Me and my bright ideas

I'm in a great KAL called the Monthly Dishcloths. Twice a month, fabulous organizer Andi releases a new pattern just a few lines a day. The first one is a picture and the second is a pattern. That's the background to my story.


Just two days into the August mid-month cloth, I was so enamored with what was emerging that I thought it would make a great scarf. I just happen to have some fabulous fingering weight yarn from my good friend Holly Jo (who lives in Alaska and tells great stories about life up North). I thought it would be cool to do both the cloth and the scarf at the same time using the same needles. I had even started writing the blog brag in my head. As athlete after athlete learned over the last two weeks - don't count the gold medals until the race is over...



I launched into the project, adding some beads to make it fancy (sent over awhile ago by my friend Lisa in Saratoga - just a wonderful coincidence that they matched the yarn perfectly).



On day three of the pattern I began to realize that the pattern wasn't coming out quite as I had expected. It's pretty and it will make a great dishcloth. It might even make a great scarf with the right yarn and needles. But mine wasn't coming out as I pictured it.




I think I've hit a new level in knitting because I'm actually okay with this. I don't mind the "lost" knittng time. Maybe I should have waited until I was further along on the cloth before trying it on a scarf, but still it was interesting to see how differently the same pattern came out with the two yarns on the same needle size.


On a completely unrelated note - is anyone else eager for school to start? Does this make me a bad parent? I love my children, at least I say I do, but I feel an inordinate amount of joy at the thought of them having a regular schedule and a place to be other than my office every day. I feel like the living embodiment of the Staples commercial.


And on a completely different note - see that clean surface? No papers, no books, no children's toys. At last, I have dug through the piles that cluttered my studio/office. Admittedly some of the piles are in the hall and guest bedroom awaiting proper disposition, but still - this room is clean! I credit the Fly Lady and her "you can do anything in 15 minutes" mantra - it may take several days or weeks (or months) of 15 minutes at a time - but it works. It really works. If you know anyone who is trying to clean or organize or get out from under the piles tell them you heard about this lady, a self professed messie who thought it was impossible, until she did it. Now the real challenge - keeping it this way! I give everyone carte blanche to randomly ask me at some future point in time if my desk is clean -- we'll see. Maybe this time....

No frogging; just fix it

While happily making progress on what will (I hope) become my cousin's new favorite purse, I realized that I was way past the point at which I had planned to do some increasing. Since I'm designing this as I go along, I could have just kept going, but I really have my mind set on a certain style. Of course I could have frogged, it is just knitting afterall. But frogging is no fun. Besides, I have gained some insight from all this sock and lace knitting - it is possible -- and not all that difficult -- to make an increase several rows, even a dozen or more, back. If you've ever dropped and then recovered a stitch, you've already almost done it. Curious? Here's how:

Notice that there are ladders inbetween the stitches. You follow the ladder down to where you want to add an increase. Take a crochet hook and lift the rung of the ladder where the increase should be. This will become the new stitch. Take a crochet hook and pull it out a little to create a loop. You could treat this as a dropped stitch and just follow the ladder back up to the top, but that will create a hole. To close up the hole, you have to twist the loop before pulling the next "rung" of the ladder through it. The other stitches should not be twisted in the same way.

This worked well on stockingnette stitch. It would be trickier on garter because you would have to change the direction in which you pull the "rung" through the loop - but it's still no different than bringing home a runaway stitch.

Because this is a felted project with only a few widely spaced increases, I wasn't worried about whether I did a left-leaning or right-leaning increase. It would take a mind much more clever than mine to get down to that level of detail.

Wonderful Secrets

This little happy hippo hopped over all the way from Finland to say hi! He (She?) arrived with this luscious pile of pink and cream variegated wool, a pair of lovely addi turbos, delicious tea and yummy chocolates. Secret pals are fun! And mine is great! It's clear she's put a lot of thought into the packages. It's nice to be spoiled. So, thank you my pal. I look forward to learning more about you. But for now, I just want to let you know how much I appreciate you.

We in the Boston area are enjoying some fine summer days - today was warm and no humidity. That in and of itself since it is generally humid here. We lost power yesterday, which was very interesting with five children to entertain. Luckily, it happened early enough in the day that we were able to prepare for the night. It was amusing to watch the bewilderment and adjustment needed on the part of the teenagers. No television!? No phone!? No INTERNET!? You would have thought someone had cut off their right arm from the protests we heard all day long. The little ones were completely unaffected until bed time when it seemed impossible to settle down in the darkness even though it was just as light if not lighter than with the lanterns than their nightlights. I missed the dishwasher and I had to put off laundry, but it was really nice sitting on the porch with a full moon overlooking the harbor in near darkness. I was kind of sad when the street lights came back on.

This is My Massachusetts

It was great to spend some time in my home state, but it is nice to be back in my adopted state. We spent the weekend reconnecting with our current home. On Saturday we traveled into the city to spend some time with the penguins at the New England Aquarium. These are African penguins, aka jackass penguins due to the sound of their bray. They are quite loud once they get going.





