Pischi Days

The Finish Line

Against all odds, finished. On the podium, err, grapefruit tree hangs the Flutter Scarf, my entry into the Scarf Stroke for Team Canada at the 2008 Ravelympics.

First some stats. The scarf is the latest MimKnits design. For those of you don't know, MimKnits is the talented Miriam Felton, author of the Icarus Shawl that I knit earlier in the year.
I chose Knitpicks Shimmer in the Cumulus colorway. An appropriate choice of color for the type of weather that we had the last few days. I staggered in just under the finish line, Sunday, August 24, 2008, at 11:55:00 AM, knitting furiously, while downing my morning coffee. I quickly wove in the ends and gave it a good blocking under the Florida sun. I had no live model this morning, so the grapefruit tree had to do. To liven things up I picked a few hibiscus, Chinese Lanterns, in brilliant red.

I am disconsolate now that the Olympics re at an end. I thought the last two weeks gloriously entertaining. I was a little sad when the swimming ended. We were glued to set during both men's and women's events. Who could take their attention away from Michale Phelps.
It was a turbulent last week for me. I started a new job and revisited the exhaustion that  only food service can bring. I now punch this.

I folded tons of these.
I put paper liners in these.
There were plenty of these to wrap.
I won't bore you with further details. I also made plenty of coffee drinks, served masses of scones and cookies, and made gallons of smoothies. Working in a bakery is very tactile and full of wonderful smells. I come home with the scent of steamed milk and freshly ground coffee in my clothes.
I also started a couple of my classes. The ones I could get a head start on were online. My first live class was canceled due to Fay and all the flooding. So, next week looms without the spectacle that was the Beijing Olympics, the first day of school starting all over again, and the second week of the "new job" .
Tonight I will wear my Flutter Scarf  to the telecast of the closing ceremonies and look forward to new beginnings and thought my Winter Ravelympics project in Vancouver.

080808/08:08 Let the Games Begin

It's here, another Knitting Olympics and I have my needles clicking in the Scarf Stroke for Team Canada. My sports paraphernalia of choice is the Flutter Scarf by Miriam Felton. Yarn from KnitPicks, I chose Shimmer, a baby alpaca and silk blend in colour Cumulus knit on Clover bamboo needles. All cleverly chosen with an Asian theme in mind.
I have been enjoying a much needed two weeks in between working woman and college girl. In that time I've been sorting through closets, organizing papers and doing a little shopping online.
I received yarn from the Neighbourhood Fiber Company. It's called Penthouse Silk in the Sheridan Circle colourway. I have it earmarked for the Hanami Stole.
In the blue green theme, I have this lovely sock yarn called Lost Lake from Impulse of Delight. She is an indy dyer from the Whistler area of BC.
When I heard that Lorna's Laces was contemplating a series based on well known knitters, I had to jump on the charter skeins based on of my favourite knit bloggers, Franklin Habit. The colour is called Franklin's Panopticon.
Next up is yarn from Elliebelly. I just received it today. From another indy dyer, this is a seacell/merino blend in the Florida colorway.
I have fallen in love with stitch markers and can't seem to  enough of them. These are tiny and I bought several sizes to fit several needle sizes. They are hammered sterling silver and copper from Spindle Cat Studios.
My last purchase was a biggie. I treated my self to a nifty little MacBook. It was wonderful until I started to load my Office for the Mac and found out the optical drive is kaput. I have had several wonderful visits to tech support per telephone but the problem requires a trip to the Genius Bar. So, off I go on Monday in the hopes that I don't have to leave it there. Erik is looking forward to a quick trip to IKEA and I hope that the problem is quickly resolved so that I can accommodate him.
In conclusion, let me thank Michele, McKnitter, for inviting me to knit with the Brevard Coffee House Knitters. We met up in Melbourne at the Barnes and Noble. It was great to meet new knitters. I have to say though that our Sunrise Bread Company can't be beat for comfy chairs and atmosphere. I hope that the knitters I met can make it north one Saturday morning so we can repay their hospitality. I'm looking forward to the winter when snowbirds return and our group really benefits from all the knitters from up north and overseas.
Wishing you much happiness throughout these Knitting Olympics!

幸福

But Wait, There's More!

So, sometimes life hands you many changes.

