Annie Knits

So, It's Unanimous Then?

Rabelry is great -- for the yarn and pattern and knitting tools.  The forums?  Not so much.  At least not right now.  Thanks, peeps.  Love you!

And enough of the crabby stuff.  What follows is a list of a few of the things that currently make me happy.  In no particular order.

Karamichelle, fellow Knitorious Knit Night Knitster, made me this bag.  I heart it.  Actually, I shamelessly begged her to make me one out of this fabric and she graciously and for her own safety obliged.  I'm nagging her to make me an Ann Butler bag.  (hey... I'll buy the fabric and pattern!) Wish me luck.

It's about 10" by 10.5" -- perfect for carrying around the Monkey Socks in progress.

My Louet S90.  This is the wheel I bought slightly used after I finished my spinning class.  I didn't get any documentation on the thing and I think it folds up and I totally do not care.  I love it and I'm spinning the finest singles on it I've ever been able to spin (in my long and illustrous 4 week spinning career **grin**).

They are kind of out of focus here, but yum.  Recognize the Rhinebeck Roving?  Oh yeah.  And this wheel came with a swift attached -- see it folded down on the back?  I will be able to measure the yardage of my spinning with this -- as opposed to an umbrella swift which constantly changes circumference. 

One bobbin mostly full, one to fill, one to ply, and one for Dear Daughter...

 

How about a wheel naming contest?  There'll be sock yarn in it for the name I like best... Leave your suggestion in the comments.

And here is the Rebuilding Greensburg Afghan I volunteered to piece.  Sandy and Rachel at the shop helped me crochet the squares together, and now I just have to run a crochet border around the outside to even it up.  It is ... interesting.  Actually it is very soft and it is the mish mash one would expect from an afghan pieced together from squares knitted by knitters from all the world, apparently.  There is a lot of love in these afghans.  I'll send it back to Laura tomorrow.

And I did find the coolest Halloween decorations ever.  No, Mindy, sorry.  I'm not sharing!

Aren't they silly?  We had our annual Halloween party this weekend.  Here is a picture of the cast of characters.

We have, from left to right:  Bast (Cat Goddess from Egypt?), a Strawberry (see the straws?), a fairy princess, Mother Nature, a witch, a ballerina-princess-butterfly-pirate, a sleepy person, a hoodlum, and two hoodlums with masks.

And right in the middle of the party, I had to leave to pick up Dear Daughter's date for her school's Fall Ball.  Second verse, same as the first.  Only with a pink sweater as the weather has cooled down some.

Yes, this time I was in on the whole thing.  On the way to the restaurant (South City Diner for you St. Louisans)  from his house, Date Boy regaled us with the stories of the deaths of each of the dictators of the Axis powers during World War II.   Daughter told him it was all so interesting.  I maintained a straight face and kept quiet.  They ate at the Diner, I picked them up and took them to the dance, they danced, and I took them home.  He leaned over, patted her on the shoulder, and told her it was nice to see her again and went inside.  And that was that.  I'm getting killed with cuteness over here.  Just killed.   Now, she's grounded because of a lack of truthfullness about having turned in back assignments in word-processing class, but it was sure fun while it lasted.

And finally, lucky for me!  Dear son Trick-or-Treated twice this weekend (if you hate it when people verb nouns, then ... well ... sorry).  Today he is a school.

His bag full of candy is home with me.  I will watch it very carefully...

I Have a Secret

I don't like Ravelry very much right now.  Yes, the pattern search option is great -- I just used it to to decide how to go  about kitting up a sweater.  And the meet-ups at Rhinebeck were fun.  Conceptually, it is a great idea:  gather knitters to help each other and to network.  But in practice the forum it gives to single voices is a little bothersome.  People with a lot of time on their hands and an agenda are bringing me down.  The fact that I can't make a thread in a forum disappear and die a quick and painless death is bothersome.  I'm quite sick of it and have sworn off of checking it for a week or so.

