Patchworks by Debi

My First e-Book. YAY!

Deborah — Sat, 05 May 2012 11:24:43 +0000

I did it! My first eBook titled, STRANDED KNITTING: It’s Easier Than You Think is out. I designed it to be packed full of easy-to-follow instructions, tutorials (even YouTube videos!), 5 of my most popular colorwork patterns–and it is concise. I want those wanna be stranders to dip their toes into the colorwork waters! I know they can learn it in 5 minutes or less. Stranded knitting seemed unapproachable to me because everything I was reading showed a single, precise way to hold the yarns, choose colors, etc. Not so! You can do whatever works for you. Hey, you can even stray from a pattern, if you want! It’s too much fun not to give it a try! $10

The book took time, even though it isn’t long. I had to learn a lot ore techno stuff. So, as my reward, I will sit and knit all day today!

SQUIRREL WARNING!

Deborah — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 15:30:12 +0000

Most of us have come to accept the fact that we have teeny-weeny mites living happily among our eyelashes. We deal with this fact of life by not thinking too much about it. We also have to accept that we share our living space with evil squirrels. This doesn’t bother most people, and not because they can ignore thinking about squirrels (the devils make themselves all too visible), but because people convince themselves squirrels are cute. These people are mislead. Squirrels are indeed most UNcute! Just look at those horrible teeth and those beady little eyes. Look at their capricious behavior—trickery, if you will. Squirrels are delighted to dart out into the street, forcing you to slam on your car brakes, only to do a quick 180 and head into the unknown squirrel hiding places. They go there and observe the results of their power plays. They snicker little squirrel snickers at the panic on your face as you avoid near tragedy. And they probably ROFL if a small fender bender is the result of their wicked game. Somewhere along the way, squirrels decided (at least some of them did) that a yucky, rodent grey-brown was a color less aesthetically pleasing to the human eye than, say, black. So, they made some of their coats black. Now people can go “Awwwwww” to a squirrel the color of a cute little Pomeranian. Trickery. Deception of the highest order. I do hope, for the sake of our species, that people will wake up. Be more observant and wary of squirrels. Forewarned is forearmed…oh, and the forearm is where that squirrel would most like to place his or her rabid bite!

SWEETHEARTS: The Socks

Deborah — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:56:02 +0000

Yup. Socks. I am now writing up some of my sock designs into pattern form. What better way to celebrate Valentine’s Day love than with a pair of hand-knitted wool socks? And, this time, hand-knitted by YOU instead of me! This sock pattern is available, for the time being, under my “HAT” category. Logical, yes? More socks to come! Stay tuned. And, while you wait, KNIT, KNIT, KNIT!!!

Pattern Publication

Deborah — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:04:34 +0000

Wow! Time has really gotten away from me in the past few weeks (months!). November and December had full show schedules, and I had to knit like a mad woman to keep up. All went well. Then I decided in 2012 to publish some of my designs. The first submitted pattern has been accepted for publication by KnitPicks (Yay!) and five of my designs are up and ready to go here, on PatchworksByDebi as well as on my Ravelry page.

A little downer news to offset my joy—I developed a stress fracture in my hip. Getting MRIs and x-rays right and left, here and there, and the tests are ongoing. Meanwhile, I am to stay off it. This means I sit and knit. Hmmmm…I can do that! Today I am designing socks using stranded yarns. These will match one of my hat patterns. So much fun; so little time. Now, I will go to my knitting chair (per doc’s instructions– I am compliant!).

Please check out my patterns under “Hats” here, or under “My Original Designs” on my Ravelry page. Would love feedback.

First Big Holiday Fair-2011

Deborah — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 15:56:17 +0000

Whew! Yesterday was a big show day. Thank you to all who came and supported the show at St. Augustine’s. It is one of my favorite days of the year. I am so tired! But in a good way. No time to rest, now, though. Next weekend is the Holiday Boutique at the Croton Municipal Bldg…a well-produced, two-day extravaganza. Back to my needles I go! Hope to see you there!

Fall Boutique

Deborah — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 12:23:30 +0000

What a great weekend! I did a fund-raising event with the Croton Artisans at our local library. It was very well-attended and supported. The iPad idea (see pic) was from my web designer, Kish Melwani of ServiceByte. He thought it would be a great thing to display the iPad and gather email addresses. He was right! Added a techie flavor to the display that people really liked! (You can still add your email address at the bottom of my “home” page on this site, if you missed the show!)

I had such a great time, and my work was well-received. So, I will cut this short and strap myself (that won’t be a struggle!) to the ol’ knitting mast and make some nice things for the next event (Dec. 3rd at St. Augustine’s in Ossining. Details to follow.)

Drop Spinning

Deborah — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 11:41:42 +0000

It looks relatively uncomplicated, yes? Well, let me tell you a little story. I recently went to Rhinebeck, NY. (Yeah, that’s where Chelsea Clinton got married last year.) I attended the annual Sheep and Wool Festival. Sensory overload!! It was a first for me. Gazillions of wool-related things to see, from alpacas to wool and everything in between. Including spinning wheels and fiber. I crochet, I knit and I weave. But, I live in this ever-shrinking apartment and could never even consider a spinning wheel, so “spinning my own yarn” (in that sense, anyway) was off the table. Until Rhinebeck. I was introduced to drop spinning. This technique employs the handy-dandy little gadget pictured above. Basically, you attach the fiber, spin the spindle and watch the fiber twist into yarn. Easier said than done. WAY easier. I expected there to be a learning curve and that the first product might be lumpy in spots and too thin in others. My efforts are nothing short of disastrous. So, now I am in search for a spinning guru. Once I get spinning down, I will have completed the holy trinity of wool: knitting, weaving and spinning, a.k.a. Nirvana! Wish me luck!!

