Knitting Inspiration---Carraig-Fhada Vest

The inspiration for my current knitting project comes obviously from Kate Davies design.  I would never have come up with a Fair Isle pattern.  One day I may aspire to this level of design but for now, it is a treat to pick up a spot-on, clearly written vest pattern.  I can say everything I knit has some connection to place or time in my life.

The Carraig-Fhada vest is about spring on the tundra.  The emerging colors that come out of the long cold white winter.  The colors that are popping up out of the dirty dusty brown lifeless flora that will become a green rich carpet of life. With over 17 hours of intense sunlight now changes happen fast on the tundra.  We no longer have a dark night sky but rather dusk and the sun is right back up. I miss stars! It wasn't until last spring I realized my discontent with spring/summer up north . . . I want to see the dark night sky with stars! 

While out on one of our tundra walks the colors for this vest all came together for me.  I choose not to use the dark blue and white which I do love the look of but found the Ptarmigan to white for me and I just felt I would get it dirty and be heart broken. I love the Between Weathers blue which I see as the transformation of the gray and old winter going away into the greens and colors of spring.

A great example of the gray, the old snow/ice, and spring coming back.  

The brown tundra and sea ice and a huge sea lead opening up.

Sea ice breaking up, snow and ice melting away all on the gray sandy rocky beach. This gray would be the Haar.

I love this photo of the yellow, golden moss and lichen.  This is the Furze color for me.

The Islay and Yaffle are the fresh greens coming out on the trees and the tundra.

Between Weathers the rich depths of the blue northern sky.

More blues & grays

The gray lichen covered rocks, and a tad bit of Furze moss. 

The classic big sky, the expanse of the tundra, rain clouds, all add up to spring in the north.

I love this photo of the sky, the clouds, the weather, the flora on the tundra before the spring colors arrive.

All these colors come together in my Carraig-Fhada Vest.

This flower is known as the "Wooly Lousewort" or "bumblebee flower" a favorite spring Alaska tundra flower.

Good Morning!

I sit facing the computer screen trying to come up with yet another blog posting topic. What have I done lately that would be interesting, what should I be doing, WHAT WHAT WHAT . . . I look out my filthy window into this amazing amount of sunshine pouring into my home in between the dirty spots on window glass and whaaala MORNING!  As many of you know who stop by to read the blog know I love my mornings!

I love routine!  I love getting up with my dogs, Tally and Sadie. Taking them out in the cold, dark, windy winter mornings often under the northern lights.  I don't mind bundling up for the morning walk.  It is the routine. Meanwhile back in the house, the coffee is on a timer and it is brewing away . . . ah, the essence of the morning start!

Now it is officially spring and the puddles no longer have ice on them, the snow is almost completely melted in the village, the mud is drying up, and the temps are staying above 32ºF at night.

The morning solitude, peace and quiet in the village is delightful.  It is rare to see anyone up at this time most of the year.  Now it is bird hunting season and I will see bird hunters heading out as I walk to the tank farm. We all grunt at each other as we pass unless the hunter is one of my former students and then I am greeted with a "Hi, Mrs. P!" Followed by, "You want a duck if I get one?"  "Yes," I reply as most of the bird hunters know we like duck better than the other dinner choices flying overhead this time of the year: geese (a wide variety), crane, or swan.

Once years ago in our staff room, a non-native teacher was looking out the window and said, "Oh look a swan, they are such beautiful birds." The native next to her replied, "Yum they are such good eating!" Thus the different cultures meet!  

I love watching the day emerge from darkness to light, the fresh morning air, dew on the grass, the light shooting across the tundra, the start of a fresh new day full of new possibilities and challenges.

Starting your day early and knowing the day is yours, yours alone to make it the best possible day is the reward for an early start.  This is your time for you and you alone, enjoy the start!

Rough Start . . . Carraig-Fhada Vest

Oh my let me count the ways I can totally screw up a project and have so many restarts!  Really . . . how can I love knitting so much and yet just be tortured by the knitting trolls!  Last night, I may have won and sent the little buggers back into hiding for a bit!

