Yarnbombing – Gone Wrong

Imagine a woman wildly ripping off her pants and running around in underwear on a hiking trail while her husband is swinging said pants around in circles and against a tree. Got the picture? That would be me and Stephen right after I stepped on a wasps’ nest.

Why did I venture off the path? I had the crazy idea of knitting little korknisse. What is a korknisse you ask? Check them out here. Cute, right? So I had to make a bunch from little scraps of yarn. At the end of the day, exhausted just watching one more episode, this is about all my brain will wrap around.

What to do with them does pose a problem if you’re fresh out of little kids to entertain. So I planned a modest yarnbombing action on our hiking trail. First with some trepidation about defiling nature, but then the thought that I can take the korknisse down any time and them bringing a smile to some hiker got me convinced I should do it.

The first spot for the green korknisse was soon obvious.

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The next spot suggested itself too. But it turned into the revenge of nature. I got off the path a little and stepped on a log. See here!

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What a surprise! I know the feel of stinging nettle but never felt poison oak before so I thought this is what happened, I stepped on poison oak and it feels like stinging nettle. Yellow and black poison oak wriggling along my leg. Nope, those are bees or wasps or whatever and I started swatting them away with my hand and running. Stephen running after me, the dog in front or behind us.

Then the infamous scene of me ripping my pants off and the rest is history. 12 stings! 12! It hurt but not as bad as you would imagine. I’m not allergic to bees or wasps, but 12 stings might change that and we decided to head back to the car and home.

Took a shower, applied some sort of something from our first aid kit, and iced it together with our dog whose mouth by then had swollen. Yarnbombing is not for the weak or meek, nature had spoken.

You would think I had learned a lesson I could carry forward in life. Not so, that very evening we returned and I put up 2 more korknisse. Take that Nature!

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On our way back to the car we ran into two friends who also hike this trail, they were shouting toward us: We love it!

This is how they discovered them. He: Yarnbombing. She: Marianna. He after looking at the cork and what bottle of wine it had come from: Stephen. The green embellishment is theirs.

I made three more korknisse that evening. If I spoke Norwegian, and I should speak it a little since we had a Norwegian exchange student for a year, Maiken, where are you when we could use your help, I would know the plural of korknisse or is korknisse the plural already? I love that word and wished I could incorporate it into my everyday speech more often.

This morning our whole village had the idea to be out hiking. The one opportunity that finally knocked also knocked down a woman along the path and with it wiped out our last chance of yarnbombing. Sundays, yarnbombing, not so much.

Why would anyone send me a message about yarnbombing, not for Marianna! Or am I imagining? Is it a center of the universe situation? Could you speak louder Nature? On second thought, pssst, don’t tell. One photo from the trail:

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This is the old irrigation ditch from the mining past in our area. And one last picture of the view from the ditch toward our town, or should I call it village? What are the definitions? Since we have a lys we might just qualify as town.

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Zombie BBQ and a Whole New World

I have turned into the dog who won’t let go of the bone. To be honest though, there is still so much meat left on it, even for a vegetarian.

It’s way beyond which scarf I will knit. The people on Knitting Paradise have spoken here: http://www.knittingparadise.com/t-199172-1.html and I accede to their opinion. In the meantime I have some sample knitting going on.

First question posed: is this a fluke? I started another scarf with a slightly different pattern. Needles used so far: US4. Cast on for the second sample in the irish hiking scarf pattern was 54. The original pattern asked for 42 with 3 cable repeats. Since I’m using sportmate from Lorna’s Laces I needed more width and opted for an extra cable pattern repeat.

