Knitting Sutra

What is this Rhinebeck you speak of?

Confession time!

What's Rhinebeck? I mean in knitting terms. Seriously. I get that it's a Sheep and Wool thang, but what makes this one so special? Aren't these events going on all across 'Merica this time of year?

To me, Rhinebeck (the city in New York, not the event) is the home of the Omega Yoga Institute, where one day I will go on retreat. Hopefully next Summer. Rhinebeck is also close to the Gunks, a most excellent climbing area in New Palz, though don't expect there to be good parking or camping anywhere near the rocks.

In my dream world, I'd live at Omega. I'd spend my days climbing in the Gunks, and spend my evenings taking yoga classes. I'm not sure how smelly sheep would factor into this dream, as much as I like to knit.

Seriously, though. I'd love for someone to post the story about why Rhinebeck has all the cachet over other festivals. And do you really have to show up in a new sweater made especially for the event?

Yarn Diet

While I'm confessing... I've put myself on a yarn diet. I don't even have a hugenormous stash, but I think the last time it got wet, it multiplied like gremlins. I had to procure a new yarn storage solution the other day, and I'm more than a bit frustrated that the madras reed box from World Market (love that store!) doesn't contain it all.

So, don't go flashing all your pornographic stash at me, mkay. Not interested. Doesn't do it for me anymore.

Secret Socks

I cast on a new pair of socks last night. These are a secret because I think they'll be most interesting to look at when they're done. Also, if they turn out tacky or wonky, no one will know but me.

I may be into ugly socks, but not tacky, wonky ones, mkay.

Down In It

It's all happening, happening. Boxes, dust and pet hair from old apartment, freak rain storms, box spring too big to go upstairs, more boxes, more pet hair, eating cereal out of real bowls.

You probably guessed that our furniture, books, nick-knacks, and stash arrived from Holland on Wednesday. Almost all of it is unpacked, though don't get any crazy notion that it's all put away properly. That'll take a bit more time.

In the thick of it all I finished the bath mat, but cloudy skies and empty boxes on the porch are keeping me from getting a nice photo. It looks pretty much like the other photo, only bigger. FO! Ta da! heh

The scarf is coming along. The thinking on stranded color socks is coming along. Holiday knits on the mind. Itching to finish old works in progress. Can't decide what to do next. Need stash storage ideas. Help me, Target, you're my only hope.

Like these guys are helping any...

This and That

Knitting Around Town

We've been back in the States for a month, and I'm happy to report that we've settled back into our old life pretty easily. B's working gobs, and so am I, actually. I knit during TV time, or those times when I'm waiting in line or for my number to be called.

I made a bunch of progress on My So-Called Scarf last week while hanging out at the DMV and Social Security office. I was running around changing my last name. I've been married a year but I kept needing my passport, so I couldn't change it until now. Friday seemed like a good enough day to sit around, and sit I did.

Surprisingly, knitting was a popular activity in government waiting rooms. At the DMV, I sat next to a woman who admitted to working on one single afghan for more than 20 years. She started it when she was pregnant with her first son, and she still brings it out every now and then to knit a few stitches. She also admitted that it's an ugly brown and she'd never use it if she finished it. Yet, she plans to keep it and knit on it whenever the mood strikes. I love that story.

A woman next to me at the Social Security office was working on a fingerless mitt, knitting at lightening speed on four dpns. We eyed each other's projects, but it was actually her husband who asked me what I was working on. He also noted the Belatrix socks I was wearing, recognizing them as handknit. I'm not sure how to take that. Of course, I felt the need to apologize for their ugliness, to which he responded with a listing of his wife's crazy socks.

Anyhoo... here's a shot of my so-far scarf:

I started this on the airplane a month ago, though "start" is not quite what I mean to say. I knit a few inches over and over on different needles, realizing that the size I wanted was in my check bag.

I'm totally digging how the colorway, Krauterbeet, is zig-zagging up the scarf. And do I need to sing the praises of Wollmeise yarn? What can I say that hasn't already been said? If you haven't taken the Wollmeise plunge, Claudia's new online shop is now open, making it all that much easier to indulge.*

Chomped

The bath mat is just about finished, and would already be finished but for one minor set back - Nigel got a hold of my needle.

