Swatching...

Okay, so I'm doing a little swatch of this yarn, Trekking XXL, for the Trek-A-Long. I've swatched with a size US1, and a size US2 (The US2 is the needle in the pic. I used US1 for the beginning part which is the first section below the garter stitch divide). I'm thinking that I like the look and feel of the US1. It's a closer knit, which I think would be really good for socks to hike in.

I think I have till August 31 to finish them and get a pic of me hiking in them.... I think I'm screwed....

Well, well, well...

The thumbs seemed to have gone a lot quicker than I expected:


I guess we're gonna have an early Labor Day, huh Dave? Hehehehe....

P.S. - Since many of you have asked, the mitten pattern comes from the book "The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns" by Ann Budd.

Soon...

Look, Ma, no thumbs! Hehehe... Ok, ok... Yes, I've been working on these things FOREVER! I realize that. But again, I never said I was in this for speed... (And I'm using size 2 needles, for Heaven's sake!) Hoping to get the thumbs done in the next day or two, so I can start my first pair on socks for the Trek-a-Long (I guess it's a good thing that the Trek-a-Long goes till August 31st, huh?).

The flash really washed out the colors, but I really just wanted to show you that, indeed, progress is being made....

She got it!

Very cool! My Day Swap Buddy got her yarn and the other goodies I sent her! And she likes them! I'm so pleased! Her blog is here. This is what she said:

You are AWESOME!!!! Thank you so much! I am going to read your blog & learn about my dye o rama buddy!! Thank you so much!!! I LOVED EVERYTHING!!!!

Is that sweet, or what? You're welcome, Cristina! Have an awesome day!

Just a Quickie...

So, I sent out the yarn today for my Dye-O-Rama swap buddy. I hope she likes it. I think she will, from the e-mails and info I got from her. I'm hoping to have those mittens done by June - I've started the decreasing of the main part of the second mitten, then all I will have to do are the thumbs. Looking forward to that.

Just for kicks, a little gratuitous theatre shot:

Some of my favorite babies in a Rodgers & Hart review, summer of 2004. Great kids. Four of the six are either majoring or minoring in music or musical theatre in college. I'm kinda proud....

Remembering

Again, another big thank you to Cayli for the beautiful yarn. I can't help but smile when I just look at it - she really did a wonderful job. Visit Cayli here.

Last night was spent at the local Council of the Arts, which is housed in a former high school building here in town. The theatre of the high school was refurbished several years ago, and has been a very active performing arts venue. Last year, the technical director of the theatre was tragically killed in a freak accident, and so in honor of Martin, the Council of the Arts theatre was renamed for him, The Martin W. Kappel Theater. It was a wonderful catered event. Cocktails and hors d'oeurves in the arts gallery, then a formal presentation in the theatre itself. Several colleagues of Martin's spoke about his work in the theatre, and then, to top it off, his two sons had put together a video presentation about their father (narrated by his wife, Victoria, who is the director of the local Council of the Arts), including clips of his own performences as an actor and mime. It was touching to see Martin as a young man performing in the theatre. He was mesmerizing.

I was fortunate to have worked with Martin on a couple of projects - one a reading of one of his original plays, and in another I was his music director for a production of The Fantasticks. I learned a lot from Martin, and his presence is sorely missed here in out little rural community. He also worked with my high school kids on several productions as a lighting designer. I'll never forget the reaction of my kids when he had designed the most beautiful lighting using many different colors, and as they were on stage acting, they would also look around then to see all the different colors and how it made them look. That was a most memorable dress rehearsal. I was so proud of my kids for noticing the work that Martin had done for them. He really had amazing talents. He was also a wonderful friend.

I miss hm.

Woo Hoo!

Look at this! Just look at this! What an awesome way to end a long week of kids singing off key and being ready for summer vacation! From my Dye-O-Rama yarn swap buddy, Cayli! She states, "I did 2 as I really didn't think the first did "autumn" very well. Not surprising, coming from a native San Diegan." Hehehehe.. I think "autumn" came out very well! ( I love earth tones and the reds/golds/greens of autumn) I think they're absolutely beautiful! I can't wait to get them on the needles and have a go!

She also included a surprise skein for fun! How awesome is this?!!???

Thank you so much, Cayli, for the beautiful yarn! This is so very cool!!! (Can you tell I like them a lot???) Have a great night!

Lizzie

Yep. Still working on those mittens with Dave's yarn. Tonight I finished the shaping of the thumb gusset of the second mitten, so they are coming along.

I shared with Ann today that Lizzie, my little girl, was a surprise gift from my students about 4 years ago. They seemed to feel that I needed responsibility, so for a long time they teased me that they were going to get me a dog. I relentlessly reminded them that I couldn't have a pet where I lived, so it was not even a consideration. But, the jokes and teasing continued, and in playing along, I decided that they needed some guidelines if, indeed, they were to get me a dog:

1. I wanted a female.
2. She must be either a Jack Russell Terrier or a retired racing Greyhound.
3. She must come from a shelter, or the SPCA, not a breeder.
4. She needed to be an adult, not a puppy.

