They didn’t come out as I’d hoped, but oh well! I tried!
Look for us!
Have a fabulous weekend everyone! Happy Sunday to all you mothers out there. The camera WILL be along for the ride 😉 but it may be awhile before you see anything. I’m stopping in Philly on my way back for a visit with my favorite kids. (By that time I’m sure you’ll all be good and sick of MDSW stories….)
I don’t care what you’re doing, just stop. Redirect your browser to this. Jenifleur has single-handedly restored my faith in humanity. And for that, I thank her.
See you on the dark side….
for three rows of seed stitch!
DUH!!!!
It’s elegant. It’s organic to the knit. It’s perfect.
I must have tried (literally) four or five different edging options. In the end three rows of seed stitch (with pattern appropriate yos) and binding off in seed stitch did the trick! Thank you all so much for your suggestions. I’m so glad it’s finished. I think it’s perfect for a little boy – it has that perfect Linus quality – it’s soft – and I can only imagine it will get softer and softer with love – and I can just see Baby Eli dragging it behind him in a year or two, needing it to sleep at night, comforting him when he’s sad. Eli, honey-pie, Aunt Cara loves you so, so, so MUCH!
I’ll be delivering it to him this weekend (and pictures will come.) First, though, I need to weave in the few ends and give it a good wash (don’t forget the crazy lady on the train who stole it out of my hands. EWWW!) Any washing suggestions for All Season’s Cotton? It needs to be blocked a little too – the seed stitch is a nice flat border but still – doesn’t everything need to be blocked? I have some of that Eucalan stuff, but I’d really like to try washing it in the washing machine. I told my sister it was machine washable and she almost cried so I’d hate to have lied to her.
Now that I’m finished, I still have 13 skeins of ASC in the discontinued color Tapestry. Ten of those skeins are still in the bag. Smoke free, in plastic, perfect skeins. Anybody want to trade? Or buy them off me?
I want to thank Alyx (I was her pal) and Kirsten (she was my pal) for making my first Secret Pal experience so much fun. Alyx introduced herself to me with a gift certificate to Elann! Now that’s my kind of meet and greet. It was great to be spoiled and to the spoiling. Thank you both so much!
Isn’t this an olympic sport? Summer, winter – it’ll fit anywhere! Jen and I were training yesterday – on her brand new couch. We’ve been friends for almost a year and I think we’ve actually knit together TWICE. (Jen – don’t forget knitting at the DMV!)
Let me tell you. I need the training. I tried rather unsuccessfully to start a swatch for the Seed Stitch Cable Cardigan. (Look how beautifully Toni‘s is coming along!). I was trying to swatch for it in Wool Cotton but had A LOT of trouble reading the freaking chart. First it was backwards – the stitches started on the LEFT of the chart (this isn’t normal is it? – you knit from the right, don’t you?) It started with a WS row and basically I just fucked it up. Not once, not twice, but three times. Then I gave up. Maybe I want to do this in the CashCotton instead? Not sure – I want it to be a really fabulous cardigan. Anyway, I gave up and went back to weaving in ends on Short Rows. I’m determined to get the ends in on the back BEFORE I start on the front – I’m really missing this knit too! I might cast on for Clapotis now too. I need to get going on that – since my friend’s birthday is May 20. It will be late. No doubt about it.
By the way, Jen was knitting up some of this worsted merino. (WEBS sells it under the Malabrigo name – for more than twice the price.) It’s similar to Manos – but OH.MY.GOD. this shit is the softest stuff I have ever felt in my life. Jen’s making a soaker and let me tell you – make me an adult one! I’d love my bare ass next to that stuff. Seriously. Crazy soft.
We watched a movie – Raising Helen. The movie was eh but there was knitting content. Joan Cusack plays the Martha Stewart wanna be mom and in one scene she’s sitting on the couch with her husband, knitting, and they’re watching tv. She says to him, “See, all the celebrities are knitting now.” Kind of funny, but later, a Jaguar pulls into their driveway and the Cusack character says to her husband “Who do we know that drives a Jaguar?” and the husband says, “Maybe it’s a celebrity coming to knit with you.” Pretty funny. Funniest part of the movie – so really, don’t bother.
Thanks Jen! For a very, very nice afternoon. (Next time – my house, Sense & Sensibility. Be there or be square! Oh and I promise to get the good cookies!)
It’s come to my attention that there are quite a few of you out there who won’t be attending Maryland on Saturday, so I’m putting up a Sunday meeting in the sidebar. If you’d like your name there, let me know!
Since I won’t be there on Sunday, I’m going to set that same meeting time. 12:30PM, Building 1 (where they’re selling the t-shirts.)
