Knit*Six

Granny stripes forever... Seriously.

2023-05-09T17:36:00.001-04:00

Hi. How ya doing? I've missed you!

Lately, I've been spending a lot of time thinking about music, about health and wellness, about writing and poetry. And, usually, these thoughts are accompanied by knitting or crochet.

That much pondering requires slow, meditative projects that don't distract my mind from the more important topics at hand. Shawls are great. Hats are wonderful. And then there's my old standby -- a granny stripe blanket/throw I began in 2018.

Early on, my stash of yarn scraps was plenty to satisfy my craving for color and nostalgia. But as the years wore on, I started accumulating leftovers from a dear friend and her mom. Raiding my stash and (gasp) stealing a few grams from intact skeins. I even purchase a random mini-skein here and there, just because it complements the throw's eccentric color palette.

Funny thing is, though, that no matter how much time, effort and yarn I throw at it, my granny-stripe blanket hardly seems to grow. It's like knitting sleeves... You keep working and working, thinking, "Maybe 12 more rows/stripes and it'll be big enough." Then you measure the blanket 12 rows/stripes later and it's still far from being done.

Kind of like my blog. I let it languish and assume no one's reading, then I check one day and see people are still reading. It just keeps going, as if it has a life of its own.

Don't get me wrong. I love writing, knitting, crochet, blogging and so on. But I apparently assumed no one was reading and wandered off one day...

So my question is: Are you still reading knitting/crochet blogs? Would you be interested in a Knit*Six reboot? Because I'm thinking that, if you're willing to drop by and say hello now and then, it might be fun to reconnect and see where it takes us...

Leave me a comment to let me know... And I'd love to hear what kind of content you'd enjoy most!

Same day, different knit: Coping with quarantine*

2020-05-25T15:39:00.001-04:00

“Barley Light” baby hat in progress

Some days are easier than others. But I’ve been doing a few things that seem to help, so I thought I’d share them with you. (If you’re still there — and, if you are: Thank you!)

Take a shower and get dressed every day. Just jeans and T-shirts. No fancy make-up. I don’t know why this makes me feel so much ~~better~~ less depressed about everything that’s happening in the world, but it does. So I do it.

Walking the dog. Exercise is good. Doing it with a friend is even better. But doing it with a big-hearted dog who finds joy in simple pleasures like rolling on the lawn? Perfect.

Meditation. Seriously. I got into it a few years ago, and it’s made all the difference. When I’m not in the mood to tackle it alone, when I want company, or when I want to learn or practice a new technique, I use the Ten Percent Happier app. Love it.

Rest/Water/Vitamins and No Sugar. Good food is important, but not always doable right now. I try, but often fall back on vegan protein bars and shakes. (Garden of Life’s chocolate plant-based protein drink is delicious.) I look for sugar-free, because sugars of all kinds really ruin my mood. To boost my energy and immune system, I take lots of vitamins, and drink tons of water. Sleeping always helps, too — if you can tolerate the crazy quarantine dreams.

Writing. For my #1462PoemsProject. For pay. For fun. For no reason at all. I always find solace in writing. When I lost two people close to me this January and February, writing about it helped me access the emotions I’m prone to covering up with chronic busyness. Take a look at Writing Down the Bones by Nathalie Goldberg for inspiration.

Now and then, do something for someone else. Send some flowers. Cook them dinner. Write a note in a pretty card and mail it. Or turn your knitting skills to good charitable use. (In the photo is a baby-sized Barley Light hat — pattern by Tin Can Knits — which I intend to donate when COVID-19 is under control and donations are accepted again. Yarn is a deepest-of-the-deep-stash skein of Shalimar Zoe Sock.)

These are some of the things helping me get through the pandemic. I’m far from perfect, and often let one or two slip. But what I’m shooting for here is a healthy, balanced structure for those stretches of days that can feel a bit...amorphic. I’m hoping you might find something here that comforts or inspires you.

Now, tell me, because I truly do want to know: How are you doing? And what’s helping you and yours get through these challenging times?

* Maybe sheltering at home or social distancing would have been more accurate, but I like alliteration.

Re: Links. I’m not an affiliate — just a fan.

FO Update: Love Note Sweater

2019-11-05T13:32:00.001-05:00

Ah, the ubiquitous Love Note. This ultra-popular sweater pattern from designers Alexa Ludeman and Emily Wessel—the duo of design geniuses behind Tin Can Knits—swept through the knitting community like a fluffy storm when first released in May 2019. Six months (and almost 1500 Ravelry projects) later, it’s still going strong.

