Knitting

Happy Havoc

January 30, 2014 mud&stringLeave a comment

GRAND TIME

The Papoose and Sprout were here for a visit this week, Saturday until Wednesday afternoon; I tried to document as much as possible but most of the time it’s much more fun to just play and not photograph. Here’s a few we managed to snap.

The Papoose and I made a cake.

We had lasagna one night for supper.

The Sprout decided the hatbox was the best seat in the house.

The castle is always fun.

Lots of giggles.

Crashed

Remember: What happens at Bebe and Papa’s stays at Bebe and Papa’s!

How far you go in life depends on you being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak and the strong. Because someday in life you will have been all of these. George Washington Carver

Knitting

Spinning and Plying

January 24, 2014 mud&stringLeave a comment

ON THE WHEEL

I’ve been spinning a little bit every day, but not as much as I’d like. My problem is the classic “Too many projects, so little time”, but here’s a look at what’s on the wheel currently –

My first real attempt at the whole shebang – dying, carding, spinning and finally, plying.

Suffolk, dyed with a mix of blue and red. Not as purple as I’d hoped but still good, I think.

I’m going to keep practicing.

A good listener is not only popular everywhere, but after a while he gets to know something. Wilson Mizner

Knitting

Looky!, WIP Wednesday 1/21/14

January 22, 2014 mud&stringLeave a comment

CHECK IT OUT!

Look at our new sink and faucet! They’re so shiny and silver! What you can’t see from the pic is the new disposal to go with the new sink. Mr. Iknead and I finally got around to replacing the old, gross, avocado green sink that was here when we moved in with the new, stainless one. Next up on the home improvement list: new countertops and backsplash.

ON THE NEEDLES

I finally finished the sleeves on the Mariella sweater and would probably be at least entering the home stretch except for the fact that on my first attempt at joining the sleeves to the body of the cardi I put them on upside down. Frustration overload, to say the last. I’ll have another go at it tomorrow.

Linking with Tami and Frontier Dreams KCCO.

Trust yourself. You know more than you think you do. Benjamin Spock

Knitting

Busted, Hey Barbie!, My Playroom

January 20, 2014 mud&stringLeave a comment

OFF THE NEEDLES

Moves were busted and socks completed:

No Pattern, Mystery Yarn Socks

HEY BARBIE

I went to put on my current favorite sweater, a Christmas present from Mr. Iknead, yesterday, only to find that it apparently was put in the dryer and dried to within an inch of its life, turning it from a perfectly fitting, softness to die for, beautiful sweater, into a still beautiful, still soft sweater that only Barbie can wear. I remember washing it on my washer’s handwash setting, along with some other handknits that I try to baby as much as possible, then taking all of them out and air drying on a rack, just like always. I must have missed this sweater when taking things from the washer, causing it to be rewashed with the next (not handwash cycle) load and then put into the dryer and dried and dried and dried. I feel like crying every time I think about it. I know it’s just a sweater, but it was mine and was a million times more special because it came from Mr. Iknead. And, yes, I do get emotionally attached to clothing.

IT’S LIKE A MIRACLE

I did a lot of work in my yarn room this weekend and it paid off in spades. It all began with an old entertainment center that we were planning to donate; suddenly, it wasn’t an entertainment center anymore – it was a Yarn Storage Cabinet. Of course, as a rule, any change made in a room kicks off another change, which precipitates another and then another and so on. So, my yarn/fleece/spin/knit/craft room went from a room totally disorganized, messy and just not that enjoyable to be in to this: a place that’s warm and pretty, a place that feels like a hug –

Wish I’d thought of this sooner, but I intend to enjoy the changes to their fullest. Mr. Iknead was just happy that we had to lift and move the cabinet only about 20 feet, instead of 200. It weighs a ton!!

All things change; nothing perishes. Ovid

Knitting

Oh No, No FO, Should I MYOB?, Grands

January 17, 2014 mud&stringLeave a comment

OFF THE NEEDLES

Nothing, despite a serious case of startitis and my resolve to not start anything new until I get at least one of my current WIPs off the needles.

ON THE NEEDLES

First sleeve of Mariella Cardi

Best Friend Scarf using a ball of Jojoland Melody I found in one of my stash dives.

The second sock of a pair for me; the yarn is a mystery, the pattern is in my head.

I need to bust a move on at least one of these projects, I have a pattern and yarn that is calling me like a sideshow barker, “Hurry, hurry, hurry! Step right this way! Get ready for the most fabulous project of your life! Hurry, hurry, hurry!

QUESTION

Should I (diplomatically) point out typos in a friend’s otherwise beautiful website? They’re nothing serious, nothing that couldn’t be fixed with a simple proofread; wouldn’t you want something that represents you to be perfect? Should I mention it or should I MYOB? What would you do?

TUESDAY WITH THE GRANDS

The Sprout and the Slide

Babydiva Daredevil

A thing well said will be wit in all languages

Knitting

Yarnlove

January 14, 2014 mud&stringLeave a comment

SHOW AND TELL

Cascade 220

Color # 9604

100% Peruvian Highland Wool

(I have a definite plan for this, but must keep it on the down low for now)

Lorna’s Laces Solemate

Color # 3684 – Flames

55% Superwash Merino

15% Nylon

30% Outlast viscose

Socks, definitely.

A NEW FAVORITE POEM

Sabrina fair,

Listen where thou art sitting

Under the glassy, cool, translucent wave,

In twisted braids of lilies knitting

The loose train of thy amber-dropping

hair;

Listen for dear honor’s sake,

Goddess of the silver lake,

Listen and save.

