Obsessed? Why no! Whatever Do You Mean?

"Single-mindedness is all very well in cows or baboons; in an animal claiming to belong to the same species as Shakespeare it is simply disgraceful."

-Alduous Huxley

If that quote holds any truth, then round me up and call me "Bessie."

MOO...

I am re-reading The Lord of the Rings trilogy (having not read them since college).

I am watching the movies (again- extended version, of course).

I am watching the documentary content of the DVD set (for the first time).

I am searching through Lord of the Rings Art Books (to die for- unbelievably gorgeous & cool) drawing inspiration from them.

I am haunting Blue Moon & Tanis Fiber Arts, String Theory, the Unique Sheep, & Sanguine Gryphon , searching out the perfect yarns for Lord of the Rings projects.

I am paging through stitch dictionaries, modular knitting, twisted stitch, Estonian lace, mosaic knitting, mitten, & colorwork manuals, looking for just the right shapes & textures for Lord of the Rings patterns.

I am spending my quiet morning reflection time reading, The Philosophy of Tolkien: The Worldview Behind the Lord of the Rings.

I am keeping up with the Evenstar KAL on Ravelry ( have read every post and there have been a lot of them!)

I am tallying up the total number of participants (538 so far!) and cataloging the countries:

Austria
New Zealand (only fitting after all, since movies were shot there)
Netherlands
Sweden
Japan
Scotland
Korea
Australia
England (Tolkien’s homeland & inspiration for a truly “English” mythology)
Germany (quite a few - they are starting a thread on the KAL in German)
Norway
Finland
Spain
France
USA
Canada
Ireland

I am emailing welcome letters and swatch directions, activating Ravelry links to order & download the Evenstar pattern.

I am fixing the glitches in the existing patterns and charting new ones - have reinstalled new software on advice of the designer - keep your fingers crossed...

I am knitting furiously on Evenstar ( no, I will not give you another peek - stop whining!)

And swatching other designs for the series, which has grown considerably since our last conversation!

• Ringwraith Stole: lace/twisted stitch stole in BMFA Geisha in Raven Clan
• Eowyn's Riding Gauntlets: twisted stitch fingerless gloves in Sanguine Gryphon Eidos
• Bruinin (or Loudwater): rippling something (undecided) in String Theory DK
  
• Lasgalen (or Greenwood) Ruana: gradated lace in Unique Sheep Luxe
  
• Dwarrowdelf Shawl: triangular lace shawl in Tanis Fiber Arts lace
  
• Bag's End: mosaic stitch mushroom bag (but you will probably keep other things in it)in Unique Sheep tinsel toes
  
• Lothlorien Wrap: cabled wrap in special custom dye gradiance DK by Unique Sheep
• Mithril Vest: in Katia Gatsby
  
• Gimli Scarf : modular knit (unisex) in Noro Kureyon Worsted
• Green Dragon Mittens: color-work mittens in Tanis Fiber Arts fingering (kit)
• Samwise Gamgee Neckwarmer: (unisex) in (too cool) yarn from the mill that made the cloaks for the movie

I tried to stop at elevenses, but the darn thing keeps growing...

Last, but certainly not least: One Ring Circular Mystery Shawl

I may have to change the name of the blog to either:

MORE than a few stitches short (considerably)

or

Hobbitses Happenings...

And if you have stuck with me thus far, there is a reward (because there is always a reward at the end of a quest. Have you learned nothing?)


This is the swatch for the Ringwraith Stole. I ordered the yarn from Blue Moon today.



In Corvid from the Raven Clan colors. (That's not the Geisha; it's shown in sock yarn)

I'm not obsessed; I'm just...

enthusiastic - yeah - that's it...

AAAAAAAARGH!

"Once a new technology rolls over you, if you're not part of the steamroller, you're part of the road."

- Stewart Brand

Swatch will NOT be going out today - I am experiencing technical difficulties with newest version of the charting software I am testing on this pattern. I have contacted tech support and am waiting patiently (sorta!)

So sorry - will get it fixed as soon as possible.

I HATE feeling like part of the road!!!

Formation

"To find a form that accommodates the mess, that is the task of the artist now." -Samuel Beckett

I found this quote under the heading of "Chaos." and it struck me that most of what we do in life is formation.

