Things we want to share

Last night I was reading to the kids before bed. We got into a conversation about something we'd read a long time ago. DD said, "I remember that picture!" ES: "me too!!"
YS: "Mama, do I remember it?"
Me: "I don't know, honey, it's your memory. I don't know what you remember."
YS: "I-- said I could have his memory!!"

Back to Kansas

"We're not in Oz anymore, Toto."
Okay, that's a misquote- but it's true. Last week was like being in a knitter's Oz- a magical world where anything can happen. I didn't meet any wicked witches- but good and helpful people abounded! What a great time!
It started Tuesday evening for me- when I got to meet the wonderful women behind the name "The Unique Sheep". I've known them for awhile online, but meeting them in person was better. :-)
Then on Wednesday- the Teacher's Dinner:

Yup, that's the 40 teachers (and the 2 wonderful women behind Sock Summit- Tina and Stephanie). What a fun time! I didn't talk much; just sat and soaked up as much knowledge as I possibly could. And there was a LOT of knitterly knowledge in that room!!
Thursday, I taught 2 3-hr classes. I think they went very very well. (especially for being the very first time I've ever taught more than one person at a time.) I loved it. If I had more time- I would love to do more teaching (of knitting); lots more. But at this point, I've got 3 wee ones to teach a bit more than knitting to- and another wee one that will soon be here needing teaching as well.... Anyway, Thursday was great. I was totally worn out by the end of it, and barely made it through the Opening Ceremonies that night. But that was all the work I had to do that week; and then I got Friday, Saturday, and Sunday to play!
And I did. I went through the Marketplace a lot- but missed so much. I just couldn't take it all in. I walked and walked until I got overwhelmed- then went home. I really didn't buy a lot, but did get some great yarn that I am excited to use. Yarn that is totally new to me; and I can hardly wait to play with. :-)
I got to audit classes as well- and that was just wonderful. I've done the vast majority of my learning about knitting from books and my mistakes, so getting to actually learn from other people was a wonderful new treat. I learned sock shaping tricks, speed knitting tricks, and spindle spinning basics. The teachers were fantastic. I even learned cast on tricks in the "Lucy Booth". My mind is still reeling from all the knowledge that got thrown at me! I have so much to practice now!
And then, at the end, The Luminary Panel. In the room where knitters shattered the Guinness Book of World Records current record for the most knitters knitting simultaneously- This picture shows less than a third of those who came to hear 9 famous knitters answer questions. What a lot of knitting! (not to mention yarn....)

Lucy Neatby, Deb Robson, Anna Zilbourg, Priscilla Gibson-Roberts, (Tina and Steph) Meg Swanson....

Meg again, Barbara Walker, Judith McKenzie-McCuin, and Nancy Bush. The knowledge- I'm telling you- I can spend a lifetime learning about knitting, and never know the half of it. I love it. I think I can safely say that I am not the only one.... ;-)

Big Week

This is the week of Sock Summit! I am teaching on Thursday- and hanging out with hundreds of knitters the rest of the week. I've been looking forward to this for months and months, and it is finally here!
The mayor of Portland has declared this week "Sock Knitting Week". There are 2 events at the Summit that are attempts to make a new record for the Guinness Book of World Records. If you knit, you should come! If you don't, you should come see what all the fun is about!
See you there!

A First!!!

Publication!!!
My first published pattern can be found in this magazine:












My "name" is in print!!

(very small in this picture, but it is there....)
I am very excited about this! Can you tell? It still seems a bit unreal. But it is my design- a sweater that I knit (on a model I've never seen before, which is also odd)- and my name; in an international magazine. Wow.
I'd put up pics of the sweater- but I think I may be pushing copyrights as it is. I'll get photos from the magazine to post later, I expect. In the meantime- you can check it out by purchasing YarnForward, August Issue 16. :-)

Settling in

Well, we've been here for 3 weeks now, and loving it. There is room for the kids to run- we're close to so many things that the kids and I do- it's quieter. We are very thankful for our new home!
I worked very hard on the moving in for 2 weeks. Then I absolutely had to go crazy with the knitting.
Yesterday, I finished a little outfit for our baby. I've been wanting to make something for this baby since I learned of his/her existence- but have been so busy w/ being sick/designing/moving that I just couldn't get to it. Well, here it is at last.

