An Open Letter to Printer Ink Manufacturers

Dear HP, Epson, Canon, et. al.:

Why is it that I could buy a new printer for less than the cost to buy new ink? Even refills only require 2 visits to pay for a new machine. What resides in those small plastic shells that makes them so costly? They are, after all, pretty low-tech. The thinking comes from the printer, not the ink, so what's the deal?

When I download a pattern from Ravelry or Berroco or one of the many blogs, I eventually want to print it and take it along in my project bag. Naturally, the best patterns have many photos so the stitcher can see how the object should look if executed properly.

So you manufacturers, please make 2009 the year that printer ink prices fall, just as the price of a barrel of oil has finally dropped to an acceptable level.

Marching to the Beat of My Drummer

I am rarely one to knit or crochet a pattern that "everyone" is doing. At the same time, rarely does a pattern become an overnight sensation just because I made it. Now, though, thanks to Robyn Chachula's wonderful pattern, Austen Lace Muffler, I have become a trendsetter.

Thus far I have crocheted three versions of this pattern, and they have become so popular that I'll be teaching a project class this winter. People who don't yet crochet have expressed the desire to learn, just to make this collar. I'll gladly make this for anyone who asks and gives me yarn - it takes only 2 evenings of pleasurable stitching.

The blue one is Malabrigo Silky Merino, one of my favorite yarns. It is soft and weightless and wonderful in the hands. The yarn was leftover from Belle Epoque, one of my favorite sweater projects from last year.

The purple collar is Baby Twist from Alpaca with a Twist, and Incas Alpaca. Soft and warm and purple. The Baby Twist is leftover from the Not Wicked Stepmother Cardigan.

The pink muffler is an old stashed mohair/wool/acrylic blend. It itches, and it's pink, and will probably be a gift for someone who likes pink and can wear mohair.

Thanks Robyn, for another great pattern.

Science & Math & Knitting, Oh My!

An MIT professor just published a book in which she recounts the stories of her students about the moment when they first came to science in a personal, meaningful way. As I was listening to the story on NPR I remembered my flash of inspiration in 6th grade at Horace Mann Elementary School. We'd recently had the first ever Earth Day, and I caught the fervor.

Electricity was the concern then, and we were all about turning out lights as the only remedy available. Until, of course, my eleven-year-old brain hit the scene. "Mr. Miller, let's just reproduce the chemical reaction that produces light in fireflies, put it in a bulb, and we have electric-less light." Presto. Just give me my Nobel Prize now, thank you.

What? What do you mean, how do we get all that magnesium? Trigger the reaction continuously? Fiddle-de-dee, I came up with the idea. It's up to you (a non-specified you) to figure out how to implement the idea. Don't bother me with the details, I have more thinking to do.

Then I remembered that, in fact, I had a scientific moment three years earlier, in Social Studies class. Our books illustrated how factories could purify their exhaust smoke to help reduce pollution. My hand started waving in the air, "Mrs. Wakeland, couldn't you take the purified steam and run it underground to heat the streets? It would stop the need for salt trucks, and there wouldn't be any accidents."

She encouraged me to write up my proposition in a letter to the President (my first of many to the Nixon family), and Steve Wisely (where are you now Steve? You gave me a beautiful May Basket that year which I've never forgotten) drew the accompanying schematic.

Sadly my brilliant ideas remained just ideas, but I kept my interest in science, and even harbored the thought of becoming a geneticist and curing disease (well, that is, if I couldn't make it as an actress). And then I met higher mathematics.

I was pretty good with basic arithmetic. I always needed pen and paper, but I could usually figure out the answer. When, however, math started including letters as well as numbers, I couldn't make the leap. I suppose I could if I'd really tried, but I lost interest - I might need to know how many are left when you subtract 84 from 156, but who cares what equals X?

Math was math, science was science, and the twain didn't meet soon enough to make a difference. And real life applications didn't enter the equation at all (pun intended).

And then came knitting.

I first became aware of the math of knitting in the 1980s at The Knit & Needlepoint Shop. Charlotte could take any pattern, or photo, or idea, then take your measurements and gauge, and write out the directions in less than an hour. Her patterns always fit perfectly, and yardage was spot on. It was a sad day when the shop closed.

I had to do the math myself, and to my surprise, I found I could do it with reliable results. Sure, every once in a while I err, but mostly the math prevails. I still use pen and paper, and bejewelled calculator I inherited from my mother. If truth be told, I use the calculator even when I don't need to (I still remember my times tables), just for the pleasure of touching the sparkly jewels and remembering my mother trying to balance her checkbook!

I could make my own patterns, just like Charlotte. I designed a sweater for the Ravelry Knitting Olympics,

another for my not-at-all-wicked-stepmother,

a hat that requires you to do math, and countless modifications of other patterns (pun intended again).




