Midweek Meditation

"When I am traveling in a carriage, or walking after a good meal, or during the night when I cannot sleep; it is on such occasions that ideas flow best and most abundantly."      ~  Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Design Work: "Bananas" and a "Scarf Call"

My next pattern to be released (I had hoped it would be out by now) will be my #77 Dream Hat.

This design won top prize in the Wool Clasica Design Contest held by Manos del Uruguay in September.  The pattern is being tech edited and formatted by Fairmount Fibers which distributes the yarn.  I first followed up in mid-October when I received my prize of Ten Skeins of Wool Clasica.  I sent a thank you email to Lisa, and inquired about the pattern release date.  Lisa told me that it would only be a few more days.

But, by mid-November, I was still waiting.  I sent off another email.  This time a new person, Jocelyn (a tech editor?) replied and she said, "We're bananas here, so I apologize that this hasn't happened sooner."  She requested that I send the photos as separate files, which I did the next day.  I guess I can wait a little longer...she seems like a neat person, with her "bananas" comment.  In most kinds of work, it is better to be bananas, than, shall we say, molasses...better to be too busy than too slow.

I am working on a very special super secret design project which I cannot show you until sometime next year.  It is super exciting!

And meanwhile, I also have allowed some time this weekend to work on a submission to a "Scarf Call" by Quince & Co.  My work on this also must be kept to myself for now.

With my current design work and the Thanksgiving holiday (I will be cooking a turkey dinner) my blogging may be slowing down just a little bit for just a little while.
 

About in Boats

"about in boats -- or with boats.  In or out of 'em, it doesn't matter.  Nothing seems really to matter, that's the charm of it."     ~Kenneth Grahame

In the years that I have owned my digital camera, I have taken many photos from both in and out of boats.  This photo is my current desktop background -- the sun setting beyond the water -- the wake behind the boat and the angle of the clouds pulls me right in there.

The location is somewhere between St Thomas and St John, USVI, where almost everyday is in the 80's.  I wish I could be there now.  In a boat.

Midweek Meditation: "about in boats --"

From:  Kenneth Grahame's THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS...

      "'about in boats -- or with boats.  In or out of 'em, it doesn't matter.  Nothing seems really to matter, that's the charm of it.  Whether you get away, or whether you don't; whether you arrive at your destination or whether you don't; whether you reach somewhere else, or whether you never get anywhere at all, you're always busy, and you never do anything in particular; and when you've done it there's always something else to do, and you can do it if you like, but you'd much better not.'"

THUS SPOKE MR WATER RAT TO MR MOLE...

     He continued, "'Look here!  If you've really nothing else on hand this morning, suppose we drop down the river together, and have a long day of it?'"

Sunset Socks

Last week I finished a pair of socks which are for me.

I knit the first one to photograph for my Fingering Weight TATU Sock Pattern.  They are made with hand dyed Debutante Superwash Merino Fingering in a special colorway called "String Thing", which was created by Jen for the String Thing Shop where I bought it.  It reminds me of the colors at sunset -- so the name "Sunset Socks".

Here is a detail photo.

 And a sunset photo I took from a marina on the bay in Wildwood, New Jersey.

Water Socks

A little over a week ago I finished a pair of socks which I will give to my husband for his birthday.

I knit the first one to photograph for my Fingering Weight TATU Sock Pattern.  They are made with Austermann Step in a color called "Wasser" which auf Deutsch (in German) is "Water".  So the name "Water Socks".

Here is a detail photo.

And a photo I took looking out at the water while on Water Island, USVI.  It is just a half mile from St Thomas.  You can only get there by boat or ferry.  It is a great spot for a day trip while visiting St Thomas.

 

Midweek Meditation

"Positive thinking evokes more energy, more initiative and more happiness."    
                                                                      ~ Remez Sasson

Have a positive day everyone!  Full of energy, initiative and much happiness!

Positive Thinking

My last blog post was an offering of a knitting pattern giveaway in return for comments.  There were no comments, so there are no winners.

My "stat" numbers for my blog, have shown a growing number of "pageviews" in recent weeks.  I thought that the contest was a good idea.  Now I must reflect on what this means.

Maybe there are readers who have never commented to a blog before.  I know when I first wanted to comment to a blog, I felt a bit daunted by the "choose a profile" thing.  It is not really hard to do, but you have to be ready for that.  I actually had a little used gmail address in place, so for me it could have been so easy; but still I remember that I did not leave a comment the first few times that I considered leaving a comment.

Maybe the giveaway prize was not big enough.  The last two blog giveaways that I commented on both involved newly released knitting books.  I would have loved to win either one.  Winning a book and anticipating its delivery would be a great prize, don't you think?

Maybe (and this is also positive thinking for Knitcircus) many of my readers are Knitcircus subscribers and already had the patterns.

Maybe all of the above.  At least I have to think so.  I am not going to let this stop me from blogging.  But I do not think that I will have another contest for a while.  What do you think?  Your comment is always welcome.   

Free Pattern Giveaway / "One Last Time"

Knitcircus, Issue #15, Fall 2011

One day in November, Knitcircus, Issue #15, Fall 2011 will be replaced with Knitcircus, Issue #16, Winter 2011.  I have found that all of the back issues are archived.  And yet, I will be a little bit sad when it is no longer the current issue; so I am hoping that you will look at it "one last time".

My Love and Prayers Scarf pattern from the issue will remain a free pattern available as a Knitcircus Charity Pattern.

I am very happy with my latest Love and Prayers Scarf.  I used three skeins of Brown Sheep Lanaloft Sport Weight yarn in "Cherry Splash" and knit it for my local Womenheart group.  It photographed well.

"Love & Prayers Scarf" for Womenheart

I do not really know if my blog has regular readers.  Actually, I do know that I have a couple, and I have reason to believe the number may have grown a bit.  Comments are a blogger's greatest reward.  I appreciate each and every one that I get.

I am soliciting your comment now.  I have a link to download (free) the complete set of 27 patterns from Knitcircus, Issue#15, Fall 2011.  I can giveaway this link three times.  Please go to knitcircus.com where the fall issue is still current, and leave a comment to this post about which pattern you like the best.  I will close this giveaway at midnight EST this Sunday, November 6.  If I get more than three comments, I will use a random number generator to select three winners.  Winners will be announced on Monday, November 7.  Thanks in advance for your participation!!!

Midweek Meditation -- On Four Seasons

My Grandma S often said, "You have to have all four seasons."  I do not remember what else she had to say on that subject.  She did have an amazing garden, though.


"Four seasons fill the measure of the year;/ There are four seasons in the mind of man."     ~ John Keats


"I came from Mechanicsville, Virginia, where you have four seasons."     
~ Jason Mraz 


"I have three daughters. I wanted them to be raised where there are real seasons and where everyone their age wasn't trying to get into movies."     
~ Chevy Chase 


"May you be blessed with peace and safety in all four seasons."     
~ Chinese Proverb 


"I know I am but summer to your heart, and not the full four seasons of the year."     ~ Edna St Vincent Millay


I do not like winter.  It is not just the cold, but also the darkness.  Fall starts out so lovely, but by now, it is ushering in my least favorite season.  I will try to remember this last quote...


"You must take personal responsibility.  You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons, or the wind, but you can change yourself.  That is something you have charge of."     ~ Jim Rohn