Great Minds Thing Alike .... plus some finished object show & tell

Hi Mom,

Reading back through your earlier posts, I was struck by how in sync we sometimes are despite the geographic distances! Not only am I also flipping through my very own new copy of Victorian Lace Today (which I ordered, finally, from KnitPicks along with my very own new set of blocking wires, both in honor of the close of MS3), but I also just completed a sock heel just like the one you describe on a pair I'm working on for Nathan. I believe it's called Eye of the Partridge, but that could be wrong. I just like the way it looks.

Narrow heel on Nathan's new socks, plus a view of the cable pattern just because I knew you'd want to see:

The socks are the Boyfriend Sock (now the Husband Sock) pattern, knit up in some rich chocolate brown Koigu KPPM that I picked up at Imagiknits when I was there with Susan, Ellen & Meredith to celebrate the sale of our former Chicago home. I can't get these done fast enough for Nathan - he's so looking forward to his brand new homemade socks that I'm asked when they will be done several times a week!

By the way, don't forget to check out the errata page for Victorian Lace Today - apparently it's quite extensive.

As for thinking along a single train of though, how about this?

Kenneth Cole Reaction 'Magic Shuffle', L to R: brown '06, black '07, brown '07

Yes, that is the exact same pair of shoes, 3x over. At left are the originals, which I picked up last year and loved to death. Out shoe shopping last week, I was looking for another pair that were just as comfortable, only in black. Imagine how happy I was to see that the same shoe had come back for fall '07, this time with a small heel to perk things up a bit. After snatching up a pair in black, contemplating the sorry state of my old brown pair, then realizing there was only a single pair my size left in brown, I couldn't resist adding those to my bag too. So now I am the proud owner of 3 essentially identical pairs of shoes. Maybe I need to get out more.

Aside from shoe shopping I have also been busy getting things off the needles (and hook) as a round of summer knitting seems to be coming to a close. The big news was the end of MS3 and the blocking of my new blue Swan Lake Shawl (note the new fancy blocking wires! So nice to have, even if they are a bit clumsy to use).

Pattern: MS3 knit-a-long, aka Swan Lake from pinklemontwist
Yarn: Jaegger Zephyr in blueberry, knit on US3 addi lace needles

I really enjoyed participating in the knit-a-long and the whole mystery aspect. I don't think I would have picked this pattern out as one to knit on my own but I'm really happy with the result and to have this as an addition to my wardrobe. I was worried that it wouldn't be long enough, particularly in blocking when I realized it was only going to be about 17" wide x 72" long. Once on, though, it drapes really well and is even pretty warm for such a light knit. (I used just over 2oz of wool in the end).


Please ignore the strange expression, this was an early weekend morning photo shoot!

While I was showing off my new shawl, I also had to grab my new sweater which I finished up earlier this month, my crocheted Joy from the summer Rowan.

Pattern: Joy, Rowan Summer '07
Yarn: Rowan 4ply Cotton in Provence (just as photographed for the magazine),
worked with a US D 3.00 mm crochet hook.
As I could only get enough yarn by combining two different dyelots, the primary yarn is used for the main body and the second color for the sleeves & collar. Can you tell the difference?

This pattern reminded me, once again, how important it is to BASTE the pieces of a pattern together before I go ahead and sew in the many many ends, burying them so deeply that they can never be recovered. I was actually so worried that the body pieces were too small, that I ended up working in extra panels on the back section for width. In the end, of course, the back ended up too wide, pushing the sleeves down towards my elbows and bagging out all over the place. And of course I figured this out only once the whole sweater was sewn together, and I COULD NOT get the ends out to re-set the sleeves and try to address this mess. So in the end I had to CUT THEM OUT, reposition them, then secure them in by re-burying all the individual side pieces of yarn that I had cut. (They are still a little lumpy, but much more liveable.) What can I say, not the best of summer afternoons overall!

Even my long-patient, often set-aside Eveleen is off the needles, blocked and waiting to be assembled (after I finally finished sewing in all 200+ ends from the intarsia panel - there will be no close-up shots of this as it is far from my best work! It seems intarsia & I still have not reached a positive understanding between us...)



