Wednesday, October 07, 2015

The Summer in Review....there may have been some knitting....

Let's start in late May. I went to Atlanta with two colleagues, and presented with one. The highlight however, was this:
This is a sea dragon from the Georgia Aquarium. What a fabulous place! Go. Just. GO. If you have the opportunity.

June, found me finishing Dangling Conversation (info in a previous post) by Mindy Ross done in a wonderful Shibui linen yarn. You may have seen this earlier.


June also found me on a crocheted beaded bangle kick. I was getting ready for a class that was ultimately cancelled. But I couldn't stop making bracelets.




See what I mean? I Simply couldn't stop. These are 6/0 beads, and tatting thread. The lamp work bead was purchased years ago in a bead store in Mountain View California.











I have been working on Showoff Stranded Socks for a Christmas gift. For some reason I had trouble with the pattern, even though it isn't that complicated. Just one of those things I guess. It has a different gusset than I've used before, and I think I like it.....if only I could get it right.

The yarn is Cascade in Heritage Paint Colors.
I don't know why it is so dark but I'll post a better photo when the pair is finished.

 Finally this.
They are building a 12 story building RIGHT NEXT DOOR. My view is being destroyed. The only people happy about this are the construction workers, and the tax collectors. The rest of us are totally depressed. My view of the Old Main Bell Tower is very nearly gone already. This is progress?




Friday, September 11, 2015

Never, Ever Forget....


.... this is my Pearl Harbor.

In case you need a reminder, here's the newly dedicated Flight 93 Memorial,


And a victim who escaped:

Tilly's Story

Even 15 years later, I remember the day - especially how blue the sky was. Today, there are too many fluffy white clouds in the sky to mimic that day. It was solid stunning blue.

Our lives changes irreparably after this day, and continue to evolve, and not in a good way. Our children have no idea how different their lives would be if this event had not occurred.

Never forget.  

Monday, June 29, 2015

And there's more....

......I am not LYS monogamous. Sorry about that Cynthia.  

I get regular emails from a lovely LYS near my mom called Gosh Yarn It. They will occasionally send emails describing new yarns and projects. They are totally inspiring to me. Last time I visited, I had just received a link to the following blog posting:

New Yarns

Take a look at their version of Dangling Conversion.

I went immediately and purchased the Shibui Linen, in caffeine and "a color I can't remember" and made this!


It is light and airy and lovely. It was an easy knit, and would be great gift knitting. This version does not have the beads described in the original pattern. I don't think beads add to the design. (And for me to say that, is something.) The only advice I could give is that if you are using two colors, use the color you prefer to cast on. I would have wanted the orangey color to be more of the piece. But I couldn't tell which was which from the original pattern or the altered pattern.

Am I susceptible or what!

Tuesday, June 09, 2015

Bad, Bad Oyster

Another FO is a Bad Oyster that was finally for me. As always, I knit a shop sample for a class first, then I knit another and gifted it for Christmas. NOW at long last I have one for me, this one made from Wollmeise, blend. This is a delightful blend of wool, cashmere, and polyamide. It is soft, snuggly and the color Himbeere (which I have no idea what that means in German) is intense. And remarkably it hardly bled at all when I gave it a bath, to straighten out the fringe.




 I can highly recommend this pattern. If you just want low stress steeking, this is the pattern for you. I did make one change, and that is I added about an inch and a half of seed stitch at the top to eliminate the rolling (you can see the roll on the pattern photos on Ravelry). So mine isn't such a Bad Oyster after all - it has purls.I'm not a big fan of rolling, and the seed stitch put a stop to it. I can't wait until Fall to wear it....did I really just write that I can't wait until Fall? I must be crazy.


Thursday, June 04, 2015

New Knitting At Last...

Throughout all the turmoil of the previous 5 months, I kept knitting...and knitting. Here's my THIRD, and probably last Color Affection. The first was for me, the second was a shop sample for my class, the third is a wild version that I really love. 
 


This is Rhichard Devrieze fingering weight yarn. The colors are pink, multi, and orange. They had really cutesy names, which I just simply cannot remember. It was really hard to get a clear photo of the colors. I tried with this closeup. I really loved knitting with this yarn. I can highly recommended.


