Getting Ready

Getting ready for Christmas. The tree is now up. The stockings are hung by the chimney with care. The wreath is getting lights today, then it will be hung up on the front door. Also I am getting ready for the anticipated Christmas visit of my nephew, Merlin and his new bride, Jennifer, so I am doing a major clear out of "stuff". Also, my Da should be joining us. Thus far there are four big blue Ikea shopping bags of stuff and not nearly done. Le Sigh Enorme. Too, I am getting ready for a new round of an art exchange in a Moleskine with my International Moleskine Exchange group from Ravelry.com. I am really excited for this new round. We took a hiatus for 2012 and I missed my Moley mail. I ordered something special for the ladies in the group, which I won't share here as yet, since more than a few of the participants read this blog. This Moley has been on travels before. It is a themed one. It was started the year of the 200th anniversary of Edgar Allan Poe's birthday and the 250th anniversary of Robert Burns' birthday, so the theme is Ravens and Roses. This will be it's third go ~ round and hopefully it will be filled up completely this g-round. As well, as getting ready to re-read an Echo in the Bone by Diana Gabaldon for the Ravelry book themed swap to begin in 2013.

Day 20 ~ What I Read

I always have two or six books going at the same time. Currently, these are the books I reading. They are, in no particular order, Shine, Shine, Shine by Lydia Netzer, Cross Stitch by Diana Gabaldon (Outlander's British title), The Shetland Bus by David Howarth and The Gourmet Detective by Peter King. I generally catch up on magazines and newspapers at the library. However, The National Geographic and the Smithsonian come to the house, so I am perusing them as well.

I troll Facebook on and off all day if I am to home, so I read numerous updates and articles linked by my friends. I also read, on the average, six to ten blogs a week. Again in no particular order. I regularly read Rebecca's, Erin's, Nic's, Celia's, Dave Lowe's, and Alan Doyle's.

Sew Expo - I Actually Sewed Something

Today I met my friend, Judy Wisehart in Denver for lunch and to attend the Rocky Mountain Sew Expo. It's become a regular thing for us to meet up there and walk through and view what the vendors are flogging. Normally, when we go, it's too crowded and hectic to really see anything due to the crowds. We usually attend on Friday, however, this time we both able to attend today and it was perfect timing on our part. We ate lunch without waiting forever in line and actually got to see what the vendors had to offer. Judy scored some trims and tulle for making dresses for her granddaughters along with a super duper spiffy ironing board cover.

I also ran into my friend and customer from Great American Quilt Factory where I worked for 3 years. It was kinda of odd tho as she was the only person I ran into today, unlike past shows where I would get lost from Judy because I was talking to yet someone else I knew. That's Sharlene and me.

I also did a Make and Take of a table runner on gridded iron on backing. It was really simple to use. I definitely think I will buy more of the grid to make some table runners as gifts. The other picture is of the few goodies I bought. Mulberry silk yarn for Erin to dye up along with silk sari waste to spin into some woolen yarn for a novelty. The photo includes the table runner top and some cherry pins. I also scored some hook and loop tape to close some 1700s period jackets that I intend to make later on. I found yardage of one of the fabrics in the table runner but there wasn't enough for the size of napkins I want to make to go with the runner, so I will order it from the website of Contemporary Fibers.

The strawberry buttons and the novelty hooks and eyes came from Denver Fabrics where I stopped on my way out of town. I need to find a warm grey fabric to make my Mother of the Bride dress and thought I might luck out there, but alas no. The one fabric I found that was the right colour and weight was very short on yardage, sadly and there was no more to be had. The strawberry buttons are for an Outlander Swap over on Ravelry. Strawberries being one of the symbols of the Fraser Clan, which is the clan of the main male character in the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon.



I did actually spin today as well for the Tour de Fleece... Again more shall be revealed...

# 33 of 365 - Imbolc or Groundhog Day

Depending on how you celebrate, today is either Groundhog Day or the celebration of Imbolc. It's due to reading Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series that I got interested in my Celtic heritage. It also lead me to learn more about the seasons as expressed in Celtic Lore. Readers of the series will totally understand this statement. Here's Erin and I waiting to get the latest book in the series signed by Diana, herself. It's also a picture of me in another hat I wear...

