward.

I’ll let you know how it turns out.

This is all the Saucy I ordered...and a self portrait of big-sis.

Not Me!

2006-05-02T19:48:00.001-04:00

What’s behind my back?? Nothing, I swear!

Oh, that? Poking out? It’s a stick, harmless little stick.

No! I am not knitting!!

Of course, I am just about to mop. Dishwasher is running…can’t you hear it? Go look…much cleaner in there.

No, I was not hiding anything, just straightening up. See, this sock just fell out of the basket.

Why is the TV hot? It’s Florida! Everything is hot!

No, I did not just spend my whole morning knitting socks and watching Magnum PI. I resent that!

The children? What chil…oh, them. I’m sure they’re here somewhere.

Where?!?! Why are they running around the backyard in their pajamas?! Well the fresh air is good for them, and it keeps them out of my yarn.

I do clean…dust bunnies? Where? Are they angora?

No, knitting is not all I think about. I think about mopping, a lot. Pondering the chores brings me a zen-like peace, really.

I’m sorry you don’t believe me. Frankly, I’m done with this conversation.

And I am NOT obsessed, this is a healthy way to relax!!

Catching up

2006-04-30T20:31:00.000-04:00

So here's the LOOONG overdue update:

The new yarn form the Williamsburg trip a few weeks back. The blue is some Lorna's Laces sock yarn, and the green is this amazing Silk/Wool blend from elsebeth lavold. It is amazing.

Basically on this trip I tried the top in the current Interweave Knits...the one on page 88, the Prairie Tunic. Yup. I thought it was cute too. So I cast on, and knit for thirteen hours. Not a good top.

Don't get me wrong, I love the idea. And really my thinking was flawed. I thought, "hey, no need for layers, I could just come up with some clever coverage in that area". Really, it needs a full camisole, and in the Florida heat I am not willing to wear knitwear over a camisole.

I have since buried the top, if I find it as I am cleaning out the stash this week I'll post a pic. Great idea, but I have too much mom-flub to pull it off.

The sad part is this is the first time I have ever actually followed a pattern and finished it.

All that said I love the stitch in the center panel. I was planning a nice big floppy scarf with the great silk/wool stuff I just mentioned...

This photo is about a week old. Let me tell you, I have two hanks of this yarn, and that will be enough to make a scarf as tall as I am (OK, I'm short, 5' 1 and 1/4", but that's still a lot of scarf!) Love it, and it smells good too. The lace stitch from the tunic is super easy to memorize, so this has been flowing off the needles.

I got my submission into elann last night. I couldn't get photos done until after dark, so I am hoping they turned out OK. I'll let you know what happens!

Pink!

2006-04-25T14:54:00.000-04:00

This is amazing...

Check out the other stuff too, really snappy.

On the personal knitting front I am entering something in the Elann.com knitting contest...so I've got to get knitting. Just a few days left!

At last

2006-04-20T22:11:00.000-04:00

On the up side…I have the internet working again, so I can update this blasted thing.

On the down, I cannot find the cable that attaches the camera to the computer, so no photos.

We got back last week from visiting Williamsburg. I have lots of snappy yarn to show you. One of the best parts about going home is visiting the Knitting Sisters shop.

I have been at such a loss without the internet. It is SO hot, and I am trying to put off cranking up the air conditioning. Plus our local NPR station did hours of German Madrigal music today.

Now I am not anti-madrigal, per se, but it is not a great distracter from the heat. Plus the girls kept coming in and asking “What is wrong with this music?!”

Still, now all the taxes are done, and Easter has passed, so I have had a lot of knitting time. I tried a pattern from the current Interweave Knits during the thirteen hours on the road. I’ll give the full summary tomorrow. Not pretty.

I will say though, it is one thing to knit up something and not like it, but it is quite another when you knit it for an entire thirteen hour ride. I know exactly how long I worked on that top…such a waste.

Hope all is well with everyone. I did try to read a few blogs the other day at the library, but the children’s section librarian kicked me off. “The computers are reserved for the children”.

Mind you Little-sis and I were the only people in the section, much less using the 8 computers.

For Sale

2006-04-15T16:42:00.000-04:00

Hey! Yes I still do exist. I have spent the week finishing taxes and getting ready for houseguests.

We just got a call that they are not coming due to high gas prices, so I have a nice neat house, and a whole week to enjoy it!

I'll get back to regular posting tomorrow, but I wanted to mention that I have a few knitting books up on e-bay. No pressure, not trying to exploit the blog, just thought someone might want them.

I have a new copy of the Spring 2006 Interweave Knits
and a copy of Debbie Bliss' Easy Knits.

Happy Easter (if that's your thing)!! Hop hop hop....

My new fave

2006-04-05T12:53:00.000-04:00

(in a mid-priced yarn sort of way)

This is a swatch from Main Line, one of Knit Picks new yarns. I was expecting this to be a bit more floppy, but as you can see it holds up pretty well. This swatch has been re-knitted at least three times.

I am thinking of revisiting this:

but in a bulkier, more fitted kind of way. As I have said, I do not ever plan on doing a sweater on size two needles again.

I do like a lot of the Knit Pick yarns, but I do wonder if their color folks ever leave the shop. The selections are sometimes a bit odd. Don't you think?

In vacation news, we are still in Willy (Weak Willy to those of us that went to high school here). We did Jamestown yesterday. It really is better for small children than Colonial Williamsburg. The Jamestown interpreters are a bit less obsessed about staying in period, and are more willing to interact with kids. Big sis got to try her hand at some colonial tools, they both got to try an armor, and sweep the houses. In short, it is much more interactive and hands on than CW.

