Blessings in disguise

Well, I've got the nasty sore throat my DH had last week. I've been nursing it all weekend by resting in bed, trying to knock it out quickly so I can get back on schedule on Monday. But with Christmas around the corner, it has actually been a blessing in disguise because I could spend the time working on knitting gifts.

I managed to finish the remaining slippers on my "absolutely necessary" list, finished another slipper on my "would really be nice to get done" and started yet another. I also managed to finish the first bear for my Hockey KAL during the Gopher/Wild double header last night and start another. Since the Wild are playing again tonight, I'm going to try to finish the knitting on the second bear tonight.

The only good thing about being sick is realizing you have a wonderful family that is willing to take on the housework and let stay you in bed and knit and watch old movies and hockey all weekend. There is also the added blessing that my DH already had this, so he knows exactly how miserable it is, so he's really empathetic. He is giving me lots of suggestions for how to treat the raging sore throat and other nasty symptoms of this particular bug. It makes me so thankful for my family, and especially for my DH, who has bent over backwards to take care of me while I moan and groan my way through this bug. It is so easy to take family for granted and I am so thankful that they can really step up and take over when I'm down. I am so blessed!

Letting go and trusting the words

I just finished knitting the Mobius Bag from Knit It! Fall 2006. I don't have the pictures to upload yet, as I need to sew down the I-cord embellishment and felt it but I did feel the need to blog about the knitting process on this particular project.

As a highly visual person, I tend to translate words into pictures. It's just the way my brain works. I've been learning much more about that recently because I've been reading a couple books on spacial/visual thinkers because DD#3 is showing strong indications of being an even more extreme type of visual thinker and they require special teaching techniques. It's been illuminating to learn about myself while trying to learn about my daughter's particular learning style.

I can remember back when I finally learned, however, to stop trying to visualize knitting instructions and just "do it". For years I had struggled because I tried to "see" the pattern before attempting to knit it. I had attempted socks but always got stymied by the heels because the instructions for short-rows didn't make sense to me. I couldn't "see" the end result, so everything would get all snarled up.

I finally gave up trying to figure out socks on my own and signed up for a class. At the last minute, though, the class was cancelled, due to lack of interest. Frustrated, I headed off to my LYS for knit night instead. I sat and fumed and pondered the issue. On my way out after musing over my own incompetence for several hours, I saw a sock kit with beautiful, Cherry Tree Hill yarn. I decided then and there that I was going to conquer socks or die trying. There was no way I was going to bypass all that fibery goodness because I was a knitting dunce.

I started the socks and got to my usual hang-up spot in the pattern - I read and re-read the instructions. I counted and re-counted stitches. The math didn't make sense and the pictures in my head would not cooperate. Then I closed my eyes and just released the pictures. I told myself to just read the words, let my hands follow the instructions and trust that the pattern writers knew what they were doing and it would all just work out without my having a strong vision of the process in my head first. Eureka! As the knitting progressed, then the pictures began to unfold in my head. It made sense but only after I let go and trusted the words first.

Now this may sound incredibly simple to some. Perhaps you've always followed the words without a picture in your mind and my mental quirks don't make sense. Or maybe you're even more visual and have no problems seeing the pictures, regardless of how convoluted the words make it seem. But it was the absolute epiphany of my knitting career.

Now, this long story was the prologue to my Mobius Bag story. It was a "let go and trust the words" kind of project. The picture of the bag didn't jive with what the instructions seemed to be saying, so my mental pictures were wrestling with the words initially. But I remembered my mantra and just followed the instructions and everything worked out just fine. It is actually quite a clever little bag and I can't wait to see how it felts up.

In reality, this process is a great analogy for faith in God. Sometimes when things don't make sense to us "logically," we just have to trust the Word. After all, "faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1). When life is taking us for a ride and we try everything we can to control things that really are beyond our control, there comes a time when we need to let go and just take it on faith that "all things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28).

Right now, because of things beyond my control, I am battling depression. It's all chemical, due to migraines and the weather. My life isn't horrible, so there isn't anything situational that I can place any blame on (besides a little stress and who doesn't experience stress). So even when things seem dark and hopeless, I am just letting go and trusting the Word when it says, "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things." (Ephesians 4:4-9)

My Favorite Chair

Here is my little knitting world. My old recliner, inherited from my FIL, which perfectly fits my kinks. The side table, with enough room for my tea and snacks and all the clutter that knitting requires. The knitting companion that warms my lap without attacking my yarn or needles (unless they get too feisty - then swift and stern discipline is needed and expected). My DS snapped this pic Sunday evening as I worked away on yet another Christmas gift. I'd been there for several hours and it was a blissful, Sabbath rest for me and I am so thankful for these brief breaks of peace in my hectic schedule. (I think Koda enjoys them, too. She was completely sacked out!)

I also teach school from this recliner most days, since our basement school room is a little chilly right now. We haven't rezoned our heating system yet, so we're still schooling on the main level until we get the settings right and it's more comfortable downstairs. I wish I could clone this chair, though, and have one in every room of my house. Being a short person, having a chair with the right seat depth and arm rests that don't hitch my shoulders up to my earlobes and a neck pillow that is actually behind my neck and not hitting me in the back of the head is such a blessing. It's a great chair for snuggling little ones with books, too. When the older ones need help, a foot stool is pulled along side and books are placed on the arm rest and we can work together. I love this chair!

