Knitting In A Tree

Out with the old. In with the new

2010-10-01T15:25:00.003-08:00

Greetings everyone,

I would like to invite you to join me at a new location.

I've been hesitating to make this announcement until all of the glitches have been ironed out on the new sight...but, unfortunately this is going to take longer than I realized. Life is a process and so is blogging it seems. It's going to take me a while until I feel entirely comfortable in my new environment but knowing you're there and reading will help. So, please come on over to knitting in a tree.

"See" you there!

Socked In

2010-09-16T14:45:00.010-08:00

Although the sun is trying to creep in just now, we've been socked in for a couple days. No, I don't mean the cozy knitted kind of socks, but the kind of socked in that keeps you from seeing far into the future. It can be concerning on a bike and probably in a car, but I don't drive a car these days so I wouldn't know... In general the weather has been making me step back and reflect a bit.

I've been thinking a lot about this blog and what I'm doing. Eventually I'm going to be merging it into wordpress, so hang tight while I figure out all the glitches. But, technology aside, I've also been thinking about the purpose of this blog. Today, I thought I would share a little bit more behind the scenes of knitting in a tree.

I don't believe I've mentioned that I'm currently working on getting my masters in public health and there is a reason why I haven't. Yes, it's mainly for privacy purposes but it's also because I need to keep these two threads--The MPH student and the aspiring Master knitter--separate for a while. Of course, I'm always juggling both in my mind and knitting helps me process what I'm learning as an MPH student but on here I need to focus on the part of life that is keeping me whole for now and that seems to be knitting and carving out a life with S where we both are at home and find joy.

When I finally decided to study public health I broke down in tears. Why? For several reasons, first I'm kind of a sap, second, I knew it's what I had to do and third, because I knew that it would force me to engage with parts of myself and parts of humanity that I've been avoiding for a long time. So, what does this all mean? Ultimately, I'm so glad and grateful to be studying public health. I love learning and being part of a field that is progressively expanding ideas of health. But, when it comes down to it, everyday in my studies I'm learning that our hope for a better future coincides with stories that are too depressing to share on here. It's not that they can't be shared, it's just that often times I'm not sure where to put them or what words to give them, so instead I pick up my needles and start knitting.

This week S and I went to hear Terry Tempest Williams speak. She once had a large presence in my life when I was in college. It was good to have the opportunity to hear her speak in person, and also interesting to recognize what has changed in me since college. Her words didn't leave as strong of a hold as they did at 20. However, she still shared some nuggets of inspiration.

"Beauty is not optional. It is a strategy for survival. When we can work together as a whole community to make something beautiful...this is how healing can occur."

For now, what I'm doing feels right, even though it might not be a full reflection of who I am and what we're going through. For now, this is all I can give. Like Rumi says, "let the beauty you love be what you do." Create and share your beauty with your community in the hope that healing can occur.

Have you supported your LYS, lately?

2010-09-14T15:27:00.012-08:00

Okay, Charlottesville isn't really local for me. But, I just was going through some old photos and found a few from my lovely visit to The Needle Lady. What a dear place.

If you remember I spent some time visiting these two yahoos in Charlottesville last month. It was a fun time and so hot I didn't know what to do with myself.

Anyway, S and I have also been spending a bit of time at the Quilt Tree, our LYS. (S is working on a birthday gift for me! Sigh.) Our time at the Quilt Tree reminded me that back in the Spring I went on a little rant about my love hate relationships with knitting stores. Well, I'm happy to announce that I approve of the Quilt Tree. Sure, there is room for improvement and it isn't the needle lady, but this weekend I gave it the thumbs up! And, to seal the deal, I spent one dollar and got the punch card.

A day in the life, mostly in pictures.

2010-09-09T15:28:00.017-08:00

S's bedhead. Love him.

WIP: Tilting Tardis Cowl by Marilyn Phillippi. Soon to be a cowl for my friend Charmaine.

My Minnesota understanding of the "safe six" has expanded. Introducing the Hedgehog!

Sauteed in olive oil and garlic. Added to a tomato sauce. Delicious over pasta.

Amateur photo shoot with an Alaska Grown pea pod.

Fresh from the farmers market.

We had great plans to cook them in something wonderful for dinner, instead they all were consumed during a study break. So, so good.

Tell me, why do they say "...like two peas in a pod"?

Out with the old, in with the new: a six items update

2010-09-07T11:46:00.018-08:00

Last month, I enthusiastically said that I was going to keep this six items or less thing going... I am and I will and I want to, but I'm not as enthusiastic about it as I thought I was. And, while at one point I said I was going to do this for a year, I think I need to step back and take it month by month.

First, a quick recap on my August items, then a reveal of what I'm wearing in September.

Here goes... One of my August six started coming loose along the seams and I had to do a quick fix. It's not easy when the one item I found myself wearing the most was out of commission for a few days. It also made me think about the production and lifetime of a garment. This was a soft and comfortable item but it was cheap. Perhaps there is more to the overall construction of clothing then just the cut and fit? I'll need to keep this mind when I start buying clothes again. On the positive, this experiment was so efficient for traveling and in my everyday life. I found that I really do have more time in my day and when it comes to outfits I think more about accessories which I haven't spent much time doing. I am enjoying that part of the adventure. One thing I should mention. I'm really lucky right now because my lifestyle is such that I don't have to be at a eight to five job everyday. So, I don't have to worry about people wondering if I ever wash my clothes, etc. I wonder how this experiment would play out if my current lifestyle had obligations that required me to be out and about in the professional world.

