This morning didn’t look particularly promising. I always feel better when the sun is shining and while we all know the sun is up there somewhere, we weren’t sure that we’d see the sun today. But we did! What a beautiful day. We had ice fishermen on the lake early in the day and I saw one snow machine. We won’t be seeing them for long. By late afternoon the lake ice was taking on a gray-ish tone which is typically a good sign that it’s thinning.
I’ve cut down my knitting because of the neck/nerve thing. I’ve been stretching my hands/arms/neck more often, too. I think it is making a difference. I hope so.
I’ve cast on a pair of socks for my “baby” brother. When we were in Massachusetts he happened to mention that he’d lost one of the socks I gave him several years ago. What a great opportunity to make him another pair. I’m using Yankee Knitter’s Classic Sock pattern #29 and Emma’s yarn in the “Legal Tender” colorway. His favorite color is green and our dad was a lawyer. It felt right.
Classic Socks in Legal Tender
I’ve cast on and frogged and cast on and frogged and cast on again and this time I hope it’s going to be okay. It’s a bit of a long story but one of my customer-friends brought in a little romper that she’s making for a future baby in her life that she needed some help with. I helped her over her knitting hurdle (bobbles … everyone bobbles a little bit differently and this one was one of the “oddest” ways I’ve seen yet.) The more I thought about it, the more I thought I needed to make one for my granddaughter.. I chose Universal’s Bamboo Pop yarn in white. The pattern is Jasmine Romper.
Jasmine Romber by Manolitasknits on Ravelry
Lisa has since finished her romper and I’ve started mine three times. The first time, I cast on according to the written instructions and then switched over to the chart … but the stitch count was off. I had a look at the other sizes (I’m knitting 6-9 months) and it seemed like the chart was right. I wrote to the designer to tell her about the difference between the written and charted directions and a missing instruction. On Friday I made the assumption that the chart was correct and cast on the second time. Ha! We all know what happens when we assume, right?
Today I started for the third time. The designer responded and the chart is actually wrong. The third time’s a charm, right? I haven’t even taken a photo*. Soon enough, I will.
Gone knitting.
Note: *Photo above is a FO from Ravelry with credit given to the knitter/photographer.
Yesterday we were out and about. We needed to get to the dump as we missed a trip last week when we were out of town and we needed some food in the house. We were scraping the bottom of the barrel trying to come up with meals on Friday. It’s rare that we both get out together, we typically divide and conquer but it’s fun to be together even doing the mundane day-to-day activities. How lucky we are to enjoy spending time together.
I’ve been spending lots of time volunteering but there’s been some time for knitting, too. I am limiting my knitting time because I think I’ve “tweaked” a muscle or nerve in my shoulder/arm/neck. I may have mentioned this before. Yesterday I knitted more than I have for over a week and it was mostly good … I had to stop in the early evening after working on my husband’s Christmas socks. It’s heavy worsted weight yarn and US4 needles which is quite a workout for my hands and arms.
Urban Rustic Socks in Raggi
Sock number two is getting close to the “easy” part. Gusset decreases are in process. I love this pattern because it’s different and the decreases come to a nice point on the instep. I hope to finish these up because I have a pair of birthday socks to make for my brother in April and I’ve found the perfect yarn.
I have a bag with odds and ends of Cascade Fixation yarn that I’ve “collected” over the years. I’m trying to be responsible and use it up. Socks are the easy no-brainer project, especially baby socks. I’ll be carrying the two pairs I’ve made so far to NYC next trip to see if they really don’t fall off. The pattern is a free one that I found at work … it’s called Fixation Baby Socks, I think. This week I found the pattern “Jane of the Jungle”, free on Ravelry (it’s a Knitty.com pattern), and I knew that I needed to make this for Sylvie. I hope it’ll fit this summer. I am going to make the bathing suit bottom, too, but the top could be worn with shorts or leggings. Ha! Ha! Stinking cute! By the time summer rolls around she should be crawling and by the time we get to the beach in September I’ll bet she’ll be walking. Time goes by way too quickly.
Our orchids have been blooming forEVER! We have two plants: one was Ned’s mother’s orchid that we bought for her and her caregiver took such good care of. It’s been so happy since we moved to Maine. Helen’s been gone for several years but the orchid keeps on going. The flowers were all dried out but when I watered it last week, I noticed a new little bud spike coming along.
