Tangled up and Twisted

Be careful or you'll knit yourself a larger butt!

2010-01-31T10:21:00.000-08:00

I had to share a blog I enjoy from another knitter:

http://exercisebeforeknitting.com/

I love her philosophy to exercise before knitting, just because its a good idea. It is so easy, especially in my NW climate, to settle in with some yarn & tea to relax. After the naughty five pounds I packed on during the holidays (spent knitting, eating, drinking and not working out one bit) I keep reminding myself to exercise before I knit, thanks to this lovely knitter/blogger.

In fact, I use it as a carrot to entice myself. I don't get to knit until I shake things up a bit. As a Zumba instructor, I also have to force myself to learn new choreography when I would rather be knitting.

Seriously, I have a few hours each day when my kids are asleep, and I can workout in my home gym (I have a gym that is off the hook, yet I rarely get into it), memorize choreography (which is required in my job) or knit. Knitting wins 9 times out of 10.

I'm a mom to a 5 year old boy and 2 year old girl. I'm tired. All the freakin' time. Love my kids, but they need me so much, and I happily give to them all day long, so when those precious few hours of peace descends upon my house, I generally fall into a heap on my couch. Which happens to have my knitting basket right next to it.

I sit down and think of Elinor's blog, Exercise Before Knitting. It has just stuck with me. My aha moment is this...I have to exercise before my kids get up in the morning. Even if its just a quick 3 mile run or 30 minutes with my weights.

Naptime won't feel like such a guilty time if my exercise is already hammered out and done for the day.

Thank you Elinor, for a phrase that sticks with me every day, for keeping me honest. And congratulations on your darling baby. By the way? The baby handknits? Droolworthy for sure!

Baaaaaaaaad Juju from mean LYS salesperson. Baaaaaaaaaaad.

2010-01-30T11:14:00.000-08:00

Last night my dear friend Marla & I decided to have a little girls night out. Friday night, some knitting, perhaps a burger & beer afterward at the pub close by.

Well...'twas not to be.

As the only two customers at a yarn shop (that will remain nameless--but lets just say, they weren't living up to their name) we asked that the music be changed from Classical to something we would enjoy knitting to on a Friday night. Made a few requests, suggestions, and were told that the gentleman working there "could not stomach listening to popular music and wasn't going to do it."

Ummm..wow.

Was that an insult? I felt like I got bitch-slapped for not being "refined" enough in my music taste to sit and knit in their establishment! I didn't ask for anything I hadn't heard playing there in the past (in fact, I once shazam-ed some music I heard there to download onto my iPhone).

I guess the customer isn't always right.

I guess this fella doesn't care that I enjoy hanging out there & had thought of it as my 2nd home. My feelings were hurt.

I wish I had bought my Addie Click Needles and hundreds of dollars of yarn from somewhere else now. We all know it shouldn't matter if a customer spends $5 or $500, every person's hard earned dollar is equal; but as a loyal customer, shit, shouldn't I at least be allowed to wallow in the mire of generic popular music if I so desire? Especially if I'm the only soul in the joint?

Wow. Bad customer service is a disease. I notice it everywhere I go these days. I guess I'm of an age (39) where I learned from my first job to treat every customer as equal and barring abusive behavior, THE CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS RIGHT.

Ah well...manners are a thing of the past. And I want to tell the owners of this shop, but I have a feeling the not-so-gentleman is married to an owner.

The funniest part of this whole scenario? I'm a season ticket holder to the Oregon Symphony. Classical music is not beyond me. But some days I just want to hear a little Maroon 5, Goo Goo Dolls, Coldplay etc. It's called variety baby. Rock on.

Psssst....wanna see my stash?

2010-01-25T14:20:00.000-08:00

Stash, aka, every knitter's dirty little secret. Some are bigger than others, and we squirrel them away carefully as if they were illicit like the stuff that makes hemp yarn.

