Graceful Knitting

A Christmas Table Runner

2010-11-08T15:59:00.003-05:00

Here we are into November already! Now that the Halloween craze has passed us by, there is no excuse for knitting up gifts for all those on our Christmas lists.

Here is a pattern for a very pretty table runner. I always use a cotton yarn for anything for the kitchen; cotton washes easily and is very durable. Even rugs and curtains can be done up in mercerized cotton yarn; especially with all the color choices, you just can't go wrong!

I have given these away for gifts and have one, and very soon, another for my own kitchen. I tried several other patterns of my own, but could never come up with a runner that looked as nice as this one. Amy Stender does a really nice job with this pattern!

Later this week, look for my original pattern for a pretty neck scarf. The yarn is a dusky repeating pattern, and it knits up quickly.

In the coming weeks, look for more Christmas postings, as there is always something to be knitting while watching all those holiday movies on TCM!

Can It Be . .

2010-10-09T11:28:00.003-04:00

Imagine had John Lennon lived to be 70!

October Ornaments

2010-10-08T14:12:00.004-04:00

I took Piper for a walk down the road this afternoon in search of some mail. Instead, I got junk. The day is incredibly beautiful; the leaves are at peak in the small trees, with the large scenic trees still to turn. The sky is sapphire blue, there wasn't a car in sight, and little red dragonflies followed us all the way down and all the way back. How they love the sun's warmth!

The picture above is of the meetinghouse in Jaffrey NH taken in October of 2004. The colors of New England are like no place else. Not even here in northeast PA.

Autumn comes on us so quickly! Even though the sun is at a lower angle, it makes for delightful patterns on walls and floors, that you just don't see in summer. You know Christmas is coming closer day by day.

So here is a link to the pattern I used for a new Christmas Afghan I'm knitting. Use any worsted weight yarn, and size 8 needles. Simply repeat Rows 1 - 48 for your desired length. Then end with the same border you started with and bind off. I am doing five sections, 3 green and 2 red, or 2 green and 3 red, I haven't decided which yet! Either way it will be very festive.

Knitting Placemats, Victorian Style

2010-09-26T18:13:00.003-04:00

Victorian houses have always fascinated me. I love the look of them; the etched, fancy filigree, the high ceilings within, and the pitched gabled roofs without. Rooms seem to have eccentric touches, such as dumbwaiters, or ornate built-in shelves. There are pocket doors, and heating grilles on the floors. Then there are always the back stairs from the kitchen or a secret door or passage out of the library.

Looking into the interior designs of Victorian houses, and you see ornate, strong colors. Throw rugs, large tasseled pillows, and brightly colored rooms only accentuate the more pronounced settees, and over-sized armoires and buffets. There is nothing small or simple about a Victorian home; the frillier the better, it seems.

That is why this placemat seems so appropriate. Not that I live in such a house. I would love to. Yet, certain design elements can be incorporated into any style home, and these Victorian placemats just go perfectly on anyone's kitchen table. Or in the dining room, if you prefer!

Use cotton yarn. The placemat is knit in two pieces; the main pattern, and the borders. You will knit two borders.

Main Pattern:

Approx. 11 x 16

Cast on 71 stitches.

Rows 1 & 3: (WS) Purl.

Row 2: K1, * yo, k3, sl 1, k2tog, psso, k3, yo, k1; rep from *.

Row 4: P1, * k1, yo, k2, sl1, k2tog, psso, k2, yo, k1, p1; rep from *.

Row 5 & 7: K1, *p9, k1; rep from *.

Row 6: P1, *k2, yo, k1, sl1, k2tog, psso, k1, yo, k2, p1; rep from *.

Row 8: P1, *k3, yo, sl1, k2tog., psso, yo, k3, p1, rep from *.

Repeat Rows 1-8, 8 times. Bind off.

Border: (Make 2)

Cast on 10 sts.

Set up row: Knit.

Row 1: Sl1, k1, yo, p2tog, k2, yo twice, k2tog, k2 (11 sts).

Row 2: K4, p1, k2, yo, p2tog, k2.

Row 3: Sl1, k1, yo, p2tog, k3, yo twice, k2tog, k2 (12 sts)

Row 4: K4, p1, k3, yo, p2tog, k2.

Row 5: Sl1, k1, yo, p2tog, k4, yo twice, k2tog, k2 (13 sts)

Row 6: K4, p1, k4, yo p2tog, k2.

Row 7: Sl1, k1, yo, p2tog, k9.

Row 8: BO 3, k5, yo, p2tog, k2 (10 sts)

Knit 9 "points" then Rows 1-4.

BO.

Make 2 or 4, if you like. White is a very classic Victorian color; yet any cotton yarn will do.

Enjoy!

Learning Lace and other Secrets

2010-08-27T12:42:00.005-04:00

I do have a few pictures to share with you. They aren't the best, but they get the point across.

A simple yarnover "yo" looks like this:

All you are doing is draw the yarn over the needle and then knit the next stitch on your left needle. You will then have one additional stitch on your right needle, but it will be loose and not look like the other stitches. That's good! That's what you want.

From the purl side, your yarnover looks like this:

The 'yarnover' stitch is still on the left needle. Note how loose it looks. New knitters have a tendency to let this "stitch" slide off the needles because it looks wrong. Don't do it! Purl it into place. From there on it will be anchored to the needle, just like your 'regular' stitches.

The picture below shows how you knit a "ssk" or slip-slip-knit stitch. First you slip two stitches from your left needle onto your right needle, one at a time as if you are knitting them. Then take the tip of your left needle and insert into those two stitches as noted below. Bring your yarn around as you normally would to knit, and knit these two stitches together.

This creates a left-slanting decrease.

To do what is called a "psso", understand that this term is used in conjunction with other actions, such as "sl 1" or "k2tog". Pictured below I am sliding a stitch from the left needle onto the right needle. Then I will knit the next two stitches together.

This final picture shows me doing a "psso" or passing the slipped stitch over the one stitch which I created from knitting two together. Again, doing a "psso" will give you a left-slanting decrease in your work.

When you knit-two-together, (k2tog) you get a right-slanting decrease in your work. When knitting lace or open-weave designs, these slants become important to your designs. They are so easy to do, but look terrifically difficult, so don't tell anyone! It's just another knitting secret!

Practice these simple lace stitches and then try out the 'feather and fan' stitch to create a scarf or practice block. It's all about keeping track of your rows, and doing exactly what each row says to do. Don't always try to keep track of your stitches, because when increasing and decreasing in a pattern, you don't always have the exact stitch number you cast on with, and that can be confusing. So if, for example, you cast on 47 stitches and in Row 12 you now have 53 stitches, that is probably exactly what the pattern is calling for. So, don't get nervous if it seems wrong. As long as you follow each row carefully, your pattern will work out! Another secret!

Late Summer Longings

2010-08-26T18:27:00.005-04:00

One more week until Labor Day! Out on the roads are lots of yellow school buses, whether practicing their runs or doing road tests, I don't know, yet there they are! They blend in with the goldenrod and ferns which are beginning to grow sere and lighten to a pale yellow.

Driving past the high schoool, there is the football team out practicing on the front grass, and everyone slows down to watch them. Next week or in two weeks, their season will be underway!

Last week I knitted a baby blanket for a co-worker's great-granddaughter. It was easy and quick and looks wonderful! So pretty in pink. Here's a picture, and next week I will post the pattern.

In this month's newsletter, I made mention of working a "yo" stitch. I will also post this picture, along with what a "ssk", and "psso" look like. Look for these no later than this coming weekend!

You know, the weekend before Labor Day! As always, enjoy your knitting and I am also looking to post Christmas patterns as fast as I find them!

Deep in Summer

2010-07-29T14:54:00.007-04:00

Piper, (my husband Bob says we should have named her Pudgy, funny) and I walk most mornings down our gravel road to another connecting gravel road where homes are far from the road, either up hills or hidden by trees. Vales of ferns dot empty woods; empty of houses that is, and humans. Wildlife abounds, as I see almost daily.

Wild turkeys preening and parading their feathers, shy momma deer with their white-dotted babies growing bigger every day, frogs, turtles, squirrels, dragonflies, hummingbirds, warblers, robins, crows, woodpeckers, chipmunks, grasshoppers, spiders, crickets, eagles, hawks, to name a few, and even this guy crossing under my car a few days ago. The picture is a bit blurred, but he really is a snail, slugging along at a snails pace! About half an hour after I took this picture, I went out to check on where the snail was, and he was gone into the grass beside my house. Invisible to me!

But, the days are slow in late July, for we truly are deep in summer. Everything is lush and green, with no indication of rot, or shrivel. The only thing that is changed is now it's dark at 8:30 instead of 9:00 or later. And mornings are not as bright at 5 a.m.; in fact, they're downright dark! The seasons have their seasons, and so it goes.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

In my July newsletter, there is an article about an introduction to lace knitting. My favorite knitting. You can create pretty, lacy things, such as this christening blanket.

Looks a lot like the real thing, Queen Anne's lace. Right now, they are in abundance all over the place, and will be until the first hard frost. Here are my third set of placemats, which I knitted in Sugar n Cream Hot Green. A very pretty color. I used 2 skeins, and size 5 needles. This picture is not as nice as I'd like, but when you knit your own, you'll see how nice they really are! The pattern follows.

Hot Green Diamond Placemats

for the border:

Row1: Sl 1, k4, p4, k3, (main pattern), k3, p4, k5.

Row 2: Sl 1, k1, p10, (main pattern), p10, k2.

Alternate these 2 rows for the entire pattern. I will refer to these as B12 (border 12).

Main Pattern:

CO 97 sts.

Row 1: (RS) B12, p1, k1, p1, *(k3, p1) twice, k1, p1; rep from * to end, B12.

Row 2: B12, p1, k1, *p3, k1, p1, k1, p3, k1; rep from * end p1, B12.

Row 3: B12, k4, *(p1, k1) twice, p1, k5; rep from * to end last rep k4, B12.

Row 4: B12, p3, *(k1, p1) 3 times, k1, p3; rep from * to end, B12.

Row 5: Rep row 3.

Row 6: Rep row 2.

Row 7: Rep row 1.

Row 8: B12, p1, k1, p1, *k1, p5, (k1, p1) twice; rep from * to end, B12.

Row 9: B12, (p1, k1) twice, * p1, k3, (p1, k1) 3 times; rep from * end last rep (p1 k1) twice,

p1, B12.

Row 10: Rep row 8.

Repeat Rows 1- 10 until placemat measures approx. 12" from cast on edge. Bind off and weave in all stitches. Block.

I love making placemats, dishcloths, scarves, afghans, and curtains, to give as Christmas gifts. Now is the time to start thinking about that!

Sunday is August.

It's the dog days. Time to rest up!

Summertime

2010-06-24T13:40:00.008-04:00

Finally figuring out how to go forward with my online sites. Sometimes things take time to muse through; and I'm glad I waited, because this way is the best way.

It has been hot here in northeastern PA; too hot for June. I'll take it though; when I think on those endless winter months, which start in November and go right through April sometimes; Nature seems to be playing cruel tricks on us. It's nice to walk down the gravel roads with doing nothing more than spraying on a little bug spray; no gloves, no coat, no scarf, no hoping you don't fall on your head on the ice. Winter's are no picnic around here.

So, I just keep busy. Like this little hummingbird here; looking to sweeten its day.

Sitting for just a few seconds, then flying away, then coming back to do it all over again. All day, every day. The birds have their work, and we have ours.

I love creating new things to use around the house. Below is a pattern for a Gingham Placemat, which I did up in Sugar N Cream Country Red. All you need are 2 regular skeins and a size 4 or 5 needle.

Border Stitches *: Row 1: Sl 1, k4, p4, k3, last 12 stitches are k3, p4, k5.
Row 2: Sl 1, k1, p10, last 12 stitches are p10, k2.
Repeat these 2 rows for the entire pattern.

*These stitches will be referred to as B12, in the Main Pattern.

Main Pattern: CO 89 sts.
Purl first 4 rows.
Row 1: B12, *(K1, p1) 4x, k1, p5; rep from * to last 9 sts,
(k1, p1) 4x, k1, B12.
Row 2: B12, (K1,p1) 4x, k1, * k6 (p1, k1) 4x,; rep from * to end,
B12.
Row 3 to 5: Repeat rows 1 and 2 once more, then row 1 again.
Row 6: B12, P9, * (p1, k1) 2x, p10; rep from * to end, B12.
Row 7: B12, *K9, (p1, k1) 2x, p1; rep from * to last 9 sts, k9, B12.
Rows 8 to 15: Repeat rows 6 and 7 four more times.
Row 16: Repeat row 6.

Repeat this pattern 4 times more, then purl 4 rows and bind off.

What could be easier, and they look so fabulous on your kitchen table!

If you don't like that pattern, and what's not to like, here's another.

**********************************

This is a Diamond Lace Placemat.

I used Sugar n Cream Hot Green yarn, 2 skeins.
Size 4 or 5 needle.
I used the same Border Pattern as for the Gingham Placemat.

CO 97 sts.

K1, P1, for the first 4 rows. (Seed St. border)
Row 1: B12, K1, yo, *k3tog, yo, k9, yo, ssk, yo; rep from * to last 2 sts, k2tog, B12.
Row 2 and all WS rows: B12, Purl, B12.
Row 3: B12, K1, k2tog, * yo, k11, yo, sk2po; rep from * to end, ending ssk, k1, B12.
Row 5: B12, K2, *(yo, ssk), 2x, k5, (k2tog, yo)2x, k1; rep from * to last st. k1, B12.
Row 7: B12, K2, *k1, (yo, ssk)2x, k3, (k2tog, yo)2x, k2; rep from * to last st. k1, B12.
Row 9: B12, K2, *k2, (yo, ssk)2x, k1, (k2tog, yo) 2x, k3; rep from * to last st. k1, B12.
Row 11: B12, K2, * k3, yo, ssk, yo, sk2po, yo, k2tog, yo, k4; rep from * to last st, k1, B12.
Row 13: B12, K2, * k4, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk, k5: rep from * to last st, k1, B12.
Row 15: B12, K2, * k3, k2tog, yo, k3, yo, ssk, k4; rep from * to last st. k1, B12.
Row 17: B12, K2, * k4, yo, ssk, yo k3tog, yo k5; rep from * to last st, k1, B12.
Row 19: B12, K2, * K5, yo, sk2po, yo, k6; rep from * to last st, k1, B12.
Row 21: B12, K2, *k2, (k2tog, yo)2x, k1, (yo, ssk)2x, k3; rep from * to last st, k1, B12.
Row 23: B12, K2, * k1, (ktog, yo)2x, k3, (yo, ssk)2x, k2; rep from * to last st, k1, B12.
Row 25: B12, K2, *(k2tog, yo)2x, k5, (yo, ssk)2x, k1; rep from * to last st, k1, B12.
Row 27: B12, K1, k2tog, * yo, k2tog, yo, k7, yo, ssk, yo, sk2po; rep from * ending ssk, k1, B12.
Row 29: B12, K2, * yo, ssk, k9, ktog, yo, k1; rep from * to last st, k1, B12.
Row 31: B12, K2, * k1, yo, ssk, k7, k2tog, yo, k2; rep from * to last st, k1, B12.
Row 32: Purl.

Repeat Rows 1-32 once more, then Rows 1-16.
K1, P1, for 4 rows, BO all stitches.

**********************************

Here is a dishcloth pattern that is as cute as a button! I call it the Daisy Dishcloth.

I used Peaches N Cream Daisy Ombre and a size 4 needle.
All you need is one skein.

CO on 38 sts.

C8P: Sl4 sts to cable ndl in front, p4 from left needle, then p4 from cn.
C8K: Sl4 sts to cable ndl in front, k4 from left needle, then k4 from cn.

Knit first 4 rows.
Rows 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 & 11: *(yo, k2tog)4x, k8; rep from * to end.
Rows 2 & 4: Purl.
Row 6: *C8P, p8; rep from * to end.
Rows 8 & 10: Purl.
Rows 12, 14, 16, 18, & 20: *(p2tog, yo)4x, p8; rep from * to end.
Rows 13 & 15: Knit.
Row 17: *C8K, K8; rep from to end.
Rows 19 & 21: Knit.
Row 22: Same as Row 12.
Repeat Rows 1-22 once more, then rows 1- 10.
Knit 4 rows, and BO all stitches.

There's nothing like knitting and seeing something to show for it when you're all finished.

With these patterns, you can't miss.

Sometimes life hands you icing. The least you should do is put it on a cupcake.

Of Terriers and Tudors

2010-02-18T14:40:00.008-05:00

So in honor of the Scottish terrier winning the Westminster Dog Show Tuesday night here is my Snazzy Dog Collar. Piper loves to wear hers occasionly; and it looks positively stunning against her white fur. Although, her white fur is more like a vanilla-white fur; because when she is outside in the snow the colors are very different. The snow is white, as white as white can get, I guess. Dazzling white, we'll call it.

Seriously, it's time for a doggie-diet! And there's Piper looking very disinterested as if to say, "get this thing off of me!" I used a Fun Fur for this one, in the color of your choosing. This pattern is nothing more than an I-cord, which is very easy to make.

With a size 10 needle and 2 strands of yarn held together CO 4 sts.
* Do not turn. Slide sts to opposite end of needle. Take yarn across the back of those sts and
k4; rep from * until collar measures desired length to fit comfortably around your dog's neck.
Add an additional 1" comfort level. Bind off until 1 st is remaining.
Transfer to a crochet hook and chain 8; sl st into same st as beginning chain; bind off. Trim and
sew a button for fun!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Lately I've been reading a book entitled " The Children of Henry VIII", you remember, that fat, let-me-run-through-my-father's-money, basically do-nothing King of England in the 1500's.
The second ruler of the House of Tudor. The least effective of them all, but the one everybody remembers. Sound familiar?

Anyway, once Henry's teenage son, Edward, died a horrible death due to tuberculosis and probably poisoning, that instead of Edward's older sister Mary coming to the throne, it was "arranged" that Lady Jane Grey, granddaughter of Henry VIII's sister Mary, would ascend to the English throne, through much back-door, late-night, skullduggery, not to mention murder, intrigue, and cloak and dagger maneuvers. Just your typical everyday royal finagling. Kind of like Congress in 2010.

Naturally, all of this intrigue was taken care of by Edward's right-hand man; the one who had his uncles imprisoned and executed on all kinds of trumped-up charges, just so he, Northumberland, aka John Dudley, could virtually take over at the royal helm. And for quite some time, he did just that. A man of no integrity, no moral fiber, just a wanton regard for power at its highest and best, if there be such a thing. Working relentlessly behind the scenes for his benefit and his family's enrichment. Kind of like Congress in 2010.

He had Jane Grey declared Queen, but alas, it was to be for a mere nine days. The country knew who was the rightful heir to the throne, namely, Mary, oldest of Henry VIII's children. They loved her, supported her, and stood behind her. Northumberland had even married his youngest son to Jane Grey in an attempt to gain total control over the royal throne. It looked as if it could work; but Northumberland's 15 minutes of fame were over in a hurry. His road to fame drove him straight to being executed.

All that intrigue, all that daily laboring and working towards, . . . what? Glory? Fame? To be King of England? It didn't work then, it won't work now. His time on this earth ran out; just as all of us will find out someday. For centuries, this intriguer, this deadly schemer has been dead, of no more use to the human race. Pompousness is such a lesson in futility.

I saw that for myself last night. I work in a very nice restaurant where now and then there are parties or showers or celebrations that I help out with. It's terribly hard work, but I like it, because it's honest, and staight-forward, and at the end of the day, I can truly say, I work hard for my money.

It was a meeting of so-called business and professional women. They might be better inclined calling themselves, "bitches incorporated." These sort, truly give women a bad name. The entire evening was dedicated to a richly engrossed "me fest", if you will. When one wasn't talking up herself, another one took her place. And on and on we went. They even touched on how earth-shatteringly important they all were to different charities, both local and international, that the world just hasn't been able to do without!

Most of all, I was struck with the preening, above all else. Birds of a feather, surely stick together, and this bunch were made for one another! Through it all, my colleague and I worked hard to bring in plates, and bring out plates, and cater to all their little needs, without the "madam's" having to move a muscle or get up from their esteemed seats. And at the end of the night, not one of them offered a "thank you" or left a small token of their appreciation on the tables. Total depravity, total self-centeredness. Total lunancy.

A lot like America in 2010. Something better give.

Is it Spring yet?

2010-02-12T10:01:00.003-05:00

I am NOT a fan of Winter. Unless you count sitting in front of a roaring fireplace, teacup in hand, with my knitting in my lap and a good book close by. That I like! All this snow and ice and freezing winds in my face, that can go. Now. Even yesterday. I always say the warm weather is better; even if it is broiling hot, you can always get cooler. But in Winter, there is never getting warm enough.

Now this is a not-too-good picture of a pocket scarf. It is very easy to make and just something else to keep you warm! Nothing like it in these months, I say!

Use any worsted weight or combination thereof.
Finished size approx. 7" x 64"
6 oz. of your favorite color
Size 10 needles

Special abbreviations
Wyf = with yarn in front of work
Wyb = with yarn in back of work
pwise = slip as if purling

Scarf
Cast on 25 sts.
Row 1: P3, (k3, p1) 4 times; k3; wyf sl last 3 sts pwise.
Row 2: (RS) K3, (p3, k1) 4 times; p3; wyb sl last 3 sts pwise.
Rep Rows 1 and 2 until work measures desired length; bind off.
Weave in all ends.

Pocket (make 2)
Cast on 19 sts.
Row 1: K1, p17, k1.
Row 2: (RS) Knit.
Row 3-23: Rep Rows 1 and 2 ending with a Row 1.
Row 24: (RS) *K1, p1; rep from * across; end k1.
Row 25: *P1, k1; rep from * across; end p1.
Row 26: Rep Row 24.
Row 27: Rep Row 25.
Bind off in pat.

Steam block all pieces and let dry. Sew pockets in place at end of Scarf. Finish off with fringe or pom-poms or leave as is.
In any event, wear and enjoy!

In the meantime, I'll be cozy and warm, waiting for Spring.

Baby Pullover

2010-01-20T11:43:00.002-05:00

Hug Me Pullover
(a pattern from Bernat.com)

SIZES
To fit chest measurement12 mos 18 ins [45.5 cm]
18 mos 19 ins [48 cm]
2 yrs 21 ins [53.5 cm]
4 yrs 23 ins [58.5 cm]

Finished chest12 mos 21½ ins [54.5 cm]
18 mos 22 ins [56 cm]
2 yrs 24 ins [61 cm]
4 yrs 25½ ins [65 cm]

GAUGE19 sts and 25 rows = 4 ins [10 cm] in stocking st.

MATERIALSBernat® Handicrafter Cotton(50 g / 1.75 oz/73 m/80 yds) or
Bernat® Satin (100 g / 3.5 oz/149 m/163 yds)
Size 12 mos (18 mos-2 yrs-4 yrs)
Main Color (MC) (Mint)210 (230-240-350) m
OR 230 (250-265-380) yds Contrast A (White)210 (230-244-350) m
OR230 (250-265-380) yds

Size 4.5 mm (U.S. 7) knitting needles or size needed to obtain gauge.
2 st holders.
4 buttons.

ABBREVIATIONS
Alt = Alternate.
Approx = Approximately.
Beg = Beginning.
Cont = Continue(ity).
Inc = Increase 1 stitch by knitting into front and back of next stitch.
K = Knit.
K2tog = Knit next 2 stitches together.
P2tog = Purl next 2 stitches together.
P2togtbl = Purl next 2 stitches through back loops.
Pat = Pattern.
Psso = Pass slipped stitch over.
RS = Right side.
Rem = Remaining.
Rep = Repeat.
Sl1 = Slip next stitch knitwise.
Sl1P = Slip next stitch purlwise.
St(s) = Stitch(es).
Tog = Together.
WS = Wrong side.
Yfwd = Yarn forward.

INSTRUCTIONS The instructions are written for smallest size. If changes are necessary for larger sizes the instructions will be written in parentheses. ( ).

BACK **With MC, cast on 45 (47-51-55) sts.
Knit 5 rows, noting that 1st row is WS and inc 6 sts evenly across last row. 51 (53-57-61) sts.
With A, work 2 rows in stocking st. With MC, work 2 rows in stocking st. **Rep last 4 rows of Stripe Pat until work from beg measures 12 (13-14- 15) ins [30.5 (33-35.5-38) cm], ending
with 2 rows of A.
Break A.

Shoulders: With MC, K15 (16-17- 17). Turn. Leave rem sts on spare needle.
Knit 5 rows.
Cast off knitwise.
With RS of work facing, slip next 21 (21-23-27) sts onto a st holder.
Join MC to rem sts and knit to end of row.
Knit 4 rows.
Cast off knitwise.

