Traveling With The Knitting Yogi

Because Knitting Is Everywhere...

2012-02-28T09:44:00.003-05:00

Oh knitting, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways! How much do I think about knitting y'all? Pretty much all the time. And my love of the craft is so well-known among my friends that they assist me in my constant knitting thinking.

For example, I was visiting my friend Doris Ann the other day. I hadn't seen her in ages. I walk in and she excitedly tells me she's got something to show me. Then she disappears into her room and comes back out with this amazing hand knitted red sweater. I love the pattern, I love the weight of it, I LOVE the color of it. She tells me her husband, Bart, found it for her IN A THRIFT STORE!

Okay, who sends knitting like that to a thrift store? I think. But before I can get irked with this person I'll never know, I console myself with the thought that at least Bart and Doris Ann found it, and that now it is in a home where it will be appreciated forevermore.

Does this make me dorky? That all of my adventures, including tea time with friends, somehow tie into knitting? OF COURSE NOT!! (Or should I say OF COURSE KNOT!!) One of the ten million things I love about my knitting habit is that no matter where I am in the world, all I have to do it look around me for evidence of the pervasive power of knitting. I've even got my man joining in on this spot-the-knitting game, too. More than once he's leaned over to me at a dinner party and said something along the lines of, "Say, isn't that a cabled sweater that woman is wearing?"

I also love knowing that if I need some instant friends when I'm traveling, I need only pop into the local knit shop. This I did recently. I was on a short jaunt to Houston, a few hours from my home in Austin. I'd been to a really cute knit shop down there a year or so before-- it's called Knitting in the Loop. I decided to pop back in and when I arrived, I discovered they had moved-- but not far, just to the building next door. The MUCH BIGGER space next door.

I walked in and a half-dozen knitters looked up from their spots on overstuffed couches and chairs and grinned at me. And I grinned right back. We were all in our happy place and we took a moment to savor our shared secret with knowing smiles.

I don't think I really knew, when I picked up the needles back in 2000, just what a big world would open up for me. But in the past dozen years, I'm not exaggerating when I say that knitting has totally changed the way I see the world, and the way I travel. Everything gets viewed through knitter's eyes now, and I have to say I love the perspective.

And then, there is our trip to Monhegan Island, which is like this super-concentrated dose of Knitter Happiness for me. On the island I'm one of the ones on the couch, looking up and grinning whenever someone walks in the door of Monhegan House and peeks over to see what "that group of ladies" is laughing about. Me? I'm laughing in large part because my everyday knitting joy is compounded exponentially on the trip, thanks to being in the company of others just like me-- fanatics who can't go five feet without noting something that reminds them of knitting.

A Gift You Can Bank On

2012-02-11T13:46:00.003-05:00

Here's something that I predict will surprise absolutely none of you: I knit pretty constantly. My hunch is that you probably do, too. This never ending knitting passion of mine elicits ongoing, full-spectrum remarks from friends and family. I hear comments ranging from, "Will you knit me a sweater?" to "It's rude to knit at the dinner table!" and everything in between. Once, I was listening to our local NPR station-- I do some commentary for them-- and I heard the morning DJ talking about me and how "Every time I see that woman she's KNITTING!"

Guilty as charged!

One plus side of having such an out-in-the-open pastime is that it nets me lots of great knit-related gifts. For example: I gave some little friends of mine a drop spindle, they sent me back a ball of homespun. Every Christmas-- though I insist on no gifts-- I always wind up with at least a couple of gift certificates for my favorite yarn store. And for my recent birthday, a good friend of mine gave me the little bank you see pictured above. Isn't that hilarious? I laugh every time I look at it.

Last night, I was hosting a dinner party, and my partner, Ori, was jokingly "bemoaning" how I drag him to knit stores around the country. Truth is, he doesn't really mind. Like the rest of my inner-circle, he knows that the fastest way to make me happy is to do something knit-related with me or for me.

So all this has me thinking-- going on the Knitting and Yoga Adventures retreats is this magnificent gift we give to ourselves. I so look forward to Monhegan Island that the minute we finish one retreat, I have the next one blocked off in my calendar. In one short week (that, thanks to island time, feels luxuriously long) I totally recharge my batteries, stretch my mind and body, and just feel so much better about life. Then, when I get back to civilization, everyone who has the benefit of coming into contact with me-- from the guy sitting next to me on the plane to my four dogs waiting at home for my return-- benefits a thousandfold. I mean, it is a win-win-win-win-WIN situation.

Which is all my way of saying-- if you've been thinking about attending but haven't quite decided yet, please consider this: sure, sure, it's a gift you give yourself. But really, it is the gift that keeps on giving and everyone you know will be so happy you went.

For more information on the Maine and Vermont retreats, just check out the website.

Spike

p.s. I'm working on a knitted yoga mat bag in preparation. How about you?

Shhhh... It's Quiet Time...

2012-01-07T19:01:00.004-05:00

Hi Everyone,

Since some of you are new to this blog, let me introduce myself. I'm Spike and I live, write, and worship dogs in Austin, TX. I'm also lucky enough to be part of Lisa's retreat Knitting and Yoga Adventure team. My jobs on retreat: 1. blog about our daily adventures 2. dress in a manner that makes everyone feel better about their own fashion choices 3. provide fodder for evening fireside chuckle sessions.

When we're not on retreat, I post updates over here just to remind you why you really should come away with us to Monhegan Island in September, and Vermont in November. I can list a million reasons all by myself, but this week I want to share with you someone else's thoughts. Because Lisa and I both really enjoyed an article in last Sunday's New York Times called The Joy of Quiet. The author, Pico Iyer, explores the wonders of unplugging, stepping away from all the screens that seem to rule our lives, and just... well, being quiet for awhile. He points out that some people will pay truly unbelievable sums to be ushered to places where they can escape not only the busyness of other people, but the busyness of electronic devices.

It's a great story and guess what? While we truly appreciate Iyer writing it, really this wasn't news to us. Because one of the great things about Knitting and Yoga Adventures is that you can be as absolutely unplugged as you'd like. Sure, sure-- if you insist you can use the Monhegan House wireless. And if you're willing to hike to the cemetery and stand atop the highest tombstone at a particular hour of the day you might even get a phone signal (not to worry-- Monhegan House has a good old-fashioned landline just in case).

But if you want a chance to know what it feels like to not drive, to just sit, or-- if you prefer-- to hike out into the woods and then breathe deeply on a massive rock cliff overlooking the sun's diamond light skittering across the Atlantic Ocean below... well guess what? We have got a retreat for you!

Something I love about arriving on the island and showing up for the first night's briefing: Lisa will remind us all that we don't have to follow rules. You don't have to clean your room or make your bed. You can attend as many knitting sessions and yoga classes as you want. You can go on as many hikes as you like. But also, if you want to just chill, wander off alone for a spell, sleep in late, have some meditative solo moments? These are all options, too.

So check out the article. And imagine this-- imagine an adventure that is the best of both worlds. You'll get community, hilarity, and late night laughter if you please. You'll also get quiet sunrises and peaceful sunsets. I'm getting so simultaneously calm and excited thinking about it all that I might just have to show up a week early an stay a week after the fact. I mean, trust me-- Monhegan is Magnificent. And soon, I'll tell you more about Vermont.

For more information and to reserve your spot on one or both of our Knitting and Yoga Adventures, please visit our website.

See you on the island!

Spike

2012 Resolutions: Monhegan Island! Quechee, Vermont! Come Away with Us!

2011-12-30T12:16:00.003-05:00

Hey Y'all,

Happy New Year! Knitting and Yoga Adventures is delighted to announce two Knitting & Yoga Retreats for 2012! As you make your list of resolutions, please remember to put knitting with us at the top of your list. We'll be providing more details as we move along into 2012. For now, here are the dates so you can clear your decks and pack your bags. We can't wait to knit and stretch with you!

Monhegan Island is scheduled for September 16^th– 22^nd

Quechee, VT is scheduled for November 1^st – 4^th

^{Registration opens on January 1, 2012. Visit our website to sign up!}

Best wishes to all of you for a happy, healthy, successful, and wonderful 2012 for all of our families and friends!

2011-08-16T11:21:00.002-04:00

Join Us

Quechee, Vermont

November 10-13, 2011

Come away with us... and experience a heartwarming weekend in the historic Vermont countryside. Surround yourself in the early American atmosphere of the Quechee Inn at Marshland Farms filled with antiques, warm fires, cozy quilted beds, and uninterrupted knitting.

Lisa has created a fulfilling weekend getaway retreat just for you. With a carefully planned schedule that allows you to be only as involved as you wish, Lisa and her staff provide ample time to knit, hike, visit with new friends, and be pampered with personalized yoga sessions and long walks in the woods of Quechee and Woodstock, Vermont. Enjoy meals prepared by the chefs of the Quechee Inn , known for their exquisite country gourmet cuisine, and afternoon knitting workshops led by Susan Mills of Classic Elite Yarns surrounded by the beautiful Vermont countryside.

Each day will include a full breakfast, time for a morning walk through the beautiful Vermont woods followed by a rejuvenating yoga session led by our own yoga instructor. Take a break for lunch to explore the shops and artisan studios of Quechee or Woodstock or hiking the Quechee Gorge. Afternoon teatime refreshments accompany a knitting workshop led by our guest designer and a restorative yoga session. The day concludes with dinner prepared by the chef of the Quechee Inn and an evening of knitting and relaxing by the fire in the parlor with a cup of tea or a hot toddy.

Click here to register.

Reason #8,572,961 Why I Love the Monhegan Knit Retreat!

2011-07-17T11:49:00.002-04:00

Y'all,

We are just a little over two months away from BEING THERE again! And I am counting the seconds. This week I'm thinking about yet another thing I love about the retreat: sharing. Sharing the jokes, sharing the stories, and sharing the lessons learned. I got to thinking about this because I taught my niece to knit a couple of years ago. Now she's getting ready to tackle her first sweater. I am SO proud of her-- I'm actually going to buy her all the supplies. I love sharing my knitting knowledge with her. And as I'm giving her pointers, mostly via email, I'm realizing how much I've learned on the knitting retreats about teaching and learning. Susan's patience, in particular, has helped me progress to places I never dreamed I'd be as a knitter. And paying attention to her teaching techniques has helped me better teach my niece and all the other folks I teach each year. So YAY for added retreat bonuses. Oh I am SO PSYCHED to be there already!

Spike

Roving AND Roving

2011-07-09T12:15:00.003-04:00

Well, my spinning class was delayed by several weeks, but I'm happy to report that finally I had my first lesson this week. It was great. I displayed my usual lack of coordination, which is always the case when I try out a new activity that involves muscle memory. I had no idea the wheel could spin both ways and that you sort of have to just train yourself to make it go the way you want. In my version of things, I decided that by silently cussing at the wheel I could make it do my will. Let me save you some time here and report that this method does not actually seem to work. Still, after a couple of hours of trying, I at least understood the basic concept, to the point that-- who could ever have guessed it would come to this-- I want to get a spinning wheel. Really, I do. What next? A bonnet and a butter churn? (Probably not.)

As most of you likely know, the cleaned, fuzzy, combed fleece you use to spin is called roving. As many of you know, I am a wordsmith fond of puns and double meanings. And so, with the lightest of segues, let me say that I am hoping to do some roving for roving while I'm up in Maine. Which brings me to my next point-- a little suggestion for you if you have the time.

I think this will be my fourth trip to Monhegan Island-- or is it fifth? (All the trips blend into a big happy memory blur in my mind). Every year I come back and tell Ori that he has got to come up with me one year. He usually declines, citing that probably since he's a guy and a non-knitter that his excitement would be far less than mine. Of course, he hasn't hiked the hikes, looked out over the cliffs, or built majestic fairy houses. Another deterrent has been that often his birthday falls right during the retreat and he says something about not wanting to spend his birthday knitting. (I know, I know, what's wrong with him?) But this year, the trip is post-birthday and so I have convinced him to fly up just as our retreat is winding down. He'll spend a day meeting you people who I love so much and talk about through the year. Then we'll spend an extra day or two on the island before a road trip around Maine.

I know a lot of you will go with Lisa to Swans Island. For those of you with other plans, might I suggest that if you are able you should spend a few extra days in Maine. I cannot possibly explain how gorgeous the state is. Last year our van driver swore to us that if you could straighten out the curvy coastline it would equal 2,000 miles of straight driving. I'm planning on exploring a lot of it and, as I go, stopping at farms and yarn shops acquiring roving for my new spinning wheel.

Besides all the great fiber opportunities, there is, of course, the promise of changing leaves. Since the trip ends at the start of October, there's a really good chance the leaves will be in full flaming glory by then. Honestly, it is breathtaking.

So there you go, my advice-- if you can prolong your trip to Maine after the retreat, by all means do so. It is such a fabulous state. I'm getting all excited again just thinking about it.

Swans Island Stop on the Way Home: Like a Cherry on Top!

2011-06-24T08:53:00.002-04:00

Y'all,

After we finish our week of totally relaxing, knitting non-stop, eating gourmet goodies, stretching and hiking and sleeping like little babies at night to the sound of the sea lapping at the shore... yes, after all that, after you think it can't get any better... well guess what?

Lisa has exciting news for you. On the drive back we're going to take a little detour and go to Swans Island. And just why are we doing that you ask? Because in a wool-centric world, Swans Island is the real-life equivalent of Fantasy Island.

The story of Swans Island is very cool and a little tricky. You can read lots of details at their website, but let me give you a little overview. A long time ago, a bunch of sheep were rowed out to Nash Island off the coast of Maine. With no brush or trees to offer the sheep shelter, they took to huddling together like big fluffy football players. Being out in the elements caused their fleeces to grow in super thick, super luxurious and super-rich in lanolin, all factors that make for exceptional wool.

John and Carolyn Grace, moved to another island, Swans Island, back in the 1990s to live off the land, so to speak. They started a weaving studio using local wool. They moved back to the mainland in 2003, but the company itself and the blankets they're famous for are still known as Swans Island.

Some of the wool comes from the Nash Island sheep. Once a year, in mid-June, shearers from Swans Island head over to shear these amazing Corriedales (that's a 19th century breed). This outrageously fabulous wool is then spun into organic merino. The naturally brown and black wool remains undyed. The white wool is dyed using natural plant dyes like Indigo and madder. The spun fiber is then used to make handwoven blankets which have been recognized internationally and awarded a Smithsonian Blue Ribbon for Craft.

The Graces and some partners who joined them, now work out of a farmhouse built in 1780. In addition to the famous blankets, they also sell yarn. So be sure to bring an empty suitcase (or two) on the Monhegan retreat, because our post-Monhegan trip to Swans Island is a major score-- the company's yarn is available at fewer than two dozen retailers around the country. And just imagine-- you can get it from the source.

Ride a Painted Pony...

2011-06-19T18:53:00.003-04:00

I don't know about the rest of you, but I have an internal jukebox that calls up-- unbidden-- songs that suit whatever situation I'm in. Today, I have that old Blood, Sweat & Tears song, Spinning Wheel, spinning through my head. This doesn't surprise me at all. See, I have signed up for private spinning classes which start in a couple of days.

