Knitter's retreat, a smashing success!

Despite the TN State Parks system's snafu, we rallied and gathered at Embassy Suites. We had a wonderful time. Lots of knitting, some learning, lots of talking, eating and drinking, but mostly lots of knitting. I managed to finish one pair of socks, that's it! I worked on a scarf a bit and some more on the vintage sweater, but it was pretty busy with talking and surfing Ravelry for various yarn and pattern references. I came home with 3 skeins of cotton/silk from MistiAlpaca. I think it's going to be a short-sleeved top, maybe Keyhole?

Memphis SnB (aka DK Knitters) makes the news

We were delighted to host Kate Jacobs, author of The Friday Night Knitting Club, on January 12th, and would like to extend special thanks to the DK Knitters (featured here with Kate) for their help promoting our event, as well as hosting a special luncheon event for Kate! She had a very special time with us at Davis-Kidd, and we greatly appreciate the support and warm response. The Friday Night Knitting Club fans, stay tuned for the release of Kate's newest book, Comfort Food, which will be on sale at Davis-Kidd this May!

gracious knitters...give gifts!

I am the lucky recipient of not one, but TWO knitting thank you's this week. I feel incredibly blessed and very happy! First was Sunny Skye who gifted me with the hand made card selection. They are wonderful and I've already mailed out two of them. I showed Sunny how to knit toe up socks this summer. She hasn't finished her pair, but she's busy with young school aged children and travel. She is still working on them though :)
The other surprise was from Jessica H, a lovely and gracious knitter of many years who was flummoxed by a pattern and sought my help. After a few swatches I found the problem with the pattern and gave her some suggestions. Look what she sent me! It arrived the day before my birthday. Manna from heaven. That chocolate with cranberries and almonds is phenomenal. ::swooning:::
I am a VERY LUCKY WOMAN! THANK YOU KNITTERS!!!! :::hugs:::

Sock it to ME!

The post brought a package from Elann. My friend Tommie graciously gifted me with an Elann Gift certificate last month and when they announced they were debuting sock yarn, we both had to order. Here are some photos of my skeins. I'll let her post her own.

Kendo Dummy

William and Ginger built a Kendo Dummy over a couple of days.

It's home improvement time, it's organization time.

Here are a few projects the family has taken on in the last month or so. We put up 2 new book cases, organized 20 years of photos and cataloged them waiting for the time to scrapbook them. Those 2 large rubbermaid bins were full of photos and have been reduced to the photo storage boxes on the new bookcases.

Never knit socks without consulting the recipient

In an effort to get the 15 year old to wear socks and not just sandals in 20 degree weather, I knit him a pair of sport-weight socks. Granted, they were knit from leftover yarn. The recipient, after posing for the photo, announced he would NEVER wear them because they were "purple". I beg to differ, they are wine. Some of the sock yarn ordered from Elann is for him. He has chosen navy and white, not together mind you. Separate socks in solid colors...such brave choices (NOT)

It's time for a left-handed knitting RANT

In the peace and quiet of my life, bursts of stupid people occasionally happen. I try to remain alloof, I try to be calm, but when I realize you are poisoning perfectly helpless new knitters I must speak out (again.) I have ranted about the left-handed knitting topic previously and do not want to beat a dead horse, but the knitting community appears to be tuning an incredibly DEAF ear to this subject. Knitters beware. If I even hear you HINT that a left-handed person MUST be taught to knit right handed because [insert stereotype and myth here] then I will poke you so hard with size 0 sock needles as to make you think you have been to the acupuncturist. GIVE IT UP! That means you knittinghelp.com and you fuzzygalore.com and a few twerps on ravelry who insist it's a curse. SHUT up and KNIT.
FACT:

1. Knitting is 2 handed, with one hand being a bit more active or dominant
2. yarn can be manipulated with either the right or the left hand
3. stitches can move off the right onto the left needle without hell freezing over
4. patterns do NOT have to be reversed except for button bands (and that depends on gender) and occasionally asymmetrical patterns
   
5. shaping does NOT have to be reserved all the time, it depends on how you knit (that rule applies to right handed combination knitters too)
6. it is MORE important to understand how to do something than to blindly follow any pattern (so patterns should say "right leaning decrease" instead of K2tog.
7. Knitting graphs are universal, look for them and use them left to right
   
8. My DVD teaches left handed people how to knit LEFT handed correctly, most websites and books do NOT and one wonders how they've been in publication this long with these errors!
9. ALL knitters deserve to know there's more than one method of knitting out there. Expose yourself to something new, you might like it.
   

