Torn. May 6, 2013

It’s the Bug as “Fiona”

I know, I know. I just haven’t kept up with my blog, and honestly, I’ve really missed writing it.

The problem is (this time, anyway) that I over-extended myself in the “helping out at school ” department this past spring.

When I said I’d help with the costumes for the Bug’s 8^th grade musical, “Brigadoon,” I didn’t realize that I was offering to be responsible for the costumes. You see, in this case, helping meant that not only would I have to determine the look of the costumes with her teacher (who was also directing) based on the 1955 Lerner and Lowe movie production starring Gene Kelly (be still my heart) and Cyd Charisse, but that I was going to have to sew all those costumes as well. In 8 weeks. Well, actually in 7 weeks because there was a school break in there and I’d already made plans to be out of town that week.

So in just 7 weeks, I had to come up with 12 kilts, ghillie shirts, and tam-o-shanters, as well as 14 skirts with overskirts, puffy-sleeved blouses, and bodices, plus 20-some tartan sashes. And this doesn’t include organizing the costumes the kids were supposed put together and bring in for the “1950s NYC bar scene.” And there were 2 different casts so that more kids would have a chance to be a lead. Unfortunately, the kids were all different sizes, so there was little costume sharing. Ah well. So complicated, it required a spread sheet to keep it all straight.

Luckily I had a couple of dear friends help with the cutting, some sewing, and finishing, as well an unbelievable superhero-like rescue from my wonderful, gorgeous, and amazing BFF Meggie and her darling pal Wendy, who graciously lent me their precious bodices so I didn’t have to sew any of those suckers.

And thanks to the internet, I found an amazing website that sold remarkable authentic kilts and ghillie shirts; that truly saved my tookas. (sorry, can’t spell Yiddish, but I think you get my drift.)

I don’t mean to complain, mind you. I was happy to do it for the kids. But it was overwhelming. At least 7 weeks non-stop sewing, and not a bit of knitting during that entire time. Sigh. At least the kids were thrilled with the results.

Here are just a couple of pictures:

Just a few of the lovely lassies…

A scene of the Faire…that’s the Bug in the white dress

And by the way, the Bug had the lead role of “Fiona” in the first cast.

If I can figure out how to do it, I might even download a video of one of the numbers. Sorry about the sound; the kids weren’t miked. Don’t get me started.

So, now with all that excitement over, I’m torn over what creative thingy to work on now: writing, knitting, yarn-dyeing, weaving, spinning, even a little more sewing.

I got so excited to have all these options, that with an eye for starting with a clean slate, over the last couple of weeks, I finished a couple of knitting projects. And then earlier today, I wound up a bunch of yummy Madelintosh yarn and started swatching for 2, yes 2, new cardigans: Cinnamon Girl, and Darling Emma. And I’m still working on my second pair of socks under my “6 pair in a year” personal challenge.

Yummy Madtosh DK in Alizarin colorway for “Cinnamon Girl”

Oh right…I also got a wild hair to recreate my all-time favorite A-line pullover, which I’ve actually been considering for awhile. Finally got up the courage to figure out what I needed to do. So, I think I’ll stay busy for a while. But that’s just how I like it, I guess.

Now I have to knit fast. Very very fast.

 

Edited to add:

After posting this, I finally had a chance to catch up on reading a few of my fav blogs, including Yarn Harlot. LOL. She has a post from a few days ago titled “Torn” What a laugh, since I started working on this blog a week ago before I had time to finish it and post.

Hats off! February 25, 2013

I heard the most rotten thing the other day.

The friend of a dear friend (let me just call my dear friend “L”) of mine has stage 4 breast cancer. That in itself is rotten. But to make things over the top rotten, my friend L told me over coffee that her friend who has breast cancer was on her way to yet another chemo treatment with the intention of going for a wig afterwards, had her purse stolen. $700 cash was in that purse, and this poor sick woman–a single mom with a teenager and a couple of young kids–has no other way to pay for her wig.