Most of the time he looks innocent enough, but don't let those floppy ears and doe eyes fool you. He's a little terror. Perhaps it's for the better anyway. I stopped by Knit Happens to replace my circular, and they only had metal needles in the size I needed. The metal combined with the pointier tips are making for a much nicer knit. It's a lot easier on the hands, and it's going even faster now. I should be able to finish it today. Woohoo!

Knitting my own bath mat is making me feel all super DIY lately. I'm having urges to make soap and start a compost pile in the backyard. I'm getting more in touch with how precious things, any things, are. We take for granted that someone else is putting her sweat and tears into our throw-away lifestyle. I have the yarn to make some wash cloths, and finally my copy of Mason-Dixon Knitting is en route from Texas. I look forward to decorating my new home with my own sweat and, hopefully, not too many more tears. Eh-hem, Nigel.

* When I went back to my post to add links, I noticed that her shop is currently closed for repairs. I'm sure it will be back up soon.

Musings on a Heat Wave: Super Absorbent Edition

If you live along the East Coast of the US, you can blame me for the heat wave. I'll take it. We barely had a Summer at all in Holland, so I was openly hoping for some warm weather when we returned to the States.

Boy did I get it. It's 90F and sunny! Hooray for July in October! I know most of you have probably been gearing up for Fall knitting, but at least one person out here is enjoying this second lease on Summer.

I won't apologize for the sunshine. It hasn't rained once in the nearly three weeks since we've been back. It's humid and sticky, and honestly I love it. The moisture is good for the skin, and sweating releases toxins. I look and feel years younger. Woohoo!

Knitting in the Thick of It

Throughout this year's regularly scheduled Summer, I read post after post about the stinking heat in North America. There were even a few spots in Europe that felt the full brunt of the Sun's rays. As I said just before, this was not the situation in Holland. I was merrily knitting (and wearing) wool sweaters and socks in July. As I read all these posts, I couldn't get my brain around all the fuss about it being too hot to knit.

Now I know. The So-Called Awesome Wollmeise Scarf that I started on the plane has been shelved for breezier days when the wool won't stick to my fingers. Thankfully my Peaches & Creme arrived from Elmore-Pisgah last week so I could get cracking on my 100% cotton bath mat.

I ordered three 1-pound cones of the double worsted weight in the mint chocolate colorway. The pattern calls for you to knit three strands together, creating the thickest mush of cotton you'll ever step upon. It's all luxury, and is so far a quick knit. Garter stitch! Yeah!

Experienced cotton knitters would not be surprised to learn that this knit is a bit tough on the hands. I'm hoping that it will condition my gnarly talons for climbing. As soon as the heat breaks, we'll hit the rocks.

Ugly Betty's Socks

I'm sure that even if you haven't been watching "Ugly Betty," you at least know the premise of the show. My Bellatrix socks are a bit like Ugly Betty herself. They smack of "what were you thinking?" Yet... I like them. They're warm, squishy, and oh-so-soft. Once you look past their garishness, they're definitely cool to hang out with.

My FO photo did a good job of showing off the splotchiness, but today I set my mind to getting some decent close-ups of just how ugly the colorway is.

Behold, the better-lighted look at my fugly Bellatrix socks. You'll see that they're not red and black, but red and everything else.

FO: Cat Got Your Socks

... or Cat Scratch Fever

Pattern: Bellatrix from Socktopia
Yarn: Colinette Jitterbug, Tapis colorway
Needles: 2.5mm Addi circular; magic loop
Mods: I knit the socks toe-up (of course), and ended up reducing the number of stitches from 60 to 48. I have only four stockinette stitches between the yarn over pattern bits.

Well, what can I say? There they are. I like to think of them as "so ugly they're cool" but I haven't decided if I'm kidding myself. I can say for sure that I think the colorway and pattern work well together in that the combination produced the crazy mess that I was expecting.

