Nolens Volens Knitting

Knitting-Themed Books...for BOYS

2011-10-04T06:47:00.000-07:00

In a previous post, I added my voice to the chorus of Harry Potter fan-fiction [Chapter 3 3/4: Hagrid Knits, July 2009], but have not yet addressed books which involve knitting and are of interest to YOUNGER boys. I was reminded of this when I read of the recent publication of a lovely new children's book, Phoebe's Sweater, which even includes a pattern ...and considered buying it until I realized that I would have to Gorilla glue my son's south-sides to the chair to engage them with such an estrogen-soaked book.

So, for those of you with sons...here are my suggestions for books that will keep both you AND your boys interested until one of you falls asleep:

CATEGORY:
Best Illustrations: Pre-and beginning reader- Crab Cab: Flip a Word by Harriet Ziefert with darling Japanese anime-style illustrations by Yukiko Kido

Best Illustrations: Classic: Fin M'Coul: The Giant of Knockmany Hill by Tomie de Paola

Best Illustrations: New: Russel the Sheep by Rob Scotton

Most Educational, Theme: Warm as Wool, by Scott Russel Sanders [despite the cover illustration, this does feature some boys]

Classic, Theme: Crictor, by Tomi Ungerer. [Snakes always work for boys ;-) ]

Best New, Theme: Ice Harbor Mittens , by Robin Hansen (originally published WITH pattern in Piecework, Jan/Feb 2010) About boys lost at sea utilizing "Compass Mittens" to find their way home.

Best Overall, Theme: ...Most hilarious and book most beloved by all three of my sons: Traction Man is Here!, by Mini Grey. This photo series will give a pretty good synopsis.

On the importance of kids...any kids!

2011-07-29T09:33:00.000-07:00

Remember having unlimited energy? Remember doing headstands for an hour while watching the Love Boat and not calling it "yoga." Remember playing tag or Red Rover and never trying to calculate how far your ran that day. For most of us, those days are long gone...and with it the motivation to complete tasks that do not fall in to the "absolutely necessary otherwise I will end up homeless" category. Just last month I was inspired by gathering with my friends to knit for a cause...a GREAT cause. By this month my energy was already flagging. I found myself repeatedly back-burnering the task of scheduling our next meeting. Then, an amazing thing happened. I threw a small summer cocktail party, and one of my younger guests (the daughter of a guest), told me of her interest in knitting. She asked about my current projects and I told her about the Pine Street in knit-a-long. Her eyes grew wide, her speech became more rapid, and before long she had me pulling out my schedule to ensure she would be available to join in on the date of our next meeting. Her enthusiasm - which motivated her to knit 0.7 MILES of finger knitting -not only landed her in our local newspaper as she attempts to knit a World Record length, but also became an instant motivation for me. I must remember to borrow some kids when my own are no longer around.

World Wide Knit in Public Day...and the Pine Street Inn Knit-a-Thon

2011-06-13T09:17:00.000-07:00

This Saturday, June 11th, was World Wide Knit in Public Day. Not to let such a day pass unnoticed, I decided to gather a group of friends and find a spot to knit...in public. I sent out a quick message via Facebook to my many local friends who are involved in fiber artistry and threw together a small gathering at the Public Library Cafe. As inspiration, I suggested that we join our efforts to make a contribution from our town to a Massachusetts charity which contributes hand knit blankets to a local homeless shelter, the Pine Street Inn. The recipients of these blankets utilize them while at the Inn, and are then allowed to take them with them as a housewarming gift when they regain a home of their own.

Ultimately, six women attended the event..from a variety of backgrounds, religions, and age groups. The conversation was lively and engaging. While topics quite naturally gravitated to crafting topics, drawing out the expertise of some of the ultra-talented attendees (one, an editor of Cloth, Paper, Scissors magazine and a multi-media artist, another a knit designer with a daughter entering the field of fashion design), it dawned on me the significance of housing in ALL of the attendees lives. I, myself, spent 5 months between August of 2005 and Jan 2006, wondering if we would be homeless while we were floating two mortages...one possibly lost to flooding in New Orleans(it wasn't), and ultimately trying to sell is the midst of a city in chaos before our money to pay our new home mortgage ran completely out (which we did in the knick of time). Around the table there was a woman currently making a tri-country move who hasn't had a place to call "home" for a year-and-a-half, a woman who has lived in at least 10 cities in America ( having made her most recent moved no more than a week ago to Portland, ME and who drove all the way in to be in the presence of like-minded knitters...a "home" of sorts), two women who have lived without secure housing while raising their lovely children (who are close friends of my own), and one who, by virtue of being in a house next door to my own has become, effectively, a third grandmother(though not old enough ;-) )/auntie to my children. And though the topic of housing and homelessness never came up during our discussions, it was ...and always is...an undercurrent to everything we did and do.

If you reflect on the significance of housing in your life, and want to participate in this project, don't hesitate! Anyone can participate...simply knit or crochet a 9x9" square of any color, yarn type, or design, and contribute to the project as detailed on the Pine Street Inn Knit-a-thon Page. A warm blanket can make all the difference.

Yet Another Good Reason to Visit Iceland

2011-05-27T07:01:00.000-07:00

Ragga Eiriksdottir

I was reading the New York Times last week when I came accross an article detailing the post-economic collapse entrepreneurship in Iceland. As I am fascinated by this strange and exciting country, I avidly read the story from beginning to end. Midway through, the author wrote the following of interest to knitters:

The real value of the economic crash, one young woman told me, was that “people are rethinking, Who am I as an Icelandic person?” A number of people suggested to me that the nation, as a whole, was going through a period of intense introspection and that the consensus seemed to be that Icelanders needed to return to their roots. “Everyone is knitting” is how Steinunn Knutsdottir, a drama teacher, put it. “People are also making jam.” I thought that Knutsdottir was joking, until one day I saw a woman standing directly across the street from my hotel, perched on a chair, yarn in hand, stitching some so-called “knit graffiti” into place around a tree.
The knitter’s name was Ragga Eiriksdottir, and ever since the crash, she has been earning a living with her knitting. Before that, she had several other jobs, including working for a pharmaceutical company and writing a sex column for a national newspaper. “I touched on the topics that might be forbidden, like masturbation or fantasizing while having sex with your partner,” Eiriksdottir said from her perch. She started a business that publishes books and produces popular DVDs on the art of knitting. She also runs a series of “knitting tours” in which she escorts knitters from all over the world on trips around Iceland. Eiriksdottir’s first book came out around the time of the crash. The timing was perfect, she said, because Icelanders finally realized that “we weren’t good with money and that we should do something that we are actually good at.”
“Knitting is the opposite of idolizing money,” she explained. “Knitting embodies thriftiness and is something old that has been with the nation forever. In the 1800s, the state actually published documents that outlined how much citizens should knit. It was said, for example, that a child from the age of 8 should finish a pair of socks each week.”

Eiriksdottir continued with her work. I noticed that she was using a bizarre-looking needle.
“Is that a bone?” I asked.
“Yes, it’s a cow bone,” she replied, explaining that this is what they used in the old days. “I prefer it to the modern needle, especially with all the fuzzy Icelandic yarn.”

[Iceland’s Big Thaw, Jake Halpern for New York Times, Published: May 13, 2011]

Despite all the great reasons to visit Iceland, I really can't come up with a better incentive than a knitting tour run by a sex-columnist...sign me up!

For more information about Ragga and her knitting life in Iceland, to learn about her business KNITTING ICELAND, or sign up for one of her indulgent tours, visit her fascinating blog HERE.

Around the World ...Literally.

2011-05-25T09:42:00.000-07:00

Three agonizing weeks of cold New England drizzle were at last broken yesterday, heralded by the arrival of my Around the World Swap package. The sun broke through the clouds and the package broke through my gloom. Even if my swap partner had not intended to send an Around the World themed package, it was inevitably so, since she is from Korea!

My swap partner, Dani, set the scene with a note describing my "Travel of Dream" journey. In order to make the trip, I was instructed to utilize the preprogrammed teleportation compass (LOVE this idea). Should I decide to write anyone about my journey, she enclosed beautiful handmade blank notes made from map paper.

Each region was individually wrapped in its own themed project bag...First in Vietnam where I helped a local woman who suffers from the effects of childhood polio regain control of her life by purchasing a lovely buddhist coin bookmark she made. Then on to Korea, where, with the help of a very instructive book, I learn about the Korean art of tea. She also enclosed a ceramic all-in-one cup/strainer and some gorgeous teas from the region to try, as well as some Manju (baked sweets with an indescribable taste and texture...mmmm) I also pause in Bali to enjoy some journal-writing in this lovely handmade book.

The next bag was from India (Jaipur...and gorgeous!)...it contained a cookbook of great Indian simple dishes, as well as yummy snacks and fun knitting notions.

Finally on to Iceland where I will don my incredible new socks (!!! GORGEOUS!!!) and enjoy an evening of knitting with my special Lopi yarn (a kind we can't get in America) and basking in the midnight sun. If I would like a bit of a challenge, I may try making the tour-de-force of multicolor knitting...Nightingale Socks....as my new friend sent the pattern for these along as well :-)

Thank you, Dani, for a perfectly tailored knitterly tour of all my favorite places!

HELP, Spinners, I need information about this wheel!

2011-05-19T10:17:00.000-07:00

I purchased this spinning wheel at Brimfield last year and am trying to find information about it. My understanding is that it is a flax spinning wheel like this one (1850), and not made for spinning woolen yarn.

American Flax Wheel, ca.1850

I also would love information about the painted decoration that might lead to a possible country of origin. I was thinking Scandinavia, but am not certain. Let me know your thoughts!

Around the World Swap

2011-04-13T12:15:00.000-07:00

The card I made as an enclosure.

I love to travel. Granted, having three children under age 10 has limited my travel somewhat in recent years, but it doesn't change the things I love about travel. I love being 100 percent in charge of my own schedule. I love the feeling that when traveling one is truly oneself...being away from the demands of friends/family/work has the effect of creating a cultural vacuum where one is only who they really are. I love the perspective one gains on one's own home and lifestyle from a distance...when one sees that other cultures do things very different and equally legitimate ways. And of course, I love what everyone loves about travel...that every day on the road brings a new and interesting/engaging experience and so is EXCITING. This experiential approach is in contrast to many people who travel with a checklist in hand and aim to see sights and move on. I am not a "tourist," I am a "traveler." Travel has been so central to my life that when I read about a new "Around the World" swap theme through Ravelry, I couldn't click fast enough to sign up. Without further ado, I give you the "itinerary" sent to my swap partner...designed to lead her through all her most beloved destinations in one imaginary trip.

ITINERARY

Oddlief's Knitting Tour of the World


Thanks to a color copier she had her very own Passport.

Day 1: Flight from Seattle to China ...Airline lost your baggage :-( Lucky for you this aged flight attendant had an extra original 1970's Beijing Airline flight attendant bag he was willing to give you for the remainder of your trip. You will be so retro-chic for this tour! And with all these pockets, it will make a nice knitting bag after the trip.
You pack your book you were reading on 100 must-see places in your new bag and begin your adventure.

Day 2: CHINA- While in China you pick up a few stitch markers in the market. They are symbols of good luck - you may need some luck...it's a long way around the world!

Day 3: MONGOLIA- You try to fit a Mongolian cashmere goat in your bag, but he bleats too much to go unnoticed. Instead you pick up some "Kathmandu" yarn made from merino wool, silk, and Mongolian cashmere.

Day 4: TIBET- Dang, where's an embroidery needle when you need one! Luckily you are in a part of the world where beautiful embroidery is everywhere. You pick up a handy little needle case with images of local gods and goddesses. They seem more serene than you feel.

Day 5: AUSTRALIA- Just to be sure you don't lose this bag, too, better get a luggage tag. Ah, this one works..."Ripping Yarns"- not only the name given to local folk tales of murder/ghosts/intrigue, but also reflective of how you feel after botching the socks you were knitting during that long plane ride.

Day 6: (PERSIA)- OK, you can't really stop here because it no longer technically exists. Somehow, the flight attendant passes by with her Duty-Free cart and you spy in the back a bottle of vintage AVON brand perfume (my swap partner listed "any Avon product" as a like)..."Persian Wood." Your favorite- and one you haven't been able to find for years! You buy a bottle. May also come in handy in all these places where deodorant seems unknown.

Day 7: NORTHERN ITALY- Travelers belly subsides and you find yourself in a land full of wonderful food. You gorge yourself like a tick for a day and pick up a box of local "Torrone" candy.

Day 8: SPAIN- Desired for centuries, real Spanish saffron. You buy a jar and debate over whether to use it to make paella or tea. (my swap partner listed saffron tea as a like also).

Day 9: Fly to London, Heathrow. Rent car and drive over countryside. It's a long drive. Good thing you have some Werther's candies in the car. Park at Blackpool on the northwesternmost coast.

Day 10: Boat to ISLE OF MAN- Here you pick up a book of graph paper for drawing the cable pattern you've been designing in your head. You love it because it shows historic images of woman shearing sheep alongside the men, as well as women there spinning yarn. Perhaps these images of knitting on the Isle of Man are in the local museum. You vow to go check it out, but never make it to the museum because you are sidetracked by the beautiful countryside. No worries, you pick up a brochure for the online museum.

While touring the countryside, you stop at a couple of farms and find the locals very friendly. One teaches you about the species of sheep nearly unique to the Isle of Man, known as the MANX LOGHTAN

photograph courtesy British Wool Marketing Board ©

MANX LOGHTAN sheep are a Northern short-tailed, multi-horned breed native to the Isle of Man. The word Loghtan is derived from the Manx words “lugh” (mouse) and “dhoan” (brown). Both sexes can be horned or polled (hornless), with two, four or occasionally even six horns being recorded.
The wool is moorit (red-brown) and is used mainly for the production of un-dyed woolens but is also suitable for the manufacture of tweeds.
The Manx Loghtan is listed as "at risk" by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust.

You purchase some of the handspun yarn from this unique sheep. The family likes you and appreciates your interest in their animals. The spinner's husband decides to give you a family heirloom - an antique horse brass with the triskelion symbol emblematic of the Isle of Man. You don't know what you'll do with it (belt? Handbag buckle?), but it is such a meaningful gift that you thank him nonetheless.

When it's time to leave the Isle of Man, you have just a single coin left- the nearly useless 1/2 pence. You like the "Cushag" and recognize the design as the yellow bloom of the common Ragwort long regarded as the national flower. You decide to make it into a fifth stitch marker.

Day 11: IRELAND- Ah, home- your beloved Ireland. You pick up some Bailey's Irish Cream candies and head for the Knitting store where you can finally get that pattern for Kilt Socks you've wanted for so long.

Day 12: ORKNEY ISLANDS- Only stopping briefly here. Long enough to stop in the airport gift shop and pick up a coin purse to keep all your change from shaking around the bottom of your bag. Ah, and it works perfectly for holding your notions as well!

Day 13: ICELAND- Your last stop. The natural beauty here is overwhelming and you spend the day steeping in the Blue Lagoon and marvelling over the many falls and volcanoes dotting the countryside. There sure are a lot of sheep here! What do they eat!?!? There's just enough room in your bag to fit a pair of Icelandic socks...that's the wonderful thing about buying woolens while travelling- they squish. Oh, and you could probably fit a bar of the delicious local chocolate, too - after all, there's ALWAYS room for chocolate!

Day 14: HOME!!! You've done it! I hope you enjoyed your adventure :-)

Woolapalooza 2011

2011-04-01T18:04:00.000-07:00

Here in Massachusetts each spring, the Mass Audubon Society puts on a small fiber festival with a big name... Woolapalooza. This long name is a reference to a annual music festival featuring popular heavy metal, alternative, punk rock , and hip-hop bands, dance and comedy performances, and craft booths which has been touring North America since 1991 called "Lollapalooza." Lollapalooza spawned "Wallapalooza" which is the name of many rock radio stations, including 105.7 in Chicago. It is also, curiously, according to the online Urban Dictionary, "when a female inserts 15 eels into her vagina, at least 5 of which must be Candiru, the parasite that swims up urethra. After all 15 are inserted, a male inserts his penis into the vagina (ignorant of the eels inside). The female then wraps her legs around the male, locking him inside and screams "WALLA WALLA WALLA WALLA" at the top of her lungs as the Candiru make their way to his spam javelin." Really, I'm not lying...this shit is too crazy good to make up. I don't know how any of this relates to Woolapalooza, but it does make for a catchy sounding name.

Anyhow, Woolapalloza took place on Drumlin Farm - one of the many wonderful sites managed by Mass Audubon. Drumlin Farm is, as its name conveys, a Farm...complete with animals, and the festival corresponds with the spring shearing day for its sheep. Along the outdoor path, organizers set up a series of tables displaying the steps between sheep shearing and the production of garments and is cleverly called, "the Path From Sheep to Sweater." It is geared maiinly towards children and the event is full, from morning until evening with children learning to
CARD,

SPIN,

DYE,

and CRAFT with yarn.

The kids and adults both delight in the animals, including this angora rabbit who is having a crazy hair day.

And, at the end, fiberholics like myself can reward themselves for baring the cold by purchasing lovely small-batch indy-produced yarn.

...While We're on the Subject of Mistakes...

2011-03-31T09:20:00.000-07:00

Do you ever feel like you're being watched? ...or read?

Two days after my blog on Burning Eggs and Botching Socks, Interweave Insider published an article on The Beauty of Crafting Mistakes. Either somebody at Interweave loves me and sympathizes, or it was just something in the knitting ether this week. Anyhow, since we are ALL talking about knitting mistakes, I'll share my winter project mishap.

Normally I have perfect guage. I'm not bragging, it's just the way it usually works out for me. To prove that it is not bragging, I'll fully admit that it is my absolute average-ness which makes it so that I can knit the average pattern as written for the average public without distress. This winter I undertook a lovely pattern for a fitted cardigan by Debby Bliss.

