Esotarika

A Really BIG Change

2008-10-26T22:32:00.004-04:00

Well, if you still pop in from time to time to see what I'm up to and if I've finally come out of my hibernation from posting, ta da! I'm back! Before you get all excited and expect to see pics of the 100's of things I've knit since May, I must warn you: I have not been knitting. Yes, you read that correctly. I. have. not. been. knitting.

Well! Got that out of the way.

I wish I could tell you that I've been really busy doing something deeply meaningful these past months like writing a novel or getting a law degree, but for the most part I've been consuming vast quantities of beer and novels. Satisfying, yes. Productive, no.

After turning 39, I decided that I wanted to be "Fabulous at 40" and was working hard at that goal with a new job and a really fit body when my mom found out that her kidney cancer had returned after 16 years. Needless to say, all of my personal goals took a back seat for several months. I'm happy to report that mom's 6 month cancer check-up was clean and that she has finally retired and is on the road to better health. I say better instead of "good" because she is still struggling with other health issues that are not insurmountable or life threatening, but nonetheless limit her ability to enjoy her retirement. Having devoted so much of my time to providing daily support to someone else, I needed some time to gestate and decide how I wanted to proceed with my own plans.

The first major change came when a woman at my office started a charity based social sports group with her husband. Somehow, I was talked into joining a kickball team by my co-workers. Let me just tell you this: I am not, nor have I ever been, anything remotely close to athletic. Sure, I took Pilates classes for several years and even joined a gym or two over the years, but never once participated in team sports (I don't count that fire pit of hell known as "gym" that I was forced to endure throughout until my junior year in high school when it became and elective rather than mandatory class). When I joined the team, I did it thinking that I'd quit when the 6 week season ended. Surprise surprise. I'm now in the fall league and enjoying the heck out of myself despite my somewhat mediocre stats and am eagerly looking forward to the "varsity" indoor kickball league. It helps, of course, that our team has done very well throughout and is so far undefeated this season.

Did I mention that I am the oldest person on my team? OK, it's only by a year, but still.

After several months of kickball (did I mention the post game happy hour?) and no Pilates and drinking lots and lots of beer, I found my clothes getting tighter and tighter and tighter. At first I told myself that I'd just hop back on my trusty South Beach plan, sign up for a Pilates class and I'd be right back in shape. But it didn't happen that way. Instead, every night before bed I'd vow "Tomorrow I will eat better". Ha! It wasn't until my annual physical exam in September, upon learning that I'd gained 24 (twenty-four) pounds in one year that I realized that I needed to snap out of it. My doctor told me "At your age, in order to loose weight, you either need to starve yourself or get some exercise and the first option isn't very desirable". WAAAAH!

So I decided to do something radical. I decided to start running.

Before I go any further, you must know this: I hate running. I have always hated running. I would proudly boast to anyone who ever asked me "I'm not made for running! It hurts my knees/hips/ankles". My experience with running can be best summed up in four words: Painful Humiliation And Failure. I'm sure it all stems back to junior high when, as part as some national fitness program, we were all forced, twice a year, to run around the parking lot twice. Did we train for this? No. Our times were posted for the whole school to see. Guess who was usually one of the slowest in the entire school? Yeah. Me. Every time I've ever tried running I ran out of breath in like 3 seconds and quit right away. Why on earth would anyone want to run?

My friend Dee turned me onto a training program from the folks at coolrunning.com called Couch to 5K (a/k/a C25K). Well, on September 24th, I started the program and my life hasn't been the same since.

I really wish I'd started posting my progress when I began the program, because then you'd see how far I'd come and I'd have a record to look back on, but it's never too late to start. Rather than recap the past 4+ weeks, I'm just going to say this: during the first week, when I had to run (jog) for 60 seconds at a time, I thought I was going to die. On Friday, I ran for 8 minutes, twice. That's more running than I've ever done at once in my whole life, and it wasn't horrible. Sure the first 8 minute run was the usually plodding but tolerable drudgery, but something amazing happened when I started the second 8 minutes: I grew about 5 inches taller and a new set of lungs and suddenly felt like I could run forever. It was the stuff of dreams.

Tomorrow, I am going to run 20 minutes non-stop. I hope to cover 2 miles in that time, but if I don't, that's OK because it will be yet another mind-blowing landmark in my life. Odd though it sounds, I am more proud of running than anything else I've ever accomplished. Probably because it was the one thing that I'd convinced myself that I couldn't do.

Did I mention that I'm signed up for a 5K race on November 23rd?

When I started the program, it seemed like a crazy idea, but worth trying. Now, I'm thinking that a full marathon isn't out of the question.

"It's never too late be who you were meant to be" - Georg Elliot.

I'll keep you posted!

I am sheep - baaa

2008-05-01T23:44:00.003-04:00

Fun Factoid:

How is it that I never noticed, until now, that my Chinese Zodiac animal is the sheep? Maybe I just wasn't making the connection every time I killed time at a Chinese restaurant, reading the place mat! Oddly, my astrological critter, (Capricorn ), is a goat. Goat. Sheep. Hmmm. Do you think it's just a coincidence that I knit?

PS - Thanks for the podcast recommendations! I've also discovered The Moth. Love my little pea pod!

Yes, I pod

2008-04-28T23:35:00.004-04:00

I got a toy for Christmas this past year. I opened it. I looked at it. I put it back in the box.

Tonight, I finally plugged it in and promptly downloaded podcasts of all of my favorite shows from NPR and PRI

Any good knitting podcasts to recommend?

One would think that I'd download music...

but I'm starting small

(ie: I don't have a secure wireless network so I don't want to give credit card info online using laptop and am too lazy to walk across the room, pick out a CD from my meager collection and load it).

Damn this thing is cute!

I'm now listening to an interview with Nick Cave on "Fresh Air" (can't help thinking of Bongwater's "Nick Cave Dolls")

WOWEE!

The last time I listed to a portable sound device, it looked like this:

I love technology!

:-)

Bag Lady

2008-04-24T22:41:00.012-04:00

This coming Monday, I'll be doing a brief presentation at my quilt group as "Quilter of the Month". I decided to focus on bags, since I seem to have a thing for them. I have an absurd collection of bags! Did that stop me from buying 2 new bags (seen here and here - you can guess which colors, I paid MUCH less the prices listed online) at the Angela Adams sale? Hell no! Anyway, here are just a few of my own bags that I haven't shown you yet, made between last fall and last month:

Bow Tucks Tote (a/k/a "The Botox Bag") designed by Penny Sturges, available at Quiltsillustrated.com, using fabric from the Moda Fresh Air Collection (stuffed with that Cowl neck thing), with one of my Nana's buttons:

Gypsy Tote using pre-quilted fabric, also from the Fresh Air collection (I love this fabric, can you tell?)", featuring a vintage button given to me many years ago by a former co-worker:

Charm Party Tote, also designed by Penny Sturges, using 5 inch charm squares from Sandy Gervais' "Fall Back in Time" collection for Moda Fabrics with a button from JoAnn fabrics:

Another Charm Party Tote using April Cornell charm squares from the "Vintage Holiday" collection, featuring yet another button from my Nana's collection:

Note: I'm not happy with this one. The pocket is off-center. Didn't notice it until I was done. Poo!

And a Mini Charmer Tote, designed by Penny Sturges, using charm squares mostly from 3 Sisters' "Shangri La" (with a little bit of "Roman Holiday") and stacked buttons from stash:

Lastly, a Carpetbag, designed by Indygo Junction, using Amy Butler and ??? made at our quilting groups' annual Getaway Weekend in March:

Lately, I've been busy accumulating MORE fabric (Fat Quarter Shop is EVIL) and working on a SECRET project that will be revealed in a few weeks.

Someday, I'll have something new to show, maybe even some knitting!

Happy Friday!

Culling the herd

2008-04-16T19:09:00.023-04:00

In a recent post, I mentioned that I felt a little makeover coming on...

This is how my cube system looked last year:

This is how it looked recently (before makeover). As you can see from both photos, I wasn't using all of the space in the cubes, mostly because there were so many loose balls of yarn just piled up. In addition to the wasted space, I somehow accumulated more fabric over the past year and had no place to put it other than in the basket on the floor. It wasn't long before the basket was plum full.

Problem solved!

No, I didn't get rid of the yarn. I just cleverly disguised it in bins ($2.99 at Christmas Tree Shop - Helloooo bargain!).

As indicated by the title of this post, I did "cull the herd" and forced myself to admit that I had yarn that I'm just never going to use. I still don't know what I'm going to do with it, but at least now I can see my fabric! Most of those orphaned skeins of wool are in plastic bins stored in my cubby closet. I figure it's no different than putting clothes away for the winter.

Just look at all of those yummy colors!

Bag patterns are in their own bin next to home dec fabrics (guarded by Posey),

and Charm packs and ribbon are within easy reach.

Speaking of easy reach, I always find it hard to remember where I put things, especially when I can't reach them. This time, I made labels for everything.

Now, when I want to know if I have grommets or eyelets or D-rings, I know where to look!

Several months ago, I ordered belt buckles from jcaroline creative and couldn't find them anywhere. I just found them a week ago in a plastic bin with clothing fabric. It must have seemed logical at the time.

Now they are in a clearly marked bin. I wanted labels that I could change, so I made these by cutting double-sided fusible Pellon stuff (like Timtex) 2.5 by 3.5 inches and fused fabric to both the front and the back, then I satin stitched around and added an eyelet for the ribbon. The white label is just a regular Avery sticker label that I can change.

Incidentally, my friend Linda gave me this tobacco box a while back and it smells wonderful. I hope my buckles smell good too, not that people should be close enough for a sniff!

My mom gave me several plastic cases of my Nana's old buttons. This is just a sampling. You are jealous. I know you are. Just admit it. I.have.fabulous.buttons!

The basket that used to hold my fabric now holds knitting WIPs. Not too much there. I finally frogged Frances (too small) and the Sunburst pullover. Ariann is in the Market Squares felted tote and there are some single socks and the Larger Than Life Bag, but that's it.

OK. I lied. Somewhere, I have a baggie stuffed with felted flowers and Aune, and Flutter Sleeve Cardigan and Rusted Root are downstairs in the living room next to the couch. I've been picking at them here and there, but have been too tired and not especially interested these days.

When I finished the room last year, my friend Betsy said, "I want to see it in a year, because I bet it will be messy again". Eat your words Bets! Just to prove that I'm not cropping out heaps and piles, here's the rest of the room (one more shot of the cubes, just because I love them!):

Sewing/cutting table with fabric bins stored underneath:

Bookcase (it's not "perfect"- there are some loose patterns, magazines and books that need to be put away).

My other sewing machine and thread. The quilt is covering a basket of wool. It usually covers the sewing machine, but I used the machine last night to make the hanging basket labels.

Pens, paper and other little do-dads:

So, that's the tour. Who knows what it will look like next year. Despite all of this organization, I still feel like I need more space! I'd love to have the room that Mr. S uses as his office (talk about a room that needs organizing!).

I'll leave with a photo of my new gadget:

A plexiglass extension for my sewing machine! I've wanted one for a long time and finally found one this past weekend at The Fabric Garden in Madison.

Now I just need time to sew!

Auntiestwo!

2008-04-08T22:36:00.008-04:00

Remember these fabric coiled baskets I made last year?

I have good news: the designer is selling the pattern for making these bowls on Etsy at Auntiestwo! Even better: it's a down-loadable pdf - how hard is that? Even if you don't sew clothes or quilts, if you have a sewing machine, you can make one of these. Really!

Quite a while ago, one of you e-mailed me for more information about the technique. I scoured my e-mail but couldn't find it, which makes me sad because you also sent me a photo of your bowls, so I hope you are reading!

If sewing isn't your thing and you just want some eye candy, check out orange you lucky, a site that I've been visiting daily, just for the sheer joy of it. I seriously hope she comes out with a fabric line. And no, it isn't all about orange things (Jill); for that you must check out How About Orange.

I've been working a lot lately, so not much knitting going on. The Flutter Sleeve cardigan is almost done (working on the second front band [[yawn]]), so naturally I've cast on Rusted Root. I feel like the last knitter on the planet to make it! I blame Ravelry. If only it didn't look so darn good on everyone who made it! One of these days, when I'm able to pry my camera away from Mr. Strange, I'll post photos.

Until then, I'll share my new favorite fabric with you. I'd share the link, but you'd have to promise not to buy it all up because I haven't ordered mine yet :):

Sweet Nothing

2008-04-04T23:30:00.004-04:00

We interrupt the silence of this blog to bring you this brilliant observation:

This little tyke appeared in an e-mail from Lion Brand.

Is it just me or is this kid going poopie?

Sorry. That's about all the communication I can muster. Will be back soon. I feel a craft room makeover coming on...

Sophia Carry All - Done!

2008-03-26T22:41:00.008-04:00

Here she is in all her Easter Candy colored glory!

Little purse feet to protect her bottom.

A bright and cheery lining to keep her happy on the inside.

Large enough to carry quite a bit of yarn and anything else I care to haul around.

Now I can sleep and dream about the next one...

Sophia Carry All - Day 4

2008-03-25T22:25:00.008-04:00

After I got all that pesty obligation out of the way (work) I was finally able to come home tonight and rip out nearly everything I'd done last night. The zipper stayed.

The outside of the bag is done. So much so that I'm only going to give you sneak peeks, because that part of it isn't going to change much.

I added a pocket to the pattern - one can never have too many pockets! I'll need it since I decided to stick with the super long one way zipper for this bag. The next time I make one (yes, I'm a glutton for punishment), I'll order one from this site, which Darrin at my favorite LYS recommended (yes, that's a shameless plug).

I even remembered to use one of the name labels that my friend Mary gave me,

and finally have the perfect bag to use the purse feet that my friend Betsy gave me!

It's too late to finish tonight without risking a stupid mistake, so it will have to wait another day. Almost there!

Now I beez happy!

Sophia Carry All - Day 3

2008-03-24T22:02:00.016-04:00

Tonight I pinned...

and pinned...

and pinned. Looks like a birthday cake for an acupuncturist doesn't it?

After all that pinning, I finally got to sewing, only to arrive at what can only be described as the "Oh shit" moment:

See the mark on the right? See how it doesn't match up with the mark on the left? That is not a good thing. It means that if I ignore it, my bag will be lopsided. Poo!

I checked the other side of the bag. Sure enough. I screwed up. So I pulled out the ripper. As violent as that sounds, what's even worse is that I use a scalpel-like tool (my, this is a gory endeavor).

You know those word association games that test your association skills? If a cat is to a dog and a dog is to a rabbit, then a rabbit is to: a) power tools, b) yarn, or c) fish. Well if "knit" is to "tink", then what is "stitch" to? "Hctits"? If so, would you pronounce it like hick-tits? I'd better stop there or I'll start making bad hillbilly boobie jokes and this is a Miss Grumpy Pants post.

I am not having fun!

This kind of thing never happens when I knit!

OMG!!! I'm watching Medium as I write this and there was this scene:

[Two girls are held captive and chained to a wall. One girl reveals to the other that her mother is a private investigator and is really good at it. The other girl responds with sarcasm]

Girl 1: Must be nice. My mom's at home right now knitting me a sweater

Girl 2: What do you mean?

Girl 1: She knits all the time. She even opened a yarn store in (blabblab). She'll probably barge in any minute and stab our host with a knitting needle.

Bizarre.

Bunny Day

2008-03-23T21:54:00.015-04:00

Finally. It has arrived.

The new Amy Butler Midwest Modern Collection is available!!! If you want to buy it online, jcaroline creative has the most accurate photographs of the colors. I'm more of a touchy/feely/instant gratification sort of girl, so I bought mine at Portsmouth Fabric Company. They have a large selection, and despite the urge to buy yard cuts of every print, I limited myself to 2 yards of the Brown Garden Maze and Gold Martini prints for the Sophia Carry-All. Doesn't it just scream EASTER CANDY!!

Mr. B seems to feel the same way about this fabric as I do.

From the moment it hit the cutting table, he was all over it.

However, some things are off limits. Fortunately, he showed no interest in the yards of cording I pinned together. Let me just say that this is a very time consuming pattern. So far, there's nothing terribly difficult about it, but it took me about 3 hours last night just to cut out all the parts.

Today, I spent about 3 hours fusing interfacing. Yes, there's that much. I kept tugging on my iron, wondering why the cord wasn't reaching until I looked down and realized that Missymoo was lolling around on it. Nothing is sacred in this house, but I don't get lonely!

After many hours, I finally managed to finish both of the exterior main panels, only to discover (after reading the directions 3 or 4 times and scratching my head) that the pattern calls for a "purse" zipper, which means one with two zipper pulls. CRAP! At the exact same time, Mr. S called from the airport for me to pick him up. So be it.

Later in the evening, I looked for the zipper online and found only crummy colors, so I'll just make do with the super long zipper. If you know of a source, please let me know. I Googled around, but could only find the Coats zippers. Unless the rest of the bag does me in, I'd like to make another one using Joel Dewberry's new Ginseng or Anna Maria Horner's Drawing Room.

