What has the internet done for you lately?

You are a knitter, right? A lover of yarn? A little hooped over loops? A bit knutty (I realize this isn’t a “real” word yet, but if William Shakespeare could invent words, then why can’t a knitter?) over knitting? If you answer yes to any of the above (and I know you will) have you wondered just what the internet has done for you lately?

The internet is a treasure trove of endless information, tales, and advertisements. But the one aspect of the internet that continues to amaze me is the ability to connect like minded individuals. It virtually melts the miles and unsuspecting souls across the globe and come together to form relationships that are often life long and binding. It is something like knitting, isn’t it?

Knitting has often been the common bind between individuals who otherwise wouldn’t have discovered one another. Because of a love of all things yarn seemingly opposite individuals come together and form lifelong relationships. It all began with a couple of pointy sticks and string!

The same can be said for the internet. People of all creeds and interests find themselves forming and nurturing bonds over like interests, which are too numerous to mention here. Knitters are no different. Our love of yarn leads us to virtual destinations where we can share our thoughts, our wisdom, and our love of yarn (yes, it is indeed all about the yarn).

Looking for an example? Knitters form communities wherever they find another knitter. Coffee shops around the globe host “Knit and Knatters.” We collect in yarn shops. Yes, we have found homes all over the internet too. Ravelry (you can find me, saskatoonstitcher, on Ravelry) is a prime example of such a collective. It is often referred as Facebook for Knitters with ways to share, track, locate, etc. projects, yarn, knitting notions and tools, etc. Knit Picks, a vendor of choice for many a knitter, also offers a community for knitters. Tutorials, FAQs, etc. can be found with a mere click of the mouse.

Lister serves have popped up all over the internet. Would you like to knit the pieces shown off in the Harry Potter series of movies? Would you like to learn more about knitting from the ground up? Care to become part of a local “knit and knatter?” Are you all about knitting socks? Just search knitting on Yahoo Groups and see what pops up. A plethora of knitting groups will greet you and welcome you with open arms.

The internet has brought the world wide knitting community a little closer to one another. It provides us with a way to communicate with one another. Knit blogs are a dime a dozen. Blogging has become a phenomenon that every one with a little something to say can participate in. Blogging, though, has brought the world of knitting into every home. Do you blog? Do you follow the blog of a knitterly idol (The Yarn Harlot, perhaps?)? Or maybe you follow an insightful knitter like Melistress, who provides you a little giggle with your morning coffee? Yes, the internet offers us a way to connect with famous designers, local visionaries, and even our favourite knitterly idol.

Yes, knitting is the bond that binds us. The internet is the ball winder that creates brilliantly coloured skeins of friendships with dots of useful tidbits and unique personalities that create the tweed fabric that we call life.

Where do you live on the internet? Do you have a favourite community? Is there a mail order yarn store that you frequent? Are you reading any favourite knitting blogs? Where do you go first for inspiration, patterns, or help?

Please post your favourite links in the comments. Lets come together and see if we can connect each of our communities with one another!

Happy Stitching!

~~ An invitation :) ~~

Please don’t forget!
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Yes, indeed, it is that time of year once again. Shops and homes are busy preparing for the impending holidays. Our little group is no different. Many of us have had a few gifts upon our needles and are now in the home stretch of completing socks, blankets, sweaters, etc. in hopes that they will make it under recipient’s decked out trees in time for the beg reveal.

We began a new tradition last year. We gathered at a members home and stitched and laughed and nibbled an evening away. We enjoyed each others company, celebrated accomplishments, salivated over show and tells, and celebrated the season in true yarnie style.

Let us keep this new found tradition alive, shall we?

WHAT: Saskatoon Knitting Circle’s Annual Holiday Garter and Giggle
WHERE: Home of Bonnie Zink
(If you need directions please email me for the exact location)
WHEN: Friday November 27, 2009
TIME: 7:00 PM

We like to keep things very informal. Please bring along an appetizer or desert type item of your choosing. (Yes, Jan has promised a good supply of her husband’s famous chicken wings!). Feel free to cook / bake it yourself or stop by a bakery on your way over. Should you wish to participate in a libation or two then feel free to bring your spirit of choice. The best of coffee in Saskatchewan will be available (and even a few types of tea will be at the ready as well).

We’ll have a small gift exchange. The gift can be knitting related or not; it can be handmade or bought; ultimately, though, we ask that it be kept under $20 (no need to break the bank on this).

I hope to see you all here on November 27 and Happy Stitching (err…holidays)…

“I love my books,” says Prospero and I!

This quote spoke to me as I was reading the morning emails:

“Books written out of fire give me a great deal of pleasure. You get the sense that the world for these writers could not have continued if the book hadn’t been written. When you come across a book like that it is a privilege.”
Hisham Matar, author (b. 1970)

Books are born out of the frenzy of inner turmoil that lives within most authors. Life will not continue until every word on the page has its place in the ultimate symphony of the story.

