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| Yardage Meter |
| 08.07.04 (6:26 am) [edit] |
Today I'm going to give new meaning to the concept of "organizing my stash". I've bought a lot of yarn on ebay which is coming on cones or in extra large skeins. I wanted to wind them onto smaller balls for easier knitting, but also wanted to keep track of the yardage.
After scouring the web for an AFFORDABLE yardage meter for weeks, I finally found the perfect one at Nancy's Knit Knacks. I tried it out last night with the yarn on the floor, then the yardage meter on my desk, followed by my yarn winder, and it worked like a charm! I counted and wound 7 skeins in no time. I even got really creative and created my own yarn labels. Now each skein that I wind has a lable with the yarn name/color, content, yardage, etc. etc. I did the labels in PowerPoint... They print out 4 to a page. Send me an email if you'd like a copy of the file.
I'll post a picture of my new and improved stash once I'm done.
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| Summer days |
| 07.29.04 (3:20 pm) [edit] |
Today was a great day. I finished the work I needed to do for the day at 10:00 and instead of going home and finding more work to do, I decided that this was going to be a mental health day. Of course, this meant going to my favorite LYS to sit and knit.
I took a couple of projects, one of which just needed the dreaded finishing that I've been putting off for weeks. Not only did I get the cable shell finished, but I learned a beautiful finishing technique in the process. I made some progress on the cable/lace shell also. I can't seem to bring myself to spend a lot of time on the linen summer poncho. I know it's going to look great when I finish it, but I'm just not "feeling it" right now. I'm about a third of the way done, so I've convinced myself that I'll have it done in time for cooler weather in the fall.
While at the LYS, I met a new knitting buddy... It didn't take long for us to discover that we both have an adopted child, we are both expectant godmothers, and that we are both interested in starting knitting ministries at our respective churches. We took a short break for lunch, and then returned for an afternoon of knitting. Now that's the life!
I intend to pick up where I left off after dinner, but tomorrow I can't go back to the LYS because I have a date with Denzel to see The Manchurian Candidate! 8)
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| Size DOES matter!!! |
| 07.29.04 (3:03 pm) [edit] |
I thought that subject line would get your attention! :lol:
Yes, you guessed it. I'm talking about that dreaded "S" word... Swatches! I understand the need for swatches to measure the stitch gauge before embarking on new project. But I'd always thought, and been led to believe by some pretty experienced knitters, that row gauge didn't matter. After all, you just keep going until the piece is as long as it needs to be. Who cares how many rows that is, right? NOT!!!
I found a wonderful pattern with raglan sleeves that extend all the way to the neckline. Here's a picture.
I did a swatch and the stitch gauge was fine. I did the front, back and all the way to the armhole shaping on both sleeves (knit at the same time), only to find that my sleeves were at the right length, but according to the pattern, I had many more rows to knit! I finally realized that although the stitch gauge was correct, the row gauge was off. Go figure! (I wish I had!) Anyway, the expert at my LYS suggested knitting another swatch on different needles, measuring both stitch AND row to see if I can get the row gauge to the correct size without compromising the stitch gauge. Either way, I'm going to have to frog the entire thing and start again. Boy, was this a lesson learned!
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| Update |
| 07.29.04 (1:18 pm) [edit] |
Just in case anyone read my last blog and was wondering... it appears that I'll live long enough to knit a few more sweaters (unless I get hit by a bus, of course).
In all seriousness, the doctors think it's fibroids. How weird! They've told me not to worry and want to see me again in 3 weeks. Until then, I'lll just knit!
I've been doing quite a bit of knitting lately, learned a few new tricks (new to me, anyway), got one project off the needles and another well on the way. Will post new pictures soon.
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| My Healing Sweater |
| 07.21.04 (4:13 pm) [edit] |
Yesterday I had a follow-up appt with my dr concerning a lump she'd discovered in my breast. Although it was highly unlikely, I think we'd both hoped that avoiding caffeine and taking high doses of Vitamin E for a month would have reduced the mass - and perhaps it would have it it was a cyst. Well, it's still there and it's time to figure out what's going on.
When she said that she wanted to refer me to a specialist, I was expecting the usual hastily written name and phone number on a sheet of Rx pad paper. Instead, she asked her assistant to make the appointment for me right then - for the next available appointment, which thankfully, is tomorrow.
As DI (divine intervention) would have it, this Tuesday was knit night at my LYS. I couldn't bear to go home and sit and wait until 6:30, to be around wonderful, caring women who are funny and uplifting and just a joy to be around. So, since I had my handy knitting bag with me, I went straight to the shop and spent the afternoon knitting to my heart's content.
I had a cable shell that just needed to be sewn together, and a few more inches on the sleeves of another ribbed v-neck raglan sweater, but I just couldn't bear to do "work". I needed to create, I needed the excitement and the challenging of a new beginning... so I started on the Grace Cable/Lace cardigan from the Spring '04 Vogue Knitting magazine. I got about 18 rows done, so I can see the pattern (a 24-row repeat) taking shape. I absolutely love it. I know that no matter the outcome, the next several weeks are going to be difficult - if for no other reason than the waiting... so I've decided that this is my "healing sweater". I will pray into it my thoughts, hopes and dreams surrounding this journey.
