Trish Knits.com

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Doing Battle with the Yarn

navy blue silk yarn being balled up from a swift
You’d think I’d learn, but apparently not. Never ever try to ball up a hank of yarn you’ve had in storage for three years unless you have a lot of time on your hands. Or when you’re really too tired to do it. Either of those two factors are a sure bet that the hank will be a twisty, loose mess. In fact, the more rushed and the more tired you are? The worse it will be. Trust me. I know.

The mere mention of the February Lady Sweater last night got my heart all a-flutter. I could not stop thinking about the prospect of starting that project all day. But I know enough about myself to know that I just dread winding yarn. Every time I try, it never cooperates. I even thought maybe I should wait until a weekend when I can have a friend over to help me.

Patience, however, virtue that it is, is something that I lack. Not just lack. Patience? I no haz it. So there was no waiting for the weekend, no pleading with ~~some poor sucker~~ one of my good yarny buddies to help me with the winding. So, start out on my own, I did, and this tiny ball, representing maybe one tenth of the yarn yet to be wound (from this hank; I have two more) is all I have to show for an entire evening’s work. I am not surprised by this, but I am nonetheless disappointed. I wanna knit! And I have miles to wind (literally) before I stitch.

My fingers are blue with navy yarn dye. It is the mark of a battle not yet won. I do so love this yarn, and the color, and the way it feels in my hands. I can’t wait for it to become something more than a pile of stringed frustration. Someday this beautiful yarn will be transformed, and perhaps I will forgive it for the trouble that it gives me now.

But it’s a long way before I’m there. For tonight, UGH!

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March 11, 2009
Little Knitterly Things

stitch markers, double-ended crochet hooks, and colorful wooden buttons
I know I’ve said it before, that little things make me happy? Well, this week’s parcel post was no exception! Knit Picks has recently introduced their own line of knitting do-dads, and I happen to have the philosophy that one can never have too many knitting tools!

Most exciting for me is this little collection of double-ended crochet hooks. These little babies will be perfect for picking up all those dropped stitches. (Who, me? Drop a stitch? Pshaw, those things will never see the light of day! Uh-huh.) As sentimental as I am about my trusty red crochet hook, these will be handy to have with all the sizes I would need in half as many hooks. Not a bad deal!

The stitch markers are my favorite style, the rubberized kind. I find that these leap away from me a little less often than some of the other types, and I use them for almost all of my knitting projects. They also have locking stitch markers, split ring markers, and jump rings. Each of these is good for its own purpose and I am sure that eventually they all will find their way into my knitting bag.

The buttons are made from the same wood as the Harmony Needles. Oh my, they are pretty pretty! My heart goes all a-flutter at the very sight of these. I bought 8 each of the two styles shown here. I’m pretty sure I’m going to put the toggle-style buttons on a future February Lady Sweater. In fact, I love these buttons so much that I want to cast on for it like, NOW. But alas, I shall wait for the weekend. I have lots of yarn to ball up for it first.

Knit Picks has introduced lots of other tools at great prices, including a ball winder, blocking tiles, blocking wires, and lots of other stuff. And all at great prices, per the Knit Picks tradition. Oh, and have you seen their gorgeous new yarn? I’m surprised none of it has followed me home yet.

There’s plenty of time for that…

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March 10, 2009
The Thirteenth Year

Hello, World! Newborn Diana’s Arrival, March 7, 1996

The Night You Were Born

On the night you were born
The moon looked down
Like diamonds on a blanket of deep velvet blue.
The stars were singing an ode to joy
And the snow crunched like clanging bells.

On the night you were born
The hands of angels
Lifted you apart from me
And you cried, “Welcome me world! I am HERE!”
And tears of thanks rolled down our cheeks
As God Himself delivered you safely to our waiting arms.

© 1998 Patricia Day

The day has come! Who would have ever thought that this little bundle, perfect in every way:

Newborn baby Diana

Would one day, just a mere 13 years later, become this:

Diana at 13

A beautiful, smart, funny young woman that I am so proud to call my daughter. I love you, Diana!

But today is not just about being all mushy and sentimental. (The Birthday Princess respectfully requests that I can the mush, like NOW!) It is a day of celebrations. Actually, it is the culmination of several days of celebrations. And I’d like to share with you some moments that helped us mark the occasion.

