Knitting Passion

Here’s most of the family with the Big Sock during one of our knitting days.

How in the world did the first quarter of 2009 slip by like that??? Boggles my mind how much more quickly the days go . . . the older I get. Sorry I haven’t been here - I took last week off my day job and was lazy the entire week. One day I didn’t even get out of my pajamas! L.A.Z.Y. was the word of the week. And, today when I went back . . . I found that even though I was busy busy I was not nearly as stressed as I had been the week before I left.

So, apparently it worked.

As I mentioned before I did get the Big Sock sent off - and am now working on the new, middle, section. I’ll be sending it out next week - after pay day. The new section will go to Tennessee and there are several places lining up to be next in line. I’m sure you’ll be able to check up on its progress at the Big Sock blog.

Joanna wondered how big it had gotten . . . it was 61.5 inches or so before going to Anchorage and Fairbanks. So, I imagine that it is nearly 70 inches - give or take a few.

The new piece is about 3 inches right now . . . I work on it a bit each night in front of the television. But, it is almost time to box it up for shipping . . . probably do that this weekend. I promise I will take a picture before I seal up the box.

Yesterday my hubby and I carried this (oh, so lovely) box to the local post office . . . it contains the (H.U.G.E.) Big Sock I’ve told you about before. It came to Alaska and wandered about in the Kenai and Soldotna areas before going to Anchorage and then Fairbanks.

In November the Sock came back to me and has been sitting in my front room ever since. I just could not get past the thought of sending it back to Joanna in the UK - bad of me, perhaps . . . but finances were part of the reason. Poor Joanna - neither of us could believe how BIG the sock had gotten and with size comes weight - the folks who sent it to me had paid over $100!

That scared some folks off, and the decision was made to ship it back to the UK and to begin a smaller piece (later to be joined with the first and also with the last portion - the heel back in the UK.)

So, I confess, I was a bit nervous about going to the post office to ship this big portion. Several very nice folks had contributed to the shipping kitty (thank you L. and others whose names I don’t know) and hubby and I were determined to bite the bullet for the rest.

I was pleasantly surprised when the cost (to the UK, mind you!) was less than the $100 I had feared. The poor clerk was bewildered when I thanked her.

Hubby was surprised the other way - he didn’t expect it to be that much, I guess. (Poor hubby)

Hopefully Mt. Redoubt will calm down enough to let the box go by air - the planes are not flying because of caution, which is as it should be.

I’ll share pics of the smaller portion before I ship it on to Tennessee. Whoot! The Big Sock lives on! Follow it as it grows.

. . . or maybe that is just ash. (Mt. Redoubt, which sits about 50 miles westward across Cook Inlet from us is erupting.)

No . . . spring is definitely in the air. Check out this (last year’s) cute baby from Martha’s Vineyard Fiber Farm.

Awww . . . spring and babies go together. Fiber farms and knitting . . . also go together, right? You can watch for the new babies via Martha’s Vineyard Fiber Farm’s “Lamb Cam.” Step right up and get your overdose of cuteness right here, folks.

And, you can get your eye candy here, too . . . there are some gorgeous hand-spun yarns for sale. Love that chocolate color! And, the buttercup, too.

Makes my fingers itch to have and to hold. But, for now, I will just have to savor the eye candy.

. . . . and the cuteness of the lamb cam. It will be so much more fun once the little critters start arriving. The last update of 3/26 said Miss Linda was in labor. Maybe it was a false labor? Didn’t see any lambkins frollicking while I was watching.

This is the Gift of Time cloth that was one of last week’s cloths from the Ravelry dish cloth KAL (Knit Along).

You can’t really tell the color - it’s a gorgeous yellow - because my camera, nice as it is, does not seem to be able to pick up the colors in the cotton yarns very well. I’ve tried both natural lighting and light bulb lighting - no flash and flash . . . so, we just take what we can get, huh?

I am taking this next week off work - I’ve accumulated so much annual leave that our bookkeeper is literally “forcing” me (in a totally non-violent way, of course) to take time off before the end of the fiscal year. Otherwise, I will not accumulate any more hours and will “lose” out on those hours.

