Cosmicknitter

March 11, 2020

Still Crawling- LI Yarn Crawl pt. 2

The third stop on my list was Knit, located in Roslyn, New York. Knit is a bright and roomy shop just off of Main Street. I was greeted at the door by a friendly woman who made sure to stamp my Passport, enter me into the raffle and hand me the list of daily specials. I was immediately drawn to the Cozy Color Works trunk show. Sandy, who hails from New Jersey, was on hand with her beautiful yarn. I have seen her wool at the New York State Sheep and Wool Festival and figured it was high time I bought a skein. I fell in love with Nightfall on the SW Merino base. It is 550 yds of crazy color and a perfect gift for my friend Katherine. Katherine would give you the shirt of her back and the wool from her stash. She typically knits with solids, so naturally I pick something totally off the wall to remind her of ME! I really love this color. I really love Katherine.

Who can resist a sale on Perth? Apparently I can’t. This going to make my feet so freakin’ happy.

I’m doing pretty well so far, don’t you think?

Hopping in my car once again, I head south toward Oceanside, New York. This is on the south shore, where I encounter a bit more traffic and a lot less parking.

The Knitting Store is a tiny little shop tucked neatly off a small alley between the main road and the municipal parking lot. It may be a small shop, but you bet they have room for a table at which to knit!

Once inside I met Tina, mastermind behind Tina’s Toasty Toes. Tina is local to Long Island and dying is her passion; that passion comes through the moment you meet her. Just look at the smile on her face!

Even though her selection was huge, my choice was easy. I wanted a skein of sock yarn for my friend and colleague who is also named Tina. The yarn had to be in school spirit color. Check out this beauty. The shade is so deep and rich. She is going to love it. Tina has never made socks, so yes, it comes with free sock knitting lessons!!

I still have two shops to share with you. Stay tuned yarnies!!

Don’t forget to wash those paws of yours. Soap and water is more effective in the long run than hand sanitizer. Tired of the Birthday Song? Scrub to this: Africa by Weezer with a convenient 20 second chorus!

Today’s Saint, St. Constantine, was the King of Cornwall and is regarded as Scotland’s first martyr.

Beverage du jour: Daily Immunity Tea by Nuestra Salud. Tastes like dirt, so it must work, right?

Love and good health to all of you, and as always, thank you for stopping by.

Regina

March 9, 2020March 20, 2020

I’m Crawling Here!

This weekend marked the 6th Annual Long Island Yarn Crawl and I was crawling like a gangsta on Saturday. Here are some highlights!

My first stop was The Knitted Purl in Oyster Bay, New York. Oyster Bay is a hamlet on the north shore of Long Island, New York. It is home to Sagamore Hill, the former residence and summer White House of Theodore Roosevelt; it is now a National Historic Site and museum.

The Knitted Purl sits on a quiet corner behind a white picket fence. This is a very charming shop loaded with beautiful yarns, books and notions and the staff couldn’t have been nicer!! I picked up my complementary tote bag and got busy.

I found two beautiful skeins of yarn. The first is a variegated sock yarn by Shirsty Cat Designs. Druid’s Rest is shades of muted green, blue and lavender. The yarn is 464 yds/ 100g, 75% Superwash BFL/ 25% Nylon.

Emma’s Yarn is a hand-dyed yarn company based in Florida. Emma started dying yarn at the age of 15, after experimenting with it for a math assignment. The Hella Hank tops out at 600 yards of 80% Superwash Merino, 10% Cashmere and 10% Nylon! Two of these skeins and you got yourself a sweater! I fell in love with Good Juju, a beautiful lavender.

Hopping in my car, I headed off to The Knitting Place in Port Washington, New York. This shop sits very unassumingly in a small plaza on Main Street. Don’t let this small shop fool you, though. It is stocked ceiling to floor with some of the most beautiful yarns and notions. The featured trunk show for Saturday was Asylum Fibers. Stephanie, the dyer, was on hand for a meet and greet. She makes some beautiful yarns, let me tell you!! I picked up a skein of 100% SW Merino sock weight yarn in the Rabbit Hole colorway. This will be a gift for my friend Jen who is constantly sharing her stash with me! She loves the color black and this is a nice ashy shade.