I have come across many books that conform to Matar’s view. There are far too many to name but I will try. These are a few of my favourite authors and one or two of their, in my view, best works:

Margaret Atwood: Oryx and Crake; The Year of the Flood
Anthony Bidulka: The Russell Quant Mystery Series
Carol Shields: Larry’s Party
J.K. Rowling: Harry Potter Series
Sharon Butala: Perfection of the Morning Star
Michael Ondaatje: The English Patient
Terry Goodkind: The Sword of Truth Series
John Fowles: The French Lieutenant’s Woman; The Collector; The Ebony Tower
Stephen King: The Dream Catcher; Bag of Bones

Next on my reading list is “Moral Disorder” by Margaret Atwood. In this collection Atwood traces the course of a life and the lives intertwined with it (parents, siblings, children, friends, enemies, teachers, animals, etc.) Her tales span an era beginning in the 1930s and ending in present time and are set in large cities, suburbs, farms, forests, etc. By all accounts most readers will find something of interest in this compilation.

Atwood is at her humourous, lyrical, incisive, tragic, earthy, shocking, and deeply personal best. Her storytelling gifts and unmistabkable style are celebrated within the pages of these short stories.

(BIG HINT: This book is on the Christmas list.)

Other titles that make my list include:

Stephen King: Under the Dome
Margaret Atwood: The Handmaid’s Tale
Lawrence Hill: The Book of Negroes
David Adams Richards: Mercy Among the Children

Those are just a few of my favourites, one or two of my “must reads,” and a list of books that I wish were on my shelves.

Who tops your favourite authors and reading lists? Are there any books that specifically speak to you? Do have a collection that needs expanding? Which books are topping that list of must reads?

A gift for me…

I love stockings and will set to work on these straight away. I chose the blue kit from KnitPicks.

One of my favourites…Happy #40 to Grover and the gang…

Happy Birthday Sesame Street. Sesame Street was a staple when I was growing up. And again when my kids were growing up. This bit has become a favourite of ours:

What is your favourite bit from Sesame Street?

And to even things out, a knitting bit:

And how about this?

Dwayne, the Pumpkin…

The years of trick or treating are long behind us, but that does not mean that all Hallowe’en traditions pass so easily. However, I’m not saddened in the least to be passing one of the more messier traditions on to the younger set.

Sky and Jeanette carving Dwayne, the pumpkin, for Hallowe'en

Dwayne, the pumpkin, needed to get into the spirit (yes, we name our pumpkins. Doesn’t everyone?)

Here is Dwayne post gut removal and in all his scary glory…we are now ready for Hallowe’en.

Dwayne, the pumpkin, newly carved.

Dwayne, the pumpkin, in all his Hallowe'en glory!

Innogen…

Innogen (aka Imogen) is the virtuous wife of the exiled Posthumus, two characters from Shakespeare’s play Cymbeline. Innogen, according to some modern Shakespearean scholars (ie: the 1986 Oxford Edition) note that the correct name of this Shakespearean character is in fact Innogen, and the spelling “Imogen” is an error which arose when the manuscripts were first committed to print.

In the play Posthumus’ praise of Innogen’s moral purity incites Posthumus’s acquaintance Iachimo to bet Postumus that he can seduce Innogen. When he fails, Iachimo hides in her bedchamber and uncovers her body while she sleeps, observing details of a mole on her breast which he then describes to Posthumus as proof that he had slept with her.

Posthumus then plots to kill his wife, but the designated killer reveals the plot to Innogen and advises her to hide; she escapes to the woods dressed as a man and falls in with a family who help her. Taking a drug, she falls into a coma and is presumed dead by the family, who cover her body and sing a song over her. When she wakes she finds the headless body of Cloten, a brutish character who had planned to rape her, but had been killed in a fight. After the battle at the climax of the play she confronts Iachimo who confesses his lies. She is reunited with Posthumus. Thus, the plot ends with a reunion and a happily ever after sort of thing.

Why did I chose to name my Latvian mittens after these characters? It is simple. Mittens are a pairing that are nothing without the other. They are destined to be paired in order to live out their lives with happiness and productivity. Very similar to Innogen and Posthumus. However, along the course of their lives, one is often lost to other and, often, with no faulting of their own. Again, similarities exist.

I like the irony that Innogen is often described as perhaps the most tender and the most artless of all Shakespeare’s women. Since knitting can not live without a tender touch tempered with an artful knitter’s vision, the symmetry here is more irony. What better example of artful creation is there?

Now for photos:

Now to cast on Posthumus!

Happy Stitching…

FOs and other interesting sundries…

The move is done! The boxes are unpacked. My knitterly notions, books, UFOs, and other precious items are in their place. I now find moments that I can dedicate to knitting (guilt free).

What have I been up to? I’ve been turning my UFOs into FOs, that is what! I feel a level of productivity that has eluded me since our move had begun. Alright, I hear you, straight to the knitting…

Rosalind is complete! Here she is; soft and pretty; and hanging in a tree:

She was a fairly fast knit. Knit Picks Shine Sport has been added to my list of favourite yarns. I will be looking for a new project to knit more of this yarn into.

