Knitting Passion

click for larger version.

Here is the finished French market bag I am pretty sure I have mistakes in it - for example, if you go to the link you will see the picture of theirs - and the handles are longer. I’m not sure where I went wrong there, but do like a longer handle. So, next time (of COURSE there will be a next time) I will work a few extra rows there.

And, I think that my bottom is longer than the original, too. I lost count a few times and so . . .

But, for my first felted project, I think I did okay. Someone at work had commented that she didn’t think felting would work in a front loader washer - well, too bad for that, because that is what I have. So, nothing ventured, nothing gained, right? Right. I used my front loader - it did take twice through (boy are those jeans clean now!) for it to felt as tightly as I wanted it.

All in all I am pleased.

But, being the perfectionist that I am, I imagine that I will be keeping this bag and making the next for the friend I had planned to gift with this. She deserves the perfect bag, you see.

Have a wonderful Monday, everone!

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. . . mmmmm-mmmmm-mmmm
But before I go there - many thanks to Miss Mairiah for being the guest blogger for Take our Kids to Work Day! Good job, Ms. Thang!

on to the men who knit . . .

Along with the videos I showed you a couple of days ago I found this one: Real Men Knit. They’re just going back to the way it was . . . “men were the first knitters - they used it to mend nets . . .”

To go along with the theme, as I was digging through Knitty.com I discovered that David Demchuk from Toronto is a contributor. Why did I not know this before? Well, probably because my mindset wasn’t there. Hey, any excuse will do. It doesn’t really matter, because, Hey! I found him. Right? Right!

So, David has a presence on knitty - and he also blogs at Knit Like a Man. You can find links to all of his entries at knitty listed on his blog. I’ve read a couple and I have to say - I like this guy’s sense of humor. He also does some pretty neat knitting. Go on over and say hello.

His spring column is interesting and I have to say that after reading it I may be doing my granddaughter and her friend a disservice - maybe I should be challenging them to something more than a scarf?? We’ll see.

Also found at knitty is Bobby Ziegler whose pattern for Thuja socks I think I’m going to try. Yup, I frogged the toes up socks - maybe I’ll try them again another time. Just couldn’t figure out where I was in the pattern and it didn’t look right to me. Maybe the yarn I’m using was too dark. I might try it with a lighter color next time.

And, Bobby blogs as well. He sounds like a busy young man - going to school, working, and he just lost his Grandma.

Then there is Yarn Boy’s (Jesse Loesberg) Yarn Boys in History . Good stuff here.

Do you know of other knitting men out there? I have a feeling there are more than we might think.

by the way - a long time ago in a land far away (Ohio) my hubby knitted me a sweater to match the sweater I knit him. Blue variegated yarn in a knit two, purl two patterned pullover. We wore them out - they kept us warm when we moved to Alaska and went out into Cook Inlet halibut fishing. Memories.

AND . . .
It’s not too late to cast your vote.

and, while you’re at it - toss a vote Lessa’s way, too.

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In honor of Take our Daughter to Work Day, 451 Press has asked bloggers to invite special writers to their blog. So, with no further ado, I introduce you to Miss Mairiah, my oldest granddaughter:

My gramma is an expert knitter, so about two weeks ago she took me and my best friend and taught us how to knit. I’m working on a scarf. Well, actually it’s a practice scarf. When Gramma says I am ready, I can start on the actual scarf. But on the practice one, I have only restarted 4 times and as of today I have about six inches. As for my friend, she is not doing so well. She has restarted 18 times. She started to give up, but amazingly my gramma got her back into it. Well - at least we know she’s getting better at casting on! But after that, she gets lost.

Mairiah M.
Age 12

Thanks, Mairiah! I’m enjoying your eagerness to learn to knit. (click photo for larger view)

take your daughter to work day, granddaughter, gramma, knitting, learning to knit, knitting needles

No, not the Rachel Ray stuffed green pepper “stoup” - I’m, of course, talking about leftover yarns. Everyone has a stash of yarn - bought too much (just to make sure you had enough). Bought what the pattern said - still have a ball or two left over . . . what to do with the leftovers?

Well, here is one thought for using your leftover wool . . . cellphone covers! Less had sent me to Yarn Over Lounge to see her versions, but Lee was not very happy and decided to blenderize them. lol.

I have some leftovers from my bag project (note to self - TAKE PICTURES!) so maybe I should make a cellphone cover to match . . . maybe - maybe not. We’ll see.

NOTE: daughter Lessa MADE the hearty bell pepper stoup and it was delicious! Thanks for sharing, kiddo!

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pull up your favorite knitted blanky . . . all comfy now? Great!