It's time to share what I'm wearing. For many reasons September is my favorite month. So let's hope I did not disappoint her. My first two items may look familiar.
1.

2.

We are having a gray day in Anchorage. I don't know much about adjusting the light for photos. But, I've recently been playing around with it and gave it a try on my last four items much to my amusement.

3.

And a little closer.

4.

And, again.

5.

One more time.

6.

A little bit further

And, a little bit farther, now.

And, that's a wrap.

The Quite Contrary Cowl

2010-09-02T11:47:00.012-08:00

If I can keep my wits about me, I'm going to try a once a month post about knitting I've done for friends. We'll see if I can keep up. But, for now and without further ado, let me introduce The Quite Contrary Cowl made for my mensch of a pal Mary.

Mary, drew up the design that she wanted and I knitted it into reality while I was visiting her last month. I'm planning to share the pattern at some point this month. In the meantime, take a look below and let me know what think.

The pictures of course don't do it justice because the best part about this cowl is how soft it is. Of course that's because it's made with one skein of Malabrigo Twist (100% Pure Baby Merino Wool) color swatch 411 Green Gray. And, one skein of Symphony, Custom Dyed Yarns by Prism (80% Merino, 10% Cashmere, 10% Nylon) color swatch 742 Mojave. What a dream to work with, I didn't want it to end.

As you can see, it's quite versatile just like my friend Mary.

DIY week recap

2010-08-31T14:57:00.030-08:00

Whoops! I feel like I didn't provide a nicely fitted bookend or commencement to DIY week. Immediately the following day my fall semester began; now I'm up to my elbows in books that have horrible titles like The Program Evaluation Standards: a Guide for Evaluators and Evaluation Users, Utilization-focused Evaluation, and Process Evaluation for Public Health Interventions and Research. Aah!

Well, speaking of interventions and evaluations, I thought I would stop in here for a bit of sanity and a little evaluation of sorts.

How did your craft week end up?

I have two finished objects to share from DIY week.

First, I was really feeling a bit cheap because I never lined my blue suede skirt. (If you're wondering--what blue suede skirt. Please see here).

Materials used: An old, cotton, button down, cast off from S's closest. It feels nice and soft on the toosh. I hope it will end up being a good long-term choice.

Second, I picked up a sweater at a thrift store in Northern MN last summer thinking I could frog it for the yarn. Turns out it was produced row by row with separate strands of yarn--not really worth the time. Unfortunately I didn't take a before picture. The basic structure of the sweater looked something like this number.

Except, of course, it is orange, has long sleeves, and lace edging. The lower front of the sweater had a pattern that looked something like this.

Overall, the sweater was too long for me, the bust line was, um, too high and I wasn't interested in the lace pattern covering my stomach and then some. Anyway, it was on it's way out the door until DIY week inspired me to take another look. I thought about it for a while and realized. Aha! I can unravel the front bottom half of this sweater, take off several inches in the back and convert it into a cardigan. And, wallah!

The lace edging on the lower half of the sweater was originally attached along the hemline. As a final touch I sewed this edging on to keep with the pattern structure on top. If you notice there is a different texture on the bottom portion of the sweater because the yarn is recycled and I broke a knitting rule. Yikes, I tied the yarn strands together in knots. Yep, I know, send me to the dog house now. Frankly, I like the subtle differences in texture.

With leftover yarn to spare, I made an I-cord and branded my sweater with a wooden button from Charlottesville. It's nice to have the option to wear it open or closed.

The basic construction of the sweater was already done. With my simple conversion this turned into a perfect project for DIY week. The question remains, is it worthy of posting on ravelry since I didn't make all of it? What do you think?

ps Please note: I'm still wearing my six items underneath. Today is the last day. I'm excited to wear different clothes tomorrow.

Buttons

2010-08-24T16:40:00.011-08:00

I don't think I mentioned that I recently spent some time in Charlottesville, Virginia visiting QuiteContrary. It was a fun week and I have a few things to share. But, I think my sharing will have to be in bits and pieces.

Charlottesville is loaded with quaint little shops. So, we did some browsing and some purchasing. I don't have much of a button collection, but I'm thinking of starting one. And, I came home with a good start of a collection. Here's what I found at a little vintage store.

While we're talking buttons. I thought I might also share some buttons that I crocheted over. I finished my mustard cardi a while ago. Someday soon I'll have the big reveal. We just need to do a little photo shoot. It's the first sweater pattern I've ever designed! Anyway, I thought that it would be nice to have the buttons in the same color as the yarn.

It goes with the style of the sweater I tell you, just you wait and see...

In the News...

2010-08-23T14:49:00.004-08:00

I thought I should share that on Friday I submitted this photo to the aksuperstation to be shown on the ten o'clock news. Aksuperstation is one of our local news sources broadcasting on ABC. Everyday Steve the weatherman posts one photo that someone has submitted and on Friday they chose mine!

This was kind of exciting for me because a) I've never done anything like that before and b) after I took these ladies photos I was feeling bad that I hadn't asked for their contact info to send them a copy of the photo. So, here's hoping one of them or someone who knows them saw their photo on the ten o'clock news. I should also note that S is the one who encouraged me to submit the photo, I never would have thought to do so if not for him.

