Alphabetical knitting? Maybe…
With fronds like these…
This began life as a market bag and became a sea anemone. Because I suck at math.
A is for Anemone
Dwarf beard
This is the sequel post to dwarf helmet.
(It’s back-dated, but I hope neither of my followers cares. It came out in time for the opening night of The Hobbit, which is the important thing.)
And my axe!
My boyfriend likes to refer to this as the Rabbi Friedman picture.
Dwarf Helmet
Still debating whether to add horns…
This is one half of my Dwarf Helmet + Beard to wear to The Hobbit in two days. It was mostly made by watching Rare Exports, which is probably the most horrific you can get and still technically be kid-friendly, at HorrificKnits‘ urgent urging. The pattern is from the Viking Hat (for a baby) instructions, but I used KnitNannyRuth’s notes as a guideline instead of the actual pattern, with a few modifications. (You might need a ravelry account to view her notes).
Dwarf Helmet
Yarn: worsted weight
Needles: size 7 or 8 (I used 8)
CO 96
Two rows 1×1 ribbing (K1, P1)
Three rows seed stitch (seed stitch: alternate between K1, P1 around or P1, K1 around — do the opposite of what you did the previous row)
4 rows stockinette
1 bobble row — K7, MB around. (MB: loosely knit into the front and back of a single stitch twice before sliding it off the left needle — four stitches instead of 1. Turn the work, and purl into the four stitches you just made. Back down to 1 stitch. Turn work and resume)
4 rows stockinette
4 rows seed stitch
Helmet Band: K42, place marker. Bobble band (11 stitches total): Seed stitch 3, K5, Seed stitch 3. K43
Repeat Helmet Band for 7 rows (8 total rows).
1 row Bobble round: K42, seed stitch 3, K2, MB, K2, seed stitch, K43
Repeat Helmet Band for 8 rows
1 row Bobble round
Decreases:
K42, work 11 stitches of helmet band. PM–this is your new beginning of round to reduce decreases within the helmet band
K1, (K2tog, K7) 9 times, K2tog, K1, work Helmet Band — 85 stitches
K 1 row
K1, (K2tog, K6) 9 times, K2tog, work Helmet Band — 76 stitches
K 1 row
K1, (K2tog, K5) 9 times, K1, work Helmet Band — 68 stitches
K 1 row
K1, (K2tog, K4) 9 times, K1. Helmet Band Decrease: Seed stitch 3, SSK, K1, K2tog, seed stitch 3) — 56 stitches (Helmet Band has 9)
1 row Bobble Round
K1, (K2tog, K3) 9 times, K1, work Helmet Band — 47 stitches
K 1 row
K1, (K2tog, K2) 9 times, K1, work Helmet Band — 38 stitches
K 1 row
K1, (K2tog, K1) 9 times, K1, work Helmet Band — 29
K 1 row
K1, (K2tog) 9 times, K1, Helmet Band Decrease: SSK, seed stitch 1, K3, seed stitch 1, K2tog — 17 stitches (Helmet band has 7)
2 rows K2tog around.
Draw string through and weave in the ends, unless you’re lazy.
Now to make the beard!
Garden of the Gods
While visiting friends in Colorado, we went to Garden of the Gods. If you haven’t been, you should absolutely go — Colorado Springs and the surrounding areas are absolutely beautiful. While in the park, we saw these two fellows disregarding the “Keep off the Grass” signs. My buddy Erick identified them as mule deer. I think the colors and poses make it look like an old painting.
Goodbye, Summer
This lot was across from my complex. There were a lot of weeds and wildflowers by the road, and further in a little pond where the geese nested and kept us awake all night with their honking.
I liked to go down and pick Queen Anne’s Lace, bring it home and put it in water glasses. Queen Anne’s Lace is wild carrot, if you didn’t know.
They recently dug this area up and put some cheap student housing in. No more geese or wildflowers, but there’s a sidewalk now. Frankly the field was a little scary to walk past at night anyway, since there were no streetlights.
The Danger of the Single Story
Favorite Ted Talk
In brief, the single story is when you hear only one aspect something, when the reality is that there are many people living all kinds of varied lives. For example, the speaker, from a well-to-do Nigerian family, was asked about tribal music by her American college roommate, who had only heard the “single story” of Africans being a tribal people. A very good talk.
The Detour
The day after Christmas, I was driving back from my family’s home in Ithaca (New York). My route takes 89 to 96, up to the 90. 89 and 96 go through some very beautiful rural parts. I forget which of the two I was on when I saw the flares and the police directed me to take a road going east. There weren’t any other cars so I wasn’t sure if I could find my way back, but I was happy for the chance to see some new places.
Sometimes I see a horse-and-carriage in this part of New York.
I think Central New York always looks the same throughout the year and only the fields change color. In the winter when there’s no snow, they’re a beautiful coppery orange.
Fortunately I was able to find my way back after about 20 minutes.