An unexpected surprise during this stop was realizing the shop owners are also video pod-casters whose channel I subscribe to. No, I did not put two and two together. The ladies were very sweet and friendly in spite of being TOTALLY busy with all the other crawlers. Please stop in and see them if you are ever in the area.

Another highlight was meeting designer Corrado Lark. What a sweet fella. He was sporting his latest design Mortaring. We enjoyed a conversation about the virtues of being nice. Unfortunately, Corrado has experienced first hand how unkind people can be when their hollow hearts are filled with self-righteous pride. Please check out his growing collection of knits. And for heaven sake…be nice!

Well, I think that is enough for the time being. I will continue with more Yarn Crawl adventures in the days to come.

As always, thank you for stopping by!!

Sending hugs out to your corner of the universe!

xoxo

Regina

March 4, 2020March 11, 2020

A Little Q & A for the Day

I was reading a fun post by my fellow blogger “Compassionknit“. She shared a fun little Q & A so I thought I would add my two cents.

Do you prefer to knit with bigger needles or smaller needles?

I definitely prefer a smaller needle. I find I have to do less manipulating to get a decent tension.

Do you like to have a bulky knit or crochet going with a sock at the same time to alternate weights?

I literally just discovered the fun of having a crochet project in the mix. Having one needle and one loop to contend with makes for easy stitching!

Do you have a pattern that can be a bookmark or a shawl?

I don’t think I have a pattern suitable for a bookmark, but I LOVE using ball bands. I don’t know why, though. Maybe it’s because they are always lying around and very accessible.

Do you think Leaves are the easiest object work into a project or are you a Feather and Fan wave person?

Can you believe I have never done a leaf pattern? I know!! That’s why I love chatting with you all; I get so many new ideas.

Do you like to read books about places you have been to visit?

I prefer reading about places I would like to visit. I just finished a book about the Civil War and would love to plan a trip to Gettysburg.

Do you know an author?

I do know an author. She writes wonderful books for Young Adults. I will link her here: Ann E. Burg We are fortunate to have many talented writers in Rhinebeck, and I am infinitely blessed to call Ann my friend.

Do you know a pattern author?

I know people who tinker, but as far as big-time designers, I do not.

Do you wish you could write like someone ? Who?

I would love to write like Mark Twain!!

Do you plan months ahead for a local person or within an hours drive, for a get together?

No, my get togethers tend to be planned a few days or a week in advance.

Do you like a text such as: “Hey, we are at such and such, want to join in?”

I love those kinds of texts, they often result in some really fun times!

Now, don’t you feel like you have seen a bit more of the deep dark recesses of my brain? Not as scary as you thought, right?

What interesting tidbits are dwelling in your brain? Answer some of the questions if you want. Who knows, we may be long lost twins!

In case you thought you could get through a post without a photo of dog-dog, you were soooo wrong!

**My Fitness Instructor**
**Notice my blurry feet??**

Stay tuned for my next post where I share my adventures on the Long Island Yarn Crawl!

Until then, please keep yourselves and your families in good health.

Blessings and love,

Regina

February 26, 2020March 20, 2020

The Way to a Man’s Heart

So, this was not my original title. It was initially going to be something along the lines of “How I please my husband while keeping my jammies on.” I think the reason for the veto is obvious.

For the first time in our 5 year marriage I made him one of his favorite breakfasts (NOT hard-boiled eggs). Blueberry pancakes. He was in heaven. He is very satisfying to cook for and very easy to please. I should mention, he sent me a link to a 43 sec YouTube tutorial on how to peel hard-boiled eggs. Now I am peeling eggs like a ninja! Bless his heart.

In the knitting world, I am busying myself with the Habitation Throw by Helen Stewart. Here I have a lunch box full of really pretty odds and ends. As you can see by the photo, I am in the infancy stage.

