First of all, let me apologize for my silence. I have a very good reason.
January 2011, my mother-in-love, who has lived with us since 2005, was re-diagnosed with congestive heart failure. When she first came to live with us in Arizona, she was already in the hospice program in Arizona and no one was giving her more than six months. She'd had several smaller heart attacks the previous year, the last one making it impossible for her to continue to live alone. Partially because she refused to take prescription medication and partly because she really couldn't take care of her daily needs. She was also diagnosed with dementia, but at the time, we only saw fleeting and sporadic evidence of that change.
We tried to keep her in an Assisted Living home in Lake Havasu so she could continue to attend her church and be near all her friends. But she deteriorated to the point they put her into the hospice program, so we brought her to live with us in the Phoenix area. We wanted her to be with us when she passed. We had been living with my mom, helping her but there wasn't room for another person in her small home. So we found a place to rent nearby that would be suitable for his mom so we could care for both of them. We never expected her to last through the year. If she was living with us, we would be able to get the most important medications into her somehow.
In June of 2006 my mother passed. She'd been battling Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (OCPD) and was in the early stages of Alzheimer's. Mom was terrified of losing her memory, so when she suddenly collapsed due to what was later determined to be blood clots in her lungs, it was a kind of "blessing." She collapsed around 4 in the afternoon and was gone the following morning by 6am.
Meanwhile, our other mom had come off the catheter. A few months later, she no longer needed supplemental oxygen. And in November 2006 when we moved back to Oregon, she not only did not qualify for the hospice program here... she no longer qualified for a diagnosis of congestive heart failure. We started to wonder if she might not outlive us all.
The last two years, the fact her memory was deteriorating was becoming obvious on a daily basis. Then last winter she got a mild cold but her cough didn't go away. We began to notice that it sounded suspiciously like the cough she'd had with congestive heart failure, so we took her to the doctor to see if it was something we should be concerned about or not.
We have a wonderful neighbor lady next door who offered to come over once a week and help her with a shower, which had become a source of conflict for us. We knew that she'd be more cooperative with someone she didn't see every day and less likely to "play her games." We were right. Having weekly visits by someone so kind and thoughtful was a godsend for all of us. Our "neighbor angel" would bring her little treats, read a story to her, and generally share kindness and joy with her. Meanwhile, we knew she was getting a shower every week and we didn't have to fight with about it anymore.
However, over this past year, she'd gotten more and more combative, difficult, and behaviorally a challenge. It wasn't always possible to know if she was intentionally misrepresenting the truth, or telling herself something that wasn't true and therefore trying to convince us it was true, simply didn't know what was true and what wasn't... or some combination thereof. The latter seemed most likely. In some instances, it was clear she wasn't being truthful and knew it. But in others, it seemed more likely she just wasn't "in the present time," and, like my mom had done when she was "caught" not remembering something she thought she should, she'd "fill in the blanks" with something that seemed reasonable and plausible but wasn't technically "true." Regardless, it was all becoming more and more stressful on the entire family. That, combined with sometimes "going out of her way to be difficult" and uncooperative was really wearing on us all. I'm sure, mom included.
As the months went by and we got into the summer months, she started "escaping." At first, it wasn't a problem. She'd just go outside, in the front or back yard, but didn't venture beyond the boundaries of our property. It was only a problem because no one knew she wasn't inside and she wasn't always stable on her feet. She had a rolling walker, but either didn't remember to use it or chose not to use it more than half the time. In the house, it wasn't a problem either way. Outside, especially if no one knew she was outside, it posed a greater risk to her safety. But she never told anyone she was leaving... she'd just go.
We tried to tell ourselves that she just didn't remember, but we all knew, she simply didn't want to comply with our request. It wasn't on her personal agenda. She was always stubborn, strong willed, and infuriatingly narcissistic, and if she didn't want to do something, it wasn't likely to happen. Unless one could be sufficiently clever to introduce it as her idea. It was not unlike dealing with a petulant 5 year old who was determined to get what she wanted, when she wanted it, the way she wanted it, by whatever means she thought would get her what she wanted. This only got worse, on several levels, as the dementia deepened and she became less and less able to pretend things were other than they were.
By the fall, she would go "exploring." Leaving the house by the garage door, hitting the garage door opener button and leaving the property. She, fortunately, never got further than one of the neighbors on either side of us. They both knew what we were dealing with and if one of them saw her... and fortunately one of them always did... they'd call us and tell us she was "making a run for it," and intercept her until we get there to walk her back home.
We'd already secured the front door so she couldn't possibly go out that way. No one used that door because there was no way to secure that door from the outside when leaving that she couldn't unlock it and leave behind you. We finally had to resort to a keypad deadbolt on the door from the house to the garage... with the keypad on the inside. The garage door opener didn't make sufficient noise for us to hear that opening and unless someone was in the living room or kitchen when she decided to leave, we wouldn't know she'd gone. And she never "went for a walk" if anyone was there to stop her. A bar on the slider to the back deck prevented her from going outside that way with no one's knowledge. Her cognitive functions were sufficiently impaired that she couldn't figure out how that worked. We simply could not permit ourselves to focus on the fact we were living in a "locked down community" because there was no other way to keep her safe.
... to be continued
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Changing directions...
... a little course correction. For this blog, for my life.
When I decided on a name for this blog, my mind was working in a completely different direction. I was mostly being clever with all the little "journey" references sprinkled throughout. Who knew that the name and "theme" of this blog would coincide with my life?
For a variety of reasons, that I don't really care to go into in such a public forum, my husband and I will be making a major course correction in our lifestyle. It occurs to me, that documenting this journey in a blog makes a lot of sense. So, I'm going to be sharing the process as we make decisions and navigate this new course here, in prose and photo.
We've struggled, a lot, for a long time. We always find a way to land on our feet, eventually, and money has never been the driver of our lives. We've lived in apartments and rental property pretty much our entire married lives. Owning a home always sounded like something we "should" do, and whenever a landlord was being unreasonable about something, it even sounded like something we'd rather do. But most of the time, we've been perfectly happy renting.
We bought a house in Portland, OR in November, 2006. We were really excited. We got a GREAT deal on a nice little place, with a full basement, in a really nice neighborhood. Nothing too fancy or upscale at all. But extremely pleasant. We set about doing all the things we've always wanted to do but couldn't as renters. Painting walls, planting gardens, redecorating. Nesting.
April 2008, our daughter, son-in-love & then-just-barely-3-year-old granddaughter moved in with us. As we already had my mother-in-law living with us, that meant we had four generations under one roof. The kids have had full possession of half the basement, we share the master bath shower... two very small bathrooms for six people. There are lots of things to recommend the set up, and in lots of ways, it's been great.
However, I suppose it goes without saying that six people between the ages of 3 and 83 will have issues and stresses in such an arrangement. The Waltons we are not. Although, I've recently starting watching the Waltons reruns again... and maybe in some ways we are the Waltons! LOL! Smaller house, fewer kids, lots of the same drama and sweetness... not nearly as functional, I suspect.
But "Big Grandma," as our little bit calls her 5'2" great-paternal-grandmother, is not doing well. Healthwise, not so bad at 86, but she's been dealing with dementia for at least a decade. Until this year, it has mostly been amusing. She generally has known where she is and who we are and able to take care of her personal needs without too much assistance. She hasn't always remembered what year it is, or that "yes, mom, you have seen it snow here before... it snowed last winter," but she always knew where her room was and how to find her way back, from directly across the hall, when she was done.
