World Blog Day

Ok - just found this, for the first time...


I'm supposed to introduce you to 5 new Blogs (across boundaries) that I find interesting, so here are mine:
1. Becoming Whole
2. Simple Sparrow
3. Frugal for Life
4. Slowly She Turned
5. Skippy's Vegetable Garden

I suspect you'll find a thread that's somewhat common amongst them, but there's not a single knitting blog there!
*wink*
What sorts of "other" blogs do you read? If you take up the World Blog Day banner, tell me in the comments so I can come read your list!
(((hugs)))

Lace Is Grace...

Once upon a time, I was a little bit more introspective both here, and even more philosophical on Nana Sadie's Place, but as life has gotten a bit chaotic, this aspect of my blogging life has vanished.

So today, in light of my joining up with Grumperina and deciding that it's perfectly okay that I don't have any interest in knitting sweaters, I thought I'd revisit something I've known to be true for me for some time:

Lace Is Grace:

When I'm in the lace-knitting "zone" I'm in a state of grace. I miss being there. Especially when life has me by the scruff of the neck (like now) and I can't stop long enough to breath in and out and do the simple yo's, and ssk's, and k2tog's, sl1 k1 psso's that lull me into my own personal zen-like state. I'll get back to it, life will once again slide back into calm (maybe even a touch of boredom!?!) and I'll be able to chill out with the lace. What on earth is it that works such magic on my nerves? The rhythm? The soothing quality of lace?

And, btw, yes, I made that button - it's my VERY FIRST button, so I hope it's okay (and I send tons of thanks to Kimberly for all her help!). The button doesn't belong to a KAL, or a website, or a yahoo group. It just states how I feel about knitting lace. You may feel free to use it, just please use your own bandwidth! I'm putting it over on the sidebar, along with Grump's button and a few others that show my knitting loyalties...

On another note, I'm making progress on the Chevron Scarf after doing surgery. I realized today that the pattern had mysteriously gotten away from me and I had 2 fewer stitches than I needed. I didn't want to tink (I have way too much of that waiting for me on the back burner) so I inserted the other needle 2 inches below where I was, and where I could see I had correct stitches. And then gently unraveled - I never have a camera nearby when I try these things. I cannot imagine myself doing this pre-internet knitting days. You all have given me the confidence to make these corrections, you all have given me the knowledge necessary to "read" my knitting...So I'm sending along my thanks to all of you today - I'm ready to pick up Chevron Scarf again and knit it up (hopefully to finish soon...).

These friendships I have made with you all, well, that engenders another sort of grace, now doesn't it?
((((hugs))))

Thank you Grump!

What can I say? I am so with you Grumperina
I am a lace, shawl, scarf, hat, sock knitter.
And proud to be there! ;)
(Maybe someday, I'll find a sweater I truly want to knit, but till then, I think I'm a "Complete Knitter" just like I am...)

Saving for Retirement...

You know, when you reach a certain age, you're supposed to be in decent shape financially as you face retirement...Weelll...!
Many of the boomer generation are indeed in good shape. And then there are the rest of us.
:)
So I've been trying to play catch-up (as I'm sure a lot of you are)...and those of you who are 20- and 30-somethings? START NOW...it's so much easier (I know, I'm playing "Mom" again, right? So do as I say, not as I did, okay?)

One area of "discretionary income" for me, has been yarn. Or so I thought. But then I found that if I squashed my yearnings for yarn, it came out in other ways...like, OH! Patterns! or Oh! Needles!

So...once again, Judy was way ahead of me....you might remember that she calmed my fears of fiber addiction with "we're Yarn Collectors!" Remember that? Well, not so very long ago, she mentioned (and I've heard it here before, too) that we increase stash now, whilst we can afford to, in preparation for the lean years of living on meager retirement funds...!

And so...here you go - the 401(k)nit!
(I can't claim credit for this - it's all JUDY! But I did instigate the button!) (wink)

Less Than 2 Weeks!

