Adaptation

Thank you, Thank you, Gentle Readers, for your kind words of get-well-itude, and encouragement to enjoy my three days of not knitting.  Thank God that's over.  The family and pets all survived my short hiatus, but I didn't do much of a job enjoying it.  Everything I could think of to distract myself with also called for the use of thumbs, so other than reading and sleeping, there wasn't much I was good for.  I admit that I did try to "sneak-knit" a few times, but Some People kept calling me out and saying I was only going to prolong my own grief.  Lindsay and Campbell never let me get away with anything.

Fortunately, the "respite" is behind me, and I'm happy to say that I am able to knit again, with certain limitations.  The huge stoopid cartoon bandage on my thumb is cumbersome, and I lack the ability to pinch my fingers without pain.  Who knew how much of my knitting is actually pinching?  I found that I could compensate by using my index finger against the tip of the needle to advance the stitches along.  That worked really well, until the stiletto needle started to inflict damage on that digit.  Undaunted, I retrieved a leather thimble from the sewing box.  Of course, it's sized for my middle, not my index, so it kept popping off.  After which I applied some of this swell bandage-tapey stuff they gave me at the hospital to keep it on.  Not weird at all.  Much.  But I AM knitting, which is all that matters.  Because you cats who are joining me at Madrona for Eeek! Steeks! must have your kits, and I must know how much yarn to put in them.  So there it is.  Slowly.  Knitting.  Thistles.

They are pretty, though, and totally worth the effort.

Oh, I did do something useful with my three days of down time:  Thank you for the suggestion that I design something new.  I came up with a swell idea to help out a friend, which I'll tell you all about next time.  

Warm Hands, Warm Hearts

Some of you will remember from taking my Selbuvotter classes that this is the sample I present as the Quintessential Norwegian mitten. 

Those who attend my Sassy Selbuvotter class get a different pattern, but a few of my 50 New Best Friends from the Knitters Review Retreat asked if they could have this one, as well. 

I thought I'd put it up on Ravelry for them, and anybody else who's in the mood for a little warm-hearted knitting.  Click HERE to get it!

When given as gifts, Selbuvotter traditionally incorporate symbols meant to impart special sentiments to the wearer.  This pair include:
 
        Selburoses for luck and protection
        Hearts for love and courage
        Crosses for faith and humility
        Nets for protection and prosperity

Those are my wishes for you, Gentle Readers.  Feel free to pass them on!

 

Flower Of Scotland

I never know where the next inspiration will come from.  Last month's National Geographic Magazine came and Lindsay, as usual, was the first to grab and devour it.  Passing behind her with an armload of (what else?) laundry, I caught sight of the photo she was looking at:

photo by Marcelin Bonnard

Although my mind was anywhere but on work at that moment, I knew exactly what to do for this year's Eeek! Steeks! class project at the Madrona Winter Retreat.  A rectangular stole, with Thistles.  I dropped the laundry like a bad habit and sat down to draw a chart.

Then I sent the chart, some photos, and a vague wish list to the lovely and talented Lisa Millman of Dicentra Designs.  Lisa is a lady who knows her way around a dye pot, and let me tell you, she took the bit in her teeth:

This is one of the photos Lisa and I passed back and forth:  My chart, a photo and her yarn colors.  Pretty sure Lisa loves her job as much as I do.

Here are the finished skeins.  Bonnie Prince Charlie himself could not wish for a more Thistle-icious palette.  Super. Sexy. Yarn. 

And it's arrived just in time to prevent me from climbing the draperies, too.  I'm casting on today, and the laundry will have to suffer on without me.

I thought it would be fun to blog the process of making the kits and sample this year, for the intrepid souls who choose to join me in class.  For those who don't know, the homework for my epic Eeek! Steeks! class is to complete the knitting of an exclusive design, for which I send you the kit.  Class lasts for 6 hours.  During the first half, I teach three different steeking techniques.  Then in the second half, everyone chooses their favorite technique, cuts and finishes their project with me there to hold hands and help.  It's the most fun I have all year.  And that's saying something, because I know how to have fun, and I do a damn fine job of it the other 364 days.

This class holds a select 24 students, so if you'd like to join in the fun, stay tuned HERE for the registration lottery.  As before, if you'd like to have this year's kit without taking the class, they'll be available for sale in the Madrona marketplace.  To have a kit put aside for purchase in your name, drop me a line so Lisa and I can make sure to make enough kits.  The kit is exclusive to the Madrona Winter Retreat, so if you can't make it there yourself, find a friend who'll be attending HERE to pick it up for you.  Pricing for non-student kits has not been finalized yet, but we'll let you know asap.

If anybody needs me, I'll be the one neglecting the laundry in favor of a yarn-induced joy spiral.