Knitting

How Cool Is That?, Free at Last and Olivia Petit

March 15, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

HOW COOL IS THAT?

A couple of years ago, 3/23/11 to be exact ’cause I went back and checked, I decided that I wanted – no, make that needed, to learn how to make pottery. Like a lot of things I get obsessed with, this idea eventually seemed to fade and then take its place in what I call the idea cabinet part of my head. It never fully got relegated to the back side of the cabinet. It just hung around, surfacing every now and then in the foreground of whatever I was mentally working on. Long story short I signed up for a basic handbuilding pottery class at the art center here in Little Rock yesterday after seeing a random class schedule online. The first class is April 1 and to say I’m excited is like saying Albert Einstein is a math whiz. Personally, I think looking at the collection of pottery at the library Monday shook something loose.

IN THE OVEN

It’s been a while since I’ve done any what I call real baking, meaning from scratch, not a box. Not knocking the box thing, Lord knows it’s saved my fanny more times than I like to count, it’s just not as satisfying to me as measuring out ingredients and watching my big Kitchenaid do its thing. So, this afternoon, I pulled out the fresh blueberries I found Tuesday, the pecans I got cheap at Christmas and froze and the little bit of sour cream I had left over from some other cooking project and made a (surprise) blueberry-pecan-sour cream coffee cake that smells heavenly. I’m having cake for supper. Oh, you haven’t heard?? They’ve made coffee cake a food group!

SEE YA NEXT YEAR, BUH-BYE

I had my last visit (hurray hurray) with my hematologist today and he released me, to come back in a year. His release was the final step in getting back to normal after my surgery. For the first time in a long, long time, my blood counts are normal and I don’t have to be followed every week or so with blood draws and lab tests. To give you an idea, about a week before my surgery, my hematocrit was 9.5-ish and today, it was 12; translated into realspeak, my doctor said it pretty much means that I have 2 1/2 more pints of blood today than I had a month ago. No wonder I feel more energized. Please excuse me, I’m going now to leap a tall building in a single bound. While I’m leaping, you can admire the flowers I saw outside the clinic this morning ; )

Little Rock Hematology Oncology Clinic

REDEMPTION

The Olivia Petit sweater and I have come to an agreement. I’ll do a better job of reading the pattern and making sure I understand directions and she’ll be a good sport and knit up all pretty and sweet like she promised. Really, it was operator error with the difficulties earlier this week. After I put her aside, slept and reread her pattern more slowly and closely, my mistake was obvious and best of all, fixable. It did entail several, like ten, rows of tinking, but I’m finally back on track with most of my sanity intact. This is what she looks like so far –

If you look closely, you can see the first two buttonholes; we won’t

discuss last night’s buttonhole frustration.

Don’t forget to check Tami Ami’s FO Friday blog – it’s always a treat!

What’s your latest dream come true?

Be sure that, as you scramble up the ladder of success, it is leaning against the right building. Stephen Covey

Knitting

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

March 13, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

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.

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

Knitting

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

March 11, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

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

Knitting

Late Start

March 8, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

WHAT’S UP

I’m getting a late start on blogging/computer housekeeping today, usually by this time I’ve blogged, cleaned out my inbox, answered e-mail, peeked in on what what’s going on with Rav, oohed and ahhed over the Friday FOs and moved on to thinking about dinner, maybe baking a little, knitting and reading and doing the straightening up that never seems to be quite finished around our house. Not today. Thinking about dinner has been accomplished, with chicken thawing, a couple of loads of laundry is in process and I just measured my newest on the needles project at a good, honest (no stretching allowed) 12 inches, a good start on a pattern that starts out with 16 inches of knitting in pattern.

GETTING BETTER ALL THE TIME

I’m now 17 days out from my surgery and continue to feel a little better every day. I’d been missing my daily walks with Josie and decided to start back yesterday morning. We (Josie and I) walked to the post office, probably about a half mile round trip and probably since my speed is a lot slower than usual, I spotted some springy goodness along the way. Can spring be too far off?

I have an appointment Monday morning with my surgeon and am very hopeful he’ll release me to drive then. I’m beginning to get a little stir crazy here at home, even a trip to the grocery store sounds fun and exciting. Yeah, it’s that bad.

THE GRANDS

The Sprout – Just Happy to be Here!

