10 Random Things About Me

1. I knit.  I sew.  I draw.  I dye. 
2. I tend to go deep into research and discovery on one endeavor at the time, for an extended period.  Sometimes I think so hard I can't switch gears.  I am a monotasker.
3. I have wicked curly hair.
4. I was born in Georgia.  But now I live in New Hampshire.
5. My parents were born in Georgia and Alabama.  But now they live in New Hampshire.
6. I live next door to my parents.
7. I don't like to swim. 
8. I have a swimming pool.  It's an above ground pool, but we set it up on a hill, so it feels like it's a level ground pool.
9. If our pool ever gives way, we need to call my parents quick, because they live at the bottom of the hill.
10. I love cake.

Some folks have a list of 100 things.  I'm going to do them ten at the time on random occasions.  Otherwise nothing else will get done (see Thing 2).

  11.  I have trouble leaving well enough alone.

NH Sheep and Wool Booty

I finished writing my mitten pattern on Friday, and met my self-imposed deadline.  I had a large pile of people in my home on Saturday - it was good to have my week's focus not be solely party prep.  And my reward on Sunday was a day at the New Hampshire Sheep and Wool Festival.

I quickly searched out a roving, a merino from Abi's Web.  I scurried to the Building 13 and spun with the NH Spinners and Dyers Guild.  I was demonstrating what a newbie spinner looks like.

Closures on my sweaters need to speak to me.  I love them most when they are either vintage or handmade. 

Jan Marek Raczkowski (ma sheep&wool, May 29&30) had a great selection of carded vintage buttons. 

A Good Yarn

I am a hamburger and french fries girl.  If the burger and fries come from a non-chain restaurant, better.  If I can lean over and see the cook, ask how his day was, even better.  If the cook makes me a homemade veggie burger and sweet potato fries with horseradish sauce ... oh yeah.

My yarn is the same deal.  I like it local.  I like it inexpensive.  I like using the stuff that others might throw away.  I'll make it work.  I'm the catfish of knitters.  

Recycled Booty

Most Important Knitting

Twenty years ago I knit this sock in anticipation of our first child.  Our boy was born a little too early and much too ill.  We were much luckier than many parents - we had the chance to enjoy him for six and a half weeks - some folks don't even get a day. My husband carried this sock in his pocket for years.

Location, Location, Location

Meeting Leader: "We need a volunteer to go to the Whateverfest to man a table."
Me: "Will there be lots of waiting and boredom involved?"
Meeting Leader: "Yes."
Me: "I'm in.  Sign me up."  

Where do I knit? Where do I not knit is easier to answer. I do not knit at funerals or weddings.

My knitting bag goes with me to Weight Watchers, various club and town meetings, doctor's and dentist's appointments for me and my three teens, and to many, many concerts and rehearsals - my son is a very active musician.  Where I go, my knitting goes, pretty much.

At home my knitting spot is seasonal.  In the winter I like a chair right next to the wood stove ... though it proves difficult to stay awake.  In the non-heating season I like a sunny spot, like the porch or our family room.  And in the evening I go where the family is.

Where I knit matters little.  Whether I knit matters lots.  I'm thrilled and thankful to have the use of my fingers and hands.  And time on my hands, too.

Homemade Tools

My favorite tools for knitting are the ones I have made myself.  I have a series of tools I use to make recycled self striping yarn.

I start with thrifted sweaters, usually cellulose fibers and/or silk.  I frog them and ply the resulting yarn on my spinning wheel. Then I wind the plied yarn onto my super skein maker (which is actually a homemade pvc drum warper).  Here it is in pieces.  I'm not going to set it up today, because I know if I do none of my other jobs will get done.  I'll post pictures next time I set it up.  Soon.

Here's the resulting 22 yard super skein (body to demonstrate scale):

I dye the skein with fiber reactive dyes.  Then I wash it out by hand and put it back on my super skein winder so that I can wind it into more manageable sized skeins.  For that I use this, my homemade pedal powered skein winder:

PVC skein winder

Here's the yarn:

Then I knit.

Great Knitters

Today's assignment: write about a knitter whose work I enjoy. I have to answer this question two ways.  Sweaters are my deal.  I have my own sources of wool and other fibers, and I have strong ideas about how to use them, so I never go by a written pattern. But, I am constantly searching other folk's work for inspiration.  Looking at good sweaters just makes me feel downright happy. 

One designer keeps stopping me dead in my tracks for her ability to think outside the box:  Norah Gaughan.  She is a brave knitter, going where no knitter has gone before. Oh how I would love to sit on a couch and knit with her ... maybe eat some snack foods, plug in a good movie ...  http://berroco.com/ng1/ng1_photoview_pv.html

The other knitter whose work I enjoy is Priscilla Gibson-Roberts.  Her book Knitting in the Old Way has been my companion for almost 25 years.  She taught me how to take my ideas and turn them into wearable pieces.  Her work has fostered my work.

Thanks Gals.  I sure appreciate the help.