PDXKnitterati

Report card

Posted on November 21, 2008 | 10 comments

I finished the back for Hey, Teach last night. I love the way it looks. The yarn is kind of splitty, tinking is a pain, and cotton is tiring to work with. My hands felt stiff when I woke up this morning. But look how pretty!

Yes, it’s sunny this morning, but everything is wet outside, so I’m reduced to chasing the sunny spots on the floor, much like the cat does.

I also finished the blue checkerboard scarflet, and took it over to Twisted to be a shop model. But I forgot to take a picture of it, so it’s not pictured here or on Ravelry. Yet.

I’m going to be knitting some purple squares for Anne’s Knit A Purple Square project. She’s making a purple afghan in honor/memory of her husband, who succumbed to pancreatic cancer last June. The afghan(s) will go either to a local cancer ward, or to raise money for PanCAN (Pancreatic Cancer Action Network). Can you knit a purple square, too?

10 Comments

Posted in Knit

Tagged charity knit, hey teach, Knit, PanCAN

We have lift-off

Posted on November 16, 2008 | 11 comments

I swatched and started Hey, Teach. I didn’t think I liked the 1×1 ribbing at the bottom, so I tried it with two garter ridges (4 knit rows) instead. It looked ok, but it was going to be too heavy when I repeated it at the edge of the sleeve. Then I tried 1 garter ridge, but that didn’t provide enough stability to keep the stockinette stitch above it from curling. So I’m back to the original 1×1 rib. I think it looks fine! I guess I just needed to consider all my options, first.

Here’s the rest of what I’ve done so far. Not bad for a few days work.

And a better view of the lace. I’ve finished one repeat of the 12 row lace pattern.

Last weekend, we took the Teen out for some driving practice on the Old Columbia River Highway. It was pretty late in the day, and it looked like the sunset would be pretty, so we drove up to Vista House at Crown Point.

From here you can see up and down the river. Here’s the view east:

And the view west:

It was pretty chilly out, so we didn’t stay long. I love the reflection of the clouds in the windows.

This weekend is dry. Finally. Temporarily. I took a walk on Friday, savoring the last bits of fall color. There are still some flowers:

And the remaining leaves are glorious.

Even after they’ve fallen.

What did you do with your weekend?

11 Comments

Posted in Knit, travel

Tagged autumn, crown point, hey teach, vista house

Winner!

Posted on November 14, 2008 | 5 comments

I’m a winner! KnittedWit had a contest on her blog, asking for voting stories. Here’s the prize: four ounces of her yummy hand-dyed yarn, 185 yards, color “passion,” 100% merino bulky weight.

The color in this picture is a little more true:

See all the lovely shades of purple in there? I love semi-solid colors. I think this may become a new chunky scarflet in some interesting texture, but you never know until the yarn speaks. Thank you, Lorajean!

Knit night was fun last night, but there was a stray dust bunny. Godzilla-sized. Yikes. I showed Cathy how to short-row shoulders for her DH’s vest. This is a complete rip and re-do, and she’s almost done. Can’t wait to see the finished vest. It was good to have to explain short rows to someone else; it really solidifies the process for me. I’ve done it twice, explained it once, and now it’s internalized.

The pianoworld.com Adult Beginners Forum online recital goes live tonight at midnight. I squeaked in under the wire at number 64. Here’s a direct link to my piece; it’s Valse No. 1 from Valses Poeticos by Enrique Granados. I’m working on a couple others from this set, too, but they’re not ready for prime time!

5 Comments

Posted in Knit, piano

Tagged granados, Knit, pianoworld.com, yarn

Like the fat man in Dune…

Posted on November 13, 2008 | 4 comments

Knit nite is at my house tonight. The house is, um, untidy, and there are dust bunnies (rabbits? lambs?) everywhere. I need to pick up a bit, go to work, come home, pick up some more. I’ll be flying around the house like the fat man in Dune. (I never saw the movie, just the trailer, with the…well, you get the picture.)

At least dinner is ready. Mom likes to go to Olive Garden for lunch when we’re out running errands. I love the Zuppa Toscana (sausage/potato/kale soup) there. I found a recipe for it last week and tried it. It’s pretty close; I did leave out the bacon, though. The sausage is enough! I made it again yesterday for tonight’s dinner; it’s better on the second day.

Not much knitting to show; the log cabin blanket is bigger, the secret project is longer, and the Hey, Teach is still in swatching mode. Second scarflet is done except for buttons. Maybe I’ll get some knitting done tonight.

It was wash day for the Fetchings here. I washed Mom’s for her; she once shrank a beautiful star tam that I made for her, and so now I’m in charge.

The darker ones are mine; I wear them all the time and have been missing them this week!

4 Comments

Posted in Knit, recipe

Tagged fetching, Knit, zuppa toscana

Beadazzled

Posted on November 9, 2008 | 6 comments

I spent some time on Friday putting some things together.