Notes to Self:

•    Edited to add:  I must remember that for many people, every yarn purchase is special.  It represents something to which the buyer will devote a great deal of time and talent.  It's easy to get jaded when faced with all of the yarn possibilities every day.  And when you have a discount.

• Some knitters do not realize that we do not work in or own a lys to make a gob of money or to piss them off.  We do not get up in the morning with the express purpose of ripping them off or ignoring them.  We are not automatons.  In fact, we are people with faces, and lives, and mostly good intentions.  We read the postings on the internet, and we have families, and activities, and feelings.
• When you post in a public, local forum that the service sucks in a lys, you are talking about a person.  In a small community, everyone in that community knows of whom you are speaking.  It is personal.
• While I am not saying that service in lys's doesn't periodically suck, (hey everyone can have a bad day) if you come in during a big-once-a-year-sale please don't expect to be fawned over.  Ditto crowded Knit Night shopping.  If someone comes in ahead of you, she or he will be waited on first.  Oh you can expect to be greeted, that's fair, but first come first served.  He or she is receiving the service and attention you will receive in a minute -- be patient.  And that even goes for older ladies buying baby yarn.  Really.
• And that employee sitting at the front table, chatting and laughing with other knitters?  She is not ignoring you.  She is teaching a class.  She is being paid to work with them exclusively for a little while.  Really.  And if she got up and waited on you or chatted with you?  That would be a bad thing.  Everything is not as it appears.  And everything is not about you.
• When you ask people in an internet forum to remain civil and to remember above, they will chafe at that bit.  They will cry that the Internet is all about free speech.  Even when that speech is irresponsible and flatly untrue.  They will fight to the death to post whatever and whenever they please, the rest of us be damned.  (Get a blog, for goodness sake!) They will whine that seeing a civility reminder is "depressing".  They will make forums uninteresting and unpalatable for the rest of the community.
• Some people crave attention, good or bad.  They will say anything to receive that attention, even tell lies (easily verifiable ones?!) to make themselves look better to a group that they value.
• People who crave Internet attention do not want to be recognized in person.  In fact, when you invite them to a local coffee shop to discuss face to face and off of the forum what you could do to help them feel better about and improve the service you offer, they will not even dignify your invitation with an answer, yes or no.

Yes.  That's my secret.  I've been on Ravelry nearly since it's inception, and I don't like it very much right now.  A better name might be Rablery...

And You Must Go Look at This Now...

It's Bridgett's Rhinebeck ABC blog entry.  She's a way better blogger than I am.

Good Morning, All!

If you're here because you followed a link via the kerfuffle over at the St. Louis Forum in Ravelry, welcome!  Get a cup of coffee and stay awhile.  I said what I meant over there.  We forget, I think, when we are online and alone in our jammies, that we are discussing real people who get up in the morning and want to run a top notch business.  I've been guilty of just that amnesia several times and I've been called on it too.  Really, people, civility please.  Yes you have the right to talk about a bad experience, but with that right comes a responsibility.  Help make it right. Talk to management.   We are a relatively small knitting community here in St. Louis, even though we'd like to think we're all that and a box of chocolates.

Enough about that!  On to the important stuff.  The Date.

And now that I've said the D word, you are to cock your head slightly, maintain a deadpan look, blink your eyes medium fast, and say, "Motheerrr.  We are friends."  You can cross your arms for emphasis if you like.  And to that I say, "Yes and that's just the way your father likes it.... Friends."

They had so much fun.  They ate together at a restaurant, they danced ("Only to the fast songs!  Gosh!") and it was loud.  She got home at 11:15 and Dad was waiting at the door.  There was a kind of "Aw shucks" kicking the dirt "Goodbye" and a "See you next weekend" because they are going to the Fall Ball at her school this weekend.  At least I'll get to be here to hover over them for this one.  Ask Bridgett if my hovering 800 miles away was a pleasant experience... ***grin***  Turns out Dad is perfectly capable of getting Dear Daughter off to a Homecoming dance -- makeup, hair, dress, jewelry, flowers and all.  Especially when he has help from the local salon.  Thanks, Nina!