FRONT Work from ** to ** as given for Back.
Rep last 4 rows of Stripe Pat until work from beg measures 10 (11-11½- 12½) ins [25.5 (28-29-32) cm], ending with a purl row.

Neck shaping: Next row: (RS). With appropriate color, K17 (18-19-19).
Turn. Leave rem sts on spare needle.
Next row: P2tog. Purl to end of row. 16 (17-18-18) sts.
Next row: Knit to last 2 sts. K2tog. 15 (16-17-17) sts.
Cont even in Stripe Pat until work from beg measures 12 (13-14-15) ins [30.5 (33-35.5-38) cm], ending with 2 rows of A. Break A.
Place marker at end of last row.
With MC, knit 3 rows.
Next row: (WS). (buttonhole row). K3. yfwd. K2tog. K4 (4-5-5). yfwd. K2tog. K4 (5-5-5).
Knit 1 row.
Cast off knitwise.
With RS facing, slip next 17 (17-19-23) sts onto a st holder. Join appropriate color to rem sts and knit to end of row.
Next row: Purl to last 2 sts. P2togtbl. 16 (17-18-18) sts.
Next row: Sl1. K1. psso. Knit to end of row. 15 (16-17-17) sts.
Cont even in Stripe Pat until work from beg measures 12 (13-14-15) ins [30.5 (33-35.5-38) cm], ending with 2 rows of A.
Break A.
Place marker at end of last row.With MC, knit 3 rows.
Next row: (WS). (buttonhole row). K4 (5-5-5). K2tog. yfwd. K4 (4-5-5). K2tog. yfwd. K3.
Knit 1 row.
Cast off knitwise.

SLEEVES With MC, cast on 23 (25-27-30) sts.
Knit 5 rows, noting that 1st row is WS and inc 3 (3-3-4) sts evenly across last row. 26 (28-30-34) sts.
Work in Stripe Pat as given for Back, inc 1 st each end of needle on next and every following alt row to 38 (40-56- 56) sts, then every following 4th row to 48 (52-62-66) sts.
Cont even until work from beg measures 7 (7½-8-8½) ins [18 (19- 20.5-21.5) cm], ending with a purl row. Cast off knitwise.

FINISHING Pin garment pieces to measurements.
Cover with a damp cloth, leaving cloth to dry.
Back Neckband: With RS of work facing and MC, pick up and knit 3 sts down right back neck edge. K21 (21-23-27) from back st holder. Pick up and knit 3 sts up left back neck edge. Knit 1 row. Cast off knitwise.
Front Neckband: With RS of work facing and MC, pick up and knit 11 sts down left front neck edge. K17 (17-19-23) from front st holder. Pick up and knit 11 sts up right front neck edge. Knit 1 row.
Cast off knitwise.
Pin shoulders tog, overlapping Front over Back. Place marker along side edge of Front and Back 7 (7½-7½-8) ins [18 (19-19-20.5) cm] up from cast on edge.
Sew Sleeves between markers.
Sew side and sleeve seams.
Sew buttons at shoulders to correspond to buttonholes.

Fantasia . . and NOT on a theme by Thomas Tallis

2010-01-15T13:38:00.003-05:00

"One of the peculiar sins of the twentieth century which we`ve developed to a very high level is the sin of credulity. It has been said that when human beings stop believing in God they believe in nothing. The truth is much worse: they believe in anything. "

Malcolm Muggeridge could have added the first decade of the 21st century to his quote, had he lived so long.

In between my knee throbbing from a fall on the icy downhill on Springbrook Ct. this morning while walking Piper, I have a few things to say:

I don't know what it's going to take to wake this country up; maybe 30% unemployment and decent people living in tents or the streets, but, something better click in the minds of the mindless, and quickly!

There is an atheist in the White House. I won't say he's President, because he is not my president; you have to earn my respect for what it is you do, and he is a disgrace and a liar! Surrounded by rogues, just like the Chicago-based thugs he grew up with, he is trying to destroy the United States of America! Not "fundamentally change" it, not tweak it, not fix it. Destroy it! And everything that it stands for, because he hates this country, because atheists, who have no God but themselves, want only power and more power. He wishes to see this country become a land of rich and poor and nothing in between, because that takes away from the 'vision' he has for America. You know the vision; him as king of the world.

Meanwhile, we play with our tech gadgets, kinda like Nero fiddled while Rome burned. We leer shamelessly at celebrities and "actors" as if we need them in order to get enough oxygen for our day! Them and their idiotic ranting; their ignorant ways, their filthy lives!

I just needed to get that down "on paper", if you will, so when all is said and done, you know where I stand. Because I do stand for something. For no abortions, because killing babies is NOT healthcare; for no gay marriage, because two women or two men CANNOT marry one another, it is against natural law; for the idea that free speech means being courageous not politically correct. I won't fall for anything, because it's sugar-coated, soaked in rhetoric-swizzled dribble, and made to look so confusing that I turn my eyes away. Not me! Not ever.

And everything that white house does with its right hand, I'll be watching the left. Because that's where the real action will be. Mark my works, this day, Friday, January 15, 2010.

A Beatific New Year!

2010-01-05T11:31:00.002-05:00

"So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom." Ps 90:12

I have been running across that phrase for the last week or so and wondering why. It's most appropriate for the New Year, as we look to a brand new year, unblemished, untried, uncertain. Yet, with God's hand we can walk safely in. It's all about trust, and only trust.

God must be quite incredible to put up with all of us! All our silly ways, our wiles and deceit; the things we do, and the things we fail to do. Our pseudo-control we "have"; over our children or our spouse, or our job or our friends or our family; we have no control! We only think we do.

And so each day goes by. It then becomes yesterday, and another day we have lived and can never get back or relive again. What did we do with it? The same things we did the day before yesterday, and the days before that? If so, then I hope those "things" are good things. Even if we can't see the good things. Because usually we don't see those things. We only see another day dawn, and the same-old, same-old in front of us.

But, our Lord sees differently. Precisely because He is God and does not see with our eyes, thanks be to God! (lol) We see nothing new, only the same old disturbances, the same old challenges, trials which never end, difficulties which go on and on.

What do we say? "Why is God doing this to me?" "Why, at my age, am I going through all of this, when life should be easier, more secure, more full of money?"
Says who? Who ever promised any of us a fools gold by the time we get to 60 years old? Where is it written that life gets easier, less stressful, that our days be less filled with tribulation and sorrow? That may be true, that may not be true. I am sure whoever we are, that we all have problems, some very close to home, some in our workplace, our churches, our businesses, our towns, wherever we find ourselves every day.

So, what to do? Pray. With all your heart. Endlessly, all day long. Here and there. Offer up. Always.
Because God hears. And because in a hundred years from now, He will still be listening to those invoking his kindness. But, we will be long gone. Dead for quite some time.
Dead to this life, yet, alive in the next.

"Thou turnest man back to the dust, and sayest, 'Turn back, O children of men!'
For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch
in the night. . . . . .
our years come to an end like a sigh.
The years of our life are threescore and ten,
or even by reason of strength fourscore;
yet their span is but toil and trouble;
they are soon gone and we fly away." Ps 90

Do not turn your back on God. Walk fully towards Him, and keep walking there all the days of your life. Only then will all of "this" make any sense at all!

Once in a Blue Moon . . . .

2009-12-29T15:39:00.004-05:00

I am sitting here at my computer, while the wind blows. And huffs and puffs. And howls. And starts behind my house, behind the hill, off to the left, and slowly and stealthily, and horrendously, rip-roars down through the trees, slamming into the house, running over the roof, then continuing on to all the trees beyond. All day it's done this. Frigid. Frightful. Late December.

Come Thursday there will be a blue moon. In case you've forgotten, that's when we get two full moons in one month. And Thursday, December 31 is still December, and just makes it. I'm hoping the moon looks blue like this one does. Maybe by then, the wind will cease.

Blue is my favorite color. It's always been my favorite color; whichever shade or hue of blue you choose. It's just me. Just like my Victorian scarf or neck-warmer here. It's one of my very favorite things to knit. Put it in a dazzling box with some silver tissue paper and a beautiful ribbon and you have the best gift!

Size 4 needles.
CO 30 sts.
Knit 1 row.
Row 1 (RS): K2, P3, K2, P3, K2, P3, K2, K11, yo twice, K2.
Row 2: K2, (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) into "yo twice", P7, K4, P2, *K1, P1, K1, P2, repeat from * to end. Row 3: K2, P3, K2, P3, K2, P3, K2, K3, SSK, K13.
Row 4: K2, P11, K4, P2, *K1, P1, K1, P2, repeat from * to end.
Row 5: K2, P3, K2, P3, K2, P3, K2, K3, SSK, K5, (YO, K1) 5 times, YO, K2.
Row 6: K2, P16, K4, P2, *K1, P1, K1, P2, repeat from * to end.
Row 7: K2, P3, K2, P3, K2, P3, K2, K3, SSK, K17.
Row 8: K2, P15, K4, P2, *K1, P1, K1, P2, repeat from * to end.
Row 9: K2, P3, K2, P3, K2, P3, K2, K3, SSK, K3, (YO, K2tog) 6 times, K1.
Row 10: K2, P14, K4, P2, *K1, P1, K1, P2, repeat from * to end.
Row 11: K2, P3, K2, P3, K2, P3, K2 K3, SSK, K15.
Row 12: K2, P13, K4, P2, *K1, P1, K1, P2, repeat from * to end.
Row 13: K2, P3, K2, P3, K2, P3, K2 K3, SSK, (YO, K2 tog) 6 times, yo, K2.
Row 14: K 19, P2, *K1, P1, K1, P2, repeat from * to end
Row 15: K2, P3, K2, P3, K2, P3, K2, Knit to end.
Row 16: BO 6 sts., K12, P2, *K1, P1, K1, P2, repeat from * to end.
Knit rows 1 - 16 for 16 "points" or desired lengths.
Bind off.
Weave in the ends.

Let me know what you think!

In the meantime, I will be looking at the blue moon and thinking of all I have to be thankful for in the New Year.

Waiting in the Sparkle

2009-12-23T12:04:00.002-05:00

Tis the Season to be Merry! Tis a mere three days til Christmas. Have you been paying attention to the quiet weeks of Advent? Praying a little more, reading Sripture a little more, knitting a little more?
Ah, Advent! My favorite Season of the year! Quiet, unassuming, almost left behind and left out by our seedy culture. For it is a seedy culture. Everything crass, everything big, everything an innuendo of something else. Like I said, seedy.
I had a wonderful time at a Christmas craft fair in Lafayette NJ a few weekends ago. Lots of people abounding, and most of all, lots of beautiful crafts by people who put a lot of time and energy into their passions. Funny thing though, most everyone else doesn't seem to appreciate it judging by all the look-sees who buy nothing. Why are they there, I ask myself, to waste a few hours on a Saturday afternoon or to use up more precious time which they'll never get back. When you go to a craft fair, buy, already! You can't go wrong, and you certainly won't see what you buy on someone else; it's all so unique and beautifully handcrafted.
Oh, I had some sales, but it was disappointing in that respect, as it was for everyone else. So much beauty, so much creativity, so much of each one of the crafters, in their designs.
But, we are crafting for an Ebay mentality, for those whose idea of baking Christmas cookies is to buy the already-made dough, open the package and separate at the perforated line, and place on the cookie sheet. That's baking!? That's lazy. Where is the fun, the flour, the rolling pins, the aprons, the icing, the sprinkles, the mess, the laughter???The memories?! You don't make memories with lazy.
That is why, I suspect, I love Advent. It requires just a little bit more from me than my usual self. I make it a point, every day to go to my Advent place. As Christmas draws nearer, I am led through the desert and John the Baptist, past Elizabeth and Zechariah, through the streets of Bethlehem, where in the cold and the night, something happened which never happened before, and has never happened since.
Right now, I'm following Joseph and Mary in those streets, and I'm watching and wondering and waiting. In my working, in my decorating, in my driving, in my cleaning bathrooms, in my watching TV, in my sleeping, in my thoughts, and in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do.
And so, very soon now, my quiet will be broken by the noise of Christmas Day. A happy noise, a joyful noise, a welcome noise.
No matter our circumstance, no matter our trial or sorrow or joy, we should, just for one day 'keep Christmas merry' with laughter and memories. And, each syllable that pours forth from our mouths, fall like the glistening snow I see every night.
Then we shall look back in future days and reflect on how our Advent sparkled. Because once Advent ends, just look what we have!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Here is one of my favorite scarf patterns so we too can sparkle!

Winter Sparkle Scarf

Worsted Weight yarn - main color

Fun Fur yarnSize 8 needles

Multiple of 11 stitches plus 7.

(I cast on 29 stitches)

Row 1 and all WS rows: Purl.

Row 2: K1, *yo, sl1, k1, psso, k1, k2tog, yo, k6; rep from * to last 6 sts, end yo, sl1, k1, psso, k1, k2tog, yo, k1.

Row 4: K2, *yo, sl1, k2tog psso, yo, k1, sl next 3 sts to cable ndl, hold in back, k3, then k3 from cable ndl, k1; rep from * to last 5 sts, end yo, sl1 k2tog, psso, yo, k2.

Row 6: Same as Row 2.

Row 8: K2, *yo, sl1, k2tog, psso, yo, k8; rep from * to last 5 sts, end yo, sl1, k2tog, psso, yo, k2.

Repeat Rows 1 to 8, for 6 repeats.

Change to Fun Fur yarn on WS row.

Knit 8 rows.

Change to main color and repeat Rows 1 to 8, then Fun Fur, etc. to desired length.

Add beaded fringe.

Sparkle!

Brown November

2009-11-03T11:02:00.005-05:00

It's November again. How fast the year melts away! The title of this post is one of my chapter titles in my new book, Candle Reflections . . . An Illuminated Life, which is now available on Amazon. Please check it out!

I have been busy every chance I get knitting for a Christmas craft fair I'm attending on December 12 in Lafayette, NJ. Here is just a scintilla of what I will have available!

Dishcloths, scarfs, snowmen (not pictured here), placemats, oven hangings, all knitted by me and sorted by season or reason! Some of the patterns are my originals, such as 'the wedding cake' collection, (a collection of beautiful washcloths) and some are by other knitters who have given me their permission to knit their creations!

There is so much to do and only about 5 weeks left to do it, but I'm up for the task. In between I've been watching autumn go from very red and yellow to muted yellow and brown. Shutting down. Going within. Becoming quiet, except for those windblown days when the roof sounds like it's going to blow away.

Now, with the days growing shorter each day, evening comes that much sooner. Shadows fall at odd angles, and illuminate walls and rooms in ways we never see in summer. Yet, it gives us the opportunity to lighten our spaces with candles, real or electric, and stoke up the fireplace or woodstove. Add a bit of incense or potpourri and the mood is transformative.

A lot like knitting.

"Going Nowhere . . . ."

2009-09-29T09:57:00.001-04:00

“ Last Wednesday I drove to the college to leave off some papers, and to pick up a brochure. I parked outside of Kingscote and went inside. On coming down from the second floor, that long, broad sweep of stairs parts as one stream diverges into two; or fuses, as two people, metamorphosing into one again, as in marriage.
Down the elegant walkway I glided, (for you can do nothing but glide on stairs such as these) and across the large front room where small offices spill over to right and left, and out the heavy glass doors to the columnaded porch.
Away I took myself through the foliage and the trees, down to the quiet drive to the open gate. Along the sidewalk, which runs along the outside of the wall which encloses Kingscote in its garden. Across the street to the Seventh Street gate which stood entirely open, due to the fact that once inside the gate the roads were being dug up and the myriad tangle of one-way streets were dirt impasses with only one left intact for driving.
The trees melded together to give the appearance of a green canopy overhead. Straight through the gate the grounds resembled an explosion of foliage; dense patches of shrubbery amidst gravel paths and marble benches. Situated wherever it seems the eye would fall on a bare spot, were large, ornate planters on pedestals, filled with impatiens, dripping with ivy down to the ground.
As I walked along the drive the serenity was broken only by distant rumblings of thunder; the sun, spilling a lukewarm milkiness unto everything, took itself away. Of birds I saw none. Only cicadas answered the dull afternoon heat. A few cars dotted the landscape, but it seemed as if I had entered a place of no people. There was no sign of human life anywhere. If God had appeared, I would have thought I was in paradise. “

I wrote these words in 1992. Such a very long time ago, now. Most of that scenario remains the same, only different people go in and out of those gates. I have not been there in a very long time, ('there' being Georgian Court University) or as I knew it and loved it, Georgian Court College, and that is as it should be; all things in their time.
We step through life, one small step at a time. They are called days. Each day comes completely unsullen; a gift to us, bright and beautiful, almost like a smooth pond frozen over in glassy ice; and we venture out slowly, carefully at first, then as we get our footing, more boldly, perhaps arrogantly.
Too often amidst our stamping and raving the ice cracks, and occasionly, breaks completely.
When trials abound, when uncertainty stands fully on our doorstep, it's easy to be afraid.
Do not be afraid.
If my Catholic faith has taught me anything at all, it is to not be afraid. God is with us. Always. In pretty days and joyful times, in stress-filled times and dark nights of the soul. He never leaves us. He never will. Nor will his mother. And best of all, we go to Mary, always go to Mary; laying down our cares and our hearts to her, asking her intercession, pleading her mercy, giving her our love.
She, in turn, gives it all to her precious Son.
Whatever we face this day, we are not alone. As St. Padre Pio reminds us, “pray, hope, and don't worry”.
So, I am happy to being going nowhere. And loving it. Oh, not in life, mind you; we all have places “to go”, and things to do, and goals to tend to.
In my faith. I am going nowhere. As the Beatles once sang, “I am happy just to be with You.”

Quiet time and Candles yet to be lit . . . .

2009-08-13T16:06:00.006-04:00

Most mornings walking Piper down the road I hear nothing.

Just the rustle of the leaves on the trees, and the soothing breeze when there is one. Summer has fully engrossed us finally; so often you hear about its coming demise. Don't be fooled -- we have more than a month full of summer, yet. And it's warmth inevitably spills over into October and November.

Wildflowers abound all along the sides of the roads. Pretty daisies, purple cornflower, goldenrod, and the ubiqitous Queen Anne's lace. They especially look somewhat like this:

Variations on a theme, yes? The crickets have yet to start their nightly concerto's, it has just been too cool. But, every time I walk outdoors, I am reminded that it is sans a sweater or a coat or gloves or boots to keep from falling on the ice! So, this Winter, none of that!

Today I submitted my book, Candle Reflections, for review! I'm hoping to order a proof in a matter of days, and then it will be available for all to read. I hope you will.

Life is a journey, don't you know, it is not a state of perfection.

Eternity into man's mind

2009-07-21T10:33:00.006-04:00

"He has made everything beautiful in its time; also he has put eternity into man's mind . . . . that which is, already has been; that which is to be, already has been; and God seeks what has been driven away." That from Ecclesiastes 3: 11-15. Just how smart do we think we are?

It's been an unusual summer; hardly any heat at all. I'm thinking this is what they get in northern New England or Minnesota, but never here in Pennsylvania. We've had so much rain the mushrooms are purple; psychedelic 40 years after the fact! All summer here it's usually always hot and humid. We are still waiting . . . .

That much easier to knit, I say! I should have quite a stash by the Fall to sell. Dischloths galore, and a few afghans and knitted jewelry, besides. This pattern I call "Royal Icing." Once the hard surface of the icing is in place, then you can decorate with swirls and beading, lace or basketweaves. I like it!

I always use cotton yarn for these. Either Sugar 'n Cream or Peaches 'n Cream. Also, use a smaller needle; I use a size 3. This way your stitches "pop" better. One small skein will work just fine for one dishcloth.

Cast on 39 stitches.

Row 1: (RS) K1, p1, k2, * p3, k5; rep from * end k1, p1, k1.
Row 2: K1, p1, p1, * p5, k3; rep from * end p2, p1, k1.
Row 3: K1, p1, k2, * p1, yo, p2tog, k5; rep from * end k1, p1, k1.
Row 4: K1, p1, p1, * p5, k3; rep from * end p2, p1, k1.
Row 5: K1, p1, k2, * p3, k5; rep from * end k1, p1, k1.
Row 6: K1, p1, purl 35 sts, p1, k1.
Row 7: K1, p1, k1, * k5, p3; rep from * end k2, p1, k1.
Row 8: K1, p1, p2, * k3, p5; rep from * end p1, p1, k1.
Row 9: K1, p1, k1, * K5, p1, yo, p2tog; rep from * end k2, p1, k1.
Row 10: K1, p1, P2, * k3, p5; rep from * end p1, p1, k1.
Row 11: K1, p1, k1, * k5, p3; rep from * end k2, p1, k1.
Row 12: K1, p1, purl 35 sts, p1, k1.
Repeat Rows 1 - 12 once.
Row 25: (RS) K1, p1, k5, * p1, k5; rep from * p1, k1.
Row 26: K1, p1, k1, * p3, k3; rep from * end k1, p1, k1.
Row 27: K1, p1, p2, * k1, p2; rep from * p1, k1.
Row 28: K1, p1, p1, * k3, p3; rep from * end p1, p1, k1.
Row 29: K1, p1, k2, * p1, k5; rep from * end k2, p1, k1.
Row 30: K1, p1, purl 35 sts, p1, k1.
Repeat Rows 25 - 30 twice.
Row 43: K1, p1, k4, * yo, sk2p, yo, k3; rep from * end k1, p1, k1.
Row 44: K1, p1, purl 35 sts, p1, k1.
Row 45: K1, p1, k1, * yo, sk2p, yo, k3; rep from * end yo, sk2p, yo, k1, p1, k1.
Row 46: K1, p1, purl 35 sts, p1, k1.
Repeat Rows 43 - 46 4 times.

Bind off all stitches and weave in ends.
Enjoy!

Nothing could be easier than knitting these cloths up, and they will make great shower gifts or Christmas gifts or "new home" gifts or will perk up a tired bathroom of your own. Simple is best.

Cor ad cor loquitor - "May days"

2009-05-31T14:02:00.006-04:00

Mom was with me all Friday after midnight and all morning in the house. I drove into Milford for the noon Mass at St. Patrick's and that's where I left her. The mass had been hers, anyway. I think she was happy to be there; and once I finished my rosary, lit a candle under Our Lady and walked out into the sunshine, she was no longer with me.

Friday, May 29th. 4 years she's been gone. I gave her a mass, simple and quiet, and all things Catholic. Maybe that's why she made our flowers topple over in the funeral home the first time we walked in; she was not happy with the "arrangements" made by my father and his pastor. Nothing I could do then; everything I can do now. Her prescence was so strong on Friday. Nothing I have ever felt before; I almost expected to see her standing in the bedroom had I turned on a light. She was there. And, I took her to church, and she went another way. It was all I could hope for. It set my mind at rest. After four years.

************************************

May. Memorare. The month of Mary. Our Mother. This month, special to me of all months in the year.

Thinking about it, it begins on the 6th with my grandmother, Stella. My mother's mother. My Polish grandmother, who loved to crochet, and could make a mean cole slaw and the best golomki in the world! She taught me unconditional love.

Then, on the 13th, (Our lady of Fatima), there is Miss Anne. My dancing teacher. I knew her most of my life for the first twenty years or so, and my memories of lessons, and costumes, and recitals could fill a book! Maybe down the road.

On the 22nd, there is Fr. Norman. A Passionist priest from Georgian Court U. in Lakewood. Always there, always with a smile and a "hiya", and his sermons were second to none.

And, of course, on the 29th comes my mother.

Four weeks, a different death in each week; someone near and dear to me, someone who made such an impact, such an impression. No one will ever take their place. Just think on all the children aborted, who will impact no one, whose impression is stamped in the air. With the angels.

"No one lights a lamp and hides it in a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light." Lk 11:33.

There are some who never see the light.

Is it hot in here, or is it just me?

2009-04-25T18:35:00.003-04:00

Wow, one day it's 45 degrees then today it's 95 degrees! At least that is what the car thermometer read as I pulled away from the restaurant in Port Jervis. Broiling hot!

By the time I drove down our block, the heat had cooled to 88 degrees, which is warm, but not horrible. All Spring it has felt like late Winter; and now this! But, it won't stick around for long. Anyway, it's Spring!

Here is what I call my Tri-Color Wrap. Just knitting it last month made Spring seem that much closer; the colors are bright and cheery.

I used a worsted-weight acrylic yarn. Puchase at least 800 yards for the main color, 1 skein ea. for your contrasting colors.

I have lime green, pumpkin, and yellow. But, you can use any color combination you like, in fact, it just came to me that varying shades of one color, (blue, for example) would look fabulous!

Size 7 or 8 needle and the finished size should be approx 60 inches or longer.

Using white, cast on a multiple of 11 stitches, plus 2. I used 90 sts.

Knit 6 rows.