I took part in my first Triathlon relay. I was the biking part. My son swam, my husband ran. My butt hurt. I had not ridden a bike for more than a mile or so in years. I rode for four and...and swallowed a fly. The tri was to help cancer patients and their caregivers. We raised almost 10K Yeah! That's my Tom racing toward the finish and chasing him the recipient of the sock chronicle below. Susan came straight from the hospital (and her second round of chemo) to the race and stayed to watch all her friends and relatives swim, bike, and run. It took a lot out of her but she couldn't stay away. 

Oh...and I quit my job.

This past Thursday I learned the art of spinning on a dreidel, I mean a top whorl spindle. I drafted the fibre and I'm pleased to say that I can spin some lumpy, though yet not too uneven fibre. I receive the spindle as a gift from one of my knitting groupies. I didn't think that I would enjoy this pursuit. Wrong, its very soothing.

 

Did I mention that  I quit my job?

I signed up for a full course load at the local college because I want to become a nurse. I'm taking 10 credit hours this fall. To help keep the money coming in, I will be working in the same bakery my son works at. I can make a mean latte, fill sugar, do the creams...and I can mop a floor. 

...and I am starting a new job. I'll have time to knit, to read, to sew, to garden, and catch up on my blog roll.

I am counting my blessings, my stash, my pennies in my shrinking 401K. 

In the interim I will be knitting for Team Canada in the 2008 Ravelympics. I vacillated as to which team I should knit for. I went with my home country. The Flutter Scarf by Miriam Felton is entered in the Scarf Stroke as my event of choice. I am using KnitPicks Gloss in Sterling and hope that I can acheive gold.

I managed to finish a pair of socks in obscure yarn that's been marinating in my stash for several years. It was a gift from a friend who attend Maryland Sheep and Wool a couple of years ago. The socks will be gracing the feet of another friend. Hopefully she will find just the right penny loafers to complete the look.

The pattern Embossed Leaves  is from Interweave's Favourite Socks book. The yarn is Blue Ridge Yarns Kaleidoscope Superwash Sock Yarn. I wish that I could buy some more. It was great to knit with, smooth and springy. I made these using Lantern Moon ebony DPN's. Unfortunately I broke two needles in the process. I'm just not a luxury wood needle woman. I think that if I get my pennies saved I will invest in the Signature Arts DPN's.

Arwen is growing and I want to Viking Patterns for Knitting that will help in mitring the cables for the collar. I  am knitting away and trying to wrap my head around knitting the collar to the body in one piece. I think that it can be done. Hoods on a 50 year old, I'm just not sure. 

So, stay tuned and wish this school girl luck with her new job and her pending collar modifications.

Of Caramels and Chemo Hats

"The time has come," the Walrus said,
"To talk of many things:
Of shoes--and ships--and sealing-wax--
Of cabbages--and kings--
And why the sea is boiling hot--
And whether pigs have wings."

I have a weakness for caramels and Susan saved a precious caramel for me. Her Mum brought them all the way from Iowa, one pound of soft, sweet, buttery goodness. The little package was part of her dowry for umpteenth  trip to the hospital for treatment. I have been hunting a recipe to rival the flavour and texture ever since. I think that I have found a recipe that closely resembles the taste but not the texture. Making caramels in 80% humidity is not always a success story. The first batch turned into caramel goo, sorry, I meant sauce. I presented my "sauce" to Susan upon her arrival home from the hospital. The glass dish was accompanied by several Granny Smith apples. It was lapped up by all and sundry. I had a hit. There was one more small glass jar that I had put in the refrigerator. When the daughter of the house arrived home she, too, wanted a sample. The door was opened and we heard the crash. The sauce was history. We wore two sad faces.

Back to the sauce pan and onto the recipe. It does harden if you take the time to really boil the concoction slowly and use the thermometer. I will be cutting these up and wrapping them this afternoon.
Susan is heading out for the beach on Monday morning for her second round of a five day chemotherapy treatment. I sending her off with more caramels. Here is a link for her CarePage.

I talked about my friend  in past blog posts. She is an aspiring knitter, garter dishcloths are her specialty. We will be working on the purl stitch soon, I hope! Here she is with her trusty cat, Bella, making sure that  garter doesn't get too easy.