Though the colors are electric, I can wear it with nearly anything. I really liked knitting it. But I think three is over my limit. There's more but tomorrow is another day.


Thursday, May 28, 2015

Sorry I've been away...

Yikes, I can't wait until this year is over. Why you may ask?

Let me say, I lead a small life. I have a small group of friends here (mostly knitters). We don't have a large extended  family, which has decreased in size for reasons I will not get into. And none of our families live nearby. But that's OK. I'm fine with my small world.

How is it then that in my small world, I've lost 4 important people in 5 months. First my father-in-law in January, then my uncle, my Dad's last surviving brother, in February. Then his spouse, my aunt, 38 days later. The only thing that keeps this from being tragic, is because all of these folks were in their 90s. They had all lived good, long, productive lives and were deteriorating physically. It was just that we barely recovered from one death that another was on your heels. Exhausting.

Then the real tragedy, on the morning of May 12th at 7:30am, my cell phone rang. This is not a usual occurrence. Not many people have my cell phone number. I didn't recognize the phone number and nearly didn't answer. But I took a chance, and heard one of the owners of my LYS calling (at 7:30!!). She was calling to tell me that Kim, her partner in the store, had died the evening before. A tremendous chill ran down my spine. She was calling her teachers so they were not blindsided by the email she was preparing to send later in the day. Thank goodness she did.  Kim was only 43 years old. She had no known health issues. She was a dynamic artist, an author, and tremendous person. Her quilting designs were sublime. Everyone loved her. She, her partner, and another teacher were to meet for dinner at a local restaurant, Kim and the other teacher arrived first and Kim just collapsed. Two nurses were there having dinner and began resuscitation immediately. The EMTs were there within moments, to no avail. I'm still stunned, and sad. Her partner is forging ahead, and we're all trying to help in any way that we possibly can. The only thing it made me think, was to make the most of each and every day. You just never know.

Kim would want me to post something lovely. That's who she was. I'll keep the knitting for later.....for now, my contribution to the online art exhibit in her honor:




Friday, March 20, 2015

Monday, March 09, 2015

I'm going to jail!

Best 419 Nigerian Scam EVER! Notice "James"  is a "Regional Director" but is based in Washington DC, not in my region. Also notice that "Agent Williams" seems to have been absent from his college English classes more than was good for him. And poly sci too, did you know we have a 1991 constitution? I have a feeling James Madison is spinning in his grave.

I'll write you all from jail....

 Federal Bureau of Investigation
                                      Intelligence Field Unit J. Edgar Hoover Building
                                        935 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, D.C.


    URGENT ATTENTION BENEFICIARY


    WE SINCERELY APOLOGIZED FOR SENDING YOU THIS SENSITIVE INFORMATION VIA E-MAIL INSTEAD OF A CERTIFIED MAIL, POST-MAIL, PHONE OR FACE TO FACE CONVERSATION, IT IS DUE TO THE URGENCY AND IMPORTANCE OF THE SECURITY INFORMATION OF OUR CITIZENRY, I AM SPECIAL AGENT JAMES WILLIAMS FROM THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION (FBI) INTELLIGENCE UNIT, WE HAVE JUST INTERCEPTED AND CONFISCATED TWO (2) TRUNK BOX AT JFK AIRPORT IN NEW YORK, AND ARE ON THE VERGE OF MOVING IT TO OUR BUREAU HEAD QUARTERS.

    WE SCANNED THE SAID BOX, AND FOUND IT CONTAINS TOTAL SUM OF $4.1 MILLION AND ALSO BACKUP DOCUMENT WHICH BEARS YOUR NAME AS THE RECEIVER OF THE MONEY CONTAINED IN THE BOX, INVESTIGATIONS CARRIED OUT ON THE DIPLOMAT WHICH ACCOMPANIED THE BOX INTO UNITED STATES SAID HE WAS TO DELIVER THIS FUNDS TO YOUR RESIDENCE AS PAYMENT DUE YOU FROM THE OFFICE OF FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA AS UNPAID BENEFICIARY.

