ADD Grrrl

Here is a tally of my WIPs

The Nicky Epstein Fuschia bag: I have completed 52 rows of the 72 charted for the front of the bag. I have completed the back, the pocket, the five flowers (seamed and weaved all but one) the 24 leaves. I have to finish the front, do the handles, seam, duplicate stitch (which I have never done), sew the appliques, assemble and felt. Seems a little daunting when I spell it all out!

I have done 2 of the 8 cable strips for the cabled throw. I couldn't decide which one I wantted to do next - was kind of hoping to consult the new Vogue Knitting Stitchionary of cables - but I should get going, and just use another color to ease the boredom factor.

I have 2 squares in progress from the Great North American Afghan project/class that I've been taking. One has some errors that I will need help with (again). The other is going along fairly smoothly - only about 10 more rounds and it's done.

I completed the back of the Great Adirondack Victorian Jacket kit - now I have 2 fronts and 2 sleeves to get started on. I'm a bit unsure of some of hte instructions for the front, and not thrilled with the horizontal stripes on the sleeves so I need some consultation.

My Cardishawl that I knit from a Karabella pattern has been sitting waiting to be finished. I got some expert advice from Master Knitter & friend Anita that I should abandon the whole cardishawl concept, and never buy a pattern that does not show you a photo of the back again. I need to frog the sleeves, undo the bind off and just extend it so it's a bit longer, then crochet the trim. Perhaps I will come up with some sort of I cord applique idea to jazz up the great expanse of stockinette, but will wait and see how it looks with the Cashmerino Astrakhan trim (I used Debbie Bliss SuperChunky in plum for the body).

There are several works I am considering: making washcloths with the skeins of cotton chenille yarn I've had for about a year. I saw Melanie Falick's flower pattern for this, which was all the rage two years ago. There is also a nice pattern in the Mason Dixon book, worked in the round. However my experience with that sort of pattern from the afghan class wasn't the best so I don't know if I want to do that. I have been pondering what to do with the skeins of Malabrigo that I have, using one of the ripple patters in the new Jan Eaton book. And contemplating just what to make with the beautiful handspun I purchased and posted about from Material Whirled.

The power of the needle

Ever think about how powerful the knitted (or crocheted) objects we make can become?
Last night, at dinner, my husband, sons & I started reminiscing about things they did when they were babies when we sat at dinner. We laughed and giggled at our imitations of baby excitement and messiness. Then, my husband says to my 6 year-old, "Your great-aunt made you a yellow blanket that you carried around so much until it was a tiny scrap..." Grant's face falls into such sorrow I thought my heart would burst.
"Yes," he sobs.
I take him into my lap and Dad says - "I have something special for you..." and leaves the dining table.
We had no idea that he remembered his blankie so well. When we run into friends from preschool and I ask, "This is A., remember her from preschool" he says no. Other dear friends and relatives who have passed away recently also seem to have passed from his memory. But not his yellow blankie.
Now, the backstory. When Grant was born in 1999 his great-aunt, Joyce, crocheted him a lovely blanket in yellow & white. We lost it on an airplane trip to see the grandparents in Washington State. It was disastrous - I thought I could walk into a local knitting shop and buy one just like it, but no. Joyce obliged and crocheted another. Unfortunately, our housekeeper has a yen for bleach (anyone relate?) and over the years the blanket shrunk into smaller and smaller pieces. I even took it to another LYS and asked the owner to make a duplicate - but by then, Grant just would not be deceived by an imitation.

Cut to: our spring break visit with Aunt Laura, Uncle Michael & Cousin Adelaide in Washington DC. Of course, the scrap of blanket is an essential item. It is about 5 inches long. Every bedtime, for over a year now, we'd hear the refrain: "Where's my yellow blanket?" and we would search frantically so that bedtime would go without a hitch. It is time to pack and go, and we CANNOT FIND THE YELLOW BLANKET.

It is difficult, but a relief, as Grant is forcibly weaned from his blankie. We persevere. Several weeks later, this post arrives from Aunt Laura:

Dateline: (WASHINGTON, D.C.) -- A fragment of textile was excavated early today from a secret toy cart in the K. household on G. Road. The yellow and white ornamental fringe appears to be the remnant of a larger work of art that apparently held deep meaning for its owner, possibly a young boy, who carried the scrap far and wide in his travels.
Researchers speculated on how the artifact came to rest in the repository. Was it placed there on purpose? Was it left behind by mistake? Was the cart actually an early 21st century sarcophagus and the beloved ratty material an offering to the gods?
"It was mixed in with a small plastic dinosaur and other ribbons and scraps of what could have been arts and crafts materials," states Adelaide J-K-, an expert in rare childhood totems who has been involved with this dig for the better part of her career. "Unless you were intimately familiar with the fine points of toddler culture, it would be easy to overlook. I mean, a find of this magnitude doesn't surface every day."
As stipulated by UNESCO, the artifact is expected to be repatriated to its native land, known as the San Fernando Valley, in the near future.


