The Lancaster Bomber

Meet the Lancaster Bomber - being restored in Nanton, at the Bomber Command Museum of Canada.  You can check out their amazing website (here).
Last Saturday, right after my birthday, I met family in Nanton to watch the "Lanc Crew" fire up all four engines on this baby. Now, this doesn't happen very often so it was a big deal.

 Oh how I wish my dear dad could have shared it with me.   The plane no longer flys, but she has taxi capability I'm told and the fact that she is in as good a shape as she is, is due to the hard work of a crew of enthusiastic volunteers who have spent thousands of hours on the project.

After the second world war this plane wound up in a farmer's field in Vulcan where it sat, slowly sinking into the field until 1960 when three intrepid guys from Nanton got the idea to make it part of a budding aviation museum for their town.  Abandoned planes dotted the prairie landscape, bought cheap for scrap.  Nobody wanted to be reminded of war.
The Museum is dedicated to the Bomber Command which from what I can make out was something of a suicidal mission for their 7 man crews..  Apparently these boys were extremely lucky if they made 30 missions and came back alive.  Some 10,000 RCAF flyers did not. The tragedy for me, standing in front of the wall of names, was that they were so young - 18, 19, 20 year olds. Their names are on a cairn in front of the museum.

We met this man in front of the cairn wall.  The gentleman is dutch, in his 80's now and emigrated to Canada from Holland  in the '50's.  He asked us if we had any family members listed on the Cairn and then he told us his story. 
Notice the little bomber airplane pin on his lapel?  It belonged to his best friend, one of the Lancaster Bomber pilots who dropped food parcels into starving Holland during what they called the "Mana Bombings" toward the end of World War II.

.   This man was on the tarmac, a starving 16 year old, catching  packages and cheering and he told us he waved at the pilot- that same bomber pilot who he met in Nanton.  When the pilot passed away a few years ago, he inherited the lapel pin.  Six degrees of separation works.

Lovely September

I love September!  When things are going well weather wise, this month simply can't be beat.   So far so good. We have been enjoying wonderful warm temperatures during the daytime, then cooling at night for cozy sleeping.  I might even get the tomatoes to ripen. I live in hope.

 . 

Mid week saw cousin Lois and I bundling her Jack Russell and my Border Collie into my Rav 4 and heading south on Highway 2 to the Blue Trail in Southern Alberta for a visit with cousin Darrel.  Darrel and Flory's house overlooks the Rockies - and yes, that is snow you see on the tops of the mountains and yes, the sky really is that blue.  And yes virgin prairie grass still exists.  Libby and I hiked for miles through it to an abandoned shack and back.  The harvest is mostly in and it looks like a bumper crop everywhere.

We ventured down to Waterton Lakes National Park.  It was chilly but sunny and the wind ...well, the wind always blows in Waterton but it was lovely anyway.  For me Waterton Lakes is a very nostalgic place.  My dad used to haul our 24 foot trailer down to the campground right in Waterton village every summer and we spent most weekends down there hiking the trails, boating on the big lake, dancing at the dance hall on Saturday night.  It hasn't changed all that much although the dance hall is gone, and the theatre is now a restaurant.  The lake is still freezing cold.  Brrr.

The sunflowers were growing in a garden in Hill Spring - a small village on the way to Waterton.  We couldn't get over how tall they were and how full of bees they were.  I was a tad jealous I admit, as my lone sunflower was highjacked by a greedy rogue squirrel last week before it could even ripen. He climbed the stock, chewed off the head and disappeared with it.  I found the poor broken curled up sunflower head abandoned a couple of days later outside our fence. It wasn't ripe.  He pounced too soon.  So now a headless giant sunflower stands bravely by the back fence.  How tragic is that!  I hope that squirrel gets a tummy ache. 

The skull is a bit of whimsey on Darrel's fence post.  There is no way that skull and those antlers belong together.
It was a lovely, relaxing trip.

SOCKS FOR BOOTS - A TUTORIAL

 Here is what the fuss is all about -

  The Knitted Hiking Boot Sock pattern

                             Materials:   Worsted Weight super wash wool, set of 5 double pointed needles, 3-3/4m.

Stitches used:

 k2p2 – Knit two, purl two ribbing

                                St – stitch

                                St st – stocking stitch

                                K – knit

                                P – purl

                                Sl1 – slip one stitch

                                Ssk – slip one stitch, slip next stitch, knit together through the back loop

                                P2tog – purl two stitches together

                                K2tog  - knit two stitches together

Sl1k1 PSSO – slip one stitch, knit one stitch, pass slipped stitch over knit stitch and off needle

Directions: 

These socks are knitted from the top down to the toe.

