I is for.....

Inches!

For most of my early years I was taller than other kids my age. In fact that is the story of my life as few women seem to be in the 72 inch range.

In the mountains snow fall is  measured by inches. 500+ inches fell this year, which has packed down to a base of over 150 inches, mid-mountain. The parking lots in the resorts still have piles and piles of snow that will take a month to melt. If I am nearly 72 inches, how tall is the snow (and the peak behind)? The peak would be about 120,000 inches, just so you know.

As American knitters we produce inch after inch of knitting instead of centimeters as our knitting friends from other countries produce. Carrying a measuring device, or two, in our knitting bag is a must. We don't want to knit one more row than necessary.  At the moment Nancy's Knit Knacks Needle Sizer is my very favorite measuring tool. It is accurate and has ALL needle sizes, as well as inches and centimeters.  If you can't tell the difference between your size 1s or 1.5s, this is a must!  There is something wonderful about a sheepy tape measure, too.  As an embroiderer, I have several other favorite measuring tools. There is a need to measure fabric and thread length but, the best tools are just for decorative purposes. The 3 inch ruler is an old piano key that was etched with a rose bud and my name.

While I knit and enjoy each stitch there is little reason to measure inch by inch. 'The process' takes you beyond the need to see where you are and where you need to go so, you can just enjoy the moment.

Yes that is Mountain Stream in the blocking stages. Full disclosure tomorrow.

Comments

[Kathleen]

Cool I!! I love that piano key ruler! How cool. I was tall all my life too...just over 5'9". It was tough until highschool. Than I loved it and wished for a couple of more inches.

[Vera]

I used to wish I were tall.

I'm 5'4", and I remember being a little jealous of all the tall girls when I went to school. They just seemed more mature than us "shorties".

For some reason, I have problems with keeping up with my tape measures and needle sizers, so I keep buying new ones. Somewhere, there's a pile of them hiding from me.

[Beth]

Great "I"! But I have to confess to switching to the centimeter team if I'm on a dull knit that I need to feel like I'm making progress on quickly. Who wouldn't want to make it to 10 (cm) instead of just 4 (in)?

[Rachel H]

Very cool "i". I love your piano key tape measure. What a neat idea. And I can't wait for the debut of Mountain Stream.

[Ann]

Great inch rumination. Brings to mind a song:

'Inch worm, Inch worm
Measuring the marigolds.
Seems to me that you could see
How beautiful they are.'

Or is it 'you are'? I don't know...I just have a visual of Kermit and an inchworm on wires... Frank Oz was a genius.

[Kim]

You long, tall drink o'water, you!

[hillary]

What a great "I". I used to resent being short and often fudge my height by claiming slightly more height than I posess. I know I'm fooling nobody but myself. Now there's a new height game in my house because my daughter is gaining on me rapidly and has taken to telling one and all that she is just as tall as I am. Not so! At her check-up last week she measured 59 and a half inches which means I'm still 3 or 3 and a half inches taller than she is. It depends on if you believe me or the ruler. Hah!

[Chery]

I use Nancy's measure tool, also. I love your piano key ruler. How cute.. I couldn't tell you how many inches long my socks are, I measure with my hand length toe to beginning of gusset. The length of the cuff is measured by folding. I all in 'another' process.

[Chris]

Wow, taller than me. :) Great "I."

I LOVE your black sheep tape measure - I just have the regular white sheep variant.

[Kelly]

awww how awesome is the piano key ruler! What an awesome idea!
I'm 5' 9 and feel like a giant compared to everyone at work, the bonus however is I can reach the cap shelves without a ladder :)

[Stitch-n-Snitch]

What a clever I post! I finally started Mountain Stream and had to take a dip into the frog pond. Here's hoping I get as far as you have eventually!

[Norma]

Oh, how I wish I had some of that height!

[Carole]

Great idea for I! And that black sheep tape measure - I want one. I have 2 white ones but the black sheep is much more my style, you know?

[marie in florida]

i make a crochet hat. no pattern really, just the crocheting process till the top is big around enough and then a row to make it turn down and then maybe a pattern stitch, i've been making it for 30 plus years. i use a dollar bill to measure it!
ps, i love the color of your hair.

[regina]

I'm with Norma! I've never really been too concerned with my appearance, but if i had my druthers, i'd want to be quite a bit taller.

Great "I" post!

[Beth S.]

You've made me remember: "Inch by inch, row by row / I'm gonna make this garden grow..." (Arlo Guthrie's version, of course. :-)

Hooray for Mountain Stream! Mine was just about the same size, but it took a truly vicious blocking to get there. Two skeins for me next time. ;-)

[Vicki]

I is for Incredible, as in "You are..." What a great entry, Margene!

I love the comments, too. Mom says that grandma always referred to tall women as a "tall drink o' water" (makes me smile and think of iced tea) -- and that Inch Worm song is one of my favorites in the whole wide world...

[Ruth]

My children are all tall ... they take after their dad, who is 6'7". I'm 5'3". I call myself the leavening agent.

[Cara]

Oooo! You're so smart! VERY nice I!

[Lucia]

You're taller than I, that's for sure. Pun intended.

My DH and DD think having a sheep tapeworm (of any color) is very strange.

[Nonnahs]

I hate measuring pieces as I knit, because when I do, I find that I'm either far from the required length, or then, I've knitted past the required length. Somehow I can never gauge it right the first time. :p

[Snow]

You're doing such a nice job with your alphabet, Margene. Very creative.

[Peg]

I love your "I" words. We measure with cms here in Canada, but I must admit I still use inches. I loved seeing the little song about the "Inch Worm". Your piano key measure is wonderful, Margene. Your snow, like ours, is going down by inches every day and the streams and rivers are rising by inches! Looking forward to Mountain Stream!

[Patti]

I'm 5'2" and have always felt there was a tall person trapped inside. ;)

Who made that beautiful piano key ruler for you?

[Karen]

How did you make "I" seem so easy? ;) Great idea!
I love that black sheep measuring tape!