Life is Sweet

Bad hair

I remember an old co-worker/friend commenting that she had inherited her “bad hair” from her Mom. I didn’t think she had bad hair. As a matter of fact, she and I had very similar hair. Fast forward five years, I’m starting to get it. I have bad hair. I don’t know that I inherited it, but well, it’s just bad. It doesn’t do what I want it to. No matter how much product I use on it, it still gets all fly-away and won’t stay down. It’s limp. It has almost no body of its own. I kind of hate my hair.

So why a post about my hair? I know, and I don’t even include pictures. It’s stupid. But I just feel like bitching about it right now. I’m seeing my hair therapist tonight. I hope she can do some good. But frankly, she’s no miracle worker. She can only do so much. I want to get it chopped off. But then last night, my husband, who never says a word about my hair, started in about how he loves the length and don’t get it cut off. What? I had finally made up my mind. I was thinking Jodie Foster in “The Brave One.” Pretty damned short. Now, Mr. Silent on the Subject pipes up? I’m so confused now. I don’t know what to do.

Normally I would say, you know, don’t let anyone tell you what to do with your hair. But I tell him what to do with his hair all the time. Mostly it goes like this, “Jesus Christ, Rob! Go get your hair cut!” And he says, “Never!” And it goes on and on like that, until one day I come home and his hair is gone. Like a true defiant one, he never gets his hair trimmed, he gets it gone. He hates the process so much that he figures he might as well as lose as much of it as possible in one shot and not have to return to the chair for six months to a year.

Now why can’t I take that approach?

Ramsay is back

Chef Ramsay is back with Kitchen Nightmares. The show seems less dramatic; the only character you get to know is Ramsay. Since he moves to a different restaurant each week, you don’t get to know the people he is “helping.”

Nevertheless, like a bad train wreck, I can’t seem to look away. Last week’s episode, where he transformed “Dillons” in New York, made me wonder if I could ever eat in a restaurant that so recently was infested with cockroaches and rats. It made me sick to watch people eat at Dillons, even after the steam bath cleaning and new cutie-pie chef.

It is fun to see the restaurant staff’s reactions to Gordon. Almost makes me want to open a restaurant, run it into the ground, and beg for his help.

A new web site for knitters

One of our local Kitsap-area knitters has created a groovy new web site called America’s Knitting. Her site includes a searchable map of the US for yarn shops, a local spotlight on shops and designers, and much more! Don’t miss it!

Dad’s Cabled Scarf

Finally, a new pattern! I’m making this scarf for my Dad for his birthday. I’m using Alpaca with a Twist “Highlander” which is very soft and yummy. I bought it at Yorkshire Yarns. Great shop! Check it out, if you haven’t already. Okay, here is the pattern for this very easy, soft and yummy scarf!

Dad’s Cabled Scarf

Materials: 3 balls of Alpaca With a Twist “Highlander”
45% Baby Alpaca 45% Merino 8% Microfiber 2% Viscose
-or- approximately 435 yards of a worsted-weight yarn

Needles: Size 9 (us)

Other: Tapestry needle or crochet hook for securing ends.

Abbreviations/Patterns
Seed Stitch (SS): *K1, P1, repeat from * across row. On alternate row, knit the purls and purl the knits.

K: Knit P: Purl

C6B: “Cable six back,” slide the next 3 stitches onto a cable holder, hold to the back of work, knit the next 3 stitches, then knit the 3 stitches from cable holder.

C6F: “Cable six front,” slide the next 3 stitches onto a cable holder, hold to the front of work, knit the next 3 stitches, then knit the 3 stitches from cable holder.

Pattern

Using size us 9 needle, cast on 40 stitches.

Work in seed stitch for 10 rows. Then, begin pattern as follows:

Row 1 (and all odd-numbered rows): SS 5, K2, P6, K2, P10, K2, P6, K2, SS 5

Row 2: SS 5, P2, C6B, P2, K10, P2, C6F, P2, SS 5

Rows 4, 6, 10 & 12: SS 5, P2, K6, P2, K10, P2, K6, P2, SS 5

Row 8: SS 5, P2, C6F, P2, K10, P2, C6B, P2, SS 5

Repeat rows 1-12 until scarf is about 1-1/2 inches from desired length, or until yarn is near the end of last ball.

Finish last 10 rows in Seed Stitch. Cast off loosely in pattern. Secure all ends and block lightly.

Download printable pattern (Microsoft Word doc)

Last Pitch for Sweet Stitch

A really nice article appeared in the Kitsap Sun last Sunday that talks about the knitting meet-ups that have formed in the Kitsap County area, and about Sweet Stitch. The women who formed the knitting meet-ups were customers at the shop. Though I know there was some misquoting in the story, I still thought it was a nice tribute. Thanks

Visitors!

We recently had three visitors from the great state of Illinois. Last time we had seen Kreg and Amanda, they were still shorter than me. I taught then 9-year old Amanda to knit. It was summer and everyone was tan and cooking in the Chicago heat.

