destiknit™

I can hardly believe we have entered December… I’m still not over Thanksgiving!  Though my neighbors do not celebrate our American Thanksgiving, I would have believed I were in the States on 27 November.  The day after Thanksgiving, our neighbors began decorating for the holidays… the pressure is on!

While most of the unpacking is done, I have yet to venture out to the garage where boxes and bins of Holiday decor is wrapped in plastic bubble wrap.  Oh, Joy to the Season.  Don’t get me wrong – I love the holiday season.  What I do not love is the increase of volume in my house, the arguing over who gets to decorate what and the inevitable crying from the one who does not get his/her way.  I thought I would circumvent this sort of thing last year by decoration the house myself, while DH, DD and DS1 were out at their respective places of work.  Despite my cunning efforts, there was still arguing and an increased disappointment in Mommy.  Be Merry and Bright. Yeah.

Perhaps the most important decoration, the decoration which can make or break your holiday season, The Tree.  In years past we have had perfect-lush-just-the-right-height trees, too-wide-too-tall-bare trees, healthy-looking-get-it-home-it-falls-apart trees and :gulp: fake trees.

The fake trees began three years ago, when we realized the farming, cutting and disposal of Christmas Trees was blatantly wasteful.  We had considered purchasing a live tree, with roots intact, but considering the soil of our Hawaiian terrain and I did say Hawaiian, we thought it was time to buy a fake tree.

But, we were not quite ready for the commitment and we were not too sure if we would like having a plastic tree.  We decided to purchase three small trees, one for each child to decorate.  It went quite well, the decorating of the tree and the subsequent home decoration to include the small trees around the house.

That is, until the oldest child decided her tree must travel the house with her, to make her ‘happy’.  When Tweedle Dum moves the left foot, Tweedle Dee moves the right and Tweedle Do tried desperately to keep in time.  So many decorations were broken as a result, which in turn cause crying and general discord.  We would NOT do this again.

Still not ready to purchase a fake tree, two years ago I came up with a brilliant-to-me idea.  We would MAKE our own tree.  We had a family pow-wow one evening after dinner and I made the announcement.  I challenged everyone to be creative and throw out their ideas but there were restrictions.  We could not purchase anything for our tree, we had to use items we already owned.  Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Repurpose.

Each child and myself enjoyed the challenge while DH seemed unenthusiastic and doubtful.  Three days later we regrouped and shared our ideas, finally agreeing on a three-dimensional cardboard tree.  We made a small prototype, gathered a few of the many, many moving boxes we had stored and got to work.  When finished, we were all delighted of our success.  We hung our ornaments and garland, made hot chocolate with lots and lots of marshmallows and basked in our thrifty genius.

The days preceeding The Big Day, we did make note of a few oversights such as issues of top heaviness due to too many ornaments, the non-symmetry  of the tree overall and the fact that our tree was brown and therefore, not very festive.  On the first day of the New Year, we disassembled our tree, deciding to tear off one piece which we dated and tucked into the ornament storage box.  Last year we decided to make another tree, this time correcting some of the previous issues.  Again we basked, again we learned and again we saved a piece of the tree.

This year, being surrounded by such gorgeous nature and truly festive and merry people, we are somewhat indecisive as to how we will handle the tree.  Having just moved, we certainly have more than enough cardboard on hand but we also have a yard and I can see purchasing a live tree and planting it later.  Our landlords have been wonderful, allowing us to do what we’d like with the yard.  They’ve even encouraged us to rip out all the trees, shrubs and flowers and plant our own – to make the home our own.

I guess it’s time for another family pow-wow.

As mentioned in the revious podcast and on this blog, podcast notes will now be part of a blog post.

Books Reviewed:

• Special Issue Verena Knitting: In 80 Socken Um Die Welt, 30 European Sock Designs by Vikant Crafts Publishing, 2009.

Gorgeous designs from countries around the world, such as Finland, Croatia, Russian and The Netherlands, are represented in the special issue edition of Verena Knitting.

Although this issue is not yet available in English, a knitter can easily knit any one of these designs due to the fantastic charts accompanying the written, German, instructions.

Tall socks and short socks for Men, Women and Children in traditional and yet unique design.  Travel to countries like Scotland, Ireland and France through the discovery of socks.

• Sock Aus Aller Welt by Stephanie van der Linden Published by TOPP, 2008, ISBN – 978-3-7724-6585-7

Stephanie van der Linden has been something of a sock knitting rock star for years.  Though if you aren’t a German native, if you do not belong to Socken-Kreativ-Liste Yahoo Group or Ravelry, you might not know it.  Stephanie’s designs range from feminine and masculine to cute and fun to colorful and unique and of course, traditional.  In addition to sock design, Stephanie also designs women, children and infant garments, as well as toys.