Cable Vent Jacket by Debbie Bliss

I used the appropriate weight yarn and the appropriate size needles and happily knit through the entire back and one front panel before realizing that I was running out of yarn...and that my sweater panels were the size of a small afghan. When I measured the difference, I was fully 1/3 larger than the target dimensions!!!! Mental note: Debby Bliss knits tightly. As my lovely Rowan silk-linen yarn had been discontinued, I paused my project for nearly a month while the only remaining matching yarn in sufficient quantity made its way across the Atlantic in what must have been a tugboat. A very EXPENSIVE tugboat.

But since we are talking about the positive aspects of mistakes, I will tell you that the sedentary lifestyle necessary to knit this near-Snuggie-sized garment led to me packing on 20 lbs this winter...and had I succeeded in knitting a "fitted" sweater, it most certainly would not have fit. So, here's to serendipidous mistakes and lovely housecoats!

Burning Eggs and Botching Socks

2011-03-25T10:29:00.000-07:00

I am a home cook. When I stopped working outside the home, the adjustment that I made was that I ceased ordering food from restaurants to save money (Going out to restaurants at the time was out of the question because I had an 18 month-old, a 4-year-old, and a 5-year-old). Cooking at home meant that I rapidly learned to tweak recipes to make them palatable to my children so as to increase the quantity I could get down their gullets. Tomato sauces were blended so as to eliminated all chunks, as were onions & peppers, broccoli was cooked exactly to their specifications, etc.

Now I am no chef, but I would classify myself as a pretty good home-cook. One day, inspired by a dish they particularly liked, my kids pleaded for me to make a cookbook with all their favorite recipes. I asked them for name suggestions for the book, and my youngest who was two at the time, hilariously suggested, "CC Burns Eggs." (CC being his nickname). The name, of course, stuck...both because it was a delightful toddler-style non sequitur, and because of the utterly absurd impossibility of it. After all WHO burns eggs...right?

Now while I have had some triumphant moments in the kitchen, I have also had some dramatic failures. With time and experience I have learned that being a home cook while trying to mother three young children can lead to unthinkable culinary mistakes. I now know that I could include an entire chapter to burning/ruining food. Easy recipes, for instance, would include burning bacon. I classify this as easy botch because bacon is very thin and cooked over high heat - so it only takes a short period of time/inattention to burn bacon. Burning popcorn would fall somewhere between the "beginner" and "moderate difficulty" categories. Tried-and-true microwave brands recommend a time frame and then suggest that you hover near the microwave with a stopwatch and keep the elapsed time between pops to less than 20 seconds. With the chaos of children in the house, it is quite easy to loose track of the time between pops and exceed the time recommended...thus resulting in a bag of burned popcorn.

There is another class of popcorn burning, however, which I would classify as "moderate" difficulty. This takes place when the kids are demanding popcorn, but one has no more microwave bags. In the back of the cabinet, one knows there is still some campfire popcorn leftover from summer. Thinking of how to cook it, one decides upon a brown paper lunch-bag as an obvious substitute for pre-packaged microwave popcorn and unwittingly places some corn inside and thrusts it into the microwave as per routine. Come to find out, lunch bags are not impregnated with the same flame-retardant chemicals as microwave popcorn bags and ignite when very hot popcorn is inside. The result: Astoundingly charcoaled popcorn and a thrilling home light-show.

On to the "expert" level of burning food at home... Eggs. As it turns out, it is indeed possible to burn eggs. I found this out yesterday when, in a rush to assemble the pieces of my son's homework into his "Biography Bag" before rushing him off to school, I put a dozen eggs into a pot so as to hard-boil them, placed them on the stove, and turned the gas on high. Figuring I had a little time before the water boiled to race around the house looking for book reports and doing a load of laundry, I left the kitchen. When I returned,I discovered that in my haste I had neglected to add water to the pot, and the only thing that was boiling was the inside of the eggs. The outsides of the eggs had turned ashen grey and they looked rather like crackled moon-rocks. So, is seems, I could give instructions on how to burn eggs now as well.

Now, I am not a master knitter (yet), but I would classify myself as a pretty good knitter. Still, given a perfectly simple pattern, I can still read into the pattern extra decreases (it says on either side of markers, does it mean either side of each marker or on either side of the two symmetrical markers on each side?), and given sufficient distractions in the house, I am still capable of making profoundly asinine knitting errors. And so, as I embark upon the relatively uncharted territory of writing knitting patterns, I am reminded to draw on this experience. Knitters, good or bad, new or seasoned, make mistakes. It is, therefore, important to remember to write all patterns as though writing for a 5-year-old (including where to hold the yarn, how many inches of a tail to leave, etc) because the only thing that is certain when it comes to knitting (and cooking), is that given the proper circumstances, something WILL go wrong.

Happy Mardi Gras!!

2011-03-08T09:03:00.000-08:00

Every once in a great while, a swapper is so inspired by either the theme or the recipient and goes hog wild. When it happens, it puts the reciever in a bind, because posting all the gifts raises the bar for swappers in general. Such was my enviable fate this year.
The day had otherwise been a dreary, drizzly New England spring day and my outlook was as bleak as my environment. When the postal worker delivered this box, everything changed:

First, my new BFF, Linda from Victoria BC, knit not one but THREE projects. A fantastic pair of opera-length corseted gloves in a sparkly fantastic yarn, a more earthy cowl with a detachable beaded flower which I absolutely love, and finally, a super fun pair of Mardi Gras leg warmers.

Next to surprise and delight was not one but TWO skeins of incredible purple/green/yellow homespun (my heart is melting), as well as a skein of pretty green sparkly mohair, a green silke-tweed (like the cowl/floret) and two skeins of lucious "Ice" yarn (so I can knit gloves to match my leg-warmers!).

Knowing my passion for anything vintage, Linda included from here very own family collection (grandmother and mother were both crafters), these FABULOUS vintage beads. I love them all. I especially love that they are on their original cards...many of which are local to my swapper. At the bottom of the box she included a Vogue Knitting magazine which featured vintage knitting patterns...LOVE!

Next was the "Knitter's jewelry"...including not one but TWO sets of stitch markers, as well as two gorgeous fleur-de-lis pendants.

Anyone who keeps up with my blog knows how I feel about figs...so she thrilled me again with a LUSH "fig and leaves" scented soap and these yummy fig preserves (perfect with cheese).

Next up, a gorgeous pad of paper festooned with fleur-de-lis...and made even more captivating by the inclusion of tiny sparlkes right in the paper! This will make keeping track of rows fun!

And last, but certainly not least, chocolates from her home of Victoria BC. These come from what seems to be a very special place...Rogers' Chocolates, the oldest chocolatier in Victoria (established in 1885). My samples were caramel and "Ice Wine" (a local specialty). One taste of these convinced both my husband and I that we need to go for a visit without delay.
So, it looks as if I may get to meet my marvelous swap partner (whose generosity despite having never met me is awe-inspiring) in person one day soon!

Thank you, Linda, from the bottom of my heart. This fantastic collection is truly in the spirit of Mardi Gras...it its excess, in its exhuberence, and in it's selflessness. I hope you experienced the thrill of the float riders throwing all your treasures to your adoring crowd, as much as I enjoyed feeling the manna of your goodwill raining down. Happy Mardi Gras, y'all!

Wearing it today...thanks, Linda. xoxoxox

Wearing it all day today, Linda. Thanks and XOXOXOXO

Mardi Gras Swap 2011

2011-02-14T10:40:00.000-08:00

This year's swap was a challenge...which is good for me. My swap partner requested no beads. "Not invited...Really, as a person who lives in NOLA, I have more than enough already." OK, first of all...who signs up for a MG swap and doesn't want beads?!? Secondly...how can one EVER have TOO MANY BEADS!?!? Like all MG love affairs, bead passion dictates that you desperately want them for a couple of days, and then lose interest and get rid of them immediately after Mardi Gras is over. There is ONE other possibility...

...that a B-cup gal will never understand... ;-)

That being said, I knew I would have to work hard to make this swap partner happy.

So, here it is all packed up and ready to go. My partner collects pewter figurines...which is great since Boston has a long history of pewter production. A little vintage shopping and voila! A Bouef Gras, or fattened bull...the traditional symbol of Mardi Gras.

I also came across these darling antique European glass buttons. They reportedly came off a card of buttons that were manufactured fro the Haute Couture Houses in the early 1900's. They were purchased from a family member in Europe who had them in storage since WWII and so are in mint condition. The manufacture date is not known, though they were all made prior to the war and thought to have been made before 1910.

The buttons were so special I designed a pair of gloves to feature them...fingerless, of course, so as to be able to catch throws. The yarn was malabrigo. I like them...they have a sort of steam-punk look.

The most fun find, was this...
a drop spindle kit with alpaca roving in Purple, green, and gold. I had no idea such a thing existed, but as my partner listed it, I've learned. Apparently, one can spin yarn with a tool as simple and primitive (AND portable) as this! If you're interested, HERE are some instructions on how to utilize this marvelously simple tool.

Topping it all off was a box of miniature coffee cups from our local chocolatier, Serenade., and a lovely pair of petite sewing scissors in MG gold.

...and not a bead in sight! Hope she enjoys her package as much as I enjoyed gathering it!

[For those of you who are not on Ravelry yet, let me explain the notion of the Swap. An online group will give your name and address to another participant and you will receive a name and address in return (these may or not be the same people). Generally speaking, a swap has a theme and one can pick and chose the swap theme of choice. As I lived in New Orleans for 15 years and have a deep-seated love for everything Mardi Gras, I participate in a MG swap each year.]

HERE is a link to the pattern for my Striped Fingerless Gloves.

2010: The Year of the Hot Water Bottle

2011-01-21T10:41:00.000-08:00

There comes a time in every mother's life when her sons cease coveting hand crafted toys and eschew her attempts to knit him sweaters. That time came for me this December. Faced with three sons, and determined to resist the sucking black hole of the electronic Christmas, I struggled with how to keep homeyness in the holiday. Concurrent with this preoccupation with providing my children the same sense of coziness which has traditionally surrounded the holidays, was a desire to increase the warmth in hour home without increasing our heating costs. Our alarmingly high gas bills of last year prompted an initiative to drop our home thermostat to 56 degrees at night...a change that while fiscally and environmentally sound, was met with much consternation by the kids. It was this convergence of needs...emotional and physical warmth...that led me to the perfect family gift idea for 2010: hot water bottle covers! My enthusiasm for my great idea made me want to share my idea with others - my hairdresser, for example. Twenty two years old and lacking any worldly experience, she looked at me like I had transformed into Medusa in her chair. Not only did she not share my enthusiasm for the plan, but she had never even heard of a hot water bottle. Hmmm...I began to have second thoughts.

I decided I needed a hook...I needed something about these hot water bottle covers which would make the boys love them. Rather than a stash-busting project, I would need to CUSTOMIZE these covers. My eldest loves purple...that was easy. My second wanted bright orange and had picked out this marvelous blue and orange yarn a year prior and I STILL hadn't found the right project...easy. But what to do for the youngest? Still young enough to enjoy animals, but considering himself too old for a stuffed animal, I thought I would try an animal cover, and so I enquired as to what was currently his favorite animal. Long gone were the simple days of bears and bunnies; thanks to first grade and animal reports, his current favorite turns out to be the platypus. OK, that's a challenge.

Now here's a fit any felter would be proud of!

Convinced that December would be a blur of knitting and tearing out a multitude of attempts at playtypussy covers as I attempted to design my own, I thought I might as well at least try checking the web for a knit platypus design to adapt so as to minimize my time sacrifice. I turned to Ravelry patterns and ...skeptically...dolefully ...searched "platypus hot water bottle," and I'LL BE DARNED IF THERE WASN"T ALREADY A PATTERN! Dancing alone in front of the computer I downloaded and printed the pattern and thought, THIS is why I love the knitting community...someone out there understands me!

So, here is a happy photo of my boys with their hot water bottles on Christmas. They loved their presents and use them EVERY night. They claim that their hot water bottles are their favorite belongings (so long as Mom is keeping the thermostat just above freezing). And visit Brella on Ravelry for a link to the platypus hot water bottle cover pattern. Enjoy!!!

The Quarter Stitch: A Dream in the Midst of Abundant Reality

2010-12-03T09:55:00.000-08:00

It has always been a dream of mine to own and operate a little yarn store in New Orleans. Imagine my surprise, then, when during a recent visit for my 44th birthday, I walked in to the very shop I had been envisioning as my own. My dream made manifest is a LYS in the French Quarter called The Quarter Stitch Needlepoint.
This tiny shop, tucked in the midst of the largely decadent French Quarter has enough personality to stand up to it's nefarious neighbors.
No danger of finding school-marmish patrons with knittitude here! This urban shop attracts the craftiest, most bohemian, and effusive visitors AND locals like a parade draws crowds.
The space is high-ceilinged and weightless, festooned with trinkets from carnival, fleur-de-lis, and floating ornaments galore. The owner has operated the shop continuously since 1969 and is as authentically New Orleanian as one can hope to find -simultaneously replete with both gracious manners and exuberant joie-de-vivre.
Her yarn choices are insightful and nicely organized along one wall, though the walking space is strewn with random assortments of glitzy novelty yarns in every color (concentrating on Purple, Green, and Gold - the traditional colors of Mardi Gras) as though a yarn throwing float had just gone by...enchanting colorful chaos. Quoting my beloved Mambocat on the subject, " This is a shop to indulge your inner magpie, people ... not your inner Granola Girl." If you find yourself in the great city of New Orleans, be sure to drop by for a visit: 630 Chartres Street.

The Three Stages of Parenting...AND Knitting

2010-11-30T10:53:00.000-08:00


photo & felting by Tatiana Agapcheva

It is my opinion that child rearing can be broken down into three distinct phases...and along with it, the knitting necessary for those phases.

One embarks on motherhood full of gentleness and saccharine sentimentality. One day, sometime between a child's 17th and 24th month of life, one walks in to their home and the previously happy gnome of their life grabs the refrigerator handle, pulls with all his/her might, is unable to open it/get out the desired food/verbally express what is wanted, drops to the ground pounding arms and legs on the floor...forcing the realization that one is no longer in the cute and cuddly stage of infancy. In one short minute one must adapt one's parenting style and voice from soft, comforting, and helpful, to stern and firm -this marks the transition to the Disciplinarian stage. During this second stage of parenting, one cultivates the notion that most of a child's daily struggles are owing to the child's ornery personality and spends the vast majority of parenting time chastising the child for his/her abominable behavior. The third stage of parenting hits during the Tweens and it is heralded in one day by the shocking realization that their child did NOT exhibit abominable behavior they have been trying to curb for the previous 7 years, and that fault lies with someone else for a change (in some unfortunate cases it may be accompanied by the realization that not everyone loves our child). The disciplinarian role is summarily and triumphantly tossed out the window and the remainder of high school is spent defending the same child one spent the previous 7 years criticizing.

As I have passed through each of these three major phases of parenting, I found it disheartening that though the knitting literature abounds with good material for mothers in the first (pampering) phase of parenting, it is woefully deficient for those in the other two -equally important- stages. I have decided, therefore, to offer my pattern adaptations here for each stage of parenting:

1) Stage I: Pamper [birth - 17months] - Here you may follow any of the millions of infant patterns as written. Knitting patterns abound for mothers raising infants...tiny impractical cashmere hats and booties destined to be kicked off or vomited-on-and-unwashable within moments of being worn, soft knit crib toys, even knit diapers. No matter that the infant poos on your hard work...YOUR child's poop doesn't stink. Enjoy this phase...it is the shortest.

2) Stage II: Discipline [~17 months~ 9 years] - Choose any toddler/child sweater pattern. Add two skeins of yarn to amount recommended. Where it says, "continue increases until sleeve measures x", add 24 inches to length of sleeves. This simple adaptation converts any sweater into an instant straight jacket. Sleeves may be rolled up during the day, and unrolled at 4pm when all x*^&%^^ breaks loose.

3) Stage II: Defense [ 10 years- 18 years] - Choose any simple adult-size mitten pattern. Add two skeins of yarn to amount recommended. Complete pattern. Pick up and knit stitches around top of ribbed section, excluding thumb by picking up stitches around top of thumb gusset. Join and knit in the round. Next row, Increase every other stitch by Knitting front & back. [Knit one round and repeat increase row.] x 3. Continue knitting until outer mitten is twice length of inner mitten. Decrease evenly until 6 stitches remain. Stuff foam/batting between two mitten surfaces. Pull tight and bind off. You have created a pair of adult-sized knit Boxing Gloves, perfect for use against the world during this stage of parenting.

Happy Parenting!

A relative in the Knitting History Museum?

2010-09-22T18:23:00.000-07:00

Your call...my great grandmother's relative?

My Great grandmother:

Knitter in the Museum of Cultural History:

Knitting in Knorway: A blalk through the Cultural History Museum

2010-09-22T18:05:00.000-07:00

Knitting is a craft which really hasn't changes significantly over time. A trip to Scandinavia really drives that point home, as one can see the same craft utilized for survival by the earliest humans inhabiting the cold northern regions as is used to lure shoppers today. In Bergen, we visited the Cultural History Museum where we found an entire exhibit devoted to the history and regionalism of knitting in Norway.

On the first floor, visitors view the university's Viking artifacts...including early weaponry from the bronze and iron ages, as well as early cloth-making tools. Inside the recreated turf-roofed Viking home, visitors see life-sized models of family cloth makers hard at work.

