Sixteen Women With Pointed Sticks, No Injuries

Our Nokomis knitting group went on our first knitting retreat adeptly planned by Lisa. Kathy Heidi and I rode up together (thank you Kathy for driving), we stopped a Grubbers Quilt shop, which sells yarn and quilting supplies, this is where I found the lovely pattern for the French Felted Slippers, we stopped at Bonnie's Spinning wheel, lots of delicious yarn to touch and buy there as well. Unfortunately I did not turn out to be an adept navigator, we did reach our destinations and found our lovely accommodations at the Bug Bee Hive Resort in Paynesville.

Our names were on our doors and after a quick unloading of the car, we quickly set about knitting. I was able to complete the lovely Birch shawl, which I knit up using the Kidsilk Aura yarn I won at the Textile Center Rowan event and was able to complete a pair of toddler socks I also had in progress. Heidi completed a hat. On Saturday a spontaneous knit a long of the February Ladies sweater, I did not join in on those festivities, I went back to working on my red cable sweater sleeves. 

Kathy worked on and finished a pair of socks, there were many other projects in progress. Heidi graduated in to the knitting world, as Christina and Jenny leaped in to action to rescue her from a skein of Red heart yarn, that I had been letting her practice stitches on; it was explained that "Friends don't let friends knit with Red heart" and quickly replaced her practice skein with non acrylic yarn for practicing. Heidi was told that she had accomplished a hat and had graduated, making it necessary to only use non acrylic yarns, and Heidi was also given a certificate to prove this.

Meals were well organized and we all ate well with plenty of time to knit and visit. A few people enjoyed walking and using the pool at the lodge. 

It sounds as though this will be a repeat trip next year as everyone enjoyed themselves very much, the time moved quickly and as all good things do, the weekend ended and most if not all of us felt like it ended much too soon.

As usual I am sadly behind in pictures and will have to post some later, unfortunately I did not get any of the retreat.

We did go into New London on Saturday to visit the many little shops, which of course included a yarn shop, where I found a felted flip flop pattern, Yeah! Something for my niece who likes to live wearing flip flops.

Happy Stitches

Narvik complete and more

I not only completed the Narvik sweater, which I made longer and added button holes for buttons, I have been finishing a few other things. I stitched together the Narvik, sewed linings for two purses and I am working on the Birch shawl pattern using free yarn from the Rowan Retrospective event at the Textile Center. The yarn is four balls of Kidsilk Aura which is 82 yard as compared to the over 200 yards on the regular kidsilk balls of yarn, so I altered the pattern, I cast on 109 stitches  and I believe that I can make it with the four balls since the shawl will be smaller and the pattern called for 3 balls of the regular Kidsilk. Finger Crossed.
 
I had wanted to complete the Narvik Sweater and wear it to the event, but at the eleventh hour I needed to steam and seam as it were. My pink rowan cable sweater was the ticket and my picture may be in the textile center newsletter. Not really a like my own picture person, but I let this one slide.


Kathy, Jenny and I went to the Rowan event together on Friday, then we took a yarn shop road trip on Saturday. We visited the Doll house in Owatonna, found Smitten with Knitting in Waseca closed, so continued to Mankato to have Lunch with one of my sisters after visiting Mary Lue's in Mankato. After lunch it was The Tangled Skein in St. Peter and then home again. The route is a nice little day trip and was fun, Kathy found an out of print Rowan book I found the baby moc-a-sock pattern and Jenny found a Rowan book as well.
My red cable sweater is still waiting for me to finish the sleeves, and I am working on sock two of a pair of toddler socks. 
Keeping busy, keeping the doggies company and knitting away.


Happy Stitches and keep your needles flying through the fiber.

Narvik progress and updates

It is 11:30 and I am half way up the last piece of the sweater, the second front piece. Thanks to Chris R. The intuitive cabling is going well, and the pattern is pretty much in my head, which makes the whole thing go faster. 
With time of the essence, I will be steam blocking the pieces to get them together; keeping my fingers crossed. 
So what am I doing blogging when I have so many stitches to manage by this evening? Have to take a break, more coffee, a few bites of vanilla yogurt, Tylenol for the tension headache and back to work. 
My next break will hold a shower and such. I can do it, I can do it.