On a personal note, I am still searching for the form that accommodates my house mess, but let's just agree not to go there...

Knitting is all about formation. How do we take a length of string and form it into something beautiful? How do we bring order out of chaos?

Having spent the last three days swatching and working out the design nitpickies on Evenstar, I am all about the formation.

I want so badly for all of you to find something magical in this design. It is a big challenge.

It needs to be special. It needs to be beautiful. It needs to be art.

The form needs to communicate the message.

I have completed the first section (clue) and am moving into the second and I love how it is developing. You have no idea how hard it is not to show pictures.

Something else has been forming out of the mess: our community of knitters.

I broached the prospect of fellowship in my welcome message and I believe it to be coming true.

I have never seen such a devoted, enthusiastic and generous group of people in all my days as a designer. The KAL on Rav is bustling with ideas and helpful opinions. Plurk is full of peekers & helpers. The comments here are a wealth of inspiration.

Are we having fun yet? I know I am...


I have decided to send you a small portion of the first clue to the finished pattern in advance. This will serve as both a gauge swatch and a tutorial in lace knitting.

If you can knit this swatch, you can feel confident of your abilities to knit the shawl.

And if you struggle, well... just unravel it and try again.

And ask for help.

I will try my best to be standing by in the chat room from 12:00 noon to 12:30 pm and again from 7:30 to 8:00 pm to answer any questions you have.

And I invite (encourage) other experienced lace knitters to help me out.

If you can't wait until one of those times, there will be a HELP ME!!! thread on the board at Rav. You can also email or pm me and I will do my best to get back with you, as time permits.

Between all 400 of us, I guarantee SOMEBODY will know the answer to your particular problem.

Unless you want Legolas' home phone number. Sorry. Can't help ya there.

And even if I could, I'm not sharin'... (waggles eyebrows suggestively)

If enough people are struggling with an area, I'll rope in DH to take some pics for a tutorial here on the blog (another first!)

I want YOU to succeed - I want ALL of you to succeed.

I want this to be as much fun for you as it is for me.

This way, when the first clue comes out on Feb. 12th, you can all feel confident in your abilities to find the form and avoid the mess.

So put on your thinking caps and ready your needles - ES101 is about to start...

Patience

"Patience is power; with time and patience the mulberry leaf becomes a silk gown."

-Chinese proverb

And the BMFA Silk Thread II becomes an Evenstar!

I want to cast on - badly!

But I'm being a good little knitter and swatching first.

Later gators...

Philanthropy

"The word philanthropy has its roots in the Greek language meaning "love for mankind." It was never meant to apply only to donors of thousands or millions of dollars."

- Arthur C. Frantzreb

The knitting commmunity is answering Haiti's call for help in a big way. According to the Yarn Harlot, over $50,000 has been raised for Knitters without Borders. That is a lot of yarn, people.

I am proud to be a small part of that effort.

For every person who signs up for the Evenstar Mystery Shawl KAL, we are donating $1 to the effort - $309 so far.

I say we, because, though my debit card shows the charge, I consider it a mere funneling of $1 from every person who has been inspired by the message of fellowship and concern for others that lies at the heart of the LOTR saga.

You have given, not me. My personal donation is private, as it should be. The only reason I mention this effort here is to ask others to join with us and, together, make a difference in our world.

I encourage you to support this effort in any way you can. The need is great and time is short. Should you wish to donate directly to Knitters Without Borders, go here.

Great Britain has a wonderful philanthropic knitting project as I mentioned in December: P/HOP, which stands for pennies per hour of pleasure. They also raise money for Doctors Without Borders. Designers donate patterns and the patterns are used to solicit donations.

I have donated the entire series of 2008 Garden Variety Collection patterns, five in all. These patterns are retired, so no longer available anywhere else.

They have been very popular in the past & I am always fielding inquiries about their availability. My hope is that the patterns will live on in this way and continue to raise funds for a worthy cause.

The fine folks at P/HOP will be putting them up asap. In the meantime, there are many other fabulous patterns available there. I cannot think of a worthier way to knit intentionally in the coming weeks.