Feste (aka The Every Way Wrap) is now complete! Approximately 64″ of cable and moss stitch panels form a unique FO that can be worn at least three ways.

Whether worn as a mock cabled vest, a scarf, or a shawl Feste’s unique design affords versatility that punctuates every wardrobe with comfort and beauty. I prefer to wear Feste as a vest but have been known to jaunt around the house on the cooler days with Feste resting upon my shoulders. How do you wear yours?

Although I endeavour to complete all my UFOs in a timely manner, the occasional inspiration urges me to cast on anew. Melistress had shown me her attempt at colour work with a Latvian style mitten. Since I just could not be outdone (and we have to remain true to our matchy matchy theme), I was overcome with the urge to cast on Ruba’iyat Mittens by Heather Desserud (this is a Ravelry link). These beauties are best knit with Knit Picks Pallette yarn, a soft Peruvian wool fingering weight yarn. My version looks like this:

I have dubbed my pair Innogen and Posthumus – two characters from Cymbeline by who else other than the Bard himself – Shakespeare! I do like the irony of naming this pair after them. Innogen has been described as the most tender yet artless of the Bard’s characters. She will provide my digits with tender warmth it is true, but she will have my creative artful talent in her creation. Of course, the second must be named Posthumus, the husband to this most morally pure woman. Read the play and find out more about the trials that plague this pairing (including a bet that Innogen’s moral purity can be corrupted!).

Christmas knitting is well in progress and I’ve one project complete!

The pattern is Alpine from Cat Bourdhi’s “Socks Soar on Two Circular Needles.” I’ve reversed the colours so the socks match, but not really, as is the current style amongst the younger set.

I’ve had a bit of surprise awaiting me in my back yard. Let me first say that I have do have one fear. It is not an irrational fear as contact with these little boogers can cause death. A new neighbour has been discovered in my back yard amongst the safety of a well matured crab apple tree: a huge wasp nest! Yep, it will be removed very soon…

Although I absolutely detest these little creatures, I do have to admire their talent and ingenuity. They seem to be able to construct their homes anywhere. They are completely smooth on the outside. They are constructed in such a way that the little home owners are totally immune to whatever elements Mother Nature throws at them. Even though their engineering talents are something to be admired, their home (and hopefully them) must go!

Happy stitching

A return to routine…

Let us head straight to the knitting, shall we?

Rosalind is in pieces. She has been so very neglected over the past few months, but I have returned my attention to her. The fronts and back are busy blocking their way to happiness…

Fronts & backs of Rosalind blocking.

The patterning is simple yet elegant in this remembrance of Shakespearean imagery. Shakespeare is known for lush natural imagery and the meandering trail of leaves in this pattern reminds me of Rosalind as she escapes her identity by dressing as a boy in order to avoid the clutches of an evil duke.

Trainling leaves patterning of Rosalind.

In other knitterly news: I finally found a Sunday free of the obligations of work and the chaos of a major move. I travelled to MacKenzie Coles and found my group awaiting with eager queries, knitterly accomplishments, and warm smiles. Jan continued stitching up Lily Chin sweaters that she picked up in Humboldt this past June. Kelsey (with almost normal coloured hair) was stitching something in pink yarn. Bev continued on with the Engineering red sweater. Christine will attempt to chart and construct some colourwork mittens. Mary, of course, has been busy overdying 1/2 priced uglies:

Overdying turns uglies into beauties.

The most notably progressed achievement is that of Myrna’s sweater. The beautifully varigated yarn is stitched into sweater form, but with a little surprise – the neck will be steeked! Yes, my friends, steeking was the word of the day. You can do it Myrna. Here’s hoping that in two weeks time we find the sleeves attached and the neck steeked:

Myrna's steek experiment.

Steeking is not all that difficult, just a bit daunting on the first try. In my own experience, the trick is to stitch TWO, not one, rows of machine stitch (as small a count as you can get) about 1/4 ” apart before the cutting of the yarn. My experiment turned out quite well.

Now, back to Rosalind for me as she is in need of only two sleeves and she can be retired as another FO.

Remember, folks, that next weekend is Thanksgiving and MacKenzie Coles is closed for the holiday. See all of you in two weeks.

Coming together…

The house is finally coming together. It has taken some doing, but here it is:

Dining Room: Everything in its place.

Dining Room: Great Grandma’s China Cabinet (middle) houses family treasures.

Jeanette’s Room

Flowering Vine: Not sure what this is, but it is pretty.

Moving Day: Unloading two truckloads of stuff into the new house.

Garage: Lots of space for two cars.

Family Room & favourite knitting corner.

Family Room: antique Singer sewing machine works well as a tea cart too.

Flowering vine: Any ideas on what it is called?

I have no idea what the purple and yellow vines are called. They are covering the dog run in the back yard, parts of the deck and fence, as well as the crab apple tree. They are beautiful. If anyone knows what they are called please do let me know.

I finally feel that enough has been accomplished that I can turn my attention back to Rosalind and Feste. Rosalind is only in need of sleeves and a button / neck band. Feste needs about 25 inches more knitting before it can be called done.

Happy knitting everyone.