Lately, this hasn't been the case. She doesn't always "play well with others," she wanders off without anyone realizing she's left, (how on earth does she do that???), she isn't able to care for herself as well anymore... still feeds herself, but there are other issues... mostly, she's just not "here" much of the time. For a variety of reasons, we realize, this just isn't working. For anyone.
On top of that, the kids are looking at some changes in their lives too. They will be moving on at the end of the year, first of next year. But even if all that weren't the case, we simply cannot continue on financially here. (Thank you Bush-Obama Administrations.) Serious changes have to be made.
Hopefully between February 2012 & July 2012 we will be living full time in... a motor home. We are researching all the practical issues involved in making this change, and preparing ourselves emotionally for all the transitions, and losses, this will generate.
Mom will be in a full time facility. We feel guilty... as much for the relief that will bring as the feeling that we are abandoning her. (We aren't, but it feels that way.) Losing daily contact with "my sunshine." I'll especially miss our "bedtime chats." That will be hardest for me, personally. Possibly not being able to hang out with my daughter like we've been able to do since they moved in. Pop in downstairs to watch Dr. Who or chat or ask a question... or answer a knitting question.
Getting rid of almost all our worldly possessions. That's a biggie. On the plus side, the kids won't have to do it when we pass. Right? We are going to secure a small storage unit... to make the transition a little more slowly. We'll keep, at least for a while, the most critical stuff we'd need if we had to move into an apartment again, but it is really more for psychological soothing, I suspect.
This entire transition, on pretty much every level, is going to be hard. But I think it is going to be a good change, really for all of us. In ways we cannot appreciate now. God has unexpected ways of blessing us. Sometimes, it doesn't feel like a blessing at first. But experience tells me, He is always "on my side," no matter what I think at the moment.
Who knew, when I chose the name "Roving StarPoints" last year that this Star would be roving from one point to another, and writing about it, a year later? What kind of Providence is in that? I HATE to move. But it is the "transfer of stuff" from one place to another and all the details and issues that usually come up without warning that makes me crazy(ier).
Based on my preliminary research, this will be different. Once the initial purging of superfluous "stuff" is done and the remaining essentials and treasures are safely ensconced on board The Motor Home or tucked securely into the storage unit, "moving" won't be the same thing as it has been in the past. Rolling your home and goods down the road to a new location is not quite the same as moving all your stuff from one stationary place to another stationary place.
There is a lot more to all of this, and in the days, weeks, months, ahead, I'll make the case for our decision and share the process with you as we make this transition. It'll be hard. But it'll be exciting, and I expect, rewarding in lots of ways too. Maybe others will not have considered this as a viable option for their lives, as I did not, but discover... "gee, maybe this might work for me too."
Join us as we find...
Joy in the Journey,
Elianastar
P.S.: There will be a new category or two in the Book~Shop as we find resources related to our lifestyle change... books & goods that will make life easier as we make these changes.
P.P.S.: I am re-knitting my UDP, to check for errors, etc. and expect to be finished in the next day or so. Then, it will be on to test knitters, tech edit... and finally, submission. I finished the first one and used it for Sock Summit. It performed precisely as designed & I can not wait to share it with the world!
When I decided on a name for this blog, my mind was working in a completely different direction. I was mostly being clever with all the little "journey" references sprinkled throughout. Who knew that the name and "theme" of this blog would coincide with my life?
For a variety of reasons, that I don't really care to go into in such a public forum, my husband and I will be making a major course correction in our lifestyle. It occurs to me, that documenting this journey in a blog makes a lot of sense. So, I'm going to be sharing the process as we make decisions and navigate this new course here, in prose and photo.
We've struggled, a lot, for a long time. We always find a way to land on our feet, eventually, and money has never been the driver of our lives. We've lived in apartments and rental property pretty much our entire married lives. Owning a home always sounded like something we "should" do, and whenever a landlord was being unreasonable about something, it even sounded like something we'd rather do. But most of the time, we've been perfectly happy renting.
We bought a house in Portland, OR in November, 2006. We were really excited. We got a GREAT deal on a nice little place, with a full basement, in a really nice neighborhood. Nothing too fancy or upscale at all. But extremely pleasant. We set about doing all the things we've always wanted to do but couldn't as renters. Painting walls, planting gardens, redecorating. Nesting.
April 2008, our daughter, son-in-love & then-just-barely-3-year-old granddaughter moved in with us. As we already had my mother-in-law living with us, that meant we had four generations under one roof. The kids have had full possession of half the basement, we share the master bath shower... two very small bathrooms for six people. There are lots of things to recommend the set up, and in lots of ways, it's been great.
However, I suppose it goes without saying that six people between the ages of 3 and 83 will have issues and stresses in such an arrangement. The Waltons we are not. Although, I've recently starting watching the Waltons reruns again... and maybe in some ways we are the Waltons! LOL! Smaller house, fewer kids, lots of the same drama and sweetness... not nearly as functional, I suspect.
But "Big Grandma," as our little bit calls her 5'2" great-paternal-grandmother, is not doing well. Healthwise, not so bad at 86, but she's been dealing with dementia for at least a decade. Until this year, it has mostly been amusing. She generally has known where she is and who we are and able to take care of her personal needs without too much assistance. She hasn't always remembered what year it is, or that "yes, mom, you have seen it snow here before... it snowed last winter," but she always knew where her room was and how to find her way back, from directly across the hall, when she was done.
Lately, this hasn't been the case. She doesn't always "play well with others," she wanders off without anyone realizing she's left, (how on earth does she do that???), she isn't able to care for herself as well anymore... still feeds herself, but there are other issues... mostly, she's just not "here" much of the time. For a variety of reasons, we realize, this just isn't working. For anyone.
On top of that, the kids are looking at some changes in their lives too. They will be moving on at the end of the year, first of next year. But even if all that weren't the case, we simply cannot continue on financially here. (Thank you Bush-Obama Administrations.) Serious changes have to be made.
Hopefully between February 2012 & July 2012 we will be living full time in... a motor home. We are researching all the practical issues involved in making this change, and preparing ourselves emotionally for all the transitions, and losses, this will generate.
Mom will be in a full time facility. We feel guilty... as much for the relief that will bring as the feeling that we are abandoning her. (We aren't, but it feels that way.) Losing daily contact with "my sunshine." I'll especially miss our "bedtime chats." That will be hardest for me, personally. Possibly not being able to hang out with my daughter like we've been able to do since they moved in. Pop in downstairs to watch Dr. Who or chat or ask a question... or answer a knitting question.
Getting rid of almost all our worldly possessions. That's a biggie. On the plus side, the kids won't have to do it when we pass. Right? We are going to secure a small storage unit... to make the transition a little more slowly. We'll keep, at least for a while, the most critical stuff we'd need if we had to move into an apartment again, but it is really more for psychological soothing, I suspect.
This entire transition, on pretty much every level, is going to be hard. But I think it is going to be a good change, really for all of us. In ways we cannot appreciate now. God has unexpected ways of blessing us. Sometimes, it doesn't feel like a blessing at first. But experience tells me, He is always "on my side," no matter what I think at the moment.
Who knew, when I chose the name "Roving StarPoints" last year that this Star would be roving from one point to another, and writing about it, a year later? What kind of Providence is in that? I HATE to move. But it is the "transfer of stuff" from one place to another and all the details and issues that usually come up without warning that makes me crazy(ier).
