The Knitting Homefront, Spry Annie and the Tormented Toby, and...2-At-A-Time Socks!

Here are a few photos of my "Knitting Room", aka my eldest son's bedroom when he's home from college, which is very infrequent. It's full of totes of yarn, patterns, supplies, needles, and everything related to knitting, along with a rocking chair in the corner. It's my "time out" room, messy at times, but it's ...mine. For the present.

Annie turns one year old on Monday, and she's actually behaving during this shot. Toby, on the right, is usually a big softie, and tormented by the pup.

Meet My Knitting Nemesis...Annie the Schnoodle Pup

It's Saturday, and time to meet (again) Annie Louise Ruth. Middle names chosen by my 8 yr. old son. I love her. She is an 11 month old Schnoodle (Schnauzer and Poodle cross), and a joy.
Usually.

Do you see what's in her paws? A big rawhide bone...that belongs to Toby, our big and old Shepherd Mix. BUT, at least it's a "legal" toy. She can chew to her heart's content.
However, her VERY favorite "toys" are NOT of the canine variety...she pursues the following with vim and vigor:

any and all handknit socks of mine, clean or not
bamboo, birch, rosewood dpns (aka "toothpicks" to her)
stitch markers that fall to the ground (who can reach it first, me or her?)
YARN!!! Skeins that are anywhere in her reach,
or that she can grab off a table/shelf on her hind legs
Current WIP's as I'm knitting them.
Sigh.

n. pl. nem·e·ses (-sēz')

1. A source of harm or ruin: Uncritical trust is my nemesis.
2. Retributive justice in its execution or outcome: To follow the proposed course of action is to invite nemesis.
3. An opponent that cannot be beaten or overcome.
4. One that inflicts retribution or vengeance.
5. Nemesis Greek Mythology The goddess of retributive justice or vengeance.

Yes, Annie Ruth is my Knitting Nemesis. My Arch Rival. I love her, though.
Consider the following:
Last night, as kiddos were busy, hubby watching Fox News, and pups resting, I spruced up the knitting room (aka college son's room while he's home), and was quite pleased. Shelves are stacked with my knitting supplies, needles are organized, books are all there for titles to be seen, rocking chair and lighting are adequate, favorite quilts and throws are available foruse, furniture happens to be dusted and clean, and no odor of a college boy in the room (clothes, etc. ) ...
What a great spot for knitting. Oh, and the CD player is right there, to listen to my audio books. This room happens to be right off the kitchen, so I'm still aware of what's going on in the house and I'm accessible to my family. I have a huge flexible craft cutting mat that I happen to use as a "gate" for the door, as Annie is afraid of it.
OK, I settle down, knowing that family is fine, and I have cup of hot tea next to me. I'm comfortable, and then...the whining begins. Yup, it's Annie. She sensed from somewhere in the house, that I was sitting comfortably and knitting, but without her.
I did something odd. Knowing that she can't "get" anything, I let her into the room. My knitting room. She was helpful, as she quickly located 2 dirty socks, an index card which she quickly shredded, and found nothing else. I even had some of her favorite toys in the room . NO MATTER WHAT, I was going to knit!
She settles down on the floor, content and tired. I pick up my needles. Within 5 minutes, she is on my lap and settling in. I rearrange the knitting (Cabled Scarf) and pat her gently, whispering sweet words of love. I look down in five minutes, and she's gently chewing on the skein of Cascade Bollicine Vitor, that I'm currently knitting with. Nice Puppy. :) Replay scene a few more times...
And that was my Friday Night Knitting.

Dishcloth Cotton? Yup

Hubby laughed SO hard when he read the description of this. I thought it was right on target, though. :)

What kind of yarn are you?

You are Dishcloth Cotton.You are a very hard worker, most at home when you're at home. You are thrifty and seemingly born to clean. You are considered to be a Plain Jane, but you are too practical to notice.
Take this quiz!








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My Local Knitting Group... and Siamese Cats!

While I've been out of the normal loop this week due to a "gastrointestinal virus"...aka tummy bug, I've had more time than usual to sleep and knit, which gave me time to think about the "new" knitting group at one of the local public libraries.
The knitting group meets on Friday afternoons, on a drop in basis. Weekly, there are between 2 and 20 knitters, ages 4 to 80 something (or around there, I don't want to ask people's ages when they're my elders!). These knitters are brand new to experienced, and I've had a WONDERFUL time meeting them, and slowly getting to know them as the weeks pass. The group started meeting in October, and I look forward to joining them, when I can. While I can talk your ear off when I know you, I am VERY shy otherwise, and it surprised me to take the initiative to join the group and participate, as I consider my online knitter friends as my "knitting group", especially on Ravelry and the She-Knits forum and Yarn Thing forum on the site. It has been a blessing to meet these local knitters in person (as well as giving me a place to give away all the acrylic and fun fur from years past to the pre-teen knitters, who love the fluffy stuff.)