These are the stitch markers for the January event at Twisted. I made 16 of each kind; they’re in school colors. I ended up not using the beads that I bought for the project, because they just didn’t look that good! So these are freshwater pearls on the top row, and blue crystals on the bottom row, plus some miscellaneous beads.

I also made a bracelet for a holiday gift (no names! no hints!).

I love this bead; the whole piece was built around it.

And one more gift. The shell in the middle is from our trip this summer.

You can see the sand inside!

That should be a nice souvenir.

Turkey in the oven. I’m using my Dad’s oyster/Chinese sausage/water chestnut fried rice stuffing. He’s been gone since 2001, but I remember him in little ways, always. Baba’s Bed Socks were designed for him, way back when. Mom’s coming for dinner. It’s Thanksgiving preview; she’s going to LA for Thanksgiving!

6 Comments

Posted in beading

Tagged beading, bracelet, jewelry, stitch markers

At loose ends

Posted on November 6, 2008 | 7 comments

That’s how I feel, now that my Central Park Hoodie and the related Checkerboard Scarflet from the leftover yarn and buttons are done. I finished writing the pattern for the Checkerboard Scarflet, and Marie was kind enough to look it over for me. I’ve incorporated most of her suggestions, and the pattern is now available through Ravelry download/PayPal for $4.

I have another scarflet on the needles, the mindless log cabin blanket, and a secret holiday-related project, but no sweater. I’m antsy. Apparently I’ve become accustomed to bigger projects, and feel bereft without a sweater in progress.

What to do?

I think I’m going to have to make Hey, Teach. I even bought yarn for it. The pattern calls for four skeins of this yarn, and I hope it doesn’t need more, because this is all they had in this color at Yarn Garden. I usually have to shorten garments, so for once in my life, the fact that I’m not tall and willowy should work in my favor. At least the not tall part, anyway. 😉

The music behind the yarn is what I’m working at the piano. Which means not often lately! It’s from Valses Poeticos by Enrique Granados. Granados has usurped Mozart’s place in my affections, at least temporarily.

What else is going on? I’ve been taking a harmony singing class at the local community college. Just for fun! The day after the class started, the local paper had a feature on the teacher, Anne Weiss. Sweet! It’s been a great class, but it’s only four sessions and next week is the last one. I’ve been using my Zoom H2 digital recorder to record the songs we sing, and it’s been great to have those recordings for practice. I’ve loaded them onto my iPod, and there’s always a song running through my head these days.

7 Comments

Posted in Knit, music, pattern design, piano, ravelry

Tagged anne weiss, checkerboard scarflet, granados, hey teach, Knit, Zoom H2

I think I see my hat…

Posted on November 4, 2008 | 4 comments

The Mason-Dixon gals have forwarded the Tiny Hats to Innocent. (Does that ever sound like secret code! “The Bird Flies High.”) Kay took a picture of the 342 hats before she sent them on. I think I see two of my hats:

That would be the green with white check and rather sorry looking pompom, and the white gull wing lace (of February Baby and February Lady fame) with topknot. The third hat is a generic strawberry, and there are several of those.

All in all, a cute fundraiser and fun project. I think the smoothies-with-hats go on sale tomorrow, November 5, at Sainsbury’s stores in the UK, to raise funds for Age Concern. They’ve received more than 500,000 hats. That’s a lot of hats, and a lot of $! Or pence, to be precise. 50 pence per hat given to charity, which is more than $250,000. (Don’t know how to make the British pound sign, but that’s worth even more than dollars, anyway.) If you want to see the Hat-o-Meter click the link; widgets of that sort don’t work with WordPress.

Happy election day in the USA! Go vote!

4 Comments

Posted in Knit

Tagged Knit, tiny hats

Checkerboard Scarflet

Posted on November 2, 2008 | 10 comments

I’m helping with a knitting party at Twisted in January. The party was a buy-in item at our high school booster club auction. Participants will receive yarn, Lantern Moon needles, and a lovely morning of tea and treats, as well as knitting instruction. I wanted to add a little more to the package, so I’m making stitch markers in school colors, and a pattern for a relatively simple project.

I had some leftover Louet Riverstone worsted from the Central Park Hoodie, as well as the almost perfect buttons. I needed a pattern that has some visual/textural interest, but wouldn’t be too hard for relative beginners. A lot of beginners start with an endless garter stitch scarf, but I know a lot of beginners lose interest in that endless scarf! So how about a shorter scarf? With buttons, because I have some that are perfect with this yarn?

And so the Checkerboard Scarflet was born. It’s pretty simple, just a knit/purl checkerboard pattern. Writing it was harder than knitting it!

It’s very cozy to wear. It will be great under my wool coat when it gets cooler.

It’s hard trying to take a picture of your own neck without seeing the viewfinder!