Today I am hoping to slip out and get to the LYS, Knitting Sisters. I NEED some size three needles...I have a sweater to finish.

And in honor of "Flash your Stash" here's my travelling stash. I did a good job of not overpacking the yarn this time!

Happy Birthday!!

2006-04-03T22:01:00.000-04:00

We are in Williamsburg VA this week visiting the parental units. Today is little-sis' third birthday!

I am having one of those "mom" moments. I cannot believe she is SO big.

We had all the local family over on Sunday for her party.

I have mentioned this before, but my folk's house is like a museum. Here's the birthday girl sitting in a ceramic planter that is at least 150 years old. It can be a bit stressful...

The great thing about visiting grandparents is all the time you get. They are happy to visit with the miniature people, so I have more time to knit.

Here's my progress on the lace:

I am getting better. In the past when I have done lace I always gain or lose stitches as I go. I have improved my yarn overs and the disappearing stitches have stopped. I really like this pattern so far. Very easy to follow, which is just what I need at this level.

There are a few things that are making this project easier than my last lace attempts. First, I am using metal needles, which I normaly hate. The sharper points and slicker surface are speeding this up.

I have also learned to pay more attention to the purl row. This is where I was losing the stitches, as I dropped the yarn overs. I also have put stitch markers in between the repeats, and every row I stop to count to make sure I have the right number of stitches. So far so good.

I am hoping this will begin to get easier as it goes. At this rate I'll have this done in time for little-sis' prom.

Williamsburg

2006-04-02T21:22:00.000-04:00

We're on the road this weekend. We've come up to fix up the house from the last renters. Big mess, let me tell you.

So the husband returned to Florida and the girls and I are vacationing for the rest of the week.

I am sure a lot of you are the same way, but when I travel I am so busy worrying about which projects to take a barely have time to plan actual clothing for me and the girls. This time I decided to tackle lace.

Let me say that again....lace.

I love the idea of lace. I am, let's face it, a math nerd, and all those charts are really appealing.

Plus it is so pretty.

But anytime I have tried it, the project just ends up in a crumpled heap.

So I am trying Print O' the Wave scarf from Eunny. I love this pattern. Nice simple repeats I don't get lost in. Great directions.

I have finished 5 repeats so far and I am off to do more. I'll try to borrow Dad's camera to get some pictures.

Froggin!

2006-03-28T08:13:00.000-05:00

As I have mentioned I will be teaching again next year. I am not sure exactly what yet, but it will be some combo of high school math and computer science.

So I have set up a few challenges for myself.

First, I need a working wardrobe. I have a few of my staples, but really there is not much there after a year and a half out of the classroom. So I am trying to knit through my stash to a new wardrobe. I figure with a few good white blouses and some basic pants, I can add knitted vests and cardigans to round things out until I can really afford to go shop.

Second, I'd like to try to sell some of my patterns. So I am trying to figure out a cover letter, and have been ordering lots of balls of yarn to play with. I am really hoping to get this started.

Which brings me to frogging. I have all this snappy pumpkin colored wool, that I originally bought to make a vest.

Then I discovered Top down knitting, so I figured "A plain v-neck pumpkin sweater! I need that". Maybe someone else would need that.

I got about two inches past the armpits...BORING!! When I tried it on it fit great, looked fine, but I kept thinking "why bother!"

So now I am back to the vest idea, with maybe a rounded scoop neck. Some type of texture, like a chevron, or fancy seed stitch.

And shaping. Anything to give the illusion of a waist.

Obviously all of this is distracting me from blogging. The girls keep finding me sitting and muttering in my knitting chair covered on a pile of yarn. I actually have nothing on the needles right now, and no obvious next project.

It's fun just to play for a bit.

And I thought I had dust bunnies

2006-03-24T15:24:00.000-05:00

OK, I know Phil Spector is on trail, and that isn't funny, but have you seen his hair?

I know, I giggle every time.

OK, back to knitting. I have made no progress on anything. Big-Sis is on Sprig Break from preschool this week, so there has been very little down time around here.

I AM working on a cover letter. I have a few ideas for patterns I am going to try to peddle to some of the knitting spots. Has anyone done this? I am intimidated by the thought, but I'd really like to see if I can do it.

Since I'll be teaching again next year, now is the time to try it.

And in more non-knitting news it is sounding like I'll get to go back to the school I taught in last year right before we left to move down here. I am really hoping this works out. It is a great school, and I loved the faculty. Plus, the county is opening a new elementary school on the same complex, so I can walk Big-Sis to school every morning. And they have a great preschool program for Little-Sis at the high school.

Either way I am going to have to start thinking. I no longer really have a work wardrobe, so I am trying to think of things to knit and sew to help the budget. If I get this school the colors are green and blue, and that looks so much better on me than orange.

Shhh, I'm cheating on my knitting

2006-03-21T10:27:00.000-05:00

Ok, blogger is NOT cooperating. I have pictures of the shorts.

And of all the Kool Aid yarn, which is almost a sweater.

So I'll try again in a couple of hours.

And for the record, I am in love with knitting top down. SO much easier!!

(Added)

OK! Finally it is working. Here are just a few of the girls new shorts. JoAnns was having a great sale on calico the other day, so we stocked up. The favorite pair are the flamingos on the right.

And at last, here's the Kool Aid project. I over-dyed 10 skeins of Knit Picks Palette in tan using blues, greens and purples. I started at the top with the green shades, then shaded to the purple as I went down. I am almost done with the body. Ifigure the arms will take a few days, then it'll be done!

Top down knitting is great, this has gone so fast. I had figured I'd be finishing this in time for Christmas next year.

Now the only problem is WHAT am I going to do with an all wool sweater in Daytona. It's 85 degrees today!