Zeneedle...needleart as life

SOCKTOBER!!

I feel like I've been asleep, dreaming and last week is just a blur.  There is only one picture on my camera from the whole week, and it is this picture. I'm kissing a toad!!  The toad belongs to a Green Witch! Where the heck have I been? What happened to me?

Also, in my knitting basket is a bunch of knitting I don't remember doing...the best part?  I found a finished pair of socks...beautiful socks! Socktober Socks! Just in time, too.  It looks like there was magic afoot, don't you think?

Child's French Sock from Knitting Vintage Socks by Nancy Bush
Jaeger Matchmaker Merino 4-ply in Lilac #742 - 2 balls
Time to Knit: ? (It was magic.)
Thanks Lolly for a great Knit Along.
How cool is it that this is my 13th pair of socks this year!?

   
Have fun, be safe and make some of your own magic.

This week of Green Witches was brought to you from Gardner Village in West Jordan, Utah.  Regular blogging may return tomorrow.

Oh Poo!

In the Land of Green Witches you never know what you'll see. FP caught this witch taking a...

and heard her say 'Oh poo...two more days until we get to have some real fun.'

But, the rest of the Witches were running around in complete chaos trying to get things ready for their big day. Spells were being tossed about, brooms were sweeping and flying on their own, pumpkins were carving themselves and because this poor witch was so caught up in the frenzy she accidently met with a silo!

It was all too much for the Faux Princess and she decided to take her leave.

She thanked each lovely lady Witch with a kiss and told them they would be missed.   Her head was full of memories and her bag was full of knitting progress, and as FP went on her way she was heard to say,  'It has been an enchanting Process. Enjoy your special day, my friends!'

Have a Spookily wonderful weekend.

Weird Sisters

As the Faux Princess walked through the Land of Green Witches she happened upon the Weird Sisters. They tried to entice the socks away by using every spell, to no avail.  FP's are smarter stronger than they look and she had extra protection given to her by all the other Witches. The caldron held no allure with its gooey and ghastly glow.

Miz Netty Bugs turned into a friend in short order as she knew what it was like to be in a strange land. Her spells were especially sweet and protective.

As it happens, the Weird Sisters were able to cast a spell on Mstrss Fancy Hats poor pets, ZeCat and LeRat, as they ran round and round under her skirt and really gave her a startle!

Since the FP had all her knitting along on the trip she was able to make progress on Brier, too. Green Witches love the name and color of Brier (of course) so they used a bit of magic to help her grow.

FP's time in the Land of Green Witches was nearing and end and she didn't know whether to be happy or sad. What more could possibly be in store?

Cast On and Sit a Spell

Green Witches love Lilac because it goes so well with their complexions. And while the Witches were all vying for the Socktober Socks, they kept the Faux Princess busy and happy. 

Crazy Craftster, who usually only whips up disasters, sent an invitation to sit and knit. (Her sign says  'Come Sit with me and Stitch a Spell'.) She was very enchanted with FP's conversation and knitting wit.

There is someone in every crowd who tries to sweep you off your feet.  Mm. Tatty Broomla was just such a Witch. With a (rather large) spider on her hat and big eyes of blue she did her best to woo away the socks.

The Land of Green Witches has magic to spare so knitting time is twice as productive.  The Socktober Sock grew in leaps and bounds as the spells were thrown around.

Child's French Sock from Vintage Knitting by Nancy Bush Jaeger Matchmaker Merino 4-ply in Lilac #742.

Will Knit for Witches?

The sky is always blue in the land of Green Witches.  Nothing about the Crones who inhabit this Happy Land is scary (truly, it's so!). Their faces are full of smiles and cheer, while they welcome you with open arms. 

MZ Kookie Kook, (a chef of the highest order!) invited FP for 'bones' and Newt tea. She was full of good humor and lively chat.

Miss Faux Princess enjoy her time swinging and knitting with Madam Gritchen, who has autumn colored hair and is known as one of the best dressed.

But, the most fun of all was the MiSTRESS of all things dark and chocolaty, Mess Noir.  She always has something up her sleeve and was the best at bribery.

When she saw the Lilac Socks it was love at first bite sight and she even changed her sign to show the FP that she was serious.

There is magic a foot (pun intended) in this land of Green Witches so don't go to far.

Witch Way Did They Go

As you walk into the Land of Green Witches....

..there is always a Witch nearby to tell you where to go.
Ghost excorts can be rented from a Boobi-licous vendor.

And Hilda's is a fun place to let it all hang out. (No, I am not dead...just hangin' with Hilda. Can you see her in the doorway, upsidedown?)

The Faux Princess loves it here and even found some Witches who love to knit! Details tomorrow.

A Visit to A Coven

Once upon a time a tall  Faux Princess went to the land of Happy Green Faced Witches.  She was wined and dined and shown a grand ol’ time. They even let her knit and gave her lots of treats. Come along all next week for a trip to this magical land of Witches and Halloween fun.

Black and White Knitting?

