The Fruits of Independence

Here it is Fourth of July Weekend, well, the day before. I'm headed off to Woolbearers (I forgot to mention in yesterday's post that the yarn I'm using is their fingering weight hand-dyed, the colorway is called Carnival) and to run errands. I'm hoping to find a color in Jamieson's Spindrift to use for the border of my shawl. The picture above is the stock of wool that sits in front of us as we knit---it's there to tempt us with "Coming Soon" signs or new wool...Myra and Suzie really know how to keep us coming back...and it works!!!

On another tack, in the part of my life that is 18th century reenacting, one of the e-lists has been discussing which colony declared independence from Britain first. It seems that North Carolina did, in April of 1776. What a brave thing to do: step forward and say that we are going to rule ourselves, separate from the greatest, most liberal, progressive nation in the world. I looked up the document for the State of New Jersey, because I knew that we had not declared ourselves separate from Britain until July 2, 1776. Here are the opening paragraphs to my state's first Constitution, which held for 68 years, before a newer document replaced it. It is interesting, I think, as it gives a sort of idea as to what the men of New Jersey were thinking separate and yet parallel to what other men, in Philadelphia---just some 30 miles to the southwest---were thinking. It also notes that they had received instruction from the gentlemen in Philadelphia and this document was the result of that instruction:

New Jersey's Constitution, July 2, 1776

WHEREAS all the constitutional authority ever possessed bythe kings of Great Britain over these colonies, or their other dominions, was, by compact, derived from the people, and held ofthem, for the common interest of the whole society; allegiance andprotection are, in the nature of things, reciprocal ties, eachequally depending upon the other, and liable to be dissolved bythe others being refused or withdrawn.

And whereas George theThird, king of Great Britain, has refused protection to the goodpeople of these colonies; and, by assenting to sundry acts of theBritish parliament, attempted to subject them to the absolutedominion of that body; and has also made war upon them, in themost cruen and unnatural manner, for no other cause, thanasserting their just rights -- all civil authority under him is necesarily at an end, and a dissolution of government in each colony has consequently taken place.

And whereas, in the present deplorable situation of these colonies, exposed to the fury of a cruel and relentless enemy, some form of government is absolutely necessary, not only for the preservation of good order, but also the more effectually to unite the people, and enable them to exert their whole force in their own necessary defence: and as the honorable the continental congress, the supreme council of the American colonies, has advised such of the colonies as have not yet gone into measures,to adopt for themselves, respectively, such government as shall best conduce to their own happiness and safety, and the well-beingof America in general: -- We, the representatives of the colony of New Jersey, having been elected by all the counties, in the freest manner, and in congress assembled, have, after mature deliberations, agreed upon a set of charter rights and the form of a Constitution, in manner following, viz.

I. That the government of this Province shall be vested in a Governor, Legislative Council, and General Assembly....

(the whole text can be found at http://www.nj.gov/njfacts/njdoc10a.htm)

On July 8, 1776, in Easton, PA, Trenton, NJ, and Philadelphia, the Declaration of Independence was read aloud for the first time to the public. Here in Trenton, Samuel Tucker, President of the new State of New Jersey read it from the steps of the Hunterdon County Court House. Soon, it would be read to Washington's assembled troops and the war for Independence would continue for five more years of fierce fighting until Yorktown in October, 1781 and then two more years of waiting until word came of the Treaty of Paris, signed in September of 1783.

There is so much to think about, to be thankful to long gone men who fought for nothing more than an idea to be free from tyranny, from laws that in many cases didn't impact most of them. I know I think about it all the time in my reenacting, I'm glad I get to talk to people about it, to express it to them and discuss it with them. It is hard to put in to words, I struggle to do it. I am grateful to live in a country with so many freedoms.

Long Time No Blog

For a woman who's not working, what's my excuse for not blogging? I can't believe I haven't blogged since March and here it is July 2. Well, after working and working and working, I got laid off at the beginning of May. along with 4,000 other people from Merrill Lynch. Very depressed about it and that could be one reason why I didn't blog. And angry about it, too. Lot's of why me's dancing about in my head. I'm sure that song is singing in the heads of the other 3,999. So, I'm job hunting and still working and re-working my resume.

