Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Midweek Meditation

Weeds? Wildflowers?

Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.     ~  Confucius


Tuesday, May 29, 2012

In Today's Mail...

...I received my "contributor's copy" of Knitscene Accessories 2012 with a small note of thanks from Lisa Shroyer.



Friday, May 25, 2012

Knitscene Accessories 2012

Knitscene Accessories 2012 will be on newsstands June 5, 2012.


I am thrilled to have a cowl pattern in this special issue.  It is named Equilibrium -- a
women’s stranded colorwork cowl -- worked in the round -- completely reversible -- one side herringbone, one side split chevron.

© Knitscene
© Knitscene
© Knitscene

Exciting!  I saw these photos for the first time to today!  I cannot wait to get my hands on this magazine!

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Midweek Meditation

"Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn't really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while. That's because they were able to connect experiences they've had and synthesize new things."   ~  Steve Jobs

Its the first sentence that I like best, "Creativity is just connecting things."  It makes it sound so easy.  Sometimes it is that easy.  I hope you have a connected and creative day! 

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Midweek Meditation

"Three Rules of Life...1: Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. 2: Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. 3: Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition - they somehow already know what you truly want to become."          ~ Steve Jobs

"Follow your heart."  Steve Jobs said it, too.


Sunday, May 13, 2012

"Follow Your Heart"

He said it again, just before I went to bed, "Follow your heart."

It was my son, home for the weekend.  I had been a bit down.  I have a hard time sometimes with all that I have to do and all that I want to do... it just gets hard sometimes to decide what should I be doing right now.

There have been too many life changes for me of late.  Sorry, but, I do not really like it that most of my aunts and uncles have passed, and several cousins as well.  My parents have both been gone for more than a couple years.  I do not like this feeling that now I am responsible for leading the family as those who came before me would have wished.  Sometimes it makes me feel lonely and insecure.

I do have so very much to be happy about.  My children are both well and my daughter just graduated from college and landed a great first job.  The thing is that when she moves this time it is for real.  This will no longer be her "permanent" address as it was while she was in school.  This is also on my mind.

I have been astonished over the last week at how much my son's words have helped me.  Each time I bring them to mind, they do help me decide what I should be doing right now.  And I do get more done.

My son does not know it, but he has given me the best possible Mother's Day present.  I truly am blessed with both of my children.

Happy Mother's Day!
In times of doubt, remember to "Follow your heart."  It won't let you down.

Friday, May 11, 2012

Mollie Makes Issue #14

Mollie Makes is a beautiful craft magazine published in the UK.  And I am in their latest issue!  I am truly honored to have my Jonna Cowl (which is a part of the Quince & Co. Scarves Etc. collection) featured in Issue #14, the first anniversary issue!

© Quince & Co
Yarn: Quince & Co Chickadee
  2 skeins color #106 bird's egg

This is the front cover of the magazine.  It is now, or very soon will be, available (in the US) at a Barnes & Noble or Joann Fabric store near you.  The digital version is also available as an iTune App (I just downloaded it to my iPad).  I plan to stop at Barnes and Noble this evening to buy a couple of copies.  This is my first pattern in a print magazine!


Do you remember when I mentioned in a previous post, "Not Knitting Needles" that I learned of this magazine in an unusual way?  In March I was both delighted and stunned to receive an email from Pam Allen asking me if I would mind calling her.  She wrote, "Mollie Makes is a UK magazine that would love to use your cowl pattern."  Of course, I said yes!


Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Midweek Meditation

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex... It takes a touch of genius - and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction."
                                                                           ~ Albert Einstein

Monday, May 7, 2012

Betty and Helene

Maybe you noticed my little spurt of FO's in March and April. And maybe you noticed that my WIP's have been somewhat sparse.  Just what have I been up to?  I have been doing a lot of swatching.

On some days, I have spent all of my knitting time with design work swatching.  I must keep my design work a secret when I think it is great and might actually go somewhere.  More often, I do not share my design work because it is not going anywhere.

Truth be told, I do like to spend considerable amounts of time just knitting.  I swatched for, and started, a new sweater "Betty" from Rowan 50 by Marie Wallin.


I am making it in the Rowan Pure Wool 4ply with most of the same colors used by the designer.  The main color is a beautiful shade of blue called 'Eau de Nil'.  (I had to look that up.  It is French for 'Water of the Nile'.)

I am expecting several modifications on this one.  There will be three in the bottom ribbing alone.  (1) I am knitting most of the sweater in the round.  Normally I do not mind seaming, but after weighing in the length of the ribbing at the bottom and the small gauge overall, I will be skipping the side seams.  (2) The pattern calls for waist shaping in the 1 by 1 ribbing.  Sorry, but there is no way that would work for me.  (How would that even look?)  I simply cast on the number of stitches the ribbing would be at after the completion of the shaping.  (3) Though I expect to increase the overall length of the sweater, I will reduce the length of the bottom ribbing (from 43 rows which would be 4 to 5").  I am thinking more like 3".

I have also swatched for, and started, a "home decor" project to gift to someone who occasionally reads this blog.  ("Now who could that be?" she might wonder if she reads this.)  Secret secrets.  (No photo at this time.)

I truly can't wait to start swatching for "Helene" a Quince & Co. design by one of my favorite designers, Veronik Avery.


The yarn just arrived in my mailbox Saturday.  It is Sparrow, made of 100% organic linen.  "Helene" is knit sideways in two identical front and back pieces.  The pieces are joined from neckline to cuff with three needle bind off.  I am expecting no modifications.  I want to experience what was in Veronik's mind...maybe I can channel some of that in the future.


Friday, May 4, 2012

Just one FO for Friday

Not too long ago I finished my Thundercloud Cowl, and yesterday I had a couple of photos shot by Mr K.



More than half of my finished project photos on Ravelry are headless.  I just had my haircut and styled yesterday, so I guess that is why I thought that these would look Ok.  Maybe a light sweater would have looked better than the white tee, but it was quite humid and near 80 degrees.

With photos, even more so than with knitting, there is a pretty big leap from "good job" to "perfect!"


Have a good weekend!

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Midweek Meditation

"There are two ways to live: you can live as if nothing is a miracle; you can live as if everything is a miracle."   ~ Albert Einstein


(This week I am featuring the number 2)