Now that I'm undaunted by the math, maybe I'll go back to the task of saving the planet.

Care-full Knitting

The Greater St. Louis Knitter's Guild has a popular charity knitting program - almost anything one could want to knit will find a good home thanks to the dedicated volunteers. Hats for newborns, kids and chemo patients, squares for rescued animals, and clothes and blankets for families in need, all come from the talented needles of the Guild membership. Generous people and businesses donate the yarn, so the members simply have to knit.

I participate by knitting baby/child hats, but I must confess, my reasons are not particularly lofty. I do it because I can, because it's quick, and because I can knit something I personally don't want to use. As I said, not very idealistic. But my sensibility has been raised by a comment from the Guild Vice President for Community (read charity knitting).

Our current VP, Pat, may have inherited the title of nicest woman (title was previously held my my maternal grandmother until her death a few years ago). I don't imagine Pat has ever had a catty thought or spoken a harsh word about anyone. Almost all her knitting these days is for children, and for charity. Last weekend she was agonizing over a row of decreases that didn't live up to her expectations. Everyone told her it looked fine (which it did) and that the recipient likely wouldn't even notice.

A while later she made a comment to me: Maybe a parent won't hit a child while wearing something I've knit - they might like it if someone compliments their child's appearance.

Wow.

I haven't stopped thinking about that statement. I cast on a few more hats, and plan to do a few sweaters, not just because I can, but because maybe she's right.

Tragedy at Target

Who knew that a plaintive "Sweetheart, I'm out of shampoo" could lead to such heartache?

With a light heart I dropped him off at work, and set out to shop at Target. I even remembered the gift card that I got during my last shopping trip because I bought 2 packages of Charmin. The sun was shining, and I didn't anticipate crowds. Then the world turned upside down.

I pulled up to the parking garage, but the gate was down. Horrors! One might say, "But rms, it's okay, since it's cold outside and the sun is shining, your car will stay warm by parking outside." One would be correct, of course, but one would be missing the point entirely. The real reason to go to this particular Target is to use the shopping cartscelator.

Even if I only purchase 1 item (not that I'm capable of purchasing only 1 item, anywhere) I would use a shopping cart for the sheer entertainment value of sending it on its way down the specially invented escalator. It just never gets old. Yet, today I didn't get to experience that joy, that thrill of seeing something so frivolous but so perfect, that childish excitement of witnessing something cool.

Dare I say, the shopper missed the target today?

I Beg Your Pardon, I Never Promised You a Rose Garden

However, the White House Rose Garden was the site for a presidential pardon in 1976. One president was then lame duck Gerald R. Ford. The other president was Lue Shefren of Rock Island, IL, then leading the National Turkey Federation. I was an adolescent eager for a piece of fame and history and Michigan football.

My grandfather, my Popop, Lue, will always be a hero to me. Coming to the United States as a teenager from Poland, he struggled with the language, new customs, and the Great Depression, and reached the highest position in his industry. When Lue began working for Louis Rich, they were a chicken and eggs company in America's great midwest. Grateful to have a job, still Lue wanted to marry, and needed enough money to support a wife. Mr. Rich agreed that Lue could leave his processing plant job and become a buyer, but gave him no territory or leads. So Lue created his own, and purchased the first turkeys for the company.

He kept buying more turkeys, virtually creating the turkey industry in Iowa, especially among Amish farmers. Business boomed, the eggs disappeared from the product line, and turkey was not just for Thanksgiving any more. Along the way my charming Popop earned the respect of the industry, and was elected its president.

Now, it was tradition for the President of the United States to pardon a live turkey before Thanksgiving. There was pomp and ceremony and news coverage in the Rose Garden. Unfortunately, not all years are created equal. President Ford was already famous for another, controversial pardon, and he had just lost the election to Governor Jimmy Carter. Rumors flew that Mr. Ford would not have the pardoning ceremony that year, or that no family members would be allowed to attend.

Well, I'm not my Popop's granddaughter for nothing! I wrote a letter to the President's secretary of scheduling (no, not a Cabinet position!) pleading my case. Finally the phone call came - I would be traveling to the capital.

1976 was the first of 3 years where Ohio State couldn't even score a touchdown against my boys in blue. What a thrill to discuss the game with one of Michigan's former players, who had risen to the highest position in the world. What the photo doesn't show is the frosted blue eye shadow, and the frosted pink lipstick I was wearing. Man, I was hip!

Well, both presidents are gone now, and Michigan is taking much too long to rebuild its team. I'm not hip any more, but I confess to the frosted lipstick occasionally. I no longer crochet granny squares. I have my own rose garden, and haven't cooked a turkey in years. But every November I remember.

Entre nous, entrelac

Finally, I'm happy with the beret pattern. If you have any questions about the decreases, leave a comment and I'll be glad to help.

