Take your hands off my Stanley

I won a contest over at Kim's blog. Kim has a great blog over at KnitswithasilentK.blogspot.com.
She sent me some merino superwash named Confetti! It is just the thing for the midwest greys this time of year. She also enclosed a Stanley tape measure. Perfect size, absolutely needed around here. I am often accused of taking the innkeepers tools .....for knitting. Ha! I told him MY Stanley is off limits too you know.

Thanks friends for the Awards last week. I'm delighted I you read irisheyes.

I am resting today. I twisted a little something in my back last week as I tripped UP the stairway. I am using the hot sweet potato treatment. Ahh, nothing like the cooked potato fitting right into the small of your back. Stays warm for hours in its little foil wrap. Have you ever tripped UP?

My Top Ten Time Wasters

1. Taking classes at Stitches. SORRY Stitches. I love the gathering, but the classes have been too long for my short attention span.

2. Knitting for people who do not care about handknits.

3. Erronous patterns.

4. Trying to fix my own dropped garter stitches, 3 rows back. That's what Debbie is for at 3 Bags Full.

5. Knitting lace when crocheting can give the same effect. I can crochet with next to no errors. One live stitch theory.

6. Knitting for felting. Crochet is just faster for me.

7. Defending the question, Why do you KNIT your socks? I just say, "Oh, I just do."

8. Defending why you knit in public. Again "I just do."

9. Baking cookies while knitting and burning the cookies!

10. Not having the yarn wound before you leave the shop.

Go ahead, tell me yours. No judgement. No rights or wrongs. Just vent a bit.

Name Dropping..... Dot Replinger

This is the edge of a extraordinary woven blanket made by Dot Replinger. It was given to my new great niece.
My nephew's wife recieved the woven beauty from her Great Aunt Dot. (Replinger.....artist...Smithsonian....WOW)
A thing of beauty.

I never thought I'd have a blog post by going over to visit our new neice today.

I love Dot's label. I love baby Elsa's new woven blanket?

Have any of your heard of Dot?

Can't have just one WIP

I need a new hat/cap/beret/babushka/. I think this is the one for me. I haven't had enough caffeine yet this morning, but I think it is WoolyWormheads Marble Muffin pattern. I have big hair. I think this may do the trick.

So I am going to have 2 WIPS for a short time. The throw is so delightful and warm. However, I am freezing outside and the old Malabrigo Felted Bucket Hat, as I call it, is boring me.

It stays windy and cold here until June, so I will have lots of time to wear it.

Ashamed Acrylic Knitters Swap .....by Alias

This boy, Alias Wannacookie, is wearing the softest acrylic scarf he could find. He stole it from me. It's soft, it's long and it's washable. There's not a animal fiber in it. We're looking for a few good knitters. Ashamed to admit you knit with acrylic. ?Well, here's the swap for you.

Swappers need to send an email to ACRYLICSWAP@gmail.com by Sunday January 27th midnoc.

Include: Your Alias, Your snailmail address, your email address so I can give you your swappers Alias and address.

Find your incredible acrylic and send enough for a good long scarf to your fellow alias. Keep it under twenty dollars.
Tell her where you found it.
Include a clue if you want to be found out. Or and Alibi if you wish.

No Patons, Red heart or the like allowed.

This is a fast swap. Acrylic due to your swapper by Valentines Day.

Prize awarded for best Alias.

Feel free to send Kathy B your photograph'd acrylic. I'll post them with your Alias for all to admire. Let's get out there and find some great acrylics. Allergy sufferers unite!

.

Mineshaft colorway

I don't think I've quite captured the beauty I find in Lorna's Laces Mineshaft. I should have fussed over a perfect image. However, in keeping with my promise to continue with outdoor photos this winter.....I ran back inside.
The temp in chicago was 9 degrees. The windchill brought it to 5. degrees. Above zero of course.

The Frugal Hungarian Knitter Rationalizes

I have spent a season or more, considering buying a MixMaster. Talking to people, female only I confess, taught me that there are 2 very distinct camps on this issue. There is the I can't say enough about how much I LOVE my mixmaster camp AND the I never use the thing and it takes up too much space camp. Both camps are pretty passionate in their views.

