Honoring Your Craft

As I was searching through Sally Melville's Book 2: The Purl Stitch, I had one of those "aha moments" when I read her suggestions for raising public consciousness about the knitting community.


1. Knit in public
2. Be willing to learn anything that will make you a better knitter.
3. Access your knitting community.
4. If there's no knitting guild in your area, start one.
5. When you knit for others, make sure it works for them. (It may mean knitting something you don't like, in a style you don't like, in a color you don't like.)
6. When you find yourself excusing a mistake, you need to fix it or repeat it (if done 3 times or more, it's a design feature).
7. Notice - and compliment - the knitting you see.
8. Get the guys knitting.

As I rediscover my love of knitting, I plan to be the best knitter/crocheter I can be.

Get your knit on........

Knit Happenings

Friday night was my first lesson on sock making from my Ravelry-friend Deb. So far, so good - in fact I'm kinda diggin' this. For years I steered away from sock making because: 1)I couldn't get the hang of working DPNs; and 2)All that work for something on your feet that nobody really sees. Deb put it in perspective, noting that the feel & comfort of homemade socks as well as the accomplishment factor outweighs the "gotta show it" mentality. I chose to make my first pair with Uruguay DK from my stash (a merino, alpaca, silk blend). Here's the progress pic:


Working them on 2 circulars is fantastic. The Sensational Knitted Socks book is a loaner in case I get stuck - but I'm sure to be making that SOS call to Deb as soon as I get to the heel flap, heel turn, & gusset (lol).

I discovered Old Mill Yarns at last month's Sheep & Wool Festival. Their mill ends are too much of a bargain to pass up so I made an online purchase. It arrived last week. A one-pound cone of bronze cotton; a one-pound cone of teal novelty slub; and two-pounds of deep gray cotton. Cottons are getting top billing in my wardrobe (these hot flashes are the pits) and I look forward to making some great pieces with this new stash.

Lastly, I went to Tuesday Morning for their 4-day 50% off clearance sale on Saturday. They had a fantastic corner grid shelving unit that rang up at $6.50. Of course I got 2 units with something special in mind. Behold: my new stash storage corner! Not bad for $13.00.

My First Meme

Spent a quiet Memorial Day with family (& lots of food of course). Oldest daughter was visiting from Louisiana & may soon be moving back to the east coast (hurray!) if the job she interviewed for comes about. Please send lots of good vibes her way. I have been tagged for a meme by Susan. Her blog makes me want to move to San Diego (lol).

"The rules of the game get posted at the beginning. Each player answers the questions about themselves. At the end of the post, the player then tags 5 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer."

1) What was I doing 10 years ago? Involved in high school booster activities for my girls: one in concert band; one in marching band (marched in Clinton's inaugeral parade); both were Managers for boys basketball so I became a defacto Team Mom.

2) What are 5 things on my to-do list for today? Submit my program's budget; stop by the bank; clean out my car; finish the left front of cardi (knit); work on the Pray Tree (cross stitch).

3) Snacks I enjoy: Popcorn, popcorn, popcorn, popcorn, & popcorn.

4) Things I would do if I were a billionaire: Ensure daughters & grandkids are financially independent; adopt a school, church & women's shelter; open a ethnic craft shop; buy Mom a cottage on the waterfront; invest in brother's company.

5) Places I have lived: Clarksburg, West Virginia & Alexandria, Virginia

6) Jobs I have had: File Clerk; Secretary; Research Analyst; Budget Analyst; Office Director; & part-time sales clerk (when I was putting DD thru college).

7) Bloggers I am tagging who you will enjoy getting to know better:
Cici
Sarah
Ava
Shelley
Turquoizblue

Mods to the Cardi

The yarn & the pattern seem to come together in this one for a great piece. I made a modification to the front - the pattern calls for it to be slanted but I've chosen to make it with a straight front. Planning to make a plain tank for underneath & have a cardi set. Searching for some cute glass buttons that will compliment the yarn but not overpower the pattern.

