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October 31, 2005

The Land of Tricks and Treats, Part One

Last week, Margene brought us all to the Land of Green Witches. This week, in keeping with the Halloween theme, I present, The Land of Tricks and Treats.

Trick

Snow in Southeastern Massachusetts on October 29. And not just spitting snow but actual stick-to-the-ground snow. Is this what the coming winter is going to be like? Sigh.

Treat

Finished Socktoberfest socks! I know it wasn't a rule that the socks had to be finished in October but I really wanted to be done with them by the end of the month. And I am. That's Trekking Autumn and the pattern is feather and fan from the book Socks Socks Socks. And they are warm and for me and I really love 'em!

Treat

Finished Kiri Shawl! The pattern was easy to follow and it was my first time using charts. Never mind the little argument I had with chart 3, it was all my problem, and once I got over it, I breezed through and finished the shawl on Friday night. The bind-off (because some people think we should be timing bind-offs on shawls) only took 1.5 hours. But the shawl is beautiful and it only took ONE ball of Karabella Lace Mohair and I love it! And it's oh-so-perfect for Halloween because it does sort of look like a spider web. Which is better than looking like a lunch-lady hairnet, right?

Tune in tomorrow for more treats, including the haul from the Franklin Fiber Twist!

Posted by Carole at 8:09 AM | Comments (20)

October 28, 2005

I Got Nothin'

. . . tink, tink, tink . . . tink, tink, tink . . .

. . . knit, knit, sl1K2tog, knit, knit, knit

. . . almost done . . .

In the meantime, check out this.

Posted by Carole at 10:35 AM | Comments (2)

October 26, 2005

A Matter of Trust

Here's a question? When, in one's knitting career, does one decide to trust the pattern? Hmmmm? I've been knitting for 6 years and I still try to argue with the pattern and I just want to know when I'll learn that if there's a mistake, it's most likely with my knitting and not with the pattern.

You would think, after 12 repeats of chart 2, that I would know that the designer might just know what she's doing. But nope, not me. I get to chart 3 and it starts going all wonky and I decide the pattern is wrong.

You may wonder of what I'm speaking. It's Kiri and I was almost done. I'd finished chart 1 and soared through 12 repeats of chart 2. I know I already told you that, I'm repeating myself to beat it into my head that if chart 1 is right and chart 2 is right then chart 3 is probably also right and I need to TRUST. THE. PATTERN. A little voice told me to put in a lifeline before I started chart 3 but me? I laugh in the face of lifelines. Hah, lifelines!

But chart 3? Things started looking not so perfect. The edge stitches and center stitches were harder to see - no nice even YO K1 YO line ups to guide me and let me know I am in the right place.

So, what's a knitter to do? I started using stitch markers. Again, I had knit 12 repeats of chart 2 with nary a stitch marker but I decided chart 3 called for stitch markers. And stitch markers? They're great. They keep that 12 stitch repeat all lined up. But, when you're increasing along the edges and center of each row, you need to adjust the stitch markers on each new right side row. It took me 18 rows to realize that. Hunh. 18 rows. 18 rows which I blundered through, screwing up the edges and the center to make it work because until I figured out what was wrong (because, duh, it had to be the pattern) I just kept moving forward. What a dumbass.

So, me and Kiri? We'll be spending some time together and we'll be tinking. 18 rows. Back to the end of the 12th repeat of chart 2, where there's no lifeline, because I don't need no stinkin' lifelines.

Then we'll be moving forward with chart 3.

I want this to wear for Halloween. It's black lace and all witchy like. Which might just be how I'm feeling about it.

Posted by Carole at 7:20 AM | Comments (14)

October 25, 2005

An Evening with Gordon Lightfoot

Saturday night? We went here:

Can you read the name? Here's his picture.

Now can you recognize him? Yeah, I know. The pictures are crap. I didn't dare bring the regular camera with me so all I had was the Palm. But at least you know I thought of the blog and attempted to get a half-way decent picture or two.

We had a fantastic time! We took the subway and I knit on the ride into the city. We had dinner at Rustic Kitchen and it was fabulous. Great martini, great calimari, great ravioli. Mmm. Mmm. Mmm. The waitress had never heard of Gordon Lightfoot, but told us that her parents were big Bruce Springsteen fans and, while that would normally make me feel older than dirt, the martini had kicked in so I was okay with it. We had allowed plenty of time for relaxing and chatting and then we set off (in the rain because it's the weekend so of course it's raining) for the concert.

