Skein of the Crime

 While visiting family last weekend, we stopped at a local fabric store so that I could buy fabric to line the two completed Christmas stockings.  Half a yard of green, half a yard of blue. Easy.
The green one is done.

I've finished  the blue stocking and will probably make the lining for it this week.  Now for stocking number three!

Yesterday I started this pattern for a solid crimson cabled stocking.

No fancy charts, and an easy to memorize, if not complicated at first to figure out, pattern.  The pattern is written for flat knitting, so I had to make some minor adjustments in order to knit in the round.

Apparently knitting reverse stockinette stitch is not the same as just purling, but that's what I'm doing.  So there!  Not gonna fiddle with trying to figure out "the perfect way" to do this.
I did have to rip out the first several rounds and start over - bummer.  There was no way around it.
But now it looks good and I think I've got it right.


 I am not a perfectionist about most things.  In fact pretty good is usually fine with me, and I'm not hard to please in almost every circumstance. 

But, if you're talking about coffee, I'll have to say Whoa Nelly about that.  I am a purist when it comes to coffee, as you should be, too.  Life is short, I'll admit, but not that short.  Not so short that you should drink so-so coffee when its so cheap and so easy to get really good coffee. (Cheap being a relative term.)

Our addiction to coffee in America has led us down some very expensive paths, the most expensive lately being the Keurig and the little cups that are starting to rival Starbucks drive-through prices.  So our friends bought us a simple drip coffee carafe and filter holder, for when we make coffee for several people at a time.  No electricity needed except for boiling the water; and you might have a gas stove for that.  Anyway.......my point is that you don't have to go high tech to have good coffee. 

And, to wax philosophical on you, I have to say people are the same way.  Most of the time you don't need a degree to deal with people whose problems seem complicated.  Most of the time good old fashioned common sense is all it takes. The kind of advice you'd get from your grandma.

The times, they are a changing

I can't believe I've finally started on the heel of the stocking.  I now have the feeling you get several weeks after having a baby.  During childbirth you swear you'll never, ever do this again.  But later on, you forget the pain and concede that having babies is a good thing after all.
This stocking isn't as cute as my babies were, but at least I'm not looking at it with a sideways glance.  I am ready to take on another stocking after this, but the next one will have lots of easy repeats and no crazy stitch patterns.  It does look good, though.  And I'll admit, it even seems to be worth the effort.  Don't you?

We took a trip this weekend to visit my family after we dropped my father in law at my brother in law's house nearby.  While they made their way to a follow up doctor's visit in NC, we headed to the Gulf Coast.  I had no idea until the night before we left that there was a hurricane (tropical storm) headed that way.  Lucky me!

We got to spend almost the entire weekend watching water pour off the roof like we were in a giant car wash.  And the blowers were on! Gee whiz!

But it was good to get in some knitting and reading time.  I enjoyed seeing family and came home like I always do - thanking God for my home sweet home.
I had my smart phone with me, but for some reason the internet access did not work.  I had my laptop, and it did the trick, but there was at least one bit of technology that I did not have at my fingertips for the stay. And that was good.  Cause it made me close the toe of the stocking and get to the heel!

Keeping up with the times is a good way to keep away the cobwebs.  When I met my husband, who is a musician, I learned what BGV's mean; background vocals.  (Not to be confused with BVDs which are underwear!)
Tomorrow I will add another acronym to my repertoire; VCGs -  virtual community groups.   I am taking part in a video chat with some other ladies whose husbands are in ministry.  We all have one thing in common, and that is the need to remain discreet with lots of sensitive information that could cause unnecessary pain or confusion in the lives of other people.  The downside is that there's no one to confide in.  Minister's wives are some of the loneliest people around, even though they are surrounded by people almost all of the time they are outside of the house.
It is important to maintain confidentiality when you are exposed to the private details of other people's lives. It's also important to act like you're mentally competent at least 75% of the time.

