Category: I may be knitting a ranch house

I’m getting bored with my lack of pictures, aren’t you?  Not that my pix are any great shakes, but they do make for a more interesting post.  I guess that means that I should focus on getting the cameral and computer together.  ETA:  After some time with Google, I discovered that I need to buy a memory card reader, and then I can get back to posting pictures.  I’ll be stopping by my favorite box store tomorrow to pick up what I need!

Pictures would really help me to explain what happened at last week’s SnB.  Blog-free Kim was talking about the way in which a stitch sits on a needle.  I looked at my stitches (I was working on Cozy V-neck, v.2), and her description and my stitches had little to do with each other.  I decided to ask the question that I’ve avoided for a while.

"Do my stitches look twisted to you?"  Both Nearly-Not-Blogless Sara and Blog-free Kim agreed that they did.  I showed them how I knit. 

Nope.  My knit stitch is not the culprit.  I showed them my purl, and NNB Sara (an English-style knitter) confirmed that I was not purling properly.  I don’t need to hear comforting comments about how there is "no" right or wrong way in knitting.  I believe there is.  One may get to the right way via a variety of methods, but there is a place of rightness in knitting. 

Anyhow, NNB Sara showed me her purl stitch, and whaddya know?  My knitting looks just as it should again.  My pals wanted to know WTF?  How was I purling wrong for so long?

After I thought about it for a few minutes, I realized that when Scout and Carole instructed me in the ways of English knitting, I was working on socks, and I only learned the knit stitch from them.  I didn’t anything flat until after I’d moved back east.  I find it hysterical that I have been effing up for nearly two years now; I applied my Continental way of approaching the yarn to the English way of knitting.  Jenny asked if I was doing combined knitting, and I guess I had been, of sorts, but not a combination that works!

To soothe myself from the distress of having to rip out, yet again, the Cozy V-neck pullover, I spent my craft time over the weekend on embroidery and spinning.  I also whipped out a washcloth to go into the Christmas gift basket.  My oldest sister suggested that her daughter would *love* a pair of hand knit socks for Christmas, as well as an iPod cozy (she’s coveted her mother’s for a while), and a hat.  Gotta love a girl who wants hand knits, no?  I just need to get information about sizes and colors, and I’ll start some projects for Miss Alexis.

Have you been working on any holiday projects?

I was optimistic.  I signed on for the Green Jersey at the Tour de France KAL.  I was distracted by too many projects, though, and to date, my progress is minimal.  I will continue on, though, and I will wear the Chickami before the end of the summer.

I didn’t even start with my Tour de Fleece project.  I hang my head in shame.  I was a zealous joiner at the start of the summer, but all of my energy has gone to writing my dissertation draft.  I vow to organize my time and to limit my joining things I’m not prepared to really dedicate to.

But it is important that I meet my goal of finishing a first draft of my dissertation by the end of July.  See, I made another little vow that I’m finally prepared to make public.  If I do not finish the first draft by my target date, I will give away my yarn stash.

Even that cashmere I bought in Rome.

Stop hovering around you vultures and hyenas.  This is one goal I intend to keep.

Sit right back for a tale of woe.  Because, really, aren’t tales of woe the more interesting ones?  Don’t pull out any tissues; things aren’t that bad.

I was in a funk yesterday.  Perhaps the weather did it, perhaps yet another visit to my dentist (although everyone there is quite pleasant, I’d rather not spend any more time with them), perhaps just mid-week doldrums.  In any event, I popped in a movie (Saving Grace, should you want details) and set to work on Chart B of Clue 1 of the Mystery Stole 3.  I made some good progress, I’ll have you know, but I had to put the scrap of lace down for the dogs’ afternoon stroll (I don’t say or write walk.  They’ll know and expect it to happen pronto!), but after a delish salad prepared by my darling husband, I settled in to continue with the Mystery.  I had some knitting mojo, and I was smart enough to be humble about it.  "Oh, lovely," said I.  "I’ve got the right number of stitches."  And, "Isn’t it grand that I’m able to keep track of the row I’m on?  Aren’t I fortunate?"  The knitting gods like that sort of gratitude.