I cast on my version on September 29, and considered it “finished-finished-finished" (to borrow from the “Knitmore Girls”) on October 20.* So, three weeks. It might have been done sooner had I not put it on time-out for five or six days while I stressed out about sleeve and body length. More on that later…

In addition to being fun to make, this sweater liberated some “vintage” yarn from my stash, which feels Oh, so satisfying. The pattern calls for two strands, a fingering-weight wool and a lace-weight mohair/silk blend, which you hold together throughout.

I used Dream in Color “Baby” (lace/light-fingering weight, 100% superwash Merino, now-discontinued ) in the November Muse colorway, a tonal chocolate brown with navy and burgundy speckles. Holding this together with Rowan Kidsilk Haze in Liqueur yielded a rich, wine color that’s exactly what I wanted. And the fabric is so soft and fuzzy I can hardly stop petting it.

The fit and style of the finished sweater are terrific, but the jury’s still out on a couple of issues that have nothing at all to do with the perfectly-written pattern and everything to do with my own personal preferences:

Kidsilk Haze sometimes sheds and irritates my nose and eyes. My hope is that holding it together with another yarn will offset that tendency. I’ve worn it a couple of times and it’s been OK, so far. So…fingers crossed.

Despite lengthening the body and sleeves by several inches, it still feels a bit short. The sweater is meant to be cropped, but I want a lower hem, and like my wrists to be covered when it's cold out.

Regarding the length: Right off the blocking wires, the fit was perfect, but the fabric seems to be floofing back up again (a technical term). A Google search while I was knitting revealed that superwash wool grows approximately 17 - 20% when washed and worn, though, so I’ll give the yarn a while to relax. I’d really, really, really like to avoid undoing the bind-off (JSSBO) and ribbing to extend the hem, as mohair is a major pain to unravel!

Unblocked

If I could go back and give some advice to Past Me, only change I'd make would be to skip the provisional cast-on in the beginning, use a stretchy CO of some sort, and just start with the neckline ribbing. A few knitters on Ravelry did this, and were happy with the results.

Or, if I wanted to stick with what the pattern recommends, I'd do the provisional CO the traditional way (holding the live stitches on waste yarn). For this sweater, I worked the cast-on over a circular needle, which is great in theory, but a little tricky when you go back to pick up dual strands of fingering and laceweight mohair/silk.

The Love Note pattern itself is wonderful—simple, quick to knit, clearly written, and size-inclusive (yay!)—the way Tin Can Knits patterns tend to be. It might be fun to knit one up in a DK-weight yarn. Something with a little alpaca blended in would be cozy, with just enough fuzz to blur the edges, without being super-fluffy.

Please...just look at the sweater!

I do apologize for the sketchy images. My apartment has a nice view, but it is so dark! Someday soon, before Winter really sets in, I’ll ask a friend to help me get some nicer FO photos in natural light.

*For the uninitiated, finished-finished-finished means a project is off the needles, blocked, and has all the ends woven in. If buttons or a zipper are involved, those would have to be done, too. In other words, as finished as you can possibly make it. And if you're looking for something to listen to while you knit, the Knitmore Girls' podcast is good fun, and has a backlog of 500+ episodes!

Blanket Weather! (Crocheted ripples and granny stripes)

2019-10-25T18:11:00.000-04:00

Crocheted Ripple Blanket

The first blanket I ever crocheted took almost two years, off-and-on, to make. I started it when I moved back to Maryland in 2015, and wove in the final ends in 2017.

Feeling desperate for cheerful colors at the time, I chose a basic ripple pattern and picked up a rainbow’s worth of Baby Bee Sweet Delight, a DK/sport-weight yarn from a big-box store I usually try to avoid. Honestly? The color choices offered in this line were terrific. And, for an acrylic yarn, it was surprisingly nice to work with.

The fabric is just right for napping under on a summer afternoon, or for layering over other blankets in spring and fall. And it’s so bright and happy looking, it lifts my mood all year long.

Now, sometimes man-made fibers can turn harsh and crispy when laundered, so I chose not to wash or block the finished project right away. After many, many cat-and-dog naps, though, I just couldn't avoid it (nor did I want to).

Nervously, I ran my blanket through the delicates cycle with a little detergent and a splash of white vinegar. Then I put it in a cool dryer for half an hour, and let it finish drying over a rack. And...the blanket stayed nice and soft! Charley gave it his seal-of-approval, so you know it feels good.

Granny Stripes Blanket

Fast forward to October 2019. Our weather is feeling really autumnal, now, and the leaves are finally starting to turn. This week, it was chilly enough indoors that I pulled out the Granny Stripes Blanket I started last year, and finished a few (long) rows.

