Entry into Indigo Muse's Fall Foilage Contest (IM's main blog is here.
I hope I'm not too late.

This picture was taken about 4 weeks ago.

Here's a full shot of the tree:

It's directly across the street from our house, so we get to enjoy the full effect of it's colorful beauty.

Unfortunately, it's fleeting - Mother Nature and her cycles.

_________________________

Last week-end Kristi and Corynna spent Saturday night with me. Cherise was out of town for a conference in Philadelphia and Kristi had the weekend off, so they came to keep me company.
It was so nice to have them to hang out with.

Sunday morning I got up early with the dogs and not so long after I was joined by Corynna - rejuvenated and ready to go, even thought it was barely 8 am. She played some video games for a 1/2 hour or so, while I dozed next to her on the couch. Then she asked if she could do some knitting.

A few months ago, when she stayed with me, she asked me to show her how to knit. We did a couple rows together and that was it. She was done. Given the attention span of 7 year-olds I though we did ok.

This time she seemed to have a longer tolerance for learning. She spent close to an hour with it this time and seemed really excited to see a knitted piece of fabric emerge from her efforts. When she was ready to stop she said it was because her hands hurt, not because she was bored with it.

Some time after our first knitting lesson I had bought her Kids Knitting by Melanie Felick...holding on to it until she asked to knit again. I gave her the book and showed her what she could knit from it. I also showed her (and her Mom) the page of pictures of how to make a knit stitch so she could follow it when she got home since I wouldn't be there.

She decided she wanted to make the piece she had knit into a bracelet, so I cast off the stitches and tied it to her wrist.

Wah-La!

Corynna's first knit FO!

I talked to her on the phone the other night and she told me she and I needed to get together because she messed her knitting up and I needed to fix it for her.

~grin~

I'm finally moving out of feeling overly emotional about the election. I've read so many articulate posts by my fellow bloggers - it's good to know there's a lot of folks out there who think like me. I'm not alone.

Over the past week, I've also been thankful for my knitting. It's soothes my soul. Doesn't matter if I'm actually knitting or just about knitting - it's a steadfast comfort.

And now - a very bad picture:





...of the Ribby Cardi all spread out on the floor. I had a heck of a time getting a good picture - but this should convey the fact that all the major pieces are DONE! and ready for the zipper to be installed.

This will be my first time to sew a zipper into one of my knitted pieces. No big deal - I used to sew alot and I've installed many a zipper...it's just a knitting first.

Somewhere along the line I decided I no longer needed a sewing machine. I hadn't sewn in years and my machine was in a cabinet that was a bear to move from house to house (there was a time in my life where I moved way more than I wanted to) and then I had to find a place for it. So I decided to give my machine to my sister. And as often happens I've often regretted giving it away. A year or so ago my mom found me a used machine at a garage sale for $20 bucks, but the thing weighed a ton and smelled kinda funny. It was such a pain to pull out and put away that I just didn't mess with it. A few months ago, I got tired of seeing it sit on the floor of our garage so I moved it out next to the trash can. The next morning it was gone. I hope someone took it to use, either to sew or to use for parts.

Which brings me to the here and now. For past month I've had several occasions to need a sewing machine - not counting the fact that I was going to need to sew the zipper in the Ribbi Cardi.

So Sunday, I went into the Stitching Post to buy a zipper and came out with the zipper AND a brand new sewing machine.

Now I can install the zipper into the Ribbi Cardi in the comfort and privacy of my very own home.
As it should be.

Shout Out to Susan G.
HI SUSAN!
A week ago yesterday I got to meet Susan G. who reads my blog and just happens to live in the Dayton area. Susan had sent me an email asking some questions about Koigu. Poor Dear had never had the supreme pleasure of knitting with this beloved yarn. She wanted to know if there was some place in South Western O-hi-ah that sold it 'cause she wanted to buy a skein to test knit to see how she like it.

I told her I had some Koigu left from another project and I'd be happy to give it to her. I was going to mail it but then decided to take it to her work place - and I'm really glad I did, 'cause I got to meet her and spend a little time talking knitting with her.

I was tickled when in the course of our conversation she walked over to her desk and pulled a color card from under her pile of work (can't remember which yarn it was for.) My kind of woman!

I'm hoping Susan is going to join me and a couple friends when we get together in the next few weeks for one of our irregular knit gatherings.

Speaking of work and knitting:
What knitting related paraphernalia is in your immediate workspace?
At this moment, my knitting bag is setting about 1 foot away from me, and I've got knitting word magnets on the metal window frame of my cube's windows. A couple lines that people who have visited my cube have composed:

"fingers touch-ing my texture" and "I love the flickering of fiber"

Where is that bitch Hope?

I spent a very wet and cool day at a Dayton voting precint as a poll monitor
I'm very happy to report that everything went well - no problems - lots of voters.

When I finished there I picked up my son Dusty and we headed off to vote.
(C voted this morning on her way to work)

...for a few days of leaf peepin' and R 'n R.

We're cozied up in a cabin with fireplace and hot-tub
somewhere near Hocking HIlls, Ohio.

Photo from Hocking HIlls Photo Gallery.

