Picking up stitches

Good Monday to you all. Thanks again for your sweet comments - my back is much better :-)

The lace edging is fun to knit after all that stockinette! Here it is on the bottom edge of the back of the bolero:

But what a royal pain to pick up all those stitches! I am seeing why the directions called for doing each piece separately - the number of stitches to pick up is greater than the number of stitches on the edge (pick up 103 from the 96 and even more around the front). I think the math and the size would make it too unwieldy to have everything seamed and then do this procedure as a whole.

I used a crochet hook (as per Vogue Knitting) and it did work well - but I was very slow and it is certainly not my favorite technique! It is much easier to pick up the gusset stitches on a sock.

More to come~~~

Home and a new project!

Thanks so much for your comments! I wore my sweater at Mom's a few times and felt really special knowing I had knit it. What fun! (Note to self - must knit more garments)

Mom is doing quite well for an 86 year old who lives alone. She is in good health and pretty good mind. However I am beginning to see some forgetfulness and that concerns me. I worry even more since she is by herself in a 2 story house with a basement. My brother who lives 45 minutes away does not get there too often. I am trying to convince her (ever so gently) that moving to Texas might be a really good idea......

The flights in on Tuesday were fine but on Wednesday when I was cleaning the tub, my back went out. So much for my plans of doing the physical chores around the house! I was laid up for 3 days and began moving slowly on Saturday. I was able to get some of the work done on the weekend, albeit in slow motion. The rest of the outside (and inside) work got done on Monday and Tuesday. One good thing - I got a lot of knitting in. More on that in a minute.

Yesterday was my return. Due to bad storms in the Dallas area, our flight was diverted to Memphis. The airport was virtually closed but at least they let us off the plane. Instead of arriving home at 9:00pm, we actually rolled up to the gate at midnight. It was a minor inconvenience compared tot he people who had to deal with terrible rains, hail and tornadoes. My beloved husband drove out and got me - so all is well. But my back is still not good.....

Okay, here is the promised knitting content: After all the choices, I drove to my LYS for a different yarn since the Cotton Ease was just too thick. I ended up with a beautiful Sirdar Cotton DK.

The color is a luscious coral. The pattern I decided on is this Bolero:

The pattern is number 8706. I couldn't find it on any web site, so it must be really new.

And I made a modification. The sleeves are stockinette and they will curl, so I knit them a bit shorter and will put the lace border on them as well. Pictures soon - All that is left to knit are the two front pieces and the border.

I have a question for you all-knowing wonderful folks - the pattern calls for the border to be knit on in pieces before seaming - first the bottom back, then the fronts starting at each side and joining at the neck. Is there any reason I could not seam the sweater then knit the border all around? I don't understand the logic of all the separate parts.

One last thing - I was at WalMart with Mom and saw a little knit sweater that looked exactly like Bonnie Marie's CeCe pattern! And then I saw a woman wearing it - - - looked very sweet, so I am going to knit that one as well.

Oh my - it is late. I must get going........... Enjoy this beautiful Wednesday.

FO!!!

Well, here it is! This is from Garn Studio Drops Design, #94-27. I used Queensland Collection "Maldives" and #4 needles.

My journey began in April 2006 when I knit the back and sleeves. I hit a roadblock at the front pieces and put it away until last month. I was able to get some guidance from Sillyewe for those front pieces and was determined to finish! Then you all helped me in the finishing process - thank you!

The grand finale was this morning at about 10:00 a.m. It is quite amazing to me that it fits and looks pretty decent too! My disappointment is that I was hoping it would make me look young and thin like the model :-)

Ready and willing to jump right into the next project, I chose CeCe from Chicknits. Then I started looking at the new Drops designs for spring and summer and fell in love with this:

It is design #101-32. The lace has four different sections (and 2 extremely confusing charts) so it will take some major deciphering on my part. I think I can do it!!! I bought this yummy Berry colored Cotton Ease to use.

Oh Yikes!! I just saw this one:

#100-26

Egads!! Now what am I going to do???????

