Shades of Purple

First, let me start off by saying how sorry I am for this post being weeks later than I intended it to be. I have been neglecting this blog lately in practice, though in theory I have been writing posts (in my head) most every day. Many thanks to Linda for giving me a well-deserved nudge. My absence is due mainly to two things – a lack of items I can share with you, and a trip to Italy. I hope my absence can be forgiven, as I will post about both of these in the near future.

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Anyways, a year ago I bought some yarn from KnitPicks. While it looked lovely on the screen, what I got was nice… but not quite what I was hoping for. Since then it has been lingering in my stash. I didn’t like it enough to use it, even as a gift, but I also couldn’t quite part with something I had just purchased. A month ago, I decided to try over dyeing it using Kool-Aid. I’m going to save the more specific particulars on that for another post (that in and of itself was quite the story!).

Before - KnitPicks Gossamer in Sunrise - nice but not me!

I set out initially to try to get a nice, rich cranberry color, so I first tried the cherry flavored drink packet. Overall, the effect was ok, but still not what I wanted. In addition, there were lots of patchy places where the color didn’t quite permeate. I decided that perhaps I really wanted a purple color, so I removed the yarn, and added in 3 packets of blue flavor (tropical punch?). The color took much more evenly, and produced a product I was much happier with.

After dyeing

Here is a before and after shot of my dyeing experiment. For my part, I am much happier with the ‘after’ than the ‘before’. I also prefer the more subtle variegation to the more drastic color changes. I’m still trying to decide what to make with the two skeins I dyed, and what to do with the 4 other undyed skeins I have laying around the house.

Before and after - much better!

Dyeing this yarn really got me thinking about the state of current US politics. I generally stay away from politics on this blog, as I am one of those who gets a little tired of politics invading every corner of my life. I hope you can all forgive me this one exception.

Don’t be alarmed – I won’t tell you who or what to vote for. Quite frankly, if you were to base your vote off of something you read on a personal blog, I would be concerned. If you are still not sure who to vote for, please read information put out by the candidates themselves to see what they say their position is, and also look at their past record to see what they’ve done in practice. Also keep in mind that the Daily Show and Saturday Night Live are quite funny, but perhaps not the best place to turn to if you wish to formulate a political opinion.

So… What does this have to do with my Kool Aid dyeing experiment? The fact that I needed both red and blue to improve this yarn really made me think long and hard about the state of partisan politics in America. To listen to almost anyone in the media these days, you would think that the world would be a Much Better Place if there were only red states or only blue states. Political parties seem to have evolved to the point where one party (and candidate) can do no wrong, and the other party (and candidate) can do no right. The fact that we are divided as a nation is apparent to just about everyone, yet it seems that we continue down a path of stubborn opposition instead of learning to work together.

At the risk of sounding idealistic, I wish we could all step back for a second and look at the candidates and the issues objectively. Certainly there are good and bad aspects to each candidate, as there are for each person. Furthermore, if you stop to consider your viewpoint on many issues (abortion, gay marriage, states’ rights vs. federal rights, size of government, use of tax money, etc.) it’s entirely likely that your view points on topics don’t reflect the viewpoint of only one party. Your personal political profile is likely a shade of purple, rather than red or blue.

After all, how likely is it that everyone within a political party agrees with each other on EVERY topic? The odds of that happening are staggering, which must mean that there must be some issues that you don’t agree with your party on. Are you a democrat that supports the second amendment? Are you a republican that supports abortion? Shouldn’t it follow that we have much more common ground than what is perhaps being portrayed by the media?

In my rather rambling way, I want to encourage people to vote based on their own personal beliefs, not on party politics. Please take the time to do your own research and formulate your own opinion with an open mind. While I know we will all never agree on anything, it must be possible to at least respect different opinions without bashing and belittling each other. We are all shades of purple as individuals. The nation is strengthened by this diversity, and can only benefit from us working together as shades of purple, instead of clashing as reds and blues.

Almost back...

So sorry for the absence lately. I'm working on a proper post (proper for a knitting blog at least). I've been quite busy at work, and traveling a bit and... well... you know. I have been knitting and do have some FO's to share.