You see, church leadership comes with a hefty price tag. You want to be together and uplifting to all of the people you come in contact with.  You try to agree with and support all of those above you in the food chain, and meet their expectations for excellence.  Those who have a problem with religion or the church are just waiting to make an example out of you. Your family sometimes gets pushed way down the totem pole of priority, if you want to appear "a good leader".  Your children often have to take the leftovers of your time when it comes to holidays, special occasions and family get togethers.  I know this because my husband and I have been in ministry since we married in 1985.  It doesn't matter where you live or how old you are, or how what kind of church you serve in, the rules are the same.   My son took his first steps in the church nursery. We have celebrated countless Christmas Eves at 10pm so that the kids could open a gift before going to bed ( but they had to wait till we got home from the church's Christmas Eve candlelight service).  The rewards are great but the sacrifice is equally great.  Tomorrow, I hope to meet with some great ladies who've been in the same boat for a while as well.  We hope to encourage each other, but I've heard the groups are more fun than anything else.  I can't wait!

Qui tacet consentire

This Latin quote sums up a worthy principle for our society to take note of - to be aware of a problem and do nothing about it is to give consent to it.  It is often applied to political issues, but I think the application is broad. 

To apply this to knitting is my forte.  I love to knit.  I am so not into this stocking anymore.

I've added the afterthought heel thread and am a little less than two inches of pattern (graph) from the end of the pattern.

I know its a lovely pattern, and I know its gonna be worth the tedious hours of pattern reading, but I'm as impatient as it gets when it comes to finishing a project.  The only solution to this problem is to set goals and my goal is to complete at least one inch tonight and one inch tomorrow night of the pattern.  Then I'll switch to solid blue, and complete the toe, then do the heel.  I envision the whole thing being done by the weekend.

And I have a lot to look forward to this weekend!  I am going to see my parents, and I haven't seen them in over six months.  A lot has happened in the last six months and I feel like a teenager coming back from camp.  Sometimes you just need to see their faces and give them a big hug! 
I left my job last week (I'd been there a year) and have rearranged my life and schedule for the better.  We can't control people's actions and reactions, but we can control ours.  Just ask Viktor Frankl! 

As the gardening season comes to a close, there's a bee in my bonnet, so to speak that I have to let out.  I have two spinning wheels and I only use one.  My plan is to sell the old one

and buy this!
Ooooh I am really wanting this greenhouse.

Sometime before the snowy weather arrives would be good.  I think the temps today will be in the 90's so I've got time. 

Falling Behind

Locally grown organic apples (from my back yard)

I used to crank out two blogs a week, sometimes even more.  The point of the blog is not to bore you, but to update you on knitting progress and other relevant 'stuff'.  My current knitting project is this great blue and white stocking; looks kind of like Blue Willow dishes to me.  I realize that this kind of knitting is really not fair isle, but just two colors with no repeats of any kind.  Its slow as molasses in January;  like a 1,000 piece jigsaw puzzle.  Better not get in too much of a hurry, cause it's gonna be a while.

The reading of each row is so much like cross stitch, its not funny. And I mean that.  Its not funny.  Its not even fun, at this point.  This is the last of these stockings I'll ever do, even though I've only got part of this one under my belt, so to speak.  Trying to knit while watching TV is pointless, even with the CC on.  I never look up, because I'm always counting stitches and looking at the pattern.  Enough!  Just about to put this aside and listen to my inner child; the one that says, "Are we there yet?"

Okay, so I've been wanting to paint my dining room for a while now.  The annual Thanksgiving photo is a booger to get the lighting right for, since the room is dark red and the light fixture is bright enough to light the inside of your car's glove compartment.  Pretty dim, if you ask me, and the ugly brass is so outdated and ugly, that I've had little black shades on the candelabra bulbs to distract attention away from the 80's style finish.That makes the room feel even more like a cave!

I have some time to get a few house projects done in the next couple of weeks, and this room is the absolute first thing on my list.  I am so excited to update this room, since we are having as many as seven at the dinner table nowadays when we all sit down together.  I have a leaf for each end of the table, and need to get a couple of sets of 8 place mats to accommodate everybody.  (These are the things women live for, by the way. Excuses to spruce up the house or buy more table linens.  Just ask the sales girl at Pier One.)

