A Year in a Post

Family moves and other commitments this past year slashed stitching and computer time to a minimum. I've chosen cyber names for my family since neither is too keen on having their names bandied about in cyberspace. Since my last post....

October - Purchased a large skein of mohair boucle and a nostepinde at Rhinebeck. Using my handy new wooden stick and the backs of two chairs I turned the giant skein into a huge ball. This nightmare of an experience sent me shopping for a ball winder and wishing for a yarn swift. My dear husband, YankeesFan, made my wishes come true when he gave me a beautiful tabletop yarn swift from the Knitting Zone for the holidays. All three tools have been in regular use since their arrival. Today I re-wound the giant, double stranded ball into two single stranded balls. Sigh - it took awhile, but now I’m once again happily knitting away on the garter stitch wrap started last November from a smaller ball. The second ball will probably be used for a lace shawl once I decide upon a pattern.

March - Attended the Quilt Professionals Network Conference and had a terrific time. Made this appliquéd block, a simplified mola, as a gift for this year's honoree.

In April my father-in-law, WWII Vet, moved in with us. It’s been an interesting experience for all concerned. Since the two of us are together most of each day, he’s taken more of an interest in what I do than YankeesFan usually does. We're getting used to each other's routines and suddenly I've had a lot more free time. In the past couple of months the pointy sticks are again flying and the keyboard clicking so I hope to see more results.

Finally got around to knitting up a skein of last autumns Kool-Aid dyed yarn from the socknitting workshop that I taught at PEEC last October. Here are some of the unknit balls & skeins still sitting in the stash, although not always on the rock wall.

We dyed yarn, knit baby socks, started custom fit socks, and generally had a terrific weekend. In September I taught basically the same program at PEEC as an Elderhostel program, and will do it again in November for whoever signs up. This year I skipped the baby socks and started everyone right in on their custom fit socks. Most finished the first sock or were close to finishing by the end of the weekend. This is a skein I dyed using the Wilton icing dyes. I'm delighted with the results and will try some more with the next yarn shipment.

Cobbler Socks – Knit Picks Bare Donegal, dyed with 6 packets Berry Twist Kool-Aid in the crock pot with vinegar. Knit top down, size 1 Knit Picks DPNs, using stitch pattern #1 from Lesley Stanfield’s stitch dictionary. The Improved SSK gave a smoother stitch than results from slipping both as if to knit or purl. Heel has a woven appearance that I’ve termed “Cobbler”. It’s what you get when trying to do the Eye of Partridge while paying more attention to knitting podcasts than the actual knitting, and making a few mistakes. Any mistake repeated is a new pattern and I rather like this one! So far I haven't been able to get a good close-up.

And speaking of knitting podcasts, what are your favorites? My iPod is refreshed as often as possible with episodes of Cast-On, Sticks & String, Knit Picks’ and Pointy Sticks. Brenda Dayne and David Reidy’s dulcet tones always make me cheer when I see that a new episode of one of their shows has downloaded. So many podcasts - not enough time to listen!
Last Friday was Knitting Day for me. I finally wove the ends in on a scarf made using a skein of the hand-painted yarn. Scarf knit on size 8 bamboo needles in a *K2, P2* pattern, ending in K1. The yarn was purchased from the Yarn Loft in NJ a couple of years ago. This summer Kim created a lovely little space in the heart of Newton, NJ after her previous location burned down earlier this year. A visit is well worth the time if you’re in the area. Friday afternoon I found the new shop crammed full of yarn, primarily luscious sock yarns including Schaefer, Wildfoote, Trekking, Tofutsie, and at least a half a dozen more brands. This visit I limited myself to a lively colored ball of Tofutsie and a couple of skeins of beige Wildfoote. The beige is my 91y.o. WWII Vet’s favorite color for his wardrobe, so a pair of socks in this is sure to be worn often.

After a burger for lunch I hustled up to JillDeal’s in Milford, PA for the every other week “Sit & Knit” from 5-7pm. There is something delightful about sitting and knitting with others in person – nothing wrong with online friendships, but nothing replaces face-to-face contact. We all found a little something to add to the stash, a couple of us snapping up a couple of balls of Kidsilk Haze after watching Wendy knitting a bobble ended scarf destined to be felted using a Nicky Epstein pattern.

Well, here's the results of my shopping spree this week. My first skein of Schafer Anne, Wildfoote for WWII Vet's socks, Tofutsies, and a couple of balls of Kidsilk Haze. The KSH may be turned into scarves for Christmas gifts if the socks are done quickly.

Next weekend Jill’s teaching a workshop in “Finishing” that I’ve signed up for. In the next few days I’ll need to finish 16 squares in various patterns as prep work. OTN Briggs & Little Regal in an oatmeal color on size 6 straights. So it’s back to knitting for me as I try to make 2-3 squares a day. I’m hoping to avoid my usual mad rush of stitching in the parking lot just before the program begins! 6 down - 10 to go