my sister has a tighter miter

Prologue: My bright idea. My sisters, my niece and I will make a mitered throw for my parents. Surprise our mom who knits for everyone.
This'll be in the spirit of Mason Dixon Knitting - a collaboration, two of us Yankees,
the other two south of the divide line in the DC area. We ignore history. The last collaboration - a parody song for an anniversary party- unleashed levels of sisterly sniping unseen since we used to share a bathroom and steal each others' clothes. (usually they took mine. For the record..I still want that vintage mexican jacket back).

The rules: We agree there are no rules. We will use the same yarn & pattern. Choose any colors you want. No quota of squares per person. No hard deadline. No telling anyone else that their square is ugly.

The personae: We are all in the visual arts professionally. warning warning! We have Opinions on Things Visual. We grew up knitting but only one of us knits all the time now. One of us used to work as a textile designer/illustrator. One of us is more experimental with materials than all the others. One of us is still in high school and is slightly freaked out by her mom and 2 aunts bickering like 12 year olds.

Scene 1:
My front lawn, late Saturday afternoon. I've already persuaded the sister who doesn't relax enough to watch me garden, take a long bike ride and have a glass of wine .That last one wasn't so difficult, persuasion-wise. We crack the book, take out the freshly arrived yarn. We cast on. We sip wine. Lulu develops some problems. The pattern says size 6 us needles gets gauge, she is using 7's. I am on size 5 because I almost always need to go down a size. A few rows in, Lulu's miters are looking funny. She can barely move the yarn, its squeaking she's got it so tightly pulled. She accuses me of telling her to keep the knitting on the tight side. I, of course, deny. We then have an extended conversation about why its pointless to try to guess gauge when you've only knit 3/4 of an inch. I tell her to measure when she gets to 4" or better yet, consider her first square a swatch and we'll measure when we finish them. She further claims I'm not demonstrating the ssk well.
We sip more wine. We admire the stripes.
she: what color will you do next?
me: ummm, I don't know. I guess I'll see what I'm in the mood for.
she: but , only two colors, right?
me: No, I might use more. Remember, we agreed, no rules on colors?
she: But you will keep the stripes uniform, right? No skinnier?
me: oh, I think some split stripes will look cool
she: No! the pattern says 6 row stripes
me: remember, we all agreed, no rules...
she: (and here's where the conversation starts to devolve )
You know. Saying No Rules is Making a Rule. You are making a rule.
me: (with attitude although I guess she's right on a technicality but you didn't hear me say that ) well. I'm am not promising my stripes will all be the same thickness.

We restrain ourselves from sticking out our tongues. I breathe deeply and contemplate the nature of collaboration and sisterhood.
Any Family Psychology PhD candidates looking for thesis material? Sign on now!

cue that cloying disney song that celebrates our planetary interconnectness

Because I had a comment from Kathy in Juneau. So I check out her new blog Knitting Weather. I like her knitting, I look at her profile and then I realize. I knew her. In real life. From a long time ago, in our hometown on the cloudy shores of Lake Ontario. What a hoot. Go check out her site, I mean, how many knitters in Alaska do you know?
(so, are you humming the song? Is it stuck in your head yet? Did you know there's a name for that?)

On the sock front, pair #2 is coming along ribbingly. I might have 3 bear syndrome with my sock knitting. You know: the first pair was too big, the second too small and then my next will be just right. Let's hope. Anyway I do like how this one looks, and it fits the water bottle well. We'll see how it does on my foot. I've learned a few things about myself . I like heels, they are the entertainment value of the sock, and I really need to learn magic loop because I drop many stitches during transport. Accordingly, I learned it would be a very good idea to have a nice small crochet hook because a big one is as useful as my stubby fingertips in trying catch the drops.

Knitting time is little, its the time of year when things are flying everywhere. Testosterone. oh. my. god. I grew up in an all sisters family. Spring is sprung and the hormones of 12-15 year old boys gush forth in a manner that means all impulse control is gone. I just try to grab the needles, look at the stitches and not think about too much.

identity crisis (or just call me The Little Sock Knitter That Could)

id crisis a: In yarn stores, sometimes the owner says, "hey take a look at the wonnnnderful sock yarns". To which I reply, "oh, they are beautiful but...I'm not a sock knitter".