I've picked up the necessary supplies and tonight after supper I'm going to pull all the china out of the cabinet, so I don't break anything during my 'sprucing up'.  Tomorrow will be D-day, and there won't be any turning back after that.  Fingers crossed?
I'll keep you posted as I make the aforementioned changes to our dining room.  Oh, and by the way, the rug needs help; when you lift up the corner, the carpet underneath is truly five shades lighter than the carpet that surrounds the rug.  No lie.

Fair Isle Island

Flowers from friends!

For the unknowing, Fair Isle is a kind of knitting where two or more colors of yarn may be used to create pictures or designs in the pattern.  It is pretty intimidating for most non-knitters and somewhat scary for the novice.  I thought I'd take you through a couple of the steps so that you can see how easy it really is.

Above we have the pattern and the knitting already started. The pattern row is marked with the little red magnetic ruler on a metal board smaller than a piece of notebook paper.

The row of knitting on the needles above starts where you see the green ring in the far right of the first picture.  The pattern on the sheet is read from right to left. (Look below the ruler, starting at the right.)

I am going all the way across, then repeating for the other side of the stocking.  Can you see that the row starts with 5 blue stitches, and I have knitted 5 blue stitches?   Good job!
Then there are white, blue, white, blue, etc. all the way to the end of the row.

 Next row: moving the ruler up the page.

This next row starts with white stitches, then blue.  Back and forth, see how easy it is?  Well, easier than you thought, right? 

And then you knit those stitches as they appear in the pattern.

Life is not always fair, like my knitting pattern.  Life is complicated and tricky, and sometimes downright difficult.  It takes skill to navigate your way through things you may not initially understand, but eventually you will have them figured out.  Hopefully before the next round of challenges come your way.  It's nice to have pictures and directions, but sometimes you don't get any.  Sometimes you just have to figure it out as you go and trust your instincts.  Sometimes you have to hope you didn't make any mistakes, but might have to wait a while to know for sure.  Then later you might get a chance to look things over and get some assurance of what you just did. That's a good feeling!

Our weather has finally turned fair this week; today specifically its about 10 degrees cooler.  We picked up some items and got the car washed and stopped for ice cream cones at McDonald's on the way home.  Its been a while since I've had an ice cream cone like that.  I'm really learning to enjoy the little things, and my husband's dad suggests them all the time; like the ice cream cone for example.  Life may not always be fair, but it sure helps to recognize the things that are!

Ups and Downs

TOE UP SOCK (as opposed to cuff down)

I saw an internet post recently that asked the question we have all asked ourselves (as knitters).  Why knit socks toe up?  Answer: Because it eliminates the Kitchener stitch.  Need I say more?  I never do toe up socks; I don't know how and have only made the tiniest effort to learn.  Usually people just say the advantage is that the you get to try on the sock as you go.
That's not near enough incentive for me to learn a new technique.  Plus, doing a toe up sock would require that I do a short row heel.  I don't usually do the heels 'short row style' (that sounds weird) because I'm too lazy to count back and forth  so I just go with the afterthought heel as the name implies; so I can think about it later. :-)  But to eliminate the Kitchener stitch toe is beyond enticing.  Practically seductive.   Can't you just see a little sock puppet winking at you?
I tried the technique out tonight with some light pink bulky yarn on size 8 bamboo needles.  I used the figure 8 method, if you're curious!

So I'm learning something new.   I'm always game to learn something new if it's beneficial in some way.  If it helps my brain clear out cobwebs or if it has some purpose.  I hear that some of the smartest people in the world do crossword puzzles to exercise their brain.  And the really bold and smart guys do the puzzle in pen.  That's gutsy!  Trying my hand at toe up socks may not be gutsy, but at least I've made the effort!  (Patting myself on the back.)

Cuff Down Stocking

I have been offered a new job recently that has some real schedule benefits and a little better pay.   I'll be learning a couple of new things, but mostly getting to know new people and that is always good.  Strangers are only strangers until you get to know them better.  I've met quite a few new people lately, and it always surprises me how quickly you can come to like someone you've only recently met. Its so important to always be open to new things and welcome changes, even if they're a bit scary.  You'd be surprised at how wonderful it feels to shake a hand, get a smile, and/or become aware that someone is genuinely happy to meet you!  Hooray for looking toward the future!! Better days are always ahead.  Don't you agree?

