TopFrog Knits!

And awaaaaay we go!

2009-08-04T17:00:00.000-07:00

Yarn for classes? (check!)
Extra needles? (check!)
Old-fashioned pair of straight needles for Guinness World Record attempt (check!)
Knitting project for airplane? (check!)
Confirmation numbers? (check!)
Credit card? (check!)
Stitch markers for trading? (check!)
Little sock for lapel? (check!)
Socks to match all outfits? (check!)
Oh, yeah. Clothes? (check!)

OK! I think I am ready to head off to Portland to the Sock Summit! Yay!

Ya know... I get the weirdest looks from my non-knitting co-workers and friends.

"Knitting convention? Socks??? You're kidding!"

Yet if I said I was going to a technical summit, or software convention, or a fly-fishing convention, or a car show, or a travel expo, or a home and garden show -- no one would raise an eyebrow.

There's a lot of PR work to do for knitting. Maybe the word will get out that the mayor of Portland proclaimed this week "Sock Knitting Week." Or maybe someone will notice those SIX sold-out hotels around the Portland Convention Center.

Wouldn't count on it.

Well, I'm doing my part. I'm on my way! :)

Guess who?

2009-05-06T19:26:00.000-07:00

Hello? Hello?
Is this thing on? <tap-tap-tap>

Yep, it's me. Retired from really great old job, found really great new job, busy-busy, yadda-yadda.

I've missed my blog, because it functions as a journal, keeping track of my various projects and knitting-related adventures. Even if no one reads it but me, I like the exercise of just doing it.

But before we get back to knitting, I would just like to mention that there is a heckova difference between the Corporate World and the Non-Profit World. Like Time. In the Corporate World, they have 40-hour workweeks. In the Non-Profit World, they have voluntary servitude. This hasn't cut into my knitting time too much, but my blogging time sure has suffered. I'm just sayin'... ;)

Before I dive back in, here are a couple of cool things.

I belong to a really great and active Knitting Guild here in Sacramento. From time to time, I've posted some of the fun things we've done -- like the time we flew Franklin Habit out here for a 1,000 Knitters shoot, or our monthly knitting challenges, or the time we joined 300 other knitters to take a special train to Stitches West. (It was over 500 this year!) Well, now I don't have to do all the bragging myself, because the Guild has its very own blog these days: stockinettes.blogspot.com. Miss Lisette is doing a great job of trying to keep up with all our activities. Tomorrow night is our monthly meeting, and lots of folks will be bringing their Dead-or-Alive Fish Hats. Should be fun!

Cool Thing #2: In my last post, cobwebby months ago, I promised to post photos of the winners of the Felted Slipper Contest. And I will, in just a few <mumble-mumble>.

But in the meantime -- one of our winner's slippers have been published! Kristen's terribly cute and wonderful musk oxen slippers won the Cruisers' Choice Award -- and I was standing right there when Amy Singer suggested that she write up the pattern and submit it to Knitty.com. And here it is!!!

OK. Well, that's it for now. I might even have some photos or something next time. Gotta pace myself coming back, you know.

Knitters Are Exceptionally Clever People

2008-08-05T22:22:00.000-07:00

OK. That's a pretty obvious statement. But sometimes the obvious just has to be stated. Case in point:

My Friend Cindi & I decided to host a felted slipper contest during our cruise. We thought it would be a good way to meet some of the other 115 cruisers; we thought it would meld nicely with the planned pajama party night; and we were kinda curious about what kinds of things folks would come up with.

Some of our local knit shops and friends donated some awesome yarny goodies as prizes: Babetta's, Knitique, Lorna Miser and Fredrikka Payne from Aurora Yarns, Betsy of Cultured Purl, and VicKnitChik, a fellow cruiser. Let me tell you, those were some NICE prizes. And they took up an entire suitcase! (Which was OK with me, because after the prizes were awarded, I had something to hold all the goodies I acquired on the cruise!)

We awarded prizes in 4 categories: Cruise Theme, Embellished, Knit-In Design, and Cruisers' Choice-- to be voted on by all. Amy Singer and Brenda Dayne were gracious enough to join Cindi and me as judges for the first 3 categories. It was a lot harder than you might think!!!

Some easy eliminations: a couple of entries weren't eligible for voting because they were created by judges. Like this pair, which were mine:

And this pair, by Amy Singer, the Best Knitting Sport in the Entire World. Amy is allergic to wool, but wanted to support our contest. So she found some acrylic yarn in Seattle that would give a felted-wool-like appearance when knitted. Then she nearly wore out her hands knitting like crazy on these faux-felted slippers to have them ready for the contest-- knowing they weren't eligible!! How wonderful is that!!?

Now I want to show just a few of the stellar entries that didn't win. And I gotta tell you, every single entry was a similar work of art. (BTW-- the judging took place one night during a pajama party. We usually dressed in regular public-facing clothes during the cruise!)This is Sharon, our very talented on-board accupunturista with her Alaskan Cruise slippers. Using a variety of techniques, including needlefelting, intarsia, and embellishments, Sharon's slippers represent cruising by day and cruising by night. They feature the aurora borealis, icebergs and glaciers, sea life, high & low tides, and all sorts of wonderful tiny details that you discover only by examining each slipper very closely.

Deborah's beautifully shaded monochromatic slippers each featured a bouquet of intricately felted, embroidered, and beaded flowers -- each one a little masterpiece.

Angela's slippers were orcas, cavorting through Alaskan seas... complete with tails!! And pectoral fins!

And none of these slippers won!!

See? Being a judge is really, really hard!
In a future post, I'll show you the ones that did win.

Hold on to your needles.

In Which We Go to Sea

2008-07-18T20:22:00.000-07:00

So my friend Cindi says, "Come on. We should do this. it will be fun!"

And you know what? She was right.

We signed up to go on an 8-day roundtrip knitting cruise: Seattle, Ketchikan, Juneau, Victoria, Seattle.

There were 115 knitters on board with us.

We visited 6 yarn stores, including the wonderful Beehive Wool Shop in Victoria.
We met the awesome Brenda Dayne of the Cast-On podcast.

We met the awesome Amy Singer from Knitty.com.
We met the awesome Heather from Craft Lit.
We met awesome knitters from all over the US and Canada. (Hi Deborah, and Meg, and Lisa, and Melinda, and Jasmin, and Jennie the Potter and mom (hope the leg is all healed!),and Sharon, and Jamie, and the VicKnitChick, and Andrea, and ...so many other wonderful, talented, and nice knitters!)

Sometimes we knitted all day.

Sometimes we knitted late into the night.
Somedays we were so busy chatting and having fun, we didn't knit at all!
And we even managed to do some sightseeing.

We had a great time on the cruise, and the Big Lesson we took away was: If you meet great people who make your days enjoyable, then making lemonade can be so much fun you forget you started with some lemons.

(Also, yarn and goodies go a long way to make knitters happy. But you knew that already, right?)

Stitching & Pitching

2008-04-21T12:18:00.001-07:00

Stitch & Pitch came to Sacramento last Thursday, and, as VP of the local knitting guild, I was asked to throw out the first pitch.

I dug through my stash and found some nice burgundy bulky Cascade, and used size 35 needles to knit up a good-sized swatch. I wound the other end of the yarn around a regulation baseball. Our guild president, Sandi, held the needles and swatch while I threw the still-attached ball ... of yarn. Didn't quite get it to the catcher -- it bounced on home plate -- but I doubt if the catcher would have caught it anyway, since he was laughing so hard.

Hey! Who says knitters don't know how to have fun? :)

BTW -- Sandi and I both knitted up the baseball hat pattern that was attached to the official Stitch & Pitch email. I am sorry to say that both of us felt that this pattern was poorly conceived and written. As an example, the pattern instructs to knit the facing in the round, then knit the attached sections back and forth. We both followed this direction, thinking there must be a reason to knit back and forth when in the round seemed so much more logical. There was no reason for it, as it turns out -- it just made the pattern more fiddly. The brim instructions were also needlessly complicated-- lots of single crochet finishing called for, when simple sewing with yarn and needle worked much better. It's a cute hat, and lends itself well to embellishments and individual design, but if you decide to make one, use your common sense when it comes to following the instructions.

Arans and Ganseys and Bears — Oh, My!

2008-04-14T10:59:00.000-07:00

Our guild was fortunate to have a weekend of classes with Beth Brown-Reinsel earlier this month. She is a delightful lady, and a wonderful teacher, and -- coming directly from all that snow and mud in Vermont -- was a little culture-shocked in our warm California spring weather. (But in a good way!) :)

We had one day of knitting Aran cardigans from the top down (the lavender sweater photographed with California poppies), and one day of Gansey pullovers from the bottom up (the (the gold sweater photographed in the lavender blossoms).

Our sampler-style bear-size mini sweaters featured shoulder straps, welts, gussets, and a wealth of traditional patterns and methods. Everyone was knitting at top speed while listening and talking — and mistakes were definitely made! We joked that if any of our bears drowned, we would certainly be able to claim them by identifying the mistakes in their little sweaters. Myths are so much fun!

Each day featured a lovely catered luncheon, and plenty of time to relax, chat, delight in the springtime weather— and even knit a little. :)

If you ever have an opportunity to take a class from Beth, jump at it! Even if you don't have any intention of ever knitting a full-size Aran or Gansey, you will learn many useful techniques and tips that can carry over well to other knitted items.

Thanks, Beth! It was a wonderful weekend.

Christmas. Is. Done.

2008-04-09T15:02:00.000-07:00

Remember the one knitted gift I didn't finish in time for Christmas? Well, it's finished now, and the recipient is very happy with it and said it was well worth the wait.

This is the wonderfully triple-redundant-named "Forever Classic Heirloom Cables" from the Lion Brand site. My son picked out both the sweater and the yarn: Wool Ease for mindless tossing into the washer and the dryer.

He's so happy with it that he sat right down with a stack of knitting patterns looking for his NEXT Christmas present.

He's such an optimist. ;)

Spring Tickle Socks

2008-04-08T11:45:00.001-07:00

I really have been knitting socks this year -- I just haven't gotten around to taking pictures of them. :) I finished this pair in February, and they have been washed and blocked and ready for their close-up, Mr. DeMille.

So today was picture day. I thought these pretty yellow and white irises were the perfect photo companions for socks in a"Spring Tickle" colorway. The angle is a bit weird, though: they really are proportionate!

The yarn is "Smooshy" by Dream in Color. I got it from The Sweet Sheep, a delightful site to do business with. The yarn is soft and dreamy as advertised -- I hope it wears well!

Here's the built-in marker. It's agate, Swarovski crystal, and tiger eye.

Milinda managed!

2008-03-03T14:56:00.000-08:00

If you heard loud whooping this past week, that might have been me. If you heard a sigh of relief, that was probably me, too.

I finished a long-standing (3-year) UFO intended for my daughter.

Joan M-M's Milinda pattern is well-written, and the rose-leaf patterned portion knitted up like a dream. In fact, I made it a bit longer than the pattern called for. But then the project hit deep doo-doo. It is supposed to fit closely, and the intended recipient is not a single pattern size. I re-knit the top portion 3 times in different size combinations and reknit the bust short rows over and over until I had to change yarn skeins because I had nearly worn out the original skein. I just didn't like the way the short rows looked, and tried every method I could find until I finally hit on one that didn't show too badly. I dragged that project across the country for fittings several times, just to discover it was too loose here, too tight there, too big there, too small here.