Some quick market pricing gave this Frugal Hungarian pause. That's a lot of yarn money.....for something that I may not use much and don't have space to store.

Yesterday I found this fully functional retro MixMaster at my resale shop for Ten Dollars. Yarn Miracle Emily had already persuaded me to purchase SMALL BATCH Baking by Debby Maugans Nakos. I couldnt' refuse a ten dollar tiny mixmaster for my small-batch baking ventures. I vowed to cut my carbs in half this year, and this little gizmo would only help with the resolution.

The yarn. Well, it is Lornas' Laces wool/silk blend. Color: Mineshaft. Let's juts say that I have never spent so much money for a yarn. I justified it at the time. The yarn would make an heirloom quality throw for our own family. 4 of us would use it . Divide 180.00 by four. Now it is a forty some dollar gift for each one of us in the house. Never mind the joy that overcomes me everytime I touch this stuff.

So you do the math. The ten dollar mixmaster is holding a skein of the Mineshaft.

Here's the result: I made 5 chocolate chip cookies today and I am knitting the heirloom throw this afternoon. Am I still frugal or just kidding myself!?

Random

Thanks everyone who quickly reassured me that blogger is indeed, in most cases, accepting comments on this knit blog.
It was a secret contest. Random number generator on son's calculator picked comment number 8. Hooray Bev! You win. Bev has been a frequent, loyal reader of irisheyes. Go to comment number 8. Click on Bev! She's an amazing knitter. I am offering some prizes for Bev to choose among. A subscription to a knit magazine of her choice or coffee goodies.

Another random thing: I paid it forward in 3 ways. Bianca from Lansinglerland asked for volunteers last fall. I just got round to paying it forward. It was fun! If anyone would like to try this, It is really fun. In the quest to pay if forward, I bought some library books for the unit I work on. Siblings of sick babies have a poor selection of books to keep them busy while they wait out the visit. I've decided to volunteer at my library at the used book desk a bit. I can KNIT while I volunteer.

I have some concerns about Knitting the Family heirloom throw. WHat am I going to show you for the months it will take me to knit it? I really try hard to keep the images Knit related. Do you prefer this?

Random image: Al skating at Millenium park on a random Saturday with her Auntie Deb. Wearing a nice scarf, she knit!

Message in the Snow

In an apparent desperate attempt for comments, Kathy B diligently worked this message into the snow with her bare finger on a 24 degree afternoon in Chciago. It is plea. A plea for help.

Seriously friends, Jen an old friend from a knitgroup I used to visit, left me a message via my email. She says she has been trouble leaving me comments. Have you been having any trouble?

Would you leave me a comment here if you aren't having issues? Please email me at Harpnut@gmail.com if you are having issues.

One other thing, I noticed on my profile that it says my interests are knitting and Afghanastan. I noticed on a few of YOUR profiles that many of us have a strange interest in "Afghanastan" What's going on here? Emily at Yarn Miracle has had someone fiddling with her site as wel. Please help us figure this out. MANY blog thanks.

My inspiration: Jody's Garden Party Koigu blanket

I went to 3 Bags Full today for the Big I. Inspiration. I felt like the store was calling me.......I had been too busy to get there with the holidays and all. I needed my fix. Do you know what I mean? The Bags were fun, sweet and working tirelessly. I noticed this woman with a small mountain of Koigu and Claudia's handpaint. I asked to see what she was knitting. OH my, oh my.
She'd taken the Garden Party Shawl pattern and created a blanket from it. She was in the ruffled edge stage.

I had to get an image for you. Isn't it incredible? This is Jody with her creation. (One of three she is working on simultaneously) Her sister is getting the incredible work that you see on this post.

We have lucky sisters don't we?

I have a new project! I am soooo excited and I am casting on as soon as I finish the post. I choose a different yarn altogether and Jody loves my yarn too! More on mine later. I spent a small fortune. This is for my whole family to love and enjoy.
I probably won't have any fun myself knitting it up. Sacrifice. Pure Sacrifice.

Rowan BIg Wool Mini Vest Fnished

It actually looks better than the picture. I swear it does. Someone asked me for the pattern at work today. I love it. I have to find a better shawl pin to use to close it. I don't want a button. Did I tell you that I forgot to put the buttonhole in?

A few things ......