The very organized knitter keeps his or her stash carefully labeled in lovely bins by fiber, color, and project.

I long to be this knitter. I'm on way to being this knitter. I felt like a knitter with a dirty secret until I pulled my stash out its many hiding places (under the bed, in my closet, in bags on the floor, in end tables and nightstands) and laid it all out on my bed.

It's not that bad!

Imagine my thrill, my delight, my realization, I can BUY MORE YARN!

Wait. What the???? Why!!! I have all this yarn and I still want more? Well, the Tahki Bunny Print is nice, but I don't know what to do with it. The Vermont O-Wool is yummy, but the color--it ain't me. Same with the Cascade 220 in a tomato coral red. Great yarn, great color, not moi.

I can sell/swap those yarns, but shouldn't I knit through my Rowan, my Louisa Harding silks, my Dream in Color Classy? Yes, yes, I will! The navy silk is for Simple Knitted Bodice. The turquoise silk is for Sahara. The Dream in Color for My Favorite Cardigan. The Sidar Blur? Most likely queued up for Birgitte Pullover. If I have enough. Otherwise, it's Veronique from French Girl Knits.

I have a Louisa on needles made from Thalia yarn, and I can't decide whether I ought to finish my hibernating Vivian (made from Malabrigo worsted) or double it up and make a Wrenna from it.

See...this is what a stash does to you. It addles your brain and depletes your wallet. Yarn is not cheap. Not good yarn anyway. I want to love cheaper yarn. I'm going to experiment with it this summer. But I still can't stop thinking about a Wicked sweater in Dream in Color Classy's Chinatown Apple.

Knitting? It's addictive. Yarn? Our drug. And yes, we hide our stashes.

But I'm willing to share my dirty secret with the world. Here is my stash...feast your eyes.

Chinatown Apple. Mmmm....yep, already starting to obsess.

Why the hell do you knit?

2010-01-21T14:20:00.000-08:00

When folks find out I knit, I am met with one of two reactions. First is one of disbelief, followed by a look that says "oh that poor thing, being home has finally gotten to her and she's gone off the domestic deep end." The second reaction is one of interest, usually followed by "Wow! I wish I had the patience to do that."

Anyone who knows me well, knows I am not a woman of great patience. I have it, but I am an easily distracted sort, so the fact that I spend a lot of time knitting sweaters is amazing even to me.

I'm pretty sure garment construction scratches that itchy part of me that obsesses over clothing. Unlike shopping which gives me instant gratification, knitting a sweater happens one stitch at a time.

Yuppers.

One. Stitch. At. A. Time.

Bit by bit, twist after twist, growing fabric underneath my fingers. It's insane. You'd think doing something that tedious would make your mind snap. I find it to be just the opposite. After a day of listening to my kids' screaming, whining, fighting, and repetitive choruses of "NO!!!!" knitting calms me down and brings me to a peaceful spot.

My favorite moment is when you are working on a complicated pattern and suddenly you can actually see it in your fabric, unfolding before your very eyes! Then I take a sip of my wine, wrap some luscious yarn around my fingers and carry on. A sweet slice of heaven.

So, why the hell do I knit? Because if I didn't, I might actually stab someone with a sharp object. This way, I channel how I use them.

Hi-ho, Hi-ho, armed with new FOs I go....

2009-10-02T22:55:00.000-07:00

Summer yielded quite the hearty harvest. Two snuggly winter sweaters and more on needles at I type.

For Ravelry's Official Sexy Knitter's Club 3rd quarter Knit-A-Long (or KAL if you will) we got to choose from two designers & I chose Wendy Bernard, as I just purchased her fantastic book, Custom Knits, for my Karma tank.

I knit up Jane & Lion Neck Cardigan and ooh baby did I learn a thing or two.

First to finish: Lion Neck
Coming in at a quick 2 weeks (and while working Jane mind you) one has to respect the speed of a bulky weight yarn. BooYa!

