The Mojo Returns

by Caroline


No, I haven't been to the blog in a while. You may have noticed that, considering the last 4 or 5 posts were Kathleen's. But really, how interesting is it to read: "started the Prince of the Wood Elves sock for the third time . . . fourth time . . . fifth time"? Or, "took 2 weeks to finish my wee tiny sock"? So, yes, there was little knitting mojo in me this last month. But I got better.

Let me refresh your memory on the Prince of the Wood Elves, April's entry from the Lord of the Strings sock club. I was feeling pretty cocky, having finished Hobbiton with a little over a week before the arrival of the next sock. And then, Prince of the Wood Elves was in my hands! Eeep!



So, the cuff is done sideways with a 3-needle bind off and then pick up however many stitches for the size you are working and begin the leg in the round. Three issues here: 1) never done a provisional cast-on, 2) gauge, and 3) never done a 3-needle bind off. I don't know if I can condense all the wrong things I did in just the cuff. I didn't check gauge. I jumped up a needle size. I didn't pick the right size to knit. I did complete the cuff once (there were a couple false starts before I got there) and ran into problems picking up the stitches in my provisional cast-on.


Actually, I had screwed up my cast-on so well that no one could pick up the stitches! And believe me, I passed that cuff around to many in my knit group. But I did notice that it didn't look like it would go around my leg anyway, so I pulled it all out. Jumped up another needle size and went up, oh, 2 sizes on the sock. Still no gauge check. Tried another cast-on. Knit too tight. Rip. Lost my place. Rip.

Finally completed the cuff again. Picked up the stitches from the cast-on with Gina's assistance. Yay, Gina! Tried the 3-needle bind off. Did it wrong. Got help. Did it right. Are you still with me? Are you awake out there? So, the sock was underway. I had almost 8 inches done of the leg. This is where I should have been starting the heel and I still had about an inch to go to complete the pattern. Mmmm, maybe, the sock is too big. In fact, it was looking rather odd. Have you ever seen on nature shows, where they pull up a squid and lay it out? That is what the sock was reminding me of, without the tentacles.

Can you say rrrrrrriiip! I took it into knitting and gave it to Laurin to frog. And then I had to take a break from this sock. I had 2 wee tiny socks to get out. And they were not going to make it for their deadline. It's ridiculous to think I had so much trouble with wee tiny socks. I mean, I've done 2 a month for a while but I couldn't seem to get these done. sigh

They finally went out to their patient recipients and I picked up Prince of the Wood Elves again. Dropped down a needle size, picked the correct size to knit, crossed my fingers, and began one more time. Finished the cuff, did the 3-needle bind off, picked up the stitches, and then began to knit. Also, I began to worry that I still hadn't checked gauge. So, I pulled some yarn out of the skein and did a swatch between the sock and the skein. Whew! All seems to check out. I haven't taken any pictures yet. I think I'll wait till I find out whether this time will really work.

Hey, Kathleen! Guess what I did Friday?

Heather brought in a wheel that she was selling and let me play with both it (a lovely single treadle Louet) and her beautiful double treadle Kromski Sonata. It is probably too early for me to be looking at wheels. I hardly touch my drop spindle. But the wheels were fun and educational. I tried some roving but had to switch to some bulky yarn as I couldn't manage the treadle and the drafting at the same time. Thank you, Heather and I think I might be going to SPA next year.

The third installment of the Lord of the Strings sock club is in: The Fellowship. OMG! If I thought Prince of the Wood Elves was challenging . . . . this one is just chock full of techniques I've never done: toe-up, new cast on, colorwork (and wait till you see the yarn). I haven't even read through all the directions, yet. There might be more! This club is one of the best things to happen to my knitting, ever! I'll get pictures up soon, I promise.

I also have some exciting news. I'm going to the Sock Summit in Portland, Oregon in August! Yay! I got through registration day: couldn't get in, didn't get in, then I got in. Had to fight the servers for a connection. You wouldn't think sitting in front of a computer would be so exhausting. But I finished the day with most of my top choices. I have a class with Cookie A (The Perfect Rib), a class with Cat Bordhi (Dancing with Socks), and a class with Abby Franquemont and Denny McMillan (Spindle Spinning Basics). I'm also taking KnitteRx (ergonomics) with Carson Demers and Hip Hems for Him and Her with Stephen Houghton. I'm planning as much sight seeing as I can manage between classes. I plan on coming back home seriously sleep deprived! Can't wait!

Traveling Markers, pt.2

by Kathleen


The markers had a better time their second week here. A bit humdrum, but at least they got out of the house! The week started off with a busy Saturday…
I volunteer at the Virginia Quilt Museum and the markers stood duty with me at the door… I wish I could have posted photos of the exhibit… gorgeous floral applique! But, no photos allowed inside (I cheated with the one of the door).


