Knitting

How Come?

March 2, 2013March 4, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

HOW COME?

How come I’ve suddenly been overtaken by the idea of knitting Easter sweaters for the grands, different styles but identical colors? How come this idea didn’t occur to me a month ago when there was actually a snowball’s chance in hell that it was doable instead of yesterday afternoon, when there wasn’t? How come I’m starting to pattern and yarn shop for the above mentioned impossibility? How come I just downloaded the most precious sweater pattern on the planet (for today anyway) from quince&co. and am scheming a yarn buy in the new few days? The pattern name is Olivia Petit, designed by Connie Chang Chinchio and don’t you agree with my above assessment?

I know, I know!! It’s because spring is coming, the sun is shining even though it’s cold and I’m a knitting crazed grandma of three gorgeous granddaughters with delusions of grandeur (me, not the granddaughters)! I’ve tentatively decided on Knitpicks Comfy Sport, in Honeydew. The yarn choice could change any second, with my birthday coming up and all but for now, Honeydew it is.

PLUGS

I do want to plug a couple of new sites that I’ve been pointed toward or found on my own this past week or so and have fallen in love with. I’m usually late to the party, so if this is old news to you, please humor me, pat me on the back and tell me how cutting edge I am : ), please. First is an Etsy shop called The Sitting Tree, with yarns, patterns and FOs to order and the second is an online shop, Quince & Co., full of knittiness with lovely yarns and precious patterns. The pointing toward part was from Ginny’s Small Things blog, another new love. Ya’ll check them out, bet you’ll love them, too.

Be faithful in the small things because it is in them that your strength lies. Mother Teresa

Knitting

How Come?

March 2, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

HOW COME?

PLUGS

Be faithful in the small things because it is in them that your strength lies. Mother Teresa

Knitting

FO Friday 03/01/13, A Stash Tour

March 1, 2013March 4, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

OFF THE NEEDLES

It’s finished and is all I’d hoped for and more! Introducing –

Etched Rio Wrap! TA DA!

I love it – it’s the perfect weight (not too hot, not too cool), the perfect color (love caramel), it stays put (not falling off one of my narrow to the point of almost nonexistent shoulders or the other) and the drape (OMG). After some initial misbehavior on the yarn’s part, we came to an understanding and this project truly became a labor of love.

STEP UP, STEP RIGHT UP

After reading a post on uknit2, I decided to document my stash status and share a little of it here. At the moment, it’s relatively neat and more or less organized, sock yarn, sport weight, lace weight, bulky, you get it, you’re a knitter but the more I looked the more odd I thought part of my stash was. Here, you be the judge.

Sock Yarn

Sport Weight

Odds and Ends

Here’s what I think is sort of odd

A Ziploc/Shopping Bag Stash

Actually, come to think of it, it’s not odd at all that I hoard ziplocs and shopping bags. After all, fiberphiles use more ziplocs than anyone else on the planet and for your safety, don’t get between me and a nice, heavy, handled shopping bag. I won’t pretend to speak for other crafty types, I’m trying to stick with what I know – but no, it’s not odd at all, it’s more than a little smart, green and best of all, frees up more bucks for my fiber fixation. So, strike the odd. Smarter than the average bear, us fiberphiles. I rest my totally turned around case.

IN THE OVEN

Not yet, kneading takes more than a little energy and I’m still promising Mr. Iknead to take it easy, but soon, very soon there will be fresh bread. I knead it (get it?)! I know, I love a corny play on words.

Fly by Tami Amis for more FO Friday treats – you’ll be glad you did!

Live so that you wouldn’t be ashamed to sell the family parrot to the town gossip. Will Rogers

FLASH – Bigmommy and the babies are in town and are headed over!! Pics and report tomorrow! Yay, getting a little lonesome!