I knitted the large, going off the finished bust measurement, but the sweater wound up being awfully large on me. I'm currently pondering who to gift it to. It needs a taller recipient. It's an armhole thing. I spent a lot of time rechecking to see if I truly got gauge when I knit my test swatch, and yuppers, I did. I checked throughout the sweater, and that baby is dead on. I'm a pretty even knitter. I swatch religiously.

I chose not to make any modifications on the sweater, but this next one, I believe I am going to do some waist decreases, and I am knitting the next size down. I will also pay VERRRRRRRRRRY close attention to the armhole on the raglan. Another knitter just gave me a heads up on how to do it...will share on Snuggly Lion Redux when I get a chance!

Without further ado....my Snuggly Lion! (can I just say Rowan RYC Soft Tweed is friggin' delish? Wool, silk, oh my gawwwwwd.)

Below...check out my too big raglan sleeves.

If I were a fan of baggy sweaters, I would be fine with this, but I prefer to wear my clothing, not the other way around!

Next up:

JANE!

Ohhkay. I think I'm in love. With Cascade 220 that is. Nice low price, feels so nice, easy to knit with? Check please! I'm still out on the sweater. I need to wear it with the right outfit (this was a last minute photo snapped to submit my FO for the KAL deadline...this is a quiz, you remember the acronyms, right?)

I wasn't able to score velvet ribbon at Michael's, so I had to settle for grosgrain which I find far too slippery. So I'm off to get some velvet & perhaps some sort of a closure to jazz it up. I also need to wear the right top underneath. I have a great black tank that will work so much better. Not sure if I love the style on me, but its not bad for a mommy bumming around sweater and I learned how to do sleeve caps on this sucker.

Did I mention I had to frog (knitspeak for rip out/unravel) BOTH sleeves before I realized I only knit 3 short rows on the shoulder cap? Having never executed them before, I actually read the pattern literally instead of thinking it through.

Honestly, I'm not sure you should be drinking & knitting, but hell...wine & yarn are my vices!

These could be the worst pictures of me ever posted on the net, hence the headless knitter pose.

More fun and games tomorrow as I commence on a kick ass yarn-hopping through Downtown Portland. Knit-Purl & Knit Knot here we come!

Birthing Hands of DC/ Infant Mortality Awareness Month

2009-08-15T14:57:00.000-07:00

Attention knitting friends...another dear friend/blogger recently posted this on her blog Trial of Labor (http://labortrials.wordpress.com/)

http://www.birthinghandsdc.com/hats/index-NEW.html

It is infant mortality awareness month & in an effort to raise awareness they are asking knitters to knit/crochet hats for infants. There's even a 10-min preemie project!

I'm off to raid my stash for some yarn to go atop wee noggin's.

Knit with your hearts folks, knit with your hearts.

See Jane Knit

2009-08-04T15:21:00.000-07:00

Or see Jeannine knit Jane.

I love Custom Knits by Wendy Bernard, seriously I am blown away by the number of rockin' patterns in this book.

I've already knit Karma, which turned out great, depsite the fact that I was learning as I went.

Now I'm on to Jane, and I'm holding strong to my promise to use only the yarn recommended by the pattern (unless I've knit it before). Lucky me, 5 skeins of Cascade 220 Heathers in Peacock wound up and ready to roll just sitting in my stash! Wahooooo!

Love the 24 row stitch pattern, love the seed stitch, love the yarn...

Love the funky neckline and can't wait to go ribbon shopping to finish it off with.

I shall return with pictures!

Monkeys have landed

2009-06-20T16:09:00.000-07:00

Blue Moon Fiber Arts really socked it to me with their Funky Sock Monkey pattern using the Socks That Rock Heavyweight yarn.

I knit the small one and then the large one, and my preference is for the tiny monkey.

The little bugger knits up in 2 or 3 hours and is so easy to do. The big one took me a week and a half or so and was a lot more work.

