We Are All Bobbleheads or What Happened?

 I am sorry! I have been trying to post every weekday or close to that, but I have been sick. I did not post, because I was afraid, I wouldn’t be able to write anything, that  you would like to read. Today I am feeling better and I have dyed more yarn.

Do you know,  what that is ? (Please excuse the blurriness):

It is a Salmon-berry flower. I believe Salmon-berries are natives of this area and I have a hedge in my garden. As hedges go this one is not great, it is very see-through in the winter and its berries are not very tasteful either, just sour.

Its amazing secret is revealed to the patient observer at this time of the year. Every year when the first blossom opens the hummingbirds come! It happened last Tuesday for the first time. How do they know? 

I have tried to make them stay a bit by hanging up a feeder and planting several other plants, that they are supposed to like. But I have not had any success. They come only when the Salmon-berries are in bloom.

Oh and the title – that is what my Physiotherapist said about most people’s habit to push our heads forward, when we want to see something better.

Imagine!

Last night I heard Guido’s Podcast about the Yarn Harlot’s event in New York. Just now I have read her first post about it. Wow! I wish, I could have been there. There is a tiny possibility that  my yarn was there… Well, even though I was not there, I know, that I belong to this group, that I would have been welcome.

When I tell somebody, that I knit or dye yarn and they smile politely, but secretly think that I was weird, I know that they are just ignorant. They are completely unaware of this great community, of this movement and  I should feel a bit sorry, that they miss out.

My own life has been busy. I try to get it all done, taking care not to miss anything important, setting priorities. The Treadsoft yarn arrived today, but I have decided to work on the T-shirts first. There are only three left to do and as of now, I have finished sewing in the sleeves. I hope, I can finish them tomorrow. Tonight I will start winding yarn.

Other than that I have this strange problem, that I do not know, what to knit next. It seems most of my creative juices go into dyeing yarn right now and that leaves me aimless in the knitting area. Any suggestions? 

I Am Back

We have come back from skiing in Whistler and what a trip it has been. My life was reduced to skiing, eating and a lot of sleeping. ( It was more a passing out, actually. I was so exhausted.)

Other than a sore thumb everything seems to be in working order, so back to work it is! The weather is not very stimulating, though. It is pouring rain again and one light bulb after the other is giving up the fight. So I sit here in semi darkness. But I see glimpses of fresh buds and hints of brand new leafs in my gloomy garden. There is hope!

I leave you with a picture of the one finished sock. It is knit on 2mm needles with the Kona fingering, colourway “On Board”. P. likes blue and stripes, so I dyed the yarn specifically for her. The cuffs are a bit unruly, because I knit them with kinks and all after unraveling the chevron pattern. I hope, it will straighten out…

Gone Skiing

I’ll be gone for a few days and I maybe I will come back totally inspired with new colourways like Winterstorm, White-Out or the ever popular Skiing In The Rain! (Hmmm…)

Alcariel and Violet have talked about me on their Podcast last week. Thank you so much! When I found out about it, I called my family and together we all stood in front of the computer and listened. My husband took me in his arms and I really needed that support. My heart was beating so hard I could barely hear. So much excitement! My kids thought, it was very cool.

I have finished one sock and have sadly no picture to proof it. I hope I can finish the other one during our vacation. ( I might be too tired to knit, though…) Bye for now!

Knitting In Public

Yesterday was an assembly at my kid’s school. In the last minute before I rushed out of the door, I grabbed my knitting bag with my latest project.

Unfortunately my current project is P’s sock, that I had to start over. The chevron pattern, although used in a legwarmer pattern in Vogue, was just not stretchy enough. So the night before I had  started over with a classic 2×1 rib.

When I arrived at the Gym it was already quite crowded. I settled down on a bench in the back, stretched out my legs and pulled out my knitting. The assembly was long and slightly maddening, because out of every speech (and there were many) I caught about 10%. The sound system is just sooo bad. But I got a lot of knitting done.

Suddenly a women came over and sat next to me. “Why do you knit differently?” she asked me. “This is called continental or German knitting.” I answered. “Where did you learn that?” she persisted. “Well, I am from Germany” I explained. “And  your Mom or your Grandma taught you to knit like that?” she asked. “Actually no, I learned it at school.” I replied. “Can you teach me?” she wanted to know. Pretending that I was very keen on hearing the next part of the speech I took my time thinking about what to tell her.  

I mean, I am always happy to help out a fellow knitter. On the other hand,  the way my life is going right now, I have barely time to meet with my friends, let alone complete strangers. I decided to compromise. I told her, that there were videos online, that could help her to learn and then I gave her my e-mail address just in case. She seemed quite happy with that.

When everything was over another women asked me what I was knitting. My answer seemed to startle her a bit. “Good for you!” she answered heartily. She might as well have patted me on my head.