Frog it. Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

But the third time was the charm. It. Fit.

And she likes it! She really likes it! :))

Faded Glory

2008-02-21T14:09:00.000-08:00

Never underestimate the power of a leprechaun.

Last March, I knitted a pair of green/gray Koigu socks, and accused the leprechauns of stealing the green color from my photo after I washed and blocked the socks. And I've been wearing them happily ever since.

Last weekend, I discovered a wee hole in the heel of one of these socks. Being the packrat that I am, I dug around in my sock remnants until I found the Koigu leftovers to darn the hole with.

What's up with this? I had to double-check the label to make sure it was the same yarn. Has anyone else experienced this type of fading with Koigu??

As a sanity-check, I dug out some leftover Tanzanite Socks That Rock from October 2006. I wear these socks *all the time* and they get washed in the machine at least once a week, and also needed a wee bit of TLC for a worn-thin spot in the heel..

See? Hardly any fading at all -- if any. They still look awesome.

So.

Was it the Koigu?

Or the Curse of the Leprechauns? *

*(I should probably trademark this and offer it up on eBay as a great title for a horror movie!!)

Getting a Jump on Christmas

2008-02-15T14:44:00.001-08:00

I am lucky to belong to a very active knitting guild. We have a lot of talented members who are generous with their time and talent — which makes it more fun for everyone. And with over 100 members, there is always a group ready and willing to participate in whatever comes down the pike -- including flights of knitting whimsey.

Two of our members — Kimberly & Michele — showed up at the guild Christmas party with The Cutest Holiday Purses Ever — snowman bags. They were definitely the most talked-about items of the night! So of course, those lucky members were recuited, um..., volunteered on the spot to lead a Snowman Purse knit-along as the January guild program.

The original pattern was published in the November 2006 issue of Creative Knitting, and back issues are not available. So the guild contacted the publisher, and received permission to make 25 copies of the pattern for use by our members for purposes of the knit-along.

We started off knitting together at our monthly project night, then continued as a knit-along on the guild Yahoo group. Most of us finished our snowmen by the February guild meeting, but there are a few more still in the works. I did not get a photo of the 15-or-so completed projects, but each was as individual as its creator, and each one had a personality all its own.

This is my freshly-knitted snowman before felting.

After felting.

Drying time: it's stuffed with plastic bags, shaped with rubberbands at the hatband and the scarf top.

Embellishing was the most fun. I found some faceted square buttons that I thought looked sorta like coal, and needlefelted the eyebrows and part of the mouth. The nose is a triangle — knitted, felted, rolled up, and stitched into a carrot shape. I used buttons to highlight the mouth, and a big button as the flap closure. I knit and felted some holly leaves and sewed them to the flap on either side of the buttonhole. I Fray-Chek'ed the edges of the buttonhole just to be safe.

And now it's ready and waiting for the holiday season to roll around again! (And there are a couple more of these cuties already in progress for gifts for deserving relatives.) :) BTW-- several of our group have come up with ideas for some fun variations of this pattern for other seasons -- a jack o'lantern, for instance. Or an Uncle Sam. Anyway, I don't think we've seen the last of whimsical holiday purses in our guild...

Grand Central Station Socks

2008-02-15T10:06:00.000-08:00

I really enjoyed knitting a pair of socks a month last year, especially when the weather turned chilly and I had a wonderful selection of toasty-warm socks ready to wear! In fact, with the extras (mostly Harry Potter-themed socks and gifts) I counted up 18 pairs of socks knit in 2007.

I'm lucky here in Northern California -- we get good sock-wearing weather for about 5 months. After that, it is bare feet and sandals all the time. Even so, 5 monthis is a respectable sock-wearing portion of the year, and I was most happy to be well-outfitted when November rolled around.

Anyway, I've decided to go for the monthly socks thing this year, as well. (Actually, my sock yarn stash could probably take me a lot further than that...) I find I really do enjoy knitting socks. They are lightweight, portable, packable, and easily picked up for a few stitches or a few rows. I usually have a couple of other projects going at the same time, but the socks fit nicely in my purse.

So. The January Socks. This yarn was a Christmas gift from Nancie Wiseman. She said she saw the yarn and "it had my name on it." (I need to find out who put that label on the yarn and thank them!) I think she meant the color. It is beautiful: mauves, greyed purples and pinks -- and it changes when the light changes.
I started the first sock just before I left on a business trip. I wanted to work with cables, so I jotted down a 66-stitch pattern that alternates 8-row 6-stitch cables with 5 seed stitches. As it turned out, our hotel in New York City was right next door to Grand Central Station. What a beautiful and awe-inspiring building it is! When I saw all the train tracks and all the people bustling about, I knew I had found the name for my socks.

The knitted-in marker is a lampwork glass bead with Swarovski crystals and gold metal spacers. I am happy to say that even with all the washing -- I wash my socks enclosed in a lingerie bag in the washing machine -- the markers have held up quite well. I have had a couple of them break, but I just replaced the stiff wire with knottable wire -- much better!

And -- I got a new camera for Christmas. It has a range of macro settings, so I am having fun experimenting with close-ups of my knitting. :)

Calendar Blur

2008-02-11T11:29:00.001-08:00

I think someone has stolen some pages from my calendar. The last couple of months have been a blur. Well, *December* was a blur. January was Recovery Month fog.

December started out in a fun sparkling whirl of last minute shopping, knitting, parties, dinners, happy Christmas preparations, and welcoming houseguests. It ended with sad and dreary holidays spent in various emergency rooms and hospitals with said houseguests. After the houseguests were recovered enough to return to their homes, I became ill. Thus Recovery January.

But let's focus on the fun part!

There was a train trip with Debbie Stoller from Sacramento to San Francisco. Debbie was promoting her newest book, "Son of Stitch 'n Bitch." She had all the projects from the book with her to pass around. As beautiful as the book photography is, it can't begin to convey the tactile experience of handling and examining the actual items. There were only a few of us on the train that day, so she decided to hang out with us for a while. She is truly delightful.

We window-shopped around Union Square, had tea at the St. Francis (and rode the glass elevator to the top of the hotel for the most magnificent view of the city).
We also visited Nieman-Marcus to crane our necks and gaze straight up at the beautiful tree that stretches 3 stories up to the stained glass ceiling. When this site -- the former location of the old City of Paris department store -- was rebuilt, the rotunda and stained glass ceiling were largely preserved and restored in the new building design. Neiman Marcus also preserves the tradition of the giant tree at Christmas.

I also managed to complete a surprising number of knitting projects in November & December. It seemed as though my knitting needles were permanent extensions of my fingers! Here are my November socks. The yarn is Synchopation in the colorway Zoot Suit from sKNITches.

This may be the only time you will see me knit with brown yarn. But that's what the military decrees for personnel in Iraq, so that's what I knit with.

Here are some of my knit projects that went into one the Christmas packages I sent to my daughter. Gloves, fingerless gloves, mitts, and socks. Yup -- she was the recipient of the October Corn Monkey socks. (OK, I cheated a bit on the brown here!) I also sent her a fresh wreath, which arrived in great shape (!) and which she hung on her trailer door -- a patch of green cheer in a blah land.

I also managed to complete my December socks. These were one of the projects I knit while hospital visiting between December 23 and January 3.
The yarn is Lana Grossa Meilenweit: Mega Boots Stretch Color 716. The knit-in marker is made up of Swarovski crystals and a pewter cat with a red glass bead middle.

The last *completed* 2007 knitting project is a wonderfully soft pair of gloves that I knitted for myself from Andean baby alpaca in a yummy marled purple. This yarn bloomed beautifully when I washed it, and they keep my fingers toasty warm on icy mornings.

The last *uncompleted* 2007 project is an Aran cardigan by request from my son. This is how much I had done when we got around to celebrating Christmas in January. I am happy to report that I am now half-way done with the sleeves. Then there's the front band, and 2007 will be officially complete. :)

Next time: January socks!!

Catching Up

2007-11-09T15:11:00.000-08:00

For the record, Franklin Habit is a very personable, very gentle, and amazingly bright man. He genuinely cares about knitting, knitters, and all things yarn; but his areas of interest and his range of knowledge are vast. He was a delightful and appreciative visitor. I am so glad the Stockin'ettes were able to sponsor his visit and ensure Sacramento's participation in the 1000 Knitters project. Thank you to all of the guild members and non-members —and new members! — who came out last Saturday to make the day such a success. And thank you, Franklin, for being everything we hoped you would be — and so much more.

The September Sock and the Great Cast-On Discovery

And now for some catching up. Somehow, September and October zoomed right by without me blogging my socks for those months. So here's the September sock:

This is Yarntini in "Strawberry Daquiri," although it reminded me much more of a strawberry soda. The knitted-in charm is a little martini glass, which is the closest I could find to a daquiri. :)

The pattern is my favorite Wendy's Generic Toe-Up sock, but what really made me happy about these socks is the cast-on. I used Judy's Magic Cast-On for the toe, and I just *love* it! I've tried several different toe-up cast-on techniques, but this one is by far and away my favorite. It takes a bit of practice to get the gauge to match the rest of the knitting, but not a lot. And once it's done, it is absolutely invisible. (See the next pair of socks for an attempt to photograph it.)

October Corn Monkeys

I remember being fascinated when I discovered bamboo yarn a few years ago, and since then, it seems that almost anything that can be processed and twisted into a sizeable thread is fair game for knitting. So I wasn't really surprised when I found Maizy yarn at Jimmy Beans in Reno. But I was curious about it, and really liked the feel of it. It's 82% corn fiber and 18% elastic nylon. (Kind of like Fixation — soft and springy.) And absolutely perfect for Cookie A's wonderful Monkey Socks.

If these socks look a bit different than other Monkey socks you may have seen, just stand on your head and look again. See? Cookie knitted her socks top-down; I knitted these toe-up, so the pattern is up-side down. I like it! And yes, the toe is Judy's Magic Cast-On. Told ya. I'm gonna be using it for a long, long time.

Can you see the cast on?

The knitted-in marker features a glass cat's head. Yes, I know it isn't a monkey. I just liked the look of it with the yarn. The color, by the way, is "Menswear." Go figure. Who comes up with these names??

Prelude to a Visitation: Sacramento Airport

2007-11-05T11:00:00.000-08:00

Can you guess who we are waiting for?

Here's a hint.

A Weekend With Annie

2007-09-28T09:21:00.000-07:00

It's always so much fun when a well-known knitting teacher and designer comes to town! Last weekend, the Sacramento Knitting Guild -- aka the Stockin'ettes -- played host to Annie Modesitt. Annie taught 4 classes over two days: Embellishments & Beading on Saturday, and Cables & Lace on Sunday.

I think my favorite was the embellishments portion, but I definitely picked up *a lot* of useful tips from all the sessions. In my opinion, no matter how good a knitter you are or how long you've been knitting, there are always wonderful new and different things to learn.

For instance, it is truly mind-boggling how many different cast-on and cast-off methods there are. My mom knit for 60+ years and always used the same methods. Those were the ones she used when she first learned to knit, and they were the same ones she was using when she put down her needles for the last time. (And here's a really sad thing: other than me, Mom never had another friend who knit. Pretty incredible thought today, huh?) I definitely credit the Internet for spreading new ideas, inspiring and publicizing new books, forming knitterly communities and helping new designers, teachers, and authors gain market traction. Look at the explosion of knitting/fiber-related shows and conferences. And the yarn! Well, the wild proliferation of yarns and patterns available to today's knitters just couldn't have happened without Internet buzz.

