お久しぶり

お久しぶり= (according to Google translate) Long time, no see.

Yep. After a 2+ year hiatus, I am back to my blog, back to knitting, and back to drinking tea (Irish Breakfast with milk and sugar, thank you).

So much has happened. SO much. But, things are pretty good, and getting better.

Knitting.

Well, tendonitis sucks. I couldn't cook, clean my house, swim or even work on my computer for too long without pain. It took therapy, massage, heat, stretching, acupuncture meds, rest, to get to the point I am at now. I still have to baby my arm, but at least I can function in a fairly normal manner. My knitting, well, it came back pretty well, but holy cow! It will take me awhile to get back in the groove of knitting. 

Rookie mistakes are being made, but I don't care, at least I am knitting again!

Tea. 

Aaah. The funny thing is that I lost my taste for it, but I still made it and drank it. There was just a comfort in a hot cup of sweet and milky tea. 

One day I really began to taste it again, and now I am back to loving every cup again.

Blog. 

Well, no promises, but here I am.

Now What?

It was bad enough when the doctor said not to drink black tea (Irish Breakfast), 

which was my favorite; I drank a couple of pots a day.
It was comforting and soothing and social, and delicious.

But now...I have tennis elbow!
No knitting!!! No swimming! Ouch.

Sigh, and there is more, so much more, that is so not good right now.

Crap.

It has got to get better, it will get better, soon.

In the Right Hands

This is about some yarn leftover from the making of this hat (more about the hat here), for my dear friend T. who succumbed to cancer. T. and I met while training to work with children. She was far more experienced than I, and had an amazing knowledge, warmth, and kindness. 

I held onto this bit of yarn, and couldn't bear to part with the leftovers.

The children I work with nap during the day, and as I sit with them, I knit. Some of them are mesmerized by the movements and the yarn, and one day, I offered a child a piece of yarn to play quietly with, soothing himself with the wooly strand. The next day, I had a basket of strands for all of the children to choose from, if they so desired. The yarn became my trademark, and my coworker jokingly accused me of treating the children like cats. Not a problem, I love cats. 

Basket of yarn and knit finger-puppets.

Going through my stash, I sorted out odds and ends, and I came upon these leftovers. I quickly stuffed them in the bag for school, before I talked myself out of keeping the yarn. Later at school, I debated whether to take the yarn home, because it was so special...and then I realized, this is where this yarn is meant to be, in the hands of children, in memory of my dear friend T.

Handknit Socks and Planning Ahead...Oh, Never Mind

Remember these? Oh, yeah, I don't post very often anymore, so probably not...

The yarn was great to knit with, and the resulting fabric was exactly what I wanted in a sock. The gusset on the sole was inspired by the extraordinarily talented turtlegirl, 

and gave the socks a nice heel hugging fit.

A bit shorter length than I like, but not bad.

A tiny bit long in the foot, how did I do that?

Dutch square heel, my favorite fitting heel.

SO, despite all of these elements I didn't love these socks. The colors were just not me.

While I was still working on these socks my coworker SB spotted them and LOVED them. She tried one on, and it fit her perfectly. Upon completion, I asked the fabulous SB to try the just finished pair of socks on for a photo...and she commented that she would not be giving them back. 

That's fine SB, because they do belong to you.

Sometimes knitting is just like that, the project chooses it's recipient.

Handknit Socks

Got me through the cold winter days. 

Now I am planning ahead with a simple sock in Zwerger Garn Opal Schafpate, 

a lovely wooly sock yarn, with Alternate Step socks by Angela Wilson. Socks are great summer knitting, small, portable and not too hot.

Summer Baby Sweater

Sassafras baby boy is due any minute now.

Mom is not the type to appreciate wool, and digging in the deep stash I found this now discontinued yarn, purchased ages ago: Artyarns Cottonspring

Mom is also not the type to handwash, so I knit a swatch, yes, I did. I KNIT A SWATCH.

I even washed and dried that sucker!

It survived, a little bit of shrinkage in the length, but otherwise okay.

The free pattern was lovely and easy to knit, Top Down Garter Stitch Baby Jacket - 

I will definitely knit this again!

The buttons and grosgrain ribbon came from my stash of stuff...

Color is most accurate here.

The fabric is quite soft and loose.

Babies are such different proportions, baby sweaters always look off to me.

I love this grosgrain ribbon!

Baby Sweater

A simple classic baby sweater from Nancy Elizabeth, for a coworker. 

The yarn is Artyarns Cottonspring, which is a nice blend of 80% cotton and 20% wool. My preference is always for wool, but I have a feeling this mother may not appreciate wool. 

I actually swatched for this to test machine wash and dryability. 

There was some shrinking (I was tempted to just say shrinkage...but...), mostly lengthwise,

so I compensated with some extra length. Took a long bus trip and managed to finish the body.

Beaded Wristers

Quickie knit in worsted weight from the stash, and pearly beads for a birthday gift. 

Inspired by a Lithuanian wrister class by Donna Drachunas.

I improvised the design because I couldn't find the patterns I know live on my shelf somewhere.

Patons Classic Wool

One done!

