Knitting with the lights off

When I was a kid, I had a rich fantasy life.  I spent a lot of time pretending I was blind- I tried to fool people into thinking I was a blind kid.   Why, you ask?  I'm sure I had a good reason at the time.  At any rate, I practiced using my finger to feel how full the glass was getting, so that I could pour a glass of milk without looking.  I walked around the house with my eyes closed, to get used to where the doorways and furniture were.  I knitted in the dark.
The only habit I have retained from this skill set is the last one.  And, it doesn't have to be dark, really- I just knit the easy stuff without looking.  Okay, I check the work every so often...except when I am knitting in the car at night.  Knitting-while-riding is a good reason to knit without looking.  If you look at your knitting while in a moving vehicle, you have about 10 minutes before you need the proverbial air-sickness bag.
Knitting in the dark does come back to bite you every now and then.  An unnoticed yarn-over becomes a stitch...and the next day, in the light, you are fixing or frogging.
Even so, the benefits (productivity) outweigh the drawbacks (occasional fix/frog). And, when you can knit without looking, your neck and shoulders will thank you.  Here's how you get there.
1. Start with plain and simple.  Do a scarf in garter stitch, or work on the plain body of a sock in the round.  Find a comfy chair and put your feet up.  (this makes it harder to look at every stitch.)  Knit one row very slowly, getting all of you information from your fingers.  Feel each step of each stitch.  Do not permit yourself to peek until you complete the row.  How did you do? If you did okay, turn and do a second row without peeking.  Again, keep it slow, and let your brain visualize the picture that your fingers are sending.
Don't worry about keeping a very slow pace.   Rhythm is more important than speed right now.  Speed will build with practice.  If you need proof, just use a timer when you knit your second or third row, then put the timer away until you are practicing row 15 or 20.  You will see that you will already be waaaaayyyy faster than when you started.
So, look at your knitting at the end of every row, and (for now) when you turn your knitting to start the next row.
2.  Set some goals.  When you can knit garter stitch pretty reliably, or knit an inch of your plain sock, take stock.  You now know that your fingers can work pretty well without being watched.  Your fingers can 'see' the stitches.    It is time to let your fingers practice some new skills.  Try knitting a plain rib without looking.  Let your fingers 'see' which are the knit stitches and which are the purls.  Or try turning your knitting to start a new row, without peeking.
It's nothing but a little practice, really.  Each new added skill will probably need 30 or 45 minutes to learn and practice.
Whether you peek, or not, there's a great little garter stitch sweater for a toddler on the Lion Brand site, called "Blarney Stone Cardigan".  Here's the link:
http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/90739AD.html?noImages=&utm_source=20110211_Feb11&utm_medium=Emails&utm_campaign=Weeklynewsletter&utm_content=P-KnitBlarneyStoneCardigan-90739&r=1

90739ada.jpg

passap and white form computers

A great, but hot!, day at the Fair

Darling Cousin K and I went to the fair, with DCK's granddaughter and gd's friend. We were treated to, and entertained by, in no particular order, visits to the places the girls had been yesterday when they went to the fair with spa-purchasing parents, demonstrations of the recliner-footrests in the back seat of Toyota vans; free water at the DEC building; maple cotton candy; frisbee dogs, tigers, the wool barn, and some short forays into the Pigs/llamas/goats/ sheep/ rabbits exhibits; lunch in the international building; the butter sculpture; the home and art center, with all the quilts and needlework competitions; the Agriculture museum, where we found the derivation of the idiom 'to knock off' work; Where all the vendors with $1 water are; the live music by the center for progress; 19 trips through the horticulture building (seemed like); bitty baby outfits; apple dumpling sundaes; and fudge, of course.

We needed all that water. It was a scorcher! Happliy, they did not announce the temperature on the fairgrounds.

We all got in for free, some of us for being old, some for being young.
By the time I got home, i was too tired to fill DH in on all of our adventures...

