I finally had a chance to work on my Ripple blanket last week. It had been so long that I was sure I'd forgotten how to do it. However, I picked up my hook and was able to continue where I left off. I love that about crochet -- it seems to be more forgiving of being put aside for a while. The only downside to the project is having several pounds of wool in my lap while I work on each new row. Our heat index has been in the low- to mid-100's and while I know I'll appreciate the Ripple's warmth during the chill of the fall and winter, it's not so comfortable right now. I also catch myself daydreaming about other ripple color combos while I'm crocheting this very random and unplanned one.

Crochet continues to be what's inspiring me lately -- yet I do intend to pick up knitting needles and complete some projects . . . eventually. Twisted Yarns will be getting the Spud & Chloë yarns and patterns and I'm very excited about it. I love that the yarn is a wool/cotton blend and the colors seem so vibrant. See more at Leslie's blog entry regarding the TNNA show - you'll get excited too! And don't miss Susan B. Anderson's introduction and background information.

Thank you all for the kind birthday wishes. I had a great birthday and I'm still enjoying my new Kindle. I know there are those who are skeptical about ebooks, and for me it's a way to read current fiction bestsellers as well as classic literature. But rest assured -- I'm still buying knitting (and now crochet) books!

Posted by Janet at 05:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (11)

A knitted dishcloth
Cotton yarn in a bright color
An inspirational book of art

Posted by Janet at 12:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Posted by Janet at 02:14 PM | Permalink

From RoseKnits Etsy shop:

I love Anna Maria Horner fabrics so I'm enjoying my knitting tote very much. It slips on the wrist like a market bag and allows me to carry my purse on my shoulder. I'm picky about knitting bags and this one has all the features I love - it's roomy and deep and everything I put in it is easily accessible.

Annie of Rose Knits is from Tulsa, Oklahoma and in addition to Etsy, you can find her bags at Loops (online or at the shop in Utica Square). The fortune cookie bags are adorable and handy for your notions and accessories.

What's your favorite knitting bag?

Posted by Janet at 09:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (9)

Thank you all for the kind comments on my previous entry . I appreciate (so much) the emails from all of you and the incredibly helpful advice and encouragement. Thank you!

I needed some quiet time on Wednesday, so I went to Lowe's to visit their garden center. I intended to just look and write down some ideas for a large bed in our front yard, but there were a few plants that had to come home with me after all. Although I'm not planning a lot of vibrant color in the beds, this pink and yellow flowering plant (above) was irresistible. Details are linked in the photo caption.

About three years ago, I was with my dad at his favorite garden center:

I don't remember what he bought that day (if anything), but he enjoyed strolling through and looking at the plants and talking about them. We knew he was declining due to dementia, but he was still very much at home with his plants. I don't have much of a green thumb, but like my sister mentioned to me last night, gardening is something that reminds us of him and perhaps that's part of what led me there.

My aunt has emailed me snippets of stories and memories about my dad's childhood and it's been such a great reminder to me to keep moving forward -- to remain connected and in the present. When I'm self-absorbed (whether through grief or distraction), I'm not connecting with anybody and that's not healthy, is it?

Posted by Janet at 08:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)

I haven't had much of an opportunity to do much of anything, much less knit or crochet, although I think about it all the time. One of the things I want time to do more of is thread crochet. The book in which the flower pattern (above) appears is an excellent source for thread crochet patterns that go beyond doilies and into functional and useful accessories. My friend Chica in Japan saw what I was up to and sent a care package that included another Japanese crochet book, some Japanese yarn, accessories, and edible goodies.

I was able to try out some of the yarn she sent to make a simple tawashi - tawashi are basically Japanese "scrubbies." It was enough of a project to help me feel slightly more relaxed and less anxious - focused on what was right in front of me instead of things that haven't even happened yet.

Through the force of sheer will, I've been trying to decrease the anxious feelings I've been having for the past several months. I'm finally acknowledging that I probably need to check with my doctor about some of what I'm experiencing, so thank you to those of you who've gently reminded me to do so. Part of what I'm panicky and anxious about is the fact that my dad (currently in a nursing home in Washington state) is in the final stages of Alzheimer's and we've had to make some decisions regarding next steps. I'm conflicted about so many things because of geographical distance and my plans to either travel at all, travel alone, or travel with my family. Then there are the decisions regarding how much to share with my younger children and whether their going along would be upsetting to them in any way.