Having ditched the bag for the evening, I decided to make myself a reversible headband with some of the scraps. My Easter Bonnet:

I found a great tutorial at kc quilts, but wouldn't you know it, I couldn't get to the site when I was ready to sew. I won't show you what mine looks like under the hair. It isn't pretty.

At least I learned that I prefer one that is narrower than 2.5 inches. Hey! See that peek of green sleeve? That's my second Wicked in the mystery cheapo yarn (which I totally love). Guess I have a lot of catching up to do in the photo department when it comes to finished things. I finished Agouti and am on the left front of the Flutter Sleeve Cardigan from the new IK. See, I still knit.

Here's my new sheepy scissor buddy. He says: "Happy Easter!"

Agouti

2008-02-20T14:40:00.009-05:00

Do you think it's an odd coincidence that I am knitting with yarn that matches my cats?

I started the "Multidirectional Comfort" sweater from the March 2008 Creative Knitting, but have made so many adjustments to the pattern that I feel that I can re-name it at this point. Besides, what kind of name is "Multidirectional Comfort"?

Henceforth, the sweater shall be named Agouti. Why? Cats with the agouti gene show tabby markings. As it turns out, my little house kitties share this gene with their wild and distant cousins. I think it's the perfect name for this sweater.

Sweater:

Kitty:

Freaky, eh? It's kitty camo!

Wicked Crazy

2008-02-17T12:35:00.023-05:00

Pardon the crummy photo (there are more), but Mr. S is away and it seems that my camera isn't so good at focusing while using the self-timer while balanced on a makeshift tripod made of piled up plastic bins. There's also the matter of my not-so-best Sunday look. That said, here's the first look at my finished Ridged Cowl neck sweater.

As you can see, I finally got the neck right. When I started this, I really had my doubts about the Manos because the needle size (8) seemed awfully small for the yarn. As it turns out, the first skein I started with was very heavy on the thick end of thick and thin. Unfortunately it also hell on my hands. As the sweater grew, so did the pains in my left hand from clutching the bulk. The claw! I think I pinched a nerve in my shoulder! Anyway, after blocking, the yarn softened up quite well and has a surprising amount of drape considering that it looked like a wrinkled elephant before. It was so bad that I referred to it as the "Michelin Man" sweater!

I really wanted this to be a winner because I was so in love with how it looked it the magazine photo. It did come out pretty much as pictured, but what you can barely see in my first photo above, but not in the magazine, is that there is a fair amount of fabric that likes to hang out it the back (Note to self: 4 inches of positive ease is not a good thing). If I were to make this again (which I probably wont), I would add side shaping, only because I can't quite figure out how I would change the number of cast-on stitches and increases to make the upper body work. I first wore it to work with black dress slacks and a scoop neck T, but as the day wore on, it felt frumpy and a little too hot; and I swear that when this yarn warms up it gives off a faint aroma of vinegar. Yesterday, I wore it with jeans and felt much better about it, because for a while, I started having those crazy thoughts. You know the ones: "Why the hell do I knit anyway? I never wear anything I make! All that time and money!" blah blah blah.

The other sweater I was working on didn't do much to bolster my knitting enthusiasm. I used Debbie Bliss Merino Aran to start Wicked and found the yarn to be crapola from the start. Stiff as Red Heart! What the hey? I won't even rant about the knots (@#$!). This wasn't cheap yarn but it sure knit up to look like it. Since purchasing it, I've felt skeins in other colors and they feel completely different. What's up with that? Here's what it looked like before I blocked it. See how the hem stands up and the bumpy stitches?

Here's a another look in color. I wish you could reach out and touch the yarn so you'd know how yucky it feels!

The good thing is that I love color and the fit is perfect.

So I thought that rinsing it would help soften it up...

Nope, still stiff. After 2 days of drying, it looks exactly the same. So I did the only other think I could think of. I steam blocked the hell out of it with my iron!

Voila! It still has that handmade look about it, but it kinda works with the geek chic thing.

I feel so uber cool!

When I first saw this pattern at Zephyr Style, I thought it was too "young" for me (being that I'm now considered "middle aged"), but I was surfing around Ravelry (deep dark hole) using the tag "sweaters" (you should try it if you don't want to look at any more fingerless mitts), and showing Mr. S all of the gorgeous work and he pointed out a finished Wicked and said "Why don't you make that?". I replied "Don't you think it's a little to young for me?", and he said (bless his heart), "I like it a lot better than some of that so-called fashion stuff you knit".

Since I knew from the start that I didn't like the yarn but loved the sweater, I started another one. I know. Yes, I do sleep. I'm not going to tell you what the yarn is, and if you already know, don't tell. But let's just say I'm doing a little experiment with bargain fibers. I will tell you that this is a dream to knit with and is super soft (no, that's not a hint).

Since I'm still Wicked Crazy, I bought some Lambs Pride Worsted in Cafe Au Lait to make a 3/4 length version because I love the way the variegated versions look.

You may have noticed that I changed my profile picture. I was tired of looking like a pin-up girl, so I photographed my little sheep in her Spring outfit (she came with many - you'll see). Does Sheep looked scared that the big cat is walking by? That's Mr. Mr. whose M.O. is to lurk around in the background and hope that someone will notice him.

Missymoo (don't you just love how pet names evolve?), on the other hand, just plops herself in my lap and demands immediate attention, no matter what I may be doing.

Speaking of things lurking around in the background, while I finish Aamu (before you say another word, I started it in the Fall and am only now getting around to finishing), I am just itching to start my next project with this Noro Big Kureyon.

It's going to be the garter stitch cowl neck sweater from the March 2008 issue of Creative Knitting (page 22). I think I'll make bell sleeves instead of the fitted and may do mostly stockinette for the sleeves and body - maybe some garter at the wrist.

There's just something about Noro that keeps me coming back to it.

I'll leave you for now with my little trio of sheep. The best thing about Easter is that you can find cheap sheepy things! I picked these up at Christmas Tree Shop for $2.99! Dontcha just love a bargain?

Baaaaaaaah

Carpal Tunnel Funnel

2008-02-12T21:37:00.002-05:00

There's something wrong with this picture:

Do you think that this marsupial inspired cowl neck was designed to carry objects? Like maybe a large kitten?

Heck, I could fit my mother's dog and a small kitten in there!

It seems that I am a little too good at following directions.

Which is why I seriously began to question the pattern when I realized that I had over 14 rounds to knit - over 128 stitches - and only had this much yarn left.

I did notice that it didn't look quite like the picture...

In my defense, here's what the pattern says:

Pick up and knit x stitches evenly around entire neck edge. Join to work in rnds and pm to mark beg of rnd. Rnds 1-12 Purl. Rnds 13-24 Knit. Rep Rnds 1-24 once. Rep rnds 1-12 once...

I read the italicized text to mean to work rounds 1-24 twice. Otherwise, why say "repeat"?

Why not just say: "Work Rnds 1-24 once. Rep rnds 1-12 once."

I have knit THOUSANDS of stitches unnecessarily, not to mention that I have claw hand. All because I am sooooo good at following directions.

The good part is that I only need to frog those THOUSANDS of stitches (OK, it's only 1536 but it feels like more) before I can finish.

I'm trying to decide which of these rawhide lacings I'll use.

OOHHH Scott Bakula is on Boston Legal (or whatever it's called these days) Sigh. I loved him in Quantum Leap.

Back on topic: rawhide. The darker brown one is much thinner and more flexible, but maybe too thin. The lighter one might be too stiff. I'll have to weave them in to see which one works best.

Contrary to the instructions (see, I do rebel once in a while), I blocked the sweater before starting the cowl. This is Mr. B's narrative of the event:

Ooooh look! A new rug for me!

I think I'll test it out!

Not quite soft enough. Needs some work. I'll just knead it a little to get it in shape.

Smitten, bitten.

2008-01-21T19:09:00.001-05:00

To celebrate Martin Luther King Day, I decided to take a break from knitting and do a little sewing. As it turns out, the kitties had other ideas. Mr. B held down my fabric squares so they wouldn't blow away in the non-existent wind.

Missy Miss brought her new fur ball upstairs and said "Play with me!"

After some time (and lots of petting), I managed to finish this little ditty:

The pattern is "Abby's Treasure Box" by Little Scraps from This & That, purchased a few weeks ago at Cotton Weeds in Freeport. The fabric is part of Anna Maria Horner's Chocolate Lolipop collection, bought online at Fat Quarter Shop last spring.

It was a quick and easy project, and is so cute!

I was so happy with how it came out that I decided to make another one with the rest of my squares. By this time, however, the Kitties had enough of all my sewing and no playing.

How could I resist such attention?

Eventually, I did finish the second one. This time using the "warm" colors from the same collection.

It's the perfect size for carrying a sock in progress!

As I mentioned in my last post, I've been jonesing to knit sweaters again. Did I start with one of those I already had yarn for? Heck no! I went out craft store trolling on Saturday and found that A.C. Moore was having a sale: 25% off all yarn!! Yes, I bought yarn (6 skeins of Cotton Ease in Taupe at $3.73 a skein), buy I also bought the new issue of Knit Simple. I'd rejected it when it first came out, but this time, I fell in love....

You know how it happens. That "OhmygodImustknitthatrightNOW" feeling. I left the store and wolfed down a naughty meal at Wendy's (just to make sure that it wasn't low blood sugar talking) and headed straight for my LYS that carries Manos. Yep, came home with 8 skeins in the exact same color as the one in the magazine. I almost never do that, but I can so see myself wearing this sweater!!!

The love grew a little cold after a while, as I grumbled to myself that size 8 needles were too small for the yarn and that there was no way it was going drape like it does in the photo, and

"Hey! How many times am I supposed to repeat the rib before I remove the sleeve stitches?"

In the photo, it looked like the sleeves were separated in the middle of the reverse stockinette rows in the second repeat of rib rows.

"IMPOSSIBLE!!"

I took out my magnifying glass and looked for the tell-tale bumps indicating "kfb" increases.

"IMPOSSIBLE!!"

According the pattern, the sleeves aren't separated until after the third repeat!

"Aren't my armholes going to be GIGANTIC?"

I obsessed over this for hours, but kept on knitting. I checked the magazine website, thinking that there MUST be a correction. Although convinced that there were clothes pins holding that sweater in place (unless that woman is an amazon, I can't believe that a size 38 inch chest fits her like that), I kept knitting.

This photo was taken at the height of my obsessive conspiracy fit. Shortly before going to bed last night I finally removed my sleeve stitches (4 rows earlier than it says to in the pattern), knit a few rows, and tried it on. So far so good. At this point, my theory is that the person who wrote the pattern is not the designer, and that the one on the model was not knit using the pattern (impossible I say!). Stay tuned to see if this is going to be a winner or a loser. (I really really really want it to be a winner!)

I finished something else today, but it was supposed to be a Christmas gift for someone. Oops! Maybe I'll keep it. Heh heh. Here's a tiny peek:

Sock Vomit

2008-01-17T21:43:00.001-05:00

I am in a hell of sorts. One of my own creation. It all started this fall when I decided to start knitting socks again. I was off to a great start when I made this pair with Kaffe Fassett's Landscape Fire. If you are one of those people who click on photos for a closer look, you'll notice that they are a little ratty. Yes, I dug them out of the laundry hamper to take the photograph (say Yuk if you want to). I've also worn (and washed) them about 15 times since I finished them.

The day my mom was in surgery, I started another pair using some Cherry Tree glitter sock yarn that she bought me for Christmas last year. I can't remember the color and am too lazy to look for the label. One of these days I'll update my Gallery, and post all the specifics.

A close up showing off the glittery goodness.

A week before Christmas, I was working on another pair for myself, complaining that I found the colors a little boring, when Mr. S remarked that he would really like another pair for himself. Well, being the crazy person that I am, I really thought that I could knit him a pair by Christmas. You can laugh. Of COURSE it was impossible. Not only because I used size 1 needles and worked with 72 stitches, but also because his feet are MUCH larger than mine. At least I finished one of them. Last week.

Since it was too late to finish them in time for Christmas (Maybe Valentine's Day?), I went back to the "boring" sock I'd been knitting. The yarn is Kaffe Fassett's Landscape Fog. I am in love with this yarn. I just finished this last night - nearly finished, still need to kitchener the toe and weave in the ends.

It wouldn't have taken so long if I hadn't messed up the heel twice. I decided to try a honeycomb heel flap from Sensational Knitted Socks. It isn't as pronounced as I thought it would be, but I like the results well enough to try it again. By the way, I don't think it's boring anymore.

With 2 single socks under my wing, I thought I should finish up at least one of the pair I started last year....

Completely ignoring, for the time being, the sock I cast on last weekend. Using some NEW sock yarn!

Which finally brings me to the label of this post (I bet you've been wondering). The yarn is Noro's Sock Yarn. I bought it for the color, despite the fact that it feels pretty gnarly on the skein. It knits up like the Kureyon, but in a tinier gauge. By that I meant that some sections are as thin as thread, while others are poufy. I have also pulled out a tiny twig (how completely Noro. At least they are predictable). Being a single ply yarn, I've worried at times that it would break, but I tested it by ripping off a piece of the cast-on tail, and the 20% nylon made it strong enough to withstand quite a bit of pressure before breaking.

The post label. I'm getting there..

Here's the lesson I wish to impart: No matter how much a skein tempts you to center pull, DON'T DO IT! Resist! This skein came with a cute little tail peeking from the center. It was so neat and tidy that I ignored all of my experience and pulled. At first it worked, but by the time I'd already knit 3 rows, there was resistance. I gently tugged and pulled and out popped

YARN VOMIT!!!

What you see here is the second and third hurl. I gave up after that and decided to finish some other socks first.

Which is why I am in sock hell. I want to knit some SWEATERS for a change!! I just bought Beryl and the Tree Jacket. Any bets on how long it will take me to abandon the socks all together?

Meet Mr. Boots and Sandy

2007-12-30T17:04:00.000-05:00

After several months of silence, I finally have something to say...

Yesterday, for my 40th Birthday, Mr. S and I went to the H.A.R.T. Animal Shelter and adopted 2 kitties!!! This is Mr. Boots (he will be 6 years old next month):

And this is Sandy, who will be 4 in March:

They arrived at the shelter together, surrendered because their person had died (see more on their bio at the shelter's website - they are on the 5th row on the page). Sandy, who is now affectionately called Miss Sunshine (and Missy Miss), is full of personality and loves being the center of attention, but is a bit skittish right now when she hears loud noises. She is very playful and already allowed me to clip her front claws; very necessary since she loves to kneed!

Mr. Boots, on the other hand, has had it quite rough. Shortly after arriving at the shelter, he became ill and then depressed and stopped eating. Due to the love and medical attention of the volunteers at the shelter, he's been slowly coming back to health. When we first saw him yesterday, he was very despondent and wouldn't make eye contact. Despite that, and even after seeing nearly a hundred lovely cats, Mr. S and I felt in our hearts that we needed to take them home. We were given all of his medications, including an IV and fluids, hoping that a new home was all he would need to be happy again. After a brief and noisy ride in the car (Missy Miss cried the whole way) they arrived at their "forever home" only to immediately dive under the couch. I fully expected it to be hours before I saw either of them, but within 15 minutes, it was Mr. Boots who decided to investigate. Well! He wanted see, smell and rub on everything!! He was intensely curious about the house (especially doors and the stairs), and less than an hour after arriving ate a few treats. Since then, he's been eating and drinking like there's no tomorrow. In fact, when I told the person at the shelter how well he was doing, she said that we didn't need to give him any of the medications (mostly anti-depressants and appetite stimulants). He is such a sweet and gentle guy and loves individual attention. Despite the fact that he and Missy Miss came from the same home, so far, they are not the best of friends.While she was taking a long snooze in the bedroom today, he and I had some fun with catnip and a peacock feather. Doesn't look like a depressed kitty, does he? Even so, he's so thin that I can't wait to see him gain weight and hold my breath every time he eats or drinks.

Oddly, he doesn't purr, but maybe he will eventually. He loves to play with water, which is good because our kitchen faucet is drippy. I've never allowed my kitties on the counters or tables, but I don't think I'll have much say in the matter! His favorite place is my sewing room, where he is only allowed with supervision.

Missy Miss has quickly discovered her favorite spot on the quilt I made this summer. Her fur is like velvet, and despite the smug look on her face in this picture, she is extremely sweet. So far, she hasn't figured out how to open the door that leads upstairs, but she has learned that if she grabs the bottom it will go "bang bang", and that this sound, coupled with incessant crying will lead someone to open the door for her. A behavior that is so much like Chloe that it gives me a chill and chuckle at the same time.

So far, neither of them has shown any interest in my knitting, other than to plop themselves in my lap to divert my attention.

Sigh. I've missed this.

It's been a long couple of months. The short story is that my mom was diagnosed at the end of September with a recurrence of renal cancer after 15 clean years. She had surgery on December 4th to remove the new tumor, and so far (fingers crossed), everything looks good. She is doing well, and we'll just have to wait and see about everything else. That said, I'm trying to get back to my own routine, and that includes blogging. I'll try and post photos of knitting soon - I've been doing plenty of that.

