Trish Knits.com

Month: June 2008

  • The Return of the Blankie

    brown ripple afghan in progress

    I feel ashamed. It is so easy to be swayed by other projects these days. Especially now that it is hot and I’m generally cranky and tired. Most of my knitting time is also limited to knitting by the pool or during my commute in the car. Which, I’ve rationalized, is too hard for working on a large project by my brown ripple afghan. So it’s been easy to leave it alone.

    But, the fact is that I have to get this done. Lots of people have contributed to it by knitting in stitches or rows. It even survived a major disaster. Now, the fact is that I just need to get it done. And I will. I’m just not sure when. But soon, ok? I’ll keep plugging away.

    Remembering My Friend

    Today, the following news story hit the wires:

    Money ruling a remarkable woman’s legacy

    Dr. Sandra Welner was a pioneer in the field of Women’s Health for Women with Disabilities. And she was my friend. I still miss her every day.

  • The Yoke’s on Me!

    sweater yoke in progress

    So I’ve never really done major baby knitting. A couple of blankets, but this is my first time attempting a sweater. I’ve never made a sweater of any kind, so I figured I’d better start small. I’m basing the method of construction for this sweater on the February Baby Sweater, except that my gauge is different, and my yarn is different, and, in the end, I don’t like the stitch pattern that was used. Well, ok, I do like the stitch pattern, but what if the baby is a boy? In that case, then not so much.

    So I will use the concept of the sweater, in the use of the percentage system and the overall design. But I am still uncommitted as to which stitch pattern to use. Something that says, “Yeah, I’m a boy and I can still wear this sweater, even though it has pink in it,” but that would be ok for a girl, too.

    Any ideas? I’d love to hear them. I’m stumped. 🙂

  • Summer of …. Sock Toe

    beginning of sock toe

    I so wanted to kick off Summer of Socks 2008 in high fashion while knitting by the pool on Saturday evening. But alas, we were all tired, and I had trouble getting started. Earlier in this evening, I cast on for about the 10th time my first pair of real socks. I don’t know why I have such a hard time getting started, but I can’t seem to do the toes until I’ve started at least half a dozen times. So this is all I have to show. Whoop-dee-do.

    I recently bought a Namaste Cali Malibu bag in Hollywood Pink. But I also found a mini sewing kit that nearly matched. I don’t really sew at all, but it’s good to have an extra tape measure, scissors, buttons and thread on hand. It matches the bag, and is SOOO cute. For that reason alone, I had to have it. Shallow? Don’t answer that!

    Here are two views, one with the kit closed and one with it open.

    sewing kit closed

    sewing kit open

  • Play Ball! (and knit while watching)

    I’ve been so tired all weekend after Friday’s Stitch n Pitch, that I haven’t had the energy to lift my fingers and type much, let alone blog. But I don’t want the scenes from my fabulous time to go unblogged any longer. So here I am. (Apologies in advance that this post contains LOTS of photos!)

    bonnie and trish knitting

    The Washington Nationals were hosting the Texas Rangers, and the game went to 14 innings, with the Nats victorious! John and I had gotten up early for work that day though so I confess only surviving to the bottom of the 10th.

    The first photo is me with my new friend Bonnie, who it seems of late I run into at just about every knitting event I go to. We sat next to each other at the Yarn Harlot’s visit to Annapolis and ran into each other again at the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival and Ravelry party. I should have guessed we’d be sitting next to each other for the Stitch n’ Pitch, since we were in the wheelchair seating area that was part of event seating.

    Red Porch restaurant

    The Ballpark is like Disneyland inside! Upon entering we were greeted with loud music provided by some DJ’s, and this HUGE restaurant right inside the gate.

    restaurants

    Build a Bear Workshop

    playground

    There are tons of restaurants, a Build-a-Bear Workshop, a Play Station arcade, and a playground for the kiddos.

    My hubby took a panoramic view of the ballpark from where we were sitting:

    Panoramic veiw of Nationals Stadium

    And the Capitol was sorta behind us.