What do you think?

Anyway, Annie was a lot of fun. Her teaching method is very personable and she has lots of knitting-related stories and jokes to tell. We all had a good time and laughed while we learned.

This is Annie & me joking around with the pictures in her new book, Romantic Knits. Annie donated a full set of her books to the guild library. Thanks, Annie! We look forward to your next visit!

Great Balls o' Fire!

2007-09-03T09:30:00.000-07:00

Here's the latest in my Summer of Magical Socks series -- the Chinese Fireball Dragon socks. The yarn is from Sunshine yarns, and for once, I don't mind the pooling and flashing in this colorway, because, after all -- it is supposed to be dragonish.

I used the "Small Capitals" stitch pattern from Sensational Knitted Socks, but did them toe-up with an inch of ribbing to finish up the leg. The stitch marker is a sterling silver dragon charm.

The dragon picture in the picture with the socks is created using a Japanese needlework method called bunka. It is done with a small hollow punch needle and a fine raveled-silk thread. I started this piece when I lived in Okinawa as a teenager, and finished it when I was in my early 20's. I never liked all the "beginner" bunka pictures with flowers and birds -- I liked the advanced ones with tsurus, tigers, and dragons. :) I made several bunka pieces while in Okinawa, and gave them to friends and relatives. I kept this dragon, but this is the first time I have ever hung it on a wall in my house. I like it. I think it will stay for a while. :)

Tag team knitting

2007-08-24T09:10:00.000-07:00

Yesterday afternoon a mysterious little box arrived in the mail. Tag! I'm It!

It's the Ragtag Knitsters team box from Dishrag Tag, all the way from Amanda in New Hampshire. She included a beautiful spiral dishcloth, a couple of strudy skeins of dishcloth cotton, a snack to keep knitting on, and a New Hampshire postcard.

I had my needles and pattern all ready to go. Since California is the golden state, I selected the gold and white yarn and knitted up the California cloth from the amazing Rhonda K. White. I added a set of my own TopFrog stitchmarkers, a package of Jelly Bellys (the factory is just up the road a piece), a couple of balls of cotton -- and taped the box back up!

This morning the Ragtag Knitsters box is on its way to Sarah in Arizona. It should be there on Monday or so. Go Ragtag Knitsters!

Fawkes Sawkes

2007-07-24T19:05:00.000-07:00

Thank goodness Fawkes is here to protect my feet from all of those slithery socks of late! :) This is Phoenix yarn from Sunshine Yarns. I wanted to use a stitch that reminded me of Phoenix feathers, so I decided to use a slightly modified Flying Chevron from Walker #2. I like the way it turned out. :)

It's a bit hard to see with all those flaming phoenix colors, but I know what it is. I found the sterling silver phoenix charm on eBay, painted it 24K gold, and waterproof-finished it. It dangles down the back of the heel.

I was a bit disappointed that Fawkes did not make a return appearance during the Battle of Hogwarts, but I guess when a phoenix leaves for good, that's what it really means.

I'll keep these socks around for a while, though. :)

Dedicated Harry Potter Weekend

2007-07-21T15:10:00.000-07:00

Knitting activities have been suspended this weekend while I read Harry Potter and he Deathly Hallows. Regularly scheduled knitting will resume shortly.

Tally Ho!

2007-07-11T08:52:00.001-07:00

I have two more finished pairs of socks! They have been blocking and drying and out of sight, and therefore, out of mind. ;)

The first pair is knitted from "Sorted into Slytherin" from Dharmafey's Cosmic Fibers. Once again, these are the softer side of the house colors, and will blend perfectly into Muggle society. I don't know how Carrie manages to dye those beautiful silver tones into a yarn, but she does a great job of it!

The next pair is the "Sorted into Hufflepuff," also from Dharmafey Cosmic Fibers. I love the rich gold and greyish black of this yarn. It makes a striking pair of socks. (That little ball of yarn at the top is my leftover yarn. Whew!) Both pair of these are toe-ups on size 0 DPNs; 64 stitches on the foot, 72 for the feather-and-fan leg.

So, now for the tallies to date:

Here are the three pair that qualify for Summer of Socks.

And here here are my completed socks for the Summer of Magical Socks. There is one pair from each Hogwarts house plus the Heir of Slytherin. Hmmm. Maybe it's a good thing that I have a pair of phoenix socks on my needles right now. . .

Heir of Slytherin Socks

2007-07-05T09:18:00.000-07:00

My Sockret Pal Beth E has extended her craft repertoire to include yarn dying. For her very first project, she created some excellent self-striping Slytherin-themed yarn, and knitted up some very slithery socks. Then, because she is a Slytherin who actually paid attention to the Sorting Hat's message about inter-house cooperation and friendship, she generously sent me enough to make my own slythery socks, even though I was sorted into Gryffindor. (I am positive this is exactly the kind of thing the Hat was referring to.) :)

So here they are — the Heir of Slytherin socks! I used the basic Broadripple pattern, as Beth did for hers, and I used size 2 DPNs. I also made them toe-up, which reversed the pattern. And I used a short-row heel. I like the effect! I think it looks very reptilian and shows off Beth's beautiful stripes. The knit-in marker is black onyx with a green Swarovski crystal. I washed them, blocked them, and folded them neatly in my sock drawer.

These are my 3rd pair of Summer of Socks socks, and the 5th in my Summer of Magical Socks series.

Later, as I was passing by, I heard a hissy-kind of voice issuing from the room where the socks are stored. I couldn't understand what the voice was saying — but it could have been speaking Parseltongue.

When I entered the room, I saw this . . .

Oh, Yeah — May

2007-07-03T08:06:00.000-07:00

I was looking back over my Socks-of-the-Month project and noticed I had neglected to publish a photo of my socks for May. So here they are. These are Cascade Yarns Sassy Stripes in colorway 713, and they took two skeins.

In my defense, May was a crazy month for me personally. And as I (finally) recalled these socks, I remember why I was so ready to get them over and done with. For one thing, I could hardly wait to get my needles going on my Harry Potter yarn collection. :) And I had some gift knitting to complete. :) But the main reason I wanted to get these socks over with is because there was a knot in the first skein, and, missing between the knotted ends, an entire wide green stripe. :( And you know how my stripes just gotta match. Fortunately, there was (just) enough extra yarn to wind down to the next sequence and create a match, but the whole rest of the time I knit these socks I worried about finding another knot, and wondering what effect it might have on the striping, and if I would have enough leftover yarn to fix it.

As it turned out, there were no more knots, and I finished the socks, breathed a sigh of relief — and promptly dismissed them from my mind. I didn't even recall them when I said that I had had pretty good luck —up to now— with commercial self-striping yarn. Ah, well. Sometimes a poor memory is not a bad thing.

I knit to relax and clear my mind. I find self-striping yarns very soothing as the pretty colors slip through my fingers and form beautiful, orderly patterns flowing from my needles. It's a very meditative and calming experience for me, and the simple knitting requires very little technical attention. I guess that is why I'm a bit resentful when the yarn patterns break unexpectedly and create chaotic results. Its as if someone scuffed up the neatly raked sand patterns in a Japanese garden, or inserted a raucous heavy metal sequence in a Mozart symphony.

Well, enough of this. Anyway, the May socks are done — and I am really enjoying my Summer of Magical Socks!

Summer of Magical Socks Update

2007-06-29T08:19:00.000-07:00

This sock yarn— which stripes very nicely, by the way — is from Darmafey's Cosmic Fibers, an Etsy shop. It is her "Sorted into Ravenclaw" colorway, and although it is not at all metallic, you can tell that the silver color really is supposed to be silver and not just gray. These soft colors transcend the Harry Potter genre, and make great all-purpose socks. Kinda like Harry Potter stealth socks — muggles would never suspect their magical origins. :)

The stitch marker is another of the tile wine glass markers I found on eBay. (The seller is taking time off from eBay to have a baby, but here's the URL.) This time, I filed a groove around the edge of the tile and fitted a wire into the groove. The tile is varnished to render it waterproof.

The socks themselves are my favorite Wendy's generic toe-up sock pattern — with feather & fan leg, short-row heel, and a turned-picot hem. I used a provisional cast-on. There are 64 stitches in the foot and 72 in the feather-and-fan portion. I used size 0 Knit Picks DPNs.

Next up? My "Sorted into Slytherin" socks are blocking tonight, and I'm already working on the second "Sorted into Hufflepuff " sock!

A Tale of Two Socks

2007-06-28T08:42:00.000-07:00

I really, really, really like self-striping sock yarn. I've had OK luck with self-stripers from big yarn companies (up 'til now), but my preference is for the smaller, independent dyers. It's a lot of work creating a nice self-striping yarn, and I truly admire those who do it well and take pride in it. My June sock experience only increased this admiration.

I received a beautiful skein of Tofutsies in two of my favorite colors, pink & lavender, as a much-appreciated gift. Taking a time-out from woolen Magical Socks, I decided the lighter-weight Tofutsies would be the perfect travel project to take on my trip to Florida. The first sock was delightful:

The second sock was kind of a surprise:

A very deep pool!! The only reason the pool changed sides is because I had to snip out a 20-inch section of yarn that was missing an entire ply. (Is this a Southwest Trading Company issue? I had the same thing happen with 3 of 5 balls of STC Bamboo — the only other time I have ever run into this problem.)

I liked working with Tofutsies: even with sharp size 0 Knit Picks DPNs, I had very little splitting. I liked the feel of the yarn. I liked the colors of the yarn. So what's up with the pooling in the foot??? I have never had this problem with yarn from independent dyers — have I just been lucky, or does personal pride in a job well done factor in somehow?

At any rate, I don't think there will be any more "self-striping" Tofutsies in my future.

The Summer of Magical Socks

2007-05-10T09:17:00.000-07:00

OK, I'll admit it. I have a real fondness for the Harry Potter series. I have all the US-version hardbacks, the British hardbacks, all of JK Rowlings' "Hogwarts textbooks, all the unabridged Jim Dale CDs, and a few of the British cassette series. And the movies on DVD. And the soundtracks on CD. And some action figures. And a mug. And a Harry Potter tablecloth. And maybe some other odds and ends, but, well, never mind. I like the series, and can hardly wait until July when the next movie and Book 7 appear.

So, seeing how often handknit socks are mentioned in the books, it's only natural that, being a sock knitter myself ... well, you can see where this is heading. I decided to have a Summer of Magical Socks.

Actually, it was my Sockret Pal Beth E who gave be a push in the Harry Potter sock direction. She generously made me a gift of Sunshine yarn's Gryffindor, which I have now completed as the first in my Summer of Magical Socks. And here they are:
The marker is a tile wine glass charm that I found on eBay. I glued ribbon around it and waterproof-varnished the whole thing to stand up to washing.

So that leads me to the rest of my Harry Potter yarns for the Summer of Magical Socks.

Since Beth E's Gryffindor yarn got me started, I've managed to find more colorways for the other three houses from DarmaFey, and scored some Chinese Fireball Dragon and some Phoenix from Sunshine. You can see that I've already gotten a good start on the socks from DharmaFey's "Sorted into Ravenclaw" yarn. (And HP fans will note that the Ravenclaw colors in the tablecloth fabric are not canon: "real" Ravenclaw colors are blue and bronze. Obviously this fabric is a result of Muggles in the textile industry.)

