New Beginnings

The eve of a new year. New challenges. New joys.

For 2009, I have a new challenge that will be a joy. The Riverside Knitting Guild has allowed me to be the program chair for the coming year. Well, actually they call it Vice President - Programs. That sounds too challenging. So, let's just stick with program chair. That sounds more like a joyous task.

One program idea that is swirling in my head is to hold a Block Party. Not the kind with your neighbors, but the kind where you review tips and tricks for blocking finished objects. Clearly, I might need to brush up a bit before blocking the scarf. It is only two-thirds done and I will need to clean off floor space or a bed for the blocking. You know what? Long is kinda - well - long.

It is growing, that's for sure. Unfortunately, as much as I love this one from Stefanie Japel, I'm starting to dream of bulky yarn and a size 11 needle. The whole thing would be done by now! More than done. Between this and the cardigan, I just might have to take a break and go out celebrating with friends.

HAPPY NEW YEAR! stay safe

Free and Functional Stash Basket.

Working the lace for my Wild Blue Space Shuttle scarf kinda got to me. I just can't memorize the pattern, so I actually have to look at the chart every two rows. But it is OK because the scarf is working beautifully. And it should as it is a kit from Stefanie Japel.

A bit of rooting though the stash revealed the left over skeins from a recently completed sweater. There was just enough cotton/wool blend to crochet this quite useful little basket.

It measures about six inches square and even stands up and looks sturdy with just the edge folded down. This is single crochet worked over twenty-five stitches. Each side is twenty-four rows worked with an H hook.


I really like it. Free and Functional. Anytime a project can be completed using only the remains of other projects, it counts a free. Surely it does, doesn't it?

This will be quite useful for catching odds and ends like the extra phone charger that doesn't have a special home. I might just have to make another one or two.

Reflection and Celebration

A season of reflection - miracles - celebration. I am refreshed and restored.

We are fortunate this year to have the immediate family coming over for Christmas gumbo and a day of enjoying each other with expressions of love. And a fine gumbo it shall be - I can tell already. The roux was in the pot by eight 0'clock on the 24th and by ten we were sampling. Now it is resting in the refrigerator overnight.

There was one little mishap earlier. Well, when there are animals afoot little mishaps do occur. Know that my office carpet is amazingly clean. Sparkling and refreshed. I recovered from accomplishing an actual domestic chore (the carpet cleaning) by decorating another tree. Don't know if anyone will have the courage to eat it. But is matches the distant snow on the San Gabriel mountains.

I spent all afternoon working on the cabled cardigan. The back is finished and both fronts are on the needles with waist shaping under way. This one continues to bring me pleasure just in the making of it.

Oh, it was tempting to block the back as soon as it came off the needles. Just the back. 'Tis beautiful, I tell you. Absolutely beautiful. And the potential of pure perfection is waiting - just waiting for blocking.

But resist the temptation I did. Stayed content with working on the fronts. I always work both fronts (and both sleeves) at the same time. It keeps me organized, accurate in shaping and gives the grand delusion that a cardigan is composed of only three parts - back, fronts and sleeves. Far simpler to knit three things than five. Don't you think?

The pattern is quite specific that the left front should be knit first, and buttons applied before knitting the right and inserting the button holes. Call me a knitting rebel, but that would take 'forever' to do. I'll either very soon do a bit of math and figure out where to put the button holes or go buy a zipper.

My other joy this Christmas Eve is tracking the Man himself on Google Earth - courtesy of NORAD. Surely this service, my friends, is a valid use of tax dollars. Yes indeed.

Decrease Dilemma

Where do you place your decrease stitches? And here, specifically, the dilemma is the decreases involved in an armhole. Of late it works best for me to place the decrease two (2) stitches in from the edge. That leaves two whole stitches on the outer edge and one is available for sewing in the sleeve. I can get the right 'look' when I do it this way.

Had to unwrap this cropped cardi to show you, and the photo is certainly a quickie, but putting the decreases in a few stitches results in a lovely line of pretty knit stitches that follow the armhole. This looks good to me.

One might presume that if it works on a gift, it will work on a personal item. Enter the current project. The cabled cardigan first introduced over here. Well, it is still twisting along easily. It is still shouting at me "this is gonna work!"