Row 1: (RS): K1, *k2tog, k2, (k into the front & back of the next st., ) twice, k3, ssk, repeat from * to last st, k1.

Row 2 and all even rows: K1, purl to last st, k1.

Rows 3-12: repeat Rows 1 and 2.

Row 13-16: change to first contrasting color and knit 4 rows.

Row 17 - 28: change to white, repeat Rows 1 and 2.

Rows 29 - 32: change to 2nd contrasting color and knit 4 rows.

Rows 33 - 44: change to white, repeat Rows 1 and 2.

Rows 45 - 48: change to 3rd contrasting color and knit 4 rows.

Repeat this sequence until desired length, ending with 12 rows of white.

Knit 6 rows, BO.

Something summery for those cool restaurants, or evenings out, or even to church on Sunday.

It knits up easily and you can take this anywhere to work on as there is just one row to memorize.

It may be warm, but I just put the kettle on; nothing like a cup of tea!

How ya doin?

2009-04-19T14:49:00.003-04:00

Being someone who grew up close to NYC I can get away with that title; and if you don't think so, 'get lost'! Just some New Yawk stuff; I love the city anyway and the whole tri-state confusion and traffic and news and radio and TV. It's in my DNA.

It's nice to write about nothing. My life is just like yours, filled with this and that, and only a variation on the theme of life. I am waiting for Spring to appear; snow is long gone, but very little has bloomed or even made an attempt at budding, but the waiting is good. Patience is all around us in Nature; we only forget to see it. Little daffodils and crocuses are out and the forsythia's just blooming yellow; little grasses are sprouting here and there, only not enough to drag the lawn-mower out for.

Yesterday was 73 degrees and the ants were parading around the kitchen sink. Not for long. The garage needs a good cleaning, again (!), before the bugs find the nooks and crannies for the summer. A good sweeping and a good spraying should do the trick. And a good throwing-out, too.

In between working at the restuarant, I'm working on dozens of dishcloth patterns, seasonal, by color, placemats, jewelry, and shawls. I should have a goodly amount of wares to sell in the Fall at the Christmas craft fairs. In between knitting my fingers off, I love to read. Right now I am in the middle of "The Death of Satan" by Andrew Delbanco and have just started Sharon Kay Penman's "When Christ and His Saints Slept", just for fun. I read all kinds of SEO stuff online, and read and print various encyclicals and letters off of EWTN. I'm still finishing "The Letters of Abelard & Heloise" a Penguin Classic, and also do about a chapter a week in a self-study book called "A Catholic Guide to the Bible" which is VERY interesting and should be mandatory for everyone who calls themselves Catholic. Actually, I have a long list of books for Catholics, but not today.

Then there is my Knit Stitch overhaul. I don't know what to do with that yet; so I will do nothing. In addition, I'm pondering over a short online course on tech writing I think I will take. It promises to SHOW us the jobs and that's my main concern. Us over-fifty types have been deemed obsolete (can you imagine), in this screwy world we live in; so rather than run myself all around to people who do nothing but make faces when they see me, I'll sit in front of my computer and give you instruction manuals, operations booklets, and the like for a fee! I'm the best damned writer I know.

One last thing, . . . Candle Reflections. My book on memoirs. I am saying today, April 19, 2009, ten years and one day shy, of that terrible day at Columbine high school in Colorado when 2 students decided to go target shooting. Life can go away in an instant. And there are things I have to say; things I want the world to know came from me. So.

By July 1, 2009, a little over 2 months from now, I will be publishing my book. On Amazon. It's thoughts, impressions, events that have occurred in my life in the past 50 years or so, and grounded in my Catholic faith they have made me look at the world the way I do.

And we shall see.

Victorian Ornament

2009-02-24T14:38:00.004-05:00

Winter is a tiresome guest. Go, already!

I love trying lace patterns for simple adornments, such as a scarf or shawl.

So many pretty, feminine charms have been left off, because women have to be so liberated! From what, I ask, looking pretty? What ever happened to white gloves and dainty hankerchiefs, lacy shawls or open-weave over-the-shoulder warmers? Why do so many want to look like a junior boxer?

I've begun knitting this little ditty, with cotten crochet yarn and when it's finished, it will be a very sublime wrap, perfect for warm summer evenings when beauty still sets the tone.

When it's done, I'll post it here. In the meantime, I am patiently waiting for the snow to dissolve into the ground never to be seen or heard from again. And, it can take the ice on my front steps with it!

I Want . . . . . and I Want . . .

2009-02-14T13:46:00.004-05:00

What do I want?

They say "love" is the most favored word in our lives; I disagree. I say it is "want". For it seems to me, that our very existences are all about want. Getting. Having. Owning. Wishing. Desiring. Buying. Receiving. I Want. It is the mantra of our lives, it is the food of our souls.

Even here, online, there are a thousand different ways to get things. Buy things, pretty things, things we think we need, things we have been wanting for oh! so long. Things which we deserve, after all. Things which we have done without forever, it seems.

What do I want?
Another pair of shoes? I already have that.
A pocketbook? I already have that.
A book? I already have many.
A sweater? I have too many.
A new car? I have a car already.
A house? I have a house now.
How about curtains for the kitchen? There are curtains there now.
Well then, a new watch? I have numerous watches which I never wear anymore.
Rings? Please, I have enough rings for the neighborhood.
A pretty comforter? I have that already and can knit one, if I so desire.
An iPod? Now, there's something I don't have, and don't care to have.
How about an iPhone? I don't have one of these either; and can live without it.
A computer? I'm typing on my computer, as I speak.
A TV? Hi-def. That can wait, it's all the same anyway.
A bookcase? I have six, already.
A refrigerator? I have one already.
A jacket? I have many already.
A picture for the wall? I have many pictures in my house.
Flowers for a garden? I'll wait to see what springs up naturally.
Cosmetics? I have lots and lots of those, stuffed into drawers and cabinets now. Will it make me any younger? Will it still look good 100 years from now?

Just how shallow do I go? How insipid, how trivial am I?
What more could I possibly stuff into my life that I don't already have now?

I don't know about you, but today I didn't rummage through the garbage dump looking for lunch. When my children were babies they didn't look like death warmed over.

A great argument for abortion, you think? Too many babies in the world and not enough food?

Stupid you.

It's too much food in the world and not enough people who really give a damn. After all, who can think of such things as dying babies, when you have to run to the mall again, for the fourth time this week?

But, I think, sooner rather than later, that we will all find out just what we are made of.

It's coming. So go through all your stuff, and see what you will take with you.

ICY!

2009-01-28T13:57:00.004-05:00

I am SICK of this Winter already! Just ice and snow, and when it's not doing that, it's snow and ice! Another day of hoping you don't fall and break a leg or a head, and I am so tired of shoveling. A little bit here, a little bit there, -- do the weathermen ever get it right? One minute it's a small "clipper system" that's coming through with only an inch or two, the next minute, they've changed their minds, and it's a full-blown ice-storm!

What the heck! Don't they have a window!?

Oh well, have a cup of tea I say...thank you, I think I will!

Free Comments

So this was Christmas .. .

2009-01-12T14:52:00.006-05:00

There it goes. . . .say goodbye until next November. All I have now are the boxes in the garage which I finally managed to pack away with the last two trees and all their decorations, over the weekend. This year I put up Christmas decorations the week before Thanksgiving, since last year I had none of my stuff where we were living, but that horror is over and life goes on.

Gifts all under the tree and we really had a wonderful day! Rob & Lisa, Steph & Mike, and we went to Milford later on for dinner. All of December was special; each day coming closer, taking notice of the weeks of Advent as they slipped away, so quickly, amidst all the busy-ness that surrounds us.

Wednesday last we had an ice storm. It made the outdoors look just a jewel-box and best of all, the power stayed ON! You have no idea what a big deal that is here in Pike County PA. Once the electric goes out, you can't use the toilet because it's connected to the well, and there is no water either as that is well water driven. Our heat is electric, so we are truly up the creek with seemingly no boat, never mind the paddle.

Trying to walk Piper has been a challenge not to fall on an arm or a leg or a face! Slowly I dug out the entire driveway and then on Saturday we got another 5 inches of snow, and the ice is still shining through. But, it is Winter, and in its own way it is very pretty. Funny how only the winds howl, but the rest of nature is silent.

These are white birch trees down at the end of the road across from the mailboxes. Just bent over, and still that way today, yet, not broken, only resting quietly and waiting for a more gentle day.

Just a little reminder . . .

2009-01-04T15:08:00.003-05:00

"I'm fixing a hole where the rain gets in . . and stops my mind from wandering . . . ."
Remember that? Just came to me; I love little reveries like that.
But this is an official reminder to myself, that in the next few days I am posting all Christmas pictures and memories from a Season which is fast disappearing! It's still the Christmas season by the Church calendar; and I'll go by that, because it is, and because I hate to see it all go away.
For now, I'm knitting the day away.

Christmas at Our House

2008-12-29T14:27:00.002-05:00

Dec. 23 -- I had to run out for one last gift. It's a 6 mile ride out on Route 6 to get home and as I drove up the last big hill the music was stunning. Playing on the radio was “Hark, the herald angels sing!” with the full orchestra of the Royal Philharmonic & the full choir filling my vehicle completely. As the music came to a crescendo, I got to the top of the hill and was able to look out on miles and miles of scenery; wintery blue, the tops of the trees all white, and all very still. It was inspiring, to say the least. And, not coincidental.

As I drove along Springbrook Rd. the curves and dips in the road seemed particularly apropos to our lives. Up and down, and straight-forward, only to go back again, seemingly repeating what we got through yesterday. So, as I drove down my own snow-covered road, little wider than a driveway, it hit me.

Come, come with me. Into my house, and I will show you Christmas at our house! We will walk arm in arm through the rooms, and feel the warmth and the significance.

But, first, it's out of the car and up six steps to step up into the foyer. Through the front door be-wreathed on both sides. The first thing you notice is the warmth. So cold outside, so warm in here! The kitchen is straight ahead and to the right is the living room. To get there we go up six more steps to the upper floor.

My main Christmas tree sits in this room. Green, tall,bejeweled with all my precious ornaments from years past; some my kids made when in nursery school! Others we picked up on our sojourns to Peddlers Village in Lahaska. The lights are all white and the tinsel glistens so beautifully, especially when day melts into evening and reflections are seen in the wide front windows. Tables hold my Christmas village, the one I've painted and adorned over the years; little primitive snowmen, colored lights, regal glass candles and a glass vase filled with red ornaments trailing red garland which wends its way all around the table are here. Another table is where little ornaments stand; Santa &Mrs Santa waiting to string their popcorn garland, Snoopy decked out in hat & scarf, a Gooseberry Patch marshmallow man holding his hat as he sleds down the tablecloth, and dalmatian snowglobes placed in-between a little double-decker bus and a tiny red book all about Christmas! Across from this is my gold nativity; truly sublime when lit at night and it holds a place of prominence here, for this is the very reason for the Season.

Next to the hutch in the kitchen sits a round table with another Victorian lighted house upon it; in the center of the hutch is my Advent calendar. It's very old, for I can remember opening the windows on it when I was small. It used to have a long poem, each stanza a clue to where the window to be opened on that day was, but it is long gone. Still, the calendar, made in Western Germany is a treasure. I still open its windows faithfully every December.

In the front living room windows, the kitchen windows, and even in the bathroom window, I have pseudo-stained-glass fixtures for Christmas; pretty and colorful when the sun hits them. We walk down the hall from the kitchen to the front corner bedroom, which is my little sitting room. Here I have my Victorian tree; about 5 ft. tall on its own little table, and covered in pretty handmade ornaments and topped with a soft pink sequined ribbon. Snowmen, fluted fans, Old World-type bulbs, stockings, even dalmatians decorate this tree. The lights are soft, and there is a string of bubble lights which “bubble” quietly once the lights have been on for awhile. Under the tree are 3 gifts, pretty boxes all wrapped up as part of the decoration. In this room there is a candle in the front window also; and to sit here of a evening, for a spell, is pure delight. Heading back down the hall and down the stairs, covered in green holly & ivy and we descend to the family room down below. On one bookcase I have all the “Rudolph” decorations; those I received years ago, month after month, and based on the cute TV show. Other craft fair treasures adorn the large bookcase, and a feather tree all in white, complete with angel ornaments, and silver bead garland, sits on the other green bookcase.

Next to the TV is the large coffee table, and here is my new white tree, aglow with soft white lights, and sparkly blue ornaments. All blue. So striking against the pure white of the soft branches. It, too, stands about 4 ft. high and beneath I have a blue angel, a blue poinsettia plant, and blue garland all around the soft white tree blanket. My skating pond reposes here, too and on the shelf behind is my mirrored window frame with the red candle shining through it. Alongside the window frame are my kissing bears, who have been kissing since before Thanksgiving. On the other side is one of my hand-made snowmen sitting next to a seated reindeer. The window frame was a craft item from Toms River from many years ago. As are the sparkly pine cones, and so many other little ornaments and Christmas one-of-a-kinds all through my house. And nearer to one window sits my tealighted “leg lamp”; you know the one from the movie, AChristmas Story. And, in one corner of the room sits my 4-ft snowman, not wanting to miss out on any of what's going on down here.

I'm hoping in the coming years that Christmas will begin to mean Christmas to all of us again. No more rushing to the malls, no more last-minute nonsense gift-buying. Make your own gifts and give them as presents from you. The time that you spend creating them will only open up to you more ideas, so many more that you'll find you won't have time to do them all!

And remember that when you keep Christ in Christmas,you will always do the right things. As we go through theyears, we should be gaining wisdom; enough to understand that Christmas is when Jesus was born, and during the quiet, still nights of Advent, we get the opportunity to prepare our own hearts for Jesus, for his Holy Spirit, to enter there, and remain there, all year long.

So, thank you for coming home with me, and nothing suffices quite like a hot cup of tea and some homemade chocolate-covered cherry cookies, or iced butter cookies. I'll put the kettle on. As we sit down at my kitchen table, replete with red placemats, some knitted by me, and look around at all the abundance, we should keep one thing in mind.

God's gift of Himself to us is a present we will always be unwrapping.

Merry Christmas!

Brown November

2008-11-10T11:16:00.004-05:00

Already! Here in eastern PA, all the leaves are brown (ala the Mama's & Papa's, for those of you who remember . . . ) and completely cover the ground, so it makes for great fun when walking Piper around the yard to stay out of rock holes that you can't see now. Summer has come down, literally.

Been doing a LOT of knitting; it keeps my mind off of all the rest. (For all the rest, see my MySpace blogs). I have tons of stuff to give for Christmas, and it is CHRISTMAS after all, not the "holiday"; let's get it right for crying out loud! No one gives gifts and puts up all the decorations and tree, for any other "holiday". Stand UP for what you believe and don't be afraid to say so!

I just started a little sweater for Bella, my 8-month-old niece. Then, there is a little afghan for my daughter's friends daughter, Jordan. It still needs lots of finishing touches, but it's done.

Here are two little bags for my older nieces Melanie and Samantha. Any fun fur or metallic yarn looks terrific with plain-ol' yarn, and everyone just loves the look. Unless you have a bottomless pocketbook, (and these days, who does) specialty yarns can be SO expensive! $27 a skein is not what I normally buy; especially if the pattern calls for 5 or 6 skeins, oh my!

While I play on my computer, here's Piper hanging around!

Silly dog, she is just so funny, every day! She's a smooth fox terrier and we never had a terrier before. What a cute face she has, and I get such a kick out of how she sidles down the hall sideways when she's playing with one of her 20+ toys. She literally flies up on the couch with ease; absolute magic. If you are looking for a dog or cat, look no further than your local shelters; she was there, waiting for us!

So, I think I'll do like Piper, and r-e-l-a-x! So much has been going on, and my brain needs a rest! And I keep reminding myself, that nothing is impossible with God; He has everything under control.

Bright & Early

2008-09-03T11:20:00.003-04:00

8/20/08 - I remember "Bright & Early" with Gregg Whiteside. How I miss him still. He was the early morning voice on WQXR, for years and years in NYC, on the classical radio station there. Then, suddenly, one day in August, 5 years ago, they dumped him. Like so much garbage along the roadside. Mr. Whiteside. Done. He was too conservative for a radio station owned by the NY Times after all. He said things, spoke his mind, and wasn't afraid to do so. Truth cuts deep.

So, I've found out.

Beyond those negativities, this Wednesday is beyond beautiful. So clear, the sky so deep blue, the trees so green against their indigo backdrop, the air so cool and dry, which makes for a bright, shiny day indeed! Overnight it was so quiet outside, especially when the katydids and the crickets cease their night conversations, I swear, you could hear a pin drop.

When cars drive up and down the road, the only way you know that it happens, is when you see the dust in the air; kicked up by tires long gone. Ferns are still long and green, and there is one out next to the shed, which waves to me all day long. It really does wave, the little, top-heavy precipiece of it, waves like a hand, when the entire fern sways to and fro. Piper and I head out to the mailbox every afternoon and usually meet no one. No car, no person, no bear. Oh, he's been in these parts, lately, rubbing his big, black back on the telephone pole near our house, and skulking up the driveway, only to look back at my barking puppy with a face full of boredom.

Speed limit 15 mph. So it says, at the entrance to my road. Little more than a gravel driveway, really. Surrounded by forsythia / honeysuckle / brambles / trees right down to the end.

This has been my summer of solitude. Alone during the week, without a car, feeling each day like a little more of my luck has run out. But, I have to turn those negative thoughts around! They do me no good, and I've never been the sort to be so down and out. But, God almighty, this has been the worst year of my life! And it ain't over yet.

9/3/08
A bright and beautiful Wedndesday, warm! I'll take these end of summer idylls; they will go fast and leave cold and dark in their wake. Even now, the sun slanting at angles in the sky, leaves us too soon; by 8:00 it is dark. Then the soft lamps lit all around the house will have to do. Lit, so we don't have to turn around and wonder who is there. No one.

For those who don't know, for those who can remember, there were amusement parks years and years ago, so many of which no longer exist. Olympic Park in Irvington NJ was one I remember well. Rides such as Tilt-a-Whirl, the Bug, Roller Coaster, a funhouse ride, and a funhouse walk-through. The Scrambler, the Whip, and the Glass House. A house of mirrors. I never ventured in for fear, in my youth, of never venturing out. Silly, I know, yet, not so irrational. But, I remember all the rest who were wandering within; looking for the open side, some journeys just begun, some journeys judging by where they were standing looked to be almost finished, or still with much wandering to do.

So much like life. We are here, and tomorrow we will have stepped into another mirrored space. Mirrors representing memory. In fact, where we are today, is because we stepped into this particular space from another, yesterday. Each cubicle looking the same, yet taking us on our journey; either throwing us forward or making us go back and repeat something we've already done. As we go, we look for the exit, for the open door, for the way out. Stuck in the chaos of life, the way out often is gone, or we don't recognize it; it looks to us just like another glass panel. We think that's the way, yet walk into a "wall" and can go no further. So, we turn and search in another place. Moving ever so slowly, hoping we are going in the right direction! Feeling panicky as our journey takes us away from what we perceive to be the end, the completion we had in
mind, and wanting with staunch determinism to find our way out!

As we pass through each little glass space, it's like passing through the places in our lives. First here, then there, then somewhere else. Most of us have traveled a long way from whence we began. Most of us have multiple spaces which we can look back on, some even, staring us right in the face; yet, we pass beyond - step further away because that is the way to go.

Or so we think. I don't know if it's safer to stay put or to move. Some days will do that to you. But, at least, in my house of mirrors, I can always look in the glass and see what has been, and see who I was, and see who I am today. And know, without a regret in the world, that here, in the midst of light and reflection, that it is the right place to be.

Even as the ferns are dying.

Watch for some new projects I will post in the days to come. The days which melt into a dusky

shadow by 7 o'clock or so; where twilight enters and beckons us to light our lamps and go

within. It's the best place to be.

Something Else.........and Other Things

2008-05-23T17:23:00.007-04:00

Funny, how life is. I have been looking for a job for the longest time. Quite frankly, I thought to myself, if I look at one more resume or fax number I will scream! It became just a summary waste of time; for there must be hundreds of people looking for these same jobs, and what chance have I?

It's not good, or even nice, to be so negative, but, you must understand. I am over the age of 50. That, in these greening United States of America, is past it. Over the hill. Old. No longer wanted. Don't call us, we'll call you. Don't bother. Goodbye. Good luck in your future endeavors.

I am not old. I am as alive as you. I read voraciously daily, use the Internet for everything under the sun, exercise, eat right, and watch Jay Leno at 11:30 for a good laugh at the end of my day. I love music, not the Lawrence Welk type of music either; sorry all you Lawrence fans, he just never hit the spot for me. Heard a little Sweet lately, or Neil Diamond or Jeff Brown?

In between all the madness, I love to knit. It is my passion as is writing. I can't live without it. It is something I put time aside for every day because I love to knit!

As you can see!

This is the christening blanket I knitted for Isabella, my new little niece. Sunday she will be baptised and my husband and I are her godparents. That is the best part about being in families. Giving back for all the special times we share together; taking care of those we know best. There really is nothing else in the world like it. There isn't supposed to be. It is what we were made for.

Here is the cat's paw design and the edging, close-up. I used a simple crochet cotton yarn, bedspread weight. Here is the pattern:

Christening Blanket
Cotton Yarn bedspread weightSize 4 or 5 needles.

Cat's Paw

Multiple of 16 sts + 9
Row 1 and all odd rows: Purl.
Row 2: K10, *K2tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk,, k11; rep from *, end K10.
Row 4: K9, *k2tog, yo, k3, yo, ssk, k9: rep to end.
Row 6: K10, *yo, ssk, yo, k3tog, yo, k11; rep from * end k10.
Row 8: K11, * yo, sl 1, k2tog, psso, yo, k13; rep from * to end k11.
Row 10: K2, * k2tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk, k11; rep from * to end k2.
Row 12: K1, *k2tog, yo, k3, yo, ssk, k9; rep from * to end k1.
Row 14: K2, *yo, ssk, yo, k3tog, yo, k11; rep from * to end k2.
Row 16: K3, *yo, sl 1, k2tog, psso, yo, k13; rep from * * to end k3.

Repeat rows for desired length.Block panel.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

End Panels (make 2)Leaf Point Apron Lace

(taken from "Lace From the Attic" by Nancie Wiseman)

CO 31 sts.
Row 1: Sl 1, k2, yo, k2tog, [k1, yo, k1, k2tog, k1 tbl, k2tog, k1, yo], 2 times, k2, yo, k2tog, k1, yo twice, k2tog, k1, yo, k2tog -- 32 sts.
Row 2: K5, p1, k5, p7, k1, p7, k6.
Row 3: Sl 1, k2, yo, ktog, k1, yo, k1, k2tog, k1 tbl, k2tog, k1, p1, k1, k2tog, k1 tbl, k2tog, k1, yo, k2, yo, k2tog, k7 -- 30 sts.
Row 4: K11, p6, k1, p6, k6.
Row 5: Sl 1, k2, yo, k2tog, [k1, yo] 2 times, k2tog, k1 tbl, k2tog, p1, k2tog, k1 tbl, k2tog,, yo, k1, yo, k2tog, k1, [yo twice, k2tog] 2 times, yo, k2tog -- 32 sts.
Row 6: K4, p1, k2, p1, k5, p6, k1, p6, k6.
Row 7: Sl 1, k2, yo, k2tog, k1, yo, k3, yo, k3tog, p1, k3tog, yo, k3, yo, k2, yo, k2tog, k9.
Row 8: K13, p6, k1, p6, k6.
Row 9: Sl 1, k2, yo, k2tog, k1, yo, k5, yo, k3tog, yo, k5, yo, k2, yo, k2tog, k1, [yo twice, k2tog] 3 times, yo, k2tog -- 37 sts.
Row 10: K4, [p1, k2] 2 times, p1, k5, p7, k1, p7, k6.
Row 11: Sl 1, k2, yo, k2tog, [k1, yo, k1, k2tog, k1 tbl, k2tog, k1, yo] 2 times, k2, yo, k2tog, k12.
Row 12: K16, p7, k1, p7, k6.
Row 13: Sl 1, k2, yo, k2tog, k1, yo, k1, k2tog, k1 tbl, k2tog, k1, p1 , k1, k2tog, k1 tbl, k2tog, k1, yo, k2, yo, k2tog, k1, yo twice, k3tog, [yo twice, k2tog] 3 times, yo, k2tog -- 38 sts.
Row 14: K4, [p1, k2,] 3 times, p1, k5, p6, k1, p6, k6.
Row 15: Sl 1, k2, yo, k2tog, [k1, yo] 2 times, k2tog, k1 tbl, k2tog, p1, k2tog, k1 tbl, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, k2, yo, k2tog, k15.
Row 16 and 18: K19, p6, k1, p6, k6.
Row 17: Sl 1, k2, yo, k2tog, k1, yo, k3, yo, k3tog, p1, k3tog, yo, k3, yo, k2, yo, k2tog, k1, [yo, k2tog] 7 times.
Row 19: Sl 1, k2, yo, k2tog, k1, yo, k5, yo, k3tog, yo, k5, yo, k2, yo, k2tog, k15 -- 40 sts.
Row 20: BO 9 sts, k9, p7, k1, p7, k6 -- 31 sts.