If I were a poet, I think I would write an ode to the perfect chair. But I'm not, so I'll just settle for this blog entry and head off to school my kids with a thankful heart and remember to send a little note to my FIL this week by way of remembering his sweetness in sending my favorite chair into my life.

Joining a new KAL

Well, even more proof that I'm a weak woman. I gave in and joined the Hockey Knitter's Knitalong, although I should really admit that I have no time for charity knitting right now. But The Mother Bear Project is really one I've wanted to get involved with for a long time. One of my favorite LYS has been actively involved, so I have an easy way to deliver my goods, not to mention an excellent excuse to visit the shop from time to time. Talk about motivation to finish a few bears.

I have no picture to show of my latest FO, only because it was finished in a hurry and delivered, pronto. A friend broke her ankle on Friday, had surgery on Saturday, was home on Sunday in a cast. So I started knitting Sunday night, fulled on Monday morning and delivered on Monday evening a still slightly damp toecozy. I'm hoping my friend will snap a photo of it in use and e-mail it to me, so I can post it on my blog later.

I adapted the felted clog pattern by eliminating the bottom portion of the clog and just casting on the full number of stitches needed for the top portion of the clog. I knit two rows then made two YO button holes in one end and knit 2 more rows before starting the top portion of the clog. I ended the top portion of the clog about halfway up and bound it off. I then picked up a few stitches under the front portion of the clog and knit a little lip, picking up stitches at each side by and k2tog with last stitch, making sure that I didn't increase the total number of stitches, since it only needed to cup underneath the edge of the toes and the cast a little. After it was finished, I embroidered three little roses and some chainstitched leaves, just to dress it up a little.

Well, off to my crazy running day. Ta-ta.

Flying Purple Widdershins Hockey Debut

I wore the Flying Purple Widdershins to the first hockey scrimmage tonight. When I came down, I showed them to my DS and announced their name. My DS, a natural born skeptic and having the normal, teenaged aversion to anything out of the realm of ordinary, wrinkled his nose and asked me not to announce to the parents or team what they were called. When I inquired as to why, he said the name was "weird." In other words, his mom would be considered weird for having socks with a weird name. Or maybe the fact that I name my socks at all is the weird part.

Needless to say, that got me thinking about what Widdershins might mean. So I googled it. I had to laugh. According to Wikipedia,

"Widdershins (sometimes withershins, or widershins) is a word which (usually) means anticlockwise, however in certain circumstances it can be used to refer to a direction which is against the light, i.e. where you are unable to see your shadow. It is cognate with the German language widersinnig, i.e., "against" + "sense". The term "widdershins" was especially common in Lowland Scots, and was known in Scottish Gaelic as tuathal, which uses the same root as tuath meaning "north", the opposite of widdershins is deiseil/sunwise. In the southern hemisphere, the sun actually goes anti-clockwise, but in the northern hemisphere, it goes clockwise, which is where the term "sunwise" originates from. Because the sun played a highly important role in primitive religion, to go against it was considered very bad luck."

Now, I've already stated that I don't believe in luck. But I did laugh that my hockey socks were named for something that 1) could be considered bad luck and 2) has an link to pagan religion (if you read further).

The scrimmage went well. The boys lost (2 - 4) but played extremely well. They were plagued by pentalties, not having adapted to the new rules quite yet but managed to kill a couple 5 on 3 penalties. My DS played defense the whole game and got an assist and managed to draw one penalty on a breakaway, all without getting a penalty himself. He played extremely well and I'm one proud hockey mom tonight.

Did the socks have any impact on the game? Well, my feet were warm. Quite toasty, in fact, even though I was working the penaltybox and was on the cold side of the rink. Therefore, score one for the Flying Purple Widdershins!

Catching my breath and catching up.

Whew! What a whirlwind week! Finally, a quick breather and an update. While frantically running around, I did get a little knitting done in the small snippets of time afforded a frantic homeschooling hockey/dance mom.

I officially have two and 1/2 pairs out of four planned pairs of slippers completed, with thoughts of expanding the total number by who knows how many. This pattern is really working up so fast and it is easy, now that I have the format of the structure figured out. With Sunday School teachers, dance teachers and hockey coaches to get thank you gifts for, the idea of whipping out slippers is very appealing. Since I have a huge stash of 100% wool worsted weight yarn I picked up for my knitting machine on clearance at $10 a cone last year in a bunch of colors, there would be virtually no added expense for me to make these this year. Clickety, clickety, whirrrr goes the brain as I try to figure out how many gifts I could make . . . And talk about the stash reduction this would result in. My DH would be in 7th heaven if I could get rid of the pile of coned yarn in my craft closet.

The blankets are a pair for twins due any time now. They were made from some lovely hand-dyed mohair boucle and hand-painted sock yarn, mixed with some of that coned yarn in white in a simple chevron pattern. I reversed the color stripes between the two blankets, so they were slightly different. They are deliberately layered so you can see one chevron of each colorway. They're going in the wash today, so they can be blocked and ready to be wrapped. I figured if Mom peeks now, she'll be okay, since she knows she's getting blankets from me, since I'm lousy at keeping secrets.

