Knitting Pipeline is sponsored by my Longaberger home businessn and Quince & Co.

Knitting Pipeline is sponsored by Quince & Co. and Knitcircus Yarns

Saturday, July 30, 2016

#7 Knitting Pipeline Extra

For knitting references please visit the blog posts for Episodes 255 and 256. All projects are in Ravelry where I am Prairie Piper.



Quilting

Peddler's Way Quilt Co, Washington IL

Missouri Star Quilt Company

Block Magazine

4 Patch Star Stars Quilt Tutorial

Disappearing 9 Patch Tutorial

Jera Brandvig Quilt As You Go

Kansas Troubles

Mass Drop

Grace and Peace Quilting (Long Arm Quilting Service)

Welcome Wagon Jelly Roll

Patchwork Loves Embroidery by Gail Pam

Friday, July 29, 2016

Episode 256 Verdure Times 3


Listen here or use the Flash Player on this site for current and past episodes. Flash Player is not compatible with Internet Explorer. Try a different browser like Safari. Or jaunt on over to iTunes to find the show there.

This episode is sponsored by Quince & Co and Knitcircus Yarns.


At Quince & Co we are celebrating Tern Week. Tern is our merino and silk fingering weight blend. A new pattern is being released each day this week. Tern is wonderful for a drapey shawl or sweater. Find Tern and other beautiful and responsibly sourced fibers at www.quinceandco.com.


Knitcircus celebrates fun, a passion for knitting, and the delight of beautiful yarn.

Treat yourself to a gorgeous, hand-dyed, gradient yarn in saturated colors with smooth color transitions throughout the skein. We are hosting a Pick Your Gradient Shawl KAL in August.  We will be at Stitches Midwest again. Look for us in the first row, booths 226-228. www.knitcircus.com.

Knitting Pipeline is a Craftsy Affiliate. I enjoy taking Craftsy classes and have learned so much while taking them at my own pace. If you visit my blog prior to purchasing a class or supplies I receive credit for it. Thank you!

You can also find me here:

Ravelry: PrairiePiper Feel free to include me in your friends.

Instagram: knittingpipeline

Twitter: knittingline




Events

Knitting Pipeline Ravellenics Team! Lead by TheaMidnight. Thank you, Thea!

Stitches Midwest Podcaster Meet up
Saturday August 6 12:30 to 2 pm location TBA

From Jaala Spiro at KnitCircus:

It’s shawl knitting season! We’re inviting you to cast on a shawl with us in your favorite colorway and knit up a shawl on your bucket list.
If you’re looking for inspiration, I’ve created a bundle here on Ravelry with lovely gradient shawl options. You can also check out our project gallery on our website here.
If you’d like to order a Knitcircus gradient cake http://www.ravelry.com/images/emo/cake.pngfor your project, check out our ready-to-ship offerings on our website here. These yarns are ready to go, waiting to get packed up right away to reach your needles sooner. Our fingering weight bases are Greatest of Ease, Corriedale, and Lavish, but you could also choose Magnificent for a DK option or Ringmaster for a worsted weight yarn.
We also have a multitude of dyed-to-order yarns available: these yarns will be dyed for you and delivered 5-6 weeks later at the latest, which means if you order now you can still get your yarn on time to join in. Drop us a message in your order to let us know your yarn is for the Shawl KAL.

Nature Notes

From JenniferB in Dallas TX

I enjoyed the tree episode and all of the memories of the importance trees have had in people’s lives. I’ve always felt an emotional connection to the trees around my home, wherever I am living, and still recall the trees of my childhood. They were massive oaks, on the street where we lived, appropriately “Oakdale Rd”, in Atlanta. The large gnarly roots came up above the sidewalks in the most interesting twists and turns, and I remember pretending that little fairies lived amongst those roots. I would gather acorn caps and dogwood berries and fix “food” for them in the root kitchens. There was another giant that housed our swing, made of very long ropes and a plank, and my dad would push us, ever higher, trying to touch the sky with our feet. I also remember thinking about all that those trees had “seen” and experienced in their 200 years of existence. Sweet memories, Thank you, Paula,
Jennifer


From Sarah who is PAKnitWit

I’m a little behind in listening to the episode, but I finally caught up and really enjoyed it.