 Using the German long tail cast on method (or the cable cast on method), cast on 48 stitches to make a sock sized for a woman.    The objective here is to have an elastic cast on. 

Divide the 48 stitches you have just cast on, onto 4 needles as follows:  k2p2 for 12 stitches, now pick up a new needle, k2p2 the next 12 stitches, pick up new needle, k2p2 next 12 stitches, pick up new needle k2p2 last 12 stitches.

Your stitches are divided onto 4 needles, and your fifth needle is empty, ready to join into a square.

Making sure there are no twists and your stitches are hanging straight on the four needles, bring needle #4 around to meet up with needle #1.  

Next :  transfer the first stitch on needle #1 onto the end of needle #4.  Now take the last stitch on needle #4 over that transferred stitch, and place it on needle #l.

 You have successfully crossed these two stitches and joined your 4 needles into a square  and in the process tightened up the join so there will be no annoying gap at the beginning of the rib.

Note: it’s important to leave your cast on tail fairly long to mark the middle of the heel and for ease of darning  in later.  Laying your square flat, moving clockwise around it, needle #1 is always the first needle to the left of the tail, needles 2 and 3 hold the stitches for the front or instep of the sock, needle #4 makes up the other side of the heel stitches.

Keep in mind you are knitting a tube.  This is the leg portion of your sock.

Next round:  k2p2 around from one needle to the next clockwise.  Continue K2p2 pattern for at least 3 inches, ending the rib where your tail hangs at the end of needle #4.  This gives you a very decent cuff for your boot sock which can be folded over, or left long.   

Next Round:  Knit  around for about 5 or so inches to complete the rest of the leg tube, ending with needle #4 again.   The length of the leg of your sock should be at least 8 inches from the cast on edge.  On a boot sock like this you want a nice long leg so you could even make it longer if you wish.

.

  Heel flap

The Heel flap is knitted on two needles back and forth

 Row 1, Knit across Needle #1.   Turn your work.

Row 2, Slip first stitch purlwise, purl across needle #1 to end. then purl all the stitches from needle #4 onto needle #1

You should now have 24 stitches on needle #1, leaving needle #2 and 3 resting at the front of the sock, and needle #4 stowed safely in your kit bag, and your fifth needle ready to knit with.  Don’t worry about Needles 2 and 3. Their turn comes later.

Row 3,* Sl1k1 across the 24 stitches, turn.

Row 4, sl1, purl across, turn* 

Repeat rows 3 and 4 twelve more times, ending with a purl row and ready to knit the next row.     You have actually completed 24 rows

Turning the Heel 

This heel is called The Round Heel .  There are other heels.  If you enjoy sock knitting, you’ll probably want to explore them, but this is a beginning. 

You are still  knitting back and forth on two needles for the heel turning.

 Slip one, knit first  11 stitches, Knit 2, slip 1, knit one, pass slip stitch over, knit 1, turn.

Next row: slip one purlways, purl 5 stitches, purl 2 together, purl one, turn

Next row: slip one, knit 6 st, sl1k1 psso, k 1, turn

Next row: slip one, p7, p 2 tog, p1, turn

You will notice a pattern here – you are knitting and purling to one stitch before the gap, then working over the gap by either a sl1k1 psso or purl 2tog.    This is called short row knitting, and it shapes the sock heel so you are ready to pick up the gusset stitches and knit the foot of the sock.  Trust the pattern – this is the magical part of sock knitting.

Next row: slip one, k 8, sl1k1 psso, k1, turn

Next row: sl 1, p9, p2tog, p1, turn

Next row:  sl 1, k 10, Sl1k1 psso, k1, turn

Next row:  sl 1, p 11, p2tog, p 1, turn

Next row: sl 1, knit 12, sl1k1 psso, k1, turn

Next row: sl 1, purl 13, p2tog, p1 turn

You should have 14 stitches on your needle, be ready to do a knit row across, and your heel is turned…congratulations!  You did it!

 You are now ready to pick up the gusset stitches and get back to knitting in the round.

Here we go!

THE HEEL GUSSET

Slip 1 knit 6 st across the heel. – 7 stitches on the needle.    