Squirrel Terrorist Follow-Up

Deborah — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 12:02:06 +0000

Those of you who read my post of September 20 might be wondering about the episode’s aftermath, and here it is: Despite my pleas, the news was reported in the police blotter section of the local newspaper that week. The editors were kind enough to protect anonymity, but they did not get the facts exactly right. The blotter mentioned that a woman called to report some sort of wild animal at large in her apartment. Well, I was understandably upset and stressed. I don’t recall saying the thing about it being a wild animal, but I might well have done so. The brief blotter submission stated that the “officers were able to eject a squirrel.” I am not trying to diminish the gallantry or the officers’ bravery here, but I must tell you that is somewhat of an overstatement. The heroes (and it took two be-gloved men in blue) opened a window, and the terrorist rodent ran out. Don’t get me wrong, I am glad they had the presence of mind to think of that. I was operating in the fight-or-flight mode.

For those of you who didn’t catch my post that day, you can go back and read it. But I warn you, it is not for the faint of heart. Like the proverbial wolf in sheep’s clothing, squirrels look cute, but they are monsters. Don’t be misled on this one! Their perceived cuteness (although I can’t see it) is deceptive. I belong to Ravelry, an online knitter’s community, and I was horrified that someone knitted a hat for a squirrel. That is disaster waiting to happen! Just look at this!!! Equipping terrorists! Certainly there are laws against such behavior!

What was she thinking! Was she high???

Sweaters for Me!

Deborah — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 14:47:06 +0000

The weather is turning cold. Winter is closing in. I should be knitting for my shows, but I find myself knitting, not one, but two Fair Isle sweaters for myself. I am going to a knitter’s retreat next month, and I need to be appropriately clad. So, the sweaters. Pretty, yes? I am working on the sleeves (blehh!), but there’s light at the end of the sweater-knitting tunnel. Then, it’s back to hats and scarves!!! The fun never ends!

Story Time

Deborah — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 12:39:47 +0000

OK. So, what critters am I most afraid of? Do you remember? That’s right. Squirrels! Ever since the 7th grade, when Mrs. Groff told us that squirrels carry rabies and to “watch that one doesn’t drop from a tree and bite you on the neck,” I have kept my eye on those disease-ridden little sneaks!

Fast forward 40 years (give or take). I am sleeping soundly. Dreaming, no doubt, about walking naked in the grocery store or something, when I am wakened suddenly by, what I could only describe as, a grabby skittering across my leg. In a dopey panic, I wake Andrew. “OMG, Andrew! There’s something in here.” “What do you mean?”–that’s him. “Something just ran across my leg.”–me. “Should I get up?” –him again. “No. Yes. I don’t know.”

So, my hero got up. Turned on lights. Peed. Looked around. Came back to bed. “Nothing. But I’ll leave the hall light on for you.”

“Thanks.” He falls right back to sleep. I cannot. But, as I lay there listening, I convinced myself my leg had merely started falling asleep, I was dreaming, you know the routine.

Fast forward. But this time only about 3 hours. Andrew wakes me. “Deborah. We have to get up and get dressed. Something is in here.”

“WHAT?????”

So, we dress and tip toe around, all the while hearing this munching or thumping noise in the kitchen. We notice that the recorders, which reside on the piano, are on the floor in the livingroom. We make a plan. Close all doors except the one to the hall. Andrew stands at one opening to the kitchen, and I stand at—well somewhere near–the other one. “It’s a chipmunk!” He says. “Except it’s gray.”

“Yiiiikkkkessss! Then it isn’t a chipmunk!”

“There it is! It’s on the table!” WHOMP! (That was my hero slamming a broom on the table about 5 feet from the intruder.)

“Great! Now the table is dirty!”

“So go clean it.”

“Op! (Yes, he said ‘Op!’) I see it! It’s between the window and the screen.”

“What should we do?”

“You should call Tom.” So, I did. Left a message.

“Maybe I should call the police?”

“OK. Good.”

So, I called the police apologizing for the non-emergency emergency. After all, there have been recent rabies stories.

Fast forward about 4 minutes. My brave hero in blue raps on the door, assesses the situation and asks if he can call his sargent. “OK. Not a rabies threat. And, that’s not a chipmunk, ma’am. That’d be a squirrel.”

“SSSSSSCCCCCRRRRREEEEEEEAAAAAAAMMMMMMMMMMM….It was on my leg in my bed!!!”

“Did it bite you?”

“No, but it really wanted to.”

Andrew decides he will drive himself to the train and check in later. One hero fades into the distance. The other one, the one dressed in blue, calls for back-up. So, now I have two officers deciding the fate of this deadly rodent. They decide to try to capture it. Do I have any boxes. Of course, I do. And just the right size. No, really, I do, and that wasn’t sarcasm. The squirrel is frantically running up and down the screen and the fan trying to get out. A normal person could have felt sorry. I wanted it to have a medium-sized squirrel heart attack.

Bottom line, and this is so anti-climactic—they opened the screen and the squirrel ran out. But, this is only after they broke my blind and spilled vinegar and cracked a dish trying to get there. I am so embarrassed at how dirty the windows are.

As they leave, the officers ask my name and phone number. I am re-horrified. “Don’t put this in the Croton Blotter! We only read the paper to make fun of the people in the Blotter!”

They smile and tell me to have a nice day.

Yeah, right. Like I’ll ever have a nice day again.