Now Norma Knits

And A Great Time Was Had By All. Especially Me.

 Me, Rachel, Joan

Oh, what a fun outing we had yesterday!  By we, I mean Rachel, her friend Lois, her daughter-in-law Heather, and Joan.  I did remember my camera -- a rare event these days -- and I even used it, but the resulting photos are so poor (because of my poor photography skills) that I fear Rachel and Joan would never forgive me if I posted them, so I borrowed photos from Joan's photo album.  Thanks, Joan!

Heather only became Rachel's daughter-in-law yesterday afternoon AFTER our brunch at the wonderful Chef's Corner, and shopping.  Well, at least that was the story they told. Honestly, I have never seen a more calm bride-to-be and mother-in-law-to-be, just mere hours before the big event, out brunching wit' a bunch o' strangers and shopping for yarn.  Then the cute bride said, "Oops, I forgot I have to go get my nails done. I'd better go."  Could you just die? 

I think it was all a very elaborate plan to pretend her son was getting married, and a very long commute for Rachel to come here from California, so she could hang out with me for the afternoon. Well, lucky for us it all worked out:  We had lots of laughs, shared stories, had wicked fun and became fast friends. 

On our outing, we saw the most A-D-O-R-A-B-L-E non-traditional baby sweater, a sample at Kaleidoscope -- a hoodie made from gray Eco-Wool, with pewterish (I'm not sure if they were real pewter or pewter-like) skull buttons.  Cute, cute, cute.  Stop knitting pink and blue for that next baby!  Knit gray!  With skull buttons!  Do it! Yours will be the most cherished gift at the baby shower -- seriously.  It was really fab, and I wish I'd gotten a photo. There was also a sample sweater from Knit Jo Sharp Issue 2 that I want to make.  If anyone has that issue and wants to sell it, please get in touch. 

As for the shopping, I think I'm the only one who bought much of anything.  I bet that is a big surprise.  I do believe I am incorrigible. BUT it's special.  Really.  Wait 'til you hear and see, and you'll agree, I am sure.  That's an easy call, since I know you are all as willing enablers as Joan was.  A girl doesn't stand a chance around here. 

You remember Plain Vanilla, right?  It was the first sweater I made for myself way back in the day, made of that most wonderful Rambouillet wool.  The sweater is no longer vanilla, but more like merlot, and it is still wearing like iron.  Sadly, because I damaged the front of it with all my attempts at removing a stain before I gave in and dyed the whole thing red, it doesn't look perfect anymore. (The dye didn't take as well in the place where I had tried in vain to remove the stain.  And the rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain. Oops, sorry.) 

Also, I really prefer a more shapely sweater nowadays, so I only wear it at home.  But I still love that thing -- it's comfy like a sweatshirt, and even though it's been through hell and back, it is still soft and cozy and unpilled and unfelted even after all the abuse.  A true champ of a sweater, all owing to that amazing fiber, Rambouillet wool. 

May I introduce to you the makings of Plain Chocolate?

Earlier this week I saw these wonderful beach stone buttons on Anne's blog.  She took care of me, hooked me up with the Etsy seller, and I got some of my own.  Yesterday I brought those buttons along with me.  Lo and behold, while we visited Northeast Fiber Arts, Joan and I found the perfect yarn to go with them -- some heavy-worsted-weight Vermont Rambouillet wool in natural (undyed) dark brown.  I now try to reject any yarn that will not make a garment that wears like iron, and I also want these buttons to take center stage. We feel they will really "pop" on this color.

The yarn is luscious and soft and local and natural, and well...  I have in mind a cartridge-rib-stitch jacket sort of thing for this, or perhaps just a plain stockinette jacket with dressmaker shaping in the front and seedstitch or hemmed edgings, accented with those very special beach stone buttons.  Something like that. Something shapely and jackety and in a gauge of 4-4.5 st/in.  If you know of anything that fits that description, please send 'er my way. 

I think I'm going to have to come up with a different name than Plain Chocolate, though.  It doesn't have the quite same ring to it as Plain Vanilla.  Perhaps Hot Fudge?  Chocolat?  Ganache With Panache?

So I've added this yarn to my stash in Ravelry, and in my never-ending quest to tweak and stir my stash, perfecting it and honing it down to things I believe I will actually knit and use, I have put a couple more things up for sale in there.  Red Rowanspun Aran, anyone? [sold]  Also, watch for an upcoming spinning fiber and spindle sale, and possibly some sock yarn.  I'm cleaning up.  Getting rid of all my spinning fiber.  Keep your eyes pealed.  Or peeled.  Whatever suits you. 

Why I Should Always Be Reminded to Check My Stash

After the discussion of Margene's sweater yesterday and all the wondering about what yarn would I use, I woke up in the middle of the night and remembered that I have this:

Duh.

