Knitting Philosophy and Self Portrait Sunday

I have a confession: I hate wooden knitting needles. Not only do I not like wooden needles, I love metal needles. There. I've said it. I have wooden needles and I do knit with them sometimes but I am happiest when I am knitting with metal needles. Why do I feel such knitting shame/guilt over this? I guess because when I first learned to knit, all the books and other things I read insisted that bamboo and birch needles were the best. It seemed that to really be a knitting aficionado, you had to love wooden needles. From what I could gather, metal needles seemed to be the loud, brash, white-trash cousins, living on the fringe of knitting society...the ones that the other needles tried to pretend didn't exist. I have recently come to terms with my love of the metal needles. If it really is true that the wooden needles are so much better, then I am resigned to being a fringe knitter. My 16" Size 7 Addi-Turbos are my favorite needles - I seek out reasons to knit projects using these needles. I have even bought yarn specifically because I knew I would use these needles to knit it up. Running a close second, my 16" Size 8 Boye needles that I think I got at Michael's.

Sheesh. I'm glad I've got that off my chest.


Self Portrait Sunday

1. I don’t have a particularly keen fashion sense. I wear things that Katy says will look nice on me (or things that she doesn’t wear anymore and passes along to me) and I do my make-up the way I do because either Katy or Lori has told me, “You should do this with your make-up.” I can acknowledge that I need help in these areas and most of the time their input doesn’t offend me. Most of the time.
2. I almost always wear lipstick when I go out of the house.
3. I love my family. We have our warts and our weirdness but somehow this makes me love them more. I sincerely enjoy family get togethers. Frequently this includes board games. We can be very competitive.
4. I miss my Daddo so much. And I wish I had had a chance to get to know my Nana (his wife) better before she passed away. (I was 3.)
5. I love my little dog Sally more than I consider reasonable.
6. I bite my nails – and I have as long as I can remember. I have tried to stop but have been unsuccessful. This is not a habit I expect to be able to kick.
7. I have issues about toilet paper. In my house, we only use the very best toilet paper. 2-ply. Very soft. We eat off brand cereal and use generic ibuprofen. There are things you can skimp on and things you can't. Also, when I put the toilet paper on the roll, it has to come over the top, NEVER from the bottom.
8. I am accident prone. It is sad, really. Once in a while, I think I’ve grown out of it, and then I do something clumsy again.
9. Sometimes I have trouble sleeping. Then I will have a night where I get like 12 hours of sleep and then still go to bed on time the next night. Is there such a thing as a binge sleeper?
10. For the longest time, I didn’t want to learn to knit because I had learned to crochet years ago and absolutely hated it with a burning passion. Now I knit voraciously.
11. I do modular origami. I do the regular kind, too, but modular is my favorite. I do a lot less origami since I learned to knit.

Marie! The Baguettes! Hurry Up!

A Handknit in Action
It is a busy Friday around here but I wanted to show ya'll this picture:

That's Courtney's baby D in his one and only sweater. Isn't he cute??

FYI:
Today I have a pre-op appointment. Next Friday I am having more surgery on my ankle. I've delayed telling ya'll cause I have been trying to pretend in my mind it isn't happening. It hasn't worked. (I am working on abiding by Today's Quote.)

Abundantly
Chris sent me this picture this morning showing the Abundance that she customed dyed for me for the Briar Rose KAL. (I chose the skein on the left.) So pretty! I have something in mind to knit for myself from this yarn. Any thoughts?

Have a wonderful Friday!

Today's Quote:

"I have learned to live each day as it comes, and not to borrow trouble by dreading tomorrow. It is the dark menace of the future that makes cowards of us." -Dorothy Dix

If A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words...

...then this post is worth 11,000 words - not to mention the actual words in this post! What a lucky post.

The anticipation is over - my scarf from Kim arrived today. Hurray!! It is beautiful. And if Kim had any concern as to whether or not I would like the color, she can rest easy knowing that the scarf is an almost identical match to the sweater I had on today when I received the scarf! (It was such a close match that I had to take off the sweater and photograph the scarf with my tank top so you could see it.) (We will refrain from any discussion of my fat arms or goofy expression. In my experience, self-portraits are seldom flattering.)

It is lovely - Rowan Felted Tweed in a perfectly wonderful green and cream with blue flecks. From what she tells me, she found the pattern when Dave did it for the ISE3 and then she bought it here. I really love it. This scarf does not have a right side and a wrong side but (I've decided) a right side and a reverse side. Cables up both sides. Simply fabulous.

