Actual Knitting Content Ahead

Don't drop over - I have some actual knitting content and pictures for you.

One of the sympathy cards I received after Mom's death was from a friend I haven't seen for 25 years. She was my closest friend in Sunday School and after her marriage she moved away and we somehow lost track of each other. On the card she gave me contact information and I was thrilled. Last week we decided to meet today for lunch halfway between our houses.

Lucky for me there was a yarn shop very close to the restaurant so I left an hour early and went to visit Knitter's Palette in Lakeville. What a wonderful shop. It has plenty of yarn but isn't crowded feeling. There are wood floors and a couple couches to sit at. The yarn choice is wonderful and they have spinning wheels for those interested in spinning.

I did not leave empty handed. I left with some yarn, a Rowan book and something else.
The yarn is something I had not heard of before Talinay from Chili. It's a great looking wool. The picture does not do it justice because today is a very overcast day and the colors are much more rich than it seems. The Rowan yarn is Tapestry and is to be a a swatch for a project that hopefully you will see one day but - not for a while.

The Rowan book is their 30th anniversary pattern book/magazine. It's huge and has some great patterns in it.

As I was ready to buy the yarn I noticed something calling to me. It sat there with quiet dignity saying my knitting projects deserved to be carried around town in something better than an old tote bag or a Target plastic bag. I listened to it and decided to bring it home.

This is my new project bag. It's nice enough to double as a purse. Has lots of pockets inside and outside. It's a Namaste according to the tag and was very reasonably priced. Some of my blogger functions aren't working right so I can't link easily but the site is www.namasteinc.com and the bag is in the Cali collection - Laguna.

The knitting that's been keeping me busy much of the week is my Jade Sapphire Cashmere/Silk scarf. I decided to use a simply pattern (KnitPicks 1,2,3 lace scarf) so I could take this anywhere. It's very soft and once finished and blocked it will be fantastic.

Other knitting is the continuing of the Soft Shoulders sweater. You know - the one I started back in 2003 and kind of forgot about. I have to pay attention to this one because there are different cables with different numbers of rows per repeat. I wrote up the design row by row and it had a repeat from rows 15 - 38. There's enough going on that I don't want to goof up a section by getting distracted so this project stays home and is only worked on during boring TV shows.

In case you're interested- Lunch with my friend was great. It's hard to catch up on 25 years in just a couple hours but the friendship and bond is still there. We're not going to let 25 more years go by before getting together again. We've already started hatching a plan to get the old Sunday School group together. Wish us luck!

Knitting in the 80s and my Knitting Mentor

A while ago I started talking about knitting in the "olden days" but never got back to it because of all the stuff going on with my family. Time to get back to my story about knitting in the 70s and 80s and tell you about the best knitting mentor a person could ever have.

So far in our story - I was an idiot and thought I could relearn to knit and learn to purl and make an afghan between Thanksgiving and Christmas while going to college. That afghan is still in good condition in the basement and if you ever come over, I'll let you warm up with it.

My last couple years of college were spent in my hometown after I transferred schools and majors. I switched to Nutrition and Dietetics which meant a chemistry class every single quarter and classes that melted my brain. I also worked 24 hours a week to pay for an apartment. I know I was pretty crazy but then - don't all young people think they can do everything! I needed a nice distraction from all this and ended up working part time (2nd job) for a family friend at her shop. Our two families went to the same church and were linked together by Boy Scouts. Both Dad's were leaders and Vivian, Mom and myself would stay together at the family camp of the Boy scout camp while the guys roughed it in tents. So - I got brave and asked Vivian if I could work for her cause I couldn't imagine anything better than working in a yarn shop. Bless her heart she said, "yes". For the next several years I worked Friday nights and Saturdays for minimum wage and was thrilled to do it.

Back then most yarn was plastic/acrylic stuff purchased at Target or KMart or your local drug store. There were a few other places like Lee Wards (bought out by Michaels) but Red Heart was the yarn of the day. Then there was the few place like The Yarn Shed that had the real deal - wool, alpaca, good cotton, yarn you could make something out of and be proud. I loved that place. It was my oasis from the crazy college world. You would walk in and could just smell the wool wonderfulness.

We had Lopi, Bernat Germantown, Bemidji wool, German wool, tweeds, real sock yarn, so much more. We had some yarns that I really miss today. Mirage was ahead of its time. It was a wool with a bit of tweed in it and it would very slowly change from one color on the color wheel to the color next to it. My favorite color was the one that went from deep royal blue to deep royal purple. That stuff made the best vests!

We also had books - and patterns - and magazines. But the best part was, Vivian let me read all those books and patterns and magazines. It was good for her to have staff know what was available but it was great for us. I had an education that couldn't be beat. I absorbed everything. I was introduced to Elizabeth Zimmermann at the shop through her books. I bought them all and read them all. I started designing using her books and Vivian's encouragement.

During this time I also was given a chance to teach way before I was really ready. What was she thinking?!? But I got that first class under my belt and found out how I needed to change what I did and improve. I entered outfits I designed to the State Fair and came home with ribbons every time (not always first but ribbons none the less). I even ended up corresponding with Elizabeth Zimmermann briefly. This was a great time to knit!

Vivian also introduced me to weaving through the ridgid heddle looms she had at the shop to rent. Dad made me a 4 heddle table loom from some instructions I found at the library and then I ended up going to Siever's School in Washington Island, Wisconsin one summer to learn more about weaving. I came home with one of their 4 heddle floor looms and the next few years were dedicated to learning how to weave. More State Fair ribbons followed. Through it all, Vivian encouraged me and showed me what it was to be a mentor and friend.

As time passed I had to give up my Friday night and Saturdays at the Yarn Shed because I was a dietitian and had to work Saturday's at my full time job. But "The Shed" was still the place to go and hang out when possible. About the time I decided to quit being a dietitian (10 years was enough) Vivian was deciding to retire from the shop. I opened my own business with knitting machines and sewing machines in a different part of town so she gave me advise and well wishes.

My business survived 5 years but that's a story for another day. I, sad to say, got lazy with keeping up with Vivian and hadn't seen her for many, many years until the day of Mom's funeral. I turned around and there was Vivian, still supporting me when I needed it. What more could you ask for in a mentor!

Plastic Inspector - still on the job

You thought I was kidding about the Plastic Inspector. Nope. He's still busy at it. Any plastic in the house MUST BE INSPECTED. Read that to mean chewed to death.

When Chief goes for plastic mailing bags after I've opened them it's not so bad. When he comes out into the living room with my friends sitting around and in his mouth is the - how to we put this? - pink plastic outer wrapping of female products half chewed - well - that's embarrassing.

His other thing lately has been to wait till one of my friends sits in "that" chair and then go under it and has a gassy moment. Honestly, what is with this cat!?! Two weeks in a row he has gone under the same chair, the same person and let loose with kitty stinkys. No bad moments all week, it's like he's saving up to embarrass me. What's a Mom to do?

Other news. There will be little knitting this weekend because one of my high school friends is flying in Saturday noon and will be staying here. It was a sudden trip (family funeral) so I'm grabbing as many of the gang as I can to have a party Saturday night. YEAH!