When I mentioned to some friends these "private spinning classes," I got a very surprised look. Then I realized that's because they thought that I-- Queen of Whoopie Pie Consumption and Chair Sitting-- had actually hired a jock to come to my house and get my behind on one of those stationary bikes on which you pedal until your legs fall of. HAHAHA! Can you imagine?

No? Me, either.

Once we cleared up the misunderstanding, I explained to my friends that in my latest move to get off the grid, I am hoping to learn how to spin roving into yarn. (Maybe one day I'll learn how to spin straw into gold.) I don't have huge expectations for this class. If my drop spindle class was any indication of whether or not I'll succeed, let's just say I'll likely be buying my yarn for a long time to come.

And yet... the more years I get into this knitting thing, and the more fiber artists I meet, and the animals that provide the fleece, well the more I want to take it back to the very start. I want to meet the animals, buy their fleece, figure out how to get from hoof to cardigan, you know? I figure that if the spinning lesson does "take," then I will now be forced to add another two years to each sweater project. Maybe four years. That's okay. Because one of my favorite parts of this whole fiber fanaticism is learning new stuff.

As so often is the case, my latest knit-related activities call Monhegan Island to mind. I love how the only vehicles on the island are the handful of trucks owned by lobster-folk and hotels. I love how quiet and barely lit things are at night. I love how you have to stand near the highest tombstone in the cemetery to try to get a single bar of cell phone signal. I'll never be accused of being a Luddite, but I truly enjoy opportunities to at least get a whiff of the way things were. And these whiffs (along with the salty sea breeze) always do my heart such good. Along these lines, I have an appreciation -- one I'm growing-- for ye olde knitting days, and how one couldn't just pop over to the knit shop, one had to raise the sheep and goats, and shear and all the rest of that stuff.

Okay, stay tuned. I might post again right after my lesson to proclaim the wonders of store-bought yarn.

Baby It's Hot Outside!

2011-06-10T07:18:00.003-04:00

This past Monday marked the return of my summer camps for kids down here in Austin. I offer six sessions in all, including Writing Camp, Arts & Crafts Camp and-- I know it's hard to believe-- Fashion Camp (for which I get lots of help from my young fashionista seamstress assistants). Every year when I announce registration time, I get a flutter of feedback from adults who say, "I wish I could come to camp."

To which I am likely to reply, "I GET to go to camp!"

I try not to sound smug or sassy about it. But when I start thinking about what a tradition the Knitting and Yoga Adventures Monhegan Island retreat has become for me it's hard-- nay, impossible-- to contain my excitement. When I was a little kid, I got to go to a week or two of Arts & Crafts Camp one year. It wasn't a sleepover camp, just a daily operation. For a few hours each day I could transform old bottles into vases, make potholders with those stretchy loops and, yes, play with yarn. That was a super formative experience for me and the memory of it even four decades later probably helps explain why I host my own camps for kids.

So this week I've been thinking a LOT about Monhegan Island. And more so given that the temperature down here has hit and/or cleared 100 degrees several times already. I hear that over on the East coast there's some pretty warm weather happening, too. My recommendation for dealing with this too-early-too-much heat? Remember that soon enough, WE GET TO GO TO KNITTING CAMP! Visualize yourself sitting in one of those big white chairs on the porch of Monhegan House as a slightly chilly breeze gently encourages you to snuggle into your hand knit sweater. Imagine yourself by the toasty fire in the evenings as we come together for a group knit. Think of those early morning hikes through the forest, stopping to take in all the marvelous Fairy Houses before heading out to the cliffs to look across the water dappled with sunlight diamonds.

Can you feel the fresh cool air? Are you getting excited for sleepover camp yet? I certainly am.

Top Down? Bottom Up? Got a Preference?

2011-06-05T13:55:00.004-04:00

Before I get to today's question, here's a pre-question: How do you interpret the above picture? To me, it looks like my son and I have just released our first CD together (maybe it's called Son of a Knitter) and this is the cover art. Actually -- total shocker (not)-- my son has not yet invited me to perform music with him. But this photo is not just randomly selected. I picked it because it clearly demonstrates the fashion versatility of the sweater I'm wearing.

For example, this picture was taken on my most recent birthday. So the sweater works for big celebrations. I also use it as my kick-around in sweater, my errand running sweater, my hiking sweater... the list goes on. Yes, I do sometimes wear other sweaters I've knitted, and I continue to work on knitting still more sweaters to be worn in the future. But this sweater-- (made from Grinch Green (I made that color up) Manos de Uruguay) is the one in which I spend, by far, the most time.

I've put the sweater away for the summer but was thinking about it the other day when I received a Rowan newsletter. Inside, an article was taking on the debate: Top Down vs. Bottom Up? I think it was supposed to be tongue in cheek but I'm not positive. Do people really feel so ferociously dedicated to one technique or the other that they're willing to spend time arguing the superiority of their choice?

Most of the sweaters I've made have been bottom up-- true of the sweater I'm currently working on (the one that I'm working on size 6 needles, and have been working on for 17,000 months now, and that has me swearing I'll never work on needles smaller than 24 ever again). But that green sweater in the picture? (Aside: did you notice I'm also wearing my headlamp-- the one Eva made fun of the first time she saw it, but then immediately borrowed it?) That is a top down and it's the first top down I ever made. The process amazed and delighted me. I learned it in a class where the instructor was so patient and kind with me, and stood behind me much of the time (reaching in to help when I needed it) putting me in mind of jump instructors who strap themselves to the back of first time plane jumper-outters.

I've made a couple of other top downs since that first one, and the process delights me anew every time-- oh to knit without having to do tricky finishing! That said, I'm also cool with making bottom up sweaters, even if the seaming takes forever once the pieces are done.

What about y'all? Do you have a strong preference? Got any good patterns to recommend for top-down? Ever read the Barbara G. Walker book? (I've got it but haven't read it yet, though I know at least one knitter who swears by it.)

To Swatch or Not to Swatch? That is the Question!

2011-05-25T16:58:00.003-04:00

technically, this is not a swatch. it's a neck warmer we made on Monhegan Island last year. but it's smallish like a swatch and boy did i learn a LOT.

Hey Y'all,

Lisa recently took a little survey over at our FB page, asking: Who likes to learn new techniques by working on a project and who prefers swatches? This, in turn, leads me to ask you for your best swatch (or failure to swatch) stories. Back when I was strictly a garter-scarf knitter, swatching didn't matter. And even when I tentatively stepped into the world of patterns, there were definitely moments-- let's call them Lessons Learned the Hard Way Moments-- when I thought, "Swatch? Who needs to swatch?" So yeah, let's just say I wound up with some very interesting sizes in the end.

When I interviewed designer Deborah Newton for the Summer 2009 issue of Interweave KNITS, I remember her going on about how much she just loves swatching. At the time, her proclaimed love didn't really resonate for me-- I had learned to tolerate swatching, but love it? Really? Maybe something that factors into Deborah's love is that she does have a team of dedicated knitters who take her designs and swatches and crank out the prototypes. But I suspect that, more than this, she really just likes playing with little squares of textures and weights and colors and patterns. I try to bear her attitude in mind whenever it's time for me to make a swatch, to set aside whatever impatience I'm feeling to work on the actual project, and to just take my time and enjoy the preparation.

What about y'all-- did you ever ignore the advice to swatch and just dive into a sweater only to have it turn out eight sizes too big? Do you always swatch? Do you stick with projects that don't really require swatches? (I love making socks with yarn I know well, so I'm guaranteed that they will turn out the size I want w/o having to stop and swatch.)

Or maybe you just like swatching because.... well, because you've dedicated your life to only knitting swatches and nothing else. Can that be possible? I guess it could be-- you could eventually sew all the swatches together and make a sort of quilt. Hmm...

Please, your swatch tales-- share them!

Great Book: AlterKnits

2011-05-20T16:28:00.003-04:00

When I'm not knitting, I like to read about knitting. Well, okay, I like to look at the pictures. I have amassed quite a library of knit books and magazines-- my coffee table is covered in them. Recently I came across AlterKNITS by Leigh Bradford and I am IN LOVE. Of course me being me-- those of you who know me know my tastes run toward the funky (to put it mildly)-- I think my favorite pattern is the one for knitted crowns (as in royalty, not teeth) made from paper-based fiber. But there are plenty of tamer, yet still very interesting, patterns in the book. And the layout and photos are divine.

Who knows if I'll ever get around to knitting anything in the book (I'm STILL working on that dang sweater I've been working on off-and-on for over a year now). But just looking through, I get ideas. And that, in turn, made me think about the Monhegan Retreat (not that I ever stop thinking about it-- FOUR MORE MONTHS AND COUNTING!). I love how, during the classes, I always wind up learning about-- and actually trying-- patterns and techniques I probably never would have encountered on my own. I still look at the amazing cabled neck warmer I made last fall on the island and it tickles me anew. And one of these days, I'm going to bust out that magic ball of yarn I wound from eighty billion different skeins (all sorts of colors and weights) and make a lace shawl. Me, in a funky lace shawl, wearing my knitted crown. I can't wait.

Knitting and Monogamy-- Do You Ever Cheat on Your Craft?

2011-05-12T11:26:00.000-04:00

I also write about knitting for the Hill Country Weavers blog-- HCW is my local shop here in Austin. I spend a lot of time there since it's my happy place and I find that my blood pressure seems to simultaneously go both down and up when I walk in the door -- up because I get so excited being around all that yarn and down because being in the space calms me as much as it thrills me. I love taking classes at HCW when I can find the time. Mostly these are knitting classes but once I did take a basket weaving class. While I was quite pleased with the little basket I made, I remember feeling a little bit like I was cheating on my knitting as I worked on that project.

Well yesterday, I cheated again and took a fabric weaving class. I've been getting notices about these classes, which involve using a mini Cricket Loom, for a long time and finally could no longer resist. Suzanne, who owns HCW, bills the class as Weaving for Knitters and she's been telling all of us knit fiends that we will get totally sucked in by the Cricket. I think I had a fear of this-- just what I need another hobby when I already have a stash out the wazoo over here, a dozen or more items on my Must Knit in 2011 List.

I have to admit it, the Cricket is a whole lot of fun. It's a heckuva lot faster than knitting which means it can help you zip through your stash in no time. Excellent for those of us who need an excuse to build up the stash. (Wait, do any of us need an excuse beyond Wow, I love that yarn, give me 1500 yards of it now, please!) I'm actually impressed enough with the process and the results that I am considering getting a Flip Loom, which is as simple as the Cricket but are a little bigger so you can weave wider pieces of fabric to make shawls and blankets instead of just scarves. Don't worry, even if I do get a Flip, knitting will always be my first love. But if I do get my hands on one before the Monhegan trip, I'll bring it with me and lead all of you into temptation with it.

So, what about the rest of you? Are you polyamorous when it comes to your fiber arts? I do a bit of quilting, too-- though it takes me a year or more to finish even a really simple, sloppy quilt because I am always most wanting to work on my knitting. If you do engage in other crafts, I'd love to post some pictures of your work. For that matter, I'd love to post pictures of your latest knitting projects, too. You can email me at spikegillespie@gmail.com

A Survey That's (Sort of) About Continental Knitting (But Not Really. Really It's About Improved Eating Skills.)

2011-05-04T16:15:00.003-04:00

So I'm not much of a continental style knitter. I took a mini-class in Fair Isle once and I did okay. The idea of continental makes sense to me and I vaguely vow one day to pick a project to work in continental, with the idea being I'll get faster. But to get faster, I would have to first go slower to learn to be comfortable with this style. And so every time I think, "Maybe this will be the project I do continental style," I almost immediately think, "Nah, I don't have time for this."

And yet... I still use both hands to knit. This makes me think that my left hand has become stronger over the years and more dextrous (<-- good word play, since dextrous is from the Latin root for right. Sinister, for those interested, comes from the Latin for left. Aren't you glad I studied Latin in high school so I can share these things?) Even if my stronger left hand isn't good for that many things-- as a rightie I still rely on my right hand for most stuff-- I did realize something. It seems to me that if I am, say, eating a basket of chips & salsa (which is like daily bread here in Texas) or perhaps stealing French fries from a friend's plate, not only am I able to do these things easily with my left hand, it's like I don't have to think about it at all. So I'm thinking, thanks to knitting, even if I can't knit fast I sure can eat a lot faster.

Anybody else out there notice you use your non-dominant hand more since you took up knitting? And, okay okay, I'll just go ahead and ask that age old series of questions:

Do you prefer continental knitting or not?

Do you think one way is faster?

Do you want to make fun of folks who don't knit the way you do?

Let us know!

UFO Spotted!

2011-04-28T17:25:00.005-04:00

In my last post, I was mentioning how you won't find too many UFO's in my knitting basket. Still, I do have a few of these UnFinished Objects lying about. Of the three I can think of, two of them are so far in the recesses of my mind (and shelf) that I do not suffer from the guilt that sometimes attends UFO's. I didn't get into knitting to court more guilt in my life-- I've already got a stunning guilt complex (which, if you want, I'll tell you about in detail when you come to the retreat-- don't worry, I'll make it a funny story).

my friend Margaret

But there was this one project that was really eating at me. It's a sweater I started last summer, made with hand dyed angora I got from Margaret Thierry, a fiber genius friend of mine in Astoria, Oregon. This yarn feels SO good. And I am in love with the sweater pattern I'm using. I think the only reason I put it down is because I started in on a small number of Christmas projects, and then I got sidetracked from there, and I kept telling myself I'd get back to the sweater but I didn't. It's sort of like how you promise yourself that if you have a productive day you'll "let" yourself read at night, but by the time you get to the book you're so exhausted you fall asleep after three pages. I had every intent of getting back to the sweater, but the more I postponed it, the more (mental) obstacles plagued me. I told myself I'd never remember where I was in the pattern. I told myself the pattern required quiet time knitting alone so I could focus on row counting. I became not exactly afraid of it, but sort of put-off by it.

My Hermit Crab Cage/Yarn Holder

This was made worse by the guilt and self-imposed pressure. Until finally, I just couldn't take it anymore. I got out the sweater-- I already finished the back and left front and had started the right front. There it was, waiting for me in the lovely little mesh yarn holder I got at the Black Duck on Monhegan Island. (This yarn holder is one of my favorite knitting-related objects-- it calls to mind hermit crab cages.) I sat down, looked at the pattern, looked at where I was at, noticed I'd left a note in with the project reminding me where I'd left off and realized-- oh, it's not hard at all. The pattern came right back to me. Now I am super-psyched to finish it. And to add to my motivation, today I went out and got the rest of what I need to make my NEXT sweater. Knowing that project is waiting in the wings is inspiring me to keep the rescued UFO on track this time, and not let it fly off into outer space again.

Knitting Daily has a piece about why projects become UFO's. You can read it here. What about y'all-- do you finish everything you start? Do you never finish? Do you allow dreaded guilt to creep into your knitting life?

Spike

Knitting for Others-- Yay or Nay?

