Thursday, March 15, 2007

Sticks and How they Support Me

I have a confession to make.
I've become addicted.
Again.
Maybe even more so this time.
I cannot seem to stop knitting, not counting the times when I am at work, eating or in the shower. I knit at home, while watching t.v, while waiting for stuff to download on the computer, between games while playing in the billiards league we belong to, while on the phone with my mother, and even squeezed in "one more row before work". I've even been in the bathroom and found myself thinking, 'I could have brought that hat in here and not been wasting all this time'. I haven't resorted to bathroom knitting yet, but it sure is tempting. When I'm not knitting, I'm thinking about it. Or knitting blogs. Or knitting needles. I picked up a pair of bamboo needles at a yarn outlet sale, and I'm still trying to figure out if I like them. I like the warmth, their silence and the earthiness of them, but they aren't as easy to knit with as my favourites. I inherited a pair of metal (aluminum?) needles from my Mom and I seem to knit fastest with those. They have points that, while not SHARP, can go into the back of a stitch without shredding the yarn. The bamboos seem to be a bit more tension difficult. But I'm sticking with it, just in case love comes late with these sticks that so many seem to like.

On those bamboo needles right now is a baby/toddler hat made with a Phentex baby yarn. Not sure of the exact colour name, but it is a light blue with a silver thread running through it. (I picked this up at the aforementioned yarn sale) I'm two rows past the ribbing, so it's still new, but I can tell you I LOVE this yarn! It's soft, looks great and I think it's got the potential to be talked about for some time. I have knitted a preemie hat in a Phentex mint green sport yarn, as well as a newborn hat in the same yarn. I have started a pair of booties, with only one being actually completed. I am knitting my Dad a scarf in grape-koolaid-purple, by request. On another set of needles is a multi-hued scarf for my Mom, fondly called the Crayola scarf around here. I made my youngest son very happy about a month ago when I made him a scarf in the colours of his coat. It was the first time I had tassled anything. A few friends and I have decided we're going to knit & crochet for charity, so we have a box started for a hospital in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario that is looking for peemie and baby items, as well as a box for our local Out of the Cold program. I have more inspiration than fingers and time!

Remember the blogs I mentioned? I've recently discovered The Yarn Harlot. Stephanie Pearl-McPhee is an obsessed knitter and author, and Canadian to boot! She has a blog that is intensely popular, and I think it's safe to say that she's a role model for a great many; if the comments to her blog and popularity of her books is anything to go by. Betty (the brave housemate and best friend) is bringing me home a few of the Harlot's books sometime today. Looking forward to that!

Well, the needles call, and so does breakfast!
Learn something new today!

2 comments:

crissy said...

thank you so much for stopping by my blog and visiting me. i have hunted through countless hours trying to locate family in ireland that know my grandpa . not to worried about it though. but each year i post. and look and then let go. for another year. maybe one day i will get lucky LOL
anyway i didnt stop by for that. i stopped by to say you got to check out this site. that is where a ton of us are located at maybe your already a member if you are cool . but if not come join the best group of supportive knitting gals on the net at http://forum.getstitchy.com/index.php

as far as knitting goes your about as addicted as i am LOL hugs from me crissy in alaska oh yea feel free to stop in anytime and visit . love having you there :)

Cathy said...

Thanks for swinging past my blog the other day. I appreciate it a lot!
If your'e knitting scarves for the homeless...then that pattern I have up is great for stashbusting..with 2 strands at a time to mix colors or solids with multis...and then it becomes extra warm with the double stranding.
As for your needle discussion, I have needles. Tons of needles, as I've been knitting for well..since I was 7....
I love making my scarves on my bamboo straights..but for most everything else, I'm using Addi Turbos...the circular needles. My old metal straights will always remain in my house..they are used for unclogging sinks and cleaning out the vacumn cleaner!
Try out some other kinds and see if you like different kinds for different projects/fibers before you start buying up a bunch. Oh ya, then they'll come out with a new product down the road that you'll have to try..and start shopping all over again!
Good luck with the adventure!