For those of you who've gone through this process and care to comment, please know that although your comments are welcome and appreciated, I'm a wee bit fragile right now. This is a process that could take weeks or months for my dad and I'm already dealing with some negativity from others about some of the things I'm considering with regard to travel and timing. I have peace about my dad and awesome memories of him -- his creativity and sense of humor, his love of gardening, the joy he got from fishing, and how much he loved all the stray cats he was forced to adopt. There's so much more of course - but those things immediately come to mind. I wish I knew whether he was disappointed he only had four daughters and no sons. I wish I could ask him about his childhood and about his parents and grandparents. I wish I could tell him one more time that he had the most beautiful handwriting I've ever seen.

But you know what? I had a dream about him last night and in it, he was jovial and happy. He was getting ready to do yard work. He was just as I wanted to see him. Selfishly, I don't know that I want the images of how he is now to replace the ones I have or the man I see in photos like this one:

I assume my mom took this photo because she was in other photos taken by him on the same day. I love his wistful look and the jaunty air he had about him. At 22 years old, he had his whole life ahead of him and I truly believe that sixty years later, he would say he's had a good ride.

Posted by Janet at 07:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (27)

Last week, I had an urge to knit a sock -- a plain sock -- to compensate for way too much unfinished business (both in fiber and in my life). Instead of my usual 2.25mm double-pointed needles, I opted for the 2.75mm to knit these (2" ribbed cuffs were knit with 2.25mm) in the spirit of this great Elizabeth Zimmermann quote:

“Properly practiced, knitting soothes the troubled spirit, and it doesn’t hurt the untroubled spirit either.” – Knitting Without Tears

It worked.

Plain socks are no-nonsense knits. There's no fiddling with patterns or endless choices and decisions. And for this sock, I didn't even set out to knit them for a particular person. I just wanted to knit socks. Halfway through, I realized that this is the best way to get socks done. So, I'm thinking now about my "precious" sock yarn collection -- all of those skeins of sock yarn awaiting the perfect sock pattern before I use them. Why not just knit it all up? It's the process of knitting plain socks that I enjoy so much, so does it matter if I take the easy way out? I knit the first sock very quickly -- a personal record of 2.5 days of actual knitting time. And this was accomplished during a busy and stressful week. It has energized me too, so I am passing this idea along to you and giving you permission to knit plain socks.

Posted by Janet at 12:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (18)

I got stuck in a thunderstorm on the way back from my errands yesterday and managed to make it home in time for this:

I stood on my porch and pointed the camera to the west, above the tree line. Perhaps I can handle storms when there's a sunset like this afterward.

Posted by Janet at 08:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (14)

I've passed the halfway point for my crocheted Ripple afghan, so I'll share these progress photos -- probably the last ones you'll see until I'm finished. I've created a set on Flickr so you can see more about the progression of colors in the Ripple. The stripes are random and selected based on the colors I bought initially and filled in with new colors as I buy one ball at a time.

I'll let you in on a secret . . . I'm not totally in love with some of the color combinations that have "happened." The combinations I love the most are the ones I've had help with via Flickr. But overall, I love the afghan itself. I love crocheting it and I'm excited every time I get to work on it. For those of you who have asked about the yarn and colors. I'm using Cascade 220 Superwash. I think it's a really good yarn choice for this project. I've listed the colors on my Ravelry project page. The book in which the pattern appears is 200 Ripple Stitch Patterns, by Jan Eaton.

There are patterns for both knit and crochet ripples. Knit patterns are on the left pages and crochet patterns are on the right. There are no diagrams, but the instructions are straightforward and the photos are plentiful.

And, yes, I still knit. But now that I can crochet, there are yarns I might have overlooked before that would be more enjoyable for me as crochet projects. Cottons and cotton blends, for instance, are just easier on my hands with a crochet hook -- and the results look better. While I'm happily hooking and reading blogs, I've added a few crochet blogs to the mix. I was reading Kim Werker's last night and absolutely loved it. This entry: "Where are the Crochet Bloggers?" was especially interesting to me. If you're a blogger, please read it -- even if you don't crochet.