Now I've got to get to my blog reading to see what everyone else has been up to!!

Thanks for reading!

XXOO Kitties and Me

Revealing

2007-09-23T18:03:00.001-04:00

Mr. Strange and I were sitting in a bar last night catching up on the past couple of days when this sweater walked in. Instantly, my focus shifted as I tried to absorb every detail. Raglan sleeves, waffle rib bodice, stockinette on the lower body, tiny rib on the cap sleeves, 3 large buttons to close the bodice, oversized ribbed collar. It was all I could do to keep myself from walking over to her to get a closer look. Would the wearer think I was weird if I asked her where she got it and if I could touch it, maybe take some measurements and make some sketches? Yeah, I'm sure she would have. Instead I cast furtive glances her way at every opportunity, wondering if a sport weight wool and cotton blend would be the best choice...

Ahh. But I digress. You want pictures? I give you pictures!!

Fifi!
Ginger!

The V-neck cardigan!

The Classic Collar Cardigan!

And last, but not least...

Drumroll please...rrrrrrrdddddddddddddd ...

BAILEY!

All finished since my Labor Day Inventory. The other night I had a dream that I looked down at my hands to see that I was knitting so fast that I couldn't see my fingers move. It only lasted for a few seconds because as soon as I realized what I was doing, I messed up. It figures! Mr. S and I went out for the massive photo shoot today. It was nearly 80 degrees out and I was roasting in that scarf and my new sassy hat (makes me feel like a movie stah). We took 93 photos, and I chose several of each garment that I liked, so for more pics and all the details, visit the newly updated gallery, which includes the pattern for Bailey.

Only one UFO left to go, Ariann, and then I can start lots of new projects without guilt!

Wahoo!!!!

I leave you with a "strange" story...

Mr. S's mother (Mrs. Strange, not to be confused with me, Ms. Charm), believes that Mr. S gives me a "long leash" (she is nearly 85 and, although a feminist, has some definite ideas about how a woman should be spending her time). While visiting her this past week, he happened to mention that I went to Quilting group on Mondays, Pilates class on Tuesdays and knitting group on Wednesdays. Mrs. S asked him if these women I hung out with were married. He told her that for the most part, they were. She then asked him "Are they out looking for men?".

Pillow Talk

2007-09-20T21:14:00.001-04:00

I came home tonight after working late and took a bunch of photos of the sweaters I've finished recently, but I realized that pictures of sweaters on hangers just doesn't do them justice. So, I'll just have to wait until Mr. Strange and I can coordinate our schedules with the light and weather. In the meantime, here's a few sneak peaks.

Tiny shell buttons that I really like.

Big Necco wafer buttons that I thought I'd like, but changed my mind (they look like UFO's - the spaceship, tiny green men kind).

Much better buttons.

Ariann sleeve in progress. I really need an extra dpn because this is getting ackward, but I only have 4 in size 7. I wonder where the other one is? Under the couch maybe? Ewww. Not going to look. I'll have to suffer. Why did I pick this color? I really wish it were a nice heathered oatmeal instead.

Frances. An accident waiting to happen? I committed one of the deadly knitter sins "Thou shalt not knit without proper gauge". This is supposed to finish 34.5 inches. Uh oh. If I block it to fit, those lovely cables will stretch across my bosom in a most unflattering way.

Such nice cables they are . Too nice to distort. I've decided to start increasing. You would not believe the conversations I've had with myself over this. Mostly late at night, in bed, when I should be sleeping. They go like this:

Good Me: "I really should gauge that yarn on a larger needle to see if I can get the right gauge".

Lazy Me: "But Ive already knit so much already! Just think of all that work."

Good Me: "Yeah, but if it comes out too tight, then I'll have to frog the whole thing and do I really want to finish it and then find out?"

Lazy Me: "I might run out of yarn if I knit a larger size. I only bought one extra skein and it was months ago in a shop far, far away"

Good Me: "It doesn't look like the picture. I like the way it looks in the picture. I want it to look like that on me"

Lazy Me: "As if it ever does! Those increases will work out fine. I can always bind some off at the underarm"

Good Me: "If I increase too much, I'll look like Blair on Facts of Life, wearing one of those 80's sweater vests"

Lazy Me: "It wont look anything like that! It will be fitted!"

Good Me: "Nope. I'm going to stop and knit a gauge with larger needles and see how it comes out."

Lazy Me: "Am I really sure I want to do that? The cables probably won't look as good. They'll be loose and less defined. Think of how nice they look"

Good Me: "Yeah, they do look really good. I don't think I've ever knit such nice cables. Oh, what should I do? I want it to fit!"

Lazy Me: "I'll just think about it tomorrow. In the meantime, just keep knitting"

Good Me: "Well, OK, but just a few more rows. Maybe I should increase every 8 rows instead of 6..."

Lazy Me: "Now that's the spirit! Maybe every 10 rows!"

Good Me: "Hmmm. Maybe so, but what if ....."

~~Lazy Me~~ Evil Me: "Stop thinking about it. Think about that Rowan Felted Tweed in stash, or maybe some socks? Oh! I could make the Einstein Coat with some of that yummy rust colored Lion Brand Thick'n Quick!"

I scare myself sometimes.

Lame

2007-09-16T22:21:00.000-04:00

Thanks for all the nice comments on Fifi. I have to admit that it feels a bit too sexy to wear to work. Every time I put it on, I feel like a pin-up girl and it doesn't really go with the "professional" look I try to project at work. I should start a new KAL: "Not too sexy knitters club".

My blog manners have gone to the dogs, so if you've left comments lately, thank you very much for taking the time. In the past I would have hunted down your blog (if you have one), and sent you a personal e-mail or at least left a comment on your blog. I have been visiting your blogs (I know who you are), but I haven't been commenting. I have no excuse other than terminal laziness and a case of manic knitting.

My friend Dee is one of those thoughtful people who always sends thank you notes. I want to be one of those people. I have stacks of lovely cards (some were even gifts that I never sent thank you notes for), but even if I do take the time to write one, I carry it around in my purse until the envelope becomes ratty and the price of postage goes up and then it's too late to send it without adding a $.01 stamp.

OK, so I've been rude blogger, but I've been a good knitter. Not only did I finish Fifi, but I also finished Ginger and the v-neck cardigan from Louisa Harding's Modern Classics. I'm nearly finished seaming the cardigan from Paton's Next Step 3, have started the first sleeve of Ariann and started Frances from the Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Collection that I posted about earlier. I also frogged my Monkey socks. But I have no photo's to show! Tonight I made some fabric trading cards for my quilting group (nope, not one photo). I had this idea that I'd try to entice people into participating in a swap. As usual I procrastinated and then had to whip up some samples. Why do I do these things? I should have a personal assistant. Not someone to hold my umbrella or shopping bags, but to smack me up side the head whenever I come up with these ideas.

You probably know that the new Knitty is finally up. I want to like Mr. Greenjeans and Cherie Amour, but they're just not what I'm looking for these days. As a matter of fact, I don't like many of the new patterns I see out there. I waited forever for Veronik Avery's new book, but when I finally saw it, there wasn't anything in it to justify buying the whole book. Ditto with Fitted Knits and Knitting Nature. The new issues of Interweave and Vogue both left me wanting too. Sigh. I want to knit this and this. I want to stay home all day and knit.

I'm going to go limp along now. Photos soon. Thanks for reading. Really. I mean it.

The F Word

2007-09-05T21:51:00.000-04:00

Fifi
is Finally

Finished!

Forgive me

For the lousy

Photos!

Mr. Strange couldn't wait and went off to play in his shop, so this is the best I could do.

There's a reason why this sweater was chosen by the Sexy Knitter's Club. Can you say Boobylicious?

Labor Day Inventory

2007-09-03T18:07:00.001-04:00

I don't know about you, but when I go on vacation, I adopt a gluttonous attitude, throwing all discipline out the window. Potato chips? Sure, bring 'em on. Beer? Lots please. French fries, chocolate, burgers, pizza, Chinese food? I'll take the lot. Bedtime? When I feel like it. Tired? Drink more coffee. Wound up? Have a drink or two - why not three? The problem is that it's hard to gain control over the reckless abandonment when it's over. My vacation ended weeks ago, but I have been wallowing in debauchery ever since. Each day, I have been telling myself that I need to get control over things and go back to a structured, disciplined life, and each day, I've succumbed to one temptation or another. As Labor Day approached, I decided that it was the perfect opportunity to start fresh. I have decided that my first step will be to take control of my knitting.

I guess you could call this a Frog it or Finish it lineup. With the exception of a few unfelted flowers stuffed in a bag in the closet, these are my UFO's:
Bailey Island scarf in Malabrigo using my own pattern. I was obsessed with finishing this scarf, even more so when I ran out of yarn. Almost as soon as I found and purchased several skeins online, I began to lose interest. Right now its about 45 inches long, and I'd like it to be about 65 inches. Since I'm so close and because I really like it, I'll Finish it.
Here and There Cables from Scarf Style with Reynold's Odyssey. Oh dear. I initially started this scarf because I couldn't find the Malabrigo for Bailey. The yarn was what I bought after I returned some Dolly Maxi that Mr. Strange bought me for Christmas as an alternative to the Malabrigo (the Dolly didn't do it for me). I'd always wanted to make something with this yarn, so it wasn't hard to switch gears from Bailey to this. Unfortunately, I hated knitting it. If I pick it up again, I will still hate knitting it, so it will be Frogged! I can always use the yarn for something else (I have 8 balls of it).
Pomatomus from Knitty, Winter 2005 in Koigu KPPPM started last November. I had good intentions, but lost interest at one point and set it aside. Fortunately, I had the foresight to write myself a little note to indicate where I left off. I still doesn't make me want to finish it, but darn, I'm so close. For now, I'll continue to set aside as a Finish later (hey, it's my list, I can change the rules if I want to).
Just your basic Yankee Knitter sock. I started it at some point in January. I think I wanted a little color to break up CPH, but wasn't really keen on the unexpectedly large red stripes and gave up. Feh. I'm not in love, but what else am I going to do with it? Aimee, want some sock yarn? If not, I'll Finish it, eventually.
Monkey Socks from Knitty, Winter 2006 using Spunky Eclectic Skinny sock. Started and stalled in June. I decided that my gauge was too loose after one weekend of knitting this. I just haven't gotten around to frogging it yet, but I will.
Sunburst Pullover from Interweave, Summer 2002 (cover) using Reynolds Ole Ole. When I first started knitting (as an adult), I saw this sweater on the cover of Interweave and thought that it looked incredibly difficult and set a goal to make it when I was experienced enough. OK, I'm experienced enough now, but do I really want to make it? It's sat in a bag for nearly a year. In all that time, I haven't wanted to touch it. Frog!
Cardigan with Straight Sleeves from Paton's Next Step 3 using Berrocco Keltic in color Thistle. I was so close to finishing this in April, but Spring brought warmer weather and I made a mistake on the button bands and have to do them over. It's all blocked and ready to go. Now that Fall is coming, I think I'll Finish it!
Ariann from Chic Knits in Ella Rae Classic Wool. Started in April and abandoned after the Getaway in favor of the Surplice Lace Top and summer knitting. Love the color, love the pattern. It will be perfect for fall. Now, if I can just find time to Finish it...
Ginger from the Rowan Summer Tweed Collection in Rowan Summer Tweed. Started in July and dropped like a hot potato when I realized that I needed to block it before seaming. How lame is that? I will Finish it, hopefully in time to wear it before next summer!
Fifi from French Girl Knits in Rowan Calmer. I currently have a love/hate relationship with this sweater. I put it aside just before my vacation to work on the cardigan below. I picked it up again this past Thursday, realizing that it would soon be too chilly to wear. I checked my clicker and, relying on the number 5 that appeared, started on round 6 of the repeat. It wasn't until I'd finished the repeat and had worked 2 rows into the next that I realized that my last cable was shorter than the rest. Shit and shinola! Yesterday morning I forced myself to tink back to the mistake, which I had made 8 rows back. I knit until my arms hurt, and am convinced that it's fallen into the Black Hole of Knitting, because it doesn't seem to grow at all. Still, I am so close that it would be ridiculous not to Finish it.
V-Neck Cardigan from Lousia Harding's Modern Classics in GGH Linova, started August 10th. I started this thinking that I needed some easy knitting to work on during vacation. I barely touched it the whole week, but have been working diligently since then. So far, I've finished the fronts and back and am about half way done one sleeve. I want to Finish this so badly so I can wear it this season and start something new!!
Ummmm. This is an experiment I started last weekend. I can explain myself. You see, ever since this yarn showed up at JoAnn Fabrics for $2.99 a skein, I have been fondling it. The colors are beautiful (so why did I choose this color?) and the ply is very nice, for acrylic. It even knits up evenly. If I needed to make a washable garment for a child or a dog, it would be perfect; but I don't have either and there's no chance that one is going to appear. Ever. So, it's already frogged. Let's face it, no matter how nice the color is or how nicely it knits up, it's still plastic, and I have all of this beautiful natural fiber in my stash to play with:
Which brings me to the real reason for my self-imposed Frog it or Finish it mandate: I want to start something new so badly, but I won't allow myself to until I at least finish Fifi and the V neck cardigan. So far, here's what I am dreaming of (subject to change at whim):
Frances from the Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Collection in Debbie Bliss Rialto...
V Neck Cardigan from Freedom Spirit 455 in color #506 Air. My friend Lori found this yarn before I did and put 5 skeins on hold at our LYS. I wanted some too, but they sold out and I just happened to find a bag of 10 skeins at another shop later. In anticipation of Lori's birthday, I set it aside until I could decide if I would: a) give her all 10 skeins; b) give her 5 skeins; or c) keep them all for myself and give her something else. As luck would have it, she just picked up her 5 balls from the LYS and, wouldn't you know, my bag had the same dye lot and, between the two of us, we have enough for each of us to make a sweater (and possibly a beret)!
Some basic socks from the Regia Design Line by Kaffe Fassett. Landscape Fire, Color #4259 (Left) and Landscape Earth, Color #4255 (Right). I! love! this! yarn!
I've decided that crochet doesn't really count, but it is yarn after all, and the Larger Than Life Bag would be really nice for the Fall. Maybe I'll Finish it in time for this fall.
In the midst of all this finishitupitis, I'm still plugging away at Brave New World. So far, all of the center blocks have been sew together.
Remember that cheapo fabric that shrunk? As I predicted, it caused some grief when I trimmed up the block, leaving less than the seam allowance to stitch. My solution? I added a sliver of the same fabric (after pre-shrinking it by pressing the bejeezus out of it).
See, it in the grand scheme of things it doesn't even show!
Now there's just those pesky borders to sew on.

If I stick to my guns, you should be seeing some finished knits very soon. Until then, I give you permission to scold me if I start another project before finishing at least one of the above! Of course, I have been known to keep secrets...

OCD (Obsessive Creative Disorder)

2007-08-26T20:46:00.000-04:00

Before I natter on about everything I have and haven't been doing, here is something I actually finished:
The block is called "Cobblestones". Here's a link to the pattern (I didn't make the brick blocks).
Most of the neutral fabrics were a gift from my friend Mary as part of my 39 1/2 birthday, as you may recall from this post. I added the hint of blush after being inspired by the pink ribbon she tied the fabric with.
I don't know if you can see it in the photos, but it was beautifully quilted by Jacci at Mill Creek Machine Quilting in South Portland, Maine. I think she did a terrific job! A quilt this size, about 65 x 75 inches, is way too large for me to tackle, and quite frankly, even if I did have a table and machine large enough to accommodate it, I dislike this aspect of quilting. I confess. I love buying fabric and I love putting colors together, but I don't actually like the process very much. Cutting is a pain and so is the piecing. So why do I do it? I like the end result. Which is why you are going to think I'm totally crazy...

A while back, two of the women in my quilting group showed us a large scrap quilt called "Brave New World" (from Fons & Porter's Love of Quilting May/June 2006) that they made to donate to an auction. At the time, I oooohed and ahhhhhed all over it and begged them to do a workshop. Many moons later, as the date for the workshop approached, I innocently asked "Oh, what quilt is that?" and was reminded that I was the one who had asked for it. Ooops.

So last Sunday, on the last day of my vacation and less than a week before the workshop, I decided to take a look at the materials list. It called for 64 little squares, and 64 large triangles and 128 small triangles (I am simplifying here) to make a wall quilt that would measure 32 x 32 inches. Well, I decided I'd use up some charm squares from my stash. To explain: over the years I have participated in a number of charm square swaps, where one contributes 6 inch squares of a particular fabric for each person participating. In the past there have usually been around 20 people and two fabric themes. So if the color theme for the month were blues and greens, you'd bring in 20 blue squares and 20 green squares, and come home with 2o different blues and 20 different greens. Now multiply that by 8 (we don't swap all year) and by 5 years or so. It starts to pile up. So, as I was saying, I thought that this "little" scrap quilt would be a good way to use up some of those squares. Ahem.