 

So, as it happens, Susan has lost what was her crowning glory. The hair came out overnight in large patches on her pillow. Even though we live in mind numbing heat, hair keeps the body temperate. It was time to make some hats. My first attempt was the Belliveau Cove, a crochet bucket like hat. I was not pleased with the results due to the lack of depth in the crown, too Mother Hubbard. I like the pattern, it took two hours to whip up, so I made a second version with three extra rows of shell pattern. It looks much better. The flowers are a friends creation and make the hat extra special. Suz will be in the hospital all next week. I hope she remembers to take her knitting.

 

As I was boiling the caramel concoction above, Susan was sitting in my kitchen and telling me about the overwhelming feeling of walking into these cancer centers, head spinning, fear and confusion reign supreme.  On her last stay at Cape Canaveral Hospital, she was showered with visits and cards. She told me of one patient that had been there for months and had no one and no place to go. Her daughter found this to be so sad so she came up with the idea to set up a table at the race filled with paper and art supplies for anyone who wants to make cards to take to fourth floor next week. Susan talked about how she would like to be part of a network to help those without family to provide a hand to hold, a story read aloud at bedside, or a ride to a treatment. Here is the address should you feel inclined to send a card.

Cape Canaveral Hospital
4 E/W Oncology
701 West Cocoa Beach Causeway
Cocoa Beach, FL 32931

Our little town is coming together to partake in a special triathlon for cancer survivors and there caretakers. Lots of us will be racing for Susan. I know that knitters have big hearts so please just turn your thoughts south this Friday evening and send us positive energy.

Here is a recent article that ran in our local paper.

Titusville mother is one tough competitor
PATTI SPONSLER
FREELANCE

PATTI SPONSLER
FOR FLORIDA TODAY

Susan Slayman is a tough competitor -- both on a triathlon course and against cancer. One month after finishing the 2006 Family Challenge Triathlon, the Titusville mother of three was diagnosed with soft tissue sarcoma, requiring surgical removal of a tumor in her lung.
She returned to last year's race with a new appreciation for what she could do, even though an ominous lump had appeared on her leg and the results of her biopsy were not yet known.
"I had seen an article about a man who had lost his leg to sarcoma and was still doing marathons," she said. "I thought about how grateful I was to still be able to participate in the race."
During the last few months, Slayman has undergone surgery and radiation for the sarcoma that returned to her lung, as well as her diaphragm and leg. Her July 4 holiday was spent in the hospital receiving the first of several five-day rounds of chemotherapy.
The cancer has forced her to broaden her definition of participation this year.
"I was getting a little teary-eyed and feeling sorry for myself that I will probably have to be a spectator this year instead of a participant," said Slayman. "During my quiet time, though, God showed me that out of fear or because of lack of time management or whatever reason, many of us really don't participate in many areas of our lives. We just let life and opportunities to touch others pass by."
Slayman chooses to do otherwise and will be fully engaged while encouraging those who are well enough to swim, bike and run in the Cancer Challenge Triathlon.
"I know that even as a spectator, I can choose to participate while cheering others on," she said. "Cancer is not going to stop me from participating in life, no matter what."

One Eye Sees, the Other Feels...

Everything vanishes around me, and works are born as if out of the void. Ripe, graphic fruits fall off. My hand has become the obedient instrument of a remote will.
Paul Klee
 

I am in a titch of a knitting funk and so am succumbing to the malaise by knitting in glorious cashmere Technicolor. I can't seem to knit those damn socks with much joy these days and so I switched needles and cast on for the decadent, yet understated Klee Scarf from the workshop of A.L. de Sauveterre. The kit was an impulsive splurge, a whim, after reading a thread on Ravelry.  When I found the site, I was captivated by the simplicity of the project and the delusion that if I knit this scarf and wrapped it around my neck, I would suddenly become blond, svelte, and winsome...and fluent in French. Leave me my dreams, please.

 
Instead, I am knitting and knitting row upon row of K3, P3 in beautiful blocks of colour. Now and then I intersperse a block of jet black into the mix. I knit and read. I knit and listen to "The Cat Who..." I knit in bed, I knit outside. I am knitting out my daemon.

Footnote:
Remember this year, on Thursday, May 1, 2008, to please take a few moments to learn, discover, and remember the Holocaust. I will be lighting a candle in memory of my father who was liberated from Bergen Belsen April 16, 1945. He began his journey through the camps in 1936 and spent 9 years in Buchenwald and Flossenburg. He wore a red triangle.