Of course, so many projects off the needles mean a new host of projects to cast on. Not only I am working socks for Nathan but I also have a pair for myself in the works, a child's sweater for the next (and possibly last, at least for this year) campaign for afghans for Afghans, and of course Hanami (whose knit-a-long starts on Friday - hopefully I'll be ready for it.) I've even found a use for all those balls of palette that I bought for Eveleen's intarsia panel, which required only a few yards of each leaving me with almost-complete balls: I've been inspired by the Mason & Dixon mitered square obsession to use the extra yarn to make square after square after square. I even bought more yarn (of course!) so that I could have a wider variety of colors to play with. What they will be, I still don't know, but they're fun to make for now.


What with that whole list, plus of host of things on my knitting wish list, I can't imagine having the time to knit to sell too. How good it must feel to have your work up in the shops! And congratulations on your first sale! Hopefully there will be many more to follow. I think you'll do okay with your new 'job' too - sounds like more fun than work overall!

I'm glad to hear that you had such a great adventure on your kayak trip and are now enjoying the late summer weather. Our warm days seem to be coming now - the sun is actually out today. So far, though, the most active I have been is playing mini-golf with Matt & Nathan on a Saturday afternoon and even that was followed up with a trip to a local wine bar. Hopefully with the fall and some warmer days (finally!) we'll be out there adventuring too.

Here's to enjoying the last days of August,

Megan

Beautiful Summer

Hi Megs,

I laughed out loud - and so did your father - when I read about the wrong Rushka. When I looked at the picture before I scrolled down (and you told the story very well!) it looked like Rushka had gained weight but then.... It was good that you could both laugh about it and not cry. It reminded me of the time when I was around 8 that my mother was stressed working on some sewing project and needed more pins. She drove me down town and I was to run into the TG&Y to buy the pins and she would drive around the block and pick me up. I did go in and buy the pins and back outside - no mother! I waited and waited - no mother. She got distracted somewhere going around the block and drove home - forgetting me completely! She only remember, she confessed later, when she got back and thought about needing the pins again. You come by distraction naturally.

Our kayak trip was amazing! What a Wonderful group of women! Most had never been in a kayak before but we all paddled our hearts out. We went from Weymouth Mills, base for Hinterland, down the Sisiboo River into the ocean at St. Mary's Bay. We kayaked around the Bay, sleeping out in tents for 4 nights and in 5 days made it to Sandy Cove on Digby Neck. We kayaked over 60 km in the ocean with winds, white caps, against and with the tides. It was just amazing. The nicest thing was both being with this group of women and being by myself in my own little kayak in the ocean. A real experience and one, at 64 11/12th, I am very proud of doing. (I am front, second from the left in our group picture - blue jacket, dumb green hat).

























































As to kitting and hooking - I have also been busy. I have to think about that Mystery Shawl 3 - don't think I really like the wing. I am not getting it but maybe I just am too traditional and like things a little more symmetrical. I do like the patten up until it goes off into a wing. I also really like the colour. I think I will also try the Hanami. Why not - what is another project along with all the things I am working on now!

I have been working on the Place Rug and other small knitting projects. I did finish a little small "coaster" mat. I had this for a long time kicking around so I finished it. I have also now officially "in business" with Tin Pot Textiles. I have moved on two fronts. First, my knitting and hooking are now being marketed by At The Sign of the Whale Gallery. I took my Lady Eleanor, the Maidenhair shawl, some hooking pieces, including "Three Old Fisherman Watch the Boats Come In" over to Francis and Michael's. And - even before they put them out I sold the "One Black Sheep" pillow! I have now officially made money on this venture.


I am also bought into the Hands on Crafts Cooperative. I will have smaller pieces there, the little purses, some shawls and some hooking things, and also am selling some of my large collection of vintage knitting needles. I have to work there two days a week but have a partner who will do one day for me so I have only one day. It is an interesting place so don't think I will mind - although Stan says "working" doesn't fit my new life style. I agree - that is working with a schedule. You might want to join me and place some of your work at either location. I found that I had a lot of things that I made for the joy of it and would be pleased to sell.

