Not So Fancy Nancy

Birch is finished! Happy New Knitting Year

Cast off Birch just before the bell on January 1, 2007 at 11:30 PM. I wanted to start the new year with a finished object. Pre-blocked:

 

Blocking in action (wires from KnitPicks).

I belong to the "stretch the crap out of it" school of lace blocking. When I finished this thing was elevated 1" off the floor from the tension.

The wires are well worth it. They allowed me to pull each side to a very even line and adjustments were easier. Been eying these things for a while, but wasn't sure they were worth the money. I vote yes.

Did add to the kit by ordering fork pins today. This kit didn't have enough long straights and my sewing pins on hand didn't hold up well to the task. Also, as the tension increased the wires would jump the pin. Learned to turn them perpendicular so the T-top caught, which helped some, but I think the U shape will be better.

OK, another gratuitous shot, but I'm amused.

Post blocking shots to come when I'm appropriately dressed for modeling. Need to stop wearing my red bathrobe as a "house coat" but I'm not really compelled. I've always felt a certain connection to The Dude on this matter.

Kids have been off two weeks and we've all taken to spending inordinate amounts of time in our pj's. Four days in a row of playdates coming over have been the only thing knocking us into regular clothes (and not always then, as shown here).

The rill is serving its purpose as our personal woodland stream. As long as no not too much (I'm a realist) foreign matter gets added they can play. Yesterday Ems put on her swimsuit for a while until even she had to admit is wasn't that warm.

I'm enjoying putting this post together. Last week found me in a mood. Decided it was better to keep things to myself so I hibernated. In our world of "get it out there" I've found some things are better kept close. Things you can't change, or don't want to - really - but want to today. Things for which radical change would actually not be an improvement, but minor, manageable change is not immediately interesting (because your mind is having more fun with thoughts of radical change). Experience ... not grand wisdom per say, but just plain ol' years alive ... has taught me that when I feel this way I'm better off taking a wait and see approach. If I call every friend, startle every acquaintance (way too much information thanks) or bore strangers - or blog readers - with my frustrations I'll regret it. With some things talking is great. Therapeutic. Beneficial. The path to understanding. But with things like this I know that next week I'll find my way to that manageable change, but if I've talked, everyone around me will be expecting an explosion. No explosions forthcoming. 

To some degree I might attribute some moodiness to the time of year. I know I'm not alone (chin up Moni), but most of it's related to my own personal calender rather than the Gregorian one. We all have those moments of change - events that redirect our lives forever. If the work of countless poets and writers is any indication, I'd say I'm not alone in this human condition of melancholy reconsideration. Makes me envious of August and Raven. Cats understand what's important.

Yes, the photo is accurate. Raven is getting little white hairs all over her body. My vets haven't seen anything like it and they noticed it at the animal shelter too (took her back to get fixed). Her face has remained the darkest - she's gone pepper with a good dash of salt on her back. And yes, I'm such a sucker for this cat that I let her sleep on my swatches. Found her yesterday at the top of my shelves in another basket full of yarn. This kitten is no fool.

So, since I can't live lying around all day like a cat or dog, I'm a crafter. If the brain's running in circles, one might as well put the hands to work.

Ariann (in Rowan Kid Classic) progresses. Seeing the lovely finished ones all over blogland (Risa and Cara both love theirs) has spurred me on.

River (in Rowan Kidsilk Haze) is flowing again.

I've found for whatever reason I can't watch TV and knit this pattern. The back and forth movement is not a hard pattern, but I found myself, to abuse the metaphor, swimming against the current.

Still undecided about the beaded scrunchy thing Rowan shows holding the wrap across the front. Did any of you River knitters make one? Do you use it?

From the lost and found files:

I was connecting the blocks on the new Christmas quilt before my little hand surgery, but five days after Christmas it just wasn't compelling. Why bother?

Jan had great thoughts on starting the new year off fresh. Well worth the read. I like her attitude. Though you must finish those blocks Jan - if only to show the rest of us what the whole quilt top looks like.

So, in the spirit of new beginnings I went to put it away and found this. Oh. Would you look at that... an unfinished Christmas quilt. At least four years old! Guess I'll finish them both in 11 months. This one makes me proud of how far I've come. Cut this fabric about 4-5 months after I got my machine. No one told me it was hard to sew to points on bias cut flannel (what's bias?). I was going to do Christmas trees - how difficult could it be? Cut out a bunch of triangles and sew right? Who needs a stinking pattern? I ended up just crazy piecing all my bits and pieces after I discovered the pack of fat quarters I'd picked up didn't necessarily add up to a full quilt top. But you know what? I kind of like it for its naive energy. It will get finished in due time.

This one's time will come sooner. My first quilt top. (That box in the bottom of the closet held so many secrets!) What really makes me laugh now is remembering how I thought that dark green with the light flower stencil print was so ... bold! This from the woman taking a Kaffe Fassett class this coming weekend.

It reminds me of fields seen from the air. I even found it with the borders already cut. Fear of quilting stopped me then and ... well here we are. I intend to overcome my fear of free-motion on this one. It's not a showpiece. It's been languishing all this time. No fear.

For those of you who don't do both, quilting and knitting patterns share common phrasing at the end ... "bind and quilt as desired" and "finish and block as desired". Time-consuming, technically challenging and often tedious processes all wrapped up in five simple words. Make-or-break steps referenced with a vague wave of the hand. Run along now, this pattern is finished. It's taking me several years of knitting and quilting to even being to understand my "desires" for finishing. ... Please know I type this stuff innocently, but see my own allusions and metaphors when I proof. Too much art. Wow, that phrase takes me back! After a semester full of lit, art and philosophy classes EVERYTHING became symbolic. "Too much art," was our cry for release from the mortal coil. Time to go out to the bars kids - there's a good band playing.