Abella has used the potty patch again, yeah! Sadie is still not convinced it is the thing to use, but we will not forgo potty outings, just not walks today.


Have to grab the Tylenol and get back to work.


Happy Stitches all.

Air Traffic and take a kid to work

If you have been listening to the news lately, and depending on which source you are hearing, seeing and or reading, you may have caught the reports of two kids directing air traffic.
http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/bizarre&id=7308043

One can extrapolate from any knowledge of the situation that there were dangers. That being said, think for a moment about the concept of take your kid to work and what it was meant to do and be. It began in the 1970's as take your daughter to work day, it was a way to teach daughters they could do anything. Some would argue that, it is a relic that needs to be eliminated and only reminds people without kids, of how annoying kids can be to  people. Yes, this is a feminist relic, it has been expanded to boys because they began to underachieve and as a person without kids I need to say, yes, overhaul but do not cancel.
http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2009/04/23/take-your-child-to-work-day-should-be-cancelled/

This is my small humble opinion and many will disagree, this is their right. I can say that, in my opinion, the day needs to be overhauled; it has become an opportunity to find ways in which we can enrich and stimulate children in a positive way.

According to NBC there were two kids, both closely supervised and afforded the opportunity to view how their parent works in a hands on exercise. 
http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local-beat/CHILDS-PLAY-AT-JFK-86174177.html

Safe? Probably not. Unique? yes! and speaking for myself (yet again), I learn better hands on.
Think for a moment on the opportunities to enrich with such learning experiences for the future of this country, all personal bitterness and politics aside, this is one thing we should unite on, is a way in which we could take an idea from our past and recreate it in to a better tool, that teaches children some hands on ways in which they can see their futures as well as try new experiences. 
I hear it, and yes, this could be expensive, it could be a tax write off for some large corporations that could be seen as far more positive than let's give ourselves big bonuses.
Are you asking if I have any ideas, or am I all talk? Maybe both. Seriously, I have been putting thought into this.
Old equipment could be donated, simulations could be set up and in controlled environments, people could volunteer time and children could try, hands on to do things that would stimulate their minds to dream of things we did not, and at the same time ethics, social conscience and community to name a few things can be instilled in our future generations as opposed to selfish, self entitled negativity, anger, and violence that we see so much of today and lets not leave out self image factors. Let us look at getting rid of the ideas of "do unto others before they do unto you", "Look out for number one", and any of the other social negativism that have been instilled in the growing, upcoming generations for the last three decades. 
Truly this is an opportunity for learning and generating ideas, yes, thank God nothing bad happened, the adults involved were there, they were coaching and it helped to lighten some very stressful jobs, there is a lot to be said for the psychological benefits there. 
I just keep asking myself, why is it that we look at the worst and do not look at the positive opportunities involved in the situations that come along in life? Lets start now and turn this into the opportunity it can be, to put new ideas out there to enlighten, motivate and energize children and our future.
Let's put these air traffic people back to work and see what they have learned and what ideas they may have.


Oh, yeah. This is a knitting blog and to that end, I am six inches from completing the back of my Narvik sweater and I need 21 more inches on the last front piece.
http://www.colourway.co.uk/rowan/rb42/rb42.htm

Back to knitting, and as always..........


Happy Stitches. 

Run down

So here I am, sitting with little pup crawling up my shoulder, using one of my sisters computers because my notebook is in the shop (Microsoft failure), writing a brief update.
Jenny and I went on an adventure a couple of weekends ago, we drove to Owatonna to the Doll house, pictures were taken, yarn was touched and more will be written later, about this and Smitten with Knitting.

I have been in Mankato for about a week and will return to the cities some time tomorrow, Bella has a vet appointment. I am not sure I will be going to any knitting or crochet groups when I get back, as the people around me have been getting sick. So far I am ok but feel a bit stuffy today.

It is a lay low day today and we will watch movies; we begin with Angels and Demons.

Making progress on eh Red cable and Narvik, one sleeve on the way to being finished.

Will up date soon.

