My Oyster

What Kind of Knitter Am I?

What Kind of Knitter Are You?

You appear to be a Knitting Apprentice. You've got the basics down pat and you might just be falling in love with this hobby. Big needles, funky yarns and simple shapes are the name of the game, but it doesn't mean you don't experiment a bit, here and there. As an apprentice, you probably fall back on other people to get you through those rough spots, and if you don't know anyone who knits, you probably have a few books or online sources to tap. http://marniemaclean.com
Take this quiz!

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Well, not that good, if I am to be honest.

I don't think I needed the quiz above to tell me that I am an apprentice.

As I am watching the Patriots play for the Division Championship tonight, I am also working on a hat for a friend (as a late Xmas gift).

This hat is a bit of a disaster.  I am not really following a pattern.  I left most of the yarn for this hat in DC, so I am using whatever I can find here at my parents' house in Maine - even though it's not the right gauge or type or whatever.

At this point I know enough about knitting and purling to push through simple projects.  I am finding that I am far from a perfectionist.  I am not one of these knitters that will rip out half a project or start over if there is a mistake.  Honey, mistakes make us human - I just push on through and expect my friends will appreciate the "humanity" I weave into my projects...

I need to finish this hat.

The Family That Knits Together...

Well, I will let you come up with the next line.

But the pic above is by Franklin the photographer and male knitter from Chicago.  Right before Christmas, me, Ma, and Suz went to participate in his 1000 knitters project.  He is taking pictures of 1000 knitters around the country (world?) who are participating in making one big scarf.  I think the three of us were around 296-98 or so.

I wrote about this adventure a couple weeks ago but wanted to give an update now because Franklin shared the great pic with us and wrote an update on his blog.

We actually broke the record for most participants from one family.  I think Franklin said that while there had been several mother/daughter combos - I was the first mother/son.  Cool.

I am finding that knitters are cool people.  And creative.

Yes, I do...

Knitting with Balls, originally uploaded by LollyKnit.

Knit with balls. This book is one of my favorite gifts from Christmas this year. Of course, it makes me giggle everytime I pick it up. Hehehe.

I got several knitting-related gifts this year - books, needles, accessories, yarn, bag - I am so well stocked now.

I have actually been knitting all day. I have a couple projects I want to finish up. Hats. I am in a hat phase now. Pics when they are done.

I make mistakes when I knit. Usually, I ask my mother or Deanna or Suz to help me fix the mistake. Tonight, I tried to fix my own mistakes by using one of my new Xmas knitting books. I think I fixed one - but made another one much worse with my efforts.

I guess knitting with balls doesn't necessarily equate to knitting with brains or skill.

Oh well. I am still loving it and now I will have a nice surprise for my mother when she gets up tomorrow.

Help. :-)

Women like to sit down with trouble...

...as if it were knitting.  ~Ellen Glasgow

Interesting quote.  I like it.  As I am doing more knitting, I think I like the social aspect of it as much as the creative aspect.

Today I sat down with these women.  To knit.  To have tea and lemon squares.   To chat.

I think between them they have well over 250 years of life experience.  That's a lot of good times and troubles. 

I liked watching them catch up.  They have some great perspective.  I enjoyed the humor and the caring.    The comfort of just being with familiar people.  Ones you have known for a lifetime.

I think I am becoming a 70 year old woman.   It's fun.

My First...

Hat. 

I started knitting again after years and years off the needles. 

It took me weeks to get this tiny little hat done and it had lots of mistakes, but I like it and I am proud.  It's a special hat for me and I gave it to Jean for his birthday.  He is bald so a nice warm hat is probably a good thing.

I think I will continue knitting. I have a couple projects in mind and one already started.  It's a fun hobby while watching TV and chatting away.

Really, he did? Really, anything?

That is me at the yarn store in Waterville.  About 15 miles from Augusta.  It's the closest good yarn shop now that the one in Hallowell is closing.  Maybe a new business opportunity?

Today Deanna, Ma and I went to Waterville for a girls day out.  Tut, Mike & Chris went to see the Harvard football game, so it was just us three at home today.  So we went on a field trip in search of yarn and lunch.

I am really enjoying knitting again.   It's been a while, but when D and I were up here in August, I started up again.  Ma is a good coach.  D and I sit and stitch and chat and get help from Ma.  D calls it knitting boot(y) camp.  hehe.  get it?  baby booty.

We ended up knitting late into the evening as we watched the Red Sox.  Looks like there will be a game 7.   With both the Patriots and the Red Sox on TV tomorrow, we should be able to get in a lot of knitting...

Knittin' Wit' da Pats...

knittin.JPG, originally uploaded by dcjay64.

Nothing more New England traditional (and butch) than Sunday afternoon watching the Patriots...and knittin' up a storm.

While I am only a part-time knitter - no pro here - I think knitting and sports on TV were made for each other.  It's easy to kinda mindlessly watch the game and knit and perl and chat away with others. 

It's all very relaxing.

The Patriots slaughtered the Cowboys - in Dallas.  And with the Red Sox in the playoffs - I should be able to crank out at least a few sweaters!!

Contemplating Becoming A Male Hooker...

Today I grabbed my niece and nephew and headed to the coast.  Searsport.

I was in search of a hooked rug made by a local Maine artisan.  There was a collection of more than 300 rugs at an annual show in Searsport - so that was our destination.

I love the look and feel of hooked rugs.  I like the artistry and the fact that this type of rug is a traditional New England craft.

Rug hooking as we know it today developed along the Eastern Seaboard in New England in the United States and the Canadian Maritimes. In its earliest years, rug hooking was a craft of the poor. The vogue for floor coverings in the United States came about after 1830 when factories produced machine-made carpets for the rich. Poor women began looking through their scrap bags for materials to employ in creating their own home-made floor coverings - hook rugs.

I didn't see any rugs that I liked in Searsport.  The designs were much too traditional for me.  The owner of the shop suggested I just learn how to make one myself.  I may just do that.  She says there are lots of "male hookers"...

Here are Chris and Sarah checking out some of the rugs displayed in an old colonial coastal house.

And some more photos from the day in Searsport and Belfast...

This is the good life...

Today we all just hung out at home.  It was beautiful out.  We were out in the backyard the whole day.  From breakfast with the paper through lunch and a BBQ for dinner. 

I really seem to relax up here in Maine in a way that I just don't at home in DC.  I think it's because hanging out with my parents has a calming effect on me (even you tut) and in part because when I left Maine for Seattle and grad school, coming home became a real retreat for me.  It has remained that ever since.

Pics and video of our quiet Sunday are below.

Me and the Sunday NYT - heaven.

Deanna & Tut relaxing - coffee and a good read.

Deanna and I also took advantage of some quality time with Ma to do some knitting.  Deanna to get some more advanced technical advice.  I had to relearn.  I learned originally in Norway when I was an exchange student in high school.  I periodically knit things then forget how to start up.  I am in the mood again. Here are a couple video clips of our Augusta knitting circle today.

It just doesn't get any better than this!