A Tale of Tulip and One Nutkin

I have not mastered the art of the sweater. There are two on the needles that I have yet to complete. The two that I knit since my entry into the knit blogosphere, they hang unworn in my closet. Still, I dream of the perfect sweater that I know exists to fulfill my knitting destiny.
Now socks; on the other hand, or should I say foot, has been a relatively " aus der Hand" (out of hand) pursuit. I rarely had difficulty with pattern, execution, or fit. I wasn't always thrilled with my colour choices but that aside, sock knitting has been pleasurable...until lately. 
It started a pair of socks in the past. Pomatomus took months to finish. Sock one, no problem; sock two had me rip out three times. The heel and needle size were my problem areas.
The saga continues with Achilles' heels on Nutkin and Tulip, respectively. Both sock patterns are written with short row heel instructions. Both socks use a different method. With Nutkin the number of stitches decrease with the yarn over, knit or purl to result in pairs of stitches that are later knit together with the live stitches to result in a heel cup. Tulip is much simpler, leaving on stitch on the needles as on decreases and then picking up those stitches below to result in a heel cup. Sounds simple, right. Well, it is if you don't mind holes in the gussets. This was something unexpected and unwanted. I  knit short row heels two other times, the Sixth Sense socks and Hippy Crunchy with different techniques that resulted in pleasing gusset turns and no holes.
Nutkin had me so flummoxed and I just threw up my needles and knit a heel flap. With Tulip I persevered and have an eyelet gusset that resembles the picture. I also would like to perfect the "jogless jog". I will try this on the second sock.
So, there you have it. Hopefully three pair of challenging socks will be the end of my Achilles' heels.
Next up, further destashing from the sock basket. I still have the 2007 series of the Rockin' Sock Club waiting to be cast on. According to my stash on Ravelry, I have 30 further opportunities to finally master the short row heels.
A quick  "footnote", here is the Wee Tiny Sock that was my prezzie, all the way from Lake City, Florida. Thanks to Knitting Gnome who also knit the sock from Lornas' Laces scraps, just like I did. Great sock knitting stashes yield great leftovers.

Spring Fever

While the snow and sleet has been nonstop in the northern climes, spring has arrived in our back yard. My little Anthropologie knitter is peeking out the window to admire the azaleas that are just beginning to open. Our bushes are now at their peak and will soon start to shed their spent blooms.

The citrus is slowly starting to bloom. I can catch the scent of orange and grapefruit blossoms in the air at night. We still have an abundance of grapefruit hanging from the tree.
I spent most of my afternoon on the back patio watching the urban wildlife (squirrels and assorted birds) frolic in the bushes. The weather has been grand. In the midst of all this spring fever I had to cast on something new.

The Tulip Sock and the accompanying balls of Knit Picks Palette have been in my stash for two years. I bought the yarn because I thought the socks were so pretty. I have almost destashed the yarn and pattern a couple of times because I thought that a fair isle sock was too much work. It's not really. I cast on and frogged a portion (damned error in the pattern) and reknit. Here's what I managed to accomplish. All this in between baskets of ironing and sorting through my tax paperwork. Not bad at all. I love to change colors and watch the pattern emerge and I have not knit anything fair isle since the Red Light Special.
I didn't need to start another thing. I still have Pomotamus and Nutkin on the needles, not to mention a couple of sweaters that I'm too ashamed to even bring up in this post. But thats what spring weather will do. Bury the old and bring on the new!

Icarus, Ἴκαρος, Íkaros

I started the Icarus Shawl to show solidarity for my friend Bonnie, who has taken up the needles with full force.
For those who have followed my adventures, she and I traveled north to SAFF last October. In the midst of all the yarn surrounding us, she was smitten with an Icarus shawl knit in a fingering weight merino in the Knitting Notions booth.  The yarn and the pattern were quickly purchased. She convinced four of our Thursday morning knitting group to kit along. I groaned and complained. There was no lace weight in my stash and I didn’t want to buy any yarn since taking a vow of yarn abstinence. Not wanting to be left out, I traded two skeins of Spunky Eclectic sock yarn for eight skeins of Knit Picks Alpaca Cloud and Shimmer in various colors.
I chose the Alpaca Cloud Tidal Pool and cast on. After a few false starts and recoveries, I was off and knitting. Those cute  dangling stitch markers were quickly replaced with boring plastic rings. The lace weight tangles too frequently. 
I first heard about the Icarus and MimKnits on Knitty D and the City podcast. I never thought that I would knit lace, especially a shawl. The pattern can be found in the Interweave book ,Our Favorite Designs From First Ten Years. As books go, I could knit my way through every pattern.

