Wordless Wednesday

Before

Dear Mom,
Emotional events have a way of marking time as Before and After, or at least the sad ones seem to do. And when in the midst of a sad valley, the Before seems to have happened a long time ago. Maybe because life really was different, Before.
But Before I lost Patsy, there were some happy things I hadn't had a chance to share here. Lots of little happy's can help conquer a great big hurt.

I had the absolute pleasure of participating in a "yarn bombing" at The Village Yarn Shop in Zionsville. Yarn bombing is the fiber world's equivalent of graffiti, but ours is not permanent and does not deface public property. Many many many knit and crocheted swatches were donated by customers. One evening, after the shop closed, several of us gathered together to stitch those swatches together and then to  a variety of landmarks outside the shop.

Some of the swatches seemed to have been created exactly for the items they were stitched to.

Like this Stop Sign cozy....

And the pretty addition to the shop's mailbox.....

That mailbox deserves a close-up.

Even the historic fountain got in on the action!

It was interesting to note that while we were stitching the items to trees, posts, and bike stands, the passersby made no comments, and seemed to take no notice of what we were doing. As soon as we finished our "work", families stopped and took pictures next to the tree, shoppers and diners made comments as the passed and complimented the new art.

Love,
Kim

Wordless Wednesday

In The End

Dear Mom,
In the end, our love wasn't enough to save Patsy from herself.
To say we are shattered doesn't begin to touch the pain of the past 36 hours.

I love her.

Kim

Wordless Wednesday

Catch 22

Dear Mom,
The thing about blogging is when you are busy and have lots to blog about there is no time to actually do the blogging. Or you have the time and nothing to say. Kinda like getting a job to have yarn money and then no time to shop for yarn or knit.
Thankfully, I have had time to knit. And spin. And dye wool.

This is that time of year where planting the garden and keeping up with the outside has a negative impact on the messes inside the house. Once the inside is almost caught up the lawn needs to be mowed again and I need to get out there and water the flower boxes. (Current flower box count is 55, and Patsy still finds a gap where she can jump over the fence. We are closing in on her, though, and hopefully one or two more flower boxes will do it.)  And then I sit down to knit and it is time for bed. But, my veggies are planted. The beans and corn are emerging, the tomato plants appear to be very healthy and the rabbits have already found a way in and eaten one of my cabbages. I am afraid to go out there and check to see if anything else disappeared overnight.

In the last month I've had a life-changing diagnosis.Don't panic. It is good. I've spent most of the past 6 months feeling very tired despite getting plenty of sleep. I needed a nap (or two!) just to get through the day. At first I blamed it on a sinus infection, then decided I was still recovering from a sinus infection, then that I was probably just affected by the winter's lack of sunlight, and then decided I was just in the Habit of Napping and being Lazy. During my annual physical, my doctor asked the right questions, listened intuitively to my answers, and after ruling out any other causes for my fatigue, sent me off for a sleep study.

I'll just pause here to say that the result of a night's sleep in the sleep lab is NOT a Good Night's Sleep.

Anyway, the results of my sleep study revealed I have sleep apnea. Not something I ever considered, but easily remedied without drugs. The cure? A CPAP machine. CPAP is an acronym for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure. While I sleep, I wear a mask hooked to a machine that delivers enough constant air pressure to keep my airway open. The result is good, restorative sleep, through all phases of the sleep cycle.

Two weeks ago my CPAP machine was delivered. I feared that I would be sleeping like this.

But if this is what it takes to feel better, then I would make it work.

Fortunately, this is what my mask really looks like.

And let me just say right here, that the mask is PETITE!!!!! I have something that is size PETITE!!!! I was feeling pretty good about that mask already!!!!!

The PETITE mask fits comfortably over my PETITE nose, and the straps hold it snug to my head. As you pointed out, it is a good thing I didn't want anymore kids, because this thing is not sexy, but a tired woman taking naps all the time isn't sexy either. And at least a well-rested woman is happy.

