Bedtime, with a little person, is one of my favorite times of the day. That is time when Little Clover and I have our best talks. It is our time to connect and it is the time of day when we have each other's full attention. Our conversations can be very trivial, but sometimes, they can revolve around some serious topics. The other night, we had one of our soul searching conversations. We talked about bugs.
It began with Little Clover and I discussing the state of the housekeeping and how he decided that the next night, we would clean the house. I had no idea that he was this involved in the state of the kitchen floors. He told me that he and Italian would take care of his bathroom counter where his microscope was cirrently residing. Evidently, he thought that the dead spider he and Italian had been examining was too much for me to bear. I told him I didn't mind dead spiders, it was the live ones that bothered me. Then he asked me what my favorite bugs were. We talked for 15 minutes on which bugs we liked and which ones we didn't and I really began to hope that when he is sixteen and going through his teenage stuff, he will still talk to me at bedtime about whatever is on his mind.
I mentioned that I liked butterflies and moths. Then he looked at me with a very serious expression. He said, "You only like moths when they are outside. Inside, they might eat your yarn."
I smiled.
I have actually been getting quite a bit of knitting and spinning done. I'm headed out of town to Minneapolis for work and I am pushing myself to finish Anniversary Sweater Part II before I leave. This will be my first time to be someplace cold during the winter since the age of 5. I'm concerned I may have become too Southernized (if that is possible). I think there is even this white stuff called snow on the ground up there.
Tonight, I will go out, hunting for the perfect thank you gifts for the Hometeam Huddle fundraising drive for Habitat. Be on the watch for pictures tomorrow!
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Monday, January 22, 2007
Colts vs. Bears
You're Invited!
To the Habitat for Humanity Hometown Huddle!
For football fans and friends/relatives/spouse of football fans, a very important day is quickly approaching. Sunday, February 4 will be a day of merrymaking and celebrating. It is Super Bowl Sunday! Habitat for Humanity is asking community members to take donations during the half-time production for the Super Bowl. While you watch Prince, you can also help a family in need build their own castle. Since we are not hosting a Super Bowl party, but we still want to help out, I've decided to host a virtual Hometown Huddle here on my blog and you are invited!
To participate, please click on the donation button in the sidebar and leave whatever amount is comfortable for you. Your donation will go towards my local chapter of Habitat for Humanity to help them provide families with a home. I've built one Habitat house in my community and the experience was amazing. The house was for a family of three, a mom and her two kids. I will cover as much of the PayPal fees as I can so that all of your money goes to Habitat. Of course, my goal is to have a ton of donations, so much that I won't be able to cover all of the PayPal fees. My goal is to raise $3,000 for Habitat. To entice you, there will be yarn! I'm on the prowl for some yarn to send out to random lucky donors.
Habitat provides families with a decent home, which is hard to find for more and more people. For more information on their mission and activities, please visit their website. If you help provide funding, then consider donating some of your time and help build a house in your community.
PayPal applies a fee of up to 3% and $0.30 to every transaction.
To the Habitat for Humanity Hometown Huddle!
For football fans and friends/relatives/spouse of football fans, a very important day is quickly approaching. Sunday, February 4 will be a day of merrymaking and celebrating. It is Super Bowl Sunday! Habitat for Humanity is asking community members to take donations during the half-time production for the Super Bowl. While you watch Prince, you can also help a family in need build their own castle. Since we are not hosting a Super Bowl party, but we still want to help out, I've decided to host a virtual Hometown Huddle here on my blog and you are invited!
To participate, please click on the donation button in the sidebar and leave whatever amount is comfortable for you. Your donation will go towards my local chapter of Habitat for Humanity to help them provide families with a home. I've built one Habitat house in my community and the experience was amazing. The house was for a family of three, a mom and her two kids. I will cover as much of the PayPal fees as I can so that all of your money goes to Habitat. Of course, my goal is to have a ton of donations, so much that I won't be able to cover all of the PayPal fees. My goal is to raise $3,000 for Habitat. To entice you, there will be yarn! I'm on the prowl for some yarn to send out to random lucky donors.
Habitat provides families with a decent home, which is hard to find for more and more people. For more information on their mission and activities, please visit their website. If you help provide funding, then consider donating some of your time and help build a house in your community.
PayPal applies a fee of up to 3% and $0.30 to every transaction.
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Entrelac Socks
When I first saw the entrelac socks on Eunny's blog, I knew I they looked fun and challenging. They would definitely be on my needles sometime in the future. The more I looked at them, the less I wanted to wait, so I went in search of pattern. I found one on the Townsend Socks Yahoo! group, but it wasn't exactly what I wanted. Like most knitters, I saw the pattern and immediately began thinking of ways to change it. Below is the pattern I ended up creating.
Size: Women's small-medium (I wear a size US 7.5 shoe. The circumference of my foot at the ball is 8.5 inches. My foot length is 9 inches)
Gauge: 8 stitches per inch
Materials: Trekking XXL 104, 5 bamboo DPNs in US size 1 (2.25mm)
Note on Trekking:
Some Trekking yarns will make a beautiful entrelac pattern without any planning or forethought. You can just pick out the yarn and start knitting. To do this, make sure you use a colorway with very long color blocks. Other Trekking yarns with shorter color repeats will create stripped entrelac squares. The other option is to use two solid colors of sock yarn and alternate.
Worked toe-up with a short row toe and a short row heel. I use Wendy's pattern as a reference.
Begin by casting on 32 stitches using a provisional cast-on.
Knit across cast-on stitches. Purl back across.
Begin short row toe:
Row 1: Knit to last stitch, wrap last stitch with yarn in front as if to purl, slip last stitch from left needle to right. Turn work, slip first stitch (the one you just wrapped and slipped) onto right needle.
Row 2: Purl to last stitch, wrap last stitch with yarn in front as if to knit, slip last stitch from left needle to right. Turn work, slip first stitch (the one you just wrapped and slipped) onto right needle. You now have one wrapped stitch on each end of the needle.
Row 3: Knit to stitch before the wrapped stitch (second to last stitch), wrap stitch with yarn in front as if to purl, slip wrapped stitch from left needle to right. Turn work, slip stitch (the one you just wrapped and slipped) onto right needle.
Row 4: Purl to stitch before the wrapped stitch (second to last stitch), wrap stitch with yarn in front as if to knit, slip wrapped stitch from left needle to right. Turn work, slip stitch (the one you just wrapped and slipped) onto right needle. You now have two wrapped stitches on each end.
Continue repeating rows 3 and 4 until you have wrapped 8 stitches on each side and have 16 unwrapped stitches in the middle. Now you will begin picking up the wrapped stitches, beginning with a knit row.
Picking up wrapped stitches and make a toe box:
Row 1: Knit across 16 center stitches to the first wrapped stitch. Pick up the wrap, knit the stitch, pass wrap over knitted stitch. Move yarn to front as if to purl. Slip next stitch, turn, slip stitch back to right hand needle, purl to first wrapped stitch.
Row 2: Pick up the wrap, purl the stitch, pass wrap over knitted stitch. Move yarn to front as if to knit. Slip next stitch, turn, slip stitch back to right hand needle, knit to wrapped stitch.
Continue repeating rows 1 and 2 until all wrapped stitches have been worked. You know have a toe box and have just finished a purl row.
Knit 16 stitches onto your needle, pick up a new needle and knit the next 16 stitches onto the new needle.
Unzip the provisional cast on and place these stitches onto two needles, distributed evenly. You may need to pick up one stitch. Knit across these 32 stitches. You now have a total of 64 stitches on your needle.
Knit one row even.
Next row, decrease 22 stitches as follows: k2tog twice. (k1, k2tog) repeat 20 times. [42 stitches on needles]
Knit one row even.
Entrelac Base Triangles:
Each base triangle is worked across a total of 6 base stitches. After each row, turn the work.