I opened the bin that contains the cottons and silks. This led me to document a few more of my yarny possessions in Ravelry.  I've put some things for sale in there.  Go in and poke around (my Ravelry name is normaknits), and if there's anything you're interested in, please let me know. (Just under the tab "will sell or trade," please.  Right now nothing else is for sale.)

I must never buy yarn again.  Srsly. 

P.S.  Margene tells me I should hand in my membership card in the Ravelry Slackers group, since I'm, uh, actually doing stuff in there.  But geez, I am one of the founding members...... :)

309. Well, That's Interesting

Well, this is turning out to be quite the week.  As I'm writing this, it's way before the voting polls close and way before I've started to watch any election returns. No doubt this morning the election results are all that are on people's minds, me included. And no matter how the election has turned out this morning, my title, I realize, fits.  This election and its results, regardless of its outcome, will have been interesting. 

But I'm blogging about something else:  Yarn.  Imagine that, in a knitting blog.  (Yes, imagine that, too:  This is -- for now, anyway -- returning to being a knitting blog.  You never know what you're going to get around here.)

So yarn.  And more archeology. 

Yesterday I went home a bit early, sailed through the voting (no lines!) and came home to rather unsuccessfully try to get rid of a headache.  I did get something done, though, and that is I did some more organizing and photographing of yarns, and posting them in my stash folder in Ravelry.  It's not a surprise to me that I have too much yarn.  For quite a while, I've been systematically doing both some destashing and NONstashing, if you know what I mean.  If you don't know what I mean, what I mean is refraining from buying (much) at festivals and shops and online. 

Also for quite a while, I was starting to wonder if I was ever really going to knit again.  I have picked up the needles again, and I'm excited about it.  But the yarn!  The yarn!  Too much. 

I found this nice yarn in my stash:

...Black Water Abbey Irish worsted in Chestnut, which is ridiculously similar in color to the Sheplova Mushroom Peace Fleece I just used in my cardigan. I thought of selling it, but instead I have decided I will make it my challenge to find a sweater pattern that is so dissimilar to my Peace Fleece one that even having two chestnut brown cardigans will NOT seem excessive or stupid.  I originally bought the yarn for making Brier from Rowan 36, just exactly like Margene's. 

I'd rather my BWA yarn was a different color -- say Ocean or Bracken or Haw, since I have the fresh-off-the-needles Sheplova Mushroom PF cardi.  However, I do think it's different enough to my Peace Fleece Central Park to allow me to stay on track. So it shall remain in the stash. 

I talked myself right into that, didn't I? 

Unless, of course, any of you has six skeins of Ocean or Bracken or Haw and want to make an even trade for six skeins of Chestnut..... Then I'm totally open to a trade.

And in browsing Ravelry last night, I totally know what my Rowan Magpie Oatmeal yarn is going to become, as soon as the pattern comes out.  This. Could this become the new Plain Vanilla?

238. U is for Utah Economic Stimulus Package

Yes, well.  U is really for Utah, but I've gone on and on about it as if I'll never get over it, and really I won't, I loved it so much. I mentioned to a couple people that I could very easily move there.  One of them would be losing her main CART provider if I moved.  She yelped, "NO, YOU CAN'T!"

Nice to be wanted. 

I hope you will forgive me about the Utah lovefest lately. But the package of things Margene mailed to me (because I could not fit them in my suitcase, which was just a carry-on) arrived.  I'm calling it the rest of my Utah Economic Stimulus Package. 

Elsebeth Lavold Book No. 8, enough Silky Wool to do the cover sweater (I hope!) and a couple of Addi-Turbo needles.  Silly me, I thought I'd get to start the sweater while in Utah, but I spent my knitting time on the lovely Chinese red wrap.  There is also an Addi lace needle in the mix, the one I'm using to knit the Everyday Wrap, and boy is that a lifesaver.

Hm.  I just noticed how well the sweater will go with the new bag....

Better get knittin'! I wonder when exactly I will have time. 

You will be glad to know I did not buy this "Norma is Playing Julia Roberts Playing Tess Playing Julia Roberts in Ocean's Eleven" hat, though all my crazy compatriots totally thought I should. For once I did not cave in to peer pressure.  I really did sort of like the way it looked, it would really be nice to have a hat that would protect my delicate aging skin and eyes, and it would be totally da bomb for my next time I go to the Royal Ascot, but since that will likely be, uh, never....I saved the dough and left the hat for someone else.  Besides, I had just bought the dinosaur bone necklace, and that was quite enough for one day.  Well, that and the black skirt.  Enough.  See?  I know when to stop.  I do. 

I also totally know how to have fun.