Based on my preliminary research, this will be different. Once the initial purging of superfluous "stuff" is done and the remaining essentials and treasures are safely ensconced on board The Motor Home or tucked securely into the storage unit, "moving" won't be the same thing as it has been in the past. Rolling your home and goods down the road to a new location is not quite the same as moving all your stuff from one stationary place to another stationary place.
There is a lot more to all of this, and in the days, weeks, months, ahead, I'll make the case for our decision and share the process with you as we make this transition. It'll be hard. But it'll be exciting, and I expect, rewarding in lots of ways too. Maybe others will not have considered this as a viable option for their lives, as I did not, but discover... "gee, maybe this might work for me too."
Join us as we find...
Joy in the Journey,
Elianastar
P.S.: There will be a new category or two in the Book~Shop as we find resources related to our lifestyle change... books & goods that will make life easier as we make these changes.
P.P.S.: I am re-knitting my UDP, to check for errors, etc. and expect to be finished in the next day or so. Then, it will be on to test knitters, tech edit... and finally, submission. I finished the first one and used it for Sock Summit. It performed precisely as designed & I can not wait to share it with the world!
Friday, July 15, 2011
UDP = Unidentified Design Project
... so. I've been working on several design projects since spring of 2010. None of them are completed. But I'm finally closing in on the finish line for one of them! (Another is close to completion.)
I won't divulge what the project is yet, other than to say, I'm excited about finally completing it... so I can use it! This first design is the brain-child of my frustration, which is just as valid a "mother of invention" as necessity... frustration's very close sibling.
Designing is a challenging, frustrating, rewarding, unpredictable, repetitive, exciting, time-consuming endeavor. There is an inordinate amount of frogging, tinking, and re-knitting. (At least the way I do it, which is likely more OCD than necessary.) Patience is not only a virtue if you want to design something from scratch, it is essential to maintain your sanity! The ability to recognize when you're almost at the limit of that patience is essential to protect the design in process! If you push past that limit you risk a fit of irrational rage that may well result in the dismantling of the entire thing in a screaming fit.
Designing is an exercise in creative problem-solving. "I want to do this, but I've got to have an even number of stitches to do that. I've got an uneven number and those stitches are not divisible by the number of repeats I need. How am I going to add those stitches I need... or remove the excess stitches I have... where am I going to make that change, what kind of increases or decreases will look best, and how will those choices impact the balance of the design?" Each of those decisions has a direct impact on a following element of the design unless they are the last decisions in the piece.
"Form follows function" may not be universally true in architecture but it sure has a strong influence on knitting & crochet design in my experience! The inverse is also true: if you alter the function, you'll most likely have to alter the form. I've found this particularly true in the very small project the design of which is taking "forever" to complete. Every element of this project has an impact on every other element, esthetic as well as intended function. It is really more an "engineered" project than a "designed" project! Don't let the small size fool you.
The "form" of the design, each aspect of the form, has a specific "function," either independently or as it relates to and impacts every other "form" in the design.
All that to bait you with this... the finished design is an object intended to make knitting and crochet on the go, or in a stationary position, less frustrating and more "compact."
... stay tuned for details. :-)
Joy in the Journey,
Elianastar
I won't divulge what the project is yet, other than to say, I'm excited about finally completing it... so I can use it! This first design is the brain-child of my frustration, which is just as valid a "mother of invention" as necessity... frustration's very close sibling.
Designing is a challenging, frustrating, rewarding, unpredictable, repetitive, exciting, time-consuming endeavor. There is an inordinate amount of frogging, tinking, and re-knitting. (At least the way I do it, which is likely more OCD than necessary.) Patience is not only a virtue if you want to design something from scratch, it is essential to maintain your sanity! The ability to recognize when you're almost at the limit of that patience is essential to protect the design in process! If you push past that limit you risk a fit of irrational rage that may well result in the dismantling of the entire thing in a screaming fit.
Designing is an exercise in creative problem-solving. "I want to do this, but I've got to have an even number of stitches to do that. I've got an uneven number and those stitches are not divisible by the number of repeats I need. How am I going to add those stitches I need... or remove the excess stitches I have... where am I going to make that change, what kind of increases or decreases will look best, and how will those choices impact the balance of the design?" Each of those decisions has a direct impact on a following element of the design unless they are the last decisions in the piece.
"Form follows function" may not be universally true in architecture but it sure has a strong influence on knitting & crochet design in my experience! The inverse is also true: if you alter the function, you'll most likely have to alter the form. I've found this particularly true in the very small project the design of which is taking "forever" to complete. Every element of this project has an impact on every other element, esthetic as well as intended function. It is really more an "engineered" project than a "designed" project! Don't let the small size fool you.
The "form" of the design, each aspect of the form, has a specific "function," either independently or as it relates to and impacts every other "form" in the design.
All that to bait you with this... the finished design is an object intended to make knitting and crochet on the go, or in a stationary position, less frustrating and more "compact."
... stay tuned for details. :-)
Joy in the Journey,
Elianastar
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Checking in...
... sorry I've been so absent... it's been a hard "Spring." Not that we've had much "spring" around these parts this year. Hardly any iris has bloomed yet. We've usually had vases of iris before Mother's Day. However, the daffodils have already come and gone and we are still enjoying some tulips yet. The roses are just beginning to develop a bud or two.
I'll be sharing in the near future about my first-ever pair of socks I knitted all by my very own self. I taught myself two-color Brioche stitch... not an easy task for an ADHD rattled brain with a cold. It's a fun stitch but learning single-color Brioche would have been a lot easier to master. It isn't hard, but it is a little out of the ordinary and requires above-average-attention abilities until you get the hang of it.
I also decided to crochet my own basket liners for some garden baskets for which finding coco-liners was proving too much trouble to continue searching. The pretty white cotton is already turning algae green in the shade of my garden arbor, but I do believe they'll work quite well. I've posted a "recipe" to make your own, by knit or crochet, if you'd like. You can learn more about it @ www.Ravelry.com. (free acct required to access)
In the meantime, happy Spring to you all! I hope you are growing something awesome and crafting something fun!
Joy in the Journey,
Elianastar
I'll be sharing in the near future about my first-ever pair of socks I knitted all by my very own self. I taught myself two-color Brioche stitch... not an easy task for an ADHD rattled brain with a cold. It's a fun stitch but learning single-color Brioche would have been a lot easier to master. It isn't hard, but it is a little out of the ordinary and requires above-average-attention abilities until you get the hang of it.
I also decided to crochet my own basket liners for some garden baskets for which finding coco-liners was proving too much trouble to continue searching. The pretty white cotton is already turning algae green in the shade of my garden arbor, but I do believe they'll work quite well. I've posted a "recipe" to make your own, by knit or crochet, if you'd like. You can learn more about it @ www.Ravelry.com. (free acct required to access)
In the meantime, happy Spring to you all! I hope you are growing something awesome and crafting something fun!
Joy in the Journey,
Elianastar
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Book Review: Color Knitting
"The Essential Guide to Color Knitting Techniques"
by Margaret Radcliffe
Available in hardcover-only U.S.; paperback UK-only. Edit: author has informed me the paperback version is UK-available only; in US only available in hardcover.
The first 23 pages alone are worth the cost of this book! Even those who already have a good working knowledge of color theory will find some great ideas unique to working with yarn and fiber.