BUT

I decided that I didn't want a wall quilt, I wanted a throw!! Caution: math and madness coming.

The block is made up of 16 units and measures 16 inches when finished. Each unit is made of 4 pieces and measures 4 inches. In order to make a throw (or lap quilt) measuring 60 x 76 inches (including borders) I'd need 12 blocks, plus units for the borders for a grand total of 252 units. Multiply that by 4 and get....508 pieces. Yes 508. Half of a thousand. Fortunately, I didn't do all the math right away. I just started cutting.

and cutting

and cutting
Then I did the math....

and still I cut and cut and cut and cut.

At one point I realized, in a "Jaws" like moment, "I'm going to need more fabric". Before you laugh, think of this: from each 6 inch square I could only get 2 large triangles, 4 squares, or 8 small triangles. I couldn't mix and match. Thankfully, I never got rid of that Hefty bag of scraps that has been gathering dust since I cleaned out the sewing room. You should have seen me on my hands and knees at 11 o'clock at night digging around for pieces large enough to get at least one 2 and a half inch square out of. Oh, sure I could have cut up some of the large pieces of stash I have, but it's supposed to be a scrap quilt!

Every single night last week, I cut. Then I started sewing, and cutting more. Finally, exhausted from all of this "prep" work, I arrived at the workshop Friday night with 133 units already sewn and all the parts (or so I thought) for the remaining 119 units. I was ready to quilt all night. Unfortunately, everyone else was done by 8:00. So, I packed up and went home and ~~knit~~ went to bed and jumped up Saturday morning and started sewing

and sewing

and sewing

By 2:30 in the afternoon, I'd finished 3 blocks. Did I happen to mention that the hot, humid weather is back? The only air conditioning in my sewing room is a window. It gives new meaning the phrase "sweat shop".
This morning I finished 3 more. If I don't count the borders (which I'm not right now since I somehow miscounted and need to make a few more units), I'm half way there! For the most part, things are coming together nicely. However, here's an example of something that is going to bite me in the butt later:
el cheapo fabric that shrunk up as soon as I hit it with the iron. Needless to say, I'm getting a little sick of this quilt. It is eating my life!!! At Mr. Strange's urging, I put it aside for the day to work on a gift for a friend. This is all I'm going to show you because some people who read this will see it and get ideas about who it's for and such, but I'm not even going to show you what color it is!!

I will tell you that it is a lovely something for a lovely person and it doesn't look anything like the lovely thing it was supposed to be because, after all of that math, I can't seem to tell the difference between 2 inches and 3.

You know, the nice thing about knitting is that if I screw up, I can just rip it out and start over.

Knitting. Oh yeah, that thing I used to write about that involves sticks and string...

Haven't done much on Fifi. It looks just about the same as it did the last time I posted a photo.
Before I went on vacation, I had this brilliant idea that I'd make Lemonade from Magknits August 2007 with some GGH Linova that I've been hiding in my stash. The pattern calls for worsted weight cotton yarn knit on size 3 needles to minimize the natural tendency for cotton to stretch. When I knit my gauge swatch, I found that I was getting a lovely, drapey fabric with a dk weight gauge. Nice, but not right for Lemonade. Way back in the cobwebs of my mind, I remembered a book I had... ah yes! Louisa Harding's "Modern Classics" had the perfect simple v-neck cardigan in the exact same gauge. How convenient! Too bad I had to go and make it all complicated by making an extra smaller size and adding shaping. Complicated in the sense that math was involved (yet again, the math!) and, as I was decreasing the neckline for the front, realized that I'd have 4 stitches less to bind off than the pattern and would have to re-do all the shoulder bind-off's and neck shaping for the back.
It was only last week that I realized that "tink" is "knit" spelled backwards. How ironic.

And this, my friends, is what I do in my "spare" time to relax and unwind from my mentally challenging job.

The Best of Times

2007-08-19T20:27:00.001-04:00

These are the last hours of my summer vacation {sigh}. I wish I could stretch time, or at least slow it down a little, just so I could continue to savor it a little while longer. Since no one has invented a way to do that (yet), I'm doing it my way by refusing to shower (keeping that beach funk alive and well), wearing my flip flops and vacation T-shirt until the last possible minute and drinking one more (OK, maybe 2 more) beers before I have to put it all to bed and wake up Ms. Professional tomorrow morning. This is when I wish, like most everyone else, that I didn't have to work for a living and could spend all of my days like this...

hanging around with friends catching up on the news in a quaint little cottage;
lounging around in our PJ's all morning and making jewelry at the picnic table;
modeling said jewelry in our PJ's and peeps:
going to the local quilt shops;
and enjoying a glass of wine at the end of the day.
I spent most of my vacation in Cape Cod near Craigville Beach with my friends above (right to left): Annie, Dee and Renee. As you may recall, Renee is the Southern Belle who told us all about the "semen" in toothpaste and the "grace" that caused my tummy ache at the quilting Getaway. Renee was scheduled to leave on Thursday afternoon to pick up her friend Katherine at Logan Airport (flying in from Dallas) and return to Maine, but Katherine was adventurous enough to join us instead. We picked her up at the bus station in Hyannis - which is not pronounced "Hi-anus".
After a whirlwind shopping trip at Christmas Tree Shop, Jo-Ann Fabrics, Trader Joe's and the local package store for some beer (Cape Cod Brewing Company's IPA is to die for), she was still up for a little crafting the next morning. Now that's our kind of gal!
Here's our parade of paper purses, sitting on the white picket fence.
Afterwards, we spent some time collecting shells and sand for "Seaside Memory" candles to enjoy later,
before heading to Chatham for a little more shopping and sightseeing.
Does it get any better than this?

Thanks Annie, for another great year, and to Renee, Dee and Katherine for a great time!!!!! I feel truly blessed to have spent my days in your company.

In between all of this lounging about, I have been knitting - Fifi is almost done, so naturally I cast on for a new sweater that I'll post about later, along with photos of my finished Cobblestone Quilt and other projects. In the midst of all this vacationing, I neglected my own Blogaversary - 1 year ago, on August 13th, I started this blog. Contrary to my recent habits, I have not forgotten it. Let's just say that it's been on the back burner this summer. In the meantime, thanks for coming back and reading even though things have been a bit spotty around here. Most recently, I was asked a few questions:

Lisa, I'm knitting Fifi with Rowan Calmer, the yarn called for in the pattern. The color is called Lucky and is number 484.

Amy: Eat, Pray, Love was one of the best books I've read in a long time. I wanted to savor every word because her writing is so accessible and her way of describing her experiences and thoughts was so authentic and real. Since reading it, I have recommended it to several people and am longing to go to Italy just to eat! Regarding the quilting, I machine piece everything. I did end up changing the colors of that quilt all around, and am very pleased with the result. One of these days I'll post a photo! And yes, I am a very very lucky girl to have such great friends.

One more hour before bed...time to knit.

Until next time, I leave you with this image:
Yes, that is a real lobster claw shell, and no, we didn't eat the lobster.

It must be summer

2007-08-01T20:58:00.001-04:00

Just to prove that I'm not lying around eating bon bons by the pool (the only pool I have is made of sweat) ...
After several (and by that I mean more than 3) attempts to get Fifi started, I'm on a roll. Out of sheer stubbornness, I decided to make the cable cast-on work, and it finally did. I tried it on after my first repeat under the arms, and it fit, but I could tell that I'd need to add some stitches for the "apex" of my bosom. Rather than fuss with short rows, I added 2 extra stitches in the purl channel in the sides, and am crossing my fingers that it does the trick. I'm still loving the yarn, and am just about to start my 3rd skein. Just knowing that I'm on the home stretch is enough for my mind to wander....
Project next? Just a little something I picked up in Camden this past weekend. Details later.

I've had all sorts of great ideas about what I'd like to be doing these days, but more often than not, I come home and fall on the couch with a book. Yes a book! I can barely believe it myself. It's funny how my interests are like spokes on a wheel that turns ever so slowly. For the longest time, I've had no interest in reading, and now I can't stop. I just finished "Eat Pray Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert (loved it!!) and have just started "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen. It doesn't hurt that my office is located across the way from a bookstore and that I have an hour for lunch every day and that it's just lovely outside. All day I planned on sewing tonight, but when I got home, it was so hot and stuffy in my sewing room that I gave up and decided that it was time to post. I had no idea it had been so long!

If it wasn't so hot, I'd be sewing quilt blocks together. I fussed with them forever before deciding that I just didn't have it in me tonight. Here are leftovers, which I plan to make into a small quilt:
This isn't the final layout. Just something that's been spread on my craft room floor for the past week. As I was laying out the large blocks on the living room floor tonight, Mr. Strange commented that he's getting really tired of these colors, and you know, I have to agree. I need to make something PINK or ORANGE or RED for a change!! Of course I bought lots of goodies at the Maine Quilt show last weekend, so I have plenty of options.

Speaking of goodies, the 39 and 1/2 birthday is almost over and I haven't been posting photos for my girlfriends! In no particular order, here are most of those that I've opened since I last posted:
Beautiful note cards from Linda and Renee; Amy Butler fabrics and patterns from Annie and Linda and funky dot fabrics, complete with matching pencil and purse feet (!!!!!) from Betsy.

Chocolates, Dunkin Donuts gift card (in use) and coffee from Annie (I curse you Annie! I can't stop eating those truffles); Knitting lady and car accessories from Winnie (I will never wear my hair in bun); funky sunglasses from Betsy; and a plaque ("Friends are sisters God forgot to give you") and fun ring from Mary.

Sea urchin candle holder and tealights from Renee; box of sand with shells and sea glass from Betsy; and glass tealight holder from Dee. Not shown are the car air freshener, green tea travel candle and purse sachet (from ???) which are all in use.

Thank you thank you thank you!! I've been having so much fun opening my gifts every day and I just LOVE everything.

XXOO

Revelling in Ravelry

2007-07-19T22:06:00.000-04:00

I got my Ravelry invite today!! It's SO cool! I can see that I will lose many many hours, just looking! I signed up about a month or 2 ago, so don't be shy, sign up!

Cuckoo for cocoa

2007-07-18T20:26:00.001-04:00

I've been at my new job for a week now, and today, for the first time, I feel like I work there instead of visiting from another planet. Sure, I'm still a little wigged out when I see my reflection in the polished elevator doors every morning ("Who's that chick in the suit and heels?"), but I'm so busy that the day just flies by and I have to make myself leave at night. Thoughts from the day linger when I come home, so I've been trying to occupy my mind with activities to remind myself not only that I have a life outside of work, but that I am still the same crafty beer drinking wench I've always been.

One would think that this would be the perfect time to knit, but my knitting has gone all to hell. I did run out of Rowan Summer Tweed while knitting the back of Ginger as I had suspected I would. I bought another skein on Saturday, and finished the back but don't have any interest in finishing it right now. I also tried, yet again, to cast on for Fifi. Six rows into it and I discovered that I had twisted my join again. WTF!? That's 3 times now!! I haven't given up entirely; the next time I'm going to use my usual long tail cast on. Screw the cable cast on. I am convinced that it is the culprit of my mobius madness. Knitting will have to wait until the bad mojo has passed.

Instead of knitting, I've been quilting! I finished the Cobblestone quilt top and handed it off to a machine quilter on Monday. No photos to show. I'm going to wait for the big dramatic reveal! Tonight I started cutting out fabric for a new quilt, "Triple Treat" from Atkinson's Happy Hour book.
Most of the fabrics are from either Amy Butler's Belle Collection or Joel Dewberry's Aviary and Chestnut Hill Collection.

I added a few other fabrics, the teal, green and two brown prints, that read like "solid" colors, to break up all the bolds prints.

Mr. Strange and I went to Portsmouth on Sunday to have the best corn beef hash in the world at Isis on Penhallow only to discover that the chef (creator of the extraordinary hash) had left, leaving a very unimpressive, hash-less menu behind. Poo! Mr. S was very disappointed, but I took comfort in the fact that Portsmouth Fabric Company was only a few doors down.

I picked up the fabrics above and these for the Amy Butler Madison Bags.
The top fabrics are for the outside bags and the bottom fabrics are for the linings. I plan on making both the Uptown and Downtown Bags.
Even if you had never read this blog before and didn't know me, by now you would realize 3 things about me:

1. I love brown/orange/teal combinations
2. I love bags
3. I spoil myself

So, it wouldn't be surprising for me to also tell you that I bought myself this Angela Adams bag on clearance at a local consignment shop.
Dark chocolate wool, surrounded by turquoise and bronze faux patent leather with....sigh...an orange lining.
I'm making myself save it for Fall. Love love love love it.

Just soze you knowz, other people spoil me too. For the Half Birthday update, I present my most recent gifts:

Today's gift was the colorful "Cheers" coasters from an unknown person (Renee?). Yesterday I received the bracelet, accented with purple rhinestones, from Jill. On Monday I opened the steel lariat from Dee, which is actually a note/photo holder that you hang up. Along the lariat are the tiniest, strongest little magnets I've ever seen (this is going in my office as soon as it's ready). Sunday I received pink socks from Jill with talking kitties - lift the pink flap and underneath it says "Meow". OOOPS! Forgot Winnie's gift from Saturday - I'll show it next time.

On Friday morning, I opened this from Mary.
I didn't have to eat all those chocolates to see what was under the plate (although I did have a mini binge). What is it about being in a new place that makes one want to eat like there's no tomorrow?
Ha ha! I can say that hanging around with fun older women who like to bake and eat might make you fat, but will keep you young forever. Cheers!

First Day

2007-07-11T22:10:00.001-04:00

Today was my first day at my new job. Oddly, I thought that I would be very nervous going in today, but I was totally calm. That is, until I realized that I'd forgotten my umbrella, decided to turn around and run back home, tried to pull into what used to be an open driveway near my street, and ran my passenger front end over a big fat curb. It made a bit of a mess of my right front bumper. Mr. Strange set it straight when I got home, but in the back of my mind, all day I was thinking "I just bought my car" (I'm leasing). What a way to start the day!! By the time I arrived at work, I was so overwrought by the car that I didn't have time to be nervous!

I shook hands with so many people that I gave up trying to remember names after the second floor (the firm occupies 3 full floors and maintains an office on a fourth). I can say one thing: ladies, learn how to shake hands. Too many limp, flaccid hands out there! Just a suggestion. My overall impression is that I feel like I have "arrived". Today I spent hours in a computer class with my company issued laptop (!!!) and was then taken to lunch by my colleagues (paid for by the firm) (!!!). I don't have my own office yet, but will soon, in addition to a company credit card (!!!). Many years ago, when I was in college and studying for my profession, this is the sort of "dream job" I envisioned. Now it's real. Pinch me! Later, when I complain about how stressed I am from work.

Yesterday was my last day at my old company. They threw a farewell lunch with strawberry rhubarb pie (my request) after which, I was told I could go home early. Bwaaah! I burst into tears. I wasn't ready! It was really hard, after 9 and a half years to leave. I felt like a kid leaving home and going away to college. When I got home, I didn't know what to do with myself, so I sewed all my quilt blocks together. I plan on picking out my border fabrics this weekend, and then it's off to the machine quilter. I will finish this. Really.

I've also made significant progress on Ginger. The front is done, and I'm just beginning the right back after the neck divide. See that tiny ball of yarn? That's all I have left. Hmph! We'll see if it's enough. If it isn't, I'm going to curse Rowan.
This past weekend, my mom and I went to Mariner's Compass in Bath at it's new location, where I found a new pattern book, Happy Hour by Atkinson Designs, Amy Butler's Madison Bag Pattern, and a Moda Jelly Roll in a new fabric, Fresh Air, coming out in the fall. Note to self: stop buying things!
I'm dying to make the quilt on the cover of the Happy Hour book, but am forcing myself to wait until the Maine Quilt Show at the end of the month. OH! One of my new co-workers is a quilter! I can't wait to find out if there are any knitters! Maybe during the winter, I'll find them in the lunchroom.

In the middle of all of this job excitement, I've been enjoying my half birthday gifts:

Day 8 from Jill: a fun plate and some Stonewall Kitchen Red Pepper Jelly. If you see this jelly anywhere, buy some. It tastes great when poured over cream cheese and served with wheat crackers!
Day 9 from Linda: 2 Buttermilk Basin patterns with sheep (baaaa, love sheepy things) and a machine quilting book.
Day 10 from Winnie: a beach mat, reflector mat and the world's largest thermometer! Is that so I can see it when my eyes go bad? ;)
Day 11 from Dee: A cute little photo/note holder. I was recently admiring these at the store!!!
Day 12 from Annie: A Halloween plate (which happens to match the mug Annie gave me last year!), Crackers and salsaaaaaaah!
Day 13 from Dee: A sassy mug with attitude!
Speaking of attitude, earlier this evening, I hemmed a new pair of slacks to wear to work tomorrow. The only thing worse than hemming pants? Hemming pants that are sized "petite".

R is for Racy, Red, Restricted and Ravenous

2007-07-06T18:30:00.000-04:00

OMG! Who would have guessed my little knitting blog would be rated R???

