A Bridge Too Far; Fictional Dolls, and a Living One; and, Knits With Fishes
But First, This Word from our Sponsor: Socktoberfest 2005!
Wouldn't it be cool if there really were sponsorship money for knitting? Oh, I'm sure there are some celebrity knit designers for whom that's actually the case. But I know a lot of us knit with every bit as much passion as they do - we're just not famous. Yet.
Socktoberfest is proceeding nicely for me. I've done several more inches on SE5, S1.
Getting There
The Lion Brand Micro-Spun is interesting to knit with. The structure is very like a skein of embroidery floss - six strands loosely twined together. This means that the inattentive knitter could find that it splits easily. The good news there, however, is that the split is unlikely to include actual damage to the fibers. What's most likely to have happened is your needle slipped between the threads in the six-ply yarn.
The fabric I'm getting is good and dense, but soft and flexible. I expect these will be comfortable, warm, and thick socks.
I'm getting near the heel. I'll be doing a short-row heel, just like I did a short-row toe. What I'm suspecting, though, is that I'll have to increase a few stitches before I do that. See, my foot is 10 inches long, and I'm 10 inches around the widest part of it. But my ankle is 11 inches around. If I don't increase before doing a short-row heel, my brain is telling me that the sock will be too tight at the juncture between foot and leg.
That makes this the most likely spot for frogging in my upcoming knitting. Stay tuned - I'll be sure to report how it goes.
We now return you to "11 Bridges, Part II: The Twelfth Bridge."
If you've followed my extreme knitting adventures, you've already read the saga of 11 Bridges in 140 Minutes. If not, that link will take you to the first installment in that story. It was in the second installment, however, where I described our search for a bridge that we thought we'd find along Route 101, but didn't.
We spotted that bridge recently. It was right where we thought, along Route 101 - we just hadn't driven far enough the day of the quest. Today, with a spot of moderate weather before we're being threatened with 9 days of rain, we decided to rectify matters by Knitting Around at the Old Russell Hill Road Bridge.
The Most Complete View of the Bridge (without breaking your neck)
This bridge is so close to Route 101 that they actually had to put barriers at the intersection with the main highway and post this huge "Road Closed" sign in the middle of it.
Knitting On The Twelfth Bridge
If we'd found this bridge the day of the quest, it would have been A Dozen Bridges in 2 1/2 Hours. The important thing now is that we've closed the one dangling loophole from that day.
Inspired by our success, we moved back towards home and made another stop along Route 101.
The House By The Side of The Road
This is one of the best greenhouses and gift shops you'll find in New Hampshire's Southern Tier. When I want plants of any variety - tropical houseplants, exotic flowers, vegetables, herbs, landscaping, waterscaping - this is where I come. Even if you're not planning to buy, the greenhouses are a delight to wander through - almost like a botanical museum, there are so many unusual specimens on display.
The House by the Side of the Road (HbtSotR) holds a special place in my heart for another reason. One day when I was picking up flowers for the front of the house we lived in at the time, I noticed a quaintly dressed, beautiful little china doll of an old woman standing by the front of the shop. My heart skipped a beat as I realized who it was - Tasha Tudor! Tasha Tudor was shopping at my greenhouse!
Of course, I had to be a fan and go over and introduce myself to her. I gushed about my very favorite childhood book, A is for Annabelle
. I don't have a copy of A is for Annabelle anymore, and I think it's the one book that would make me cry if I was suddenly able to hold it in my own lap and read it again. "A is for Annabelle, Grandmother's doll. B is her Box, on the (shelf?) in the hall.". I loved reading about all of Annabelle's little treasures in her box, and looking at Tasha's pictures of the little girls dressing Annabelle so carefully.
It appears to be back in print, and I've put it on my wishlist. But we know the state of the budget these days.
Yes, I know what you're wondering. I was in fact a fan of Hitty: Her First Hundred Years, too, and I have a copy of that I picked up at a used book sale somewhere. That's one I still go back and read now and then.