Upstairs, the more modern traditions of hand knitting are on display. The first room is devoted to spinning wheels and looms, discussing the early mechanics of making yarns. Entering the hand knitting section one encounters a carefully preserved cloth fragment...the very earliest example of knit fabric. This section of knitting was excavated in Bergen, Norway, and dates to 1500. Here is an incredible knit silk tunic which dates to 1600. A regional display shows examples from the 18th and 19th century of designs and techniques particular to each area of Norway.

Walls in this room are decorated with historic photographs documenting village knitting in situ.

Finally, the interactive layout of the final room was designed for children, though was spare, elegant, and inviting for all ages...with areas for carding the dyed wool, and desks for learning the basic steps to knitting and purling stitches.

Iceland- Knitter's Travel Journal Part I

2010-08-14T06:02:00.000-07:00

Iceland, with 120 volcanos and a cool climate, is essentially one vast lava floe. Between volcanic eruptions, rock has little time to break down into soil...and as soon as things begin to grow, the temperature drops or another volcano erupts thus squelching the accumulation of an organic layer on top of the volcanic rock. There are very few trees on Iceland, and only occasional grasses and mosses.
The sheep brought to Iceland by the earliest Norwegian settlers 1100 years ago, therefore, had to be hardy...able to survive the harsh climate and dearth of grassland. Luckily, the Icelanders, also hardy-types, were able to stand even the scratchiest of wool to keep them warm.

As with a glass (Half full versus half-empty), there are two ways of looking at Icelandic wool...versatile and useful for many project types or, scratchier than hell. The optimists' high regard for this unique wool type goes as follows:

The Icelandic fleece is perhaps the world's most versatile fiber. Handspinners wishing to spin a wide range of yarns for an even wider range of uses from a single fleece, will be delighted to discover this fiber...The Icelandic fleece is dual coated, meaning that it has a long outer coat called tog and a fine inner coat called thel.
The tog is classed as a medium wool with a 50-53 spinning count, or 27 microns. It is wavy with little or no crimp and is therefore perfect for worsted spinning. Pure tog yarns make excellent warp that stands up to the weaving process without breakage.
The thel or undercoat is three to four inches long with an irregular crimp. It is fine, soft as cashmere and lustrous...Lofty when spun, it makes a luxurious warm woolen yarn when used for next to the skin garments.
Icelandic sheep have the widest color range of any breed, including many shades of white, gray and black, and a variety of browns.
Historically Icelandic fiber was separated for most uses. The tog was made into twine, rope and embroidery thread. It was woven into canvas sails, saddle blankets, and tapestries. Fine tog was used like mohair and knitted into lacy shawls, used for embroidery work and made into durable items like aprons. Today it is regarded as a perfect fiber for woven rugs. Thel was used for fine, soft, next-to-the-skin garments, including baby clothes, fine worked mittens, and underwear. The two coats when spun together were used for fisherman's sweaters, socks, and caps.

Regardless of how one chooses to think of Icelandic yarn, a knitters trip to Iceland would be made more complete by a visit to one of the Reykjavik shops run by the Handknitting Association of Iceland.

Inside you will find walls of colorful Icelandic yarns as well as completed projects ready for purchase. If you wish to get a feel for the wool prior to making the investment, you can take a seat on the bench outside and give it a whirl.

Should the prices be too steep, try the second-hand sweater shop on Reykjavik's main drag where you can purchase bags of yarn with abandoned projects for a fraction of the cost of new. Finally, meandering in and out of the fashionable knit ware boutiques will open your eyes to the NEW fashions emerging from Iceland utilizing the local scratchy/versatile wool, including my my personal favorite:

Love it or hate it, Icelandic wool has kept a population of people on a rugged island warm and dry for centuries. It also keeps Icelandic knitters happily occupied and tourists just as busily purchasing...helping the Icelanders to overcome their economic woes: a modern challenge rivalling the climatic and volcanic challenges of this country's past.

Norwegian Lace

2010-08-08T05:30:00.000-07:00

I have recently returned from a trip to Iceland and Scandinavia. Ostensibly to attend a family reunion in Tonstad, Norway (the birthplace of my father), I had an enviable two weeks to spend in the world's knitting hotbeds. As I was traveling with my husband and 3 growing boys through countries in which every sandwich (however humble) costs $10.00, a large slice of our trip for the budget went to food. With every meal, I saw my yarn budget diminish...and so I rapidly became resourceful about finding cheap eats across Norway. In Bergen (home of the $9.00 cup of coffee), I discovered a church mission serving up a most delicious and nutritious portion of homemade soup and waffles with strawberry jam for a pittance. To further my delight, across the street was the mission store (locals donating family heirlooms ...most of which are traditional manufactures...for sale by the church mission to the public.) in which I discovered this little delight. While not knitting, I felt I wanted to add it to my blog for the purpose of sharing it with fiberholics as I have found no comparable designs on the web.

Photo Source: http://lace.lacefairy.com/Lace/ID/FiletID.html

This 7" square was made using a technique called Lacis...also variably called Filet Brode, Filet Lace, Darned Net, or "nun's work" ( because it was often made in convents). What is curious about this example is the typically Scandinavian motif of the dragon heads, commonly seen adorning Viking ships to scare off mythical sea creatures. Lacis has been referenced as early as 1295, and there are multiple examples in the 14th century from Great Britain. In a book published in London in 1908 entitled, "Lacis (Filet Brode)", by Carita, it was said that even at that time it was difficult to find anyone in London who could give lessons in this ancient technique.

For 28NOK ($4.00 US), I snapped it up and am happy to share it with you here. It was, without question, the only bargain of the trip!

Incidentally, as a money-saving trip for knitters traveling in Scandinavia...church stores and second-hand sweater stores often sell bags of half-finished knitting projects (owners deceased?). You'll be able to purchase yarn at a fraction of the cost of buying it new, and if you're lucky, you'll have a head-start on a project!

Star Wars Crafting

2010-07-10T14:03:00.000-07:00

For crafters with sons, Star Wars is one of the only enduring themes of childhood. Trains and teddy bears come and go, followed by lions and trucks, and finally Pokemon fades into the past...finally, only Star Wars remains. For many, love of Star Wars lasts well into adulthood...so take heart, your hours of sacrifice for the coveted Star Wars knit item may last a lifetime and become a family heirloom. I learned to knit in order to create the Star Wars sweater my eldest son (age 5 at the time) asked for...an impressive FIRST project, to be sure, but nothing motivates like the heart and the spirit of giving [See my blog entry on Star Wars Sweater from 2008]. A recent scan of the webosphere brought these impressive crochet feats to my attention and reinforced my belief that passion for any subject can inspire greatness:

1. These crochet amigurami Star Wars figures AND their patterns are for sale on Etsy in a shop called Lucy Ravenscar.

2. These masterworks are by a crochet artist in Athens, Ohio. She reports having crocheted for only ONE YEAR. She is a student at Ohio University studying Historical Costuming and American History with a minor in Piano and goes by the name of guh-nome on Ravelry. Clearly, the force is with her. Craft on, padawan!

Is It My Imagination...

2010-06-13T14:40:00.000-07:00

...or could we substitute a meat cleaver for the hot dog bun in this woman's hands without altering her expression. I'm just sayin'...

Pitches and Stitches

2010-06-08T07:24:00.000-07:00

Let me preface this blog entry with the confession that I am not an athlete. I am a knitter...read: geek. I am also an emergency medicine physician, which means that I have the attention span of a gnat. I have never sat through 9 innings of a baseball game and if the audience were comprised of people like me, they would have to have a 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc-inning stretch in addition to the 7th inning tradition. My husband is just like me, and for better or worse, that is why we wed. Out of our union was, unfathomably, born an athlete...an athlete who now, at age 10, loves baseball. In contrast to his inborn physical acumen, he was also born with something which his father and I CAN trace back to our gene pool - a peacefulness in situations of great stress. We are thankful for this as it prevents him from being the obstreperous bullish personality type which often results from unbridled competitiveness in sporty pre-adolescent boys.

I have had to rapidly reflect on the origins of his gifts because it has come upon our family so suddenly. My son's decision to play baseball this year came as something of a shock, and it came as a still greater shock that his coach suggested that he try pitching. As my knowledge of baseball is limited at best (I thought Big Papi was the team mascot for the first 2 years of living in Boston), the only help I could offer him was by searching instructional pitching videos on You Tube. Needless to say, I am not a parent who obsessively pushed my son into pitching, or (knowing of at least two high school pitchers who have suffered nervous break-downs as a result of the pressure) even encouraged it. Fearing for his joint integrity, I reluctantly accepted that he would have to give pitching a try, if only to scratch that pre-adolescent itch to prove oneself in sports.

During his first game, my son was allowed to pitch after the 2nd pitcher emotionally crumpled on the field. The bases were loaded. N took the field, with no prior pitching experience and walked his first batter thereby allowing one run. Kids five years older than him would have been unable to finish under these conditions. Instead, steely with resolve, I watched my son throw 9 perfect subsequent pitches, thereby closing the inning with only the one run. Their second game was tied up at the "end", but as there was still enough light in the dusky sky to play (and egged on by the boys who were all so desperate to play), the coaches agreed to a tie-breaking inning. Again, the coach put N in to pitch. The first batter hit the ball, which N caught and threw him out at 1st. Batters 2 and 3 were struck out summarily. The remaining games of the season were played similarly and my son was voted onto the Minor League All-Star Team.

NPR did a show this week on a new book entitled, "Bounce: Mozart, Federer, Picasso, Beckham, and the Science of Success" by Matthew Syed . In it, the author uses neuroscience to describe the science behind "choking" under pressure. In order to become great, he argues, a person must clock in an astronomical number of hours of practice. The practice trains the muscles and the mind and ultimately creates pathways of automaticity. Under pressure, the body releases epinephrine...a neurotransmitter which causes the "fight-or-flight" response. It also, he argues, re-routes certain tasks away from their automated pathways back to analytical/intentional pathways...thereby effectively "erasing" all the hours of practice and rendering the performer a beginner again.

Over the past couple of days, as [cough] fascinating as I find baseball, what I learned most from our experience is that our son is not a choker. Now, regarding this "choke" phenomenon as not merely an unfortunate confluence of a case of the nerves with fate, I looked at my son's apparent calm in the eye of the storm differently...as something (like athletic prowess) he was simply born with. And while my husband and I are still perplexed about the origins of his athleticism, I identify with his apparent ease with stress and chaos. It is in an environment of chaos that I have always felt most at home...large parties, noisy households, the streets in India, and the Emergency Department. When my environment is spinning around me, that is when I feel most centered, most focused, an most at peace. Place me in a quiet office cubicle and I'll be climbing the walls in seconds, desperate to find a radio or something to provide enough background noise to allow my mind to settle. So, while I may not be able to contribute much in the way of coaching, I have found a point of contact...a way to connect to my son as he goes through this American rite-of-passage.

One minor league season does not a life-time of achievement make...and this may be the end of my son's hobby just as easily as it may be the beginning. While I rejoice in my son's success this season, I am not invested in any particular outcome...I am not envisioning him taking the mound for the Red Sox...or even for his High School team. Still, as I passed Mother's Day sitting on the edge of the Diamond watching him play another game, I realized that I need not understand or enjoy the game, not do I need to be invested in the outcome...but rather, my role is to 1) understand and appreciate HIS love of the game and 2) be there. For the first, I am happy to have a good neuroscience book...and for the second I am thankful for my knitting to make it through all 6 innings.

p.s.- Maybe if I join a Stitch n' Pitch, watching will be more enjoyable than a hangnail...read this great "wierd news" article about the connections between knitting and baseball by clicking HERE !

Bumperboy

2010-06-02T08:41:00.000-07:00

Any of you who are raising boys know that cute masculine imaginative play toys are hard to find...most transform into weapons of mass-destruction, or require that one then spend a small fortune on matching Japanese trading cards...where, oh where has Ken gone!

So it was with great joy that I came across a book in our local library entitled, "BUMPERBOY, and the Loud, Loud Mountain." The story was, admittedly, strange...in an exciting and childlike way. Bumperboy is a young boy who has adventures with his Bumperpup (who speaks Pictonese) by passing through space utilizing bubbles which allow them to pass through hidden Borp holes on their planet, Bubtopia. Amidst their awesome adventures with strangely intriguing creatures such as talking mountains and tiny deaf tree stewards, Bumperboy and Bumperpup pass on important lessons such as how to utilize public libraries, the interconnectedness of creatures within an ecosystem, and why it's unhealthy to drink sugary softdrinks. Bumperboy's author, Debbie Huey, illustrates her graphic novels with pared-down simplicity reminiscent of Japanese anime characters, and peppers the sparse text with witty kid-friendly slang and colloquialisms.

To my happy surprise, my then 4-year-old (now a 6-year-old-fan) could not get enough of Bumperboy. Finding only one book at the library, I searched the web and found the authors website where I purchased a pamphlet on riding a bike and his (now well-worn) Bumperboy T-shirt. Still not satisfied, I began combing the Author's blog in search of more material with which top satisfy my son's appetite for this character... and to my delight, she passed on instructions on how to craft your very own felted Bumperboy and Bumperpup!!!!!!!!!!!!

I had never needle felted anything before and was reluctant to take on the project...but so insistant was my son, than I eventually gave it a go and am sharing the result with you here. Overall, the project took me only 2 hours! Having spent countless hours perfecting my knitting stitches and techniques, it was almost insulting to learn that wool will hold form by holding onto other wool fibers encouraged only by poking it with a sharp needle....no special technique needed.

If you are interested in purchasing Bumperboy books or merchandise, follow this LINK to the author's webpage. To purchase any of her books you can proceed directly to the Merchandise Page. For her instructions on how to create your very own Bumperpup like the one she created here (with yellow faces), go HERE. Happy Borping!

Souled Objects

2010-05-19T12:32:00.000-07:00

Two years after writing about my passion for oversized knit house furniture (pouf) and rugs by Dutch designer Christien Meindertsma of FLOCKS (see my blog from 2008), I am again startled by the rescaling of my beloved wool crafts - this time by SoHo designer, Dana Barnes. Ms. Barnes collection, "Souled Objects" was featured in this week's New York Times in the Home section. In the article, Ms. Barnes describes her childhood in Atlanta, GA growing up inspired by the crocheted afghans made by her mother and grandmother. Initially a fashion designer for big fashion houses (Tahari, A. Vittadini, & Hilfiger), her interest in felted utilitarian home objects grew from the necessity of masking the noise created by her two toddlers their large family loft. Given my mission to discuss urban child mothering and knitting, her story seemed particularly appropriate for my blog. Check out her phenomenal brightly colored crocheted granny square carpet tiles and you'll at once feel like you just drank a bottle labeled "drink me."

"Viking Knit" Jewelry

2010-05-03T08:03:00.000-07:00

This weekend, during our local Brookline Open Studios weekend, I discovered an artist working with silver and gold wire, who sells jewelry made using an ancient knitting method she refers to as, "Viking Knitting." I was enchanted by her work which appeals to both my love of knitting AND my Viking heritage. The artist's name is Hanne Bernstein and her inspired designs can be found on her website, Danish Jewelry Design. Here are two of her lovely designs:

The Vikings were making cords of metal wire which have been found in many of the "hoards" at excavation sites. Here is an example of a typical silver chain on exhibit at the British Museum, found in the Halton Moor hoard, dating to AD 1025-30. There appears to be more than one technique utilized by the Vikings to create these flexible chains. This particular method involves wrapping 5 pieces of wire around a stick of wood, and then weaving those pieces together with loops made by a 6th piece. No needles are necessary.

Instructions on how to knit Viking-style can be found by following this link to Rocio Fine Arts Tutorial. Further instructions, as well as an extensive discussion of the validation/historical research into said methods of "knitting"/braiding/trichinoply chainwork can be found in an online missive by Lora-Lynn Stevens entitled, "A Research Journey: Trichinopoly Chainwork. Is It Viking Chain Knitting?"

FIG

2010-04-06T06:37:00.000-07:00

In the Book of Genesis in the Bible, Adam and Eve clad themselves with fig leaves after eating the "forbidden fruit" from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. It has become custom for depictions of fig leaves to cover the genitals of nude figures in painting and sculpture. Interestingly, although commonly referred to as a fruit, the fig fruit is actually the flower of the tree, known as an inflorescence (an arrangement of multiple flowers - a false fruit or multiple fruit. In this inflorescence (love this term!), the flowers and seeds grow together to form a single mass. Since the flower is invisible, in India (where Ficus bengalensis is the National Tree of India), there is an idiom which goes, "tumi jeno dumurer phool hoe gele", or "you have become (invisible like) the demur flower."

So, as in human culture, in my life figs have developed a history.

During my paripatetic 20's, I travelled fairly extensively in India. And although previously my life experiences were limited by growing up in small-town Maine, and my travel experiences were only as exotic as Europe, my first foray to the East rung remarkably familiar. The assault on the senses that so many visitors find unnerving to me felt, somehow, calming... Oddly, while in India, though their national tree is the fig, I never had a fig...never even SAW one.

After medical school, marriage, and Target "life styling" our world, figs became suddenly simultaneouly unavoidable and elusive. The color of the first suit my husband bought me was described by the designer as "fig." The first perfume I purchased for my husband from my favorite perfumerie in NYC is a scent of fig. Though fig had become an adjective in our new world together, fig is, technically neither a color nor a fragrance...but a thing. My husband and I decided to expand the trend of misusing the word, and soon "fig" became our metaphorical code word for "true love." "Fig" represented for us the incomprehensible, the expression of love in the ether...beyond mortal expression of such simple things as color and scent. It was the "42" of the Hitchhiker's Guide, the answer that says, "beyond." My life until then had been motivated by the fig of the "forbidden fruit" variety, but with marriage I discovered the complex inflorescence of the more lovely, and mysteriously fragrant notes of love.

