What were they thinking?

I love this shawl, but then they tried to Tudor it up for The Virgin Queen. Cate Blanshett looks great in her big ruff, but she is in a 16th century setting. The look on the model's face says it all.

Rob Matyka of Threadbear Fiber Arts wrote in their newsletter about Distaff Day.

According to wikipedia
Distaff Day, also called Roc Day, is January 7, the day after the feast of the Epiphany. It is also known as Saint Distaff's Day, since it was not really a holiday at all. In many European cultural traditions, women resumed their household work after the twelve days of Christmas. The distaff, or rock, used in spinning was the medieval symbol of women's work. Often the men and women would play pranks on each other during this day, as was written by Robert Herrick in his poem "Saint Distaffs day, or the Morrow After Twelfth Day" which appears in his Hesperides.

Some modern craft groups have taken up the celebration of Distaff day as part of their new year celebrations. Well, of course they do. We fiber nuts like a good party.

Not sure what a distaff is. Check here.

Home Dec and Swedish Ingenuity

Post surgery knitting is best done on large, long needles which allow you to fake it with the infirm hand. Also stockinette or garter pulls least on the incision. With that in mind, what the @#$ do you make? See below.
A valance for the new bathroom. Yarn from stash (see slightly smug face here). K1C2 Tartelette ribbon, #17 needle, co 80 stitches, four rows garter, then stockinette to length.Here's my coolest discovery about this--I didn't bind off. I just slipped the stitches to a tension rod, tied off the last stitch and hung it. (squint hard at the top right corner and you can just see the effect) I didn't know how much gravity would affect the length, so I have left it easily adjustable. Plus I like how it grows out of the rod rather than is sewn around it.

Next project---lamp shade decor. Steve is beginning to fear I will wrap the entire house. More stash yarn--no label--and merely a #15 needle joined by a #13. I don't know where the second #15 is. This one is bound off and sewn around the lampshade, like a turtleneck. Size??? Didn't bother to plan that. Hey! I'm recovering.


From my surfing and blog reading: You must go look at these pictures.
I was reading Nanette Blanchard's blog and she linked to this Korsnäs Tapestry Crochet site. Wow. This group uses a combination of knitting and tapestry crochet to make gorgeous Scandinavian sweaters. They get the drape of knitting with the ease and sturdiness of the crochet.
Best pictures for me were the sort of "knitting bee" shots. They were knitting the body of the sweater on many dpns, as is traditional, but they sat in a circle and several knit on the same sweater at once. Too clever!

While you are on Nanette's site, go to the Lulu store link. Such beautiful patterns and the download price is to love.

Impressionist Collection

Have you seen the Impressionist Collection? Perhaps I'm the last person on knitting earth to discover this, but I'm sharing anyway. Today's newsletter from yarnmarket.com included a reference to this way at the bottom. Cherry Tree Hill has joined in this project which seems to involve using their base yarn and specific colorways created based on famous paintings. (I quibble with calling Van Gogh an impressionist, but that's just my problem.)

Since Cherry Tree Hill supersock merino is my favorite sock yarn, that is the item I checked out first. Found three of interest. Monet's Garden for the DD's.

and Irises and Paris Rain for DH.



Then I looked at the Lorna's Laces. Wow, totally different take on the color pattern.

Artyarns---similar but different.

Now I'm hooked. What a concept. What a neat way to look at the color philosophy of various yarn companies. Different weights and styles. Look for yourself, and let me know if you knit any of this.

First post surgery knitting

Here's what I had to work with:

M-W, this was my bandage. Impressive isn't it? No, Paul, that's not a duplo. I started knitting Weds. morn. Used a twisted e-loop cast on. 14" size 8 needles. CO 26 sts.
Weds. night, DH and I removed the big bandage and this is what I have now. Ho-hum.

Knitting had to be done with left hand, so I just knit the garter st backwards. Worked fine. I could do one or two rows before my hand complained, and then I rested. Tension isn't perfect, but that's not a concern.

Ta-dum. The finished 6" square for the Charlotte Knitting Guild's service project.

