In Lieu of Knitting Photos

I've been away from home since Tuesday night (at a conference) and was all set to take advantage of having an extra bed in the hotel room to use to take photos of my current on-the-needles knitting when my camera battery gave out. The photos taken with my iPod are crap.

So, instead, I'll leave you with photos taken at home when I was testing to see just how much lack-of-light the camera on the iPod can handle.

Our downstairs is getting chilly.

Can you tell where she starts and where she ends?

There's nothing like a footstool in front of the gas stove. 

"You woke me for this? WFT?"

How Do You Spell Relief?

Liz says it all here

and Helen, as always, made my day.

Peaceful Foliage

While in Bloomington, we stayed at a Buddhist retreat center. The grounds are incredibly beautiful. 

Inside this building is a sand mandala. The mandala is covered with plexiglass since it's in the middle of this open-air building. While I don't fully understand all of the symbolism of this mandala, just the artistry alone leaves one incredulous.

Folige

In mid-October, I met up with knitting friends in Bloomington, IN. While there, we had breakfast at a great restaurant - FARMbloomington. We also found a couple of local yarn shops. In A Yarn Basket is a homey place with plenty of nooks and crannies to explore. The key is to look up at the knitted models - lots of inspiration. 

The other shop we visited is Yarns Unlimited which has a more urban vibe to it.  

Both interesting places, both worth a visit. 

As we were farther south than usual, the fall colors had not yet run their course. On the street outside of FARMbloomington, we saw foliage of a different kind. There was serious yarn bombing on trees up and down the street. 

This tree made it apparent that we were in enemy territory.

Improvisation

Have you ever been to a conference where they have a box of paper and pens on the conference table? I've been to plenty of conferences and always knit during them.

(And why the non-knitters who are openly reading newspapers or can't be bothered to look up from their smart phones because they're playing games, checking email, reading blogs, and obviously ignoring the speaker never get the strange looks I get as one who is knitting in order to focus my attention on the speaker is a whole other blog post.)

I never thought of temporarily converting the box to a knitting accoutrement.

But I will now.

Rocking Her Look

I was at an event last weekend where the usual look was everyone rockin' their knitted items. There were sweaters, shawlettes, and scarves a plenty.

But this is the look I found most fascinating. How I wish I could have seen this knitter from the front.

This look incorporated (from toe to head) shiny, glittery pink shoes, black leggings with sparkly pink decorations on them, pink plaid poodle skirt, white lace blouse, black cardigan with pink accents on the sleeve (and probably on the front), and plaid pink ponytail holders.

Oh, to be young enough again (but with my forty-something self-confidence) to pull off looks like this.

If age-appropriate was not a factor, what look would you rock?

Sheep and Wool

This September, I made the trek to the WI Sheep and Wool Festival. I didn't take classes this year. Just went for the day to scout vendors, look at sheep, and knit. (There may have been some blueberry pie from a local 4-H group, too.) 

Two barns of vendors.

Flocks of sheep, shorn

and unshorn.

I love a place where no one looks askance at a person carrying around a spinning wheel.

I Think I Can, I Think I Can

I'm going to try it.



We'll see if I have enough material to last a whole month. 

Bets, anyone? 

Multimedia

What have I been watching, or listening to, lately while knitting?

Movies

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is one movie I didn't get a chance to see in the theater so saw it on DVD. There was no knitting during this film. I tried, but abandoned it within the first 30 seconds of the film otherwise I completely lost track of important details. In fact, there were a couple of times we backed up to replay parts of it.  

TV series

Upstairs Downstairs - As an anglophile, this is a must see for me. I'm concurrently watching the 1971 and the 2010 versions. Call The Midwife - this series is quite enjoyable and I'm completely caught up in the story lines of the major characters. The Office. (Do I need to explain myself on this one?) Kingdom. It's enough that Steven Fry stars in this. But add to the mix that he's a solicitor and I'm hooked. Doc Martin - Kooky, stars Martin Clunes. Need more? And if you haven't seen William and Mary, add it to your list. Just the scenes of William carrying out his undertaker duties makes the whole series worth while. 

