Dodged a Bullet

Yesterday afternoon tornado sirens started blaring about 5:30 p.m.  Hard to hear over the air-conditioning, but I went outside to confirm the sound, then looked at the TV.   "Take cover now, go to a safe spot in your house."  Yikes!  The live radar showed this monster headed to my area of Dallas.  I grabbed the laptop, IPhone, knitting bag(duh), and Trinket, and trundled down to the studio which is bunkered into the slope of my lot.  Joey and Marta, my neighbors, and Pikawa, their tiny, shivering Yorkie joined me.  We watched the news on-line as the twister lifted and headed north. Whew! 
Outdoor check showed only a little damage to landscaping.  Even the persnickety satellite never lost it's signal.  Hermine's wind are headed north.  Take cover, folks.

Wrap-Me-Up-Shawl adventures

Betsy found the pattern for the Wrap-Me-Up-Shawl by Chris de Longpré at the Fiber Festival in Charlevoix, Mi., the end of last month.  Since then she has been working as a woman obsessed on her version. 

These are actually pics of her second version.  She frogged (ripped out for the non- knitting savvy) the first one.  Noro Silk Garden in soft creams and mochas made the cut for this version. 

I liked Betsy's choices so much that I basically copied her, except I am doing mine in Silk Garden sock yarn in 2 colorways and and two solids on #4 needles which should make a scarf.  I don't really care.  Learning new stitches and seeing how the textures work out is hypnotic.  Matter of fact, I'm off to steal a few minutes to work on Block 7 right now.

Here are a view finished versions I found on Ravelry or the web:

Porchin' it at Camp for Grown-ups

Summers in Wequetonsing and Harbor Springs are all about porches.  And, porches are key at Camp-for-Grownups, as I like to call it  Most afternoons I end up on someone's porch with my knitting bag.  Betsy's porch is a magnet for folks.  Here we are with Jim in attendance after his golf game.  Shortly after this pic, he went inside to pour up a little wine for us.  After all this is "Camp for Grown-ups".

Betsy is trying to learn "knitting two socks at a time" with the Magic Loop.  Judy is cranking out prayer shawls.  She can't bring her needlepoint to the porch as she can't see it without her magnifier lamp.  Age-appropriate handicaps are such pain.

Barb is dealing with a bird's nest tangle of yarn she hopes to make into socks.  Barb's yarn seems to always be in disarray, but she is undaunted.  After porch time, Barb headed out to do a little kayaking.  See, it really is Camp-for-Grownups.  We are so lucky!!

Products from the Porch

Multidirectional Scarf.

I really have been doing something  with all my porch time here in Harbor Springs.  I used Noro silk Garden lite in a funky colorway that I just love for this scarf.   I plan to start another one from some of my own handspun BFL.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Morning on the Porch

morning on the porch
Originally uploaded by cordovastudios

Trinket and I are all set up on the condo porch this a.m. Three more weeks here in Wequetonsing/Harbor Springs. Still so much fun to be had. I don't want to squander it but want to stay with a balance of activity and easy-going times. Love the morning porch time with coffee, my Mac and the Trink. Today will be a warm one, upper 80's. The locals are complaining but wlll hear nothing from me. My Texas friends are languishing in the 100+ inferno heat down there.

I hope to maybe kayak today, do a little condo embellishing with antique treasures I picked up yesterday, throw a few ready-to-bake cookies in the oven for a weenie roast tonight and then, of course, knit a little bit on my crazy socks.

Still not liking what Flickr did to photo up-load. Much harder to transfer pics to blog. I really like to include multiple photos, but I will have to edit size first before they go to flickr now. Ugh!

Socks: a New Way for Me

I think I have mastered two-at-a-time socks with the Magic Loop method.  Sorry if that sounds like some uber secret knitting code.  It might as well be, as I cannot explain how to do it.  I just figured out a way to make it work for me.  Anyway, the next step into today's knitting geek-dom was to dye my own sock blanks.  Joanne T. buys the wool,  Liz, super geek of everything, knits the blanks up double stranded  on her knitting machine, then I dye my own.    As you can see, I have a ways to go with that technique.  Right now I could be a 70's hippie tie-dyeing t-shirts.  However, I am rather liking how subtle the socks are turning out.  This may mean I never buy commercial sock yarn again.  Well, maybe never, anyway.