On Sunday, we drove north. The first stop was a hike at the Lynn Woods Reservation - it's the woods surrounding a part of the region's water supply and one of the few places dogs are welcome. I'm not sure why this tower was built, but there was a notice on the door that a group is looking for donations to restore it. For the little girls, it's the stuff fair tales are made of. Can't you just see Rapunzel at the top letting down her long braid?



From there, we headed to Plum Island, toward the border of Maine. There are a large number of houses for sale, if anyone is interested in waterfront. It was sunny when we started but it started to rain between the tower and the beach. The rain stopped by the time we reached the water, but the skies were still moody.







In between stops, I was working on what I am hoping will become a felted purse for my cousin. I cast on extra stitches to make it a large purse, but looking at it, I'm not sure it will be large enough. I know how much things shrink down.
Should I (a) Frog and start over

(b) set it aside for another purse and start a new one for my cousin

(c) turn it into a make-up purse and start a new purse or
(d) just keep going since I've been trying to get
this started since May?

This is how UFOs get started - indecision. Just put it aside while I try to figure out what to do

next. A few months and several projects later I come across it again and still don't know what to do with it' I've been told that clutter is also the result of indecision ... could there be a connection? Hmmm...

The great welcome home gift from dh was that he had weeded the garden! It wasn't an easy job, either. The plants have been neglected since June and we've had a ton of rain. The weeds had flourished in my absence, happily filling in all blank areas and choking out the invited guests. He even tackled the incredibly invasive cat mint (?). The house was a mess, but the flowers looked great. This is the silly hibiscus - a ginormous flower on a little itty bitty plant.

Is it Fair or Not?

The SP12 question is have you ever entered your work in a fair and would you ever?

I grew up in the heart of country fair country and was even briefly a 4H member. We went to several fairs every summer but somehow never managed to get anything entered into a fair as a youngster. I had some of my artwork displayed in the junior high art show, but I suspect that every student did.

I just remembered in writing this that as a grown up, I entered some photographs in a fair in Connecticut and won some ribbons. I think it's good to enter contests because it pushes you to do your very best. You'll pay closer attention and work a little harder if you know someone is going to be inspecting it, judging it. I generally put more effort into something that is for someone else.

One day I was in a store fretting over lining for a purse for an exchange. I asked a fellow shopper what she thought. Her first repsonse was, "it's for a gift, isn't it? I figured because you are being so particular about it." Then she pointed out thought was best.

vacation knitting

It all started with an innocent stop at the yarn shop to find some yarn for my newbie knitting cousin. The guys went with us - they stood in a corner with another guy talking about football and fishing and other manly things. (We offered to let them pick out yarn for new winter hats, but they took a pass.) I had brought projects with me, of course, but yarn has a way of seducing the addict. "Oh look at me, aren't I so pretty? Just imagine how gorgeous I could really look? You know you want to try me, go ahead..." I walked past the linen. I caressed the merino and put it back. I fondled the alpaca, but left it on the shelf. But there was this tropical colored ribbon yarn that grabbed my hand and just wouldn't let go! "I want to be a purse," it told me. "Just a small one, just big enough for a three-year-old. Please take me home. Please knit me. Pretty please, with a cherry on top?" (Ironically, that's my 3yo's favorite way of asking for things these days.)

How could I say no? It's just one skein. Then I remembered that I'd left all my extra needles at home. Oh well - can one ever really have enough needles.

I actually did math to figure out how many stitches I would need to get the dimensions I wanted if I knit to specified gauge. (I didn't actually swatch since exact size wasn't crucial) I cast on 80 stitches and knit in the round until it looked long enough. Then I bound off one end, put in a zipper, knit an i-cord (that was way too long even though I measured it on dd twice), attached the cord and then I was done. Well, not quite - I quickly realized that while ribbon is pretty, it doesn't hold it's shape very well and it certainly can't contain markers very well - they poke out through the holes. Thankfully, my mom (whom we were visiting) is the crafty sort and had a sewing machine and plenty of scraps. We added a simple lining and then, it was done. DD is thrilled (and thinks the cord is the perfect length). On me, it looks like a small evening bag, on her it's like a big tote.

After having actually completed a project, I felt the need for a reward? What would suffice? Well, more yarn, of course. Besides, big sister was jealous and wanted her own purse. I was thinking of one just like her sister's only in blue. Silly me. This one likes to peruse yarn shops. She delights in fondling the yarn and putting colors together. Pick out just one yarn? Impossible. It must be two or maybe three! No simple knit for this kid - it's gotta be stripes.

