Just Musings.......

May I introduce Sam the Ram? He was added to my sheep collection in the summer and fall of 2002. If you are looking for a challenge, you should get this pattern. I worked on this during long days at the beach and by the pool, happy memories! The construction is ingenious, made mostly in one piece starting with a provisional cast on for the head which is shaped by short rows to the neck wedge, also short rows, all the way to the Kitchener Stitch belly. I loved making this and have the pattern to make Sam a wife named Sue. Rita O'Connell would be happy to hook you up at her site Earth Heart Designs. If there is any interest, let me know. A Sam and Sue knitalong would be lots of sheepish fun, and I could use the motivation to give Sam a mate. Baaaaaah!

So, I'm being drawn in to the web. Charlotte's Web, that is. As if all the gorgeous examples being displayed virtual-web wide aren't enough, check out this one. You must see it blocking as well. Knitmeister's is my favorite so far, and I am imagining mine in graduating shades of blues and purply-blues. I have a few questions for those of you who have made it, or are in the process. Being "vertically challenged", is the length of the Web easily adjustable? Is it just a matter of knitting fewer repeats of the lace pattern? While knitting should I change colorways more often, or use fewer colorways, leaving the changes as they are written? Any input will be appreciated.

I have had so much fun with the Knitter's Secret Pal program(see my sidebar)! I haven't had the chance to photgraph my most recent surprise, two skeins of Knit One, Crochet Two 2nd Time Cotton in Atlantis. I love the color! Thanks Secret Pal. I am anxiously awaiting the big *reveal*! I have been thinking of you, with the bad weather in your neck of the woods. Leave me one and let me know if you are in one piece!

Okay, I am also dreading the *reveal*! I have no (well, only a little) idea what to send the knitter who has me as their secret pal. What do you get someone who has almost daily access to yarns and knitting stuff? You are all creative people, send me some ideas! I am fresh out!

My last thought for this post: Where are all the knit-bloggers coming from? Keeping up with everyone's progress has become a very time consuming activity at the Blues. All those interesting projects, the stunning yarns, and knowledge and information sharing at its best! There are some problems with this, though. It is cutting into my knitting time in a serious way and taking more restraint than I normally can be given credit for. I'm thinking it may be time for a support group. Hah! We could make it a Yahoogroup and share tips like "don't leave your computer on to tempt you when you are supposed to be doing chores, knitting, making dinner, entertaining guests, or your husband" and "set a timer to let you know your allotted blog time is over and you must log off" and "put your credit card on ice to prevent the impulse purchases of yarn or bandwidth." I'll bet you have plenty of your own tricks to keep to the task at hand. I mean, just look at my sidebar! Oh-you don't see your blog listed on the fifty plus linked to there? I am trying, I really am. You are without a doubt one of the nearly two hundred knitting blogs I have *bookmarked*. If you think I have missed you, by all means, drop me an email. Make it even harder for me to push away from the computer table. By the way-shouldn't you be knitting right now? Go! Go knit now!

Comments

[jane pollard]

Thank you so much for the pattern link to Sam the Ram...I saw him at Maryland Sheep and Wool and wanted to make him but didn't want to buy the kit...now I can order the Sam and Sue patterns!!Thanks, again. Jane Pl

[Cyndilou]

Heh - it's all a matter of time management. I'm sure any healthy, sane knitter could manage to find knitting time in between the mountain of housework, errands, and other everyday chores that need to be done. Why look, my apartment is spotless and...oh wait, never mind. Has anyone seen my couch lately? Perhaps I should take my knitting into the shower and free up more time to actually clean something for a change. Oh, and mount a computer monitor to the ceiling over my bed, so I can read the blogs at night and when I wake up in the morning. Oh heck, discard sleep altogether - it's overrated. Oy, how do we do it? *grin*

[Natalie]

Sam is adorable!

As for reading blogs, I do it at work. First thing in the morning, I read those that are on my list of "daily reads," which isn't too long at this time. Then, later, if I am out of work to do (which happens pretty frequently), I blog-hop on the knitting blogs and other webrings. Which usually results in me adding another blog or two to my list of "daily reads!"

So, my housework and knitting time isn't really affected by blog reading. :)

[Anne]

Charlotte's actually not a huge shawl. I think mine blocked to about 30" from top to bottom point before addding the fringe and the crocheted edge--I added the edging after blocking.
But you can easily knock off one pattern repeat. However, you would lose (if you followed the pattern's color flow) some of the color gradation. Also, if you decide to make a full-size shawl, I'd buy an extra skein of your last color (fringe-edge). I ran out and needed the extra ball for the crochet and the fringe.

