Elizabeth Zimmermann

I have fallen in love with Elizabeth Zimmermann (EZ) aka the Opinionated Knitter.    Born in 1910 in England, educated in Art schools in Switzerland and Germany.  Died in the USA in 1999.  

She developed the EPS system for knitting sweaters.  I started an EZ sweater.

I measured a sweater that fits me well.  It measured 47 inches across the chest.  I knit a Cap Swatch Gauge.


I figured my gauge and cast-on the appropriate number of stitches.  I did my calculations by hand and made errors.  So already my sweater is not a 'true' EZ sweater.  I cast on 198 stitches,  knit a k2, p2 rib.  Increased to 212 stitches and will knit in stockinette stitch until I reach the arm holes.  I am bummed that I miscalculated my cast-on stitches.  I should have cast on 192 stitches.  Maybe this error was meant to be so the ribbed edge will fit nicely around my large waist and budding buttocks.  

This sweater will go fast as I am knitting with Heavy Worsted Cascade Pastaza yarn.

A Day in the Park

The state park that is.  Morraine State Park. 

 Hiking.   See evidence that Spring is here!

This is a little creek running through the park.

It is hard to tell in this picture, but in the low-lying areas the trail was muddy.

These are the only flowers I spotted.  Can you find them?  Small white blossoms.

A view from the top of the hill.

It was an overcast day, but a warm 67 degrees.  I hiked in my shorts and short sleeve t-shirt.  An invigorating hike.  There is a sign for "short trail" and "long trail."  No mileage is posted.  I've hiked the short trail before and know it takes me about 25 minutes.  I've started the long trail before  but always get scared in the middle of the trail where the short trail intersects it.  I don't know how much longer the long trail is.  Because I am tired I turn onto the short trail and finish the hike in 45 minutes.  After I get in better shape, I will do the entire long trail.

A Friend Revisited

I met Dean when I was on a family vacation in Florida when I was in high school.  I have not seen him since 1982 when I lived in Oak Park, Illinois.  I was still in college.  He had just gotten out of the Army.  He must have rejoined the Army because in his email he said he was retired from the Army.  I googled him and he is still running in races.  He must not be 50 lbs overweight like I am.  

At least I am the same person inside, but actually I am not.  At the core I am still the same person, but I have blossomed.  I am more outgoing and a better conversationalist.  I'm happier too.  I wonder what he has been up to?  He wanted to be a chef.  I wonder what he did in the Army?  He is now self-employed.  I wonder if he has a restaurant.  He wants to talk but I want to exchange emails.

Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult was very good.   A great read!

Angel sleeping in her favorite chair.

A Snowy April Day in Western PA

I drove in white out conditions this afternoon.  Doina and I went to the Strip District.  Had lunch at Rolands and shopped the Strip.

Look Mom, No cavities.  Good news from the dentist office.

Staying inside trying to stay warm.  Reading Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult.  A tough read.  Heavy.  Depressing.  Why do I do this to myself?  The book is addictive.

Been watching a DVD tutorial on Blogger.  It was created in 2004.  Many things have changed since then, but still very informative.

Today's Quote

If you are capable of living deeply one moment of your life, you can learn to live the same way all the other moments of your life.  - Thich Nhat Hanh

Knit One is now collecting Helmet Liners for our Military Personnel.  I think this would be great for me in the winter time.  I might make one for myself in Cascade 220 to match my Reversible Cabled Scarf.

Today's Quote

"Be Kind for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle." - Plato

Life is Always Good...

My Booze & Books group met today to discuss Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen.  Who killed August?  Was it Marlena or Rosie?  Mandi thought is was Rosie, the elephant.  Karen thought it was Marlena.  I thought it was Marlena, but Mandi convinced me it was Rosie.  I wanted it to be Rosie so she could get her revenge.  Our next book is Garlic and Sapphires by Ruth Reichl.  

I finished the Reversible Cabled Scarf. 

It is knit with Cascade 220 100% wool yarn.

Happy Birthday Pam!

Mom and Pam (my sister) 53 years old today

We went out to eat at Aladdins at The Streets of Cranberry. It was absolutely delicious.  

Friday is my favorite Day of the Week

Friday morning knitting at Barnes & Noble.  Not pictured are Celeste, Marilyn and Mary Ann.  I took a picture of them but it was not flattering, so I did not post it.

Vilma is my Spanish mentor.  She is from Columbia.  It is a delight and joy to spend time with her.  Here she is knitting on her Sampler Scarf which is turning out beautifully.

Connie (left) is helping Wendy (right) with a new crochet pattern.

Koley is back in town...for Spring Break.  I spent the afternoon knitting with Connie and Koley and then we went to Eat-n-Park for a light meal.  It was fun being around Koley again.  Believe it or not she is 17 years old.  I can't believe it.  She is a good kid.

