Zeneedle...needleart as life

Where Oh Where Can My (Sock) Mojo Be...the One with the Waggley Tail

You'd think a sock would be perfect travel knitting, but I think my sock mojo has been lost or it has run off and deserted me.  Both the Rattlesnake Creek Socks and the Flickering Flames were started early enough in March to be finished before the end of PS Fire, but without sock mojo...it was a no go. They are both great patterns and the yarns are to my liking, too....it's just that lost mojo.  If you happen to see it will you please send it home?  Maybe it's wandering aimlessly and unhappily alone...dazed and confused.

I'd love to start a pair of sock for the Earth Edition of PS  and I do did intend on knitting with STR Rainforest Jasper, because it would be a perfect Earthy project.  However, I'm not sure they'd be finished and it's silly to start a new sock with two neglected socks already on the needles. Maybe the mojo will get it's mojo on and find its way back to me.  Yoo-hoo! Sock Mojo...where ARE YOU?

My mindset at the moment is focused on lace and sweater knitting. Ravelry has been a big enabler help as I've been able to turn unwanted yarn into an enjoyable project.  The Louet Euroflax that had been haunting my stash (a long ago failed project, or two) was morphed into Rowan Calmer for a new Nothin' But a T.  NBT will be the next summer project, something quick, cool and easy.  In anticipation, another project is also coming to the fore, but a little restraint is needed to keep me from overwhelm.  The ideas and desires start coming in waves (could this be spring fever?), and only when CeCe is finished will I share more.

Zetor has been easier to pack around than either CeCe or Persephone, and so she is now getting more attention (and because I am SO fickle). The colors are PURE spring...the pinks, blues, and purples are like the flowers that never come.  April 1st was the coldest April day EVER in Utah.  Mother Nature did a good job of fooling us.  As with the sweater knitting, the next couple of shawls have made themselves known.  It takes real effort to keep them from the needles...they must wait and I must keep knitting as fast as I can.

Grounded

This is my favorite photo from the weekend.  It has a painterly quality that shows the textures and colors of the area so well.  Spring has arrived here and the land has come to life.  Seeing green on some of the trees and blossoms on others made me giddy happy. Spring flowers are growing with surety and hopefully, the warmth and awakening will start heading north.

Neena drove the long scenic Highway 14 and took us into Zion Park from the back entrance.  Nearly every bit of the drive is breathtaking and not simply because of the shapes, textures, colors and unique qualities of the Utah desert.   The entrance to the park includes two man made tunnels; one short and narrow, the other wider and much longer. It is not wide enough for todays large motor homes, etc. and so the tunnel can only handle one direction of traffic at a time. Everyone loves a tunnel, but long delays and waits are less than pleasant. (Tip: Go during the winter months and you may still be happy you have some knitting along.)

The Checkerboard Mesa, with it's natural crosshatch, is one of my favorite views in the park.   Great hikes abound around this area, too. Every direction you look the slickrock forms wonderful texture, showcases variety of earthy colors and unique shapes.

The only "hike" we took was a stroll along the Virgin River.  The first picture of this post was taken at the start of our walk and the views all along the way were spectacular.  The Virgin is shallow and runs only about 200 miles.  She is a dirty Virgin, never running clear, always full of earth and, only in a good runoff year, is there enough water for rafting, and yet, she is in a fight of her life (with Nevada) for what little water there is. 

After a weekend like this, an immersion into the beauty of this place, I feel especially bless to live here, where so many unique landscapes are only a few hours from my front door. I can visit often to rejuvenate and refresh my spirit. G is for Grounded. The most beautiful ground on earth...the Greatest Earth on Show. 

I wish you could all join me.

Psst. Today is KimG's Birthday! Please wish her a very happy one!

Sun Dappled Maples

It  seems to be time for another finishing flurry.  Thank you for your comments on EPS.  It's one of my favorite sweaters ever and every one of you should try knitting a sweater with EZ as your guide.  Now to on of the most beautiful shawls I've ever knit.  This shawl certainly evokes the trees and groves of a forest; a beautiful forest of fall colored maples, with the sun dancing over the leaves, the roots diving deep to drink a last bit of water before heading into a long winters sleep.
 

The design and yarn color were perfectly suited for either the spring green of aspen leaves or the warm richness of red maples in fall (the two colorways available).  Miriam is a genius when it comes to elegant lace and Anne is a goddess of beautiful yarn colorways. Together they created one of the most beautiful projects I've ever knit.

The first section is designed to mimic the leaves of trees as they dance in the sun.  The lace patterning is knit on both sides of the fabric, which makes this the most complicated section of the shawl.  It's worth the extra effort as the leaves are beautifully formed.   