BTW, I understand now why patterns end the way they do and I know there are myriad books to fill in those technique gaps, but that's an understanding developed over time. In the beginning this self-taught knitter/quilter went numb when the pattern ended ... What now? Lot's yet to learn, but at least I'm no longer frozen.

Happy New Year!

Rowan Deli and the Endless Border

OK, I've been working on this post on and off for weeks, but never got the photos or managed to post it. In fact, I just updated it again because the date showed Nov 30 - the date I started it! If you've read this already nothing new below this point...

Since it's turned out long, I'll provide a quick list for those of you with a lot of blog reading to do:

• cracked tooth (bad)
• root canal (bad)
• jaw infection (bad)
• temporary crown (painful, but good after)
• bought a house (good)
• selling this house (good, but very stressful)
• puppy kindergarten every week (good - she's a fantastic dog)
• kid sick (bad, thankfully brief)
• charity and classroom events (good)
• slipped on wet pavement while running - very bloody and bent nose and bruised hip (bad)
• nose not broken (good)
• Christmas (very good)
• me and my nose not in any Christmas photos (good)
• In-laws (good)
• kids out of school for over two weeks (honestly?)

So, here's the long version:

Wow, this month has become surprising! Had a very nice family Thanksgiving (seems so long ago doesn't it?) except for that pain in my tooth. Pain got better. Pain got worse. Cracked tooth. Root Canal. Pain got worse. Infection in jaw. Temporary crown. Antibiotics. Enough said.

So, what does one do while seeing in the dentists' chairs? Well, edging is a good option. Miles and miles of edging.

Love this little pattern. Very easy, but continuously amusing. Good thing as I need about 75" of it!

This is what my space looks like right now. Why? December 1st, the day after the root canal, I went to see Harry Potter with a friend to take my mind off my mouth. Didn't know about the infection at that time, so I was accepting my intense pain as par for the course. Wanted to forget that all I'd eaten for two days was soup. And that soup was going to be my lunch afterward. Harry came through. But only for a few hours. Afterward, on a whim, I drove by a new home development near here that had advertised a builder's closeout. We decided to help them meet their year-end goals and close next Friday. Yep, from first look to close in five weeks! We start moving next weekend. We'll live here at least until the end of February so the house shows better, but I'm packing up all the mountains of stuff that will not add to the impression of spaciousness. Renting one u-haul just for yarn (joking folks, just joking).

Now to sell this house. Yeah, I'm not one for doing things in order. Heck, I'm making Deli's edging and I've not even cast on the sleeves. What can I say, I'm a maverick (of the boring suburban housewife variety), and mavericks are known to be nutcases. (There's an obscure Tom Cruise joke/reference there, sorry.)

Last few weeks have been consumed by choosing flooring (the only thing left to be chosen, this was a home where the initial buyer fell out), interviewing and hiring a real estate agent for this house, securing financing for the new house (also known as borrowing from Peter to pay Paul), organizing the contracts and all the other reams of documentation involved with buying a new build and cleaning and packing to show this mid-Jan. Oh, and Christmas and visiting relatives. That was fantastic. We needed a break for a few days.

No knitting - not a stitch, has been done since mid-Dec. My fingers are literally itching, more from cleaning supplies than emotional need mind you, but I do want to dive back into my projects after the house is brought to show-ready. I need to pick some projects and set them aside so I can keep knitting. Feels just like picking projects for travel - you know you'll forget one you really want.

For lack of more knitting content I'll share this response I wrote to answer a question about my photography. I've received lots of really nice feedback from readers about the photos on this blog, so I want to share. I've never studied photography and use the auto features on my camera, so there's nothing technical here. I'll start with another shot of the yummy Rowan Cashcotton.

My technique is pretty simple. First, whenever possible photograph yarn close-up in natural light to show off texture and capture the natural colors. Assuming you have a digital camera, take lots of photos fast, changing the angle, lighting direction, distance etc with each shot. Sometimes just a flick of the yarn can change the whole photo. Whenever possible use the AV setting, or whichever setting on your camera that turns off the auto flash, but keeps auto focus, etc. Use a tripod or set the camera on a solid surface to eliminate movement while the shutter is open. In medium to low natural light it will stay open too long to be a handheld shot, but the colors will be richer. On the shot above I didn't do that and there's a touch of blur. Sorry. But at least I'm posting!

Don’t think too hard because you can’t see what’s best on the camera display – just take them and move on. Just do your best fashion photographer impression by dancing around the object with the camera at all angles saying "Yes darling! That's beautiful darling! Oooh, how sexy you are!" ('cause we all know just how sexy fiber can be).

Download all the photos without bothering to review them on the camera, then use Explorer or some other tool to do a slideshow. Quickly kill the obvious duds on the first go around - bad is bad and they won't look better - ever. After a couple of rounds you’ll have narrowed it down to the best one for each pose, or at least the top three. At this point I crop if required. Then I go back again and flip quickly between the top contenders and one will almost always jump forward as the best. The whole job's done in just a few minutes. I love that for the blog I don't have to maintain a print ratio (4x6 etc), so if there's something distracting off to one side I just crop it out.

I scrapbook too, and IMHO one of the biggest hurtles people have is that they love their subjects so much they aren't looking at the technical qualities of the photos. Of course sometimes all you have is a cruddy photo of someone or something you love - well certainly keep it - I've got plenty of those myself. But often people can't give up any of the photos and end up weakening their layouts with way too many bland or redundant pics. I'm pretty ruthless on the front end (right after downloading) with deleting bad or redundant photos so I don't print them or let them suck up disk space. I've found that once I've printed a photo it's almost impossible to throw it away. I suspect I'm not unique in that.

Happy Holidays. For my friends celebrating Christmas, I hope yours was wonderful. For my friends celebration Hanukkah right now, enjoy. Happy New Year to everyone!

