Once upon a time

Happy Father's Day! to me and all the other dads. For the very curious, the year was 1964 or 1965. Yes. I really did have only one chin and some hair. And Lisa was once this small. We still have as much fun together as we did then.

WWKIP Day

I'll be knitting here. Where will you be on this World Wide Knit in Public Day?

It's also Flag Day. This is a holiday that never quite got off the ground.

And tomorrow is Father's Day.

It's going to be a busy weekend.

Just another knitting night

For starters we had artichoke and crab dip. Some luque's olives, peppered capicola, aged mahon cheese, orange marmalade and freshly made crostini. Plenty of red wine, or white if that's what you preferred. And then we had oatmeal pie. Just another knitting night. Well, if you are at Mario's and Kenn's. Mario is one of my knitting buddies and he hosted a few of us last night. Well really only two of us. One other person didn't show up even though he had said he would be there. See what you missed?

I tried to start a simple diagonal garter stitch scarf but I couldn't keep it going. Too many distractions I guess. Not that much wine. Really! I think I'll have to rip it all out and start over. Or make something else.

Another scarf

It isn't much but it's something. I've been busy. Lots of running around and taking care of stuff. I'm still working on the Vine Leaf Lace vest. The back and about a quarter of the fronts are done.

I've also been cleaning up some of my started-but-never-finished projects. Just ripped them and returned the yarn to stash. I still have a stack to go through and decide what to do.

About the scarf. It's another Forsa Scarf from Cornelia Tuttle Hamilton Book Number Two. This is the third time I've made it. I used Noro Kureyon color 88. I have lots of this color way left. It's not my favorite, too intense, but it was on sale for $3.00 a ball. I still need to wash and block the finished piece but I won't need to do that until closer to the holidays.

A week's progress

So. Even though I had decided I wouldn't make any more garments I went ahead with this pattern the Vine Leaf vest from Classic Elite. It's a free pattern. I'm using some Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece that I've had in stash for a while. I got the yarn at a swap meet at a really cheap price. Anyway, the pattern is easy to memorize and I am almost finished with the back. The actual color is a lot more lime than what you see here but you know I'm not too successful with my photos.

I also got started on a scarf. It's based on the same pattern I used for the Scrolls socks that I posted a couple of weeks ago.

You might recall that I was speculating about how that pattern would look as a scarf since I was very excited at how the reverse looked. I didn't realize at the time that the pattern I was using for the socks and the pattern for this scarf are the same, except one is worked in the round and the other is worked flat. I do like how the scarf is coming out, even though I'm not using the beads that the scarf pattern suggests. I am using the yarn the pattern calls for, Schaefer Susan, a 100% mercerized cotton that is very pleasant to use.




And I finished the Worm Scarf. This one should only have taken a day or so but other things happened. You know how that is.

Neck warmer?

This week's finished project is a neck warmer. You'd think by now we'd be making tops and warm weather stuff. Especially since a week ago the temperature around here was in the 100 degree range. This week the daily temps have been below season average, so it's still pretty cool. I don't remember a Memorial Day weekend ever being this cold, or this wet.

Anyway, I made this neck warmer over the course of the week. The yarn is Manos del Uruguay silk blend. I got it at Unwind back in January I think. The pattern came with the yarn. It's called Beech Wood. I just checked the designer's web site and the pattern isn't there anymore.

I did work on a few other projects this week, like a couple of pairs of socks, but they're not far enough along to show yet.

New socks

I finished the Scrolls socks yesterday. I like 'em a lot. Not so sure about the fiber though. It's a cotton and nylon blend that's pretty easy on the hands but the plies want to separate when there's a decrease, whether it's a K2tog or an SSK, and that causes some problems. You have to really look to see if you've picked up an extra ply or strand. It only took me about a sock and a half to figure this out.



When I finished the first sock and turned it inside out to weave in the ends I was really surprised at the pattern on the inside. The purl side looks like a woven trellis. I wouldn't be surprised if someone hasn't already figured out that this stitch would make a great scarf pattern. I might just do it myself.

Non-knitting weekend

Really. There was almost no knitting this weekend. Unless you count ripping a sweater that I knit fifteen or so years ago. I guess ripping is part of knitting but I don't usually wait that long. I'm not even sure at this point why I never finished that sweater but I think it was probably because I realized it was going to be way too small.

Now that I think of it, I probably knit that sweater more than twenty years ago. I have another sweater that I knit at about the same time that I never put together. They were both in the same storage box. That sweater was knit with some yarn I got in Taos in 1988 or so. That one didn't come out quite right. The sleeves were way too big for the armholes. I was still pretty new to knitting at that time so I didn't realize that yarn substitution meant more than just using something other than what the pattern called for. I need to see if I can salvage it. Probably will need to reknit the sleeves. I think the body is still OK. Well, it was then.

I did finish the first sock of the Scrolls design that I started last week. The second one is moving along. I hope to finish it this week. I have a number of things to do this week that will involve lots of driving time but I should be able to finish if I don't get distracted by something else.