I find it so amazing that although I've been talking about doing it each year for as long as I can remember, this past May was the first time that I participated in the Race for the Cure (Breast Cancer). Couple that with the fact that the prospect of starting a knitting ministry at my church has been heavy on my heart and mind and in my prayers for the past several weeks. For me, there are no accidents or coincidences... everything happens for a reason... even if we can't fathom what it is at the moment. So I'm assuming that whatever happens next is as it should be, so my prayer is that I'll have the courage, the wisdom, the faith and the grace to weather this storm and come out on the other side in a way that will help someone else somewhere who may be facing the same journey.
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| Taming the StashMonster |
| 07.10.04 (1:51 pm) [edit] |
Okay... I'm finally going to get my stash under control this time. Honest! I've gotten a few more absolutely wonderful yarns lately, so I have more than enough to keep me going for a while. But how to deal with the big dilemma... so many yarns, so little time.
First, I've catalogued all of my patterns into a large 3-ring binder with plastic page-protectors. They're organized by sweaters, scarves & wraps and accessories.
Next, I've created a "card catalogue" for my yarn stash. Each card indicates the brand name, color/dye lot, fiber content, gauge, care instructions, yardage, total # yards available, cost, source (retailer), and project ideas. Then I grouped them by "On the needles", "Up next" and "For later". Let's see how many times this deck gets shuffled around!
AND... I went out and bought a scrapbook so that I can keep a visual log of my projects. With a page for each completed project, I want to include a color photo (either of the actual item and/or the pattern), a piece of the yarn, content and care instructions, project cost and any specific project notes, such as where the yarn came from, things that were going on in my life at the time, prayers knit into the project, etc.
I'm so excited that I'm off to start knitting right now!
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| Knitting Ministry |
| 07.03.04 (4:24 pm) [edit] |
Last Sunday I decided to join a local church. I'm very excited about it and looking forward to developing a much more intimate relationship with Christ. When asked what gifts I'd been given that I'd like to share, the first thing that came to mind is the knitting ministry that's been on my heart for the past month or so.
To my surprise, the pastor was very receptive to the idea and is encouraging me to pursue it and make it happen. We discussed taking one or both of two paths:
First, we'd develop a core group of knitters who would meet at the church on a regular basis. I'd teach anyone who doesn't already know how to knit. We'll spend most of the time knitting in chatting (not necessarily in that order), and will contribute at least some of our efforts towards making premie caps, chemo caps, scarves, hats and mittens that we can donate to charity.
Then, perhaps we can expand the ministry out into the community by forming a knitting group at a local women's abuse shelter. In addition to forming relationships with women and children in need, by soliciting donations of yarn and needles, and teaching them to knit, we can provide them with a creative outlet to help take their mind off their troubles, even if only for a little while, and at the same time make love gifts for their family and friends. It would be the biblical "teach a man to fish" theory in action.
I'm praying on this and asking the Lord to use me to plant this seed in our church if He sees fit for me to do so. In the meantime, I'll need to do a lot of research on other Knitting Ministries. I hope to start with a book called Knitting into the Mystery: A Guide to the Shawl-Knitting Ministry.
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| Make lemonade... |
| 07.03.04 (4:07 pm) [edit] |
I learned a valuable lesson about knitting (and about life) today. My husband and I decided to take a drive to Va Beach and of course I took along my knitting. I haven't picked it up in a week and I was going through withdrawal symptoms in a major way. Anyway, I'm knitting happily along on the olive green cotten cable shell when I noticed that I'd missed a cable twist at about the halfway point from the beginning to where I am now, which is at the end of the bindoffs for the armholes. Talk about a major bummer!
Well, I sat there in the car considering my options: 1) leave it alone and pretend that it doesn't exist, 2) make this the back instead of the front and keep going - after all, if I make a mistake but can't see it, is it really a mistake?, or 3) rip it out to the point of the mistake. Once I realized that I was talking about 40-50 rows, I suddenly had one less option to consider!
We ended up finding the new knitting shop in Williamsburg which we've been meaning to visit for the past few months. I brought the sweater in and asked if anyone had any suggestions on what I might do. Fortunately, they didn't like my option #3 either, which was a major relief... until one lady said that I could always drop the 10 stitches in the cable column where I made the mistake and pick up the stitches in the correct pattern... 10 stitches for 40-50 rows... NOT!!!!!!!
Then, another very wide lady reminded me about "Persian flaws". The story is that the finest artisans that create priceless heirloom Persian rugs always include a "mistake" somewhere in each piece. The "imperfection" distinguishes a handmade piece from one that is manufactured by a machine. Ironically, it's in our imperfection that we find a hint of our humanity.