I never thought of it before, but trees have been an important part of my life. The street I grew up on was named for the giant old oak trees that grew along the street. I also spent many hours sitting in the tree in the front yard (my parents always said it was a Chinese cherry tree, but I have no idea if that’s an actual species) that had the perfect “seats” in it. It’s still there, despite losing about half its branches due to disease several years ago. Then there was the Japanese maple in the front yard of my grandparents’ house in suburban Detroit. We would go there fairly frequently when I was growing up, but our visits were infrequent enough that I can remember seeing a noticeable difference in its size. I still think of it when I’m at my parents’ house, as several years ago they planted a Japanese maple in their backyard. Theirs is pretty special in that it’s growing half purple and half green!

Incidentally, Paula, you mentioned that you’d picked up Knitscene Handmade -- I wanted to mention that I have a pattern in it! The Durango Socks are my contribution.

Galesburg Bur Oak

“The bur oak on North Lake Story Road is older than Galesburg and the nation at more than 300 years, and the City Arborist, Ryan Creek, has directed city employees not to touch the tree.  Trees Trunk had a circumference of 16 ft, 5 “, in 2005, giving it an estimated age of at least 300 years and possibly more than 400.

Postcard from TheJasperPatch, Amy

Kate Chopin was an American novelist and short-story writer best known for her startling 1899 novel, The Awakening. Born in St. Louis, she moved to New Orleans after marrying Oscar Chopin in 1870. B. 1851 d 1904

I wonder if anyone else has an ear so tuned and sharpened as I have, to detect the music, not of the spheres, but of earth, subtleties of major and minor chord that the wind strikes upon the tree branches. Have you ever heard the earth breathe? Kate Chopin


Needle Notes

SSK or Slip Slip Knit vs K2tbl

There was a  lot of feedback and interesting comments about the single decrease SSK and its counterparts.

From BabsButterfly

Hi Paula! I enjoyed the episode on ssk vs. k2tog through the back loop. I, too, heard someone say recently that they’re the same, so I decided to try it, though I, too, know they’re not. I’m currently working on my 2nd Indigo Frost poncho that has LOTS of yo, ssk’s. On the first one I did it correctly…on the 2nd one I’m I doing yo,k2togtbl, which goes much faster. I realize that the decreases are not the same, but when I compare my 2 ponchos, I cannot tell the difference. And, as the old saying goes, “if someone standing next to me can see the difference, they’re standing too close.”


From Kathy Kis4knitting

In my experience, when doing a single decrease somewhere in the midst of things it does not make a huge difference which one I use but it does make a difference when the decreases are stacked up on top of one other; clustered together their true nature really shows.

I replaced the SSK with knit two together through the back loop in the Pebble Beach shawl and I liked the texture it gave me. I am currently working on the Hitofude and do not think it would work well with that and am sticking with the SSK. Hate to say the “S” word but personally I would swatch and compare the two before swapping one for the other.

A few years back I changed the SSK to slip the first stitch knit wise and the second stitch purl wise when I was taking a class from Candice Eisner Strick at Stitches. In a side-by-side comparison I did see a difference, it looked a bit smoother and I don’t find it any more challenging to do it one way versus the other, so I just switched and it is automatic for me now.

AnneC wrote

It was Barbara Walker who originally came up with SSK as an easier dec than the slip, knit, pass maneuver--she talked about it at the first Sock Summit.

And I’m one of those who does the “improved” SSK, it does make my decs lie flatter; I don’t know if it’s because I’m a thrower, but it works for me.

From DCAlane

Good comments. I don’t think I ever knew of the k2togtbl, but I think I might use it to speed things up if it doesn’t seem to matter.

