Knitting Passion

Yesterday I told you about Jess at Sticks and Strings. Last night while watching SYTYCD (what??? You don’t know what that means? sigh. So You Think You Can Dance, of course) I cast on the Lake Ariel cloth. It is a super easy pattern of only four rows. It works up really pretty, but there is an error in the number to cast on. I’ve let Jess know, so she will likely change it soon. If you decide to try it before . . . or just want to make sure . . . it should be CO 41 (not 42) to make the pattern work out right.

I’m doing it in a cream color - hers was done in a gorgeous green - and I think it will look really nice when it is completed.

I’ve completed another tweed cloth and another petal cloth - I haven’t take pictures yet, but will post them when I do.

So, for now, I’ll share some more pictures of the cloths finished for the fall ladie’s retreat. This is the Lace Curtain cloth by Patricial Lawrence (meowmama).

This is a really super easy cloth to knit up. Again, it is a simple four row pattern stitch. You should know YO (yarn overs) and P2SSO (pass two, slipped stitches over). They are easy to catch on - and there is help out there for you if you need it.

Another beautiful cloth is the Lilacs on the Verandah cloth from Keeping You in Stitches.

I am drawn to this pattern firstly because I love lilacs - we had a huge bush next to our rental house when I was growing up. My mom loved flowers of all kinds and had roses, the lilacs, four o’clocks, and many others.

My own lilac bush here in Alaska has never bloomed. The moose keep it pretty well pruned and it has just never gotten there in all these years. At least I have a pattern to keep me in mind of the flowers.

Yeah, I know . . . lots of dish cloths - what else can I knit? Well, I am about out of dish cloth cotton so it may be time to dip into the sock yarn stash . . . . . . .

Yes, you read the title right . . . it’s a Sock Summit! Held in Portland, Oregon August 6-9th at the Oregon Convention Center. There will be socks and socks galore . . . in fact, even the Big Sock might be there - that’s in the process of being arranged right now.

If you like to knit socks - if you like to talk socks - if you like to dance at a Sock Hop (ouch! that is an old, old, OLD term - but one I remember well) - then this is the place for you.

You could take classes while there: 2 at a time socks, crocheted socks (for those who would rather hook than play with sticks), learn to make beautiful beaded baby bootees . . . you have a class in mind? There is likely one there for you.

Of course, this isn’t cheap. On top of airfare to get to Portland (or fuel if you’re able to drive there from wherever you are), and hotel rooms, the registration costs follow:

Prices:

$70 A three hour half day class.
$140 A six-hour all day class.
$15 A “one hour wonder” featuring small techniques that can be learned in an hour.
$35 Lectures (Barbara Walker, Anna Zilboorg)
$25 The Luminary Panel, on Sunday afternoon, featuring Priscilla Gibson-Roberts, Anna Zilboorg, Nancy Bush, Judith MacKenzie-McCuin, Deborah Robson, Barbara Walker, Cat Bordhi, Lucy Neatby and Meg Swansen, with Tina Newton and Stephanie Pearl-McPhee moderating.
$20 The Sock Hop on Friday night.
$22 A ticket to the opening reception on Thursday evening.

Students will be able to sign up for as much or as little as they please, and materials fees for the classes will be extra—and optional, as much as we can. (We want you to be able to stash-dive to save money where possible.)

They are developing a Sock Museum as well - and for those of us who cannot travel to the summit . . . it is available online - and there’s a KAL, too! Check out how you can help build the museum (so to speak) with your sock knitting capabilities.

There’s a Sock Summit group at ravelry, too. Waaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyy too much fun, yall!

Isn’t this cute? So sweet Shelly gifted me with this cute little hand after the Share A Square project was “over”. Why the quotation marks??? Well, we had so many squares donated to the project that there were enough for the original 140 afghans - PLUS many more.

So I have two more sets of squares I’m working on right now. All of the squares have been edged in black and I am working at piecing together the first afghan. It’s my goal to finish both this week and get them shipped back to Texas in lickety split time.

In other project news . . . met with the “Soldotna knitters” this morning. We’re all working on various projects - one is working on fingerless gloves, another an afghan, another socks, and I had a dish cloth on the needles (shhhhh a friend has a birthday soon.) I thought I might finish it so also had some of the squares with me. They were not touched this morning. Guess I know what I’ll be doing during tv time later, huh?

Have you tried Ravelry yet? If you are a knitter, crocheter, or would like to be, this is your home! Seriously. There is so much fun to be had there - so many different groups to join - many different swaps to join - and just interesting conversations to take part in, or to lurk and read through.