Scratch that, with a full pair complete. I am a goner. Thanks to the practice on the first, the second has a more polished toe and tighter stitch. Its a better fit but I have to do something about ankle baggage. And! I have the floor and the shoes to go with them. Thanks again Cate. (for the yarn, not the floor & shoes).

id crisis b: I have too much of the Question Authority left in me to think self-patterning yarn a Good Idea. Variegates, oh yes. Noro color changes, love 'em. But self-patterning just seems so... german.Oh look, what's that language on the ball band ? Anyhoo, scratch that, too. All that.Less than 30 rounds in I am LOVING this Opal Rodeo yarn.

id crisis c: I haven't actually been doing much knitting because, like every May, I get my Little Engine That Could head on and decide that this year I really will get the yard under control and do some landscaping. This small mountain was living a half mile away unwanted, so we've moved it here piece by piece and I can be viewed, when its not raining too hard, in my front yard with a pitch fork trying to dig out an area it can edge. These are big ol' heavy New England stones, and though my manly household has helped some, I'm doing the heavy lifting on this project. And I am not speaking figuratively here, sisters. I've been secretly thinking of myself as Rock Chick. I hope she doesn't mind.

sockku

cherry blossoms bloom
memories of poems assigned
compelled write of spring


first handknit sock. look!
much self congratulation
alas: big, baggy

soon to be a pair
winding yarn al fresco is
a special delight

casting on same size,
the extra bowl of ice cream:
knowing bad choices made.

so near a yarn store
a flat tire's stress diminished.
the sea is full of fish.

new leash on life

Before I go totally off-topic, I must report my giddy sock enthusiasm remains full force as I approach the toe, grinning like a fool. I realize its a size too large and it'll be a baggy sock. But that's OK. I like baggy socks.

However, the next pair...any suggestions for a sock pattern that stays up well? I think I want something more than plain ribbing & stockinette. Nothing too challenging,though, like that Pot-a-Whatta-Mus. Don't ask how long I browsed sock patterns online earlier today, OK?

Ok, now to the magic.

Meet Gordo
He is big & hairy & mostly lovable. He is the dog version of a frat boy, always ready for a party. Gordo joined our family about eight years ago from a dog pound, shortly after our dear old dog died. For a while we thought he was just settling in, and its hard to be the replacement model. Over time he's calmed down, and he's smart, with a lovely thick shiny fluff coat and friendly smile. Which is probably what's kept him in our good graces, most of the time. His fatal flaw:he has never, ever, ever - despite daily walks, yelling, sporadic serious training attempts, much upper arm muscle development and wrenched shoulders - walked well on a leash. At 70 pounds of unbridled enthusiasm, he can yank over most adults in a swift lunge. He always wants to be the lead dog, and that gets unpleasant when you are halfway down the street and there, at the other end of the block, is another canine.

No longer. We have been touched by magic. It said "satisfaction guaranteed" and because it was less than $ 10. I thought it worth a try. This product , the Anti-Pull Harness changed my dog owning, skeptical shopping life. Gordo walks like a trained dog. He doesn't act like the new harness bothers him in the least, there wasn't any pain or woofing. This is a dog who would just about strangle himself pulling on a choke collar, huffing and coughing while passersby said helpful things like "heh, heh, who's walking who?".
Magic, I tell ya.

watch out for the falling scales

I see all now.
Friday AM on the 9:29 out of New Haven I became a sole sister. I am knitting a sock.

I never planned not to, they just never called to me. My change ? At 6 AM Friday, I was prepared in every way for my noon presentation in NY. Train schedule , meeting confirmed, I'd been up till late the night before stressed out screaming at my family thoughtfully reorganizing my portfolio.

But! I forgot I didn't have any easily portable knitting on the needles. A one hundred minute train ride is kntting time not to be wasted, right? Two skeins of Koigu sock yarn I won in a MamaCate contest had been marinating since the fall, I had a Yankee Knitter basic sock pattern (I figured her patterns are always straightforward and reliable) and some skewer like dpns. I grabbed it all, off I went and that was that.

