SpiderWomanKnits

A big 'Thank You'  to everyone who commented on the socks I knit as a gift for my MIL. My in-laws were up visiting from NJ to celebrate Mr. SpiderWomanKnits birthday this past Saturday and things have been busy so I haven't had a chance to get back to anyone or read blogs the past few days. I'm catching up slowly but surely :-) 

Last night, however, I did find time to cast on for my new project brought about by the Summer of Stash Along. I was thinking about the yarn I have in my stash that I have never contemplated before, you know, the yarn that you pick up out of color lust but haven't given much thought to since. Well, I have three huge cones of DK weight Shetland New Wool that I picked up at the 2005 Webs Annual sale for a song and a dance that just sort of sit on the bottom shelf of my stash. I hardly notice them but Jennifer did (somehow) when I posted this photo and asked me what I was going to do with them. Good question, Jenn. Here's my answer (for at least one of the cones, anyway)...

 

I am pretty excited about this WIP since it will be my first attempt at Intarsia and my first Rowan knit. It's funny how you have to learn the language of each designer. I am finding the wording of the Rowan patterns a tad confusing/not intuitive but workable nonetheless. It's just a matter of "getting" the way they are thinking. The pattern is Laurent from Vintage Knits and I plan on using bits of the other cones for the color work. I wear a lot of Old Italian Lady type dresses so I can see myself using this a lot, belt and all. This book just makes me drool. I pretty much want to knit everything in it with a few exceptions. Hopefully, I'll be able to put the other two cones to use with this book since there are quite a few patterns for DK weight wool. 

Oh, as for those socks I knit for my mother-in-law...a picture is worth a thousand words...

 

 

Yup, she only has one sock on because the other one didn't fit! I can't even think about it right now so I am going back to catching up on blogs and knitting Laurent :-|

 

Finally! Fini! It took me long enough to get the second sock off of the needles but I finally finished the socks I made for a certain someone who will be receiving them in a few short days. Nothing like a deadline to get my tushie into gear ;-) 

 

The pattern for these 3x1 ribbed socks is a free one you can find at Spun. JessaLu dyed some Knit Picks sock yarn and wasn't too happy with the results but the colors were perfect for me because the intended giftee is a Red Hatter. Now all I have to do is cross my fingers and hope they will fit her. Stay tuned for some (hopefully) in use pics!

 

"Tomten is the small Swedish elf who specializes in good deeds, and your child will resemble him strangely, if you put a Tomten jacket on him or her."    ~Elizabeth Zimmerman

 

You might remember that I started this project for my friends new baby, well, after all is said and done it fits my 3 year old! So, my little guy has something to get him through the fall and I busted 3 skeins of yarn from my stash for the SOS! It was all done without shedding a single tear :-)

Hey everyone,

When you have a chance head over to Holly's Blog to send warm wishes for her friend who has been living with Multiple Sclerosis for the past five years. Holly will be biking in the 2006 MS Bike Tour in support of her friend to help raise money for a cure. She's offering to bake her delicious Gingersnap cookies for anyone who pledges more than $20 :-) Yummy.... 

Thanks,

 Abi

Yesterday marked the second annual WWKIP day and our local event turned out to be a cozy little gathering of just 2 knitters, myself and Jess.

I am certain that the weather had something to do with it since it was 50 degrees in the Berkshires yesterday with the wind chill making it feel like 42! Yes that's right I am talking about the "wind chill factor" in JUNE :-|

But it really didn't matter because if there was anyone I would rather be knitting with on WWKIP day it is this lady. Later on my DH and Little Guy showed up to hang out for a bit. Jess has proof of my goofy husband "interpretive knitting" but I'll leave it up to her to decide whether it should be shared with the world. It's pretty frightening ridiculous. 

My whole life I have resisted fitting in to any type of category or group. I never wanted to be labeled. There are so many other things I do besides knit. I take pictures, I write, I politic, I ride horses, I weave, etc etc but I am not a "photographer", I am not a "writer", I am not a "politician", I am not a "horse person", and I am not a "weaver". It wasn't until I started knitting that I really felt I was part of something bigger than myself, that I belonged to a group of people out there who took as much pride and joy as I do in a particular craft. A community. I proudly call myself  a Knitter and accept all the connotations that come along with that. So even though yesterday my "world" consisted of just Jess and myself I really felt the World Wide Knitting Community out there and the overwhelming joy of being a part of that.

I hope everyone had a great WWKIP filled with laughter and friends and here's to all the knitters out there who braved the cold or the heat or the rain to gather with members of our community for the sake of the craft.

 

Ladies and Gentlemen! Children of all ages!

Tomorrow is World Wide Knit in Public Day so get your sticks, get your yarn and head down to your main street or local cafe and stitch in public with pride! 

 
Jess and I as well as other members of Berkshire County Knitters will be here which is Park Square in Downtown Pittsfield. So if you are a Berkshire County/Massachusetts knitter and want to join our little knit out we'll be there from 1 pm - 3 pm! Have a great WWKIP Day everyone!  

Oh...think SUN people SUN...it has been raining cats and dogs for what feels like forever in Massachusetts and we don't want no stinkin wet wool tomorrow... 

It's offical people. I have joined the Summer of Stash Along. Now, before you get mad let me explain.
  There are certainly two camps when it comes to Stashes, there are the die hard SEAAE'ers (Stash Enhancement at any Expense) who panic or even become aggitated at the thought of a self impossed yarn diet and then there are the "others" people like myself who for any number of reasons have decided to take the ultimate challenge and not buy a single skein of yarn until LABOR DAY. I have to say that for me this will be quite easy. In fact, when it comes to "stuff" I like to have as little of it as possible. Possessions bog me down. I feel burdened and surpressed by ownership. Typically, I purge stuff three or four times a year to my poor DH's chagrin who is such a perpetual saver he has moved a BOX of old checks and used batteries at least five or six times. It goes a little something like this.   So, for someone like me the Summer of Stash Along should be easy as pie, right? Reorganize the stash, figure out what projects I would like to make and match with newly reorganized yarn, knit peacefully like a zen master until the stash is reduced feeling a sense of freedom by my lightened load. Right? Yup, that is how it is going to be for me only I can't help but experience this feeling of panic as I contemplate my two allowed exceptions. Yarn is different for me. I enjoy being surrounded by the color and textures. After a long day of parenting and taking care of everyone else's needs I can retreat into my yarn space and feel calm. So what do I allow myself in a moment of weakness when I can not seem to muster up the willpower to resist a purchase and what type of yarn would bring me to that point? The answer is none. If I am going to do this I am going to do this people. No holds bard. I certainly have enough yarn to keep me busy for the next three months that's for sure.

That being said I am a new sock knitter and only have one skein of sock yarn in my stash. I will allow myself to buy sock yarn if I find it at a fiber festival and it supports a local yarn producer but it must meet both of those criteria. However,  I will not start a new project with yarn purchased during the challenge until my challenge projects are done. That's it. That is my excepetion. So stay tuned and watch as I knit up my cubes and lighten my load.

Wish me luck!