I'll cry myself a river ... of blue kidsilk spray

October is shaping up to be a little busy around here. Getting a yellow Labrador puppy around Halloween, but I've got lots to learn so I'm busy reading. Taking the kids to Louisville, then I'm going to NYC/Rhinebeck from there. The week after we all go to Yosemite. Got another nerve root block for my back/leg yesterday. Life is good, hectic, occasionally painful (that last one) and full of anticipation. And dirty laundry. But I've got photos... or Yarn Porn according to some nice knitters on the Knitter's Review boards. Thanks for your emails and compliments.

This...

is becoming this:

Sorry this is a little blurry, the breeze and my oh-so-tired she just couldn't hold it still one second longer eight year old weren't cooperating. This drama just moments before two hours of water balloon fights and bike riding. Guess it gives it that watery effect. The colorway is called Medici and so far it's not pooling oddly. The River pattern from the latest Rowan Magazine is pretty easy so I don't need the book anymore, which makes it a bit more portable. I've added on another repeat since this was taken. You can join the fun over at Savannahchik's KAL.

A little Rowan Cashcotton goodness:

Which is on it's way to being a garment.

I've not gotten back to this in a few weeks because I need to concentrate on the shoulder shaping.

Sleeves should be straight forward, but then I still have that all-the-frickin'-way-around ruffle which I fear will go on forever.

I've still not cast on, but have picked the pattern for the first denim sweater: a cabled cardigan called Lizzie from the first Rowan Denim book. Not planning on knitting the tie - this will be a toss-it-on and relax cardigan.

Yes, those are my new Denise needles. Explored the west coast branch of Noble Knits a few weeks back and took Tess's enthusiastic recommendation. I like them so far. Great thing about crafting... a week or so later I was at the pattern tables in JoAnn's and there was Tess wearing an oh-so-chic felted Manos hat. We started chatting and suddenly a voice piped in from behind and there was a student from my former stamping class days who also liked Noble Knits and recognized Tess. We were joined by more customers and a pleasant hour and a half passed in crafty talk. All ages and backgrounds brought together by a love of creating things. It's good to get out sometimes.

What can I say? It's lovely and very soft. Elann's Peruvian Baby Silk. Her prices and very effective "get it while you can" sales strategy strikes again. Shawl probably.

This really falls in the "What can I say???" category! Was in a bad/funky mood and didn't want to touch yarn for fear of ruining something. Cutting up plastic bags proved very therapeutic. Mine isn't as tightly knit as Knight's from Simple Knits with a Twist, but I'm just having fun being soooo ironic with my bag made of bags to hold bags. Will hang it on the laundry room wall with poo/litter bags.

On a more traditional front, I pulled out this poor forlorn sock over the weekend and added on several inches while passing time at my nephew's birthday party. Cast on a good three years ago on two circulars and just didn't click with that technique. Transferred it to dp's last year, but then it got shoved back in the depths of my closet. Seems too beautiful to leave languishing forever doesn't it?

Btw, this is my 3 yr old's delicate foot, not my Cro-Magnon appendage.

The fabric passion continues:

The kitchy fun fabrics are for Christmas presents for my kids and niece. I think I'll look for some tweed to go with the French prints in the middle. The remaining on the right are just because. I really like this on-line only fabric store, Cia's Palette. She shipped on the day I ordered and everything came so perfectly folded and wrapped with a little sample cutting too. I'm so inspired by Jackie's cute bags that I'm itching to get the machine out again.

You can see from these photos that I've yet to get more than narrow stripes of sunlight anywhere in the house during the day. We get the most direct light in the winter when the sun moves south. Don't buy a house with perfect S/N orientation. The garage door gets the best light for most of the year and the back patio goes dark all winter - it's criminal from an architectural standpoint. We didn't buy the house, we grabbed the lot and said thank you. No choice about the house. Such is real estate in coastal North County San Diego.

I'll leave you with a recent photo of my angelic butterfly. Yeah, sure. Couldn't get her to pose facing the light. Oh no, that would be helping Mommy. Does this look like a sweet, helping expression? Total imp. Yarn is so much better behaved!

 

The Race is ON!

Judging by your comments on commenting I'd say many of us are trying to find the ultimate balance of connectivity and sanity. With that in mind, I'm declaring the next 38 days my personal Race to Sanity.

Sanity:  A legal term denoting that an individual is of sound mind and therefore can bear legal responsibility for his or her actions. It is generally defined in terms of the absence of insanity. It is not a medical term ... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanity

And just how am I going to achieve sanity in just 38 days? (Yes, the implication here is that I am not of sound mind now.) Well, let us consider situations that may foster sanity:

(1) Experiencing the absence of small children within a 50' radius of ones body.

(2) Going on vacation.

(3) Spending three days alone with ones spouse on said vacation without small children (see #1).

(4) Listening to Stephanie, aka Yarn Harlot, read from her book, then buying another copy and actually reading it, as one was a benevolent daughter and gave ones copy to ones mother before finishing even half of it. Again, without small children (see #1). 

(5) Looking a the sun (or candlelight) shining through a glass of red wine, then looking down to admire ones completed knitting project being worn on ones body. Obviously #1 in play.

Now, in 38 days I've got numbers 1-4 lined up. We're all heading up to Portland Oregon. We'll spend the first day exploring Portland with the kids, then drive to my in-laws' home in the Redmond/Bend/Sisters triangle. Then, for four days and three nights in the middle of that visit we will drive away ... alone! Back to Portland and the Willamette Valley wine country. On the very day I turn 40 I will visit a winery or two, a yarn store or three, art galleries, restaurants and Powells where Harlot is scheduled to read. This may take some of the sting out of the day.