On goes disc one of the third season of Deadwood (oh, how I love this show.  I have such a crush on Al.  Don’t tell me you don’t have just a little one on him too, K.; I won’t believe you).  Neal and I are happy as we recall each character’s story from the end of season two.  Blink.  Off go the lights, then back on.  It is raining, after all, and a bit windy.  I return to my lace, about to start a new row, yet I hesitate.  Off goes the power.  On.  Then, for a final time, off. 

But, whine I, I have knitting mojo.  Lace knitting mojo.  This isn’t to be squandered.  "Don’t we have a generator or something," I ask Neal, my voice as persuasive as I can make it, as though my desire will make such a thing appear.  Negative.  We talk about the future for a while, but the entire time, my thoughts are elsewhere.  They are on Chart B, which was going so swimmingly back when I had electricity at my beck and call.  Finally, we toddle off to bed.  Neal pulls out his headlamp (one of my first gifts to him, may I add) to aid me in my evening ablutions.  As I brush my teeth, I see a lightbulb above my head, and it’s not just the lit headlamp.  It’s an idea. 

Why not knit using the headlamp?  I mention my thought, and it is promptly refused.  "You can’t waste our only light source on knitting."  Waste?  WASTE?  I resist the urge to remind my husband (who does not, it would appear, understand knitting mojo) that there are plenty of candles about the house to use as light sources.  I’m afraid he would suggest that I use those to light my lace. 

Even I’m smart enough to know that would be taking my mojo too far.  I know its limits, and I won’t mess with them.

I will, though, get a headlamp of my own.  My own personal back up lighting system for lace knitting/power outage emergencies.  You might consider it yourself.

For Christmas 2005 I knit gifts for almost all forty of the people on my gift list.  My hands hurt by the end of it, and the most understanding of my giftees got "Daryl B. Moretacum" letters–promises for socks went to Neal and MB.  Neal’s socks are nearly done (just have to finish up the second one and re-do my too-tight bind off on the first one), so I’ve turned my thoughts to MB’s.  I purchased the yarn (Lorna’s Laces in a green/brown colorway that I’m too lazy to go dig out to find out the name) ages ago, but now I can’t decide on a pattern.  I want to do another toe up pair, and I’d like to knit something a little more complicated than my usual stockinette with ribbing.  Any ideas?

I’m on Spring Break this week, but I seem to be more busy than usual.  I like that feeling, though.  I think I do better work when I’m crushed for time; I just don’t like to sustain that kind of pace.  My goal for the rest of the night?  Eat coffee cake and drink tea.  Surf the ‘net for sock patterns (c’mon, like I haven’t been doing that on and off all day!).  Match up KMKS angels and lonely kitters.  Go to bed early.  I hope you enjoy your night!

Other than adding a button, I finished my first Calorimetry while watching Oprah this afternoon.  (Did you see that gorgeous 70-year old woman?)  For reals it took me only about 3 hours.  After reading lots of feedback about how folks have adjusted the pattern, I decided to follow Shiney Red Type’s mods:  88 stitches, fewer repeats, using Malabrigo.  I didn’t have any US 8s handy, so I used 7s.  As far as I can tell (sans button), it’s a perfect fit.  I may try it with 8s just to get a little more extra room at the end, and I may make the next one a bit wider.

What’s got me really excited is that Calorimetry and Fetching will make the perfect set for a lot of young women on my holiday list.  I know, it’s just over ten months until Christmas, but I’m trying my best to be an Organized Elf!

I finished my Meathead hat a while ago, but just took the photo today.  I pose everything on the same chair, have you noticed?  I like that chair.  It’s the one I use at the table.

This pattern was a super quick knit.  I love the swirling effect from the decreases, and the ability to embellish the hat with whatever is fun.  I tried out a number of different options before deciding on this button from my gram’s button jar.  This hat is going to a sweet tween, and I thought the button would be suitable—fun, but not too much.  If you want to see some of the far more creative embellishments, visit the Flickr pool for the Meathead-along.

Thanks to everyone for their good wishes on my engagement.  Neal and I are as happy as can be, already planning our party.  While we haven’t yet set a date, I think we’ll have one by the end of the week.

