Pride

Hi Knitters,
I have been doing some cleaning out lately. I know I have written that more than once or twice but it is an ongoing battle. Our house is not big and there are a lot of big people with big stuff living here. Thus the problem lives on. I just came across this oil pastel portrait my youngest daughter made in art class and I love it. I think I will get it framed eventually. I love her sense of color, anything goes. She is so proud of her artwork and that makes it fun to enjoy with her. She told me it is an abstract.
I found this picture I made in art class when I was not much older than my daughter. I don't remember much about making it but somehow it reminds me of my daughter's portrait. The colors overlap quite a bit and also with the black lines separating the segments of color. My mom saved this artwork of mine. I kind of like this one and I am glad she saved it. I guess you could say I am proud of it.
My mom also saved this painting I did probably in the late 70's. I think it is so perfect for that time. Everyone wore Izod shirts, the stripey kind with the white collar. I think the assignment was to make an object using the letters of the object. I don't think this was too creative on my part but it's kind of funny. I still like it. There may be a smidgen of pride in this one, possibly.
This piece of art is another one of mine that my mom saved. Note the ever-going rainbow theme. This piece has a story behind it. I was in third grade and I remember whipping this up very fast right at the end of class. There was no rhyme or reason behind it. I handed it in to the teacher and left the room. The next time I came back to her class she pulled me aside and told me she had selected my bird picture to be displayed at the state capitol building. I was the only one selected. She handed me a sheet that I later gave to my mom. There was an actual luncheon/event surrounding the art exhibit and we were invited to attend.

My mom picked me up from school before lunch that special day and we drove down to the capitol building. On the way down to the exhibit I confessed to my mom that I didn't even like the picture that was being shown. I told her that it wasn't very good and that I made it in a matter of minutes as an afterthought. I was only in third grade but I knew this picture wasn't my best work at all, not even close. My mom and I giggled about it in the car. We had no idea what to expect when we got there. It turned out to be a bigger deal than we had guessed.

We ate lunch in a room and then we were escorted to the exhibit where we had to stand by our artwork on display. My mom and I quietly laughed together when we saw my picture. It was a sweet and funny moment. I was the youngest of four kids in my family and in some respects I was kind of old for my age. I knew the tongue hanging out on the sun wasn't the best and I knew the proportion was all off with the bird. I know for certain that I didn't like the bird's feet hanging down. My mom laughed with me at that. The whole thing seemed so messy and uninspired. I didn't feel proud of my work that day. I remember talking about these points with my mom. She was the best, so supportive and funny, just the best. She made you feel good in any situation.
The best part was that Wisconsin Governor Patrick Lucey (1976) attended the exhibit and came around to each child's display to look at the artwork and to meet everyone individually. My mom really liked that and we shook his hand. She was a great follower of politics, sports and the news of all sorts so it was fun for her to meet the governor. She saved the letter that we were given at the exhibit. It's kind of a sweet note. I am so glad she saved this stuff. I will continue to save it simply because she did.

If only my artwork could have been better that day but actually it didn't matter one bit. I had so much fun with my mom and that's really what I remember most of all. She was so fun and funny and great to be around. I was proud of her that day and every day. I was proud that I got to be by her side. It's a good memory to have.

Anyway, all of this was spurred on by my cleaning and finding and then this magazine.
I grabbed this on the news stand today. I was leafing through when I saw a brief one-page story that I was asked to contribute to awhile back. I honestly had forgotten about it. See that story on the cover, "Mom and Me: Sharing a Passion for Knitting."
I was asked to think of something my mother taught me about knitting. My mom taught me everything but not knitting. I sent in this quote anyway:

"My mother wasn't a knitter, but she was a fantastic seamstress. Her work was always perfection, every last thread snipped and crease pressed. She passed on to me a deep sense of pride in my own handmade creations. Being proud of what you do or make will take you far in life."

I didn't know if this quote would get in the article because my mom didn't knit. But there it is and she was right.

My only wish is that the quote could be in the present tense.

Be proud of what you do, Knitters, I am.
best, susie

and the winner is...

...coffeechris!
Hi Knitters,
This is the winning comment:

coffeechris said...

