Archive for the ‘Knitting’ Category
Fight For Kisses
Afghans For Afghans
Rev em up. New call out for baby stuff. This is for the infant hospital in Kabul. Here is a link for more information
Afghans for Afghans
I searched Revelry for a infant hat with ear flaps. And found this one Ear Flap Hat Cute pattern. Let me say I have a worry factor about ear flaps going over the babies faces and I am not 100% sure of tie on hats. I worry about the babies being choked by accident. Born to worry, thats me. I have to assume they know what they want.
The only DK that I had handy was some Elann Superwash Merino in Ruby. Not a color I would offer up to a sick infant. But it was a test knit. The yarn is beautiful and soft. But not suitable for this project. I knit up the hat with much moaning about the SS stitch ear flaps curling around themselves and the needles. Finished off the hat and washed it. The merino just went flat. It spread out and died. I can see how this would be a wonderful shawl or scarf though.
Pattern mods
First flap had one garter stitch on each side. Totally useless to keep the damn thing from rolling about. Although it did flatten out when washed. Second flap I worked 3 garter stitches on each side. Still rolled a bit
Next hat, garter stitch ear flaps. I would also start the flaps with an ICord or crochet chain, then increase to form the flap.
You cast on, knit across one flap, cast on more stitches, knit across the next flap and so on. This leaves a very rough looking start up row. You could crochet around the hat to even things up a bit. Or just sew the flaps on when the hat is done. Or stop moaning and get knitting
Flap with garter edge
Hat according to pattern, no garter edge
Thank you all for your kind posts about Violet. And your support for me to stop being a junkie. I do appreciate it
Kindness
I know in our society it is much easer to give then receive. We want to pay back, be even and not in debt to anyone. And while we want to give, we refuse to allow anyone to give to us. In some strange way it diminishes us as a people. When people are kind to us and generous, we allow them to be a giver. This takes a bit of humility on our part as we must relinquish our rights on the level playing field. In my life many people have been kind to me. Sometimes they may not have even realize they were doing so. I have learned to stifle the urge to shove something in their face so we are even. This has nothing to do with always being the person who gets their lunch paid for by others. We all know about those people.
My Mother In Law use to say I was the kindest person she knew. Poor woman, she had a rough life. Early on, maybe even before I was married I realized I had a lot more going on inside my head then she did. Violet (I am not going to keep typing MIL)had been forged in a horrid family life and a more then difficult marriage. She pinned all her hopes on being the good wife and good mother and having the cleanest home in Brooklyn. She had the kind of household schedule that could have run D-Day. None of these things rewarded her. Her family found her constant cleaning stupid and pointless. Her husband would rather sit in a bar get drunk and gamble away the weeks wages and her children grew quickly and expanded out of her world. They were there, but their hopes and dreams had nothing to do with surgically clean floors.
Everyone loved my Father In Law. At least those who didn’t live with him did. Good ole Charlie. Life of the party give you the shirt off his back etc. No problem giving you the shirt off his back. He had more home and if there was no money for the rent, well Violet would have to deal with the landlord. And so she did. All the while trying to present the appearance of a “normal” home. It was overall a futile effort. But she never ever gave up trying. At one point my FIL was a bag man for some minor mafia dude. He put his hand in the bag and got caught. After which he went into hiding someplace in the wilds of Long Island. Bad enough. But he came home when he knew his family would be out and robbed the place of anything that could be sold. The children’s insurance odd bits of stuff. A radio that had been a wedding gift. And poor Violet’s last $2.00. When Violet came in with the children, they were both very young she found the place gutted. No food no money nothing and the rent due. She told me once over a cup of tea that she just sat on the floor and cried. Her husband was gone and she was truly dead broke with hungry children. Dear husband had eaten the last of the bread she had in the house. There was nothing for it, she took the kids to her own MIL who live in the next apartment building and begged for dinner. The next morning the children went to school with lunches from their grandma and Violet went looking for a job. She found a job in a dine store. And worked hard. Worked out a deal with the landlord and didn’t get evicted. Her husband was gone for more then 6 months. He would return periodically to see what pickings there were. I told her once I would have changed the locks. She was shocked. A wife can’t lock her husband out. What and idea. She also had to deal with the goons who showed up from time to time looking for their money and the missing husband. In the end her uncle paid them off. Uncle Ed was a brick. He was kind and he told her he would like to see her smile again. You can see in pictures how her face changed. The pictures of Violet and my husband when he was baby, she has a soft rounded smiling face. After her face became pinched and she became as thin as a stick. Rather like she was trying to be as small and compact as she could be. The husband returned after his debts were settled and things went back to as they were. He treated the bars like home and his home like it was a nothing. But Violet had had some earth shattering change. She was earning her own money. Not much but her own. Over the years she furnished the apartment bought food and did the things most women do with the help of a partner.