Mingle² - Online Dating

Apparently, it's due to my use of the words "semen, gun, sexy and fondle"

Ha ha!

Thanks to Shell, I now know that I am one racy knitter!!

Just for fun, here's something else to snack on from Friday's Feast (#148)

Appetizer: The best thing about where I live is ________________.

An abundance of great microbreweries!

Soup: Create a new name for a deodorant:

Sweat Nothing

Salad: What was the last piece of software you installed on your computer:

AVG Anti Virus Free Software

Main Course: If you were to receive a superlative award today beginning with the words "Most likely to...." what would the rest of the phrase say?

get a sunburn (The sun does very bad things to me)

Dessert: What two colors do you like to wear together?

Brown and turquoise

Happy Weekend!

Life is like...

2007-07-04T19:39:00.001-04:00

Even though today is a national holiday, it feels like Saturday, but on Wednesday instead. This afternoon I dropped Mr. Strange off at the airport so he could visit his mum - she is recovering very well - so it felt even less holiday-ish. Just to give myself a little summer treat, I bought cherries and have been eating them all day. But wait! Lets rewind a bit...

Yesterday after work, I needed to kill some time before my Pilates class, so I drove over to Knit Wits to see if they were open (they were) with the thought that I would buy the Mission Falls 1824 Wool I need to finish LTL. Well, they had the exact color I wanted, a dark eggplant, that goes perfectly with the squares and Kaffe Fassett fabric I bought a few weeks ago.
Since I was in no rush, I decided to browse and fondle. At one point, as I was hovering near the cash register, chatting with the owner, I spotted a skein of Rowan Calmer in the clearance bin (50% off!!!) in a lovely shade of lavender that I have been looking for. I kept talking and found another skein, oh! and another! and another! oh boy! more! I found 8 skeins in all. The owner said that she'd just put them in there before I arrived. Get this, the color (#484) is called Lucky! Since I was feeling pretty lucky and delirious from yarn fumes, I also snagged 3 skeins of Rowan Summer Tweed in Summer Berry (#537). More on that in a minute.
As soon as I got home from class, I rifled through all my patterns, magazines and books for a summer sweater to use with the Calmer and had no success. I then turned to my favorite knitting pattern resource, Google. I briefly entertained Audrey, but then remembered that an entirely ribbed sweater made me look like a pinup girl (lesson learned thanks to Tempting). I also liked this free pattern (pdf link) from Tahki Stacy Charles, Inc. (courtesy of Knit Powers to Peace). But suddenly I clicked on a link to the Sexy Knitter's Club, and wouldn't you know, their next KAL is Fifi from French Girl Knits using Calmer?! Before you could say "charge", I downloaded the pattern and cast on. In the middle of all this excitement, Mr. Strange offered me a beer (trouble).

Without giving away any tricks, the pattern recommends the cable cast-on method. Now I personally dislike this method and disagree wholeheartedly with claims that it is "very flexible". I find it difficult to maintain even stitches and anything buy flexible. Even so, I followed the directions.

At this point I should mention that I've been reading Yarn Harlot's new book and recently finished the chapter "Interesting Sights" where she cautions knitters:

double-checking a circular cast-on for a twist is not "totally lame"...

I also should confess that these words were uttered from my very own mouth, "Honey, can you bring me another beer?"

Yes, I twisted my first join. Dang! I frogged the first round, cast on again and, satisfied with my ability to follow directions and join circular knitting, I proceeded to finish 6 rows and a third beer before I noticed that I was knitting a mobius.

Crap!
Yes, I know. The beer. Obviously Mr. Strange does not know that he is not supposed to let me knit after one beer.

This morning I decided that my mojo was still out of whack and cast on for Ginger from The Rowan Summer Tweed Collection. I knit Rosehip a few years ago from this book, so I was prepared for knitting with the Summer Tweed. It's lovely to look at and wears well, but is a bit like knitting with cork. I'm willing to suffer for short periods because the color is just so....red! It reminds me of cayenne pepper. Despite that, this is really mean yarn, so before long I had to work on something totally different...

I finished the 80 blocks for my Cobblestone quilt!
After seeing the photo in my last post, I decided that I didn't want so much of that dark rose color and substituted some more neutrals instead. This isn't the final layout. I've switched some squares around since taking the picture, and I still need to square them up. This is the easy part. I have no problem making quilt tops, I have a problem finishing them. I swear that I will finish this one. Really.

Half birthday update:

Day 5 brought me purple suede mocks and a cute pen from Annie
along with a pair of socks (they call me "Princess" - it's a long story).
For day 6, Winnie gave me a freezer pack and divided plastic containers - perfect for a picnic!
My mom just called to tell me that the Yardgoods Center in Waterville is having their summer sale. She's such an enabler! Can I resist? We'll see...

In celebration of independence, I rented 2 movies from Videoport, my favorite independent store in Portland: Closer and The Painted Veil (two films that Mr. Strange doesn't want to see).

I leave you with this (an unfinished wall quilt started in 2001):

Happy 4th of July!

Lost and Found: Mojo

2007-07-02T21:26:00.001-04:00

In an attempt to summon warmer weather, I begin my sun salutation with downward dog wearing my newly finished Sahara!

Yes! It is done! There is a reason why this pattern was chosen by the Sexy Knitters Club.
A very booby sweater. For more views ~~of my ample bosom~~ and pattern details, visit my Show and Tell.

Day #4 of my 39 and 1/2 birthday brought a new tote pattern and charm squares from Mary. This gal sure knows my taste! Speaking of the half birthday, if you haven't (or have) read my previous post, I added some pictures from the party that Jill sent me, including party hats and my geeky look of surprise when I saw the cake.
Since finishing Sahara on Saturday, I've been trying to start a new project, but it seems that my knitting mojo is visiting someone else these days. I spent 3 (yes, three) hours at Korner Knitters Saturday afternoon trying to find yarn for a new project. Of course I found plenty of yarn (porn for another day), and had a grand time chatting with Darrin. I even learned some neat tricks from one of Lucy Neatby's DVD's - like how to put a stitch in it's "proper station in life" (This lady ROCKS!). Even so, every gauge swatch I knit is too small or too big. I feel like Goldilocks! Instead of fighting it, I decided to turn my attention elsewhere.

Tonight I sewed 40 (at least I thought there were 40) blocks for my neutral/blush Cobblestone quilt.
Oddly, when I went to lay the blocks out, there were only 39. It must be my magic number!
Here are 36 of the blocks, placed somewhat randomly. See that one dark rose center? There will be 6 more blocks with that print as the outside and 4 more centers. Right now, being the only spot of color, it really pops. Each block finishes 6 inches, so I'm planning on 80 blocks laid 8 across and 10 down for a total size of 60 x 48. I'll add a small inner border (about 1.5 inches) and a wider outer border - maybe a light pink and beige floral - to make a lap quilt. If I were a good little quilter, I'd square the first 39 blocks now, but I like squaring blocks as much as I like blocking sweater pieces. Must be a mental block of some kind (snort).

Semen in toothpaste and other not-so-divine secrets of the A-Team

2007-07-01T13:02:00.001-04:00

Overheard at a recent gathering of girlfriends:

Renee: "I heard that some of the goods that are imported have poisonous substances in them, so you need to be really careful what you buy."

Us: "Poison? Like what?

Renee: "Like in toothpaste. They put bad stuff in it."

Us: "Yeah, but what kind of poison?"

Renee: "You know, like semen."

A moment of silence

Us: "Semen? They put semen in toothpaste!!??" (the collective unspoken question being, 'Is semen poisonous?')

Renee: "No no! Sement you know, like 'sement pond'."

Us: "Huh? Oh! You mean Cement!!"

(This is the same girl who told me at the Getaway that my belly ache was caused by all the 'grace' I ate.)

I am not making this up. I have a group of girlfriends that I met through my quilting group. Self-named the "A-Team " because of our power to get things done, whenever we get together, we have a rip-roaring, pants-peeing, laugh-until-it-hurts good time. We range in ages from 39 (me) to 60 something. For the past several years, as three gals have turned 50, we have given them 50 gifts 50 days before their birthday, with the instruction that they can only open one a day (This past year, no one trusted our friend Mary, so her neighbor Tracy was recruited to put one in her mailbox every day until Mary noticed footprints in the snow leading from her mailbox to Tracy's house). In the middle of Mary's days of gifts, I jokingly commented to my friend Linda that by the time I turn 50, everyone would be giving me gifts recycled from the nursing home like Depends, denture cream and butt wipes. There are no secrets in a group of women, and being the 'vicious crowd' that we are, it wasn't long before I was teased.
"Tarilyn I bought you a gift today and I'll make sure I put it somewhere that I won't forget when I'm in the nursing home!" Ha ha! I secretly hoped that maybe they would do mine when I turn 40 this December.

It occurred to me on Friday that Charlie's birthday was exactly 6 months before mine. To celebrate such a landmark (and to pat myself on the back for getting the job I wanted), I bought myself a new watch. As it turns out, I wasn't the only one who was aware that I had just turned 39 1/2...

After work, I headed off to what I thought was a housewarming party with the "A-Team" for our friend Linda. After an hour of scintillating adult conversation (see above) and a fabulous meal, I noticed my friend Jill making a weird gesture above her head with her fingers, that looked like she was making horns. I looked at her and asked what she was doing. "Oh, my head itches. I think I have cooties!". Having had a particularly itchy head day myself, I exclaimed "Me too!" and we launched into a discussion about shampoo and eczema. After a few minutes, I saw something in my peripheral vision. It looked like Linda bringing over some large bags. Everyone was looking at me with silly grins on their faces. It took me a second. I looked at my friend Annie and said "OH! Who is it?!!". I looked at each one, "Who? Who is it"? I turned to look at the bags of gifts, and looked back at the table. That's when someone placed a cake in front of me.

"Me?"

"Happy 39 and a half!!" they all said.

Oh my god. They got me. They really did. As it turns out, Jill did not have cooties. She was trying to signal Mary not to forget the party hats. They all decided that they would have a better chance surprising me now than waiting until December. They were right. I couldn't have been more surprised.

Here are the bags of gifts I toted home Friday night.
Here they are all laid out. No! I did not peek or fondle any of them. I did notice several bags from Folly 101 (oh boy!). I rearranged them in numerical order so I don't have to search each day.
This is my day 1 gift from Renee. A sweet little potted Geranium that will live on the windowsill in my sewing room until I forget to water it and then Mr. Strange will rescue it.

This was yesterday's gift. They are all numbered for me! Yes, there is one that is 39 1/2.
Inside #2 was an adorable Vera Bradley jewelry case with a ring in it from Linda! In my new favorite fabric!
As party favors, Mary gave everyone jelly rolls of fabric in neutral colors to make a quilt with. It's a quilt that a member of our group made in neutrals that we haven't been able to stop talking about. Now we each have the fabric to make our own!
I was so inspired by the pink ribbon that I couldn't resist adding a little blush to mine.
This morning, I opened a Blossom Crown from Dee! Isn't it lovely?
It seems that we can keep secrets after all! The other evening, after the big surprise, I decided it was time to confess that I'd been keeping a secret of my own. Friends, meet the blog. Blog, meet my friends:

Last summer in Cape Cod - left to right: (me), Renee (our southern belle), Annie, and WinnieAt the Getaway - left to right: Annie, Jill, Winnie, me, Mary and Linda Betsy at the Getaway

Dee at Cape Cod

With the big job change, I've been feeling a little untethered. This was the perfect reminder that work is just work, but the rest of my life is still here. I feel so blessed these days. As far as the age, after all is said and done, it doesn't matter how old you are; good friends are always the best gift of all.

Happy Birthday!

2007-06-28T22:47:00.001-04:00

Lordy lordy, look who's 40!
This is Charlie, one of my best friends in the whole world and today (actually Friday) is his birthday!

This photo was taken 22 years ago on the 4th of July. We were on our way to watch the fireworks at Capital Park in Augusta (Maine) with all of our friends ("the gang"). It was our last summer together before Charlie went away to college.

Have you ever had a dear friend that you lost touch with and wondered about? Charlie is one of those people for me. Just last summer, we finally reconnected after nearly 13 years! I can't tell you how happy I am to have him in my life again, even if he is nearly half way around the world! He is the one who urged me to start blogging ("It's so easy" he said).

If you haven't noticed the link to his website it my sidebar, check it out. Just to make it easy, here's the link. Check out his photo diary for some great photographs too!

Happy Birthday Charlie!
You are the BEST!

P.S. - If you have lost touch with a friend, find them!

Are you ready for this?

2007-06-26T21:36:00.000-04:00

Whenever my mom has a story to tell, she likes to build up the suspense by saying "Are you ready for this? I mean are you ready? Are you really ready? Listen to this..."

I am my mother's daughter, but we differ in style, at least when it comes to hyperbole.See those buds, plump and ready to open, reaching for the sun to become what they were meant to be? That's me. At least that's how I have felt over the last two weeks. The wait is over. I have a new job!!!! I have waited a long time to make this change, and while it was hard to finally make the decision to do it (comfort is very seductive), the perfect opportunity literally fell into my lap (they wanted me!!). I'll essentially be doing the same thing I do now, but on a much larger scale with more responsibility, and of course more compensation. I keep pinching myself. It's real! I gave my notice today and start my new job 2 weeks from tomorrow! What will I wear? Will there be knitters there? I'm going to try really hard to chill out now because I have worn myself out fretting needlessly.

Sigh.

Let's talk about Yarn Tour! While it wasn't quite the trip we had anticipated (yarnwise), we still had a great time. Unfortunately, Isis on Penhallow in Portsmouth does not serve brunch on Saturdays (pooh!), but we found a great BBQ place that serves the world's largest chef salad I have ever seen in addition to some mighty tasty sweet potato fries! With full bellies, Aimee fell into a used bookstore while Lori and I headed off to Portsmouth Fabric Company, where I found the perfect Kaffe Fasset fabric to line my LTL bag:and some Amy Butler fabric I have been lusting for (future skirt).Lori was very well behaved and just drooled. Aimee bought several books for $1 each.

Finally, after some hair raising driving, we arrived safely at Hubs with patterns and calculators in hand, ready to lay down some cash and buy some yarn! Lori was immediately enticed by some Premiere...

Aimee checked her patterns for something, anything, to use some yarn for...

while I deliberated with a fellow knitter over whether or not Provence would work for the Josephine Top. How great is it when you can plonk yourself on the floor of a shop and play with yarn and meet other knitters who came armed with some of the same patterns you did?
Despite the fact that we must have spent at least 2 hours fondling, sniffing and otherwise mauling yarn, Lori bought a set of needles, Aimee bought a bag of yarn for $20 (for real) and I came away with 6 skeins of Imagine at $3 a pop. Not the haul we were expecting, but good fun was had by all.
I've already knit a gauge swatch with the Imagine (5.5 sts to the inch on size 4) and think that I'll make a simple boat neck fitted sleeveless top. I just love the colors, but the knitted material is a bit stiffer that I thought it would be, given the drape of the yarn in the hank. Who cares? It was only $18!!!

Since I didn't find anything for Josephine, I ran to my favorite LYS the next day to buy this Debbie Bliss Wool Cotton. I got perfect gauge, but may modify the pattern to get a smaller size. The finished 36.5 will be too big.

Since life is never simple, Mr. Strange left town yesterday to be with his mom who was admitted to the hospital for complications from shingles. She is responding to antibiotics and will hopefully be released tomorrow. So, while I am happy about the new job, my heart is miles away with my dear one and his mum.

I look forward to a time, hopefully sometime soon, when I can just knit and think about what to knit next and nothing else.

Monkey See Monkey Do

2007-06-22T21:50:00.001-04:00

Happy Summer!!

Please accept this small token of purple prettiness as my apology for the long absence. I have been a bit distracted by my personal life of late and have been very neglectful of my poor blog life. Soon all will be revealed - I am in the midst of some exciting changes, and that's all I can say right now (no, I'm not the new editor of any knitting publications, I'm not writing a book, and I'm not pregnant). I am a bit nervy and anxious, even though I am the one initiating the change. OK, I confess. I've been a wreck. Stomach all in knots. Excessive sweating. Poor eating habits. I'm not good at waiting for things that I have no control over. My mind plays terrible tricks on me, and I fret over things that haven't happened yet. Stupid things that may not even happen at all. See what you've been missing? That's why I haven't posted. My poor friends have been listening to me for 2 weeks (such dear dear friends I have), but even they have told me that I need to chill. Tonight, with the help of Frye's Leap, I'm doing just that. Chilled or not, I am open the power of positive cosmic thinking, so cross your fingers for me!

Onto the good stuff. The real fiber of my life.

I have been knitting! I finally succumbed to the Monkey Sock phenomenon and cast on last weekend using Spunky Eclectic's Skinny Socks that I bought at Spa this year. The color is called Dinah.
The lace pattern is incredibly easy to memorize, and this yarn is so soft that I wonder if it's sturdy enough for a sock. As a matter of fact, I'm not quite sure that the size 2 needles that I am using are the right choice. Size 1 might be better. Despite my hesitation, I keep knitting. I think I'm just into the process at this point.

