Category Archives: Musings

Musings

2nd Sock Syndrome – Not Really

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I had a very nice comment from a reader who had seen the photo of my Country Girl Socks made in Sour Ball Sock-Ease. Of course, it is always a thrill hearing from knitters (or even others just inspired by the beauty of knitted art) taking the time to write me with kudos.

Anyway, the gist of the comment was about the inspiration to the person new to sock knitting. I am always happy to be an enabler to new sock knitters! She said:

“I loved your socks. Your photos are beautifully done, and the time you took to photography them with the white back drop etc. sets them apart. Your work is beautiful, and its nice to see such lovely work photographed so well.

I am new to sock knitting, my 17 year old daughter (whom I taught to knit) and my other daughter who is 20 both knit circles around me, and I am thrilled to see them do so well with knitting. My 17 yr. old is a sock queen and knit monkeys, a pair at a time on magic loop. She inspires me!

Thanks for the look at your beautiful socks.”

How can I not be pumped up about that? It really makes the day.

And … This reminded me that I still had this sock!

Originally I had made the single sock just so I had a model to photograph for a special edition pattern for Lion Brand (i.e. a republication of the original pattern Country Girl Socks I published in 1997 where the model is made in hand spun yarn). Although I’ve knitted other models in commercially available solid colored yarns, and once in a multi-color, I’ve also liked the way this design had worked up in the Sour Ball multi-color (Lion Brand had me test their new Sock-Ease yarn before it was available to the general public, so this was a bit over 3 years ago!).

Since I no longer need to keep this sock pristine for exhibit and photography purposes, I am planning to work up the 2nd sock and use the pair for ME. Yes, something for myself! What do you think the chances of me matching gauge/size of something I made 3 years ago? Oh well, my feet are not quite the same size either, lol.

Country Girl Socks in Lion Brand Sock Ease, color Sour Ball

p.s. I do appreciate anyone taking time to seed me constructive comments as well — I know that the reality of things is that I am not perfect nor can please all of the people all of the time, but I do listen and do what I can to address concerns if you have them. But hopefully we can all knit happy!

 

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Musings

Do you worry?

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Today’s Chinese fortune cookie read: “A day of worry is more exhausting than a week of work.”

Among the fantastic restaurants here in the New Orleans area, there are some above-par Chinese buffets. My favorite these days is in Kenner, LA. It’s easy to eat ’til full (they have great fresh sushi!). There’s not room in my ‘lil tummy to eat the fortune cookie that comes out with the bill. So I save them up at the house until I have a craving now and then for a bit of sweet. Unfortunately, by the time I usually get around to cracking the cookie open, it is stale since I don’t eat sweets very often. But it is always fun to read the little strip of paper included in the cookie.

Do you believe in these fortune cookie things? This particular saying struck home to me because this week started off as the pits for me. I had a very stressful Monday (problems with internet connection speed running at 1/100th it should have been; seems due to some kind of glitch in the AT&T settings for my business account, but it took hours on phone and a couple of days to get this worked out with them). And now I’ve been struggling the rest of this week with exhaustion.

So finally here on Thursday of this week, I spent part of today getting back to “dirt”. Planted tomatoes, banana peppers, okra, and Thai basil. Just moving and getting back to nature helps me relax from all that worrying and exhaustion.

Why do I let those kind of things worry me and bring me down? Life is too short, they say, right? Still, when things are going seemingly wrong, it is difficult to see the sun for the clouds. Please feel to share our stories, too.

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Musings

Piano Lessons: Teachers In Our Lives

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I do not know how or why my parents selected Maurine Smith as my piano teacher. I only recall my Mom saying that I was to take piano lessons so that I could learn to sing (please don’t ask me what her rationalization was; I never did figure that out, either).

 

This is NOT the way to play a piano (Jackie at 4 years old)
This is NOT the way to play a piano. I was 4 years old; not too long before starting piano lessons with Maurine Smith. The first thing I was taught was proper seating and posture.

I was 5 years old when I first began lessons with Miss Smith. The piano was much bigger than me. It would be a few years before I could even reach the peddles or span a full octave. But the advantage of being so young was that I was still like brain sponge; good technique and memorization was learned early and easily.

 

Daily practice became a way of life (sometimes even when I otherwise would have liked to be outside playing with friends). I learned commitment and perseverance.
Daily practice became a way of life (sometimes even when I otherwise would have liked to be outside playing with friends). I learned commitment and perseverance.

Miss Smith had a wonderful way of teaching with easily-understood metaphors to convey just the right touch and tone. She was always encouraging, yet firm. And she wrote ALL OVER my music! Oh, the wonderful memories each of her marks on my piano music now brings back to me of all those years of weekly lessons with her.

