February 2018 – Cosmicknitter

February 20, 2018February 18, 2020

So I’d like to know where, you got the notion

OK, so Banshee how many of you have that song by The Hues Corporation in your head now? For that, I apologize. I really do. I woke up the other day with an Elton John song in my head for no particular reason and it wasn’t one of his better ones. Regardless, it didn’t belong in there and it took the better part of the morning to get it out!

About notions. I thought it would be fun to share some of my favorites with you from time to time.

I am just about finished with my “Twas the Night Before Christmas” socks. We all know that knitting with size 1 US dpns can be dicey at times, and I love a good challenge as much as the next gal, but when I discovered these little needle holders, I wondered how I had gotten on without them. Check them out. How cute are they???

They are even cute on the inside. Like me!!

I purchased these on Etsy. The shop is Handmade by Jayney and she has some really sweet items for sale. They fit 6″ dpns perfectly. In fact, I secured the needles that held the instep stitches in the case while I turned my heel. I was like a woman on fire. On FIRE!

The other super lovable notion I am using with this project is…

A Hello Kitty Lunchbox!!

I know what you are thinking. Regina, you have just blown my mind and I need a minute to process.

Take all the time you need, my friend. While you acclimate to your new-found enlightenment, let me further impress you by telling you that the stitch markers are kept in a Trader Joe’s Green Tea Mints tin, and yes…my Pilot G-2 pen is wearing a Hello Kitty band-aid to prevent people from walking off with it. As you see, it works like a charm.

I prefer using boxes like this because:

1. fancy-pants project bags snag my yarn on the zipper

2. fancy-pants project bags snag my money – have you priced some of these babies??

3. fancy-pants project bags don’t protect my needles against my 85 lb golden retriever’s rump, or protect my 85 lb golden retriever’s rump against my needles.

Win-win-win

Show me your stuff. What is your favorite notion?

Sipping: Killian’s Irish Red (Good ol’ Uncle George!)

Listening: Why this, of course!

Today’s magnificent Saints are: Saints Jacinta and Francisco Marta. If you aren’t familiar with the story of Fatima, I encourage you to learn more about it here. Really awesome stuff.

Have a wonderful week!

Hugs,

Regina

February 15, 2018November 29, 2023

When Lent and Mid-life Collide

My husband is so freakin’ adorable. He is a really wonderful man and he loves his faith – we both do – and Lent is a very meaningful time for us. So, imagine my surprise when he lamented the fact that he was exempt from the prescribed days of fast and abstinence because he was a ‘man of a certain age’. But what a wonderful way to view aging. To him, though, it is not about what he has ‘lost’ rather, about what he has to gain. Does that make sense? To keep it real, even Snoopy had his moments!

On to knitting…

Oh boy am I enjoying the All-Ways Cowl. I am also enjoying the compliments I am receiving! Mind you, for all the years I have been knitting, I still look at my work with hyper-critical eyes. Sure, I have made some oops on this project, but I am reluctant to rip back because the yarn is single ply and with too much fuss becomes wild and crazy! Honestly? The beading is really the focal point and if I get that part correct, it will be a stunner. Wanna see an updated photo? or two?

Moving Along Nicely

Growing Leaps and Bounds

The photo on the left reflects the colors best. Regardless of the outcome, I consider a project, knitting or otherwise, a success when I come away with a better understanding of how things work. With this one, I have learned I must be very ginger with single-ply yarn. I have learned that there are multiple methods for adding beads to your knitting and there are reasons for each. I have also learned that leaving my knitting out at work attracts the curious, which results in the dropped stitches that immediately follow the cry of “oooh! let me see what you’re working on!” :cue the sound of beads bouncing off the desk: I don’t have to tell you that the reason employers use that speckled, low-pile carpet is because it hides a multitude of sin, and in this case, teeny-tiny beads.

Other fun things on the needles include two pairs of socks, and a baby sweater for a little girl. I will post more on these as I make progress; right now they are in their infancy.

In my glass: Coconut water and frozen fruit cubes. Delish!

In my ears: INXS Original Sin. You can read about this tribute album here.

Saint du Jour: St. Berach, an Irish Abbot. He is the patron saint of Kilbarry, County Dublin. I’ll drink to that!