Either I’m jinxed or it’s the yarn working its mojo. Take a look at what I got. Top is the first try with 52 stitches in the palindrome pattern. Bottom the second sample as described above.

top: palindrome, US4, 52 stitches bottom: irish hiking scarf, US4, 54 stitches
top: palindrome, US4, 52 stitches
bottom: irish hiking scarf, US4, 54 stitches

Last night I started at the other end of a skein with 52 stitches and worked in the palindrome pattern again. The changing variable this time was consciously casting on at a different spot in the color repeat. Take a look at the color repeat first:

Zombie BBQ Color Scheme
Zombie BBQ Color Scheme

And here is last night’s result.

Palindrome, US4, 52 stitches
Palindrome, US4, 52 stitches

You see that the X or argyle or whatever you want to call it is really stretched out here. So much so that I had to give up knitting last night or forgo sleep. Use your imagination.

Now take a look from where I cast on and compare the three scarf starts. I do long tail cast-ons and so it is not clear exactly where I started, but it will be once I frog and I ‘ll let you know then. For now, you have to settle for this photo:

Cast-ons from l to r: last try, second try, and original.
Cast-ons from l to r: last try, second try, and original.

Casting on the first two times shows a similar starting point. It’s slightly off. The pattern is 2 stitches wider and the knitting pattern is also slightly different. But I think there is a huge change in the pooling. One X is much bigger than the other. With the most recent try the X is really elongated. I attribute that to the color start change.

Sure wish I would have paid more attention to math in school or whatever skill it takes to work this out without having to actually knit it all. I’m especially interested to see how this all knits up without a pattern but straight knit.

This morning I decided to do some research and a whole new world opened up. I’m a baby in this yarn pool. Immediately joined the Pooled Knits group on Ravelry. And to show how behind the times I really am, check out Lorna’s Laces blog from 2011. Here you see someone’s scarf with a 54 stitch cast on without a pattern. And then check out all she has done by looking at her projects. It’s humbling.

I’m not done researching and learning yet. At the moment I’m at a stage of overwhelm.

I’ll leave for now with a last photo of all 3 tries.

from first to third try from top to bottom
from first to third try from top to bottom

Yarn Pooling and Other Pools

The saying that getting old is not for sissies seems more true every day I age. OK, right now I have no problems and I’m not complaining. I spent last week with my in-laws in the Bay Area. Both had serious falls with debilitating consequences and needed help. I imagine if that would have happened to them at a younger age they would have walked away from it or been fine within days, but this is taking a toll on their quality of life.

I had along the spinning wheel, a basket of wool, and a basket of yarn and projects. Did I need it? Nooooooo, it serves as a security blanket only. Without, I would have yearned for all the knitting I could have gotten done, ha. I did spin every day, but knitting was more of a problem. On the drive down I made a dishcloth in the car. Once there I only managed to knit on a sock, disliking the pattern and frogging the whole thing. Started anew with another pattern but this is on hold too. A facecloth is almost done in a nice organic cotton yarn. Will I learn from that? Again, nooooooo, because how can I anticipate knitting conditions or moods. I might pack lighter with clothing. All I needed was underwear, a pair of pants and a couple of t-shirts. Not 4 pair of pants and t-shirts for the whole summer. They do have a washing machine after all.

Swimming was my treat in the evenings. The pool is open until 10 pm and I used the last hour to indulge myself, alone. A whole pool and hot tub just for me. I’m glad we saw the bobcat wandering around on our last day there or I would have been more nervous walking to the pool and being there by myself. But what is a bobcat going to do to me, right? Whatever happened to my youthful invincibility? Did it all get used up?

But I have a much bigger problem now that I’m back home and into my knitting rhythm. While gone, two of my yarn orders arrived. One is a skein of Wollmeise Pure from a Ravelry user, the other 2 skeins of Lorna’s Laces Sportmate in the color Zombie BBQ. The latter is for Liana and because she really does not need anything and I got the last 2 skeins, I’m making a scarf. But let me introduce the color first:

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The photo does not do the colors justice. I have never loved colors that much and a name so matching.

Then the yarn decided to gift me. A gift I would have embraced with any other yarn but Zombie BBQ. Can you say Christmas, traditional. Let me show you my dilemma.

