Wrap Up

I went to the Knitters's Retreat fully intending to spend a lot of money on yarn. And I did. There was a Marketplace on Saturday afternoon. When it was over I had enough money for a cheap dinner, if I'd needed one.

Carodan Farm Wool Shop was there with some of their wool as well as lots of commercial yarns.



I got a couple of skeins of Lorna's Laces sock yarn and three hanks of their wool. I could get the sock yarn locally but I was being supportive. Their wool is nice, a little scratchy, but I got enough for a generous scarf or small shawl.

I didn't buy any of Stony Mountain Fibers' yarn. Most of what they had was roving and I don't spin. But I did get a hank of Interlacement's Cheyenne. Enough for a vest or poncho.



My biggest splurge was at Spirit Trail. I had a hard time deciding just what to get. But it was all going fast so I went for the stuff that I knew I'd love to work with.



I was surprised at how different the color in this yarn is in the California light from the light in Virginia. It's much warmer and more coral than I thought it was when I bought it. I love the way it feels. So soft but with substance.



Jen's sock yarn. What great colors! They're a lot deeper and more intense than the photo shows. Will I ever have enough sock yarn?





A needlepoint kit from Clara's Window and Annie Modesitt's book, Confessions of a Knitting Heretic, personally autographed.

It's probably a good thing that there weren't any more vendors. But I did go yarn shopping on Monday.

More Knitters' Retreat



Sunday morning in the Large Lounge. Lots of knitters and spinners. Lousy photo. I think I know who some of these people are but am not sure enough to point them out. But anyway everyone is busy. The room is noisy. I think we're waiting for lunch.

The food at Graves Mountain Lodge is plentiful if nothing else. I had heard about the family style meals and all so I was looking forward to that. And there was lots of food. I thought it was a little bland and repetitive. I think we had fried apples with every meal. And usually some kind of apple dessert, with ice cream. But the meals were fun. Lots of laughter and animated conversation.



The countryside around Graves Mountain Lodge is beautiful if not breathtaking. What is breath taking is the climb up the hill from the Main Lodge to the residence lodges at the top of the hill. I only remember walking it once. Half way up the hill I met Wendy and L-B. This made a perfect photo op. I had not met either of them before. Both really nice ladies.



I've been waiting for almost a year to meet Bess. It was her entry last year that really motivated me to go on the Retreat in the first place. Plus, we've exchanged lots of emails and have become good friends on-line. That's her on the left in the photo. She was in much demand to teach drop spindle knitting.



And here she is in the finishing class she led on Sunday morning. Not to carry on too much about this but meeting Bess was fantastic. We had lots of good time chats. I was sad to say goodbye.

Saturday morning Annie Modesitt, an unacknowledged standup comic, presented her chart reading seminar along with "cabling without a cable needle". I've been trying to cable without a needle so was looking forward to that part. Didn't work for me. My technique is more like Wendy's. So I talked with her and she verified that I understood it. And by the time the class was over I was making cables and not dropping too many stitches.





After the market, which I'll talk about tomorrow, I went with Annie, Kathy, Alissa and Connie to a local winery. Here they are tasting the local brew. Actually it was pretty good stuff. I didn't buy any because I already knew that my one piece of luggage was going to split wide open if I added one more thing. Annie shared a bottle of chardonnay before we went down to dinner (supper?)on Saturday night. My room was next door to Annie's so we had a chance to chat privately a couple of times. I really admire her and her committment to the knitting community. I hope I can meet up with her again next year when she comes to California for some teaching gigs.



After dinner on Saturday night Jennifer handed out the still wet skeins of wool that members of her dye workshop had worked on the day before. Some amazing colors there. I didn't have a good spot so the photo doesn't really show much except the crowd. See that bright orange stuff on the table? We had a needle felting presentation and that's some of the stuff being used to make pumpkins. It was interesting but I'm not crafty enough to get into that.

I'll have some pictures tomorrow of the stuff I bought and maybe some chatter about my trip.

Knitters' Retreat



That pretty much sums it up. Everywhere you turned there were knitters, spinners and fiber fanatics.

I had a super time. The setting is beautiful.



The view from my room early Saturday morning. The locals kept telling me that the leaves were more spectacular a week or so before. This works for me just the same.



From the front porch of the main lodge. The whole weekend weather was perfect. In fact, the whole weekend was perfect. I have more to tell. I have to work on the photos a bit so I'll probably have that for tomorrow.

Time to go

Well almost. In about eleven hours I'll be up, up and away, going to the Knitters' Retreat. So what am I doing, sitting here? I have to pack and decide what projects I'm going to take. That will depend on how much I can squeeze in the one bag I'm taking. And I'll need a little room for stuff I know that I'll buy.

I think I'll take the Aran Sweater project, the Midwest Moonlight scarf and a sock project. That should be plenty. Oh, and my homework which I finished last night.

So I'm outta here. See you on Monday. (How am I going to survive without my daily blog reads?)

It's over.

I just read that John Kerry has called George Bush to concede. So I guess it's over for now. I stayed up way too late. I kept waiting for a surprise.

So it's on to the next big thing. I'm leaving for Virginia tomorrow night, late, for the Third Annual Knitters Retreat. I've mentioned this before but now that it's just about to happen, well, I can't begin tell you how much I'm looking forward to it. I hope the cold I managed to pick up over the weekend subsides enough that I'm able to enjoy myself and not be a hazard to everyone else. I'd better go see what kind of weather conditions they're having in Virginia.