These are the good ole days

Earlier today my father in law told us the story about his girlfriend in the 1940's named Boots and another friend, House.  Tom had been somewhere hanging out with the other two and as he went to kiss Boots goodnight, his mother and brother drove by and shined the car lights on the smooch.  Tom's brother convinced him later that he'd embarrassed their dear mother~!  (What a rat.)
My husband and I were looking at each other during the story and realized it'd never been told before.  Those were the good ole days, we thought.  But I had a little check in my brain that said wait a minute.  These are the good old days.  Life is what you make it.  We can't just wait around for good things to happen, we have to get busy enjoying the small things while working through the big things.   Enjoy life with the people you love, and take advantage of every single minute, every breath.  Then someday when you're 85 you'll have some funny stories to tell!

This morning, since I was off work today and its been weeks since I went to the garage to mess with my drum carder, I fiddled around with some of the wool I dyed at the last spinning get together.  I spun some purple/yellow Mohair and will try plying it with some gray Romney wool.  Pictures soon!

And I finally, finally got around to closing the toe on the stocking and picking up the heel stitches.

It's been about two months since I got the inspiration for this hot little project, and at least a full month spent knitting.  I pray that I'll finish it tonight so that tomorrow I can start something else.  I know you're eating popcorn every time you read this blog, wondering what the outcome will be.  Like a great mystery movie,  the suspense is building.  Well, now you can switch to the Skittles, because we've finally reached the montage scene in the movie where the characters dance and smile and laugh while cool music plays in the background.  It's a great way to move things along so you can get to the good part.  And here it is.  All but the heel; feast your eyes!

It feels good to see the light at the end of the tunnel (no train in sight).  Closure is always good, cause it means something new is just around the corner.

The pot calling the kettle Mac

So I'm sitting in the living room with my hubby watching a documentary about Mac people and their devotion to the brand.  I was privately cringing at the way they talked about their love for all things Apple (including Steve Jobs) and their borderline cult characteristics.  I asked my husband (who is a Mac user) if he thought they went a little too far, and he said no. Okay.
While watching the documentary I was also surfing the internet on my non-Mac laptop.  Checking out the comments and pictures from Sock Summit, I came across the video for the flash mob at the event.  It was clear that I had no room to talk, and I shut my mouth.  Hundreds of knitters holding skeins of yarn in a water-ballet type of dance in a public square with "Time of My Life" playing over the loud speaker.  Obsessed is obsessed, no matter what you're talking about.  Sorry dear!

Since the toe of the Christmas stocking is not yet sewn up, I can only say that I've been busy.  Poor excuse, but it's mine and I'm stickin' to it!   I was given a bunch of cucumbers and decided to try my hand at pickle relish.  I don't quite have the hang of the food processor yet, so all the little cubes are more like little Jenga pieces.  The blade slices the cucumber then makes strips, I'm supposing for french fries, but these would be awfully small french fries.  Anyway, the tomatoes were a lot easier to can.  You just dip them in boiling water, then ice water, slip off the peel and drop in the jars.  The pickle relish took me about three days, which says how not-Martha Stewart I am!  But its done, and I can take that one off my bucket list.  (Okay, it wasn't on the list originally, but I just wrote it on the list in my imagination, and crossed it off.)

 This has been so much fun, and I'm so glad to be able to take advantage of the veggies from friends who know what they're doing.

Knees and Toes

Tennessee morning

The top of the stocking starts just below the knee (obviously) and completes at the tip of the toe.  I finished  the foot portion of the stocking today with a row of hearts and made terrific progress on the toe decreases.  I said toe (singular) and I mean it, because there will not be another toe to do!  What a beautiful thing.  NO Second Sock Syndrome.  When it's done, it's done. ( Okay, except that I will need to pick up the stitches for the afterthought heel.  But then,.....THEN it will be done.  I mean it. )

I am gathering inspiration for the next stocking, and have lots of ideas, but nothing set in stone.
 The beauty of this stocking was that the patterns all lined up exactly and there was no fudging on making certain fair isle motifs fit into the number of stitches in the sock.

