KnitWerk

Literally.

I’ve been a bad blogger. Haven’t been able to spend a second longer at the computer than common business courtesy requires lately – I’ve been late responding to all non-business mail lately. No pressing crises, just an anti-computer attitude. Sorry, everyone! Spring beckons.

I must tell you, though, my Secret Pal rocks it hard. I got a happy box in the mail last Friday: four cool mix cd’s in this batch – two whole CD’s of 90’s indie-alternative-type stuff, with some much-admired-though-never-acquired stuff, in addition to a “Chill Out” mix and an “Irish” mix (how did Secret Pal know of ridiculous obsession with Irish musicians?). It’s very, very cool.

Not only that, but hitching a ride in the box was the softest burgundy alpaca yarn. This stuff is seriously yummy:

No one in the household can resist the alpaca, apparently. A mere second after this frame was snapped, Wilson started to eat the yarn (I mean, I’ve been tempted, but—no). I quickly rescued the yarn, only to find The Husband touching it fondly later: “This would make me a great pair of socks,” he said. “Or a scarf. It’s my color.”

Hmmmm… the man does cook me dinner every night (I know), but this would also make a great Flower Basket Shawl…

Tricky. Must carefully weigh happy spouse points against selfish knitting desires.

In other news, over the weekend I finished the Flower Trellis Scarf from Scarf Styles – photos later – and I started to sew up the purse made from the purple needle felted sweater:

I learned a few things:

1. It might be better to do the needle felting after cutting the pattern pieces. It would be a lot easier to get the proportions right. I think the flowers I added after cutting to the back side of the purse are in better proportion to the whole.

2. Felted sweater fabric is thick. Super, duper thick. Observe:

I made it through the first couple of seams OK, but my presser foot won’t go up enough to let me sew the strap on. I tried, in an ill-advised, ill-tempered way, to adjust my machine late at night, but it just didn’t work out. I may try again later this weekend. If it doesn’t work, I’m stuck with hand-sewing (are you serious?) or taking it with me to Mom & Dad’s in late April to try one of Mom’s machines. Fingers crossed.

zestyping: How to really confuse your party guests

This one messes with my head. If I show my husband, we’ll definitely be making a trip down to Home Depot to redecorate gravity in the spare room this weekend… Love it.

...even though there’s been, as yet, no knitting.

Got a notice from Purl Gurl that Debbie Stoller was going to be at Oakland’s Article Pract for a little book signing. We had emailed briefly about a possible carpool to SF to see her, but my schedule has been dicey, so that was not likely to happen. The Oakland thing was perfect, though… thanks, Purl Gurl! My stepdaughters both got interested in knitting around Christmas, so I let each of them take a Stitch & Bitch book. I’ve been itching to get another copy—there are projects in these books that I want to add to the list soon. Now I’ve got my very own signed copies:

I was too shy to say much, but she seemed really nice.

When I got home, I was greeted by a great package from the Bronx:

They’re beautiful, purple-y and comfy. Thanks so much, Nancy! I really appreciate all of your hard work.

I just realized that I never posted a photo of the finished socks I made, currently on their way to Austin:

I ordered the yarn for this one a few weeks ago when things were crazy at work, and there wasn’t much knitting time. It was raining and dreary then, and the promise of the chenille roses lifted my spirits. For the first time in my long knitting experience, I’m using the exact yarn in the exact colors called for by the pattern. It seems weird somehow to use specified yarn, but I’m a sucker for analogous reds, so it seemed a good choice. The yarn, it turns out, is delicious:

The bulk of this one—the trellis—is actually crocheted. I started late last night, and have already finished most of the trellis and one rose, so it should finish quickly—hopefully before it’s too hot here to wear it again. It’s a nice change from US #1 needles—progress is happening fast. We’ve had some gorgeous spring days in the last few weeks, but if current dreary weather patterns hold for a while, I should be able to wear it at least once.

I just joined the Scarf Style Knitalong, since there are at least 3 more scarves I want to make from this book. It’s fun to knit for me, for a change!

I’m tickled pink that Suzie tagged me for an interview. I’m very new to this blog scene, so this is my first time being asked to participate. Thanks, Suzie!