Happy Stitches

Politics and Knitting (not that they go together)

Knitting in groups, one may find that the conversations can run quite a gammit, reaching out to current events, social affairs and politics. Knitting groups as many knitters know, can be very ecclectic and diverse.
For me, I thrive in the environment and my relationship with DH can attest to my drive for intelligent  and factual conversation.
One thing that we sometimes do not get about our fellow Americans, is that we tend to hear a lot of parroting of information where people have not checked thier facts.
Another thing I find that makes my head shake, is how anyone who is poor in this country could be Republican.
How is it that we need to check even foreign news to get a better view of what is happening in our own country.
Thomas Frank, an american writer and Journalist thinks that US voters have become blind where thier real interests are concerned.
"It's like a French revolution in reverse in which the workers come pouring down the street screaming more power to the aristocracy."
I have always shaken my head when I hear people in working class and in moderate to low income espousing the value of the Republican party. For more information on this topic and other information, follow that link below.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8474611.stm

I have been catching bits of the televised capital sessions and I have to say something about wages and how things are going inthis country.

Yes in these times we all need to tighten our belts. Trickel down economic theory is just that, theory. I caught a bit of a sesson on the Minnesota bonding bill and to negate a law in order to pay workers less in these economic times is in my opinion, the wrong answer.
We pay for what we get, however, in a time when taxpayers and businesses (this began before the hard economic times, if you will remember, budgets have long been tried to be balanced on the backs of workers along with company bottom lines). If Governments and companies truly want to cut costs and lower wages, They have to start at the top, before they get to the working class.
Cut out bonuses for five years, do not give the governors, presidents or auditors raises until the crisis is over; STOP vicitimizing the American workers for heavens sake. Dear aristocracy, put your money where your mouth is!

Knitting is going very well. I have completed the front and back of my Red Dolce' cable sweater and I am working on the sleeves and making good progress. I am sewing shoulders tonight, then picking up and knitting the neck.
Finished or not, this weekend I am picking up the rest of the yarn for my gray Rowan cable Narvik sweater and finishing that by March 5th. so I can wear it to the Rowan show at the Textile Center for the Knitters Guild. I am very excited and looking forward to this.

Puppy Patrol
Bella has gained a few ounces and keeps Sadie quite active, they play quite a bit and Sadie actually chews rawhide at home now. For a bit we were not getting a lot of sleep, but now Bella is sleeping better at night so we all are. Yeah!

Happy Knitting Everyone

Life on the knit and a frustration with bobbles.

Today Kimberly, Mary and I went to knitters palette, I bought the new Piece work magazine, which is the 4th Annual historic Knitting issue. The articles speak a bit about the rich knitting history in England and Jewish Lithuania. There is something lovely about historic patterns and the ladies who made them, such as Miss Money; a bit of a question as to who she was. The nostalgia is warming, even though I get a bit lost in the curious way they used to write patterns in those early times and written patterns were not common.

I thought I would begin a pair of socks which I purchased the pattern and yarn for a couple of months ago. Start them I did and don't you know, I am feeling that the little baubles that make the cherries are more frustration than I need right now. Back to the stash bin for that project, it will hibernate for a bit, or longer.

Miss Bella is fitting in well, quite perky and of course energetic as she is a puppy. Bella has no fear, seems to think she is a much larger dog than she is, because she is definitely not intimidated by larger dogs and chases down cats that have more than ten pounds on her. Bella seems to fly when she leaps or flings herself forward. A trim was definitely in order for this little hair ball and she looks more like a dog than something you would find Whoville in. 
Sadie looks out for Bella, still gets annoyed when chewed on too much by her, but they get on well.

I am trying to finish the back of my red cable sweater, I am almost at the point where I can shape the shoulders, measuring in the morning to see where I am at. The rest of my yarn for this sweater needs to be wound yet, so I am going to work on getting that done this week as well as work on the Rowan Narvik sweater I began. I am adding length to the Narvik as it is a cropped cardigan and that will not do on me, would look quite hideous.

So cherry socks aside for now, onward to finis my red sweater and Narvik by March 5th. Just in time for the Rowan's 30 year retrospective traveling show at the Textile Center. As a bonus I will have two new cool sweaters to wear to the retreat our knitting group has going on, thanks to Lisa for finding a place and organizing it; I am really looking forward to this, I want to take a complicated project and an easy one. Imagine, sixteen knitters all tucked away in a couple of cabins, knitting and perhaps some wine.