I’m a little confused.  I brought the second Whitby sock to work on while waiting for an appointment yesterday and at one point someone asked what I was knitting.

“A sock.”

“A sock?!?!?”

I take the first Whitby sock (brought along because it’s lighter than the book and still shows me what row to twist the cables on) out of the bag to show them, “A sock.”

“Ooooh, that’s so cute!”

Cute?  Socks are cute?  Socks are practical, warm and may - depending on color and/or pattern - be pretty or handsome.  But cute?  And yet, this is exactly what my trivia team-mate Phyllis said when she saw me knitting the first one on the ship a couple of weeks ago.

It’s gets better though :)

“Who’s it for?” she asked.

“Some kid in Mongolia.”

She laughed long and merrily. “No really, who are you making it for?”

At this point, Myria jumped in and explained about the Dulaan project.  That seemed to be satisfactory and the woman left shortly thereafter.  Then Myria explained to me how a phrase like “some kid in Mongolia” might sound kind of flip and jokey to someone who didn’t know about it.  I guess she’s right at that :)

Just so you can see that the second sock is actually under way :)

In addition to the Seraphina shawl, I’ve been contemplating trying the Truly Tasha’s Shawl, inspired by Maureen’s beautiful example over at Irishknits.  It’s pretty simple but the lace edging would dress it up a bit and, most importantly, doesn’t require picking up 791 stitches first :) I have some heathery blue-green in the stash that would be lovely in this shawl.  And I could watch TV while I was doing it - with impunity even!  I think… Well, till I got to the lace anyways :)

Seraphina update:

Today is my 51st birthday (thanks Bron and Barb for your good wishes, you couple of sweeties!).  That’s 357 in dog years!  Ancient! (On the other hand, dad turned 82 yesterday and there aren’t enough numbers in the world to express that in dog years - heheh...) But you know it just doesn’t seem that different.  If you were to ask how it felt to be more than half a century old, I’d have to say that it doesn’t really feel any different than being 18 or 20.  Well, except that if I stay up all night now, I couldn’t possibly breeze through 4 classes and a final exam.  I’d be lucky not to wind up snoring in my cream-of-wheat :) I don’t have any special plans, though there is ice cream in the freezer and a cake or, better still, brownies could be contrived somehow. 

I’m going to knit.  And then I’m going to read.  And then I’m going to knit some more...and maybe crochet a little too :)

This pattern is a bit complex containing both knitting and crocheting, cables and bobbles and what not.  It’s why I have put off writing it for so long!  Even now, I am not certain that what follows will give you exactly what is pictured, but it should be a very close approximation.  Please let me know if there are problems, difficulties and/or errors; I would be very grateful :)

Materials:

Classic Elite Flash, 50 grams/93 yards per hank:  4 hanks in Delta Pink (color has been discontinued) - but any light worsted weight cotton with a bit of body to it should do nicely. 

US Size 6 DPNs - set of 5, one size 7 (G) crochet hook.

Terms:

K - Knit
P - Purl
K1b - Knit through the back of the stitch
C4R - Cable 4 right: Slip next 2 stitches to a cable needle and hold behind the work.  K2, then knit the two stitches from the cable needle.
C4L - Cable 4 left: Slip next 2 stitches to a cable needle and hold in front of the work.  K2 then knit the two stitches from the cable needle.
MB - Make bobble: In the next stitch, work K1, yo, K1.  Turn work.  Purl three.  Turn work.  Lift second stitch on left needle over first and drop off needle.  Repeat with third stitch.  Knit the remaining stitch through the back.

Dc - double crochet
Ch - chain
Sl st - slip stitch

Pattern

Using 2 DPNs, cast on 25 stitches and knit plain for 49 rows.

Next row: K12, cast on 1 stitch with a backwards loop, K 13: 50 rows, 25 garter stitch ridges.

With another DPN, pick up 12 stitches along next side, cast on 1 stitch with a backwards loop, pick up 13 stitches.  Repeat for cast-on edge and remaining side: 104 stitches, 26 stitches on each of 4 needles.

Round 1, First needle: (K1, P1) 3 times, K1, P2, K9, P2, (K1, P1)3 times; repeat for each of remaining three needles.

Round 2: Repeat Round 1.

Round 3: (P1, K1) 3 times, P3, C4R, K1, C4L, P3, (K1, P1) 2 times, K1; repeat for each of three remaining needles.

Round 4: (P1, K1) 3 times, P3, K9, P3, (K1, P1) 2 times, K1; repeat for each of three remaining needles.

Round 5: (K1, P1) 3 times, K1, P2, K4, MB, K4, P2, (K1, P1) 3 times; repeat for each of three remaining needles.

Round 6: (K1, P1) 3 times, K1, P2, K4, K1b, K4, P2, (K1, P1) 3 times; repeat for each of three remaining needles.