Also, given the cost of STR yarn, I'm inclined to make myself an army of wee simians.

Without further ado, I present Mo & CoCo.

Mo

Isn't the small monkey adorable? I would love to make a bunch of these for a children's hospital. So cheery & colorful & perfect for little hands.

Next up is Coco, the larger monkey, glammed up with eyelashes & fuschia lips for my daughter...

There ya go! It's a jungle in here I tell you!

I guess there is little excuse left for not working on my Karma KAL (which ends June 30th! Crap!) or my MIL's vest. (which I told her would be done by mother's day...double Crap!).

Cheers!

Karma'll getcha

2009-06-01T12:38:00.001-07:00

Karma tank that is. I have to finish this sucker. I have until the end of June for my Ravelry KAL (knit along) and I hate having unfinished WIPs. Makes me crazy!

I am distracted by making the Blue Moon Fiber Arts Funky Sock Monkeys. They give my 4 year old son so much joy, and he loves helping stuff them that I am utterly at his mercy creating little funky friends for him.

Ok...back to my Karma Tank. Gotta do it.

Style File

2009-05-26T18:23:00.000-07:00

I'm utterly and completely bummed about my Silken Scabbard neckline.

Let's face it, a set in hemmed neckline on me, quite simply, sucks.

Of course, the pattern is not to blame, it looks great on other knitters who did a bang up job on it.

So, what is my problem?

Style.

Yup.

Style, it can make or break your look. Whether it's your home, clothing, makeup, or hair; sometimes we just need to evaluate our personal style and figure out what works and purge what doesn't.

Knitting taught me that deep v-necks, square necks, and otherwise elongating (and bust enhancing) patterns suit my body best will save me hundreds of hours of knitting items that just don't work and wind up disappointing the hell out of me. Do not get me started on how much money I've wasted on yarn.

Knitting a sweater is like cultivating a lover long distance. You put so much time and energy into what it could be, what it will be, if only you can pull it all together. Flirting with what could be is not the same as having it. Caressing the fibers as you create the fabric that will someday hold your body close (am I still talking about a sweater?), seeing mere glimpses of what the two of you will look like together as you try on each stage of the relationship, eh, sweater, working feverishly towards finishing this luscious project, your hands trembling as you near the end of the ball. (oh stop it...I'm talking yarn)

The day comes, distance is conquered (or sweater knitted, whatever) and you think "oh crap...what the hell was I thinking? I have to live with this idiot (wear this sweater) forever?

Fuck.

You tuck it away, pissed off you spent so much time and energy investing yourself emotionally for months on a reality that bears little semblance to the fantasy. Who knows, your wrists may ache from the effort. (again..yarn...PLEASE!)

Save yourself from this kind of seduction, know your style, know what looks good, go with that and you might just live happily ever after.

WIPs and Itchy Credit Card

2009-05-18T15:06:00.001-07:00

WIP Roll Call:

Karma Tank

Tie Front Vest (for Mum)

Sahara Sweater

As if these 3 projects weren't enough...and my queue on Ravelry just keeps growing!

I promised myself I would finish my other WIPs (works in progress) before buying anymore yarn, but somehow......I purchased a bunch of yarn, patterns and needles again. Beaded wristlets,

Blue Moon Fiber Arts Funky Sock Monkey kit (OMG priceless and ADORABLE!)

How could I say no to the Retro Throw from KnitPicks with the Crayon Boucle Yarn...Blue, light blue, and azure..ahhh what a blissful combo!

I'm sick. Truly sick. Put down the laptop & mastercard, walk away and no one get hurts.

And for the love of pete...finish that effin' vest for mum already! Gah!

I conquered the Silken Scabbard...arrrrrghhhhh mateys...now rum!

2009-05-18T14:58:00.000-07:00

This sweater was the DEATH of me.