Oh, right.  And something else went on this weekend.  In case you live under a rock. 

I got to go to the New York Sheep and Wool Festival at Rhinebeck again this year.  Yay, me.  Loved it.  Bridgett and I stayed in Saugerties which is a little north of the festival as we fly into Albany.  Great restaurants each night!  But first things first.

We sit down in the St. Louis Airport to wait for our flight out of town on Friday and we look over and this gal is knitting a Norwegian mitten.  Really.  Of all the gin joints!  It's Marji, of Fiber Arts Afloat here with Bridgett!  She getting ready to teach a class on these beauties at Kirkwood Knittery (oops -- sorry about that!).   Good start to our weekend, no?

Saturday morning, we arrived bright and early and joined the mob at Briar Rose where I got the yarn I've been coveting, and sure enough, it was gone by afternoon.  Grandma's Blessing in a brown with olive hits and a barn red with rust hits.  Gorgeous stuff.  Yay me again.   Oh, and buttons to put on whatever I make.  (scroll down for the picture) You read that right.  Purely stash enhancement ... with colorwork in mind, though.  Then we ran into Ruth and Lucia and WoolyBabe, but alas, we didn't get to spend much time with them as we were all intent on shopping.

We hit the blogger round up and ran into Kelly and these lovely ladies whom I hope someone can identify... I'm bad with names and notetaking.

Carole ran out of beer.   And she was sad.   But I was glad to finally meet her!

I chatted with Joe and Thaddeus, Marilyn, Norma, Dani, Carla, Zarzuela ... and who else?

I got Bingo. 

 

I got some yarn and roving....

My sweater got to meet Stephanie's sweater.

It was really too hot to wear it, but also... none of the pictures of me in it make me happy.  The arms are just too long.  I have to rip them back.  Maybe next week.  Ah me.  (My hair was having a lovely moment, wasn't it?!)  I also had my "All your yarn are belong to us" shirt with me, wore it on the plane on Friday ... I guess I could have worn that  too ... how sycophantic of me.

Yes.  It was a just right weekend.  And we are home now, safe and sound.  And the house was cleaner when I got home than it was when I left it. 

You can't ask for more than that in this world, I don't think. 

Thanks, Everyone!

I still absolutely cannot see it when I log on from my computer!  I'll check at work...

Yeesh!

Please let me know.. what do you see as my banner?  All I can see is a little kind of unfinished blob of white with gray lines... not resembling what I had in mind at all!  It should be a closeup of Kauni with my blog name and quote... is that what you see?

Beef, It's What's for Diner!

I had a slower day today; only the grocery, a workout, and an hour in the school library.  So...

We're having pot roast and chocolate and butterscotch chip cookies for dinner!  Not necessarily in that order.

The pot roast is easy.  Brown a good roast in olive oil.  Put it in a crock pot and add:  4 cloves garlic, some celery, a few carrots, a chopped onion, half a bottle of V8 and half a bottle of red wine -- I used a really good Tuscan something or other.  Cook on high for 5 hours.  Then add pearl onions, baby carrots and mushrooms.  Cook some more.  I think I'll serve this over egg noodles since we just had mashed potatoes, but either is good.  You can chill it and heat later if you want to skim the fat.

The cookies are Amanda's secret recipe (except for the butterscotch chips -- they called for me to take me home from the grocery store today and I did) and she can share it  if she wants to.  Let's just say they are good. 

The weather is blustery, but not cool yet.  It made me want to work in the kitchen, I guess.

And... shhh.  I don't want to jinx this.  I unwound my singles from their bobbin this morning?  And I soaked them to set the twist?  And I kind of like them.  I'm planning on a small shawl as I have no idea how much yarn I have (no niddy noddy yet). 