Thursday morning I am on a plane to NY to see Mom. Since her house is not wired, I won't take the latptop and will be off line until the next Tuesday. I guess I could find some WiFi access, but I thought since I play a Bach Concerto in 2 weeks, I think it is wiser to take my oboe instead to get in some good practicing.

And I will of course take my knitting - but which one?!

Seaming and Shostakovich

We performed Shostakovich 5th Symphony last night with RSO. It has the most beautifully forlorn oboe solos in our repertoire and our principal oboist performed them magnificently! It is a real pleasure and honor to be able to work with such wonderful friends and musicians.

Thanks to all your great suggestions, that fine link and with some more reading on my part I was able to seam up my cardi. I only wish we were all sitting together with that cup of coffee....

Then I realized I needed to crochet the border, so I practiced a bit on an old swatch. It was sort of like riding a bicycle - I haven't crocheted in over 20 years, but my fingers just went where they needed to!

Of course I need a different size needle than what I have, so I cannot really begin until I make a trip to the craft store tomorrow. I hope to have an FO soon 'cos I would like to begin my summer lacy cardi. This is CeCe by Chicknits. Now how could I not knit a cardi with the same name as me??!!

I am planning to use Shine Sport in Sky (light blue).

FO coming soon.....................

Sneak Peek

You know what this, don't you?

Yessiree - the back and front of my Drops Cardigan #94-27! (Please pay no attention to the color - it is really much more attractive than it looks in this picture). I ran out of pins, so the sleeves will get their bit tomorrow or Monday. I can't believe the knitting is finished! Now I must figure out how to assemble the darn thing.

Any hints would be gratefully accepted even though I have the Vogue Knitting Book for guidance.

I hope your Easter is joyous.

More Socks?!

Well, I made it through the weekend. The music was good but the drives not so much. We had terrible storms to drive through on the trip home Friday night. Thankfully I was not alone and had good tires on my car.

I was able to get a few more inches done on my cardi, so I feel on track with my goal to get it finished. And thank you for all your encouragement. It does feel good to figure something out. I hope to have this finished in a week or two but it depends on work - we are playing Shostakovitch 5th Symphony next week (lots of difficult notes) and I am playing the Bach Double Concerto for Violin and Oboe a few weeks after that, so my oboe is beckoning me to practice more. And when I get home after rehearsals, I cannot think too much with my tired brain.

My current sock project (yeah, like I need more socks!!!) is Almost Argyle Socks from KP. I am using their Essentials sock yarn in Burgandy and #1 Pony Pearls DPNs. I LIKE these needles a lot!

The top is what is called Latvian Twist - I thought it looked interesting (don't know if you can really see it here) but the directions were somewhat confusing.

This week is also a bit hectic with church rehearsals and services for Easter so I'll see you in a few days.

Happy Easter!

Knovice Knitter Kniavete

So last year in April I begin this fabulous cardigan thinking I will have it finished in 2 months. HAH! I did manage to knit the back, then the two sleeves and became stuck on the two front pieces. (Here is the pattern - you can see why I was confused).

How the heck do I knit a mirror image?? While increasing??? Now, for all you experienced knitters, this might not have seemed an issue. But to me, a year ago, it was beyond my level of knitting comprehension. I was stymied, baffled, confused and had no idea where to begin.

This week I was determined to turn this into a FO. I emailed my friend asking for advice and VIOLA! Two front pieces with mirror increases are emerging:

I know they don't look like much yet, but for me they are a monumental step forward in my knitting experience.

I did order these nifty bags from KP last week. I think they look great - but don't know how long they will hold up. Since almost all my work involves carrying an instrument in a black bag and wearing black clothes, I thought these would be less obtrusive sitting on the stage under my chair with the rest of my stuff than my brocade or toile bags full of multi-colored projects peeking out the top. Here they are if you are interested:

I'll let you know how well they last....

This weekend is a conglomeration of 3 rehearsals and 3 performances - all different music, locations and with different musicians. So if the brains and body are still intact after Sunday afternoon, I will check back and come see you all.

Have a fabulous weekend :-)

FO and a Birthday Bag, Symphony Report

Thanks for the birthday wishes. It was really nice and being middle aged isn't so bad. Like my Mom says, consider the alternative!