Sign-up invitations are only taking a couple of days now - when they first started it could take a month or more - and there are currently 153,476 registered users. Goodness! It is growing. Even Lessa has joined - and she doesn’t knit OR crochet! She’s there to chat about Big Brother, of course.

Come on over and join us. We’d love to see you there.

The KnitWitch is open and running a contest. Run on over and check out the site and let her know what YOU would like. There are some seriously gorge-mous yarns there . . . and, and, and, YARN BOWLS!!! How pretty THEY are. Go on . . . you know you wanna . . . time to add to your stash.

And, if you have any alpaca roving or have knit with alpaca, she is interested in seeing pics of that as well.

There are three ways to win her contest - so go on over and check it out and, ENTER!!!

And, have you joined Ravelry yet? If not, you need to get on over there and check it out. There is a place where you can take a test run so to speak - that is, check out some of the site before joining.

I’ve had a lot of fun reading through - and joining - several different groups. I’m taking part in a couple of swaps - you’ll read more about them here as we get closer to them. I don’t want any spoilers going on with my swapees.

Speaking of spoilers . . . Big Brother is starting today. Lessa’s 451 site is not available so she is writing about it here. Hopefully the powers that be will get the problems sorted out before much longer - orrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr, I might let her come in here and do some guest postings - wonder if anyone took knitting needles along? Well, the one who might have is a fellow raveler and she was not selected for the group. Pout!

So, go on over and give the KnitWitch and Lessa some knittingpassion kinda love, okay?

I couldn’t beleive it when I was able to log in just now! And, here I was ready to head off to bed. Well, sir, I am going to take this chance to post something and do it quickly before the 451 devils whisk my site away again.

So, how are you all doing? Here it is July 9th - okay, 10th for most of you - and I feel like my summer has just gone whisking past me - I know, it is just beginning to be summer for all of you, but I live in Alaska and it is feeling a bit chilly in the mornings lately.

But, what have I been doing knitting wise? Well, after the last of the bags for the SAS bag project were completed and shipped off, I started some dish cloths. One of the Ravelry groups I belong to is a dish cloth exchange group - so, I joined a July swap where each member knits a cloth to send to someone else - you can swap with one or two people. In return, you will receive a dish cloth from someone. I chose to swap with two people - then I chose to do two cloths for each. Those are ready to go - just as soon as I receive my swappees’ names and addresses.

Then I cast on the July 6th weekly dish cloth pattern. It is pretty nice looking - and will be a gift for a sister-friend who is having a birthday this month. She and I and another friend hope to drive towards Anchorage - going to Mt. Alyeska ski lodge - take the tram to the top of the mountain, have lunch and share some good friend time.

We’ll probably also go into Anchorage to the LYS for some dream/shopping time.

And, I’ve been spending some time on the Ravelry forums - doing some RAKing (Random Act of Kindness) and receiving one as well:

Aren’t they the cutest? Yeah, I know the picture is crappy, but the critters are darling. They’re finger puppets - will take them to work for my groups and such - some people like to fiddle with toys or something and are able to learn better when they do. So I try to always have paper, pens, markers, and TOYs on the tables when I present.

are the queen of stashes? Ohhhhhhhh no, my friend, I seriously think not! Check out Squitchinglady’s stash - of yarns - oh, me oh, my . . . I am lusting a wee bit over the tote of sock yarns. Yummy!!!

She’s also got a nice stash of crafty projects material stashed!

In the yarn stash post she also shows her husband’s complusion - lego toys! And, I thought my grandboys had a large supply! Mercy me!

I do love her finished object - an Amiguri - complete with pink sweater and froggie buttons. Veddy cute.

is it not the cutest?

I found Donna through Ravelry. Do go over and drop her a note - she has fibromyalgia and is in quite a bit of pain right now. Your cheery comments could help her day go a lot better.
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. . . So you think you can Dance

I love music - I love rhythm - I love dance - I tell my hubby (who likes none of the same, btw) that it is something that has to be felt in the SOUL of a person. I think anyone can appreciate beauty of these things, but to LOVE them, that appreciation must be soul deep.

Agree? Disagree?

It matters not - it’s all subjective, I guess.

But, I must say that I am enjoying the new season of So You Think You Can Dance. The choreography is (mostly) stunning and the interpretation of it by the dancers is (mostly) spot on (as my British friends would say). I thoroughly enjoyed the Broadway piece and the Viennese Waltz tonight.

Saying that - I must admit that I called Lessa to find out what in the world was bothering me about the faces of a couple of the guys - she confirmed my suspicion that they “manscape”, that is, they wax those errant eyebrows. So, mama learns a new word.