I just love the rhythm of crocheting swathes of colorful woolly stripes, especially since I started using Clover Amour hooks. The grips are comfortable, and the tips catch the yarn perfectly. In fact, I liked them so much that I eventually got rid of almost every non-Amour hook I owned. (I'm not an affiliate...just a fan!)

Granny Stripes patterns are a great way to use up gobs of the fingering/sock-yarn scraps I accumulated over the years, as well as a few gorgeous colors from my lovely friend Denise and her mom. You can find several variations on the theme, but I used Attic 24's for inspiration.

Admittedly, making a blanket with lightweight yarn is a labor of love. It won't be done anytime soon, but a lot of wonderful memories have been crocheted in, and it's the perfect project to pick up when you want something simple and mindless to keep your hands busy.

When warm weather rolls around, though, this is one project that definitely goes on hiatus. After all, who wants to climb under a pound of wool and work on a giant afghan in the infamous Mid-Atlantic heat and humidity?

Meet Hester: A mini-review of my Schacht Sidekick spinning wheel

2019-10-14T13:53:00.002-04:00

Hello! I'm back. I'll spare you the boring apologies and excuses for my long absence.

Let's just give this another try, shall we?

I've been knitting and spinning up a storm (instead of blogging, perhaps?), and have lots to talk about. For today, let's chat about the little, second-hand Schacht Sidekick spinning wheel I bought (a few years ago).

One of the hardest decisions I made while living in Washington State was to sell my beloved Kromski Sonata to help fund my move back to the DC/Maryland area. (The yearly 9-month rainy season made me SAD, and, despite being a native San Franciscan, I never did kick my homesickness for the East Coast.)

I found a lovely buyer, though, who told me the wheel helped her get through some really tough times, so I like to think it was meant to be.

Eventually, I returned to Maryland, where one of my first goals was to get a new wheel. A brief search turned up a good deal on a used Schacht Sidekick (via Etsy). I’d been tantalized by Schacht’s Sidekick and Ladybug wheels for a few years, and, despite my love for the Sonata, this seemed like a good time to try something new.

Before I go on, let me say: Schacht wheels are amazing in their quality and engineering. And the Sidekick is super-portable, lightweight, relatively simple to collapse (I seldom do this), and offers a unique style and pop of color that I love.

Still…I really miss my Sonata.

One issue I’ve noticed is that the Sidekick is a tiny bit shorter. I’m 5’7” (not supermodel-tall, but not short, either), and find myself slouching a little when I use this wheel. That’s probably 100% mindset, and not something I actually need to do, but I did find the Sonata’s higher orifice more comfortable for my spinning style.

Also, I kind of miss having the wheel facing me side-on, because it helped me keep track of the direction of twist I’m putting into the fiber. Again, this isn’t a deal breaker, and is probably just a matter of minor brain adjustments. But, if I’m being honest, this is something I feel visually-oriented buyers may want to consider.

What I love about the Sidekick:

The wide treadles, which make it so easy to get comfortable
The well-planted way she sits, never rocking or shifting, despite her overall small footprint (which makes this a perfect wheel for apartments)
The whispery-smooth, nearly-silent spinning action (except on the rare occasion when I forget to oil her, when she knocked gently, to nudge me)
The large amount of yarn I can squeeze onto her standard-size bobbins
The incredibly responsive settings—a hair’s breadth adjustment makes a major difference in take-up

My wheel’s previous owner, an alpaca breeder, “branded” the treadles with a wood-burner to prevent theft at fiber festivals. When she mentioned it, and from the photos I saw, I didn’t think I’d mind at all. However…I find myself a tiny bit annoyed that whoever did the job was inexperienced, and botched it slightly.

After closer inspection, I also found a few drips in the stain they applied. But, my perfectionistic tendencies can result in some seriously-toxic stress, and these are very minor (and, ultimately, correctable) cosmetic issues that don’t affect how the wheel works. So, I decided not to say anything, and just get on with my spinning.

Ever the anthropomorphizer, I named my wheel Hester, after the heroine in Nathaniel Hawthorn’s novel, The Scarlet Letter. Hester Prynne bore the injustice of her “mark of shame” with courage, and, despite the odds, went on to build a life for herself (thus thumbing her nose a bit at the Patrimony).

After all she went through, I felt this little Sidekick deserved a cool namesake.

In the end, I really do love spinning on this beautiful, well-designed wheel. And, while I would still love to have a Kromski Sonata, it’s unlikely that I'll ever find it in my heart to sell Hester.

Instead, maybe someday I’ll find a used Sonata calling my name, and become a two-wheel spinner. Stranger things have happened.

*Links in this post are provided for information only, and are not affiliate links.

