Knit and Plenty

Shrouded in Mystery

I thought this would be the perfect little accessory for masking my eyes post surgery. Do you think anyone will notice?  I think I'll call it a CRO-SHROUD. 

(No, I didn't really make this - and I am also sorry to tell you that I forgot where I found the picture because I know you all would have wanted the pattern!)

My eyes are still pretty swollen, and I will have to be the mysterIous women behind sunglasses for the next several weeks. I still haven't picked up a project in more than six days - the longest knitting hiatus I have taken in quite some time. So, you can tell me if this is a totally insane reaction: but instead of wanting to get back into my projects, I hate every project that I have waiting for me! Why is that??? This is a real mystery to me. It's like I am mad that they didn't work on themselves or something during my absence! How dare they just lay there on the needles - waiting for me to return. Or do I feel guilty that I abandoned them? Or now that I have taken a breather, and dare I say it, have gained a little distance and perspective, perhaps having 8 simutaneous projects just feels a bit overwhelming.  And yet, I know that once my sticks are back in my hands, the mystery will be gone - and the beautiful insanity shall begin anew!

Nursing my Wounds

Thanks for all your kind words and well wishes. I was really nervous before the surgery and your support really helped!

It was a six hour procedure - and although I was awake for some of it, I don't have any recollection of it. I was told that I was talking and making jokes. When I told this to Mary Ann, she said, "I don't know if I'd want my personality running around without ME there!!"

So, so far so good. I'm happy to report that everything went really well - and I'm off today to get my stitches taken out. (Now, THAT is something I am quite an expert at - but I thought I'd let the doc do the 'tinking'.

I still can't see well enough to knit - even the SS is too tiring. But it's good to be back on the blog.

I'll SEE you next week.

My dear Purl Needlemeyer and I have a lot in common. Of course, we are passionate about knitting. Yes, we both love Good and Plenty, pink yarn and 50's shirt waist dresses. She's got one eye closed with that cute little wink. And I have something called ptosis (toe-sis) which in layman's terms means that the muscles in my eyelids are on the blink fritz. Well, tomorrow I go to Yale New Haven Hospital for some fun-fun-fun eye surgery. That's the good news. The bad news, (get this) is that I have to be awake for most of it so they can make sure that the eyelids work, etc. Wowza. The worst news is that I'm going to have to put down the sticks for a few days. I do have a straight stockinette project nearby - and I'll really get to see how well I can knit without looking.

So, I'm taking a little hiatus from the blog until after Memorial Day. I hope to be back on the web "sight" for Tuesday.  I do hope you won't forget to come back.

Have a happy Memorial Day weekend.

Where do you store your needles?

Before we get into tomorrow's focus on circular needles - it's time for a little straight talk. Fess up. You have dozens of straight needles like me, right?  But is your collection a Panic in Needle Park like mine?

Now there are needles of every variety from cool polymer designs to handpainted leopard spots that just demand to be on display.  I love the look of those incredible glass needles but I wouldn't dare use them. And everyone wants the new light-up ones, but the people in my life are annoyed enough by (a) the fact that I am always knitting, and (b) the clicking noise. I won't push it.

I love the beauty of Lantern Moons but I have a thing about long wooden spikes (a childhood splinter trauma). I have a lot of big old Susan Bates metal ones - which are now considered "vintage." 

I flattered Regina by stealing her idea of placing them in a large vase filled with sand. I used litter instead of sand and my boy Dexter's been mighty curious. Um, I fear it's only a matter of time.

Got any tips about storing your sticks?

A Knitter with an Opinion? How absurd!

I hate to impose again on my very kind readers to pose another focus group question for the Gettin Knit Together Kit,  but who knows better than you when it comes to what knitters want??
So, if you'll endulge me once again, I am trying to find out what would be best to add to the product package.
I am considering a great six inch magnifying ruler that would be used to follow along and enlarge patterns and charts: Lord knows, I can't see a thing. A really cute Knit and Plenty retractable tape measure, cuz I can never have enough of those.
Or really cute woven labels to sew into sweaters - because I'd never spring for those myself, but if I had some, I'd use 'em.
What do you think? Can you give me your choices in order of first, second or third preference?
I promise I'll try and be witty tomorrow. ;-)  Thanks!