Groovin' and movin'. Flying along on a sunny Saturday. Going so great I never did put shoes on the whole day.

So, it was time for the armholes - - bind off on the next four rows and then start the decreases. We've all done this. Not a problem. Until you start counting inward from those two (2) edge stitches that shall remain un-decreased. Yep, a bit of fore thought and counting revealed that if I did my current decreases, the last decrease would actually involve the first stitch of the first cable. Oh, NO. A huge NO WAY.

Clearly, the purl decreases had to be worked only one stitch in - Knit 1, p2tog. Simple enough knitting. Scary for the future. This means that there is only the one knit stitch at the edge for seaming and the seam will be smack dab against one lone purl stitch that sets off the first cable.

See.
You can see it better in this other photo on the right - but what happened to the color? The sun had popped through and made this great grey turn blue. Is it just me? Please forgive the photography.

Any way, the barely enough room left will cause me to review my seaming skills. There is sure to be video watching in my future. And precise blocking. Extremely precise. And patience. Loads of patience which is not my forté.

But since this is only the back and there are two fronts and two sleeves left to knit, I can worry about that on Scarlett time.

Unstrung By A Bird

Bert has really done it this time! Did he say "Ribbit" when he frogged the working sample? Silly me thought that he would never attack something warm and looking like a green bird cousin. What was I thinking - leaving that beak alone with temptation?!

Well, maybe he thought he was preening and wanted to share the joy. Who knows what goes on in that little bird brain? (and I say that in only the nicest of possible meanings as said bird is now sitting on my desk and uttering Hello over and over while hitting the phone)

I am thinking of teaching Bert to TINK. If he wants to be involved with knitting and thinks I have made a mistake, the least he can do is treat it with respect and bring me back a few stitches.

Frogging is for major repair work. As in rows and rows and humongous snafu. Not a few stitches.

As you can see, this will only take about 90 seconds and a crochet hook to repair. Working sample will be back on the needles and I can recount the stitches and the repeat. I think the pattern was working out when last I saw it whole and unblemished by That Bird.


At least, upon noting my disgust with his latest escapade, Bert did turn away and hang his head in shame.

Sentimental Knitting Journey

Gonna take a sentimental journey
Gonna set my heart at ease
Gonna make a sentimental journey
To renew old memories.....

Memories of knitting long ago. One reason to be truly enamored by all things yarn - spun, knit, crochet, woven - is that everything old is still wonderful! Witness this family treasure that I am honored to own. Knit by my mother's sister-in-law over 40 years ago. She was the only person in our extended family who knit.

"We crochet," was the way Mama explained it to me. As though somehow Aunt Lydia did not quite fit in the family because she used two sticks, and we only use one hook. Please know that at the time I was probably about ten - maybe twelve years old. We crochet. Got it. Francois family tradition. Crochet. Only crochet.

I clearly remember when I broke the family tradition of hooking (oh, get your thinking out of that gutter). It was a knit hat. Ribbed and knit flat then sewn. A festive white and bright orange. It was a grand experiment that almost got me demoted in the family because I flirted with the knitting arts. Oh, the shame of a daughter gone to the other side. Mon Dieu!

Isn't Aunt Lydia's cardigan beautiful? Time can't diminish the look, fashion trends return, and once again a Francois is wearing this beautiful red knit at during the holiday season.

Sentimental journey........To renew old memories.

Childhood Memories

Today I am in the glow of memories of holiday seasons long long ago in Louisiana. Yes, it is raining in southern California. Weather like this makes me feel at home. This is my comfort zone. It is hovering around 50 degrees (Fahrenheit) with rain dripping and occasionally pouring. This is life. So as wonderful as this Monday is for me, it surely is different than my weekend.

A weekend spent enjoying sun, wind, alone time with the knitting and Jimmy Stewart's "A Wonderful Life." Not sure if it was the alone time (is one ever alone with two dogs for company?), the knitting, the sun, or a cherished movie. Maybe a combination of all. But it is really clicking for me today. Really clicking. Did the hand washing and blocking, did the normal washing, was focused on one meeting and actually looking forward to two more conference calls this afternoon.

I'm in my groove. Here is knitting from the weekend. (as always, click to enlarge)














Here is winter fruit from the weekend.













