tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36622262024-03-07T14:19:40.598-05:00The Knitting CurmudgeonShut up, I'm counting.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00285597626042261061noreply@blogger.comBlogger575125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3662226.post-4345017668685202052015-09-06T16:49:00.002-04:002015-09-06T17:00:41.147-04:00Summer Yarn Hot Fun<br>
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Best Quote I Heard All Day</h2>
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<i>“To me, the raveled sleeve of care is never more painlessly knitted up than in an evening alone in a chair snug yet copious, with a good light and an easily held little volume sloppily printed and bound in inexpensive paper. I do not ask much of it - which is just as well, for that is all I get."</i>--Dorothy Parker</h1>
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Yes, my beloved Dorothy Parker was a knitter. Read her biography <b><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorothy_Parker" target="_blank">here</a>. </b>Wikipedia. You<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">Tonstant Weaders know I've had her quoted here for years. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">Sock It To You Big Heat</span></h3>
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<span style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">Yes, ain't working but writing and knitting directions editing these days are not retirement for me. Love designing socks, although have designed a lace shawl and will be designing an Aran sweater and a few more. Probably put them up on Ravelry via Fiberality, the name I created for my "knitting business." And will submit to Knitty.com too.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">Here's the latest sock design, slightly. The bottom is just a bunch of the yarn, not knitted yet.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCYWt65hTai8pVcvLTiiMkrFF3A-GMMAhskOIms9fybnvCw1t7k7_oZd951Xk-uo7CgGwoz2Aq2NF2Thvqk9-mRi_JOuKBRh8C-60h7WxEFarC1AXNti89jaNvgSHCJxl0qD0v/s1600/IMG_0406.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCYWt65hTai8pVcvLTiiMkrFF3A-GMMAhskOIms9fybnvCw1t7k7_oZd951Xk-uo7CgGwoz2Aq2NF2Thvqk9-mRi_JOuKBRh8C-60h7WxEFarC1AXNti89jaNvgSHCJxl0qD0v/s320/IMG_0406.JPG" width="240"></a></div>
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<span style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">This yarn is Schachenmayr Regia Cotton Summer Smile Color, which is 41%virgin wool, 34% cotton, 25% polyamide. Gotta make lace socks with cotton, although as this has wool too and many summer sock yarns include wool too. Wearing wool lace socks aren't sweet for summer, heating up your feet. And wearing them in the winter makes your feet cold via the </span><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">yarn overs. Good for spring and fall. Cotton sock yarn amounts are limited.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">I love writing this book too. It's important to add tips for the readers. Usually sock knitters get freaked out via the heel. Yeah, the heal gusset. I've added special tips for that, along with other tips.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">Magic Loop Technique</span></span></span></h3>
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<span style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">Here's a little info, on <a href="http://blog.tincanknits.com/2013/10/03/magic-loop/" target="_blank">tin can knits</a>. I do this but occasionally work a design on double-pointed needles, aka DPNs, too. Usually the cables become huge and screw up your hands. The directions are written for DPNs, obviously.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkPE61ttvfJsDdHYG84NTOyrukNZhAx9HhQVMJlLvgSC1JAQ_Erc5UhW2Cg3fQ_P66zZ2qCmBXHKXrcg3mYaUMTP0Korf7NYtquGX55W4S7YGqxO0vzxyRwBchT1WFFypMkC5y/s1600/IMG_0407.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkPE61ttvfJsDdHYG84NTOyrukNZhAx9HhQVMJlLvgSC1JAQ_Erc5UhW2Cg3fQ_P66zZ2qCmBXHKXrcg3mYaUMTP0Korf7NYtquGX55W4S7YGqxO0vzxyRwBchT1WFFypMkC5y/s320/IMG_0407.JPG" width="320"></a></div>
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<span style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">So next fun will be designing sweaters. Yeah, I wasn't a math expert back in school. And Mom was amazed that I was able to create the knitting design numbers. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">Happy Labor Day, </span><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">skanks girls and boys! I am going to <a href="http://www.njsheep.org/festival/" target="_blank">Garden State Sheep Breeders Festiva</a>l next weekend, Saturday and Sunday. It's down on the Hunterdon County Fairgrounds. See you then? Hope so!</span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00285597626042261061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3662226.post-24410472967512743752015-08-30T14:22:00.002-04:002015-08-30T14:22:50.327-04:00Long Knitting Summer<h2>
Best Quote I Heard All Day</h2>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'source sans pro', arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><i>“Part of me suspects that I’m a loser, and the other part of me thinks I’m God Almighty.”--<b>John Lennon</b></i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'source sans pro', arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span>
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: source sans pro, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;">My darling Beatle's quotes make me happy. Yes, usually put up Dorothy Parker quotes, my dearest lady. Both have been long-gone but I love them. Daddy gave me "In His Own Write" published in 1964...when I was 14. Me and my dear best friend, Dottie, were impressed by his writing--me and drawing--Dottie. </span></span><br />
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So haven't written this lately and I am pissed off that I stopped writing the blog again. Have been busy designing the socks and writing directions for "Sock It To You" which I love doing. Lately this is one of the designs.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaoI_uvoglB5azFaWdlSDz7nF6Ezp8fexfhbxxlx_cAT3HU3ylE-BxlqTMxPnQpt3QXkAx_FG96bJ-nYhtHBaRVb1WmOJJv1PUY0CtVzuA1IV2tUgF0sQc5hJkaiILqJBnwPxA/s1600/IMG_0403.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaoI_uvoglB5azFaWdlSDz7nF6Ezp8fexfhbxxlx_cAT3HU3ylE-BxlqTMxPnQpt3QXkAx_FG96bJ-nYhtHBaRVb1WmOJJv1PUY0CtVzuA1IV2tUgF0sQc5hJkaiILqJBnwPxA/s320/IMG_0403.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
I have taken basic pictures on my foot, putting in on the coffee table, using the IPhone. Ultimately, I use my Nikon Digital camera on the mannequin's feet that granddaughter Liz gave me when she worked at a teen clothing shop at the mall.<br />
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Should have written back in July because the blog's 13th anniversary is July 25. Yeah, 2002. And this was the first blog title:<b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;">The Fall 2002 Vogue Knitting. </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;"> </span><br />
Back then, I was opinionated about the magazines. Here's the first paragraph:<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;"><i><b>The state of knitting magazines being what it is lately, I was more than pleasantly surprised with the decent designs featured in the Fall 2002 issue of Vague. Mind you, there are still enough designs for the HYUKs (Hip Young Urban Knitters, a ghastly acronym invented by the ubiquitous Lily Chin) and some silly ones at that. But I understand Vague's marketing needs...and I can appreciate their bowing to demographics. </b></i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;">So it's time to leave this so I can get back to the book designs. And yes, can design sweater, lace shawls, caps, and wish I could design for babies. No babies in the family anymore.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;">So long, my dear skanks! Yeah, have to keep writing so beat me up, dear readers.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00285597626042261061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3662226.post-56297801515438121132015-07-08T14:44:00.000-04:002015-07-08T14:44:29.276-04:00Back to Blog!<b>Best Quote I Heard All Day</b><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><i>“Now I know the things I know, and I do the things I do; and if you do not like me so, to hell, my love, with you!”</i>--Dorothy Parker</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">I'M BACK PALS!</span></h2>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Sadly, it's been 6 months since I've written here, back in December 30. As of this month, on the 25th, the the blog will be 13 years old. One of my friends who was a big blogger stopped writing because he said he had nothing left to write. And that's how I was feeling.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">So WTF do I have to write about now??? I'm back to writing and designing a second knitting book. Yeah, it's :Sock It To You!" with a bunch of chapters: Lace, Fair Isle, Multicolor, Texture, and a few more that I haven't yet determined. Up on Facebook I've inserted a few of the sock designs and my friends loved them.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">I don't just write directions but include hints for the knitters. Here's a picture of one.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihswBSo7fz_Cdi3XN4ukyQkHWqQVnXnDczz7-SZ__1Sr3HsaJT76wAE2KGt6TgrWV7t7v4XOw9Kzo-og5ZEpnR9kZmzL8R1gSwlDYswuLdk8cIQ8Gv3WTMcc45Uh5-QUyK7H9E/s1600/IMG_0005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihswBSo7fz_Cdi3XN4ukyQkHWqQVnXnDczz7-SZ__1Sr3HsaJT76wAE2KGt6TgrWV7t7v4XOw9Kzo-og5ZEpnR9kZmzL8R1gSwlDYswuLdk8cIQ8Gv3WTMcc45Uh5-QUyK7H9E/s320/IMG_0005.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Just a little tip for the readers...you can't insert your counter on the double-pointed needles or on a circular needle if you do <a href="http://blog.tincanknits.com/2013/10/03/magic-loop/" target="_blank">Magic Loop Technique</a>. Using a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00YOAW8XY?psc=1" target="_blank">locking stitch marker.</a>..here's the link for you, on Amazon. Just hook the circular stitch counter to the bottom initially. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">I have a counter app on my iPhone, Knit Counter Lite, Cordless Dog. I only use this counter when creating the heel flap.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">So here's on of the book designs at it's beginning. It's named..."Chevron Chase Socks." Yeah, a pun. Chevy Chase. Heh.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf9lYA2oBdhW109Ck_0PzGjCYdAq3350lGm9lQwDogbvBAv7wsXC-pYaRYah7SsMg5oooCP8elx6c_g-K3XM2SfSdl95zK9y8NLouh_eiv7hntdnjhaMBoHTbs1iJ_6N4lzDL-/s1600/IMG_0081.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf9lYA2oBdhW109Ck_0PzGjCYdAq3350lGm9lQwDogbvBAv7wsXC-pYaRYah7SsMg5oooCP8elx6c_g-K3XM2SfSdl95zK9y8NLouh_eiv7hntdnjhaMBoHTbs1iJ_6N4lzDL-/s320/IMG_0081.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"> Years ago I bought the <a href="http://www.signatureneedlearts.com/double-point-needles.html" target="_blank">Signature Needle Arts double-pointed needles. </a> Hugely expensive. They are now $47. When knitting the sock designs, I tend to do Magic Loop but am lately going back to double-pointed needles. Here are my lovely Signature Needle Arts #2.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4X5Eo-DEL5nsbljcPl10VU2XY5yJ3_OXha_b9iwJrZqDIwbAAFjKeyxwQi8RcLJ0htIBnIi50ObjvfBCaapRAYalXGRPIuR9IZHIN6sEtJtx9mvm12ThI7uU48opmKPVx3VYq/s1600/IMG_0080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4X5Eo-DEL5nsbljcPl10VU2XY5yJ3_OXha_b9iwJrZqDIwbAAFjKeyxwQi8RcLJ0htIBnIi50ObjvfBCaapRAYalXGRPIuR9IZHIN6sEtJtx9mvm12ThI7uU48opmKPVx3VYq/s320/IMG_0080.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Well, finished writing now. But I am going to blog frequently again. I just read my first blog post. A review..."The Fall 2002 Vogue Knitting." I am not a curmudgeon as much as I was back in 2002. Vogue Knitting magazine is much nicer now. Obviously I don't buy knitting magazines because I design what ever I want. Having Trisha Malcolm as the editor has greatly improved the mag. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Yes, miss being a knitting editor. I have done some freelance knitting technical editing and would love to do that full-time job. Am going to design a website for my talents. LOL!!! My little knitting business is Fiberality Designs.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">So that's it now. Have missed you,</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: crimsontext, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 21px; line-height: 38px;">Tonstant Weaders.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00285597626042261061noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3662226.post-15454761968828274752014-12-30T16:22:00.002-05:002014-12-30T16:22:58.148-05:00Knitting Curmudgeon's Blog Year 13!<h2>
Best Quote I Heard All Day</h2>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><i>"Be always at War with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each New Year find you, a better person." </i></span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i>-</i> Benjamin Franklin</b><br />
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Yeah, Ben, my beloved historical guy. And am so happy that I've been writing this blog since 2002. The Knitting Curmudgeon existed before then. Back in 1997, I created an AOL Member website called "The Knitting Curmudgeon" and many KnitList people read it. But when Google created Blogger, that was perfect for The Knitting Curmudgeon. The website was nice but Blogger was much easier for adding posts.<br />
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2015 is a major year for me but those of you who know me, know my age. Ain't writing it publicly.<br />
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Fibreality Designs Happening</h2>
Yes, busy designing and editing my directions. As I once wrote here, you can edit your own directions if you don't edit them immediately, waiting a week so your writing hits your eyes as new.<br />
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Here's my latest sock design, Ant Eggs Socks. Yes, I took the picture on my foot, using my iPhone.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLbaH964xA2cnPDmkfMODO5rwoQn3NpsXYHmxJJYbQEAeC0Z8zkCG4eTrGuglab16odDjCWc2BDsXDb7jJ9qvC2Iudlbbx3AOWL8N1Nrc6vfDwKSuOgYOd8AwxrIOvLJVRTg1I/s1600/Ants.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLbaH964xA2cnPDmkfMODO5rwoQn3NpsXYHmxJJYbQEAeC0Z8zkCG4eTrGuglab16odDjCWc2BDsXDb7jJ9qvC2Iudlbbx3AOWL8N1Nrc6vfDwKSuOgYOd8AwxrIOvLJVRTg1I/s1600/Ants.jpg" height="640" width="316" /></a></div>
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<b><i>Ant Eggs </i></b>is the pattern title. I found it on my "Mon Tricot Knitting Encyclopedia 1500 Patterns" book. Yes, an oldie. Was published in 1984 and I still have it. Back then, Mon Tricot magazines were my thrills. The French created wonderful knitting designs and that's where I first saw a pattern that contained short rowing. I was shocked! NO!!! You don't knit and then turn back halfway through the row! Well, I did it anyhow. And discovered that the French had created a wedge method. Heh.<br />
