Author Archives: Queen Bee Knits

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About Queen Bee Knits

Living in Maine, knitting, baking and loving my family. Please be kind!

Empty Houses

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Last one in the pool … three boys and one who should have been a boy!

While my family was here for an extended weekend, we celebrated being together. We celebrated my oldest brother’s second recovery from a bout with hepatic encephalopathy. We mourned the loss of N’s dog, Max. We laughed, set off fireworks, made Smores, took a road trip to the Maine neighborhood where we went as kids, ate a few lobsters, some fried seafood, some “incredible cheeseburger pie” … really enjoyed having the time to spend together.

Baby Mourning Doves in their hand knit “nest” – Scuttlebutt and Ringo

My middle nephew found this pair of baby mourning doves a few days before coming to Maine and had researched the care and feeding of baby birds. They were thriving under his hourly feedings. It’s not an easy job being a mama bird … especially for a thirteen year old boy. Sadly, the smaller bird on the left, Scuttlebutt, died after they left Maine. As my brother the veterinarian says, “that’s why birds lay more than one egg.” Death is part of the circle of life. Survival of the fittest. A valuable lesson for all of us to enjoy the time we have.

Cousins on Blueberry Hill

My niece from LA was here for the first time. She was making some new “firsts”. First trip to Maine, first time picking blueberries, first sailboat trip, first lobster salad … and the list goes on.

It’s hard to believe that this young woman (and the rest of her family, too) has been in our lives for only a bit over three years. It feels so natural to be together and we have so much fun together. I’m not sure whether family just fits together … or maybe we are simply blessed to have that ease and comfort with each other after so short a time.

Jumping Off

Now, after they’ve all left, only N and I and two little dogs remain. The house is so quiet. N is struggling with a sore neck and a hurting heart. The empty house has reminded him of his loss and we are both feeling the loss of our family in the house.

I haven’t done much knitting but have to “un-knit” the few extra rows in my sweater … that’s what happens when you don’t pay attention! There were better things to watch and enjoy!

Gone knitting.

Baking … in the kitchen and out!

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We seldom have hot weather here at the lake. Only once do I remember seriously considering an air conditioner. Today … well, for the last couple of days … I’d love to have one! It’s been hot and humid – and maybe it’s the humid that makes it less bearable?

Regardless, we have family arriving tomorrow and I wanted to get my baking done. Or at least most (some) of it. Today I made a couple of desserts that I found on Pinterest – first I made an ice cream sandwich cake. It was a really quick dessert to make and since the three boys really like ice cream, I thought this would go over big! I used the small individually wrapped Reese’s candies … and intend to chop up more to go on the top when I get it out of the freezer. (Unfortunately, there were no left-over ice cream sandwiches for me to snack on. Recipe used exactly 24!)

Next, I made two peanut butter pies. N said that he’d love it … and since he’s had a rough week, I decided that I could do that for him. Also a really quick dump-dump-stir-stir dessert to make with a cookie crumb crust (bought in the store). The only change we made was that N whipped real cream rather than using the “whipped topping” that you can find in your grocer’s freezer! (You know what I’m talking about!) I bought one chocolate cookie crust and a graham cracker cookie crust … will let you know which is better! I have to buy more cream  to decorate the pies with before serving … and probably will chop up more of those Reese’s candies that are left over!

Last thing I made today was some cinnamon pull-apart bread. I’ve made this recipe once before – and it was delicious! It’s also rather simple for a yeast bread recipe. I even mixed it by hand and it came out beautifully. This time, I added chopped pecans and a drizzle of honey before I stacked up the squares of dough. It’s in the oven as we speak … and it smells so good when it’s baking! I can hardly wait to try it (again!)

N was making his home-made baked beans today, too. It’s his comfort food – and the recipe, while it changes almost every time, is getting better. He’ll eat them for breakfast … me, not so much! Maybe dinner.