Pat the Cat doesn't care. Cats just wanna have fun. He's driving me over the edge with his squealy little meows, whining like a spoiled child, insisting that I come and play with him. I've tried to explain that I'm busy but he just keeps on squeaking. He's a very big cat and that little squeak is just so ridiculous.

Did you?



I got to the polls about twenty minutes after they opened. It was crowded but things were going well. I didn't get to use one of the fancy new touch screen machines. We had not punch cards but cards that you blotted with a special pen. I had to do it twice. First time I didn't have the ballot seated properly so nothing showed up. I made sure to get the "I Voted" sticker so I can wear it at Skein all day.

The background in the photo is the current hat project. I'm about half way done. I never found the yarn for the other hat so it's on hold, perhaps for a long time. At first I couldn't remember where I got the yarn I'm using. The label says Spinnerin and the price was $1.19 so you know it was a long time ago. Spinnerin isn't around anymore. I think this is yarn I purchased at Super Yarn Mart when I first started to knit. It's orlon/acrylic. It might have come from Woolworth's though. Neither of these stores is still in business. I'm surprised at how soft the yarn is even after all these years of being in storage. If I'm remembering correctly I made one of my first cabled sweaters with this yarn. The color is actually a lot darker than what you see here. More of a maroon.

And now I have a cold. Bother! Really bad timing.

Rabbit! Rabbit!

Just one more day

And maybe then the constant ringing of my phone will stop. I don't answer my phone until I know who's calling, or unless I'm expecting a call from someone. Anyway, I get lots of calls and there's no one there or there's no message after the beep. I've had calls from George, John and even Arnold. I doubt if they'll call again after tomorrow. Well, maybe Arnold. But definitely not either George or John, depending.

I'm not a politically active person. I mean I vote and all that but I don't engage in political conversations/arguments. I do listen to as many informed people as I can and I read a bit of the news and spins that come across my browser page. I realize this is how it happens in the US. But I'll be one of many who will be glad to have it over. Enough with the polls. There's even one here about how many people are expecting problems at the election sites tomorrow. My plan is to go early, while I'm on my morning walk. If there's a delay it won't be a problem. There's a Starbucks across the street.

The knitting picture is even more of a toss-up/tie. There are many projects that are not participating as well as those I'm undecided about. I had to rip about two inches of the back of the shop sample sweater. Turned and went the wrong way by mistake. At least it was clear what had happened and the solution was easy. I finished the first hat for the chemo cap collection at the Retreat and am almost two thirds through the second one. But the other ball of yarn has disappeared even though I knew it would be needed. Just didn't have the time to secure it when I started. The orange silk vest has been ripped completely. I found some patterns that are updates of tops from the 1930s that I think will work better. Well, that's the current thinking.

Halloween has come and gone once again. I went to Robert's for dinner. He carved a couple of pumpkins for his front porch. There's something that's so wrong about white pumpkins. But they were cute. Nice dinner with fresh apple pie for dessert. And we're back on standard time. The extra hour was a big help.

Just checking in

It's been so busy at Skein this week that I haven't had much time to work on even my shop sample project, a Koigu child's sweater. But I am almost done with the back. The front is done. I'll try for a photo or two tomorrow or Saturday, depending on my progress. I've been swamped with lots of scarf knitting questions, and corrections, as well as people who are just confused about the pattern instructions.

We were a small group at Thursday night knit together. But I got to see the new puppy and she is way precious. So tiny and so ferocious. Mendy says she's not an Apricot but a separate class called Red. She's really dark. And a handful. Literally.

I am almost finished with the first chemo cap I'm making to take to the Knitters' Retreat next week. I think I'll be able to get one more done. And now I can focus on what project(s) I'm going to take to work on. I should probably think about what to take to keep warm. It's been in the high 60's here, and for us that's cold. I do have a ride from Dulles too. So that's one less thing to fret about.

New Toy!



Well, actually she's a miniature poodle. Not mine. Patrick would be too confronted if I even mentioned a dog. This is Mendy's new baby. I can hardly wait to meet her when I go over there on Thursday. I've never seen a poodle of any size in this color. Last I heard she was named Brandy, but that was still an open discussion.

I have abandoned the attempt to cable without a cable needle. At least for now. I spend way too much time fiddling with the loose stitches. The only advantage I can see for me at present is not having to keep up with the cable needle. I think I can do that. I managed a few rows yesterday on the Aran sweater. I think I'll be okay to take it with me to the KR Retreat.

Feeling frustrated

I'm trying to teach myself how to do cables without a cable needle. Without much success. I spend more time rescuing the stitches than I save by not using a cable needle. I think I understand what I'm supposed to do so maybe I just need more practice. The Aran sweater I'm making has lots of cables, mostly two and four stitches so this should be an ideal time to learn. I'll be looking for some links later today. I need more markers first.

I'm feeling burned out with my knitting. Maybe I have too many projects going. I took most of yesterday off and just read a book. This is not a good time to let my knitting go. Ann Mary keeps suggesting more projects that she wants me to knit for the shop. The holidays are coming. And there are two projects that I need to finish for one of my students who go herself way in over her head and pleaded with me to help her out. I'm going to one of the other shops in my area later today. Maybe that'll help shake this off. At least I'll have the additional markers.

Friday wind up/down

I worked on the Midwest Moonlight scarf last night while I was at Mendy's for the weekly knit together. I hadn't touched this scarf in over a month so it took a few minutes to get the pattern going. I like the pattern and the yarn a lot. I still have about a ball and a half to go before I'm done. If I don't get distracted by any of the other projects I should finish in a few days.

