Knitting Defined

How cool is this? I stumbled upon this excellent Web 2.0 tool called Wordia. They call themselves the dictionary redefined. Users can upload video of words that have special meaning to them--I see it as an absolutely excellent teacher tool. I wish I was teaching language arts right now! Here is their most excellent definition of knitting

Oh, by the way did I say that this was excellent? Hmmm . . . I wonder if there is a web2.0 thesaurus tool.

Goal Reached

We did it! My friends and I reached our goal of 50 hats and mittens for the Senior Kindergarten's Charity Project--the Mitten Tree. Kudos to my friends, the North Shore Knitters, who did the bulk of the work!

This is what 50 hats and mittens looks like:





I made 4 hats in the last week. Here they are:



It was a joy to spend a little more time knitting,and I was glad to use up the stash. I'm determined to keep up the mitten tree knitting throughout this next year to reduce my stash further. I also plan to work up some fancier hat and mitten patterns. I love small patterns that have a bit of a challenge to them.

Perhaps I'll design something Latvian-like to honor my young knitting protege. Now that the weather is getting bad, we have had more indoor recess, and she and I got together a few times this week. She has progressed to purling and can see the difference between her stitches and knows when she makes a mistake--not bad for a 6 year old.

I'm also looking forward to knitting with more young friends over the Christmas
break. Two students won knitting lessons from me in a fundraising raffle, and I would like to honor my committment.

Election Day Hat

I have been knitting, I just haven't been blogging too much. One entire baby outfit -hat and sweater--was knit and given without a picture taken because it was finished in the nick of time and my camera had dead batteries.--

I had another baby overdue for a gift and I decided to start with the hat, since I didn't feel sure I'd have time for the sweater. So I looked at the yarn on hand suitable for a boy baby, and this is what I came up with. I "invented" it; although I'm sure someone else has come up with the very same pattern before because there are only so many ways you can make a 5 pointed star on the top of a hat. Of course, I never write anything down as I knit, but this is so cute, I'm trying to count my stitches to record this one for posterity.

It is darlingly modeled by a patriotic bear, but it is the perfect size for a newborn - 6 month old. I've got lots of yarn and I think I'll make a few more in big kid size as well.

I hope baby L will wear this today to remind everyone to vote--I wish I had one to match. . .I'll have to work out the adult size as well.

Rainy days and Mondays Never get me Down

Well, my friend Isabella and I have knitted together twice. We had great fun. Unfortunately, the after school time when we had arranged to knit together didn't work out because I have students coming after school for extra help. We came up with a compromise though. We will knit together whenever we have indoor recess. The weather has been uncharacteristically sunny and beautiful. Twice already Isabella has caught me in the hallways and said, "I wish it was raining."
"Me, too." I reply.

Latvian Lass

I had another charming conversation with Isabella, my young friend who knows how to finger knit. Isabella is a kindred spirit. She loves texture and color, and so when she saw me wearing a colorful novelty yarn scarf the other day she stared at me and then started a conversation.

Isabella: I like your scarf. Did you make it?

Me: Yes, I did. I like your hat. Did you make it? (Did I mention that she was wearing a darling crocheted beret that turned her school uniform into an haute-couture ensemble?)

Isabella: No, I bought it in Riga.

Me: Riga? Isn't that in Latvia? Did you go to Latvia?

Isabella: We went there this summer. My mom is from there.

Me: Oh! How wonderful. I've always wanted to go to Latvia because of the knitting. Did you know that Latvia is really famous for their knitting?
You should see their knitting, it's very pretty with lots of colors.

Isabella: (excitedly) I know! You should see their hats!

Together: You should see their mittens! (giggles)

Isabella and I have decided that we will knit together after school. I can't wait to knit and giggle some more.

A Great Place on A Great Lake

Friends and I enjoyed a "River Brewery Cruise" along the Milwaukee River this weekend. We enjoyed brewery tours at Lakefront brewery, the Ale House, and Rockbottom, but mostly we enjoyed the art and architecture on Milwaukee's River Walk and the absolutely perfect weather. We also discovered Grohmann's Labor Museum on the MSOE campus and had an incredible dinner with city view at Roots.

I love my hometown. We have a world class Art Museum, Public Museum, and Zoo, a beautiful lakefront, great county parks and bike paths, an incredible number of great restaurants at reasonable prices, a symphony, ballet, and repertory theatre. We have comedy clubs and Comedy Sportz. We also have smaller theater groups--Chamber theater, children's theater, and not just one, but two opera companies.

We're known for our summer festivals. We celebrate Festa Italiana, Polishfest, Germanfest, Fiesta Mexicana, Irishfest, and the grand daddy of them all Summer Fest.

We have several small museums that are absolute gems--The Betty Brinn children's museum, the Discovery World Museum, the Eisner Advertising museum, the Pabst Mansion, and the Labor Museum (pictured above).

Oh yeah, we also have a major league baseball team and basketball team.

So why is it that more people don't think of Milwaukee as a tourist destination?
I think a major reason is that most Milwaukeeans don't realize how good we've got it, and people who've never been here just don't know.

Milwaukee is a best kept secret. This last weekend we let 100,000 or so Harley riders in on our little secret. I hope they don't keep the secret, but spread it around. Milwaukee is a great place on a Great Lake.

Squeezing it all in.

Just a quick post about the craziness of getting ready for Stitches. I think I'm ready. . . I was slightly surprised to count up the total number of kits I've added to inventory just for Stitches. I've got 80 new bolo kits and 157 new knit with wire kits. Lots of amethyst and turquoise which is always popular with my customers.

Just a little concerned that I'll be able to fit all of this in the car. I have Melissa coming later with her van to take overflow, but I have to have all my display stuff and some of every style to start off and it has to all fit in my '98 Honda Civic. Plus me, my suitcase, and my husband who is taking off work to help me set up. I'm almost wondering if the empty seat in the car is worth more to me than my husband's muscles. After all, I can always use a little exercise.

I will post a pic after the car is packed . . .

I still have to make a few new signs, pack boxes, and work on the paper that is due for my Grad school class on Tuesday after Stitches. . . . and squeeze in a visit with my college roommate who is here from California for her annual trip to Wisconsin.

Better run. . .