The socks are the ones started for Socktoberfest that never got finished. I was so engrossed with mastering the 2 in 1 process that they were the only completed socks I could truly boast of starting and finishing October. But socks are a year-round thing for me, so they will go on.

Now, I've been meaning to do this MEME for sometime but just now got around to it. So here it is:

48 Things You Could Care Less About

1. FIRST NAME? Lorraine
2. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? Not that I know of.
3. WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY? Yesterday – a young man sang at our Academy and I teared up.
4. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? When I pay attention, yes. When I’m rushed, no way!
5. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCHMEAT? Roast beef.
6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? I really don’t know. I’m quirky and a bit weird.
7. DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL? I have in the past but don’t currently.
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? No.
9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? I might, in the right context.
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Coco Wheats (hot cereal)
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? No way. I’m always too rushed.
12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? Physically, no. Emotionally, yes.
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR? Plain old chocolate.
14. SHOE SIZE? 8-1/2
15. RED OR PINK? Deep, dark red
16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? I can’t put names to faces and I’m a very scattered conversationalist and easily distracted in crowds. Makes me socially awkward in public.
17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? My departed cat Joey.
18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? Go for it.
19. WHAT COLOR PANTS, SHIRT AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? I’m in an old black and red velour full-length gown that I recycled into a nightgown because I never attend formal events and the stretchy velour dress is a much more glamorous and sexy warm nightgown than anything else I’ve seen in the stores. No socks or shoes, just a red cardigan with pearl buttons over the nightgown to give it some class.
20. LAST THING YOU ATE? Tapioca pudding (I woke up with a migraine and tapioca soothes my upset tummy)
21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? DD#3 blow up a beach ball.
22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Red.
23. FAVORITE SMELL? Roses
24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? My DH.
25. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE YOU ARE ATTRACTED TO? The face – probably because I can never put a name to them.
26. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON you stole THIS from? I just found fellow Minnesotan Cori’s blog, so I’m just getting to know her. But who can help liking someone with such a cute baby.
27. FAVORITE DRINK? Coffee with lots of cream and Splenda.
28. FAVORITE SPORT? Hockey – Go Wild and Gophers!
29. EYE COLOR? Brown
30. HAT SIZE? No clue.
31. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? Glasses only.
32. FAVORITE FOOD? Depends on what I’m craving. Right now, a good steak.
33. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? I hate scary movies. Happy endings all the way.
35. SUMMER OR WINTER? Tough choice, but summer, I guess.
36. HUGS OR KISSES? Nothing beats a warm hug.
37. FAVORITE DESSERT? Kentucky Butter Cake
38. WHO IS MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? I have no idea.
39. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? ???
40. WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING? In the Minds Eye by Thomas G. West and Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.
41. WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE Pad? St. Thomas Alumni Association.
42. WHAT DID YOU WATCH LAST NIGHT ON TV? Gopher Hockey – They won!
43. FAVORITE SOUNDS? Worship music, guitar, piano.
44. ROLLING STONE OR BEATLES? Rolling Stones.
45. THE FURTHEST YOU'VE BEEN FROM HOME? California or Arizona - I don't know the mileage.
46. WHAT'S YOUR SPECIAL TALENT? I can read upside down and backwards. No, seriously, I used to sing a lot. I also used to design costumes, quilts and currently teach knitting and other art classes to homeschooled kids.
47. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Riverside, California.
48. WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? I stole it from Cori.

Now, I've done a little checking but I can't figure out where #34 went. Anyone else know?

Too much of a good thing?

I'm beat. It's been one of those days when I ask myself what I was thinking.

To begin with, someone forgot to notify my fluffy knitting companion about the time change. So she's waking me at 3:00 am now, instead of 4:00. No matter how hard I try to go back to sleep after her attempts nuzzle, lick and paw my face, I just can't seem to doze back off. So this tired mama, knowing she had more things on her agenda today than were humanly possible to achieve anyway, pulled her sorry self out of bed and started her day at 3:30 am.

First on the list, Awana preparations. After 5 years as secretary, this stuff is pretty routine, so I downloaded Lime & Violet's latest podcast and enjoyed a hearty chuckle or two at their "Till Bill" Spoof while doing my data entry and clerical magic. Hey, I finished early and even visited a few favorite blogs (something I've had far too little time for lately) before heading out for my weekly Bible Study at 6 am. So far, so good.

Home after study to help DS#1 finish her "oops, I procrastinated too long" homework for some co-op classes she takes on Wednesdays. A frantic rush to finish several things before sending her out the door to catch her ride and I was flustered and winded but, whew, back to a semi-regular schedule. But, what's this!?! DD#2 is nearly done with her math book! Did I order the next one? Blast! Got to go online and get it ordered. This company takes a few weeks to get things out and I'm not willing to pay through the nose for faster shipping.

