Archives for 2012

The Scarlett Letter

July 22, 2012 by Trish 2 Comments

And the letter of the day is…D.

I haven’t written in the blog much over the last several months, not because I haven’t been knitting, but because I have been obsessed with a new aspect of my life. Well, it’s not so new. But my approach is. I suppose I ought to explain.

In October 2010, on the same day that my beloved cat Tegan passed away, of all things, my doctor looked me squarely in the eye, without an ounce of sympathy and quite a bit of sternness in her voice, and handed me a diagnosis of diabetes. Knowing as I did that I was going to have to leave her office and go straight to the vet with my cat to put her to sleep, the simple words that she used hit me like a slap. Not that I wasn’t expecting them. I had been “pre-diabetic” for a number of years and knew that my blood sugars had been inching in the wrong direction for some time. I’ve heard that with diet and exercise, some people can reverse the outcome of pre-diabetes and somehow not develop the full-on disease. I am neither a food zealot nor an exercise guru, as I am fairly convinced it would have taken both extremes to change any outcomes for me. So, whether the doctor in question intended the outcome to make me feel this way or not, I started feeling as if the reason why I have diabetes was My Fault.

Nevermind that I have a strong family history of diabetes on both sides of my ancestry. Nevermind that I was insulin dependent, despite healthy eating, during my second pregnancy. Somehow I felt as if I had failed the pre-diabetes entrance exam and brought this disease wholly upon myself.

What I realized recently, after making even more lifestyle changes and taking oral medications that were making me feel sick, Is that while I can take responsibility for having made some poor eating choices in my past, and will probably never be perfect in that regard, I can’t always control what my body does with the food I eat. And guess what? I’ve found out that even if I have a “perfect” food day, or a run of near-perfect days, my blood sugar’s still too high. And so maybe? Just maybe, it’s not really all my fault.

So, I decided that it’s time to give my body what it really needs–insulin. I don’t know why so many people jump through so many hoops to avoid doing the insulin thing. Maybe I’m weird that I don’t mind giving myself the shots. But, the truth is, I do feel better since doing them.

Still, there are many things about having diabetes that clearly suck.

While I don’t mind having to take insulin shots, I do mind having to stop what I’m doing to take them. (Like I said, I’m weird.) Yeah, they come in a pen-like dispenser and I don’t have to draw up syringes anymore, but still. Dinner arrives and I want to dig in, but wait–I have to shoot up.
French fries are not my friends. Damnit.
Chocolate cake… le sigh… see above. Double Damnit.
My most recent jewelry acquisition? My brand-new, shiny titanium medic-alert bracelet. Ok, so I managed to incorporate my favorite color and a peace sign, making the most un-cool bracelet in the world kinda cool, but still. Isn’t the big red “D” on my forehead enough? (Wait, you can’t see it? It’s there… I can feel it as a constant reminder. I just know it is…)
Pasta… I miss you. I’ve found low carb options that are basically tasteless and “miracle noodles” that look kinda scary and I’m afraid to open them because they look like giant tentacles suspended in liquid and I’m afraid they might actually be alive. (Shudder.)

Despite all of this, which clearly sucks–I’ve said that, right? It clearly sucks. I am determined somehow to make friends with diabetes. It’s that, or be miserable and resentful for the rest of my life. And yeah, right now, I feel that way a lot of the time, especially while it’s all so new and my insulin levels still aren’t quite right enough to give me even one “normal” day. Not yet. But it’s inching in the right direction, I hope. And I’m learning a lot about myself in the process. I’m not happy about it and patience and understanding, rather than blaming the fat girl for her own poor fate, are much appreciated. I can’t say I’m happy about the new club I’ve joined. But I’m looking forward to the day when I can feel at least a little bit normal again. It’s coming… I only hope it’s soon.

And, in the meantime? At least I’ve got my knitting.

Hobby-Knitter: Visions of Knitters Past

June 3, 2012 by Trish 14 Comments

On Friday, I received a new knitting gadget in the mail. No, that’s not true, really. The item I received is actually quite old, and best as I can tell, never used, or only very gently used. It is a Hobby-Knit I-cord machine, and it was manufactured in about 1949. Somehow a knitting vendor received some remaining new old stock of this device, and I’ve been eying it for a while. I don’t know why, but I-cord fascinates me, and I have collected all sorts of devices for making knitted cord for years. Yes, I know that I-cord can be made with knitting needles, by hand. But I love the cranky machines, antique spools, and all sorts of gadgets that have been created with the idea of making a simple knitted tube.

