woolythyme

5 years, but who's counting?.....

I finally did it.  I cast on for Rydraud. It's a free pattern on Ravelry from Steinunn Birna Gudjonsdottir and it's a beauty.  I definitely wouldn't recommend it for a novice knitter...the pattern is rather sketchy, and the yarn is challenging.  But not as challenging as I feared, which was the reason I've put off the start for so long.

The Plotulopi comes in large 'plates' of unspun Icelandic wool (I ordered mine from Tolt, but Schoolhouse Press also carries it)...

The directions say you can knit from these plates, but while this one was tied and contained, the three dark grey plates were not. As I separated the dark stack, they started to tangle.  

I v-e-r-y  c-a-r-e-f-u-l-l-y wound them into balls, and even being ever so careful, I found the yarn easily breaking.

This is probably the first time in my knitting history that being an extremely loose knitter has been to my advantage.  After the 6cm broken rib edging, the yarn has broken less. (Of course it's going to break when a 23 pound enthusiastic Freddy pounces on it.)

The cardigan is knit in the round with only two purl stitches at the beginning of the row to position where the steek will be cut. I can tell already it's going to be impossible to see this without somehow outlining it in a light colour.  I'll worry about that later.  

The yarn reminded me a lot of the unspun Lopi Icelandic wool that was distributed by Reynolds years ago and that is now discontinued.  It appears these same 'Reynolds' yarns are now sold and distributed by Istex (the Icelandic producer of the Plotulopi) under the name Alafoss Lopi.

This sweater was knit at least 15 or 20 years ago with Reynold's Lopi.  It has worn amazingly well and is still loved by me and a whole new generation of pups who get walked in the winter while I wear it.  (I'm sure Freddy is not associating the sweater with a walk...he simply loves to roll around in my photo shoots.)

Here's hoping the Rydraud will wear as well!

 

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The winner of Knit Local in the 5 year blogiversary drawing is Dawn'l.  Yes.  Today was the day...5 years ago...that I hit the publish button---twice, and made a duplicate post.  I've been stuttering my way through ever since.  Thanks for joining me on my knitting journey!!!

Ginny's baby shower....

Oh, Tracey!!!  How lovely everything looks!!!  I'm crushed I'm going to miss the shower.  I was on my way....stopped off in Oxford, MS (you know, I can't pass Square Books without a stop there!!!), and discovered our Living Waters for the World training session was going on; I had to stay.  If any group of lovely, giving people would understand---this one most certainly will.  

But, I carried my gift with me.....so, for now, all you can have is this photo.  

This little ballerina is unnamed because I was sure there would be plenty of opinions in Ginny's household to cover that.  And I'm enclosing a little book...because this is yarnalong, right??!?  And, just in case new baby finds no use for a bitty girl toy----I'm sure someone else (Beatrix? Larkspur??) might find time to give her a hug or two.

 

MY books this week?  I finished Georgia by Donna Tripp last night and it was OK.  It was certainly good enough for me to want to read a real biography on Georgia O'Keeffe, but by far not the best in the historical fiction genre that I've ever read.  It was OK.  Just OK.  

I bought two books on that stop at Square Books....The Reason for Flowers: Their History, Culture, Biology, and How They Change Lives by Stephen Buchmann and The Genius of Birds by Jennifer Ackerman.  I think the bird book is going to be next....so I'll be 'exploring the newly discovered brilliance of birds.'  On the book cover, one example shared....the mockingbirds and thrashers can store 200 to 2,000 different songs in a brain a thousand times smaller than ours.  I'm fascinated...no bird-brains out there.  Apparently a species we need to pay much closer attention to.

 

So, Ginny....hoping you are having the most beautiful day and are enjoying all your gifts. I know the day will be filled with stimulating book discussions and lovely baby things.   My virtual one will be coming to you and new baby in the mail when I return home from my 'water week'.

And Tracey....WOW!!!  You most certainly know how to throw a party.  You thought of everything and everything is BEAUTIFUL!!!  Thank you so much for inviting me, and know that I was most definitely there with you all in spirit.

 

Hugs to all!

Woolythyme (steph)

 

Blog Hop....Creativity, part 2

A few weeks ago my quilting friend, Rose, asked if I would join in a blog hop...answer a few questions, and pass the 'hop' along.  I had participated in something similar in the summer, but these questions were slightly different; I could post anytime up to the beginning of November.  I was rather humbled to be included in her blog-hop.  She's a published quilter, living here in Quilt City, USA, where we are pretty darn proud of our quilters.  Especially our resident ones.  (Yes, she knows the only quilting I've ever done was done a lifetime ago, and then, not very well.)Sure.  It will be fun. (remember, I'm not a quilter, ok?)  

