Finished!

Hi Mom,

I can't believe you found another complete yarn kit for that Alice Starmore sweater - or a book of cowboy knitting from the 50's! My question is, though, who will these be knit for? Or will they be extra-special collector's items of sweaters that could be, to be admired just as they are?

On my end, after this weekend I have actual completed objects to show off - my Baudelaire socks are finished! I don't know why the lace drug me down so much at the end, but they are done and I think they look great. There is a really cute little cable twist in the upper leg dividing the back and front lace panels, which themselves look to me like falling leaves. Very fancy all around!














I also finished a book sent to me by Sarah (who is trying to get me addicted to Chick Lit) - it's also about knitting, so it counts! It's Knitting Under the Influence, all about a group of friends who are knitters in LA and going through all the trials and tribulations of the single life. (Do you see the title down in our links on the right? It's there thanks to librarything, a new online plaything to help me keep track of my books now that they are actually out of boxes and onto bookshelves) It was fluffy but still a lot of fun - it was actually hard to put it down once I got into it. Now I know why Sarah is so addicted to these books! There is another book out now, the Friday Night Knitting Club (already optioned into a movie by celebrity knitter Julia Roberts) that I just might have to pick up now too... Although I think I'm most attracted to the look of the yarn on the cover! First, though, I have to get through the book on Coxeter - really interesting, even though I am not a mathematician, to read about one man and his insights and how they inspired so many over almost a century of work. That one of the people he inspired was my father-in-law is just a bonus! (That Glenn is also quoted in the book talking about aliens and geometry as the universal language is a super-special bonus). I understand that Siobhan sent you a copy - Glenn is jealous as the Canadian version is supposed to have more photos. I think both you and Dad will find it interesting - have you had a chance to look at it yet?

With such a busy weekend, it was nice to have an extra day off - here in California everyone actually celebrates President's Day, a holiday that passes by all but unacknowledged in Illinois. To make the most of the day, Nathan and I headed towards Ocean Beach here in the city, then just kept driving down Highway One all the way to Half Moon Bay. It was a really beautiful drive - they have just reopened the highway recently after it was closed by rock slides last year. It was cold and windy by the beach - can you see how bundled up I am? - with choppy waves but the clear blue skies more than made up for it. It was calm enough at Half Moon Bay that surfers were in the water, and we managed to trek our way down to Maverick's to put our toes in the ocean and feel the sand on our feet. Topped off with oysters and clam chowder for lunch, it was definitely a nice way to spend a Monday afternoon.

This weekend coming up is Stitches West, aka the annual-yarn-buying-extravaganza. I am going down on Thursday to help set up the booth for Afghans for Afghans, staying overnight in Santa Clara to go shopping at the market Friday. Since I got to go to Stitches Midwest just last August, I don't really need much so I think a lot of it will be looking and thinking - checking out yarns in person that I normally get to see only online, and making note of what is worth ordering for later when I actually have a need. That's what I say now - you'll have to wait for my report to see how good I actually was!

Megan

Spring!

Hi Megs,

I agree, even though the snow is beautiful, the cold and blow of last few weeks have just about done us in. All we can do is admire the snow and it gives an excuse to stay in and knit, hook, read or just sit. We did get out yesterday for our Valentine dinner at Bruno's. Couldn't go on Valentines day because of a blizzard. It was a beautiful meal - Ceasar salad, pumpkin soup and crab stuffed chicken and a wonderful white and dark chocolate thing for dessert. Finally a beautiful sunny day today but cold. I wish to see my flowers peaking through the ground but first have to get rid of the snow.

I love your scarf done by enterlac. Although I have seen many patterns using this technique, never tried it myself. But the scarf in Scarf Style really looks nice. I have tried domino knitting and of course my favorite-sweater-I-didn't-knit (Northern Isles) and the one I get the most complements on with people saying, "Did you knit that" and unfortunately I have to say, "No, I didn't" (GRRRRRRR). I like any of these techniques that look like patchwork but that you don't have to sew the little blocks together.

I have to admit that I have been ebaying and have been buying vintage knitting pattern books. I got a great one of "cowboy" knits for children. I was driven by the image of your father, around 1949 in his cowboy outfit. But really thought they were cute. I also got some vintage sock and mitten patterns, some bedspreads (go figure) and some lace patterns.







And - remember the yarn for your first sweater - the great purple sweater , Sweet by Kim Hargaves (Rowan Book 26)? I found the yarn for it in the basement. It was slightly the worst for being down there since about 1998. I bought the yarn, Alice Starmore Scottish Campion, for the pattern Boudicca's Braid by Alice Starmore in her book Aran Knitting. I did start it but with all that was going on with job and all, I never finished it. It is a highly complicated pattern. Well - on Ebay I found the yarn (25 skeins in all) for exactly that project in the exact colours I originally bought - so I bought it again (at a very reasonable price). I now have a second chance at this project. It was a "find" because Campion is no longer made. So I will try it again - now that my life is calmer. Or maybe I just should say "someday" and add this yarn to my "collection". I will, however, store it in a better place.