Research and Reading

2010-08-22T09:51:00.007-08:00

Yesterday was a bit of research and supply gathering day. On quilting day I realized that I didn't have the right background fabric for my quilt. So, S and I spent most of yesterday wandering around the Anchorage trail system and making our way to the quilt store. When we got there, much to our surprise a fantastic sale was going on and the store was loaded with folks gathering fabric. While I picked out a basic bone colored fabric, (I use the descriptive word bone because that was really the name of the fabric) S picked out some yarn for a project.

S says he is going to make me something! This makes me very happy. The rest of my afternoon was spent in the knitting & crocheting section of Barnes and Noble.

Today, I'm going to switch gears a bit. It feels like a reading day to me. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo is calling to me and I can't ignore her anymore.

Earrings...

2010-08-20T17:49:00.011-08:00

My sister came to visit us the first week of August. It was such a treat to have her here with us. One of our many activities while she was here included making earrings. Neither of us had really made earrings before and, while they aren't perfect, I'm happy with how mine turned out.

My sister made some great earrings too. I wish I had taken pictures of hers to share. Today, I decided to try making another pair of earrings. Here is how they turned out.

I rather like these stones because they were one of the few items that my Dad gave to me. He was a collector of many things and a frequenter of antique and thrift stores. Sometimes he would come home with jewelry for my mom, sister or myself. These agates are from a necklace he gave me when I was probably in seventh grade. I never really wore the necklace but I've always loved the stones. I'm glad that I finally figured out a way to wear them.

Tonight in the kitchen, S has dough going for homemade pizza. Our standard Friday night meal. And, there's a growler cooling off in the fridge. It's going to be a lovely evening. Happy Friday night everyone.

Interrupting Craft Week

2010-08-20T15:03:00.008-08:00

to say it is GORGEOUS out! Bring your craft outside!

I asked these ladies if I could take their picture. They were having too much fun. I hope where ever you may be you're having as much fun too.

Day Two: Quilting Time

2010-08-19T13:56:00.012-08:00

One of my first memories from childhood involves me playing under or around my mom’s sewing machine while she was frantically peddling her singer with various commissioned work. While my brother and sister headed off to school, I was the youngest child stuck at home trying to find ways to entertain myself in my mom’s sewing closet. It seems both fitting and frightening to me that my life is still filled with textiles, fibers and dreams of creating something with these materials.

My mom received her college degree in Home Economics, which I believe is now called Textile Arts. And, for as long as I’ve been around she’s used her degree to bring in a supplemental income. For a while she made aprons with stencil work and sold them at a local, dare I say, boutique shop (Country Roads), when Cabbage Patch kids were all the rage my mom made the dolls and the clothes and sold them at craft fairs, then for a while she worked for an interior designer. Out of all her aspirations and hard laboring jobs my personal favorite was the years that she restored antique quilts for a quilt dealer. This dealer would come rolling up our driveway, open up his car trunk and carry loads of black garbage bags into our home. It was kind of scary actually to be in a room full of garbage bags, until he started opening up them up and showing off the pre civil war quilts, crazy quilts, postage stamp quilts and the cigar box quilts. The patterns, the fabric and the intricate stitches were loaded with stories and a history of women working together to make something beautiful.

So, on day number two I’m pulling out fabric I’ve been hanging onto for sometime to make myself a quilt. One of my roommates in college made a baby blanket with the cathedral window quilt pattern, and ever since I’ve wanted to make one too. Today I found a great tutorial here. I imagine I’ll be working on this quilt for sometime but it’s just exciting to get it out and start working on it.

A little note on the fabric I’m using: When S and I got married I decided to buy fat quarters from Joanne fabrics to use as napkins at our reception. I knew that one day I would want to put together a quilt with fabric from our day.

Also I have a lot of old embroidered tea towels and worn out pillowcases with embroidered edging that I would like to incorporate into this quilt too.

Happy crafting…

Clarifications of Craft Week

2010-08-19T10:07:00.005-08:00

It has come to my attention that perhaps this week should be called DIY (Do It Yourself) week rather than craft week. As some have mentioned the word craft can at times bring up associations of paint by number. That's not really what I had in mind, but if that's what you're into go for it. On the other hand this also reminds me of the old discussion from an aesthetics class on the topic of craft vs art. I'll have to ponder these ideas and definitions today while I proceed into craft/DIY/art day number two.

In the Kitchen--Granola

2010-08-18T22:25:00.005-08:00

(Again, please forgive the bad lighting.) My friends Abby and Philip always make their granola in bulk. (At least whenever they've made granola and I've been around it's always been stored in a big bulk container.) It seems obvious to me if you are going to make granola to double or triple your recipe. I just never have. But, tonight I decided to do it up and I threw in all the oats I had--15 cups worth.

I always use my Mom's granola recipe as a rough guide when making granola:

Combine and heat this mixture:
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup molasses ( or molasses and maple syrup, or just maple syrup)
1/3 cup honey
after you have done that-
Add 2 Tblsps. oil (Grapeseed) and pour over:

4 cups thick oatmeal
1/4 or more cups shredded coconut
1/2 c. nuts, any kind
1/4 c sunflower seeds
1/4 c. pumpkin seeds
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt.
Stir all together and spread on a big jelly roll (cookie sheet)
Bake at 325 degrees, 35 minutes, stir every 10 min. or so.
When done you can add dried fruit.

