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October 28, 2007
Does this knitting make me look fat?
Friday morning, the new babysitter came and I wandered off to a coffee shop with wifi to knit and do calculations on my newest pattern. As soon as I pulled out my knitting, the man to the left of me said something. I replied politely, but in a short, I don't really want to talk to you sort of way. From my accent, he decided that I must be a total idiot not speak French very well and we had this conversation (translated of course):
Man on Left: Are you (pointing at me) knitting (using his fingers to pretend to knit) for a baby (rocking an ivisible baby in his arms)?
Me: No. holding up my work. It's a sleeve.
MoL: Oh. I thought (touching his head) you (pointing at me) were pregnant. (making a belly with his hands).
Me: (Most likely visibly annoyed and really not wanting to talk to anyone on the first morning I have alone in god knows how long). Hmm.
MoL: We don't often (pinching his fingers together to mean "small") see (pointing at his eyes and then at me) people of the young (putting his hand out horizonally and lowering it) generation knitting (again with the finger knitting).
Me: (probably a little snottily and annoyed at myself for not being able to stop myself from answering) Actually, it's very fashionable.
A few minutes later another man came in and sat down to the right of me. He started rambling on to the waitress about how he's sorry he hadn't seen her in a while because he had been away and blah blah blah blah blah and I immediately thought about moving tables or even cafes because on top of the chatty men, the music was starting to get on my nerves. Not knowing how long Tadpole would be happy to be with a new sitter and feeling like I was kind of in a working groove, I stayed there. A couple minutes later:
Man on Right: Bonjour! What a nice day!
Me: Bonjour. Yes.
MoR: You're knitting!!
Me: Yes.
MoR: It's for a baby!!!
Me: No. It's a sleeve.
MoR: A sleeve for a baby!!!!
Me: No. For me.
MoR: I thought you were pregnant!!!!! (making a round belly with his hands)
He then proceded to chew my ear off about how lots of people make lace in Quebec City!!!!!! and how I should do it too!!!!!!! because I could make lots of money!!!!!!!! and how I should have a web site!!!!!!!!! and sell my patterns to magazines!!!!!!!!!! and about some story he wrote about New York!!!!!!!!!!! and where Broadway got its name!!!!!!!!!!!! and how he won $26,000 on Jeopardy!!!!!!!!!!!!! and blah blah blah blah blah blah blah!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I couldn't do anything to get him to shut up until I was calculating something and shushed him before I lost count. Note to self: Buy earphones and/or wear slim fitting clothes.
On top of that, yesterday someone walked into the yarn store looked at me and said, "Oh! You're going to have another little baby!" Yes, I was a little enthusiastic about the ice cream this summer and I was wearing a roomy sort of sweater, but really! This is getting ridiculous. I'm going to state this now very clearly just so there's no confusion. I AM NOT PREGNANT. And to any non-knitters who might stumble upon this, knitting does not mean you are pregnant. It is possible to knit for people who are out of the womb and even out of diapers. It's true that I've had a lot of students learn to knit or come back to knitting when they were pregnant, but knitting has been such a part of my life for nearly 15 years now, that I can't help but be annoyed by the idea that only reason one would knit is if she were gestating... not to mention being annoyed by the possibility that with a 23 month old, someone might even THINK I looked pregnant. What do you all think? ...I don't mean about my body. I mean about the the pregnancy knitting connection.
Well, here's what I'm working on. You'll see a lot more of it in the coming weeks because it's for my site so I can actually tell you about what I'm knitting and even show it!
Gray knitting on a gray day
Posted by kate at 01:32 AM | Comments (95)
October 25, 2007
Rhinebeck bag
Click through for tons of photos of what's in it.
Weston Hill Farm again to go with something else.
Roving to use as thrums to go with some of the yarn I got at the Green Mountain Spinnery last month.
I got myself cards.
A gift from Irene.
And oh yeah! A lot of these photos were taken on the needle roll I found at Crippenworks.
We had lots of fun. Saw lots of people. Somehow missed lots of others. Ate lots of food. And spent lots less than last year, thank goodness. Carole has already done the linkfest, so you can go there to see who I saw (mostly) and Cheryl has lots of people photos, including one of Frog and Tadpole. I'm already dreaming of next year. I just hope I get through the 2006 and 2007 stash before then.