Here's what it looked like a few months ago. It's the same now, except longer.

I need to get back to the Aran I started last month. I want to take this project with me when I go to the Knitters' Retreat in a couple of weeks but I don't want to have to fuss too much with the set up so I'll have to get the stitches picked up across the front of the saddleshoulders and get the pattern started so all I have to do is knit.

I was just on the phone with Bess whose post about the KR Retreat last year got me really interested in attending. This is the first time I've actually talked with her although we've been exchanging emails for a long time. What a hoot! and a thrill! Only a couple of weeks to go.

Meanwhile, I'd better get back to packaging my current projects. I have to do this every few weeks or I lose track of where I am. I'm really bad and sloppy about putting things away when I'm done so after a while my living room becomes a tangled mass of needles and yarn. It's really a good thing that the cat isn't interested in my knitting. Or maybe it would be better if he were. Anyway, back to that before I get ready for Skein.

Un-progress report

I spent a lot of time yesterday working on a hat to take with me to the Knitters' Retreat next month. I ripped it out at the end of the day because it was about ten inches too big. So much for knowing what you're doing. I've also pretty much decided to rip the La Luz vest as well. I've finished the crochet edge on one armhole. It just doesn't do it for me. I don't want Lisa to have to have this vest dry-cleaned and blocked everytime she cleans it. Plus, I'm not sure that blocking is going to fix the problem. Actually I think I feel better knowing that I'm going to rip it. I've put far too much into it, trying to save it, and still don't like the results.

On the upside though, I just cast on for another hat. When I joined in the round I forgot to check if the stitches were twisted. But it all came out just fine. This one won't be too big and it'll fit someone, somewhere.

I bought a few new knitting books yesterday, including the new Vogue Holiday issue. We finally got the Tahki, Stacy Charles and Filatura di Crosa books so I needed all of those. And I picked up the new Hollywood Knits Style by Suss Cousins. I received her first book as a Christmas gift a couple of years ago. Like the original there isn't a lot of good stuff in the second book but there are some simple things that will work well for when I need something to knit that doesn't require a whole lot of attention. I haven't had time to memorize the other books but overall I'd say they're pretty much trendy/faddish sort of things. I'll show them to Lisa and see if there's anything she'd like. Since I almost never finish anything, except socks, it probably doesn't really matter.

Wet Wednesday

It's still raining. We're into day three, or maybe it's four. Last night was the best so far. Not torrential, just loud and steady. I walked to and from Skein yesterday but it wasn't raining then, just a few drizzles. I may have to drive today if it keeps up the way it is right now. I love the rain, especially since I don't have a long commute anymore.

I was checking out the Knitters Review Forums last night. I've been trying to hook up with anyone who is attending the Retreat next month and who would be driving from Dulles to the Retreat. So far I haven't heard from or connected with anyone. I do have an option but I don't want to inconvenience anyone. Anyway, I noticed that there is going to be a collection of chemo hats at the Retreat. So I'm getting started on another project just as soon as I finish here. I just have to match up some available needles with the right size yarn. That's more of a challenge than it should be.

I got all the knitting done on the La Luz vest last night and have started the crochet around the armholes. I was feeling a little depressed about how the vest was coming out but the crochet is really making a difference. Still no buttons though.

Re-capping

What I didn't mention yesterday was that while I waited for the defragging to complete I also started a new project. How's that for a convoluted sentence?

Years ago, before I really got seriously overtaken by knitting, I bought some yarn for a sweater that I had seen in Vogue Knitting. Not knowing very much about fair isle, or anything else, at that time I decided to have the sweater knit for me by someone who was touted as knowing all there was to know about knitting. Actually it was the mother of one of my co-workers.

In those days Manos del Uruguay was available in a dk weight, or more of a worsted light. (I can't bring myself to type "lite".) I remember I kept buying more and more skeins as the knitter kept running out of some of the colors. It was during all this buying that I got to know the ladies at Mariposa, a now defunct needlework shop where I worked for a number of years.

In due course the sweater was finished. It had a fair isle yoke with a repeat of the motif just above the cuff on the sleeve. I tried on the sweater and discovered I couldn't even lift my arms. The floats on the inside were so long that they were dangerous and had no give at all. At the time I didn't know what was causing the problem. I was that much of a novice. So I just paid the knitter and put the sweater away. A couple of years later I decided to rip the sweater and preserve as much of the yarn as possible. It has been sitting for about twelve years just waiting for its turn.

I don't know how much of the yarn I have. I could weigh it I suppose but I know there's not enough to make a sweater and I have too many scarves going already. So I'm making a watch cap. I like making hats and caps. I usually have a stash of completed ones on hand but I seem to have depleted that. If I get it done I'll be able to wear it when I go to the KR Retreat. In any event, it's a good project to work on while watching paint dry or while Ad-aware is checking for spies.

I have finished the back of the La Luz vest and only have the upper portion of the right front to knit, which I'll probably do tonight. Then a little crochet around the armholes and the neck and then knit the button bands. I guess I'd better see if I have any suitable buttons which I probably don't so I'll see if there are any at Skein. I don't like going to Jo Ann's if I don't have to.

Rain!

Right on time for the official start of the rainy season here in Southern California. And also perfect timing for the house next door. The landlord decided he needed to fertilize with the good stuff. I hope the rain speeds up the process. Phew!