Here is the result. It is truly a wonder how lace transforms from a spongy clump until washed and pulled into shape. I blocked this morning using the puzzle piece mats that lay in front of my washer. This is a perfect blocking board. Thanks, Julie, for giving me the idea. Koko is very helpful. Here she is pulling out the pins after the shawl has dried.

So, here is the final finish. I am pleased with my efforts. The shawl will be a donation to a silent auction for a local educational foundation that pays for private school scholarships. I can only hope that it fetches a high price and gives a young person the wings to fly high, but hopefully not too close to the sun.

Bring on the New

The grand scheme for 2008 is to produce fabulous knitting from my stash. I have joined a trio of stash busting groups. The Ravelry Stash Knit Down 2008, Stashalong II, and Socks from the Stash equal triple accountability.
On that note, I have finished a sock that should have seen completion far sooner. The Lacewing Fixation sock from the prodigious Hurricane Party, thrown every year by Cristybelle.
I started the second sock right after Christmas while taking to the couch with a cold. Upon near completion and my near recovery, we took the sock for a trip along the Indian River towards the Haulover Canal. The manatees were grazing in the warm water and pelicans enjoyed the 80 degree weather as did we.
I have a nice pair of anklets to start the New Year with.

On the needles and, hot on the heels of Lacewing are a pair of Pomatomus socks knit using Cherry Tree Hill from my stash.
I started on the Icarus Shawl using KnitPicks Alpaca Cloud that I traded two skeins of Spunky Eclectic sock yarn for.

I am still plodding along on DaCapo. I can report that I have knitted the second sleeve and really just need to knit through gritted teeth. I am so close to completion. Completing this sweater is one of the goals that I have listed. There are several sweaters that I purchased yarn for in 2007. Among them are the Kauni Cardi, Sunrise Circle Jacket, the Rouge, Arwen, and the Tilted Duster. So many choices and only twelve months until another  year heralds new challenges.
Here's wishing every one a productive and happy new year!

Blue Christmas

It's a Blue Christmas. The blue and silver decorations were trotted out once more. I must say that I really like the combination. Nest year, I think that we'll make a switch to gold for a change.
In the spirit of the Blue, I received a few knitterly gifts to enhance my stash. Bonnie gave me a couple of Panda cotton skeins in Blueberry Grape. I was coveting the feel of the Panda socks that she was knitting, so now I can xperience the same joy.

My last Rockin' Sock package rolled in, also a blue green combination of colors. The Salish Sea Sock design is by Cat Bordhi. It was with much regret that I did not renew my 2008 STR subscription.

The new year will herald a reduction in yarn consumption. When our knitting group decided to try our needles at a KAL in the new year, I despaired. Our members have chosen the Icarus shawl, a lace project. I may have an abundance of yarn, sock yarn that is, but lace weight is not something that I tend to buy and stash. It's Ravelry, to the rescue.
I really would have loved to buy the Suri Alpaca but, when in need, the Knit Picks Alpaca Cloud should do nicely. I was able to barter for eight skeins in two different colors for a two skeins of my Spunky Eclectic sock yarn in colors that I was not too fond of. Hopefully my yarn will arrive in next weeks post.
I have joined a couple of Stash reduction sites. "Socks From the Stash" appeals to my need to knit down the sock stash. Ravelry also has a great group that will help with finishing up my lingering projects and helps set some goals on a monthly basis.

Here is Anthropologie's little Miss Knitter ornament. This was a present for myself. she was all sold out online. I was able to find a few by calling the store in Tampa.  I just checked and their whole ornament collection is  on sale.
I have come down with my first cold of the year, in spite of the 80 degree weather. I suppose I should consider myself fortunate that I escaped this long. For me, a Blue Christmas with a red nose!
                Have a wonderful Christmas Eve Eve!

Let the Korknisse Breathe

Seldom has a project yielded as much satisfaction with so little effort. Better yet, no shekels were spent in the manufacturing these little cuties. I'm starting my yarn diet early.