Anyhow, back to our story again. The Knitting Around began in the Cactus House.
Knitting by a Giant Cactus
Yes, that cactus is in a pot, is for sale, and it's a houseplant. For a big house.
I'd like to have a house that big.
Jade trees are one of my favorite succulents, and HbtSotR has them in abundance. And in size, too.
Knitting in the Jade Forest
The vertical columns of green leaves on my left and on my right are both jade trees. They're sitting on a table, but they're still about 5 to 6 feet tall each. 5 to 6 feet tall. Amazing.
My New Name is Knits With Fishes
HbtSotR sells everything you need for waterscaping a garden pond, too. These are the small goldfish. There's a tank at the back with the big ones, and I mean leviathan big. Bohemoth big. Gargantuan. I'd have taken a picture of them, but their tank right now is entirely covered with duckweed and you can't see into the water at all.
Here There Be Monsters. Really. I've Seen Them.
Gargantuan is a good word for HbtSotR in general. Here I am standing at one end of the longest corridor in the place. Look carefully down that hall, you're looking through the lengths of three greenhouses, and out into the outdoor shrubbery area.
The Long Hall
We can't forget the gift shop. Lots of the usual knicknacks. Including this little jar that I'm sure was incorrectly spelled.
That Can't Be Right
A little work with Corel PhotoPaint, and I'm sure you'll agree this is much better.
If Only This Were Real
Finally, I took lots of pictures of flowers throughout the greenhouses. I won't clog this entry with any more, though - I'll save them to dole out one or two a day.
Here's a lovely yellow and pink orchid for today.
Beautiful!
If you're interested in learning more about the House By The Side of The Road, they don't have a website. But if you're in the area of Wilton along Route 101, do make a point to drop in and enjoy the sights. They're located at 370 Gibbons Hwy. (Route 101), Wilton, NH. I don't have their hours, but they're open just about every day of the year. If you want to be more certain, you can call them at (603) 654-9888.
Wouldn't it be cool if there really were sponsorship money for knitting? Oh, I'm sure there are some celebrity knit designers for whom that's actually the case. But I know a lot of us knit with every bit as much passion as they do - we're just not famous. Yet.
Socktoberfest is proceeding nicely for me. I've done several more inches on SE5, S1.
Getting There
The Lion Brand Micro-Spun is interesting to knit with. The structure is very like a skein of embroidery floss - six strands loosely twined together. This means that the inattentive knitter could find that it splits easily. The good news there, however, is that the split is unlikely to include actual damage to the fibers. What's most likely to have happened is your needle slipped between the threads in the six-ply yarn.
The fabric I'm getting is good and dense, but soft and flexible. I expect these will be comfortable, warm, and thick socks.
I'm getting near the heel. I'll be doing a short-row heel, just like I did a short-row toe. What I'm suspecting, though, is that I'll have to increase a few stitches before I do that. See, my foot is 10 inches long, and I'm 10 inches around the widest part of it. But my ankle is 11 inches around. If I don't increase before doing a short-row heel, my brain is telling me that the sock will be too tight at the juncture between foot and leg.
That makes this the most likely spot for frogging in my upcoming knitting. Stay tuned - I'll be sure to report how it goes.
We now return you to "11 Bridges, Part II: The Twelfth Bridge."
If you've followed my extreme knitting adventures, you've already read the saga of 11 Bridges in 140 Minutes. If not, that link will take you to the first installment in that story. It was in the second installment, however, where I described our search for a bridge that we thought we'd find along Route 101, but didn't.
We spotted that bridge recently. It was right where we thought, along Route 101 - we just hadn't driven far enough the day of the quest. Today, with a spot of moderate weather before we're being threatened with 9 days of rain, we decided to rectify matters by Knitting Around at the Old Russell Hill Road Bridge.