Here's my official review of the show, I'm sure it's as good as anything you could read in The Boston Globe:
He looks older and his voice is a bit thinner but he's still Gordie. He got standing ovations for Canadian Railroad Trilogy and The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. Even though he didn't sing my favorite (Summertime Dream) he did sing Dale's (Song for a Winter's Night) and it's better for the man to be happy, if ya know what I mean. The Orpheum is aging and decrepit but the beer is reasonably priced (for a concert venue, anyway) and the bathrooms are clean. Probably the most telling thing I can say is that I would go see Gordon Lightfoot again in a heartbeat.

What can I say? I like Canadians.

Posted by Carole at 12:30 PM | Comments (10)

October 24, 2005

As My World Spins

So, I had my first real spinning lesson. Can I just show you?
This is before:

This is after:

By George, I think she's got it!

My lesson was with Cathy Martz at Dream Acres Studios in Westport. Sharon and I learned hand carding and drum carding and I have to tell you - I just loved loved loved the drum carder! Cathy had some roving all ready for us but the fleece in my bag was so yummy and fragrant with lanolin that I couldn't resist carding that and using it. I was spinning on a Louet and with just a few hints from Cathy about the semi-worsted method of spinning I was able to get much finer yarn than I had been getting on the Ashford at home. I realized that, in addition to the new technique I had learned, I also needed to adjust the tension on the traddy. So, Saturday morning I did some research, with the help of Alden Amos, and figured out what to do and, well, you can see the improvement above.

Cathy also happens to be a dealer for Ashland Bay so of course some stuff followed me home. In the basket is the fleece and roving and some glitz that Cathy included as part of our lesson. Next to the basket is a big ole ball of alpaca and some beautiful merino.

Yummm.
We go back this Friday to learn more spinning techniques along with plying and dying and I can't wait!

I leave you with this, a photo of our first fire of the season. What better way to end a lovely day of spinning than by curling up next to the fire and knitting?

Posted by Carole at 7:45 AM | Comments (15)

October 20, 2005

Thoughts for a Thursday

Describing the great time I had with other bloggers in my last post is a tough act to follow. Let's face it, sometimes it hard to come up with an exciting blog entry - particularly when you just posted a really special one. But, there's some business I've been meaning to attend to so, with apologies to Cate for shamelessly ripping her off, I present a rambling, random post of my thoughts on Thursday.

I may be addicted to spinning. Honestly, though, how's a girl to judge her own addiction when she's surrounded by people who are way more addicted? Spinning every day might be a clue. Spinning for a few minutes before work might be another clue. I just don't know how to gauge it. But here's my latest yarn on the bobbin.

Looks better, I think. This is coopworth roving and it's easier for me to spin than the BFL. It's much softer and drafts easier but I'm also noticing that my yarn is pulling apart more with this stuff. Should I be treadling more? Drafting slower? Drafting faster? Any advice from my fellow spinners?

I called the Double Tree Inn in Portland, Maine, to make reservations for Sharon and I to attend SPA. They're sold out but advised me to make reservations at The Hampton Inn, which is the overflow site and they are offering the same group rate on their rooms. I'm hoping there will be LOTS of overflow attendees at the Hampton and therefore we'll be hanging out and spinning and knitting all over the place. If you haven't called to make reservations yet I'd say, hop to it!

Have I mentioned how great Heather is? First of all, she sent me one of her very first bracelets as a gift. Since then she has continued to make more and more beautiful bracelets and last week I purchased a stunning lapis blue one that she named "Casual Friday." She packed it up and sent it along with this:

Merino roving for me to play with! Isn't she awesome? And generous? I'm not good enough to even touch this stuff yet but I'm going to have fun with it later. Love the colors and it's so soft! I must admit, I was really touched when I opened this package. I might have even shed a tear or two.

Speaking of being touched when opening packages, look what came from my Secret Pal!

Yummy yarn in shades of eggplant and forest green! Notecards! Stitch markers! A knitting and design journal! Thanks, Secret Pal! I love absolutely everything!

I finished the Eyelet Cardi a couple of weeks ago and I wear it constantly! I even wore it the day I bought my wheel. It's warm and cozy and the color is bright and I just love it. Here's me, in my office, which is generally freezing but I don't even notice when I'm wearing my Peace Fleece sweater.

Finally, I'll share with you a delicious recipe for roast pork in the crock pot. I made this on Monday night and we all loved it. It's very simple:
core and slice 6 apples and put in the bottom of the crock pot
put a pork roast on top
mix up some apple cider with a little brown sugar and ginger
pour this over the pork set
Set your crock pot on low for about 10 hours and go knit.
Come back to a delicious, tender, pork roast.

Tomorrow Sharon and I have our first spinning lesson here. That should provide some blog fodder. Woot!