2011-04-23T09:08:00.003-04:00

Years ago the Yarn Harlot posted a list which surely must be one of the most popular things she's published. It is a set of rules to abide by when knitting for others. It includes practical ideas for who deserves handknits and how to set realistic goals. I often think of this when I am considering knitting for others. I don't take a lot of requests. And as the years march on, I admit I become more selfish and mostly knit things I plan on keeping. This hinges on a few truisms about my knitting-- mainly, I'm just not that fast. I already have a list of gifts-to-knit-for-me that is long enough to keep me occupied for years. If I interrupt this list to make something for someone else, I have to know that it is going to be really appreciated. For example, a couple of projects ago I did make a pair of socks for my friend Eli, whose grandmother taught me to purl back when purling seemed like an impossibility (seriously-- for my first four years I only ever knitted rectangles).

Last month, I really put myself out there. I occasionally do commentary for Austin's NPR affiliate station, KUT. I am a huge fan of our public radio station and whenever I'm invited to record a piece for broadcast I get very excited. So I nearly fell over when they asked me to go live on the radio as part of their Spring Fund Drive. In my enthusiasm, I offered donors a chance to score a bonus premium. I said I'd knit hats for the first couple of callers to pledge X amount. It worked and the winners were very excited. I was excited, too, but then I had to get down to it and fulfill my promise. I wound up switching out one of the hats for a scarf. I knitted both up in Noro-- see picture above and below-- which I love with all my heart. And I have to say that, while the projects themselves were quite simple, the amazing color scheme of the Noro really added some oomph.

I honestly am a fan of the notion that it's about the journey not the destination, so I allowed myself to enjoy the process knowing that the projects would be sent off to others. On the other hand, I often like the destination-- that is, the finished project-- as much as the journey, which is why I don't have a basketful of UFOs. So what about y'all? Do you mostly knit for you? Or do you mostly knit for others? And what about journey vs. destination-- do you knit with your focus on the meditative nature of rhythmic stitching? Or are you in a big hurry to get things done?

Fiber Fest-- Beginning Stages

2011-04-14T11:00:00.002-04:00

I mentioned before how I like this idea of buying yarn spun from animals I've met. This idea has been fostered and fed by the trips we took in Maine, post-retreat, to meet flocks and their attendant humans. Well Lisa has a pretty exciting and sort of kooky idea along these lines, only we're not talking angora goats or fluffy sheep. She's got a pair of Labradoodles, and they've got some really gorgeous locks. So why not shear them and save up until there's enough to spin into some blend she can use to make... what? Hopefully a gift for me. Recently, she had the pair shaved and added the hairy yield to her growing collection. Above are before pictures. Below are the after pictures.

If a Picture Speaks a Thousand Words...

2011-04-07T13:36:00.002-04:00

I take an awful lot of pictures each year on the Monhegan Island Retreat. And so does Patty. Well, okay, everybody seems to take a lot of pictures, but Patty is the official photographer and I'm the pinch hitter. You can see a great slideshow over at the Knitting and Yoga Adventures website. And when you join us on a retreat, you can count on a final evening party that also includes a slideshow. But I thought it would be fun, from time to time, to pull out a couple of pictures and post them here and tell you either what I was thinking in the moment, or what I think of now, as I sit at home, counting the days 'til I can get back to the island. Here are a couple of shots and what they mean to me.

The little red piece of paper you see above is, as you can read, a boarding pass for the ferry that takes us from Port Clyde over to Monhegan Island. When I hold one of these in my hand, I feel like Charlie finding a golden ticket to the Chocolate Factory. By the time I reach this point in my journey, I've flown from Austin to Portland, then taken the van from Portland to Port Clyde, eating delicious snacks along the way. (Patty is a great snack packer.) I'm usually a little tired from the plane and van rides, but my giddiness invigorates me and ultimately trumps any sleepiness I'm fending off. I can't wait to hand my ticket over to the folks who load our luggage and guide us across the water on the boat, because I know the ticket gets me more than an hour out at sea-- it holds the promise of a week of total relaxation, hiking, yoga, homemade sweets in the afternoon and, of course, the sort of knitting time I wish I could have all year long.

This shot, on the boat, shows some of my co-knitters getting settled in. I like to ride on deck, too, so I can watch Port Clyde recede in the distance, and smell the salty water, and watch the seagulls gliding on the wind currents. I also love the conversation-- even though a lot of us only see each other once a year, and are often too busy in our day-to-day lives to send regular emails, the minute we're back on that boat together it's like no time has passed at all. We pick up conversations where we left them, revisit goofy jokes from the previous retreat and, of course, get to know all of the newcomers who are discovering the glories of the trip for the first time. This is uber-bonding at its finest.

Funny-- I was watching an episode of Mad Men last night, which might sound like an odd aside but hold on and I'll explain. One of Don Draper's love interests was explaining to him that when she's feeling down or facing off with something she'd rather not be, she just looks at her calendar. And why's that? Because she can almost always find something there to look forward to. Of all the things that could've popped in my mind when I heard that line, the thing that instantly flashed across the old mental projection screen was Monhegan Island and the retreat. Seeing that picture above of the beginning of the journey-- this is a picture I carry in my head and heart all year long. I have come to count on September with my knitting friends the way some people rely on more traditional holidays. It is a supreme annual highlight for me. Okay, I better stop now before I get all misty with nostalgia and anticipation.

More pictures soon!

Spike

Carrying the Retreat Everywhere, Every Day

2011-04-01T19:39:00.003-04:00

When I say I carry the Monhegan Knitting and Yoga Retreat with me all through the year, I’m not just talking about memories. I mean I carry a physical reminder nearly every day. On the 2009 trip, we had—as we always do—a pretty raucous final night (not to say the other nights were are all tea and crumpets and extended pinkies but this was one heck of a party). There was show and tell. And that was the year Eva convinced me it was high time I put on some makeup for once in my life. More accurately, she convinced me it was high time I let her put makeup on me.

Consensus was that I pretty much looked like a drag queen-- surprise surprise I can't seem to find any photos to let you see what I mean-- and the laughter this makeover prompted lasted well into the night, and spilled over to breakfast the next morning. So, no, I did not take to wearing makeup on a regular basis, and this is not what I’m talking about when I talk about carrying a reminder.

I'm talking about something else Eva gave me that night, something way better than “beauty tips." I’d admired a knitting bag she was carrying with her. She happened to pick up a new knitting bag (or six) over that the Black Duck during our stay, and so she gifted me her old knitting bag. (Please note that I also admired her diamonds, but my flattering acquisition technique did not extend to these sparkly rocks.)

Well I have since taken that bag all over the world. It’s been to the South of France and Paris. It’s been to Buenos Aires, Mexico, and Israel. It’s been all over the US. And just today I was readying it for my upcoming trip to “the other Portland,” out on the West coast this weekend. I love that bag so much, and it has become such a part of me that it's like a third kidney or something.

While I don’t ever need a reminder of how much the bag means to me, I got one recently. I was at a restaurant having dinner with a friend—and of course I had my knitting bag with me. I was focused on dinner so I didn’t notice that a woman seated at the next table over (which was practically up against our table) accidentally picked up the bag and took it with her when she left, mistaking it for her own black bag.

Fortunately, she figured it and returned to the restaurant to hand it over. I insisted that she look at what was inside, as I emphasized to her what a very good deed she’d done. I was halfway finished the second of two socks (and, maybe this pair was cursed because a few nights before I dropped the finished one at a restaurant—fortune shone on me that night, too, when a friend who stayed later than me spotted it and brought it home). Upon seeing the socks, the woman immediately voiced dramatic regret at having returned the bag to me. And you know, I think she was only half-kidding.

A Gift for You from Lisa: Chakra Pillow Set Pattern

2011-03-25T17:50:00.004-04:00

Hi Everyone,

Many of you know that Lisa is a genius with color work. She's also a Queen Hostess, and has a tremendous gift with helping retreat attendees really chill out, both through yoga and knitting (not to mention Holden's whoopie pies). Today, I present to you a gift from Lisa, one that combines the joys of knitting with that whole get-centered-feel-better energy thing that we get from yoga. She's designed these really gorgeous chakra-inspired pillows and the pattern is yours for the knitting.

Enjoy!

Spike

Chakra Pillow Set

Seven stackable pillows in graduated sizes

[note: pattern and photos copyright LB Evans. You may enjoy this pattern for your personal pleasure but you may not use it for profit.]

Nashua Handknits Julia, 50 gr balls

A Geranium (6085) - red

B Orange (0121) - orange

C Golden Honey (2163) - yellow

D Spring Green (5185) - green

E Bright Blue (4037) - blue

F Midnight Blue (6416) - indigo

G Purple Basil (3158) - violet

Needles

Size 7 (4.5mm) needles.

Tapestry needle

Cable needle

Sewing needle

Notions

½ yd cotton fine weave muslin, natural color

Flax seed

Various herbs and crystals (see below for ingredients), optional

Sewing thread to match fabric

Gauge

20 sts and 24 rows to 4 inches (10cm)

Special Instructions

Wrap & turn (w&t):

RS: Slip next stitch purlwise, yf, slip st back to lefthand needle, yb; turn work over and work row.

WS: Slip next stitch purlwise, yb, slip st back to lefthand needle, yf; turn work over and work row.

Note on yarns:

Any natural fiber yarn can be used for this project as long as it coordinates with the indicated colors of the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. Needle size would be determined by yarn choice and actual pillow sizes would vary depending upon the gauge of the chosen yarn.

Pillows

Beginning with the red pillow working in color A, read pattern instructions thus to coordinate each individually sized pillow with its special color:

A (B, C, D, E, F, G).

Work the following repeat 5 times for each size pillow. Repeat is complete when * is reached in instructions. At this point begin a new repeat.

Cast on 17(15, 14, 12, 11, 9, 8) stitches.

Row 1 P12(11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6) sts, K5(4, 4, 3, 3, 2, 2) sts,

cast-on 12(11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6) sts.

Row 2 K12(11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6) sts, P5(4, 4, 3, 3, 2, 2) sts, K2, w&t.

Row 3 P2 sts, K5(4, 4, 3, 3, 2, 2) sts, P2 sts, w&t.

Row 4 K2 sts, P5(4, 4, 3, 3, 2, 2) sts, K3 sts, w&t.

Row 5 P3 sts, K5(4, 4, 3, 3, 2, 2) sts, P3 sts, w&t.

Row 6 K3 sts, P5(4, 4, 3, 3, 2, 2) sts, K4 sts, w&t.

Row 7 P4 sts, K5(4, 4, 3, 3, 2, 2) sts sts, P4, w&t.

Row 8 K4 sts, P5(4, 4, 3, 3, 2, 2) sts, K5 sts, w&t.

Row 9 P5 sts, K5(4, 4, 3, 3, 2, 2) sts, P5 sts, w&t.

Row 10 K5 sts, P5(4, 4, 3, 3, 2, 2) sts, K6 sts, w&t.

Row 11 P6 sts, K5(4, 4, 3, 3, 2, 2) sts, P6 sts, w&t.

Row 12 K6 sts, P5(4, 4, 3, 3, 2, *) sts, K7 sts, w&t.

Row 13 P7 sts, K5(4, 4, 3, 3, 2, *) sts, P7 sts, w&t.

Row 14 K7 sts, P5(4, 4, 3, 3, *, *) sts, K8 sts, w&t.

Row 15 P8 sts, K5(4, 4, 3, 3, *, *) sts, P8 sts, w&t.

Row 16 K8 sts, P5(4, 4, 3, *, *, *) sts, K9 sts, w&t.

Row 17 P9 sts, K5(4, 4, 3, *, *, *) sts, P9 sts, w&t.

Row 18 K9 sts, P5(4, 4, *, *, *, *) sts, K10 sts, w&t.

Row 19 P10 sts, K5(4, 4, *, *, *, *) sts, P10 sts, w&t.

Row 20 K10 sts, P5(4, *, *, *, *, *) sts, K11 sts, w&t.

Row 21 P11 sts, K5(*, *, *, *, *, *) sts, P11 sts, w&t.

Row 22 K11 sts, P5(*, *, *, *, *, *) sts.

Fabric Filler pillows

After completing each individual pillow, place the flattened knitted piece on top of cotton fabric and trace outline of pillow onto fabric with a pencil. Cut out 2 traced circular shapes. With matching cotton thread sew fabric pieces together with a stitch small enough to prevent flax seed from slipping through seams. Leave a ¼” seam allowance and a 1” opening for filling fabric pouch.

Fill fabric pouch with flax seed until it is firm but not hard packed. Optional filler items such as herbs, crystals, or essential oils (see list below) can be added now if desired.

Carefully sew closed opening to pouch and trim loose threads.

Finishing

After creating fabric filler pillow, carefully stuff inside knitted pillow covering and close seam using a Mattress or reversed Kitchener stitch, tapestry needle and matching yarn.

Additional, optional Pillow Fillings:

Each pillow is designed to coordinate with each of the 7 chakras in both size and color. In addition to the flax seed filling, there are other ingredients that may be added to the fillings of each pillow which are also associated with the various chakras.

Below is a list with its special significance and coordinating crystals, and herbs or oils. Select any or all of the items listed below to personalize your own pillow set.

Crown chakra (violet): Connection and alignment with source, sense of being guided in life. Amethyst, diamond; lotus, lavender, rosewood

Third eye chakra (indigo): Intuition, inner knowing, vision of desire. Lapis, blue sapphire; star anise, camphor, patchouli

Throat chakra (blue): Individuality, manifesting the voice and ones personal truth. Turquoise, lapis lazuli; frankincence, tea tree, cypress

Heart chakra (green): Self love, wholeness, love of the heart.emerald. Rose quartz; lavender, rose, eucalyptus

Solar plexus chakra (yellow): Self will, boundaries, self reliance. Amber, topaz; peppermint, lemon grass

Sacral chakra (orange):. Creativity, self acceptance. Carnelian, coral; gardenia, rose, jasmine, bergamont

Root chakra (red): Strengthen presence in the world, grounding, soothing anxieties. Ruby, garnet; cedar, clary sage, rosemary

Getting My Goat-- In a Good Way

2011-03-22T18:56:00.003-04:00

(photo copyright Ori Sofer 2010)

Several years ago I was at a holiday bazaar when I met a woman named Lisa Shell, who was selling mohair she spun from the curly locks of her own angora goats. I got her card but let's just say it took me longer than I intended to follow through and visit her. Well about a year ago, I finally made it out to Lisa's place-- Kai Ranch-- and I was beside myself with joy. I've always had a thing for goats, even before I learned to knit-- perhaps my affinity stems from the fact that I am a Capricorn, sign of the goat.

Lisa Shell (photo copyright Ori Sofer 2010)

After that first trip, I wrote a profile of Lisa over at the blog for Hill Country Weavers, my local knit shop. But I wasn't done with Lisa yet. So impressed was I with how she lives her life, raises her goats, spins her yarn, and just all around kicks butt that I began to dream. Actually, I had two dreams. One dream was to invite Lisa to invite me to follow her around every day for a year to learn as much as I could so that I, too, could become a goat woman. Let's call that the uber-fantasy dream, something for the distant future. The other, more realistic dream, was to buy enough of her handspun to make a sweater, as a birthday gift to myself. This idea was inspired in part by last year's Monhegan Island Retreat-- on the way back to Portland we stopped to meet Kelly Corbett at Romney Ridge Ranch who raises her own sheep, and then again when we stopped to meet Nan Kennedy of Seacolors Yarn who also grows and dyes her own. I got this idea that from now on, whenever I'm able, I want to know the animals my yarn comes from-- as in meet and greet them personally.