Repeat Rows to match length of center panel.Block end panels.Sew end panels to center panel, right sides together.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Little by little, it will come together. Just like the Beatles said.

We Have the Stars...................................

2008-04-27T18:13:00.004-04:00

I just adore the closing line to the movie, "Now, Voyager". Taking the cigarette from his mouth along with his own, Jerry gently offers it to Charlotte. Quietly, they both stand there before the open french doors, with curtains softly blowing, and the night sky just beyond them. Charlotte, her own woman at last, has Jerry's daughter Tina to love, but Jerry asks, "and will you be happy, Charlotte?" Looking heaven-ward Charlotte speaks for both of them when she says, "Oh Jerry, don't let's ask for the moon. We have the stars."

And so it was for me on any sultry summer night last year, when with Chels in hand I would wander up to the gravel road in front of our house and in the dark, look up into the heavens. And wonder. And be wondrous. Of all I had. Of all I am. Of all I still so much want in this life.

It's been a long, hard 8 months since those days, but they will come again. Of that fact I have no doubt! It's true, don't you know, that you will walk through fire now and then; so better be prepared for it. With faith, you will make it through. I can't say what it would be without faith; I've never tried it, and I never will.

Yet, this time, when I walk up the driveway to the gravel road in front of our house and look up into the dark, Chels won't be by my side. For late in March, she died suddenly; in no pain,with no warning, just what we think was a heart-attack or seizure, and she was gone. Just like that. For all time.

She was a 12-year old dalmatian. She was and will remain, the love of our lives, our girlie-girlie, our pupper, our baby-girl. How many silly little names we had for her; and she loved every one!

I remember the day in 1995 when we went to O'Neill's Kennels in West Windsor, NJ and saw an entire bin of dalmatians, just in from the breeder. Although she was not "purebred", Chels was beyond perfect for us. She was hanging out in the back with her little head resting on a brother or sister; I could see those three black dots on the right side of her nose as clear as day.
By the time she was 4-months old, she was housebroken; I never knew a smarter dog in all my life! She could be stubborn in true dalmatian fashion; but I swear she understood English better than most people I know.

So many things she loved to do. Simple things; lovable things. Shouldn't that be telling all of us something? Now, I'm not advocating riding in a car with our heads out the window, but it was sheer heaven to her! As well as those long walks around the lake, and most nights, around the neighborhood, after dark.

There was cuddling on the couch, jumping full-speed ahead onto our laziboys; coming at you from all different angles, all with the same intent in mind, to land in your lap and kiss your face!
She just loved getting her ears rubbed and when it rained hard, she couldn't wait to get toweled off; especially around her head. It must have felt so good! When it was very cold, she would snuggle on the middle cushion of our couch, sleeping contentedly under her blue afghan. When she had settled down, whether there or on the bed, she would sigh deeply, and you knew, all was right with Chelsea's world. Tongue flicking in and out, she would lull herself to sleep, to dream, kicking and barking as she slept.

We took her everywhere we could. Little trips to town or the bank; trips down to see our kids, or relatives in NY or NJ or just anywhere at all. She loved the car!

There were times when her left ear would flap up at the middle crease; it was a funny sight indeed. I tried to capture it in pictures but they could never do the real thing justice. And she would leave it that way for awhile, as if she knew we were amused by this, and allowed us our fun. Then with a typical dalmatian shake of the head, it would be gone!

She loved chicken mixed in with her food; those Alpo sticks, which she would eat every morning and pigs ears! Oh boy, pigs ears! No dog loved them more. She loved watching TV. Especially other dogs in the dog shows. When she was very young, she would sit with you in the chair and watch these dogs taking their turns in the arena; hopping and bopping all around. Then, she couldn't take it anymore and would fly off the seat and charge to the tv screen, looking for this dog, for after all, he had to be there somewhere! Over and over again, year after year, and it was always so funny!

As the years went by, Chels tempered so many disappointments. She survived Cindy and Smokey, our two kitties, who grew old and died in their times. She was always a healthy specimen of a dog; always went to the vet yearly, and was almost always never sick.
She could stalk squirrels in the backyard; in fact, one of them used to wait for her on the fence near the back door and dare her to catch him. Stupid squirrel! There were times she came close! Then she would charge around the yard, with the biggest stick she could find. You could fling it from one side of the yard to the other and she would just keep going.

She was very afraid of fireworks and thunderstorms. And no amount of talking soothingly to her would help. But, she loved to walk along the beach at Lake Carasaljo, tripping happily through the water. She loved water! Had some kind of fascination with it, especially if it was running or in a waterfall configuration.

Then there were all her toys. Her stuffed dalmatians and the other decorative ones. There was her squirrel and little pink pig, and Marty's bunny, which my mom had given her after Marty died. And, last, but not least, there was Squeak. Just a little stuffed dog-head, but almost akin to her puppy. She loved Squeak!! We took it, along with her blanket, any time we went visiting. She had her fancy bed, too, from L.L. Bean, with her name on it and everything!

One month ago on March 26, it was Wednesday and I was working in a job that I thought would become full time. Bob was working and finally, I thought, we can get our heads above water, can have some extra money, can begin to lift out of this mire, which we have been in for too long now. Chels seemed tired that morning; she had not eaten and was laying on her bed when I left for work, but when I came home for lunch she was ok. She was out in the back and didn't know I was home yet; I watched her lumber up the deck steps, slowly, bringing her little back feet up almost together as she had learned to do in her old age. She looked out the railing slats into the backyard for a long time, I remember, and then headed to the back door when she spotted me there. Her face changed, and if a dog can smile, she was smiling! She had 2 hotdogs for lunch and then shared my beef stew, right off the fork, when I ate. I kissed her on her head when I left and told her I would see her after work. I left her there looking at me in the kitchen and she was fine.
One hour later she was gone.

It's taken me all this time to just say that. Happiness is fleeting; Charlotte Vale knew that. Take what you have, immerse in it, let it be absorbed into your being, because one day, it will all be just a memory.

Now, when I look at the stars, my Chels will be looking back at me. And she will be smiling, just like she always did; and I will smile back. And the stars will know.

Late February Musings.................

2008-02-21T13:46:00.005-05:00

So, in between looking for work, I have extra time to write and knit. And also to clean cat-boxes, and floors and bathrooms, and dishes, but that's another story; one which we all know about.

Don't you just love it when you go for an interview and "they" never get back to you, ever again? I think, and as the wonderful Mrs. Slocum always said, "and I am unanimous in this", it should be Federal law to reply to all job-seekers who you have interviewed with. It's stressful enough trying to figure out what half these dim-wits are looking for anyway, in the area of their job descriptions, and once I've made the colossal effort of expending my precious time, and even more precious gasoline to go and see them, why, I believe, that's the very least they should be required to do.

Just let me know, one way or the other. Do I have the job or did you give it to someone else? Someone, most likely, most unlikely to fit the bill. But, they are probably more of the age the company is looking for. It's all about image, isn't it? Never mind, the organizational and business skills, I bring to the table. Usually the one hired is hot off of the set of the "Jaywalk All Stars"! That bunch doesn't even know that not only is the Panama Canal in Panama, but there really is a country by that name! As opposed to Suez! Lately, I've yet to see a diplomat from Suez roaming around in Manhattan. Or maybe I'm just not looking in the right places.

Rather than be at the mercy of any of them, you know, those employer types, I just keep plugging away with my knitting projects, and always looking for more. If I had a thousand years left to live, I might just finish everything I want to make! I'm only hoping that the next life looks something like a Barnes & Noble, complete with a tearoom and a cozy fireside corner, all for us enthusiasts called the "knitting-obsessed!" Now that's heaven.

So, in addition to my griping, which is completely deserved and understandable, here is a pretty, pretty scarf!

Now, doesn't this just make your heart sing! I knit this in Rowan Lurex yarn, and the color says pewter, but looks definitely silver. Buy 4 balls, 95mm/25g. And the long strings of fringe just make it look absolutely Art-Deco. (There's another term those new hires never heard of either! I'm not explaining it to them.) Use size 10 needles and co 56 sts.

Knit 1 row, then purl 1 row.
Row 1: K1, *K1, (k2tog) 3x's, (yo, k1) 5x's, yo, (k2tog) 3x's, rep from * to end, k1.
Row 2: K1, p to last st, k1.
Rows 3-5: Knit.
Row 6: K1, p to last st, k1.

Rep until scarf is about 60" then fringe. Cut 112 sections of yarn 12" long for fringe, and do this first! So, as not to run out. It's just good sense; just like reading an entire pattern is good sense, when looking to knit it. This way you know what to expect as you go, because you've seen it all before. Same goes for recipes. Never cook something new until you've read thru the recipe first. Then you won't be surprised by the goat cheese ingredient that you neglected to purchase, and now all the stores are closed.

But, to get back to my scarf. It is so easy to knit, and will look quite classy once you drape it around your neck when done. Wear something black with it, and you can't lose! Then just stand still and wait for compliments.

New Beginnings and 2008

2008-01-11T18:29:00.000-05:00

2008. How did that happen? Seems like the Christmas holidays just flew by and winter, so far, has not been too bad. Temps in the 50's and just rain.

In between, we've just been adjusting to life in New Jersey again. Life, where you have to look twice at every corner, for a car is sure to be there. Runners, walkers, and wanderers seem to be at every corner and bend in the road. Never a parking spot near to the store entrance, and endless backups on the busy roads. Nothing changes in NJ. Only the tolls go higher and taxes never come down, but that's another conversation.

Just trying to finish up some projects which I've left lanquishing for far too long. A couple of furry scarfs to go to my favorite little charity in Montana and a pretty purple wrap which I plan on giving to a friend when she visits me in 2 weeks from Germany. Bremen, Germany. She's never been to the states before, and I've never been to Germany before, but this year will change all that! She's coming here this month, and before December comes and goes, I'll be overseas, too.

Once my purple masterpiece is finished, I'll post it here, so keep a lookout!

One end-of-year project that I did finish, I call the Astrid scarf. Named for another friend in Germany! See what happens when you all find each other, all in the name of good rock music?! Astrid was so helpful in getting me an autograph from one of my favorite UK singers, who sings in Germany too, that I just had to knit her something special! And here it is!

The Astrid Scarf
Patons “Brilliant” Yarn
Gold Glow – 2 skeins
Black Dazzle – 2 skeins
Size 9 needles.
Cable needle

With black, cast on 46 sts
Row 1 – and all odd numbered rows – (WS) K1, p2, k2, *p1, k2, p2, k2, p1, k2, p2, k2;
repeat from * , end last rep k1.
Rows, 2, 6 and 10 - P1, k2, p2, * k1, p2, k2, p2, k1, p2, k2, p2, repeat from * to end,
end last rep p1.
Rows 4 and 8 - P1, skip 1 st, k next st and keep on needle, k the skipped st, drop both sts from
left needle- a 2 st twist – p2, *k1, p2, k2, p2, k1, p2, twist 2 sts as before, p2; rep from * to end,
last rep p1.
Row 12 – P1, twist 2, p2, * sl next 4 sts to cable hook, hold at back, k1, p2, k1, then k1, p2, k1 from cable needle – a cable twist, p2; rep from *, end last rep p1.
Repeat these 12 rows 5 x's more, change to gold yarn.
Purl one row.
Rows 13 and 21 – (RS) Purl.
Rows 14 and 22 – Knit.
Rows 15, 17 and 19 – K3, * with yarn at back, sl 2 sts as to p, k4; rep from *, end last rep k3.
Rows 16, 18 and 20 - P3, * with yarn at front, sl 2 sts as to p, p4; rep from *, end last rep p3.
Rows 23, 25 and 27 – K1, * with yarn at back, sl 1, k4, sl 1; rep from *, end k1.
Rows 24 and 26 - P1, * with yarn at front, sl 1, p4, sl 1; rep from *, end p1.
Row 28 – Same as row 24.
Repeat rows 13 thru 28 5 x's more, change to black yarn.
Repeat pattern to desired length. Bind off all stitches.
*************************************

So easy to knit, and it came out so nice and looks very elegant!

So, in between the raindrops and maybe snowflakes, as we go, I have a lot of knitting to do!

From Me to You

2007-11-04T19:03:00.000-05:00

I always loved that Beatles tune, "From Me to You," from way way back; simple rock'n roll and always about love. That's why I love knitting.

Because it too, is about love. About giving it the best you have, and knitting something up which is just spectacular! Knit my English Scarf, and you'll know what I mean.

I knit this in electric blue, Patons Astra, 2 to 3 skeins, depending on how long you like it.
Size 8 needles and a cable needle, and the finished size is about 60" long. This time I didn't fringe as
my scarf was for a man. (Just my preference.)

Cast on 42 stitches.

Row 1 (WS) K2, P2, K2, P6, K2, P2, K2, P6, K2, P2, K2, P6, K2, P2, K2.
Row 2 (RS) K4, P2, K6, P2, K2, P2, K6, P2, K2, P2, K6, P2, K4.
Row 3 repeat row 1.
Row 4 repeat row 2.
Row 5 repeat row 1.
Row 6 repeat row 2.
Row 7 repeat row 1.
Row 8 (RS) K4, P2, C6F, P2, K2, P2, C6F, P2, K2, P2, C6F, P2, K4.

Repeat these 8 rows to desired length, ending on row 7. Bind off.

C6F = Slip 3 sts onto a cable needle and hold to front of work, K3, then K the 3 sts. off cable needle.

And just to let you know how the world goes round, and I found this very interesting also, pretty neat too, (!) my friend lives in the UK but was in Germany for a concert gig, so I mailed my scarf to Germany from the USA along with a card which had a French sentiment on the cover and was advertised as "American Greetings" on the back. So, it just goes to show you, you never quite know where or who you might be knitting for as the years go by!!

Enjoy, and you have plenty of time until Christmas to knit at least, oh, a dozen or so for family & friends!!

Late Summer Musings

2007-09-09T17:54:00.000-04:00

Summer takes a funny turn after Labor Day. Oh, it's summer still; yet feeling as if it's slowly slipping away.
That full, lush green of high summer has passed by, and now we are left with a slower growing season. Ferns
are dying, red is the new leaf color peeking through the trees, and darkness covers my front yard by 8:00 p.m.

School begins anew, football takes off again, gardens start looking a little skimpy, and that heavy fog which draped itself over everything in muggy August has settled into the river ravine and most mornings lets us gaze full-on at the sunny hills and mountains in the upper Delaware valley.

Stopping indoors seems more and more the thing to do and scrounging around for new (or old) patterns is one of my favorite knitting past-times.

I love knitting for people who mean something to me! Over the years my family has enjoyed lots of my knitted creations, from scarves to afghans to little bags to placemats and well, just anything!

This scarf I'm currently knitting is very pretty, if you ask me. I'm knitting it for a new-found friend who lives in Bremen, Germany. She will be visiting at the end of this year, but I can't wait to give her this, and with her birthday coming up in November, this will be a perfect gift!

I like to call this my "Falling Leaves" pattern, perfect for this time of year.

Multiple of 12 sts plus 1.
Row 1: (RS) P1, *p3, k5, p4; rep from * to end.
Row 2 and every WS row: Purl
Row 3: P2tog, * p2, k2, yo, k1, yo, k2, p2, p3tog; rep from * to end, end with p2 tog.
Row 5: P2tog, * p1, k2, yo, k3, yo, k2, p1, p3tog; rep from * to end, end with p2tog.
Row 7: P2tog, *k2, yo, k5, yo, k2, p3tog; rep from * to end, end with p2tog.
Row 8: Purl.
Repeat for pattern.
Easy and pretty. I make scarves about 60 " long and then fringe. They always look so professional.

No one will believe it! Least of all you.

Knitting Your Way to Happiness

2007-08-19T18:36:00.000-04:00

Life just comes at us, doesn't it, in a million differentways. Every waking minute of our day, it seems as if there isalways something waiting for us. Some of it imminent; most of it pertinent; a little of it of no consequence.

Yes, life can be so complicated. Yet, it is in the midstof our daily frenzy that we can find the best solace.

How, you may ask? How, when life's daily expectances,simply look to overwhelm us. How then, do we make life simple again? How can what I do, any day, every day, allday long, ever begin to make a difference?

Good questions. There are good answers awaiting.

It is simple, quite simple. Just take your passion out.Whatever burns a fire in your heart, whatever soaks throughthe layers of your life and is sustained in and of itself, when all else makes no difference. Whatever you go back to timeand time again; that talent your mother told you you had manytimes when you were growing up.

Aside from my writing, it is knitting, which has woven its very threads into my being. I can't live without it! I love everything there is to know about being a knitter. The patterns, the creations, the yarns, the needles, the blogs, the websites, the books, the magazines, the shops, the camaraderie of others who share my passion.

But, more than anything else I love the way knitting makes mefeel!! It is in the quiet moments, when I hear my needlesclicking, and the very best thoughts, which I suspect are beingthought by someone else way out there in the universe and pickedup by my thoughts floating out there too; just like those wispy dandelion heads which we blew apart as children and watched fly away into the world. Somewhere out there they don't merely fall apart into nothingness; no, they find other wispy seed heads to join up with, to stick to, and become whole wispy dandelion heads all over again.

Whole, from a part. That's the secret to passion. Knowing thatyou, or I, are only a part of the puzzle. We are not the entire thing!And we never will be. We can only give what we have, and that will dojust fine, thank you!

But, there is so much to give! Just take knitting, for instance. In knitting's pleasures are found its treasures. Where can you caston one sole stitch and when completely done, behold a masterpiece evenyou didn't think was possible?! Where can you get to know other knitters,some across the street, others across the world, who know just what you know, who think just as you do, who hold the same passions inside just like you?

If your desire is to help people, here we are! Any yarn, any color will do.Caps for preemies, afghans for Afghans, blankies for little ones, shawls forthe sick, pretty scarves in furry colors like cotton candy and sapphire blue,to dazzle eyes that never see such fun. Of course, there is always Christmas,birthdays, and don't forget weddings. Nothing makes me feel nicer than to hearall the "ooh's" and "ahh's" when a beautiful wedding afghan that I knitted comes out of its gift box and everyone exclaims all round! Want to make your cat or baby dog extra cozy this winter? We do that too!

Then there is knitting to see my way beyond sorrow and grief. Tell me, who doesn'tknow that song? Yet, it's ending can be upbeat, or at least, a metered measurecloser to feeling better. Or in helping another to find their way through thedark. Because to knit, you have to be in the light.

Don't ever think you don't have what it takes to be the next helping hand, the next inspiration, the next big idea, because if you live and breathe and have your being in this world, then the possibility is there!

Because you are there. Because you are here. Because you have a passion. And the world needs your passion. Because with it you will never go wrong. Because with it is your key to happiness. And that is the only way, isn't it, to open thedoor to your heart!

Hot August nights

2007-08-08T19:18:00.000-04:00

I have a friend who lives in Bremen Germany and she has a wonderful little saying on her website.

"Life is simple -- it's either cherry red or midnight blue."

Don't you just love it?! It really is so simple.

We do tend to terribly complicate our worlds and one of the worst ways we do that is by looking at all of life's options.

Walk down the cereal aisle in the supermarket or stroll into any shoe store in the mall, if you don't believe what I say. How about choosing a nail polish or trying to decide which shower curtain or bath towel to buy? And never mind about brands of soda, potato chips, or even birthday cards or flowers. We just have too much.

Choice is great but excess makes us crazy!

And, then there's yarn. You didn't think it was any different for crafty people like you and me, did you? If you are like me, then you really look forward to the latest edition of favorite yarn supplements, what with all the newest yarns, new accessories, and pretty patterns . Yet, start turning the pages and before you're done there will be at least 15 different projects that you want to knit!

Not two of them will use the same yarn! So there you are, looking at all this yarn for all these patterns and pictures and information, and all of a sudden the dreaded overload syndrome starts to kick in.

Just for a "for instance", do you like Beehive Baby Yarn, or Mellowspun Sport; how about Aran Irish Twist, or Softee Chunky or Titan Bulky or Satin Yarn. Maybe, Iced Iris Glacier Yarn, or Pretty Striping Yarn or Marble or even Camouflage yarn???

So, the next time "yarn hysteria" hits, remember, life is simple. It's either cherry red or midnight blue. Or with us knitters it's "Satin Stardust" or "Sugar 'n Cream." After all, anything sweet will do!

Knitting Around the World -- Denmark

2007-08-05T16:33:00.000-04:00

Whenever I think of Europe, certain countries always seem to come to mind. There is France, of course and Germany, and Italy, but never Denmark.

But, not anymore.

Denmark may be small, sitting at the very top of continental Europe, but it's power is not to be under-estimated.

Looking for castles in the air? Or do you love golf, or biking, or hiking or water sports? Love clubbing, or staying in pretty bed and breakfasts? Then, Denmark is for you.

Copenhagen is a must-see. From the Little Mermaid to the Tivoli Gardens, to canal tours to the Amalienborg Palace to the Stroget, the world's longest pedestrian street for shopping (now we're talking!), there is something here for everyone!

Not too far away is Fredericia. Here you can see the "Landsoldaten" a giant hand in the grass, dedicated as the world's first memorial to the common soldier. One of the best things about Fredericia is the music, music, music. Like cozy and intimate, love jazz, or want to be a part of the musical academy? Then this is the place for you! Theatres and exhibitions abound, as well as beautiful shops and lots of arts and crafts, too! Not to be missed!

Besides, all that, there is the knitting. Some of the sites I came upon have such beautiful knitted creations! One of my favorite sites is Hanne Falkenburg Hand Knit Kit Gallery.
There is something for everyone here, I think, and some stunning colors as well. From Spinning Wheels in Copenhagen to Ebeltoft where you find Balleby Art & Knitting, to every little, cozy knitting studio in between, Denmark offers a fabulous array of beautiful knitting patterns and yarns, many of which are Scandinavian and unique to us here in the States.
For some delightful Danish yarn, drop into Garn Studio's where there is something for everyone. Or go to the Sirri store and learn more about the Faroe Islands and how yarn is made there.
And, hey, while your traipsing around Denmark be sure to check out the Olstykke Festival this coming Saturday August 11 at 8 p.m. One of my favorite groups, the Tremeloes, are appearing and they are fantastic!

And for a wonderful Danish welcome, please go to Visit North Sealand; you'll be glad you did!

There are flowers and then there are knitted flowers..

2007-07-19T19:52:00.000-04:00

July.

The deep greens of summer don't get any deeper than now.

Driving along the long rural road from my house to Rt. 6, it's a foliage explosion. The road is a narrow, 2-lane affair with a one-lane bridge across a wandering creek about a mile from my
house. Houses peek out all along the way, but it's mostly woods and fields and more woods. Up and down and all around, the road twists and rolls, with sweet summer's lavishness so perfected it even spills out onto the street.

Low-flying birds of every variety soar crazily; sometimes coming within a hair's breath of my car. Flitting and floating in the air as if under an avian spell.

Through all the deep greens of grass and leaf, beyond the totality of the season's perfection, reflected in towering canopies of leafy naves, cathedral-like, in their glory, lie summer's crowning desire.

Wildflowers.

They are nature's jewels. Iridescent, multi-colored, dotting the landscape in sapphire, topaz, opal, ruby, amethyst, even ebony, protruding around corners, poking through fences and old outhouses, trailing along ditches, swaying boldly on the medians, usually always in bunches and bevy's, as if safety is in numbers.

Wild daisies with creamy faces, happy black-eyed susans, puffy cornflowers , golden yarrow, the occasional lupines, pretty purple coneflower, snowy yarrow, lush salvia, swaying tall green grasses, stately columbine, fields of wild lavender and pretty primroses, everywhere they are, and they are everywhere.

So, before I go off to Denmark, (my next knitting world stop), I'll post a few pics this weekend of my knitted flowers.

But, in the meantime, walk down the road and see what I mean!

Americans are a lot like knitters

2007-07-16T20:00:00.000-04:00

Americans are a lot like knitters.

Yesterday was a typical summer Sunday in July in New Jersey. Hordes and hordes and hordes of cars, suvs, rvs, and motorcycles choking up every conceivable road to the Shore. The Jersey shore. That infamous, low-lying, other-worldly place over the Barnegat bridge. Ocean County sits there all week long, but it's not until Friday or Saturday morning that most of NJ, NY and PA decides to invade it.

Due to the fact that we lived in Ocean County for over 25 years, we're no tourists, only re-visiting what was once home.

