Queen Bee Knits

Knitting, Living, Loving, Baking, Tips, Tools and Idle Chatter

Homecoming

Posted on October 31, 2023 by Queen Bee Knits

I got home yesterday from the longest time I’ve been away from home since … well, I’m not sure. Suffice it to say, that I haven’t been gone for more than a week for years. I was ready to come home but I really enjoyed our/my travels. I haven’t been knitting much but my heart is full.

My dear hubby and I went to New York City for a few days to celebrate our granddaughter’s first birthday. Yes, you read that right, she’s one year old! That may have been the quickest year yet. Just sayin’. We spent the weekend with my son and his fiancee and it was wonderful. I love seeing all of my kiddos and on Monday we got to celebrate our “little monster” with family and friends.

Notice that Sylvie is wearing the Tybe cardigan that I knitted for her in Berroco Vivo (cotton) and it’s a perfect fit right now. I made the 9 month size … she’s a little peanut. But she loves chewing on the vintage buttons that I bought when I was at Knit City Montreal and they remain the perfect buttons! She’s a walker now and it was so much fun to watch her explore.

He’s Hungry … Caterpillar in Berroco Comfort and Comfort Print

I brought her a few hand made gifts for her birthday. I finished knitting the Very Hungry Caterpillar that I started ages ago. The yarn is perfect for the project and I did use the yarn the pattern called for, Berroco Comfort and Comfort Print. The pattern could be better … but you get what you pay for – it was free. If I were to make this again, I’d make the body and then after decreasing for the last time, I’d pick up the head from the body and knit the head rather than knitting it separately and then sewing it together. I’d also add some legs because the caterpillar in the books DOES have legs. We checked. But it’s a cute little gift and Sylvie loves books.

I also made Sylvie a couple of pairs of Harem pants. I sewed them without making any glaring mistakes and I was proud to finish them without any drama. They don’t fit her yet but … that’s the story of my life with this little one. Either her mom will send them back to me (I brought her a proper measuring tape) with a better waist measurement OR she’ll grow into them. They’re awfully cute!

Also finished and delivered to New York were three hats and a little newborn cardigan. Some for Sylvie and some for one of my daughter’s friends who are expecting boys. I knitted two of the Garter Ear Flap hats in beautiful alpaca yarn. This hat is SO soft! They both ultimately had pompoms on them but I didn’t photograph the second one when it was finished. Oops! I also knitted a tiny Newborn Vertebrae cardigan. The blue hat and the cardi are for my daughter’s friends. The raspberry hat and the turkey hat are for Sylvie. I designed the turkey hat and will write down the pattern soon. I may make it available on Ravelry. I have a couple of patterns that I should publish. The turkey was one that my daughter pointed out last year and I never got around to knitting it. This year, I did. It’s probably a bit large for Sylvie at this point but it’s pretty cute.

I have finished two pairs of socks for Christmas presents. I don’t think the giftees are reading this but I’m going to err on the safe side and say that you should have a look at my Ravelry page if you really want to see them right this minute. Otherwise, I’ll post pictures after the holidays are over and the gifts are given.

I wound yarn from our trip to Knit City Montreal, these were the “official” yarns sold by the event organizers and I HAD to buy them both. Haha! I thought it would be a great idea to make a pair of mittens that I also saw there and bought a kit with which to embroider said mittens … but I started knitting the cuff and it wasn’t what I had in mind at all. BUT when I was in North Carolina with my college friends to celebrate our collective 65th birthdays, I found a yarn shop right around the corner from where we were shopping and popped in. They carry Berroco yarns and I hoped that they’d have a lace weight mohair in a similar light pink colorway. And they did!

I like this second combination so much better!

And I would be remiss if I didn’t talk about the second half of my travels. My hubby dropped me off at my college friend’s house in Weymouth, MA on the way home from NYC. I spent a day with her before we flew to Raleigh-Durham, NC and drove to Pinehurst to celebrate our 65th birthdays. We were to have been 8 but ended up being 7 because our dear Nell got Covid and was unable to travel. We were all bummed to hear that bit of bad news.

I’ve known these women since the fall of 1976 when we first met as freshmen at Wells College. We’ve been friends since – 47 years ago. We often skip months or years but when we get together it’s as if no time has passed. What an honor it is to have such wonderful women in my life and it’s a true blessing to have such long-time friends. We spent a long weekend at Betsy’s house in Pinehurst and it was a perfect weekend. Shopping, eating, taking walks, reading, knitting and laughing … there was lots of laughing! Betsy pulled out all the stops and wins the hostess with the mostest award. She even booked us all a sound bath session with her friends and neighbor.

