Socktoberfest

It is definitely fall here in Wisconsin. How can I tell?? Well, the sumac is turning brilliant red.

The farm markets are laden with pumpkins, squash,

and apples of all types, colors and sizes.
The islands in the mighty Mississippi are turning dry and brown,
and wool socks are starting to bloom on the mums!
Oh, no! Wait a minute! That's a Socktober fest sock entry placed strategically on the mums for maximum photographic effect. It's trying to compete with the photos displayed by the Knitting Iris.
Sock pattern "Mermaid" from Lucy Neatby's Cool Socks Warm Feet. I love the pattern and I love the yarn from Mellenweit!! This fall mermaid is anxiously awaiting a pair, but it will have to wait for a long time. I'm busy with a more important project--a matter of life over death, you might say.

On Saturday evening my 47 year old brother suffered a stroke. He and his wife live in the same town as we do. He had just finished cleaning the falling leaves out of the gutters--meaning he was tramping around on his pitched roof for severa hours--and he came in to shower. Just as he came out of the shower, he felt an incredibly sharp pain in his neck and collapsed on the bed. He called out for his wife to call 911. After spending two days in the intensive care unit, he was moved to the neurology unit and now he is on the intensive rehabilitation unit, learning to walk, to swallow and to coordinate his body. Fortunately, his mind has not been affected. We are deeply thankful that the stroke did not occur while he was on his roof! And, we are deeply thankful that his mind wasn't affected.

I started an aran cardigan for him years ago. It is on my "let's finish all the unfinished projects" list. It got moved up today to the top of the list. I thought he might like a cozy sweater to welcome him home, when he comes home. I figure if I finish the sweater quickly, that will guarantee that his recovery will come along quickly as well.


The sweater completion was stalled because I changed the pattern a bit. The original pattern had dropped shoulders. My brother is a bit stocky and I didn't want to have so much aran bulk under the armpits. So, as you can see, I bound off a few stitches to make an armhole. Good plan? Well, I couldn't figure out how to shape the top of the arms appropriately. I have fiddled and faddled and nothing has worked out. I'm bound and determined to have it finished and fit by this weekend. Wish me luck. And, keep my brother in your thoughts and prayers, if you would, please.

Knitter Self-Analysis

I've seen many knitting bloggers tell 10 knitterly things about themselves that no one knew. I don't jump on many band wagons, but the information posted by all the responders led me deep into self-analysis. What kind of a knitter am I anyway?

1. I am a process knitter. I love doing the techniques, the structural aspects, the stitch variations, the shaping variations. But, I really don't care if I ever finish the item!! That's why I have so many unfinished projects around the house, hidden in corners, boxes, drawers, closets, etc., etc.

2. I am a knitter down to my central core being. It identifies who I am. I've been knitting since I was 13. I really can't remember life without knitting. I knit before EZ started knitting camps. I knit with ugly acrylic yarn because it was the "new thing." I knit when it wasn't cool to knit because it epitomized how downtrodden and homebound women were. No self respecting professional woman in a predominantly male profession would ever acknowledged that she knit, much less wear something that she made in public.

3. Sometimes I knit to avoid having to do things I really SHOULD be attending to. Sometimes I fear that I knit so much so as to avoid reality. Is this bad or good?? I don't know.

4. My favorite knitting projects are those I make for other people. It could be a garter stitch wash cloth or an intricate cabled aran cardigan. A piece of my being goes into every stitch. And the recipient darn well better appreciate it!!!!

5. I am extremely proud of everything I make. I crave laudatory comments. I just purchased "mary jane" type shoes so that my hand knit socks can be seen when I wear long pants. I want everyone to see what I made. To be impressed. I want to walk up to strangers and say, "See, I knit this with my own hands. Every single stitch. Aren't you impressed??"

6. I love teaching people to knit. The magic of those loops making a fabric. I tell new learners that there are no mistakes, only techniques in places you don't want them. I particularly like teaching kids to knit. My elementary school after school knitting club has been my favorite activity. the only thing that give me more satisfaction is raising my girls.

7. I firmly believe that if world leaders knew how to knit there wouldn't be wars. If we could just assemble knitters from every country and every religion there would be no more hatred.

8. I purchase more yarn and pattern books and bamboo needles than I can afford. I need to stop. But I don't. This is part of my addiction--the bad part of knitting. We can joke about having a stash to last two or three generations, but I could use that money better elsewhere. I resolve to try harder to control myself. I still have enough fabulous yarn to last the rest of my life.

9. I take it personally that my husband never wore the socks I made for him. They were beautiful. He even lost them. I don't understand why he didn't appreciate them--just knowing that I made them.