Socken aus aller Welt offers 26 socks designs with interesting colorwork, beautiful lace, cables and my favorite – twisted stitches.  You will also find interesting techniques such as Vikkel braids, gusseted soles, intarsia, beadwork, embroidery, duplicate stitch and a creative solution to knitting Argyle socks in the round.  Each pattern is written out and charts are provided as an addendum to the book.

Although Socken aus aller Welt is a German title, the provided charts do make deciphering the patterns possible.  Or if you can wait, sometime in 2010, I am guessing in the Spring, two of Stephanie’s books, Der geniale Sockenworkshop and Socken aus aller Welt will be available in English through Amazon.com.

Want to get your hands on one of the patterns in Socken aus aller Welt? Delfter Blau, a colorwork design featuring a unique gusset placement is available Free as part of a German craft publication,  Wolle & Co., on page 12.  Click this link and then select ‘Wolle & Co.- Ausgabe 1/2009′, a direct PDF download.

Language barrier?  What, you don’t speak or read German? Me either!  Fortunately this high-tech, super-sonic world we live in  makes it possible to do what we think im-possible.  After Googling the phrase ‘knitting german to english’, I found many resources to help decipher German knitting instructions to English.  Below are two links I found most helpful.

Granny’s Garret

Garn Studio

I Spy:

Signature Needle Arts NEW Sock Blockers! nifty

Pörrö Sahlberg’s DIY Yarn Swift!

Seeking color inspirations?  Colr.org

Product Review:

I have loved Karen’s etsy shop, KaratStix, since I discovered it.  Handsome, well-made crafter’s tools with attention to detail and custom orders at GREAT pricing.  The perfect stop for birthdays, holidays and swaps.  Earlier in the year I asked Karen if she might be able to produce spinner’s tools such as a diz or plying tool.  Four weeks later, Karen surprised me with both!

The diz is fantastic, enabling one who preps fiber to create a traditional roving or pencil roving, as well as thick and bulky singles.  Like all of Karen’s products, I love this tool for both it’s function and it’s incredible cuteness.

The plying tool is equally cute and also very functional.  The four small holes toward the center are perfect for fine singles to be plied one, two and three times.  The larger holes along the outside enable a spinner to get creative, ply thicker singles, for plying cabled yarns and artisan singles, too.

Though not regular items in the shop, Karen is always accommodating to custom orders at KaratStix’s Etsy shop.

Prize Drawing

I really do love Karen’s shop, KaratStix.  I love it so much, I want to share two of her items with YOU!

Front of the Kitchener Key Fob

Back of the Kitchener Key Fob

Alpaca stlyed WPI ToolWPI Tool Key Fob

These are only examples and not the actual items to be won. The winner will receive a Kitchener Key Fob and a WPI Tool of thier choice, to include customizations.  Karen has decorated her tools with images such as flowers, sheep and yarn to skulls and crossbones, she can do it all!

Just leave a comment anywhere on this blog from today until 13 December 2009 at 23:59 CET* and you will be entered to win!  Please note, while you can make as many comments as you would like, only one entry per person is counted.

Also, I do moderate all comments and your comment will not show immediately… it might not even show for days :”)

*What time is 23:59 CET in YOUR time zone?  Click here.

Pfffffttttt….

That’s how I am feeling right about now.  Two and a half weeks of moving and still not settled!  Three of four kids sick!  I.Am.Poopped!  But, I just had to chat with you and now I feel much better :-D  There are a few stops and starts… you haven’t missed anything ;-) I also had some feedback in this recording … :-/

This episode explains a little more as to why this move in is taking so long and wiping me out, what I’ve accomplished (or not!), an apology for, an explaination and spoiler of my Knit Study™ and some Fair Isle discussion.

Books I’ve made reference to or have referenced from in this episode are listed below:

• Folk Knitting in Estonia by Nancy Bush, Published 2000 by Interweave Press, ISBN: 1883010438

• Fair Isle Knitting by Sarah Don, Published 2007 by Dover Publications, ISBN: 0486457540

• Traditional Fair Isle Knitting by Sheila McGregor, Published 2003 by Dover Publications, ISBN: 048643107X

• Traditional Scandinavian Knitting by Sheila McGregor, Published 2004 by Dover Publications, ISBN: 0486433005

• Ethnic Knitting: Discovery: The Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, and The Andes by Donna Druchunas, Published 2007 by Nomad Press, ISBN: 0966828933

• Ethnic Knitting Exploration: Lithuania, Iceland, and Ireland by Donna Druchunas, Published 2009 by Nomad Press, ISBN: 0966828992

• Folk Mittens: Techniques and Patterns for Handknitted Mittens by Marcia Lewandowski, Published 1997 by Interweave Press, ISBN: 1883010349

• Alice Starmore’s Book of Fair Isle Knitting, Published 2009 by Dover Publications, ISBN: 0486472183

• SELBUVOTTER: Biography of a Knitting Tradition by Terri Shea, Published 2007 by Spinningwheel LLC., ISBN: 0979312604

• Elizabeth Zimmermann’s Knitting Workshop, Published 1981 by Schoolhouse Press, ISBN: 0942018001

Note: Links no longer take you to Amazon but to the Publisher instead.