Here are my socks from my all-time favorite pattern "Embossed Leaves."

I used KnitPicks Gloss in Dusk and #2 DPNs. I knit one less pattern repeat on the foot since I wear a size 6.

I just LOVE, LOVE, LOVE these socks!!

Laura and I went shopping today at a local consignment shop and she got herself a great bag -

Boas and Polka dots!!! And the lining has little girls in poodle skirts!!

Too Fun.

Last symphony, we performed the Elgar Cello Concerto with Amanda Forsyth. She was remarkable. And you should have seen the men's heads turn when she walked in. She is a drop-dead gorgeous woman who is a fantastic cellist! Way to go, Amanda!!!!

We turned in a good performance on the brahms as well. It was a harrowing week, but the final product was good. Whew!

Next week is crazy with Palm Sunday and numerous rehearsals and performances crammed into 3 days. I will write more if I survive next weekend.

A good thing to look forward to during the week of craziness - Silly Ewe and I are working together :-)

Enjoy the rest of this one.

Embossed Leaves, Iris, and Brains

Hi Blog Buddies!!!

Sorry to be so long in posting something new.... There are just not enough hours in the day.

Yesterday was my birthday and we arranged our students so we could go out for dinner. I broke my salt grinder, and DH bought me a new one. I don't need extravagant gifts!

Embossed Leaves are a slow go - but then again, I am the Hare - here is one cuff, the other is in the same place. I just began the heel flap this morning.

(Hey ~ Those aren't toes!!!)

One of my students brought me a bouquet of Irises:

This weekend is Wichita Falls Symphony - out of town. I can't wait to play the Brahms 4th Symphony. What a great piece! Gee, I was going to link to the orchestra, but their web page is hopelessly out of date. Go figure.

I saw this on Cindy's blog and it intrigued me!

Brain Lateralization Test Results

Right Brain (52%) The right hemisphere is the visual, figurative, artistic, and intuitive side of the brain. Left Brain (52%) The left hemisphere is the logical, articulate, assertive, and practical side of the brain

Are You Right or Left Brained?
personality tests by similarminds.com

*results won't usually add up to 100% as this test measures each side seperately

Left brain dominant individuals are more orderly, literal, articulate, and to the point. They are good at understanding directions and anything that is explicit and logical. They can have trouble comprehending emotions and abstract concepts, they can feel lost when things are not clear, doubting anything that is not stated and proven.

Right brain dominant individuals are more visual and intuitive. They are better at summarizing multiple points, picking up on what's not said, visualizing things, and making things up. They can lack attention to detail, directness, organization, and the ability to explain their ideas verbally, leaving them unable to communicate effectively.

Overall you appear to have fairly Equal Hemispheres .

It seems I am pretty balanced, at least brain-wise, though there are people who would probably debate that! Have a teriffic weekend.

Socks, Symphonies and Students

Dear Friends-


Thanks so much for your input. After knitting numerous rounds of stockinette, I decided I was too bored and needed a change.

So I frogged back and began the gusset and instep with the ribbing. I also went down to #0 because I thought the fabric felt to loose. The cool part is that I switched to the Pony Pearls - they are NICE! They feel as comfortable as (my favorite) Crystal Palace DPNs, but the tips are not quite as sharp.

Work has been extremely hectic - I have played (4) children's concerts with the Plano Symphony already this week as well as rehearsals with the Richardson Symphony. Our RSO concert is Saturday and the repertoire is hard! But really fun.

The rest of my students have solo and ensemble competitions this weekend, so I have been trying to fit in as many lessons as possible in between the rehearsals and performances. Due to all this, my brain is fried and my body tired, so knitting and spinning have not been on the calendar. (Well, maybe a few rows on the socks).

Sunday is a day off, so my DH wants to check out a new venue where he has a wedding to play (remember - he is a cellist and does lots and lots of weddings, receptions, parties, etc.) Then we will probably eat dinner some where. All in all, a nice weekend.