But, enough of that. I will find a job and it will be a GREAT one! I met lots of terrific people on the last job and that was a wonderful thing, they enriched my life for the short time I knew them and I learned things there that I will take with me to the next job.

I have been knitting and knitting lots. I've made socks from Lorna's Lace in a very pretty yellow, pink and orange colorway called Winona. I call it Sherbet and I worked it up in Feather and Fan. I started them on Memorial Day and had the first sock finished on June 5. The second sock is languishing only because I set aside---somewhere---the pattern I used when casting off the toe for the first sock and I know it doesn't really matter, they're socks, but I would like them to look even when I am gushing over them...so until I find what I did with the pattern the second sock is done except for the toe.

Then, I began work on a sweater for my roommate from the "Son of Stitch and Bitch" book and the pattern is called Pub Crawler. The pattern calls for two colors but I'm doing it all in white. It's a very pretty, easy to remember cable done over 12 rows. With any luck and few distractions I may have it done for the holidays.

Next, I am making a Shetland Shawl for myself from hand dyed fingering weight yarn that has purples, blues, corals, pinks, browns and golds in it. That will be the center square and then I'm thinking to edge it in a raisin-y color. This is from Elizabeth Zimmermann's Knitting Workship, the Stonington Shawl pattern. I'm doing it on size 7 needles.

Finally, I made a little baby sweater for a friend and his wife who had a baby boy on Memorial Day. The pattern is from a booklet put out by Cottage Creations and it is called Lillie's Little Sweater. The pattern calls for a hood, but I skipped that. Hoods always seem to stay in place while baby's face goes inside it. The sweater is worked from the top down and that seems to make the work go faster. I love those sweaters! I made this one with another of Suzie's hand-dyed yarn, this one a Superwash Worsted Weight, so the new mom can pitch the sweater in the washer. I also used plastic buttons, again so it can be pitched in the machine w/o fear that the buttons will break. High end luxury yarns and buttons are terrific, but not for baby sweaters that are going to be worn and used!

More to follow -

Rip It, Rip It, Rip It

That's right, Rip It...I have re-knit my corner of the EZ ribwarmer and I have to rip it. WHY? Why, when everyone else I know is on their third or fourth rib warmer, moved on to clapotis and spring projects? Why am I stuck on this freaking, frigging, frogging corner? THIS time I have knit the corner on the wrong side---the collar side of the garment. You can see quite clearly from EZ's diagram in "Knitting Workshop" that the corner belongs across from the collar...and you can see from the photo of my garment...well, you can see that I screwed up. So, I'm going to have to rip it. I'm just not as clever as that most clever of women, Elizabeth Zimmermann. All hail the Goddess of Knitting.

Meanwhile, I finished Evelina and enjoyed it all along the way. Fanny Burney's character development was so great. What next to read? I've yet to read Persuasion by Ms. Austen, Pamela and Camilla, the Mystery of Utranto, so many good choices!

Last night in the mail, by way of Royal Post, I received "Tokens of Love," a book of patterns based on extant Quaker pin balls. Now I can't wait to start devouring that and knitting!!

Ripping that Rib Warmer

Sorry for no picture, but I thought about it AFTER I ripped. I had rounded the corner and was prepared to start knitting up the back when I thought, and the knitting group confirmed, that my second corner was at right angle to the first. NOT good. So, there was no choice but to rip and start knitting again. It took just the better part of Saturday afternoon and evening to redo and I'm happier than I can say because I did a much neater job. I'll take some pictures and I think I have a picture of the right angle pre-realization.



In the meantime, there hasn't been much time for knitting, or inclination. Work has been busy and absorbing and by the time I get home I seem to sit in a stupor or fall asleep. I've also been enjoying reading lately. First, I read Mansfield Park and Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen and now I'm reading Evalina by Fanny Burney. The two Austen books are ones I had not read before and I liked the character of Fanny in Mansfield Park, while I did not much care for Catherine in Northanger Abbey. While both young women seemed a bit clueless about what was going on around them Catherine was particularly dense and I would loved to shake her a bit. Fanny, while helpless at least had backbone, even if she was unable to act on her feelings and sentiments.



