Knitty Surprise!!

I'm so excited to be writing these words:

I AM IN KNITTY!!!

My new sweater pattern, Jirachi, has been published in the Spring/Summer 2013 Issue of Knitty.com.

Please check it out, and "Fave" it on Ravelry!

Thanks for everyone's support and encouragement!!

Mrs G's Blanket and Hurricane Sandy

Dear C & W

Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Karen, a lifelong resident of New Jersey. I "met" C's sister, A, through work. When Hurricane Sandy hit NJ last year, my parents lost the first floor of their Long Beach Island home. Like you, they lost a lot. Due to health reasons, I was unable to visit LBI to help my parents empty our lifelong memories out onto the curb. My husband, son and in-laws were able to go down, and the photos of devastation they brought home were beyond anything I could have imagined. Fortunately, their 1950s bungalow was not their primary residence.

When our lives started to get back to "normal" I was able to talk to A and she told me about your home and the total upheaval of your lives.

It was during this period that I knew I wanted TO DO something to help besides donate to the Red Cross. Since I have allergies to molds, etc, I couldn't volunteer down in the effected areas.

Then an idea struck me! I'm a knitter! And I know lots of people who knit! Why not make something for the folks I know directly and indirectly, right?

So I posted on twitter and on Ravelry (a website for knitters) and invited my friends to help me create 12" x 12" squares that I have been piecing into blankets (so far we've donated one, and will probably receive enough for two more!).

In addition to those squares, I received an email from one of my dearest friends, a designer, K. K's mom, Mrs G, had started an 8" x 8" mitered blanket in approximately 2006 or 2007 as a gift to her husband Dr G.

Unfortunately, Dr G passed away before she could finish, and the squares were packed away in her home for several years. To say that Dr and Mrs loved each other would be an understatement. They spent over 40 years together and raised a wonderful trio of daughters, all who are creative and nature-loving.

Mrs G grew up in Rhode Island and would often talk about "the great hurricane" from her childhood whenever storm season would hit the eastern seaboard. She then lived in New Jersey for 30+ years and often donated her time to charities and people in need.

In mid-October 2012, Mrs G fell ill and wound up in the hospital. She passed away two weeks after Hurricane Sandy, on the day my husband, son and in-laws were on LBI with my parents. It was one of the saddest days for me.

In the weeks that followed, K and her sister's began to go through Mrs G's possessions and found the mitered squares she had knit 5 years before. K, knowing of my blankets, spoke to her sisters and they unanimously agreed that I should take them and finish the blanket to donate.

I personally knit the last few squares, seamed them all together, added a border and carefully reinforced any weak yarn/stitches I could find...But most of the extra love and TLC knit into this special blanket were provided by Mrs G herself.

It is with great pride and honor that I present this blanket to you both. The residents of Oceanport are fortunate to have two such extraordinary residents during this difficult time. I hope this blanket can help (literally) wrap you in some comfort and help you begin to feel a new sense of "home".

All our best, from my home, K's family, and knitters everywhere!

xoxo
Karen

Arts and Crafts

Ramona/CC recently went to a friends birthday party, held at the family's home, and the kids all did arts and crafts (butterfly and fairy themed), which I thought was a fantastic, and cost efficient way to celebrate. When discussing plans for her upcoming birthday, I suggested a holiday craft-themed party and she thought it was a great idea! Unfortunately, she couldn't invite the cast of hundreds she had for her party last year (gymnastics) but she confidently narrowed the guest list down to 7 friends...some old, some new...and we sent the invitations out!

Before proceeding with the party plans, I should mention that the invites did not get mailed without a hitch. I wrote out the Smurf invitations in pink marker, as instructed, and looked up the friends addresses the Monday before Thanksgiving. I purposely did NOT let CC seal them because I wanted to remind myself to put the return address labels and stamps on before mailing them the following morning. On Tuesday I woke a little early, grabbed the return labels and sealed them before I left the house. Once I got out of the subway I started toward my office before remembering to mail the envelopes. I pulled the stack from my bag, brought the mailbox handle down, placed them inside and released the bar only to, at the last second, realize I had not put the stamps on! [INSERT slow-motion, low-bellied sounding, "noooooooooo!" here] What could I do? It was out of my hands...literally. I emailed the mom's of the guests later that morning and they all got a kick out of my story. A few days later most of them wrote to say that the post office had delivered the invitations...without marking them "postage due". No wonder the USPS is low on funds! Anywhoodles...

