A New Hampshire Knitter

... or Bah Humbug, whichever you prefer. Thanksgiving was last week, here in the US, which means the Christmas season is in full swing. Technically, the season starts on Black Friday, which is marked by major sales and insane crowds (use the word "insane" as a modifier or a descriptor, either will work), although the past couple years retailers have been pushing the envelope a bit. The mall nearest where I live started decorating for Christmas and playing Christmas carols starting in October. Now, that's a bit much. As much as  love Christmas, I shouldn't be pushed to my "bah humbug" limit before Thanksgiving . In my last post, I complained a bit about deadlines, and how I hated them I regret to say that the orange and yellow balls of Cascade 220 remain untouched. I have a more pressing deadline to make. This is what is in front of me. A quilt, approximately the size of me. That I am quilting myself. Originally, I had the bright idea of making ...

What is it about deadlines that makes me knit slower? In college, deadlines just made me type faster (and actually, I did better with them looming over me like some monster from a cheesy horror movie) but with knitting, quite the opposite. I'm sure many of you know what I'm talking about, with Christmas on the horizon, and for those of us who need to ensure that the post office gets our brightly colored packages to their destinations in time, the deadline is far before December 25th. So what do I do with a ball of yellow and a ball of orange Cascade 220 that has a pre- December 25th deadline that just does not want to be knit? What do I do with the quilt that has a deadline of December 1st, because it is a housewarming present for someone moving in to his first condo on the 2nd, but just wants to sit there. The top is pieced, the backing and batting bought, it's just a matter of putting it all together. Every January, I say I will not do Christmas knitting this year. ...

Like most of us, I have a mound of Christmas knitting in front of me. I just finished the last dishcloth of my list- and I felt my brain go numb from the miles of garter stitch that I had just completed. It's been awhile since I've challenged myself with my knitting. I think the last project I did that really challenged me to push myself further was the Autism Scarf I made for my aunt last year. So, despite all the Christmas project (which is thankfully coming along nicely), I cast on a project that, not only is it for me, but it challenges me as a knitter. Pomegranate . I've only ever knit one doily pattern successfully,  and that was a much smaller, much less complicated one- only a few inches in diameter, using sport weight yarn. Pomegranate allegedly comes to about 6.5 feet, and uses thread weight and size ones. This might take me awhile, but it'll be worth it. Knitting itself is an act of love, pouring ourselves into every stitch, but one that takes t...

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...