The second section evokes the trunks of the trees, complete with twists and knots.  This section was easier to get into a rhythm, but a knitter must keep an eye out for the subtle changes as the trunks twist and the knots of branches form.   

The final section shows the roots working their way through the soil to find needed nutrients. This was such a fun section to knit, but there was still the pitfall of knitting a row when one should be purling.  The garter stitch is effective, but reading and checking the pattern on every row (to see if it should be a knit or purl row) will keep a knitter from a visit to the frog pond. (Doesn't every forest have a frog pond?)

Aspen Grove is a forest of beauty, of color and of exquisite lace. 

Yarn/Pattern/Kit: Aspen Grove Shawl from Wooly Wonka
Colorway: Vermont Maples (Perfect for PS III)
Designed by: Miriam Felton
Time to Knit: February 10, 2008 – March 15, 2008

Fire in the Sky

Sunrise a few days ago...click and it will grow.

Neglected Rattlers

I truly believe in a "knitter's insurance project".   If a knitter has something to knit with them at all times, no matter where they're heading, there is little chance of being stuck and needing to wait.  If knitting is forgotten, SURELY a knitter will end up twiddle their thumbs and wishing for knitting to do.  This policy has held me in good stead for many years and holds true 95% of the time. 

Because of my obsessive tendency to knit only EPS, with a little Aspen Grove on the side, the poor Rattlesnake Creek Socks have been neglected.  That all changed when the easy bits of EPS were finished and I needed something more portable to carry around.

 

As I knit with  Mountain Colors Bearfoot, I realized its thicker diameter was too small for the needle size I was using. The sock was tight and it was hard to knit the cables.  I switched to the next size up, #2 DPNs and found the knitting easier and looser, which will hopefully hold true for the sizing, too.   I do love the soft, fluffy nature of this yarn and the vibrant, warm richness of the colorway, Ruby River, a perfect color for PS III.  At least leg one is now finished and I'm moving down the heel stitches toward the foot. 

Much of my knitting time has been spent in anticipation, and it's likely because EPS and the Rattler Socks have been on the needles longer than I intended.  Illness kept me from knitting on EPS in January and the goal of finishing by the end of February evaporated. There isn't any real reason to feel  behind, but I can't help but think of what I could be knitting now if my self imposed schedule had worked out.  Daily I work at setting aside this anticipation and reminding myself that there is no race, no reason for my angst. This is all part of the process of life, the ups and downs, the ins and outs.  It is all of a piece and I will move forward as I can.  This I must remember. 

However, I do have the yarn for my next sock waiting in the wings. Colinette Jitterbug in Fire!  Is this not the most perfect colorway for PSIII?

Three sock patterns are in the running:   Ripples and Waves, Primavera Sock and perhaps THE one, Flickering Flames.  How can a knitter not be looking to the future with so many wonderful patterns and yarns?

March One

This morning a south wind blew away the constant valley haze and light (like fire) filled the sky.  March through May the sky is ever-changing...thus begins my favorite time of year.   

(Don't forget to enter the Blogiversary Contest in yesterdays post.)

Is it Obsession or Another Bug?

Lace was the one thing that kept my interest while I was feeling poorly at the first of the year.  I felt as if I'd fallen into a hole and as it turned out it was a hole; a yarn over created hole.  Knitting lace became an obsession for me during January (and it still is). It was all I felt like doing...and even now,  it still feels right.  This feeling has also made me just a little obsessed about lace patterns and yarn.

Ravelry has been a wonderful resource because I can look through my own stash, search for the type of lace pattern that intrigues and entices, and make match ups of said yarn and pattern.  My queue filleth over.

Project Spectrum III has also inspired and infused my knitting color sense.  It's red, orange, heat colored yarn I want to knit (perhaps because I'm craving warmth and sun that never comes!) and there is plenty of that in my stash.  The pattern I found this past weekend was one I'd had my eye on for years and years from Interweave Knits 2000, the Fairy Tale Scarf by Sarah Swett.  It will be knit with Judy's hand dyed Zephyr in the color Flame!  The two of them should make a happy couple.

Another scarf/shawl that caught my eye is the Zetor Scarf that's been popping up in queues all over Ravelry.  (Friends activity is a great place to find inspiration, even if it is a little dangerous.)  Instead of a simple, plain yarn, I've decided to knit this ala Charlotte's Web, with several skeins of coordinating Koigu.  The Koigu in my stash has marinaded long enough!   (Believe me there are many more skeins than what you see here!)