First night with mask? Good.
Second night? Better than Good.
Third night? WOOHOOO! I feel great! I feel like Kim again! (pretend you hear James Brown singing "I feeeeel good!") REALLY good. Like CPAP is my new crusade and I want everyone to get Real Good Sleep.


Because I like to give names to just about everything, and especially since I will be sleeping with this every night, the mask and machine deserved to be called something better than "my cpap machine".

I've named it Johnny Depp.

Just so I can say I sleep with Johnny Depp every night with My Hero's blessing.

Love,
Kim

Celebrating the Life of a Chicken

Dear Mom,

On March 26 , Golda was buried under the maple tree in the backyard.  She would have been 4 years old in August.  Her death was not a surprise, as her health had been declining for many months.  It is my belief that she had ovarian tumors, but I'll never know for sure. 

As her outlook worsened, I made the decision to allow her to remain in the coop with her sisters rather than move her into a hospital cage.  To my surprise, Marge and Gloria allowed her to keep her positon at the top of the pecking order.

As Golda grew weary and reclusive, her sisters lovingly tended to her.  The day before Golda died, I watched as Marge cleaned off Golda's beak and straightened her feathers.   The following morning, Marge and Gloria remained in the coop with her lifeless body.

Golda was my Blog Star!  She was the first to lay an egg (on Christmas Eve!) and later produced the much-talked-about giant egg. 

She received regular spa treatments, complete with shampoo and blow dry.

She loved tomatoes.  She lurked in the shadows as we harvested, waiting for the chance to grab a cherry tomato!

She was quirky and silly.  She was bossy and strong-willed.

 

She had the biggest and floppiest comb!

She wore a purple sweater.

If anyone ever tells you that chickens are stupid, don’t believe it for a second!  Chickens are inquisitive and interesting little creatures with intelligence and personality.  I have witnessed a social structure, communication, and distinct personalities among my backyard chickens. 

Love,
Bonnie Jo

And Then There's Maude

Dear Mom,

Sometimes I see a knit design that I just have to make. And sometimes after the knitting is done I wonder what I was thinking.
Meet Maude.

I really like the idea of Maude.

Maude does not like me. Or more specifically, Maude and my rear view do not compliment each other.

IF my rear view were as tiny as Elle's there wouldn't be a problem. IF I didn't like cookies, my rear view might be as tiny as Elles. As Daddy would have said, "that's a Big If."

Knitting Maude was a piece of cake. I did make a modification to the design, however. I was not happy with the unfinished look around the back, front and arm openings and the stockinette stitch wanted to curl. Still in denial about our compatibility, I decided to add a purchased bit of lace. As if 3 yards of lace would distract from the upholstery.

I figured out a way to crochet a chain around the edges to attach the lace. It worked like a charm and added a nice touch.
I was feeling very Downton Abbey about it.

On a good self esteem day I will try Maude on again with a dress or at least Not Jeans and see if our exits are as charming as our entrances.
If not, Elle has a pretty new frock.

Love,
Kim

Bow Ties and Calla Lilies

Dear Mom,
Real life has interfered with blog life.
Last weekend it was the Young Man's prom.

Next up, Graduation.

Still knitting and spinning.

Love,
Kim

Baked Egg Marsala

Dear Mom,

I found this recipe in your March/April 2012 issue of Victoria magazine and it was so delicious that I am sharing it here, barely 15 minutes after eating it! The kitchen hasn't even been cleaned up yet. It is THAT good.

Baked Eggs Marsala
Makes 4 servings

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Divide the following ingredients among 4 petite au gratin or small oven proof dishes:
1/2 c crumbled feta cheese
1/4 c pitted kalamata olives (I left these out because I don't care for olives)
1/4 c chopped roasted red peppers
1/4 c heavy whipping cream
3 T fresh oregano leaves
4 t marsala
1/4 t coarse salt
1/4 t ground black pepper
4 large eggs
2 T panko (or coarse bread crumbs)

Bake for 10-12 minutes or to desired degree of doneness. Serve immediately.