Well, this is a problem. Unfortunately, DH is sick. Really sick. But being the obsessive compulsive, er, I mean diligent, hard-working kinda guy he is, he will still work from home. So I needed to approach my poor, suffering husband to ask him to vacate the desk for awhile so I can use the computer. Now, ordinarily, this wouldn't be too big a problem. After all, he does have his work lap top and he doesn't use the home computer for work, except to listen to talk radio. But, as some of you may have experienced in your own lives, husbands don't make good sick people. They get a little cranky. So I had to be the good nurse and check his throat and make some hot tea and get him some ice cream for his raging sore throat to kind of smooth the way before asking to use the computer. Worked like a charm but took up extra time I really didn't have today.

So, I go online to order the books. I am literally on the computer for under 3 minutes and get up to find my purse and my DH makes a move to take back the desk. "Excuse me, I'm just getting my purse. I'm not done yet." DH replies with a growl, "How long you going to be?" "I don't know. I still have to pay for it. And, oh, by the way, when you told me you were working from home today, I did remind you that I needed the computer today. A lot!!!! Please bear with me when I ask for it, okay?" "GRRRRR!" Time for more ice cream, I guess. Or a tranquilizer.

Well, back to school with the kids. Math for the little girls, Argument homework for DS. Now, one of the challenges of homeschooling is the fact that you have multiple students in different grades on different subjects at the same time at any given moment. "Mom, I need help! How do you spell 'anticipate'?" "Mom, do I plus or minus?" "Mom, is my '5' backwards?" (This from my left-handed DS#3 who mirror writes and needs to be reminded to move out of Da Vinci mode from time to time.) I feel like I need a split personality some days to deal with the very disparate questions that gets thrown at me. I have to switch from single digit subtraction to the reasons why a rating system for children's comics would be impractical in a free market to what the four major bones of the skull are in a split second. Oh my, is my mind beginning to reel now. Okay, maybe it's time for lunch. I think my blood sugar is low.

Of course, in the midst of the school day, the phone rings and it's people calling with questions about DD#3's b-day party on Friday and the sports shop finally getting back to me with answers about DS's hockey team sweatshirts and my girlfriend calling back with the answer to a question about spelling programs. Then the doorbell rings and the groceries I expected to be delivered at 9 am arrive at lunch time. Before I get the groceries half put away, everyone is trying to eat things. "NO! I'm going to make lunch. Stop! Put the chips back! Don't open that!" I am eyeing that bottle of wine on the counter. No, it's too early for that. Then the keys by the back door start beckoning me. "Come, run away with me." No, I'm a responsible adult. I can do this. Just make lunch.

After lunch, it's time for the little girls' read aloud. We're halfway through Little House on the Prairie. But something starts to go horribly wrong before the end of the 2nd chapter of the day. I can't seem to keep my eyes open. I am slurring words, nodding off and garbling things up horribly. My DS, who wandered in to listen for a few minutes is looking at me with a very quizzical look in his eye. He starts correcting my speech. This is bad, real bad. I definitely need a nap. So I send the girls off to play and send Chris back to his argument class homework with a few instructions on how to structure his rebuttal. I head upstairs to rest for a little while but my DH hollers, "The e-mail you were waiting for just arrived."

Blast again! I have to go finish the hockey sweatshirt forms now. If they'd come a little later, I would have been justified in letting them wait until tomorrow. But now I had to finish them for practice tonight. So down I trudge, to the computer, which my DH seems more than willing to give up this time. Hockey is the magic key to opening doors in the heart of my DH. So a 30 minutes and the hockey form is done. I head back upstairs. But the nap is not destined to be.

I get another call, one I have to take. So I sit and fold laundry and talk on the phone for 45 minutes. The good news is I folded all the clean laundry, something that wasn't really on my list. The bad news, no nap. It was now time to finish getting ready for Awana. A few more finishing chores, feed the kids, get DS to hockey for practice, pick up the girls for Awana and spend the evening ministering to the greatest bunch of kids in the world. Come home and look at my list of accomplishments and go, "Wow!" And then wonder, what was I thinking?

Unfortunately, tomorrow looks even worse, with prep for our Academy classes on Friday, as well as shopping for DD#3's b-day party on Friday. And orthodontic appointments, DD#1's Bible study and Hockey pictures and practice and a kickboxing class I'd really like to go to, if I'm insane enough to actually think that I can do that, too. What am I thinking?

As far as knitting - I cast on for a third pair of slippers (the second pair were made yesterday) and knitted exactly 2 rows while I was at Bible study. Not much progress but better than nothing. At least Socktoberfest is officially over. I don't know how many socks I finished. I haven't counted. I still have 6 on the needles, so they'll keep moving forward. Now there is a new Hockey KAL that livnletlrn just told me about. How I'd love to join that one but charity knitting is just not in the picture right now. Or else I'd be really asking myself - WHAT WAS I THINKING!

I need some sleep. Good night!!!

Productive weekend

I don't have any photos yet but am happy with my weekend knitting progress. I wove in tails on a couple of baby blankets for a friend who is due with twins between Thanksgiving and Christmas sometime and managed to get a pair of slippers completed in a hurry. One took less than a DVD movie (Pride and Prejudice) and the other less than 2 periods of Wild Hockey. I'm also working on the gusset shaping of a pair of gift socks, so Christmas knitting is progressing apace.