Here is my goofy self portrait from the weekend.








And I'm still grooving along.

Why I Live In SoCal

Eunice, LA
December 11, 2008
My beloved home town

Contrast with:

Riverside, CA
December 12, 2008



Perhaps this is why I live in southern California

Friends Helping Friends

One thing to be absolutely adored about the yarn and fibre community is the whole friends helping friends thing. Today was one of those helping out days. A friend came over for advice on what to do with a much delayed project.

She had purchased a beautiful merino/angora with which to make a wedding gift afghan for her son. As these thing happen, the wedding was last summer. Afghan is not even started. So she was thinking it could be for the first Christmas gift. Afghan is still not started.

Seems the problem is the pattern she chose. It is a bit fiddly. Actually it is a lot fiddly with K2tog but leave stitches on needle and re-knit through first loop----or some such pay attention verbiage. Lovely finished texture. Just not what she wants to do right now.

So we played around with texture and how reversible could this afghan be (she wants total good looking on both sides) and came up with a pattern from decades ago. Something she knit back when a whole book of patterns cost $2.95. Not kidding. That's the price on the book. $2.95. Wow!

Here we are in the considering stage. You will note that tea is required when you really need to analyze and think and plot and plan.

All in all quite fun even if it did take over an hour to accomplish. But it was fun. Just plain fun to worry and fret over a project that I never have to cast on.

HMM. Perhaps I should find the iron and run it over that table cloth.

Twist and Shout

Every now and then a project really takes hold. Really fretted and fidgeted over a next project for moi. You see, I mailed off the washcloth/soap gifts for my committee members, wrapped up Rae's BF B'day knitted gift, and finished the diamond root all within two days.

That leaves a lot of free time. Even managed to toss off four more washcloths as stocking stuffers (shh, don't look). After all that fast knitting - well except for the endless stockinette of the Root - my brain was ready for something more interesting.

Enter the Cabled Cardigan from Classic Elite Knits. Wedded to Lily Chin Gramercy from the stash and voila!

This one will keep me busy.

This one will not be done in two days.

This one will not be a fast knit.

This one will be fabulous (I can feel it already)

Festive Is As Festive Does

Gloating a bit this week. My year long campaign to corrupt the men in my daughters' lives is finally seeing success. Both men left my slightly delayed Thanksgiving table vowing to return for the Christmas gumbo. A man and his bottle of Tabasco is a glorious thing to behold.

You can keep you goose, your clove studded ham and your turkey reprise. Give me day old gumbo filled with shrimp and crab and sausage and it is holiday time in the south. It just don't get any better. Slip in a skillet of cornbread on the side and the men line up like angels at the pearly gates - heaven awaits for sure.

The spirit of the season has taken hold. Earlier this week, my Dave & I had date night at Mission Inn. Mid-week is the perfect time to sit and enjoy the Festival of Lights here in Riverside. If you are in the area, or just want an adventure, it is definitely worth the trek.

Free entertainment. Plenty of photo opportunities; citizens proudly wearing Santa hats; even a scarf or two in anticipation of some inkling of winter. It's a grand display sure to melt Scrooge himself.


This morning was the beginning of the seasonal baking effort. Pumpkin bread with streusel topping for the guild meeting on Saturday morning. Quite professional looking, don't you think. This topping is the standard flour/sugar/butter mix but with oatmeal, cinnamon and fresh ground nutmeg added in. I'm quite proud of the result. And the whole house smells of anticipation.

Oh, and there will be gift exchanging at the meeting. Clearly my ability to wrap a gift is not on par with my skill with sticks and string. There aught to be some parallel. One would think there is the possibility of skill transfer. But, sadly, there is not. Thus, no photo of the exchangeable gift.

Yo, Yo, Yo for Ho, Ho, Ho

Well, it is not gonna be your traditional holiday green, but the Rusted Diamond sweater is almost done. As in only eight inches, give or take, of the second sleeve left to knit. Around and around and around. Knit stitches. Nothin' but knit stitches with an occasional (and thus quite thrilling) SSK or k2tog. Over and over and over. Ad infinitum. Ad nausium.

