Here is your gift for ECF and Saturday Sky.
Wednesday, The Sweetie and I headed to Solvang to see Company in Concert at the Solvang Festival Theater. We only discovered this theater last summer, when my work had its summer picnic nearby. We got there the night before the picnic and saw a show, stayed overnight, and went to the picnic. We loved it so much, we went down for midweek shows twice more, each time staying over (bargain rates midweek) and heading to work the next morning (only an hour's drive).
Company is one of The Sweetie's favorite shows of all time. It's one of those shows where you kind of have to be of a certain age and (still) single, and/or married to understand. Before he met me, The Sweetie related a lot to Bobby.
During intermission, I went up to the tech booth and introduced myself to Kadiddly, who was the stage manager for the show. We chatted briefly (she was working, after all!) and I gave her a MOO card for my blog. It's so neat to meet people in person that you've met through the blogosphere!
Next morning, we had breakfast at the Solvang Restaurant. It's a great little diner and if you're there early, as we were, you see local families greeting the hostess. I couldn't help noticing next to the register there was a display of knitting needles for sale. Yes - Susan Bates Silvalume knitting needles! And it was also strange because they were in packs of one. Who sells knitting needles in a restaurant, in packs of one?
Solvang's favorite breakfast food is Aebleskiver, a spherical pancake stuffed with jam. They're made in special cast-iron pans with round hollows in them. You know it's made it big time when Williams-Sonoma sells them. But what the single knitting needle is for is to pop the pancakes out of the mold. (You can use a skewer instead.) Just to prove they sell single needles, you can mail order gift baskets which include them here.
Lastly, I'm going away for the week for The Sweetie's family's annual family vacation. We'll be heading up to his family's cabin in South Lake Tahoe. This year will be somewhat subdued, due to the Angora Fire. We've been glued to the web this week, worried about the displaced people, homes and damage, and firefighters. Birdsong has loved ones working there. Right now, the fire seems (mostly) under control (we'll see about this afternoon's winds) and the air quality is much improved, and so we're probably going up. Not to be disaster tourists, but because there doesn't seem to be immediate danger, and we can't all move our vacation to another week. (We usually don't travel much within the basin anyway - we stay mostly at the cabin by the lake.) If it worsens, I imagine we'll vacation in the Bay Area instead. Keeping our fingers crossed!
Have a happy 4th of July (to you all in the US)! And those outside the US, I hope your 4th of July is good too (but it's probably no different from the 3rd or the 5th).
Friday, June 29, 2007
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Puzzler
Last week's Car Talk show featured a knitting-related Puzzler. I was alerted to this by The Sweetie's family members, who listened to it on their way to meet us in Monterey.
I guess the clue is that the people are on a diet, and therefore their kitchen contains a scale. But of course, knitters know about weighing yarn! And we have a scale not because we are on a diet, but because we like to cook, sometimes with precision. (Sometimes without, but it's nice to be able to make that choice.) And sometimes I need to weigh my yarn.
The photo is of a tidepool. I was taking a picture of an iridescent crab. Do you see him? Yeah, neither do I. He was moving pretty fast.
I guess the clue is that the people are on a diet, and therefore their kitchen contains a scale. But of course, knitters know about weighing yarn! And we have a scale not because we are on a diet, but because we like to cook, sometimes with precision. (Sometimes without, but it's nice to be able to make that choice.) And sometimes I need to weigh my yarn.
The photo is of a tidepool. I was taking a picture of an iridescent crab. Do you see him? Yeah, neither do I. He was moving pretty fast.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Garterlac dishcloth - started
We went to Monterey last weekend to spend a day with The Sweetie's family, and on the way back we stopped at Michael's to use the bathroom. I might have picked that as a stop because they sell yarn and Carls Jr. doesn't. Ahem.
Actually, I decided to practice for Dishrag Tag since I've never knit with dishcloth cotton and never made a dishcloth. Since I was experimenting, I took the opportunity to also try out garterlac, what looks to be an easier version of entrelac, and do Dave's Garterlac Dishcloth pattern. Thanks, Dave, for such a great pattern - it's very clear and I love the Flickr photo tutorial, too.
I did the first 3 triangles, and I thought, "These are all twisted around. This can't be right." Lo and behold, in the instructions, it says:
Since I finished the Odessa hat (thanks for the comments and reassurances, everybody!), this is my bedtime knitting.
I love the striping. Isn't it pretty?
Actually, I decided to practice for Dishrag Tag since I've never knit with dishcloth cotton and never made a dishcloth. Since I was experimenting, I took the opportunity to also try out garterlac, what looks to be an easier version of entrelac, and do Dave's Garterlac Dishcloth pattern. Thanks, Dave, for such a great pattern - it's very clear and I love the Flickr photo tutorial, too.