Here are some videos I thought you might find interesting. Learn how to knit differently.

Now, I’m a “thrower” or American style knitter - my right hand does a LOT of work. But, here’s a pretty easy video on how to knit Continental or European style.

And, if that’s not enough fun for ya, how about Portugese knitting? I honestly have NO clue what this person is doing - it almost looks like she is using crochet hooks for needles - and, well, you watch and see if you can figure it out. Come back here and let me know what you think, okay?

The reason for this last one - or the only reason I can figure - is that someone does NOT like to purl - so they knit across one way (just surmising here) and then knit backwards. Really! Go and see for yourself!

So - all set? Know what to do for a change in style? Great . . . now . . .

If you like what you see - or if you just like to vote - won’t you click on the above and cast your vote for Knitting Passion?

and, while you’re at it - toss a vote Lessa’s way, too.

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The French Market bag is completed - all but the felting - I’ll get a progress shot up here tomorrow perhaps. This is a busy week for me as I have a big week-long training at work - and am helping to facilitate that.

However, just for you, my faithful readers (I originally typed that “readears” - hmmm I kinda like THAT) I wanted to get a post up and to show you a picture of what the girls and I did Saturday.

click on photo for larger version

Yup, we went to a bread class - taught by a dear sister in Christ - five of us attended. We got to see every stage of bread baking, from learning about different grains, grinding the wheat, making the sponge, mixing the dough, forming 5 different kinds of bread (loaf, focaccia, pizza rolls, savory rolls, and cinnamon rolls), baking, and the best part of course - eating them.

My granddaughter and her friend seemed to have a good time - they are still working on their knitting projects and this was a nice break for them. I had a LOVELY time. Thanks, Mz. B!

knitting, bread baking, Bread of Life, Christian sisters, granddaughter, bread, fun

and knitting - Lessa sent me this today. Start here and click “Next” until you can’t click anymore.

Finished reading:
Chicks with Sticks (it’s a Purl Thing) by Elizabeth Lenhard.

It’s aimed at a (much) younger audience (than I am), but I found it delightful. There are some time senistive things in the book, which would make it more enjoyable to teens of today (for instance there is a reference to Obama). It might “go out of style” though - I am wondering if it is a long-lasting book because of the period-ness. However, the premise is delightful - a teen girl who has lost her favorite aunt and who is given a ball of yarn and needles by another aunt at the funeral - she forms a knitting group among friends - unlikely friends at first, but friends to the end.

As I said, I am an eclectic reader and I enjoyed it thoroughly. If you have a daughter or grandaughter in your life, you might share the book with her. I shared it with my granddaughter.

The bag is nearly completed - I finished the handles tonight - now I just need to tie up loose ends before felting. Fingers crossed for a nicely completed piece.

Hope you read the previous post - about Virginia Tech and what we can all do to help.

chicks with sticks, two lumps, knitting, book, novel, felted market bag, Obama

Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund

April 16, 2007, will be remembered as one of the darkest days in the history of the Virginia Tech community and the world beyond.

To remember and honor the victims of those tragic events, the university has established the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund to aid in the healing process and generate financial support.

The fund will be used to cover expenses including but not limited to:

• Grief counseling
• Memorials
• Communication expenses
• Comfort expenses
• Incidental needs

If you plan to give, please click the link below:

. . . are conducive to a lot of rows being knitted on the market bag I’m working on. I work for a great agency. We have these meetings once a month - everyone from all of the components of the agency gather together for specialized trainings.

Yesterday we had a goodbye for one of our staff members who is moving on to a new career. That means cake and present and cards and such. Lots of laughter.

During the trainings I took out the bag and knitted round after round. Last night when I got home I put on a few more rounds and before I left for Wednesday evening services I had gotten to the point of binding off stitches in order to begin working on the handles. It is coming right along. I’m excited to see it felted - see how it looks completed.

So, where are you folks today? What projects are on your needles? I’ve also been working on the scarf, but the toes up socks are feeling a tad lonely. After the bag is done I will take them back up as I seek another project.

working and knitting, knitting while you work, French market bag, felted bag, WIP

With my renewed interest in knitting, and a love for travel, I was wondering what would happen the next time I took a trip. Would I have to leave my latest project at home? Would I have to be satisfied with bringing a book along to read? Or, would I, as I had read recently, be allowed to bring my pointy sticks on board with me?

Turns out that TSA has loosened their rules - a bit - to allow us to bring along our needles. However, we might have to surrender them - it really all depends on the TSA agent at the gate.

We can always carry needles in our checked luggage and, according to the TSA page itself, we can pack them in our carryon luggage as well. Well, maybe . . .