Made w/ some scraps of yarn I had left over from a design I did months ago. Gorgeous, soft yarn- Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran. Love it.
The jacket is a modified version of the kimono pattern from Mason-Dixon Knitting. Teddy Bear buttons-- had to be. :-) Since the baby is due in October, I made this outfit a little big- hoping it would fit a 3-6 month old. I may have miscalculated. The jacket just might fit a 1 YR old....


This is an afghan square I made for a friend in the UK who is moving into a narrow boat. She's making an afghan just for the boat, and this is my "boat-warming" gift. :-)






This is another modified version of the kimono pattern from Mason-Dixon Knitting. This one was done for a friend's baby that is due next month. I loved the finished product so much, I wanted to keep it---- which is why my little baby set happened this month. It's a great pattern- I actually used it twice. :-) Quick knit for gifts-gotta love that!



These socks took me over a month. That doesn't happen much anymore- but I have the excuse of moving for why they took so long! Once I finally finished them, I was so excited over having a finished product, I really started knitting again. I was sort of dabbling in knitting while life was overwhelming- but after 2 weeks in the new place- finishing these really got me going on knitting again. It's nice to be back. :-) These are the ones that the heel flap took me 2 days. I finally got to use some of the yarn I won a year ago! Stash knitting is a good feeling. :-) So I'm doing more! Designing a vest for my MIL with some lovely hemp yarn she got for me over a year ago. While waiting for yarn for a design I'm supposed to do for a magazine, I'm using the time to get rid of some of this extensive stash---I have to; now that Joel has seen the actual extent of my stash during the course of the move, purchasing new yarn is a no-go. I knew that would happen....... *yes, my face is red- I have a big stash. I was well and truly on my way to SABLE*


*SABLE: Stash Acquistion Beyond Life Expectancy

New Beginnings

This week is a week of endings and beginnings for us. Ending a long and enjoyable stay in the little house on the corner- and beginning what will hopefully be another long and enjoyable stay in the bigger house out in the village. It's not really that far out- we're still considered a part of Portland (even though it doesn't say it in the address), but it is farther out than we are now. And bigger. We are really excited about this house. The landlords seem to be just great, and the house has all the wee little details I wanted and thought I would have to do without. Even some that I really like and wasn't thinking about.... ;-)
It is so very nice to know where we are going! The stress is just lifted. No, we aren't actually there yet, but the moving part is not that stressful for us- we've done it before....:-)

In the meantime, I've been trying to knit- but when it takes me 2 days to work one little heel flap, you know it's not been the highest on my priority list!

This is mainly what I've done in the last 2-3 weeks. 2 very wee little socks, and I'm not even half done.
Okay, yes, I did write out an extremely complicated pattern and one not so complicated(you'll get to see it later, I promise)- but knitting has been slowed way way down.
I am liking these socks. It is a "mystery" pattern, where the pattern is released one part at a time. I've kept up alright so far, but am really getting slowed down now. I need to finish the heel and work the foot. My guess is, it'll take me another 2-3 weeks. There's a lot of twisted sts and ribbing- which I'm not especially fond of doing (probably b/c it slows me down), but I am liking how it looks.

Now, I'm off to clean and pack!! We've got people coming tomorrow evening to get us moved out the new place, so I've got a lot to finish up. Knitting will have to wait once again.

Lord of the Rings Sock Club Installment #3

Introducing:

The Fellowship

This design was inspired by the Fellowship of the Nine
Walkers in the Lord of the Rings. Frodo, Sam, Merry, Pippin,
Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Boromir, and Gandalf. Each
member of the Fellowship is depicted by one strand of the
cable. Worked from the toe up, the cable intertwines and
gradually unravels, just as the Fellowship traveled together
and then began to take separate paths.

This was a fun design to put together. I started with 9 strands to cable, then interwove and eventually separated them. The color I originally did it in was this:






Which turned out nice- but it needed just a little boost. With The Unique Sheep's Gradiance technique of dyeing yarn, we were able to incorporate some story into the color as well as the traveling cables. Blue typically stands for courage and Red for danger. Green can signify growth, health, and inexperience. Purple is associated with nobility. The flow of the colors along the traveling cables enhances the symbolism of the journey of The Fellowship.

I am so pleased with how this sock turned out and the response we are getting from the club about it. It was Laura's (the dyer) personal favorite, and probably my 2nd favorite.
I should have posted this a couple weeks ago- but with the move and all, I've been a bit busy. But here it is now, and I hope you like it too!
Like all the patterns from this club, this one will be available for purchase 6 months after the club. :-)