I can't believe how fast time flies! I need at least 4 more weeks, and I have less than 2 to prepare for the show...(sigh)

I can only do what I can do, and the rest will just have to be orders! (grin)

Congrats to those of you who asked if what I was knitting might be fingerless mitts! (Some of you probably know that I'm a toe-up sock gal, so it didn't look right to have a cuff OTN! lolol!)

DGS#2 picked out the Tomcat colorway in this skein of Wildfoote for me for Christmas last year, and I could only make mitts (not socks) from 1 skein. I don't care for this yarn at all. The photo shows a much lower quality knitting that what you're used to seeing from me. I don't think it's me (tho a part might be the photo!). I really think it's the yarn. What's saddest of all? I LOVE the colors in this yarn - black, grey and mauve...perfect for me! I'm really sad that the yarn is so awful...splitty, a touch scratchy. Maybe I'll gift them if they turn out okay...

I'd picked up Anne's pattern for Fine Cabled Mitts some time ago, and decided to cast on this weekend. This is only my second cabled project ever...and yes, I've been to the lily pad once already...! Will I do these again? YES. In Wildfoote? Never.

And no, Diana, my cat show knitting will involve either charity hats or dishcloths. There's little real time to knit at this show as it is, with a gate of 10,000, and I can promise the knitting I do can't be anything I have to look at a pattern for! lololol!
(((hugs)))

New Project!

Two weeks and counting to the National Capital Cat Show and you know things are crazy around here! I can only handle the simplest of knitting right now - relatively mindless. I'm almost finished a chemo cap for the NoSoKnit the end of September (my reward for surviving the cat show!) and I'll have all my charity items complete when that's done - will cast off tonight, I think...

So...I had to put something else OTN, and it's been ages since I had anything on dpns, so...Angelika quickly (I am always stunned by her speed!) shipped the Addi Naturas I needed and here we have the beginnings of....

hmm...Why don't I let you guess what it is?
lolol
(((hugs)))

Just a Teaser...

How about a peak inside Knitnana's brand new bag?

Yup. That's why MY bag looks like...it's a Grand Mera - the same dimensions of the Sadie Teacher/Laptop bag, but the configuration of the original Mera: 6 pockets. I love it! There's more on Nana Sadie Rose's blog.

Whoo-hoo!

Roxanne got me again! And I'm just positively honored as all get out. This is twice someone has named me...

So...I'll name (and I may be getting them a second time so if I am, it just shows how Rockin' this gals are:
Jane
Birdsong
Margene
Chris
Opal

All these gals rock. And I'm so very glad I know them!

Clapotis - C'est Finis!

I think The Meezer thinks I'm nuts...

What IS this, Mommie?

Well, she is my Fleece Artist Sea Wool Clapotis!

Specs: fingering weight wool/sea silk blend in what I believe is the colorway "Jester" (FA doesn't put colorways on the band, but this is the closest I can come from her website.
Needles: began with Addi Lace needles size 4, switched to Addi Naturas in size 4 at the end, and wish I'd had them all the way thru the knit - this yarn is sooo soft - the Lace needles were fine, but the bamboo gave me a bit more control...

Started in July 2007 and finished last night! FAST knit.
Modifications? Well, I did add one repeat to the straight section. I wish I'd added at least 6 more (according to the marker I used, one repeat in this yarn was about 2 inches long). The finished scarf right now is 53 inches - a nice length for around my neck, and I was able to sit with it skirting my shoulders last night at the computer, but I don't think it's quite long enough for a wrap, I really could have made it longer...

I mean, after all, I have some yarn left...

(standard portable phone added for scale)

I'll weigh this when I get to work tomorrow, but I suspect there's about 2/3 of the skein left! Now...shall I make Mrs. Beeton's or maybe one of Anne's fingerless mitts with the leftovers?