Wells College ’80 Celebrating 65th Birthdays

There’s a lot of wisdom and experience in this group and we are all so fortunate to be enjoying life at our age. Many haven’t had that chance. We have all grown and changed but as soon as we are together again, it’s like no time has passed … the years melt away.

Gone knitting.

My Favorite Genser – My Next Knitting Adventure

Posted on March 7, 2023 by Queen Bee Knits

We are home again after a wonderful weekend in Marblehead with the family. My brother from Louisiana, my sister from Arizona and their “spice” (plural of spouse, right?) came to see Noah … and his parents. There is never enough time together and we are always grateful for the time we have – life is never guaranteed.

While there, I had a little knitting issue. My neck and jaw felt weird when I was knitting for awhile. I first noticed it in class on Friday and then in the car driving down to Massachusetts. When I stopped knitting, the weird feeling stopped, too. I stretch my neck and shoulders pretty often when I knit but I seem to have a muscle or nerve something going on. So, I didn’t knit a lot or for long periods of time and it’s feeling better enough that I knitted last night and it didn’t happen. I’ll be cautious and may book a massage this week.

I cast on a Sophie Scarf in Berroco Folio on a US 4 needle. I don’t know why Berroco discontinued this yarn. It’s got such a great hand and it knits up so nicely. I grabbed up a couple of gray colorways to make a few Sophie scarves. Sophie is a simple garter stitch scarf surrounded by an i-cord edge. I’m making the small version this time and will make a second (and maybe a third) larger one next.

I cast on my Favorite Genser last week and did my swatching with purpose. Last night I measured my gauge and I have missed the mark. I am supposed to have 24 stitches to four inches and I have 26. Ugh. Ah well, that’s the way it goes sometimes. This is a new yarn that I am working with and a lot of new information from Patricia at Knitography Farm in Norway. So, I’ll pull it out to the ribbing and knit it again with a slightly larger needle and see what happens.

I’m excited about learning something new, though. I love working with new yarns. I have two skeins of this yarn in my stash … my recollection is that it was to knit a pair of mittens designed by Arne & Carlos but I can’t find the pattern. Eventually I will figure it out or use it to make something else. I’ll be writing about this genser project again as I get going … and as I get the gauge right. It’s always interesting to work through the process. I’m doing this through the Knitography Farm website where they have online classes. I’ve bought a couple of the classes and the support is incredible. Patricia is certified to teach these traditional Norwegian patterns and she has endless knowledge that she generously shares. She also is a good steward of a flock of sheep and makes yarn from their fleece. Check her out at knitographyfarm dot com.

Gone knitting.

I Left my Heart in NY City

Posted on January 29, 2023 by Queen Bee Knits

I’m back from a whirlwind trip to New York City to help my daughter when her husband was out of town and, obviously, to see my granddaughter and the rest of the family. I drove down to Westport, CT a day ahead of when I had planned to be there because we were supposed to have a big winter storm on the day I was supposed to leave.

Luckily my college “Roomie” lives there and she puts up with me (happily) when I come down her way. Thursday night we had dinner with another college friend and, as is apt to happen, talked until we were ready for bed. We’ve been friends for 47 years! Those friendships are so special and I am so grateful for these wonderful and dear friends.

On Friday I hopped on the train into the city. I can’t wait until this summer when I become an official senior citizen because the train fare becomes $9 each way even though $13.50 isn’t bad. The train ride to Harlem is so easy and my daughter picked me up at the station there. It’s such an easy trip and with no driving traffic, it was a 5-hour drive to Westport. Not bad at all.

This child. I have always disliked leaving the kids at the end of a visit. I love being around my children and I love that they all live close enough to each other and like each other enough to get together. This child, my granddaughter, their niece and daughter, is an amazing addition to the mix. I took precious few photographs because I had way too much fun playing with her, feeding her, and helping her very competent mom take care of her and her 4-legged sisters.

The last time we were in the city was at Christmas and in the month since, Sylvie has changed so much! She is actually making eye contact with people, she really engages, she’s generous with smiles, has a lot of new ways to be heard and she even clicks. Ha! Ha! Her hands are always busy and you can see the concentration when she reaches for things. It’s so intentional now. She sees what she wants and reaches for it. She still needs a little help but it won’t be long before she’s grabbing things all by herself.

