Visiting the State Police Headquarters

As many of you know I write mysteries and a lot of my characters are law enforcement officials.  As a mystery writer, I belong to my local chapter of Sisters in Crime and for our summer meeting some of our group was lucky enough to visit the Virginia State Police Academy.

Assistant Training Officer Jeff Baker sacrificed several hours of his weekend to give us information about the Academy and its training program and to give us a tour of the facilities.  I found Jeff to be extremely knowlegdeable, friendly, professional and the epitome of what I expect a law enforcement officer to be.  I think Jeff's rank is a Major, but I didn't write it down and I'm just going from memory.  So I hope I'm neither promoting nor demoting him.

The classroom is structured in an theater style with tiered seating.  We got to sit in the desks that the actual trainees occupy from Mondy - Friday for the approximately nine months of training that each person receives.  Each trainee will log more than 1700 hours of classroom and practical experience before graduation and will live at the academy during their training period.  After the trainees have been on campus for awhile they are allowed to go off campus for weekends, but must return by 9pm Sunday night.  Lights are out at 10 pm. every night.  Jeff's haircut is typical of what male trainees have.  Women trainees are expected to have either short hair or hair pulled back in a neat manner.

Here are two of my Sisters in Crime cohorts relaxing in the trainees' chairs.  I'm sure the trainees don't get to relax.  Their day is all work.

Jeff explained that the current class had been in session since October of 2010 and started out with 82 members.  The graduating class will hopefully graduate 62 new Virginia State Troopers.  Reasons for not graduating vary from low academic scores to not adjusting to the structure and anything in between.   About 70% of the troopers have a college education and a lot are ex-military or officers in local police departments who want to be a State Trooper.

After graduation, officers will spend approximately 6-8 weeks with a senior officer in real life on the job situations.  Jeff said he'd done a little of everything in his career.  The troopers take care of all of Virignia highways and interstates.  They are involved in anything from delivering babies, herding cattle that have escaped their fences to plane crashes, domestic calls, terrorism (the Pentagon on 9/11) and even murder.  You name it and the State Police can do it. 

This is the main stairway in the Academy.  It's made out of marble and beautiful.  Trainees keep this building that is their home spotless and the staircase is no exception.  However, they are not allowed to walk up this main staircase until they have graduated. We were a lot luckier and got to go up it to see the State Police museum and living quarters.

This is a bed in the museum, but as I understand it, it isn't unlike the austere bedrooms that trainees occupy for those long 9 months.  Although the trainees have moved into the computer age, it wasn't all that long ago that typewriters like this were used in the trainees' rooms.  I believe desks very much like this one are part of the trainee's bedroom.  Very no-frills. 

There were displays of various officer uniforms used through the years.

As well as vintage motorcycles used by Virginia Troopers.

Weapons were also on display.  Troopers are accomplished shots and have won numerous awards for their accuracy.

There was also a display of law enforcement patches. 

Here are some of the members of the Central Virginia Sisters in Crime who were lucky enough to spend part of their day learning more about our State Troopers, the training that that go through to keep us safe and the academy that teaches them. 

I believe my writing has been enriched by this tour, and I certainly thank Corinne Geller, Public Information Officer and Jeff Baker for this great tour. 

Kat

More UFOs

As I sit here and write out my list of things to pack for the big family beach trip coming up at the end of the week, I have to think about what projects to take with me.  And as I do that, I study my Ravelry pages of 13 UFOs (unfinished objects).   Yowser!!!  Not sure at all yet which projects will accompany me yet.  It may end up being an eenie, meanie, minie, moe kind of thing.

Today I wanted to show you pictures on 3 of my favorite (okay, they're ALL my favorites) projects. 

The first is Hillflowers, and stunningly gorgeous Anne Hanson Knitspot pattern. 

I am much farther along than this picture show and the pattern has a really great rhythm as you knit.  The yarn is my favorite yarn - Bugga! by the Sanguine Gryphon - in the Dragonfly Tattoo colorway.

photo courtesy of the SG

As you can see my project photos do not do the yarn justice.  It is a beautiful, subtle colorway with hints of pinks, purples, yellows and greens all very muted.  This yarn is so soft and so drapeable.   And it blocks like a dream.  I'll be sure to post some blocking pictures when I get to that stage.  The Sanguine Gryphon shop has some tempting yarns.  I might have quite a few in my stash.  Like it said, it is my favorite yarn.  And Gryphon is a dear. 

So my Hillflowers stands a really great chance of making into the beach bag.  I can talk and knit while I work on this one. 

Project #2 is Potager another Knitspot design.  This one is is done is Madelinetosh Tosh sock yarn in the Chambray colorway.

This is my first project using nupps.  I've tried several methods of knitting the nupps and I haven't found one that I like better than the other (or easier than the other).  This is a design that I use the chart a lot for instead of the printed directions.  After I knit on it awhile I find I get into a unique rhythm of the pattern and it moves right along.  But I also find that I have to be quiet and think when I'm knitting this or I'll miss a yarn over and be ripping out a row or more.  So as much as I love this project, I don't think it's a good beach project.  Maybe I'll set September aside to finish this one up.