Row 1: (RS) K2, turn
Row 2: (WS) Slip 1 stitch purlwise, purl 1, turn
Row 3: (RS) K3, turn
Row 4: (WS) Slip 1 stitch purlwise, purl 2, turn
Row 5: (RS) K4, turn
Row 6: (WS) Slip 1 stitch purlwise, purl 3, turn
Row 7: (RS) K5, turn
Row 8: (WS) Slip 1 stitch purlwise, purl 4, turn
Row 9: (RS) K6
Repeat these 9 rows across the remaining stitches. You will end up with 7 triangles. Distribute triangles across 4 needles. Needles 1 and 2 will be the instep stitches. Each will have 2 triangles. Needles 3 and 4 will be the heel stitches. Needle 3 will have one triangle and needle 4 will have 2 triangles.
Entrelac Squares Set 1
With wrong side facing, pick up 5 stitches along the side of the first triangle, starting at the tip and working down to the base. Purl 1 stitch from the adjacent triangle. Turn. This section may seem very awkward, but it will work out.
Row 1: Knit 6, turn.
Row 2: Purl 5, p2tog, turn.
Continue repeating two rows until all 6 stitches adjacent triangle have been purled. Pick up 5 stitches down the side of the triangle. and repeat Entrelac Square Set 1 until all triangles have been consumed and you have 7 squares.
Entrelac Squares Set 2
With right side facing, pick up 6 stitches along side of entrelac square. Knit one stitch from lefthand needle. Pass the 6th picked up stitch over the just knit stitch. Turn.
Row 1: Purl 6, turn
Row 2: K5, slip 1 stitch from lefthand needle to right, psso. Turn.
Continue repeating two rows until all stitches from left hand square have been consumed.
Continue alternating each set of squares until the sock length is approximately two incehs shorter than your foot length, end by completing Set 2.
Heel
Purl back across 6 stitches.
Pick up 5 stitches purlwise, purl 1 stitch from left needle.
End Triangle:
Row 1: Slip 1 stitch knitwise, k1
Row 2: Slip 1 stitch purlwise, p2
Row 3: Slip 1 stitch knitwise, k3
Row 4: Slip 1 stitch purlwise, p4
Row 5: Slip 1 stitch knitwise, k5
Row 6: Slip 1 stitch purlwise, p6
Row 7: Slip 1 stitch knitwise, k6, k2 tog
Row 8: Slip 1 stitch purlwise, p6, slip 1, p2tog, psso
Repeat across needles 3 and 4. You will have 6 square stitches and 24 end triangle stitches. Put all 30 stitches and on one needle. You will also now have 2 squares on needle 1 and 1 square on needle 2. Now you will begin the short row heel by repeating the process for a short row toe.
After making a short row heel, pick up 5 stitches purlwise down side of adjacent square.
Work Entrelac Squares Set 1 across the three squares on needles 1 and 2. Contine and consume the first 6 stitches off the needle containing the heel stitches. If there is a gap before the 6 stitches, pick up 2 stitches and k2tog them together on row 2 of entrelac square.
Now you are at the heel stitches.
Base triangles:
Row 1: P2tog, p2tog
Row 2: Slip 1 knitwise, k1
Row 3: P3
Row 4: Slip 1 knitwise, k2
Row 5: P4
Row 6: Slip 1 knitwise, k3
Row 7: P5
Row 8: Slip 1 knitwise, k4
Row 9: P6
Repeat base triangles three times.
You have now knit all the heel stitches. Rearrange needles if you need to.
Continue in entrelac until leg is the desired length. Knit a set of end triangles all the way around the leg [56 stitches].
Knit 1 round, increasing 8 stitches evenly.
K2, p2 rib for 1-2 inches. Bind off loosely.
Size: Women's small-medium (I wear a size US 7.5 shoe. The circumference of my foot at the ball is 8.5 inches. My foot length is 9 inches)
Gauge: 8 stitches per inch
Materials: Trekking XXL 104, 5 bamboo DPNs in US size 1 (2.25mm)
Note on Trekking:
Some Trekking yarns will make a beautiful entrelac pattern without any planning or forethought. You can just pick out the yarn and start knitting. To do this, make sure you use a colorway with very long color blocks. Other Trekking yarns with shorter color repeats will create stripped entrelac squares. The other option is to use two solid colors of sock yarn and alternate.
Worked toe-up with a short row toe and a short row heel. I use Wendy's pattern as a reference.
Begin by casting on 32 stitches using a provisional cast-on.
Knit across cast-on stitches. Purl back across.
Begin short row toe:
Row 1: Knit to last stitch, wrap last stitch with yarn in front as if to purl, slip last stitch from left needle to right. Turn work, slip first stitch (the one you just wrapped and slipped) onto right needle.
Row 2: Purl to last stitch, wrap last stitch with yarn in front as if to knit, slip last stitch from left needle to right. Turn work, slip first stitch (the one you just wrapped and slipped) onto right needle. You now have one wrapped stitch on each end of the needle.
Row 3: Knit to stitch before the wrapped stitch (second to last stitch), wrap stitch with yarn in front as if to purl, slip wrapped stitch from left needle to right. Turn work, slip stitch (the one you just wrapped and slipped) onto right needle.
Row 4: Purl to stitch before the wrapped stitch (second to last stitch), wrap stitch with yarn in front as if to knit, slip wrapped stitch from left needle to right. Turn work, slip stitch (the one you just wrapped and slipped) onto right needle. You now have two wrapped stitches on each end.
Continue repeating rows 3 and 4 until you have wrapped 8 stitches on each side and have 16 unwrapped stitches in the middle. Now you will begin picking up the wrapped stitches, beginning with a knit row.
Picking up wrapped stitches and make a toe box:
Row 1: Knit across 16 center stitches to the first wrapped stitch. Pick up the wrap, knit the stitch, pass wrap over knitted stitch. Move yarn to front as if to purl. Slip next stitch, turn, slip stitch back to right hand needle, purl to first wrapped stitch.
Row 2: Pick up the wrap, purl the stitch, pass wrap over knitted stitch. Move yarn to front as if to knit. Slip next stitch, turn, slip stitch back to right hand needle, knit to wrapped stitch.
Continue repeating rows 1 and 2 until all wrapped stitches have been worked. You know have a toe box and have just finished a purl row.
Knit 16 stitches onto your needle, pick up a new needle and knit the next 16 stitches onto the new needle.
Unzip the provisional cast on and place these stitches onto two needles, distributed evenly. You may need to pick up one stitch. Knit across these 32 stitches. You now have a total of 64 stitches on your needle.
Knit one row even.
Next row, decrease 22 stitches as follows: k2tog twice. (k1, k2tog) repeat 20 times. [42 stitches on needles]
Knit one row even.
Entrelac Base Triangles:
Each base triangle is worked across a total of 6 base stitches. After each row, turn the work.
Row 1: (RS) K2, turn
Row 2: (WS) Slip 1 stitch purlwise, purl 1, turn
Row 3: (RS) K3, turn
Row 4: (WS) Slip 1 stitch purlwise, purl 2, turn
Row 5: (RS) K4, turn
Row 6: (WS) Slip 1 stitch purlwise, purl 3, turn
Row 7: (RS) K5, turn
Row 8: (WS) Slip 1 stitch purlwise, purl 4, turn
Row 9: (RS) K6
Repeat these 9 rows across the remaining stitches. You will end up with 7 triangles. Distribute triangles across 4 needles. Needles 1 and 2 will be the instep stitches. Each will have 2 triangles. Needles 3 and 4 will be the heel stitches. Needle 3 will have one triangle and needle 4 will have 2 triangles.
Entrelac Squares Set 1
With wrong side facing, pick up 5 stitches along the side of the first triangle, starting at the tip and working down to the base. Purl 1 stitch from the adjacent triangle. Turn. This section may seem very awkward, but it will work out.
Row 1: Knit 6, turn.
Row 2: Purl 5, p2tog, turn.
Continue repeating two rows until all 6 stitches adjacent triangle have been purled. Pick up 5 stitches down the side of the triangle. and repeat Entrelac Square Set 1 until all triangles have been consumed and you have 7 squares.