The process of finding easy holiday craft ideas for a party of 8 six-year-olds. And here's some what we've come up with (these are other people's images...I'll be sure to post mine once the party is over):

Reindeer Head (I traced and cut out CC's hands - super cute and fun!)


Snowman ornaments (using sticky foam circles!)


And the piece de resistance...SNOW GLOBES! I'm still working on getting the jars prepared, but I have all the "ingredients" ready to go - these are going to be so cool! [Side note: In wanting to cover all my bases, I did another internet search for these yesterday and it looks like stupid Taylor Swift was featured in People magazine because she's making these for all her friends/family this season. Let it be known - I had the idea first - she stole it from me because it's so awesome.]




My evening agenda for this week:

Monday - go to Michaels and pick up remainder of supplies

Tuesday - begin prep of cut-outs (I did 117 in all!!) and put together goody bags w/ CC's help

Wednesday - go to grocery store and find perfect jars for snowglobes; bring them home, clean off labels and scuff inside of lids; cut more snowman circles

Thursday - glue ornaments to inside of jar lids (and hope they stick!)

Friday - bake a million and a half cupcakes (half chocolate, half vanilla, by request)

Saturday - clean house, ice cupcakes, install plastic sheeting all over dining room in preparation of sparkles/paint/glue + 6 yr olds!!, order pizza, greet kids, throw best party, say goodbye to kids, say hello to grandparents, get MC off to hockey for game, get grandparents in vehicles to travel to said game, see game, get home, collapse!

Maybe I'll get back to some knitting next week :o)

ISO: The World's Best Yellow

For years, I've been obsessed with finding the perfect "yellow" yarn.

I came very close with The March Hare yarn I purchased at Rhinebeck back in 2009 (or 08?). I used it to make Kirsten Kapur's Snow Drops and Snap Peas shawl...which I love (and all of my friends want to steal).

Then I purchased some Shibui Knits sock yarn in Finch...so much brighter! I made Socktoberfest socks in 2010 and I want to live in them on all the cold days!

I've used...
Jamieson's Shetland in Goldenrod
Berroco's Comfort in Buttercup
Berroco's Pure Pima in Jojoba
Berroco's Vintage in Sunny
Knit Picks Gloss in Dandelion
Malabrigo's Worsted in Cadmium
and even purchased...
St Denis' Nordique in Honey Glaze

But I have a BIG project I need to work on and REALLY want a nice worsted weight in the PERFECT yellow. I thought of trying Cascade 220 (they have a great selection of shades) but I'm afraid the final feel of the sweater needs a little alpaca in it. So then I considered Berroco's Ultra Alpaca, but no one seems to sell the Masa color online. I guess I can start calling around to yarn shops but man, the effort!

Does anyone have any ideas, suggestions, recommendations?

You know I'm a nerd for the yellows...please help!

How to count sweaters? (yes, it's a question)

As the end of 2011 fast approaches, my Ravelry project page reminds me that I did not, in fact, knit 20, or 22, or as many sweaters as my friends joked I might. I will have knit, approximately, 15 1/2

But wait...because maybe I've knit a few more...I'll let you judge how to count sweaters!

Sweaters for 2011 (mostly for me, unless otherwise noted, all Adult sized):

1. Aidez
2. Abi
3. Tashmoo (for MIL)
4. Washington Square
5. As yet unpublished sweater
6. Little Blue Sweater
7. Beatnik
8. Erin Cardigan (for Erin; CCK Design)
9. Gavotte
10. Beagle (for Ken)
11. As yet unpublished sweater
12. Owl sweater (CCK Design)
13. Ramona DRESS (CCK Design; counting this as 1.5 sweaters)
14. George Street
15. Nebula

Subtotal: 15.5

Sweaters for CC (kid sized):

1. Ana
2. Ramona Jr (short sleeves)
3. Ramona Jr (long sleeves)
4. Dagmar
   
5. Striped Princess Raglan (lengthened body and sleeves; count as .5)

Subtotal: 4.5

GRAND TOTAL: 19

So you see my dilemma. How to count sweaters? If I push myself to knit a 20th...would it REALLY count as a 20th?