I'm counting on it looking better after blocking.
DH gave me some very personal Thanksgiving wine he found at Harris-Teeter.

Jake got his new T-shirt. Sorry about bad photo, but I only have one hand. The back says "Mama's boy." So true.




I can feel all that knitting going on out there and it soothes me. Keep it up.

Happy Thanksgiving; FO

The family has headed to Nashville and I am home nursing my carpel tunnel release incision. Every thing is going well; not much pain. Today I am thankful for a super surgeon, a nurturing family, and all my knitting buddies.

I finished this Swallowtail shawl before the surgery. Used Handmaiden Seasilk (100 gr) and size 6 needles. It has not yet been blocked. Jake seems to like it.


Another look because I took the pic.

This detail shows the beads I used in place of the nupps on one section of the pattern. The beads have a matte finish and really blend in to the yarn. I also added them to the final pattern. I like that they are subtle, yet add some weight to the edge of the shawl. I looked for other patterns for this yarn, but this is just my favorite.


The swatch from the beginning shows some of my beaded markers. My beading is still a new skill, but I'm improving.


Have a great day, eat lots of comfort food and knit on.

Finished projects

Yes, the photo is lousy, but my new sofa is pretty. This is the clapotis made from fleece artist woolie silk. I really like the wearability of this piece.

I knitted this morning!!!!!!!!!!!!! I used some old 14 inch needles. I trapped the right one with my splint up against my chest. I knit backwards using only my left hand. I'm making a 6 inch square for the guild's service project. It's not speedy, but it is knitting.

Surged, drugged,and a little stupid

the operation was a success. i'm in a splint until thurs. erika (dr.) says nerve was pretty beat up. all at the hospital were wonderful. my nurse was an old friend from incarnation church. i have lovely drugs. my eyes don't focus very well, but i've seen everything here at home, so it's not an issue.

i am working word puzzles left handed. if i squint, i can read. printing with my left hand isn't hard at all.

i finished several projects last week and will post pics soon. i think i've figured a way to prop needles so i can at least knit 6" squares for guild.

happy turkey day to all.

Image Upload Fixed--More SAFF

The above is roving from Gail's Art. The colorway is Deep Sea. My plans are not to spin it, but to make a felt-gridlock-scarf. Pattern and instructions

I wrongfully cursed Blogspot for two days about the upload feature, and then read the help section. Seems that Safari has updated and it is blocking Blogspot features, so have switched browsers to Firefox. One of the cons of MAC use is not everything about the net works well.



SpiderWeb dyed by Interlacements. Judy Ditmore was at SAFF. I was pleased to talk with her a while and catch up on some mutual friends. I was privileged to meet Judy years ago just as she was making it big. Her colors are wonderful and she only uses the best yarn. My first socks were made from her Toasty Toes.

This gorgeous stuff will be some incredible lace something. There are 2500 yards, so it could be anything. No, turtlegirl76, no cap shawl for me. Maybe this.


Hand surgery is scheduled for Monday, November 19. I don't know why my friends are getting together a pool to vote on how long before I knit again. Hint: I will not be taking knitting to the hospital, but I should be home by 1pm that day.

FOs and more SAFF tomorrow.

Brooks Farm Mohair Detail SAFF #1

I cannot get Blogger to load my photos today so I must send them from Flickr. New skill for me and I'm not taking time to figure out how to get them here all in one post.

This is some 100% mohair, DK wt, 500 yds/8 oz. I have 2 of them and I don't know what it will be. Shelley loves their yarn and lured me into the booth. Taunted me with my comments of how I can't wear green. General consensus was THIS green was MY green. Now I own it. Kinda like it, too. It has a great sheen. It may become another Ilga Leja Antique Vest.

Pretend this is a picture of Cate Blanshett as Elizabeth I.

Saw Elizabeth:The Golden Age today. Lovely, beyond lovely. Gorgeous textiles and Clive Owen in pirate clothes as Sir Walter Raleigh. Jennie and I drooled. Oh--the British still beat the Armada. Highly recommend.

More new yarn tomorrow.