Knitting Passion

a Bottoms gal. Here’s a little linky-love for my hometown!

thanks to the 451 Press Columbus, Ohio blog writer for sharing this. I grew up in what is now known as Franklinton - in Franklin County. When I grew up there it was called The Bottoms. City developers don’t like it to be known as that any longer because of the whole ghetto complex.

Trust me folks, no matter how you color it - the Bottoms is the Bottoms is the Bottoms. It was a great little place to grow up in - even though we were Po Folk and all that. I have fond memories of the Bottoms and will always be a Bottoms gal at heart (and bottom - heh).

But, I did love the video and tune - and hope you will enjoy it also - be sure to go and hear the one for which this entry is named - Ah am - a Buckeye fan - while you’re at it.

We drove through my old neighborhood(s) while visiting in March - man, it’s a long way from the Bottoms to Alaska and back again, you know? Things have changed - some things have NOT changed - it’s all good.

I’m glad to have grown up there - and I’m very glad to be here now.

See - it’s ALL good!

back to hubby’s socks. I don’t think I’m going to get them finished BEFORE the anniversary trip – will probably take them along with us and work on them at the pool or in the room or something. We’ll see – maybe Father’s Day?

Yup, a day late and a dollar short . . . but there you go. I promised pics and pics you shall have!

–/–

At left is a picture of Sherry working on a sock in some GREAT colors! The pattern is Tidal Wave - I wrote about it a few entries ago - pretty neat to see someone else working on it. (the link goes to a pdf of the pattern.)

I can’t start on mine yet - and it is for a really DUMB reason! I bought new needles last Tuesday, set them aside until I had finished a project - and when I took them out discovered that I had NOT purchased size 1 dpns as needed. Oh, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO (heavy on the sarcasm - can’t help it - I am SUCH a nudge!) I bought size 0 dpns!

sigh!

So, now I need to wait until I get paid later this week to buy size 1s. Well, maybe I will NEED size 0s at some point - but, good golly they sure are teensy needles.

My hands go numb with size 2s! Of course, that COULD be because I was watching I Am Legend while finishing up the baby socks. Have you SEEN that movie? Shiver! Wow! And, that’s all I have to say about that! (ala Forest Gump - heh)

So - am off to bed - have to be up bright and early in the morning - going to take the expectant mama her new socks - for her AND the baby.

I’ll post pictures of the finished project tomorrow. Have a great rest of Sunday - well, it IS Sunday in Alaska still.

Well, I have LOTS of things - in various stages - on various sized needles. Some things have been put down “for awhile” and never picked back up again - those are destined for frogging, I’m sure. I may end up making the very same thing when(ever) I pick them up again, but for now will likely be frogged.

Come on, you know you’ve done the same thing.

I tend to like quick and easy projects - projects that are DONE when they are taken off the needles. I don’t generally like to do TOO MUCH finishing work.

Does that make me lazy?

Nahhhhhhh - I prefer to think of myself as focused. Yeah, THAT’s the ticket - FOCUSED!

heh.

But at least I am not EXTREME - in that I am not an Extreme Knitter. Well, not for now, anyway.

Here’s another very dedicated knitter. That piece looks destined to getting wet.

For now, it’s just socks - I finished the first of a pair tonight - not entirely happy with it, but going to cast on the second sock tomorrow anyway. I may (or may not) frog the first one after the second is finished. These are for a pregnant mama who swims with daughter and me each morning. I hope to get them finished - AND - a pair for the baby finished BEFORE mama goes into labor. She has three more weeks.

Three more weeks! I know! And she is still swimming with us every morning! And, let me tell you - she is no slouch in the pool, either. She does a pretty good workout every day - full out swimming - while I just paddle along. I am impressed, I’ll tell ya!

oh, dang! I missed the wee tiny sock swap signup! Shoot! Well, there’s always 2009. But, I have several wee tiny socks already done - she’s right, you can’t just make one! Hmmmmm - maybe I should do my own swap, huh? Well, we’ll see if any of you would like to do that - or I will just wait for the wee tiny sock swap 2009 to come around.

Whoo, boy! (or as some in my past would say, BOY, HOWDY!)

So, I have been “stuck” in Ravelry for several days. I now know why so many have said it is addictive - and, being one of those addictive-type personalities, I can say - it sure is!

I’m Purplemoose over there if you’re looking for me - and be sure to let me know here so I can find you, too.