I mean, how freakin’ rotten are people to steal from someone so obviously unwell. It makes me furious.

I hope this pretty and soft merino feels like a hug.

But instead of simply getting angry, I decided to channel that anger into this lovely little chemo cap. A free, easy pattern, and a super terrific way to use up a lone skein of pretty Dream in Color Superwash Merino. This was a skein of Purple Paisley leftover from my Amelie sweater a couple of winters ago. It only took me a day or two. And I heard that the friend of my pal L, really liked the hat, that it fit her, and she loved the color.

Yeah, I gave her a little money toward her wig, but I’m just so happy I also made her something cuddly, something a little like a hug. I even got inspired to make a few more of these hats to give out to a cancer center–when I get my yarn a bit sorted out.

First, however, I needed to make the Bug a new hat.

The actual color is a bit richer in person.

She’d outgrown the Wolf Hat I made her a couple of years ago (not to mention it got lost in the Pit of Despair, but whatever), so she picked out the Seedling pattern by Alana Dakos. A pretty hat, to be sure. But it was all purling in the round. Not a good combo for me, let me say.

So typical me, I changed the pattern: I knitted it inside out! Yes! And it worked amazingly.

First I swatched a lovely filigree colorway of Madtosh Worsted and found I had to go down 2 sizes to get gauge. Good thing I took the time to swatch, Haha.

And after reading all the different projects (thank God for Rav and everyone who actually posts comments), it confirmed to me that all that dang purling would make this an endless project, so I decided to follow my gut and knit this puppy “inside out.”

By that I mean I “reversed” all the pattern stitch directions: instead of P2 K1 ribbing, I’m doing K2 P1 rib. And when I increased stitches after the ribbing, I did all the increases knitwise. I took special care there to space the pattern setup area in reverse as well, counting to make sure I had 12 stitches on each side of the “stems.”

When I reached the “leaves” chart, I read it all in reverse and made sure I started from the lower left corner and read left to right.
It got a little dicey around the double decrease in the pattern, but there were only 3, so I didn’t get terribly worried; I simply took my time there.

The ssp (instead of ssk) required a look online at Knitting Help, but it was a good thing to learn, and I only needed to make a dozen or so anyway. I think the best thing about doing the pattern chart in reverse was that it was a good stretch for my brain cells…I loved it!!

Have turned the heel and am racing toward the toe!

Oh yes, and I’m chugging away on my 6 pair of socks in one year. Maybe I’ll even end up doing bonus socks. Yippee.

Sock it to me! January 24, 2013

The pair I just finished

Since this is the time of year I find myself doing lots of introspection and investigation (in my home, this is more commonly known  as sorting, cleaning and mumbling to myself over the ridiculous amount of yarn I have collected over the years), a couple of things keep popping up on my radar: I have oodles of sock yarn, and I need socks.

However, I also have to admit to also having a few UFO knitting projects to complete, as well as some  writing UFOs, and a few other creative UFOs I want/need to finish that I’ll be focusing on this year. I want a clean slate.

So I decided, starting with the yarn excesses, it would be fun to copy something the brilliant Yarn Harlot has done in past years; specifically, go through her stash and pair 12 skeins of yarn with 12 patterns for a pair a month. Genius. I’d like to say I’m gonna do the same thing, however since I cannot knit as fast as Stephanie Pearl-McPhee  can, I’m gonna plan of 6 pairs for myself (1 pair every 2 months), which allows me to also do some work finishing the UFO sweater, shawl, 2 pair mitts, and 2 scarves–all which are more than 1/2 finished, except for the sweater–and add in the occasional giftie project or extra pair of socks along the way.

Oh yes, and don’t let me forget the new hat I’m making Bug that she “absolutely needs right now,” since she cannot find her wolf hat which is lost in the Pit of Despair (her room). This project is going super fast, however, so I should have it finished by the end of the weekend.