It was a pretty good hockey weekend, too. The Wild won one and lost one, the Gophers swept Colorado College and my DS's first scrimmage ended in a 0-0 tie. My DS was moved from defense to center and managed to win 7 of 11 face offs and every shot he took was on goal. He had a great first game and playing center may work out well on this team. We'll have to see if he can start getting the shots around the goalies and find the back of the net now.

Well, off to dance, boxing and hockey. Round and round we go. More knitting time while I sit and wait. Woohoo - I'm a knittin' fool.

Long delayed stash acquisitions

As promised, here are the pictures of my latest stash enhancements. The purple and black Knit Picks yarn is for my DS's Christmas socks. I haven't decided whether to go wild and crazy and make patterned socks or go with 2 pair of solid socks. Fair Isle might be fun to try but I'm still mulling things over.

The ribbon yarn was picked up on clearance at 75% off. The green will make a shell and the pink/purple will make the cardigan. There wasn't quite enough yardage of the pink (one skein short - blast) for the pattern, so I purchased the purple as insurance. Another design option would be to make the sleeves 3/4 length, if necessary. Again, these are things to mull and let simmer before jumping in. This yarn may be used for DD#1 as Christmas gifts, depending on how the time issues work out. So many gifts to knit, so little time.

Sock knitting is progressing slowly, a round here, a round there. Life is hectic and crazy, so I'll take what I can get. We have two different hockey games to choose between tonight - Gophers vs. Colorado College and Wild vs. Anaheim Ducks. We'll probably watch the Gophers but we'll sneak peaks at the Wild during intermissions and commercials. Good knitting time tonight.

The good news is that I returned to my kickboxing class last night. It was the first class in nearly 2 months. It felt great to be back in class again after such a long layoff due to injury and illness. The bad news is that I've lost a lot of my conditioning and I'm really sore today. Whew, it's going to take some time to get back into fighting form again. But I'm just happy to be back again.

Again, no pithy comments but simple satisfaction with acquiring new yarn for the stash, pleasure at returning to good health and kickboxing and the joyful anticipation for some quality knitting time watching great hockey tonight.

2 in 1 - cut and print!

Done! They are not the prettiest socks in the world. For instance, I will never show an expert my version of the Kitchener stitch on these socks, but the socks are off my needles and on DD#1's feet.

Please forgive the poor pictures. I woke up with a migraine and although my meds stopped the headache, I ended up with an upset tummy and spent a good portion of the day trying to keep my stomach contents where they belong. Ergo, I missed daylight for photos.

Already on my needles is another pair of socks. This time, toe up and I'm trying a new lace pattern from Socks, Socks, Socks called Vine Lace. Another 4 row pattern that will be easy to memorize and will give a little texture to the Dancing yarn picked up on sale from Knit Picks earlier this summer. I'm also still working on the Fall Dancing Widdershins but they are such a fine knit that they are taking forever and I'm a little bored with them.

I did stop by Knit Wits in Chanhassen this past weekend and scored some 75% off sale yarn. I know I'm on a yarn fast but I was looking for a felted clog pattern and saw the sale bin and couldn't help myself. I am so weak. The sad part is that they didn't have the clog pattern I wanted. I'll hopefully get some pictures of the yarn (and the patterns I got for the yarn) to post tomorrow.

I also ordered the yarn for my DS's Christmas socks from Knit Picks, as well as some size 0 and size 1 36" circular needles. After all, if you're going to pay shipping, you might as well get your money's worth, right? (I am so weak!)

I want to send a big thank you out to livnletlrn. A present arrived in the mail last week, the pattern for this. She was done with it and passed it along to me. I was in love with it and raved on her blog. WOW! Such generosity! I can hardly wait until my birthday next month. I'm hoping to get enough money from my Daddy and DH to maybe get some really extraordinary yarn for it. Thank you so much!!!!

Well, I wish I had some humor or something wise to end this entry with. Unfortunately, the nausea kind of sucked all the fun stuff out of me today. In the meantime, I'm going to go work on the new socks and be thankful the 2 in 1 experiment is OVER! Been there, done that, bought the t-shirt and have given it away to Good Will!

SAY IT AIN'T SO!

Oh, my WORD! Was I dreaming or what? Did it really happen? Did Jeffrey actually win Project Runway last night or what! There is definite chagrin in this household. My children are especially disappointed because they are still young enough to believe that good behavior should be rewarded and bad behavior should be punished. Jeffrey's foul mouth and less than gentlemanly behavior toward Angela's mother caused them to be repelled by him early on.

I myself was not drawn to his clothing early on but knew that the show was about design and not about personality. In fact, the popularity of the show was driven by the conflict and personality issues on the show, so the "Sturm and drang" was probably somewhat tailored (pun intended) by the designer selection process. However, given the last minute accusations of cheating, I doubted he'd even be allowed to show.

In all fairness, his clothing line was the best overall collection. I loved Laura's evening wear but it did lack the scope a full collection needs. Michael was a complete disappointment because he went trashy and too skimpy. Uli ran a close second but her line just didn't have the same WOW factor that Jeffrey's did. So, hats off to Jeffrey. Well done. But stop swearing so much - it's annoying. And apologize to Angela's mom.

