Pivot

[susandennis]

In the knitting/crochet world there are Alongs. Knit Along. Crochet Along. Generally, the leader picks a project - usually a pattern never published before - and then gradually reveals it - step by step - while we all knit or crochet along. There are even surprise KAL and CAL's where you don't even know what you are making. I love the concept, I hate the reality. Invariably they all go too slowly for me because other people have things to do in their lives.

But, once in a while, one catches my attention and/or the yarn for it is easy to acquire. I am now waiting for just such a project to start. I have the yarn but it the first instruction won't appear until January 8. So... not yet.

I have yarn on order for another project but it hasn't come yet and I don't know when it will. It's from a brand new designer - her first kit and she's in Turkey and not too internet retail savvy yet. So lots of missing details. But the kit was inexpensive and the colors are fun so I wait.

So.... while I wait, I piddle. I made a bunch of squares but then decided I didn't love them enough to make more. So last night, I made a pivot. I decided to make a shawl/wrap out of the squares and use tunisian crochet for the 'wings'. I don't do much tunisian crochet and I'm enjoying the difference so far.





This is Instagram stuff. I'm weaning myself.

My brother made me start Foyle's War (Acorn TV). I hate war stuff and I'm not big on historical stuff (the Crown aside) but when his text came in, I was actually trolling for my next watch so what the hay. Now I'm hooked. So if you need me for the next whiles, that's where I'll be.

There was a crack about sending war aliens to Isle of Man and I did get a chuckle thinking 'oh, they could go visit curiouswombat'!

I am working my way up to another big Purge O' Stuff. I'm feeling a little closed in by my stuff. I want empty shelves, empty drawers and more closet space. And less clutter. Periodically, I go through and just get rid of stuff and I think that time is drawing close. I've lived in this house for 30 years. There's a lot of stuff that I do not need. But there is also not an easy, safe way to get rid of it right now so that's my current stumbling block.

But,eventually, probably sooner than later, I'll figure something out and have a massive haul. (Right now I'm thinking about those two drawers of socks. I do not need two drawers full. I need about 4 pair. I only wear socks in winter and then pretty much only when I don't wear slippers. Ok maybe 6 pair but that's it.)

Still in the thinking stage, however.

I think I'm going to take a shower and then have another cup of coffee and and english muffinn smeared with my next advent jelly!

Comments

[carriea31.livejournal.com]

I love it when you decide to clean because you always end up inspiring me. For example, here you have discussed your sock drawer. Last week I was puzzling over my sock drawer. I have too many socks. Not regular socks but those puffy fluffy socks that women are way too fond of gifting one another for some reason. I was thinking....what should I do with those? There isn't anything wrong with them. I wear them occasionally. But here you have pointed out that a person does not actually NEED this many socks and so I don't need to feel guilty about getting rid of the excess. Excellent.

[susandennis]

Nice! I actually did already empty my two sock drawers into a bag for Goodwill. I kept 3 pair of massively fuzzy keepyourfeetwarm ones, and a pair each of cute ankle ones, sports socks and cut ones that cover my ankles. 6 pair. I'm good.

Some that did not make the cut had never ever been worn. Sigh.

But now I have an EMPTY DRAWER!!!

[carriea31.livejournal.com]

P.S., what was the next flavor of jelly? Anything interesting?

[susandennis]

Actually not my favorite as it turns out BUT I'm guessing it's going to be perfection with peanut butter.

[daphnep.livejournal.com]

So, I have like...four different people on my various social media feeds doing the Bonne Maman advent calendar, plus my real life best local friend. I had NO idea it was such a big thing!

But I have learned: everyone gets different flavors. These calendars are not standardized, which is kinda cool. If you were wondering.

[susandennis]

Really??? We're a group? I kind of like that. I never even heard of it until last year when my friend, Frank, got one and he gave me mine this year.

Of course, I wondered just this morning if all the days of all the calendars were the same. I am surprised they are not. And impressed.

Anyone else complain about what a bitch they are to get out of the damn house/calendar?

[bill-schubert.livejournal.com]

I just gave Dana half a dozen Bomba socks for her birthday. She will NEVER get rid of the ones she has so will need another draw.

I need to find gifts that evaporate after a month or two.

Sigh.

[susandennis]

Yeah, you probably need to rethink that.