Anyway, Punxsutawney Phil did see his shadow but the other groundhogs, for the most part did not, so either Winter is over shortly or we have six more weeks... Good thing I am knitting all these shawls for MMX, then to keep me warm if necessary...

Knitting with an Echo in the Bone and Cake Wrecks

Which is about a book reading and signing with our favorite author, Diana Gabaldon, whose latest book, Echo in the Bone just came out this week. It's also about friendship, laughter and new companions in life's fun events.

Diana Gabaldon with my knitting, Thanks to the Yarn Harlot for the idea.































The launch was in Scottsdale, Diana Gabaldon's hometown on Tuesday and she was with us in Denver on Wednesday. Slightly creaky of voice, which surprised none of us at all since she has been stumping the book and talking non-stop, I am sure for weeks on end. Just for an instance, she was at DragonCon in Atlanta within the last two weeks.

Erin, Katte Beth, Michelle, Cindy and myself went to the Tattered Cover in Highlands Ranch last night to hear a reading from Echo in the Bone from Herself and to get our individual collections of books signed. Between us all, I think we had over twenty books to be signed. Erin and I got our HB copy of A Breath of Snow and Ashes, a paperback copy of Outlander for her friend Jo, my copy of Cross Stitch (the British version of Outlander) and our copies of the latest book signed, which completes our collection.

As you can see there were quite a few knitters and crocheter in the group waiting for Herself to show. Most were working on small projects, socks and such. Katte Beth, however, was working on baby blanket and I was working on a Nubia, which is a period scarf and Erin was working a scarf as well. Michelle and Cindy didn't bring any handwork for themselves, tho.

The Tattered Cover Independent Book Shop hosts many authors for readings and signings and their system works pretty well although we didn't get to queue up until about 10:15 pm or so, since there were over 400 people there to get see Diana.

Erin and I got there first to queue up. Although, Michelle had gotten our queue tickets earlier in the day to guarantee the spot in the queue for getting our books signed. So we caught up with each other and talked about Erin's wedding plans and such. I corralled Cindy as she arrived last.

Katte Beth was a book-signing virgin, having never been to a book signing before. She had no idea what to expect from the event. Erin was 12 or 13 the last time she saw Diana in person. That occasion was just a signing so she had never heard her read an excerpt or speak about her writing process. The last time I saw Diana was at her home Scottish Highland games in Mesa and she had us in stitches again and the men wondering what the heck they had been missing.

Diana is a great story teller and had us laughing, whooping and blushing. She did, however, give Erin hope for her writing future as Diana didn't start writing fiction until she was 35. We also learned that Dr. Who (a BBC sci-fi, time travel, fantasy program for "children") played a part in the whole phenomena that is the Outlander series. We all are Dr. Who fans as well, so this was the kewlest discovery. We also found out exactly what she likes about a man in a kilt. Let's just say it's a great reason.



These are pictures of me catching a York Peppermint Patty, one handed whilst taking a picture by the way. I think Katte Beth thought it was a parade or Mardi Gras or something. She was about 30 for 35 in her tosses, not bad, grrly. Also pictured here is Angela of Sheared Bliss Fibers and her friend and our Cindy, the ordained minister and Tango Dancer Extraordinaire and her seat companion.

We had a fairly long wait to get our books signed, so Katte and Michelle ran out to grab snacks and drinks. We also unraveled the baby blanket that Katte was working on as she had neglected some of her increases and therefore was making a basket as opposed to a blankie. Erin perused the knitting pattern books. I looked at the history, poetry and the bargains. Erin also introduce Katte Beth to the joys of Cake Wrecks, thus the mention in the title. We thought Katte was going to pee herself she laugh that hard.

So, here's Erin getting her books signed, The Girls, that would be, Leslie, Erin, Michelle, Katte Beth and Cindy and our Carlene Campbell from the Saint Andrew's Society of Colorado.













Sadly, I cannot start the book as I have a woolen cloak to make for the pregnant Eyrnn (in which I am borrowing an idea from Diana and making the hood and shoulders with a waterproof inner lining) and if I crack the cover all will be lost until I read the last page. So, NO SPOILERS, and that means YOU.

Voyager Lace Stole or Why Do I do This to Myself?

also known as What Stole My Sanity...