Now Evalina is another heroine, helpless against the twists and turns that others impose upon her but not dense. At least she realizes what is going on around her and I like her the better for it. She sees what is happening, makes note of it and has a clue! And the story is delicious. What is the meaning of the strange note from Lord Orville, so out of character with all else we have seen of him? What is the deal with her father? Is he her father or is the man who has raised her more truly the man who can claim her for his own? I haven't the faintest, but I'm enjoying myself immensely! I've got to figure out what next to read!



Meantime, I bought two skeins of Trekking hand art hand dyed yarn in a brilliant blue and raspberry color combination to make a clapotis. First, I do want to finish the rib warmer AND find that other skein of Kona I'm Falling...I really want to make that other sock!

Lovin' My Socks

I am. I'm lovin' my socks.

These are basic toe-up socks with a Turkish cast-on. The Turkish cast-on is a figure 8 or loop-de-loop over two needles, casting on between 16 and 24 stitches depending on your foot size. You then knit into the top needle's stitches, turn 'em around and knit into the other needle's stitches, keep going adding on at the corners every other row until you've made a little cup shape that fits your foot, dividing the stitches. Now knit even until you get to your leg. Split the stitches in half by placing a marker at the halfway point, increase one stitch after your first stitch and one stitch before the marker until you've knit to your ankle every other row. Now decrease back the same way to your original number of stitches and knit up your leg about 4 to 5 inches and then k1, p1 for 2 inches. Bind off using a needle 2 sizes larger for nice comfortable fit. That's the rough idea of a toe-up sock--at least my version.

These are knit using Cestari sock yarn dyed in Woolbearers' Matts Tattoos, a DK weight yarn, on # 2 needles. They are old aluminum needles, probably Susan Bates. I cast on 52 stitches and increased up to 68. Also, to accommodate my chunky calf, I increased 4 stitches every 13 st at the 2 inch mark and again at the 4 inch mark. I just did it randomly at those points and it seems to have worked. The yarn knits so tightly that the socks feel as if they are felted, they are just heavenly on and yummy warm and yummier soft.

I'm now knitting a pair using the exact same pair of needles but Kona DK Superwash, in Woolbearers' I'm Falling. Same cast-on style and number of stitches. The first foot is done and if I can find the other skein... it's hiding out amongst all the OTHER skeins. I don't understand why it does not want to become a much used, adored and beloved object of both utility and beauty: the humble yet necessary SOCK!

Ripwarmer

Like any Elizabeth Zimmermann project worth its salt, or yarn, I have started the Ribwarmer and ripped it out and started over already. Had the first side of the front done and thought "that is NOT going to be wide enough for you, oh plump one." So, I ripped it all out and started over. I am much happier now. I cast on 14 stitches and knit even for 20 ridges on # 7 needles in Cascade 220 Quattro. I'm getting 4 stitches to the inch, which is what EZ calls for. I then cast on 26 stitches using a backward loop cast on and knit til I was able to cast on at the shoulder (short) side. I cast on 4 stitches and repeated that until I had 52 stitches on the needle.

My bust is 49" at the widest part, so this will give me a 52" ribwarmer. I have linebacker shoulders, so it shouldn't be too bad looks wise. If I don't like it, I can always rip out and do short rows shaping for the bust instead of giving it a go this way!

More to come...

I think I have to post again

More stuff comes to mind... like the other fun side of my life...the 18th century side. Over in the 18th century, and I can say that with a straight face, I am going to a party tomorrow night to celebrate the hot off the presses-ness of a new receipt book. Cookbook in the 21st century. Polly was her name and writing down what she cooked was her game. Then 200 0dd years later some one gave this little batch (get it, nyuck, nyuck) of receipts to Sue, who gave them to Mercy who divvied them out to other cooks and one of them happened to be me. I got to bake Rusks in the oven at Williamsburg. (This is the oven at CW & that is Michael heating the oven. He did a great job!). I was supposed to bake them in a modern oven, but I somehow didn't get that part of the instructions, so I baked them in an outdoor oven and they were wonderful.

Sue and Mercy have researched, modernized and tested, farmed out the receipts, compiled results and had this all printed into a book for sale to those of us interested in 18th century cooking. I can't wait to see the receipts, the modern adaptations AND to start cooking!

