Just think of all those women on the Titanic who said,
“No, thank you,” to dessert that night. And for what!
[Erma Bombeck]

Pass the dessert folks, I’m still celebrating. The special introductory offer is up on my web site for ordering the CD version of . . .and a time to knit stockings. I’m already receiving orders. I’m so excited.

I sent the papers to the state to make A Time to Knit Publications into a LLC. At 63, I’m finally turning this into a business. I’m so excited.

Yesterday, I received an order from Susan at Tongue River Farm for more copies of my other sock book, The Tongue River Farm Sock Collection. She told me that her icelandic wool that she kits with my little book of six sock patterns was mentioned by the Yarn Harlot on her blog. Since then she’d sold out. Stephanie Pearl-McPhee (Yarn Harlot) is Canada’s answer to a knitting Erma Bombeck. So funny. We all need folks like her for our mental health. As for me, her post on her blog was like being on Oprah’s book club list. I’m so excited.

Much encouraged, I’m forging ahead. I have more than a dozen sweaters, vests and accessories designed in texture knitting. I’ve started layouts for those patterns under the name, Great Lakes Chill Chaser Collection. That doesn’t exactly roll off of the tongue, does it? The photo of the Grosse Ile, Michigan lighthouse is the hallmark for that collection. One of my clients, Janet Newell, took that lovely photo. I’m so excited.

Clocks slay time…
time is dead as long as it is being clicked off by little wheels;
only when the clock stops does time come to life.
[William Faulkner]

. . . and a time to knit stockings is finished—ready to go to the disc makers for production and packaging. I set aside most other tasks for the month of October to meet this goal. Whew! I made it.

I have posted a special introductory offer on my website, atimetoknit.com, for placing pre-paid orders at a reduced price. This offer will last until November 30th and the projected delivery date is mid-December.

The CD will be compatible with both Macs and PCs, and the software it uses is common to almost all computers. You can use your web browser (Explorer, Safari, Firefox, Netscape, etc.) to surf through colored images of 16 sock designs and a “How To” section. You do not have to be connected to the internet to use web browsers. You can open files that are on your local computer. Then, if there is a pattern you’d like to knit, you can open and print its PDF file. It doesn’t take long to open these since they are local and not coming through an internet connection.

The November stocking (pictured above) is knit in the Setesdal folk art style—Norwegian design. The knee stocking is knit using Guernsey yarn and the short sock is knit using cotton yarn. If you click on the “Knitting” link in the left column of this page, you can browse several other socks that are in this book. If you scroll on down this page, you’ll see a photo of me in a sweater that I knit to match the knee stockings.

One more thought. Sometime during the night, time changed (a new experience this year in Indiana). Now I’ll have to read the handbook to figure out how to change my car clock. I don’t really see the point to all of this. Tracking time is a man-made thing—it can be whatever hour we say it is. It is important to coordinate the tracking of time to prevent train wrecks and air disasters, but it is all relative. It would be easier to just pick a time and leave it alone. No matter. I can always find a time to knit stockings.

Creative work is play.
It is free speculation using materials of one’s chosen form.
[Stephen Nachmanovitch]

Jolene and I are heading to Ohio to teach a Fair Isle knitting workshop this weekend. Acutally, I’d call it stranded knitting since I have samples that aren’t classiclly Fair Isle. Stranded knitting is a color-change technique that involves carrying two strands of yarn across each row. I love to watch the pattern grow as I work. The photo at the right is classically Fair Isle and shows how I carry my yarn.

I enjoy workshops. In addition to meeting folks, I always learn more than I teach. I feel like I’m in an ongoing apprenticeship. No matter how much I’ve learned from books, I have learned most of my skills through contact with other people. I pick up an idea here, and a technique there.

The most important things I pick up are inspiration, ideas and encouragement.