The “Seedling” Hat in lovely Madelintosh Vintage worsted, Filigree

Anyway, back to the socks.

The other thing I’ll do differently for my bi-monthly sock project is that for sock the patterns, I’m will do what I did for the pair of socks I just finished. Specifically, I used a basic top down, short row heel, wedge toe sock pattern, and put a single lace repeat on the front/top of the sock, and plain stockinette on the bottom.

I did this because I was playing around with a sweater design and wanted to see if I’d like doing this lace pattern on the sweater, so I tried it out on the sock. Kind of like a swatch on steroids. making the swatch useful.

Many of my knitting pals and I hate doing swatches. We don’t wanna waste precious time on something that, while extremely useful in determining fit, is something that has no other use, unless you’re gonna save them up and make a blanket. Not to mention, how many times have you had to unravel your swatch to have enough yarn to finish your project? In my case, too many to count. So socks are, for me, a great way to test a pattern stitch and get something useful to boot. Besides, the top side is the side most everyone sees anyway, and it’s way easier to darn stockinette. Seriously.

But I digress.

So my plan is, I’m gonna go through my stitch guides, mark the patterns I want to try out, sift through my yarns and put them in a big bag to get them ready to go. It’s kinda exciting…but then most of you know, making lists makes me hot!

Here’s the proposed lineup of fiber…

Watch out, sock drawer.

Back in the Saddle Again… January 2, 2013

A few favorite pieces from this year’s trunk show

Well, I may not have been abducted by aliens as I joked months ago, but I’d certainly have to say that I was overwhelmed by UFOs since I wrote my last post. UFOs–unfinished objects, that is.

The finished “Coat of Many Colors.” What a project!

Where do I even start? (Begin run-on sentence, because frankly that’s how it felt) It started with knitting like crazy to finish those “nearly done” projects that I really could use, knitting gifties for those I love, then I got the wild hair to open a new Etsy store, made scads of bridal jewelry this year, and mid-summer, determined that this year I’d be ready to go with my new pieces of jewelry at the beginning of November instead of a day or two before my big annual trunk show; the plot thickened when Bug’s 8th grade year began, and all sorts of little things needed to be accomplished before the Holidays that somehow required my help (these are too numerous to list, but include class projects and the 8th grade class trip).

Namely her applications to the local private high schools were a huge focus this fall. Sheesh. It was like applying for college (well, way back in my day, anyway; I know that’s also tougher now). And the poor kid has to take a test like an SAT in a couple of weekends, on top of it all. Not that she should have a problem (even though those Waldorf schools don’t generally test the kids, so she’s not really used to “test-taking”), however, we’re practicing taking timed tests just for the feel of it, and that makes for an unhappy kid over her Christmas Break. Not to mention I’m now helping out in the school handwork class once a week until the end of the school year. This, of course, caused me to come down with a horrible cold over the break on top of it all.

I know all of that doesn’t sound like a good reason for not writing; I suppose it sounds like a whole bunch of whining and I’m sorry for that. Frankly I really miss writing. It was just that so many things were vying for my attention, that I was truly overwhelmed. I think the thing that overwhelms me most is the jewelry-making. And honestly, between the rising cost of materials, the huge drain on my time, and the lack of a good place to work (a place where I can leave out my work-in-progress, as well as do metal clay and torch work, and no, what I  used to call my “studio” has become a fancy cat bathroom…sigh.), I’m seriously considering taking a year off from jewelry-making.

A view of some of this year’s trunk show items…

This year’s show was not as well attended, which was no huge surprise to me with the way the economy’s been going. What was hard was that for all the time I spent making jewelry, I could’ve made more money working part time at the local Hallmark store. More than that, however, I feel somewhat as though I’ve made a wrong turn, focusing on jewelry, and that I should stop, take out a map, and re-examine my route.