One thing I find interesting about knitters and knitting is that there are so many ways to do things depending on your perfectionism. How do people come up with these new ways?

Speaking of that, here’s yet another way to lean left (when knitting). http://techknitting.blogspot.com/2007/09/new-method-for-l...

Muddy Moose

I have used the slip one k-wise slip one p-wise SSK for a while. I teach beginning knitting and teach my students that way as well because it is easier to get your needle back through the stitches to knit them together if they both aren’t twisted. I explain to them why it is important to slip the first one k-wise and show them what it looks like if you forget. By this point in the class most of them are learning to read their knitting quite well and they seem to understand. Off to go check out the blog linked above

I often get ladders next to my SSK that don’t appear next to my K2Tog, any ideas/suggestions for that?

Kathy Kis4knitting linked to videos for SYTK Slip Yank Twist Knit

From TheaMidnight

No matter which way I knit the SSK, nothing will make my knitting go faster. I am a process knitter and equally love each stitch.

Basic Ribbed Socks by Kate Atherly

Cake Walk Yarns—my last skein! Colorway Kitchener.

Verdure by Alana Dakos from Botanical Knits 2


Madeleine Tosh Vintage.

In the Piping Circle

The Springfield Games were cancelled due to the extreme heat! I had a “snow day”.

In the Pipeline

Thank you so much for spending time with me this week. Thank you to sponsors Quince & Co, KnitCircus Yarns, and Craftsy.

Have a great week, haste ye back and hold your knitting close.




Friday, July 22, 2016

Episode 255 Slip Slip Knit Myth


Listen here or use the Flash Player on this site for current and past episodes. Flash Player is not compatible with Internet Explorer. Try a different browser like Safari. Or jaunt on over to iTunes to find the show there.

This episode is sponsored by Quince & Co and Knitcircus Yarns.

At Quince & Co all of our wool yarns are 100% grown, processed, spun, dyed, twisted, and labeled here in the USA..quinceandco.com. Looking for a fiber for summer knitting? Try our linen yarns, Sparrow and Kestrel or Willet, Cleaner Cotton. All are found at www.quinceandco.com


Knitcircus celebrates fun, a passion for knitting, and the delight of beautiful yarn.

Treat yourself to a gorgeous, hand-dyed, gradient yarn in saturated colors with smooth color transitions throughout the skein. We are hosting a Pick Your Gradient Shawl KAL in August.  We will be at Stitches Midwest again. Look for us in the first row, booths 226-228.  www.knitcircus.com.

Knitting Pipeline is a Craftsy Affiliate. I enjoy taking Craftsy classes and have learned so much while taking them at my own pace. If you visit my blog prior to purchasing a class or supplies I receive credit for it. Thank you!

You can find me on Ravelry as PrairiePiper and on Instagram as KnittingPipeline. There are two groups on Ravelry, Knitting Pipeline and Knitting Pipeline Retreats. Come join us there!

You can also find me here:

Ravelry: PrairiePiper Feel free to include me in your friends.

Instagram: knittingpipeline

Twitter: knittingline




Events

Prairie Yarn Crawl

July 20-23, 2016

Klose Knit, Urbana IL

Le Mouton Rouge, Bloomington IL

Ewe-nique Yarns, Morton IL

The Fiber Universe, Peoria IL

Stitches Midwest Podcaster Meet up

Saturday August 6 1 to 2 pm location TBA

Nature Notes

Hey Paula,

I really enjoyed your tree tales and I was fondly remembering your parents’ back yard when I visited there just before your father passed. It was indeed like a park; lovely, inviting, peaceful.

If I had to pick a favorite tree, I would have to choose the apple. The neighborhood where I grew up in Acton, Massachusetts was once an apple orchard and so many apple trees remained even after the houses were built. They were so pretty in the spring with those abundant blossoms and also super easy to climb. They never got too high so our parents never worried about us too much. One time my best friend’s mom was under one and a whole bee hive fell out of the tree and down the front of her blouse! Although stung many times, she was fine, but what a day that was when Mrs. Sharp ripped open her blouse! 1960’s - probably wouldn’t even raise an eyebrow today would it???