We had a very nice 45th wedding anniversary dinner at Charlotte Lane Cafe in Shelburne. We had a nice drive down, beautiful evening, and a lovely dinner.

I am off this afternoon with the kayak women to go out and see the puffins and harbour seals on Green island on the Zodiac. It is a grand ride on a beautiful day - no paddling! I sat out on the deck this morning knitting (making a triangular scarf out of Noro Silk Garden, Colour 258) and watching the humming birds. Got this picture - you can see the hummingbird just to the right of the geranium (a gray blob). Yesterday I took this picture of a butterfly that, with sister (butterfly woman) Susan's help, we are trying to identify. It would make a beautiful mat.



























Love ya,

Mom

Summer Fun

Hi Mom,

It seems that you have been having a lot of fun this summer - hooking retreats, big successes at the county fair (congratulations! pretty soon people are going to start blacklisting you from entering and scooping all the prizes...), sharkfest and rafting too. Nothing like being retired and taking it easy, eh!

Here we have been not quite so adventurous, but even so the time has just flown. We've been down to Oceanside to visit with all the Smiths,then had the Smiths come here to visit with us. We've helped Matt get settled at Berkeley, where he's eager for his graduate studies to begin, and toured Rachael around San Francisco in the hopes she may be lured to the bay area too from Hong Kong at the end of her upcoming school year. We've even had lots of sun the past week (after a long string of foggy days) so things are really looking up!

Rushka had a great time on the drive down to southern California and meeting the extended Smith crew, even if it did wear her out. She spent so much time at first trying to keep track of all the cars on the highway and then everyone at the beach house that she hardly slept at all the first 36 hours - pretty grueling for a dog that normally sleeps 18 hours + a day! So I think she was happy in the end to come home and relax in the peace and quiet of San Francisco. Since dog's aren't allowed on the beach at all in San Diego county, we had to make up for her missed ocean time once we got home, so we took her to Ocean Beach to play in the waves here. Let's just say she ended up a big wet salty sandy mess after almost an hour of chasing the surf - I think she had fun even if she had to pay for it with a bath when she got home!

So our poor Rushka dog seems to be doing well, even if her health stats aren't all that great right now. I feel like part of the problem is that we are spending way too much time at the vet, which means way too many opportunities to find new things that are wrong with her. Case in point:


Yep, that's a big fat mole, found by accident right between her toes on her left front paw and which we now get to pay big $$ to have removed, you know, just in case it's cancer. Because we didn't have enough vet bills - or worries - with just the diabetes. I am almost beyond being worried about all of this since this is not a dog that acts sick, but still, I'm not so amused by all of this veterinary action.

And speaking of fun at the vet, do you notice anything wrong in these two pictures?


If you guessed that Rushka looks a bit different, you'd be right - because that isn't Rushka. That's right, when I went to pick her up just before leaving for Oceanside, THE VET GAVE ME THE WRONG DOG!!!

Say hello to Bailey! The rottweiller in boarding who got to take an hour + adventure with Nathan and I, driving all around the city of San Francisco and even getting to visit our home, before we pieced it all together, got ahold of the vet (through the after hours emergency vet service - by then the clinic was closed and the last staff member was on her way out to enjoy her Friday evening) to make the switch. Bailey was just so friendly and happy to be with me and ride in our car, while I was so distracted making sure we were ready to hit the road the next morning, that she was with me in the car for about 20 minutes before I started to clue in that something wasn't right. By the time I picked up Nathan I was going back and forth with myself as to whether I was crazy or whether the vet could have actually given me a dog that wasn't mine. Yet it still took us all the way until we got home and into our apartment before we could face the bizarre but true fact that this dog had NEVER been in our apartment before. Once we managed to get ahold of the vet's office and make sure we could actually get our dog back and quelch the panic of having Rushka be left alone while we had to take care of a strange dog for the evening, the absurdity of the situation hit and I was laughing so hard I was crying all the way back to the clinic to make the switch. Let's just say we're all glad to have Rushka back where she belongs, safe and sound:

what? there was another dog in the house? says who?

