The Turtle Is my Spirit Animal

 

The Legend of the Turtle

 In a dark hollow beneath the forest, an egg began to wobble. The force of the movement caused it to roll a bit in the dark moist dirt. A crack appeared. Then another.

Nothing happened for a few moments, as if the egg needed to rest.

Then a gentle wiggle, and a whop, as the crack grew wider.

Suddenly a claw emerged, with long nails, curved and sharp. The claw was ugly, as if to proclaim the emergence of a horrid creature.

But what followed the claw from the crack in the shell, was a beautiful creature. So stunning in its beauty it shone brightly in the darkness.

Little by little the creature made its way to the opening in the hollow, as if by instinct, seeking the light, and following it to emerge into the brightness of a green spring.

Blinking its eyes against the harsh light, the little creature became aware of hunger. Far in the distance it spied a bush, laden with bright berries. The bush with its fruit beckoned to the creature, as if in invitation, to tea.

As lovely as the creature was, it felt sluggish, and moved slowly. So slowly did the creature move, it caught the attention of a hawk.

The hawk saw the beauty of the creature and cried to its friends: “I will win the day, for I’ve found the most beautiful creature on earth, and when I swallow it, the beauty will be within me, and I will win the day!”

The creature heard this cry and cowered under the leaf, afraid to move any further.

Then, as it quivered in fear, it attracted the attention of the snake. The snake cried: I will win the day!

I see a creature of such great knowledge, and when I swallow it, I will be the smartest creature on earth, and will win the day!”

The creature stilled its tremors and avoided discovery by the snake.

As happens in the forest, a fox smelled a tantalizing aroma, and lifted his head to focus on the source.

He howled: I have found the most delicious, fresh meat! When I swallow it, I will become the craftiest creature of the forest and will win the day!

The creature froze, trying to make itself as small and insignificant as possible, away from the sky and its flying dangers, away from the land and the crawling demons, away from the forest with its gaping jaws.

Then the creature looked at the bush, with the berries, so far away. I am so hungry, it said. Surely, I will die if I can’t eat those berries. But I am so afraid. I am too slow, too beautiful, and too wise for this world. I will surely die. Weary with the struggle, the creature fell to sleep, with only a prayer in its heart to the everlasting Father of the forest and all creatures.

Later when the creature awoke, the first thing it saw was the bush with the wonderful berries. Hunger forced it to move. But it was even slower than before its nap. Still, it struggled forward.

The hawk swooped upon the creature, and just before grabbing it up in his talons, saw only a rock. I was mistaken, he surmised. It happens.

The creature moved forward a few more steps, attracting the attention of the snake, who slithered forward, with the taste of the creature on its tongue. But when the snake was ready to strike, all he saw was a rock. I was mistaken, he surmised as he slithered away. It happens.

Hunger screaming in its belly the creature ventured forward a few more steps. Aha, said the fox. There you are! But just as the fox prepared to pounce, he saw only a rock. Harrumph, said the fox. I suppose I was mistaken. It happens. And he darted off to chase a butterfly.

Whew, close call, said the creature. Ever so slowly it took a few more steps and realized he was directly beneath the berry bush. At last! Thank you, dear Father of the forest. I am saved! He cried.

Thus, the turtle spent the summer in glorious splendor, eating and smiling. He filled his belly full for another long winter sleep in the hollow, under the floor of the forest.

 

How I Chart Patterns, The Short Version. . .

 

Print and Save an article . . .

 Although some photos on the internet are programmed so they cannot be copied, you can still take a photo with your phone. ALWAYS credit your source if you share information. It's just good manners. You know "karma" . . . best be safe.

I doubt my Blog is that well structured. If I were you I would open an article, do a screen print of the page. Then open the screen printed photo of the page in any photo app you have.  I use Microsoft Paint.

You can then edit (crop, resize, rotate) your photo, and copy it to a word processor page. 

Print, or save the article in your file.

On Swatches . .

 

A 'practice' swatch is not a 'gauge' swatch. It is something I play with to see if I like a pattern: its appearance, rhythm, and whether I can do it with a minimum of frustration. After all, I do this for fun. 