I was thinking about a cabled bag before she tossed in all the extra colors. Then I was thinking basic stripes. Just as we were leaving, however, a sweater in progress caught my eye. The lady knitting it was designing it herself and had come in for help. It was made almost entirely with the bamboo stitch. This is a darling stitch that produces excellent texture. It's made like this:
Row 1: Yarn over, k2, slip yo stitch over those two stitches. Repeat across the row
Row 2: Purl (or knit if you're working in the round)

I cast on 78 stitches (I meant to do 80 but lost 2 somewhere) and knit 7 rows with one color. Then I knit 2 rows with a ribbon yarn and then 7 with the next color, then 2 rows with the ribbon yarn repeating the stripes until the 6yo was happy. I finished it with an i-cord handle (the correct length), a zipper and a lining. She inisisted on 2 pockets to hold the cords for her CD player. I was so impressed with her quest for organizations, that I happily complied.

I know that these little side projects distracted me from the knitting I brought, especially the stole that is tops on my UFO list, but it is fun to finish something so quickly!

My parents have a cabin on a tiny body of water called Mabel Lake. You can kayak the entire lake in about 20 minutes if you're moving slowly. No motor boats allowed. We've spotted deer, great blue herons, sand hill cranes and a ton of turtles. The only problem is a long, dragged out battle with the lilly pads and other weeds that would choke the lake and turn it into a swamp.

The lake is surrounded by deep green pine trees soaring above a soft bed of pine needles. It holds a wealth of fish that will nibble at just about anything, including marshmellows. The 6yo caught 24 fish - a bunch with the fluffy white sweet treat usually reserved for s'mores, the rest with worms. The big break through for me this trip was learning how to get the fish off the hook. Dh went back to Boston earlier than me forcing me to cancel the fishing or free the fish. It's not so bad after all.

Scenic Wisconsin

This is the state I grew up in. I flew away just about as fast as I could. It's only as an adult living on the East Coast that I've come to appreciate all the beauty and character of America's Dairy Land. It is a special place - thick with pine forests and decorated with winding rivers. There is a slower pace that I hated when I was young and find now to be a relief. I find that my trip overseas has given me an unexpected side effect - I see things now more through a tourist's eyes. It's an interesting perspective - looking at things as if I hadn't seen them before. Maybe it's that I notice the details more or that things seem more exotic. In Paris, we bought tiny replicas of the Eiffel Tower (made in China) here, visitor's buy replicas of black bears or moose (also, ironically, made in China).

Wisconsin Fun

Within 6 hours of landing, a new knitter was born. My cousin who claimed to be hopelessly uncoordinated picked it up effortlessly. She accused me of being overly complementary just to hook her in (pun intended) but I am stating it here publically that she really was a quick study.

We started with a book mark so she could make something useful right away. She warned me ahead of time that she doesn't like to practice. Her lesson was followed by a trip to the yarn store. I had to hold her back from creating an entire stash in one day. I sent her back to Michigan with yarn for a felted phone case and a felted book back. We figured felting would be good for a beginner since mistakes disappear in the washing machine.

I picked up some ribbon yarn for a quick little purse for one of the children. Here's the problem with traveling light - I didn't have the right needles. Oh well, can one really have too many sets of size 8 dpns?

I've knitted at least two more rows of the endless secret stole and finished the increases on my fun stripey socks. I've also nearly finished the aforementioned purse. I guess it's time for another stop at the yarn shop!

My knitting has been repeatedly interrupted for any number of family activities. All fun and important, of course. Here are a few scenes from America's Dairly Land.

America's Dairy Land, here we come

I'm up to row 330 on the stole - yeah - that's about half way. There was a very scary moment when I couldn't locate the directions for rows 331-418. The pattern was free to particpants in the KAL, but that ended long ago. I know the directions are out there, but I don't want to lose momentum.... thankfully though I am somewhat more organized than I appear (or feel). I really did download all the weeks and had them in one place, just not in the right order.

The stole is packed and will head with me to WI tomorrow. Along with the toes of my next pair of socks, half a bag and a few random skeins of yarn that will hopefully give birth to a new knitter.

This oil crisis is a bad thing for knitters. Here's why - high oil prices mean the cost of fuel for airplanes is up which means they are starting to charge for every bag you bring. Suddenly, every ounce is up for debate. I can't just toss all the supplies and a bunch of extra yarn in my second checked-in bag! Must it come down to undies or that hat I've been dying to finish? Admittedly, the yarn can be crammed in the corners. The real problem is how few accessories can I get away with? I used to just toss in my Denice needles and the Knit Picks kit, but now, I'm thinking I could just pick up extra needles at my destination. Maybe I should only visit the homes of people who knit :)

The question of the week is where do you like to knit - pretty much anywhere. Sometimes I'll knit standing up in my studio. That's when I know I'm supposed to be doing something else, but I just want to get in a few rows. Mostly I knit sitting on the couch watching television after the kids are (supposed to be) in bed. I have a coffee table with drawers so I can keep all my supplies near by and a couple of projects. DH bought it for us, I suspect after he got tired of the knitting baskets everywhere.