To dye for! (photo copyright Ori Sofer 2010)

Okay, so my birthday came and went and I got a little behind in making the dream come true. But last week Lisa was holding a dyeing class out at her ranch and she invited me to join in. (Ori-- my resident photographer-- came along and documented the day.) I'd never dyed yarn before and it was a total blast. Actually, I still haven't dyed yarn-- I chose to work with loose curly locks-- maybe I'll make one of my dogs a little wig with it.

Future handspun or doggie toupee? Decisions, Decisions (photo copyright Ori Sofer 2010)

We also headed out to the pasture to check out all the little baby goats that arrived in the past few weeks. Now I want goats even more than I did before. Honestly, one of these days I'm moving out to the country. Y'all can come visit me, I promise.

Random Acts of Knitting and Senseless Beauty

2011-03-18T14:50:00.005-04:00

image copyright ori sofer 2011

During the Monhegan Retreat 2009 attendees had a good time passing around a collaborative piece of knitting. Everyone knitted several inches in any style they wished. In the end, we had a column cozy which we presented to Holden who promptly installed it in one of the parlors. It was a nice touch, our souvenir to him and a reminder that we'd be back.

A few months ago my friend Maggie signed up to be part of a project at the Blanton Museum of Art down here in Austin (where I hang out when I'm not on the island). The Blanton had teamed up with Knit Graffiti artist, Magda Sayeg who goes by the handle Knitta Please. Magda has committed acts of public knitting all over the world-- she once covered an entire bus in knitting-- and, in particular, all over Austin where she lives. Often she uses pieces she knits on a machine-- it's the only way she can cover a lot of territory in a reasonable amount of time. But for the Blanton project, A Knitted Wonderland, she asked local knitters to contribute their hand knitting skills to create cozies for 99 trees.

image copyright ori sofer 2011

I honestly don't know how many people total worked on the project. I do know that for our tree I was part of a team of three and each of us knitted a section about three feet square. Maggie sewed the pieces together and installed it with help from her boyfriend, Southpaw and our other team member, Amanda. The end result is, I must say, pretty darn awesome. Visitors agreed and vocalized their excitement so much that the installation, which was due to come down this week, is staying up for awhile longer.

image copyright ori sofer 2011

I admit my enthusiasm about knitting what amounted to an oversized swatch in acrylic yarn (necessary to hold up in inclement weather) sort of wavered as I worked on the project, But the sum of the parts-- not just our tree cozy but a whole plaza of knit-covered trees-- left me quite happy I took part. And it makes me want to spearhead a movement for the 2011 Monhegan Retreat, leading the group in knitting multiple column cozies for Holden, and perhaps a matching sweater he can wear.

Crazy Knitting Aunt (That's Me)

2011-03-10T13:35:00.004-05:00

Is this child cute enough and delicious enough for you? He's also supremely chilled out.

I'm on the East coast today, wrapping up a week of business/pleasure/chaos. On Tuesday night I gave a talk at the Korea Society in Manhattan about my latest quilting book. (Don't panic if you missed it-- KS posted a video of my entire one-hour discussion. Kind of like a TED talk, only different.)

Since my mom and 7 of my 8 siblings and their many, many children all live in South Jersey-- just a couple of hours from NYC-- I divided my time, spending most of my visit holding court at my mom's house, but dedicating one day to tromping miles and miles (and miles) around Manhattan. While my day in the big city was fun, and I did make a quick stop at PURL SOHO (where curiously I bought quilting fabric instead of yarn), hanging out with my family allows me to play a role I am most delighted playing. I am the Crazy Knitting Aunt. I love teaching as many of my 25 (or is it 26? I can't remember) nieces and nephews to knit as are interested. My most eager student is my niece, Geena, who's been knitting for several years now. Geena really gets it-- the structure, the math, the architecture of knitting and I love watching her skills improve and expand.

Baby Daniel wearing his Umbilical Cord hat in Debbie Bliss Cashmerino

Aunt Spike sporting her favorite sweater: a top-down in Manos de Uruguay

On this trip, I brought a couple of skeins of Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino with me. My plan was to either knit a baby hat one of my sisters had requested or, better yet, teach that sister how to knit it herself. Let me back up and say that, since my pal Debbie Stoller first came out with Stitch 'n Bitch, I have made about 2,000 of the umbilical cord baby hats featured in that book. The hats are super simple and they knit up in a day and everyone loves them. Last fall, when my youngest sister was about to have what most likely will be the last grandbaby/nephew, I made this imminent baby an umbilical cord hat in a nice bright green Cashmerino with yellow stripes. (I like making baby stuff in anything-but-blue-or-pink.)

That hat was such a hit that one of my older sisters, Mare, asked me to make two more for her to give to friends. I got one done but not the other. I decided that teaching Mare to make these herself would've been a very cool thing to do since it was Mare who, way back in 1986, first taught me to knit. She long ago put down the needles but I figured it would all come back to her pretty quick. Instead, Geena got to me first. I showed her the yarn, explained the simple pattern, asked her if she wanted to try it-- yes, I was being a bit like Tom Sawyer and the fence painting, though I stopped short of asking Geena to pay me for the "lesson."

Well Geena's been happily working on the hat and she'll likely finish today-- finishing means she'll get her first lesson from me on I-cords. I got her a copy of Stitch 'n Bitch while I was at PURL so she can do some self-learning when I'm not around. I hope she'll keep up with the knitting for the rest of her life. I meet so many people who tell me that they learned from their grandmother or aunt. I like to imagine Geena telling her friends that her crazy Aunt Spike is responsible for creating a cheerful knitting monster.

A Deeply Felt Post

2011-03-06T17:59:00.003-05:00

Before: the Grim Reaper Snuggie Coat

The other day, I was giving a knitting lesson to my friend. He's a quick study and we were talking about mistakes and how to fix them. I was telling him what Allison told me on last year's Monhegan Island retreat-- her mother used to say, "If a man running for a bus can't see a mistake, don't worry about it." That's a rule which-- even before I heard it put like that-- has served me well. If I make what feels like a noticeable error and I'm far enough along that fixing it means ripping out inches and inches, I remind myself that probably no one else will ever notice it and, once I let it go, I also will stop noticing it.

As I was discussing all this with my friend, I remembered one of these errors on a sweater coat I made a couple of years ago. So I trotted out the sweater coat to show my friend and see if he could spot the mistake. Even when I pointed it out he couldn't tell. That was the good news.

Then there was the bad news. Well, okay, not horrible news. But let's just say I had a little accident after the knitting session was over. Looking at the sweater coat I remembered a much more noticeable problem with it. When I made it, I only realized when I got to the sleeves-- which seemed extremely long-- that I had been knitting the XL pattern and not the L pattern. As my goal had been to finish the coat to wear on my pending trip to France, and as-- like I said-- I'm not one to do much ripping, I thought to heck with it, I'll just keep going.

The end result was what my boyfriend termed the World's Most Expensive Snuggie. It was massive. When I pulled up the hood, I looked like the Grim Reaper. But I remained determined to wear it on my trip, and consoled myself that it was so big I could wear added layers under it. That was good since it was about negative 50 degrees most days we tromped around Paris.

Somewhere along the way, my friend Suzanne, who owns Hill Country Weavers in Austin (I blog for the shop here), suggested I try a "light felt" to get the sweater to a more reasonable size. I parked the idea, then forgot it, then remembered it when I took the sweater out to show off the invisible mistake. I thought about an upcoming trip to New York, where it's still chilly, and I decided that it was time for a "light felt" so I could take the sweater with me. I worried that all of the bobbles would sort of melt together, that the definition of the cables would be gone. But I reasoned that at least I'd be more inclined to wear the thing if it fit me.

Then I did that thing I'm famous for. I convinced myself that surely it would turn out just right if I let the fates have a hand in the process. I looked up how to felt on a couple of websites but admittedly just skimmed them. I recalled an accidental felting years ago-- that time the first sweater I ever made sneaked into the washer and in the end I cut it up to make a bag-- but assured myself this time wouldn't be a disaster. I thought of one other felting project I'd done when the bag I knitted just would not shrink down enough to please me. Then I said, "Whatever," tossed the coat (made from Manos de Uruguay) into a hot washer and let it agitate. I checked it after a few minutes. It still seemed big. I let it agitate some more. I wandered off and...

After: my new felted "short coat"

Yes, that's right, I wandered off. And so what I ended up with was... well, let's just say I'm glad I recently watched Robert Altman's movie Pret-a-Porter about the Fashion Industry. Because if I squint my eyes just right when I look in the mirror with my "new" sweater on, I can convince myself that it is High Fashion. Granted the arms and armpits are so tight that it feels like a straightjacket. And can I really get away with the new jumbo "collar" that used to be the hood and now sticks out like something you might see on an old episode of Star Trek? Um... well... probably not if I'm in any city except for Austin, which fortunately is where I live. Here "fashion" mostly refers to which pajama bottoms and flip-flops you decide to throw on before heading out to a food trailer. But I'm thinking I will not be wearing the felted "short coat" in New York.

Sigh.

Did I learn a lesson? Maybe. Maybe not. Yes, I will admit I do have a tendency to sometimes do things the hasty way. And when I think of how many yards of yarn went into the original, and how many hours (I really did lose track, though I remember getting up every morning to put in 2 - 3 solid hours on it before my trip)... well, I'm trying not to think of that. It'll probably be a long time before I felt anything again. But I absolutely, positively will be sure that I circle the right size pattern next time I start in on a garment.

Knit Lit: My New Favorite Book

2011-03-02T11:09:00.003-05:00

I am equally dedicated to knitting and reading. When I put my mind to it, I can do both, but really when I knit and read simultaneously both passions suffer some. My solution most of the time is to listen to audiobooks, which I love, when I'm knitting. My other solution is to remember the joys of not multitasking, and to just dedicate time to one and then the other.

Sometimes when I choose to go with a printed book vs. an audiobook, I'll still find a way to bring knitting into it by choosing knit-related books. Toward that end, I really loved The Knitting Sutra: Craft as Spiritual Practice, by Susan G. Lydon. Last week, I got what I am currently referring to as My New Favorite Book. It's called Beautiful Sheep and it was published in the UK, but I was lucky enough to get my hands on a copy. I didn't really get it to read the words (though it's got some very interesting writing). Instead, I was drawn in by the stunning photographs of award-winning sheep of various breeds. These pictures are a great cross between simply stunning and mildly ironic, though I don't necessarily believe the irony was intended. Still-- to see sheep posed in studio against a cloth backdrop is kind of funny. And it begs the question: How did they get the sheep to pose like this? Really pretty amazing.

What about y'all-- do you dedicate much time to reading about knitting and knitting related things like sheep and goats? And do you like essays about knitting? Fiction about knitting (like the Friday Night Knitting Club series)? Or do you mostly stick with books of patterns?

Scarfing Down the Yarn

2011-02-25T13:59:00.004-05:00

Back when I first started knitting, like a whole lot of beginners do, I began with a scarf. Actually, I started knitting twice-- the first time in 1986, when the scarf I made was so tightly knit, so unrelaxing to make, that I quit for FOURTEEN YEARS. Ah, but the second time I started, for that scarf I made sure to take my time (what an understatement-- boy was I a slow knitter initially) and to remember not to make it too tight. The result was this humongous cross between a scarf and a shawl, long enough for an NBA player, and made of the finest purple acrylic. I'll swear I still have that around here somewhere, though it has had the good sense to hide from me. I imagine one day it'll turn up.

For a long time I only wanted to make scarves. I had good reasons for this. I was both terrified of learning to purl (seemed so complex) and also understood that if I did learn purling, I would feel obligated to learn to read patterns. I predicted this would counteract my original goal which was to knit to relax. Well, I was right and I was wrong. Once I figured out purling, I did move on to projects like socks and sweaters, and yes, they required more concentration and, often, less relaxation. But then I figured out the pleasures of keeping two projects going at once-- one easy enough to work on in a dark theater or while talking to friends, and the other reserved for knitting in solitude and concentration. I enjoy both very much.

Lately, without really planning to do so, I've found myself back to making lots of scarves. My mom asked me to make her one-- and my mom hardly ever asks me for anything so of course I was glad to whip her up a little something. When she told me she likes "all the colors" I knew I had to go with Noro. I made my son a scarf for Christmas (finishing it up late in the day on Christmas Day, while he patiently waited, as if he was in no hurry to escape his mother and run off with his friends). And I made an optometrist friend a scarf to thank him for his help with some recent eye issues I was having. For him I decided to try out Brooklyn Tweed's new line of Made-in-the-US yarn: SHELTER. It's very classic yarn, and knits up beautifully. Now, once again, I've got a scarf on the needles-- super massive needles, that crazy yarn from Buenos Aires I mentioned in my last post. I figure that'll be done this weekend and then it's on to some socks-- I'm ready for something smaller and more challenging. And then, I swear swear swear, I am going to finish the sweater I started last year.

Keep Calm and Knit On!

2011-02-21T12:59:00.005-05:00

Hey Y'all,

So Lisa and I have been talking and we decided that, in addition to telling you all about the official adventures of Knitting and Yoga Adventures, that I, Spike, aka The Termiknitter, will share with you my own knitting adventures. Now, this is hardly a one-way street. I would also like to hear your knitting adventures, any goals you might currently be working toward, any obstacles in the path, any knitting triumphs.

As for my current state of knitting affairs, as you can see above, I have acquired some new knit stuff as I continue to attempt to transform my house into one big informal hands-on knitting museum. You'll see I got a swift (plus a ball winder-- not in the picture), a gift to myself. Just looking at the swift excites me-- it is a reminder of the days when I had no idea what a swift was (or a purl stitch for that matter). It is also, I discovered by mistake, a very big magnet for kids and for grown men. I do have some men knitter friends, but most of my men friends don't knit. Yet when I demonstrate the swift for them, invariably they get VERY excited. I guess it's due to the mechanical element. Or maybe, like the kids, they just get mesmerized by all that rapid spinning.

On the swift in this picture is some really kooky yarn I picked up in Buenos Aires last year. It's barely spun-- practically just roving-- and worked into it are all these weird felted balls that a nurse friend of mine refers to as organs. Seeing that in the picture, I'm reminded of my commitment this year to knocking out a couple of UFOs and trying-- no really, I MEAN IT-- to work through my stash before I start hoarding more. I started a scarf-ish project from the "organ yarn" last year and, though the temp here in Texas is mostly in the 70s these days, I am determined to finish it before I run up to the Northeast to visit my mom. Hopefully it'll be chilly enough to take the organ scarf out for a spin.

I love the Keep Calm and Knit On sign, a gift from a couple whose wedding I performed. I really want to write a book called Keep Calm and Knit on. I also want to always remember the CALM part of knitting. The downside to working on UFOs and also tending to a long list I have of knitting requests, is that sometimes this puts me in Deadline Head where I start associating the knitting with work. Mustn't do that. Mustn't mustn't mustn't-- for I cannot allow myself to ever forget I took up this knitting stuff in an effort to try to relax more.