Do you tend to pick up a skein of yarn from sale bins or order an unseen ball of yarn online... just to figure out if you might like it or to see the color in person? What are you gonna do with it now? Consider how this information might influence your work if you spin or dye yarn yourself!
"Everyone perceives color a bit differently, and our responses to certain colors or groups of colors are a matter of personal preference as well as psychology & perception." This is probably no more true than when we are talking about what we wear & how we choose to artistically use yarn in knit (and crochet) projects. A refreshing bit of news for those with "color phobia" is the author's statement that there are "no right or wrong combinations, there are just color groupings, or colorways, that have different effects," and then she proceeds to demonstrates this reality in specific and creative ways. You can take vast amounts of the information in this book to modify and "dress up" patterns you've already got, or apply this information to "from scratch" designs you are cooking up!
She begins by describing the relevant aspects of color that are most useful to understand as fiber artists. Beginning with basic color theory, accompanied with particularly helpful full color graphics, she helps us to understand that especially in fiber, "context" is everything. A color with a specific appearance by itself can and will appear quite different depending on what colors are next to it and in what quantity. A little bit of a color you despise by itself can be successfully combined with other colors in such a way as to make it the star of the project... if you understand how colors affect one another.
That hank of neon green or hot pink lace weight yarn that you bought online and now have no idea what on earth you'd ever do with it can be stranded with other lace weight yarns, with specific color impact that will tone it down to a "temperature" that you can love. Or double-stranded with worsted weight yarn or triple-stranded with a single sport weight yarn to create a completely different fabric than the original yarns alone would produce.
And, you don't have to swatch and swatch and swatch to determine which colors in which variations or sequences will give you the results you are looking for. But when you are ready to swatch a little, what kinds of things do you need to know? If you are using more than one strand of different yarns &/or different thicknesses, how do you know what size needle to use? What about one color bleeding into another color?
All of this is covered in just the first 23 pages of the book! See what I mean?
From there, you are taken on a journey of different ways to knit colors together to achieve different results. You are not only given ideas about how to combine colors, but you are also taught actual knitting techniques involved in getting the best results combining different colors and different yarns together.
Stripes are perhaps the easiest way to combine different colors. Flat knitting and in-the-round techniques are addressed. How to carry yarn along, how to add in new yarn colors, what to do with yarn ends, what are the best way to work stripes in stockinette or garter stitch, how to make diagonal stripes, how do you make ribbed stripes look "clean," how do you make stripes reversible for a scarf? Ever make stripes in circular knitting? You know that "jog" where you start a new round in a different color that makes you nuts? There are a couple of ways to disguise and modify that uneven change! And you can add texture to your circular stripes too. What about combining pattern stitches to spice up your stripes? All of this is covered in pictures and tutorial explanations every step of the way, culminating in variations of a scarf pattern.
Incorporating color into pattern stitches can turn a "blah" project into a masterpiece. Color swatches, complete with written stitch patterns, charts, and a series of variations on this same stitch pattern are included for over twenty stitch patterns, interspersed with knitting techniques to improve your successful execution.
Love multicolor yarn... not so pleased with pooling and other issues when you start knitting with it? This book will help you apply knitting and stitch techniques to get a result you'll love depending on the specific kind of multicolor yarn you are using.
From there, you are taken on a tour of stranded knitting techniques for that Scandinavian look. How to manage multiple strands of color, how to prevent holes when changing colors, dealing with tangles and unevenness and shaping... all the basic, and not-so-basic, things you'll appreciate. Do you know what a "steek" is and how to do them... or why you'd ever want to know? You will when you've finished this chapter.
Intarsia or "picture knitting" is covered as thoroughly as every other topic, with color photos and helpful tutorials all along the way.
Now most people would think that would pretty well cover all one might possibly want to know about knitting in color, wouldn't you? Would you believe there is MORE? Helix, shadow, mosaic, twined, double knitting, and modular knitting... including entrelac... all covered as well!
But wait! There's more! Finishing techniques including decorative bind offs and embellishments carries you to the final chapter. How do you modify existing patterns to incorporate these techniques or design a project from scratch using this information? What might you need to consider regarding the kind of fabric that will be best for your project and which technique to apply to get that best fabric? Answers are here.
Last but far from least, the book closes with an Appendix that covers basic knitting skills, garment sizing guidelines, abbreviations and symbols, a bibliography, and an outstanding index to locate specific information later. There are a few patterns in this book, but if you are looking for color-work designs and patterns book, you'll probably be happier with a book that has a different focus.
After you've learned the basics of combining color in yarn and see all the different ways you can knit a multicolor project, you'll not hesitate to pick up one or two balls of yarn at the fiber show or from the sale bin at the local yarn shop (LYS) or order that spectacularly priced clearance yarn online. Because you'll know you can mix and match and finesse that fiber goodness into a finished project that will make that "lonely only" into a work of art! This book holds the potential to save you a lot of money, spark your creative juices, and expand your skill set. Really... how can you lose?
by Margaret Radcliffe
Available in hardcover-only U.S.; paperback UK-only. Edit: author has informed me the paperback version is UK-available only; in US only available in hardcover.
The first 23 pages alone are worth the cost of this book! Even those who already have a good working knowledge of color theory will find some great ideas unique to working with yarn and fiber.
Do you tend to pick up a skein of yarn from sale bins or order an unseen ball of yarn online... just to figure out if you might like it or to see the color in person? What are you gonna do with it now? Consider how this information might influence your work if you spin or dye yarn yourself!
"Everyone perceives color a bit differently, and our responses to certain colors or groups of colors are a matter of personal preference as well as psychology & perception." This is probably no more true than when we are talking about what we wear & how we choose to artistically use yarn in knit (and crochet) projects. A refreshing bit of news for those with "color phobia" is the author's statement that there are "no right or wrong combinations, there are just color groupings, or colorways, that have different effects," and then she proceeds to demonstrates this reality in specific and creative ways. You can take vast amounts of the information in this book to modify and "dress up" patterns you've already got, or apply this information to "from scratch" designs you are cooking up!
She begins by describing the relevant aspects of color that are most useful to understand as fiber artists. Beginning with basic color theory, accompanied with particularly helpful full color graphics, she helps us to understand that especially in fiber, "context" is everything. A color with a specific appearance by itself can and will appear quite different depending on what colors are next to it and in what quantity. A little bit of a color you despise by itself can be successfully combined with other colors in such a way as to make it the star of the project... if you understand how colors affect one another.
That hank of neon green or hot pink lace weight yarn that you bought online and now have no idea what on earth you'd ever do with it can be stranded with other lace weight yarns, with specific color impact that will tone it down to a "temperature" that you can love. Or double-stranded with worsted weight yarn or triple-stranded with a single sport weight yarn to create a completely different fabric than the original yarns alone would produce.
And, you don't have to swatch and swatch and swatch to determine which colors in which variations or sequences will give you the results you are looking for. But when you are ready to swatch a little, what kinds of things do you need to know? If you are using more than one strand of different yarns &/or different thicknesses, how do you know what size needle to use? What about one color bleeding into another color?
All of this is covered in just the first 23 pages of the book! See what I mean?
From there, you are taken on a journey of different ways to knit colors together to achieve different results. You are not only given ideas about how to combine colors, but you are also taught actual knitting techniques involved in getting the best results combining different colors and different yarns together.