In my heart: These guys…

February 9, 2018February 9, 2018

When Irony Is Not Lost

Supermarket face plant My local supermarket is in the throes of renovation and reorganization. Typically, the feminine supplies are located somewhere in the vicinity of the health and beauty aids, right? Now they are conveniently located in the snack aisle. Yuppers…Potato chips, Fritos, and feminine supplies. Not quite sure if this was the brain child of a man or a woman, but I am convinced someone accessed the deepest darkest recesses of my brain. Some people go for the chocolate, but for me, it’s all about salt. Is there really any limit to how many pistachios a gal can consume? I think not, and I would consider myself a pistachio expert.

On to knitting…

I cast on for the All-ways Cowl (for the third time) and knit the first 8 rows. As an FYI, there are multiple techniques for incorporating beads into your knitting. I watched two videos, neither of which were by Laura Nelkin Designs, and neither of them were the ‘right‘ techniques for the project. Three is a charm indeed. I am going to show you the very early stages because I am just so freakin’ happy that I finally get it. I give all credit to the dedicated folks in the Nelkin Designs Ravelry Group, and Laura herself for not leaving knitters high and dry. I know the photos are lousy, but can you see how the yo and ssk are creating an angle? I feel like the beads could stand out more, but I wasn’t familiar with all the different bead sources available (again, something I learned from the Ravelry group). Once finished and blocked, I think this will be a real beauty.

Finally getting the results I wanted

Creepy up-close shot. Blocking will help.

Eating: Honey Crisp Apple

Listening: Me crunching on a Honey Crisp Apple

Who is today’s Saint? So glad you asked! St. Jerome Emiliani, patron of orphans and abandoned children. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if St. Jerome was out of a job? Sending love and hope to children everywhere.

Enjoy the day and have a truly wonderful weekend.

Love,

Regina

Oh, I forgot to tell you! I posted two new photos here and here. You’ll never guess the subject! Hey! I own my obsession… just sayin’

February 7, 2018

Not Bad for a Monday (even though it’s Wednesday)

It was a productive and pleasant day. Work was very busy, but it always is when school is delayed due to weather; somehow those two hours get crammed in somehow. During lunch, I made some progress on knit on my ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas’ sock. Initially, I wasn’t crazy about Knit Picks Palette, but it is growing on me and I think the final result will be a nice, sturdy sock. I adore the pattern. It is easy enough to do and the result is very subtle. If you don’t know the designer (Dani), I recommend you check out her podcast Little Bobbins Knits. Bobbins is her pup and he makes a very cute co-host.

After work, we went to the gym. I stayed on the treadmill, but after reading a blog by AJ of A Petite Slice of Life , I was motivated to add a little running to the mix. I ran two miles. No, not all at once. I alternated walking with 5 minute intervals of running (trotting? lumbering?). My son was running on the treadmill to my left, and each time I switched from walking to running, he would look over and give me a high five.

I love catching up on knitting podcasts while I am doing cardio; really makes the time fly. Today, I watched one of my favorites, The Gentle Knitter. Nicole is from Canada and she has a quiet and soothing demeanor. Her work in a natural history museum speaks to the earth girl in me. Her episodes rarely exceed an hour, and the projects she creates are done in very muted and natural wool. As much as I love all the speckled this and fancy that, I prefer things a bit more earthy in nature. As she was sharing some of her recent FOs and give -away items, I decided to make it a goal this year to make a fair isle sweater for myself. If any of you have a favorite pattern, I would love to hear about it. Raglan style with a two-color yolk would be my preference. She is wearing the Branches and Buds pattern that seems to be everywhere these days, but I would be seeking out something a little less mainstream. I imagine I could take the main construction of the sweater and incorporate a different design on the yolk, but to be honest, I don’t think I have the skills. Isn’t the neckline beautiful? So feminine.

We are expecting snow in the Northeast tomorrow. Snow days = knitting days!

Currently casting on: The All-ways Cowl by Laura Nelkin. I have joined her 2018 First Quarter KAL. This will be my first project incorporating beads into my knitting, as well as my first KAL. The group is extremely helpful and Laura is very active as well, offering her guidance when people like me complicate the uncomplicated. (it’s a gift) I am only in the casting on stage so I have nothing to show. I do recommend you take one of her Craftsy classes, or if you really want a treat, participate in the Knit Stars series. Very cool!! After a few false starts, I am ready to cast on. All the beads have been strung.

