Crossing the Finish Line

I made it...with a few hours to spare, even! Yes, I finished my Teal Summer Olympics Sweater for the Ravelymics Sweater Sprint challenge. I was sewing on the buttons and weaving in the (insert bad word here) yarn tails during the Gold Medal ceremony for the US Women's Relay around 10:30 p.m. CDST Saturday night...heck, I felt like they were playing the National Anthem for me!! Especially after my "crisis of confidence" on Friday night when I wasn't at all sure I could make it to the finish line before 10:59 a.m. Sunday morning (official time of the Closing Ceremonies in Beijing). But, I kept on knitting...and am happy with the results. (Play theme from Rocky here.)

As I posted the photo (above, left) to the Ravelry site, I saw all the fantastic projects that were completed by many, many talented folks. Amazing! Some of them looked like the knitter must have worked night and day, day and night, for the full 17 days. My sweater is a simple garter stitch pattern (well, I wanted to be able to complete my project in the time period), for which I used a yarn with an interesting texture (Pebbles) and some really neat buttons to dress it up. And, as you can see (above, right), I earned my Bobicus Medal for the Sweater Sprint (don't ask...it's a Ravelry thing...:)

Will I do this again in 4 years? Oh yes...I do love a challenge, after all. But, I may take a hint from some of the other FO's that were posted...I may consider using a heavier weight yarn and larger needles, and I'll certainly try to find a way to lessen or eliminate all the weaving in at the end...I do hate that part, that's for sure...:)

So, what's next on the stix? Well, I want to finish Nana's Cornflower Blue Pullover. This one is already off the stix, actually, and in the "finishing" process: all I have to do is seam up the sides and weave in the loose threads (yuck...yet again) and I'll have another FO for '08. Next up: Mr. T's Red Shawl-Collared Cardigan...more on that at another time.

I'm Seeing Red...and Green!

Look: I finished my Minimalist Cardigan (left) at 2:00 a.m. this morning...woo-hoo! I just love, love, love this yarn (Cash Vero DK, Color Number 020) that I got at Knit and Caboodle in St. Charles. I modified a pattern in the Interweave Knits magazine, Fall 2007 edition, lengthening the sleeves and the body...just enough. As you can see, there are no buttons, just a shawl-like collar, knit in stockinette stitch...against the Moss Stitch pattern for the rest of the sweater. I started knitting this project on 1/5/08, with the goal of wearing it on Valentine's Day...looks like I made it by a whisker!

Here's a close-up of the Moss (pattern) stitch:


We're planning on trying out a new (for us) restaurant in St. Charles called The Vintage House. In checking their menu, it looks like they are heavy (pun intended) on their German heritage, and they feature local Missouri wines. This should be a super-special "date night" for us!

Of course, our conversation at dinner is likely to center around our upcoming trip to Ireland...ooh, can't wait! I've been reading up on the Emerald Isle...circling the sites we want to visit...printing out addresses of wool shops all over the country...plotting our course for the 7 days we'll be there. This is usually Missy M's role, but she's been unusually swamped at work, so I thought I'd try to help out. More on this later.

Since it's been cold, cold, cold here this week, I thought a nice bowl of chili would hit the spot tonight. Ummmm...smells like it's ready. Time to close!

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

I absolutely love this time of the year! As you can probably tell from the photo (left), we collect Nutcrackers for display...our collection numbers 45 at the moment...and putting them out & about is one of the first things we do when we start decorating for Christmas. You can see only a few of them in this photo, as they not only cover the mantle...they have spilled over onto the entertainment center...and onto the sofa table in front of the bay window.

You may not notice it, but take a good look at the lower right portion of the photo (you may have to click on it to enlarge it)...see the white figure? It's difficult to make out, but that's a ceramic of the Holy Family, made by Thomas' Mom more than a decade ago. Mrs. Adsit passed on in January 2002, but we keep her memory alive when we display this, along with the ceramic nativity set she made for us (which is also displayed on the coffee table, but not visible in this photo).

The right-most stocking hanging on the mantle is Thomas' -- which I made for him our first Christmas, 1976. And, hanging to its left is the one he made for me that same Christmas! Those stockings and one brass ornament are all that we still have from that first Christmas after we married. That year, we made salt-dough ornaments for our tree...which unfortunately did not survive a stay in a hot attic several years ago in GA. I still tear up when I remember finding the "crumbs" of those precious, could-not-be-replaced ornaments.