Round 7: (P1, K1) 3 times, P3, K3, MB, K1, MB, K3, P3, (K1, P1) 2 times, K1; repeat for each of three remaining needles.

Round 8: (P1, K1) 3 times, P3, K3, K1b, K1, K1b, K3, P3, (K1, P1) 2 times, K1; repeat for each of three remaining needles.

Work rounds 1 through 8 six times or to desired height of purse (more height may require additional yarn).  You can switch to a circular needle if this is more comfortable for you to work with, just remember that you’re working each round’s instructions four times per round.  On round 8 of the last pattern repeat, discreetly increase one stitch: 105 stitches. 

Bind off loosely until only one stitch remains.  Pick up this stitch with the crochet hook and chain 2. 

First crochet round:  Dc in next three stitches, ch 1, skip next stitch, *dc in each of next four stitches, ch1, skip next stitch; repeat around.  You should end with a ch 1.  Slip stitch in top of starting chain.

Second crochet round:  Ch 3, dc in same stitch as joining, dc in next dc, ch 2, dc in next dc, 2 dcs in next dc.  Ignoring ch 1 space, 2 dc in next dc, dc in next dc, ch 2, dc in next dc, 2 dc in next dc; repeat around; join with slip stitch in top of starting chain.

Third crochet round:  Slip stitch to ch 2 space.  Ch 3, 2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc all in ch 2 space.  Ch 2, sk next three dcs, slip stitch between 3dc sets, ch 2.  Skip next three dcs.  3 dc, ch 2, 3 dcs in next ch 2 space; repeat around, joining with a slip stitch to top of starting chain.  End off and weave in ends.

Make 2 cords about 50” long.  You can do this any way you like.  I made monk’s cord, but I-cord or braid or even purchased ribbon would be lovely.  Thread the first cord through the ch 1 spaces of the first crochet row.  Knot the ends.  Thread the second cord starting at the opposite side of the bag so that when you pull on both cords, the bag closes.  Leave the knots or add tassels as you wish.  Weave in the ends and you’re good to go :)

I have been tagged, for the first time, by fellow blogger Natty, she of the beautiful new baby girl :) I’ll post my responses, but I won’t be passing it on :)

If I could be a scientist…

...I would invent time travel so I could go back and see what the library at Alexandria held before it was burned.

If I could be a farmer…
If I could be a musician…

...I’d be able to really make the music instead of just being able to play the notes.

If I could be a doctor…
If I could be a painter…
If I could be a gardener…

...I would breed a new rose of the most glorious, crimson shade and with a huge, long-lasting bloom.  I would call it the ‘Anwar Sadat’.

If I could be a missionary…
If I could be a chef…

...I would sit at the feet of Gareth Blackstock and take notes so that one day I too might be able to rant in tremendous style (extra points if I can learn how to bug my eyes out too!).

If I could be an architect…
If I could be a linguist…
If I could be a psychologist…
If I could be a librarian…

...see note above about if I could be a scientist.

If I could be an athlete…
If I could be a lawyer…
If I could be an inn-keeper…
If I could be a professor…
If I could be a writer…
If I could be a llama-rider…
If I could be a bonnie pirate…
If I could be an astronaut…
If I could be a world famous blogger…
If I could be a justice on any one court in the world…
If I could be married to any current famous political figure…

It was an interesting weekend.  We had gone out Saturday to pick up a few things and Myria reminded me that I wanted to look for needles to string the beads (see Friday’s post) on the mohair.  I have tapestry needles for sewing things up with but they’re way too big to fit through the beads.  As we were close to it, she suggested Joanne Fabrics.

I won’t go back into it here, I’ve ranted about Joanne’s before.  But since it was right there, I figured it couldn’t hurt to have a look.  As it happens, they did indeed have exactly the needles I was looking for but I also ran into something I wasn’t looking for.

They had this:

...and with it, I started making this…





The yarn is a boucle, which discouraged me at first but given the price ($6.00 for the biggest ball of yarn you ever saw, 800+ yards), I decided to give it a go :) And you know, it’s a little weird to work with but I seem to be getting the hang of it.

The shawl pattern (found here - Seraphina Shawl) is a bit idiosyncratic but it’s definitely do-able if you pay attention - basically just shells and double-crochet - and the shape is just gorgeous. 

This is all courtesy of the evil Bron and this post from last week.  Keep it up kiddo and I’ll never have to come up with another idea of my own - hehehe!  By the way, what size hook are you working this with?  The yarn label indicated a size K, but J was the biggest hook I could get myself to use.  That seems to be working out fine.

Now, back to the original issue - stringing beads on yarn so as to knit with them.  I worked up this swatch:

I’d really like your opinions on whether this works or not.  For some reason I thought the contrast would be greater.  I think I was envisioning the mohair as lighter than it is so I was rather surprised at how the beads more blended in than stood out.  It’s not that it looks bad, it’s just more subtle than I was expecting.  Myria thinks it’s lovely; I’m still undecided.