Pick up the spare needle from your knitting bag, knit the last 7 stitches.  With this same needle ( now needle #1)  pick up 12 (13) stitches along the right side of your heel flap.  You will have 19 (or 20) stitches on needle #1.

                Big hint!   If you pick up one extra stitch right at the join before you start knitting across the   instep stitches, you will eliminate a very annoying hole that occurs between needles at that spot.   So even though the pattern says pick up 12 st – grab that extra stitch at the bottom making 13 pickup’s.  Your sock will look a lot tidier and you will be a lot happier with your work.

Next row – with your empty needle knit across the 12 stitches on needles #2.   Again with your empty needle, knit the 12 stitches on needle #3. – Needle #2 and Needle #3 become the instep stitches across the front of your sock

Next row – with needle #4, pick up 12 (or 13) stitches (see note) , and then knit the last 7 heel stitches onto the same needle, for a total of 19 (20)stitches on needle #4 .  You are joined in the round once again and ready to begin work on the sock gusset. 

SHAPING THE GUSSET

* Next round, starting with needle #1, knit to 3 sts away from the end of needle #1, k2tog, k1. This decrease slants to the left.  Work st st across needles #2 and 3.  At the beginning of needle #4, k1, ssk, knit to end. This decrease slants to the right.

Next round:  knit  around. *

Repeat these two rounds, decreasing at the end of needle #1 and beginning of needle #4, until you once again have 12 stitches on all 4 needles

You have now shaped the gusset and are ready to knit the foot of your sock.

Let’s take a minute to measure your foot –Remember you are knitting a custom sock for a particular foot.  This time we are fitting your foot, but you might want to make a pair as a gift for another pair of feet..

Measure from the middle of your heel to the tip of your big toe.  Write down this measurement.

Now measure from the tip of your big toe down to just where the toe joins the ball of your foot .

  Subtract your toe measurement from your total foot measurement.   Write down this measurement. 

The length of your sock foot before you start decreasing for the sock toe is from the heel to the base of your toes.

SHAPING THE TOE  - once the foot of your sock is the length you want it to be, start decreasing to round out the toe as follows.

Next round: * Work to 3 sts away from the end of needle #1, k2tog, k1.   At the beginning of needle #2, K 1 SSK, knit to end of the needle.  Work to within 3 sts from the end of needle #3, k2tog, k1.  K 1 SSK at beginning of needle #4, knit to end.

Next round – Knit around.*

Work these two rounds until 16 stitches remain, or 4 stitches per needle.

Next round:  Hold sock so instep is facing you.   Knit 4 stitches from needle #2 onto needle #3.  8 stitches are on front needle.

Turn your sock so the heel is facing you – Knit 4 stitches from needle #4 onto needle #1.   8 stitches are on back needle.   Make sure the same number of stitches are on each needle

Three spare knitting needles can go into your work bag.  You are ready to close up the toe of your sock.

Closing the toe with kitchener Stitch

Hold the two knitting needles parallel to each other.   Cut your yarn, leaving a fairly long tail.

Your yarn should be coming from the first right stitch on the back needle. Thread the tail into your tapestry needle.

1.        Insert tapestry needle into first st on front needle as if to knit, pull yarn through, slip stitch off needle.

2.        Insert needle into second st on front needle as if to purl, pull yarn through, leave this stitch on the needle.

3.        Insert needle into first st on back needle as if to purl, pull yarn through, slip stitch off needle.

4.       Insert needle into second st on back needle as if to knit, pull yarn through, leave stitch on needle.

Continue steps 1 to 4 until all stitches have been joined and are off the needles.

Pull the yarn through to the inside of the sock and weave in ends.  Weave in the tail end on the cuff of your sock .

Congratulations – Your first sock is complete!  On to the next sock in the pair!  After all – you have two feet.

You'll notice, if you follow this blog, that this boot sock is familiar to the last sock tutorial I posted - the difference being the number of stitches, and the size of yarn used, in this case worsted weight wool.  Sock construction principles are the same no matter what material and needles you use - variations on a theme involve thickness of yarn, colour, cables perhaps, a fair isle pattern, lace or all of the above.

These socks were specifically made to put in a hiking boot, a gumboot, or even a ski boot or skate.  They are cozy.  If you have questions, drop a note.  I'd love to hear how you get on.

Hiking Boot Sock workshop

My hiking boot sock workshop starts this coming Sunday, September 15th, at 1 p.m..
Check with Veronica at Stash Needle Art Lounge (here) if you are interested in taking this class with me.  the yarn we are using - Ella Rae - is scrumptious.

