Now this could bust any STASH - bug cozy

This is an example of an obsession gone wild, or a great stash buster. I found the image on a website and wanted to share. Here's the SOURCE

I'm thinking a cotton superwash in bulky weight, wouldn't want to try it in a laceweight. Though a big shawl with an openlacework pattern would work. Could place a HUGE EYELET for the windshield. Could be a cute design element.

Public Knitting - Starting a movement?

A group called Masquerade has developed a new style of "tagging" its guerrilla style of public knitting that is evident in Alcapulco, Mexico, France, Italy, and Sweden. We need to start this in Portland, Oregon since its become a homebase of fiberarts.

Think about it. Perhaps we need to knit socks for mile posts or caps for speedbumps.

Masquerade members have embroidery tagging as well on subway seat cushions and similar public fabrics. My twitter post this morning includes links to more example photos on FLICKR

Knitting with Baby Fine Alpaca

I am almost finished with a second shawl using the Ishbel pattern . I chose a homespun babyfine 100% alpaca because it was soft and I am a tactile fiend. Of course I did not swatch and I did not research to discover if there were special attributes to this yarn choice.

As I knit, I noticed that the completed portion of the fabric tends to grow,and that the fiber has bloomed a bit under my hands. With belated curiosity I conducted a little google research.

Alpaca is a wondrous animal breed and grows an astonishingly soft and warm hair (or is it fur?). I doubt if everyone is as interested in the animal psychology and mating habits of alpaca, so I wont go into that aspect of my research. Here are links for two informative articles. http://tinyurl.com/l3o8fn is one written by Kelly and Bob Petkin from Knitpicks, and an Interweave article on the same topic http://tinyurl.com/n5lrvj

Alpaca is a lovely warm yarn, light and soft, almost as luxurious as cashmere. But Alpaca hasn't the crimp of wool and yarn made from it lacks elasticity. Alpaca knitted garments, I am informed, will stretch in length from their own weight so its likely a poor choice for heavier patterns, like cable. I am even dubious about the stockinette portion of my current projectI can only hope it will transform a bit during blocking because it seems to have a scrunched appearance, much less of a drape than the silk wool blend I used for this pattern previously. If used again, I will definitely choose an open, but less patterned, pattern. Maybe a simpler faggot, light and airy.

Another interesting fact is that the alpaca fiber is hollow, heavier than wool, and warmer than wool. My shawl, when done, will have a tendency to grow and will not be a summer garment but will be well suited to cold fall evenings.

The Alpaca animal is kinda cute, too. I include a picture copied from a blog about starting an Alpaca Farm. I live in a city which frowns on Alpaca herds within its limits, so this is not an option for my immediate future. Although, I did consider it very briefly.

Learning more about the fibers I use in my knitting helps to take my activity to a new level. I wonder if a smallish Alpaca would fit an urban backyard?

I jest. Honest, honey, I wouldn't.

Would be nice to have an endless supply of alpaca fiber. Hmm.

There is more to life than knitting - really there is

After spending in excess of eight hours knitting a shawl, I am knitting fatigued. Rose from bed at 5:00 am and found myself with a desire to hustle & bustle. I wanted to vacuum, clean-up, walk the dog, weed the garden, Suddenly I want the other me back; the one that rose early, walked for miles, loved intense spinning (bicycle, not yarn) classes.

Where did she go?

My husband mounted pictures all over the den of me at verious walking events: at the top of Mount Elinore tired and triumphant, crossing the marathon finish with a big smile, hugging my girl friend on a rain drenched hike in the Columbia Gorge. And one crossing a finish line that I almost didn't achieve. That one is my favorite. Although not attractive, its flattering in the way it shows off a tendency to tenacity. Tenacity is one of my few virtues, although some would prefer the term stubborn.

It was 2 and a half years ago I last walked in an event or went snowshoing and hiking. Over a year since I rode my bike. Several socks, sweaters, scarves, and shawls is what I have instead.

I am off to walk

Lana

A little lesson in the lace

Discovered what I am doing wrong in my lace knitting. It seems I wrap my yarn over stitch backwards from what most people do, then when I purl on the return row, I try to purl from the front leg of the yarn over stitch. Result is a twisted stitch with a smaller hole. I had questioned this many times, but had felt the resulting hole when I did it the other (the correct way) was too big.

I had to learn and be willing to open up my knitting and be more accepting of the holes. Once I started to do that my pattern became more discernible. SO now I wonder, do I start over or just continue in the new way and live with the resulting consequences of the past? A familiar dilemma.

The Politics of Knitting

I have had a few issues with typical knitting technique instructions. One has been their propensity for telling me that a twisted stitch is achieved by knitting through the back loop. More than half the time that is not true for me, I get a nice flat stitch when knitting through the back loop and a twisted one when knitting through the front loop. But not always. The key to my style is its consistent erratic nature; I can discern the method and the fabriced outcome meets the intent but the path of the work varies each time I pick up the sticks.

Another issue I have had with typical instructions is being told to wrap a thread "Clockwise" or conversely "counterclockwise" In my mind left and right or counterclockwise all depends on one's perspective and from which of many direction you are looking.

I seldom find anyone sharing my confusion, though.

Until now.

I am reading a book, titled "Knitting for Anarchists". The author tells me I am not alone, and that the important way to knit is through the leg of the stitch that is in front of the body of the stitch, closest to the needle point. ...and that works. She urges readers to avoid knitting from any particular ideology and develop the techniques that achieve the knitting fabric YOU like. Its good advice, but best followed after one has explored the various options. Personally I am practicing Peruvian Knitting. There is an interesting video of the Peruvian technique on YOUTUBE.

I thrive on change, and work at the discipline to establish some kind of consistency.

Like our political identities, we are defined as knitters by our attitude toward change. I am a confirmed liberal with a dash of revolutionary thrown in when the time is right for it...when faced with tyranny,

Haven't read many chapters yet the book, but this promises to be a good read.

But on an easier topic.....

Spring is here, as is evidenced by the rose shown in today's post.