M a d e l i n e T o s h

A meme that looked good at the time...

More rain...

More dying, this time some kid mohair. It really looks like the sky above our little house right now.

Since it is raining and I feel somewhat reflective, here is a little q and a.

48 Things You Could Care Less About

1. FIRST NAME?  Amy

2. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?  Yes, the Amy in the book Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. 

3. WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY? When John Henry (my husband) was in the hopsital for surgery and they started to think he was getting worse during his treatment.

4. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?  Yes, I think it fairs well for being left handed. 

5. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCHMEAT? Black Forest Ham.

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? I don't know. I am not very insightful as to my personality. I like befriending people that are somewhat opposite on the personality scale. I guess I like the variety.

7. DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL? Yes.

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yes.

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? Uhh no.

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Thick creamy yogurt with "bare naked" brand ganola on top.

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? No. I usually wear shoes that do not require stings or lacing. I would rather twist yarn.

12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG?  Yes.  I am a red-head. We develop thick skin from oh about the age of 2.

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR? I don't know about a flavor but goodness I cannot get enough of Braum's vanilla mix with M n M's mixed in!

14. SHOE SIZE?  Let's just say huge. 9-10.

5. RED OR PINK? Pink, of course. The question is only what shade.

16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? My nocturnal sleeping habits and my lack of compassion in some regards. Oops that is 2.

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? The innocence of childhood. But I love watching the wee's innocence flourish.

18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? ?.

19. WHAT COLOR PANTS, SHIRT AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Olive green yoga pants, handknit socks and a chocolate colored shirt. I guess I was filling earthy today.

20. LAST THING YOU ATE? Uh, yeah the vanilla mix (see ques. 13) of course.

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? More rain dripping from the roof as we have yet to purchase gutters for this little house. But rain is a welcome sound in Texas. The lack of it can be a disaster.

22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Burnt Sienna

23. FAVORITE SMELL? Lavender.

24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? My closest friend Delia.

25. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE YOU ARE ATTRACTED TO? Eyes. The eyes are the window to the - you know the rest.

26. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON you stole THIS from? Sure! 

27. FAVORITE DRINK? Twinings hot tea with honey and heavy cream.

28. FAVORITE SPORT? I love playing basketball and volleyball but I hate watching them. I love watching horse competitions, dressage, side-saddle and jumping competitions.

29. EYE COLOR? Hazel. My mother's were cat green and my father's were a warm brown so it makes sense.

30. HAT SIZE? Medium? I don't know. I think a large head would be nice as it might portend a greater amount of brain mass.

31. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? No. 20 20 baby. 

32. FAVORITE FOOD? Tex-mex. I have had withdrawls symptoms when I lived abroad before. The addicition is intense, especially regarding cheese enchaladas.

33. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy endings. I cannot watch scary movies. They really give me nightmares!

35. SUMMER OR WINTER? Autumn. That isn't an option but that is my answer. Texas doesn't have much in the way of seasons. But Autumn I love for the smells, cinammon, cloves, spices, pumpkins a chance to wear all of that wool I work with, the colors.....

36. HUGS OR KISSES? Big bear hugs.

37. FAVORITE DESSERT? A dense chocolate pound cake or a carrot cake with homemade cream cheese frosting!

38. WHO IS MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Dunno.

39. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? The person I don't send it to.

40. WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING?  Jane Eyre. I cannot understand why I neglected to read it for so long. But my favorite author is Joan Didion, anything Joan Didion.

41. WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE No pad.

42. WHAT DID YOU WATCH LAST NIGHT ON TV? Frontline on PBS. Thank goodness for PBS.

43. FAVORITE SOUNDS? Distant thunder. Wee's breathing when he is asleep. Chickadee bird calls.

44. ROLLING STONE OR BEATLES? Beatles, which is odd because my Dad has every stones album ever recorded.

45. THE FURTHEST YOU'VE BEEN FROM HOME? Prague or Florence. I don't know which is further.

46. WHAT'S YOUR SPECIAL TALENT? My hips are double jointed so I always sit in a funny indian style position.

47. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Fort Worth, Texas

48. WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? Copied from Purly's blog.

By the way these socks from the Erika Knight book look so cozy right now! It must be the blue.............