Podcasts

I seem to be perpetually late to the party. I'm catching up with podcasts that started "broadcasting" long ago. Some favorites knitting podcasts are: The Savvy Girls, The Knitmore Girls, Knitcircus, the now defunct Sticks and String, and Stash and Burn.
I also listen to a number of non-knitting podcasts, mainly from PBS and BBC radio. A History of the World in 100 Objects, Graham Norton, Great Lives, Wait Wait Don't Tell Me, and This American Life.

One of the best podcasts, in my humble opinion, is The Moth.

Etc.
Lest you think I'm a more highly-cultured person than I really am, let me assure you that there is chaff amongst the wheat.

I admit, I do watch the Real Housewives of (fill in any city). It's amazing how little class comes with having large amounts of money. I do envy one thing - their shoe racks (which are in "closets" bigger than my living room and kitchen combined) would make great yarn shelves.

What movies/TV/podcasts do you recommend? If you had the money that the pointlessly rich have, what would your yarn room look like?

After All, Tomorrow Is Another Day

While I'm on a leave of absence from my job, I believe I've gotten a small taste of what it will be like when I retire (if that day ever comes). I've begun to see some tendencies surfacing that I didn't realize existed - or what I've begun to call the Rules of the Haus.

First rule. If I've nowhere to be the next day, it is far too easy for me to get caught up in a project and/or what I'm watching while knitting. So caught up that I have to force myself to go to bed even though it's an obscenely late (or early, depending on your point of view) time. We're talking between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. Then I feel like I've wasted the next day by sleeping in until 9 a.m. or later.

Second rule. I thought I was a procrastinator before...but without a set schedule, it's even easier to procrastinate (if that's possible). "I've got time...I can always do this tomorrow...oooooo! bright, shiny new thing!...squirrel! Any self-imposed deadline gets pushed back or I have an internal negotiation with myself which eventually falls to pieces. Without  real, essential deadlines it's too easy to get distracted by other things. When I have events scheduled, I'm much more productive that day.

Third rule. Having more time means more time to cast on new projects, not finish old projects.

Fourth rule. There's still not enough time to do everything I'd like to do.

Fifth rule. I'd much rather be knitting or other crafts than doing household chores. Which then leads to the second rule.

I have caught up on some essential paperwork due on a deadline, so hopefully I will get pictures taken of the latest projects on the needles. More to follow...

just when I can't say.

Lethal Weapon 5?

Have you ever read the fine print on the packaging your needles came in when you purchased them?

I didn't even realize there was fine print.

In fact, it's not just fine print, but a warning.

I hope you're qualified to wield those knitting implements.

And I quote, "This needle or item should be used only for the purpose it was designed for: NEEDLE WORK.

If used improperly and or by untrained persons this tool may cause bodily harm. Always use caution and store your tools in a safe place inaccessible in particular to children."

A few thoughts come to mind as I read that warning:

How much training do I need before I'm qualified to use these needles?

I think of my cross stitch as "needle work" but not my knitting. Do you put knitting in the category of "needle work"? 

"May cause bodily harm" makes me feel like Ralphie in A Christmas Story - "you'll shoot your eye out, kid". 

Are Addi Turbos intrinsically more dangerous than other needles? Should they be licensed? James Bond, licensed to knit. 

In my line of work, "bodily harm" is an element of a crime. This wording sounds more like part of a script from CSI: Special Knitters Unit.

Thank goodness yarn doesn't come with a warning label.

Then again, maybe it should.

What would your yarn warning label say?

Not Your Average Convention Coverage

As usual, Helen had the best critiques of the Republican Convention here and here.

And for something completely different and non-political, I'm off to the Sheep and Wool Festival.