The other stuff in the photo-- I received that little wooden figure, mostly used by sketch artists, as a gift and instantly had this great idea. I like to fancy myself a knit designer and/but those who have seen my "designs" know that... well let's just say I'm probably never going to make a fortune selling my stuff on ETSY. Also, no way do I have time to knit up all the designs in my head. So I decided I'm going to use this little model like a sort of generic Barbie and make it all sorts of groovy knitted outfits. I picked up some Habu toward that end, and some impossibly tiny needles. Let's see if I actually meet this goal.

And finally-- that cone of yarn? That's some alpaca from a nearby ranch. Ever since we visited Romney Ranch and Markings Gallery in Maine, after last year's Monhegan Island Retreat, I have become stubbornly determined to, as often as possible, use fiber from animals I've met, or at least from the people who raise them. Part of this is so that I can know the animals are well cared for. But mostly it's just pure whimsy-- how exciting to be able to say: "This sweater? Oh yeah, I hung out with the goats the yarn was spun from."

So, any other avid fans of know-your-sheep out there? Thoughts on UFOs? Feelings about deadline knitting?

Do tell.

Spike

Quechee, Vermont Adventure November 10-13, 2011

2011-02-14T11:49:00.003-05:00

Hey Y'all,

Spike here. For those of you new to our blog and to Knitting and Yoga Adventures-- welcome, I'm the team blogger. For all you regulars, you already know who I am and, to answer the question that I'm sure is burning for you, YES I am currently wearing every single thing I've ever knitted and no I don't think these items clash with each other. In fact, I'm looking forward to demonstrating just how fashionable I (still) am during the next weeklong Monhegan Island Retreat in September AND... oh yes... the new addition to the retreat menu: a long weekend retreat-- November 11 - 13-- in Quechee, Vermont. My goal is to knit at least six more sweaters between now and Vermont so that I can layer them simultaneously, sort of like I'm a Russian nesting doll.

Lisa and I have been chatting a lot lately, and we've come up with a plan to stay in more frequent touch with y'all. Hopefully by now you've seen the beautiful new website. We've also got a fan page at Facebook, and you can follow us on Twitter. We're in the process of revamping our Ravelry page and as soon as we have that taken care of, I'll let you know so you can stay in touch that way, too. And, one more thing-- my favorite part: I'm going to start posting regularly here at the blog. I'll mention on FB whenever a new post goes up and, of course, you are also welcome to subscribe.

This is my dog Rebound modeling some handspun from New Zealand.

Now if that's not enough ways to keep up with us, well, just give me a couple of more weeks and I'll have my fleet of courier pigeons trained and ready to fly out to your individual homes and drop off notes.

I'd really like to hear from y'all-- what you're knitting, if you're going to be at one or both retreats, and any other news you'd like to share. You can email me stories and pictures at spikegillespie@gmail.com.

More real soon,

Spike

Getting to Gnome You

2010-12-07T10:02:00.003-05:00

Hey Y'all,

Every year the Knitting and Yoga Retreat falls very close to or overlaps with my boyfriend's birthday. He very kindly understands that, while I love him, there's no way I'm skipping the retreat but that I will likely reward him for his understanding this with some hand knitted something. The thing about Ori is, he's no regular knitting customer. He is forever making odd requests-- knitted handcuffs, a knitted roasted turkey hat, a knitted menorah hat. In fact, currently I am making him a bright orange hat that will feature, at the top, a knitted Fanta soda bottle, so that he can attend a party this weekend as Fanta Claus.

The 2010 retreat happened to fall a week before his birthday. Once we returned from the island, I had a whole extra day to spend in Portland, which was wonderful. In fact, I recommend that if you attend the 2011 retreat you make extra time to wander around the city for a day or two-- there's lots to see and do and eat. During my wanderings, I stopped in KnitWit, a cool little yarn shop, and picked up some chunky red yarn. Ori had requested a gnome hat and so I decided it would be the perfect gift for his birthday. I started working on that hat as I rode the mail ferry around the islands off the coast of Portland. I finished it a few days later and then set to work on a white beard, which I improvised, starting at the point and increasing as I went.

I have to say I was quite pleased with the results, as was Ori. In fact, he was so happy that when he recently went on two back-to-back road trips across the U.S., he took the hat with him and posed in front of all sorts of famous landmarks like Mount Rushmore. In the picture at the top of this post, he's standing by the pool at the Hearst Castle in San Simeon. And if you click this link, you can see what happened to him when he wandered the streets of Chicago in his gnome ensemble. Very funny.

So, okay, it's not exactly a Santa Claus getup, but it's close enough. I hope you all are enjoying your holiday season and that, as a gift to yourself, you'll sign up for KYA 2011.

Happy Holidays!

Spike

Remembering Isabel

2010-11-30T08:35:00.003-05:00

Hey Y'all,

I have sad news to share-- Holden wrote to tell me that our friend, Isabel, passed away suddenly last week.

Those of you who were on the trip in 2009 and/or 2010 surely remember Isabel. I met her in the parlor at Monhegan House one night in 2009 when she joined our group for a spell. Though Isabel wasn't officially on the trip with us, she was staying at the house and she knitted. Isabel was one of those rare people in life who, the moment you met her, your whole world got both more exciting and calmer at once.

I had such a wonderful time getting to know Isabel and we kept in touch by email and snail mail. I let her know the dates of the 2010 trip. She had a scheduling conflict but miraculously that resolved. She and her husband Joe arranged to come to Monhegan to coincide with our trip. I was thrilled.

I can still hear her voice, that lovely English accent, all those kind and encouraging words. Of the many things she taught me in our short time together, my favorite was what I'll call the Lesson of the Loupe. Isabel carried a little jeweler's loupe with her when she was out hiking. She'd stop often, bend down to the tiniest flower, and examine it through the loupe, revealing details the naked eye could not see. And then she would proclaim, "MAGNIFICENT!"

I was so taken by this that when I came home and told Ori about it, he got me a loupe. I take it with me everywhere. And so, yes, I take Isabel with me everywhere. I am going to miss her so much. I wrote a longer memorial for her over at my blog. I hope you'll take time, in memory of Isabel, to stop and check out the tiny, gorgeous details of life. What an inspiration she was!

I Finished My Neck Warmer!

2010-10-03T13:02:00.004-04:00

Hey Y'all,

Well I hope by now we've all readjusted to reality. Honestly, it took me awhile. I just kept thinking and thinking and thinking about being on the island. Once I got over feeling sorry for myself for not being able to be on a constant knitting retreat, I came up with a plan to keep the good feeling going. My goal, after all that hiking and being outside, is to set aside one day each week (at least) where I take off for some hiking, leave the computer behind, but bring my knitting with me. I'm moving into Week Three of this Monhegan Island inspired plan and so far, so good.

Though it's still way too warm down here in Austin for me to be wearing my neck warmer on these hikes, I am happy to announce that I really did finish mine. I'm posting a couple of pictures of it here. In one shot my wonderful Blue Heeler mix Tatum models for me. In the other you can see that, me being me, I've found an alternate use for the neck warmer. Because even though I like how it very fashionably covers those neck wrinkles of mine, I think I prefer it as an ear warmer/headband, one that allows room for my styling ponytail to poke through.

Even more than an article of clothing though, I love this piece because every time I look at it I am reminded of where I was at the beginning of the process-- confused, borderline terrified, and listening to the inner-critic suggesting I might never get the hang of the pattern. But I did it, I did it! Between Allison's pointing out that I could learn to "read" the pattern in the yarn itself, Margaret's helpful hints and Cathy's tremendous patience in going over the written pattern with me (and fixing some early mistakes), I figured it out. Thank you ladies SO much!

I did wind up with one fairly big mistake but I left it in for a few reasons. First there was the test-- Could a man running for a bus spot the error? Nope. Then there was the lazy/eager factor: I was too lazy to frog it (not too mention too afraid I'd never get it back on the needles) and, at the same time, I was too eager to finish it. And finally, I left it in as a reminder-- no, not a reminder that I'm not godlike in my knitting skills. But more as a reminder that I learn as I go.

I mean, I am so thrilled with this thing.

Speaking of thrilling, but on an entirely different note... I also write a blog for Hill Country Weavers, which, despite the name, is quite populated by rabid knitters. This past week I wrote a post about a new line of yarn, SHELTER, just introduced by Jared Flood, aka Brooklyn Tweed. If you don't know about Jared let me tell you-- he's a great designer, a fantastic photographer, and a fabulous human being. His new yarn line-- 100% US grown, milled, and spun-- is flying off the shelves of the ten Flagship Retailers that carry it. If you don't live near a Flagship store, you can order it online. The yarn has a fantastic story.

You can read my post here.

You can read Jared's blog here.

And you can go straight to the SHELTER site here.

Hope y'all are having fun. I sure miss you. Oh, and Happy Birthday Eva! (Her official birthday is 10/4 good buddies...)

Spike

Shop Til We Drop

2010-09-22T23:27:00.008-04:00

As if hiking the island, indulging in all that good food, learning new techniques, and ribbing birders during night knits weren't fun enough... there was all that shopping. I've been wearing my red sea glass earrings constantly and, once I finish my neck warmer (no, seriously, I'm almost done..) I'm sure that, paired with the earrings, it will be this winter's Major Fashion Trend.

As a pleasant trip down recent memory lane, as well as a note-to-self re: next year's trip, I wanted to record here some of the places I enjoyed. I also want to remind myself -- Self? PAY ATTENTION-- to bring a bigger suitcase next year. Make that two suitcases. Because by the time I left for the airport, my little bag appeared to be nine months pregnant, so bursting was it with all that yarn and all those souvenirs.

So let's see- there was the cool little gift shop upstairs from the Port Clyde General Store. Run by the incredibly pleasant Bobbie Pendleton (who, yes, knits) it features plenty of nifty gifts. I, naturally, gravitated toward the room with the yarn and knitting needles, and picked up a gorgeous skein of Maine-made yarn-- rich variegated loveliness just waiting to be turned into a pair of socks.

And then, of course, there was The Mall aka The Black Duck, our home away from home at Monhegan House. I indulged in daily hot chocolates, the aforementioned earrings, a couple of very funny greeting cards (including one featuring a puffin in drag) and... drumroll... this nifty Yarn Cage. Okay, so it's not a cage. It's a cylindrical mesh bag with a zip top and a hole in it. You stick your ball of yarn inside, thread the yarn through, and, voila, you can set the thing on a table or the floor and the yarn doesn't roll away. This came very much in handy when I found myself sitting next to a totally humorless seat mate on my flight back to Austin. Clearly no one ever made the guy a handknit sweater or nice pair of mittens. I was glad to be able to contain my yarn lest it accidentally roll into "his space." I think he was glad, too.

Several of us went on a mini yarn crawl post Monhegan Island, including Romney Ridge Farm and Markings Gallery. Because I only had enough yarn for four lifetimes prior to visiting these places, and because I think it is crucial to have enough yarn for at least ten lifetimes, I had to add to my stash. I picked up four skeins of Nanne Kennedy's Seacolors yarn along with a pattern to knit a sort of jumper/mini-dress/vest which I'm certain will have nothing but a slimming effect once I find the time to make it. Over at RRF, I grabbed a couple of skeins with the intent of making some hand warmers, or maybe a hat. Or both.

Sunday I had an extra day before flying home, so I walked all over Portland including a stop at KnitWit, a mod knitting store. Judy, who was working that day, said-- upon hearing I was with the Monhegan group-- "Oh! There were some nice ladies in here yesterday from Ohio who were on that trip." Hmmm.... I wonder who that might've been. Could Cassy have traded in her Magic Ball for something more solid in color and consistency? I hope not.

One thing I picked up at KnitWit: a couple of skeins of very basic, very bulky red wool. Ori's birthday is coming right up and I recalled a long ago request of his for a Gnome hat. I have no idea if he was being serious, but any excuse to get more yarn, right? So I got the yarn and some really excellent circulars. These I took with me on the Mail Ferry that goes out to five islands around Portland. I put a red ball in my Yarn Cage and got cranking. I finished that hat the next day on the plane. And as soon as I finish this post I'm going to go complete a Gnome beard that I also made from some white chenille I had in my stash. Will Ori wear the hat and beard? Who cares-- as long as I now can justify adding still more yarn since, you know, using that chenille up depleted my stash.

When I got home and picked up my mail, I had a pleasant surprise: an advance copy of the Interweave KNITS Weekend issue that you can pick up starting September 28th. There was my essay about Monhegan. It'd been sometime since I'd turned it in and so I sort of forgot what all I wrote. As you will see, I managed to at least scratch the surface of the whole Knitting and Yoga Adventures adventure.

Here are some pics from our shopping frenzy:

You Got to Know When to Holden...

2010-09-20T05:43:00.005-04:00

Greetings Y’all,

I’m writing this from the Portland Jetport on Monday morning. It’s a little past 5 a.m. here and I’m waiting for the JetBlue counter to open so I thought I’d take this time to catch up a bit. I have so many things I still want to post about the trip, including eleventy million photos. Over the coming week I’ll put more of those up. For today, I want to talk about HOSPITALITY. I ask you, is it any coincidence that HOSPITALITY and HOLDEN both start with HO? I think not! Every year I visit the island I am blown away anew at how cheerfully and tirelessly Holden ~~puts up with us~~ welcomes us with open arms.

This year, we were lucky to get to spend more time with Sue, too, who assists Holden in keeping Monhegan House running like a tight ship. And the staff was great. I must say the whole great-treatment thing hit ecstatic critical mass for me when Sue came out the last night at dinner with that amazing birthday cake, made by the other Sue, who chefs over at the Novelty. And then, when Christie did the Buffalo Shuffle back into the kitchen to cut the cake, well that’s a mental YouTube I won’t soon forget.

[Prom Ready!]

["Hmm, I suspect it was a birder, in the laundry room, with a buoy."]

As you all know, I plan to write a TV series called Birder She Wrote, starring Holden, whose fictional name will be Holden Court (say it out loud fast five times). In each episode, a birder will mysteriously disappear, the locals will share theories in hushed and conspiratorial tones over at the Black Duck, Holden will grumble pleasantly throughout the show and then, in the end, with the help of his sidekick, a talking lobster named Armando (and, pronounced, Ahhh-MAN-do), he will resolve the mystery. Each installment will end with a group of relieved and happy knitters in the parlor discussing, in awestruck tones, Holden’s amazing capacity as both a hospitality genius and PI. (I’m thinking this show will be so successful I will make enough to buy Monhegan Island outright and, if I so choose, ban the birders. Which I won’t do, of course, because, dang, Birdman has really grown on me…)

So Holden, if you’re reading this (and I know you are even though you should be up on the third floor showing a puzzled guest how to work those kooky screens): THANK YOU. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU. That was such a wonderful week. I don’t know how I’m going to carry on without afternoon cakes and cookies.

Speaking of which, for any of you who missed it, Holden—offering still more proof of his never-miss-a-detail superpowers – hauled butt down to the dock right before we left, careening in his little white Holden-mobile, dodging lobstermen and birders alike. And what was the rush? Why he remembered Patty had requested a Whoopie Pie and so here he was, making good on a promise at the last second. Too bad Patty never found out about that WP but I sure enjoyed it. (Just Kidding, Holden!)