The thermometer was showing 97 degrees -- a typical day with haze, and that shimmery heat glazing over the roads while you drive. Everywhere, activity. Roads heavy with traffic, parking lots filled to overflowing with cars, long lines at every stoplight; a sense that all of us are on our own important missions, visiting, beaching, shopping, eating, recreating, whatever; groovin' on a Sunday afternoon.

Still, with all that going on, there was the frantic, hurried, frenzied feel to the day. But, on a steamy July Sunday in NJ that's just how it is. The pulse throbs, the atmosphere is electric, and there isn't a storm in sight.

Each car, each vehicle, is a part of the whole; yet we are all separate and only in a world of our own making. It's funny, really, how we all go where we're going, passing each other, only paying attention to the rules of the road. So there we were, scores of us, hundreds even, cruising along on Rt. 6, Rt. 206, Rt.15, I-80, I-280, the Garden State Parkway, Rt. 70, New Hampshire Ave, Rt. 9, and every side street in between; seemingly a part of a greater whole, but with the feeling of complete anonymity.

That's why it made no sense watching the black BMW coming straight at us, rolling in a crooked line towards our Saturn. On second glance we realized the driver was slumped unconscious, his left arm hanging out the window, his head, black hair, completely down on the open window ledge. The front of his car was badly smashed and all along the driver's side as well. Then, looking past this wrecked vehicle, we caught sight of an suv on its side at the intersection of New Hampshire ave. and Rt. 70.

Instantly, we drove into the Exxon station on the corner and Bob got out and ran to the overturned suv. I, too, stepped out. Stepped out into a world full of people; no longer in their cars, but hurrying, scattering, immediately stopping their cars so no more traffic came through. Running to the BMW, running to the suv. Instinctively I dialed 911, like, I'm sure, so many others did. I was able to tell the operator exactly where I was, and when she asked "is it a bad accident?" I replied, "a very bad accident."

Within a few minutes we watched as Bob & about six or seven other men righted the suv, for underneath was the man who was driving in the vehicle with his wife and 2 children. He lay there on the road, bloodied, not moving, then turned on his side. The other man was still unconscious in his BMW and a woman was cradling his head in her hands while others stood around her as if for support.

We didn't wait for the ambulances to appear, but, the images stuck in our heads all the way home.

Then, it occurred to me, that all of us driving around, anonymous to one another, will, in an instant, come to each others rescue, will put our own safety on the line, if necessary, to help each other out if we need to. All different ages, sizes, colors, religions if you asked.

All different. All the same. All Americans.

You could liken all of us to yarn. Cotton, wool, chenille, acrylic, mohair, ribbon, specialty, worsted, sport, baby, fingering, lace, and on and on. Some don't seem to go too well with others; some are a natural pair, some once you put them together, you are surprised indeed at how well they look together.

No matter the yarn, whichever way you knit it, they all produce the same look, really, they will give you the same sweater or scarf or socks, or afghan; just a different variety, that's all.

We are all different looks, aren't we, just variations on a theme.

So, the next time someone says to you, "America isn't so hot, it's not that great a place", agree with them. And then proceed to tell them, "America is not a great place, it's the greatest place there is."

The good Samaritan would agree with you.

Yarn On Needles....Stones In Water.....

2007-07-05T19:25:00.000-04:00

The last 5 years have been transformative for me. I think it happened when I looked at a claim today, here at work, and the street address said 'Brandon Road.'

If I was still living on Brandon Rd., I most likely wouldn't be having any money challenges and I could satisfy an inner itch for shopping by constantly going to the malls or online to buy. Every day something new, every day something else, every day more and more, fill the rooms of my house with more color, re-decorate, re-furnish, re-align, re-do, re-make.

To what end?

Indeed. How much "stuff" do we need? If I already have 40 pairs of shoes why do I need another? And what about the 50 books I want to read, but haven't gotten to yet? Fifty books; I'm not a speed reader, so that's going to take some time.

In 2002, we went out of the box, Bob & I did. We put our 4-bedrm suburban home up for sale, left good-paying jobs and bought an Inn. We moved to New Hampshire, took on a business we knew nothing about and excelled at it; loved taking care of all the particulars, all the business of the business. Yes, it was scary, from the moment the 'for sale' sign was planted out on the front lawn, through all the paperwork and phone calls, in getting financing and finalizing all the legalities, right down to getting used to a new state and new town and new people.

But we did it!

Challenges are the best things in life, they can be just as heart-stopping and exhilarating any other heady elixir. I remember a blue and white placemat I did up in needlepoint probably 20 yrs ago, and how HARD it was, how difficult to follow the pattern, yet I was absolutely determined to get it done and I did! How in recent years I've taught myself the particulars of "lace" knitting, and love the daring-do of figuring out how to create this wispy, delicate pattern which is beginning to take shape.

It is in the stepping forward, coming out of our comfort zones, enduring risk, thinking for my self, stepping up, being brave; Nike is right, just do it!

Here is my latest knitting project:

It's not exactly challenging, it's easy, in fact, something I've done many times before, combining stitches which, if I had a dollar for everytime I've knit them I'd be a billionaire! It frees my mind, though, to think up new projects, new knitting ideas, while at the same time, I'm creating something as well.

And I need the time, the space to knit "mindlessly", if you will, because there is so much else which has entered my life. There's my website, The Knit Stitch, the writing of this blog, My Space, my monthly newsletter, creating a new ebook and getting my "other" book set for publishing.

Publishing! Me? Am I sure this is right, me? Shouldn't I be just sitting here, at a low-paying job, satisfied with what I've got and leave it at that? No, I'm learning it's no fun to be on the straight and narrow, because you miss out on life while you have your nose to the ground.

How does the song go again? "I wanna live forever, I heard you say, But never say forever That ain't the way 'Cause I don't wanna live life by design So never say forever It's such a long, long time." From "Never Say Forever."
(For one of the best CD's I've heard in ages, go see the SweetLife. )

Safe is not good, it's only easy.

And to get where you want to be, can be a many-layered road; just defining your goals is only peeling away the initial sheen -- then it's on to the very heart of the challenge, seeing all the details, doing all the chores, checking them off your list as you go and having the satisfaction that they are now accomplished. And isn't THAT a nice word!

The Inn didn't work out. Not the way we planned, anyway. How many others can say the same? What has come and gone in 5 years for you? We have found another house, other cars, new friends. My nephew has died, a trusted Internet mentor met an unexpected death, my mom has passed away. Big blows, hitting hard, coming at you from the side and from behind; intended for creating great upheaval and unhappiness.

At first, it does. As time passes, though, as the fog slowly lifts away, you should be left with something you probably didn't possess previously; a clarity, as to what is most important, a luminosity on making your life count for something.

It's quiet at the center, quite like throwing a stone in still waters -- do it just once and watch what happens -- ripples move the water, one, then two, then three and more, outward, larger, stronger as thought creates action, which creates more action and creates new thought. If you are progressing in ways amenable to you and you alone (this is life's keystone), then thoughts and actions oftentimes lead to metamorphosis; to a "you" who never could have been "you" even five years ago.

I could still be living on Brandon Rd. My life could be ordered, secure, on track. Or I can be where I am, knowing not what tomorrow will bring, yet believing that those ripples in the water will touch others.

That will make all the difference.

The Flavor (or Flavour) Of The Day

2007-07-02T18:40:00.000-04:00

Synchronicity. A work, an action, an impulse, that when it works right, it works to perfection.

There are days, rare jewels, in all our lives, where the flow of life sifts over and through all the dynamics, all the free-spiritedness which make up our days, our ordinary, routine, mundane existences, and turns them into that which we never expect, yet truly forever anticipate.

It's only through the grace of God that I write these words, that the thoughts which crowd into my head all day long were determined by a power unlike anything we can possibly imagine. That what we know here, what we see, what we think, how we perceive our world, is a mere sliver of a glimpse, into the powers on the other side. It is as if we've opened the door, but just barely; our hand actually, is on the door handle, a slight pull to reveal what is there, yet we have barely rattled the door lest we believe it has actually opened before us. Sometimes, our arrogance precedes us in every way.

Monday Monday. This day dawned absolutely beautiful. Cool. Not humid, chilly even, 55 degrees on the car thermometer. And this in July! In Pennsylvania! Driving along the road out to Route 6, all is sunny, green, lush, everything summer should be in its full redundancy. As I came to the stop sign here came the dump truck armada with what looked like at least five vehicles behind them, slowly snaking their way up the little hill towards me. With plenty of space to go, I pulled out and watched the line slowly recede in my mirror as the open road stretched out in front of me. How many times does that happen? Hand of God? I'd say.

Traffic was sparse and after I got gas, I pulled onto the entrance ramp to I-84, east. The ramp is long and bends uncomfortably when you drive it too fast, but to the melodic strains of Josh Groban singing the rhapsodic last bars to "Home to Stay", my car floated around the ramp as if seized by the rhythmic strains and in total conformity with its heartbeat.

As the ramp spilled onto the highway itself, the full, last strains to the song ended in perfect harmony to my driving as the empty lanes yawned ahead. It is here where Milford stays hidden in the trees except for the occasional horse farm or hill that appear now and then.

Celtic strains took over and the heavy drumbeat and bewitching sounds of The Sweet filled my car. Again, as I rolled through sun and shade, green and greener, as finally, my silver Saturn descended the rise and turned towards New Jersey, strains of "calling all the people of colour race and creed" created out of Picato Strings, Fender Squire, Korg Keyboards, Line 6 Pod, Soundscape/Sydec Digital Technology and Jeff Brown's delightful voice sounded through the Shure microphone. As the song drifted into its instrumental meditation, I headed east once again, where high hills surrounded me and the vista, here, is beyond extraordinary.

Three states meet at this juncture, NJ, NY and PA -- and nothing this impressive met my eye while living in New England where majestic landscapes seem, surely, second nature.

Nestled serenely today, abounding mostly hidden from our eyes is the Delaware River. Driving over the bridge into New York State, "SweetLife" gave way to "Hell Raiser", whose pulsating frenzy suits the trek up the mountain perfectly.

Four miles to the top and looking out at this most unusual of summer mornings, temps in the 50's, crystal clear see-for-miles tableau, I have my eyes peeled on I-84 going west.

Just before leaving PA a large tractor-trailer painted in the not-to-be-missed purple of "Crown Royal" whiskey passed me going the other way. It occurred to me then, that the race had just concluded in New Hampshire and that those who didn't depart yesterday were making the exodus today and looking for all roads south -- or at the very least, roads west, and then south. Another rig with "CAT" on its side passed by, must be Dave Blaney's (he & I share the same birthday), then something green with "Toyota" emblazoned all across the back, but not Jeremy's I could see, Mayfield being my favorite driver. Another rig with the "07" number of Clint Bowyer all over it, and another large rig all in black with fancy stencil-like logo's on it, which will remain forever lost to me as the trees got in my way.

From the top of the mountain, (Greenville, NY) the view through my rearview mirror is dizzying indeed; as PA seems to rear up at right angles to where I am driving. But, all settles down with the short descent past Exit 2 and then Orange County stretches out pasturally and verdantly with each passing mile.

Mal McNulty is screaming something about "x-ray specs", when the ultimate in RV living drives by going the other way; I see one, then two, then eventually count about 15 RV's in total, all custom, specialty-painted, state-of-the-art RV's, and I wonder which Nascar driver belongs to each one, with their big SUV's in tow behind.

Driving along towards my destination, it occurs to me how lucky we are in this country to just go where we want to go, over bridges, through tunnels, around mountains and down country roads without armed guards or tanks waiting for us along the way. On my drive home as I headed down the mountain toward home, I-84 stretched out like a winding ribbon away, away into the hills ahead.

This Monday was so much more than mere vanilla. Beyond anything blah, and ho-hum, it took on it's own distinct affectations; a little sweetness, some acidity within the workday itself, but, a bittersweet aroma as still the sun flicks off the tallest branches of the trees all around my house.

Right down to pulling into my parking spot at work, and having "Love Is Like Oxygen" stop on the dime as I put my car into park. Who could have ever guessed?

Someone is watching.

Besides knitting....................................

2007-06-27T19:12:00.000-04:00

It was 37 years today
(and no Sgt. Pepper didn't teach the band to play)
but I met Bob...................................

Crystal Clear Stars

Crystal clear stars
Lightning bugs in jars
Hula hoops brand new
And Captain Kangaroo

American Bandstand
Transistor radios
Masses in latin
Shiny black patent leather shoes

Homes with no a/c
Just fans in your face
Hop scotch and Lesley Gore
The Beatles - oh! - to die for!

Thoughts like a river flow
Everything I know
Books I have read
Birthdays in my head

High school and girlfriends
Talking the night away
A litany of loves
Only one saw the light of day

Pique turns and arabesques
Grand plies at the barre
A Radio City Hall Rockette?
Who do you think you are?

Suddenly babies on my doorstep
Matchbox cars and hair barettes
Their life from me
My life is them

Unexpectably it passes
School years, concerts, growing up
It crashes into college
And car keys and size 12 shoes

Empty rooms and empty nests
Can make you sing the blues
This is my life after all,
Essence in multi-colored hues.

In between more babies born,
Yet, the old still died,
Nieces, nephews, barbecues and heroin,
In twenty years one life done in

Daughter, mother, student, aunt
Friend, co-worker, confidant
Dancer, writer, dreamer of dreams
Innkeeper, knitter, pray-er, it seems

For courage, and fortitude
For patience, no strife,
Only goodness and love,
In this my sweetlife

For that's all it's been
Through trials and through sorrow
For fifty some years
There's been a tomorrow

Too many others gone quick to the grave,
Out beyond Jupiter and Mars
Yet God's graces just keep on shining
Like crystal, like crystal clear stars.

How Did I Miss THAT?

2007-06-24T14:51:00.000-04:00

Cranford, NJ. My hometown. The only Cranford in the USA, I've heard. Just 13 or so miles from Manhattan, it's a pretty town, full of comfortable homes, large, breezy trees and quiet shady streets. Almost anywhere is walkable, from the pathways leading to Nomahegan Park and the college, to the footbridge along the river, which, when it's behaving itself, stays within its banks.
All of my friends from high school, those who lived on Franklin Pl, Herning Ave, Brookdale Rd and elsewhere, are long gone; moved away, as have their parents. Yet, I still drive these suburban streets and things, for the most part, look the same.
For those of you who are wondering, yes, the high school looks the same as it did in 1969; only the steps no longer amble sideways up to the front doors, but were repositioned directly in front and go straight up. They've been that way for years.
Whenver I visit my Dad we inevitably end up at the Cranford Diner, directly across from the train station. NY buses still pull into the parking area, scoop up the waiting, and proceed to their next stop.
The downtown is still there, yet most of the stores and the places I most remember are long gone. No more Sweet Shop at the corner of N. Union & Alden Sts, no more Robinson's or Can Can, (I think the latter went the way of the winds when my daughter was 6 0r 7; she's 33.) The Peppermint room is also just a memory, where certain cliques found after-school refuge in the old-style red booths of the skinny soda shop. Gone, as well, is Seager's, the old fashioned drug store with the soda fountain inside, across from the 5 & 10. Am I making any sense? Funny how words mean something and then don't, how new words, silly words, take their place, some with great significance. Did you "google" today?
So many new businesses, so many new names, a few new buildings, but the downtown still looks remarkably as it did when we were all singing "Hey Jude."
I've been looking at those buildings for so long, the two banks on the corners of N. Union & North ave.; Martin Jewellers is still in the same place. Most of the downtown is two and three-stories high, with apartments in some of the spaces on the upper floors.
There is one 3-story building which faces the train station, and when you see if from the back there are wooden steps and wooden porches attached to the brick facade. Years ago whoever lived there had pretty flowerpots and flowerboxes strewn out on that 3rd floor back porch. I would always look there whenever driving through, and always saw flowers for the longest time. There did come a day when the flowers were gone and the apartment looked forlornly empty. Since then, I've never seen flowers on the back porch ever again.
Just last month my Dad and I drove to the diner and parked along the street right along the back of the building. Walking along the sidewalk I glanced up at the wooden porches again as we got closer to the small driveway area. Then I noticed something I've never noticed before. On the third floor porch, tucked into one corner, and obscure in the shadows, is a metal spiral staircase which ascends to the ceiling, where a closed panel goes through to the roof. And there it is, and there it's been, all along.
And I've never seen it before!
Over 40 years, and I've never noticed. Right there next to the flowers and the porch railings, perfectly obvious, hidden in plain sight.
How much of our lives are exactly like that? How much do we think we see; how much do we really see?
So, here's my point; look around your downtown, I mean, really look around, and find something you've never seen before. It just might be that little yarn shop or craft emporium, tucked away and not making any noise to get noticed, that you will discover. And do it before it's too late! On my way to Cranford, I have been passing by a yarn shop on Rt 15 and had every intention of stopping in to see what I might see; only thing is there was a fire about 5 months ago and now the yarn shop along with the other businesses in the old converted barn are no more. Hopefully, they are rebuilding, but who wants to wait?!

Next post, join me in Denmark!

What next?

2007-06-13T19:26:00.001-04:00

Don't stay on "wrap up" too long -- you may get crucified. Or at the very least, same-timed. Yet, when calls are coming in hot and heavy, who notices you're there? Oh well, just had to vent, from a job that gives me little satisfaction. From a job that is filling in the blanks until all the rest pans out.

Don't get me going.........and don't ask me why I knit! It's cheaper than drinking, although a good gin

and tonic....................now we're talkin!

Lately I've been a knitting fool. Working on shawls, swatches, washcloths, scarves, shrugs, sweaters, baby stuff. Here's a picture of some of my stash, at least those things I haven't given away --

So, now what?

That is the question. This summer stretches out with nothing in particular to knit. No weddings, no babies, no special events of any kind; just long, hot days yet to come.

The temperature will inevitably climb into the 90's and then stay there; stuck, like flies to honey. Humidity will creep in and creep up until the air is thick and heavy. Then all breezes cease. Even those little winds which dance at the tops of the trees, just disappear; never to be seen again until September, when totally weary, and I suspect, disgusted with itself, summer finally collapses into a cooler version of what it should have been all along.

We aren't even into summer yet, that happens next Thursday on the 21st, my handsome son, Rob's, birthday, but the days are already humid and thunderstorms roll through daily.

Weather which doesn't require heavy sweaters and scarves and gloves and cars which feel like frozen tombs in the morning is a welcome break indeed, if you ask me. Take notice of these long evenings, after July 4th they will start going the other way.

So, back to my question.....what to make?

I've already picked out a lacy, willowy tank from one of the several knitting mags I subscribe to, so that may be my next project. I'm also leaning to something big. As in a bed comforter. Something in the nature of a patchwork primitve design, the kind you find in some old dusty antique shop in New England. So, we shall see.

I'm working out some patterns to knit some squares and will post them next week I think, after my newsletter is created and after all those hours spent at work, thinking about all I could be doing, somewhere else.

Knitting All Over The World - England

2007-05-31T19:33:00.000-04:00

As promised here is the first pattern from around the world. Even as we traverse through Spring, it's not Spring all over the world; some countries are staring into Winter straight ahead. But, don't feel bad -- when we are lost in snowdrifts and flipping on ice patches they will be planting their gardens and watching their skin tan.

June stretches out before us like a long, lazy cat; warm days, crickets, breezes, thunderstorms, sun directly overhead and extra time, it seems, to knit!

I found this easy pattern, called Cat's Paw, on a British knitting forum.....www.knittingforums.co.uk. I always

enjoy finding out what everyone else is working on or struggling with, it gives perspective to so many things.

The directions are as follows: Cast on a multiple of 7 stitches.
Row 1: Purl
Row 2: K1, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk, k1.
Row 3: Purl
Row 4: K2tog, yo, k3, yo, ssk.
Row 5: Purl
Row 6: K2, yo, sl1, k2 tog, psso, yo, k2

Repeat rows 1-6 for pattern.

And, while I'm on the subject of the British Isles, nothing is more appropriate to proper knitting than enjoying the perfect cuppa! Even I don't usually take tea this way; it's just too convenient to "put the kettle on" and drop milk and a teabag (at least I use Tetley's British blend) into my oversized teacup. (The chalice, as my husband calls it.)

When life gets too uncivil, too rude, too full-moonish, we need, we crave really, a sanction; something reassuring, that allows us to re-position ourselves and our thinking. Nothing quite fits better than a perfect cup of tea!

Over time, rules regarding tea have come and gone, and some have stuck around to enhance tea's qualities. I have created my own little list of "must-do's!" and even though I'm not British, (only a not too distant American cousin) this is one list I love to follow!

So, here goes........................

Rule #1: Use the good stuff! Only opt for Indian or Sri Lankan tea, that is. Anything else is just not the same.

Rule #2: Always use a teapot. Preferably made of china or earthenware.

Rule #3: Warm the teapot. I usually just swill it out with hot water, but warm is good.

Rule #4: Measure correctly. One teaspoon per serving and one for the pot is the norm. If you like stronger -- then adjust.

Rule #5: I've heard of pouring the tea directly into the teapot; I've never tried it so I can't comment. I use the little strainer ball and pour boiling water into the pot.

Rule #6: Use a good teacup. Mine is oversized, deep, and able to hold a good-sized cup of tea, which is what we're after here, it it not?

Rule #7: Start by pouring the designated amount of milk into your teacup FIRST. I've heard this rule is controversial, even right down to actual family arguments, yet it's the way I've done it for years, because a long, long time ago, I heard it was the English way to take tea, and I will never change this rule, no matter what you say!

Rule #8: This one's an option; drink your tea without sugar. Real tea connoisseurs will tell you the beauty of the tea goes missing when you apply sugar, but I love sweet! (And that goes for the rock group, too.)

Lastly, never, never, never drink lukewarm tea! It must be hot, scalding almost, to be enjoyed to the fullest!

Quite like life!

Tea to go with that yarn?

2007-05-27T12:30:00.000-04:00

"Sail me on a silver sun
Where I know that I'm free
Show me that I'm everywhere
And get me home for tea"

The Beatles "All Too Much"

I think from Yellow Submarine. If you want a flashback just go to YouTube.

From when I was little, I have always loved tea! "Take tea and see!" my Mom always told me my grandfather would say. He was the tea drinker in our family, and he got my mother hooked, and ever since I can remember tea has been my middle name.

Just because Tuesday, May 29, is the 2nd anniversary of my Mom's passing, I want to leave a little impression here as to what kind of mother I have. Not had. She may be gone from my sight, but, she will never stop being my mother. And who knows, maybe she really is here, you know, "a breath away's not far, to where you are." Go see Josh Groban if you don't believe me.

If ever there was someone in my life with a smile for everyone, it was Mom.
If ever there was someone who knew the preciousness of life, it was Mom.
If ever there was someone willing to speak out for what she believed, it was Mom.
If ever there was someone who taught me to take risks, it was Mom.
If ever there was someone who ran us all around to fulfill our (my sister and I) heart's desires, it was Mom.
If ever there was anyone happier when she became a grandmother, I have yet to find her.
If ever there was someone who loved to read and instilled that precious love in me, it was Mom.
If ever there was someone who was always learning, whether it be playing the piano, or knitting, it was Mom.
If ever there was anyone who could set a more beautiful dining room table, I haven't found her yet.
If ever there was someone who loved her pets more tenderly, it could only be those who learned from her love how to love our own baby dogs and cats.
If ever there was anyone who dressed better, I have never met them.
If ever there was someone who thought every season was beautiful, it was Mom.
If ever there was someone who looked prettier in a prom dress, I have not met her.

As I picked the thorny little branches off the ground that Dad had trimmed in front of her gravestone on Memorial Day, I felt her there with me; maybe lounging on the stone in front of me, maybe floating gracefully in the air, warm with the sun all around me. I only know she was there, and oftentimes, here in Pennsylvania, with me. Shadows all around me, are no figment of my imagination; I can't imagine that well. She is there, watching over us all, I suspect; keeping us from harm.

I do know this much; in this life, remember:

it is all God's will;
every day is a gift;
and you will know love when you feel love;

but, my mother could have told you that.

So, never stop listening to the stillness, and you will find your heart's desire.

Hopefully, with a cup of tea at arm's length and your passion going full-tilt; for life's just not worth it, any other way.

In the immortal words of George M Cohan,
"My sister thanks you, my father thanks you",
but most of all my mother thanks you.

For all I am, for all she always knew I was, for all I will ever be, I thank you Mom,
and no one will ever love you more.