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This is so not me, or my daughter, at least I don’t think it’s her. It might be a case of me trying to be cool and hip and again ending up being the dork with the Christmas scarf. The obvious choice would be to frog and start over. But that’s like throwing a gift away, how can I do that? I have posted on a knitting site for opinions and so far every single reply came in as keep it.

There is another way to look at this. Skull and XXXs, can you see it? Especially the zigzaggy thing happening in the X.

I’m OCD about the whole affair now and can’t just move on to another project. I have looked at other yarns by the same manufacturer in the same color. Am I crazy? While looking I found colors I might like even more. But, for now I’m stuck. The obvious did occur to me and I have a call out to Liana to see what she thinks since it is for her. Duh!

Sales and Socks and Shawls

Lately most days have been smokey around here, fires everywhere. When I was younger and invincible it did not matter what I was inhaling, but age has made me more careful and I use the gym for my exercise.

The location of the gym is dangerous at the worst times, but right now, we are in the best of times and resistance is futile. The gym is one block from our lys. Add to that: sale time! Our credit card is showing more wear, my stash has expanded, my mood is lifted, a post here unavoidable.

After making my selection of sale yarns, everything 50% off, she mentions that I took some yarn out of the $1 bins. $1 bins? Really? Just a moment please I’ll be right back. Sorry to all the folks that come after me, but I did leave you much more than I took.

A picture? Well, of course. Notice the addi circular lace needle in the one size I did not own, number 2. Yes, all is well worth the $38 I spent.

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Spinning and knitting is still taking up most of my time. Times have been very difficult for me but I’m continuing to hang in there. Health has been fine, more or less, as can be expected, but things will never be the same. My life has changed after the massive heart attack, short death and bypass surgery. Every day as the one year anniversary creeps closer I’m dealing with trying to figure out this life and get back into synch. I have no words for what happened, at least not yet, but being out of synch works for now. Out of synch with my own life.

The only solace I have right now is the spinning and knitting. It was impossible for me to return to my old life of hosting parties and games and dancing and food. I’m missing all the ingredients to make that happen. And when I make it happen, it takes so much more than it used to and does not always work out. Sad for me is that nobody picked up my slack.

Happy news! Our son Toby just returned from the American fire for his mandatory 2 day rest period. My work for today: laundry.

Here is an exhausted and very dirty boy and a very happy dad:

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Also finished since last post is an ashton shawlette made in silk for those allergic to wool.

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The other yarn I would like to show off is one I will use in the dreambird shawl, perhaps. Still sitting on that one. I love the yarn so much I want to use it for everything.

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In other news, I forgot how to sleep. Instead of keeping my bed mates awake all night, I got up and wound 870 yards of yarn, then started on a new shawl: Elizabeth. Bought on ravelry. Ravelry and knitty are the places I get patterns from. Spending hours there: planning and scheming.

Finally went to bed around 4 in the morning so today I am dragging a bit. Perhaps not the best time to work on a lace pattern. But with a frenzy in the last couple of days I’m also trying to overcome my second sock syndrome. I have 2 more socks to go and I might be caught up. A Elizabeth Zimmermann baby surprise jacket also done since last time here. Seaming is waiting. Did I mention I have a seam phobia? I have a sweater knit several years ago for myself that is languishing in a safe place waiting to be put together. Sigh….

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The KAL shawl is on the kitchen table blocking away, hundreds of pins later. Not so happy with the color though at the time it was the right choice. I had never made a shawl before I started this one a couple of months ago. Somehow the first clue to this mystery shawl took me by surprise. I had no yarn ready and asked Stephen to take me to our lys. Since I was not assured of success I chose a cheaper yarn, some sort of cascade yarn. The color was going to be red or blue. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not unhappy, but I’ve learned so much I might make different choices now. And that is the point: I learned so much! Including at the end that it is important to tink and correct mistakes and not hope for the best. Size: 70 inches wide by 36 inches and that is the medium. Glad to have such a large kitchen table.

