KNITTING WITHOUT DOG HAIR IS NOT AN OPTION

LITTLE PEOPLE

My new nephew is just as cute as can be. My brother keeps sending me pictures every day with cute little notes from my nephew – like this one which I got yesterday afternoon.

OK, dear Aunt Claudia, I know you still have to be at work for a few more hours, but I am going to bed now. Love you, Moritz.

Awww… That just make my heart ache with joy. What a sweet brother I have to send me emails like that. I can’t wait to hold Moe in a few months when I will be in Germany for his baptism. And I am sure my mom knitted that blue baby blanket that you can see in the picture. I finally got mine in the mail today. It should be in Germany in 6-10 days. YAY!

And speaking of little people - this picture is my new favorite.

I can hear my niece putting a spell on her little baby brother: “Dude, I am your big sister and you will always do what I tell you to.”

FRIENDS

Like in my Friday night knitting group:

Not only the friends in this picture keep me going, all of you who think about me. I know you are out there and I love your comments, thoughts, calls, etc. It is a wonderful feeling knowing that so many people care and will catch me if I need to fall. I am VERY grateful for that. These are little things that make my life a happy place. And Irwin always used to say: “I am happy when you are happy.” He should be very happy to watch me in such a good place, wherever he is these days.

A GREAT ROOM MATE

You know, having Brett move in with me, has just been one of the best things that happened this year. Besides that I am not alone and the dogs have a second person to hang out with (and bother for attention and food), I am the happy recipient of sewed items. Like this fabulous bag...

He found a cow print for the lining. Very crazy and right up my alley. And the bag matches my messenger bag.

And Brett called me this morning to tell me that he got his grades in from the last quarter – in case you don’t know he went back to school last fall to get a degree in fashion design. Again all “A”s. I am so happy for him – this is his third quarter and the third time that he has straight “A”s. He just needs to remember that he lived in my guest room for a while once he is a famous designer in Milan. ;-) Hahaha… You should see some of his drawings. They are fabulous. If I ever need a gown, he will have to make it for me.

KNITTING

Yes, that fuels me. I just finished a doily last night. The pattern is from Marianne Kienzel’s first lace book. I always love the look of lace before blocking – boiled a$$... So unexciting…

And then after blocking… So exciting…

I kid you not – this was really not a hard pattern. I knitted it in a few hours on Memorial Day weekend. Binding the whole thing off with the crochet singles felt a lot longer.

SUMMER PLANS

I have several. Well, y’all know about the trip this week to JCC with Jane.

But I am also going to Florida in July to spend a week at the beach in Siesta Keys. And I am in for a big treat during that beach trip. If everything works out, I am go to see Barbara Walker while I am down there. She invited me and Irwin to come visit while she was in Atlanta two years ago. Irwin and she shared a passion about jigsaw puzzles and he gave her a puzzle while she was here (the picture on the puzzle was yarn – go figure, he was such a sweet guy). So, I was brave and let her know that I was in Florida sometime in July and she told me to call and come visit once I am there. I loved spending the weekend with her in Atlanta. She is such an interesting person to be with. I am so excited about seeing her again.

And if it doesn’t work out while I am in Florida, I get to see her at the Sock Summit in Portland, OR, in August. Yes, that is next on the agenda this summer. Jane and I are travelling buddies again. After the suspense thriller last Tuesday about signing up for classes, we managed to get in the following workshops:

Vintage Socks (Nancy Bush) - Old Tricks for New Socks - Thursday, August 06, 2009, 09:00am (6hrs)
This workshop will begin with a discussion of the patterns that were written for sock and stocking knitting in the 19th century, drawing extensively from the Weldon’s Practical Needlework journals. We will look at styles that were popular and how they translate into modern times. We will also discuss the patterns, how they were written, and how best to translate them into 21st century knitting language. Students will make a sampler in this class, using techniques adapted from Nancy’s book, Knitting Vintage Socks (Interweave Press. 2005), including a very interesting heel and toe shaping not commonly used today.

Arch-Shaped Stockings (Meg Swansen, Amy Detjen) - Friday, August 07, 2009, 09:00am (3hrs)
Another project knit from the top down. An intriguing foot that conforms to the wearer’s arch (the flat-footed among us need not bother). Great design possibilities in 2-color or texture.

Seismic Socks (Lorilee Beltman) - Saturday, August 08, 2009, 09:00am (3hrs)
Interesting patterning effects can be created by stranding color vertically in your knitting. During class, we will learn to prepare our yarn, read a chart, and properly manage the yarn as we work our way through two sample charts prepared for you. Lastly, you will venture out to write your own chart and begin to knit it. The design possibilities are many and can be worked easily into other knitting projects to liven up your knitting.

Special Stitches for Special Handpainted Yarns for Special Socks (Merike Saarniit) - Sunday, August 09, 2009, 09:00am (3hrs)
Explore a collection of unusual stitches that work beautifully with the special properties of many handpainted yarns. These were “unvented” during the course of researching old Estonian stitch libraries.

And we managed to get tickets to all the events, the Opening Night Reception, the Sock Hop and the Luminary Panel. I am really excited about this trip and I am glad we got into the morning classes because then my old brain is still fresh. And Jane will be perfect to go with – she is the Sock Queen after all. ;-) We already have a hotel booking and now we are on the lookout for a good airfare.

OK, that all I have for today. I need to make plans what to take to JCC. Thank goodness Jane has a big car because I am sure I can’t really decide what knitting projects and roving to bring. Oh, and I guess I should bring some clothes, too. Steve gave us some really good advice tonight. He said to bring pants with elastic band - the food is really good. I am hoping for some hiking trails to take a bunch of walks here and there.

I am also taking the laptop with me, even tho’, the school wants you to chill out and detach yourself from all the modern technologies. So, no TV in the rooms, no cell phone reception, internet access only in the great room. Hey, but I am happy about all that.

Have a great week! I’ll be posting when I can. ;-)