This is a practice swatch of the Rose Trellis pattern found in A Treasury of Knitting Patterns, by Barbara G. Walker (Blue cover.)

It illustrates a 'half drop surface pattern' and was knit in finer thread than I usually do my practice swatches.

  A 'diaper' pattern is an all-over pattern and has nothing to do with baby's garments. "diaper: A pattern formed by small, repeated geometrical motifs set adjacent to one another, used to decorate stone surfaces in architecture and as a background to illuminations in manuscripts, wall painting or panel painting." . . . my note: also used in textiles.

Textured Eyelets is a 'gauge swatch' and serves as a 'practice swatch'. It is from one of the several stitch dictionaries I use.

I made this swatch using yarn scraps from the stash, to distinctly see the different sections.

When I start a new color, I tie the new yarn to the previously used yarn with a 'clove hitch' knot.

It's the Itbe Shawl from Laura Nelkins, but don't expect your shawl to look like this swatch!

I use a bulky or chunky yarn and big needles. My mind is 7 to 17 years old while my eyes are 77 years old. Like a kindergartner using big crayons, I use big yarn and needles. I get Knitpicks™ 'Bare' wool blend bulky yarns because they are good quality, and less expensive. For cotton yarns, I use Brown Sheep Company. 

  

The size of the swatch depends on the multiple number of stitches, and the all-over pattern repeat. If a pattern is a half-drop pattern I will do at least a set of pattern rows with 3 repeats, followed by a set of rows with 'filler' stitches and 2 repeats, then another set of 3 pattern repeat rows. I try to keep swatches small enough to place in an album. I use either a store-bought ring binder, scrapbook album or make my own if I need an odd size.

There are many examples of stitch patterns in the Stitch Dictionaries available. The stitch count I use depends on the pattern I am knitting, but I don't want to use any more than necessary. It is only a swatch, and has to fit in my album.

If I am following a published pattern that instructs "Work these 2 rows 23 more times" (for a total of 24 rows) I may work them 2 or more times, if needed, to end up on the RS (right-side-of-fabric) and to see the pattern interplay. The pattern calls for an even-number-of-repeating-rows, so that is what I want to do in my swatch as well, to maintain an accurate stitch count according to the pattern.

Note: if I mean 'right-of-center' I will indicate 'right edge' or ROC. Likewise, 'left edge' or LOC (left-of-center). RS always means 'right-side-of-fabric' in Knitting Standards.

This example of Zigzag A, Staci Perry Winter Chill, at VeryPinkKnits (used by permission) illustrates a definite Center, an ROC, and an LOC.

 

On documenting work . . .

 I use a cheap cell phone to take photos of my work. 

To get a good still photo, I have a tripod with a remote "clicker."

I cut a triangle that is 11" on each side from thin plywood (from the hobby shop) and drilled holes in each corner that allow the legs of the tripod to go through.

I put rubber around the inside of the holes to help keep it from slipping, but the spread of the legs is usually good enough.

I lay my cell phone on the plywood triangle, and use the 'remote' to take the picture. My phone has a 'portrait' setting, allowing for close-ups.

The subject of the photo is placed on the floor, or table on a piece of white or colored paper.

This works so well, that I have shared it with gardening and artist friends for years..

About Markers . . .

 

A marker can be made with many things, provided it slides easily on the needle and is a size that does not slip under a yarn-over. When I place a lifeline in my knitting, I don't put the thread through the markers because the markers will move with my knitting and the lifeline stays on the row for a time.

 

Markers I like include:

 

Plain individual rings

Linked Markers are connected with a chain

Lettered or numbered markers have ‘number’ or ‘letter’ beads attached

Markers with charms or 'dangle' attached

Markers with colored beads glued to cover a jump ring 'join' and work with a color code system

 

To keep a linked marker, or one with dangles, out of the way of the working yarn, keep the marker to the front of your knitting in a knit row, and to the back of the knitting in a purl row. Move it as necessary when you have both knit and purl stitches in a row.

 

Back in the day, I made markers that spell out 'right' and 'left', but I no longer use them.

If you've never seen linked markers, you may still have heard the term. Linked markers are a feature of the app Knit Companion. I made linked markers because I needed a way to see both the old and the new position of my marker, and I wanted a way to determine the RS (right side) and WS (wrong side) at a glance.

