Love in the Library

READ ANY GOOD BOOKS LATELY?

I’ve been burning up our local library’s downloadable collection more than usual these last few weeks.  My most recent read is Mambo in Chinatown written by Jean Kwok, a book I checked out because the title intrigued me.  For the longest time, I only read nonfiction, history and/or bio/memoirs mostly, but lately I’ve been branching out into fiction and (this is my dirty little secret) YA.  I love my library, I love that it’s right around the corner from my house and I can walk there.  I love it that the staff seems to always have time for a quick book discussion or recommendation.  I love that I can settle into a comfortable chair and knit the afternoon away without odd looks or feeling that I should move along and free up space for “real readers”.  I love seeing my tax dollars at work!  I love my library!

Better than a thousand hollow words, is one word that brings peace.  Buddha

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Jump Down Turnaround, The Great Kitchen Rug Experiment, Book Babies

CAUTION!  ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT ZONE!

I’ve been enmeshed in THAT sort of day today, a “somedays it’s not worth chewing through the restraints” kind of day and for no reason.  OK, maybe I’m a little bummed because I’ve no fiber to spin, or I just haven’t hit on the new project that makes the heavens open and the angels sing, kind of bored, kind of tired, exactly that type of day.  Then, book junkie that I am, I was on our local library website, trolling for books and happened to see this on the calender – Book Babies.  Clicked on it and found that it’s a special story time for babies up to 24 months and their caregivers with stories, rhymes and songs.  Meets 9:30 a.m. on Thursdays.  Perfect!  Bigmommy and the Papoose have dental appointments that day at 9:00 a.m. and I’m one on one with the Sprout.  We’re going and it’s going to be a blast, I just know.  So, that’s how you make a turnaround in your day, make an investment and get excited.

As an aside, my doorbell just rung, of course I ran like an idiot because I’m expecting some fiber here in the next day or two (see first paragraph) and much to my disappointment, it’s not my friendly mailman, Fedex man or UPS man.  It’s two kids who immediately start what feels like a hustle.  I finally asked right out what they needed, still felt hustled and so shut the door in their faces.  Probably, in all honesty, they’re out fundraising, but when I ask outright what they need and still get hustled, I’m done.  Sorry Charlie as the old tuna commercial used to say.  Not harshing my mellow, though.  Nope.

Back to our regularly scheduled post….

THE KITCHEN RUG EXPERIMENT

My kitchen needs a new rug.   Oh, by the way, did I ever mention that I get my best ideas in the middle of the night, or that Mr. Iknead never thinks they’re as great as I do when I wake him with something new?  Anyway….  Since this new rug needs to be washable and dryable, I start thinking cotton yarn.  Then, I replace the image of cotton yarn in my head with the image of some other type of cotton cording, like rope.  Moving right along, knitter that I am, I start wondering what size needles (big) and exactly how manageable something would be in real life, using needles about as big around as my wrist and maybe 1-2 inch rope.  Stop.  Take a breath.  Fortunately, I’ve been able to dial my enthusiasm back (this time) and contented myself with knitting this swatch, using size 15 needles and three strands of Lily Sugar and Cream cotton yarn held together.

Swatch #1

Vital Statistics BEFORE Washing

Cast on 20

20 rows

7.5 x 9 inches

I’m throwing it in with a load of towels here in a minute.  I’m really just hoping to see about how much shrinkage there is after a couple of rounds in the dryer.  I’m still thinking rope and huge needles, but before I make the investment in a couple of miles of cotton rope and two fenceposts, I thought I’d try this.  Mr. Iknead’s Austerity Plan thanks me, I know.

RAKU+MINI MOCHI = EYE CANDY

My Newest Raku Pot and Mini Mochi Yarn

My mother had a great deal of trouble with me, but I think she enjoyed it.  Mark Twain

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Just Call Me Tinkerbell

BY THE BOOK

Not reading/listening much at the moment.  There are a couple of books that have piqued my interest, Mary Coin by Marisa Silver and Fever by Mary Beth Keane.  As far as I can tell, neither one is in my local library’s collection yet, frustrating for me due to our (Mr. Iknead’s) austerity plan.  I’ve requested them, but this takes time, which I have a lot of, but unfortunately I’m continually short on patience.  Could this be a sign that I need to finish the books I’ve started to make room for those I want to start?  Possibly.