1. Tell me more about your mom’s yarn store. Where was it?

It was in Chico, California. The exact dates are all a little fuzzy now, but Mom started working in the shop when I was in elementary school. She purchased it soon after, and finally closed it in 1990, my senior year of college. I walked to the shop after school every day, and started working there in junior high. That experience changed me in so many ways… I was painfully shy. Customers came in all the time with problems, and at first I didn’t have the confidence to help them—I deferred all questions to my mother. Soon, she said, “Sara, you know how to fix this. You need to let people know that you can help them.” At 12 or 13, I began to help people of all ages out of knitting problems. So began my lessons in poise and projecting confidence. I do not exaggerate when I tell you that I use those skills to this day. Working in retail for a family-owned business is a wonderful way to learn not only about customer service and integrity, but also about presenting yourself confidently.

2. Top 10 songs played on your ipod?

A Minor Incident – Badly Drawn Boy
Shipbuilding – Elvis Costello
These Days – Nico
Orange Sky – Alexi Murdoch
Such Great Heights – The Postal Service
7 Chinese Brothers – REM
Gone for Good – The Shins
Needle in the Hay – Elliot Smith
Dry the Rain – The Beta Band
Float On – Modest Mouse

Hmmm. These are all from the same playlist, my mellow collection that was a true comfort during stressful deadlines last autumn. Must merge my new Secret Pal mellow mixes to this one, as they would all play nicely together.

3. What’s the ratio of things you knit for yourself vs gifts for others?

Ugh—I don’t want to think very hard about this. When I consider my knitting since last summer, only two projects out of 15 were for me (one of them being the scarf I started last night). It’s definitely time for some selfish knitting.

4. What are your favorite East Bay Restaurants? I’m always looking for new ones!

Mmmm…. we go to Lark Creek in Walnut Creek for all special occasions (birthdays, anniversaries, Tuesdays, etc.). Prima is another great one, though we haven’t been for a while. One of my new faves is Cafe de la Paz in Berkeley. Killer mojitos! Le Cheval in Oakland is really loud and busy, but terrific Vietnamese food.

5. Is there anything you regret not buying at Stitches?

Sock yarn eluded me. The Koigu booth was tiny, swamped, and pretty well picked over by the time we got there on Sunday. Sock yarn skeins are awfully small in the visual chaos that is Stitches—I think I just overlooked many opportunities in all the clutter. I tried really hard to buy something at Brooks Farm, but by Sunday the colors left were either too pastel-y for me, or too similar to something I already had. I’m looking forward to the TKGA National Conference in Oakland. Hopefully, with this much lead time I’ll be able to get my sisters, mom and both stepdaughters to come.

whoops – later edited to add:

Please let me know if you’d like to be interviewed!

Vogue Knitting Spring Summer 2005

Just breezing quickly through email and spotted patterns for the new Vogue issue. At first glance, I like several, especially this one , this one and this one .

Hmmm. Now that Sockapalooza socks are finished and on their way, I’ve got to get my project list updated.

My older brother called yesterday, and asked if six-year-old Matthew could stay with us while he and Matthew’s mom got away for a quick overnight to Napa. Sure!

Just got back from the grocery store. What a trip to do with a little guy! He quickly established East, West, North and South, and we used those directions to navigate. Our mission:

• ice cream
• chocolate chips
• whipped cream
• maraschino cherries
• peanut butter

He quickly established that the chocolate chips and peanut butter could do double duty: perfect for tomorrow’s cookie batch, but also brilliant on the ice cream. Matthew and the husband are in the kitchen building the World’s Most Perfect Sundae, and we’re about to watch the Incredibles. Big night!

While the movie’s on, I’m going to frog the rest of that white thrift store sweater, and then tomorrow might just be the day for Kool Aid dyeing. Woo hoo!

I’ve been tagged for an interview by Suzie—coming soon! Right now the World’s Best Sundae Maker is calling from the living room…

I broke the commenting option last weekend when I upgraded Wordpress… Thanks, Margene, for alerting me!

Everything should be working again now!

OK, so my fantasy knit-all-weekend-thing didn’t go exactly as planned… I’m almost done, though! One more pattern repeat, then the toe. I’ll be able to wash and block them tomorrow, so I estimate a Thursday or Friday mail date.

Hang on, Sockapalooza pal! They’re a’comin.

I’ve tried some variations—some offshoots—of knitting during these last few weeks of work craziness. I’ve had varied success. I thought a quick trip to the thrift store between meetings might be fun for some cheap yarn frogging adventures.

Attempts at lateral fiber crafts:

Project 1: ripping lovely thrift store sweater for white lambswool

Thumbs down in the stress knitting department. I HATE ripping thrift store sweaters for the yarn (at least when I’m stressed out). It’s all curly and tangle-y, and has that thrift store funk smell. The yarn becomes an unholy tangled mess. Not pleasant. One of the popular tutorials shows cuts to seam thread with big, ol’ honking scissors. Is she nuts? Because I broke my seam ripper, and couldn’t find little scissors (no time for tracking down missing tools this late at night), I tried the scissor technique, and was not impressed. Normal scissors are way too blunt and horsey. This is a job that requires precision. Finesse.