I confess that will be happy when the Saturday performance of Ravel's Rapsody Espagnole is done - there are a lot of English horn solos for me. I am in the pressure cooker this weekend and am hoping I don't get overcooked!!

To rib or not to rib?

That is the question.

Here is a cuff - should I continue the rib on the instep or just knit stockinette?

I'm not following any pattern, so the choices are open.

Then these arrived today (yippee!!)

and I am ready to begin Embossed Leaves (again).

What do you think - Blue

or Burgundy?

And really, thanks for letting me rant yesterday.

I needed to vent.

Oboe, Music Store Rant!

There is no knitting content here, just a rant.

School district buys (very nice and expensive) oboe from big music conglomerate in Texas. Same big music conglomerate has been claiming big box stores are hurting their business by selling cheap instruments (not oboes, thankfully). Big box sues music store and wins, so music store is now bankrupt and out of business.

In the meantime, lovely oboe cracks. Music teacher (me!) tells band director it needs to be repaired. Band director calls music rep still servicing the schools and is told that since the music store bought the oboe from the manufacturer, the warranty applied to the music store and not the final purchaser of the oboe. (Think cars here, people). Hello!! Are you nuts???

So I call the manufacturer and am told of course the oboe is covered under warranty and they will happily repair it for free. I guess the band director is happy, although when I gave him all the necessary information he didn't even say thank you. (That is another rant for another time.)

Now - the music store claims the big boxes were hurting their bottom line but you know what it really was? Their lack of professional and knowledgeable employees. Their hiring of idiot employees who freely dispense misinformation! I get so crazed with the ridiculous state of customer service that seems rampant in so many businesses here. Is it just in the US or is it everywhere??

Okay, I'm done now. Thanks for listening.

Spinning around

Tuesday was my last of the three beginning spinning classes with Leef. (boo hoo hoo - she is so wonderful) My assignment had been to bring 2 spindles of yarn - one white, one brown so we could ply. Here is the result of my effort:

It came out thick and thin - very organic! I have more to spin and more to ply - so maybe I will knit a chunky hat from this. Beth - it is corriedale. I have totally enjoyed this new endeavor and now I must make time to continue improving my skills and to take the intermediate classes. I also thank you for your encouraging comments. You are really spurring me on.

Monkey socks were so much fun and elicited so many responses - they took me 2 weeks to knit (I am not a fast knitter). I really enjoyed the pattern and if you are thinking about knitting them - go for it! They were a very satisfying project.

Here are the most recent socks:

They are a basic 2X2 rib which will continue all the way down the foot using Fortissima Cotton Colori (which I think has been discontinued!) and #1 DPNs. I realize I like simple after complex. It keeps me from getting bored to change back and forth.

The next will be another pair of Embossed Leaves - they are so beautiful and such a nice pattern, but I am awaiting the arrival of some Pony Pearls #0 DPNs. I plan to use Knitpicks Essentials or Gloss and both seem like they want #0s.

Hope your day is fantastic!!!!!!!!!!

Love Monkey

Loved knitting Monkey!

I did use the star toe from Embossed Leaves 'cos it is the right shape for my toes.

Yarn: Lorna's Lace Shepherd

Color: Sand Ridge

Needles: #1 DPNs

Pattern: Monkey from Knitty

Thanks, Beth and Sharon for your nice comments. I am really enjoying the spinning so far.

Sorry Beth, I do not know what that fiber is - I will ask on Tuesday.

1st handspun

I finally had some time and so here is the first handspun:

Tonight and tomorrow I will fill a spindle of white for my Tuesday lesson that will be plying.