What else is new? On my needles:
The Tramline Cable Pullover is coming along well, as well as the Cabled Scarf. I seem to switch between the 2 projects. On the iPod, when podcasts aren't being heard? I'm obsessed with audiobooks by Lillian Jackson Braun, specifically "The Cat Who..." mystery series. I love this author!


Regarding Chart Reading:

I can't show you the complete pattern, of course, but below is a snippet of a chart I'm using for a project. It may be known and practiced by all knitters, but I personally had to find out the following on my own, through frogging and ripping endless charted projects, when I misread or count a charted pattern.
So....drumroll...this is what I do, and voila! No more problems. I'm a slow learner.

1. Copy the pattern I use.
2. Using highlighters or light colored pencils, I color code my key and the chart. IE: specific cable patterns, unusual directions in the pattern, or when the pattern says "at the same time." It takes only a few minutes, and visually, I find it much easier to follow the chart. For example, after awhile I automatically remember "Orange! That's a 2 stitches in front, purl the next stitch, then knit the 2 stitches on hold"...or Yellow!
That's a simple cable too...Knit the second 2 stitches, then the first 2 stitches, or whatever you use to memorize your cables. This is the first project that I haven't used cable needs on, and I LOVE it.
3. I then tape this to a business sized envelope (or index card, depending on size of chart), and include pertinent information such as stitch definitions, cast on directions, and where the original pattern is located, so I can refer to it as needed. This makes it much easier for me to have a portable project. So, this is how I operate. :)

I've been "tagged" by Dorothy!
7 Random Facts Meme

Here are the rules, and they must be posted to your blog.
Link to the person’s blog who tagged you (see above).
List seven random and/or weird facts about yourself.
Tag seven random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.
Let each person know that they have been tagged by posting a comment on their blog and also so they can look at your blog and not tag the same people all over again!

1. I say "thingy" all the time, when I can't remember the name of a common object. Drives my friends and family crazy. They call me Dory (Finding Nemo) or Hammy (from Over the Hedge).
True on both accounts.

2. I saw "draw" instead of "drawer"...it's what you put your clothes in. There are 4 draws in my dresser.

3. I became a Neonatal ICU nurse after graduation, moving to Virginia on a whim, and met my wonderful Hubby. We knew each other for...9 weeks, and then we were engaged! It's been a great 21 years so far. :)

4. My favorite book series is...The Cat Who...by Lillian Jackson Braun. I especially like this series to listen on my iPod when knitting.

5. I'm a snow-phobic, now that I'm in my 40's. Yes, I'm a born Yankee, but I want my family HOME AND SAFE, and off the roads when snow accumulates in ANY amounts. I sort of freak out. I need to trust God on this one. I feel like a mother hen who needs her baby chicks safe under her wing when a snowflake is seen here in New Hampshire.

6. I love Schnauzers. I inherited one from a patient of mine who passed away shortly after I graduated from college in 85, now I'm on my 3rd Schnauzer "daughter". Current is actually a "Schnoodle", Annie, who is 11 months old.

7. I had Gastric Bypass surgery 5 years ago. It was a life saver, and I'm happy with the health results. Gained back 20 pounds, but no more. Loss of 130 total.

8 (a freebie "fact") My very first blogs that I read were...you guessed it...Wendy Knits and the Yarn Harlot. Thank you both to introducing me to the world of blogs and knitting blogger friends.

Whom I will tag:

Casey (of Knitting at Night podcast!)
Deb
Marly (Woo Hoo! of Yarn Thing podcast)
CurlyKnitter
Meghan (of Stitch it! podcast)
Barbra (great etsy shop!)
Nancy

Have fun!

Mid January, and I'm Posting! (January 24th, 2008)

Can you say...Vogue Knitting... 1939?

Now, it's NOT 1939, but here are some articles from Vogue's knitting book from 1939 (Book Four). Notice the fitted garments. Most of the patterns are listed for size 16.





















Next, is the Tramline Cabled Pullover by Vermont Fiber Designs. This is the "bad" project/ yarn that I had to frog so many times, due to my inability to read a simple cable chart! It is an easy pattern, and I especially like the fact that I've finally learned to cable without a cable needle, except for large and difficult cables. Yes, I do like this pattern for my first cabling except for a scarf and a bag.
OH, and here's hubby's tie...in Rowan Tapestry. It needs to be blocked better, I think. Yet, he wore it. Good guy.