Now I get it. They are small, portable, they reveal their structure and shape so quickly. What's not to love? The leg is a perfect little canvas to try new stitches on, the whole thing is a good excuse for buying wild variegated yarn that'd look dorky as a sweater. Do you hear the zeal of the newly converted? I'm worse in person. You should have seen me waving it over a son's bowl of cereal demanding admiration at early o'clock today. ("yeah, mom, I see its a sock, I get it. uh..Bus. Gotta go.").

I can't help but feel cosmically supported in this. I mean, Cassie's sewing up beautiful sock knitting kits in a whirlwind of inspiration (when she first blogged about it I thought, why? um, because its nicer than a ziplock that gets all poked through of holes by those little dpns in your purse) and Juno's destashing sock yarn to drool over.

A footnote (sorry). Does all Koigu do this ?
Its like two separate colorways. Amazing.

shine on

Under the influence of a few days off, a scarf is done. It came out beachy.

Not quite an Opera Scarf as in the pattern, which disappeared from the Blue Sky site but you can find it online elsewhere. Just be aware it comes out chunkier than it says it will, this version in KnitPicks Shine sportweight . I've mentioned how whatever I'm making looks like my environment? I'm powerless over this impulse. So when I finished the knitting seaside in Delaware, I figured it needed something along the edges, maybe small shell buttons, to elevate it from the crafty look. A skein of Trendsetters Vixen at the yarn store nearby looked perfect. This is the impulse that's lead me to buy more bright flowery sundresses over the years than I should admit to while there, just right for happy hour on the porch by the crashing waves. That look silly when I return home to life in my land of wrinkly muted natural fibers and faded denim.

I'm not recommending Shine for any lace projects but I applied another skein of it in worsted weight to just one more hat for the teenage son. (You can tell his age by the grafted on earbuds.) I like this yarn for a solid knit. I like it a lot for ribbed beanie hats. I'm thinking it might be just right for a summer afghan project, part of the MDK not-so-secret mission to cover America in mitred squares. Except, of course, for territories blanketed by Log Cabin.

Feeling rested, I got the Saddle Seam Pullover back on track , too, with front and back split this time for the same size outcome. If you've seen anyone else working on this baby, can you send me the link? There's only one little chart for the 6 row repeat of the stitch pattern. Now that I'm working on the split back, I'm using the chart that I was reading right-to-left every row, to go back and forth, with purls and decreases every 4th row. I guess my mind is supposed to be nimbler than it is, I wish there was a graph with the decreases charted. As usual I didn't read through the whole pattern until I was well into it, and discovered that in a few rows I'll be using the same dinky six row chart but also doing some short rows to form the neckline shaping. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

finding inspiration in all the right places

Heads up, you knit book authors. Get invited to be the guest at a Masters Tea at Yale, like Annie Modesitt did last week.

Lovely setting to hear about the life and work of knitter, while sipping tea and nibbling on goodies from real china, on comfy sofas in the richly wood paneled room. A real treat, a room full of knitters, I met Kat and got to pet one of Lauren's top secret fall designs.

Annie was a pleasure- I expected someone ruffly & trilly based on her romantic designs and immense talent with decorative elements. I should have known from her blog that she's a friendly, down to earth, tell-it-like-it-is -with -a -sense -of -humor person. My type of speaker. Her message: do what you want the way you want to do it, if its making you happy, then you're doing it right. This applies to both Knitting and Life.

She also revealed that she is the fastest knitter in North America. Certified. In the 30 seconds before I asked where such a title gets named, I had a fantasy of a carnival event at a state fair, compete with barker and bullhorn. "Alive, Alive, Alive, Fastest Knitter, Thats Right, Try to Beat the Flying Needles" I guess I like sideshows too much. Turns out its at a staid trade show.

More inspiration just a day or so later. The Mason Dixon Knitting book. Love it. Of course, being a fan of Ann & Kay, I knew I would. Now I've been seized by the desire to knit afghans. I can even see the beauty in a....dishrag? Help me. Suddenly, I'm debating the merits of Log Cabinning versus knitting the more portable squares to seam later.

And seeing mitred squares, everywhere:

a coupla weeks in which nothing went as planned

Just when you think planets are aligned, the ducks are in a row, the pegs are fitting their holes, the gears are meshing, it all just gets skewed. That's it. The cosmos just says a big Skew You! As the old Italian ladies say at the supermarket, whadya gonna do?
Its not always bad. Its just different.