Stripes are perhaps the easiest way to combine different colors. Flat knitting and in-the-round techniques are addressed. How to carry yarn along, how to add in new yarn colors, what to do with yarn ends, what are the best way to work stripes in stockinette or garter stitch, how to make diagonal stripes, how do you make ribbed stripes look "clean," how do you make stripes reversible for a scarf? Ever make stripes in circular knitting? You know that "jog" where you start a new round in a different color that makes you nuts? There are a couple of ways to disguise and modify that uneven change! And you can add texture to your circular stripes too. What about combining pattern stitches to spice up your stripes? All of this is covered in pictures and tutorial explanations every step of the way, culminating in variations of a scarf pattern.
Incorporating color into pattern stitches can turn a "blah" project into a masterpiece. Color swatches, complete with written stitch patterns, charts, and a series of variations on this same stitch pattern are included for over twenty stitch patterns, interspersed with knitting techniques to improve your successful execution.
Love multicolor yarn... not so pleased with pooling and other issues when you start knitting with it? This book will help you apply knitting and stitch techniques to get a result you'll love depending on the specific kind of multicolor yarn you are using.
From there, you are taken on a tour of stranded knitting techniques for that Scandinavian look. How to manage multiple strands of color, how to prevent holes when changing colors, dealing with tangles and unevenness and shaping... all the basic, and not-so-basic, things you'll appreciate. Do you know what a "steek" is and how to do them... or why you'd ever want to know? You will when you've finished this chapter.
Intarsia or "picture knitting" is covered as thoroughly as every other topic, with color photos and helpful tutorials all along the way.
Now most people would think that would pretty well cover all one might possibly want to know about knitting in color, wouldn't you? Would you believe there is MORE? Helix, shadow, mosaic, twined, double knitting, and modular knitting... including entrelac... all covered as well!
But wait! There's more! Finishing techniques including decorative bind offs and embellishments carries you to the final chapter. How do you modify existing patterns to incorporate these techniques or design a project from scratch using this information? What might you need to consider regarding the kind of fabric that will be best for your project and which technique to apply to get that best fabric? Answers are here.
Last but far from least, the book closes with an Appendix that covers basic knitting skills, garment sizing guidelines, abbreviations and symbols, a bibliography, and an outstanding index to locate specific information later. There are a few patterns in this book, but if you are looking for color-work designs and patterns book, you'll probably be happier with a book that has a different focus.
After you've learned the basics of combining color in yarn and see all the different ways you can knit a multicolor project, you'll not hesitate to pick up one or two balls of yarn at the fiber show or from the sale bin at the local yarn shop (LYS) or order that spectacularly priced clearance yarn online. Because you'll know you can mix and match and finesse that fiber goodness into a finished project that will make that "lonely only" into a work of art! This book holds the potential to save you a lot of money, spark your creative juices, and expand your skill set. Really... how can you lose?
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Current status on hats for U.S.S. Decatur
I just received an acknowledgement note that my package has been received and for those who are interested in this project, the newest blog post... with photos... from Adventures in Paradise is linked here.
My apologies for not posting more lately. I've had many not-good days of late. Several days when I was doing better, I worked on some front yard gardening... planting bulbs for spring and moving some roses from the back and side yard to the front yard. I can't wait until spring now! I feel like that old Mervyn's store commercial... I stand at the living room window and say, "spring! spring! spring!"
My BearMan has provided some hardscaping in the front yard which will be filled with flowers in the spring & summer...
There will be peonies, roses, a few iris, and tons of spring bulbs in the oval planter. I'm not certain what else will go there, but another climbing rose will be trained up the arbor on the driveway side when I find the "perfect" rose. The peonies
and two of the roses were already on the property when we moved here. Surrounding the basement egress under the living room, more spring bulbs including daffodils
, tulips
and crocus
, as well as cyclamen
, bleeding heart, astilbe
, and columbine
have been planted. Except for the front corner where the existing azaleas remain... for now... very little sun falls in this area, so these are almost entirely all shade plants. The interior of the basement egress walls will be painted to help reflect more light into the basement, later this spring. Also later in the spring, after they have flowered and been pruned, the azaleas along the driveway, and those in the planter in front, will be moved to the property line, behind and to the left of the rose planter.
A second egress access is being constructed around the basement window on the other side of the front since I took these photos. When that is done, the other side of the front of the house will be prepared for more shade plants this spring & summer.
The hydrangea will have a new home as it was planted directly in front of the basement window, which had to be severely excavated to eventually install an egress window. By the front door is an "ancient" rhododendren. After it flowers this spring, it will be at least a third shorter. I've been "taming" it for a couple of years now. I still need to dig up the hostas and divide them. The area that is largely brown between the rhodie and the hydrangea
now has been covered with a wild variety of bleeding heart so lush you cannot see anything but green and the little purple-red flowers through spring and summer. I'll keep some of it, but the entire area will likely be replanted with new shade plants once the planting area has been installed.
In addition to the gardening, on "better days," I've also been working on "behind" the scenes projects. But, I will try to do better posting... I'm working on getting all my photos backed up to a different drive, but I then have to export photos to a different folder to share them here...
It is hard to see in the front yard, but in the back yard, our neighbor has a maple tree that is almost in full fall color. The temps and weather have finally seemed to recognize that it is time to be cool and rain... I love this time of year!
My apologies for not posting more lately. I've had many not-good days of late. Several days when I was doing better, I worked on some front yard gardening... planting bulbs for spring and moving some roses from the back and side yard to the front yard. I can't wait until spring now! I feel like that old Mervyn's store commercial... I stand at the living room window and say, "spring! spring! spring!"
My BearMan has provided some hardscaping in the front yard which will be filled with flowers in the spring & summer...
There will be peonies, roses, a few iris, and tons of spring bulbs in the oval planter. I'm not certain what else will go there, but another climbing rose will be trained up the arbor on the driveway side when I find the "perfect" rose. The peonies and two of the roses were already on the property when we moved here. Surrounding the basement egress under the living room, more spring bulbs including daffodils, tulips and crocus, as well as cyclamen, bleeding heart, astilbe, and columbine have been planted. Except for the front corner where the existing azaleas remain... for now... very little sun falls in this area, so these are almost entirely all shade plants. The interior of the basement egress walls will be painted to help reflect more light into the basement, later this spring. Also later in the spring, after they have flowered and been pruned, the azaleas along the driveway, and those in the planter in front, will be moved to the property line, behind and to the left of the rose planter.
A second egress access is being constructed around the basement window on the other side of the front since I took these photos. When that is done, the other side of the front of the house will be prepared for more shade plants this spring & summer.The hydrangea will have a new home as it was planted directly in front of the basement window, which had to be severely excavated to eventually install an egress window. By the front door is an "ancient" rhododendren. After it flowers this spring, it will be at least a third shorter. I've been "taming" it for a couple of years now. I still need to dig up the hostas and divide them. The area that is largely brown between the rhodie and the hydrangea
now has been covered with a wild variety of bleeding heart so lush you cannot see anything but green and the little purple-red flowers through spring and summer. I'll keep some of it, but the entire area will likely be replanted with new shade plants once the planting area has been installed.