And would I make this again? OH YEAH...Such a wonderful, fun knit (and I've got some yarn all set for it! *wink*)

Website Under Construction...

**Attention** This is a sticky post - scroll down for current content, please!

Most of you know that my DD is my webmaster, and she's been having a time lately with life getting in the way of keeping my website up to date. (Full-time job, husband, three kids, a move...you get the idea? I'm not 100% sure how she's staying sane...but sleep right now is a precious commodity, so...)

In light of the problems that's created for my business, I've opened another blog where you can easily see the types of bags available from Nana Sadie Rose

So just click on the link above - and pop over to visit me? I'd love to talk with you about how you can have your very own Nana Sadie Rose bag...

Barnes & Noble KnitNite!

Another group night - this time there were 6 of us (we missed you Diana!) and the funny part? Three of us are working on Clapotis! (and we didn't plan it!)

It was iced coffee and desserts, laughter (oh my! we DO have a good time), and the wonderful thing about knitters? We can have discussions, not agree on everything (we are ALL individuals with our own unique perspectives, after all) and still have a grand time...things never come to blows...

So tell me something? What would this world be like if the Knitters were in charge?

The Road to Recovery...

I stopped by One Fine Yarn the other day...looking for a pattern for the grandsons' Christmas gifts and couldn't stop with just one...had to finally get the Seascape Shawl that I've been promising myself for a long, long time. Don't have yarn yet, nor am I ready to queue it up, but I adore this. It's probably going with a lot of other patterns in my "collection." Like Judy, I'm a Yarn Collector, but I'm thinking we need a button and a category for stashing all those patterns we're going to save for the day we retire and really can't afford buy those, either! lol!

I think knitting those little guys in the other pattern just might be the antidote to my frustration from last night - thank you all for your votes of confidence and your attempts to console me. I'll be fine. Catharina is going to take a break for a bit - time out in hibernation!

Oh. Yes, the patterns came in a USPS Priority Mail envelope. Do you recognize what's in The Meezer's paws? She was delighted to find a new one!

Mommie? Stop pointing that camera and play with me...

One of THOSE Weeks?

Remember this?

Tonight, as I finished working the 10th repeat of that scalloped edge...I suddenly thought to myself: Gee. I'm amost finished. And then I wrote the 10th repeat on my sticky note. And stopped. I've been working on this edging for a couple of weeks at least now. Not every night. Not more than one repeat at a time. But...there are supposed to be 24 of them. I'm better than 2/3 of the way around the shawl. I'd actually thought a time or two, "Funny that they don't match up with the triangles at the bottom of the shawl any better than that."

Funny indeed.

Do I need to tell you? This knitted-on edging? Well, the chart has 58 rows. Except that you don't knit 58 rows on every scallop. No, that would be too easy. You knit rows 1-48 and then repeat rows 13-48 twenty-three more times and THEN knit rows 49-58.

Unless, of course, you're me. Then you knit all 58 rows repeatedly until you suddenly realize that you're an absolute idiot. I used to browbeat my students with "READ THE DIRECTIONS!" Yeah. My own words come back to haunt me (over and over again!!! Do you think if I eat them I'll learn?)

No I didn't frog it yet. Can't. I've got to carefully go back row by row, as I've KNITTED THIS ON, picking up ONE stitch on the bottom of the shawl every other row.
(sigh)
Not tonight I don't. I'd already made 2.5 bags for Nana Sadie Rose when I gave myself the reward of knitting one scallop on this shawl ... So I'm really too tired to think about frogging it - and now? Well, I do wonder if Catharina will EVER be finished? Because I don't think I'd better touch this till after the National Capital Cat Show...Sorry Big Sis, but you might not get your 60th birthday present on your 61st birthday after all...