Today, we went to visit an archaeological site locally - one of the perks of working at a University. We got to take a peek at some of the artifacts they have found.

Roman Coin

Yum!

Recently, our limited dinner menu has left us in a major rut, as we mostly repeat the same basic dishes week after week. While this makes grocery shopping easy, it doesn't make our evening meals anything more than a routine chore. So, enough is enough! We decided to remedy the situation by trying three things:

1. Expand our palettes
   
2. Eat healthier - portion control and caloric intake
   
3. Eat better - cut back on: ready-made foods loaded with preservatives, processed foods and convenience foods; increase: whole grains, fruits and vegetables, cooking from scratch.

Last night at my knitting group, I was sharing these aspirations with Pampootie and Susoolu, when I mentioned the one wrench in this entire plan:

I don't know much about cooking.

Now, I can bake somewhat decently. I suspect this is because things like cookies, cakes and bread are fairly straightforward: measure, mix, & stick in the oven. For a novice like myself, that's fairly simple. But let's face it: a good number of cookbooks today are anything BUT simple. Whenever I try looking for new recipes, I get a bit disheartened because most recipes seem pretentious and complex. In addition, there are ingredients and techniques I've never heard of!

Susoolu and Pampootie were quite understanding about this, and in addition to many tips, and kind offers of assistance (I don't think they know what they're getting themselves into!), they steered me in the direction of Nigel Slater's Real Fast Food.

While Mr. Tall and I were out browsing the shops and the Saturday market today, we picked up a copy of Real Fast Food, and when we hit the recipe for "Blue Cheese Pasta", we knew that would be our dinner for this evening.

Real Fast Food's focus is on meals that can be made in under a half an hour (roughly) using good quality, simple ingredients - ones you should be able to find in most supermarkets. Many recipes have variations noted, making this book an ideal starting point for your own experimentation. Thankfully, tips and helpful advice are plenty. I am so grateful to have had this book recommended to me, as it's not one I would've picked up on my own. The copy we found is very basic - it looks more like a trade paperback than a cookbook. No glossy photos to make your mouth water just by looking at them. Don't let that put you off! This book is completely worth it.

For dinner tonight, we did indeed make the "Blue Cheese Pasta". It was simple, quick and delicious. We used Gorgonzola, but paired it with some irreverent Scooby Doo shaped pasta. We can't take things too seriously now, can we?

Blue Cheese Pasta with bread from the Saturday Market

I must have hit the big time...

Today, I got my very first spam comment! I know that I may grow tired of them someday, but for the moment, I'm ecstatic that my blog has attracted the spammer type of attention.

A Miraculous Day...

A week or so ago, we were watching TV and an Oreo commercial came on. Not a big deal if you're in America, but here in the UK, we've only found them available (as 4-cookie snack packs) at a deli in our town.

Today, while grocery shopping, we stumbled upon this:

Mr. Tall's version of heaven

Of course, Mr. Tall helped himself to a couple packs. What was funny was watching other people respond to the display. Overall, people would pick up a package, turn it over and over and around, as if trying to figure out what an Oreo is.

So, if you've never tried an Oreo cookie and see this display at a store near you, buy a pack and tell me what you think!

On a very blustery day...

I’m a 4 seasons kinda gal. I love fall color, spring buds, winter chill and summer warmth equally. After living in Southern California for a couple years, a move to the UK, and a return to seasons, has been a welcome change. In some ways, I feel as though I am rediscovering the seasons when I wake up one morning and notice a fallen leaf, or a brighter morning.

I’m not ready for spring yet. I say that at a great risk of being outcast, as most people I encounter on a daily basis have turned complaining about the weather into an art form. For my part, I’m perfectly content to have a few more weeks of cold dreariness (it’s great for curling up with a good movie and knitting the day away!).

Almost spring flowers

Nevertheless, I know spring is right around the corner, and while I’m not ready for spring just yet, I will be by the time these bloom. Until then, they’re a great reminder that time is fleeting and seasons are cyclical. I will relish what is left of winter, then enjoy spring, summer, and fall until winter returns again.

Our Christmas, Sans Knitting

Hey again, I'm going to catch up with you guys in two parts. First, the brief non-knitting portion.