“As a precautionary measure we recommend that you carry a crochet hook with yarn to save the work you have already done in case your knitting tools are surrendered at the checkpoint“

Harumpf! Either I can or I cannot - come on, folks, it’s not THAT complicated.

Of course, as I finished the vintage bonnet . . . on size 2 needles . . . I realized just how dangerous those puppies might be - in the wrong hands - or maybe in the hands of the knit-wit who was forced to give them over at the gate . . .

Maybe I’ll stick to my books for air travel companions.

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Wish I could show it to you on the baby’s head, but she is up in Anchor-town - about 150 miles away. I will wrap and mail today..

Here’s the link to the pattern again - in case you missed it. My two new knitters helped me pick out the ribbon. I must say they are a bit more adventurous than I. I would have picked a paler pink or white - they said NO! it must be the brighter pink. So, there you have it. They are a lot closer to the age of the new little one than I am so I will take their expertise.

Still working on the felted bag - and must get back to the scarf for the WWIi vet project.

WIP, project completed, knitting, knit baby bonnet, bonnet, baby hat, knitted hat, baby pink

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My nearly teen aged granddaughter has asked me to teach her how to knit. So, Saturday she and her friend and I spent most of the morning together. First they came to my house and I got needles out for them and let them choose a practice ball of yarn from my stash.

Then we began to learn to cast on and from there to knit. There were sighs, giggles, and many exclamations of “Gramma! help!” followed by more giggles and sighs.

At 10 we went to the library where we joined the Gathering of Knitters for a bit over an hour. We did much giggling there as well as “frogging” (a term I had yet to hear - but it fits) good naturedly.

When we left the group I took the girls to a local sewing shop which also has yarns - we went, as far as they knew, to purchase ribbon for the baby bonnet (pics of it tomorrow). However, after we picked out the ribbon I told them to follow me.

I led my little parade (no, we didn’t have a permit for our parade, but we paraded anyway ) to the back of the store and watched as their eyes grew bigger as they saw just how many yarn varieties there are. Then I let them each pick a skein of worsted to use once they felt comfortable with the practice yarn. Oh, the angst and decision making that went on - this color, no this color, no, that one . . .

It was lovely to watch. Thanks, girls, for asking me to work play with you.

chicks with sticks, learning to knit, knitting, beginner knitting, gathering of knitters, teens knitting, yarn stash, yarn store, knit, purl

well, about a knitting store/club. You can read the story here.

The movie Friday Night Knitting Club is based on the Kate Jacobs novel of the same name.
click to see the write up on the book.

I have not read this book - and will try to find it at our library before I go buying it. Our library is small (small town, small library) but they generally have a wide assortment of books, so I should be able to find it.

Kind of neat to see something like knitting take center stage both in print and on the big screen. Go, Julia!

photo from: Monsters & Critics

Julia Roberts, knitting, movie, book, Friday Night Knitting Club, movie star

So, Lessa nominated this blog for an award:

If you like what you see - or if you just like to vote - won’t you click on the above and cast your vote for Knitting Passion?

and, while you’re at it - toss a vote Lessa’s way, too.

And, if you’ve been nominated - leave a comment here so I can reciprocate - thanks, everyone.

btw - the hat is coming along nicely. I’ve almost got a handle on the pattern. I hope the intended recipient enjoys it.

I promised pictures - so here we go.

this is the progress - actually only started on this today - on the baby bonnet. It has a really sweet pattern stitch. But it is a bit complicated and I haven’t memorized it yet, so I left it at home tonight.

Hubby and I went with daughter and one of the granddaughters to hear grandson sing with his high school concert choir tonight - a 2 1/2 hour concert! They visited Spain and France over spring break - singing in cathedrals, the French/American cemetery, the Guggenheim (! NOBODY sings in the Guggenheim - nobody until Hendy’s group, that is) and in many other places. It was a trip of a lifetime and we were so pleased to have a small part in grandson getting to go.

Tonight they gave a performance of their music. And I was enthralled! They had fun and they sang so beautifully.

What, you might ask, has this to do with knitting?

Well, I took the felted bag I’ve been working on with me. It is just knitted in the round and that can be done anywhere - in the dark, eyes closed as I wept with the music - it’s portable. So - here is the progress made tonight.

I have my fingers poised where I began tonight once in the auditorium. Everything above was done while listening to the choir.

So - that’s it for today - I hope to get some more done on the bonnet before heading off to bed tonight.

(post was written 10 pm Alaska time Tuesday - set to post at 2 am Wednesday)

click on the pics to see a larger version.

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