Posts for category ‘Crochet & Knitting’

A week ago I was looking for donations of yarn, needles, and notions towards a charity event (see my last blog entry) in which absolutely no profit is made. I am pleased to announce that the owner of Kollage Yarns, Susan Moraca, is donating all the yarn. Her generosity is not going to be unnoticed, and I want everybunny around the world to hear how her gesture is a great example of one of “My 3 Words” for 2010 — CARE.

Inspired by Justin Steinman’s recent blog post, I must admit that I needed to take my reins back into possession and have done it close to ten days time. So for a slight moment I am popping up out from my rabbit hole to catch a breath of the gorgeous warm air that enveloped Blacksburg this past weekend. Spring became my favorite season back in 1999 when I walked away from a bad beginning to create a better life for myself. I hope others will do the same when the opportunity knocks.

Currently I have been involved in a quick and fast move of events. In ten days’ time I have gone from a car accident, to changing where I work locally, to moving into new living quarters. If anybunny ever wants to visit little me in the New River Valley area of Virginia Tech, I can be found volunteering at the Main Lee Art Gallery instead of the LYS. Being there with the artists and their clients gives me a vibrant glow, and I also will be assisting them in their social media areas pro bono. See you there or at the London Underground Pub! =:8

On our little planet known as Earth, there are multiples of races and ethnicities abound. We all look a little different and have various lifestyles, but the one bond we have is our desire to help one another in times of need. Recently the earthquake in Haiti brought out the best in many of our hearts. Now that Chile’s own destruction has happened during the weekend, maybe it is time we took another long look at ourselves and realize that being successful is not just about making money, but using our gifted talents for good in the process.

Such an opportunity plopped into my lap when I was asked if I was still willing to teach a group of teen-aged girls how to knit. I jumped at the answer and said “YES!!” without hesitation. In a week, I found a place that the girls can be surrounded without pressure at the Main Lee Art Gallery, and am now looking for donations of knitting needles, tape measures, tapestry needles, and both cotton and cotton/blend yarns to be used. If all goes well, I hope the love that I have for my passion shows through and becomes contagious. The coolest part about teaching these future ladies is that they will be making something for the folks in Haiti and now possibly Chile. In doing so they will be giving a piece of themselves in time, prayers, and hope to a world that is so opposite from theirs.

Here’s hoping that my calls for donations comes through. And if there is anybunny out there who would be willing to send us any of the needles or notions by March 11th, please let me know here, on KniTalk, or on Ravelry! =:8

Sometimes I feel like there is something “off” inside. It could be my mind, heart, or even my whole body. Whatever the case, a dose of comfort beckons me. Recently I found myself lunching at Hokkaido Buffet in the hope that their prepared foods would soothe my soul.

As I tasted my selections, I reflected on the various Asian restaurants that would have driven me to Hokkaido. The first thought was the obvious in my last visit there. When Rich came into town for New Year’s, we had popped into the restaurant after seeing the “Sherlock Holmes” movie. It was a quickly eaten meal; it barely made a small dent in satisfying our craving for Asian cuisine. The next thought was when I visited a former friend in Ohio this past summer. Throughout the meal he controlled what we ate and drank. Everything was his decision; I barely had a say even on how much to eat! Both the memories of Thai Star with Judy and Rihm Nam’s with Steve are hoppy ones filled with fabulous conversation and listening.

While pouring over these thoughts, I realized that ironically I could not recall the names of the two restaurants that triggered my stop. Memories of eating at both places give me warm feelings of fondness for my friend Rasha. We would often meet at one of those two places when we worked at The Corporation. I miss her Arabic accent-laden frankness and witty insight. Recently I found the silver and tiger eye choker necklace that she gifted to me for Christmas 2007. It might have been years since I saw her, but I know that when I wear it, I have her in my heart. Rasha, this memory is for you! =:8

As of late I have been dipping my foot (well, okay more like diving in head first) into areas that I have not been in touch with for years. My taking up of throwing darts has been a nice challenge. I find myself improving each week in every league match, and concentrating on form is paying off. The throwing motions seem to complement the ones used in knitting. While each dart must be precise to the target, each stitch must be knit to turn a pattern into a well-fitting garment. The latest result of that steady work is winning the “Luck of the Draw” tournament with Jack (my team captain) as my partner. We split the first prize of $50 and each received a tee-shirt from Awful Arthur’s.