We were to fly out of London Heathrow on Christmas Eve. On the 23rd, there was a great deal of fog and nearly 140 flights to/from Britain had been canceled. We arrived at the the airport on the 24th, and were told we weren't even allowed to enter the terminal until they were ready to check us in for our flight.

There were tents set up outside for us to wait in. To TPTB's* credit, they were heated, there were chairs and TV monitors tuned to the news, and coffee and tea available. Regardless, we were anxious to start our journey in this less-than-certain state.

Inside the tent, outside the airport

Thankfully, our flight to Seattle was called not long after I pulled out some knitting. The upshot to all this was that we had been upgraded to business class!


Mr. Tall is very happy to stretch out his legs!

Unfortunately, BAA regulations prohibit knitting needles in carry-on luggage. I amused myself by watching some movies (Death at a Funeral was absolutely hilarious! A must see for any fans of Alan Tudyk) and playing around on my computer.

Somewhere over Iceland (we think) we were treated to this gorgeous view:

Moon and sunset

Our time in Seattle was nice and relaxing. I got to meet up with some friends, and we both enjoyed being Americans again. Before we knew it, it was New Year's Eve and time to head to Orange County, CA (home of the Talls). A second good Christmas was had, more friends were visited with, and soon enough that time was over as well.

Much to our surprise and delight, we had been upgraded to business class for the trip home as well! All in all, a great Christmas and great start to the new year.

* The Powers That Be

I didn't think it was possible...

You know, I've read many bloggers who talk about the tendency of tape measures to become lost. I always chuckled and thought it was just an exaggeration. I can understand losing stitch markers (they're small), or DPNs (they can roll and get lost in couch cushions), but a whole tape measure? Surely you're joking!

Apparently not. I had it Monday night, when I measured Mr. Tall's chest and too-long arms, but somewhere between there and Tuesday night, it has disappeared. I'll probably take the cushions off my comfy chair soon, and will probably paw through the knitting basket soon.

Now, if only I had picked up one of those cute sheep tape measures at Harrogate!

Homage to the Electrical Goddess

It's that awkward time of year. It's chilly enough that a warm blanket is a near constant companion, but it's not quite cool enough out to justify turning on the heat. My compromise, is to turn on our electric fireplace for a bit. I'll close both doors to the living room, turn on the fireplace, and snuggle down. Caiomhe likes to snuggle down, too, right in front of the fire.

Caiomhe worships the heating Goddess

I think this windy/rainy/sunny/rainy-again day calls for a bit of knitting. The fire is off and Caiomhe and I have returned to our normal codependent state of trying to keep each other warm in our roles of lap and lap-warmer.

Remember...

Remember, remember the fifth of November,
The gunpowder, treason, and plot,
I know of no reason
Why gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot.

Today is Guy Fawkes Day, which (at least in this area) is more commonly known as Bonfire night. Fawkes was born in York, and you can still visit the church he was baptized in, and even stay in the room he was born in, as it is now a hotel.

The story goes that Fawkes, a Catholic, was a conspirator in the Gunpowder plot of 1605. The aim of the plot was to blow up Parliament, kill the Protestant King James I, and bring about a rebellion to make England a Catholic country once more.

The plot failed, Fawkes was apprehended, tortured, tried and eventually killed for his part in the conspiracy.

Today, the foiling of the plot is still celebrated. Bonfires and firework displays dot the countryside, and occasionally effigies of Fawkes are burned.


Last year's bonfire


Last year's bonfire and full moon

I'm not sure if we're going to go this year or not. We were in Los Angeles a couple weeks ago, during the wildfires, and we may be "fired" out.

A quick one today...

I've decided that November is a bad month for a knitter to try this blog-post-a-day thing. I'm still giving it a go, but it's so hard not to share knitting with you that will (hopefully) be a gift in a few weeks!

In other news, we had a rare treat here. Mr. Tall has subscribed to NASN, a cable station that plays North American sports. We get a few college (American) football games each week, along with some other sports. Today, we got to watch my alma mater, the University of Oregon, defeat the (no longer) undefeated Arizona Sun Devils!

Perhaps the Ducks will be at the Rose Bowl this year. If so, perhaps we'll camp out spots and watch the Rose Parade live!