In fact, I love Potager so much, I have two (count 'em two) Potagers on the needles. 

This second one is done in The Woolen Rabbit Pandora, another wonderful yarn that is soft and squishy.  The colorway is Sweetheart, which was featured in the pattern release.  I love the color.   But sadly I am not much further along than this picture shows.

Now I know you're wondering why I have two Potagers in progress. Well, it's like this.  I couldn't find the first one and I was anxious to work the pattern - so I cast on a 2nd one and got this far (those darn nupps again). Put it aside and finally Potager Project 1 (say that five times fast) resurfaced as things tend to do around here.  I felt guilty about neglecting the first one and started in on that one again.  Now I may have "misplaced" the Sweetheart Potager.  It's not lost - just in hiding for a bit.  And I will get it done.  Maybe I'll put both Potagers on my September to remember Potager list.  Get 'er done!

And now we come to the sadly neglected 3rd project - Cluaranach.   Mine is made out of Sweet Georgia yarns tough love sock in the Boysenberry colorway.  This is quite a tight twist yarn and it took a bit for me to get used to knitting with it since I'm used to softer yarns.  Not that Sweet Georgia isn't soft, it is.  But the tight twist makes it seem not as soft as you're kniting with it. 









This project has been OTNs for over a year.  Yes, another casualty of misplacing the yarn and pattern in this baker's dozen of projects.  I found it again briefly in May of this year and saw the purl through the back loops and only worked a few rows before wondering if I was doing the stitch correctly.

Then Anne Hanson popped into Richmond, Virginia, for a class and she showed me how to easily do the stitch.  As usual, I was making it way too hard.  I really want to find this project (and I think I know where it is) and get it completed.  So I'm prioritizing this as the October to finish project.  And since I'm telling the world about it, maybe I'll keep myself to this schedule.  It truly isn't a difficult pattern once you master the one stitch.  The rest is easy. 

photo courtesy of AgnesTville

Now I wish I could take credit for this Cluraranach.  This is AgnesTville's magnificient project (and finished, I might add).  You can really see the pattern in her picture.  Agnes is one of the most prolific and talented knitters that I know.  I am in awe of her knitting.  I'm hoping my finished object will be half as lovely as Agnes' Cluraranach.

Next time, I'll focus on 3 more lonely UFOs.  And hopefully I'll have made some progress on something.

Kat

Projects, We have projects

Projects - boy, do I have projects going on.  Unfinished.  I have officially declared myself the Queen of Casting On. 

Earlier this summer I'd made a small committment to myself to limit what I had on the needles at any one time.  But that didn't last long.  I am hopelessly drawn to new projects.  And I guess I think I'm Super Knitter and can get it all done.  Well, I do - eventually.

Take a look at this work in progress (WIP).  It's a Striped Study Shawl. 

It's a very easy shawl done with short rows.  I love how the purple yarn defines the stripes and the variegated yarn plays off of the purple with softer shades of lavendar, pink and pale green.  Both yarns are Colinette Jitterbug in the colorways Velvet Bilberry (the purple) and Marble (the variegated).  

I use this as my mindless knitting project, because it is so simple.  I'm hoping to take this on vacation to the beach and finish it up, if I haven't finished it before then.

Next up in the actively working on it projects is Leaving, a gorgeous sweater pattern by Anne Hanson of Knitspot fame.  If you aren't familiar with Anne's patterns, I urge you to go visit her website immediately.  I became hooked on her patterns several years ago.  She is a genius at design.  So many of my projects are Knitspot patterns. 





These pictures are of the Leaving sleeves.  The yarn used is The Woolen Rabbit Opulence in Arabian Nights, a luscious fingering weight yarn.  I've now completed both sleeves, the back and the left front.  All I have left is the right front.  Piece of cake, righ?  Well, theoretically.  But see, I still have a ton of other projectst that all scream to be heard and worked on. 

Like this Ondule sweater - also a Knitspot pattern.   The yarn used in this is Knitting Notions Classic Merino Superwash in a bluish-purpley yarn.  Super soft and warm, a true joy to knit with. 

Now this isn't a particularly good picture.  You can't see the wonderful texture of the pattern.    I have completely finished knitting this sweater - well all except for the neckband, I believe.  But I have to steam block it and seam it up. 

This is no longer a problem, because I have taken a blocking class from Anne and I've successfully seamed another sweater.   So what I my problem?  It's the unrelenting summer heatwave.  I just cannot make myself block with steam when it is over 100 degrees outside. So this project is on hold until after the heat dies down and the autumn winds and cooler temperatures come my way.

But the way I look at it, I'll have 2 wonderful sweaters to wear this winter - Leaving and Ondule.

Now these are only three of the thirteen projects I currently have going.  Yes, thirteen.  And chomping at the bit to cast on for something else.