New Pattern Launch for Joanne T.

Yes! Joanne T. of TerrificCreations.etsy.com has created this Trinket Scarf and Shawl pattern. It has ruffles and a super soft drape thanks to the dropped stitch element. Details are here on Ravelry.


I have knit two scarves, so far, as test pieces, and now am ready to do a shawl with the handspun. The teal greens one is a Paton sock yarn. The yellow one was knit from natural dyed (marigolds) merino from Cerro Mojino Ranch. Two mismatched rovings from Taos Sunflower (see last post for this fingering weight yarn) should make a whisper weight shawl for cool summer evenings.

It is a blast to knit. Dropping the stitch and watching the ladder slip down the piece is almost a fiendish delight since it is on purpose. I think a finished shawl or scarf may just show up in Cordova Studios. I mean, how many shawls can a girl wear???

Retreat report: Day one

I drove through hellish Friday afternoon traffic to arrive at Briarwood Retreat snuggled back into a woodsy part of Argyle, Texas. Twenty years ago I used to fox hunt up here with the Hickory Creek Hunt without seeing more that one or two little houses. Now, cookie-cutter urban sprawl has arrived. It's not pretty in my opinion, but this little retreat stays quiet with all its' little paths through the woods.

Anyway, I was spinning away within 30 minutes of my arrival with 20 other spin-oholics. Grabbed a few snacks for dinner, instead of the pizzas, and headed for the roving dying workshop. Mary had super-wash merino soaking in tubs for us. We squeezed the some of the moisture out of it, laid it out in tight zig zags, picked out colors and began painting it. I chose violet, golden yellow, yellow green. Next we put the tightly plastic-wrapped coils into roasters to steam and set the dyes. Can't wait to see it today.

Then it was back over to the lodge for more spinning, dorking out on the computers, and chatting up a storm until 10ish, which is late for this pumpkin.

Today Liz is going to demystify knitting two socks at a time for me.

The Canon DSL will be out today for sure. Pictures will be up tomorrow.

The only thing missing is my little pal, Trinket. I agree with Edith Wharton,

"My little dog- a heartbeat at my feet" .

Fingerless Frenzy

The fingerless alliteration goes on as does the knitting. So far nine pair, eight pictured here. Another pair is on the needles. The makings of several more are in the basket. I love these gloves. AND, it's snowing here in Dallas this a.m., so I might just get to wear a pair when I head out to meet the spinning ladies later.
Several of these are going to friends who have ordered them as gifts. I am keeping the ones on the lower right for me. The cuffs are Louet Merlin (merino & linen) and the palm is handspun bought at a wool festival in the last few years. I am so bad about keeping track of purchased fiber. The little ones on the lower left are for Zoe. They are actually an "oops" when I had the gauge wrong. She can't wait to wear them. Love having little people around to take up the slack.

All things Afghanistan

It started with the Christane Amanpour CNN special, Generation Islam I saw in August while out in Encinitas with Martie. We sat with our knitting one night spellbound. The documentary focuses on a range of efforts being made in Afghanistan and Pakistan to turn young Muslim children away from violent extremism. That naturally put some focus on Greg Mortenson and his intense mission to build schools in Afghanistan.
Bottom line is now I am reading Three Cups of Tea by Mortenson and David O. Relin, and I am knitting wool baby afghans for the Afghans for Afghanistan project. These afghans go to the CURE Hospital in Kabul. This is a great stash buster as the blankets must be wool and darker colors. Warmth is key, and washing may not happen. I knit compulsively. Just how many shawls can I knit? So, this is perfect. The square one is just an overgrown washcloth pattern of mostly my dyed merino. The next one is going to be one big log cabin square. I took the idea from friend Martie. I love the randomness of it.

