Star Struck

I grew up in San Francisco and some pretty spectacular people live, work or pass through here. I met someone from our Chicago Office today and she mentioned a local politician, and I said oh yeah I went to high school with his daughter. Then we moved on to cold weather and she mentioned Prince, and I said my Minnesota cousins know him - they grew up in the same neighborhood.
Have you ever stopped to think how many people you have met in your life before, during or after they became famous? Again, being from San Francisco this happened to me a lot. I met Michael Douglas and Karl Malden during the filming of The Streets of SF in the school located across the street from my house. I met Clint Eastwood at a charity golf tournament. Robin Williams' oldest son (from his first marriage) went to school with a family friend, she was in Mrs. Doubtfire. Danny Glover's nephew went to Junior High and High School with me.

My Mom was a Legislative Advocate and worked with a lot of politicians in Sacramento. I went to school with their children. My high school, Washington, honored past attendees/graduates which included Lee Merriweather and Maya Angelou. They walked around the school before the ceremony, chatting with the students. SF has always been a popular TV and Film location, and musicians have always hob nobbed with the locals. Sports figures feel comfortable shopping and eating out. So my path has crossed many a famous foot print.

I decided - for posterity that I will list all of the famous and infamous people that have gone through my life, because it's pretty awesome to think about now. I know there are some I have forgotten . . .

Joseph Alioto
George Moscone
Willie Brown
Leo McCarthy
Leo Ryan
Andrew Young
Diane Feinstein
Clint Eastwood
Danny Glover
Jennifer Tilly
Nicolas Cage
Marsha Warfield
Robin Williams
Sharon Stone
Michael Douglas
Karl Malden
Bernie Casey
Jocelyn Elders
Bob Love
Phil Smith
Frankie Avalon
Martin Yan
Randy Cross
Keena Turner
Jerry Rice
Jessie Sapolu
Mia Sara
Anne Archer
Anne Rice
Jayne Kennedy
Mario Van Peebles
Barry Bonds
Byron Williams
Rod Smith
Phillip Epps
Cliff Odom
Ramos McDonald
Gene Washington
Stacey Latishaw
Stephanie Mills
Jeffrey Osborne
Carlos Santana
Tito Puente
Celia Cruz
Bubba Merrill Knight
Run DMC & his possee
Jeff Lorber
Anita Baker
J.R.R. Tolkien
Lee Merriweather
Maya Angelou
Evander Hollyfield
Laurel Burch
Valerie Coleman
Doris Chan
Lily Chin
Carol Ventura
Beth Reinsel
Vicky Howell
Kim Werker
Cathleen Sams
Darla Fanton
Nancie Weisman
Nancy Nehring
Eartha Kitt
Cast Members of Ain't Misbehavin'
Several Members of the Alvin Ailey Dancers
Chief Justice Malcolm Lucas
Don Mitchell
Pernell Roberts
Dean Edell
Donna Druchunas

Who do I still wish to meet or get close to?
Ernie Hudson
Avery Brooks
Paula Deen
Susie Orman
Steve Young
Don Johnson
Bruce Willis
Galina Khmeleva
Cptn. Blake Painter
Vin Diesel
John Sandford
Goldie Hawn

Wollmeise Sock Club 2008-2009

I WON THE LOTTERY

Yep, I am one of the lucky few who will be enjoying the very first Wollmeise Sock Club memberships. I cannot begin to tell you how excited I am. It begins in September. There are four deliveries of two skeins each. Including a sock pattern designed for the colorways. There will be a theme to every shipment and related goodies such as stitch markers. The very first package will include a set of Holz und Stein double-pointed needles. We are way past gummie bears now y'all!!!! I love the thought of getting needles, stitchmarkers, patterns and yarn from Germany. These are items I would never be exposed to or able to buy otherwise. I will treasure every single item. I will be stalking the postal person next week, I am so thrilled to have gotten into the club.

http://www.wollmeise-sockclub.de/

Unfortunately this means no Socks That Rock Rockin' Sock Club 2009. I just cannot see subscribing to both at this time. I have enjoyed two years of Rockin' Sock Club, so next year something new. The Wollmeise Sock Club and the Sea Socks Cruise in June.

What's New?