Decided not to add in any diamonds on the sleeve because that would detract from the surprise side detail I thought up all on my own. Because this is done (just as the original Rusted Root from Zephyr Style) in the round, there are no side seams specified or faked. But I did add in one little bit of "ooooh" factor where the side seams would normally sit. Does this make me a designer?

As if my hips aren't spreading enough on their own, I decided to draw attention to them with bright shining white.

Yarn over! Simple eyelets with two stitches between. Yo! Yo! Yo! for Ho! Ho! Ho!

This extremely nonfunctional detail does require that that a marker, pattern placed at the under arm, be carried along row by boring row until it is time to put in the YOs. What row to begin - - any where you want based upon your own body, of course. I, as confessed, placed these quite low down so as to emphasize my holiday hips.

And, if you look carefully, you'll note that the YO eyelets continue through the ribbing at sweater's end.

I-cord to match the diamonds weaves and dangles like trimming on a tree. But I can also vision ribbon woven through for a more delicate look. Of course given that this sweater is cotton, it would need to be gross grain. Had the sweater been done of silk, a lovely gossamer would be quite elegant.

And here we admire the final product.

Woven and dangling

Ready for my hips

Maybe the casual observer will be drawn to the unique detail and fail to notice how far apart the two sides actually are.

Maybe the casual observer will fail to notice how far apart my two sides are.

Maybe........

Maybe.................

Maybe..........................

Warm and Beautiful - It's done

The Collinette throw is totally done. It is perfect. Definitely worth blowing the budget on this one.

The single crochet edge. Hides a lot of sin.

On the bed. I love the way it perks up the gold color scheme. Yep, looks like a bedroom from the south. Cherry spool posts and all. But hey, at least the lamps are electrified!And it even looks wonderful in the living room.

Praise for Acrylic

Sing a song of thanks for acrylic! Join in the chorus - - hit the harmony. Acrylic is totally awesome. Now I know that some of you don't like the feel of the stuff. Go ahead and look it up here. It doesn't even sound like something you want in your hands for hours and hours and hours.

But the same can be said of wool. Every knitter and crocheter knows someone who is allergic and just can't stand to have wool in the hands let alone on the actual body. Can you imagine getting the hives when you come within a whiff of merino? How sad would that be? And then I know a few who eschew cotton. Too harsh; sucks the moisture from the skin; wears out the hand - - no stretch you know. Well, I ask you now, where would a good Granny's dishcloth be if we didn't use cotton? No where! That's where!

Ahh, but acrylic. Baby spittle doesn't harm it, picnics can't mess it up, and childhood memories would be eaten away if acrylic yarn had not entered the local dime store.

Behold:

Twenty-five years old and still a beautiful skirt of poinsettia for the tree. (and no holes or fading!)

Twenty-five years old and still ready for the Man in Red

Be thankful for acrylic. Join in the song. If you can't take the lead with a solo, sing harmony and blend in the background. Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la

Be Thankful

Thanksgiving. Pause and Be Thankful. This year I am specifically thankful for:

• family - through easy and tough times, we are making it
  
• a skilled surgeon
  
• friends who truly care - and pick up the phone to prove it
• friends who truly care - and added my daughter to the prayer list
  
• restaurant and food service professionals who are working today so that I don't have to cook
• living in a country that supports the democratic process - warts and all
• new friends found through Knit 'n Stitch in Riverside
  
• pets who love unconditionally

Snowball (aka Mr. Kitty, aka Snowy) who at 18 still wakes up first lest he miss a meal.

Throw Down

Dancing With the Stars final week! I spent a lovely ninety minutes last night watching happy people dance and knitting on the Collinette Throw. Got a solid six inches done, which for me is fabulous progress in one sitting.

Please note: Look closely in the background of this photo; behind the lamp. Bert remains inside his cage any time the throw is being worked on. Way too much temptation for his birdly beak!!

I really, really tried to do each pattern repeat exactly the same - - and per the instructions. What can I say but that "I failed." It is just too much fun to play around with all of that color and texture!

Let's focus on the area around the twisted drop stitch. Here is the first repeat where I substituted one yarn so that a lot of green clumped together.

Then on the second repeat I used exactly the yarn sequence specified in the pattern and we get a break in the green.

And on the third go around the same sequence from the above is there, but you'll note that I substituted garter stitch row for Stockinette in the yellowish ribbon.