So . . . while there are no real plans for the week - other than the requisit “clean house” thoughts - I hope to get on here more often and update a couple times a day - at least this week.

There may be a run to the big town up north, too. We’ll see.

Happy Sunday!

Yesterday I mentioned JM and Zaneta who had won the comment contest for February. The third winner was Ladybug - who does not have a public website.

She, however, has begun to pay it forward in her way and shared it with me. A young woman was recently in a terrible accident and is temporarily (Lord willing) paralyzed. She’s in a hospital a few hundred miles from here, but is from this area.

Word got out that she needed some things and Ladybug and her friends decided to do up a care package of sorts, fulfilling some of those needs. Included in the package were two of the dish cloths Ladybug had won in Knitting Passion’s comment contest.

I hope that she will see the cloths and be reminded that someone cares about her and then pays it forward herself. is what Ladybug told me.

I hope so, too. And, it is nice to see how all three recipients are doing their part to make the world a bit nicer place, right?

The next person who wrote about receiving her cloths is JM in Australia. It took her a bit longer to receive her cloths . . . durned postal systems and all that. But she wrote that they had been received.

Now, she and her partner are having a bit of a discussion about what to do with the cloths.

Seems there has been some discussion about making an afghan - something about them being “too pretty” to use for their intended purpose. Oh, my goodness!

I do understand, though - I have several cloths that have NOT seen a dish yet . . . (yeah, after a rest I am back to making cloths) but I also have cloths that have not met a dish they didn’t like, too.

Seriously . . . go ahead and use them. Pick one and use it . . . when it is worn out (or yukky) switch to another. They should last quite awhile.

As far as paying it forward? JM will be giving away note cards . . . so be sure to stop by and keep an eye out for how to enter to win those.

So - during the month of February Knitting Passion sponsored a Paying It Forward comment contest - any who entered might be one of three winners of 12 hand knit by me dish cloths.

I’ve received word from all three winners that the cloths have been received and two who have websites have posted blog entries about them.

Zaneta - who lives very near the town where I grew up, by the way - received hers first. (of the ones that had to be mailed - one winner lives near me so hers were hand delivered)

You have to scroll down a bit for Zaneta’s pictures of the cloths - she received a number of special things in a short time frame so has pictures of all of her goodies. Yay, Zaneta!!! I’m so glad you like them.

Part of the idea behind the giveaway was for the winners to pay it forward in some way. Zaneta says: “will be holding a contest sometime in the future… it might not be til spring break or summer break though!”

Coolios, Zaneta . . . I’ll be watching for it.

Lacy Shamrock dish cloth . . . part of the weekly knit-a-long dish cloth group on ravelry. It’s done in a pretty bright green, but my only other green was too teal-ish for St. Paddy’s Day. So, bright green it is.

The mask is a bit reminiscent of Mardi Gras, yes? It is actually something I got from the Purim celebration my Bible Study group had last week. Purim is a Jewish festival (notice how I have now covered the Irish, the New Orleans crowd, and the Jewish - ALL in one post?!) commemorating Queen Esther uncovering the plot of Haman to destroy all the Jews.

We’ve just finished a study on Esther by Beth Moore along with three other groups in the area who were also doing the study. A plot was hatched (much like Haman’s) to gather together for a Purim festival. Sadly I missed the fun - I did get to stop by and say hello to everyone before going to work that morning - and was given my choice of masks. Of course, I picked one with purple feathers.
Who wouldn’t?

I grew to love the women who shared our small Bible study . . . we shared tears and laughter and prayers together. And, even though I missed some of the study because it ran over and I had to get to work, the time I spent in the Word and with these beautiful women of God will forever imprint my heart.

So . . . that’s the story of the feather mask.

And, that’s the story of today’s knitting.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day. May the luck o the Irish be with you . . . and the God of Esther forever in your heart.

I decided hubby needed a new dish cloth so made him one just like these. He loves it - loves how it scrubs and how it feels in his big, manly hands as he scrubs the kitchen down. (he’s a part time stay at home man and is a BIG help in the kitchen)

But, when I asked him how he liked his new cloth I had to laugh when he shook his head and complained a wee bit . . . “It turned the water green!” said he.