Visible progress at last

The heels are finally turned. They are not perfect, by any stretch of the imagination but after three tries, I'm done trying for perfection. These socks are learning socks and it's okay that they're not perfect.

Problem one, I don't think the wraps on the purl stitches were consistently wrapped the right direction. On one side of the heel, I have a strong horizontal loop but not on the other. On the next pair of toe up socks, I'll try the short row heel and experiment with the wraps to see if I can get the two sides to be identical. With one sock inside the other and backwards, too, it was just too hard to compare sides and I gave up trying to wrap my brain around it.

Problem two, I somehow picked up an extra stitch at some point, so I have a weird YO in the heel of one sock. I don't have an extra stitch now but it is in the inside sock, so I have to turn everything inside out to get a good look at it, so I'll wait to analyze it later. I'll probably just sew up the gap with a little sewing thread. Since it's on the bottom of the foot, who cares anyway, right?

As for the technique, it's an interesting novelty but I'm not sure I'll make it a regular in my arsenal. I'd have to get much better at short row heels and I need to do that one sock at a time, first. I also am not a cuff down girl, never having gotten terribly comfortable with the Kitchener stitch. I love my toe up and if I could figure out how to do 2 in 1 toe up, I might give it a try. I'm also a lace sock lover, which I don't think could be done in this technique.

On the homefront, DS recovered from the flu. Unfortunately, his poor performance at the hockey try outs resulted in placement on the C team but I'm actually pleased with it. He does have a very tough school schedule this year and I think having a little less hockey pressure is a good thing. He can relax and have a little more fun on the C team, instead of having to push all the time to keep up with the higher level of players and competition on the B level team. He's one of the best skaters on the team, so he has the potential of being a leader on the ice, too, which could be a great learning experience in itself. He's a little bummed but he loves the game enough to keep playing, regardless. So onward and upward.

And on a fibery note, he was a little jealous that I gave the L&V socks to DD#1. He wants a pair of hand knit socks and liked the purple yarn. Not having any purple yarn in my stash, I guess I'll just have to go shopping for some purple yarn to make him some socks for Christmas. To quote a favorite pod caster - "Sqeeeee"!

2 in 1 socks - Take 4, 5 and 6

Arrrrggghhh! Let's just say I should have tried short row heels on one sock at a time first. I'm on my third attempt now, having spent nearly all day at it. Enough said! Where's the wine!

2 in 1 socks - Take 3

The socks hit a snag. I was blissfully knitting along this afternoon . . . well, not so blissfully, if you knew how my weekend was going.

It has been a bad day, a very, very bad day. DS#1 had been up most of the night with his version of the flu. No vomiting but lots of throat pain and congestion, with much wailing and weeping and gnashing of teeth because we are in the midst of hockey try outs and it is the WORST time to get sick if you are nearly 14 and trying to get to a higher level Bantam hockey team. So, after getting up, dosing DS with cold meds and watching him try to suffer through the last day of try-outs, DS takes a check and gets a head injury. Not a serious one, just enough to ring his bell and end his try out hopes this weekend. He wasn't doing well to begin with but to leave in the middle doesn't bode well for his team placement. So, we came home early, and crashed in front of the t.v. and tried to relax and just forget about our troubles.

So, out came the 2 in 1 socks. Things seemed to be going well but I stopped to do a quick check, as I frequently do, and - OH NO - I've crossed my threads! Not recently but several rows back. Now, when I'm normal and sane, I think nothing of tinking back a few rows. It's much easier than frogging. But I was frustrated. So, without thinking, analyzing or even taking a breath, I popped all the stitches off the needles and start frogging. ARRRRGGH! When I looked down at what I'd done, I realized I'd never get those stitches back onto the needles in the right order without dropping stitches and getting runs. This is a 1x1 ribbing, with the stitches flipping back and forth on two socks at the same time. It looked impossible to get back onto the needles as it was.

What's a girl to do? Well, I carefully set the socks aside, checked my son's pupils and fever, asked him if he wanted anything while I was in the kitchen, then dished myself up a monstrous dish of chocolate ice cream. I calmly, while slowly savoring every bite of that delicious ice cream, meditated on the sock dilemma. By the bottom of the bowl, I'd devised a plan.

First, I separated the socks. Then I pulled out smaller dpns and started picking up stitches. Using 2 needles, I carefully counted stitches, making sure each stitch was oriented the right way and that I had an equal number on each needle. I picked up and knitted or purled any dropped stitches and made sure everything was perfect on each sock before setting up for the recreation of the 2 in 1 set up.

Then I carefully started picking up stitches from each dpn onto my Addi turbos, being extra careful when I started the second needle of the Addi to make sure that the other side began with the correct stitch.

By the time I'd finished, it took me 2 hours to fix what should have taken me 1/2 hour to tink back. Moral of the story: "Think before you frog." Actually, that might sound better as "Think before you tink" but I didn't tink, so, oh well. Or maybe I should say, "Think, then tink." Or perhaps, "Frogging is only for singles." Or better yet, "Don't take your hockey mom frustrations out on innocent socks, especially when it's not their fault that you got your yarns crossed, you silly goose."