Unraveling Codes and Sweaters

Well, the big day has arrived. The opening of The DaVinci Code. The book certainly was a well-knit tale, so I'm thinking the movie should be good FUN, too. I only wish people would unknot their twisted knickers about this. Come on! It's a movie, for Christ, God,  heaven, Pete sake. Can you imagine how ridiculous it would be if we all read ONE book that was written by some unknown author and we went around saying that we believe that it was the true word of God???? Oh, wait. That would be the bible, now, wouldn't it?

Have a large popcorn. Have a cold drink. Have a box o' raisinettes.  Have a good time!

and have a GREAT weekend.

A Pouch of a Different Color

I overheard a woman in a yarn store say to her friend, while holding the Gettin Knit Together Kit:  "It's really cute, but I'm just not a pink person."

Now, I was unaware that there were "pink people" in the world, but I certainly didn't want anyone to think that I was purposely discriminating against blue people, purple people, orange or green people - so I now offer the Gettin' Knit Together Kit in assorted colors.
The original fuscia is now called Fire. Blue is Water, Orange is Sun, Green is Earth - and the Purple, well...it's called RAIN.

Uh oh, did you think the beige, yellow or red people are now going to be up in arms??

Cardigan - igan and igan.

Alert the media. I finished a project. Another cropped cardigan. After a few stops and starts, it came together. It's made out of Rowan Tweed and the pattern is from Knit.1. You can't tell from the picture, but I'm actually pretty proud of the seams.

That's Beautiful One in the picture. She didn't have any make up on so she wouldn't let me photograph her face.

Now, some of you might notice the optical illusion that makes it appear that the raspberry border on the bottom left is wider than on the right. Tricky, huh? 

Ok. Maybe I'll have to try igan.

Double Trouble

I came across these cute little sandal cuff "socks" and they just look so sweet for summer that I think I am going to give them a try. The original pattern is in German, but there's now a English translation :Here's the pattern. It's a little scary for a nonsock knitter like myself, but since there's no toe and no heel, I should be able to handle it. I guess if it doesn't have a toe or a heel, I shouldn't call it a sock.

There is one thing about the project that bothers me. You see, it calls for size 3 double pointed needles and I know I bought some at some point but to tell you the truth, it wasn't until recently that I learned that DPNs are not supposed to be disposable. I am not sure why I thought you didnt keep them like regular needles. They just didn't seem that important. I've purchased dozens of DPNs over the last 25 years, but I dont have one whole set. In fact, if I need to start something round, maybe the bottom of a purse, I'll often use whatever I can find: a size 6, an 8, a 10 and a pencil. When I was putting together the Needle Inventory for the Gettin' Knit Together Kit, a friend looked at it and said, "Maybe you should have a column for double pointeds." "You mean the kindling?" I grimaced. Oh well, I guess I'll just have to go to the LYS and start a new collection.

The Season's Finales

I'm not embarrassed to tell you that I love TV. Always have. Since Lassie and Ed Sullivan on Sunday nights to The Avengers and Batman to St. Elsewhere and LA Law. So, I am sad this week to say good bye to a few old friends (West Wing & Will and Grace) who are leaving forever, and other new friends like Grey's Anatomy that will be gone for the summer. After a long day, there's nothing better than setting myself up in front of the TV with three or four projects - and becoming totally engrossed in my shows and my knitting. It's the perfect thing for someone like me who hates to be unproductive. My knitting gives purpose to the mindless act of TV viewing. Watching TV affords me the time to knit. So, is anybody else a little nervous about losing knitting time? Any suggestions about what would be a good substitute? What are you planning? Maybe some evenings sitting at the beach, knitting and watching the sunset? How about renting the first seasons of shows (like LOST) that you missed? What kind of plans are you knitting up?