Now that I have found a hobby to balance my awesome knitting-related occupation, the need to address my physical activity is next on my agenda. Early yesterday morning I received a phone call from Shannon, a co-worker of my friend Charlie. He had told her that I played rugby years ago, and she wanted to know if I would like to practice with the Blacksburg Rugby Club men’s squad. Before I could think about the consequences (aka a sore body from running in freezing weather and being tackled on the icy ground) my answer was “Of course!” She then forwarded me some information and I attended my first meeting last night at The Pub (London Underground Pub in Blacksburg). I look forward to getting back into shape with the crazy amounts of running. The improvement of body coordination is also a benefit I want. The one question to answer is “How can I convince ten women to form a sevens team to play this summer?” Stay tuned to see if I bite at the bait to recruit women in the area to play with me!

In case folks new to my blog are wondering how darts and rugby tie into the “Making Eggs” topic, please read “Making Eggs – Part 1” when possible. To “Let me sum up” (a skein of sock yarn to the first person who comments which movie that quote is from) I came back to Blacksburg to discover myself. Whether it be in going back to school, a new job, a temporary place to live, or a new group of friends, I am trying to figure out how I like my eggs. So far the Boys and I are doing okay, even with the downs from the apartment and low available funds. As for the latest favorite way I am making my eggs? I have been frying two in unsalted butter yolks broken with coarsely ground sea salt and black pepper. I then cover the seasoned eggs with melted shredded sharp cheddar and sprinkle bacon pieces on top of them. I have named it my “breakfast pizza” and yes, it is oh so good. How good? I ate the pizza before taking a photograph of it because I did not want to eat it cold! =:8

For those who know my little head, I am consistently changing my mind when the scenario calls for it. I tell folks that I am adapting to my surroundings by instinct. Others say that I am just being a woman. No matter what the topic, I do come back to the beginning, just like Inigo did in The Princess Bride. With the 2010 Winter Olympics kicking off tomorrow at Vancouver, Canada, it is only fitting that I do not one, not two, but THREE projects in the Knitting Olympics to ease my ever-moving thoughts. Yes I know that there are only two sports in which two events must be tackled. However I just could not choose one without impartially whining for the others. I humbly present a triathlon of Fair Isle, Cable, and Lace:

• Adrian Bizilia’s Fiddlehead Mittens in Cascade 220 and Neighborhood Studio Mohair
• Mari Muinonen’s Sylvi in Briggs & Little Atlantic
• Vickie Howell’s Pash-Greena in Juniper Moon Farm Cormo Worsted

So I am a little crazy. But I have figured out a couple of things:
One is that the knitting will go faster when my mind is going from piece to piece instead of the entire project at the same time. The other is when I thought only professionals in the knitting world could try such a feat, I then realized that I have become what I have dreamed about! To make the whole scenario even more fun, I get to blog about these crazy challenges.

My schedule will go as follows:
Simultaneously cast on and knit the Sylvi sleeves during opening ceremonies. As soon as the sleeves are done, the first Fiddlehead Mitten is cast on and knit. After the mitten is finished without its lining, the Pash-Greena will be cast on and two skeins will be used out of the allotted five. The rotation goes back to Sylvi…

Of course all of this scheduling is subject to change, especially if I decide to drive up to New England tomorrow. (I am still on the fence about that, but I dislike the idea of being alone for Valentine’s Day.)

If anyone can wish this crazy bunny luck, I will need it! (Or at least lots of wine, beer, and aspirin for the pain in my wrists…) =:8

Whew! Huge apologies to everybunny. I had looked at the calendar this morning and realized that I have not blogged for some time when I meant to do so each week. There have been a lot of events, some crazy some just plain fun, but all have been adventurous. I will do my best to provide a quick summary…

December 31st:
While my friend Jessica (@bumbl_be) and I were eating the pints of Jeni’s Ice Creams that just arrived, Richie calls me on my iPhone. He asks what I was doing, and I told him about Jessica and Jeni’s. His response, “Hmm… Maybe I’ll have some today.” I had a whirring thought that he ordered some, and conversed about some other topics. He then said, “Maybe I should have some Jeni’s NOW.” I stopped mid-sentence. I asked, “Where ARE you?” He responded, “In your parking lot.”
That cheeky bugger!! Of course with his visit, we ended up missing the Juniper Moon Farm’s Open House on New Year’s Day. At least we saw the Hokies spank the Volunteers (Let’s go TECH!!) and drove up to Mountain Lake to see the snowed in hotel where the movie “Dirty Dancing” was filmed.