Entrelac Squares Set 2
With right side facing, pick up 6 stitches along side of entrelac square. Knit one stitch from lefthand needle. Pass the 6th picked up stitch over the just knit stitch. Turn.
Row 1: Purl 6, turn
Row 2: K5, slip 1 stitch from lefthand needle to right, psso. Turn.
Continue repeating two rows until all stitches from left hand square have been consumed.
Continue alternating each set of squares until the sock length is approximately two incehs shorter than your foot length, end by completing Set 2.
Heel
Purl back across 6 stitches.
Pick up 5 stitches purlwise, purl 1 stitch from left needle.
End Triangle:
Row 1: Slip 1 stitch knitwise, k1
Row 2: Slip 1 stitch purlwise, p2
Row 3: Slip 1 stitch knitwise, k3
Row 4: Slip 1 stitch purlwise, p4
Row 5: Slip 1 stitch knitwise, k5
Row 6: Slip 1 stitch purlwise, p6
Row 7: Slip 1 stitch knitwise, k6, k2 tog
Row 8: Slip 1 stitch purlwise, p6, slip 1, p2tog, psso
Repeat across needles 3 and 4. You will have 6 square stitches and 24 end triangle stitches. Put all 30 stitches and on one needle. You will also now have 2 squares on needle 1 and 1 square on needle 2. Now you will begin the short row heel by repeating the process for a short row toe.
After making a short row heel, pick up 5 stitches purlwise down side of adjacent square.
Work Entrelac Squares Set 1 across the three squares on needles 1 and 2. Contine and consume the first 6 stitches off the needle containing the heel stitches. If there is a gap before the 6 stitches, pick up 2 stitches and k2tog them together on row 2 of entrelac square.
Now you are at the heel stitches.
Base triangles:
Row 1: P2tog, p2tog
Row 2: Slip 1 knitwise, k1
Row 3: P3
Row 4: Slip 1 knitwise, k2
Row 5: P4
Row 6: Slip 1 knitwise, k3
Row 7: P5
Row 8: Slip 1 knitwise, k4
Row 9: P6
Repeat base triangles three times.
You have now knit all the heel stitches. Rearrange needles if you need to.
Continue in entrelac until leg is the desired length. Knit a set of end triangles all the way around the leg [56 stitches].
Knit 1 round, increasing 8 stitches evenly.
K2, p2 rib for 1-2 inches. Bind off loosely.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Yay, Yarn!
First and foremost.
Happy belated birthday to Grand Ma Clover! She is an independent woman who speaks her mind with grace. She has been an example of a strong lady and I am very happy to call her my grandmother. Happy birthday, Grandma. May you have many, many happy years before you.
Secondly, yay! I have yarn!
This is my very own handspun that I made with my new spinning wheel. I love the colors. The only thing I would do differently is I would have made it a three ply instead of a two ply yarn. I still need to work on my consistency, but overall, I'm pretty proud of it. To give you and idea of the size of the yarn, I added a US dime for scale.
On a final note, I have had some request for the entrelac sock pattern. I used a pattern as a reference and did some major tweaking. Unfortunately, I didn't write it down, but, I will write out the pattern and work on it this weekend. With some luck, I'll have a pattern to post next week. Please check back soon. I'll let you guys know when the pattern is up. Thank you for your compliments and your interest. They have been much appreciated.
Happy belated birthday to Grand Ma Clover! She is an independent woman who speaks her mind with grace. She has been an example of a strong lady and I am very happy to call her my grandmother. Happy birthday, Grandma. May you have many, many happy years before you.
Secondly, yay! I have yarn!
This is my very own handspun that I made with my new spinning wheel. I love the colors. The only thing I would do differently is I would have made it a three ply instead of a two ply yarn. I still need to work on my consistency, but overall, I'm pretty proud of it. To give you and idea of the size of the yarn, I added a US dime for scale.
On a final note, I have had some request for the entrelac sock pattern. I used a pattern as a reference and did some major tweaking. Unfortunately, I didn't write it down, but, I will write out the pattern and work on it this weekend. With some luck, I'll have a pattern to post next week. Please check back soon. I'll let you guys know when the pattern is up. Thank you for your compliments and your interest. They have been much appreciated.
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Hey, what's that thing?
Italian recently changed jobs and had to turn in his old company car, leaving us down to one vehicle. Since we both work on opposite sides of the city and our city has no viable mass transit, we decided to look at Hondas this weekend since we have had an incredible experience with our six year old Honda Civic.
We researched online, then found a manual at the Dealership. We hoped in and checked out the interior and found it was well designed and thought out. The car had tons of storage areas, including one compartment hidden in the dashboard by the driver's side and one above the rearview mirror. We drove the car around the parking lot (I was a bit nervous driving a car I don't own on my city's streets).
After driving the car, we hopped back into the Civic we've been driving for six years, and began our discussion on our dislikes (there was only one) and our likes (there were several). I mentioned how I liked all the storage, especially that little compartment thingy by the steering wheel. As I said this, I reached down to the part on the dash of the Civic where the compartment was on the car we test drove, and...
Lo and behold! I had one, too! Italian just stared at me, and then he laughed! At least I still add joy and mirth to his life.
Italian gave me his first FO of the year. He made it out of walnut with some figured walnut as an accent on the front. The clock is battery operated and the face and hands are brass. He used the same walnut stock as the jewelry box he gave me one year, making the clock even more special.
I've begun working on knitting FOs 2 and 3 as well. Both of the items on my needles are socks. One will be a pair for Xavier Guy in Trekking.
I've gone down a needle size to a US size 0, simply because I wanted to try out my KnitPicks DPNs. The needles are heavier than the bamboos and I was surprised that the difference was noticeable. The points on these needles though are fantastically sharp. They are by far my sharpest DPNs and much, much sharper than Addi Turbos. I also like how the yarn is knitting up on a lower size. I'm getting a gauge of 10 stitches per inch on size 0.
The second sock is my first experience with Socks that Rock, and any praise that you may have heard is true. The yarn is the softest sock yarn I've ever touched. The yarn is sproingy and squishy and yummy. The colors are beautiful and the pooling for the colorway is lovely. The colors fade and then intensify instead of pooling in blues, greens, and violets. I'm trying the Widdershins pattern for the first time.
Now, even though I am very impressed with Socks that Rock, I'm not joining the sock club, so someone on the waiting list will become very happy. The reasons I'm not joining the sock club have to do with the patterns and the colors. I have enough sock patterns to keep me busy for a long time. Plus, I prefer to knit patterned socks with solid yarn and to keep patterns simple if I'm knitting with varigated yarn. That's just my personal preference. I'll definitely order more STR in the future. One more warning, if you plan on knitting with STR, use any KnitPicks sock yarn you may have. I have some KnitPicks sock yarn left in my stash and it just doesn't make me as happy as it did before I met all the other sock yarns in my life.
We researched online, then found a manual at the Dealership. We hoped in and checked out the interior and found it was well designed and thought out. The car had tons of storage areas, including one compartment hidden in the dashboard by the driver's side and one above the rearview mirror. We drove the car around the parking lot (I was a bit nervous driving a car I don't own on my city's streets).
After driving the car, we hopped back into the Civic we've been driving for six years, and began our discussion on our dislikes (there was only one) and our likes (there were several). I mentioned how I liked all the storage, especially that little compartment thingy by the steering wheel. As I said this, I reached down to the part on the dash of the Civic where the compartment was on the car we test drove, and...
Lo and behold! I had one, too! Italian just stared at me, and then he laughed! At least I still add joy and mirth to his life.
Italian gave me his first FO of the year. He made it out of walnut with some figured walnut as an accent on the front. The clock is battery operated and the face and hands are brass. He used the same walnut stock as the jewelry box he gave me one year, making the clock even more special.
I've begun working on knitting FOs 2 and 3 as well. Both of the items on my needles are socks. One will be a pair for Xavier Guy in Trekking.