After the morning stint at the museum we walked around back to the common green area where the city was having “Court Days”. This is kind of a recreation of Harrisonburg in the mid 1880s. With vendors, exhibitors, storytellers and the occasional person in period garb. My fiber guild was manning a small booth with rug hooking, and weaving (small floor and inkle loom) demos. Two of the spinners were from our guild too. I made it for the last hour and helped strike the tent.

The markers looked at women in hoop skirts, men in tall hats, blacksmiths, and big horses pulling wagons, and ate an entire bag of kettle corn. At least I know I didn’t eat a whole bag by myself!



The day finished with a beautiful evening spent on the porch of a good friend… eating dinner and sipping gin and tonics, watching the sunset…


From there the week got pretty boring…
Tuesday they came with me to our weekly knit night at our local coffee shop. There the markers consumed a panini sandwich and a grande skim chocolate turtle latte. Our friendly barristas…


And to finish the week out the markers came along to visit the dentist. Good news… they had no cavities!


This coming weekend I’ve promised them some real excitement… WWKiP day and a canoe trip down the Shenandoah!

Travelling Stitch markers, pt.1

by KathleenC

Prologue: A Ravelry fun fling. This is a travelogue of sorts featuring one of the 50 sets of stitch markers which were made and sent to volunteer hosts in each of the 50 U.S. states. Each host takes photos showing the markers about their area of the state (while knitting something with them, of course). When their project is completed they send the markers on to the next eager host.
I am the third host in Virginia.


My first post acknowledged their arrival and wondered what their stay would include... what joys, what agonies?



My second post, a week and a half later:


I was, apparently, psychic when I asked what agonies might await the markers… I hadn’t planned what project they would participate in (not knowing exactly when they would arrive), so the first few days were spent deciding what item would knit up quick enough, but not too fast, be interesting to watch develop and still fun to do… and needed markers. And then, just as I was poised on the precipice of a decision…

The Plague Struck Me Down (cue the morosely maleficent music)…

The view from the couch for several days…


The view from the bedside table....



As I felt a little better I sipped chicken soup and ate Ben&Jerry's (neither of which I could taste sadly) and the markers browsed through inspiration with me…

I finally felt able to consider knitting again, and decided on the appropriate project, the simplest but prettiest of loose lace scarves, but the fever and the headache made it impossible to concentrate. Cast on and rip, cast on and rip… Drastic measure had to be taken…

An icepack wrapped around the head can do wonders for your ability to cast on.

Next… the markers venture out of doors!

Eeewwww.... cool!

by Kathleen

(Just a warning for the squeamish... gross fake stuff ahead.)


The following photos are from a make-up workshop I gave last week. These are all middle and high school students who come into the University take a day of art workshops. For the past decade I've been involved, giving a Stage makeup class.


We start with basic application, followed by old age and then, in the afternoon... 3-D effects. In other words Blood and Gore. This is their favorite part.


Usually the kids are gung-ho and cover themselves in scars and wounds and bruises... to the point where the amount impacts the quality. This year it was different... they did very few pieces, but what they did... it was good. None of these kids had done makeup before...
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This is all work with liquid latex and simple texture (toilet paper, oatmeal) accented with makeup and fake blood.

They did some very nice bruises and scrapes and one severed neck... but I don't want to post their faces.

No one cleaned up before leaving. Not even the girl riding the bike home.

listen close enough and you can hear the ocean...

by kathleen

Just some eye candy from this past weekend... three gorgeous days in the Outer Banks.

My view while doing....

this.
It's colorway? Ocean Depths (by Creatively Dyed, wool and seacell)

Now if you will excuse me, I have to go apply a little more aloe lotion...

Bork! Bork! Bork!

by Caroline

I promised my mother a post on Mother's Day and I didn't make it. My computer caught a bug and I spent the evening hunting it down and hopefully exterminating it. Tonight my thoughts are bouncing all over the place and so, instead of well-written sentences, you are getting bullet points. I'm keeping the original title, though, just because I like it.

--and because, Swedish Ivy is thriving! Ericka, I think you may be right, you can't kill this plant (I'm only qualifying it because I don't want to jinx it). Ivy travelled back and forth with me as I worked in Vermont the last couple of months and she continued to grow. I pinched a few leaves off and she just spread. This picture is a couple weeks old and it is time for a new one but in the interest of getting a post up, this is the one you get

--Kathy, I just finished watching a marvelous movie: "Ladies in Lavender". What a great movie! I highly recommend it; in fact, I'm going to send it to you. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, the English seacoast (Cornwall), and a story that is hard to explain just why you like it so much because it is all about character and faces and clothes and the time. Mom might want to see it first, though, so I'll wait to check with her.