So that just leaves #5. Which requires at least one COMPLETED knitting project. Because I'm currently insane, I'm going for three, maybe four ... or seven. What drove me to this craziness? Yesterday I knitted three different swatches and looked through countless books and magazines. I bounced around and felt so frustrated I couldn't settle on anything or even knit on open projects. The gnawing anxiety that this trip would arrive and I'd have 10 unfinished projects sitting home - half of them off-season - while I wore my new clothes sans knitting actually kept me up last night. Let's not discuss this - I know it's pathetic; you know it's pathetic; it's pathetic. Yes, I know there are much more important things in the world that should keep me up every night that don't. What can I say, this happens to fit my personal profile for anxiety-producing situations. I even dreamed I'd missed a plane flight - you know, running lost through the strange airport, etc etc. The classic Freudian metaphor for anxiety about unfinished knitting.

To resolve #5 I'm throwing down my (yet to be knitted) gauntlet - this is war. Such violent terms for such a gentle (and gentile) sport, but I'm trying to get the needles fired up around here. Here are the seven projects with their corresponding new skirts. I haven't bought summer clothes in several years so my wardrobe was truly frayed around the edges. A little spree was required.

High priority

- Rowan Deli
- Koigu Shawl (pattern to be determined)
- Colinette Wrap

 

Medium priority

- Shapely Tee w/Sleeves by White Lies Designs in Rowan Handknit DK. (Thanks for the pattern idea Sydney!)
- Rowan Birch in Kidsilk Haze

Low priority

- Maggi Knits Linen something ???
- Cobweb in Rowan Kidsilk Haze
- Pi Shawl

For the next 38 days I will knit (along with my other duties - you know - wife, mother, etc). I will update this blog with progress photos, but little else. For the new projects listed above details will be forthcoming at CO. General comments of support will be read and thoroughly enjoyed, but only questions answered. I'll be reading blogs, but not commenting much. Saving my wrists and arms for battle.

Let the race begin!

Slow but sure

June gloom has finally lifted today and the weather is perfect:  70 degrees, breezy & blue skies. These are the days that make all the hassles of living on the So Cal coast seem (almost) worth it.

I've been gardening and hanging out with the family, but in between I've managed a few of the seemingly endless rows of Pi. Two rounds further along now than when this photo was taken earlier. Who knows, maybe I'll finish ... someday.

Here's a close up of my substituted outer pattern. Just reached the halfway point of the openwork diamond.

Deli continues. The waist shaping is done. A bit of straight knitting and it's time for the neckline shaping and armholes.

   

I've been working the mystery shawl too:

I think I will unveil it though since I can't imagine Stephanie is reading. I know she's popped by in the past, but with all her travels and book writing & editing I don't think she's reading me now. I'm impressed she's keeping her own blog up to date. I had thoughts of wearing it to see her in Portland and surprising her, but doesn't seem likely now.

This is her Snowdrop Shawl. The pattern is posted as a PDF link on her sidebar. There will be a border knitted on after the center triangle is completed.

She posted a link a while back to someone whom had finished it and I thought it was so pretty that I wanted one too (the story of my knitting life!). The repeats are very easy to learn and it grows quickly whenever I manage to work on it. I was going to try and finish it this summer, but there are so many summery knits I want and the colors of this Handpainted lace wool are so autumnal that it's been pushed to the back burner.

Finally, some thoughts on blogging. First, I really enjoy all of this:  taking the photos, organizing the text, keeping my albums up to date (you orchid lovers can check out my new photo album). I love the connections I've made with so many knitters. I really look forward to clicking on Bloglines and seeing what knitters are up to and I always get inspired (sometimes dangerously so). But, since there are so many interesting knit blogs, not to mention blogs on quilting and other subjects, I'm working on finding ways to keep up. I consider blogging fun and relaxing, so some days I'm just not not in the mood to read at all, then I'll pig out and read for a few hours the next time I get the chance.

I've noticed (this is a casual observation, not a stat) that on the whole there are fewer comments on most blogs lately. I'm guessing that others, like me, find that reading so many blogs and keeping up their own means comments get rationed. I just can't read as many blogs if I feel I have to comment every time - something had to give a little. We all have our personal circles where we comment regularly, but otherwise I comment as the spirit moves me. Also, since I often read multiple entries on a blog at once, I'll do one comment for all. Other times I really enjoy an entry, but time just doesn't allow a comment. Doesn't mean I didn't like the post. I hope this doesn't offend anyone.

I do try to answer all comments left on my posts, but I know I've missed a few occasionally (sorry if it was you). When I leave comments I don't expect an answer to the "hey, that's great" variety, but I take notice when someone doesn't answer my longer, more thoughtful comments. I've got agreements with a couple of people to generally not answer comments, and I give Harlot and Wendy a get-out-of-comments-free tickets because of sheer volume, but otherwise I've stopped commenting to people who never answer mine. I may still read if I find their blog useful, but that's it. Personal opinion, but to me someone taking time to share their thoughts deserves a response. If someone never answers my comments I figure it means something different to them, so I save my time too and stop commenting - no hard feelings.

Now, if you're reading this all and you never comment on my blog (this means most of you) or only comment occasionally - that's just fine by me - really truly. Regardless of comments (and some entries just don't warrant them do they?), I honestly appreciate you taking any small bit of precious personal time to see what I'm knitting (or stashing - I know I have an embarrassingly large stash) - read and enjoy! You have to trust me on this ... my mom never comments and I love her anyway.

Finally, I've taken my bloglines list off my blog so I can make it more fluid. I want to add blogs to my list willy nilly and take some off just as quickly. One thing I've had to come to terms with (and I can't imagine I'm alone here) is that since I find most knit bloggers to be very nice people, I've had to develop other criteria for reading. If I find a new blog and I'm intrigued, I blogline it. And much like dating, if after a few entries I find I'm "just not that into" the content, I delete it no matter how nice that person seems. So if I stop reading, it's not the knitter, it's the blog.