We had our first celebration at home on Wednesday. My mom and Tony are on a fabulous cruise that started today, so we had a lovely little birthday dinner with them. Of course there was cake:

Diana, blowing out candles

Budding photographer snaps a photo of the birthday girl

Then last night we had dinner at Diana’s favorite restaurant–Olive Garden. Grandma and Grandpa were able to join us and there was much good food, many presents, and lots of fun. Oh, and singing:

Riding Lessons for the Birthday Girl
Then today we went with her friends to a horse farm, where we held a horse mini camp. There was education, and riding lessons for everyone! Some of the girls had never been on a horse before and had a little bit of trepidation. But, in the end, everyone did great! The weather had warmed into the 70s, which was nothing short of a miracle, considering the snowstorm we had last weekend. And the riding instructor was totally awesome. I overheard several of the girls asking their parents for riding lessons or the chance to come back to the farm for summer camp. Yay! I am so glad this all worked out.

Diana works on her balance

The horse poses for a photo

Riding Lesson

Learning to Balance

So, it has been a fun-filled few days around here. Although, if you ask me, I’m still not old enough to be the mother of a teenager. I’m not sure how this happened so fast.

slice of birthday cake

Happy Birthday, Diana. I love you.

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March 7, 2009
Lonely… and Totally Square

Noro Kureyon squares in progress
I’ve got the blues. The “when the hell’s this winter gonna be over?” blues. And, the “I really wish I didn’t have to work ever again and could just sit and knit all day” blues. Sigh.

Good thing I’m into color, because this blanket in all its weirdness is the bright spot in my days lately. I’m loving the simplicty of the garter stitch and the constant surprises as the colors unfold. Each time I start a new square I have to contain myself from squealing with glee, practically, even though most of the time, no one is listening.

The cool thing about Noro Kureyon is that the color runs are so long that I can switch off from one end of the ball to the other, thereby doubling my color choices. It’s like a wonderful game for the easily entertained. And that, my friends, would be me.

But I must stop. I have about three more hours of work to do before bed, thanks to a tragic brain fart I had while saving an HTML document preparing an HTML e-mail newsletter. I’ve got lots of code to strip before bed and I hate that I haven’t been able to face it all evening, so I’ll be up late again. Ah well, at least I can knit again before breakfast, which will be sometime after the customary three-hour’s nap that I’ve been calling an excuse for a night’s sleep lately.

Do I sound grumpy? You Betcha.

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March 5, 2009
Hip to be Squares

third square in progress on the blanket

fourth square done

As you can see, I’ve been busy with the knitting! Over the last several days I’ve completed the third and fourth squares on my Noro Kureyon Babette. I was feeling all accomplished-like, until Her Highness the Tween pointed out to me just how many squares I have left to do! I think, though, in a similar way that people say entrelac is never boring, neither will these squares be, despite the miles and miles of garter stitch. Watching the strips of knitting magically become squares as the center double decreases are made, is just enough entertainment for a simple girl like me. I can’t wait to be showing this project off as it grows and grows.

I Bought a Skein of WHAT?

vitreous humor eyeball yarn
So, do you think I’m crazy that I actually WANTED this yarn? Would you believe me if I told you I’ve been wanting and waiting for it for TWO years? (The waiting was some small amount of self control on my part.) Yes, I’ve always loved things that would make people look twice, and the first time I saw this yarn I knew that one day it would be mine. Of course, the classic line I’m telling people is that it’s perfect for my standard witchy Halloween costume, but the truth is, I don’t think I’ll need to wait for Halloween to wear something made from this baby!

For those of you who haven’t seen this yarn before, it is Vitreous Humor, by Insubordinknit, a.k.a., the wonderful Jacey Boggs. Grossness aside, this is a lovely work of artistic handspun. It is beautiful and soft, and the felted eyeballs? Well they do give the yarn that certain something! The whole thing is a work of art. It is all at once beautiful, and a pile of sadistic muppet roadkill. That makes me love it all the more! Perhaps I will knit it up in time to wear it to Maryland Sheep and Wool. That is, if my friend Steve will be seen with me while I am wearing bloody eyeballs around my neck.

We’ll see.

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March 3, 2009
Quick Glimpses of Our Weekend

We’re having a big snow storm tonight. Don’t tell the kids, but I’m hoping for a snow day, even more than they are. It seems like we haven’t had real snow in years. See you tomorrow!

For now, I leave you with a scene from my window:

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March 1, 2009