Make Me

A Day of Rememberance

To my cousin Penny:

I don't remember meeting you.  I was only four when you were killed in Vietnam.  But I do know that everyone loved you.  I know you were my mother's favorite cousin. For that reason alone I regret never having known you.  I think that is why I took this photo from my grandmother.  When I look into your eyes I see picnics and hear laughter and remember the old house on Chester Place.  I feel connected to you.

Your sister is my godmother - but of course you already know that.  I remember everyone always talking about you at the family reunion every year, even if I no longer remember the specific stories.  I love how family stays alive forever in telling of stories.  Sometimes I feel like I did know you or I think I remember you holding me.  Who knows?  The mind can fabricate the truth out of wishes.

I'm just sorry we all didn't get the chance to grow up with you as a regular part of our lives. it's strange how you can miss someone you have no actual memories of. But I feel your presence in the heartbeat of my family and I'm honored to share your blood.

Full Name: HENRY GRANT HOWCOTT

Date of Birth: 2/13/1935
Date of Casualty: 1/31/1968
Home of Record: NEW YORK
State: NY
Branch of Service: ARMY
Rank: MAJ
Casualty Country: SOUTH VIETNAM
Casualty Province: GIA DINH

Army Major Henry Grant Howcott was lost to the war on January 31, 1968. He was 32 years old when he died.  HENRY GRANT HOWCOTT is honored on Panel 36E, Row 16 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

Behind every great man there is a great woman.

Thank you, Mrs King.  As a young mother, you sacrificed a safe and quiet home for the cause of Civil Rights.  Your drive and determination after the murder of your husband is inspiring.  Some saw you as merely another woman, and uppity colored woman, who would pack up her husband's dreams and disappear.  But those who walked the miles and crossed the lines knew that you were a woman to be reckoned with. As you worked to change the nightmare of bondage into the "free at last!" you gathered speed and momentum - the world took notice.  And the world changed. 

We are the children and grandchildren of that brave generation.  We appreciate what you have done.  We are honored to take the bigger steps in the path you laid out for us.  We endeavor to widen that path for those who come after us.  We are your legacy.  Your shoes are well-worn and road weary, but, because of the many miles you've walked, we can and will continue the journey. Rest in peace, Mrs King. 

Getting Something Off My Chest

I have something to reveal and I'm not sure how to start.  Whenever I reveal something too personal here my mother warns me that I'm disclosing too much information.  In the past, this terribly personal information has been stuff like - I went to the Whistlestop and met the other knit bloggers.  Now that I have actual personal information to share, I'm not quite sure how to go about it.

How about if we make it game?  Righty-o!

Here are some clues, now it's up to you to guess what the personal information is, okay?  No prizes, just the satisfaction of a job well done.

CLUES

1. Melons
2. Punky Brewster
3. C

If you're still stumped, here's a visual clue.

Any guesses?  Make a comment and I'll email ya if ya guess right.

A Load Off

I've cleaned off my desk! Yay!  Now I can play with my paper and stamps and stuff again.  Seems like its been so long since I've stamped. 

I've got to get all the stuff under control and weed out the chaff.  I've got too much stuff going on up in here.  Stamps, beads, paper, papermaking stuff, books, yarn, magazines, paint, sewing machines, fabric - you name it, it's here.

I think it would be easier to become a master of something if I weren't so diversified.

ROCK the Vote

Once again, it's time for the Bloggies!  Only one of the blogs I nominated made it in the final cut.  Check out Simply Recipes.

Hit N Run

Wasn't gonna post tonight - have about a million things to do but I just ran across this cute pattern at On My Mind and thought I'd post the link.  I can see myself making a few of these!

In Which I Discover My Mensa Membership Did Not Get Lost in the Mail

Ever leave a comment on someone's blog and they respond to you via email?  Well I have clicked myself all over this here Typepad site every month or so, looking for the key to that particular city.  For, like, a year!  It pains me to have to admit that to you, but if you can't be vulnerable in front of your blog friends, who can you be vulnerable in front of, right?

In a misclick I ended up on some page where I get to pick if I want to be notified by email every time someone leaves me a comment.  Yes, the resounding "DUH!" has knocked me clear off my seat on the short bus.  Let's test this out - leave a comment and we will never speak of this again.

In other news, I'm busy putting together Wendy's Learn to Crochet now kit.  I've found a number of lovely projects for her to start on.  Let's have a vote, shall we?

Or maybe she'd like to make something special for that man of hers:

   OR....  ???

After all, Valentine's Day is just around the corner.  And what fun-lovin' guy doesn't love a mancho?  Or a pink banana hammock?

Wallflowers & Tramps, Princes & Grandmas

So yesterday I took Annie Modesitt's class at Lori's Frames & Fibers.  Oh. My. Gosh.  Quite simply - the earth moved, my life changed, my skin cleared up and I saw the light.  Not bad for $35. 