--I took a class at Yarn & Fiber, last month. Interpreting Japanese Lace Charts, given by Sandy Terp. What a great class! I finished the class with a huge urge to go out and knit lace. I have so many projects in the way. I know, I know: "I am in charge of my knitting" but apparently I'm not in charge of my knitting list. I did start the Maple Leaf Shawl a while back, but that was put down to finish other projects. I'm coming for you lace, I'm coming!

--I finished my Hobbiton socks from my Lord of the Strings sock club. Love this pattern, love the yarn. I gave the socks to Lora and am now on the look out for a green that looks right for the pattern.

















--did I show you my iPod Cozy? Sadly, I have managed to misplace it already. And I don't have my notes handy to give credit, so I hope I have posted it once already with the credit.

--the second Lord of the Strings package arrived. Legolas! Designed again by the talented lobug, here is a quote from the Unique Sheep about the colorway: "...colors that would make one think of the oldest parts of a birch forest." The pattern has multiple techniques I've never tried before and I have to admit, it's kicking my butt! I finished the first pair in time but I think I might receive sock #3 before I finish #2.

--I have to show you one of my cutest wee tiny socks. This elf sock was designed by Meggles (Ravelry link) and the group I swap with did this as a knit-along. This was another pattern that kicked a little butt before co-operating. Many thanks to all who helped me.


--and finally, a thanks to the ladies at Green Mountain Fibers & Yarn, in Rutland, for their welcome every Thursday night. I miss my knitting group, working on the road. Hotel living might give me plenty of time to knit but there is nothing like knitting with a group. There is no doubt in my mind that it has improved my knitting and helped my confidence grow. So, when I find a group on the road, it is a little like coming a bit of home. Thank you.


I covered everything on my list but I'm not sure I remembered everything I wanted to put on the list. That's OK, though, anything I forgot I can tell my mother in person because she comes home this week. Yay! Not to forget: Dad, too. Yay! Happy Mother's Day to you again, Mom.

and a little sunshine peeps through...

by Kathleen


I wanted to post about how even though I've been stressed and down occasionally there have been many nice things that have come through for me as well but, you know... it's hard to post about how hard a period of time has been without sounding whiny... and my Mom gets enough of that on the phone.

So I shall simply show some really nice goodies I have gotten from the thoughtful generous people I have had the great fortune to meet on-line.

First off... Gaylen had a little contest on her blog... she posted photos showing tiny bits of her four dogs and challenged us to identify them. I did get which two were the bloodhounds and which the bassets, but except for that I got every single one wrong!

Whoohoo! I AM talented!

Only two of us showed that great ability to completely mis-identify dogs and she drew my name and I won...


The cutest pincushion! I'm not sure I own pins cute enough for this cushion...

Thanks Gaylen!!! (Oh, and I think she had a prize for the person who got the dogs right too, but that's so prosaic.)

Then I participated in a swap on Ravelry called Pill Bottle Swap. the idea is that you get one of the very large bottles that pharmacies get their vitamin and other pills in. you decorate it and fill it with goodies and send it on...
From Teri...

All sorts of goodies! Sparkly beads and stick-ons; vanilla scented lotion and spray; Reisen candies (gone by the next day); yarn! including the leftover from the cutest knit bag; a grow your own kitty (just in time... DH has been talking about getting another cat); all wrapped up in purple and green paper and bags and boxes with ribbon!



Cute bag! From recycled rayon... the softest I've felt yet.



Yarn! Not sure exactly what kind... fingering weight in a soft purple.

Last time I showed you the pretty yarn and rovings I got, but I failed to mention that both vendors included little gifts of thanks with their shipments.

From Susinok's esty shop Slackford Studios...
A sweet pair of stitch markers!

And from Impulse of Delight...
A pair of copper shawl pins!
Look how they glow against the yarn...

Now I know he's not not an online acquaintance, but still... a sweet mood lifting gift.
DH and I went thrift/antique store digging a couple weekends ago (one of our favorite ways to spend a weekend morning). We stopped off at a jewelry place to ask a question about pocket watches and they were having a sale on their silver. And in an estate jewelry box DH spotted something...

Mexican silver and dyed coral... a bold and artistic statement. LOVE it! Love him.

And this Sunday I'll be going to the Maryland Sheep and Wool festival. No big purchase planned. In fact I'm planning on being very, very discrete. But I always get an uplift from petting the cute sheep and smelling the yarn fumes (or is it petting the cute yarn and smelling the sheep fumes?)

Well... I feel better.

But, I swear I'm hearing muffled cries of distress in... Swedish...? Caroline? Any ideas....?