I've gone down a needle size to a US size 0, simply because I wanted to try out my KnitPicks DPNs. The needles are heavier than the bamboos and I was surprised that the difference was noticeable. The points on these needles though are fantastically sharp. They are by far my sharpest DPNs and much, much sharper than Addi Turbos. I also like how the yarn is knitting up on a lower size. I'm getting a gauge of 10 stitches per inch on size 0.
The second sock is my first experience with Socks that Rock, and any praise that you may have heard is true. The yarn is the softest sock yarn I've ever touched. The yarn is sproingy and squishy and yummy. The colors are beautiful and the pooling for the colorway is lovely. The colors fade and then intensify instead of pooling in blues, greens, and violets. I'm trying the Widdershins pattern for the first time.
Now, even though I am very impressed with Socks that Rock, I'm not joining the sock club, so someone on the waiting list will become very happy. The reasons I'm not joining the sock club have to do with the patterns and the colors. I have enough sock patterns to keep me busy for a long time. Plus, I prefer to knit patterned socks with solid yarn and to keep patterns simple if I'm knitting with varigated yarn. That's just my personal preference. I'll definitely order more STR in the future. One more warning, if you plan on knitting with STR, use any KnitPicks sock yarn you may have. I have some KnitPicks sock yarn left in my stash and it just doesn't make me as happy as it did before I met all the other sock yarns in my life.
Friday, January 05, 2007
The first of many
(Well, what I hope is the first of many.)
(drumroll)
I'd like to introduce the first Finished Object of 2007!
Tah dah! As never seen before, the Elly Cardigan from Rowan Classic Baby Book Four! This amazingly beautiful cardigan is knit in luscious Rowan Cashsoft DK in Lavender. This lovely baby sweater is designed to fit a newborn. It's lovingly handknit raglan sleeves gently sweep up the shoulders, allowing plenty of space for all the activities a newborn could dream of! (Ooooh! Aaaaaah!) A stunning crocheted border edges the cardigan, adding to the elegance!
Hey, who gave the infomercial copywriter my password??? Get out! Go get your own blog.
Sorry about that. That pesky copywriter has been lurking around Clover Field for a while, waiting for the right moment to pounce.
Have I mentioned how much I love my LYS? Last knit, while finishing up the Elly Cardy, I looked at the pattern and began hunting for a size E crochet hook. I had a C, an H, two Fs, a J, a K, a mucho long afghan hook, but no E. It was 8:45 at night. It paniced and called the Shop. The Spin Meister was there and confirmed that she had a hook. I spend to the shop and was thankful that it was knit-in night and the store would definitely be open late.
Not only did she have a size E hook, but she had a wooden Bryson hook made from palm wood. This hook is beautiful in it's simplicity. It feels extremely perfect in the hand and it works wonderfully. I've tried the Brittany hooks in the past since I prefer wood to metal or plastic, but I've had a problem with the hook dropping the stitch halfway through. I didn't have any problems with the Bryson at all. If you need a hook and like wood, then definitely go for the Bryson.
As for the cardy, it is super easy to knit! It's all stockinette. The raglan shaping is very easy and due to the small size, you can complete this project with just a few hours. One thing I found interesting about the project was the author's choice of decreases. For the right leaning decreases, the pattern says to use a K2tog. Pretty standard. For the left slanting decrease, the pattern says to use a K2tbl, which according to EZ is not the reverse of a K2tog. I did notice that the K2tbl makes a much more pronounced pattern. I actually like the way it looks. It puffs out the stitches a bit more. I just need to find out how I can puff out the stitches on the right.
(drumroll)
I'd like to introduce the first Finished Object of 2007!
 |
| Elly Cardigan |
Hey, who gave the infomercial copywriter my password??? Get out! Go get your own blog.
Sorry about that. That pesky copywriter has been lurking around Clover Field for a while, waiting for the right moment to pounce.
Have I mentioned how much I love my LYS? Last knit, while finishing up the Elly Cardy, I looked at the pattern and began hunting for a size E crochet hook. I had a C, an H, two Fs, a J, a K, a mucho long afghan hook, but no E. It was 8:45 at night. It paniced and called the Shop. The Spin Meister was there and confirmed that she had a hook. I spend to the shop and was thankful that it was knit-in night and the store would definitely be open late.
Not only did she have a size E hook, but she had a wooden Bryson hook made from palm wood. This hook is beautiful in it's simplicity. It feels extremely perfect in the hand and it works wonderfully. I've tried the Brittany hooks in the past since I prefer wood to metal or plastic, but I've had a problem with the hook dropping the stitch halfway through. I didn't have any problems with the Bryson at all. If you need a hook and like wood, then definitely go for the Bryson.
As for the cardy, it is super easy to knit! It's all stockinette. The raglan shaping is very easy and due to the small size, you can complete this project with just a few hours. One thing I found interesting about the project was the author's choice of decreases. For the right leaning decreases, the pattern says to use a K2tog. Pretty standard. For the left slanting decrease, the pattern says to use a K2tbl, which according to EZ is not the reverse of a K2tog. I did notice that the K2tbl makes a much more pronounced pattern. I actually like the way it looks. It puffs out the stitches a bit more. I just need to find out how I can puff out the stitches on the right.
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Did I say no resolutions???
I may have lied about resolutions. Well, lying sounds a bit harsh. I may have forgotten a resolution. Because I have a ton of free time between working full-time, being a mom, being a wife, being a homeowner, and being a knitter, I really should fill up that free time with relearning Korean. Let's face it, the fact that I cannot speak my first language is rather sad. I owe it to my mom to learn Korean.
Last night, I took a first step. Every night, Little Clover likes me to tuck him in. As part of that routine, we lay down for just a minute while I tell him how much I love him and how awesome he is. Then, he will ask me to sit in the rocking chair by his bed until he falls asleep. I usually take this time to listen to an audiobook or podcast while I knit. Last night, I read my copy of Teach Yourself Korean and listened to the native speaker as I read along. It's not much time, but it's ten to fifteen minutes more than before.
I must say, finding any decent materials for learning Korean has been very, very frustrating. The type font for the Teach Yourself books is rather poor. Their romanisation of the characters is also rough at best and their English word examples of vowel sounds is way off. The words they picked to represent vowel sounds are words that are pronounced differently across US regions. The authors could have picked more region nuetral words (picking the word "father" instead of "bat" to as an example of an "ah" sound).
I've also go the Berlitz set of tapes and books. The Berlitz format may work well for languages with letter based alphabets, but for Korean, which has a character based alphabet, wowzers! My head nearly popped and I sent the first 5 years of my life looking at words formed by characters. If anyone out there has any advice or suggestions, please send them my way. I've got my eye on the Rosetta Stone language course and I think if I'm still working through my Korean Lessons by my mom's birthday in March, I may get it.
All is not lost on the knitting front. I am still knitting. I just have to find some new time throughout the day. I've managed to finish the back, two cardigan fronts, and a sleeve for a baby sweater. I've casted on for the second sleeve now and with any luck, I can finish it tonight since the mommy of the baby will be induced tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed.
Last night, I took a first step. Every night, Little Clover likes me to tuck him in. As part of that routine, we lay down for just a minute while I tell him how much I love him and how awesome he is. Then, he will ask me to sit in the rocking chair by his bed until he falls asleep. I usually take this time to listen to an audiobook or podcast while I knit. Last night, I read my copy of Teach Yourself Korean and listened to the native speaker as I read along. It's not much time, but it's ten to fifteen minutes more than before.
I must say, finding any decent materials for learning Korean has been very, very frustrating. The type font for the Teach Yourself books is rather poor. Their romanisation of the characters is also rough at best and their English word examples of vowel sounds is way off. The words they picked to represent vowel sounds are words that are pronounced differently across US regions. The authors could have picked more region nuetral words (picking the word "father" instead of "bat" to as an example of an "ah" sound).
I've also go the Berlitz set of tapes and books. The Berlitz format may work well for languages with letter based alphabets, but for Korean, which has a character based alphabet, wowzers! My head nearly popped and I sent the first 5 years of my life looking at words formed by characters. If anyone out there has any advice or suggestions, please send them my way. I've got my eye on the Rosetta Stone language course and I think if I'm still working through my Korean Lessons by my mom's birthday in March, I may get it.