A ginormous giveaway - how generous. Love your blog visit all the time. I hope this is my lucky number. Thanks so much, Susan

July 12, 2008

Yay! Congratulations!

Coffeechris, you need to email me by Friday to let me know your mailing address. My email is on the sidebar, just click. I hope to hear from you very soon and all of this fun swag will be coming your way. Enjoy your lucky day.

Now for the rest of you, my most sincere thanks for taking the time to enter and for the loving comments you gave me. I am sending all that love right back to you. You are the generous ones for sharing your time and stories with me. Thank you.
Back to my real blog life now, I just finished a second Anne scarf. This time I used Blue Sky Alpacas cotton in tulip, which is a crispy white. It is gorgeous and soft.
These scarves are already off to my mother-daughter friends who I love. The reason I wanted to make this pattern for them is that their mother/grandma loved Queen Anne's Lace, which is the lace pattern used in the scarf. She has passed away several years ago and they miss her terribly. I was thinking about all three of them as I worked, sending positive thoughts their way.

I love how you can intertwine meaning and energy into your knitting and crocheting projects. That's really the purpose of it all, right?

What a fun week, Knitters.
best, susie

Come and Get It (a humongous giveaway!)

Hi Knitters,
I am doing a major clean out of my studio. I have too much stuff and not enough space. So here it goes, I am having a major, humongous, giant giveaway for some lucky reader. My house is pet-free and smoke-free for anyone concerned.

To start things off I am giving up my Mousie, Mousie which is a Lucinda Guy design that I knitted in Yarntini's Vintage colorway, which is hard to get. It is adorable in every way. I love this mouse but I have too many knitted toys right now. She needs a new home.
Next up I am throwing in three fabulous books. Why would I part with these favorites? I have double copies of all three. The Collection II, Simple and Elegant is one of my all-time favorite cookbooks, I use it to death. This copy has never been used because I received two copies for Christmas and I only use the other one. The recipes are written by Madison residents and they are all good and easy. You'll love it.

The Book of Yarn is another fantastic book by Clara Parkes. I had already bought a copy and then I met Clara at TNNA and she signed a book for me so of course I had to take it. This copy was gently read by me at home and I only dog-eared one page (I just checked). I love to dog-ear and I know I shouldn't do it. This book is a treasure-filled exploration of yarn and has 40 wonderful patterns to boot.

Easy Knits for Little Kids by Catherine Tough, who is a designer for Rowan, is a great little book with kid-friendly patterns. See those tiger booties on the cover? Those are folded square style booties like the page 81 booties (free pattern on my sidebar) in Itty-Bitty Hats. There are super cute patterns throughout the book. I have no idea why or how I got two copies of this one.
Okay, I am throwing in tons of yarn for the lucky winner. This bunch includes Knit Picks Memories in, right to left, Redwood Forest, Smores and Hawaii, two skeins of each and it is sock yarn. The sock yarn on the far left is called Simple Stripes by Knit Picks, two balls. All beautiful, all in pristine condition just waiting to be knit by you, hopefully.
I am including two Amy Butler pattern cards for sewing. Going down the right side is a sheep tape measure from Simply Knitting, a tin of hot cinnamon tea (never been opened) and some knitter's hand balm from the Potter Craft booth at TNNA (never been opened).
Here is a bit more yarn for you. Knit Picks sock yarn called Parade, and Knit Picks Simple Stripes, two skeins of each of those. The center yarn is Cherry Tree Hill sock yarn and it looks like berries. All never been used and in perfect condition.
Shi Bui yarn is really making a splash lately. I got this free ball of Shi Bui Sock at TNNA. It is a full ball and it is a glorious rainbow...and I'm throwing it in.
Here is something really great I want to give to you. I am sending off 16 balls of Classic Elite's Zelda in the banana colorway, which is muted and luscious. It is a soft, thick and thin yarn of 70% wool/30% linen, 75 yards per ball. It is knitted at 3 1/2 - 4 1/2 stitches per inch on US 7-9 needles. It is a sweater's worth of yarn for sure and it is in perfect condition.
I am including this Classic Elite pattern booklet for Zelda that contains patterns for all four of the sweaters on the cover. They are all classic styles and quite lovely. I was going to knit the bottom right hand sweater. It has a beautiful cable running up the front and an A-line shape. I just never have gotten around to it.
Last but not least, I am sending off this brand-new Jordana Paige messenger bag. It has never been used, not once. I bought it one to two years ago and it just isn't right for me. It is a great bag with tons of pockets inside designed for knitters, zipper enclosures and pattern a slot and much more. It holds a ton of stuff, it's like it expands as you fill it.
All of Jordana's bags are a treat with great attention to detail.
I am stuffing it full and sending it off to one lucky winner. If you don't want something I have included just pass it along to someone else or donate it to a local charity. I was going to donate a bunch of this stuff but then I thought I would share the love with you first, dear Knitters.

