Amazing Evening at the Farm

Last night I attended a dinner at an organic farm in Denver, NC. Thanks to my friend Kate, Steve and I had the opportunity to purchase tickets at her table for this incredible night. The evening involved a large white tent with 20 tables of 8 people, seven of Charlotte's finest chefs, fourteen organic farms of varying description, a tour of the pigs, chickens, and shiitaki mushroom fields, and some truly amazing people chasing their dreams.

The evening started with a charcuterie platter of cured pork from Grateful Growers farm. My darn camera was in the car so you don't get to see this---or a million other great things. Natalie and Cassie are producing the usual pork cuts, plus salamis, bratwurst, Italian sausage, hot Italian sausage, and now . . . American prosciutto. Lord, it was good. We also had sparkling apple cider from Davis and Son Orchard.



I won't give you the complete menu; you'd hate me if I did. My favorite of the three entrees was the rotisserie fresh ham and sweet potato shepherd's pie; I really wanted both my daughters to taste this. DD1 feeds me interesting sweet potatoes when I visit and DD2 makes a great shepherd's pie. Dessert was goat's milk vanilla bean panna cotta on caramel apple cake with caramel sauce and cinnamon toasted pecans prepared by Bill Dietz of Taverna 100 and Sonoma Restaurants. Unbelievable.

We drank lots of good wine--Windy Gap--Cabernet Franc 2003

The entire meal, no feast, was local organic products. Wow, what a political statement these folks made. The local farmers who produced the ingredients were there along with the man who processes the meat. Oh, and Natalie's chiropractor who was the only doctor of any kind who would come to the farm to help with a very sick 700 lb. sow who was due to produce her litter any minute. One vet suggested she bring the sow to his office. Yeah.

The common denominator in this group was a commitment to produce food for us consumers. Healthy food. No chemicals food. Most of the farms are 5 to 10 acres and these folks work hard just to stay a step ahead of the tax man. Natalie and Cassie get their water from the well on their farm. As Natalie took us to meet the pigs and chickens, she told us how the drought this summer has affected them. The pastures aren't growing anything for them to forage; the pigs need to be hosed down 3 times a day due to the heat; and the chicks have to be kept cool by manufactured shade. She and Cassie has restricted their personal water usage severely in order to take care of the animals. I can only imagine Jenifer at Laughing Owl Farm and her family are going through to get the produce to take to market.

All of the folks contributing to the meal sell at the Charlotte Farmer's Market every Saturday. Kate says you have to get there early if you want their products. Steve and I intend to start this. It is such an eye-opening privilege to meet these folk. We must support their efforts and create a larger market so others like them can exist and share their passion with us.

Hope I see you at the market next week. Bring your knitting.

My Personal Shopper

It's so great to be friends with the owner of your local yarnshop. Remi's Fleece Artist order came in today and she called me immediately. I hustled up and bought 2 skeins of the Woolie Silk 2ply. I want a Clapotis. I could probably make the size I want out of one ball, but why risk it? Two balls will let me knit it without worry and also make something else.

It feels luscious.

I'm in the process of adding my patterns to Ravelry--orders from my blogging mentor. I'm having a bit of trouble, but will not ask for help until I am desparate. What an idiot!

NEW Sock Pattern--Estonian Button Stitch

This is my new sock pattern. I remembered a stitch in a square that Nancy Bush submitted to Knitters for an afghan. Lately I've become very interested in Estonian knitting; I'd love to take Nancy's lace shawl class. Of course, I've already had several classes with Merike Saarnit. I looked up the issue of Knitters and the pattern for this sock began.

The yarn is from Yarn Nerd, an enabling assist from turtlegirl76. He does a nice job with the dyeing and I like the base yarn; it has a tight twist. Sorry I've forgotten the details, but 100 grams of any sock weight will do.

The main thing I was looking for was--ta dum--a way to avoid pooling and a way to make the yarn look as good in the sock as it did in the hank. The button stitches broke up the colorway nicely and added texture without making the cuff bulky. (Bulky is not a word I like to hear.)

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the pattern. If you have any trouble with the Button Stitch, email me.

Socks are finished.

Thanks to driving to the beach and back the last two weekends, I finished two pair of socks. The pair above is Brigit designed by Gigi Silvia. Click here.Made jof CTH Supersock on size 1's. I like this cuff so much I might make these again. I knit both at the same time on one 40" needle--Magic Loop.