All is not lost on the knitting front. I am still knitting. I just have to find some new time throughout the day. I've managed to finish the back, two cardigan fronts, and a sleeve for a baby sweater. I've casted on for the second sleeve now and with any luck, I can finish it tonight since the mommy of the baby will be induced tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed.
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
If you give a mouse a new t.v...
I don't really have any resolutions. My life is pretty darn good and there isn't much I'd like to change. I'm rather fortunate and lucky that way. Instead, I have a ton of goals. Resolutions and goals are very similar in meaning, but the connontations are different to me. A resolution seems to imply a drastic measure to alter one's life permanently, while a goal is a concrete thing to achieve. For 2007, my goal is to revamp the house.
Well, it won't be a complete revamping. We won't do any major renovations or anything too drastic. Instead, I'm hoping to get a lot of little and medium sized things done. This all started with a new t.v.
The t.v. we had was a wedding gift and we have been married for a while now. It still worked fine once you got past the 30 seconds of the shrill tone emitting from the t.v. every time you turned it on. The tone started as just a little beep and has been growing in duration. We just figured this was the t.v.'s way of welcoming us back.
We had been waiting for just the right time for a new television, and let's just say, this was the right time. Of course, the new t.v. doesn't fit in the entertaiment cabinent. Italian will have to build a new stand for the t.v. The old one will move to the spare room, which now needs to be put into a usable state as a guest room/play room. That means that Italian will also have to build some sort of media storage, the closet needs to be organized and cleaned out and logically, the office will have to be organized as well. The office needs bookshelves to hold the overflow from the spare room, so Italian can just build those while he builds all the other stuff. If we are going to re-do the spare room, we might as well organize the office closet and make better use of that space. Since we are going to do all this work, we should just go ahead and paint the rest of the rooms in the house. We can't just paint in the bathroom though. The ceiling in one needs to have the texture removed and I might as well do that while I paint. Plus, the other bathroom has wallpaper and while I've got the light fixtures down to take off the wallpaper and paint, I might as well replace the fixtures. Oh, and while Italian is in the garage building all the other stuff. I asked him to build me a sideboard for the reading/dining room.
I feel like I'm stuck in one of Laura Numeroff's books. At least there's no more high pitch shriek, and Scooby Doo never looked better.
Well, it won't be a complete revamping. We won't do any major renovations or anything too drastic. Instead, I'm hoping to get a lot of little and medium sized things done. This all started with a new t.v.
The t.v. we had was a wedding gift and we have been married for a while now. It still worked fine once you got past the 30 seconds of the shrill tone emitting from the t.v. every time you turned it on. The tone started as just a little beep and has been growing in duration. We just figured this was the t.v.'s way of welcoming us back.
We had been waiting for just the right time for a new television, and let's just say, this was the right time. Of course, the new t.v. doesn't fit in the entertaiment cabinent. Italian will have to build a new stand for the t.v. The old one will move to the spare room, which now needs to be put into a usable state as a guest room/play room. That means that Italian will also have to build some sort of media storage, the closet needs to be organized and cleaned out and logically, the office will have to be organized as well. The office needs bookshelves to hold the overflow from the spare room, so Italian can just build those while he builds all the other stuff. If we are going to re-do the spare room, we might as well organize the office closet and make better use of that space. Since we are going to do all this work, we should just go ahead and paint the rest of the rooms in the house. We can't just paint in the bathroom though. The ceiling in one needs to have the texture removed and I might as well do that while I paint. Plus, the other bathroom has wallpaper and while I've got the light fixtures down to take off the wallpaper and paint, I might as well replace the fixtures. Oh, and while Italian is in the garage building all the other stuff. I asked him to build me a sideboard for the reading/dining room.
I feel like I'm stuck in one of Laura Numeroff's books. At least there's no more high pitch shriek, and Scooby Doo never looked better.
Monday, January 01, 2007
The Final FO (and Happy New Year!)
I was hoping to post two FOs before New Year, instead, I only have one. I finished these on Thursday, but am just now getting around to posting them. They are the completed entrelac pair in Trekking. The pair took me over a month to complete, but the actual knitting of each sock takes only a couple of hours. They are fast to knock out once you get the hang of the entrelac pattern. The best thing about entrelac is that it grows really, really fast. Of course, there are a few things I would change. The next pair will only have entrelac on the instep of the sock and not the foot. I'll keep the entrelac all the way around on the leg part. Also, I think I may try an afterthought heel. Next time, I'll write out the pattern, too. The only tricky part was turning the heel and picking up the entrelac again.
Happy New Year! May 2006 be filled with happy memories and 2007 hold amazing possibilities!
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Christmas Story
Me: I want an official Schacht Spindle Co. Spinning wheel with double treadle, a lazy kate, and a scotch tension. (Giving my biggest grin possible)
Santa: You'll prick your finger. Ho. Ho. Ho.
This year, I asked my family for gift certificates to my favorite LYS so I could buy a spinning wheel. I wasn't sure if it would happen, and I was beginning to feel a little sad. I knew I would still have a fantastic Christmas, wheel or no wheel, but I couldn't help sympathizing more and more with Ralphie from A Christmas Story. His sad, glum, face kept popping in my head and I told Italian that I knew how Ralphie felt. Italian just patted me and said "I know, sweetie," all the while knowing I would have a complete Ralphie experience (minus the pink bunny suit).
On Christmas morning, Italian handed me a gift. I unwrapped it and found a Schacht box. I began to get a bit confused and thought maybe it was a drop spindle to tie me over. I opened the box and it was filled with spindles and a lazy kate. I looked at Italian and he told me the rest was at his parents. Then, I cried. (For those who know me, this isn't a big shocker).
Italian went through quite a lot to ensure the wheel would be a surprise. He had purchased it a week before Christmas, when he was pretty sure I would not be going back to the yarn store until after Christmas. Imagine his shock when I announced on December 23 that I was running a few errands and would stop by the Shop. He said he would stay home and get a couple of things done around the house and take care of Little Clover. I drove off. Italian then turned to Little Clover and exclaimed, "Quick! We have to go!" He got the wheel from the attic, called the shop and asked if he would drop the wheel off for a few hours because I was coming over. The owner agreed and the plan was put in motion. Of course, I did my part and glanced longingly at the wheel while I was in the store. I even asked the Spin Meister and shop owner extraodinaire if she rents out the Schachts, since I didn't think I would be able to buy it after Christmas. She smiled and told me that yes, she does rent them out. We chatted a bit more, I paid for my yarn and left. As soon as I walked out, she was on the phone with Italian telling him the plan worked and it was safe to pick up the wheel. You can be sure, this shop will always be my favorite, and that this Christmas was better than I could have hoped.
Now, for some Christmas food!
Suzie's Spicy Sausage Balls
Once upon a time, there were a group of friends who were in their final years of college. They were homesick during the holiday season and decided to have their own holiday dinner. Three friends excitedly volunteered to make old family recipes for dishes that graced their family tables and would hopefully make the dinner more special. So, Foxy called her mom for the family pumpkin pie recipe. Aaron called his dad for the family cranberry sauce recipe. Suzie called her grandmother for the family sausage ball recipe. Each of these three brought their dishes to the dinner and each was very, very, mad at their families. What they had thought were special secret recipes were really recipes from the packages of the ingredients.
I was aggravated enough that I decided to make my own sausage ball recipe, and they've been a hit every year.
1 package (roll) of Sage Sausage
1 10 oz. package of Cracker Barrel Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese
2 cups of Bisquick
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
Chipotle Chile powder (optional)
Tabasco Sauce (optional)
Shred cheddar cheese. Place shredded cheese, sausage, Bisquick, and minced garlic in a bowl. Sprinkle with chipotle chile powder. Dash Tabasco all over the top of the mixture. Mix all the ingredients together. I mix by hand and stop when my hands are clean. Roll into balls. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes. Balls should be brown all the way through.
Santa: You'll prick your finger. Ho. Ho. Ho.