I've got round three in the oven now. Tonight I used walnuts and sunflower seeds and used up all of the shredded coconut that I had ~2 1/2 cups. Tonight I cooked part of the granola in a roasting pan which also worked out well. Now we'll be set with breakfast for a while.

What I'm wearing--in six items or less.

2010-08-18T15:13:00.013-08:00

When the NY times Thursday styles did a feature on the six items or less project, I decided to join in for the month of August. What is it? Basically you vow to wear only six items out of your wardrobe for the whole month. This of course excludes uniforms, sleeping wear, active gear and outerwear. Why are people doing it? From what I gather the reasons vary. Quite Contrary is also doing it with me and her top reason for doing so was because, “it will force me to be thoughtful about how blessed I am to have more than 6 pieces of clothing.” I would have to say that my reason for doing so was also along those same lines.

This experiment has also made me focus on altering clothes to fit my body shape. Since I’m making the point to only wear six items I wanted to make sure they fit properly and were comfortable in both professional and relaxed environments. I think I may have missed the mark on a few of my alterations but I’ve been learning through this process that it's all just part of the experiment.

So what did I chose and what did I alter? Well, here goes… (Please excuse the poorly lit photos.)

Blue cotton sleeveless button down—thrifted. First, this shirt was too big for me so I took in the shoulder seams and hemmed the bottom. Second, the armholes were lined with a ruffle edging which I cut off and sewed the ruffles onto the buttonhole edge.

Gray knit long sleeve wrap—Ross. No alterations. But, I will say that yep, I’m a Ross junkie when I’m in the lower 48. I’m not always sure what to think about it, though I do feel good about buying items that would likely be thrown out however maybe they shouldn’t have been produced in mass to begin with…

Purple dear t-shirt—thrifted. No alterations. This felt more like active wear at times.

Gray short sleeve sparkley sweater—garage sale. Took in at the shoulders and created a little gathering at the sleeves.

Black halter-top dress—Patagonia. Talk about a well-made dress--definitely worth the money! I did hem it several inches.

Levi capri jeans—Costco. Ha! I took the capri out of the jeans but they were still a little too high on my ankles. I look a little silly in them but no ones stopping me from wearing ‘em.

I’m now three weeks in and surprisingly I’m not sick of my clothes just yet. So, how does this relate to craft weak? Well, today I found myself picking out and altering six items for September. And, drum roll, I’ve decided to try the six items experiment for the rest of the year! I’ll plan to share my September six on September six.

Declaration of Craft Week, August 18-26

2010-08-18T09:33:00.007-08:00

Hi Everyone!

It looks like I'm ready to knit in a tree again. What a horribly long absence from sincere blogging! Well, I'm back and ready to get back in the swing... And, to start off I'm declaring it craft week starting today and going until Thursday August 26. Won't you come and join me?

If you get a chance in the next week, take some time to pull out your favorite medium and start creating. It doesn't have to be knitting related, I'm likely going to steer away from knitting myself as I hope to focus on a few other projects that I've been neglecting.

And, if you feel inspired to share what you're doing, please don't hesitate to send me an email with pictures, comment below, or update your own blog. And, I'll try to keep you updated on my progress on here too.

If I'm lucky I may even inspire S to join me in this pursuit. I look forward to hearing what is keeping you busy.

knitting gods strike again

2010-07-13T12:43:00.018-08:00

I've been rather quiet lately. But, then again something about summer time makes me put my words in other places than online mostly into these herbs I've been nursing along.

A few weeks ago an old friend from college shared a story with me about how the knitting gods left a few skeins of yarn at her doorstep. I'm glad to know that my stories are inspiring friends to share their own knitting adventures with me. C and I don't get to talk much anymore so it was a treat to hear from her and also to know that the knitting gods are treating her well.

We've had some fun times together..

Strangely enough, I also got a bit of good knitting fortune on that same week. Quite Contrary, an even older friend, sent me a little box crammed with four very soft skeins all in blue shades and a collection of earrings. Quite Contrary got to spend some time at some of my favorite thrift stores this summer. I'm so glad she thought of me.

That time of year...

2010-06-24T17:34:00.024-08:00

Just so you all know, I did my best to take part in the world wide knit in public day/week. And, I even talked my one and only knitting friend in Anchorage (other than S of course) into joining the cause.

B is a new friend and I've been enjoying the times when we get together for knitting and exchanging stories. One cool fact about B, she got to live on a muskox farm when she was seventeen, or was it sixteen?! Anyway, she is great knitter of hats and scarves, and I love the fiber she is knitting with here.

On Saturday S and I ventured out to see how Anchorage celebrates solstice. Half-way down the block I had to run back to our apartment and grab my knitting; I'm so glad I remembered. We stopped into a nearly empty cafe for a salad and I took some time to sneak in a few stitches publicly.

One day I do hope that I can share and wear this cardigan as a finished product. It's a design in my head that is not transposing well into my stitches. I have finished the body of the sweater, now I just need to fit the sleeves into the equation. And, I intend to make them short.

Well, I must say, Anchorage did live it up for summer solstice with roller girls and fire dancers among many other festivities. And, I even have a few pictures to prove it.

Also, I've been playing around with creating a series of films for a class I'm taking (on a more serious topic). So, I'm trying to refine (i.e. learn how) my editing skills by taking some random clips. The ones below need some work...but, I couldn't resist trying to capture a little dancing on the longest day of the year.