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A short blog entry today, due to holiday happenings. So darling readers, have a wonderful New Year Evening tomorrow night. I'm gonna be home, alone, just knitting and watching a movie via Netflix.<br />
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HAPPY NEW YEAR, gang!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00285597626042261061noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3662226.post-57633601236145529332014-12-15T16:12:00.000-05:002014-12-15T16:12:21.520-05:00Cheaper Yarn for Designing These Days<h2>
Best Quote I Heard All Day</h2>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><b><i>“The more I see, the less I know for sure.”</i></b> --John Lennon</span><br />
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Yes, John! I've been hanging out in Michael's, searching for cheap stuff that I can use for designs that will be created for knitting beginners.<br />
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Primarily, I have bought some <a href="http://www.lionbrand.com/" target="_blank">Lion Brand yarns</a> that I figure beginners would buy first. Lion Brand does have a decent sock yarn, <a href="http://www.lionbrand.com/yarns/sockease.html" target="_blank">Sock-Ease Yarn.</a> Just started knitting a basic lace sock design with this.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMZc40xiLGAql24xk0-5eOA7cn8y-t4audTAa1X8SGt8xEzrmOLB08lEcB4trvXidgzIF2_KQDj3oWvKQ_R6RzXLdWTYARvFV3JDJSLj0PDqBUyXm3yJ0jvOl7rkWS8RMIEXrg/s1600/photo+(2)%2Bcopy%2B15.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMZc40xiLGAql24xk0-5eOA7cn8y-t4audTAa1X8SGt8xEzrmOLB08lEcB4trvXidgzIF2_KQDj3oWvKQ_R6RzXLdWTYARvFV3JDJSLj0PDqBUyXm3yJ0jvOl7rkWS8RMIEXrg/s1600/photo+(2)%2Bcopy%2B15.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
This picture is upside-down. The lace ribbing are the bottom stitches, the others are the main lace pattern. These lace patterns are pretty easy for beginners, so I figure that putting this up on Ravelry will sell pretty well. Heh, heh!<br />
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The other Lion Brand yarn I bought yesterday is this--<a href="http://www.lionbrand.com/yarns/heartland.html" target="_blank">Heartland</a>, which is a worsted weight, but 100% acrylic. FEH!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQcR-GVDDbXizK_5pWZFmS6rSmm0Z8gmksuRiHy9QPnVBct06fibUsXVbsIbiym2bYvog4ESKD-FCV-7clTFMjy7JynDS54hthEU3y4rasr45GOcfRsYCvfrWZyICj775aoRwq/s1600/photo+(2)%2Bcopy%2B16.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQcR-GVDDbXizK_5pWZFmS6rSmm0Z8gmksuRiHy9QPnVBct06fibUsXVbsIbiym2bYvog4ESKD-FCV-7clTFMjy7JynDS54hthEU3y4rasr45GOcfRsYCvfrWZyICj775aoRwq/s1600/photo+(2)%2Bcopy%2B16.JPG" height="200" width="320" /></a></div>
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I haven't knit acrylic in years. And bought purple too because I'm a purple freak. I'll design a cardigan with this, using a good stitch pattern that will appeal to beginners. Gonna call the cardigan "Knitting Novice Cardigan."<br />
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Back when I wrote <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/you-can-knit!-better-way-to/id672333494?mt=8" target="_blank">"You Can Knit!"</a>, had to design shit for beginners. After these two designs, I have a bunch of advanced designs. Yes, lots of socks, plus several sweaters. Plus I designed a hat for my two nephews, so I'm gonna put that design up on Ravelry too.<br />
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A short post today. Ain't got much to write about and am going back to needles in my hands. Knitting keeps me comfy, due to my unemployment. And am about to send some yarn shop owners my workshops list.<br />
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Love to teach. My darling grandmother, Constance Carsten, was a teacher in Staten Island, at PS 11 there. When I applied for college, Grandma told me that I should be an Education major. "No, Grandma! I don't want to teach a bunch of silly little kids!" I wish I had paid attention to her. Once I became the Assistant Knit and Crochet Editor at McCall's Needlework & Crafts magazine, Grandma was very proud! She told me, "You are now a teacher, correcting or writing directions for readers." This was in 1983, Grandma still alive. She died in 1985 and I have never stopped missing her. She was a sweetheart, who I adored. And when Mom made her a sweater, that I designed, Grandma was thrilled that we both knit.<br />
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Yes, losing Mom last March broke my heart. She and I were best friends with our knitting stuff. Now that Christmas is approaching, I am still saddened, going to miss her even more for the holiday. Last Christmas, she had given me a KnitPicks lace shawl kit that she couldn't make, confused with the lace chart and the directions. So I made it for her, finished by Christmas. And kept the directions. making the shawls for my daughters because I had a pile of KnitPicks Palette yarn, used for the shawl.<br />
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So will probably blog post before Christmas, if I have anything to tell you, skanks.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00285597626042261061noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3662226.post-76563564587693960772014-12-10T15:53:00.000-05:002014-12-10T15:53:43.889-05:00Yarn Shops...Addiction!!<h2>
Best Quote I Heard All Day</h2>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><b><i>Substitute 'damn' every time you're inclined to write 'very'; your editor will delete it and the writing will be just as it should be.</i></b>--Mark Twain</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Going to yarn shops is damn fun! Mark Twain is my beloved author...reading his "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" when I was 10 years old and kept reading his books. So this post is about my favorite yarn shops...addiction, for sure.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">But my designing recently included my darling nephew Nicholas. Here's Auntie Marilyn's cap!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8W-tKIlRkfWkTapLKUE2Gu3_d8U880frM6ejc2VZR6KYlIuNHTRtCUitRoibLqaWxBGO4B_YyaIKiSpQ25oYPOuF94D-7zppOPvWZxehMrT4MGNhiAQrblXk2-i8abBWbmZEo/s1600/photo+(2)%2Bcopy%2B12.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8W-tKIlRkfWkTapLKUE2Gu3_d8U880frM6ejc2VZR6KYlIuNHTRtCUitRoibLqaWxBGO4B_YyaIKiSpQ25oYPOuF94D-7zppOPvWZxehMrT4MGNhiAQrblXk2-i8abBWbmZEo/s1600/photo+(2)%2Bcopy%2B12.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Making one for his brother Alex too. Grandson Ian will get a cap too, as soon as I measure his head. HA! !!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">My Favorite New Jersey Yarn Shop</span></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Obviously I go to my state yarn joints, primarily <a href="http://www.trilliumyarns.com/" target="_blank">Trillium Yarns</a>, which was located in Morristown on Route 202, away from the town's center. The shop was in the right side of the building. Beverly moved the shop into the town center, 4 Cattano Avenue, near the Morristown Green and the courthouse too.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">The store carries many top yarns: Blue Sky Alpacas, Koigu, Manos del Uruguay, Rowan, Spud and Chloe, Lobster Pot Yarns, Malagrigo, Zitron, and more. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">My Favorite Pennsylvania Yarn Shop and others</span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><a href="http://www.mtnknitspearls.com/" target="_blank">Mountain Knits and Pearls</a>, up in East Stroudsburg, is beloved. The owner, Joanne, has a huge pile of yarn brands. I go up there constantly, a 30 mile drive...well worth it. Mountain Knits and Pearls also carries beads and jewelry supplies too. Here's a picture of the shop:</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhHjKn4DoYEVgIzVw0G5aAq9t2EszTzpbFOw8AzNpapaxnSz0D3IfKPmHO9MZDhW7_eWleehxO_Am09JgO7ubo_iBiDDkP_g_NZm2f9ozj8fiHV57ecaujMVOnnlUJTyaHkdZN/s1600/photo+(2)%2Bcopy%2B13.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhHjKn4DoYEVgIzVw0G5aAq9t2EszTzpbFOw8AzNpapaxnSz0D3IfKPmHO9MZDhW7_eWleehxO_Am09JgO7ubo_iBiDDkP_g_NZm2f9ozj8fiHV57ecaujMVOnnlUJTyaHkdZN/s1600/photo+(2)%2Bcopy%2B13.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Yeah, took the picture from my car. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">There are other yarn shops in PA that I want to hit. The one in Bethlehem, <a href="http://www.theknittersedge.com/" target="_blank">The Knitter's Edge</a>, has big hot reviews. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">I also go to <a href="http://www.twistknittingandspinning.com/" target="_blank">Twist Knitting & Spinning </a>down in Lahaska PA, in Bucks County. Love New Hope and recently saw Joe Wilcox, <a href="http://queerjoe.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">QueerJoe</a>, at Twist. Twist carries wonderful stuff! Lots of top yarn brands, spinning wheels and fibers, and terrific knitting tools. My daughter Jennifer and I love to go to New Hope, having lunch and shopping. But going to Twist is a must.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">New York City Favorite Yarn Shops</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Been to all of them but recently went to <a href="http://www.knittycity.com/blog/home" target="_blank">Knitty Citty</a>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">There are a lot of shops in NYC, to which I have been. And love taking friend on a yarn shop crawl in the city. If you want me to take you, will. Here's a <a href="http://newyork.cbslocal.com/top-lists/5-best-knitting-stores-in-nyc/" target="_blank">CBS list</a> of the top 5 knitting shops.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">So skanks, if you have yarns shops in your state, leave a comment here. I have thought that I may write a Yarn Shop Directory that I would put up on Ravelry. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Next post will be next week, I hope. Gotta keep the blog movin' and groovin' Tontstant Weaders,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00285597626042261061noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3662226.post-49512141043541002482014-11-26T14:10:00.001-05:002014-11-26T14:10:49.791-05:00Sock It to You...Next Book<h2>
Best Quote I Heard All Day</h2>
<b><i>"I hate writing, I love having written"</i>--Dorothy Parker</b><br />
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Last weekend, I went to New Hope PA, where my dear Dorothy Parker lived with her husband Alan Campbell, who was an actor at the Bucks County Playhouse. They lived in Bucks County for a while. You know that Dorothy is my writing queen; however, some of her quotes, like this one, are bullshit. And Dorothy Parker was a Jersey girl, born in Long Branch, Monmouth County, in 1893.<br />
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Madame Author...Mar, My Nickname</h2>
Knitting and writing activities keep my brain functional. So I'm going to create a book with all my sock designs in it. Yes, "Sock It To You" is the title. Currently, I've been screwing around with a sock design for which I've hunted for the proper yarn. My titles are all comic.<br />
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This sock I've entitled "Chevron Chase Socks." Yes, Chevy Chase is one of my beloved comedians, although he hasn't been doing much lately.. Chevy is now 71 and I hope he ain't retired.<br />
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So my work on the Chevron Chase design has been constant. I finally found a sock yarn that flies!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxhqFZtD0rvnU_Bu2rRiLINK_CN_Sm2nw5U_p1LhkBTazz-9M2k5aNDqI_cozL4k9cQ7n0SzYq0C8a03G7ADb6Fe6hpML8LXR9Q2ewZg6sRSXvhLwKi8cfXGeBi989V24v0ngk/s1600/photo+(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxhqFZtD0rvnU_Bu2rRiLINK_CN_Sm2nw5U_p1LhkBTazz-9M2k5aNDqI_cozL4k9cQ7n0SzYq0C8a03G7ADb6Fe6hpML8LXR9Q2ewZg6sRSXvhLwKi8cfXGeBi989V24v0ngk/s1600/photo+(2).JPG" height="400" width="200" /></a></div>
This yarn is <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">KFI Indulgence 6Ply. Needed a stripe sock yarn so that the chevron stitch is attacked. Initially, I tried the pattern on Mini m Crystal Palace Mini Mochi. Didn't work at all, although I loved the Rainbow colors.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3x4N0oEGVuAeztPjWcTZ7nNaFPNgbwkKKNa_fXneKc6Nl_v3DSTmMk8_yOcTngXh8cSMR6yqVUNgiH78oREsrpV9FrWeTgJrbaaOlNxVeUT1aupueaUN_vrn4ClTHMh9SGQ9e/s1600/photo+(2)%2Bcopy%2B11.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3x4N0oEGVuAeztPjWcTZ7nNaFPNgbwkKKNa_fXneKc6Nl_v3DSTmMk8_yOcTngXh8cSMR6yqVUNgiH78oREsrpV9FrWeTgJrbaaOlNxVeUT1aupueaUN_vrn4ClTHMh9SGQ9e/s1600/photo+(2)%2Bcopy%2B11.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Got a pile of sock designs for this book, although I have to design toe-up socks too. I prefer top-down but was thinking that I should provide both techniques for each design. Dunno if I want to do that. But will add top-down designs eventually. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">The directions are written for double-pointed needles but I use the Magic Loop technique, always. And I provide my gusset improvement technique too. Way back when, July 7, 2010, wrote that here. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Winner Winter Designs</span></h2>
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">My darling nephew, Nicholas, asked Auntie Marilyn to make him a knitted cap. So I was happy to design something for him and for cold weather. Yes, making this using Magic Loop.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjUG3lKxo0ILsch_nSw22RupkShKznSEkRB4GuPVIdsgvwo9K91Sq3LjJWTHdRVAXYDmXSxYTPyVCQOiwPUghBxlSkLoEIjB1BsZDW9HNe3cZdLzg6tT0gEoq8IOEhJ9cHldLl/s1600/photo+(2)%2Bcopy%2B12.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjUG3lKxo0ILsch_nSw22RupkShKznSEkRB4GuPVIdsgvwo9K91Sq3LjJWTHdRVAXYDmXSxYTPyVCQOiwPUghBxlSkLoEIjB1BsZDW9HNe3cZdLzg6tT0gEoq8IOEhJ9cHldLl/s1600/photo+(2)%2Bcopy%2B12.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Well, time to get back to knitting, due to the hideous snow outside. Have a nice Thanksgiving, skanks!</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00285597626042261061noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3662226.post-57564710680981467112014-11-03T12:09:00.001-05:002014-11-03T12:09:48.739-05:00Lace Stitch Pattern Designing<h2>
