One thing leads to another....

“As I get older, I just prefer to knit. ”

― Tracey Ullman

Last night, I realized that come Sunday morning, I would have nothing to knit at church (or at the classical concert we are going to Monday night).  Right now of my knitting attention has been taken up with reviews and designs.  Neither of which can be shown off here until they have been posted and/or published (which hopefully they will be).   


UU's are a pretty relaxed bunch so there are no rules regarding knitting in church. However, I do have my own church knitting rules. I only work on mindless knitting, the kind that require minimal attention (I am an accomplished movie knitter so I rarely even look at simple projects). Also, I just don't feel good about working in church so I don't work on I don't work on anything destined for sale.  These are my rules. They work for me but I would never presume to apply to anyone else.


So, there I was on Saturday night contemplating Sunday morning and this is what I did.  With a little research (thank you, Ravelry), and a productive stash dive, I came up with an answer to my Zen knitting needs, as well as my hitherto unformulated plan to give a much needed hug to a dear, but distant, friend.    I quickly settled on the Masters Prayer Shawl and Patons Pure Organic Cotton. I have exactly enough of one colorway and a little more in another, complementary colorway. If the first one gets the job done, great. If not, I can work the edging in the second color and call it a design enhancement.  Swatching didn't seem necessary since I probably have enough and definitely have a back-up plan, so after sending the pattern to my phone & Kindle, I packed up my pretty yarn & needles and went to bed.  This morning, during a lovely talk on different kinds of love, I cast-on for my expression of love for a troubled friend.

Happy Valentines Day, indeed!

Principles of Knitting

Ooh Yay!!!  Principles of Knitting has finally been re-released.   Even though I am one of the lucky ones with an original copy (thank you, Manny!), I have had this new version on pre-order for what seems like forever.    The hardcover is due on Feb17th but the digital version came out at 12:01am today.    I already have it loaded on my laptop, netbook, Kindle, Fire, & my phone.   How cool is that?!

On a roll...

 I have been trying to get some necessary and/or lingering knitting done so that I can move on the what I think of as work knitting.    With that in mind, I have finished three things in three days.

First is the long lingering “Summer Wrap” by Mac & Me.    I really took my time with this, working on it mostly in church or at the movies.    The pattern was simple but lovely and I loved, loved, loved the Blue Sky Alpaca Organic Cotton yarn.   It has a luscious feel that I have not come across in any other cotton.   I am already thinking of knitting another, bigger, “Shawl That Jazz” with the remaining yarn.   Wrapping myself in this baby will be a delight.

Also, finished are the latest pair of simple socks.   I started them so long ago, that I don;t even remember which yarn I used (not Koigu, not Jitterbug, maybe Claudia Handpaints).    Socks are my emergency/pocketbook knitting so they only get worked on when I don’t have my knitting bag with me (which is not often).    Lisa Knits Simple Toe-up Sock pattern (8sts/in) is my go to sock pattern.   While I do have it on all of my devices, I rarely have to refer to it anymore which really adds to the Zen of the experience.

Last, but not least, I whipped up a quick baby hat for an expecting friend.   I used Ann Norling's Kids Fruit Cap pattern but choose colors that, I hope, made it look more like a flower.    Over the last couple of years I have drastically cut back on KnitPicks yarns (They seem to be trending away from affordable luxury and more towards acrylic/nylon blends.  Not my thing).    However, I still consider their Comfy my go-to baby yarn.   I resisted it at first due to the acrylic content but really it does live up to its name in that it is very soft and comfy.   For  a baby, that and washability are a can’t beat combination.   

As for past & future “work knitting”.   Like so many others, we are really feeling financially pinched these days.   Hubby is much happier at work these days but it took a small pay cut to get him there.   On top of the whooping one he took to move us to FL,  a struggling college freshman, and a rash of trials, we are struggling.   If I can’t find a way to help, we could be in real trouble.   So, I have thrown a couple of knitting irons in the fire and am hoping to put my talents to productive use.   Wish me luck.

Appreciated at last...

Check it out!   Hubby and the boys are at the "Big Game Party & Chili Cook-off" at church (Did you know that you can no longer advertise a "Super Bowl Party" without paying royalties to the NFL?   Apparently, they were particularly hard on churches and community groups last year.).   Anyway, Hubby's chili took the prize for second place in the chili contest.  Poor thing feels that his chili is not properly appreciated at home.   I am so happy that he is finally getting  the recognition that he deserves.   :-)