Author Archives: Jean

Knitting

Prepare to be Amazed

Posted on by Jean

When you send your woolens to me please add a note with your email or Ravelry ID so I can contact you.  I’ve had several emails asking about details so to recap,  I’d rather the items were wool for the warmth.  I don’t think laundering is much of an issue here.  It doesn’t have to be hats.  Whatever you want to knit will be very welcome I’m sure.  You can email me from the link in the upper left for my address.  I’m taking the first batch down to the city on the 11th.  As long as I have hats coming in, I’ll make trips to the city.

The generosity of people astounds me sometimes.   We are up to 35 hats, six pairs of mittens, a pair of gloves and three scarves.  I took a picture but it didn’t come out very well.  I’ll try again later today when the mail comes in.  On top of that wait until you see the prizes that Jean (I like her name) sent in.  I think she is blogless (correct me if I’m wrong, Jean).  Sit down because you aren’t going to believe it.  I had to sit down and catch my breath when I opened the box.  She sent all of this to be used for the drawings (which will start December 15th).  

Family

Folder # 6

Posted on by Jean

Before I get to folder #6, I just want to say you people rock!  I ended up driving to NH alone for Thanksgiving.  Joe woke up with the flu on Wednesday morning so Dan, the boys and the dogs stayed home and I made the trip alone.  When I got home there was a pile of packages on the living room floor.  Hats, mittens, scarves, gloves…  It’s dark and gloomy today so I’ll get pictures tomorrow.  There are also more prizes that were donated (awesome ones) that I’ll post tomorrow.   Please, if you send a package, put a slip of paper inside with your email or Ravelry link so that I can get hold of you if you win a prize.  If you sent a package already, could you let me know in an email who you are?  Thank you all so much for your generosity!  There are going to be some warmer people on the streets of New York this Winter.  My email link is up on the left sidebar if you need it.

Joe was much better by Thursday night and I got a sort of mini vacation.  My Uncle spoiled me with great breakfasts and it was nice getting to spend so much time with my Aunt.  She took care of me a lot when I lived with my grandparents and I remember those memories with fondness.  I also got to see my buddy Kim of Woolen Rabbit and her hubby again.  My Uncle and Ken actually already know each other so it’s kind of funny.   A lot of “small world” stuff between that Kim and I.  🙂  I’ll miss getting to see so much of each other when we move to Texas in June.

I was tagged by Kathy Knitigator to show a picture from my sixth folder in my “my pictures” folder.  Odd that hers would be a picture of Shelburne Falls.  I was just there yesterday!  I stopped at the Firefox Fiber Open House on my way home.  I also stopped at Harrisville and Webs but more on all that in a few days.

The pictures in my sixth folder are from my last visit with my grandparents before my beautiful grandmother passed away.  These were taken February 17th.  She died on May 22nd.  I’m so grateful that I took the camera out that day.  I love these pictures so I couldn’t pick just one:

Gramps telling a story…. always a twinkle in his eye…

The view from their kitchen after the heavy snows that NH got last year.  I sigh every time I see this view.   I remember being a little girl and them walking us through woods telling us where the house was going to be built and trying to imagine the view through the trees:

Knitting

Eight Isn’t Enough

Posted on by Jean

Added at 8:07 Eastern: The new Typepad is acting wonky.  I can’t reply to comments now so if you need to have me reply to you, please just email me.  The link is up in the left side bar.  Thanks.

Just wanted to wish everyone here in America a Happy Thanksgiving!

If you’re driving, drive safely!  We’re headed to New Hampshire as soon as Dan can get out of the office tomorrow.  Once we’re through Hartford it’s all smooth sailing (knock on wood).  We’re looking forward to spending time with family and meeting up with Kim (Woolen Rabbit) and hubby Friday night for dinner.  On the way home on Saturday we’re hitting Harrisville for a 10 dent reed and the conversion kit  to convert my new-to-me old model T to the swanky new one with 6 treadles.  Whee!!

I thought I was on my ninth hat but it’s only my eighth.   Must keep knitting, must keep knitting. I’m actually enjoying the simplicity of these but I might have to switch to another pattern just to switch it up a bit!

Enjoy your family and friends!!

Knitting

I Get By With A Little Help From My Friends

Posted on by Jean

This week is Thanksgiving.  I’m thankful for a lot of things but  I find myself sitting here tonight in awe.  I’ve made wonderful friends through this blog over the years.  This week takes the cake though.  What started as a hope to provide a few hats to the homeless of New York City has snowballed.  When I first posted I thought I’d be going down to the city on the train with a box or two of hats.   It looks like I might have to drive to the city to make deliveries.  In the past couple of days I’ve gotten over a hundred emails and Ravelry messages from everyone wanting to help.

If it weren’t for friends like Anna, Cookie, Kathy, Kim,  Norma, Sandy, Susan, Suzann and Wendy helping me by spreading the word… well… they did and this has become huge and I’m so pleased to be associated with such wonderful people.  Anyone who knows me knows I’m not mushy.  Not in front of people anyway.    I was in the Army  for eight and a half years you know.  I’m tough.  Just ask me.  🙂 But this G.I. Jean is writing this with tears in her eyes because of the giving nature of so many.  I don’t know why I’m surprised.  I’ve seen knitters do this over and over again.  I am blessed.

Let me tell you about a special little email I just got from Kay Gardiner.  She has graciously offered to donate one signed copy of each of Mason Dixon’s books as prizes! THANK YOU so much!!

  

Knitting

Here Come The Hats!

Posted on by Jean

The first box of hats arrived from Chayah (Ravelry Link)!  Eight!  Count ’em, EIGHT, hats!  Thank you so much!  That means your name goes in the prize hat eight times.