Something some of you might not know is that Holden has been coming to Monhegan Island for ninety years! Doesn’t he look great considering? Oh, wait, hold on—his family has been coming to the island for ninety years. Holden’s just been coming since he was a baby so, like, 29 years.

[My Hero!]

While I’m heaping on the praise and thanks, I want to also give a big shout out to Allison who did me an enormous favor on the drive back to Portland. Some of you know I got stung by a bee that flew into the van and down my shirt. Almost before the bee made his move, Allison had the Benadryl out and got me taken care of. That was such a relief, as was knowing that six very skilled knitters where sitting nearby ready to administer a Signature Needle tracheotomy should that prove necessary. It didn’t. I passed out on the drive home from Benadryl exhaustion but ultimately had just a big itchy welt to contend with. So nice to be so taken care of by everyone. So thank you ALL.

[Host Toast!]

And a very special thanks to Lisa, the mastermind behind the whole operation. I spent the past couple of days with Lisa in Portland and you'd think she'd be too exhausted to speak. But no-- she continued to tirelessly serve up her wonderful hostessing skills. Thank you, Lisa, for another great week on the island.

Here are some more pictures. Hope you’re all readjusting to reality as well as can be expected after a week on Fantasy Island.

[Annual Tradition-- Imagine Their Thought Bubbles]

Goodness Gracious Great Balls of...

2010-09-16T19:40:00.034-04:00

How it got to be Thursday already is beyond me. And I continue to be behind in reporting everything because there is an awful lot to report despite the insane amount of relaxing we've got going on here on the island. I think I need to make a list so I remember to touch on all the points I want to touch on:

Balls
Cables & Lace
Hot Stones
Not Knitting on 3500 Calories Per Day
Bingo!
Nature Nature Nature
More Balls
Pro Photo Bonus!

And now, some explanations of the above, which I shall illustrate using the amazing photographs of Patty and my own fine-photo self.

So, balls. Where to begin? When we discuss balls in regards to a knitting retreat, naturally we are talking about the firm but soft variety, composed of yarn, and typically wound from a hank or skein. Why all yarn doesn't already come pre-balled is a query for another day. All I know is I have seen some pretty unique ball-rolling techniques this week, including irrefutable proof re: Why God Gave Us Knees.

Beyond our run-o-the-mill ball-rolling, we actually had a very special ball-rolling class, headed up by SuMi who dumped the equivalent of four tractor trailers worth of stash in the middle of the floor. Then she explained that we would be rolling balls composed of many different kinds/colors/textures of yarn. This immediately pushed some of my less savory buttons-- despite my outwardly deceptive appearance, which suggests I don't give a rat's behind about fashion and color, I'm all about using either solid yarn or factory variegated stuff because actually I like my fiber a very particular way. SuMi wanted me to do WHAT? Mix it up? No thank you. Others, however, embraced the concept:

Meanwhile, I retreated to the parlor to wrestle with my cabled neck snood, continuing to spend four hours per 102 stitch row. I want to note this has nothing to do with CaPa's teaching or the pattern, just my own severe allergy re: learning curves. Anyway, back in the Magical Ball Room, several campers dug right in -- and I'd be remiss if I didn't point out that among these, Cassie and Marianne should win some sort of a prize. They rolled balls bigger than... well, you get the picture. In fact, I was so inspired by the size of these ladies' balls, I had a change of heart and sat down and rolled a big ole ball of my own and I am here to tell you: Big Magic Ball Rolling is, as it turns out, awesome! So soothing! So silly! So big and fluffy!

As for cables & lace-- so I admit it: I struggled with my cable knitting. Cathy helped. I struggled some more. Cathy helped some more. I knitted when I shoulda purled. I purled when I shoulda knitted. Finally, very gently, Cathy took the tangled mess and fixed it in an instant, seeing as she is the Cable Whisperer. It took me another five hours to finally get it but, folks? We have a Winner!! Yours truly learned a big new skill on the island. That's right, I get the cable thing now. Yay! That makes two skills picked up in four days-- there was also the lace/chart lesson learned with SuMi. I observed many other knitters making tremendous progress with their projects.

Next topic: hot stones. By applause-- how many of you think maybe Mary Alice's massages need to be outlawed seeing as the relaxation her treatments trigger is borderline criminal? I mean, talk about reducing the productivity rate on the island. There I was, face down on the massage table, wishing she'd set up a dribble cup for the moment I knew was inevitable: the hypno-drooling-trance moment. Suddenly, I felt a warm sensation on my back. MA had borrowed a few stones from Pebble Beach, heated them up, and lined them up and down my spine. She also put one in each of my knit-weary hands. I stumbled out of that massage room like a lightweight stumbling out of bar after 1.5 strawberry daiquiris. (As you can see in the photo above, I also received an impromptu outdoor rock massage.)

Not Knitting on 3500 Calories Per Day is Jan's special slogan for what actually can happen here at knitting camp. And it's true-- between the French toast, the omelets, the hikes, the massages, the lobster rolls, the shopping, the dinner, the WHOOPIE PIES and other sweets, PLUS the BINGO it's almost a wonder that we get anything knitted up at all. (Oh, but we do.)

Wait, did somebody say BINGO!? How lucky-- I mean how L-U-C-K-Y could we get in the timing department? I think Lisa didn't even realize it when she scheduled the retreat but, hello, our time on the island coincided with the September BINGO game, which is a fundraiser for the Monhegan School.

The Monhegan School currently has two students, and rumor has it they are twins. The boys ran the benefit-- calling the numbers and handing out the prizes-- and Eva won THREE out of the five or six total games. Marianne also won a game. And Ruth one what was, imho, the best prize of the evening-- a totally blinged out stapler. Seeing as I was sitting next to Eva and back-to-back with Marianne and mere inches from Ruth, I can only conclude that I was the common denominator lucky charm so you might want to consider sitting next to me when Holden starts handing out door prizes at the closing ceremony: that's right, he's giving away THREE PROPERTIES on the island and I'm thinking anyone sitting near me is going to be mighty lucky.

The prizes at BINGO were terrific, as you can see from the picture of Eva, who plans on wrapping up all of this most excellent booty and giving it to Marianne for Christmas. We also enjoyed speculating about what it must be like, going to a school with a total of two students, particularly when your classmate is also your brother. I imagined an after school conversation like this: "Mom, there's this boy at school and he won't quick picking on me...."

Nature Nature Nature: You know, there's so much nature on this island I just don't know what to do with it all. But I still have about 70,000 photos that Patty took, so I'm going to put some of them in at the end of this post and will show some more tomorrow night at the slideshow.

Which brings us to the final two items on today's Must Write About List: More Balls and Pro Photo Bonus! SuMi's Magic Balls weren't the only thing rolling around the Monhegan House this week making everyone oo0h and ahhh. As it happens, Melora also brought some (non-yarn) Magic Balls which she uses in yoga to help loosen everyone up after long, late nights of laughing, knitting, and bending forward to grab leftover afternoon cookies from the tray that Eva sneaks out of the walk-in. (Sorry, Holden...) As you can see from the photos, these Magic Balls are helping several campers to feel better. I'm predicting Cassy is going to become a yoga instructor when she gets home, and that she is going to use giant Magic Yarn Balls to help people work on their balance.

And finally, as if all that weren't enough for one day! Susan had a photographer, a model, and a hair/makeup artist out to MI this week to shoot pics for some upcoming Classic Elite Yarn books. She also recruited Christie, who has been entertaining us all week in the dining room, to model. I barged into Susan's room for a sneak peak at the great handknits that will be featured in the books. Alas, I cannot show pictures or even reveal hints here about those-- you'll have to wait for the books. Unless you're here at camp, in which case you'll get a sneak peek, too, on Friday night.

And that, my friends, is all for today. I'm ready to head back down to the parlor and swipe me a whoopie pie and work another row or two before hitting the sack. Tomorrow is our last full day on the island, which is too bad. In fact, I refuse to think about it another second. And now, here are some more pictures for your pleasure:

Oh No-- Not ANOTHER Day in Paradise...

2010-09-15T22:38:00.012-04:00

The calendar suggests that I am writing this on Wednesday, though I can't be certain this is true. I am now so officially immersed in vacation mode that there are no specific days or nights. There are only general time frames, all of which revolve around mind/body/soul nourishment. It kind of goes like this:

Q. Pardon me, what time is it?

A: YAWWWWWWWN... It's about time for coffee!

A. Mmmm... It's about time for breakfast (or lunch or dinner)

A. Say, isn't it cookie time?

A. Can't talk, it's time for me to get a massage with Mary Alice!

A. I'd love to help you with that 5th row, Spike, but Melora's working the sun salutes in the yoga room. Time for me to go stretch.

In between moments of growing my knit-brain exponentially-- thanks to SuMi's charts and CaPa's cable snood instructions-- and growing my circumference also exponentially-- thanks to Holden's chefs-- I like to cleanse my mental and my dental palate with a nice stroll around the island. So far I've taken three good long hikes-- two courtesy of Patty's fearless leadership and one with my little knitting friends who joined us for a day. I've had plenty of shorter walks, too, including a quick trip over to Burnt Head this morning at 6 am to catch the sunrise.

I confess that sometimes, when I am taking in yet another breathtaking view, I am reminded of a quote from a friend of mine who spends a lot of time out in nature. "Ugh!" he likes to joke, when on a trip that finds him constantly in the throes of Mother Nature's fanciest wardrobe bits. "Not another freakin' stunning glacier!"

And so it goes here on the island. Everywhere you look, from the open waters of the icy Atlantic to the tiniest hummingbird fluttering about, there is nothing but gorgeous scenery for as far (and as near) as the eye can see. I swear, the more time I spend on this island, the more time I want to spend here. I fantasize about arriving a week before the knitting retreat next year and staying for a week after so that I can try-- if not to get enough time hiking and meditating and wandering and meeting the people here-- to at least fit in a few more hikes, a couple of more conversations.

But for now, I am contenting myself with the time I have allotted this year for exploring the paths and cliffs and tide pools and faerie houses and towering trees and flowers and butterflies and sun and moon rises and sets. The weather- admittedly chilly tonight-- has been utterly perfect til now. Even my pre-sunrise meander was dang near balmy. I peel off layers like Gypsy Rose Lee until at last the North Face fleece is gone, the thermal underwear shirt is gone, and all that remains is today's knitting-themed t-shirt. Thus enlightened (and I mean that in all senses), I drink it all in and as the sun warms my skin and dances all sparkly across the water, I wonder, in a meditative fashion, "Is it possible that Cassy really is tanner than me? How can that be? No one is ever tanner than me!" or "Can it be true that Eva is more popular than me?"

Here are but a few images taken by mostly Patty with just a couple by yours truly. There are many (many many MANY) more pictures, some of which I shall soon post. But now, I must collapse into the deep sleep of the joyfully exhausted.

Classy Ladies-- Having a Ball on Monhegan Island

2010-09-14T16:34:00.014-04:00

Okay, let's see, technically it's Tuesday as I'm writing this, but I haven't yet told the story of Monday. For someone who tries to spend as much of my life as possible in a frenzy of anticipatory anxiety, all this relaxing stuff really throws a wrench into my life. (Fortunately, the wrench is encased in a form-fitting, hand knit cashmere and angora wrench cover so, you know, it's not like I'm suffering.)

Relaxing? Me? No really, it's nothing short of amazing. And as I confided to my knit comrades on the dock in Port Clyde, please don't tell my son, my man or my dogs, BUT... I'm thinking my annual trek to Monhegan Island to knit is pretty much my favorite week of the year. Let's go over this again for latecomers who haven't heard about the Knitting and Yoga Adventures as well as those of you who simply like to remind yourselves just what it's all about: sleep, eat, walk, eat, knit knit knit knit, eat, stretch, knit, eat, knit, knit, sleep.

Sure, there are variations to the above, maybe a massage, an extra knit session, some early morning sunrise stroll, but you get the idea. And I know I'm not the only one who loves it when, on Day One, Lisa issues the most important command of all: Only Do What You Want-- You Don't Need to Do It All! This, along with some first year information that she gave me-- You Don't Have to Clean Your Room-- really sets the (lack of) pace for me.

On the downside, my off-the-island skills take a pretty hard hit. At home, I make the song Do the Hustle seem like a slow dance-- nay, a funeral dirge! But here on the island? Ha! My organizational skills dissolve in the salty air, my Note to Self to keep a minute-by-minute record of events gets carried off on the breeze, and suddenly here I am, in the moment.

All that said, today I am going to muster my memory muscle to try to capture just a bit of what the classes mean to me. Then tomorrow I'll give some delicious samples of all this natural beauty we're drenched in. Honestly, these two things hold equal weight for me and my heart sits upon a seesaw of love, teetering back and forth, beating out a little ditty that goes like this: Yarn. Nature. Yarn. Nature. Yarn. Nature.

Okay: YARN. So Susan got the class love started on Monday. As I mentioned in an earlier post, rumor had it that Susan had some chart reading planned for us. (You know, I just had an idea, we're going to call Susan SuMi for the rest of this week, you know like J Lo). As I also mentioned, before I started coming to the retreat, the idea of ever reading a chart seemed, to me, about as likely as the idea that I might once and for all lose and keep off those twenty pounds that keep showing up "under my seat" like some unbidden flotation device.

But lo! SuMi has done it. In just three short retreats she has moved me from the realm of Whiny Chart Fearer into the arena of Say, I Can Actually Read This! For this, SuMi deserves a medal. Several medals. I'm being quite serious here. SuMi's tremendous patience has totally paid off.

Mind you, I still mess up the pattern some. I ripped out my lace about four times already. But that's besides the point. What's important is that I GET IT! I understand the point of the charts, I comprehend that a little circle is not a smiley face that has lost its mouth and eyes, but rather it is a YARN OVER! I grasped, quickly enough, that not unlike the instructions on shampoo, that there's a certain part of the chart where I need to Rinse and Repeat. Well, okay, just repeat. It makes my brain feel so happy to learn something new. Boy is my brain happy.

Now, as for application-- well, I need to sit down and really focus on this lace stuff. But for the first time in a dozen years of knitting, I finally want to finish a real lace project. And I think the rest of the crew would agree that I, Spike, am lacking a respectable amount of lace in my wardrobe. Not for long!

Today we had a class with Cathy Payson, designer extraordinaire. CaPa has use working on a cable-y snood. In fact, it's more of a neck warmer, but I love saying the word snood. Please, say it with me now: Snood, Snood, Snood. The room got awfully quiet once we started or engines and revved our needles and buried our noses in our patterns. I have only the teeniest bit of experience with cables and looking at the more complicated of two samples I had two thoughts:

1. I must do the more complicated because I am competitive and overzealous!

2. I am insane for attempting the more complicated pattern!

Even though we're working with written instructions, I heeded Cathy's advice about charts-- Do Not Jump Ahead No Matter How Tempted You Are-- and applied it to these longhand directions. Yes, that's right, it's yet another opportunity to stay in the moment. Stitch by stitch, row by row, you gotta just focus on exactly where you're at. I'm doing it and each time I get to the end of a row and there aren't any missing stitches or extra stitches, I feel like I just won the Miss Universe contest or something. And considering I got two whole rows done in snood class today, it's like I'm Miss Universe and the Miss Universe Runner Up all in the same day. (Why I didn't start coming to knitting camp about thirty years ago is beyond me.)