January 8th:
I had a fabulous belated Christmas celebration with my parents and sister’s family. The handknit presents were a hit, except for the hat that was too small for my brother-in-law. That’s more than okay; his Mom, the wonderful Edith, took it off his hands. My niece loved her Twinkle scarf, my sister loves her Pretty Thing, and my Mother loves both her red dress hat and Little Parade. My Daddy’s Koolhaas was quickly snatched by my Mother. Note to self: Make Ma lots of hats!

I had lunch with my BFF Anita and her son Aidan in Kelly’s Tavern at Pembroke Mall. Afterwards we visited my friend Brett at Artistic Creations Gallery. It was a nice time catching up with them!

January 13th:
Now that my darts are back (they were in my Civic), I popped into The London Underground Pub to see if I can challenge Ron (@ronaldb) to a game of Cricket. He was not there, but Sara his teammate was. Twisting my arm, she talked me into participating in “Luck of the Draw” on that Saturday. Little did I know how darts would change my social life in Blacksburg! I met so many folks since then, my time is a whirlwind.

January 21st:
Since I have joined two darts leagues, I decided to practice one day after work. Doing so, I met the delightful Patsy and Eva, part of the Martinettes. These women are in a group that welcomes lady newcomers to the New River Valley area. I attended my first meeting that Saturday (the 23rd) and am awed by their cheerfulness and excitement with life. Already I have been asked to display some of my fibery goods and to teach a workshop on knitting. I love these daring ladies! They refuse to keep still and take life by the horns.

Another cool bit? During my usual Friday night stop at Lefty’s on the 22nd, I met some of the fun and intelligent folks behind “The Plaid Avenger” of John and Katie Pritchard. John created the Plaid Avenger to keep folks abreast of what is going on with the world’s society. He teaches various geography classes at VA Tech. The one that caught my ear was his “Wines of the World” class. Boy, that would be fun to participate in those tastings discussions!

January 26th:
Today I start a fun adventure. I get to chat about STITCHES on my blog “On the Road to STITCHES” at Knitting Universe’s KniTalk Community!! The topics I will be discussing would be what knitterly items I want to make and wear for the trip, the classes I will be taking, the events I am lining up to see, and of course all the goodies that the Market is offering! As for Bigsock, no worries! I will be there too, so make sure you find some time to help the attempt on breaking the current Guinness Book World record for the largest handknit sock!!

If wondering about the Boys, they are alive and well. Caesar is as hungry as ever, and Julius is as mischievous. I have learned that if Julius is in my bedroom in the morning, I best get out of bed ASAP. Why? If I do not, he (ahem) will use my laundry basket as a litterbox. Crazy bunnies!! =:8

As I bid farewell to 2009, I reflect on the events that have affected my life. Some of them were unanticipated surprises, some were not. No matter what, regretting anything is not on my agenda, nor will it be!

To celebrate, I offer this simple pattern that I created to be used with the cotton/wool blend yarn that the Lands End folks had given me. The Cross Skull Cap requires around 65 grams of worsted weight yarn at the largest size. I was able to use 50 grams for the medium one. To queue it in Ravelry, click the bolded title of the pattern. Enjoy! =:8

Cross Skull Cap
Sizes: Small (Medium, Large) to fit Child (Teen, Adult)

Notions and Yarn:
tapestry needle
4 stitch markers (ideally 1 is different than the other 3)
65 grams of worsted weight yarn
**Note** I have tested this pattern with 2 balls of Berroco Pure Merino, 2 skeins of Naturally Merino/Soie, 50 grams of Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Worsted, 60 grams of Lands End cotton/wool (similar to Cascade Sierra), and 1 skein of Manos Worsted

Needles:
Size US6 (4.0mm) 16-inch circular needles
Size US8 (5.0mm) 16-inch circular needles
Size US8 (5.0mm) > 32-inch circular needles or
Size US8 (5.0mm) double-pointed needles

Gauge (in stockinette):
4-1/2 stitches per inch, 19 stitches over 10cm
6 rounds per inch of height
**Note** I adjusted my needle-size according to each yarn that I swatched and the desired fabric result. For the Naturally Merino/Soie, I used 4.0mm and 4.5mm; for the Lorna’s Laces SW, I used 4.0mm and 5.0mm; for the Berroco Pure Merino, I used 3.75mm and 4.5mm instead. Use whatever needles that will give you gauge.