Marked up music with memorization stations Marked up music with play cues Marked up music

When you think about us being together for nearly 10 years, this piano teacher was the next most influential person to that of my parents in forming my life-long character and values. The appreciation and understanding of piano music I gained from Miss Smith in my youth undoubtedly had a relationship to my later aptitude in mathematics. And ultimately in knitting design where melody takes on the form of interlaced stitches. Also, in my later career development and setting up business, the discipline I learned and commitment to practice and perform publicly are things for which I am forever grateful to Maurine Smith.

Maurine Smith and Jackie in front of recital hall
Maurine Smith and I in front of recital hall. This photo was probably taken the last year I played in Maurine Smith's annual recital. Apparently interior photos of the recitals in progress were never allowed. Considering the performance anxiety I was already going through at any recital, that was probably a good thing.

I continued my piano studies with other teachers after my family moved from the Chicago area to NC. It was never quite the same, though, as when I had been with Miss Smith. And there was never another piano teacher that marked up my music like Miss Smith did. I really missed that, funny as it might seem.

Jackie at piano
I continued my piano study and practicing while in high school. Yes, that's the same grand piano as you saw before. But I've grown up and the piano is smaller - yes?

Do you remember a teacher that particularly influenced your life?

For me, it was not immediately obvious even as recently as just a couple of months ago. You see, those early years of mine were all just a given — they happened and I took them for granted. Then not long ago, a friend of mine (who is very much into music, too) happened to mention Piano Lessons: A Memoir by Anna Goldsworth. I really enjoyed this read. There were many parallels in this book to my own story, albeit unpublished … and almost forgotten until this awakening in me of memories and discovery of memorabilia long-forgotten in my attic.

Recital programs
I played recital performances 1951 - 1960. These are the recital programs that I found in the memorabilia box for 1958 - 1960.

p.s. The River Forest Woman’s Club, where Maurine Smith’s annual student recitals were held, had an auditorium with movable seating, a small stage and a balcony. When I recently researched this building, it was further described as having been “created to be versatile, accommodating itself to music, dance, drama, lectures, public and private meetings. This main hall has acoustics as good as any other small auditorium in the country. Perfect for small musical ensembles, it requires no amplification for a speaker, even when the hall is full to capacity (about 150 people).” Although electronic amplification is pretty standard today in performances, I was reminded that we had no microphones or electronic amplification in those recitals … Just the natural amplification from the opened top of a grand piano. There are some old photos of the exterior and interior of the building here. The interior is similar to Frank Lloyd Wright’s Unity Temple, the building having been the work of architect William Drummond who had been Wright’s chief draftsman.

As an aside, the historic Woman’s Club building was nearly demolished in the 2000’s but after a long preservation battle, the current owners acquired the building and converted the building for residential use with very little change to the interior plan.

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Musings

Lace Maple Leaf Socks KAL

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I am pleased that the 50 Socks Book Group on Ravelry chose my Lace Maple Leaf Socks (a.k.a. Canada Socks) for it’s March/April Knit-A-Long. I don’t want you to miss the opportunity to participate and enjoy the camaraderie of other knitters. The KAL is being held on Ravelry. During the entire time of the KAL, I’ll be around to answer questions or help in any way.

Lace Maple Leaf Socks is one of two designs I did for the CD book 50 Socks – 50 States published in 2009. The CD book is still available from Sirius Knitting Publications and Crystal Palace Yarns. Lace Maple Leaf Socks has now also been published as a individual pattern, and is available from HeartStrings dealers and the Ravelry Store.

Visit the official KAL group thread for the rules, prizes, and the place you’ll want to post progress pictures of your socks so that you can win free yarn, etc.

There is also a Chat thread to ask questions, talk about your yarn choices, etc.

Will we see you there? Thanks to Crystal Palace Yarns for sponsoring the KAL and donating prizes.

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Musings

Please help Japan as you can

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I just posted a discount coupon for my shamrock-themed patterns purchased through the Ravelry store. The theme is in keeping with celebrating St. Patrick’s Day (March 17) and thus the 17% discount.

But my motivation goes beyond just offering you savings, as my mood is somber in light of the awful devastation and human suffering in Japan. In the past, we’ve sometimes done special drives where a portion of pattern proceeds was donated to an organization I selected in support of a need. This time, I can see there will be so much need everywhere that I want to encourage you to help as you can, where you can, and I will do the same.

If you take advantage of the pattern discount and if you are so inclined, you might want to donate some or all of that savings to an organization of your choice to help Japan. So, if you were thinking about getting one or more of these patterns, now would be a good time.

This particular coupon discount only runs through March 17, but I will be donning my thinking cap for other follow-up discount coupons and patterns that may help you get HeartStrings patterns while still setting aside some of your savings to help Japan in the way you think best.

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