I am also doing a KAL with my fabulous yarny colleagues. We chose Love Note by Tin Can Knits. My intention is to use the yarn below held double with a very light green mohair, but the swatch is giving me a very bulky gauge. I am debating if I should go down a pattern size and up a needle size, or should I choose different yarn. I think the mohair is going to obscure the lace yoke. See what I mean?

The yarn on the left is dyed by a friend of mine. She has been at the NYS Sheep and Wool Festival for the past few years, and I am thrilled her work is getting the recognition it deserves. Please visit her Etsy site; she has yarn and notions. Mt. Rutsen Studio Tell her Regina sent you!

My son and I have the same sense of humor. There are times when we will have conversations exclusively in movie or comedy show dialog. The latest came after mentioning Texas in a conversation.

Today in my faith: It is Ash Wednesday. Somehow my husband manages to get the BIGGEST cross on his forehead each year. I think his lack of hair allows for a bit more flair.

In my cup: Harney & Sons Hot Cinnamon Spice Tea. Their tea bags are in silky sachets. I would recommend brewing these with water just below the boiling point. The bags contain a small amount of plastic, and even though it is food grade it may still leech if heated to boiling. I prefer their loose teas for this reason.

In my ears: The Yarniacs Podcast on the Stitcher App, because what does a knitting fanatic do while knitting? Listen to people talk about knitting.

Do you listen to audio podcasts, or are you a strictly YouTube watcher? Share some of your favorites!

Have a blessed and productive Lent.

Love, Regina

February 20, 2020February 20, 2020

Why? Just…Why?

Those were the words my husband said to me as he sat down to breakfast. I’m no stranger to the kitchen and I can crank out some pretty decent stuff, but my nemesis is the hard-boiled egg, and the eggs that morning were particularly bad. I mean, really bad. Half of the egg white came off with the shell. Are you feelin’ me? I blame the chicken.

True Confession: I have lied to students.

Them: “Wow, Mrs. M., this pencil sharpener is awesome.”

Me: “Thanks. It comes with a built in woodchuck.” Silence

Them: “Mrs. M., can you make copies of this math worksheet for me?”

Me: “Sure. Would you like it stapled with holes punched?”

Them: “It can do all that?”

Me: “Yes! The only thing it can’t do is fill in the answers for you, only the big copier does that.” Silence

Me: “Would you kids like a snow day tomorrow? (forecast says 100% chance of blizzard)

Them: “YEAH! You can do that?”

Me: “Sure! I’m in charge of snow days here!”

Them: “WOW! That’s awesome!”

…Blizzard hits Rhinebeck. Kids dreams come true. Fast forward…

Kid’s Mom: “Mrs. M., will there be school tomorrow?”

Me: “I wouldn’t know.”

Kid’s Mom: “Oh, don’t you decide on snow days? That’s what Billy said.”

Me: “My work here is done.”

I hope you all have been well. I’ve been busy. Finishing up those wips really cleared up my head, and stoked my knitting mojo. KonMari for Knitters! I never realized how much of a downer it was to have languishing projects around. Since the start of the new year, I have finished a few hats, a scarf and two pairs of socks.

Lauren Slagle, mastermind behind Lolo Did It Yarns, dyed up some team spirit colorways. I purchased her Plush Sock in three colors:

Cheesehead: Green Bay Packers

Steelers Nation: Pittsburgh Steelers

Keep Pounding: Carolina Panthers

The yarn is yummy, and while I find the colors a bit on the subtle side, they make for great spirit wear and very comfy socks none the less.

Another project I am excited about is the Lace Blanket Mystery KAL by Cecilia from Oh La Lana! We are only on square #2, so it is not to late to join us. This project should be finished sometime in August. I am excited to be doing something a bit outside my comfort zone. I have been knitting in the round for so long that I had to reacquaint myself with a lace chart and the trusty ‘life line’. Ignoring that glaring error in the second photo, I think the final product will be a nice, lightweight but cozy throw. (don’t look! OK, you can look! No, wait!) This is knit out of Times Remembered Prime Alpaca. I purchased the yarn at the New York State Sheep and Wool Festival (aka, Rhinebeck). It is a beautifully haloed yarn in a heather blue color. These photos do not do it justice. The final product will be 3′ x 5′. Please check out Ceci’s blog and website. She is a talented lady and a real sweetheart!