The yarn is Crystal Palace Mini Mochi and I selected glass beads in various shades of mauve and pink. Soooo pretty!

That’s it for now. I hope you have a blessed day and if you have the good fortune to hug a doggo, do so at all cost! My hug will be going to this guy!

Sipping: Coffee, coffee and more coffee

Listening: To my boys playing video games!

Today’s Saint: St. Colette Read more about her here.

Love,

Regina

February 6, 2018February 6, 2018

The Measure of a Man…

The True Measure of a Man

There is an unpublished version of this quote. “The measure of a man is directly affected by how much snow is expected.”

I had such a nice post for today. I wrote it bright and early this morning. OK, so it was dark o’clock, but still lovely. It had photos and links and everything! I interrupt that post to bring you the following rant.

I live in New York. Not Southern New York where they get a possible ‘wintry mix’, or Upstate New York where your eyelashes freeze when you get the mail, but the Mid-Hudson Valley where, in the summer we have warm weather and thunderstorms and in the winter, we have snow. SNOW people…SNOW! We don’t need dog sleds or skis to get us from point A to point B because we have plows. Big trucks that move snow, destroy mailboxes and render lawns impossible to mow in the summer. Oh sure, we have blizzards and other extreme weather, but a foot of snow 12 hours from now, does not warrant jackass behavior! Driving to and from the supermarket this afternoon was a daredevil act not worth repeating. Listen up. In my humble opinion, nothing warrants tailgating. Some drivers took it to another level. If you want to drive THAT close to me, there better be a tornado chasing you. At the supermarket, as if cashiers we Zombie Minion ren’t already at a premium, some dear soul in her haste, dropped a glass jar of some awful smelling somethingorother, requiring that line to shut down while another one opened, as customers argued about who was in the line first. (This is a perfect example of why liquor should be sold in supermarkets). The one humorous moment came when an elderly woman on the line next to me, inquired if the Zombie Apocalypse was real. I want to kiss her whole face!!

Snow day or not, I will share my previously written post with you all tomorrow.

If you are in my neck of the woods, enjoy the day…grab a bottle, hunker down and knit.

On the ears: Madden Football for the PS4

In the glass: Santa Cristina Toscana

Have a wonderful evening.

Peace to you all!!

Regina

February 3, 2018February 3, 2018

I am really excited to write to you today

For the past few days, I have been telling the reasons why I have decided not to do a podcast at. this. time. Today, I am going off track to tell you why I considered it in the first place, and about the revelation I had on the treadmill.

I would say, the primary reason for considering podcasting is to be part of a larger knitting community, sharing what we love to do and a little bit about who we are. Sounds good, right? I think so. I did, however, become a little discouraged when many of the more popular podcasts became hour long episodes of frantic show and tell, coffee drinking and product promotion. Nothing wrong with that, but I was under the impression that there was no place in that world for me. I just don’t think that way, and it would not make me happy. I would never want to make someone feel they need to have all the fancy notions or project bags in order to knit. It isn’t practical, and in my case, I am very happy with what I use. Then I went to the gym, and while on the treadmill, I started to search for podcasts that are less familiar. Enter Michelle Carter’s “My So-Called Handmade Life” The episode that came up was #3. I typically search out episode #1 because they tend to have a little ‘getting to know me’ in the beginning. However, this episode was just what I needed to hear. She spoke at length about the relationships formed by virtual means such as podcasting, blogging and sites like Ravelry. She shared how fulfilling these relationships have been to her. And that’s when I started thinking (typically dangerous, but in this case, productive). Here’s why. I live in Rhinebeck. Yup, The Rhinebeck. In fact, I live directly across from the Fairgrounds. Yup, The Fairgrounds, yet every year I attend the NYS Sheep and Wool Festival alone. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy my company (we never disagree, never argue and we like the same food), but to attend an event like Rhinebeck with my only real social interactions occurring while on line at Miss Babs, is somewhat saddening to me. Large crowds give me terrible anxiety. Just going to the event alone is a monumental feat for me. How wonderful it would be to have familiar faces to look for in that crowd! Oh, I see many people I know, but they are milling about with their own group of friends, and I am not comfortable inserting myself into their plans…that goes back to my insecurity. What if I had plans of my own? That’s when I start to doubt myself. Would people really want to spend time with me? Actually, I think they would. I have a great personality, quirky sense of humor and I’m a really genuine person. Yet I go to “Rhinebeck” alone.

