Good Show and Tell!

One of my favorite yarns this season, Nuna by Mirasol, it's a silk, bamboo, wool blend and is just lovely. The pattern Sherry used was Elegant Shell Stitch Scarf by Ellen Kardell and published by Pocket Meadow Farm.

This was the last cowl of the season for Sherry. It's really rich and thick.

Sara knit this hat over the winter. It's really cute. No one felt like modelling it. The yarn is Sublime Extrafine Merino Wool DK.
She knit this cabled sweater coat has her "graduation from scarves project". The yarn is Debbie Bliss Chunky Luxury Tweed. The fit is a bit big. This could stem from the fact that she does not knit swatches. I gave her a little lecture on swatching, I had too, it's the knitting/mother in me. She was a good sport about it and in the end we agreed that knitting a belt would go a long way toward improving the fit of the sweater. Next garment - a swatch!
I love how Sara just jumps into taking learning new techniques in her knitting. She taught herself stranded knitting and learned (in her first project) how to manage the floats. This pattern is called Selbu Modern by Kate Gagnon Osborn and published by Kelbourne Woolens. She's knitting it with Swans Lake fingering and Cascade Heritage Silk.
Lois may have found the right pattern for the Zara she bought at Knitting Central. It's been a long ongoing Holy Grail of a search. The pattern is called Strafford Tee by Amy Christoffers, featured in Knitscene, Summer 2011.Mary finished up a silk scarf knit lengthwise with fringe originating from each stripe. The color sequence/combination is very "Mary".
I taught Mary the Lace Bind off for her Color Ripples Scarf by Hélène Rush knit with one ball of Knit One, Crochet Too Ty-Dy yarn. The scarf is also knit lengthwise.




She is swatched and ready to begin her Chloe sweater by Alana Dakos knit with a worsted weight cotton.




The last project Mary pulled out was her linen skirt that she's knitting with Claudia Handpaints Linen. This is going to be a marathon project! The skirt pattern has four ruffled layers that knit onto one long skirt. She is at the waistband of the under skirt.

Random book recommendation: Apothecary's Daughter.

Read-a-long

As we share a lot of book titles while we are knitting and crocheting, the book "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" by Steig Larrson has come up on more than one occasion.
Some of us have yet to read it, despite the fact that the rest of the world seems to be starting the third book.

We bought the book and have begun (or are about to begin) reading it. If you haven't read it either, read-a-long.

Battle of the Bobbi Bear

There was a bit of a difference in dimensions between Robin's bear (pink) and Michelle's bear (blue). Although I felt a little bit like the flying monkey's attacking the scarecrow, we had to lighten the bear's stuff factor.
Robin was a little dismayed even though we reminded her it's not a contest! She's onto the arms of her bear. I'm sure that will make a dramatic improvement.
Elizabeth has been tech. knitting a my most recent sock design. I've had to take another look at the heel numbers. I love how it's turning out though.
You can now see the beginnings of Scarlett, the dragon's, curving tail. Elizabeth has definitely hit her stride with this project. The pattern is Heere Be Dragone Shawl by Sharon Winsauer.

Robin came up with a great idea for her old shoe/hand bag "bags". She's recycled them into project bags.

We had an animated book discussion, and as promised (Elizabeth) here is the list.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (Random House Reader's Circle)
Shanghai Girls: A Novel
Gone with the Wind
Marjorie Morningstar
Sarah's Key
The Red Tent: A Novel
One Thousand White Women: The Journals of May Dodd
Books by Geraldine Brooks

Recent Shared Book Titles

Linda shared a number of book titles:

The Gravedigger's Daughter

The Help

Sundays at Tiffany's

Handle with Care: A Novel

I just finished reading The Shadow of the Wind which I thoroughly enjoyed (I don't want to give anything away.)

Another title shared was The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

Recent Book Titles

I just finished the book,The 19th Wife: A Novel . It was a past/present historical fiction about "plural" marriage and the origins of Mormons. I listened to it on cd and enjoyed it. Thanks for the recommendation, Robin.

For lighter reading, I read the "in between the numbers" book,Plum Spooky (A Between-the-Numbers Novel). This was one of her funniest and had me laughing out loud. I love when that happens. If you haven't read any of her books in the Stephanie Plum series, I totally recommend them and that you start with the first in the series, One for the Money (Stephanie Plum, No. 1). The characters continue on through the series and it's great to get to know them from the beginning.