Finally, there’s this:

We chatted with our new landlord last week and remembered to ask him about putting up a bird feeder.  There was a condition (make it as squirrel-proof as possible) but he didn’t have any problem with the idea.  So we cleaned up the feeder, filled it and put it out again.  The dome there is, hopefully, going to be a squirrel deterrent and the fact that it’s loose (we think) will just make it more awkward for the clever little beasts.  We’ve only had one customer so far, a nuthatch.

But just wait until she tells her friends!

So, here we are at another Friday the 13th - is this a good luck day or a bad luck day?  I confess that so far, things auger well.  Dad and I are going up to Lord’s Harborside Restaurant in Wells Harbor, Maine to celebrate our birthdays (his is the 17th and mine is the 18th).  This place has tremendous seafood and a lovely view so we look forward to going up a couple of times a year - starting now!  I’m thinking shrimp and my mouth is watering already :)

And speaking of birthday largesse (we were, trust me), Myria’s sister sent me a wonderful package.  Part of it you already know about, that being the book that I carted up to have signed by herself the other night :) But there was also this:

This is very cool stuff!  It’s 30% wool, 69.6% cotton and 0.4% latex and you wouldn’t believe what kind of bounce that tiny percentage of latex gives the yarn.  It’s more or less a worsted weight with a nubbly kind of texture.  This may languish in the stash for a while, only because I want to find just the right project for it - it’s just too spiffy to fritter away on something ordinary.

Don’t you think the color rocks?

And there was this:

Honest folks, a girl can never have too much sock yarn and this is beautiful.  It will be an absolute delight to play with this and even greater pleasure to wear the finished product.
Thank you, Donna, from the bottom of my heart - your thoughtfulness and generosity are very much appreciated!

I have 5 balls left of the yarn from the ruffled snowdrop and I have been wondering how to use it.  Then I saw these yesterday and, persuaded by the moon, the colors and Bron’s evil influence, I bought them.

Of course I’m still not quite sure where this is going, but at least my brain seems to be coming up with a few ideas and oh my - don’t those colors go together wonderfully?  Thank heavens the world isn’t black and white!

Have a great weekend folks!

I had a bit of an adventure last night.  Let me suggest that if ever you find yourself trying to locate an address anywhere in New England (although Massachusetts seems especially egregious in this respect) - just give it up.  Call a cab, hire a limo, capture a passenger pigeon - whatever it takes.  The road system is so idiosyncratic (read: screwed up) that you’ll be lucky if you can find your own steering wheel!

I was headed for the Willow book store in Acton.  It was only about 30 minutes away but in the complete opposite of the direction my travels, wants and necessities usually take me.  So while that area isn’t entirely foreign, it’s not real familiar either.  I had directions and I had the address:  279 Great Road.  No problem, right?

I exited 495 and turned left.  A little ways up the road I saw a building address in the 500s that confirmed I was on Great Road and I merrily tootled on until I saw the numbers on a house that indicated I was now in the 600s.  Oops :) So I turned around and went back the other way.  Ahh, I thought, This is more like it!, as the landmarks became less bucolic and more city-like.  Watching the street numbers, I got to where the book store should have been - but all I could find was a gas station, a credit union, a Subway sandwich shop and a dry cleaners.  I drove into and around every business for three blocks several times (and did get to see a bunny having an evening nosh in the grass behind the credit union parking lot).  No bookstore.

Finally, in mounting desperation, I went into the dry cleaner’s. 

“I’m looking for the Willow book store.” I said to the very kind lady behind the counter.

“Oh!”, she said, “That’s in Acton.  This is Littleton.”

Littleton!?!?!?

She then gave me excellent and accurate directions and wished me luck.

I discovered, as I drove on, that the numbering system on Great Road is a little unusual.  At the Acton/Littleton line, the numbers reset instead on just continuing to increase along the entire length of the road.  So there really was a 279 Great Road in both towns.  Urrghhhh…

I finally got where I was going and even managed to get a good seat for the evening’s festivities which were all about this girl:





Let me tell you, Steph is as personable, as friendly and every bit as funny in person as she is on paper (physical or virtual).  She regaled us (60 or 70 of us, I would guess) for some time with tales of her travels and with thoughts about life and the transformative aspects of knitting.  Then we all got in line for the book (bookbookbook) signing.





Most of us had brought our knitting along and it was a surprise and a pleasure to see so many projects and so many other knitters.  There were socks and sweaters and shawls.  I saw a set of wooden sock needles that I would have been afraid to breathe on lest they snap and pair of Brittany birches that seemed substantial enough to dig post holes with should the need ever arise!