I first saw these little guys on Ellies site. I couldn't wrest my eyes from rainbow of little Korknisse. The original pattern stems from Manne in Norway. The instructions are here, translated by Saartje. The results translate into all languages as CUTE.
I have a mother load of corks that I had no idea what to do with. These are ideal. A few could be let out of the the giant test tube and dress for the holidays. The yarn is Knit Picks Telemark leftover from the Red Light Special beanie. I searched high and low for little jingle bells, to no avail. After some thought, I took a dive into the craft bins and came up with a little bag of Ultrasuede scrapes. Perfect. Just the thing to make tiny holly berries and leaves.

My little guys came to work with me and had their photo session on the railroad tracks behind the shop. It's a good thing that I haven't gotten busted by the FEC...yet. Say cheese...kaas...Käse...fromage...сыр!

Water Shortage at Marina Piccola

I have become a little bit of a Kate Gilbert aficionado. Her designs are classic, yet with a bit of whimsy, and very wearable. Just look at the success of the Clapotis. I have Arwen in my Ravelry queue, the yarn a lovely shade of Pea Green Cashmerino Aran.

My first KG attempt is Marina Piccola, a pair of socks in shades of watery blue. I bought this pattern and ordered the sock yarn from Scout. I wanted my socks to look just like the socks on front page of he pattern.
I am making these socks using the magic loop, needles courtesy of Knit Picks. My cast on is for 72 stitches and the first sock fits beautifully. I have a little pang of regret because the colors a pooling a bit, but no matter...

What really frightens me is the amount of yarn that I have left, a small ball the size of a lime. I am 2 repeats into a 3 pattern repeat, a heel and foot are still pending on sock two. The sock shown is knit from the same yarn, in the same amount, in the same stitch count. I can only hope that I don't have to email Scout for another hank of yarn. I have never run short on socks because I knit for a small foot.
Keep your toes crossed that I will make it. I'm crossing mine as I knit.

Welcome Home, Now Get Knitting

I've had a bout of radio silence. November's NaBloPoMo sucked all the words right out of me. After two weeks hiatus, I'm refreshed and back at the keyboard. There are still many blogs to catch up with and Ravelry forums to peruse and I have Christmas week to relax and read.

During the summer I had the opportunity to teach my friend Susan to knit. For those who have been reading my blog for a while know my dear friend had a bout with sarcoma last year.  She survived the loss of part of her lung and recovered sufficiently to run as part of a relay team in our towns mini triathlon this year. Cancer is a persistent adversary and a large tumor returned in her thigh. She took charge and found a physician willing to operate and remove the tumor. Moffitt Cancer Center provides their patients with a blog. She could keep us informed of her treatment and progress while away from home. Susan said that writing was a kind of cathartic therapy and helped her deal with the emotions. I hope to help her set up a blog to make her writing more permanent and accessible.  Even though Suz is back with us she may be facing radiation or chemotherapy in 2008 but she is a fighter and now she is officially a knitter, too.
Our Thursday knitting group equipped her with needles and yarn. She has garter stitched her way to completing first dish cloth. I hope that knitting will keep her hands occupied and her mind distracted. We will be there knitting right along with her.

 

Koolhaas

Knitting the Red Light Special hat was such a joy, that I had to try another hat. I have been an ardent admirer of Jared Flood's knitting. I saw his new beanie, Koolhass on his site and was pleased to see it included in the Interweave Holiday Knits magazine. I was determined NOT to order the yak yarn and use up something in out of my stash.
After rooting around in all my baskets, I came up for air after finding a couple of skeins of Elann Peruvian Highland Wool in dark grey heather. It was the perfect weight.
I was able to complete this hat from cast on to completion in less than a week.
As always, Connie stuck her head out for the photos.

Quoth the Raven...More...More

Just a little stash enhancement. Here are 2 more skeins from the STR Raven series. Meet Ravenscroft and Rook-y. Lounging on the warm hearth.

Spread a Little Sock Love

I was racking my brain for todays post. Having serious writers block, I started reading the Ravery forums and hit upon a post from a fellow Raveler who wasn't felling the sock love. Samantha, if you find yourself reading this post, send me a Ravelry message and send me your shoe size and I will knit you a pair of socks, but meanwhile I have to respond with...