Okay, so here are the rules:
1. Make a comment to this post. I prefer comments instead of emails please, that got a little too crazy to keep track of last time. You can just say hi but be sure to leave your name or your blogger name or something identifying. Please don't leave anonymous comments and please don't comment more than once (I know sometimes that is an accident).

2. Due to the size and weight of the giveaway the shipping costs are going to be quite high. Therefore I am limiting the entries to mailing addresses in the United States and Canada. Sorry worldwide friends but I need groceries around here:)

3. Leave your comment by Tuesday, July 15th, 12:00am, midnight, to be eligible to win.

4. I will select a winner using a random number generator and will post the winning comment on Wednesday, July 16th. The winner will then need to contact me by the end of the week (Friday, July 18th) to send me their mailing address. If the winner hasn't contacted me by Friday, I will select a new winner.

I think that should do it.

Good luck, Knitters. I am so excited to see who wins this one.

If you don't win I have more and very different stuff to giveaway soon.
best, susie

By George...

...I think she's got it.
Hi Knitters,
That's right, I finished up the Anne scarf this morning. After muddling through a few false starts I was determined to figure this thing out for good. I have a real newsflash when I tell you that the pattern was right and I just needed to trust and follow blindly. It worked like a charm. Thank you for a beautiful pattern and chart, MK Carroll.
I used Blue Sky Alpaca dyed cotton in a pumpkin color and I think a size G crochet hook. The pattern and my inspiration are both found here. For more inspiring pictures look here. Phew, those are pretty in her own handspun and hand dyed yarns. I wish I had some of that.
Mine's pretty, too, but in a different way.
My version of Anne is a gift for a sweet friend of mine. I can't wait to give it to her. I am definitely making more of these.

Okay, the business of the giveaway I promised in the last post is this. I have so much stuff to give away that I am debating on how I should do it. Should I do some separate smaller giveaways or one big blow-out giveaway? I am leaning toward the one large giveaway. I just have to photograph the stuff and I hope to do that tomorrow and get that up for the weekend.

In the meantime I couldn't wait to share my scarf. I feel accomplished today with my crochet even though this was incredibly simple. Anyone could crochet this pattern. You should give it a try.

best, susie

Back to Yarn

Hi Knitters,
I want to share with you a piece from the past. Do any of you own Rowan Children? It came out in 1989 and I am pretty sure it went out of print shortly after. This was another one of those dream-inspiring books. There are only twelve designs but really it had potential for many more. The booklet provided basic shapes but then any variety of patterns or colorwork could be placed into the sweaters. A skirt and hat pattern are included but it is mainly sweater patterns.
I love all of the sweaters included, Annabel Fox did an extraordinary job. Early on I was incredibly drawn to color-work. I was mesmerized by intarsia and fair-isle. You can see my love because the pages are tattered and torn and the book creases are covered with pieces of scotch tape. Due to the lack of material available at that time I nearly wore out everything I owned. That was fun, now I have too much to look at. I miss that kind of focus and cherishing.