We interrupt this post for rant from our sponsor…

We have automatic, motion-detecting lights in our staff bathroom. I may be of simple mind, but I tend to let the light do it’s thing, and that is, detect motion. Motion = on. No motion = off. While I appreciate the Eco-consious as much as the next guy, I tend to get a bit…how does one say…pissy, when I really, REALLY have to pee and I can’t find the light switch because someone thought it best to save energy by turning off the motion-detecting light. DAMMIT.

I hope you have been well. As always, I am truly grateful for anyone who takes the time to stop by, read and comment. I appreciate the blogging community very much!

Peace to you today, and in the days to come.

Love,

Regina

Today’s Saint: St. Jacinta Marto, youngest visionary of Our Lady of Fatima in Portugal in 1917. Her Patronage is broad:

• against bodily ills or sickness
• captives, prisoners
• people ridiculed for their piety
• sick people

I would like us to offer up a silent prayer to the victims of sex-trafficking. May God help them and have mercy on their tormentors. (don’t mean to be a downer, but seriously.)

In my glass: Harney and Sons Tea: Paris. OMG! Buy this. It is intoxicating. No seriously. Buy it.

This tea tastes sweet like caramel and has a fruity black currant flavor. You can also taste a hint of vanilla. $!2.00 for a 7oz tin of loose tea. Can’t beat that with a stick!

In my ears: I think someone just stepped on a duck.

February 12, 2020March 20, 2020

“To ease another’s heartache is to forget one’s own.”

Today is Abraham Lincoln’s birthday. He is by far my favorite historical figure.

He suffered from depression. “I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go.”

And he loved animals. “I care not for a man’s religion whose dog and cat are not the better for it.”

What’s not to love about this man.

Have peace in your day.

Regina

February 4, 2020

Finish or Frog part 2

Hello dear friends! I must say, the Finish or Frog adventure was one of the best things I did for myself, even though I was not the beneficiary of the finished projects. This next project should have been frogged years ago. And I mean YEARS. My son and I picked out the yarn together at the NYS Sheep and Wool Festival (aka. Rhinebeck) with the intention of my knitting him a set of socks. The yarn was very popular for socks at the time and we waited on line for quite a while to buy it. I cast on immediately and knit 3/4 of the first sock but I was not in love with how it was knitting up; it was stiff and the wool was discoloring my hands and bamboo needles. So the project sat there, in my closet for close to 8 years. You heard me. 8 YEARS! So out of the closet it came. I rewound the wool and decided it would make a nice hat that would showcase the yarn’s subtle color variations. I had forgotten how handsome the wool was. I chose the Barley Light pattern by Tin Can Knits The yarn is Blue Moon Fiber – Silkie Socks that Rock in Ravenscroft color way (black with yellow and green highlights)

In keeping with the habit of naming my projects after video games or characters. I named this hat Vivi after that black mage in Final Fantasy IX- the little fella with the big hat!.

Vivi also makes a minor appearance in Kingdom Hearts, one of my son’s favorite video game franchises. The word ‘vivi’ literally means “to live to see”. This yarn definitely lived to see the day when it became a fully finished object (FFO?)!

What’s going on at work? When surrounded by middle schoolers, it is never dull. The daughter of a faculty member created this beautiful bulletin board. These kids definitely help me find my wings. If they only knew.

And then there are days like this:

Fortunately, there are more quarters in the right jar!
My dog makes me a better human.

I think that’s it for the time being. It is always a pleasure visiting with you!! I enjoy reading your blogs, and I certainly hope you enjoy mine as well.

Naturally, this post would not be complete without a photo of Razz. When my husband has to be away for a prolonged amount of time, we all miss him, Razz included. The first night home, Razz climbs in Robert’s bag and beds down for the evening. It is the cutest h*cking thing evah!