We learned combination knitting.  This is better than dark chocolate Lindt bars.  When I first learned to knit, I learned from a book.  However, it was purling that gave me more than a spot of trouble - my stitches (unbeknownst to me) were "backward" and my stockinette was twisted.  Once I learned how to purl the "right" way, I was always uncomfortable - I always felt like my hands were moving too much or something.  That's why I hate seed stitch - my fingers had to move too much and got tired.  Well Jiminy Crickets if you just don't knit into the back of the stitch.  Now I can purl the way my hands want to and all my stitches are happy.

I swear, it feels like I have been knitting this way forever.

And Annie is not only a hoot, but the fastest knitter I have ever seen!  Seriously!  You can't even see what she's doing she's so fast!  It's like watching that fight scene in The Matrix - only without all the flips. 

We also learned cabling without a needle - way cool and super easy.  The cabled stitches come out ever so much neater.

If you're wondering about the title of this post, it's a little hard to explain.  Annie teaches by story.  Four girls go to a party, two get picked up right away, two don't. The prince comes in and dances with to two who were left behind.  There's your cable stitch.  One of those situations where you had to be there, I guess.

Another funny thing was on Friday I was looking through some old IK issues and happened across this photo

Are these not the two most adorable Weasley children ever?  I remember wondering if they were any relation to the redhead who models for IK.  Turns out they're Annie's precious little moppets.  I think if I ever saw them in person I would be greatly disappointed if they didn't speak with a proper British accent.  Hmm. I wonder if she has any older twin boys....

Anyhoo, I came home and decided I need to know more about knitting and why things turn out the way they do.  So I'm looking forward to spending time reading my signed copy of Confessions of a Knitting Heretic and doing more cables.

It's Just a Panta - See?

Finished my Panta!  Looks kinda dorky. Check out the Panta blog to see other, more successful headbands.

Yarn: Filatura Di Crosa Zarella - a wool/acrylic blend that I've used for hats. Soft and holds it shape well. The color is a lot brighter than the picture. 

Things I would change:

• Less wide
• Smaller
• Less "I've Got a Huge Piece of Knitting On My Head!" color
• Do the cable version

PS - Hi Mom!

'nother Hat & More

In an effort to bust the stash, I made the Simple Fair Isle Hat from Knitting Pure & Simple. I had some difficulty with making the new yarn attach nicely.  Not pleased with that, but I think the hat looks nice and fun.  I may make this one again.

I've also joined my first "a-long"! The Panta Along. It's quick and easy and not so intimidating as a sweater.

My Panta is in Zarabella-something-something.  I'm just about ready to start the decreases.

Finally, Nancy, has declared that today is the day to Flash Your Stash.  Cruel. Just when I'm planning to spend the better part of the weekend in yarn shops. Probably all those endorphins she's producing from running is making her confront my issues.

Before I post the picture I just want to say that I DO NOT have a yarn problem.  I can stop any time I want to.  And yes, maybe I have bought yarn in some unsavory places - from that twitchy guy on the corner, the stinky yarn lab down the street, Wal-mart - that doesn't mean I have a problem.  I was helping those people out.  I mean, if it wasn't for me those people could be out on the streets, you know?  I'm buying yarn because I am a good American! And if you're a good American, you'd buy more yarn!

Yup, there it is. That's all the yarn I have in my house.  Golly, I hope I'm not getting carried away.

Fine if you don't believe me.  Come over here and prove otherwise.  I dare ya!

What basket?

Oh. That basket?  That's nothing.  Just holding that for a friend.  Pay it no nevermind.  Fine. Go ahead. Take a look. 

I hope you're happy now.  My friend will be all kinds of upset when she finds out you rifled through her special yarn.  She trusted me to keep it safe!  She was going to make hats for orphans with that yarn.  Orphans in Siberia who would like nothing better than a warm hat to keep the biting cold from frezzing their little brain cells.  But you had to go ahead and spoil it all!   I hope you can rest easy knowing poor Vladimir's cerebellum is freezing up right this very moment.

Um, where do you think you're going?

Noooo! Not the second basket!!!!! Wait, stop! there. is. nothing. under. the. bed.....

PS - thanks Spaaz for the yarn!

Cutey McCutiekins

Oh my gosh!  Is this not the most cutest thing ever?

It's one of my favorite hats, the Gwennabe Zim Hat which I've made in, like, 72 different flavors....okay maybe I've made it four times, still. 

A woman from work wanted a similar hat in pink for her three month old.  So I resized it.  Isn't it the cutest thing? It's stretchy, so I think it should fit her till about age 6 months.  I left the ribbon crazy long so she could adjust it for her baby.