Bean Counter's Knitting & Stuff: August 2009

August 31, 2009

Who knew?

My Grammy had a huge hanging Wax Plant in a window and that thing would bloom like crazy. The blooms put off this amazing scent that filled the house. Just an incredible memory. When Grammy passed I was lucky enough to receive a clipping from her plant. I have been babying this plant for 5 years now with no luck getting it to blossom. This summer I put it out on our front porch and guess what?????????????? Check it out! It has one grouping of blossoms and over the weekend they popped open. :-) I just know Grammy is smiling down and this is proof.

It is that time of year again where the plants have to move back inside. Jimmy calls it my jungle. I will take some picture of the corner of our living room and you can judge for yourself if it is a jungle. He has also imposed a plant moratorium on me. Hummmm we shall see how that plays out. Anyway this is a picture of the plants/shelves over the bay window. I will have to dig out a picture from last year so we can see the progress of growth the plants made outside this summer.

The Earl Grey picture is a new addition. Jimmy and I went to a consignment shop in Hilliard over the summer and I found it for a couple bucks. I was tickled since Earl Grey is my favorite tea!

As a side note... Upon entering the kitchen this morning I discovered the plant on the right of this shell took a nose dive overnight. The pot shattered and I will have to find a new pot to put that little baby into. I think I have to get back up and string the vines along the shelves rather than let them hang over the edge because it is just too much weight for the little pot to handle.

Yesterday we decided to check out Griggs Reservoir. I feel almost ashamed to say this but we drive past this little park daily and who knew? We have been missing out on this little gem.

First off the stairs. Oh my the stairs. I have a fear of stairs since falling down a full flight of fire escape stairs at work over almost 2 decades ago. I had a lovely ride in an abulance that day but thankfully I was just bruised and banged up. So the stairs were a bit intimidating for me but I overcame my fear and made it down without falling. :-)

I am so glad I did because this was the reward. OMG, while it isn't Niagra Falls where I just happened to have spent many many hours/days since I lived so close, this was a heavenly treat for sure. :-) Heck we use to go over to the Canadian side when we were 18 - 20 just so we could drink legally (ummm I bet Mom didn't know this). They have now passed a law in Canada if you are a US citizen you must be 21 to drink. At least that is the "rumors" I have heard. No fun!

I had been fighting with a sweater I was working on. Actually I was going to give up on it early last week but one of my cousins gave me a kick in the butt on FB by telling me Grammy woudln't give up and that I shouldn't either. I really really tried with this damn thing. However, I have decided that the pattern is just writting to vague and I just need to let it go. So yesterday I frogged it....

I am at peace with my decision.

August 26, 2009

Left over red and black sock yarn

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Originally uploaded by bean counting knitter

It is undeniable I am sock crazy. I can't stand not having socks on the needles. These are using up some red and black sock yarn left over from two other projects. The pattern is the Hourglass Eyelet pattern from More Sensational Knitted Sock book.

August 25, 2009

Warm Up Worthington! Block Bee (public service announcement for those in Columbus Area)

Calling all knitters.....

Warm Up Worthington! Block Bee
Warm Up Worthington is moving back a few months, so that we can donate the afghans to area charities while the weather is still cold. Get involved by attending either the Block or Finishing Bee! If you can't attend, drop off your knitted or crocheted 7”x 9” blocks at either Old Worthington Library or Northwest Library. Call 614-807-2626 if you can help sew the blocks together to make completed afghans.

On October 24, bring your knitting needles, and we'll provide yarn, templates, warm apple cider and snacks. Experienced knitters will help those new to knitting.

Date: Saturday, October 24, 2009
Time: 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Location: Old Worthington Library - Meeting Room
Sponsor: Worthington Libraries

August 23, 2009

Ebb and Flow

Life has certainly dished out some major Ebb and Flow lately. By the time I got home Friday night from a knitters night out at A Tangled Tale, where we watched Marley and Me, I was pretty pissed off at all my knitting projects. Disgusted even.

So what is a girl to do when faced with knitting ugliness? Cast on some new happy projects. Yep that is what I did. I bought some awesome Shetland wool called Kauni Effektgarn 8/2 while at the shop Friday night with the Raha scarf in mind. I have wanted to knit the Raha for a while now. I really hope Molly and I didn't plan a knit-a-long for that pattern because I have major CRS going on these days. If we did I am sorry Molly! I will knit a second one together with you because the pattern is so fun! I am already in the fifth repeat of the eleven called for in the directions.

Here is a picture of the yarn and my progress on the scarf so far. I was able to get tons of knitting done while at Heather's yesterday. I am sure I will have at least enough yarn left over to make some fingerless mitts I have been wanting and who knows maybe a hat too.

I also found myself at a loss because of my lack of socks on the needles. So last night I got out my More Sensational Socks book and cast on for a pair of socks using the Hourglass Eyelet stitch pattern. I am using some left over sock yarn to make these in red and black. Should be an interesting pair of socks. If anything I can hide them in my boots if they turn out duds.

So during the movie Friday I got to the point on my sweater where I was setting up for the lace rows. When I got into working the row I discovered I am out of whack somewhere. I think this is really the reason for my disgust so I put the project in my bag and it has been sitting in time out ever since. I am starting to feel the itch to pick it up and figure out where the hell I went wrong if I did go wrong. It probably wasn't the best project to be working on during a very sad ending of a movie anyway. Yeah we all balled our eyes out! ACK......

Ahhhh the Ebb and Flow of my knitting life.....

August 21, 2009

Amazing Elizabeth Zimmermann Story

Check out Channeling Elizabeth: Recreating a Family Heirloom by Sunday Holm if you haven't already. This is a heartwarming knitting story.

August 17, 2009

Derailed Trains, Baseball and Air Raids

Yesterday Jimmy and I went to a Columbus Clippers game. The game was set to to start at 5:05 and at about 1:30 I received a breaking news email a train had derailed in the Arena District. We decided we had better leave really early since on of the main routes into the city was closed due to many tons (131 tons I read at one point yesterday) of coal spilling out of the derailed train cars. We took an alternate route in and parked in the lot right in front of the baseball stadium. We realized after parking the train had literally derailed and dumped into the back of the same parking lot we had just parked in. Here is a picture......

We had pretty amazing seats in the Tansky Club. We had a perfect view from behind home plate.

LouSeal even paid us a visit and Jimmy got a pat on the head. I didn't have the camera on and missed the photo op.

Tonight I finished my Air Raid socks. They are super comfy.

August 11, 2009

Staycation

Jimmy is working from home this week and I am on vacation from work. I recently learned this is called a staycation. Go figure!

Today we went to visit Molly at the OSU Urban Arts Space and she gave us our own personalized tour of the Global Glass exhibit. I am still totally in awe of the four knitted garments. While this isn't normally a big deal but they were knitted with yarn coated in fiberglass. Then the pieces were heated at high temperatures causing the yarn to melt away. Very very cool. The exhibit is going to be available through the beginning of October so if you are in Columbus check it out.

After the art we stopped by the main branch of the library. You know knitting has reached rock star status when you find a full display of knitting books. :-)

I started a new pair of socks this past weekend and tonight I graphed the toe closed on the first sock. I am using the Cherry Tree Hill sock yarn I received from a swap a couple years ago. The pattern is called Air Raid Socks by Emily B. Miller. Jimmy picked the pattern out for me to knit.