So, while everyone is writing about #goals and choosing words to inspire their year, I am going to make 2018 about finding a date for Rhinebeck!

Here is where you come in. Would you consider sharing my blog? Maybe something I have written will resonate with someone. Maybe there are people who avoid going because of anxiety or lack of companionship. Maybe that person is YOU! We could go and be anxious together!

My husband just planted a yummy smooch on me…

As I was saying… Do you think this is possible? Do you have the same feelings as me, or do you have a posse that you enjoy festivals with? Here’s a question for you: Do you have a friend you only know in the virtual sense? How about one you met through Ravelry or blogging? Have you ever met your online friends in person?

I really feel good about this. I feel like I can finally overcome a hangup that has been gnawing at me for years. I also feel better about podcasting because I have been watching ones that don’t speak to me!

After listing to her podcast, please take a look at Michelle’s blog, also called “My So-Called Handmade Life”. I think she is really special and I would like to meet her some day.

On the needles: Little Bobbins Knits “Twas the Night Before Christmas” sock. Here is #1, it’s unblocked and really cute:

In the cup: Twinnings Green Tea – Jasmine

On the ears: Razz’s snoring

Check out the Saint of the Day: St. Blaise. He is patron of throat illnesses, animals, wool combers, and wool trading! I always knew the history behind throat illnesses, but his association with wool really surprised me!! I am dedicating this post to all my woolie friends, those I know and those I look forward to meeting.

Be well,

Love, Regina.

February 2, 2018

I Changed My Mind

This is post 5 of 7 (remember I promised 7? or actually 6 because Sunday is the Superbowl?) I had a very captivating post planned for you, however…my son returned home from the Army today and I am finding myself a bit puddly.

Let’s talk tomorrow, ok?

Sweet dreams.

Love,

Regina

February 1, 2018February 1, 2018

Day 4, Reason 4

Halloween 2017 – The theme was “SCARY” so I went as a basket of my son’s dirty laundry

I would not want to spend my free time looking at my face, why would you? I know that sounds dorky, but another reason I decided against podcasting is insecurity. That’s legit, right?

Did you know? Directions for laundering microfiber cleaning/dusting cloths specific state NO FABRIC SOFTENER. This is most likely because the effectiveness of these gems is in part due to static electricity.

Did you also know? Static electricity causes fabrics to cling to each other? You probably did.

True confession: My husband walked around NYC for business one day wearing a dust cloth under his shirt. He discovered it in the men’s room of a restaurant at the end of his day. He still loves me, bless his heart.

The fourth project I finished recently was a baby blanket for the knitting art club we have at the middle school. Every year, the art teacher provides yarn, needles and instruction to students interested in knitting a blanket for the NICU of a local hospital. It is remarkable what these kids can accomplish! Some take to it like a fish to water. This year she donated over 120 hand knit/crocheted items. We were blessed with a donation of yarn this year from local yarn goddess, Jill Draper. Please take a moment and visit her Etsy shop Jill Draper Makes Stuff Her yarn is beautiful and her heart is expansive.

The blanket I knit was from an existing stash. I don’t care for the yarn, it split easily, but the colors are so pretty. I did not use a pattern, and I added cables when knitting the purple parts. I did not take a photo of the finished blanket. I blocked it aggressively and the end result was less crinkly and more lacy.

Sipping: Lavazzo Espresso Perfetto Blend (don’t be impressed, it’s for the Keurig)

Listening: Jessica by the Allman Brothers Band – Brothers and Sisters (can’t. get. enough.)

Saint du jour: St. Bridgid, patron of Ireland, dairymaids, cattle, midwives, Irish nuns, and newborn babies. I like this lady. With Killian as a maiden name what’s not to love. Apparently, Bridgid’s mother was baptized by St. Patrick! Let’s keep everyone under her care close to our hearts.

Peace to all!

Regina

I posted an adorable photo of Razz here

This is too good not to share!

This is too good not to share!

This is too good not to share!

This is too good not to share!

This is too good not to share!

This is too good not to share!

This is too good not to share!

This is too good not to share!