Have a blessed week! Drop me a line, I would love to know how you’re doing. If you have a quirky pet, tell me about him!

I wish you peace in you lives, and endless hours of knitting!

Love,

Regina

Saint of the Day: Saint Joseph of Leonissa – As a boy and as a student in early adulthood, Joseph drew attention for his energy and virtue. He said “When we suffer anything, we give proof of our love.” Sometimes I find it so difficult to see love in the face of suffering. That’s something to ponder, yes?

In my mug: Earl Grey Tea

In my ears: Bill Evans. He is a jazz pianist. I had not heard of him before, but my hunny, shared this link with me. I hope you enjoy it! Portrait in Jazz – Bill Evans Trio

Favorite Tweet from the Super Bowl Half-Time Show: “This is the best Super Bowl themed bachelor party I have ever been to!”

January 23, 2020March 20, 2020

“My Wife, World Traveler”

You don’t typically hear from me more than once in the same week, but I thought this quote was very dear and worth sharing.

Do you ever look at your blog’s ‘Stats and Insights’ page? Being a self-proclaimed geek, I love reading this data daily. (data? barely know her!).

Yesterday, I looked at the map showing the home country of all my readers; it was so amazing that I just had to share it with my husband. His response was “my wife, world traveler!”. That got me thinking (a rare and sometimes frightening phenomenon).

We are so blessed to live in a time where relationships can be forged from hundreds or even thousands of miles away by celebrating that one singular worsted weight thread that we all share. I believe this connects us as makers as well as sisters and brothers of God.

Today, I will meditate on this while giving thanks for the graces I have received by knowing you and traveling with you on this journey around the world. Thank you for inviting me into your homes and hearts.

Peace in your day.

Love, Regina

January 20, 2020January 21, 2020

Knitting Forward While Tinking Back

Happy New Year, friends! I hope your holidays and holy days were blessed.

The title of this post is the brain child of my husband. I wanted to write about how my first projects of the new year were actually repurposed from WIPs that have been lurking on my shelf for way too long. And in one case, 8 years! As I explained this to him, he offered his ever-expanding knitting vocabulary as a suggestion for the title (very sexy). I am knitting forward into the new year, by tinking back old projects. Clever, eh?

During the Christmas break, I went into all the closets and dark recesses of my home where WIPs tend to lurk. I flushed them all out and took stock in the projects. To my credit, there were only a handful-maybe 3 or 4- with only one not worth saving. I made up my mind to stop what I was currently working on to finally finish or frog these long-forgotten projects. So over the next few posts, I’ll take one project at a time and share with you what they were and what they became.

The first project I dealt with was the Shawl Collared Cardigan by Erika Knight. I started this for my oldest son last winter (as in 2018). As soon as the wool arrived, I cast on and went full steam ahead until I had 6 pieces that required blocking then seaming. It had been so long since I knit a garment flat that I forgot how much I dislike seaming. None the less, this was made with super bulky yarn and it worked up rather quickly. The primary challenge was finding a place on the edges to insert my needle without creating a large hole. Once I got in the groove, it was smooth sailing. Until the zipper. Have you ever been faced with a new technique that you avoid for no rational reason except fear not knowing exactly what the h*ck you are doing? Fast forward a few months and I finally put the time aside to sew it in. Took me a few attempts, but after about two hours, it was done. One more final blocking and an hour of pulling off Razz’s floof and the sweater was complete. I wrapped it and put it under the tree for Ben. I am very pleased with the final product and it definitely falls into the “Mommy Hug Sweater” category! The wool is Rowan Big Wool in black. http://knitrowan.com

Isn’t he handsome?

Super cozy, squishy, super bulky wool

I used to be a monogamous knitter but with the advent of knitting video podcasts, I found myself downloading and casting on way too many projects. I never realized how this habit hindered the joy of the project I was actively knitting at the time. This exercise in finishing or frogging was a great reminder of the freedom I feel when I am not bogged down by too many projects. I have since made it a priority, upon finishing a knit, to block, snap a few photos for Ravelry and Instagram, then I completely unpack my project bag, returning all needles and notions to their proper place, dropping any left over yarn into a bowl for a scappy project. There is less clutter around the house and much less clutter in my head! And, I am actually getting things done! win-win-win!