As you can see I am in a "dreaming about knitting" thing right now - waiting for spring. What I am working on are triangular shawls. They are fast but dumb knitting. I am going to make 4 more of the shawl I made for myself (see post on January 13) for the members my team I am leading for the Rotary Group Study Exchange to Brazil in May. We have to dress alike - in a sort of Rotary garb thing - so we decided if we have to do this we are going to be as stylin' as possible. The members (all women) really liked my shawl from hand spun natural Marino (dark brown), spun by Doris Cook, so I committed to doing the shawls. We also thought it would be a good way to showcase Nova Scotia's wool and crafts. I have until the middle of May to finish them. I may ask some of my knitting buddies to make one (or two) for me because it is really boring knitting. I am almost finished with number two.

We are busy but content.

Love ya, Mom XOP

Red is for valentines?

Hi Mom,

I cannot believe that we both ended up with the same obscure brand of Japanese running shoes - almost exactly the same make & model! That is too weird.

And yours are in perfect Valentine's colors - very to the season!

I may not have Valentine's shoes, but I did get Valentine's flowers from my sweetie - twice. The first bunch were in the requisite white and red, but I'm pretty partial to the orange orchids too - don't they look great in the green vase that I got from Meredith?













Perfect for the spring weather we have been having here. (Although the snow looks very pretty in your pictures, I have to say that I'm very happy to be admiring it from afar!)

Your sweater looks like it is coming along great - the finishing might be slow, but the effort will be worth it. And sometimes it is good to bounce from project to project just to keep things interesting. Right now, I am trying to get through the final push up the legs of my Baudelaire socks. There is a new cable twist added to the legsto keep things interesting as I work my way up, but by now I've worked the lace pattern possibly a few too many times to keep my needles buzzing. So I am trading off time spent on the socks with time spent on my new project: learning entrelac, in the form of the Lady Eleanor stole from Scarf Style. Here is my progress so far - I am in my first all-squares row, otherwise known as tier 2:


Since I get to do 16 repeats of tier 2, and 17 of tier one, I should certainly have the hang of this entrelac thing by the time the shawl is done! It really is addictive - instead of just one more row, it's one more square, and then another, and another, and another....

The yarn is the Ottawa yarn from Handmaiden that we got at Gaspereau Valley Fibers. I wish I could say it is a Valentine's red, but really it is shades of purple and brown with a few white slubs scattered in for fun. This is the one that I had not quite enough of at first, but which they very kindly offered to dye more of for me. Now that I have finally got this project on the needles it is occuring to me that even though they dyed and sent it out to me last month, it has yet to arrive here. Uh-oh - hopefully that doesn't mean that I have another stray package out there....

My Klaralund is already washed and blocked, I just need to get a photo for you. In the end, since I was worried it was too short particularly in the arms, I blocked the heck out of it so that now it is slightly too drapey. Hopefully I can get a photo that shows off its good side!

Happy knitting,

Megan

Running Coast to Coast

Hi Megs

We have some very strange vibes going from coast to coast. Remember at Christmas when everyone had their shoes lined up by the door and we notices that you, your bother and I - we ALL had almost identical shoes "done-up" with velcro? Well -- I have been going to Figures since mid January running 20-25 minutes on the treadmill and then one or two circuits on the machines. I bought a pair of just "work out" shoes: Mizuno Wave's! Never heard of this brand but the sales guy said they were the best - and they are! But they are not "the colours" but are suitable for Valentines day!

Happy you got your box - what a crazy thing. And yes - you should make a claim for sure! The 38 days is way, way over the top. Hope you got all your pictures and beads and all your memories back.

You are right - the picture of the ocean at Whitepoint is white, grey and blue. Really like this idea of exploring colours. We use the colour wheel and colour sense training a lot in rug hooking. The swatches we use as reference when we dye are essential to creating the right colours - look and feel of our mats.




I also am doing the non-couch potato training thing. I figure that since I joined Figures I have "run" about 50k. Have lost some weight and some of my behind and spare tire. I also enjoy it. So - go girl!

After my hooking frenzy I am now back to knitting. I am knitting the I-cord around the jacket. Very slow going and you can't keep at it for very long. So working on another of the brown shawls from Doris Cook's hand spun Marino because I like them the feel of the wool and this triangular scarf is such "dumb" knitting - then go back to hooking on my frog purse. So feeling a little skitsy.