Although I'm still not sure that I can explain this:



On the knitting front, I have been plugging away on MS3 and am now on the Final Clue!! Although really I should now be calling it by it's proper name, revealed at Clue 5: Swan Lake (which explains the white or black & romantic but ending tragically - with my blue shawl, I'm just going to pretend I'm knitting the lake part of it all). The biggest news though was the fact that, in honor of the theme, this assymetrical stole is to end not with another point but with a wing.

Really. A short-row lace wing, knit on the bias onto the body of the stole. I was skeptical at first - there are options for a non-wing stole, and a two-wing stole is in the works, but a one-wing stole? what would that look like? - but I decided after all that since I was in for a penny anyways I might as well be in for a pound. Here is where I was a few weeks ago with the first 'wing' clue in progress (again with the mystery-ness of the chart preserved):



And where I am today, only 18 rows short of binding off the final row:

Looks pretty good - I'm so curious now to see what it's like once it's finally off the needles!

In honor of the whole project, I finally gave in and let myself order a set of blocking wires which are presently on their way from Knitpicks (with a copy of Victorian Lace Today, just to keep the whole them intact). Hopefully they will get here by Friday so that I can keep my pace of one week per clue and have it all done by the weekend. Then I'll get a short week off and it's on to Hanami - did you decide if you want to try that one as well? - not to mention all my other projects that need some attention....

Your Lady E, by the way, is beautiful - no wonder she won best in show. Now we just have to find the opportunity to get together again and show our two off in tandem! They'd be a hit for sure.

Megan

Very Busy

Hi Megs,

I know you and Nathan have been very busy and so have we - but trying to get your father to take it easy. I guess that is what summer is for - to be out there doing things. It has been beautiful weather here (with some fog in the morning - and some fog all day!) and also nice times when it rains and then have an excuse to stay in and muck about. I know you enjoyed being with Nathan's family at the beach. There also must now be a 4th part of the mystery stole3 that you are working on. I have been hooking for the most part.

We had a Rotary Garage sale in the fog. We made over $700 with all our "stuff". It was warm but the fog made it nice and enough people saw us at the side of the road. It was funny. At one point we couldn't see from one end of the long table to the other the fog was so thick. We had to laugh - that is Yarmouth!

My knitting did very well at the Western Nova Scotia Exhibition. The lace shawl, little purse, yellow sweater, and Lady Eleanor all won firsts and Lady Eleanor won "Best Knitted Article". I also won a first with my biscuits in the cooking. I helped Emmi Comeau, the Director of the Handcrafts, Flowers and Cooking sort things and prepare the exhibit. She made me "Associate Director". My gray wool socks came in second - Emmi beat me out - she had a really interesting way to do the heel. She does the slip-one on the reinforced heel but does it on the opposite stitch so it makes a honeycomb pattern instead of a rib. I made a special exhibit for Rug Hooking and encouraged members to enter - which they did - so we had a very nice display.






























I have started a shawl loosely based on "A wide triangle", a shawl I found in Victorian Knitting Today. The pattern reminded me about picots and showed how to add a bead to them. The yarn is different, I am making long (3 cast on) picots and putting 3 small beads on every other row instead of every third row. It is turning out very well. I like the way it hangs. The beads are dark red/gray with a green/gray sheen. They are hard to describe. The yarn is Lodband Einband by istex from Iceland. It is lace weight and really nice heather gray.




































Looking forward to an update on your mystery shawl and all that you have been doing. Your father is taking it easy as he should. I am going on an (don't laugh) ocean kayaking trip with some "mature" women next week. Looking forward to this - their company - but way out of my comfort zone! Don't think I am taking any knitting!

Hello Nathan - a hug for you. Give Rushka a pat for me.

Love ya,

Mom

I Finished It!

Hi Megs,

From all reports, Ellen, Susan and Meredith had a GREAT time in San Francisco. You and Nathan were great hosts - just as you were for Dad and me. I love the pictures - particularly the ones that Nathan took. He always gets that unusual angle and images. Ellen's blog pictures were nice too - lots of happy faces. They also loved Rushka!