I would never have thought of that - except that I happened to catch an episode of Meet My Parents (or whatever it’s called) a few weeks ago and two of the guys were called out because they waxed their eyebrows. Well, one was called out about it and the other revealed his habit during one of those hidden camera segments.

Gracious! I hardly have time to shave my legs! Let alone wax my eyebrows.

And, to go with the dance theme:
Triangle Tango
so you think you can dance,
dance,
dancecececece . . . .

So much to talk about - so little time. I know, how can that be? But I find that I either have the time to knit - or the time to write - but really, not enough time to do both some days. So, I’m (quite) a bit behind here. Seems like the 451Press peeps are pretty forgiving of me right now and I am thankful for that, but I don’t want to abuse the system, so will try to do much better.

Today is World-wide Knit in Public Day! Did you know that? I didn’t find that site soon enough to register our little group of Soldotna knitters - but then, we don’t really need an excuse to get together and knit in public.

I discovered yet another person I knew BEFORE Ravelry in today’s group. She shied away from the camera when I took the obligatory picture, though. And the other BR(before Ravelry) person I knew wasn’t there yet. The ladies you see in this picture all gave permission to post it - but I’m not going to give their names. If they want to add them via comments that is cool with me.

Don’t they make a lovely group of knitters? Many others coming into Mugz also thought so as they stopped to admire the various works in progress and to ask questions. We invited several to join us in future meet-ups. We may have to move a couple of tables together next time.

Several of the ladies are taking part in the Rockin’ Sock KAL (knit along) and today we had a glimpse of the current pattern - one pair of socks finished and on foot, the other pair almost finished and still on needles. Nice work, ladies. Beautiful socks. The Raveler wearing her socks said she loves them - they are super comfortable. They are lovely, too!

The latest of the bags for Shelly’s dream - I rediscovered this material Saturday - it was in a bag of scraps. The wording is “I’m a Good Kid” - just how appropriate is that?

The bags I made are all different sizes - the material had been cut out for a child’s pair of pants, I think. So I had to cut around and out and about and try to come up with rectangles to work. Got 12 bags out of the material, so not too bad. Sewed them by hand because my machine is not working - finished them off with yarn cords and beads.

So - count to date of the various and sundry bags: 50 - with two more (that I know of) en route, and I think a few more promised. We are, as far as I can tell, 18 shy of the goal of 70 . . so if you’ve been sitting on some bags and haven’t contacted me to send them on, now’s your (last) chance. Drop me a note at prplmoose AT kenaiwriter DOT net. We are getting close to the end of this project - Shelly will soon have her guest bedroom back - and 140 kids will be blessed by the goodness of a whole lotta people’s hearts.

Here’s the breakdown of the ones you see pictured: 5 from Noriko, 2 from JoJo, 5 from Keiko, 8 from Kate, 12 that I made, and 18 that someone (sorry, I’ve forgotten who) sent to Shelly and Shelly sent to me and I decorated with beads.

I thank you all who have joined in the effort. There was no effort too small - no sharing too little - no love too tiny - you ALL made and are making a difference.

In yarn news . . . after having coffee with friends on Saturday I visited the LYS and bought 2 skeins of sock yarn for Mommy and Me socks. One of my friends (Ms. S - and thanks, Shelly for pointing out the funny about my friends’ names - Ms. B and Ms. S - hahahahaha) has a friend who is welcoming a new baby into the family. (I think this is a grandbaby, but I’m not sure) and wanted to know how much I would charge to make a pair of Mommy and Me socks.

Well, as any of you who craft (knit, crochet, sew, etc) know, that is a tough question. How do you put a dollar figure on time and love. You can’t. So, I let her know tonight how much the yarn cost. Ms. B suggested a gift certificate from the LYS - so, friend is thinking on that as well.

To be honest - it would be my pleasure to make it a gift. Have a great Tuesday, everyone!

A work in progress from one of the Soldotna Ravelry knitters.

I wasn’t able to get together with the Soldotna Ravelers today as I had an earlier coffee date with two very dear friends. We met at the same location - Mugz - and sat and talked and laughed and cried and drank our coffee. It was a very nice meet-up and I am blessed to have such great friends as Ms. B and Ms. S. Thank you, ladies. See you again soon.