I have also promised myself to go down to Hands on Crafts take a little run a spinning. Really admire the wools that Doris is producing. She has a wonderful white Polwarth wool that she just finished (and I bought). She says it is one lower than Marino but I think it is just as beautiful in look and feel. So soft.



It has been snowing and blowing almost every day (the "whirligig" you gave us at the wedding looks so beautiful in the snow) so nice just to stay in and knit (or hook). . I also am starting to put together the next issue of the Rug Hooking Guild of Nova Scotia Magazine - March edition. As editor and desk-top publisher person this will take a lot of my time over the next few weeks but do enjoy doing it - and our circulation is now over 900! We send it all over the Maritimes, all over Canada and into the US and a few other countries. My last edition in November was 24 pages and had a colour cover. We also send out about 75 copies via e-mail. We have a lot of contributors and I think it makes into a really nice publication. Proud of it.

But - as your little bulbs tell us - Spring is almost here - Happy Valentines Day - Knit something RED!

And - just as I was about to finish this I heard a "cackle" outside and this was walking up the hill just outside my window - snapped his picture quickly. Beautiful!

Love ya, Mom XOP

What I've been up to

Hi Mom,

I just realized it's been a long time since I have posted - you've already been to White Point and back! It sounds like you had a very relaxing time, and were able to just enjoy yourself doing one of your favorite things with others who share your passion for the craft. Very few of us are so lucky! Hopefully you managed to get quite a bit of hooking done too in between all of the chatting, eating and comparing notes on everyone's works in progress.

I saw your post on all of your recent yarn acquisitions, and I can only suggest changing the way you think about it. I have to say, your STABLE issue (stash acquisition beyond life expectancy) is not a new phenomenon! So maybe the best way to approach it is not just as projects waiting to be done, but as a yarn collection in and of itself. This article from Knitty helps to put it all in perspective!

So what have I been up to all this time? Working on my two on-the-go-projects, the Klaralund and my Baudelaire socks. I worked on the socks during the Superbowl last weekend, with the theory that they had to be lucky for the Bears since I was also working on them when they won against the Saints in January. Alas, this was not to be, and the Colts outplayed them by a mile. But I am past the heel turning on both socks now and will start the ankles this week so hopefully they will be done soon and I can put the loss behind me by enjoying the look and feel of these bright blue beauties on my feet.

I have been making even more progress on my Klaralund, casting on for the sleeves earlier this week. I worked them using my new double-knitting skills, which helped me to keep the color changes even. This was NOT easy with this silk garden, as each skein started in its own place and some had colors - particularly the purple - that others did not. Let's just say this involved much splicing and pulling out of yards of yarn trying to catch the start of a particular repeat. In the end, though, I think I managed to keep it together pretty well, and was finished with the in-the-round section and into the upper body by the start of the weekend. Since it was generally rainy and miserable all day Saturday, this gave Nathan & I the perfect excuse to stay home and watch movies - and for me to fly through the last inches of the shoulders. I bound off the arms tonight and finished the very minimal sewing up (thank you knitting in the round) just this evening. I will wash & block it overnight - I think that overall the sweater turned out really well. The shaping was very simple but elegant in its own way and the end product looks great so far. Oh, and the double-knitting thing was considered very impressive by my fellow volunteers when I was working at the de Young on Thursday (let's just say the coat check can get very slow!)

The rain, much needed here in Northern California, has also helped add inches to my plants outside. I am so excited to report that so far all but one of the bulbs that I put in this fall are now poking out little buds from my planter boxes! This is despite Rushka's best efforts to uproot them, so it is quite an achievement. I have been checking on them all week and some are more than an inch above the ground now. This is my first try at bulbs, particularly in a planter box, so I am very excited to see how these develop.

I have also decided to make the most use of all this spare time I have on my hands these days by actually getting up from behind the computer and putting my body in motion. Yes, I have started running - a somewhat crazy pursuit in this land of hills, but so far so good. I had actually made this resolution and was listening to the Lime & Violet podcast as I walked down to get myself some new dedicated running shoes (as part of an excursion to explore the nearby Inner Sunset neighborhood) when they started promoting a new online group dedicated to getting crafters off the couch. So I joined run-a-go-go, through that found a link to a couch-potato-to-5k training program, and then I hit the streets! I'm still in week 1, walking more than I'm running (so far still so glad that it's another 5 weeks before I'm running all the time), and I'm not sure that I'll make the full 100 miles in the 7 weeks left in the run-a-go-go effort, but at least I'm getting on my feet and out the door.