My post on lace knitting awhile back prompted an email exchange with a friend who is a very accomplished knitter.  She pointed out that what was said about knitted lace verses lace knitting was just one persons opinion. I told her it all confused me anyway and she asked a very good question. Just because someone writes a book are they the last word and are they truly the only expert?  As a student and friend of Elizabeth Zimmerman she thought that everything should be taken with a grain of salt.  EZ loved to say that 'there is nothing new under the sun' and instead of knitters inventing, something was 'unvented'.  When we read a knitting book should we take it as the black and white truth (or should it just be the first steps on the journey to our own discoveries)?

One of the reasons I take as many classes as I can (besides the fact that we have GREAT classes in SLC) is that there is always something to learn.  I love the process of learning, but more than that, I love the way different teachers present their ideas.  It’s like a long line of ancestral knitters passing along their knowledge both written and oral.  Knitting is interesting because there are SO many ways to do one thing. Some ways may be better than others, but just what works can be determined by the knitter. Knitting is about sharing ideas, learning new techniques and watching your skills grow.  Blogland has also been a great place for learning new techniques and exploring new ideas.

Every morning this week I have spent a little time with the Diamond Fantasy Shawl . Last week was all Brier,  and wouldn’t you know, the minute I blog about how much I love her…my mood changes.  The Fyberspates  yarn is so beautiful and I enjoy the process of knitting the pattern and watching the colors change.  She grows more quickly than I thought, but there is still a lot of yarn on the ball.  A big shawl may not be possible but I should get some thing a little larger than a scarf out of it.  I wonder which of my many projects will speak to me more loudly this weekend.   Make it a good one!

The Monogamy of it All

After confessing a couple of days ago to being nearly monogamous, I have taken on yet another project.  I just had to! I couldn't help myself when Nona created the Peaceful Palms KAL.  Must support Peace!  A pattern  from Folk Knitting In Estonia (Nancy has upgraded her site!) has long been on my 'must knit' list.  It is Merkje's Glove and the stitch design is created by traveling stitches, Estonia style.  The yarn Nancy used is Koigu and that was my first choice.  The only LYS that carries Koigu didn’t have a light color (I really did want cream anyway), so I thought I’d see if I had some Satakieli to substitute.  While digging through the stash (which has been handled quite a bit lately) I found cream KOIGU!  This stash must be to big if I can’t remember it all.

To make matters worse (well, actually I'll call it a good thing), Sandy started the Warm Hands  Mitten Along!  I really must join it, too.  A few years ago I took a class from Nancy Bush (are you sick of hearing about her?) on a simple Estonian Mitten. It has a couple of different braids on the cuff and a little Rosetud flower, too.   It was a fun, quick project and I knit several pair, but gave them all away.  It's time to pull out the instructions and knit a pair for myself (and maybe a few more as gifts). I haven't decided on colors (or yarn) which means shopping might be in order.  Winter knitting this year will be all about staying warm!  Now to finish the Socks for Lolly's Socktober Fest and get on to the Peacefully Warming the hands. 

Giving and The Process (yes, again)

Laura A. saw that Give A Little was very close to the $100,000 mark and she donated the $4000 needed.  What a wonderful gift! We are giving prizes away and will have a big drawing on November 1st (see yesterday's post).  Thank you to everyone who has made this a successful project. If you see that you have won and haven't been notified, please email givealittle@gmail.com.  La thought it might be a good idea for us all (right La...ALL of us?) to dance in the moonlight nakid if we hit $100,000. Anyone game?

Are you sick of hearing about THE process?

Yesterday in my post I said that stockinette was a nice way to find solace and 'zone out'.  This isn't really the way I feel about my knitting, even the easy knits.  Knitting completely entertains me and, as you have heard before, the process of wrapping the yarn around the needle and watching the item grow and take shape is what makes knitting so enjoyable. 

Birdsong recommended a book by Gary Thorp to me, and while checking on the book I found he had also written one called Sweeping Changes. Since I working on my declutter project  the title spoke to me and I ordered it.  The second chapter has been hard to get past.  It explains the simple act of sweeping with a broom, but the statements could easily be made in reference to knitting.

Repetitive motions (such as knitting) can be a good way to bring yourself back to yourself. Think about your knitting without past, future, stricture or aim.  Just move the yarn and the needles. The goal (if there is one) is to 'develope attentiveness rather than mere intention'.  Do you knit while being aware of the world around you? "Relaxing inside yourself, you then allow more things to enter your life."  This line truly reflects the way knitting affects me.

Think about the needles in your hands and the yarn wrapped around your fingers. Be alive as you become one with your knitting. Become united with the action and let it contain 'grace, purpose and ease of motion' as you work your timeless craft.  The act of knitting can anchor us in time and space and at the same time unite us with all the people, the women, of the past who have sat to knit and created with their hands and minds.

Yesterday, just before dawn, I walked out my back door and saw the full moon hanging low in the sky.  Just over its shoulder was Mars, red and large.  My eyes swept the sky searching for something else familiar and I was surprised by Orion , the winter hunter who watches over me when I walk after dark.  Now I know winter is coming soon.  Time to ratchet up 'the process'.

Knit on!