213. (Yet Another) Noro Striped Scarf

Oh, how I love this photo that Claudia took in Boston.  Sandy was knitting on her Aran mittens behind me, and I was knitting on the latest Noro Silk Garden scarf while we listened to, more than watched, (because we were so far back) As You Like It in Boston Common.  The actors were so good, particularly the women, that the listening-only experience was perfectly adequate and enjoyable.  It was a wonderful performance, and this comes from a somewhat experienced, somewhat (wherein "somewhat" means "thoroughly") snobbish theater-goer. And it was free, under a beautiful sky, and with beautiful friends to boot.

Now I'm finished.  It's my new favorite (as each one is). It's Colorways 249 and 268. 

This one goes great with blue jeans and brown leather.  My theory is that 99% of the time (someone documented a bad almost-solid-purple experience once) you can just grab two colorways of Silk Garden and knit. Every combination is pleasing.  My next one is going to be neutral vanillas, grays, and beiges, and I planned to get started on that right away.

Now, though, I am making a knitting detour.  After a most thoroughly enjoyable lunch in Middlebury with Jessie yesterday (Wonderful conversation!  Mojito! Thai chicken salad to die for! Blueberry-almond tart with Ben & Jerry's ice cream!  All on the deck near the creek at this sweet place), I scored some of her luscious Merino/Bamboo/Nylon yarn. 

I love what that woman does with color.  We Vermonters are lucky to have her, and Judy of Ball and Skein, both of whom have The Gift.  I'm also thrilled to learn that Kaleidoscope is now carrying Jessie's yarn.  I'm very pleased to see some more Vermont yarn in their shop.  I was picking Jessie's brain about something super-soft that I can knit for my new graduate student, who has moved here from Florida.  Her mom and her grandmom, she tells me, think she's certifiable for even considering coming here for her Master's.  She was already wearing sweaters this summer when I was wondering what other layer I could take off and still remain decent. I expect that young woman to be in full winter attire by the end of August, and she needs to do some serious shopping. I've already given her this sage advice. (heh)

Also:  A) She needs some wool socks, but I'm not so much the sock knitter, and B) She needs a scarf.  Well, that I can do.  The other thing, of course, is she's from Florida.  I am not sure how she feels about wool, and especially mohair, against her skin, or else I would very quickly give her the newly finished Silk Garden scarf.  While I think it's soft and I love it, I suspect that a person from Florida might think it's too itchy.  I put some of Jessie's Merino/Bamboo mix next to my neck, and that is definitely the ticket!  Soft, smooth, luscious.  I think I might even make a foray into some lace edging for this.  Mmmmmm.

You're not gonna believe it, but after an impromptu phone call last night, the butterfly is off to Montreal to see another flower for lunch today.  Definitely a butterfly who lunches.

6.1 It's 4 O'Clock Eastern, and You Know What That Means

The stash sale is up, or will be in a few seconds.  Let the feeding frenzy begin.  It's very spinner-heavy this time -- I apologize to the knitters.  But it's all good stuff. 

I'm going to let the chaos ensue without me while I go and cook some coq au vin. I had a yen, and the internet and Julia Child came through for me.  Of course.  (It wasn't a Julia recipe, it turns out.  I'm guilty of skimming.  But it is SO GOOOOOOOOOD.)

2.1 Stash Sale is No More

Every single solitary thing has sold.  There will be more....oh, yes...there WILL be more.  Stay tuned. 

Stash Sale Tomorrow!

I've pulled together a few things to sell.  They'll be up at noon tomorrow, New Year's Day, Eastern time. 

Paypal is preferred, but if you don't use Paypal, I'll take a check.  There is something there for knitters and spinners, and there will be much more to come. 

Pick Up Some Things, Drop Some Others

Well, dang!  We got some kickass, in-great-shape, or wannabe-in-great-shape knitters in da house!  How fun was that yesterday?  100 comments before noon Eastern Time, and growing from there.  Pretty cool.

So, yeah.  Changes.  Growth, hopefully.

I've embraced through practice the more regular blogging (although I've never been terribly irregular about it, I guess) and I've re-embraced through practice the more regular exercise.  Even the more regular knitting.  These are positive changes that are making me happy.

In recent introspection, I've realized something:  I'm not really a spinner.  As you may recall, I sold my spinning wheel a while back and had given some thought to buying a different one. Since that time, I've come to the conclusion that it's not for me. I enjoyed it for a while, and I think I could become good at it if I really wanted to, but, at least right now, I don't really want to. There is never enough time, and with so many interests, I can't focus.  I can't -- and don't want to -- do everything. 

I feel weighed down by my possessions and the clutter.  I need to clean out and lighten up. So it's time for some things to go.  I'm going to give some away and I'm going to sell some others, starting very soon (perhaps this weekend, although I'll be taking a quick road trip to Albany and back on Saturday, so maybe not). 

