And the winner is...
To listen to this blog post read by Annie, click here:/110909.mp3
RevL!In a purely un-scientific and entirely random selection, the winner of the audio book, Harry Potter & The Sorcerer's Stone, is RevL!
Congratulations to Rev, and thank you to everyone who commented. Harry was, indeed, looking into the Mirror of Erised, looking at himself flanked by his parents.
Your comments were unexpectedly thought provoking. What would I see if I looked into the mirror? At one time I would have said a husband, a few kids and work that filled my soul and hands. Well, I have all that -
I think at this point in my life my heart's desire is to develop the gift to deal with change. To accept what is beyond my control, and to jump in when I feel that my input would make a difference. How would that be demonstrated in a mirror?
Maybe, in a professional sense, my heart's desire would be me on the set of my crafting TV show? I think when I'm calm and perfectly honest with myself, that is something I'd love to do. But I don't know if I'd love to do it forever...
Family Trip?
One of my heart's desires is to see my family travel. I've realized that going places with my family brings me more joy than almost anything else. I was so fortunate to be able to go to Paris with Hannah, and Scotland with Gerry.And now an opportunity to go to Western Ireland has popped up (a woman who is interested in a house-sharing trade in mid-May 2010 has contacted me) but I'm not certain that there are enough frequent flier miles left in the pool to cover tickets for the family.
So I'm on the hunt for inexpensive airline tickets to Ireland.
Or perhaps I could put together some teaching engagements in Ireland and that would help me offset the expense of taking my family over? Any thoughts on this are welcome - encouraged!
The kids will only be young once, and - as with every human being - our time together as a family is a finite thing. We're generally so painfully frugal, with good reason, that these flights of fancy dreaming about family trips are fun just for the planning part!
So here are two questions for my blog readership at large:
- Does anyone have a good source for inexpensive flight info?
- Does anyone know if there would be interest in classes in Ireland?
I'd be happy to sponsor my own (a la Edinburgh) by renting a space and holding classes there, if necessary.
And Another Giveaway!If you've ever had the good fortune to take a class with Lily Chin, you KNOW what a font of knit and crochet information (and slightly off-color, hilarious jokes) she is.
Lily's a treasure, a wonderful teacher, and any knitter who wants to improve their skills would be well advised to get Lily Chin's Knitting Tips & Tricks. There are a few books that I recommend every knitter get (Vickie Square's Knitter's Companion; Ann Budd's Handy Book of Patterns; Priscilla Gibson Robert's Knitting in the Old Way among them)
I'm now adding this book to the list. It's THAT helpful!
I will have a VERY hard time giving this one up (As a matter of fact I think I'll be getting another copy myself after this one leaves my office.)
I love her section on basics, the math-based way she describes a cast on and the ribbon yarn "dispenser" is a kick! This book is filled with lots of great nuggets of knowledge presented in a clear way with excellent illustrations. It's small enough to carry around, and sturdy with it's hard cover.
If you'd like to be in the pool for this book, please leave a comment with a knitting tip. I'll draw a name at random on Thursday (so leave your tip in comment form by this Wed at midnight) and I will publish the name of the lucky winner. Then we'll correspond privately so I can get the book to them.
The tip you leave doesn't have to be complex, just something that you like to do that helps your knitting bring you a bit more joy.
Because, when all is said and done, isn't THAT is why we knit? To bring ourselves joy.
More Joy
I've been nursing a cold the past few days, Gerry encouraged me to get to the doctor EARLY this time so I can nip it in the bud before it goes into the lungs. My doctor agreed, so it's a bit more rest for me, fluids, airborne and some anti-biotics. I will NOT let this turn into bronchitis!
The time in bed, although a bore, is a boon to any red-blooded crocheter or knitter.
I've been working on some felted plaid using my slip stitch plaid technique and Malabrigo yarn. I'm very happy with it, now I just have to figure what I want to DO with it. I'm thinking a series of bags (clutch, backpack, tote, etc.) all matching that can be made in a set or individually.Doesn't the swatch look great in my sunny, sunny office?
I'm also getting a lot of work on the NEW and IMPROVED Anne Boleyn jacket, and the sunny office is helpful for that (black single crochet can be hard on the eyes!) Off to the right is a photo of the yoke and a sleeve, it's coming along very well!