In October I will be teaching Fair Isle Knitting .  We will be constructing mittens in two colours which should be great fun.  Check the Stash Needle Art Lounge website for all Veronica's wonderful classes this fall.  I will be putting a tutorial on the blog in the next couple of weeks about Fair Isle  or "Two fisted Knitting.  So you can watch for that too.

And in November at Stash, I will be teaching knitting and fulling while we make a Christmas sock.

Cheers for now

Thursdays with libby

Thursday is garbage and recycling pick up day in our neighbourhood.   Garbage trucks, big, white and shiny, storm the back alleys, hissing, beeping and rattling their busy way shaking bins full of  bottles, cans and garbage into the holds, rolling from one end of the neighbourhood to the other.  They hit our alley at 7 a.m. on the dot and they usually go up and down about three to four times until they are satisfied every bin is empty.

Libby the border collie who pretty much runs our house and keeps us all in order, hates these trucks with a passionate explosive fury.

So, on this very important day, we have a very important routine.  I’m told there are some dogs, fearful of whatever is out there, who hide under the bed, or under your arm, or under your desk and just quietly quiver until it's over.   

This is not Libby’s way.   When she hears the engines on those trucks, when she hears the unmistakable sound of those hissing air brakes, she explodes out of the basement in a white hot fury, bouncing off the doors and windows on her way to the back door, trying to get out and bite those big white trucks unless we take drastic measures. She wants to eat the tires and chew up the poor driver.

Obviously we can’t let that happen . 

 One time, she and I accidentally ran into the garbage truck on the street during an innocent morning walk.   In my defense, I thought they were gone.  The poor driver stopped his truck,  and said mournfully  out the open door “It’s OK Lady.  All the dogs hate me.”  I did try to apologize but he probably couldn’t hear me over Libby’s hysterical barking. 

Another time she cornered a stopped garbage truck in front of our house and ran circles around and around it, pinning it and the astounded driver in place until I caught her, and dragged her away.

So you see, we have a history with these garbage trucks .

  

 Now, every Thursday we get up very early, racing to get the kettle on, get the tea made, close the windows in the house tight to keep out any truck’s noise, put the television on downstairs to make cheerful noise,  get breakfast food in Libby’s bowl and treats in her treat ball to distract her, get the gate in place to keep her downstairs, and then we wait it out.  It usually takes about 45 minutes til the all clear and peace once more settles over the house. 

 

Then and Now

What started out looking like this

ended up looking like this

and isn't quite what I had in mind.  Let me explain.  The assignment was to design and execute a Christmas sock for a class I will be teaching at "Stash Needle Art Lounge" in November.  So, I sat down with pen and paper, and came up with dimensions-  leg length- which is critical, width of top opening so that various presents can be inserted, and a stubby toe - after all this isn't a sock that will be worn.  It is a sock that will be hung by the chimney with care. 
After much deliberation and much knitting, the prototype was finished and I thought...OK...pretty good.  Except, once the thing went into the washing machine for fulling, the leg length was suddenly too short, and the stubby toe had all but disappeared.   Drat and Phooey!   But with felting wool, you do take a risk.  I know this.  I gambled on the shrinkage I thought would take place.  Obviously the wool and the washing machine had other ideas.  The second sample is now on the needles with notes to myself to compensate for the way this wool felts.  I'll keep you posted and if it works out, I'll share the pattern with you.
 
 Next, what started out as this -

Ended up as this

Now, that's better!  These hiking boot socks turned out extremely well and will be a fun class to teach and take in September at Stash.  I like them so much, I just might make a pair for myself. 

And finally.
what started out as this - remember the potato barrel?

Has now yielded this

I'm still not quite sure about the success of this particular potato barrel, but there we are - a smaller yield than I had hoped for, but a yield nonetheless.  And the potatoes do taste delicious.  These are fresh from the digging.

The barrel has now been emptied - and today I also emptied the black compost bin so I could mix the potato soil and compost together in a pile and start a new batch of compost in the bin. I will be spreading this lovely soil mix around my perennials over the next few days.  I have to say, gardening gives a girl muscles! 

I'm starting to think about autumn since the calendar turned over to the great month of September today.  The gardening season is drawing to a close and some trees are already starting to drop leaves that crunch underfoot as we walk.  I just hope we don't have an early frost and we actually will be able to harvest some tomatoes  I have high hopes for a beautiful long autumn.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
And...that was last week.