jeannie's hands at work

Knitting, crocheting, other handwork, and personal.

Wednesday, November 30, 2005

I missed Tuesday.

I missed Tuesday knit group. I didn't want to miss, but too much was going on. Funeral, daughter to pick up after school so she didn't freeze, the third scarf to finish for a friend who ordered four(!), a total mess to deal with at home, and on and on: whine, whine.
I hate missing knitting group either on Tuesday or Saturday. I have no other "social life" so it's important to me.
I'm very grateful for my knitting friends, my family, near and far, and my distant friends.
So ready for Christmas break -I can't wait.
Pictures will come soon for the scarves and other stuff. ; ) That's it for now.

Monday, November 21, 2005

A New Week and Sad News

It's a new week and I'm starting out by posting right away.

I got some sad news Friday. My Aunt Dorothy, my mother's sister-in-law died on November 11th. I think she is the last of my folk's immediate family. I don't know but what my Aunt Mary Ellen is still alive in ----, but she's been unhappy with me since my Uncle John died. The one time I called, she didn't want to talk to me. When my mom died, my father forgot to list them as surviving family and then blamed it on me (to them). They haven't been happy with me since. I'm sure when John died Mary Ellen was devastated. I was still not functioning from my dad's dying and I was not very communicative.

In the meantime, I have orders for Christmas that I'm knitting busily. Scarves, baby hats, and I may have time to do slippers too. I hope.
I'll post pictures when I get things finished -so far I got the main part of one scarf done . I'll knit this weekend after I get everything organized. That's it for now.

Monday, November 14, 2005

I got tagged by the MEME Fairy, Erin!!!!

Your favorite yarn?
So far it has to be alapca, any kind, and Lamb's Pride and Manos(but do I have any? NOOOOOOOOO).

Your favorite needles?
Circulars for most projects. And, Heathen that I am: I REALLY LIKE METAL NEEDLES!!! And Plastic. Denise Interchangeable to be precise.They were my only needles for about 15 years.

The worst thing you've ever knit?
I've blocked them out... No, just kidding. One of my UFO's- a scarf out of rug yarn, started 25 years ago, that I just found this fall. The pattern is nice but I sure have made a lot of mistakes in it and they're wayyyy back at the beginning. Do I frog and do over, or do I just finish it? A real quandry for a recovering perfectionistic neurotic. LOL. However it would look great in some of my Alpaca stash.....hmmm.

Your most favorite knit pattern? (maybe you don't like wearing it)Any turtleneck sweater.

Most valuable knitting technique?The ability to switch hands in knitting - switch from continental style to American (throwing) and Norwiegan purling in Continental knitting. No twisted purl stitches and no knitting in the back of the stitch to compensate. : )

Best knit book or magazine? So far,I'm really liking Last Minute Knitted Gifts and Knitty.com Magazine

Your favorite knit-a-long? My First Sweater KAL - helped me knit my first very own sweater last year. Everyone was so helpful. I learned SO MUCH.

Your favorite knitblogs? Oh, not fair, I can't mention just one or two without hurting someone's feelings. I'll think about this one.

Your favorite knitwear designer? Sarah Dallas for her slipper pattern in her latest book. Elspbeth Lavold, Viking Knits.

The knit item you wear the most? (how about a picture of it!)I'm thinkin', I'm thinkin'!
Tag time : I'm thinkin', I'm thinkin'................!

Wednesday, November 02, 2005

Knit Group MarathonTuesday Night

Hi everybody. Last night was really different for me. After getting out of work late, I went to Satellite for our Tuesday afternoon knit group. Shaila was there and we sat for a few minutes till "our spot" opened up. We swooped in and grabbed it before any of the students could sit there (imagine... Students at a coffee shop across from a university, taking up knitting room!- after classes were done for the day- studying! What-are-they-thinking?!)
We had Jenny,Jeannie,Jesse,Annie,Shaila, and I think that was everyone till 7:00. Sorry if I missed anyone. Two of us were just about to leave when a woman came up and said, " Oh, you're the other knitting group." She introduced herself and so did we. I decided to stick around for a few minutes and meet them. Well,,, a few minutes turned into hours. They knit till 10.
Let's see if I remember everyones name - Meg, Louie, Tina, Julia,and Marie. I think that was everybody. If I missed someone, I apologize.
I got a real treat. Meg's 1-hour baby booties needed a "potential ravel intervention," and I offered to assist. Well she used Baby Cashmerino for them. I have never knit with that- I just can't bring myself to buy it. I may spend a lot o yarn, but I try to get as much for the money as I can. I usually opt for more yardage for the buck than the caviar content. (Now that I've mangled all sorts of rules of grammar...)
Well, NOW I SEE. Working with that yarn was heaven. No wonder it's so popular and used in so many designs. It's like working with air, drapey, full of body and substance without being heavy or sticky, light but not "floofy" (yes, I meant to say floofy). You can see the stitches unlike mohair or angora or other bloomy yarns and stiil have the softness. Boy, I love cashmere!
I had a really good time meeting this group. I hope we can all get together occasionally.
I finished the Flora scarf except for the button. I had to wait till this morning to see what buttons will look like on it. Night lamps just weren't cutting it.



The baby sweater is finished too except for buttons.

That's all for now. Happy knitting!