10. I hope that I can knit until I die. That I don't get arthritis. That I don't lose my sight. That I don't lose my mental ability to make things. My recent bout with amnesia made me realize that our mind is a blessing. I pray that I don't get Alzheimer's Disease.

so, Knit on! As Elizabeth Zimmerman said, through all of life's crises!!

Yahoo!! More projects done!!

Whoppee!! Yahoo! Yes!! Two more FO's on my list!! First, my pride and joy, the lace alphabet blanket from Debbie Bliss' " The Baby Knits Book" (link two posts ago). I used some old Pingouin Mousse yarn, now out of production. The blanket is for one of the twins expected by my daughter's church choir director--a vibrant young woman who already has a 2-year-old. Gender is unknown--therefore, I added the white lace border so that it could be appropriate for either gender--at least, I hope so. After searching the internet and e-Bay, I found some more Pingouin Mousse in turquoise. I will use that for the second blanket. If subsequent ultrasounds show the twins to be girls, I may add some pink lace trim. Or, maybe I'll stick to white trim on both blankets and just forget about colors being tied to gender.
Another of my FO's is the second sock of a pair of Mermaid Socks! Pattern used is from Lucy Neatby's book Cool Socks Warm Feet. (link two posts ago) The socks fit wonderfully, even thought the ankle looks a bit skinny in this photo. It is skinny in real life also. However, the winding ribbing makes for a snug fit that keeps the sock cuffs up and prevents them from falling down. I modified the pattern by making a 30 stitch garter stitch cuff, rather than a 15 stitch cuff. I used an Opal yarn and I don't know the color # because I threw the band away. I was afraid that one skein would not be sufficient, however it was!! I have enough left over for a pair of baby bootees!
My last photo is one of me and my older daughter on her 30th birthday. I remember my 30th birthday vividly. her father gave me Willie Nelson's "Stardust" album (a vinyl record, this was before CD's everyone) with the notation that it was "goldie oldies for a goldie moldy!" Since we are from the generation that believed no one over 30 was to be trusted, turning 30 was a life-shaking event. Sigh. I'm not really old enough to have a 30 year old daughter; nevertheless, she went and turned 30 anyway. I have been blessed to have her living in "my" same town for the past 3 years. This coming January, however, she will move to New Zealand to pursue graduate studies at the University in Auckland. I will miss her very, very much. Letting go of our children is the hardest job parents have. We raise them to be wonderful independent adults, and then they thank us by leaving the home nest!!! My daughter deserves every exciting moment she can squeeze out of life and should be free to follow her dreams wherever they lead. But I will miss her.
For the perceptive readers, you have noticed that I am wearing my Violets by the River shawl, designed by Hazel Carter and made out of silk/merino laceweight from Blackberry Ridge. The color is true to life. The best lavender/violet every made. I love their yarns and their patterns. Lucky for me, their mill is about 30 miles from my home.

My UFO list is shrinking. I need to do the lace edging for my Dale of Norway cardigan for myself and the second sock for my Pomatamous pair. I need to work on my husband's Dale of Norway multi color ski sweater. And, I need to finish my brother's aran sweater that I started 3 years ago. And, I need to finish that lace shawl for myself made out of yarn I bought when I attended Meg Swanson's Knitting Camp in 2002-- Joslyn's Fiber AngleHair. the colorway is a deep, deep cherry that doesn't seem to be made anymore.

Hmm, this isn't a short list, is it. Don't tell anyone that I already cast on for a new pair of mermaid socks that will be a Christmas present. I am using Meilenweit colortweed, color way 1001. If you can find theyarn, use it. It is the colors of a fall sunset.

Lucy Neatby, my hero; and progress!!

I love Lucy Neatby's patterns. She is creative, whimsical and interesting. A Lucy Neatby pattern is never, never boring. Knitting the item may take forever, but the experience is never boring. I have completed the first of her Mermaid Socks from Cool Socks, Warm Feet (see link in previous entry); they provide the best fit of any sock I have made to date--and I've made at lest 60 pair. It would help, however, if I followed the pattern! She clearly and unequivocally says to cast on 15 stitches for the sideways garter stitch cuff. Somehow, I was convinced that the pattern said 30 stitches. 142 garter stitch rows on size 0 needles (2 mm) was tedious and boring, but I had faith in Lucy. I wondered why my garter stitch cuff looked so much bigger than hers, but I figured she folded hers down, like the bobby socks days. When I checked the pattern today to begin sock #2, I realized that I had totally misread the pattern. My mistake completely. Forgive me, Lucy, for ever doubting you!!!
Do you think I can count these two as a FO of a pair of socks?? Or, do I need to make two more socks, and then have two FO's????
This, however, is definitely a FO. It is the accursed vest that I described in my previous blog. It was made out of Mission Falls wool, and is the Main Vest from Quinte Scrapbook. (link in previous blog.) I think it turned out very well, and just in time for Wisconsin Fall.
And, I love my buttons. They are pewter teapots and cups! In my non-knitting life I collect teacups and saucers--antique and new.