This yarn  is certainly nowhere near perfect.  Hand spun indeed.  But the second skein (the one on top) is tons better than the first and that's really all you can ask for, isn't it? 

I, for one, am enchanted.

And, in case you forgot...

So... Do You Want the Good News First, or the Bad?

Yes, well, when it rains, it pours.  Good news?

Kauni Cardigan is complete.  Except for weaving in just a few ends and tacking down the steek facing thingys.  She is absolutely lovely!  On the board. 

The bad news?  Even with all the measuring and futzing and general sleeve anxiety, the sleeves are still about a repeat too long.  Grrr.  And rolling up a colorwork sleeve?  Not so attractive.  I'll have to rip them and re-knit the cuffs.  After Rhinebeck.  Because a note to all those Bingo players -- I'll wear this on Saturday if weather permits!  I bet there will be several, if not more than several, Kaunis at the blogger meet-up.

Details: Kauni Cardigan, by Ruth Sorenson.  I knit the largest size. 

• Needles:  Sizes 3US and 4US.
• Yarn:  Kauni Effektgarn, color EQ, ordered here.  Just email Uta; she is lovely, and her English is way better than my Danish...
• Time:  August 6, 2007 to October 9, 2007.
• Modifications:  I knit a garter box rather than corrugated ribbing at the sleeves, hem, and neck.  Let me just say, PITA!  Buttonholes were a particular challenge.  I found a great buttonhole tutorial for corrugated ribbing in my Art of Fair Isle Knitting book -- now you tell me!  Absolutely no help at all.  After ripping 4 times (because you have to get a row or two past the button hole to see if it's at all attractive...)  I settled on the following:  Cast off 4 in the alternating color; cable cast on 4 from the left needle in the same color; knit over the 4 in the other color.  While not exactly in pattern, it gives the impression of colorwork and alternating colors and if you're looking too closely at my buttonholes, then you're looking too closely at my chest and you need to step back a few!  We'll see if that gets any weird Google hits.
• How do I feel about this knit?  Loved knitting it.  With a passion.  To the exclusion of many other things.  Do I love the fit?  No.  As is the nature of the drop shoulder, it is a little saggy.  Perhaps when it gets more winterish outside, the fit will seem more like what I'm supposed to be wearing...  In fairness, my fit issues might be that I tried it on dampish with a tank top and no buttons.  Because it was like 90° here.  With the right turtle neck and with winter fitting clothes in mind, it might be perfect.  When it cools off appreciably here, I'll let you know.  It's down to 53° now... any idea about the weather next weekend in upstate New York?!

Speaking of Rhinebeck... I'm so excited to go.  I'm going with Bridgett and we'll be staying in Saugerties -- much shorter drive Monday morning to the Albany Airport.  Have fun in Poughkeepsie though -- maybe we can drive up there on Saturday night and party with you all.  I'll be looking for (in this order):  Roving, Roving, the yarn for 1 sweater for me, Roving, and ... oh, some roving.  Maybe some more yarn.  I don't know...

The bad news?  Well it's kind of a story... get a cup of coffee.  Two weekends ago, we got several prank/hang-up phone calls.  It was Friday night, I was working (we're open Friday nights now folks!  Partayy!) and Daughter called me -- she doesn't answer the phone unless she's sure of the identity of the caller.  The CallerID showed the name of a pretty good kid from 8th grade, but he kept hanging up.  It was freaking her out.  I told her to let it go to the answering machine.  The next call  was a different voice telling her to call this kid... well, she wasn't gonna do that!   

Next morning, I had to be somewhere with Dear Son, and soon  Dad was on my cell phone saying that he had gotten two more calls from this same number, both hang-ups!  He was honked off.  I told him to let it go to the machine... to stop picking up the phone and the calls would stop.  When I got home the message on the machine was as follows:  " (whispered by what sounds like Mom) just tell her it's you and for her to call you!"  and then, "Hithisis(boy's name)couldyouhave (Daughter)callme"click.  Just like that, all run together and fast and ... Oh my gosh! 

