Sweaterhag's Lair

Madrona 2011

2011-02-21T08:40:00.000-08:00

All I can say about yesterday’s Madrona adventure is: wow, what a ride! I took a knitting machine to the biggest hand knitting event in western Washington, uninvited and unsure of the reception I would get. I did my best to find a spot where I could set up to knit and not be in the way or distract from the demonstrators. Judith Marie Smith of the Selah’s Blanket Project immediately invited me to wiggle into their space and join the demonstrators! I was completely surprised and unprepared for this turn of events, but I grabbed my big-girl panties and dove in. Or more like floundered. I did the best I could with zero preparation. Sometimes I felt like it went really well, sometimes I felt like an incompetent boob. It was exhilarating and exhausting. I was sooo happy to see Mo and Kathy, even tho’ I was too tired to carry on intelligent conversation. Friendly, familiar faces were most welcome. By the end of the day, I was completely incoherent and satisfied. One of the very busy organizers (Lisa, I think) ran by and told me that if I let them know in advance next year, they will make a space for me. (!)
Petra

A sunny day in Edmonds

2009-05-31T22:03:00.000-07:00

This is what I did this past weekend. Instead of working on any of the three sweaters I have going at this moment in time, I chucked it all and went to the beach with friends with children. The riffle where the girls are playing was warm as bath water. We splashed, yelled, filled buckets with sand, and just basked in an early taste of summer. I will get back to working on Both Ways, Celtic Dreams and Hanover; this day was just sun, sand and seawater.

By the by, I have been keeping a low profile since the registration for Sock Summit this past Tuesday. By some miracle, I managed to best the server monster, and scored a spot in Stephanie's Knitting for Speed class. I know this is the class that every one wanted, including me. After the lesson of Madrona, I had steeled myself for getting shut out. I know (now) better than to get too excited about these conferences, until you are actually confirmed in a class. So when the server for SS09 went down, wouldn't load, and kicked me out repeatedly, I knew what to expect. Then the carnage was over, and I was left holding a confirmation email that said I was enrolled in Saturday morning Knitting for Speed and Efficiency. I still can't quite believe it, and am trying not to feel guilty. The disappointed howls from Ravelry are deafening. Stephanie and Tina have actually received threatening emails!!!!! I will not feel guilty. I couldn't get Knitting for Speed at Madrona; this time is my turn, and I hope for others they will have turns too. Now just have to save up and wait for August.
TTFN

Close encounter of the Harlot kind

2009-03-11T23:07:00.000-07:00

Okay, I confess. I love everything Yarn Harlot. I have all her books, the calender, and even the audio version of "At Knits End" on my iPod. In between blasts of classic rock, Stephanie will pop in to share wisdom about the advantages of stash enhancement. So yes, I was looking forward to seeing her at Madrona. I tried to get into one of her classes, but got completely shut out. Still, I knew that she would be speaking, and I would make sure to be there for that.

Yes, I am a huge fan, but I still have my dignity. I told myself firmly that if I were to bump into Ms. Pearl-McPhee in the course of the 4 day retreat, that I would just smile in a friendly way that says "Welcome to the Northwest". I would NOT gush, gibber or in any other way act like some weird overgrown yarn groupie. She is at Madrona to enjoy herself, not to entertain me. I was very pleased with my own maturity. It's taken me a long time to get here. I have since learned that the universe laughs at my maturity.

I thought I might catch a glimpse of her. I was wrong. She was everywhere. In my class for Knitting Ganseys. At the urn while getting coffee. Coming in doors I was going out of. Behind me in the hallway. On the elevator. In the restaurant. I wouldn't doubt that she was in the stall next to me. I was tripping over the woman, all the while grinning my "Welcome to the Northwest" smile. She must have thought I was some kind of mute, grinning idiot.