Rainbow in a box

2014-02-23T13:22:00.001-05:00

I spent the last few weeks (on and off) organizing my embroidery threads from a huge bird's nest, to this...

Some I've purchased, but most are gifts and hand-me-downs. All are beautiful!

After more than two months without a single clear day, their sunny brightness is a little dose of happiness. I can't stop looking at them.

Lace (Poem 218)

2013-11-06T21:07:00.001-05:00

Brilliant as a Bahamian

beach, sinuous as a flute

in a Mozart concerto,

glossy silk unfurls

and furls patiently,

a whisper guided by

a dream and a gentle touch.

Winter Verse (#215!)

2013-11-03T23:06:00.001-05:00

It's winter

And my toes are cold

It's winter

And the coffee's brewed

It's winter

And the does grow bold

Searching for a meal

Where sweet green grass once grew

It's winter

And the frost has formed

It's winter

And the fire's bright

It's winter

And your hands are warm

In the brown wool gloves

I knit for you last night

NQFO*

2013-10-21T22:50:00.001-04:00

Unblocked. Can you see the sparkles?

*Not-Quite-Finished Object

Crochet Senryu

2013-10-17T21:07:00.001-04:00

Single strand of wool

Bamboo hook, two busy hands

Bouquet of comfort

Needlework

2013-09-16T00:13:00.001-04:00

Needlework

Needle tip dips in and out of fabric,

Catching the light,
Drawing up stitches with a rasping tug--
Side by side, like satin,
Peppered, like a delicacy,
A garnish to be consumed sparingly,

Strewn, like newly mown grass--
Lemon-butter silk, raspberry soufflé perle,
Terracotta cotton, fine as a web,
Linen the color of cocoa
With whipped cream. Sweetly
Suggestive of traditional
Feminine wiles and fragile cups

Poured and passed

With secret smiles, and

An occasional glancing
Brush of trembling fingertips.

It's a fiber arts post! Yay!

2013-09-11T15:21:00.000-04:00

Do you read Spin-Off Magazine? I often like to page through and see what's new...

In the Summer 2013 issue, there's an article about "Sprang" weaving, which includes instructions for a project. It was intriguing, but I had trouble envisioning the process. So, like every good student, I looked it up on You Tube...

That's where I found this lovely, straightforward tutorial. If you're interested in learning something new -- portable weaving that doesn't cost a fortune to start! -- check it out. My fingers are now itching to begin. Now where did I put that old picture frame...?

Let me know what you think... Are you going to give it a try?

BTW: I love this woman's relaxing voice! She's the Bob Ross of weaving ;)

What a tease!

2013-09-06T22:27:00.001-04:00

Strange

how the days slow down

as they grow shorter

Strange

how the light grows warmer

as the temperatures fall

Strange

how...

Want to read the rest of this poem? C'mon over to http://www.hannahsix.blogspot.com

That's where my daily poetry lives now!

Looking for Poems?

2013-08-28T22:31:00.001-04:00

You'll find them over at their new home:

http://HannahSix.blogspot.com

Your company is the house-warming present they want most!

My poems have a new home!

2013-08-27T21:27:00.001-04:00

Looking for today's poem? You'll find it on my poetry-and-writing blog: http://hannahsix.blogspot.com/

From now on I'll be posting my poetry and other writing-related content on http://hannahsix.blogspot.com/

Please come on over--and be sure to bookmark the new site! I cherish your company on this crazy, year-long poetic journey...

Thank you for visiting, reading--and for returning!

Hannah

Poetry/Writing: http://hannahsix.blogspot.com/

Knitting/Crochet: http://knitsix.blogspot.com/

PS.
This move means knitters will see some knitting content here on Knit*Six soon :)

New home for poetry!

2013-08-26T23:09:00.001-04:00

Hello!

Starting today (Monday, Aug. 26), I will post my daily poems on my poetry-and-writing blog: http://hannahsix.blogspot.com/

Please come on over and don't forget to bookmark the new site! (http://hannahsix.blogspot.com/)
I enjoy your company on this crazy, year-long poetic journey...

Thank you for visiting, reading, and returning!

Hannah

Poetry/Writing blog: http://hannahsix.blogspot.com/

Knitting/Crochet blog: http://knitsix.blogspot.com/

PS.
This move means knitters may actually see some knitting content here on Knit*Six soon :)

Poem 145: Swoon

2013-08-25T22:45:00.001-04:00

Dear readers:

Starting tomorrow (Monday, Aug. 26), I will only be posting my daily poems on my writing blog: http://hannahsix.blogspot.com/ Please bookmark the site now, so you can keep on keeping me company on this crazy year-long journey...