I did the first 3 triangles, and I thought, "These are all twisted around. This can't be right." Lo and behold, in the instructions, it says:
They look a little twisted right now. Don't worry; they'll sort themselves out as you go along.Amazing, Dave, you read my mind before I even thought it.
Since I finished the Odessa hat (thanks for the comments and reassurances, everybody!), this is my bedtime knitting.
I love the striping. Isn't it pretty?
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
FO: Odessa hat
I heard that someone I know got cancer, and while I don't know if she needs hats, I cast on for one just in case. I've been wanting to do the Odessa hat for a long time, and I even found beads that exactly matched the Shine Sport I had left over from the Pea Pod sweaters.
Specs:
Needles: Size 6 and 4, 16" circulars. I think the 6 is a Susan Bates Silvalume. The Size 4 is a nickel circular, although I don't think it's an Addi. ETA: Size 6 DPNs, Brittany Birch, 5".
Yarn: KnitPicks Shine Sport, color Apple.
Beads: size 6 beads, purchased at the local bead shop.
Pattern: Odessa, by Grumperina. Hey, I should submit to her gallery!
Notes: This is a great pattern. It's easy to memorize, and I got fascinated watching the stitches go off to the left. She cleverly replaces left-leaning decreases with left-leaning double decreases to close to the crown, so even though it's getting smaller, the dominant left-angled columns continue. Yay!
ETA: My only wish is that I'd been 100% successful avoiding laddering when I switched to DPNs. The Brittany DPNs are too short and I was not being vigilant.
Specs:
Needles: Size 6 and 4, 16" circulars. I think the 6 is a Susan Bates Silvalume. The Size 4 is a nickel circular, although I don't think it's an Addi. ETA: Size 6 DPNs, Brittany Birch, 5".
Yarn: KnitPicks Shine Sport, color Apple.
Beads: size 6 beads, purchased at the local bead shop.
Pattern: Odessa, by Grumperina. Hey, I should submit to her gallery!
Notes: This is a great pattern. It's easy to memorize, and I got fascinated watching the stitches go off to the left. She cleverly replaces left-leaning decreases with left-leaning double decreases to close to the crown, so even though it's getting smaller, the dominant left-angled columns continue. Yay!
ETA: My only wish is that I'd been 100% successful avoiding laddering when I switched to DPNs. The Brittany DPNs are too short and I was not being vigilant.
Monday, June 25, 2007
Lace stole in progress
Well, I've asked a wide variety of people - the blog readers, family members, and my knitting group, and I've decided on the pink champagne beads. I know this will disappoint some of you who liked the blue/green opalescent ones, but I love those too, and (if this MS3 experiment with beads goes well) I suspect that they will make an appearance in some other shawl someday.
Catching up with that Boston trip, I managed in 2 transcontinental flights to do 1 1/2 repeats in my lacy stole. To refresh your memories, this is the stole that was the 3rd project (I did 2 baby hats in the round with colorwork, then Eric's grey scarf) that I ever started, this lacy stole. I did the setup section and 2 repeats before I put it (and knitting) down for 4 years, and after getting back into knitting a little, then a lot, and beginning the blog, I have picked it back up. Since picking it back up, I've done 2 1/2 repeats. I am hoping for 1 repeat a month, although 10 rows (1/4 of a repeat) a month is more realistic. Here it is at 4 1/2 repeats, and after 1/2 a repeat it will be halfway done!
In other news, I'm on the email list for a not-quite-local LYS called the Knitting Hutch, and Jackie just announced a Lace Retreat in June 2008 in Big Sur, with - I can't bear it - Cookie A., Miriam Felton (Mimknits), Anne Hanson (Knitspot), and Susan Lawrence (I'm Knitting as Fast as I Can). (Can I say how much I love these designers? I admit, I haven't actually supported them by purchasing many designs, but it's only because I have a problem actually finishing projects - they're in my queue!) The retreat is at the Big Sur Lodge, which is really not all that far from where I live - far enough I'd have to stay there, though. And....and....and....well, I don't think it's in the cards that I'll be there, though it does make my heart heavy to think of such great designers and great knitting karma that will be collected so nearby. Maybe a local LYS can convince one of them to continue her trip down to see us!