A wonderful swatch with great tension and all things I love about knitting! This pattern is from Kate Davies Inspired by Islay, called Carraig-Fhada vest, knitted with Buachaille yarn.

I started off great with knitting the full recommended swatch but here lies the first ERROR!  I have a wonderful swatch and I could duplicate sts colors on it to see what I actually really did like and what caught my eye. DID I WRITE THE NEEDLE SIZE DOWN---NOPE-NO-NOT AT ALL!!!!!!! When will I get over this major personal flaw in knitting?  Why is it so hard to write DOWN NEEDLE SIZE 3.5MM?  Oh, I say, to myself all the time, "I will remember what needle size, of course, I will remember your size needle!" Do I remember the needle size . . . not often enough.

Then there was the issue with the twisted sts ribbing . . . too loose, I didn't go down a needle size or two. Which when I got to the colorwork was very loose and floppy. I don't care for that kind of knitting at all my knitting has to have "ganas" which is Spanish for balls meaning it needs to be a bit firm with some substance to the knitted fabric. I frogged and started the twist sts ribbing again on smaller needles and NOPE still didn't like it. I went back to the tried and tested true to the core ol'K2, P2 ribbing on smaller needles and reduced sts.  I am an EZ percentage system fan, I know I can redesign anything and make my knitting work for me. Although I am trying to follow a pattern, I am all about tweaking it to make it mine and to make it work for me! I know I can do these things when I am not screwing up the needle size!

The colorwork and the increase I picked just looked too messy, my knitting was once again just to loose and did not resemble my great swatch at all.  STOP!  What the heck is going on here?  Those dang knitting trolls! I know for a fact these trolls live and run around causing mayhem for us knitters. I imagine trolls rubbing their hands, chatting and grunting with each other and planning their attract when I am not looking. . . they are giggling at all my errors and loving the mayhem they are creating . . . but at last, I won!  I frogged a bit, fixed needle size, fixed increases, and did 2 rounds of colorwork correctly and set my knitting down for the night. Once you get the bothersome knitting trolls under control you need to leave them as they retreat to their den all pissy that they didn't win and can not longer torment the H-E-double-toothpicks out of you!

Look who is the Featured Teacher in Healthy Futures!

The wonderful folks at Healthy Futures here in Alaska contacted me last week. They asked if I would consider being their "Featured Teacher" for their spring newsletter.  I truly believe the way to good health, being a good person, and just feeling great lies just outside your door I said "YES!"  The soap box is about to roll out here  . . . really think of the happiest and healthiest people you know are they inside all the time? Or are they outside doing something!  Enough said!  "The Longest Mile" is to your door . . .

Where's the WOOL?

It is time for a knitting update.  I left off with a Lopi sweater which has been great for skiing this winter.  My only slight complaint about any sweater I knit is the body length. This is a fitting issue, I will be focusing on in the future.  I have a few sweaters that I really love but the body length I feel is just too long.

I don't believe I posted this finished sweater.  This was the Shetland Chunky yarn with unspun Icelandic.

Done, off the needles, and used often this winter! This sweater has made for a wonderful warm layer when skiing in the bitter cold. Like all 100% wool, it keeps you 100% warm!

I did finish last spring's socks I casted on.  I never worry about socks as they are the "go to" project to just have around and to knit when time or my mind needs productive mindless knitting. Hats are another great project just to have around or to use up your leftover yarn to knit up a fun hat.

Nice pair of R & R socks as I am calling these.  Knit with Kate Davies Buachaille Yarn.

I also knitted and felted two pairs of baby booties.  I finished the icord on a baby blanket that was to be a throw years ago. This throw turned into a baby blanket as it has been sitting as a UFO (for those non-knitting folks this is an UnFinished Object) for YEARS!  It is now DONE!  Baby booties just need a bit of finishing work and all items will be delivered next week.

Knitted and felted baby booties.  Knitted with Malabrigo worsted yarn from the Knit'N Needle.  Malagrigo yarn is wonderful for felting!  This is my go to knit for little ones.

Leftover yarns, a long-term project, off the needles and soon to be on its way to a little one.