So she called him back, and ... you guessed it, she's going to his all-boys-school homecoming.  Turns out that the voice we didn't recognize the night before was his mom... ***grin***.  And of course all the hang-ups with Daughter  and with Dad were this poor guy chickening out.  And really, before you worry, he is a really nice kid, one of the few from that class.   And he is already an Eagle Scout (at 14!).  And he and Daughter had been buddies in 5th, 6th, and 7th, but the other kids had teased them for being friends, so there hadn't been much contact in 8th grade.  So.  How is this bad news?  The dance is the 21st of October.  Ahem.  Heavy Sigh. So, we've got dress, hair and make-up appointment, and accessories all set up -- it's up to Dad to execute.  Heavy sigh again.  You control freaks out there will commiserate with the knot in my stomach.

More Good and Bad in no particular order:

• Good for me to be on the board of our neighborhood association.  We should all participate in local governance.  Bad for me is that, while I am Treasurer and accomplish a number of neighborhood related tasks each month, the 60-ish men CEOs on the board keep asking me to "run things to ground" for them -- you know, niggling little tasks like ordering plaques for them to present to neighbors who win their committee awards and newsletter snafus. And they call me "Annie".  Which I choose on my blog, but I do not choose in this milieu -- it's a little pet-nameish...  Which is of course how they use it.  I politely replied that I'd let him run this little task to ground himself, thankyouverymuch, and that when he needed a check for the order, he could call me...
• Good that Dear Son can accomplish multiplication when there are two numbers in the top row and two numbers in the bottom with relative ease -- in his head, actually.  Bad that he doesn't read the directions which call for him to estimate these answers.  Which gets him an F on his Math test... for getting all of the problems correct.  Estimating would take several more steps than just writing down the exact answer and he can't be bothered.   Neither can his Math teacher be bothered to get her head out of her a@@ and see that his answers are correct and that he doesn't NEED to estimate that kind of problem and if she wants him to have to estimate which is actually a good skill to have that she'll have to present him with more difficult problems!  Holy crap!  No really, I get it... he needs to estimate.  Just not at this level, and he'll learn to estimate, but I think it's lazy of her not to notice that he's just gotten all of the problems mathematically correct ... she could talk to him about it, or give half credit or something!  The test just came home with giant red slashes all over it and a big F at the top.  Nice.
• Good that I'm learning all this new music for my Gaelic concert.  It is lovely, really lovely music.  Haunting in that Irish music kind of way and I love the harmonies.  Bad that I'm learning all this new music for this Gaelic concert.  Really.  'Cause Irish Gaelic has lots of sounds that I don't make in normal American speech, and I'm spitting all over my music, and For God's Sake there are way more syllables than notes in here, aren't there?!  It's stressing me out.

Do You Remember Your First Love?

You know, it was all you could think about.  You spent all your spare time (and even some that wasn't spare) pondering that obsession.  Maybe he was a little squeaky, and the outcome was probably a little rocky, at least at first.  But, ah, the fixation of it all.

You've been wondering where I was?  (Well, maybe some of you have been wondering!)  Here is the current black hole of my time.  And here is the first yarn I'm willing to photograph.  It's from Rachel's roving and I'm very very very happy.  Now.  Onto plying.

Knitting?  Yeah, yeah..

I'm nearly finished with Kauni.  Really, like two hours away from wearing the dang thing.  So what do I do?  Cast on a Log Cabin blanket with the left over Dream in Color (Rocketry is finished... and hanging at the shop.  Pics later.)  Deborah and I think alike -- we discussed just this phenomenon at Knit Night the other night...  nearly finished with a project?  Cast on something else and make what's nearly done wait in the corner, we say!  No rhyme or reason, just plain ornery I guess.

So.  Maybe blogging will get more detailed and less of a drive-by sometime soon.  Or maybe not.  I'm off to Rhinebeck in less than two weeks after all... and there's roving in them thar hills!