YUM.

Love,
Kim

In my little corner

Dear Mom,
It may have been the result of having the kids home on break all last week, or maybe a response to all the Graduation/Prom/College Orientation events weighing on me, but I found myself sitting in a corner much of last week.
Spinning my little heart out.

That red skein on top is a roving I Kool aid dyed- it looked like this before I spun it.

I spun the whole thing onto one bobbin and then plied it to itself with my Handy Andy. It is always interesting to see how the finished yarn will look.

 That blue yarn in the middle is the last of a batt I purchased a couple of summers ago from Marr Haven. If I remember correctly, it is a wool/mohair combination. I have a plan for that, along with some other handspun that I've been slowly, steadily spinning and plying to create a gradient or sort of ombre effect that will either be a sweater or shawl, depending on my final yardage.

And that last muted skein is the result of my dye day with MelissaWhoSpinsBut DoesNotKnit. Both rovings were more pastel than I like, but plying them together gave them more oomph. And with that skein I practiced some thick/thin spinning. On purpose. When I was learning to spin and struggling to create yarn that looked like consistent, evenly spun YARN, I was told that once I mastered the skill I would find it hard to intentionally create lumpy yarn. It is true. But it was fun to play with that skein and create something different.

The blue tinted bottle with the copper pipe I showed in my last post was a wash out. Big fail. I'd read that I could make a vinegar/copper dye solution like the copper/ammonia stuff, but in my case it did not work out. I'll give the roving a good rinse and try again with something else. I spent the evening on Easter Sunday mixing up dye stock with my Greener Shades kit. When the Young Man came home and saw me in the garage wearing a mask and latex gloves, standing over a table laden with measuring cups, glass jars, note pad and digital scale he asked if I was setting up a meth lab! With any luck I will have some yarns in pretty colors to show you soon!
Love,
Kim

Chem Lab

Dear Mom,
Over the past few weeks I've had a gallon jar filled with an odd colored liquid brewing on my back porch. I checked it daily. Sometimes several times a day. Occasionally I picked the jar up and gave it a swish.

And when I'd used up all my patience watching the brew, wool was thrown in the mix to steep for awhile.

The first batch I tried (notice I said first?) used a salvaged piece of copper pipe from the recent water softener replacement. I filled my former sun tea jar with ammonia and the section of copper pipe and waited.

This is how it looked just a few minutes after the experiment started.

And this is how it looked a few days later. 

Greener.

I added the chemical symbols (which may or may not be correct) after the Young Man asked if I was "making pickles".  And added the "not a pickle" sign just to be sure everything was clearly understood.

After I got restless decided the brew hadn't changed anymore, I took out the copper pipe and added my wool.

And then several days later, when it appeared that this combination had about run its course and I was restless,

and it seemed that the wool was not taking up anymore of the broth's color, I removed the wool, carefully rinsed it and let it all dry.

The wool did not evenly take up the color, which was discouraging at first.  And I believe that happened because I had it stuffed into that "pickle jar" with little room for the broth to circulate. 

Learning....but.....

the parts that did take up the color in the broth were very pretty, and I pretty much stopped everything and sat down with Daphne Joy to spin.

I spun most of it in one sitting, then finished spinning and plying it to itself last night. That's a lie.

It was early this morning, in the wee hours, when I finished the plying.

But Gosh Darnit, I am so impressed and in love with this yarn and the colors that I couldn't NOT hang in there to see how it all turned out.

It is exactly the colors in the variegated ivy growing on the back porch.

I have another marinade started.......

Love,

Kim

Evidence

Dear Mom,
One peek at my dining room table and it will be clear that I have more ideas than time. Or sense.
And while I can't seem to make progress as quickly as I would like, I can show you some happy endings...

First, the coral yarn is now a sweater.

I finished the knitting during a road trip last weekend and purchased the buttons on a detour to Ewenique Knits, in Royal Oak, MI. It's hard to see in the photo, but the buttons have a soft leafy florally thing in shades of coral, spring green and periwinkle. Exactly what I wanted!

Next,

the Polska mittens (started over a year ago) are finished. There is nothing like an important birthday for motivation. 

Those mittens were some seriously fiddly knitting, but totally worth it. Especially when I saw how happy the Collector of Polish Pottery was to receive them!

Of course there are new projects on the needles, dye experiments on the back porch, books, roving, and fabric on the dining room table. And the grass is growing. Oh! And the dogs are shedding. Focus, Kim. Focus.

Love,

Kim

Swing Coat

Dear Mom,

Top Down Swing Coat

It took eleven days of monogamous knitting, but the Swing Coat sample for the Village Yarn Shop is in place. I taught the first of three classes for this project yesterday afternoon.
The coat is knit from the top, down, making it possible to try it on as you knit, adjusting the length of sleeves and body as desired. Once you get past the collar and set up the points of increases and decreases, this is a pretty straightforward knitting project. Thankfully, it is knit at a gauge of 3.5 stitches per inch, making my 11 days with this project an exercise in focus, but not a crippling marathon.

And yes, last night I cast on the coral cotton yarn, completely ignoring the other projects I've already started. This too is a bulkier yarn and I am convincing myself that I can finish it quickly and get back to my other projects before they miss me.

Love,
Kim

Finished but shelved

Dear Mom,
Just in time for record warm weather (yahoo!), I've finished two wool sweaters.
One is a sample for a class I will begin teaching today at the Village Yarn Shop, and I was in such a rush to get it finished and in the shop I neglected to take a photo. I'll take one today and post it later.
The other sweater is for me. I'd wanted a navy pullover for myself, tunic length, with pockets just because I like them, and had plenty of Cottage Craft wool, color St Croix Navy, in my stash.

I chose to knit a deep rib and place the pockets where the ribbing ended. The pockets have buttonholes to keep them closed, as a nice finishing detail, and because I like buttons. In this case I couldn't decide on a button and tada!, a ReLinkWish solves that dilemma.

In this case a nice plaid covered button. Another day it could be a pretty hand crafted clay button.

I will GLADLY wait until November before I wear this. Or December even.

I've got a chemistry experiment going in the garage ( I'll show you that another day), a small project to finish and some design ideas swimming around in my head, but what is really jumping up and down, waving its hands and calling "ooo!oo!ooooo!Pick Me!! I want to be a cardigan!" is this:

Classic Elite, Sprout, beautiful warm coral color.....

Like the baby bird that gets fed first because it is the loudest, this one may push all other ideas to the back of the line.

Excuse me, I have some knitting to do.

Love,
Kim

Spinning

Dear Mom,
After the Kool-Aid dyed wool had been rinsed and dried, I couldn't wait to spin some of it. I had a silk hankie from KnitPicks that I wanted to spin and thought the colors of the hankie would look nice plied  with the darker of the two batts I showed you in my last post.
I hadn't spun a silk hankie before, or anything 100% silk for that matter, and probably won't ever do it again. It spun nicely, but those fine silk threads wanted to fly away and stick to everything. Give me a good scratchy wool and I'll be happy.
To make the hankies, silk cocoons are stretched out and layered on top of each other and then dyed. They are squares and about the size of a ...... hankie. Each layer is tissue paper thin- well, even thinner, really. Very pretty.
Here is what my bobbin looked like after I'd spun a few layers.

Once that was finished, I spun the wool batt and then plied the two together. I thought the bobbin of silk was very pretty and the bobbin of wool was, too. 

But plied together? In my opinion, the sum didn't equal the beauty of the parts. Still pretty, but a tiny bit disappointing. One thing I seem to be VERY slow to learn is combining colors to their best advantage, foreseeing how yarn will look once it has been plied together. I'll keep learning and experimenting. 

Love,

Kim