Go Ducks!

Not knitting, but beautiful all the same.

Last July, Mr. Tall and I visited Paris for a long weekend. We had been living in the UK for a month and couldn't wait to get out and explore "the continent" a bit more. It was in Paris that we really developed an appreciation for art museums.

While we liked The Louvre, we preferred Musee d'Orsay. Perhaps it was the much more manageable size, or perhaps it was just the style - d'Orsay exhibits a lot of impressionist art. At the time, there was a special exhibit on the works of J. F. Willumsen. Willumsen (1863-1958) was a Danish painter, sculptor, ceramist, architect, and photographer.

One work in particular caught my eye.


Willumsen - A Mountain Climber, 1904

There are so many things I love about this work of art. I love the sense of strength and confidence emanating from the woman while she is resting. I imagine that she is looking down into a valley, reflecting on the beauty of the area instead of congratulating herself for reaching that point (as I would likely be doing). I love that my reaction to this artwork is to feel a sense of peaceful empowerment. The colors and technique astound me - especially in person.

Ever since stumbling across Willumsen at d'Orsay, I've changed my museum-visiting strategy. I used to go into a museum with the intention of seeing the popular highlights. Now, my goal is to find other unknown-to-me artists, much like Willumsen, whose work strikes me.

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween everyone :)

I've just decided that Halloween is probably the most perfect holiday ever. Granted, I may change my mind when Flag Day or Arbor Day comes around, but for now, I'm convinced.

Posing with my pumpkin circa 1980 or so

Consider...

There is no dress code. It's a one-day special "fashion pass". If you normally dress up for work, you may be able to get away with dressing down. If you normally dress casually, you can dress up without the annoying "why are you so dressed up today?" questions. If you have been wondering what you'd look like if you were goth, or punk, or Victorian, you can try out your new look, and go back to being yourself the next day - provided the "temporary" hair coloring washes out as promised.

Just like the "fashion pass", there's a "candy pass". You can buy copious amounts of candy with no explanation required. You don't have to worry about the cashier wondering if you can really eat that much candy (Answer: Yes, I can, and with startling speed).

This is a holiday that, despite it's pagan origins, seems fairly secularized. Yes, I'm sure there are objectors, but overall, there is little quibbling about the display of Halloween decorations in public places.

There is little expectation to be anywhere (at least until you have kids when you NEED to be out trick-or-treating). Couples don't need to worry about which family to visit, you can stay home and welcome trick-or-treaters, or leave the house entirely and pretend that Halloween never existed.

Three things: Pumpkin carving, roasted pumpkin seeds, and late-night showings of Poltergeist.

What's your favorite holiday?

Eye Candy Friday: straight to the source

I'm still a new enough knitter that I remember life "before". Granted, my memories of "before" usually appear in black and white in my head, but I remember the days of filling my evenings with other hobbies, and spending my spare cash on things other than yarn. Can I say that and still be a part of the knitting community?

I know that the me-that-was had a desire to knit, but didn't. The me-that-was could see a sweater that caught my eye and wonder if it would be flattering on me, not wonder about the construction, the stitch pattern, what yarn I would use... (I think I'll stop there to stay on track for this posting).

Do you remember those old Looney Tunes cartoons, where Yosemite Sam and Bugs were trapped in a cabin. In the middle of nowhere. In a storm. Sitting across each other at the kitchen table. With nothing to eat except one pea to share between the two of them? (Seriously, this is me getting back on track with this post - bear with me). What would inevitably happen is the characters would both stare at the lone, hopeless pea, and then their gaze would drift up to each other. Where the other used to be was now dinner - a nice steak, or cut of hare. (I tried dredging up a picture to illustrate this, but it is not to be found*)

Knitting has had the same affect on me that extreme hunger had on our cartoon heroes. I will never again look at a field full of sheep through the eyes of the me-that-was again.

What I saw before I started knitting


What I see now as a knitter

This was shot in a field on the west coast of Scotland in late May. We had stopped here to get a better look at the stone circle that shares a field with these sheep.

* Seriously. I googled forever on this. Interestingly enough, a Google Image search of "daffy duck salivating" brings up a picture of Jesus wearing a crown of thorns after the crucifixion on the second page. If you happen to know of a picture, please let me know.

