A New Hampshire Knitter

I love fall- it's my favorite season. The leaves are starting to turn, the air is a little crisper. Apples and pumpkins are everywhere- including in my coffee. I know I've been quiet on here- not posting in over a month qualifies as quiet, right? But that doesn't mean I haven't been busy. Aside from life being generally ass-kicky lately, I lost my knitting mojo, so I've spent some time reading. I read two of Ken Follet's books- Pillars of the Earth and World on End . Both were fantastic, although World Without End seemed to drag a bit. I read several books by Philippa Gregory, including The Red Queen , The Lady of the Rivers , The Boleyn Inheritance , The Constant Princess , and The Other Boleyn Girl . I know I've read more books than that, but I can't think of them. I also spent about a week churning out stitch markers (which are going to be posted to Etsy soon- although I've been saying that for a few weeks now.) But, my mojo is back, and ...

We're nearing the end of the Olympic Games, which means we're nearing the end of the Ravellenic Games. The scarf was finished in what was (for me) record time. My average time for a scarf is a year- this scarf took me a week. Now I'm working on The Big Honkin' Bag . It is going slower than I expected- it's hard on my hands and wrists- but I'm hopeful that it'll be done on time.  So I took a break this evening, and baked a cookie. Yes, one cookie. One peanut butter cookie with chocolate on top. (In retrospect, I should have waited for the chocolate.)

Well, I was wrong. I wasn't able to post anything until now. I was going to write a review of a book I recently finished, The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett, but time got away from me. So instead, I'll save that review for when I finish the sequel. The 2012 Summer Olympics have begun, and oddly, I have not been able to tear myself away from the TV. I'm not sure I'm able to follow what's happening, but I've been watching. I was able to finish a project I had under deadline, which is blocking now, so I cast on the first project planned for the Ravellenic Games- the Noro Bias Scarf . I'm using Studio June Sock Luck- colorway Black Opal. When I first saw the yarn, I was compelled to buy it because they were "my" colors- black, purple and gray. Now I see how short the color repeats are, which may or may not lend itself to the properties of the scarf. I don't know. We'll see. I've got another couple posts in the works. They...

We are ten days from the Mass Cast On that kicks off the Ravellenic Games 2012. I had WANTED to prepare by finishing all my WIPs- not because I need the needles, but because I dislike having projects on the needles that aren't in the rotation. While I have been knitting fairly steadily, I have also been casting on. Which is silly. Oh well. That being said, much of my prep work or the Games is complete. I have sorted yarn with their appropriate needles, stitch markers (yes, I am one of those weird ones that coordinate stitch markers to project), patterns. All that is left is to wind the yarn- which is only necessary for two projects, both scarves. (Yes, I am aware at how crazy I am to attempt to knit two scarves in 17 days. Even if I am on vacation for 7 of them).  The projects I am planning: The Big Honkin' Bag . I am using some Bernat Handcraftier cotton, in blue. I am knitting this for Team Knit Alone Temperance . I am going to use some Knit One Crochet Too Ty Dy Sock...

Happy Fourth of July! Even though it's late afternoon here on the East Coast, I hope you have a fun and safe holiday. I have a timely project to show you: My father gave me bag given to him by a fomer employer- with the company name stamped across the front. He asked me to sew "a flag, or something," over the company name, so that's what I'm doing today, before setting off fireworks with my family.

... like I need another hole in my head.  But a new hobby, I have. A few months go, when I went to New Hampshire Sheep and Wool, I bought a Learn To Spin kit from one of the farms that had set up a booth there. It sat in my stash since, waiting for me to pull it out and use it. Last night, a friend of mine came over (after we had dinner at a local Thai restaurant) and we sat down and learned to spin. We were armed with our spindles and copies of Respect The Spindle , and fiber in hand, prepared ourselves to muddle through this new skill.  There was confusion at first, but when we got it... ... we celebrated. And we spun. Friends. Thai Food. Fibery Goodness. Mark Harmon. All is well.

The lack of knitting mojo has abated... at least, slightly. Once a week, I try to make it to quilting class. Sometimes, lack of time or lack of funds take precedence, but there's a quilting class that I try to get to once a week. Well, Nancy, the woman who runs the classes out of her home has just installed hardwood floors and has requested that we not wear our shoes indoors. Reasonable. So I would acquire slippers. But rather than buy something, I would knit them. Use stash, save money. When I knit something, I like to know what to expect. My first pair of socks drove me crazy. I'm not one for trusting the pattern, even though it's something I tend to preach. That's why I had to read the pattern to the Pocketbook Slippers many many times before I could bring myself to cast on. The directions just didn't make sense. I knew I knit a square, then I seamed up some side and voila, slippers, but I couldn't for the life of me look at the pattern, and see how i...