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Close ups:

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Our table usually looks more like this:

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Then I made tons and tons of food and forgot to take pictures. But most people who know me can fill in the blanks.

Yesterday was my first spinning lesson. I came out of the spinning instructor’s studio dazed and full of inspiration. Mostly I’m doing fine with the spinning but all of a sudden I don’t have enough twist. I changed to a merino and am loving it. A bag full of kool aid is waiting. Now that I’m writing this it does not sound right. Gorgeous merino and kool aid? Kool aid never sounded right, but I want to play with colors.

If this were a letter I’d include a p.s. about having had two acupuncture sessions with a little success. I would mention in a p.p.s. that Toby after coming home from the Montana fire and mandatory two day rest is out at the American fire with over 1000 other firefighters in our neighborhood. And to follow that fire, here is the link: http://inciweb.org/incident/3624/

And for the hundredth time let me go check if the shawl is dry yet.

P.P.P.S. Surprise, I’ve started another shawl! Have done 2 socks but not of the same pair. Started another sock. Picking out yarn for two more shawls as presents. Life goes on for now.

 

 

 

Eye Candy

Let me start with some housekeeping before I give you scrumptuous eye candy. Or ignore me and scroll down.

For some reason when I signed up with wordpress I knew not what I was doing. So this blog ended up titled with my name. Yuck! It’s like hearing your own voice or seeing yourself in the mirror in the mornings. I will try changing that today or in the next days. If you are subscribed here I have no idea what will happen. If you do not receive notifications anymore, perhaps do a search for Gemini at Work, I will try for that name.

Old Lenin would be proud of me. Yesterday I knit 6 rows on the KAL lace shawl, tinked 6 rows and knit 2. You are wondering why I’m not hysterically throwing the thing in a far, far corner? Because now I’m the proverbial dog with the bone, I can’t let go. I will show that shawl who the master is. It can’t get any worse, so success will be mine today.

I’m not understanding what is going wrong. I knit, I count, I use pencil and paper, I cross out, I double check, I’m awake. Apparently none of those qualities are needed to knit a shawl, or at least this shawl. Breathe!

Yesterday was still a good day. I got my interchangeable needle set. The addi long lace ones. They arrived 30 minutes too late to start the lace scarf. Yes, I admit, I started another lace project. You knew it? But I had to use half a size up because I could not find the right needles. When the set arrived I immediately switched with a prayer that no one could tell I’m now using a different size needle.

I probably never showed you the yarn I’m using. Have a look, it’s from Hand Maiden. Smells a little, in a good way, but not really like the ocean. But yes, it contains seacell.

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Not sure I picked the right project for this yarn. Time will tell if I frog or knit on.

Now to the pictures you have all been waiting for. Y’all know I started spinning. It will take me months to master that skill, but I’m keeping at it. Bought a few pounds of cheap yarn to practice with and waiting for the day I can use stuff I actually want to knit with.

Have you heard of Inglenook fibers? Check here. I just had to get my hands on a couple of batts and roving from Macrina. She’s an orthodox nun in Boston. But for more information visit this site. Go there if only for the picture of the craft room. I wants this.

I knew about the wool and I also knew how quickly it’s all gone. When the time came for Macrina to post the latest I was at the computer hitting refresh over and over.

And here I present you with my first batt, superwash merino, tencel, bamboo, starbright, silk, silk noil, in the color wine country:

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And one more time from another angle:

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Then I could not resist the bfl/silk top in the color lichen:

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And apparently I have a thing for seacell, because here is the merino/seacell in the appropriate color of river stones:

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And then I ran out of money and time. As soon as I learn to spin like a pro I will be going back and going crazy.