I cast-off my Nora/Pastaza Striped scarf.  One more finished object down.  I still have two open scarf projects.  The Noro Plaid scarf and the yellow reversible cable scarf.

Hoy es casi fin de weekend.

Today is my Friday.  I feel so happy on Thursday nights.  I went to K1N tonight to knit with the Thursday night knitting group.  Vilma and I were the only ones there.  We conversed in Espanol.  and English.  Honestly, mostly in English as my espanol is very limited.  I help Vilma with her knitting and she helps me with my Espanol.

My Noro Plaid scarf is coming along nicely.  My camera is out in the car, so I will need to post a picture at a later time.  Maybe I will finish the scarf this weekend, then back to the yellow cable scarf I go.

I have heard the name Elizabeth Zimmermann for a few years, but only recently have I gotten to know her.  I love her books.  I bought several skeins of Cascade Pastaza in blue and green and plan to make an EZ sweater using the EPS system.  I will log my progress on the blog so you can follow me and the results.  I have high hopes that the sweater will be wearable.

I am very conscious of the dangers of my current eating habits.  Diabetes is preventable, so I am trying to eat a lot healthier and get my weight down.  Slowly old habits get transformed into healthier habits.  More fruit.  My vice is Southern-style sweet tea.  I think I need to cut it out of my diet altogether.  Because once I indulge once I am off and running and indulging every day.  I'll let you know how I do.  Tonight I ate a Morning Star Veggie burger with Avocado.  I won't tell you what else I ate with it because it was not a healthy choice, but I am working on it.  Small change by small change I will get to a big change which will result in me looking and feeling better.

I signed up for the Wellness program at work today.  It is a 13 week all inclusive wellness program which includes a weekly personal trainer and monitoring of nutrition.  A year ago I did this with the goal of improved mood.  This time I am doing it with the goal of adopting much healthier eating habits, along with a moderate exercise program.  I am excited about the program and plan to commit to working out 3 times a week plus doing 30 minutes of cardio 4-5 days a week.  I think I will join the local Y and start swimming--an excellent exercise with minimal impact to the body.

Today's Quote

Work like you don't need the money. Love like you've never been hurt. Dance like nobody is watching. - Mark Twain

Life is Good...

... and getting better.  Mom tells me I am in the prime of my life.  I agree.  Life is the best it ever has been, minus the facts that Molly and dad are gone.

K1N had a 25% off sale on all 100% wool yarn this weekend.  I bought yarn to knit a ______ for mom.  I am so glad I have her to knit for.  She wears things that I would not.  Clothing that I think is pretty, but would never wear.  I am crocheting her a Plaid Noro scarf  with Noro Silk Garden Sock yarn.  Mom, please do not click on the scarf link.   I cannot tell you what the next project will be because I want to surprise her.  So stay posted for pictures.  It is absolutely gorgeous.

I took a nice walk with Doina this afternoon in 60 degree warm sunny weather around Bradford Woods.  My friendship with Doina started as walking buddies.  She is a treasured friend.  Very kind and giving.

I cooked Spinach Fettucini Alfredo with Steamed Broccoli tonight.  A New Years resolution was to cook at least once a week.  I figure I have all year to achieve this goal.  This is a beginning.  Here is the recipe given to me by Gayle from work:

Quick & Easy Alfredo Sauce

1/2 stick of butter (salted)

3-4 gloves of garlic (to taste)

1 pint heavy cream

3/4  cup of parmesan cheese

1 T. flour

1/3 cup cold water

Salt & pepper to taste

Melt butter in medium sauce pan.  

Press the garlic cloves and heat with butter.

On low heat, add cream stirring constantly.

Add cheese, continue to stir.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

In small container add the flour to water and shake until mixed well.

Slowly add small amounts to the sauce, stirring constantly until thickened.

 

I cooked spinach fettucini.  Topped with steamed broccoli and alfredo sauce.

It was easy and tasted delicious.

Today's Quote:

Change always comes bearing gifts.  It is our choice whether or not to accept the gifts.
- Price Pritchett

Life is Good ...

when you wake up and hear the birds singing.

What's wrong with this picture?  Molly is missing.  I am thinking about getting another dog.  It is camping and hiking season and I need a buddy.  I am making plans for my first camping trip of the season.  I cannot wait to go.  I may head south where it would be a little warmer.  But I am always hesitant to go to a new and unfamiliar campground. 

I went on my first hike for the year at Morraine State Park.  I hiked the 'short trail' which took me about 30 minutes.  The trail had a few hills which was good for my heart and respiratory system.  I need a hiking buddy.  I looked for sign of greenery, but only found it in the moss on the stumps and the pine trees.