This is what I came up with:

The bead covers the join

in the jump ring, with Superglue™

Here is a set at work

An unexpected benefit was that if I place one marker before removing the other, there is less chance of losing the marker through the planks of my porch floor. The floor has a window screen underneath, so I can't even retrieve something without a hassle.

I still have to hold a marker before placing it, unless I slip a stitch, place the marker, then slip the stitch back to work.

I use 7 mm and 10 mm jump rings, size 6 seed beads, and a chain that is sold as a 'chain extender."

We had a scare with the PC. Rushed it to the I.T. doctor, and brought it home the same day! I was in despair that I wouldn't keep my promise of having a post today. Keeping a promise is important to me.

Consistency . . .

 

Methodology -  doing the same thing the same way every time…creating a neuro-path.

The Process and Tools I use . . .

 

I don't like to communicate verbally, because I make so many mistakes: I appear foolish, stupid, or tactless. I communicate best by drawing and writing. It also means I have to be very organized to find anything in the studio, file cabinet, or bookshelf. My brain damage could have begun at birth (the cord was wrapped around my neck). I have always been 'different.' The most difficult issues began with trauma seven years ago.

 

In both mediums, drawing or writing, I start with a general idea: a rough sketch or draft on paper with a pencil that has an eraser. Handy to have is a very long eraser in its own handle. Also useful, an eraser "shield" - it is a holdover from pre-PC days when illustrators produced work by hand. The shield allows me to cover up what I don't want to erase. They are sold in art/drafting supply sources.

 

The next phase is to refine a drawing or edit my article. Usually, I print it to see how it will look on the page to help me see the mistakes. An article may require many drafts before publication to get it as close to perfect as my ability allows. It's the same with a drawing or illustration. 

Then I may color with highlighter pens, and ink in the pencil marks with a fine Sharpie™. I also use drafting pens that are sold with precision point widths for some illustrations. A line drawing must convey precise information with simple lines and shapes. The goal of a drawing is to present the subject with as much clarity and little distraction as possible.

 

The final step is to re-draw the chart on the desktop computer. I love the benefit of having 'artificial intelligence.' It is faster for some applications.

If you want to learn to draw on a computer, I recommend the program Affinity™ to begin, rather than Adobe Illustrator™. Adobe Illustrator is a highly complex system while Affinity is more 'amateur-friendly.' But Illustrator does have some features that are not available on Affinity. I also use the free version of Grammarly™ to check my work, and "Google" for miscellaneous questions I may have. Henry Ford is purported to say he didn't have to know everything about automobiles as long as he knew who to ask.

 

Before retirement, I worked mostly as a temp or free-lance. It got the jump on getting fired for my social gaffs. It also taught me many ways to do things, having so many different employers. I should add that I loved my work and spent my time working as opposed to office-politicking. I was fired from one job and told later that they had to hire 6 people to replace me. I asked why they didn't call me back. The manager said he called me, I already had another job, so he didn't ask.

 

For word processing, accounting, and charting, I use Microsoft Office. Working as a temp, it was the 'most often' used software by employers, though I did have to learn some more refined office software on occasion.

 

Compatible with Word and Excel, the knitting symbol font called 'StitchinKnit' was my choice. You can learn more about it here: Knit Symbol Fonts/. There are free fonts available. I just happened to like this one and paid a small license fee.

 

I made a pair of templates in Excel for graph paper, but I also have a free software called: Graph Paper Printer. It has been around a long time and has many applications, including music and scientific papers.

 

More tomorrow . . . 

Enlargement of an analysis of a knitting pattern chart . . .

 

Row 1: Edge, Pattern Repeat (PatRep) Center. Row 2: PatRep

Row 1 (left side): Center, PatRep, Edge. Row 2: PatRep

More Info

Note: Stitches are increased at the edges and center but after 4 rows become an additional Pattern Repeat (aka* PatRep). 

*aka: also known as.

Knitting Charts for the Rest of Us

 I have a 'different' way to chart patterns. 

That means whenever I want to knit a pattern I must re-chart it so I can understand it. 

The PROCESS of re-charting helps me to understand the pattern better.