And the second orchid was a gift to me from my eldest. It’s been blooming forever, too. The plant stand has been giving a real show. It’s flowers were starting to dry out and fall off but I noticed one more flower that’s coming. I’m not sure if I have a green thumb or if these are super-powered Maine-loving plants. I’m not complaining.
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.
MarbleheadKnitting in the Sun
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.
“My” Favorite GenserMy Yarn
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.
This is our view from the front porch this morning. As you can see, there is no snow falling. The world of Maine has closed because a Snowmageddon was forecasted. We were told to get ready to hunker down, we’d be getting snow overnight last night, all day long today and tonight, too. It’s not even 10am and the snow has ended. We have about two inches here in Belgrade. Nowhere near enough to consider it worth staying home and hunkering down.
In my next life, I’d like to be a weather person. It seems to me that it’s the only job where if you’re wrong much of the time, you get to keep your job. Businesses were deciding to close yesterday, a full 24 hours in advance of a storm. The whole state is closed!
So, I have in front of me a day to do whatever I want. Normally, I’d be at the store today. I went in yesterday as a favor to the boss in advance of the storm. We were super busy and the boss’s brother was at work on day two of having tested positive for Covid. My Irish stepped in front of the normal, reasonable me and I blew a gasket. I told the boss that it was him or me going home and that she didn’t have my back and that I felt betrayed. Come to find out that the sit and knit group the day before was ushered in through the yarn doors (usually kept locked) so they didn’t have to walk by her brother … “but he was masked” and two of his employees “were ok with it”. What about the woman who came in yesterday with oxygen? What about the Colby kids who go home to a dormitory? What about those who are unable to be vaccinated or have other reasons for being high risk? Employees on the fabric side of the store were told to keep it quiet. The yarn side was told nothing. UN-believable.
Anyway, so today I have a day to do whatever I want and I “should” be finishing the vest that I have on the needles. I’m so close and it’s bright enough to pick up the stitches around the arms and neck and knit for a few rounds. It would be good to finish this before I start the Choose Your Own Path Genser class with Knitography Farm. My yarn arrived yesterday.
Traditional Norwegian Yarn for my Choose Your Own Path Genser Course
I’m excited to start this course and make a beautiful sweater! I’ve bought the book that was suggested and I love the sweater. The yarn is sport weight by American Standards, the Norwegians don’t seem to need the guidelines as we do. They know that with this yarn and these needles, they’ll get gauge and will be able to make a sweater that fits. Americans seem to need more hand-holding and guides. I’m eager to give this a shot and I already know that the pattern will make a very close-fitting pattern so I will be needing to adjust the stitches to make it fit me the way that I want it to. I like a little bit of ease in my garments. I know that Patricia will be offering lots of help with this. It’s always fun to knit something new and to learn something new.
This is the sweater that I’m making. I’ve bought the purple yarn pictured on the model in the center. I struggled with color choice, though, because there were so many lovely colorways. I don’t have anything purple in my closet so that’s what I went with.
I’m knitting socks for the hubby as part of his (past) Christmas gift. I’ve finished the first sock and will cast on the second sock today. I will be endeavoring to write down the way I made the first one because I think the pattern was wrong. I tried to follow the pattern twice and twice the ribbing didn’t line up properly. On the third try, I just watched my knitting and put the ribbing where it needed to go. They’re such pretty socks; I love the cables and the way the heel is knitted is a bit different from the sock pattern that I usually knit.
I’m also knitting little baby socks. Little Miss is now 4 months old and starting to be more talkative, rolling over and grabbing and holding her rattle and toys. Her aunt had Covid a week or so ago and, once officially negative, her priority was to go see Sylvie. She’s changing so quickly from week to week, it’s incredible. I won’t be sure that these socks fit until I try them on her but I did my best guessing. Supposedly they won’t fall off – I’ll believe it when I see it. Anyone who’s ever dressed a child knows that socks fall off almost immediately. It just happens.
On Tuesday I made my first King Cake. I have a brother and sister-in-law who live in Louisiana. Since I’m linked to the south and Mardi Gras, I saw a recipe for King Cake in the NY Times and decided I’d try it. Despite the fact that it took my dough a couple of more hours to rise than it was “supposed” to, it turned out to be pretty tasty. The recipe had caramel apples in the center of the cake which is a bit untraditional but it’s pretty tasty. Next year I’ll try a more traditional cake and I’ll have the right colors of sugar to be authentic. Haha!
