where i knit

well, as things go i have been knitting less and less. i don't know...is it the 100 degree weather with humidity ('oh', we southern californians say 'it is hot here, but a dry heat, a dry heat'. welcome, global warming. come wreak havoc on my hair and knitting speed.). the other distraction, let's call it, is this project. this was once a functioning bathroom with challenges; leaky shower, some slight tile cracks, overall though it was doing okay. once we determined the need for a new shower, i, in my usual fashion decided to replace it all. like, all. so, down to the studs it goes, repair some ubiquitous termite damage, design it. ta-da, new bathroom. of course, the replacing is coming along as expected, painfully slow. the good thing is we do all the work ourselves. it sounds like that would be bad, but i do not hold with waiting on contractors, etc. i prefer to wait on the husband. and i think it is fun. so, eventually these bits will be put into the currently annihilated space pictured above and it will be a soothing, joyfully complete bathroom. eventually.

so, onto knitting content. i have been working on colchique in the hopes to finish a project i can wear at completion. i have been somewhat lacking in finishing projects that are season appropriate. the as before mentioned USMP was seamed in may. just weeks before sweltering heat assailed us in southern california. i finished the corset pullover from IK in, oh, october of last year. it is white, and cotton, to boot. never been worn. i seem to have sizing issues. i knit on gauge, i check against my body, i imagine lovely draping garments, i try on and tug, pull, twist, and toss aside. it must be body image issues. so, there are plenty to be photo'd at a later time. but as the title said: where i knit... my backyard. my mum is a horticultural therapist and my p's live with my husband and i. this guarantees that we need not worry about tending the out of doors around our home. she has spent years gathering plants of all different walks, painstakingly bringing them to health, she loves them. and i love to take advantage.
this here chair is a find from years ago, someone was tossing 4 and i made my husband (let's just call him mcd, my fond nickname for him) pick them up. with help, of course. but we have dragged them around for years and eventually i want to coat them fire engine red, but for now rusty and yet, oh so comfy. this is one spot. the other is my bench. both spots get lovely sun and shade at various times and give me a sense of actually knitting some of the vibrancy of color and scent into the pieces. i truly believe that the environment can affect and be incorporated into my knitting. i like to take pieces on our various trips and travels and knit a few stitches of the place into whatever is on the needles. it may sound a little funky, but i am sure there are many that just know what i mean. there is an interesting movie out titled 'what the bleep do we know?' one part focuses on water photographed at the microscopic level. i'd hate to relay the story incorrectly, but basically a monk blessed the water, they photo'd it again and compared it to regular water. the blessed water had arranged itself into almost mandala- like formations. next, they labeled bottles of distilled water with labels reading "chi of love". "thank you". "i hate you". when photo'd 24 hours later the formations were amazing. the chi of love water really struck me, i could not take my eyes off of it. i digress. it seems i tend to do that. i may have to change my title, eh? to mamie writes bits. ah well, we'll see. in defense, there was a bit of knit content. i'll leave with a bit more knitting, my colchique progress, what little there is. i do love it already. knitting with some blend of phildar wool/acrylic picked up for a cool $2 at our local retirement center rummage sale. required a little airing and febreeze, then aveda spray, but all in all, the cheapest sweater i will have made to date. i was worried about supply, but i bought 8 skiens (yep, 8) and so far the back has barely used 1.5. she'll be right. adios til next post.