Coming back from the doctor on the amazingly beautiful Fall day I felt so danged good that when I got home I whipped up a squash pie. It's cooling on the back porch, who wants to come by for a piece?(I used low-fat milk and cut the sugar, I'm interested to see if it's okay? I figure if it's not sweet enough, well, that's why they invented vanilla ice cream, right?)
I'm trying to be thoughtful about my food choices, and so far with Weight Watchers I've lost about 12 pounds. It's not astounding, but I do feel more in control of my appetite and what I'm eating. I love being able to keep track of my points on line, I find that very helpful.
Okay, so if I feel well enough to bake a pie, I guess I'm well enough to be back at work. You caught me.
The pie, the day, the sunshine, the promise of some excellent work ahead of me today AND our new kitten snuggling with Shiloh all combined to make this a Monday for the books. Jeeze, louise, I love living here.
Feed me, baby!
68 Comments:
knitting tip; fishing lures make good stitch markers ! inexpensive, shiny and they don't catch the yarn.
marie in florida
Lily Chin rocks! I'd love to win her book. Knitting tip: for circular knitting, cast one one extra stitch, then work first and last stitches together when joining in the round. This snugs things up and makes that pesky loose join less of an issue.
Oooh. Knitting tip: when grafting knitting with Kitchener stitch, don't try to match the tension as you sew. Get all the loops joined together, and then go back and tug things into place.
That book looks so good! I'd love a chance to win it. Here's my knitting tip: When knitting from a chart (particularly a large lace chart), I print off the chart and place it in a clear plastic sheet protector. Then, I use a dry erase marker to mark off the rows as I am knitting. The dry erase marker can then be wiped clean and the pattern is good as new for the next time.
Kelly S
My tip is when doing circular knitting, cast on all the stitches and then turn and work one row back. Then join your work into the circle. The one-stitch seam can easily be worked later. Having that extra "fabric" makes seeing whether or not the stitches are twisted easier. If working in very fine yarn, you may want to knit several rows before joining. Again, the seam can easily be worked later.
Re the Ireland trip, why not contact Jo at Celtic Memory Yarns? She might be able to steer you in the right direction.
knitting tip when I am knitting lace I place a lifeline every ten rows so if I mess up i do not have to start completely over :-)
vbarton24 at gmail dot com
Another Kitchener Stitch tip: When you need your join to be in keeping with the stitch pattern, e.g. 2x2 rib, knit an extra pattern row on each side of the join in a contrasting yarn. This will allow you to easily see which way to pass your needle through the stitches when you come to graft.
i know it is nowhere near as interesting as ireland but if you ever want to do a chicago long weekend swap with derek and i we would dig a trip to saint paul :-)
Do you know Jo of Celtic Memory Yarns? (If you Google it, you'll find her blog.) Really lovely lady. She lives in Southern Ireland and would be a great sourse of information.
The squash pie looks yummy. I could never leave one on my back porch though. The squirrels, birds, and chipmunks who inhabit the back yard would think I left it out as a treat for them. The west of Ireland is lovely, I so hope the trip can be made to happen for your family. The photo in your post looks like the beach on the Dingle Penninsula where they filmed Ryan's Daughter. I have walked that beach with not another soul in sight, and had a picnic lunch there.
My knitting tip isn't anything fancy but it helps me: keep a small bag of essentials together and just move it from project to project. I need sticky notes, scissors, a pen, small notepad and a tapestry needle all the time. I also include things like measuring tape and stitch markers since their small. That way I just grap my little bag and add it to whatever project I feel like working on.
Regarding pricing information on airline tickets, check on Clark Howard's web site. He has a radio show daily (also on CNN, I think on weekend) discussing finances but on Fridays he and his staff talk about cheap getaways and pricing on airline tickets. You can post questions about this on his web site. Good luck and have fun on your trip. maw
Knitting Tip: Always have your knitting! Just when you think there will be no time to break out your needles during your outing, you get caught in a line, stuck in traffic or in some random situation where you are expected to sit patiently with nothing to do!