GREENTRELAC BERET

By RMS Original


Notes: Wherever the pattern says to ssk, you may instead k2tbl (knit 2 together through the back loop). For the rectangles, the “Shaping Row” always begins with Sl 1 and ends with a decrease. “The “Return Row” is always K6 or P6 (whichever is appropriate to keep the st st pattern).

When working entrelac in the round there are no side triangles on Tier 1, however, you must somehow change direction! You may either knit (or purl) another row of the diamond to get to the other side (as printed in the directions), OR pick up stitches from the base to the top of the previous diamond.


Yarn: Nashua Wooly Stripes, Color WS0051, or similar worsted weight yarn with long color changes
Needles: Circular Size 7-9, or whatever will give you a pleasing fabric in your yarn. If you don’t use the Magic Loop method, the length of your needle should be 16”. 8” DPNs may be used.
Gauge: See instructions for Ribbing Band.

Ribbing band: Work a gauge swatch in 1x1 rib, and note the number of stitches in 4”.
Measure the circumference of your head, and divide by 4. Multiply this number by your gauge. Divide by 6, and subtract as necessary to get an even multiple of 6. Subtract another 6 or 12 stitches for a tighter fit. Cast on that number of stitches, and join, being careful not to twist. Work 1x1 ribbing for 1”.


Set Up Base Triangles:
Row 1 [RS]: K1, turn work.
Row 2 [WS]: P1, turn work.
Row 3 [RS]: Sl 1, k1, turn work.
Row 4 [WS]: P2, turn work.
Row 5 [RS]: Sl 1, k2, turn work.
Row 6 [WS]: P3, turn work.
Row 7 [RS]: Sl 1, k3, turn work.
Row 8 [WS]: P4, turn work.
Row 9 [RS]: Sl 1, k4, turn work.
Row 10 [WS]: P5, turn work.
Row 11 [RS]: Sl 1, k5. Do not turn work. The first base triangle is complete.
Continuing on to the st to the left of the st just worked, repeat Rows 1-11 until you have completed the circumference, and used all the ribbing stitches. Base triangles are complete.

TIER 1, Left to Right.
Right-Slanting Center Diamonds:
Row 1 [WS]: Pick up and p 6 sts along edge of next base triangle (in following Tiers, you’ll pick up sts along the edge of a diamond). Sl last picked-up st to left needle, p2tog with next st on needle. Turn work.
Even-Numbered Rows 2-10 [RS]: K6, turn work.
Odd-Numbered Rows 3-9 [WS]: Sl 1, p4, p2tog, turn work.
Row 11 [WS]: Sl 1, p4, p2tog. Do not turn work; diamond is complete.
Repeat Rows 1-11 until you are back at the beginning. On the last diamond, after Row 11, turn and K6.

TIER 2, Right to Left
Left-Slanting Center Diamond:
Row 1 [RS]: Pick up and k6 sts along edge of next diamond. Sl last picked-up st to left needle, ssk with next st on needle. Turn.
Even-Numbered Rows 2-10 [WS]: P6, turn work.
Odd-Numbered Rows 3-9 [RS]: Sl 1, k4, ssk, turn work.
Row 11 [RS]: Sl 1, k4, ssk. Do not turn work; diamond is complete.
Repeat Rows 1-11 until you are back at the beginning. On the last diamond, after Row 11, turn and P6.
Repeat Tier 1.

Repeat Tier 2 however pick up only 5 stitches evenly spaced along the edge of each diamond.

Repeat Tier 1 however pick up only 4 stitches evenly spaced along the edge of each diamond.



You are now ready to knit the top triangles and crown decreases.

Top Triangles
Row 1 [RS]: Pick up and k4 sts along edge of next diamond.
Row 2: P4
Row 3: K3, ssk, turn.
Row 4: P3, wrap and turn.
Row 5: K2, ssk, turn
Row 6: P2, wrap and turn
Row 7: K1, ssk, turn.
Row 8: P1, wrap and turn.
Row 9: Ssk, do not turn. The first top triangle is complete. Continue until you have worked triangles across the whole round.

Knit 1 row.

You have an even number of stitches on your needles, a multiple of 4. To work the decreases, the odd numbered rows will be the decrease rows, and the even numbered rows will be knit all stitches. The hat in the pattern had 60 stitches after the entrelac ended. This is a multiple of 6, so each decrease section will total 6 stitches – K4, k2tog across the round. The following decrease row will be K3, k2tog, and so on until you k2tog across the round. Knit 1 row, and cut a long tail. Weave the tail through the remaining stitches and through. Weave in all ends.

Block this hat flat to properly shape the beret slouch.

Copyright 2008 RMS Original. You may use this pattern for personal and charity use only.