I’ve been meditating and praying a lot lately, trying to determine a real direction for my next few years (especially since the world didn’t come to an end on 12/21, thank you very much. Oh, how much stash yarn would’ve been wasted.). I suspect things are about to take a wee shift, and I sense the need to move along with them–get into the flow. Every year I talk about my writing, and how much it means to me. perhaps this is the year that will be my “get it done once and for all year.” I’m not exactly sure how it’ll pan out, but then, I’ve never really followed through with it all. I have so many stories to write dancing around in my addled brain…

And somehow, fiber and yarn is also part of this shift in focus for me. Not sure if it’s the dyeing, or the pattern-writing, or what. I just feel like I really need to commit to a new direction this year.

Anyway, instead of dwelling on time lost and the unknown ahead, I will say that finishing knitting projects and making gifts was a joyful and fulfilling process since the summer’s end. And the undertaking of opening a new Etsy store for my rosaries and rosary bracelets, with all the photography and copywriting, was refreshing as well.

So the journey begins once again, and I’m happy to say I’m back in the saddle. I wish you all, dear friends, wonderful things in the upcoming new year, and give you a promise to keep you all abreast of how my own trip’s going. Happy New Year!

(Below are just a few of the knitting projects I finished in the past few months that I wanted to share…)

For a friend’s baby…

A cuddly “Delius” Vest for Captain Romanc

A loverly teapot cozy for a most loverly friend

I haven’t been abducted by aliens… July 16, 2012

The colors of this yarn are amazing! I can’t wait to finish this baby!

…although I feel like I have.

Where the heck has the summer break been going?

Every day since my last post (except for a migraine or two forcing me to shut down for the afternoon), every day has been jam-packed with something (or someone) or another to start, complete, improve, deliver, nurse, sort, tidy, plant, pick, preserve…you name the date, there is sure to be an action verb associated with it. Not that I mind, it’s just that I can’t seem to cram everything I want/need to do into every day (like I’m telling you anything new–surely you know exactly what I mean because you’re doing it all too).

Well, here’s just a few of the “productive” things I’ve been working on:

The Eyelet Puerperium Cardi #1

Puerperium Eyelet Cardi #2

Baby Sweaters! I just lovelovelove knitting baby sweaters. For one thing, they’re fast. For another, you can use lovely (nowadays, washable merino) yarns without breaking the bank, and best of all, babies look adorable in anything you put them in, no matter if the sleeves turned out a wee bit shorter/longer/skinnier than you expected. Ya know?

Case in point: The Puerperium Baby Cardigan. I made 2! And it’s such a simple raglan pattern that I decided to wing it a little and do eyelet edging in both versions just to make it a little more interesting.

Eyelets and vintage buttons, too.

I also made a pair of booties to go with the teal version: I called them “Goody Two-Shoes,” but the pattern name is “Forget-me-not Baby Shoes, by Julia Noskova.”

I’ve made booties before and let me tell you, while they were darling, the experience was not. All those pieces to stitch together.  Sheesh. These were brilliant, however, made in one piece with just one seam from the top of the heel, down the sole to the toe. You pick up stitches along the back edge to make the strap. Made them both in a day, even with daily tidying and dinner-making.

Besides those wooly tidbits, I’ve been working diligently on finishing the UFOs in my stash (actually those might be the aliens responsible for abducting me, in a sense, hahah), most especially I’ve been throwing myself into the amazing “Coat of Many Colors.”

The outside is done, working up the back and across the sleeves. Man, is it heavy, but what a cool, unusual design!

What a project. And at this point, with all the different skeins of yarn and the actual unwieldiness of the thing, hoo-boy. This is a piece that requires the living room couch and a good movie. Perhaps a cup of tea. And definitely Homemade Strawberry Shortcake.