I should have taken some to work yesterday to share! I think this may be more cake than two people can eat before it gets stale. Or maybe I can freeze it. Note to self: don’t frost the whole cake at once unless you have an army ready to eat it. It doesn’t hold up under plastic wrap.
Sunrise is happening about 30 minutes earlier than a few weeks ago and it’s moving back over to the left of the music camp. That’s a good indication that we are moving out of winter and into spring. Our camp road has been posted (this is an official town posting that prohibits heavy trucks from driving on the town roads when they are least stable – aka “mud season”.)
This is a blessing and a curse this year because we haven’t really had a good cold winter. Signs that this hasn’t happened are that we have had very few, if any, pickup trucks on the ice. I’ve seen exactly one. Normally, they’re everywhere for several weeks at a minimum. While this seems like a blessing, we have to be concerned about what this means for the health of our lake.
I’ve learned a lot about invasive plant species while being the president of our lake association and the future of Maine lakes is at risk. On our lake, we always had one seasonal bloom of our single invasive milfoil species. We now have two blooms per season. With the warm winter, there is evidence of the plant’s adaptation to colder water. Not a good thing.
Meanwhile, on the shores of Messalonskee, our snow is melting and I’ve been spending time in my studio. I’ve been working to clean up and clean out. I even took three bags of odds and ends of yarn to GoodWill this week. I even used my sewing machine this week.
I made a thing!It has a pocket!!!
My friend Deb gifted me this “kit” to make a bee tote. It’s printed on a loose weave cotton and it’s gorgeous! I decided that I needed to line it and to make it a bit stiffer so it’ll sit up by itself. So one day last week I went off to Yardgoods Center and picked the brain of the sewists on the fabric side. Vicki helped me choose an iron-on interfacing that will make the fabric stiffen up a bit. This week I cut out the pieces from the kit and cut the lining pieces as well. Of course I had to line it … which meant that I had to figure out how to sew it together without directions. Which, because I am not a confident sewist, proved to be a challenge. But I DID figure it out.
I ironed the interfacing to the wrong sides of the fabric, sewed the pocket (lined and with interfacing, too) to the bag lining, and turned the straps to the right side. That turning all by itself was a challenge but with a pin and knitting needle, I managed to get it done. I top-stitched both sides of the handles and set them aside while I figured out how to sew the pieces of the bag together. After one complete f@#%-up, I started over from the beginning and stitched each part, lining and bag, individually with the boxed bottom and all. It occurred to me that I had done a lined bag once before in the distant past. That spark of a memory helped me figure out how to sew the parts together and have the handles be in the right place, too. Woo! Hoo! Success! Yay, me!
Urban Rustic Socks in Raggi
I started a pair of Christmas socks for my hubby. Before you congratulate me for planning ahead, let me tell you that these socks were promised for LAST Christmas. I’ve chosen this pattern, Urban Rustic Socks, because he was wearing MY pair (and thought they were a bit small). Ha! Ha! Now he’ll have his own pair. And they’re fun to knit, the cables are lovely and I love mine. The yarn is Raggi by Jarbo Garn. We can’t get this in our LYS any more and when they announced it, I had the forethought to buy a bit “extra” because I really like how it knits and wears. Hubby benefits from my good plan!
I discovered a problem with the larger size, though. When I got to the increase round, the ribbing didn’t line up when I knitted the pattern as written. So, on the third try, I just kept an eye on my knitting and “forced” the ribbing to line up. I will write down what I did when I knit the second sock, For now, though, I’m off and running – and I’ve reached the heel flap on the first sock. Another thing to note … using US 4 needles with an Aran-weight yarn causes my hands and arm to hurt. I might have tried knitting these on a US 5 needle and it might have been easier on my hands. But it’s too late now.
Emsworth Vest in Patagonia (you’ve seen this photo before)
My Emsworth is also really really really close to being done. I reached the 11 3/4″ mark on the body of the vest on Friday but when I held it up to my body, it felt too short. My knitting class confirmed it and I kept on knitting. I’m going to try another inch or two and see if that isn’t better for me. I hope that I can get it finished in the next week so that when my yarn arrives from Norway, I can begin knitting my genser without having to put aside my vest. (*crosses fingers and toes.)
My “knitting chair” that I ordered in mid-January was promised in mid-March. It seems that it has been delayed and I’m trying to be patient. I cleaned up the studio last week and have been thinking about moving some of the furniture around in advance of my new chair’s arrival. It seems I can take my time.