I've been watching my computer defrag itself this afternoon. That's a lot more exciting than the stockinette stitch I'm doing on the silk vest. At least you can read the progress bar when you're defragging. With the vest it's more like you're struggling to stay even. Actually, I'm getting close to the back neck and shoulder shaping but that's still about four inches once the center stitches are bound off.

I think I've experienced a new rite of passage. Starting tomorrow night I'll be taking a cholesterol control pill. It seems like everyone in my age group is on some variant of this drug. I guess it just goes with the territory. And then there's the exercise and diet watching. I don't like either of those. But I'll get some new batteries and dust off the old Walkman and the walking shoes and get started. And I'll finish my last grapefruit tonight since I won't be able to have it again once I start the new pill.

What's a tlapauhcolcotl?

On Tuesday night I met my friend R for an evening at theSouthwest Chamber Orchestra and a concert of music composed by Carlos Chavez. The percussion ensemble Tambuco joined the regular members of the orchestra for a wild and raucous concert. Several of the instruments that figured in the music were reconstructions based on ancient Aztec relics found in the area around Mexico City. The teponaxtle, the omichicahuaztli and the tlapauhcolcotl were mixed in with rattles and gourds and glockenspiel and lots of drums of various sizes. It was, as I said, wild and raucous.

So the new concert season is off to a great start. Most of SWO's repertory is contemporary or mid-twentieth century. It's a lot more fun to watch than it is to listen to all by itself.

There's nothing new on the knitting front. I've completed the left front of the La Luz vest and have started on the upper back. I may make the Halloween deadline after all. But I'm really having a hard time sticking to it. I didn't buy any yarn this week either. So it's a little dull around here.

Blocking La Luz

"Silk yarn is a very delicate fiber. It should be treated gently and carefully. Because this yarn is an unplied silk, it should never be washed in the machine or it will fuzz and pill. We also recommend that you use a zip lock baggy and put the ball into the bag and knit from it. We recommend only dry cleaning for this fiber. Since silk does not have a 'memory,' do not flatten the yarn for it will not rebound, and will always be flat."

So how do I get this



to look like this?



Just a few more rows, six maybe, and I'll be at the armhole divide. The lace pattern along the botton edge really wants to curl. The photo on the pattern instruction sheet shows the lace as flat and open. I wonder if I'm supposed to flatten the yarn contrary to the care instructions.

I've never tried to block silk. I wonder if it's done the same as any other blocking.

There will be some single crochet around the armholes and the neck. The pattern doesn't call for it around the bottom but I think I might have to try that.

Anyone have any ideas?

Let me just get this out of the way first. There was only a minimal amount of knitting this weekend. Maybe four or five rows on the La Luz vest. Just too much else to do.

Saturday night Lisa and I went to hear a Scottish harper, William Jackson, perform at Cal Tech. The performance was great. He's a very quiet, gentle man with a soft sense of humor. I don't know anything about Scottish harp music but it didn't matter. The performance was beautiful. He also played some tunes on the penny whistle, or as he called it "the pretty penney whistle".

Even though Cal Tech is just a few blocks from where I live I had never been on the campus. I think I'd like to go back and wander around during the day. The architecture is somewhat eclectic and pseudo-Mediterranean, except for some of the newer buildings and parking structures. And I noticed there were lots of pools and small ponds scattered through the open areas. Very nice.

Yesterday I went on a home tour. One of my students is an interior designer and is on the board of the local chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers. She gave me a pair of tickets to tour five different homes that all had newly renovated or remodeled kitchens. My friend Robert joined me. At lot of driving was involved but it was all worth it. I thought we were only going to see kitchens but we got to see large portions of the rest of the houses as well. Let me just say, some people really live well! There was the eight bedroom colonial, a newly constructed castle, a 1940's ranch house, a Spanish hacienda and a relatively tiny English cottage. I got to see lots of the San Gabriel Valley that I had never seen before.

Patrick is giving me fits this morning. All he wants to do is play. We've already played way beyond my interest level and still he's whining and begging for more. I guess I'd better go see what he wants.

Happy Thanksgiving to all our friends in Canada. What a great idea! Start the holiday season a month earlier.

It's been a quiet week over all. My knitting projects continue apace but nothing is really close to completion. The child's sweater in Koigu is moving along. Just started the back today, the front was done first. I worked on the La Luz vest last night at Thursday night knitting. I still have about five inches of plain knit until I reach the armhole divide. Everything else is on hold until the vest is done.

I went outside a couple of minutes ago to take a sky picture. I don't know what's causing that big column of smoke. It seems to be gone now but there's a lot of traffic coming down my street so I assume the fire department is on the scene and is redirecting the rush hour traffic.

Gettin' ready

I got my Knitters' Retreat packet a couple of days ago. I have a few things to do to get ready for this trip. I haven't been anywhere requiring advancd planning for a long time. It's hard to believe that I'll be on the other side of the country for the first time in twenty years and that I'll be meeting Bess and Jennifer and Clara and Annie and who knows who else. (I just had a phone call from American Airlines letting me know that my departure and arrival times have changed, on both ends of the flight, not by a lot but enough that my obsessive worry over details would have been totally thrown off if I hadn't known about it. Funny. That phone call really makes this all seem more real and I'm much more nervous than I was.)

I still haven't figured out how I'm going to get from Dulles to the actual retreat. I've checked on the KR forum but haven't seen anything that looks like a discussion of transportation issues. I'm arriving at 6:32AM on Friday and leaving at 5:40 on Sunday. Anyone out there who needs a passenger or wants to share a rental? I wonder how long it takes to get from Dulles to Syria, VA. Here I go, fretting about stuff.