I met Violet when she was still working in the dime store. I didn’t know her or my husband. I had a friend who had gotten and after school job there. Years later when I met her again, she remembered I use to walk Rosemary home from work. (what innocent occupations we use to have) I went to school with her daughter and was dating her son. The Golden Child :-} More then likely I was not the DIL she would have picked out. I was Catholic and from a mixed marriage. I went to college and got arrested. This is not what a mother hopes for. I know in many ways I annoyed the shit out of her. I was not domestic and to smart for my own good. I read books for gawds sake. I was clever (a very nasty attribute) And not above using my sense of humor and brains to inflict pain. A nasty bit of work all together. But immature and inexperienced girls will behave like pigs. They tend to think their sensuality allows them to get away with anything.
So what does this have to do with kindness. Years after I was married and living in Virginia my in laws use to trek down here a couple of times a year. This was always a job. My MIL would inspect my total lack of homemaking skills and my FIL would encourage rampant drinking. Fun times fun times. Then one visit I watch Violet cut shelf paper and lovingly wash and put away the glasses and cups. I realize she was in 7th heaven. We will not go into mid century women and shelf paper. But there is a serious paper yet to be written about that! After the kitchen she asked me if we could organize the linen closet. Her face glowed. All those towels folded just so and lined up. Sheets pillowcases put in properly. Right another good job done. It was like watching aliens going to work. I realized Violet was burning to tidy me up. But she was also afraid that I might get angry and send a zinger her way. It was like the heavens opening up. I could do something for her. Something no one else could do. My sister in law was too neat to need help. But I am a total slob. So I made a cup of tea and explained that with Dawn in a body cast I just didn’t have time for all these “jobs” And I really really appreciated her help. Would she help me clean the pit up. We both knew this was a lie. The pit was a pit because I didn’t give a shit. But still. Her heart swelled and she was filled with that beatific light that people who get to be kind have. We went and got more shelf paper new kitchen curtains and a few other things. And went to work. After that we never looked back. We shared cups of tea, crocheted together and discussed the perfidity of man. We both made afghans, lots of them. Out of genuine Red Heart. (She loved VA the yarn was cheaper then NYC)
It was a double barreled gift. She got to clean (which she loved) and then she got to go home and tell everyone just how badly I kept house. It was no skin off my nose and gave her pleasure. And of course I got a clean house.
Years went on and in time she was too ill to clean for me. When we went to NYC to visit I would tidy up for her. She loved it. And supervised. It drove my own Mother to distraction. And even her son was annoyed by it. But WE understood just where we stood. After my FIL died her life became sadly contracted. Illness and a firm refusal to leave the house made her life very very small. I called her a couple of times a week. She had by this time driven her daughter to madness and they were less and less inclined to spend time with her. The last time I saw her before she died she clasped my hands with those paper thin hands that I am starting to develop and asked that when she got sick I would take care of her. Because I never yelled at her.
Recently my friends at Elann chat have been more kind to me that they can imagine. And their kindness has touched me deeply and warmed me and filled me with a sort of glow.
Thank all of you.
On The Tube
First off I can’t stand Knitty Gritty for more then 10 minutes. Knitster girrls…barf barf barf.
Instead I am improving my mind watching What Not To Wear and Big Love. I have learned a few things along the way. I need more fitted clothes. The stuff I have swims on me. I lost a lot of weight and haven’t gotten a lot of new things. Not even $5000.00 worth of new clothes (an obscene amount of money) is parting me from my Def Leppard tee shirt or my hair. Like most hair stylists, Nick only knows how to cut hair. He and the make up women give lectures to victims, umm clients about “holding onto long hair as a security blanket” Strangely both the show host Stacy and the make up lady have long hair. Strange doings. He cuts their hair and stuffs it full of as he says “products” (I aways think of Something About Mary) I have a naturally dirty mind. Before the show is over the hair style has flatten out. I am guessing that the clients are thinking, how long before this grows out long enough to put up? I loved the woman with hair down to her waist, who refused to let him cut it. Did he offer to put it up or braid it? Nope he walked off.