Polly's receipt for rusks is basically just the ingredients. Of course, she knew how to make them. I have recipes like that now. When I made the rusks they came out a lot like English Muffins...interesting...

Imagine 200 years from now, someone trying to interpret my recipe for fettucine: pasta, butter, flour, half/half, peas, mushrooms, maybe bacon. That's what the index card says. I know everything I need to do from there. Plus I know to add salt and pepper and to saute those 'shrooms up in a little butter and olive oil first. Well, that's tomorrow night if the weather cooperates.

Then, on Saturday, I turn on my Garmin Gal (sometimes I call her Nuvi--I love GPS) and follow her to Dey Mansion for a workshop on Bed Gowns. The wonderful thing about bed gowns is that you did not wear them to bed. This piece of clothing was the equivalent of a hip-length sweater or coat. It was not knit. It could be made of wool or linen, maybe cotton (though not so much in America) and was an everyday garment. You put it on, you tie your apron over it and you start your day. On some it is a flattering item, on me: not so much. But I do like mine very much. It is tan with navy and burgandy stripes. The bedgown has a collar that can be tricky to make up, but once you see it made it is easy-peasy and Gerry Ferris is going to show us the trick at Saturday's workshop. Here is a painting of Hessian women in bedgowns.

I always love the Dey Mansion workshop. It signals the beginning, the first bud pushing its way up through the winter ground, of the reenactment season. Oh, there's still a way to go yet til it is really time, but come the Dey Mansion workshop I know we are getting close!

And Dey Mansion is so great. If you look at the picture you are thinking standard 5-bay Colonial Dutch farmhouse. Right? Maybe you weren't even going that far--you just thought "old house"? But, you have to go visit. See that side of the house to our left in the picture? Well, there is a surprise that I refuse to tell you about, but you will be STUNNED. Plus, they have a wonderful kitchen if you are into open hearth cooking---you will want to put the room into your car while the guide is not looking. Okay, you will need a magic wand and a magic car to do this, but a girl can dream. So, plug 199 Totowa Road, Wayne NJ into your GPS and go. Alternatively, mapquest, get the directions of the site's website, call them, or get a map.

Which reminds me. Did you know that if you have Tomtom you can download Eddie Izzard as your voice? Well, if you are an Eddie fan it's a big deal!

• 1 pound Fettucine pasta (timed to boil and finish when sauce is ready)
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 pint half and half
• 1 egg yolk (can be optional)
• 1 cup of frozen peas, defrosted.
• 1 package pre-sliced baby bella mushrooms (8 oz) or just 8 0z mushrooms and you slice them
• olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 8 oz. low salt bacon, cooked and crumbled (optional)
• grated parmesan for serving

In a large saucepan, on low to low-medium set half and half to warm up. In a saute or fry pan, heat olive oil. (I like to add a little butter and maybe a little garlic, maybe some onion, in which case do the garlic last and don't let the garlic burn--see, more no measure, no instruction recipe-ing) Saute mushrooms, add peas to warm. Set aside. In a small saucepan melt butter. whisk in flour. Take about 1/2 cup of half and half and slowly add to butter mix, whisking constantly. Add egg yolk. Keep whisking until this gets thick and then slowly return to large saucepan. Raise temp and bring to plop but not boil, stirring from the bottom so that you don't get brown glop on the bottom and so the sauce thickens. Add the veggies. NOW is when the pasta should be done. Drain pasta and place in large, shallow bowl for presentation style serving or back in pot for reality serving. Pour sauce on top, add crumbled bacon and serve for presentation OR add sauce and bacon and mix thoroughly for reality serving. Add salt and pepper and parmesan to taste. Enjoy.

2 Lists, of sorts

You know your week is too intense when you don't have time to do your favorite things until 2:26 am Friday morning. And Monday was a holiday!!! I started to review the week and here is the list of what I did Monday which explains the above picture:

• Monday, okay I did do some knitting---like that Cestari sock, ooh it is wonderful soft. BUT, I also caught up on paperwork---to wit, I threw out a lot of papers that have been accumulating and needed tossing. I threw out favorite turtlenecks that had sleeves that stopped at the elbows. I changed the sheets, I dusted and got rid of some bunnies that had grown horrifically (dust bunnies NOT live ones, though these practically WERE alive). I made a lot of decisions I had been putting off and put them into action on the spot. Good Cate. Reward: knitting AND watching all of Pride and Prejudice.