Why we probably will not be driving to Las Vegas

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Given my early onset dementia and fatigue level, I'd say a 22 hour drive would take 3 days, 2 hotel stays and take way too much time and energy. I'm shopping airfare and so far NWA is winning at $360 round trip. While we can always drive to Little Rock and fly from there, that's 2+ hours and gas and time is money. I am guessing I'll get a great deal with NWA closer to July, maybe April?

New Year's Eve with the Softball crew

Thanks to JJ, JD and Mimi for hosting a GREAT Wii tennis tournament and, of course, great food provided by everyone.

patching the couch to buy an elliptical trainer

We have a great couch whose colors work well in the living room despite the fact that we purchased it over 10 years ago. The real problem is that it's a sleeper couch, never buy one. We were cautioned, but felt the need for the space too much to head the warning. Here I am patching the fabric after years of dogs/cats/boys abuse. I washed the cushion covers in the machine, hand scrubbed the arms and base. It looks good. We're skipping a new couch in favor of an elliptical machine. It was a 3 to 1 family vote.

"christmas" photos

We gave the family a chiminea/fire pit. They received a dart board and Max was excited about The Compleat Works of William Shakespeare.

Renee, Shelli and Guitar Hero III take the house by storm

We enjoyed playing Wii Guitar Hero III Monday evening. Renee and Shelli brought their game over and we sipped hot buttered rum, ate popcorn and played/cursed the game. William made it to level 4. Max was sick and opted to stay in bed the entire time. He had been outside briefly and felt horrible after that. poor kid!

"gingerbread" houses

The Midsouth Eclectic Homeschool group was graciously hosted by Tommie and her family last week. They made gingerbread houses. Tommie made the royal icing, cut the graham crackers and provided some toppings. Families provided the artists/architects and more toppings. Here is William and some of his work. Max played Risk and skipped buildling. William made wall to wall carpet, a fire in the fire place and rock on the outside of the house where the fireplace was. Later at home he added some landscaping. Unfortunately Fudge, the super Yorki, ATE the house while we were at Teen Night. He is becoming VERY bad in his old age, but we still adore him.

Fuzzy Feet for Max

before and after felting. Fuzzy Feet knit on size 10 needles, 2 at a time. Yarn is Moda Dea Cache purchased on insane discount last year. Felts and wears better than 100% wool, but the colors are less than enticing.

William makes the team for Nationals!

Memphis Club Members make SEUSKF Team for AUSKF Nationals

Congratulations to Jeremiah Mazurek, William Thornton-Leonard, Yuka Kamimura, and Masumi Kamimura (pictured at William's bar mitzvah celebration) who were all selected as members of the All-Southeast U.S. Kendo Federation Team.

They will compete on the weekend of July 4th, 2008 at the All-U.S. Kendo Federation National Tournament in Las Vegas.

The Southeast U.S. Kendo Federation (SEUSKF) covers 7 states and includes more than 20 dojos and programs.

Of the more than 350 kenshi belonging to the SEUSKF, only 32 were selected for the team.
The above is from the Memphis Kendo blog. On a personal note:
To everyone who knows William and knows that he has to raise all funds for Kendo himself, please save your pennies for his biweekly cookie sales which will begin January 2008 and continue until June 2008. He is also available for casual labor (yard work, construction) and pet sitting. He has to raise about $700 for this tournament as the region does not supplement the team outside of the entry fee. That means airfare, hotel and food are the responsibility of the individual. In addition to this tournament he has plans to go to Cleveland for an April tournament!

New Knitting project; Vintage Sweater

My knitting process is one of pure inspiration. I keep a knitting sketch and idea book to record these bursts and refer back to it when I'm ready to CO another project.



Inspired by this photo from an old Women's Daily, I have sketched and swatched and am embarking on another sweater for me. I firmly believe in using Ann Budd's handy book of sweater patterns for reference and to cut down my math time. Yet I constantly find myself getting gauge that means I still have to do math! I'm getting 4.5 and 5.5 (ribbing) not nice whole numbers. But the stitches are there (waist x gauge=CO) and I'm working it out. I hope to have this done in about 2-3 weeks. I made a nice semi-circle skirt from some fabric I had laying about and this yarn matches nicely. I intend to study the sleeve cap article in Winter 2007 IK to help me sort out the sleeve cap, though I've never had problems with it. I do have to do lots of juggling between hips/waist/bust and upper bust measurements so I jump between size guidelines in the Budd book. I will not be including any of the patterning you see on the inspiration photo. I'm not that cutesy!
*note, one week into the project and i have completed the back, the front is to the armhole shaping as of 10 am Wednesday 12/12/07.