Mildred Goes Surfing

2010-06-10T21:34:00.012-08:00

We've found a little patch of beach to call our own for the next few months. Now if only we had a furry friend named Mildred who could accompany us for a surf. (See below). Okay, so we won't be surfing in these waters, but a we can still dream about the possibility.

1+1 =1, Hrmph!

2010-05-28T16:33:00.031-08:00

I lost my weekly knitting blog gusto last week and it nearly passed me by this week too! In the absence of blogging, I've discovered that it is going to be a busy summer filled with volunteer work and a heavy course load. Additionally, Anchorage has decided to have amazing weather and, as those who live in coastal regions know...the sunshine generally dictates when the fun outside time will be. Today the clouds rolled in and I decided it was time to stop by the blogosphere and share a project that has been driving me crazy since last December.

First, let me say that the majority of this creation was made with loving care by my sister. These two blankets were given to us as wedding gifts. One of my sisters many talents happens to be creating amazing and inspiring knitted goods. I just love the happy collection of colors she chose for us.

The pattern for this Bonnie blanket is from the RYC Classic Weekend Collection. It is a design by Martin Storey and was inspired by a weekend spent in a cottage by the sea.

The second blanket (my sisters design) was originally intended to be the backing for the Bonnie blanket, but alas my sister ran out of yarn. (Nashua Handknits Creative Focus Worsted to be exact.) As a young married couple living in Fairbanks, Alaska, two separate blankets were perfect for lounging around... However, the longer we have been together we find that Bonnie is definitely the favored blanket. As a way to protect the back of Bonnie, I decided it was time to seal the deal and join the blankets together. Guess who just happened to have a couple of Nashua Handknits Creative Focus Worsted skeins of red and earth heather in her stash???

Let me just say, this was a lot harder than I expected it to be. Figuring out how long and wide to make the border, invisibly attaching the front to the back, along with tedious blocking turned this seemingly painless project into a perplexing and down right difficult few months. Hrmph! Was it worth all the labor?

Yes, yes, yes it was worth it, just like joining forces with S was worth it, so worth it. Now, let's hope they both last a good long while.

Wicked Sweater, Dude!

2010-05-13T21:09:00.040-08:00

Coming to you live from Anchorage Alaska.

Well, shucks! I was hoping by today I could reveal a finished product that I'm determined to cast off before my classes start next week, alas. I've been having too much fun doing other things. Next week I will have something to share, guaranteed. So, this post will be about more of the same ravelings that are taking place in our spring filled lives.

The little otter that kept showing up this week. Otters have always reminded me of my Grandpa Root. I like when certain animals remind me of people. Then when I spot that animal it is like a part of that person has stopped by to say hello.

An upside down heart.

I'm happy to announce that the knitting gods have been at it again. On Tuesday I jaunted down to our mailbox only to find my first issue of Cast On. Yay! As a member of the knitting guild this means I will receive a year subscription of Cast On. I've been waiting to get this issue for a couple months and have been acting like Ralphy from the Christmas story when he was waiting to get his Little Orphan Annie decoder pin. However, Cast On is far from the disappointment of the Little Orphan Annie decoder! All of the patterns provide designer notes and technical tips. I think I will enjoy my subscription. This isn't the end of my story. You see, when I arrived at our box once again there was a pile of knitting magazines for the taking. I still haven't found out who is donating knitting magazines. Any ideas on how I might woo them into being my knitting friend? I was thinking of leaving a thank you note by our mailboxes. Are cookies too much?

In other news, S made his first outing wearing Gray Cascade 220 Take Two over the weekend. While we were walking along the coastal trail, a couple of yahoos stopped us and asked us to share our voices for clean energy. So, I let them videotape me. I've always been a bit camera shy not to mention people shy so I doubt that they'll use what I said. Anyway, while we were talking, one of the gents looked at Steve and said, "Wicked Sweater, Dude!" A hipster and a stranger complimented the sweater I made for S!

S in the clouds.

S at the market.

I also did a little shopping this week. My first stop was the Quilted Tree a well stocked fabric store with an okay yarn selection. This was my first visit. And now I'm wavering on whether I should divulge a secret that may determine my future readership. Ehem, well, in all honesty I have a love hate relationship with yarn stores, gasp! I'm not sure that I can articulate why that is because every knitter must love yarn stores, right? It is just that at times something makes me terribly uncomfortable in yarn and fabric stores and I can't put my finger on why exactly. The jury is still out on Quilted Tree. But, the sales clerk who helped me was really delightful and deeply understanding of knitters being tactile creatures. She filled our hands with alpaca as soon as we entered the knitting section. I left The Quilt Tree with a wonderful wool and silk blend. The sale clerk said it best: "This yarn is not displayed well but it knits up so fine."

Twisted Knitter has an elegant lace scarf pattern that will suit this yarn. Hopefully, I'll be casting on soon...