(oh...and btw? Myrna Stahman is an amazing designer - b/c you know what? Those scallops? They DO match up PERFECTLY with the 24 triangles on the bottom of the shawl - I am an idiot. Myrna, on the other hand, is a genius! This is such a wonderful knit...eventually I won't mind redoing these scallops correctly - but give me a few weeks...)

On a nicer note...look what came in my mailbox over the weekend?


But I'm a little bit frightened of it after tonight. Because I happen to know that Anne is an amazing designer, too. And right now, there can be no question that I'm a complete and total idiot.

Monday Madness...

This has been one of those Monday's when I wished I'd stayed in bed - not that anything bad happened, just TERRIBLY BUSY (when you do things for three different employers all in one day - including yourself - then you're doing a bit too much)! And I was tired to start out the day! Oh well...it's almost over, and I think I'm going to try to hit the sack before 11:30 tonight! There's still hope!

I promised Dave a glamour shot or two of the Lacy Prairie Shawl in Peace Fleece...so here you go Dave! (Many thanks to my colleague CW for doing the honors - he's a wonderful photographer, but was using my camera, so there was only so much he had to work with!)

Of course this is the standard "from the back" pose, but you know what? I'm not as big as that white shirt underneath suggests! (What a surprise THAT was!)

And then, a side view...CW insisted I show off the nails! *grin*

Finally, I mentioned this a few days ago...I do love Peace Fleece - (tho' now that I've finished this shawl, I'm realizing that it REALLY is for colder climates than the 90+ degree temps we're having!) and decided that I wanted to do the Wool Peddler's shawl next (from Folk Shawls, too).

KarY was happy to oblige me in my madness, and here you see 5 skeins of the colorway Sheplova Mushroom...all ready to start WPS...and that photo is pretty true - it's a rusty red...unlike anything I currently have in my wardrobe, but I once had a Pendleton wool suit in this color that looked fabby on me! So I'm tickled to death! Thanks, KarY!

Ok...going to check email, and Ravelry for a few then head off to dreamland!
(((Hugs)))

Meezer Yoga

Wouldn't it be lovely to be THAT relaxed?

Easy Contest to Enter...

I was blog-hopping and Ariel sent me HERE for an east contest to enter. If you link to me in the comments, I get an extra entry - But then...you can do the same by posting on YOUR blog (isn't this a great way to increase traffic to your blog? I might just have to try this in the fall...)
(And LPS is off the blocking wires and lovely lovely! I'll see if I can get my resident photographer at the office to take a nice "glamour" shot tomorrow at work!)
(((hugs)))

Blocking Lacy Prairie - WOW!

We had a block party this morning! First time for using the KnitPicks lace blocking wires - note to self - order more T-pins! We were fine for this shawl, as the edge is straight, but I can see where with the points of lacier shawls, I'll need a lot more of them...

I realized AFTER I'd gotten it pinned down, that I had the public side facing the bed. Sorry...!

Point end - I used 6 wires (2 each side). The wires substantially cut down the amount of time it takes to pin (tho' remember this is a straight edge shawl, so that might not be the case with scallops or points to pin out! I'll find out soon enough with Catharina...Maybe in October?

The Peace Fleece smells kinda funky when it's wet, but I didn't notice an odor while knitting it, so I don't expect one when it's dry...and of course, I had lots of help while I blocked...

Mom, you're running out of bed, here...

OH GOODIE, Mom! Now we can get to the most important stuff! I thought you'd never finish fiddling!

Yarn P0rn - YUMMY!

Remember I said I'd asked Roxanne to dye some Icy Blues to go with the original Art Walk Sock Yarn from below? Well...this is what she did. Isn't it GORGEOUS? Oh My!

Art Walk Sock Club & Varia

It's here! The August installment of the Art Walk Sock Club" called Toreador! The photo below includes a fabric I've been planning to use to make myself a very special Grand Mera bag...which won't be on my "to do" list for several months...

My photo isn't great. But those shades of melon to salmon with milk chocolate and caramel are just to-dye for! :) I'm just happy happy happy ! What great colors...