Now I've started The Shadow of the Wind.

Back to the books, and knitting :)

Hail, Hail, The Gang's All Here!

I don't know if we've ever had a time when every one's been together on the same day! It was just great!

Mary showed up first and although she was able to get her friend going on the Tahki Lacy Tank and teach her how to read her stitches (complete with the purl wearing a turtleneck), she couldn't get her tank to work. Her renewed effort in the morning was right (with the exception of one extra cast on stitch at the end). Whew! She was back on track.

Then we compared our swatches for the "Knit Loves Crochet" Tank class. We were both having quite a time getting gauge. She got gauge while we were together. I'm still plugging away on mine. Usually I go down needle sizes, especially with cotton or silk. I started 3 needle sizes down and now I'm swatching with a needle above what it calls for. That's unheard of for me. This is the swatch that keeps on going.
It made Michelle crazy that we were swatching for this and hadn't told her to do the same. She later went home and began swatching for the tank! Otherwise, she was making great progress on the Double Seed Stitch Cardigan from Tahki Spring Summer '06. She had Clip stash yarn from the Knit Together days and it's coming out just beautifully. I can tell this sweater will be a real staple to her wardrobe.

I looked over her swatch of Ann's Eyelet & Feather Scarf pattern (a beauty, available at Knitting Central). Her gauge was off and she had to change needle sizes. After a few rows, she decided that this was not a project to do while maintaining various conversations with 6 people at once.

Claudia had started her baby blanket knit in Blue Sky Organic Cotton. She's loving the pattern (and of course the yarn). Robin (who started the blanket and inspired Claudia to knit it) was none to please to see Claudia's progress! She came in and said "Is that my blanket?" Then a few choice (albeit friendly) words followed.

Robin had to rip back a few rows to clean up a wayward stitch, this was a painful process to be sure!
Danielle came with baby Eric who made the rounds. What a doll! He went from person to person with smiles for everyone. We totally enjoyed his company and it was a pleasure to have Danielle back with the group.

Danielle working on a wrap top from Great Baby Knits by Debbie Bliss. She's knitting it in Vintage Cotton. Since I saw her last week, she's finished the back and is onto the front. We're thinking no ties, and sewing the wrap closed at the side seam.

Elizabeth worked on her Surplus Lace top knit with Classic Elite Soft Linen. The pattern is from Gayle Bunn.

Mary revisited the instructions for the "Knit Loves Crochet" tank and changed the abbreviation of MC (main color) to master color, she had me doing it after a while. And, of course, the filet crochet pattern became the "filet of fish crochet". These are going to stick in my head, I know it. We're going to make a book of abbreviations as interpreted by Mary.

I worked on a crocheted hat pattern form an upcoming crocheting in the round class at Knitting Central.
It's knit in Malabrigo Chunky, purple ~ of course ~ my signature color.

We had a round of book recommendations, here goes:
Black & White
Middlesex
March by Geraldine Brooks
1000 White Women
Water for Elephants
Books by Penny Vincenzi

Did I forget any?

Book Updates

I normally like memoirs, I just couldn't get into this one. Has anyone read this? It is exactly what is says, tales of sibling rivalry, it just didn't grab my interest/attention.



My sister introduced me to this book series. Their mysteries with a "unique" main character. Little did I know that I jumped into the middle of the series. The book was really good and the suspense was great, the only thing I didn't like was that it was pretty descriptive in the gory parts. I didn't like that too much. My sister said that it was the "goriest" one. Reading a book in the middle of the series didn't matter too much although I am going to go back to the beginning of the series with the first book, Relic .

Playing Catch up

I've gotten way behind in my posts, so this one is a catch-all for the past two weeks and I plan to get on track!

• First of all before I forget, Elizabeth, the book we talked about on Friday We Are Our Mothers' Daughters by Cokie Roberts. Awesome book, very empowering and a great book to give teens and young women.
• National Public Radio shows: "Car Talk", "This American Life", "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me" also available in podcast free. I know you can download them from the itunes store if you have an ipod. Click this link for the homepage.
• Michelle got a wonderful knitting journal for her birthday, click here to check it out, Knitspiration Journal .
• Find fun socks here .

What's on your pointy sticks?