How fortunate we are to be worrying about things like what yarn to use, and when clues are coming out. Our homes are intact; our children safe; our needs, for the most part, well met.

Others are not nearly so lucky.

To quote Aragorn, "It is in Men that we must place our hope."

Thank you for your incredible generosity to myself, and much more importantly, the people of Haiti.

Oh, The Places We'll Go...

“The more that you read, the more things you will know.
The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.”

Dr. Suess

Well it has certainly been busy out here on the sunflower farm, since I announced the new Lord of the Rings project!

We are already up to 268 people strong, and they are still coming in from all over the world: Germany, Finland, Norway, Australia, France, Great Britain, Korea, & I'm probably missing a couple.

Wow!

I don't know what else to say...

Just wow!

One of the themes that I really love in LOTR is the message that we must all work together to accomplish great things. Whether dwarfs, men, elves, eagles, ents, or hobbitses.

It would appear that our own fellowship may turn out to be every bit as diverse.

That is so exciting to me! (kindly forgive the liberal sprinkling of exclamation points throughout - sometimes periods just don't suffice)

I have been contacted by someone who has volunteered to translate the clues for Evenstar into German and would be pleased if anyone else wishes to do so for knitters in their country. the more, the merrier. Don't want anyone to feel left out.

DH is worried this is going to change our quiet little lives. I told him not to worry. A friend told me, "As long as they don;t show up on your doorstep, eyeing your stash, and whispering, 'My Preciousssssssss,' you're probably okay."

But DH is right; it has already changed our lives.

My email has tripled; my Plurk account is blossoming with new friends; the KAL on Ravelry is going on with great enthusiasm, & I have lots of new bookmarks on my browser: LOTR lyrics, LOTR dictionary, LOTR characters, LOTR chat rooms, LOTR jewelry...

You get the picture.

I am worried that the pupils will surpass the teacher, Hell, I think know they already have!

It is time for this designer to take out her trilogy and start boning up.

A few words about the Evenstar KAL:

This will truly be a Knit-a-long in the truest sense of the word. I will be knitting along with y'all. I have swatched and done all the design work in another yarn, but am awaiting delivery from Blue Moon on the final yarn I selected for the project: silk thread II, which is both lighter and has a great deal of sheen to it. The Geisha is a beautiful fiber, but it just didn't seem ethereal enough for Arwen. So I have bitten the bullet and will begin again.

I will, of course, be working ahead of you by about 2 weeks. No progress pictures allowed (that is part of the fun) but know that I will be thinking of you and taking copious notes as I knit, so that I can adequately address any questions that arise throughout the project.

I have based my yarn estimate on a shawl of similar size, shape, and design then added a hefty cushion onto that figure to allow for missteps and gauge variations along the way.

We have a beginner's thread going over on the Rav KAL board called "Bag's End." I named it that because that is where the adventure begins. It seemed appropriate. Bag's End is a welcoming place with lots of newbies and just enough more experienced folk dropping in to keep things moving along.

There is also a thread for your ideas as to future projects in the series. I refer to this as the "ooh ahh I wanna" thread. So many good ideas & only one designer. You guys are an amazing font of inspiration.

And I have entered my first chat room ---ever. (Yes...I know I am a troglodyte. What can I say?) I will try to visit the Evenstar Chat room on Rav at least once every evening and once during the day. Already had a good chat with some folks there this morning. I will post a message on the boards when I am entering. Hope to see some of you there.

I am wondering if I should push back the start date by a week or two to allow the yarn dyers time to fill all these orders - don't want anyone to get left behind. Most people are having to order yarn rather than pick it up at the LYS, due to the size of the project. Please leave a comment and let me know what you think.

I have been thinking much this past week on divisions within the fiber community. We all know they are there.

Some knit, some crochet, some spin. Some use charts and others swear by written directions (Evenstar will have both, thanks to nifty new software I am testing.) Some throw their yarn; others pick. Some use metal needles; others like bamboo.

We are divided into nations, states, cities, towns, neighborhoods, cliques, knitting circles. And with these divisions come the temptation to define ourselves by them. Not only by where we belong, but by where we don't.

I like this, but I don't like that. I believe this, but I doubt that. I AM this, but not that.

It is a short and tragic step from there to: I am right and you are wrong.