I thought these were simple enough requests, but also specific enough that they wouldn't be able to do it, so I'd be safe, and they'd give up the search for a dog. There was no more discussion after I gave them my requests. For many weeks.

One night after a long theatre rehearsal, all of the seniors in the play were standing on stage in a huddle. I again reminded them that rehearsal was over, and we all needed to go home. They just stood there and looked at me and made no effort to leave. They finally said, "We have something for you." They handed me a dog collar. I said, "What's this about? You know I don't have a dog". Then they handed me a leash, and pictures. They had gone to the local SPCA, looking specifically for a Jack Russel Terrier or a Greyhound. They had neither, but told the kids they were welcomed to look at the dogs. So, they walk into the kennels, and all the dogs were barking, except this one. She just sat in her kennel and looked at them. Of course, they wanted to see her, and they spent about an hour and a half with her. They did all the paperwork, took pictures, and brought them to me.

I was literally speechless (which NEVER happens). And how could I just say no? They went to all this trouble, so I felt I at least needed to see this dog they picked out. The next day, we all went to the SPCA to see her. So, they bring out this dog. Emaciated. Furr falling out. She had had puppies recently, because her nipples were still exposed from nursing. She was found by the local dog enforcement - she had a collar, but no tags. And no puppies in tow, so God only knows what happened to them. She looked more like a fox than a dog. She was not a pretty sight. In fact, she was a mess. Literally. And she was all over me. Instantly. And I had to have her. So.... We re-did the paperwork and put her in my name. We named her Lizzie because that was the name of the main character in the play we were doing - 110 in the Shade - and I took her home. My landlords met her, and they changed my lease so I wouldn't have to move. And she has changed my life...

And if in the middle of the night, on the rare occasion, she happens to be curled up on the sofa (which is the only "naughty" thing she's ever done), I can live with that. She's wonderful with kids, other dogs and cats, and she only barks when the door bell rings. So what's a little dog hair on the sofa every now and then? That's why God invented lint rollers....

Bein' Crafty

Good Morning! I saw this on a blog out there in blogland, and I thought to myself, "I can do that!". So, I tool this bunch of PVC pipe and little doo-dads from the local hardware store:


And I very carefully put them together to create this:

My very own, cheaply made niddy-noddy! My Dad would have been very proud of me - he was a carpenter/electrician/plumber, and could basically build or repair anything out of whatever was on hand, with whatever tool was handy! Now, all I need to do is to put it to work this afternoon and get some yarn ready to send out tommorrow to my Dye-O-Rama buddy.

Ya know, several weeks ago when I started all this blogging stuff, all I was gonna do was knit when I had the chance, and pop in from time to time just to share what I was doing. Then I met Dave, and it seems that all hell has broken loose.... LOL! Not that I mind, because I find that I have been doing things that I never thought I would ever do, and I've been challenged, and I'm kinda liking it!

Then I met Ann, and that's another story altogether.... Hehehehehe......

Shoppin'

Yep. I bought 'em. Dave made 'em. Ann's PISSED....

A beautiful DPN case and Notion pouch from the infamous "peepee" fabric. Needless to say, it really brightened my day...

Funk?

So, I was at this choral concert tonight. It happens to be a chorus I used to direct, and gave up because I needed time away from all the "extra" stuff I used to do in my spare time. The concert was really good! My friend Maggie, who makes soap with me, had several solos in this Gospel Mass the group sang, and she was AWESOME! She has an excellent voice that is like velvet! Yay, Maggie!

I realized during this evening of beautiful music, that I didn't miss directing. Or all the rehearsals. Or all the different personalities one has to work with. I used to be a very social person, and now I'd rather be home by myself. I've been by myself for a long time. I've gotten so used to being alone, that when I'm in a place where I have to interact with people, it makes me a little uncomfortable... It's not easy, like it used to be...

Well, time for bed. Gotta sleep on this one...

Have a good night, filled with pleasant dreams... ;-)

Dye-O-Rama

Ok, since several of us are doing this dye swap, I thought I'd just put this out
there for public evtertainment:

Questions specific to this swap:

Your favorite colors?
I love autumn earth tones - greens, golds, reds, oranges, but I have, and will,
knit with just about any colors.

Preferred yarn weight (Fingering, Sport, DK, maybe even Worsted)?
Depends on the project, I guess.  I've worked with most weights.

Do you prefer solid or multicolored yarn?
Again, depends on the project.  I'm really enjoying the yarns I've received
from Dave, the colors are spectacular!

If your buddy is able to do so, would you like a variegated, self-striping, or
self-patterning yarn?
Whatever they wish to do.  I mean, they should have tons of fun with the
process of dyeing, so it's their call.

Would you be interested in a wool blend sock yarn (nylon, tencel, silk,
acrylic, alpaca, etc.)?  Sure!

Imagine the perfect colorway. What would you name it?
Oy...names...  Is there a perfect colorway??  hehehe.

What was the biggest appeal to you for joining this dye-along?
The challenge of doing something I've never done before.
And I've had LOTS of encouragement, so that's been really nice.