Thanks for the update on the Mystery Stole 3. Interesting pattern and, as you mention, the shape is odd. Can't wait for the next piece. You have done a beautiful job on this. And - I always learn things from you. I have never heard of a "lifeline" before in knitting. How does it go in? I feel like an "old" knitter just doing my own thing in splendid isolation where you come up with new ideas and terms. I have learned a lot from you.

Like you, I have been very busy since I last posted. First - I FINISHED MY LADY ELEANOR! This poor thing has been drug along with me through the US, Brazil and Canada.
My gage is different since I used Twilleys of Stamford Freedom Spirit, 100% wool and smaller needles (5mm instead of 6.5mm). It is as long, about 72" but not as wide - only about 18". I did 26 repeats of Tiers 1 & 2. This yarn is very soft and not plied so I didn't do the knotted fringe - thought it would "felt" too much - so I did braided fringe. It looks nice and the colours come out in the braiding - but my hands hurt from the braiding motion. Not something I do often.

I had an incentive to get it done - want to enter it in the competition at the Ex (Western Nova Scotia Exhibition) along with the lace shawl I finished this winter. I am also going to enter a purse I made from the recycled sari yarn given to me by Carol and Keith when they visited earlier in the month. I think it came out very nicely. I made two lengths of strap and put clips on the end so you could take them off and use it as a clutch, with a short or longer strap. Sort of playing around with the design.


The weekend of Seafest we had an "open house" on the Saturday for all the "Yarmouth Area Working Studios" that are in our brochure. I had to organize my "nest" so that I could have visitors.

It was very successful - for our first go at it. I have 6 visitors some I knew, some I didn't. Some local, a couple from Massachusetts and a woman from Pennsylvania. It was nice to talk to them and show them what I was doing. I had a simple sign made while I am waiting to figure out what kind of sign I want and what sort of logo to design or have designed for Tin Pot Textiles. I also have some of my work displayed in the case at the tourist bureau. It is a start but don't have anything to sell except for larger pieces. We are also getting things organized for the 2nd Annual Yarmouth Craft Splash, September 30th to October 6 - ends at the Thanksgiving weekend. At least the group of us are organizing to make Yarmouth a craft destination. So many great craftspeople here.

Your Dad and I then went to the Seafest Parade. It was a just terrific - from the RCMP to a cement truck decorated as a whale (the boom on the truck made the whale's tail move and it spouted water.) There was also a float in support of Dwight Deon a local (Pubnico) lobsterman who is in the final 8 for Canadian Idol! We also went to the fireworks but there was so much fog all you could see was the fog lighting up in colours and some trickles of sparks as they fell towards the harbour. It was oddly beautiful.

It has been warm here - for Yarmouth. It got up to the mid 80's and not a lot of wind - a breeze. I took my hooking out of the deck and worked there - Stan joined me and we listened to baseball on XM. This is a picture of him talking to you when you called. He had a nice birthday - but don't think he likes being an official "senior citizen" - don't think I am going to like it either. We still feel exactly like we did when we were married almost 45 years ago. It is nice being retired because we now have time to just sit in the sun when we want to. (PS - the red "egg" bird feeder you sent is just great - the birds love it, particularly the cardinals.)

The oriental I am working on is a Christmas present for your grandmother Place (actually it was supposed to be a Christmas present last year but didn't get it finished) so just has my side of the family on it. It is turning our very nicely. I will have to make one for Stan with all of us and the Jones crew.

I found a great standing frame - a Bliss/Harry M. Fraser. They are known for their cutters. The hookers I asked have never heard of a frame by them. It says "Bliss adjustable rug frame, Companion to the Bliss Strip Slitter". It has great hardware - locks tight. The frame was made in Connecticut and I got it from an Ebay seller in Vermont (wildflowerseeder). I have the oriental on it now and it makes it a lot easier and gets it off my lap. The downside is that it is not very portable. I have to start another rug to take "on the road".
Last I went to a great "hook-in" in Sandy Cove on Digby Neck. A group of us from the Rugg Bees went down to a great old cottage - converted from the Central Lodge at a girls camp - Arcadie - that ran from mid 1930's to the mid 70's. It was grand fun to just sit, hook, and talk and EAT!













