In The Garden Living an RPG Life

I’ve been trying to answer questions on Ravelry based on the little knitting experience I have. The biggest knitting challenge for me is lace knitting. This project, the lap doily, has taught me a couple of things. The first thing is to be fearless using stitch markers.

I kept telling myself, every time I knitted this pattern, that it’s short and I should be able to remember what to do. It’s four rows. It’s two sections of four or five stitches depending on which section I’m looking at. What’s the problem? Well, after losing the stitches in the second part I gave in and put in a stitch marker. That small act helped me keep my place and see what I was knitting into. Which was the second thing I learned from this.

I know that reading the knitting is important. It’s easier when it’s knit and purl stitches and stockinette. It’s harder when it’s lace or lacy knitting. The distinction is determined by whether or not there is a plain/non-design row between the design row. In both cases the knitting is into pattern stitches and these are the ones I learned to pay attention to. My lesson came from the yarn over on the previous row. I finally remembered that the second stitch in the second part of the pattern, the one that I kept losing stitches from, is always the yarn over. That yarn over is the key stitch for me. Once I got that, I could always find and recover my lost (usually forgotten to make) stitch.

I don’t know if this detail is going into the story, though.  This pattern, well the edging on the doily, is what Pod and Yohn are knitting.

Our local SnB has granted usefulness and softness status to my design attempt at a lap doily. It was judged soft and nice by women for whom these criteria are relevant. Having never been one for whom comforting my child was an important consideration, I defer to those in the know.

I got to explain my process. I started with the directions from Mary Thomas’ book on knitting and let the pattern develop from swatching.  I found out that I was not alone exploring how patterns develop. I haven’t yet written out the process my knittiing took, but I do know that it started out on single pointed needles and became a lap doily from there. What happened in between is probably the stuff knitting legend is created from

“She’s given up. She’s been holding up pretty well until this. Now, she’s just given up.” I said, “She’s seeing the holes not the spaces.” There has been a breech in the material of her life and till now she’ s been looking through the breech and seeing saw the future moving through it and being shaped by it a particular way. This “way” was seen as the kind of change that could be seen as opportunity, a path. Now, though, she saw the opening as a space, an emptiness. She was seeing that something has been taken away.

In knitting it is the spaces that give the fabric it’s purpose. It is the spaces that hold or release heat, light. It is the rising of fabric and the falling of spaces that create texture. Knitting is space wrapped in fiber. Lace is light bound by it.

It turns out that writing this year’s novel is being fueled by knitting. I’ve put several projects on needles and so far two of them are contributing—no, three—are contributing directly to the shape of the story. The first project, the lap doily, was the subject of a knitting lesson. The second project, the previously mentioned wedding scarf, is the subject of a main character’s frustration with her own process. Swatching as a necessary part of the design process is also a major part of the story. One pattern will combine with music to become source for secret codes.

Because I didn’t have to work tonight I got to visit the other group of knitters that meet to stitch. And tell stories. Just as I had with the first group, I made a connection with a knitter who is also a techie. This one is in the KnitML group and we had a minor geekasm talking. Ok, so I was doing the talking and being jubilant. It’s how I am. I also got to tell stories about podcasts and other online knitterly events. The best part of meeting knitters these days is seeing their projects, and especially their yarn.

I’ve been listening to LimeNViolet, finally. I’ve had the podcasts on my computer for a while but, I had to be in the right mood to listen. I’m so glad I did. Listen to it, that is. They are rowdy and bawdy and so much people I’d love to be eavesdropping on. Which is what the podcast sounds like. I totally got off on listening to the duo opening a box from Germany. Or perusing, and squealing well into pin-the-needle zone, over yarn online. Oh, and stash enhancement? I got that from them also. Need. More. Yarn.

I got to be part of Franklin Habit’s 1000 Knitters project in Sacramento today taking photos of local knitters. It took me a long time to get to the site since I don’t follow directions well.