Cut to: San Fernando Valley, late spring 2005. The article and remnant arrives. After much consideration, we decide to hold it as a treasured artifact of Grant's childhood. Surely, he is coping well without it. No more do we have to look for his yellow blanket every bedtime. It sits in a well-guarded spot in Daddy's office... until last night.

His joy at reunification was sky high. He held it to his cheek, his tears dried. We went into my office/knitting room/WALL OF YARN, and discussed what to do. Perhaps we could tie it to a larger piece? I could knit another blanket that includes it? I could make a pillow?


I found two squares I had made about a year ago, one the dahlia pattern from Jan Eaton's 200 crochet squares, another a square of single crochet from Bollicine and Wendy Velvet yarn together in 3 colors. We decided to sew the squares together like a pillow, encapsulating the remnant. The dahlia pattern was knit at such a gauge that it was open enough that you could reach in and feel the old 'yellow blankie'. When I sewed it to the single crochet square of stripes, I left an opening just big enough for Grant's hand to reach through and touch his special blanket. He was pleased. He wants me to attach it to a bigger blanket, knit (or crocheted) just for him, with Big Boy yarn. I can't wait.
I think about it and consider how he has carried this loss and hurt inside for so long, and think about the losses and hurts that we all carry inside. I can't say they are bigger or deeper than the loss of a blankie but I know I am blessed to be able to take at least this hurt of many he will have in life, kiss it, knit it, and make it better.

I come out of hiding...

...and model one of my works. I wore my Versatile Wrap knit from Schaefer Yarns Laurel to Easter Sunday Service. Actually missed the service because BSS was ill with strep, but I made an appearance with Grant and enjoyed the lovely brunch with our church community at Woodland Hills Community Church, a United Church of Christ congregation.

Project ColorSwap!!

My Project Colorswap package from Tammie in North Carolina arrived! What an artist! What an abundance of goodies.

Let me list everything! She gave me these wonderful cards she made by sewing pieces of fabric to cardstock - she also made a bookmark. She made a small cosmetics bag, and also a bag to hold travel-size kleenex (and gave me tissue too - just in time for allergy season!) Everything of course in the month's colors of YELLOW & ORANGE. There is a packet of Earl Grey tea (ever notice the yellow wrap?) a tin of ginger altoids, Burt's Bees lip balm, Clementine Body cleanser from CO Bigelow, fun fruity bath confetti, Henna tattoos, 2 flower pins/brooches made from fabric, a Martha Stewart Kids magazine, and gummi hot dogs for the kiddoes, 2 packs of sculpey in - you guessed it - yellow and orange, some yellow Flexi-Lace Hem facing (not too familiar with this - please enlighten me) some wonderful refrigerator magnets, a pack of gift tags, a chocolate bar with orange filling. Oh, I forgot to mention the Bright Lights Cosmos seeds!

Everything is artfully wrapped in yellow tissue paper, tied with yarn and she made these lovely gift tags that have her blog address. Very artsy this lady - do check out her blog, her photography and her crafting are wonderful. as are her entries...

I hope I haven't missed anything - I am very overwhelmed by the creativity, generosity, attention to detail.

Thank you Tammie! Her blog is linked in the sidebar - check it out!

More WIPs

Here are two more projects on the needles. One is my first small attempt at intarsia - the front of the Nicky Epstein Fuschia bag from Fabulous Felted Purses. I have knit the back, and severa of the appliqued leaves. There is really not that much more to do - I just find it tedious dealing with all the bobbins, and it seems silly to do it this way - why didn't the pattern just do it all in duplicate stitch? A teacher at Village Knittery said I would be happier if I was using straights rather than circulars, but it is Use What You Have month, so I will soldier on. (Or just avoid it, which is what I've really been doing)


Instead of working on the Nicky Epstein, I have begun the Victorian Jacket kit that I picked up from WEBS at Stitches West. It is a kit of Great Adirondack yarns, and I am enjoying the pattern. I am halfway across the back. It is fun - not boring stockinette. There are some interesting stitch patterns that I don't know the name of; also double seed stitch, bobbles, yarnovers. The problem I'm having is that the colorways don't really go together so well.


The silk yarn has a lot of pink in it, while the other yarns are more beige and cream, with really no pink at all. It almost seems like an entirely different colorway. And here is the downside of buying at a remote location - if it was from a LYS I could substitute the skeins - I don't have the patience to deal with that with a web supplier, who would probably tell me I'm wrong and it's handpainted so what do I expect. (spoken like a true pessimist) Anyway the rule is if you use it 3 times it looks like it's meant to be so it should probably be just fine.

Ain't They Sweet?

Not about knitting - but just had to share these pics from last weekend.

I took the kids to Griffith Park to give Dad a day for writing and met a friend with her children who are nearly the same age as mine.

We met at the pony rides - I had no idea how intense those are! No wonder there is a huge line! My boys said they never wanted to do that again!