Summer Time and the Livin' is Busy

I thought things were supposed to slow down in the summer! Hah! Is it possible they are actually busier? Maybe it's just because the children have invaded my office. At one point earlier this evening, I was trying to figure out what day of the week it was - I was stunned to realize it's only Monday! I have packed at least three to four days' worth of activity into it.

It seems we just got back from CT and now it's time to pack for WI. I'm sure it will be a great trip, even though it will start at 4 a.m. Most flights leave early so that connections can be made in hub cities. Ours will go through Detroit. It's never easy when the alarm goes off, but we'll be at our destination by noon.

In the midst of my craziness, a package arrived out of the blue from Alaska - isn't this yarn gorgeous? It's hand painted merino/mohair/nylon - fingering weight. It's like Wisteria translated into yarn. A gift from a fellow mom and yarn addict - Holly Jo. She posts great pictures of our northern-most state. I'm making some great plans for it - scarf, socks gloves, perhaps, but for now I'm just enjoying it's loveliness.

The gorgeous soft peachy-pink traveled all the way from Finland. It is a bamboo/soy yarn, the likes of which I have been eager to try. It's very soft and has a glamorous sheen. It's from my wonderful SP12 Pal, who also sent very yummy chocolate (shhh, don't tell the kids - I have some stashed in the freezer so I can savor it), a pack of darling daisy buttons and some sweet heart magnets that have already been claimed by the little ones. For those of you curious about Finland, my pal also sent a link to some awesome pictures. The little ones were amazed to see all the snow given how hot it is here. (How quickly we forget) I love these exchanges because it's so fun to get to know someone you'ld probably never otherwise meet.

And finally, under the influence of the UFO KAL, I've once again picked up my Secrets of the Stole - this is the first once from last November. I love knitting lace, but it requires a degree of concentration and there are so many rows in this project! I'm nearing 300, but I'm not even close to half way there. The funny thing is, I started a turtles' club for those of us who were going slower than the speed demons and most (if not all) of the turtles have already finished! The problem is I get distracted with things I can finish more quickly.

Yarn on Vacation

The most important question a knitter must answer when going on vacation isn't where to go or what shoes to bring; it's what project (s) to pack. Which brings me to this week's SP12 question -

What is your favorite type of project to take along on holiday? If you'd like to share a little extra...Tell us about a time that you packed too much knitting or were stranded without your knitting

I always pack more than can actually knit during a trip, just in case. I always pack several projects so that if I get bored with one or something goes wrong with it, I have another option. This is because of a bad experience early on in my knitting career. I was making a scarf for my mother out of a lovely, soft wool tweed. I started off well enough but then realized the needles were the wrong size. I was faced with either knitting knowing I would have to frog or just sitting in the car and looking out the window.

I try to knit at least a little bit on every project I bring with me to justify having brought them all.

UFO no more

The summer of ufoing is off to a good start - we've got people signed up and getting motivated to pull out the unattended projects multiplying in their drawers, closets and knitting baskets. Soft blue mohair sweater? Electric pink scarf? Nearly finished silk beret? Get them out, get them done - or frog it and free yourself from the guilt.

The link for those who are looking for like-minded peers to cheer you on: http://ufosummer.blogspot.com/

We'll post pictures, offer prizes and maybe even offer a few lost projects for adoption.

The loose rules are this - you post a project and set your own deadline. The rest of us will be on the sidelines encouraging you to keep on track.

Socksy Wangy

When dh was in Kenya for the Peace Corp, he had to do his laundry at the river by hand. He would lay out all his socks on the rocks to dry and his students would come by, shake their heads and say in a bewildered tone "socksy wangy" which in Swahili means "many socks." They don't generally wear socks and often don't even wear shoes so they were amused by this mzungu (whiteman) who spent so much time on his footwear.

So what would they think of me not only washing but making my own socks? Here are the aforementioned blue ones - It helped in terms of getting them done that I generally prefer shorter socks. They are sooooooooo comfy! I think they are Lorna's Laces. I think they might be a tad big although I carefully swatched.

And then I have toes - lovely well shaped toes using the provisional cast on method. Notice the matching stripes. I started out pretending that I didn't care if the stripes weren't lined up from one sock to the other, but I knew in my heart of hearts that it would bother me (like the princess and the pea) and that since I would be spending so much time making them and hopefully wearing them that it was worth losing an hour or so to do it right. I frogged the sock I'd started and launched off doing two at once - it was much, much easier to do the cast on the second time and not as hard as I expected to do both at the same time. I may like this method slightly better than the figure 8 cast one.

The week 5 question for sp12 is Where do you like to vacation (spend time?) Here is a picture of it - that's our little beach in Old Lyme Connecticut. It's a rocky patch of sand on the Long Island Sound that's rather nondescript but it's become one of my favorite places in the whole world. I've gone there every summer since I first started dating dh (well over a dozen years ago). At first we went to stay a few nights with his family who vacations there. Then when we had kids, we started renting our own cottage. Now in my mind its the place we go to get away from all the worries and rushing about that is our everyday life. It's a place where we slow down and just hang out together. We just got back and I miss it terribly already.