Ha! Mine is similar to Nancie's - keep your knitting handy, and have a couple (or several) projects going. I like an easy one for TV watching, a small one to carry around, etc.
No good tips on how to get to Ireland inexpensively, but I love Ireland and want to go back....
Don't skip doing the gauge swatch.
If you're going to spend the time and effort to make a garment, you want it to fit well.
Thanks for the opportunity to win the book!
I've never tried using fishing line as stitch markers, but I do like to use bits of leftover lace weight yarn. Silk, in particular. They don't pill or felt and they won't get in the way as metal or rubber rings can. Plus, it's a great way to use up your old lace yarn.
Sometimes it's okay to skip the gauge swatch -- really heretical, huh? For a yarn you've used before, sock yarns that are similar to each other, where the exact fit doesn't matter much, for a scarf ...
Knitting tip: Reading your knitting is as important as reading the pattern when working lace or fair isle... keep you eyes on your work and you will see mistakes quickly and fix them easily.
My knitting tip is also a stress relief tip. Knitting has been a godsend for relieving stress for me. It calms me, soothes me and makes me forget about my family, etc.
http://chrisguillebeau.com/3x5/676358-frequent-flyer-miles/
:-)
Knitting tip: When binding off when you reach the last stitch, instead of working it, move the last stitch on the right needle back and knit the two together, then pull the end through that last stitch -- doesn't leave as much of a loose end at the edge of your knitting
I recently learned a very easy, very stretchy bind-off perfect for toe-up socks: knit 1, *knit 1, insert the left needle into the 2 sts on the right needle and knit them together as if working an ssk. repeat from *.
I had the good fortune to visit the west of Ireland 35 years ago, and still cherish every minute. It is a wonderful place for a family trip. My best day ever, as a traveler, was a horseback ride up along the lakes of Killarney and a boat ride home.
As for cheap flights, try to find an affinity group that is going. I went with a teachers group, but most of the travelers were friends of friends. Aer Lingus was the carrier of choice.
Good luck to you.
My favorite tip is this. Being somewhat fickle I sometimes get a few projects started at once and lost interest for whatever reason. ALWAYS put the project along with pattern and some notes if starting again might be difficult in a large plastic bag. This has saved time and angst many times for me. Then when it piques my interest again I'm ready to go!
Knitting tip: This has made my life so much easier. To see how much of a tail to leave when casting on, just wrap the yarn around the needle you will be using. Eg. for a hundred stitches, I make 10 wraps, then take 10 times that amount of yarn, plus a little extra, and make the slip stitch right there.
Love your blog, good luck with the Ireland trip.
My knitting tip: buy a ball of silky tape yarn. It works wonderfully for stitch holders, and when you have finished and need to put your section back on the needles it slides nicely and doesn't stick to your stitches.
Ireland is so lovely. Hope your trip works out. All our "little ones" are grown with little ones of their own, and I wish we'd done more traveling with them.
Barbara M.
Knitting tip: I run a strand of contrasting yarn vertically through my work, moving the tail to the front or back when the pattern changes (marking increases/decreases, needle size changes, etc). This serves as a guide for making the second mitten/sock/sleeve, etc.
Dammit, Annie -- you're tempting me to get a kitten for Bobo! What a sweet sweet photo...
My knitting tip... Get the brightest light you can put your paws on when seaming. It will help you whip up those seams faster than you can imagine.
This was wonderful - so great to read everyone else's comments! My tip is to use the safety pin type stitch markers as reminders wherever you need them. For example, on a row that requires shaping at beginning and end, it is easy to remember the beginning shaping. With a marker added to the end you'll remember that one, too. Or if you notice a mistake after you've knit past it a ways on a circular needle and don't want to tink back to fix it, slip a marker onto it and when you come around to it again you can fix it then without worry about forgetting it.
My knitting tip is to read as many knitting blpgs as I can and learn from all the talented people out there (like Annie!).
I love all these tips. Mine is that purple Crown Royal flannel bags make great small project bags. Also, the mesh sleeves are slipped over wine bottles so that they don't clink together make excellent yarn bras to keep your center pull cake/ball/skein from dissolving.