Gone knitting. (Enjoy a few sights from the lake.)
Passing by …ReflectionPileated WoodpeckerBald EagleIce Fishing Shack
This was my weekend to work and that’s why today feels like Sunday. We have had a gray start to the past few days but the ice has been growing up the shore of the lake and it looks very dramatic. We always get thick ice climbing out of the lake and this year, while it’s been a bit different than the past few years, we finally have ice coming up. I am not yet comfortable with going out on the ice for a walk but lots of people do. Call me crazy but when we have these “puddles” of water on top of the ice you have no idea what the ice below it is doing.
So, on Saturday I was at work and the last couple of days have been my weekend. Yesterday I wrote the store newsletter and got caught up with our house stuff, mail, calendars, you know, the stuff you need to catch up with at the end (or start) of the week. I’ve also been knitting.
My Emsworth vest has been my major focus this weekend. I am really enjoying this pattern and we all know that the yarn is my favorite. At least for now. I’m using the charcoal gray colorway of Patagonia Organic Merino yarn by Juniper Moon Farm and I really like the rustic quality of this yarn and yet, the merino makes it feel soft and it’s a pleasure to work with. The Emsworth pattern is fun for a couple of reasons: First because the lace sections keep it interesting with a lot of stockinette between the lace. When I bought this pattern I thought it was cables. Well, it’s not. But I am still having fun knitting the vest and I am hoping to get it finished before I finish my Norwegian Genser virtual class on the 19th. I guess it could happen.
I started the weekend with four inches from the underarm. I just measured it again and I’m at more than eight inches. If memory serves, I have to get to eleven-ish inches. I’m getting close!
Setesdal Hat in Rowan Norwegian Wool
I finished my Setesdal Hat. I had a feeling that this hat would be too small for my big head and I was right. But the hat was so much fun to knit and the colors are fun and attractive. I blocked it today – Arne and Carlos use a damp pressing cloth and a steamy iron to steam press wool garments – and the magic of blocking makes me so happy.
Wonky before stitchesAfter the magic
The photo on the left shows the wonky before stitches where the motifs look pretty good but some of the stitches kind of sink and the different shapes aren’t all the same. The photo on the right is after the magic of steam blocking. You can see how the stitches bloom to be more even across the board. I love it. One of my students on Friday afternoon will be happy to wear this hat – she called “dibs” on it at class on Friday. I am happy to have it go to a good home.
I also finished my traditional Norwegian Hals. I’ve signed up for a bunch of instruction from Knitography farm and it’s been wonderful. I enjoy the community and support that Patricia has built and her dedication to the traditional Norwegian knitwear designs. The hals (cowl) pattern is one that she translated from an historic pattern. This would probably be called a “dickie” in our culture but it’s a warm addition to winter wear. Unfortunately, once again, my big head won’t fit in the turtleneck so I will be giving this away. I ordered the yarn from Patricia’s farm. She has a herd of heritage sheep. I think it’s a bit scratchy … but it was historically accurate and I will be donating it to a worthy cause and it will keep someone warm.
I ordered new yarn this week from Norway to make a genser (pullover) in a traditional pattern. The pattern is really pretty. I found out about the pattern and the book that it’s in through the zoom meeting with Patricia of Knitography Farm. She’s doing a virtual Choose Your Own Path class and since I’ve never knit a traditional genser, I’m starting with a beginner pattern. I’ve also completed her online course on stranded knitting. I always learn something new.
Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day and my sweetie and I are going to Longfellow’s on a date. I want some dirt and some flowers for the house to cheer it up … the late winter and the gray days this time of year need some color.
We have had the coldest weather yet! Maine saw negative double digits at the end of last week. We saw -12 degrees here at our house on Saturday morning. On Friday we started the day in the positive range but the temperatures dropped hourly. What a fun few days watching the temps!
We had no damage to our pipes although the windows did have ice on the inside in some parts of the house. I thought about hanging quilts in the big living room windows but never got it done. Luckily, we were warm. I am so grateful for our warm comfortable house.
These cold days have been great days to be a knitter, though. I spent all of Saturday and Sunday in my studio … I didn’t even get dressed! I’ve got a lot of knitting going on and I wanted to share with you before I get everything finished.