[Chelsea]

I need that support group, too. Everytime someone says "this yarn is the softest/smoothest/easiest/prettiest ever" I rush over to some WAY too easily accessible online storefront and buy it. {sigh}

It could be worse, you know. I could still be a smoker and jonesing for a cigarette. I could be addicted to some sort of pills. I could have more shoes than Imelda. I could be an animal hoarder. As it stands, rent is paid, the larder is full, and I am OK saying "Hello, my name is Chelsea B. and I am an obsessive knit/blogger." :)

And as far as surfing and blogging: I use a little kitchen timer and an easy pattern: *15 mins online OR 15 mins knitting, 15 mins housework* repeat from * til end of evening.

[Secret Pal]

I'm in one piece! The floods you may have heard about are in the suburbs...the worst we've had to contend with has been a backed-up storm drain on our block.

The weather has been rather dreary, but the cool part was watching an amazing "light show" during Sunday night's storm from our back deck. So it's not all bad...

There's one more surprise that may not reach you by the 5/31 "reveal" day, but you'll definitely get a message from me that day! Happy knitting!

[Amber]

Too much blog time, too much yarn buying, too little of actual knitting? Guilty. I have wanted to knit a Charlotte's Web for several years, it was on my Christmas wish list twice and still I don't have one. I just went for it and am getting enough Koigu for two Charlotte's or one Keepsake shawl...Join us...Join us...

[leslie]

I am finally responding to you after meeting you at the Sally Melville Workshop. You were so inspirational, and I must admit that I surf the blogs every day, usually in the morning to get pumped about knitting.
I too may FINALLY join a knit-along and start the charlotte web shawl. Deciding on colors will be tough. Is it recommended to get the koigu palette through Threadbear or Patternworks(which seems to have a great selection of colors)? I would like to make it in a blue/turquoise/purple/pink combo.

[leslie]

I am finally responding to you after meeting you at the Sally Melville Workshop. You were so inspirational, and I must admit that I surf the blogs every day, usually in the morning to get pumped about knitting.
I too may FINALLY join a knit-along and start the charlotte web shawl. Deciding on colors will be tough. Is it recommended to get the koigu palette through Threadbear or Patternworks(which seems to have a great selection of colors)? I would like to make it in a blue/turquoise/purple/pink combo.

[annie]

When you figure out how to manage blogging/knitting/kids/husband/house/life let me know. I am all for a yahoo group!

[julia]

It looks to me like you have the answer to your own question: how about a Sam the Ram pattern? Or something equally esoteric and not-necessarily- something-one-could-buy-in-a-yarn-store something. The Web is full of possibilities.
And you are going to make a Web Shawl. And not in blue. Gee. I have to rethink this thing. Maybe I need one too. An not in green.

[alison]

That sheep is so cute! Looks like a lot of work though. Bravo! Best of luck with your final secret pal present. I'm also having a hard time coming up with an original and special final gift. I've been pleased with everything I've gotten from my pal, even the small things, so I'm hoping my pal will feel the same way about her gift. Can't wait for all the reveals!

[margene]

You are reading my mind. Last week so was busy at work I couldn't get around to read everyone. So here I sit today since 9:00 this morning have done nothing but read through my list (thank goodness the bosses are golfing!) of bloggers and only half way through. It's hard to resist all the KAL's and glad to see Charlotte lured you, too. You can probably make her as big as you like and change the colors easily as you go. Nothing about the color pattern is set. Blogging can really eat up time but it is fun to make many friends around the globe.

[Allison]

Not only is blog-hopping time-consuming but extremely addicitive! I do mine at work when I need to get a little knitting zen fix to make it through the day. Much less conspicuous than dragging out the needles.

I'm in the same boat with you on the finale of the Secret Pal program. I am going to head to my LYS and find something that tickles my fancy and hope she likes it!

And Sam the Ram is adorable! If I were into stuffed animals I would totally create him!

[Sharon]

No no, no more Yahoo Groups! Then I'll have to add that to reading the Knitlist, and participating in the Knit-along lists, AND I'll still have all the blogs on my list that just keeps growing. Face it blog pals...we are important to each other. We need this. It is exercise for the soul.

[deb]

Just to let you know, there has always been a knitbloggers group on Yahoo. It's not very active nowadays, but you can change all that! Search of "knitblogs" or "knitbloggers".

[Jennifer]

I would love to have a Sam and Sue Knit-Along, maybe this winter?

[R. Haden]

I would also love to join the Sam and Sue knitalong. Let me know if it becomes a reality.

[govokinolij]

Hi

Looks good! Very useful, good stuff. Good resources here. Thanks much!

G'night

[Retro Jordan]

Excellent post. It makes me realize the energy of words and pictures. I learn a lot, thank you! Wish you make a further progress in the future.