Here are the Chinese Fireball Dragon yarn and the Phoenix yarn. I found a dragon charm and a phoenix charm on eBay (where else???) and made stitch markers with them. I painted the phoenix gold.

And, also at the urging of Beth E (do ya think she might have me under an Imperius Curse??? ) ;) I joined the Summer of Socks group. Very few rules -- I like that. And it meshes very well will my own summer knitting plans, except that I have already started! :)

Lorna's March Challenge

2007-04-11T13:03:00.000-07:00

Each month, Lorna Miser issues a challenge to the members of our knitting guild to take a pattern or idea and "make it our own." The challenge for the month of March was fingerless gloves. The photo above shows a group of knitters who brought their finished projects to the April meeting. What a variety we had!

Before Lorna's challenge, I had never done fingerless gloves before, and really couldn't see the point of them at all. But I decided to make a pair just to see what all the fuss was about.

OK. Now I'm a believer. These things are fun to make, and, after wearing a pair on coolish mornings driving to work, I like 'em! I think of them as kinda like a top-down sock leg — with a thumb gusset. :)

When I set out on my first pair, I knew that whatever I did with these mitts, I wanted beads. I tried beads with the "Wine & Roses" fingerless glove pattern from Winter 06 Interweave Knits, but didn't like the look. Finally, I just decided to try a simple ribbed pattern, and that worked. The only part of "Wine & Roses" left in the finished product is part of the lace pattern in the hand portion.

I used leftover Lorna's Laces in the "Tahoe" colorway, with purple AB glass beads. The beading on the hand is only on the back of the hand, and I sewed those on afterwards.

But the "leftover sock yarn" aspect was just too appealing, so here's my second pair in Vicki Suan's Watermelon yarn.

For these, I really DID make sock tops! I used my favorite feather & fan pattern -- with size 4 needles instead of size 0. Every time a black "seed" came up in the yarn, I purled the stitch in front of it, dropped 3 beads, purled the next stitch to lock them in place, and continued on in pattern.

These aren't the only two pair I've made, either! But since the others are destined as gifts, I won't show them here! :) But, as you can tell, I've really become a fan of fingerless gloves. I never would have bothered to try them without Lorna's Challenge — but I guess that's what she's trying to do: nudge us out of our comfort zones and encourage us to try something new. Thanks, Lorna! :)

April Socks

2007-04-09T10:16:00.000-07:00

So before too much more of April slips away, here are my April socks. They are Claudia Handpaints yarn in the "Just Plum" colorway. The pattern is my favorite Wendy's Generic Toe-Up Socks, with feather & fan patterned legs.

Here's the knit-in stitch marker.

It's getting warm here in Sacramento, but we're supposed to have a couple of cooler days this week. This might be my last opportunity for a while to comfortably wear my handknit woolen socks, so I intend to make the best of it! But, like a squirrel storing nuts for the winter, I will be sock-knitting all during the warm weather, stocking my sock drawer to insure warm feet at the first sign of cool temperatures. :)

The Sockret Pal Catered Banquet

2007-03-29T13:58:00.000-07:00

My Sockret Pal was Beth at Crafty Canines/Stuck on Socks — and oh-boy-howdy — can she cook up a surprise package!

Beth's package was in the form of a multi-course banquet. Here's the menu:

As any good caterer begins a special banquet, Beth started out with an Appetizer Course:

Yup. Frog legs. Of course, these frog legs are permanently attached to teensy little glass frogs -- and they live their lives as stitch markers! (Destined to become favorites, I can tell you!) (And check out the little green silk storage bag.)

Then there was the Soup Course:

"Crab & Shrimp chowder" in the form of Tofutsies sock yarn! (And I just l-o-v-e, love, love the color!)

Now for the Salad Course:

It's a frog spinner for my patio. Look out, squirrels! (One of my clever friends pointed out that a salad spinner often comes in handy!) Isn't it cute??

And now (taa-daa) — for the Main Course!!

It's the Sockret Pal trifecta win: perfect color, perfect pattern, and PERFECT FIT!!! Aren't they just beautiful?? If I had seen this yarn, I would have grabbed it in a heartbeat. The yarn is Fleece Artist, and the colorway is Jester. They are just beautiful socks, the workmanship is fabulous, and they feel great on my foot. (Did I mention the PERFECT fit? ) I am just thrilled with them! Wonderful job, Beth!! (She even printed off a personalized label for the socks!)

But wait — there's more!!!

The Dessert Course:

It's a selection of unique favorites from the Cincinnati area: a chili mix (which I will make up at the very next hint of a drop in temperature!) and some extra-special candy Easter eggs that, per Beth, are only available for a very short time each year. I love stuff like this! Local favorites are the last bastion against the chain-store-ization of the world! They are hard to find, too — because local folks tend to guard their secrets. Thanks for sharing these with me, Beth. :)

And the banquet doesn't stop there, either. Like a good hostess, Beth wrapped up a little packet of Leftovers for me.

Because, as she says, you just never know when you might need more. Isn't that thoughtful? And look how well those leftovers match my current nail polish: Hmmmm.... I'll have to think about what I can do with this (surprisingly hefty) little ball of yarn.

And then, because, — well, because she likes to end with a flourish, I guess — Beth tucked in a packet of Junk Food:

Pretty cool "junk food," huh? This is Colinette Jitterbug in the Castagna colorway. It's a bit camera-shy, but put it near a bit of mauve or green, and the those colors just pop out. What a great way to end a great banquet!

Thanks, Beth, for everything. You have been the best Pal a knitter could hope for. Your packages have been inventive, fun, and very thoughtful.

And the very best thing? I have a new email pen pal who is a kick to chat with. Isn't that the whole purpose of these Internet swaps — to meet people with similar tastes who you would probably never get to meet in your real life? Thanks Dani and Rachel for this opportunity. It's been a lot of fun! :)

A Touch of Blarney

2007-03-12T14:42:00.000-07:00

I found a wee person visiting my house the other day, and managed to stare him in the eye just long enough to convince him to hold my March sock whilst I photographed it.

Now, many people will tell you that a real leprechaun cannot be photographed, but I'm here to tell you that's just not true. But it is not without cost. And in this instance, my little friend used his magic to drain the green from my Koigu sock in the photo, leaving only Blarney Stone gray behind with a touch of moss. Yep, this sock is actually quite green in real life. In fact, it is a very close match to the mossy agates I used for the sock charm! I purchased this Koigu on a trip to Bodega Bay, on a day when the fog and rain lightly obscured the green trees and hills: a perfect match for this MOSSY GREEN yarn -- with just a touch of gray.

'Tis an disappointment everlasting that you can't see the real color except when you see the socks in real life. ButI guess that's the price you pay for trying to fool with the Wee Folk.

Ah, well. Next time I catch a leprechaun, I'll just go for his gold.

Lorna's February Challemge: the Brea Bag

2007-03-02T16:03:00.000-08:00

Last month I blogged about Lorna Miser's monthly challenges that she sets for our local knitting guild.

Her February Challenge -- the results of which were shown at our March 1 meeting -- was the Brea Bag. Here's mine -- the Bus to Reno Special!

Although the design is hard to see in this photo, it shows up well in real life! I knit it from Lion Brand Suede on size 8 needles, and it really does have a great texture. It is lined, and I inserted strips of magnets between the lining and the bag to combat the gap-osis that is the bane of this pattern's design. It also has a large gold button on each side with a tasseled loop closure.

I was getting a little short on time, and I still needed a strap, so into the deepest depths of my closet I went. And there I found a glistening little remnant of the 80's -- a gold leather-and-chain belt! Aha! It makes a great shoulder strap! However, it does remind some people of the purses observed on the "gambler special" busses to Reno, hence the name.

Here are all the Brea Bags and their creators who were at the meeting last night. (There are still several in progress, and they will make their showing next month -- or whenever!) :)

The variety was awesome -- big ones, small ones, all kinds of yarn, felted -- you name it: every one as unique as it's maker. This program is quite a hit with our guild members!

Our Challenge for March: fingerless gloves!

The Train Gang

2007-02-26T09:54:00.000-08:00

Saturday, 300 or so knitters from Sacramento totally overwhelmed the Amtrak Capitol Corridor Stitch 'n' Ride Train to Stitches West! (Here's my little group waiting for the train home, loaded down with our Stitches purchases.)

The ladies at Capitol Corridor had their fingers on the knitting pulse, and had requested extra train cars, but the powers-that-be just couldn't imagine that that many knitters actually exist in the WORLD, much less little ol' Sacramento. Then, of course, MORE knitters boarded at every station along the way: Davis, Martinez, and Richmond, etc. We filled the entire 5-car train, including the cafe car! As a result, nearly 100 people stood or sat in the aisles.

Although many folks were understandably upset by the lack of seating, the Capitol Corridor ladies did a great job of making sure everyone had a goodie bag or a raincheck for one -- and the plethora of wonderful raffle prizes would have brightened anyone's day. Good job!

Can you imagine a train jam-packed with knitters?? It was fabulous! People were walking through the train chatting with everyone and admiring works-in-progress and works-being-worn. What a friendly, cheerful, beautiful trainload! (Although we did really feel sorry for the non-knitters who were innocently swept up in the needle-toting hordes! You could tell who they were by their deer-in-the-headlight expressions -- and total lack of yarn, of course.) :)

With this level of ridership -- and the presence of a couple of new-believer Amtrak officials and their knitting wives who happened to be on board -- Capitol Corridor now has the clout to demand -- and receive -- a dedicated knitting train for next year. Yay! One small step for knitterkind . . .

After all the fun on the train, Stitches was kind of an afterthought. :) By Saturday, a lot of the Market merchandise was picked over, although you certainly couldn't tell by the stuffed shopping bags everyone lugged home! I managed to score a skein of lightweight Socks that Rock in the Bleeding Hearts colorway before lunch, but people who visited the booth after lunch reported that all the lightweight yarn was gone. There seemed to be lots of Sock Candy, and other yarns, though.

All-in-all, a fun day that I wouldn't have wanted to miss. Knitting on a train packed with friendly knitters is a great experience. I'm looking forward to next time!

Mardi Gras Time!

2007-02-20T09:42:00.000-08:00

Even though today is officially Fat Tuesday, we've been celebrating for a while around here. As proof, I offer my official socks for February — Mardi Gras Socks!Official Mardi Gras colors are purple, green, and gold: when I saw this yarn in the skein, those colors seemed to be dominant. But when I knit it up, the green went missing and lots of pink showed up. So now the socks are more Carnivale than Mardi Gras. Oh, well. :)

The knit-in stitch marker IS in Mardi Gras colors, and even says "Mardi Gras"! It is enamel, and I cannibalized a charm bracelet for it. The green and purple beads are Swarovski crystals, and the yellow flower is glass.

The yarn is Dancing from Knit Picks, and the pattern is my favorite, Wendy's Generic Toe-Up Socks with Feather and Fan Top.

And yes, I am wearing these socks today, along with my Mardi Gras beads! If you aren't celebrating Mardi Gras where you are, you can join the virtual celebration on the New Orleans Mardi Gras website. Let the good times roll!

"Official" January Sox

2007-02-05T12:31:00.000-08:00

OK, here are my "official" January socks. The Christmas-stripey ones? I'm going to reserve them as December's socks. You know, just in case. Just in case I wait 'til the last minute for my Christmas gift knitting and run out of time again for my own Christmas knitting.