This year, I asked my family for gift certificates to my favorite LYS so I could buy a spinning wheel. I wasn't sure if it would happen, and I was beginning to feel a little sad. I knew I would still have a fantastic Christmas, wheel or no wheel, but I couldn't help sympathizing more and more with Ralphie from A Christmas Story. His sad, glum, face kept popping in my head and I told Italian that I knew how Ralphie felt. Italian just patted me and said "I know, sweetie," all the while knowing I would have a complete Ralphie experience (minus the pink bunny suit).
On Christmas morning, Italian handed me a gift. I unwrapped it and found a Schacht box. I began to get a bit confused and thought maybe it was a drop spindle to tie me over. I opened the box and it was filled with spindles and a lazy kate. I looked at Italian and he told me the rest was at his parents. Then, I cried. (For those who know me, this isn't a big shocker).
Italian went through quite a lot to ensure the wheel would be a surprise. He had purchased it a week before Christmas, when he was pretty sure I would not be going back to the yarn store until after Christmas. Imagine his shock when I announced on December 23 that I was running a few errands and would stop by the Shop. He said he would stay home and get a couple of things done around the house and take care of Little Clover. I drove off. Italian then turned to Little Clover and exclaimed, "Quick! We have to go!" He got the wheel from the attic, called the shop and asked if he would drop the wheel off for a few hours because I was coming over. The owner agreed and the plan was put in motion. Of course, I did my part and glanced longingly at the wheel while I was in the store. I even asked the Spin Meister and shop owner extraodinaire if she rents out the Schachts, since I didn't think I would be able to buy it after Christmas. She smiled and told me that yes, she does rent them out. We chatted a bit more, I paid for my yarn and left. As soon as I walked out, she was on the phone with Italian telling him the plan worked and it was safe to pick up the wheel. You can be sure, this shop will always be my favorite, and that this Christmas was better than I could have hoped.
Now, for some Christmas food!
Suzie's Spicy Sausage Balls
Once upon a time, there were a group of friends who were in their final years of college. They were homesick during the holiday season and decided to have their own holiday dinner. Three friends excitedly volunteered to make old family recipes for dishes that graced their family tables and would hopefully make the dinner more special. So, Foxy called her mom for the family pumpkin pie recipe. Aaron called his dad for the family cranberry sauce recipe. Suzie called her grandmother for the family sausage ball recipe. Each of these three brought their dishes to the dinner and each was very, very, mad at their families. What they had thought were special secret recipes were really recipes from the packages of the ingredients.
I was aggravated enough that I decided to make my own sausage ball recipe, and they've been a hit every year.
1 package (roll) of Sage Sausage
1 10 oz. package of Cracker Barrel Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese
2 cups of Bisquick
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
Chipotle Chile powder (optional)
Tabasco Sauce (optional)
Shred cheddar cheese. Place shredded cheese, sausage, Bisquick, and minced garlic in a bowl. Sprinkle with chipotle chile powder. Dash Tabasco all over the top of the mixture. Mix all the ingredients together. I mix by hand and stop when my hands are clean. Roll into balls. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes. Balls should be brown all the way through.
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Time
Time. It is something simple, something that is free, something that everyone has. No one owns it. No one can take it without your permission. Yet, it is one of the most precious commodities and one that seems to be lacking from my life. I need more time. I need time to rest and time to enjoy the hustle and bustle of the season instead of rushing through the time I have.
Today, as the darkest night of the year gives way to growing and increasing light, I find myself looking back on my days and on the year. I have found that my life, despite the fact that I could use more time, has been a very good year. I have had more laughters than tears, more smiles than frowns, and more friends than enemies. We have been healthy. We have had some wonderful experiences. We have had time. I just need to remember to enjoy the time I've had while it happens.
So as the earth turns back towards the warmth of the sun, may you find time to bask in the light.
Today, as the darkest night of the year gives way to growing and increasing light, I find myself looking back on my days and on the year. I have found that my life, despite the fact that I could use more time, has been a very good year. I have had more laughters than tears, more smiles than frowns, and more friends than enemies. We have been healthy. We have had some wonderful experiences. We have had time. I just need to remember to enjoy the time I've had while it happens.
So as the earth turns back towards the warmth of the sun, may you find time to bask in the light.
Monday, December 18, 2006
Tree Envy
LC: Mama?
Me: Yes, baby?
LC: How come it says "Leon"?
Me: We couldn't find our name, so Daddy bought "Leon" since it was on sale.
Little Clover has tree envy. He thinks our Christmas tree is way to small and that his grandparents' tree is just the right size. I believe his exact words were, "Now, that's what I'm talking about," when he saw their tree. Personally, I like our tree. To me, it is the right size.
The hunt for the perfect tree is always an experience. At times, I've been tempted to buy an artificial tree, especially a nicely pre-lit one, but then I think about the hunt and put all thoughts of an artificial tree away. Little Clover begins asking about a tree the Monday after Thanksgiving, when we return home. When we finally go to the roadside tree stands, he begins running from tree to tree shouting, "I like that one!" Each year, the trees he's initially drawn to have gotten bigger and bigger. Our ceiling height, though, isn't growing. Italian and I have fun steering him in towards a more appropriate tree. His excitement and energy makes us feel like we are wrangling a cat.
Of course, once the tree is strapped to the roof of the car, we bring it home to decorate. Again, Little Clover goes at it with gusto. He does a fabulous job of placing most of the decorations at eye level, too -- his eye level. This year, he even organized the ornaments, placing all the "brothers" together.
Finally, the decorating is done and the navity scene is set up. Little Clover is very, very insistent that baby Jesus isn't put out with the navity because he isn't born yet. We have to hide the little baby until Christmas day. I feel pretty bad for the little guy, but Little Clover says that Jesus doesn't mind. I'll take his word for it.
With all the decorating and tree hunting, I haven't had too much time to knit. I was able to start the second entrelac sock and am about to turn the heel.
The entrelac sock provides a steady rhythm and is just complicated enough. The Trekking color pattern is truly amazing and a wonder to watch unfold. I'm in love with the simplicity of the colors and the complexness of the simplicity.
Sunday, December 10, 2006
Sew? Where's the beer?
Little Clover's Christmas program is swiftly approaching and all the kids in his grade are angels. Well, more accurately, they are to play angels in the program. Of course, Little Clover was typecasted. Even though there were angel costume premade and available for us, I decided that we could make our own or buy one and the more time stressed parents could use the available costumes. Next year, I don't think I'll be generous.
I thought that it would be nice if I made Little Clover's costume. This would be a good chance for me to try sewing again. I took out the sewing machine, changed the bent needle (don't ask), measured Little Clover, and cut. Hmmmm, the angel costume seemed a little tight, so the piece I cut will be a front instead of a front and back with a single seam. I cut out the second piece and then began cutting out a sleeve. The sleeve didn't have quite the flowy effect I was wanting, but I was getting tired of cutting. I went to the sewing machine and tested it out.
The tension seemed really loose, and I made a couple of adjustments. I began to sew some seams. The thread was bunchy and loose and looked awful. I ripped it out and thought, well this will be good practice. I had the same problems. I cursed a little. I tried again, again had the same problem. I cursed even more. By now, it was time for Church. I cleansed my soul and had a revelation. If I had a beer while sewing, the costume will either look good, or I won't care anymore. Either way, the results will be much better.
I grabbed a beer, looked at my machine, and this time, I put the foot down. That little foot thing makes a huge difference. The thread had the proper tension and the seams were uneven, but at least I finished.
Oh, as for the "Knit a Sweater in a Month" endeavor; I didn't quite make it. I did knit a sweater in a couple of hours this week.
It may be just an ornament, but it's still a sweater.
Pattern: Ornament Sweater from Last Minute Knitted Gifts
Yarn: Left over sock yarn in green, white, and red
Changes: I left the book at the office, so I just made up the yoke part of the sweater. Had I been smart, I would have reference EZ's yoke sweater pattern. Instead, I just joined the sleeves to the front and back of the sweater and started decreasing until it looked right.