Oh, my. Well, he rinsed it out and got most of the bleeding stopped - on the cloth, not on him - and finished what he was doing. The dishes look none the worse for wear.

Today is my oldest grandson’s birthday . . . it is nearly over . . . and I only JUST called him to sing him our special happy birthday song. (can we all say Nana has been a BUSY little bee at work these last two weeks? I kept thinking all day - “the 10th? Today is the 10th? Why does that sound familiar? Oh, yeah . . . I have two meetings for work AND have to go to court for a subpoena (as a witness) and . . .”

Yeah, I need some time off!

He is seventeen! Oh, my goodness! I really can’t believe that! I still remember the many times his “Gramps” and I went to the hospital in the next town over because his mama and daddy said it was time . . . only to walk in and see them practically RUNNING around the halls of the hospital trying to encourage his grand entrance.

And, then we all trudged back home because he just wasn’t done yet - even though the timer had popped on his mama’s tummy.

When he did arrive he could NOT have been more loved - so tiny and sweet - now, he’s still sweet . . . but not so tiny - he’s a head (or more) taller than I am. But he still lets me call him my Sweet Cake (just not in front of his friends. hahahaha)

Time to share another of the Paying it Forward cloths . . . in picture and in pattern.

I had thought the title of the cloth had something to do with eagles - silly me. Looking at it, I can see WHY it would be called Flying Geese. We see them often enough here in Alaska . . . great vs of geese - both in spring time and in the fall.

One of my first memories from our first year in Alaska is that we came at just about the same time the geese were beginning to fly back south. We sort of met in the middle. We stayed year ’round and they are “snow birds”. Ha ha. (Snow birds are what we Alaskans call the folks who summer here and winter elsewhere - where it is warmer.)

Okay - back to the pattern. You can find it here. It is really pretty done in the variegated colors of cotton.

I’m wondering how it would look in a solid color yarn? May have to try that just to see.

Oh, and by the way . . . my self imposed knitting diet? Remember I was not going to knit for a whole week after finishing that last dish cloth?

Yeah . . . that didn’t last. Well, I did take several days off - but I picked up the needles Wednesday and made hubby a new cloth. He had worn a hole through the one he was using. (why, YES, my hubby DOES do the dishes! I am a very blessed woman!)

Then, our Bible study group decided to do a gift basket anonymously for a young pregnant woman so I made a soft cloth for that. And, now? Now I am working on one of the weekly KAL cloths for the dish cloth KAL on ravelry.

But, I’m only doing one at a time - and I am taking it easy. My hands are doing great so far. Yay! And . . . all of the cloths have been mailed so be on the lookout, winners . . . they are headed your way!

Today we had typical Alaska springy weather . . . gray clouds, snow, snain (mixture of snow and rain - my word for it), then rain with the sun trying to peek through.

Oh! And it was almost shirt sleeve weather, too . . . the temps were in the 20s! Another 10 degrees and I’ll be shucking my jacket. Yah, I’m weird . . . but I live in Alaska and I make my own fun.

But, as our weather “improves” here and the daylight hours grow longer (we’re back up to 10 plus hours of daylight now) . . . and as we look forward to “springing forward” this weekend . . . my thoughts start looking towards SPRING and warmer weather.

That’s why I like the pattern for this dish cloth - made for the contest held last month - which is called Tulip Lace. The yarn overs (yo) were a bit tough at first and I had to master those. That’s why I am so glad to have a large community like ravelry - whenever I have a question about a stitch I can find the answer there - or find someone who can help me find the answer.

Here is a great little tutorial in picture for yarn overs. And, if you like videos tho work along with, how abou this one from the Knit Witch?

Yup, it helps to have someone show you while you can work along, doesn’t it?

I really cannot recall how I was doing the yarn overs before I found out the REAL way to do them . . . but they were not pretty. So glad that there are folks out there who can help in my knitting times of need.

So, how about you? Drop a comment and let me know what you are working on . . . and while you’re at it, won’t you think a special thought and say a special prayer for my online friend Jody and her hubby who is in the hospital? Hang in there, Jody . . . I’m praying for your hubby!

