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Will you join the cause?

Y’all, Columbus is where it’s at.  Once a year, the yarn industry people descend on the Ohio muggles in the most awesome exhausting exhilirating and inspiring weekend of the year:  TNNA’s Summer Market.  For those of you who live under a rock and haven’t already read the awesome recaps, this is the industry’s biggest event of the year.  It’s a trade show, education session, networking and bonding extravaganza!  I can’t even begin to list all the fabulous people I have “known” online that I was finally able to meet and have face to face conversations with.  But, of course, I’ll have to mention just a few highlights:

• Ysolda’s tea + cake every day.  Need I say more?!
• Kate: my partner in crime walking the show floor; it was so comforting to have a fellow first-timer to learn the ropes with (here’s me, Kate + Ysolda in the photobooth)
• Allegra + Brandy (and LG!): love the energy these two had!  Seriously, screen printing in their room on Friday night, and then pounding the concrete show floor with seriously cute Petite Purls media kits (and even more adorable baby-in-carrier).  Brandy even forgave me when I gave away her drivers license and credit cards (and yay for Ysolda, who promptly returned it!)
• AKD -from finally meeting the Board members I’ve worked so closely with (Jill + Kim) to the thoughtful and thought-provoking AKD Panel (“Achieving Mutual Goals in the Yarn Industry”) and getting re-energized with some strategic planning meetings
• Seriously considering babynapping the most adorable carrot-topped baby from Stefanie (who, despite being about 14 taller than me, could possibly be my long lost twin sister according to about a dozen TNNA attendees; including one very sweet Mission Falls guy)
• delicious tapas after an exhausting first day, with my roomates-turned-new-friends Chris + Jenny,  their friends turned my new friends (and yarn pushers!) and friend-turned-new-test knitter Mary Catherine (rumor has it that she’s a super speedy knitter!)
• testing my AKD “elevator speech” out on Laura Nelkin (who, for real people, I want to be when I grow up!  Her designs are lovely, no less than 8 people told me how fantastic her classes were at both TNNA and Squam, plus she is design director for a yummy yarn company, and is gorgeous on top of all that.  If she weren’t so nice, I’d hate her)
• Stitch Cooperative – those gals know how to paartay!
• Amy Polcyn might be the most prolific designer I’ve ever met.  Walked hte floor with her, and seriously – every other booth she’d point and say “That’s mine!” “That’s my design”  “I did that”  I swear, she must not sleep.

The booths were all so colorful and inspiring, it was hard not to get sensory overload!  Ysolda’s booth was a sea of tranquility and comfort (couches!  Cupcakes! fun little toys!) in which to rest, getting energized to go back out and see the sights.  Blue Sky had a bed that I wanted to curl up and sleep in, surrounded by that scrumptious yarn.  Amy Butler’s new yarns – oh, my, they’re divine.  Madelintosh and Dream in Color right across from each other – ever which way you looked, it was YUMMY YARN! New-to-me yarns like Mountain Meadow, Bijou Basin, and Pear Tree Yarns have all found a place on my to-be-knit shelf.

It was a whirlwind few days; I arrived Friday morning around 10 and was back home in Philly by 11 Sunday night.  Next year I’ll stay longer, and most importantly – wear more comfortable shoes! My poor toes were brutalized by Friday evening, and there were still two l-o-n-g days of walk, walk, walking the show floor.  Seriously folks, if there’s one lesson I don’t need to learn twice, it’s that if you have to choose between the gorgeous shoes and the comfortable shoes; go for comfort.  Your feet will thank you!

Have any of you been searching for the perfect tubular cast on?  One that can be worked in the round, without the tightness of the “cast on half” methods.  One that actually looks great, has great stretch, and doesn’t require starting on straights and then seaming up that little bit once your join the round?  I know I have! I like the Italian tubular cast on, which this one is obviously very similar to, but I always despised that half the stitches were mounted wrong and needed to be knit through the back loop.  I also really wanted to be able to join the round immediately and not do that wee bit of fiddly stitching. So, since I haven’t been able to knit for a while, getting this cast on just right i’s all I’ve been thinking about.  I’ve been imagiknitting it in my head for days, but never quite getting it right.  This morning, the pieces all came together and the needles in my head clicked.  I was so excited, I actually took off the wrist immobilizer and risked the pain to try it out.

Verdict?  Wrist didn’t hurt nearly as much as I thought it would, and the cast on rocks.  Totally worth the twinge!  Check it out and decide for yourself (I suggest watching the video first before trying to wade through the written directions.  This is definitely a “read a hundred times and still not get it; watch it once and know it forever” kind of things!)

For your wordy learners, here’s the written directions!