The other place I like to visit is Wisconsin, where I grew up and where my parents still live. I appreciate my home state so much more now than when I was growing up and feeling like all the action was happening anywhere else.

The second question was Where would you like to go? Paris. Of course I just went there, but that just confirmed what a great place it is and how much I would like to spend many, many more days there. After that, I'd like to go pretty much anywhere. I love to travel. I love to meet people. I love to explore.

Happy (belated) Fourth of July

It took me 6 days to discover that the little store near our cottage has wireless - woohoo! But who wants to be on the computer when there is sun, sand and surf? So, a few pics will have to suffice.

On the knitting front - I took on the challenge of a provisional cast on for a new pair of socks - not quite sure I'm a master, but I think I at least earned my yellow belt!

Blue socks are done and oh so comfy. Too bad my teens think it's geeky to have a mom who wears socks with sandals - too bad for them at least!

U know U want to finish your UFO

We've all got them - hidden in the back or our closets, buried deep in our knitting baskets lurking in unopened droors.

Some are nearly finished -just a few more rows or a sleeve to finish. Others are just barely begun. They sit waiting for you to come back to them, to fall in love with them all over again or to just be done with them.

Perhaps they should be passed along. Maybe it's time to give up and frog.

There's a new group that can help motivate and inspire you to do something, anything with them to clear them out and make way for other projects.

Check it out: http://ufosummer.blogspot.com/

There will be prizes.

What is the perfect amount of stash?

This is my answer to the SP12 question of the week:



The perfect stash contains just the right yarn for whatever project pops into your head! Can you just imagine? I want to make a purple silk rolled brim hat - and there's the yarn, perhaps a present from a far away friend. Or I want to make a pink stripped scarf and there's the yarn, purchased three summers ago while on vacation. The problem with having all that yarn around is to not feel guilty about it. It's no fun if everytime you look at that gorgeous sage green wool you feel bad because it hasn't become felted slippers yet. You have to be able to enjoy just having yarn around, admiring it's colors, treasuring its texture, dreaming about the possibilities of what it will become. Like children, only better because the skeins don't talk back!



We're off to the CT shore today - it's gloomy here but I'm told it's sunny down there. I'm hoping to blog a bit while on vaca, but if I'm slow, rest assured I'll be back soon.


Meanwhile - start thinking about how great it would be to finish off some of those long neglected projects that are begging for attention. There will be an announcement soon about a super fun KAL to help you get motivated.

Dr. Who?

Years ago there was a campy sci fi show called Dr. Who. The knitting connection is the scarf the guy wore as he traveled about the universe. I know very little about the original version of the show other than that it existed and I read about somebody knitting a version of the long stripey scarf.

Now there's a remake (of the show - not the scarf) on BBC America. I know this because all of my favorite shows are on hiatus for the summer so we've been surfing for alternatives. This one is campy too, but just catchy enough to keep my attention while I'm whipping off a few stitches. The bizarre story lines are truly a testament to the depths of a vivid imagination. But by far the most interesting bit of the show was half mitts worn by one of the lead female characters. It was near the end of the show and she was caught in a parallel universe wearing the most darling dark pink half mitts I've seen all summer. They had a diamond cable up the back with a moss stitch in the middle. I couldn't tell if they had thumbs or not even though dh obligingly rewound several times (Thank goodness for TIVO)

Perhaps the most interesting thing about this whole episode is that dh has become so accustomed to my knit obsession that he wasn't alarmed that I'm paying more attention to the knits than the show. He didn't fall out of his chair laughing at me or start muttering about weird knitting cults. "Will there be purling?" he asked trying to sound all hip to the stitches.

Oh yes, there will be purling! Must go check my stash...

It's my birthday and I'll knit if I want to

In a shameless bid for attention, I am pleased to announce that is my birthday. I came into this world 42 years ago, and I'm still thrilled to be here. There is a lot wrong with our world, but there is so much more that is rigth with it.

If I had my druthers, (that is, btw, one of my favorite words) I would have slept in, caught up on a few Knitty Gritty episodes and gone to town on the socks made out of the gorgeous blue yarn mom bought for me (thank you mom) in Arizona. After finishishing those off, I would have cast on with the self-striping pink/green/white/black yarn she bought me (she has such good taste). But (as PeeWee Herman used to say, why do my friends always have a big but?) there are car repairs to take care, children to be dropped off, teenagers to be fought with, stories to be written and frightened dogs to be comforted (thunderstorms). I can't even take pictures of the yarn because my camera battery is dead! People keep asking me what am I going to do for fun? Fun? There's no time for fun! The one thing I really want I can't have - that's world peace. Not the whole world, just my world. My little ones fought over singing me Happy Birthday and then my big ones fought with each other over breakfast. They they tried to fight with me over their radio volume. We have a debate over whether electricity is one of those things parents are "required" to provide.

