People frequently ask me who taught me to knit.  Well the quick answer is my maternal grandmother.  The long answer is that there were many influences.  I grew up with the understanding that one made and mended their clothing.  My Mom did not teach me.  She didn’t knit.  I didn’t even know she knew how to crochet until about 10 years ago !!  She did, however, mend our clothes.  I can remember her using the treadle sewing machine.  She always had a great appreciation for everything handmade, but growing up on the farm with 4 children and lots of extended family she didn’t have time and she’ll say today that she didn’t have the inclination either.  My paternal grandmother lived with us and crocheted afghans constantly.  I remember holding yarn while she would it into balls.  The best place to hide from my brothers when playing hide & seek was under an almost finished afghan while she was crocheting.  She never let on that I was there.  My maternal great grandmother was always crocheting, too.  What I remember most was what seemed like a doily factory – she was always telling my mother she was out of thread !  My sister knits, too (and still does, although today she is frequently seen cranking out socks on one of her machines or working out a sweater on a flatbed).  However, it was my maternal grandmother that taught me to knit.  At first it was spool knitting – 4 nails pounded into a wooden spool.  I think one or both of my brothers got involved in that endeavor.  But then I moved on to needles.  She had the patience to sit with me and tear it out when I had made a mistake.  I remember my first obligatory project was a garter stitch pin cushion out of scraps.  Then it was on to doll clothes.  She would love to be here at the shop with me today – enjoying the company of my wonderful customers and all of the beautiful yarns.  So for this Mother’s Day, we are celebrating those who taught us to knit or crochet – or to love any kind of fiber.  I have a bulletin board to which I would love to add a picture (or a copy of one).  We’ll be celebrating at the shop, too, on “Mother’s Day Saturday”

Pictures of my maternal grandmother, maternal great grandmother and her sister.

Now – let me tell you how my grandmother created a button lover ……… That’s another story.

While finishing a quick top this week I needed to keep track of my increase rows.  I was too lazy to get up and get pencil and paper (I’m still  - or was – a hash-mark girl) – BUT my iPhone was next to me.  So of course I downloaded a new app – Knit – Knitting Counter for iPhone.  I love my knitting apps.  So Wed night at Sit & Knit we began exchanging apps – Julie is a wealth of knowledge.  Here are some:

Yarn GPS – when you NEED a yarn shop while traveling

Knit Evenly – Calculates your increases or decreases – when it has to be done EVENLY

Knit Handy & Crochet Handy – helps you calculate yarn requirements (when you love a yarn, but don’t have a particular project yet in mind)

Knit Hat Designer – as it says

Have any knitting/crocheting apps you like ??

While talking with my sister yesterday we were lamenting about how much we had to accomplish that day.  It was in the AM and she was making her list of things to do for the day.  I said that I just read that you should make a list of 3 things to do the NIGHT before to be more effective at which she laughed ,THREE things ????  You should see my list !  BUT she then asks why do I always avoid doing things on my list at the same time she’s telling me what she just pulled out of her stash to put on her sock knitting machine.  I countered that if I put “I successfully avoided doing something on my list” on my list the night before, I would always have something accomplished.

Well – the Madeline Tosh order is finally on its way!  While we are waiting  I want to share Spectra Scarves that 2 of our shop friends have made (but I can only find 1 picture).  Heather made hers with a Madeline Tosh using Sausalito as the inside contrast.  I have to ask Meghan if she has a picture, because it is beautiful.  I have a picture of the one Alyssa made using 1 skein of 

Tosh Merino light in Mare with 1 ball of Mini Mochi.  I begged to take the picture and Alyssa indulged me even though she had yet to weave in the ends.  This pattern by Stephen West is a natural for combining a subtle yarn with a variegated yarn.

Finished knitting and it is now blocking. It felt like I was making a big pizza!

I’m visiting my Mom this weekend and it is certainly snowing ! It’s hard to believe that a few miles down the road there was absolutely no snow.

My only New Year’s resolution was to live in the present – that includes the little things such as being aware that I have turned OFF the coffee pot;  enjoying the project that I  currently have in my hands and  NOT thinking about the next few projects I want to make.  It really is hard to stay in the present while planning the future !  It is even more difficult when I have 3 large projects going.  My norm is to have one sweater on my needles (and maybe one in hibernation) plus a couple of small ones.  I started Beth Brown-Reinsel’s Top Down Aran Cardigan and it really is going to be a fun knit.

As you can see I have just started the back.  I’m using Wendy Aran in the new tweedy color.  I decided, though, that I needed to use a magnetic board.  It really does help to keep track of rows.  In the mean time the Knit Swirl sweater is humming right along, but the crochet wrap is at a bit of a stand still.  I feel like a “plate spinner” on the Ed Sullivan Show;  especially because I have more “plates” to add – such as a shawl/scarf out of Shibui Cloud and Staccato).  It really is hard to stay in the present – I’m not even sure what the present is anymore.

Did you ever look up the origin of  Murphy’s Law ?  (Actually – some of the other “law’s mentioned are duly appropriate;

“The universal aptitude for ineptitude makes any human accomplishment an incredible miracle.” – does this apply to my Canopy Cardi Wrap ?  Hush up Meghan.  It’s progressing.).

Meghan, by the way, couldn’t let the dust settle on the Acadia.  She’s making Kate’s East Falls Hat from the new issue of Knitscene.

Laura Nelkin told me she is working on “new things”.  I told her to keep working because I just love her jewelry patterns.  I bought a piece of jasper at a bead show recently and thought it would look great in her Beignet pattern.  I’m using Hempathy and size 6 Myuki beads.  ”Beignet” is this week’s jewelry class.

Mona Lisa

Illusion Knitting resembles a hologram – Meghan – want to teach a class ??

Here I go again – going on about crochet.  BUT this time it’s different. I love the pattern and I love the yarn AND I love what crochet does with the yarn.  It’s the Lace Canopy Cardi Wrap from the Fall Issue of Interweave Crochet.  I even have some partners in crime at the shop !  Canopy Fingering,  from The Fibre Company, is wonderful blend of  alpaca, merino and bamboo .  The drape is beautiful.    I’m hoping when I finish this that I will not be intimidated by any crochet project !

You will also see Meghan’s knitting on Madeline Tosh Chunky to the right !