I brought her a Knubbelchen “doll” that I made with scraps of left-over fingering weight yarn and I was thrilled that she loves it. It’s a perfectly sized toy for little bitty hands which have the most perfect knuckle dimples. The knots at the “hands” and “feet” of the Knubbelchen are just the little bit of help she needs to be able to hold onto it. And, of course, everything goes in her mouth!

I also brought the silver rattles that were given to my children when they were born. I had saved them for just this moment and our little Sylvie didn’t disappoint. She loves to lie on her back and kick and wiggle and the rattles were a fun addition. It’s the most wonderful feeling to see my child totally in love with her child. I really believe that our appreciation of our mothers only comes when we become mothers ourselves. I never tire of watching all of my children love on this baby girl. it’s remarkable, emotional, rewarding, it makes my heart grow even more full of love for them all.

The funniest part of the trip was that I was carrying ten pounds of corn-filled microwaveable heating pads that I had made for them all and only a year later. I promised to make these for them last winter when they came up skiing and well, life being what it is, the corn and fabric sat until last week. (I wrote about it here. My suitcase was incredibly heavy going there and significantly lighter heading home. Kate’s has already been spit up on which means that it’s already in use. And then there was the night that Kate received a “goodnight sweet pea” text from my husband. (I was meant for me.) And all of the kids sent him a good night text with a spontaneous term of endearment. Ned was entertaining us all from Maine and we had a good laugh at his expense and with lots of love – my kids all love my husband and he loves them. Another thing to be so grateful for. He’s already said that if we can take the train into the city, he’ll come with me next time. Yay!

I left New York yesterday with my heart so full and tears in my eyes. I managed to collect lots of snuggles and smile and belly tickles and kisses until next time. I can’t wait until next time.

Gone knitting. (Because I didn’t knit a stitch except for on the train.)

I’m a Grandmother!

Posted on November 6, 2022 by Queen Bee Knits

Sylvie Violet was born on October 19th at just before 9am and she is already the love and light in our lives. I got the text message announcing her arrival from her proud papa and immediately started packing for my first visit. I needed to lay eyes on my daughter and meet the baby. When I still hadn’t heard from my dear husband two hours later, I got in my car (with no clear idea of where I would be sleeping) and started my drive to New York City. I felt a little bit like I was running away from home! (My dear husband did call me when I was close to the NH border and forgave me for going without him. I do love him!)

I met her for the first time on October 20th. My son and I went to the hospital together. He’d never held a baby before and was a bit unsure but quickly adjusted. It was absolutely incredible to see and hold and kiss this little nugget for the first time. My heart expanded again by double as it did each time I held one of my own babies for the first time. She is beautiful and perfect and I’m so excited to see her grow up and to see her mom and dad parent her.

I know that this child will be well cared for and well loved. She already is. Welcome to this crazy family, Sylvie Violet! We love you forever!

Gone knitting. (I’m a grandmother now! Lots of little knitting to do!)

Louisiana, Here Comes the Queen Bee

Posted on February 26, 2013 by Queen Bee Knits

The Queen Bee is taking the show on the road!

Unlike some former presidential candidates, my little dogs will be riding inside the car and will be accompanying me on a two week teaching trip to Lafayette, LA.

I am so excited and honored to have been asked to come out to teach at a beautiful, comfortable, well-stocked with wonderful yarn LYS called the Yarn Nook. While I have been teaching for years (and years and years) in Cincinnati (past), Maine (summers) and Orlando (present), this will be the first time that I’ve been invited to come out to a new place and teach. I see it as a wonderful opportunity to share this craft that I love so much and to learn about how I can teach and travel and still make it work well for everyone concerned.

Because I am a people pleasing perfectionist, I can already see that I have probably offered to teach too many different classes. I want to be confident and educated when I teach a pattern or technique so I want to try all the patterns that I will teach. This time, I have not tried them all and despite my belief that I can teach just about anything, I am a bit more tense than I probably need to be around this issue. And it’s all me and my silly “worrying” and it’s probably for naught.

Knitted Jasmine Flowers

As it stands now, I am learning some new patterns and techniques that I may not have forced myself to learn otherwise – and you all know that I love to learn new things. What I haven’t told you before is that, like most of us, I can be lazy and keep using familiar patterns and techniques that I know and that are tried and true.

Knitted Violets

I’ll let you know how it goes. I’ll post lots of pictures on Facebook. I will be sure to blog about the fun and the frustration. But I know I will enjoy meeting the wonderful knitters and I already feel like I know the shop owners who are absolutely delightful and I have a feeling that it’s going to be a great experience.

Gone knitting!