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BTW: Travelita left 2 fairly detailed comments with info about pilling.
If you're interested - check 'em out...and THANKS Travelita!

...pilling.
(An ugly little word, in my opinion.)

Last Saturday, the weather here in the Ohio Valley seemed more like winter than fall. C and I had lots of errands to run, so I pulled out my Old Shale sweater/coat off the closet shelf, threw it on and took off for the day.

As the day went by I became more and more aware and more and more annoyed, at what seems to me to be a bad case of pilling.

Not pilling in the way acrylic pills...those funky little bumpy lumps that form a frumpy halo about 1/8 of an inch from the knitted surface.

This pilling looks like glumps of fiber shedding from the wool.
I'm disappointed because I think it takes away from the beauty of my sweater.
Makes it look like it's been worn much more than it has.

I knit Old Shale from Jamieson's Soft Shetland - 100% wool. The ply is kindda soft. (Doh. That's why it's named Soft Shetland, Teresa.)
I haven't washed the sweater, so I know the pilling isn't from that. It just is.

So...I wanna know what you all know about knitting with 100% wool and pilling.
?Why does wool pill?
?Do different wools pill differently?
?What wools are most prone to pill?
?Have you knit with Jamison Soft Shetland and had the same experience as me? Different from me?

Share?
Please and Thank you!

Could Dot be my Knitting Lassie?        

     
The scene:

Teresa comes upon Dot and the right front of the Ribby Cardi, which Dot has pulled out of her knitting bag and drug to a prominent place on the living room floor:

"What is it, Dot? Is it my knitting? Is it my gauge? Is it that I've been using a size 6 needle when all the time I forgot to change to the larger size 7 needle after I finished my ribbing? Is that it girl? What girl, What?!?"

But no. I only scolded her and shoved my knitting back into the bag.

What was she to do? The only thing she could to get my attention - chew the needles.

If only I'd paid heed to the amazing little beagle. I wouldn't have had to re-knit the entire right front. I would be happily knitting the Ribby's sleeves, just stitches away from the Ribby finish line.

Knitter's with dogs - don't let this happen to you.
Please! For Gawd Sakes!
The next time your pooch pulls your knitting across the floor or chews your needles -  
Be patient. Be kind.
I've learned my lesson.
I've seen the light ...

...and her name is Dot.

___________________________________

Thanks to everyone who left a comment regarding my recent rant.
Does my heart good to know I'm in SUCH GOOD COMPANY!!
I wish I were better at answering my comments with emails - but I'm not.
But I do truly appreciate the time you take to write.
You all  !!
(make my heart smile!)

It's midnight.
I just spent the last 45 minutes writing a post and when I went to publish it something screwed up and it's gone.
 
I hate when that happens!
:(

So.
I'm off to bed.
I'll try again tomorrow sometime.

~Yawwwwn~

Knitting news this week - well there's not much of it.

I tried to knit another alien face Sunday, whilst C was getting her hair done. I reached the end of the chart, laid it out to view the illuision and discovered, I'd screwed up in the middle of the chart...so I ripped out everything I'd knit. UUrrrr...I hate when I do that!

I also knit on the Ribby Cardi right front and am **this** close to being done.
I pulled it out last night at our Neighborhood Association meeting (which I almost always knit through) - only to find that each end of my size 7 circ's had been chewed into stubbiness.

"DOT!"
"BAD DOG!!"

Ah-hem...sorry...
...I'm still a little angry with her.

She likes to get her nose down in my knitting bag and pull stuff out and run around with it.
I found it on the floor Sunday night; scolded her and stuffed it back in my bag.
Don't know how I missed the damage to the needles.

I've got size 7 straights to use 'til I can replace the circular 7s.
I'm pretty much a circular gal now.

Round, and round and round we go...
Where we stop...

...A Rant
(Watch out. Teresa has an opinion again.)

Ok...this has been bugging me since Monday and I've decided I just can't post without saying something about it. I can't help myself - I'm a double Sag.

I followed a link Monday that lead to a knit blog that I used to read but stopped reading because I couldn't get with the blogger's since of humor - if that's what you want to call it.

The blogger had gone to Stitches East. The post was a gallery of pictures she had taken there, mostly of other unsuspecting Stitches attendees in garments that (we can only assume) were knit by them or someone who cared enough to knit for them. The blogger had titled this section of the post 'Gallery of Ghastlies 2004'. The Gallery is mostly pictures taken WITHOUT the person's consent and/or knowledge and the blogger's commentary as to the Ghastlie-ness of the garment.

Ok guys...
This is down right MEAN.
Mean. Mean. Mean.

To take pictures of people without their knowledge with the intention of posting them on your webpage so you can make fun of them - help me understand...where's the humor in that?

Yes. Lots of people knit lots of stuff that I'd never knit and/or wear. And  I can't say that I've never said to C or someone else with me, "What was she/he thinking?" But to go to an event with the intent to photograph people - again - without their knowledge,  your friend pretend poses for a picture so you can really take a picture of an-innocent-but-offensive-to-most-important-perfect-knitter-you and then post it on your webpage (did I say it was without their knowledge?) to draw attention to the fact that they don't meet YOUR standards...it's just plain mean.

My opinion.