See? Here is the front and the back side by side
Here we have, just for the fun of it, Lori modeling my scarf. She is such a cutie. Here's a close-up of the scarf in action.Also in the package with my scarf was this nifty little bundle. It is the Keychain Sock Blocker Sock. So cute. Kim and I have talked frequently about my (not so) secret desires to start knitting socks and my equally (not so) secret hesitation to take the plunge. She is a sneaky little knitter and apparently thought this unassuming, sweet, innocent-looking tiny sock would convince me to purchase a set of Size 0 dpns.
She was right. These came home with me today after a quick stop I accidentally made at the Hobby Shop on my way home from work. Knitting this little sock will be my incentive to finish the first of my mother's hedgehogs. (I've promised myself I wouldn't knit on anything else until I finished the hedgehogs.)

I would like to also mention that I went in to the Hobby Shop, I picked up these needles, a 16" Size 8 circular needle, paid for the needles and promptly walked out of the store. I didn't buy even one little inch of yarn. I did not even cast my eyes longingly in the direction of the yarn. (I'll tell you in a minute why this is not as virtuous as it might at first appear.)

Ya'll, the Kniterella is a sock pusher. Also, she takes much better arty pictures than I do. Go take a look.

Belated Acknowledgement

Last night, I was looking around this little blog of mine and discovered something horrible that needs to be rectified. Back in early November, before my father-in-law died and things here sort of feel apart, Kim send me a beautiful package of fiber-y, knitterly goodness and I never thanked her here (I did send her an email!) or posted pictures to share with ya'll. Kim, I beg your forgiveness and thank you all over again for these exquisite goodies.

These fabulous stich markers, which are so pretty and delicate but did not photograph well.

Two skeins of Wildfoote from Brown Sheep Company in the Geranium colorway.And who couldn't just gush and swoon and fawn over this soft, luscious muted beauty of a skein of yarn...Schaefer Yarns Anne.Then there was this skein of Soxie from Great Adirondack in the Bahama Mama colorway that just made me smile for the rest of the day...and all over again when I was photographing it tonight! (Didn't I tell you that she is a sock pusher!?)

One last thing before I call it a night

I've joined Kim and some others in the Briar Rose Knitalong.

"Come join us for a knit-along showcasing one (or two, or three...) yarns from Briar Rose Fibers. Order enough yarn for your project or find a pattern for the Briar Rose in your stash and get ready to cast-on. Chris, whose imagination is behind all of the hand painted heaven, has graciously offered a yarn "give away" from time-to-time. "

Chris does amazing work at Briar Rose. The yarns are beautiful and the colors stunning. I am really looking forward to getting started. I plan to knit something for myself.

Here is the button, if you are interested.

I ordered my yarn today. (See? I'm not so innocent after all.) I chose Abundance in a just-for-me colorway of reds and reds and more reds. I will show it to you just as soon as I receive it, which, according to Chris should be some time next week.

Today's Quote:

"I wanted to be the first woman to burn her bra, but it would've taken the fire department four days to put it out." -Dolly Parton

Briefly

I haven't knit anything today. I have the little black and white alpaca hedgehog on the needles but they are not the best needles for the project so I am waiting until tomorrow when I will have the right needles.

My friend Kim tells me that she has knit a scarf for me and that it is in the mail somewhere between here and Michigan. I am so eagerly anticipating receiving. Of all the times to have the post office closed for three days in a row!! Luckily, I relish the anticipation. I can't wait to see it and touch it and have it in my hot little hands. AND I can't wait to show ya'll the pictures. Hurray!

This weekend we took down the Christmas tree and ferretted away all the decorations and today we were back to work, full-steam ahead. Here we are - back to the ho-hum, ins and outs, ups and downs of the every day. Am I the only one that feels a little deflated after the holidays?


Today's Quote:
"Southerners will forgive anybody anything if they have good manners. Once a particularly charming Congressman who had been a guest at a church dinner my mother had attended was caught sometime later rather, well, flagrantly, as the French would say, in a motel room wearing a dog collar and his wife's lace bra and panties. Mother's response when asked if she would vote for him again? 'Why, of course. After all, everybody's got their little quirks. Besides, he has lovely table manners.' " -Fannie Flagg (as quoted in Seale Ballenger's book, Hell's Belles)

First Things First

I am working on the smallest of my mother's hedgehogs - this one from black and white Blue Sky Alpaca and Whisper for the novelty yarn. I'm sure he will be at least as cute as the others and quite a bit smaller.

As I've seen many others say recently, I am not generally a maker of New Year's resolutions, but for what ever reason, I am inclined to make a (very short) list this year. Nothing terribly exciting but here they are, nonetheless.

