Archives for May 2006

Scout, one of the awesome Dye-O-Rama Mammas, asked people to post photos of their knitting area. So, for better or worse, here is mine.

I most often knit in a small sunroom just off the kitchen. It’s a 10×10 space with sliding glass doors on two walls that let in great light. It has always been the clutter room. If you don’t know where to put something, just dump it in the sunroom. A few months ago, I decided to reclaim it to be my studio. I dragged in a hodge podge of forgotten furniture. There is the old living room couch, which is too formal for the sunroom, but is quite comfy. It lost it’s spot in the living room, when my son’s musical gear took over that room. I also have an old blanket chest that used to hold all of the kids videos. They have long since out grown the videos, so I got rid of them, and filled the chest with yarn. Yipee! On the side of the room I didn’t photograph, I have a table, that used to be our kitchen table, when our family was smaller. It now serves as my desk. It is piled with mail and has my swift and ball winder always at the ready. The room suits me well, I am near to my family as they flit through the rest of the house. The kitchen and laundry room are nearby so I can make believe I’m actually getting house work done. (Really, all I’m doing is knitting!) I usually listen to podcasts or music from my laptop, as I knit.

The best part of the room is my little buddy who keeps me company. His name is Smudge, and he is the sweetest little dwarf rabbit. He hops around the room, periodically sniffing my ankles, which really tickles! He doesn’t sit still very well to have his picture taken.

Currently the wips all seem to be sips. I need to get off this sock knitting binge. I’ve got so many other projects waiting in the wings. . .

To all of you in the US, have a wonderful Memorial Day! To everyone else, have a great weekend.

As the Phoenix rises from the ashes, so Pomatomus emerges from the depths of the frog pond!

Pomatomus considers her watery past.

She hides in a tree, fearing that she will be ripped out again!

No, not this Pomatomus. In this yarn, she is all she was meant to be. The k2tog through back of loop is no problem in this yarn. The knitter may use her prefered method of knitting her on two addi turbos. Her color is still in question. But isn’t the dye pot a better fate than the frog pond?

More to come.

On Saturday I sent a package to my Dye-O-Rama buddy, Kristi aka Fiber Fool. Thanks to speedy mail, she got it yesterday (Monday!) This was my first swap. It was such a great feeling to get her reaction. She was so enthusiastic and gracious. It got me thinking about the old saying, that it is “better to give than to receive”. Knitting has allowed me to experience this first hand. I have felt it through this swap, through the successes of people who I have taught to knit, or helped to learn a new technique, and through giving people my hand knits as gifts.

My favorite recipient of my hand knits is my father. There has never been a more appreciative person to knit for. I have knit two vests for him. Whenever I visit my parents, he is wearing one of them. He smiles proudly when he talks about his daughters’ accomplishments, whether it is my simple knitted gifts, or my sister’s PhD. I will continue to knit gifts for him, and because I have his gratitude, I will be encouraged to kit for others as well. Thank you Dad. For the confidence you give me, and through that, the fearlessness to try new things.

On Friday, I visited my parents. I try to do this at least once a week. They may be moving soon, and I want to spend as much time with them as I can before they do.

My mother took me up into the attic, to get me to take home some items that she has been storing for me for the past 20+ years. In one of the boxes were some old high school photos. They were fun to look at since my son will be entering high school next year. Ah, the memories. The biggest thrill though, was finding something I thought must have been thrown out years ago.

My Panasonic Toot-a-loop radio!

It was quite a day when I got my Toot-a-loop in the mid-seventies. I saved up babysitting money for it. It traveled with me to the Jersey Shore, where I layed on the beach and listened to WABC radio. That was the station around here in those days. No one listened to FM then, there wasn’t even an FM dial on this radio. I remember all of those pop hits blaring out at me as I soaked up the rays, The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia, Billy Don’t Be A Hero, My Name is Mikey, I’ve Got a Nickle. I brought it home to show my kids, who asked, “Is this like the ipod of the seventies?”. Yeah, I guess it is. We put a battery in it, and it still works! The AM reception around here is pretty bad. I’ll have to take it into NYC or to the shore, and give it a try there.

Also in my mom’s attic were some boxes of yarn. In the late seventies, she got really into making Icelandic sweaters. One year she made three between Thanksgiving and Christmas, to give to my sisters and I as gifts! There were two large shopping bags full of Lopi that she gave to me. I have put myself on a yarn diet, but I think when your mother gives you yarn, you’ve gotta take it. Right? The Lopi is just too bulky and itchy for me to make any sweaters out of, so I guess I have some felting projects in my future!

Hey LJ, when you are here this summer, you can take some of this pile!

Today has been a funky day weatherwise. One minute it’s sunny and glorious, and the next it’s pouring. With weather like that what’s a girl to do? Sit in her sunroom and knit of course! I listened to the witty ladies at Knitty d & the City and finished up a pair of “fraternal twin” socks. I love the idea of “fraternal twin” socks. They are quite simply, lighthearted and fun! These are knit from two different colors of Art Yarns Ultramerino 4. I didn’t have enough of either color for a full pair of socks, so I just randomly striped them. They are lovely and soft. I am very pleased with them. The only issue is that everytime I knit socks from yarn that doesn’t have that all-important nylon content, I tend to get holes in them pretty quickly. (I know, I know, but I can’t be bothered with knitting in re-enforcements on the heels and soles.) We have brick floors in our kitchen and sunroom, which is pretty tough on socks.

I’m calling them my “Hill Socks” because their colors are exactly like the hills and sky I have the pleasure of viewing off of my deck. Yes, this is New Jersey, and yes, most of the state is quite beautiful!

Finally, I leave you with a few more garden pictures. I just love the colors and textures out there right now, and can’t resist taking pictures!

These are Aquiligia, or Columbine. I’m not sure of the variety. They are some relation to Aquiligia, “Nora Barlow”. I grew them from seed years ago, and they have spread politely around the garden. They are tiny flowers. If you’d like a better look at them click on the photo.

And of course, Poppies, lovely Poppies!