All posts by OneKnittingMama

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Social Knitting

Ravelympics

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If you weren’t already convinced that my sanity is zapped, I offer this proof for your consideration:

I’ve joined the Ravelympics on Ravelry.

Now, lest you think I’ve really and truly lost it, let’s read that sentence again. I’ve joined it. Realistic hope of finishing said project does not figure anywhere into it! I’m making a (very easy) fair isle vest for my youngest. It was meant as pure therapy, and a diversion from all that is going on in my life (see previous post), and I do feel some guilt that I put aside my mom’s afghan to do it. However, dealing with my mom’s situation (a daily barrage of phone calls with doctors, social workers, family/friends needing updates, and 100 mile (round-trip) trips to see her roughly 3-4 times per week), I wanted to work on something that didn’t have all that attached to it, so I could “escape” just a little. That strategy isn’t working out so well, but I’m making a Gold Medal Effort!

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Family, Knitting As Therapy, Life

The Year of Personal Transformation

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I know I’ve let my blogging go by the wayside a bit. Which is odd, since I do a fair amount of freelance writing. Like my knitting, writing serves as therapy when Life’s Little Moments descend. This year has had an exceptional number of them:

In February, my oldest (whom you may remember as the Little Red Scarf Dude), was diagnosed with epilepsy. This is in addition to auto-immune Type 1 diabetes. So far, we’ve been incredibly blessed. He had the two initial seizures, and has been seizure free since then, though he does suffer from migraines from time to time now.

In June, my beloved little LYS where I had worked and taught for just over four years closed its doors. It was bittersweet – sad, because I loved it so; happy, because the owner is off to bigger and better things in her life.

I’ve had to weather a few personal crises as well, the least of which was an abnormal mammogram (which eventually was biopsied, and is nothing of concern).

Then, last month, just when I thought maaaaaaaybe there’d be a pause for breath, my mom was diagnosed with cancer, and the prognosis currently does not look good at all.

Despite all of this, or more accurately, because of it all, I feel incredibly blessed. God has surrounded me with wonderful, supportive, loving people. He’s given me the strength and tenacity to deal with it all. And I have this wonderful craft that allows me to process Life through this incredible therapeutic filter.

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Funny Drummer Dude!

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This is so not knitting related, but has caused quite a stir here at Casa Stro! May I present to you, for your viewing enjoyment, Funny Drummer Dude:

OKC: On the needles, a shawlette for my daughter’s best friend’s birthday!

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Bogie Rox My Sox!

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The ever-gracious, and seriously talented Ms. Bogie Bogie of Bobaknit fame (in addition to her fame as a designer!) shared her mad socks skillz with the Guild tonight. Her designs are so brilliant that she may yet make a sock-knitting convert out of this self-professed big needle knitter!

I know I sound like I’m laying it on thick, but to be in her presence and see he work is to feel as though you are in the room with sheer genius, and I am truly humbled.

Knitting For Self, Quick Knits

Pour Moi?

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Oui, oui! Emy has hinted, scolded, ahem, remarked that as I rarely knit for myself, I ought to embark upon such an odyssey. While at the Yarn Swap at Purlescence yesterday, there was some rogue yarn that, in that siren’s call that yarn can sometimes have, up and deafeningly screamed in my ear, “Buy me, Woman, and knit yourself some fingerless gloves!” Now, being that I’m the kind of person to instantly snap to attention when talking yarn is involved, I did purchase the yarn. Now, please note, I was only there for the yarn swap. I had no intention walking in, that purchases would be involved (at least that’s my story and I’m sticking to it!). I am halfway finished with the Warm Braid Cable Wristwarmers, and here’s a pic for your viewing pleasure.

Specs:

Yarn: Bamboozle – Crystal Palace – Color 444 (Rainforest)
Amount of yarn – 2 skeins
Needles: US size #9 circs (magic loop method)
Pattern: Source can be found here

Edited to add: Forgot to mention I made a couple of modifications to the pattern: Because they are wrist warmers and I wanted fingerless gloves, I lengthened them. Instead of a 1″ rib on each end, I made it 2″ and added one cable repeat in the cable section.