I thought about moving the buttonholes to the beginning of the project, rather than the end. But that made the beginning of the pattern more confusing for a beginning knitter. Also, I figured that if one were a relatively new knitter, the end of the scarflet would be better looking than the beginning, and the buttonhole end is the end that overlaps on top. We wants the pretty on the part that shows! So I’m leaving the buttonholes for the end. Isn’t it interesting what goes into deciding these things?

Pattern coming soon.

eta: Pattern information has been added here.

10 Comments

Posted in Knit, pattern design

Tagged Knit, scarflet

Lazy Saturday

Posted on November 1, 2008 | 9 comments

I woke up at 9 this morning; the Husband was leaving to work at an event. I rolled over and went back to sleep, and when I woke up again, it was noon! I haven’t slept that late in years. I must have needed it.

I asked the Teenager (also just waking) what he’d like for breakfast/lunch. Blueberry muffins! I still have a freezer full of blueberries from this summer’s bumper crop, so that was a definite possibility. Remember these?

Some of them ended up here.

They were just Bisquick muffins, with some applesauce added since there was a bit left in the fridge. They were delicious!

And so were the omelettes I made to go with them.

Teenager and I spent the afternoon on a CSI:NY marathon, courtesy of netflix. I knit all afternoon. Perfect on a rainy day. I’m almost finished with the project using the leftover hoodie yarn and rejected buttons. I’m hoping to post tomorrow; there’s no daylight left to take a picture tonight! I also put another log on the log cabin. This blanket will be done soon. It’s so nice to snuggle under while it’s in progress, but I’ll still snuggle under it when I’m knitting something else later!

Dinner tonight is leftover pork stew from last night. Perfect lazy Saturday.

Pork & Acorn Squash Stew

2 lbs pork loin, cut in to inch cubes
2 T olive oil
2 medium onions
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 T cumin seed
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
1 1/3 cup chicken or vegetable broth
2/3 cup white wine
1 tsp oregano
3/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 acorn squash
1 1/2 T cornstarch

In a large pot, heat olive oil. Brown the pork and then transfer to a large oven safe dish. (I use a 4 liter covered casserole) Add a little more olive oil to the pan, and saute onion and garlic until translucent but firm. Add cumin and saute 30 seconds more. Add tomatoes, broth, wine, oregano, and pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, then add to the pork. Cover and bake in 400 degree oven for 45 minutes.

While pork is cooking, cut the acorn squash lengthwise and remove seeds. (I used my ancient cleaver for this. Thanks, Dad! I was afraid I would break the point on my chef’s knife if I used that.) Microwave on high for four minutes, cut side up. Let cool. Remove peel and cut squash into cubes.

When stew has baked for 45 minutes, add diced squash. Stir, and return to oven for another 20 minutes.

Dissolve cornstarch in water and stir into stew. Adjust seasonings. Serve over brown rice or whole wheat egg noodles.

Enjoy! We did.

9 Comments

Posted in Knit, recipe

Tagged Knit, muffins, recipe, stew

Central Park Hoodie!

Posted on October 29, 2008 | 23 comments

Sure has been quiet around here. I’ll bet you thought I fell off the earth.

Nah, I’ve just been busy. Excuse the wrinkly sleeves. I’ve been wearing this all day, because it feels good and I love it.

Central Park Hoodie, pattern by Heather Lodinsky, knit in Louet Riverstone worsted, six skeins on US size 6 and 8 needles. Started September 16, finished October 28. A fun knit!

Here’s the back. I made it a couple inches taller than the pattern specified, because I didn’t want it to flatten my hair. I continued the cable up the hood, because I liked it.

Somewhere along the way, I became a hooker. The Yarn Harlot wrote a post about stretchy necklines that aren’t bound off, just like this one. Of course I read the post after knitting the hood. She recommends crocheting a slip stitch crochet line across where the bind off should be, to stabilize the stretchiness of the fabric. As you can see, it left a little line on the outside, but no more than a bind off and pick up would have left.

Here’s what it looks like on the inside.

It took two trips to the Button Emporium to get this finished. Here are the buttons I chose first, but was swayed away by the beauty of another. When I started to sew the others on, I could see that they were too heavy, weight-wise, and would make the button band too droopy. So it was back to the Button Emporium to get the original pick. They were closed on Sunday and Monday, so it’s been a long wait to finish.

It’s hard to see the detail on the buttons; I had to underexpose the pictures because they’re so shiny!

Here’s the other button, actually a smaller version of it. I really love the way they look with this yarn, and I have a leftover skein that’s going to be something that needs them!

All in all, I love this sweater. I think I’m going to be wearing it a lot. The sleeves are a little long, so I’m wearing them turned them up at the cuff. In my chilly office I can uncuff them and they’re kind of like fingerless gloves, so they may get to stay that long. Or I may decide to cut them off and refinish them, and you know I can!

23 Comments

Posted in Knit, Uncategorized

Tagged central park hoodie, Knit