Corn!

Had a great time at a gathering of the Central Maryland Knitting Guild on Sunday. Knitters communing, eating good food and knitting. What could be better? I like to sit with folks I don't know. You learn a thing or two and I've been socially deprived lately. The main staff member there surprised us with a chocolate laced goodie at the end to top it off. Very sweet of her. And quite fine - not a real sweet but chocolate - the way I like it.

The girls told me there was a sale at The Celtic Knot Yarn Shop over the weekend too. It was part of their 5th Anniversary Celebration complete with prizes - sadly no phone call came to announce my winnings later in the day oh well :-( The atmosphere was festive though and I spent the bucks my Dad gave me for Christmas on a bunch of Addies I wanted. Wheeeee! Carole had all the ones I wanted but one. She offered to have a friend deliver it to my regular knitting group on Thursdays. Funny thing, she still didn't have the Soak I want. Poor thing can't keep it in stock.

Ran into pal from Ralvelry who's working there now. She helped me pick out some cool corn yarn in a pretty lavender for a hat for my cousin's baby granddaughter which is on the way. Yes, I succumbed. Besides, the hand is okay if I knit a row or two and rest it. I first was looking for a traditional pink baby yarn and there wasn't any. Turns out that was a good thing for my intentions to do more creative knitting this year. This gives me a chance to work with something cool for a change and it's completely machine washable and dryable. The couple is young so that is a must. But now I have to decide on the pattern. Arrrrrrghhh! Here comes the patternophobia.

Ravelry. It's everywhere now. It was only two months old when I came on board back in June 2007 and had only

3063 users, 682 unclaimed invitations, and 7,303 people on the waiting list

And 8 months later on February 1 2008?

Total # of registered users: 72,879

Wooooooooah! Impressive.

Celtic Knot Rocks

I realized too late I needed some nice stuff to wash my Dad's new hat before giving it to him for his birthday. I know it's supposed to soften up the wool and it would be nice for the Noro on his head and ears. Dashing off to The Celtic Knot Yarn Shop in Ellicott City on my way back from physical therapy today I figured I could scoop up something, polish off the hat, and voila! Gift complete.

Sure of my mission I entered, pleased to see not only Carole the owner but Lindsay of Storm Moon Knits anxiously awaiting a special delivery. Lindsay is to be a cover girl of sorts I hear! But I digress. I announced my need for fine fiber care and was dismayed to hear Carole's worried "I think I sold the last . . ." Ugghh! Oh damn. Well I guess I gotta keep going then. Leave it to me to need to go shopping like a Christmas Eve - eleventh hour - last possible minute . . .

She fumbled in her big bag on the table.

Out popped not one but two stalwart samples of Soak. Her personal stash. She swore I was saving her from having it explode in her bag all over her projects.

I'm not the biggest, baddest knitter out there. I'm a slummer to a lot of fiber freaks. I use a lot of Acrilyc for a lot of charity projects and buy a lot of pretty string that I have lofty ideas of knitting into fantastic works of art for my family or heaven forbid - myself. breathe But I do love this thing we call knitting. And here Carole, recognizing a crazed woman about to schlep out in search of Blaa Blaa Yarn Shop to score some

LYS may come and go, but I'll be back at The Celtic Knot Yarn Shop for more.

It is unfortunate however that "The Late" precedes my name. I had forgotten Bobby had won tickets to a movie that night and off we went after my nap. Wednesday was my birthday. Yes, I share a birthday with my nephew four days after my Dad. Since it was my birthday we went out to Eggspectation to celebrate for breakfast. With PT, OT, drop off and pick up a car, and furiously knitting - I still didn't finish.

So here's how it went.

With everyone sitting in the living room, I picked up Dad's hat, still on the needles, and started a row.

"This is great yarn. It comes from Japan, Toy(so does she). Isn't is nice?" We talk a bit about knitting and she tells my sister how she used to make gloves with tiny needles as a small child. Each finger done separately on three needles like mine. I continued "I'm making this with yarn I got the first day of my treatment - it's a gift for a very special guy, but you know me - I'm not done yet. So Dad, would you try it on so I can see if it'll fit when I'm done?" He gave a start. And a big grin.

At least I saved Carole from the horrors of leaky Soak in her bag.

