Birthday Knitting

It's my birthday today, and I would love to spend the day knee deep in fibery fun.  That's not going to happen.  Instead, life keeps showing up.  Meetings, chores, taking my daughter to the doctor - all of these things are on the list.  Knitting?  We'll see.  So instead, I'm having a fantasy birthday here on the blog. 

First, I would have a lazy breakfast with Elizabeth Zimmerman and Barbara Walker, who would bestow knitting wisdom peppered with witty anecdotes of years of knitting, teaching and publishing.  (This is my fantasy birthday, so I'm dreaming big.)  They would be wearing sweaters of styles they made famous, and the craftsmanship would be inspiring.  Just as breakfast winds down, they would each give me a gift they had knit to celebrate the occasion, and I would be moved and thrilled.  I'd take my decaf with double soy to go, and head off to the LYS.

Karma Knitting is my LYS, and it would be chock-a-block with people I love, all knitting interesting projects.  New, irresistible yarns would line the shelves, and inspire a ridiculous spate of new design projects.  I wouldn't spill my coffee on any of the new yarns, and would cast on some toe-up socks in a silky cotton blend.  Before I left, I would indulge my fondness for addi Turbos and round out my collection of circs. 

Jill Draper

Lunch would be outside, with Colleen the intrepid and magical assistant, Jill Draper the dyer and designer extraordinaire (whom I've met and really like), Melissa Leapman the designer and author (whom I haven't met and really like), and my goofy dog, Max.  The picnic would include light vegetarian faire, a little wine, and plenty of fetch with Max.  The knitting would come after lunch, under a tree on the picnic blanket.  We'd all discuss our current projects, and make plans to meet up at the various events where all of us are teaching.  Melissa would tell me that her publisher wants to publish my next book. (I'll remind you, this is a fantasy!)

Tailor Statue in Toronto's Garment District

The mid-afternoon would be held in Toronto (very close to Buffalo, NY), and I would bop in and out of Lettuce Knit and Romni Wools, building on my design ideas from the morning.  I'd wander the garment district a bit and see what the young and interesting are wearing, and then settle in a sidewalk cafe and sketch over more coffee as the city wanders by.  Stephanie Pearl-McPhee would walk up, and recognize me from my blog.  (It's a fantasy, remember.) "I've been wanting to meet you!"  she'll say, and we'll strike up a conversation.  She'd be even more delightful and grounded in person, and it would be lovely.  She'll tell me about a cool yarn bomber she knows, and show me pictures on her phone.  We'll decide to yarn bomb the bronze tailor statue in the garment district, and put hat, gloves, and scarf on him.

Now, because this is a fantasy, I'll arrive at the ballpark just in time for the Toronto Blue Jays to take on my beloved Red Sox. My family will be there, and we'll have terrific seats.  My birthday will be announced over the PA system, and I will be embarrassed. Over a beer and a couple of hot dogs, the Sox will win in a close game.  The Jays will vow to get
'em next time.  I'll drive back to Buffalo enjoying the city lights of Toronto, the view across the lake, and arriving home.

Happy my birthday, every body!  I hope it was a good one!

Rhinebeck!

International Sheep Dog Trials, UK 2010

The New York Sheep and Wool Festival is loosely referred to as "Rhinebeck" by East coast knitters, and many others around the US and Canada.  (That's because Rhinebeck is where it's held.)  It's a massive show in October, and unlike most of the other big shows, still focuses on sheep and wool, not just selling, shopping and making money.  Not that any of those is a bad thing, per se.  But after you go to a few festivals that are little more than really large, outdoor yarn shops, you may yearn for something different.  You'll find it at Rhinebeck. 

Clara Parks in a Relaxed Moment

The reason I bring this to your attention is I've just received my contract to teach at Rhinebeck this year, and I'm really looking forward to it. I don't mention every contract I receive, or every professional relationship I enter, but this one is different.  Rhinebeck is when knitting throws itself a party, and the Knitterati show up.  These folks are at the top of the field, and for good reason.  Clara Parks, Vicki Square, Ysolda Teague, Stephanie McPhee, Gwen Steege, Amy Herzog... I'd love to pick the brains of each of them.  And I think most of you would, too.

Sometimes the biggest shows can feel a bit like a zoo, and that's off-putting.  This one doesn't.  (If there's a sudden downpour, it gets temporarily nuts, though.) You can visit literally hundreds of vendors, if that's your thing, or if you're one who has to see and touch a fiber before you're willing to take it seriously.  But unlike many festivals, you can visit the livestock and see a variety of demonstrations. Watch the sheepdog trials, and root for your favorite pooch.  (If you've never seen one, try it.  You'll be amazed!)  You can attend book signings and lectures, and not with just one author - with over a dozen nationally known authors and speakers!  And cooking classes, about how to make sheep's milk cheese, or what wine to pair with lamb.