I recently finished SIX projects. Thanks to the UFOlympics I felt compelled to pull out all of my projects and decide which ones could be finished off and which ones will need large blocks of time and concentration to complete. I have resumed working on my Koigu Purple socks. I cast on the September project for the Beginners Lace Ravelry Group, The Celtic Knot Stole.




I am on row 19 of my Crochet by Numbers portrait. And I am about half way through the Secret of the Stole iii Hint 1. So, although I finished 6 projects, I began 3 new ones.

Bad Blogger No Cookie (A)

I have been so bad this week, I have been in Ravelry all week. You know how in forums you see just 5 topics and the number of unread messages? Well I try to catch up on those each time I log in. This week I started clicking INDEX on some of my lace groups - and oh my needles. There are a bazillion discussions out there from my Life-Before-Lace knitting. I have added probably 20 patterns to my queue. Bought a dozen patterns. Faved a hundred patterns and projects. Added several new friends. Hmph, I thought the sock knitting addiction was bad, this is off the hook! But in a return to sanity - I Hope, I have received a special project from Europe. It is not lace and it is not sock related. I am not going to put it in my project queue. I am going to wait to see how it goes, because frankly I am scared to death. I keep trying new things and so far I am happy with my progress and success. However, I may bite the pooch on this one. We will see.

you are a member of 31 groups

UFOlympics Events Completed

I completed my last UFOlympics event, the Andean Treasure Fog Feather and Fan Lace Shawl Marathon. This was really boring at the end and I hit the wall - but as I watched the last ball of yarn diminish I managed to keep myself going.

THEN there was not quite enough yarn to bind off, I had to un-bind the bind-off and the previous row of stitches - UGH! But it is all done and all the ends are woven in.

Finis! Another GOLD Medal performance.

Going for the GOLD

I completed my first event. Women's Sock x2 With Stripe Relay and I won a medal. Yay. I have one remaining event, the FFS 400m Marathon. Wish me luck.






Knit Picks Felici
Colorway: Clay
Pattern: 2x2 Ribbed Stockinette Sock
Size: Women's Medium
Needles: Harmony Circulars US Sie 2 2.75 mm with 24" cable

3:08.24 ~ Sweet SWEEP

The U.S. men's 4x100m free relay team won gold -- Michael Phelps, Garrett Weber-Gale, Cullen Jones and Jason Lezak -- set a world record, finishing in 3:08.24.

Come on - it's takes most people longer than that to take a deep breath!!!! They were awesome!!!

The Women's Fencing team gave the U.S. its first three medals in Beijing, sweeping the women's sabre. The team consists of seven athletes, three each in sabre and foil and one in epee. Mariel Zagunis (Sabre) , Rebecca Ward (Sabre) , Sada Jacobson (Sabre) were outstanding.

And I thought I was good with pointy sticks, amazing sweep. Overall we're doing well in the medal race.

FOUR FINISHED PROJECTS

Dimple Shale Lace Scarf

Pattern: Dimple Shale Lace Scarf
Designer: Knit Picks Design Team
Yarn: Andean Treasure 100% Baby Alpaca
Colorway: Lagoon
Yardage: 660 yards (6 50 gram balls @ 110 yarns)
Needles: Harmony US Size 7 4.50 mm circular needles with 24" cable

www.KnitPicks.com

Adamas Shawl

Pattern: Adamas Shawl
Designer: Miriam Felton
Yarn: Zephyr Heather Main Line 2/8
Colorway: Peacock
Size: 80" across 40" neck to point
Needle: Harmony US Size 5 3.75 mm with 24" and 36" circular cables
Added 2 additional repeats.
http://www.mimknits.com

Japanese Feather & Fan Shawl

Pattern: Japanese Feather and Fan Shawl
Designer: Izzy
Yarn: Regia Silk, Merino and Polyamid
Colorway: Off White
Style: Circular
Needles: Addi Turbo US 6\cast on and off with larger size needles
Yardage: 3 50 gram balls @ 200m

Very nice drap, and wraps nicely.

