nonfiction

Dark and early this morning I flew south. I crocheted some granny squares on board. A bonafide granny admired them.


- when I got there, I rented a car and picked up Leo and Bobo, the one balled American Bulldog (see what I mean, you can't make this up)


- we did a quickie drive 'round his new 'hood, had some ceviche and then immediately headed north


- we have some farmstand fruit, water, podcasts & music with us
- and 3 days to get home to Connecticut.


Ps I was warned that along with his good looks and considerable charm, Bobo is flatulent .
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Pershing Cir,Brunswick,United States

variegated book: solid thumbs up

 

It doesn't take more than a random sampling of  things I've knit to see I have a dangerous attraction to variegated yarns. It's the "oooh pretty" factor in the skein, plus I'm a horribly indecisive shopper. A variegated skein lets you choose all those colors at once.  Even though a great deal of the time I wish the FO were solid. Because, you know,  all those colors.....

So, when I heard about this book, I thought it would be worth checking out.

Espeicially when I saw who wrote it. Lorna, from Lorna's Laces. now there's someone who should know what to do to make variegated and hand dyed yarn behave. Although I have to admit I was skeptical. You know what? Loved it. Lorna knows her stuff, and writes about all the various styles of from printed to handpainted. She explains how to guess what the yarns will do when knit up over a certain amount of stitches (really, you can sort of predict the pooling, striping, flashing, splotching? who knew?). I picked the book up to page through it and ended up reading it one end to the other.

Best part? Many examples of stitch patterns, in color, showing the effect you get with certain styles of multicolored yarns. Easy enough to substitute these in to patterns you love.

Or, say , plan for a red scarf in kettle dyed yarn. That's what I'm doing. For the Red Scarf Project .  But you probably guessed that.

disclaimer: I was given the book  The Knitters Guide to Handdyed and Variegated Yarn by Lorna Miser by PotterCraft to review. But I mean every word of it.

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And, the winner of the KnitCircus subscription is Ptarmigan. She was chosen by my random number generator, when I requested a number between 1 and 42.

 

It's good to keep a random number generator hanging around.

Ptarmigan, can you email me , ezisusATsnetDOTnet and we'll get you set up? Thanks everyone for your comments.

the how'd I miss this? giveaway

Knitcircus magazine.

Today, my little spy  Google Alerts emailed  to say Shear Spirit was mentioned on Knitcircus blog. Our book came out in 2008 but is still on my "I-Love-this-Project" list. I mean, not to sound all jaded and uppity,  but I  have hundreds of published projects. I was passionate about most of them while working on them, but a couple years later? Not quite as fired up. Not Shear Spirit though, I am still so proud of that book, and can blab endlessly about the fiber farms, the incredible subjects we visited and included and the knitting.

Which led me to the Knitcircus online magazine itself. Wonderful! At first I thought I'd never seen it before but in looking at back issues, I realized I'd seen a very early issue . Uppity & snobby sounding snippet # 2 for this post: well, I can't help it, the visuals didn't do much for me at the time so I barely looked. That was then.
Now, Knitcircus has evolved into a beautiful & interesting magazine. Great layout and function, better content, engaging visuals and big beautiful photos.
It's sort of a hybrid of some other faves  like  Knitty and Twist. Presented  in the same page turning format, optional PDF download as Twist but, instead of having each pattern for sale individually, catalog style, you  order the whole issue's worth for $7.99. There are yarn & book reviews, interviews with knitwear designers, sock talk from the sockiest source I know,  Wendy Johnson, and the cookie recipes, yum, are free.

When I emailed  Jaala Spiro, the  editor-in-chief to ask permission to use some covers/pages here,  she generously offered a year subscription giveaway. Cool, yes? That's 5 issues! So, here's what you need to do: go look a the Holiday Gift issue. In  the comments, tell me what you liked. Could be a project, could be some of the reviewed yarn, could be the interview. Maybe the cookies? Enter by midnight Friday November 12th. Drawing by random number.

sign of the times

If I didn't start the holiday knitting this week, it was not going to happen. One bulky hat is almost done. With a pompom. Another request for an electric blue hat, possibly with some "strong yellow" and another pompom has been noted.  I'm kind of looking forward to looking for electric blue yarn. Hello, malabrigo, I might be looking at you. I already mentioned the heirloom radish granny square scarf request, right? Colorful this year. Oh, and  something for Marla. But she reads here so I'm not blabbing.

q & a sunday

q: Does it bug you that you already missed a day for NaBloPoMo ? 
a: No, not really. I'm taking the yoga attitude: I'm blogging with the intention of doing it daily.

q: Is a cicada a bug, truly ?
a: Yes, so they say in Canada

q: What do you like about this photo ? 
a:  The colors. I am loving odd color combinations. Maybe it's the time of year. Some photos I look at just to let the colors resonate. Not so much for content or composition.

q: Are you actually knitting anything ? You seem to be avoiding the topic? 
a: Yes. No. Details later .

debut

 

My little sidetrip into granny squares. Shown here, while revealing that my affection for  kitschy stuff extends beyond the crochet realm. That's one of our much abused lawn flamingos in the right background

. 