• Make a slip knot, with long tail (roughly equal to the tail length if you were doing a regular long-tail cast on) and place it on your circular needle with the working yarn (attached to ball) over left index finger, tail hanging between index and middle finger. This yarn will be called the “index yarn”
• Place the long tail yarn over your thumb, with tail hanging on outside of thumb. This yarn will be called the “thumb yarn”
• With yarn positioned as outlined, hold both tails loosely at the base of the palm with the remaining three fingers of the left hand.  Hold the working needle with the right hand. This is your “base position”

Step 1
Bringing ndl clockwise over the index yarn, under both, and up counterclockwise to catch the thumb yarn (forming a loop over the ndl with the thumb yarn), then under the index yarn counterclockwise, return to base position
(one “purl” stitch made)

Step 2
bring ndl counterclockwise under the thumb yarn, and then clockwise over the index yarn (forming a loop over the needle with the index yarn), then counterclockwise around the thumb yarn, returning to base position
(one “knit” stitch made)

Repeat these two steps until the desired number of stitches is cast on, ending with a “purl” stitch (step 1) The slip knot will be a knit stitch.

If working in the round, carefully stretch the cast on around your circular needle, being sure that it isn’t twisted.
Place a marker to note the beginning of the round and work as follows:

Rnd 1: *knit 1, bring yarn forward, slip one st, bring yarn back, repeat from * to end of rnd.(check once again at the end of this rnd to be sure that your work isn’t twisted around the ndl; if it is you can untwist it now, letting the twist fall between the needles into the yarn from the join.  Once you knit the first stitch of the second round, the twist will be set and there’s no way to fix it except for ripping out!)
Rnd 2: *bring yarn back, slip one st, bring yarn forward, purl 1, repeat from * to end of rnd.

If you plan to continue with a 1 x 1 ribbing, the cast on is complete at this point.  If you wish to continue with a 2 x 2 ribbing, work the following round:

Rnd 3: *knit 1, right twist (knit second stitch on ndl, purl first stitch, and then remove both), purl 1, repeat from * to end of rnd.  Your 2 x 2 ribbing is now established, and you may continue in your pattern.

That’s it!  It’s really a lot easier than these complicated instructions make it sound.  Watch the video a few times, and I’ll bet you’ll be hunting down projects to use your nifty circular tubular cast on!

Several weeks ago, in a fit of desperation I laid in bed and prayed for God to give me patience.  My kids were all in various stages of driving me bonkers, and rather than asking for them to change, I thought that maybe it was me who needed an adjustment.  Since that whispered prayer, however, I have suffered a variety of annoyances, large and small.  (a moment for perspective: I accept and acknowledge that my moaning about these annoyances that are not even blips on the screen of world suffering, is more than a bit shallow and self-absorbed.  I’m still going to write about it,in the hopes that at least some of you can laugh at my small suffering)

First, I tore three ligaments in my right wrist.  The hand I write with.  I tripped on a crack in the sidewalk.  (The Brainiac’s response when I walked up to him, cradling my wrist and crying?  “You weren’t watching where you were going.  You always tell us to watch where we’re going!”  I would have strangled that child of mine, except I couldn’t move my hand.  Lucky for him)

Having my wrist immobilized for 6 weeks means that I can’t knit for that whole time.  I don’t know about y’all, and your various reasons for knitting, but I suspect I am not the only one who knits so I don’t kill people.  Stress from painful wrist+stress from not being able to do stuff+no knitting= one jacked up mama.  Not good, people.

So I’m cruising along, voraciously reading every book I can get my hands on and trolling the internets as meager substitutes for what used to be knitting time.  And then my computer charger dies.  And then I get a massive sinus infection.  And then my fridge dies, and the installation guys shove a too-large replacement in a justbarelytootight space, laving me unable to open half the fridge. And then they convince me that all I need to do is trim the counter down 1/4″ and it’ll be fine.  (As is I’m going to bust out the circular saw with my one good hand!)  And then the handyman who came to do said trimming instead pulls out the baseboard molding, jacking up my wall twelve ways to Sunday.  And the fridge still won’t open.  And then my washing machine starts alarming some bizarre error message that no one can figure out.  The door’s locked, with two of the boys’ baseball uniforms held captive inside.  Uniforms that they need to wear tonight. Repairman (covered under warranty, one bright spot in an otherwise dark day) won’t be here till Monday.  So now I’ve got half the kids not speaking to me, and I get to schlep to the laundromat with 3 days worth of laundry (and have to do it all one handed, mind you!)

So I’m left wondering who’s got a voodoo doll of me under their pillow?  I’m crying uncle here!  Of course, the real moral of this story is – Don’t pray for patience cause you just might get loads of opportunities to use it.