This is my very good excuse for not writing today. I got to talk about my podcast essay with him and share my excitement about a new development. Not directly a result of the podcast, but from my continuing investigation of my grandmother’s appearances on the ‘net. An exciting–maybe overexciting–day.

This was a quick knit-up I did at work. It’s a mistake. There were supposed to be four sides. However, my fertile mind has already found a use for the shape. Once I work it out, I’ll share.

The wedding was lovely.  Nothing so beautiful as the ringing laughter of the bride-to-be and her maids while they are having their pre-wedding photos taken.  My people.

I put the gifts down for a little while as I put other things onto and off the needles.  Swatching, testing, and learning are taking up just a little time away from the navy blue.  I’ve finished a scarf.  Nothing I would give for a wedding present but definitely for a holiday gift.  I have access to a pair of US19 needles and had a skein or two of Mohair to play with.  So, I put on some stitches, broke up a Shetland spider pattern after three rows, and using one row of it for a border, knit a garter stitch scarf.  In two days.  Actually, in less than two work shifts.  (I have long periods of napping to watch).

I don’t generally like large gauge needles, so it took me a while to forget that and just get into the rhythm.

I like how it feels and looks.  It’s not quite long enough, though.  I hedged a bit because I didn’t know how much yarn I would have left to finish with a second border.  I don’t even remember if I bought one or two skeins!  I had two cakes of the stuff but that doesn’t mean anything since I get two cakes when one of them spins itself off the ball winder.

I also don’t like this brand of yarn.  It sheds much too easily for my taste.  I do like the speed of finishing, and the texture of the finished fabric.

Meanwhile, NaNoWriMo is just around the corner.  I’ve been visiting with the NaKniSweMo group on Ravelry torturing myself with the idea of knitting something as well.

I want a twin set.  I’ve never had one and I’ve wanted one since I was little.  My mother had at least one, a baby blue set, if I remember correctly.  I don’t want anything that twee, though.  What I see is a stockinette cardi in Lamb’s Pride, black, and a t-shirt in a sheer garter stitch, sport or lace weight.  Also black.  Or bright red.

To that end, one of my practice pieces is a top-down raglan.  I’ve never made a raglan before, so I’m putting at least enough time into this to get it to the underarm before November.  Since I want to wear it when I’m done, I’ve still got to make design decisions.  For some reason I started it in a bright gold color.  I’m not sure that would look good on my body as the only color in the piece.  I have a couple of skeins of a burgundy and a dark pink (for lack of a better description) that I am considering using for the body of the sweater.

I haven’t made a proper sweater in a long time.  The last one I made is still a hit with my adoring public.  Those few who haven’t seen it already, that is.  I think I was still living in San Francisco when I made it, which would make this its twenty-third anniversary.  It’s big, fluffy and cozy.

Just like me!

Ok.  I’ve got a couple more things going on and I’ll tell them later.  Want to get some writing assignments done and paper for work finished.

Photos to follow, also.

I’ve never been to a wedding before. I left my simple gift on the table with the rest of the more elaborate ones. Amy, the bride, was excited to see me there. Jon, her husband, less so.

I was glad to have been there. It was a ritual I’ve never experienced before. Food and friends were my experience. I found that one of the gang is the daughter of Babetta’s Yarn shop. We spent the few minutes we were allowed by the other women at our table deep into our love of lace knitting.

The experience was unifying… I’ve been away from the gang for a while. Babies are born. Other weddings constructed and expressed. I got to take photos of the photos being taken. I also got to put my gift on the table among the more elaborate ones, the gifts in fluffy bags.

I am happy, now. These are my other family, the younger people in my life. I am grateful for being included, remembered, and making myself felt among the others, the women the bride believed would be her blessings. She is right. The women she chose are her guides and angels. The women who love her and wish her the best life possible.

I was on the groom’s side. I prefer the company of the boys, the conversations of theories and techniques. It was the groom’s invitation that reached me first. Although AI knitted her scarf first, it would not be a complete gift without his.

There will be more to tell about the gifts. Photos and all. Until then, congratulations Jon and Amy. You have made the first steps. And love is your path.