She CAN be taught!!

Yesiree Bob! I checked my last ball of Noro and low and behold...look carefully now...Two segments of purpley-pink!


So I says to myself, "Self, that doesn't look right; I bet you there's a knot," and unwind I did until...



A lovely little Noro Knot.





While I can obviously be taught (at least some of the time), I do, however, still need some help with the skill of reading.





Did you know that when a pattern reads, "Repeat last four rows 14 times" (one of those rows included 2 decreases---one at each end---not rocket science), that a completely different amount of yarn will be required should you decrease a total of 14 stitches from the beginning of shaping, and then move onto the next set of instructions?





Did you know that failure to work the decrease at the end of the row where you worked one at the beginning of the row will mess you up quite a few rows later?





Did you know that when you stay up past midnight catching up on The Young and The Restless (poor Sharon), and reknitting all the knitting that you previously Frogged and Tinked due to above mentioned reading 'brain-farts' and the power goes out...that it's REALLY DARK!?
I MEAN PITCH!!





So this morning I completed the knitting of all the major parts of my Haliburton Noro, having to add more yarn to complete the last 1 & 1/4 rows and to castoff. Oy.
Gotta say again, I'm quite pleased with my attention to keeping true to the colour progressions (as much as possible).

With body and sleeves completed, I'm quite excited to see about getting this puppy put together, so I sit with the pattern.

I read the finishing instructions of the pattern.

I get more coffee.

I look closely, really closely, at the pictures of the sweater.

I read the pattern again; this time from the beginning to make sure that I didn't miss anything when I started this sweater a year and a half ago. I read it again and again and again.

I don't get it. It doesn't make sense to me.

So I do what any learned knitter/quilter/married person would do (because they too have 'been taught') who's been faced with similar frustrating situations.

I walk away.

I go take a shower.

I have an "AHA moment" in the shower, where suddenly the fog clears from all their convoluted instructions! I can put this puppy together!

All I have to remember is to trust. Trust and blindly follow the instructions exactly as they are written.

And prey.

But first, let us block.

An Update

Here's yesterday's deleted photo:

"Please, it's not time for another haircut is it?"

This, my friends, is what a skein of Noro Silk Garden WITHOUT A SINGLE KNOT IN IT, looks like knit up.

And Now...

More Powerful than a Bunch of Knitters at a Yarn Sale...

Faster than a Collection of Addi Turbos...

Up in the sky...

It's a Shopper...

No, it's a Knitter....

No, it's......

And The Winners Are...

Without further adieus, here is the Grand Prize Winner of the Think Outside the Sox Contest.

These are one of the pairs of socks that my Tulip Socks were up against! We told you, fierce competition! This knitter knit and DYED her socks (not sure which came first the sock or the dye...either way, WOW!!)

Winning the Adult Lace Socks with Cuff's:

These socks won out over my Aurora Borealis. I do like her "creative entrance" (that was part of the criteria).

Here is the "Inspired By Knitter's Magazine" winner.

I would've liked to see my Angel Socks here. This knitter was inspired by Issue #63 page 29. (Note to self: Look up K63 P29)

Now, for your viewing entertainment, have a look at the socks that won the Under 18 Category:

When I saw these while viewing the whole collection, I was hoping that whoever designed these would offer the pattern, because I thought they were so cute.

A ten year old girl designed and knit these wonderful socks! WOW!

I'm spending this frigid morning tidying up after the excitement of entering this contest (pattern writing still to follow) and organizing for my Mindful Knitting Retreat. I still hope to get my Diamond Cardigan finished in time, which will require actually spending time knitting today too!

[ I just deleted a really cute picture of Thursday...and there isn't an "undo" button on this thing! DARN!!]

I'ld like to thank.........you!

The results are in and unfortunately I didn't take any prizes home...this time!
Over the past 7 months or so, I've kept images of the socks that I entered in the "Think Outside The Sox" contest close to the chest, so as not to jinx anything. Well, it is what it is and these are my socks and the images that inspired my designs.

Entry #1:
TULIP SOCKS knit in Dream In Colour Smooshy yarn.
These socks were inspired by a sweater of the same name.

Entry #2:

AURORA BOREALIS knit in Collinette Jitterbug.
These socks were entered into the Adult Sock Lace Cuff category. I used beads and twisted stitches and an unusual toe make-up to tie into the theme and yarn colourway.

Entry #3:

ANGELS PATHWAY knit in Trekking with Angora and Metallic accents.

I entered these socks in the "Inspired by Knitters Magazine" Category. The first time that I bought a Knitter's Magazine was to make an Angel that they included in their projects (no, I haven't done it yet!). A number of years later I bought the XRX book "Angels; A Knitters Dozen", which was packed full of patterns for Angels and bells and all things Angels! This past spring I attended Knitting Camp in New York and learned about a new way of knitting socks from Cat Bordhi (shout out---Happy Birthday Cat!). With all of these resources, I set out to design some fabulous socks that were truly inspired by Knitters...from the first magazine that I ever purchased to one of the most recent issues where Cat Bordhi was interviewed and her new approach to knitting was explored. As I created these socks all the stitches just seemed to find their home. I had an idea, I looked up the stitch and then I worked it. More often than not, the pattern came together like it had been done a thousand times before; it just felt right.

I really enjoyed this whole process and gained so much from the experience! I now know that YES, I can do it! I am pleased to have shared the stage with so many talented knitters, and I am thankful to friends and family that supported me throughout this venture and for getting their votes in for the "Knitter's Choice" award.

Tomorrow, I will post the pictures of the socks that beat me in the categories that I entered and a couple that I just plain found interesting! I also plan on making up patterns for my socks and I am on my way to entering yet another design contest...

Why Not?

And remember....

Could there be a better reason?