Friday, February 12, 2010

Telling a Yarn

I drove a two-hour round trip last night for Vickie's shower which was just almost my commute exactly. I used to do that every day, in all weather and every day. I am so glad I don't anymore. I asked Vickie if I could take a picture of her with Rowdy's blanket. They're calling him Rowdy for now because their oldest daughter is headed for college in the fall and he's turned their household on its head.
Corinne, my former boss and soon to be Vickie's former boss, makes the craziest cupcakes. Witness these babies with red licorice safety pins and pacifiers, their piped eye lashes, also the features on the little teddy bears - times a couple dozen.
The last set of dish towels are finished, and while I love the colors, I wish so much that I would have listened to Beryl. I emailed her last year when I saw that the baby colored variegated yarn was on sale at Webs.

"The variegated cotton would be fine for baby blankets. I would use it in the warp -- but you could also use it warp and weft for an interesting plaid effect. If you just use it in the weft, it can be splotchy and not all that attractive. I almost always use cotton for baby blankets because I'm strongly opposed to the acrylics and other synthetics which aren't safe (IMHO) if they get near flames. And, cotton is easy to launder and dry in the dryer."

I followed her advice for the baby blankets and they turned out perfect. I wish I would have listened to her for the dish towels. I now know what she meant. While I'm happy with the colors, I could have avoided the splotchy experience. One of these days I'll repeat these towels in reverse.
My Olympics knitting is a green sweater, which I'm knitting in the round in garter stitch. Charlie is modeling it for me - it looks very nice on him. I gues that would be "under" him.

I'm so fascinated by the widget I loaded to count visits by countries. The 50th country to visit my blog was the Republic of the Philippines, the home of my oldest son. He's not adopted. That's where we lived then.

7 comments:

Life Looms Large said...

That sweater does look really good with your cat! (Which means his cat hair will look great on it??)

Your commute used to be super long! Wow. No wonder you're happy, happy, happy not to be doing it any more!

I had trouble seeing what you mean about the splotchiness of the towels until I enlarged the picture. I don't think it's bad...but you're the designer and weaver and your opinion is the one that matters!

Cute cupcakes!!
Sue

Beryl Moody said...

I think your baby blanket is quite lovely! I think I sounded a bit preachy in my advice so probably the best advice is to "go for it" and "live and learn". There are no rules in this game!

beadlizard said...

Maybe it's because I'm a redhead with weird vision, but I think the splotchiness is attractive(!). The dark blue makes it work.

I do hope you try Beryl's plaid-ish trick soon so we can see it in action.

Debbie said...

I found your website because Tracy Williamson said I just MUST look at it! I love it. I too am a knitter and a weaver (sort of....) I have taken weaving when we are in Santa Fe. I sell Native American jewelry here in Wichita Falls, Tx and on the road in Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio. Got to know Ms. Tracy thru our mutual love for Native American jewelry.....she is a doll.
Will now be your groupie!
Debbie Maloney

Leigh said...

So nice of Charlie to show off that color! Sounds like you had a good time at the shower. That drive must have made you glad for retirement, eh?

bspinner said...

Blanket is lovely. Charlie looks so cute sitting on your yarn.

One of the best things about retirement is "not having to drive" anywhere unless you want to.
I notice I drive less and less.

Annie said...

Your dish towels look great to me. And did you really choose green for your sweater because it suits Charlie so well?