What doesn't kill us

makes us stronger*. Right?

Geez that raking sure uses up prime stringplay time. But exercise is exercise I guess. One must do something to offset the M&M consumption.

I'd say the leaves are about 70% off trees. The hickory let go all at once after a cool snap last week. The oaks are still holding tight.

And just to show you what I'm up against, check out this photo

Doesn't take too many leaves of this size to make a load!

The yard is just covered with acorns this year. I've never seen so many acorns and many the size of pecans. Thanks to good old Google I was able to find out some information about this year's bounty.

Dull November brings the blast,

Then the leaves are whirling fast.

Sara Coleridge

*At least according to Fredrich Neitzsche. Can't say that I agree with many other things he said, however.

Can't spell glove without love

I made good progress on the finger(tip)less gloves over the weekend. It was nice to have the quiet time to spend with them as those fingers do get rather fiddly.

Just as I suspected this finer, multicolored yarn was not as forgiving when working the fingers. Invariably any wonky stitch ended up being worked with a light spot in the yarn which just accented it. Still I'm satisfied with them and think they will work out fine for my sweetie.

I love this baby cable cuff and hope I can remember it for the next pair of plain socks. I think just a few inches of this; maybe four 4-row repeats, would be great as the top ribbing to a pair.

The yarn, Malabrigo sock, is wonderfully soft and has been a joy to knit.

Like a glove

It fits.

I sure am happy that I recently bought these Clover stitch markers. They make really handy stitch holders and I could hold off the calculated number of stitches for each finger separately. How handy! Handy. Get it? I crack myself up!

The first glove is finished, just no photo. The Patons Kroy sock yarn I used is thick and would make a sturdy and warm glove or mitten. I'm not sure one quite as thick (or warm) is needed this time.

So.....more yarn. I bought some Malabrigo Sock in a deep, dark purple called Velvet Grapes. Love that colorway name and I think it is working up quite nicely. The fingers will be a bit less bulky as well.

I'm a bit afraid that this thinner yarn will not be quite as forgiving when it comes to knitting up the fingers. Guess I'll have to wait and see.

Have a wonderful weekend.

If you miss me, I'll probably be out in the yard raking. And raking. And raking. And raking.

I spy

“Hope” is the thing with feathers -
That perches in the soul -
And sings the tune without the words -
And never stops - at all -

And sweetest - in the Gale - is heard -
And sore must be the storm -
That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm -

I’ve heard it in the chillest land -
And on the strangest Sea -
Yet - never - in Extremity,
It asked a crumb - of me.
Emily Dickinson 1830–1886

spotted in the window of the antique shop across from work

Necessity is a Mother

Well, long time no see. Where does the time go??

We took a mini break and headed down to one of our favorite spots, Jekyll Island. Had a lovely, relaxed time which was just over before we knew it. We especially like to go in early November as we have the island almost to ourselves. Sure most of the restaurants and things are closed for the season, but we have yet to starve. [Vending machines still have M&Ms even in the off season!]

It was a bit chillier this year than in times past, and a bit windy as well, but still a Great Time. I feel so lucky to live close enough to be able to drive to the ocean in a reasonable length of time. Such a balm to the spirit, don't you think?

Anyway, here it is practically Thanksgiving and cool weather is really here (as well as mounds of falling leaves, but let's ignore them just now, ok?). My daughter has requested a pair of fingerless gloves. Not mitts, but gloves with partial fingers. I made her a cashmere pair in 2005 which she still has and wears but she wants to take care of those and needs a more everyday pair.

Back then I used the basic glove directions from the Winter 2003 issue of Knits[available in the CD collection if you're interested.] I can't recall but I think they had a plain thumb, or what is generally referred to as a peasant thumb, knit using waste yarn and no gusset. Since then I've knit mitts and mittens with gussets and I think they feel and wear a bit better.

In all my knitting books I could not find exactly what I wanted so I am going to TRY to work out what I envision using various sources. The cuff similar to Veronik Avery's Cabled Gloves in Knitting 24/7 but with a different stitch count. I'm using instead a baby cable rib from Sensational Knitted Socks and I'm only going to cable the cuff. We'll see how this goes!

Cartoon for the day

a little bit of patience

This photo is from my March 2009 folder. That may have been the last time I had any patience. I've never been blessed with patience and I seem to have none lately.

I find there is a direct correlation between available time and patience. The less time I have (or feel like I have) the less patient I am.

All this blather is just to point you, once again, to Mary Corbet's wonderful blog post featuring a stunning piece of Battenberg lace. Man-O-Manischewitz that is a beautiful piece of Battenberg.

Battenberg lace, a needle lace, starts with a framework of purchased tape which is first manipulated then connected and filled with needlemade bars and lace fillings. There is a gathering thread that runs along each side of the tape. By pulling and adjusting this thread you can shape the tape to match a drawn pattern. Baste the shaped tape and work your fillings.

The Sept/Oct 1995 issue of Piecework magazine had a wonderful article, "Sara Hadley & Royal Battenberg Lace" by Jane Viking Swanson and it was accompanied by a pattern for a collar designed by Jane.

Oh, those old Pieceworks; what a treasure they are!

See a lovely butterfly made by Jane at this link; about three quarters down the page - but while you're scrolling you can see lots of other lovely ornaments in this exchange!

Oh, and if you are sitting comfortably and want to see even more wonderful Christmas lace, see several years of exchanges on the Arachne site.

Speaking of Battenberg. Do you know the first time I saw it made? It was some lovely work of my friend, Pat. Pat does such beautiful work.

Designs drawn out in my photo above are from an old Creative Needle magazine (Sept/Oct 1998; what is it about September that sends magazine editors to Battenberg??) When I pulled the issue out just now to check the date, I found a nice angel all finished except for her head. Sigh.

Perhaps I ran out of patience. Or Time.