Follow me on Twitter: JanetRussell

Posted by Janet at 07:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (11)

I'll soon be unveiling something new -- something which will bring this blog back to a knitting (and occasionally, crocheting) focus.

Here's a hint:

Note: This is a photo that my dad shot in the mid- to late-1940's. The only note on the photo was "Penny," so I assume it's her name.

Posted by Janet at 09:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (8)

I've had a hard time smiling today, so I decided to go through my Flickr photostream to find old family photos. It worked. I smiled:

My mom had this photo taken sometime in the early 60's for my dad who was stationed somewhere in the Pacific. She wrote a note on the back and mentioned how much she was enjoying the car and that she liked this picture of herself and their two daughters. My little sister and I came along a few years after this photo was taken. It would have been interesting to be part of this family in the photo -- having a younger, somewhat happier and less-stressed mom and getting to enjoy more time in southern California. I think it's probably the one place that BOTH my parents enjoyed.

What the photo triggered is something I needed to see and to know -- I'm giving myself some grace and relieving myself of some of my own absurd expectations. I'm acknowledging that change doesn't happen overnight. Sometimes it doesn't happen at all. I remember when I figured this out years ago, in a different context, and it was such an epiphany -- to be OKAY with things the way they are and to find ways to thrive and be happy -- that is, just make the assumption that while the situation won't change, my attitude about it can.

Crocheting has given me much JOY in the past few weeks. I'm 29 stripes into the 60 it will take for me to consider the blanket finished:

It's so much easier to find joy when you're actively seeking it.

Posted by Janet at 09:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (20)

Posted by Janet at 11:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)

I had to take a short blog sabbatical while Erica moved back home again after living in Florida for two years. We're all adjusting to the new rhythm of the household, but we're delighted she's back with us for a while. So, that's the reason for my serious lack of knitting during the month of March. The crochet project - the Ripple - is something I pick up and work on whenever I have a spot of time.

My best decision about this blanket was to keep it on the small side -- it's a junior-size afghan. The decision I most regret is including the "Aran" or white yarn. But since this is the first of what will be many softly-rippled crochet blankets, my next one(s) will be planned better and I'll be trying cotton or cotton-blends.

Anybody else notice the crochet resurgence? Now's a great time to jump in and start crocheting -- whether it's for the first time or the first time in a long time. Check out Flickr if you need a dose of crochet inspiration. I also made a mosaic this morning that includes colorful crochet visuals and some other random images that made me smile.

Finally, this is my week to Fix, Frog, or Finish my fiber projects. It's also time to de-stash, donate and declutter. Watch this space for more information. You might score some cool fibers.

Posted by Janet at 09:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (14)

Once in a while there's this desire fueled by obsession that's immediately foiled by the realization of lack of knowledge and skill. That was me a couple of years ago when I was reading this blog entry at Posie Gets Cozy. (At the time, the link(s) she pointed to all worked, but some of them no longer do). I enjoyed all of Alicia's "Ripple" blog entries up to the final result.

The appeal of this particular ripple is that it's not "chevron-y." There are no pointy peaks so reminiscent of eyeball-burning 70's crochet. The softer ripple pattern was so visually soothing and I wanted one! And remember when I shamelessly requested and then received one from my friend Stacey? Oh yeah - I did. And I love it and treasure it.

But. I put it out there -- a wispy wish to learn to crochet that grew into searching for endless crochet favorites on Ravelry. And if you click enough hearts on those crochet projects, your crocheting co-worker will notice and send you a message asking when she can teach you to crochet already! (That "Friends Activity" tab makes one very transparent apparently). Ann taught me to crochet in a 2-hour session at the yarn shop and I blogged about it briefly here. A couple of days after my crochet lesson, my mom arrived for what turned into a challenging seven-week visit. And at the halfway point of her stay here, I purchased the first several skeins for the planned Ripple, which I'd decided had to be in Cascade 220 Superwash. I wasn't able to focus on knitting due to feeling stressed and short of time, so I crocheted smaller things in order to work with the Cascade and get an idea how it would feel to crochet with it.