And then we start keeping score, like Gimli & Legolas, of all those whom we have shot and killed with our arrows.

I believe what binds us together is stronger than what tears us apart. I believe we can move forward faster, if we don't waste our time moving away from each other. We have places to go.

I believe in fellowships, like the one we are beginning to form here.

I believe together we can change the world...

one Orc at a time.

*****

Speaking of which, I hope you all will donate to Knitters without Borders today. Yarn Harlot is running a drive here for the residents of Haiti who have been devastated by the earthquake yesterday.

All proceeds go to Doctors without Borders, a wonderful organization that has done much good around the world. I am trying to set up something so we can donate $1 for every Evenstar sign up, but don't really know how to do that. Have left a message for Stephanie, so we will see...

Evenstar Mystery Shawl

All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by frost.

-Tolkein

Announcing the Evenstar Mystery Shawl from Sunflower Designs

Big Excitement around the Sunflower Farm. I am going to kick off the new decade with my first mystery shawl project!

The lace shawl will be a full sized round one (again a first) inspired by Arwen's Evenstar from Lord of the Rings. Shawl will take 1700 yards of laceweight, and require an intermediate level of skill; no expertise required, just patience. Written & charted directions.

I am doing mine in Blue Moon Fiber Arts Silk Thread II in Winter Solstice. There will be optional beading on the outside edge of the piece.I don't have a bead count yet. I'll have to get back to you on that asap...

Sign ups begin today and run through Friday February 5th. Cost is $8. First clue will come out one week later on the 12th, just in time for the Ravelympics. Subsequent clues will come out every other Friday throughout February, March & April. By May you will have a stunning shawl, perfect for any and all summer events.

But that's not all...

This shawl will kick off a new series. I know you have all enjoyed the Garden Variety Collection, but I need a little break from it. There may well be more coming down the pike in the future, but for now, I am turning my creativity in a new direction.

Evenstar will serve as the first project in an entire Lord of the Rings Collection. I am still finalizing plans, but pieces will definitely include a Ringwraith stole in Blue Moon's Raven Clan colors, a Samwise Gamgee neckwarmer and mittens (he''s my favorite Hobbit), a beaded mithril vest, and a woodland piece inspired by the Shire. a sixth [pattern is yet to be determined.

The six additional patterns in the collection will come out every other month and be available both individually or as a subscription (at a discounted price).

I will close out the project with another circular mystery shawl, based on (what else) the One ring to rule them all.

There will be a KAL on Rav, as well as a Yahoo group. And if you want the very latest scoop on the entire LOTR project (spoiler alert) you can follow along with my progress on Plurk

I am so excited about this project. I hope you will all sign up and tell your friends. There will be pattern giveaways throughout the project.

sings "And we'll have fun, fun, fun till Gandalf takes the palantir away!"

OK - Twist my Arm...

I believe things happen for a reason. I believe we should listen when they do.

I am here on record as doing a Lord of the Rings series of patterns.

I may be nuts, but I'm committed.

Wait a minute, that didn't come out right.

Stay tuned boys & girls...

Nobility

"I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my chief duty to accomplish small tasks as if they were great and noble."

-Helen Keller

I have been revisiting the world of Middle Earth in recent days. TNT ran the original version over the past weekend and that has prompted me to haul out the extended version on DVD and wallow in the great story and noble characters once more.

I friggin' LOVE this movie. I know that all the buzz is about Avatar right now, but it will have a long way to go, in my humble opinion, before it approaches the pathos, ethos, & logos of the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

This story has it all: richly developed characters who grow and develop in unexpected ways over the course of the movies, characters you come to love and empathize with and care about and laugh and cry with.

A parable for the time at which it was written, as Europe fell into the ruin and disregard for human life that prepared the ground to receive the blood of countless soldiers in world war II. Heroes who fought for the basic human rights given us by our creator, who fought to preserve the world of men as we knew it.

A story that is still ripe with meaning for our world today as we grapple with the consequences of global warming and a disregard for the world of nature. I suspect the Ents would have much to add to our debates in Copenhagen.

A depth and richness of spectacle unsurpassed in movie making, with Ents, Faeries, & Wizards. Orcs, Ringwraithes, & Trolls. Small hobbits who accomplish great deeds & large monsters who fail.