Painting the windows- or - the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

The windows were installed in 1998. I am painting them nine years later.
To be fair, there are a lot of windows in this house, and I have painted all the other ones, including windows that were new in 2005.
And another point to be considered: While I have not finished painting all the windows, the ceiling trim in the living room has not been completed, and that ceiling went up in 86. We are working on that, too. As a matter of fact, I got out the paint to prime and paint the woodwork before it gets fitted and installed.
We have also renewed our promise to finish the dining room. It's disparate elements do not match each other, never mind matching the rest of the house.
I wonder why this stuff has not bothered us? I think the fact that they were 'on the list' was enough to keep us unbothered in those busy years. In fact, they don't bother us now. We just have the time to do it.
We have never lived in a finished house. I wonder what that's like? do you still have a list? What do you put on it?

What to Name the Cat

There's a week's worth of kitty crap in the box, but the cat remains without a name. Of course, the cat doesn't care. But, she IS trying to get herself named. She streaks through the house, starting her ascent to the bathroom counter before it is even in sight. She runs so heavily on the upstairs carpets that she would make a pony proud. She energetically fishes the treat off the top of the stool, manuevering it over the edge of the seat, to fall on the floor, where she chomps it down and looks up for another. She leaves a small dimple in the bedspread, on the opposite side of the bed from the dog's big dimple. She works patiently to get every door open, no matter how long it takes. She sleeps in the Old lady's chair. DH thinks that Parker (a la 'Nosy Parker') fits her. I'm thinking 'Bullet' or 'Crash'.
I'm thinking that a young cat takes a little getting used to, after years with a geriatric one. But I do like the way she feels. She's firm, sleek, and thoroughly relaxed in my arms. She drapes on my shoulder. She stretches up to meet my hand.
I like that the dog likes her. Sally suffered the disapproval of the Old Lady without complaint. This cat not only accepts Sally, she enjoys Sally. Sally is ecstatic.
If you have any good cat names, let me know.

Julie and Julia go to the Panda Buffet.

Went to the movies- Sunday matinee- senior discount ticket. I enjoyed "Julie and Julia" so much. The screenplay should get Nora Ephron an Academy Award nomination, and I hope both Meryl Streep and Stanley Tucci get them, too!
DH is ready to read "My Life in France", which I have, and he has some notion of cooking a lot of Julia's recipes, as though their happiness (Julia and Paul) was somehow enhanced by the recipes, and not the other way around.
He also said "You blog." Whatever that means. I think he's got a screenplay running in his head.

We left the mall, and went to the Panda buffet for supper. There's ironic contrast for you!

Day #2 at the State Fair

On Friday, I was back at the State Fair, this time with a couple of knitting machines, and another MKer, to demonstrate machine knitting in the Arts and Crafts exhibit. BMKFF (Best Machine Knitting Friend Forever - left photo) and I had a great time. We had only met by email before today, and we certainly didn't get as much time as we wanted to chat.
Getting onto the state fairgrounds, finding parking to unload, carrying and setting up, tearing down and repacking aside, the day was a walk in the park. Happily, I had help from the volunteers at the arts & crafts exhibit. I especially appreciated Dan's help at the end of the day.
We were set up, and knitting, shortly after 10:00 am. A steady flow of people stopped by all day. We were scheduled to demo from 10 to 2, but before we knew it , it was 4:00!
Around noon, I headed to the Pepsi International Bldg, for a lamb gyro. It took me until 2 to get it all eaten. Driving home, I picked up some caffeine in Pulaski (and I stopped at Collosse Cheese.) By the time I had unloaded the car at home, I knew I had had a long day, but a great one.
Everytime that I knit with someone else, it recharges my MK batteries. BMKFF gave me a big boost, with her noodlings on the passap. She had some terrific samples, and the cutest baby socks. I came home and apologized to my passap, Polly, which I have to walk by to get to Bette Brother , Susie Singer and Sally Superba. I sense Polly needs more than an apology.