In addition to the gardening, on "better days," I've also been working on "behind" the scenes projects. But, I will try to do better posting... I'm working on getting all my photos backed up to a different drive, but I then have to export photos to a different folder to share them here...It is hard to see in the front yard, but in the back yard, our neighbor has a maple tree that is almost in full fall color. The temps and weather have finally seemed to recognize that it is time to be cool and rain... I love this time of year!
Joy in the journey,
Elianastar
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Hats sailing away...
I shipped off the hats this morning... along with a DVD of "Robin Hood: men in tights" and "Blind Side." Wish I could do more. If you've made hats or would like to send something else, and need the mailing address, please let me know. I'll be happy to send you the mailing address.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Sailor Hats 1 & 2
I finished my hats for the U.S.S. Decatur sailors! They were both very fast knits... one day each! I was able to use yarn already in my stash for both projects: Knit Picks Swish Bulky in Tidepool (discontinued color) for the hat on the left, and Knit Picks Swish Worsted in Truffle for the hat on the right.
The first hat I completed is the "Waffle Hat" from the KnitHats website. I just wasn't confident after swatching that the hat would be of adequate size, so I cast-on 88 sts rather than the 76 the pattern calls for. I tend to knit tightly, but even after obtaining gauge with the suggested needle size... doing the math for the finished size of the pattern, based on the st/in measurement, just seemed on the small side. I have a 22.5 inch noggin, though, and was also concerned that "big head" guys might not have enough hats to choose from. Better too large than too small. You can fold the bottom up more to make the hat shorter, and the stitch pattern is basically a 2x2 rib, so it has plenty of stretch to fit pretty much everyone.
Still, I hate a hat so tight repairing "hat head" requires electro shock. When a hat feels like a tourniquet I simply will not wear it. I don't want it so loose it won't stay on or permits wind to blow up inside, but I don't want to require the millinery version of a shoehorn to get it on my head either. And I want a watchcap style hat to cover my ears easily, thank you, so I added an inch to the height.My finished Waffle Hat measures 10" tall by 16" diameter and is very stretchy. It would easily fit a 24" diameter head. One full skein, and a portion of a second skein... less than half... on 5mm (#8) needles got the job done nicely.
My second hat was inspired by "Ed's Hat" from the Lion Brand Yarn website. However, that pattern was designed to be used with Wool-Ease Thick & Quick yarn... a super bulky. The yarn I had to use was Knit Picks Swish Bulky, not super bulky, so this was gonna require math to make it work. I despise math. I'd rather be shot than do math. Since I would have to swatch anyway to make my yarn work with this pattern, I decided to design my own. I've been toying with some ideas for "tutorial knits," using a project to teach skills, so I decided to make this a "sampler hat."
It is worked in the round, using the Magic Loop technique, my preferred in-the-round knitting technique. It could just as easily be made using DPNs (double point needles or "pins," as they are charmingly referenced in Euro parlance), or two circulars, if preferred. When I get the pattern worked up, there will be a tutorial version and a simple pattern version. If one already knows how to knit in the round, or how to do Magic Loop, they can simply follow the traditional pattern.
However, if one is a "knitting newbie," ready to progress from scarves and baby blankets to a hat and other "circle" projects, everything one needs to successfully complete this hat using the Magic Loop technique will be in the tutorial version. (Less the enthusiasm & motivation the knitter must bring to the project, of course.) If you've been looking for a small, fast, project to learn the Magic Loop technique, this tutorial will hold your hand through that process. After you've used the tutorial, I'd love any feedback you might have that you feel would have provided additional support to your success, or simply to make it even easier for you.Because time is of the essence due to the mailing deadline necessary to get donations to their destination in a timely manner, it is necessary to delay the final edition of the pattern. I'd like to consider whether to add some photos and if I do, that will necessitate a second knit of the hat. Which is fine because I'm planning on making another for myself anyway.
The tutorial version will be written for "newbie" knitters, assuming nothing. Using larger needles and yarn will cause the project to go quickly, and no more than ten rounds of any stitch pattern comprises any part of the design. All based on variations of knit and purl stitches, it is only the sequencing of the knit and purl stitches that modifies the various textures of the stitch patterns in this design. Most are based on a "rib" type stitch pattern to provide maximum stretch to the design, which will make the FO (finished object) a great gift pattern. Two types of decreases are included, k2tog (knit two together) and p2tog (purl two together), and the design encourages the use of the Cable Cast-on while offering justifications for learning this skill.I've decided to call the pattern, "Sampler Skills Watchcap," because it is a sampler of several skills and stitch patterns. Once the first hat is completed, additional hats can easily be customized using one of the stitch patterns through the body of the hat or any other multiple-of-four-stitch patterns that equally divides eight. Maintain the 2x2 ribbing at the top and the bottom, along with the stockinette and garter stitch section, but knit the section in-between in one or a combination of the stitch patterns of the original Sampler version. Or continue in stockinette or garter stitch or use an "any number of stitches" stitch pattern. Lots of variations for a weekend knit gift hat!
With the brim rolled up, this hat measures 18" in diameter and 8" deep. It has tons of stretch though, so it will comfortably fit a head at least 24" in diameter.
Might I also say... Knit Picks Swish Bulky is a dream to work with! SO soft, it works up quickly, "frogs" and "tinks" nicely, (there is no designing without a good supply of each), is superwash... which means it can be gently washed by machine... is one of the softest 100% wools I've felt, (love Merino), and with the textured stitch patterns, will be very snuggly and warm on cold windy days and nights. This hat takes a single skein to complete. I'm not sure why, or how, the bulky version is softer than the worsted version, but it sure feels like it is.
Okay. I'm off to request the mailing address to send my hats in. :-)
(Lynne @ lengelbert.at.gmail.dot.com if you need to get the address too.)
(Lynne @ lengelbert.at.gmail.dot.com if you need to get the address too.)
Joy in the journey,
Elianastar
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Of ships, hats, & holidays
Elianastar: My stepdad was a career U.S. Navy man and I spent a fair amount of time on or near Naval Bases growing up. A goodly portion of my 8-10 year-old years were spent on the U.S. Territory Island of Guam, and my 13-16 year-old years were spent on the main island of Oahu, Hawaii. (The main island, not the Big Island.) The rest of my 7 to 17 years were spent within driving distance of a U.S. Naval base. My stepdad retired from the Navy my senior year, weeks before my graduation. As a result, I have a soft spot for those in the U.S. Navy. I hasten to add however, that my brother was U.S. Army Airborne, my husband was in the U.S. Air Force when I met him, my son-in-love is in the Oregon National Guard, and you don't spend any time near a U.S. Navy base without meeting your share of Marines... so I've got a broad support for the U.S. Military as a whole.
Which brings me to the point of this particular blog. I follow Wendy Knits blog and she posted a couple of days ago about a blog that she follows, Adventures in Paradise. The author of Adventures in Paradise has a daughter who is in the U.S. Navy. She will be taking command of the U.S.S. Decatur sometime in December of this year. It is her goal to demonstrate support for each sailor on the ship with individual gift boxes. Central to these gift boxes, she'd like to include at least one warm, knit or crochet cap, in Superwash Wool, but she has included a list of additional items that will be greatly appreciated by the crew during off hours. There are 278 sailors on board and any overflow of gifts will be passed on to other ships in the area.
If you have kids or are a teacher, these sailors would love letters from kids! This makes a great writing/English exercise for students and will make the day of any sailor who receives the letters!