I’ve knit up four more hats myself (which I forgot to take a picture of during my little photo shoot this morning).  That brings our hat count up to 12 that I have and I know many of you are busy knitting so thank you!

While looking through my stash for prizes I found hats and booties that I’d knit for the Preemie Project that I found out about through Tracy (Woolwindings).  I thought I mailed them long ago.  Yeesh.

Knitting, Weaving

Gonna Get My Weave On

Posted on by Jean

I knit two more hats since my last post.  What a great way to use up stash yarns!  There was about 2 inches of red left when I finished the stripes.   Waking up this morning and feeling the cold air when I took the dogs out made me realize that I really should have done this earlier.  Everyone has been really great about emailing and donating prizes, so thank you.  I’ll be posting more prize pics shortly.

Many moons ago (at least seven years ago) I had a Schacht Rigid Heddle Loom.  The big one with the floor stand and everything.  I had all the goodies, too.  Tons of books, Handwoven magazines, even videos (no dvds back then).  I had fun with it, but I quickly got bored doing plain weave so I sold it.  ALL of it.  Like a complete moron.  I knew that one day I’d get a floor loom.  No. Really.  I *knew* it.  And still, I sold it all.

I think I made two things on it.  I bought the kit for this scarf from Hill Country Weavers on a trip to Austin (can’t wait to go there again!  We’ll pass right by it every time we go to Laredo and home again.  Weeee!).  I also wove a two-color sampler and used that to sew holders for my dpn needles and circs.  Forgot to take a picture.

I was beginning to think I’d never get to have my loom.  Well the time has come!  Remember my friend Daryl from Elann that I finally got to meet in person at Rhinebeck?  I’d mentioned wanting a loom and she happened to have a Harrisville 36″ 4H/6T for sale.  Yeah!!  I keep saying there’s no room for it here and I won’t be able to play with it until we move to Texas, but who am I kidding?!   There’s no way I’m going to be able to resist. 

My new handy woodworking skills will help in building a warping board and a bench.  I already have a bobbin winder and I just resubscribed to Handwoven.  How I wish I’d kept all the old magazines and the collections.  So just a few items to purchase for now and then I can get started!

Knitting

My Hat Needs Some Friends

Posted on by Jean

In yesterday’s comments Manise suggested why not have a hat drive on my blog.   I was worried about stepping on anyone’s toes that’s already doing one but she’s right.  It would mean more hats to those that need them and isn’t that the goal, after all.  NYC is a big place and there is a great need. 

I’ll collect hats (mostly adult sizes needed) until mid December and then deliver them to Coalition for the Homeless in the city.  I spoke with Juan from the organization’s Grand Central Food Program (click on the link and read “Robbie’s Story” in the right sidebar).  Juan said that they could hand out the knitted goods as they were doing their mobile soup kitchen that has 31 stops throughout Manhattan and the Bronx each night.  At first I thought about contacting shelters but these are the folks that really need them.  The ones that are out in the cold.  So c’mon!   

It doesn’t have to just be hats either…. I’m sure they’d love mittens, gloves, scarves… whatever you feel like knitting.  If you aren’t involved with another charity knitting program here’s your chance.  Or even if you are…. what’s one more hat?  I’m also going through my sweaters that I’ve knit that I never wear.

When all is said and done I’ll do a drawing for the prizes.   For each item you send in, your name goes in the… er… hat.  lol.  I don’t know yet what all the prizes will be.  We’ll see what kind of response I get, but there’ll be yarn and fiber for sure and this one:

Yes.  It’s the Birch Shawl knit in Kidsilk Haze. So get your needles out and cast on!  My email link is up in the left sidebar under the Saving Lucky button.  On all the feeds put together I have over 225 subscribers.  If just 1/4 of you knit one hat I’ll be elated.

Knitting

It’s That Time of Year

Posted on by Jean

I was bummed most of the weekend since my class at Webs was canceled.  I was really looking forward to it but they’ll be offering similar ones in January.  I’ll try again then.

  I feel a little guilty in admitting that since that promise I’ve only knit one hat in some yarn I think I dyed a long time ago.  I looked on the blog but couldn’t find reference to it.  It’s Morehouse Merino’s Mushroom Hat (free pattern).

To keep myself on track, my new plan is to knit on a hat at least a 1/2 an hour each day.   That should increase my production quite a bit.  There’s also quite a bit of driving time coming up over the next couple of weeks so I’m going to limit my travel knitting to hats.  I’m also going to go through all the old sweaters I’ve knit over the years that I never wear and donate them.  I certainly won’t need that much wool in Texas next year anyway.

When we went to the city to see Wicked a few weeks ago it was a very warm night for late October in New York.  But when we walked over a subway grate and I felt the heat woosh up, it hit me.  It wasn’t going to be warm like that for long and there are an awful lot of people that need the warmth.  My goal was to knit at least a hat a week and then deliver them to a shelter on my next visit.  I was going to do a drive on the blog and offer prizes but others are doing that.  As long as they’re getting knit, it doesn’t really matter who the hats are being sent to.

I’m almost finished with the Ribby Cardi.  Only about an inch to go on the collar and then I need to find a zipper for it and sew it in.

I’ll leave you with pictures I took around West Point a few weeks ago from the mountain road that we have to go over to go shopping up the river.  It doesn’t look anything like this now.  There’s hardly a leaf in sight.

Our ski slope right here on post:

The tall building near the back is Eisenhower Theater.  It’s awesome because a lot of entertainers and Broadway shows come to perform here.  We saw Les Mis here in August. It was amazing.