I am trying to knit this lace stole, it is called Voyager. The pattern is a free one from Elann Yarns. The plan is for me to do this as a KAL (knit along) for the re-read of Voyager by Diana Gabaldon with the Outlander Fans over at Ravelry.

I am trying to knit it with the yarn pictured above. It's lace weight yarn from Spirit Trail called Clotho in the Autumn Harvest Colourway. I love the colourway as it's has got two of my favorite colours in it.

So to the point of this post... I have cast on 99 stitches to start five times already. Today, I got the farthest along, six whole rows of garter stitch and 6 whole rows of pattern (out of 10, sigh). I found a mistake in the number of stitches on the sixth row of pattern (two to many, sigh), realized that I didn't have a lifeline in, yet another sigh. So, now I have to rip it, rip it, rip it (frogging). You just can't tink (knit backwards) a lace pattern without having a lifeline in. If you try to un-knit, you tend to lose the yarn overs that are inherent in lace knitting. Bleh, poopers, caca occurs, meh, and an even bigger sigh! Yes, I am starting YET again. Yes, I will get this. Yes, I can do this. Yes, I have knit lace before. Yes, I am that determined. Yes, more shall be revealed.

However, my Knitpicks Harmony Wood Interchangeables have been a real boon to my lace knitting. At least I stitch better with them. I just can't count better. They have really lovely points for finding the stitches. The wood has enough tooth to hold onto the yarn, yet the needles are pretty slick and let's the stitches slide off when you need them to. I am so glad that Erin gifted me them to my birthday.

Come Home, Little Stitches, Come Home

Here's an update on my Ravelry.com Dragonfly in Amber (DIA) KAL. (There is a picture of the first cuff, showing the yarn in an earlier post.)

So, I have one sock done on my DIA sock KAL. It's lovely and I want to wear it. I would wear it in a heart beat, if I had any other sock made of the same type of yarn, but nooooo. This was my first venture with sock weight yarn and knitting with same. All of the other socks I have made have been warm woolies as oppose to lacy woolies. I have the other sock cast on and knitted down for about 4 inches. Guess what I didn't do? Put in a lifeline and it's lace! What the Hell was I thinking? Shoot me in the head dead with an axe....

I pulled a needle out of live stitches and lost the YOs, Poo! :-( Gack...

It's been too cold and with some snowy days in there, as well, to sit outside to try and find my lost stitches. There is not enough light in my house even with all the lamps on to try and find them especially with the snow and overcast we had at the beginning of the week...

Dragonfly KAL and Read Along

I cast on the Dragonfly Socks for the Ravelry Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon Read Along and Dragonfly Sock Knit Along. Here is the cuff of the first one.

Of course I never do things exactly to the pattern, as I only did two rows of the 2x2 rib at the top of the sock. I wanted the scallop effect of the yarn overs and K2togs to be apparent at the top. These are going really fast, by the way, even if I am using a sock weight super wash yarn from Cascade. I got the yarn at Shuttles in Boulder about a year ago and I am knitting them on Size 4 DPNs.

Edited later in the Day:

So have you ever had one of those moments when it all comes together and you think to yourself, DOH? Well, I had one of them today. I have been unhappy with my left side decreases on the gussets of socks since I learned how to turn a heel last winter. I missed the lesson on decreasing, apparently. As I have said, above I am making these Dragonfly Socks which required both a right and left leaning decrease in the pattern on the leg of the sock and down the foot. To make the left leaning decrease, you slip a stitch knitwise onto your right needle, then knit the next stitch and leave it on the right needle and then bring the slipped stitch back over the stitch you just knitted (right leaning is Knit Two Stitches Together or K2tog). Pretty simple, right? Well, it dawned on me TODAY, that I could decrease for the gusset with Slip, Knit, Pass Slip Stitch Over and it would lay beautifully and match the decreases on the right side gusset and it does. DOH!

Now back to your regularly scheduled programming.

I am also knitting a drawstring bag out of some Lamb's Spun in the same colours, that I bought at Knitter's Kove here in Colorado Springs to go with these socks. It will be knitted then felted into the shape of a thistle. I have posted a picture of the green blob to start. I am knitting it on size 15 needles and it's getting BIG. As you may be aware, tho, felted knitting shrinks about 30% in length and about 10% in width, so it's going to seem monsterously big until it's shrunk.