Finally, the snickering knitting fates just pushed me one too many times. DH, who looked unbelievably handsome in the "Cobblestone" that I made him for his birthday, was with me in the Blue Moon booth at the market on Valentine's Day. In walks the Harlot. I'm there, he's there wearing that, she's there, we're all surrounded by some of the most incredible hand painted fibers on the face of planet, I've got a camera right to hand...I caved. F*%k maturity. I asked her if she would please stand next to the handsome guy in the blue sweater and smile.

She's a good sport. Probably figured it was the only way to get rid of the weird grinning woman.

Welcome to the NW, Steph. I hope you had a good time.

TTFN

P.S. If you happen to read this, I was the woman who climbed into the luggage cart on the crowded elevator so you and your friend could get on. So much for dignity.

Madrona-better late than never

2009-03-10T11:11:00.000-07:00

Madrona. Amazing. Yes, it's a month later, and I'm finally getting around to blogging it, but I didn't want to add this event to the growing list of "damn, I wish I'd blogged that." That list is already waay too long.

Amazing. In these tough economic times, it's great to know people are still finding a way for what is important to them. Over and over I heard...'I've been saving all year...this is my big splurge... this weekend is just for me." And from the number of bulging shopping bags I saw, people aren't afraid of a little stash-enhancement.

This year, I have resolved to knit from stash and only pay cash for what I do buy. No more credit card carnage. At the market, I resisted Blue Moon and Noro, said no to Cascade and O-wool. (sigh). I did, however, turn into a gibbering idiot in Toots LeBlanc. I knew that I would, so I budgeted for it and I forgive myself. Yes, I have grown. I also had a nice surprise on the first day of the retreat: I won a doorprize! I won a $30.00 gift certificate to Carolina Homespun. I am not a spinner, but their arsenal of spinning accoutrement was impressive. And this is what bought with it:
A very beautiful skein of Atropos special green silk. Not quite sure what I'm going to do with it yet, but I'm having fun thinking about it.

I had a great time! I took a couple of classes, did some shopping, ate great food, and had a Yarn Harlot encounter, which I will save for next time.

TTFN

Boo-hoo Bohus

2009-02-11T10:15:00.000-08:00

So I have to face the truth; my Bohus Green Mist Jacket will not be ready in time for Madrona. For weeks, I have been grinding away, sacrificing time with family, friends, pets and household chores, pursuing the single minded dream of proudly wearing my beautiful Bohus among people who would really understand and appreciate its wonderfulness

This dream came to a rude awakening this past weekend, when I was forced to acknowledge what I have been firmly deluding myself about: the gauge for the hand knit fronts and the machine knit back and sleeves do not match. I was forced to confront my knitterly denial during assembly. Even I couldn't ignore the pucker factor in the side seam/back join. This garment would not hang straight and dignified around my hips in the best traditions of Swedish couture knitting. No, it would, instead, comically ride up in back, perhaps to accommodate a pair of clowns pants. Not the look I am striving for.

The disappointment was crushing, but I want this sweater to be done right. I consoled myself in a very mature way-I rolled on the floor playing with the Badgerman, then I packed the thing up and hid it in the darkest corner of the UFO bin to be dealt with another day. (Right)

But now I have nothing to wear for Madrona.

2008-07-04T16:55:00.000-07:00

I have just passed my one year blogiversary. It's been a year of ups and downs. Okay, first the downs.

Blog 365-wow, did the wheels come off the wagon big time here. I think my (short) time participating in the insanity of blogging everyday was really a wake up slap as to how tough it is to be a consistent blogger.
MS3; Swan Lake-this was a cautionary lesson in the seductive power of a blind KAL. I sank a lot of time into the stole, but once I found out it was an asymetrical design, I just ran out of steam for the project. It now languishes in the UFO bin.
Puyallup Project-er, ahem. Yes, I do remember shooting my mouth off about there not being many knitted entries at the fair last year, and I would defintely have something to enter...yeah, ok, so if a big block of knitting time dosen't fall out of the sky and hit me on the head, I won't be able to produce something of fair quality in time, which also includes

Monroe Fair-see Puyallup Project above.