It's June WHAT?

Sign of the 21st century:

phone rings

WENCH:  Hello

WENCH'S MOM:  Hi. (pause, then with a note of concern in voice) How's everything going? I was just wondering...

WENCH:  Because it's been so long since I blogged?

WENCH'S MOM:  (chagrined laugh) Yeah, well, it seemed odd ...

So this is what we've come to! Mothers keeping up with their children through blogs.

So yes Mom and friends, I'm doing fine. Well, almost. Lots of family activities, a weekend of gardening and then two days of laundry have whacked my back and I'm taking pain meds again, but other than that I'm fine. Here's a taste of the gardening:

I know you can buy pre-done hanging baskets and succulent pots, but I like to watch them grow. Isn't that curvy pot cool? We had many of those plants in a succulent garden out back, but it was constantly being stepped on by little feet. Safer here, and it spiffs up the front porch nicely.

Have done a bit of knitting too.

Pi is slogging along. On the night I started the 576 st/rd section I cast aside my pattern finalists and this dark horse took the race. Four criteria developed as I was perusing the pattern books:  (1) must have similar pattern motifs for continuity (diamonds and chevrons - no curves), (2) must be a multiple of 8, 12, 18 or 24 to fit with the 12 points of the middle section's flower/star, (3) must be purl only on the wrong side and (4) must be busier than the pattern thus far (I was getting bored), but not so busy that it would seem disjointed. I think this works, but only blocking will tell.

Will choose the edging when I get there.

Details for you Pi-KALers:  This 24 stitch repeat is lifted from the Faux Russian Stole pattern in A Gathering of Lace.

Took the book to the library to make a copy I could mark up, but didn't manage it (no change, active kids, closing time), so I don't have much to show. I'm just marking the working line with a post-it and making the modifications in my head as I go. Basically, I'm switching all the decrease/YO combos to match the style of Pi (they're reversed on this pattern) and I've added one row to the top and bottom of the pattern band with a yo/k2tog every 12 stitches to blend the band with the section below. Added bonus is that those two extra rows bring the row count to exactly the same as the Pi pattern I'm replacing. This is an easy to follow pattern with just a little more going on to keep it interesting.

Haven't done as much on Deli, but I've made it though another decrease row since I last photographed it. This is my nod to English gardens that I begged my DH to let me to plant in our otherwise xeriscaped garden.

Looking for something easy and portable, I started a sock with this very funky Elann Sock it to Me Esprit, a cotton yarn with a 1.7% elastic core that allows it to stretch from 100 to 186 yards that knits on US #7's (impulse buy). Problem is that I'm not an experienced sock knitter so I don't have that "Oh, I'll use my favorite pattern" thing happening yet. I was in a really lazy mood and looking for easy distraction, not more work - I wanted plug and play. Got frustrated when I found this yarn didn't plug anywhere except for some thigh-high KMD&FM socks on Knitty and this Little Arrowhead Lace Sock pattern by Nancy Bush. I know, this textured yarn is poorly suited to lace, but I've been wanting to try lace socks and with this fat yarn it's flying along. And the colorway -- what was I thinking? Yeah, definitely an impulse buy! I own nothing in these colors. These are not "my colors" - they even wash my feet out! Oh well, they're just for around the house anyway.

Risa mentioned a while back finding a free on-line "What season am I?" site and I found one too after wading through a thousand people who wanted to charge between $19.95 and $395 for the privilege. Sorry, I don't seem to have bookmarked it. Anyway, like Risa, I was surprised to find that all these years I've been told I was a winter, when in fact I may be a "clear spring." When I'm shopping I have faith in my eyes to make good choices, but it's easy to get into safety zones (black and white for me). Also, I'd like to have more confidence with on-line yarn buying. I stick with my tried-and-trues for fear of having a sweater of bad colors instead of just socks, but I'm getting way too narrow, as evidenced by this:

Yes, I'm going to have a lot of deep plum knitwear. Need a little variety don'tcha think?

The really interesting thing about the clear spring color chart is that four of the colors that I'd never name as mine (aqua, yellow/green, evergreen, terra cotta red) are in fact the colors of some of my favorite pieces of clothing. Going to shell out the $12 and buy Color Me Beautiful.

Anyway, how did it get to be June 8th? Wasn't Memorial Day yesterday? Just as time slows down when you're looking forward, it speeds up when you only want it to stop. School's out next Friday and I'm not ready. I wish I could be one of those moms who's excited, looking forward to relaxing days with their darling children doing crafty things and lounging poolside. I adore my girls, but I am not one of those moms. Speaking of my girls, here's my knit photo helper in deep need of a bang cut and suddenly shy after begging to be photo blogged (phlogged?).

I treasure the three days a week that both girls are in school at the same time. I love the time I don't have to talk (incessantly with the 7-yr-old) or wonder what's happening up there (always with the 3-yr-old). Time to think, run errands, knit, read, blog ... time alone. This may sound self-centered, but my husband works until 6:45 or 7 and several days a week he's not home until after they're in bed. I have a long day. Twelve hours of MOOOOMMM! She's _________! everyday until mid August might just put me over the edge. Thank goodness for summer camps at the Y! One nice thing is that I won't be a room mom at the YMCA - I've been in the classroom three times since the holiday weekend and am on a field trip tomorrow. Wonderful in so many ways, but less knitting time. Gotta watch those priorities.

Rowan Cashcotton, Pi Shawl CO & random thoughts

I'm in passionate love with Rowan's Cashcotton. It's the softest, easiest to knit cotton that's ever slid across my needles. No problems with splitting either. There's a fluffy, hazy finish from the cashmere, but that's a huge part of the charm. This certainly won't wear like mercerized cotton, but it's got the luxury feel Rowan claims. Here in coastal So Cal it's a perfect weight for cool evenings.