In New Orleans, I had my first experience with real figs. Living there, my husband and I enjoyed a garden full of subtropical flora. In our small garden, I grew heirloom roses, night-blooming jasmine which perfumed the air which blew in through our bedroom window, merliton vines, and the largest passion-flower vine in all of uptown. Pecans and figs littered our lawn, buried by a blanket of large magnolia leaves. It was in Louisiana, one of the few American regions capable of growing magnificent figs, that I cultivated both a horticultural and a culinary taste for figs.

This Christmas, my sister-in-law unwittingly gave me a gift more meaningful than she could have imagined. She is a foodie and she, knowing my love for figs (but not knowing the significance of figs in my life), gifted these handmade succulent wine-poached figs. Ironically, her gift of figs to me was reflected by my knit gift to her. Using the simplest of patterns (CO 50, knit in garter stitch using US 17 needles), I knit her a scarf. I purchased a skein of Karabella Gossamer in Mulberry because I loved the color combination of red and orange. I initially purchased it because I though it would be a great Christmas red, but when we got together we had a "You put your chocolate in my peanut-butter, no you put your peanut-butter on my chocolate" moment...it was FIG!

Rich and crimson with golden glistening interior highlights reminiscent of the tiny orange seeds which fleck the fig's moist rosy interior.

So, all that leads up to this: The simplest pattern with the most beautiful yarn in the right recipient hands becomes (in all its wonderful layered meanings)..."Fig"

RECIPE for POACHED FIGS in WINE

1 1/2 cups dry red wine
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cinnamon stick
2 whole cloves
6 dried Calimyrna figs (about 1/4 pound), halved lengthwise

Preparation: In a 1 1/2-quart saucepan combine all ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Simmer figs, covered, until tender, about 30 minutes.

Transfer figs with a slotted spoon to a bowl and boil syrup until reduced to about 1/4 cup. Strain syrup through a fine sieve into another bowl. Add syrup to figs and cool to warm.

Naruda's Socks

2010-02-27T05:59:00.001-08:00

My husband is a HUGE Naruda fan...and I am a big fan of knitting. In this poem, which (though it appears in knit-blogs across the web) bears repeating, our interests are united:

"Ode to My Socks"
by Pablo Neruda (translated by Robert Bly)

Mara Mori brought me
a pair of socks
which she knitted herself
with her sheepherder's hands,
two socks as soft as rabbits.
I slipped my feet into them
as if they were two cases
knitted with threads of twilight and goatskin,
Violent socks,
my feet were two fish made of wool,
two long sharks
sea blue, shot through
by one golden thread,
two immense blackbirds,
two cannons,
my feet were honored in this way
by these heavenly socks.
They were so handsome for the first time
my feet seemed to me unacceptable
like two decrepit firemen,
firemen unworthy of that woven fire,
of those glowing socks.

Nevertheless, I resisted the sharp temptation
to save them somewhere as schoolboys
keep fireflies,
as learned men collect
sacred texts,
I resisted the mad impulse to put them
in a golden cage and each day give them
birdseed and pieces of pink melon.
Like explorers in the jungle
who hand over the very rare green deer
to the spit and eat it with remorse,
I stretched out my feet and pulled on
the magnificent socks and then my shoes.

The moral of my ode is this:
beauty is twice beauty
and what is good is doubly good
when it is a matter of two socks
made of wool in winter.

Happy Easter, Knitters with Kids...or Knitters who are kids at heart!

2010-02-22T10:13:00.000-08:00

Ah, February...the coldest and bleakest month of the year here in New England. Last year, in the midst of a deep seasonal affective moment I wandered into a LYS which had a sale on all their previous summer yarns. In an impulsive move, I purchased an orange ribbon yarn flecked with gold with which to make a macrame-esque tank to wear in my fantasy of approaching warm weather. I have never worn the tank. This year, in a surprisingly sane-for-February way, I purchased a bunch of my new favorite frivolous yarn...AURA (Trendsetter). I had heard rumors of it being DISCONTINUED (NOOOOOOO!!!!), and so quickly purchased an entire crayola spectrum of colors...among them this brilliant sparkling Pink. Now, I have 3 sons, and before that I had 3 brothers. I, myself, was a tomboy and went on to be a physician. I have never owned anything pink, and certainly have never KNIT anything pink. Suddenly, in the shadowy chill of February, I HAD to knit something...ANYTHING...pink.

Then the conundrum...what to make? My sons won't wear pink. All their friends are boys, who also won't wear pink. My husband, brothers, etc, won't wear pink. Even I won't wear pink! I hugged the little pink sparkly ball like a Tribble...I let my love for it flow through my fingers in an attempt to channel ANYTHING pink from my childhood memories...and then it came to me: PEEPS. Remember those ubiquitous classic American Easter candies, small rows of yellow chicks and pink bunnies lined up and closely packed in loving marshmallow rows?!? I recalled how the pink sugary coating sparkled in the Easter sunlight, giving them a magical quality...as though they had been sprinkled with fairy dust and might actually have found their way to my Easter basket on their own, bouncing on their springy marshmallow tails.

Scanning the web, I managed to find a bulky wool suitable for felting in a similarly saccharine shade of pink (Crystal Palace Yarns, ICELAND in Strawberry Pink). Holding a strand of each yarn together, I was off. I rapidly designed a giant pink PEEP. So that you might delight the little ones in your life...or maybe just find your "way back" inner child in the dark of February, I have shared my pattern HERE.

HAPPY EASTER!!!

Mardi Gras Hall of Shame Part 3: 2010

2010-02-11T14:12:00.000-08:00

This year I have fewer yarn producers to slam...maybe because I have covered so many previous offenders already. I am hoping it is because people are beginning to understand that there is an official color code for Mardi Gras...as there is for Christmas. For those new to the field...the official colors of Mardi Gras are: PURPLE (and for some a particular "K&B" Purple) which stands for Justice, GREEN which stands for Faith, and GOLD which stands for Power. Legend has it that these colors were chosen for LSU (which chose Purple and Gold) and Tulane (which chimed in with the Green). Regardless of the origins, we ALL can agree that this year the Purple, Green, and Gold go well with the Black and Gold of our Saints...as we know that it is a combination of Justice, Faith, and Power which brought us all a Superbowl Victory.

So on with our business of the yearly Yarn Hall of Shame:

1) ROWAN yarn: Silky Tweed in Colorway 759, "Mardi Gras"...WTF...are you kidding me! They're English, they don't get it, cut them a break, but ...This is MUD!

2) Mardi Gras, by Lisa Souza. OK, I actually LOVE her yarn. Her "Pansy" colorway is PERFECT for Mardi Gras, but CMON! Somebody tell her, PLEASE. We LIKE her, she's a friend. Friends tell eachother things like, "You've got a poppy seed in your teeth," and "your Mardi Gras Yarn isn't PGG," OK?!?!

3) Paton's Cici in Mardi Gras. This wouldn't be SO offensive (as it is a HUGE and out-of-touch company) except that they named their yarn after my dear friend, Armand's, baby girl, "Cici." SHE would take offense, so I'm taking offense...

OK, that's IT for this year. Now, get me on a doggon flight (We've been waiting 2 days already thanks to the blizzards in the Northeast this year) so I can get back to my city and my peeps...GEAUX SAINTS, and HAPPY Mardi GRAS, Y'ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wait...there's MORE Superbowl Knits!

2010-02-06T17:09:00.000-08:00

This late-breaking news...

My dear friend, Chip, a potter-cum-physician in NOLA, has just knit his FIRST HAT. And what do you think it is...

a SAINTS hat to wear while riding on the float tonight in his parade!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can't think of anything better.

Chip, it's a flippin' work of art...like it's creator! I LOVE IT!

Superbowl Knitting

2010-02-06T15:53:00.000-08:00

This is it...the eve of the most meaningful day of my existence over the past 5 years. I, never previously a football fan, am feverish over the Superbowl to be played tomorrow. The New Orleans Saints will be playing the Indianapolis Colts in what promises to be an epic battle. Drew Brees, a quarterback whose accuracy exceeds the marksmen ship of Olympic archers will pit himself and our team against a New Orleans native, Payton Manning - arguably the best quarterback who has ever lived. With all the Catholics in New Orleans, I have said, this will be the largest scale test of the power of prayer in all of history.

What makes this game significant is that, just as the Saints are not just a football team to people in New Orleans, going to the Superbowl is not just a playoff. When the NFL attempted to ban small time T-shirt sellers from making and selling shirts bearing the age-old New Orleans slogan, "Who Dat" (derived from a Vaudeville Jazz routine in the 19th century), they encountered unanticipated resistance. New Orleanians clogged the switchboard and shut down the NFL office lines with their angry calls (mine was among them). Their error was two-fold: 1) they did not appreciate that the symbols chosen to represent the NFL team for New Orleans are symbols which have represented the city of New Orleans long before there was ever a football team (the Fleur-de-lys, a symbol of France which settled New Orleans and gave it it's enduring symbol, and "Who Dat", a slogan with roots more ancient than the NFL. ). 2) they did not understand New Orleanian's loyalty and sense of community (probably stemming from the skill set necessary in a hurricane-prone area...ie "you have a generator?" "great, I have a boat."). The NFL was in uncharted territory. The Saints, their symbols, and their community, you see, are ONE IN THE SAME...they cannot be separated by owners, political organizations...OR even the NFL.

In much the same way as the Saints are more than a football team, the Superbowl is much more than a playoff. New Orleanians have endured so much over the past 5 years... first Hurricane Katrina and the flood it brought (owing, it seems, to the Army Corps of Engineers), then the cowardly fly-over by our insensitive/out-of-touch president at the time (He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named), then the failure of insurance companies and government agencies to help the people who could not afford to return to New Orleans after they had been moved away from their home, and could certainly not afford to rebuild -even if they COULD find someone to do the work, then by the American public who, with its limited memory capacity, promptly forgot about New Orleans when it ceased to be featured on the major news networks. This is a community whose sense of self worth has been on a steady decline since the Mighty Mississippi ceased to be an economic and trade epicenter for our country (did you know that the US Board of Trade was for a short time seated in New Orleans!...I do because I was married in the building on the day of Hurricane Georges). The decline had been gradual, but in the past five years took a precipitous nose dive to being a community "not worth reviving" in the eyes of the entire country. It did not feel good.

Not surprisingly, the Saints had also been a losing team... with a record breaking losing streak over the past few years...it was as though the team had a psychological aversion to winning- like their home community, so convinced of their unworthiness that they couldn't pull off a single win. Somehow, in the period after Hurricane Katrina, the team was restructured and everything changed. Suddenly, the will of the people during the diaspora to return to their beloved city of New Orleans became manifest in their home town football team...and the Saints found their heart.

My son is among them...the New Orleans displaced natives who continue to identify with a place in a way that few people ever have the opportunity to experience. Now 9-years old, my eldest son is an irrationally devout fan of the Saints...bravely standing up to the taunts of the confident and arrogant Patriots fans by whom we were suddenly surrounded when we moved to Boston. This was his year. With every passing victory, their guffaws grew weaker as I watched my son visibly grow stronger.

The most amazing aspect of this experience is that, unlike so many cities...which wait until they see who wins at the game before celebrating...New Orleans began their ecstatic celebration the moment they knew that they made it to the Superbowl. Odd? Not at all. You see, in the words of one of our beloved pediatricians, Dr. Hales, "Perfection, anyway, just doesn’t sit well in New Orleans, a city whose music and food owe much to improvisation and whose approach to most things in life has historically been rather laissez-faire. Perfection... is something Dallas or Atlanta would get worked up about."

So when my son asked me to stop my WIP to craft him a pair of Saints slippers (can't be bought...I checked) (it is a late night game)...I dropped everything to do it. While not my best work ever, they are the favorite thing I have ever knit...if only because of the smile and pride I saw on my son's face when he first put them on his feet.

GEAUX SAINTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bead (and Eye-) Catching Mitts

2010-01-31T06:23:00.000-08:00

This year we are going to New Orleans for Mardi Gras. It has been 5 years since we left and my passion for the city has not diminished. Since I've been gone, it's people have struggled every day, first with the effects of the fetid flood water on their material possessions, then with the many stresses of living in the midst of chaos - dealing with crime, military presence, inability to reach contractors, split families, and the unfathomable complexities of government assistance, all while trying to maintain a veneer of normalcy so as to survive another day. Next came the acceptance phase, when people realized that they in fact HAD been forsaken by their government. Reaching deep into the wells of their character, New Orleanians began rebuilding on their own...fueled only by their passionate love for their city and their refusal to be denied their traditions and way of life. Relocated in the clean, progressive cities of Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, etc, New Orleanians were challenged to answer friends' taunts about why they wanted to return to New Orleans and its many problems. The citizens who eventually made it back to their homes in the Crescent City did so because of an unquenchable desire to be there and to be with each other again...a passion that flies in the face of reason (and is experienced by far too few people in their lifetimes). Five years later, the city is finally getting back on its feet. Now, inspired by the Saints (formerly the NFL's biggest losers) going to the Superbowl, New Orleanians believe that ANYTHING (including full recovery for their beloved city) is possible. Six long years after Hurricane Katrina, the Spirit of New Orleans is finally triumphant.

My return this year is pure serendipity...we booked it as soon as we knew that Mardi Gras was going to fall during the kids' February Vacation this year (MG is a flexible holiday, based on the lunar calendar, like Easter). Now, as with so many events in my life, it seems like destiny that we are returning this, of all, years. During the week that we will be in New Orleans, we will be celebrating Valentine's Day (in the city where my husband and I met, were married, and had all of our children), and my third son's sixth Birthday. Most importantly, this is the year that the New Orleans Saints are going to the Superbowl. Drew Brees, my eldest's hero, will be the King of Bacchus this year. It is rumored that Blaine Kern has created two additional floats pro bono for the parade to carry the entire Saints Football Team. My son will require resuscitation after they pass by. (more on the Saints in my upcoming blog...)

Anyhow, so in preparation for this VERY special Mardi Gras, I began to think of packing and realized that a February MG could be a chilly MG...I might even need to wear a light jacket! Thinking ahead to standing outside for hours on the parade route, I crafted a pair of fingerless mitts. I had only one precious skein of this wonderful Italian chenille yarn in PGG, so I used it as an accent color, choosing black as the main color. I elected to keep the fingers free to ensure that I could catch beads and not drop any. The lacing is because if I have to wear a jacket, I won't be able to flaunt my corset...so at least my hands will be well-dressed for the occasion. Happy Mardi Gras!

Man SNOOD

2010-01-30T06:00:00.000-08:00

...and so the men don't feel neglected, I knit a SNOOD just for them:

This "Man-SNOOD" was knit using a new yarn line: Spud & Chloe, by Blue Sky Alpaca. Outer is a washable super-bulky wool (65%) /organic cotton (35%) blend which comes in the nine "outdoorsy, heathery" colors below.

You can either knit my SNOOD, Pattern link HERE, or chose from one of the many free PATTERNS on the Spud & Chloe website. Very Cool.

South End SNOOD

2010-01-29T07:53:00.000-08:00

There once was a girl who was learning
to make that for which she was yearning.
not to expect from Hubby,
nor gifts 'neath the tree,
nor pay more than she was currently earning.

She fancied a SNOOD she'd seen pictured
at Burberry's fall runway show (fashionister),
"I can knit THAT," she said,
constructing in her head
a design to stay $325.00 richer!

Now mavens galore took the bait,
and on back-ordered lists must now wait,
she started knitting at four,
and was soon out the door,
making swanky South End party by eight.

To read about the Burberry SNOOD, read below:

Review of the Burberry Snood
October 07,
2009 by J. Rica Middlebrooks

A Scarf and Hoodie Combination
The Burberry Snood has quickly become one of the most fashionable fall and winter accessories all over the world. The stylish and functional piece services the purpose of keeping the neck warm while also providing the comfort of a hoodie. The Burberry Snood also makes a fashion statement however because the style of the neck accessory can be arranged to create a signature look with even the plainest of outfits.

The Burberry Snood is available in a variety of fabric blends, patterns and solids. For the lover of Burberry, investment in this item is a plus because it can be worn with anything during the fall and winter season. If looking for a Burberry Snood with basic colors such as black, tan, and cream an excellent choice is the Check Rendition. Made from 55% crinkle merino wool and 45 % cashmere blend the stylish snood can be layered over a slinky dress, a sweater, a shirt, a cape or anything you might want to accentuate. The Burberry Snood in Check Rendition retails for approximately $278.00.

If you are a fan of the house print or the Burberry light brown camel check so many people are familiar with the Burberry Snood in House Checkered Print is a must have. Made from 100% cashmere this Burberry Snood is deliciously luxurious and stylish. Perfect to loop around the neck when wearing high fashions jeans and boots, the tan, black, and light brown checkered accessory is a fashion piece that will never go out of style. Wear it as a neck warmer or hoodie to achieve the look of the moment. The Burberry Snood in House Print in a giant checkered pattern retails for approximately $295.00.

If you prefer a subtle look the collection of Burberry Snoods offers a deep eggplant color with black in a subtle check pattern. As with the other Burberry Snoods the unique accessory is made from a combination of 55% merino wool and 45% cashmere and need only be slipped over the head and arranged around the neck, or gently pull onto the head for a scarf hoodie effect. The Burberry Snood is definitely the fashion accessory of the season. The average retail price for the multi-colored snood is $225.00.

The Burberry Snood is also available in a variety of argyle patterns and solid colors. The Burberry Snood can be found at most high end retailers such as Macy's, Nordstrom's and Net-a-Porter in addition to the official web site for Burberry.

Follow this link to my patterns page to make your very own South End SNOOD.

Mardi Gras Swap II

2010-01-25T18:07:00.000-08:00

OK, it is probably a bad thing when your swap partner (whom you've never met) elicits more squeals of delight with their swap gifts than your husband did with his over Christmas...AND they're better wrapped.

That being said...