The angel on the top of the tree (above photo) and Maredith's stocking are from the era of needlepoint-as-my-primary-craft, both dating to 1979-80, I think. The majority of the ornaments on our trees are keepsakes...either hand-made, year after year, or collected on our travels. The "main" tree is a Fraser Fir from the North Carolina mountains, ordered on the internet from http://www.carolinafraserfir.com/. When we lived in NC, we would go to Boone the weekend after Thanksgiving and cut down our tree, right at the source...oh, how I miss that.

Of course, why limit yourselves to just one tree, right? We also have a couple of artificial trees in the house: one is my Sheep Tree (photo, right) which is in the front/dining room window, and one is Mom's little "tabletop" Santa tree, on her entertainment center in her bedroom. [Mom always, always wanted a "tabletop" tree when we were growing up, but we never, never would allow one less than 10 feet tall in our house with the 12-foot ceilings...silly woman!] I've collected sheepies for years...and years...and, I love to display all the ornaments on a separate tree, 'cause they sorta get lost on the main tree. Of course, this house has a small-ish dining room, so it's a bit crowded, but we'll manage. The angel on the top of the Sheep Tree is from our trees when I was growing up. It, and one sparkly-silver ornament, remind me of happy Christmases in Henning.

Speaking of Nutcracker(s), Thomas and I managed to get to the Fox Theatre on Thursday (despite the sheet and ice storm) to see the Joffrey Ballet's STL production of The Nutcracker. I thoroughly enjoyed the evening, and...as I had been looking forward to this for weeks...I was so glad that Thomas (a) made it home from Wisconsin in time and (b) was willing to brave the weather to get us there and back safely. We've missed this Holiday tradition for several years now, for one reason or another...and I needed a good Tchaikovsky fix! Plus, I got to wear my Christmas Shawl for the first time...even though it was so cold that I had to wear a coat over it. Still, I felt so festive!

Making this evening possible was the installation of our Life Line system for Nana/Momma/Edith. You know...the commercial: "I've fallen and I can't get up." But, it's no joke, is it? While she continues to recover from her recent hospitalization...slowly but surely...she is still pretty fragile, especially when it comes to her balance. So, her Home Health nurse recommended this service to us, and now we all feel a little less stressed. Breathe!

I can't show pix of my most recent finished knitting projects (FO's) just yet, as I've been working on gifts...and I never know who might be reading this...tee, hee. Anyway, here is a photo (left) of my finished Design Your Own Top Down Sweater from my recent class at Knit 'n Caboodle in St. Charles. [Ted E. is wearing the matching Tam o' Swatch, which I borrowed to wear the other night to The Nutcracker.] I'm glad I took the class, and I have already signed up for another class on Cables starting in January, taught by the same instructor (who is very, very knowledgeable...and patient). But, I'm not so sure I like the technique of knitting the whole sweater at once (too bulky by the time you get the sleeves done; and when you have to frog, you have too many stitches to remove and redo)...and I just plain missed my seams, where lots of stuff can be "hidden," like JOINS of new balls of yarn. Plus, my sweater is too big, even though I measured, re-measured, and had the experts measure...it still came out like an oversized sweatshirt. I know I should knit another top-down right away, and I would probably get over these objections...but, I can't generate any enthusiasm for it yet. Ah, well.

Time to get the Christmas newsletter printed out...and those cards signed, sealed, labeled and stamped. And time to make some fudge, some cookies, and some Nuts & Bolts (Nana/Momma/Edith's version of Chex Mix). Oh yes...I love this time of the year!

Fire On

Fall has arrived! It has finally turned cooler around here, with wind and rains bringing us temps in the mid-50's during the day and low 40's at night...enough to turn the heat on yesterday. Although I hate to have to use the heat (why is that, I wonder?), I do so enjoy our gas-log fireplace (photo, right): fire on, oooh; fire off, aaahh. So, the past couple of mornings have meant hot tea in front of the fire. Ummmmm...such a gentle start to the day ahead.