Took a break from knitting this week while traveling for business. I got spooked about TSA and their inconsistent regulations on knitting needles. Visions of me being escorted to jail for assaulting "Checkpoint Charlie" who tried to take my needles was not pretty. Instead I took my cross stitch project (yes, with scissors) and made some progress on the Pray Tree. You can see it on my other blog Stitches of Heritage.

Stitch2gether

An afternoon of new friends, snacks, shopping & knitting. Could it get any better than this? Yesterday, I hosted a knit2gether with some fantastic local ladies I've met online. The connection was immediate & I feel like I've known them forever. Deb and Ava are both on Ravelry and Jeannette hopefully will soon be there too. Deb was my partner-in-crime earlier this month at the Sheep & Wool Festival. Ava and I are in several of the same Ravelry groups. Jeannette, Ava & I also share a love of cross stitch. Everybody brought their most recent project as well as something for show-and-tell (Ava rocked with her knitted necklace). We actually spent more time going thru pattern stashes & chatting than working the projects but nobody was complaining. In fact, we ended the afternoon doing what knitters do best - I quick shopping trip across the street to In Stitches where everybody managed to find a little somethin'. Here's Deb and Ava working their projects (Jeannette was shy). Can't wait until next month!

Momma's Day

Special shout out to all those that nurture, care, feed, & teach the little ones (human & furry). I hope you are receiving your thanks on a continual basis so today can just consist of a really good meal & a chance to relax (lol).

Finished the first panel of the tank top & desparately needed a break from stockinette stitches. After a midnight raid on my pattern library (yeah, a bit of insomnia), I decided to start the short sleeve cardigan from Vogue Knitting's Spring/Summer 2007 magazine. The eyelet lace pattern is a joy to work & I'm using the eggplant rayon yarn I got last weekend at the sheep & wool festival. Here's a peek:



You can't see the back of the cardi but it has eyelet lace & ribbing topped off with stockinette...... I just can't escape it. At least I'm getting to use my new Signature Stiletto needles. The pointed tips are exquisite. Gotta find a way to purchase an entire set (Maybe my girls will read this before birthday, Christmas, or next Momma's Day!)

Tank Progress, Stash Diet, & Saying Goodbye

This one skein tank is interesting. The seam is done up the center front and center back and one panel faces purl-side & the other panel faces knit-side. Some of the comments on Ravelry were that it was short & too wide. I decided to be pro-active (instead of reactive) and make it in a smaller size for a better fit and with a very soft yarn so it could hang gracefully. The Fino (doubled) was an excellent choice. My only complaint is that the stockinette stitch is b.o.r.i.n.g. - but at least it gives me a chance to watch T.V. or movies without fear of messing up the pattern. Here's my progress - the neckline to the left & the partial armhole to the right. Another week or so & it's on to the next project.

After inflating the stash with those goodies from last weekend's festival, I've pledged to finish 3 projects (includes this one) before making any new purchases. Just picture me as the "monkey trio" see no sales, hear about no sales, & speak no sales.

Lastly, today was the homegoing celebration for my grandmother (in-law). She was an awesome 99 years old. She had 1 child, 3 grandchildren, 9 great grands, and 13 great-great grands. She outlived her parents, husband, siblings & her son. To show you she lived her life to the fullest - her obit includes the name of her close friend and dedicated companion............ he's 98 years old & they met 5 short years ago. We will miss your smiling face & laughter, Grandma Alberta!

Live your life to the fullest ladies!!

MDSW 2008

Oh boy - what a day. The Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival was wonderful. This was my first time attending. The past few years, I have done the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer on this weekend so I never knew what I was missing (BTW - GO WALKERS - see you in Charlotte in October!). My newest friend, Deb, is an MDSW veteran & the best tourguide a gal could have. Spent a bit of time browsing the animals but the call of the vendors was overwhelming.

From Tess' Designer Yarns, to Old Mill Yarn, to Signature Needle Arts, to Misty Mountain Farm, to a great discount yarn spot selling 6 wool skeins for $25 (sorry, I was suffering from yarn euphoria by then & didn't look at the biz name) - I was an equal opportunity spender.