Eye Candy Friday: North Wales Visit

Last weekend, Mr. Tall and I took advantage of the three day weekend (it was a bank holiday here in the U.K.) to visit Wales for the first time. We stayed along the north coast, as that was far more convenient for us and had a great time exploring.

Along our journey, I persuaded Mr. Tall to pull off a couple times to visit yarn shops and woollen mills (what a great guy!)

Here is a little eye candy for you!

The first stop was at Trefriw Woollen Mills, which is located in Snowdonia National Park.

Trefriw, Wales


Trefriw Woollen Mills

The mills offers a nice walk through exhibition on how wool is produced and woven into the many fabrics the mill produces.

Weaving in progress

Sadly, there is a very small amount of space within the shop devoted to hand knitting - a small selection of 100% wool, made on site. Perhaps it's a post for another day, but to me it's always sad to see a woollen mill where more space is dedicated to the same souvenirs found throughout the country than local fibre for other crafters and knitters. I understand, of course, why this is - consumerism and capitalism - but still, it is sad to spend the greater part of one day driving past fields and fields of sheep, but not see their wool factor into the tourist equation the way local jams and other crafts do. Ok, right, back to the post...

To show my support for locally-produced wool, I bought three skeins of aran weight:

Aran weight from Trefriw Woollen Mills


Close-up for colours!

The Woollen Mill also features a separate cottage for hand spinning. Unfortunately for us, it was closed :( A peak through the window showed a lot of beautiful fibres and knitting supplies. As the mill was displaying fliers for Woolfest, so hopefully I'll see them there!

Our last stop was at Abakhan Fabric. This shop features a lot of fabric and decorations for home, along with a good selection of knitting yarns and needlepoint. The selection was pretty good, ranging from some of the "upper" lines, down to cheap and squeaky acrylics. Prices were decent - worth grabbing things if you were wanting something, but nothing to drive out of your way for. The most impressive thing for me was the amount of yarn they had - most shops local to me have a very small selection, save Hobbycraft.


Abakhan Fabric

It was a great trip, and I look forward to another Welsh Wool Expedition (I'm thinking Pembrokeshire!)

Still Going...

I think the anti-stash gods are conspiring against me (or conspiring with my husband, whatever the case may be). I happened to be in the Bath area, with some free time on Sunday last week - when Get Knitted was closed. This week, I am in Edinburgh on Monday - when Handknit is closed. It's really for the best - I have three Harry Potter scarves to make before July, and I feel that I'm ready to start my first sock and first sweater (both of which I already have the yarn for).

I promise pictures to come, along with some WIP shots of the scarves in their glory. I think I may also start a baby sweater for a friend, and as I'm due to have a new neice by the end of July, I was thinking of making up a bootie/sweater/hat/teddy bear set for her.

What am I doing sitting here typing for? There's much to be knit!

Quick Update

I am currently on a trip with my parents - they flew to London from Seattle last Thursday, and we've been having a good time so far travelling around and doing a bunch of family history at the same time.

The bad is that I haven't knitted as much as I would like, and that our schedule has meant that I haven't been able to go to some stores (such as Get Knitted) that I was hoping to go to.

The good is that they came bearing gifts! I had ordered a ton of stuff from Knit Picks that they brought with them - some yarn to finish my Ravenclaw scarf, new cable lengths for my Options set and some yarn for my first ever sweater! Soon, you will get to enjoy (making fun of me) knitting up A Cardigan for Arwen.

I'm either brave or very, very stupid :)

Wow!

I just wanted to give a thank you to the many who have commented, welcoming me to the land of knit blogs and knitting (since I'm still a beginner!)

I've listened to several podcasts, where the hosts will talk about what a warm and welcoming community this is, and I just have to say how true it is, and how much it is appreciated!

I have a couple more FOs to post soon - two adorable pairs of baby booties that I'm early with (at least, I haven't heard of the recipients being born yet!)