I’ve joined a few groups - and posted one picture - of a pair of socks, of course. Remember these socks?
I finished them in Ohio on our trip and gave them to our friend (he was our best man 39 years ago) for his expected grandbaby. Well, the little tyke was born 3 months early and weighed in at a whopping (I jest) three pounds! So, a plea was made from the new grandparents to make a tiny pair to fit his widdle feet.

I made a tiny hat also - and the socks are tube socks. The hat is small enough to fit an orange, I would guess. For the picture I put it onto the hat of the baby on the card I sent with them. I wanted to make sure they arrived quickly - because, well, because you just never know with premies - and whoo! the post office made out on that deal. But the socks and hat arrived in less than three days so I consider it money well spent.

Hubby talked with his buddy today and the little guy is holding his own and seems to be doing well. But they still haven’t named him. He’s 8 days old. It’s time to give that baby a moniker!

Speaking of monikers . . . Alaska’s Governor Sarah Palin (and the First Dude, Todd) have welcomed their fifth child into their family. Master Trig Paxson Van Palin arrived a month early. Sarah went into labor while making a speech in Texas(!!) after her water broke (!!!) She was able to get through her speech, get to the airport and aboard an Alaska Airlines jet, get to Alaska in time to deliver the young sir. And, yes, baby socks are being mailed to her tomorrow, too.

Thanks to those of you who commented or emailed wondering if I had dropped from the face of the earth - I’ve just been really busy at work and after winding down by knitting a row or two (3, 10, you know), I either browse through other folks’ blogs - or Ravelry - or drop off to sleep (either still in my chair or in my bed).

Life is good, I am fine, and I thank you all.

So, what’s on YOUR needles?

I’m a bit disappointed, though, because I did not make a yarn run in all the time we were there. There just wasn’t enough time - what with running around visiting with relatives and then doing our sightseeing with our granddaughter. It was SO much fun to introduce Ms. Thang to our Ohio.

I was born and raised in Columbus and hubby was born in W. VA and raised in the Columbus area. Some family still in the area - and, in order to see as many as possible we had a no-host get-together Thursday night at a buffet restaurant. (poor folks there will never be the same - haha) It was good to get reacquainted with everyone.

While I was not able to visit any yarn shops - I DID get some knitting done. I made a pair of baby socks for one of our friends who is going to be a grandpa soon. Okay, the socks aren’t for HIM, they’re for the baby - but you knew that, right?

Right.

It’s the first time he had ever seen self-patterning yarn. He kept asking me how I had done that - did I use several balls of yarn. I had to tell him I wasn’t quite as talented as he thinks, because it all came from one skein.

Gotta love messing with folks’ minds, huh?

So - we arrived back home earlier this week, but it has taken me this long to be reacclimated to the time change (four hours) and catch up somewhat at work. And, this morning I get some extra time as I am only working a part day.

I even logged in to my Ravelry account yesterday - didn’t get to stay for long - I was looking for a pattern for socks using the Tofutsies yarn I purchased eons ago. They had one listed that I’d seen elsewhere (on the Tofutsies yarn site) so I’ll either use that pattern or one from my stash. But I need to get the yarn done up - right?

And, I need to get busy on the second afghan for Shelly’s Share a Square project. I finished the first one before we left. Bought some beads while in Anchorage for the bags. Thanks to the folks who let me know they were working on bags for the project - if you have time to do one or two, drop me a note, too.

Have a great day, everyone!

Are you a math nut? Are you a math whiz? Do you like numbers and do addition in your head?

Can you combine your love of science and math with your chosen craft of knitting?

Oh, I know that everytime we work on a project we are actually using some form of math - knit 2, purl 2, three times, etc. But, do we actually think of that as math? And do we ever take it one step further?

These folks did. Math Trek; Knitting Network There’s even a mobius strip - knitted, of course.
Pretty darned cool.

Yeah, I guess we use math all of the time, without even thinking about it. Everytime we grab the measuring cups and spoons to make cookies, cakes, biscuits - everytime we measure out 3/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon, there is an element of math involved. Everytime we knit, purl, following someone’s pattern, or adjusting it for our own size, we are using some form of math.

We can’t help it.

And, isn’t that just fun after all?

Now, if you are a scientist by trade, but a fiber artist by choice, here is a place just for you: Skeintily Clad - (NQC)FO* and the new Science Knits webring
*Not Quite Completely Finished Objects. You can read all about it by clicking on that link.