My shopping adventure was not done yet... We made our way over to Barnes and Noble. Another first since moving to Anchorage. Barnes and Noble is the place where I go when I'm homesick. On this day I wasn't homesick, but since I generally go when I am I had to do a mental check. "Am I home sick? No, you're fine. Carry on." Big chain stores are like the equivalent of a Latin Mass. You can go anywhere in the world and rest assured that the words will be the same and the church calendar is still intact. When I make my way through the doors of Barnes and Noble, I can instantly get my bearings and say, "Ah, this is something I know and expect." Anyway, I generally avoid big chain stores but Home Depot, Target and Barnes and Noble are the exception. I enter and I'm instantly in Duluth, Minnesota. Anyway, back to the knitting part of this excursion. Much to my surprise the B & N in Anchorage has a great knitting selection better than the local bookstore and Quilted Tree. Guess what I found hiding out on the sales rack? Classic Knits by Erika Knight. I'm not familiar with her work, but I like the classic style of her designs, and for six dollars-what a steal!

That's all for this week. Knit on.

The Art of a Wasted Day.

2010-05-06T18:19:00.044-08:00

My semester ended and it seems that the old battle between winter and spring has also come to a close. We've been having extraordinary weather, the ice along the lagoon is breaking up, the tulips and daffodils outside our building are blooming and I'm trying to take in as much of spring as I can before my summer session begins. Unfortunately I have developed this horrible anxiety over the last few years regarding time and trying to use every minute wisely. As a way to counter balance my bad habit, I scanned my bookshelf and pulled out this little gem.

The Art of a Wasted Day by Patricia Hampl

It's time for me to (re)learn the art of a wasted day. This book is a testament of artifice in that it was printed and bound by hand. Nomadic Press designed this limited edition with frankfurt text paper and handset metal types drafted by Frederic Goudy. And, I own number 529 of 725.

Kent Aldrich produced the marbaleized cover and three wood engravings inside...

My mom gave me this book and I've been carrying it around with me for years but have never actually sat down to read it. This week I finally did. Much of the contents are about friendship and I'm remembering that some of my closest friends are those that have shown me the art of deliciously frittering away time. I plan to pass this book onto one of them after I type out the following quote:

"One thing about the threadbare Socialist regime, grafted onto the old Czech bourgeois heritage: it supported a culture of time wasting, which is the essence of friendship. It felt old fashioned, deeply relaxing as little in contemporary life is. The country had been sustained by its relish for friendship, a life of little consolations--coffee and homemade berry coffee cakes baked in ancient woodstoves, served, crumbling, on chipped china. And the people you wasted time with were, by definition, people of your sort, not because of economic status or even profession. They had the same moral code, the same view of life, so akin it didn't need to be argued. It was as if during the Cold War, especially after 1968, they really did let themselves eat cake--and it helped."

As seen in the photos below, the mood for my brief holiday is about letting the events of the day unfold as they may...and hope that I can take part in the joy of a wasted day. So far it has involved time with S, walks along the coast, reading, listening to music from yesteryears, knitting and tonight baking lemon bars.

The beginnings of my master knitter squares.

This is what I call knitting smut.

A lace and cable cardigan design I'm trying to create.

Oh, Brother!

2010-04-29T17:13:00.000-08:00

There are several organizations that are knitting for our troops and I think it is important to recognize the previous and current knitting efforts for soldiers.

Last December, before my brother deployed to Afghanistan, we spent some time together as a family.

My brother and S inside Canvas Works a fine yarn and fabric store in Olympia, Washington.

One night while we were together, I brought up the delicate subject of knitting for the military to my brother.

Me: So, I heard a story on NPR that soldiers are in need of socks. Can I make some socks to send to you?

My brother: Simultaneously rolls eyes and groans.

For the record, this is my brother’s response to me on most subjects. But, since he made such a stink about knitted socks, it was clear that I would need to be creative with whatever I decided to make for him while he was away. Here is what I did with one skein of espresso (302) Baby Alpaca Grande (Plymouth Yarn).

When his team arrived in Afghanistan, some of them started growing beards (just for fun). My brother started sending monthly photos of his beard growth status. Let's just say the picture he sent on the first month made me worry that he might be getting beat up by his other team members. So, I started casting on stitches and I came up with the following beard pattern:

CO 2 st

Working in seed stitch, Increase one stitch at the beginning and end of each row for a couple inches or desired length.

Insert the mouth by BO 8 center stitches (or as wide as you want the mouth to be), knit seed st to end.

Next row: Knit seed st to BO stitches and cast on 8 st, knit seed st to end.

Knit a few more rows in seed st to cover the lip area and BO.

Once it was finished I picked up 3 st on the vertical end, close to the top of the beard, and made an i-cord ~10 inches long. Repeat on opposite side. The beard can then be tied easily on the back of the head and fits well over the ears.

Do you think he'll wear his beard? Hah, do you think this will prevent his team from beating him up? Unfortunately I hadn't sent his package out by the next beard update which revealed a full grown beard. Another month passed and he had so much hair he decided to shave. Now, his care package is still sitting in our entrance. (Beard included.)

There was just one more thing to add--fingerless mitts. Melanie Falick has a nice fingerless glove pattern in her book Weekend Knitting. Instead of working in the round, these gloves are knitted sideways. S and I have both knit a few pairs for ourselves. We love ours and they are a very quick knit.

Do you think he will wear his mitts? It gets cold at night and in the mountains. Let's hope they come in handy.

Most of my brother's package contains items with peanut butter. I can't speak for all of the troops but I do know that while my brother is deployed he craves peanut butter. If you're wondering what to send your loved ones who are deployed...try peanut butter. My brother is also a voracious reader so I included two Agatha Christie Poirot mysteries (keeping with the quirky facial hair theme). First stop tomorrow morning--post office.