Thursday (aka tonight/last night) I caught the Incredibles on Family Channel. What a fun movie. But then I couldn't get to sleep, came downstairs, caught up on e-mails and had a great e-mail from Suzie with a list of all the new Spring yarns coming into Woolbearers. I replied to our yahoogroups that she is a yarn temptress, a yarn Delilah, a yarn hussy and my very own personal yarn pusher...and that makes for my other list.

Shibori Pretty Darn Close!

Well, now that I'm about to blog, I realize I haven't taken a ta-da picture. But, I'll blog away anyway. I finished. Big sigh of happiness. The Shibori-esque scarf from Folk Style is an accomplishment. It was very easy. I threw it in the wash in a pillowcase, along with the sheets and pillowcases and washed on hot. Then, because it seemed a little long (a lot), I tossed it in the dryer for good measure. It was still too long so I cut in the middle and had a nice lie down in a dark room. Once that was behind me I cut each side to a proper length and reattached. To cover the seam I did a little bit of free-hand embroidery with the green wool and will probably rewash the scarf to leech the color out of the wool so it matches the rest of the green wool. Actually, then, after wearing it around it was STILL too long for the picture in the book, and for what I wanted, which was NOT a long scarf. Not feeling like ripping out the new seam, I just snipped off the bottom of the wine colored side and now I am extremely happy plus I have lots of lovely felted material. The scarf is very soft, very, very alpaca soft and very pretty. As the alpaca felted it made a great, subtle bumpy pattern.

Not using the recommended yarn (I used Frog Tree Alpaca Sport Weight) I over knit. I definitely want to make this again and will use the same yarn, as it felted like a dream. BUT, I'll use one skein of the light color and 2 of the dark color.

To celebrate I bought lots of lovely yarn at Woolbearers (do I know of the existence of another LYS?---well, yes, but they have everything I want or a reasonable substitution--so why bother?). To begin with, Manos Silk and Wool blend. Oh, this is heaven. It is so soft that you have to hold it to your cheek and caress it, and the colors are as lovely as the regular Manos kettle dyed,just slightly more subdued. I chose the colorway which is green, gold, pinks and wines. It was a tough, tough choice and I feel an overwhelming need to go back for more. I'm going to do this up in a cute little scarf from One Skein Wonders that's sort of curlicue and will be very cute with jeans and turtlenecks. This will help pass the time while I figure out what to do with all the other marvelous colors...maybe the Clapotis from knitty that cries out for a yarn decision? Many thanks to Beth for helping me to narrow down my choice on the Manos...gol'darn but that girl can put colors and patterns together like nobody's business.

I also chose a thick n thin version of Matts Tats, Suzie's own hand dyed for the creation of the Little Monster Bear in 101 Designer One Skein Wonders. About two hours start to finish to knit him up, another hour to sew and stuff him up and now I'm thinking of making him into a girl, because she seems to need a little ruffly pink net tutu.

Then, on Ravelry, I found a designer who makes these little crocheted dolls that are animals, flowers, superheroes...all sorts of little cutenesses. Had to have the pattern for Lana the Little Lamb Girl by Mia Zamora Johnson. She's supposed to be made out of worsted weight, but I bought a sport weight cotton to make her in teeny size.

I also needed needles (when don't I) and the Spring '08 copy of Interweave Knits. I refuse to get IK by subscription, it's so much more satisfying to get it in the store because you can instantly discuss and review patterns with BKFs (best knitting friends)! Not shown, because that was a whole 'nother basket is "Son of Stitch 'n Bitch" and 10 skeins of Cascade 220 in white. There's a great sweater pattern inside SSnB for a cable sweater called Pub Crawler and that's going to be the next project...just as soon as I take pictures of the completed Shibori Sweater!