There’s a home for everyone, isn’t there? Pretty neat.

You can also read another article about the Science of Knitting. It talks about hyperbolic space, the geometric opposite of a sphere. Yeah, I don’t know, either. But, then, I’m a Gramma, not a scientist. (not that the two are not compatible, mind you. I’m just saying.)

I am a member of Ravelry . . . but hardly ever have time to play there. Is that sad or what?

You see, I do have a reason. I only have just so much time - and when I get to reading other people’s stuff - checking out what THEY are doing, I suddenly find myself with NO time left over to do things of my own.

I can either read online - or I can knit (crochet, etc.) offline.

I can play online - or I can see my Share A Square projects grow.

I can play with others at Ravelry - or I can knit and crochet things for my loved ones here.

But, I LOVE to read about other projects - to see what others have to say - to PLAY!

Sigh!

I was actually able to join the group early on in its beginnings. I was one of the lucky ones who was chosen. And, I’ve fallen down on my duties, I’m guessing.

It’s a nice thing that they still let me come in and update my list of needles and such, huh? Oh, and to check out all of the folks from Alaska who are members - hey, there is even one just in the next town up from me. That’s sort of cool. Because, it is possible I might never meet some of these folks otherwise.

It’s not like we have knit-ins here in the central Kenai Peninsula or anything.

But, I imagine THAT could happen, too. But it would take more time - and time seems to be something that I have little of these days. It is a very precious commodity.

Like fuel for my car.

But that is a whole ‘nother story. (oy! the prices!!!!)

Last night I finished edging the first afghan for Shelly’s project. (by the way - bags for the tags are still needed.) I have all the squares for the second one edged, but haven’t joined them into strips yet. I’ll do that when I return.

Return?

Ah, yes . . . we are packing for another trip. This time hubby and oldest granddaughter are going along. This time we are traveling out of state - or, as we Alaskans say - “Outside”. We are going Outside for spring break.

The granddaughter and I were supposed to travel to Washington DC with her 8th grade teacher and other students and staff. Just like I did two years ago with her brother. This time there were not enough students interested in going (WHAT??? At that age I would have LOVED to take a trip!) so the trip was cancelled.

Hubby and I felt that she should still get her trip, so when we got the money back from the DC trip I started looking for good deals. We were able to get airline tickets, hotel and car for all three of us for the same time frame. How cool is that?

We leave tomorrow morning to drive to Anchorage where we will leave the car with friends and then we fly out just before 10 pm.

DC? Nope - we are giving her a history trip of her very own (family) history. We will visit an aunt of mine and an aunt of her grandpa’s. Then we will have a no-host dinner with some of my cousins, some of his nieces and nephews and some good friends. We just don’t have enough time to go to everyone’s house, so we’ll do the one big hoo-hah to try to see as many as possible all at once.

Side trips (besides the two aunts) will include a vist to COSI and the Ohio Historical Museum (to see the mummy behind which her grandpa gave her grandmummy her first kiss - oh, I am so punny!

This trip I am taking along my needles and some baby socks in progress. Maybe I should take along a self-addressed envelope just in case they decide to take them away from me? Nahhhh.

That’s me and the bear next to the Juneau Courthouse. Behind us is the State Capitol building.

I mentioned that I was going to check into the local yarn store while I was in Juneau. I tried, folks, I really tried. But, everytime I went by, the place was locked up and dark. I talked with a man in another storefront - some sort of computer geekery establishment - and he told me that “she should be back any minute.” Then he mentioned a sign on the door, but when he came out to prove to me it was there, he was surprised to find nothing there, either.

Instead, there were craft calendars for January and February.

This is March.

sigh.

So, I missed out on visiting with the Juneau yarn folks and am sad about that. Guess I will have to look for yarn stores in Columbus, Ohio when I visit there next week. Yeah, I’m sure to find one (hmmmm - it’s a bit far from where we’ll be staying, but you never know) or two - Columbus is a big town. (It is currently a big town with a BIG snow!)

It’s also my home town - I have only lived in two towns in my life - in two states. That either proves that my life is oh, so sad . . . or it proves that my life is very stable.

hahahahaha

you figure out which one - and then let me know, too.

In the meantime . . . still crocheting and edging away for Share A Square. I want to get one of these finished before we leave town Saturday morning. I have all of the squares edged and have begun stitching the rows together. Then, I can put the edging all around and one will be complete. Yay!