If it was 1989 I might feel more enthusiastic about these socks. These would have matched perfectly with my black tights and Doc Martin 8-hole boots. These days I'm not so dark and frowny, so who knows what I'll wear them with.

I'd like to note that the socks actually are the same length. I just bound my cuff off a bit too tightly. One of my calves is beefier (haha!) than the other, so the "longer" one is just on my wimpier leg.

Pattern Notes

The pattern was ridiculously easy and a cinch to tweak to fit my miniscule feet. The stitch pattern is produced by creating and then dropping yarn overs. The only tip I can provide is to pull the yarn-over bits all the way through when you go to knit the next stitch. This will save you the hassle of having to "fluff" up the stitches later.

The pattern also more-or-less kept the colorway from pooling, and the bruisy bits that appeared on the one sock still kind of work.

Speaking of bruisy bits... yes I am one of those girls that always has scrapes and scratches on her knees. This week, though, it happens that my shins are mangled. So those pink bits on my legs aren't there for effect. At least not intentionally. I did try to find a gnarly spot to take the photo though. Grrrrr! Don't mess with my socks in their bad neighborhood, yo!

The Yarn

In spite of my strong dislike for the colorway, the Colinette Jitterbug is nice to knit. It's a bit thicker than other sock yarn and very squishy. It is rumored to "bloom" when washed, so I actually made and washed a swatch before I settled on my needle-size. But once I got started, I still knit the pair to my foot size (I was running out of stitches to reduce) so it's possible that they'll be too big in the end.

Knit Happened

I cast these on in Holland so I could knit them on the flight back to D.C.. I actually managed to turn the heels on the plane, but then "all things knitting" ground to a halt once we arrived. I lied to you the other day. I didn't end up finishing them during "Heroes." I was too lazy to go upstairs and get my needle for the sewn bind-off. D'oh!

Instead, Tuesday I tossed them in my sock bag and trotted over to Knit Happens where I hung out with the lovely Wry Punster and KnitGirl. I even skipped a yoga class (one I was going to take, not teach!) to finish the job. Punster and Girl were so gracious to shower much praise and imaginary confetti on my fugly FOs.

It took everything I had to sit myself down and bind off, what with all the eye-popping yarn everywhere. I pet some fine, fine fiber and ogled many an oft-dreamed of sock yarn. The highlight was finally getting to see the Fleece Artist yarn in person. It's better than I ever imagined.

However, I have to admit that I'm a bit over-saturated with sock yarn at the moment. I have gobs of it in a wide array of colors already. As much as I enjoyed oohing and aaahing over their room-o-sock-yarn, there wasn't anything there that was significantly different enough to justify buying.

I'm not one to buy a sweater's worth of yarn when I don't have a pattern in mind, so lately I've been on a scarf and hat kick. A couple skeins of worsted/DK/chunky goodness go pretty far towards satiating my yarn-hoarding demons without busting the wallet. In a way, these little low-commitment projects are more satisfying that knitting socks. There's no issue with fit, and you can justify buying things like Alchemy Yarns Silken Straw.

It looks and feels a bit like raffia, but the super saturated colors jump off the shelf and shake you down. I'm told it softens up a lot when knit, but I'm not sure I even care. Taking a page from the Knit Happens sample book, I'm going to make Knit & Tonic Wendy's Dream Swatch Headband tie thingie. I actually need a headband, and I don't like the hard plastic ones from stores. A'ight. Purchase justified.

Now, all I need you guys to do is tell me what I could make with some softer-than-kittens Misti Alpaca Chunky so I can go back and get me some of that. Remember how soft I said the Malabrigo Worsted is? This is softer. By an order of magnitude.

Shwoo! What a Week (or two)!

Hey hey! It's been ages! How are you?? You look great! Really! I've never seen you look so vibrant - is that a new haircut? Well whatever you're doing, it's working for you. I need to get me some of that.

How long's it been? A week? Two? That long? Oh man, I'm so sorry that I haven't been in touch. You know how it is when you move. Can you believe that I went for days where I barely glanced at my email? It's just been so crazy! But it should all settle down now, well you know... until our stuff arrives.

