Thoughts on Thoughts

I’ve been thinking a lot about thinking lately.  Many of the students with whom I work have difficulty managing their time  and finding the best place to study and reflect.  It’s my job to help them discover, or rediscover, that place.  One day recently several students were gathered in our office and we were all talking about where we do our best thinking and come up with our best ideas.  Many different places and spaces were bandied around.  I have two: when I’m blow drying my hair and when I’m knitting. 

For a long time I thought it was the heat penetrating my brain and getting that blood flowing, but I think it really is the noise of the dryer blocking out all other sounds leaving me to just hear my own thoughts. Well, maybe it’s a combination of both.  I’ve learned to jot down a few notes or key words so that I can remember later.  Seriously, I have come up with some brilliant ideas and even written whole papers during the blow dry!

In 2003 I discovered knitting and wrote about it being my savior in the first post for this blog.  It’s become much more than that over the past 10 years.  I’ve always been a fiber artist, but never expected knitting to have such an important impact on my life.  When I am stressed, I knit.  When I am happy, I knit.  When I need to get unstuck, I knit.  When I want to give someone a hug, I knit them a hug. 

They way in which I knit can tell you a lot about what’s going on in my life.  When I am jumping from one project to another, things may be a little chaotic.  Periodically, I set goals for myself to actually finish one by one everything that’s in progress.  Usually that means that things are calmer and completing each project gives a sense of accomplishment and after the goal is met, I allow myself to buy yarn for a new project.  Projects that are simple and mindless are nice when I’m with my knitting group since I am also teaching others to knit.  These are projects I can put down and then easily pick up where I’ve left off.  More complex projects like color work and lace are left at home.  These projects are nice when you want to escape from your thoughts and focus on math and the beautiful designs that develop.  I often find clarity in my thoughts when I put these projects down and go back to solving whatever issue is at hand. 

We had some cancer in our family recently and knitting helped me get through the days waiting for test results and sitting in the hospital and helping out after the hospital stay.  I did not purchase any new yarn during this time, but was able to use up quite a bit of my stash.  I am still finishing some projects, but did allow myself to use that $20 credit at my LYS for something new. 

Here’s what I’m working on for a very special little lady who requested a hat and gloves in “HOT” pink with white snowflakes.

 

This is Snawheid by Kate Davies. In my opinion, Kate is the queen of colourwork (spelled with a ‘u’ just for her).  I love that she always provides some sort of historical reference or I learn a new word or two.  Kate has a lot of admirers and I’ve occasionally commented on her blog, but I want to say here that she is a most amazing woman.  She has overcome adversity like nobody’s business; she is an academic which is why I never miss her blog posts and I’ve learned more about Scotland and it’s environs that I ever expected; sometimes she posts good recipes; and, she has the cutest black lab ever, named Bruce.  Kate Davies, you inspire me!

And now, ladies and germs, this is what just arrived in the mail.

That’s right, 8 skeins of Cascade 220 for Gita. Gita is only available through the Craftsy.com class by Faina Goberstein, Sizing Knitwear Patterns.  If you’re on Ravelry, check it out here.  The lovely model, Eve, is one of my students. I have signed up for the class, but must finish Snawheid and another Faina design that I started last summer and put down when my mom got sick. I AM going to stick to my goal and finish these two projects before moving forward!  There, I’ve said it publicly.  Don’t hesitate to smack me if I stray.

Hey what’s new?

Yep, it’s been awhile.  I have a good excuse.  Really, I do, but it’s personal.

I did a ton of knitting for Christmas and have a couple of things in the works.  For now, here’s my first FO of 2013.  I took the challenge and knit up these socks for Celtic Cast On’s KAL of Business Casual by Tanis Lavallee.  What a great pattern!  Easy and the design looks great.  I made them for my niece in her high school colors and they fit perfectly.  This is only Take 1, because I’ve got to work up a pair for myself.

		Viking Casual VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

End of 2012 project photos next time.

Summer knitting, happened so fast…

Every summer I have big plans to cram tons of knitting into summer.  Clearly, I’ve been suffering from delusions with regard to how much time I actually have.  Oh, even though I’m an educator I don’t have summers off?  What’s that you say?  I work on a 12 month contract? 

This year is not much different, but I WILL finish the summer top I’m knitting in the next couple of weeks.  I have the perfect motivation and the perfect skirt.  My motivation is the summer KAL I started in the FGDesigns group on Ravelry.  Right now, 79 people have Milana in their queue, but there are only two of us knitting it.  Won’t you join us?  It’s the perfect time to whip out a summer top and still have a chance to wear it this year. 