While all this is seriously cool, my intrepid assistant Colleen and I will not be able to attend most of the events I've just listed.  We will be teaching all day every day.  Thursday and Friday, the vendors themselves get to have their own private Rhinebeck, because it's so big and busy no one can get away from their booths and meetings long enough to see the rest of the festival.  Colleen and I will be running "professionals" classes on those days, too.  (No rest for the wicked...)  On Thursday and Friday night, though, we will get to hang with everybody and attend the various parties.  It's 5 months away, and I'm already wondering what to wear, and what questions to ask of whom.

If it were today, what questions would you ask, and of whom?  Who would you want to invite to have a beer?  Whose knitting do you want to see up close and personal?  I can't wait to hear if your list is the same as mine!

Try something new!

Hi folks, Colleen here again.  This weekend has been full of new things in my life.  I took the kids on an overnight trip by myself for the first time.  We stayed at a different hotel chain and I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the room.  We ate at 2 new restaurants, both of which were fantastic.  I took my first Bikram Yoga class (you may know it as "hot yoga").  After each of these experiences, I found myself thinking that I was glad I tried it and I would definitely do it again.  Well, except maybe the part about sharing the hotel bed with my 4-year-old... that just left me with some new bruises and bags under my eyes.

A couple of years ago, our favorite blogstress took me on a new knitting journey.  One week at knitting group she informed me that the following week I was going to try cabling for the first time.  I was a bit surprised, it seemed so tricky.  But she was the "Knit Doctor", far be it from me to ignore her advice.

One week later, I found myself sitting next to her at the yarn shop with some scrap yarn and a borrowed cable needle in my hand.  She calmly walked me through the process of creating a small swatch which included my first three perfect little cable twists.  After binding off the last stitch, I looked up at her.  With a hushed voice, she looked me right in the eyes and said, "Now you can do ANYTHING!" 

Since that day, I have found myself in all sorts of new knitting situations.  Whenever the going gets tough, I think back to that statement.  I can fix a dropped stitch.  I can follow the pattern that doesn't seem to make sense.  I can do stranded colorwork.  I can do ANYTHING.  And you can too!  What is that thing you've always wanted to try?  Why haven't you tried it?  Why don't you try it now?  You just might discover something new that you love.

Back to School... finally!

Colleen here again.  Today is the first day back to preschool for my little guy, and he was SO excited this morning.  I guess I would be too, if I got to go spend my morning playing with friends.  His sister still has a few days left before the bus comes to whisk her off to first grade. 

Don't get me wrong, I love my kids.  I love them like it's going out of style.  But I have really been looking forward to this time of year.  This summer has been a whirlwind of trying to get everything done as fast as possible so we have time to play, watch a movie, swim in the pool, go to the playground...  The chores get finished, and then before I know it it's dinner/ bath/ bedtime and both kids are tired, sweaty and cranky.  I suppose that's what summer vacation is all about.

Back to school time is a totally different story.  I will start having a few blissful hours to myself without hearing a mother's least favorite sentence ("Mom, I'm bored.")  Maybe I will actually have some time during the day to get in a little bit of knitting while the coffee is still in my system and my eyelids aren't being propped open by toothpicks.  This was in fact my plan for the first few days that both kids will be in school.  Spend a little time getting the chores done, and then park on the couch until the bus shows up bringing the little guy home. 

So can someone please tell me how I ended up volunteering to work at the school book fair on the first day of school?????

Freebie Friday- Hugs For All!

Hi folks, Colleen here again!  First, a quick update... Elisabeth's son is still at the Cleveland Clinic.  He was scheduled to have surgery yesterday.  Due to other happenings at the hospital, it was postponed to today.  In the meantime, he developed a fever, and now the surgery is postponed again until the fever is gone.   

In my life, we buried Grandma A today.  Between the sadness surrounding her passing and the worry over Elisabeth's son, I am definitely getting the feeling that lots of hugs are needed all around.  Which brings me to our Freebie Friday pattern for the week. 

Hug is a garter stitch scarf made with 90 (yes, only 90) yards of chunky weight yarn.  Imagine the possibilities... Friend with the flu?  Give them a Hug!  Little one going on their first sleepover?  Give them a Hug!  Someone goes above and beyond to help?  Give them a Hug!  Hugs for all!!!

Do it... now!

Hi folks, Colleen here!

So I had planned to write a blog post today.  Fortunately Elisabeth's life has allowed her to make the last few posts herself, but I don't want her to have to worry about keeping things fresh.  Anyway, I didn't really have a great idea for something to write.  I probably would have just given a progress update on the shawl.