Brief intro: The big project is my Fair Isle Vest!  This has been a dream project/goal for years and now it is on my needles! It has been a bit of a struggle to get it on my needles  . . . read below

Carraig-Fhada Vest 

Carraig-Fhada Vest is on my needles for the third time.  Last fall, I signed up for the Inspired my Islay Club.  I would be getting weekly patterns through the winter and in the end the patterns in a book as well all by Kate and Tom. It was a weekly treat to see what would arrive in my "inbox."  When the vest showed up I knew I would have to knit it!  I did knit up a swatch and messed with the colors a bit.  The white background had me worried a bit, yet I loved the colors used and the nice spring/summer look of the vest. After a bit of messing around and thinking, I ended up going back to the original blue colorway in the pattern.

Twisted STS ribbing looks nice.

Far too large and to much stretch and I am just not happy with you!

Sometimes it is best to knit with a background that doesn't match your yarn--a knitting tip!  This just made it harder to see the sts.

I am lately having a ribbing issue with my knitting.  I frogged out the ribbing and debated a k2, p2 rib which is what most Fair Isle use or reducing the sts count.  I finally just went down 2 needle sizes and re-knit the twisted sts ribbing.  The ribbing is now done.  I tried it on and it seems better  . . . I don't love it though.  On a positive note, I started the color work which I do love!  Colorwork just talks to me! I love the reward of seeing progress as you work your way through the color motifs.

I knit this ribbing twice, the 1st time I forgot to go down a needle size or 2--ugh!  The second time I went down 2 needle sizes and knitted colorwork.  I decided, I really didn't like the colorwork or the ribbing.

After much debate, I had that "gut feeling." I am not in love with you
. . .  I frogged for the vest for the third time.

Colorwork which is looking pretty nice I will say, but I just am not happy with all that white!

I frogged the ribbing three times. I casted on with a different blue, a k2, p2 ribbing on needles 2 sizes smaller and minus 24 sts.  I have returned to my gut feeling of ribbing and colors and now, in theory, I should be all set to knit with no more major frogging!

A great thing about knitting a good size swatch is you have something to mess around with.  Ther blue I am using now is "Between Weathers"  with the "Haar" for the background color. I also used a duplicate sts to look at colors.

The colors I am now using are muted but I like them better.  My only last little color issue is I may change the Furz (golden yellow) to a Hedder (heather pink) . . . 

A side note: Fair Isle, Lopi, and Norwegian knitting design/techniques are what I love the most!  Aran knitting technique is running just a smidge behind color work for me. I love the traditional knits and color work of these techniques from the northern latitudes.




PS  I hope this doesn't read to disjointed.  It just took some time to get all the knitting updated. The photo below sums up how I felt about this post---JUST GET IT DONE WILL YOU!

Deactivation! YES! Good Bye FACEBOOK see you in the fall!

Over the years, I have done a variety of things to stay off of facebook during the non-ski-season months. . . I believe this is the 3rd season of FB deactivation.  I have found deactivation is the best way to keep me off of the dreaded "wastebook." When I am done with skiing and all that skiing involves I deactivate FB pronto.  It feels great!  Deactivation forces me to do other things like blog, knit, read, spend more time outside with Christian and the dogs.

I am not better than other people because I deactivate FB.  I do know that I lived almost all of my life without FB. I hardly need it other than the ski season.  It is the best way to get info out to the village folks fast on cancellations and changes.   I often call it the village radio as that was the major form of communication out here in rural of Alaska for decades.

FB lets me share photos of the kids and helps to promote the sport I love. Like everything moderation and usage needs to be kept in check and deactivation is the best method for this for me.

I would encourage folks to take a step away from social media and relax a bit more with those you love and the things you enjoy!

Spring Sea Ice

Spring sea ice is a pretty interesting thing!  As I write, the sea ice is 4.5 miles out from the beach.  The sea ice is 3.5 feet thick.  I know this as one of our students was out the other night with his dad setting a crab pot.  They drove out onto the ice on their snowmachine with a sled.  The sled is a large plastic workhorse used for hauling firewood, caribou, crab pots, and gear.  Arctic used a chain saw to cut a huge hole to set their crab pot and thus the report on the sea ice.