1. FIRST NAME?  Amy

2. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?  Yes, the Amy in the book Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. 

3. WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY? When John Henry (my husband) was in the hopsital for surgery and they started to think he was getting worse during his treatment.

4. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?  Yes, I think it fairs well for being left handed. 

5. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCHMEAT? Black Forest Ham.

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? I don't know. I am not very insightful as to my personality. I like befriending people that are somewhat opposite on the personality scale. I guess I like the variety.

7. DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL? Yes.

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yes.

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? Uhh no.

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Thick creamy yogurt with "bare naked" brand ganola on top.

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? No. I usually wear shoes that do not require stings or lacing. I would rather twist yarn.

12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG?  Yes.  I am a red-head. We develop thick skin from oh about the age of 2.

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR? I don't know about a flavor but goodness I cannot get enough of Braum's vanilla mix with M n M's mixed in!

14. SHOE SIZE?  Let's just say huge. 9-10.

5. RED OR PINK? Pink, of course. The question is only what shade.

16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? My nocturnal sleeping habits and my lack of compassion in some regards. Oops that is 2.

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? The innocence of childhood. But I love watching the wee's innocence flourish.

18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? ?.

19. WHAT COLOR PANTS, SHIRT AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Olive green yoga pants, handknit socks and a chocolate colored shirt. I guess I was filling earthy today.

20. LAST THING YOU ATE? Uh, yeah the vanilla mix (see ques. 13) of course.

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? More rain dripping from the roof as we have yet to purchase gutters for this little house. But rain is a welcome sound in Texas. The lack of it can be a disaster.

22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Burnt Sienna

23. FAVORITE SMELL? Lavender.

24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? My closest friend Delia.

25. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE YOU ARE ATTRACTED TO? Eyes. The eyes are the window to the - you know the rest.

26. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON you stole THIS from? Sure! 

27. FAVORITE DRINK? Twinings hot tea with honey and heavy cream.

28. FAVORITE SPORT? I love playing basketball and volleyball but I hate watching them. I love watching horse competitions, dressage, side-saddle and jumping competitions.

29. EYE COLOR? Hazel. My mother's were cat green and my father's were a warm brown so it makes sense.

30. HAT SIZE? Medium? I don't know. I think a large head would be nice as it might portend a greater amount of brain mass.

31. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? No. 20 20 baby. 

32. FAVORITE FOOD? Tex-mex. I have had withdrawls symptoms when I lived abroad before. The addicition is intense, especially regarding cheese enchaladas.

33. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy endings. I cannot watch scary movies. They really give me nightmares!

35. SUMMER OR WINTER? Autumn. That isn't an option but that is my answer. Texas doesn't have much in the way of seasons. But Autumn I love for the smells, cinammon, cloves, spices, pumpkins a chance to wear all of that wool I work with, the colors.....

36. HUGS OR KISSES? Big bear hugs.

37. FAVORITE DESSERT? A dense chocolate pound cake or a carrot cake with homemade cream cheese frosting!

38. WHO IS MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Dunno.

39. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? The person I don't send it to.

40. WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING?  Jane Eyre. I cannot understand why I neglected to read it for so long. But my favorite author is Joan Didion, anything Joan Didion.

41. WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE No pad.

42. WHAT DID YOU WATCH LAST NIGHT ON TV? Frontline on PBS. Thank goodness for PBS.

43. FAVORITE SOUNDS? Distant thunder. Wee's breathing when he is asleep. Chickadee bird calls.

44. ROLLING STONE OR BEATLES? Beatles, which is odd because my Dad has every stones album ever recorded.

45. THE FURTHEST YOU'VE BEEN FROM HOME? Prague or Florence. I don't know which is further.

46. WHAT'S YOUR SPECIAL TALENT? My hips are double jointed so I always sit in a funny indian style position.

47. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Fort Worth, Texas

48. WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? Copied from Purly's blog.

By the way these socks from the Erika Knight book look so cozy right now! It must be the blue.............