Imagine though, the nun included some crack in her package, a sample of merino/silk. Is this legal? It is the softest thing ever and had me go back to her etsy shop for another hour. A good thing she charges for shipping or I would have succumbed yet again.

My little rant of the day is about a roofer we wanted to make ours. He said he would come by to make a bid several times now and has never shown up, this morning is no exception. We had him bid a couple of years ago, but then I had a breast cancer scare and a year later the massive heart attack and bypass surgery. I think legitimate excuses not to deal with a roof. We might have to move on and find a more reliable person, sad. We kind of liked him and friends who used him were happy.

 

You Win Some and You Tink Some

The win: the afternoon tea shawl has the ends woven in and has been blocked. It is gorgeous and would be perfect if it was a little bigger. But there are people smaller than me on this planet and it will look stunning on them. But first: I’m not bragging about my knitting this shawl, but about the pattern and the designer Helen Stuart. OK, now that we got this straight, on to the pictures:

close up
close up

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Did I promise too much? It was the fabulous knitting part of my weekend.

The sorrow came with the mystery KAL shawl I’m working on. When clue number 5 came in I was 2 weeks behind. Immediately I finished clue 3 without major trauma if I remember correctly. But clue 4 brought tears and tinking and frogging. It was not difficult but for whatever reason, I lost the ability to count, follow directions, concentrate, etc.

I kept on thinking that I know how to knit, I know how to count to high numbers, but what about my ability to follow directions? Apparently I’m a bit challenged in that department. My first attempt was fudging it. I could force the right number of stitches (now in the 200s) by decreasing or increasing in inconspicuous places. That backfired, looked shitty, and instead of stopping before the point of no return, I kept on knitting. Really Marianna, you think this will fix itself?

I was facing the music 2 rows short of finishing up the week. Now the problem was tinking or frogging. Stephen, my numbers guy, could not resist telling me that I’m looking at tinking 11,500 stitches. Thanks for that information Steve.

Apparently I don’t believe in putting in lifelines, still have not learned that lesson. So what was I to do? No way was I going to undo stitch by stitch. I saw a few rows of plain vanilla knitting and decided frog back to those rows. With fast beating heart I reached the point and was about to pick up the stitches when friends arrived. They are not knitters and most likely did not understand the situation I was in. 250 plus stitches on the lose! There was no way this could wait and they sat patiently chatting watching me herd the stitches back on the needle.

I wish I could report that with heightened awareness I managed to get caught up without problems and: the end. Not so. I would knit 6 rows be off in the count, tink 2 rows, notice I had not made a mistake after all but was reading the wrong row in the directions, huff and puff and knit on. So went my Sunday. Very late at night I found myself with one row left and one extra stitch. No, no way. I put it all down for today when I will knit 2 together and problem solved. Go on to clue 5 and be caught up.

If I have this much problems with a pattern I put it down for a couple of days, or weeks, or years. But with this I can’t. I told myself I would keep up with everyone else knitting this shawl. And I’m sticking to it. Don’t know what life lesson is in there or if I even need any life lessons as I’m heading to the end of my life, OK, the last couple of decades.

The issue is I want to start another pattern. As so often happens coincidences collide in a major way and I can’t resist.

I was reading grumperina’s blog and found the following scarf: melon scarf. Go ahead, take a look at the scarf. I happen to have one skein of said yarn that she made the scarf with. Told you, life can be coincidental. I had no project in mind, just wanted to try out some seacell. The pattern, well, guess what, the library carries the book with the pattern: Victorian Lace Today by Jane Sowerby. (This link is to Ravelry, you might have to be a member to see it. It’s free to sign up and definitely worth it if you’re a knitter, if you are not, then look around and ask the knitter in your life to make you something. Remember though, you have to be real good to this person so they will put hours and days of their lives into a project for you.)

See? Picture, yarn, pattern. What am I to do, ignore it?

I have a couple of books to recommend.