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
EZ knitting?
This is the latest addition to my knitting library and the first Elizabeth Zimmerman book I've ever picked up. I have very high hopes for the book. I'm hoping to find insightful writings on the hows of knitting. I don't really want patterns, but rather, formulas, guidelines, and priniciples. I know that EZ has been a great inspiration to a large number of knitters and I've always been curious about her books, but I don't think I was ready for them until now.
Trying my hand at entrelac has been an interesting step for me and has shown my journey as a knitter. When I picked up my knitting again two years ago, I had no desire to create my own patterns. Following someone else's pattern and reaping the benefits of her work was completely satisfying. I couldn't imagine going through the knitting and reknitting that is required when creating a pattern. I just wanted to knit and to knit without thinking. I discovered I'm not that type of person.
I have a very strong need "to know." When I was knitting, I was analyzing and deconstructing and thinking through each step. Why did my sock not fit, why does this decrease lean this way, why does this pattern recommend this yarn? As each stitch built upon another to make a fabric, I was thinking. Well, that led to a deeper understanding of gauge and structure until eventually, I made the leap to just knitting without a pattern. I think I understand my knitting enough to just knit, but I know there is a lot of information and experiences I need to discover. Hopefully, I'm ready for whatever guidance is in this book. I'll let you know how it goes.
Monday, December 04, 2006
It is the little things
Do you ever have one of those days that makes your shoulders slump and your head pound with exhaustion and frustration? I had one of those days today, and then I step out of my building onto the roof of the parking garage and saw a beautiful full moon in a band of purple sky with the darkness creeping up from below carrying pin-prick stars with it. Then all the yuckiness of my day melted and I said a little "thank you."
The moon was all I needed to remind me of what a great few days I've had. For starters, Italian raked the leaves last week, and what does a little boy coming home from school do when he sees a pile of leaves? Jumps in, of course! Little Clover saw the leaves as we pulled into the driveway and made a beeline towards the largest pile, running out of the car, leaving the door open. He held his nose and jumped! When he saw that the leaves only came up to his waist, he started jumping up and down and kicking. Then he ran to the next pile, jumped, ran through it to the next and kept on going in circles from pile to pile. I loved watching his enjoyment and hearing his laughter.
I had a little joy of my own as well, last week. The entrelac sock has been an interesting project. I'm knitting an entrelac sock sans pattern and after much tweaking and visuallizing, I finally turned the heel:
and kept the entrelac pattern going. There is joy in a turned heel, especially one that you kinda do on your own.
We also experienced an incredible auction for a friend's school. She is a teacher at a small school for kids with learning disabilities. My friend coordinates the auction every year and they had a huge turnout, raising over $30,000 for the school. The kids will benefit from the generosity of a lot of very kind and giving people. My little crocheted scarf that I donated brought in $65 during the silent acution.
We topped the weekend off with a spontaneous trip to see the Titans play the Colts in Nashville. The game was amazing and was decided by a 62 yard field goal that gave the Titans the win. The energy in the stadium was just astounding, and even though Little Clover was quite sad that his favorite QB, Peyton Manning, lost, he was rather excited to get a Titan autograph after the game.
When we got home, he ran around the living room, replaying the game. He even changed the ending, ending the game with a surprise touchdown by the Colts. Now, that is optimism. He even gave me more uplifting moments today by give me all the hugs I needed. Perfect.
The moon was all I needed to remind me of what a great few days I've had. For starters, Italian raked the leaves last week, and what does a little boy coming home from school do when he sees a pile of leaves? Jumps in, of course! Little Clover saw the leaves as we pulled into the driveway and made a beeline towards the largest pile, running out of the car, leaving the door open. He held his nose and jumped! When he saw that the leaves only came up to his waist, he started jumping up and down and kicking. Then he ran to the next pile, jumped, ran through it to the next and kept on going in circles from pile to pile. I loved watching his enjoyment and hearing his laughter.
I had a little joy of my own as well, last week. The entrelac sock has been an interesting project. I'm knitting an entrelac sock sans pattern and after much tweaking and visuallizing, I finally turned the heel:
and kept the entrelac pattern going. There is joy in a turned heel, especially one that you kinda do on your own.
We also experienced an incredible auction for a friend's school. She is a teacher at a small school for kids with learning disabilities. My friend coordinates the auction every year and they had a huge turnout, raising over $30,000 for the school. The kids will benefit from the generosity of a lot of very kind and giving people. My little crocheted scarf that I donated brought in $65 during the silent acution.
We topped the weekend off with a spontaneous trip to see the Titans play the Colts in Nashville. The game was amazing and was decided by a 62 yard field goal that gave the Titans the win. The energy in the stadium was just astounding, and even though Little Clover was quite sad that his favorite QB, Peyton Manning, lost, he was rather excited to get a Titan autograph after the game.
When we got home, he ran around the living room, replaying the game. He even changed the ending, ending the game with a surprise touchdown by the Colts. Now, that is optimism. He even gave me more uplifting moments today by give me all the hugs I needed. Perfect.
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
November Book Report, Part II
While traveling for the holiday, Italian and I had a chance to listen to Red Rabbit by Tom Clancy as Little Clover watched a DVD. I enjoy Tom Clancy novels and will pick one up blind. This one, despite the ending, didn't disappoint me. The book had a fair enough of suspense and a lot of great character background. Clancy give the right amount of insight into Jack Ryan's background and introduces characters that are present in earlier novels. He builds the situations up to a burning point that keeps your ears prickling with anticipation. Then he brings you down before rising the suspense again. Chronologically, Red Rabbit takes place earlier in Jack's career even though it was published later than some of the Jack Ryan books.
I must admit, the ending was abrupt. This time, the abruptness didn't annoy me as much as the abruptness of The Time Traveler's Wife, probably because I can read more Jack Ryan books. This book is not the end of Jack Ryan. Fortunately, if I want to find out what happens to Jack, I can pick up another book. Overall, if you are a fan of Tom Clancy, then you will enjoy this one as well.
I must admit, the ending was abrupt. This time, the abruptness didn't annoy me as much as the abruptness of The Time Traveler's Wife, probably because I can read more Jack Ryan books. This book is not the end of Jack Ryan. Fortunately, if I want to find out what happens to Jack, I can pick up another book. Overall, if you are a fan of Tom Clancy, then you will enjoy this one as well.
Monday, November 27, 2006
Family Tradition
How does your family celebrate Thanksgiving? Mine goes out into the woods.
We spend actual Thanksgiving Day doing the more traditional things. We wake up and watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade while we lazily drink coffee and chocolate milk. We casually take our time getting ready for the day's parties, and sometimes we cook in the morning. Then, as Santa gets closer, we load up in the car and drive to our first stop, my grandma's house. We eat crazy amounts of food that my aunts, uncles, cousins, have made. We throw the football around a bit, then we pile up in the car again to have dessert with Nana Clover's family. Then, the real holiday celebrations begin.
We load the car up one more time and drive to the cabin out in the woods by a lake. Some of my other aunts and uncles have cabins close by as well, and we have a campfire and play and sit outside the entire day after. There is no shopping. We are not one of those "Make a mad dash to the store" type of families. Instead, we roast hot dogs and marshmellows, eat lots of snack foods, and (this is the best part) we shoot each other with paintball guns.
Now, I would like to state that for the most part, my family is a family of doves. With that in mind, my family also has quite a few former and current military men. Maybe that's why we enjoy the paintballing as much as we do. Plus, it kinda harks back to the days when pioneers had to go and hunt down the Thanksgiving day turkey. Little Clover even got into the paintballing this year (despite the protesting and worrying of his mom). He donned some gear and dueled with Papa Clover. Little Clover won.
We also walked along the bank of the lake, skipping rocks and looking at tracks. Little Clover put on a lively dance for us while shaking the pancake batter. We even got in a game of Scrabble.
In between paintballing, football throwing, and hot dog roasting, I managed to work on a scarf for a charity auction and an entrelac sock.