Posted by kate at 02:22 PM | Comments (15)
October 08, 2007
No socks for Frog
There will be no Rhinebeck sweater this year. Late shipment of the yarn paired with pattern uncertainty and lack of knitting time made sure of that, but at least Tadpole and I will have these socks.
What you can't see in this photo is that Tadpole's socks are much shorter than I would have liked them. I should have done contrasting toes and heels. Or I should have stopped my socks earlier to leave more for hers. There was no plan involved. I just stopped and used what was left for her. Now I know that 22g is not enough for little socks and I'll plan better in the future.
Frog's not at all disappointed that he's not involved in the family sock thing. He would never wear such brightly colored clothing. If you look at our closet, it's exactly divided in half. His half is black and gray with an occasional brown, red or green thrown in because I flattered him enough about how it looked on him. My half is a redpinkorangegreenbluepurplebutneveryellow explosion of color. I've offered him socks, but I refuse to knit black stockinette or ribbed socks and he won't even let me put a little teeny tiny cable in a sock for him so forget it. No socks for Frog. Tadpole on the other hand, loves (or at least doesn't mind?) the bright colors and once she saw that Mommy had the same, she didn't want to take hers off so I'm off to cast on another pair for her. It's just FO central around here lately.
PS I originally titled this post "Frog doesn't get any" until I realized how that could read...
Posted by kate at 08:51 PM | Comments (44)
October 04, 2007
No Hedgehogs allowed
If you are part of the "Hedgehog" clan, please go away this time. If not, I'll see you after the jump.
Beebers is that you? I guess you can stay, but the parents-to-be need to keep out.
I need your help. My cousin and his wife are expecting. Obviously, I want to knit them something (not to mention that it's kind of expected of me). I knitted a shining star hat for Tadpole way back when so somehow I just felt that it was the right choice. I just feel that putting a star on top of the baby's head is like... protection? a blessing? I don't know how to describe it. So I started thinking about what yarn I could use. I used Rowan Calmer for Tadpole's in a periwinkle back before we knew she was a she. I'm starting to ramble. Sorry. Long story short- We don't know if it's a boy or girl. I thought I could use my handspun and make a matching sweater, perhaps like the one I made for Tadpole. In just two evenings I whipped out a hat:
I used a smaller needle (and thinner yarn) than called for in the pattern and knitted the Toddler size to end up with a newbornish-but-potentially-melon-headed-because-we-have-those-in-the-family-baby hat.
Here are my questions for you:
1. Do the color changes in the yarn compete too much with the pattern?
2. Do you think the colors are ok for either a boy or girl. I have no problem with them but I know some people might not put purple on a boy.
3. It's wool and it's incredibly soft but do you think that these muggles will have a problem with wool (keeping in mind that the mother is Scottish)?
4. Do you think that non-knitters and non-spinners are just going to look at the things made out of the imperfect handspun and think they look wonky and strange and not good and poorly made and all of those things that people think hand-knitted stuff can be?
Help. I'm waiting for your answer before cutting the yarn to finish the hat and start the sweater.
Posted by kate at 10:23 AM | Comments (38)
October 03, 2007
I'm ba-ack
Last weekend was the retreat at the Green Mountain Spinnery. I had a really great time. The participants were lovely. The food was local and delicious. The spinnery people were awesome. Their yarn is fantastic. Their philosophy is inspiring. Too bad I had camnesia. On Saturday afternoon, we were all sitting outside knitting in the fall sunshine. I said "Ooh! I have to take a photo of this!" and then was quickly distracted by something else. Oh well. Below is Margaret, Maureen and me.
This is some of their sock yarn. I can't remember what it's called. Maureen? Margaret? Remind me, please? Whatever it's called, I like it a lot. I'll show you the progress on my blue sock another day.
I bought just one hank of the Green Mountain Green with the intention of swatching and eventually making a sweater with it. It's incredibly soft. If I can't figure out a deserving pattern, I'll just have to wrap the yarn around me a thousand times. Maureen (and Patti too) will be at Rhinebeck so you'll have to check it out for yourself then.
I also bought 2 hanks of the Alpaca Elegance that I want to make mittens out of... or socks... or gloves... I'm not sure yet.
I hope you all had as good a weekend as I did.
Posted by kate at 10:22 AM | Comments (16)
