nonaKnits

Reason 183: Rain Delay

So many reasons why nona loves to knit -- let me share with you Reason 183, Rain Delay.  Early this afternoon I settled in at the Stanford tennis courts to watch the women's NCAA semi-final team matches.  In a break with tradition, the skies opened and the rain fell.  Rain?  In May?  In Palo Alto?  Did I mention I rode my bike?   While others left, or grumbled, or snoozed I found a seat under the canopy and pulled out my knitting.  What a pleasant way to pass a rain delay -- knitting on my Habu vest.  How long can the Rain Delay last anyway?  Three hours later I had finished 2 more panels of my vest, the courts had been squeegeed several times, and the skies had once again opened up.  Time to call the nona-hubby for a ride home -- but what a pleasant afternoon I had.  When I've got my knitting, I'm happy.

While Driving

It's a well documented fact that nona knits while she drives, but safely -- I only knit at traffic lights.  The other day while knitting at a red light I glanced to my right and low and behold there was a guy playing the guitar -- playing the guitar while driving!  Compared to that guy, knitting in the car is nothing.  What do you do at a red light?

Anywhere and Everywhere

Where does nona knit?  Anywhere and everywhere -- thanks to my Lantern Moon Taffeta Bag. 

nonaKnits while waiting for the pot to boil.
See the Taffeta Bag hanging from my arm?  It holds the yarn!

The story of my Taffeta Bag is also a story of the mimetic desire -- you know, I want it because you have it.  In the Uncommon Thread's booth last weekend at Stitches, I had the pleasure of working with Sandi Rosner.  Sandi is the author of Not Just Socks and Not Just More Socks, the owner of the Knitting Workshop in Sebastopol, and a lovely person.  While working the booth, Sandi -- with a Taffeta Bag holding her yarn gracefully draped over her arm -- casually knit a sock.  nona was impressed, nona was jealous, nona succumbed to mimetic desire, nona bought one of those Taffeta Bags, and now I too can knit a sock while on the go.      

Knitting Retreat

Speaking of inpulsive behavior, last March my friend and I impulsively signed up for the Olema Knitting Retreat.  We had no clue who was teaching or even where exactly Olema was, but someone recommended it and we signed up.  Well here it is November and we're off to the retreat.  Beth Brown-Reinsel is teaching the 2 day workshop and we're staying and eating at The Olema Inn.  I've heard both are fabulous.   I'll see you all when I get back!

I'm the One Who's Knitting

On Saturday afternoon I'll be in the Coliseum enjoying the USC football game.  (We're visiting nona-son-the-elder for Parent's Weekend.)  Look for me on TV -- I'll be the one who's knitting.  Fight On -- or rather, "Knit On".

nonaKnits in LA

So much to blog about -- LA knitting scene, NBaT knit along, Wimbledon sock exchange, TiVoli T-shirt progress, 3rd installment of the Spiral Sock pattern -- anyone in suspense?  nona asks herself, "could there really be this much knitting news in one person's life?"  Yes!  That is, if you're an avid knitter who's been without an Internet connection for the past 5 days -- ouch!  It may take a few days to catch up, but first things first -- the LA knitting scene.

I want to thank all the commenters who suggested LA knitting stores.  I hit a few on this trip and look forward to visiting many of the others on future visits -- I'll be back in the middle of August to drop the nona-boy off at college.  When visiting out-of-town knit stores I look forward to seeing things -- i.e. yarn -- I've never seen before and to getting a taste of local life through knit-colored glasses.  The 3 stores I visited -- Suss Designs, Knit Cafe, and Jennifer Knits -- all offered an interesting selection of yarn, in hip, friendly setups.   Here's the skinny...

Suss Designs mixes ready to wear knits with knitting supplies in an airy, urban store.  What drew me to this store was the wonderful selection of self-labeled yarns -- interesting fibers and beautiful colors -- Yum!  Restraint was the word of the day -- buy yarn for just one project, come on you can do it.  After much thought and touching, I bought two yarns I'll use to make a casual, everyday, throw on, summer sweater.  Suss Crystal is a Cotton / Viscose mix and Suss Twisted is a slub cotton.  I'm thinking the cotton/viscose for deep ribbing and the slub cotton for the body of the sweater.  Needless to say, the yarn needed its own basket to be properly respected.

Knit Cafe carried a nice, but fairly standard, selection of yarn.  What I loved about this store was its decor and friendly, inviting aura.  The store is painted in bright colors and displays its yarn in fun cases and shelves.  Although I didn't buy anything I could see myself as a regular if I lived in LA -- I would defiantly plop my butt down for a nice knit and chat, often.