Now for the good news:

I have an FO for July. This is a tuck stitch baby blanket with a hand crochet edging. And I have it done in time for the shower.

TTFN

Put up time

2008-06-30T10:32:00.000-07:00

Well, well. Time sure does fly when one is not blogging. I've been trying to get my rear in gear, but mostly I've been whining to myself that many of the fabulous NW blogs that I have been enjoying have all gone into hibernation at about the same time. Sigh. In order to get blogs, one must post blogs, right? Like Christmas cards. So I am going to try to fill some of the vacuum. Time to put up or shut up. If nothing else, I may send some of the real bloggers running (screaming) back to their computers. Hey, whatever it takes.

Yes, I have been knitting, but no, I haven't finished much. If there is a poster for the Startitis foundation, it must have my picture on it. Speaking of pictures-

This is like a summer dream. I have the LK 150 out on the deck on the first beautiful day of our NW summer. I am working on "Purly Girl" from the summer issue of Knitwords magazine, don't know the issue number off the top of my head.

Notice that I am keeping the knitter in the shade at all times. The LK 150 has a very sturdy plastic frame, but I don't want to find out the hard way that I shouldn't have left my expensive little knitter out in the sunlight. The demise of crayons comes to mind. I also cover it with a towel when I have to step away to keep tree crap and bugs out. I spent a lovely afternoon out in the fresh air, listening to the birds (...and my MP3 player when the dog next door wouldn't stop barking at me. It's like he'd never seen/heard a KM before...?)

TTFN

Blowin' the dust off

2008-05-26T10:53:00.000-07:00

Whooooosh!!!!!!!
That's the sound of dust being blown off a blog that has been languishing for far too long. That is about to change, my friends. My computer is up and running again, thanks to young friends who understand computer things better than I. Today, I am digging out, organizing, and preparing to return to Sweaterhag's Lair.
(Or some facisimilie of) ;)
TTFN

A 49-year-old walks into a bar...

2008-02-07T16:18:00.000-08:00

...and orders a drink to go with her lunch. The 20-something waitress says fine, but I need to see an ID. The 49-year-old woman laughs, looks at the 20-something, and says "...you're kidding, right?" The 20-something, not laughing, says "...IF YOU APPEAR TO BE UNDER 30, I NEED TO SEE AN ID." Resisting the urge to leap over the bar to kiss the 20-something, the 49-year-old displays the ID in question, then proceeds to call husband to gloat.

I'm still smiling, and I left her a fat tip.

TTFN

First FO 2008

2008-02-02T15:13:00.000-08:00

Finally, I have a FO for 2008

This is the medicine bag for a colleague. It's half a skein of Fleece Artist cashmere/silk, my own design using a Barbera Walker stitch pattern. I'm pretty happy with the way it came out, although if I ever make another one, I will use magic loop, which I only thought of after I was all the way done.
Genius. geesh!

TTFN

P.S. Ignore messy bookshelves in the background. Spring cleaning is underway at my house.

The Horror

2008-01-20T19:44:00.000-08:00

I'm one of those who never thinks about my hair. Wash and go, the less fuss, the better. Until something goes horribly wrong, and now I'm thinking about my hair all the time. Yes, I'm going grey; that's just unavoidable at my age, and can be concealed by some clever camouflage. But I am in the middle of a hair crisis, and I have no one to blame but me.

I bought a new curling iron last week, one that cranks up to an impossible degree Fahrenheit. I need really high heat, as I have straight as a stick, curl resistant hair, and if I don't add at least a little curve to the front, well, let's just say that I can pass for Broomhilda.

So when I went to buy a new curling appliance after my old faithful died, I was lured to the clearance table by the promise by high heat at 50% off. Bad move. I have managed to totally burn off the front of my hair, and more is so damaged that I expect to lose it. There will be no waiting until February 14th for cut and color; I am in the middle of a full blown hair emergency. I was going to post a picture, but I can't stand to face the horror.