And, not least, certainly not last, half an inch will see me finish the second sock of Matt's Tatts Cestari Sock Yarn toe-up socks. Heaven...they are the softest, yummiest pieces of luscious sock heaven I will be putting on my feet. Like felt, only not.Pulled those out of the workbasket on Monday afternoon and said "why aren't you done yet?" 14 rows of stockinette and then 1&1/2" of k1p1 and they'd be done...why is it you get totally stalled...becalmed, can't stand the sight of 'em socks...and then one day they are okay again and let's get 'em done.

7am...time to stop thinking about knitting and start the workday, so I can make the money to buy the yarn...

3 days off...what to do?

Presidents' Day Weekend. I can clean house. I can knit. I can read. I can watch old movies. what to do, what to do. I should clean house. I can knit. I can read. I can enter more books on librarything. I can enter more yarn stash and projects on ravelry. I should clean house.

Meanwhile, the knitting corner of active projects grows shamefully next to my chair in the living room. socks, a shawl, a cardigan, mitts, a shrug for the dog, a scarf, books, magazines and patterns, newly bought yarn... it's bad...

Progress is being made. I am about 85% done with the Shibori-esque scarf from Folk Style. All knitting is completed and I have two of the crocheted rings to stitch on. That leaves basting little pouffy circles within the rings and felting. Can't wait to see if it will look like the picture. I've also completed a very easy to make mitt that I found on ravelry. It's garter stitch with short rows and an easy bind off/cast on pocket space for the thumb. One mitt done while watching 2 hours of House.

Candy is home from Arkansas. She moved there forever in September and now it is February and Arkansas wasn't working. Is it okay to be selfish and say-o, i'm so glad, kinda.- I'm not glad for Candy, it was a big dream, a big upheaval, a big adventure. I cannot imagine undertaking it and then turning around a few months later and driving back to New Jersey. I'm glad for me because I missed her. Bad Cate. Happy Cate. She drove home in 22 hours on 3 cans of Red Bull. Scary. To celebrate, above is a picture of her son Peter and her semi-step daughter Sonja. Taken before Peter went in the Marines and lost weight and hair. Beautiful children.

Ravelry Rules my Life

Ravelry now rules my life. It's been many months since I've blogged and I've been doing many things, including knitting. But, just lately, about two weeks ago, I was invited to Ravelry, the knitting community where you can list all of your projects (yes---a place for people like me) and I have been consumed.

My other all consuming time consumer is LibraryThing.com. For a life time membership of $25 you list all of your books (over 600 to date and I'm just getting started).

Is it any wonder I don't know what a vacuum cleaner is. But Boomer has a beautiful shrug to wear on chilly days!

Life is horrible when...

Life is horrible when...you have no time to knit!!! Work is too busy for life, life is too busy for relaxing and moments for relaxing are given over to boring things like sleeping. So this is my first chance to blog in ages. Life has had good things. Last weekend was the weekend for the Battle of Bordentown, held in Bordentown, NJ. Usually I travel to all my reenactments; this was the next town over. Joy. Lots of bug bites, horrible humidity, tons of friends, hours of laughter and smiling. Okay---life was good as short a time ago as last weekend.

I did start a crewel work project, something I have not done for forever. Where is the scanner? I'll have to scan that in--that's the USB cord and the scanner to unearth.

I hope to see Jessica on Sunday to meet my yarn bowl. Oh, and I have to find my socks!

LibraryThing, a Very Good Thing

One of the very best things to be found on the web is LibraryThing at librarything.com. Here, hundreds or thousands of bibliophiles catalog their books. I catalog mine. A free account lets you catalog 200 books; $25 lets you catalog all the books of a lifetime for forever. This is heaven to me. My knitting books alone, when I get them all cataloged might be the better part of 100 books. My history books--easily another 100. Cookbooks, mysteries, romances, children's books, biographies, miscellaneous reference books, fiction and the books one can't classify yet has to have. I'm working on it bit by bit. As the spirit moves me and as new books come in. It makes me happy. Reading is the greatest gift my mother ever gave me.

Heidi, the Bobbsey Twins, Nancy Drew, Cherry Ames, Barbie, Mr. Chips, the Brothers Grimm, Robert Louis Stevenson, biographies, Louisa May Alcott, hundreds of thousands of words and pages and places and people to fill my mind and color my world and fire my imagine and cause me to write run on sentences. Thank you Mom for so much joy!!!

look me up as ccrown on librarything.