[roasted-beets.livejournal.com]

Bomba socks are the best! 😊

[maju01.livejournal.com]

I love the colours of those squares!

And I've just looked more closely at your photo and I see that there are lots of stitches on the crochet hook - how does that work? Seems more like knitting.

[susandennis]

It's called tunisian crochet. The hook is really long. You load it up with stitches and then crochet them off one by one and then reload. You always work with the right side facing you. It's kind of fascinating to do. There is actually a tunisian crochet stitch that looks just like knitting (not the one I'm doing here).

These pictures give you an idea. It's different and fun for a pivot :)

[maju01.livejournal.com]

Most intriguing!

[apinkpanthress.livejournal.com]

Ach, I love the colours you combined here. Beautiful!

[susandennis]

thank you!

[rhodielady-47.livejournal.com]

I wish more people used bright mixes of colors the way Susan does.
:^)

[apinkpanthress.livejournal.com]

That's very true! :) You can never have enough colour.

[daphnep.livejournal.com]

I am wary of surprise "alongs" because I'm constantly convinced that I will not like the pattern once I see it. Which is probably right, because I only like...maybe 5-10% of knitting patterns, so. The odds are not in my favor.

I love Foyle's War with my whole heart, and I'm glad there are so very many of them. And each episode is long, in a lovely way. In fact, now that I'm writing this, I think I may go back to the beginning and watch them all over again.

There are some good sweaters in that, too. Honeysuckle Weeks gets some good costumes, if I'm remembering correctly.

[susandennis]

I'm totally with you on Surprise Alongs. I think the only ones I have ever done are those with just amazing color sets.

Those war years were great knitting years.

I just read that Michele Obama taught herself to knit during the lockdown and has produced quite a bit. So you need to maybe consider a yarn/kit section of the Obama Library store. Also, please tell her to get on Ravelry. Thx

[daphnep.livejournal.com]

She IS on Ravelry! Under a pseudonym, of course, and people were trying to figure out her handle. According to an interview, she participates in the forums. Can you imagine?? Chitchatting with someone about a pattern, and it's Michelle, unawares.

You're SO RIGHT about the Obama Library store. We are going to have so much fun. I mean, after the pandemic, once that project gets back on track, of course. Things to look forward to!

[susandennis]

Maybe I'll change my Ralvery name to Michelle Obama

[daphnep.livejournal.com]

*LOL*

Omg, that’d be hilarious.

[rhodielady-47.livejournal.com]

Love those yarn colors. The shawl will be a nice one even though you're not thrilled with them.
:^)

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

The history of our island's interment camps for aliens during both World Wars is actually quite fascinating - for example the world famous Amadeus Quartet met in one of the camps in Douglas, during WW2, and Pilates developed his exercise system in Knockaloe in WW1!

The WW2 women's 'camp' was the holiday accommodation in the village of Port Erin and I researched some of it in the archives of our local museum. On the whole the women and children were happy, even though the had been forced out of their homes and onto the ferry with no option. But here on our island they were much safer than their neighbours left behind in UK cities and the children spent a lot of their time playing on the beach. The women's camp was closed down by the middle of 1942 as all the women were able to go home - but some of them chose to stay.

My mother and grandmother stayed in touch with two young internee sailors for some years after the war, who had spent much of the war working on the family farm. They had actually come from Trieste - which was an international free zone between the wars, but they became enemy aliens whilst their, Swiss owned, ship was in Southampton and Trieste was invaded by Italy. They were happy to help - had they been at home at the time they may hve been forced into the Italian navy and they regarded the Italians as the enemy just as the UK did.

It is possible that the Manx government could have refused the request from the UK government to use the island in this way - but as a Crown Dependency our Military Defence is in the hands of Westminster, so rather than debate it it was simply agreed, as it made a lot of sense, and provided some income for the island.

[susandennis]

Very cool

[bill-schubert.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I like their quality and social service.

[rejectomorph]

Foyle's War is one of my favorite British detective series. I found the later episodes even more interesting than the early ones.

[interes2012.livejournal.com]

you are like sylvester stallone in the movie

[rsc.livejournal.com]

Foyle's War is really more a murder-mystery show than a war-historical show.

[susandennis]

yes, thankfully. it's still not my favorite but there are so many, it's comfortable to get hooked on.