Knitting Tip: I bought a small notebook, 4x6", which has a square grid on one page, unlined on the next. I write all the pertinent info for all projects here: Date, source, needle, pattern repeat etc... This way I don't have to locate random printouts, photocopies, notes etc. It's all in one place. Oh... don't lose the book!
My knitting tip is to simply take as many classes with Annie as you can!
My knitting tip-Even though I always do a gauge swatch I check my gauge often on my WIP...my project gauge is often different from my swatch...saves me much time and tears!
If you have any questions answers to many topics could be found at
www.treatment-tips.playmakebe.com/
My knitting tip is that I have a bag with all the tools I need in each project bag. That way I always have extra stitch markers or a needle gauge.
Not sure how much of a "tip" this is but...Knit with out fear! I find myself avoiding a new/frightening skill until I have an "expert teacher" to show me the way - then I kick myself for putting the learning off for so long!
My tip is so commonplace but it's one that I do immediately with any project: put everything for a project in a zip-top or drawstring bag. Then it's all together and you can have the working yarn inside the bag as you knit to keep it from getting away from you. Though I avoid disposables for everyday food storage use, the multitude of sizes that Ziploc now makes are wonderful for organizing yarn (and then you can reuse them for another project).
Thanks for another giveaway! I'd say that for long-tail cast on, estimate your tail length by wrapping the yarn around the needle 10 times, unwrap to find that length, then pull out that length again for each additional 10 stitches to be cast on, and add another half in case. Usually works for me without a too-long tail left over. And I take any leftover tail, fold into thirds, and loosely knot to keep out of the way during knitting.
hi Annie,
~ Ireland ~ a new office ~ pie & a kitten, here's wishing you feel better in the sunshine.
thanks for the give-away.
My favorite knit tip that gives me joy is to carry an extra set of small bamboo needles & several small balls of lovely yarns with me. You never know who you may meet(at all the various places we have to wait) who really wants to learn to knit. I love to share yarn & needles unexpectedly, especially with a child who has interest, as long as the Parent o.k.'s it. :)
~ when did you get the kitty ? ~
I hope Ireland is in your future. Greece is also on my list.
great sunshine.
shell ~
My tip is about knitting on dpns. To avoid ladders, knit a couple of extra stitches on to your working dpn. Do this for every needle and every round (don't forget to mark the beginning of the round). This changes the transition point from one dpn to the next and voila! no ladders.
Hope the Ireland plans materialize, Annie! Enjoy the warm spell we're having in the Cities.
& about the knitting ......
~ lovely felted plaid knitting ~
inspiring & beautiful.
DEE-licious colors.
shell ~
My knitting tip involves making use of Ravelry. If I buy yarn for a particular project, but don't start it right away I indicate in the notes in Ravelry what I bought it for. This helps remind me what projects I've been thinking about, but may not be in my queue as well as keeping me from using the yarn for a different project accidentally.
I love those knitting tips!
Mine is, when doing a sewn bind-off (which I use for toe up socks) instead of slipping the first stitch off the needle, I transfer it to the right needle. It makes for a smoother bind off.
Here's my second tip (a bonus) never keep knitting something you hate.
A simple thing that I like to do and that brings joy to my knitting is support your Local Yarn Store! Even if you don't like the LYS, even if "everything is too expensive", even if the store's hours are inconvenient, try to stop in at least once a month. If the yarn is too pricey for your budget, buy a couple of yarn needles, or a button, or politely ask for a pattern or book. As you become more comfortable in the store, you will be surprised: the staff might be able to suggest a moderate price substitute yarn; you might find out about a class for something you've been dying to learn. Be sure to sign up for the mailing lists (if offered); or casually mention "I saw your ad in the weekly advertiser" or "do you plan to have a post-holiday sale" or "when do you start stocking the spring/summer lines?" Times are tough for small merchants around the country; your $2.00 button just might be the encouragement your LYS needs to offer another knit night, a new class, begin stocking mid-price yarns ...
Keep going back often enough (just for a small purchase, or even to browse) and you will find all kinds of things that will bring more joy to your knitting.
Diane M
Best tip/advice I ever got...
If you are going to knit, you must be as prepared to "rip out" as you are to cast on or to do any part of knitting. It's part of the project's life.