Not much change on the knitting front. I knit another six rows on the La Luz vest and am almost finished with the Berroco scarf. I had to rip about four rows on that last night as I had lost a stitch some time during the day. Patrick really had a hard time resisting the sequin yarn. He kept putting his face about two inches from it. You could just see him measuring the reward versus punishment thing. But he resisted after a couple of verbal admonishments. But he did mutter a lot about how it just wasn't fair.

I still don't know where the guavas (thanks, Evonne, for letting me know what they are) came from, or if they're ripe enough to eat.

More stash,etc.

When I got home yesterday there was a plastic bag sitting by my door.



I don't know what these are, or who left them. At first I thought they were figs, then I thought maybe cactus pears. Now I'm thinking they're some kind of pomegranete.
And maybe someone left them at the wrong door.

I got started on the La Luz vest using Fiesta Yarns Sunflower Vest pattern.



So far I have done eighteen rows at 226 stitches per row. There's only a small amount of lace at the beginning then it's stockinette for the rest of the way. There are some serious problems with the pattern. Well, serious may be too harsh but still, some of the yarn overs were left out of the stitch pattern. And some of the row endings are just plain wrong. Other than that everything is fine.

Here are my newest goodies:



Meileweit Cotton Multiringel sock yarn. I'm not sure I can hold off. I should probably hide this in the sock yarn bin and finish something else first. But those colors are just too fun and funny to resist.



The two wound skeins are yarns that Mendy gave me. She got them from Mystical Creations and didn't like the weight. I got the Yang Ribbon to go with them. If Berroco can run four yarns together so can I. Actually it's lots of fun to combine different multicolors. Kaffe always said so.



And just because it was on sale, seven skeins of Isis ribbon from FFF. I don't know anything about FFF but I'm seeing more and more of their yarns around town. I seem to suddenly have lots of lavender blue yarn. Gotta watch out for that.

Done stuff and new stuff



This is the Soy Silk Chenille scarf that I started at the beginning os September. Yesterday, in a fit of cleaning and finishing, I sat down and got it done. It's about five inches wide and a little over six feet long. The colors in the photo are only a pale approximation of the real thing but you get the idea. Doing the diagonal pattern was slightly more interesting than a plain garter stitch. I'd have made it wider but I wasn't sure how far the yarn would go. I do have some left over that I'll probably use in scrap scarf.



And I finished these Saturday night. I need to wash and block them. Part of the yarn felt like someone had dropped a jelly sandwich on it. All the stripes matched until I got to the toes. I must have been one row off when I started the second sock but they're close enough for a galloping horse.

And I am about half way through this. I'm making this for Skein as a shop sample. It'll cost you somewhere between $85 and $100 to make, depending on where you buy your yarn.



These little pumpkins are the La Luz I showed last week. The color is very washed out here. Last week's photo is more accurate. Anyway, Ryan suggested that I could make something for Halloween. At first I thought not but I checked with Lisa and she said she'd like to have a vest or top. I can do it if I put aside the Aran and a couple of other projects that I've been trying to finish. Christmas is still a couple of months away so what's the problem. The silk is lighter than air and easy to knit. I just have to decide on (find) a pattern. I only have 1050 yards so that's a constraint. Mendy is bringing me a pattern she got from Fiesta Yarns that uses this yarn. The one I saw online is plain and that may be all I'll be able to do. But the yarn is very pretty worked up. Even though it's a solid there are enough variations in intensity to make it interesting to look at.

More is more.

There may be times when "less is more" is appropriate. Like weight loss or hours in the work week. But generally I think more is more. Like pizza and chocolate. Or yarn stash. And there's nothing like surrounding yourself with enthusiastic enablers. Having a set of friends who share the same philosophy has lead me to the very edge of my ablility to store my yarn and we won't talk about the damage done to my checking account.

It used to be that you had to get out of the house and actually go to a yarn shop if you wanted or needed some more stash. And while I still do that, a lot, it's much easier to just click a few keys and in a week or so you'll have that new stuff that you don't know what you're going to do with but have to have just because you don't have it already.

Now, I already have some of this:



But I didn't have these colors. This is Fiesta Yarn's La Luz. One hundred per cent silk. Goldenrod and Bluebonnet. 210 yards per skein. I already have the color Pecan. There are five skeins of each color. And I haven't begun to think about what I might do with it.

Also from the same source:



La Boheme. A two strand yarn. Mohair, wool, nylon and rayon. Three skeins at 165 yards each. Big scarf or small shawl probably. The colorway is Aster.

When I'm not working on my yarn collection I've been doing a little knitting. Almost done with the back of the Koigu child's sweater, about halfway through the second Hang Glider sock and I finally started the second half of the Choo-Choo poncho that has been hiding under a pile of new yarn for over a month. Still need to finish the second shoulder strap of the Aran sweater. I'm thinking I should retire again but not when there's so much new yarn out there.

1.12 Sox



Well, it's not much but that's all there is. I finished the first sock and started the second. I think I was lucky and got the second one to match the first but it's a little soon to tell.

These socks will go to Lisa's mom for her birthday in a couple of weeks. I'm calling them the Hang Glider Sox. Lisa told me that her mom had taken a class in hang gliding and loved it. I don't know why this surprises me so much. And delights.