Sahara is also trucking right along. I finished the hem and am working on the neckline.
Up until this point, this has been a quick and easy knit. The lace pattern includes a row of knitting or purling 3 together through the back loop. Yuk. It's not fun. Not one bit. Maybe that's why I haven't touched it in days. Oh, it's not that hard. Don't let my whining scare you. I tried it on when I finished the hem - so far it fits.

Tomorrow I head off for Yarn Tour 2007 with my friends Aimee and Lori. We were planning an overnight trip that included the Hub's Mills in Lowell and Webs in Northampton, but reality set in and we set a more modest goal and decided to stick to Hub's instead. It's hard to stay focused on a trip like this, but I decided that my main goal is to find yarn to knit the Josephine Top from the new Interweave. I also need several skeins of Inca Alpaca for the Equinox Pullover from IK Fall 2006. If I happen to fall on some Lush, I won't say no. I also packed Louisa Harding's Modern Classics and Paton's Next Step Two for inspiration, just in case. Who am I kidding? You know what I yarn ho I am.

We are starting off with breakfast at Isis on Penhallow in Portsmouth (for the best corned beef hash ever crafted) and a quick visit to Portsmouth Fabric Company (fabric!!!). My camera is charged. I'm ready to go.

Wheeeee! Ain't life grand?

Oh! I almost forgot! The pink yarn in my last post is Classic Elite's Four Seasons!

Let's do the Twist!

2007-06-11T19:23:00.000-04:00

The new Knitty is up! I'm feeling a hankering for some Tangerine Twist and I have the perfect yarn - make mine a Peppermint Twist!

T in the Sahara

2007-06-10T18:48:00.001-04:00

Thanks for all the compliments on Surplice! I'm so pleased with the way it came out. Having worn it to work one day last week, I can tell you that it did not lose it's shape at all. The only caveat is that the neckline migrated somewhat, requiring that I make quick use of clear packing tape to avoid TMC (too much cleavage). The next time I wear it, I'll probably wear a cotton cami underneath.

Speaking of hoochie mama garments, I've made significant progress on Sahara this week:
Even with the lace insert to be added to the neckline, it's quite obvious that this will be a weekend wear. Right now it measures about 28 inches at the bust (gulp), but stretches easily to 34. My stitch gauge is spot on, but my row gauge is a little shorter than recommended, so I am following the row counts, rather than measurements, figuring that it will have the effect of shortening things to fit my frame.

Knitting has provided a much needed oasis this week. Let's just say that I'm on the verge of making a major change in my life, and have been using the computer for reasons more professional than recreational. It would be an understatement to say that this has me a bit nerved up. I just keep reminding myself, in the words of that great inspirational speaker, Stuart Smalley: "I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and doggone it, people like me". Would it be silly to say that I can leap very small buildings in single bound? Because honestly, it seems like the whole self promotion document (you know the kind I mean) is a big brag book, and I feel embarrassed to write about myself that way, even if what I say is true. Maybe I need an agent?

I do feel comfortable bragging about my creative achievements. I finished the blocks for LTL today. I wonder if they should be blocked before I sew them together? Right now I'm just trying to find a pleasing color combination. This is what I've come up with so far:

Side A

Side B

The whole shebang

Mission Falls has a dark eggplant color ("Damson") that I am considering using for the rest of the bag. Initially I thought of brown (big surprise there) but didn't like the shade in the 1824 wool. Black seems obvious, but I hardly wear black anymore. I may go completely off pattern when it comes to constructing the fabric liner. Mostly because my blocks finish smaller than written. I'd like it to be really sturdy, and have considered reinforcing it with plastic canvas - hidden, of course.

I had to make myself stop making blocks for this bag, but the evil seed that I need a crocheted throw has been planted. Funny, if you consider that I've never wanted to knit a throw. OK, maybe one of those Ab Fab Colinette kits, if I could afford it or was miraculously gifted one. Don't worry, I don't expect kits to come flying at me through the mail. All that aside, I don't need another project. I worked off a little anxiety this week by storing away all of my WIP's that I plan to finish later. Just in case you're wondering, Ariann, the Bailey Island Scarf, Pomatomas, the Next Steps 2 Cardigan, and a pair of plain old basic socks are on summer vacation and the Sunburst Pullover may be coming back for a visit.

Jobs are temporary. Knitting is forever.

Rant and Rave

2007-06-03T22:18:00.001-04:00

Let's start with the rave:

The Surplice Lace Top is done!!!
It's perfect perfect perfect! I Love it!

Every bit of tinkering, modifying and frogging was well worth it.

Yay!! For more pics and my modifications, visit here.

As you can tell, I've recovered from my cold. Never too sick to knit, immediately after seaming Surplice on Friday, I cast on for the Josephine Top in the Elsebeth Lavold Hempathy from stash, but it didn't work, so I decided to save that as a Yarn Tour destination, and instead turned my attention to Sahara. The yarn is jeanne from Plymouth Yarns. It is so unbelievably soft and easy to knit with, and the fabric it makes feels exactly like an old, well-worn sweatshirt. The kind that you keep even when it starts to fall apart. The kind you put on after a hot day at the beach. I think I'm in love. So far I've joined the front and back at the underarm. I had a bit of trouble with casting on at the beginning of the rows to shape the armholes. At first, I used a knitted cast on, but when I joined the front and back, the stitches were really loopy, so I frogged all three sections back to the cast on rows and used a cable cast on instead. It's not perfect, but it's better.
I expect that it will improve after I pick up stitches for the sleeve, and I can aways use the tails to neaten things up a bit. I wasn't sure what size to knit this top (this is the beginning of rant #1). The pattern says that it's written with 3 inches of negative ease. My bust measurement is 34 and the 2 options are 29.5 or 33 (I've decided on the 29.5 with crossed fingers and the knowledge that I can add extra increases if I need to). I surfed around to see how other knitters chose their size and to see how they came out, but hardly anyone posted the size they knit or if they did, they didn't post their own measurements so I couldn't get a sense of the fit. So, I've decided to do something somewhat radical: I'm going to post my measurements and link to it in the sidebar. From now on, if you want to know how my finished knitting or sewing fits relative to a size, you will know. More on this subject to come. It's been the source of much panty twisting this weekend.

I know that some of you (lori lori lori) don't want to see any more crochet, so I buried it deep in the post so maybe you'll miss it, or can scroll through. I love making these blocks for Larger Than Life ("LTL") so much that I don't know if I'll be able to stop. Maybe I'll make a Larger Than Life Throw! I've been considering a Smaller Than Life version too - a small tote or purse, 'cause you know I need more bags (snick).
In order to continue making blocks, I had to go out to my LYS to buy some more Mission Falls 1824 in a few colors. Along the way, I stumbled. Actually I was overcome by infatuation and Sudafed and came home with a sumptuous skien of Blue Heron Rayon Metallic in Curry. Sometimes I even scare myself. I should not be allowed to go shopping alone. Why did I buy this, other than the fact that it bears an uncanny resemblance to the colors I am using for LTL? I've had this design idea on the back burner for a while now. As soon as I got home, I wound a lumpy cake (actually two lumpy cakes - rayon is a bitch on the ball winder), and then fell down a deep rabbit hole for 2 hours. This is what I have to show for it:
Impressive huh? I decided to put it back on the burner to simmer for a while. Not quite ready.

Today I fell down another rabbit hole. I made a cute little skirt with a contrasting polka dot waistband facing. Some people wear sexy underwear and feel like they have a secret all day; I like knowing that I have a contrasting waist band. Go figure. So about the skirt. It's cute. I really like it. There's only one problem: it's too big.
Rant #2:

The pattern (New Look 6595) says that these measurements:

Bust 34
Waist 26.5
Hips 36

are a size 12. Since my measurements are nearly the same, I made the size 12. Well. The FINISHED hip measurement for a size 12 is 41 inches. The pattern is designed with 5 inches of ease. That's a LOT of ease! That's not the only thing: the instructions for the zipper installation was wrong, referring to the left side of the zipper throughout - it was a typo. Fortunately, I know how to install a zipper. There's also something wonky about the lower contrasting band option, but I'm not even going there right now. This is why people try to sew and then quit because nothing ever fits! The sizing is whacked! I wear a US size 4. Usually when I sew tops, I make the size 6 or 8, depending on the finished size. When I make skirts, I've made the 10 and the 12 with varying degrees of success. Whacked I tell you! OK, I'm going to simmer down now and focus on something positive.

My Rhododendron is blooming. Mr. Strange calls it a "Beauty Bush". Is that a Southern thing? I don't care what you call it, it's just pretty.Our long term sharecropper, "The Fat Rascal" came out to chew on some grass today. She (??) is so tame now that I was able to get pretty close and it didn't phase her a bit (I wasn't as close as it appears, I used a macro). Munch munch munch. Isn't she cute? We don't have a vegetable garden, so we don't care. She's in groundhog heaven in our yard, with her own little compost condo in the corner and fences to keep all the neighborhood kids and dogs away. While I was taking pictures of her, I noticed a greyish heron-like bird with a red crest. Before I could take a photo, it flew away. I have no idea what it was! I've looked online at photos of Maine birds and the closest I could get was a type of woodpecker, but it had long legs. Strange. I also saw a pair of cardinals. I think they have a nest nearby. I love my yard.

No crochet today - I promise

2007-05-31T22:51:00.001-04:00

Head stuffed up want to tear my poor sore itchy nose off.
**SNIFF**
Stupid cold.
**SNIFF**
Dragged my sorry butt to work even tho' I felt like poo.
**SNIFF**
Skipped Yoga class.
**SNIFF**
Suplice halfway done.
**SNIFF**
Sneak preview:
**SNIFF**

AH-CHOOooooo!!

Pit shot:
**SNIFF**

Sorry for pale washed out pics. They look how I feel.

I. just. want. to. BREATHE!

New rule: No knitting on Nyquil.

I did it my way

2007-05-29T22:42:00.001-04:00

I was looking at my Larger Than Life blocks today and noticed something a little off. In the magazine photographs, the 4th row corners look pointier than mine. Now, I won't pretend that this particular row was easy for me. I never claimed to be an expert at crochet, but I've done a fair share of it in the past, so I thought I knew how to read a pattern. For the life of me, I could not match the written instructions to the chart. Having finally figured out how to read a crochet chart (it was one of those "AHA!" moments), I was puzzled as to why the diagram didn't seem to match the instructions.

Forgive me while I obsess on this in more detail. Perhaps some of you advanced hookers can solve this for me.

Round 4 of the pattern begins as follows: "Ch 1, sc in sl , *ch 5, sl st in 5th ch from hook, sk 2 dc, sc in next dc .... " and so on.

My reading of this gobbley gook is: Chain 1, single crochet in the slip stitch from the end of round 3, (begin repeat with) chain 5, slip stitch in the 5th chain from the hook, skip 2 double crochet from round 3, single crochet in the next double crochet from round 3 ...

This is what the chart looks like for this part:
The chart appears to say this: chain one, single crochet (in the slip stitch from row 3), chain 5, skip 2 double crochet from row 3, single crochet in the 3rd double crochet from round 3...

I couldn't figure out if I was supposed to close up that 5 chain loop, or just skip 2 dc and keep it open. In the chart it appears to be open. How to slip stitch in the chain? Through the back? Through one side? No matter how I did it, it looked wonky. Since it was easier to keep it open, and it appeared to follow the chart, I decided that the pattern must be wrong and did it my way.

This is how it looks as I've interpreted the chart:
Tonight I decided to try again without looking at the chart. After 3 attempts at those corners, I think that this is how it's supposed to look, if I follow the written instructions:I checked the Interweave Crochet website for pattern corrections and didn't find any for this bag. I also looked at finished blocks made by members of the CAL and no one else seemed to have this interpretation issue. The only obvious conclusion is that I'm not reading the chart correctly. Maybe I'm taking it too literally. The bottom line is that my version is MUCH easier and I've already finished 3 blocks. Someone once said that if you make the same "mistake" 3 times you've created a pattern. I may just make a few more using the designer's pattern to mix it up a little (it took too long to make that version and I don't have the heart to frog it).

Compare and contrast:

Pattern as written
My block
I do like the pointy corners in the pattern version, but mine seems more airy. Yeah. Airy!
It's my block party and I'll dance any way I want to!

Just to rile you up a little, I was ~~watching~~ passively listening to N.C.I.S (it's a Mark Harmon thing) tonight while obsessing over crochet, and heard a character define a blog this way: "Something losers put online so everyone can read."

HUMPH! Who's the loser?

Say it with Flowers!

2007-05-28T21:16:00.000-04:00

I hope everyone had a lovely long weekend. The weather here was perfect: warm and sunny. What a relief after a cold, dreary spring. Mr. S and I went to the greenhouse today to buy flowers for our window box. Actually, we went to 2 places because I was in search of these:
I can't tell you what they are because the tag is in the garage, but the color is so beautiful that they make my heart sing whenever I look at them. It doesn't show so well in the photo, but the purple centers just vibrate against the orange sherbet colored petals. Mmmmm. Happy little flowers.

I spent Friday through Sunday with my mom. We shopped (as usual) and ate bad food (as usual). Honestly, it would not bother me one bit if I didn't eat batter fried clams or onion rings for a long, long time. Bluh. While I wasn't committing sins of consumption, I worked on Surplice, and can finally say that I am almost done.
So naturally I started a new project. It's not my fault! I have been tempted by others into picking up my hook (you know who you are). Actually, Cara is the worst offender, what with her larger than life photos.

Yes, you've all conspired to wear me down; I started the Larger Than Life Bag last night. I was only going to make one block, just to test the waters. Now I have 3 finished blocks, and one more on the way. The last time I hooked, this is what happened:
Sorry. I know. It hurts the eyes. Despite Cara's success with the acryl-ick, I couldn't bear to touch the stuff again. Conveniently, I had plenty of Mission Falls 1824 Wool leftover from my Funky Chicken Pillow (Interweave Fall 2004, see photo with #5 under "10 Knittery Things" in this post).

I'm having so much fun combining colors that I can't seem to stop. Fortunately, or not, it's pretty painful for me to crochet very much at once (poor old hands), so the Surplice top is still at the top of the list.

Speaking of the list, I'm guilty of a little stash acquisition this weekend. In my defense, I've been sewing as fast as I can buy fabric, and it was on sale (you know). I found this embroidered cotton at Jo-Ann's in Brunswick (50% off!). It's exactly like the fabric I saw on a blouse in the Old Port last week. I was wondering where I could get that kind of fabric and it just fell in my lap.
In case you can't see the embroidery, here's how it looks against the light.

I also found the orange linen-like fabric below (a "Super Value" priced at $3.99 a yard!), which I am going to use in some combination with the brown or neutral in a skirt, as well as the coordinating ribbons. I have plans for several different ways to embellish simple skirts, with contrasting bands, applique, hand embroidery, and ribbons, and just need a good stretch of time to sit down and sew! Hopefully next Saturday. In case you are interested, I actually do wear what I sew, which you can see here and here.
As proof that I haven't given up on knitting, I managed to score some yarn for Sahara. I couldn't pass it up at $3.25 a skein, even though Yarn Tour is coming up (oh, you'll be hearing lots about that in the future). I bought 10 skeins which is WAY more than enough for the short sleeve version. What to do with 500 yds of worsted weight cotton blend yarn?
For those rare moments when I can't knit, or crochet, or sew, I'm reading Stephanie's new book, which I finally found at Barnes and Noble. Right now, it's in the bathroom. That says volumes about my down time.

Until we meet again, here's a little pretty to brighten your day.
Happy Week!

Stitch and kvetch

2007-05-24T21:20:00.001-04:00

Why am I obsessed with sewing these days?
Does it have anything to do with the fact that it took me 2 evenings to make this top...
and after 3 weeks, I am still unable to finish knitting the Surplice Lace Top?
I love the portability of knitting and the fact that there are endless opportunities for "do overs", but it does take time; however, if I cut out fabric using the wrong pattern size, I can't just frog it and start over. Thankfully, this top came out exactly the way I wanted it to. Phew! Even if it hadn't, it would only have cost me about $20 and 5 hours.

After owning my sewing machine for 3 years , I finally read the manual and learned to use some of the specialty feet that it came with to create a more polished look - what a concept!

This funny looking foot keeps zig zag stitches flat, resulting in a finished edge that looks just like it had been done by a serger.Have you ever seen one of those tiny rolled hems and wondered how it's done? There's a foot for it!
Suplice. Plbbbb. That's another story. When are they going to invent a row and stitch counter that beeps when you make a mistake? It wouldn't be all that different from a pedometer! Just clip it to your needle and off you go! Forget to decrease and it will BEEEEP! Bound off too few stitches? BEEEEP! I need one of these! I have frogged and knit and frogged and knit and frogged and knit. I can't even say that beer was involved this time. Could it be that I have angered the knitting spirits with all this sewing? Am I being taught a lesson?
If so, I guess I'm destined to frog because I found the cutest little sewing pattern for a surplice front top...