Tomorrow I have to make up some muffins and since I have bananas in the freezer, I thought that I’d do banana blueberry … stay tuned! Also found a recipe for vegan pumpkin oatmeal cookies that I HAVE to try! Pumpkin and oatmeal together sound pretty wonderful.

So, that’s it – not really knitting today but the baking has been fun … the baking heat both from the oven and from the weather … well, suffice it to say, I’d rather be cool! Thank goodness we have a lake in the front yard!

Gone knitting!

Farewell, Faithful Companion

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Max, Faithful Companion, in 2007

Max, my boyfriend’s dog, is old. He’s had Cushing’s Disease for the last three years and probably has an inoperable pituitary tumor in addition. Until recently, the medications prescribed have managed the Cushing’s symptoms and Max has been able to lead a happy (tail-wagging) life.

This summer has been different. He’s not even interested in going outside. He’s fallen off the front porch and rolled off the “sea wall” and into the lake. He struggles to get up when he’s been lying down. N has to carry him to the lake to cool him off and often carries him outside to do his business. He still loves to eat but isn’t as happy to chase a ball or a stick and seems to have a vacant stare most of the time. All night long he does circles. Circling and circling as if he’s going to settle down … but he doesn’t. Even a double dose of Valium doesn’t take the edge off for him.

N has given him a great life! He’s been on many a long ride in the car and loved to ride on the boat, ears flapping in the breeze. He loved to wander off and get into the neighbors’ garbage (and come home bloated with a full belly). He has several warm and comfy beds around the house, unlimited water, excellent food, lots of love, and millions of thrown balls and sticks. He had many a nap on the couch, ball in mouth.

He’s been an intrepid companion, a faithful friend.

Max and the Annoying Littles

Car Ride 2009

Playing the Ball Game in 2008

Death is the natural end to a good life. N has decided that it is time. It’s time to let Max be free from the creaky old body that doesn’t provide a good quality of life any more.

Ned has dug the hole where we’ll bury Max. He’ll be put to sleep here in Maine at home. Max is comfortable here and this place is a constant comfort for N, too.

This is a very sad time. Farewell, faithful friend. We’ll see you again in Heaven.

Gone knitting.

Classic Straker “Johnny” – New on the Needles

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A Classic Straker Design, C772 “Johnny”

I have been carrying three (and a bit more) balls of Paton’s Decor yarn around with me for the last ten years or more. It was way back then when I bought the yarn in a tiny yarn shop in Montgomery, Ohio to make an afghan for my house. God only knows what my color scheme was back then but I picked the periwinkle colorway … it must have matched something!

Anyway, I have been moving this yarn around with me (at least three times) and decided to bring it to Maine with me this summer and use it up!

Today I cast on a new project with the yarn. A Straker Classic Design #C772 “Johnny”. It’s a cabled sweater with a hood. I knitted one of these (and my mom knitted the matching smaller version) for my girls when they were little. We knitted them in a red yarn and they had panda bear ceramic buttons. I’ve saved the buttons (and I hope the sweaters, too). But this new sweater has nobody to go live with at the time of this posting … but with all the babies that I know are being born, some lucky kiddo will be getting this sweater.

I love the Straker patterns. They are clear and concise, have good information and this one (in particular) is quite simple to knit. It would be a good first sweater pattern! I remember the first time I knit it, feeling somewhat intimidated. Today, it feels so easy and comfortable. I guess I’m growing, too!

Normally, I won’t knit with acrylic yarn because I like the natural fibers better and I feel strongly that there is a huge investment of time in each garment that is hand-knit. Why not use good wool?! Sweaters for children, however, can be washed and dried if they’re knit with acrylic yarn. And this yarn is so easy to knit with and feels pretty good in my hands!

N’s sailing, the dogs are sleeping and I’m gone knitting!

Sweat a Little, Knit a Little

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Last week I made the mistake of bragging that we hadn’t been hit by the heatwave. Oops! I blew it. It’s hot here now … almost too hot to knit. I’m sure glad that I have no afghans or baby blankets on the needles!