The sock is knitted with Trekking XXL in 104. The colors are amazing and seem to be made for entrelac. The changes between each section are perfect. I'm not really using a pattern. I found a cuff down entrelac sock online, but the entrelac stops when you get to the heel. I'm knitting these two-up with a short row heel. I thought the diagonal seem on the heel would compliment the entrelac. I'm just now trying to figure out how to rejoin the heel stitches without disturbing the pattern.
The charity scarf is a simple double crochet that I crochet longways. I have no idea what the yarn brand is. The colorway though is called Parrot. I found it deep in my stash and it was one of my first parchuses from a real yarn store. It came in a huge hank and I used exactly one hank. The only scraps I had left where the clippings from trimming up the fringe. Good karma!
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Yarn, good
Last night, while tucking Little Clover into bed, we had the following conversation:
LC: Mama, why do moth's eat yarn?
Me: Moths lay eggs in yarn and when the eggs hatch, the larva eat the yarn.
LC: So, daddy moths don't eat yarn?
Me: Nope, just babies.
LC: Why?
Me: Because they are hungry.
LC: Will they eat the baggies
Me: Nope.
LC: So the yarn is safe?
Me: Yep.
LC: Good.
He was worried about my stash! Isn't he the best little kid ever??? Every once in a while, a moth will find it's way inside from the great outdoors. When one does, Italian and Little Clover proceed to execute Operation Yarn Rescue. Little Clover will thrown something over whatever knitting is on the sofa and then yell for Italian. Italian will then have to corner the moth and catch it. We don't like to smoosh most living things. Then, I open the door (because by this time, some ruckus has been made and I've entered the room with the ruckus). Italian will final release the moth back into the wild and everything returns to the way it was. The guys have learned that yarn is good. I must now give them some yummy wooly goodness.
LC: Mama, why do moth's eat yarn?
Me: Moths lay eggs in yarn and when the eggs hatch, the larva eat the yarn.
LC: So, daddy moths don't eat yarn?
Me: Nope, just babies.
LC: Why?
Me: Because they are hungry.
LC: Will they eat the baggies
Me: Nope.
LC: So the yarn is safe?
Me: Yep.
LC: Good.
He was worried about my stash! Isn't he the best little kid ever??? Every once in a while, a moth will find it's way inside from the great outdoors. When one does, Italian and Little Clover proceed to execute Operation Yarn Rescue. Little Clover will thrown something over whatever knitting is on the sofa and then yell for Italian. Italian will then have to corner the moth and catch it. We don't like to smoosh most living things. Then, I open the door (because by this time, some ruckus has been made and I've entered the room with the ruckus). Italian will final release the moth back into the wild and everything returns to the way it was. The guys have learned that yarn is good. I must now give them some yummy wooly goodness.
Monday, November 20, 2006
November Book Report
I've finished two books recently and was disappointed by one and taken away by the other.
The first book I finished this month was The Time Traveler's Wife which began rather well and seemed to be a very promising book. The book is about two main characters: Henry the time traveler and Clare, his wife. Clare first meets Henry when she is six and he is in his 30s. Henry first meets Clare when he is 27 and she is 20. The book begins well and does a great job of setting up the rest of the story. The middle section was a bit tiresome and I struggled to get through it. The writing was good, the middle was just a tad bit boring and lost some of the momentuum at the beginning. The book picks back up again and I was enjoying it once more, until the end. The ending was terrible. It had the feeling that the author just got tired of writing and decided to stop. There is no resolution and there is no end. Maybe that was her point, afterall, if one is a time traveler, there is no end nor beginning. Time is one big circle of existence. I, though, am not a time traveler and I prefer endings to stories. Honestly, the lack of ending ruined any enjoyment I had.
The second book I read, The Thirteenth Tale, was absolutely delicious. I was hungry for it when I wasn't listening to it. The words in the book were perfectly choosen and satisfying. The story is about a storyteller who believes that every story should have a beginning, a middle, and an end. This story fits those requirements. There are stories within stories and each story is interwined with the main story. The characters float from one to another and as a reader, you find yourself drawn into their own stories. The Thirteenth Tale is part fairy tale, part ghost story, part 19th century British Literature. The writer was definitely influenced by Bronte, Doyle, James, and they weave themselves in and out of the book as well. This book is an excellent book for people who love books, especially rich decadent books. I'll read this one over and over again.
Now, the book was wonderful, the story was absorbing, but the best part was the knitting. Yep, there is knitting in the book and not just any knitting, there is sock knitting! In fact, one chapter is titled "Ms. Love turns a heel." You just can't get much better than that.
The first book I finished this month was The Time Traveler's Wife which began rather well and seemed to be a very promising book. The book is about two main characters: Henry the time traveler and Clare, his wife. Clare first meets Henry when she is six and he is in his 30s. Henry first meets Clare when he is 27 and she is 20. The book begins well and does a great job of setting up the rest of the story. The middle section was a bit tiresome and I struggled to get through it. The writing was good, the middle was just a tad bit boring and lost some of the momentuum at the beginning. The book picks back up again and I was enjoying it once more, until the end. The ending was terrible. It had the feeling that the author just got tired of writing and decided to stop. There is no resolution and there is no end. Maybe that was her point, afterall, if one is a time traveler, there is no end nor beginning. Time is one big circle of existence. I, though, am not a time traveler and I prefer endings to stories. Honestly, the lack of ending ruined any enjoyment I had.
The second book I read, The Thirteenth Tale, was absolutely delicious. I was hungry for it when I wasn't listening to it. The words in the book were perfectly choosen and satisfying. The story is about a storyteller who believes that every story should have a beginning, a middle, and an end. This story fits those requirements. There are stories within stories and each story is interwined with the main story. The characters float from one to another and as a reader, you find yourself drawn into their own stories. The Thirteenth Tale is part fairy tale, part ghost story, part 19th century British Literature. The writer was definitely influenced by Bronte, Doyle, James, and they weave themselves in and out of the book as well. This book is an excellent book for people who love books, especially rich decadent books. I'll read this one over and over again.
Now, the book was wonderful, the story was absorbing, but the best part was the knitting. Yep, there is knitting in the book and not just any knitting, there is sock knitting! In fact, one chapter is titled "Ms. Love turns a heel." You just can't get much better than that.
Sunday, November 19, 2006
Quick Trip
I snuck away for a quick little trip to Missouri. A and I have been planning a surprise for Foxy for two weeks. She had mentioned that all she wanted to do one weekend was to go shopping with me, and since I live in another state, it was a wistful comment. A called me right away and we began scheming. We are good at scheming together. I packed up a small bag Friday and headed out for my drive. While somewhere in the middle of Missouri, I searched and searched for a gas station. I searched for over 30 miles before I found one. When I pulled up towards the pump, I was shocked to see a friend from college. He was headed to Tennessee. We chatted and laughed at the randomness of our meeting.
Foxy was surprised and we had an awesome weekend. We stayed up late talking and then spent the next day power shopping. We played with dress up at a Sephora and were asked if we were twins. We responded simultaneously, "No." Mind you, Foxy is definitely midwest German, I'm definitely Asian, yet, we didn't find the question odd. The girl then asked if we were best friends, and again, we simultaneously responded, "Yea." We even had the same head tilt and nod as we responded. I think it was obvious that we had been friends for over a decade.
I had a great trip. Being with Foxy for no other reason than to just hang out was refreshing. Unlike other trips, we didn't have a birthday party or another cause for our being together. We got to just be the friends we are.
Foxy was surprised and we had an awesome weekend. We stayed up late talking and then spent the next day power shopping. We played with dress up at a Sephora and were asked if we were twins. We responded simultaneously, "No." Mind you, Foxy is definitely midwest German, I'm definitely Asian, yet, we didn't find the question odd. The girl then asked if we were best friends, and again, we simultaneously responded, "Yea." We even had the same head tilt and nod as we responded. I think it was obvious that we had been friends for over a decade.
I had a great trip. Being with Foxy for no other reason than to just hang out was refreshing. Unlike other trips, we didn't have a birthday party or another cause for our being together. We got to just be the friends we are.
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