There's something I like about this scarf,although it's about as well finished as the construction site  new porch/deck/stoop that is our front entrance.

x 

I didn't really have a plan as to how to attach the squares; I don't like the slip-stitch-as-you-go look for this, and I couldn't decide if I liked single crocheting them together through both loops, the outer loops or the inner. I read  about a braided attach but it seemed too elaborate.  Maybe I just don't have enough crochet finesse. Yet. But the playing with colors? very fun. This is vintage Brown Sheep Lambs Pride in oatmeal natural that was koolaid dyed some time ago (the light  green, aqua) Andys Merino (orangey) , some purple Cashmerino I got in a swap.  They're all edged with  Invernal, which is less hefty and fuzzier than the others, of indeterminate color and kind of makes it all pop.

 

The granny square, she may have her detractors (cough, Mary Lou, cough) but me?  I'm ready to go for scarf #2.

nov 4th

 

This son turned 17 today. My wish for him, my Muay Thai fighting dude,  is the same one as every year since the beginning: use your powers for good, not evil !

He gave up his capes and cowboy boots years ago. The attitude? Still got it.

digging in

my holiday making so far:

• survey loved ones who like receiving handknits as to what they wish for

• remind them  there're no guarantees

• receive a photo of multicolored radishes at a farm stand from one sister, saying these are the colors she likes for her gift request of a granny square scarf

• rejoice that they are an interesting combination, with odd green leaves. 

• consider it a definite upgrade from her request last year of grey. 

• nothing against grey but I don't actually think of it as a color.

• radish inspired yarn put together* , some newly purchased, some here already.

* when I say put together I mean gathered, put in one bag,  or looked  at in a pile with a satisfied nod of the head
One gift sprouting. It's a start.

na-na-na nah & yeah

 yarnbomber customizing knit graffiti on the fly, see more in yesterdays post

NaKniSweMo3 ? sorta, kinda. I've been cranking on a sweater for Dave today.  That's a man sized sweater, and even with holiday gifts underway I WILL finish it this month. But I started it before the 1st so there's one rule broken. Maybe I can pull off one for me that starts & finishes by 11/30. I've got some Cascade EcoWool and I'm not afraid to use it. My eye is on a Lia. That's all I'm saying.

NaWriNoMo - ha. are you kidding? No WAY will I write a novel, not even a fictional sentence. oh, wait. That is one right there.

Vestvember ? It doesn't have a Na it. Not on the short list.

NaBloPoMo ? Ok. why not. I'll give it a try. Again .

yarnbombed

Below, scenes from early Saturday morning. Not saying these are the perps. Not saying there's any deeper meaning, although a certain LYS was having its first birthday. And who doesn't like a surprise on their birthday? Surely there were a bunch of others involved but they were at Stitches in Hartford or rowing in Philly, or teaching a crochet class at time of installation.  Just theoretically I mean.

 

may I have a little more, suh?

 
a new friend at Gansvoort Farm last weekend

 I'm still on a post Rhinebeck high. The week unrolled in same vibe.  Oh to re-skein the last 8 days or so and do them again when things get dull and drudgy. Good work, good friends, good knitting, sheep. Go look, more farm life on my photography blog.

On Monday, with the weekend still glowing, I sent my just-barely finished Retro Baby Smock off as a gift for a very pregnant teacher.  Quickie photos at dawn don't do it justice. Sarah, who I met in Minnesota last year, designed this sweet pattern.  Knit side to side, using short row shaping. Quick, fun, clever.  Mine was knit in GGH Merino Soft, color 98 , a  smoky lavendar. Or as my 16 yo fashion critic said, as he carried it to school to bestow it, "a looming kind of purple...its not a very cheery baby color...". 

The teacher, who'd confided in me  she hates bright pink, was thrilled. For the record.

Hot tip:  this is fab yarn: superwash but  soft and springy, in colors just tertiary enough.  There's some left on sale at my LYS . Just saying.