This is my own design highly inspired by one of Cat Bordhi's new patterns. These socks are made of Crystal Palace's Maizy, a corn fiber. Used 1's and knit two at a time on 2 circulars until I could put them on the Magic Loop.
The cuff was knit in Linen St for about an inch before joining. The split is in the center back. I fiddled with some linen and some stockinette for a while and them moved to all stockinette.
As soon as the cuff was long enough to be past my calf muscle, I shaped the cuff by moving into a k1,p1 ribbing which I continued on the heel flap. After I turned the heel I threw in a bit of seed stitch. All of this was just decided on as I knit.

The Maizy yarn feels nice on my foot, but I'm not wild about the colors. I suspect the corn fiber doesn't take dye well which is why all of the colorways are muted. Don't know if I'll use it again.

Decisions! Yarn sale

As I write, a nice man is grouting the bathroom and the glass man has measured for the shower walls and door. Can it be that a second potty will be available by the weekend? Steve and I are not a one potty household. The time is here to decide on colors--I'm not sure I can.

Instead I spent some time with my bead trash and made new markers. The small ones are designed to use with socks to mark the gusset decrease site a la Cat Bordhi. Meghan gave me the life saver type beads (do they have a real name?) some time ago and I enjoyed conjuring up a way to use them. My wraps are getting better, and it is such fun to just play. Remember when you first learned to knit and were mixing lots of yarn to make scarves? This is the same kind of fun.

Also made the row counter described in this issue of Knitters. Very simple and works well. I think the guild would enjoy making these for a program.

OTN -- a top down raglan from the Adara yarn I bought from elann. I just love the feel of the linen and cotton and thought I'd enjoy it in a "sweatshirt" substitute this fall. The time has come to decide if it will be a pullover or a cardigan. My life is nothing but decisions; I might as well be working again. :)

Little_Knits is having a big sale on Opal sockyarn(among other great things), so I ordered these.



Opal 6-Ply - Magic (Color #1711)
Details

46% Off Sale!
Fiber Content: 75% Superwash Wool and 25% Poly

Yardage: 458 yards per each 150 gram skein (one BIG skein is more than sufficient for a pair of socks)

Gauge: 6-5.5 stitches to an inch on US size 3-5 needles

Opal Rainforest Peacock

45% Off Sale!
Fiber Content: 75% Superwash Wool and 25% Polyamid

Yardage: 462 yards per 100 gram skein (one skein for a pair of socks)

Gauge: 7 stitches/inch on US size 1-2 needles

Veil of Leaves

From Cat Bordhi's new book and knit in Cotton Fine. I don't really like them.

At no point do I attribute my dislike to the genius of Cat Bordhi. Nope. Nor do I think the fault likes in Cotton Fine. The fault is clearly mine in that I chose cotton for a pattern that really needed a yarn with lots of memory so it wouldn't stretch out. The fault, Horatio, lies with me.

I still do not like the short row heel. It feels like it will be eaten down by the heel of my shoe. Maybe it won't, but it feels as if it will. I do not have to be rational about this. I am retired. I paid my dues.



The cuff is lovely, but stretched out and I know of no one who needs to add width to her ankles.

The socks, therefore will stay with me. I will either wear them under really long pants, or just use them to help me remain humble. Stay tuned for the new ones knit in Maisy. Corn. Who would have guessed?



On the needles today, a top down raglan made from this yarn.
elann Adara from elann.com
Fibre Content: 87.5% Mercerized Cotton/ 12.5% Linen
Made In: Brazil
Care: Machine Wash Cold Gentle/ Dry Flat
Gauge: 18 st/4 inches 4.5 mm (US 7)
Yardage: 85 m (93 yards)
Size: 50g (1.75 oz) ball
Price: $2.48 USD

It isn't the most beautiful yarn I've ever seen, but I love the hand of it. And I think it will get softer over the years. This may be a zip front cardi or a v neck pullover (haven't decided yet and don't have to decide for another 1.5 inches. I think of it like a favorite sweatshirt. I really like to feel the fabric. And the cost is wonderful.

Carpal Tunnel and Socks

It's official--carpal tunnel diagnosed! Cortisone in both wrists and nerve test is scheduled. Surgery will follow. BUT . . . my doctor is a wonder. She is a former East Meck High student, a tennis player and -- wait for it--a knitter. She was a fabulous teen and is even more awesome now. Chapel Hill, Harvard Med, Duke residency, and a sweeter girl you'll never meet. Best of all--she never even hinted I should stop knitting.


Finished object for you is the pair of Socks That Rock socks I knit for DH. Again I am trying to enhance the hand-dye, so this time I knit his K3, P1 cuff with an extra step. Round 1, I slipped the first of the three knit stitches. Round 2, I slipped the 2nd. Round 3, the 3rd. Round 4, none. It mixed the colors nicely and gave the piece a bit more texture.