And don't even get me started on shawls...Kirsten Kapur has converted me into a shawl junkie! Ha ha

Happy Knitting Y'all!

Friends and Knitters and The Beginning

It's amazing how something you love can change your life.

When I learned to knit in the late 90s, my grandmother handed me a ball of Lion Brand yarn and a long pair of straight aluminum needles. Armed with these two tools, I learned how to knit and purl...well, I attempted to learn. In the two years that followed, I made a few scarves, and 3.5 sweaters. And then I put my needles down. For a long time.

As most know, I knit periodically through the years: a baby blanket, a scarf, anything square or rectangular; but never anything "more".

After my daughter was born, everything changed. When Ramona was 7 or 8 months old we took a trip to Martha's Vineyard to visit my in-laws and something inside me said "bring some knitting". I started scouring the internet and discovered Knitty, and some knitter/bloggers like Stefanie Japel, Carrieoke and *Nonnahs. I felt a sense of excitement and decided to not only knit the sweater for my wee baby, but to keep going...knitting garments THAT FIT and learned new techniques like...yikes...CABLING! This led to socks and shawls and sweaters (mostly for myself). And then there was Ravelry!

I remember my friend, Alyssa, sent me an email that said "you have to sign up for this website! there's a waiting list but it says the list goes fast and you may only have to wait a few days to get on!". I kind of thought "wait, what? A knitting website with a waiting list? For reals?" So I looked into it and it asked for a user email to get on the list...and I panicked! I didn't want to use my "regular" email address. Was I going to be asked to set up a user name? These were tough decisions to make. Seriously...HARD. DECISIONS.

Seeing as I was doing most of my knitting on the train, the handle "choochooknits" seemed like the right fit. Yeah, some folks still wonder what it means, but once they hear about my commute on the train, well, it all falls into place.

Jump ahead several years. After my family, knitting is probably the next most important thing in my life. And when I said "knitting" I truly mean: friends, fibers, projects, patterns, etc. Because knitting has come to mean SO much more than just the actual act of working up yarn. It, quite literally, winds though my day-to-day existence to become the fabric of my life. I look at my project page on Ravelry and think "oh, I knit that on the train with my old knitting group and accidentally broke a dpn that day" or "I remember Gab seeing that I hadn't sewn my armhole closed as I was getting to head off to Rhinebeck S&W". Oh the times we've had.

I've made friends, both near and far...and while there are a few I've never met IRL, I consider them to be some of my closest friends in the world. And through these friends, I've met more knitter/friends and have been blessed by their kindness and generosity...as though we had known each other forever.

As testament to the power of knitting and the bond of strangers-turned-friends, I'll end this post with a photo of The Rhinebeck 12 (minus Misa, who was taking the photo)...my newest group of FRIENDS. I love you all!



(L to R: Michelle, Gab, Yvonne, Angela, Shameka, Deb, Kim, me, Kirsten and Meganne; awww, Stephanie was missing too!)

What's in a name?

I posted the following comment on twitter a few days ago:

Post Rhinebeck Sad: I miss calling people by their real first name and using screen name as last name. e.g. karen choochooknits

And this really got me to thinking about how much I kinda really love naming people in this fashion. Not only does it utilize the individual's REAL first name, but keeps them anonymous by using their chosen moniker (which usually indicates something about them) for their "last name".

Some examples...and a bunch others which need no further explanation:

Karen Choochooknits
LibLiz
Cathipink
MegFab
Misa Craftivore
YarnyOldKim
GabFab
Marie Bklynhandspun
Michelle Boringknitter
Andrea KnittingBicycle
Laura MyHouseKey
Caro Splityarn
Deb StitchyMcYarnpants
Kirsten ThroughTheLoops
Sarah NotScarlett
Chawne CauchyComplete
Carrieoke
Cathy Runnergirl713


Every single one of those names makes me smile to know their owner. Hooray for knitterly friends!