We have been in the new house for just about a week  now and are waiting for the internet to be ‘hooked up’.  I’ve dashed down to the library to place this post with the burning question – Who won the Regia?

Let me first announce that we did have one reader submit two comments.  The first comment counts, the second does not.  So, using Random.org I entered numbers 1 -23 and the lucky winner is #9!  That would be Peacockmom.  Please send me your mailing address and I will get this gorgeous skein to you as soon as possible ^_^ Congratulations!

Thanks to all who played along.  If you did not win, please know I will be hosting more prize drawing in the near future ^_^

If you’ve caught the latest podcast, you know I bought an extra skein of Regia Amerika Color and am passing it along to a lucking listener/reader ^_^

Regia Amerika Color, Las Vegas, 100gr.

Just leave a comment anywhere on this blog and you will be entered to win.  Please note, I do screen comments and your comment will not be visible right away.  Entry deadline is 11:59 CET 25 October 2009, here you will find a World Clock to convert this time to your time zone.

Good Luck and Thanks for Playing  ^_^

I have been a baaa-d blogger and podcaster.

If you are a listener, you will know that in my last ‘cast I mentioned alternating podcasting and blogging each week.  Clearly, that has not happened in these past two weeks.  The brief explanation is that our desire to find a home as quickly as possible had munched up my leisure time.  The little time left was for knitting, a must really.  Otherwise, I may pack my bags and run away to an exotic, tropical locale… ah, but then what to knit?  As many patterns that exist for knitted bikinis, none seem to stand up when wet.  I suppose I will have to stay here with the family and continue the search for a home.

The search has happily come to a halt.

Yes, you may throw your hands up in the air and yell, “Horaay!”  I am.

On my birthday, 27 September, we made a verbal agreement with a homeowner.  By Friday, 2 October, we had signed the contract.  Yipee!  Again, throw your hands when you deem necessary.  So, while I had planned a podcast this past week, I found that much of my time in the middle of the week was spent combing over the housing contracts, acquiring local accounts, etc, etc.  So that, by Friday, we were able to sign the contract.  We are all quite excited about finally finding a home, no one more so than me, the one who handles 4 kids in a small suite each. and. every. day.

We will not be moving in until 15 October so I will make this one blog post and one podcast before that date.  Once the Big Day arrives, once again I will fall to hiatus until we are settled in.  Settling in usually takes me a l-o-n-g time but I am determined to make a house a home (or at least livable) within a two week period.  It will be So Nice to have my beloved Stash and Library again.  *sigh*

So, I mentioned that I have indeed been knitting.  I have been working on various socks, some blocks and a blanket.

Since the last post I have finished:

Multnomah

SKA Mystery Socks, Fox Faces by Nancy Bush

Green Marlenes, #03 Marlene by Cookie A.

I am knitting:

Tabi Socks, my own design

Block, various fr stitch dictionaries

Levi Baby Blanket

Crenellation, a Hunter Hammersen Mystery Sock

Magic Mirror, a Jeannie Cartmel design

Clandestine, a Cookie A. design

TTL Mystery Socks, a Kirsten Kapur design

Now, I mentioned my birthday was last week… the stars were certainly aligned for me!  Not only did my family celebrate my birthday all week long, ending with a lovely dinner this past Sunday, but I won some drawings, too!  Hunter Hammersen hosted a prize drawing for Zoe Sock yarn by Shalimir Yarns and a complimentary pattern, to celebrate the release of her newest design, Xanthophyll. I was completley shocked when I recieved a message from Hunter, telling me I had won the drawing!  I have admired Hunter’s designs since her first released pattern, Popped.  Hunter’s new pattern, Xanthophyll is a great design suitable for both men and women, as many of Hunter’s patterns are, and I had hoped to select it but DD was at my side during all this excitement and asked with the biggest hazel eyes, ‘Can you please pick Ensnared and knit them for me?’  What’s a Mom to do?  Ensnared was selected but Hunter surprised me yet again by sending both PDF patterns.  Wow.  Hunter, thank you once again.  I am knitting Hunter’s Mystery Sock this month but will cast on for the Ensnared in November.