I need to understand because my brain doesn't work like a 'normal person.'

I am using Winter Chill Shawl pattern by Staci Perry, with her permission. The pattern is on Ravelry and is also available on her website: https://verypink.com/. Staci is my 'go-to' knitting YouTuber. This pattern is my favorite for playing with patterns and learning the skills I have needed to master.

Here is how her chart for the section Zigzag B is presented in publication:

This is my version of the same chart. Nothing has been changed. The only difference is I give myself more information..

Another version shows which rows are worked in a pattern repeat (abbreviated PatRep in my knitting language.) This is what I use after learning all I can about the pattern.

The question isn't IF I make a mistake, but WHEN! This is my solution for checking stitch count. It is easier than it looks.

If I need further help, I may use my computer to make this:   If you have 'artificial intelligence' as a tool, use it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The main difference is my charts are color-coded, so I can readily see the difference between 'knit' and 'purl' or 'RS: right side' and 'WS: wrong side'.

Usually knit is pink and purl is green. Just because I like those colors and they are opposite on the color wheel.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

FACTS:

1. If a single stitch is created by combining two or more stitches, I use two or more chart squares within a single thicker border.

My story behind rehabilitation and recovery from brain trauma

 Happy Mother's Day !

I was born the 3rd daughter of six children. I had two younger brothers and a younger sister, Lori, who was born with Down's Syndrome the summer after I graduated high school. Mother only lived another 3 years.

 

I had to fight my older sisters for the privilege of raising Lori. They wanted her admitted to an institution. We had a cousin who went to an institution and did not live a year beyond the day he entered it. I fought hard.

We took 'the family' to court three times in order to provide sufficient support and achieve legal guardianship of her. The elder sister once made a comment that 'with all of Lori's problems, she could always go on welfare.'

 

We were told Lori would not live past the age of 10 - 13. Typical of Down's her tongue was large, she had a partial hearing loss, and when her permanent teeth emerged, she had two rows of teeth on the upper part of her mouth. Which meant she had trouble speaking and at one point gave up trying to speak. When she was 8, she was diagnosed with kidney disease: hydro-nephrosis, meaning her urine flowed both ways. If her bladder was full, it back flowed into her kidneys and stretched them beyond their capacity to function. The right kidney could not be saved, but with multiple surgeries, the left kidney and her bladder were repaired. The kidney disease slowed her physical growth, which was a blessing because she appeared younger than her chronological age, making her appear more 'normal' to other playmates.

 

The difficulties of verbal communication required me to observe her body and mood 'language.' At some point, we had to insist Lori tell us her needs before meeting them to instill in her the desire to make herself understood. Even so, she was very stoic, rarely complained and I had to be very watchful to be able to anticipate her wishes.

 

My mission in life was to take Lori as far as she could go until the goal became her ability to function as an independent adult. We succeeded. She graduated high school and held a job. She went to the prom and had fun on her own four-wheeler. She loved music, rocking in her chair, and swinging in the yard swing. She learned to read all the 'danger words' and music labels of her favorite country-western singers. Her sing-alongs left much to be desired.

 

She read her Bible with her hands - similar to a braille reading, but with a regular Bible, literally wearing out 3 Bibles over the years. It always fascinated me that she was evidently getting something out of those printed pages, or she would not have been so devoted to the practice. When she was hospitalized for the last time, I asked her if she had talked to God lately. 'Yes,' she said. 'Oh yeah? What'd He say,' says I. Her answer: 'I'm going to heaven.'

 

She taught our whole family so much, being the eldest of our 5 children. Lori died at age 27 from leukemia.

Her mission of teaching me and all who knew her, pure love, had been accomplished.

 I suffered brain damage and PTSD after the sudden death of my youngest daughter.  Eventually, I had to choose to vegetate or recover. Thanks to the experience of teaching Lori, I had some ideas as to how to work on my own recovery. It has been seven years and I am still learning to read again. At 77, I am the oldest seven-year-old that I know. I had a good brain and still do. Although I lost so much, there also remained so much to work with. I have always been a consummate problem solver, and still am. So much came so easily to me, that I took it for granted. I was an illustrator, pattern/product designer, non-fiction author, an accountant/auditor. Now I can forget something in a matter of minutes and must give myself lists and illustrations. Progress is slow, but it is progress, not perfection.