Posted by Carole at 12:36 PM | Comments (16)

October 19, 2005

Who Needs Rhinebeck?

There were no sheep, llamas or alpacas at Willow Books in Acton last night. There wasn't any festival food or fiber booths or fleece tents. But there were bloggers galore and when Kathy declared that it was our Rhinebeck and that we had to make the most of it, she was right. So we did.

My friend Sharon (who is, sadly, blogless, but I'm thinking not for long) and I drove out together and met up with Kathy and Julie for dinner. We then headed to the bookstore and started seeing tons of bloggers, some we had met before, and some we were meeting for the first time. We also saw the one thing that Rhinebeck didn't have that I'm willing to bet everyone missed the most. Our dear Steph.

This is Stephanie with Laurie. I was so excited to meet Laurie in person for the first time. Laurie, you rock!

The readings from Knit Lit the 3rd ranged from touching to hysterical and the line for the book signing was long. Steph braved her way through it (it just might have had something to do with the promise of beer with bloggers afterwards) and even made a snarky comment or two to the cranky man who kept telling us: move along, there's no time for conversation and only generic signatures are available. Here's a picture of Mr. Cranky Pants.

I think he's counting up the money he's making by selling all those copies of Stephanie's books. Which you would think would have made him nicer to all those bloggers there to buy the books, but I digress.

And while Stephanie was signing, a large group of bloggers gathered to wait for her to finish so we could go get beer. There was Wendy, Kellee, Stitchy, Sandy, Laurie, Kathy, Julie, Chris, Ruth, Kristen, and, and, oh, if I left you out, I'm sorry and please leave me a comment so I can find you again.

And ya know what? This is the part that I think was just like Rhinebeck. Because it was all about friends and knitting and talking and laughing. We told our stories and shared our knitting triumphs and disasters. We ate (there was cake!) and drank and connected in ways that I've seen bloggers connect before. It should no longer surprise me and yet it still does. For example:

Linda Roghaar lived in the area of Maine where my mother's family comes from.

Sandy and I were knitting socks from the very same colorway of Trekking.

Sharon and Stitchy have a shared interest in beekeeping.

Kathy and Kristen and I all went to women's colleges.

I could go on with this but you guys all know exactly what I'm talking about. Meeting other bloggers might not be why any of us started blogging but, for me at least, it's turned out to be coolest benefit of the whole blogging thing. We called Cassie and we talked about calling Margene but, alas, no one had her number. If you weren't there, you can rest assured that you were missed.

It may not have been Rhinebeck but it was good enough for me.

Posted by Carole at 7:58 AM | Comments (26)

October 17, 2005

My Non-Rhinebeck Weekend

In no particular order, the things I learned this weekend at the wedding in Portland, Maine.

My daughter suddenly dances like a grown up. And looks like a grown up. Thank goodness she still acts like a kid! But here she is, dancing with the groom, and just looking, well, grown up.

Portland is not an easy city to navigate. There are one way streets and maps that give you bad advice.

There are hotels that provide excellent function services (flaming bananas foster!) but lousy valet service.

On the plus side, there are great restaurants (once you can find them) and nice yarn shops, too. Sometimes they even have sock yarn on sale.

Portland also has a very nice Civil War statue.

It doesn't matter that you forget to take a picture of the bride and groom, so long as you have a great one of yourself and your husband.

A trip to L.L. Bean and dinner at Bob's Clam Hut are great ways to end a weekend.

Posted by Carole at 8:01 AM | Comments (14)

October 13, 2005

Swiftly Shawled

As you may recall, I had a major birthday a few weeks back. Wanna see what I got with some of my birthday cash?

(And before anyone asks, no, I did not buy the wheel with birthday money. I bought that just because I wanted it. Sometimes you just have to buy something just. because. you. want. it.)

But I digress. See that lovely wooden swift? And the nifty little ball winder next to it? I just love them! No more draping skeins over the backs of chairs or enlisting uncooperative children! No more tangled skeins! No more hours of winding messy roly-poly yarn balls. Now I can wind up my skeins whenever I want - and quickly, too.

And see that yummy yarn? That's the koigu I got (on sale!) with Norma at Kaleidoscope Yarns. Look at these adorable little koigu cakes! Aren't they just the cutest things?

I was so excited I started a shawl right away. Quick and easy was what I wanted and that's what I got. Here's Mason providing his technical expertise. You may note that he's laying across not only the shawl but also the Trekking Feather and Fan socks. He's an equal opportunity pest, that cat.

And here's the shawl, which I finished on Tuesday and wore on Wednesday. No, I didn't get an artsy photo shoot like some people. You're just going to have to settle for the shawl draped over a chair in the dining room.