Here’s a photo of the machine with all of its parts, including the original manual:

And here it is, all set up and ready for knitting.

Here’s a closeup of the knitting mechanism:

Closeup of the knitting latches under the plastic yarn guide

Here’s a closeup of the original label on the machine… it looks like new! The label says, “Hobby-Knit, Pat. App. for Montello Products Co., Montello, Wis.” Even the abbreviation conventions are suggestive of its age.

My friend Rachel and I made a short video of the machine in action. Check it out; it actually works!

We didn’t use the yarn spool in our demonstration because we wanted to try knitting straight from the yarn ball. It works, but we found that we have to put additional tension on the yarn coming from the ball with a free hand, as shown in our video. Here’s a closeup of the yarn spool:

And finally, here’s a photo of the cord as it’s coming out of the bottom of the machine:

The resulting cord is a finely knit 6-stitch beauty, which I think would be the perfect size for jewelry making and other things requiring a not-too-thick cord. Isn’t it lovely?

The truth for me is that I’m not sure how often I will use this machine. I’m betting I will use it for some jewelry making from time to time, but so far I find the machine fussy to set up and work with. I’m sure I’ll get better with practice, but there are other machines I have that I also enjoy but are a bit easier for me. That said, there’s something magical about this little beauty. It gives me a feeling of nostalgia to use it. I wonder how many people in the past actually might have had one of these and what they made with it. I’m thrilled that this machine is part of my collection. It makes beautiful cords, and makes me feel like I have something special.

The Fun Part

May 30, 2012 by Trish 1 Comment

See what this is?

Closeup of Clapotis, showing beginnings of dropped stitches

This week, I’ve finally begun the “straight rows” section of the Clapotis pattern. This means I get to drop stitches! Yay! On purpose. I’ve actually done this before (follow the link and scroll down for the evidence), and it is terribly fun at the outset. The problem, as I see it, is being able to maintain my mojo all the way to the end. I know this about myself, because this will be the fourth or fifth time I’ve worked on one. How many finished objects do I have to show for my efforts? Embarrassingly, none. That’s just how I roll, I guess. But, I pledge that this time will be different. To wit:

I am using a most favored yarn, Lisa Souza’s Sock! Merino in the colorway, “Wild Things.”
I’m having the good fortune of being able to show some newer knitters how this pattern works, and how it is so elegant in its simplicity. (Just don’t discourage the noobs by telling them how boring it is to knit after a while, ok? We don’t want to discourage their enthusiasm.)
I’m enjoying some really fabulous audiobooks to listen to while knitting. Right now, it’s the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. I’m only on the second book, and I’m completely addicted!

So maybe this is the time that my long-suffering fantasies of wearing a Clapotis in public will finally come true. It’s about time that I owe this one to myself, right?

Now, if only I didn’t have the distraction of wanting to cast on for Color Affection… It’s a sickness, for sure. Wish me luck.

The Increases…

May 18, 2012 by Trish 1 Comment

…are done. Just sayin’.

Onward!

If You’re Cold, Put On a Sweater; That’s What They’re For.

May 5, 2012 by Trish 4 Comments

This is going to be an exciting week for me. This weekend is the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival, which is my second-favorite event of the year, next to Christmas. In fact, this week is kind of like that week in 1979, when I had the chance to see both of my favorite bands in concert in the same week. (Ok, I know you’re going to ask; it was the Bee Gees on a Monday and Little River Band on a Thursday.) And on Monday? I had the chance to finally meet the creative force behind my favorite knitting podcast–Brenda Dayne of Cast On.

The event was held at Fibre Space in Alexandria, VA. I was afraid that I would not be able to attend the event because the store is in a section of Alexandria known as “Old Town,” old being the operative word. A lot of shops and buildings there date back to colonial times and much of it is not wheelchair friendly. Such was the case with this yarn shop when I called to inquire, but a couple of days later, the owner, Danielle, called to say that she needed a push to go ahead and buy a portable ramp for her front step. I’m glad I could be it. So I owe a huge THANKS to Fibre Space for understanding my need and filling it. Believe me, if I lived closer to that shop I’d go all the time. The atmosphere is cozy and kitschy, the staff is friendly and helpful, and the yarn? Oh my. Gorgeous. Even though I was there to see Brenda, there were quite a few things that decided to come home with me. More on that, later.