Alabaster, creamy roses and the soothing sound of rain drops

The rain continues... It has been years since it has rained all day, day after day. Wee and I ventured outside to grab a small hand full of flowers in between the periods during the gushing rain and the light sprinkle. He added a dandelion or two of course, nothing for him is ever complete without one. My favorite rose is the creamy one on the top right. It smells divine, a deep but not to heavy musky scent of an old rose instead of the staid smell of the new hybrids.

I must have had milky tones on my mind as I photographed the rose on my mother's old alabaster table top and later that same day while wee was napping came up with this...

... and of course I had to give it the moniker of alabaster as well! The weeks forecast includes a great deal more rain and that is something I welcome as everything is so lush and green as it was in my Georgia childhood. The local classical station seems to be inspired this evening as well. They have played a soothing line up of threatrical songs, soft arias and even some really nice and dreamy jazz.

Oh and a hint about the secret... I dyed up a some seawool this evening and the yarn is beautiful with such a subtle sheen.

thunderstorms, rain and a bit of knitting

First darkness descends in the middle of the day ... then ka-boom, deep, sounding thunder...

the sky turns green and rain begins to pour, inundating your backyard and gushing from your gutters in steams.

This is a Texas thunderstorm, it is the kind of storm which could turn into a tornado or could peter out completely by the time it sweeps over the plains West of Fort Worth and into the city center.

A beeping alarm blares from the television warning of this weather phenomenon, a phenomenon which could become alarmingly dangerous causing you to rush headlong into your bathtub, with pillows in hand or could dissipate completely giving only enough rain to feed the native plants in your garden.

Texans know a storm can shift in seconds. They realize the weatherman, with all of his technological prowess still holds little sway in the prediction of what exactly a thunderstorm in this state might become. As such, many Texans stand outside on the front porch rather than watch the weatherman. They eye the sky, watching the coloration of the clouds or straining for signs of rotation in the dark mass overhead. They run through all of the quips from family members who have survived such storms before in their head.

"Of course you will hear a tornado before it hits your house, it sounds as loud as a freight train." "The sky will grow eerily green." "Your ears will begin popping when it is time to run..." "The wind will stop gusting and all the air will become still and quiet."

And then the rain slows and thunder claps are reduced to a low, comforting, rumble so you return to your seat, pick up your needles, curl your legs underneath you and throw a warm blanket across your lap and knit - and listen...

Wholesale adjustments and the not quite solid, solid.

Question: Why is your @#$#% shop always empty?

Answer: below...

As for why the shop always seems to be empty, there is a really good reason, i promise. And that reason is because I have decided to sell my wares wholesale to the great retailers that are already running some really wonderful storefronts, be it online or otherwise.

So here is the latest news. You will soon be able to grab my hand dyed yarn at both Kpixie and One Planet Yarn and Fiber - two fabulous online shops who are run by some really fun gals. And for in store selection, I will be adding a few new stores across the states here in a few weeks.

I also happen to have some really big news (well big to me that is) but i am sworn to secrecy. I am not telling you all this to give you a one line teaser or convince you of the dire need to read the post that follows this one as soon as possible. I am just relieving the tension that comes with having to hold in a really big secret while attempting to act all non-chalant about it all. I have never been good at keeping secrets, i admit it. I was always the one that let the bubble burst or revealed something when i should not. But my friends became wise to this inability of mine and no further damage was done. Instead of being the first to know I was always the last for fear I would leak the excitement by just the very look or smirk across my face. So there, I let out a little bit of the secret but you still don't know what color it is...

So, sock wise I have already started on another pair.

Well, just a pair of baby booties, but they cover the feet don't they? These booties were quick and fun and oh so freaking tiny.

Technical fodder:

Pattern: cashmere booties pattern from the Erika Knight baby book

Yarn: my hand dyed yarn in the peacock colorway

Needles: US size 5 addis.

