06 Sunday Jul 2008
Posted in Knitting
My therapist told me the way to achieve true inner peace is to finish what I start.
So far today, I have finished two bags of M&Ms and a chocolate cake.
I feel better already.
[Dave Barry]
I’ve been finishing projects. I still need to write up the pattern for the Argyle vest and the little hat, but at least the garments are finished. The toe-up sock is next.
14 Monday Apr 2008
Posted in Knitting, Knitting Sites
Greek, Sir, . . . is like lace; every man gets as much of it as he can.
[Samuel Johnson]
I’ve been focusing on two projects—preparing lessons for a knitting retreat, and test knitting a lace pattern designed by Sharon Winsauer. This photo shows the lace piece completed through the first pattern chart. I’ve been knitting lace for over forty years and this is one of the most interesting patterns I’ve seen. It even uses four stitch combinations I’ve never tried before. The fiber is yummy—Alpaca with a Twist. I’ve had to make myself put it away until I get the handouts ready for the knitting retreat.
30 Sunday Mar 2008
I have always grown from my problems and challenges,
from the things that don’t work out,
that’s when I’ve really learned.
[Carol Burnett]
I’m starting over. This version of an argyle vest is too large so I’ve re-figured, re-did the graph, and I’m starting over as soon as I post this. Whew!
I’ve intentionally filled the last three months with challenges. Sometime around January 1, I mused about what would happen if I actually did all of the things I’ve said I should do for all of these years.
Family and friends. I tend to live in solitude too much. I’ve been driving a friend to work and picking up my grandson from school every day. This has enlarged my world remarkably.
Exercise. I’ve been weight training at Curves three times to week for three months now. Not only do I feel better, but it got me out in all sorts of weather so I’m not nearly as likely to become a hermit. It will be delightful to keep this up.
Medical Care. I broke a decade-long habit of not seeking medical care, even for health maintenance (it was an insurance issue). But now, I’ve had all sorts of screening tests and have found a physician I can call “my Dr.” This has been an interesting and encouraging experience because I found health-care providers who are efficient and caring. As far as I can tell, I’m healthy. Also, I took the test on Real Age.com (my “real age” was 59 so that made me feel great since I’m 65). I’ve found all sorts of interesting information on their website and browse it often.
Smoking. I’ve smoked for 45 years. I quit. I could write a book about this experience, but suffice it to say this might have been my biggest 2008 challenge so far.
Cooking/Diet. I’m learning new stuff. I only want to lose about 15 pounds, but I also want to learn new ways to cook and new menus. The South Beach Diet website is fun and continues to be helpful.
I set my challenges based on this rule of thumb: If I find myself saying, “I should….” or “I wish I could….” more than twice, I make up my mind either to do “it” or lay it to rest. Meanwhile, I need to un-knit this argyle vest and start it anew.
P.S. I’d dearly love to see even one flower bloom. I may have to jump in my car and keep driving south until I find spring. Surely it is spring somewhere by now.
03 Sunday Feb 2008
Posted in Knitting
Once you can accept the universe as being
something expanding into an infinite nothing which is something,
wearing stripes with plaid is easy.
[Albert Einstein]
When I think of plaid, I think of Argyle. Having its origins in Scotland helps generate that thought. This cap is the first of four projects I’m using in an upcoming workshop. It is not knit using the traditional method for knitting Argyle—intarsia. Instead, I knit this using a method I adapted from the book, Armenian Knitting by Meg Swansen and Joyce Williams.
The yarn is Shetland jumper weight. The stitch pattern is a simple argyle. The technique is stranded knitting (Fair Isle style). The difference—I wrapped the unused yarn every other stitch. This gives the right side of the fabric a heather look. First I worked the cap with the diamonds, then I used duplicate stitch embroidery to add the gold stripes.
Now I’m working on a small bag that uses intarsia for the Argyle pattern. Stay tuned—I’ll post it as soon as I finish it.
29 Tuesday Jan 2008
Posted in Knitting, Knitting Sites, Review
If you hold a cat by the tail you learn things you cannot learn any other way.
[Mark Twain]
I’m preparing patterns and samples for workshop lessons that I’m planning to present at a knitting retreat in April. I chose Argyle as a theme to tie the variety of techniques together.
Classic Argyle is worked in intarsia—my least favorite technique. Since I rarely knit intarsia, I ordered the book, Intarsia, A Workshop for Hand and Machine Knitting, from Sealed With A Kiss. This book is an excellent source for polishing technique. I’ve been working a sample using acrylic and following the instructions carefully. I figure if I can get it to look nice using yarn as unforgiving as acrylic, I can certainly make woolen yarn look nice. I’ll post photos when I have the project finished.
I have other little projects that imitate Argyle in Fair Isle and textured knitting. Then I received a copy of Armenian Knitting by Meg Swansen and Joyce Williams from Schoolhouse Press. That launched me into another Argyle interpretation using the technique in that inspiring book.