Using stash

Apparently I'm not the only one who does this. I tend to hold on to what I think of as my special yarns. I keep waiting for that special, just right, project to come along. So I end up with lots of yarns that never go anywhere.

I don't remember where now but I read someone's blog a couple of days ago where this very thing was being discussed. The writer's point was that it's silly not to use what you already have. There will always be more yarn and more projects. And it's rare to find that perfect match. I know it is for me. I tend to forget what I have in stash and find it much easier just to buy something new.

Anyway, I started this new scarf yesterday, using some special stash. This is Schaefer's Kathleen. I only have one hank of it. I've had it for at least four, maybe five, years. I've been waiting for the right project to come along. The color in the small photo is more accurate but the large photo at top gives a better idea of what the scarf will look like. I found the pattern on Ravelry. The one hank I have has the same yardage as the original pattern but the Kathleen is heavier than the yarn used in the pattern.

I like it. It's playful and it uses one of my special yarns. So that's a good thing.

The celebrated purple scarf

You've heard about it. Now you get to see it. Kind of. It's almost impossible for me to get a photo of this that really shows what it going on. Not only is the yarn very dark, it is also very gloomy here today.

If you happen to have access to the Berroco pattern book Norah Gaughan Collection, Vol. 1 you can see it a little better. The pattern is called Jyri which they show in Pure Merino. I used some Karabella Aurora 8 that I happened to have in stash. It's not quite the same gauge but it's close enough. I used a little over four balls.

The knitting is essentially stockinette. The K3tog decrease in the center of each stitch pattern causes the knitting to draw up and form peaks on the purl side. The purl side is considered the right side.

Because the scarf is stockinette it wants to curl. In the pattern book the scarf is shown being work all curled up. I think it looks great. The color in this photo is way off but you can maybe see the pattern a little better. The actual color is more like the photo at top.

Feliz Cinco de Mayo!

I've no idea if that's correct Spanish or not. But it's what I hear around these parts.



My friend, and frequent student, Sally (that's her in the while jarancha) invited me to join her and her husband Jay (that's him seated wearing the white wedding shirt and red bandana) at a small local restaurant and to hear them perform some traditional jarancho music. Their instructor, Cesar, is on the right and a friend, Elena No Show, seated on the right, is playing her jarana. . There's a reason she's called No Show, but this time she did show up.Standing on the left and playing the cow jawbone is Aurora who was visiting from Guadalajara. It was a ton of fun. Afterwards we went to Sally's house and had some margaritas and guacamole and chips. No salsa.

I have some new socks that I started on Friday using the new Kollage Luscious sock yarn.



It's a blend of cotton and nylon. Very nice to knit. I'm doing a test to see if you really can get one sock out of 185 yards. I think it will be close. I didn't get as much done as I would have liked though. I spent a lot of time on Ravelry looking at all the projects that use Noro. Not very productive but maybe somewhat more than playing FreeCell.

Zigzagging along

It took a while but I finally finished this Zigzag scarf. But not as long as I thought. I started it around January 7 of this year. I thought I had started it sometime before last Christmas. But in any event, it's done.

I used approximately two skeins of Brown Sheep Nature Spun worsted, one each of Butterfly Blue and Limestone. I ran out of yarn before the scarf was long enough so I had to order some more.
I got it at Velona since none of the shops that are closer to me carry this yarn. Or at least none that I could find.

I used a stitch pattern from Scarf Style that is in the design notebook at the back of the book. It's really easy and is ideal for using some self-striping yarn. I've done that several times. I've also used the pattern for teaching new knitters about increases and decreases. I'll probably cast on another one sometime soon.

Knitting recession

There has been a serious slowdown in my knitting production recently. The lackluster output has sometimes fallen to no knitting at all, for several days running. These indicators suggest that further output may be even lower.

Much of the slowdown can be attributed to an ailing elbow. There has been some improvement due to an injection of a few ibuprofen per day as well as giving it a rest. There is also a glut on the market right now. Too many projects and not enough time.

So what we need is a stimulus program. I am doing my best to stay away from acquiring more inventory until I've used up some of the excess. And I've been doing a lot of research by looking through some of my older pattern books. And making sure I spend as much time as I can with people who are full of enthusiasm and ideas and who are motivating me to keep going.

Anyway, this analogy is sort of falling apart. I need to go rip some rows on my latest scarf. Three rows of 285 stitches each. This will be the second time I've had to do this. Not the same rows as before but still it's hours and hours of tinking since the yarn I'm using doesn't perform well if you just take it off the needles and frog.

The brush fire that's been raging in the hills near where I live has affected a few of my friends. I had one student yesterday who came in just to get away from the smoke and noise. She wasn't sure if she would be able to get back into her house since the fires had burned right up to her back yard. She hadn't had much sleep for the last three nights due to the threat of immediate evacuation. She was so tired she just wanted to put her head down and sleep. Other people who came to visit reported masses of ash and soot falling all over their houses and cars. Down here where I live we're mostly just smelling the smoke and putting up with allergies and burning eyes. It's like the old heavy smog days we used to have back in the 60s and 70s. I've skipped walking a couple of times to avoid some of the worst of it.