Four pages of inspiration!

I think there are around 72 stitches, which may not be a prime number, but does set some limits on the patterns. 

Tonight I have to change the subject and brag a bit.  We went out for pizza with my daughter and her husband and his family to celebrate the end of his educational career. Goal met!  He took the bar over the last two days and is finally done with school, after having been a student since age 5.  Most of us never know when we're finished, because we have no clearly defined goals.  I admire the hard work, effort and student loans that are behind this degree. (If he passes, that is - we won't know till October!  But I'm sure he will.)
There are a few other good things on the horizon for our family, and I will say, it's about time!  When the most hopeful and joyous thing in your life is a Christmas stocking, you're hard up.  So glad to have some things to celebrate!  Hallelujah and woo hoo!  So, just for fun, and to get you in the mood, checkout this video about Knees and Toes from some more ESL friends!  It sounds like they're from Tennessee, but it sure doesn't look like it.  ;-)

All I've got is a snowflake!

This week has been busy, preparing for and moving my father in law in to our house.  He is such a joy to be around and has a childlike quality at times; lighthearted and very kind.

Truly without a sense of guile or selfish ambition.  He's a writer, artist and all around good guy. We are honored to pay back this man in such a small way for all the years of sacrifice that he made for his family.

So with the preparations in mind, you'll understand why I only got a row a snowflakes done on the Christmas stocking!  This has been such a fun thing to do, with a lot of creativity to play around with.  Here is a piece of wrapping paper I've kept as I worked on the stocking.  Isn't it lovely?  Maybe I'll use red and white for the next one!

I have also spun the tiniest bit of gray wool - water for a thirsty soul, and I have GOT to make more time to spin.  It is such therapy for me!!!

My house tends to be a pretty creative place. My husband is a songwriter and musician.  I met him in 1983 when his band played at my college's chapel service.  The band was a religious group that toured year round and lived predominantly on a bus.  He had toured before that group with secular groups and was intrigued with this new kind of Christian music.  He soon after devoted his career ambitions to a much more religious purpose and later enrolled and graduated from the college I was attending.  I was there learning 'how to be a missionary' which I now think is a misnomer.  Anyway, several years later he was teaching a guitar class at a seminar for church musicians and one of his students was Gov. Mike Huckabee, the Fox News contributor!

Jamie and Mike 1993

We watched Huckabee interview Benjamin Netanyahu tonight and I remembered this photograph, which I stumbled upon while cleaning up house for my father in law's arrival.  A lot of water under the bridge since then!  I had the privilege of traveling with my husband over the years, and one of my biggest honors was to visit the Philippines with him.  Here is a snapshot I took at a stadium; it was very hot and humid that night and people had walked literally for hours to attend this concert, many of them barefoot!

10k Filipinos singing a song my husband wrote - what an exciting night!

P90X or PX90?

I mentioned to my daughter that cleaning house is as good as PX90; and she laughed and said, "You mean P90X!"  What would I do without people like her to set me straight on critical things like these?  The difference between agave and guava.  The difference between almond milk and Almond Joy.  Where have I been?

One thing I am unanimous about is my one, lonely knitting project "on the needles" as we knitters say.  This Christmas stocking is now sporting some great looking red berries and holly leaves and a whole row of Christmas trees!  Whaddya think?

Now I need to set aside half the stitches for the afterthought heel and then do the foot.  Probably a snowflake and some other holiday or religious symbol.  Most of the designs in my book call for more than two colors, so I'm pretty limited unless I get out another pattern book. Maybe I should.

I have spent the better part of the last week moving everything from my office/study downstairs to my daughter's old bedroom upstairs.  My father in law will be moving in with us this weekend and we have just set aside a space for him on the first floor.  A cozy room with a bed, computer desk, bookshelves and a reading chair.  I sure hope he likes it! 
And the good thing about my office being upstairs is that I have to take the stairs every time I want to get on my computer.  Who needs P90X?  Watch out Jersey Shore.