I was so in love that immediately grabbed the fabric to see that the colors are the same...so I asked Roxanne to dye up a skein of this same wool/bamboo blend in her Icy Blues colorway. What will I make? At the moment I'm thinking something along the lines of the Chevron Scarf - except that I've got to get Diana's pattern she used, as it doesn't curl in upon itself. Won't that be all spiffy - a scarf and tote in perfect, matching shades? You really need to join up with the Art Walk Sock Club - it's a month-by-month commitment so you can opt out if you need to...(which I might have to do now that I've done the equivalent of two for September with the Icy Blues!!!) lololol!

I also wanted to thank everyone for their comments on the Lacy Prairie Shawl - it's from Folk Shawls by Cheryl Oberle. I have more Peace Fleece on the way for another shawl from the book! (I cannot help myself, I love this yarn...)

And then...(as if that's not enough?) I joined Anne of Green Gables KAL and read-along for October...I am ashamed to admit that this series I have never read! No, I don't yet know what I'll knit along with...but it shouldn't be all that hard, right? Socks? Scarves? Shawls? Mitts? I'm sure something I like to knit will be appropriate! Want to re-read an old favorite? Or like me, didn't get to read this as a girl? Come join us!

Finished Objects! Whew!

I've been pushing for some time now...as you can see that ticker up there as well as I can and the National Capital Cat Show is racing towards me a breakneck speed...

So the WendyKnits orders had to get done, and for all intents and purposes this is the last of them (if you have an order with another bag - like the Mavis or the Sadie - or you ordered in July, please give me a bit longer, okay? There are only a few of you, now!):

I can't believe that taking this photo is more important than my dinner The Meezer

And then, during the news tonight I finally (FINALLY!) cast off my Peace Fleece Lacy Prairie Shawl! This is the biggest FO of 2007 to date. I'm so happy. Here it is in it's unblocked state...

and it won't get blocked a minute before this weekend. I ordered the blocking wires from Knitpicks 4 weeks ago, and the first shipment has never arrived. They mailed out another set last Monday, and it's supposedly sitting in the same shipment facility that the first ones are still sitting in...I'm praying they get here this weekend, as I'd really like to use this gorgeous shawl...Fingers crossed!

Whew! Now I'm off to box up those bags...

Sundays Are Too Short!

So are Saturdays, frankly I want 5 day weekends, shall we put it to a vote?

lol
Ok...yesterday was sewing day and 6 more Posies were completed, then this a.m. 5 more were cut and made ready for the sewing machine. Life is rarely dull in my world. I will be training a new assistant this evening, which does crimp my own productivity - at least in the short run...(A cutting, not sewing assistant, as unfortunately, The Meezer does not have opposible thumbs to handle the scissors or rotary cutter!)

Last night was Knit Night with my friend Lynette, so of course, as usual, we made our pilgrimage to Panera Bread for soup, salad, and baguette, then back here to enjoy conversation and knitting. Another repeat of the lace edging on Catharina and more rows on Lacy Prairie's edging were attained on my end, but not without challenge, as talking doesn't mix much better with lace knitting than TV does...

But I decided (with Lynette's help) that it would be a smart move to use my AC Moore coupon to pick up the current issue of Knit N Style because I had been drooling over the Seashell Shawl. I decided that I do have enough of Joslyn's pastel pink laceweight merino to easily create this work of art, so with the 40% off on the magazine it's not a terribly expensive knit! The yarn has been sitting in stash for some time, project unassigned.

Today has been a gray, muggy day - it should just go on and rain, but I suspect we won't be that lucky.
(sigh)
Ok. Off to work on Posies, dinner, then a training session...have a great rest of your Sunday!

What A Day I've Had...

I have a very important job as Mommie's sewing assistant...