Oh, she is a punny, punny person, is she not? Yup, she is. Anyhoo! I needed to run by the local yarn shop here in Kenai Saturday in order to pick up some more black yarn to finish the squares for Shelly.

It gave me a chance to visit with one of the shop owners who I haven’t seen for awhile. She, of course, asked who I was knitting for now and I shared with her about the Share a Square project and told her of the different squares I had made and the afghans I had put together.

Somehow we got onto the topic of how I hold crochet hooks. I think I’ve talked about it here before, but I hold the hook inside my hand - like I hold a spoon to eat soup. My grandmother TRIED to teach me to hold my hooks the “proper” way - sort of like you would hold a pencil. But I was never happy with my tension - oh, to tell the truth, it just never feels right when I am trying to hold the hook that way.

The lady at the store laughed and shared that she also holds the hook that way - due to a stroke she had in her early adult life she is unable to hold it the proper way, either.

We each shared that we always feel a bit funny when with a group of other crocheters because everyone else seems to use the hook the proper way. So, I guess I’d like to ask you all - how do you hold your hooks while crocheting? Is there really a proper way to hold them?

And, while we’re on the subject of crocheting . . .

Bag Ladies and Gents still needed. Read about the project here and contact me at prplmoose AT kenaiwriter DOT net if you’d like more information or would like to contribute. THANKS!

As you read this today I am basking in the sunshine . . . okay, not really - I am soaking up the ra(in drops)ys in Juneau, Alaska. I’m here for a meeting that my boss usually attends, but if you read my last column, you’ll know she is gone - SHE is actually the one basking in the sunshine - she’s in her last week in Hawaii - lucky woman. She missed all the huge snows we’ve been having.

But - are YOU surviving? Check out the Watching Survivor blog and enter the survivor pool - see if you can knock Lessa off her throne. Heh.

One of the things I hope to do while in Juneau is scoping out the local yarn store. Well, shoot - the site seems down for some reason. I hope the store isn’t closed, too. I love the idea of a yarn store being found on the second floor of the Senate building!!!! I’ll have to check into how many of our Alaskan legislators knit.

In the meantime I am trying to think of a quickie project - small enough to fit into the carryon bag - to take along with me to Juneau. I am thinking maybe baby socks:

sorta like these. Yes? No? Maybe, baby. Wonder if I can get onto the plane with the needles?

Oh, hey - in the search for the site of the Juneau yarn store, I found a Juneau knitter/blogger. Hmmm - maybe we’ll run into each other - maybe not, but always a nice thought, right?

I love the cartoon shown over at Fiction Scribe! It shows a writer staring out of the window looking for ideas for blogging. Well, we’ve all been THERE, haven’t we?

It’s sort of like me looking at all of the yarn I have and wonderng whatever shall I knit next?
I mean, I have a license to knit and all that . . . right? Right. And, I have all these lovely skeins of yarn bought on this whim or that whim. All good intentions, those.

But, where or where, dear friends, do we find the TIME to do all the knitting or crocheting (or crafting, beading, quilting, READING!) we would love to do???? Yeah, I don’t know the answer to THAT, either.

It’s a little like your question to me - why, WHERE have you been??? Why haven’t you BLOGGED? Erm . . . life just sort of got in my way, I think.

I’m in month three of my boss’ three month sabbatical. She named me as her interim replacement for those three months and I have been doing her job in addition to my own. During the first month I was recovering from the surgery for kidney cancer - surgery that I had before she left.

Also during the first month I spent time in two different hospitals for a heart attack.

During February??? The receptionist laughed Friday and congratulated me on making a whole month with NO PROBLEMS! Well, no hospital vists at least.

Lots going on at the office - some of which I can handle, some of which I cannot - those will have to wait for my boss’ return April 1st.

Yes, you read correctly - she comes back April 1st. One coworker suggested she might play a big April Fools joke on me by calling in sick. HAHA! I suggested I might change the name tags on the doors and give myself a promotion. HAHA again! Yes, we have fun - we don’t make much money, but we have fun.

You know, you just can’t get enough “girlfriend” time. Last Friday I invited my friend to drive to Anchorage with me - we were just going up for the day - just to have some chatty, weepy, laughing, alone time together.

