Defeated and Moving On

First it is about Hillary. Her speech last night was magnificent. But when she said, "Did you do this just for me?" I got it. It's over, no miracles and I have to think of the future. That means I vote for Obama. I'm not happy about it; I don't trust his hype, and his wife still scares me. There is nothing but ice in those eyes. Okay, over. Done. Sort of.

Another over and doneseems to be the Posy sweater I was knitting from a Rowan pattern. I did it all like I'm supposed to--gauge, math, schematic, etc., and it still will be a terrible fit. I didn't frog it. I am committing it to the knitting sanitorium for rest while I think about how I would have to cut and re-graft it to make it fit---and do I want to bother. How much did I knit? All but three inches on the front. When did I first suspect this was not going to work. Three quarters of the way through the back side. Yes, way long ago.

I tell students to listen to that first nagging doubt and I didn't.

I'm going to wallow in self-pity this afternoon and then cast on something fast to knit.

New patterns I covet

I saw this in a letter from Cheryl Potter of Cherry Tree Hill. I've just taught a mitered square class and plan to teach Jill Vosburg's Diamond Patch Sweater in the Fall. But wait!!!

I love this--I love the directionality of the colors on the bottom and top. I love neckline and the empire waist. I really love the mitered squares at the end of the sleeves.

I'm headed to Koigu in Canada in September and I was kind of looking for a pattern I could make using their yarns. I can even get their help in mixing the colorways. Or I could use Silky Wool or Noro of some type.

I'm just in love!!

If you don't subscribe to the Berroco newsletter, you probably missed this.
This links to a blog that describes a dye party where they used Rit to dye handknit sweaters. The purpose was to create an ombre look with dark bottoms fading to light shoulders. It's a neat idea. Full pics and directions.

Kate called my attention to the Felted Pumpkin patterns on Carol Bristol's website. I order it and the Quick gifts to felt. Loved the shape of the bowls.

Cool New Site (at least to me)

Have you heard of The Fitter Knitter?
How about the Yahoo group The Art of Knitting?

Both are the work of Cindy Moore. I discovered these sites while reading her article
on Vintage lace in this new issue of The Inside Loop. This is a free online magazine celebrating knitting in the UK.

Cindy has taken on a great project. She loves charts; what lace knitter doesn't. Her project is to take a vintage knitting book which is no longer covered by copyright and to translate the lace patterns into charts which she posts on her blog. She uses the Yahoo group to notify members when a new chart goes up and to answer questions.

The title of the book is The Art of Knitting 1897. You can buy a copy here
or just get a peek at the illustrations. There are several I can see using as garments for today.

I've joined the group and have already downloaded the charts to date. I'm an inch away from swatching Fancy Pattern17 and Knob Stitch 10. Go to Cindy's blog and check these out.

I just think this is such a neat project. Wish I had one for me. ( . . . like I need a hole in my head.)

The Joy of Teaching and other things

This is Jean. Check out that smile. This is Jean seaming her first mattress stitch seam.
Jean grinned for the remainder of the class and swore she was headed home to take apart everything she had seamed to date. Jean was so-o-o-o happy. So was I. This is why I teach.
Debra and Sherry also had fun. I warned Debra she would be posted on the blog. Here you are, girl.


I taught the mitered class which used my Diamond Patch Hat pattern. Kate went right home and made this one for a new member of the family--well, a toddler. She will look stupendous. The tiny, fringy things were Kate's idea. She wanted to show off the star shape that begins this pattern. I just love the colors.
Flipper turns three. The most important thing for the boys was getting their birthday hats on. Who knew? My girls ripped them off even before the pictures.


This is the Eddie the Elephant (some TV character) cake sculpted by G-dad.

What I'm working on.

For the Ravelympics--5 pair of clogs. (Fibertrends pattern; Paton's Classic Wool) I've done 2.5 pair. That's not even Bronze, but at least some of the Christmas knitting is done.
Brithday sock for DD1 finished. Did I show you this already? They went to her this weekend, and she loved them. Original pattern, Crystal Palace Maizy (corn) and Panda Cotton for the heel and toe. Nice transitional weight pair.

I'm also working on more shawls--learning to shape. I've got a Cookie A. sock I want to start and I've finished the Beaded Handwarmer pattern editing. I'm working on a gift pair in CTH sock yarn and want to start one in some handspun I did some months ago.

My Posy shell is at a stop for the Olympic knitting, but I hope to finish it before vacation in September. Rowan pattern in Mission Falls Cotton. I'm putting the flower on both the front and the back.

The Central Park Vest is still a vest. I have no clue.

This is Maureen Mason-Jamison's Whimsey pattern available from her website. The yarn is a new one to me, Zaol, which I bought at Close Knits in Gastonia.

Here are my two boys in what they think are their chairs.

Breaking the silence.

Iliane wrote about not having people over because the house isn't clean enough or she has nothing to serve---a page from my own life. I've been knitting like crazy, but haven't mentioned any of it because I haven't taken decent photos of them.

The Brithday (SIC) socks for DD#1 are finished except for the wash and block.

The Noro Matsuri experimental shawl-shaping project is complete. Pics later but highly recommend the yarn. It feels so good.

Have started a new experimental shawl using Kureyon Sock yarn and my favorite horseshoe lace pattern.

Mission Falls tank 75%.

Tried to sign up for the Rowan club. Sandy talked me into it. Website is bummed. Will try again later.

Bought two Namaste bags. Be the last on your block . . . .

photos and more stuff soon.