I'll be unloading some stuff in dribs and drabs as the mood moves me and as time allows.  I'd like to give my blog readers first dibs on especially the fiber-related stuff, so I'll be posting it here.  I'd like to give everybody a fair shot at the stuff, and I'd like to keep the stress down for myself, so I think I'll do most of the selling and giving away on the weekends, with a post later in the day than the just-after-midnight posts that are the norm for me.  I'll give some advance notice as to when a stash sale or giveaway post is going to appear. (perhaps in a Friday post for a Saturday sale, for example), and it will most often be first come, first served.  I'd prefer Paypal payments, rather than waiting for a check, but if you don't use Paypal, I understand.  And for the stuff I give away on the blog, the recipient will pay the postage. 

Stay tuned for more details.  I have to pull some things together and get them photographed.  I wish some faeries would come take care of it while I sleep, but alas, I have to do it myself.  Meantime, you have until midnight tonight, Eastern Time, to comment on yesterday's post to be entered in the drawing.

Abigail made a snow.....penguin?... last night.  Isn't he cute?  I did not appreciate driving home from the vet's office (more on this in a few days) in the snowstorm, but it did give the perfect wet, heavy, sticky snowman-making snow.  If' she'd really wanted to please the blog, she would've put a handknit scarf, mittens & hat on him.  I'm sure she could have found one or two of each of those somewhere around here.  Sheesh.

I know you're wondering why I didn't dress him in that knitted finery.  It's my Prime Directive to not interfere with native life forms.  That's my story and I'm sticking to it.  Or it could be that I didn't think of it until I was writing this. 

My camera took a damn good photo of him in the dark, though, with no flash and no tripod.   

French Fry Spam Casserole and More Rhinebeck Musings

I love gmail.  Where else would I get all those delicious and healthful Spam recipe links?  Somebody must eat that stuff or they wouldn't still make it.  Who?  Who!  Come out of the closet, you Spam-eating freaks!  I bet Ann Coulter eats it, which would explain a lot. 

I'm supposing you'd like to know what I bought in Rhinebeck. In truth, I did not support the festival economy as much as in past years.  Except for the food vendors, that is.  And I did support the infrastructure and the greater local economy a good bit. 

The sweet and hilarious woman who tended one of the bathrooms got lots of my dollar bills.  You just gotta love her.  Now, there is a woman who knows how to have attitude.  She alone was worth the price of admission to the fairgrounds -- am I right?  I wanted to take her photo  (she was beautiful, too), but didn't want to exploit her in that way.  There goes my naivete again:  She's probably an actor/model/comedian with an agent and performance schedule.  I bet she'd have posed for a photo in a heartbeat, and she probably has her OWN blog. 

But wasn't she fabulous?  I know a lot of you know what I mean.  "If you can't see feet, go ahead and take a seat!"  "If you tinkle on the seatie, wipe it off like a sweetie!"  "The lady in blue is keeping it clean for you!"  I wish I could remember more of her -isms.  She never stopped, all.day.long.  She was a hard-working comic and deserved the money she was raking in.  And there is nothing better than clean bathrooms to make a festival enjoyable. 

I also gave the Metro-North Railroad money for train tickets for Abigail and Ryan to join a group of us for dinner, and of course I paid for the starving artists' dinners.  Someone must have photos of Abigail and Ryan.  How I managed to not have some is beyond me.  (see "cocktails" below)

Yay for Sandy!  She sent these commemorating the event of Carole, an honest-to-goodness As The World Turns fan, meeting the new soap star, Ryan. 

I had more cocktails this weekend than I've had in a long time.  A cute story:  The waiter on Saturday apologized for taking so long to bring my Margarita.  He had to go to the liquor store to buy some more tequila.  I swear I did not drink the whole bottle the night before!  We were a little disappointed that the Eveready did not serve their wine and their cocktails in Ball canning jars for the kitsch factor, but man, did I need those Margaritas.   

So, about the shopping:  Aside from some gifts, this is all I bought:

1. A skein of Brooks Farm Acero with a simple lace scarf pattern that came with it.  Brooks Farm is worth buying because it can't be easily found elsewhere.  That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

2.  2 skeins of Foxfire cormo-silk blend.  This is truly exquisite, and it was almost gone.  Sandy and I each bought two skeins.  We have both attempted and failed, due to technical difficulties with our respective yarn choices, to make those wonderful Aran Island Mittens from Folk Mittens, like Pat made so beautifully here.  I think this might be THE yarn to give us success. 

3.  A Lisa Lloyd scarf and hat pattern that I thought was nice, and it was made in the above-mentioned Foxfire cormo-silk blend, so if the mittens don't work out, there is always the scarf to make.  As if I needed an excuse.