Then, fortified with my Earl Grey (or, even better, some Lady Grey, which has lemon flavoring instead of the bergamot), I once again take up my knitting. Last weekend, I nearly went blind while working on a sock (one single sock, mind you) of a pair that I am knitting for Mr. T, made out of black Panda Cotton (which is 55% bamboo, 24% cotton, 21% elastic nylon). Sunday night, I had to cast on the second sock just as soon as I had finally finished Sock #1...as I feared I would not want to revisit working on black yarn on tiny US2 needles, ever. This pair of socks sports a sturdy, yet simple K2P2 rib, over 56 stitches, cast on US2's, with a change to US3's for some calf shaping...then back to the 2's for the heel-through-toe portion. It will take most of 4 balls of yarn to complete the size 12's with long, long legs...but that's what he prefers in a sock, so be it. I have a little idea (sounding like H. Poirot, there...:) for a special touch for Sock #2, but I won't give it away here. Tee hee.

Of course, since attending class on Tuesday night, my knitting has been entirely single-minded. We got the directions on how to taper the sleeves on our Design Your Own Top Down Sweater, so I have been knitting, knitting, knitting rounds and rounds and more rounds of cobalt blue stockingette. I finished Sleeve #1, at least to putting the final cuff stitches on waste yarn until I get to the same length on Sleeve #2...just to make sure they match, I hope, I hope, I hope. The sweater is getting sorta heavy and awkward, with all that's been worked flopping around my lap and spilling onto the floor on occasion. Had to do something about that, as it was worrying me to no end...and as I began to feel like I'd wear the sweater out before I had even had a chance to wear it! To the rescue came the Extra Large Hefty Zip Bag, which now contains & protects the completed portion. I just rotate the bag o' sweater a half turn this way and back again, while working on Sleeve #2. Ah.

As I've mentioned before, this sweater project is giving me ample opportunity -- over the miles of stockingette stitching -- to practice my Continental knitting technique, such as it is. Can definitely state, without reservation, that I'm not knitting faster (as promised by all The Knitting Books)...at least, not yet. Must continue to practice. Must practice. Knit. Knit. Knit. Cobalt blue Cash Vero. Beautiful blue. I hope I don't hate my beautiful blue sweater before I finish it. Sigh. Of course, the one thing that will keep me knitting on the Blue is to remember that the alternative is knitting on the Black. Yikes! Blue is good!!

Good weekend ahead: M's coming for a visit. Along with Charley Dog. Woo hoo, all the way around!

Progress Report: Makin' a Moebius; Separatin' the Sleeves; Pickin' the Peppers; and Greetin' Our Guests

It's been a productive week for my UFO's. I took a class while in ATL last week, at my new *favorite* yarn store in GA, The Yarn Garden. Yvonne taught me how to make a Felted Moebius Basket, using Cat Bordhi's book "A Second Treasury of Magical Knitting," page 28-29. What an interesting technique, this so-called Magical Knitting! You start here, go 'round there, and end up back where you started...but with a twist that you actually meant to be there. I learned how to knit socks on two circular needles by reading Cat's "Socks Soar on Two Circs" book, which I checked out of our local library, and I've been knitting on two circs ever since. Admittedly, I would never have purchased this book, as some of the most prominent photos on the front look just plain silly to me (really, would you spend the time to make a Jester Tentacles Bag or Hat when there are so many sweaters that need knitting and baby blankets that need crocheting?) Ah, it would have been my loss, for sure. Check out my photo (above, left) to see the felted and finished Basket in a variegated red wool yarn (of which I don't know the name, since I failed to collect the wrapper after Y. rolled the hank for me before the class)! I even used almost all of my left-over in knitting an I-Cord to use as a decorate tie. I've got to get another one on my needles soon! Ooh, ooh...and a Moebius Scarf, too...I need one of those, like the one on page 14.


[BTW, the instructions in the book say to use a balloon to shape the basket after felting. Well, I didn't have a balloon, so I created a 'tower' of various sized bowls, topped with a wide-lipped cereal bowl...which is why my basket has a rather prominent rim, and the picture on the front of the book does not. We must add our own personal touches when we can, right?]