Jennifer Knits was a kick.  This store was in a whirl wind, preparing for their up coming sale.  This small store was teaming with people -- some shopping, some knitting, and some trying to organize their yarn for the sale.  Think beautiful yarn all over the floor and lots of chit-chatting.  The atmosphere was very friendly and helpful.  One of the gals pointed me in the direction of the new Sally Dallas book, which I bought along with some yarn to make the slippers and -- of course -- another interesting knitting bag.  In nona's opinion, you can never have enough bags -- I'm not quite sure why, but I'm sure it's true.  If you visit Jennifer's be warned, the 1 hour parking meters are really only 1 hour meters, even if you add more quarters -- I found out the $35 hard way.

Get Out There And Knit

Today, June 11th, is World Wide Knit in Public day, which means -- my knitting friends -- that you need to grab your knitting, get out into the mass fray of humanity, and show them how its done.  nona thinks she's prepared, but let's go through the KIP check list just to be sure...

1.  Knit item worn in a fashionable way.  Check -- light weight scarves make ideal sash belts
2.  Knitting.  Check -- I'll be working on my 2nd pair of socks for Sockapalooza.  I'm just about to start the heel, which means the partial sock is a perfect wrist warmer. 
3.  Cheery disposition.  Check -- morning tea (aka caffeine) has been drunk and teeth have been brushed.
4.  Digital Camera.  Check -- nona needs a winning photo to enter into Kathy's KIP photo contest.
5.  Someplace public to go.  Check -- I'll be publicing many spots today, but am most looking forward to nona-son-the-elder's dance show.

Designing Clutter

Humor me, faithful reader, I had so much fun showing you my knitting setup, I have to bore you -- I mean share with you -- my design process.  I've monopolized our dining room table -- we ate outside tonight -- and am in the throws of designing a sweater.  Here's a peek:   

1. My trusty calculator -- everyone knows that math majors cannot add.
2. Reference books -- The Knitter's Book of Finishing Techniques by Nanci Wiseman and Knitter's Handbook by Montse Stanley
3. Design swatch -- nona's playing with an attached i-cord edging around a curved edge, I wonder?
4. Scribbles, notes, ramblings, calculations, grocery list
5. Mechanical pencil -- please no pen when designing or calculating
6. Denise needles -- those changeable tips are worth their weight in gold.  Do you have a set?

nonaKnits in Eames Chair

Here's how nona spends a hang-out Friday night at home.  The nona-sons are out and about, the nona-hubby is blogging, and nona is -- of course -- knitting.

1. nona
2. nona's knitting (NBaT back)
3. Eames Lounge Chair
4. Pal radio, listening to Fresh Air -- the remembrances segment with bassist Percy Heath was worth the listen.
5. Red wine, always drunk from a juice glass
6. Calculator and measuring tape -- keeping nona on track
7. Tin of pins and sharp things -- nona loves using pins to track rows and shaping
8. Information Architecture -- I like to read a bit and then think and knit.  Okay, okay, it's a bit nerdy, but nona has already confessed that she's not very hip.

What do you have next to you when you knit?

nonaKnits Sedona

nona and nona-friend-the-oldest knit their way through a fun filled Sedona extra-long weekend.  nona was frantically finishing her sockapalooza socks, while nona-friend was casually starting her nothin' but a t-shirt -- gotta love that Calmer.   

nonaKnits while sampling beer
(Please humor nona and move your mouse over the photo.)

Yes, nona is over 21 and no nona did not care for the beer with a hint of banana -- banana!?  Click here to see other places nonaKnit in Sedona.

The next time you're down and out -- perhaps you need to do a bit of frogging or your favorite yarn has been discontinued -- think about this story from nona's trip and perhaps you'll have a nice little chuckle...

nona and nona-friend-the-oldest jumped into their sporty rented "compact" car after failing to weasel a free upgrade from the Thrifty guy -- oh, the sorrows of growing old -- and took a casual glance at our MapQuest to Sedona.  "Once we're on the freeway, we've got 100 miles of driving", nona-friend-the-navigator informed nona-the-driver.  With that, the directions were cast aside and the chatting commenced.  100 miles later, oblivious to our surrounding, we looked up to realize we had gone the wrong way on the wrong freeway and were close to the California border -- another 100 miles later we were back where we started from, ready for the 2 hour drive to Sedona.  Sometimes you realize your mistakes right away and other times, well it just takes awhile.