TTFN

Bad Hair Post

2008-01-18T19:49:00.000-08:00

What the heck is going on with my hair? I noticed this week that the color up front is changing, and not to gray! It's changing to a different shade of brown, like I'd tried coloring a section with shoe polish.

So today, I'm brushing it out after washing it, and I notice that a whole section right up front is missing, whacked off about 1 inch from my scalp!

What the heck is going on here? I'm not doing anything different with my hair; wash and go pretty much sums it up for me, and that's the way I like it. Is this a side effect of my advancing age? I turn 49 and my hair freaks out? Are that cats having some fun at my expense while I'm sleeping?
WTF?

Till tomorrow

Fuddle

2008-01-15T23:07:00.000-08:00

I've got 20 minuets till midnight and nothing to blog about. Even my old stand by, cat photos, is failing me. I'm too tired to see, and the computer is taking full advantage of my fuddle. Thank heaven for spell-check!
Till tomorrow

Reality Check

2008-01-13T20:00:00.000-08:00

After the virtual-reality highs of the last two days, reality bit me in the arse today; the Blog-goblins ate the well crafted post that I had prepared. So I just have a couple of minuets during the commercials of "The Sarah Conner Chronicles" to fulfill my daily blog duties. I'll do better tomorrow.

TTFN

Testing, 1 2 3

2008-01-12T15:34:00.000-08:00

Check, 1-2; check, check, 1-2, 1-2!

First blog post on new computer! So far, so good!

No time for knitting today, still learning my way around this new toy. It's really cool, I'm lovin' it!

Star

First gratuitous cat photo, taken with new computer cam!

Till tomorrow

New Blogger Toy

2008-01-11T21:29:00.000-08:00

Today, I graduate to real bloggerville-I got my own laptop! I'm so excited!! I love our sweet Mac, and would happily blog on it for the rest of my days, but for Christmas, my darling husband gifted me with Design-a-Knit, (DAK), which will not run on the MacBook.
So we set out to find the cheapest PC that was still a good value, and I think that we did just that!

Till tomorrow

How long?

2008-01-10T20:03:00.000-08:00

I wondered, when I signed on for Blog365, how long it would be before I was posting gratuitous cat photos due to lack of time and/or ideas.

Sheba with AB's Christmas hat.

How long? Exactly 5 days.

Till tomorrow

Food Poisoning Redeux

2008-01-09T11:21:00.000-08:00

Note to self: Do NOT taste the chicken soup after cooking with the same spoon that I used to stir it with before cooking.
This round wasn’t as bad as the horrible, ugly bout I had right before Christmas, (which I’m pretty sure I got from the clam chowder at the hot soup bar at the grocery store) but 2 bouts in 1 month? Uncle!!!

Till tomorrow

Post Christmas Knitting Update

2008-01-08T11:23:00.000-08:00

Seamen’s scarf knit from buffalo fiber, based on Myrna Stahman’s design and using a Barbara Walker stitch pattern.Curt loves this scarf; unfortunately, so do the cats. He has to make sure this one is put away, or it gets dragged around the house.
Hat for AB. Based on EZ’s “Sheepsdown Watchcap that I found in "The Opinionated Knitter". I made it from some bulky hand spun I got from a lovely woman who was spinning yarn in the goat barn at the Puyallup Fair. I was worried that this hat was going to be too heavy for my aunt, but she loves it, and it looks great on her.
Present for Sister H. Designed by me.This project went horribly wrong; unfortunately, I did not notice until I started the finishing. There was no fixing it, it had to be completely frogged. I think I can have it done in time for her birthday. (sigh).

Till tomorrow,

The Good, the Bad, and the Shaggy

2008-01-07T11:10:00.000-08:00

The good news:
I made an appointment to have a mammogram this morning.