But isn't it pretty? The colors are very neutral with splashes of orange and blue here and there. I can see myself grabbing for this baby all the time. It's very soft and warm and I just love it. I used this pattern, only added some stitches on the edges and made it way bigger.

And now that I've told you my knitting tale, we will return to our regularly scheduled spinning.

Posted by Carole at 12:25 PM | Comments (14)

October 12, 2005

In The Spin Zone

Remember back in junior high school when you wanted whatever anyone else had? Your friend had gaucho pants and wedge heeled boots and you had to have them, too. Your other friend cut her hair and next thing ya know, you're Farrah Fawcett. Reading blogs is like being back in junior high school. You see something on someone's blog and BAM you want one for your own self. Before you know it you're knitting Birch or Clapotis or a One Skein Wonder. It's how we can celebrate Socktoberfest and have all those freakin' knitalongs. Hey, everybody else is doing it, I should do it, too.

One of the things that has intrigued me for quite some time is spinning. Everyone else is doing it and I've been wanting to TRY it. Just try it and see what it feels like to make yarn. Last week I bought a couple of spindles and some roving on ebay. I waited anxiously for them to arrive and when they did I gave them a whirl and I sucked. I sucked so bad that those two rather expensive spindles are at the bottom of a basketful of yarn. Of course, I wasn't all that disappointed to suck at spindle spinning because what I really want, irrational though it may seem, is a wheel. An Ashford Traditional, if you must know.

So Sunday? When Dale and I were looking for something to do? We took a drive to Cambridge to Mind's Eye Yarns, just to have a look. Because it's good to shop around and make an informed choice, right? I mean, I've been talking and talking to other bloggers and getting advice on what to look for and what I might need, but it would be good to actually see some wheels in person. Right? I wasn't going to buy a wheel, I was going to wait until SPA to purchase a wheel. Yup, wait until February. Because I'm so good at delayed gratification and all.

We were in the shop about five minutes and Lucy had me sitting in front of an Ashford Traditional drafting while she treadled. Then I was treadling while she drafted. Next thing I know she's got me drafting and treadling and I'm in the zone. Being in the zone makes me exempt from all responsibility because you know what she did next? She leaned over and whispered, oh so seductively, in my ear, "you could take this one home with you today." Can you guess what happened? Sure you can.

Next thing I know, she's strapped in the back of my Jeep and we're heading home.

So far, I suck, but not as badly as I did with the spindle. And - here's the most important part - I don't even really care that I suck because I love it so much. The whirr of the wheel is enchanting and the whole process (Hi, Margene!) is so what it's all about. And, I made yarn. I. Made. Yarn. Granted, it's sucky yarn, but I. Made. It.

It's a slippery slope, this blogging business. You start out wanting to keep a record of your knitting projects and put your thoughts out there for others to ponder. Next thing you know, you're knitting things you'd never dreamed of trying and then, lo and behold, you've got yourself a spinning wheel. I blame it all on blogging. Really. I do.

Posted by Carole at 7:28 AM | Comments (29)

October 10, 2005

Soft As A Grape

Dale grew up with a grape arbor in his backyard. He has loads of stories about the grape harvest every year - including the accomplishment of stuffing 100 grapes in his mouth.
He fondly remembers grape fights and tossing grapes into the air to catch them in his mouth. He chuckles when he tells the story of tossing a handful of rocks, rather than grapes, into the air for his brother, Randy, to catch and swallow. He also remembers the year the grapes fermented on the vine and the birds all got drunk. But mostly what he remembers is drinking the grape juice and eating the grape jelly his mother made every year.

My mother-in-law, Ruthie, was what we often refer to as a "character." She was loving and funny and silly and believed fiercely in protecting the earth. She walked to the river behind our houses every day that she could and nothing made her happier than just being outdoors. She was ahead of her time by recylcing way before anybody else did. She conserved water and resources and could squeeze the life out of a dollar like nobody I've ever known. Making juice and jelly from the grape arbor in her yard was something that she enjoyed. But she also saw it as a responsibility, a way of reaping the benefits of the land and feeding her family with the results.

Six years ago I asked Ruthie to teach me to make grape jelly. Now, with apologies to Jane Austen, it is a truth universally acknowledged that the day you make grape jelly must be hotter than the hinges of hell. So, on this particular day in September, I headed next door to make grape jelly, in the heat, with Ruthie. We laughed and we talked and we sweated and by the end of the day we had about 4 dozen jars of jelly and 4 big bottles of juice. I had learned to make the jelly and I have made it every year since. And it has always been hot and humid on the day I've made it.