Here's what we were working in last week:

Michelle has got her next batch of projects well under way: Socks from the Knitting Central Sock Club, wonderful wallaby sweatshirt, men's knits cabled scarf, Rowan Couture Jacket - did I leave anything out?

Elizabeth picked up her dog afghan and was working on her sheep shop sweater. Even thought the dye lots are different on two of the skeins, they balance out nicely.

Robin is in the last panel of her baby blanket. Yeah! Then onto bigger and better things.

Mary's La Baguette bag is parked literally and figuratively in her car. :) She began a hat in Blue Sky organic cotton. She also found a great cotton to use in a Manos afghan pattern, Peruvian cotton (Patagonia cotton would work well too).

Danni is plowing through her poncho. The yarn runs thick and thin and has great texture. She got a lot of fringe ideas from the group, different yarns to add to the main yarn.

Sara finished the first sleeve of her husband's sweater and has started the second. She's almost at the ruffle for the baby blanket she's making as a gift.

Peggy is balancing several projects, she was working on the Oat Couture Stowaway bag this week.

I'm in the midst of finishing a pair of fingerless gloves with rabbit fur trim (a gift ~ pattern available soon), a knit sweatshirt (also a gift), my modern quilt wrap, and squares for the great American afghan. (This list does not include purses I've made that are pining away, awaiting to be finished - this involves sewing).

TGIF

Mary, Elizabeth and I met at Cosi's. Elizabeth had the first sleeve of the Debbie Bliss sweater done. The bodice and sleeves have really interesting patterning. She's finding ripping things out unfortunately coming too easily. I give her a lot of credit to keep persevering. Since it's a short sleeved sweater she should be able to enjoy wearing it before the weather turns cold for the season.

The body to Elizabeth's sweater was done all in garter and gave her "mindless" knitting time. I think it's important to have one project going that you don't have to concentrate to heavily on. It gives you a project to switch to if you have a problem, you can talk and knit when it's not intricate, and you can watch TV and relax. We all need some downtime where we are relaxed and happy. I find if I don't put the TV on and I sit and knit quietly, it's meditative. I'm thinking of establishing a mandatory unplug time at my house!

Mary is working on a lace poncho in Cherry Tree Hill Ariel yarn. It's a beautifully variegated blue yarn. She's looking for a worsted weight cotton to make an the Manos afghan in. We looked through the Patternworks catalog and didn't see anything that would work.

While we were knitting, Mary noticed that Elizabeth and I knit differently than she does. We knit Continental and she knits American (or throwing). We dubbed this our knitting nationalities! :) I actually learned by throwing the yarn and taught my self Continental knitting a few years ago. I find my tension is more even and I knit faster. Elizabeth was taught Continental.

We talked about the current controversy regarding whether listening to a book tape is still reading. Personally, I love listening to books on tape because it allows me to continue to enjoy books and knit at the same time or listen to while I'm in the car instead of the radio. I can see where people would say that listening to a book isn't the same as reading it, however, who is it hurting? If someone is listening to a book they are still choosing to involve themselves with literature and that's a good thing!

Well, on that note, we talked about two books that were great on tape because of the narrator's voices.

Books I just finished.

This was an unusual novel. I liked her second book Zippy and that's why I bought this one. I don't know that I would recommend it. I'm not sorry that I read it, it's sad in a lot of parts. Anyway, I do recommend her other book, it was a lot of fun to read.

You may have heard about The Secret already. It's been the subject of TV shows and on the best seller list. The Secret describes a philosophy of positive thinking. There are commentaries from renowned philosophers, authors, business people, and clergy. This book truly changed my perspective for the better. It's a really uplifting book, very thought provoking, and eye opening. I also watched the movie version, which was also excellent.




Water for Elephants was very well done. I started and finished it within one week. I couldn't put it down. It's about a young man who inadvertently ends up joining the circus and the dramatic turn his life took. I thoroughly recommend this book!

Books

This August I reread Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Book 6) and just finished Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7). It was great!

While on vacation, I read the newest Janet Evanovich book,Lean Mean Thirteen (Stephanie Plum Novels). Her books are great fun, they are light, funny, and really engaging. If you haven't read any, start with One for the Money (Stephanie Plum Series #1).




I also read another Terry Pratchett book,The Truth. His books are fantasy based, with wonderful English humor and fantastic characters. I am so hooked on these books and am very glad he's written many in what he calls the "Discworld" series.

Time to pick a new book, any suggestions?