The bad news:
The appoinment isn't until February 14th.

I am about 2 years overdue for my screening. Even though I have no family history of breast cancer (to the best of my knowledge), it is stupid to let it go so long. At best, a mammogram is uncomfortable. The squeezing and mashing leaves one bruised, not to mention misshapen. I always walk out feeling misused, middle-aged and frumpy.

To get moving, I offered myself this bribe-go have the smash and flash, then go straight to my hair stylist for a fabulous cut and color to make me feel young and cute again (if still slightly misshapen).

So yea! I made the appointment! But boo! It’s still 6 weeks away! I need a hair cut right now; I’m so shaggy, I can hardly see daylight. Maybe just a trim to tide me over...

Till tommorrow

365 Aaack!!!

2008-01-06T19:15:00.000-08:00

Aaaack!!!! Blog 365!!!!???!!
Am I crazy enough to join these crazy people? (Hope so) Am I too old? (Hope not) Do I want to? Absolutely! This may put the fire under my arse that I need to really become a blogger, and not just a dabbler. I am embarrassed to admit that there is a lot about running an effective blog that I don't know (like how to download a "Blog 365" button to Sweaterhag's Lair). But the best way to learn, for me, is by doing. So now I must do.
365-2
Till tomorrow

Tour d'Lair, part 1

2008-01-05T15:18:00.000-08:00

One of my intentions at the outset of this blog was to conduct a tour of the Lair. Without further ado, I give you Sweaterhag’s Lair.

Okay, so it looks like a rather untidy basement. But for me, it is the center of my yarney universe. Let’s start here; in the Northwest corner, we have the stash. I try to keep it contained, organized, and centrally located, but the reality is that it has a tendancy to wander all over the house.

While stash diving for fiber for a recent project I realized, once again, that my organization system was not working. So my fiber dive turned into a full blown stash toss.

I have tried organizing by color and then by fiber, neither of which worked for me. Now I am going by yarn weight, (lace, fingering, dk, worsted, etc.) and this seems to work best for me.

Here is the reorganized stash, complete with Badger-man and mini fridge.

I wonder how long I can keep it looking this nice? A goal I am working toward in '08 is streamlining the Lair into a lean, functional workspace. (I can't believe I posted that with a straight face.) I'll post updates.

TTFN

Return of Sweaterhag

2007-12-11T11:04:00.000-08:00

Hello blog friends. Yes, I have fallen off of the blog map of late, but am trying hard to reestablish my blip. Funny, I thought that when I started a blog, that I would have nothing to write about. It seems that just the opposite is true, and I have been too busy to blog like I want. I will be talking about what I have been doing, but today is for remembering an internet friend.

I was stunned by the sad news of the sudden passing of our beloved list Aunt Gail; Gail McHugh, the moderator of “KnitU”, the Knitter's magazine email forum. I have been a long time member of KnitU, mostly lurking, since the early days. Auntie Gail was professional, warm, funny and unfailingly positive while dealing with what must have been the huge piles of mail that chatty knitters generate. She was also a machine knitter. KnitU is overwhelmingly a hand knitters forum, but she did all of us machine knitters a huge favor by also proclaiming herself a machine knitter. I wish I had been able to talk with her about this; what machine she had, how many, etc. I hoped that we would meet face to face one day, perhaps at a Stitches event, and we could chat carriages and ribbers. Alas, Gail has moved on to the big afterlife yarn shop. (Where I know that they have a big comfy couch, unlimited yarn, a shop cat and dog who get along, tea, coffee, wine, chocolate, and lots of good company; Elizabeth Zimmermann and Sidna Farly, among many others.) We will miss her. My heart and thoughts go out to her family.

Gail’s pet project was Covenent House in New Orleans. She and Dez Crawford were spearheading a drive to contribute 1000 warm knitted items by the holidays. I am ashamed to admit that I was only listening with half an ear as Gail urged us to make and send our contributions to wrap those devastated by Katrina, assuming that "others would take care of it." Then she was gone, so I am stepping up to be one of those others.