Adjustments: none - i knit these because i wasn't particularly interested in thinking about anything that requires much in the way of mental ability of stamina, therefore no alterations.

Since I have finished these and sent them to their future owner I do not feel bad for revealing them here. I admit to having already cast on for another pair of socks. Dang those suckers are addictive in a needling can't get the words to that song that you hate so much out of your head type of way. Peakers beware.

Speaking of obsessions, color wise, I have been pining over all of the semi-solid hand knit socks popping up. So here is a nod to my latest diversion, that is the almost there but not quite solid, semi-solid sock yarn. The perfect way to show off a hard or hardly (depending on your knitting ability - mine would be the former) labored over 20 row repeat with no plain old knit or purl row to rest knitting pattern.

Kale

Bark

A wee sock

Finished:

Pattern: Knitting Pure and Simple - Easy Children's Light Weight Socks

Yarn: Madtosh Hand Dyed Sock in Amaranth

Needles: US Size 1 bamboo dpns.

The wee sock is finished and waiting for its mate. These were so fun to work up and are my first experience with a real heel, flap and all.

This is a great little pattern and fits wee's foot so well. The only change to the pattern is a shorter toe length as wee has rather stubby little toes.

Hope everyone is having a happy (decent) Monday.

xo,

Amy

Afterthought Sock Pattern

So I finished my socks. And I thought I would share my pattern. Free is always fun!

Afterthought Socks

SCHOOL SUPPLIES:

o       One set of 5 double point needles

US

size #2 or #3

(or size needed to obtain gauge)

o       One skein of Madtosh Sock Yarn or any Fingering Weight Yarn (100% Superwash Merino Wool

(shown in women’s medium, Home colorway)

o       Tapestry Needle

o       Stitch Marker or Safety Pin

Sizes:

To fit a woman’s small to medium size foot

Gauge:

8 stitches in stockinette stitch = 1 inch

Abbreviations:

k – knit

p – purl

st – stitch

ins. – inches

N – needle

dpns – double pointed needles

rnds – rounds

RS – right side

WS – wrong side

Psso – pull knit stitch over slipped stitch

Instructions:

Cast On: 40 (44) sts over two needles held together. Remove spare needle and divide sts between dpns as follows.

N1: 22 (heel) sts

N2: 11 sts

N3: 11 sts

(I used a size 2 ½ needle works with a sport weight sock yarn to yield a small to medium size women’s sock)

Join, being careful not to twist and begin working in the round. Place marker, or safety pin to denote the beginning of the round.

Cuff:

Work in  2 x 2 rib pattern (k2, p2) rib for 8 rnds. [1.0"]

Leg:

Here you can decide if you would like to continue knitting in a ribbed pattern or change over to stockinette stitch. Continue knitting in the stitch pattern of your choice for at the very least, another two inches.

Heel:

Divide your stitches as follows:

N1: 20(22) sts,

N2: 10(11) sts.

N3: 10 (11) sts.

Drop your working yarn, you will pick it back up in a minute.

Now use a strand of waste yarn as your working yarn and knit the stitches on your first needle (20 (22) sts) or (½ of your live stitches onto the waste yarn.

Now go back and pick up your working yarn where you left it and knit those same stitches with your original sock yarn.

You have now created a temporary graft which will be removed later to reveal the live stitches you will use to knit your afterthought heel.

Foot:

Continue working in rounds until foot

measures 1 to a ½ shorter than the length of your foot.

**Shape Toe:

1) *N1: K1, Slip 1, psso. A decrease made. Knit across to last 3 sts. k2 tog, k 1.

N2: K 1, S 1, psso,  Knit to end.

N3: Knit across to the last 3 stitches,  K 2 tog, K1.

2) Knit Next round.

Repeat rows 1 and 2 until 8 stitches remain on needle 1 and four on needles 2 and 3

Toe Finishing:

Break yarn leaving a long tail.

Holding N1 and N2 together, graft sts

together using

Kitchener

st.

Weave in ends on inside of sock.