Being one of the very best procrastinators I know, I was only just beginning to think about this when Brandy asked me to participate in the same questionnaire.  If you knitters don't know Brandy, you really need to.  She makes my manic knitting look rather sane.  Holy-moley can she crank out the knits---and she's only been knitting one year!  I think it's sort of fun to see that this little blog swap is touring not just the knit world.  Or just the quilt world. I wonder if embroider-ers do this, too?  Hey, I embroider....sort of....

So here goes....

1.  What am I working on?

    ::I'm sewing furoshiki cloths

    ::I'm working on a piece of sashito embroidery

    ::I have two sweaters, two pairs of socks, a chemo hat, a beret, two pairs of mittens and a pair of fingerless mitts, three afghans, a cowl, several dishcloths, and an elephant (in pieces) surrounding my knitting 'nest'(is it any wonder you haven't seen an FO in weeks?!?)

    ::I have warped my little coaster loom for some more coasters

    ::I found a Merry Christmas x-stitch on linen from half a lifetime ago; at the moment it says 'M      '; the border is finished, though.  Surely I can stitch a mere 13 letters before December. (surely)

 

    Please note:  there is NO crocheting pending.  I have no rugs in the process of being hooked.  My Russian embroidery needle is at rest.  This probably rates a moment of silence followed by a very loud and raucous hoopla. You can throw in a happy dance if you like.

2. How does my work differ from others in its genre?  As you can see, I have just a wee bit of a 'genre' problem at the moment.  I adore hand sewing. a-d-o-r-e it!  Just don't put a sewing machine in front of me.  I can happily work on a piece of slow-stitching for weeks; put me in front of a sewing machine and I think I must complete the project in under 20 minutes.  No matter how big.  

The loom exists for the coasters, just as my old plastic potholder loom lives to keep me supplied with those cotton-loop potholders.  At one time I thought I needed to learn to weave, but I got over that.  I find no thrill or excitement with the warping process and since that takes (me) literally an eternity, I'm sticking with the mini-weaving projects---and only when I desperately want/need the product.

Which leaves us with the knitting.  And maybe my obsession work actually does differ slightly from some others.  As I've mentioned here many times, I'm very much a selfish, copycat knitter.  There are so many wonderful designers designing so many exciting patterns that I will never find myself without something I want to knit.  There, though, lies the rub...I have to WANT to knit it.  I don't do well at all with knit-requests even though I gift far more of my FOs than I keep.  I don't do well with chunky yarn (my cut-off is usually worsted, although I've been known to plough through an aran project or two).  I don't 'do' novelty yarn (sparkles, sequins, fuzzy, hairy, ropey, bauble-y).  I don't do #55 needles.  Ever.  (Well, once---for a granddaughter, but never again.  I didn't post the finished picture.  I was too embarrassed to admit I actually knit such a thing.) And I was totally miserable making those mandatory shop models when I owned a yarn shop. 

3. Why do I write/create what I do? Simply because I always have.  I learned to knit a very very long time ago...I think I knew how to knit before I could read.  There were years (many of them in fact) when I didn't even know where my knitting needles were, but no matter how many other obsessions monopolized my life, and how many 'crafts' ran their course (macrame?  needlepoint?  cross-stitch?...hey, I actually DID design cross-stitch patterns and worked for a while for Ginny Thompson Originals) I've always come back to knitting.  It's always been there.  And I've always been pretty good at it.  

But, since I've been writing (blogging) about knitting, I've discovered even more reasons to love what I do.... and that's in sharing the love and being part of this caring community of fiber people.  There is nothing I find  more satisfying than being able to talk someone through a sticky problem.  To be someone's cheerleader through a project that taxes the limits of their skills...and see them succeed. Or to have someone reach out to me to help spread the word when one of our own is in need of some help.  This is one such request, and while my dancing grands are on the hot-natured side, they are each going to get one of these adorable "ballet" sweaters.  (Note:  it's done in fingering weight yarn; I'm all over that!!!)  You can find more information on Ravelry about this project, and even if you don't have a young girl for whom you knit....I bet you can find a mom (or grandma) who would love the pattern as a gift.  Maria has gone to great lengths to assure purchasers that this is actually the fund raiser it is intended to be.  The thought it was anything else never crossed my mind.  We're knitters.  We're good people.

Don't want to knit a sweater?  How about a chemo cap for this project of Anke's.  A buttery soft hat with a thousand prayers and good vibes knit into each stitch. I'm doing the asymmetrical cloche but will add a funky button to actually make it look aysmmetrical. This is where my creativity takes me these days.  