That is about all we have been doing. Your dad is working on his trains and listening to baseball and trying not to work at anything official. I am mucking about. Clay may have an opportunity to work for White Ribbon in New York. You and Nathan will soon have your 1st anniversary. Life is good.

Know you are both enjoying your weekend with Nathan's family. Tell everyone hello for us. Hope Rushka is well - really worry about her. Dad told me she was going with you to the beach. We are not doing much this weekend. We did go down to see the parade of boats (sail and lobster boats) at the wharf - they were decorated with lights up and looked beautiful in the dark. It was foggy again so they sort of came out of the fog. It was really neat.

Love ya,

Mom

Mystery Stole Update

Hi Mom,

In your last post you asked about my Mystery Stole, so I thought I'd give up an update. I am happy to say that I am still going strong and have been able to keep up with all the clues so far. The pointed end is a first for me and I'm curious to see how it will all work out in the end. Here is my finished progress two weeks ago (at the end of Clue 2):


And again last week, at the end of Clue 3:


You may be able to tell that I am putting lifelines in at the end of each clue. There are really just for me to be able to mark my progress rather than for any real 'safety' reason. I have had to rip down a few rows twice so far to fix mistakes, but each time the stickiness of the Zephyr has held the stitches for me to pick up with relative ease. The measuring tape at the end of Clue 3 was to measure out how far I'd come as we should have been 1/3 of the way by that point. I eked out 24" with just a dry pinning which will give 72" minimum overall so I think I'll be alright!

As I said, the pointy shape is a new one for me, as are the beads; I'm still not sure how I'll like it all when it's finally done but for now I'm just enjoying the process. At present I am in the middle of super-long and super-repetitive Clue 4 (with a cat's paw lace pattern over and over and over again). We have two weeks for this Clue so that Melanie, the designer and head of this whole extravaganza, can have time off to read HP7 to her son! (I'm bringing my copy to the beach this weekend...)

Next Friday is the all-important Clue 5, where Something Big is going to happen. We were told emphatically to put a lifeline in at a very specific point in Clue 4 and to NOT purl back after the last row of the Clue, so I have no idea what is coming next! Clue 5 is also where the theme will be revealed. What will it be? So far the guesses have included everything from Pirates of the Caribbean to Swan Lake to Tibetan Gods & Goddesses. All I know is that I have no idea -I'm waiting to be surprised!

Megan

Wow! Meredith, Susan & Ellen's whirlwind San Francisco tour

View of San Francisco from Alcatraz!

Hi Mom,

I'm sure by now that you've heard all about Meredith, Susan & Ellen's excellent adventures in San Francisco - they are well chronicled in Ellen's blog! (Even just reading about everything we did makes me tired).

Just to add to the fun, here are some of the photos that Nathan & I took while they were here. True to form, they are somewhat odd, but I like them.

Local artists inspired by the swans at the Palace of Fine Arts

Susan, Me, Meredith & Ellen with the historic ships at Hyde Pier
(yes, this is a proper tourist photo and yes, it was taken by someone else - by an actual tourist who sweetly offered to take it for us)

Welcome signs at Alcatraz

Buildings on Alcatraz - former military barracks and warden's house

Pagoda through the trees at the Japanese tea garden

I have been keeping up with your posts, even if I haven't been writing much. I am so jealous that you got to meet one of the Gee's Bend quilters! I saw the exhibit when it was at the de Young last year, but didn't have a chance to meet any of the artists when they were there. I am sure you must be very inspired now to play with colors & forms in your own creations. The oriental rug you are hooking looks great. But if it is all our somewhat extended family where is Sally? Should she be there too?

I also loved all the signs along the roadway. You might just have to buy one - especially if you want to use it for inspiration in a rug. I think my favorite is: A Minute is a Long Time When Someone is in the Bathroom. And the pictures of the houses reminded me of San Francisco! (Even if you do seem to have more sun...)

A knitting update will follow soon,

Megan

My poppies actually bloomed!
Their happy red makes for a refreshing break from the fog...