Best Quote I Heard All Day</h2>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><b><i>"Design is a funny word. Some people think design means how it looks. But of course, if you dig deeper, it's really how it works."</i></b>--Steve Jobs, Cofounder, CEO, and Chairman of Apple Inc.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">My Lace Stitch Pattern Designing</span></h2>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Lately lace is my knitting addiction. And I taught myself how to design a lace stitch pattern. Creating lace patterns is drawing with decreases and </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">yarn overs. Lately I've been working on a lace scarf with my initial lace design. It's Ellie's Heart. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLNRv1qOY6_5SjHPT6HLEMx5S0WOPB6NjcovIFCWp28ZdDAFRANA-8zQwsoWrcZXfnr9k5lW_J6NIYSXndMTQc5ggCFCYVTf9OpKPIjlQas4Hb6fm1BqRr3Jf-6IS84hNKSDRa/s1600/photo-2+copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLNRv1qOY6_5SjHPT6HLEMx5S0WOPB6NjcovIFCWp28ZdDAFRANA-8zQwsoWrcZXfnr9k5lW_J6NIYSXndMTQc5ggCFCYVTf9OpKPIjlQas4Hb6fm1BqRr3Jf-6IS84hNKSDRa/s1600/photo-2+copy.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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I photographed it on my pattern chart, using the magnet bars to stretch it out. Metza metz!</div>
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Back when Mom was alive and my knitting best friend, she frequently asked me to design a lace scarf for her. Now that she is gone, I decided to design my first lace stitch pattern with Mom in my heart. The stitch pattern I entitled "Ellie's Heart." The laceweight is Reywa Fibers Bloom, 50% Yak Down, 50% silk. What the fuck is Yak Down? Never had heard of it. I did a Google search and discovered the Yak. Here's the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yak" target="_blank">Wikipedia info</a>. Yaks are cute! Here's a Yak.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEyHFr1pGfXSBnxRG56QylKNQHxEXriLehD9fMlGD29OTIrrYMqU0YrUCc24Jz5VVGKy969VIYpPvCUy8A7nTGdVz8uABvv9LiYP0GNe4jxmfzCg5btNZSWUNPoP4vj4PA4gN7/s1600/440px-Bos_grunniens_-_Syracuse_Zoo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEyHFr1pGfXSBnxRG56QylKNQHxEXriLehD9fMlGD29OTIrrYMqU0YrUCc24Jz5VVGKy969VIYpPvCUy8A7nTGdVz8uABvv9LiYP0GNe4jxmfzCg5btNZSWUNPoP4vj4PA4gN7/s1600/440px-Bos_grunniens_-_Syracuse_Zoo.jpg" height="260" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">This lace weight is lovely; however it's skinny for laceweight. Working with #0 needles ain't easy because the needles are too large for this. I may switch the yarn for the Ellie's Heart Scarf. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Today's Quote Shit</span></h2>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Steve Jobs was my IT love. Back in 1984, I began working on a computer, it was the initial Macintosh. As the Knitting Editor for MacKnit, the knitting machine magazine, our publisher bought it and I taught myself how to create graphics. Here's the cover of a 1986 issue. It's available on Amazon! </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiORR_TSByhnh8rYJha4LjQH6Tuo8AaMKWR3E1e1Imi_I6yEfdSVrP_yG8wKJh6PYVR7N5R7My0Ka9f3lr1N-AqyUxH39gHkWks-stEKiFbLcbYFTc17MZNZKmRVHWtRmvKpScu/s1600/macknit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiORR_TSByhnh8rYJha4LjQH6Tuo8AaMKWR3E1e1Imi_I6yEfdSVrP_yG8wKJh6PYVR7N5R7My0Ka9f3lr1N-AqyUxH39gHkWks-stEKiFbLcbYFTc17MZNZKmRVHWtRmvKpScu/s1600/macknit.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">This was one of the final issues, due to the crazy publishers, who screwed up the business and decided to dump the magazine so they could declare bankruptcy. Yes, I was the Knitting Editor on this issue.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Glad I felt like writing the blog again. Writing while I'm sitting home sans a job, I feel like I'm operative. My depression is improved. Still looking for a job; however, I will never stop blogging. Am about to write a book, probably a sock designs ebook. And having talked to Shannon Okey at Rhinebeck, will submit to <a href="http://cooperativepress.com/" target="_blank">Cooperative Press</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">So Tonstant Weaders, I'm gonna keep blogging every week. Many of my readers became real friends. So see ya in MD Sheep & Wool </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">next May, I hope.</span></span><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00285597626042261061noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3662226.post-11995474167766570712014-10-29T15:41:00.000-04:002014-10-29T15:41:31.762-04:00Rhinebeck...Back! NY Sheep & Fiber Love<h2>
Best Quote I Heard All Day</h2>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><b><i>"My mother had a great deal of trouble with me, but I think she enjoyed it."</i> Mark Twain</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Yes, Mark Twain! I was a crazy little kid, runniing away when Mom took me out. Back when my Grandma was going to Italy on the SS United States, she had a party on the ship before it left. Me being 4 years old, had to run through the ship to see the ship shops. Because I was lost, the ship captain keep the ship from leaving until I was found. Mom spanked me. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Ha! She then bought me a leash. Once my parents bought a house in Montclair NJ and we were moving from Kew Gardens, Queens NY, I continued running around. That's another reason Mom taught me how to knit, draw, make Christmas ornaments, and paint. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Mom taught me how to knit when I was 7 because I swiped her colorful plastic markers from her knitting bag.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Rhinebeck This Year</span></h2>
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">My friend Duffy Stephens came from Portland, Oregon, staying with me. I was glad that I could have her with me. And we went to Rhinebeck Saturday and Sunday, plus I took her to New York City to go to <a href="http://habutextiles.com/" target="_blank">Habu Textiles</a> and <a href="http://www.knittycity.com/blog/home" target="_blank">Knitty City</a>. Cool!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">As always, I go to hang out with friends. Sat with Lars Rains, my dear knitting boy. Lars is a wonderful designer, <a href="http://www.modernlopi.com/" target="_blank">Modern Lopi</a> is his website and he sells his designs on Ravelry too. I also bought some of Lisa Souza's wonderful yarn. Here's her website <a href="http://www.lisaknit.com/" target="_blank">link</a>. Yes, I know Lisa too.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">And stopped to see Shannon Okey, <a href="http://cooperativepress.com/" target="_blank">Cooperative Press</a> founder. I'm going to submit my sock design book to Cooperative Press. I've titled it "Sock It To Me". </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Didn't buy much, due to the huge yarn and fiber stash that I have. But here's pix of some of my Rhinebeck stuff.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH6EuAQieRVaN2UdvNq4C5qY4rsPCrePp7DyZiWdid9ipTBCN8WEDUKrPX0k7g2aYxTAB0tmpu94P2aadAv6NKwIdlUcWGY9H3ipwvWVBzjp3UohORUs8dDTZ7nECSZtqThqi0/s1600/photo+(2)%2Bcopy%2B9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH6EuAQieRVaN2UdvNq4C5qY4rsPCrePp7DyZiWdid9ipTBCN8WEDUKrPX0k7g2aYxTAB0tmpu94P2aadAv6NKwIdlUcWGY9H3ipwvWVBzjp3UohORUs8dDTZ7nECSZtqThqi0/s1600/photo+(2)%2Bcopy%2B9.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Yummy! It's Greenwood Fiberworks 50% Merino, 50% silk. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">And another purchase was this stuff...yarn and some knitter's jewelry. I put this picture up on Facebook and was asked about the yarn.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf25ZZ6Ksg1ssutcqKYiQV6_P7D3eQjTsvJlG4yVVr-ZTPiCRNlHeyVMutrY-aVb1tc7Cxpr0Qg5-Ct625LPqdRb93fc0I3IiDby_y22sLUgOZTTfSHW7EovtYDmc_OMx_Btxo/s1600/10687926_10205299364108691_6965645531292936273_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf25ZZ6Ksg1ssutcqKYiQV6_P7D3eQjTsvJlG4yVVr-ZTPiCRNlHeyVMutrY-aVb1tc7Cxpr0Qg5-Ct625LPqdRb93fc0I3IiDby_y22sLUgOZTTfSHW7EovtYDmc_OMx_Btxo/s1600/10687926_10205299364108691_6965645531292936273_o.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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A young guy was selling this yarn. His business is called Jan Marek Raczkowski Studio. The yarn is 78% mohair, 13% wool, and 9% nylon. It's definitely fingerweight, and the yardage, 480, is enough for a sock design. But I'm not interested in designing big mohair socks. Even though it has nylon, I'm not inclined to shove socks made of this on my big feet HEH!!!!!</div>
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Next year I'm going to MD Sheep & Wool to hang out with friends there. My darling skanks, come and visit me there. Am I a fucking knitting celeb? Kinda. When I tell knitters I'm the Knitting Curmudgeon, lots of them know who I am. </div>
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Creating The Knitting Curmudgeon blog back in 2002 was my grief therapy because I lost my beloved husband Jimmy, a fabulous wooden ship modeler and nautical history expert. Jimmy wrote a how-to book for ship modelers. He would have been proud of me when I wrote "YOU CAN KNIT!" </div>
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So I'm gonna blog post more quickly. Sitting at home, doing knitting designing, isn't all that I want to do. Gonna do some knitting and spinning workshops eventually and going to submit a workshop to Vogue Knitting Live. Love to teach! Being a tehcnical trainer was lovely. So check the blog out soon, skanks! Bye!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00285597626042261061noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3662226.post-71431980231788665382014-10-03T15:17:00.001-04:002014-10-03T15:17:28.579-04:00Still Livin' Lacey Designing!<h2>
Best Quote I Heard All Day</h2>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><b><i>"One likes to believe that there is memory in the fingers; memory undeveloped, but still alive.” -- </i></b>Elizabeth Zimmermann</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Yes, EZ always hit the truth. Back in 1983, right before I got that Assistant Knitting & Crochet Editor job at McCall's Needlework & Crafts, I wrote a letter to EZ on the Schoolhouse Press address, asking her how could I become a knitting designer. A week later, Meg Swanson phoned me and she told me how to learn to design. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">My Knitting History II</span></h2>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Beginning in 1983, I started to collect knitting books. Got a pile of them at McCall's that I used for editing and was allowed to keep them. And the primary book for learning how to design was this one.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJCgfCOmbg6yjCiSiaIpLadtbRPqNbwUYQE4MzcsBA2JoK5APFCH5ss1Q-ZXrdLGIPW1wNGGKJRwe3lYidlwVrMazEFBMA4jud4RTxuPbzIaRB0kc6vfqUzqNc0Mjnpe57OrRK/s1600/photo+(2)%2Bcopy%2B7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJCgfCOmbg6yjCiSiaIpLadtbRPqNbwUYQE4MzcsBA2JoK5APFCH5ss1Q-ZXrdLGIPW1wNGGKJRwe3lYidlwVrMazEFBMA4jud4RTxuPbzIaRB0kc6vfqUzqNc0Mjnpe57OrRK/s1600/photo+(2)%2Bcopy%2B7.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">The initial copyright is 1940 and my book's copyright is 1964. Yes, I have a huge library of knitting, spinning, weaving, crewel embroidery, quilting books. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Mom thought it was funny that I was able to do the knitting designing mathematics because when I was in high school, had to go to an algebra tutor because math didn't hit my brain. Once I wanted to create my own sweaters, mathematics didn't screw up my eyeballs and thoughts.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">My Lace Pattern Directions</span></h2>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Still working on the Koigu Merino Laceweight lace shawl. And although I'm going to submit it to Knitty.com, was thinking that it might be nice to submit it to Vogue Knitting. Drawing a sketch is tough because I'm not that kind of artist. Might ask my Liz, the family artist, to do that for me. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Ultimately, if my lace shawl isn't accepted, I'll dump it up on Ravelry. And when I write directions for Ravelry or other knitting patterns websites, I add instructions about what to do. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">For example, when you're knitting a large lace shawl, gotta count the number of pattern repeats, you should mark each repeat. This is how I do it, with the locking stitch markers. The first stitches are slip stitches and on the final row, the marker is attached to the first slip stitch.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0IObNj0kXa9GGcrVvUFCEi2ilO0LqW1enmz5uooRVrzAY2XTz_GcG1BpZmESdi1ic_BAoXE9cg9zDVqsUsMo2YWpTPN4Z9kqTpwDIie5SH8OS5napeVN9e47fUMkn8vk5bFEQ/s1600/photo+(2)%2Bcopy%2B6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0IObNj0kXa9GGcrVvUFCEi2ilO0LqW1enmz5uooRVrzAY2XTz_GcG1BpZmESdi1ic_BAoXE9cg9zDVqsUsMo2YWpTPN4Z9kqTpwDIie5SH8OS5napeVN9e47fUMkn8vk5bFEQ/s1600/photo+(2)%2Bcopy%2B6.JPG" height="276" width="320" /></a></div>
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Mister Ranger, the Knitting Kitteh</h2>
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Ranger will be 3 years old Monday, October 6. He's not a normal kitteh. Doesn't swap my yarn but once chewed my wooden knitting needles. He sits in my spinning wheel chair but when I spin, is uninterested in the movement.</div>
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Here he is, chewing a needle. I took this picture because he's so cute! And he didn't break the needle point.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWi-iOxSugDjoMSiyw7IMs3syodXQBWp-cNMo5PbODVeXVImLQ4ybioxa4zMY-EOxgRPdqg4CBAq3xulf7dR6GkKeXGr6ayGPQyDpvZzUUTYl-l2GhLc-XAtnwcf710GcZ-68t/s1600/photo-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWi-iOxSugDjoMSiyw7IMs3syodXQBWp-cNMo5PbODVeXVImLQ4ybioxa4zMY-EOxgRPdqg4CBAq3xulf7dR6GkKeXGr6ayGPQyDpvZzUUTYl-l2GhLc-XAtnwcf710GcZ-68t/s1600/photo-2.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Rhinebeck and Stitches East</h2>
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Next weekend, Stitches East. And I haven't decided whether I'm going to go because it's up in Hartford Connecticut, a 3.5 hour drive from where I live...Budd Lake, NJ. On Facebook, asked my FB friends who was going to Rhinebeck, aka <a href="http://www.sheepandwool.com/" target="_blank">New York State Sheep and Wool Festival</a>. </div>
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My dear Tonstant Weaders, if you're going, I'll be up by the food area at the top of the little hill, near Building A around 11 a.m. And will have my Ravelry button pinned on my shirt. Yes, it's KnitCurmudgeon. </div>
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Back writing here next week...if I go to Stitches, will take a pile of pictures...although way back when, I photographed all the hideous sweaters I saw people wearing there and Franklin told me that because I published them, photographing was then forbidden. Heh. I did what I called the Hideous Sweater Gallery, back when my blog was on its own website address. Blogger let you use a website back then. All those pictures are gone. </div>
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So write to ya later, skanks!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00285597626042261061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3662226.post-2082955560231800532014-09-22T15:53:00.002-04:002014-09-22T15:57:38.033-04:00Lazy Lacy? NO!<h2>