After moving everything upstairs, and moving a bed and a few extra things into Papa's new room, I also had to clear out a couple of closets for his clothes and empty the space under the sink in the bathroom that he will be using.   Actually it's been good for me to once again purge and 'cleanse' my cabinets and storage areas.  I have such a tendency to hang on to the past.  Sometimes we just need to let go of the old stuff and embrace the new.  Here's to the future!

Charkha-tack

Judy and Brenda M.

Yesterday I went to a special spinning group meeting hosted by a couple of dear ladies, Judy and Brenda M. We had Dye Day and came away with blue fingers, red shirts and bags of dyed wool and yarn!

Onion Skin Dye

I love going to these because you lose track of all the other stuff that's going on in your life.  Pots of dye boiling on burners, tubs of wool soaking in water, and wee-little ladies watching and stirring like a bunch of kids making mud pies.

Natural vegetable dyes

kool aid, food coloring and various other dyestuffs

Natural dyes

We have so much fun, and even have a little pot luck lunch to boot.  Our hostess made a Thai shrimp dish with rice that was to die (dye) for! There was potato salad, fruit salad, hummus and pita chips and iced tea.

Susan, Laura and Brenda M.

Judy!

I also bought a briefcase sized Charkha (shark-a) and got a free spinning lesson from Laura who sold me the wheel.  I've been wanting one, but they are around a hundred dollars and I just couldn't see paying that much for something I didn't even know how to use.  What an answer to prayer!  What a great Friday!

My $25 dollar Charkha

Today I spent some time weeding and picking green beans at the garden.  I had given up on them, but went yesterday and threw myself into whacking the weeds until I found the plants.  Hallelujah, there were green beans all over the place.  And still loads of tomatoes and cucumbers.  I hope to can tomatoes tonight; haven't done that in years!

Tennessee Green Beans

This next week my hubby goes back out of town on family business, and I'm not sure how long he'll be gone.  His dad is having surgery and  will come back to stay with us after his recovery.  The time has come for Papa to be here in TN with us on a permanent basis.  We are excited to have him here; if he doesn't mind putting up with his son's guitar playing all day!  Papa's room will be right under DH's guitar studio, where he works.  (Might not need those hearing aids after all.)

I am saying good bye to my little home office/ fiber room, but saying hello to a brand new space upstairs in my daughter's old bedroom.  Having an empty nest always means more closet space!!  Whoopee for me!

The Lone Ranger

This week I've been given the opportunity to flex my social muscles.  DH is out of town on family matters and I am left with the car keys, so to speak.  My work schedule opened up so I filled my social calendar with all kinds of girl-y things.  Ladies Bible study last night, lunch with a friend the and the icing on the cake; yes, you guessed it, spinning group on Friday!  We are having a dye day, where we all bring our natural wool, dyes, pots, etc and have at it for as long as we can take it.  The last dye day was absolutely memorable.  I am really hoping for nice weather and some super good results.  Being a lone ranger for a few days doesn't have to be all bad.  Here's hoping my husbands t-shirts are not all tie-dyed when he gets back!


The Christmas stocking is looking pretty good if I do say so myself.  The patterns seem to look good with just two colors and I'm resisting adding a third.  I think it's kind of classy and understated, don't you?

The next stocking will definitely be something with a little red and may have as many as four colors, but I don't really have a theme in mind yet.
My daughter has been helping me update my make up lately and we chose an eye shadow palette with four colors the other night.  While they are all 'understated' colors, the application of those colors left a lot to be desired when I tried to do it by myself the next morning.  Somewhere between raccoon and Ozzy Ozbourne I would say.  Why did I ever think I could manage this kind of challenge on my own?  What a disaster!

I remember the summer between 7th and 8th grade when I had a similar experience.  Up till that time, my make up consisted of clear lip gloss.  Then I met Rhonda from New York (whose mother was a belly dancer) who knew how to apply make up! She was my good friend and was willing to teach me the ways of the world. We put away the Bonne Bell lip smacker and got out the bright blue eye shadow, Maybelline mascara, frosty rouge and what looked like Sharpie eye liner.  Boy was I a sight!  I thought I looked pretty good until I went downstairs and my older brother laughed his head off.