John Milton

Knitting

Monday Love, Pots, This Is Why

January 13, 2014 mud&stringLeave a comment

IHEARTMONDAY

At the risk of being tarred and feathered by the present workforce, I have to say that I love Mondays. Let me tell you why: Monday mornings are a happy reminder that Mr. Iknead and I are retired. We are learning how to “not work”; for us, this means deciding to go out to lunch on a whim, or watching that movie/episode that we’ve just never gotten around to, looking outside to check the weather and not thinking “OMG, it’s raining/snowing/sleeting/storming and I need to get a move on this morning, just in case.” and instead, thinking “OMG, it’s raining/snowing/sleeting/storming and I think I WILL have that extra cup of coffee now.” My apologies if I’m gloating, I don’t mean to; it’s just that all this is so new to us, like opening a present each and every morning and knowing that it’s going to “fit” perfectly.

MUDSLINGING

Remembering one of my pottery goals this year, I snapped a few pictures last time I was in the pottery studio.

This one should be ready to trim today.

(Don’t know whose backside that is.)

This may be our new fruit bowl.

I see a possible yarn bowl.

This one’s a wild card. What do you see?

BACK INTO THE POND

This is the reason I frogged a nearly complete sleeve that seemed to take FOREVER on the Mariella Cardi –

Ladders, ladders everywhere

The pattern called for DPNs and for once, I actually followed directions, resulting in ladders between every needle. So, I gritted my teeth, bought a size 5 circular needle, frogged and restarted. It’s going much better, thank you. How come I try to delude myself every time I see a glitch that a) it will block out, b) I’ve made a mistake I’m calling a design feature and/or c) really, no one is going to notice? This delusion carries me until I’m within spitting distance of completion, then the glitch rises up, gives me a smack upside the head and says, “What were you thinking??” Thus, the frogging and restarting, with all the required fuming and sighs. Whew … I feel much better now.

I think somehow we learn who we really are and then live with that decision. Eleanor Roosevelt

Knitting

WIP Wednesday and Yarn Along 01/08/14

January 8, 2014 mud&stringLeave a comment

ON THE NEEDLES

A couple of things:

The first sleeve on the Quince & Co. Mariella Cardi –

and

some random sock, done in some stash mystery yarn (maybe Seasilk???). I started this one toe up because I haven’t decided whether to do a real pattern or just a nice, comfy, go-to kind of sock. As you can see, the jury is still out….

OUT OF THE OVEN

Yesterday, while sort of browsing through some older posts, it dawned on me that I haven’t posted any baking projects lately. I sort of think I need to do that every once in a while, I mean, the blog is called iknead2knit and all. So, with that in mind, I grabbed the camera and snapped a few pics of yesterdays project – homemade granola.

The base recipe is one I got from my pottery instructor (thanks, Jean, the Pottery Queen), with 1 egg white, 1/2 cup agave nectar instead of sugar, 1/4 cup olive oil, a pinch of sea salt and 3 cups old fashioned oatmeal. I tweak it with stuff we like (and what’s in the pantry), cinnamon, raisins, almond slivers, unsweetened coconut and sometimes pumpkin seeds or shelled pistachios. I bake it at 300 degrees, stirring every ten minutes or so until it’s brown and dry. Then, it’s hard to keep from munching on it every time I pass it in the kitchen. Putting a little bit in vanilla yogurt is my favorite, with just enough crunch and sweet/salty to satisfy. Yum!

BY THE BOOK

I’m starting The Book Thief this afternoon. I can’t wait!! Pretty much cleared my calendar for it. I hope it lives up to its rep.

The Book Thief

Linking with Tami, Ginny and Frontier Dreams today, as always, inspiration central!

Winners make a habit of manufacturing their own positive expectations in advance of the event. Brian Tracy

Knitting

Guess What Day It Is!!!!!!!!

January 6, 2014 mud&stringLeave a comment

WHAT DAY??

It’s the first day of the new session at the Art Center – now known to my family as “my new second home”. I can’t wait to see what this new pottery session will bring. I’ve decided that I’d like to make a couple of big (think holding with both hands) coffee cups, all different, but with matching glazes to tie them together. Actually, this project is two fold, I want the cups and I need to practice uniformity in certain projects and more than anything, get better at making handles. For some reason, I’m apparently handle challenged, just can’t seem to “get” them. They always turn out wonky, won’t stay on, droop, are crooked, are too big or too small. So, I guess you could say that my goal for this semester is handles.

Cups of My Dreams

Another of my pottery goals is to remember to take pictures of projects, before, during and after, if for no other reason than to be able to identify my pieces when I forget to mark them as mine. My bee stamp looks to have turned out well. I’ll give it its first use today; results to follow.

Moral excellence comes about as a result of habit. We become just by doing just acts, temperate by doing temperate acts, brave by doing brave acts. Aristotle

Knitting

Happy New Year, 2014’s First WIP Wednesday and A Little More Christmas

January 1, 2014 mud&stringLeave a comment

TWOFER

Happy New Year! Come on in, 2014, make yourself at home! Has another year already come and gone? Really? A lot has happened in the past 365 days, sadness at the loss of my mother, joy at the prospect of new babies, excitement with Mr. Iknead’s retirement and just living life on life’s terms. In the words of a dear friend, “If it gets any better, I don’t know if I can stand it”.

Here’s the first WIP for 2014, Quince & Company’s Mariella Cardigan, their own Lark yarn, in Chanterelle. This WIP is sharing the stage with my Yarn Along book, The Naked Lady Who Stood on Her Head, A Psychiatrist’s Stories of his Most Bizarre Cases, by Gary Small, M. D. Intriguing, to say the least and an easy read.