Always enough for what is important

 

COMING SOON . .

There are always enough resources (time, money, education, tools, videos, advice) for what is important.

What isn't obviously apparent must be sought after.

1. SEEK

2. LEARN

3. PRACTICE

4. DOCUMENT RESULTS

In the spirit of sharing, I will be documenting my journey along the path of learning to knit after brain damage. Just because something is difficult does not mean it is impossible. Just because you haven't been told something doesn't mean the information, insight, perception, process, or means aren't available.

Let's have some fun!

It has been a long journey, and it will take more than one installment of the series to fully explore the topic. 

Bear with me.

Lace Knitting vs. Knitted Lace

Lace Knitting vs. Knitted Lace

Geoff Hunnicutt has the answer in his Knitpicks Video Tutorial. Click on the colored text to go right to it.

He defines 'lace knitting' as lace with a pattern row #1, followed by a purl row #2.

If you are knitting flat, row #1 would be the right side row, and row #2 the wrong side row.

He defines 'knitted lace' as lace with pattern row #1 followed by a different pattern row #2, and on for the number of rows in the pattern.

Knitted Lace can get very complicated because to follow a chart in the established manner, the wrong side row is knit left to right, doing a pattern stitch the opposite of what it would be in the right side row. Knitting in the round simplifies things a bit, but lace shawls, for example, are knit flat.

If you study a chart of knitting symbols, you will see a symbol described as: On right side K2tog, and wrong side, SSK, for example.

Superpowers!

Some people have superpowers . . .

 Normal people call them: 'disabilities.'

On the Edge

 Designing  edge finishes for shaped knitting (a rough draft).

Intro: Knitting is a counted thread/stitch discipline that results in geometric shapes.

early 20th century, shapes were predominantly round, as in doilies and table cloths. 

Some edgings were knit separately as a long, narrow piece and applied. The nature of the stitch pattern allowed the outer edge to expand while the inner edge could contract, without noticeable bunching or ruffling. In some cases, a pronounced ruffle was achieved. 

Don't be afraid of a pattern that has different knitting directions: attached as being knit, grafted, or sewn together.

Revisiting Classic Handsewing

The beauty of hemstitching

It can be done on the newer machines but a machine can never 

match the beauty of work by the human hand. 

The Fabrics-Store offers a weave that goes by the name IL041.

 It is an open-weave linen that lends itself well to hemstitching, 

with sturdy threads in the weave, for using to do the stitch.

My hemstitch process in unlike most that's seen in instructions.

I add an extra step to provide a more balanced tension.

Needle under selected threads

The extra step:

Needle picking up 2 threads

of the folded hem, and 2 stitches

of the garment.

Needle goes over selected threads

and into the same 2 threads of the fold,

and 2 threads of the garment.

After the hemming is stitched,

the garment edge only is also 

stitched to secure the weave.

It is also possible to hemstitch a tightly woven fabric:

I have used heavyweight, densely woven linen, IL037 to make bread bags. 

The bag allows the bread to "breath" preventing mold while

keeping it fresher than in the fridge. It will dry out eventually

but keeps for a couple of days.

I learned to do this from articles on The Thread - the blog of 

Fabrics-Store: Bread Bags Revisited.

The heavy linen needed openings, to allow a drawstring to pass

through and close tightly. A simple sewn channel creates more

bulk than is desirable, for my taste. Not everyone will like 

ruffled end that imitates a plastic bag of bread, 

in which case the tutorials on The Thread show a plain hem

channel for the drawstring.

COMING SOON . .

There are always enough resources (time, money, education, tools, videos, advice) for what is important.

What isn't obviously apparent must be sought after.

1. SEEK

2. LEARN

3. PRACTICE

4. DOCUMENT RESULTS

In the spirit of sharing, I will be documenting my journey along the path of learning to knit after brain damage. Just because something is difficult does not mean it is impossible. Just because you haven't been told something doesn't mean the information, insight, perception, process, or means aren't available.

Let's have some fun!

It has been a long journey, and it will take more than one installment of the series to fully explore the topic. 

Bear with me.