 

Kay's visit coverage via Hipstamatic

On Tuesday, Kay came for a whirlwind visit. Is there anything better than a good friend, Pepes apizza & beer mid afternoon? Why, yes there is: sharing her with your knitting posse. Her full report, over at Mason Dixon Knitting. If only Ann could have made it. While we yucked it up, I imagined her Tennessee garret, solo, quill in hand, novelizing. Also? I think she's wearing a sweepy dress with a fuzzy  lace shawl in that vision, existing on absinthe and pimiento cheese tea sandwiches.

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For those inquiring about the patterns in the noisy Make Mine Local slideshow two posts ago, they are all indie patterns, some unreleased. In true DIY style, the fashion show was spirited, creative, inspiring but not so well-documented. Which is to say I never received complete contact info coordinated with the designs. Try inquiring of the host, the  Common Cod Fiber Guild. At least I know the skirts, the fabulous stripey-armed sweater and the peachy bright foofy coat at the end are all from  Yarn in the Farms, available from that pattern page link. The opening little red jacket is by Ann Weaver of WeaverKnits.

post rhinebeck photo shoot shout

My Rhinebeck shopping: one skein of yarn (up 100% from last year!) and 2 indie published books, by Ann Weaver of Weaver Knits and Mandy Powers of ZigZag Stitch.

Wait- does Artichoke French count as shopping?

Thanks to ClaireArsenault for getting this action shot.
 Back at you when I come up for air with more about the Rhinebeck Style photo shoot but let's  just say this:

1817 images downloaded

123+ fabulous models in handknits (or crochets or felts) posed

1 million thanks to everyone who joined in. So cool to meet you! There's no word for the loooove!

Me and Ann Weaver herself at the very end of the weekend. Now I see it says "Rhineck" Style.  photo by Chris

Another fun statistic:

2 times I was mistaken for Amy Singer of Knitty and embraced in a hug.
And I don't even own a ukelele.

strike a pose: Rhinebeck style

ADDED 10/15/12  : Rhinebeck Style photo shoot project returns this year,  2012 to the Ny Sheep & Wool Festival.
 Stop by and strike a pose. DETAILS HERE

 added 10/10/11 **PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS FROM LAST YEAR, 2010 !! 

I'm not doing the photo thing this year, 2011,  but maybe next?  I WILL be at Rhinebeck, but this year I'll be a civilian, and  booksigning for my new book Craft Activism, 2:30-4 on Saturday and 11-12:30 on Sunday, in the authors barn. Stop by & say hi! (I'm a bingo square too).

as for the photos--I hope, I may, get to edit & post them before they are officially one year old. Its a crazy life!
 __________________
So..here's my little brainstorm. Last year I dragged my white backdrop to the Common Cod Fiber Guild's indie knitwear design fashion show in Boston, and see what happened. (it's 2 1/2 minutes long, sorry it's a bit of a slow loader- and there's music , so hit your mute key if you're at work or near sleeping babes)

The wonderful organizers of the New York Sheep & Wool Festival folks are giving me a space to set up my backdrop at Rhinebeck this weekend and you (and you and you and you.....and your alpaca too) are invited to pose for me. Show me what.you.got!

For years I've been thinking it's a shame not to document all the fine fibery fashion seen at that fair and I decided this is the year to do it. Where else can we wear so many layers of handknit & feel like part of the community?

Weather permitting I'll be there for sure Saturday and  probably Sunday monring too. I'll tweet my location so follow my twitter feed  & you'll know where I am--or else look for a white backdrop.

Fun, yes? See you in your wooolly best. I can't begin to tell you how much I'm looking forward to this.  My talented friend & trusted co-conspirator Maryse is helping me out for a while, if anyone else who knows how to wield a reflector wants to hang out and volunteer for an hour, I would be super grateful, just shoot me an email.

•

Roma

With blocking, my Roma shawl is just what I wanted. I made the smaller version, it's about 48" across the top and 36" on the other two sides. 

I'm not sure if that adds up precisely in geometry but it works for me.

Still loving the colors, except when it creeps into my consciousness that I could wear it to a Minnesota Vikings game with impunity.  Yarn and pattern info in my last post.

My slightly insane participatory project, at Rhinebeck, in my next. Check back in a couple of days, OK?

seasonally affected. again.

 

See that yarn on top? A skein of Schaefer Nichole in Thistle, left over from a test knit for the new book project. I know. I can't believe the knitter returned it, either. I might have been gracious and insist she keep it, there was enough left to knit a small shawl. Except... I didn't. A lot of yarn passed through here this year, a lot of very, very, lovely yarn.  But this particular skein was one I coveted.