Tawashi or Not Twashi . . . that is the question . . . whether tis better to lather up with howls of woe, or slip and slide in bubbly fun with a brightly colored fish mitt????

Can’t you just see your bright eyed urching scrubbing away at his face, his ears, his “nooks and crannies” . . . . the wall, the shower door, the curtains, the tub . . . . yeah, I’ve got grandboys.

That, of course, is not to say that my daughters (when they were younger) or my grandgirls would not have as much fun as the boys. They would. And, they’d probably suds up the walls and tub, too.

Do they still make the bath time markers that are soap crayons? It’s been awhile since I’ve shopped for bath time fun stuff. I am thinking that these would make neat gifts with something like the markers or some sort of fun soap tucked inside.

I love these . . . and my hands are itching to get started on a new project . . . but I’m going to wait . . . really and truly I am. Until I just can’t stands it no more!

And, for your viewing pleasure, here’s another picture of the dish cloths . . . This pattern is called Elvish Leaves. I love its simplicity . . . and yet it looks complicated.

I haven’t done much in the way of lace knitting, so some of these dish cloth patterns are great practice . . . for whenever I might decide to do some lace.

Well, it’s been a busy week - I had a presentation about the non-profit agency I work for yesterday afternoon. And, another one this morning, followed by a cooperative meeting between our agency and another, so I am going to sign out now until next time.

Yeah, I went twelve years to catholic school - I can multiply really well.
So, after a month (give or take) of talking about knitting the cloths for the comment contest, I thought I would begin to share pictures of the cloths. I won’t overwhelm you will all 36 today . . . I have to save some for the next few days, right?

The picture does not do the colors justice - I took the pics late last night so had to depend on the room lighting - never as good as natural lighting, but you take what you can get.

Those three are knitted in two colors of cotton - one is a bright yellow and the other is a darkish teal grean (more blue than green, you know?)

The pattern is a freebie - Clover Tweed Dishcoth . It’s got a hound’s tooth tweedy look to it, don’t you think? And, it was really easy to do. I love the feel of it - thick and sort of bouncy is how I would describe it.

I’m taking a week long knitting diet (well, that’s the plan at any rate) to rest up my hands and wrists - after that is passed I think I’ll make some of this cloth for our kitchen. Hubby has worn a big old hole in his current dish cloth.

Yes, I said hubby . . . what? Doesn’t YOUR hubby do the dishes at your house? I am blessed. He is home more daytime hours than I am and so he tends to do up dishes and sometimes he even does laundry.

I think that deserves a few new dish cloths, now, don’t you?

Today is the day. I have been promising you for a month that it was coming. Today is the day that I pay it forward and some of you will receive goodies. That’s one of the granddaughters you see there to the left. She was all about helping Gramma pick the winners and eagerly ran down the street to help out. Those of you who did win . .. you owe it to the Pup.

So, without further adieu . . . here are the winners - and what they wrote in the comments section:

#1 picked was JM who wrote:
If I’m a winner… Well, I’ll get back into the crafting spirit. I’ll make something(s) homemade and run a pay it forward contest on one of my blogs as well. (Heck, even if I’m not a winner (not sure if this is international) I’ll probably do it anyway.)

#2 picked was Zaneta who wrote:
Hmm… Pay it forward, to me, means that if someone does something nice for you, whether it be on purpose, or out of habit, or whatever, that you should do something kind for someone else… If God blesses you, bless someone else because helping someone is a blessing all in its own

and #3 picked was lil sis who wrote:
K so I will tell you what it means to me. I have been on the recieving end of a pay it forward. . . . with that. I am still in the same financial situation. BUT I have a couch that I have given to a homelss teenager. my home is now her home and I give it all to her with the love in my heart as a pay it forward. maybe someday she too will be able to give forward a gift from her heart.

Thanks to all who entered the contest. Your comments made me smile - made me tear up - made me know that I am on the right track . . . and, I’m not alone in it.

I will be emailing each of you requesting your snail mailing address - and the cloths will be in the mail later this week. (I still have three on needles, but they are half way done).

btw . . . the Pup is not above bribery as shown by the picture below . . . but I didn’t let her have snacks until after the choosing was done.