I'll share 3 more projects in progress in my next post.  But before I close out, I wanted you to see what seduced my knitter's mind this week.  Yes, I caved and joined the Mystery Shawl KAL on the WestKnits group on Ravelry.

And since I'm late to the party and don't have enough stash yarn (so wrong, I'm drowning in yarn), I ordered some beautiful blues from Purl Soho in New York City.  The yarn I chose is Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light.  Here are the 3 colors I'm planning on using.

Colors are Betty Draper Blues, Well Water and Denim.  Love, love, love these colors.  Hope they'll work well together since I'm kind of going in the dark here.  I've never done a mystery shawl before.  But how can I go wrong with these three blues? 

Tomorrow the yarn is supposed to arrive.  YAY.  I'm behind already since the first clue came out Monday, August 1st.  But I've checked out what I have to knit for the first clue and I think I'll be able to catch up.  Now to stay focused on this over the month of August.  I'll keep you posted.

Until next time,

Kat

The Gift of Grace

   In this life we are lucky to find good friends along the way.  I have been blessed by the friendship of a truly remarkable woman, Dee Roberts. 

   Dee and I met online through Ravelry a little over a year ago when I was destashing some yarn and she bought a skein from me.  Who knew that that sales opportunity would open the doors to what has become a fantastic friendship.  Dee and I have many, many things in common and can chat online with long emails that I hope brings Dee as much joy as her emails bring to me.

   Dee surprised me recently with a gift package.  In it was a gorgeous skein of Grant Creek Yarn in the colorway Mermaid's Perspective and a heart-shaped shawl pin to go with it.

  Isn't this just the most gorgeous gift.  The blues and greens are spectacular and the heart pin is so me!

   For days I tried to decide what to make out of this yummy yarn.  I looked through patterns and nothing seemed to work.  Finally, the yarn spoke to me...Tudor Grace, it said.  Tudor Grace by the talented Anne Hanson of Knitspot.  YES.  That was it. 

   So last night I cast on - despite the fact that I have quite a few projects on the needles.  I couldn't resist it.  And it is going to be a stunner. 

   Just look how the colors play through the pattern.  I'm hoping to have time to work on it tonight.  And I'll keep you updated on my progress.

   Here's another shot of more of the pattern in progress.

   42 pattern repeats.  But I'm going to go as long as the yarn lasts.  And in honor of dear Dee, I've named this project The Gift of Grace because Dee is one of the most graceful and lovely people I know.

Tour de Fleece

For the 2nd year in a row I've been spinning along on Tour de Fleece while the cyclists spin on their bikes for Tour de France.

It's been loads of fun. I took a more laid back approach this year and spun for Team Superfleece. I'm ashamed to say it, but I've had some merino/silk on the wheel for almost a year and had gotten tired of the family's comments about it gathering dust. So that was my committment - I'd spin the 4 oz of fiber and ply it during TdF.

I'm happy to say I got it done. It's also the best spinning I've done. And the best yardage. I got 400 yards of fingering weight fiber.

On the wheel still spinning

 

Done. Much prettier in person.

 

Sothia, Beautiful Sothia

I've been on a knitting mission this summer trying to finish up some projects, but I seem to be easily seduced by new projects. One such project that caught my eye was the Sothia Shawl by Robin Ulrich. http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/sothia

She is a beauty. And having seen Sothia, I just had to make one for me. I chose two colors of Bugga, Milkweed Beetle and Southern Green Stinkbug. Check it out here.

A Sprossling is Born

I seem to be very good at starting projects. Not so great at finishing them - or so it seems. But I've made a mid-year resolution to try to finish up some long standing and ignored knitting projects.

Some got stuffed in bags at Christmastime to try to tidy up the house. My projects seem to take over. Lately I've "found" my Daybreak Shawl and I'm working a few rows on that every day. But my biggest accomplishment is finished Sprossling - my beautiful sweater.

Last fall I took a blocking class from the very talented Anne Hanson and learned everything I needed to know to block the sweater. But I didn't think I had the room to do the blocking. Well, that problem was solved when friends recommended buying a folding sweater blocking mat (I got mine from WEBS, but there are other places that sell this great project, too.

In no time, hours maybe, I had all of the pieces blocked and I started on seaming the pieces together. I'd never attempted the mattress stitch before but after reading up on it and watching several You Tube videos, I was ready to go.

Found the perfect buttons for this sweater and voila, finished.

No shots with me wearing my Sprossling because it has been too hot for wool. But I will add some later.

I'm busy now working on a SWAP KAL on Ravelry. My wonderful swap partner gifted me with some yummy Sundara yarn in lilac and I'm making a second Miss Doolittle Scarf. Here's a picture of my work in progress.

Next time, hopefully you'll get to see finished shots. Miss Doolittle is another Knitspot pattern.

On the writing front, I've started a book that's going to be fun to write. It's about a fortune teller and has some cute twists and turns.