Best Quote I Heard All Day</h2>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><b><i>“Really, all you need to become a good knitter are wool, needles, hands, and slightly below-average intelligence. Of course superior intelligence, such as yours and mine, is an advantage.”</i></b> --Elizabeth Zimmerman</span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Lazy Lacy</span></span></h2>
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Yeah, I love creating titles for my designs and articles. I'm busy doing a lace shawl design, made with the new Koigu Lace Merino. Can't show ya the lace design due to its submission to Knitty, but here's a picture of what I'm using.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLS6iQkiqtrvYssD4OSl1PikzrBVnyBeWZeTFFiR6ZIHYS4uaZLcxHKuGbbl7g-Hk7hASvj1t-cA22bpbHIEGxv5n-cIqWKeU5zFlPMprZQfqlsP1x8ZfSyj-D-yHOgn6xHAej/s1600/Koiguelaceweight.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLS6iQkiqtrvYssD4OSl1PikzrBVnyBeWZeTFFiR6ZIHYS4uaZLcxHKuGbbl7g-Hk7hASvj1t-cA22bpbHIEGxv5n-cIqWKeU5zFlPMprZQfqlsP1x8ZfSyj-D-yHOgn6xHAej/s1600/Koiguelaceweight.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">The lace stitch pattern is relatively easy, Lazy Lacy. HA! It's pretty and memorizable.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">I often teach my knitting friends and their lace mistakes are big problems. Here are a couple, with slight solutions .</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Mistake #1: On the wrong side, my stitches next to my yarnovers (YOs) are twisted, yanked down and I have to twist them back so I can insert the needle. If the yarnover is wrapped tightly on the needle, it will yank the stitch next to it and cause the twist. So when you make a yarnover, do it loosely so that the nextdoor stitches aren't twisted. Couldn't do a picture of this. So just make sure you create your YO loosely.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Mistake #2: Forgot to make a yarnover. You can pick up the strand between the two stitches where the yarnover should have been, making a little yarnover that hasn't been made correctly. Obviously, this yarnover is going to be smaller than the others. Depends on how extensive the lace pattern is. If it's simple, tink the stitches and reknit the row or round.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkZw9n-y5BGVbXaEa1Yz4yLGUfGObk9jFU4Os4Movj348mIFvlR8hIybXBlrrue7Q9s6Cvb1r9QFSs30HnXgv_Kk7rWCocWmBzmHj6LgGMnCcrcuUZ7bRBnSPtpYGt4LdWIv5v/s1600/photo+(2)%2Bcopy%2B5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkZw9n-y5BGVbXaEa1Yz4yLGUfGObk9jFU4Os4Movj348mIFvlR8hIybXBlrrue7Q9s6Cvb1r9QFSs30HnXgv_Kk7rWCocWmBzmHj6LgGMnCcrcuUZ7bRBnSPtpYGt4LdWIv5v/s1600/photo+(2)%2Bcopy%2B5.JPG" height="320" width="288" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Using a lifeline can be helpful if you tend to screw up your lace pattern. Here's a YouTube <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aL0M8Ik9FLA" target="_blank">KnitPicks video</a> on how to do it. I don't put in a lifeline because I rarely make mistakes on lace patterns. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">I've been busy designing for two submissions to Knitty.com and I am about to put a bunch of sock designs up on Ravelry. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Editing my own directions is easy. I tell my designer friends that they can edit their directions by ignoring them for at least a week. Once you've not read your directions, they become strange to your eyeballs and you can read and edit them accurately.</span></span><br />
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<h2>
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">My Knitting Life History</span></span></h2>
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Back when I was 22, I restarted knitting because working at a mental health hospital as a psychiatric technician, our head nurse, Florence, was a knitter. The ward that I worked at was a "Medical Ward" that cared for the operated patients, some psychotic and most were elderly. Once our patients were asleep, Florence and the patient carers sat by the patients' beds, watching TV. Florence knitted, one of my coworkers crocheted, and Florence told me to knit. I hadn't knitted since I was 18, knitting my first sweater, an Aran sweater for my uncle. After that, I didn't knit. But Florence got me back to knitting.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">At that time, hubby Jimmy, who was an expert wooden ship modeler, told me that if I was going to knit, I should learn everything about knitting and become an expert like he was. Jimmy wrote a book that I edited.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivPY3I7Al19OROL15dNg2FG6qtPldKxJqhXJRovpZxfT5PLmKpQY9OlyK9TLCgUlYkI45t17z-kYr7VbOi351oThEHbHnXQqkgdIZeFHvOf8buOmJF8MoxQWJ6EU0hc0_jkNsL/s1600/JimmyBook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivPY3I7Al19OROL15dNg2FG6qtPldKxJqhXJRovpZxfT5PLmKpQY9OlyK9TLCgUlYkI45t17z-kYr7VbOi351oThEHbHnXQqkgdIZeFHvOf8buOmJF8MoxQWJ6EU0hc0_jkNsL/s1600/JimmyBook.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Yes, it's still sold on Amazon.com. Here's the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Planking-Built-Up-Ship-Model/dp/9993657042" target="_blank">link</a>. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">So as of 1972, I became a big knitter...and had my second daughter, Corinne. There is no knitting technique that I haven't done. Jimmy was proud of me and bought me my Schacht Matchless spinning wheel in 1999 when he took me to MD Sheep & Wool Festival. I lost Jimmy in 2002 and I know he'd be proud of me, having written a book too, along with knitting articles. When Knitty.com started, back in 2002, I submitted a sock design, <a href="http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEspring03/PATTcrusoe.html" target="_blank">Crusoe</a>, and an article. <a href="http://knitty.com/ISSUEspring03/FEATswatchout.html" target="_blank">Swatch Out!</a>. Jimmy died in 2002. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Next week comes another post, Tonstant Weaders! Gotta go back to knitting my lace shawl. </span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00285597626042261061noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3662226.post-62812393761068549192014-09-09T14:19:00.000-04:002014-09-09T14:25:20.898-04:00Fab Fiber Festivals!<h2>
Best Quote I Heard All Day</h2>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><i><b>"The Lord can give, and the Lord can take away. I might be herding sheep next year."</b></i>--Elvis Presley</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Had Elvis quit his singing and drug addiction, becoming a sheep breeder would have saved his life. HA!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Big Fiber Festivals Fun</span></h2>
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">This past weekend was wonderful. I always go to NJ Sheep & Fiber Festival, due to its closeness to my town. But this year, went to the <a href="http://www.pafiberfestival.com/" target="_blank">Pennsylvania Endless Mountain Fiber Festival</a> on Saturday. My friend Mindy Wilson's fiber business, <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/puffthemagicrabbit" target="_blank">Puff the Magic Rabbit</a>, was there and I was happy to see her and buy her dyed yarn. She dyes fibers too. Here's a picture of her wonderful stuff there, the only items I bought. Have a big pile of spinning fibers but had to have hers. This I'll use on a spindle.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq40idK93l_I0Gsal7QYdNp7rPu9WMeJFv8TSo7wo0LEJQzXyJvvQQjgqIAlI5puk-cXJMwjCTWFvfpupQKmQJq48X9DzNLqCQRpIwW0pzgX6PM4vfueqmI_M9iolHfPMg3cQi/s1600/photo+(2)%2Bcopy%2B3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq40idK93l_I0Gsal7QYdNp7rPu9WMeJFv8TSo7wo0LEJQzXyJvvQQjgqIAlI5puk-cXJMwjCTWFvfpupQKmQJq48X9DzNLqCQRpIwW0pzgX6PM4vfueqmI_M9iolHfPMg3cQi/s1600/photo+(2)%2Bcopy%2B3.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Have done a sock design, The Tweedly Socks, with Mindy's sock yarn, which I will give her. And wanted to design another sock pattern on her yarn. That's why I bought another.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"> Mindy put this picture up on Facebook and I downloaded it. It's her booth.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAAcVA1mX_DGuRzHkootYnYP6t_DYunVO5cWRI3zKxIiO9vnLnSiQEVKBN8ghsblJuTczzR9i4nBv9AulF09oGWTPgIErjvDXP9L0jwJyNa7vyuQv8MdaHsfGce2jPlvvI6WCl/s1600/photo+(2)%2Bcopy%2B2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAAcVA1mX_DGuRzHkootYnYP6t_DYunVO5cWRI3zKxIiO9vnLnSiQEVKBN8ghsblJuTczzR9i4nBv9AulF09oGWTPgIErjvDXP9L0jwJyNa7vyuQv8MdaHsfGce2jPlvvI6WCl/s1600/photo+(2)%2Bcopy%2B2.JPG" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Here's me and Mindy!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSEJl4KvduK2G10zFzkJ9FhUzoelYGdCBatbhAmyKlfnwpi5n-2tiiSwYEH63hbbI-2N-EsDRNEt5GSuD_g-v_yXWphwVIaMjleG5rtynWkCihGx8TMYneH5AKnDt4fAleP9Gu/s1600/photo+(2%2Cmeandmindy).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSEJl4KvduK2G10zFzkJ9FhUzoelYGdCBatbhAmyKlfnwpi5n-2tiiSwYEH63hbbI-2N-EsDRNEt5GSuD_g-v_yXWphwVIaMjleG5rtynWkCihGx8TMYneH5AKnDt4fAleP9Gu/s1600/photo+(2%2Cmeandmindy).JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Mindy was my Knitting Curmudgeon reader and we met a few years ago at Rhinebeck. Many of my readers have become real friends. And if you're a reader here, would enjoy meeting you in person. I'll be at Rhinebeck, <a href="http://www.sheepandwool.com/" target="_blank">NY Sheep and Wool Festival</a>, both Saturday and Sunday, October 18 and 19. My friend Duffy Stephens, another reader who became a real friend, is coming from Portland, Oregon, staying with me and I will take her up to Rhinebeck, along with a New York City yarn crawl. Fun!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Sunday I ran down to <a href="http://www.njsheep.org/festival/" target="_blank">NJ 20th Annual Sheep & Fiber Festival</a> that's at Hunterdon County Fairgrounds.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0xW_YStMbMYx-Pdjt4qS4A-Db6oqWn6pYjOx3PQCrz1qLR1CIw01h2udIG4ZOsn0axW_Mvj8iqkFcSPcM8bd20Ahbabh4LnrbrHssxm2XbNPEfZuKFaG3Y8HhLhI3OfAoPivf/s1600/morestalls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0xW_YStMbMYx-Pdjt4qS4A-Db6oqWn6pYjOx3PQCrz1qLR1CIw01h2udIG4ZOsn0axW_Mvj8iqkFcSPcM8bd20Ahbabh4LnrbrHssxm2XbNPEfZuKFaG3Y8HhLhI3OfAoPivf/s1600/morestalls.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
This festival is smaller than the Endless Mountains but is good, although I bought only one bag of fiber and a pretty bag. Was glad to meet my friend Gina, but didn't see my dear friend, Joe Wilcox, aka <a href="http://queerjoe.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Queer Joe</a>. I know Joe wanted to see me too. We were together a few weeks ago. Ain't enough time. He lives in New Hope, PA and my daughter Jennifer and I love to go there to shop and have lunch at a wonderful restaurant. Taking Jenn next month for her birthday...she going to be 45. Yes, I was a teenaged mother.<br />
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Tons of sheep at the NJ Festival. Cute! And yelling!<br />
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There were a few alpacas too. When I go to Rhinebeck, love the sheep and alpacas there. So Tonstant Weaders, let me know if you're going because will be glad to meet you.<br />
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<h2>
Fiberality Designs</h2>
Still editing my own directions. And have designed a pretty lace pullover with Koigu Kersti. Might submit it to Knitty.com but that won't happen until March 1, 2015 for the First Fall + Holiday Headstart 2015.<br />
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Koigu had just come out with laceweight! I had designed a lace stole and finished knitting it with a rare laceweight but decided that I would do it in this! Bought it online from Jimmy Beans Wool. Click this <a href="http://www.jimmybeanswool.com/knitting/yarn/Koigu/LaceMerino.asp" target="_blank">link</a> so you can see the fab colors. The color I purchased was this:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUEO8JE0dCjgLcsfJShcOaCQ-BX-mpPE_YR5P2AfhI7QdHsFHOOcFKsDtXurOLlsO-elmiWaxny0pyZhDZohkTpyJqt74le9juqmOhQBwdLvEnnAbGAACGjyfnqcSItJZNwOhE/s1600/photo+(2)%2Bcopy%2B4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUEO8JE0dCjgLcsfJShcOaCQ-BX-mpPE_YR5P2AfhI7QdHsFHOOcFKsDtXurOLlsO-elmiWaxny0pyZhDZohkTpyJqt74le9juqmOhQBwdLvEnnAbGAACGjyfnqcSItJZNwOhE/s1600/photo+(2)%2Bcopy%2B4.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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Jeez, got too many designs that must be knit. No, ain't hiring a knitter to do these. Once I finish the Koigu Kersti sweater, aka Jezebel Sweater, will redo the lace shawl. And have created an Aran sweater too, plus a pile of sock designs. So even though I don't have a real job, working constantly on my knitting designs. And have submitted my workshop listing because I love teaching knitters and spinners.<br />
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Even though I know how to crochet, haven't crocheted in a long time. Gonna start crocheting soon. Make my own crochet design, probably a baby afghan. Want to do baby knitting designs but need baby models. Ain't got any. My grandkids are now adults. Liz is now 22, Ian is 17. My friend Sheila has some little grandchildren so I might ask her if I can use them for modeling.<br />
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Anyhoo, it's time to end this post. Time to start a web design for Fiberality Designs, along with an Etsy setup. Once I get all the designs up on Ravelry, going to sell them elsewhere.<br />
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So, dear reader skanks, writin' for you next week.<br />
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Later, skanks!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00285597626042261061noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3662226.post-66969786682770381202014-08-30T16:35:00.002-04:002014-08-30T16:42:16.491-04:00My Knitting History With MommyBest Quote I Heard All Day<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">“As I get older, I just prefer to knit. ” </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">― </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/490201.Tracey_Ullman" style="background-color: white; color: #666600; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;">Tracey Ullman</a><br />
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These days, as I get older, knitting is my lifestyle.<br />
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<h3>
Marilyn's Knitting History</h3>
Mommy taught me how to knit when I was 7 years old, due to my grabbing her knitting markers from her knitting bag. So she took me to Montclair's Myer's Five & Ten store, bought me a Red Heart ball that was variegated, tons of colors, and Boye's Needles #7.<br />