Then I guess I am off to the races!

~~~Yippee~~~

My Family

Of oboes, that is.

On the left is the oboe.

Next is the oboe d'amore. It sounds a third lower than the oboe and is used mainly in older music like Bach and Telemann, although it was used in Ravel's "Bolero" (the theme from the Bo Derek movie "10").

On the right is the English horn or if you prefer, the cor Anglais. This is even lower in sound than the oboe and the d'amore and used frequently.

I regularly play the oboe and English horn, althought this weekend is a Bach Cantata in which I will be playing the d'amore.

Just thought you might like a peek....

Sock Tease

I have been Monkey-ing around with these all week:

They are Monkey by Cookie A. from Knitty in Lorna's Lace Shepherd in Sand Ridge using #1 DPNs. I really like this pattern - not at all hard and really pretty!

I hope to be done with them in the next few days. Life has been very busy - played with Ft. Worth Symphony and Willie Nelson on Saturday. Also had two lovely church services on Sunday.

My three students have been gearing up for All-State and the rest of the crew are playing solos in chamber music contests over the next few weekends.

I will have some spinning pics soon - lessons have been great, but I have not had time this week to "practice." Work has really been getting in the way of my play time!!! More details to follow.....

Music Weekend

I just love do it yourself projects! Thanks for you thoughts on the yarn meter. I think it turned out just fine and it was easy! So go for it and make you own. Think of all the nice sock yarn you can get with the savings! Next on my DIY list are sock blockers from here.

We have the pleasure of performing with Mark O'Connor this weekend. He is an amazing fiddler who has composed and performs his own classically oriented works. I played with him last year and was totally impressed with his musicianship and lively personality. It should be a fun weekend at Symphony.

On Christmas Eve morning, we performed in LeeAnn's church - so here are Ceci, LeeAnne and Jim doing our thing.

I have begun Monkey but don't have any pics yet. They are a quick and easy knit.... I will take pictures after the concert tomorrow.

Yes Patrice, it was Bass Pro Shops. The brand is Shakespeare and I think the cost was $12.99. It was the less expensive one. You can find it on line here.

Have a great weekend.

Socks and Yarn Meters

Thanks for all the sweet comments. My cousin loved his hat and wore it running the very next day. Mom has been showing her friends the socks - I think she is really tickled by them!

One of Mom's friends asked for pair of socks. I had this Lion Brand Magic Stripes in my stash and found I was not too fond of the yarn or the colors. So these are going to NY for another octagenarian lady:

Magic Stripes Ocean, #1 DPNs, knit in a Garter Rib from Sensational Knitted Socks, the heel is from Sally Melville Purl Book. I didn't model because these are too big for me.

There was a thread on KR about the speed at which we knit. I feel I am a slower knitter, a process knitter. But I CO the first sock last Thursday pm and finished tonight. So that makes 10 days for whatever that is worth!

My DH bought me a line counter (aka yarn meter) from a big fishing store for Christmas. I turned it into this:

Knit Picks sells one all set up for $49.99. Mine cost $12.99 (for the meter) and $.99 for the little wooden base. The rest of the wood came from our garage.

Here is a side view:

I used a 7/16" wooden dowel and two 3" pieces of 1X1 inch wood. I drilled holes in the 1X1s as well as the bottom of the 5" x 7" base (from Michaels) and screwed them on. I hollowed out the top of the 1X1s with my Dremel and glued the dowel on. The meter itself clamps right on and can be tightened down so it won't move. This is the exact same meter that is sold for the big $$. And yes, I shamelessly copied the KP version. No guilt here :-)

One last item: I go for my first spinning lesson Tuesday!!!

I will let you know ....

Mom, Hat 'n' Socks

Although Mom was here, I put in a busy knitting week. Didn't get too much practicing or reedmaking done, but we did cook, bake, eat, play Scrabble (she whomped me!) and knit.

The first pic is of that Ribbed Cashmere Hat on Shrodinger's blog. My cousin is a runner and wears hats - I hope it fits. My DH thought is was fine for him.

I used Sirdar DK (acrylic, wool, nylon blend) and #6 needles.

And then I finished the ever-so-bright socks from the gift Collinette yarn:

They were a great fit - for both Mom and me. But Mom liked them so much, I gave them to her. Picture a 5', 86 year old white haired lady in black velvet pull-on pants, black loafers and these socks! She looked pretty darn cute!

I was surprised how fast these knit up after all the socks I knit with fairly involved patterns, these were QUICK! I knit 12 rows of 2x2 ribbing, stockinette leg, ribbed heel, stockinette foot and a star toe on #1 dpns.

Our lives have returned to our normal craziness, so I will come see you more often. I missed you all :-)