My package arrived from my swap partner, Deborah, and I KNEW I was in for a suprise...she had individually wrapped at least 20 items and stuffed them in a box with bead, dubloons, and a king-cake baby (which was meant to be found in the stuffing...what fun!). My partner forgot nobody in my family...she included yummies to eat (from local St. Louis makers)...including Cajun spices, a cajun dip, some incredible tea and (what swap package is complete without...) chocolate!!!! The fixin's for a MG party were there, complete with streamers, a mirror-ball, plates, napkins, masks and noise-makers (the kids were thrilled!).

For my beloved puppies, she knit two terrific size-matched PGG bone-shaped dog toys:

Deborah works at a LYS in St. Louis, and one of her tremendously talented colleagues, Suzanne, crafted these incredible jewelry-cum-stitch-markers. I also got some beautiful PGG glass beads. If you're interested, try contacting her through Knitorious in St. Louis:

...and another, a fellow swapper, is a yarnie with an etsy shop called, DYEABOLICAL...she made this awesome custom-dyed silk thread for the occasion:

Finally, the piece-de-resistance...a pair of Selbuvotter (traditional Norwegian mittens) in a Bacchanalian pattern PERFECT for a chilly northeastern Mardi Gras! If every stitch in a knitting project is a labor of love, then this sure represents a LOT of very complicated LOVE!

I don't know how to thank my dear new friend, Deborah, enough for all she has given me...not only in this box, but in this Mardi Gras season - as I spend it away from my home of New Orleans in the chilly Northeast yet again. I look to her as an inspiration...as someone who, though she has never lived in New Orleans, has managed to carry on the spirit of the season through her indomitable spirit and her wildly non-traditional knitting...so Deborah, from one Ex-"Muse" to another (true) Muse...Thank you.

Happy Mardi Gras, Y'all!

Mardi Gras Swap I

2010-01-24T05:57:00.000-08:00

To celebrate Mardi Gras this year, the members of the Mardi Gras Knitters group on Ravelry participated in a swap. Organized by the group moderator, Deborah from St. Louis, each New Orleans member was paired with a non-resident-fan-of-MG. Packages were to include one knit item, one small project, and whatever else swappers thought would be appreciated by their partners for under the cost-cap.

I was paired with the Mardi Gras Knitterly Queen herself, the organizer of the group, Deborah. What I learned is that she (like me) has a new Cavelier King Charles Spaniel in her life who is the apple of her eye. She also belongs to a St. Louis Mardi Gras Krewe called the Banana Bike Krewe. Finally, she loves all things vintage (also like me). She is my new BFF.

I chose as my knit project a retro dog sweater made for her new baby. The pattern is from Coats & Clark Book #133: Children's Knits and was published in the 1950s (another Brimfield find). I chose an amazing yarn by trendsetter called Aura to give the body of the sweater a soft all-over sparkle, pairing it with Country(Naturally Caron) in purple for warmth. I added green and gold for the highlights and added a crochet border. Finally, to kick it up a notch, I attached Mardi Gras beads to the front so that Steuben will not have to catch any (it's tough without opposable thumbs). Here is the sweater modelled expertly by my friend, Edel's Cav, Bailey. If you want to catch the sweater in action on the recipient, be sure to attend the Beggin' Pet Parade in St. Louis...and be sure to keep your eye on the prize winner's stand.

A little trip down memory lane brings me back to when my husband and I had the honor of escorting our rescue Weimeraner, Taylor, at his debut as the Duke of the Krewe of Barkus (invited by the Queen, Momus, owned by dear departed friend Dr. Eduardo Marvez and Robert Ripley). To support Krewe of Barkus and their wonderful work at the animal rescue facilities in New Orleans, click HERE. I can highly recommend investing in their COOKBOOK (Deborah will be recieving one of these as well as a little lagniappe) which features recipes from New Orleans' greatest chefs/resturaunts.

For a project I chose a vintage pattern from a periodical published in England in 1888-1900 called, ironically, Weldon's Practical Knitter. It is a pattern for what was at the time the height of fashion, Cycling Hose/Socks...with a turned down top embellished with fair-isle style fleur-de-lis. Along with the pattern went the appropriate lace-weight merino yarns in purple, green, and gold/yellow.

I fashioned a set of Mardi Gras stitch markers to sweeten the pot...

And wrote to my new friend, Kathy Bray at Alsatian Soaps to ask for a custom colored package of her incredible knitter's soaps which come in a trio shaped like little balls of yarn. They, and the peppermint soap, have saved my hands this winter...check her out on her KNITTERS HANDS WEBSITE...or at Jimmy Beans Wool.

Some Limited Edition Zapp's Chips in Voodoo Gumbo for snacking while knitting...AND some beads to top it all off.

This was such a great swap that the challenge was not in finding enough items to swap, but in limiting the contents to keep close to the cost cap.

Stay tuned to see the amazing package I recieved from The Queen.

Norway, Selbuvotter (traditional Norwegian knit mittens), and Obama

2010-01-23T03:59:00.000-08:00

Here is a heartwarming story that made me appreciate (again) how knitting brings, not only yarn, but people, together. It is particularly meaningful for me as my dear father was Norwegian and we are planning a trip to Norway this summer with our three children to share with them their rich cultural heritage at a family reunion. With luck, you'll be seeing some Selbuvotter on my website in the near future! [Story printed in Dagbladet.no on 4/19/09, written by SIRIL K. HERSETH...awkwardly translated by online automated translation software]

Mary Mentha Andersen (52) is perhaps the most happy day. Her great dream to see Obama again will soon come true.

She met him for the first time when she would move from USA to Norway, on 2 November 1988. Mary had just married the Norwegian Dag Andersen, and looked forward to starting a life together with him in Åsgårdstrand outside Horten.

Obama as rescuing knight: But first she must get all their belongings to Norway.

At the airport in Miami, it was hectic with long lines at check-in counters. When it finally was Mary’s turn and she had placed the baggage on the tape, she got the message that turned the world upside down: “You must pay $ 103 in overvekt if you carry both suitcases to Norway, said the man behind the counter. ”

Paid for Mary: Mary had no money. Her new husband had gone on ahead of Norway, and Mary had no one else she could call. She tried to explain the situation to the man behind the counter, but he showed no bamhjertighet. Then she began to cry. It was when she heard a friendly voice behind him say: “I pay for her. ”

Mary turned and there stood a tall, dark man she had never seen before. She promised him to pay back the money as soon as she had come to Norway. The man wrote down the name and address of his on a patch, and gave it to Mary.

There was the Barack Obama, and address in Kansas where his mother lived at that time.

Got a letter from Obama Mary to pay him back as soon as she arrived in Norway. Since then she wondered who this man was friendly. “He exuded an authority already at the time, “says Mary.

She told the story of their Obama-meet for the first time in VG. There she showed the letter that her parents had of Obama dated 4 May 2006 and stamped “United States Senate, Washington DC.

“I want to thank you for writing such nice words about me and that you reminded me of the incident from the airport in Miami. I’m glad I could help back then, and is happy to learn that their daughter is doing well in Norway. Please send her my lykkeønskninger. Sincerely, Barack Obama, United States Senator. ”

The letter was a response to a letter of thanks Mary’s parents had sent him.

Had a dream: Now she tells Dagbladet how it has gone to her to see Obama again.

“This summer, I had a dream that Obama would come to Norway one day. Since then I have tried to think of what I would give him if he shows up. When I learned about nobelprisnominasjonen, I was in the fire and flames, “says Andersen.

She has told her story to friends and acquaintances, including the sailor minister Dagfinn Kvale. He was so touched by this that he wrote a letter to Thorbjørn Jagland and requested that Mary had to be present when Obama gets the peace prize.

Though Mary wrote to the U.S. embassy in Oslo to ask how she could have given Selbuvotter to Obama and his family.

See awards: This week she received a call from the Nobel Institute, who told her to get two tickets to the peace prize because of the letter from sjømanspresen.

Mary hoping for a chance to get as close to Obama that she can deliver mittens. She will also carry Selbuvotter to Michelle and two daughters. All the pairs have a close friend knitted.

“I want to give him something back, since he helped me at that time. Maybe he’ll take on the Selbuvotter while he is here. It would have been fantastic, “says Mary.

New Year's Knitting Resolutions...PATUEY!

2010-01-05T15:50:00.000-08:00

A very special 4th-grade teacher named, Mr. Luongo, inspired my 9-year-old son to invest some of his relaxing vacation time watching I LOVE LUCY. At his insistence, we checked out the entire season 1 of these classic black-and-white TV-cum-Vaudville shows and when the temperatures dropped to levels threatening to life, we all curled up together in front of the fire where I knitted and the kids developed an appreciation for entertainment which is not computer-generated and does not explode.

In an episode you may recall entitled, "Drafted" (originally broadcast 12/24/1951), Lucy and Ethel surreptitiously open Ricky's mail from the government and mistake his arrangements to play a show for the troops for a Draft notice. In a scene entitled, "The Girls Take up Knitting," Lucy declares between sobs that she is going to take up knitting socks to match Ricky's uniform to show her support for her beloved husband. When Ethel suspects that George plans to go with Ricky to Fort Dix, she also takes up knitting. The two sit knitting to commiserate and the gag goes as follows: Both women agree they will have to be strong to support their great and noble husbands...and the war effort (Korea). Between strong moments and hand-holding, they alternately fall apart. Finally, Lucy admits, "who are we kidding", that she is so upset she can hardly knit a sock and holds up her handiwork for the camera...

Ethel regards the "sock" and replies, "you're beyond socks, you've gone on to blankets," to which vapid Lucy perpetuates that gag by wistfully replying that she wishes that there was more they could do to support their men than knitting TENTS.

Which got me to thinking...

I had recently read of a young woman named, Kate Pokorny, who is currently knitting a YURT in an effort to raise awareness about sustainable green ways of living. A link to her project blog can be followed HERE. Anyway, clearly this young woman came up with a dream...a larger-than-life model of crocheted wonderful wooliness...unattainable with her income, and therefore inspiring her to action. She is, to me, the model of a knitter who would make a RESOLUTION...i.e., "This year I will knit an entire YURT."

By contrast, Lucille Ball set out to knit a sock and, distracted by life's many challenges and upheavals, found herself so distracted that she kept compulsively knitting until she found herself knitting a blanket...and then a TENT.

Now, both of them ended up with a fiber-based structure in which to live...but what differs is how they got there.

So, as 2009 turned to 2010 and I sought refuge from the bitter cold in my traditional home with a fireplace, I thought long and hard about knitting resolutions and what I wanted to share with you, gentle reader...

and all I came up with is this: Know Thyself.

While resolutions work for many people and serve as a form of external inspiration when no internal source can be found, they are not for every person and not for every knitter. Personally, if I know I have to do something, I can avoid it like the plague...my skills of procrastination are rivalled only by Jedi masters. Having attempted hand knit holiday gifts one year, I have learned that the necessity of creating gifts by a deadline crushes my every impulse to sit and knit. For this reason, therefore, I have decided to make myself no knitting resolutions...indeed no resolutions of any kind this year. In 2010...and in every preceeding year, by eschewing resolutions and following my nature, I have chosen the path less travelled (along with Lucy)...and THAT has made all the difference.

Merry (Recycled) Christmas!

2009-12-05T04:11:00.000-08:00

[This article originally appeared in Everyday Artist Studio]

2009 will be a challenging Christmas season for so many Americans...so many have lost jobs or have lost money in the stock market. Many of us have been challenged to become increasingly resourceful with the money and things we have rather than rushing out to purchase more things we don't really need. Rather than catching the national blues, I have decided to use the belt-tightening climate as inspiration to align myself with the green movement this Christmas...the human imperative to save our planet. Rather than "skimping," I am REDUCING. Rather than being a "Scrooge," I REUSE. Rather than being "cheap," I RECYCLE, REPURPOSE, and REGIFT.
In this new spirit, I have crafted a Recycled Christmas Stocking for the Everyday Artist Studio reader. I chose the ubiquitous Target Bag as my primary source for "yarn" because of its lovely red and white design. If you don't have a Target nearby, pick whatever bags you have in a seasonal color/s. Utilizing plastic bags as yarn is the ultimate in REPURPOSING...breathing new life into something previously considered trash. The body of the stocking is knit with a super bulky yarn so as to ensure a quick knit. This stocking can be completed in the course of about 2 days with relative ease.
I chose to use a super bulky yarn that I happened to have in my stash already (REDUCE), though if you have a color yarn you particularly like in a lighter weight, you can always double or even triple the yarn for similar effect. Another good idea is to recover yarn from children's outgrown sweaters or adult sweaters that have fallen out of favor or are otherwise discarded (RECYCLE). Some yarn companies are buying into the green idea and producing yarn made from recycled products...my personal favorite being Red Heart Eco-Ways in Worsted weight, owing to its very modern palette of color choices. And finally, it goes without saying that if you are going to buy new, buy locally produced environmentally produced agricultural yarn.

To get started making your own Recycled Christmas Stocking, print out my pattern HERE.

With a little creativity, even the most meager of holidays can be beautiful...and perhaps even MORE in the tradition of the first Christmas...after all, wasn't the manger REPURPOSED as a crib?!?

Happy RECYCLED Holidays!

ELFIN: Is This a Pattern for You?

2009-11-23T09:49:00.000-08:00

I have recently completed a sweater pattern known as ELFIN, by Kim Hargreaves. It is a cardigan knit in a very lightweight (DK) Rowan tweed wool spun from wool, rayon, and alpaca. The cardigan is knit entirely in stockinette stitch. While nice for watching television, the prospect of knitting that much stockinette suggests so many hours of boredom that many knitters will avoid this pattern like the plague. Following the tedium of a fully stockinette sweater, the pattern then calls for a border...a behemoth of lacy ruffles crafted from blindingly small and bogglingly fuzzy Kidsilk Haze. As mentioned in my previous blog (Not Getting Any Tail), I had my son add the number of cast-on stitches to complete the border and the tally came to 2840! This is a sweater I would characterize as a feast or famine sweater... long stretches of boredom followed by long stretches of tedious complexity. Until the product is complete, there is very little joy in the process of creating this sweater.

As your blogger, I feel somewhat obliged to either make recommendations....or help guide you to your own answers. So, if you are considering making ELFIN, I would recommend that you answer the following questions honestly:

1. Are you the type of reader who finishes every book you start, even when you dislike it?

2. Do you eat your vegetables/eggplant...do you clean your plate?

3. Do you fill out your own tax forms?
4. Are you a long-distance runner?

5. Have you ever decided to teach yourself Mandarin or Russian simply because you feel it would be a good language to know?

6. Are the Russian authors your favorites?

7. Do you pluck your own facial hair?

8. Were you the kid who used to sit on the bottom of the pool for as long as possible JUST to see how long you could hold your breath?

9. Do you take the stairs?

10. Are you raising children?

If you answered YES to any of these questions, you may consider undertaking ELFIN. What Elfin takes is an unwavering commitment to abide the boredom and the pain, and endure them for the duration of a LONG project, with the possibility (no assurance) that you may have a positive outcome/nice finished product.

Think about it.

Wizard Knits: The Harry Potter Exhibition

2009-10-28T07:15:00.000-07:00

If you are anywhere near Boston and have an interest in Harry Potter (or a child with an interest), do whatever is necessary to make it to the Harry Potter travelling Exhibition at the Museum of Science. Showcasing items, props, and clothing from the movies, the immersion-style rooms are transporting... magical in displays such as the dining hall which is complete with floating candles. Even if you can't enjoy the masterful book binding techniques, or experience joy in pulling up a shrieking mandrake, as a knitter you will find plenty to amuse.

The Weasley knit afghan was a favorite. The blanket is made of 7" squares in all different non-matching colors (some unevenly striped, some solid) and then sewn together with random orientation and finally stitched on some seams with black thread...like a crazy quilt. Of course the house sweaters were there, knit with darker grey yarn in a finer gauge than the one featured in "Charmed Knits." Ron's Ragg Raglan (a pattern given in the same book) was almost spot on in it's design, although the R in reality is an applique made from a plaid tan fabric rather than the red pictured.

My favorite sweater was the sweater Ron is wearing in this shot. The neckline was funky...knit as a V which at its base is narrow, then suddenly widens it's angle midway up the neckline, and over-sewn with a worn red canvas ribbon. Love it.

My absolute favorite part of the exhibit was in Hagrid's Hut, pictured above top. Behind where the photographer stood (and so not pictured), was a bookshelf containing Hagrid's objects. Inside were his books, glasses, etc...and behind it all was......YARN!!!!!!!!!!!!!! JK Rowling seems consistent in her desire to send a message to all knitters that Hagrid knits. The yarn is a rough and rugged dark brown bulky weight handspun single-ply wool rolled up with a yarn-baller...not dissimilar from this one. If you follow my blog you'll know I wrote a piece of fan fiction based on the one sentence in her first book which indicated that Hagrid Knits. You can read it in my archives HERE.

Not Getting Any Tail

2009-10-18T06:18:00.000-07:00

No, this blog entry is not about my midlife crisis...it's about rethinking CASTING ON. For five years I have dutifully casting on the traditional "long-tail" way - estimating the spot on the yarn which would efficiently minimize the length of the tail once I had worked my way out from the spot toward the end casting on all my stitches. The method has the advantage of being the quickest, once one develops a rhythm...AND provided that one does not accidentally UNDERESTIMATE the yarn needed and have to frog the work and start again beginning at a different location on the yarn. No biggie for projects with, say, 36 stitches...even 88 I can rework with only a few cuss words...but when faced with casting on 305 stitches with
blindingly small and fuzzy kidsilk haze (pattern :Rowan Elfin) SIX TIMES for the collar and 233 stitches SIX TIMES for the sleeves, it's time to think of an easier way.