    WE CROSS-CHECKED ALL LEGAL DOCUMENTATION IN THE BOX, AND WERE ABOUT TO RELEASE THE CONSIGNMENT TO THE DIPLOMAT WHEN WE FOUND OUT THAT THE BOX WAS LACKING ONE VERY IMPORTANT DOCUMENT WHICH MAKES US CONFISCATE THE BOX.

    ACCORDING TO SECTION 229 SUBSECTION 31 OF THE 1991 CONSTITUTION IN MONEY LAUNDERING, YOUR CONSIGNMENT LACKS PROOF OF OWNERSHIP CERTIFICATE FROM THE JOINT TEAM OF THE IRS AND HOMELAND SECURITY, REPLY FOR DIRECTION ON HOW TO PROCURE THIS CERTIFICATE WHICH WILL ENABLE YOU RELIEVED OF THE CHARGES OF MONEY LAUNDERING WHICH IS A PUNISHABLE OFFENSE UNDER SECTION 12 SUBSECTION 441 OF CONSTITUTION ON MONEY LAUNDERING.

    YOU ARE REQUIRED TO REPLY THIS LETTER WITHIN 72HOURS, OR YOU WILL BE ARRESTED, INTERROGATED AND PROSECUTED IN THE COURT OF LAW FOR MONEY LAUNDERING.

    ALSO, YOU MUST NOT CONTACT ANY OTHER BANK OR PERSON IN NIGERIA OR UNITED KINGDOM OR ANY PART OF THE WORLD FOR ANY PAYMENT, BECAUSE YOUR PAYMENT HAVE BEEN CONFISCATED BY THIS BUREAU HERE IN THE UNITED STATES..


    YOURS IN SERVICE
    AGENT JAMES WILLIAMS
    REGIONAL DIRECTOR

Tuesday, March 03, 2015

What a crazy ride.

So much has happened.

My DH retired at the end of the year with 25+ years of service to the PSU Veteran community. He never had time to get used to a different life and we lost his Dad. Dad was 94, but it was still unexpected. This was the man that I knit a new cap for every Christmas. He wore them constantly and he always had a supply. My sisters in law asked what they should do with the hats and I told them to donate them to a worthy charity. I'd like to know they are keeping someone, somewhere warm. So now the wrap up that accompanies this kind of death is what is occupying my DH. It is a tremendous amount of work.

Not three weeks later we lost my uncle. My Father's last surviving brother. It was really my last connection to my dad's family, and he was a big part of my childhood. It was a very great loss.

Both of these deaths required that we travel hundreds of miles in terrible weather and road conditions. Though we had a choice with my uncle, we, of course, did not with my father-in-law. Naturally, we are having the same horrible weather much of the east is having. Are you tired of hearing about it yet? I am. We're so weather weary, it is hard to describe.  I was looking at a woman in the elevator today, and she and I were both dressed in tired parkas, and boots that have seen too many days of muck and slush. We both looked like we'd been working in a barn. I think she was an attorney. And we're expecting more muck today. And because we live in "weather central" (Accuweather, home of the US National Weather Service, Penn State Meteorology) we know that the precipitation will start at exactly 11:15 am. How lucky are we? Sometimes I wonder if ignorance is truly bliss.

I continue to work to completely recover from my injuries of last year. It has been really slow going. But I CAN knit. I finished another Color Affection (photo pending), this one for me, and I'm now working on finishing a few UFOs, before I start a new project. Here is one of them. I call it Starry Night, but it is actually  Dainty Bess studded with crystal beads. I've hit the "black hole" of knitting. It is about 56 inches long (unblocked), but I'd like it to be about 70 (i.e., six feet). It is lace so it will need pretty aggressive blocking. I'm using one of my favorite yarns Madd Tosh Light in Graphite.



It seems I hit knitting black holes pretty frequently. Probably because I got so used to the fingerless mitts and the hats I knit for Christmas.

So I'm going to try and stay connected, now that, I think, the worst is over. I'd ask what else can happen, but I'm afraid I'll find out.