Also finished is the Mystery Stole #3, but I can't block it until I uncover the guest room bed which can't be uncovered until the bathroom is finished and --well, you get the point. I received an invite for another mystery stole group through Yahoo that I joined. It will start in October, so that's the goal for blocking this one.

Finally on Ravelry where my username is jprater. I've put a few projects on there, but that will go slowly.

On the needles--The Harry Potter scarf, Brigit socks, new socks with Crystal Palace Maisy (corn fiber). I'm trying to avoid anything but wool for a few days, so that means felting. Easier on my wrists. I knit a large fair isle piece with 9 roses on it. I wish I knew what it was. Maybe a pillow top or the front of a bag. Oh, well, I enjoyed the knitting. I want to build up a bunch of felting and then have a go with the washer all at once.

Very tired from the cortisone which reacts on me like speed, so haven't slept much. I'll try to be more inspiring next time.

Cat Bordhi review

Remodeling again and it's wasted me. This time I'm having the downstairs bath enlarged so we can use it as more than a powder room. 1940's baths were tiny.

Steve and I finally painted the living room so the new sofa has a nice home. It was hard work, especially repairing the plaster. So many years since we had tackled such a project together and I quite enjoyed it.

Knitting news! Cat Bordhi's new sock book.

I enjoy Cat Bordhi's mind. I knit the two tutorial socks and I have reservations about both. You toe-up sock knitters have yet to convince me. I knit one from Cat's Sock that Soar, but it doesn't fit well enough. Tossed it on the frog pond.

Decided to work on my two socks on two circs or on Magic Loop. Annoyed by 2 balls of yarn at the same time, but stuck with it. Now I have discovered my own technique to handle the yarn and am racing through two pair.
1. Brigit-- in CTH, a pattern I found online and tweaked with twisted stitches

2. "Veil of Leaves" from the new Bordhi book in Brown Sheep Cotton Fine

The new Bordhi book has the best explanation/instruction of lifted increases and short row wraps I have ever read--and I have read many, many, many. The diagrams and schematics are terrific--well drawn and easy to understand.

Heels are a different story. I like my sturdy Dutch heels or standard turned heels. Short row heels seem insubstantial compared to them and don't ever fit as well. I've about finished the lace pair and am not happy with the heel. I want to knit a gorgeous two color design called Clematis Vine, but I have to figure out how to knit it top down and with my own heel. Well, I can do that.

Got my invite to Ravelry; no time yet to put anything up. Pics and new patterns soon.

Birthday wishes to my blogging mentor

I keep seeing this Rockin’ Girl Blogger award on some of the sites I read. Finally I traced it to its beginning here Now the only rockin’ I’ve done recently was
at the Charlotte airport before a flight to knitting camp, but I cannot believe no one has nominated Turtlegirl76. Therefore, in accordance with the rules set forth on Roberta's website, I hereby nominate Turtlegirl76 – on her birthday—for this illustrious position.

My reasons are:
1. Energetic (and sometimes profane) writing
2. Photographic excellence that even captures the softness
3. Steadfast dependability of posting
4. Great generosity of time and talent

She gets a button for her blog. Well, it’s not as if the birthday ended in a 0 or a 5. Small presents count. If you haven’t read her blog, go there---after you finish this. See Favorite Links.

Stitch Diva Strikes Again

I was down to the Mystery Stole and the Harry Potter Scarf; I’m sure sane people would think that enough, BUT . . . . Once I get a pattern/project conquered, I need to move to something new even while finishing the first thing. ADD? Probably, but I’ve always been this way and I cope.

I want to knit, I want to play with yarn, I want to learn, but I am in no mood to design. I have really been enjoying the Mystery Stole because all I need do is knit it. So I hit the computer—as well as books, years of magazines, the yarn shop—but couldn’t find anything I wanted to knit. This often happens.

Finally I found a pattern for a twisted stitch sock. Click here.
It’s called Brigit and was designed by Gigi Silvia; and it’s really lovely. Yes, I tweaked it. I took Austrian Twisted Stitches from Candace Eisner Strick and I’ve just received two books on the subject by Maria Erlbacher. Take a good look at those stitches in the background.The top design is knitted normally as the pattern directs, the next two designs are knitted with twisted knit sts (ktbl). Much neater, tighter effect. I didn’t really get it right until the third design which was knit after I charted the pattern. I learned the technique from charts and was getting bogged down in the verbage. I’m going to use them as samples in some sock techniques classes I’m teaching in August, so the errors will be teaching tools.