While I've traded one family crisis for another and in spite of many other long-term knits in progress, I figured . . . why the hell NOT just start the blanket with the colors I have? So I bought the book in which the pattern appears - 200 Ripple Stitch Patterns, by Jan Eaton. I had NO idea it would include both knitting and crochet patterns -- that was a total bonus! If you wish to attempt a Ripple without buying this book, there is a free pattern online that looks really good too. Jan Eaton's book, however, is the source of the "Soft Waves" Ripple - page 19. I started this on Saturday night after asking Gayle (another co-worker) for help understanding the instructions. There are no charts in this book and that can sometimes clarify things when I get stuck. Here's the progress since Saturday:

I really needed this bit of success in conquering a project where I could directly control the outcome -- and rip out a dozen times if I needed to.

Posted by Janet at 06:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (22)

Twenty years ago today, I was having an emergency c-section so that a baby we thought was in distress could make her entrance. Erica weighed in at exactly 8 pounds and was perfectly healthy and actually not in any distress at all -- other than being unhappy about being yanked from her comfy, dark home.

It's kind of startling how quickly twenty years has gone by for both of us. While we've had some rocky years here and there, I think we're on the other side of it and can finally appreciate our differences and celebrate the irony that while our personalities are opposite, we look so much alike.

Happy Birthday, Erica!

Posted by Janet at 06:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (30)

Henry Snodgrass
Born July 16, 1816 (Virginia)
Died November 22, 1895 (Ohio)

Henry Snodgrass is my 3rd Great Grandfather on my paternal Grandmother's side. I've not written much about my American ancestry simply because I'm more curious about the Japanese side of my family. Recently, however, I've been contacted by several distant cousins from this branch of my family and was sent a few photos and information regarding Henry. For me, one of the striking things about this photo of Henry is that I can see some of my dad's features in Henry's face -- the jawline and the deep-set eyes for instance.

While doing more research, I found the Snodgrass Clan Society and information regarding Snodgrass origins in Scotland. There's a family crest with the Latin ("Facta Non Verba") for "Deeds not Words" and a tartan as well.

Henry remarried after his first wife died and continued to father children until he had 21 (or perhaps 22) offspring. The distant cousins who've been in contact with me are all descended from Henry's first marriage to Elizabeth Phillips. Their grandson, George T. Snodgrass, Jr., is my great-grandfather. George married Sarah Yeater and among their children was my grandmother Ethel. Several generations of this branch of the Snodgrass family lived in Martins Ferry, Ohio where my dad was born.

Another historical tidbit: the year in which Henry was born -- 1816 -- is known as the Year without a Summer -- a weather event caused by the volcanic eruption in 1815 of Mount Tambora in Indonesia. This event subsequently impacted climates around the world.

Posted by Janet at 10:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)

Last year, I started forming a vision for knitting for humanitarian purposes and sending my knitting out in the world. Knitting for Peace was on my wish list for several months and once I finally got my own copy, it became a guidebook for me while I explored some of the possibilities. It wasn't until I wrote a blog entry for Twisted Yarns that I chose the organization: The Mother Bear Project. The bear pattern published by the organization is included in the book. It specifies that the yarn be machine-washable and I already had Cascade 220 Superwash in my stash - including a lovely walnut heather for the bear.

Within each of the five sections, you'll find several charity knitting possibilities that touch your heart; you'll be overcome by the simplicity of some of the needs and, like me, you might want to cast on right away. Because I've seen how each of my own kids has adopted an item that gives them comfort, it was a natural decision to choose the bear. He's not fully assembled yet, because I wanted to attempt to photograph the steps in the process. What he looks like so far:

I'm a slow knitter and yet it took just a day and a half to knit him. I followed the book's pattern as written but might modify it for future bears to knit the extremities in the round. If you're interested in this project, there's an episode of Knitty Gritty on DIY Network that includes the pattern and screen shots, along with assembly instructions you can download and print.

Posted by Janet at 07:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (9)