To compound and confound the lace obsession, Miriam has introduced her new Flutter Scarf and it's knit with Lark's fabulous yarn.  The local grrls alone could keep me knitting lace forever more without ever leaving the State.  Lark's yarn is a lovely blend of alpaca and soy silk, hand dyed by Anne!  Mim's Icarus is already in my queue because of a beautiful lace weight yarn that Marcia dyed with Indigo and put into my possession a couple of years ago.

Then there is the exquisite Rowan Kid Silk Spray I've stashed just for Muir.  Can't you just see this knit with crystal beads?  So elegant!  This would be a perfect project for for PSIII during the Air phase.  I have been planning projects with appropriate yarns for every phase.  You could call it another obsession.   

I've also been considering several projects from Victorian Lace Today and the Phileme Scarf for my on handspun (the gorgeous blue Oberon from Wooly Wonka).  Also, Susan's new design  Moroccan Days/Arabian Nights (dyed with Kim's exquisite yarn!) is now ready (check her side bar) and there is also a KAL on Ravelry.   There are many, many more projects under consideration, too.  Now I KNOW I have holes in my head.

You may have guessed I'm distracting you from the fact that not much progress has been made on Aspen Grove. That should change tomorrow night when I'll finally be able to stay home and knit.

Sleevage, No Lace

This week has been all about EPS, that is, what little time I've had to knit. Life has been too busy to sit with Aspen Grove (or much of anything else) and so, when there is a minute to spare, the sleeve has been the perfect companion.  The last three busy nights have been all about meetings and sleevage and so the sleeve grows.  It's been good.  Happily, tonight is my "catch up on relaxing" night, which goes hand in hand with my "catching up on TV" night (Survivor).  I'll be (finally) knitting lace, happily knitting lace, the lace I've been longing for, wishing for, dreaming of all week long.

Monday, before the busy week began, I put in a little time on the Rattlesnake Sock.  Don't you just love the way the cables look like rattler rattles?   Very cool, Anne!  The yarn is Mountain Colors Bearfoot and it's knitting up so nicely.  What doesn't show in the picture are the varied shades of red.  Ruby River has every red from deep maroon to fiery orange and together they conspire to create a warm and vibrant colorway.  That makes it the perfect yarn for PS III.  Bearfoot is a soft, sturdy fluffy yarn and it should wear well. There are two more colorways marinating in the stash and I think they'll be used soon (so much good sock yarn, so little time!).

If there has been little time to knit, you can bet there has been little spinning going on. (Next week will be for spinning!)  There is only a little fluff left to spin and then two bobbins will be full.  Maybe I can finish the spinning tonight and get some time to ply this weekend.  Cheryl just finished spinning a Crosspatch batt and oh my, she did a beautiful job.  My hope is to have more time to spin in the next week and into March, too!

Yesterday afternoon, while taking Moxie for a walk, I heard the song of a house finch...he was singing his heart out! Spring MUST be just around the corner.

Spring Things! (Come on Spring!)

After a few years (about 4) of knitting lace, I think I've finally come into my own.  Knitting lace is no longer so daunting, because fewer errors are made (there is always a little tinking), the project grows  rather quickly (this shawls holds the record), and enjoyment of the process is as good as it gets.  Truly, I loved knitting every inch of this shawl.  It was all the more wonderful because Susan designed it, and the yarn was handspun by her, too. This "not so great picture" gives you an idea of how beautifully the points block, how softly and nicely the color changes, and how well the pattern flows.

Susan uses a very easy beginning for this shawl, no fiddly provisional cast on, and the cast off is easy to execute loosely, which creates perfect points. The Addi Lace needle made all the difference in executing the nupps.  In fact, I wouldn't even bother to do nupps without this needle. The point is so sharp, so perfect for lace knitting, and for doing a technique as hard to do as nupps (only hard if you don't have a pointed needle, that is). 

The lace pattern feels a little complicated in the beginning, but quickly becomes intuitive and flows beautifully.  The changes from one lace section to the next are smooth and flawless...the sign of a great design.

click for big

This shawl has quickly become a favorite; the color is so beautiful, so warm and inviting, and the pattern was a joy to knit.  Don't tell anyone, but I've been wearing it everyday since I finished it!

Pattern: Spring Things Shawl designed by Susan
Yarn:  Susan's Handspun single – Roving from Spunky Eclectic – Tahiti
Needle:  Addi Lace Size 6 – The sharper point on this needle makes it very easy to knit nupps.
Time to Knit:  January 27, 2008 – February 7, 2008
First Project for Project Spectrum: Elements - FIRE!

Check out Erin's (Girl Who Knits) new blog…she was lost for a time (thanks to Bloglines), but now she's back (with a beautiful new sweater).

Could it Be a Tropical Weekend?