Yeah. Like that's not gonna happen, right? :)

Anyway, these socks are Wendy's generic toe-up with Fan & Feather tops. I love this pattern. I have discovered that I am not really into different sock patterns, but really like working with different yarns. I enjoy the textures and colors much more than patterns. This may change someday, but right now, it's where I'm at, as we used to say in the 70's. :)

The yarn is Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in the Tahoe colorway. I got it at Jimmy Bean's yarn shop in Truckee last summer, as a souvenir of a wonderful weekend trip with some knitting friends. It was such a perfect day in the mountains that day: If I had held this yarn up to the view of Lake Tahoe and the Sierras, it would have matched just perfectly. So I guess these socks are kind of like a postcard for my feet, and it doesn't get any better than that.

Here's the knit-in marker on the second sock: it's a lampwork glass bead with a frog on a lily pad charm. There is also a purple Swarovski crystal that doesn't show in this view.

Tuesday night about 20 knitters from our guild who participated in Lorna's January Challenge showed up with their hats. What a variety! Everyone used different yarns, different methods, different color combinations -- but every single item was a work of art. My friend Cindi even made hers as a sock! It was really amazing -- and lots of fun to see the results! Our February Challenge is the Brea Bag. You could just hear all the wheels turning as everyone started planning the next creative challenge.

Sockret Safari

2007-01-30T10:02:00.000-08:00

My Sockret Pal is terrific when it comes to theme packages! Remember the Tropical Knitting Party? And the Froggy Christmas? Now she's gone wild! Look at this great safari-design coordinated wrapping! How cool is that? Great presentation is indeed half the fun of receiving a gift!

The other half of the fun is opening the gifts!! My safari includes: some yummy chocolate to keep up one's strength (which, once opened, didn't last long!); a civilized little tea party (2 kinds of tea and a generous package of tea biscuits); a trio of tree frog goodies (cute sox, an enameled purse holder, and a frog ball --my domesticated little cat will love this!); and a lovely-scented lavendar/oatmeal soap bar, for relaxing after a long day in the urban jungles.

There were also two balls of wildly-beautiful Noro Aurora: my Pal suggested that I haven't done a lace project for a while, and hopes this Noro will tempt me. Mischief managed! :) The moment I saw those beautiful shimmering shades of green and blue, I knew this yarn has to be a lacy scarf!

But there was one thing more in this safari package . . . something lion-ish . . .

Gryffindor sock yarn! GRYFFINDOR SOCK YARN!!! I am so excited about this yarn! I love all things Harry Potter, but have never seen this yarn before -- it's beautiful! Who knew? I can hardly wait to get it on the needles -- and then on my feet! Gryffindor socks!!

Thanks for everything, Sockret Pal -- this is one wonderful safari! :)

Lorna's January Challenge

2007-01-25T09:44:00.000-08:00

Our local knitting guild is fortunate to have Lorna Miser as a member. Yes, that Lorna. :) She is a very talented lady, and generously shares her creativity with us. We are so lucky!! We have been "focus groups" when she develops new classes and "previewers" for her new designs. Last year, she created a "square of the month" program for the guild: Each month she designed a 7" square incorporating a different knitting skill, and encouraged us to spread our wings while making squares for our afghan charities.

This year, she is offering "Lorna's Challenge of the Month." She finds a free pattern on the Web that uses a different skill, obtains the designer's permission to use it, then challenges guild members to take the pattern and "make it our way" — or at least learn a new technique. The January challenge is the "Fake Isle Hat" by Amy King on MagKnits.

Here is my version -- not very different, but I did challenge myself to learn a new method of knitting with two yarns in one hand. This hat is Noro Silk Garden 205 with a Galway wool for the contrast. The original pattern calls for a 3x1 ribbing, which I did not care for, so I ripped back and put in a 2x2 ribbing, which I think holds the hat better. Then, of course, I added a pom-pon, because , well, I really like hats with pom-pons. :)

While many of the guild members are creating these hats, and some have posted on the guild member site, at least one other of our guild members has posted her completed hat on the open Web: check out our Member At Sea's blog to see how far-flung Lorna's challenge has become!

At our February guild meeting, everyone will bring their hats, photos will be taken, and mutual admiration will ensue. After that, Lorna will give us the challenge for next month! Thanks, Lorna! This is really fun! :)

Merry January

2007-01-17T14:37:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

As my 2007 knitting resolution, I resolve to knit one pair of sox per month. So here's my January pair.

Whazzat you say? What's up with the jingle bells and Christmas colors in January?

Well, I had intended to knit myself a festive pair of sox all ready to jingle-in the Christmas season last year. HA!

Of course, I got so busy knitting socks and other items for gifts that my socks never made it out of the skein stage.

So, to ensure that they will be ready THIS year, I started (and finished!) my own Christmas socks early. January early. Now when December rolls around, I will be ready to don my jingly apparel and celebrate the season. :)

Hey! Maybe I should start some other Christmas knitting and get a few gifts done early this year!

Nah.

I'll have plenty of time in November.

Sockret Santa

2006-12-21T09:21:00.000-08:00

My Socket Pal is a Sockret Santa!

The outside of the package said, "Not an Official Sockret Pal Mailing," but inside was a delightful assortment of goodies! A darling card with cuddly kitties, some yummy candy canes, chocolate(!), a bunch of cutie-pie frog cut-outs in many shades of green (those are destined for my scrapbook pages!) -- AND -- the cutest, tiniest, sweetest little keychain-size sock blocker and sock pattern you ever saw! :) It's just perfect for all my little sock-yarn odds 'n' ends. What an unexpected surprise! Thank you, Socket Pal, for a very sweet & thoughtful Christmas gift package! :)

A very Merry Christmas to you and yours, and a Happy Knitting New Year, too!

A few of my favorite things...

2006-12-08T12:10:00.000-08:00

I put up my little Christmas tree this past weekend, and noticed that I have an awful lot of FROG ornaments! Each one was a gift from a thoughtful friend, and each one has the friend's name and the date of the gift written on the ornament with an extra-fine Sharpie. I love putting them on the tree each year, and enjoy the warm rush of memories triggered by each one as I remember faces, events, and emotions. What a great way to enjoy the Christmas Spirit!

The flamingo has landed!

2006-11-28T15:41:00.000-08:00

Lookie what I got in the mail yesterday! With a fun message like this on the outside, you just just know it's gonna be good on the inside!

And it IS!!! It's a tropical knitting party in a box -- WOW! Everything is so wonderful -- a fabulously fun felted flamingo pattern with all the yarn to knit them up ( I can hardly wait!), a ball of gorgeous self-striping sock yarn (how did you know? ) , some burgundy KnitPicks Gloss (merino & silk -- yummmm!), a really cute froggie calendar for 2007 (too cute -- and just perfect!), and a roll of Smarties (which I just love!) See -- I told ya: WOW! Solid gold. Solid.

The weather yesterday was cloudy, cold, and gloomy. Then I opened this box of tropical delight -- and today is bright and sunny. Coincidence? I think not. Not even the weather could resist cheering up with a Sockret Pal goodie box like this. Thanks, Sockret Pal -- you done good, In fact, you done GREAT! :)

OK — who spilled the coffee on my socks?

2006-11-21T10:37:00.000-08:00

Well, no one, actually.

These socks are knit with Austermann Step sock yarn, with aloe and jojoba oil right in the yarn. The yarn was a dream to knit with, and the socks are comfy to wear. The colors remind me of mixed berry sherbet — all except for the BROWN spots throughout. ??? I just don't get that color combination at all. It looks like someone spilled coffee on my socks ( not that I would personally know what that actually looks like, you understand.)

Oh, well — they are so nice to wear, I'll just hide them beneath tall shoes and long pants.

And we'll just keep this coffee stain business to ourselves, OK? But if I ever visit the Austermann yarn factory spinning room, I'm gonna look for those messy coffee drinkers!

Here's the knit-in stitch marker for these socks. (It's a lampwork glass bead with a gold frog and a Swarovski crystal. All berry colors — no brown!)

A Different Kind of Sock

2006-11-16T10:13:00.000-08:00

This sock is the kind you hang 'on the chimney with care,' and it's for my newest little cousin, Clayton. It's an old Mary Maxim pattern, but I make it slightly larger -- about 24 inches long. And yes, it is acrylic yarn for easy care in all climates. :)

Sometimes, for very special couples (who have been pre-qualified as those who would appreciate such), I will knit a pair of Mr. & Mrs. Santa Claus Christmas stockings as a wedding present. Later on, as children arrive to these couples, I'll knit a coordinating stocking for baby's first Christmas. I just love visiting these homes and seeing well-used stockings hanging on the mantels year after year. Clayton's stocking will join those of his big sister Kylie and their parents.

Welcome, Clayton! Enjoy!

Trick or Treat!

2006-10-31T13:26:00.000-08:00

As a rule, I NEVER wear orange -- but Halloween is a time for breaking rules just a tiny bit, right? So I figure if I can accept candy from strangers on Halloween, then I can wear orange. :) So here are my Halloween socks, knitted with Opal "Magic" purchased at MeadowFarm in Nevada City. I used my favorite pattern -- Wendy's Toe Up with feather and fan leg.

And here's my stitch marker for these socks, knitted into the leg ribbing on the second sock. I love those little kitty beads!

I have been asked how I wash my socks with the beaded markers knitted in. The general answer: Very carefully. I wash my socks by hand, so it isn't a problem. If I wash them in the machine, the markers tend to get bent. They don't snag on the rest of the sock, but they do bend. So hand washing seems to be the best option. However, sometimes -- like this morning -- I do need to dry socks quickly in the dryer. So I pinned the stitch marker to the sock with a safety pin so it wouldn't bang around, turned the socks inside out, and tossed them in the dryer. No problem.

Hot Socks Swap!

2006-10-27T09:36:00.000-07:00

Wow! I received my Hot Socks Swap box from Hege -- all the way from Norway! (I haven't ever received a package from Norway, so I was just excited about getting the box in the first place. Silly maybe, but that's the way it is.) Inside the box were two lovely skeins of sock yarn, two kinds of teas, some beautiful beads, a cute little felted sheep pin, and a sweet note. Thanks, Hege!

It's finally (!) getting cool here in Sacramento, so I am looking forward to spending some happy hours curled up with a comforting cup of tea and a new pair of Norwegian socks on my needles. :)

And -- after some unexpected delays in my cross-country travels, I finally mailed MY hot socks pal in England her box today. Since I was late mailing it to her, I added a couple of extra treats collected at airports during my sojourn. :) What a great swap! Thanks, Laura, for organizing us.

Rockin' Sox

2006-10-11T11:01:00.000-07:00

Last Spring my friend Emmy went to Portland -- and on her return, surprised me with a beautiful skein of Socks That Rock in Tanzanite. I love the rich, not-quite-variegated subtle shade changes and ooooo, that color!

It took me a long while to find the perfect pattern, and even longer to actually finish knitting them, but here they are at last! I used MJ's lovely toe-up Mirabella lace pattern, but with size 0 DPNs and my gauge, I had to add circumference stitches and knit additional repeats.Such special yarn from such a nice friend deserves a special stitch marker/charm, so this one has genuine amethysts and Swarovski crystals.

I wore these socks for the first time last weekend, and they felt fabulous -- the yarn is so resilient, yet soft and yummy. I can hardly wait to work with Socks That Rock yarn again. And that's a good thing, because another wonderful friend went on a yarn excursion to Friday Harbor -- and guess what she brought back? :)

Sock-ret Pal Questionnaire!