IzzyKnits.blogspot.com

Shi Bui Socks

Yarn: Shi Bui Superwash 100% Merino
Colorway: Rapids
Yardage: 291 yards
Needles: Harmony US Size 2 2.75 mm
Size: Women's 9
Pattern: Ribbed~Sockinette

www.ShiBuiKnits.com

Keeping TRACK

08/08/08
Completed 6.25 repeats of the Feather & Fan Fog Shawl (FFFS) during the opening ceremonies. Oh MY GOD, the opening ceremonies were phenomenal!!! They walked on air!!! The sheer numbers of performers was mind boggling. I love the parade of nations, that is one of my favorite parts of the Olympics. GO USA!!!

08/09/08 My DSL is down.- probably because a bazillion people are streaming the olympics from NBC.com. I switched from the Options to the Harmony Needles on the FFFS, the options were irritating my carpal tunnel scar.

New Stuff - a Girl's got have her stuff!!!

Magazines
Creative Knitting May 2008
Cast On May-July 2008
Crochet! July 2008
Knitter's Spring 2008 K90
Spin-off Summer 2008 - free trial. I don't think I will subscribe.
Vogue Knitting Spring/Summer 2008
Interweave Crochet September 2008 - Must make the Diamond Sage Wrap designed by Jill Wright page 26
Vogue Knitting International Fall 2008 I am looking forward to reading the article SCHOOLHOUSE ROCKS, A Tribute to 50 Years of Inspiration about Elizabeth Zimmermann. Must download the pattern for Twinkle Twinkle Little Star designed by Libby Grant from www.Elann.com - ad on page 10

Books
Wrapped in Comfort, Knitted Lace Shawls
I Can't Believe I'm Lace Knitting
Best of Interweave Knits
Couture Crochet Workshop
Knit and Purl: Harmony Guide
Lace and Eyelets: Harmony Guide
Knit So Fine
Crochet Lace
50 Sensational Crochet Afghans & Throws
7-Day Afghans Revised

Yarn - I won't be adding these to my Ravelry Stash, I have more than enough pictures of yarn in Ravelry and Flickr!
Swish Worsted in Black, Truffle and Cashew for the Pillow Ghan/Scarf
Red Heart Classic in White, Blace, Eggshell, Tan, Warm Brown, Med Brown, Coffee for Crochet Portrait
Red Heart Super Saver in Cafe - for Crochet Portrait

Yarn Used
KP Andean Treasure 100% Baby Alpaca in Lagoon for Dimple Shale Scarf 6 balls @ 110 yards each 660 yards
Shi Bui Superwash 100% Merino Sock Yarn in Rapids colorway 2 skeins @ 191 yards about 100 yards left used 291 yards

Patterns
Pillow Ghan by Knit Picks Design Team
STR RS Club Cleopatra's Stockings by Yarnissima
STR RS Club Sweet Tart Anklet by Marilyn Kaleikilo aka Hot Flash
STR RS Club Gumdrop Socks by JC Briar
Slow Bee Mystery I by Monika Eckert
Slow Bee Mystery II by Monika Eckert
Mystic Meadows by Anna Davi
Anniversary Mystery Shawl by Renee Leverington aka Goddessknits
Charmed Floral Fantasy Shawl by Madison St. John
Tiger Eye Lace Scarf by Toni M. Maddox
Harbour Lights Shawl by Sivia Harding
Heartland Lace Shawl by Evelyn Clark

My computer is mind numbingly slow without DSL, pictures and chatter when the server is back up.

Starting Ceremonies

I am SO ready for the starting ceremonies and the beginning of the UFOlympics!

My qualifying rounds went superb and I have a new personal best record. I finished my Shi Bui socks, and the two shawls. I finished my Dimple Shale Scarf last night, bringing my finished objects total up to four.

This pattern is so simple and it is a free Knit Picks download. The pattern calls for four balls of yarn, and that is exactly what it took. I have a golf sized ball of yarn left - perfect.


Everything will be on the podium and photographed as soon as the sun peaks out this weekend. Now I am going for the Gold. My Socks That Rock Project bag is on the field and as soon as the opening ceremonies begin tonight I will be working on the Felice Clay socks.