I am knitting the Jared Flood Noro scarf to go with dad's winter coat.  It is knit with Cascade Pastaza yarn: 50% Llama 50%, instead of Noro Silk Garden.  Pastaza is made in Peru.  It is my all-time  favorite yarn to knit with.  Soft yet warm. Just luscious.  I would like to make a sweater out of it.  I'll have to keep an eye out for sweater patterns knit with heavy worsted yarn.

I finally cast-off Pam's reversible cabled scarf.  It will go in the mail this afternoon.

I crocheted these washcloths for the Free Crochet class offered at Knit One North this coming Saturday, March 21, 2009 from 1 - 3PM.   I take my favorite items camping with me.  These are for my camping gear.

Life is sometimes good and sometimes not so good.  Today was somewhere in between.  Tomorrow is my day off.  I am looking forward to finishing up four knitting projects, photos will be posted tomorrow.  I currently am working on two scarfs which I hope to finish up soon.  I knit a swatch gauge for the Central Park Hoodie.  AFter knitting the swatch I am thinking twice about the project to knit with the yarn.  Part of me wants to knit the same sweater I knit for my first sweater.  Something I would get a lot of wear out of.  I don't know.  I really like the yarn.  I'm undecided.

Happy WARM Saturday!!!

It is warm today.  OMGosh am I happy wearing my cargo shorts and crocs.  It was a warm 73 degrees.  I started my day going to the theater to watch Slumdog. I was thinking that Slumdog must be a great movie because it won so many awards.  It was not meant to be though. The sound system in the theater was not working so I was refunded my money. 

 I drove to Knit One North to knit and Connie, Dawne, Rose, and several of Rose's female family members were there.  Karen was working.  What a wild time it is when you spend time with Rose and her family.  A delightful afternoon.

I called mom around 4pm to tell her I wanted to come over and cook dinner but she had already eaten.  Do senior citizens eat their meals early?  So I will have to do that another time.  I know, I did not give her advance notice.  That was my fault.  

Tomorrow is a busy day.  I am having lunch with my nephew Alexei, then spinning with a spin-along at Knit One North. It sounds like it will be  an enjoyable day.

BBC and Reading

Apparently the BBC reckons most people will have only read 6 of the 100 books here.

Instructions:
1) Look at the list and put an 'x' after those you have read.
2) Add a '+' to the ones you LOVE. (I added a - sign for the ones I didn't like)
3) Star (*) those you plan on reading.
4) Tally your total.

How many have you read? 31


1 Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen X+
2 The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien  *
3 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte X+
4 Harry Potter series - JK Rowling X 
5 To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee X  
6 The Bible X
7 Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte X  
8 Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell X 
9 His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
10 Great Expectations - Charles Dickens  X
11 Little Women - Louisa M Alcott *
12 Tess of the D’Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy
13 Catch 22 - Joseph Heller X
14 Complete Works of Shakespeare 
15 Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier
16 The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien  X
17 Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks
18 Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger X 
19 The Time Traveller’s Wife - Audrey Niffenegger X+
20 Middlemarch - George Eliot
21 Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell  X
22 The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald  
23 Bleak House - Charles Dickens
24 War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
25 The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
26 Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh
27 Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
28 Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck *
29 Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll*
30 The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame *
31 Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy *
32 David Copperfield - Charles Dickens 
33 Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis X
34 Emma - Jane Austen *
35 Persuasion - Jane Austen *
36 The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis X
37 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini X
38 Captain Corelli’s Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres
39 Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden X
40 Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne X
41 Animal Farm - George Orwell  X
42 The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown X
43 One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
44 A Prayer for Owen Meany - John Irving *
45 The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins
46 Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery
47 Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy
48 The Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood
49 Lord of the Flies - William Golding X
50 Atonement - Ian McEwan X
51 Life of Pi - Yann Martel X
52 Dune - Frank Herbert
53 Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons
54 Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen *
55 A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth
56 The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57 A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens 
58 Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon *
60 Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
61 Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck  X
62 Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov 
63 The Secret History - Donna Tartt
64 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold  X
65 Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
66 On The Road - Jack Kerouac
67 Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy
68 Bridget Jones’s Diary - Helen Fielding
69 Midnight’s Children - Salman Rushdie
70 Moby Dick - Herman Melville 
71 Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens X
72 Dracula - Bram Stoker 
73 The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett X  
74 Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson
75 Ulysses - James Joyce
76 The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath  X-
77 Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome
78 Germinal - Emile Zola
79 Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray
80 Possession - AS Byatt
81 A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens 
82 Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
83 The Color Purple - Alice Walker  X
84 The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro
85 Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert
86 A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
87 Charlotte’s Web - EB White 
88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Alborn X
89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
90 The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton
91 Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad
92 The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery 
93 The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
94 Watership Down - Richard AdamsX
95 A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
96 A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute
97 The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas
98 Hamlet - William Shakespeare 
99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl 
100 Les Miserables - Victor Hugo

The Palindrome Reversible cable scarf is knit in Cascade 220 Steeler gold.  Notice the lovely reversibility of this pattern.  This is third Palindrome scarf  I knit this winter.  The first two were gifts for my best friend Pam Logan and my sister Pam Clair.  This one is for myself. The pattern is found on Raverly at Palindrome Scarf.