And I will be back to buy a nice bottle when the shipment comes in.

THAT'S A PEACE SIGN
MY DAD SAWED OFF PART OF HIS FINGER A WHILE BACK !

Crochet? Okay!

I had my first crochet class on Saturday. After a slow start it's not that tough. Knowing how to handle yarn and recognize a mistake quickly helps. The instructor is very laid back, almost too laid back. She didn't know the answer to a few of my questions saying "oh, it doesn't matter", or "I don't know 'cause I am left-handed". Handedness can be a real factor when it comes to which way to wrap in knitting. I wanted to know if the same was true for my most recent venture into needlecraft before I developed a rhythm. A buggered up rhythm. But mostly we got along just fine. She was full of praise at our efforts and we were chaining, and doing single and half-double crochet within the two hours.

I have, however, been labeled a perfectionist.

Yes, I admit I came home and ripped the whole thing out. It was too wide despite her calculations based on my gauge. I really did want a long thin scarf as a gift for Jessica or Stacey. Now that I've been at it for a few evenings, I've got even stitches. Thing is, I really am not fond of the whole crochet *look*. I do want to try it as an edge as soon as I can though - that's the whole reason I decided to take up the hook.

I finally took a picture of the Christmas gift Debbie gave me with her gift card. Bobby and I were in Kohls to return one of the pairs of slippers I got him and I spotted it in the clearance section. (Did I mention I love Clearance Racks?) A 13" dark brown cube with a rich leather-look/feel finish. There's a hinged lid tethered with a sturdy ribbon on the inside. It was meant as a file cabinet, but I could tell the bars for the hanging folders could easily be removed if they were a nuisance.

It was 60% off.

I thought about the space where I've been piling my various knitting bags, patterns and books in the living room where I sit in the evenings to knit and watch TV with Bobby. This would fit several small projects, my most used references and kit. Cool!

Bobby was a bit skeptical at first, but I have returned my knitting to it's home every night.

Grrrrrrrrrr!

...after waiting thirty minutes.
And I hope that's getting it out of my system.

First FO of 2007

I made the cutest spiral top hat with the Peaches and Cream yarn.

I JUST LOVE HOW THIS TURNED OUT !

I used the free pattern from Carol at The Celtic Knot for Colleen's Cap. I'll have to take it to her soon. I believe she sends caps off to University of Maryland Medical Center's Oncology Center. I added a few rows of purling for ridges on the body. It gives it less of a point and adds grip without the usual ski-cap ribbing.

The decreases turned out this lovely nine point spiral that reminds me of peppermints and those big lollipops from Ocean City. I gotta keep this pattern. It is easy to follow and the decreases can be used for other hats if I don't like theirs. I can use fewer decreases for smaller hats by starting with multiples of 8 or 7 instead of 9. I kept track of my gauge (good knitter, have a cookie) in my little red book so I can even compare various yarns. I think I’m getting the hand of this knitting thing.

I wasn’t quite satisfied with my closure and tinked it back. That was tough. It was worth it though, ‘cause one more row of straight knitting before pulling the nine stitches together made the top perfect. I was looking at it and thinking . . . State Fair . . . yeah! I really intend on entering something this year. It is good to have a goal. Some of the prize winners I saw weren’t fancy or especially pretty, just well done.

When I washed it to take care of the pet hair issues, I blocked it on a bowl on top of the dryer. Bobby and I started looking into buying a head for me to block with and use as a model for my pictures as well. Hmmmm. If I use it for charity work is it tax deductible expense I wonder? He really gets into helping me with my knitting. We were watching something on TV the other night while I was working on this hat. I *had* to be excused and didn’t want to loose my place. I said out loud,” Knit two together on a seven row” and off I went. When I came dashing back and scooped up my needles, Bobby leaned over said,” Knit two together on a seven row”.

I love him.

You know, when I look back to my first hat about a year ago, I wince. I had no pattern and believe I just K2,K2tog and sewed some sort of monster spiderweb on the top. I hadn't a clue about dpn and was stretching the yarn on flexible needles (inventing the double loop I might add). I tied big knots to change colors and did a rotten job of weaving in my ends. It was awful but I was so proud. It was what I wanted to do. It felt good. It feels good now. Scary. Personal. Good.

For you, John.