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Mommy cast on a bunch of stitches for me and showed me how to create a knit stitch, teaching me how to knit via the English method. "I'll show you how to purl, sweetheart, when you make a knitted scarf," she informed me. I loved making the stitches, excited when I saw my favorite color, purple. Once my beginner scarf was completed, Mommy showed me how to make stockinette stitch by doing a knit row and then a purl row.<br />
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Stopped knitting until I was 18 and my first sweater was an Aran sweater that I made for my Uncle Pete. Didn't realize that I had to measure him, so the sleeves were too long. Once my babies, Jennifer and Corinne, were born, knitting became my love.<br />
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Mom's death last March still agonizes me because she was my knitting best friend. She and I shared our love of knitting and Mom often asked me to design sweaters for her, simple designs because she liked watching TV, primarily Yankees games, while she knit.<br />
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<h3>
Ellie's Heart Scarf</h3>
Although I have designed the Aran pullover and a lace cardigan, I've created a lace stitch pattern that I entitled "Ellie's Heart."<br />
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Just started the Ellie's Heart Scarf that I'll put up on Fiberality Designs. </div>
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Yes, I design my lace stitch patterns and have taught a couple of knitting friends how to do it. Creating a lace stitch pattern is done using the decreases with the yarnovers as the drawing items. SSK places the decreased stitches to the left, as Dec2 moves the decreased stitches to the right. The yarnover with the decrease is part of the drawing. And using a Central Double Decrease is a perfect central drawing line. </div>
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Lace stitch pattern designing can be very geometric. Would love to teach this and may submit it to Vogue Knitting Live.</div>
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Fiberality Designs Yarn Pile</h3>
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Got a ton of yarn that is gonna be used for Fiberality Designs stuff. Dumped it on my dining china cabinet. This was Mom's. I know she'd love seeing the yarn. Bought some at <a href="http://www.twistknittingandspinning.com/" target="_blank">Twist Knitting & Spinning</a> when I was there with Joe two weeks ago.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT2GEfTSVycyzKq_b2368Wy7AcfbLD9vj9U33wStisLOszt9ing4UiEcAtf92TyTWTAkyhJse-O61AjHeR4xuiUh6T7mrwF1_eUCf00evzSxnW-jx_UG-ylogZ8HXADYjsjXUT/s1600/photo+(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT2GEfTSVycyzKq_b2368Wy7AcfbLD9vj9U33wStisLOszt9ing4UiEcAtf92TyTWTAkyhJse-O61AjHeR4xuiUh6T7mrwF1_eUCf00evzSxnW-jx_UG-ylogZ8HXADYjsjXUT/s1600/photo+(2).JPG" height="206" width="400" /></a></div>
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Busy, busy, busy! Will submit some designs to Knitty.com, Interweave Knits, Knitter's, and maybe Vogue Knitting. This yarn in the picture is going to be used for socks, lace scarves, and lace shawls. The picture doesn't show everything. Ton of shit!</div>
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So am going to the <a href="http://www.njsheep.org/festival/" target="_blank">NJ 20th Annual Sheep & Fiber Festival</a> next week, down at Hunterdon County Fairgrounds. My dear skank readers, if you're going, stop to see me! Love my blog readers.</div>
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Yeah, another blog post next week!</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00285597626042261061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3662226.post-70629012139166012242014-08-24T17:53:00.001-04:002014-08-24T17:55:30.575-04:00Fiberality Designs About to Start for Real<h2>
<b>Best Quote I Heard All Day</b></h2>
<i>"Many estates are spent in the gettting, since women for tea forsake spinning and knitting, and men for punch forsake hewing and splitting"</i>--Benjamin Franklin<br />
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Yeah, my beloved history interest contains Ben Franklin. I'm a history lover.<br />
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Fiberality Designs Ain't Knitting Curmudgeon Designs</h3>
Even though a lot of my knitting pals on Facebook said I should call it Knitting Curmudgeon Designs because that's who people know. NO! Even though I was crabby when I first started blogging back in 2002, having lost my darling husband Jimmy, I ain't curmudgeonly much any more.<br />
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So last week, my beloved granddaughter, Liz Wagner, designed an ad for my Fiberality Designs. Here it is.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDfMqOe3C_zC4I6ST3xHZ0m32aHpHMGQvOUpGEu25BSa3EnOgEaTnbjKdgm8pTr_4qT-GT5jj7zIemdZOnx0GVt924beZqU7YSwdvB5MjTDLa2Voi2OsmvEF2FhNUN1Lt2GdLP/s1600/fiberalityad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDfMqOe3C_zC4I6ST3xHZ0m32aHpHMGQvOUpGEu25BSa3EnOgEaTnbjKdgm8pTr_4qT-GT5jj7zIemdZOnx0GVt924beZqU7YSwdvB5MjTDLa2Voi2OsmvEF2FhNUN1Lt2GdLP/s1600/fiberalityad.jpg" height="318" width="320" /></a></div>
Liz just graduated from Montclair State University with a BFA and I paid her for creating this ad that I'll put up on Ravelry. Right now there are only two designs there but I'm busy writing and editing my directions for a pile of socks, scarves, and a lace shawl. Currently designing an Aran pullover, sized for men and women, along with a lace sweater knitted with Koigu Kersti.<br />
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Here's the current sock design that I'm working on--it's Koigu KPPPM, which I wish Koigu would increase the hank yardage. It's only 175 yards, which means that a sock leg can't be longer than 6 inches. Here's a little picture of Lady's Ladder Sock.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv9DQlIrwVeyAw1aOll0R7mKKHPgOKtkXhoPX3hJJ_T3ZSEQl7UvYOcee6iuUCgYhgqOYHrhWXQAz2WIppE7gfS36_CS-qjASevJGRkXvBuzlrKWXlJS_YMcvBpt5aebU93dMZ/s1600/ladysladder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv9DQlIrwVeyAw1aOll0R7mKKHPgOKtkXhoPX3hJJ_T3ZSEQl7UvYOcee6iuUCgYhgqOYHrhWXQAz2WIppE7gfS36_CS-qjASevJGRkXvBuzlrKWXlJS_YMcvBpt5aebU93dMZ/s1600/ladysladder.jpg" height="320" width="192" /></a></div>
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The sock was hanging on my thigh when I shot the picture with my iPhone. This week is design photography. Got a big pile of designs that I gotta shoot, the socks on my crazy fucking mannequin that Liz gave me back when she worked part time at a teenager clothing store at our local mall. My daughters always model my lace shit too.<br />
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Liz no longer models my socks. Mother Ellie used to model my socks and I let her keep them. Mom never wanted to learn how to knit socks because she hated knitting with double-pointed needles. I offered to teach her Magic Loop technique but Mom said, "You can knit me the socks I want!" Yes, still missing my knitting mother who died in March.<br />
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<h3>
My Beloved Knitting Guy </h3>
Last weekend, daughter Jennifer and I went down to New Hope PA because we love shopping there and having lunch at a wonderful restaurant. So I let <a href="http://queerjoe.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">QueerJoe</a> know that I was going to <a href="http://www.twistknittingandspinning.com/" target="_blank">Twist Knitting & Spinning</a> and we met there. Hadn't seen Joe in several years and it was wonderful seeing him. Here we are:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilHErLHVRUYaaj-FZ4H94SARgJob6t8w2tzYiI1WIhUik4ElgoG-8klU81FV9tqcmZExyrn5evVyHyBbNGp1l0ytqd3icZiexWdYVfsnK_yxagZ_Ri1rrmpgNHeM286X3zUghk/s1600/meandJoe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilHErLHVRUYaaj-FZ4H94SARgJob6t8w2tzYiI1WIhUik4ElgoG-8klU81FV9tqcmZExyrn5evVyHyBbNGp1l0ytqd3icZiexWdYVfsnK_yxagZ_Ri1rrmpgNHeM286X3zUghk/s1600/meandJoe.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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With the fall comin' close, can't wait to go to the <a href="http://www.njsheep.org/festival/" target="_blank">Garden State Sheep Breeders Sheep & Fiber Festival</a> September 6-7. And of course, going to Rhinebeck, aka <a href="http://www.sheepandwool.com/" target="_blank">NYS Sheep & Wool Festival</a>, which is the third weekend in October. My dear friend, Duffy Stephens, is coming from Portland, Oregon, and will stay with me. We'll be going both Saturday and Sunday to Rhinebeck. Liz's girlfriend, Sammie, is a fiber major at her college, so she and Liz will come with us too. Can't wait!<br />
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So, my dear readers, I'm gonna go back to blogging every week. Ain't doing much other than knitting designing and will continue to edit knitting directions. Will create a Fiberality Designs website, and start my Etsy place too. Ravelry is an excellent place to sell designs but since I need to earn money, going to sell my designs wherever I can.<br />
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Write to you soon, Knitting Curmudgeon skanks!<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00285597626042261061noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3662226.post-30834353902721019642014-07-25T17:17:00.000-04:002014-07-25T17:17:23.830-04:00Knitting Curmudgeon Blog 12th Anniversary<h2>
Best Quote I Heard All Day</h2>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.799999237060547px;"><b><i>The state of knitting magazines being what it is lately, I was more than pleasantly surprised with the decent designs featured in the Fall 2002 issue of Vague.</i></b>--Marilyn Roberts</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.799999237060547px;">Yes, that's the first Knitting Curmudgeon blog sentence on July 25, 2002. Twelve years ago, I had lost my darling husband, Jimmy. Knitting was my grief therapy and when I discovered Blogger, writing about knitting helped me concentrate on my life.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.799999237060547px;">Back in 1997, I created the first Knitting Curmudgeon site on AOL's membership site deal. Many KnitList people read the essays that I wrote on it and placed on site pages. As soon as I hit Blogger, I had a writing joy. In 2002, I wrote 76 posts. There were a few other knitting bloggers and we all contacted each other. My readers became bloggers too and now some of them are knitting celebs. These days, many knitters know who I am. At Rhinebeck, people approach me to say "Hello, Knitting Curmudgeon!"</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.799999237060547px;">These days, I grieve for my mother Ellie and still cry for Jimmy, although am in touch with my high school boyfriend, who I see occasionally. For Mom, I've just designed a lace stitch pattern for a lace scarf that I entitled "Ellie's Heart Scarf." Here's a sample picture. Began knitting it in Tencel yarn and am gonna switch it to merino laceweight. Didn't like the black lines in the red. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO1kyQxLNRfhqcbVvlmdkhJDf2M-9_sBVTfzXBNeN_Jq5KZlcQv4uxa3Di7B6nccEDp8OE_5Wm0bRYxy-90W4gxj1qwh1ybC_h1k4QZ5LEpOKSrXrbtQVpFjpnjNPXT5WD6U1n/s1600/elliesHeart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO1kyQxLNRfhqcbVvlmdkhJDf2M-9_sBVTfzXBNeN_Jq5KZlcQv4uxa3Di7B6nccEDp8OE_5Wm0bRYxy-90W4gxj1qwh1ybC_h1k4QZ5LEpOKSrXrbtQVpFjpnjNPXT5WD6U1n/s1600/elliesHeart.jpg" height="194" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.799999237060547px;">So the Knitting Curmudgeon is gonna become a knitting design company. I was calling it Fiberality Designs but my knitting friends told me to call it Knitting Curmudgeon Designs because people know who I am.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.799999237060547px;">So my dear readers, I'm going to keep this blog going for the rest of my life. And happy that I ain't as curmudgeonly as I used to be. Time to get back to knitting my current design, which is Ellie's Heart Scarf.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00285597626042261061noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3662226.post-25598102626130584232014-07-09T14:30:00.003-04:002014-07-09T14:30:49.740-04:00Past Loving Returns!<h2>
Best Quote I've Heard All Day</h2>
<b><i>"Memory...is the diary that we all carry about with us"-</i>-Oscar Wilde</b><br />
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Still mourning Mom, who died March 28th. Every night I do what she did--knit and watch the Yankees play. Mom (Ellie) always asked me to design a simple sweater or lace scarf for her. And Mom told me that I should make knitting my job, due to the lack of employment since December. So I am but still looking for a technical trainer/instructional designer position.<br />
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Right after I lost Mom, I decided to design a lace scarf...Love Ellie Scarf. The lace pattern I created, didn't grab it from a stitch pattern reference book. Designing lace stitch patterns is fun. Yeah, ssk and k2tog are used as drawing lines. Here's a picture of Love Ellie Scarf. Haven't finished it yet, due to other design shit that I'm doing.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKm78nn8T2B5jt_nNUv-RJNQ69FwehVquIIE6EfrdNhuZ-WuvwsKDpWkAlkF_o8_0kJXPvD_IbWY5gZMkQLCkgY93jMzs4wEHSpij5RpMDHCcBee0Bn4IKuRESbUfOm0_gARND/s1600/EllieLove.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKm78nn8T2B5jt_nNUv-RJNQ69FwehVquIIE6EfrdNhuZ-WuvwsKDpWkAlkF_o8_0kJXPvD_IbWY5gZMkQLCkgY93jMzs4wEHSpij5RpMDHCcBee0Bn4IKuRESbUfOm0_gARND/s1600/EllieLove.jpg" height="194" width="320" /></a></div>
Lace addict...yeah, I am. Many of my knitting pals are too. Am about to design Fair Isle socks.<br />
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WEBS 40th Anniversary!</h2>
Was going up to Vermont last week via Route 91 and I stopped at <a href="http://www.yarn.com/" target="_blank">WEBS</a>, which is in Northampton MA, a lovely town. Now WEBS is not easy to find, although having been there before, knew that I had to turn right by the big blue ATM.<br />
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Here's a picture of the WEBS retail store, which is cool! Back in 1974, WEBS started. Even though I had started knitting, had never heard of the place until many years later. When Jimmy, my late husband, and I went up to New Hampshire in the late '90s, he took me to WEBS. I had seen them at Stitches and desired to go to the store.<br />
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Yeah, it's a big storage building, with a ton of exciting yarn. Two years ago I made a video of my visit to WEBS and here's the<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCubF0fwdJE" target="_blank"> link</a> on YouTube.<br />
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<b>My Dear Dob</b></h2>
Going to Vermont to see my dear best friend, Dottie Melcher, at her mother's gorgeous house in South Hero, was wonderful. Dottie and I have been friends since we were in 4th grade. Yes, that many years. She was a talented artist and I was a writer when we were kids. When John Lennon published his book, "In His Own Write," we played with his writing and made up these nicknames for each other. Dottie became Dob, I became Marsh, and our friend Peggy, Pegret. We still call each other these nicknames. HA!!!!<br />