And those apples in the fall! So many delicious memories of fresh applesauce, pies, crisps and ciders. These were McIntosh apples. And with their fresh snap and sour bite, I still love them over any other. My taste buds have not forgotten.

In the winter, the bird feeders were hung from the bare branches and my love for bird feeding and watching was born.

Yes, I would have to go with the apple.

Thanks again for this segment. I enjoyed thinking back.
Kathleen

Make This From That Podcast on You Tube

Make This From That Etsy Shop (awaiting link)

Needle Notes

SSK  (Slip Slip Knit) vs K2tbl

I recently heard on a presentation that you can substitute k2tbl for ssk. Why not? It’s easier!

These are not the same. They are similar. K2tbl is a twisted cousin of SSK.

I don’t like to call people out on things but this is misinformation. I’m sure I have put out my share of incorrect information as well. On the other hand, if SSk and K2tbl were interchangeable it seems we would have heard about it already from Barbara Walker, Cat Bordhi, Elizabeth Zimmermann, Meg Swansen, or any number of knitters who are way more knowledgeable than I am.

K2tbl= Insert right needle into the back of two stitches on left needle. Knit these two together.

Slip Slip Knit= Individually Slip two stitches knitwise. Insert left needle into the front loops of these two stitches (left to right) and knit together. If you look at the stitches before removing them from the needle it may look like a K2tbl but if you look at the orientation of the stitches you will see that they have been turned. That is why you slipped them individually knitwise.

What do these two decreases have in common:

·        Both are left leaning decreases.

·        Both eliminate one stitch.

Why they are different:

In SSK the top stitch, the one you see when the stitch is complete, is oriented properly. It is not twisted. In k2tbl it is twisted.

Don’t believe me. Test it yourself on a swatch.
You can purchase a signed copy of the book at June Hemmons Hiatt website linked below!

The Principles of Knitting by June Hemmons Hiatt


Slip Knit Pullover Left Decrease (Slip Knit Pass) is identical.

In the Piping Circle


July 23, 2016 at Chatham Community Park, Chatham IL

Don’t go! It’s going to be a 115 deg heat index!

In the Pipeline

Reading

Firestorm by Nevada Barr (Anna Pigeon #4) ***  set in National Park. Huge fire and a murder.

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman *****

The Good Dream (audible) by Donna VanLiere who is the narrator for the book as well.  set in Rural Tennesee 1950. *****

The Lewis Man by Peter May. 2nd in The Lewis Trilogy. *****

Absolutely riveting book. Mystery, suspense, good character development.

Raven Black by Ann Cleeves (audio)

Dream When You’re Feeling Blue by Elizabeth Berg  *** Terrible ending.


The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult

Watching

Brooklyn (movie) on Netflix.

Period drama, immigrant story, romantic. We enjoyed it a lot. PG-13 No bad guys.

Knitting

Amulet Shawl by Helen Stewart/Curioushandmade

Beads from Gilding Lillies.

Queued

Test knit by Hannah Fettig for her new book, Texture, to be published this fall. I bought Quince & Co Lark in Audouin colorway.



Have a great week, haste ye back and hold your knitting close.

Wednesday, July 13, 2016

Episode 254 Talisman Shawl and Holyrood

Listen here or use the Flash Player on this site for current and past episodes. Flash Player is not compatible with Internet Explorer. Try a different browser like Safari. Or jaunt on over to iTunes to find the show there.

This episode is sponsored by Quince & Co and Knitcircus Yarns.

At Quince & Co all of our wool yarns are 100% grown, processed, spun, dyed, twisted, and labeled here in the USA..quinceandco.com. Looking for a fiber for summer knitting? Try our linen yarns, Sparrow and Kestrel or Willet, Cleaner Cotton. All are found at www.quinceandco.com

Knitcircus celebrates fun, a passion for knitting, and the delight of beautiful yarn.