My new Ravelry friend Professor Poppy reminded me of how much I love the fair isle knitting of Alice Starmore. I have several of AS's books and I have made up a few patterns, one of them ended up being a scarf. I had only been knitting a few months when I knit the scarf and my stranding was pretty tight. Blocking failed to fix it. Then I got addicted to socks and never went back to fair isle. I came across Ann Feitelson's audiobook The Art of Fair Isle Knitting and listened to it last night. I had read AF's book, but listening to it while I finished my scarf was nice. Since Crazy Aunt Purl got me hooked on the Deadliest Catch, some of the stories about the Norwegian fisherman's sweaters and men being lost at sea leaving their families to survive on their knitting profits was much more real to me. Coincidentally I had just watched the DC epidsode in which the Big Valley and 5 members of her crew were lost.

I did a Google search on Alice Starmore to see what was out there and was glad to find she is still selling yarn and kits on Virtual Yarns. I finally got to see Henry VIII after listening to David Reidy on Sticks and String podcast describe how much he enjoyed the process of making it. That is one gorgeous sweater and I would give anything to have one, but that's not in my skill set yet. So I ordered the Alice Starmore kit for the Glenesk Cardigan.

I selected this kit for a couple of reasons [1] I prefer cardigans to pullovers, I like to be able to take a sweater off if I get hot. I am of an age when this is very important ;p [2] The pattern appears to be made up of just 4 colors, much lesst yarn to keep up with and control throughout. [3] Fewer colors means weaving in ends will be less complicated, there will always be a matching area of color to weave an end into. [4] Size, Alice builds a lot of ease into her designs because she wants them to be comfortable and worn a lot. [5] Needle size, this pattern is to be knit on US size 7 needles 4.5mm, my absolute favorite needle size for sweater knitting.


I received my shipped/confirmed e-mail this morning so it's on it's way. I have no idea when I will get started on it however, because I still have 4 of 5 shawls to finish and 12 pairs of socks to knit.

Lace Blocking

Lace blocking is so much easier to do with blocking wires. I am blocking my Japanese Feather and Fan Shawl and my Adamas shawl this weekend. The JFF is a major pain in the patoosie because it is circular and does not fit my blocking surfaces. But OMG is it ever beautiful all spread out. The Adamas is a pleasure and a piece of cake because it can be folded in half and wires threaded through both of the straight edges. I only had to pin out the points. They could actually have been wired too. The Adamas is also pretty - however I was distressed about the amount of peacock dye that bled into the Eucalan soak water. I was afraid to wrap the wet piece in a light colored towel. I will take pictures some time soon. I will definitely knit both of these patterns again. I came across a link to another shawl designed by Izzy which I hope to cast on in September. The pattern is written, no charts, but it is well done. If I run into any problems as I go along, I may take the time to create charts.

I am now trying to finish the Dimple Shale Scarf and my Shi Bui Rapids socks. I have until Friday, 08/08/08 [I love that date!!] when the UFOlympics begin. I chose the Fog colored Feather and Fan and the Knit Picks Felici Clay colorway socks for the UFOlympics. If I manage to stay on track, that will be six finished objects. Cool. I should have my yarn for my Crochet by Numbers portrait by the time the Olympics end Aug. 24, 2008. I am an extremely fast crocheter so I think that project will go fast. I do need to get used to the way the pattern is written, but past that it should be a quick project. I still have many socks and lace in WIP to complete. I also want to be able to wear my Kenobi Jacket and Bookworm Vest this fall, so they are a top priority.

Danger Danger Danger - I killed two moths Friday. I have four days off coming up - I am going to check all of my yarn to make sure none of them have gotten into my stash collection. I did rinse a dead moth out of the Adamas shawl. Hopefully they were only involved with that cone of yarn and project - I left it out exposed every day because I was working on it every night.

I just got the greatest Loopy Ewe hooded sweatershirt and Handcrafted one of kind Atenti Harvest knitting bag. The Atenti bag is so heavy duty I am going to use if for my carryon for the Panama Canal and Sea Socks Cruises.












UGH!!! I have lost the password for the Heere Be Dragone shawl pattern and I cannot open the file. I cannot find my e-mail receipt, which I am sure said something like - keep this in a safe place because you will need it to use the pattern 8{ I may have to buy the pattern again - shoot.

You may have noticed that I am getting a lot of knitting projects done. I would have to say that the Carpal Tunnel Surgery was a SUCCESS. I no longer get any cramps or finger tip pain. Thanks Dr. Luo, you are on the scarf list for Christmas!!!