Return to your heel:

With the tip of a darning needle carefully pull the scrap yarn holding the heel stitches out of each loop, slipping the live stitches on two needles (every other stitch will go on the opposite needle.)

Now arrange your live stitches on your dpns as follows:

N1: 20(22) sts.

N2: 10(11) sts.

N3: 10 (11) sts.

**Return to the directions for the toe decreases and repeat.

Heel Finishing:

Break yarn leaving a long tail.

Holding N1 and N2 together, graft sts

together using

Kitchener

st.

Weave in ends on inside of sock.

Work Second Sock!

MADELINETOSH

www.madelinetosh.com

© Amy Hendrix, 2007

For non-commercial use only.

All rights reserved.

Sweet Peas, Tasha and Norm

Pictured left to right:

Waterfall (merino lace), Sweet Peas (thick sock), Amaranth (soft sock), Frida (thick sock)

Hello,

I have been bursting to share the big news and now that it's legit here it goes.

Madtosh has expanded just a little bit:

Here is a listing of our new retailers with more coming soon:

Hill Country Weavers - Austin, TX - 512-707-7396

The Knitting Nook, North Richland Hills, TX -

Bluebonnet Yarn -  Cedar Park, TX - 512-259-4646

Twisted Yarns - Spring, TX - 281-528-8664

The Hen House, Spring, TX - 281-379-7306

One Planet Yarn and Fiber - online

Sandra Singh - online

I am also so excited to announce that Madtosh has changed its base yarn to offer a lovely, round and durable sock yarn in both fingering and sport weights.

I will post pics of some of the newest colorways tomorrow, along with a freebie sock pattern any virgin sock knitter could easily tackle or any accomplished sock master would have fun knitting while watching PBS (my fav of course)!

I was thinking I need a This Old House colorway dedicated to Norm the carpenter.

And a pinafore colorway dedicated to the foremost woman in our century in my book, that is Tasha Tudor.

xoxo,

Amy

Urban Bazaar

To market, to market - off to Dallas for the Urban Bazaar. The first day went well, that is until the guy that had been working on a piece of stained glass with a sautering tool for and hour promptly stood up and shattered the glass on the floor. Big oops on his part there.

All of my favorite Shabby Sheep customers stopping by of course. I love you guys!

It rained mid-day and the weather felt much more like Georgia swamp, minus the alligators than Texas with the dense humidity. But the sun came out after the rain and kids ran by and jumped around in the puddles and the light gleamed on their curly locks; OK that last part didn't happen but hey the sun did come out afterwards which always bodes well for better weather tommorrow and the dj really rocked. He had the Pulp Fiction soundtrack on repeat for his lunch break, can you say heaven.

I am half way through my second sock now and I must say I don't see any ladders anymore. I think they are now ladder free and looking much more like a well knit sock ought to look.

I have also been working on some swatches for some new Madtosh Patterns, which will be available soon. Two sock patterns, a lacy hat, mittens and more ....

The above swatch incorporates a honeycomb stitch, linen stitch, a ripple pattern and a basketweave. I am leaning towards the linen stitch in the middle myself.

As for the yarn, I held two stands together of the Aster and Nasturtium kettle dyed tweeds above. Color wise it really seemed to turn out like a desert sunset in Arizona, don't ask me how that happened, but I really like it, very Forest Gump in his running phase.

Well, I know everyone else is in Maryland at the Sheep and Wool Festival. I am slightly jealous, OK really jealous, but maybe next year and I am honestly saving my pennies for Rhinebeck. Please oh please may the gods of monetary budgeting and expenditures shine on this wish and make my Rhinebeck fantasies come true! WILL trade yarn for a ride to the festival. Any takers?

... And for books, I finally picked up a copy of Barbara Walker's Treasury of Knitting Patterns. All I can say is why in the ^#^$% did I not pick this up sooner and @#$@ if I did not waste my money buying the Vogue Stitchionary. Oh well, consider yourself warned and please go waaaaaaaaaaay out of your way to avoid making the same mistake I did. In other words just buy this damn book already!