Knitting All Over The World

2007-05-13T18:16:00.000-04:00

There's a kind of hush all over the world tonight, people just like us are knitting away!
Herman's Hermits aside, (if you don't know what that means, just "google" it), in between my ebiz, this blog, my knitting, my monthly newsletter, and my life, I currently work full-time. Not by choice, mind you, but there are those bills that need to be paid every month.
When researching online for knitting nuggets, I often run across websites far away from northeast PA, and it always puts me in mind of one thing: just what is going on all over the world?
As I write this installment, it's 9:00 a.m. in my world. Yet, most of the west coast hasn't even stirred their coffee yet! And, people in the British Isles are enjoying a late lunch or an early tea. (I prefer the latter, thank you, but that's another story.)
Somewhere in India or the Seychelles it's night-time and when we are driving to work, they are thinking about going to bed. There are school buses driving kids to school somewhere, and somewhere else they're taking kids home. Where people are busy at work on any given afternoon, others are sitting down to a concert or a play. I watch The Tonight Show and someone else is watching a morning show or early evening news. The world certainly is round because all of us are always moving around the hours.
So, when I sit and knit, I like to think of others who are sitting and knitting, too!
Who else is knitting a pretty summer shawl or learning how to knit their first afghan? Knitting clubs are here, there, and everywhere, teaching some how to knit with circular needles, showing others how to knit using a chart.
If you are looking for that perfect poncho pattern or an easy scarf pattern, chances are someone in another time-zone is, too.
So, here's what I'm going to do: in the next few weeks check back here for some awesome patterns from all around the globe! East, West, North and South, I'm looking.
To start things off right, here is a pretty chenille evening wrap, perfect for those elegant weddings all summer long!
Direct from Shohola, Pennsylvania --

Cast on 57 stitches. Knit 6 rows.
Row 1: (ws) - K1, *p1, k1, rep from * across.
Row 2: P1, *sl 1p wyif, p1, rep from * across.
Rep rows 1 and 2 until wrap measure approx 52 inches.

(note: wyif = with yarn in front)

Fringe away, and you will get so many compliments!

Be sure to check here again next week, and if you have some suggestions for patterns around the world, please let me know! Cheers!

Lazy, Lacy Days of Spring

2007-05-02T19:44:00.000-04:00

Silence IS Golden.

The better to hear my knitting needles. Even better to learn new knit stitches or purl stitches or cable stitches or lace stitches.

As I write this , let me tell you something about a Pennsylvania spring. Leaves are just popping out on the earliest bloomers; dogwoods are going from lacy white to green, daffodils and tulips are at their prettiest. The grass has deepened into a muted, summer color; while driving over the mountain (elev. 1254 ft.) just outside of Port Jervis, NY on I-84, the foothills and far away places have a softness that a month ago was absent from the earth. Pretty lavender azaleas and deep purple-tinted trees rise over the open fields and farmlands which stretch out along my ride. Black and white cows lounge lazily in their big brown farmyard, some standing doing nothing, others sitting doing nothing.

The Delaware River has, at last, shrunk back between its banks; two weeks ago after 8" of rain in a day it resembled a watery behemoth. Early mornings find gauzy fog, ethereal and wispy, settled into every nook and cranny. I can still see my breath while fueling up the car (an outrage - this $3.00/gal gas) yet, the air is no longer cold. Only balmy.

Spring is delicate. Luscious and lacy, sylvan and cob-webby. A lot like lace knitting.

Lace knitting is just a combination of certain, same stitches which when worked in a pattern, row by row, create the most beautiful creations! One such stitch is the Yarn-Over.

Now, you can achieve these lovely holes by just dropping stitches all over the place, but that will definitely give your knitting a decidedly tacky look and I don't think that's what you're going for.....instead, do what I do.

Learn the stitches. Nothing could be easier. Learn those little "yo's" for knit stitches and purl stitches, for there are different ways of doing them. It's just another facet of how to knit. Remember, yo's always look loose on your needle and the tendency, at first, is to let them fall off, because they don't look like real knit stitches. But, they're as real as the rest of them, so treat them accordingly, and knit or purl them as your pattern row tells you.

Whenever you do lace knitting there are specific knit stitches you will always use, and "k2tog" (knit 2 together) is another. This creates one stitch where once there were two, by, knitting two stitches together. Couldn't be easier! And, let's not forget SK2P. Looks complicated, doesn't it? It's not. Here's all you do: slip 1 stitch, knit 2 tog, pass slip stitch over the knit 2 tog. Now, 2 stitches have been decreased.

For a lot more information on knit stitches, just visit my website at The Knit Stitch to purchase my ebook, where all of this, and more, is made easy for you!

So, until next time, I think I'm getting another cup of tea -- and my knitting! Ah, heaven!

Afghan Sampler Patterns

2007-04-26T18:52:00.000-04:00

Finally! Winter has left the building!

Spring is my least favorite season of all what with

all the unpredictable weather and allergies starting up

all over again, yet the trees are so pretty and it is so nice

to see color again.

The dogwood trees are some of my favorites. Their lacy

look can be seen from near or far, and always look so

appealing. Which puts me in mind of one of my best-loved

lace patterns. You know, lace knitting looks so difficult, and

that's the secret; it's really very easy and knits up quickly.

I like to call this pattern Gothic Windows, for it reminds me

of the beautiful clerestory windows you often see in majestic

cathedrals. And, that's just what your knitting will look like

when all is said and knitted; majestic!

This pattern is worked on a multiple of 6 sts plus 1.

Row 1: (WS) and all WS rows, Purl.

Rows 2, 4, and 6: K1, * yo, sl 1, k1, psso, k1, k2tog, yo, k1;

rep from * to end.

Row 8: K2, * yo, sl 1, k2tog, psso, yo, k3; rep from * to end,

last rep k2.

Row 10: K1, *k2tog, yo, k1, yo, sl 1, k1, psso, k1; rep from * to end.

Row 12: K2tog, * yo, k3, yo, sl 1, k2tog, psso; rep from * to end,

yo, k3, yo, sl 1, k1, psso.

Repeat rows 1 - 12 for pattern.

And, so as not to leave out my favorite season of all,

this pattern called Lacy Leaves is sure to please!

It is worked on a multiple of 10 stitches. Here I cast on 40 sts.

Row 1 and all Odd Numbered Rows: Purl.

Row 2: * K2, yo, K1, K2tog twice, K1, yo, K2;
repeat from * to end.

Row 4: * K3, yo, K2tog twice, yo, K3; repeat from * to end.

Row 6: * K2tog, K1, yo, K4, yo, K1, K2tog;
repeat from * to end.

Row 8: K2tog, yo, K6, yo, K2tog; repeat from * to end.

Repeat these 8 rows for pattern until 8 inches from beginning.
Bind off.

Look for more patterns here in the coming weeks, as I knit

them up, I'll post them here!

Cheers!

Knitting and Music

2007-04-05T18:39:00.000-04:00

Now here's a real blast from the past. In between all my research and other article-writing on how to knit I just love listening to music.
Just last month on the PBS stations if you happened to catch it, was a dynamite special called "The British Beat". Finally. Now, I love Elvis, especially his early years, and doo-wop in general, but all of that has been done to death on tv, and I know that there never was, nor will there ever be, music like we had in the '60's!
For some reason, I don't know why, I have always had a special place in my heart for all things British. (It must have something to do with castles, kings, queens, and Paul McCartney's gorgeous brown eyes, but that's another story.)
In between learning to knit back when I was in high school, my eye was always on the London beat. Never having travelled overseas, it is still tops on my list of places to visit. And soon!
Learning to knit was so much more fun with the Beatles or Dusty Springfield. Poring over my little "how to knit" book never was better then when listening to "Time of the Season" by The Zombies or "Baby Baby Can't You Hear My Heart Beat?" by Herman's Hermits.
Walking up to town after school on any weekday, my girlfriend Marlene and I loved poking around in the yarn shop. On weekends we would get together in one living room or another and learn how to cast-on with The Tremeloes to the upbeat "Here Comes My Baby" or the harmonious "Silence Is Golden." We could listen all day and never hear the same song twice!
Eventually we would actually complete an entire cast-on row and start knitting! Slowly, we learned the knit stitch, while The Hollies told us about their famous "Bus Stop." Frustrations with dropped stitches never seemed so bad while Gerry and the Pacemakers told us "Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying."
Over and over again the deep piano chords of Petula Clark's "Downtown" kept us company on the back porch while mastering the purl stitch. Searching for yarns in our fav colors and extra needles for new projects was helped along by Peter & Gordon's "I Won't Stay in a World Without Love." And didn't it just mean something that Peter Asher is Jane Asher's brother, she who seemed to have won the heart of one Paul McCartney. Naturally, it doesn't mean anything anymore -- but what does mean something is that so many of these same sounds and same groups still play today! And they're good! As in 'turn-your-head-away-from-the-tv/dvd-and-it-sounds-just-like-1969-on-the-radio-good!!'
Now, so many years later, my knitting has been transformed! Along with all the groups I loved, some still rockin', some no longer with us, all have a special place in my heart!
So stay tuned for some groovy patterns! Cheers!
Just like I remember!

An Afghan Sampler 103

2007-03-28T20:05:00.000-04:00

If I could give you all there is to know about yarns, and which ones to
use for all your knitting projects, it would take up a year's worth of newsletters!

What I will do, is to concentrate on the good stuff.....that is, the information
you will need to begin any afghan adventure.

There are yarns that work wonderfully with afghans, and there are yarns
which I wouldn't think of using. Remember, afghans are big projects;
it's your stitchery that you want to show off, and the simpler choice of yarn
is what you should be after.

I recommend worsted weight or sport weight yarn. And, what are these,
you ask?

Worsted yarn is smooth, and even-textured. It knits up about 5 stitches per inch. Worsted is probably the most popular yarn used by knitters.

Sport yarn is very much like worsted, but it will feel softer to the touch. Along with sport
weight yarn, you will see yarns such as DK yarn, which stands for double-knitting.
This yarn is a tad finer than worsted yarn.

For really thick yarns, turn to the Aran or fisherman yarns, but I do not
recommend these either for afghan knitting.

Do not get involved with yarns such as chenille or chunky yarns. Not to say these are great yarns for other projects, but for afghans, they do not fit in very well.

Baby yarns are perfect for baby creations; the softness makes them too soft for a durable afghan venture. There is also a yarn known as fingering yarn; it is very delicate and I always use it when working open-work or lace patterns.

I know the first thing we see whenever we visit the yarn section in a craft store is all that crazy, colorful, snazzy, new yarn, which comes in so many fabulous shades and tints, that we just have to buy at least a few in order to make something with them! Save these for scarves, or little accessories; but don't use them for afghans.

The one yarn I haven't mentioned yet is wool. Wool makes a great insulator, and has some stretch to it, and if you wish to use it for an afghan, by all means do so. Personally, I leave the wool yarn for personal projects, such as vests or sweaters. They always look great.

Always remember, when knitting an afghan, it is your knitting expertise that you want to show off; whether you knit in squares, or strips, or just one long pattern, your afghan will reflect what you know about knitting. Some of the simplest stitches will look like the most complicated of patterns; and you will be just as surprised as everyone else when you assemble your project and discover you have the most beautiful of afghans!

An Afghan Sampler 102

2007-02-25T17:41:00.000-05:00

In my January newsletter, I touched upon various ways of readying yourself
to begin an afghan project.

Once you have selected a pattern --you can then select your yarn and needles.

Needles, of course, come in many different sizes, from very small (size 0 or1) up to
very large (size 18 or 19). Needles also vary in type as well.

Most knitters, or newbies, are familiar with straight knitting needles. These are
usually 14" in length and come in a wood finish or aluminum. Straight needles are
easy to knit with, but there is one little drawback; if you are knitting something
with more than 75 stitches it becomes increasingly difficult to fit more stitches
onto your needle. The longer your knitting becomes, the heavier and bulkier your
project will get.

Sometimes this is not a problem, and sometimes it is. So, what to do?

Well, don't panic, for one. With a little practice, knitting with circular
needles, will become just like second nature to you. Here are a variety of
tips to remember when using circular needles:

* Once you have cast on the number of stitches that are required, go back and
straighten out the entire row, so all the stitches look uniform and not twisted.

* If working a "closed" end, you want to join the yarn at the first stitch to make
a closed "circle." Place a marker at the first stitch, so you know where you began.

* To work an "open" end, cast on an even number of stitches, and slip half of
those stitches onto a second needle. Fold your work, holding the needles parallel; one in front of the other.
Using a third needle, slip one stitch first from the front needle and then from the back needle until they are all on one needle. Then knit to your desired length. To bind off divide the stitches onto two needles, and bind off alternating the two needles.

* For a stockinette stitch, when using circular needles, just knit every row. (Use this technique when knitting using a closed end.)

* For a garter stitch, knit one round, then purl the next round, then knit, then purl, and so on.

* For flat work using a circular needle,
knit as with straight needles; when you come to the end of your stitches, turn your work, and purl the next row, and so on. Continue working back and forth, just as with straight needles. (Use this technique with an open end.)

* Knitting from the first stitch to the last stitch of one "row" is called a "round" in circular knitting. When you come to the marker, just slip it onto the right needle, and continue to the second round. Just keep knitting round and round, without turning your work.

* Keep pushing your work along as you knit. This is especially important when
knitting with circular needles.

* Circular needles are available in different lengths from 11-inches to 47-inches. They come in various sizes, too.

* As you continue knitting "in the round" your knitting will start looking more and more like a garment. The first row or two will be the most awkward to work; once you get beyond those, your work will get easier.

So, there you have it! Just knowing a few circular needle tips can make all the difference when it comes to making your next big knitting project!
------------------------------

An Afghan Sampler 101

2007-02-04T13:55:00.000-05:00

To be knitting.

That, is one of the things which I cherish most. And it has such a long history, too.
Known today as typically a woman's craft, knitting was originally done by men, shepherds, to be exact, way back when. Even in literature, there are knitters scattered around; the most famous has to be Madame DeFarge in Dicken's 'A Tale of Two Cities'.

Most knitters begin with simpler pieces, such as a scarf, or one-color vest. Usually, they keep to a few well-liked patterns, or stitch types, and seldom venture very far from these.
In this mid-winter time, what with Christmas behind us, and much snow and ice around us, my favorite project of all, comes to mind.

Whether you have a real fireplace, or just one playing on your TV, (ala Channel 11, all you New York people know what I mean), nothing goes with your hot chocolate or steaming tea, and that good book, like an afghan. Lap blanket, bed throw, any way you say it, afghans make rooms come alive with personality. Yours.

Of course, you can never have enough good afghans around. Eventually they all begin to get 'old', or become the dog's favorite blanket, or the cat's place to perch, so you can always use a new afghan!
Before beginning an afghan project, there are considerations that you need to decide on.
Just what kind of an afghan or you going to knit?

Will you use block patterns or knit in the round?
How about yarn color and amount?
Do you need to learn new stitches or ways of advancing what youalready know about your knitting?

Other thoughts aside, these fundamental questions should be answered before going forward with a larger project such as knitting an afghan.
You know, afghan patterns are all over the place. Not just on theWeb, either. Pick up a knitting magazine or book, and ideas will start to fly at you. How cute this one is, or oh, I just love this color, I think I'll knit this one.

A few good pointers when considering knitting an afghan are:

A. Decide on a pattern. Simple, right? Wrong! Be sure to check out the "skill level" listed with each pattern; if it says advanced, and you are still a newbie, don't attempt it! They really mean what they say, and you will soon find yourself lost in knitting terms and instructions you never knew existed.

B. Will you use regular needles or circular ones? I find either/or is fine by me. Some of you have never used circular; they take some getting used to, but hold a large number of stitches. So,if you are planning a pattern that calls for anything over, say, 75 stitches, use a circular needle.
There are ways of knitting with circular needles; such as working a 'closed' end, or working an 'open' end. In future newsletters, I will go into detail about circular knitting.

C. Which yarn will you use? That's a biggie! Usually with afghans, I find that the emphasis is on the pattern stitch(es), and by utilizing color, you can turn out a masterpiece with some of the more traditional yarns. I don't recommend the fun furs, or eyelash yarns for afghans, nor should you use super-bulky either. Unless you don't mind stiff fingers all the next day!

D. What about joining yarns? How does that go again? Incorporating lots of different colors, or just three or four, means knowing the correct way of joining yarns, so as not to make your work look amateurish.

So, you see, deciding on knitting an afghan, requires someplanning ahead. Next time, we will pick out needles and yarn, and choose some pretty patterns to get us going! In the meantime, finish up those post-holiday projects now. Afghans take some time,but, when they're done, they are beautiful!

The Craft of Knitting

2006-11-25T12:18:00.000-05:00

Whenever I knit something new, or
think about all the projects that are still
on the "back-burner", the one thing I
never think about is where did this all
begin?

As of right now, it is thought that knitting
came along sometime in the late Middle
Ages, 1200-1500 A.D. It was brought
into Egypt by nomads, and from there,
carried into lower Europe by way of
Spain. Once there, knitting traveled all
over the European continent.

During the Renaissance, craft guilds were
all the rage, and knitting was established
as a true craft. After all, once the art of
spinning created yarn, then innovative
ways to use the yarn came along.

Different areas of Europe invented
different modes of knitting. The Fair
Isles, a group of islands north of Britain,
give us Fair Isle knitting, one which is
characteristic of knitting with many
colors, and changing colors frequently.

Intricate lace patterns are indicative of
France; fishing communities off the coast
of England gave us the Guernsey style.
Both of these types of knitting are quite
intricate, and the latter very colorful.

Of course, knitting found its way to our
world as well. During the Civil War, both
sides took to producing much needed
items for the soldiers. It was here that
knitting became linked to patriotism; a
link which has only grown stronger over
time.

Once the Industrial Revolution came
along, knitting machines were able to
produce what hand-knitters never could.

Yet, with all the modern innovations
which we live with, there is nothing
quite like settling in with needles, yarn,
and a good pattern. Add some friends,
a sprinkling of good conversation, and
the beautiful world of knitting, is a place
you could live in forever!

Nowadays, we have not only our families,
and friends to knit for. There are so many
needy causes and organizations out there just
looking for a little "hands-on" help.

The Old English definition of the word
"craft" tells us that the word meant
"strength". As we knitters well know,
in learning, enjoying, and passing on,
our beloved craft, therein lies knitting's
strength.

The Shakers certainly had it right when
they said, "Hands to work, hearts to God."

Happy Thanksgiving!

2006-11-20T15:02:00.000-05:00

Hi all my knitting enthusiasts,

Even if you don't celebrate Thanksgiving, I do, and I am thankful for you!
I am just sending along my "Happy Thanksgiving" to everyone!

Here's to turkey, and pumpkin pie, and everything in-between! And keep a lookout for Friday's newsletter.

Here is a pretty pattern for a warm Fall scarf, I just thought I would pass along:
I think the golds and dark red are just perfect for this time of year. This scarf was knitted
with nothing more than knits, purls, yo's, and k2tog's. Easy to do, you can finish it in
days!

Here's the pattern:
Use worsted, wool or sport weight yarn.
With size 7 or larger (no larger than 10.5) needles,
CO 34 stitches.

Rows 1, 3, 5 and 7: (RS) K1, *(sl 1, k1, psso, yo) 4 times, k8; rep from * , end k1.
Rows 2, 4, 6 and 8: K1, * k8, p8 rep from *, end k1.
Rows 9, 11, 13, and 15: K1, *k8, (yo, k2tog) 4 times; rep from *, end k1.
Rows 10, 12, 14 and 16: K1, * p8, k8; rep from *, end k1.

Repeat rows 1 - 16 until desired length. BO.
I did 32 rows of each color and then switched to the alternate color. It is a very
pretty pattern, and looks great however you knit it!

Now, here's 3 cute little guys! (Or gals!) They were a hit at the craft fair, and I have these three left over. If anyone would like to buy, they are $15. each. They are cuter in person, and would make a wonderful gift for a little one!
Just email me at The Knit Stitch!

Have a happy Thanksgiving, and a great week!

Easy-As-Pie Knitting Gift Idea #4!

2006-11-17T16:52:00.000-05:00

Without us even realizing it, November is quickly passing us by! If you are truly stumped as to what to give everyone this Christmas, fear not! I am here with some knitting suggestions.
In my three previous articles, I have given you some ideas for scarves, ribbon bracelets, and placemats. Just these simple patterns, can be transformed into dozens of one-of-a-kind knitting creations! In fact, you could outfit the entire family and close friends, with some of the nicest gifts they will ever receive!
And to add to our collection, this article will be about knitting baby washcloths. Usually, whenever we think about baby gifts, it is off to the mall we go, to find the latest in infant accessories.But, did you know, you can knit your own baby creations? They will be as soft and cuddly as anything you can find in a store, and, best of all, will be made with love!
Knitting baby items are just so easy to do, and so unexpected!Traditionally, when putting together gifts for baby, the first things you think about are layettes, blankets, and booties. So, now it is time to expand on this theme.
Whenever I knit anything for babies, I love the yarn to be soft and pliable. For washcloths, use a cotton yarn. They are totally washable, and will hold up nicely.
In a few stores, I have also seen terrycloth yarn, which is another great idea for baby items. But, for the baby washcloths that I knit up, the cotton yarn is the best yarn to use. Sugar n Cream, Peaches n Cream or Cotton Tots are my recommendations for the best cotton yarn to knit with.
Use a size 6 straight needle, and, really, no gauge is necessary. Here is the pattern:
Baby Washcloth
Cast on 37 stitches.
Knit four rows.
Rows 1 and 5 (RS): K5, *p3, k5; repeat from * to end.Rows 2 and 4 : P5, *k3, p5; repeat from * to end.Row 3: K5, *p1, yo, p2tog, k5; repeat from * to end.Row 6: Purl.Rows 7 and 11: K1, *p3, k5; repeat from * , end last repeat k1.Rows 8 and 10: P1, *k3, p5; repeat from * end last repeat p1.Row 9: K1, *p1, yo, p2tog, k5; repeat from * , end last repeat k1.Row 12: Purl.
Repeat these 12 rows 4 or 5 times more, until desired length.
Knit four rows. Bind off all stitches.
There you have it, simple, yet very unique, and sure to please! And, with all the colors and color combinations you will have a blast knitting baby washcloths for little nieces and nephews, your friends and all babies-in-waiting! Gifts such as these, are always appreciated, and combine them with baby bottles, rattles, toys, or receiving blankets, and you will have a winner every time!
Remember, we have one more 'easy-as-pie knitting gift' to go, and you will love it! 'Til next week, get knitting!

********************************************************************
Want to use this article in your e-zine or website? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Online knitting entrepreneur, Alice Seidel, publishes the monthly newsletter, "Knit Stitch & Whimsy". If you want to take your knitting to the cutting-edge, get tips and techniques at The Knit Stitch.

One More Hour to Knit!

2006-10-27T10:21:00.000-04:00

Well, here it is the end of October, and not only is the month almost done, but I am another year older. Birthdays are great, but they have a way of sneaking up on you, and surprising you with a number that you just can't believe! I'll say no more.....

Now, here is a pretty creation. I made this for my son & "daughter", Rob & Lisa, on the occasion of their wedding. It was easy enough, knitted in panels, and then sewn together. A simple pattern stitch to follow, a few cables and everyone will marvel!

One of my goals for 2007 is to put together a series of patterns--for afghans, for baby items, for special occasions, and for holidays throughout the year, that anyone can knit easily.

I do believe with all the sites online there is too much to see; there seems to be so much info that it becomes confusing, and "where do I begin?" is the only question that comes to mind.

There are a lot of easy patterns out there, so I will round them up and see what fits. Also, yarn information is important; what with all the different types of yarn and especially, all the varieties that are available, it can be downright mind-boggling trying to figure out what is best to knit with.

An example of a simple, but elegant pattern stitch is at the left. This consists of nothing more than 4 rows, with a "drop-stitch" on row 3. Instead of running out to the mall for another inane Christmas gift, which seems so tiresome after a while, learn to knit simple stitches like these for scarves, or belts, even hats. You could make a couple of panels and use them in an afghan, also. The more you look around, the more ideas will come to you.

Back to Christmas.....wouldn't it be marvelous, if we would stop spending so much money in the big stores, making them richer, so they can throw us minimum-wage jobs, and just learn to knit?! Why do we have to buy $3000. gifts for Christmas or any holiday? Cars with big red bows on them, sitting in the driveway; how stupid is this? Diamonds, which would set anybody back about a year's pay, too many of us feel obligated to purchase. We need to get back to basics in this country; back to morals, and values that make us proud.

One of the best, and most useful things we can do, is to work at a craft. Knitting as craft. That's where I'll pick up next time.

Happy Halloween, and don't stay out too late looking for the Great Pumpkin!

Something Out of the Blue

2006-09-17T12:42:00.000-04:00

Time is just a-flyin' as usual. With all the soggy weather we have had of late, my most creative thoughts & whims have stagnated terribly.

In another couple of months I will be joining in a craft fair, (don't you just LOVE these!) at my church, St. Patrick's in Milford, PA. It will be on November 11, so if you are close by, please stop in. This will be my first craft fair at St. P's; we have not been parishioners that long, but I love to get involved in those things which are dear to my heart. And with Christmas on the way.....
ah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Most of what I will have for sale are baby items: washcloths, bottle cozies, and a few hand-knit blankies. Also, some pocket scarves and ribbon bracelets. As much as I can get knitted, really! And you will also be able to pick up a real copy of my ebook, "Ready Or Knit...Here I Come!", which will be in bound form for the very reasonable price of $19.97. Of course, if you mention you found me on my blog, there is a 25% discount!