The beautiful, tropical Spring Things Shawl is finished and in hiding as a big mess of mesh.  Tonight it will go to the ball bath and bloom like Cinderella, as her lace softens, opens and comes to life.  The magical moment of lace blocking is just around the corner and a photo shoot is on the schedule for Sunday (which promises to be in the 40s and sans snow!!). It's an exciting time. (Yeah, you could say I don't get out much.) 

Hot Flash Monkeys have grown nicely during lunch break and social knitting, and they may heat up a little more this weekend.  I'm looking forward to the day they warm my feet (and sear other peoples retinas).  Knitting entertains me and watching how each stitch changes color, each row creates a pattern and each section shows off the yarn is so much fun.  This is why I enjoy knitting so much...each stitch is pure joy of process.

It may get fairly balmy around here with the addition of the funky, fabulous, red hot roving that's waiting with Emmylou...waiting for me to sit and spin! This is so much fun because it doesn't need to be 'perfect'.  The lumpy bumps of silk, and other fiber, create a very textured single and a yarn that's full of character.  This, again, is pure joy of process, a hoot to watch and create. 

In a comment to my post on NaSpiMoMo Redux, Rosa had a great suggestion.  Let's knit in March what we spin in February.  Are you game?   I can see the Lady Slipper batt becoming a fun scarf or shawl and expect it to tell me exactly what it wants to be when the spinning is done.  So, if you spin up several yarns in February for Redux,  pick one (at least) and let's continue the process.  SpinKnit!

Warming Things Up

It's so hard not to complain about the weather, even thought I know many of you are much colder. I told KimG that I'm so over snow, so over day after day of cold temperatures, so over winter. Yesterday morning the weather tried to fake us out with clear blue skies (it looked warmer than it was), but it didn't last long. Clouds moved in by late morning and snow started in the late afternoon.  My lungs are still compromised from pneumonia and they (and I) crave to be filled with warm (tropical) air.  It is not to be...snow is expect every 48 hours for the next 7 days, and that includes continued (never-ending) cold. (I now understand why 'snowbirds' head south.)  How's a grrl to survive? How's a grrl to get over it and start living life!?

Knit Tropical Lace...that's how!

Susan's Spring Things Shawl, knit in the warm colors of spring, warm climes and the sweet fruits of summer, is just what's needed to lift the spirits. Susan spun this yarn last year (Tahiti, is the name of the roving she used), and I think it was her first single ply.  It's beautifully spun, even in grist and very fun to knit.  The color can't decide if it's a warm tropical orange or hot pink, but together they create a lovely mix of sunny shades. This may not represent 'exactly' the Element of FIRE, but it does denote warmth and sun, summer and heat.  It will be my 'fireplace' this weekend...a place to warm my hands and help me think warm thoughts.

I love this project so much it's hard to put down. It's made me feel as if monogamous knitting might be the way to go and, in fact, I think I'll knit on this one project all weekend. Its colorful beauty and rhythmic lace patterns are comforting and enjoyable. How far do you think I could go if this was my one and only? 

You know what I'll be doing this weekend.  Enjoy your weekend whatever you do or knit!

Ready for the End of January - Aren't You?

January is my least favorite month of the year and, I realize, that may be true for many of you.   January is cold, as in bitter cold, dark, gray and long.  This year it has been especially hard on me for several reasons.  Much of the month I've been under the weather (a good term) and struggling to get back on my feet for several weeks.  Keeping spirits up has been a challenge, as January can beat you down physically and mentally. I'm bruised, tired, worn down and sore...sick of January.  The world around me is a frigidly real black and white photograph in shades of gray.  There seems to be little relief in the forecast over the next 10 days....more haze, more snow, more cold. Yes, I know I'm whining...but, I'm so over January.

The dreaded inversion has not come to stay and make matters worse. However, there is one good  thing about an inversion; the mountain resorts are sunny and warm.  They offer the bluest of blue skies and warmer temps, a delightful respite, while the valley is covered in a thick layer of gray.  This January the resorts are also cloudy, cold(er), and snowy (snow is good), and so they offer no escape.  I long for February, its longer days, warming trends, and I see in the future that one February day when it is warm, sunny and different than anything we've seen in January. I know it will come.

Also, another reason to want February, Lolly is bringing back Project Spectrum for a third year, and this time she had the inspired idea of dividing the colors by Elements; Fire, Earth, Air and Water, two months for each one.  February and March will be Fire...Fire, warmth, sun, heat, hot colors, the ideas overfloweth.  For each Element my plan is to knit something (a pair of appropriate socks or a bit of lace?), spin an appropriate fiber and take loads of appropriate pictures.  There is so much one can do in a broad spectrum of media and it will be a fun, creative pursuit.   I'm feeling better already.

Enjoy your weekend and stay warm!