Here are some pics of the knit-side of our adventure:

Exhibit A & B below: Le Skein & Le Ball

(Sometimes, that's as much progress as I can make in a day)

Below: That's Isabel and Me-- I'm the one sporting the Flashdance leg warmers. Isabel is a knitter who's been visiting MI for over 40 years. We heart Isabel.

Below: No shortage of hand knit fabulousness on the retreat. Socks aplenty.

Below: "I WILL figure out this pattern!"

Below: "I CAN turn this spaghetti into a ball!"

Below: "I WILL turn this dental floss into a lace shawl that I will wear to the opera AND the laundromat!"

Below: Life is so hard...

Below: "Does this skein of yarn make my diamond ring look fat?"

Day One: Getting to the Island

2010-09-13T17:48:00.015-04:00

On Saturday, September 11th, at 4:30 a.m. central time, I woke up five minutes before my alarm and about six hours after I went to sleep. I slurped down some instant coffee (oops, ran out of real coffee) and waited for the airport shuttle to arrive. Then I got to the airport at around 5:30. My flight left Austin at 7 a.m., took me to JFK in NYC. Then, after a layover, I hopped my flight to Portland, arriving at around 4 p.m. Eastern. About eleven hours in transit and let me tell you what: TOTALLY WORTH IT.

T-O-T-A-L-L-Y.

Saturday night, those of us who help Lisa out with the annual Knitting and Yoga Adventures Monhegan Island Retreat all met up at her house in Portland for dinner: Susan Mills, our ever cheerful resident teacher/designer; Cathy Payson, our special guest designer/teacher for 2010; Lisa, our hostess with the mostess; Patty, our get-er-done logistics specialist; Melora, literally the most flexible member of the team and, yes, our yoga guru; Mary Alice, the magical masseuse; and yours truly, team blogger. Here's a picture of Mary Alice:

Lisa's mom rounded out the dinner party. We sat around for many hours huddled around a whiteboard and strategically planning every single minute of the retreat. Oh, wait, no we didn't. We drank wine, laughed our heads off, and then shoved a remarkable number of bags and bins into a couple of cars to be transported to Port Clyde. We reminisced about past trips and got excited thinking about this year's adventure. And then we vowed to get to sleep soon. And then we stayed up late, scurrying around to tend to last minute details. Here's a picture of just a bit of the luggage:

Sunday morning, I found myself on Team Patty as we headed over to the Standard Bakery to score some treats for those of us who'd be riding in the van. We got some cool item I am calling pretzel-bread because I can't remember, for the life of me, i's actual name. We also picked up some lobster sugar cookies, one of my favorite parts of the trip. And Patty also packed some crunchy Maine apples for us. Here's the Standard Bakery:

After some airport/hotel runs, it came to pass that one very awesome dude named Tom arrived in his Mermaid Van and loaded up seven of us and our luggage for the drive from Portland to Port Clyde. Notice how the word "port" is pretty popular here in Maine? This state, Tom told us, has some insane number of coastal miles, given all the peninsulas. I think he said something like nine hundred billion miles worth of coast. Tom also told us fun facts about Maine along the way, plus I grilled him to find out all about his family and to determine how many degrees separated us. I find that usually I am separated by one degree or less. Sure enough, Tom actually knew the small town I grew up in, which is pretty much unheard of unless you're one of my siblings or my sixth grade teacher. Here's a picture of Tom:

At the dock in Port Clyde, those of us in the van connected with those who'd driven their own cars, including our Fab Trio from Ohio and our Fab Trio from RI/Colorado. Of the latter, let me say that, led by the fearless Eva, Trio RI came mighty close to missing the boat thanks to a bottleneck in traffic outside of PC. But they made it, pulling up at the last second, roaring onto the dock as if in a Steven Seagal movie (one that might be titled Knit. Or. Die.) The handsome deckhand quickly unloaded Eva & co's 47 bags from their car, and hauled them on board. Here's Eva, looking like $6 million bucks, her cool demeanor never belying that she was stuck behind some Sunday drivers going 20 mph in a no passing zone:

And here's another Pulitzer worthy photo of (just some) of our luggage:

And then... at last... we were off. Here's a picture of the magic ticket that earned us passage, another of us on board, another of the smooth ocean and then, the sight that makes my eyes so happy: The Island!!

Holden was waiting at the dock, waving a hanky drenched with tears of joy he'd spilled upon contemplating our return. Oh, wait, wrong again. Holden actually sent a driver down in the truck to pick up our many, many, many pieces of luggage so he could finish readying for our arrival. Then we hoofed it up to Monhegan House. Over the next few hours we got settled in, had a wonderful getting-to-know-you happy hour, then headed into the dining room for a spectacular dinner. Then into the parlor for some group knitting before collapsing into our pristine beds under our fluffy comforters.

I love the whole Getting to the Island process, and that first day settling in. I can't wait to see the return "campers" and I love getting to know the new ones. It's pretty easy to spot all members of the group since, even if we haven't met before, most everyone is sporting some fabulous hand knit something or other. Which reminds me, you can also pick out the birders, who seem to love Monhegan Island almost as much as us, and are weighed down under their binoculars. We came to the island a week earlier than usual this year, and so thought we'd miss our annual overlap with the twitchers (as they're called in England). But as luck would have it, one of our most memorable birder acquaintances was on the boat with us.

This morning, as I slowly came to the surface in my lovely bed, I swear I heard a man's voice outside my door-- could it have been a birder?-- saying, "The knitters are clicking away. We better hurry before they eat all the food." With Holden in charge of food, there's no worry we'll run out. However, the birders are nonetheless right to pay attention as we are most certainly a force to be reckoned with.

Knit. Or. Die. Coming to a rooming house near you soon...

Not That We Want to Think About Leaving the Island BUT...

2010-09-09T19:40:00.005-04:00

Hey Y'all,

OH MY OH MY OH MY! As I sit here typing we are less than 72 hours away from being on Monhegan Island. I am absolutely beside myself, have my vacation responder set up on email, and am trying to narrow down my list of which projects to bring with me. Today when I was out running around in super-muggy Austin, I spotted a most auspicious bumper sticker, pictured above. I also checked the weather forecast and it looks like we are in for some really comfy temperatures-- not hot, not cold, but cool enough to wear our lovely hand knit sweaters.

And not that we want to even think about leaving the island before we arrive, but Lisa has a great plan in place for the drive back to Portland. We'll be stopping by a gallery to check out some of the incredible Seacolors Yarn collection by Nan Kennedy. Below are some pictures of Nan's wool-licious wonderfulness.

See y'all real soon!

Spike

Charting Our Happy Course!

2010-09-05T22:49:00.004-04:00

Of the many (many, many, many) things I love about the retreat, one thing is learning new skills. When I went on my first Monhegan Island trip, not only did I not understand charts, they scared me. And I was certain I would never, ever be able to learn them. Susan had other ideas though, and, thanks to her patience and amazing teaching skills, for the past two years I've come to be intrigued and even eager to improve my chart reading.

Not long ago I got the latest issue of VOGUE Knitting and spotted an article about the wonders of charts vs. written patterns. Two years ago I would've flipped right past that. This time I read it and was so excited that I knew what the writer was talking about. I can't wait to move up to the next level this year and rumor has it that both Susan and Cathy have some chart lessons planned.

I've also learned intarsia from Lisa. And the biggest thing I've learned is to set aside any reservations I have about techniques. I like to tackle new skills during the day classes. In the evenings for informal knitting, when I know I'll be laughing too hard to count past 2, I usually whip out some easy project from home. Totally best of both worlds-- skill improvement and comfort knitting.

The picture above is the beginning of a project I worked on last year. At first I tried the chart. Then I backed off and skipped to the written directions. Then I realized, wait a minute, I preferred the chart. I finished the hat really quickly and am still super pumped about it. I'll bring it along with the fifty other finished projects I've got all lined up for show-and-tell.

Inspiration Everywhere!

2010-08-30T02:35:00.003-04:00

When I had the pleasure of interviewing Cathy Payson-- who is our guest teacher on the retreat this year-- for Interweave KNITS, she told me that when she travels she sees inspiration for her designs everywhere. I thought of her a lot these past two weeks—I’ve been on vacation in Israel. Everywhere I look I see color schemes and patterns. There’s the blue green of the Mediterranean, the arches in Jerusalem, and even chevrons all along the walls of some ancient, human-made caves we visited.

I’ve had a great time AND I’m really looking forward to Monhegan Island. Some of the cliff views here remind me of there. And the sunsets in both places are stunning. But there are certainly big differences—a major one being no traffic on Monhegan. I am especially eager for the absence of honking horns. And, while I have managed to get quite a bit of knitting done on this trip. I can’t wait to make that the entire focus of a full week. I might even manage to finish this sweater I’ve been working on.

Here are some pictures of my trip, inspired by the look-for-ideas notion Cathy planted in my mind. Am really eager to find out what she has planned for us.

Trendsetting-- A Little Extra Bonus for You

2010-08-22T16:48:00.003-04:00

I'm pretty hooked on the online edition of the New York Times. In particular, I love to check out a little box on the site featuring the Top Ten Most E-mailed Articles to see what people are talking about. Today I was excited to see a story about Portland, Maine. Part of an ongoing series in the Travel Section known as 36 Hours In..., this story takes a quick look at a mounting buzz about Portland's restaurant, art, and nightlife scene. Apparently, just by flying into Portland, we'll be part of a growing trend-- trendsetting being an added if unintended bonus for retreat attendees.

Now, now-- I know we'll be spending most of our time on Monhegan Island, which is fine by me. And I'm sure it's fine by you, too. But for those of you who will have a little time on either end of the retreat to explore Portland before jetting or driving back home, you might want to check out the article for suggestions on places to visit. Apparently there are several new galleries and a number of restaurants that feature locally grown veggies and locally raised meats.

So there you go, be part of the trend. I'm going to. Maybe those of us with enough spare time can have a little group knit at a cafe on Congress Street.

It's Almost Time to Get Packing: What to Bring

2010-08-15T12:56:00.005-04:00

Hey Y'all,

So if you can believe it, we are now LESS THAN ONE MONTH away from the big retreat! I realize I get a sort of delightful anxiety thinking about what to pack. I'm not talking about undies and my collection of knit-themed t-shirts. Those I've already got selected. No, the hard part for me is figuring out what knitting projects to bring-- both ones I've finished in the past year that I want to share and those I'd like to work on in the evenings during the informal knit gathering in the parlor.

I've had two years of experience now, and know that I could show up practically empty-handed, save for some needles. Between Susan and Cathy's classes, and the patterns and yarn we'll receive to play with, there's plenty to keep us busy. But like any good and zealous knitter, I like to always have "a few" projects with me just in case I find the time to, say, start and finish six pairs of socks, a sweater, some arm warmers, and a king-sized afghan.

I also know that, really, just a pair of yoga pants, one or two sweaters, and a few pair of socks (hand-knitted) are almost all I need in the "fashion" department. But if I can figure out how, I'll bring my entire collection of sweaters because there's nothing like having an appreciative audience of fellow knitters to admire my work (or, let's be honest, given some of the things I make, gently poke fun at).

Right now, I'm thinking of bringing what I need to make some arm warmers I spotted in the new pattern book Amy Butler did for Rowan. And I'll likely bring along the sweater I'm working on from a Mirasol pattern book I am absolutely smitten with (pictured above). I can't ever go on vacation without sock yarn, so I'll have some of that. And I recently promised my optometrist I'd make him a little something, though I'm not sure what yet. That means I'll probably throw in a few skeins of this and that and mull over the gift while I'm on the island.

Anybody else already strategizing what to bring? Do tell.

And watch for me in the van-- I'll be the one wearing head-to-toe handknits, even if it happens to be 80 degrees. Oh I can't WAIT! Sadly, I will probably not be able to bring the sweater, pictured below (and modeled by my friend Shannon) that I made while on a trip to Buenos Aires in March. I used needles the size of broomsticks, the whole thing took about six minutes to knit, and/but it weighs about fifteen pounds and requires its own suitcase. Too bad I can't lug it along, but I'll be sure to tell you all about it.

If You Can't Join 'Em, Tweet 'Em!

2010-08-07T11:28:00.003-04:00

For the past few years, the Knitting and Yoga Adventures Retreat has coincided with a big gathering of birders who, pardon the pun, flock to Monhegan Island because they can spot all sorts of interesting feathered friends there. This is always a big treat for both groups since it gives us each a glimpse into the other's zany passion. One of my favorite ever retreat moments came during my first trip, a couple of years ago, when some birders came into Monhegan House while we were eating and we could (easily) overhear them asking each other in puzzled tones why anyone would be so drawn to a pastime like knitting. And yes, this exchange happened while they were weighed down with all sorts of mysterious equipment they use for their pastime.

Sadly, this year we'll be on the island a week before the big birding group gets there. While I'm certain beyond any doubt we will, like Gloria Gaynor, survive, I confess I'm going to miss being scrutinized by them. But we're hoping to leave our mark behind, hints that we were there, so the birders-- who no doubt will be searching the island over looking for the missing knitters-- will find traces of us. I have to give Lisa credit for this great idea. She's proposed we consider leaving some little knitted birds for them.

Toward that end, I've tracked down some free patterns so we can knit up these birds. Feel free to get started before you head out, or maybe knit one up on the plane, or we can sit and knit these little birds by the fireplace at night.

Here are the patterns:

For those of you who'd like to make a bluebird, here's a cute one.

Then there's a pattern for these generic birds which, if we knit them up in weird colors, might lead the birders to believe they've discovered a new species!

Or how about this lovely bird mobile, that sets the birds in flight? I found it over at Knitty.com-- it was designed by Meg Bakewell. I think we should make a few of these for Monhegan House to complement the knit graffiti we left for Holden last year.

But Wait, There's More: Beyond the Island

2010-08-03T00:58:00.006-04:00

I was reading the New York Times the other day and saw an article about Red's Eats, a lobster roll shack in Maine that's so popular traffic in the area often grinds to a halt because EVERYBODY wants to stop and get one-- or six. I do believe we drive by this very shack on the way to the ferry that takes us over to the island. Thinking about that-- the lobster rolls, the drive, the ferry, got my already very high level of excitement to surge even higher, which I didn't even realize was possible. Then, I started flashing back to all the extras I love about this annual excursion with Knitting and Yoga Adventures.

If you happen to be part of the group that meets at the JetPort (isn't that a cute name for an airport?) and takes the van to Port Clyde to catch the ferry, then count on Patty starting you off right. Patty plans excellent snacks to get things going-- my first year there were these awesome lobster-shaped cookies. Then there's all the great chat in the van.

