Martha Stewart Blogs!

The Martha Blog up close & personal is the blog of Martha Stewart. It's where she shares all the behind-the-scenes happenings from her show and her life. She has shared a post about getting started with your own blog and has invited readers to leave a comment with their blog address and a link from your own to hers to be considered for a feature on her blog!

Does Martha knit? Crochet?

Do you think she'll take the time to visit a StitchingNut?
Yoohoo ... over here, Martha.

A wild color palette is in my blood!

Not only is Kaffe Fassette coming to Salem, MA to give a lecture on color inspiration [Sorry they're full] [I'm working at the book sales table] but they have another guest, from Kaffe's studios ...

October 7th & 8th

Seed Stitch Fine Yarn welcomes knitwear designer and color connoisseur,

BRANDON MABLY

Brandon Mably could possibly be one of the most fortunate designers in the world. At a London bus stop, he met Kaffe Fassett. From that day forward his life has been dedicated to fashion and color. Brandon manages and gives seminars for the Kaffe Fassett Studio in London, and his designs have been featured in Vogue Knitting, Knitting (UK), and Rowan Magazine. We are honored to host him here at Seed Stitch Fine Yarn.

This is a two part workshop, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings, 7-9:30 pm at
Seed Stitch Fine Yarn/Limit 25 persons/$55

Throw 50 or more skeins of wildly colored yarn in the middle of the room and what do you get? Mix and match colors you would never have guessed would flatter each other! In these two evenings, Brandon will facilitate transforming your relationship with color.
(There are 10 spots left for this event.)


Please call (978) 744-5557, or come visit us at Seed Stitch Fine Yarn to register.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And they have 10 spots still open! Will I see you there?

Into ... Lace big time!

No doubt you're wondering about the Mystic Meadows Stole that I've been working on all Summer. Right? Did you think it's been hibernating? Well it isn't in a basket marinading at all. It's right on my dinning room table getting 2 to 4 rows knit on at a time sometimes. But last Saturday and Sunday I mainly knit on it to get somewhat caught up. [edited to add: And I accomplished more than usual simply because I listened to one of those books on CD's. Which one? Why The Lace Reader, of course!] Well ... I now actually have 4 pages of Charts left. At this rate tho, it's going to take me another 2 or 3 weeks to complete. Good thing I don't plan to put on a dinner party anytime soon.

I'm trying really hard not to start another one until it's finished. Swatches don't count do they? So I signed up for two more lace knitting KALs and finally did some swatches. The Mystery Stole 4 KAL has already started and I'm feeling the pressure to get working on it ... especially since I've got the yarn, beads and swatched for needle size. Size 6 was used and I liked it. No need to do another one right.





Yup, I like the flow of the fabric. So I'm itching to start.

Oh there's another KAL also. The Mystic Earth Stole. I've swatched on size 6 and size 5 Addi Lace needles. But I can hardly notice a difference. I might try size 4. This Colourmart Cashmere is a very fine lace weight. Light and airy. What do you think? Should I do another swatch?





And I'm planning to knit more lace when these are done I guess ... because ... well, take a peek at what I got in the mail ...

Knitting Lace Triangles.


Guess I don't have ENOUGH to do yet, huh?

S = Sister Sister

There are different types of sisters ... and I have a bunch of 'em!

I started out with my 1st sister who was born right after me. That's Tawny ...



She's the pretty one with all the blonde curls!

Then after a few sisters came along ... my sister, Lori was born when I was 12. She is my favorite. I know I shouldn't have a favorite but after having 5 sisters ... yes, I said five, I needed to have a favorite right? And it was the one I helped take care of when she was little. The one I rocked to sleep at night. Lori then became special to me ...

And thru the years we stayed special to each other...

But there are many other sisters as well ... like my other 4 sisters [sure I have 2 brothers too but this is about sisters right?]


Not going to name them in order in the picture, but the names go like this from oldest to youngest ...
Rhonda, Tawny, Cindy, Shelly, Jamie and Lori ... [okay, the boys are Arthur & Allen and they came last so at least they have each other and they were also very spoiled so don't feel too badly for them either. Hahah]

More sisters? Sure. There are my granddaughters too ...

Here's the first 4 before the next 3 came along in the next picture. That's right, 7 girls in one family ... my daughter's family. So she took after my Mom rather than me. [TUG]


And then there's my step-daughters, both beautiful girls. I'm happy to have them as daughters and they are truely as differently as night and day when it comes to sisters in the same family.


... and of course there's my two wonderful sister in laws. I truly don't know what I would do without them! Mary and Pat are my DH's favorite [and only] sisters and I can see why. They are a Godsend to us. Especially during these resently trying times. I don't know what I would do without them ...


Then there's my Knitting Sisters, of which there are so many ... but here are two that started out as blogging friends and I got to meet in person ...

There are many other knitting friends of course from Seed Stitch, like Knitting Kittens or friends I've made through out the years that I would consider like "sisters" to me also [such as Sammie from GA or Sandy from CA and Cindy from CN], but there's too many to include pictures. [such a relief huh?]

And ...

Last but not least ... I can't forget the true "Knitted" Sisters ...



The Lolly Twins!

Now wouldn't you say S = Sisters?

Six Little Kittens Knit Mittens ...

Or rather, six knitters that visit Seed Stitch Fine Yarn every Thursday night have gotten together every other Friday at the StitchingNut's house for some snacking, laughing and knitting on the Blackberry Ridge Mittens from Blackberry Ridge Woolen Mills.

So here are four of the mittens in progress ...