I wanted to post this thing, well, actually, a neck warmer or small scarf, if you will. I put a few patterns together, and am very happy with the outcome.

I knitted this up in a beautiful yarn, not too costly, called "Cool Crochet" (get out!) by Bernat. I used the Denim color, and I'm not too fond of denim in general, but they really should have named this color something else, as it does not look like denim at all!

It knitted up beautifully, and you can make it as long as you like. I thought it looked so pretty, something you saw on clothes from the Victorian era, so I named it my "Victorian scarf."

So, until next time, I will leave you with the pattern: Enjoy!

Victorian Scarf
Size 4 needles.
CO 30 sts.
Knit 1 row.
Row 1 (RS): K2, P3, K2, P3, K2, P3, K2, K11, yo twice, K2.
Row 2: K2, (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) into "yo twice", P7, K4, P2, *K1, P1, K1, P2,
repeat from * to end.
Row 3: K2, P3, K2, P3, K2, P3, K2, K3, SSK, K13.
Row 4: K2, P11, K4, P2, *K1, P1, K1, P2, repeat from * to end.
Row 5: K2, P3, K2, P3, K2, P3, K2, K3, SSK, K5, (YO, K1) 5 times, YO, K2.
Row 6: K2, P16, K4, P2, *K1, P1, K1, P2, repeat from * to end.
Row 7: K2, P3, K2, P3, K2, P3, K2, K3, SSK, K17.
Row 8: K2, P15, K4, P2, *K1, P1, K1, P2, repeat from * to end.
Row 9: K2, P3, K2, P3, K2, P3, K2, K3, SSK, K3, (YO, K2tog) 6 times, K1.
Row 10: K2, P14, K4, P2, *K1, P1, K1, P2, repeat from * to end.
Row 11: K2, P3, K2, P3, K2, P3, K2 K3, SSK, K15.
Row 12: K2, P13, K4, P2, *K1, P1, K1, P2, repeat from * to end.
Row 13: K2, P3, K2, P3, K2, P3, K2 K3, SSK, (YO, K2 tog) 6 times, yo, K2.
Row 14: K 19, P2, *K1, P1, K1, P2, repeat from * to end
Row 15: K2, P3, K2, P3, K2, P3, K2, Knit to end.
Row 16: BO 6 sts., K12, P2, *K1, P1, K1, P2, repeat from * to end.

Knit rows 1 - 16 for 16 "points" or desired lengths. Bind off. Weave in the ends.

5 Most Popular Knitting Stitch Types!

2006-09-01T17:45:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the wonderful world of knitting! Even if you've been here for a while, there is always something new about this most fascinating craft!
Let me start by introducing you to the five stitch types that I believe are at the very heart of knitting!
Learning to knit, you know, is nothing more than learning different knitting stitch types.
Wherever I roam on the Web, many of the same questions arise. Over and over again, I come across forums and discussions with the same types of concerns.
In this article, I will attempt to explain some of the basic knitting stitches and everything they encompass.
I will talk about 'the knit stitch', 'the purl stitch', 'knit 2 together', 'yarn-over', and 'stockinette stitch'.
These five stitches, I believe, form the very foundation of knitting. Learn, and perfect, each one of these, and you will be well on your way to becoming an expert in knitting!
All other patterns emerge from these few stitches. So, let's begin!
'The Knit Stitch'. Have you ever looked at something knitted? I mean, really looked? If you have, you will see one side of the knitting looks different from the other.
Knitting follows structures. The knit stitch is formed by making loops which interweave with one another; one after another.
The knit stitch will resemble little "v" patterns when viewed from the knit side of a pattern.
To form a "knit stitch" you use one needle to pull a loop of yarn through the existing stitch on the other needle. (You can knit with more than two needles, but that's a discussion for another day.)
Holding both needles in your hands, insert the right needle, from"front to back" into the first stitch on the left needle.Keeping the yarn at the back, bring it "over" the tip of the needle, counterclockwise. Pull the yarn down, and catch it with the right needle.
Slip the "old" stitch off the left needle and you have a new stitch on the right needle! A knit stitch!
Sometimes, a pattern will say that the knit side is the right side or RS of your work. Other times, it will tell you it is the wrong side or WS.
Either way, it is good to know those two abbreviations.
'The Purl Stitch'. The purl stitch will resemble what looks like"brick-face" when viewed from the purl side of a pattern.
Unlike the knit stitch, with the purl stitch, you hold the yarn to the "front" of your knitting.
Insert the right needle from "back to front" into the first stitch on the left needle. With your right index finger, wrap yarn counterclockwise around and down the right needle.
Draw the right needle and yarn backwards through the "old"stitch. Slip off the old stitch. A new stitch forms. A purl stitch!
'Knit 2 Together.' Now, this is easy! Just knit two together! Insert the right needle into the second stitch from the tip of the left needle, making sure to "catch" the first stitch with it.
Bring your yarn over and up, then down, catch your yarn, slip the old stitches off, and you have a new stitch in their place.
You will have only one new stitch from two. Knitting two together is often used to decrease stitches or to create an open-work pattern.
'Yarn-over'. Adding a yarn-over, or YO, is also used when creating open-work designs. To do a yarn-over after a knit stitch, just bring your yarn across your work from the back to the front. Then, knit the next stitch.
You will see an extra "stitch" on the row. When you come to that stitch in your next row of knitting, it will not look anchored like the others. That's because you put it there, all of itself.
Knit it like you would knit any stitch. As you go, you will see that yarn-overs create "holes" or openwork designs in yourknitting.
'Stockinette Stitch'. This stitch is knitting's most common. All it consists of is knitting one row, then purling the next, and so on, and so on.
The stockinette stitch is exactly where every knitter should begin. And stick with until you know your stitches well!
So there you have it! *5* most popular knitting stitch types!
Get knitting!

For more info on knitting, (and purling, knitting 2 tog., yarn-overs, and stockinette stitches) plus a whole lot more, just click on over to The Knit Stitch! See you there.

Knitting Is All In Your Head!

2006-08-26T12:35:00.000-04:00

What, you say? In my head?! I am up to my elbows in eyelash yarn,
I can't find my place in the row, and my knitting needles are about to
duel with each other!
How then, can knitting be all in my head?
Onguard! Listen up!
If you are new to knitting, or have been away from this wondrous craft
for a while, there is a TON of information out there to learn!
Now, before you say "arghhhhh!!", let me explain.
If you 're like me, you love visiting craft stores.
I am truly in seventh heaven whilst meandering from aisle
to aisle in my local yarn shop or craft store.
Of course, once I come to the knitting aisles, I'm really bedazzled!
Once, a long time ago, there wasn't much to see, knitwise, in stores.
Nowadays, your head spins. Row upon row of yarn: wool, arylic, fun fur,
cotton, eyelash, ribbon, chenille, linen, boucle, silk, polyester, mohair,
and a whole host of others, can look positivelybeguiling, yet leave you
perfectly befuddled.
Usually, not far off are how-to books, knitting magazines, even video's
that all promise you will be knitting effortlessly in notime at all!
Wrong!
Like piano playing or violin lessons, knitting is a skill.
If you practice your skill, no matter what it is, you will become better at it;
it's just a fact of life!
You, yes you, have to do the work. If you have a sister, or a mother who loves to knit,
and you marvel at the beautiful afghans, or sweaters that seem to fall off their knitting needles, just remember:
It took a lot of practice to get there!
If you exercise every day, run 5 miles, jog around town, love going to
the gym, you know what I'm talking about!
There's commitment there! Perserverance, stamina when you feel like
quitting, going anyway when you're not in the mood. And why?
Because you love it! Because it makes you feel better, look good, stay healthy.
You can come up with a hundred reasons why you do the things you love.
You probably didn't always love them, either. Over time, they became important
to you; "grew" on you, if you will, but were actions that produced results.
And those results made you feel good.
Over the years, I've worn many hats, daughter, wife,mother, aunt, student, graduate student, patient, administrative assistant, customer service rep,
receptionist, co-worker, innkeeper, ebiz developer, friend, and many others.
And I've learned to do most things well. But, there are a few things I do very well. Exceptionally so. When I was 15, even 25, these were things not even on my radar screen.
One of these "things" is knitting.
It started for me like it does for most everyone else. As a hobby; something different to learn, something unique.
Then, it turned into something else. It evolved into a fascination with stitches, and color, and creating. In time, fascination gave way to passion.
Passion is where something lives in your very being. Where, little by little,
you realize that you really do know more, so much more, than most about a particular subject. And all you want to do is to make it come alive for others, the way it has come
alive for yourself.
That's usually where we all run into the veritable brick wall.
Nothing stops us like inaction. Halted in place, we really don't know what to do next,
or how to proceed.
It's not unusual. It's the same for you and for me. We all live with the same challenges, the same fears, the same facts of life.
It is what each of us does with that information, that makes all the difference.
If you're really passionate about knitting, then visit mywebsite, http://www.theknitstitch.com, sign up for my newsletter or buy my ebook. You can learn so much!
And before I go, let me introduce you to an acquaintance of mine.
His name is Jim Edwards, and if you've never heard of him, let me be the first one to send you his way.
He has something terrific to say about life's challenges! It's about getting rid of your mental blocks, and if you'd like to read more about it, then hop on over to http://www.IGottaTellYou.com/what-holds-you-back.pdf
So, if you want to learn to knit, or to do anything else well,
just remember,
it's all in your head!

"Knit-finity"

2006-08-15T13:45:00.000-04:00

As summer wanes, I love to muse on all things knitting. We live in such an uproarious world; days come and go with little of anything harmonious fitting into the hours.
We all need, we all crave our own special space, our own little nook, somewhere just for us. And that's ok. Often we need to re-charge ourselves, plug into life's energizing chords, to get ourselves going again.
Think how time has changed. Where once it took weeks to traverse from one city to another, now we do it in just hours. The"calm"in our lives is always waiting in the wings; only rarely do we bring it out to sit center-stage.
There is a reason baseball is such a long game; back in its heyday there was nothing more sublime than to bask in the aura of a well-played game with friends and family. If it took all afternoon, that was a good thing.
Look at the old homes in your town, and most of them are favored with front porches. Lovely to look at, and the place to gather with others to recoup the days' graces and to recount all its pleasures.
Letter writing was once the art of the day. Being as important, long ago, as email is to us now, we think of writing letters as time-comsuming. But, in the days before television, radio, and cars, time needed to be filled up with worthy endeavors.
Life may not have been as modern as today, but it had other resources many of which we are re-discovering in a new century.
Even the Bible tells us that we should "aspire to live quietly, to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands".
Myriad gifts pass through our lives; knitting is mine. It puts me in mind of great cathedrals; they all began with the laying of one stone. So my precious creations begin with one stitch. Foundations are what we make them.
Once learned, knitting is a cherished talent; one used to create for yourself, for your loved ones, your dear friends, even those you don't know and will never meet.
Never again will you look at store-bought apparel in the same way! When special occasions drift through your life, you will be ready with your own memorable masterpieces.
Knitting brings inspiration; in the inimitable words ofAndy Griffith it's "just pure gala!"
If you need space and time in your life to gather in your very self, then learn knitting. As the yarn passes through your fingers, youwill recognize it as your own very special gift to the world.
Knitting is its own distinctive prayer and meditation; crafted by you. As you go, there is so much to knit! So many people to help, and all your handiwork given with your unique mark upon it.
I once read in a magazine that "to live with history is a rare thing. It's thrilling to know how things are put together and why they survive."
All knitters instinctively know the way to peace. It is more than turning off the TV or turning down the music; it's in picking up your knitting needles.
Solace awaits; blessings abound. Go knit, so you can knit into knit-finity.

Keep YOUR knitting on the "Cutting Edge" with FREE patterns. The place where smart knitters gather resourcesand share stories. FREE Details ==>http://www.theknitstitch.com

5 Best Reasons To Knit!

2006-08-08T14:47:00.000-04:00

It's early August, and I can almost hear sleigh bells.Can't you? Don't look now, but summer is on the wane! Without even knowing it, the days are growing shorter,already! Cool breezes are blowing and some foliage is actually going away.
But wait! There is a solution....instead of gettingdepressed, you need to do something. Like take up a hobby.
I can't think of anything better than learning to knit!
I don't care about all those other crafts and DIY projects;learn knitting and you can kiss those paintballs goodbye!
If you don't believe me, then let me give you *5* goodreasons why:
#1 You can feel just like a knitting apprentice! Afterall, in centuries past an apprentice was someone learning a craft,and if you are new to knitting, then you're an apprentice! Eventhe Donald couldn't argue with that!
With knitting, there is a TON of information, and no matterhow often you knit, or how much you think you know, there is alwayssomething new.
And that's good, because you never want to run out of ideas.
#2 Years ago there was a TV commercial for "Shake N Bake",which featured a little girl in the kitchen with Mom, and all shesaid was "Shake n Bake...and I helped".
Now, I know that has nothing to do with knitting. However,the best part of that, is when a friend asks you where youbought your pretty little purse, or new scarf, you can say,"I knitted it myself."
Old commercial, same premise. Take it from me, when youknit-it-yourself, it feels good!
#3 The Four Seasons. Knitting is strictly non-committal. It doesn't care what month it is or what holiday isapproaching, there is always something fun to knit.
Halloween, autumn, Independence Day, Valentine's Day,graduations, weddings, take-your-dog-to-work-day, christenings,Christmas, you name the day, and there is a knitting patternout there for it!
Your knitting creations are always one-of-a-kind, not to beseen in any store or mall. So, when you're knitting thatChristmas stocking on the train home from work, you neverknow who you will be inspiring next.
#4 Unless you have been living under a rock or way outpast left field, you know how expensive gasoline is getting!Daily, the price goes higher.
So, instead of getting in your gas-guzzling vehicle, andcruising around town, to no avail, take up knitting. Get aneighborhood group together, or start a club in your dorm or condo.
Buy some cheapy yarn, and needles, and download my ebook, "Ready Or Knit, Here I Come!" from [www.TheKnitStitch.com]and you will be amazed at the fun to be had!
#5 Knitting is good for you! We all live very stressfullives.
If it's not one thing, it's the other; and every-day lifecan be tough. Sometimes a bubble bath, or mood music just doesn'tcut it.
Knitting can help. The mere click of the needles issoothing music.
Knitting one row, then another, creating stitches, patterns,projects, and seeing it all come together makes for satisfactionindeed.
It doesn't all happen at once. Many projects take weeks,and months to complete, if you want to do them right.
But, that's the essence of knitting.
Working with your hands, you are creating something rightfrom the first stitch. You watch it come to life as you go, andlittle by little, your knitting becomes reality.
Exercise is great, yet, doing something for your soul, isjust as important.
So, if you want to slow down, and find meaning in your lifeagain, try knitting.
So, there you have it, 5 best reason to knit!
But, don't take my word for it, try it for yourself!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Keep YOUR knitting on the "Cutting Edge" with FREE patterns. The place where smart knitters gather resourcesand share stories. FREE Details ==>[http://www.theknitstitch.com]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**Attn Ezine Editors/Site Owners**Feel free to reprint this article in its entiretyin your ezine or on your site so long as you leaveall links in place, do not modify the content andinclude our resource box as listed above.

Knitting's Top 10 Abbreviations!

2006-07-31T20:08:00.000-04:00

Doesn't it seem that everywhere you look, there is anotherTop Tenlist?
Just turn on your TV, and there goes Jennifer Aniston, orBrad Pitt, and, even people like Marilyn Monroe, still seen posing onthe redcarpet, always being talked about as in the Top Ten!
Food shows, home shows, boat shows, MTV, Letterman, you nameit,everyone has a Top Ten list!
So, for the record, let there be a Top Ten for knitting,too!
Knitting has scads of abbreviations, so many in fact, youcan loseyourself in the art of initialism.
Some abbreviations are used so seldom as to be almostunknown, "won",for instance, means "wool over needle", which I have neverseenbefore!
Any time you are working with a knitting pattern, theseabbreviationsare sure to be there. Now, you will know what they mean!
So, take heart! The most important ones are as follows:
(and for good reason, as you will shortly find out --)
#10 -- sl - means "slip". As in slip the next stitchfrom the left needle to the right. You do not see this abbreviationtoo much, but, if you are working in a lacy pattern, it will bethere.Also, any time a pattern calls for variations, "sl" can beoneof the abbreviations used.
#9 -- beg - means "beginning". Usually when determininglength,you will see this used. Most patterns have you measuringlength fromthe beginning, but, some patterns measure from other areassuch as ribbing, or shoulder, or neck.
#8 -- RS - and no those aren't my husband's initials,(well, notin this guise, anyway). RS = right side. It is extremelyvital toalways be aware of what side you are knitting on; especiallywhencable stitches or other specialty stitches are being used.
#7 -- St st - now, doesn't that look redundant!Actually, itstands for Stockinette stitch, which is the signature stitchofknitting! When you knit one row, then purl the next, and dothosetwo rows over and over, you are knitting the Stockinettestitch.
#6 -- K2tog - means "knit 2 together." You may bedecreasingstitches on a row, or making "holes", so to speak; whateverit is,k2tog will help get the job done. Holes, in knitting, makeyourwork take on an openwork look, or a lace design.
#5 -- YO - means to "yarn over." Again, when knittinglacy patterns which call for an openwork design, the YO is front-pagestuff! In fact, YO is the very essence of openwork design.
#4 -- BO - means to "bind off." Once in a while youwill see it as "cast off"; they both mean the same thing. When youare finished with your knitting, you will BO all thestitches onthe needle and begin your finishing techniques.
#3 -- CO - means to "cast on." This is your foundationrow, where you begin your knitting. Any time you begin a newsegmentto your knitting project, you will always start with CO.
#2 -- P - is for purl. The purl stitch is, of course,"knitted"into the front of your needle, and the yarn is also held tothefront. Some beginners find the purl stitch a little hardertowork than the knit stitch. With practice, the purl stitchis a breeze!
#1 -- K - is for knit. The knit stitch is what it's allabout!A simple stitch into the back of the needle, combined withother stitch variations will make the most divine creations underthe sun! Knitting every row gives you what is called the garterstitch, not be mistaken with that harmless, backyard snake!
So, there you have it!
These Top Ten knitting abbreviations only make up the mostcommon,and popular abbreviations. Knitting has lots more wherethey comefrom!
Until next time, ready, set, knit!

Knitting Trends - Part 2

2006-07-17T18:54:00.000-04:00

Here is my article on "Learn Knitting's *6* Yarn Secrets" --
There is nothing like a good yarn, so the story goes! All jokes aside, learning any skill or craft takes time, time you should be devoting to finding out all about it.
To learn knitting is no different. Just getting the hang of holding both needles at once, or working with a cable needle, or just perfecting your knit stitch and purl stitch, can take a long time. And that’s ok; nobody said you have to know it all immediately.
Along the way, however, it is fun to delve into all the secondary ideas and information. Knowing just a little bit about yarn can go a long way!
This article will walk you through *6* yarn secrets; intrigues for even the "craftiest" of knitters.
Secret #1: Always know what you are knitting with! This may sound too simple to be true, but you would be surprised.
Most projects will be knit with "classic" yarns. These are worsted or sport weight, wool, and cotton. All the rest are merely variations on a theme.
If you have a hankering for something fun fur or ribbon-y, eyelash, or wispy lace; save that thought until you know knitting well!!
Secret #2: When buying yarn, always buy by yardage, and not by weight. This is one I didn’t even know when first starting out!
Yarns, like people, are of different weights; they can vary all over the place. But, it is the length that is important with each skein; it should be clearly marked and if it is not, then ask for that information.
Secret #3: Always, always, buy enough yarn at one time, for your knitting project! Do not expect to go back to the store two months from now and find the exact color yarn you bought initially.
Yarns are dyed in lots, and when a yarn store runs out of a particular color, they will order it again; but, the dye lot will be different and the subtlety in the color will be very apparent; take my word for it!
So, if you want that pink sweater to look uniformly pink, just buy the yarn, all the yarn!
And check to see that all the "lot #’s" are the same. And, I will always buy that extra skein, and have never been disappointed.
Secret #4: Don’t know what to do with all those odd-balls? (And I’m not talking about your relatives, now.)
Well, let’s see, you could knit a few placemats, baby washcloths, mittens, coasters, bookmarks, Christmas ornaments, sachets, doll clothes, knitted pins or fancy little handbags, buttons, flowers, tea cozies, table runners, fluffy wristbands (little girls love these!), a cat collar or dog sweater, a scarf or afghan jumble, and if you can think up anything else, knit away!
Secret #5: Get organized! This is one of my best-kept secrets. Only, not anymore.
Record all of your knitting projects. A simple spreadsheet, or word processor, will do the trick.
Save your labels! This way, when you are finished with your knitting, you can input all the necessary information in order to knit it again, or pass it along to a fellow knitter!
There are even software programs available now, like Needle Trax, to help you keep all your knitting projects organized with simple point and click technology.
Secret #6: A true knitter, like any good craftster, always has too much of everything, and not enough space to hold it all!
Thank goodness for plastic, I always knew there was a purpose for it. Storage bins come in many varieties, so visit your local shops or even eBay for the best prices around.
Once you have enough storage bins available, then you can sort to your hearts’ content! And you will love feeling so harmonious!
Harmony begets creativity every time; so with these *6* yarn secrets, there is no excuse anymore for not being your knitting best.
May your knitting basket always be full!

Knitting Trends - Part 1

2006-07-11T17:56:00.000-04:00

Can you believe it's almost the middle of the month? July!!!!! What is going on here? Time seems to be running away!! And before it does, let me tell you about some interesting facts where knitting is concerned.
Did you know that knitting has become very trendy, very fashionable, very Hot-t-t-t again? The history of knitting goes back a long, long way and I won't bore you with the facts & figures today, BUT, there is a wonderful history to knitting that we should all take advantage of; in fact, that topic is one I will definitely be keeping for another day!
Yarns, of course, have become so diverse and colorful; and in some cases, very expensive. If, you have never walked into a true yarn store, set aside a Saturday with your best friends or sisters, daughters, and go! You will be amazed at all you see! A veritable feast for the eyes! And make sure you take along your checkbook or credit cards because yarns are pricey. But, worth it!
When I lived in New Hampshire, I visited Harrisville, which is in the southwest corner of the state; it is an absolute treasure of a town. It looks exactly as it did in the 1850's, and that is how the townspeople want it! Harrisville Designs is housed in an old brick mill and you can spend hours browsing through all the yarns and weaving and knitting supplies they have there. It is not unusual to pick up a yarn, hand-dyed, of the most luxorious fiber, and read the price of $69. off the price tag. Many yarns are less, and some are even more; but if you are really knitting an item that is truly special to you, your money will be well spent. In fact, I can't think of much else that would qualify for spending your well-earned money that way! When you are finished with your project, it will be one-of-a-kind, for sure! For more information about Harrisville, just visit them at www.Harrisville.com
Next post, I will give you some pointers as to what yarns are good for which knitting projects, which knitting yarns you should buy, and why, and why knitting is good for the guys as well!
After all, if Cary Grant can knit, why not every other man, too? If you don't believe me, just take a look at "Mr. Lucky" from the year 1943! And if ever there was a man, it was Cary Grant! So why not Bode Miller or Johnny Depp or your husband or brother or son? Hey, it's a heck of a lot cheaper then online poker!!
Til next time, keep on knitting or learn to knit at www.TheKnitStitch.com

Free Knitting Patterns!

2006-07-05T15:12:00.000-04:00

Did you know that you can go to my website, www.TheKnitStitch.com and get a hold of 10 FREE knitting patterns? They are a mixed bag, really, but have some of the newest yarns and patterns I could find. These knitting patterns are all so easy to knit, so have fun creating new, fun items.
Right now, it looks to me as if some of the eyelash, fluffy, or ribbon yarn is really hot! Ribbon yarn is very easy to use, so if you haven't used these before, try the ribbon yarn first. Any simple scarf pattern, or any knitting pattern at all, can be worked up in ribbon yarn and look fantastic. Try knitting simple wristlets for the little girls in your family; kids love these quirky little items. The fuzzier, and more colorful, the better! Or a simple hat or cap for the boys is always a hit as well!
By just incorporating a few new knitting techniques -- why, you can become a regular knitting factory! I could say knitting machine, but I don't like to be compared to robotical instruments, and I don't think you do either!
Tell me what you think!

Happy Birthday Paul!

2006-06-18T12:29:00.000-04:00

"Will you still need me, will you still feed me, -
when I'm 64"
As an eternal Paul McCartney fan, I cannot believe the day has come! Paul is really what he sings about. He was so cute way back then, and he is still so cute in 2006!