I’m participating in the Modern Daily Knitting and Arne and Carlos KAL, the Setesdal Hat which is in the new Field Guide 23. I was late to the party and got the electronic file of the book. We had three of the colors of Norwegian yarn at my LYS (on sale!) and one of my friends/co-workers and I ordered the other two colors from another LYS in Southern Maine. When I saw the colors I wasn’t convinced but once I got knitting, I’ve become a changed woman! I love the colors! I’m not sure if the hat is going to fit my big head but it will fit someone and meanwhile, I’m having fun knitting it.
Setesdal Hat by Arne and Carlos
I’ve knitted through the pink and the next part of the KAL begins on Tuesday. I was tempted to keep knitting and I could have finished the hat on Saturday but I decided to play along as a good group member and wait until the start of week 2.
And then I went to work on my Knitography Farm Stranded Knitting Course project, Deep Winter on the Path Hals. I’m knitting this cowl/hals in Jamieson & Smith Shetland Jumper Weight yarn in three natural shades. This cowl is a great piece to practice Patricia’s stranded knitting techniques and it’s an online class that can be taken as you have time and a prerequisite for her sweater class that I want to take this spring.
Deep Winter on the Path Hals by Patricia Anne Fortune
I’ve completed the ribbing and the first motif and am ready to begin the second motif. It’s been good practice and I like the colors and the pattern. I don’t love cowls, though. I think I’ll finish the second motif, and then knit to balance the pattern and make it a headband. And, bonus, I’ve just chosen the yarn to knit the beginner genser (pullover).
I have finished the squishy black alpaca socks for my son and they’re yummy. I wish I had feet as big as his! I may have to knit a pair of socks for me in the Lang Alpaca Soxx yarn. It’s so soft and squishy and I’ll bet they’ll be nice and warm, too. I used my standby pattern, Yankee Knitter’s Classic Socks pattern. Black socks are a trip to knit. I had no trouble knitting the cuff or the leg or the foot but when you have to be able to see the stitches … ha! ha! Not happening. For the first time ever, I had to wait until the morning and good light to pick up the gusset stitches and to Kitchener Stitch the toes.
Yankee Knitter Classic Socks
I also finished by Stashbuster Shawl. The yarn has been in my stash for years. The yarn is The Fiber Seed’s Sprout Sock in the Rainbow in the Dark colorway. I loved this colorway because it’s alternating black and rainbow speckles. I knew it would be a fun knit and when my friend Peggy came into the store wearing a Stashbuster Shawl in the same yarn, I knew what my yarn wanted to be! The Stashbuster Shawl is a simple garter stitch shawl – good for watching TV at night – with a fun picot edge. And mine is huge! It’s narrow but it has to be seven or eight feet wide. It’s blocking right now and I can’t wait to wear it.
Stashbuster Shawl by Heather Haynes
My Emsworth vest has not even been touched since I started the Norwegian knitting adventure. The hals, the hat and my last WIP, a traditional Norwegian Hals pattern that Patricia shared on one of our Zoom meetings – the community meets pretty regularly to get updates and ask questions. The pattern is a reconstruction of an historical pattern. I waited to order yarn from Norway to knit it – had to try the real Norwegian yarn, right? I’ve got the turtleneck to finish,18cm of turtleneck, and then I’ll have another FO. Yay, me! I’ve got to get cracking on my Emsworth next and get it finished before the Knitography Farm “Choose Your Own Path” Genser Course starts on February 19th.
I’ve also promised socks (a Christmas gift) to my husband and I pulled out the pattern that I’m going to knit. An aside, one evening when we were watching the news I noticed that he had my socks on … a cabled worsted weight pair … he wondered why they were a bit small. I’m not sure how I got them in his sock pile but I did. Now he’ll have a well-fitting pair of his own. The pattern is Urban Rustic Socks. Be careful, if you look this pattern up, you’re going to want to knit them!
I have six more WIPs in my Ravelry project queue that I haven’t discussed in quite awhile … I’ll get there. Don’t nag me. Ha! Ha! Ha!
Happy New Year from Messalonskee Lake in the heart of Central Maine, USA! We had a quiet evening last night and were in bed and asleep well before the ball fell in Times Square but we live a simple life here and we like to get up in the morning and watch the sunrise, drink our coffee together and usher in a new day in relative peace.