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Here's Dob and Marsh.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXKjrtu2JBOvoCwFirmWPeqQBmdGDtFlbN0mNgpArzTp-3MUYQAU8t83NL1r43UXdAONfkqqK3khIh-k_Nc6IvQL6VIaMVMOdbQ9aKD_fXLkmQMeT2cbV3-EycTfWdi81lQwx/s1600/MeAndDottie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXKjrtu2JBOvoCwFirmWPeqQBmdGDtFlbN0mNgpArzTp-3MUYQAU8t83NL1r43UXdAONfkqqK3khIh-k_Nc6IvQL6VIaMVMOdbQ9aKD_fXLkmQMeT2cbV3-EycTfWdi81lQwx/s1600/MeAndDottie.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
Dottie is knitting! On a knitting loom. And is making nice lace gloves, caps, and other stuff. I gave her a pile of my yarn stash that I didn't plan on using. A pile of KnitPicks Palette yarn. A week from this coming weekend, there is a Montclair High School reunion for all classes. She's coming down from Massachusetts to stay with Marsh!<br />
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Blogging Memory</h2>
As of July 25, The Knitting Curmudgeon blog will be 12 years old. Back in the late 90s, I had designed a website using AOL's Member Site deal. That was the original Knitting Curmudgeon joint. My husband Jimmy had a book called "The Curmudgeon" that he loved, so I decided that Knitting Curmudgeon was me.<br />
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Take care, my dear Tonstant Weaders...yeah, still a Dorothy Parker lover.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00285597626042261061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3662226.post-31172159222260354252014-06-25T16:05:00.000-04:002014-06-25T17:48:50.812-04:00Aran Sweaters Love Increased..by The Clancy Brothers<h2>
Best Quote I Heard All Day</h2>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><i>We have always found the Irish a bit odd. They refuse to be English."--Winston Churchill</i></span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br></span><br>
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Yes, always loved The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem. Back when I was a teenager, playing my guitar and singing folk music songs, fell in love with my late husband Jimmy Roberts. We both sang together. And the first sweater I ever knit was a Spinnerin Aran sweater design, making it for Jimmy. Didn't know that I had to measure his arms and chest, so it didn't fit him. Gave it to my Uncle Pete. As a novice knitter, loved making the cables and the Aran texture stitches. Here's the Clancys and Makem on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w97uEToBzJ4" target="_blank">YouTube</a>.<br>
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So now, I am designing an Aran sweater that I will submit to a magazine, which is why I won't display its swatch. But I just designed a pair of Aran socks that I entitled "Slainte! Socks". Slainte is an Irish Gaelic toast--Health! I just photographed them for my directions layout, which I'll put up on Ravelry for 5 bucks. It's not going to be Fiberality Designs anymore. My friends on Facebook told me I gotta make it The Knitting Curmudgeon Designs since people recognize me via my nickname.<br>
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My sweetheart granddaughter Liz gave me this mannequin when she worked at a teen clothing store at our local mall. They were going to throw the mannequin away so Liz took it home. And I got it! Put pants on it too. Liz used to be my sock model and I wish she'd still do that. Her girlfriend, Sammie, who is a college fiber major, can be my model perhaps.<br>
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Yeah, short post today. I'm writing an essay for Interweave Knits's Ravelings on the last page that I'll submit soon. Back in 2007, had one written and published there. And designing for a Knitty.com submission, a Vogue Knitting submission, and a Knitter's submission.<br>
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Due to the lack of a tech writer/trainer job, I ain't gonna sit at home doing nothing. Am also available for knitting directions editing. Take care my dear reader skanks. I'll be posting again soon.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00285597626042261061noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3662226.post-83944497637133902002014-06-12T17:38:00.002-04:002014-06-12T17:51:35.737-04:00Knitlist 1997 History<h2>
Best Quote I Heard All Day</h2>
<i><b>The innocent sleep, Sleep that knits up the ravelled sleave of care...</b></i>--Shakespeare<br />
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Dreaming of knitting? Nah! A long time ago, back in 1997, my first sock design was given to my friends on Knitlist's <a href="http://www.woolworks.org/gifts97.html" target="_blank">Christmas gift exchange</a>.<br />
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Lately, I've been thinking about my online knitting beginning, when I was using AOL, like everyone did to get onto the internet. The Knitlist was an e-mail knitting group, with a pile of wonderful knitters. Back in 1997, pictures and graphics could not be added to your e-mail. So when I donated my sock design that I called Leaves of Grass, there was no picture of it. Everyone on Knitlist loved using the free patterns, although they had to trust the directions because there were no pictures of the designs. I put it up on Ravelry, when I redesigned it using <a href="http://www.blackbunnyfibers.com/" target="_blank">Black Bunny Fibers</a> Merino Silk sock yarn, owned by my friend Carol Sulcoski, who wasn't on the Knitlist, along with the rest of my current knitting friends, other than Chris Erickson. Chris became my good pal on Knit List.<br />
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Here's a picture of my first sock design, Leaves of Grass. It's free on Ravelry. If you want it, click <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/leaves-of-grass-anklet-socks" target="_blank">HERE!</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXY-1sUjhkvypU2LagZAYwO3tWj94ddBlQh4pSNRXIwxbZDVPksdIK-t60K-8fWEAPdmYgG7VYI28Ed2ji8uuJuPCEOvMzjXDXmRRrmh172TXQETzOmeWD5vzqRt043YCZJWr6/s1600/WillLeavesPicture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXY-1sUjhkvypU2LagZAYwO3tWj94ddBlQh4pSNRXIwxbZDVPksdIK-t60K-8fWEAPdmYgG7VYI28Ed2ji8uuJuPCEOvMzjXDXmRRrmh172TXQETzOmeWD5vzqRt043YCZJWr6/s1600/WillLeavesPicture.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
Now below is what I wrote on my first sock design directions. And at the bottom was The Knitting Curmudgeon AOL Member site that I designed...and that's the origin of The Knitting Curmudgeon. Obviously, that site doesn't exist anymore. But lots of my site readers showed up here when I began blogging as The Knitting Curmudgeon back in July 2002.<br />
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Date: Sun, 5 Oct 1997 14:03:36 -0400 (EDT)<br />
From: MarRoberts@aol.com<br />
To: Knit@bolis.com<br />
Subject: KNIT: Leaves of Grass gift socks
<br />
Hi knittistes :-)<br />I figured it was time I contributed to the 1997 Knit List Christmas Gift<br />The color choice here directly influenced the sock design--it's a pale green<br />BW's Second Treasury produced the stitch pattern that I wanted--overlapping<br />I love a lacy eyelet stitch that looks a lot more complex than it actually<br />Marilyn in NJ<br />
<br />
patterns, so I thought I'd donate my latest sock pattern. It's a light and<br />
airy little anklet with a lacy double overlapping leaves instep panel. I used<br />
Socka Cotton Color, 53% cotton, 32% wool and 15% "polyamide", which I've<br />
always assumed to be the European way of saying "rayon."
<br />
with subtle aqua and purple flecks in it. I immediately thought of leaves<br />
shimmering in the sunlight, and I would suggest using the same yarn for the<br />
same results. Or, at least use a pleasing shade of green.
<br />
leaves with the stems outlined in yo's. And with an 8-round repeat, it was<br />
quickly memorized and easily executed. I altered BW's pattern a bit so that<br />
the original flat WS rows would work in the round and I adjusted the pattern<br />
to fit into my 32-stitch instep requirement.
<br />
is. You need to do about 3 pattern repeats before you see the overlapping<br />
leaves develop. But once you start, it's like eating peanuts. Have fun making<br />
these socks--I'm giving a pair to my sister for Christmas, so maybe now<br />
she'll shut up for once.
<br />
marroberts@aol.com <br />
THE KNITTING CURMUDGEON: http:/members.aol.com/marroberts/index.html</div>
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Miss the Knitlist. If you were on it, leave me a comment here. On Facebook, I am a member of a knitting group.<!--3--><br />
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So I'll be posting again this weekend. Back to writing constantly now. Take care, my Tonstant Weaders. Ain't a pissed-off curmudgeon much anymore. :-)</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00285597626042261061noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3662226.post-15437732624923940502014-06-08T15:44:00.001-04:002014-06-08T16:53:27.144-04:00The Knitting Curmudgeon...Yeah, Designs <h2>
<b>Best Quote I Heard All Day</b></h2>
<br />
<i><b>“To me, the raveled sleeve of care is never more painlessly knitted up than in an evening alone in a chair snug yet copious, with a good light and an easily held little volume sloppily printed and bound in inexpensive paper."</b></i>--Dorothy Parker<br />
<br />
Yes, my beloved writer was a knitter too! When Dorothy Parker lived in New Hope, PA, she knit constantly. This quote was part of one of her book reviews back in 1959...<br />
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Book review Of Ellery Queen: The New York Murders. </h1>
<h3>
<b>Knitting Curmudgeon Designs</b></h3>
<div>
Yes, Fiberality Designs is going away. My Facebook friends told me to use Knitting Curmudgeon because that's my other name. Using Marilyn Roberts's Designs ain't useful either. When I meet knitters and tell them I'm The Knitting Curmudgeon, they know who the fuck I am. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Now that I haven't yet gotten a job as a technical trainer, instructional designer, or technical writer, I gotta make knitting designing my career. Sitting at home in my apartment and not going to work makes me saddened. I designed a pile of socks and now am about to swatch Koigu Kristi for a sweater design. Designing socks is fast because I can knit the sock design in a few days. Now it's time to design bigger shit!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-yCJYHau5Py2DSABch9xe34mFuRMcXrHgEmNTgPWVSOnoLh8qceihAQRGEKwQCroJFqBOy8jfyMiqfPpaN8C4p-7hyphenhyphen1OWMJd4rl3MkZZdPkFo8y9cyVDybR8ZmXbsd4LtDQCz/s1600/photo-4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-yCJYHau5Py2DSABch9xe34mFuRMcXrHgEmNTgPWVSOnoLh8qceihAQRGEKwQCroJFqBOy8jfyMiqfPpaN8C4p-7hyphenhyphen1OWMJd4rl3MkZZdPkFo8y9cyVDybR8ZmXbsd4LtDQCz/s1600/photo-4.jpeg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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Sitting out on my deck, working on my knitting designs, is wonderful! This is a lace stole that my daughter Jennifer wants, so it's going up on Ravelry. The lace yarn is beautiful. It''s <a href="http://www.yarn.com/webs-knitting-crochet-yarns-juniper-moon-farm/juniper-moon-farm-findley/?gclid=CjkKEQjwk9CcBRDEopHmnZa5td8BEiQAr2BckI68jHygTUSnXJfxkR5eL9OPyhvw6ND78kLREgKY6vvw_wcB" target="_blank">Juniper Moon Farm Findley</a>, 50% Merino wool/50% silk. And the color is 30 Lilac. Yeah, I'm a purple addict! But my current sock design is done in a canary yellow. As soon as I get the designs' directions completed, am going to upload many of them on Ravelry. Gotta make some money. Miss my knitting Mom. Jeez, I miss her terribly. And pray, hoping her spirit hears me. Watching the Yankees play and knitting is the activity we shared. I cry while watching the Yanks.<br />
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<h3>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Steekin' Geek News</span></h3>
<h4>
<u>Smartphone Knitting Apps</u></h4>
Last week I promised to write about knitting apps for your smartphones. I've owned a Samsung Galaxy that broke last December, so I bought an Apple iPhone. Galaxy system is Android, and iPhone is iPhone.<br />
<br />
So the Android knitting app I placed on my Galaxy was only County Plus, a digital stitch counter. And because it's not available for iPhones, I got iStitchCounter for free. The major fuckup you get using the digital counters is accidentally touching the counter and screwing up the count. However, when you're knitting socks on double-pointed needles, you can't stick a needle counter on them, so getting a digital counter on your smartphone is helpful.<br />
<br />
On my iPhone, I also placed Knitting Chart Maker so if my brain hit me with a stitch pattern away from home, can chart it using this app. Have only used it once. The current version is very limited. Not a lot of symbols and you can't create yours. There are other chart apps, which I haven't used and won't.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/about/apps" target="_blank">Ravulous</a>, an Android app that I had, is helpful if you wanna do some stuff on Ravelry via your smart phone. Wish I had it for my iPhone but am going to buy Wooly for $.99.<br />
<br />
Also have Knit Handy, knitCompanion, and Knit Counter <i>Lite </i>on my iPhone. These are my favorite smartphone apps. Knit Handy, created from Ann Budd's <i>The Knitter's Handy Guide to Yarn Requirements</i>, is outstanding. And knitCompanion I use primarily on my iPad.<br />
<br />
So do the "knitting" search for your Android or iPhone operating systems. Frankly, I tend to use knitting apps to my iPad rather than my phone. And yes, my "You Can Knit!" book is interactive, but you can get it for your iPhone. Why anyone would want to read it on an iPhone is beyond my opinion. Reading on a smartphone means ya better have damned good eyesight.<br />
<br />
<h4>
<u>KnitVisualizer Lack of Upgrade</u></h4>
I decided to write to Nancy, the owner and developer of KnitVisualizer, due to the problem I now have with the app on my Apple MacBook. Here's what I wrote to her:<br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">KnitVisualizer has never been updated since 2008. Mac OS X 10.6.8 won't let me create a new chart or work on an old one. When are you going to update the app? Although I own two other knitting chart apps, KnitVisualizer had always been my favorite. It works fine on my PC, Windows 7.</span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: small;"> She hasn't been able to upgrade her app due to her full-time job and her kids who don't give her sufficient time to work on KnitVisualizer. Having worked with developers for years, I know that it's tough time to spend; however, when you're selling an app, it's important to upgrade it. KnitVisualizer not only needs to function on Mac OS X but she should add a few more features. I'm going suggest those to her. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: small;">OK, that's it for this week. Am happy that I'm back to blogging regularly. And will start writing an article for one of the knitting mags. Ain't retired. Take care, my sweet skanks!</span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00285597626042261061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3662226.post-44651993455627166142014-06-01T13:30:00.000-04:002014-06-01T13:30:59.702-04:00Knitting Pro...or Knitting Prop?<h2>