I could feel sorry for myself. I confess that for a little while I did. But the reality is that I've got it good. Not always easy, but good. I've got a car to fix, I have children to fight, I have work to keep me busy. So I don't have a ticker tape parade for my birthday. So things aren't exactly as I'd like them to be - I can either find my happiness in how they are or I can be unhappy.

The best thing of all is that I have parents on earth who gave me a strong sense of optimism and a Father in heaven who gives me hope.

Since I have no pics of the yarn, I'll share some others from our trip to the Zoo for my dd's 3rd birthday, which was Saturday.

Baby o' Baby it's fun to knit for Baby

You see these little booties? You like? I'm just tickled pink with them. I made these with no pattern. I used yarn left over from the hat and my memory of how to make little socks from the toe up. I didn't even look at instructions for the short row heels. That was actually a mistake - I think I started to increase on the wrong side and therefore didn't end up where I was supposed to, but I was able to fake it. I didn't have quite enough yarn, but have learned from DH who was a carpenter that such a problem is really just an opportunity for creativity. I topped it off with another complementary pink that is soft and lucious and played off the stiffer texture of the sock yarn perfectly. To get the ruffle, I cast off in the rib pattern but cast on an extra stitch after every purl. Let me know if you want to try it and need more explicit instructions.

To make the hat match a little better, I crocheted around the edge with the soft, lucious pink yarn and then crocheted a cord in that same yarn. It works much, much better than the ribbon because it is stretchy like the hat.

I was putting the finishing touches on this as I walked out the door to an event where I knew the baby's mother would be. Why waste a second? One can actually walk and thread a cord through eyelets at the same time!

The event was this - the last day of school. It was a sad and happy day, says my now First Grader! My hat is off to teachers everywhere - they do such an important and challenging job. I will be forever grateful to her teacher, who was so dynamic and caring.

Don't you just love the missing teeth?

Answers to questiosn

For the SP12, we're supposed to put up answers to questions sent by the hostess - the second one is out and I realized I hadn't even answered the first! So here it is

Q: What is your favorite summer drink?
A: Iced coffee, which I'm drinking right now. A little bit of cream, no suger (same way I take my hot coffee).

Q: When you were a kid, what did you look forward to most about summer?
A: Same thing as now - traveling. We would go from Wisconsin to Michigan to spend time with my grandparents and there was always a week or two of overnight summer camp.

Now we go to Connecticut for two weeks to see my husband's family and to Wisconsin to see my family. It's hard to get out of the routine, but I love being on the go.

I'd love to hear your answers in the comment section - or post on your blog if you're not in SP12.

Guage Shmage

A baby was born this weekend (I'm sure there were hundreds, but just one known to me personally). To me, when this happens, all other knitting stops and a hat must be cast on. Afterall, shouldn't all babies be greeted with their own personal knitted hat?

I decided to try a new design of my own. In the interest of time, I decided to just jump in based on the guidelines of the yarn - if it's a little big, the baby will grow, right? The problem is, it was coming out huge - like it wouldn't fit until well into next winter when a light cotton hat just wouldn't cut it. Reluctantly, I frogged. It was especially painful since the hat starts with a ruffle, which means casting on twice as many stitches as ultimately needed.

I swatched. I checked the guage - it was right on - exactly to the stitch what it should have been. So why was the item in question so much larger than it should have been? I thunk and thunk. I did the math again. And again. And again. I had my dh, a math whiz, check my figuring. Finally, it dawned on me - I was using the measure of the baby's head. Hats should generally be a bit smaller than the head so they will fit snuggly. This is why I usually use a pattern.

Here is my "formula" : figure out how many stitches you will need to go around the baby's head- it's about 56 f-64 or worsted. I needed 72, since I was using thin yarn and getting 7 stitches per inch. Cast on twice as many stitches as you need. Join to knit in the round (careful not to twist the knitting) and knit one round. On the next round, k2tog all the way around. Knit for two inches (I knit for one inch before this step, but that wasn't enough). On the next round - k2tog, yo* repeat around, creating a row of eyelets. Knit until hat measures 5 inches from starting point. Now you will begin the decreases. You will need just a little math. Figure out a number that goes evenly into the number of stitches you have. It should be 7,8 or 9. Subtract two from that number. Knit that number of stitches and then k2tog. Repeat all the way around. For me, my dividing number was 8. I subtracted 2 and got 6, so I knit 6 stitches and then k2tog.

Knit one round even (whew, that was easy)

On the decrease round, knit one less stitch than you knit on the first decrease round before k2tog. For me, it was 5.

Knit one round even.

Repeat the formula - decreasing one stitch in between k2tog.

Repeat until you have four stitches left, use these to make a short Icord, bind off.

Thread ribbon through the eyelets and tie in a bow. this can be used to make a larger hat fit more snuggly.

