German Knitting Group

I had a marvelous time at the German knitting group this morning.  I really must learn some German, though.  These lovely women have so much to teach!  For example, although I have knitted several pairs of socks, I have always used a particular pattern and I MUST still have it in front of me when I am turning the heel.  I have the general idea of how it should be done, but I don't really remember.  So, as a novice, I had no idea that there were different options for how you shape the heel while you are turning it.  But I sure noticed the lovely round heel that the woman across from me was knitting.  She says that it fits the foot much better and that that's how they all make their socks now and that she would teach me how.  Yeah!  Of course, when I got home, I immediately looked it up on line.  After doing some research, I think it is something like the French Heel, but I'm not sure -- it may have more in common with what is sometimes called a "short-row heel".  

Also, they are having me try to knit continental style -- with the yarn in my left hand.  I see a distinct advantage, especially for purling or combinations of knitting and purling.  I would love to be an ambidextrous knitter by the time I have to leave Germany! Which leads me to the beginning of a list of knitting goals.  I, of course, have a list of projects I want to do - as all crafters do.  A LONG list.  But what I really want to have is a list of learning goals.  I have had a mental list for a long time, but I will now create a written one (which always makes it so much more real).

1. Become a proficient felter (nearly complete!)
2. Learn to needle felt
3. Find/develop and master several embellishments (like flowers) for the felted items I make.
4. Learn to knit round-heeled socks.
5. Become proficient with cables (including at least one large cabling project, like a sweater)
6. Become an ambidextrous knitter!
7. Develop a set of items that I think are sale-able (finding/buying/making patterns, perfecting them, making prototypes).
8. And show them to people who might want to carry/sell them.
9. Start an Expat/English speaking knitting group in Berlin and have it be successful.
10. Write my first knitting pattern (not merely an extreme revision of somebody else's).

That would be a great start.

Knit Vlog for the 26th

The slippers are made from the late Bev Galeska's pattern in Felted Knits.

A Portable Career

Definitions:

Career
1. a path or progress through life or history
2. a profession or occupation chosen as one's life's work
Portable
1. able to be carried or moved easily, esp by hand
2. (of software, files, etc) able to be transferred from one type of computer system to another (read "one type of culture or country")

I have been feeling a strange urge lately. I suppose it isn't shocking. The kids are no longer homeschooling; we are mostly set-up and starting to feel at-home; and, we are in Europe (= a little short of cash). All these do add up to a certain question -- shouldn't I be doing something else? Shouldn't I be making some money?

Now, to be honest, what I have been feeling is a little more than that. Over two months ago I applied for a job at the embassy. Nothing overly involved, just some escort work. It would have provided some extra money, renewed my HR status and updated my security clearance without threatening my mostly haus-frau status. I have had more involved jobs in the past and I knew I wasn't ready to take on a commitment like being CLO. Of course, the government hiring freeze has prevented anything coming of my effort.

No, what I am now thinking about is more like, "what am I going to do when I finally grow up?" Oh dear. Despite my cold last week, I even ventured out to a spouse coffee discussion of Portable Careers -- I must actually, finally, be interested. Of course, we did some nice sharing, but no one was able to give me a list of fabulous jobs, with increasing complexity & responsibility over the years (as well as increasing pay) that are easily portable from one continent to another.

I have had some super work the last few years - raising my kids. Unfortunately, in addition to clean laundry and warm food and love, I am sensing lately that what I could also be providing for them is some savings for college! Oh well. I know I am incredibly privileged to have the choices I have: to stay at home, work part-time, choose what I do. Still, once I raise the question, "what could I be doing outside the home?", I find the options somewhat limited by our circumstances.

As I open this Pandora's box, I must be clear -- I chose these circumstances just as much as my husband did. I want and wanted this life. Now comes the time for me to be creative about looking for work that I will find fulfilling, that I could "choose as my life's work" and that will fit these wild circumstances. Oh, and by the way, is mostly part-time, since I still have this other job set (mother, wife, and home-mover).

So, this is NOT a post with a conclusion, just an opening. Please feel free to comment!

In the meantime, I am applying for a job to substitute teach at the International School. NOT a career! 

Vlog for the 22nd

Today's socks were made using the "Anne's Magic Stripes" pattern in Antje Gillingham's book, Knitting Circles around Socks.  The gansey booties are loosely based on a pattern from Lobolita's blog.

I notice I keep sharing all my lovely failures!  Please feel free to share your knitting/crafting failures & discoveries.

Knit Vlog for the 21st

If you would like to read up on rescuing yarn after you have "frogged" it, read this Knitting Daily article: After the Frog Pond.
The sweater I am frogging was designed using Knitting Without Tears, by Elizabeth Zimmermann, a classic.  My mistakes are NOT hers!

Attributions

I need to do a better job with the videos of giving credit to the knit designers -- in the same post! From now on, I will make a concerted effort! For now, I would like to add the following to yesterday's blog. The felted hats and booties were made using patterns from Beverly Galeskas' book: Felted Knits. I have also made several other patterns from that book and can recommend it wholeheartedly.

Tales from the Chaise Jan. 20, 2011

You can find the pattern for the easy cable hat here.