Six Does Not Equal Six

Huh?
Let me explain.
I was diligently working on my Marl Yoke Raglan last week at Knit Nite. I was SOOOOO close to the end of the body and place to join the sleeves that I kept knitting so I could say I had the sweater that far.
Since the shawl I am making for Evelyn is a bit too complicated to take to Knit Nite (I tend to talk a lot there.), I wanted to have the sleeves ready to work on. I dug out a pencil and my copies of EZ's Opinionated Knitter, and Knitting in the Old Way and started calculating. I figured out how many stitches I needed to cast on, how many rows it would take, how often I would have to increase if I did it this way or that way. And so on.
I was so thorough.
Finally I cast on with a set of Plymouth bamboo double point needles and knit about 6 rounds or so.
Then something made me pause. The ghost of Elizabeth Zimmermann perhaps?
Anyway, something made me stop and put away the size 7 needles tips that I had out. And while I was at it, I checked the tips I had used for the sweater body. The needle gauge I was using showed the size 7 slot loose and sloppy.
But wait! So was the size 6. I had supposedly been using Size 6 in my Harmony Options. I dug out another needle gauge and the size 6 fit perfectly.
Hmmmmm.
Then I looked at both gauges. One size 6 was a 4.25mm. the other was 4.00mm. I checked the double points I was using for the sleeve. Size 6 all right. but 4.25 not 4.00
Sigh.
I just knew if I continued with the the sleeves with size 4.25, the gauge wouldn't match when I joined the sleeves to the body. So I ended up logging on to KnitPicks and placing an order for size 6 4.00 mm double points and also a 16 inch circ (and some lace weight yarn, and books. Oops, the mouse must have slipped.) I frogged the bit of sleeve I had started and waited. Yesterday my package came--in just 5 days!
Maybe now I can knit with peace of mind.
Or not.

Book Review--Sweater Quest

The subtitle of the book Sweater Quest is "My Year of Knitting Dangerously". It is an enjoyable trek through one year of the author's life (Adrienne Martini) as she sets herself a goal to knit a Fair Isle sweater.
And not just any sweater. She chooses a pattern in an out of print book, calling for out of production yarn, by a designer (Alice Starmore) who Adrienne portrays as having a reputation of suing anyone who makes any little change in her designs, including changing the yarn. She follows her dream and also during the course of the year talks to many well known members of knitting royalty (Mason Dixon Knitters, and the Yarn Harlot for two.) She even talks to a local knitter/dyer who I have met and taken a class from, Rita Petteys of Yarn Hollow!
All in all, I do recommend the book. I enjoyed reading it immensely, at least until the final chapter or two when she felt it necessary to inject her politics into it. But aside from that, a great read.
I was inspired by the book, and ready to set myself another knitting challenge. After all, I survived last years self challenge, to knit and steek (EEK!) a sweater. Maybe this time I will try Fair Isle. After all I do have my own Alice Starmore book. But I think, instead, I will start small.
Fair Isle Mittens anyone?

What a Great Book!

I find it amazing that I should for the second time in about a year be touting a cook book, but this is great. If you have ever stumbled upon the Pioneer Woman blog you know what I am talking about. She is a sushi loving city girl who fell in love with the Marlboro Man and before she knew it she was riding horses, and cooking beef and feeding cowboys.
I had to wait over a month for the book to become available at my local library, and now that I have it in my hands, I can see why. The pictures are mouthwatering and show every step.
Her blog is also wonderful. If you like pictures, cooking, basset hounds, kids and life in the country, you really need to check it out.
And the book too. I may need to buy this one.

List of Nines--Part 7—Books and Book Series I Love

1. My all time favorite is Gone With The Wind. I first checked it out in seventh grade because it was the only one I thought would be big enough to last over Christmas vacation. Loved it long before the movie.
2. Jan Karon’s Mitford books. Maybe being Episcopalian made this one especially interesting, but they touched my heart.
3. Any and all of Elizabeth Zimmermann’s books. From Knitting Workshop, Knitting Around, Knitting Almanac and Knitting Without Tears. These books have opened out new pathways in my knitting experience and have allowed me to know there are no Knitting Police. She also has some great videos based on some of these books.
4. Knitting Rules! By Stephanie Pearl-McPhee. Again, basic rules and no patterns. How liberating to knit this way.
5. Bible. Need I say anything here? Changed my life, and always comforting. My favorite is my New International Version, with the Message a close second for just plain reading.
6. Joy of Cooking. I love the recipes and the way it leads you to experiment and do things your way. After seeing Julie and Julia recently, I love it even more.
7. Any of Agatha Christies’ mysteries. Miss Marple and all are wonderful.
8. By Judith Viorst, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. A childrens book but fun and how I can relate to its theme that some days are like that, even in Australia.
9. Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. This Christian novelist takes a rather obscure story from the Bible and translates it to the time of the gold rush and makes it a wonderful story of love.

Book Review--Christ the King

I never thought I would be reviewing books by Anne Rice. I never thought I would even read books by Anne Rice. Not my genre of choice.
But a week or 2 ago at spinning guild, Rachel mentioned that she had returned to her Catholic roots and that her newest book was supposed to be pretty good.
Well, I stopped by the library and checked out both if the books in the Christ the King series: Out of Egypt and Road to Cana. What wonderful and thought provoking reads.
The books both tied in legends of Jesus, and the Bible references of this period that isn't really covered in detail in the Bible. I was captivated by the books and highly recommend them to everyone.
I am eagerly waiting to see if there are more to follow in this series.

Nearly Too Late

My mind has been dwelling on a quote I wrote in the back of my Bible over 25 years ago:

"God is almost always, nearly too late."

It goes along with the verse about you will never be given more than you can handle. It is like once you think, I can't take any more, then God steps in and helps.

Well---Lord, the end of my rope is fast approaching. And I'm not much good at knots.

New Book

There is a new book out by Maggie Sefton, who writes knitting mysteries. Or to be more accurate, it is due out June 9 according to Amazon. It is in the library card catalog as on order, so I put a hold on it. Its is Dropped Dead Stitch. Although this series of boos do not feature deep mystery or a complicated plot, they are a nice light read that I enjoy. I can't wait till this one is available.

One thing nice about working at the library is that when my books come in, I can just go check them out myself. No waiting for a special trip to town.