20 Questions

Now that the holidays have past and we’ve entered the days of bleak midwinter, I have been knitting a lot. (not that I ever am not knitting alot, really!) But there’s something about these arctic cold days that make me want to do nothing other than drink coffee and knit, while snuggled on my couch and under a plush blanket. I’ve decided that 2010 will be the Year of Knitting Selfishly. It’s pathetic how few items I’ve made for myself. I knit for the boys, for the Hubster, for gifties, and (always) for the shop.  And it’s not that I’ll stop doing those knitting projects  (onthe contrary, I am all aflutter with knitting for the Spring Collection!) but I am being more conscious about taking time to work on projects for myself.  So, this week’s Ten on Tuesday list is of those projects I plan to knit selfishly.  Anyone want to join me?

1. February Lady Sweater – this is actually a re-knit, as the one I did last year is way too big on me now (yay for losing 15 pounds! Boo for too-stretchy knits)
2. Strawberry Lace Cardi – I’m a sucker for anything Veronik designs. Planning to use some Malabrigo for this.
3. Shifting Sands – To be done in a Merisoft Shimmer from Punta Yarns.  Love that stuff!
4. Juliet – not sure on yarn for this yet.
5. Dahliah – having to restrain myself from casting this onbefore I finish #6.
6. Touch of Grey – started already, check out my progress on my project page!
7. Prairie Boots – quick, cute slippers.  Enough said.
8. Squirrel Mittens – just enough whimsy to suit me.
9. as yet-undesigned tank top (I’ve got the picture in my head, just need to get it onto paper!)
10. Fill in the blank (I’m leaving this last one up to you, dear readers!  Leave me a comment with the project you think I should do)

The flu has hit me, and hard. I’ve done pretty much nothing for the past 48 hours, except make myself some chicken soup, knit, and surf the net looking for ideas and inspiration for my December Daily. I literally gasped when I saw this:

on Etsy. Seriously, is it not the most adorable vintage christmas goodie you’ve ever seen?! You must go buy this pdf (super cheap, by the way!) from TayloredArts and plop one on every single gift you give out this season. Bonus points if it’s a knitted gift you’re giving.

And because I’m feeling a bit loopy from the flu drugs, I’m even going to give away one of these PDFs. Leave a comment telling me all about the knitted gifts you’re planning to give this season, and I’ll have the boys pick a name out of a (knitted) hat. I’ll buy a set for the winner and have it sent to your email so you can give some Christmas Cuteness!

The Giveaway will close Sunday, Nov.8th at midnight. For a second chance to win, join Little Turtle Knit’s facebook fan page.

A knitter on Ravelry posted asking for clarification on the pick up and purl technique on my Stripey Slippers.  I promised that I’d get a video of the technique, since it’s one that would take far too many words to describe (but can be shown in less than 30 seconds!)  Please excuse the insanely poor quality of this video – it’s what you get when your 8 year old is weilding the tiny camcorder.  You might want to turn down the volume before you hit play, he was way too close to my mouth!

It seems that in the past month, at least two people are sick at any given time in our house. That’s a lot of germs, folks. That’s a lot of demands for comfort food, also. To be frank, I’m a little tired of chicken soup, so I’ve been trying to develop a taste for other comfort foods in my family. This recipe is a sure winner. Everyone loves it, and it’s easy to make.

White Chicken Chili
2-3 cups cooked chicken, cubed or shredded (if we’ve got leftover chicken from a roast, I use that, otherwise I boil 2 boneless breasts and shred it after cooking)
1 bag of great northern beans, soaked and cooked(or 2 big cans of northern beans or other white bean)
1 onion, chopped
1 stick, plus 2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup flour
1 cups milk or half and half
2 cups chicken stock (or 1 can chicken broth)
1 small can green chilies
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
salt & pepper (to taste)

Condiments: sour cream, monterey jack or sharp cheddar, avocado, tomatoes, cilantro or whatever else you fancy

1. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large pot (I use this cast iron dutch oven) over medium-high heat.
2. Add onions, stirring several times to coat with the butter. Allow the onion to cook down until golden, about 10 minutes.
3. Remove onions to a separate plate, and add remaining stick of butter to pot.
4. Once butter is melted, slowly add in flour while constantly whisking (this is making a roux)
5. very slowly whisk in the milk/half and half until the mixture is thick and well blended, then very slowly whisk in the stock
6. add in the onions, chicken, green chilies and spices
7. reduce the heat to med-low and let simmer for 20-30 minutes (or reduce to low and let it simmer for an hour or so)

Serve with condiments and enjoy!

One of my favorite digi designers is having a sale at 2Peas this week:

I’ve already gone and gotten myself the January + February 365 Kit (yes, I’m starting my 365 Project in April.  So what? I’m a bit quirky!) and a cute little graph paper.  Crystal’s work is fun and fresh, and makes seriously awesome pages, so go check it out!