I've heard this yarn doesn't like to be frogged, but I did rip back five rows of both front panels without issue. Had a forehead slapping moment after realizing I'd missed the bottom shaping. I'd noted that shaping before cast on - really - but then promptly forgotten when I picked it up two days later for some mindless knitting. A little too mindless obviously. Anyway, it re-knitted just fine, but those rows were only about 30 minutes old before the mistake was corrected, so the stitches hadn't set. With the fuzziness, I can imagine a big jump in the frog pond might affect the yarn's finish.

I'm using INOX 40" circs. I often prefer bamboo needles, but with this yarn they will probably slow you down a lot. Here's the progress so far:

Takes a little yarn management to do all sides at once, but it will be sweet when I do those shoulder joins! If you don't have little girls this may not be part of your world, but plastic hair bands are perfect for containing the CO tail for later seaming. I've also used them for making temporary ends on DP's to create a short pair of needles for knitting an edging, etc. They make good stitch markers and can be cut out easily if they need to be knitted into the fabric. One more:  they wrap around the tips of DP's with socks in progress for safe transport. Only a penny or two each, so you can abuse them and lose them without tears.

Emily finally got to wear the sweater I finished two years ago, months before we even met her. Can you tell I've been waiting waiting waiting to claim "It fits! Time to wear it!"? OK, I'm pushing that window, but hey, it's got grow room.

Can't see it in these photos, but the color matches her beautiful eyes exactly. She's at the age of CHEESE! Didn't have time before pre-school to let her calm down and get some natural shots, but I wanted to capture it before she gives it a day of her special treatment. It's a Debbie Bliss pattern using Classic Elite Provence (the blue #2607) and Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece (the cream).

Non, ceci n'est pas un chapeau.

Finally got my first Pi Shawl on the needles! I say first because I've heard they're addictive. The EZasPi KAL had another CO Day, so I decided it was time. Especially since I'd just received my hank of Shine from Joslyn's Fiber Farm. This is the Treebark colorway. I love the shine of silk/wool laceweight and I thought this pattern knitted in the round would play up the variegation well with minimum pooling. Seems to be working so far...

Survived learning the crocheted loop cast on and the first few rounds on DP's, but the crease between my brows may be a bit deeper. Can you work up a sweat only moving your fingers? Still need to even out my first increase round - YO's are a bit fussy to make on DP's - but I'm pretty happy with it. Only other knitters can understand the glory of those first few rounds, no bigger than a baby mouse in your palm, held up with ecstasy like you've conquered the world.

After that it's been smooth sailing. Decided to stay with the basic EZ pattern from Knitter's Almanac, which again, I think works well with the variegated yarn. I'm saving my mushroom colored Zephyr laceweight for a more intricate pattern. Harlot ignited a debate last fall about the merits (or demerits) of variegated yarn and lace. Personally, I like it if the yarn and the overall design and the stitch patterns complement each other.

Non-knitting content:

Sometimes I read through all of Harlot's comments because it's practically a forum in itself (like the variegated debate). A few days ago she was commenting humorously on the real vs. emotional geography of the US. I love the variations in culture across this nation - keeps in intersesting. My born and bred CA neighbor just came back from a trip to New Orleans over the weekend and her first words were "The people were so nice and friendly!". Some stereotypes have merit.

Someone gave the link below where you can produce your version of this map. I didn't do the world map because it was such a depressing reminder of how few of the places on my wish list I've seen. Only plus was that Russia is a huge land mass. For the US, my rule was that I must have set foot on the soil and seen the place at least in passing, so I didn't include a state if I'd only changed planes there - otherwise I'd also have MI, MN and MO. Been in spitting distance (not that I spit mind you) of WY, WI and VT, but didn't pass the border signs so no points for those. Guess I need to do an Upper Mid-West trip huh?

create your own personalized map of the USA.

Another reader suggested Garreau's book Nine Nations of North America, which I've just now put on hold for pick up at my local library (don'tcha love on-line catalogs!). I've read another of his books, Edge City, so I'm looking forward to seeing this although it's out of date (1980). Love David Brooks' books too: On Paradise Drive and Bobos in Paradise. I'm putting in the Amazon links so you can read reviews, but these should all be at your local library as well. If you're into this kind of thing (which sounds slightly risque), feel free to comment with further reading suggestions.

Booga Bag III & Favorite Knits

I hope everyone had a great Mother's Day. My mom came out from KY to visit, so we had a great time knitting, visiting knit stores and talking about knitting. Oh, yeah, and we hung out with the kids and ate out for almost every meal except the breakfast and dinner my DH made Sunday. For us it ranked pretty darned close to perfect.

For those of you in or visiting the San Diego area, be sure to visit Knitting in La Jolla at 909 Prospect Street, La Jolla (in the village). I knew a store was down there somewhere, but hadn't had a chance to explore. We stopped by on a whim while driving up from the airport and were so pleased we took the detour. Owner Suzanne Pineau has filled her shop with an incredibly diverse collection of yarns and books. Highly recommended. I'll try to snap pics next time I visit. Did pick up The Opinionated Knitter: Elizabeth Zimmermann Newsletters 1958-1968 and A Second Treasury of Magical Knitting. Maybe there's a kitty bed or two in Claude and August's futures?

My family doesn't do much in the way of gifts between adults, but I was driven to distraction by my mom's gorgeous Blue Sky Alpaca wrap (sportweight, deep navy blue) on the needles in a grocery store plastic bag. Simply sinful! It just had to be addressed. I gave her my Big Kureyon and mohair big Booga Bag (right). She's happy. I'm a good daughter. Everything's great. Except I don't have a bag that I used a lot. What's a knitter to do???