My Thorpe hat is completed.  Sophie always likes to get in the picture.

I used Misti Baby Alpaca chunky yarn for the main part of the hat and Cascade Pastaza for the edging both from Knit One North.  This hat was absolutely lovely to knit.  It knit up fast and easy.  The yarn is gorgeous.  Very soft on the skin.  Perfect for these cold wintery days.  

I was knitting with the Tuesday afternoon group at K1N when I was working on the edging for the hat.  The pattern called for a row of single crochet but  Connie showed me the Crab stitch or reverse single crochet which finished off the hat perfectly. It was divine timing that she was there when I was ready to edge the hat.  I absolutely love the hat.  I would like to line the hat, but that is coming.

I'm going to have to frog the Lacy Cable cap. I did not do a swatch gauge because I usually am right on gauge.  But the hat is too small.  It will not fit on my head. I learned this lesson the hard way--always do a swatch gauge.  I could either go to a larger needle or add more stitches.  I have not decided which to do so it just sits on my needles... until I take measurements to see how many more stitches I may have to add and how many more rows to add before it will be necessary to start the decrease pattern.  This is the joy knitting.  Getting the project fitted just right.

I am tired of seeing the same socks on my feet, day after day, week after week, month after month and literally year after year, so I decided today to start knitting socks again from my sock stash in order to see a new view on my feet.

I found this pic of Angel from when I went on my trip to Mexico. Since Sophie made it on the blog I thought Angel deserved equal timing.

I started a new project yesterday--a lacy cable cap. I am using pale yellow Shibuiknits sock yarn that I bought at Knit One North in Mars. The cap is for my friend Kylie. I'm sitting here knitting with my mother. She is working on a lace shawl. Her first. It is going very slowly for her, but she is persisting.

It is still bitter cold out and windy. The days are getting longer which is very nice and feels great. But it is still cold. I am longing to see greenery out there.

Knitting Festival

Today mom and I went the knitting festival. It was a lot of fun. We ran into Connie and Nora, spent time with Karen and Dawne from Knit One North and Cosy author of Knit One, Embellish Two. I bought some Misti Baby Alpaca chunky yarn for the Thorpe earflap hat. I had it almost finished but decided it was too small, so ripped back to the beginning to start again and add one more row of increases to make it a little bigger around. I almost had it completed in one sitting.

Friday Vilma and I chatted in Espanol as we knit. I probably have a few errors in my knitting from trying to concentrate to speak Spanish and knit at the same time. Vilma is a wonderful teacher and tutor.

Booze & Books

I started a new book group which meets at my home.  We had our first meeting last Sunday.  We discussed The White Tiger, by Adiga.  It did not receive very good rates--just ok.  I liked the book though it was not my all time favorite book.  Our next book selection is Slammerkin. Definition of Slammerkin- 1. loose gown  2.  loose woman.  If you are interested in joining the newly formed book group and are local to this area, please email me.

I had a nice relaxing day of knitting at Knit One North  with Connie while Dawne worked.  Please support your LYS Knit One North in Mars.

I cooked a delicious Broccoli Spinach Fettucini Alfredo meal tonight.  Gayle, my co-worker, gave me the recipe for the sauce.  It was delicious and easy.  Do you want it?  Here goes:

Saute several cloves of garlic in 1/2 stick of butter.  Add 1 pint of heavy cream.  Add 3/4 cup of shaved parmesan cheese.  Cook slowly while stirring. Salt and pepper to taste.  Steam fresh broccoli.  Boil fresh spinach fettucini noodles 3-4 minutes.  

Delicious!  Easy!

Add 1 bottle of beer to cook. 

My life could not be better....

Life is getting very fun and exciting. First for those who may not know, I have a degree in mathematics and thought I wanted to teach high school math. I became very disillusioned when I student taught at an inner-city school in North Carolina. I tutored high school and college math while in college. I love math. A very good friend approached me the other day about tutoring her child in high school algebra. I am so excited! God has just dropped a wonderful gift in my lap.

And, another gift. I've been wanting to learn Spanish for a very long time. I've taken high school and college courses in Spanish. I started studying it on my own by listening to CNN in Spanish, studying from books, reading a Spanish comic strip and practicing flash cards. Then yesterday I met a woman who is eager to help me learn Spanish. She is a native of Columbia, South America. I am so excited!