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Knitting Survey

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Gleaned & adapted from Jasmin’s blog:


Bold for stuff you’ve done, italics for stuff you plan to do one day, and normal for stuff you’re not planning on doing.

Afghan
I-cord
Garter stitch
Knitting with metal wire
Shawl
Stockinette stitch
Socks: top-down
Socks: toe-up (I learned the technique at Guild, I’ve yet to complete one but want to)
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
Knitting with banana fiber yarn
Domino/modular knitting
Shadow/illusion knitting
Twisted stitch patterns
Knitting with bamboo yarn
Two end knitting
Charity knitting
Knitting with soy yarn
Cardigan
Toy/doll clothing
Knitting with circular needles
Baby items
Knitting with your own handspun yarn
Knitting with your own hand-dyed yarn
Slippers
Graffiti knitting
Continental knitting
Designing knitted garments
Cable/aran stitch patterns
Lace patterns
Publishing a knitting book
Scarf
Teaching a child to knit/crochet
American/English style knitting (throwing)
Continental style knitting
Knitting to make money
Buttonholes
Knitting with alpaca
Fair Isle knitting
Norwegian knitting
Dyeing with plant colors
Knitting items for a wedding
Household items (dishcloths, washcloths, tea cozies…)
Knitting socks (or other small tubular items) on one or two circulars
Knitting with someone else’s handspun yarn
Knitting with dpns
Holiday related knitting (I’ve done knitting for holidays, but nothing holiday-themed)
Teaching a male how to knit – my hubby and both of my sons!
Bobbles
Knitting for a living
Knitting with cotton
Knitting smocking
Dyeing yarn
Steeks
Knitting art
Knitting two socks on two circulars simultaneously
Felting/fulling
Knitting with wool
Textured knitting
Kitchener stitch
Purses/bags
Knitting with beads
Swatching
Long Tail CO (Think Men on Film: Haaaaated it)
Entrelac
Knitting and purling backwards
Machine knitting
Knitting with self patterning/self striping/variegated yarn
Stuffed toys
Baby items
Knitting with cashmere
Darning
Jewelry
Knitting with synthetic yarn
Writing a pattern
Gloves
Cuffs/fingerless mitts/armwarmers
Intarsia
Knitting with linen
Knitting for preemies
Tubular CO
Freeform knitting
Short rows
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
Met knitterati/famous knitters

Family, Teaching

Knitting Fingers!

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As you may recall from previous posts, my 4-year-old son desperately wants to learn how to knit. The I-cord “machine” didn’t cut it for me, and a spool or knitting noddy uses that little thingamajig to manipulate it, so I taught him to finger knit (or as he calls it “knitting fingers”). Here is a picture of his “knitting fingers” in progress as well as a picture of the end result (also known as a Cat Torturer….our cat has gone ba-zonkers chasing my son around and around as he runs with it!).

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Almost Means “NOT!”

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OK, so most of you know I’m an idiot! Those who don’t…now you know! Most of you have your coveted Ravelry invite…except Moi, who, as most of you know, couldn’t get it together enough to type my own stinking e-mail correctly (and yes, I have Mozilla, so what’s up with that? Did I keep typing over the pop up thing-y? Do I have so many e-mail accounts it had no idea which one I wanted it to fill in?). And, yes, I wrote them…I haven’t heard anything back yet (like they aren’t busy enough sending out thousands of invites per day without a goof-bucket like me pestering them for a screw-up I made!). And the anal in me had to go and check to see if they sent my invite (to the wrong addy), and here’s what I got:

Your invitation was sent on October 14, 2007. We just sent you a new copy of the email (from invitations@ravelry.com) in case it was lost or eaten by a spam filter.

ARRRGGGHHH!!! Couldn’t you just die????

When I do get my invite (I’m 4-something thousandth on the list now), just look me up under OneStupidMama!!!