The Most Complete View of the Bridge (without breaking your neck)
This bridge is so close to Route 101 that they actually had to put barriers at the intersection with the main highway and post this huge "Road Closed" sign in the middle of it.
Knitting On The Twelfth Bridge
If we'd found this bridge the day of the quest, it would have been A Dozen Bridges in 2 1/2 Hours. The important thing now is that we've closed the one dangling loophole from that day.
Inspired by our success, we moved back towards home and made another stop along Route 101.
The House By The Side of The Road
This is one of the best greenhouses and gift shops you'll find in New Hampshire's Southern Tier. When I want plants of any variety - tropical houseplants, exotic flowers, vegetables, herbs, landscaping, waterscaping - this is where I come. Even if you're not planning to buy, the greenhouses are a delight to wander through - almost like a botanical museum, there are so many unusual specimens on display.
The House by the Side of the Road (HbtSotR) holds a special place in my heart for another reason. One day when I was picking up flowers for the front of the house we lived in at the time, I noticed a quaintly dressed, beautiful little china doll of an old woman standing by the front of the shop. My heart skipped a beat as I realized who it was - Tasha Tudor! Tasha Tudor was shopping at my greenhouse!Of course, I had to be a fan and go over and introduce myself to her. I gushed about my very favorite childhood book, A is for Annabelle
. I don't have a copy of A is for Annabelle anymore, and I think it's the one book that would make me cry if I was suddenly able to hold it in my own lap and read it again. "A is for Annabelle, Grandmother's doll. B is her Box, on the (shelf?) in the hall.". I loved reading about all of Annabelle's little treasures in her box, and looking at Tasha's pictures of the little girls dressing Annabelle so carefully.It appears to be back in print, and I've put it on my wishlist. But we know the state of the budget these days.
Yes, I know what you're wondering. I was in fact a fan of Hitty: Her First Hundred Years, too, and I have a copy of that I picked up at a used book sale somewhere. That's one I still go back and read now and then.
Anyhow, back to our story again. The Knitting Around began in the Cactus House.
Knitting by a Giant Cactus
Yes, that cactus is in a pot, is for sale, and it's a houseplant. For a big house.
I'd like to have a house that big.
Jade trees are one of my favorite succulents, and HbtSotR has them in abundance. And in size, too.
Knitting in the Jade Forest
The vertical columns of green leaves on my left and on my right are both jade trees. They're sitting on a table, but they're still about 5 to 6 feet tall each. 5 to 6 feet tall. Amazing.
My New Name is Knits With Fishes
HbtSotR sells everything you need for waterscaping a garden pond, too. These are the small goldfish. There's a tank at the back with the big ones, and I mean leviathan big. Bohemoth big. Gargantuan. I'd have taken a picture of them, but their tank right now is entirely covered with duckweed and you can't see into the water at all.
Here There Be Monsters. Really. I've Seen Them.
Gargantuan is a good word for HbtSotR in general. Here I am standing at one end of the longest corridor in the place. Look carefully down that hall, you're looking through the lengths of three greenhouses, and out into the outdoor shrubbery area.
The Long Hall
We can't forget the gift shop. Lots of the usual knicknacks. Including this little jar that I'm sure was incorrectly spelled.
That Can't Be Right
A little work with Corel PhotoPaint, and I'm sure you'll agree this is much better.
If Only This Were Real
Finally, I took lots of pictures of flowers throughout the greenhouses. I won't clog this entry with any more, though - I'll save them to dole out one or two a day.
Here's a lovely yellow and pink orchid for today.
Beautiful!
If you're interested in learning more about the House By The Side of The Road, they don't have a website. But if you're in the area of Wilton along Route 101, do make a point to drop in and enjoy the sights. They're located at 370 Gibbons Hwy. (Route 101), Wilton, NH. I don't have their hours, but they're open just about every day of the year. If you want to be more certain, you can call them at (603) 654-9888.
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