Resolutions

For what it's worth, here are some thoughts for the new year. In no particular order, I resolve to:

1. Knit with solid color yarns
2. Say thank you
   
3. Knit a sweater that fits me, that I actually will wear in public
4. Volunteer
   
5. Write and publish a knitting pattern
6. Sell at least one skein of hand-dyed yarn
7. Appreciate my wonderful friends and family
   
8. Use more coupons
9. Listen
   
10. Be patient

All the best for a happy, healthy, peace-filled 2009.

What is that Camel Driver Looking At?

You know times are stressful when you are reading the latest entries to Found Cameras and Orphan Pictures, and you think, Hey, these photos are calling out for some silly captions. It was the photo of the lady on the camel that got me thinking this.

So readers (all two of you), I invite you to leave me a comment with your best funny photo captions. I may just send the funniest a skein of yarn, hand dyed by me.

Please entertain me. I need a laugh. Thanks.

Toronto Briefly

Last week I went on a last-minute business trip. I was filling in for a colleague who wasn't able to attend a quick two-day conference in that most glamorous of cities, Toronto. Some people refer to it as home of Leaf Nation, but we 51 million knitters know that Toronto is home to the the one and only "Yarn Harlot", Ms. Stephanie Pearl-McPhee. Or as Greg Kinnear says, the "Michael Jordan of Knitting".

I flew from Boston and arrived in Toronto. While waiting in the taxi line at the airport in Toronto, I spied a thin woman with sort of "wild" hair rummaging through her bags. She was kneeling right beside me. My eyes keyed on the wavy hair, then the glasses. Oh my God! It was her!! The Yarn Harlot, right beside me! What were the odds??!! I carefully maneuvered my cellphone camera and Kinneared her.

Well, okay. I Kinneared her bag.

But turns out it wasn't HER bag. I know this because after I "surreptitiously positioned my camera low and out of her line of sight", I pressed the photo button and the flash went off. Ooopsy! Turns out, it was getting dark in the taxi line, and I'd forgotten about the automatic flash.

The woman turned and looked at me kind of funny. One look at her face and I realized she was not the Yarn Harlot. I did what any good Kinnearing photographer would do. I acted all shocked and surprised. Whoa! Isn't that weird that my camera phone just flashed!! Darn technology, must have hit a button wrong! Silly me!

Thankfully a taxi pulled up to the curb and I made my escape.

The next evening, after a day of meetings, I headed back to the hotel, and Googled my way to the Harlot's favorite yarn shop, Lettuce Knit. It was only a few miles from my hotel. Jackpot! And it was Wednesday. The shop usually closes by 5pm, but on Wednesday it stays open late. Luck was again on my side. Maybe another chance to see her! (And another opportunity to use exclamation points in my blog. Yippee!!!)

With directions from the concierge, including input from the two bellman in the hotel lobby, off I went. Soon, I was standing in Lettuce Knit, probably standing in the same spot the Harlot had stood.

Isn't the internet wonderful? Leading me to this sweet little yarn shop that I never would have found on my own? It was tiny, but filled to the brim with delicious yarns. Bins and bins of Socks that Rock. Hanks of Koigu overflowing from the shelves. In an instant the yarn fast that I'd been on for the past few months ended. I had a credit card in my purse, the U.S. / Canadian exchange rate be damned, I bought yarn. I couldn't help myself. It is Socks that Rock, in the Lettuce Knit colorway.

This little shopping spree was most certainly the highlight of my brief trip to lovely Toronto. And although I kept my eyes open for a Yarn Harlot sighting throughout my visit, it was only while waiting on my flight back to Boston that I learned of Stephanie's whereabouts. As luck would have it, while I was in Toronto, she was in Boston. Oh the irony.

Guilty Pleasures

Because last week was so very busy, when this weekend arrived and I had nothing on my schedule, I was a bit out of sorts, feeling like there was probably something very important that I needed to do, and feeling like a little kid on the first day of school vacation when I realized the day was all my own and I could do anything I wanted.

So first thing Saturday morning I went to the gym. Best to get this done and over so I could get on with the really fun things.

On the drive to the gym, my odometer clicked over to 100,000 miles! Woo hoo!! This is the second car that I've purchased new and the second car I've driven to this milestone. I truly hate buying cars, so fingers crossed that my little car will last many, many, more miles. To celebrate, when I got home I dragged out the vacuum and the Windex, and got her all spiffed up. A cleaning once every 100,000 miles is about all I can manage!