And then the phone rang. 

It was my mother-in-law, informing me that a "Grandma A" passed away unexpectedly this morning.  She wasn't my grandmother, or my husband's.  In fact, I don't think I can really label what her exact relation to me is.  My best guess would be "stepgrandmother-in-law".  You know, one of those people that ends up in your family as a result of the unusual family structures that are part of life today.

What I will say is that she was a wonderful person.  Always sweet and kind, never a bad word about anyone.  I often found myself spending time with her at family gatherings, while the two hurricanes that are my children were off playing with their cousins.  We would sit together and watch Food Network or HGTV, and I would knit.  And she would ask about my knitting, always with a kind remark about whatever the current project was.

Butterflies for Grandma A
modeled by the older hurricane

Last New Year's Day, we were doing just that.  We were sitting together, watching the Rose Parade.  I was working on something (who knows what, too many projects to keep track of).  She asked me about it.  And then she asked me how much work it would be to make a hat.  She mentioned that she often gets cold and she thought that a knitted hat might be just the thing to keep the chill away.  I, of course, wholeheartedly agreed!  By the time the chocolate pie was finished, she had decided on a color, and my mind was already at the yarn shop. 

Within two weeks, the hat was finished (the Butterfly Hat by Sofiya Kremin), and I gave it to my mother-in-law to pass along to Grandma A.  Later that week, I got the first and only phone call I would ever receive from her.  She had just gotten the hat and was absolutely thrilled.  The joy in her voice warmed my heart more than the hat would ever warm her head.  Over the weeks to come, my mother-in-law commented several times how much Grandma A loved the hat.

Earlier today, after hearing the sad news, my first thought was "I'm so glad I made her that hat".  It was the kind of project that could have easily been pushed aside.  The fact that it was one of the quickest projects she could have asked for probably played a large part in actually getting it done.  But what matters is, it DID get done.  And she loved AND used it.  And I find comfort in that.

So my advice is "Do it... now!"  It doesn't have to be a knitting project, it could be anything.  We've all heard the stories of regret from people who didn't take the time to hug, kiss, call, write... and then never got the chance to.  So I'm going to go hug my little hurricanes!

Freebie Friday- 5 Shawls

Hi everyone, Colleen here again!  I spoke with Elisabeth earlier today and though her son is still in critical condition, he is off sedation and responding to familiar voices.  I could hear some definite relief in her voice, and that was music to my ears.  As soon as the medical update was over, she asked how her shawl is coming along.  I guess it’s rather cold in the hospital!

In keeping with tradition, I present you with my version of Freebie Friday.  Since I’m working on a triangular shawl in worsted weight, I trolled Ravelry for similar shawls.  All of the patterns seem to be rather adaptable to different gauges and offer options for changing the size to suit your needs.  Here are 5 for you to consider…

1: Fuzzy Bottom by Joyce Fassbender

This triangular shawlette is worked from the center back to the bottom edge.  The pattern suggests finishing off the shawl with a small amount (40 yards) of a different yarn, perfect for that small ball of luxury yarn or a little bit of leftover stash yarn. 

2. The Stay-Put Shawl by Jen Reilly

This is a formula to create a shawl to work with your particular needs.  It is worked from the center back to the bottom edge and can be stopped anywhere- great for those of us who like to use up every last scrap of yarn!

3. SuperSimple Scandinavian Style Shawl by Sarah Howard

This is a basic recipe for a Scandinavian-style shawl.  Jump on this one quickly, because the designer has noted that it will eventually be released as a more detailed paid pattern.

4. Arrowhead Lace Shawl by DragonWing Arts

This shawl is worked from the bottom up and can easily be adapted to any gauge.  This one in particular looks like a great summer shawl.

5. Harvest Colors Shoulder Shawl by Lidia Tsymbal

This shawl uses a simple lace pattern to highlight the color changes of variegated yarn.  It also includes directions for a crocheted bobble trim if you’re the bobble-y type!
 

The links I provided are all to the Ravelry project pages.  The first four shawls are all published as free Ravelry downloads.  Here is a separate link to the designer’s blog post for the Harvest Colors Shoulder Shawl.  Maybe some of you will decide to knit a “hug” for someone close to you- I’d love to hear about it!

Progress!

Hi everyone, Colleen again.  Elisabeth’s son was airlifted to the Cleveland Clinic yesterday, and the situation is still very critical.  Please keep the good thoughts coming, they really mean a lot to the family.

So the process of starting this shawl for our dear friend has been a comedy of errors.  It was a combination of not knowing the summer hours of the yarn shops, trying to wrangle my kids, and working around Elisabeth’s wool allergy.  Then, of course, our intrepid blogstress threw me a curve ball… pink.  Pink?  Really?  Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE pink (as one glance in my closet will prove).  But I never pegged Elisabeth as a pink shawl kind of girl.  It’s a good thing I asked, since I was totally planning something in a bluish gray.