Stitches used:
Knit (K)
Purl (P)
Knit 2 together (K2T)
Slip slip knit (SSK)
Yarnover (YO)
Pass marker (PM)

Directions:
Using the larger circular needle, cast on 64 (72, 84) stitches, place marker to show beginning, and join in the round without twisting.

Using the smaller 16-inch circular needle, do K2P2 ribbing for 1-1/2 (2, 2) inches (Depending on gauge, can vary in number of rounds. I varied from 10-12 rounds due to the different yarns for the adult size.)

Change to the larger 16-inch circular needle. Knit all stitches in the round for 3.5 (4, 4) inches to total from cast on at 5 (6, 6) inches – roughly a total of 30 (36, 36) rounds. On the last round before reaching the stated length, place 1 of the 3 remaining markers every 16 (18, 21) stitches.

Decrease Row 01: Knit until last 4 stitches before marker, K2T, YO, SSK, PM. Repeat 3 more times to complete the round.
Decrease Row 02: K2T, YO, SSK, knit to marker, PM. Repeat 3 more times to complete the round.

Repeat Decrease Rows 01 and 02 until 6 (8, 8 ) stitches are left in each of the 4 sections – 24 (32, 32) stitches total overall.

K2T around for 2 rounds – 6 (8, 8 ) left overall
Break yarn (if necessary) and thread it through remaining stitches to secure.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED – These copyrighted patterns are for personal use only, and may not be used for profit without pattern owner’s consent. Please contact Kimberly Nicdao Reynolds for more information or questions regarding these patterns.

Okay, I did it. I wrote a guest post on Handshake 2.0 titled, “The Business of Knitting” and hope the 300-words-or-less challenge is met in a positive light. The yarn manufacturing industry continuously has the stereotype of an elderly woman knitting while seated in a rocking chair with cats at her feet. Hello, but though I may be fabulously forty, I am by no means “elderly” and have no rocking chairs in my house. The crafters (weavers, spinners, knitters and crocheters) of both genders are hip and young at heart no matter what their age. So do not dare say I am old!

To note, the social network of Ravelry has brought together what online groups, e-lists, blogs and podcasts have started. Crafters have been communicating online worldwide, and Ravelry now offers a single resource that combines them together. Only on Ravelry can a person in Denmark comment how much she likes one of my projects, and where I can also participate in a worldwide group on specific techniques used in Scandinavia.

The community of yarn has brought different races, religions, and politics together. Currently I am looking forward to the 2010 Knitting Olympics. Here is when teams of crafters around the world will start a self-chosen project when the torch is lit, and in 16 days time finish that project when the fire is extinguished. Most of these projects can generally take months or even years to finish, but the bragging rights of participating are immense. My project of challenge will most likely be either a complicated lace ensemble (shawl or stockings), or an intricately cabled covering (coat or jacket). Either way, I am rising up with the other folks who are techies like myself and are not afraid of admitting their craft. Are you? =:8

Gratitude and appreciation are often overlooked and taken for granted. Gina Bonomo Dugas of the Mosaic Yarn Shop in Blacksburg, VA was determined to remind everyone how luckily blessed we are. She conceived an idea to host an event that benefited not one, nor two, but three local charities: libraries, the local food bank, and the homeless. Her idea came to fruition on December 5th during a snowstorm that kept folks further in distance away, but for the folks who did attend, the event was a hit!

Here are the details of this charity event:
The $10 admission included a buffet lunch, exclusive buying at the featured vendors, chances to win door prizes, and a goody bag full of various items from all over the fibery and local businesses. Each table had a literal pile of yarn that might be mistaken for a centerpiece, but was in fact a selection for the knitters and crocheters to make hats. At each seating was a pattern varying from a newborn to an adult male. The crafter would first decide which table (I sat at the purple yarn table though the orange yarn table tempted the Hokie in me) and then sit in the chair of whatever pattern interested her/him.