Proud of myself cause I got the main thing I went for - a set of custom Signature Needles with stiletto points. But even happier with all the great stash that will keep me busy from now until the next festival. Drumroll please..........................

A tote, of course to carry it all; a 2-1/2 lb (yes pounds) of purple/navy cotton; 2 lbs of eggplant rayon; 6 skeins of wool; 2 skeins of microfiber ribbon; a ribbon tank top pattern; the stiletto needles and a set of ebony needles.

Sidestepped the lure of funnel cake but caved in at the kettle korn, pretzel, & lemonade stands. Needless to say with all this shopping, I totally missed the Ravelry meetup. Spotted lots of Ravelry buttons & even got a glimpse of Jess early in the day. Fortunately I recognized Cici and Caj from the 2 Sistahs That Knit blog (and Ravelry). Isn't it funny how you meet someone for the first time & feel like you've known them forever? Well here we are - Me, Deb, Caj & Cici - with a beautiful backdrop of yarn.

Let me go setup my "MDSW Fund" jar for next year's purchases...............

Oh No!!!

Been consistently knitting on the One Skein Tank - in the car (while DD's driving), on the metro, at the dentist office, before bedtime, etc. Yesterday I pull it out of my project bag & dang it - there's a big (very big) snag near the beginning. Tried & tried to smooth it out but alas, I had to frog it & start over again. I am not deterred. Serious knitting time will be included in my weekend activities (and maybe a quick trip to Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival). Will have new pics next week.

Get your knit on.........

Starting Tank Top

I chose the Tank Top from Leigh Radford's One Skein book as my next project. It's two panels sewn together at the center front and back. One panel is the knit side & the other panel is the purl side. I'm using Alpaca with A Twist's Fino in Seaglass from my stash. Here's today's progress:





I'd probably be bored with all stockinette stitches, but this yarn is so soft, it's a pleasure to knit! Ran into Stitch DC after work trying to find the Addi Turbo Lace needles - but no luck (& no patience to order them). But all was not lost cause look what I got instead:



OMG!!!! It's Lorna's Laces - Helen's Lace in blackberry. I am in no way a yarn snob (had never even heard of Helen's Lace) but I swear my heart started racing & forehead sweating when I spotted it (lol). There are no words to describe how it feels. What will I make? Who knows - but dang it's gonna be beautiful.

Happy Dance!

Cynthia Rowley's Basketweave Tunic/Dress
Vogue Knitting - Spring/Summer 2005
Crystal Palace Cotton Flamme (11 skeins)

This elongated tank is sweet! The change in basketweave pattern halfway thru makes it interesting and the Cotton Flamme gave it more texture than the model. The scooped neck was a little too deep for me so I shortened the armholes. Shout outs to Deb & Jeannette - love our new knitting group! Special thanks to Mary for sharing her stash so I could complete this tunic.

April Progress

The Basketweave Tunic will be ready for spring unveiling (Can you believe I started & finished something in the same season?) Somehow I ran short on yarn and was saved by a wonderfully kind knitter & fellow Raveler (marykz) who had the same dye lot in her stash (WHEW!). Headed to a knitting meetup tomorrow where I should get close to the finish line.

Progress on Basketweave

This tunic is working up quickly - finished the front. Had to undo/redo some rows cause my attention was diverted watching Top Chef (lovin' this season!). Hope to finish it up within the next week.

Patterns & Yarns & Groups.......Oh My!

I am addicted to Ravelry...... there - I said it. Since receiving my invitation to join this knitting and crocheting community a month ago, I have become obsessed with all things yarn. All my high hopes of finishing Peace Angel in a few months have vanished but in it's place are a slew of spring/summer knits that I'm aching to produce. I just wish someone would take the huge leap to create something similar for the cross stitch community (There's a Ravelry group for knitters who also cross stitch - SWEET). So here's what I have to show for the last month. You may remember Beachcomber Tunic. Finished the front & back & decided to ditch the sleeves & just edge it with a row of single crochet. Here's how it's looking right now - before blocking & edging.