I’ve started a second pair of Baby Life Rings Socks by Cat Bordhi for a friend. They’ll be matched with a little hat. I think I will use the same idea as the socks and make a couple of life rings on the edge of the hat but will add a solid color in stripes. This little toe-up sock with a short row heel is just adorable. I “need” to buy some solid color yarns and see how they knit up in solid colors. I’ve chosen to use Cascade Fixation yarn in a colorway that’s lime green, pink and lavender. Mom’s favorite color is purple … and that may be my accent color in the hat. Baby’s due in late fall.

My tunic is making slow progress in its second iteration. If you remember, I had the back nearly done when I realized that I was making the wrong size. Frogged and re-started. I still love the color.

I’ve finished the Gaia Shoulder Hug shawl. I am not a huge fan of the Noro colorway that I chose but the finished product is nice and I think it will be a good addition to a plain white blouse in the fall and winter. The Noro wool started out scratchy and stiff but it softened up quite nicely through the knitting process and I’ve blocked it but without blocking wires. If I’m going to do lace knitting, I have to make an investment in blocking wires!

My Maine Lobstah socks are coming along. Have gotten to the place where I need to turn the second heel. I will be happy to have them finished and start wearing them!

This Little Piggie baby hat is coming along. I’ve put it away for a few days because I was getting frustrated with the design process. I have knit the ears five or six times and finally got them right. And then the snout was out of place. So, I have to re-knit the snout and then   embroider some eyes and nostrils on it and knit the matching mittens. Fortunately, they’re a holiday gift and I still have time.

Next projects in my queue … a Penny Straker design sweater that I knit when my kids were little. Making one up for my new niece or nephew in a cornflower blue. Have a lace scarf in the bag … the one that I tried to make for Ravelympics several years ago (and couldn’t even manage the cast-on.) This time, I’ll be able to cast on and complete the scarf … and I’m casting it on on July 27 during the Opening Ceremonies (despite the Olympic Committee believing that it’s denigrating. Harumph!)

I wish I had brought my swift and winder to Maine … I have some Buffalo Wool Company yarn that I want to knit into a lovely purple shawl using the falling leaves pattern (more information later!) And I have the yarn that I bought at the Maine Fiber Frolic and the cool and crazy pattern that I bought for that – it will be a cardigan for yours truly.

There you have it. All this typing has made me hot … could be because my laptop is on my lap?!

Gone swimming!

Family and the Power of Prayer

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The Power of Prayer

Several months ago, I organized a Facebook “event”. It was a moment of prayer, asking those invited to say a prayer for a friend’s husband at a specific time. No matter where they were, just stop for a minute and say a prayer for healing after he’d suffered with debilitating “issues” for years. While I can’t say that he’s healed today and able to take his grandson fishing JUST because of the prayers that I asked for, I can’t help but believe that they did have some affect.

On Sunday my big brother had a health challenge and scared the heck out of us. When he arrived at the ER near his home, the doctors told my sister that she should get the kids there. Twenty-four hours later at the big hospital in New Orleans, the doctors told her that he wasn’t that sick. We all asked for prayers. We all got down on our knees and prayed ourselves. Today, he’s back home. The power of prayer? Or just great medicine being practiced? Maybe both? Whatever it is, it was the only thing I could do – and I’m so grateful for the prayers from all over the world for my big brother. I truly believe that he’s going to get the liver that he needs and that we’ll have many years to enjoy each other.

When people join together in a common purpose, with good in their hearts, good things happen.

Yesterday, we traveled to Marblehead, MA to see my California brother and visit with our Marblehead brother and his family. We arrived, settled our dogs and went out fishing. My eldest nephew was the Captain of the ship, his younger brother his First Mate. While I was knitting and taking pictures, the boys (my CA brother and my sweetie and my nephews) caught bait fish way out in the ocean …  pollack (“not good bait fish, they swim down too deep”) and mackerel, good bait fish – and beautiful creatures with green and black markings on their backs. You hook the mackerel with jigs that can catch five or six fish at one time. And they did. Beautiful glistening lines of wiggling fish brought out of the ocean and put into the live traps (boxes with running water that keep the fish alive.)