Have a great day everybody!
Thanks!
I’ve been in a wicked funk the last week (no biggie – it happens – it’s on the way out) so I’ve been concentrating on Vicki‘s tag.
Ten of My Favorite Things
1. Georgie’s hands on my back before we fall asleep at night. It helps him, and it helps me.
2. Max, Charlotte and Elijah Lew.
3. Any song or book or movie or tv show that elicits a STRONG reaction – whether it be tears or laughter or tugs at my heart. I’m all for emotion. Even when it hurts. Means your alive.
4. Georgie and I in the car, singing at the top of our lungs, stereo blasting, laughing our heads off.
5. It’s rare to find a beach I couldn’t be happy on. The surf has an incredibly calming effect.
6. My home. Especially when Georgie’s home with me. Just knowing he’s in the house.
7. Being completely engaged so that time stops and speeds up together. Whether I’m taking pictures or knitting or writing. Especially writing. There’s not much better than coming out of being in the zone and finding you’ve got five pages in front of you that you don’t remember writing. I get it when I’m shooting kids and flowers too – but not always. And you certainly don’t always get it when you’re writing. But the rare times you do – WOW!
8. The friendship I have with my sister. I can tell her anything – no judgments. And she knows my whole history (well, there were 18 months when she wasn’t around 😉 ).
9. Kisses and hugs. Lots and lots of kisses and hugs.
10. Knowing that the love of my life thinks I’m the love of his life.
Georgie and I had a good weekend together. I had a good cry and he listened and helped me and I’m feeling a lot better. Can you tell? 😉
Oh and number 11! Knit One Read Too. We now have over 150 members – can you believe it? And our third discussion starts today – so head on over and be a part of it.
Who am I going to tag? Let’s see. How about Annie, Lolly and Wendy (where’ve you been girl?)!
I’m happy to annouce that Cari from Iowa has won a signed copy of the Harlot’s Book! Cari, email me your address and I’ll get it out into the mail. Thanks for playing everybody!
Joy and I have been talking after our serendipitious meeting Thursday night. It seems she and Kaitlyn are putting together a Friday night bash at the Wharf Rat in Baltimore! Click on the Jack Daniel’s bottle on Kaitlyn’s blog for the evite and all the details. Thanks for planning this girls!
This is the border I have going so far. (Doesn’t it look like a sad kitty cat? Not liking that by the way!) One thing I’ve learned in the experiment called BORDER THAT’S SLOWLY KILLING ME! is that binding off and picking up the stitches gives a MUCH nicer border than attaching it by doing a k2tog at the edge. Now, this is the border (sort of) I had in mind. Georgie likes it – thinks it looks like the sun. Me, I’m torn. I think a simpler border might be better – this might pull away too much from the loveliness that is the pinwheel. I’ve looked through Nicky Epstein’s Knitting on the Edge about 452 times and can’t find what I want. (In looking for a link, I see she’s got another edge book coming out. Maybe I should wait for that. The kid won’t know any different. NO! I want this FINISHED!) Any and all suggestions (and opinions on what I’ve got here) would be greatly appreciated!
Have a great Monday!
[I want to say that I have purposely NOT read any of the other accounts out there (of which I’m sure I’ll spend the whole day reading) so as to give my own gospel. But make sure you read all the others! And they will have pictures. I didn’t drag out the camera – sorry!]
I’ll start with this: There was wine. There were traveling hors d’oeuovres. There was a GIFT BAG people!
It was, by all accounts, I’m sure, totally nuts.
Jen and I met in Hoboken to travel into the big city. Midtown was crazy – haven’t been there at 5PM in ages (and I’m not going back anytime soon.) Although I have to admit that it was a sight seeing that group of Hasidic Jews outside the Empire State Building mingling with a befeathered and berobed group of indeterminate origin getting out of a van. Only in New York.
We got to Lord & Taylor – and you know – I never read the invite on Stephanie’s blog – just sent in my plea to be included – so I had no idea where we were supposed to go. But we were early so we hit the bra floor (no such luck for either of us!) and then we headed up to the 11th Floor. Which isn’t listed anywhere. It’s like the magic floor.
When we got there – there was already a line and who do you think was at the head? Lovely Cassie, of course! I went over and said my hellos and chit chat as the line grew and grew and grew. Juno soon arrived as well and The Harlot sailed past the line with her handlers. “She’s here, she’s here,” traveled down the pack in hushed whispers.