Catching up with that Boston trip, I managed in 2 transcontinental flights to do 1 1/2 repeats in my lacy stole. To refresh your memories, this is the stole that was the 3rd project (I did 2 baby hats in the round with colorwork, then Eric's grey scarf) that I ever started, this lacy stole. I did the setup section and 2 repeats before I put it (and knitting) down for 4 years, and after getting back into knitting a little, then a lot, and beginning the blog, I have picked it back up. Since picking it back up, I've done 2 1/2 repeats. I am hoping for 1 repeat a month, although 10 rows (1/4 of a repeat) a month is more realistic. Here it is at 4 1/2 repeats, and after 1/2 a repeat it will be halfway done!
In other news, I'm on the email list for a not-quite-local LYS called the Knitting Hutch, and Jackie just announced a Lace Retreat in June 2008 in Big Sur, with - I can't bear it - Cookie A., Miriam Felton (Mimknits), Anne Hanson (Knitspot), and Susan Lawrence (I'm Knitting as Fast as I Can). (Can I say how much I love these designers? I admit, I haven't actually supported them by purchasing many designs, but it's only because I have a problem actually finishing projects - they're in my queue!) The retreat is at the Big Sur Lodge, which is really not all that far from where I live - far enough I'd have to stay there, though. And....and....and....well, I don't think it's in the cards that I'll be there, though it does make my heart heavy to think of such great designers and great knitting karma that will be collected so nearby. Maybe a local LYS can convince one of them to continue her trip down to see us!
Friday, June 22, 2007
Boston trip stash enhancement
I did get to go to one yarn shop, Woolcott & Co., the shop where Ellen of the Knit Sisters works. Unfortunately, Ellen wasn't there that day, but I left a MOO card for her. Speaking of Ellen, I think she is supposed to be hitched by now...and on her multi-city wedding reception extravaganza. Go on over and wish her happiness...I'll wait.
Anyway, none of my LYSs carries Malabrigo, and I've read lots of sighing over how wonderful it was, so I allowed myself a single skein of it as a souvenir. Yesterday I was thinking, what was I thinking to only get one skein? If I want a decent-sized scarf, I need more than 200 yards! But alas, Woolcott was out. So, if you have a skein of worsted weight Geranio (color 44), in dye lot 1809.1, that you'd be willing to part with, let me know. I have looked on the Internet and I spoke to a very helpful person at Yarnzilla who told me that Malabrigo dye lots are only 10 skeins, so if the store has it, it has all of that dye lot. So I'm looking at you, Boston area knitters. But no worries; if none shows up, then I'll just blend it with my next skein of Malabrigo.
It is very, very soft - against the skin soft, which is great for 100% Merino wool! And it has a subtle thick-n-thin thing going on. Mmm....I'll just pet it for a while. Maybe a hat. Maybe Bejeweled.
Sorry you couldn't see the beads in the photos yesterday. I quickly took some this morning (read: not the greatest photos) which shows the beading. Click on the color name for a large photo.
Blue/green:
Champagne:
Anyway, none of my LYSs carries Malabrigo, and I've read lots of sighing over how wonderful it was, so I allowed myself a single skein of it as a souvenir. Yesterday I was thinking, what was I thinking to only get one skein? If I want a decent-sized scarf, I need more than 200 yards! But alas, Woolcott was out. So, if you have a skein of worsted weight Geranio (color 44), in dye lot 1809.1, that you'd be willing to part with, let me know. I have looked on the Internet and I spoke to a very helpful person at Yarnzilla who told me that Malabrigo dye lots are only 10 skeins, so if the store has it, it has all of that dye lot. So I'm looking at you, Boston area knitters. But no worries; if none shows up, then I'll just blend it with my next skein of Malabrigo.
It is very, very soft - against the skin soft, which is great for 100% Merino wool! And it has a subtle thick-n-thin thing going on. Mmm....I'll just pet it for a while. Maybe a hat. Maybe Bejeweled.
Sorry you couldn't see the beads in the photos yesterday. I quickly took some this morning (read: not the greatest photos) which shows the beading. Click on the color name for a large photo.
Blue/green:
Champagne:
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Mystery Stole 3 swatches
Here are my 3 swatches, top to bottom:
I'm thinking I like size 3 needles, with the champagne beads. The blue-green ones are intriguing, but the champagne beads, while the same color as the yarn so they seem invisible, are mirrored inside so they sparkle more. Click the photo for a bigger picture.
Here is a photo of the beads by themselves:
- Size 2 needles, no beads
- Size 3 needles, blue/green beads
- Size 4 needles, champagne beads
I'm thinking I like size 3 needles, with the champagne beads. The blue-green ones are intriguing, but the champagne beads, while the same color as the yarn so they seem invisible, are mirrored inside so they sparkle more. Click the photo for a bigger picture.
Here is a photo of the beads by themselves:
Any thoughts from out there?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