I am going to lay off this show for awhile cause I had a dream, that Stacy and Clinton took my Queen tee shirt and jeans away from me. Sent me off shopping in NYC in nothing but a cami and step ins. No shoes. They said they were too disgraceful to wear in public. God knows there is enough violence in NYC without me wandering around in my knickers!
I have learned from Big Love that I do not have the makings of a Sister-Wife. Bill Paxton has a great looking rump. (we have seen a lot of it)But it isn’t good enough to put up with 2 other wives. Now three husbands might work out. They could be Brother-Husbands. Especially if you keep replacing them as the age 
Nothing to do with sex of course. They could all roller skate around me, as the center of their world. And of course they would have to love each other and not get jealous. I could set them each up with their own Man Cave. Leave a schedule on the fridge telling them who’s day it is. Yesssss this might have possibilities.
The series runs along the lines off all the past night time soaps. Good guys (none so far) bad guys, drama, sex, lies and stupidity. The same as Dallas with the extra of polygamy. Ladies in Utah, set these men straight
I am knitting. I love Grace’s feet. Her feet are a bit wider then mine, so I can now knit patterns that I wanted to try but wouldn’t work on my foot. Great feet Grace!
Wild and Crazy Sock Yarn
I got a notice from Astrids a few weeks ago intruducing this new Regia yarn. I looks like marbled paper. Quite different from the usual stripes and blobs. Tempted very tempted. Except so often these self patterning yarns don’t work out for me. I buy a lot of Opal from Astrid. The shipping is high but the prices are low. And she has a really large selection
Regia Galaxy comes in a lot of colors. Most a bit more tame then this. When I first saw this, I thought BETS!!! It seems to have most of the colors she likes.
The test pattern sort of sock, might make a scarf. If some idiot hadn’t put a short row heel near the top :-}
Thanks Marie for nominating me for the Rockin Girl Blogger. I love the picot edge. You go girl. I hope the move is going smoothly.
Dobby’s Sock
Well not really, but it is what my daughter calls it. I had started a sock, didn’t care for how it was turning out. I was prepared frog it. But then I thought, WAIT instead of doing flat swatches or a faux round swatch. I already part of a sock done and could practice stitch patterns or gauge swatches. This one has gotten a bit out of hand. I have another one that is a more reasonable in length. You can see the cuff and the bit below is actually the stitch pattern I use for my Sockapalooza partner’s sock. There is a bit of leaf pattern in white. And some tries at working a lace pattern upside down. It didn’t work. That turquoise yarn in the middle is the most beautiful color yarn. Fearless Fibers, Robin’s Egg Blue. It makes me smile every time I look at it.
The thing is, if you start a sock and then hate it, don’t frog. You can put the stitches on a life line or a spare needle. Next time you need to swatch or want to try a pattern you are good to go.
Socapalooza !!!
My swap partnerHeather out did herself. I am so excited. No one has ever knitted me socks. And these are beautiful socks. They fit perfectly
First the package. Just beautiful. I was afraid I would stab the socks. Pretty pretty. See those sweet round tins. One has beautiful stitch markers the other has a matching row counting bracelet. Heather must have known about my post it tick off the row method 
Also a package of note cards, knitting related. Did you make them Heather?
Rip…sorry I have no control here. Inside were these beautiful socks. Heather has done a very complex pattern. She has carried the pattern down the back of the leg to the heel. The yarn is RED, I love it. Very very soft. And they fit perfectly. Heather I envy your extremely tidy gusset decreases. 
The pattern down the back of the leg and heel
Thank you so much Heather, I will think of you every time I wear them. I would have modeled them, except the heat index today was 110 and hotter tomorrow. As soon as we have some normal weather I will get my daughter to take some pictures 
If Its Friday It Must Be Pizza Night
Every Friday, unless the temperature is above 85 I make pizza for DH and DD. I can’t eat pizza. The melted cheese hates me. So here we go
First the
after a few hours we have
then I do this
and this
then you get this
and they do this to it
So if you are in Virginia Beach and feeling hungry and it is Friday stop by. We usually have pasta on Weds night. The leftover sauce goes on the pizza along with any leftover meatballs or sausage.