All the running around this past week left me little time for Ravelry as well.  I was surprised yet again to discover my ears had been burned in the Monthly Adventures Group.  Clicking on the link brought me to the ‘What Can You Make from Sock Yarn, Beside Socks?’ KAL, hosted by Purr,  for which I had knitted the Multnomah.  Purr burned my ears to let me know I had won the drawing for the KAL!  Yay!  I have no idea what I have won yet and I can’t wait to find out.  Our mods in Monthly Adventures host KALs each month, each month resulting in fantastic prize packages.  The prizes are often a mystery until they arrive, all part of the fun!

I suppose that’s it for now.  No, it’s not!  I will leave you with a teaser: Next week I will announce a Prize Giveaway… ^_^

I have to tell you, I miss podcasting and sharing with you all so much!  I have grown accustomed each week, as I read, knit and breath fiber, to share it with you and ultimately, receive great feedback, advice and your stories.

Although this move has increased our usual level of ‘hustle and bustle’, not to mention overall stress, I still find time nearly each day to do something in the way of fiber arts, to keep my sanity.  Since my last post, I have finished the following:

three more washcloths, each crocheted

a coin pouch, crocheted

Melinda’s Socks, knitted

Have dyed 4 skeins

Leaf Cravat

I have also picked up or started the following projects:

Tabi Socks

Toasty Cheeks frogged

Flutter

SKA Mystery Sock

Marlene Socks

Multnomah

So an update to our new lives here in Germany: there is no update.

No, really!  We are still living in a hotel, I can hardly believe I am typing this but, it’s true.  It seems that a family of our size is almost an anomaly here in Germany.  Or, I should say, in a populated area.  We have been told by many realtors and locals that if we were to live in the country side, we would see many more larger families and thus, larger homes.  So we bit that cookie and began looking in the country side.

We did indeed find larger homes, gorgeous larger homes.  What pray-tell might we find faulty with these homes?  Well, taking into account the distance DH and I would have to drive for work, school, shopping, etc, we could expect to spend 1.25 hours in our car, one way.  We decided that if our quality of life were important, i.e. the kids have a safe, large, gorgeous place to live and play, then it would all be worth it.  We would simply have to adjust our lives and refine the planning of our schedules to the driving issue.  OK.

So, we found three homes ranging between 2100 and 3000 square feet.  The first home was a 6 bedroom home.  I was very excited about the prospect of having my very own office/studio but, it was not available to us because we have children.  Yup.  Can you believe the landlord did not want to rent a 6 bedroom home to a family!?!

The next home was literally next door to a farm, but we didn’t mind this at all, especially me.  The farm had sheep and goats :) The house was adorable from the roadside, an older styled Bavarian home with fruit trees in the front yard and a cobbled stone driveway.  Once we entered, I was in love.  All plank wood floors, lots of sunshine and 4 bedrooms plus an office.  Then we stepped into the back and side (away from the road) yard.  The yard was huge and overgrown with rose bushes, ivy and who knows what else.  It was literally a jungle out there.  We asked if the landlord could have the area cleared out and he said yes, but at cost to us!  We were a bit surprised, it seemed he wanted it that way!  No can, not with 4 kiddos.

The final house in the countryside was a 5 bedroom lovely.  We toured the home just elated at the size of each bedroom, the kitchen was enormous, the yard was huge (and cleared), there was an office space for my husband and a hobby room near the large family room.  But something seemed off as we toured through the house.  Then it hit us, in this gigantic house, there was but one bathroom.  No can, not with 4 kiddos.

So, we are still looking and growing increasingly concerned that we may never find the right house and must start crossing off our wish list.

As for living here so far, life is good.  It is clean and just lovely overall.  Today, we were stuck in some construction traffic and my husband turned and said, ‘Even the traffic in Germany is better!’.  It’s true!  While there seem to be an abundance of right and rules here, it is all for the sake of order, which is a stark contrast from where we were living.

I’ll bet you are wondering about fiber expeditions… I have visited a few shops and am so thrilled about each visit.  This week though, I have resisted the strongest urges to spend my money on fiber.  Why?  I am saving my purchases for this coming weekend, Sept 12 and 13.  The First German Raveler Meeting will be held in Backnang, this about 1 hour from where I am now.  There are going to be speakers from Rowan and Jess and Casey will be there, too!  Yes!  This was a surprise I learned of last week and I am just so excited.  I am contemplating taking a recorder with me, what do you think?  If there are questions you’d like me to ask, email them to me destiknitATgmailDOTcom.

OK, I think that’s it for this post…. :waves: