One thrum at a time.....

I think I am finally recovering from my pre-holiday bloggers burn-out. Not that I was ever a prolific blogger to begin with. Not like that Susan anyway, who faithfully hits the keyboard every couple of days with her entertaining stories about dancing and school, and pictures of her incredible FO’s! I so admire her commitment to the blog! I was always glad to just get around to blogging at least once a week. By early last fall I was happy if I got an entry in once a month!
But somewhere around November of last year, it all become too much – the calendar was full, DD1’s chemo was coming to an end after a long eight months and her exhaustion and the long term effects were constant, and I just couldn’t focus on anything else except getting through each days. The holidays loomed, the transit strike sucked the life out of me – the 4:30am mornings had me falling into bed at 8:30pm, the freezing temperatures - which never excite me at the best of times - had me grumbling about extreme layers of clothing required just to survive, and more recently the news that DD1 will have to continue her extreme fight against Hodgkin’s just knocked me flat on my ass. My brain was foggy, my energy had flat-lined, and writing was out of the question.
But now I find I want to blog a bit again, just a few words, here and there. I’ve missed it, and you! I am taking it as a good sign.
So where am I at these days?
1. We’ve been on holiday – me, the G-man, DD1 & DD2, the whole dang family – Barbados was gorgeous, sunny, and the warmth seeped some life back into my body and mind.
2. The transit strike is finally over after 51 days, and the buses running, and although that means that work here in Transit Supply is ciaos, I can manage.
3. The weather here is fine – only one coat required, and no shovelling. I can do that.
4. And DD1 has re-ignited the flames of determination, and with a take-no-prisoners style, is teaching the family all about “Clean Eating” and “Clean Living” to help ready her body for the next stage of her treatment. It can only do us all good!
5. And, after numerous projects being cast on that have been laid aside for various reasons, most of which have nothing to do with the project but more to do with my fuddled brain, I have found a small knitting project that is actually pleasing me immensely. See here?:

Yup – thrummed mittens! I’ve never knit a pair before. With yarn from my stash, which makes me doubly happy! Cottage Craft worsted weight, from my trip a few summers back to St. Andrew’s, New Brunswick. The roving is Fleece Artist – now how could I resist the chance to pop up the thrums with those gorgeous colors! The pattern is from Yarn Forward, their own shop version.

They are for my Mum since she recently told me how she showed up for snow-shoeing at my sister’s farm wearing only a pair of Dad’s old woolly work socks on her hands – she couldn’t find her mitts!

My knitterly disbelief was enormous – how could I have let this happen? My very own mother did not have a pair of handmade woollen mittens? How could I have not made her a simple pair of mitts by this point in my knitting career? I was mortified enough to dive into my stash immediately and pull out some straights and drive over to Yarn Forward to procure some suitable roving!

I’m loving them, and so does everyone else in the house! I can see that thrummed mitts will be intermittently my future for a bit. That’s ok, I’m ready for a break from just toting around socks in my purse!

Knit on………….

I’ve been gone a long time, and I had thought that when I came back to my blogging world it would be with a renewed sense of purpose and energy. I thought that after we, and especially DD1, rested from slaying the dragon, I would be on such a high that the words here would practically write themselves. I though we would resume our easy days, and the enjoyable little diversions from the daily grind would resume, and life would go on. My simple knitting forays of the New Year would once again take center stage.

Call me cocky, foolish, over-confident, or naïve, whatever you will – I thought for sure DD1 had rigged the fight, with her as the undisputed victor. That the battle against Hodgkin’s would be over by Christmas and the New Year would find her standing inside the fight ring, raising her hands high and accepting the applause and accolades she so truly deserves for a battle well fought. I allowed myself to think it was over, she had won, and life goes on.

So when she came to us last week, barely one month post end of chemo, and asked us to stop watching TV and listen - this only two days after her follow-up PET scan - my heart tripped, my confidence cracked, and a week later my gut still feels like someone hit me. I was wrong. I was fooled. I feel tricked out of something that I thought was somehow rightfully ours, or rather hers, to have. I foolishly thought it was, well, a done deal. I thought we, she, had beaten the odds.

The problem is, her opponent didn’t play fair and stay down for the count of 10. Her opponent still stands, and has the gleam of a comeback clear in his eyes. He has refused to be beaten, and my certainty in the outcome of this fight is shaken to the core. I was certain, you see, because I have absolutely no doubt in the strength of my daughter. It has long been known that you don’t mess with her and walk away unscathed. Her ability to endure, overcome, persevere and continue knows no limits; her courage is, and always has been, beyond measure. I know this about her without question and I have always known it. She is, quite simply, a winner.

I am paralyzed in a way I never have been before. I feel thick headed and foggy and directionless. My words stick in my throat, and what comes out is not always what I really want to say. Mere thoughts make my eyes tear up. I watch the TV, read a book, listen to the radio, and something or someone brings me to tears. Where the first time through this fight I was able to quickly corral my emotions into action, this time I am having trouble. I am lost like I have never been. And as a parent, it is remarkably frightening. I can only begin to imagine how DD1 is feeling and yet she continues to show remarkable leadership and drive.

Yesterday evening I ventured out to a Guild meeting. I haven’t seen most of my knitter pals since well before Christmas. Understanding, as knitter-ly women are apt to do, they knew instinctively that all was not well and without a word the hugs began and went on and on and on. We huddled together, too many for the small table, and I relaxed in their comforting presence, drew refreshment from the rowdy laughter, and my mind gratefully accepted the welcome diversion they provided.

Today DD1 has undertaken to begin to change our eating habits to “clean” organic foods (see this magazine http://www.cleaneatingmag.com/minisite/ce_index.htm for ideas on how to do this). No easy task as we are slow old fools and set in our ways. Next up is a complete swap out of all non-organic household cleaners. It is all a bit over-whelming, and I am still stumbling out of the starting gate, but DD1 is off and running, her determination to effect major change for maximum health benefit now setting a new bar inside the family to reach. But she is right. She has no more time to waste. She cannot leave anything to chance as round 2 commences.

To kick start the need for rest and rejuvenation during this temporary eight week hiatus before DD1’s next match begins, the family is jetting to Barbados on Monday. One whole glorious week of sun and sand. No snow, no minus –20* plus wind chill, and no transit strike (yes- it is still on, day 42)!!We’ll make the most it. There is no more time to waste.

Now what should I knit while I’m vacationing? Here’s what I’ll have to work around:

In the presence of greatness….

Now some are die-hard fans, and some are not. And that’s just fine. There’s something for everyone I always say!

I don’t know if I am a die-hard fan, per se, but I do think that hanging out and listening to those extraordinary people who think seriously outside the box (ok – on another plane completely!) will certainly increase the odds that my brain will be stretched severely, and like a rubber band, it will never quite be the same size. And I think that brain stretching is a very good thing!

And so it was that last Tuesday when I went to hear color knitter and quilter extraordinaire, Kaffe Fassett, give his "Kaleidoscope of Colour" lecture. My brain was so stretched that I’m afraid I can’t really tell you what he said exactly. Unfortunately I don’t regurgitate lengthy lectures very well. It is more what I recall feeling and seeing, bits and pieces with blasts of intense color from the slide show images, that still, even a week later, pop in and out of my mind without warning! Ultimately, what I did take away from it all is that there are no absolutely rules to color combining, and that color theory should be damned! DD1, my own resident decorator, would be horrified at his irreverence of color theory usage I’m sure! The other lesson is to become more observant about the colors in our surroundings. Most of what Kaffe does comes from the environments he visits, which he then translates in to the colourful textiles he is known for.

I know that I am not remotely so bold as to use the unbelievable number of colors that Kaffe Fassett does in his garments and quilts, and even in his sitting room at home (there’s a sight for you to take in if you can find a picture of it!)! But I do know that since that lecture my eyes are busily seeking bright and unusual color combinations wherever I look.

Do I want to wear these wild colors combinations – no, not really. His sweater combo’s are a bit too much of an attention getter for even for me! I prefer more gentle mixed hues. But I like to be aware of how color can work un-expectedly together, and even if on a more subtle note, ensure that I do not pass by a combination just because it is outside of my usual color box. It is interesting to note however, that although Kaffe is mostly well known for his bright color work, he has a strong affinity for working in tone on tone, in particular, the greys and neutrals found in stone work, and left to his own devices without heeding any specified customer demands, he will often work in that color palette to exclusion of all others. I feel somewhat vindicated in my feelings for gentler color mixing. Still, I will never look at bright (some would say gaudy!) color mixes quite the same way again.

In an interesting coincidence, I was visiting my Aunt in the Eastern Townships a week earlier and had zipped in to the LYS in Sutton, PQ and snagged two balls of Regia sock yarn, and discovered later that they were part of the new Kaffe Fassett color line. Apparently my feet don’t have the same concerns about wearing a cacophony of riotous color that the rest of me does! See what I mean:

I did have a couple of tangible takeaways

from my wondrous evening of color – signed copies of Fassett's latest book:

And of course, I needed to have Fassett’s famous student, and textile designer in his own right, Brandon Mably’s book, signed of course, which I actually think I may use more for inspiration of actual items to knit, as they are much closer to my own tastes.

So that was the stellar start to my week of fibre-y over-load! Next instalment – Creativ Festival 2009!

Knit on……….

Sock it to me, baby!

Finally a picture – I’m rapidly moving past last weeks sock impairment challenges, and have completed enough pairs for a good photo shoot.

I’ve been eager to eat up some stash sock yarn too, before that Susan and I head off to the Creativ Festival this coming weekend, because of course you know there will be some serious stash shopping taking place, and we’ll be making no apologies for it!!

So there they are all finished, even the toes are made up!

And I’ve already got another easy, peasy, ribbed sock on the go to knit on during the Kaffe Fassett lecture tonight, with some variegated Regia that I’m trying for the first time, something I hope one of the DD’s will like the feel of, so I can move them away from acrylic sock yarn.