I had brought along the ruffled Snowdrop to show her and she seemed delighted to see it.  I apologized profusely for crocheting the border because the thought of picking up all those stitches make me feel weak.  She suggested hard liquor :) “It helps”, she said.  Aha - I knew there had to be a trick to it!  Maybe next time :)





It was a quite enjoyable evening which ended sooner than I would have preferred as I really did have to get home.  Thanks Steph, maybe another time :)

Stephanie’s itinerary can be found here.  If she’s coming to your area, buy her book (if you haven’t already) and go and see her.  It’s lots of fun, and so is she :)

Good morning and a happy Wednesday to you!

First up, the Dulaan scarf, complete and ready to go.

I got most of this finished on the plane, the first real knitting I’ve ever done in the air - a very enjoyable experience.  And for those who are curious, I had transferred the scarf to wooden needles and had no problems with it in any airport or airplane.  It was always either in my hands or in my carry-on and no one gave it a second glance.

Next up, the next scarf, of course :)

Some of you may recognize this yarn (Tahki New Tweed, merino, silk, cotton and viscose); it’s been around for a while.  When I ordered it, I thought I was going to make a sweater.  Ahem… As it turned out, while the yarn is nice yarn - feels nice, works up nice - it looks like baling twine and I finally admitted to myself that I wasn’t going to wear anything I made out of this stuff.  And it seemed to me that I had plenty to make some nice, warm scarves out of.

Then, there’s the Whitby sock :)

This pattern is from Knitting on the Road by Nancy Bush and is a fun pattern to work.  This was my first excursion into something other than a fairly plain ribbed leg and I seriously enjoyed it!  I did, however, discontinue the cables when I got to the foot as I was afraid they would be too bulky in a shoe or a boot.  I kept the neat-o purl diamonds though :)

And finally…

This is one of Elsebeth Lavold’s Viking cables with a 6 stitch rib between the repeats.  I keep thinking of this with several repeats, perhaps with the cable pattern itself staggered up and down, with the plain rib between the cables.  A serious stole maybe?  A sweater - and how would you work the sleeves?  For sure I wouldn’t be using the fool-around yarn in the above picture.  While it gives me enough to go on while I’m fooling around, it doesn’t have the definition I’d want for a finished project.  Hmmm.....

I know I’m behind the times of this one, but I read The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger when I was on vacation.  If you haven’t checked this out yet, you might want to - it’s an excellent read with superbly drawn characters.  And get your hanky ready…

It was a nice trip - lots of sun, tremendous food, a fabulous trivia team and all the gorgeous, blue ocean you could wish for!

The trip from Boston to Ft Lauderdale was as nice a plane flight as I’ve ever had.  In my row of seats, only mine had been sold so dad moved over, we pulled up all the armrests and were able to make ourselves very comfortable.  Delta Song also has satellite TV so once we were en route, I was able to take out my knitting and watch the Food Network all the way to Florida.  Now that’s the way to fly!

I did get a little over-enthusiastic about my yarn requirements.  Have a look:

I’m not sure what I was thinking - that we were going to be sailing through typhoons and I would need to hole up in my cabin so there’d better be plenty of yarn to play with?  Did I think I was going to make socks for the crew?  Knit a lifeboat?  Crochet my own poignant but sassy version of the Statue of Liberty?  God knows…

I did finish the Dulaan scarf, start another and make some sock progress - all of which I will talk about in more detail on Wednesday.  I also hauled out Elsebeth Lavold’s Viking Patterns for Knitting last night and played with an idea about which there may also be more on Wednesday.

The flight home was brutal, uncomfortable and exhausting and I have done very little but sleep since I got back, trying to catch up on the sudden time shift.  By their respective clocks, we left Lisbon at 10:30 AM and arrived in Newark at 1:00 PM.  Accounting for time shifts, that’s 7.5 hours of sitting still, crammed into a too small space.  You know, I’ve always wanted to see the rest of the world but I seriously think that unless I can sail there, there isn’t a chance in the world.  It’s all I can do to deal with a flight from Europe.  I can’t begin to imagine what it would be like to fly to China or Australia.  I’d be completely insane by the time I got there.

We were curious to see how Jade would handle my being gone as she hasn’t been around long enough to have dealt with my occasional trips.  Myria says she was a complete and utter pest, nagging her constantly for attention, and food and never leaving her alone.  I was afraid, given her snooty personality, that she wouldn’t speak to me for a week once I got home.  Actually, she’s been purring - more or less constantly - loudly enough to be heard several blocks away.  Funny girl :)





Goldie, on the other hand, has been through this many times so it doesn’t faze him a bit.

I’m still getting things organized here, so forgive me for the short post.  I’ve put up a web page with the trip synopsis.  For any who are interested, click here: Cruise

As has been said many times, there’s no place like home :)