I have learned that the process of knitting does not end when a garment is bound off the needles and put in a drawer. What is more important than how your knitted garment wears? We all want our knits to last the test of time, but does that really happen? All of the work that goes into knitting an item only for it to be relegated to the back of your closet? This kind of information needs to be shared in the knitting community–there is great worth in telling your fellow knitters how a pattern shapes up after a few outings, as well as how the yarn washes and wears on a daily basis.

Purly did it last week. Lolly does it this week. Who is next week?

I encourage you to let your fellow knitters know!!

(Compliments to Rachael for "inventing" this fun finished knit pose)

Rhapsody in Blue was completed this past summer while I was at the beach. I have worn it about three or four times, and initially was very happy with how it turned out. I liked the wide boatneck and the bell sleeves. However, with each wear, I found it stretching width-wise. I washed and reblocked, and it was good again. I am concerned that it will stretch out width-wise again, and I guess I will just repeat the blocking process. Have others had this problem with Cotton Ease? Do you always have to reblock?

The yarn itself looks as good as it did the day I finished. No pilling, no fading, and no stray fibers sticking out from the woven ends. I had a few problems in the beginning (pictures in this May entry) with the way the reverse side looked–it could only be described as "wonky". However, these patches have smoothed out very well with the washing. I continue to be very happy with this yarn–I think it is my favorite yarn I have ever used–and sure enough, it is discontined now! However, I do have a little reserve in the ol’ stash–at least enough for two more garments and an accessory or two

VERDICT: Love it — even if it takes a little more maintainence to reblock it!

This is Tempting, from Knitty.com. I completed this sweater in the beginning of May after a few problems with the pattern. However, once I got it down, I was pretty pleased with the result. I was determined to show that even if this sweater was designed for smaller girls, I could wear it too. The yarn is Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran. It was really wonderful to work with while I was knitting this garment. However, I really am not very pleased with how it has worn. I have worn this garment only twice in public. I am not entirely sure how the off-the-shoulder look would go over at the office, or at a Catholic school… So, I wore it to a festival last spring, and have worn it to dinner once. After only one wear, I began to notice fuzziness and the beginnings of pills on the sides of the sweater.

I picked some pills off, but more appeared almost immediately.

It may be hard to make out in the photo–but they are there, trust me.

The other major problem with this knit is how much it has stretched. The yarn is quite heavy in the knitted fabric–and in my opinion, may not be the right weight for this particular project (although that is what the pattern calls for) The stretching has caused this figure-shaping feminine sweater to look boxy and droopy… and that is not flattering at all.

Plus, I am not happy with the sleeves. I would make them longer–they are a weird lengh–either a cap sleeve, or a 3/4 sleeve would be a better fit for this garment. Another mishap, entirely my own fault, is the hole in the sleeve–this happened when I slipped it over my head, and the yarn got caught on a piece of jewelry.

All of these factors make me like this sweater less and less. I am willing to give the yarn "another life" in a new garment if I can reduce the pilling. (It is such a great color!) Any ideas? Has anyone made a garment with Cashmerino Aran and LOVED it? Please tell. In the meantime, I am thinking of another garment that this yarn is better suited for–Tempting was a fun knit, but if I ever did it again, I would choose a different fiber, and knit a size (or two) smaller.

VERDICT: This one will be swimming in the frog pond shortly.

Yesterday, I celebrated my 25th birthday. I guess it was not so much of a celebration as it was more of an observance… The high point of the day was definitely a nice lunch with my mom at our favorite French cafe. Unfortunately, I had to cut the afternoon short because I was getting some major cold symptoms–but I had to get to class that night to turn in a paper. A nap and some medicine helped me through the rest of the evening, but I sure was ready to hit the sack once I got home…

We did get the chance to have a little fun on the weekend before the school and work schedules started up again. We met my parents on Sunday for an early birthday dinner at a favorite Mexican place.

When it is your birthday, you get to wear a sombrero.

A big thank you for the lovely cards and birthday wishes that filled my inbox! This community is full of amazing people!

You know what I want for my birthday? I want YOU to place a pin in my KnitBlogger Geography map! This is a new project that I heard about through Bonne Marie. Other knitters have maps too–make sure to sign theirs as well!

