Eastburn Adventures

Happy New Year!

Although I've been knitting for almost 3 years now, I feel like is 2007 when I really became a Knitter.

To recap, here's a summary of the projects I accomplished:

8 pair of Fetching
5 hats
5 scarves
4 pairs of socks
3 dishcloths
2 baby sweaters
1 pair of baby booties
1 towel
1 felted bag

I accomplished most of my 2007 knitting resolutions - 7 out of 10 (although I changed a few of the specifics) - and I don't think I'll be confined to a list as much this year, as Ravelry is keeping me on track. My 2008 goals include:

1. Finishing the Lizard Ridge blanket
2. Knit at least 1 sweater for me
3. Mittens, mittens, and more mittens
4. To reduce my sock yarn stash (and prepare for its inevitable enhancement at The Loopy Ewe's Spring Fling) by knitting a pair of socks each month.

On the non-knitting front, 2007 was also special for me as I got to cross 3 more states off of my list (I've always wanted to visit all 50 states), with my work trip to Boston that allowed me to take a couple of day trips and go up into New Hampshire and Maine. This year we're planning to cross the rest of the northeastern states off of our list when we go to - are you ready for this? - Rhinebeck! But before that happens, another work trip may afford me the chance to go to Michigan as well. 2008 is looking to be a great year in travel, too.

Here's wishing each of you many blessings in this coming year!

Yes! Robert's Earl Grey Socks are finished - and he loves them! I actually finished these late Friday night, and although I missed my Christmas deadline, Robert said they're worth the wait. He wore them all day yesterday, and his reaction was so enthusiastic that I might knit him another pair (although not any time soon). I modified the pattern to just do the same faux cable on the leg as on the foot, and used Knit Picks Essential in Ash. I did like the color and feel of this yarn, but it is a little pilly. Time to knit - just over 2 weeks.

Next up - knitting for me! Zarah, Kate, and I all started Clapotis at Knit Together last Thursday. I'm using Classic Elite Fame and it feels wonderful! I'm almost finished with the increase section and ready to start the straight section. I can't wait to drop all those stitches deliberately!

(BTW, Kate and I've been working with some technical issues on the blog, and I had several posts where I didn't receive comments that we knew were left - I just didn't want anyone to think I was ignoring them!)

"Grey skies are gonna clear up - put on a happy face!"

Tornados in January? You gotta love living in Missouri.

Fortunately, they've been going (all) around us, but it's gonna be a long night.

The news is out! Kate and I have been plotting and planning for a few months now to start our own podcast, and it's finally happened! Check it out at our new website, Knit Together! It'll soon be available for subscription through iTunes (free, of course), and if you're on Ravelry, join our Knit Together Group.

We can't wait to hear what you think, and if you have any suggestions for topics, leave a comment or e-mail us at info@knittogether.org.

Okay, so technically it's not a bet, but tonight at Knit Together, Zarah said that if I finished my Clapotis this month, that she would not only seam together my Lizard Ridge blanket, but she would also knit the edging around it! She doesn't seem to think that I'll finish in time, but I'm up for the challenge! See, normally Zarah's needles are on fire, so when we started the Clapotis KAL for January, both Kate and I expected that she would breeze through it. But unexpectedly, I am further along than both of them! Although it's quite possible Brianne is way beyond me, but until I read it on her blog today, I didn't realize she was making the Clap as well.

So let's see, I have to finish the Clap, knit my January socks, knit a baby sweater for a shower gift on the 20th, and finish 5 1/2 Lizard Ridge squares. Totally doable, right? (Okay, the socks may not happen.) Oh, and I was seriously wanting to make some mittens for me this month. Hmmm.

Anyway, the sad news is that Robert had another uncle pass away this week and the funeral is Saturday (the second in as many weeks). So tomorrow we'll be making the 5-hour drive to Chatham, IL for the services and come back Saturday night. I'm sorry about the circumstances, but I'll definitely take advantage of 10 hours in the car for extra knitting time. Better throw an extra ball of Noro in my bag!

I think I've discovered the source of knitting mojo. Flannel pants. Seriously. Have you ever noticed that the days you don't bother to really clean up when you get out of bed are your most productive?

My favorite flannel pants are like 3 sizes too big for me, but oh, so cozy. I bought them when I had knee surgery a couple of years ago, and had to get them too big so they'd go over my bandage. Of course, that also made them too long so I tripped on them, and the edges got really ragged, so I cut them off. Ah, that's better. Cropped flannel pants. Perfect.

(Note: this post is a decoy to distract Zarah from scheming and plotting to capture and destroy my knitting mojo on the Clapotis. While working on it at Knit Together Thursday night, I finished one repeat, and then finished three last night. I thought that brought me to a total of 10 repeats done, but oops, I miscounted. I had 11 repeats finished. Or maybe the knitting mojo is really helping me out.