Earthly Knitting

2010-04-22T20:02:00.000-08:00

Happy Earthy Day! Are you feelin’ earthy?

Here’s an earthy knitting tip. You know those left over strings that you snip off and toss once most of the yarn is weaved into your final knitting project? Well, start hanging onto them, they can be used for stuffing in…I don’t know…a knitted pillow or a knitted earth. Thanks to my sister for making me consider another use for yarn.

My semester is almost over, so I’ve been scrambling these past few days to finish up a few items on the never ending to do list. Don’t worry, I have been sneaking in a little knitting project for my brother which I’ll share next week. Until then, I need to keep this post short and stay on task.

Ultimately, I just wanted to say thank you to everyone for your outpouring of kindness this past week. It truly was amazing and wonderful to hear from you all. Last week my mom shared another Grandpa Root phrase with me--I’ve got one foot in the grave and the other foot on a banana peel! Hah!

Finally, I’ve been noticing this commercial on a few of the knitting blogs that I frequent. Natural gas, hm, what are your thoughts? Well, this little nugget of knitting genius should make anyone a believer.

Smile, you're on candid camera!

2010-04-15T23:04:00.000-08:00

Chester Eugene Root, Sr (September 14, 1921 - April 12, 2010)

It has been a long week and it began with some sad news about my Grandpa’s death. His death represents many things to me. One of them being that he had the same name as my Dad, and it seems strange to say that the only Chester’s I have known have passed away. They both were very different from each other and yet very influential people in my life. Now my Grandpa is going to be buried next to my Dad which makes me smile.

The two Chester Eugenes.

This blog is a knitting/DIY blog and I don’t want to divert from that agenda. However, I began this blog with the intention to share what is keeping us inspired. So, sticking to the over arching theme of inspiration, I’d like to send out a little tribute of my Grandpa whose outlook on life was inspiring to me.

--When my Grandpa moved from California to Northern Minnesota, he had these business cards made. This is by far the best business card I have ever seen!

So, who was my Grandpa? It is hard to say in words who exactly he was other than terribly quirky, kind and always ready for a good time. He had this way of making life seem so easy and wonderful. The way he was patient to find joy in small pleasures was infectious. It was hard to leave his presence without a smile on your face and a skip in your step. He wasn’t willing to give into the complexities that are part of being human rather he was determined and at times very stubborn about never giving up on the small bit of joy that he had uncovered. He was always trying to win the lottery and was forever searching for the pot full of gold at the end of the rainbow. But, I always thought he lived his life as though he had already won the prize.

Old Faithful Geyser, Yellowstone National Park.

It wasn’t until much later in my life that I would realize my Grandpa's joy in life had come at a great cost. Sometimes memories can get muddled up and become translated and perfected into how you want someone to have been. I want to be honest and say that my Grandpa’s character was not perfect and, at the same time, I want to recognize that I can only tell my part in this story. From what I know, there are certain events that took place early on in my Grandpa’s life that deeply shaped who he was. He grew up during the depression in Southern California and joined the Navy at the age of 21 in 1942. Before he was even 25, he had said good bye to many close friends, received a purple heart and had acquired a body full of shrapnel—wounds and shell fragments that he would carry with him for the rest of his life. By the time my Grandparents met and were married they both had endured a lot of pain and sorrow. As a result of these events, my Grandpa wasn’t always able to give to his four children the presence that they needed. However, this does not mean his love for them was any less. I know that his children brought him immeasurable joy.

This week I’ve been looking over a copy I have of a newspaper clipping entitled “Park Marine Returns to Duty Pierced with 300 Shell Fragments,” it is unbelievable to me that the man they were reporting on was my Grandpa. His courage and the lives that he saved because of this courage should not go without mention. He was a veteran of Tarawa, the bloodiest battle of World War II, and received a promotion for heroism. To quote the news article, “he performed outstanding work throughout his entire campaign.”

The stories that make up a human life are many, but by the time I was able to know my Grandpa the signature story of his heroism had been replaced by one of joyful resilience. He was fun and a friend to everyone. As a kid, he was the person who was always there at the end of my musical performances asking for my autograph, making me feel like I was a star. Thank you Grandpa for being so much fun and for sharing your joy with all of your grand kids and great grand kids.

Finally, there is one more thing I’d like to say, my Grandpa was a collector of many things and was very proud of his collections. I think it is imperative that I list and show just a few.

Stamps.
My Grandma is holding me, my Grandpa is holding a small bit of his stamp collection.

Rare Coins.
A lucky benny penny he gave to me when I was in 5th grade

Rocks.
A handful of his polished rock collection.

And, on a less physical note, my personal favorite, he collected catch phrases that he would repeat over and over. “Another Day Another Dollar.” “See you in the spring.” “Smile you’re on candid camera.” Well, Grandpa, smile…

(This must have been before he met my Grandma!)

Gray Cascade 220, take 2

2010-04-08T20:28:00.000-08:00

This weekend is my sweetheart’s birthday. And, this week I’ve been trying to wrestle with my needles to finish his gift before the big day. Finally, today I finished up and asked him to show off his sweater in the glorious sunshine.

Some of you may recognize the gray cascade yarn 220 from another sweater I made for S… Gasp, yes, this yarn was recycled from the sweater I made him for our wedding.