I love being daring!

Blogging Is Not My Whole Life

Some weeks are just too busy for adding to the Blog. This is surely one of them. I got off kilter early on with meetings.

First there was a strategic planning committee meeting and I missed it. More on that later. Then there was a budget and finance committee meeting. I really have to prep and focus for those. It is not my strong point, so I try to go into b&f with just the right level of caffeine, my files at hand, and a pen for notes.

Let's not forget the Riverside Knitting Guild meeting. After all, it was the third Tuesday. Our tip this time was on utilizing the Russian join. I truly enjoy simple ten minute tips and hints. Even when it is something I already have in the repertoire, it is useful to brush up on these things.

Second, there was surgery. My oldest daughter had a little problem. So there was driving an hour to meet her for the pre-op meeting and make sure we were on the same game plan as the surgeon. (That little excursion is why I missed the strategic planning committee meeting.) Then there was getting to the hospital early, prepping for the surgery and then the waiting. And waiting. I'll spare the details, but do know that her man friend was forced to sit in public view and hold the knitting while I frogged. It's hard to count to "2" when every footstep could signal the surgeon coming to give the news. But now it is over, she is past the hardest part, released from the hospital and firmly bedded down in my guest room trying to stay awake long enough to watch stupid movies. Chicken broth and jello - yum, yum.

Third, there is the boutique. Brockton Arcade here in Riverside, where Knit 'n Stitch holds a prime corner spot, is the location. We set up at 8:30 this morning.

There was a lovely young woman setting up her birdhouse decor items.

Riverside Knitting Guild was selling tickets for the afghan raffle. See how beautiful it is! Those are President Sue's pillows for sale.

I can't believe Sue would sell the flag coverlet. But she put a price on it and there it was - ready for a proud American to purchase.

My friend Lisa was a bit late in arriving and I did not get photos of her soap and lotion line. The big joke with Lisa is that after 3 or 4 years of loudly claiming she would never knit a washcloth - ever - what's the point - what a waste - - - - she is know producing washcloths like a knitting maniac. Turns out that people who like goat's milk soap also like organic cotton washcloths. What a concept!!

Of course I unpacked and then tried to set up - so it looked messy for a while. Eventually, I got all organized and pretty. You can't see it in this photo, but a nice coat rack was used to hold purses and make the whole area really look like a boutique.

Also helped Mitch out by watching over his sales while he went to his real paying job. Cool necklaces! Each and every one a 'gem'

The boutique runs all day Saturday as well. What kind of mother am I? I'm leaving the precious girl all stitched up and in the care of a father and a man friend who will likely spend the day munching and grunting at football. Oh, yeah. Now I remember. . . . . . .

Men who are not capable of pampering and caring are not real men.

Dancing and Diamonds

So I was not quite so hooked on the semi-finals of Dancing With the Stars. That's OK. Managed to finish the body of what I thought would be a Diamond Rusted Root.

While working the first diamond, it dawned on me that if I pulled the strand of yarn back on the next round that the diamonds would be puffy and stand out with some dimension. It was a grand idea. I just could not quite pull it off consistently.

But the effect is still very organic due to the cotton. Probably should have been a good girl and carried back the strand loosely, spread out those stitches, and used all of the "right way to do it" skills.

Sometimes, it just feels good to break the rules.

On the upper sleeve, I did not do the decreases that bring that lovely "puff" to the Rusted Root. And it still worked out really well. See - - - - -

The hem of this sweater has a little surprise. I got extremely bored with stockinette and just the few white stitches for the diamond. You'll just have to wait to discover the difference. I hope it works out better than the plan for the puffy diamonds.

But, let me assure you that the try on was a total success. Exactly the right length for me! YEAH.

Beary Good Dress

I've spent the end of the week getting ready for next week. My daughter will be having surgery and that means switching some standing appointments. Now, it might seem a little thing, but I had to bump up the pedi by 4 days. I always use that hour to either read or knit.

This time the project was to continue on the little red & white Bear Dress for the guild's Precious Pals involvement.

It is my own simple pattern:

BEARY GOOD DRESS
© 2008 François Stewart Designs, Lenora François Stewart

Materials:
• Worsted weight yarn such as Plymouth Encore
• Size #7 (4.5mm) Double Pointed Needles

CO 80 stitches and divide evenly over 4 DPNs (20 stitches each needle) Work in the round.