If you have the heart and will to participate, you can get all the details @ Adventures in Paradise. You do not need to be able to knit or crochet to participate... there are lots of other things that are requested, in addition to cash which will be pooled to purchase a number of things in bulk from Costco, particularly those things that do not arrive in sufficient quantity. However, if you do knit or crochet, or know someone who does, warm hats on a ship at sea will be profoundly appreciated!
Please note: All donations must be received no later than November 1, 2010, so time is of the essence!
If you need pattern ideas, Wendy Knits wrote a second blog that includes some optional pattern ideas. If you don't have a Ravelry membership, (and if you don't, that's easily fixed), here is a Google search of potential knit & crochet patterns to consider. If you are a member of Ravelry, here is a search of free patterns &/or patterns that can be downloaded via Ravelry.
When you are deciding on a pattern, keep in mind the conditions under which these hats will be worn: at sea, on the deck of a ship, often under very windy conditions. They either need to be of a design that will hug the head fairly well (don't make them too shallow so they can be pulled down over the ears and stay put), or have some sort of ties to secure them under adverse conditions. There are no color specifications, so unlike on the battle field, you can be a lot more creative with these hats than you can with those who must remain under camouflage conditions.
Whatever hat you end up making, it must be made ONLY in 100% washable wool... no blends, no acrylic... only 100% washable wool. This means it will be labeled as either "washable" or "Superwash" and include the word "wool" and no other fiber content. This may be merino wool, peruvian highland wool, a nondescript wool... any wool of any kind that is washable/superwash and can pass the "burn test." If you have any questions about whether any particular washable wool is acceptable, perform a "burn test" on a small scrap of the wool. (Do this outdoors and have copious amounts of water nearby... just in case.) Basically, if it is very difficult to ignite, if it smells like burning hair, it it does not "bead up" or appear to "melt" rather than burn, and if it turns to black and hollow ash, it will pass inspection by the military. Include one yarn band for each hat and tape a scrap of yarn to the label in case it needs to be tested for suitability.
If you are at a loss or unsure, these are some safe yarns you can consider:
Cascade 220 Superwash
Lamb's Pride Superwash Worsted
Mission Falls 1824 Wool
Herrschners 5th Avenue Merino Superwash
Also check out the offerings from other vendors in the right sidebar under the heading "Gathering Fleece..."
You can also do a search on Ravelry for Superwash Wool... just make sure whatever you choose is 100% wool, no blend of any other fiber content. From there, you can check with your LYS (Local Yarn Shops) or do an internet search for resources that fit your budget.
If you've got any spare Greeting Cards, toss a few in with anything else you send... and toss in a book of stamps if you can. Or maybe consider grabbing an All Occasion greeting card assortment at your local department store.
Please keep in mind that there is very limited storage space on a military ship and factor that into your choices. If you'd like to add some of the other items to your donation, you might consider some of these:
Skip-Bo Card Game
(my husband and I adore this game and it is more fun with more players)
(my husband and I adore this game and it is more fun with more players)
If you choose to order from any of these links, you could have them delivered directly to Lynne... no extra shipping costs for you and no hassle getting them out for delivery. Just obtain her mailing address before placing your order.
If you can find your way clear to participate in this, in any way, let us extend our gratitude to you here and now. You will be making a huge difference in the lives of people who have voluntarily chosen to leave their friends and family in service to their Nation. We appreciate your generosity almost as much as they will.
Thank you for your generosity. If you aren't able to participate, please consider sharing this with someone you know who might.
Joy in the journey!
Friday, September 24, 2010
YAY! 1,500 page views to our little blog!
We started our blog on August 9, 2010. A lot of time & effort has gone into letting people know we are here & inviting people to share in our fun. It is very satisfying that we've already been visited 1,500 times in this brief time! Thanks for stopping in! It may not sound like very many, but we've been reassured by those who know about such things that this is very good progress for such a short time online!
It is generally slow progress to get a blog going. No one knows about your blog. No one knows you are writing a blog. A bunch of people don't follow blogs. A bunch of people don't even know what a "blog" is! Even for those who do know what a blog is, that follow a blog or two, know that you are writing a blog... and care... the beginning stages of developing a blog tend to not be particularly exciting... or abundant. Which leads one right back to the "generally slow progress" observation with which we began.
"Blog" is basically a contraction form of "web log"... a kind of public diary written online. In its earliest incarnations, a blog was primarily a personal online journal, frequently created to help long-distance friends and family stay in touch in a more personal and fun way. They generally included lots of photos of the grandkids and nieces and nephews and happenings of you and your family's excursions and hobbies and such. These photos were accompanied by (hopefully) pithy and amusing notations telling the story details of said photos.
The thing about blogs – in their infancy – that made them better than phone calls and regular emails were that they were supposed to be updated frequently and were intended for the general public, or at least to be shared with as much of a specific public as one chose to share ones blog. The format included a series of posts, restricted to a single page presented in reverse-chronological order... newest post first.
All blogs are intended to represent and reflect the personality and key interests of the blogger. As such, although there will tend to be a distinct overall flavor to any given blog, there are no guarantees that you won't come across a post of philosophical observation, or social issue commentary, or personal screed of some other sort from time to time that may feel a bit "off topic." So brace yourself. Blog posts, (particularly our blog posts), may be liberally peppered with links to related topics and references elsewhere on the web.
The problem for bloggers, generally, is that, unlike email that the blogger would send to people with whom they chose to communicate, the blogger must find ways to entice others to voluntarily submit themselves to the ramblings and cogent diatribes on subjects of interest to the blogger. This means, first of all, the blogger must consider the content and presentation of content by way of presenting something of interest to people outside the skin of the blogger. Additionally, said blogger must bother to post something with sufficient frequency that anyone interested in following them will not be repeatedly disappointed with stale content, interesting or otherwise.
Blogs have grown up in many ways and now you'll find blogs by businesses & other enterprises, governmental & political blogs, social blogs, instructional blogs... and there are still those who maintain a blog to stay in touch with friends and family. We have direct links to blogs we find specifically interesting, relative to the kinds of things we talk about here, under the "Roving Elsewhere..." sidebar on the right side of every page. We would not hesitate to recommend them for your consideration.
Our blog is intended to create a sense of friendship, to provide a measure of social interaction, offer instruction & support along the way, hopefully give one a giggle from time to time, and to share a little of ourselves in ways we hope our readers will find entertaining and worthy of checking in on a regular basis. We first chose to start a blog to share crafting information that we find on the internet and/or create ourselves.
So, expect to find, in descending order, the following kinds of info on our blog most often: knitting related information; crochet related information; other fiber related information such as spinning, felting, fingerloop braiding, etc; other crafting ideas and how-tos; our gardening exploits and resources we've discovered. You will also find occasional stories about our pets and other critters, home decorating discussions, and posts about beading and painting and sewing and cooking/food... almost anything related to home & family. As we are both just beginning to venture into design to one degree or another, we will be offering pattern designs... some free, some for purchase.
You may follow us a number of different ways:
In the meantime, we truly appreciate the time and attention you give to our blog and particularly appreciate hearing your thoughts and comments. Please don't hesitate to let us know you stopped by. If you have thoughts or ideas about topics you'd like to see us write about or comment upon, we would be particularly interested to receive your suggestions!