    The US Capitol from the ballpark

    Of course, there were LOTS of knitters!

    crowd shot

    And here’s a view of where I was sitting (I’m the blur in the aqua sweater at the top left.)

    view of wheelchair accessible seating at top

    There was a touching tribute to Tim Russert at the beginning:

    Tribute to Tim Russert

    And here’s the pitch:

    the windup

    the pitch

    I made my DH hold the knitting so he could be in the blog, too… He’s not a knitter and he doesn’t love baseball, so all the silliness of the evening was somehow below his radar. But I think he had a good time.

    John\'s not a knitter

    One of the funniest things was the Racing Presidents, that would have Washington, Lincoln, Jefferson, and Teddy Roosevelt rolling over in their graves. But truly, the race was one of the most entertaining moments.

    scoreboard showing screenshot of presidential mascots

    new friend

    This is Radhika, who I was thrilled to meet along with her good friend and her guide dog (who scored a hot dog from one of the workers, lucky dog!). She is a new knitter and went to the Stitch n’ Pitch table for lessons on increasing, decreasing, and intarsia.

    The scoreboard is pretty at night:

    The scoreboard at night

    And last but not least, the Washington Nationals’ unofficial mascot:

    gnats in the night sky

    The Washington gnats! (those white streaks in the black photo are a teeny sampling of the literally thousands of buggies that looked like snowflakes in the night sky.)

    It was a great night, and I can’t wait for next year. See you there, Bonnie! 🙂

  • Knitting Meme

    Grabbed from Jessica’s Blog:

    *Mark with bold the things you have done, with italics the ones you plan to do sometime, and leave the rest plain*

    Afghan
    I-cord
    Garter stitch
    Knitting with metal wire
    Shawl
    Stockinette stitch
    Socks: top-down
    Socks: toe-up
    Knitting with camel yarn
    Mittens: Cuff-up
    Mittens: Tip-down
    Hat
    Knitting with silk
    Moebius band knitting
    Participating in a KAL
    Sweater
    Drop stitch patterns
    Knitting with recycled/secondhand yarn
    Slip stitch patterns
    Knitting with bananafiber yarn
    Domino knitting (=modular knitting)
    Twisted stitch patterns
    Knitting with bamboo yarn
    Two end knitting
    Charity knitting
    CardiganToy/doll clothing
    Knitting with circular needles
    Baby items
    Knitting with your own handspun yarn
    Slippers
    Graffitti knitting (knitting items on, or to be left on the street)
    Continental knitting
    Designing knitted garments
    Cable stitch patterns (incl. Aran)
    Lace patterns
    Publishing a knitting book
    Scarf
    Teaching a child to knit
    American/English knitting (as opposed to continental)
    Knitting to make money
    Button holes
    Knitting with alpaca
    Fair Isle knitting
    Norwegian knitting
    Dying with plant colours
    Knitting items for a wedding
    Household items (dishcloths, washcloths, tea cosies…)
    Olympic knitting
    Knitting with someone elses handspun yarn
    Knitting with dpns
    Holiday related knitting
    Teaching a male how to knit
    Bobbles
    Knitting for a living
    Knitting with cotton
    Knitting smocking
    Dying yarn
    Steeks
    Knitting art
    Knitting two socks (or other small tubular items) on two circulars simultaneously
    Fulling/felting
    Knitting with wool
    Textured knitting
    Kitchener BO
    Purses/bags
    Knitting with beads

    Swatching
    Long Tail CO
    Entrelac
    Knitting and purling backwards
    Machine knitting
    Knitting with self patterning/self striping/variegating yarn
    Stuffed toys
    Knitting with cashmere
    Darning
    Jewelry
    Knitting with synthetic yarn
    Writing a pattern
    Gloves
    Intarsia
    Knitting with linen
    Knitting for preemies

    Tubular CO
    Freeform knitting

    Short rows
    Cuffs/fingerless mitts/armwarmers
    Pillows

    Knitting a pattern from an online knitting magazine
    Rug
    Knitting on a loom
    Thrummed knitting
    Knitting a gift
    Knitting for pets
    Shrug/bolero/poncho
    Knitting with dog/cat hair
    Hair accessories
    Knitting in public

  • Stitch n Pitch

    Washington Nationals vs. Texas Rangers
    Nationals Stadium
    Washington, DC