I had a great time compiling the pomegranate post. Thank you for your interest and comments on it! I so enjoyed seeing your experiences with pomegranates, as well as your stories of your own personal treasures. Cathi shared her extensive city mug collection and some information about her travels past and future, and Cathy shared her adorable panda collection and more information on how to help these endangered animals.

If you share information about your own collection in a blog entry, I would love to know about it!

Socktoberfest news will be in the next entry, so stay tuned!

Many thanks for your words on my Rhapsody pullover. The picture on the beach was a quickie that we managed to snap as we were leaving Ocean City last weekend, and when I got home, I was able to take some better shots that show the true color and texture.

The sweater was a simple knit, with no new skills learned, other than working towards better finishing techniques. The pullover still needs to be blocked–I am hoping to get a little more length out of it, and even up the stitches.

For those of you thinking about this pullover, I noticed that the yarn estimates were WAY off in the magazine. I pulled out the recommended 8 skeins of Cotton Ease to make my size, and I only used 5.5 skeins. Of course, this makes me happy to have 2.5 skeins left to make something else, but it could save a little money for someone who is buying the yarn.

Now that I finished up Rhapsody, the biggest project I have going is the Kahlo afghan… and it certainly is the biggest thing I have going–this thing is gargantuan! I am just beginning Row 96, which has nearly 400 stitches on it. Each row takes me about 15 or 20 minutes to complete, so it is a lot slower going than it was in the beginning.

See? It is taking up the whole chair! It is roughly 4.5 feet in diameter now, and the final product is around 5.5, so I still have a foot to go! The colors in the afghan keep me excited about the knit. I change color every 3-6 rows, so you can imagine the end weaving nightmare this is going to be… great fun.

The green arrow on the picture shows the color section that I am currently working on. You can see how far I have come (and how much I still have to do!) I am undecided about the fringe–I guess I will make that call when I get there. It seems like a nice concept, but could become very fuzzy because of Homespun’s acrylic nature…

Much of my time lately has been sucked up by school and homework. While I am always happy to get a required class out of the way in a mere 6 weeks, this means that it is double the work. My whole Saturday was devoted to learning about Library Information Systems. Exhilirating, no? Well, it was not so bad, because my friend and fellow knitibrarian was in the class with me, but nevertheless, a long day. I am quickly seeing the need for a small and inconspicuous knit that I can do during class–a sock perhaps? or some wristlets?

In the midst of this school daze, I was pleasantly surprised to receive two things this week from fellow knitbloggers–both across the blue Atlantic. A big thanks to Jess and Althea for thinking of me! Jess, knowing my love of libraries and museums, sent me a grand package with all sorts of goodies from the British Library. This amused me to no end! Postcards, maps, information sheets, trinkets, and even some knitty stuff (yummy Italian mohair and some great Wool soap).

I cannot wait to visit the British Library someday–they have so many items that I have to see (Lindisfarne Gospels and Codex Sinaiticus are top two) Thanks to Jess!

From Althea, I received a postcard from her lovely city of Haifa, Israel. She promises that if I make it back to Israel, she can show me some great places that tourists never make it to! I may have to take that one up as I never made it to Haifa when I was in the country before. Thanks Althea!

Summer is in full force in our garden–plants are growing big and tall, and some of the veggies and fruits are ripening. We have already have several meals with fresh herbs from our garden, but some peppers, tomatoes, squash, and zucchini are very close to harvest!

Tomatoes and Banana Peppers ripen

Our beanstalk and the flowering nasturtium

ISRAEL PICTURE OF THE DAY

Marking the five-year anniversary of my study-abroad trip to Israel June/July 2000

The field school at Tel Beth Shemesh was open to anyone who was able to apply, and the majority of the people were students, undergrad and grad. Rebecca and I (we are the ones on the left, seated) were the only students from our university that participated, and we were 2 of the 3 students from Maryland. The other students came from Indiana, Louisiana, and Missouri. Another large contingent of the volunteers were not associated with a university, but came on their own to be part of the field school. In our downtimes, we made sure to have some fun. We made our way to nearby Jerusalem, and ate at many cafes (yummy falafel!), danced at some fun clubs, and generally enjoyed the city. We also made it to Tel Aviv for one day to sightsee and dip our toes into the Mediterranean. One of our jokes–the seas around Israel: The Dead (sea), The Red (sea) and the Med(iterranean Sea) I was not able to make it to Eilat to dip into the Red Sea, but two out of three is not too bad!