On the brighter side of the news though, my young friend H (of L&H fame) has been accepted/honored with membership in the Constitution Team at her high school. And I just heard yesterday that she's also going to be one of the Senior Men and Women. I don't know much about these honors but I'm assured by her very proud mom that they are significant. And I'm very pleased and proud too.

I'm off to spend the day with Thom and Mendy, knitting and lunching. Part of my stimulus program.

So. How was your weekend?

Mine was pretty nice. And not too expensive considering. Spent Saturday going to some yarn shops that I don't get too very often, Alamitos Bay Yarn Company in Long Beach and Velona in Anaheim Hills. That's when I got the Noro Silk Garden 258, a new color I think. At least, it's one I don't have.

I also went to Unraveled and picked up a skein of sock yarn from Chameleon, a new dyer that's near by.

And Sunday was knitting for most of the day. Or until it was time to go to a concert at Occidental College. Got to hear some great late baroque music performed by the Santa Cecilia Orchestra, a local orchestra that's devoted to performing in a variety of venues for audiences that don't have many opportunities to hear live classical music.

And I had pizza for the first time in a long time. Not good for me but so enjoyable. So that was my weekend. How was yours?

What I bought at the Artisans' Sale

Here's the Hism yarn that my friend H (of L&H fame) put together for her booth at the Artisans' Craft Sale last weekend. It's an assortment of commercially available yarns that she deconstructed and then reconstructed. I may need to add something more to make a scarf but I really like the textures and colors she put together. And then there are the stitch markers she made, sterling silver wire and semi-precious stones. I didn't realize until I was setting up to take this photo that the colors in the yarn and the stitch markers work really well together. And they are definitely in my preferred color palette.

Annual Amaryllis 2008

My amaryllis has bloomed. I don't remember it ever having this many blossoms at once And there are more buds, just waiting their turn.



I think the blossoms were bigger in previous years though. Still, these are pretty big.


I finished the entrelac (Topographical) scarf last Friday night. I've taken at least ten pictures but can't get the color right. I suppose all these colors are present in the yarn but they're not what I see when I look at the scarf, certainly not so much pastel.






I see it more like the color in the lower left corner of this detail. Anyway, I still have to soak and block it.


Before I retired I used to wish I could just not go to work sometimes, just because I didn't feel like it. Of course, I couldn't do that. So nowadays if there's something I just don't feel like doing I don't do it. That's pretty much the reason I haven't blogged for a week. Just didn't feel like it.

Spring Artisans Sale

Need something new to brighten up your Spring wardrobe? Wanna add to your stash of unusual yarns or your selection of stitch markers? Just wanna get out of the house and be with like-minded people?

The Spring Artisan Sale happens this weekend, Friday and Saturday. You can get some very specific directions on how to get there and stuff like that by clicking here. I realize this is a local event and that not everyone can make it, but if you can it would be fun to see you.

I'm going on Saturday afternoon. My daughter is coming over to join me. We had thought she might have to miss it but now it looks like she'll be here after all. After she finishes with Kids' Fishing Camp. Don't ask. I don't know any more than that.

Socks for me

I've never knit socks for myself. I've never belonged to a sock yarn club. I don't generally find knit-a-longs very inspiring or much fun. But sometimes things happen that make me change my mind and perhaps adjust my attitude a bit.

There's a new sock yarn club. The Ram Club is just starting up. The first yarn and pattern shipment is scheduled for August. I read about it on Ravelry. You can find out more about it by clicking on the link.

Peace, man!

I got this neat little sweater in the mail yesterday. All the way from Wyoming. I had sent a skein of yarn to a knitter in need and she sent this to thank me, along with a cute card.

Look at that embroidered peace sign. If you missed the 70s you won't know what a strong memory trigger this is. Thanks, Mary.

Move along. Nothing to see here.

Unless you count this as something to see. I got into a mini-panic yesterday when I started looking for this pattern. It was a published a lot longer ago than I thought. I do have both issues of the Vogue Knitting magazines though. I will have to do some shopping for the black tweed. I had forgotten about the stripes on the sides of the cat. I'm hoping they still have some at Velona.

I took the weekend off from knitting, except for the time I spent watching the UCLA vs Memphis game. So sad the way that came out. Anyway, not knitting, and taking some ibuprofin (thanks, P) has really helped a lot. My elbow feels almost like its old self this morning. And since I wasn't knitting I finally got around to clearing out some yarns that I don't think I'll ever knit, even if I lived another fifty or so years. I'm pretty sure I have a home for these yarns.

I condensed some of the boxes and managed to discard a couple of cardboard boxes I'd been using. And I have one easily accessible box that holds a lot of the odds and ends and left overs that I will use for hats and scarves.

I have moved all the boxes back into the yarn storage room but still have to get them stacked in some kind of order. Maybe I'll get to that this week.