First I have to be sure that the bobbins are wound properly...

then there can't be too much dust from the fabrics...that gets inside and gums up the works inside the very expensive machine Mommie calls her "Bernina Baby."

I often have to check there to make sure that the needle she's using is still ok...you're supposed to change them after every 4 hours of sewing. And my mommie does, but sometimes she forgets it's been 4 hours. So I have to watch and let her know...

Finally it's my job to make sure Mommie takes a break every once in awhile for soft kitty time. I get her attention by pulling pins out of the things she's working on and dropping them on the floor "Ping ping," and she stops right away and comes to see what I'm up to. She gets all worried that I'll swallow the pins, but I'm not a dummy...
The Meezer

Interweave Knits Fall Issue

OK. I'm not blasting anything here! There are cute things in this issue IF: you're a willowy young thing, you're a young thing, or you're knitting for a baby or guy

In case no one had ever noticed...I am a "woman of a certain age," and I'm VERY picky. And I rarely knit anything other than shawls - there isn't a shawl in the issue (except for one or two in the ads, and I didn't care for those). There's a heavy stocking that I wouldn't knit, but there's a listing of toe-up (my fave) sock patterns on page 60. The Cable article looks good (and I might knit the cabled hat!), and there's the Fair Isle Composed Mitts that might be worth my trying (IF I decide I ever want to do Fair Isle), and since I have no men or babies to knit for...
(You know, I looked at the IK Felt! issue last night and passed IT by as well, because I do NOT felt much...)

I don't like most of the sweaters for the following reasons - a. I don't wear sweaters b/c it's always "way too hot in here, doncha'll think?" - that's the delight of a shawl, hot? take it off, cold? pull it on - b. I've never knit a sweater and don't have the time (or inclination) to start now and c. The sweaters are all styled for the younger gals, to my mind.

And if you think this "over-50" gal is going to wear a SWEATER DRESS? Yeah something like maybe when H-E-DoubleHockeySticks freezes over...THAT is young - and it's CUTE but it's not for me...

There is ONE sweater that MIGHT someday make my "to-do" list and that's the Minimalist Cardigan - BUT...only if I can knit it down to hip-length. My sense of fashion just looks at that sweater length and automatically says "What, you ran out of yarn??"

I know. I KNOW. I'm behind the times. So sue me - I'm over 50. I remember classics. THAT sweater ALMOST makes it...it just - falls SHORT! *wink*

I LOVE the sweater on the back cover b/c the styling is classic. Debi's right - it's a stick-figure wearing it and I'm a long, long way from a stick figure. But I LOVE the classic styling of that sweater (and there are a couple others in the ADs that are classic, too)...I'm not saying that there's nothing worthwhile in the magazine.

But there's not a lot in the magazine for ME...there is for all you younger knitters! (and you smaller ones...)
lolol
What do you expect from a fashion magazine? And that's what IK is. Don't argue - we're all entitled to our opinions...There is gorgeous FASHION knitting between it's covers!

Here's what I think - IK IS A WONDERFUL MAGAZINE...and thankfully my queue on Ravelry is so full, I can get eye candy from this issue and not feel guilty that there's an extremely short list of stuff I might someday knit from here.

OH I really did like the cable hat! And I suspect I'll knit it and WEAR it!!!

My Favorite From Fall IK is...

This from the very back cover. Not sure what it would look like on this "less-than-svelte" body, but I adore it. Hmm...I know, it's not IN the magazine itself...

The Things We Do To Reward Ourselves...

If I sew this, cut that, finish another bag...I can...

Browse my new Fall issue of IK that came in the mail today! Yeah!!

Chris IS OKAY!

If you're watching the bridge collapse on TV - Chris of Chaos & Mayhem fame is okay - she was working at home today. Thank the Dear LORD! She's checking on family and friends, so I thought if anyone looked here to see, they'd feel better seeing it on my blog - I don't know when she'll have time to post!
((((hugs))))
Chris we're all praying for everyone there!