Soon after, a woman came out and told us they were going to let us in now. We should make ourselves comfortable and be sure to check our bags and stuff – it’s pretty tight in there. I looked at her, a wry smile on my face, and said, “No one is checking their bags. That’s where the knitting is.” The poor non-knitter looked at me askance. “No one,” I said, “is going in without their knitting.” Poor girl. Just trying to do her job.
So we started to move in and they crossed our names off the list one by one and no one checked anything from what I could tell and there were two seats left at a table WAY UP FRONT with Cassie and Juno and Tree (hope I’m spelling that right) and another woman who I’m so sorry I don’t remember your name. It was a wonderful group. Immediately Cassie pulled out her shawl and her new cable wonder (which let me tell you – everyone should consider knitting a yarn on a much lower needle size than recommended – what she’s doing with Peruvian Highland Chunky is just amazing – completely different yarn – so much better!) Juno had her cable masterpiece as well in Rowan Highland and I pulled out my measly Short-Rows sleeve which I cast on for just the occasion.
The room started filling up and there was much jumping up from seats and hugs and look at that’s and what yarn is that and touching and just amazingness. I’ve never been to anything like it. The commaraderie was palpable in a room where most of us were strangers.
The wine was served and the hors d’oeuvres and then it was All Harlot! She was EXACTLY like you’d think she would be – funny and shy and self-deprecating and spot-on truthful and nervous and smart and it was like reading her blog in the flesh – if you know what I mean. We had a knitting demonstration by her (WOW – who knew you could knit with a needle stuck under your armpit! And how fast!) There was lots of picture taking. Questions about Hank and the Guernsey and shopping. I think she said arse twice, but Cassie’s got the official number on that.
All the while Stephanie was doing her thing, pretty much everyone was knitting. I told Georgie this, and ever sensitive to rudeness, he was horrified. “While she was speaking?” he said. “Of course.” “That’s horrible.” “Everyone was doing it. Even she was knitting.” He didn’t get it. It was fantastic! (Of course I ended up knitting then frogging six rows, but what the hell. I was there. I had knitting!)
If you told me six months ago that I would be sitting in a room atop Lord & Taylor surrounded by knitters, knitting, listening to knit blogger extraordinaire read from her book, I’d’ve laughed my ass off. I’m not laughing anymore. (Well I am, but for totally different reasons!)
One thing I was shocked at was the LACK of bloggers. Someone asked Stephanie a question about blogging and if there were lots of other bloggers and she told everyone with a blog to raise their hands. Now my back was to the room, but it only seemed like a quarter of us had blogs – maybe even less. I thought we’d all be bloggers. Go figure. (There are people out there that knit and DON’T have blogs? 😉 ) [ETA: Maybe I’m wrong on this. As I mentioned, Cassie snagged a table right up front so my back was to the room. Other accounts say half the room was filled with bloggers – they’re probably more reliable.]
At the end they gave out gift bags from Lion Brand – yes, people – there was swag! Now before you start thinking that there was fun fur and stuff like that it was actually a GENIUS idea. There was, of course, a signed copy of the book – WAY COOL – and even better a big skein of Wool Chunky with patterns and a pamphlet for the Dulaan Project. Couldn’t have been done better in my opinion. Just wonderful.
Highlights of the evening include – introducing myself to Stephanie and asking her to sign my book and SHE SEEMED TO KNOW WHO I WAS!!! Really. I mean, it may have been in that polite sure I read your blog kind of thing, but I don’t think so. She really seemed to know me which made me feel like I had ARRIVED in blogland. I mean, if the celebrities know you – c’mon! That’s something!
Every other highlight involves people: I finally met Enchanting Juno – whose blog name could NOT be more perfect – a stunning woman. Truly – it was great to meet you! And I finally met up with Cassie again. And I met Kay together with Phyllis – we talked family dynamics and religion – what could be more fun! I met Cari, who was so kind about my photographs, along with Valentina, who asked about the show thanks to Colleen talking me up and Mindy and so many others who I can’t remember! Please forgive me. I can see all of your faces! Really I can. I hope we meet again! And it was so great to be out and about with Jen – my first real knitty friend! Hey Jen – I was knitting, even if you weren’t! That counts right?
Thank you Lord & Taylor, thank you Lion Brand, thank you Craft Yarn Council – and of course! Thank you Stephanie for giving us an excuse to celebrate knitting and well, just celebrate.
If I screwed up your name or link – please let me know in the comments! I apologize!
I want to pay forward the generosity I received last night. I had already purchased a copy of Stephanie’s book – way before I knew she was coming. She signed my copy last night. Which means I have the free, signed copy they gave out in the gift bag. I’d like to give that away to a reader who won’t have the chance to see Stephanie in person. Please leave me a comment and tell me where you are and why you won’t be able to see her. I’ll randomly pick a name – you’ve got the weekend to try for it. Peo
ple outside the US are indeed welcome.
