H-E double toothpicks week

Everyone has a bad day at work now and then. Life has been pretty good for me ever since I changed jobs 4 years ago, but I think my bad days have been saving up for this last week. The worst thing that happened: I was in charge of setting up a computer in the library for the younger students to watch the inauguration. My phone was ringing off the hook just before the students were supposed to come in and I didn't realize the time. Of course, there were technical difficulties (which would have been resolved if I had everything set up earlier) and we had no audio! Children and teachers scrambled to watch in other rooms and I was left with egg on my face.

The phones ringing off the hook is at the root of hell week. I was asked to do centralized scheduling for parent teacher conferences. Nice idea, but 37 voice mails and 176 emails before I walk in the door, and it just keeps coming . . . I am still not caught up despite working lots of (unpaid)overtime.

Just stressing. . .thanks for listening.

Domino hat

I enjoyed a two week break for the holidays and spent way too much time making this lovely hat using the domino knitting (mitered square) technique. I love the pattern. It's a variation on one by Maureen Mason Jamison called "A Flower for Annabelle" This is not the first thing I've knit in the domino technique. I made a vest a few years back that took 2nd place at the Wisconsin state fair. I remember now that when I made the vest I thought it was georgeous but too slow and time consuming, and I would never make another domino knit item again. This hat took the better part of my 2 week vacation to complete . . . way too much of my valuable time. But it is cute. Another problem--this hat is supposed to be for me, but it came out just a bit small. I only had a horizontal gauge to go by, and I had to adjust the length at the top by elongating the diamonds. Even then, it just covers my ears, though it looks perfect on my young knitting buddy here. She's hinting that she would like it, but I'm stingy and I think I'll keep it.

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.