For years I had heard tale of a casting- on technique which did not involve the messy estimation necessitated by "long-tail." I had always figured it would be prohibitively complex...requiring a 6th finger I did not possess. Imagine my surprise when it turned out to be, not only easy, but something I had already done before in a different context (buttonholes)!

So method #1 is called "Knitting On." All you do is tie a (slip) knot onto needle 1, knit a stitch, then place the new stitch back on needle 1. Repeat for as many stitches as you need. THAT's IT!

The limitations of this method are...1) it's slow, and 2) it looks better from one side than the other. Thus, one may want to consider the other method.

Method #2 is called, the "Cable Cast On." This is essentially the same idea. Begin just as with "Knitting On" until you have 2 stitches on needle 1. Then (rather than passing needle 2 as though to knit), pass needle 2 between the penultimate and the last stitches, wrap/pull through, and place this new stitch back onto needle 1. Repeat to make all stitches. Again, THAT's IT!

Cable Cast-On is also slower than Long-Tail, but looks equally good from both sides.

Method #3 (we'll call it the Ball-Cum-Tail technique) is my favorite and it not one found in texts. Simply cast on using the long-tail method with 2 balls of yarn (in other words, tie both ends together and onto the needle in a slip knot, then use one ball as the main yarn and the other ball as the tail). Fast, two sided, and logical...why didn't I think of that!!!

No magic, no mirrors...just sanity.

Jewelry with Jenn Mason

2009-10-08T07:31:00.000-07:00

OK, OK...this is definitely NOT knitting, but I loved it so much I had to share. My friend (I am so proud to be able to say that), Jenn Mason, artist extraordinaire, is holding a series of workshops in which she shares with her sycophants (like me) the techniques she uses to create her many masterpieces. Last night I attended the first in this year's series focusing on creating Chandelier Jewelry. Each participant was given a vintage chandelier crystal and taught ways to titivate it with vintage papers/photos, ink, and luminescent powders in order to create a pendant of unique beauty.

If you like it, grab her book, "Altered Paper Jewelry: Artful Adornments from Beautiful Papers" HERE...and visit her online HERE
...or HERE.

Yarn Pumpkins

2009-10-03T10:38:00.000-07:00

Check out my most recent blog on EverydayArtist Studio...where I discuss how to create AND finish a fiber-based project for October in 15 seconds! Drop Craftmaster, Jenn Mason, a note there and then come back to visit me soon.

Happy Crafting!

End of Hurricane Season Sweater

2009-09-30T17:46:00.000-07:00

This sweater is a happy reminder to all of those in the Gulf that we are wrapping up Hurricane Season without a SINGLE major evacuation in 2009. It is also, significantly, the end of my 10Th year of marriage (I was married on the day of Hurricane Georges...the only other mandatory evacuation of New Orleans other than Katrina in modern history). I have elected to celebrate the end of the season, with a child's sweater, bearing the international symbol of the hurricane. If you knew my third son, you would understand why the symbol is particularly appropriate worn on his precious chest. Here's to all you survivors...of New Orleans... of Hurricanes...of children.

(yarn: Romney Ridge Farm, ME)

Finding the Pearl in the Oyster

2009-09-15T10:15:00.000-07:00

Each summer my husband and I make a pilgrimage to my birthplace, Maine, and spend two blissfully unplugged weekends at a farm near the coast. Just prior to leaving this year, my husband pointed to an advertisement in my Rowan newsletter which listed Maine in its short list of stopping points for the "35th Anniversary Rowan American Tour." Well, I'll be. Curious which venue could be illustrious enough to merit such a rarefied event, I went to the web. Sure enough, the location was confirmed...it was indeed stopping in Maine just before heading to Canada...and whaddayaknow, it was going to be in a small town along our driving route!

So we entered the address in our GPS and drove...to this little yarn store called Grace Robinson & Company in Freeport, Maine! What a surprise to find that THE most prestigious (and with the most snob appeal) yarn manufacturer in the world would select such a humble cottage in such a remote location for its very special show! Feeling a bit like Linus, looking for the most earnest pumpkin patch in order to catch a sighting of his hero, "The Great Pumpkin," I entered the exhibit hall.

To my delight, the exhibit hall was completely empty and so I had essentially a private viewing of the collection. In addition to 40 hand-knit garments, the exhibit also provided a look at the history of the Rowan company, as well as biographies of their many illustrious designers. The icing on the cake was that, included in the exhibit was Kaffe Fassett's famed 'Long Leaf' coat (Book 12). This coat alone would have taken hundreds of hours to knit...many rows have at least 30 color changes and the garment as a whole is comprised of over 70,000 stitches. For a hand knitter, it is generally agreed, this would be the ultimate achievement.

As impressed as I was by the garments included in the exhibit, I cannot hold any one of them in as high esteem as the final creation I saw while at this LYS. Back in the shop area, while selecting the Rowan yarn I needed for my next project (Elfin, by Kim Hargreaves, green ruffled cardi to the left), I asked Ms. Robinson's husband to bring down from upstairs one of his wife's creations at which he hinted while watching me peruse the exhibit. The owner was reluctant, but after much cajoling by her proud husband, allowed him to show me.

When he brought down THIS, I nearly stopped breathing. Long and flowing, the skirt alone , knit on tiny needles, would be like knitting a football-field cozy...a feat of such extreme patience that only great yogis should attempt. In fact, aside from the pattern designer and her test-knitter, I'm quite sure that Ms. Robinson may be the only person on the planet to have ever completed this Herculean task. The example in the show is knit in dark moss green and, I don't hesitate to say, holds none of the elegance of Ms. Robinson's inspired rendering in an off-white with just a hint of glimmer, such that it positively glows. Cinderella, even with the help of her fairy godmother, could not have done better. Grace Robinson, humble and quiet, is a master knitter...an artist! She is (as is her charming LYS), my "Great Pumpkin," the pearl in the oyster I had been seeking.If it is a pearl you seek, remember to look in the lowliest of shellfish...
and NEVER underestimate your LYS owners!

Knitting my Way Through a Midlife Crisis

2009-09-09T06:53:00.000-07:00

In light of the recession, I made the dubious decision to keep my children home this summer. "Camp Mama" they all shouted with glee when informed that they would be allowed to spend every waking moment at home without activities or schedules. Figuring that they are no longer infants and do not require so much physical attention (they are, for instance, capable of wiping themselves and finding their own snacks in the cupboards), this commitment to a summer of self-sacrifice was not nearly as austere as it loomed in previous years (and why I always folded at the last minute - spinelessly enrolling them in as many "educational" camps as possible).

I underestimated the challenges of a summer at home.

Perhaps it was the previously unknown level of boredom in my formerly challenging and stimulating life (having twice lived in India for extended stints, Harvard as an undergrad, Medical School and life in New Orleans, followed by an exciting career as an ER physician, and then single motherhood of 3 infants), or perhaps it was the mind-numbing incessant chatter produced by 5-9 year olds (not unlike the old Chinese Water Torture method of dripping water on the forehead of the victim at varying intervals, a 3 year old is capable of saying "mama" 500 times in a day. By the time they are 5, they have mastered saying "mama" 500 times a day interspersing this base drone with variations of whines and frustrated outbursts at siblings.), but with absolute certainty I know that I was emotionally incapable of completing a thought by the end of the first month, never mind write a blog.

In an effort to gain some control in my life, I gave up eating, took up running, and sublimated my craving for cigarettes (not that I smoke, but ever I was going to start, this summer would have been the time) into manic knitting. Given the amount that I knit (5 sweaters), I'm guessing this would have been a 2 1/2 pack-a-day summer...so I guess that means I can thank my hobby for preventing me from smoking close to 5000 cigarettes. The result of my illusory control over my life was a 20 pound weight loss...that's right, 20 LBS!!!!!!!!! So, I'm giving a big shout out to my Canadian friend to let her know that she was my inspiration (see my previous blog, No Excuses). In fact that's me in the picture above, in a bikini, knitting by the pool...really.

So, the unfortunate thing about this summer is that it occurred (like the perfect storm) at the critical moment in history when my hormones were in midlife flux (I am turning 43), my last child was about to embark on kindergarten (I could smell the freedom), AND it marked the 4 year anniversary from the date we left my beloved New Orleans (I had always sworn I would last 4 years and no longer in the bitter Northeast...my husband agreed...and his time was running out). Somewhere between knitting a RS and a WS something switched and my entire life became completely unhinged... my midlife crisis finally peaked.

Now, I had tried counselling once in my life...shortly after beginning college when I passed out in the library because I was grinding my teeth so hard out of anxiety...but it never really worked well for me. Having read a good number of the psychology texts (for fun?!?...goth teen) and ALL the pop psych books, I was pretty knowledgeable. Knowledge in an angry confused teen may legitimately result in said teen being labeled a disrespectful know-it-all... which I'm certain I was by all 10 shrinks I tried. Needless to say, what it took for me to get grounded was the testing provided by life, and the resultant self-confidence...in other words, "learning the hard way."

So, it is no surprise that when the summer became the perfect psychic storm of my life, I did the rational thing and, rather than seeking out counselling, blamed it on my marriage.

Luckily, age has brought some wisdom (a little)...and so rather than having a "typical" mid-life crisis and learning the hard way (as per my usual routine), I read, and knit, and read, and knit, and read some more. I read when the kids were asleep, and I knit when they needed watching. I think I read every mid-life chick-lit book related to the subject imaginable this summer...from the classics (Anna Karenina...remember Anna's son is 8 and growing up, and she often compares herself to the younger beauties entering the social circle of St. Petersburg), to the shamelessly grocery-check-out popular choices (lowest point, Good Harbor, by A. Diamont). I read and I knit until I realized how cliche, however monumental it feels, this moment in my life really is.

So now, rather than a devastated life, a weary obligation to start over, and tearful kids, I have 5 sweaters complete and a stack of books ready to share with friends when they begin to teeter over the edge.

Thanks to all my tolerant friends, and particularly to my husband, for all their support and patience! Hope y'all like the sweaters.

Plimoth Rock Plantation...and knitting!

2009-08-13T19:12:00.000-07:00

My dear friend, Julie, and her beautiful boys visited us in Boston this summer. Thinking that a visit with a 9 year old and a 7 year old boy demanded some structure and an essay-worthy summer activity, I brought our clan of 5 boys (total) to Plymouth, MA for a day wandering through our colonial history. At Plimoth Plantation we were pleasantly surprised by a very modern retelling of the Colonial experience in America in an air-conditioned Hi-def theater before being released to walk the intrepid trails of our forefathers. We visited the original Plimoth Rock where Europeans were reputed to place their first thankful steps on American soil. We visited a Wompanoag community where one is not only not discouraged (as in the desert SW) but is encouraged to snap photos of their traditional ways. Most noteably, a Wompanoag woman who had given birth only 1 month previously was raising her son traditionally and was generously encouraging tourists to photograph their cohabitation on the site. Personally, if anyone had brought a camera within 20 miles of me 2 months post partum I would have slung it against the nearest wigwam. Further along, we visited the Pilgrim's settlement, where the kids enjoyed watching early animal husbandry with goats and sheep. On the site, Plimoth Plantation boasts an impressive collection of rare animals in its Nye Barn. "The animals you will see at the Nye Barn, as well as those in the 1627 English Village, are all older breeds that were common in past centuries, but have critically low breeding populations today." Notable to knitters are the San Clemente, Arapawa Island goats and the Wiltshire Sheep. You can support the recovery of these historic animals through the efforts of the Plimoth Scientists by clicking the following link (allowing you to donate AND get a cute stuffie for your closest and dearest kid): Adopt a Colonial Animal

Alternately, you could support the historic site as a whole WHILE supporting your own sick self-serving and ever-growing stash :-) by purchasing some of their absolutely YUMMY locally spun yarn!!!!!!!!!!! Here is what I got!

Or why not indulge yourself in one more sock pattern...you never know when you might need it. My guess is that nobody appreciated warm woolen socks as much as the Pilgrims, so the pattern is likely pretty good.

In short, a summer adventure need not be entirely devoted to the kids interests...goodies for knitters can be found everywhere. Here's to getting the kids out without being ENTIRELY self-sacrificing!

Fiber Color Therapy

2009-08-01T05:18:00.000-07:00

Read about my recent obsession with ORANGE and "fiber color therapy" at the Everyday Artist Studio Website HERE.

Dont forget to drop a comment and then come back to visit!

Chapter 3 3/4: Hagrid Knits

2009-07-21T15:38:00.000-07:00

I went to see the most recent Harry Potter (The Half-Blood Prince) with my sons this weekend and was once again surprised to love it unquestioningly. Noteably, I rejoiced at the inclusion of Dumbledore's interest in "knitting patterns" which he reveals upon emerging from the bathroom holding a knitting magazine he hopes to borrow. Though I suspected that J. K. Rowling was a knitter based on Mrs. Weazley's magical knitting needles and her annual fabulous knit gift for the children, my suspicion was confirmed by Dumbledore's admission.

During a reading of the first Harry Potter book to my sons years ago, I came upon a single sentence which implicated Hagrid as a knitter. My boys leapt at the reference ("Hagrid KNITS?!?!?!?") and so I created my own chapter (chapter 3 3/4) to further detail Hagrid's hobby. I wrote this essay in hopes of inspiring my own sons to see knitting as a non gender-based activity...perhaps by sharing it with young boys you know we could inspire our own magic in the knitting world.

Hagrid tossed another slab of meat to Fang. With an audible snap, the large dog caught the meal in mid air and swallowed it whole.

“Y’ be needin’ a little extra tonight…I’m goin’ to be out,” Hagrid muttered to his companion as he rifled through the pile of belongings on his desk.

July 31st. Hagrid reflected on the day. Harry Potter’s birthday. Could it have been 12 years already since the night he received the terrifying call from Professor Dumbledore to go fetch the baby. 12 years since the night he first held the tiny Potter orphan in his (literally and figuratively) giant hands. He remembered the night as though it was just recently. He recalled plucking the infant safe from his crib amidst a scene of carnage and destruction – the remains of the child’s parents only feet from his unscathed crib in the wake of the fateful visit from He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. That night he swaddled little Harry in a blanket and tucked him inside his moleskin cloak, holding him tightly with one arm (though not too tightly, being careful not to crush the tiny infant), and sped on Sirius Black’s enchanted motorcycle to meet Dumbledore on Privet Drive…as directed.

Years had passed since that night, and the boy’s fame grew with every passing year since their intersection had resulted in Voldermort’s vanishing from the wizarding world. Even if Hagrid hadn’t felt Harry’s birthday seared into his memory, he would never have been able to forget its passing since the entire wizarding world now celebrated the date…as they celebrated Harry and his greatness in vanquishing the Dark Lord.

This birthday, however, was different from the preceding ones. This year, Hagrid had received the “OK” from Dumbledore to visit the boy again…on official business, of course. Hagrid nearly kissed Dumbledore’s pointy shoes, so overjoyed he was with the news that he was to deliver the Hogwarts letter of acceptance to the boy he had rescued from that unforgettable scene. On hearing the details of his mission, however, Hagrid’s enthusiasm began to fade. The Dursleys (that Muggle family which had been caring for the boy since he was orphaned and unwittingly hiding him in their thick mediocrity from the wizarding world) had squirreled him away to a remote rock in the middle of the sea off Cokeworth. Barring the use of magic, there would be no easy way of getting to such a place

“Not to worry, Hagrid,” Dumbledore reassured him, “flying would be permissable under the circumstances.” Hagrid breathed a sigh of relief. Since his expulsion from Hogwarts under suspicion of raising unpermitted creatures, Hagrid had not been allowed to practice magic. Not such a bad thing, really, since he had struggled as a student to begin with. Still, at times like this, even mediocre magic came in handy. Only in emergency situations did Dumbledore life the restriction against Hagrid practicing magic. the last time being the night of Harry’s rescue.

Thus it was that Hagrid found himself blustering around his hut, preparing for his departure. It was a bit of a trip, so Hagrid expected to be away from his comfortable little hut on the Hogwart’s grounds for at least a day and a night. Fang would be fine if fed a few extra pieces of meat. He would need to wear his moleskin coat as the small rock on which Harry was cloistered was at present under assault by a torrential rain and windstorm. The key, perhaps most importantly, he must remember the Gringott’s key. The letter. Some sausages…sustenance for the trip.

He had the essentials…all but one. It would be a long night in that dank cabin on the rock. If Harry needed to sleep before their journey, he had better pack a little something to keep him busy. Reading was out…he gave that up once he was expelled (apart from the guides he read on care and feeding of his magical creatures whenever he met a new challenge, and the Daily Prophet- though that was hardly worth reading any more with all the dodgy reporting). Fang was good company, but not much of a conversationalist at night and so, Hagrid had taken to knitting. It was a hobby that came in handy since, being a giant, and being forbidden to magically create clothes, it was difficult to obtain tunics and sweaters in his generous size. Knitting would be perfect to pass the time tonight.

Hagrid’s desk was as cluttered as the pockets of his black overcoat. With consternation he searched through the piles amassed atop the great desk. Pieces of flint, feathers, twine, a rusty pulley, acorn caps, a few Knuts…all sorts of objects that may come in handy to a grounds-keeper. Still, he couldn’t find his knitting needles. It shouldn’t be hard to find them…they were, after all, size 000 (anything smaller than 00 felt like toothpicks in his massive fingers).

Ah-ha, he at last recalled – in the umbrella stand, just where he had left them. He gathered a couple hanks of bulky canary-yellow homespun and stuffed them into a pocket with his scribbled notes on dimensions for the griffin’s saddle blanket. Ready, but for one final item…the cake. Hagrid stooped to open his refrigerator and, stuffed behind jars of frogs and pounds of meat, his oversized hand located it – the large, sticky chocolate cake he had purchased for the occasion. As requested, the Hogwarts baker had inscribed, “Happy Birthday Harry” with green icing. Hagrid placed the cake carefully into a box and stuffed it not-so-carefully into another pocket and strode out the door.