Come on. What do you think I did? I ran right over to my LYS. This is two hanks of Brown Sheep's Burly Spun variegated wool (Forest Floor colorway). Couldn't resist including the lone volunteer CA poppy.

Used US 19's and the Booga Bag pattern with the addition of YO eyelets on row 30 (rather than poking holes after felting as the pattern suggests). Otherwise, I followed the pattern, though I would consider fewer CO stitches and more height if doing it with this yarn again. Of course I could have added height, but I didn't want to go to three hanks. When I ran out of the Burly on row 31/34, I finished with an odd-lot of Brown Sheep's Bulky from stash. Nice when stash actually works. Pre and post felting pics below. The cereal boxes are for shape - still haven't found a good form for this yet. It really helps if you can find a box to fill out the shape completely. Still working on the handle cord.

On a different trip to my LYS I switched to Rowan's Cashcotton for the Classic Cafe Deli pattern (the spec'd yarn).

Both the flowers and the yarn really are this intense! Just loved this color and I think it will be a better match for the pattern. Got gauge, so I CO the back and two front panels - only had a 40" metal circ set open and I had to do something with that space didn't I? I don't turn my work to purl on the WS; instead I knit backwards across the front, which means no problems with tangling. Hope it will mean all my decreases will align. I'll let you know when I do how I plan to re-direct my Lavold Silky Wool - want to try and use the 4" I've knitted so far.

Dearest Risa has once again lead me down the path of yarn acquisition. (Looking just now at her MDS&W posts I think she's ahead of me on that slippery slope!) Just what I needed, a link to Kaleidoscope Yarns, who have Blue Sky Alpaca and Rowan Cork, among others, on sale. The prices are great, so click at your own expense. I'll save my pattern thoughts for when I photograph my in-transit yarn. Between the Blue Sky Bears and Froggy's versions of Kate Gilbert's Bunnies my guess is half the knit bloggers are kicking out some sort of stuffed animal right now - definitely perfect little gifts.

A few days ago Jacqueline (who btw didn't do so badly herself at MDS&W!)answered the following question:  "What's your most often used knitted object?" Thought I would too. Join in if you'd like. Rather than nominate one object, I'll show three workhorses in our house.

The Manos Throw, Spring '02. I've got to include the before shots so you can appreciate the after. This was one of my first big projects and I was so proud. Pre-digital pics, so sorry, but I've got to photograph my scrapbook page.

It was soooo pretty before three years of daily use by kids, cats and adults. Now it's been machine washed (yeah, I know, but it needed it) and received exactly one defuzzing before I gave up and gave in to the inevitable. Trust me, it actually looks worse in person, but the colors are still so wonderful. The housekeepers always fold it up into a very tiny square and stuff it under the throw pillows in the corner of the sofa - they must wonder what the heck this rag is doing spread like a cloth of gold on the family room sofa. But like a loving mother of a ner' do well, I still see it as it was in its glory. And it's darned warm.

The Surfer/Skater Hat, Spring '02. Learned some simple cables and bobbles on the Manos Throw and made this one-ball Noro Kureyon hat to play with my new techniques. The first time a hip young dude at a surf/skate shop said to my older DD "Cool hat!", I knew I had a winner. She wore it until she'd grown so much it was popping up on her head. Younger DD just discovered it buried in the closet last week - I think it will have a second life.

The Harry Potter sweater, early Spring '03. No pattern (didn't know the Rowan one existed at the time), Mission Falls 1824 cotton (sadly discontinued), little knitting experience, and a kindergartner who desperately wanted me to be Mrs. Weasley. She wore it literally every day until summer and most of first grade too. Couldn't ask for more.

Btw, after seeing these scrapbook pages, aren't you glad this blog is typed?

I'll close with non-knitting thoughts: 

Know thyself.
Know thy limits.
Share your feelings.

Laziness
Success is a journey, not a destination. So stop running.

Dare to Slack
When birds fly in the right formation, they need only exert half the effort. Even in nature, teamwork results in collective laziness.

Amused? There are many more, some much more snarky. Well worth a quick look:  Demotivators® at Despair Inc.

Beats the heck out of the motivational posters with which my former boss covered our pre-fab, icky fabric-covered walls. Yeah, you may have figured it out, but I'm not a team-player. My dislike of teams began early in school when, inevitably, my grade potential was attached to the performance of the biggest idiot in class. I do understand that self-formed or competitively selected teams can do amazing things - whole greater than the parts, yadda yadda - but who among us hasn't been a victim of this:  "OK kids/workers, let's form teams - it'll be FUN! I've already selected the members of each team..."

New yarn and random thoughts

Good thing you can't hear the string of expletives that just left my mouth. I've been typing for 40 minutes - linking - finishing thoughts - etc. Then, somehow, while searching for a link address, I closed the post editing window and lost it all. And, to rub salt, I was literally thinking at that exact moment "next time I'm in the editing window I need to save this draft ... just in case ..." Guess I need to become more proactive in preparing for my regularly demonstrated stupidity. [hit save now]

Since I seem to be a bit of a chatty cathy today, I'll mark the fiber stuff for those of you scanning.

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Got gauge for the Jaeger Albany bolero jacket. Can't bring myself to call it by name over on my categories list. Shingle ... sheesh! A little too diseased sounding for my tastes. It's a very loose fabric knitted up, but that seems like a good thing for a summer jacket. The balls wind from the outside, but here's a fun solution using a Japanese bowl. Read this tip just a few weeks ago in a Berroco email newsletter - certainly timely.