Brenda Dayne is the host and creative force behind Cast On, which is my all-time favorite knitting podcast. The show’s been running since 2005, believe it or not, but I picked it up in 2007 when I got my first iPod. Her delivery is smooth and professional, conversational and informative. I have every episode saved on my iPod and when the rainy days hit, Cast On, knitting and a cup of my favorite cinnamon stick tea are the perfect antidote to grey weather blues.

It turns out that along the way I discovered that Brenda and I had a couple of interests in common. We both started using WordPress as a blogging platform at about the same time, and for a while, at least, we used the same theme. (We’ve since outgrown it, I think, but it served us both well for quite a while.) So, it was fun to compare notes on our tweaks. That, and there were emails about other things, LOTS of other things over the years. So, I was excited when we finally had the chance to meet.

Poor Brenda had just arrived in the States that day from Wales, and was, I’m sure, dead on her feet, but she jumped right in to the knitting circle that had formed in anticipation of her arrival and asked folks what they were working on. I had my long-suffering clapotis with me, but there were other projects that caught my eye. Especially this one:

brightly colored newborn-sized sock in progress

Someone named Katie was working on a pair of teeny-tiny newborn socks using a rainbow-colored Zauberball. While she was there she finished the first sock and made excellent headway on the second. That is one lucky baby to get some brightly colored socks!

The reason for the gathering was a book signing for the book, What Would Madame Defarge Knit? by CraftLit podcaster Heather Ordover, in which Brenda has a featured pattern. Sadly, I didn’t get a copy of the book for myself that night, but now I wish I had and may do so in the future.

Too soon, the evening was over for us, as we had to eat dinner and still head back to our home in Maryland before we turned into pumpkins. We stopped at a brick oven pizza place on the way home, that I can highly recommend. It was called “Red Rocks” and it was OMG delish. But of course, I couldn’t leave the event at Fibre Space without asking Brenda to take a photo with me:

Oh and in case you wanted to know what I bought while there, there was some pink highlighter tape, a sock anatomy key chain, an ebony wood shawl stick, and these two things:

and this:

The Crafter’s Tool Butler by Jordana Paige, is almost an answer to a prayer. Aesthetically, it beats my ugly old worm binder, so I won’t be embarrassed to take my spare knitting needles on the occasional field trip to knit group. In fact, the thing looks very versatile, and as an added bonus, it comes in purple! But alas, it’s nearly 2:00 in the morning and I’m headed to the Sheep and Wool Festival after breakfast. So, I’d better stop for now. Besides, this thing deserves its own blog post. Really.

Over and out…

Goodnight.

Homespun Yarn Party, 2012

March 25, 2012 by Trish Leave a Comment

Today was the annual Homespun Yarn Party, in Savage, MD. I’d never been to this event before, but this year, my friend Lynne from Knit Group decided that I had to attend, and offered to drive my van there. It was a little like the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival, but in miniature, and it focused on small, local vendors with unique yarns and products. I went there not knowing what to expect, and I loved it!

Of course, I couldn’t have attended an event like that without having some yarn follow me home. I tried to focus only on yarns I had never seen or heard of before, and colors that pleased me, but WITHOUT focusing on purple for once, because that would have made things too easy. And I think I succeeded. Without further ado, here are my purchases:

This yarn is from Feederbook Farm. I like it because it has little bits that look like flowers in it. Not sure what I’ll do with it yet, but I love this.

This one is Biggie, by Dancing Leaf Farm. It’s mostly blues and greens, and it reminds me of looking up at a blue, blue sky at billowy clouds while lying on cushy green grass. I was also lucky enough to find a matching felted button in the button bin. I’m sure it was no accident that it was there, but I felt lucky to find it! I’m seeing myself in some kind of wrap with this:

This yarn is Chunky Bump by Mid Valley Fibers. I had never heard of this vendor before, and I just read their story when creating the link in this paragraph. You should check it out. I’m going to do something fun with this! (I also got a button pin kit, which I know will one day adorn one of my hats!)

This last one is Taffy, by Folktale Yarn. The vendor told me that the yarn in this one came from one of her own goats. And, looking at the tag on the yarn, there are all sorts of yummy bits mixed in, including sparkly sari silk threads. I just love it!!

I doubt I could have found such interesting and rich things at any other event. Plus, the best part? It was like being around old friends all day. It was crowded, but filled with local artisans and local spinners and knitters, so I was among friends. I saw lots of people in my knitting world who I know mostly online, but only see at these events, and friends that I see all the time at my own knit group. It was SO fun, and I’m glad I went.

Thanks, Lynne! It was great. Love you.