Treat yourself to a gorgeous, hand-dyed, gradient yarn in saturated colors with smooth color transitions throughout the skein. Our gradients work up into beautiful and satisfying projects.  Visit our booth at Stitches Midwest. www.knitcircus.com.
Knitcircus Watermelon Panoramic Gradient

Knitting Pipeline is a Craftsy Affiliate. I enjoy taking Craftsy classes and have learned so much while taking them at my own pace. If you visit my blog prior to purchasing a class or supplies I receive credit for it. Thank you!

You can find me on Ravelry as PrairiePiper and on Instagram as KnittingPipeline. There are two groups on Ravelry, Knitting Pipeline and Knitting Pipeline Retreats. Come join us there!

You can also find me here:

Ravelry: PrairiePiper Feel free to include me in your friends.

Instagram: knittingpipeline

Twitter: knittingline




Pipeliner Notes

Thank you all for your kind notes about the 6th anniversary of the show!

Mittens for Maine and Eagle Crest Retreat

Prairie Yarn Crawl
July 20-23, 2016


Nature Notes

A Tree by Any Other Name
by Guest Contributor, Brenda

When I was in the fifth grade, our teacher, Miss Batjer, made us memorize a poem by Joyce Kilmer, entitled  “Trees.”  Reciting this poem from memory was standard fare for all Miss Batjer’s classes back in 1958. I doubt that children learn about that poem now, but it is lodged in my brain somewhere between the Gettysburg Address, and the Periodic Table. I hadn’t thought about this poem in eons, but a recent podcast on Knitting Pipeline made me think about the trees that have been special in my life.

The first tree I remember specifically was a fig tree that grew between our house and the Caldwell’s, who lived next door. I must have been 7 or 8—old enough to sneak out of the house while my mother was taking a much-deserved afternoon nap with my two little sisters. I can still remember how it felt to be enveloped in the sultry Texas heat as I painstakingly sneaked out the backdoor, taking care not to make any noise that might wake my mother. Best of all was the feeling of solitude.   I would crawl up under the fig tree, which was really more a big bush than a tree. Its limbs spread outward like the frame of an umbrella, and the big leaves formed a canopy of shade and privacy when I climbed into the base of it. The air was heavy with the warm, fruity fragrance of ripe figs, and I often helped myself to more than a few.

Except for an assigned leaf collection in high school biology, I didn’t think much about trees during my teenage years.  The next tree that impressed me grew in the front yard of our first house we bought after we married.   It was a huge pecan tree that provided wonderful shade and a plentiful supply of tasty pecans.  I baked pies and cookies and sent bags of pecans as Christmas gifts to relatives who didn’t live in Texas.  Every fall I still get Texas pecans shipped to me, and I remember how nice it was when we had our own supply right in the front yard.

After a few years, my husband’s job moved us to Salt Lake City, Utah.  I had lived my whole life on the Gulf Coast of Texas, which is green and lush, so moving to a desert climate was a shock for me.  Everywhere I looked I saw brown and I couldn’t wait to plant some trees on the bare sandy lot of our brand new house.  When I saw the stunning white bark of the Aspens and Birches—both trees I had never seen before, I was captivated.  The little coin-like leaves tinkled in the wind and I thought they were so beautiful.  The first tree we bought for that new lawn was a Northern clump birch.  We couldn’t afford a really big one, so it was only about 5 feet tall when we planted it.  I worried over it, and watered it, and left it with regret when we moved to Southern California after 3 years. Over two decades later we went back to see our old house, and that clump birch tree had grown to about 35 feet, and spread.  I felt like a proud mother knowing I was responsible for planting that lovely tree.

In California, I had a love/hate relationship with a huge jacaranda tree in our front yard. Jacarandas are lovely to look at, but horrible to live under.  They are covered with fragrant purple blossoms in the spring—both a blessing and a curse.  The blossoms fall onto the sidewalk, and bleed when they get underfoot, staining anything that comes in contact with them. But, of course, we couldn’t remove that old tree. It was not the tree’s fault that someone planted it in the wrong place!  So it stayed, and we swept and washed and put out mats. I even missed it when we moved to Washington, the Evergreen State.