Next we rode the train, which was such a nice ride, better than the one at Travel Town. And then we went to Shane's Inspiration, which is a universally accessible playground. Grant's school did a field trip there when he was in kindergarten. You can see how a little bit of ice cream makes any day grand!

On (and off!!!) the needles

I have been trying to arrange for a friend to model two of my latest wraps; in lieu of that, here are some pics. I got them steamed at the cleaners which helps with the drape. I am really happy with the lattice wrap and am pleased I got another skein of Schaefer Laurel to make one with. The skein has much more magenta than the photo in a previous post - I think it will be rather dramatic. But this pink/white one will be lovely to wear to church tomorrow, Easter Sunday.

Next is the wrap from Louisa Harding, also pictured in a previous post. Just trying to take a better pic.

Here is a square in progress from the Great North American Afghan book by XRX. It is knit in Plymouth Encore, per the teacher's suggestion. This is a from a biweekly class at the Village Knittery. This is my first time working on DPNs. Perhaps I went off the circulars too soon. I have dropped several stitches and find it hard to pick them up; my stitch count is off, more than the dropped stitches will account for, and I just don't like it enough to frog and start over. At some point I will find time to drive in and see if they can help me fix it. I also learned the difference in which way you slip the knits in a SKP2 - a bit late in the game so the corners aren't as neat as they are supposed to be. It's a learning experience.

You can see two completed cable strips for the Cable Throw from the Knitter's Bible. Of course they will need to be blocked; you see my hand and Curious George trying to straighten them out for your viewing pleasure. I am really enjoying working with the Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Chunky. I tell my boys the throw will be for them and they rub it on their cheeks in anticipation!

My new toys

My goodies arrived - I got my Ruby's Daughter skein which is gorgeous - I have to figure out some projects for the amazing handspun that I have! The crochet yarn from knitting warehouse was no great shakes - I still haven't figured out exactly what they used in that book and how to make my work look like that - the thread was too small for my E hook - I'd hate to go smaller, tho that Karabella shawl calls for a D. The rosewood hook is very nice though.

Anyway, my status. Almost done with the second strip of the cabled throw. I just did the 8 row cross cable which is very easy to do - I have about 4 more repeats and I'll be done with that. I have enough in this colorway to do two more strips I think; I am itching to change colors though so may switch to the plum for the next strip. I've decided I will get some teal, and perhaps magenta or fuschia, but I WILL wait until I've knit out the Debbie Bliss I have on hand.

I took the afghan square class at Village Knittery on Saturday and ripped out what I did in class and started over. It is a fun easy pattern; I had to stop because I left one of the balls of yarn at the store - it's the third color. I have to find time to get out there and pick it up; maybe Thursday.

I am working on the 24 leaves for the Nicky Epstein Fabulous Felted Bag Fuschia purse. I've done about 10 I think. I just carry the yarn and needles in my purse; have the simple pattern memorized so I can make one in about 4 minutes I think.

It was interesting when I took that class; saw that I was a kinda slow knitter - it was a little demoralizing. And I got a bit anxious and was making mistakes. Thus ripping it out and starting over at home where I could concentrate (and use markers to track the 225 stitches!)

I received an invitation to be considered a project knitter for spinner extraordinaire (and designer) from Material Whirled, Reenie. Don't know if she'll pick me but it sounds fun! It's to make a felted bag. Would be interesting to see how her yarn felts up.

OHH, forgot to say I finished the "versatile wrap" from Y2Knit. It is beautiful. It's the most flattering thing I've made for myself. I just need to steam it. I think I may take it to the cleaners recommended by Village Knittery - I have a few things that need to be blocked, and may just let a pro handle it. There is a nice article about how a good dry cleaner can be a knitter's best friend in the new issue of Knitty.

And excited to say that Amazon says my new Jan Eaton book, 200 Ripple Stitch patterns, is on its way. I am trying to decide on a pillow pattern for my husband's special "huggy pillow" (I know, why aren't I the huggy pillow?) which is worn from use. Perhaps there will be something there, though I am considering making up one of the squares from the Great North American Afghan book with my hand-painted yarn - just have to wind the stuff!

I am weak

I didn't last FIVE days in the USE WHAT YOU HAVE campaign. I am so very very naughty. I blame my diet! I can't get my thrills with food, so I get them with yarn. I'm not sure why, but I just had to order the two Karabella shawl patterns I've been ogling on Kpixie. And yet again, I was seduced by some one-of-a-kind yarn, this by Ruby's Daughter.


Then, to further enmesh myself in the whole yarn buying scheme, I contact Claudia at Chez Cas to see if she can suggest any substitutions for the Karabella yarn for these pieces. Does she think the Blue Heron laceweight mercerized cotton might work? Or Lorna's Laces Helen's Lace? She is offering a 20% discount until April 20!!! Any suggestions from you, my trusted readers? Or does anyone LOVE the Karabella yarn? I'm not too thrilled at the idea of buying 9 balls of laceweight cashmere at $20 each (but again, I have never worked with pure cashmere, and there's always a first time).