October Flurries

It's hard to capture snow flurries in a photo, especially when you're also trying to show a pretty maple at the same time but I had to attempt it. Yes, it's October in Minnesota and the schizophrenic nature of our weather is typical. It was in the 80's only a few days earlier and now we have snow showers. I'm just thankful we didn't get hit as hard as some areas farther north and east. I'm not ready to break out the shovel or snow blower quite yet.

The 2 in 1 socks are progressing apace. I have 4 inches done on the cuffs and am researching sock patterns for the short row heels now. Because the article at www.knitty.com is more a how-to than an actual pattern, it requires that you have a pattern in mind. However, I didn't read ahead enough to realize that she recommended a short row heel and not a heel-flap sock pattern. Being a heel flap kinda gal, this came as a bit of a shock. Moral of the story: read the full story before beginning the project. Not that I mind so much. This was a learning project, anyway.

What prevented me from reading the pattern in it's entirety was really something pretty silly. You see, in my efforts to save a few pennies (after all, I'm on a yarn fast because of severe budgetary restraints caused by the onset of annual autumn school expenses and putting DD#1 in braces this summer - big words make me feel better than saying "I'm broke") I printed half of the pattern on one side of the paper, then turned the sheets over and printed the rest on the back of the papers, not realizing that the order would be completely wonky and out of whack and hard to follow. Add a paper jam and reprinting a page or two out of order, and I had a real confusing mass of papers. So, being the less than persistent person that I am (a'la Scarlett O'Hara, "I'll think about it tomorrow!"), but too cheap to just reprint everything, I didn't finish reading the article, just the part about casting on and beginning to knit. Now that I've looked ahead, I find that my current pattern will not do and I have to regroup.

So, time to dig in my library. I'm sure I have some basic sock patterns somewhere with a short row heel that can be adapted to the number of stitches I've cast on. I just should have read first, then started the project. Wise words about hindsight being 20/20 sound about right here. I just hope none of my knitting students see this post since I'm always telling them to read the entire pattern at least one time and to make notes of any new skills or stitches that they might have to learn before they tackle the pattern. Oooohhh, bad teacher! You should practice what you preach!!!!

2 in 1 socks - Take 2

Eureka! By George, I think she's got it! Instead of having my hunky husband run interference, my knitting companion opted to assist me by waking me at 4 am today by persistently licking my face and purring loudly and kneading my upper arms until bruises formed. Once slumber had been effectively and brutally ended for me, I decided to take advantage of the very quiet house and attempt the 2 in 1 socks again.

So, fortified by strong coffee instead of the fruit of the vine, I cast on again. This time, I returned to my trusty magic loop method and experimented with holding both threads around the left hand. By looping one thread an extra time around my finger, I can spread the two yarns out and pick the appropriate thread as needed, while keeping the front yarn in front of the working needle and the back yarn behind. Using a variegated yarn has aided the learning curve by keeping the two yarns distinctly different looking on the needles, so I don't get as confused about which yarn should come next.

The close up picture is not the greatest but it actually is supposed to show the two layers pulled apart. The other picture, in spite of looking like some bug-eyed alien creature, is the progress so far. It is a 1x1 ribbing about 3/4" long. Now I need to decide if I'm going to carry the ribbing all the way down the cuff or switch to stockinette or get fancy on this sock. Hmmmm?!?

By the way, who is George and why do we have the phrase, "By George, I think she's got it!"? DD#1 is in a Shakespeare class and she's learning a lot about the fact that hundreds of phrases and idioms have come from good old Billy Shakespeare, which as made me curious about lots of other phrases we use every day. Now I'm going to have to google "By George". But tomorrow will have to suffice. After all, I have been up since 4 am, thanks to my . . . well, you can supply your own idiom for my little knitting companion. Bless her hungry little heart.

2 in 1 socks - Take 1

Well, the first try at the 2 in 1 socks ended in a mess. I know I understand the concept, theoretically. However, things went horribly wrong in the real world. There were a number of factors that contributed to my humiliating failure. Not the least of which was the fact that I haven't used double points for socks for a long time. Add to the tangle of managing two balls of yarn and 10 pointy needle ends to the trials of trying to get back in the groove of holding yarn on both hands at the same time again and trying to remember which yarn moves to the front and which moves to the back and trying to get the ribbing figured out on two socks at once and being at a noisy dance studio with strange kids asking repeatedly, "Whatcha' doin'?" or less strange kids asking me to drop everything and read them another story - "Please Mommy!!!!" (Insert puppy dog eyes here).

I need a glass of wine, some quiet music and some strong, handsome man to keep all young people under the age of 14 at bay while I try again. Unfortunately, my DH is at hockey tryouts with my son. Doh! Guess it's back to my Autumn Widdershins for now. Where is that wine bottle?

Whew!

What a weekend! DD#1 was sick with the flu, fever, upper respiratory symptoms and all, with some vomiting thrown in for good measure. Of my kids, she's the one who gets the sickest. I know the high fevers are because she has a kick a** immune system that is whomping the invading viral infection but it makes for one miserable 12 yo. What made it especially hard is the flu came on the heels of her 12th birthday, which was such a bummer for both of us.