I frantically finished it while I had a sick sleepy baby on my chest, paranoid that I didn't have enough yarn for the last inch of sleeve.

At $37 for a 529 yard jumbo hank, it was not a good spot to be in.

however, the gods of yarn were smiling upon me and I got the bitch finished.

I even had enough yarn to hang myself with afterward.

This sweater is definitely an advanced project, but its making the project I am on now feel so simple. I learned so many techniques, and really got a handle on knitting in the round a bunch of ways, and decided I do not care for Magic Loop for small diameter knitting. I even learned how to knit with 2 circulars and I don't care for that either. But I'm glad I know both. Now I'm onto knitting with DPNs and I'm just so stinkin' tickled that Knit Picks Harmony wood DPNs are like knitting with little bits of sunshine in your hands.

Gah...now on to try and finish another sweater....and a tank...and a vest...

S.S. Syndrome

2009-05-02T21:59:00.000-07:00

Yes, it is official...

I have Second Sleeve Syndrome.

I dreamt about my Silken Scabbard last night, more of a nightmare really. In my dream, I tried on my sweater when it was finished and not only was it too short, but it unraveled all the way up the front.

Wha???

Gah.

I woke up shivering in a cold pool of sweat, only to remind myself I've been trying this sucker on the entire time I've been knitting it. It fits perfectly dammit.

2 months and 1 week is a lot of knitting effort to put into something only to still have ONE MORE DAMN SLEEVE TO FINISH! No wonder I'm freaking out. I'd really like to get on with my summer knitting......

It's all about the yarn...

2009-04-12T11:38:00.000-07:00

It was the last weekend in September, 2008. My favorite enabler (shopping, wine, food, and all things fabulous) Marla had invited me up to her beach house in Ocean Park, Washington to celebrate my 38th birthday, sans the kiddos.

(pictured left to right: Marla, Cathy, and yours truly, the birthday girl)

It was 3 days of really great food, really great wine, and an initiation into the world of yarn, thanks to Cathy, who also made the trip with us.

Cathy and I knit late into the evening, draining more than our fair share of Ken Wright pinot noir. I learned how to knit a dish scrubbie, and you could definitely tell that when I started the process, I'd only had one glass of wine. By the time I reached the 5th (or was it 6th) glass, my, ummmm, technique had definitely suffered.

Allegedly, my later stitches were of great amusement to Cathy & Marla the following morning. I was too hungover to notice.

But after the haze of a pinot induced fog lifted, one thing remained...yarn lust.

I was hooked.

Visions of things I could knit began to needle me and I ran off to Michael's craft store the second I got home.

Arming myself with a how to kit, some Homespun yarn, and a few different sized needles I began a fast and furious love affair with knitting.

Fast forward 6 months, and I've completely gone off the deep end. Like a lover obsessed, I rendevous with my beloved yarn at a variety of different yarn shops. My tastes expanded to luxury yarns (damn that Marla, I was perfectly content drinking shit wine before I met her. That is no longer the case...and now I am no longer content knitting with sub-par fibers either) and if the yarn didn't dance beneath my fingers, or caress it oh just so, I won't touch it.

Thank God I'm the basset hound of bargains, I can sniff out a sale a mile away.

My first projects consisted of a half dozen homespun garter stitch scarves...perfect for perfecting one's tension & making mistakes.

When I decided scarves bored me, I crafted the Kaya Cabled Scarf for Marla

before diving into the Central Park Hoodie.

I'm proud of my efforts, I'm amazed I'm knitting sweaters, and I'm really pleased that I've learned so much in such a short time--which was not without its downside--I had to get an acupuncture treatment to soothe my aching hands and learn physical therapy stretches to keep the pain at bay. Most of all, I love my arthritis gloves that I knit in if I'm going to do a marathon session. Not.

Knitting is therapeutic, addictive, and utterly mind boggling. It is not without its challenges, and I usually put down my needles and go to bed when I find myself Tangled up and Twisted....