They then said that a famous knitwear designer swears that some of her most inspired patterns began with "mistakes" that took on a life of their own and resulting in her sweaters having an unusual, creative flair. Instead of trying to remove or hide them, she celebrates them by adding embellishments or other fun touches. Sometimes she even adds a few more intentional "mistakes" in random areas and the sweater ends up looking like it was designed that way! What a neat idea.
Needless to say, I left the shop much happier and much wiser, and with a renewed enthusiasm about finishing my sweater. At the moment, I think I'll make it the back, leave the mistake which around the waistline on the lower right-hand side, and embroider my personal "signature", a small dragonfly, there. Not only do I feel like my sweater has been saved, but I think it will end up being better because of the experience.
I think Jonathan summed it up when he first learned of my mistake. He said simply, "Knit Happens". So when my knitting gives me lemons, I'll make lemonade!
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| Summertime... and the Knitting is Easy |
| 06.20.04 (12:13 pm) [edit] |
My teenaged daughter left today to spend the summer with relatives. Don't get me wrong, I love her dearly, but the last few months have been difficult, to say the least. I think we both need a break for a while, so I'm thankful that she has the opportunity to spend the summer on an exciting adventure - and I'm sure she is too.
That said, I've got more than enough to keep me busy while she's away. It's time to start whittling away at my ever-growing stash. After all, I need to make room for some new yarn, right? Today I start on my summer poncho, another original from my favorite yarn shop. Well, maybe it's not quite an "original". I was in the shop chatting with the owner one day when a woman came in wearing a georgoue mauve-colored poncho (a la Sex in the City). She wore it with bluejeans, a white tee and some very sexy-looking slides. She looked fabulous!
She had purchased it from a boutique in the city and was wondering if someone could help her figure out how to make another one for herself. Of course, I jumped at the chance to take a closer look when she took it off. After trying 3 different yarns, 3 different stitches, and 3 different needle sizes, I've finally got the look I'd hoped for and plan to start knitting as soon as I finish blogging.
I'm using Maggi's Linen in a beautiful deep mustard color. It should be a quick knit. Since I intend to do nothing else today except knit, I should get quite a bit accomplished.
After this, it's back to the olive green cable tank and the black Rumba sweater, which I plan to start on Wed night when I meet a friend for our own little stitch'n bitch at Starbucks.
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| Rumbalicious! |
| 06.14.04 (1:44 pm) [edit] |
Here it is, the one I've been waiting to wear... My Rumba sweater. The pattern is a Lettuce Knit original (my favoriate local yarn shop). The yarn is Rumba. This one was truly a labor of love. It's knit all in one piece and although the yarn is beautiful, don't drop a stitch because it's impossible to pick up. I was about 4" from the end when I noticed that a join had come undone. I had to unravel the entire sweater and start again. That's the bad news... The good news is that I love this one so much that I'm going to make another one in black!
![]() =http://img78.photobucket.com/... width=150 height=150
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| Me and my stash |
| 06.13.04 (10:07 am) [edit] |
A picture of me knitting and a picture of my growing yarn stash. So many projects... so little time!
![]() =http://img78.photobucket.com/... width=200 height=150
![]() =http://img78.photobucket.com/... width=200 height =150
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| Knitting Needles |
| 06.13.04 (9:10 am) [edit] |
Here is one of my prized possessions... handmade knitting needles from Jonathan (my husband). Most people would make needles from wooden dowels, but not my DH. He started with a plank of rosewood, which he cut into 2 "strips". Hours of handsanding later - those strips were transformed! Now I'm on a mission to find the perfect project with which to christen my new needles.
![]() =http://img78.photobucket.com/... width=200 height=175
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| Welcome... |
| 06.06.04 (7:12 pm) [edit] |
Well, I've finally decided to give this blogging thing a try. I've tried journaling before, but never had much luck with it. Perhaps I was intimidated because I didn't have anything profound to say. Or maybe I was afraid that someone would find my journal and read my most private thoughts. And sometimes I just didn't feel like writing.
But this time it's different. I'm on an incredible journey and although my insights might not be profound, they are significant (at least to me) and I want to record them in some way... and since I type much faster than I write, this seemed like the perfect way to do that.
At 45, I've finally found a passion in life, in a most unexpected format - Knitting. It's become so much more than a pasttime or a hobby. It's become a way of life. For me, knitting is relaxation, stress-release, meditation, functionality, creativity, philanthropy and just plain fun! Through a variety of colors, textures and patterns, I create things that please my eyes, soothe my skin, and massage my ego - all at the same time.
It's about creating a vision and making it happen... it's about understanding that giving a gift can be as great a joy as receiving one... it's about practicing the principles of simple abundance... it's about realizing the awesome mystery of creating a piece of wearable art from a single piece of string.
I knit from my heart... I knit for my soul.
Until next time!
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ON THE NEEDLES:
Cable/Lace Cardigan
Summer Poncho
NEXT UP:
* Black Rumba top
* Raspberry Softee tneck
COMPLETED IN 2004:
* Cotton cable shell (July)
* White Rumba top (June)
* Athena sleeveless tank (May)
* Several fiber necklaces (May)
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