I'm heading into York tomorrow, which will (of course) include a stop by a yarn shop :)

The importance of pattern reading

As a beginning knitter, one thing has been hammered into my head as being of the utmost importance when picking up needles and casting on. This is so important that should I fail in any way, gremlins will pop out from my couch cushions, rip my needles from my hands, and chomp them to bits. They will nibble away at my fingers, so that I can never knit again since I am unworthy of being deemed a knitter. That one thing, holiest of holy, is gauge.

Every pattern starts with a reminder to us, the knitters, lest we forget: "Take time to check your gauge". Today, I share with you something even more important than gauge *hears a collective gasp across the knitti-verse*. Perhaps it is the naïveté of being a beginner in a craft where so many have gone before that I dare even suggest that this one thing is more important than gauge. Perhaps I will go down in history as being wise, and brave enough to exclaim "The emperor has no clothes". I will take shelter in the relative anonymity that is the internet and forge on. I will open myself up for potential finger-nibbling by gremlins. Heck, I'll just say it:

Reading a pattern correctly is more important than making gauge.

*looks around the room and notes a distinct lack of gremlins*

Well then, I guess I am free to explain myself. Knit something to gauge, and whatever you knit may fit, but it could be non-functional or unwearable in public. Your sweater may have sprouted a third arm. Your glove may have forgotten your opposable thumb. None of it really matters if you can't read the pattern correctly. Why then, don't pattern makers also warn "Take time to understand the pattern"?

Now, I realize in posting this that experienced knitters will get a good chuckle at this. But beginning knitters out there may learn a good lesson from my misfortune. My pattern, for a pair of Mary Jane Baby Booties read as follows:

Cast off 9 sts (1 st remains on needle), k2, slip these 3 sts onto a safety pin, cast off 3 sts...

So, I did the following:
I cast off 9 sts
I knit 2
I moved my NEXT 3 sts to the safety pin
I continued casting off 3 sts.

This produced a bootie with a very inconveniently placed strap:

Knowing that is not what was intended, I figured it HAD to be because of gauge, the most important power in the knitti-verse. I therefore started again and paid careful attention to each and every stitch. That bootie came out the same. Luckily, at the time, I was at my LKG (Local Knitting Group). A wise and experienced knitter, Julia, came to my aid and pointed out the error of my ways... I frogged back. I then:
Cast off 9 sts (leaving one on the needle)
Knit 2
Moved THOSE three sts to the safety pin.

In the end, all was right with the world. The resultant bootie looked like this:

In hindsight, I can't read the pattern without seeing how clear and obvious the directions are. Isn't that how hindsight works, though? The benefit of time and added wisdom makes one embarrassed to remember what they once thought - how feathered bangs or acid washed jeans were a great look, how cool New Kids on the Block were, or how That Boy was simply the best thing ever to have happened to you.

That is why I kept that first, failed bootie. I will put it in a box somewhere, and when I feel like taking a trip down memory lane, I will find it (probably under a Vanilla Ice cassette tape), laugh at it, remember lessons learned, and I'll realize just how much I've learned and how much is left to know.

Article Link

Perhaps it was kismet that I was listening to Bessie Smith's "Whoa, Tillie, Take Your Time" when I stumbled across this article on knitting. Given that the author is a person of faith and I was wading through my to-do list, perhaps it was a divine message.

This list of "faith lessons from knitting" applies to any religious background. For me, the one I always lose sight of is the last one:

8. While finished products are nice - and sometimes very nice - it's realy the process that's the most important. After all, if all you wanted was a sweater, you could have bought one cheaper and a lot faster than knitting one. Living is all about process too, about the working at it, day in and day out. The finished product - the life well lived - is celebrated when we aren't there anymore, at our funeral. Until then, we just keep working at it, one stitch at a time.

I think this is especially nice, because one of the reasons I truly enjoy knitting is how deceptively simple it is, and how relatively untouched it is by technological advances. Really, there is no magic technique we can use to speed up the process of making a sweater or a pair of socks, and still be hand-knitting a garment. We can make socks two at a time on two circular needles, and while this may make the socks go quicker (or at least avoid second-sock syndrome), it doesn't change the fact that they were knit stitch by stitch by stitch.

I think there is a lot about life in general to be learned from knitting, and perhaps the reverse is true.

For now, I wanted to share this article with those who have not yet read it. Are there other lessons you would like to add? Comment and tell me. :)