This morning I slept extra late and missed sunrise but it was still lovely when I awoke. Foggy and warmer than usual temps here this morning (though the fog has burned off and the sun is out!) We are beyond grateful to be able to live here in this remarkable place. My hubby made delicious Eggs Benedict for breakfast after I sent the store newsletter and now I’m busy up in my studio.
I’m moving over into my 2023 planner this morning and have added up my FOs for 2022. It seems like I’ve finished about 72 projects this year. I say “about” because I didn’t take the time to count every single advent jumper and other little projects. They’re all on my projects page in Ravelry, though, and I’m quite pleased. Among some of my favorites were knitting with fairy lights and completing a couple of Laura Nelkin’s Love and Light. I have one to make for a commission for a high school friend who loved mine.
I totally enjoyed knitting little sweaters for our future Advent calendar. I’ve made it to #16 which is still on my needles and 14 and 15 are waiting to be seamed a little bit and ends woven in. But I’ll get them done this year for sure. I completed three sweaters this year. I’ve worn my Elton several times – including on my trip to Rhinebeck in the fall. I even wore it buttoned wrong … all around Rhinebeck and meeting so many of my knitting idols. I love my Patsy’s Traveling sweater and my Fine Sand, too. I’ll enjoy wearing them all in years to come. I didn’t knit socks every month this year but I got several pairs made. I gave most of them to my girls. My sock drawer is pretty full! I owe my hubby his Christmas socks … I hope to get the socks knit in January.
I loved knitting the Humlebi Shawl and watching the little bees pop off the fabric! I have to look for this shawl … it was washed and put away for the summer and I haven’t yet taken it out. And I loved knitting everything for my new nephew, Noah and my new granddaughter, Sylvie. We are so thankful for these precious additions to our family and we are so happy to be able to spend time with our family near and not-so-near.
We’ve had some really sad days in 2022. I lost a dear student who I’d grown very close to. Lucille was like a mother/grandmother/auntie to me. I spent every Friday with her, picking her up for class and bringing her home again for many of them. I appreciated her knitting talent and her graceful-ish aging. She didn’t like not being able to knit and do things as she’d always done. I couldn’t blame her. We lost both of my Littles in 2022. Boq died in January and Lola in July. I miss them every single day. There will never be another dog like them for me. And then in November we lost my grand-dog Willow. She was my daughter’s heart dog (as my litters were mine.) We had the honor of bringing her ashes home to NYC at Christmas time. Rest well all of you.
This past year has been busier than I might have liked for me in the volunteer realm of my life. I’ve been president of the lake association and on the board of a free public charter school for the arts. Both have been very fulfilling and I’ve enjoyed them a lot. I’ll be wrapping up my service to the lake association in July but I live on the lake so I can’t step far. I believe that boards need new people on and old people off in order to keep them healthy and thriving. I’ll always be available to help the new leadership. That’s our job as leaders to lead, step down and then to share our knowledge to the new generation. I’m looking forward to having a little bit more time to get back to sewing. I’ve got several projects to finish and some that I really want to tackle.
Clara Parkes, in her Daily Respite post this morning, offered this poem as a benediction for 2023 and I really loved it. I’ve shared it on my daily FB/Insta post and I shared it in the store newsletter that I wrote. Three times is a charm so I’m also sharing it here. I’m off to fling the door wide in welcome and sweep the threshold.
“Think of the year as a house: door flung wide in welcome, threshold swept and waiting, a graced spaciousness opening and offering itself to you. . .
And may it be in this house of a year that the seasons will spin in beauty, and may it be in these turning days that time will spiral with joy. And may it be that its rooms will fill with ordinary grace and light spill from every window to welcome the stranger home.”
We had our first “plowable” snow Friday night and yesterday. We are thinking we got about 8 inches … maybe 9. It’s absolutely beautiful! The only drawback, if you can call it that, is that we lost power on Saturday at around 2:30pm. The short story is that we got power back this afternoon around 3pm. BUT for a household with two generators, we were mighty cool over that 24 plus hours and I’m really grateful that I have a husband who is creative and can figure out how to minimize our discomfort.
So, how is it that we have two generators and neither one works? Well, suffice it to say that we’re in between generators. Our old one is a portable model that we drag out of the garage and across the yard to plug in and it ran the whole house. But my husband needs a new hip and we thought we’d bite the bullet and get a new, automatic generator hooked up before the winter kicks into high gear. We had our neighbor install (except for the propane) a new automatic generator. We may be able to leave the house in the winter after all. BUT we were told by our propane company that we only had to dig a ditch from the house to the generator and they’d come hook it up … and then they needed a deposit … and they didn’t come. So my husband called them about it and they hadn’t scheduled us. And now it’ll be January 6th before they can come. Meanwhile, obviously, there was a nor’Easter … and several inches of heavy snow … and 24+ hours of powerlessness. Literally.