They have music - looks like about every weekend - in the lounge, too. I’m a bit disappointed because it looks like a colleague of mine (work related) was featured there tonight. I enjoy her music, but it is usually a “chance” occasion when I get to hear it - and, sometimes it is a near miss - like tonight. (Yes, I’m pouting just a bit)

Daughter Lessa, who writes for 451Press also, (Watching Rachael Ray, Watching Survivor, and Big Brother Craze) also has another home online. Please go and read her snarky account of life on our own little Wisteria Lane. Maybe it’s just me - and maybe it’s because I know the folks of whom she speaks, but I about spat on my screen as I read it. Of course, it might be funnier to some who actually watch the show - I’m afraid I’ve never seen an episode of Desperate Housewives. (does that make me truly weird?)

In other news - hubby and I went to see the new Indiana Jones flick last night - we weren’t able to do so last weekend because the showings were all sold out. This week, I bought tickets on the way home from work - we went out for dinner - and then went back to the theatre and saw the film. I was told by the manager that the BIG seller this week was Sex and the City. Well, call me silly, but I would rather watch Indie!

We enjoyed it greatly. Yes, Harrison Ford is older, but then so am I! I thought that his stunts were reasonable (for an old guy) for the most part.

There were a couple of scenes I could have done without - no spoilers, BUT - I am a bit afraid of heights (being vertically challenged and all that) and I have a high gag reflex. When you’ve seen the movie, if you don’t know what I am referring to, feel free to leave a comment or email me and I’ll share.

Have a great weekend!

hubby’s socks were big . . . now I’ve discovered the BIG SOCK project.

Imagine, if you can, 1500 stitches cast onto several (I think I read there are 13 needles - something like that, anyway) circular needles and then sent around the world for different knitters to knit a row, or two, or ten, or more . . .

According to the big sock website the current record holder for the largest handknit sock which measured 4.95 x 4.3 x 1.9 meters is held by the Sheep Farmers Association of Austria. THIS sock hopes to measure 7 meters (22.96 feet) in diameter and is expected to be 4 meters (13.12 feet) long before the heel is turned.

I found out about this project on the Ravelry forum boards - and, doggonit, I wanna play, too. I’ve posted that I would love to see the sock come to Alaska where we could play with it for awhile.

Surely the Kenai and Soldotna area knitters (Ravelry and otherwise) could have fun with it for awhile and then I could get it to Anchorage for the local yarn stores to play with, too.

Can’t imagine how much the postage would cost to get it from place to place - that thing is getting pretty BIG! But, if everyone chipped in a buck or so, it wouldn’t be such a big project or drain on the purse.

And, wouldn’t it be fun to say you had a part in making some Guiness World Book of Records history? And, you know . . . any excuse for knitters to gather and party - ANY excuse! I’ve left messages on the ravelry board and on the website - hopefully Alaska will get to see the giant sock.

So, on the 17th and again on the 24th I met up with some of the Soldotna Ravelers for coffee and kibbitzing about knitting - and families - and hubbies - and jobs - and the cost of gas, etc. It’s been fun getting to know these knitters . . . and crocheters.

One of the daughters was working on a toy elephant in crochet. She was using blue sparkly yarn which just kinda cracked me up, being as the repubs are all blue and such - quipped that she would need to use red should she make a donkey (for the dems, you see).

We have socks in the works and scarves and elephants and leggings . . . we are a diverse and eclectic group - and that is ALL good!

Thoughts out to J’s mom - hoping she is out of the hospital by now and things are getting back to normal in the J household.

There will be another meet-up this weekend, I understand. I will be at the same place at the same time, most likely, but will be meeting a couple of my friends for coffee and chit-chat - not coffee and click-clack. One of them does knit, but the other does not - she, however, quilts!

Generally, when we get together, it is more chatter than crafting of any sort. Three good friends who don’t see each other nearly as often as we would like these days. It’s always good when we CAN get together. (can you tell I’m looking forward to it?)

And, remember these socks?

We got to meet the new baby last weekend - at the swimming pool while we were celebrating the Pup’s birthday. He is a cutie patootie!

Yeah, I know it’s been awhile - and just like a bad penny I turn up, huh?

Life has been busy in this knitter’s household. School had come to a screeching halt for the grandkiddos with last field trips and last concerts and last fun things with friends . . . and there are some firsts, also: granddaughter #1 walked across the floor at the middle school for the last time as a middle schooler and for the FIRST time as a freshman in high school!

My first granddaughter is a FRESHMAN! Oh, my goodness - I do NOT know where the time has gone with that one . . . or with her brother . . . the one who is going to be a JUNIOR next year - the one who is working at his first job - the one who is practicing driving with his mama and his grandpa - my own sweetcakes is a JUNIOR!

Add to that the final swim meets for the grands in the other daughter’s family and THAT daughter’s first triathlon, and, and, and, oh, yes - hubby’s and my 39th anniversary(!!!)