Almost no knitting content

I never did have the time to do any knitting yesterday. A few rows on some socks I'm trying to finish for a birthday next month. But I did get everything else done, including laundry, that I needed to do. And I had a wonderful visit with Lisa. I hadn't seen her in almost a month so we had lots of catching up to do.

It wasn't insanely busy at Skein but a steady flow of customers. And four students. We got in some Araucania Nature Wool Chunky. I hadn't seen that one before. Should be nice for felting or a very warm sweater. I already have a couple of colors in the worsted weight and I've used their Nature Cotton. I should probably get some of this just because. Anyway, there's lots more coming. Novelties and stuff for baby things mostly. And some great new sock yarns. I'm glad I don't have to justify my yarn purchases to anyone but me.

It was so foggy this morning that it was literally impossible to see across the street. It's cleared up a lot now but it's still very hazy. Very happy that I don't have to go out early anymore and have to deal with the traffic.

Yesterday was so totally different. It ended being very hot but I was at the beach so it wasn't so bad. I went with two friends to Alamitos Bay Yarn Company that is right in the marina in Long Beach. I talked with one of the owners for quite a bit while my friends were shopping. She is always so pleasant and friendly. The shop was packed! I love going there because they always have lots of garments on display and they have gorgeous yarns, mostly Trendsetter and Prism but good selections from other companies as well. They've opened another space a few doors down from the main shop. They call it The Living Room. It's where they have knitting classes and seminars. Very comfortable and quiet. I got a couple of skeins of Lorna's Laces sock yarn.



After we had lunch, at a nice place right on the water, we went to Velona's. I know. I was just there last week but my friends hadn't been in a while. I figured I might as well get this:



I almost bought it last week but decided I didn't need two new sock yarns. But now I have it after all. And I bought a copy of the current Vogue Knitting since I didn't get one at Skein and there are a couple of thing in this issue that I might consider making, if I ever get caught up on the current pile of projects.

I haven't had much time for knitting this weekend. I am almost done with the second shoulder of the Aran sweater that I started last Monday. I hope to finish that today and pick up the stitches for the front. That's a little doubtful though since I'm having lunch with Evelyn, a former co-worker, and then Lisa is coming over tonight. I have to do a little vacuuming and stuff like that before she gets here. And laundry if there's time.

Photo Op

When there's very little else to write about, it's a good time for pictures.



Cherry Tree Hill Supersock yarn. 370 yards of incredible merino softness. This will most likely become a scarf rather than socks. You just need to see this. It was hard to choose just one. I got it at Velona's last Monday. I also got a cone of an anonymous carry-along that defies photography.




Four skeins of Kureyon 128. If there's orange in the yarn I will probably fall for it. Lisa likes orange, too. This will either be a Multi-directional diagonal scarf or a variation of that pattern. Art Yarns has a pattern that is similar but enough different that it will be fun to try. They call it the Zigzag Modular Scarf. Got this yarn at Phebie's on the same shopping trip. And I bought the pattern at Skein.

The new sweater begins.

That's actually the last line from a haiku I've seen around a few times but I don't know the rest of it. Something about autumn and the click of needles. Anyway, my new sweater begins.



This is the neckband and the start of one shoulder. I have some concern about the weight of the yarn. The gauge swatch was fine but the yarn looks a little thin. On the other hand that might be a good thing. It's not exactly the Hebrides here, even in mid-winter.

No more kvetching

So, I'm done with complaining about my computer and my lack of knowledge. I've received some very helpful suggestions and am moving, slowly, but moving toward getting things under control. But just as a sidenote, AVG found nine infected files that Norton had not identified. I don't think I had the actual virus, just the stuff that would have enabled it to download. Could be wrong about that but all traces have been healed or put in a vault so I'm feeling better about the new protection system.

What am I knitting? I've made a small start on my aran sweater. The gauge was right on. I've started the neckband. It's slow going because of the number of stitches and the PTbl that happens on every other row. I think I have about and inch to go. I managed quite a few rows on the Koigu sweater today though while I was at Skein.

It was pretty slow most of the day. Strange after such a hectic day yesterday. I did have three students show up about an hour before I was supposed to leave so I ended up staying about an hour over. And I had a couple of people earlier in the day. So it was pretty good overall, for me at least.

Stressed

I can't think of anything that stresses me more than when my computer starts doing unfamiliar things. Even six beginning knitters gathered around the table doesn't get to me like this.

A friend of mine who knows a thing or two about computers decided I should have a different virus scanning system. I've always had Norton but now I have AVG. It's a free download and he said he had replaced Norton with it on all three of his computers. So I said okay. Well, the install took a lot longer than it was supposed to and I was half an hour late at Skein this morning. That didn't help my stress level a whole lot. And I keep getting a message when I open that there's a Trojan Horse hiding somewhere. He thinks that's a mistake but I don't know. I keep telling it to heal and I can keep going but it always comes back when I start up again. And now there's a soft clicking sound coming from my CPU that wasn't there before, and a little blinking light next to the on/off button that I don't think was there before.

Some of my email ended up in Outlook Express instead of Yahoo and I haven't figured out how to get it moved. I can survive that. And I've changed the default back to Yahoo, so at least that's back to normal. Now I just have to get used to the new type size that he set. I also know how to change that back if I want to. Oh well, enough about that.

When I finally got to Skein today it was packed. Ann Mary and I didn't even say more than "Good morning" until after 2:30. I had students the whole time. The back stock area is so full of new inventory, still in boxes, that we have to stand to have our lunch. You have to keep moving so the stock person can keep doing his job. I was really glad when 4 o'clock came.