Starting the Summer of Socks

Yarn: Regia Bamboo

Needles: Inox Circular US 0, 16" 2 pr

8 stitches to the inch, toe up socks. 70 stitches for the body of the sock. K3, P2 pattern.

Picture to follow (as soon as I find the USB cord!)

I may be behind the times with the Summer of Socks 2007, but it is the Saturday of Labor Day weekend, so I think I'm starting right on time. For my first pair I've chosen to use Regia Bamboo, a yarn I haven't used before. To begin with the needles seemed too slippery for the yarn but now I'm doing much better. I started with a crochet provisional CO and did 14 st, expanding out to 70. I began this morning, took the sock with me for a pedicure to distract myself during ticklish moments and then knit while watching movies at home. I'm over 1/2 way done with the foot, so not bad...

We watched Part 2 of Elizabeth I from HBO. Helen Mirren is incredible. Part 1 was viewed Thursday night and that caught me up in the story of Elizabeth and Leicester. And what must it have been like to play both Queen Elizabeths. What contrasts! The first Elizabeth lived life on such a large scale and the present day one seems to live such a reserved life, although it's a life style I can't imagine. I spent so much time admiring the clothes and the wigs, the hats, even the undergarments. I loved the fineness of the shifts she was wearing, the details of the pearl necklaces being tied on with ribbon instead of fastened. I loved all the ladies in waiting being in quiet clothing---even the older ones being in black! All the more glory to Glorianna!

The Continuing Adventures of A Rookie Board Members

This is actually a post made to the Brigade of the American Revolution, a non-profit group of living historians (a.k.a. reenactors). I enjoy living an 18th century life and am a newly minted board member of said group. This past weekend, May 19 and 20, 2007, I traveled to an event of the BAR's Southern Department. It was held at Scotchtown, the home of Patrick Henry. Henry, the first American governor of Virginia, famously said "Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death!"

Scotchtown was a very nice event. I got there about 8:30 pm on Friday and men from the Fluvanna County Militia came out, unloaded my car, carried my stuff to the area where they were setting up tents and had my tent set up so very quickly so that all I had to do was unroll my sleeping bag.

Saturday the guys drilled while the women went to work preparing a ten-dish meal for dinner based on Hannah Glasse's thirty suggestions for appropriate dishes in May. I believe the Fluvanna Militia were put through their paces endlessly by Norm Fuss as everytime I looked up from plying my needle, Norm was marching those men across the property, wheeling them in one direction or t'other and they were eating it up with a spoon---I honestly don't know who was having a better time, them or Norm! I spent a lovely day working on sewing while sitting underneath a beautiful shade tree, chatting with site interpreters, reenactors and visitors. As usual, the visitors were very impressed with the men and women of the Brigade. We look great, we know our stuff and we share our knowledge. The public loves to learn from people who are enthusiastic about what they do!

The weather was perfect, breezy, warm, sun-shiny, everything one could wish for in a mid-May weekend. The evening's repast was incredibly tasty, each dish, from lamb to chicken fricasse to spinach pudding to Italian pudding to Almond Cakes, was delightful. I really enjoyed talking with the men and women who were having a great time talking and laughing with each other, delighting in each other's company. These are people who are friends and it shows. A great group to hang out with!

You couldn't have asked for more perfect sleeping weather, though you could have asked for less bothersome bugs. I have some giant bites on the back of my neck!! A great breakfast of eggs, potatoes and onions served warm or bacon and egg pie served cold greeted me upon rising and after a leisurely breakfast I broke camp and packed the van and then spent time talking with Norm Fuss and Todd Post about the wooden canteens that Norm makes based on originals he has studied and about different types of coopering---much there that I did not know. Then I read and took a nap while the guys drilled some more. The site didn't open til 1:30, but when it did I finally got a tour of the inside of the house. The tour took about 90 minutes, I then changed into shorts and T-shirt, sneakers and sunglasses, found that most everybody else had split, did the same, and headed north to the Delaware Valley via Rte. 301. Thus ended my trip to a BAR South event, where I had a really nice time. My thanks to my hosts and hostesses, I recommend their hospitality to all my fellow Northerners.