Tadaaa!

The Sweater

Is done. It has been worn, once.
Allegedly twice, but I beg to differ.

Cut It Out!

Procrastination that is...

I probably should have had more space between the sewn lines.

Taking a deep breath...

Cut...

Tadaa!

The Last One

This is the very last stitch to be knitted on the sweater (okay, not including the collar).

Both exciting and terrifying because that means steeks are next.

YIKES!

The End of the First Sleeve

The first sleeve, second time being knit - this time with the correct size needle. 

Second sleeve cuff is finished, started the pattern, but gauge was off, frogged back.

I have been having gauge issues lately,

maybe that is a sign that something is not quite right in my world right now.

Soon

Slow Summer

This has been a busy year. I headed back to work full time for the first time in quite a long time. I have no major plans for the summer, other than cleaning my house, and getting rid of things I no longer need in my life. So far, progress has been slow but I'm okay with that because at least I am still moving forward.

Not so much knitting happening, but I have picked up my needlepoint again. 

I am hoping to finish it for Christmas but I promise nothing.

Today when I started working on my needlepoint Ollie came and sniffed at my project bag, 

and next thing I knew he was nestled in for a nap.

Works in Progress

I have decided I am tired of looking at all of my WIPs and UFOs, and I am trying to use my knitting time

this year to finish some of those long languishing projects.

So far I haven't done anything too ancient, but projects that were closer to the surface.

They are small, but I am still quite happy to nearly finish them

and not add to the list of items that need finishing.

Right now I am working on a pair of Latvian wristers from a class by Beth Brown Reinsel:

Yarn: Classic Elite Fresco

 This weekend I was able to learn how to knit and then complete a pair

- yes! a pair of these Lithuanian wristers in a class with Donna Drachunas.

Yarn: Dream in Color Classy

After I finish the wristers, I have a Norwegian sweater calling my name...

Fingerless Mitts for K-san

K-san, who doesn't ask for much, but is so very generous asked me about fingerless mitts. 

I offered to make some for her. She wanted purple to match her coat and luckily I had some lovely

Socks That Rock midweight mill ends that fit the bill.

I found this great free pattern on Ravelry.

Finished! Color not accurate here, it's a bit washed out.

She will be able to type with them on when she gets cold  in her office.

In progress, color is best in this photo.

Pattern: Framed Cable Fingerless Mitts, by Anne Campbell

Yarn: Socks That Rock Midweight - Mill End

An Old Photo

My mother recently gave me this photo of myself. I was about 2 1/2 years old in this photo, wearing a dress my grandfather got for me. My grandfather used to play poker with some guys

who were children's clothing wholesalers, and after the game he would pick out dresses for me. 

He was very charming and charismatic, and people loved him or hated him. I loved him so, so much. 

I have looked at this photo, covered in scotch tape, and wondered who did it and why,

I almost threw it away. It has been sitting on my desk for months, I would pick it up, think about whether to toss it since it was in bad shape, but would do nothing but put it back under the lamp. Today, the photo fell to the floor and for the first time I saw the back. In my grandfather's writing; my name with the addition of his last name, and the year. I realized why it was covered in tape and slightly curled - it had been in his wallet.

He died 25 years ago, and I still think of him every day.

Mehndi for Me!

I have always wanted to try Mehndi, the Indian tradition of applying henna

in a decorative pattern on the hands and or feet. I was invited to an Indian themed event and thought it was the perfect opportunity!

I went to a beauty salon, at the recommendation of Helen, and picked out a design. I really wanted the decoration to extend to my fingers, and include my wrists.

Pretty, but not quite what I wanted.

During the application. It was fascinating!

Completely dry, left hand.

Dry right hand, and Ollie kitty looking for love.

I assumed the henna would just fade away, and was surprised that it actually kind of cracks off. It is 5 days after the fact and now my hands are pretty clear although there are still bits on my fingertips (I did scrub my hands, they felt a bit rough and dry). My wrists are faded but the designs are clearly visible.

Cleaning Out My Closet

We recently had to knock out part of a wall in my closet, necessitating emptying the whole closet. The closet has not been emptied in ...well, let's just say it had been a very long time. The entire contents were strewn about my living room, and after the work was completed I got to work.

I cleaned the years of dust off the ceiling, walls, shelves and floors. That was the easy part.

I am sorting through the clothing, trying to pare down and make sure that I really want and will wear what is hanging or sitting there. I have done this little by little in other parts of my home, but this was a biggie.

I am taking the time to try things on, and really look into each box, and bag. I still have things all over my living room, but I am much happier with the items that are going back into my closet.

I am in the process of sorting out shoes, and photographing them to keep track

and remember the less frequently worn shoes.

A gorgeous pair of beloved vintage cowboy boots.

Mystery Over!

My Through the Loops Mystery socks for 2013 are finished. 

Finally done.

They took me so long that they even have an official name now, Fraxinus. I love them.

In my haste to photograph and blog I neglected to show the lovely heel detail,

a pretty rhombus shape framed by yarn overs.

Yarn is Lorna's Laces Shepherds Sock, colorway Fjord.