I want to thank you all for your book suggestions, too.  I’m still not certain what to teach my 102 students, but contenders right now are Jane Eyre, A Star Called Henry (Roddy Doyle), and Frankenstein.  I have a lot of kids of Irish descent, so I may go with the Roddy Doyle book.  Many people suggested that I teach something by Jane Austen, and while I adore her, she is not typically popular among male students.  Oddly enough (or maybe not so oddly), Jane Eyre is quite popular with the males.  Next decisions:  what poems to teach?  What play to teach?  (well, that I KNOW will be Shakespeare.  My MA thesis was written about Antony and Cleopatra.  I lurv Shakespeare.  If he were alive now, I’d want his love child.  I’d even stalk him until he accommodated me.  I’m not even kidding.) 

I finished my Malabrigo Christmas Fetching mitts for my cousin.  This yarn is so, so, so very nice to knit.  I have a confession, too.  I’ve never "gotten" those "I sniff yarn" buttons that I see around blogland.  Until Malabrigo entered my life.  The faint aroma of vinegar that comes off of this yarn makes me so very happy.  So. Very.  I didn’t do the picot edge, but I think I will on the next pair.  Did you see the pair Cookie made for Scout?  Loverly!

Here’s the start of a baby sweater I’m making out of the prototype of Scout’s Needles on Fire yarn.  I think it’s my favorite of her yarns (at least until I go look at the others, then I won’t be able to decide!).  The colors are unlike any other that I’m seeing from handpainting artists.  I think this will be a sophisticated sweater for a little peanut due in the next few months.  I started with the Mason Dixon Knitting kimono, adjusting the stitch number to accommodate the finer yarn.  Now I’m thinking I want this to be a cardigan.  I have an image of perfect little swank buttons bringing out the purple or light pink of the fabric. I’ve got my sketch book by my chair so I can mess around with schematics.

It’s kind of fun to switch between this dainty project and the chunky meathead hat.  Little needles, big needles.  Thin yarn, chunky yarn.  While I have a lot of grading to do this long weekend, I’m going to try to get a lot of crafting time in.  I can’t wait for winter break when I can paint and sketch and spin and sew and knit and crochet my days away.  Until then, though, I’ll do my best to balance work and writing and crafting and family time. 

I’m thankful to have such variety in my life.  I’m thankful for so much, and I’ll certainly spend my knitting time tomorrow thinking about everything and everyone making my life so rich and wonderful.  Including my bloggy friends.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I just cast on for Fetching 2 in Pair 1.  I love the way the finished mitt looks on my hand.  Another must have mitt for me! 

So, there’s an ad on the radio (we just finished listening to UCONN’s Women’s Basketball) that has informed me that the holidays are not that far away.  Really?  Ya think?  After last year’s holiday knitting frenzy–I made almost every gift, and I have a LONG gift list–I swore I wasn’t going to craft gifts.  But, with the cooling weather and my tight budget, as well as my belief that handmade gifts trump storebought gifts, I’ve grown another long holiday gift list.

I don’t want to talk about some of the gifts as my friends and family might just happen to read this post.  There are some giftees I know don’t read, so I’ll talk about their gifts.

The Fetching that are on the needles right now are for my cousin.  She’s going to love them, I’m sure.  I wanted to make a pair for her fiance, but Neal informed me that a man would not wear them. 

"Would a guy wear any fingerless mitts?"

"No."

"No, you wouldn’t or any guy wouldn’t?"

"None."

While I don’t believe him, his guidance towards mittens, always wearable (so I was informed), will be heeded.  So Richard gets a pair of mittens, but maybe I’ll make convertibles. 

I’ve tried to think of another gift that I can make for several people, and I like the idea of making calendars.  I’ve thought about this year after year, but I think I have a workable, elegant plan for this year.  I’ll keep you posted.

I’m going to turn off the radio and pop in a Jane Austen movie.  I’ve got about two hours of knitting time, and I can make a lot of progress on a Fetching in that time.

Still looking for other gift ideas…let me know if you have ’em!