My unwanted knitting habits came into play when I made S his wedding sweater. A lot of guessing and not enough measuring turned this sweater into a gray swimming pool on S. It makes me smile that he still wore it on our day…

After a year into our marriage, we tried shrinking the sweater (bad idea). Two years in, after a long conversation about what the symbolism behind unraveling his wedding sweater could mean, I took the plunge. Six balls of unraveled gray cascade yarn 220 later, I decided I wanted to make S something that would both fit well and stand the test of time.

Last December we came across this picture of Big Alfred, a design by Britta Wilfert. S is very particular about his sweaters so we were happy to find one we both liked. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find the pattern for sale anywhere. So, I attempted to do something I’ve never done before but have always wanted to try—knit a sweater without a pattern.

The stitch pattern on Big Alfred was perfect for our now wobbly washed out wool. And, with the help of my friend Raderle and my sister, I was able to figure out how to create basket weave. (Thank you friends.)

The photo of Big Alfred and a basic raglan sweater pattern acted as my guide in this creation process. Once again, I found myself in a guessing game...arbitrarily casting on stitches then unraveling the ill-fated outcome. However, on this gray cascade 220 take 2, I took the time to stop and measure. Most importantly I learned to be patient with the process--after all, my desired outcome comes with a lot of strings attached.

Hm, I think (almost) 33 looks good on S and so does his (sort of) new sweater.

Sew what?

2010-04-01T17:31:00.001-08:00

Happy Fools Day.
Did you get fooled today?

Well, I'm going to fool you with a blog post that doesn't involve knitting. Yesterday I pulled out my singer and a blue suede coat. This coat came from my favorite thrift store in Northeastern Minnesota.

Blue over sized coat before it met my sewing machine.

Blue over sized coat afterwords...

Sewing is a mystery to me. I'm sure I broke some of the major rules in terms of pleating. After a number of trials and errors, I just attempted to alter the skirt to fit according to the lines already integrated into the original coat design.

Now I have a skirt to carry me into spring time. And, of all the things that it could be--it's blue suede. Overall, I am happy with the end result.

Surprises and Other Confections

2010-03-25T22:28:00.000-08:00

Knitting in a Tree has another confession to make. This past weekend we joined the powerful forces of The Knitting Guild Association. Boastfully, I contemplated posting a picture of my membership card and quickly realized that I didn’t want my member number to fall on stealing eyes. The reason for joining the guild is mostly because they offer a Master Knitter program. And, after much deliberation and great encouragement from S, I have decided to embark on the journey of becoming a Master Knitter. (More on that later…)

Finally, when I clicked on the “join” button and breathed a sigh of decided relief, I think the heavens must have opened and the knitting gods looked favorably down upon us, as the rest of our week has been full of knitting surprises and confections. For your reading pleasure, I have detailed some of the events that happened below.

Well, exactly twice this week S has found old piles of knitting magazines stacked beside our mailbox. Okay, the magazines didn’t just magically appear it was really someones pile of unwanted knitting magazines. However, I couldn’t help feeling as though they were congratulation gifts from our apartment building for finally joining the fold, I mean the guild. (I should clarify that most of the dwellers in our apartment building are elderly women who are turning out to be knitters, not to stereotype of course.)

And, the knitting karma continued this week when we opened our doors to host our out of town guests. You see, our guests live near my sister and when they arrived they brought gifts from her. So, I was presented with five skeins of Mariner Blue Brown Sheep Co. Cotton Fleece to be exact! Perfect fiber for the Spring season. What a wonderful surprise; I still have a grin on my face.

There are two more amusing and surprising knit related events that happened this week. First, I came across this post on craigslist.

What we wouldn’t give for a life that involved a muskox farm. It looks like the post has already been removed from craigslist. Assuming it was legit, there must be someone who also was lucky in the fiber realm this week.

Finally, last weekend we watched the film My Family and Other Animals. Overall, it was delightful, although I wished the character development and story line had been as rich as the filming of Greece’s flora and fauna. However, the film had a redeeming and surprising quality--knitting! Mrs Durell, played by Imelda Staunton, spent most of her screen time knitting and making pithy comments.

My mantra for much of this highly political week was stolen from her character—

“I do wish you wouldn't argue with me when I'm knitting."

Knitting In A Tree Meets Etsy

2010-03-18T21:41:00.000-08:00

Knitting in a Tree has a confession to make--we're on etsy. Come and check us out.

What's our story? Well, a couple months ago the snow piles were high and the knitting was easy. With the persuasion of a close friend, my partner, S, and I decided to make up some knitted goods and see how they would do on etsy. Lately, I've been worried that our scheme may have turned into regretsy. (a.k.a. where DIY meets WTF. Yikes!) As a way to reassure ourselves that we are making quality and likable items, I've started an advertising campaign and this is my first plug for our new etsy shop. Stop by our shop and check us out. I believe S will be listing his felted nesting bowls tomorrow morning, so keep us on the look out.

Mostly the purpose of this blog is to share what is on our needles and keeping us inspired. So, in case you forget to click the multiple links I have provided for you to our shop website, here is a design that I made up for a felted cozy, (it's for sale at our shop). The cozy fits a standard 12 or 16 oz 'to go' coffee cup and also fits well on pint glasses. The colors seem to follow an Easter palette.

Deep Purple

Light Pink

Lavender

hm...

2010-03-11T16:48:00.001-09:00

Well, this blog has been many things.
Today I want it to be a knitting blog.
So, I have transformed it into such.
Enjoy.