The Bosun made this tiny Ocean Mat the other day. He intended it as a mock-up of the larger mats he’s making for household use, but I can’t get over its adorableness!

I think it would be great as a door mat on a doll house or on the miniature lighthouse display at Westport, WA. I could also add it to a headband or hair clip, or use it to embellish a handbag.

What do you think? What would you use this tiny sailor art for?

Yes, I know, Spring is just barely arriving in most of the US, but that means summer is right around the corner! (And besides, I grew up in Southern California, where it’s already 70+ degrees.)

With the sunshine comes renewed energy and enthusiasm, and I personally have been trying to eat better… that is, to actually cook and eat whole foods instead of prepackaged, overly processed, or “fast” foods. I’m also stocking my Etsy shop with Nautical Flag knits, starting out with Nautical Baby Bibs. So cute.

Summer always reminds me of sailing (I know, everything reminds me of sailing), but summer probably reminds you of the beach and ocean too. So, in celebration of all things nautical (and of cooking meals full of fresh ingredients), I’m introducing my second giveaway. It’s not from my Etsy store; it’s another book… a cookbook this time. The Williams-Sonoma Beach House Cooking. It’s full of wonderful things like Scrambled Eggs with Smoked Salmon and Chives, Ancho Chile-Rubbed Flank Steaks, and classic spicy dishes like Jambalaya and Jerked Chicken Grilled Under a Brick. I think my favorite part is the introduction, which is all about setting up the environment and creating the Beach Vibe.

Here are the rules: Stop by my Etsy shop, have a look around, then come back and comment on this blog post about what your favorite item is and why. Leave your Twitter @name or email address in the comment so I can contact you. One winner will be chosen at random on Sunday, 11 April 2010. Winner will be announced via Twitter and http://www.thelandlockedsailor.com . If prize is not claimed within 48 hours, another name will be drawn. Happy cooking!

Well, it’s time to practice some more. Do you want to try some color work? Some cabling? How about knitting on four needles? I have just the book you need: Learn to Knit by Sue Whiting.

This is a great book for the Intermediate or Advanced knitter. The introduction is full of reminders of the basics, from fixing common mistakes to shaping and finishing your work. The book has clear diagrams and photographs throughout, including 20 “simple” projects. Just a note: the first project, a pot holder rated at one star (least difficult) is worked in three colors with slip stitching. Other projects include sweaters, gloves, and even a pair of boot socks.

I’m giving away one copy of this little book on Sunday, April 4th 2010. There are three ways to enter:

1. Subscribe to this blog by clicking on “Subscribe in a Reader” on the right-hand side. (Or Subscribe to The Landlocked Sailor by Email)
2. Follow @landlockedsailr (note spelling) on Twitter–you can use the Twitter button on the right, too.
3. Fan The Landlocked Sailor on Facebook
The next step is very important: Comment on this blog post and tell me how you entered. Each person can enter up to three times, once per method (subscribe, follow, or fan). Also leave contact info (Your Twitter @name at least) so I can notify you if you win!

One winner will be chosen at random on Sunday, 4 April 2010. Winner will be announced via Twitter and http://www.thelandlockedsailor.com on Monday, the 5th. If prize is not claimed within 48 hours, another name will be drawn. Happy knitting!

Sarita Li
aka The Landlocked Sailor

When I first started knitting, I just knit a row, purl a row, knit a row, purl a row. It’s called the Stockinette Stitch, and it makes a smooth side (covered in V’s) and a bumpy side. It also curls up on the edges, so I had a lot of scarves that wanted to twist themselves into tubes. I liked them.

Red Baby Bibs in Two Different Styles

Instead of a pattern book, find yourself a Stitch Dictionary. There’s even a Field Guide to Knitting, which helps you identify stitches you find out in nature (I mean.. uh… all around you).

Now, instead of jumping into some complex project that you’re never going to finish, try your old standards: a washcloth, a scarf, a baby blanket, in different stitches that you find in your Stitch Dictionary. You’ll learn that a knit done in garter stitch is reversible and doesn’t curl up on the edges, but maybe you won’t like the way it looks (both sides are the “bumpy” side). Find another reversible stitch, and try it. Keep going until you find some that your really like. Mark the pages. Take notes. Practice increases and decreases. Practice casting on at the beginning and at the end of a row.

As you work through different stitch methods, you’ll learn the texture and behavior of each one. Later, when you go to make your first pair of arm/wrist warmers, you might run across a simple pattern that has a stretchy ribbing at the cuff. Not only will you understand why ribbing is used, you’ll be able to modify the pattern if you want to, knowing that you’ll have to substitute a different rib stitch instead of a non-elastic decorative stitch. If you want to make the item longer, you’ll know how to adapt the increases and decreases to fit your own arm.

Once you understand and have a feel for the different textures and behaviors of different knit stitches, you’ll be on your way designing your own knits!

But this week, I was going through my cotton yarns, and I found a whole lot of an odd brown color. My first thought was, “Yuck, What was I thinking?” Upon closer inspection, I realized that the “odd” brown really looked like seine twine, or fishing net. It could even be seaweed. Hmmm… sounds nautical. Maybe that’s what I was thinking when I bought it. On the next shelf was a big cone of variegated cream/light brown cotton with an almost pink shade to it. It just barely missed the mark of being pretty. Again, “What was I thinking?”

Then I had an idea: I wonder what these two weird yarns would look like if I worked them together? So I turned on my favorite old Clark Gable movie and went to work. Voila! I LOVE the effect! What do you think?

However, have you noticed how few people seem to follow your blog if you’ve posted one? At first, I was fanning everyone on Facebook, on Etsy (unless I really hated their stuff-doesn’t happen often), on Twitter if their timeline didn’t look like spam, AND on their blog.

It’s easy enough to follow a blog with Google Friend Connect, stick it on my iGoogle page or in Google Reader, and glance through everybody’s writing each day.

Then I realized, although I had followed quite a few blogs (which were not bad reading), no one had followed mine. Maybe I’m too boring. Maybe my RSS button is too hard to find. Maybe one of my recent Theme changes through everybody off.

So, link love people, what’s up with the lack of blog love?

Something has got to change.

I asked for advice from the Twitterverse, and got some good reminders from some good friends: Start walking. Keep walking. Drink lots of water. Eat fruits & veggies.

At this point, weighing over 200 pounds at 5’6″, these tiny changes have the potential to make a HUGE difference. Just how huge? I’ll never know until I track it! So today, 23 March 2010, is day one. Over the next 29 days, I’m committed to drinking lots of water, eating fresh foods and whole grains, cutting out unnecessary fats and refined sugars, and walking for at least 15 minutes per day. I’m giving myself a cheat day each week, just like the Body for Life program, but I know once I get away from the sugars, fast food, and empty carbs, my cravings for those things will diminish. They always do. For these first 30 days, I’m not incorporating any exercise program besides my daily neighborhood walks.

Want to see what changes are possible? I dare you to join me!

Question is: is the digital world helping the Internet generation utilize our brains, or are we just distracting it with multitasking overload?kylelacy.com, Kyle Lacy’s Thoughts on Social Media Productivity, Innovation, and Marketing, Mar 2010

This is something I’ve been thinking a lot about lately. I’ve heard claims that today’s generation of college students cannot even write a paper because of having been “programmed” to text message and tweet. But is there more to the story? What are the benefits of growing up in the Digital Age?

You should read the whole article.