2006-09-27T09:18:00.000-07:00

The basics:
How long have you been knitting? Since I was 4 or 5… it’s been a while!
Do you consider yourself a beginning sock knitter, an intermediate, or have you been doing this so long you could probably knit a pair in your sleep? Well, whenever I knit in my sleep, I make mistakes, so I guess that makes me an intermediate.

The measurements:
While your pal may ask for some additional info to ensure a great fit, please provide your shoe size, or any other fitting related info you think is pertinent. I wear a size 8.5 shoe, and my socks are 9 inches from the toe to the heel. I have a wide foot.

(fiber related) Favorites:
What colors do you love? Purples, lavenders, mauves, greens, blues, burgundies: more muted than clear, but just about anything in those color ranges.
Do you prefer solids or variegated? No preference, but I do have a “thing” for self-striping yarn. :)
What fibers do you most love to knit with? I like wool and other animal fibers, but really just about anything.
Who do you consider your favorite yarn vendors? No preference: there are a lot of wonderful sources out there! I do enjoy using sock yarns from smaller, regional sources whenever I can.
What projects (other than socks, of course) do you most enjoy knitting? I nearly always have a more complex lace project on the needles. Right now, it’s (still) the long-suffering Peacock Shawl. And there are a couple of Christmas stockings in the works, too . . . but those are still socks, huh?

(fiber related) Dislikes:
What fibers can you not stand to knit with? “Hard” or rough fibers – but then who does? To wear? Same
What colors would you never wear? I look hideous in orange, yellow, and white.

The Tools:
Plastic or Metal? Bamboo or wood? I used to knit socks with bamboo 0’s, but they broke all the time. Then I discovered Knit Picks nickel plated, sharp-pointed dpns and I love them!
Circs or Straights? I use circulars for everything but socks.
DPNs or Magic Loop? DPNs
Are there any knitting accessories you don't have in your collection but would like? I am a gadget collector, and can always use something fun! Since I have several projects going at once, duplicates are never a problem.

The Extras:
Do you have a wish list? If so, please share the link! No wish lists.
Do you like sweet, sour or salty? Yes.
Do you have any allergies your pal should know about? (Certain foods, smoke, pet hair, etc) I don’t care for smoke.
Favorite scents? Scents you can't stand? I love vanilla and lavender ( not necessarily at the same time, though!)
Do you collect anything (other than yarn and knitting toys of course)? Well, there are the frogs…
When is your birthday? (month and day is fine!) June 19
Do you spin? Dye your own yarn? Nope and nope.
Your favorite author/band/vacation spot, anything you think will help your pal know you better... I am definitely a Harry Potter / Lord of the Rings/ Memoirs of a Geisha /English classics fan – both books and movies. I love BBC costume dramas and Battlestar Galactica. I don't watch too much network TV, except for HGTV -- hooked on "House Hunters"! Music-wise, I like classic long-hair, classic rock, and lots of new stuff and stuff in between. I'm very eclectic there.

Ok, just a little more sewing

2006-09-14T09:38:00.000-07:00

Since Son & Fiancee have multiple cats, I couldn't resist one more tablecloth when I found this print. This is a Laurel Burch design -- "Jungle Songs"-- and features cute leopard-style cats.

Of the three tablecloths I sent, this is the one that immediately ended up on the table.

And since I can't stand to leave the last little scraps un-sewn, I used leftovers from the crane tablecloth to make coasters. Perfect for using up scrap oddments! These coasters are padded, and four folded squares are tucked behind each other on the top like a french box fold. They can be used flat for a glass or mug, or the foot of a wine glass can be tucked into the fold. A quilter friend showed me how to make them while we were having lunch in a restaurant one day. She used napkins to demonstrate the technique, but for you, I found an online source of directions. :)

We interrupt this knitting...

2006-08-25T11:17:00.000-07:00

...for a bit of sewing!

My son recently requested some new tablecloths. He knows that this is one of my favorite quick 'n' easy sewing projects, so really, all he had to do was bring up the subject!

Son and Fiancee lived in Japan for a while, and managed to collect many Japanese antiques -- and their whole decor reflects this influence. Their dining room features a several-hundred-year old armoire-like black painted chest (which is really a dish-drying closet) and a contemporary black lacquer table & chairs. It is a striking combination of old and new styles.

Here are details of the two tablecloths I made for them. In each case, the skirt is a coordinating fabric bound by a strip of the main fabric. The crane fabric has a tiny bit of metallic gold in the design.

Summer Sock Update

2006-08-17T09:17:00.000-07:00

I am definitely deep in the throes of my Sock Phase. This follows hard on the heels of the Stitch Diva Scarf Phase, which was preceeded by the Felted Clog Phase. Well, there are worse phases to endure -- just ask the parent of any teenager! :) Of course I have other types of projects in progress, but it really is nice to have a portable no-brainer tucked in my purse for odd knitting moments and knitting-while-chatting opportunities. The socks are finished before you know it -- and there are SO MANY wonderful sock yarns to play with!

These "watermelon" socks are from yarn dyed by the very talented Vicki Suan. Doesn't it work up cute? The "seeds" are perfect! Here is the stitch marker I knitted into the second sock:
These cheerful pink/lavender/blue/green self-stripers are knit from Fortissima Colori Disco: there is a tiny thread of silver running through the yarn. I used Wendy's Generic Toe-Up Feather and Fan pattern with her loose bind-off. I re-did the bind-off four times before I just decided to go with it. As Wendy says, it looks a little wavy off the foot, but it looks just fine when you are wearing the socks, and doesn't stress the yarn.
Here's the knit-in marker.
More sock pictures soon!

Beading With Joan

2006-08-15T09:35:00.000-07:00

I have long been a fan of Joan McGowan-Michael's White Lies Designs. I have knit a couple of them, and the Milinda is on my needles. Some of Joan's latest designs feature retro-style beading, which I find absolutely fascinating. (Of course, I find nearly anything with pretty beads fascinating!) So I jumped at the chance to attend her beading class on Saturday, sponsored by the Sacramento knitting guild.

Joan is a very patient teacher, and provided everything except our knit swatches -- and proper lighting. The lighting in the classroom was, well, awful! It would have been fine for a regular knitting class, but when you are over a certain age and working with teensy beads and teensy needles, good lighting is a definite plus! To be fair, I doubt that any venue would have had sufficient lighting for this type of class. A couple of smart people brought their portable Ott lights, and shared them generously. (Joan made a note to be sure to add portable lights and extension cords to her class supply list for future sessions.)

But I did learn a lot about vintage-style beading techniques, and Joan was very generous with her tips and tricks of the trade. She had some beautiful vintage sweaters for show-and-tell, and shared some wonderful anecdotes about her experiences restoring fabulous movie costumes worn by actresses such as Cyd Charisse and Judy Garland. In all, it was a fun class with a great instructor and a perfect way to spend a pleasant Saturday morning. In my book, this is one of the best advantages of belonging to an active knitting guild.

A Visit to the Sailing Knitter

2006-08-08T10:01:00.000-07:00

While in San Diego last weekend, we paid a visit to Terry, The Sailing Knitter. Terry and her husband have abandoned the Sierra foothills for a life of adventure on the high seas. Many just dream of shedding the suburban hustle -- Terry actually did it!

However, Terry did make sure to keep her most important treasures with her -- like her yarn stash and her library of essential knitting resources. It's amazing how many little boat cubbyholes can be adapted to hold yarn! Let's just say that the Niki Wiki is very well insulated!

The sailing life seems to offer ample opportunities for knitting, too. This is Terry's Charlotte's Web out of Koigu. Doesn't this remind you of a beautiful sunset on the ocean? "Red sky at night, sailors' delight..."

We also got to see the marvelous and famous (infamous??) Hooter Heaters -- the popcorn bra which Terry created for the "movie" theme event at Meg Swanson's Knitting Camp. We even found someone to model them! (The model reported that, indeed, The Hooter Heaters would definitely keep one's front regions from getting a chill in an overly air-conditioned theater.)

Amazing Lace Challenge 5: Where's Waldo?

2006-08-02T09:56:00.001-07:00

Shh-h-h-h! Peacock is sleeping!

After a hard day on the needles, a piece of lace-in-progress needs her beauty rest!

Amazing Lace Challenge 4: What is it now?

2006-07-16T17:12:00.000-07:00

If I had to find a use for Peacock in her present state?

Modern art!

I call it Lace, Interrupted.

Knitting and Baseball

2006-07-14T09:45:00.000-07:00

Last night was Stitch & Pitch night at our local AAA baseball stadium. It was well over 100 degrees, but more than 30 hardy knitters packed up their knitting and took it out to the ballgame. The Sacramento RiverCats printed up some special canvas tote bags for us (that's Christi from the 'Cats marketing department making sure every knitter got one!)

And a knitter from the Sacramento Stitch 'n' Bitch group, Marin -- who worked with the 'Cats to organize the whole thing -- was invited to throw out the first pitch! We wondered if she would opt to throw a ball of wool or acrylic, but in the end, she threw an ordinary baseball -- and did a fine job of it, too!
After the sun set, it was a beautiful (and warm) evening. Raley Field has a picture-postcard view of the city skyline, and the Tower Bridge. It was $1 hotdog and ice cream night, so guess what we ate? Oh, yeah -- the game was fun, too! We are definitely planning to do this again!

Cooling Off

2006-07-10T15:45:00.000-07:00

What to do when it's too hot to knit? Do something impulsive: Jump in the car with some knitting buddies and head for the hills! So here we are, knitting in the cool shade of some obliging Sierra pines. Temperature in the mountains: 80 degrees. Temperature at home: 104. Good choice, huh?
We even managed some FOs! Here are my watermelon socks from Vicki Suan's yarn, and Cindi's first of two.
Emmy finished two scarves for her niece from yarn selected during Brittanie's visit last month.

Betsy finished the back of her cabled sweater and made great progress on the front.

Laura completed her fabulous Rogue cardigan -- and sewed on matching silver Celtic buttons. And the best part was -- it was cool enough to wear it!!

Needles just seem to knit faster at higher (and cooler) elevations.

The Sock Plot Thickens

2006-07-06T16:31:00.000-07:00

Ya know, sometimes the only way to beat 'em is to just finish 'em up. So there they are, just in time for our 100+ degrees 4th of July weather!

And yes, that is a stitch marker knit right into the sock. I make coordinating stitch markers for each of my sock projects, just for fun. When you do toe up, you really don't need them, but I like to use a marker to mark the rounds during the toe increases. After that, they are just "knitting jewelry." When I'm nearly finished with the second sock, my faithful stitch marker, as a reward for stitcking out the whole project, gets knit in right above the ankle. Kinda like a sockish ankle charm. These socks are for me, hence the frog in the marker.

I also knit up a pair of socks for my daughter, who has an affinity for camelids -- alpacas and camels in particular. So here are her socks ---

And here is her special stitch marker. She didn't care if it was 100 degrees -- she pulled them right on and wore them in the house for her whole weekend visit. In fact, she was so grateful, she is probably going to get another pair of socks in the very near future! :)

The Amazing Lace Challenge 3: Poetry Obstacle

2006-06-23T14:36:00.000-07:00

Pavlov’s Lace Knitter

She started this lace with the best of intention,
Working diligently day and night.
But distractions abound -- too many to mention,
And the lace? It’s now out of sight.