I've fired up my old 150 Bulky machine, and broken out the Wool-ease. This was my first knitting machine, bought sometime back in the early 1980's, and is still the dearest to my heart. For no-frills, non-patterning heavy-duty knitting, this guy is unstoppable. Since my knitting time is limited, and I lost some time at the outset coming up with a prototype that I liked and can be produced quickly, I only have a few hats to show so far (I'm getting bogged down in the seaming, too.). But now I've got a simple Fisherman's Knit cap that I can produce in under an hour (not counting seaming).

That is where I'm at, I'd like to have at least 10 hats by this weekend so I can get them off and hopefully they will arrive in time for the holidays.

TTFN

Attack of the Blog-goblins

2007-11-03T15:17:00.000-07:00

So my last post, which I had planned as a picture heavy introduction to the lastest member of my machine family, really turned into reality check of how little I know about using the tools to create an effective blog. After nearly losing a good portion of a hard fought blog post to the Blog-goblins, I have set out to learn as much as I can about how to use the Blogger software. In the meantime, I will confine myself to less ambitious posts, and work on honing my blog skills.

This is what has been happening on the small knitting front:
MS3/Swan Lake-still moving slowly along. I think one of the blog-goblins got into this project. I make good progress for awhile, then mess up on a grand scale, nessecitating ripping of about 1/2 of my progress...two steps forward, one step back. I'd love to have this ready in time for holiday parties, but at this rate it may be holidays '08.

Christmas present #1-(surprise) moving along nicely, considering I have to keep this one under wraps. Looks good!

Christmas present #2-EZ's Prime-rib Watch cap for AB-kind of sitting on the back burner...

I attended Knit-Nite at Village Yarn and Tea last night. I tend to be shy and awkward in social situations, so I tend to avoid them, even as I yearn to be more social, especially with other knitters. But I was lured in by the irresistible promise of Noro on sale! I wandered back and forth, longingly fondling fibers and contemplating luscious colors. But all the while, I was drawn to the corner where my secret crush is calling to me…
Kauni. Sigh. I desperately covet this yarn, but the color palate available on this day, while stunning, does not suit me. As I stand like a pole, fingering and dithering, I manage to snag a few moments with the very charming and very busy Deb, who is the owner and who informs me that a new order of Kauni is in the foreseeable future! Be still my heart! So I stifle my screaming desire for instant gratification on this day, and eagerly look forward to a big pay off down the road.

That's all I have for you today, my knit-friends. The kitchen is calling me; beef stroganoff and artichokes for dinner tonight, then it's off to the Princess to see "Into the Wild".

TTFN

Debut of the Machine Fiend

2007-10-20T13:06:00.000-07:00

We went to see L today. I have been wanting one of these for a while.

Can’t tell what it is? Either can Badger.
Okay, it’s an LK! Light Knitter 150 by Silver Reed. I've been trying to get my hands on one for awhile-I thought I had a line on a used one, but after much waiting, that door closed, maybe for the better. This one is brand new out of the box, just like a first timer would bring home a brand new LK 150.

I have really wanted one of these guys; yes, I have a whole lair full of the "big boys", but they can be complicated and/or intimidating for the beginner, not to mention expensive. At about $400.00, this is a great entry level knitter. Good quality, nice features, light and full of possibilities. My goal is to become proficient with this guy, so I can answer questions and show how easy and fun knitting machines can be.

This guy has a lot in common with the big guys, and is still different. I want to explore what can be done with this fella, using just what comes with this machine-no running to others for garter bars or extra hand tools.

That being said, I did cheat a little bit; I have the luxury of having a spare tilt table, so I don't have to clamp it to the dining room table

I'm going to wrap up and call it a day; the gremlins have gotten into the blog, and are trying to destroy this post. I'm happy today that I've gotten some picture mojo going, and will quit while I'm ahead.
TTFN

Teaser!

