Knitted Wheel Cover

uhh ... 

I guess this makes a statement!

And the license plate says CJ Knits.

Interesting.

Different.

One of a kind.

Coordinates well with the vehicle, don't you think?

hmmm

I took this picture about 2 weeks ago when I went to the Mannings. 

 I am still trying to decide do I love it or hate it.

How about you?

Knitted Tepee

I can't believe that I didn't include this picture with my Mannings Post.

Part of the fun of attending these events is seeing some of the unusual things and people.

This tepee most certainly caught my eye.

Yes, this is a knitted tepee!


Actually, the tepee is made of traditional tepee materials (I checked!)  But as I got closer I noticed that layered on top were these crocheted and knitted blankets.

Very ingenious.








And I wanted to include this very interesting lady.  I love "people watching" and at events like this, people watching is one of the sidelines.  I loved the chair and the hat and the glasses!

Another person had a cup holder for her spinning wheel.  Too funny.

Retired Knitter knits, hooks, blocks, rips, ... stabs

So someone graciously asked about my knitting in a previous comment.

You know, it only takes one inquiry from an interested reader ... and the rest of you who are not interested in knitting must sit through a knitting post.  :-)  I try to play fair to the majority interest when selecting blog topics, but just one of you needs to ask about knitting ... and the majority be damned!!

(In truth, I was planning a knitting post.)  BUT in response to the HUGE outcry from my readership demanding knitting news ... here it is!!

:-)

I have been knitting .... but for some darn reason it has been going slow.  I started the Cassidy Hoodie sweater last October.  It should look like this by now.

The Cassidy Hoodie by Chic Knits

It doesn't.  Not yet. I did, however, FINALLY,  get the completed pieces onto a blocking board.  This task took me 2 long arduous hours!!

My Cassidy on the blocking board.

For the non knitters out there (if you are still reading, and you better be - this is important stuff), sometimes wet wool becomes like clay.  Blocking is best done when the wool is wet and toweled dry.  But wet wool has its own challenges.

The sleeve cable.

 My wet sleeves stretched and became gorilla arms ... causing me some angst!  But I massaged those offending limbs into proper shape and hopefully the yarn now knows who is boss.  The test will come when I unpin the dry sleeves.  If gorilla arms reappear, I will take out a sharp instrument and stab them repeatedly.

http://www.squidoo.com

(Oh my, did I say that out loud?)

Now you might be thinking .... wow, almost done with that project!  No.  Not really.

I need to sew the seams, then I need to knit a generous hood off the neck, and then I need to knit a button band.  And then, I get to sew on some buttons. THEN, when I have done all that, THEN it will be done.  It will then be a sweater (or it will be a vest if the sleeves died an ugly death.)

My second project (I bet you non knitters thought I was done - in your dreams!!), is a Lace Cardi Crochet Wrap for my daughter.  I started it in January.  It should look like this.

It doesn't.  It looks likes this.

Well, it did look like that just 24 hours ago, but being a novice crocheter, I messed up the sizing and the gauge.  I thought it was too small.  And the crochet stitch was too dense.  I wanted a lacier look - like in the picture above.  I also wanted to be able to crochet without having to use large magnifying eye glasses that ruin my eye sight and a special light that says "gosh you have old eyes!" every time I use it.


I sure hated to rip this, but I did.

Last night I started the project again with a bigger crochet hook.  Actually I started it twice last night (don't ask.)

If you count all my "start overs" with this project, I am probably up to around 10.  If you count all the crochet stitches I have done for this project, I have probably crocheted the whole of this project twice!!!


So now it looks like this.

Hard to know if I will be starting over again until I have done a few inches.  (I must let it be known that using a large sharp instrument on this project is not out of the question either!!)

So that is my knitting update.

On more positive news ...

Tomorrow I am going to an all day "Spin In" with family and friends at the Mannings in East Berlin Pennsylvania.    But more about that next week ... if the masses (meaning even just one person) demand that I blog about it (hint, hint ...), I most certainly will.

:-)

Till then!

Oasis Day - Part 3: The Ride Home

The trip home was quiet and uneventful... with the threatening stormy weather holding off until I stepped into my home.

The peace of the trip home was a perfect time to spend with my thoughts.

I had perfect weather.

Overcast, not too hot, not too humid, light rain.

Thank you, Mother Nature.

The view out my car window was comfortable.

... the sights of country life and small town living

in Maryland and Pennsylvania have a settling feeling.

The Mannings Event was fun.

Unhurried.

Visual Candy.

An Oasis in an otherwise busy and demanding life.