Each of us is busy, busy, and we just can’t do this often enough to satisfy us. You know? We’ve all been there - we dibble and dabble into each and every project that comes our way - we do for our families - we do for other folks - we work - we eat (sometimes too much) - we sleep - we exercise (sometimes not nearly enought) . . . we do all those things, but

we forget to take time for ourselves. And, time for ourselves needs to on occasion include other folks to share it with - and, so the great adventure for Anchorage began.

And, what’s a trip to the big city without a stop in one or two local yarn shops?

Favorite-est of all (tis TOO a word!) is Knitting Grounds, so I made sure we had enough time to stop by to say hello before heading out of town. I have some gorgeous lavender/purplish wool from Knitting Grounds that I purchased late last year - I really need to get that made up into another felted bag.

Goodness . . . I sound like a junkie or something . . . I NEED to (do this or that) hahaha

The picture above shows my friend modeling a blue felted hat and a green and blue scarf that were on display in the shop. She is SO much fun to be with. I am blessed to have her as a friend.

I have another friend who likes to make that big city run with me, too. She has just started a new job - so a big shoutout to Ms. B!! Trusting you are still enjoying the new work!

Well, folks, I am very tired, so I am going to cut out of here for tonight - but I want to leave you with this . . .
(more…)

Bag Ladies and Gents still needed. Read about the project here and contact me at prplmoose AT kenaiwriter DOT net if you’d like more information or would like to contribute. THANKS!

At my daytime job part of my duties is to arrange for - or give - various trainings. Some are required trainings, while others are educational, entertaining, or plain fun. Some are a delightful mix of all of the above.

One of the latter occurred this week when I invited some of Kenai’s finest firefighters to come and teach us how to utilize fire extinguishers properly.

First, they started a fire in a burn barrel. They used plastic bags filled with newspapers and poured gasoline (!!) onto them, then ignited the lot with a barbecue fire starter. Oh, pyromania!

One by one, our staff members extinguished the fire (which was started over and over again) with the firefighters watching and coaching closely. Much fun ensued!

And, they, of course, made sure the fire was fully extinguished before heading back to the station.

Then, my brain tried to figure out a way to tie together knitting AND firefighting, and you know what? I can do that!!

Here is a blog written by someone who both knits and is a firefighter - for two different companies! Whoot! She also apparently is fond of breaking double point needles.

And, for my British friends - here’s a group of firefighters who helped make a calendar to raise money for some seniors. I love this comment: “We have such unlikely situations as a firefighter sitting in the garden being taught to knit by three older ladies and a polar bear being rescued from a tree (scared by fireworks!)” Yup, the story has a picture of the unlikely firefighter in the garden. Cute!

And, last, but never least . . . a pattern for firefighter’s socks - well, socks that reminded the crafter of ladders . . . thus of fires and firefighters.

I’m off to the big city tomorrow - driving up with a friend after swimming and a dental appointment. We will stop by the mall to see my pictures (hopefully) hanging in the Fur Rendezvouz Photo Contest, and have some lunch before we head back home. Oh, we’ll hit a couple of stores, I’m sure - a yarn store for absolute sure.

You all enjoy!

You know it’s almost spring when you hear about babies, babies, and MORE babies headed for a soft landing on this earth. Two of my longtime online buddies are going to be first time grandpas. And, while the situations (in both cases) are not 100% hunky dory, nevertheless, these two gents (did I mention they are both Brits?) will make stupendous Grand-das. Yes, indeedy.

So, I’ve been the knitting gramma from across the pond (also known as “that wacky ‘laskan” and other not so charming monikers - heh) and I’ve been knitting baby socks. I’ve sent some off to one of my friends and am ready to send some off to my other friend.

And, THEN, I found out that my dentist is going to be a first time dad this summer!!! Can we say MORE baby socks?? I knew we could.

But, not just socks . . . BOOTIES!!! How about these for an upcoming holiday . . . Booties go Bragh! from Vickie Howell. Or, you could knit her Hugs and Stitches newborn booties. key-ute!

And, for those feeling all goose-bumpy about babes, but not in the family way . . . nor even having a family man (so to speak) . . . here’s a quick and cute Boyfriend Scarf that just might help (or not).

okay, friends . . . you know how you do a search and click a link that has NOTHING to do with whatever you were originally searching for? Right? Right? And, it just happens to be one of the most interesting links you have seen that night? Right?

Yeah, like that . . . here’s a site for those who have no sight - braille knitting books! That’s very cool.