Last week, one of our ski families dropped off two brown king crabs for us as a thank you!  This is a normal thing out here to give thanks with food from the land. Always answer the door here!  More time than not, there is food: crab, salmon, trout, moose, or caribou waiting for us!

Brown king crab on the smaller size but so yummy no matter what!

After school today I dashed down to the beach for the dogs to do the dog thing.  Here are just a few photos of the beach and sea ice.  The water on top of the ice is just that overflow being pushed up along the edge and through the cracks.  I hope these photos give a feel for the magnitude of the sea ice across North Sound.

Looking north towards Blueberry Hills

Sea ice as far as you can see

Looking north

Snow and Ice on the beach

Looking northwest

Looking southeast across the mouth of the river.

The beach and sea ice about 50 yards from our front door.

A few things that got Set a Side!

I always feel like I need to keep things up to date a sort of keeping the "To Do List" clean and I seem to fall behind on a regular basis.  At least, "The Blog" is mine and really I can do whatever I want . . . I like this!

March For Women January 21, 2017

This was a typical day here in Unalakleet meaning it was far too cold for ski practice.  I know from the photos it was a -20+ for sure!  Many of us did the march for women, for all people, for everyone to be treated with kindness, compassion, and equality.  We had a huge gathering for a village with 725 people.  A nice age spread from young girls to us older folks.  It was cold, clear, crisp and we were under that northern blue sky which is rather short lived in January.  We started at the clinic and marched to the cannery. After the march, we went for hot chocolate at one of the organizers home to visit and to chat about what a success the march for women was for everyone!

Let's say we were frosty and it was cold!

A great mix and look at the parkas!  Stunning native women!

Wrapping up Another Ski Season

Skiing is what we do out here as if you haven't noticed.  This was ski season #11 and it ended Saturday afternoon as the skis were being returned to the waxroom.  Coaching is over for the season, but we still ski.

On Saturday, I hit my yearly goal of 100 days on skis.  I like having this goal as it does help get me out the door at times.  The other big reason is I love having a "real" full-time job and I still get in 100 days on the boards sliding around on snow.

Day 100 which wrapped up the ski coaching season . . . now I can just ski with "the girls" & Christian no other commitments.

The tundra snow is already melting/evaporating fast which is normal.  The drifts we ski on will be around for a but yet.  I would love to get in over 125 days but 110 may be a more realistic goal.

One of the many goof-balls we get to ski with!

WolfPack ski fan!

Elementary relay race tag zone.

Skiing on the Dragon's Back with Nulato Hills in the background.  On the other side of those hills, we have the Yukon River.

Sikulik, a long time skier, will be graduating this year and heading to college.  It has been a treat working with him over the years.

Elementary WolfPack ski racers!

End of race and season picnic on the beach.

Spring Skiing

Spring skiing is what many skiers wait for through the winter. The joy of warmer temperatures, sunshine, tan faces, fewer layers, picnics out on the snow, and skiing with your family and friends.  Spring skiing is just a blast!

Yesterday (Monday), I had ski practice at +35ºF!  Yahoo!  Corn snow, sunshine, and smiling kids!

Parachute Popcorn working on making this into some kind of ski game. 

The crew of 1st and 2nd graders plus a few 3rd grade helpers!

This is my last week for organized ski practices our elementary race will be on Friday and Saturday.

After school on Tuesday was the first day I didn't have Race Team practice since December.  I worked a bit in my classroom and then beat feet home.  I grabbed the dogs, my skate gear and out the door, we dashed.  I skied about 13Ks with no one else . . . no kids . . . no adults . . . NO ONE!  Just my dogs, Sadie and Tally, and myself!  The only thing I thought briefly about was the fact I didn't grab the bear spray!  I really need to be carrying that now that spring has arrived here in the north.

This weekend we host our school district's elementary race.  Saturday afternoon about 2:00 our ski season with kids is over and done!  Life will slow down and I can get skiing tidied up in my classroom and my house.