As usually happens, as soon as I found the sock, I began to plot a sweater. I thought I would redo the Stitch Diva Simple Bodice by Wendy Bernard. I liked the red one I did but I wanted to knit it with a different waist feature and a different bottom finish.

StitchDiva picked today to email me an opportunity to

1. buy patterns at a discount and

2. help some knitters.

Can’t pass that up. I bought Sahara, a sweater designed by Wendy again, and Shimmering Thread Necklaces.
Well, I need something to do with the beads leftover from the Mystery Stole.

Would have bought Trapeze but it is not yet available. I’ll get it soon.

I love these patterns because they follow the body and don’t leave inches hanging to add even more flesh to my ample body. The pics with them look too young, but they are so easy to adapt for me. Raise the neckline a little and lose the bell sleeves and it becomes quite a conservative, classically fitted sweater.

Class tonight with my very accomplished beginners and then to finish plans for all the August sock classes.

New Sock Pattern--Chicken Feet

I have FINALLY posted a new sock pattern for you. This is called Chicken Feet. It is similar to Bird Walking, but I changed the pattern some and used a contrasting color. This is easy colorwork. You only use one yarn at a time and you don't have to cut them. Try a swatch of the cuff pattern if you have doubt. I think this is my best sock ever; I just wish my photos did it justice.

Look at the pattern on the heel. Here you do carry both yarns at the same time, but there are no floats to worry about. Actually the use of two yarns strengthens the heel.

Please enjoy! And let me know how you like it. Use the entire pattern or just a part. I guarantee your handpaint yarns will look good in this pattern. No pooling.

Now my DH can finally wear his new socks. He has become quite a dude. A few more pair and we might even see bright colors. Warning! Wool socks are addictive. Wear them once, wear them forever.

Now to stop knitting and paint the doggone living room. Ugh!

Personality Profile--sorta Myers-Brigg

Don't I wish some of this was me? Actually, it is close, but I hope I am kind. I really value Kindness. That's why I like Knitters so much.

Anyway, click on the topic above and it will take you to a website with lots of stupid tests that tell you about yourself. It's a way to rest your wrists and all of what I saw was flattering. Don't you have days when flattery is really needed?

If you are well-adjusted and mature, just stop reading now.

You Are An INTP

The Thinker You are analytical and logical - and on a quest to learn everything you can. Smart and complex, you always love a new intellectual challenge. Your biggest pet peeve is people who slow you down with trivial chit chat. A quiet maverick, you tend to ignore rules and authority whenever you feel like it. In love, you are an easy person to fall for. But not an easy person to stay in love with. Although you are quite flexible, you often come off as aloof or argumentative. At work, you are both a logical and creative thinker. You are great at solving problems. You would make an excellent mathematician, programmer, or professor. How you see yourself: Creative, fair, and tough-minded When other people don't get you, they see you as: arrogant, cold, and robotic

What's Your Personality Type?

Crate and Barrel Update

Well, I had to call them and the reception was icy, but I am satisfied. The chair has been cancelled and I don't appear to have been charged the restocking fee. Sanity prevailed. The sofa comes a week from Friday. Now to paint. Thanks for listening.

Shopping at Crate & Barrel

Ar-r-r-r-r-gh

So May 5 I drag Steve to Crate & Barrel to buy a sofa and a chair. See pics here I loved the sofa; the chair was okay. But I bought both. The sofa was a stock item and could be here in 2 weeks. The chair was custom; 6-8 weeks. The clerk thought he could get them to bring the sofa and later the chair for just one delivery charge. I mean—I was paying a bunch for these two pieces. His manager said no. So I said I’ll wait for the chair.

July 2--10 weeks later—Ten weeks of a topsy turvy house working on my last nerve, I call to ask the status of my order. The lovely girl who answered put me on hold and returned to say, “I’ll have D call you.” I should have known then.

No need, says I. I just want to know where in the process we are. L. says ----long story short----In June—15th AND 22nd they received notice the fabric was back ordered until Aug. 1. The fabric I had been having second thoughts about a week after I bought it. But it was custom, so you couldn’t cancel after they started it. No one alerted me of the delay. No one let me know that I had a chance to change my mind. I told L. to have D. call.

He did. He was so nice. I said cancel the chair. He said he would have to ask his manager---the one who denied the delivery deal. I said that if his manager said No he should have the names and numbers of the three people above her when he called. I didn’t want to waste his time and I would be calling them.

The manager called. Butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth. ( A Southern saying that I understand, but have no idea how it means that.) I had such lovely taste. The chair was going to be dynamite with the sofa. I should keep the chair and just to make the delay up to me, she would comp the delivery fee. That nasty delivery fee that she had gouged me with in May.

”I’d just like to cancel the chair.”