Not food or knitting related. I looked out the window this morning and saw this.
These two are litter mates and are always together They are strays.
I finished my Sock pals socks and mailed them off. Instead of sending a lot of stuff in the box. I just added chocolates. I have arranged for different things to be sent to her over the next week or so. So her surprises will keep coming I hope the socks fit and I hope she likes them.
Have a great weekend everyone!
I need a new oven, this one stinks of gas
Kiva
I got money for my Birthday. I don’t need more yarn or needles or books. In fact I don’t need anything just now. I was wrong, I do need something, I need to share. So I am now a banker to a couple of hard working (they work harder then I ever have) people. It is like eating chips, you can’t stop at just one. Every time I get another $25.00, I know just where to spend it. It has gotten to be a sort of game, how can I gather up $25.00 without making everyone in the house think I have gone nuts. again.
I use to have a bumper sticker that said If You Want Peace, Work For Justice. I am not allowed bumper stickers on this car.
Any how it isn’t that I am so nice or anything like that. This is really great fun, and I am hoping that all of the people will be successful. One lady has already started paying back her loan… You go Shehergul
“I just made a loan to someone in the developing world using a revolutionary new website called Kiva.
You can go to Kiva’s website and lend to someone in the developing world who needs a loan for their business – like raising goats, selling vegetables at market or making bricks. Each loan has a picture of the entrepreneur, a description of their business and how they plan to use the loan so you know exactly how your money is being spent – and you get updates letting you know how the business is going. The best part is, when the entrepreneur pays back their loan you get your money back – and Kiva’s loans are managed by microfinance institutions on the ground who have a lot of experience doing this, so you can trust that your money is being handled responsibly.
I just made a loan to an entrepreneur named Terane Zaliyeva in Azerbaijan. They still need another $1,100.00 to complete their loan request of $1,175.00 (you can loan as little as $25.00!). Help me get this business off the ground by clicking on the link below to make a loan to Terane Zaliyeva too:
It’s finally easy to actually do something about poverty – using Kiva I know exactly who my money is loaned to and what they’re using it for. And most of all, I know that I’m helping them build a sustainable business that will provide income to feed, clothe, house and educate their family long after my loan is paid back.
Join me in changing the world – one loan at a time.
Questions
Thanks for the kind remarks ladies.
Joan I usually knit the cuff of my sock to match the length of my foot. More or less. My heel flap is 2 1/2 inches so I make the leg around 7 inches. It could be an inch more or less. I like my socks to end before the calf. Just where the calf starts developing.
You could have picked up the stitches just below the cast on row. Cut the cast on row and then reknit it. Believe me, I hate doing ribbing so I have done all the cheats to get around doing it over again Including putting in a life line after the ribbing is done. Just in case I hate the stitch pattern or it doesn’t work out. I can frog back to the life line and NOT have to do the hated ribbing again. I am so lazy.
Lisa I am so glad to know I am not the only person to ditch the pattern. I think the trouble is it is too easy and is just boring after awhile. I nearly didn’t finish the Nancy Bush Evening Stockings for the same reason. I saw someone else say that they got bored with the pattern too. So I felt like less of a looser. I mean Nancy Bush boring! Bite you tongue Suzann, just who do you think you are
Grace Do you really want to knit socks? Cause anyone who can create all that lacy goodness can knit anything. I saw a lace pattern sock that I think has your name on it.
Danielle I will email your for your mailing address. I have to go to the post office. And I will send you the pattern. It is a lovely yarn, but not for me.
Benne The yarn does look like cantaloupes. I feel better, but still tired mostly. I am knitting so that is good. I don’t mind thick socks, I have a pair of old clogs that they fit in. But not everyone feels like that. This yarn is as thick as the socks I sent you.
Bets I hope you are not in the rain area. I have been thinking of you. If only all that rain could be redirected to the west cost. And we could use some too.
Sorry no pictures. My camera needs a charge. My daughter will be home from Alaska tomorrow. She asked for a pasta dinner. So I am making the sauce right now. I missed her. Even thought I kind of got use to not having all the settings on my computer changed.
Anyone want some tomatoes or zucchini? I asked for ONE zucchini plant and got 5, we are not hip deep in them. And you can’t give them away for love or money I tried leaving them on the neighbors doorstep in the middle of the night. But they were always back on mine in the morning