Time spent with family is emotional life-giving.

Seeing my cousin's finished spinning projects

in person, touching and squeezing each lovingly made skein of yarn

remarking how beautiful it looks against my clothing, my skin :-)

and unwilling giving it back ...

yes, it was wonderful.

So much better than seeing a picture on the blog.

Fiber labels Linda gave me to add to my own hand spun treasures

... a gentle reminder from her to keep spinning. :-)

Loved the finger foods and snacking

especially some tasty smoked salmon made by Susan's husband.

It was finished up with my dinner.

Loved the chatter of sharing

that totally filled the day from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm

- it all slipped by in an instant.

Love buying three wonderful things: yarn, a pattern and book

... stuff that I absolutely did not need.

(pictures to follow in later post)

And waiting at home for me was my blog ...

a place to share my good day with you.

Love coming home to see my family after a short break.

Refreshed and ready to take on my life again. I had such a good time on this trip. It took me 3 blog days to share it all. Total Milage: 147.8.

Thank you for taking this trip with me through my blog!

Sharing it with you was like experiencing it all over again!!

And finally, the moment I got home, and got my stuff back in the house ... the skies opened up and dropped a flood of rain. I looked around and noticed that my daughter and Milo were not in the house ... they were on a walk - right - in a major downpour! I looked out the window and saw them running quickly across the water filled street, but totally totally soaked through and through. I met them at the door with towels.

Once wet Milo hit the air conditioned house, he took off running around the house like a crazy energizer bunny! Catching him to dry him off was a sprint for sure.

My day ended with laughter!

PS

My daughter is the greatest! Thank you, sweatheart, for being here for your grandmother.

Oasis Day - Part 2: Destination

I had arrived. And the pictures of the day speak volumes.

Creative Hands

Front Porch Knitting

Knitting Inside!

Books, Magazines and Yarn!

The Mannings Cats roamed the grounds visiting all the guests.

Icing on the cake! Family!

We had some rain, but our lovely tree kept us dry!

Time to go at 4:00 pm! Nuts!

Six short hours gone in a flash! Not fair.

As we carried our stuff back to the cars, my cousin Linda said she hoped to one day come for a week and take a Spinning Workshop with them. The Mannings offer a number of day, weekend and week long workshops. According to their site they also provide some sleeping accommodations for participants. Once when I was seriously considering such an option (when the people in my life could do for themselves ... ah, those were the days), I noticed that nearby Bed and Breakfast was also an option! Now wouldn't that be heavenly. Spinning during the day, Bed and Breakfast at night.

I haven't totally given up that idea.

It is good to have goals!

Oasis Day - Part 1: Playing hookie

Saturday was my Play Hookie Day.

And it was grand.

My daughter was here for her grandmother. The weather was overcast and in the 70s, far more comfortable than we have been experiencing. I left the house at 8:00 am! The day trip had begun. I was on my way to The Mannings in Pennsylvania for their Sit and Knit Day held every year.

As is my habit (a bad one for sure), driving away from the house I mentally review my list of things I need for the trip.

• Full tank of gas. CHECK
• Maps. CHECK
• Cell phone and iPod Touch. CHECK and CHECK
• Food. CHECK
• Knitting. CHECK
• Camera. A glorious CHECK

Now I know that checking your list as you drive away from home rather than standing in your home is the first mistake. But today, I had it all.

I could tell this was the beginning of a golden day.

The Mannings is a knitting, spinning and weaving Oasis planted in the middle of some beautiful Pennsylvania farm land ... about 90 minutes north of my home. The facility is made up of multiple rooms filled with yarn, books, patterns, spinning wheels, looms and every supply you need to pursue your craft ... a very lovely place to spend the day. Two yearly Mannings events I look forward to are The Spin In in June (this year I was at the hospital with mom - so no spin-in for me), and The Knit In in August. But more about The Mannings tomorrow.

The first part of this beautiful day was the trip itself. In the past when I traveled I enjoyed having the company of others. Today I was on my own and it felt freeing. Just Maxine (my Maxima), my thoughts and me!!

The trip is taken almost entirely on 2 lane rural roads - beautiful rolling country side. I passed some beautiful farm property, but getting a picture and driving at the same time proved challenging! (I think there is a lesson to be learned in that discovery!) :-)

Small little townships to pass through.

Interesting community events - a Chili Cook-Off? How wonderful.

Decorated homes that are not limited by community guidelines. This house was covered in American Flags. I thought it was glorious. Some in my city would say it was over done and attempt to reduce the number of flags.

And it was Saturday, relatively no traffic.