Knitting

WIP Wednesday 2/27/13 and the Setting in of Antsiness

February 27, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

WHAT’S UP

Me, that’s what. Today’s the first day I’ve really felt nearly back to normal, at least as close to normal as possible being only a week out from major (from what I’ve been told) abdominal surgery. Yeah, every once in a while, mostly when Josie needs to be more comfortable, my belly reminds me that it’s been much put upon in the past week or so and that perhaps I need to give up being the official recliner/throne/bed of the Empress, at least for an hour or so. All things considered, I do think I’m doing well, but I’m getting restless, not really bored, but I want to do a bunch of things Mr. Iknead has made me promise not to do for a while and, well, I try to keep my promises so today I had to be satisfied with piddling around in the kitchen but not baking and making a grocery list, but not shopping. I’m sort of embarrassed to complain about things like that, just being retired and learning to be a SAHW, but I love taking care of my home, my husband and my family. There. I said it and I’m glad I did. I’m a closet housewife and proud of it!

NEARLY OFF THE NEEDLES

The Rio Wrap is nearly finished. It’s been measured and remeasured, examined and reexamined and finally, bound off. The joining together will be done tomorrow (I hate the mattress stitch), blocking will begin and I hope by Friday will be finished and ready for show and tell. Here’s how it looks unfinished but off the needles. Boring, I know.

Today, A Pile of Stockinette

Tomorrow, Hopefully an Etched Rio Wrap!

THE GRANDS

Not as much contact with the babies as I’d like, with us all passing around a nasty upper respiratory thing and the hospital, but here’s a recent favorite –

Isn’t he handsome and isn’t she gorgeous??

Don’t forget to check out Tami Amis for more WIPW 2/27/13.

By believing passionately in something that does not yet exist, we create it. Nikos Kazantzakis

Knitting

Happily Home

February 23, 2013February 23, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

Home to sleep in my own bed after Tuesday’s surgery to fix my colitis. Josie Pug missed me. So did Mr. Iknead. I missed them.

She’s not letting me out of her sight.

Success is how high you bounce when you hit bottom. George Smith Patton, Jr.

Knitting

It’s over

February 23, 2013February 23, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

WHAT’S UP

My surgery is done and seems to be successful. I really, really like and trust my doc, Lance Burns, M.D. Here’s a pic

I highly recommend him. He’s good at what he does and is just an all around nice guy.
Reputation is for time.Character is for eternity. J.B.Gough

B

Knitting

The Final Countdown

February 18, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

WHAT’S UP

In 24 hours, I hope my surgery will have begun, taking care of the worsening colitis that I’ve had for I don’t know how many years. Mr. Iknead and I are extremely optimistic that this will finally end what has become an increasingly nerve wracking problem, never knowing when or where a flare will occur and consequently making us a little gun shy about things like vacations or anything that might take us out of our comfort zone as far as hospitals and doctors are concerned. I start the official prep today at 2 pm, but as of midnight last night, I can have only clear liquids and then nothing to eat or drink after midnight tonight. I can’t believe people aren’t lining up to do this!

BY THE BOOK

I finished Jennifer Haigh’s The Condition, which I loved, and am set to start Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer. I read and enjoyed another book of his, Into the Wild, so I’m excited to read it. I’ve been able to put off reading it, since I’m going to have some guaranteed down time in the hospital. Today’s been spent making sure all my electronic gear is charged and ready, so it will be ready when I am.

ON THE NEEDLES

I decided on a free Ravelry pattern, Spring Pools,by Linda Fisher, for the Parakeet yarn. I’m loving how it’s knitting up and the way the blue really pops.

One more repeat and I start the second sock.

Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort. Franklin D. Roosevelt

Knitting

Under the Weather, I Need an Umbrella and a Thing of Beauty

February 15, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

WHAT’S UP

The sniffles that appeared a week ago today continue. I started running a fever yesterday afternoon so I started hitting the vitamin C and forcing fluids, I feel better today. I had my final visit today with the surgeon before surgery this coming Tuesday and just to be safe, he started me on a short term antibiotic. No way am I going to postpone this, no way! I start the prep Monday afternoon which is never, ever fun, but Mr. Iknead is a fabulous cheerleader and I expect to get through it with no problem.