Here’s where I am with only a few inches before reaching the armhole.

And on my dress form…

Disclaimer:  The dress form is not set to my size, hence the significant amount of positive ease.  I was just too lazy to reset the measurements from the skinny model sample that was last on her.  Milana does fit me well, though and I can’t wait to finish.

Here’s a photo of the sample.

Celebration Giveaway!!!

Hurry and enter to win this awesome book from designer Faina Goberstein at the FG Designs group on Ravelry. Knitting With the Color Guys by Kaffe Fassett and Brandon Mably.  Click on the link to look inside.

Join the Ravelry group and comment on the giveaway thread of the discussion board.

And We’re Off!!!

The Milana KAL has begun!  This is such a beautiful top for summer and I’m knitting as fast as I can so that, for once, I won’t have to wait a whole season to wear my new garment. Have you checked out Milana yet?  I’ll wait while you click on the link…

Are you back?  Isn’t it cute?  Come on, you know you want to cast on!  While you’re at it, why not join the FG Designs Ravelry group?  We’ve got a book giveaway going on over there to celebrate the start of the group.  Share photos of your FOs.  How many of you knitted up the Sweet Honey Beret?  Show it off!  Join the fun!

Here’s a little peek at where I am on Milana. 

This is where I’m changing from the large to medium sized needles.  Thank goodness for Wimbledon and Le Tour de France providing an excuse for me to sit and knit for hours on end. At this point, I’m going to try her on to check the hip sizing.

Hope to see you on Ravelry! 

KAL and New Ravelry Group

For  a couple of years now, I’ve been learning from and knitting a few samples for designer, Faina Goberstein.   I call her my knitting guru, because she has been guiding and teaching me for several years.  I love knitting her designs because not only are they beautiful and stylish, but they are so well written with just enough challenges to make them interesting.  Most have minimal to no seaming required, which I love, and I always learn a new technique. 

After I went to her last photo shoot, I started thinking about what I wanted to make next, both of the new designs, Milana and the Barcelona tunic, are super cute, but Milana won out and Barcelona will be next for fall.   All of this led to even more thinking (dangerous), and so I started a Ravelry group for FGDesigns.   JOIN NOW, JOIN NOW!!!

To celebrate the launch of the group, Faina is giving away Knitting With the Color Guys.

To enter, follow the link for the book and “look inside.”  Next, join the Ravelry group and post your comments on the “Giveaway to celebrate” thread.

What does Milana have to do with all of this?  On July 1st we will start a KAL of Milana and I will be knitting with you all. I will reveal details of a surprise for the end of the Milana KAL soon.

So cast on!  You know you want to !

Turkey Trottin’

I haven’t really had time to do much knitting lately, so was happy to hear from a designer friend who needed some swatching done.  Today is probably the last nice day for about a week.  There’s a big storm a brewin’ so thought I should get my behind on the bike for a little ride and pick up the yarn.

Our town has one of the largest municipal parks in the country and I love riding my bike or walking in the lower park.  It’s a nice little piece of nature with a creek running through town.  The upper park is wilderness with biking and hiking trails.  As with many cities, neighborhoods have encroached upon the natural habitats of wildlife.  It is not uncommon to see deer in the neighborhoods near the park as well as other animals that would normally be found in wilderness areas.  This is both exciting to see and sad at the same time.

Today I was riding through a rather nondescript neighborhood near the park and was surprised to see a couple of hen turkeys trotting along.

 

These lovely ladies were on their own and the next thing I knew, several hens and a tom flew over the fence after being shooed by the residents.

I wish I would have remembered that I have a new iPhone, and had video taped them.  They just trotted down their street and stopped traffic along the way.  It kind of made my day!

Cold Snap, No Fog

In case you haven’t heard, we’re having a serious budget crisis her in California.  At least I think that’s why they're trying to freeze us state employees to death. But then, maybe they just  love us so much that they’re trying to preserve us forever, kinda like cryogenics.
What ever the case, the state has determined that 60 degrees is the perfect office temperature. Actually it’s supposed to be between 68-70, but my super secret floor heater has a thermostat, so they can’t hide the truth from me.  Those of us who knit are well-equipped to to handle the frost, but the rest are at our mercy. Recently, I took pity on a coworker and agreed to knit up some fingerless mittens.  After all, who can type when their fingers are frozen?  No, actually, she had admired my mittens and commented that she was going to buy some.  I offered to make her a pair to match her office.  Oh, she did really well matching the color and now looks perfectly coordinated while typing.