On the way back, after that whole inimitable week of knitting and stretching and learning and laughing, the adventure isn't over. Lisa plans some great stuff for the drive back in. My first year, we stopped at Halcyon Yarn in Bath, Maine, and it took at least fifteen minutes to pick my jaw up off the floor. This year, Lisa has more great tricks up her sleeve to make sure we all have fun until the absolute last second before boarding our planes (or driving off). We'll be going to Romney Ridge in Woolwich where they sell "beautiful yarn from happy sheep," and a gallery in downtown Bath called Markings on Front Street to meet Nanney Kennedy of Seacolors, which is yarn that's hand dyed with seawater.

Honestly, you might consider packing your suitcase into a larger, empty suitcase, because I'm telling you, your stash will grow exponentially on this trip.

Don't Miss the Boat: Only a Few Spaces Left

2010-07-24T13:33:00.004-04:00

Hey Y'all,

No, I cannot-- CANNOT-- believe that August is a week away which means that Knitting and Yoga Adventures Monhegan Island Retreat is a mere seven weeks out. Okay, as of this posting, *50* days from now!!

In case you missed the news, there are a few spots left on the roster. If you've already been to Monhegan with us, you know all about this enchanted island, the Fairy Houses, the amazing hikes that Patty leads, Holden's hospitality and whoopie pies (yes!), Melora's yoga classes, and all the rest of it. If you haven't been, let me put it like this: I travel all the time. In the past eight months I've been to France, Mexico, Argentina, and all over the Lone Star State. In a couple of weeks, I'm heading to the Middle East. And you know what? All those trips are great. But Monhegan is the place I keep going back to. Being able to just sit, knit, chill, laugh, and eat cookies all day is my ideal vacation. If that sounds good to you, drop Lisa an email at knittingyogi@maine.rr.com and let her know you want to join us.

This year, we'll have classes led by Susan Mills and Cathy Payson. I am tickled to tell you I had the great honor of writing about Cathy, who is an amazing designer, for a recent issue of Interweave KNITS magazine. Cathy is so funny and so down-to-earth. Her projects have the double wonderful qualities of being easy to knit and gorgeous. A realistic knitter, she likes to come up with designs that don't take five hundred years to make but do include her lovely trademark design elements. You're going to love her, trust me.

So, what are you going to do now? That's right-- you're going to email Lisa (knittingyogi@maine.rr.com) and let her know you're joining us. Sign up today and I, personally, will make you a very special surprise treat.

Knit Maine 2010

2010-05-11T09:10:00.004-04:00

This is an exciting time for me! I have had the great pleasure of working with Phyllis Howe in co-producing an event called Knit Maine 2010 and it is now coming to fruition.

What began as an idea for the night before we leave on our trip... a cocktail party for those attending the retreat with a guest designers, a few shops, a yarn company or two has turned into an enormous 2-day event! I've never been accused of thinking small, but after talking to Phyllis for about 5 minutes I realized my vision had to expand.

This festival will take place August 28th and 29th in Freeport, Maine on the campus of The Merriconeag Waldorf School just off I295. The event will highlight all Maine has to offer in the fiber industry: yarn shops, designers, teachers, manufacturers, farms & their animals, as well as national businesses supporting them in their efforts. There will be workshops, demonstrations, food, presentations by celebrity designers.

Of course, now I'm back to square 1 in planning Saturday evening before we head up the coast to Port Clyde...

~Lisa

The Best of Maine

2010-05-05T08:29:00.001-04:00

Recently I have had the pleasure of revisiting many of my favorite yarn shops and farms along the coast of Southern Maine. Many of you will remember some of the shops we have visited on our 'yarn crawl back to Portland.' Well I'm thinking ahead and planning out some new stops for us along the way.

One, which is a relatively new discovery for me is Romney Ridge Farm in Woolwich, Maine. Kelly Corbit is the owner and caretaker of a herd of Romney sheep, goats, and chickens. With her own lovely golden curls she bears a slight resemblance to the beautiful locks on her sheep.

Not only will we stop to meet Kelly and all her animals, but we'll have the chance to visit her great shop right on the property. Kelly's yarns are either hand-dyed by her or the natural colors of her sheep. Much of the yarn she sells is from her own herd, all the rest come from other Maine farms that take part in a wool cooperative that began way back in the 1940s as a way to help Maine farmers to pool their wool together for sale.

I'm really looking forward to introducing you all to Kelly, her farm animals, and her beautiful yarns when you come to Maine this September.

~Lisa

The Ultimate Destination Store in Maine

2010-05-01T08:53:00.000-04:00

Who hasn't heard of Halcyon Yarn in Bath, Maine? Every knitter I talk to about our upcoming trip to Monhegan Island either recalls their visit to this famous store or is dreaming about going there while in Maine.

It's a pretty amazing place with stacks of virtually every type of yarn imaginable. Some are well-known brands such as Debbie Bliss, Noro, Cascade, Dale of Norway to name a few. But there are some lesser known brands that are unique to Maine such as Peace Fleece, Bartlett, and Christopher yarns. Then, of course, are the Halcyon Signature yarns. 35 years ago when Halcyon Blake was unable to find the yarns she needed for rug weaving she had them created for her. That has developed into an extensive line of knitting yarns, wool for weavers, in an extensive palatte of colors.

Not only is it an impressive store, but even more so is it longevity. Halcyon Blake has been in business for almost 40 years now. She now shares her time with local civic groups and organizations helping others who want to be in business as well, such as the Coastal Enterprises, Inc.

I hope to share this fun store with you when you are here in September!

~Lisa

Welcome Knitter's Review Readers!

2010-03-18T10:10:00.007-04:00

Welcome and thank you for checking out our blog! Here you will find lots of fun and entertaining tales, photos, and information about what it's really like to join us on Monhegan Island!

~Lisa

Welcome Cathy Payson!

2010-03-06T23:18:00.002-05:00

We are thrilled to welcome Cathy Payson to this year's Monhegan Island Adventure!

Cathy has become known as one of the leading designers in the handknitting industry today. In college, Cathy studied to become a preschool teacher where she was introduced to knitting by her friends. She has been learning, creating and teaching herself and others to knit ever since. her work can now be seen on virtually every knit shop shelf in pattern books for the likes of Nashua Handknits as well as Classic Elite and Reynolds. She is also a frequent contributor to Interweave Knits. Over the years, Cathy has worked with Aarlan, Classic Elite Yarns, and Susan Bristol. Currently, she is the Design Director for Reynolds, JCA where she likes to focus on creating patterns for real women that are inspiring, easy to knit, and fit all varieties of shapes and sizes.

Cathy was born and raised in South Boston where she remains today with her boyfriend of 8 years. She lives among a very creative, extended family, knitting, crafting, and enjoying life near the water all of which have been significant influences in her life.

Imagine the possibilities...

2010-02-25T23:25:00.000-05:00

Ahoy Monhegan Island Dreamers: You've Come to the Right Place!

2010-01-30T17:09:00.005-05:00

Hello Adventurous Knitter!
Spike here. If you've been on one of the amazing Knitting and Yoga Adventure retreats to Monhegan Island, you already know me. But in case you're new, allow me to introduce myself. I'm part of the team that thrives on introducing newcomers (and welcoming back our dedicated attendees who return year after year) to a wonderful week far away from everything but knitting, hiking, yoga, unbelievably good food, and enough laughter to last you for (at least) a year.

A little about me: my official role is blogger, though I have been known to share my fashion and makeup secrets as an added bonus. Let's just say I'm a colorful member of the bunch. I got hooked on Monhegan a few years ago when I opened up a Rowan International Magazine and out fluttered a postcard informing me about the retreat. Let me back up for a minute and say that, while I'm not a huge fan of some of the bigger, more traditional holidays, I've got a few personal favorites. Two of these happen to be those days when the Rowan mag hits my mailbox. I put everything else aside and settle in to eat up all those delicious photos and imagine myself knitting every single project. So the day I got the magazine with the postcard in it, I was already in a delightful mood. Then, when I started imagining myself on the retreat... well I got pretty carried away at the prospect.

Fast forward to me recommending myself as part of the adventure, and Lisa agreeing that was a good idea, and suddenly my dream was a reality. My first trip to Monhegan Island was September 2007. The trip exceeded my (admittedly high) expectations, and I was immediately smitten with the island and with my fellow knitters. I was thrilled to be invited back for the 2008 trip and again had the time of my life. Now I'm an old hand, and the first thing I did when I got my 2010 calendar was to write M-O-N-H-E-G-A-N-!!!!! across the week of September 12 - 18, 2010. I can't wait to eat Holden's homemade cookies, and meet up with the fast friends I made who are also returning. I'm also eager to meet first timers, and I can promise you you'll be as thrilled as I always am.

I'm delighted that Susan Mills will be back to teach more classes-- I always leave the retreat knowing more than when I arrived. I'm psyched out of my head that Cathy Payson has signed on this year for her first trip. Cathy is an amazing designer who is busy making plans for the classes she'll teach. Melora will be back, too, offering yoga classes for all levels. And Patty will, as ever, be our fearless hiking leader. Heading up the party-- Lisa Evans. Lisa is a genius at color, the hostess with the mostess, and our director of fun, fun, fun.

We've already got quite a few of the spots spoken for, but the good news is there are still some openings. To find out more details, check out KnittingAndYogaAdventures.com or email Lisa directly at KnittingYogi@maine.rr.com.

Sure hope you can make it!
Spike

Excellent News!

2010-01-20T14:55:00.005-05:00

Hey Y'all,
Well let's begin by talking about MY birthday, if I may be so self-indulgent. I was lucky enough to be invited to TNNA Market (where wholesale knit suppliers meet up with retailers, designers, and other folks in the biz) by my local yarn shop, Hill Country Weavers. Luckier still, Lisa and Susan were both in attendance. So I got to a) be with, like, a thousand knit fiends on my birthday b) be in 70 degree weather in California (it was 28 back in Austin) and c) have my birthday dinner with two of my favorite knitters. So yes, it was a great time.

While I was there, I found out that Susan recently took a job with Classic Elite Yarns. Congratulations Susan! Also, Lisa took the opportunity to talk to fab designer Cathy Payson who works for JCA/Reynolds. I also took the opportunity to interview Cathy for an upcoming mag feature (I'll let you know when it publishes). Anyway, super great news: Cathy will be joining us for the Monhegan 2010 adventure to teach some classes! Yay!

Cathy's designs are both really lovely AND don't induce that nervous breakdown feeling some patterns tend to. She's also really, really fun to hang out with. I actually invited her to move to Texas, but she politely declined. Oh well.

We'll have more news soon. Just wanted to give you the update. Oh, and that picture at the top? That's me and my Hill Country Weavers friends posing as enormous circular needles. If you want to read more details of my time at Market, check out this link.

Greetings and Happy Whatever You're Into

2009-12-12T17:02:00.007-05:00

Hey Y'all,
Yikes, has it really been months since I last posted? Between finishing my latest book and starting up a new job, I have been beyond overwhelmed. You might remember that when we last knitted together, I was waiting for word back on a writing gig. Well, I beat out 199 competitors, and got hired to write all about how great Austin is for JetBlue Airways. If you are so inclined, you can enjoy my writing genius on an almost daily basis here at JetAustin.

But enough about work, let's talk about what's REALLY important: knitting. I took up knitting allegedly for purposes of relaxation. Of late though, I find that my uber-goal-oriented work style has crept into my knitting. Not long before our last fabulous Monhegan adventure, I started in on a Deb Newton sweater, which was featured on the cover of the Fall Interweave KNITS. Here's a picture of that sweater:

Hilariously, back then I had this kooky idea I could finish it before our retreat. When I realized that was about as likely as me learning to wear makeup without looking like a drag queen, I gave up that deadline. But then, soon enough, I set my sights on another. As it happens, poor me, Ori is taking me to France for a couple of weeks. We leave next Tuesday. I decided that I must, must, must finish that sweater before we get on the plane. So I actually started getting up before dawn, putting in a couple of hours most mornings, and then more time in the evenings. I love Deb Newton-- I had the pleasure of interviewing her. And I love her designs. So nothing against Deb but DANG this pattern is a pain in my batonkis, what with all the baubles or bobbles or whatever the hell they're called. In particular, I hate, hate, hate row seven of the eight-row repeating pattern, because it involves K3tbl and then K3t. Eva and I are twins in many senses but knitting style is not one of them. For every loose stitch she whips out, I struggle with my super tight, super retentive loops. So knitting three together was a hand-cramping hardship every time, leading me to yell, frequently, I HATE ROW SEVEN. Pretty soon, Ori, who has suffered with me through all this, started echoing me. I HATE ROW SEVEN, TOO! he says.

Making matters worse, I knitted so much in such a short period of time that, oh crap, I am now having carpal tunnel issues. Shooting pain in my hands cannot stop me though. I have taken to wearing a brace to bed at night, on the advice of one of my knitting teachers, who happens to be a hand therapist. And I have sworn off bobbles from here on out, so hopefully that'll help, too.

Meanwhile, as I was in the homestretch, working on the second sleeve, more problems presented themselves. I'm using Manos del Uruguay and I had to special order several skeins. I was down to what I thought was my very last skein, about to start using it, when it mysteriously disappeared. Finally, I found it. Rebound, my incredibly stupid but wildly cute Boston Terrier (above left) had dragged it off and refashioned it into a mass that makes Medusa look like she has straight hair. Ori reminded me that untangling it could be good practice towards the Buddhist attitude I so admire. I thanked him, through gritted teeth, for this unsolicited advice.

I did find one more ball of the stuff, buried in my stash, and it's a good thing, because it turns out I needed it. This discovery has led Ori to dub my project the Miracle Hanukkah Sweater, since even though it seems like I shouldn't have had enough to get done, in the end, I did.

Well, okay, I'm not quite at the end yet. That last sleeve is just about done blocking. I have set aside all day tomorrow to try to sew it together and I sure hope I don't mess it up. I've never done a hood before. I hope the French appreciate the efforts I've gone to to be fashionable for their sake.

Speaking of traveling, Lisa and I were chatting the other day about MONHEGAN 2010!! Are you ready for another Knitting and Yoga and Whoopie Pie adventure? I certainly am. Watch out, Holden-- September will be here before you know it. Let me offer a little tease here and say that I am privy to some excellent plans Lisa is brewing up for us for the next trip. I won't even give you a hint, yet, but I promise that pretty soon I'll tell you a little bit about what is up. While I make you wait, just in case you need a visual refresher for how much fun we had and how much fun we're going to have next year, take a look at this:

Meanwhile, I hope that you have a lovely December and, if you do the holidays-- any holidays-- that you enjoy them. My personal motto is Godspeed Through the Holidays, a sentiment that Bubbles, my very smart Boston Terrier (above right) shares with me, as you can see from the pissed of expression on her face, which comes courtesy of my insistence on jamming her into that Santa suit. (Rebound is wearing a sweater I made for Bubbles, but which Bubbles also is none to fond of).

More soon! I am off to France! I have packed four fairly simple projects for my ridiculously long plane rides: two pairs of socks, one leg warmer (I lost one of those gorgeous Noro legwarmers of mine on a flight a couple of months ago), and some cabled hand warmers. Oh, and Ori wants me to make him a hat that looks like the French flag, because we won't stand out enough already with me in my rainbow assortment of knitwear.
Au revoir, y'all!!
Spike