SHOW AND TELL

Remember my prize from deepbluerenegade? A $10.00 gift card to Mr. Yarn? Well, here’s what it went toward –

Starry sock weight with sparkle from Dream

98% superwash merino wool and 2% Lurex fiber

Amethyst Ink

I’m ready for my close up, Mr. DeMille!

If this yarn doesn’t make your heart go pitty-pat, you need CPR! I’ve kept this yarn close to me for the past few days, just so I could fondle and admire it. It’s off the chart beautiful and makes me almost forget about my stuffy nose!

Imagination rules the world. Napoleon Bonaparte

Knitting

WIPW 2/13/13, Whew, Slight Case of Nerves

February 13, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

BYE-BYE

I think I mentioned last week that we finally made the decision and had our landline removed. Mr. Iknead and I finally had enough of those super annoying robocalls, telemarketers, wrong numbers (a misprint on some kind of card gave the whole world our phone number, area code and all) instead of the correct number for Holy Redeemer Credit Union in Costa Rica. I swear, I’m not making this up. People would call our number (the misprint) over and over, getting angrier and angrier when they were informed that “No, this wasn’t Holy Redeemer Credit Union” and “No, I don’t know the correct number for Holy Redeemer Credit Union” and eventually, “Don’t call this number again, I will have you reported to the police and charge you with telephone harassment”. Been cussed out in Spanish more times than I can remember. So, as of Monday evening, we no longer have a landline phone and are basking in the peace and quiet of home. Still, when Mr. Iknead called to set up whatever had to be set up to remove it, the guy told him that we’d had the number since 1977, 36 YEARS! You can understand why I have a little nostalgia mixed with my relief, can’t you? I get emotionally invested, what can I say?

ON THE NEEDLES

Etched Rio Wrap

Fifteen of the required 28 repeats of the pattern are finished, over half the way through, the end is barely in sight and I’m still loving this. I’m happy to say that there have been no yarn barf crises since Sunday and I’m watching the yarn like a hawk, knowing now that it likes to misbehave. If you missed the pics of its previous misbehavior, take a look at last Friday’s blog entry, titled %#$%^&*(, for the full effect.

WHAT’S COMING UP

I’ve really not blogged about it too much, other than just a mention now and then, but I’ve had ischemic colitis for years and coped with it pretty well. Now, though, the attacks are becoming more and more frequent and more and more severe, putting me in the hospital twice for a week each time, in the past nine months. My GI doctor defines it as “pretty much a heart attack” in the colon, with damage and scarring, which sets me up even more for another bout and on and on. After much, much thought and just as much research (doncha just love Wikipedia?), I’m scheduled to have my colon removed this coming Tuesday, February 19. My surgeon has promised that I’ll have enough colon left to hook everything back up, but if I have to have an ostomy, I’ll just count that as part of the cost of no more midnight ambulance rides, all night visits to the ER and hospital admissions. I’m a little nervous, after it’s done, there’s no going back, but now the pros outweigh the cons and I’m ready to get it over with. I told Mr. Iknead that he’d have to step into my blogging shoes for a couple of days (he thought I was kidding) but hope to be feeling well enough to take over again before too long.

BY THE BOOK

I finished the The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society yesterday and it was wonderful. I couldn’t listen fast enough, it was an audiobook and I kept up the pretense of “As soon as this chapter closes, I’m going to get up and do XYZ,” knowing full well that I had no intention of doing that and just kept listening. Loved this book! I don’t have any definite idea of what next to read. Any ideas?

Don’t forget to check out Tami Ami’s and Ginny’s Yarn Along blog.