I’ve knitted through the hours that were difficult and growing cold. Neither of us slept particularly well last night. We were both up at 3am for a few hours … reading with our headlamps, drinking a cup of tea. I was lucky and was able to go back to sleep. This morning the sun came out and we are fortunate to get some serious passive solar heat. The living room was 66 even after almost 24 hours of no heat. Husband got a long extension cord, passed it through the kitchen window and plugged into the fridge so we didn’t lose our food. He also realized that he could plug into a power strip and then we could also charge our phones. And a space heater. And a shop light.
The knitting helped me cope with the lack of comfort. I take the luxury of heat and electricity for granted every single day. The expectation is that we will always have it – and we even flick the switches when we know that power is off. A rude awakening but a reminder, too, about how lucky we are to live here. In the home that we built on the lake that we love in the state that we chose as our home together. In a special country where we are afforded so many freedoms and luxuries. Our “suffering” and “discomfort” was minimal at best but we were among the lucky ones.
I’ve finished the socks for my daughter that I started on the way to Massachusetts for Thanksgiving. I love the yarn. They’re happy socks!
They’re plain vanilla socks, my favorite Yankee Knitter pattern. I’ve bought the pattern several times and keep going back for more. I’ve now bought the pattern electronically and I hope I don’t shred that pattern, too.
I realized that I had some beautiful cashmere yarn in my stash that are the perfect colors for a hat for my sweet granddaughter. I have been wanting to knit a hat for her that is a bit larger than the newborn hats that she has because she’s bound to keep growing. I combined two patterns to make the bow hat in a DK weight yarn. I’ll block the pieces tomorrow and put them all together. I hope I love it as much as I think I will. Despite the ladders and some funky color change mess.
Aaand, last but not least is the little cardigan that I’m knitting for Sylvie. She’s getting big enough that the newborn sweater and the Christmas sweater that I made her may not fit. I’ve shipped the Christmas sweater and am close to finishing the cardigan … one sleeve almost finished and one more to go. Add some ribbing around the opening and some buttons and it’ll be ready to go. I love the shade of blue that is an On the Round sock colorway that I’ve had in my stash. I’m knitting a Knitting Pure and Simple pattern. (Have a look at my Ravelry project page for all the details.)
So, in addition to finishing the sweater and blocking and assembling the hat, I’ve been trying to decide what project to knit next. It’s difficult to believe that I haven’t got more projects on the needles. BUT it’s time for something new. I just saw a sweater (cardigan) pattern called the Ramona Cardigan by Elizabeth Smith. It’s an Aran weight wool in a grey colorway. I happen to have a sweater’s worth of a heavy worsted gray yarn by Brown Sheep. I think I may be heading down the Ramona path later on this week. I don’t have a dark grey sweater and this will match a lot of things that I wear on the regular. And it’s not complicated. My head is a swimming with responsibilities and I can’t deal with a knitting pattern that requires a lot of my attention.
I also need to knit a pair of Christmas socks for my hubby. He surely deserves them for taking such good care of me.
All of a sudden I have nearly 20,000 miles on my car! The past month has been a whirlwind of travel and we’re not used to it. Not one little bit. But it sure has been fun!
It all started when my eldest bonus daughter got married in Virginia at the start of December. We drove down because she had asked her dad to make the chuppah for the wedding. He gathered beautiful Maine Birch logs and fashioned a large chuppah with them. It was gorgeous! BUT we had to also get it to the wedding venue, so … we bought a roof rack for my car and strapped the logs (now disassembled) to the top of the car and a few of the shorter logs were inside. The ride down and the proceedings up to the wedding itself were fun and it was great to see the kids and their significant others. My son and his girlfriend also came down to the wedding so we got to see them, too. The wedding day was *gasp* rainy but we were inside getting hair and makeup done and then photos and cocktails and the wedding ceremony.
The venue was the River View at Occoquan in Lorton, VA. A lovely natural area in the middle of suburban Washington, DC. The ceremony was outside and then the reception was in the building on premises and it was a stunning venue. The bride was beautiful, her attendants were lovely and loving and they were celebrated in an appropriate manner. We are so happy to have Evan join our family.