In the Pacific Northwest, where we have lived for the last 27 years, I admire the beauty of all the cedars and firs, and the emerald landscape they create, but dare I say, the evergreen tree can be a bit boring?  (Yikes! it is heresy to even think such a thing in the PNW!)  Let’s just say the evergreen trees provide a good “backdrop” for showcasing the deciduous trees I love.  My favorite tree now is a Stewartia pseudocamellia which I planted in our backyard.  It is like a dainty lady who dresses every spring in a pinafore of silky white flowers--usually just in time for Mother’s Day.  In the fall, she changes to flaming orange, but soon abandons that, revealing her slender winter silhouette and good bone structure.  This tree is framed in my kitchen window, and I enjoy her delicate moods all year long.

Though I appreciate the beauty of the southwest, with desert climate and rugged landscape, it is not for me.  I love the sheltering beauty of trees.  I do think Joyce Kilmer (who succeeded as a poet despite being named Joyce) had it right so many years ago.

Trees by Alfred Joyce Kilmer

I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.
Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.

Needle Notes

Holyrood by Justyna Lorkowska

PrairiePiper’s Holyrood

Eden Cottage Yarn Harewood 100% Blue Faced Leicester Superwash.

Beads are from Gilding Lillies. They are lovely, high quality beads.





Talisman Shawl by Helen Stewart #1 The Shawl Society

PrairiePiper’s Talisman Shawl



Join The Shawl Society HERE.

Newest design is Amulet Shawl.

Malabrigo Yarn Mechita Jupiter Colorway.  Dark Pink, cranberry, single

The Blethering Room

Purchased Malabrigo at Warm N Fuzzy


Trunk show with Yoth Yarns Periscope.
YOTH trunk show at Warm and Fuzzy

Susanne’s Needles

Product Notes


Embroidery, quilting, sewing on buttons. Helps thread to glide through and reduces knots by 90%. I use Aurafil which is a high quality thread.

In the Piping Circle

Peoria Chiefs Game--Irish Night
It was a little boy's birthday so of course, they wanted photos with the piper and drummer.

Leading out on the field.

Playing during first pitch.





July 23, 2016 at Chatham Community Park, Chatham IL


Have a great week, haste ye back and hold your knitting close.

Friday, July 1, 2016

Episode 253 Hooray for Six Years!

Listen here or use the Flash Player on this site for current and past episodes. Flash Player is not compatible with Internet Explorer. Try a different browser like Safari. Or jaunt on over to iTunes to find the show there.

This episode is sponsored by Quince & Co and Knitcircus Yarns.


At Quince & Co all of our wool yarns are 100% grown, processed, spun, dyed, twisted, and labeled here in the USA..quinceandco.com. Looking for a fiber for summer knitting? Try our linen yarns, Sparrow and Kestrel or Willet, Cleaner Cotton. All are found at www.quinceandco.com

Knitcircus celebrates fun, a passion for knitting, and the delight of beautiful yarn.

Treat yourself to a gorgeous, hand-dyed, gradient yarn in saturated colors with smooth color transitions throughout the skein. Our gradients work up into beautiful and satisfying projects.  No need to escape to the moon for some calm; just try Sea of Tranquility Panoramic Gradient a peaceful and lovely color that transitions from Moony-yellows to soft gray to sea blues. Only at www.knitcircus.com.

Knitting Pipeline is a Craftsy Affiliate. I enjoy taking Craftsy classes and have learned so much while taking them at my own pace. If you visit my blog prior to purchasing a class or supplies I receive credit for it. Thank you!

You can also find me here:

Ravelry: PrairiePiper Feel free to include me in your friends.

Instagram: knittingpipeline

Twitter: knittingline




Pipeliner Notes

It’s the 6th anniversary of Knitting Pipeline! Thank you so much for your involvement and support. I could not have done it without YOU!