JUST WHEN

I think winter is really over and begin to anticipate spring with warmer temps and greener everything, Mother Nature brings another surprise.  After a couple of days of short sleeves and sunshine, the weather turned cold again with snow in the northern part of the state and rain and sleet for the rest.  I’m tired of sweaters and long sleeves and am finding myself thinking more and more about swimsuits, sandals and the beach. Our August vacation seems soooo far away!

ON/OFF THE NEEDLES

I cast off Lolita last night, all she lacks is a light blocking and then sewing the shoulder seams.  I’ll get a picture when she’s officially finished.  Still working on the first Olivia Petit sweater.  I ended up tinking back even more when I noticed a dropped stitch about ten or 12 rows back.  I tried to convince myself that I could totally live with it, that with a little blocking it would be next to unnoticeable.  You know how far that got me.  Bit the bullet, tinked back and redid and am much happier.  Two more buttonholes, then separating for the sleeves and I’ll be ready to start knitting the peplum.  Suddenly, knitting two more of these doesn’t seem like such a great idea.  Hmmm, wonder why?  Here it is so far:

Sorry the pic sucks.

Off to start blocking Lolita!

Love life and life will love you back.  Love people and they will love you back.  Arthur Rubinstein

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WIPW 3/13/13, A Bump in the Olivia Petit Road and Library Whimsies

ON THE NEEDLES

I have a couple of things, as usual, in the process of knitting up, frogging or time out.  The first one up today went through all three stages yesterday, the Lolita vest.  Here’s what went down – Rewind to Monday evening.  Happily knitting, patting myself on the back for doing such a good job of staying on Task Lolita, even when the new yarn on the block, Knitpicks Comfy Sport in Honeydew, was calling me out to get acquainted and get started on the   sweater(s) I had planned for it.  Final pat on the back and then to bed.  On inspection of my progress yesterday morning, I noticed that somehow I’d gotten a few, surely not more than three or so, stitches off in the pattern and now part of the openwork was wonky and didn’t match up with the previous openwork.   Tinked back to correct, fixed – still not right, tinked back and tried again – still didn’t suit me, tinked back one more time, reknit and finally produced something I can live with.  Since it’s knitted side to side, at the moment it’s just a wad of knitted fabric, but the spring sunshine was too great to pass up this morning and I took a pic anyway.

I’ve hit a pothole in the road on the sweet Olivia Petit sweater and haven’t been able to figure out what’s going on.  I cast on, did the set up row for the neck and raglan increase, so far so good, worked the next increase row and that’s where the wheels came off.  Too many stitches when I went to count.  OK, operator error, frogged and started again.  Same thing, too many stitches.  Must have misread pattern.  Frogged and started again after going over the pattern with a fine toothed comb, counting and recounting, reading and rereading.  Still screwed, went to bed.  I’m knitting the smallest size, so I’m thinking maybe going up one pattern size will work.  Please.  Will frog one last time and start again.  If no go this time, I’m swallowing my pride, taking it to Yarn Mart and letting them figure it out.  Frustration overload.

BY THE BOOK

I finished an absolutely, positively wonderful book yesterday, I started it Monday and couldn’t stop listening until it was finished, An Invisible Thread: The True Story of an 11 Year Old Panhandler, a Busy Sales Executive and an Unlikely Meeting with Destiny, by Laura Schroff.  Goosebumps though the whole thing!  Incredible heartache, incredible joy, incredible book!

AT THE LIBRARY

I’m a huge library fan and not just for the books; it’s a favorite place for me to sit, knit and people watch for an hour or so whenever I can and I’m always excited to check out the collections on display.  This week was a particular treat, with a collection of pottery.  Surprisingly, my iPhone pictures through the glass turned out really well.  I’m disappointed that there was no artist or artists mentioned but that didn’t cut the cool.

Love the paper pumps but Birthday Cake Grandma is my all time favorite.  I’m crazy for her skull purse!

Don’t forget to head to Tami Amis for more WIPW stuff!

To study and not think is a waste.  To think and not study is dangerous.  Confucius

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