2 tips. First to keep a neat edge, after you've knitted two stitches, snug them up.
Second, keep a small crochet hook in your purse at all times. Invariably, I'll drop a stitch while I'm out, and that way I can grab it back quickly without having to rummage around through a necessary.
OK 3 tips. Never decrease or increase on the first stitch of a row. Do it on the second. I'm not sure where I read this, but it surely makes things neater.
This isn't my idea, but I can't remember who showed me how to do it. When I knit my swatch, I first knit a few garter stitch rows and make eyelets (yo, K2tog) corresponding to the needle size I'm using. For example, if I'm knitting on US 5's I make 5 eyelets at the bottom of the swatch. If I change needle sizes mid-swatch, I make another few garter rows with another eyelet row. I always know what size needle(s) I used for the swatch.
Jill
http://vrselleck.fatcow.com/tfl/blog
Knitting (management) tips! I find that the plastic wrapper the newspaper comes in makes a great project bag for small projects (especially socks).
And when I'm finished with the project, the leftover yarn with the label stays wrapped up in the bag for future use/reference.
I also found a source for cheap comforter bags (Cleaners Supply commpany) and I use those to keep my fiber and yarn sorted. They stay in a mostly-rectangular shape and can be stacked or squished as you need. But since they're see-through, you can ogle your stash to your heart's content.
And sometimes when I've got a crafting block, I just sit amongst the books, yarn and fiber and browse. Gets the mojo back.
I'll repeat a tip written above, but try to add a bit..When knitting in the round with double-pointed needles, one can end up with looseness at the point where you change from one needle to the next and end up with "ladders". To avoid this problem, knit a couple of stitches forward from the next needle onto the one you've just finished in order to shift the point of tension, thus helping to keep a vertical line from forming.
If you need to keep track of the pattern by needle, just add markers being sure to have a different marker for the beginning of the round.
Always keep a nail file in your knitting bag. There is nothing worse than a rough nail catching on your yarn. I also have a chapstick and hand lotion handy. Oh, and tissues.
Hi Annie... glad to hear that you once again have "a room of your own". May many loverly things be created there.
Tip:
In order to knit with cats in the room (especially young ones) One can make a hole into one of the small square shape heavy plastic bags that linens come in (usually with a zipper). Then place yarn inside and feed tail through the grommet. One can now knit with cat(s) in the room!!
I've found that cat's claws can cut lace yarn faster than scissors! Whoops
(PS I live in a small one bedroom apt with four cats. Thus precautions must be made.
I wish you mentioned where in the west of Ireland you're house swapping. Teaching in Ireland would be fantastic and I'm sure there would be a great deal of interest in it. There is an amazing increase in the number of fibre artists in Ireland. I recommend you consider Roundstone in Galway which is not only gorgeous and crafty but also within easy commuting distance of Galway City. Here's the link:http://www.roundstone.ie/index.php
Another possible location in the west is in Westport, Mayo called the Derryaun Crafts Centre http://www.derryauncrafts.com/index.html which is just outside Westport Town a beautiful town on the Atlantic Ocean.
Re: flights, Ryan Air would be cheapest I believe but you might also want to look into the ferry. There are several crossings to both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland and you could drive from the ferry port to the west.
Great to hear you'll be visiting!
Hi Annie. Hope you're feeling better by the time you read this.
My knitting tip is to do with charts. Place highlighter tape along the top edge of the row that you are working on in order to mark where you are. It sticks to the page much better than a post-it but peels off easily leaving the page unmarked and is re-usable (so very frugal). Also, since you can see through it, you can see what you're working towards (if a row doesn't make immediate sense).
- Pam
Knitting Tip: the hardware stores sell a large package of plastic clamps, they come in a variety of sizes and are nice and smooth. I use them when I need to hold two edges together for seaming.
My tip is something I learned over 35 years ago from readers comments in a French knitting magazine.
For a nice center pull ball when you don't have/or are without a ball winder:
Use a pill bottle. One with straight sides that comes with prescription drugs. (avoid curvy sides like various headache tablet bottles)
Catch the end of your yarn (the start of the ball) under the cap of the bottle. Start winding your yarn around the base of the bottle, covering it completely and building up on it while leaving the cap area free from yarn. (the bottom of the pill bottle will eventually get covered also)
When its all wound around the pill bottle tuck in the final end in the side of the ball.