Yes, Bug and I had such fun strawberry picking at Swanton Berry Farm last summer that we headed back there, picked a bunch, and made 3/4 into agave-sweetened jam. That meant we got to make strawberry shortcake with some of the rest. Used Trader Joe’s Multigrain Baking and Pancake mix, swapped the milk with buttermilk, and made 6 drop biscuits instead of 8 traditional rolled and cut out biscuits (mainly because the dough was super wet). Also, I spread the top half of the biscuit with some homemade jam. CR, who doesn’t actually consider anything to be “dessert” unless it’s chocolate (or carrot cake, but that’s for another post), declared these to be amazing and the best strawberry shortcake he’d ever eaten.

I have a bunch of other stuff I wanna tell you about, but instead of making this an e-n-d-le-s-s post, how about I save that for later in the week?

Snoozing in his “tunnel,” Pip has the right idea. Photo by Bug.

By-the way, I just want to thank all of you who’re reading “Legacy of  the Talisman.” I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your time and support, and I welcome your comments.

Shawl We Dance? May 16, 2012

Hello, dear friends.

I’ve been cramming as much life possible into every day, as usual, and knitting’s no exception. So when a crazy cold knocked me on my fanny for a few days, besides starting up with posting my old novel, “Legacy of the Talisman,” online, I went a little nutty knitting.

My Cladonia

Okay, fair enough, I suppose I’d use any excuse to plop down and knit away. But seriously, this was an odd cold that really pooped me out. Usually I can take a some Dayquil, make a pot of chicken soup, and soldier through it all. Not this time. To be honest, I actually would stop knitting to close my eyes, project in my lap, and take a short snooze.

So here are a few things I worked on while nursing this silly cold:  The Dream Coat of Many Colors, The Lala Layering Shrug, My Cladonia, and Eyelet Puerperium Baby Jacket.

The Dream Coat

The Dream Coat of many Colors is the fabulous, warm and fuzzy Swirl Coat by Sandra McGyver, and it’s the perfect mindless knitting: knitting and purling in long boring lazy circles, waiting anxiously for that 5th row when you can decrease and have less stitches to mindlessly knit and purl.

But it became very hot here last week, and after a few days of noodling around with the lovely and very versatile Layering Shrug by Juju Vail, I got a wee restless and surfed my Ravelry que.

For shame, I found myself not only adding Kristen Kapur’s exquisite Cladonia Shawl, but casting it on. Be still my heart.

Ahh, true love!

Using some luscious Madelintosh Tosh Merino Light (a soft single ply), this shawl rapidly gives you lovely little rows of stripes, and finally at the end, you’re rewarded with one single repeat of a magnificent lace.

It makes me so happy of myself…

Once I cast on for it, I did nothing else until I finished. It had it’s slightly harrowing moments, but I love the finished piece so much that without a doubt, I will do another one.

I was actually going to pick up the Shrug to finish it, but then I realized there are a couple of babies due to dear friends this summer, so I decided to get a start on that with the quick and easy baby cardi with the crazy hard name: Puerperium Cardigan, by Kelly Brooker.

Although to spice things up, I decided to put a row of eyelets into sweater in several places: just under the neckband, at the bottom of the cardigan before the bottom band, and at the bottom of each sleeve. Then I think I’ll thread some Hanna ribbon through the eyelets at the bottom of each sleeve.  It should be fun and also a great way to use up some vintage buttons from my stash. If there’s any yarn left over, I might even make matching booties.

Look, little holes, on purpose!

But we’ll see about that.

I’ve been up to something… May 9, 2012

…and I want you all to know about it!

… through this breach in the crowded border of maples, the stranger emerged. He moved with purpose, enshrouded by a black cloak and grasping reins to which a restless stallion was tethered.

A little scared, but excited, I offer up to you all, my friends, a new wordpress site that will be home to an old tale of mine: Legacy of the Talisman.

I’ve launched a little background there, and tomorrow, I’ll have the first chapter up for your reading pleasure.

Please visit my new blog and check it out. I’d love to know your thoughts.

And then later in the week, I hope to catch you all up on my knitting/jewelry-making/writing/yarn-dyeing over the past month.

I think this summer’s gonna be a doosie.