4. How does my creative process work?

 Easy.  If I like the looks of something, I'll give it a try.

 

I just signed up for a bookbinding class.

 

 

I'm passing the hop on to....

Chris at Crafting from the Underground.

and

Anne at Shintanglestudio

this week in my kitchen :: blog hop + blogiversary + giveaway!

 

In my kitchen:

 

Yes, this IS last week's blueberry buckle, although it IS this week's picture of it, which shows how long it will keep. Trust me, it's still moist and yummy.  I know because I ate that whole big piece and left Freddy only a couple crumbs.  (hee hee....he wasn't happy either, and kept looking to PapaGeek to put down HIS plate.  Can you believe PapaGeek opted for a Klondike bar over this?  Freddy couldn't believe it, either!) Anyway, there is the recipe!

 

 

Zucchini (or courgette!...a new word for me.  I'm using it all the time.  No one here knows what I'm talking about!  Would you like some courgette?  Sometimes it hard to give away zucchini....but courgettes!)  I PROMISE you...these were NOT in the garden yesterday.  One day I'm thinking about actually BUYING one....the next, I have enough to share.  So the kitchen goes into its zucchini mode...

zucchini boats:

  

 

 

 this is the 'cute' tool...

but guess which is the most useful one? (for grating nutmeg, not for grating the zucchini!)

for....zucchini bread. 

 

 

also known as zucchini blogiversary cake!

 

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

Three (3!!!) years ago today, I hit the 'publish' button (twice--oops!) for the first time.  I thought I was going to be 'journaling' my knitting life for myself; I thought this would force me to be just a bit more creative, a little less of a copycat, and to branch out into other arty pursuits.  I was wrong.  Along the journaling journey I've met so many amazing knitters, gardeners, writers, photographers, foodies, and artists who have not only inspired me (I've now elevated myself to copycat-extraordinaire), but who have become my friends.  Little did I know then that THIS is the real reason for blogging.

So, thank you all....for spending time in my space, but most of all, for commenting and letting me get to know you and your blog (if you have one). 

But what to give away?  Obviously, something I've made.  Something wooly, but not yarn. (See, I realize some people who read this don't actually knit!!)  Something useful to anyone, but still usable by crafty people.  

 

I couldn't come up with anything other than the pincushion. 

(The pattern is Cearnog by Tammy Eigeman Thompson.  Cearnog is an Irish word, meaning 'square', although after a lot of seaching I found it could also mean 'polygon'.  I personally think it ended up looking like a star.....and anyone who comes back post after post after post to read about !KNITTING!  is most definitely a 'star' in my world.)

 

To be entered, just simply leave a comment!  

The giveaway will close next Thursday, August 21.  Good luck everyone.

 

 

joining Heather for this week in my kitchen.

 

i'm not throwing the mail away today...

It's become somewhat of a joke around the house....

I'm throwing the mail away.  Do you want to look at it before it hits the recycle bin?

 

I've worked hard (really HARD) to reduce the junk mail that comes to this house.  For a good solid month, I faithfully contacted every catalog and every travel advertisement (for some reason we seem to attract those....guess someone 'sold' our address)---and for maybe 3 months we saw a slight decrease. (I really have to get on this again!!!) After that?  Back to 'normal'.  Junk mail and bills.  The fine art of letter writing is dead.  Besides my Taproot and British ed. Country Living there is really no reason to open that mailbox.

So you could have bowled me over earlier in the week when I opened the box to find two  (TWO!!!) surprise packages (and no bills!).  Out of the blue surprises.  Knitting surprises from friends!!!

I love them.  (and the gifts are amazingly swell, too!)

 

The bag making friend has just opened up a special order button on her blog for these bags in assorted sizes.  You can find her here.  Lined, reasonably priced.  The best.

an award? …. moi??!

After two and a half years of this blogging-thing, I'm still amazed that people read this. (hi, people!) And sometimes people who don't even knit read it---and believe me, that totally blows my mind.  (hi, mind-boggling people!)

 

Because, you see, technology and I do not get along.  At all. (how does this even GET into cyberspace?????)   In 'accepting this award' I was to post the Sunshine Award logo and for the life of me I can't figure out how to do that.  (It took two years to figure out how to change my banner photo.  When I figured it out, I wanted to change it every day.  I should have, because now I've forgotten how.  I'm probably stuck with what I have for another two years.)