All these years, for all of us, marriages, children, homes, events, deaths, births, music, knitting.
And right there in the song what does he say, "You can knit a sweater by the fireside, Sunday mornings go for a ride."
Nothing better than to sit by a fireside, knitting.

Creating lyrics, scarves, melodies, afghans; it's all the same, really, just a variation on the theme of life. We are what we weave into our hearts; we leave here those strands, to be picked up by others and continued. That's life.

You remember the line, "You'll be older, too. Aaah, and if you say the word, I could stay with you." And the Beatles, and Wings, and Paul, have always been there for us.

It has been one of the blessings of my life, that I have walked the years with Paul McCartney and his music. Happy Birthday Paul and many more!

5 Steps To Becoming A Knitter!

2006-06-11T13:58:00.000-04:00

So, you’re sitting on the bus home from work, or
maybe the ferry, or the train, just fascinated with the
young woman across from you working on her knitting. The
color purple, needles flying away, it looks so complicated,
but so beautiful! You’re intrigued, and you’re
thinking....I wish I knew how to do that!
Well, you can learn knitting if you wish. Let
me be your fairy godmother! I can grant your knitting
wish, without so much as waving a magic wand! But, if you
insist, just imagine that silvery scepter and a bit of
abracadabra twirling over your head, infusing you with all
kinds of knitting secrets!
The 5 Easy Steps To Becoming A Knitter are as
follows:
1) You need to get motivated! Think back to
the first time you learned to ride a bicycle. Maybe you
used training wheels for a while, or your mom or dad just
hung on the side until you were ready to go it alone. But,
there came a time when you knew...this is it! And away you
went, solo, for the first time! You were scared, sure, but
you were also absolutely determined to see it through
without landing on the ground! You were motivated!
That same feeling is present in everything we do.
The degree of intensity is the only difference. If you
really want to learn to knit, or do anything else for that
matter, something inside will be nagging at you to find out
more.
Pick up a knitting magazine and find the simplest
pattern there, or go online to a few of the better pattern
sites. Choose a simple scarf, block afghan, purse, or vest
to start with.
2) Put time aside. You do for everything else,
don’t you? You always have that extra hour for “American
Idol” or “CSI”, so you need to put time aside for knitting,
too. Of course, once it becomes second nature to you,
knitting goes just great with TV or picnics, or train
rides, or whatever. If you can find time to shop at the
mall three times this week, and you really want to learn
knitting, you will find the time!
3) Are you willing to learn new skills? Now
that’s a silly question, because we all learn new skills
all the time, only we don’t pay it much attention. If you
work for a living or take classes, or mind babies, or run
your own company, then you have your own special set of
skills. The best part here is that you can fill up on as
many new skills as you like and never have to worry about
calories! Unlike school, there is no homework either!
4) Are you willing to make mistakes? If you’re
not, don’t try knitting! Don’t try anything new, as a
matter of fact! If you think about it, everything you have
ever done in your life you made mistakes at. Learning to
walk, talk, use a cellphone, drive a car, take a test,
speak a foreign language, drive out-of-state, be a parent,
or be a child, mistakes are all around us! That’s how we
learn. So, take a chance on you! You will be pleasantly
surprised!
5) Pick up a simple knitting guide to help you
learn best! I can’t think of one better than my own, of
course, “Ready Or Knit...Here I Come!” which can be found
at my website, www.TheKnitStitch.com. This guide will
walk you through all you need to know about learning to
knit, complete with patterns, information on yarns, accessories,
and lots of helpful tips to get you going!
So, remember, if you really, really, really, want
to learn knitting, follow these 5 simple steps and the next
time you are on your way home on that bus, ferry or train,
it will be your purple (or red or yellow) yarn, and your
needles flying, and I can just bet you this: there will be
someone watching saying, “I wish I knew how to do that!”

Easy Knitting For Summer!

2006-06-05T11:40:00.000-04:00

Now that we are a few weeks from summer, and thanks to my son for being born on the first day of that season, so I don't have to wonder when it starts, here are a few easy patterns for the warm weather. Nothing heavy sitting in your lap on those 90+ degree days, just fun, easy stuff that you can take anywhere at all. No excuses for sitting there with idle hands!

So, the next time you're stuck in that shore traffic, break out the knitting!

These little bracelets are knitted up in no time using any of the many fun yarns you can find in any yarn store or department. I used a size 4 and 5 needle, cast on about 9 stitches and knitted every row. Make it to fit little wrists or larger wrist, it's up to you!

The top picture was done using Lion Brand "Fancy Fur" and the bracelets below that were knitted with Lion Brand "Incredible" ribbon yarn. Both yarns are so easy to knit with; when finished, just sew the seam and you're done!

It's not too early to be thinking about Christmas and the other December holidays. Or how about birthday parties, or pool parties, or camp-outs, or for no reason at all?

Blowing In The Wind

2006-05-23T09:54:00.000-04:00

It goes without saying, or should, that learning to knit is as simple or as complicated as you want it to be. Stitches can be simple or maddingly convoluted; just as picking out which pattern to knit can also be a chore, if you let it. Needles and accessories can drive you crazy if you let them; but don't let them. Keep everything as simple as you can; that's the only secret to doing anything well.

Then there is the subject of yarn. If you've ever tried to untangle yourself from a completely twisted skein of the stuff, then you know what I'm talking about. Some yarn, like some people, is difficult indeed. Try to follow your way out of one of those yarn mazes, and you'll have better success losing your mind! Bent, crisscross, tangled, contorted; these words don't give the whole endeavor justice. If you're familiar with Larry David's "stop and chat", then you know the only thing left to do is to "stop and snip". Unless you have the next week, uninterrupted, to devote to such inanity! I don't usually give it 5 minutes.

I work too hard on my knitting to keep anything from letting me get to the finish line. Opportunities abound every day to just keep knitting! You can be in your home or your car; sitting in traffic lines with no where to go; isn't that a little like purgatory? Sometimes the radio helps, sometimes it just makes things worse. So bring your knitting and never let anything stop you again!

With May slowing rolling to a close hurricane season is on the horizon. According to the National Hurricane Center, there could be another active season to look forward to. But, take it as a challenge and don't let it get you down!! Be prepared as best you can, and if you must leave home for a while, don't forget your knitting! Nothing soothes the soul better than listening to the calming click of your knitting needles. Maybe that's why women through the centuries chose to keep knitting when the necessity for it had actually passed; they knew something about life, that sometimes we forget. Sanity can be found in the simplest things; knitting is simple.

Next week, be sure to check out my brand new article on yarns; how they differ, how they are alike, which one is best to use for different projects. It will be posted at my website, The Knit Stitch.com

That's it for now -- tell me what you think!

Oprah, Cakes, and Chels

2006-05-16T11:47:00.000-04:00

Mmmmmmmmmmmm-mmmmmm!!

Have you taken a peek at the luscious cakes that Oprah is revealing on her show this week? Have you ever seen more beautiful confections than those T-cakes, red velvet cakes or cinnamon raisin scones? Sweet potato pie, anyone? I'm hungry just thinking about it!

You know, it reminds me of looking at knitting yarns. The colors of yarns today are simply gorgeous! The textures, too, are something to see. So many different types of yarn; looking at them you would think they are impossible to knit with. The ribbon yarns are some of my favorites; easy to use, and they look much more complicated when knitted up then they really are. You can definitely fool everyone, where your knitting prowess is concerned, with ribbon yarn!

The cutie staring at you up above is none other than my little cupcake, Chelsea! Isn't she just a calendar dog? She's almost 11 years old!! She loves to smile for the camera, too!!

Of all the items I've been knitting over the years, I've yet to knit Chels anything! But, why cover up beauty?! Her spots are just right and her red flea collar is all she needs. Dog patterns abound on the Web, so be sure to find yourself some. A good place to start is Knitting Patterns Central.
You could spend all day browsing through....................................................

And when you are ready for bed just jump into your jammies and be comfortable!

And keep knitting! Later!

Monday Musings

2006-05-08T12:13:00.000-04:00

Tell me ..... what do Patrick Kennedy, Donald Rumsfeld and Tony Blair have in common? No, don't tell me they're all men, famous in their own ways, or even that two of them are American and one is not. There is something they don't do. (At least I don't think they do.)

Give up? It's K-N-I-T!! They don't know how to knit! Maybe their wives know, but they never learned. Could be, that's what's wrong with the world. Too many men don't knit. They'd rather play with guns.

The reason I bring this up is because knowing a craft is so satisfying. It takes us right back to our essence; creating something with our hands, which wasn't there before, and has been solely thought up by us. It can even sound a little scary when put that way! But, that's what makes knitters so nice!

They know their own minds. We know full well what we are made of. We've learned a craft; practised it to the point where we have become very good at it, and hopefully, share it with others. Knitting, like any craft, takes time. Usually a scarf or a sweater, or an afghan or baby item, placemats, shrugs, or ornaments are not knitted in one sitting. More like a month of sittings, if we find the time. Yet, with each passing day, a little more has been done; another section of rows completed; an arm, or another square knitted off. We keep on going until we can finally put the needles down and either sew things together or put on the finishing touches.

Then, we step back and admire! We've created something! Simple yarn and needles, with simple instructions, we did it! And it looks so complicated, that's the fun part; that we can knit it so well, that it looks so hard-d-d-d-d!!!! But, it's easy, so easy anyone can do it!

Even Patrick Kennedy, Donald Rumsfeld and Tony Blair!
What do you think?

Out of Gas? -- Try Knitting!

2006-05-02T10:26:00.000-04:00

I can remember growing up. Almost no one I knew knitted. My grandmother crocheted, and if I asked her once, I asked her one hundred times to teach me how to crochet. She would patiently show me the basic stitches, but I could never get the hang of how to crochet!

Finally, I just gave up. Then in high school, I found a great little, green book on learning to knit. And I taught myself. Back then, of course, my best girlfriend knitted as did her mother and younger sister. So we would always be exchanging how-to's and advice, but once I moved out of that circle I was all alone in a knit-less world.

That's why it's so inspiring to see so many newbies knitting! And one of them can be you!

Everyone should learn to knit! It doesn't matter if you are 12 years old or 12 years past sixty. Learn to knit! I can't begin to tell you what fun it is, what benefit to your stress levels you can gain, how portable it is, how many items you can create with the simplest of stitches!

If you need a helping hand, try my ebook, "Ready Or Knit,... Here I Come!" -- you can find it at http://www.theknitstitch.com

Let's start a whole new mind-set in 2006. Instead of hopping in our vehicles, wasting gas (not to mention mileage), plop down in an easy chair with your friends and start knitting! I can't think of anything nicer, more relaxing, more of what we're here for, than to create with our hands in the company of friends or family!

You know, there is always something or someone to buy a gift for. We all have birthdays, graduations, holidays, weddings, babys, picnics, celebrations, anniversaries, happenings, new pets, new homes, and just no occasions at all, to be buying gifts for.

Home-made is nicest of all. Years ago, that word sounded cheap, tacky, like you didn't have enough money, so you made something yourself. But, if you get really good at knitting, your family and friends will want your "home-made" stuff. And they won't be able to get enough of it!

So, who cares, if you are 15 or 50, or if your name is Stephanie or Stephen, just learn to knit!

You'll be glad you did!

Mother's Day musings

2006-04-24T12:07:00.000-04:00

I cannot believe that April is almost a memory. Seems as if a month just starts and it's almost over.
This year as we come to the month of May it has an extra-special significance for me. It will be my first Mother's Day without my mom, and the first anniversary of her death is at the end of May. To think we have travelled almost an entire year away from that point is remarkable indeed. So many hours and days have been spun into our lives, so many weeks have been woven into our beings. And on it goes.
To mark special remembrances, especially Mother's Day, do something really special for your mom. I can't think of anything more special than something handmade by you. The care and the time you take will be well worth it when you see the look on her face when she opens your gift.
Above is a wonderful scarf pattern, which I devised, and which doesn't take long to knit at all!
After you knit Part A, be sure to pull down on those stitches; it will make them come to life. That's the secret to knitting "dropped stitches" - you need to adjust those rows just a little.

Loving Lace Scarf
2 skeins of a soft worsted-weight yarn
(ex. - Red Heart TLC)
Size 7 straight needles

CO 36 stitches.
Part A:
Rows 1 and 2: Knit.
Row 3: (RS) K6, *yo twice, k1, yo 3 times, k1, yo 4 times, k1,
yo 3 times, k1, yo twice, k6; repeat from * to end.
Row 4: Knit, dropping all the yo's off the needle.
Rows 5 and 6: Knit.
Row 7: K1, *yo twice, k1, yo 3 times, k1, yo 4 times, k1,
yo 3 times, k1, yo twice, k6; repeat from * to end.
Row 8: Repeat row 4.
Repeat these 8 rows, twice more; work will be approx. 5" long.
Pattern changes to a zig-zag pattern.
Part B:
Row 1: (RS) K3 *K2, p3, k2tog, yo, k3; repeat from * to last 3 sts, K3.
Row 2 and all WS rows: K3, p30, k3.
Row 3: K3 *K1, p3, k2tog, yo, k4; repeat from * to last 3 sts, K3.
Row 5: K3, *p3, k2tog, yo, k5; repeat from * to last 3 sts, K3.
Row 7: K3, *k3, yo, ssk, p3, k2; repeat from * to last 3 sts. K3.
Row 9: K3, *k4, yo, ssk, p3, k1; repeat from * to last 3 sts, K3.
Row 11: K3, *k5, yo, ssk, p3; repeat from * to last 3 sts, K3.
Row 12: K3, p30, k3.
Repeat these 12 rows until scarf measures 50" from beginning.
Repeat Part A for another 5".
BO all stitches.
No need for fringe because of intricacy of pattern itself.

This scarf can be knitted in a weekend or 3-4 evenings. It's very pretty, so make an extra for yourself.
Please tell me about your own Mother's Day musings.

Charity websites For You

2006-04-19T15:09:00.000-04:00

What a beautiful day! Sunny, dry, and about 70 degrees. All the ornamental trees and shrubs look so pretty, which puts me in mind of Mother's Day which isn't too far away.

As promised, if you go to http://www.theknitstitch.com/charity.htm you will find some
terrific sites all dedicated to helping those in need. Please be generous with your time and projects for there are so many worthy causes.

Next week I'm bringing you a few unique patterns for Mother's Day gifts. Especially things for remembrance. This is my first Mother's Day without my own beloved mother. There are times I would give anything just to hear the sound of her voice again. I am grateful for my memories though, and for my own children, who have been the center of my heart for many years now!

So let me go look through my treasure trove of knitting "stuff" for patterns dear to my heart!

7 Surefire Strategies to Get You Knitting!

2006-04-17T14:53:00.000-04:00

Hope everyone had a great holiday weekend; and there it goes.....
If you are new to knitting or an ol' pro, there are times when we could all do with a helping hand...
The following are 7 surefire ways to get you knitting in no time!
1) Overcome Your Fear! Yes, fear. Ah, you say, what does fear have to do with knitting?
Maybe nothing. On the other hand, maybe everything. If you are the type of personality who just likes to get in there every time and get your hands dirty, then fear is probably not that big a deal for you.
If you're like me, whenever you start a new project, your tendency will be to want everything about it to be perfect. Guess what? Nothing is ever perfect.
That isn't to say, whenever you do something it looks a mess. Quite the contrary. You take time to see to it that whatever you do, you do your best. That usually doesn't have anything to do with being perfect. After all, if we were all perfect, why would we need to strive better to do anything at all? There would just be no need!
You should recognize within yourself, that “perfect” has no place in your life. Anything worth doing will present mistakes and errors all along the way. How else do we ever learn anything?
2)Calling All Procrastinators! We all put things off, it's just human nature. If we are new to a project, a job, or even a relationship, we think going slow, or hardly moving, is the best route to take.
Well, here's news. It never is. You need to TAKE ACTION and take it now!
Open that knitting magazine to the instruction page, and start reading. It's that simple. Follow the instructions and you will begin to learn how to knit! But, you have to do it, now, (!) and just go forward.
3)Know Your Tools. Beginning knitting is simple, indeed. All you need are a pair of knitting needles. I recommend the metal or bamboo type as they are the easiest to work with. Make sure your needles are the straight version, NOT the circular needles.
Your knitting needles should be size 8, 8-1/2, or 9, preferably. Not too small, and not too big will help you learn faster.
Yarn comes in infinitesimal varieties. Why, you might walk into a yarn shop and never come out, there is such an array of yarn to choose from.
Again, be simple. Choose a worsted-weight yarn. Look on the label which is on each skein of yarn for the words “worsted weight”. Not sport-weight, not fun fur, not chunky or bulky, not cotton, or chenille. Just stick with the worsted weight. And, here's good news, you can choose whichever color you like! There are too many to list here.
4)Learn The Basic Basics Start learning to knit the easy way. Learn how to cast on, learn the knit stitch, learn the purl stitch, and learn how to bind off. That's it!
Do not over complicate your life when learning anything new. Stick to the basics and you will never go wrong!
5)Be Consistent I've been married more than 30 years. That is a long time. It hasn't always been a bed of roses, nor has it ever been awful. But there are always the slow times, the rough times, the nothing-seems-to-be-going-right times. With practice, I and my husband have learned what it takes to be happily married. And we have let all the rest go by.
The same goes for learning to knit. Keep it simple, be consistent, practice, practice, practice!! And no, practice doesn't make perfect; but you will come close.
6)Knitting Is Good For You! I'll bet you didn't know that! But did you know this?!
There is scientific evidence that shows the benefits that come from picking up a pair of knitting needles and creating a knitted sensation. Knitting brings about serenity; it helps to synchronize the left and right sides of the brain; knitting brings one closer to a meditative state. The gentle clicking and clacking of the needles brings about a soothing rhythm.
This soothing rhythm leads to more harmonious blood flow and lowered blood pressure. Our minds and bodies are connected; but your grandmother could have told you that!
7) Do What Works When you are learning to knit, learn one step at a time. When you have learned the knit stitch well, practice it over and over. Use it in various patterns, and designs before moving on to something new. Don't feel that you have to be too fancy or intricate if you don't feel comfortable doing that.
There is always a tendency in this loopy world we live in to try and be more that we are. Do what works, in knitting and in every other way, and you will be pleasantly surprised by the results! For great instructions on how to learn knitting, just go to
http://www.theknitstitch.com
Follow these 7 simple steps to get you knitting today!! You'll be a winner every time!

Learn to Knit....Me?

2006-04-13T14:29:00.000-04:00

You know, I was thinking just recently; in this world we live in, there are many things to do. Besides work, I mean. And besides cleaning the house, or paying bills or running our kids all over town. Every one of us deserves a hobby. Something each of us does really really well. So well, in fact, that we infuriate everybody else we know with our hobby knowledge.
That can be you, too. We all need a place and something in that place that is just us. Just ours and no one else's. Something we have learned, and keep adding to; something we may adjust over time, or take to a higher level, but something that we just keep getting better at.
For me that something is knitting. And it can be for you, too. Knitting doesn't have to be selfish; although there are too many nice patterns that I have done up just for myself!
So, you may be wondering, who is there to knit for? Do you have children? How about parents or nieces and nephews? How about your best friend? Or a good neighbor or co-worker? What about your spouse or significant other? And let's not forget our pets! They deserve something knitted and wonderful, too! Or how about all the homeless people, the displaced people, the sick, the dying, the dead?
Believe it or not, we can knit for all of these people. So, pick a group, any group, and next week, take a look at my website, http://www.theknitstitch.com for a special webpage I'm adding. It will have links to charitable sites all over the web, which are all over this country and the world.
We can never be knitting enough, or fast enough, for all the need in this world that there is.
And that's a knitting fact.

Knittings Deep Deep Soul

2006-04-10T10:28:00.000-04:00

It's an absolutely beautiful early spring day, even if spring is my least favorite season. Here in northeast PA it stays cold too long for me. I'm working on the day when I can move to a warm beach, turqoise water lapping at my feet, graceful swaying palm trees overhead, a comfortable chair and ---- you guessed it, my knitting!!
You see, you really can take knitting anywhere you go. Do you commute in someone's car or take the train or bus? How about those rides to see family on the weekends or travelling to a friends weekend retreat? On those long interstates, and parkways, over country roads and highways, there is always time to knit.
Here's the best part - it's so easy to learn knitting!! Master a few foundation stitches and there is just a whole world of wonder waiting for you! Once you know how to knit, learn how to purl, then from there you can experiment; learn dropped stitches, or yarnovers, then get really fancy and add some cable stitches. All so easy!! And all still using nothing more than a knit stitch or a purl stitch. Believe me when I tell you it's a piece of cake!
Knitting is such an ancient craft; and that's part of the pull for me. It's a craft, something that seems to be disappearing off of the American landscape these days. Better to run to the store for that scarf or sweater; who needs an afghan anyway?
You'd be surprised.
To learn a craft is to learn something about me. It helps to focus my attention, it takes me out of my comfort zone when I'm challenged by a unique pattern, then it puts me right back there again, pleased with myself that I can do this, and even more pleased with myself that I had the foresight to stretch my horizons. The best part of that is the more I do, the better I get, and the more I want to do.
When you start to learn knitting, just stick with the basics. Practice over and over again those most basic of stitches, knit the simple items first, and you will inevitably get better and better at it. It has to be! When you are really comfortable, that is the payoff. It's when you get to sit in your favorite room, in your favorite chair, and work on your craft.
We weren't given two hands for nothing.

Welcome to my blog!

2006-04-06T10:06:00.000-04:00

Here I am...in blogland, finally! At last I've created a space where I can share ideas, random thoughts, and every other insight with all of you, no matter where you are and no matter where I am!

So, just what can you expect from my blog? Great question....glad you asked!

Every week I will be sharing with you.....

1) Updates from The Knit Stitch.com. I will give you techniques and tips about knitting that you probably didn't even know about! Knitting being such an old craft, has a lot of secrets that I will be letting out of the closet.

2) Announcements! Be the first to know when a new ebook is coming out; or find out about new bonuses and resources helpful to your knitting solutions.

3) Plus, my personal opinion on all things knitting that you won't find anyplace else!

If you want to get to know me and what goes on in the life of an Internet knitter, then stay tuned....it only gets better from here!!

So, once again, welcome and please check back on a regular basis for new information and ideas that you can put to good use, instantly, to take your knitting projects to the next level.

Graceful Knitting

A Christmas Table Runner

Can It Be . .

October Ornaments

Knitting Placemats, Victorian Style

Learning Lace and other Secrets

Late Summer Longings

Deep in Summer

Summertime

Of Terriers and Tudors

Is it Spring yet?

Baby Pullover

Fantasia . . and NOT on a theme by Thomas Tallis

A Beatific New Year!

Once in a Blue Moon . . . .

Waiting in the Sparkle

Brown November

"Going Nowhere . . . ."

Quiet time and Candles yet to be lit . . . .

Eternity into man's mind

Cor ad cor loquitor - "May days"

Is it hot in here, or is it just me?

How ya doin?

Victorian Ornament

I Want . . . . . and I Want . . .

ICY!

So this was Christmas .. .

Just a little reminder . . .

Christmas at Our House

Brown November

Bright & Early

Something Else.........and Other Things

We Have the Stars...................................

Late February Musings.................

New Beginnings and 2008

From Me to You

Late Summer Musings

Knitting Your Way to Happiness

Hot August nights

Knitting Around the World -- Denmark

There are flowers and then there are knitted flowers..

Americans are a lot like knitters

Yarn On Needles....Stones In Water.....

The Flavor (or Flavour) Of The Day

Besides knitting....................................

How Did I Miss THAT?

What next?

Knitting All Over The World - England

Tea to go with that yarn?

Knitting All Over The World

Lazy, Lacy Days of Spring

Afghan Sampler Patterns

Knitting and Music

An Afghan Sampler 103

An Afghan Sampler 102

An Afghan Sampler 101

The Craft of Knitting

Happy Thanksgiving!

Easy-As-Pie Knitting Gift Idea #4!

One More Hour to Knit!

Something Out of the Blue

*5* Most Popular Knitting Stitch Types!

Knitting Is All In Your Head!

"Knit-finity"

5 Best Reasons To Knit!

Knitting's Top *10* Abbreviations!

Knitting Trends - Part 2

Knitting Trends - Part 1

Free Knitting Patterns!

Happy Birthday Paul!

5 Steps To Becoming A Knitter!

Easy Knitting For Summer!

Blowing In The Wind

Oprah, Cakes, and Chels

Monday Musings

Out of Gas? -- Try Knitting!

Mother's Day musings

Charity websites For You

*7* Surefire Strategies to Get You Knitting!

Learn to Knit....Me?

5 Most Popular Knitting Stitch Types!

Knitting's Top 10 Abbreviations!

7 Surefire Strategies to Get You Knitting!