While growing up in Germany, I often observed my Tante Birgitt knitting socks for my uncle and my two cousins. My uncle wore nothing but hand knit socks. My cousins probably appreciated them less. As socks go, they were pretty basic, either tan, brown or loden green. Just a simple stockinette stitch, turned heel, etc.  I was very impressed, mesmerized by the intricacies of the gusset, turning of the heel and the decreasing toe. Although I knit, pot-holders, simple scarves, headbands, socks were so out of my league.
As I grew older I switched to crochet. The triangular shawls were all the rage in the 70's as were white cotton bucket hats and I even crocheted a hot pink bikini that I wore several summers.
Fast forward to Amerika. I reconnected with a friend that I made here while in my early '20's. We used to love to cross stitch together and I taught her to crochet. During our years apart she learned how to knit and when we were back in touch she shared her love of the Six Sox Knitalong. I had never heard of a knitalong, let alone for socks. But I was intrigued and took a look. I signed up and began my first KAL sock, Chutes and Ladders. I found out that I could knit socks; and better yet, if I had any sock knitting questions, I had a host of sock knitters to ask, including my old friend.

I fell in love with socks and the wonderful sock yarn in all fibers and colors. I quickly developed a stash and then join two sock clubs and  now my sock basket runneth over. I fell in love with these little portable knitting projects.  I can splurge on the most luxurious yarn and not break the bank. I am able to try out crazy colors, unusual fibers, and endless stitch patterns. I can knit cuff down, toe up, sideways. The heels and toes also provide endless challenges. Best of all the socks are knit in quick time. Whats not to love. I am now knitting socks for the family and sending them overseas.

My Tante Birgitt came to visit last year and she paid me the highest compliment. She told me that my knitting skills were far beyond hers. She was genuinely impressed and I was touched.
I do not live in a  climate that is conducive to wool hosiery of any kind. I mostly spend my days in sandals. My socks linger in a drawer only to be taken out on occasion to show off my skills to anyone interested in looking. But, when the weather dips into the low '70's, cute pedicure be damned, I wear those socks, a different pair each day of the week.

Hodge Podge Knitalong

A lot has happened at Chez Claybaugh over the past few weeks. I hadn't thought so until I sat down with my next door neighbor who had been on an adjacent trip to Boston and then jetted off to Europe. After listening to her adventures, I used all my fingers on both hands to give her a rundown of happenings in our atmosphere. I'll bore you only with the fiber portion of my life.
My knitting has revolved around WIPS these days. My goal is to only have about four things on the needles at a time. A garment, a scarf or shawl of some sort, a pair of socks, two at the most. Ravelry has helped me gain oversight in what I have in my stash and what's on my needles. This coupled with a newly discovered podcast "Stash and Burn", I hope to keep my knitting life more manageable.
Here is the latest rundown.
Recently completed,  Victorian Lace socks, the summer sock recipe from the SixSox KAL. The yarn I used was Lorna's Laces Baby Stripe. I liked the pattern, although if I never have to knit another melon stitch, I'll die happy. The yarn was from Olgajazzzy's stash that I had purchased last year. It was not my color either, but I found a friend who loves the socks and has the Ked's to wear with them.

On the needles, the Smidge Pidge in 100% Pure Angora, also bought from another bloggers stash. The stitch is hard to discern due to the heavy halo of bunny fur.

I am pleased to announce that I am at the halfway to completion of the last of the 2006 Socks That Rock yarns. This is by far the new favorite, Winters Eve, knit in the Mustang Sally colorway. It is with a heavy heart that I am declining the 2008 invitation of both Socks That Rock and the new Sundara Seasons yarn clubs. I have a veritable treasure trove of sock yarn that I want to use or destash.

My two languishing projects that have jumped back into the limelight are my never ending Lady Eleanor and the Hanne Falkenburg DaCapo jacket. Both are not portable any longer due to the size. This means that they are nearing completion. I'm ashamed to admit that the DaCapo has been in progress since November 2005 and Lady Eleanor was started a year later in November 2006. Hmm, I wonder what it is about November that prevents me from completing those projects. I have taken both to our little knitting group that meets upstairs at the bakery. I have the luxury of arriving at 7 AM, after dropping my son off at the pool, and knitting in solitude until 9 when the others begin to arrive. Total knitting time on Thursdays, five precious hours.