Having tried to explain this, I have a new sense of admiration for all designers and pattern writers!

And now, to distract you from the fact that I have no other knitting to show off, I'll share my pretty flowers.

The red ones are roses, the purple ones are snapdragons. I don't know what the yellow ones are, but they have certainly made themselves at home. There are three clumps of them and it looks like some more are shooting up. Some might describe them as invasive, but I don't mind because they are pretty and my garden is rather bare.

New England Morning

Every morning I get up as early as I can muster to take my English Springer for a walk along the harbor. I'm not a morning person and never had a desire to greet the dawn but with my ginormous crew, it's the only peace I get all day. It's like walking in a picture. The scene is the same but every day is different. The colors change depending on the season and the weather. The mix of birds also varies depending on the season. Somedays the water is high up on the shore and others it's far away revealing mudflats. Those are the days my dog seems to like best because he can find a deep mudpool to play in and ignore me when I call him to come home. He knows I'm not coming in after him. When he finally does get around to heeding my call, his beautiful white fur is dark gray.

I've been doing this early morning thing now for a full year. Last summer, I dreaded the winter knowing that there would be days when it would be bitterly cold. And it was. There were days when the walk was not pleasant. Having survived it, however, I would say it wasn't as bad as I feared and there were moments of unexpected beauty that I wouldn't have seen any other way. Plus now I appreciate the warm weather even more than before!

Yummy Chimichangas

I came across this recipe on a search for "chicken" and "Mexican." It's too good to not pass along: http://www.bigoven.com/165050-Chi-Chi's-Baked-Chicken-Chimichangas-recipe.html

It meets my requirements to be quick, relatively simple and super tasty -- thumbs up from all 5 kids, even the two little ones who claim that they "don't like chicken," unless it's in the form of a nugget.

It's better than in the restaurant, if you ask me, because it's not all gloppy. We served it with mango salsa from Costco, which though it may not sound appetizing, really is.

I cooked the chicken then ran it through the food processor to "shred" it. I also didn't wait for it to cool down before spooning it into the tortillas.

Welcome Secret Pal

Some would say it's summer time but in knitting land it's Secret Pal time. SP12 has started and assignments are heading out so perhaps someone who has never met me is stopping by for a visit. The answers to the SP12 ?? are below. I'll be off hunting down my down stream pal. I'm planning to have as much as I have had with my past swaps. I've met some great friends that I would probably have never met any other way! Lisa was my spoiler for my first swap and LoriBird was my spoilee (spoiled?) Both are inspirational knitters.

As for the actual knitting - I've been a distracted knitter lately, but I managed to carve out some time this weekend in the midst of a heat wave.

On Friday it was so cold I needed a scarf. By Saturday, it was so hot I didn't even want to knit on a scarf! But I did anyway because I was so close to being done with this colorful number. This is the vacation scarf I started two (three?) summers ago! I bought a skein of yarn for it at every shop at which I stopped while traveling. It was a great way to know the shop keepers because I always asked for their recommendation. It also let me buy something without blowing my budget. I knit it length wise on 250 stitches, size 11 needles. It's about 5 feet long. I used a die to determine which color to use and a coin to determine if the row would be knit or purl. That was a little knitting game that made it's way around the net several months ago. (which goes to show how long this UFO had been hanging around.) I don't know what yarns I used since the labels ran away long ago. I knit like I cook - I have a rough idea of the recipe and then I just throw together the ingredients. No dish is ever exactly the same.

I also swatched some yarn I bought in Paris and plan to turn into a smallish purse. Hating to waste my efforts, I turned the swatch into a small home for my cell phone. (And I wasn't even previously aware that my phone was homeless!) I knit it in a tube using stockinette and then switched to seed stitch for the top. The yarn is cotton but I found it to be very stretchy. That may be because it's really four strands twisted together. I made a little handle that can be unbuttoned so I can loop it onto the handle of a purse. The best part of this project is that it took just one day :) Albeit a day with a lot of knitting opportunities - swimming lessons, soccer, long ride to the store and a movie. What I learned most importantly is that my gauge is way off - I need to add more stitches for the real purse or hunt down bigger needles.

Next, I put the finishing touches on the felted purse that Allison sent me to knit as a car project. (If you have a minute, stop by Allison's blog and check out the darling lace baby sweater she just finished - it's worth the trip) It took several trips to CT, but I finally got it done. (Now what will I do in the car?) It called for grommets, which required an extra trip to the store. Too bad they sell yarn there too, huh? The bag is a cool tweedy effect from holding a strand of navy with a strand of violet.

And finally, I have conquered a heel! Look, no holes! (big grin) It only took me four tries! I was beginning to despair when I found a great tutorial for short row heels on the web that described well how to pick up the wrapped stitch, which is what I think I was doing wrong. Thank you to those of you who post your hints tips and techniques - you never know when you might lift up a fellow knitter. Now, I'm gearing up to take on the second sock. I still feel like it's climbing a mountain.