With so many colors to select, it was difficult to choose, but since I brought in the purple yarn from the Land’s End event, I decided to make as many hats as possible with it. To make the day more fun, I taught two women how to knit. Both had learned a little, but needed more coaching. By the time all three of us were finishing up the day, I had not only enabled them, but also made two more friends.

There are many folks in the fibery world to thank for their donations. I am listing them here because their generosity should be noted:

• Twist Collective – for the postcards, buttons, and gift certificates
• Juniper Moon Farm – for the advertising postcards and sheepy tattoos
• Bijou Basin Ranch – for the cool stickers and postcards
• David Simpson’s Fiber Studio – for the yummy fibery goodness
• Lawre’s Laine – for the very cool notions bag
• Classic Elite Yarns – for the heavenly scarf kit
• Berroco Yarns – for the 3 bags of yarn to be used in the hats

Huge thankful bunny hugs go out to every one of these companies for participating!! The best news of this event? We will be doing it next year and will have at least twice as many folks than the 71 crafters that signed up. How do I know? When the Pawtucket Red Sox had their first Stitch and Pitch game, the numbers were exactly the same. (I am rubbing my paws together in glee!) *beaming bunny* Until then, these 42 photos will have to do as proof! =:8

Recently Chris Brogan tweeted that leaders in social media should be inspired to act as if in a team sport. I had to laugh while reading those words, and did so heartily. I know of many examples of where knitters easily demonstrated what it is like to be a team player. How do these events happen? I will hoppily explain.

During the weekend I was in PodCamp Boston 4, the first annual Sock Summit was held in Portland, OR. This conference of knitters brought together many of the fibery rockstars from around the world. For months the lists of names in attendance were gossiped and discussed. Though the server hosting the classes database crashed after 5 minutes from 50,000 people trying to register for the 3,500 available slots, I managed to buying 2 tickets for the opening night’s festivities and a class with an alternative time slot. (For some reason, the webhosting sites NEVER believe that knitters can crash a server no matter how much they are warned.) What is astounding is that 99% of the communication was done via the social network of Ravelry, blogging, and emails. In Ravelry’s Sock Summit forum, questions were answered about traveling, lodging, restaurants, who was attending, who was teaching, and who was vending. Manufacturers made special editions of their products just for that event and posted the details online. There was a contest between hand-dyers on which yarn should be chosen as the official Sock Summit one, and all members of Ravelry were encouraged to vote. The worldwide scores of folks flying in from Germany, the UK, Australia, and other countries amazed many. Yet the common bond between these people was the same: all were interested in sock knitting and all were active in social media.

One of the ladies who co-founded the concept of Sock Summit did a similar event back in the 2005 Winter Olympics. Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, aka the “Yarn Harlot” of Toronto, issued a challenge on her blog. She was going to cast on a brand new project on her needles when the Olympic torch was lit to commence the Games, and she was going to finish it by the time the torch was extinguished. When the words were live for all to see, she had an immediate worldwide response of others joining her challenge. The crazy numbers that I remember during the event: there were about 4000 athletes competing in the Olympics versus the 7300 folks competing in the knitting Olympics.

Now for my last example, I was at the Stitches East convention in Hartford this past September. The booth I was running was to encourage knitters to participate on the “Bigsock” project. This project is the running attempt to break the current Guinness Book of World Record’s largest hand-knitted sock. To promote the last minute appearance of the booth, I used whatever tools that seemed to target the main audience I wanted to connect: Ravelry, Twitter, and Facebook. Yes, I could have used both the blogs of Bigsock and mine, but I knew that time was of the essence. I quickly posted threads in various groups on Ravelry that would see the information, updated them with posts so as to nudge them back to the front when necessary, and involved Jenny (aka “DivineBird“), a known local fiberista, work with me in the booth. The results paid off. The folks who read my threads spread the word, and along with the members of Jenny’s spinning/knitting ensemble, all arrived to do their fair share on the sock. Together by using social media tools, we accomplished over 38 rounds knitted during that one weekend! A quick visual on the amount of what 38 rounds equals: each round is 1500 stitches which means 57,000 stitches were done in those 3 days.

These examples are only a smidgeon of what knitters have done together by way of social media. Who’d a thought that folks with pointy sticks could do so much? =:8