 

But I can do the other 'requirement'...10 things about me (here goes.  skip if you are so inclined....it's rather boring):

• I love rhubarb (obsessively and passionately)
• I grew it for the first time last year and didn't share
• my husband and I graduated from high school together, but never dated there
• growing up I was never allowed to have a dog; since we married I've never been without one
• I was at Woodstock (this is NOT true, but every time we have to do those true/false games I say this, and everyone thinks it's true.  I wanted to be there.  Does that count?...I have a feeling it would have made rural Kenya look absolutely metropolitan)
• My Dad taught me to knit when I was about 5, but I never actually MADE anything until I was in high school  (I knit the same ball of yarn over and over and over and over...I'm really a good knitter, but I'm better at ripping out.)
  
• My house and I were both on the cover of a magazine (I was 18 months old--on my Dad's company magazine; the house got much better press in a national country magazine)
• I majored in my 'cocktail' class in college (art history---I was pretty much unemployable until I got a graduate degree!, but I'm very comfortable in a museum)
• I suffer from incurable 'wanderlust'....I start planning another  trip the moment I return from one
  
• I am incredibly blessed with a wonderful husband, two amazing children and their spouses, 7 grandkids who are the sunshine in my world (and the ones most deserving of any Sunshine Award), and countless friends--both 'real' and really virtual

 

• and, #11 (oops)  I don't always follow the rules.  

The other thing I was supposed to do was nominate some other blogs but I'm not good at picking and chosing among friends.  Please spend just a wee bit of time browsing sites I visit in the sidebar. In my opinion, they are all winners, and far more deserving than I. ( Plus, I had a really hard time figuring out how to get them there....please don't ignore them!!)

 

• one last thing:  I DO NOT watch Downton Abbey, but I got to play a character on it at dinner club tonight!  (Dress was hubby's grandma's wedding trip dress!!)
  

 

 

Many thanks to Wanda for letting me play.

weekending.....

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.

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::  rebirth.  renewal.

::  Easter dinner with friends.....family was all afar.

::  a little baking....carrot cake from an old out of print cookbook

::  a peek of spring

         and----

::  meeting Ravelry/Blog friends!!!--in person!  (A Call to Yarns)  

blogging.....

 

A few weeks ago a blogging 'friend', Annie of knitsofacto, posed a question that I'm still mulling over.  Why do you blog?  She writes all her posts eloquently---and thoughtfully and is sort of one of my blog 'heros' (I guess that should be heroines, right?).  I tried to find the post to link to it, but got caught up in today's little sidebar about comments.  (Honestly, she writes about knitting and gardening and design and history---her words and photos are beautiful.  I'd read her novels if she wrote them.)

But back to the why? which also includes the how?  I've always thought--from blogging day #1  back in August of 2011--that this was all about me.  (Doesn't that sound like an only child comment??!!! hee, hee!)  I wanted to learn my camera better, I wanted to take better pictures, I wanted to document all this crazy knitting I do.....me, me, me.  Something about the more you do something...the better you get at it, and structuring me to get out and photograph "stuff" just might make a difference.  The blog was giving me that structure.  I was having fun.  (insert smiley face here which some people can put on their posts but I haven't figured that out yet--although one extremely patient young knitter-blogger spent an inordinate amount of time helping me get that ravelry link on my sidebar!!  thanks again, Janine!!!)

And then came the first comment.  Oh, Lordy!!!  someone was actually reading this thing.  How in the world did THAT happen?  I know there aren't gazillions of people stumbling across my words, that was never ever my intent....but somehow some very like-minded folks have, who have truly become some of my best friends--the kind of friends that you know once you actually meet face-to-face (and someday we will!!!)  you'll be talking over each other because there is just so much to say.  Kindred spirits.  They knit (and knit and knit and knit and knit---and we even knit the same patterns without knowing it....and cyber-giggle about it)  Those are the rather obvious connects.  

But there are others, too.  People who don't knit.  (????!!!!)  and still find something here?   Those little black sheep in the picture were at my door the other day--after a picture of 'the flock' appeared on a post.  The mom of my son's first friend-- when we moved to this town over 30 years ago-- left this.  (I think the boys bonded during a cub scout soapbox derby race---they were the only two who actually made their own cars; those poor little race cars hardly made it down the track!)  Our boys don't live in town anymore; we don't see each other as much as we used to, but she so thoughtfully shared something she knew I'd love.  And I do.  

So why do I blog?  Now, I'm just not so sure.  I just know that I love connecting and reconnecting with people.  I love learning from all those energetic homeschooling moms who are teaching to more than their own children.  And I love being reminded how fun it is to pass on random acts of kindness.  Thanks,Ann.

I just sent a baby knit to a complete stanger!!!   I can just "hear" new-mom now....who in the heck is 'woolythyme'?????