Well, they had not called me because the delay was within the 9-10 week window they had first quoted me. August 1 (a date she didn’t know I knew) was not within the window. And the window was 6-8 weeks.

“Just deliver my sofa and cancel the chair.”

Well, the chair may be ready any day. In fact, the chair may arrive before the sofa. (Sofa should have been in local warehouse since May 20th when it could have been delivered for an extra $65 delivery charge.)

“Do you know for certain the chair is in production? Best find out. I want to cancel and just receive the sofa.”

Well, you’ll have to pay a restocking fee.

She is supposed to call me back. I didn’t ask about why I had to pay a restocking fee for something that had never existed. I knew I would get really ugly then. When we Southern Bell/Steel Magnolias get ugly, well-----you just don’t want to know.

I really wanted that sofa, but I’m not so sure anymore. Someone tell me again how wonderful Crate & Barrel is.

Stash Sale at Charlotte Yarn

What a glorious day! Remi Haywood, owner of Charlotte Yarn, sponsored a stash sale for her customers. She provided tents, tables, coffee and bagels and watched us have fun. We met new knitters, saw old friends, and sold, bartered, gave away yarn. I made a bundle. Steve reminded me that I had paid more for the yarn than I sold it for, but I think having money in hand to buy new yarn instead of having yarn I don't re-e-e-ally want so much sitting in the attic is a fair trade.



Anyway, we set up about 8:30. Well, Remi's husband William did most of the work. He's a fantastic guy, but his mother is so great it isn't a surprise. Phyllis taught in CMS longer than I did. Now she drives an orange Hummer. That must mean something.



My table was embarrassingly full. And I only brought yarn that I had 5 or more skeins of. I hope we do this again and I'll bring the scarf stuff. Some came back home and some went to charity.



Lots of folks showed up to sell AND buy. Cristi Brockway was selling and May Shue was buying. May even brought a copy of her To Be Knitted database with yarns and amounts. We said, "Geek!" And we wished we were that organized.



More people came and William organized a team to set up the tents. I think we had four in all. It was bring your own chair and lots of knitting was done in our makeshift shade.



The Charlotte Knitting Guild was well represented by Vice-President Rachel Eldridge and member Dinah Barrett. Dinah kept my table straight and I know helped sell some yarn.



Charlotte Yarn staff was well represented by Natalie seen talking to Dinah.



Cristi and Amy laughed a lot, even though Amy bought the hot pink Sierra out from under Cristi. She told us about her exploits knitting from Stephani Japel's Fitted Knits. Made me want to knit another Simple Bodice.

DH picked me up at 1 and we went to Bricks for lunch; ran into Harriet and Michael there. Sweet Alabama Harriet gave me a skein of Koigu.

Came home to find Harry Potter waiting. Am on Chapter 8. Plan to finish it tomorrow and not to watch live TV or look anywhere at the net until I do.

More about Camp

Betty Dong sent some more camp pics, so I thought I would post them.

Silly me, I didn’t realize all the Maggie Sefton connections until someone explained them to me. I just read A Deadly Stitch and wow! Fort Conner (in the book) is clearly Fort Collins, Co. The yarnshop House of Lambspun is the shop I posted about on the 12th; see the pic of Lambspun there.


The restaurant is attached (Betty H, Eileen, myself and our fearless leader Gay enjoyed lunch there) and the golf course is just across the way. Only Helen’s cottage is missing. I know Rachel will have a fit about this because she likes her books so much.

This is Mary Ellen who is our mentor. She is holding one of her sweaters designed by DD Paula, our resident color specialist. She demonstrated cutting a steek for those who had not seen such. Mary Ellen is selling her patterns now; I saw them at My Sister Knits. She graciously sent me two and I can’t wait to knit them.

You expect yarns shops to have cats, but My Sister Knits has chickens. The shop is behind the owner’s home and both front and back yards are full of birdhouses, including felted ones. I’ve just put up some feeders in my yarn, but I want to make the felted birdhouses. I believe it is a Fibertrends pattern.

Lots of folks went out to eat, but not all of them behaved. Eileen and Peggy needed stern words.

Candace was a superb teacher and promised to return next year with new tricks for us. She is also a lot of fun. She is modeling Alice’s gloves which were featured in Knitters magazine a few years ago.

Tomorrow is the big Stash Sale at Charlotte Yarn. Hope I make some money---to spend on more yarn.

A Million Apologies

I have just discovered that a number of you have been unable to reach my free patterns due to my tiny geocities account. I am so sorry. You need to complain so I will know.

I have upgraded my site and the patterns are now available. Please forgive. More patterns coming soon.