After the wedding my hubby dropped me off in New York City for my first grandmotherly babysitting job. What a privilege to be asked to stay with my darling love for a few days. Her dad had business in California and her mom had rehearsals and a performance. I had a blast! BUT I can now say that I fully understand what my friends who are grandmothers have told me about it being the best title in the whole world. I fell head over heels in love with this little girl while I was there and it was really difficult to leave when the time came. Needless to say, we are thinking about heading back to the city for Christmas for a couple of days and I can hardly wait!
I did some knitting in the car on the way to Virginia and back to NYC but after that, my hands were busy and I might as well have sent my knitting bag home with my hubby. I didn’t knit a stitch while I was in New York. Somehow I have found a new activity that surpasses knitting and that’s holding my granddaughter! Home is my happy place and now she is, too. It’s a life changing experience. I am so eager to spend more and more time with her as she grows up and I grow old. I loved spending time, too, with my daughter. She’s already an incredible mom. I’m so proud of her.
I’ve finished my Musselburgh hat in Berroco Vintage Sock. I didn’t love the yarn, to be completely honest. BUT it is washable and the hat should be a good one for New York CIty winters. My kids all wear a lot of grays and black – it’s what you do in NYC. I hope she’ll like the hat and if not, there are plenty of people to give it to. Musselburgh is a long tube with increases on one end and decreases on the other. In black there’s not a lot to look at but I’ll get a photo on my daughter’s head (if I remember!) It was a fun knit to be sure.
I’ve finished one sock and am half-way done with the second one. The yarn was in my stash – I’ve been knitting 12 socks a year before this year and I was feeling like I needed to knit some socks. So I did. And it was a good idea, too, since we were traveling. Socks are always a good project for the road. I’m using the Yankee Knitter sock pattern which I almost have memorized in the fingering weight yarn for women. My daughter claimed these socks at Thanksgiving so they’ll also be going to NYC at Christmas time. Yarn details are on my Ravelry project page. The only thing I tend to change is the needle size. I like to knit socks on a slightly smaller needle. In this case, I’m using a US 1 1/2. I feel like it makes the socks hold up to wear better.
I’ve also cast on a sweater for my granddaughter because the little Newborn Vertebrae cardigans are getting too small – well, actually, the rainbow one was felted in the laundry and the Christmas one may (or may not fit). It’s in the mail on the way so she can wear it for a few days. The one I’m knitting now is a fingering weight cardigan in On the Round sock yarn that I had stashed in a beautiful blue tonal. I’m using Knitting Plain and Simple’s pattern #1506 Baby Cardigan/ Lightweight Baby Cardigan. I love knitting little sweaters, they really make me feel accomplished and finishing things is a pretty wonderful thing, too.
That might be all that I’ve done recently.
I flew home from NYC so I could teach on Friday and Friday night my friend Sarah and her Great Dane puppy, Esme, came for the weekend. What fun it was to see this giant puppy and get to know what a giant breed is like. At six months, she’s 90 pounds and she’s a little floppy like puppies tend to be. But she made me laugh more often than not – often when she tried to climb up into my lap.
Sarah left on Monday and I took off on Tuesday to visit briefly with my Salem and Marblehead family and to pick up the ashes of my grand-dog, Willow. Willow passed away the day after Thanksgiving. I’ll be delivering her ashes to my daughter and her husband. We all were touched by this sweet rescue dog who started out suffering (and making my daughter and anyone who loved her suffer) from severe separation anxiety. She was still anxious as an older dog but she had made great strides; mostly because my daughter loved her so much and was willing to put in the time and effort to help her feel a little more secure.
I arrived back home today and I’m heading back to work tomorrow. Friday there is supposed to be a “big” winter storm. My husband’s boss has called work for Friday already and my boss seems to be leaning that way, too. There will be three of us in the shop tomorrow – hopeful that we get some restocking done!
I’ll sleep well tonight and most of the weekend is “mine” for finishing my Christmas shopping and getting some gifts wrapped. Crossing my fingers that everything arrives in time – I’m getting really good at shopping online! I was a little bit late getting started. The wedding preparations threw me off. But I got our Christmas cards ordered, addressed and sent! Last year I didn’t manage to get cards ordered or sent so I really wanted to get them done this year. I’m so happy with them.
Queen Bee Knits 