The pretty blue and green yarn is one of those my mom bought for me in Arizona. She has such great taste.

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? I prefer natural fibers, especially soft ones. I’m not keen on fluffy novelty yarns.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? I have some in vases and some in a knit picks folder.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? I taught myself to knit when my daughter, now 6, was a baby. Just when I start thinking I might be an advanced knitter, I find a project that kicks my **.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?I have an amazon list

5. What's your favorite scent? Lavender, lilac and rose.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy? I like chocolate, but I don’t eat a lot of candy. I drink a lot of coffee and a little bit of tea.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin? I sew, I bead, I take tons of pictures. I have a drop spindle, but I haven’t learned yet how to use it.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) I like a wide variety of music, especially Blues, guitar, classical. I listen to a lot of pop because I have kids.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?I like dusky pinks, burgundy, brown and blues. I’m not big on bright colors, yellows or greens.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets? I have five children, ranging in age from almost 3 to 15. We have a playful English Springer Spaniel and two gold fish.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? Scarves and hats mostly. Not so much on mittens or ponchos.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? I do a little bit of everything – scarves, socks, purses, dish cloths, stoles, even toys. I tend toward smaller projects so that I can finish them before I lose interest. That being said, I like a challenge and enjoy trying new techniques. I especially enjoy lace and cables.

13. What are you knitting right now? On the sticks I’ve got socks, a lace shawl and a lace stole. I’m contemplating two purses and a variety of sweaters.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? Yes.

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? I like bamboo and aluminum. I mostly use addi turbos and mostly circular given the nature of my projects.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? Both thankfully

17. How old is your oldest UFO? A doll that I started when my 3 yo was born. I’m not convinced it will ever get done.

18. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas for the anticipation.

19. Is there anything that you collect? Not exactly. I have an affinity for cool knitting tools and enjoy ocean-themes - sail boats and shells and such since we live so close to the ocean. I grew up landlocked in the midwest and dreamed of being near wide open waters.

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? I love knitting magazines but don’t have a subscription to any. The Yarn Harlot’s new book is on my list. I like books that have stories with the patterns.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? I’m working on socks.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements? I’m a shoe size 7

23. When is your birthday? June 24th

24. Are you on Ravelry? If so, what's your ID? yarnscribe

Tag your way to clean

I have just discovered what is quite possibly the most fun but longest way to clean a kid's room ever. I start out as it and put 1 thing away. Then I tag a kid who belongs to the room who puts something away. Then that kid can tag the other kid who belongs to the room to put something away and then that kid tags me and we start all over. After several minutes I realized that the room was so far gone that this game could last all day so I let them tag me twice. We're still not done, but we are a lot doner than an hour ago.

I don't know why I expect my kids to be neater than I was at their age, or even neater than I was until they came. I had an incredible mental block when it came to picking up until I had kids and then something clicked. I am far, far from being a neat freak, but I crave order in a way I never did before. Unfortunately with seven of us in the house it's harder than it ever was. I'm much better than I was before, but I'm still bad about putting things away when I'm done with them.

As far as motivating kids, I've discovered the house fairy. She's smart business woman who has discovered a great small business that provides a tremendous service. Her story is that she is Santa's Helper and she goes around inspecting children's rooms. If they're clean "she" leaves a present, if not, she leaves only fairy dust. You can buy into her system, which includes printable coupons and other goodies, or just borrow the concept. Some might object to the idea of introducing yet another character into children's lives and underlying concept. I'm all for method that helps my kids get in the habit of keeping their room clean without me screaming at them, which by the way doesn't work. I'm sad to say I've tried that.

For some reason, I feel better when their room is clean, more so than any other area of the house.

For inspiration and motivation, I've been watching "How Clean is Your House?" on BBC America. For those of you who haven't seen it, these two cheeky British ladies go to disgustingly dirty houses and help the people get them cleaned up. They are some seriously ill kept houses. Had someone pitched me the idea for the show, I think I would have tossed it out, but it's oddly compelling.

Summer Sun Surf's Up

It seemed that summer would never come - but here it is - proof that warm weather exists and that summer will creep into New England as expected.

I've made yet another attempt on the short row heels. It was worse than the first one! Attempt three was over almost before it had begun. I'm eager to try again but just plumb worn out from earning money to buy more yarn.





I

I hate heels

I am insanely jealous of anyone who can successfully turn a heel without anxiety and angst. I've done it twice for socks for me and twice for wee socks and still I struggle. I lose my place. I get holes. I end up with a misshapen mess. If only I'd realized or been willing to accept the fact that they weren't working out when I was ten rows into it...but I kept going hoping against hope that it would look better in the end. Instead, I'm hopping off to the frog pond. I don't understand why I struggle so! I'm not unintelligent. I've accomplished many more complicated tasks. I will persevere. I will get this figured out. (I hope)