You Either Sink or Swim

Thank you all very much for the little notes you've left in my comments. I'm sorry I haven't been able to reply to each of you, but it has meant a lot knowing you're out there watching my back. :)

It really has been a whirlwind, lead primarily by my big splash in the deep end of my new yoga teaching career. I'm teaching seven classes a week! Seven! Some of them require more planning than I'm used to, so when I have had some time at home I've been working on that. In between yoga and organizing the house, I've been running around shoring up my freelance gigs, catching up with old friends and trying madly to find some Peaches & Creme double worsted.

Peaches & Huh?

Those of you who have the Mason-Dixon Knitting book will know that many of the patterns call for the elusive Peaches & Creme yarn. I say "elusive" because no one but Wal-Mart seems to sell it. Before I'd even been here a week I hit up Michaels and A.C. Moore (btw, they're the same store, so no point ever going to both in one trip) with no luck. In fact, I'll go out on a limb and say that only saccharin-sweet baby knitting happens at Michaels or A.C. Moore. Honestly, I'd never seen so many giant skeins of fluffy, pink floof in my life. It's like the Easter Bunny's rabbit hole in those stores, man. Yikes!

So, I sucked it up and went to Wal-Mart. I don't hate Wal-Mart, but I don't like giving them my money. Things are super cheap at a price, and what they do to keep costs down rubs me all kinds of the wrong way. My goal was to have a squiz at the colors before ordering yarn online. Had they had thee cones of the double worsted (aka 8-ply) in a color I was looking for, I might have had a problem. They didn't; moral dilemma averted.

Crafty Bastards Rule

Sunday marked the 4th annual Crafty Bastards Arts & Crafts Fair here in the nation's capital. B and I braved the gorgeous weather to scout some funky home decor. Instead we went a bit kooky for fun t-shirts. The latest trend in t-shirt fashion is definitely sea life, particularly squids and octopuses. Unfortunately, we had to head out before we found the Woolarina booth. I was so hoping for some local yarn. Next time.

BTW, I have managed to knit a bit here and there, particularly during the season premieres of my favorite TV shows. Indeed, I'll be binding off during "Heroes" tonight. Save the Jitterbug. Save the FO.

We Made It

This is just a quicky quick note to let ya'll know that we made it to Virginia just fine. The monsters are doing very well. Much better than expected.

We're full steam ahead trying to make an empty house livable, and it might be a couple more days before I can settle down long enough to write a proper post.

See ya soon!

Meta: Fancy, New Domain Name + Contests

I was doing some behind-the-scenes blog maintenance yesterday and checking up on the latest Typepad features. I like to know what my options are, even though I never implement any of the new widgets.

But something caught my eye - Typepad lets you map domain names to their servers. I thought, "Hmm, I wonder if www.knittingustra.com is taken." It wasn't, so I grabbed it. Muwahahahaha! This is my first step towards total world domination. In Jen World, we will do yoga every day, make sure to pet an animal at least once a day, and have block parties once a week to get to know our neighbors (unless they're cranky, old bags). I will also dedicate resources to developing low-energy transporters to eliminate the need for cars. You can count on it.

Oh wait, I was talking about the Web site...

*In theory* everything should still work if you go to www.knittingsutra.com or continue to go to akaijen.typepad.com. However, if you subscribe to my blog's RSS feed you might need to update your feed (Bloglines, Google Reader, etc) if you want to be notified of new entries. I'm having trouble testing whether it's working or not.

What a bugger that is. I guess it's the price to pay for world domination. Sound good?

Contests in the Knit Blogosphere

Becky is giving away 10 skeins of Rowan 4-ply, a discontinued yarn, if you help her decide what to do with her other gazillion skeins of the 4-ply. Her contest ends on Sunday, September 16. That would be tomorrow.

