Not my original plan

First lace scarf
Originally uploaded by fiberbrarian

Starting on a knitted lace scarf last night was not my plan. The night before Hat Attack? Start a new project???

I did two bumps last night. The rest I did this morning, waiting for my courage (and the pancakes) to kick in so I could head out into the blizzard. Since I live in town, the blizzard is not too bad -- just horribly cold. (-6'F, windchill -33. winds at 26mph gusting to 34mph)

This lace scarf is SOOOO fun! Now I sort of understand how people can get addicted to lace.

I found this in the Web catalog (http://www.yarn.com). The pattern is from Misti Alpaca (http://www.mistialpaca.com/). Here's the link to Asphodel Lace Scarf (http://www.mistialpaca.com/patterns.php?name=Asphodel%20Lace%20Scarf&imgs=2&patt=14&page=1&ID=Free%20Pattern)

This scarf pattern tells you to knit the two ends first (this is 5/9th of one end - there will be 9 bumps when it's completed). Then turn the bumpy side down and pick up stitches from the smooth end and begin knitting the scarf. It's the scarf pattern that boggles my mind - it's covered in little lacy stars!

BTW: the flash on the camera really ruined the subtle coloring of this yarn. I hadn't even seen the striping until I looked at the flash picture. The color is quiet - subtle - Anne Black - includes black and purple and navy and bronze/copper. Gorgeous.

I was going to take a picture of the blizzard to show you what a blizzard can look like in town - and I actually stopped on my way into the building, and then realized I would have to take off my mittens. I didn't even get to the part about having to take the camera out of its bag, aim and focus, etc. The thought of taking my mittens off stopped me cold. So - think about horizontal fog...whapping at you...and instead of that misty dewy feeling substitute a sharp angular biting sensation. That's the Cliff Note version of a blizzard in town.

Seriously, I had planned to come in really early to get the Hat Attack pattern. Hearing the wind that came in about 4am made me think that I'd wait a bit. Then listening to the radio - a sheriff from a little town up north called in asking for help. He asked that the radio broadcast a message to the woman who had been stranded for three hours in a ditch somewhere, with low fuel and a now-dead cell phone: "Hang on. We're trying to get to you." He called later to say the same thing to a man who was stuck (except that he had a full gas tank). Much later, or so it seemed, he called in to say they'd gotten the lady, and they were on the way to the man. Visibility could be measured in feet.

Seriously. You don't mess with blizzards. You take Mother Nature very seriously.

Okay - off to Hat Attack!

(One more thing: the KnitPicks (www.knitpicks.com) catalog references 'doing cables' tutorials on their Web site. I need to let my assassin know - she's new at cables.)

BLOOMING impatien - feb. 6, 2008

impatien - feb. 6, 2008
Originally uploaded by fiberbrarian

Spring is springing eternal around here! I was hoping these cuttings from last summer's garden might survive through the winter, giving me a little bit of life in the house. I had no thought about them blooming! What a happy surprise! Especially with the blizzard blowing in tonight!

Yup. Blizzard tonight and tomorrow. Why now? I am sure it's because the Hat Attack pattern will be released tomorrow morning. (I'm pretty sure that the weather is based around my calendar! LOL)

My victim is in Michigan. (KNITTED HAT victim in case that sentence just set off some Patriot Act software in the sky.) Not a good sign when I signed on to Ravelry and my victim had already found me and sent a note. But at least she's my victim - someone else has to worry about her as an assassin! MY assassin is in Texas, and I got a note from her, too. These seem like lovely people - but all's fair in love and Hat Attack!

I'm thinking that I might contact the GF Air Force Base to see if they could deliver my hats. I know we don't have the same US Post Office access as the big cities. (Someone on the list said that MPLS has 24-hour service at the air port! Which is why I'm thinking we should bring in the air force. They're flying around anyway. What's a stop in Michigan?! LOL)

Okay. Back to the flower and good calm thoughts. Seriously, the plants are waking up. I've got a little rubber plant that's been sitting for a month or two - suddenly it's growing like mad. I look out the window and do not see what they see/sense. But I trust them, so I think we will have spring this year!

KoolAid Scarf!

KoolAid scarf - whole
Originally uploaded by fiberbrarian

I've finished the KoolAid experiment - here's the proof!

The entire experiment (started last August) is in my Flickr area ("KoolAid"). The scarf is cast on and knit length wise. It's about six feet long. Mixed garter, stockinette, and reverse stockinette pattern by rows. Picked up and knit the ends in garter, using the two different greens in the scarf. Makes it look sort of patchwork-y.

I'm pleased with the experience. Not likely to do it again, but it's reminding me of August, which was a very nice warm time here. Almost hot.

The last couple of days have not been warm and certainly not hot (nor humid, either, so let's not be too harsh). It's now 6' above zero, which is the high temp for a few days, I think. The weather looks like we might be moving to a post-winter time. I don't think that's too wishful thinking. There are still cold snaps but they seem to be lasting only a couple of days. And the sun is bright and shining, just like I remember.

The day before yesterday was coooooooooold. I ran out to OfficeMax on an errand - and saw my first 'sun dog'. That's when a rainbow appears with the sun at its center. Must be the ice crystals in the air, reflecting on the light. Gorgeous. Still very cold, but pretty, too. It was worth the trade off.

I'm playing/working with Wimba and podcasts in my other life. When I get something together, I'll post it over in Fiberbrarian. (I guess I should check and see if it's still there.)