Fast forward to two weeks ago (back to the future? I’m confused). Both Kreg and Amanda are now taller than me. It’s summer again, but they are not as brown as I expected. But they are still as active as ever. Within ten minutes of being at our house, Amanda fell while skateboarding and broke her collar bone. Kreg is taller than Rob. Very strange. They are officially teenagers, and boy howdy, what a flashback. I’m sorry, Mom and Dad, for everything I put you through!

Despite the early injury, it was a very fun time. There was kayaking, hiking, a trip to the beach (Abby’s favorite part of the week!), shopping, lots and lots of seafood eaten, visiting, late-nights of Scene-it games, wine consumed (over 21 only, of course), basketball in bare feet, sleeping with the spiders, constant MySpace updates, and an unprecedented South Park marathon.

No wonder I’m so tired!

Life with Abby

New WIP

Despite the heat, I am still knitting away. I am blessed with a finished basement that stays very cool even on the hottest of days.

Like many knitters I know, I like to work on socks in the summer. These here are intended to be a Christmas gift for a friend. I dyed the yarn myself. Thanks to Caryn, who gave me the yarn to dye (as well as the dyes, the space to dye, and everything else that went into it). The yarn is a wool/bamboo blend from Southwest Trading. It is absolutely wonderful! The bamboo gives it a lovely sheen. And it has one of the nicest hands of any sock yarn I’ve used. I think the recipient will love these socks.

If you’re interested in dyeing your own yarn, or obtaining some of this yarn, be sure to check out Caryn’s site – she has both dye classes as well as the yarn for sale.

The Artists Coat

Ta-da! It’s finished. Still looking a little lumpy, since I haven’t blocked it yet. And I, of course, am looking very red in the face because it was about 95 degrees in our house as I was modeling the jacket. I really have a knack for timing when it comes to knitting! At least it’s made of cotton and silk.

I am a little terrified to block it for fear that it will streeeeeetch way out of shape. It fits me perfectly right now. I purposely made the sleeves a little short, figuring they would stretch for sure.

Time taken from start to finish: 5 months.

Tussock Purse

Sorry there is no picture to accompany this pattern. You’ll just have to take my word for it that it’s super cute! Perfect for a little girl who really wants her own purse. Enjoy!

Materials
* 1 skein of “Tussock” by Naturally New Zealand Yarns (pattern uses about 150 yards of worsted-weight wool that will felt)
* Needle size 10.5 (us) in 16″ circular or DPNs and 2 double-pointed needles for handle
* Tapestry needle or crochet hook for securing ends.

Gauge: (Pre-felted) 14 stitches = 4″

Pre-felted measurements: 8″ width at bottom x 8″ height (6.5″ width at top)
After felting measurements: 6.5″ width at bottom x 5.5″ height (5″ width at top)

Abbreviations:
PM=Place Marker
K2tog=Knit two stitches together
K2togTBL = Knit two stitches together through the back loops
BO=Bind off

Pattern
Cast on 60 stitches. PM, join into round, being careful not to twist stitches. Knit even in rounds for 5″.

Begin decrease rounds as follows.

Round 1: *K2tog, K26, K2tog, repeat from *
Rounds 2-4: Knit even
Round 5: *K2tog, K24, K2tog, repeat from *
Rounds 6-8: Knit even
Round 9: *K2tog, K22, K2tog, repeat from *
Rounds 10-13: Knit even

Begin applied I-cord for top edging:
Cast on 3 stitches at beginning of next round. (New stitches should be on the left needle tip.)

*Knit 2, K2tog TBL. Slide three stitches from right needle back to the left needle tip and repeat from beginning *.

When only three stitches remain, bind off as normal. Darn in ends.

Make strap: Cast on 4 stitches to double-pointed needle. Work 4-stitch I-cord until strap is about 24″ long. Sew handle to bag before felting using the Tussock yarn.

Making I-Cord:
Instead of knitting into the first stitch on the needle like you normally would, slide the stitches to the other end of the needle and knit, pulling working yarn from opposite end of the needle along the back.

Repeat this for every row, so you are always pulling the working yarn from the opposite end of the needle on the first stitch.

Finishing/Felting
Be sure to weave in any loose ends before felting. Following are my tried and trued rules for felting.

Place your purse in a laundry bag or zippered pillow case. Put in washing machine with a pair of old jeans, or something similarly sturdy (not towels, as the fibers will shed onto your felted object). Set water temperature on hottest setting. Add just a small amount (like a teaspoon) of wool wash or gentle laundry soap. Set agitation setting to highest available.

Begin cycle, stopping after first five minutes to check progress. (Shrink to desired size or until stitches are no longer visible.) You may need to set the machine back to an agitation cycle until object is desired size.

Before the machine goes to the rinse cycle, remove the felted object from the washer. Rinse by hand under cold water. Gently ring out excess water. Roll in dry towels to remove water. Set object on a bed of towels to allow it to dry.

A note about front loading machines: One of the beautiful things about front loaders is that they are very gentle on your laundry. Unfortunately, this is the exact opposite of what you want to felt something. Agitation is very important in the felting process. I’ve heard that putting tennis balls, or a tennis shoe, in the front loader will help things to felt. Feel free to try what you will, but realize that it will take a lot longer to achieve the desired effect in a front loader. If you can, use the top-loading machine of a friend or family member.

Download a printable version of this pattern [Microsoft Word doc]