Next Chapter---What DO they do at a Firelock Match? Better yet, instead of reading my version, y'all come experience it for yourselves! If your not in the mood for shootin', bring a hand craft and keep me company under the fly!

Respectfully Submitted,
Cate Crown
Regiment von Knyphausen &
National Board Member at Large

Blogging Along

I've been reading blogs for the past few days and having stopped and started on several blogs of my own, feel compelled to start journalling in public AGAIN. I'm so very good at doing it in private...what is it like in public?So, here are some of my favorite blogs to date
Suzie's blog for Woolbearers, my favorite LYS on the face of the earth.
Jessica's blog. Jessica knits and plays the bassoon. The two naturally go together in her world. And she lives with a man know as He Who Juggles Fire. Go figure.
A Dress A Day. Life as soon through the eyes of various dresses or the person who envisions those lives. Thanks to Ingrid for making my life richer for this blog.
Crazy Aunt Purl. A woman who knows how to live. Divorced with four cats and in love with Revlon ColorStay lipstick and obsessed with A Perfect Storm. okey dokey.

I do so admire these people. Their thoughts and words and snips of their lives are out there for strangers, friends and families. How courageous and fool hardy.

Tuesday early morning musings

I am yearning to knit and just not doing it. The weather in New Jersey is 5000% humidity, perhaps I exaggerate by the teensiest bit, but it's made all of me stiff and lethargic. It is 4:42 am and sleep is nowhere to be found. I have made some progress on the Best Friend sweater for my best friend and am awaiting the rest of the yarn I need to arrive at my LYS, Woolbearers, in Mount Holly, NJ. Heaven knows there are dozens (at least five dozen) other projects I could be working on, but I'm not.

Instead, I received the new KnitPicks catalog in the mail and am thinking of NEW projects. After all Christmas is coming. Everyone could get felted bowls from the "One Skein" book. Brothers could get felted wine bottle bags or laptop bags with their initials monogrammed... Do I seriously have time to knit a sweater for Dad if I'm already trying to knit a sweater for Carol, one for Sarah, crochet one for Abby, make another one for Mom AND a beaded purse for Kelly? Plus a top for Rose once I have an idea of how much weight she's lost since her surgery? And I did want to make Cat Bordhi's Christmas Stockings, too.

Still, nothing makes me happier than pouring over the books of Ann Budd, Sally Melville, Cat Bordhi, Nancy Epstein, Meg Swansen or EZ. Then there are the magazines. I probably spend as much time dreaming of knitting as I do actually knitting.

Blogging: Day One

Hello, should anyone but me discover this blog, my name is Cate, I live in Trenton, NJ and I love to knit, to read, to feel the warmth and comfort of my miniature schnauzer sleeping nearby, to dress in 3rd quarter 18th century American style clothing and re-enact as a Hessian camp follower and to spend time with friends. I am recently (as of 8/11/06) unemployed, so am job hunting. I live in a large Victorian house that is in desperate need of organizing, cleaning and de-cluttering that I share with a housemate; we've had an arrangement that somehow works for us for over 15 years now.

I am an inveterate stash collector, of many things, and will amuse you one day soon with my to-do list of knitting and other needlework projects. At last count it may have been over 70 items.

When I cleared out my office last week I packed 9 boxes and two large plastic bags of books that I've read related to the Revolutionary War time period: militaria, biography, social history, anthologies, fiction, children's books, activity books for children, magazines, cookbooks, books on food or taverns, poetry or poets and much more.

Right now I'm working on the Best Friend Sweater from the Knit Book by Sally Melville. I'm doing it up in Nashua Chunky, color Khaki, which is a lovely evergreen. I'm also working on the Christmas Boot from Cat Bordhi's Book of Magical Knitting, aka her magical moebius technique which is charmingly addicting. That's being done with 2 skeins of bulky Lopi in red and 1 skein in green, I just finished the handle and am about to take out the invisible cast-on stitches to begin the boot portion. Many more Christmas presents to be worked on and here it is August 18!

Happy Knitting to all and to all a Good Night!