Ruthie passed away this past winter and, while we hadn't made jelly together in recent years due to her illness, this is still the first year I've done it without her being right next door. As I said to Dale while we were picking over the grapes that he and Hannah had picked the other day, I do this to honor his mother's spirit. She taught me to do this and continuing the tradition is a way to keep her and the things that mattered to her alive - not just for the sake of her memory but for our whole family. Because, of course, the jelly will be shared with the family. And co-workers and the mailman and the neighbors, too, depending on the harvest.

Most people probably wouldn't bother with this anymore. They'd leave the grapes for the birds or just let them rot on the vine. They are probably the same people who buy their socks at Walmart and their sweaters at L.L. Bean. Nothing wrong with that but no real sense of accomplishment. No pride in the finished product. No piece of yourself in every mouthful of juice and schmear of jelly. All of that and also the fact that nothing, but nothing (except maybe the magic of knitting) compares to starting with this:

and winding up with this:

Posted by Carole at 10:03 AM | Comments (17)

October 7, 2005

Sock It To Me

For Jane:

These are my socks. Not all of the socks I have knit because lots of socks get given away but these are the ones I have kept for myself. So far.

Can I just tell you that I love knitting socks? They are pretty much mindless and just when you get sick of a certain part, like the cuff or the leg or the heel, BAM! you're done and you get to knit a different part. They make the perfect traveling companion because they're so portable. And, talk about the process! There's nothing that's quite about the process as much as sock knitting. Right, Margene?

I know some people don't enjoy knitting socks and others are obsessed. Can we talk about this? If you don't knit socks, make me understand why. And if you're a kindred spirit, tell me what it is you love about sock knitting.

Posted by Carole at 8:54 AM | Comments (20)

October 6, 2005

Not Rhinebeck Bound

Okay, so I have accepted the fact that everyone in the blogging universe is going to Rhinebeck except me. Really, I'm okay with it. Remember Lois? Well, her youngest son is getting married that weekend and I'm going to be here instead of at the biggest fiber festival of the year. It's okay, though. Really, I'm good. Yup, just fine.

But you know what's frying my ass about the whole thing? Having to tell eleventy-million people that I'm not going to Rhinebeck. Because everyone assumes that I will be. Or should be. Or something like that. So they keep asking, "you're going to Rhinebeck, aren't you?" Sigh. Just saying, "nope, not me," over and over again is tearing my heart out. Heavy Sigh.

So, on the off chance that there might be one or two other bloggers out there who also aren't going to Rhinebeck, I made us a button. It's my first button. Be kind.

If you're not going to Rhinebeck feel free to snag that baby up (but on your own server, please) and put it on your blog. It just might save you the agony of having to repeat, over and over again . . .

You're. Not. Going. To. Rhinebeck.

Posted by Carole at 11:38 AM | Comments (15)

October 5, 2005

Give A Little More

Look what came in the mail on Monday! It's my prize winnings from the Give A Little Blog.

This yummy stuff came from Ann and Kate over at Mason-Dixon Knitting. There's Rowan All Seasons Cotton in two different shades - raspberry and plum, and Rowan Glace that's perfect for some baby booties I've had my eye on for Ambrynn and Phildar Cecilia in a delicious shade of icy blue that will be purrfect for a hat. Oh yeah, baby. I'm feeling the love.

And, while it's good to receive, it's better to give. Margene and Susan are hoping to hit the $100,000 mark for Katrina Donations from the knitting world. They're almost there. If we all just give a little more I know we can help them reach their goal! Plus, you could win some totally awesome prizes! C'mon. Give a little more. I did.

Posted by Carole at 8:00 AM | Comments (3)

October 3, 2005

Confession of a Bad Blogger

Hello. My name is Carole and I am a bad blogger. I went to the Boston Knit Out and didn't take any pictures. Nope, not one. So sorry!

I did have a great time, however. I went in with my friend Sharon and we met up with Kathy and her friend Shane. We visited the exhibits, watched the Fashion Show, talked to some spinners, shopped at Windsor Button, and sat and knitted on Boston Common for a while. It was a beautiful day and really cool to see all those knitters just hanging around!

Sharon and I headed to Faneuil Hall in search of food, drink, and the score to the Red Sox game. We found all 3 (Yay Sox!) and then headed home. A successful day of knitting and hanging around with friends.

But no pictures.

So, I will leave you with this one. A picture of the sock in Vermont last weekend visiting Quechee Gorge. It's a long way down but the sock and I weren't scared. Dale wouldn't even look over the edge. He's a bit chicken about heights. It's not so bad. See?

Posted by Carole at 8:00 AM | Comments (13)