So we spent lots of couch time watching movies and listening to my favorite history tapes. I love Diana Waring's What in the World is Going On Here, so we spent hours Sunday just hanging out and listening together. I worked on the Leftover L&V Socks and DD#1 just drowsed or worked on a tabletop loom from Harrisville when the meds were in full force.

In one sense, it was hard because I watched my darling suffer through so much. In another, it was a blessing because I spent a lot of time just sitting with her and working on fiber arts.

We so seldom slow down around here. Because of the activities that our children are engaged in, we're always on the run. Next weekend, she'll be gone with her dance performance company on a weekend trip. I won't see her for 3 days. I'm sending her with a homeschooling mom that I love and trust, so I know she'll be safe. But, in a way, this illness coming the weekend before the trip may have been God's way of giving her and me some 1-on-1 time that gets neglected in our hectic, rushed lives. Just sitting and watching Sense and Sensibility together and listening to history tapes together may not seem exciting but I'm a little tired of all the excitement in our lives. Peace and quiet companionship are just fine with me. Now, if I could just remember to seek it out without one of us getting sick first.

Leftover Socks go Lime and Violet

Remember a few days ago when I said the wild weather made me go a little kooky and I cast on with some leftover purple yarn without having a pattern in mind? Well, here are the final results. When it became abundantly clear that the purple yarn was going to run out well before the gusset shaping, I dug in my stash and came up with a variegated lime yarn. Since I've given a little blog space to the Lime and Violet podcast lately, it stands to reason that they would influence my knitting, especially since their recent podcast seemed to include some subliminal messages. Now, since my knitting students are all in the 10 to 12 year old range and they might check in on my blog from time to time, I don't link directly to the Lime and Violet website from my blog (sorry, L & V) but I do listen and here are my kooky, L&V socks that prove it. Not the prettiest socks I've ever made but a great learning experience.

What I learned:

1) Stripes kind of get wonky when you hit the heel flap, especially if you haven't planned your stripes in advance. I had just started the stripes mid-foot, doing a graduated pattern to work the green yarn in gradually, so it wasn't a very abrupt changeover. I was flying by the seat of my pants, so I was designing as I went and paid the price.

There is no way to carry the purple stripes across the heel flap while working two socks with the magic loop method unless you break the yarn and tie it on where you want it. It would have messed with the graduated stripe pattern I had going on in the instep, so I just let the variegated yarn carry up the heel flap. It's not a beautiful solution but the socks will be worn inside boots for hockey, so no one will probably see the heel flap anyway.

2) I should use two row counters when doing stripe patterns and gusset increases. I missed an increase on one side of my gusset and didn't find it until about 6 rows later. Fortunately, I could drop a stitch and work the increase and stitch back up with a crochet hook but what a pain that was. I was trying to keep track of my rows of each color and the alternating increase rows of the gusset and the fact that I had one sock on the magic loop "backwards" so that the jog in the side where the stripes don't line up would be on the inside of both socks. It was too much for me to keep track of, especially late at night, when I was trying to finish up with the gusset increases before bedtime. I need to be better about notes or setting up row counters, instead of trusting that I'll remember where I am.

3) I learned how to do a picot hemmed top. It's not perfect. It's too big and rolls, so I may run some elastic in it to tighten it up a little but I was pleased to learn a new technique and it ended up looking very pretty. The angle of the photo doesn't do it justice. On my next socks, it will be better.

I'm being kicked off the computer. DH needs to study for his big exam this week. More later!

Wild Socks

It's official. The hockey season has started and it was time to break out the official Wild Socks. These socks were the first socks I ever made. I actually completed them during a Wild playoff game during the 2002/2003 season. The team was behind and when I put the completed socks on to admire them, the Wild managed to pull out an upset win and advance to the next level of the playoffs.

My son promptly dubbed these socks the Wild Socks and proclaimed them lucky and made me wear them for every subsequent Wild Game for the rest of the season. He even tried to keep me from washing them between games - eeeuuww! These socks have seen us through several season since and are ragged and have been darned repeatedly. I'm out of the leftover yarn and as we speak, there is a large hole in the heel of one of them.

Last night, the Wild played (and won) and tonight, when the Minnesota Gophers fell behind in the first period, 0 to 2, my DS asked if I was wearing the Wild Socks or not. So, I dug them out, holes and all and put them on. By the end of the first period, the Gophers had scored a goal and were closing the gap.

Now, I don't believe in luck and I don't really support my son's belief in lucky socks or anything else. I'm a firm believer that hard work and team work are what drive wins and losses. Sometimes immorality plays a part, if there are bad refs or bad coaches or bad players, and I think God plays a part when there are honest, good players and He chooses to reward those who go above and beyond in being upright and honorable in their play. But I don't believe in luck.

That being said, I do love my Wild Socks and they do bring back great memories of a fantastic Wild hockey season and the wonderful time my son and husband and I had watching that magical season unfold. So when I put on my Wild Socks tonight, it wasn't to bring the Gophers luck but to celebrate great family memories and to remind my DS and DH that I'm just as passionate about hockey as they are. After all, I'm the one wearing the old, holey, smelly, "lucky" socks. Go Golden Gophers!