1. The Intentional Spinner by Judith MacKenzie McCuin
Being a spinner called for a spinning book in my library. It is a very informative read with lots of history and wonderful writing.

2. Sheepish by Catherine Friend
At first I thought she was trying too hard to be funny, but the book is growing on me. A light read to get out of the library.

I’m not doing major reviews here, go to amazon where others have done the work for me. But remember to get your books from your library or local book stores if possible.

What I like doing lately is getting the samples from iBooks to help me make decisions.

I also would like to include some rants today. No, let me just recommend some movies I streamed from Netflix this weekend. Wish I could say go to your local video stores. But they are gone now.

1. Park Avenue: Money, Power and the American Dream. This link might get you to a free watching.

2. Hot coffee. here is a link to the web site. Streams on Netflix. We’ve all heard about the woman who spilled hot coffee on herself and sued MacDonalds. Now see the pictures and hear the real story without a corporation’s spin.

Better get to knitting, see you soon.

 

 

 

 

Cutting It Too Close

Finishing a shawl last night, my heart was pounding. Will there be enough to finish the pattern as is? I had no way to figure this out as the edging needed to be calculated, but how? Row after row left me with enough yarn for another, but then the moment of truth: casting off.

I made it to the last 5 stitches and then there was no way to go on. What now? This was a one of a kind skein and this was all I had. No swatch I could borrow from, nothing. I could tink the last row, or I could try to do a tighter cast off or another edging. But I was sooooooooooo close. Shock made me stare at the shawl and had me wondering how I could create a few inches more with my mind. How could I force a few more inches? Where was that replicator that could give me just a little more? There had to be a way. I could not be stranded with 5 open stitches, could I now.

Then I  looked at the cast on tail. Not as long as my usual, but I saw 5 stitches. Never having spliced before I went for the spit method. Finished casting off and cut the yarn so that I would have enough to weave in ends. I have never had such little ends to weave in, but it just gotta work.

Love the shawl! It’s the Afternoon Tea one from Knitty. I might knit another at some point and will not knit as loose as I did or get more yarn to begin with and make more repeats.

For now though I give you the unblocked shawl. Notice the tiny ends. Talking about no waste.

a quarter scarf
a quarter shawl
full size
full size, unblocked

I’m still working on the mystery KAL shawl and am less than one week behind. If you know me, yes, it’s a major accomplishment.

Next is a lace scarf from the book Victorian Lace Today. It’ll be a reward for catching up with the KAL. Already wound the yarn and eyeing and cuddling with it. Let’s see how far this willpower will get me today.

The shawl made me think that I knit very little that is meant to last. But that darn shawl better last longer than, let’s say, socks? Socks wear out, I get it. But shawls should be heirlooms. Am I getting a bit carried away here? It was late last night when these thoughts crossed my mind, 2 am, so perhaps it was the wee hours of the morning when I had this insight.

How will several generations later know who made this shawl? When we find old knitting, often no one knows who made it. Here is my idea then. Have you ever watched artists write microscopically on rice kernels? If they can do that, they should be able to write on little beads. And instead of a signature on a painting, we knit in a bead at the bottom of a project with our name.

Has that been done or suggested yet?

Another Project?

This weekend I started 2 more knitting projects. Really? (Is this what you really need? More half finished projects? Are you going for the record?) I have an explanation for this starting and not finishing business. I’m a gemini. And, it’s not winter and therefore no incentive to finish up to stay warm.

I must have mentioned that I’m part of a KAL? A mystery KAL. KAL = knit along. I know I’m making a shawl, but beyond that, I have no idea. Too late I read that this is for intermediate/advanced knitters. OK, I have knit most of my life, but never a shawl.

It takes tons of concentration to knit this shawl. So what do I do? I see another shawl I like and off I am casting on for that new shawl. How fickle is that? No commitment, no regret, and just a tiny bit of guilt. I will finish the old shawl, but I’m waiting for stretches of concentrating time.