As well the ripped out OnLine Clown sock for DD2 is back on the needles and well under way – I have memorized the lace pattern now (after the third sock, that’s not really a surprise!) and moving along easily too.

I realize I’ll have to take some knitting on the train, and had thought to take sock yarn as it is small and I can take two pairs for interest sake. I have a small lace shawl that is almost done I might take too. After all, it is a 5-hour train ride one way! I won’t worry about the return trip home, as I’m sure to have new things purchased at the festival to amuse me, even if it is only more sock yarn!!

And this, to show you too, a wonderful recent addition to my knitting library from my DD2 for my recent birthday!

Knit on......

One step forward, two socks back…

As ye shall knit, so shall ye frog! Rip it! Rip it!

My knitting is stepping out in the wrong direction!!! This past week I finished two socks, the second OnLine Clown sock for DD2 and the first of a pair of blue bed socks for my Aunt.

As I reached the toe of the OnLine sock I had great difficultly with the decreases not equal under sole with the top of toe, and after some serious examination I realized I had cast on an extra set of stitch repeats at the very beginning causing the count to be completely off and the sock to be much wider than its mate. Everything had worked beautifully, heels and gussets adding up nicely with no indication of trouble until I reached the toe. Groannnnn….. the only saving grace is that I am going to enjoy the lace pattern all over again!

I had also thought to do a quick pair of bed socks while travelling to the Eastern Townships in Quebec this weekend. Nothing fancy, easy knitting in the car, but the light worsted blue wool I was using knit up wider than expected and they too were to big and had to be ripped out – all that travel knitting time gone to waste! Shame!

Where is my head I am wondering? I am certainly distracted by all of my family and work obligations these days, but usually knitting stops my head from spinning and helps me to narrow my focus and concentration on just my handiwork, which is generally very restful for my head. But these slip-ups and errors in counting and measuring are down right silly and annoying – I have too many WIP projects to finish to waste time frogging all my hard work!

Knit on....

Dyeing to get coloring!

So last night was the first meeting of the season of the OKG, and what treat we had! The owner of Knit Knackers, one of our LYS’s, gave a very good demonstration (hard to do with 100+ ladies knitting and gabbling!) on how to dye 100 % wool using nothing more than Wilson cake icing dyes, a big pot, some vinegar and some cling wrap!

Very easy to do up in your own kitchen! You can even skip the boiling water stage and use your microwave instead! Who knew?!

My tablemates and I were quite excited by this demo, and when we all expressed similar interests in learning the skill more intimately, we resolved to have our own little dyeing party in one of our own kitchens. So some organizing will need to take place to get wool blanks and the other supplies.

It was really quite amazing to see all the variations that could be created with the same dye colors, depending on the method used in the application. For example, I did not know that the black Wilson dye color separates when added to hot water and if you do not stir it, it will produce beautiful mixes of greens and purples, but not black, that randomly saturates the wools.

There were so many examples of great “home-dyed” yarns that it was hard to contain myself!! I did however go and caress a few skeins to see the colors up close and personal, and later at home, fell asleep dreaming of steaming vats of color and soft woolly kaleidoscopes!

I can tell you, I am very, very, very much looking forward to planning our little “dye-party”!! And yes, Susan – you’ve on the exclusive invitee list – I made sure of that, since I know you’ve been wanting to do this too, for ever so long!!!

Knit on….

I’m thinking the unthinkable……..

I’m going to do it. The unthinkable, that is. I have finally decided after almost a year of agonizing. I’m going to frog it.
There I said it.
Out loud.
And in public.
There is no turning back.
Unless, of course, you know better than me.
I’m open to suggestion.

I have been thinking about the various comments of some of the designers I have had the pleasure of listening to live and in person over the last year, Lucy Neatby and Sally Melville for two, with regard to WIP’s that lounge in our stash. They all agree that rather than let those WIP’s lounge about from indecision, just frog it and move on, or change it into some else completely.

In my heart I know they are right, but honestly it is easier said than done! All that time and effort! Would it be wasted? Would I feel I’ve failed somehow? What if I didn’t have an alternate plan for the yarn – my ever-increasing stash needs no help! At least in the WIP stage I can say it is not technically stash yarn any more!

I have several items sitting there. Most of them I still love, and must continue to work on finishing, especially as they are winter items, and fall is upon us already.

But there is one; one that I love the yarn, and the idea, but I have grown away from the actual design, and my abilities have grown too, and now I would like something slightly different.

I have this in the final stages of completion, with only one shoulder to finish and I still love the color I choose:












But , I’ve changed my mind about the style. I would like something a bit more fitted through the waistline. I was thinking of knitting the ribbing much, much longer, like up to the bottom of my ribcage, then the top portion as shown.

But, here’s the catch – this vest is knitted from the waist ribbing up. I am not sure I can rescue the top and sacrifice the bottom and make new ribbing down?

Any thoughts?? Advice?? Words of wisdom?

Do I just frog it and start over?? Oh, the unthinkable!!!

Knit on…..