My new shoes (Mizuno Wave 3's, above) served a double purpose this week, as not only did they give me the tools to get a move on, they also luckily served as my first foray into the colorways of the new Project Spectrum project - they are the perfect shades of blue, white and grey. The goal of this project is to encourage creativity using a select group of colors every two months. I'm already on the way with my blue Baudelaire's - now it's just trying to find some ways to incorporate some greys and whites into the mix. Seems like your photos of White Point in the snow would qualify! How about these shots of the massive Queen Mary which visited San Francisco last week as part of her trip around the world? (So big she just barely fit under the Golden Gate Bridge). I braved the traffic on Telegraph Hill to sneek a peek - then had to climb back down ages of stairways to get a closer look. Really, I'm not sure if the photos really convey how huge she is - let's just say that the green shape in the foreground is actually a full-sized soccer field.

Oh, and the biggest news of the week is that my box finally arrived! After only, oh, 38 days out in the wilderness after we dropped it off at the UPS Store? It got so bad that we had to threaten to just have FedEx come and pick it up from the depot in Montreal (where they managed to loose it, again, after finding it there after it was lost the first time) just to get them to admit there was a problem. Then, in the midst of a flurry of emails where everyone tried their hardest to blame someone else, I got a call early Friday from a driver trying to figure out how to drop off this priority parcel and it was finally here! Much the worse for wear (the cardboard box itself was hardly whole, and I now have a claim out because it seems they pried open the red toybox with a chisel to try and see the contents, breaking the lock in the process) but still here. I can hardly believe that all that worry and frustration is over, that I actually got it back!

Although, maybe the news that Dana is pregnant with her second set of twins (yes, thats right, two sets of twins in a row for a total of 5 children, all under the age of 4 by the end of the year), counts as big news too!

What can I say, it's been busy around here....

Megan

Hooking at Whitepoint

Hi Megs,

Just got back from our hook-in at Whitepoint Beach. It was great fun, relaxing - we just hooked. This was organized by the Rug Hooking group from the South Shore (Queens and Lunenburg Counties). There were 14 of us. Whitepoint was beautiful, calm, cold and snowy but we could hear the ocean and the food was terrific - but way too much of it - but we were not complaining.

I worked on my Frog Purse and others were doing a variety of mats from primitive and "hit and miss" to formal orientals. I will just show you the pictures to give you an idea of the variety of works.








































So I have been spending my time hooking instead of knitting - but at least I work with beautiful materials. The Rug Hooking groups here in Yarmouth are going to have a course on dyeing wools. I have taken one short course but looking forward to learning more in this area. Would like to dye my own wool for knitting as well as hooking. Same materials and techniques.

It is still snowing here and has been colder than normal but really beautiful. I like to stay in and do nothing but what I want to do all day.

Take care,

Love you, Mom XOP

Too Many Stashes

Hi Megs,

Love the adventures of Flat Stanley in San Francisco. I am sure he will have a lot to tell Meredith and her class with he gets back to Missouri. You should knit him a flat scarf and a hat before he goes home.

Went to the Yarmouth Knitting Guild last night. We all had a grand good time. I brought along my socks and lace shawl to "show and tell". Everyone was working away on hats, socks, sweaters, scarf. I sewed on my four panel jacket - have it almost all together and ready for the I-cord trim. I really like the socks so much I added to my stash of wool - again! That is the down-side (or up-side) of meeting at Hands on Crafts - too much wool calling your name. I got more Briggs and Little 1-ply sock yarn. Two are Durasport - wool with 20% nylon and one of Sport (red) - 100% wool. Wanted to try socks with the sport and see if they are any different. And I agree with you, knitting the patterned socks out of anything but solid (or almost solid) colours really takes away from the design.

But - think I am a "sick" woman! I just keep adding to my wool stash. But really love the possibilities when I look at a skein on yarn.
I started a scarf with wool that Samantha Nickerson - one our Guilders - dyed in blues with a touch of purple. I am using the Rowan pattern that I love, Dew, Rowan #26 - the one you used to match the first sweater you made. It knits so fast and is so simple but interesting. I tried other lace patterns with this yarn but again, there is too much changes in colour that detract from the lace pattern. Lace needs to be done in a solid colour - much more effective.

And like you, sometimes I just get tired of using double point needles and like to go back to straight one although I usually go back to circulars when the straight ones wang against my knitting chair or get caught up your sleeve. I am using short good old aluminum needles from my needle stash (thanks to e-bay and garage sales). Not even going to mention the wool stash I have for rug hooking. "She who has the most yarn, needles and wool wins".

I heard from Clay - he is in the Barbados - landed safely. The only glitch was trying to set up the internet. Hard life on the island! He said he would send pictures.

Hope your box arrives someday and in as few pieces as possible!

Love ya, Mom XOP