The group consists of Margie, Pat, Cindy, Jill, Kitty and me, Rhonda. Someone called us the Knitting Kittens. Hey who was that anyways? Wasn't my neighbor was it? Oh, I bet it was Kitty. She was already a kitten and since she's one of our knitting kittens, naturally the name stuck after she brought this big beautiful yummy cake with "Six Kittens Knitting Mittens" right on top of it. Aahhh, it was chocolate cake too!

Want to see them up close? Of course they need to be finished and blocked. Blocking will do wonders ... but you get the idea.



They came as a kit. Very reasonably priced. So six of us decided to do them. Of course we don't get much knitting done during the Friday's session. But it is a time of asking questions if and one of us got stuck on it during the week. They're Fair Isle and this is the first time for some to knit this style of mitten. So far tho, we're loving 'em!



This one's mine ...
and I really have to get these done as a treat for me!

Would you believe I'm already planning my next pair?

R = Rainbows

How about a Double Rainbow?



And I know I've shown you this pictures before ... but, I had to come up with a picture I took myself that would represent R for the ABC Along before I fall behind. Of course, I could have said R = RHONDA couldn't have I?

Trying to keep that smile ....

So now I need to plan for "S is for ... "

I think it'll be

Sisters!

[posting Monday]

Do I ever finish anything?

Well it seems like I'm always a starter and have so many projects "in the works" that I couldn't possibly be a finisher. But ... I finally (once again) finished two projects. Both are for Christmas gifts and both are scarves. I asked my daughter if she ever wore a scarf because I never saw her wearing one. She said, "I don't. But, I would if you made me one." Now that's what I like to hear. Do you think the two recipients of the scarves below might feel that way also? Maybe?

This one is the Tainted Scarf from the Colourscape Collection. Fast & Easy! Of course I used Kaffe Fasset's Colourscape chunky wool yarn.



I love the mix of colors in this!



And finally the Elvera Lace Scarf for my step-daughter is done also. I used JaggerSpun Zephyr wool/silk in DK weight. Such a beautiful yarn to knit with.



I love lace! Look at it up close. Nice huh?



I even finished a square for a donation to the blankets being put together for the Pine Street Inn progect.



Simple pattern, but soft and warm. That's what they need.

And of course I started another Christmas present. This one is for my other sister in law. Another one from the Colourscape Collection. It's called Ombre.



I look at that name and I think ... I'm one "tough ombre" to think I could possibly knit all my gifts this year. Don't stop me now ...

I'm on a roll!

That's strange ...

'Coz I don't feel "centered" ... but now that I think about it, the middle of my head does take over when I knit.

So are you Left brained or Right? Or a balanced stitchingNut like me?

My result for "The Right Brain vs Left Brain Test... "

Center Brained!

Much like Goldilocks, you have gone the middle way.

Slighlty less typical, you could consider yourself center brained. Center brained people are neither left nor right dominant, but rather exhibit equal qualities of both. If you are center brained, you are likely both logical and creative, excel in the maths and sciences, and also art and philosophy.

Take The Right Brain vs Left Brain Test at HelloQuizzy

Needing yarn more than ever this winter ...

My friend, Dee Martin and I are going to arrange to a get together in October. At the same time I plan to hand over to her a few yarn donations I've collected through the Summer for the ...

RSVP knitters in New Hampshire,

like I did the last two years.

If you would like to donate to a good cause but just don't have the time to do the knitting or crocheting yourself, this is a good way to clear out the old stash while helping others at the same time. (ideally Cotton or Acrylic)

Since the last appeal, some very good kind knitters and crocheters from around the country have mailed packages to NH Services for the volunteers to continue their charity gifts. They greatly appreciate it. But this Winter there's an even greater need especially for seniors due to the impending fuel crisis. Their knitters are making more Lap blankets, adult mittens, scarves and hats to be delivered to seniors through out the NH area.

But they especially need socks!

Are there any of the sock knitters out there that would love to knit for seniors? Please consider sending a pair (or more) to the address below. The RSVP knitters would appreciate the help of sock knitters to join in the work to help those seniors in need to keep their feet warm this Winter.

And with Winter around the corner, I'm hoping you continue to donate. A lot of the volunteer senior knitters are shut-ins, alone or living on fixed income. Yet they welcome the opportunity to share their skills by making items for others in need.

That's were your help comes in ... Keep those donations coming.

Donate yarn, patterns, and supplies for knitting or crochet (or SOCKS) to:

SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE SERVICES, INC.

The Community Action Agency for Hillsborough County

Dee Martin, Volunteer Services Director

40 Pine Street, Manchester, NH 03103

Telephone: (603) 668-8010 ext 6022 Fax: (603) 645-6734

dmartin (at) snhs (dot) org www.snhs.org

Lets keep everyone warm this winter!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My friend, Sara had this quiz below on her blog and I couldn't resist taking the quiz also. What do you think? Is it me?

Your result for The Perception Personality Image Test...

HFPS - The Humanitarian

Humanity, Foreground, Big Picture, and Shape

You perceive the world with particular attention to humanity. You focus on what's in front of you (the foreground) and how that fits into the larger picture. You are also particularly drawn towards the shapes around you. Because of the value you place on humanity, you tend to seek out other people and get energized by being around others. You like to deal directly with whatever comes your way without dealing with speculating possibilities or outcomes you can't control. You are in tune with all that is around you and understand your life as part of a larger whole. You prefer a structured environment within which to live and you like things to be predictable.

Take The Perception Personality Image Test at HelloQuizzy