So, does this post fall into the “a little about knitting” or “a lot about nothing” category. Not sure, but I do think it is time to wrap things up. I want to thank you for stopping by. I look forward to sharing time with you in the months to come. If you have a moment, drop me a line in the comments and tell me what you are working on, who you are rooting for in the Super Bowl or what your best fur baby has been charming you with lately.

Be sure to peek in on Razzle, he would love to see you.

What I am listening to: Nice and Knit podcast

In my cup: Tea in a sweet little tea set from my boys

Saint of the day: Saint Sabastian. St. Sabastian had a rough go of things toward the end. He was not popular with the emperor Diocletian who had him beaten and thrown in a sewer. Does it surprise you that he became the special protector from the bubonic plague? He is the patron saint of archers and pin-makers. Today, I will say a special prayer for all the wonderful knitters and creators whose little enamel pins adorn my project bags and totes.

Love to all,

Regina

September 21, 2019September 21, 2019

September 21, 2019

To members of a certain Tribe, you know who you are…

I did not write on my birthday, so I am declaring this day – September 21, 2019 – ‘Birthday 2.0’.

I have some traditions on my birthday. The most curious being the tiara that I wear ALL. DAMN. DAY! I don’t plan anything for my birthday, rather I let the day come to me. I follow my heart and do whatever comes my way with a sense of the divine, handing me the most beautifully wrapped gift. The day always includes my husband, Razzle, my boys and a whole cluster of people that I love and who are a part of my day because they want to be, not because of some self-inflicted, guilt-riddled sense of obligation. That is what I love most about them.

This last birthday, I turned 54yrs old and to be honest, I haven’t felt this young since I was in my twenties. My youngest son has a client who is a masseuse. (I think that is how you spell it, but I am too lazy to look it up.) He treated me to an hour of total pampering, followed by a light lunch at our local health food store. As we sat in the cafe we were being observed by a table of older women. I chalked it up to the tiara. As we left, one of the ladies did inquire about the tiara. My hunch was correct. As I explained that it was my birthday and my son was treating me to some pampering, the looks on their collective faces changed! “He’s your SON? We thought you were a cougar!!” True story.

The older I get the younger I get. I could chalk it up to working in a middle school, or it could be the side effect of being knocked down a peg, assuming that peg-knocking has a reverse affect on one’s degree of maturity. Or, just maybe it has something to do with living life with eyes wide open. Stay with me on this one. Not to long ago, I sat down with myself and took a long, hard look at some things in my life that were just not working for me anymore. It is very difficult to change habits, whether they be behaviors we do on auto-pilot, or those thoughts that have been residing in your brain for years, undermining your confidence and self-esteem; taking up real estate, rent free. Ironically, we can all attest to the fact that our thoughts influence those behaviors, right. So, there I sat…and there they were-those unproductive habits. I made up my mind right then and there that I would try to look some of these habits squarely in the eye and serve them a notice of eviction.

I know you are wondering what that has to do with feeling younger as I age, and the only thing I can say is that to me, breaking bad habits or changing unhealthy patterns is much like learning to walk. There are forward steps, backward steps and fall on your ass steps, but with perseverance and support we keep at it until we can walk. On our own. Always forward toward our destination. We walk alone, with family, with friends and in my case, with a Tribe.

Thank you all for your companionship.

Your sister in Christ,

Regina Mary

In my glass: Saranac Diet Ginger Beer

In my ears: The beautiful sound of my husband at the piano, and Auburn Football.

Saint of the Day: St. Matthew. Little is known about St. Matthew. except that he was likely born in Galilee. He worked as a tax collector, which was a hated profession during the time of Christ. According to the Gospel, Matthew was working at a collection booth in Capernaum when Christ came to him and said, “Follow me.” With this simple call, Matthew became a disciple of Christ.

Talk about learning to walk!

Yes, the tiara is “A THING”

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