With our appreciation,
Roving StarPoints
It is generally slow progress to get a blog going. No one knows about your blog. No one knows you are writing a blog. A bunch of people don't follow blogs. A bunch of people don't even know what a "blog" is! Even for those who do know what a blog is, that follow a blog or two, know that you are writing a blog... and care... the beginning stages of developing a blog tend to not be particularly exciting... or abundant. Which leads one right back to the "generally slow progress" observation with which we began.
"Blog" is basically a contraction form of "web log"... a kind of public diary written online. In its earliest incarnations, a blog was primarily a personal online journal, frequently created to help long-distance friends and family stay in touch in a more personal and fun way. They generally included lots of photos of the grandkids and nieces and nephews and happenings of you and your family's excursions and hobbies and such. These photos were accompanied by (hopefully) pithy and amusing notations telling the story details of said photos.
The thing about blogs – in their infancy – that made them better than phone calls and regular emails were that they were supposed to be updated frequently and were intended for the general public, or at least to be shared with as much of a specific public as one chose to share ones blog. The format included a series of posts, restricted to a single page presented in reverse-chronological order... newest post first.
All blogs are intended to represent and reflect the personality and key interests of the blogger. As such, although there will tend to be a distinct overall flavor to any given blog, there are no guarantees that you won't come across a post of philosophical observation, or social issue commentary, or personal screed of some other sort from time to time that may feel a bit "off topic." So brace yourself. Blog posts, (particularly our blog posts), may be liberally peppered with links to related topics and references elsewhere on the web.
The problem for bloggers, generally, is that, unlike email that the blogger would send to people with whom they chose to communicate, the blogger must find ways to entice others to voluntarily submit themselves to the ramblings and cogent diatribes on subjects of interest to the blogger. This means, first of all, the blogger must consider the content and presentation of content by way of presenting something of interest to people outside the skin of the blogger. Additionally, said blogger must bother to post something with sufficient frequency that anyone interested in following them will not be repeatedly disappointed with stale content, interesting or otherwise.
Blogs have grown up in many ways and now you'll find blogs by businesses & other enterprises, governmental & political blogs, social blogs, instructional blogs... and there are still those who maintain a blog to stay in touch with friends and family. We have direct links to blogs we find specifically interesting, relative to the kinds of things we talk about here, under the "Roving Elsewhere..." sidebar on the right side of every page. We would not hesitate to recommend them for your consideration.
Our blog is intended to create a sense of friendship, to provide a measure of social interaction, offer instruction & support along the way, hopefully give one a giggle from time to time, and to share a little of ourselves in ways we hope our readers will find entertaining and worthy of checking in on a regular basis. We first chose to start a blog to share crafting information that we find on the internet and/or create ourselves.
So, expect to find, in descending order, the following kinds of info on our blog most often: knitting related information; crochet related information; other fiber related information such as spinning, felting, fingerloop braiding, etc; other crafting ideas and how-tos; our gardening exploits and resources we've discovered. You will also find occasional stories about our pets and other critters, home decorating discussions, and posts about beading and painting and sewing and cooking/food... almost anything related to home & family. As we are both just beginning to venture into design to one degree or another, we will be offering pattern designs... some free, some for purchase.
You may follow us a number of different ways:
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Roving StarPoints
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
September 2010 UFOs, WIPs, & DIP...
Alphabet soup. It has been a difficult year for me, personally, and I find that I am feeling overwhelmed by all the things I've started, all the things I've wanted to start but couldn't see my way clear, and a number of designs I'm either working on or have in mind yet.
Which has created my alphabet soup: UnFinished Objects (UFO), Works In Progress (WIP), and Designs In Progress (DIP). My only good news in this would be that all three of these are the same things! That makes things just a bit less overwhelming. The other good news is, most of the projects are very, very, close to being completed. At which point, I'll begin the process of getting the patterns written up so they can be tested and checked by a tech editor, etc.
I have a great project that is at the top of my list to finish... but I can't even give you a hint what it will be. Sorry, but it's just such a great idea I want to keep it "under wraps" for now. Well... at least, to me it is a great idea. Even if no one else likes it, I can't wait to finish up the design and pattern so I can submit it for consideration to Knit Picks Independent Designer Program. If it should not be accepted, I'll make it available for sale via this blog and Ravelry.
I've got a pair of short-finger gloves in which the core of the pattern is done. I've only got to knit up the fingers in the first glove and make sure the "mirror directions" for the other glove is right and knit that one up. Then I'll be able to finish writing up the pattern and begin the process of prepping necessary before unleashing a pattern on the world.
I've finished the foundational design on a pair of child legwarmers and my granddaughter is getting a little impatient for me to knit the second leg so she can wear them to school soon. I've resigned myself to the reality that the prototype pair will have to be reknit again for submission cuz there is no way a five year old will wait for the rest of the process to be complete for grandma's end plan.
I've got a cowl that I've made a number of for my own use and as gifts for the past several years, but I'd like to write it up into a pattern because I think lots of other people will enjoy the process of making it as well as using it. I've not made a decision on the best Knit Picks yarn to use for the design. I've used Lion Brand Homespun in previous incarnations, but I'm anxious to "upgrade" the design from an acrylic-based yarn and translate the design from a bulky yarn to something lighter. I've made the design in the past in both crochet and knit, and will eventually make the knit and crochet design available using Lion Brand Homespun because it is such a great, fast, project for gifts and I rarely wear any of them without a compliment before I'm back home.
I've also already purchased the yarn for a felted bag pattern to design and write up. It is gorgeous in my head! I'm still toying with the best way to design the "picture in my head" into an actual project others will like to make too.
And I've not even mentioned the other projects I have in mind for myself that will probably become patterns too. One thing I'm learning about designing projects for others to make... it is a lot more time consuming than just making something for myself! I tend to knit and crochet the way I cook: a recipe is just the place to begin. I may or may not use all the ingredients in the recipe, and I may or may not use any in the amounts prescribed. There is an excellent chance I'll bring my own sense of flavor to the finished product. Which means, unless I take careful notes as I go, I won't be able to recreate exactly the same thing myself and neither will anyone else. Which isn't a problem if it is not my goal to create a new recipe, just something to eat. Designing a pattern for someone else to recreate, requires a lot more attention to detail and thought about how to word the directions so a stranger will comprehend accurately what they need to do to get the same results. Whew! That's not nearly as easy as you think when you aren't really thinking about it.
I wanted to start Wendy Knits Shetland Pi Shawl KAL, but another swarm of migraines and feeling guilty about the other unfinished projects have pushed that back. I've got the yarn and had already decided to make a Pi shawl of some sort, so that is still on the agenda. Perhaps, if there are a sufficient number of followers when I get to a place to start it, we can do it together. I hope to start it before the end of the year, but I probably need to be realistic that holiday knitting is just around the corner and I may not be able to start it as soon as I'd like.
I also want to start knitting socks before the end of the year. I've purchased yarn to make a few pair for my BearMan and this is primarily why I want to learn to make socks. I've got a bunch of sock yarn that I've been collecting, a little here, a little there, for almost three years. I also have designs on attending the Sock Summit in Portland, OR in 2011... so I best get to knitting! I want to have the basics down well enough that I can "pick the brains" of anyone willing to teach me their secrets and show me their tricks.
Basically, this has been a confessional. I'm hoping this will motivate me further to stay on task, wrap up all these projects, and get them in the queue towards completion and publication.
Please feel free to mitigate any of my consternation about my failure to be further along on my projects by sharing your own frustrations about yours. Heeheehee. "Misery loves company," right?
Joy in the journey,
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