Pull out the pill bottle and open the cap. Voila ... perfect center pull ball.
Your hank of yarn has been over the back of a chair, or on a skein winder, or some such holder to keep it from tangling.
I use this a lot when I'm traveling and without the magical ball winder :)
LaurenS
Handy tool for measuring out yarn for the Long Tail Cast-on: I first measured my "wingspan" - fingertip to fingertip, arms outstretched - and know it is 40". Pulling out that much yarn in bulky wgt gives me enough for 40 sts + some left over for seaming. I can adjust the amount pulled out up or down for different yarn wgts and cast-on st numbers. Always have my tool with me!
Have taken classes with Lily at SE and agree. Got in the middle of a practical joke between her and Rick M. once, that was fun!
Shelagh in Vermont.
Marry someone who likes driving you places. Then train him to wait patiently for you to finish a row after the car stops.
Buy an electric fireplace, place an overstuffed chair nearby, and fill a basket with knitting projects.
Find a small pillow and place it in the curve of your back while knitting. It's my favorite accessory.
My knitting tip: when I cast on in the round, I add an extra stitch and then knit that together with the 1st stitch to make a smoother and tighter join.
Thank you for the giveaway! My tip has to do with storing knitting needles of all types - circular straights, dpns. I bought file folders that are pockets, one for each needle size. I wrote the needle size on the tab, then put all the file folders in a cardboard box - the kind office supply stores sell for storing records. I also keep a needle guage in the box. Then when I finish with a set of needles, I just toss them into the correct pocket. Granted, it can get pretty messy inside the pockets, and this method doesn't keep track of needle length, but it's a system I can stick to.
When I am ready to use a pattern, I take a photo copy and slip it into a plastic sleeve so it will last for the duration of the project. I may also put the varied needles required into the sleeve as well.
With regard to the crochet hook and other equip., I had a hole drilled and have it on a ring which is attached to the key clip in my purse.
Gillian
Knitting tip: When picking up dropped purl stitches with a crochet hook, pick them up from the reverse side of the work. Far easier, especially if there's a run of 'em.
As for classes in Ireland, there would definitely be interest in your classes and I'd love to help you make a plan. I'm based on the East Coast, but it's not a wide country, so we could get a venue in the middle!
Please contact me via http://nicknits.blogspot.com/
Thanks so much-I'm thrilled to win the audio book!
revlindapagel at embarqmail dot com
My tip: You can make slight but effective changes in size by switching your needles rather than refiguring increases and decreases. I always use one size larger for the calves into ankles and switch to smaller for the foot. Especially useful if your doing a patterned texture or lace.
Well, I don't know if it's really a tip but I'm trying to live by this motto. Finish one thing before you start the second! It's hard, really hard to resist the siren call of the new kid on the block, but I never get anything done unless I do. (Well, there are the sanctioned exceptions - when the sweater is too big to carry you're allowed to have a sock or baby sweater to do at your kid's baseball game or at the coffee chop, but that doesn't really count...)
I've love to win Lily Chin's new book! Here's a "tip": use a row counter. I've got lots of them and I always attach one to the project. Either hang on the needle or tie a bit of yarn through it (the cast-on tail works well). I always have it tell me the row I'm ON. And if I'm between rows, it's the one I FINISHED. That way if I'm interrupted I know where I am.
Hi Anne~ ~ ~I love the idea you mentioned about a house exchange. How about just for knitters & spinners then you'll always have the use of a wheel without having to carry one around;>)
It would be great if someone wanted to start a list. Just an idea. Lovin' all these tips.
~ ~Ahrisha~ ~
Hi Anne,
I'm based in the South of Ireland and we go to visit my husband's family in Florida every year. The cheapest flights we have found by far the last 2 years were with Continental and they were great to fly with. Should check out aerlingus.com as well.
As for classes, Dublin would be your best bet but as a country we are one of the worst hit in Europe by the recession as our housing market has pretty much collapsed bring the construction industry down with it also.
If you want any more let me know,
Carol Feller
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