But I had a nice evening. A friend took me to dinner at a Mexican place that I hadn't been to before. The food was excellent. We went to Starbucks afterwards and worked out some details of a sweater pattern that she's using. Just the kind of thing that I love. Good company, good food and good knitting.

Technology

One of the many things I like about knitting is the simplicity of the technology. A couple of pointed sticks and some kind of fiber is about all you really need. There are other things that ease the process: a swift and yarn winder, some markers, a row counter, stuff like that. But all you really have to have are the yarn and needles. Most of this stuff is readily available either from a specialty store (LYS) or on line for many of us or a craft store such as Michael's. With just these basic supplies you can amuse yourself for hours and have something to show for it.

I spend several hours a day sitting in front of my computer. Well, I guess it's really the monitor. I don't understand the technology. I can push and click and make things happen but I don't know why they do. And when there's a problem I have no one to turn to to help me fix it. What's really bad is when something happens that I don't think I caused. Many of us are familiar with the blue screen that tells us we didn't shut down properly etc. I'd love to shut down properly if my computer would let me. It just doesn't want to do that.

I've been having some trouble with my DSL connection too. Sometimes I'm just booted off. No idea why. At least with knitting I get to stop when I want to. Nobody just comes and takes it away from me. And I can usually start up again without getting a lecture about how I shouldn't have put it down that way.

Now I hear there's this new thing called Bloglines. Lots of bloggers are praising it and I'm pretty sure it's a good idea. But I have no idea how to begin. And while I'm at it, what's a RSS, or is that RRS?

The thing about knitting is, you can start with some basic information and that's all you need. Knit! Knit! Knit! With computers though, at least for me, you have to learn a whole bunch of stuff just to access the Internet. Now I'm supposed to know what they're talking about and they're using all this jargon and acronyms. I'm not satisfied to be "just making a scarf" when I'm knitting and I don't want to be at the same level when it comes to me and my computer. Sometimes though I think I should just stick to my knitting.

Corina comes back

You don't know Corina. She's one of my students from last spring who just evaporated. We didn't know where she'd gone or if something had happened. It turns out that she just took the summer off. Now that the weather's cooler she's ready to get going again. And that seems to be the case with lots of folks. We had about two hours of pandemonium today. New people, returning people and well as lots of regulars. I only had Corina as a student so I spent most of the day selling people lots of gorgeous, expensive yarn.

We finally got some of the new Trendsetter yarns last night. I was selling out of the back room a lot of the time. Stuff that's not even marked yet. Trendsetter doesn't have a web site but you can see most of the stuff here.

I started a new shop sample today using some of the Koigu. Using one of their patterns for a child's pullover. The yarn is nice enough but the colors are what makes it so exceptional. I did have some splitting problems but generally it's a breeze to work with. So I'll be spending some time on that tonight. And the baby poncho.

Busy

We're at that wonderful time of year just between "Man! It's hot outside!" and "Man! I can't believe how cold it is!" It's not quite officially autumn but it's close enough for me.

The kids being back in school and the cooler weather has meant an increase in traffic at Skein. I've been averaging five or six new students per day plus all the people who are just picking up their knitting and don't know where they left off. The new fall yarns continue to arrive. Today we finally put our first shipment of Koigu on the shelves. Personally, I'd have chosen a wider color range, more brights and clearer colors, but I wasn't involved. We're just glad to have it. It's taken almost nine months for it to get here. I think Ann Mary said there were ten different colors.

We had our Thursday night group on Wednesday this week. Such a genial group! I worked on three different projects, all of which I managed to mangle to some extent. You know you're in trouble when a garter stitch scarf goes amok. And the I turned and went the wrong way in the hood of the child's poncho, stockinette stitch. I did get the ends woven in on the two scarves I just finished so it wasn't a complete loss. Came home to a ball of yarn wound around all the chairs in the living room. Patrick doesn't usually bother my knitting but I think I must have knocked the ball off the table as I was leaving and that was just too tempting. We've had a talk about it though.

Just another scarf



This is the second multi-directional, diagonal scarf of the ones I swatched last week. I used Fiesta Yarns Pebbles in the Amazon color way with a carry along of Rowan's Sea Breeze. I used a size 13US needle to give it more drape and show off the yarn a little more. It's just about six feet long. Do you know how hard it is to photograph a six foot long scarf? There's another picture below that I would have used up here but I have to stop and figure out how to wrap type. That's for another day.

Catching up

No. I haven't been away or ill or anything interesting. Just distracted. My weekend, which begins on Sunday, was pleasant and hassle free. And I had a great day on Saturday at Skein. It all started with a plate of muffins, some bran and some blueberry. They were brought by one of my on-going students. She even included a ziplock baggie for me to take home the leftovers, in case there were any. And there were a few and they made a great breakfast on Sunday.

Then in the afternoon, Article Pract's very own Christina came in to visit. She's such a delight. She is also generous and caring. She brought me this:

A very effective ointment for temporary relief from the aches and pains I've been having in my wrists. I've been using is for three days now and it really is a big help.

Anyway, we had a grand time gushing and oohing and aahing over all the new yarns and books.

On Sunday I finished the Fantasy Naturale MD scarf.

It's not a long as I might have liked. Just over four feet but that's where the yarn took me. I still have to weave the ends but it's not Christmas yet. I have another couple of feet to go on the Pebbles/Sea Breeze scarf.