Cheeky little socks vie for attention
Their self-striping colors so bright.
What fun it is, this Faire Isle-ish invention!
So the lace? It’s now out of sight.

KADD, she claims with some pretension --
Knitting Attention Deficit Disorder –- yeah, right.
More like a lack of project retention,
Because the lace? It’s now out of sight.

So she finds herself in this knitters’ convention
“The Amazing Lace,” to be polite.
The spirit of challenge, the competitive tension --
And the lace? It now sees the light!

Amazing Lace Challenge 2: X-treme Distraxions

2006-06-18T18:51:00.000-07:00

(K2, yo, k2tog)
OK, we're doing great! We're humming right along now, Peacock and I. We are definitely in sync and knitting well. Our rhythm is good, we're making great time. Concentrate, concentrate. Yeah, we can do this.
(Yo, k2tog, yo)

Here's the first hurdle: a half-knit sock trying to distract us from our goal. Typical "cheerleader" stuff. Won't work this time. No way.
(K2, k2tog, yo)

Next hurdle: a lovely skein of self-striping Fortissima in fabulous shades of pink. No. No. No. Do not look. Do NOT look. Keep knitting. Eyes on the lace.
(Yo, K2tog, yo)

Whoa. This is getting a lot harder: a skein of Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock --- and Harry Potter Book 6 on CDs! Yow! M_u_s_t k_e_e_p f_o_c_u_s_e_d. Do not give in to temptation. Do not quit. Keep knitting. Keep knitting. Hang in there with me, Peacock! Don't give up!
(K2, yo, k2tog)

OH NO! Foul!! Foul!! No fair!! This is the worst distraction of all!!! It's Team Jane Austin with a stack of DVDs and a skein of purple Socks That Rock!!!! And Mr. Darcy, too! There's no way I can watch a DVD and knit lace! NOooooooooo! Oh, the humanity!
(k...?)

All rightie, then. Come on, Peacock. We can play hardball, too. Extreme times call for extreme measures: time to pull out our secret defensive knitting tactic: the bonnet! Must...keep...eyes...on...lace. Must...keep...eyes...on...lace. Come on, we can do it...we...must...we...must...we...must...
(K2...yo...k2tog)

World Wide Knitting In Public Day -- Sacramento Style

2006-06-12T10:24:00.000-07:00

The Amazing Lace Challenge 1: Part Four -- The Interview

2006-05-31T08:46:00.000-07:00

Shhh! Here comes The Amazing Lace reporter, Purl Stitch. Stop slouching Peacock --straighten out those markers and look lacey. Sock, you just duck down in that purse and keep out of sight!

Hello, Purl! Welcome to Team Top Frog Headquarters!

Yes, yes -- things are going quite well for our team. It’s all in the advance preparation and organization, you know. We have been training very hard together on a regular basis for quite some time. We are highly motivated and, of course, we get along so well together – it’s quite a joy to be both teammates and old friends.

No, Peacock doesn’t have much to say. She’s just a bit tired. She’s been working out really hard to maintain her prime conditioning, and prefers to conserve her energies for the competition ahead. It’s all about discipline and self-control, you know.

Sock? What sock? Oh. That sock. Er, that’s our, um, cheerleader! Yeah, our cheerleader! Uh, Cheeky Sock!

What? Well, yes, I guess his little DPNs are pretty cute.

Peacock and I are … oh, uh, they’re 6-inch size 0.

Now where was I? Oh -- Peacock and I are planning to use stitch markers on each repeat…um, yes, he’s a self-striper.

And we will install lifelines … oh, uh, Fortissima Socka.

We’ve color-coded Peacock’s pattern to… well, he’s Wendy’s Generic Toe-up sock pattern with a modified Easy Toe.

Yes, he does help keep our spirits up and makes sure we always stick to our training schedule.

Oh, of course! Cheeky Sock and Peacock get along very well – just like they were knit from the same skein.

OK, she’s gone. Peacock, would it have killed you to at least flash a stitch marker? And you, “Mr. Cheeky Sock” – I thought I told you to keep down. Well, it’s too late now. I guess you’re on the team. You don’t have to look so smug about it. Stop sulking, Peacock. Yes, of course you’re still the star of the team. No, no, no -- you won’t have to share your tote bag with him.

The Amazing Lace Challenge 1: Part Three -- Team in Training

2006-05-29T15:33:00.000-07:00

The problem with a strict training regimen is discipline.

In which I seem to be sorely lacking.

I should be hard at work studying Peacock and coaxing her to perform training runs with her patterning. We are both really rusty and out of practice. Besides this, there are stitch markers that need to be built, and a toolkit to assemble.

But distractions abound. Chief among these is a pesky little sock playing peek-a-boo from my purse. I know it wants my attention for “just a few minutes.” After all, it won’t take too long to knit one more stripe with its playful self-patterning yarn, and turning its heel will only take a little while. These little take-along projects are so cute and quick, and they never seem to mind if I chat with friends or watch Pride and Prejudice on DVD.

Peacock grumps next to her tote bag, needles crossed, and glares accusingly at the cheeky little upstart sock…and me.

Sorry, little sock. Sorry, Mr. Darcy.

Duty calls. My teammate needs me.

Welllll … maybe just one more stripe. A little one.

The Amazing Lace Challenge 1: Part Two -- The Diagnostic Exam

2006-05-28T17:39:00.000-07:00

At first, Peacock seemed reluctant to cooperate, as if she doubted my sincerity. (She knows me pretty well!) But she’s a real trouper. Once I told her about The Amazing Lace, she was ready to do whatever it took to get back in the game.

(Well, I did have to dangle the promise of a good blocking at the end of the project – it’s always been Peacock’s dream to be blocked o she will lose those wrinkles forever.)

While Peacock had never been a particularly good team player, we both hoped that this time, it would be different. Team Top Frog is counting on her.

We started our preparations last night with a good overall diagnostic. Peacock’s out-of-order instructions can be reassembled for navigation purposes fairly easily. Her pattern enlargements seem well marked, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to locate our starting point. Her yarn ravels weren’t as bad as I feared, and can soon be wound back on the cone in an orderly manner. Her lifelines are uneven and pulled at odd angles, but intact. The stitch markers tangled in the YOs do need a bit of coaxing, but there does not appear to be any lasting damage. Considering all the years of neglect and poor self esteem, Peacock is in pretty good shape overall. Her attitude could still use some positive adjustment, but that’s to be expected.

Our project support equipment is another story. Over the years, Peacock’s dedicated toolkit has been disassembled and scattered amongst other projects: The marking pen can be easily replaced, but the large magnetic pattern board is in use by a younger project, and the extra color-coded stitch markers have been disassembled and re-crafted into newer styles. Before we can proceed, we will have to reassemble and replace these tools. The project tote bag, on the other hand, is still serviceable and ready to go.

But the greatest challenge is mine alone: I definitely have to spend more time in training, becoming re-acquainted with Peacock’s methodologies, meditating on the peculiarities of her pattern, and remembering the sequence of her mirror-image stitch reversals. While Peacock seems excited about The Amazing Lace, I don’t think she is motivated to change herself very much, so I am just going to have to learn to deal with her personality quirks and reluctance to perform.

I need some time to prepare myself for the long journey ahead.

The Amazing Lace Challenge 1: Part One -- The Quest for Peacock

2006-05-25T08:48:00.000-07:00

As I sat and read the rules for The Amazing Lace for the tenth time, I knew my path was inescapable. There was only one choice open to me, only one right thing to do -- but would Peacock still be fit enough to compete? Would she still be willing to team up with me?

It had been years since I had seen her last, but I can still remember her when she was fresh and new -- her crisp, unmarked pattern, her soft lavender lace-weight merino curling softly in the unwound skein. The future of our project seemed so bright and promising then.

Our working relationship wasn’t smooth, but we were both much younger at the time, and we thought we could work through our different styles. At first, I thought her instructions were simple, and we cruised through many repeats. But about halfway through, she became a demanding project, and often did not allow me to watch TV or visit with friends when we were working together. Then without warning, she would shift directions and insist on being repetitive and boring for endless stretches of time. I would get impatient and abandon her for long periods to entertain short, flashy projects. Eventually, I even found lace shawl patterns that I preferred to hers. Those other completed projects just seemed to make Peacock even harder to get along with. Her attitude became more and more surly, and our dissatisfaction with one another grew.

Our last parting hadn’t been pretty – mistakes had been made, harsh words spoken. She had departed the scene wadded up in disgrace and neglect. Who knows where she had gotten herself off to since then? Who knows what dark corners she inhabited?

In resignation and resolve, I steeled myself for the task ahead and waded into the deepest darkest bowels of The Stash. I struggled through endless unmarked containers, loose labels, and the strands of long-forgotten skeins from another era. Old bargains and odd balls lurked furtively in dark boxes. Once-popular pattern sheets skittered menacingly in the shadows.

Then I saw her. There she was -- barely recognizable, crouched in her dusty tote bag at the back of a shelf.

Time had not been kind to her. Her instructions were scattered and disorderly. Her once-gleaming array of stitch markers were tangled in her YOs. Her lifelines were listless and uneven. Her needles poked through her stitches at odd angles, and yarn trailed carelessly off her cone. But something told me her potential was still intact.

“Come on out of there,” I said gently. “Team Top Frog needs you. Pull yourself together and straighten yourself out. It’s a new day and we have work to do.”

Knit Train to TKGA

2006-04-24T12:12:00.000-07:00

Saturday, several friends and I took the Stitch 'n' Ride train to the TKGA market in Oakland. This market is a lot smaller than Stitches West, but also a lot less crowded, so you can actually go in to the booths and look around! And smaller crowds = more merchandise to choose from. It was quite nice and not so overwhelming. This picture is of our group arriving at the show. We had more baggage when we left!

But the Knit Train Experience is the real reason we went. It is just plain fun to sit on the Capitol Corridor train and knit with friends for a couple of hours. One of my favorite people, Nancie Wiseman, was the guest author onboard, so we got to visit for a bit, too.

Several area yarn shops (Babetta's, Frog Pond, Knitique, Lofty Lou's) and some very nice people (Lorna Miser Designs, Nancie Wiseman, Amtrak) donated some wonderful prizes -- none of which, sadly, went home with me. But I had a great time, and even met up with some on-line folks (Caitlyn, Terry, Cyndi, Lorna, Vicki). It was a good knitting day, so who could ask for more?

I love felting

2006-03-30T09:41:00.000-08:00

I think it's magic. It's such a basic technique practiced in so many ways in so many cultures — from nomads felting fleece on horseback to modern women felting roses in front-loader washing machines.

Felting roses! What fun! I love felting roses...

So I'm doing the Felted Rose Bag Knit-A-Long from Vogue Knitting Winter 2004/05. It's a Nicky Epstein design, and love 'em or hate 'em, her felted bag designs are different and fun! As a process knitter who enjoys a challenge, they really have a lot of appeal to me.

One of my friends at work is knitting this bag, too. We ordered the yarn from Knit Picks, but each of us selected a different colorway.

My roses are all done — they are a quick take-along project that you can stuff in your purse and work on at odd moments. I felted them in the washing machine, rather than the horseback method. I'm working on the bag itself now.

Stay tuned!

Cue the fanfare!

2006-02-28T15:51:00.000-08:00

I have awarded myself a Knitting Olympics Gold Medal.

Did I finish the cabled sweater?

No.