Let me give you a picture of my situation. The top is the old shawl, the bottom the new one. Here we go:

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This last shawl is in The Afternoon tea pattern found here at Knitty.

Yes, I am having fun. You didn’t think I only started one new knitting project, did you? Noooooooooooooo, I had to start another pair of socks. If I paid more attention to math in school I could tell you exactly the exponential road I’m traveling, but, thankfully, I don’t remember. All I can tell you is that if I keep up with my sock knitting pattern I will have: LOTS!

This is how it works. I barely finish a pair, notice I still need to do kitchner ending and weaving in of yarns, I eye the new Koigu yarn I always wanted to try. Off I am casting on again. And even though the Koigu starts pooling immediately, I knit on. Why I can’t tell you. Like an addict, I keep on knitting, not liking what the yarn is doing and knowing full well somewhere in my mind (at least I hope I do) that this is not working out. But I ignore the voice screaming at me to stop, rip it, and start anew. Until the next morning. And I’m happy to say I got past the unraveled yarn and am happy.

So let me show you the almost finished and the new:

Fleece Artist yarn in Nutkin pattern
Fleece Artist yarn in Nutkin pattern
Koigu sock, 2nd attempt
Koigu sock, 2nd attempt

A note on the nutkin pattern: there is very little stretch and give in the cuff and leg area. It becomes a bit difficult to put on and perhaps blocking might take care of this, and if not, well, Stephen can get them on. I feel so lucky I’m with a guy who is willing to be experimental in his socks. All colors and patterns seem to be OK with him.

Shawls? Considering I never wore one in my life and neither has my daughter and my MIL is allergic to wool, well, one has to wonder what I’m up to and where I’m on that crazy meter scale.

There was some food in my life recently. I marinated some olives in zest of lemon and orange and added some garlic and rosemary and olive oil. The idea came from a recipe I can’t find anymore, but olives are an invitation to play.

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I see hot peppers in the picture. Yes, I like my food hot!

And then I had all these dried fava beans. What to do with them? One option is a kind of hummus and it works well for that but it’s a hassle to peel all those favas after cooking them. I now have an easier way with the favas. I cook them with some spices and mint and onions. I end up with a broth for bread dipping and favas that everyone can peel and pop into mouth. This recipe also came form somewhere else, did not grow on my compost pile as my grandmother would say.

Here is a pretty picture of the beans before cooking:

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And now it’s knitting time for me.

Dishcloth-Palooza

Yes, the collection of dishcloths is growing, but my yarn acquisition has taken a turn for the worse. It’s all my birthday’s fault. The yarn acquisition part that is. I have already received checks for my birthday, plus I was offered a small job that pays me for the next two weeks. That’s a lot of stash/yarn money. The plans for a birthday pilgrimage are already in place. We live a little over an hour from Reno and you guessed it: Jimmy Beans Wool. This will be my first time to this Mekka and I don’t plan to leave empty handed. The rest of the birthday plans involve food and dance concert. But first stop: Jimmy Beans.

In the meantime I have been practicing acquisition skills. The other day I came close enough to a Michaels that I felt the pull of the cotton yarn. And Joann was not far away. One store matched the sale price of the other and you can see the rest of the story below:

cotton yarn

That’s lots and lots of dishcloths! If you know me and I like you, a dishcloth could be in your future. But this wonderful yarn makes much more than just dishcloths. It makes decorations that bring smiles to my face. The first glimpse of my silly grins came when looking at the following site: Attic24. scroll down and you will find lots more links for free projects. This woman knows color and surrounds herself with them. It makes me happy to look at her site. Enjoy.

Considering how I like dishcloths now, I find it amazing that I have done very few variations. Here is another ballband one and a relative, at least colorwise.

dishcloth relatives

Just found this post in my drafts. A bit late, but will post now so you can see my dishcloth addiction.

Needless to say, my birthday brought lots more yarn!