A few unplans from the past week or so:

Spring sprung! With it the Passover seder which was at my house. We thought, why not make it small and simple? Suuuure. Three kinds of kugel, six desserts, two entrees and all those odd side dishes that you never ever make except for this holiday later, a Seder meal it was. For the record, Charosets? I maintain should be eaten all year round. Gefilte fish? Once a year is just right. And hold the fish broth jelly. puh-lease.

Unplans in the knitting department:
With much work distraction, I hardly fit in any knitting, except late at night, very tired. I split the front & back for the Saddle Seam Pullover. A couple of entries ago I worried it might play a trick on me. No need, I played a trick on myself. An inch or so into working the front, something seemed...off. I'd started the sweater in size med-large but counted off the split back in size Large, resulting in a front that was 20 stitches less than the back. When you find out this sort of thing after midnight you have one choice only. Put it down and walk away.

Feeling quite uncalm , I looked to what I could knit mindlessly. A simple spring scarf. A simple stitch pattern, the same row over & over.

On size 8 needles, not looking so airy.

On size 10 1/2 needles. Better. I think the pattern image shows a much wider version than the actual pattern decribes as 23 stitches across, and it'd have more drape in the Alpaca Silk it calls for. I was going to tear it out and make something else but after I shot it for the record here, I realized it'll be fine. Soothing, too.

On the slate for the next few days: keeping an eye on several 6th grade couples coming over at a son's request. Yes, that's right. Sixth grade couples. He's one of those kids. Annie Modesitt speaking in town tomorrow and I plan to be there, as soon as all the puppy eyes go home.
Then I'm heading down to the beach in Delaware for a few days of spring break with the Guys. I will knit mindlessly in the car down on my cottony scarf. I will tear back the Saddle Seam Pullover and get it back on track, stopping to admire it every eight stitches or so, noting any size changes. Oh, and I've got my reading all lined up, too.

Is there anything better than a book that speaks to you????

worth a dekko

Hit the Destash Mountain button over on the sidebar. Finally! A way to unload share the beauty of that vintage pink mohair blend. Go on. Why not?

good things

......come in Swedish packages

which around here usually means something from Ikea , with a name like Ooglurp and inscrutable diagrams involving an allen wrench.
Not this time.
This time I was the high bidder on an item I've been vying for, losingly, for months. All the way from Sweden, and it arrived in a way befitting its name. So satisying.

Also, good things from KnitPicks: Shine Worsted arrived. I was expecting Terracotta to be less rosy. Seen here lounging on the rust colored pullover that's cleverly hiding any progress no matter how many rounds I add. I suspect its planning an April Fools joke on me, so that April 1 it'll suddenly be ready to split for the armholes. I'm playing along.

Once left to its own devices, the Terracotta next to Shine Worsted in Cream went back to the color scheme I'd thought I'd ordered and anyways, for the price this is amazing yarn. Not really shiny at all, very soft, no rough cotton burn, no squeak on the needles. I could see a summer Ribby Cardi out of this.

Here it is, the last hat of the chilly season, modeled by a head sized 'lope. Not that I'm calling my son a melonhead but it was a good stand in. This is the 13th adult sized hat I've made since October. I think I'm ready to move on.
I'd wear it inside out if it were mine.

seeing green (and pink)

With a piccolo playing nephew in the NYC St. Pat's parade, we had to be there.

It was worth the train ride for the company of the crowd.

And, also for the train knitting. The good part about Kidsilk Haze is it is so tiny when flattened.
The bad thing is its so tiny when flattened.
This little tube scarf in progress has gone missing and reappeared, so far, in the bottom of a camera bag, stuck between the sofa cushions and under books in a tote bag. Luckily it surfaced in time to get some inch-age enroute.

marching on

If February needed avenging, March needs...to get going. I'm impatient for spring, for finishing up work that's taking me too long and to see the Saddle Seam Pullover move along. I guess I haven't been knitting as much as I think because after a week, here's where I am. Although this yarn doesn't make the texture pop as much as it does on my glassblower friend, I'm still liking it. In person, it looks pretty decent. Or as Nona says, I'm having an MCS. The color fyi is Ferrous Red, which cracks me up, its just a foo-foo way of saying rust.