I felt so good yesterday after getting my laundry done early, for a change, that I took a couple of hours and went to a couple of local shops that are open on Monday. First it was Needle in a Haystack in Montrose, about fifteen minutes drive. I picked up a couple of poncho patterns. Then I went to Stitch in Time in San Marino, about ten minutes from my house.

Stitch in Time has always been known as a needlepoint place. They started getting into knitting yarns earlier this year, or maybe it was the end of last year. It's still an incredible resource for needlepoint. The knitting has really expanded though. I talked with the owner for quite a long time. She's just learning to knit and is doing great. While I was there I picked up a copy of Lucy Neatby's Cool Socks, Warm Feet. And a couple of skeins of Lana Grossa Meilenweit sock yarn.

I'm joining an Aran knit-a-long that Bess is hosting starting next Monday, the 20th. I haven't decided once and for all which pattern I'm going to use but this

is the current frontrunner. It's from Two Sticks and a String by Kerry Ferguson. I've had the yarn for more than ten years. Pingouin Fleur de Laine. It's a little more green than the photo shows. I have to get busy and wind it if for no other reason than to make sure there are no moth binges. I've done top down sweaters before but never one so elaborate. I'd like to have this done to wear to the Knitters' Retreat the first weekend of November. More realistically I'll be taking it along to work on while I'm there.

Misc

Thanks to Cindy and my friend Lisa for the current link to the Multidirectional Diagonal Scarf. The pattern has been slightly revised and an alternative ending triangle has been provided. The new ending is very much like the one I devised for myself. I'll have to try it and see which one I like better.

There's really nothing new on the knitting front. It was a slow day at Skein so I made some progress on the toddler poncho with hood that I'm making as a shop sample. Maybe I'll finish tomorrow or some time over the weekend. I spent most of the evening at the Thursday night group working on my third Harlot poncho. I've just started the second skein so I'm not quite half way.

And I heard that there was a little rain here and there around town but none over here. And it's still in the 90s.

Mythic

There are some knitting patterns that are so well known that they are almost mythic. Stephanie's Harlot Poncho comes to mind. I've made three so far and have a few more planned. And almost everyone in my Thursday night group has done at least one.

Then, there's the multidirectional, diagonal scarf. (I tried to link to the pattern but it seems to have been taken down.) I have made I don't know how many of these scarves. I remember well enough how to make it but I wanted to tell one of my students about it and use it to teach her about short rows and decreases. So instead of the pattern I made several samples of the scarf at different stages and took them with me today. They were a big hit.

The student I made them for wasn't all that interested but her mom, also a student, started one right away. One sample I made used two yarns held together on a much larger needle that I would normally use. It's a lot less rigid and more open. And the very textured yarn creates a much different look from the ones I've made before.




This one is Fantasy Natural from Plymouth. A nice worsted weight that is pleasant to knit. I like this well enough that I'll probably finish it and add it to the holiday gift stack.



I tried the Fiesta Pebbles that I got last week. I didn't think the striping showed very well and the yarn is harsh. I'll probably rip this one and use it for

this one. I added a strand of Rowan's Sea Breeze, a cotton yarn that I think was discontinued about ten years ago. It made the Pebbles much easier to work with and, even though it's hard to see in the photo, made a much more definite stripe. I'm using a US13 here. I like the way it drapes. So another one for the stack.

One Oh Two, in the shade

At least that's what's predicted for today. Much better than the original projection of 106. It's very normal for Labor Day Weekend. I hope the weather people are proved wrong just like the earthquake predicters. We were supposed to have earthquakes on Saturday or Sunday according to a group of serious scientists. I haven't seen anything in the news about this for a while but I'm very happy that it didn't happen.

I pretty much took the day off from knitting yesterday. My wrists and the back of my hands were hurting to the point that it was unpleasant. I have a shop sample that I was hoping I'd get done this weekend so I'll try again today. I'll try working for shorter periods and take lots of breaks. Several people have suggested yoga but I don't know anything about that. I've always relied on conventional medical approaches to take care of my aches and pains. I thought of yoga as some sort of weird alternative witch doctor thing. Right up there with snake charming and sword swallowing.

I'm willing to give it a try though. I will talk to my doctor as well. I don't want to rely on pills and I don't want to give up knitting, even for a short period. So we'll see.

Recent acquisitions

Here at the Museum of Aquired Stash (MAS) we never say no when someone wants to leave us some new stuff. This week we didn't have to go out to the open market to get our fiber fix. We had it hand fed to us.

First some new yarns from Lammia, one of our Thrusday night regulars.



Three skeins of Paton's Grace. I already have thirteen in this color way and dyelot. Plus two skeins of Sirdar's Rio in a shocking pink. I am sort of on a pink kick right now so this will find a project very soon.



Six skeins of 100% silk from Estelle Designs. I don't know anything about this company but the fiber is beautiful. Maybe a top.



Trendsetter's Bloom. Ten skeins in a soft gold. First time I've ever actually seen this yarn. No ideas yet.

And then another round of acquisitions from Mendy, close friend and hostess of the Thursday night group.



This is Fiesta Yarns Pebbles in the colorway Amazon. It's mostly cotton but there's a little bit of rayon to make it shiny. I think Pebbles has been discontinued.



More Pebbles but in the colorway Salsa.



And finally, six skeins of Fiesta's Chamisa in Australia. Another possibly discontinued yarn. It's 100% rayon and is sort of a cross between boucle and chenille.

No MAS.

I hope this doesn't get eaten by Blogger.

And everyone have a great Labor Day weekend.