Thank you for allowing me to share my wonderful Israel memories with you. I hope you have enjoyed it for the past few weeks. This will be my last Israel Pictures of the Week segment.

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If you were planning to celebrate July 4th by knitting a HUGE American flag, it looks like someone beat you to the punch…

One Row at A Time: Knitting an American Flag

Rhapsody in Blue
Started: May 15th, 2005 Finished: June 26th, 2005
Yarn: Lion Brand Cotton Ease in Candy Blue
Needles: Takumi Clover bamboo size 8
Pattern: Spring/Summer 2005 FCEK #29

This simple raglan boatneck caught my eye, and with some Cotton Ease in my stash, I knew it would be a good match. Knitting this pullover was a lot of fun for me–it was straight stockinette the whole way, but I did not find myself bored with the pattern. The yarn was wonderful, and like so many others, I am upset that it is being discontinued. My local craft stores appear to be sold out, but there is a chance that I may find more at the Tuesday Morning shop near my parents’ house–so I will check it out.

I finished the sleeves before I left for the beach, and the front was completed during the trip. A great majority of it was done while sitting on the beach at Assateague Island.

Back at the house, I got some help with the yarn when I was seaming it up… my dear niece Krista has taken quite an interest! Krista and her older sister, McKayla, always want to peek over my shoulder and watch me knit. I plan to teach McKayla how to knit soon–she is seven, and has reached the point when I think she could handle some simple stitches.

In other knitting news, I cast on for my Milano tank, but have not made any real progress since that point. I am hoping to get some more time this afternoon on the Metro. I also did a few more rounds on the Kahlo Homespun afghan. It has reached such large proportions, I have relegated it to the couch in the basement-it is no longer portable knitting! Your suggestions/votes on yarn for my One Skein Wonder was overwhelmingly for the Classic Elite Provence cotton–so it looks like this little quickie project will be up soon, along with the quickie lace sarong for my sister. (Hi Mimi!)

A big thanks for Keri for the great RAOK that she sent me! It was a great thing to come back to on Tuesday when we got home! The card has watercolor ladybugs on it, and she notes she chose this one because of the ladybugs in our garden. She sent a cow tape measure (cute!) and a great little zippy pouch she got in Mexico–perfect for notions. Thanks!

School Days… Again…

Summer session classes began last Tuesday. This mini-semester is jam-packed with readings, writings, and presentations. One of my classes, History of the Book, is absolutely fascinating, and I can honestly point to this class as one of the reasons that I decided to do the Library School route. I have always been fascinated with manuscript and print culture, and with my work in European history, I am able to supplement this class with many other readings and research. This class is providing a perfect foundation for the librarian I want to be: a Special Collections librarian, which is a hybrid of sorts–borrowing from libraries, archives, and museums. Several of my courses have been held at the Library of Congress, however this is the first time that we will be able to really use the Library’s collections in our actual research… studying the typography of the Gutenberg Bible? well, let’s go downstairs and take a look at one of the real ones! A 12th-century Southeast Asian manuscript written on leaves? They’ve got it. It is really amazing to have those resources at your fingertips.

The Jefferson Building houses the well-known Reading Room, and many exhibit halls and cases (online tour here!). Very few offices and public rooms are in this building, located directly behind the Capitol Building on the National Mall. Across the street, the Madison Building houses many offices, reading rooms, meeting rooms, and laboratories. My class meets in the Madison. Another building, the Adams, is located behind the Jefferson houses many offices and a few reading rooms. The books owned by the Library of Congress are spread between the three buildings, and several off-site storage facilities around the region.

My other classes, Information Systems and Art and Museum Librarianship have not started yet, but I am sure that they will be great too–I am very happy with my decision to go back to school for the dual degree–I just hope I can find the right job next year after graduation!

ISRAEL PICTURES OF THE DAY

Marking the five-year anniversary of my study-abroad trip to Israel June/July 2000

One of the most famous sites in the land of Israel rises up over the Dead Sea in the Judean Desert. Masada, a large plateau, has a long history, as discovered in the site’s archaeological excavations, however it is best known for the period around 70 CE, when a group of political and religious zealots, the Sicarii, left Roman-controlled Jerusalem and fled to the desert, making their home on top of this plateau. They were not the first to take up residence here, as King Herod the Great’s summer palace was located on the stepped edge of the mountain, built about 100 years earlier. The people lived on Masada for several years, building homes, a large cistern, and a notable synaogue.