1. Exercise more and lose weight. (Aren't these New Year's resolution staples?)
2. Finish more projections than I start. (This actually IS possible, considering how many unfinished projects I already have sitting around.)
3. Be a better housekeeper. (My husband will be happy if I manage to keep this resolution and nothing else.)
4. Work more efficiently - both at work and at home.
5. Manage our household budget better.

Very run-of-the-mill goals, I know but that's ok. I've never been a very exciting girl and there's no reason to start now. (It didn't make the list.)

I have long been a lover of quotes so I think I'll start including a quote in my posts. And considering how often I seem to discuss my kniting good intentions, I decided this would be a good one to start with:

"I myself am made entirely of flaws, stitched together with good intentions."
--Augusten Burroughs, Magical Thinking

Scarf Pattern, Freely Given

Way back in August, I signed up for the third installment of the International Scarf Exchange. As you may recall, I ended up knitting a black and blue scarf from Misti Alpaca Pima Cotton Silk for Kim for the International Scarf Exchange. I've been meaning to post the pattern but kept getting sidetracked (and sidetracked from my sidetracks...) but I promised Kim I'd post the pattern. (Technically, I told her I would get it posted in 2006 but it looks like the first post of 2007 is going to have to suffice.)

The scarf is based on a slightly modified version of the August 22 stitch pattern in this calendar. The stitch pattern is called Woven Cables in Relief and the scarf is called So Am I. The scarf got its name because, while it was being knit, Kim was going through major jaw surgery and thus, both Kim and the scarf were black and blue on the day they met. Luckily, only the scarf remains so.

The Woven Cables in Relief stitch pattern is as follows:

Multiple of 15+2


Row 1 (Right Side): Knit
Row 2: Purl
Row 3: K1, cable 10 front, *K5, cable 10 front, rep from * to last 6 stitches, K6
Row 4: Purl
Row 5: Knit
Row 6: Purl
Row 7: Knit
Row 8: Purl
Row 9: K6, cable 10 back, *K5, cable 10 back, rep from * to last stitch, K1
Row 10: Purl
Row 11: Knit
Row 12: Purl


[Cable 10 front (or back): Slip the next 5 stitches onto a cable needle and hold at the front (or back) of your work, knit the next 5 stitches from the left-hand needle; then knit the 5 stitches from the cable needle.]

So Am I Scarf
So Am I (SAI) stitch pattern


Multiple of 12+2

Row 1 (Right Side): Knit
Row 2: Purl
Row 3: K1, cable 8 front, *K4, cable 8 front, rep from * to last 5 stitches, K5
Row 4: Purl
Row 5: Knit
Row 6: Purl
Row 7: Knit
Row 8: Purl
Row 9: K5, cable 8 back, *K4, cable 8 back, rep from * to last stitch, K1
Row 10: Purl
Row 11: Knit
Row 12: Purl

[Cable 8 front (or back): Slip the next 4 stitches onto a cable needle and hold at the front (or back) of your work, knit the next 4 stitches from the left-hand needle; then knit the 4 stitches from the cable needle.]

Instructions for Knitting Kim's So Am I Scarf:


This scarf is knit in two halves and joined at the center so that the pattern is right-side-up on both sides when worn.

Cast on 38 stitches. (This will be three repeats of the So Am I stitch pattern, plus 2.)

Knit 17 repeats of the SAI stitch pattern. Place all stitches on stitch marker.

Cast on 38 stitches.

Knit 17 repeats of the SAI stitch pattern. Using a kitchener stitch, join the two halves.

Pin (not so tightly as to stretch out the pattern) to blocking board or similar and steam block with your favorite method, as appropriate to your yarn.

Specs:

Yarn: Two (2) skeins, Misti Alpaca Pima Cotton Silk (191 yards per skein)
[Note on Yarn: This stitch pattern eats up the yarn quicker than you can imagine. If you make this scarf and decide to substitute yarn, don't skimp on yardage.]
Gauge: 4 stitches per inch in stockinette on Size 8 needles
Needles: Size 8 (US)
Finished Size:
Pre-Blocking: 4" wide by 68" long
Post-Blocking: 5" wide by 73" long

A Note on Cabling


I am by no means an expert on cables. This pattern is so easy flowing and comfortably repetitive, I got tired of using a cable needle after about 2 repeats. I learned to cable without a needle from Wendy at this link. It really is easy and (for me, at least) takes the tedium out of cabling.

There you have it! Please let me know if you have any questions or if you find any mistakes.

Wishing you all a wonderful, happy and blessed 2007. Happy Knitting!