<b>Best Quote I Heard All Day</b></h2>
<br />
<a class="leftAlignedImage" href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3503.Maya_Angelou" style="color: #666600; float: left; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-right: 10px; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="Maya Angelou" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1379017377p2/3503.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" /></a><br />
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<b><i>“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” --Maya Angelou</i></b></div>
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Saddened that we lost this wonderful writer. And now that I'm not getting a tech writer or trainer job, have decided to return to knitting as my fucking career. Writing has been my lifetime love, along with knitting. Having written that novice knitter's interactive book, <a href="http://betterbook.inkling.com/book/you-can-knit" target="_blank">You Can Knit! A Better Way to Learn Knitting Basics</a>, two years ago, was the career I always desired.<br />
<br />
So what's my next book? I have a couple of ideas. Would like to do a stitch pattern book that contains leaf and flower stitch patterns. This I can do on my own, along with Sock It To Me, my sock designs that will be sold on Ravelry.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Knitting Poetry and Therapy</h3>
When I was 6 years old, having learned how to read, my Oma bought me a wonderful poetry book. So reading the writing rhythm, I began writing poems. And always gave them to Mom, who saved them and gave them to me a few years ago. I put one up on Facebook this past Thursday. And when Maya Angelou died, I thought it would be fun to write poetry again...yeah, poems about knitting.<br />
<br />
Saw Paul McCartney on TV last night on a Billy Joel show, singing "Let It Be." <br />
My lyrics..."Let it knit, let it knit, whisper words of charting, let it knit. There will be a shortrow, let it knit." Heh heh!<br />
<br />
Knitting was my career back in the '80s as a knitting editor and I'd love to go back to the knitting publication industry. During depression, my knitting made me feel human. And designing is comforting because I enjoy creativity. A friend of mine is suffering from severe depression and she's a knitter too. Having told her to get on medication, I hope that she continues to knit because it keeps your mental sadness out of your brain to some degree.<br />
<br />
Writing and knitting are my therapies, along with spinning. And hanging out with my knitting friends.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Jezebel Socks Soon</h3>
Finally getting my sock designs' directions finished. I edit my own writing because I know how to do that properly. When you write directions, don't read them again for a week. Once your brain has dropped what you wrote, you'll read the directions as if they weren't yours and make the proper edits.<br />
<br />
So here's a picture. Yeah, stuck my foot on top of my PC laptop. The stitch pattern is a lace ribbing and the yarn is Madelinetosh Merino Light.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhInnsXlxs5R1droy5R0_44Z6CJyH5Y3TfrwF8K3epztx5Cjs542SZxcwGahaR0wtBkhUIsnf_bnYt6Kkyb84a6m6QUHSIJFo8A5MQppQEoC-HZVB2PgRBzWbGP64HoSpb4ZuVL/s1600/Jezsocksample.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhInnsXlxs5R1droy5R0_44Z6CJyH5Y3TfrwF8K3epztx5Cjs542SZxcwGahaR0wtBkhUIsnf_bnYt6Kkyb84a6m6QUHSIJFo8A5MQppQEoC-HZVB2PgRBzWbGP64HoSpb4ZuVL/s1600/Jezsocksample.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
The next design I've written is an Aran pullover that I'll submit to a magazine. Yes, I know which mag it's gonna go to but will let you know when it's accepted.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Here Comes Fiberality Designs</h3>
Now that I've decided to be a knitting pro, my Ravelry page for my designs will be Fiberality Designs, which I set up a couple of years ago and only put up four designs, two of which are free. The freebies have been downloaded in hundreds but the two for sale...only one has sold. So gotta buy ads, I presume. And perhaps set up a Facebook page. Tell me what you think! I depend on my readers for their opinions. No, ain't a curmudgeon much any more.<br />
<br />
A bunch of my Facebook friends are knitting celebrities, some of whom I know in person. And now that I'm going back to knitting as a career, they'd better support me. Probably won't, even though I have always supported them. I never ask knitting celebs to be my friend on Facebook. The ones who are my friends there asked me to be their friend. So once I set up Fiberality Designs on Facebook, they fucking better help me. I've been a knitter a lot longer than they have, due to my age.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Knitcurmudgeon Anniversary</h3>
My God! It's gonna be 12 years on July 25. I was one of the first knitting bloggers back then. So on the anniversary date, I will put up a free design for my readers. Next week, I'll be The Steekin' Geek for you, letting you know about smartphone knitting apps that are worthwhile. I've owned an Android phone and now have an iPhone, so will discuss both for ya!<br />
<br />
Take care, my dear skanks! I'm happier now and hope you are too. Knitting in the summer is just as nice as in the cold weather.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00285597626042261061noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3662226.post-10211864383836680472014-05-15T15:34:00.000-04:002014-05-15T15:34:42.009-04:00Swatch It To YA!<h2>
Best Quote I Heard All Day</h2>
<i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">“Properly practiced, knitting soothes the troubled spirit, and it doesn't hurt the untroubled spirit either.”</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"> --Elizabeth Zimmerman</span></b></i><br />
<br />
Even though I am not working as a technical writer, technical trainer, or instructional designer, my beloved EZ quote is always in my heart. Yes, am constantly knitting and only my own designs. You'll be seeing them up on Ravelry as soon as I finish editing my own directions.<br />
<br />
Back in 2003, I wrote an article for Knitty.com when it was initially online. Yeah, <a href="http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEspring03/FEATswatchout.html" target="_blank">Swatch Out!</a> Now it's time for me to submit my designs and some articles to the magazines. In 2007 I wrote three for Interweave Knits--the best was my interview with Kristin Nicholas. Love doing interviews and I know who the next knitting celeb would be. Ain't gonna tell you who because that person probably reads my blog.<br />
<br />
<h2>
Swatch Batch</h2>
I'm totally addicted to lace and my latest design crap is going to be a stole. Daughter Jennifer and I went down to New Hope, PA, where <a href="http://queerjoe.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">QueerJoe</a> lives. Jenn bought a gorgeous purple dress and I have this wonderful lace yarn, <a href="http://www.yarn.com/webs-knitting-crochet-yarns-juniper-moon-farm/juniper-moon-farm-findley/" target="_blank">Juniper Moon Farm Findley</a>, which ain't cheap but is 50% Merino/50% silk.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIap3TCet9HVz6K-EVCGwhAFWVfJYJ_ksaJPHENY8vMjY5N3cFkcp-TOQ0gnAnT4XuugCBdfWsqbuwxiUPnr1Y-9sSEHvKsgAk8ujINQ2aWJYjb7_xg2O7xzsTQ0JVXQBVXbC5/s1600/jezebelstoleswatch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIap3TCet9HVz6K-EVCGwhAFWVfJYJ_ksaJPHENY8vMjY5N3cFkcp-TOQ0gnAnT4XuugCBdfWsqbuwxiUPnr1Y-9sSEHvKsgAk8ujINQ2aWJYjb7_xg2O7xzsTQ0JVXQBVXbC5/s1600/jezebelstoleswatch.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
Here's the swatch, prior to blocking.<br />
<br />
Next designs are going to be an Aran pullover with Cascade 220 and a lacy cardigan with Koigu Kersti. This shit keeps me busy, although I'll be happy to go back working in IT.<br />
<br />
<h2>
New Knitting Chart App</h2>
I finally got the <a href="http://www.stitchmastery.com/" target="_blank">StitchMastery</a> trial on my Toshiba PC laptop. Yeah, your Steekin' Geek also owns a MacBook, which I am using now.<br />
<br />
StitchMastery is excellent. What pisses me off is that KnitVisualizer has not been upgraded since 2008. Version 2.1 is it. When I upgraded my Mac OS recently, my KnitVisualizer no longer worked. The app opens but you can't create a new chart. The stitch palette is displayed on the left side, not the right side where it used to show up. So Intwined Studio is all I can use on my MacBook.<br />
<br />
My late Mom's will is giving me some bucks. Gonna buy a new MacBook. And dump my lousy Toshiba PC laptop, which doesn't have a lot of room on it.<br />
<br />
So that's it, skanks! I've not had much to write about recently but will be back here next week.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00285597626042261061noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3662226.post-57240257177679621212014-04-27T13:04:00.000-04:002014-04-27T13:04:23.462-04:00No Lazy Lacing, Designed Lace Stitch Pattern--"Ellie's Heart"<h2>
Best Quote I Heard All Day </h2>
<b><i>"Count your age by friends, not years. Count your life by smiles, not tears.”--John Lennon
</i></b><br />
<br />
When John published "In His Own Write" back in 1964, my best girlfriend Dottie and I were inspired. We were both huge Beatle fans and John was our love. "Love Is All You Need" indeed! Dottie was a wonderful artist...still is, and I was already a writer, having had a short story published on our Junior High literary magazine.<br />
<br />
This past Friday was my birthday and I have plenty of friends; however, I ain't as young as the number of them. Spent my birthday knitting...of course.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Designing Lace On Your Own</h3>
Although there's no knitting technique I've never done, lace is my happiness. Have designed a pile of lace socks and scarves, which eventually I'll put up on Ravelry. But on my birthday, decided that I wanted to create my own lace stitch pattern, not grabbing something from one of my many stitch pattern reference books.<br />
<br />
And because Mom has been in my heart constantly, due to her death a month ago, I decided that I would create a lace stitch pattern that Mom would have knitted. I can teach ya how to create your own lace stitch patterns! Would love to teach at Vogue Knitting Live or Stitches. Have been a tech trainer for a long time and know how to help folks learn.<br />
<br />
So I began designing this lace stitch pattern on a chart app and its title is "Ellie's Heart" because Mom was Eleanor aka Ellie. Here's the swatch. Yeah, it's hard to see the actual design but as you knit it, you can adjust the design.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWmTZ4b2EyZI539ouackhoaFxGiZqQhDq2E9acbzqL0iP7PixP2GeSWBjx4hA9AFXNrVoUUeHT7XWaUDdpgOQzOZaejArzJoMGjB_HUMNxbgpbzSvnXAKflDUFNqrOtbHVReG2/s1600/Ellies+Heart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWmTZ4b2EyZI539ouackhoaFxGiZqQhDq2E9acbzqL0iP7PixP2GeSWBjx4hA9AFXNrVoUUeHT7XWaUDdpgOQzOZaejArzJoMGjB_HUMNxbgpbzSvnXAKflDUFNqrOtbHVReG2/s1600/Ellies+Heart.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
Stuck it on my lamp shade, using my IPhone camera. Obviously, this swatch helped me make numerous adjustments to the heart. The swatch has two pattern repeats so I could fix the area between the two repeats. That big diamond at the bottom had no yarnovers, so I added some. Don't want a big stockinette stitch section. The swatch is done on lace yarn but I will probably use fingering or sport weight and dump it into a cardigan design. Blocking is upcoming.<br />
<br />
<h3>
F'ing Knitting Career</h3>
Mom always told me that I should consider my knitting designing and knitting article writing as a career once I retire. Yeah, that's a good idea. I'm a technical writer and trainer and have been searching for a job but companies rarely hire you as a full-time employee...just want ya for a project that might last a few months.<br />
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I do knitting editing lately for designers and wish I could go back doing that on a mag. Lately, I've bought my three favorites--Vogue Knitting, Knitter's, and Interweave Knits. All of their springtime issues have been wonderful. A long time ago, I bitched about their photography and layouts but these days the mags are 100% improved.<br />
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My only criticism is that these magazines need more articles--techniques and articles about designers, fibers, and other knitting/crochet items. Yeah, you buy the mags for patterns but it's nice to read shit. Back in 2007 for Interweave Knits, I wrote an interview I did with Kristin Nicholas and they had me write a short article about Ravelry, which was in its beta setup. I also wrote a Raveling piece too. And one of my first sock designs was given to Knitty.com when it first started. Haven't published anything since then. Just my interactive book, <a href="http://betterbook.inkling.com/book/you-can-knit" target="_blank">"You Can Knit! A Better Way to Learn Knitting Basics."</a><br />
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Well, it's Sunday and time to beat feet from blogger. Happy to be back here writing.<br />
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See ya, skanks! So many of you have become my friends. And I hope I can go to MD Sheep & Wool next weekend. If I do, the next blog post will be about my trip.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00285597626042261061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3662226.post-8648914189378799942014-04-18T11:54:00.001-04:002014-04-18T12:01:55.475-04:00Ellie, My Knitting Mommy<br />
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Best Quote I Heard All Day</h2>
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<i>"Properly practiced, knitting soothes the troubled spirit, and it doesn't hurt the untroubled spirit either." </i></div>
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-- Elizabeth Zimmermann</div>
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Yes, it's been months since I've blogged. Why? Primarily because my mother Ellie was failing and I spent time with her. Many of my readers remember me writing about Ellie a lot! So here's why I'm writing about her again. Finally.</div>
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So Long, Mommy!</h3>
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Mom died last month, March 28th, on her own mother's birthday date! And at 90. Here she is on her 90th birthday last August. Looked great!</div>
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Back in 1957, Ellie taught little Marilyn how to knit. Why? Because little Marilyn loved to fuck around with her mother's knitting markers, due to their colors. We lived in Montclair, New Jersey, where Mom still lived until she passed away.</div>