Above is a recent FO that I forgot to list in my UFO list in my previous entry. It is a wide ribbon yarn from Phildar that I purchased this summer at Galleries Lafayette in Paris! It made a thick vibrant scarf--I used a wrap and drop stitch so that the fabric would be more flexible. I had finished knitting the scarf weeks ago, but never worked in the ends. I ended up taking a sewing needle and thread to sew the ends to adjacent stitches--to avoid frayed edges sticking out.
My Debbie Bliss lace alphabet baby blanket is nearly done. (link to book is in my previous entry.) I absolutely love, love, love it. As you can see, I have completed the entire inside alphabet of the blanket. I am using a smooth white yarn for the lace edging.
I have completed three sides of the knitted on lace, and have one long side to go. I hope to have that side completed by the end of the week--for a third FO!!!! Then, I will start alphabet blanket #2. My daughter's choir director is having twins!!!!!
Oh no, wait, wait. I made a vow. No new projects on needles until I finish all of my UFO's. That means, I will need to work on the Dale of Norway sweaters--one for myself and one for my husband. Rats!! I really like working on these baby blankets!!
It is fall here in Wisconsin and the Monarch butterflies are on their way to Mexico, passing through.
And, the Thai Pavillion in our botanical gardens is a glowing contrast to the fall colors in the garden. Here it is reflected in its pool. That's real gold leaf that covers it in its entirety.

And, a photo from the garden's kaleidoscope. The lens is pointed at a revolving dish of plants.

Keep finishing those UFO's!!

Race of the UFO's

Rats! I want to put new yarn on the needles, begin new projects, try out some of new patterns. But, I have a pile of UFO's that should have been finished long, long ago. I lost a bit of knitting time when I was in the hospital, but my brain is now nearly fully recovered and I am at full knitting strength!

Rats, again! I tried to take photos of my UFO's so you could vote on which to finish first, but my camera opened, then told me the battery was dead, and closed again! so, I don't have photos. But, I'll make a list. Oldest first. [Remember the March Race of the UFO's? There are some repeats on this list!!)

Item #1. I began this project four years ago, during a car trip across the United States from Wisconsin to Oregon and back. It is the Shaped Triangle lace shawl designed by Katie Nagorney and Ann Swanson in A Gathering of Lace.

Item #2. I don't know when I began this (cursed) Main Vest from Mission Falls Quinte Scrapbook. I quite forgot about it. Completely. Gone from the memory bank. Then, this summer, my husband brought out a red bookstore bag filled with "some knitting stuff". Puzzled, I opened it and voila, an almost finished vest!! (God, I hate it when my husband finds the hidden unfinished objects!!!) The two fronts were done and the back was done. Hmm, I thought, this will take only one evening to sew together and finish! Wrong. After sewing one of the front shoulders to the back, I discovered that I had two left fronts!! Then, I discovered that the neck shaping for the sewn-in left front was on the armhole side, not the middle side!! I frogged both fronts. Then, I frogged the armhole ribbing twice. Then, I frogged the entire neck and front ribbing twice. Now, I lost the buttons that I bought in Seattle last month. Now I know why the red bookstore bag was hidden--the project was in a multi-year timeout!!

Item #3. A Dale of Norway one color sweater that is almost, almost done. Started last December. This was supposed to be a fast, simple, comfortable sweater that would take a few weeks. But, I have lost the pattern. It's somewhere hiding. I know it is almost done--sewn together. I need to do the neck and front band. the pattern is #13 Lerk, from the Adult Fall 2003 No. 126 booklet. It is make out of Sisik, a great yarn that was discontinued. Sigh. I'll find the book or wing it soon.

Item #4. My husband's Dale of Norway sweater. Started January 2006. Enough said. (See my March 16, 2006 post!)

Item #4. Socks. After seeing so many of these socks on blogs I broke down and started the Potamous socks. Of course, now I can't find a link to the pattern or who wrote the pattern, but I love the socks. I'd wear them if I had only one foot. Seems that I started these in late spring, then summer came........

Item #5. Socks. Lucy Neatby's Mermaid socks. Started in Seattle in August 2006. Still unfinished.