Anyway, earlier this morning the stars aligned and I was able to make it to the yarn shop when it was actually open.  The kids were informed that good behavior might just result in a trip to McDonald’s (no, I’m not above bribery!).  I poked around for a little while, and then I saw it.  One skein of Luxe Alpaca by Woodstock Yarns.  It was pink- not hot pink, not baby pink, not bubble gum pink, just a nice soft pink.  It was alpaca- 100% alpaca.  It was DK weight, but the Oscilloscope Shawl pattern seems easy enough to extend, and the 660 yards in the skein gives me plenty of room to do that.  So far, so good.  And then I saw one word on the label that completely sealed the deal.  The name of the colorway?  WINE! 

I will be casting on as soon as I post this!

Comfort Knitting

Hi folks, Colleen here!  So I’m sure you can imagine that life in Karma-land has been rather difficult lately.  Elisabeth is doing her best to keep life together for herself and her family, and those of us around her are trying to help however we can.  Friends and neighbors are taking care of groceries, yardwork and the dog.  I, on the other hand, was asked to keep the blog going.  My first reaction was “What the %$&#%&@#% am I going to write about??!!!!”  But almost immediately my brain zeroed in on the idea of comfort knitting.

I have been seeking a lot of comfort from my own knitting, and it hasn’t been working out very well.  I am coming to the end of a Very Big Project (yes, it deserves to be capitalized).  If life were chugging along normally, the VBP would be chugging along as well.  I can almost hear it … “I think I can, I think I can, I think I can”.  But I am finding it difficult to keep my mind focused enough to work on it for more than 15 minutes at a time.  And the last thing I want is for the VBP to be put in time-out because it messed itself up while I wasn’t looking.

So of course I turn to my (way too big) stash of unfinished projects.  But nothing there seems right either.  Some things are too complex, others are too easy.  Some fall into the category of “should” knitting, and somehow that seems a little too much like work for now.  And then there’s always the thought that I planned on finishing the VBP before going back to any of the other projects, so I guess I don’t feel like I’m supposed to be working on any of those anyway.

Then there’s the thing that’s really trying to get on my needles.  In flipping through some old magazines, I came across the Oscilloscope Shawl by Kate Gagnon Osborn.  Yep, my mind keeps going back to it.  Maybe it’s the soft green color the sample was made in (which, oddly enough, is almost the same color as the VBP.  Maybe the softness of the alpaca/ merino/ bamboo blend is calling to me.  Maybe it’s the quick-knit aspect- that finished object is only 400 yards away.  But what I really think makes me want this project on my needles is that I have a friend who REALLY needs a hug right now, and a yarny hug can travel with her much more conveniently than I can.  Granted, Elisabeth’s wool allergy would necessitate the use of a different yarn, but that’s easy enough to handle.

So I guess I’m off to the yarn shop sometime in the very near future (more comfort there!)  My knitting won’t save the world, and it won’t magically heal her son.  But maybe I can find some comfort in the process, and hopefully Elisabeth will find some comfort in the product.  The VBP can wait for now (it’s already overdue anyway!)

What about you?  What types of projects do you turn to when you need to knit a little comfort into your life?  I’d love to hear your ideas!

Sample Knitting

Tree - AC

One of the odd things about designing knitwear is that making your own samples doesn't teach you much.  I designed the chart above, and test knit some of it, and liked how it seemed to work.  But when I write a pattern, I know what I mean.  For someone else to be able to read it and knit it and make an object that looks like I intended and they anticipated is another matter.  (Have you ever knit a pattern with a gorgeous photo, and try as you might the pattern won't get you and your knitting to come out right?  The designer may have knit their own sample, and never found the errors they had written into the pattern!  A good sample knitter will critique as well as provide a beautiful sample.)

I'm incredibly lucky to have a dear friend who is an excellent knitter and willing to point out all of my mistakes.  (This last bit is annoying when unsolicited, but face it - the mark of a true friend.)  She knits samples for me of everything I have any doubts about - I don't always wonder if it's okay if it's a pretty elementary chart - and makes my work look terrific. She likes to call herself my "bitch" (I am not making this up) but I think she knows she's more like my slave (kidding!). 

We had dinner last night, and she was kind enough to bring the sample above.  It reminded me once again how lucky I am that she is willing to help me in such a vital capacity.  Thanks, Colleen.  You so completely rock!

BTW: She is in love with the yarn above, as am I, Cascade Yarns Pima Tencel.  If you haven't tried it yet, get some!