This move means knitters may actually see some knitting content here on Knit*Six soon :)

Thank you for visiting, reading, and returning!

And now, on to the poetry...

SWOON

come sink down with me

let the spring sponge of the earth

absorb your dreams

where we lie, in a

field of blood-red butterflies

heady with delight

in a night of our own making

Poem 144: Like Dew

2013-08-24T23:40:00.001-04:00

Close enough to kiss

Smoke entwined in pas de deux

Stars falling like dew

Dear readers:

Starting Monday, Aug. 26,, I will post my daily poems on my writing blog: http://hannahsix.blogspot.com/

Please bookmark the new poetry site now, so you can keep on keeping me company on this crazy year-long journey...

This also means knitters may be seeing some knitting content here on Knit*Six soon :)

Thank you for visiting, reading, and returning!

Hannah

Poem 143: Sloe Dance

2013-08-23T23:33:00.001-04:00

Sloe Gin Fizz with lime.

Coral lipstick on the glass.

Sax breathes her a dream.

With appreciation to Ken Peplowski for his heartachingly gorgeous recording of "It's a Lonesome Old Town."

Poem 142: Thimbleful

2013-08-22T20:55:00.001-04:00

She of the velvet existence--

lonely for

the camomile beach and

the creak and sway of old, moored boats and

her thimbleful of unhurried joy--

laughed pleasantly, ignoring

the old missing that pleaded

and tightened, her fingers

clutching a long-missing tube

of Prussian Blue paint.

Dear readers:

My poetry will soon appear on its own (non-knitting) blog! After this week, I will post my daily poems at http://hannahsix.blogspot.com/

Please bookmark the new site now, so you can keep on keeping me company on this crazy journey...

Thank you for reading!

Hannah

Poem 141: Toward Afternoon

2013-08-21T22:03:00.001-04:00

sloping sloping off the bed

watery flowers sliding down

the window, lilac and gray

and green slick as a baby

in bathwater sloping and

rolling toward morning like

dead weight praying that

they come alive again

when the gray seeps through

the blinds like water spreading

in a pool of daybreak sloping

sloping toward afternoon

Dear readers:

My poetry will soon appear on its own (non-knitting) blog! After this week, I will post my daily poems at http://hannahsix.blogspot.com/

Please bookmark the new site now, so you can continue keeping me company on this crazy journey...

Thank you for reading!

Hannah

Poem 140: Cinnamon Day

2013-08-20T22:43:00.001-04:00

Dear readers:

My poetry will soon appear on its own (non-knitting) blog! After this week, I will post my daily poems at http://hannahsix.blogspot.com/

Please bookmark the new site now, so you can continue keeping me company on this crazy journey...

Thank you for reading!

Hannah

CINNAMON DAY

A slant of cinnamon sun,

A shiver of frost on the lawn,

The kind of day that calls

For an apple-red jacket and

A brisk, windblown

Country walk,

Or a New England college

Football game,

Woodsmoke in the air,

Brown leaves crumbling

Underfoot, icy, still nights

Flecked with stars--

Shards of light

pricking the dark--

And cider steaming on the stove

Ladled into handmade mugs,

Warming hands and home

And air heavy with

Heady scents of autumn--

Sun-warmed wool, damp earth

And curbs lined with armies

Of dark bags full to bursting

With summer's leftovers.

Poem 139: Softly

2013-08-19T23:27:00.001-04:00

Today, I know better

Than to expect a

Sweet goodnight and

Sleep tight when I reach

Inside and stub my fingertips

On the cold hard bottom

Of the jar. Only crumbs.

Warm milk, then, and

Something mild,

Saltines, perhaps, or hot,

Buttered white-bread toast.

Tomorrow the cayenne,

And ginger, bitter chocolate

And tart cherry pie. The most

I can hope for now is

A sweet breeze through

My veiled window and

A light burning softly

Beside my cool pillow.

Poem 138: Campbell's Soup on the Stoop

2013-08-18T22:04:00.001-04:00

In honor of Bad Poetry Day

(Aug. 18, 2013)

All alone with my thoughts

And a can of Campbell's soup

I light up a cigarette

And take it with my dinner

Out onto the stoop.

Sitting there I stare out

Into thin air

And think about the way

I'd wished my life

Might have been.

Still, I am happy enough

With my Chunky Sirloin and

My brew, in the shade,

On my stoop, being watched by

My snoopy landlady,

Because I don't care

What she thinks.

I know I have everything

A man needs to be happy.

Poem 137: Thief

2013-08-17T23:57:00.001-04:00

Cruel, cashmere breeze

Slips in like a thief,

Stealing my breath

With a sweet violet kiss.