I knitted 2 sweaters from the book, one for my niece and one for my son. I will try to find a picture of the sweater I knitted for my son. There is a great dragon design by Annabel where the tail of the dragon weaves around the body of the sweater. I initially was going to make the dragon but instead I knitted a plain sweater and duplicate stitched little people holding hands all around the tummy. It was really cute. I know I have a picture of him wearing that one.
This is the sweater I knitted for my niece. It is called Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary. Great name, I love it.
Here is my version. She is working hard to hold the sweater up with her chin, little sweetheart. It is crazy to believe that she is 20 years-old now. I asked my sister if she still had the sweater but she is not sure what happened to Mary, Mary. I knitted it in Tahki Cotton Classic. I bought the yarn and the booklet at a local yarn shop called Yarn It All on University Ave. It closed long ago. I liked that store because they carried Rowan (which makes me wonder why the Cotton Classic). Yarn It All was like a treasure trove.

I love all of this knitting stuff from the past. It is good to remember and think about your past knitting. I enjoy hearing about your past knitting, too.
Okay, go ahead and laugh.
Granny update: 84
Last update: 81
You know I think it's funny to share my pathetic square progress. It's so lame.
This scarf is not lame. I have started it about 5 times now. It is simple but I can't get the motifs connected correctly. I seriously can't figure out my problem. Ugh. I wanted to be like her but it may not happen for me. It is a beautifully written pattern, believe me it's just me. Lame.
One more thing, I have another hat pattern that I will make available on the blog very soon. I just have to wrangle my son to sit down for a bit to help me and that is no easy task. This is one of my favorite boy hats ever. It was inspired by a trip to Boston where everything I saw seemed to have a little red wagon on it. Thus it is named, Little Red Wagon. I know, clever.

I originally made this design for Itty-Bitty Hats and it didn't get in the book. There were probably over 20 hats that didn't get in the book for one reason or another.
I dream of writing another Itty-Bitty Hats someday. I should probably save these patterns with that in mind but then they are just sitting around unused. I'd rather share some of them now.

I have a couple of fun links for you: here and here. Love them both.

Hey, by the way, I am having a giveaway for the next post. Be sure to check back to see if you are interested in entering.

Good Wednesday, Knitters. It is a beautiful one.
best, susie
p.s. I forgot something important. The Itty-Bitty Nursery Trunk Show is off to a new location:
Woolplay

Nadine

22 N. Haddon Ave

Haddonfield, NJ 08033

nadine@woolplay.com

856.428.0110

Arrive: July 10

Depart: July 22

Be sure to check it out if you are in the area:)

Twelve

Hi Knitters,
My daughter turned twelve this weekend. When she was born I already had two sons. I had my mind set that this baby would be another boy. I don't know why, it was just a feeling. I love having boys but I always wanted to have a daughter in the worst way. I love little girls.
She was born at around 8pm and we were simply shocked to have a girl. I was so excited about her, beyond words. When I called my mom (who was taking care of my sons) to tell her we had a girl I cried, hard. I could barely get the words out. I couldn't even sleep or close my eyes that night due to sheer happiness. I didn't want to take my eyes off her for a second. I will never forget that feeling, it was pure joy.

I still can't believe my good fortune.

Have a good Monday, Knitters.
best, susie

The Fairy Life

Hi Knitters,
Behind a large bleeding heart bush in our backyard are two brand-new fairy houses.
My fairy-loving daughter and I constructed an archway out of an old basket handle. We wound pieces from her collection of natural wonders around the arch. I wound some green cotton around the archway to hold the stems in place. This will be placed at the entry way to one of the fairy homes.
This house was made out of an old birdhouse I had sitting in my studio. We covered it with pieces of birch bark and leaves. The roof is covered with flowers and some hay-like stuff I had in my studio. Where I got that I'll never know.
The house is sitting upon a terracotta pot covered with leaves. While all of this was drying my daughter built another fairy house using other finds from her collection. We used glue and a staple gun to apply the pieces to the house.
This house is made from sticks tied together up top to form a tent-like structure. Included here are seashells, pine cones, rocks and feathers. Some sand from the sandbox forms the path to the door. There is a seashell bed with a cut piece of white fleece for the fairy pillow and blanket.
After the birdhouse dried it was placed on the other side of the bleeding heart.
Now we'll just have to wait and see....
...if any fairies claim these for their homes, fingers crossed.

I wish I was 9.
best, susie