Meanwhile, back at my *favorite* yarn shop here at home, Knit n Caboodle in St. Charles, my Design Your Own Top-Down Sweater class continues. I am so very excited to announce that I've completed something on this project! I finished the collar (see photo, above), so now this mass of cobalt blue yarn is beginning to look like a sweater...finally. This is my problem with this whole "top-down" deal: when you knit a sweater 'normally,' you knit for a while...and have a finished back; then, you knit for a while longer...and have a finished front, or a finished sleeve. OK, to be truthful, you don't actually have a finished anything, because you are going to have to seam the 'finished' pieces together to complete the sweater (and that's supposedly the ta-da moment of a Top-Down, when you realize that you don't have to seam anything...and it's truly finished!). Oh well, it'll all reveal itself in due time, right? We got instructions on how to separate the sleeves from the main body in our last class, slipping those stitches onto some waste yarn. Check! Got that done yesterday. I've been knitting on the main body a little bit, using the expanse of stockinette to practice knitting in the Continental method. I'm told that is much faster than the English method (which I've been using for 45 years now), but you couldn't prove it by me. Faster knitting, especially on the boring bits like plain ol' stockinette (POS?), really appeals to me, but I'm so awkward...I get frustrated (surprised?) and switch to what I know for a row, then I calm down and switch back to practicing the Con. What does that say about my personality? That I love learning new things, but I hate learning new things? Oh well...there's probably something hidden in there about 'old dog(s) and new tricks,' too...but I digress. Stay tuned for more progress and pics on the Top Down Sweater project.


It's finally beginning to hint of Fall around here with cooler temps both day and night. The trees are turning...slowly...but I'm afraid that the main 'color' in the leaves will be brown. The Japanese Maple out front is really a strange brown-yellow-rust color, when we usually see lots more deep maroon-y red. The Oaks in the back are dropping brown leaves along with massive amounts of acorns...but haven't really 'turned' in color yet. Truly, about the only tree that is showing any color is the sassafras, where there is a bit of the usual red and gold visible.


The change in season signals the winding-down of both the roses and the kitchen garden. Mr. T spent a good deal of time last weekend tending each one, trimming the gangly growth back on the roses and picking the last of the peppers in the garden. The hot peppers will be good in vegetables (like green beans and turnip greens, just to name a couple) and chili in the coming months, so Mom put them up in jars of hot vinegar (see the photo, right). Mr. T also spread 25 bags of mulch to dress up the flower beds in front and fill out the garden paths in back. That means several check marks on his To Do list: (1) remove the pallet of mulch from the driveway; (2) dress the front beds; and (3) fill out the back yard pathways. Woo-hoo!

And, saving the best for last, we may have welcomed our final house guests for the season last week. Cousin Cyndee and fiance Ken from AZ stopped by for a short visit as they connected the dots from Memphis to Kansas City. Although I was a poor host (heading to my knitting class right after they arrived, then off to the airport before they even arose the next morning), we were thrilled to get a call that they wanted to include us in their itinerary. Mom introduced them to O'Charley's in O'Fallon, and then to St. Charles Old Town. Don't they take a great picture (left)?

Sweater Complete

Woo-hoo! I finished this one-button green sweater last night! I had purchased a Nicky Knits kit at Hobby Lobby a while ago...bought it because I liked the color (a sage green) of the 100% mercerized yarn (which I had never knitted with), and because the kit was half-price (always a winner!), although I knew I wouldn't knit it up like the pattern suggested (of course not!). I modified (of course!) a Lion Brand pattern for a One-Button sweater, only knitting the pattern into the lower portion of the sweater and the sleeves. Then, when Maredith and I went to Knit, the yarn shop in Charleston, SC, while we were on vacation, I found the beautiful shell-like button I wanted to use. The pattern is rated as "easy," which is what I like when I'm traveling and knitting (which I did with this one), although I used a three-needle bind-off to join the shoulder seams for the first time, so I got to practice something new...always a plus. While it came out even better than I had expected, it is still quite roomy, with extra-long sleeves. And, yes, I checked my gauge with this one, too! We'll see what it looks like after that first spin in the wash/dry cycle...

Next up on the needles: matching baby kimonos for twin boys born on Easter Sunday. I bought this yarn at Island Knits in Pawleys Island, while on vacation, and I'm using a pattern I found in one of Maredith's knitting magazines. They should go quickly...she said hopefully...