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So Mom dragged me to Upper Montclair's 5&10, buying me Red Heart multi-colored yarn and a pair of Boye aluminum #8 needles. Told me I could make myself a scarf. She cast on stitches for me and showed me how to insert the needle to make a knit stitch. "Do this to all the loops, dear. Until you reach the end. And I'll show you how to make more stitches!" Yeah, I remember what she said.</div>
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I was excited! And loved to see the colors change as I made new stitches. She sat with me and hugged me. "When you finish this, I will show you how to make the other kind of stitch, sweetie. It's called a purl stitch." And she did.</div>
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By the time I finished my little scarf, Mom started showing me how to cross-stitch. So by the time I was 8 years old, could knit and sew. Here I am with her at 8, with my brother Rich too.</div>
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Stopped knitting until I graduated from high school. And Ellie wasn't knitting either, doing needlework. But once I had my two daughters in the early '70s, we both knit for them. And Mom showed me how to cast on again because I had no knitting books then.</div>
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Here we are last year, knitting together. All my Facebook friends have seen this picture. I love it.</div>
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EZ's quote above is so true. Yeah, still knitting madly, sans Ellie. And still crying for my Mommy loss; however, she saw my recent knitting the day before she died. And loved it, although was too sunk to knit in the hospital. My sister is donating all of Mom's knitting needles and yarn to her church's knitting group. Blessed.<br />
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<h3>
Recent Design Shit</h3>
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Yeah, I'm not working still but am designing. Gonna create an e-book called "Sock It To You!" that will contain a pile of my sock designs.</div>
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The book will have socks done in lace, textures, Fair Isle, and more. I'll put it up on Ravelry for sale. I've designed Gansey and Aran socks too. My last post has pictures of two designs that are going to be in the book. Go, Go Gansey socks and Tweetly Dee socks. Was going to put them up on Ravelry but due to Mom's illness, didn't finish the directions. All the book's designs will be available individually too.</div>
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Take care, my beloved skanks. I'll be back writing again. Mom loved my book and I know that she'd be concerned that I stopped writing due to her death. Next week is my birthday.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00285597626042261061noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3662226.post-33303128964388566062014-01-20T17:44:00.004-05:002014-01-20T18:00:32.251-05:00Vogue Knitting Love!<h3>
Best Quote I Heard All Day</h3>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><i>“Really, all you need to become a good knitter are wool, needles, hands, and slightly below-average intelligence. Of course superior intelligence, such as yours and mine, is an advantage.” --Elizabeth Zimmermann</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">Curmudge Love!</span></span></h2>
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">EZ's quote was what I took into my brain, way back when. Back in 1973, when I was working as a psychiatric technician at Overbrook Hospital, the largest county mental institution in the U.S., my head nurse, Florence, was a knitter, and she pushed me back into my childhood knitting, starting with a garter stitch afghan. My first sweater was a Spinnerin Aran. But now, knitters have wonderful events. Vogue Knitting Live, Stitches, and Interweave Knits Lab. I taught myself and pushed my ass to be an expert knitter by 1983, when I was hired as the Assistant Knitting/Crochet Editor at McCall's Needlework & Crafts magazine, the major knitting mag then.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">So when <a href="https://www.vogueknittinglive.com/ehome/index.php?eventid=45793&" target="_blank">Vogue Knitting Live </a>(VKL) in New York City started, I went and had a great time!</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh48MEd9s9lQVscY3IVOiyQf0Mti0d00wD_1HqInOm0dEmnk3hMJVjokh6hY8tbQNZa_qbowjRYLbNtEStu-F2x9B0OYXXeLRH1yGSVOMWp6zhwiiJqhMSZ3e1pXcN4NIySd06S/s1600/vkl1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh48MEd9s9lQVscY3IVOiyQf0Mti0d00wD_1HqInOm0dEmnk3hMJVjokh6hY8tbQNZa_qbowjRYLbNtEStu-F2x9B0OYXXeLRH1yGSVOMWp6zhwiiJqhMSZ3e1pXcN4NIySd06S/s1600/vkl1.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">It was at the NY Hilton but now it's at the Marriott on Broadway near Times Square.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDKwWVHCsMgD-ct3gU9iRR4N7RPOz_j1C9C31GoUpi1Ff8IrTWJyrEh2u-u_mpDTi523PJ_RKRmXhy4AaMrcBAabCDfJVhXVOcBbUTbd3osb3RIWAd3pGq8YagXHGDGrI99kQH/s1600/vkl4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDKwWVHCsMgD-ct3gU9iRR4N7RPOz_j1C9C31GoUpi1Ff8IrTWJyrEh2u-u_mpDTi523PJ_RKRmXhy4AaMrcBAabCDfJVhXVOcBbUTbd3osb3RIWAd3pGq8YagXHGDGrI99kQH/s1600/vkl4.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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Yeah, I still go, although I don't take classes. But the VKL Marketplace is fab! The <a href="https://www.vogueknittinglive.com/ehome/66410/vendors/" target="_blank">vendors</a> there include the top NYC yarn joints--Habu Textiles, School Products Yarn (the oldest NYC yarn shop, and String Yarn. And tons of other incredible yarn shops and companies. One of my faves is <a href="http://www.neighborhoodfiberco.com/" target="_blank">Neighborhood Fiber Co</a>. and they're there. I'm doing a design for them now.<br />
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As far as the classes are concerned, the <a href="https://www.vogueknittinglive.com/ehome/66410/classes/" target="_blank">instructors</a> are top teachers. Even though I don't take classes, I always tell beginners to take their asses to VKL. In my novice book, "You Can Knit!", VKL was the first event I placed in the book's Reference chapter.<br />
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And there are fashion shows too. I watched the <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Rowan and Schachenmayr </span>Fashion Show. Cool.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTrkmbBN2W3WhRstZpSTeDw6eXVjIdbI9maHMDQb-7kUcJvtVc8LHaTULGbo09mnotzNnVsKxwfJ9gTIdb1D3UINPspKiThePEaES5aeTZ4QFGlJoIRBCqgYUe5mA4ZlrVpdBr/s1600/vkl3rowanfashion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTrkmbBN2W3WhRstZpSTeDw6eXVjIdbI9maHMDQb-7kUcJvtVc8LHaTULGbo09mnotzNnVsKxwfJ9gTIdb1D3UINPspKiThePEaES5aeTZ4QFGlJoIRBCqgYUe5mA4ZlrVpdBr/s1600/vkl3rowanfashion.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></blockquote>
Knitting and crocheting art? Yes! This was artwork created by <a href="http://www.ashleyvblalock.com/" target="_blank">Ashley V. Blalock</a>. The picture I took doesn't really show you how huge this lace piece is. But it's enormous. Check out her website.<br />
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So if you live out West, there's gonna be a <a href="http://www.vogueknittinglive.com/ehome/66411" target="_blank">VKL in Seattle</a> March 14-16. Go!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>My Fiberality Designs</b></span><br />
Yes, I'm not working again. As an IT Technical Writer and Trainer, gotta get contract jobs. And ain't got much money so I've decided to start selling my knitting designs, up on Ravelry. Here are the two that I'm putting up this week: Go, Go Gansey Socks. I made the picture big so you can see the stitch patterns easier.<br />
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Here's the TweetlyDee Socks.<br />
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Got a ton of sock designs that I have to photograph. Did these with my iPhone. The feet belong to my plastic mannequin.<br />
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I wish I could get a full-time job editing on a knitting magazine again. Being a magazine editor was wonderful work.<br />
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So take care, skanks! Have had two readers friend me on FaceBook. Lots of my FB friends are readers too. Next week, I'll be the Steekin' Geek again, telling you about smartphone knitting apps.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00285597626042261061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3662226.post-17057627970364104382014-01-11T16:11:00.006-05:002014-01-11T16:11:52.723-05:00Steekin' Geek Is Back!<h2>
Best Quote Heard All Day</h2>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><i>Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.--</i>Steve Jobs</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">I'm a senior technical writer and trainer, that's the money career. Not knitting. Way back in 1983 I was the Assistant Knitting Editor at McCall's Needlework & Crafts magazine. That's where I began my life as an editor and writer. Later on, in the '90s, computers hit the publishing industry, and me and my Art Director were the help desk peeps because we dealt with the magazine layout on PageMaker, one of the first magazine layout apps.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">So these days, we've got a pile of knitting apps. My first computer was an Mac Plus back in the '80s. Now I own a MacBook and a Toshiba PC laptop. So my first knitting app went on the Mac Plus, it was <a href="http://www.cochenille.com/" target="_blank">Cochenille Design</a>. I own a pile of knitting apps now but the charting apps are the ones that I use. Let's talk about them, skanks! I've given you the links so you can check each app's features. Read the user manuals that you can download for free. That will give you the info you need.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Charts Chasing</span></h2>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">I own three charting apps--<a href="http://www.knitfoundry.com/software.html" target="_blank">Knit Visualizer</a>,<a href="http://www.envisioknit.com/" target="_blank"> Envisioknit Design Studio</a>, and <a href="http://intwinedstudio.com/" target="_blank">Intwined Studio</a>. My original favorite charting app was <a href="http://www.knitfoundry.com/software.html" target="_blank">Knit Visualize</a>r, which I bought in 2008. Having used Microsoft Excel to do charts, I was pleased to get Knit Visualizer. However, it has never been updated, so it sucks. It also costs $185, available for Mac and PC. Too damned much money nowadays because Knit Foundry, the company that produces it, hasn't added upgrades. I created a chart in all three of these charting apps. This chart is just a dump of symbols, not a chart I've knitted. Just wanted to place symbols in a chart so you could see the same chart for each app. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Here's the Knit Visualizer version.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio6VXw12YA8dNPbLnuKaU3E8u_EpdkoKxIR1Yy6ugvFyLRuvTy8VcheN5Azw3-aTJeO4QS6sme_7Z77Yh1961ejV5RpMLxYvqARFH0PlZBOclAJtB3xr2hDn3olffN3Tup1bhE/s1600/Knitvis+Blog+chart.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio6VXw12YA8dNPbLnuKaU3E8u_EpdkoKxIR1Yy6ugvFyLRuvTy8VcheN5Azw3-aTJeO4QS6sme_7Z77Yh1961ejV5RpMLxYvqARFH0PlZBOclAJtB3xr2hDn3olffN3Tup1bhE/s1600/Knitvis+Blog+chart.png" height="640" width="288" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Here's the EnvisoKnits chart:</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho1g8r_UEWz277MduvAAhvlg9DM8eSYvRS7x4QBRZI6xRVxdKHZUQo1_kfzevSanU7HFZdk5c8k6kX7NtR9wjMRdJGriDJTsxXtfJqorhPAag83r3XXmGs_NNEt09HH0_zK9sX/s1600/Blog+EnvisoKnit+Chart.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho1g8r_UEWz277MduvAAhvlg9DM8eSYvRS7x4QBRZI6xRVxdKHZUQo1_kfzevSanU7HFZdk5c8k6kX7NtR9wjMRdJGriDJTsxXtfJqorhPAag83r3XXmGs_NNEt09HH0_zK9sX/s1600/Blog+EnvisoKnit+Chart.jpeg" height="626" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">And here's an Intwined Studio version:</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJPjHDD0nbLIBz16gLBDDd9987adFqDbb1P31-3g8SqF8ZGIkFJtnE9vB9hEYeJHNgZqyuByqlX39QEvLqc_lKoBDNU2_6iWPlb80VLWfG80l_-03UnivnPDWDZLWCAQEt_fzy/s1600/Blog+Intwined+Chart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJPjHDD0nbLIBz16gLBDDd9987adFqDbb1P31-3g8SqF8ZGIkFJtnE9vB9hEYeJHNgZqyuByqlX39QEvLqc_lKoBDNU2_6iWPlb80VLWfG80l_-03UnivnPDWDZLWCAQEt_fzy/s1600/Blog+Intwined+Chart.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQCqY58Frzr5Gls6d1URhE0TFovL_kvFAN47LA5oFdpTjETfaOS0_o0tWATSDiz1ZaBaHgWacnDwFSLSsRMxWZKCnmvA6Aqcf2JfqyRawVZM8cIsd6-Do-r4wc4DlcmizE4Y6y/s1600/Blog+Intwined+Chart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQCqY58Frzr5Gls6d1URhE0TFovL_kvFAN47LA5oFdpTjETfaOS0_o0tWATSDiz1ZaBaHgWacnDwFSLSsRMxWZKCnmvA6Aqcf2JfqyRawVZM8cIsd6-Do-r4wc4DlcmizE4Y6y/s1600/Blog+Intwined+Chart.jpg" height="320" width="159" /></a></div>
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These days, I use EnvisioKnit Design Studio or Intwined Pattern Studio. When you're creating a chart, your stitch symbols appear in a palette to the right of the chart. Intwined provides a "Stitches Used" tab on the palette, so when you're using a pile of symbols, you don't need to scroll down the palette constantly because your symbols are in this tab. Both EnvisioKnit and Knit Visualizer should add this to their apps.<br />
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Given all the features in these apps, you can download a demo for all of them. And there are other charting apps--<a href="http://www.stitchmastery.com/knitting-chart-editor/" target="_blank">Stitch Mastery</a>, <a href="http://www.knitbird.com/" target="_blank">KnitBird</a>, <a href="http://jacquie.typepad.com/Charts/knitChart.htm" target="_blank">Knitting Chart Maker by Jacquie</a> (an online app that's free!)and <a href="http://www.cochenille.com/stitch.html#demo" target="_blank">Cochenille Stitch Painter 3</a>.<br />
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So check 'em out by downloading the demos and the user manuals, which are freebies. If you own a Mac, you can't get EnvisioKnit Design Studio. That's something EnvisioKnit's developer, Jane, who I met down at MD Sheep & Wool two years ago when her app had just become on sale, should do.<br />
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I'm pissed off about Knit Visualizer's lack of upgrades. Last week, I upgraded my MacBook's OS and now my Knit Visualizer Mac version doesn't work. I own the PC Knit Visualizer.<br />
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There's a pile of apps for smartphones too. Just bought an iPhone because my Samsung Galaxy 3 broke. So I'm familiar with knitting phone apps too. Will let you know about those, eventually. I dumped the Steekin' Geek blog, so I'll be tech writing here. Not next week.<br />
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So long, skanks!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00285597626042261061noreply@blogger.com5