This post will be continued as I get samples finished and photographed…
20 Sunday Jan 2008
Posted in Knitting, Knitting Sites, Review
Whoever said money can’t buy happiness
simply didn’t know where to go shopping.
[Bo Derek]
Fort Wayne had a lovely yarn shop for many years—The Cass Street Depot. It was housed in a charming late-19th century railroad station, and sold all of my favorite yarn. The Depot closed last May so we were suffering from withdrawal until recently. Now we have two (count them—2) yarn stores.
Knitting Off Broadway opened in December at 613 West Brackenridge Street, just off Broadway a couple blocks south of Jefferson Boulevard. The shop has an earthy but upscale feel and plenty of room.
Sarah Jane’s Yarn Shoppe opened yesterday at 3400 North Anthony Boulevard next to the Bead Source south of the IPFW campus. It is bright and cheery with several rooms of yarn.
I am going to have to alternate my yarn shop visits between the two since they are both so nice. I do wish them each the greatest success.
17 Thursday Jan 2008
Posted in Knitting, Other Favorite Sites, Review, Thoughts
The hero draws inspiration from the virtue of his ancestors.
[Johann Wolfgang von Goethe]
Mama was, among many other things, a hand weaver. In the early 1950s, Daddy built her a large, 8-harness floor loom out of birch. It was as pretty as a piece of furniture and sat in our dining room. She wove on it until the late 1990s then gave it to my daughter Ellen. When Ellen crated her belongings to move to Wales, the loom went along even though she didn’t know how to use it.
Ellen learned to knit, then she learned to spin and joined a guild near her home in Wales. Her hand-weaving friends helped her put the birch loom together and she has been weaving. Recently, she has been building the structure for a small fiber arts business—business plan, web presence, etc. All the while, she has been spinning, knitting and weaving wares to sell.
Ellen’s mama (me) earns her keep with graphic design and web development. I’ve been helping her long distance with the art and web side of things. We want to launch her web store for the UK on February 4th and have an introductory page online until then. Her site is www.shepherdsmoon.co.uk.
Today we were discussing a variety of exciting developments and I sat here with the phone to my ear and my heart so warmed I could have exploded. It is a mother thing. Then I thought about how happy my parents would be if they knew their granddaughter was earning her living on that 50+ year old loom.
We never know how far our actions and influence will extend into the future.
09 Wednesday Jan 2008
Posted in Knitting
Sweater, n.: garment worn by child when its mother is feeling chilly.
[Ambrose Bierce]
Owain and his new wallaby finally got together this week. I mailed it in early December. Instead of Christmas, it arrived in time for St. Distaff’s Day (Rock Day). That is appropriate since his mother is a hand spinner. Next to doing the actual knitting, seeing it warming a loved-one’s body is the most fun.
The Wonderful Wallaby pattern was designed over 20 years ago by Carol Anderson of Cottage Creations, and is in its fifteenth printing. The pattern booklet offers instructions for child’s size 2 through very large adult.
(NOTE: The lady in the photo below is this lad’s great-great grandmother.)
27 Thursday Dec 2007
Posted in Favorite Things, Knitting, Thoughts
God gave us memories that we might have roses in December.
[J.M. Barrie]
I’m sitting here imagining the welcome my friend Patsy received last evening when she went to knit in heaven with Mama and our other knitting pals who have gone before us.
I met Patsy McCoy at Meg Swansen’s Knitting Camp in Wisconsin. Then I’d see her from time to time at Dayton Knitting Guild events. But my best memories of her were at the annual knitting retreat in New Harmony, Indiana.
Patsy and Bob McCoy loaded their wagon and brought fun and treasures from Illinois to our retreat every autumn. Bob made lovely wood-turned bowls and nosterpinners for us, and Patsy brought a wealth of patterns and ideas. They hosted the event along with Gloria and Allen Johnson from Dayton.
Patsy was endlessly creative and always willing to share her inspired ideas. I remember her with love and gratitude.
05 Wednesday Dec 2007
Posted in Favorite Things, Knitting, Knitting Sites
Once we discover how to appreciate the timeless values in our daily experiences,
we can enjoy the best things in life.
[Jerome K. Jerome]
Forty years ago, a beau of mine gave me a gift—The Complete Encyclopedia of Needlework by Thérèse de Dillmont. I have no idea where he is now, but the book has been within reach of my chair ever since. Over the years, I’ve worked my way through it chapter by chapter and have taught myself almost everything in it. If I could own only one book in addition to my mama’s Bible, this would be my pick. The image above from the book shows how I cast on for socks. My cousin, Marilyn, sent me a link this morning to a site that offers the whole book online. Here it is: ENCYCLOPEDIA OF NEEDLEWORK By Thérèse de Dillmont. Enjoy.
Knitting, writing and other joys 