This short story was inspired by a two sentences from the touchstone novel by JK Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. In Chapter 5, she writes, “Hagrid took up two seats and sat knitting what looked like a canary-yellow circus tent. “Still got yer letter, Harry?” he asked as he counted stitches.” The illustration was adapted from the wonderful illustrations in the book by Mary GrandPre.

Creative Recession-Era Jobs

2009-07-15T10:29:00.000-07:00

To view my most recent blog, please following the following link:

Everyday Artist Studio

Drop a note there and then come back here to visit again soon!

Where have you been?!?

2009-06-22T07:13:00.000-07:00

As I struggle with the final proverbial mile of the school-year marathon, I recall with great fondness the halcyon days of my youth when summer stretched interminably between Memorial Day and Labor Day...an uninterrupted swath of unmonitored outdoor freedom in a Lord-of-the-Flies demi-society of unscheduled neighborhood children. Not once did one in our ranks get pulled from a nightfall game of capture-the-flag to attend a karate class, no parent ever called a game because we were "keeping score" and getting "too competitive, no child was pulled politely from a neighborhood BBQ because they couldn't eat gluten/nuts/milk/etc...ours was a life of utter freedom.

Not so for my children. Shortly after school ends...this THIRD week of June (weeks after Memorial Day), they will again be wrested out of their beds in the morning to attend myriad organized camps. I am paying large sums of money for these camps where my children will be playing with all the friends they would have been playing with in the neighborhood if they were allowed to run unregulated...all because we all know that they are SAFER in a CAMP where NO CHILD MOLESTERS would ever think about looking for a vulnerable child...

Anyhoooooo,

So in the past few weeks I have been busy with the end-of-the-year parenting activities...the recitals/concerts, all-star-games and playoffs, teacher conferences, pre-camp doctor appointments, family breakfasts, and picnics. [My middle son danced in an Irish Dance Performance and I confess that I spent as much time admiring the vintage Irish sweater he wore with his costume as I did his marvelous dancing.] Work-places do this also and so we have been attending departmental awards ceremonies, BBQs and cocktail parties.

In the midst of all this fun and excitement, I also enjoyed a visit from my very dear mother and her companion...who, though generally quite supportive of my blogging admonished me that the EROS post was too risque and looked like lingerie. ... ONCE A MOTHER, ALWAYS A MOTHER. I reminded her that I am almost 44 years old and that at my age women better wear things when they look good since they may not get another opportunity. In truth, I'll never actually wear that lovely orange and gold garment...I just loved knitting it and thinking about wearing it.

Perhaps the most important factor preventing me from blogging recently is that I have been hard at work on another blog! This blog describes the preservation of antique roses in the gardens in and around one's community. A link to my new blog is here:

Brookline's Old Roses

If you visit, be sure to sign the guest book at the bottom!

Rest assured I am still knitting and will be up and running again next week...Happy SUMMER!!!!

Eros

2009-05-29T07:02:00.000-07:00

You may recall back in January, I blogged about the importance of having a good imagination during the long cold months of winter in New England. At that time, I made an impulse buy when I came across some ribbon yarn (which I have never used)...summery in its color and metallic accents (which I have never worn)...deeply discounted in a midwinter sale making room in my LYS for new summer stock. Happily, though my body is not in summer condition, my wardrobe is, thanks to this effortless little pattern entitled, EROS [Rowan: The Midas Touch, 2006]. The pattern is actually a lace pattern, and with such large needles it knits up very quickly. Most importantly, should I happen across that beach (or that body) I fantasized about in January, I'll be ready!

Brimfield, Spring 2009: The Good, The Bad, and the Just Plain Absurd, Part II

2009-05-24T06:59:00.000-07:00

This year's trip to Brimfield was a windfall for vintage knitting patterns. As I pointed out in my last post, one of the characteristics of Brimfield is that one generally finds a lot of "bad" and "absurd" mixed in with the good...taken all together, the lot was rich and satisfying. Here are a few of my favorites:

The Good:

For Babies-

2. For Boys:

3. For Dogs:

4. For Men:

5. For Women:

...Who love New Orleans, or Fleur-de-lis...just invert the 3-point motif...(I'll do it just to prove it works)...LOVE the wavy very modern columns!

And finally,

the BAD...or at least, pretty ABSURD:

...Cute, but I think I'll use the tassels and pom-poms for my curtains...

No flipping way will my boys EVER wear this... I don't care HOW cold it gets in New England!!!

So, if you like any of the patterns, I wouldn't dream of charging money for them...

but I WOULD like you to compose a short rhyme (a poem requirement...though readers KNOW how I love poetry...would apply too much creative pressure) expressing your appreciation for the pattern requested. Please leave said rhyme in the comments section, along with your email address, and I will happily forward you the requested pattern.

What's new is old...what's OLD is NEW!!!

I apologize, gentle reader, for the jumbling of photographs. Despite repeated attempts to make this post lay out properly, it continues to rebel. I trust that you will be able to sort out which knits are for dogs and which are for men and boys :-)

Brimfield, Spring 2009: The Good, The Bad, and the Just Plain ABSURD: Part I

2009-05-18T07:24:00.000-07:00

Ah, Brimfield in Spring...Part One of an Annual three-part adventure held in highest esteem by artists, historians, junkies and junk addicts across the country. For 6 solid days (beginning at 0-dark-thirty), devotees flock to Brimfield, MA for the largest assemblage of antique dealers in the country...6000 tents filled to the brim with "one person's trash." The appeal for me is the promise of finding that unrecognized "diamond in the rough," unrecognized by its host, waiting to be discovered. Sustained by this optimistic pipe-dream, I can spend hours rifling through boxes like these...despite the rains of the May show and the oppressive heat of the July show. And though one could claim that the promise of treasure can be found in many shopping venues, one is considerably less likely to be downright shocked/surprised while scanning the racks of Filenes's, and unlikely to be suddenly thrust on a trip down memory lane while in Bloomingdale's. Brimfield is not just the opportunity to shop...it instead brings to mind the great Western, "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly"in which rough gunslingers compete with oneanother in search of burried confederate gold. To adapt to the specifics of the Brimfield experience, I will call it, "The Good, The Bad, and the just plain Absurd." Here is my pictorial summary of those three categories from the May show this year:

The Good:

Despite the absolute certainty of rain during the May show, both my travel companion and doyenne, artist Jenn Mason, and I BOTH forgot our rain gear. This kindly concessions dealer took pity on us and gave us two garbage bags, with a little artful adaptation became wonderful rain ponchos...and we became, "The Bag Ladies."

Two favorite ladies combine their Concord Shops at Brimfield and create the most magical tent on the fields. Cary Goodrich of Thoreauly Antiques and the proprietress of Nesting on Main assemble this not-to-be-missed dream scape where I acquired the vintage sheep cigarette cards shown at the head of this blog entry.

I found this little vintage ad in a newspaper entitled Good Literature printed in 1905...it's fun to see.

Here are the buttons I found at the show...one group from someone who knew the value of these old crochet buttons to a handicrafter (Nifty Thrifty Dry Goods...has every vintage button you could covet...but not inexpensive), and one group in the bottom of a junk drawer (which cost me 50 cents.

Beautiful pins proving (once again) that the simplest concepts often result in the most beautiful creations. These were being sold at Dusty's (THE source for vintage tablecloths)...a friend of hers has been making them out of old wool ribbon that she ties and wraps. Couldn't be prettier.

And the vintage knitting find of the show...This collection (again, found in a drawer) of antique British Knitting pins in their original case!

THE BAD:

Brimfield is where all old bad bridesmaid/prom dresses... and washing machines go to die an ugly death...

Falling into the "bad" category is this basket crafted from a dead armadillo...fruit anyone?

And it was a big day for pregnant female torsos...here are two that were particularly bad...

....and finally,

The Just Plain ABSURD:

OK, I'm not sure I can come up with a scenario where an amputee would be hopping around Brimfield looking to buy a prosthetic leg....

And this little guy...I can't think of a purpose for this yard dog...unless it's like a scarecrow for moles and groundhogs...but it surely doesn't count as ART.

And finally, my favorite absurd find of Brimfield, the mid-century Porta-Sauna...Individual size, in a stunning shade of Aqua...I had been LOOKING for one of those!

Stay tuned for Part II...the Good, the Bad, and the Just Plain ABSURD of vintage patterns found at the show!

Scouting Owl Scarf

2009-05-07T16:14:00.000-07:00

My friend, Rorie, loves owls. She also loves cool mid-century decorative items. Rorie runs a home-inspiration business near Newport Beach...she finds great vintage furniture and accessories, then brings them to her clients, thereby furnishing them with her unique bohemian twist on Hollywood Regency chic. A writeup about her business, the "Scouting Owl," can be accessed on the web HERE.

During medical school, Rorie dated my husband's best friend. My husband was a near-permanent fixture on her couch for 2 years...doing laundry and napping whenever not at work. Though living on opposite coasts cuts down on the frequency of our visit, the burden of housing us is tenfold what it was because we now bring along our three little boys. Last week, when we travelled to CA over our vacation, our clan stayed in her house for 3 days...a visit tests a hostess' patience. Knowing the debt of gratitude I owed her for allowing us to invade her home (and possibly the monetary debt I would owe if our children broke any of her fabulous vintage finds), I began to try to come up with a gift thoughtful enough to reflect the magnitude of her generosity. Stores left me feeling uninspired, and I finally settled on a homemade item as the only expression grand enough for the occasion. Channelling Rorie's love of owls, I created a scarf depicting an owl perched before a full moon on a starry night. Thus, the "Scouting Owl Scarf" was created.

I cast on using the tubular method because I like the highly polished finished edge it gives, but if you find it is too elastic and pulls, the scarf can also be cast on in your traditional method. The eyes were added during the knitting process utilizing the crochet beading technique. The pattern for the scarf can be found on my accompanying patterns blog HERE.

ENJOY!

Felted Koala

2009-05-06T10:01:00.000-07:00

There has been a notable gap in my blogging, owing to spring break from school followed by the resultant week's worth of laundry. We have been believers in the increasingly popular "stay-cation" ever since our move to New England in 2005, but this year, we decided for a change to go somewhere during our break. My husband grew up in California and it seemed the obvious destination...providing both warm weather AND an opportunity to visit with family and friends. While visiting, we ALSO scheduled a pilgrimage to the famous San Diego Zoo in order to appease my son who has been religiously watching the Panda-Cam on his computer all year. My 5 year old loves animals and even has favorites, namely Pandas, polar bears, and koalas (which are, incidentally, not bears at all, but rather marsupials). By hitting the San Diego Zoo, we were able to see ALL THREE of his holy triumvirate and make his trip memorable.

The koala exhibit at the zoo consisted of 6 short eucalyptus trees in cells traversed by a walking bridge. As we approached, we noticed the furry grey balls in the trees were not moving...they were ALL asleep. My son looked dejected, "Oh no," he exclaimed, "We came at their nap time!" Realizing that koalas, unlike Pre-Kindergartners, cannot have organized nap time, I began to do some reading. As it turns out, it is quite likely that all young visitors to the exhibit have a similar feeling of disappointment, as the koala sleeps 20 of the 24 hours in a day!!! All those photos we see of koalas regarding the cameraman and looking cuter than Paris Hilton mugging in her all-time cutest pre-adolescent frock...the photographer waited a LOOOONNNGGG time for those shots. Here is what the koala usually looks like:

Lucky for us, I managed to capture one lazy koala waking briefly to sluggishly stuff his mouth with a piece of apparently unexciting eucalyptus...here he is:

Now we know why there is no "Koala-Cam" at the Zoo.

Anyhow, my son was really wanting to bring home a koala. Of course, he wanted a real live koala (which, in all honesty, cannot be much more work than a stuffed on sitting on a shelf, though not strictly allowable)...but I at last convinced him a stuffed one would do. [As a child remember having a koala made from REAL koala fur that someone must have sent me from their travels...eeeeyuuuwwwww!] I gathered up some leftover "polar morn" malabrigo and knit this darling stand-in. The pattern is Felted Koala, by Bev Galeskas for Fiber Trends. He's every bit as cute as the real thing...AND he has his eyes open.

NOTE: The San Diego Zoo follows modern rules for humane animal containment, maximizing open air exhibits and working to ensure close simulation of each animal's natural environment. They also employ the best animal and human vets/doctors in their many conservation programs. They are currently banking frozen embryos of every animal on our planet to ensure the preservation of genetic diversity. They fund rescue organizations to rescue the Pandas (particularly the panda research station which was badly damaged by the earthquake), Polar Bears (which are expected to be extinct within our lifetime barring heroic efforts made by organizations such as the SDZ), and the Koala habitat protection program (now especially important in the wake of the fires in Australia). If you are interested in donating to the zoo's important work...by supporting a project, a zoo baby, or adopting an animal...click HERE.

Butterflies Are Free Shadowbox

2009-04-10T10:34:00.000-07:00

I was driving across the Causeway Bridge with my mother in the passenger seat, the year was 2001 and I was 38 weeks pregnant with my second son. Conversation while crossing an average bridge would hardly fill a sentence, never mind an entire essay...but this was The Lake Pontchartraine Causeway Bridge...the longest bridge in the world...connecting my home town at the time of New Orleans with Mandeville, LA and measuring a whopping 23.87 miles (38.42 km) long.

The heat was thick and even driving felt exhausting, pushing our way through the dense humidity of our swamp-bordered city. Adding to the air density on that particular day was a profusion of flying insects...blurry in the heat at first, but soon easily recognizable as Danaus plexippus...Monarch butterflies. "Slow down!" my mother screamed, "you're going to hit them!" Already travelling at the lower end of the speed limit, I cautioned her about the dangers of travelling too slowly on the bridge, "I don't care," she persisted, "don't kill those butterflies." It was then that I realized one of the marvels of butterflies...their loft prevents them from being struck by passing cars and carries them safely, along the air currents up the windshield and over the cars, safely launching them like a water slide, off the back of the cars. At any speed, I illustrated, we do not hit the butterflies.

Reassured, we spent the rest of the drive enjoying the marvel of being caught over a body of water in a flock of migrating butterflies as they made their yearly journey to where they overwinter in Mexico.

The very next October day, I gave birth to my second son. My talented mother set to work crafting a beautiful baby quilt with butterfly-ornamented fabrics to commemorate the day. I have always felt it an omen that he was born during the monarch migration through our poetic city, but unlike my friend, Jenn Mason, am not an "everyday" artist...not even a "every-other-day artist." In fact, I'm lucky if I get to some of my projects in this lifetime...and the only thing I can claim to do consistently is be inconsistent. Luckily, owing to her friendship, time, and inspiration, I managed to finally celebrate this memory by assembling treasures gathered over the years at Brimfield and scrapping shops into this...memory made manifest...my first "shadowbox."

A Tale of Two Sweaters: Presto Chango

2009-04-08T18:01:00.000-07:00

Here it is...my vote for most versatile baby sweater...the "Presto Chango" sweater by Valerie Wallis at Sproutknit.com

/Jimmybeanswool.com. This pattern is a marvel because it is gender-neutral, can be changed by simply altering the central panel (ie- made with holiday themed central panels, etc), and can be tolerate baby-blurps with ease because the entire sweater need-not be remade when the front is stained...only one small panel. I love this practical and neat design. Further, the buttonholes- daunting at first glance- are not even buttonholes, but one simple yarn-over ...providing enough of a hole for diminutive child-sized buttons. The pattern is so easy I made two in one week. The first I made with spring-themed colors made from Stella by Debbie Bliss (Aran / 10 ply Cotton, Rayon, Silk ). The buttons I chose were vintage milk-green glass purchased on Etsy. The second was made for my nephew/godson who lives in Memphis. As his father is a hunter, I used Sugar & Cream camo yarn for the central panel and found darling "Historic Rt. 66" buttons to complete the military-style jacket look. Two very different sweaters from one very simple pattern...what could be easier!

Talisman Ear: Anatomic Knitting

2009-03-20T08:05:00.000-07:00

"That yarn is really nice, Mama."

"Yes, that's sort of the problem...I like the yarn so much that nothing I make from it will be good enough."

This is likely not an uncommon conversation in knitting households with children. What made this conversation differ from others was that my son (with whom I was having the conversation) was lying on our couch, recovering from minor surgery. While out playing football on the playground at school, he was running-keeping his eye on the ball- when he collided with a sign post. The post bisected his ear, slicing through the cartilage and into the ear canal. As my medical specialization is emergency medicine, I have cared for all manner of lacerations sustained by my three boys over the past nine years and thus far have never had anything exceeding my capacity to manage at home with local anaesthetic and dermabond or steri-strips, but this was different. It was immediately evident that, without the aid of a general anaesthetic and a talented surgeon, my son would henceforth spend every Halloween dressed as Vincent Van Gogh.

In the Emergency Department, I remained objectively interested in the repair plan and emotionally cool, but left the procedure room to allow the surgeon his privacy...and to shield him from the possibility that I might seize the instruments from his hand and attempt a coup should anything begin to go wrong. Clairvoyant, I brought along a simple stockinette knitting project in cashmere...perfect for soothing my eager hands while waiting for what turned out (when the extent and depth of the injury were revealed) to be a surprisingly long wait. The longer we waited, the more evident it became that there were complications - the faster I knit. I was the picture of relaxation.