Busy, busy, busy - also at work. And, on the knitting front.

Really, folks, about the only place I am NOT busy is cleaning my house. Ha ha ha. I am taking off a bit more than a week in June and will try to get the house into some semblance of order.

But, on the knitting front . . .

Finished hubby’s socks just tonight:

He put them right on and declared them to be good.

They were part of his anniversary gift - gifted a wee bit late (anniversary was May 10th). Gifted ON the day was:

this Star Trek insignia wash cloth. He loved it.

We are coming down to the wire, folks . . . have you made a bag - or contacted me about a bag - but haven’t sent it on, yet? Now is the time . . . we are getting ever closer to June and it’ll soon be time for these kiddos to go to camp. We want to make it an awesome summer.

And, if you’re just not a baggy type of gal or guy . . . well, then maybe you would like to personally help send a kid to camp. Check out this contest and get in on the i-Pod drawing. You know you wanna!!!!

Those are hubby’s socks . . . I’m getting there - I think I was way too impressed with my ability when I thought I could have them finished before we went to Homer last weekend. I finished the first sock a couple of nights ago - and am progressing on the second. The ribbing in this pattern is 8-12 inches long. I make it 8 inches. Hubby’s foot is a size 12!!! so the finished sock looks humongo, but, it should fit him just fine.

During the winter he wears polar fleece socks with his birks. It’s getting a little too warm now (okay, not really - at least not for him) for the fleece - so, he may be able to soon move on to lighter weight socks like these knitted ones.

The nice thing - as if you all didn’t know - about knitted socks is that they are lightweight, but still warm.

yuppers!

Well, it’s bright and early Alaska time at any rate.

Okay - it’s not so bright - it’s just 5 am here and the sun hasn’t come up yet. However, our days are getting longer and the sun is coming up earlier each day and setting later each day - so we are quickly sliding into Alaska’s summer season.

Hubby and I are celebrating our 39th wedding anniversary this Saturday - we were married in Columbus, Ohio and had 9 anniversaries there before moving to Alaska. We had just come off a very loooooong and very white first winter in our new home state when we celebrated our 10th. That was kind of a rough one. But we carried on. (and our kids would say we “carried on” entirely too much for their comfort - heh)

To celebrate this year we are driving south to Homer to watch a couple of the younger grandkiddos in their last swim meet of the year. After we cheer them on and get our wet hugs and give high fives, PawPaw and I have a date - for dinner - a couples side by side massage - and a night at an Inn on Kachemak Bay. We’ll come back home sometime Sunday afternoon.

So, what do you get each other after 39 years?

recognize that symbol? Yup, Star Trek. Hubby is a big fan - BIG fan. I spent several years collecting the entire collection of Star Trek episodes - on videotape, mind you! - and he is the proud owner of every one on cd as well. Not to mention all of the movies and lots of different memorabilia. If it had anything to do with Star Trek - and it was within our budget at the time - he was the recipient of that thing. Christmas, birthday, anniversary, Father’s Day, just because.

This year when I found the baby trekkie washcloth I knew I had to make it up. I almost made it in red, but we all know what happens to the crew member wearing red in an episode - so it was either this teal green or purple. This was the winner.

Hope you are having a great week - I am amazed yet again, and maybe this is just me, but just how quickly is our year going by? I know, I know - that is a true sign of age.

Got a sock pattern you designed? Maybe you are thinking outside the box of sox? Maybe you are the ONE - maybe . . . maybe . . . Head on over and check it out!
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Do you have . .

Flat feet?

Mary at America’s Knitting wrote about this cool new way of knitting your socks – frogging a specially dyed piece as you knit a sock – go and read all about it!

Sadly, although several yarn shops in Alaska carry products from this company, none of them are remotely near me! And, I was craving something new and different, too.

I think I’m going to have to ask Zaynab at Knitting Grounds in Anchorage if she can get some of this – my hands are just ITCHING to get hold of some of it.

In the meantime I have just put a pair of socks onto needles for hubby! Yeah, I know. It’s been awhile since I’ve made HIM a pair of socks and it’s just about time. He’ll be shedding his polar fleece for the summer and a nice pair of knitted-with-love socks will be just right to wear with his birks as he runs out and about.

Not sure if I’ll get them done before the weekend – for our anniversary – but I am going to try. I’ve also found a pattern – it’s a baby washcloth pattern, actually – that I am going to try to do for the anniversary. It’s a star trek symbol! Think THIS without the line around it.

Live long and prosper, hubby moose, live long and prosper!