Carol, the owner, asked how long it took me to finish a repeat and I said I thought about 90 minutes. She and a few others looked strangely at me and she asked "how many rows?" "Twelve," I answered, and added, somewhat defensively for my apparent slowness in knitting, "but there are 107 stitches on each row." This garnered more attention - "You can knit 12 rows of 107 stitches in 90 minutes? That's crazy!" At this point I'm yammering a little apologetically for my slowness until I realized they thought I was fast. Seriously? I've never considered myself a fast knitter, but I guess in comparison to some of the other knitters there, I was on the speedy side. I finished my two repeats last night - the last one being completed in a mere 57 minutes - and finished a third repeat at home before I went to bed. I've been working on it today, and I'm pleased to report the straight section is finished - all 15 sections. Yup. I did two extra! Don't tell Zarah.)

So, what do you think of my flannel pants theory? I can't wait for my next Flannel Pants Day.

I can't believe it. The final Lizard Ridge square has been knit. Number 30. These little squares have been a part of my life for a year now, and I'm going to miss them. They were my "go to" project when I didn't know what to knit. I always needed a few more. And now - I don't. I have all I need. Usually when one has all they need, it's a sign on contentment. And I suppose I am content - I know I'm extremely happy that this project is almost completed. And I learned a lot from knitting these squares - perseverance, patience - and knitting techniques - short-rows, picking up wraps, knitting in the dark. . . and during the time I knit them, I also became fairly adept at knitting socks, cables, and felting. Thank you Lizard Ridge. I loved each of your squares individually, and I will love you all together in a beautiful blanket. Knowing you has made me a better knitter.

Now I just have to finish my Clapotis so Zarah can get to work on the seaming for me!

. . . to me!

Zarah did this last year and I thought it was cool - Google the date to see what happened in history, and who you share your birthday with.

Here are some of the highlights:

1327 - Edward III becomes King of England.

1858 - The Wedding March by Felix Mendelssohn becomes a popular wedding recessional after it is played on this day at the marriage of Queen Victoria's daughter, Victoria, and Friedrich of Prussia.

1915 - Alexander Graham Bell inaugurates U.S. transcontinental telephone service.

1919 - The League of Nations is founded.

1937 - The Guiding Light airs on radio for the first time. Also went to television making this show the longest running broadcast program in United States radio and television history.

1947 - Al Capone dies of a Brain Hemorrhage, aged 48.

1949 - At the Hollywood Athletic Club the first Emmy Awards are presented.

Birthdays

1741 - Benedict Arnold, American general notorious for treason (d. 1801)
1759 - Robert Burns, Scottish poet (d. 1796)
1874 - W. Somerset Maugham, English writer (d. 1965)
1882 - Virginia Woolf, English writer (d. 1941)
1931 - Dean Jones, American actor
1958 - Dinah Manoff, American actress
1981 - Alicia Keys, American singer

And, Robert called in my name to a local radio station, KGBX, and I won the birthday drawing. It's gonna be a good day!

(Clap, clap, clap. . . ) CLAPOTIS! Yes, the Clapotis is finished, finito, stick a fork in it - it's done. Hooray! I actually finished the knitting on it Wednesday evening, and then wove in the ends on Thursday morning. To recap, I used Classic Elite Fame and did an extra 7 repeats of the straight section in the middle. Since I finished before January 31, Zarah honorably picked up the bag of Lizard Ridge squares Thursday night and immediately got to work on seaming. That girl is fast! I had to wait to post, though, so that Kate could take photos - with me in it.

I had another photo taken yesterday morning - for my driver's license renewal. I'm very happy to get a new license since the old one was done 6 years ago. It was almost a bad situation, though. I intended to renew it in December - on my days off around Christmas - but then remember, surprise!, Michelle came to visit. Then I knew that I had a hair appointment later in January, so I decided to wait until after that to renew my license. Must have good hair for the photo, right?

My appointment was originally scheduled for Tuesday, for a cut and color (yes, I've got a little bit of grey to hide). Unfortunately, Ty, my hair guy, got stuck in Chicago at the airport (been there, done that), so we had to reschedule for last night. Except now we've got dinner reservations and I was going to be short on time, so it became for a cut only. Which meant I had to color my hair myself - and I did so on Wednesday (skipping choir rehearsal because it was a hair emergency). I bought some color named "mahogany" which I've used before, and it puts a little red tint in my dark brown hair - just enough to highlight, and when the sun shines it usually looks pretty good. I don't know what happened this time, but when I rinsed and looked in the mirror, it was like a bad after-school special - my hair was red! Oh, and just on top because that's what Ty usually does - no need to put chemicals all over just to cover grey. Poor Robert. He came to my rescue by bravely facing the hair color aisle at Wal-Mart to get me "dark brown" so I could quickly re-color my hair. Fortunately, it toned the red down enough so I could leave the house and face the world. My hero!

Last night we had the joint knitting/birthday party for me and Kate (her birthday was December 29th) and got to hang out with good friends: Sarah, and her husband, Matt; Brianne and her husband, Brian; Kate and her husband, Jerry; Ginger and Steve, and Lisa/Lola. We knitted (not the boys), played pool, played on the Wii, and just had a fabulous time! And, between all the girls, we got the Lizard Ridge blanket completely seamed! Brianne has it now to pick up stitches for the border (Zarah enlisted help). I think I need to rename the project "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Blanket!" Good times. Good friends. I got 'em.