Really loved working with the Cotton Flamme yarn so I grabbed the Dusty Blue from my stash and started the Basketweave Tunic from Vogue Knitting's Spring/Summer 2005 issue. It's working up quickly & should be a great addition to the summer wardrobe.

Not to fear - on last week's trip to the LYS, I picked up a few cross stitch charts too. I'll be back!

Mar 08: THE SPOT!

Although I can cross stitch, knit, & crochet almost anywhere - it's a dream to have a dedicated space in my house. When the youngest moved out, I quickly converted her room in hopes of having my spot. Alas, the computers, printers, scanner and overall storage for stash, books & magazines quickly filled the space.


But I'm finally in heaven. Here's my newly created stitching-spot in the corner of my bedroom. I can now stitch in a comfy BIG chair w/ottoman, next to the window, facing the TV & DVD player. Got my cross stitch & Ott light on my left and a decent yarn stash on my right (Someone gave me a great tip about the mirror behind the chair - it reflects light for great late-night stitching). Should I ever get tired, it's just a hop & skip to the comfort of my bed........ Someone send out a search party if I haven't been heard of in a few weeks (lol)!



BTW, Big Lots has a yarn clearance sale. Here's the Lion Brand Chenille I picked up for $1.50 per skein - I bought all 13 skeins in the bin. I better go back to work soon......

Mar 08: Progress

I've managed to make progress on a couple of projects. Finished a crocheted beanie to compliment the neckwarmer I made a couple months ago. Also the "sistah" finally has lips & some filling to her church hat. Haven't picked up Peace Angel lately but she's next in line.

Just when I was basking in the glow of not heading out to work everyday, my co-workers reminded me that I work with a great group of folks. I received 2 flower arrangements, cards, and giftcards that I put to good use at Michaels for all this:

Jan 08: Can Knitters Build A House?

I was browsing thru my knitting blogs and hit upon this awesome site: The House That Yarn Built.

Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans on August 29, 2005 and devastated not only Louisiana, but also Mississippi. Over two years later, New Orleans and what happened there has largely been relegated to the back pages of newspapers, or only mentioned when politicians are trying to get elected. One of the hardest hit areas in New Orleans was the Lower 9th Ward. Brad Pitt's foundation - Make It Right - is raising funds to build homes in the 9th Ward. Each home costs $150,000.

The House That Yarn Built is a Team on the Make it Right site with a unique perspective: If 7,800 knitters would donate the equivalent of one skein of sock yarn ($20), a family in New Orleans might be able to get their lives back on track. Of course, you don't have to donate $20 - every increment helps. Many of us have yarn stashes that can keep us in yarn for years without ever having to darken the door of the local LYS or point and click on our favorite online shop. What do ya’ll think? Can knitters build a house? For more info, visit the link to The House That Yarn Built or The Make It Right Foundation .

I've started Peace Angel and will post a pic this weekend when there's more than just the tip of a wing to show.......

Jan 08: Starting Great in 2008

Here's my cable knit scarf. Completed it on Monday while watching all the King holiday tributes (all these years later I still cry when watching his speeches). Definitely have knitting fever & itching to do more cable work. Maybe a knitted afghan to keep me warm these next few months?

Quick Knit Reversible Rib Scarf
Nonokittyknits.com
2 skeins Khaki Uruguay DK; size 6 needles

Jan 08: Keepin' Warm

Scarf/Neckwarmer
Wide Rib Pattern (k4,p1)
Plum Uruguay DK: 150 grams total
(Sorry for the dirty lens!)

Jan 08: New Year, New Stash

I LOVE my local needlework shop but I try to limit my trips there. Too much temptation! Last weekend, I ran in to pick up floss for a new project and I came out with everything but the floss. I swear I walk through the door & go into a trance - ooh new charts, old charts, do I have that chart? To make matters worse, I turn around & staring me in the face is this:



It is Chocolate Bulky Rayon Chenille from Blue Heron Yarns. No picture could do it justice. I'm turning in my "Sale Queens of America" membership cause I didn't even look at the price tag (lol), just headed for the register.