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I've been meaning to explain my blog name for a while. First, I wish I'd captured "One more row..." as my family hears that every day. Oh well. Many knitblog names describe the writer's feelings about fiber, e.g., for Yarn Harlot, harlot describes her relationship with yarn. For my blog, knitting modifies wench. Big difference. Stephanie, you're nicer than I am - you've got to be, you're Canadian. Just go take a lie down on your Chesterfield and accept it. [hit save now]

The whole wench thing came about from jokes about being "a crafty wench" when I took up stamping, quilting, scrapbooking and lastly, knitting. Numerous boyfriends and my husband have independently (thank goodness they've never gotten together in a room - very scary thought!) called me wench over the years long before crafty entered the picture. Hey, better than b*tch. And yes, in person I would probably say it aloud, but I've become very leery of n*sty Google links after Risa got herself in trouble with "n*de" when describing art. "What is this world coming to?" Wench asks, hand to brow. Anyway, certainly do not want n*sty, n*de, b*tch on one page! [hit save now]

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Finally got started on Flower Basket Shawl II (henceforward FBS II). That issue of Interweave (Fall 04) is sold out, but you can buy the pattern with expanded sizes and yarn weights from Fiber Trends. I've recently purchased their Field of Flowers, Pacific Northwest and Landscape Shawl patterns too, so more lace ahead. I joined the FBS Redux KAL when it started and have watched so many beautiful shoulder wraps ('cause that's what it really is w/o extra repeats, which many people choose to do) being made that I knew I finally had to CO. If you've held out, well go look right now, be inspired, then get a move on. Using Filatura de Crosse College again. Sorry, the yarn has been discontinued, but you may find some tucked away at your LYS like I did.

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Just re-read the above and wondered about "Take a lie down."  It just popped into my head, but from where? Having grown up in the Kentucky, lived (briefly) in NYC, NH, and London England and now almost 15 years in southern CA and dated someone or had a roommate/friend from all across the US and every English speaking country on the planet, I'm one mixed-up chic. A quick Google check seems to indicate "take a lie down" is British, but a lot of old KY sayings are very English/Scottish/Irish since those were the folks who settled the state. Went out with a guy from northern England once and within a few hours (and maybe a few drinks) we had exactly the same sing-song cadence. I still say por-tage (rhyming with corsage) having learned the word from a Canadian, but I think my local REI people would laugh. If you've ever uttered the phrase "Do what now?" when you didn't quite understand something, well, we'd git on jus fine, hunny. And yes, COKE covers it all. Here're my stats:

Your Linguistic Profile:

60% General American English

25% Dixie

10% Yankee

5% Upper Midwestern

0% Midwestern

Amuse yourself with this test at blogthings.

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Started a shawl, but I don't want to reveal the pattern. It's for me, but I hope to wear it as a small surprise, and since we get so few of those in adult life I want to try. This wool is from Handpaintedyarn.com. The company's yarn was reviewed a while back in Knitter's Review and so many of us clicked right over that morning to order their server was all bogged up. Color choices were pretty limited at that point too, but I like dark colors, so no problem. I know Risa got a bunch of their yarn too. What do you think of yours Risa?

My helper:

My order was accidentally filled a second time several weeks later, but the very nice Marco said just keep it. The dye lots are obviously different, but since it's all variegated I don't mind. They're not marked with lots, just handwritten names - it's very handmade.

I think I'll do at least one honking big square shawl out of these. This handspun gets pretty darned thin in places, but I've not had a break yet. The prices can't be beat and the service was very nice, so this isn't really a criticism, but be aware that the weight on 9 out of 10 hanks was between 3.1 and 3.3 oz rather than the listed 4 oz. I've got a very good postal scale so I'm sure about the weight. I'm noting this in case someone's planning a shawl by weight - buy yourself some yarn insurance.

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Spent last night cruising blogs, following links and seeing what's on the needles out there. Wow, so many great knitters - I was inspired. Be sure to check out Ms Burnt Orange's tutorial on knitblog photography - it's a must read. Made me think and got me out into the garden in the sun - takes a lot to do that. Actually, I had to do it since the kids were playing outside and Ems still requires my presence, but it made good use of my time. [hit save now]

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Cast on Lavold's Silky Wool to make Deli from Rowan's Classic Cafe.

I'd suggest a big swatch for this yarn if you're subbing it for a bouncy wool. I had gauge, CO 142 stitches and had knit all this before a nagging feeling made me take it off the needles. Wherever I measured 4" on this baby it was 5.5 stitches/inch, but when I moved to 8-10" it grew to 5.2 - 5.3. Not good. Part of the measuring problem is that the fabric is stretchy, but with slow bounce back, so it shifted a lot under the ruler. I really like it, just needed to CO on for a medium instead of a large. These pics are of the first one - haven't gotten this far yet with the medium. Those scribbles are my figures for the rework. There's a reason no one in college ever asked to borrow my notes twice!

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Adding photos of stash collected over the last few months to my Have Yarn, Will Knit gallery. Most are winter weights, many discontinued, all came at great prices that I just didn't resist (not couldn't, didn't - I have free will). As I choose patterns later in the summer I'll talk more about them. [hit save now]

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Finally, going to cast on the Zen Pullover from Interweave Knits Spring 02 issue. Got the Berroco Zen from Elann a while back at a fantastic price. I love this silver plum color. Looks like a fast knit (US 10's) and just the right weight for around here. Also considering this Berroco pattern called Lucy Lu (free on-line).  Want to work up a gauge swatch before deciding.

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One thing I wanted mention is that my posts are going to be spaced a bit more. I have old war wounds from my days doing tech writing and document design. Nothing pretty - user and repair manuals, procedures and software specifications for building medical devices - but lots of mouse work. Too much time at the PC whacks my hands and/or wrists and/or elbows and forearms. Sometimes all at once. I've got a ergonomic keyboard and an Aeron Chair (one great chair - worth it for the sheer comfort) - but there's no real help except time away. And there are those pesky kids and husband demanding attention. [hit save now]