I was so excited when I got home last night I finished this:
There is some subtle shaping at the waist – so it’s not as wonky as it looks. I am VERY happy with it. The front should be a breeze. I’ve calculated that I knit this sweater three times over already – since I’ve redone the short rows sections about three time each (I’m really not kidding here.) So assuming I can get through the front with a minimal of re-knits – should be cake.
Of course, I’m trying not to think too hard about this:
Cause that might make me cry. (I just flip it over and I’m happy again!) The duplicate stitch is working fabulously:
WRONG SIDE
RIGHT SIDE
As I said, I cast on for a sleeve last night. Should go pretty quick – well, not that quick so I can weave in the ends on the back before I start the front. I’m going to be diligent – weave in a few every day – I swear.
Have a great day!
“Two hundred dollars straight in,
Two-fifty up the ass.”
Okay. So you tell me. Is it wrong that I’ve been walking around saying this to my husband all day and all night long? What’s up Bruce? Is your imagination lost on you? I’m all for a some porn now and again, but this song is even beyond your sexy sensibilities. I’m not saying I don’t like it (because, hey, you’ve been the star of MANY a fantasy of mine) but it’s just really, really sad. What did Patti say about it? Inquiring minds want to know.
And for the record, Georgie grins wickedly every time I say it.
Harlot tonight. Cassie will have her red knitting bag, I’ll be carrying this:
In the comments yesterday, Kristen asked if I’d be bringing my camera to the festivities. I haven’t decided yet. You see, bringing my camera means carrying an extra 15-20 pounds of equipment. I can’t just throw the camera in my knitting bag. My camera is huge. And I’d have to bring my flash gear because, well, the lighting is guaranteed to suck and I have a serious problem with perfectionism so if the picture isn’t going to come out to my standards (that’s right Wendy – I’m a NO SNAPSHOT zone!) then why bother taking it. I’m thinking everyone else will have a camera and there will be lots and lots of pictures floating around blogworld. Now, if the Harlot wants her own personal photo shoot – well, now, that’s a different story!
And I might be a tad dirty tonight. The signs throughout the building said they were going to turn off the water at 9:30 AM. Poor Georgie got caught mid-shower shave when they shut it down at 8:59. I thought I had a whole half hour, the bastards, but I didn’t. I can’t even brush my teeth. Well, I could use water from the water cooler I have in my kitchen, but that’s not dramatic enough now is it? My wonderful, fantastic, supercalifragilistic husband offered to get us a hotel room in the city (he’s going out tonight too) so that I could go in early to shower and we could meet up later. Isn’t he the sweetest? But then they made an announcement that the water would be back up four hours from now, which should give me plenty of time to get ready. Drat. We may still do the hotel thing though. I may have to lie. (Either that or drop my prices! 😉 )
I was up late again last night. Short Rows. Yep. Before I finally got it right, I ripped out the first part of the second short row sequence three times. Three freaking times. I kept dropping wraps when I was going back across. So all three times I actually finished the short rows only to lose them in the end. Yet I STILL love this project. I’m past it now and will finish the back as soon as I get off the computer. Then I will cast on for the sleeve so I have something to knit tonight. Can you imagine if I walked in without knitting – they’d probably throw me out at the door. Oh and I SOLVED THE ENDS PROBLEM! No. I’m not going to tie knots and be done with it! I found this wonderful Knitty article and the duplicate stitch works great. I’m loving it. I will take pictures when the back is done – have no fear. The ends are still a daunting task, but I feel it’s manageable. Yay!
Have a great day everyone!
Yesterday’s New York Times crossoword. Check out 40 Down.
Thanks so much for all the compliments on Short Rows! It means so much. I’ll be SO proud of this project when it’s finally finished. I’ve got a long way to go, but I’ll get there. I’ve given myself a projected deadline of June 5th. I’m thinking if all goes well I’ll wear it to The Secret Garden opening. Hopefully it won’t be too hot! I’m thinking a nice denim skirt? Cross your fingers. I did the first part of the second short row sequence – I figured out that decreases were built into the pattern – but in the end I have one stitch too many. So I’ll be ripping out the short rows – AGAIN. Yes. I’m a glutton for punishment (and apparently, chocolate covered raisins.) And the ends are getting really out of hand – so when I rip it, I’m going to try and weave some in. Hopefully clean things up a little so the wires don’t get crossed so much, so to speak. It’s all good!