Favorite Item #6. Baby Blanket. Started September 2006. Yippee!!! I know of three babies that are due to be born in the next few months. My daughter's choir director is expecting twins!!! She already has a two year old. A female faculty member in my husband's department is expecting a baby in October. So, I started a baby blanket out of some old Pingoin Mousse-a very soft acrylic. And, I've always wanted to knit the lace alphabet blanket from Debbie Bliss' "The Baby Knits Book" I started two weeks ago and already I am knitting on the lace edging!! I've been knitting up a storm. Do I want to make a second blanket so these are for the twins, or should I give it to my husband's colleague. There is LOT of knitting in this cuddly blanket....I don't really know the colleague well. I know the choir director much better, and she has nurtured my daughter in her singing for 11 years......

Knitter's Vow: I firmly resolve that I will finish all these UFO's before starting a new project, no matter how tempting the yarn, no matter how tempting the pattern!!!!

A life cut short

This is a photo of my cousin, Steve; he was a physician. As an adult, I kept track of him through my mom, who kept in touch with her sister, his mother. Last week my mother called to say that Steve had committed suicide.
Steve was a Lt. Col. in the Air Force and chief of medical operations for an air force base in the U.S. In 1996 he was stationed in Saudi Arabia when some people who opposed the U.S. politics and intervention bombed an Air Force barracks. Steve was thrown across his room in the barracks and injured with a chest wound. Despite his wounds (that needed surgery) he roused himself, helped evacuate others, walked to the medical compound and began to treat the injured. Others realized that he needed surgery himself and forced him to stop treating the injured. He was awarded the Purple Heart and the Air Force Airman's Medal.

Steve also rescued civilians from hiking, mountaineering and other accidents. he took care of the personnel and families at the various Air Force bases to which he was assigned.
His co-workers and superiors all praised his good humor, his excellent medical skills, his humor, his ability to defuse difficult situations with a smile, a one-liner or good humor, his willingness to go out of the way to help others without being asked. They unanimously volunteered that he was both an outstanding leader, a mentor and a hero to them. Air Force personnel around the globe mourn his loss.
As does his family. He comes from a close knit family. His parents are involved in their church and in their community. His mother, who finished high school, is on the Fire Commission Board, among others. His father, who worked on an assembly line and moved up to management, is on the town board, among others.
Why would such a talented, loving and well loved man kill himself? He who regularly and selflessly saved lives in war and in peace? Was it because of the depression he suffered since the 1996 attack on the barracks in Saudi Arabia? Was it because of the debilitating and severe headaches that run in our family?
We don't know.

I never talked politcs with Steve. We probably agreed more than we disagreed--he was committed to defending our country by saving lives in war. I oppose the wars and battles our country has recently fought.

Oh, if my knitting could ease the pain of his parents, his sisters and his friends. If only I could knit a magic, healing shawl that would take the place of his comforting hugs, jokes and smiles.

Many members of the Air Force attended the memorial service for Steve. Each of them was a loyal friend and said that Steve was their hero. Each of them wished Steve had shared his pain so that they could have helped. I was so very, very impressed with all of the service people I met at the memorial.

If you oppose the U.S. foreign policies, do not oppose the military service people. They are all human, and they all suffer while they perform their jobs. My cousin is a casualty of a terrorist bombing--10 years later.

Back to Basics

I know that many knitters have thought, "I must be losing my mind!" after making a really basic and stupid mistake on a work in progress, or when unable to decipher a complicated knitting instruction. I vow never to use that phrase again--after my experience last weekend. Stay with me.

I had a routine colonoscopy scheduled last Friday morning. I came home from the procedure tired, and took a nap. My husband tells me that I then complained of a splitting headache and I fell to the floor vomiting. He soon realized that I could not remember having the procedure, having two daughters, living in Barcelona, visiting Barcelona this summer, etc., etc. He called our clinic which recommended calling 911. I was in the local ER for 9 hours, undergoing many tests including a CAT scan to make sure I had not suffered a stroke. What was clear was that I could not remember anything about my life, my recent past or my distant past. I knew my husband, but that was all. I did not know why I was in the ER. I vacillated between sobbing, sleeping and total confusion.

I went from the ER to a hospital room where I spent 2 days, gradually recovering pieces of my memory. My memory was triggered by photo images. That is, while sleeping I would remember a photo I had taken this summer and when awakening, I would ask my husband about the photo. For example, I recalled a photo of my 30 year old daughter that I took this summer during our family reunion; she was on a pontoon boat. After I described this photo, my husband explained that this was during the family reunion.

While in the hospital, my husband brought my current sock project, shown in my previous post. Although I could not remember where I was in the pattern, and I could not muster sufficient brain power to figure it out, I clutched my knitting as a tenuous but tangible link to my identity and my past.

I now remember almost everything and can fill in the missing pieces with help from family and friends. I also have very poor short term memory. But, I am making progress.

Thus, the short row wash cloth. I needed a short and easy project to reconnect with knitting.

The flower is from my trip to Seattle at the end of August, which I am starting to remember.

The rainbow, also from Seattle, is hope for future.