Since I've been on a run of scarfy/shawly things, I chose Roma as my pattern for it. Then, I skidded like a ouija board at a pre-teen sleepover to the golden straw skein of Classic Elite Soft Linen for the contrast. Not really my color, why was I choosing it? this is going to look amazing after blocking. trust me.

It took me only a day to realize I'd done it again. Chosen colors that are all around me as the leaves change, shadows deepen  and the marsh grasses turn golden. I am so. freakin'. predictable.

 

And then I reached for my mug, on the table in the family room this week.

what color scarf are you casting on?

 Fremont Solstice Festival Seattle

Quick! What color comes to mind?

Randolph Vermont general store

How about now?

 

Fremont Solstice Festival Seattle naked cyclists parade kickoff *

Ok do I have your attention? (I should have left the patch off, right? )

So. You should be just about ready to cast on a red scarf for the Orphan Foundation of America's Red Scarf project. Knit a red (or non-gender-specific) color scarf, approx  5-8" wide and around 60" or so long, to be included in a care package to a college kid who aged out of foster care and is going it on their own.  Send it in by December 15th.  The address, and more info about this wonderful effort here.

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* When I asked my 16yo son Gabe if he'd come out to Seattle and work for me on a series of photo shoots right after school ended this past June, he surprised me by asking if we'd be there for Solstice. He's not usually much of an earthy-crunchy-granola guy. I asked why he cared.  The Fremont festival, said he. Naked bicyclists. Like, hundreds of them.

You know what? It was a fabulous parade and party. The naked cyclists were just the kickoff. In fact the whole week was full of fabulous.  We might just go back in 2011. Gabe says he's going to be in the parade. On a bicycle.

that slippery granny slope

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I know. You just glanced at the photo and thought "whoa, whose blog am I on, anyway?"

It all started in April, I was with the Empress of Granny Square, Ellen Bloom,  in LA. You can't hang with Ellen without  a hook somehow finding its way into your hands, and a granny square springing forth.  At least I couldn't.

Last weekend, my friend Julie asked for a lesson. Since my granny square before the three in April was, like, in my teens, I thought I'd practice a little.

And one thing led to another. I'm thinking granny square scarf. These are 5 inches across.

Truth: I was also thinking afghan. But I realized 15 squares = a pretty decent scarf, 99= a decent afghan.....yeah. Scarf it is.

• • • • • • • • • • • • •

Thanks for entering the caption contest, that was great, you need to go read the captions in comments on the last post- so clever and funny. And punny, too. (winners have been notified).

fall ahead, caption contest, & lotsa links

Don't you love how Labor Day Weekend shakes your sheets into autumn with a crisp snap? Make  plans  now  or suddenly you're neck deep in pumpkin, cooking Thanksgiving dinner and wondering what happened to fall. First up for me: 

Photo Workshop Weekend in St Paul MN at The Yarnery September 25 &  26th
scroll down fr the Yarnery link, or click here for details

If you have a passion for photography,  join us for 2 days of hands-on digital camera workshop. Pixels, fiber, FO's..what more could you want?

 

This needs a good caption, doesn't it?  Contest below.

We'll be taking a field trip to a historic farmstead on the Saturday afternoon of the workshop. I'm thrilled to have that setting for teaching about shooting FO's on real people, for showing how you can work with different  light situations,  on a porch, in open sun, in shade, and also have all the textures & colors and props to use as backgrounds. And, sheep. Not promising any will have mad modeling skillz. This cutie was from the photo workshop weekend at Juniper Moon Farm, click here to see some of the workshop in action. The class is half full so go guilt a friend or loved one into coming along and call The Yarnery to sign up. *

Caption contest/ book & yarn giveaway

Leave  a comment on this post with a caption for the photo above, and you're entered to win a copy of the book Shear Spirit: Ten Fiber Farms, Twenty Patterns and Miles of Yarn, or  yarn.

Mention the contest and link to this post  from your blog your Facebook or Twitter,  and you get an extra entry for each mention.  Deadline for captions is September 10th.

Two  winners: one drawn randomly, to win the book. The second, for the best caption, gets 3 skeins of Brown Sheep Lambs Pride yarn (appropriate, no?)

* the Twin Cities are a terrific place to visit for a weekend, if you're not from the area.  And you can't do better than The Yarnery folks as hosts, they're the ones who serenaded  the Yarn Harlot and Mason Dixon Knitting Ann & Kay. Talent and senses of humor, plus they can knit like nobody's business. btw, those are links to posts with YouTubes of the Yarnery Singers in action, you really should view them.