A story rich in metaphor and symbolism, including the eventual and inevitable triumph of good over evil.

But most of all. what keeps me coming back again and again, what makes me pause the movie endless times, hoping to delay the sad, yet inevitable, time when the words, "The End" appear upon my small screen, is the heartrending and overwhelming sense of nobility and purpose held within the pages of the story.

Our society yearns for greatness. But we set a harsh prerequisite.

We elevate our sports figures into heroes, then feed upon them when they turn out to have feet of clay just like the rest of us.

We cheer a new president who ushers in a time unthought of for generations of oppressed slaves, but give him up just as quickly, once we discover that slaying the dragon is going to be neither quick, nor particularly stirring.

We read biographies & watch documentaries about Winston Churchill, and John Adams, & Martin Luther King and wonder why there are no men or women of such stature on today's front page.

Perhaps, I would propose to you today, we set our standards both too high and too low.

Perhaps, if we are searching for nobility, we should hearken to Mother Theresa's message, when she said, "I cannot do great things. I can only do small things with great love."

I see greatness of heart and nobility of purpose everywhere I cast my eye this January morn.

I see it in the loving care in which my fellow "Plurkies" (as we call the people on Plurk) enfold one who, though unknown and unmet by most of us, feels like an old friend. She is undergoing chemotherapy right now and she does not stand alone. We stand with her as she faces the dragon.

I see it in the fond good-byes and heartfelt good wishes as we bid farewell to a fellow traveler, who embarks today upon a new quest, moving far to the north to attend design school and open a new chapter in his life.

I see it in the commiseration of countless individuals when one is sick, or weary, or in search of motivation.

I experienced it firsthand a few nights ago when I confronted the darkness within my own soul.

And heroes rose up to greet me, to carry me when I could not stand alone.

There is greatness within us all, as we laugh together, cry together, make beauty together...

We are Gandalf on his white horse. We are Merry in his pint sized armor. We are Arwen with her decision to forsake immortality in favor of true love.

And most of all we are Frodo: the unlikeliest of heroes, who does small things with great love.

Together, we push back the darkness and overcome the evil in our world. Together, we triumph.

There is nobility and spirit and greatness, both within us and around us every day we walk upon this middle earth.

We have but to open our eyes & ears; our hearts & souls to know it.

That is our epic journey. And the story begins, as Frodo's did.

With one small step.

Taliesin

I shall be until the day of doom on the face of the earth;
And it is not known if my body is flesh or fish.
Then I was for nine months
In the womb of the hag Caridwen;
I was originally little Gwion,
And at length I am Taliesin.

from the "Hanes Taliesin"

TALIESIN SCARF
a magical shapeshifter for multicolored yarn
$4

MATERIALS
Fingering: 800 yds / Sport: 700 yds / DK: 600 yds / Worsted: 500 yds.
(estimation only – yardage will vary depending upon your preference as to gauge)
Size 7 up to size 11 (US) needles, depending upon individual preference

I have designed a 60 inch long scarf with buttons on one end. You can wear it many different ways, You can wear it open like a traditional scarf, or looped like an infinity scarf. You can wind it twice around and wear it like a cowl. Try the buttons in the front or in the back.
And it’s reversible.

One side displays a rounded fluted rib, while the other looks like a deep twisted stitch rib on a purled background. It doesn’t curl, needs no blocking, and does a wonderful job of blending multicolored yarn with no pooling.

It’s easy. Two row, 4 stitch repeat. Knit, purl, & slip.

You could do this piece in any weight from fingering to worsted. Just do a swatch, measure your gauge, run your figures and go from there.

Have fun with it! I know I did. I can't wait to make another one!

I'll get modeled shots up as soon as I can get one of my darling DIL/GIL's to model...

Going, Going, GONE!

"Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle."

- Abraham Lincoln

Only two days left to get Spruce , the free bonus pattern for the 2009 Garden Variety Collection. On Monday, January 3rd, this limited time offer expires.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

(sorry to have been absent this past week; have been on active grandparent duty. Boy am I whipped!)

tomorrow: Taliesin - delayed one day by aforementioned family obligation...