General yarn/fiber questions:

Have you dyed yarn/fiber before?  Nope!

If so, what’s your favorite dye and method?  I've only done Kool-Aid so far.

Do you spin?  Nope!

Have you knit socks before?  Willing to try, just haven't yet.

Do you use sock yarn for just socks or in other patterns too?
I'm using what I think is a sock weight yarn for a pair of mittens
at the moment.

What are some of your favorite yarns?
Still new to this, but I've enjoyed Reynolds Lopi and Lite Lopi.

Favorite patterns?
I love the Ann Budd book "The Knitters Handy Book of Patterns".

Any pattern you would love to make if money and time were no object?

Favorite kind of needles (brand, materials, straights or circs, etc)?
I've used several kinds - the needle depends on the yarn and the project.
I've not met a needle I don't like.

Nothing to do with knitting/yarn/fiber in any way but seemed kinda fun:

Do you have a favorite candy or mail-able snack?
Oh, I'm not fussy when it comes to food...  More of a "salt" person than a
"sweets" person, but whatever mood strikes me at the time...

Do you have pets? What are their species/names/ages?
I have a dog, Lizzie.  She is a chow/shepherd mix.  She was about 2 years
old when my students thought I needed responsibility and went to the local
SPCA and picked her out for me.  She is amazing, and I couldn't have done
a better job picking out a dog if I tried!

Describe your favorite shirt (yours or someone else’s)..
Big, roomy and comfy.

What is your most inspiring image, flower, or object in nature?
I think the world around us in general is very inspiring - the mountains,
trees, growing plants (be it flowers, vegetables, whatever)...  How amazing
this planet is...

Tell me the best quote you’ve ever heard or read.
There are too many to list here...

Do you have a wishlist?  Nope.

Anything else you’d like to share with the group today?
Well, if you keep reading here long enough, I think you'll get who I am
over time...  hehehe

Swatches

Here are some very quickly done swatches of the Kool-Aid yarn I dyed Saturday. I should probably knit a little more on each one, but I wanted to get them started and out there for your comments.

They don't look anything like I envisioned them to be, so that's kinda cool. The second swatch is the first skein I dyed, and I like it more than I thought I would.

Have a great night!

My First Time...

Be Gentle...

Some KnitPicks Yarn, some Kool-Aid, and directions from knitty.com, and this:

eventually became this:

It was actually kinda fun. Not too big a mess in the kitchen. Blood pressure didn't get too high. Didn't cry. Didn't throw anything. Lizzie didn't run away.... I guess it was a success. Now, the next question: What the hell will it look like when it's knitted up?

It's been a good day...

The first great thing came in an e-mail today from my friend Dave, I find that I have been turned into a South Park Character. Please take note of the fingerless gloves so I can conduct, the great pom-pom on the handknit hat, the head mic so I can talk as I rehearse, and the beard and glasses. The comfy khaki and running jacket complete the ensemble. (Make your own South Park Character here!) Thanks, Dave, you're the best!


Then, in a quick shopping trip, I saw it. It's lovely. It's porcelain. It's red on the outside, white on the inside. It has a 16 quart capacity. It's:

My new dye pot! Life IS good!

Concentrating....

So, as I promised, here she is: KNITTING! We all started somewhere, didn't we? Eileen was such a great help and such a good friend to tag along for this little excursion into the world of teaching. She's a REALLY good friend...


Dontcha just love Sandee's face as she's workin' the needles? This is only the tip of the iceberg for pics - isn't she precious? Now if we can just get her to relax and enjoy the process, but that will come in time.... I hope... Later.

Knitting taught

Well, it went really well. She came, she watched, she knitted. I cast on 30 stitches and knit a few rows in garter stitch and had her watch. Then I handed her the needles, and she did it. She knitted several rows, and Eileen helped to guide her. During her knitting, she gained 10 stitches - which really made her watch more closely to what she was doing - a good lesson, I thought. So, she's gonna practice garter stitch, and next Wednesday we'll try purling. I also gave her a couple of beginner books for reference. She was so proud of herself, and so excited, and I'm very proud of her. She's gonna be ok! I'll post some pictures tomorrow of tonight's festivities. Have a great night!

Teaching Knitting

Hey. Tonight at 6:00 my friends Eileen and Sandee are coming over to teach Sandee how to knit. Eileen is a knitter, so we kinda volunteered to teach Sandee. Sandee crochets, so working with yarn is not alien to her. It should be an interesting evening. If I know my friends, we'll spend more time laughing than knitting. Maybe during the course of the evening, I'll get to finish up the main body of the mitten I'm working on. I've ordered 5" dpns to do the thumb. I have 8" at the moment (or maybe they're 7"...), which I like using, but as the mitten gets thinner with all the decreasing, I'm thinking a shorter needle will make it easier to maneuver. Ann had mentioned that size matters....

I will take pictures of this evenings festivities. I'm not promising to post any, but we'll see what happens. Wish us luck.....

Well...

I guess I'm kinda ready for the weekend... Do I have enough Kool-Aid?

Happy Monday!

Knitting..... Everyone's doing it....