Hi Paula,
I was listening to your podcast #252 on my way to a class on Button Making with Bronwyn :) when I heard you talking about short row knitting techniques. In the conversation you referenced Carol Feller’s Crafsty classes. I wanted to also let you know that Carol has a book out called “Short Row Knits: A Master Workshop with 20 Learn-As-You-Knit Projects.” It’s a great reference book and really opened my eyes to all the different types of short rows you can use. With each type of short row, Carol talks about when it is the best time to use the technique. This is definitely a book that should be in every knitter’s reference library.

Happy Knitting!
Nancy

Events

Stitches Midwest August 4-7! Join us!

Actually Knitting PALKAL

Mother Bear KAL 2 Knit Lit Chicks

  • Knit or crochet bears for the Mother Bear Project
  • The Mother Bear Project distributes handknit bears to children in countries (mostly Africa) who have been affected by HIV/AIDS Any bears knit or crocheted in 2016 are eligible to be entered in the 2 Knit Lit Chicks FO thread for prizes. Separate photo for each bear please!
  • 313 bears were entered last year in our KAL. We want to beat that number this year!
  • Dates 7/1/16 - 9/31/16. Must be a member of the group to enter
  • Please go to the 2 Knit Lit Chicks Podcast group for more information.


Knitting Pipeline Eagle Crest Fall Retreat 2016

With Workshop by Amy Detjen, Knitting Author, Designer, Teacher, and of KnitCircus Yarns and Podcast

October 19-22, 2016

Eagle Crest Camp and Retreat Center

Nature Notes

In the last episode I wrote about trees, which was a topic inspired by Jenni of the Lone Larch Podcast. Thank you to everyone who wrote to me and who participated in the thread. Your tree memories are so beautiful. I’m going to be sharing a few of these each week for the rest of the summer because I think others will enjoy them as well.

From Missy, Marynvoigt, on Ravelry.

Good morning - hope the sun is shining where you are!  We have just been out in the little garden harvesting our first potatoes - little fingerlings.  Not too many, but we are learning.  Growing things is such a wonder.

I have always loved trees too, and have so many memories of trees in the yard of my childhood.  A great oak right outside my window, the perfect climbing maple in the front yard with just the right perch for leaning back and reading a book.  I am sorry for the child who does not have a chance to learn to climb a tree.

I loved hearing about your dad and his trees, and the wood too.  In 1981 a tornado hit Nashville and tore right through my parents' yard.  (We had four acres.)  It uprooted around 40 mature trees - oaks, walnuts, maples.  Luckily (miraculously really) none hit the house.  Mom and Dad saved the wood, and several years later presented each of us four children with a table made from the fallen trees.  Each has a plaque on the inside.  The table is very special to me especially since Mom and Dad later moved.  I can only imagine how much you treasure anything that was made by your father's own hands.
Mr. Jim Reed was the father of a friend of mine.  He died a few years ago, and I thought I would pass on a small excerpt from his obituary.  A wonderful, generous man.
From his obituary:

One of Mr. Reed's pleasures in later life was propagating Bur Oak trees. Each fall, he gathered and potted acorns, and nursed them into small seedlings. When a friend had a new baby in the family or another special occasion, Mr. Reed would plant a tiny oak in their yard to commemorate the event. Over the years, these small trees have become mighty oaks, sprinkled around the city. One stands along the entrance wall at Centennial Park........"

It was very special to receive one of Jim Reed's baby trees. 

Needle Notes

Mignon by Loop London
2 Guys Yarn Co MCN Collection DK Plum Majesty colorway

Lemon Chiffon by Taiga Hilliard


Frog Tree Picoboo cotton and bamboo

Have a great week, haste ye back and hold your knitting close.






Birthday Girl and her chair


About Me

My photo
I play the Great Highland Pipes, knit, observe nature, and read. My name on Ravelry is PrairiePiper. Find me on Instagram as KnittingPipeline.