Mod Coasters

Well, here's my coaster. {Warning: This is not for the person who easily loses ones place when interrupted or when looking at your knitting and then back at your pattern. Have some good markers AND a quiet room so you can concentrate.}

After the first garter-stitch triangle (right bottom corner), I got better. I think I was slipping or SSKing the wrong way. Needless to say, I got the hang of it -- finally.

I pattern is from a Knitty Gritty episode. I used 'Butterfly Mercerized Cotton' that knits 22 sts to 4", rather than the merino suggested in the pattern. It makes a wonderful sized coaster. I was wondering if I knit five more and sewed them all around this one, if it would make a good place mat. Hmmm, you could do more with this than I originally thought and make it oblong as well! Just imagine matching coasters with your place mats!

Here is a picture of more colors this cotton comes in.

Something about....me

As you might have guessed...I am wearing a police uniform in that picture.

I used to be in law enforcement and did that on and off for 10 years.

How or why did I do that? Here is the story:

I dated and married a Yavapai County Deputy Sheriff when I was 21. We later moved to Coconino County where he, at the age of 39, made me a widow just after I turned 26 and 2 days before our 5th wedding anniversary. (His children were from a previous marriage -- we had none together)

I learned a great deal about law enforcement from him and how to ride a motorcycle. An Arizona Highway Patrol Motor Officer once rode next to me as I was on my way to work. He was in the same lane I was in!! Not a whole lot of room with his big ole bike and me on my 650 Kawasaki. He turned to me after the ride and said I was a very good motorcycle rider! I came to realize that it was a great compliment coming from a person who graduated from the Motorcycle academy.

So, back to why I decided to become one of those people with the ticket book.

I like to give back to the community where I live. I wanted to do something not everyone could do. I found that since I had good credit (yes, that counts), respect for the law and physically fit, I would try out for the sheriff's office AND the city police department in Washington state. I went through the testing (background, psychological, polygraph, physical agility and THE INTERVIEW) and passed for both departments. Now I had to choose which one I was going to join. Mind you, I would have to KNOW the entire area I would work in so I decided to join the city police department as it didn't seem as big as the county.

I went through the 6 month academy while I still worked 40 hours a week. Did I mention, I was not going to get paid for the police position? It is called being a Reserve Police Officer. Your duties and training were the same as a paid officer. Like I said, (I knew) not anyone could or would want to do this and it was my way of giving back to the community.

I made a good name for myself there. I didn't have a chip on my shoulder as many of the female officers I've met did. The Chief and other officers respected me and could count on me.

I loved the white collar crime part of the job with traffic stops second. I very rarely cited anyone for speeding but did cite for no proof of insurance.

I'll never forget one of my first traffic stops. My training officer and I were walking back to the patrol car when he asked me if I believed everything the guy said. When I said I did, he just slowly shook his head and said I had a looooong way to go. My response was, "He lied to me?!!!" That was a hoot! I grew up in the country where a handshake meant something and never thought about people lying. I have come to realize that people who lie are very busy. They have to remember who they lied to and then what they lied to them about. That's a lot of work!

I haven't been in law enforcement now for over 6 years. It was an interesting part of my life to be a part of the "Thin Blue Line" as a widow and an officer.

Horcrux Socks

If you knit and you (or someone you know) loves Harry Potter, you will love these socks!!

I am using On-line yarn (color unknown since it's being held hostage by my yarn stash!) and 6" Inox US sz 0 dpn's. The yarn is a superwash and is knitting up very nice.

This pair is for my son who wears a 13 shoe!! I have a ways to go before I can start the toe. The heel was knit with the other end of the "cake" (yarn from yarn winder). I then picked up one side of the gusset with that same yarn but dropped it and started with the leg yarn to go around the rest of the sock. That way the heel can be replaced when, and if, the time comes.

You can join the sock group and knit up a pair, too!

NOTE:

{This pattern is for the personal, non-commercial use of the members of the Six Sox Knitalong only. You may not reproduce the pattern for free distribution, sale, or any other purpose without the designer's prior consent. Items made from these instructions may not be sold under any circumstances.}

The woman who taught me to knit...

This is a picture of the woman who taught me to knit. I bet she wore knee high socks for the same reason I did...to 'hide?' the skinny legs'.

It all began in Texas. Killeen, to be more exact. This woman was very patient and my knitting was very tight. I could hardly get the needle through to knit the stitch off. I started off with 30 stitches and dark-colored worsted weight yarn. I don't recall the needle size or what I was trying to make. Maybe a scarf. Okay, so my 30 stitches measured about 4 1/2 inches across. Just a little tight, right?

Eventually, I began to relax and my knitting now stretched out to measure 6 inches across. I wish I had that piece of knitting so I could frame it. I imagine it's out there somewhere....still on those needles as I didn't bind off.

I will tell you a little more about this woman pictured in her best for the first day of school. She's 6 years old and almost dresses like the children do today (with a backpack, too!).

This is the same woman that taught me how to appreciate all the nice things in life, like digging for worms to go fishing, riding a horse, dancing around the house, singing little songs together, and more.

It was easy to cook great-tasting German food as she was a gourmet cook. My favorite is pork roast with sauerkraut and potatoes! When it comes to sweets, I am always grateful when she makes her orange-slice cake. While it's still hot, she soaks it in orange juice (the grown ups got the rum soaked version). Um, um, good!

This picture is of me at age 7. Ya just can't escape the passing down of 'skinny legs'!!

The woman who taught me to knit is my mother. She's an amazing woman with many talents and stories of survival in eastern Germany.

I would love to hear about your story.