Around 73 CE, the Roman legions marched on Masada, planning a siege of the mountain-top fortress. They constructed a large ramp, built from stone in order to reach the top, choosing not to use the windy "Snake Path" on the sea side of the mountain. It took many months to complete the ramp, and finally in 74 CE, the Romans reached the top of the fortress. Although the sources are not entirely accurate from this point, it can be said that the inhabitants burnt their storehouses, and many of them committed suicide, instead of falling to the Romans. This tale plays a large part in Israeli nationalism, and is one of the most-visited sites in the country, despite the arid desert location. We visited on a very warm day in July, and climbed the Roman Ramp side, which was very steep, but quite an experience.

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Auntie Lolly, Krista and McKayla do some beachcombing

We had a lovely and relaxing time in Ocean City! The weather was perfect while we were there–no humidity, breezy, and moderate temps. The company was also wonderful: my brother-in-law brought up my dear nieces, and I was able to spend some time with them.

Kris and I drove over earlier in the day to get the condo settled, stock the refrigerator, and have a little free time before the rest of the family arrived. In this time, we hit up one of the LYSs!

Sea Needles is located in Bethany Beach, Delaware: a very quaint little beach town just over the state line. I found the store very well-stocked with several popular lines, as well as some decent space set aside for the smaller local producers, and lesser-known lines. I found the prices to be good, and the no sales tax in DE is always a plus!

The Zitron Unikat was a real find, and with that purchase, I got a free Skacel pattern for a bias scarf. Three skeins of Tahki Cotton Classic for the Mimi’s birthday sarong, three balls of Frog Tree Alpaca (this stuff is so yummy), and the two new Berroco books (great patterns in these books–Cold Comforts and Forever Hip– but I would choose alternative yarns for many of the designs because I am not crazy about many of their colorways. Some of my faves? Wellesley, Carleton, Oberlin, Clemson, Delores, and Hoover are the reasons I bought the books — and I am already on the lookout for some alternate yarns!

Unfortunately, I was not able to visit any other yarn shops while I was at the beach, although I know there is one in Rehoboth named The Knitty Gritty. While in Ocean City, I saw a sign for Salty Yarns near 8th street, but it was not clear where the shop was, and as it was raining hard on the last day, so we did not make it. I did find the website of the shop however, and it does seem more geared towards needlepoint than knitting and crochet. Nevertheless, I hope to check it out on my next trip over to the Eastern Shore.

My experience at Sea Needles was very positive, and I highly recommend the shop–I will be back there on my next trip!

When we came back after the LYS trip, Kris and I headed down to the bayside of the island. He wanted to try his new fishing rod, and I sat on the dock of the bay wasting time (well, knitting on Rhapsody, actually!) Here she is sunning herself.

Once Kris’s brother arrived that evening with the nieces, they were ready to head back to the bay for some crabbing. Because I did not grow up near the beach, or water at all for that matter (in New Mexico) I am not used to all of these sports. Kris has always enjoyed these outdoor activities with his father and brothers, and he rarely keeps any of the fish or crabs that he manages to catch. As a vegetarian, I choose not to eat any meat, including fish and other seafoods, so I have never tried the famous MD crabs.

Say hello to the famous Maryland Blue Crab (he is waving at you!) These little crustaceans are pretty popular in this area!

After a fun-filled Friday, we woke up on Saturday and decided to head to Assateague Island. It was a great day! Kris, his dad, and his brother went clamming in the bay waters off the island, bringing in about 150 clams. I sat on the shore and knit for quite awhile, read some of my book, and then headed out on my own little tour of the island. I saw some of the famous wild horses!

The history of the island is fascinating, and I spent a good deal of time reading the national park signs, and keeping my eye out for more of the ponies. You can read more about them here.

Kris and I took the girls to the beach the next morning. We did a little bit of wave jumping, saw some beautiful dolphins very close to shore, and built a sand castle!

Kris, McKayla (the brunette), and Krista (the blondie) working on their sand castle.

The next day was rather drizzly, and we deemed this the perfect day for shopping. My mother-in-law and I headed to the outlets in Rehoboth, and made out very well! Several new outfits, and two new pairs of shoes for me!