Gimme just a little more time

2007-05-20T20:44:00.001-04:00

There are simply not enough hours in the day to do everything I want. From here on out, I am going to give up sleeping because it's just a waste of time.

Just kidding.

There were so many things that I thought I could do this weekend, but here it is, 11:00 pm on Sunday and I still need to paint my toenails, put the laundry away and make a dish for a potluck dinner tomorrow. At least I managed to get a few things accomplished...

I recovered from my Surplice tragedy and decided to rip out the back to the lace section and omit the extra lace repeat. This will only shorten the length by an inch, which will be fine considering that it's already 15 inches, which is a little long for me. Last night I did a bad bad thing. I whipped up the right front and got all the way to the shoulder bind off before I realized that I'd forgotten to increase 60 rows back and was missing a stitch. Need I say that beer was involved. What's the saying? "Friends don't let friends knit drunk"? What can I say - Mr. Strange is out of town and I was all by my lonesome with some cold brew and a pile of yarn.

Before that little mishap, I managed to whip up this little number.
This fabric is so cute that I couldn't resist. The pattern is McCall's #2129 (view D), and the fabric is Moda's Urban Chiks Summer in the City. I hadn't made this pattern in quite a while and had forgotten that it's a pretty fitted high waist design, so it didn't come out how I had anticipated, but I still like it.

I added a little bit of fun at the hem: some itsy bitsy fringe.

I much prefer this skirt that I finished today. The pattern is New Look #6345 (View A) and the fabric is from the Amy Butler Belle Collection for Rowan. I am so in love with this fabric.

For this skirt I added some ric rac to the hem,

and used a contrasting fabric for the waist band facing. I would have modeled these, but a) my photographer is out of town; and b) you don't want to see my veiny white legs. NOTE to self: apply self tanner.

I even had enough fabric left over to make another belt.

Belts belts belts! I can't get enough of them! If you haven't tried the pattern, you shouldn't be intimidated. My friend Lori made her first one this weekend, and said it was really easy (see, I told ya!).

I might have accomplished more today if I hadn't gone to JoAnn Fabrics (less than a mile from my house), for 2 little things. Yeah. $20 later I had the ric rac (above) and lace trim (for below), some ribbon, a zipper, a new skirt (a-line, low waist) and a new magazine. After that there was that annoying food thing to take care of. It's a good thing that we have a Whole Foods store in Portland now. When Mr. Strange is out of town, I just can't be bothered. Unfortunately, I was hungry when I went in and lost a good chunk of time sampling hand lotions (no, I didn't buy or eat any). At least I left with something healthy to eat and my hands smelled good.

After losing nearly 2 hours for what was supposed to be a quick trip, I made it home in time to get a little more sewing in. Here's a sneak preview of a WIP (It's So Easy, it's so easy, yeah yeah yeah...)

I would have finished the top, but I had something else to do this evening:

Yes, I've posted the pattern! Sew happy!

The laundry isn't going anywhere soon, and it's too rainy to show my toes anyway. Do you think cheese and crackers are a lame contribution to a potluck?

Bad things happen to speedy knitters

2007-05-18T22:28:00.000-04:00

They say that necessity is the mother of invention. Bosh! I say laziness is the mother of invention, at least in my house.

I've been working hard on the Surplice Lace Top every evening this week. Because I ~~am lazy~~ enjoy living on the edge, I decided to make some modifications to this pattern. First, I substituted a sport weight yarn for the so-called worsted weight yarn called for in the pattern, without buying extra yardage. Second, I went down a needle size. Despite this, I got ~~perfect~~ near gauge. Next, I decided that it was a silly waste of time to seam the bodice top to the bodice bottom, so I knit it in one piece. This worked great for the back, and look how great it's working for the front:

I worked the right front first, putting the first 35 of the 55 stitches needed for the left front on waste yarn. After finishing the right front, I joined new yarn and picked up the remaining 20 stitches behind the right front and continued on to work the left front.

So neat! So clever! I even took these pictures to brag about my ingenuity. I even thought that I would have (barely) enough yarn to finish. Well hardy har har. The joke is on me. As I compared the front and back tonight, I noticed something that made my head hurt. Oh No! No no no no no!

The front is shorter than the back! Count the lace rows. I omitted an entire lace repeat! F*BOMB! Kapow!

Now I know that I WILL run out of yarn! Cheese and Crackers!

I'll need to call the Patternworks and order one more skein. Hmmm. They carry Wildflower DK...that yarn would be perfect for The Josephine Top....hmmmm.

In total disgust, I focused my energy tonight on making this simple square bottom tote bag with the intention of posting the directions.
Stay tuned.

The Object of My Desire

2007-05-15T21:16:00.000-04:00

Do you remember when we first met? I was in the coffee shop and you had just arrived and were sitting on a small shelf. As usual, I was waiting in line to order my afternoon cup of overpriced and absurdly complicated to describe beverage, when I happened to notice you out of the corner of my eye. So new! So pretty! So fresh!

They had tagged you as a "Garden Bag", a Mother's Day promotional item, but I could see that you were meant for much greater things. Stuffed with a box of tea (a caffeine-less waste of water) and a pretty little pink water bottle, you were so perky and full of hope that someone would buy you. But alas, you were too expensive.

Every day, for weeks, I would visit you, admiring all of the details that endeared you to me. The delicate flower on your front.

Your lacy trim and eyelet loops.

Your little pockets, lined with coordinating stripes, waiting to be filled. Oh, how I yearned for you! I knew that one day we would be together, when the time was right. Soon, Mother's Day would pass and you would be marked down to a price that I could afford.

Finally, the day came.

Today, I walked by the coffee shop and looked in the window. You weren't there! I told myself not to panic, that you were probably hiding in a new spot: the discount bin. A few hours later, I came for you, but you were nowhere to be found. My heart sank. I had waited too long. It was not meant to be. I was so sad. On a lark, I asked the clerk where you were. She disappeared for a few minutes, and I was sure that she would come back and tell me that you were gone forever. With a heavy heart, I waited for the bad news. But she came back with you in hand. You were on sale: 50% off! Joy! Mine mine mine, all mine. As I walked out of the store with you in a large paper bag, I smiled and giggled like a schoolgirl.

My beautiful little bag.

You are home at last. See what purpose you have given me?

Good things do happen at Starbucks.

Brain Candy

2007-05-14T20:54:00.000-04:00

My friend Aimee recently scolded me for my lack of posts. I wish I could offer up some fantastic reason, like a sudden week long vacation in an exotic location, but in reality, I've been dog tired and suffering from lack of ambition. All of that gym going and sewing and running around caught up to me and I crashed, unable to get out of my own way for several days. So I gestated on the couch for a while and finally got up the gumption to do something other than work out and surf for fabric online.

The last time I posted, I had started the Surplice Lace Top from Nashua Handknits Designer Collection No. 4. Well, I frogged my first attempt, went down a needle size, and so far so good. The back is done!

I just love this yarn (Dale of Norway Svale)! It drapes beautifully and the color is one of my current favorites. I am mildly concerned about running out of yarn, but I am getting gauge (even with the smaller needles) and I have about 20 yards more than the pattern calls for. I've made a slight modification to the pattern, opting to knit the back in one piece rather than bind off the bottom and seam the bodice afterwards. We'll see how well it works when I knit the front the same way. I can visualize how to do it, so cross your fingers! It had been so long since I'd knit anything that I forgot how much work it is. After the first evening, I couldn't believe how tired my forearms were! Who says that knitting isn't exercise?

On Saturday, after returning 990 soda bottles and cans to the redemption store (how the hell did we drink that much soda?), I finally took the time to play with fabric and made a new belt with a buckle that recently arrived in the mail, courtesy of jcaroline creative. Doesn't it look like sherbet ice cream? These belts are fast becoming the scarves of my summer wardrobe: I know that I don't really need another one, but I just can't help myself.

Last weekend I went shopping with my mother and found the cutest little quilted travel case for jewelry. It was offered as a "free" promotional gift by Vera Bradley - as in free if you spend $60. I figured that it would be silly to spend that much just so I could get the gift, so I studied it for a while (after seriously considering a new duffel bag for the gym) and viola! My version:

I call it the "Jewelry Taco".

I always take off my jewelry before I work out and frequently shove it in the pocket of whatever bag I am carrying, later panicking because I can't remember where I put it. This is my first try, and I can already see some things that I would do differently, but I used it tonight and found it really handy.

I may not have been crafting very much lately, but I sure have been thinking about it. I let my subscription to Interweave Knits lapse, and then had to run out and buy the new issue so I could knit the Josephine Top. I even have stash yarn: Ambrosia by Knit One Crochet Too or Elsebeth Lavold's Hempathy. So far, I'm leaning towards the Ambrosia because I love the color, but I'm not sure that it's a summer weight yarn (alpaca, silk and cashmere). On the other hand, it's already freezing in my office and it's not even summer. Today I thought that it was time I knit myself a summer cotton cardigan. Maybe with some of the Lion Brand Cotton Ease....it comes in so many pretty colors. I'm really glad they brought that yarn back. If you've never tried it, you should. It's really nice to knit with. I think they carry it at Michaels. Gosh, I'm nattering. This is how my brain works all the time. No wonder I can't get anything done!

While thinking about sewing, I managed to buy some fabric online - amazing how that happens. I think about it and it just arrives on my doorstep (I wish).

The Fat Quarter Shop is one of my new favorite sites to visit and drool over fabric. I finally procured some half yard cuts of the new Anna Maria Horner collection, Chocolate Lollipop. Don't you just love the packaging? Inside that vellum envelope (love love love vellum), are 29 5 inch charms squares - the entire collection. Ahhhh. Thinking about these keeps me up at night.

Speaking of things to think about all night, Aimee, Lori, Porsche and I are planning our Yarn Tour 2007! Last year we went to the Classic Elite Mill store in Lowell and then several other shops on in Lexington and Cambridge. This year, we are going back to Lowell and then off to the great mother ship of discount yarn: Webs in Northampton. Since it's a 4 hour drive from here, we are spending the night in Holyoke (for some bizarre reason, every room in every hotel in Northampton is booked for the weekend of June 23rd. What's up with that?).

Yep, lots of things are going on. I'm going to go think about it now.

It's about time

2007-05-03T23:24:00.000-04:00

I was going to attempt to write a very clever post about the fact that I finally picked up the sticks again and started knitting last night, but instead I spent most of the evening cleaning my old sewing machine to give to my friend, Lori, who I have corrupted into sewing along with me. It inspired me to post some instructions (and revealing photos) on how to do it, so in case you are interested, they are here.

So, yes, I've been knitting. I started the Surplice Lace Top from Nashua Handknits Designer Collection No. 4 with the Dale of Norway Svale I bought at the Getaway last month. I know that it's a risky substitution: Svale is sportweight and the Natural Focus Ecolologie Cotton called for in the pattern is classified as worsted, but dang it, I fondled them both for quite a while and they felt the same. My gauge was a perfect 4 inch square using the recommended needle size (how often does THAT happen?). Quite excitedly, I cast on and started knitting. After the 5th row of the lace pattern, I realized that it looked a little ... wide. Uh oh. I measured. So far, it's almost an inch too wide. Given that there's already 2 and 1/2 inches of ease in the smallest size (36.5" finished measurement for a 34 bust), I take this as a major red flag.

Say "bye bye". I'm going to frog it and start over with smaller needles. So much for that!

It's been a busy week (lots of working out and surfing for fabric online) and I've been thinking a lot about how I "spend" my time, now that I have rearranged my entire schedule to fit in this gym business. Just for giggles, here's my time budget:

I SPEND Time:

Working
Sleeping
Eating
Blogging
Working out
Sewing
Knitting
Shopping (that includes groceries)
Socializing

I WASTE Time:

Looking at fabric online
Figuring out what to wear in the morning
In traffic
Messing with my hair
Picking out which kind of shampoo/deodorant/toothpaste to buy (there are too many choices)

I KILL/PASS Time:

Surfing the 'net
Looking at magazines
Window shopping
Watching/listening to TV
Knitting
Thinking about sewing/knitting/what to do next

I TEST Time:

Hitting the snooze button one. more. time.
Staying up too late

Speaking of staying up late, I just realized what time it is! I need to go to bed!

I'm off to my Mom's tomorrow. Wherever you are, I hope your weekend is hot and sunny!

Still not knitting

2007-04-29T16:27:00.001-04:00

Too much fun in one evening can throw an entire weekend off balance. Case in point: Friday night after work I met up with two of my closest friends from high school, Chip and Annie (Chip is the one on the right). We had joy, we had fun, we (I) had too much beer. I spent half of the day yesterday recovering. Bwah! Not how I had planned on spending the day.

To make up for my slothfulness, and to prove to myself that I am not a ~~drunk~~ total slacker, I managed to crank up enough ambition to make this cute little top. The pattern is New Look #6677 (view E). It may not look like it, but I was freezing while Mr. Strange snapped this photo! It's not summer yet folks! The color looks kind of pale in the photo, but it's very delicate. Heck, I look very pale! Pretend it's 80 degrees out and I have a tan...

I spent over an hour at Jo-Ann's trying to find the right fabric and gave up while waiting at the cutting counter with a bolt of fabric that was just "feh". Thankfully, I remembered a co-worker telling me about a new shop in town, Z Fabrics. It's a teeny, tiny brand new store, with just a few artfully placed bolts, but I like the owner's style, and found the print fabric for the top there.

While I was making this, I had a very difficult time with the neckline and front facing: lots of curved piecing and clipped curves. I cursed so much that it's a wonder that the walls of my sewing room didn't turn blue! At one point, I thought "This is so STUPID! Why am I spending all of this time making this thing when I could buy one at Old Navy for $13.99? Later it occurred to me that I have spent far more time and money on hand knit socks and that it's all a matter of perspective. This took about 5 hours, start to finish. Some of my trouble may have had something to do with my state of fatigue and dehydration. Perhaps it wasn't all that bad. I think I'd like to make another one, maybe with ties added. See side view and more info here.

On another topic, do you have yarn or fabric in your stash that you just can't use because you like it too much? You look at it, smile, and then put it away. Every once in a while you considering using it to make something, but then worry that it won't look as good or that it's not the "right" use for the yarn/fabric. Well, the daisy print that I used for my banner graphic is one of those fabrics for me. I've had this for over a year and have been unable to use it for anything. Now that I get to look at it every time I view my blog, I don't feel like it's so sacred. Today I took a giant leap and actually cut some of it!!!

Behold, a belt!

It's reversible!

Want to make one of your own? Here's the free pattern!!

Speaking of sacred fabric and patterns. The fabric I bought last weekend for the Cabo Halter, and didn't use, was on it's way to become precious. Mostly because I bought so much more than I needed for the pattern and wanted to find a way to use it that wouldn't be wasteful. Thankfully, I found this pattern at Z fabrics: Prairie Girl by Favorite Things (www.favoritethings.net - for some reason I can't access the site). The top takes 2 yards, leaving me a half yard to use for something else.

As you may have guessed from all of this talk about sewing future projects, I have not knit a single stitch in over 2 weeks. I'm even trying to corrupt others! Unbelievable! I'll get back to it eventually, maybe even tonight. In the meantime, check out this blog I stumbled on (go on, I dare you) if anything just to look at her beautiful fabric.... {sigh}.

Friday Fun

2007-04-27T00:00:00.000-04:00

Having a dull day at work? Try this on for fun!

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

Credit is due to Dr. Girlfriend Knits for this one!

Welcome to the Gun Show

2007-04-25T20:57:00.000-04:00

Dear Readers, the regularly scheduled post "Tarilyn natters about sewing and knitting" has been temporarily interrupted to bring you this special presentation : "Tarilyn natters about working out". The usual program will return when the author has something crafty to say.

If you have been reading for a while, you may know that I am not an outdoorsy, physically active sort of gal. This is not a recent development. As a child, I always preferred making things, playing pretend games (I had lots of Barbies), or reading. My mother and Nana were constantly nagging me to "go outside and play". Mom was a tomboy and thought I should be climbing trees! The truth is that I was never confident about my physical abilities. I felt fat and clumsy and fell down a lot. I hated gym class more than anything. In junior high, we were forced to run timed laps around the parking lot and the times were posted for the whole school to see. I was usually the next to last to finish. In my mind exercise = humiliation. Up until recently, the most exercise I've done, other than that involving knitting needles or a sewing machine, are the 2 Pilates classes I take each week. I'm proud of that because I've been doing it for 3 years now, which is far longer than other fitness routine I've ever done. This is mostly because I feel confident about my abilities, and because I've seen definite improvement in my posture and body shape. I didn't grow taller as a result, but I do feel strong and flexible. That is, until recently.

The company I work for has provided a free membership to a local gym (we have our pick of two in the area). Since it's free, I joined. Recently I attended 2 classes, back to back, where I had to do a lot of upper body work (mostly push-ups). I was able to do everything presented, and fairly well, but by the evening of the second class I couldn't even lift my arms. They hurt for days!!! It was a real wake-up call that I needed to work on my upper body strenght (OK, there's also those winter pounds I'm trying to shave off). So! Enter the personal trainer (a membership perk).

