Stitch markers: my friend and nemesis

I'm working on an Aeolian shawl right now. Knitting is my solace, my meditation. I love knitting lace. It find it so fullfilling to watch a beautiful pattern emerge as I methodically work through the pattern charts. You can't fudge it. It has to perfect to look good. I don't love stitch markers but they save me from making mistakes by helping me catch errors before I get too far along and have to tink back. I also try to remember to use life lines in between changes in pattern repeats.
Knitting itself has been my lifeline lately. My mother has been very ill the past few months and knitting has provided me with a precious distraction from the harshness of lifes realities as I knit at her bedside. My mom taught me to love arts and crafts so in a way she has given me a great gift that is helping me to be calm, meditative, and cope. Thank you mom.

C-

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Why I make things & product plus process

I was reading TECHknitting today, and if you haven't done so yourself you should right now, and she posted the most eloquent post on the value of a knitted object and the process of knitting said object.

excerpt:
"When non-knitters look at hand-knit goods, most tend to focus on the result, on the product. "Why spend 42 hours making a pair of socks? Wal-Mart sells 'em for a buck a pair" is their attitude, their tolerably obvious attitude. Confirmed sock knitters, however, find that mass-made socks cannot be compared to hand-made--the custom fit, the warmth, the exact colors of a hand made sock cannot be duplicated. This excellence is sometimes the very heart of a successful knitting project--the seamless toe, the beautiful work, the perfect fit, the non-binding sock on the achy foot. Knitting as product (and, as a very superior product which you simply couldn't buy anywhere!)

Often, however, hand-knitted objects add another dimension, a process dimension. See your kid standing near the door in hand-made socks, ready to pull on shoes and head out? Those socks are loving that child--the kid is wearing a hug on each foot, and the knitter and the kid both know it. This is process and product combined: knitted object as connection between people."

Read the rest of the post here.

Very well said. I don't knit socks by hand very often but the sentiment behind her example can be applied to all crafts. I have always had a hard time explaining to my husband why I would rather spend my time crafting things that I could easily purchase cheaply. She hit the nail on the head. Bravo.

More pictures from my Lorna's Laces tour

I am proud that I didn't sell my first born to take home more yarn. The day was a complete success.

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The yarn booty

Don't be jealous of the goodies I brought home from my trip to Lorna's Laces.



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Lorna'a Laces

I'm on my way to my knitting meetup where we are going to get a tour of the Lorna's Laces facility here in Chicago. I'm so excited!


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Mixing it up with a little crochet

I'm relaxing today. I finally started making myself this queen Anne lace scarf after starting and stopping many times due to yarn fail. It's pretty easy to memorize and goes really fast. It's good mindless work that I can do whole I surf Ravelry for more projects.










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knitty goodness

Ooh, the new Knitty is up!

Poor neglected blog

I am still knitting I swear. I finally finished up my Wing-o-the-Moth shawl after a year of hibernation, I just love Anne Hansen's patterns. I tend to knit a little less in the summer because my summers are usually filled with visiting family/friends and making wedding dresses. I just got over a serious cold (it was the plague if you ask me) and being laid up for two weeks gives a person a chance to think. I'm trying to decide what to do next. I have dusted off my knitting machines and would like to make another video but need some input as to what people want to know. I probably don't know a lot more than most people but I'm willing to share my experiences while figuring it out. So speak up and let me know what machine knitting stuff you want to watch me fumble around with. I'm a pretty good hand knitter too so I'd be willing to make videos about that too. I'm off to go clean my machines and fondle my yarn.