AsKatKNits tells me she has a sister who is my sister's duplicate. I say, I believe it. Let's see her picture! It will be fun. Maybe there is something in our pasts we just didn't know about? Kat is also having a fun contest right now.

This is post number 747, and I don't fly. I am a wimp.

Finally today, I'd like to blame Emily of YarnMiracle for planting the idea that I buy a cookbook for little cakes. I've ordered it Emily.

Please turn your head sideways.....this is not perfect blog

Forgive me. I've been a little stressed lately. I have a big Workshop to help lead tomorrow, at work. I have that nervous feeling in my stomach . SO,
it is just beyond me right now to right the image for you. Please, do no hurt yourself when you adjust your head or laptop or desktop????? so that you can see the heirloom sweater.

My Great Aunt, on my HUNGARIAN side, was a knitter. She knit this white turtleneck for my father years ago. He gave to my sister. (who does NOT knit). Let's not go there. She wore it to go ice skating with Al at Millenium Park last Saturday when it was warm outside. It is not my sister's fault that she is the favorite. I have long ago come to appreciate that not being the favorite has tremendous benefits during a lifetime. (feel free to comment if you know what I mean!)

Anyhow. It is all wool. I found her finishing to be good, pretty darn good. (not as good as AL's) The stitches are darn even. This woman never had a shakey hand in her life. She had a dark little bungaloo on Topp in Chicago that we visited as kids. My mother never visited her, I recall. This was something we did with our father. He laughed at how blunt and harsh she always was with us. Her Hungarian English accent was difficult for me to understand. Her parrots, however, clearly said things like "Damn it!" and "Shut UP!" and that made us giggle.

Doesn't my sister Deb, (not the veterinarian who got the raglan sweater and the sister vest that tormented me) looks great in it don't you think?

Getting closer to a finish

It is a fuzzy picture.
Sometimes available light gives me truer color.
I'm a sucker for available light.

The mini-vest is still in pieces.
I broke the pattern rules yet again.
Call me a rebel!

I was suposed to do the collar in garter.
I really didn't like the way it looked.
Sloppy.

So I decided to try a rib and I am much happier.
I plan to crochet an edge.
Im hoping it changes from homemade to handmade with an edge.

It is pretty exciting to have seen such progress quickly.
I'm already thinking about the next project.
Al will help me with sewing on the collar tonight......

Do you like it? Be honest.....

A Study in my own Knitting

I had a farm in Africa. Oops. I mean, I fell in love with a colorway.

When I saw this colorway knitted up in a sweater at my LYS, I had to find a project for it. The sweater was out beause I would itch. Although, I was attracted to it because it was a simple turtleneck and there would be no challenge to the pattern reading.
Not that I was looking for a challenge.

So Santa brought me this Taos from Tahki Yarns . I won't tell you that someone threatned Santa a teeny bit, regarding this gift. I was KIDDING Santa, just kidding.

This is the incorrect back of the Rowan Big Wool pattern Saffron vest. I have since frogged it. But, look at that colorway!

I think this is a great project for me. The stitches are BIG. The frogging is nearly painless. The pattern is difficult however.
In a moment of Christmas cheer, Al wrote out the shaping for me..........

Wait wait, I am going to try the REVERSE shaping on my own today.

So about the study:
I
a): Choose the yarn after seeing it knit up.
This is a good way for me to not be disappointed.
I've learned from my past. (it took years, but ...)

b) Waited for it to be given to me as a gift.
This is a good way for me to feel guiltless about the yarn.

c) Needed to work a big stitch project to see progress fast, and
be able frog it and reknit it fast, the same day. This keeps my
mind on the WIP. I am not tempted to put it down because I fell defeated.

d) Felt comfortable enough yesterday, to not believe the almight pattern for
once in my knit life. I reknit the front left by looking at the back and doing
what made sense. HUGE leap for me. Huge.

we'll see if it was the right thing to do!

The Scarf that Zach knit

This is the house where Zach knit,
This is the girl who came to the house where Zach knit
This is the the dog who sat by the girl who came to the house where Zach knit
This is the SCARF which is worn by the girl who sat near the dog who lives in the house where Zach knit.
This is the room where the girl with the scarf who sat by the dog and kissed the boy who is the Zach who lives in the house where Al and Kathy knit too!