She who gives good contest and frequently, The Esoteric Knitter, is giving away your choice of Yarn Pirate, Fleece Artist, Cherry Tree Hill or Koigu sock yarn if you guess which sock pattern she's currently knitting. It's not listed as a WIP in Ravelry, I already checked. HURRY! Her contest ends tonight!

FO: Ganesha Wrap

Pattern: Ogee Lace Skirt, Interweave Knits Summer 2007
Yarn: Rowan Bamboo Tape, Wode colorway
Needles: 7mm Addi circular; 7mm crochet hook for provisional cast on
Size: I made the largest size so the fabric would overlap more when I wrapped it around my waist.

I've dubbed this "Ganesha Wrap" because my favorite Hindu deity is Ganesha, the god of new beginnings, travelers, wisdom and light. He's also the remover of obstacles and is a purveyor of success. Before a big journey, whether physical or metaphorical, I always like to invoke the spirt of Ganesha for good measure.

This was the my first lace project, and it really pushed the limits of desire, concentration and surrender. If I wanted something so badly, could I really make it happen? If I concentrate, can I get through a row without unknitting. If I surrender and trust the pattern, will it all come together?

There's not a single thing about this skirt that I'd ever done before. New to lace, new to provisional crochet cast on, new to I-chord bind off, new to tape-style yarn. All of it. I've gained a heck of a lot of knowledge and wisdom not only about knitting but also of myself.

I first saw this pattern around the time that I decided that I wanted to change careers and teach yoga as my primary occupation. This skirt is a small homage to this new beginning, and it seems fitting that I managed to finish it on the eve of our return to the Washington, D.C..

And how desperate was I to finish this puppy? Aside from knitting a row or two here and there since early July, I hadn't really found the time to work on this. If I was going to finish this before next Tuesday, I needed to step it up a couple of notches. I threw myself at it all day and night Monday and Tuesday. I needed to block it Wednesday or I was going to lose my blocking surface for 6 weeks.

In the midst of moving chaos, I pushed through and it's done. My blocking surface (AKA dining room table) was one of the first things the movers disassembled and packed.

Aum Gan Ganapatye Namah

Pattern Impressions

I mentioned previously that knitting the lace pattern stressed me out. The first few rows were a bear. The pattern didn't make sense, and it didn't look like anything you'd want to wear. Once I got about 20 rows in, though, it eased up and I could see the overall pattern take shape. However, this is still full-concentration knitting. Each row is a bit different. You can memorize bits of it, but you always have to consult the pattern.

However, the I-chord bind off is super cool, and I was really glad to tick off that new technique. I love how the chord along the top edging morphs into the tie.

But let's talk about the provisional crochet cast on. After you work the entire thing, you're meant to go back to the crochet bits, pick up the stitches and work the I-chord bind off again. When finished, the whole thing looks gorgeous, but...

I'll refrain from saying definitively that I hate the provisional crochet cast on, but my cranky, knitting-stressful-lace-for-two-days-straight self burst into tears as I fought to unravel the crochet chain and pick up the stitches along the bottom. Because the lace pattern starts immediately with the first row, there weren't just simple stockinette stitches to pick up. I couldn't tell exactly what to grab. I know for certain that I didn't always pick up the right bits of yarn, but I challenge anyone to notice.

The project didn't end on a high note, and that's a bit disappointing. Yet, the final result is fantastic, and I love it.

The Yarn

As noted above, this is my first time knitting with "tape" yarn. I realized pretty quickly that when I knit, I twist the yarn a lot. It doesn't take too long before the tape becomes this twisted, ridged string stuff. So, every couple of rows I had to untwist it. That was a bugger.

But the 100% bamboo fabric is beyond soft, and it has a lovely drape. There's more weight to it than you might think, so be careful when knitting up big projects. The skirt is already stretching a bit from its own heaviness.

Take heed. This yarn is a dramatically different animal when wet. It stiffens up like, well, wood. So, if you're thinking of knitting this as a beach wrap, you should consider substituting the yarn for something more water friendly.

It's All Gone

The packers just left. Thankfully our belongings fit in the container with a bit of room to spare. *wipes brow*

Here's a shot of Nigel on our make-shift "sofa". He thought it was great fun following the packers around for two days. I think he's a bit confused now that the place is empty.

And if you're curious how people move their furniture out of typical, Dutch row houses, here's a hint.

The Essential Guide To Moving Stash Overseas

And so it begins... 6 weeks of extreme minimalist living. It's more fun to sit on the floor and eat pizza when you're a kid. The novelty wears off pretty quickly as an adult.

I'm no stranger to moving. My dad was career military, and we moved around a lot when I was growing up. Of course we used to pack two cars to the gills with the items we'd need right away. But I remember agonizing over which toys I could and couldn't live out.

These days, my brain chews on slightly more important items like which clothes to bring. It's warm now, but it's usually cold on Halloween. Do we need to bring these old towels, or should we buy a new set that doesn't have bleach marks on them? Should we try to squeeze a fry pan in our luggage, or just buy one when we get there? Should we be keeping this scratched up Teflon anyway?

But the real question, as you all know, is what yarn to bring in your luggage and what yarn to ship on the boat. The following steps will ensure that your beloved stash rides along with you.

Step 1: Survey the goods by laying it all out on a flat surface.

Step 2: Commit to finishing WIPs. You'll get no sympathy from anyone if you leave good projects behind in favor of untouched yarn balls.

I held onto the yarn for B's sweater (I'll knit on the plane), the Belatrix Socks, and the Silk Daisy Scarf.

Step 3: Find out what knitted objects the husband wants this Autumn. Involving the husband in the insanity ensures minimal smirks and snarky comments when you get around to selecting items for yourself.

We went back and forth for awhile on this. He'd like a new scarf for crisp October evenings, but the yarn I have for that is a bit bulky and might take up too much room in the suitcase. I explained that I already wanted to knit him some hiking socks. Further, some of the sock books I bought awhile ago contain great, manly patterns. In the end we agreed on two skeins of sock yarn: Lana Grossa Mega Boots Stretch and Wollmeise.

Step 4: Think gift knits.

B found himself so wrapped up in Step 3 that without even realizing it, he reminded me that I shouldn't wait until December to start knitting for the holidays. (See how this works?) So, I stashed two skeins of secret surprise yarn to knit something for our moms.

Step 5: Buy more when you arrive.

I'm mad keen to knit Absorba, the bath mat from Mason-Dixon Knitting. I can't get Peaches and Creme here, so that's on my shopping list next week.

Step 6: Now think about you. By now, your husband thinks you're a saint for putting everyone else first.

I decided that I had one major project that I wanted to work on this Fall, stranded colorwork socks. So, I set aside the three skeins of the Lang Jawoll I picked up in Berlin.

Step 7: Lament aloud that you can't take more. Express particular concern for the fancy, hand dyed sock yarn that isn't as easy to replace. Segregate the fancy sock yarn from the average sock yarn. Declare desperately that if there's even a smidge worth of extra room in your luggage, you'll hit up the lux yarn first.

Step 8: After packing personal essentials and agreed upon project yarn, start cramming yarn in any nook and cranny you can find. Pout convincingly, but not too much, when husband suggests that you don't want to push it with the carry-on luggage. When he asks, "What if your bag doesn't fit into one of those thingies," say "nah, they won't care about that little bit." Then reluctantly start fishing it all back out, stating that five skeins of Claudia Hand Painted isn't going to make a big difference.

Step 9: Mission accomplished. Hug husband profusely when he offers to put the remaining skeins (Wollmeise, Colinette Jitterbug, TOFUtsies and Panda Cotton) in the extra space in his bag.

Voilà!

In truth, I'm not bringing all that much, though I did managed to pack all of my needles, plus essential notions. The odd thing is, though, I really didn't want to make a Fall knitting list like I did this Summer. It makes me feel too pressured. Yet in order to pack, I essentially made a list anyway.

Coming Soon

You may have noticed that I didn't list a certain project in my WIPs list above. Yes indeedy, I managed to finish and block my Ogee Skirt yesterday. Woohoo! Photos and details will be posted this weekend.