More details about another special event in tomorrow’s entry! Stay tuned

ISRAEL PICTURES OF THE DAY

Marking the five-year anniversary of my study-abroad trip to Israel in June/July 2000

This mosaic decorates the floor of the church in the town of Tagbha, in the Galilee region of Israel. The Galilee region has several historical sites, many of the popular ones being sites that are mentioned in the Bible’s New Testament. The mosaic above is housed in a church that was built around the site where it is believed that Jesus performed the miracle of feeding the 5000 followers with fish and loaves of bread.

The use of the mosaics in the region shows the influence that the Greco-Roman world had on ancient art in Israel (then known as the Palestine to the Romans). Before the Hellenistic period, art in ancient Israel rarely included pictures of people or animals, believing it to be idolatry. However, mosaics made their way into the floor and wall decorations of various homes, synagogues, churches, and governmental buildings.

I live in a town with funny street names. In fact, one of my town’s main characteristics is the street signs with the funny names on them. Although I have not seen the actual sign, I am sure there is a "Deer-Drinking-Water-From-Serene-River Way" or "Rabbit-Chased-Into-Small-Burrough-Narrowly-Escaping-Death-by-Huge-SUV Lane" (okay, maybe not the last one…) Nevertheless, it is pretty interesting driving around town and seeing the names of the streets. Imagine my excitement when I saw this one:

Perhaps I should get a chair and just sit and knit on my Kahlo Homespun afghan under this sign? It is just so fitting

Now it looks like a huge market bag, or a giant Rastafarian hat… but soon, it will look like this (with a few color alterartions). The afghan is a joy to work on–I love this circular technique.

Work also continues on my Rhapsody pullover, the entire pullover is in stockinette stitch. However, this is not boring me. In fact, while knitting this pullover, I have been able to watch 4 films with subtitles and knit at the same time; it is the perfect knitting for movie-watching/reading. (What did I watch? Well, my foreign film extravaganza continues: El Crimen del Padre Amaro, Amelie (for the umpteenth time), Lucia y el Sexo, and House of Flying Daggers)

About 8.5 inches up, another 7 to go before the raglan shaping.

To celebrate the Summer Solstice, and for some fresh air, we took the girls on a car ride last night. I think it was the best day of their lives. They love to go for rides! These were my hot dates for Tuesday night!

When we came back to our house, there was a small neighborhood party going on. We were able to catch up with some of our neighbors, and consume a few yummy drinks. It was fun… almost so much that I forgot I had to go to work the next day…

In celebration of the start of summer, here are some photos from our garden.

We planted our grapes three summers ago, and this is the first time we have seen any fruit on the vine! I am not sure exactly what the grapes will taste like, but it is exciting nonetheless. The lilies are beginning to wane, I wanted to catch a few more pics before the petals fell off!

We put the last of our ladybugs out last night. You are supposed to put them out at night so that they can eat the "bad bugs" throughout the night before their flights the next day. Very few of the bugs we bought remain, but they did help our plants.

**This week’s Knit Nite will be a special affair: Tanya Indigo Muse is in town, and Heather, Eilene, and I are meeting her on Thursday night for a fun time! Too bad sweet Donna will miss it, she is on vacation in Cape Cod. As always, you know that copious amount of pictures will follow

ISRAEL PICTURES OF THE DAY

Marking the five-year anniversary of my study-abroad trip to Israel in June/July 2000

The history of the land of Israel is so vast, with remains from Prehistoric Ages, into medieval times. Most of my time was spent studying the remains at the Tel Beth Shemesh Field School, but on the long weekends, Becca and I were able to travel the whole of the country, taking in as much as we could. The highlight of our trip to the Negev desert was our tour of the citadel Avdat. Serving as a caravan station on many trade routes, the large part of the city was built by the Arab Nabateans in the the first century BCE. The citadel is also home to an ancient church, monastery built in the Byzantine era, and the older trade station. The arches above (one of my favorite pictures from the trip) outline the Byzantine architecture in the region. The walls around the arches are no longer in tact, but they remain.

From the citadel, one could see for tens of miles all around. It was a beautiful site, and we even saw some Bedouin herding their large camels. It was worth the heat (around 120 degrees that day!) to see these amazing ruins.