I have been knitting and spinning - just not posting. With the loss of Edwards' candidacy, I guess I've been spurred to action.

Almost everything you do will be insignificant, but it is important that you do it. --Gandhi

Enough said.

There *IS* a Holly Hobbie!

Good posts I've run into in the last couple of days:

Kristin Nicholas is a writer and fiber designer. Her blog always carries news of her travels, farm and work. Here's a recent post about meeting the artist/author Holly Hobbie, who has continued on beyond those wide-eyed children of 30+ years ago.

http://getting-stitched-on-the-farm.blogspot.com/2007/12/meeting-real-holly-hobbie.html

And, I hope you read the Yarn Harlot's ode to holiday concerts and how they proceed through time. She looks back as a mother of three and an audience member. I think back as a participant. Her post: http://www.yarnharlot.ca/blog/archives/2007/12/13/the_kid_with_the_viola_was_pretty_good.html

Square hat or Flat hat?

squarehat_innards
Originally uploaded by fiberbrarian

I'm continuing to knit some. I've recently been playing with a pared down embarrassingly simplified version of the 2-headed hat, which was simple in the first place.

The flat hat (square hat?) removed the shaping at the top of the head, which was the only actual work required for this hat. (I topped doing the provisional cast on about midway in the development of the 2-headed hat. I'd rather start knitting and then have to pick up stitches later than to have to delay my knitting by a minute to do the provisional cast on.)

Follow the link to more photos of square hats (flat hats?).

North Dakota!

I'm back! A little more than six weeks now. I remembered August as being a livable month here, and it is. Our temps this week will be a tad warmer than normal: mid-80's for the days, mid-60's for the nights.

My knitting has been greatly curtailed because of too much to do in my academic/professional life. I think I'm going to put my handwork on hiatus. Yarn, fiber, knitting needles, patterns are all going into the closets until I get some work finished. The spinning wheel and loom will be decorative furnishings since they're too big for any closet. I'll try to finish machine sewing a couple of quilts that are almost done, but that's it.

However! Here are some things that I managed to get done in the last few months. Most of them were done back in June, but the KoolAid dyeing was last weekend. What fun!


KoolAid dyeing:
(top left) Grape, Tropical Punch, Pink Lemonade, Ice Blue Raspberry Lemonade
(middle left) Lemon Lime, Watermelon Cherry, Orange, Blastin' Berry Cherry
(bottom) Mix of Lemonade (4 pkg) and Ice Blue Raspberry Lemonade (1 pkg)
[2 minutes in microwave on high, rest, ~1.5 to 2 minutes microwave on high]

2-headed hats (lined stocking caps) and a muffler in various yarns (Iceland, Loft, Lion brand wool, Bonkers)


Irish Hiking Scarf in Loft.




While I was photographing, I noticed the stone work. How beautiful! Above is the stonework (south) entrance to Chester Fritz Library, University of North Dakota.



The north entrance to Chester Fritz Library.

7 things -

I've been tagged by Jen over at http://www.newtonsknitting.blogspot.com/.

From her blog:

Here are the rules, as if you haven't already seen these a jillion times: Tell seven things about yourself on your blog, then tag seven other people to do the same. List who you are tagging on your blog, and leave a comment on their blogs to let them know they've been tagged.

I can do the seven things - tagging seven other innocent people may be the tricky thing!

1. I like winter. Not crazy about ice on sidewalks or roads, but luv it on lakes and rinks.
2. I am moving from Missouri to North Dakota. This is my 2nd move in less than four months, and no, the second move is not easier because I know what I'm doing! :-)
3. I really like birds. I didn't realize how much I enjoyed watching them until I started routinely filling up the birdbath that came with the Missouri house - and the birds showed up - and I moved a chair to the front porch and started watching them. Yesterday I saw four birds splashing about together at the same time. Once I saw a 'new' robin, stare at a starling splashing and bathing, obviously never having seen anything like this before. The baby robin kept dodging the splashes as it held on to the rim of the bird bath. I have had so much fun with these little guys. Yesterday, a male and female cardinal flew to the fence just in front of my chair (less than 2 yards away) and sat there and watched me for several seconds. They looked right at me but didn't fly away. Like they knew I was moving to North Dakota and wouldn't be seeing cardinals for a loooooooong time. (Cardinals are listed as 'rare' birds on the ND bird watcher list.)
4. I believe in libraries. They are the gift that keeps on giving. From one generation to the next and to the next.
5. I like rain - the sound and smell.
6. I like wind. I look forward to spring when the wind has leaves to blow through - totally different sound.
7. I like music. I especially like when people make their own music rather than relying on commercial performers.

See? The easy part is done. Now finding seven people .......

1. Alaska Stick Girl - has she got pictures! She's just moved to a new blog page, but I hope she's still got the 'moose in her yard' pictures!
2. A Dachshund's Life in Los Angeles - Wally is a long-haired dachshund. He had his own blog but found life too busy, so now he lets his Mom do the blog. Great pictures of Wally and his friends/family.
3. Lorri's Knitting Link - Lorri is a friend of Maggi's. While visiting Chez Maggi, she commented on the cat bed I'd knit/felted for Ayla. Well - she made the mistake of introducing herself and commenting on a post here at the Warming House. Tag! Check out her knitting - I could not believe how beautiful her work is and that she could still appreciate a klugey felted cat bed. When she is doing stunning colorwork sweaters! Gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous.