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!

[Lauren]

As someone under 59", I am jealous. Love the piano key ruler.

[Laura]

Wow - if I had some of that height I'd be SO much skinnier! See you're really just "me" in a tall body. Uh huh.

The piano key ruler is the most precious thing. It makes me wanna go peel the keys off an old piano and make rulers for all my friends. :)

Can't wait to see your beautiful MOUNTAIN STREAM tomorrow!!!!!

[JessaLu]

That piano key ruler is beautiful.

[Birdsong]

What a fun "I" post! I am a little envious of your height, being only 5'3 1/2" myself, and also a little envious to see your Mountain Stream blocked as I still have to finish that one last corner, and grafting and blocking - didn't happen last weekend and this week is set to run at a much faster speed than the past several. Estes Park IS growing closer, and I just got a small, well-paying job to pay for the trip!

[Lolly]

What a fun post, Margene! You are taller than me :)

Looking forward to seeing that lovely lace!

[Leah]

Very cute! I thought of inches, but my husband said I wouldn't be able to find any inch worms right now, which is one of the things I wanted to use to measure gauge!

So I've switched to another 'I'!

[julia fc]

Yep, 71.5 over here myself, and getting shorter everyday. Can't wait for 69. ;-)

[Imbrium]

What a clever "I"! I can't wait to seem Mountian Stream in all her glory!

[Anne]

I would take a few of your spare inches, if you are giving them away. (That would be a really spiffy blog contest prize, BTW!)

Can't wait to see the FO.

[lisa Co. Springs]

I have a black sheep tape measure....do you know how rare they are? Apparently, when a shop orders a bunch from Lantern Moon, they throw in just ONE per dozen or so, and they are usually the first to go. Mine was given to me when I won the scholarship to Camp Knitaway. He's my favorite measuring tool.

[Laurie]

I'm 6' also! It can make it daunting when I'm knitting for myself too. I really enjoy the quick satisfaction of knitting for my 5' grandmother and 5'4 Aunt.

[Laurie]

Excellent "I"! Must confess I love the snow shot.

[purldiver]

I'm 5'10" - Let's hear a cheer for always adding length to our knits!

[Katherine Allred]

That piano key ruler is really beautiful. What a memento!

[Chris]

No wonder you look so good as a model! Height helps. I am of the short and stumpy stature. When folks ask me how tall I am, I have to answer: I'm not. LOL

[Debi]

As one who is barely 62 inches, I yearn for your height! Cool "I"! I can't believe how long it's been since I visited! Missed you!

[lizzie]

Hello! I know this is an older post, but I just stumbled across your website and I think it's wonderful. I love all the color!

Have a good day!
Liz

P.S. -- I'm just above 74 inches tall!

[Alexis]

Nice Webpage.
And yes you are lucky!
Becaue you think you r tall
Look at me I am 6 feet 5
and people call me the giant
But people who r in kindergraden r fun to look at because I seem like 3 times bigger than them