This was the last little country road that lead to my destination. I remember the first time I was down this road ... I couldn't help but wonder if I had taken a wrong turn, surely something this far removed from the main thoroughfare couldn't be successful. You need to have big signs, be located where passing customers can see you ...

Wrong!

I had arrived!!

A Saturday at the Mannings

Poised to begin!

It was a beautiful day for an outdoor event at The Mannings and a perfect combination of family, fiber activities, food, and learning. All the anticipation and planning of the previous weeks leading up to this one day - a day that seemed to pass in the blink of an eye. Wouldn't it be grand if someone invented something that could slow down time just for one wonderful day.

I had 2 goals for that day (beyond spending time with family): begin spinning on my new spinning wheel and avoid purchasing yarn in the shop. Check and check!! I made a major discovery with spinning on a wheel - although it looks restful when done by skilled hands, it is anything but restful when done by a newbee like me. There have got to be 6 things going on all at the same time, using both hands, and both feet

and your brain - AND there is a small cycle of activity that gets applied over all that - drafting, allowing the twist to into the drafted fiber and then allowing the wheel to take up the spun fiber and then repeat, and repeat and repeat in order. *sigh*. I had to take a break to work on a complicated lace knitting pattern - at least while I was doing that my feet were resting. And no fiber purchases in the shop ... that probably was a first in the 13 years I have been knitting that I left empty handed. Actually I am trying to avoid buying yarn from anywhere for awhile. Over the winter I inventoried of my yarn stash - based on knitting 5,000 yards of yarn a year ... I would need to live to 92 or 93 before I ran out! That calculation just continues to fester in my brain. I am not opposed to having a decent stash of yarn, but I think a small yarn shop worth is pushing the envelope on acceptable.

The main challenge of the day was keeping our chairs in the shade. We started the morning perfectly situated under a tree, facing out past a grapevine to a rural setting unmarred by development. As the sun moved, so did we unfortunately. Each re-location was supposed to be our final move. We move 4 times - but in the end we won the battle with the sun.

And for the second year in a row, my sister won one of the many door prizes they announced. I think my sister should play the lottery!

First Efforts - alittle thick and chuncky but a start! I have already decided I need to buy a Wooley Winder so that I don't need to keep moving the yarn over the hooks! Have to save up for that.

One beautiful person is missing from this shot. Our other cousin LC from PA. She had to work in a new job. She was missed!

Total Steps: 3728 (that is what you get when you sit in the car to go, sit at the knit-in, and sit in the car to return - and, of course standing - like we did for this picture - not too many steps there either!)

Fabulous Knitting Folks

Once a week I sit and knit with a group of wonderful knitters. We can have anywhere from 4 to 24 people at these get-togethers. You never know who is coming, but the mix of personalities is always wonderful. I so enjoy their company and look forward to Tuesdays.

This is our second spring-summer-fall in this location. And it is perfect most times. Beautiful courtyard with a water fountain, cover from the sun, and many options for eating. Come winter we move indoors to a local historic mill - but this outdoor spot is best - frequently our numbers grow just by people passing by and stopping - before you know it, they come with their needles and yarn, and they become friends.

Meathead and Grimace went home with their papa last night. They are back to acting like their normal selves which was joyful to see. This morning after food shopping, I will be picking up Milo and later in the day, getting Meaty and Grimace too. Both my kids have evening plans so Thursdays are typically time-with-grandma for the dogs.

And I am very excited about this weekend. Saturday my sister and I are traveling up to The Mannings in PA. This is a shop but also a destination for all things knitting, spinning and weaving related ... almost a kind of fiber art community. The Mannings are located in a rural setting about 20 minutes outside of Gettysburg. The main facility has probably 5 or 6 rooms devoted to yarn, unspun fiber, books and tools, and space to house weaving looms and spinning wheels. They hold classes and various events. This Saturday is their annual "Knit In" - a time for those interested in knitting to come with a picnic lunch and settle under one of their many trees to sit and knit and visit with friends all day. My sister and I will be joined by our cousins who live in PA and I will be bringing Agatha - my cousin is a spinner and she will help me get Aggie oiled correctly, adjusted and then help me with the basics of spinning on this beautiful wheel. My sister purchased an antique spinning wheel about a month ago - it must be almost 100 years old. I am hoping that wheel comes too. It should be a great day.

And let me not forget to thank my beautiful daughter for staying with her grandma so that I could get away for the day with peace of mind.

Hobbies, pets, family and friends make life very rich. I am blessed to have a generous helping of each in my life.

Total Steps: 4837 - pretty much the total I get if I don't take a walk