However, I learned a thing or two about Olympic scoring techniques while watching the ice skating events. If it works for them, it should work for me.

SO! Under the new scoring system instituted after the infamous "Shetland judge cheating scandal," my knitting project scored enough points in the "difficulty" and "style" categories to win the gold, despite a disasterous "fall" mid-sweater which required ripping back 6 inches on both the front and back. The two sleeves earned flawless scores in the "long program" and the body recovered to be complete to the underarms. The Gold Medal is mine.

OK, Team Sacramento, how did the rest of you do in your events?

The flame is lit!

2006-02-10T13:53:00.000-08:00

Let the knitting begin! Does the flame look vaguely knitting needle-ish to you???

(Welcome to Team Sacramento, Emily and Elizabeth!)

We're ready for Opening Ceremonies!

2006-02-09T09:09:00.000-08:00

Team Sacramento is now listed as Official Knitting Olympics participants! Lizette, Cindi, Emmy, Betsy, Sandi, Elizabeth, and I are polishing our needles, patting our yarn, and eyeballing our patterns -- ready to cast on and Go for the Gold.

Or Knit for the Gold.

Or Just Knit.

Join us -- there's always room for more Sacramento-area Olympic Knitters!

Team Sacramento

2006-02-06T14:44:00.000-08:00

OK, California is just too darned big for one knitting team. Sac Knitters, feel free to steal this button and join Team Sacramento with an entry in my comment section!

Knitting Olympics

2006-02-06T13:08:00.000-08:00

In an effort to break my addiction to knitting Stitch Diva scarves and the accompanying compulsion to match every yarn I own with two other coordinates, I am hereby declaring for the Knitting Olympics. Go, Team California! ( Found the Team California button here.)

I'll be knitting a long-promised cable sweater in the Olympic spirit: lots of "toe loops," "camels," "triple axels," and I'm sure some other winter sports-related metaphors that will occur to me later.

As my reward for the successful completion of this event, I have three yarns selected to become my next Stitch Diva scarf.

Let the Games begin!

Switchmarker Swap 2

2005-12-06T09:07:00.000-08:00

I have been remiss in not thanking my November "Switchmarker 2" pals on my blog. So, THANK YOU, Zonda and Ari!

Both of these sets are so clever, and show that the makers put a lot of time and thought into creating them. Zonda sent the set on the right, which includes different flowers and a little frog -- how cute is that! :) Ari's set is in dreamy blue and green, and one has a special charm on it that says "Made with love."

Both of these stitchmarker sets are headed for projects this week, where they will be hard-working and much appreciated with every round I knit. Thank you again, Zonda and Ari. And thank you, Jenn, for organizing this fun activity.

A Knitter's Harvest

2005-11-08T13:22:00.000-08:00

I have just published a new pattern! It's a knitted and felted cornucopia, complete with a gourd, a pumpkin, Indian corn, and some Autumn leaves. It was a lot of fun to create — I kept thinking of different ways to get the shaping just the way I wanted it. You should see my collection of discarded vegetable designs — it's like a biology project gone seriously wrong!I used Lite Lopi because the colors are just perfect for a Fall arrangement. It's a little fuzzy when felted, but the effect is quite nice.

For right now, Violet at Frog Pond Knits has the exclusive rights to sell the pattern. She has even kitted it up with all the yarns necessary. I feel like a new mom . . .

Train Trip

2005-10-27T09:19:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday, several members of the Knits of the Round Table -- a local informal Sunday afternoon knitting group -- took a field trip to Berkeley. We took the Capitol Corridor Amtrak train to Richmond, then BART to Ashby Station. From there, we walked about a mile and a half to Article Pract -- a really top-notch knit shop!

The ladies at Article Pract recommended we go to Bakesale Betty's for lunch and come back to eat in the knit shop's back room. They also recommended we try Betty's buttermilk-fried chicken and cole slaw sandwiches: Oh. My. God.

So here we are in Knitters' Heaven -- eating these FABulous sandwiches surrounded by the most yummy yarn imaginable!

After stuffing ourselves with food and our bags with yarn, we hiked another mile or so to Lacis, a shop that defies description. It is nirvana for all needle-related arts, from needle felting to bobbin lace to yes, knitting. They do not carry yarn, but their book and unusual tool selections are excellent.

Lacis' centerpiece is the lace museum. They have examples of the most exquisite hand-stitched lace ("lacis") that is hundreds of years old. You need a magnifying glass to see these unimaginably tiny -- yet absolutely perfect -- stitches. And the craftswomen who created these laces did so without the benefit of Ott lights and magnifying lamps! Just incredible -- and definitely worth a visit.

All good things must come to an end, so we left Lacis, crossed the street to the Ashby Street BART station, and retraced our steps, er, tracks back to Sacramento, knitting all the way.
A good day from start to finish.

Helping displaced critters

2005-10-05T11:25:00.000-07:00

One of our Sacramento-area knit shops, Babetta's, is having a silent auction to assist an organization dedicated to helping animals displaced by Hurricane Katrina.

I have donated two items to the auction — the beaded bracelet above and this set of glass kitty-face stitch markers:

Other folks have donated beautiful scarves, a felted hat and matching purse, a lovely poncho, gift bags, needle sets, books, and other goodies. If you happen to be in the neighborhood between now and October 15, drop in and place a bid. As "someone" once said, "It's a good thing."

It's a mystery...

2005-09-13T20:12:00.000-07:00

This is the other set of September stitch markers that came my way. They are shades of green and blue, tucked in a cute pink organza pouch. Also included --some thoughtful extra plain markers! :) Thank you very much!

But there was something else in the envelope...

A set of clues about the sender's secret identity!!!

The clues: This person has a blog; has only been knitting for about a year; has a favorite project designed by Glampyre; and lives within two hours of Webs!

Hmm....Well, I guess I'll put on my Sherlock Holmes cap and get to work...

All the way from Cherry Hill

2005-09-13T20:02:00.000-07:00

Well, the focus is not so good -- but these stitch markers from the September stitch marker swap are excellent! Beautiful shades of aqua, blue and green, with pretty pink rings. I have some lovely Fiesta La Boheme in the Caribbean colorway that matches these colors perfectly! I think I will make something lacy.... and dream of sparkling waters and white sands.

Thank you very much, Whoever You Are in Cherry Hill, New Jersey!

Direct assistance to Hurricane Katrina victims

2005-09-02T14:25:00.000-07:00

Last night the Sacramento Knitting Guild donated $500 to assist Hurricane Katrina evacuees in Houston. Specifically, this donation was earmarked to provide school supplies, school uniforms, and personal necessities for children housed at the Astrodome who are enrolling in Longfellow Elementary, where my cousin teaches.

This morning, based on that donation and others, the first wave of children to enroll are already outfitted with their school needs! Wow! That's what I call immediate assistance!

Houston is sending evacuated children to many schools throughout the city, and all of those children will need basic supplies. The school district has set up a donation site, and all monies will go directly to getting these destitute children ready to go to school. If you want to help, here's the website: http://www.houstonisd.org

Texas is a state that requires students to bring their own school supplies. We can help these kids get a fresh start on the school year after a horribly traumatic experience.

I don't know about you, but when I was in school, having a new box of crayons, a colorful stack of construction paper, and a bottle of fresh paste went a long way in making my world OK.

Vacationing With Katrina

2005-08-31T16:28:00.000-07:00

Hurricane Ivan "visited" Pensacola, Florida last September and did a number on my daughter's townhouse. It is still under reconstruction and she won't be able to move back in for several months. Hurricanes are so horrible, but people in Florida say they prefer them to California earthquakes. Go figure.

Well, I have just returned from visiting Pensacola. While I was there, Hurricane Katrina had Pensacola in her crosshairs before moving a hundred or so miles west. Once we realized we would not have to evacuate, we hunkered down and knit during the storm -- I even got a new knitter hooked! It was a great way to take our minds off of the storm raging outside. We still got plenty of wind -- 70-80mph-- but did not incur any damage. Our thoughts and prayers go out to those in the Gulf cities who were not as fortunate.

Right now, I am thinking of the Bette Bornside Company, a yarn shop in historic New Orleans that I have done business with for several years via mail and Website:

Bette Bornside Company was established in 1986 as a retail mail order supplier of medium-priced, quality yarns and accessories to knitters and crocheters. In 1991, we expanded to include a retail shop at 2733 Dauphine St., New Orleans, LA 70117.
We are located in the Faubourg Marigny, an historic district in New Orleans, adjacent to the French Quarter. Our neighborhood, which runs along the Mississippi River, was established in 1806, and is a time capsule of 19th century New Orleans.

I wish them well. Be safe, Bette Bornside, be safe.

Knitting at Bodega Bay

2005-08-23T14:21:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, six knitting friends and I rented a lovely house on Bodega Bay, and spent the whole weekend knitting, eating, knitting, buying yarn, eating, and (did I mention this?) knitting.

It was heavenly.

No phones. No kids or pets. No non-knitters who needed explanations for our behavior. No questions about exactly what is a "yarn emergency" and why, when only one person has one, does it result in three other people dropping their needles, grabbing their purses, and piling in the car for a 40-minute-each-way drive on a twisty two-lane road to the nearest yarn store. Knitters know.

This is the best photo I have of the group. You will notice that there are no needles or yarn in this picture. That is because all projects have been quickly dropped and abandoned mid-row so we could partake of the other major event type of the weekend -- eating. Who knew that knitters were such good cooks? Each of us hosted a different meal, and, of course, we also had a Beverage Engineer and a Snack Engineer. Doesn't everyone?

It was a great weekend. Great company, great conversation, great knitting. Let's do it again!

Real soon.

Hmmm....might be a good idea!

2005-08-18T13:55:00.000-07:00

Well, I guess it would be "sheeper" than gas, anyway. . .

Gone to Charlestown, MA...

2005-08-18T11:09:00.000-07:00

This is the stitch marker set that went to Becky. Kinda hard to see, but those are little pink glass flowers with green leaves underneath. The little pouch is felted alpaca from West Valley Alpacas.

A day trip to West Valley Alpacas is not to be missed if you are anywhere within 100 miles of Esparto (a little northwest of Sacramento). Pat & Jon make everyone feel right at home, and are happy to introduce you to their very friendly herd -- one by one. Of course, while you are visiting the alpacas, you might as well wander over to the onsite store and indulge yourself in some very beautiful yarn. I never can decide which is my favorite color -- which is probably why I have so much of it!

Here's a Hint...

2005-08-15T19:01:00.000-07:00

Here's what I sent to one of my stitch marker swap pals for August. Hi Jenn! :)

From Someone In Vermont

2005-08-15T18:51:00.000-07:00

This is from the second of my August stitch marker pals. The markers are bottle-green glass with lavender flowers on the bottom, and purple stars on top -- except for the "center stitch" marker, which has a lavender star. Absolutely beautiful!

This stitch marker exchange is such a great idea! It's so much fun seeing how creative knitters can be in a related medium. Some folks might say that yarn and glass are not related -- guess some folks are not knitters!

Stitch Marker Swap!

2005-08-15T09:57:00.000-07:00

I am so thrilled with these beautiful stitch markers! They are a beautiful shade of turquoise blue, and remind me of the ocean. And this very thoughtful person even included some plain jump rings for larger projects. They arrived tied up in a little ribbon and tucked into a too-cute mini-purse gift bag -- how clever is that!! Thank you very, very much, Whoever You Are!