What up for 2008? This will be my year of destash. I loosely calculated, based on my Raverly inventory, that I have 7 sweaters, 5 scarves, and 20 pair of socks to work on. My latest addition to the list is Kraemers Silk and Silver. After reading  Clara Perkins review, I had to have it. So, enough already, I still have to make it through the SAFF weekend!

On a purely personal note, my son attended his first dance, Homecoming. Here he is in full regalia squeezing one of his swim teammates. Ah, to be young again.

All the Pidge'n Poop

In trawling the net, one or two knitters discovered this beauty. Outraged by the price of the object and amused by the fact that it is this companies only item, ideas for faux Pidge's are making the rounds in the blogosphere and on Raverly in the form of a group called the Smidge Along.

Amused and intrigued, I pulled out some vintage angora yarn that I bought on Destash a year ago.The yarn was bought on impulse. I was lured in by the old box, the vintage tags, and memories of an old pink angora bolero that I loved at age 8. The box contained 7 little poofs of Pecan colored 100% angora. I bandied around many a pattern including the Mrs. Beeton's. I think the a faux Pidge is the perfect solution to show off this yarn. Much has been speculated about the pattern. Evidently the original is made on a loom in their Knitting Atelier. My attempt will be made using size five circular needles and using the stitch pattern from this scarf.

I have  rooted around in my button collection and settled on two vintage wood shank buttons for the closure. This scarf was not in my knitting plan but it is too tempting to pass up and, well, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

Bianca Love

Sweaters aren't usually necessary garb here in steamy Florida; not unless you the air so low that it keeps the attendees at attention. I was able to put my new sweater to good use at a drafting class in Orlando. We sat drawing floor pans, and elevations from 8 AM that morning until PM with just a one hour break to eat.

 

 

The sweater that I finished while ogling Lord Lynley (Nathaniel Parker) courtesy of PBS was on my back all day. I saw Bianca's Jacket in several Ravelry projects with rave reviews. Luckily the yarn was to be had at a bargain from Little Knits. I cast on in early July using the patterns middle size. At first I feared that the jacket would be too short. Too late, I wasn't about to frog it. My fears were unfounded. The neckline is a bit too generous for my taste but I am pleased with the results. After sewing together the few seams, the real work began by picking up about 400 stitches all around the two fronts and the back. Then knitting 3 rows of garter stitch. I found some horn buttons that I had picked up in my travels to Canada and fastened then with some burgundy silk thread. I almost fell out over the stench of the steam while blocking. I love Bianca but Sir Galli really needs a bath.

My new portable knitting project are the Winter's Eve socks from Blue Moon Fiber Arts STR Club. I tried casting on using 2 circs to no avail. I'm doomed to knit socks with 5 needles. This is the last of the 2006 membership yarn. If I knit a little faster I'll be able to start a pair of the 2007 bunch.

Midweek Stash Update

Although we're having record temperatures in the south, my thoughts are turning to fall, hopes of a continued quiet hurricane season, and some new projects.
My fall theme will be color. I succumbed to the press given the Kauni Cardigan. I wavered for a moment and then jumped on the bandwagon. I have not tried fair isle since I knit my son a  jumper when he was a baby. More on that another time.

A Knit Picks package came today and in it are the makings of Jered's Red Light Special. This will be my first real attempt at Norwegian type color work.

The Kauni Cardi, of course. That is really cheating though as the colors appear as if by magic using 2 strands of the wool. I had practice knitting with two strands while knitting the Storm Water Shawl.

Here is the latest STR addition to my ever growing sock yarn collection, Flower Power.

You will be hearing a lot about DaCapo coming out of hibernation. I have one sleeve and the collar left and then she'll be road ready.

For now I am working on Bianca's Jacket. The back and the fronts are complete. My hope is to cast on both sleeves and knit them in tandem. I just invested in a riot of 32" circs from KnitPicks.

After our successful trip to the west-coast, my traveling partner and I decided to take in SAFF , the Biltmore, autumn leaves and a wild blogger meetup in the Blue Barn. Our BYOL (libation) is still in question. We hope to see Scarlet, Christine, Jennifer and a host of other blogger/Ravelry crew. We scored a room at the Asheville Renaissance and will have our walking shoes packed, drinks at the ready, and our eyes on the new yarns.