Round 1 purl (80 stitches)
Round 2 knit
Repeat Round 2 until piece measures 3 inches

Decrease Round 1 (k6, k2tog) 10 times (70 stitches)
Next Round k70 Decrease
Round 3 (k4, k2tog) 5 times, k5, (k4, k2tog) 5 times, k5 (60 stitches)
Next Round k60
Rearrange stitches on 2 needles (30 stitches on each needle)

Front: WS p2, k2 across (30 stitches)
RS k2, p2 across
Continue in ribbing as established until front measures 3 inches.
Bind off very loosely in pattern

Back: WS attach yarn and work as for front

Sew front to back at bind off edges (4 or 5 stitches) to make shoulders. Weave in ends.

NOTE: Have fun with your design choices. Insert stripes in the skirt or ribbed top. Try a simple eyelet pattern above the hem (round 3 or 4 is a great spot) or make the top and skirt from coordinating yarns.

© 2008 François Stewart Designs, Lenora François Stewart

Expanding Stash

Fall Sale! OK, I'm a wimp. I've hit two sales recently that did not help with reduction of the stash. A local shop greatly (like 75%) reduced the price on discontinued yarns that were still sitting around. Another just needed to clear out bits and pieces.

Knit One Crochet Two Italian Ice - 840 meters

Lily Chin Gramercy --- scored 15 balls. That's about 1900 yards. Whippie!!! And the grey shade is perfect for anyone. Lots of possibilities with this one.

Heirloom Breeze. I have no idea what it will become - but cotton/wool blends work really well here in southern California.

Berroco Touche - 16 skeins. This most likely will get split up and used in several projects.

Not Exactly Slacking Off

The only slacking off of late has been on the blogging. In the last four days:

1. the DH's plain vanilla blue socks came off the needles. Complete and of equal size! Yeah. No photo - not enough time.
2. the Diamond Inset kinda Rusted Root increased by an additional 6 inches. Practically ready to move the sleeves to waste yarn. No photo - not enough time.
3. the Collinette throw reached a solid 50% completion and remains snuggly, gorgeous, and a tactile dream. No photo - not enough time.
4. a new dress hit the needles! No, I'm not that ambitious. This is a Beary Good Dress that will clothe a Precious Pal for the guild's group donation next October. As in October 2009. No photo - not enough time.

And today I'm off to 3 days of meetings. National Board meeting, thinking, planning, deciding and all around brain function for hours at a stretch. It is mentally exhausting so the little bear dress will travel with me.

Daddy taught me that when exhaustion hits, it is often exhaustion for the current task at hand. Switch gears and go do something totally different and the "AHA!" moment is that you are not in a state of exhaustion for the new task. Thus, Daddy could return from a full day of work, change clothes and head outside to mow the grass. Different task - no exhaustion. Time for a photo.



Well, maybe there is time to offer this.....
It is a Berry Good Dress. If you are interested in the pattern PM me on Ravelry - I'm Stewlf.

Diamonds Are A Girls Best Inset

Still plugging along on the final ribbing for the DH plain socks. I got a bit sidetracked because of a new project just for me. Stash diving revealed that the long sleeved Rusted Root I planned to make for this fall never did start itself. What was it doing all this time in the bottom of the closet? One would think it knit itself by now. This is Cestari Cotton Blend (75 cotton/25 wool) in heather green.

Any way - all of my notes were right there on the label telling me what to do with the stuff. Whenever I make a purchase with something specific in mind, I write notes on the label so that I don't forget why I bought it. Clearly, this was purchased to become a Rusted Root. (Bad, bad fuzzy image. Someone should spend a moment to edit these photos)

But why did I swatch it using 8's? Oh, well. A quick turn of the label revealed that somewhere back in time I did swatch size 6 needles which just confirms the planned pattern.

This one won't have the lace insert. I've decided to inset diamonds down the front. And, since the sleeves will be long, perhaps diamonds around the bottom of the sleeves. The diamonds are made using elsebeth lavold Bambouclé in plain white.

There is something so mindless about knitting a raglan. Keep increasing until it fits. My kind of pattern.