2007-10-18T21:20:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to mention a wonderful yarn shop that I visited today-it’s called Renaissance Yarns, and it’s located in Kent, on Meeker Street in the heart of downtown. Yes, I live in Edmonds, and Kent is a bit out of the way for me, (about 35 miles) but I grew up in the South end, and my Aunt still lives out in Kent. What a nice shop! Stunning yarns, beautiful atmosphere and lovely people. They have a charity event every 3rd Friday of the month; they get together to make chemo caps for the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. This is definitely a shop I am going to put on my “must visit” list. I also got a call from L tonight-she has procured for me that which I have been questing for. (Teaser!) If all goes as planned, I should have it tomorrow. It also occurs to me that I have yet to document the Lair. That is going to require pictures. If I’m not too exhausted from another whole day of errands, I plan to become the master of the digital camera! (A girl can dream, can’t she?)

Froggin’

2007-10-11T22:28:00.000-07:00

Sigh. I’ve been pleased with the slow but steady progress I’ve been making on MS3, then Yarn Harlot has to go and do what’s been rattling around the back of my brain:
She added more beads to the design.
Sigh. I’ve been (mostly) happily plodding along, making slow, steady progress. I’m about ¼ of the way thru clue 4, and I’ve noticed that the beautiful beads that I love and were liberally sprinkled thru the first 3 clues have dried up.
So now I’m faced with ripping back all my hard won progress. It means taking out about 60 rows back to the middle of clue 3.

Sigh. I want more beads.
Rip.

2007-10-06T20:51:00.001-07:00

So I've figured out why I'm not posting-I'm still not comfortable with the picture thing. Lacking time to play with and become proficient with camera and computer, I haven't been posting. Time for a change. I will become picture savvy, but 'til then, please forgive unillustrated postings.

This is what has been happening in Sweaterhag's world:
We went to the Puyallup Fair; I love fairs, we try to go to Monroe and Puyallup every year. We eat too much fair food, look at the displays and the animals. The draft horses are one of my favorites. They’re just huge! We went to the show, and afterwards we went out back of the barn and saw the horse wash. I guess even guys who weigh 2000 pounds need a shower after work.

What I always look for are the knitting entries, naturally. The Puyallup is the biggest fair in western Washington, and the knitted entries are always spectacular-the best of the best. And with the current knitting boom, I was expecting magic. Imagine my surprise when I found-not a heck of a lot. Don’t get me wrong; what was there was very nice; exquisite and beautiful, actually. But there really were very few pieces. I must have expressed my surprise to Curt a few too many times because he turned to me and said “So where is YOUR entry?” That shut me up. Where is my entry? Still scrawled on the back page of the someday file...
So here and now, I promise I will have an entry for next year’s Puyallup. (Gulp). I do have an idea, and maybe the yarn and pattern.

I did get Ty-Dy boxes done in time to wear to see the Yarn Harlot when she was in town. I was pleased to see that we were both wearing the same shade of chocolate brown, but she was wearing a beautiful lace shawl of apple green mohair as a contrasting piece. She is soo funny! (…“dropping the ‘K’ bomb.” Snort!) It really is a great time to be a knitter. Knitting humor-who'd a ever thunk it?
I got to meet the very charming Morgan. I am very interested in meeting other NW knit bloggers, so this was a great pleasure for me.

Okay, what else has happened? I went to Knit Night at Village Yarn and Tea. They were having a trunk show by the Fleece Artist, Kathryn Thomas. The yarns were amazing: the fibers delectable, the colors iridescent. I'm afraid I had a yarn accident, and spent an indecent amount of money.
Hi, I'm Petra, and I'm a yarnaholic. Sigh. I wore Field of Flowers and got lots of nice compliments on it.