Yesterday I did a little shopping, but not before having a fabu lunch with my honey! First I got my hair cut – it looks cute and cleaned up – then met Georgie at a doctor’s appointment he had. While we were waiting for him to be seen, I received a mysterious text message. Georgie says to me – who’s text messaging you? I said I don’t know and wouldn’t you know it, the message read KISS THE PERSON TO YOUR RIGHT. He’s so sweet! I’m SO, so lucky!
After waiting forever, it was off to TAO for lunch. Georgie’s been wanting to take me there, and I have to say, the steak I had was very, very good. The decor was neat as well, but don’t you just hate restaurants that don’t label the bathroom doors with GIRL/BOY, WOMAN/MAN, FEMALE/MALE? These bathrooms said YIN and YANG. There was a man that was behind me and we both just stood there and I said this is so not fair. Finally we both chose – and you guessed it – we chose UNwisely. The male attendant (who for the record, was in the women’s room at first) corrected us. Why? Why is it necessary to be COOL all the time? Anyway. The food was very good.
On the way back I stopped at Borders. I needed to pick up this:
I’ve listened to it about a dozen times all the way through – it’s looped on WINAMP – and for the most part I’m pretty happy with it. For all those people I told it was a cross between Tunnel and TGOTJ – I’m revising that. It’s more like a cross between TGOTJ and Lucky Town. But better on both accounts. Nothing’s going to make me cry, (there are a few like that on The Rising – My City of Ruins never ceases to amaze me) but I did get a few chills listening to Long Time Comin’. The woman’s name is Rosie and it’s clear they’ve been together for a long time. (They have two kids and another on the way.) It’s also clear that mistakes have been made but he stills loves her, wants her very much. This is a theme near and dear to my heart. Georgie and I have been together for fifteen years and are very much in love, still. It’s always nice to have that validated. This song did that for me. Okay. Enough Bruce. If you want to talk about it, let me know. Email me.
I also bought a couple of knitting books:
I’m really split on these two. I only bought the Ros Badger because I saw a pattern I liked on Kristine‘s blog (go on over and congratulate her on the new online store! www.knithappens.net!)
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I thought it would be perfect for some Jo Sharp Silkroad Tweed I have stashed. Problem is, the book only gives one pattern size and that happens to be ONE SIZE FITS NONE! You know, one of those anorexic sizes – like if you eat an entire carton of chocolate covered raisins and need to purge for the next week and a half (just kidding!) So, if I want to make this sweater to be able to fit my humongous boobs I’m going to have to do some knitty math – and you all know how much I hate THE MATH! We’ll see if I keep the book. It’s kind of disappointing all the way around.
But Loop-d-Loop? This book is gorgeous genius. There’s a million patterns I’d like to make!
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Click for bigger pictures!
Of course, my favorite is this:
I highly recommend this book – really – it’s very, very well done.
And finally – a stash addition:
It’s 50% Tussah – 50% Merino from Chasing Rainbow Dyeworks in Mary’s colorway. I’ve got 840 yds. I’m thinking my very own Clap. It’s taken a LOOONG time to get here. I bought it on my Boston visit.
Have a great day!
* Surely You’re Joking is a reference to Richard Feynman – I bought his collection of letters yesterday. I’m thinking I’ll read them out loud to Georgie, since he’s the one who introduced me to this phenomenal personality. Check him out if you haven’t already. It’s worth it. Hey Lauren – I also picked up Freakonomics!
Yesterday, I ate an entire container of Milk Chocolate Raisins from Trader Joe’s.
It was an interesting evening to say the least. I think I’m still on the high. The container says there are 33 pieces to a serving. And approximately 11 servings. 363 chocolate covered raisins is about 263 too many. Especially when I ate barely anything else all day.
24 has restored my faith in TV – especially after the Gilmore Girls let me down so, so hard. (We’ll see if they can redeem themselves tonight.) I think this season of 24 is the best of the bunch – of course, if you haven’t seen the other three, this one is nothing – but it is so worth it if you have! Do you agree?
Here they are!
Look at those zigzags! They ZIG, they ZAG!
Let’s compare:
BEFORE
AFTER!
Don’t they look great now? Of course, here’s what I’ll have to contend with very, very soon:
But I think it’s very worth it! I’m loving this project. I’m not sure how to proceed – I need to really ponder the pattern. You have to decrease on each arm every other row, but the pattern also calls for decreases in the short rows – I’m not sure if they’re the same decreases, or if they’re different – time for some knitty math.
Okay. I’m off to get ready for a salon appointment and a lunch date with my husband!
One last question – do you Harlot? Who’s going to Lord & Taylor Thursday evening? I’ll be the one with white gloves and pearls. 😉