Creativity comes from trust. Trust your instincts and never hope more than you work. Rita Mae Brown

Knitting

Inevitable

February 11, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

THE GRANDS

As of yesterday, all three grands have the sniffles and little fevers. The Papoose and the Sprout came to visit on Friday so, of course, Babydiva and her mommy joined us for lunch and a nice, long afternoon of play. The Papoose had a little runny nose, but that was all. None of us is particularly germ conscious; there were perhaps more sneezes than usual, but everyone felt well and like I said, played nice. I did catch Babydiva and Papoose swapping paccies back and forth, but that’s pretty par for the course with a two year old and an 11 month old, it’s going to happen, no big deal. Now all three grands have the sniffles and sneezes, along with me and Mr. Iknead. I, for one, caught a couple of sneezes full in the face but that’s the price you sometimes pay for two year old kisses and hugs. Totally, totally worth it. The Papoose did progress to croup and wheezing and got a tour of the Stuttgart ER Friday evening, but after a breathing treatment and some cough syrup, went home and resumed normal two year old activities.

BY THE BOOK

I started The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society yesterday and am totally enthralled. The setting is Guernsey (duh), a channel island off the coast of England, during World War II. The letters sent back and forth between these friends are sometimes funny, sometimes poignant and always interesting. Remember when you actually had to compose a letter, stamp it and take it to the post office to send it? Remember the anticipation of getting a letter in return and then doing it all over again? I still love getting and reading real letters, on paper, with pen and ink. The mailbox is so much more exciting than my inbox, I think.

ON THE NEEDLES

I finally got the Metalico yarn sorted out and rewound. With encouragement from vocalizard, I decided to salvage it and keep using it for my project and I have to admit, it looks a lot better than I thought it would; maybe a little fuzzy in spots, but that’s about it. Here’s a look at the one of the fuzzy spots. I don’t think it’s too terribly noticeable, do you?

I’m dying to start a new pair of socks with the lost then found Parakeet yarn but just can’t seem to settle on one pattern. The yarn here is the star, not really the pattern, so I want it to be fairly straightforward, so the yarn can shine on its own, but fancy enough to catch the attention of admirers. Does this make any sense? I’m always in search of the perfect pattern for the perfect yarn for the perfect sock. Must be a knitter thing. Suggestions?

Question: When’s the last time you sent a real pen and ink letter? Mine was to an aunt a few weeks ago, along with some old photos I found and thought she’d enjoy.

Between two evils, I always pick the one I never tried before. Mae West

Knitting

%#$%^&*(

February 9, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

ACK!

Had another setback with the Metalico last night. All was going well, maybe too well, had a nice, center pull ball going – until it collapsed on itself, becoming this:

Kinda made me sick.

It self destructed about 10 p.m. At 1 a.m. I gave up trying to get it under control again and went to bed. Got up and started working on it again this morning and finally decided it was as good as it was going to get around 3 o’clock this afternoon. I’m beginning to think I’ve lost my knitting mojo with this yarn, but I’m not giving up. I will, however, reevaluate my attitude if it happens again; you can be sure of that.

I begin with an idea and then it becomes something else. Pablo Picasso

Knitting

From WIP to 02/08/13 FO Friday Ready in Just One Hour

February 8, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

ON AND OFF THE NEEDLES

Still working hard at the Etched Rio Wrap, I’ve done ten repeats of the 28 repeats the pattern calls for and I’m still loving both yarn and pattern. The knitted yarn has amazing drape and softness, the only thing I can think of in the con category is that it’s very “grabby” and requires care not to become entangled with itself. This happened with the first skein, it got very tangled and by the time I got it sorted out, the yarn had lost some of its sheen and was a little what I call pilly. I’m trying to decide whether to bite the bullet and buy another skein (if I can find a matching dye lot) or go ahead and use the previously tangled yarn, probably at the very end where hopefully it won’t be too noticeable. Here’s what I mean:

Looks even worse than I thought. What’s your opinion? Use or not?

Now, on a happier note. In my efforts to find the misplaced yarn, I ran across a couple of WIPs that just needed to be cast off with the ends woven in. That’s how a project goes from WIP to FO in an hour; why did I procrastinate on this, that’s not usually how I am, did I get distracted by a newer, sexier yarn or pattern, did I put it down and lose it in the mess of the stash (this seems much more likely) or was it abducted by aliens and returned last week?