Owing to the expertise of the ER physician, the plastics surgeon, and the very talented nursing staff at Children's Hospital, my son emerged intact - albeit groggy. I carried him to my car and drove him home and then sat with him, as much to satisfy my need to hold him as his need to hold me. At home I again took out a yarn I had been struggling with for a year...it seemed the appropriate yarn for my challenging psychic moment. The yarn ("Wupatki") is a hand spun wool, grounded in the softest of tan-brown, with bright natural color accents throughout. It is lovingly spun by Kerry at RepoRebo Yarns on Etsy/Ravelry. I was thinking that I would make it into an Easter basket, but the project struck me as so pedestrian for a yarn I had elevated in my mind as representative of the great rock formations of the desert southwest. I was further stymied by the short supply- only one short hank.

So when my son expressed his appreciation for the yarn, and I replied as I always do, I was suddenly struck by the realization that the only thing that I really held in as high esteem as I did this yarn was my baby's ear. My entire being was, at that moment, focused on internally repairing his ear. As I had just spent hours repressing my desire to step back into doctor mode and sew by baby back together myself, my hands almost reflexively began frogging the basket progress and casting on for what was soon to be ... his ear.

Many cultures across the world have traditions of utilizing talismans to aid the faithful in connecting the divine with the material world. Terracotta foot and nose talismans can be found in digs throughout the ancient world. There is a tradition of linking prayer (in its many forms) and healing, embodied in such arts. To this most basic need spanning cultures and eras, I add my knit talisman ear - sculpture in fiber.

As my career background is in medicine, I have been collecting photos of knit anatomical body parts just as a curiosity. Sadly, I was not careful about documenting the knitters/photographers, but would love to share their names if anyone wants to claim them. So, today I share with you this odd, but oddly understandable, collection of anatomical knits: I love the precision of the heart...but am humbled by the size of the intestine project...do you know how long your intestine is when stretched all the way out?!?

Anyhow, at first (standard 9-year-old-boy response to ANYTHING his mother does) my son said, "that's a little weird, Mom" to my compulsion to recreate his ear (I did after all create the first one). I am happy to announce, however, that later that night, when I checked on him in his bed, he was cuddling the soft felted ear for comfort...He's still my little boy.

"Envy" Irish Wristwarmers for St. Patty's Day

2009-03-04T08:05:00.000-08:00

I joined my first knitting club this year, the "Seven Deadly Spins." Every two months they mail members a package which includes a heavenly yarn, a pattern based on one of the 7 deadly sins, and assorted goodies...some necessary for the pattern, some entirely for fun ("lagniappe"). This month's pattern (by Silvia Harding) was so inspiring I immediately cast on and will therefore have the pleasure of wearing these divine fingerless gloves/wrist warmers on St. Patrick's Day to celebrate the small portion of my heritage which is Irish.
The theme is "envy" and indeed I will be the envy of all who see me sporting these beaded wonders, knit with a decadent DK yarn called "House Blend" by The Unique Sheep comprised of 50% alpaca, 30% merino, and 20% silk. It is a jewel-like color blend of greens, nicely modelled beside my son's rendition of the Statue of Liberty.
In addition to these lovely gloves, I thought I would share with you a poem...one of my favorites, about a crafty Irish maiden who used the soothing rhythm of her spinning wheel to lull her watchful mother to sleep so that she might rendezvous with her lover...hope the poem (and the luxurious wristlets) inspire your holiday!

A Treasury of Irish Poetry in the English Tongue By Stopford Augustus Brooke, Thomas William ""
"" -John Francis Waller

Purl

2009-03-02T13:36:00.000-08:00

Too tired to pack on a Friday night after a long week of kid-toting, I put off my packing for our trip to New York City until Saturday morning before our planned 7am departure. "It's not a big deal," my husband attempted comforting, "we're only going to stay over one night...what's to pack?" Hmmm. Clearly he is thinking in terms of our lighter years when going to New York for one night meant a footloose and fancy-free romp around the city, likely eschewing sleep altogether, followed by a bleary-eyed drive home. This trip, by contrast involved me packing for three boys, in addition to ourselves, AND clothing for a coat/tie party...in the middle of winter...not exactly a responsibility-free jaunt to the city. Three suitcases and an assortment of winter boots tossed at random into the back of our car later as he impatiently began rolling out of the driveway, we were ready but for me. My last knitting project recently completed, I panicked when I realized I would have to accumulate all the necessary bits to begin a new project on the road...and noting the diminishing patience on my husband's face, I elected to fore go the next intarsia pattern I had been plotting (too many colors to be wound in preparation) and opted instead for a quick tank top I had been thinking of for the summer. I threw my yarn and size 7 circular needles in a bag and jumped aboard.

Predictably, 7 rows into the project and drive, the pattern called for a change to a size 9 needle...which I didn't pack. The air was chill but the sun was out and I suddenly realized that it was the PUR-fect day to walk through Soho to visit...PURL! PURL is a well-located shop right in SOHO and, though small, seems to hold a complete compendium of knitterly needs. What I really appreciate about the shop is that, its' beauty lie not (like so many New York destinations) in having EVERY type and brand of yarn and notions one could imagine, but rather in what they DO NOT have. The store is no larger than a postage stamp and yet, one never misses anything they do not stock. They have pared down their inventory to include ONLY the absolute necessities...and the best examples of those items currently available. Their focus is on intense, full-bodied colors in a variety of yarn types and weights...favoring smaller yarn makers such as Lobster Pot, Louet, and Alchemy. It leans not on the yarn leading the design, but rather the designer's imagination laying the groundwork and carefully selecting only top-quality products for its' execution...the results of which are full of the grace and style one expects from urban knitters.

Remember, next time you find yourself in NYC,

in sum...

in a pinch...

pop by PURL.

It's Mardi Gras, Baby!

2009-02-23T19:58:00.000-08:00

My eldest at 13 months, as the king cake baby

The vast majority of people who visit New Orleans do so during Carnival season. As a visitor they stay in a hotel near the French Quarter and see, perhaps participate in, only the more Bacchanalian aspects of Mardi Gras...carousing all night, ogling freely offered peep shows in exchange for plastic trinkets, followed by gastritis-abating gluttony at the local high-fat eating establishments. Three days into their visit, they develop an ulcer, worry that they have irreparably damaged their pancreas, and board an airplane laden in equal parts with anxiety, guilt, and three days of unbridled caloric intake.

What these weekend visitors miss is the opportunity to observe the locals in their natural environment...raising children and living daily lives surrounded by... indeed nourished and embraced by... chaos. In fact, people living in New Orleans consider the holiday to be a family holiday and children are particularly treasured along parade routes...gleeful recipients of the biggest bags of beads, stuffed animals, and coveted plastic spears (especially valuable because they must be handed...not thrown...out of the floats, mandating an interaction with a Krewe member).

I raised my three children in New Orleans and they, as you will see, were immersed in Carnival culture since day...7

(I think that was the youngest one ever brought to a parade). When we moved to New England, my eldest was entering kindergarten and he was asked to draw a picture of this favorite memory (along with his teacher's response)...here it is:
Outside New Orleans, exposing children to such an environment of debauchery would buy an adult a ticket to visit their local child protection service...but in New Orleans, placing one's beloved offspring in teetering rows of rickety "ladder chairs" (these are completely unregulated garage-made chairs designed to place children unnaturally high so that they are MORE likely to be struck by bags of beads thrown from passing floats.), and repeated refrains of , "no, honey, THAT is YOUR bottle, THIS one is Mama's/Daddy's bottle" are de rigeur and probably make for tougher stock later in life.

If you are lucky enough to be living in the Crescent City right now, you are doubtless enjoying the beautiful balmy 75 degree weather and throwing out your hands (and your worries) hoping for a rainfall of beads. If, by any chance you have recently had a baby (or THREE as my beloved friend, Nicole, has just done), or know someone who has, here are a couple of great Mardi Gras themed baby knit ware items to make or gift this season:

MG basket weave baby blanket knit with Blue Ridge Yarns Kaleidoscope Superwash Sock Yarn in Sunset, available at Woolgirl.

Felted Booties from Jill Eaton's, Minnies.

Three GORGEOUS baby hats knit (and designed) by my incredibly talented mother, Joan, using Lorna's Laces Angel Yarn (70% Angora 30% Wool) in Sunshine, Blackberry, and Lime.

And to make your knitting move a little more smoothly and festively, try out these carnival themed stitch markers, available through Knitorious, St. Louis (contact Deborah through her BLOG).

Regardless of how you choose to celebrate, or what you choose to knit, enjoy yourself because...

IT'S MARDI GRAS, BABY!

Oscars Night 2009: Film Noir Cuffs

2009-02-20T18:20:00.000-08:00

Just two days left before the Oscars and you have nothing to wear...don't despair...go NAKED (with a pair of glamorous vintage-inspired cuffs). These little darlings will take a day, max, to produce and create SUCH an impact. Simple, soft, black, and CASHMERE (of course, darling...nothing else will do for the big night!). I based them on a DROPS design for moss stitch wrist warmers, but adapted them for a fabulous yarn by Trendsetter called Cashmere Hand spun. To kick them up a notch, I used Rowan's kidsilk "night" instead of the kidsilk haze to add the sparkle called for by the Oscars.

My current reading-obsession is Lily Koppel's, The Red Leather Diary...a book written by a New York Times society page columnist who happened upon a diary written between 1929 and 1934 in her apartment building dumpster. She writes evocatively...provocatively...of a time when, "On Fifth Avenue, fur abounded, mink, chinchilla, Persian lamb, and leopard, each denoting the status of its wearer. The most desirable was broadtail, with a price tag into the thousands, mad from the tiny stitched-together pelts of premature lambs, resembling crushed velvet, tightly curled and glossy." To my eyes (and my vintage-obsessed memory)...moss stitch most closely replicates the look of broadtail. (I wonder what JayZ would have to say about "broadtail").

My hopes and dreams are with the makers of Slumdog Millionaire this year. Having travelled in India on two occasions, I can attest that the movie is no deliberate deception, but rather a skillfully rendered mirror of the (dichotomy is too unsubdivided) complexities and ironies of India. I will personally be wearing a sari on Oscar night...and my Garbo cuffs. Champagne and samosas, anyone?

Happy Valentine's Day, Knitters!

2009-02-14T04:49:00.000-08:00

Surprise!! My Valentine's article will not be posted on my blog today...but rather is is being published on EVERYDAY ARTIST STUDIO.com!!!! Check it out and leave feedback so the site manager will know someone loves me (and you can forget about mailing me a Valentines Day card ... this year).

Mardi Gras Knitting Countdown

2009-02-07T14:30:00.000-08:00

February, long-awaited, is here at last. Oppressive cold and post-holiday boredom soon-to-be dispelled by every one's favorite holiday...Mardi Gras. You've found the PERFECT Mardi Gras yarn...

You've acquired the PERFECT knitting needles...

Unfortunately, what you DON'T have...is ...TIME!!! ARRRRGGGHHH!!! Let's face it, no knitting will be done on weekends between now and the big day...and the majority of your down time is spent waiting in parade traffic and planning your costume. Lucky for you, I've got a couple of LAST MINUTE SUGGESTIONS...

1. Decorate your Mardi Gras Tree with balls of purple, green, and gold yarn! Here are some examples of traditional Mardi Gras trees...(I LOVE Deborah's MG Tree...pictured first... in Knitorious, St. Louis!).

My urban MG tree suggestion is the following:

2. Make a Mardi Gras Yarn Wreath. [Here I made Deborah's idea into reality utilizing my Photoshop skills :-)] The inspiration was taken from Shizzknits (Ravelry), who in turn nabbed it from Starbucks.

3. Incorporate your yarn INTO your costume...as STUFFING. Here are a few costumes which would benefit from the use of a couple of balls of strategically-placed yarn...

...And here's one I wouldn't suggest trying to reproduce with yarn stuffing... :-)

Good luck, and ... HAPPY MARDI GRAS KNITTING!!!

Mardi Gras Yarn 2009 WALL OF SHAME

2009-02-05T08:55:00.000-08:00

I tried really really hard not to dis' any yarn makers this year by focusing my last entry on the GOOD and appropriately labeled Mardi Gras yarns...but I have reached my limit...the serenity meter has been tripped and I feel compelled to once again publish the "Mardi Gras" yarn WALL OF SHAME!!!! This year there are even more of these misnomers designed to steer your browser off track as you search for PURPLE-GREEN-and-GOLD yarn with which to craft. Now I'm not saying that the yard is bad...it's not, it's actually lovely yarn...but calling it "Mardi Gras" in America is just plain wrong. In New Orleans we are so particular that we turn our noses up if the SHADE of purple isn't "K&B" purple! Anyhow, back by popular demand and the rules of decorum, is my compendium of the worst offenders:

Offenders List:

Chugiak, Austermann Sock yarn x 2, Lisa Souza, Colinette Jitterbug, Colinette 5ply, Colinette Banyan, Denali, Loopy Ewe, Connecticut Yarn & Wool, Linda's Craftique, Colinette One Zerp, OYT Sock Yarn, and Pagewood Farm. "We love you...we just want you to change."

1. Addendum #1- Last year's sole yarn find was at LLBSupplies on Etsy...and she is still making her great handspun "Mardi Gras."

2. 7letterDeborah informs me that Panda Cotton in the Mardi Gras colorway may have been discontinued, so get it while you can!

3. There are many more good yarns with mardi gras colors (my personal favorite is Blue Ridge Yarns sock yarn in "Sunset")...my peeve is regarding the appropriate use of the name, "Mardi Gras" for yarn.

4. If you are on Ravelry, join the fun with the Mardi Gras group!

Mardi Gras Yarn II: 2009

2009-01-29T19:30:00.000-08:00

A year has passed and my blood pressure has subsided and I'm ready to write another blog entry about Mardi Gras yarns. As you know, I lived in New Orleans for 15 years and moved to New England post-Katrina. When I was searching for "Mardi Gras" yarns I was dismayed by my search results....nothing but pathetic multicolor schmutz lame excuses for "carnival" themed yarn. In America, we expect tradition...traditional colors of PURPLE, GREEN, and GOLD...as meaningful to us as the colors of our national flag's RED, WHITE, and BLUE. Over the past year I have had many writers keeping the faith telling me that I should not lose hope, and some have even sent me photos to prove it...so I will share those yarns with you to help both of us keep hope alive that there will eventually be a movement to make Mardi Gras a national holiday and make purple/green/and gold the official national colors of that holiday. F0rce your yarn companies to recognize the legitimacy of purple/green/and gold...these colors DO NOT CLASH! As evidence, my list has grown from 1 in 2008 to THREE in 2009...

My 2009 recommendations are the following THREE yarns:

1) Panda cotton by Crystal Palace Yarns in "mardigras 9667"

2) art.Mosaica, by Paolo Scettri

3) Diva, "Mardi Gras" by Swedish Yarn Imports

Throw me somethin' mista!

ADDENDUM (2/9/2009): I can no longer endorse #3 Diva Mardi Gras...the purple is really just too pink...

ObaMAMAniac

2009-01-26T09:41:00.000-08:00

Obama-rama, by Laura Birek

Despite the negative reviews by some of the disappointed press, hoping in vain for the "one liner" they could tag to Obama's inaugural speech to make it memorable to the average American, January 20th left me feeling elated and satisfied. If politicians of late can be compared to the fast food joints doling out heaps of unhealthy foods which are temporarily sating but leave one hungering for real intellectual nutrition, Obama is the equivalent of a well-balanced steak meal. Obama's speech required that one pay attention for longer than one sentence at a stretch. He did not pander to our National case of ADHD by hammering us with empty sound bite after sound bite. And amazingly...people LISTENED. At one point during the speech, President Obama paused and the silence of 2 million was deafening...one newscaster said he could hear the echo of Obama's voice as it travelled slowly down Cthe mall across the onlookers. When asked to grade his speech, pollsters were not surprised by the 46% who gave the speech and "A," but were rather surprised by the 6% of honest people who responded "don't know"...because it was a COMPLEX speech. I found myself printing out the transcript and reading/rereading over several days and STILL finding material of interest...something I have not had to do in the years of preceding "speeches" which bore more resemblance to the chants expected at rowdy sporting events.

My children are in elementary school. I am thankful that they attend a school enlightened enough to know that it is wrong to send a kid to math class during a history-making speech. My first grader did not understand much of the speech but watched it in his class on his teacher's classroom computer. My third-grader was taken, along with the fourth graders, to town hall to watch on a large-screen TV. They all listened intently, and though it was complicated, my son reported really liking the speech....proving once again that children are capable of more than we credit them. Here is the passage we discussed for several days following the speech, and my favorite Obamism:

"The time has come to ...choose our better history..."

The notion that one can choose one of two (or more) versions of history is challenging to kids because they do not yet know that history is not simply facts. Once this is established, then the important message is the following: On a concrete/historical level, one can say definitively that slavery existed in America. Thankfully, we can also say that, we eventually abolished slavery based on common American ideals and are a wiser and better nation for the process. As Americans, we can either dwell on the negatives in our past, or take pride in all that we have accomplished - internalizing the ideals which make us all Americans and help us triumph over ethical challenges, such as slavery (and Guantanamo). On a less concrete level, Obama's poetic phrase points out that we are ALL imperfect humans with imperfect pasts, but if we live by our ideals and let our moral compass guide us in a daily way, we can be proud of how we live our lives no matter the adversity. It is a beautiful passage, and one to be shared with our children.

Now I'm not suggesting that Mr. Obama walks on water, but I was astonished to see that on the day of the inauguration, the people who came out to witness WERE seen to be walking on water in the mall...and maybe that is the next step...for each one of US to walk the walk. So, though I personally did not knit any Obama pride projects, I wanted to share my 5 favorites in case you wish to show your support for our new president. Patterns are retrievable by clicking on the links below:
1. Obama-Rama Pullover, by Laura Birek
2. Gloves for Change, by C Jane Knit
3. Obama Patches Hat, by Lauren Eaves
4. Bark Obama dog sweater, by My Savannah Cottage
5. Crochet Barack Obma Pillow, by Teresa Richardson