Lessons learned:
1. a) Buy another seam ripper, dummy. (done)
1. b) Wind the yarn as you go—from your palm to your elbow, on a ball winder, whatever—or face the hellish, knotty consequences. Tie often and liberally—certainly before you get up from the couch. Do not, under any circumstances, rip without coralling your yarn while you do it. Twist ties will work in a pinch.
1. c) Positive note: crocheted seams are actually kinda fun to rip, once you have the right thread. Ziiiiiiippp! This is the kind of fun I was looking for from this project.
1. d) Washing the sweater and allowing it to fully dry before attempting to rip it would probably avoid the aforementioned funk.
1. d) Abandon the project early if it’s no fun, or at least postpone for calmer days.

Project 2: Felting (fulling) thrift store sweater

After the previous experience, I thought I’d try something new. After the demonstration of needle felting at Stitches, I thought I’d throw the next sweater in the washing machine to create needle felting substrate. Into the washer it went, on hot wash/cold rinse, heavy agitation cycle, and BAMM! A felted sweater (or “fulled,” if you’re going to get all fussy about it).

Lemme tell ya, this is FUN. I grew up in my mom’s yarn store, and like her, I’m very particular about the way I care for clothes—especially hand knits. There’s something delightfully naughty about throwing a 100% wool sweater in the washing machine. Hot wash/cold rinse + heavy agitation = serious rebel knitter good times (yup, I’m a nerd). Think I’ll make a bag out of it.

Project 3: Needle felting onto felted thrift store sweater

More big fun. I’m using some of (ahem) Husband’s needle felting present to embellish my felted-sweater-soon-to-be-bag fabric. He wouldn’t use the purple, anyway. Punch punch punch punch. Something calming, meditative even about needlefelting. Punch punch punch punch. Punch punch punch punch punch.

And behold: fabric for a pretty purple bag

a close up:

Some things are hard to avoid when you’re your own boss, and during certain times of the year we’ll put in absurd hours to design and create things that would have taken much longer under normal circumstances. In these times of 14-hour days and 7-day work weeks, knitting takes on a special role: that of stress reliever.

Important factors to remember in the stress relief scenario

1. Knitting doesn’t begin until 9 or 10 p.m.—sometimes 11.
2. I am not my best, most alert Thinking-Knitter Self. My allotment of brain energy has already been used for the day.
3. I will come to knitting after spending ungodly hours at a computer, and though I’m relatively young, my hands, eyes and brain will feel the consequences (especially after three straight weeks of this schedule).

I’m searching for the perfect stress knitting projects. I share with you my discoveries during these last few weeks:

• Anything that might need a life line is RIGHT.OUT. I am not my best self at this time, and will make bad judgments, as in, “Oh, I don’t need that sissy lifeline stuff—by paying attention, I’ll knit the pattern carefully, never forgetting yarn overs or accidentally substituting k2tog for ssk.” I am wrong, possibly delusional, and will most certainly need to frog a difficult-to-rip pattern.


• Anything on tiny needles is probably a not the best thing. I need progress, baby, and I need it NOW. The joy of accomplishment is an important factor in stress knitting.


• Trying a new technique? A collossally bad idea. I need the comfortable—the tried-and-true. In a normal day I may be energized by practicing new things, but in these challenging times, my goal is knitting that is the equivalent of comfort food. Mashed potato knitting, in other words.


• Subtitled movies, though they may represent some of my favorites, are not enjoyed to their maximum during stress knitting. During the best of times, I can knit without looking, but I get lazy during stress knitting, and my pore lil’ brain just can’t handle both.


• Dark yarn = probably another bad idea.


• Knitting from stash yarn will make me feel both virtuous and productive.

It turns out that knitting ponchos for my many nieces (out of ancient stash yarn!) is a nice, happy thing to do. I managed to bang out a couple of ‘em without thinking. Yay! Happy nieces no longer have to covet my sister’s Harlot poncho! There are still 2 more to go, but it’s still snowing where they live, so I’ve got a bit o’ time left. Pictures to come as soon as I block them. Blocking is not part of the Stress Knitting agenda. Lovely results, but the process isn’t fun enough.

Sure, the Sockapalooza sock deadline is looming, but the other deadlines have all been meant. Stress Knitting Time has drawn to a close.