Here's a clue as to what's been going on. Its a Big Project. Even though I won't do the project (you scoff? go visit a 6th grade on the day they bring in the projects and you will see some serious parent takeover) I am on call. In my capacity as Design Consultant ("should I glue it here? or here? or here?or here?or here? wait..where did I put it first? Here? or here? or...."), IT Support ("Mommmm!! The printer won't print!") and Most Likely to Make a Last Minute Trip to the Store for Poster Board and White-Out. On the upside: I've fully refreshed my knowledge of the three orders of Greek columns, as well as where we stashed the best flowing Elmers glue bottle.

I made a little Knitpicks order because my older, non-project-ing son requested a new hat- and I can't resist another hat. So when a package notice appeared in my mailbox I expected the puffy envelope of yarn but found these from my mom A shoebox full of home baked Hamentaschen for Purim, a little festival we celebrated this week. They're fruit filled pastries that (depending on where in the world you eat 'em) are the villain of the story's hat (Hamentaschen, I know it means Haman's Pockets but we say its his hat) or his ears (Oznay Haman) but either way: yum. Guess what I had for lunch yesterday?

My plan for today: no sugar. No ear/hat/pocket snacking. No use of the words Ionic, Doric or Corinthian. And cling to the silly belief that it won't snow tomorrow if I think hard enough against it.

speaking of happy accidents....

...wouldja look at Bonne Marie's new sweater. Does she have some special yarn ju-ju or what?

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

so there is such a thing as too imperfect

I’ve always considered not being a perfectionist an asset. Perfectionists torture themselves, worrying that when they finish, things will not be just right.

Not me, I can usually live with it. Get it done, accept the charm of the irregular, move on. Whatever it is. Openness to imperfection has been a good thing for a location photographer like me. I like the spontaneity, on-the-spot problem solving, the happy accident.

But..back to knitting. I have some standards. Really. I bumped into them this week.
I returned to a sweater begun last year, an Elsebeth Lavold Viking Knits. I’d uncharacteristically bought yarn I loved, her Silky Wool, before choosing a pattern. When it arrived, the Viking Knits book had been thrown in as a lagniappe. It was to be a sweater for Dave. He chose one with cables and viking knot motifs occurring in various places. Doesn't look too difficult, eh? The pattern plagued me, I kept messing up the motifs.

I finished the back, knowing there were a couple of things wrong and got about 8 “of the front done before I tucked it away. Dave hardly wears sweaters unless its very chilly out, so making him one May-October is a waste of knitting energy. There’d be no woohoo of finishing ad watching the sweateree slip it on and head off into the sunset. Or off to walk the dog or whatever.

Anyway, a few days ago I took it out to admire. I looked over my I-can-live-with-em motif errors. And then I realized. I could. Not. Live with it.

Rationalizing that I’d never planned to make that pattern anyway, and it had lost its fun factor , I spied Funky Glassblowing Guy in the most recent Interweave Knits, in the Saddle Seam Pullover, I somehow want to reward the magazine for using him as a model. Like, as if they’d know. On I cast. I love working on this. Its meant for a heavier yarn but I went to smaller needles and a very (and I mean verrry) sketchy gauge swatch seemed to show me on track.

Its 240 stitches in the round. Sometimes I get to the end of a round and discover I’m off by one. Guess what? I’ve been going back and making it come out - ugh, I can hardly admit it- perfect.

• • • • •

inside the envelope.....

Quick, go over to Knit & Plenty. She gets the award for Best Oscar Post for Knitters Suffering from Cabin Fever and Needing a Laugh.

inevitability

A year of blogging and I've been tagged. KT asked me to show her the door. In the nicest way, I mean.

The thing with a neighborhood built as a summer beach community a century ago is, we don't look so great this time of year.

I could use some spring. I tag anyone who has something green to see out their door: palm trees, cacti, martians .... Show me the verde!

• • • • • • •

Another thing. If you come home really late from a business meeting, and decide to do one quick midnight round on a sweater that's 240 stitches, and you get the feeling something's not right, don't keep going till the end of the round. Because you know, the next morning you'll be finding the mistake made in the 10th stitch.