Here's my Hemlock Ring Throw...Blocked and yet...not great photos, sorry. Go to Brooklyn Tweed's blog for beautiful photos of his throw, as well as other gorgeous knitting projects. It came out to be about 5 feet in diameter.




















Short and sweet...
1. hubby is home (seeking employment after an early Dec. layoff)
2. due to #1, computer is not available for my whim/use. :)
3. Finished objects: garter stitch tie for hubby, socks for mom, and the hemlock blanket.
4. My latest (#3, and only since late November) trip to WEBS in Northampton, Mass.
5. On my needles:
Tramline Cable Pullover, design by Vermont Fiber Designs
Yarn: Plymouth Galway, in a light sage green colorway, size US6 needles.
Casted on 5 times, now about 10 inches are completed!
Ripped out...4 times...within a 5 day span. Fifth time was a charm...must of had something to do with PAYING ATTENTION to reading the chart! Duh, Kris. :)


Above, is the Cabled Scarf by Tanis Gray, as found in Vogue Winter 2007/08. I am knitting it in Cascade Bollicine Victor, an Italian yarn that is 3.5oz./100gr./114yds. in a darker burgundy red color than is seen here..it is actually color #24. It is a tangled cable pattern with skinny ribbed edges, and I'm involved in a KAL with the Yarn Thing forum on Ravelry. Join the fun!

Lastly, here's a magazine that someone gave me...it's Coats & Clark's Book #515 from 1957...it was for 25 cents.

Knit Fearlessly!!!!

Sandi Wiseheart, the wonderful editor of Knitting Daily has put forth a challenge for 2008.. Here is a snippet of her New Year's Day entry (the full article is here):

"How about you? Did you Knit Fearlessly? What would you knit in 2008 if you were really the knitter you've always dreamed of being?

Here's some things to think about:

• Is there something you haven't tried because it seems Too Scary?
• Is there a technique you want to learn, or learn to do more skillfully?
• Is there something that stumps you?
• Is there something that you are dying to try, in your secret knitter's heart, but haven't dared because you think you're not a good enough knitter?
  
• Are you always knitting The Same Old Things, and you'd like to try something new?
• Do you always knit for others, and never for yourself? Or perhaps you only knit yourself accessories, but never a lovely cardigan or pullover to wear?
  

What would you knit if you were truly a Fearless Knitter?"

What a challenge, and I'm taking her up on it!
I haven't been able to put time into keeping current on my blog entries, but here are bullets of what's currently on my needles, knitting ramblings, and life in general:

• I'm rambling today...the 8 yr old has a tummy bug, and has been up during the night. I'm caffeinated, but not really functional. :)
• Please still keep hubby's employment situation in prayer, as he finds a new job (laid off a month ago at workplace) after 13 or so years in this particular manufacturing supervisory position . The construction business slow-down is taking a toll here.
• On my needles: Garter stitch tie for hubby in Rowan Tapestry is just about completed, he'll be wearing it to church tomorrow. Trust me. He promised. Nice pattern, and a no thought project to take with you .
• Sampler Gansey! 3/4 of the way completed.I'm so glad to have used Beth Brown-Reinsel's Knitting Ganseys book. She's a great instructor! I have NO photos, as I found out a half hour ago that my batteries in the camera are dead.
• I received in the mail a great random drawing gift from the HolidayKalCal. It's a cute knitted aqua cell phone holder and a matching gift card/lip balm/sweetener holder. And the buttons....so adorable! This gift was from Barbra's etsy shop, All About the Buttons. Go check out her store...cute knitted organizers, pins, barettes, bookmarks, etc. My organizer set is beautifully crafted AND useful! Thanks, Barbra! :)
  
• I actually had some "mommy"/adult knitting time this week! My friend Christine and I went to a new Chinese/Japanese restaurant in town. Good talk, great food, and no kids. Then it was off to the local knitting group at the library. This is a fairly new group, with knitters of all ages (about 4 to 80 years old!) and abilites. I'm really not a "group" person, but it's a drop in group on Fridays from 1-3 pm, and every one seems friendly. Also, my 8 yr old can peruse books for hours, so he enjoys his library time as well. I'll have to take photos next week, if I go.
• No, I haven't blocked my Hemlock Throw yet. I may have said I'd do it....but I haven't. Sigh.

Well, my computer has gone black screen twice this morning so far, so I think I'll stay off for the day. My sleeplessness is catching up with me, and the coffee and Swedish Fish (yes, I ate the whole bag) is wearing off. Have a great Saturday!

Therefore, being justified by faith
we have peace with God
through our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 5:1