The “real” fishing happens back in near shore often in ten feet of water. Stripers like to hang out in and near the rocky shoreline. The boys collectively caught four fish, each was able to reel one in – two 32 inch, a 37 inch “breeder” that was released back to swim and breed another day, and a little one around 20 inches. We kept one 32 inch fish which my middle nephew humanely killed, thanking it for being good food. I’d never been on a successful deep sea fishing trip. This was a fun first foray – I will go again!

Cole & 32 inch Striped Bass – this is a keeper!

Will and his 32 inch striper

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Biggest catch of the day – a 37inch striper and Rick

We had a wonderful time enjoying each other’s company and it was a gloriously beautiful day on the water. Even if there had been no fish, the trip would have been a success. My nephews may not know how blessed they are to grow up in a place where they can go out in a boat fishing for a few hours … but it was on my mind as they so competently drove the boat, caught bait, patiently waited for a fish to bite and knew exactly how to reel them in.

Spending time together with an eye on the prize (whether fish or just fun) is one of my very most favorite things to do! I’m so grateful for the opportunity to spend this time with my family. Life is so good!

Gone knitting.

 

 

This Little … pppppProject!

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Ya know … some days this blogging stuff is for the birds. I had a whole (yes, WHOLE) post typed and the front half of it just disappeared. Vanished. Gone. Perhaps stolen by the Blogging Gods?

Anyway …

I just cut off the piggy’s snout.

Don’t feel badly. It was only the second version.

The ears have been frogged and cut off multiple times. Note to self, don’t weave in the ends until you’re absolutely sure that all the parts are placed JUST where you want them to be!

While I’m not ready to show you the whole hat (yet!) … here are some sneak peeks at the porcine pieces!

First, the tail …

This Little Piggy … curly tail
(In the design process.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And secondly, one of the little ears …

This Little Piggie … one little ear

I think this ear looks authentic. The first ones were way too tiny. They looked more like a cat’s ear. That’s the problem that I see when I look at patterns online. Cat’s ears. Not pig’s ears. Think about Piglet!!!

 

 

 

 

 

So, now I have a bit more work to do … but there’s your little sneak peek at my “This Little Piggy”.

Gone knitting!

Design Can Be Frustrating

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I am in the process of designing a little hat that looks porcine for a customer of mine. She had seen a crocheted hat that she loved and I, not being a crocheter, wanted to make her a hat that was comparable … or better.

Designing, for a perfectionist such as myself, can be thrilling. Or frustrating. Or downright annoying. I got the hat all knitted up in no time and love the little tail that is a four-stitch i-cord at the top of the hat. Twisted around itself a couple of times and pulled through, it’s a really cute little twisty piggy tail.

Ears, however, are not that easy. I have, twice, knitted two ears that looked too small. Once I even (being hopeful, I guess) wove in the ends. Had to cut the ears off that time. I’m going for the look of a piglet and in many of the photographs that I’ve seen while researching pig ears (who knew!?) the ears look too big for the little pig. They also seem to have “lobes” on the outside side of their ears. Here are a couple of examples …

 

 

 

 

 

 

See what I mean?

The last attempt that I was making when I was called to get ready to go see the new Woody Allen movie, To Rome With Love (If I hadn’t already seen it, I wouldn’t rush out to see it), was going really well and I hope that I can pick it up tomorrow and finish the first ear to my own satisfaction and then knit up a mirror-ear on the other side of the little hat.

Must run out and get a bit of black yarn for nostrils and eyes and then stitch them on.

Next on the needles are little pink mittens to match … perhaps with a bit of embroidery to make them look like little cloven hooves? And an i-cord string between them because we know all little children lose one mitten! Right?

Gone knitting!

Three Cheers for the …

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Fourth of July “weekend” was not too knitty for me but I am really pleased with the “This Little Piggy” hat that I am designing for an order!

