Yesterday was my dad's birthday. He is 80. He was born on Veteran's Day back when it was still called Armistice Day. November 11, 1931. (For years we told our kids that it was a National Holiday because it was Grandpa's Birthday.)
He was an elementary school teacher, then counselor, then principal, then Personnel Director for his school district, finally retiring as Assistant Superintendent of Schools. He was the first and only one of his family (of 3 boys) to attend college and has a double major (History and Elementary Ed.) and a master's degree in Education (I think in school psych), maybe a double master's (school admin?). Anyway, he has a love of learning, a love of reading, a love of school, movies, sports, and a love of people.
When I was in 4th grade, we moved from Huntington Beach, CA, to Orange, CA, where my dad worked. We attended an elementary school where he had been principal just a few years before. Seriously, it was like we were Rock Stars. "You are Mr. Losi's kid?" Kids loved him. So yesterday, I posted on Facebook that it was Dad's 80th birthday (since he and my Mom refuse to have a computer). Many of my old friends who had him as their principal, or just remember him from hanging out at our house when we were all in high school, left really nice birthday messages. When I called him to say, "Happy Birthday," in the afternoon, I read the messages and names to him. He was really touched. It is amazing to me how many people he still remembers. Old students, neighbors, even a few former teachers were on the list.
Happy Birthday Dad!
Knitting Knotes
I have been "working" on 4 projects this month. Like a fool, I cast on 3 socks for the November socks challenges, "double-dipping," for the Sock Knitters Anonymous (SKA) and Solid Socks Groups in Ravelry.com. I am also working on a sweater for the charity knitting group Sharing Our Gifts Across America on Ravelry as well. I have decided that while this is crazy, it is only somewhat crazy.
The crazy part is 4. The somewhat crazy part is 3.
Let me explain. Because I am somewhat obsessive, or I just can't get my brain to relax, before I go to bed, I usually think about what I have accomplished, and plan some goals for the next day. For example, my goals today include:
Movember Sock - finish the current iteration and complete one more
Mr. Pitt's Socks - finish the gussets
Mystery Sweater - bind off the body, pick up the 2nd sleeve and knit the garter stitch portion
I don't always complete the goals, but I usually come close. Wait!
What is wrong with that list?
You only see 3 items listed?
Well, you are correct in your counting.
I have discovered that I can make reasonable goals and accomplish them for 3 things. I simply can't do the 4th project. I guess I could make a smaller goal for each of the 3 and then squeeze in the 4th project, which is the socks I am making for myself, the Osier Socks, or what I am calling my "Red Willows." But then the progress seems so minimal on the other ones.
Three seems to be the magic number of WIP (works in progress) for me. I never get bored. Even when the socks are repeat repeat repeat of the pattern across the instep (not quite there yet). Even when the sweater is row after row of stockinette. Allowing myself to say, "I will knit this sleeve where I am decreasing by 2 every 6 rows until I have finished those decreases, then stop." Makes that pretty fast work. Sometimes I say, "I will knit this sleeve for 1 Dr. Who show. Then when the show ends, I switch projects. Works pretty well.
But my gorgeous Red Willows are calling out to me from the needles where they languish, cuff only...
I think that next month, I will have no more than 3 projects OTN (on the needles), and simply leave the 4th in my cue... Except! that next month I have found a new knitting challenge. More about that later. First I want to post photos of my progress:
Mr. Pitt's Socks:
I have finished both heel flaps and the heel cups. The pattern had me pick up only 16 stitches on each side for the gussets. I am not sure that is enough to allow good room for the rise in M's instep, so I think I will decrease every 3rd row to make the gusset a bit longer.
Movember:
and the close up:
Mystery Sweater:
OK, What is my new challenge? I have been browsing the groups on Ravelry, and found this new group, by new I mean formed again for this year not totally new, called 24 Days Until Christmas. This is a group formed to make a sampler lace scarf of 24 different lace patterns. Each day from December 1 until December 24th (Christmas Eve), a new lace pattern will be released.
Wow, I checked out the scarves knitted last year, and they are amazing. The "scarves" mostly ended up quite huge, more like shawls or stoles. In fact, some people split them into 2 different scarves or wraps, and at least one person split hers in 2, then sewed the sides together and made a small afghan. But they are all beautiful.
There are so many new challenges for me in this project. The patterns call for beads, though you can skip that, if you want. I have never used beads. I have really only knitted "lace" on the Watercress Mystery Socks, if you call that lace, that I made for the SKA September Mock challenge.
I have crocheted lace, making doily patterns, and making the Irish Lace motifs
But, not really knitted lace. There are already many threads running in the group. There is a thread about what yarn and beads people are choosing. There is also a thread about how excited the members are. I posted some questions about knitting lace in this thread, since I am such a beginner, and they all assured me that there will be lots of help, explanations, and links to videos, etc. for the various days.
When I was lurking around on last year's finished project pages, I read some of the notes, and it was interesting to read where and when people had trouble, and how they fixed or worked through problem spots. One encouraging thing I read again and again, was that although occasionally there were errors in the written patterns, the charts seemed to be correct. I am sooooooooooooooooo glad that I have learned how to follow knitting charts. I figured that out last year when I was (ahem) working on James's aran afghan (still otn...on the needles). Smartest thing I ever did.
Also, thank goodness for the internet! When I don't understand a technique, I can just look for a video about it. I already checked out knitting "nupps" as this one technique seemed to give a lot of trouble last year. I have also learned what a lifeline is in lace knitting. I am sure I will learn TONS more. There is a lace sock challenge coming up in SKA, so I will be a bit more confident in my lace knitting after this scarf challenge.
After looking at all the gorgeous scarves from last year, I really want to make this for my Mom. She and my dad go to the theater quite a bit, and a lovely lace wrap would be perfect for her. But, since I am not so confident in my prowess, and don't want to make her some giant monster scarf, I think I will make the first one for myself, and make Mom one next year, or pass this one on IF it comes out ok.
But, back to the number 3... Can I make this scarf challenge AND 2 more projects... And get ready for Christmas? Not sure. 2 might be my magic number in December, with lots of projects waiting in the queue, but not on the needles calling my name.
C. A. Losi
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