Celebrating, POTUS Style

DH and I celebrated our victory on August 14th by heading to Iowa on August 15th. 

We stood for about an hour, watched by this fellow and others...

then the bus finally arrived...

the occupants disembarked...

his wife introduced him (with an impressive speech of her own)...

 and he gave a stirring speech which highlighted just how important this election will be.

I can't seem to find the words to tell you just how meaningful and special it was to be a part of the crowd. 

But Helen and Margaret have the words to tell you, in their own feisty, inimitable way,  just why this next presidential election is so important. Especially for women. I mean it. Really.

The Long, Hot Summer

It's been a long time...too long...between posts.

So there is much to catch up on.

First, the reason for my temporary absence from blogging was explained here. Without going into too much detail, I can share that I was successful in my endeavors in the August primary and that I will be the only person on the ballot for this position come November. This means I'm still on a leave of absence, still campaigning but not at the same frantic level.

Since May, there has not been much knitting happening at the Haus, especially in July. With no air conditioning and temperatures in the high 90s-100s (that's about 32-39 celsius for those of you overseas), the stickiness of wool in sweaty hands is just intolerable. These high temperatures mean the house is just as hot as outside - and sometimes hotter, especially on the second floor where our bedroom is located. Thank goodness I have no access to state secrets - a little sleep depravation and I'd crack like an egg dropped on the floor. Our home has become the boneless chicken ranch - and our female cat has placed herself at the front door, as if in warning to others who would enter this sauna.

While I haven't been a prolific knitter,  I used up some single skeins of yarn I had in order to make some dryer balls. I was very pleased with the outcome. Now I just need to get some essential oils to scent them with. I need to make a few more so that I have enough for a trip to the laundromat when I fill more than one dryer at a time.

And I've found that, at least in my mom's front loading washing machine, Paton's Classic Wool felts better than Cascade 220.

Now that the primary race is over and the temperatures had cooled down (until today), I've been catching up on knitting in between cleaning the house, which had been generally ignored for the last month.

You can imagine which I'm enjoying more.

Recidivism

My shawl has struck again.

It's like a bad movie that keeps coming back as even worse sequels.

Suddenly, I realize that my right hand feels much lighter than my left.

Luckily, I was at Late Night Knitting in the shop where I had gotten Needles I and II.

The shawl is now back on Needles III.

Any bets as to whether these needles will survive until I cast off?

Yes, Knitting Has Actually Occurred

Still on the needles - the Oakland Shawl. Made from Kauni yarn. I'm loving it, but I just want to be done with it. The only good thing is I think, as it's all garter stitch, I won't have to really block it.

Saroyan made with Malabrigo Silky Merino.

The Gathered Scarf made with Malabrigo Laceweight.

Basic mittens from Ann Budd's The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns made with Araucania Ranco Multy.

Who knew taking a picture of one's own hand was so difficult?

And Knitting Pure and Simple's Neckdown Pullover Tunic #9726 made with Mountain Colors Weaver's Wool.

My goal is to get the shawl done before it gets too hot to knit in the house - and that time is not far off!

Hodge Podge

FEBRUARY
There aren't many people whose life I would like to live. Clara Parkes, the brains behind Knitter's Review, author of a number of books, and a blog is one of those people. (She had me at the fact she lives in an old farmhouse on the coast of Maine).

We were lucky enough to have her as the Guild speaker. I love people who are into the geeky aspects of knitting and willing (and able) to do the work I don't want to have to do.

MARCH
My dad celebrated his birthday.

He's looked the same for the past 30+ years.

Chicago was the meeting place for me, Martha, and Susan to see, among other things, the Charles James exhibit at the Chicago History Museum, and then a quick run through The Art Institute.

Our 2 evenings were spent chatting, knitting, snacking. Martha and Susan were kind enough to allow DH along on our girls' weekend.

The weekend was far, far too short and over far, far too soon.