It’s turning out to be really cute. I have the hat knitted with the little i-cord tail on top. Love it! Next was to decide how and where to put the ears. And what do pigs’ ears look like? (No, not the ones that you feed to your dogs as treats! Real pigs ears that are still attached to the pig!) I think I managed pretty well by picking up eight stitches a bit in front of the tail and on the sides of the hat.

And for the snout?!

I couldn’t just sew on a button or a piece of felt. That feels like cheating. So, after perusing pictures of pink pigs on Pinterest (ha! actually it was Google images but that doesn’t start with a “P”) I decided that it had to be a 3-D snout and knitted up a short tube and then figured out how to make an edge and then knit a circle in the middle by decreasing just enough to make it work. Now it needs to be attached. BUT first I need a bit of black or darker pink yarn to make the nostrils and some eyes for my little piggie!

I will probably knit this pattern up a couple more times (after I write it down, that is) … as I design, I take notes about what I am doing and then tweak it as I knit again and again … and this may decide to be the first pattern that I offer for sale. Or maybe the lobster mittens. Keep your eyes on the prize … or piggy pattern!

Gone knitting.

A Little Bit of Progress

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Those of you who know me well, know that I like to eat. I also like to bake (can anybody say, “sweet tooth”?) And over the years, it’s become my mother that I see when I walk to the mirror. Now don’t get me wrong, my mother was a lovely woman and I love her a lot. But I never wanted to have her body. SO, I’ve been to see a lovely woman In Portland, Maine who is helping me try to get my hormones into balance with food. Of course, I’m also going to have to move my body up off the knitting couch … but since my feet are finally healed (or healthy for now, anyway), I feel confident that we can start walking and hiking at the very least!

Gaia Shoulder Hug by Anne Carol Gilmour
(A FREE pattern on Ravelry!)

So, tonight’s knitting night again and while we drove to Portland and back, I didn’t knit on the way home. I slept. I’m looking forward to visiting with the “girls” and I hope to finish the last few repeats of my Gaia Shoulder Hug.

Piggy Hat Pink

I think that I will start the commissioned piggie hat next … and it’s going to be sent with matching mittens. (Since they’re for a baby, she’ll need the little stringy thing to go through her jacket so mittens don’t get lost! I) think I can sew/embroider a cloven hoof on the mitten and that will be cute. I’ll try!

Maine Woods Yarn & Fiber “Maine Lobstah” Superwash Sock

 

 

I have finished one Maine Lobstah sock and it’s quite tight. Since this is my handy-dandy go-to pattern for socks, I am a bit surprised but am not going to worry much. On occasion, even Queen Bees make mistakes. I may be using a smaller needle … or maybe was using a bigger, inappropriate needle before. Whatever the reason, if they’re too small, they’ll be a gift for someone in my family with slightly smaller feet than I have at Christmas time. I bought two hanks of the yarn because I loved it so much and the woman said I can probably get three socks out of each hank! Woo-hoo! I love knitting with this yarn. It’s really got a great hand, it’s washable and it’s not “splitty” at all! I also happen to love the colorway that I chose!

Dropps Tunic … going nowhere! But check out the beautiful Signature needles!

My poor tunic hasn’t budged out of my knitting bag. Oh well! I still love the yarn color and I adore knitting on my first of many pairs of Signature needles (green is US6).

I will be knitting up a Falling Leaves scarf designed by Lucy Neatby with some yarn that I bought at the Maine Fiber Frolic last year (2011). I fell in love with the pattern and have bought it on Ravelry.com with my white bunny blend yarn in mind. Another gift for a friend who is so deserving!

Had a lobster roll for lunch after fasting for a blood test. Not sure what’s for dinner but I’m looking forward to balancing these hormones and seeing myself in the mirror again! A big grocery shop tomorrow!

Gone knitting.

(An aside … bought some new stitch markers and thought you should see the cutest ones … by Lantern Moon, purchased online! They’re buzzing around my Gaia!)