Point Loma Sport Fishing dock, San Diego

This was our view as Martie and I ate our fish sandwiches at a little cafe right on the docks. We drove straight here from the airport. Even as we finished we were planning our next stop at Buckie's, that would be Starbucks, in Encinitas. You will find us there most afternoons sitting, sipping and knitting and just generally basking in the glorious California climate.

Off to Oceanside today. More on that later.

A Peek at what's coming for Fall

Trinket got booked for this shoot by Images by Eliza. I am working on these wacky little dog sweaters to market on Etsy and to my fellow fans of Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. Ruffles are on almost all of the ones for girls. The red and rust one could be for a little boy. I'm having a grand time snorkeling through my stash for color and texture combinations. More to come soon.

It just needs to get COOLER.

100 degrees plus here in Dallas today. Ugh.

Next time we are going to work on Trinket's smile.

Summer retreat with the Fam

Each summer we retreat to a family cottage in magical Wequetonsing, Michigan. Kids can ride bikes, hit the beach, learn to sail and find out what tennis is all about. It's ok to ride your bike around the block without a parent hovering. Great freedom. Lake Michigan is only about 65 degrees, so adult swimming is scarce, but Zoe and Sophie have been doing cannonballs off the Weque dock and swimming out to the raft with great zest. They are both old enough for the sailing program at day camp. You see them here out with their ten-year-old skipper.

Yesterday was chilly and cloudy until noon. My big kids ventured out on the Third Steet dock to check out the sailing classes. Eliza, my daughter-in-law and in-house professional photographer, was busy shooting away. I hope I get to share some of her shots of the area in my next post.

I never want to go home from this place. Friends come visit, I spend time with friends I've made up here that live all over the country. Lots of books get read, yarn gets spun and the knitting needles click away.

Shawls: latest of my obsessions

Actually, it's these crazy, colorful shawls full of whatever I pull out of my yarn stash

handspuns, novelties, you name it, that obsess me. I love knitting them. I go down to the studio and start pulling yarns that go with the colorway and throw them in a basket. Then I just start knitting. I have to make myself do other projects in between shawls.

A friend shared the simple pattern with me and I was off! I think I have knit about eight. Sold a few, gave away a couple and have one or so for sale just to keep me thinking I actually have a purpose when I knit them other than I delight in the colors, textures, and choices. And, I'm wild for the ruffles. Friends ask what I will do with them when I finished. I tell them, I have no idea, I just make them.

I feel like Madame La Farge in Dickens Tale of Two Cities. She just kept on knitting through the French Revolution. Ok, that's a stretch, but you get the idea. The bright red and purple one is the latest off the needles.

I wear the pink often right now with summer clothes. The Santa Fe one went to a dear friend I spend summer days with in Harbor Springs, Michigan.

Please check out Knits for Needs at http://www.alpacafarmgirl.com . They are doing good work.

WWKIP at Sassy Spinster, and, of course, YART sale update

As promised, here are pics of  Lancaster, Texas's version of WWKIP  day.  Actually the day fell on the third Saturday, when the Over the Wheel gang meets at the shop to spin, KNIT, and chat.  It was breezy and pleasant in the arcade of shade trees even in the 90+ degree heat.  Evelyn played her dulcimer to add to the ambiance and the lady in the red hat brought her Auracana fresh eggs to sell.  I love this group. 

Photos:  Ann and Sherry each alone knitting, Susan holding court knitting, Ann and Maryann at their spinning wheels, Evelyn and her dulcimer and  the egg lady.

YART SALE:  Last day for free shipping!  Stop by and see new items in YART Sale section.

http://cordovastudios.etsy.com

Green heron visiting my backyard

I sat on my back porch knitting while chatting on the phone with a friend in Taos when this guy flew in for a visit.  As I live on a small lake, waterfowl are frequent visitors but I had never gotten to see the vivid coloration of the male before.  What a treat.  These are photos from the web as my camera was in the house at the time.