So that's two chores crossed off my list. On to the fun part.

With nothing else on the agenda, I knit. I pulled the patio furniture into a patch of sun in the backyard, popped in my Ipod, and knit happily in the October sunshine for hours.

And this was the result, two knitted hats for my local knitting group's holiday charity project. The pattern is very simple.

One size fits all.

Needles: US 7 circular 16” and set of US 7 double pointed needles; Tapestry needle.
Gauge: 20 stitches = 4” in pattern.

Getting Started:
Cast on 96 stitches. Join into round being careful not to twist stitches. Work K2, P2 rib until piece measure 6.5” or desired length. (I made mine 7" and would probably do a bit longer next time.)

Decreasing for the Top:
Decrease round 1: *k2tog, p2tog; repeat from*. Now have 48 stitches.
Work K1, P1 rib for 3 rounds.

Next Decrease round: *K2tog; repeat around. You now have 24 stitches.
Next Decrease round: *K2tog; repeat around You now have 12 stitches.

Finishing: Break yarn, leaving 12” tail. Thread tail into tapestry needle and draw through remaining stitches. Pull up snug and fasten off on the inside. Weave in end.

What's New in KnitSox Land

Still no word from the Nutella people, but nonetheless things are happening here in Knitsox land.

I've joined a knitting group at the local library. I'm not usually a "joiner", I usually do okay entertaining myself with the ramblings in my own head, but, I have to say this group is fun. We are about 20-30 women of varying ages and of varying knit/crochet ability. We've had two meetings so far and it's been fun to see what everyone is creating and to learn about why they joined. We've chosen a local charity, and will be knitting / crocheting scarves, hats and mittens to keep our community warm this coming winter. With the rising cost of fuel and the scary economy, I'm thinking these handmade donations will be much appreciated.

I've become a member of the Slater Mill Community Guild Studios and will be taking some combination knitting and lace knitting classes with the one and only Ms. Annie Modesitt next month. Oh joy I am so excited!!! And who knew that Slater Mill, just a few miles from my little house, is widely recognized as the birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution? Very cool indeed.

Of course the Red Sox are keeping me entertained. Jeff surprised me with SRO tix to Monday night's game versus the Los Angeles team with the too long ridiculous name. Here you can see a little picture of us, taken by the nice FanFoto man.

Notice that I am wearing a handknit scarf and holding my favorite hand knit (Noro) hat (hence the messy hat head) ! I am also wearing two pairs of handknit socks, not visible in this photo. Way to be toasty warm at Fenway in October!

SRO (Standing Room Only) tickets are a great inexpensive (a relative term in the language of Fenway) way to see the Red Sox play. We arrived just before the gates opened at 6:30 PM, climbed the ramp to the upper deck, staked out the best spot on the railing, and then stood and leaned for the next 5 hours, holding our collective breath as the boys pulled out a super exciting victory. We cheered and yelled and high-fived all the other SRO fans around us, including the very nice Romanian man standing beside me. Yes, I said Romania!!! Red Sox nation extends far and wide my friends!

So that's what's new in Knitsox land. Tell me, what's new with you?

Sunday Gratitude Links

Oprah recommends keeping a gratitude journal. Here's a quick list of what I'm grateful for today.

1. Meeting my lovely in-law's for breakfast at IHOP
2. Realizing that IHOP now serves Nutella Crepes
3. Entering the Nutella sweepstakes. Fingers crossed!
   
4. Attending the 2nd annual Spin/Weave/Knit/Quilt Celebration at Slater Mill
5. Registering for not one, but two classes with the amazing Ms. Annie Modesitt
6. Sipping tea, while listening to Cast-On, my favorite podcast
7. Finishing a few more rows of my version of Smile (Ravelry link)
   
8. Wearing my gear and preparing to watch the game
   

New Year, New Look

Funny how with one page turn of the calendar people everywhere feel the need to re-organize and de-clutter. My cubicle at work is sparkling clean, with files neatly filed and not a wrinkled post-it note in sight. The blog looks different today, though I'm still experimenting with new colors and layouts. Sadly, my little house has not benefited from this New Year need to refresh. The Christmas tree is still standing, though the lights are now unplugged.