Tag: Knitpicks

Knitting

I Brake for Fiber

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MY PHIRST PHIBER PHESTIVAL

Yeah, yeah.  I know that that’s lame, but I couldn’t resist.  As I tell Mr. Iknead all the time, “Just humor me, OK?”  The first ever Diamond State Fiber Festival starts today and runs through Saturday and I’m soooo excited.  I’m taking a beginning spinning class and hopefully I won’t have to unlearn many bad habits from being self and YouTube taught.  This will be Violet’s first road trip, hopefully the first of many.   I’ll have to remember to take lots of pictures, though what usually happens is that I get so involved in whatever it is I want to photograph that I completely forget to take pics.  I’ll do better this time, I’ll keep the camera around my neck as a reminder.

SPINNING OUT

I ordered four Knitpicks Bare Wool of the Andes and I have to say, it’s been a pleasure to spin.  As I get better and better at it (and I am, even I can tell), I’m spinning finer and finer yarn.  Think sock or fingering yarn.  From someone who a year ago never had any desire to spin, I’m now the proud owner of Violet, my Ashford Traveller wheel and spin some everyday.  I find the whole process very calming and centering.  I’m planning on coming back from the festival with loads and loads of roving and maybe some fleeces too.  Here’s a look at the Knitpicks Bare Roving after spinning.

Now, should I dye it or let it alone?  Decisions, decisions.

When our eyes see our hands doing the work of our hearts, the circle of Creation is completed inside us, the doors of our souls fly open, and love steps forth to heal everything in sight.  Michael Bridge

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Knitting

WIPW 3/13/13, A Bump in the Olivia Petit Road and Library Whimsies

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ON THE NEEDLES

I have a couple of things, as usual, in the process of knitting up, frogging or time out.  The first one up today went through all three stages yesterday, the Lolita vest.  Here’s what went down – Rewind to Monday evening.  Happily knitting, patting myself on the back for doing such a good job of staying on Task Lolita, even when the new yarn on the block, Knitpicks Comfy Sport in Honeydew, was calling me out to get acquainted and get started on the   sweater(s) I had planned for it.  Final pat on the back and then to bed.  On inspection of my progress yesterday morning, I noticed that somehow I’d gotten a few, surely not more than three or so, stitches off in the pattern and now part of the openwork was wonky and didn’t match up with the previous openwork.   Tinked back to correct, fixed – still not right, tinked back and tried again – still didn’t suit me, tinked back one more time, reknit and finally produced something I can live with.  Since it’s knitted side to side, at the moment it’s just a wad of knitted fabric, but the spring sunshine was too great to pass up this morning and I took a pic anyway.

I’ve hit a pothole in the road on the sweet Olivia Petit sweater and haven’t been able to figure out what’s going on.  I cast on, did the set up row for the neck and raglan increase, so far so good, worked the next increase row and that’s where the wheels came off.  Too many stitches when I went to count.  OK, operator error, frogged and started again.  Same thing, too many stitches.  Must have misread pattern.  Frogged and started again after going over the pattern with a fine toothed comb, counting and recounting, reading and rereading.  Still screwed, went to bed.  I’m knitting the smallest size, so I’m thinking maybe going up one pattern size will work.  Please.  Will frog one last time and start again.  If no go this time, I’m swallowing my pride, taking it to Yarn Mart and letting them figure it out.  Frustration overload.

BY THE BOOK

I finished an absolutely, positively wonderful book yesterday, I started it Monday and couldn’t stop listening until it was finished, An Invisible Thread: The True Story of an 11 Year Old Panhandler, a Busy Sales Executive and an Unlikely Meeting with Destiny, by Laura Schroff.  Goosebumps though the whole thing!  Incredible heartache, incredible joy, incredible book!

AT THE LIBRARY

I’m a huge library fan and not just for the books; it’s a favorite place for me to sit, knit and people watch for an hour or so whenever I can and I’m always excited to check out the collections on display.  This week was a particular treat, with a collection of pottery.  Surprisingly, my iPhone pictures through the glass turned out really well.  I’m disappointed that there was no artist or artists mentioned but that didn’t cut the cool.

Library exhibits 3-11-13

Library exhibits 3-11-13
Library exhibits 3-11-13
Library exhibits 3-11-13

Library exhibits 3-11-13

Love the paper pumps but Birthday Cake Grandma is my all time favorite.  I’m crazy for her skull purse!

Don’t forget to head to Tami Amis for more WIPW stuff!

To study and not think is a waste.  To think and not study is dangerous.  Confucius

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Knitting

A Good Report, It’s Here and I Can’t Wait to Get Started

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I’M FREE I’M FREE

I had my first postop visit this morning with McDreamy (Bigmommy’s word, not mine) and he released me to my normal life.  Like, I can drive and everything!  Who would have thought that I’d have fantasies of grocery shopping??  Who would have thought that Mr. Iknead would have fantasies of me grocery shopping – alone???  The things we take for granted, right?  I’m doing really, really well according to McDreamy, which I knew already, and after one more follow up next month, this whole hitch in my get along will be officially over.  Yay!!

LOOK WHAT CAME TODAY!!

My new Knitpicks yarn!!  I love it, I can’t wait to get started, so sorry Lolita and former Spring Pools socks, this baby is moving to the head of the line!  Oh my gosh, it’s so springy and green and pretty and is crying out to be on the needles as I blog this.  See for yourself –

Olivia Petit Will Not Wait!

Am I right or what?

THE GRANDS

In keeping with the new beginning, first green of spring theme that seems to have developed today, I present the Sprout’s first ponytail:

The Sprout’s First Sprout!

I know I’ve played fast and loose with exclamation points today, please forgive me, I think Spring is springing!! (sorry)

One today is worth two tomorrows.  Benjamin Franklin

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Knitting

How Come?

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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

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Knitting

How Come?

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

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Knitting

The one where she’s jumping

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for joy because her swift and ballwinder arrived today, which was a special sort of surprise because I ordered it from Knitpicks on Wednesday and didn’t expect it to come in for at least a week.  I’ve already limbered it up and of course, like a good little blogger, made before and after pictures:

Very cool, I think.

Science is organized knowledge.  Wisdom is organized life.  Immanuel Kant (1724-1804)

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