Babydiva at Her Most Charming

and last, but certainly not least –

The Papoose Rocking the Shades

Cutest, sweetest, smartest, most beautiful and all other superlatives grands ever. I promise.

Real love stories never have endings. Richard Bach

Knitting

WIP Wednesday 3-6-13, A Slight Disappointment and What I Love About Sock Knitting

March 6, 2013March 6, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

ON THE NEEDLES

The first Spring Pools sock is off the needles and, I have to say, is a disappointment – not in the yarn, not in the pattern, but in myself because I know that nine times out of ten, a busy, colorful yarn and an intricate pattern don’t work together. This is something that I reminded myself over and over during the knitting of said sock and since I wanted them to work together so badly I just kept whispering sweet nothings into my ear, sweet nothings as in, “the pattern will pop more when they’re worn” and, “yeah, it looks a little tweedy but as soon as I get it finished and blocked, the pattern will jump out and really show itself”. Sound familiar? Well, the long and short of it is that neither of those statements are true and if I’m truly honest with myself, I knew it all along. This brings me to share “What I Love About Sock Knitting”. What I love about sock knitting is 1) you always get a second chance on the second sock and 2) I don’t think the patterns necessarily have to be the same on both socks and in this instance, the first sock’s pattern is Spring Pools, the second sock’s pattern (so far) is Fascine Socks Or…a surprisingly simple way to braid without cables. I think the Fascines will do justice to the yarn, showing off the vivid colors to their best advantage.

First Sock

Spring Pools

Second Sock So Far

Fascine Socks

The next WIP today is one I started yesterday, Imagine Knit Designs Lolita, using Rowan Purelife yarn in Revive. I like the fact that this yarn is made of 100% recycled silk, cotton and viscose. Just trying to do my part saving the planet and if I can combine saving the planet with knitting, well, what’s not to like???

Lolita

FYI, the cake keeper belonged to my grandmother, I can remember seeing it in her house most of my life. When Mr. Iknead and I went to clean out my parents’ home last summer I came across it again in the back of a cabinet. I think it lends itself well to picture taking, don’t you?

Don’t forget to check Tami Ami’s for more WIP goodness.

We choose our joys and sorrows long before we experience them. Kahlil Gibran

Knitting

Tiny Dancer, Pacy Covet and New Project Excitement

March 5, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

IF YOU’VE MISSED OUT

on seeing a naked two and a half year old ballerina stopping mid pirouette to potty, you’ve truly missed out on the highest form of funny cuteness. That’s right friends, the Papoose is in the midst of potty training and I think it might have clicked yesterday. Then, just when our giggles were starting to slow, she ran into the bathroom to flush – her potty chair is in the den, getting us going all over again. Thanks to the wonders of the digital age, it’s all on video. If you’re wondering why her potty’s in the den, you need to know that potty training at this stage is more about timing and convenience and less about location. What’s true in real estate, location, location, location ain’t necessarily so in potty training.

BY THE BOOK

Way way invested in Robert Massie‘s biography, Catherine the Great. I’m just right at her arranged marriage to 17 year old Peter of Holstein. I’ve mentioned my fascination with the Russian imperial family before and finished Nicholas and Alexandra a little bit ago. Loved it and am loving CTG just as much.

BUSTING TO BE

on the needles is Olivia Petit, a sweater I blogged about in How Come. I got the yarn ordered this morning (13 skeins) and am anxious to see it in person and start gauging. After a little more thought over the past few days, I think I’m going to scale back my grand plans just a little and just go for a Easter sweater for the Sprout, I’ve not knitted anything for this poor babe. I guess that comes from being #3 in the grandbaby line up, so I’m giving her first dibs. Check my blog post How Come? to see the project picture. It’s the cutest thing!

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

the much coveted monkey pacifier that the Sprout got as a baby gift. It is really, really cute, a pacifier with a soft, floppy monkey (think Beanie Baby) attached, making it easy for little hands to hang on to. Well, let me tell you, this monkey pacy is much admired and coveted within the Coleman/Vaughan circle of grands and is fair game if it gets dropped or somehow laid aside and forgotten. See what I mean?

From the Sprout

To Babydiva

and finally

Back to the Sprout via Babydaddy

A word to the wise – if you come across one of these pacies, buy multiples!

You block your dream when you allow your fear to grow bigger than your faith. Mary Morrissey

Knitting

How Come?

March 2, 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, 2013March 4, 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