Wednesday, May 14, 2008

To explain...

To the Raveler who questioned my use of the term telemarker: It is the term the Client Group I supported while working for Big Bank used to differentiate groups of associates that answered incoming calls. Those that assisted customers or client groups with a problem were Customer Service Associates. Those that answered incoming calls from customers or potential customers that were responding to a mailing were Telemarkers. Why? I don't know. It was better to accept the things I could not control slide by and concentrate on my part of the projects because there were so many acronyms that I had to know and use for my job there was not much brain left for other things...except knitting!... I always saved a few cells for that.

The reason I did not respond to your question on Ravelry? By habit, I clicked on delete vs reply and I didn't remember your Ravelry name. I also do not keep up with all of the Ravelry groups and don't remember which one you used to find my blog.

As for the cute picture, that's my boy!

Wednesday, May 07, 2008

Have it make sense!

This is bothering me 2 hours after it happened so I must ask...am I the only one who wishes the companies who write the speil telemarkers use would proof read it?

The woman who called kept saying/telling me that I needed to "support breast cancer". Not "support breast cancer research" or "support cancer awareness" or even "donate to provide education/tests/etc for those without insurance". No. She wanted me to support breast cancer.

And she said it many times. Even after I mentioned that I didn't support breast cancer because it was a nasty thing. I was scolded because "you don't care woman are dying".

Well, yes I do care woman are dying and men too. But I support and donate to breast cancer research, I don't support breast cancer.

She hoped I would have a blessed day and hung up.

She was from "Pink Ribbon". I've not heard of them. Maybe I'll "google" them...which of course is not a verb it's a proper noun.

Monday, May 05, 2008

MS&W '08

I spent the first 30 minutes in a bit of a sensory panic. I then let go of the requirement to keep up with 3 other knitters and enjoyed my day.

Spirit TrailSpirit-Trail Fibers 1000 yards of a beautiful merino lace wt.

shawl scarfSwirl Shawl by jojoland.com

summerhandspun by jamieranibowyarn.com

Monday, April 28, 2008

Spring cleaning

I'm ready to begin fresh new still in hanks knitting BUT I had too many ufo's. Socks, swatches of possible projects, pet blanket, scarves, shawls, sweaters, just to many. Much was frogged, but I did finish a few and even started and finsihed one.

Bobbie knit a little jacket using the Knitting Pure & Simple Summer Cardigan and Purled Llama "Concha" in KnittaPalooza '08 colors that the Yarn Sellers at Ewe Knit Kits fought over. We'd actually "call" wearing it over KnittaPalooza weekend. I remember both Debbie and I planned our clothing for the weekend around it. And of course the yarn sold out before I could purchase a skein.

Finally. Terry finished dyeing batch 2 and here is my very own KP&SPLKnitta08 cardi:

Summer Cardigan in Knitta 08Knitting Pure & Simple "Summer Cardigan" in Purled Llama "Concha" in KnittaPalooza '08 color

With some handdyed yarns you have to be careful because the color of the skeins are not identical. Bobbie knit the x-small and used 2 skeins, alternating every 2 rows or so. She had enough yarn left for a nice size shawl. So the question was...can we knit it with one skein?

Let's see: cast on size x-small, increase armholes on number short of the small, pull from center of skein to knit neckline and sleeves, use rest to knit body.


what's left 2 1/2 yards left

It's a short fun little jacket and a very fast knit! I cast on April 20th and bound off April 26th. But I did have 2 days of knitting at the Va Beach Spring Craft Show. Representing the Guild is hard knitting work.

Completed from the knitting basket

all lace Cast on Dec 31, 2007 . Only 8 rows left to knit. Finished April 27, 2008.

butterfly set Tahki "Terra" side to side vest (I'd call it a jacket) and Knittng Pure & Simple sleeveless shell. Both knit in Kertzer Butterfly.

Swatched for Morehouse Lace Wt cardigan in "butter"

swatch for Morehouse Lace "butter"Buttercup

Yeah, a lace wt cardigan.