Currently in progress:

MS3. Or should I call it Swan Lake now? I keep plugging along, but this one seems to move very slowly. Still, I love it and I want to finish it. I know me, and if I let my attention wander, it will end up in the UFO bin.
The Puyallup Project. Still in the early preliminary stages
Aunt Betty's Christmas hat. I'm doing EZ's watch cap from some bulky hand-dyed handspun wool I got from the spinner as she was spinning in the goat barn at the Monroe fair. This is easy knitting, which I need after Swan Lake and the PP.
Christmas present. Shhhh! It's a surprise! (Looks good, tho')

Alright, that's enough for today. I'll try not to get so far behind again, and WILL figure out how to access the pictures so I can use them easily. I took some good ones at the fair that I want to share.
TTFN

Panic Setting In

2007-09-11T10:19:00.000-07:00

Now it's down to crunch time: I'm trying to hurry and finish my version of Ty-Dy boxes so I can wear it Friday when Yarn Harlot is in town. The knitting is mostly done, now it's just the finishing up...and setting in the sleeves.
For me, this is where the wheels come off the wagon. I love set in sleeves, I just don't love setting in the sleeves. And of course, the hurrieder I go, the behinder I get.
Ty-Dy boxes is an unconventional construction, which makes it fun to knit, but makes the finishing a bit of a challenge. Add in the rush factor and, well, let's just say it's not moving along as fast as I'd like. (Understatement) I'm not ever sure it will fit when I'm done. I'm using every spare minute I can scrounge to finish, and what's the result?
Yup, I want to start something new.

No time for pictures...

2007-09-08T18:50:00.001-07:00

Just wanted to dash off a quick one today. It's amazing how how busy days off from work can become.
So between errands, housework, cooking and cat maintenance, I've been busy trying to finish the sweater I want to wear when Yarn Harlot hits town next week. She will be here.
I want to hurry and finish Ty-Dy boxes from Knitter's magazine, Summer '07, I think. No time to check the details, no time for pictures...
I'm making it out of Debbie Bliss Cotton Cashmere in a dark coffee color. It goes perfectly with a strand of pearls I bought here the same day I bought the yarn. Would anyone believe that one event was not related to the other? It's true, I swear on cashmere.
So I'm hurrying to finish, and hoping it fits. I'll post a picture of the finished outfit. Back to it!

Many Apologies...

2007-09-01T18:15:00.001-07:00

Many apologies for having the lamest blog on the net. In my defence, to kick off my knitting blog, this is what I have been doing

We are building a new deck. (I'm going to toot my own horn here, and gloat about the small victory in posting my first pictures. Hazzah!)
This is a big deal for us, as the old deck was rotten and falling down
This is the old, sad, unsafe deck. You can see me underneath, proudly waving Old Glory through the rotted out hole for dramatic effect. Obviously, destruction and rebuilding are required.
And that is what we have been doing, with some timeouts for knitting, of course

Here are four of my favorite things, in no particular order...
New deck
Knitting magazines
Knitting (MS3 in Misti Lace Alpaca)
Coffee
And one last favorite thing;
husband Curt on brand new deck. He did most of the work, and he deserves most of the credit. The deck is beautiful, and is my new favorite knitting spot. Good job, baby!

Look for more knitting content coming soon.

Hello from Sweaterhag

2007-07-03T10:18:00.000-07:00

Hello?
Is there room out here in the blogesphere for another knitting blogger?
Hi! My name is Petra, and I knit as much as I can. I do other things, too, but I am hoping, by blogging, to meet other yarny friends.

I am not young (48), hip (love Fleetwood Mac), or computer savvy (still working out how to post pictures). But I do have a screen name...(drumroll) I am the Sweaterhag (cymbal crash). Okay, not so impressive. But I do have a lair, and I was planning on posting some pictures to kick off this blog, but, um, there's that whole still working out the pictures bit. But I will, and soon. So till then, I just wanted to say Hi!

Oh, and happy 4th of July!