Couldn't get gauge on either US3 or 4's. I like the results of US3's. Since it's a top down sweater I've decided to knit it on US3's and knit a smaller size, changing the armholes as needed.

And another pet cuddle for the Chesapeake Humane Society

Pet snuggle
I cut it close to with just a foot of yarn left!

And being tested by a team of test knitters: "John"

What's left in the knitting basket?
My Favorite "Summer" Shawl in EL Silky Wool
"Trony" for my Aunt Trony in Lorna's Laces "Jeans"

Going to be on the needles
KP&S Cardigan in Black Rowan Calmer
Morehouse Lace Cardigan in their lace wt yarn

Joanne sent me this link yesterday. Have you seen it?
Interweave Knits Summer Preview. Any sweater named Wallis I must knit!

Monday, March 24, 2008

Sunday, March 23, 2008

Getting caught up....

It's been a month since I last updated. Lots of knitting has occured.

I had begun the Knitting Pure & Simple "Woman's Bolero".

KP&S BoleroIt's off the needles. Sorry about the blurry photo. And the color isn't the greatest. But it does fit well and I'd knit the pattern again.

Speaking of KP&S...this April I'm scheduled to teach a top down class and I'm going to follow it up with a KP&S "Shell" class. I'm knitting one of each now.

The round neck shell to match this:

Butterfly side to side.

Tahki "side to side vest" from the "Terris" booklet. It's knit in 2 strands of Kertzer "Butterfly". I chose 2 different colors and it's make a great summery blend of colors. The shell, I'm using the darker of the colors. And the great part about this top....I knit it in a weekend!



The KP&S Turtle Neck shell is being knit in black Rowan "Calmer" and I've enough to knit a KP&S Cardigan to match.



On Feb 29th Ewe Knits had a "knit in" and a great sale on wool....Feb 29th purchase


My purchases. 5 skeins of Tahki "Donegal Tweed" in a great yellow and a Lantern Moon basket...smallest size to match the large one that sits next to my knitting chair. I enjoyed knitting "Shrek" with the Tweed that I had to have the yellow for another cardigan.


Speaking of stash enhancement...I brought home these from KnittaPalooza Knitta 08 haul

3 Bad Cats patterns. The Jade Sapphire Silk Cashmere for the Driftwood Shawl and the Pink Lacey Lamb for the Fern. I've ordered the Green as in the Fern photo too. And as for the Cashmere for the Queen Anne...2 skeins are still at the store calling my name.


And from Universal Yarns....
Flax swatchFlax. I'm swatching with the Flax. I'm thinking curtain..or window covering, if you will, for my front upstairs window. I began using my "My Favorite Shawl" pattern on US2's though 6's and ended with some yarn over's and SKP.

KnittaPalooza '08 was so much fun. I worked from 9:30 am Thursday morning until 3:00pm Sunday afternoon (with a few hours of sleep) and it was still soooo much fun!

You can read attendee and instructors "memories" here:

Kimberlys Korner
Dawn's Dream
Knit it. Knit it good.
Annie Modiset

"Trony"

The weeks before
KnittaPalooza is always busy busy busy. Trunk shows, new yarns, new books, you name it.

And as in the previous 4 years The Purled Llama develops a color just for the event. This year in blues/tans/greens. Bobbie handed me the skein of "Dulce" (wool/nylon, 440 yds, fingering/sock wt) and said "We need a pattern" . So I swatched and swatched and came up with "Trony".

Trony

Named after my mother's sister (the 4th George daughter), my Aunt Trony. Aunt Trony's had a long career in fashion/retail, she raised 4 children and at 87 is living on her own and going strong with bridge, bingo and lots of grand and great grand children.

"Trony" the shawl, is a simple side to side light weight lacy shawl. Straight across the back, it works well for a light weight cover across the shoulders and can be wrapped around the necks as a scarf.

You can purchase at Ewe Knit Kits.