Last week I met with my trainer, a shy young fellow who blushed a lot. I talk and joke incessantly when I am nervous, so I nattered away the whole time, hoping that he wouldn't judge me by my physical (in)abilities. He started me out on an elliptical machine and I could only do it for 2.5 minutes because my legs were screaming (uh oh, humiliation creeping in). It only got worse. I was horrified at how puny and weak I was!! Bwah! Useless little arms! (I did great on the ab stuff though.)Well, tonight I met with him again, and I feel fantastic and strong. I could still only do 2.5 minutes on the elliptical (what is UP with that???) I may have short little legs, but I am a fast walker, right Lori? I felt much better about the workout this time. Tricep pushups? No problem. Easy peasy. Push-ups? No sweat. Squats on the Bosu Ball - spot on! I felt really pumped up. At the end of my session, I asked him to show me how to use the treadmill. At first it was just as hard as the elliptical until I realized that it was just going too slowly. I cranked up the speed to 4mph, increased the incline and watch out baby, I was smokin! It is a little boring, and weird to use a machine to do something I can do in my own neighborhood, but it felt more "real" exercise.

Bottom line: I feel good, I'm sleeping better, and I feel confident. I'd like to continue with the trainer, but now that my two free sessions are over, I'd have to pay a whopping sum nearly equal to my car payment (not going to happen, that's a lot of yarn and fabric!). I will continue to use the machines he showed me and we'll see. Maybe I'll do something amazing!

BTW: In case you were wondering, the title of this post is a reference to showing off one's well developed arms. As my friend Lori often demonstrates, you lift your arms as though to pump them up, kiss each bicep, and proclaim "Welcome to the gun show" like you are the announcer of a monster truck show. Try it and you'll feel like Ahhhhnold.

PS: I got my copy of It's A Wrap in the mail today. Ooooh! Lots of cool ideas!

Spring Cleaning

2007-04-22T23:07:00.000-04:00

Oh what a beautiful, warm, sunny weekend! We opened every window in the house to enjoy the fresh air. Ahhhhh! It's been such a long, dreary winter.

If you think that I spent the time hiking or raking the yard, you don't know me very well. Yesterday, my friend Lori came over for a little sewing lesson. She made a cute little drawstring skirt and it came out fantastic. Yay Lori! . I should have taken pics, but I know that she wouldn't have wanted me to post her white legs (like we all don't have them). Later in the afternoon, we were joined by our friend Aimee and her little poodle, Shaggy (why didn't I take any photos!?), for some S'n'B. I can't think of a better way to spend the day. I bought some Amy Butler fabric for the Cabo Halter at a new quilting shop, Sew Portland, but decided that I'd better try the pattern first to make sure that I like it before cutting up 2.5 yards of fabric. I found some inexpensive cotton on sale at JoAnn's to use as a test run.

I like it. We'll see if I actually wear it. Mr. Strange doesn't care for it. He thinks it's "not my best". Here's the back view (tattoo shot). I made the size small because it matched my bust measurement, and I'm glad I did. If I want to wear this without a bra (which I most likely will), I need it to be snug enough to hold up the girls. Speaking of which, I was not cold when the picture was taken, those are the bust darts.

Hopefully all of the working out I am doing will shave off some of that back and arm chub. Yuk.

I'm still going to hold off on using the Amy Butler fabric, shown below, to see if I really will wear this top. If not, I can always use it to make a skirt or something. Due to an error in the pattern, it called for 2.5 yards, but barely used 1.75. At $8.95 a yard, that makes me a bit peeved.

Today I did a little housecleaning, both literally and virtually. In a fit of weather optimism, I put away most of my winter sweaters, organized my closet and drawers, and purged some unused items (how many purses do I really need and how did I come to own so many black socks?). Many dust bunnies were killed in the process.

I also spent a fair bit of time blog organizing. Added 100 things (being a sneaky monkey, I back dated it) and all of the stuff in the sidebar I lost in the upgrade to the new layout. I also totally re-vamped my finished objects blog, formerly called "Tarilyn's Knitting Gallery", now known as "Tarilyn's Show'n Tell", using all of the new archiving and label features offered by the new blogger. I think it's much easier to navigate and finally looks the way I want it to. Take a visit and tell me what you think!

Tomorrow is supposed to be even warmer than today. Happy joy joy!

Daisy Daisy...

2007-04-20T22:26:00.000-04:00

Give me you answer do, I'm half crazy all for the love of you, *
I must admit that this is my favorite too!

Thanks for your input! For those interested in adding a graphic to the New Blogger Layout, see this post in Blogger Tips and Tricks.

(* Excerpt from "Daisy Bell" by Harry Dacre 1892)

On The Bright Side

2007-04-19T22:48:00.000-04:00

As you may have heard, a torrential rain and wind storm hit the Northeast on Monday. Our little home survived just fine, with only one fallen tree branch, but others were not so fortunate. Many of my friends lost power for a day or more, and as I write this, the local news is reporting on the devastation of many coastal homes. In light of this, and the other tragedy that occurred that day, I feel a bit superficial nattering about my little sewing projects and blog tinkering. But, sometimes you just have to look on the bright side of things, count your blessings, mourn for others, and move forward. For my part, that means not feeding on the tragedy of others (finger in ears singing "Tra la la") and recognizing that nothing is certain in life. Not that I don't have feeling or opinions about current events. I just don't feel like there's anything I can do or say to add to the conversation. Now, onto brighter things:

Those little fabric squares I bought last Saturday were keeping me up at night, so I had to make use of them right away. Here's the "This and That Bag" designed by Sherri K. Falls (I can't find a link for the pattern anywhere).

The other side:

The bottom:

This inside:

When I finished, I sat back and looked at it and thought "Will I actually use this as a purse?". Gross though it may sound, I think it looks like a vomit of colors. Not bad, just....bright and busy. There's a part of me that really likes that (major eye candy), but I don't know that it's the part I want to advertise every day. My good friend Annie likes to say "Some things are private!!" whenever the topic of conversation turns to body functions. Does my predilection for color mess qualify?

Just for giggles, I pretended I was shopping at a book store with it....

The verdict: I think I'll use it for travel or small knitting projects.

Speaking of color...

I spent the last several evenings playing with my blogger layout. I'm not totally in love with it yet, but at least I have a graphic back in my banner. I want the look of this blog to express who I am, but that's complicated. I'm not always the same person. There's the outside me, which has been described by others as "exuberant" and "high energy". I must admit that I get a little excited over things and can be quite chatty in person. Ironically, I wish that I were calm and graceful. The inside me is much quieter and solemn. It took years for me to admit that I am an extrovert...

That said, I would love to have a blog that looks neat and serene like Cara's or Julia's, but I'm not sure that's "me", or at least how I feel today. Obviously I have spent way too much time thinking about this!

Even though I am one of those people who asks for other's opinions and then does what they want to anyway, I am going to ask your opinion on something:

I may change the banner to something totally different. Which do you prefer?

a) the current banner

b) Old Background:
c) Violet Petals:

d) Daisies:

e) Psychedelic Petals:

f) Groovy Petals:

g) Hate them all (it's OK if you do)

I know that I have some lurkers out there and I'd love to hear from you!

Cha cha cha changes

2007-04-17T23:21:00.000-04:00

Surprise!

Some well needed advice from Michal prompted me to stop being such a wuss and start taking advantage of the features offered by the new Blogger. It's still a work in progress, so don't be surprised if things look a little different the next time you visit. I still need to figure out how to get my old banner back, but so far I like how it looks. What do you think?

Stay tuned....

4/18/07: Edited to add: If things are missing, like almost every photo posted in the last few months, I didn't do it. I swear. It's a "temporary" Blogger thing. I found this out after spending most of the evening creating a new banner photo. Grrrr.

Sew Busy!

2007-04-15T20:22:00.001-04:00

Ohmigosh where did all that time go? The last week was a blur of working out, recovering from working out, sewing, knitting, visiting the dentist, recovering from visiting the dentist, birthday planning and playing with Mom. What do I have to show for all that running around?

A new Bow Tucks Tote for Mom, better known by my quilting pals as the "Botox Bag". This is a very well written pattern that sews up quickly once all of the pieces are cut.

It's quite a roomy tote, perfect for knitting or what have you, with lots of inside pockets and these neat little bows which magically transform the appearance of the bag from tote to large purse. The fabric is from JoAnn's and was chosen for its close resemblance to the Java Blue collection from Vera Bradley (one of Mom's favorite prints). Incidentally, the Vera print was designed by Michael Miller, and if you don't want to spend the money on one of her bags, you can make your own using fabric from the Metro Blue Collection from Marcus Brothers (also designed by Michael Miller) online or at your local quilt store ( Mariner's Compass in Bath, Maine and Portsmouth Fabric Company in Portsmouth, NH both carry it)

One of the things I love about this bag is that it's a great way to showcase a beautiful button. This one was also purchased at JoAnn's (40% off this week!). Can you tell that I live less than a mile from this store?

I can't wait to make one of my own. If only I could decide which of my stash fabrics to use....

The bag was a gift for Mom's birthday (which was Thursday). We spent the weekend together, doing the usual: shopping.

I made out like a bandit at Mariner's Compass Quilt Shop in Bath, finally finding this Amy Butler Cabo Halter Pattern. I resisted the urge to buy the fabric to make one, deciding to hold off when I saw some other little goodies, too good to pass up.

I found this 5 inch charm square pack of the Celebrate Spring collection by Sandy Gervais for Moda (44 squares for $10).

And this collection of Chez Moi by Sentimental Studios, also for Moda: 38 squares for only $8! Aren't they the most scrumptious colors? I just want to eat them!

To translate this into knitting terms, imagine getting 38 10 yard hanks of a new color palette from a yarn designer! OK, I know what you are thinking: that I am falling down the slippery slope of stash acquisition. Just what am I going to do with all those little squares?

Don't worry. I have a plan. More importantly, I have a pattern. This little bag will use 18 of the squares, leaving me 68 to use in a little charm quilt, which I also have patterns for in the More Nickel Quilts Book I won as a door prize at the Getaway.

I've wanted to make this bag for a long time, but it seemed a bit maman (we say it like "mehmeh") for my fashion taste. Don't get me wrong, I love that country primitive stuff in my home. I just don't want to wear it. Speaking of yummy, I also found these sherbet colored buttons at the Walbox store. Precious aren't they? I'd better watch it. If you could hear me talk about these, you'd start calling me Smeagol...

It seems that I just can't get enough time on my sewing machine these days! That's the one thing I prefer about knitting: it's so portable. Mom and I had a little sewing bee this weekend, and I had to haul my machine with me. I taught her how to make a coiled fabric basket, but had to leave early because of the stupid snowstorm. Yeah. More snow. I can't even talk about it anymore. I did get a chance to pre-cut some strips for a new basket in these colors reminiscent of summer days at Cape Cod.

And made some serious progress on another project. This is just a sneak preview. It's a work in progress.

My mom, being the woman that she is, instantly recognized that a girl's gotta have tools and bought me this cute little screwdriver set at the hardware store. I will not apologize. It's cute and I adore it. Mr. Strange swears that he won't touch it either (I wonder why?). I had forgotten how much I love hardware stores. I've been visiting quite a few lately and have to tell you that they are such cool places! Almost as good as a stationary store, if you're one of those people, like I am. All those rows of gadgets and whoozits that do goodness knows what but look really cool. By the way, I'm talking about real hardware stores. Not those big box caverns where you can't even see the ceiling without getting a crick in your neck.

Don't worry though. I am still a knitter at heart. I've been plugging away at Ariann, having nearly completed all of the increase rows. Next up: sleeves!

Don't be surprised if next week isn't just as spotty, post wise. This weeks' schedule includes a Quilt guild meeting, a re-scheduled birthday party, 2 Pilates classes and appointment with a personal trainer (!!!). In the meantime, if you are feeling the sewing bug like I am, check out the free patterns on Amy Butler's website! I've already printed out the kitty (but of course). If that doesn't do it for you, P&B Textiles has a sheep fabric... There. Bet that got your attention ;)

What are tiskets and taskets anyway?

2007-04-08T23:05:00.000-04:00

Would you believe that this fabric:

Became this basket?

Cool huh? I am totally hooked on making these. A woman in my quilting group, Carol, started making them last fall and I've wanted to make one ever since. She gave several demonstrations, but I thought it looked too complicated. Not so! Although it does take quite a bit of prep time, it's worth the effort.

In addition to running around the city looking for the "right" clothesline to make these, I've been rummaging through my fabric stash (and rescuing some from the donation bags) to make more. This is my second version, with handles added.

The stripes remind me of Native American baskets.

If you are interested in making one, there is a book, It's a Wrap, which uses a slightly different technique to wrap the fabric around the rope. This is just the coolest thing!

Oh! Who's that peeking out of the basket?

It must be the Easter Bunny!

I knit him today, from this free pattern from Heartstrings Fiber Arts, using leftover kid mohair held together with some Dolly Maxi on size 6 Brittany Birch needles. The only modification I made to the pattern was in the ear decreases. I followed the instructions for Barbara White's ears and substituted this:

4) K2tog, K3
5) K2tog, P1, K1
6) SSK, K1
7) P2tog

My bunny is a bit chubby and has no tail yet because I haven't decided which method I prefer. This is what he looked like before I stuffed and sewed him up. Bunny vivisection! It reminded me of high school science classes. Thankfully no guts and no formaldehyde smell. Mr. Strange doesn't like my bunny because he doesn't have any eyes, but he always says that when I make eyeless critters.

That's OK, I love him anyway. Look what he made for me! A design board for my sewing room! Ignore the outlet on the wall. I have to. What a dumb place to put an outlet! What can I say? The house came that way. Someday, maybe I'll have it moved. Someday far far in the future. I can't stand the idea of messing up my room.

The frame is made from old yardsticks (my idea), but look which one he chose to put at the top:

He also framed and hung this sweet vintage print for me, which I received as a gift from my friend Linda this past Christmas:

My sweetie! He's done some great things to help make this my favorite room ever!

OH! I mentioned that I had fabric to donate. To be exact, I have 2 large trash bags full of cotton fabric scraps, one bag of other fabrics, craft yarn, Styrofoam balls and other miscellaneous crafting items that I would like to donate to a school or crafting program for children in need. If you know of an organization in the greater Portland, Maine area that could use this sort of thing, please e-mail me (upper right sidebar under the "About Me" box). I was going to donate it to the Salvation Army craft sale coming up in May, but decided that I would rather it go to kids who need it rather than to the closet of another crafter who doesn't!

I hope you all had a great Easter!

Haiku for a Spring Mourning

2007-04-05T23:15:00.000-04:00

Powerless, I woke

to blanket of white, bending branches

Spring dammit!

Trickster

2007-04-04T21:09:00.000-04:00

Mother Nature is playing a mean trick on us Northerners, but the birds seem unphased; they were singing like it was a sunny spring day this morning. If I closed my eyes, I could almost pretend that it was, ignoring the plop plop of wet flakes hitting the ground. It snowed intermittently all day, and by 6 pm, started up again full tilt. Ten inches predicted by morning. Enough already!

I stayed home today with a head cold, and being a person who does not rest easily (as in lie down and do nothing) I practiced some tricks of my own.

How do you end your bind off?

When I first started knitting, I would cut a tail and draw it through the last loop remaining on my needle. This always created a loopy end.

Roberta, a retired employee of the Yardgoods Center in Waterville, and knitting mistress extraordinaire, informed me that this technique actually creates an extra stitch and taught me to just cut my tail and pull that loop. I thought for sure that my knitting would unravel, but it works.

But, no matter how hard I've tried, I still always get a little wonky loop. Well! I got a hot tip from my Stitch-n-Bitch Page-a-Day Calendar and thought I would share it with you!

You've bound off all but your last stitch, and you have one loop on the right needle and one loop, waiting to be knit, on the left needle.

Slide the loop from your left needle onto the right. (Sorry for the green fingernail, I had been cutting an avocado).

Now, insert your left needle into the stitch below, from front to back, picking up the left side of the stitch and sliding it on your left needle.

Next, slide the last stitch back onto the left needle and then knit both of these loops together.

You now have 2 loops on your right needle. Pass the second stitch over the first, in the usual manner.
Look how great it comes out! I found that it comes out better if you keep a neat edge by knitting the first 2 stitches of each row more snugly than usual.

Here's the bind off I did on the left front of my cardigan, before learning this technique.

And here's the right front. So much better!

Speaking of the cardigan, I was working on the button band and scratching my head over the spacing of the buttonholes when I realized that I had picked up 66 stitches instead of the 70 needed for my size.
It took a lot of number crunching for me to get 66 stitches out of 95 rows. This is how I do it. I'm sure there are other "better" ways to figure this, but it works for me.

In any case, I'm going to try to block it to fit. If it doesn't work, I frog them both and do the bands again (wahhhhh). Otherwise, all I need to do is block and seam and then I'll be done. In celebration of my near completion, and because it was my sick day, I decided to start Ariann. I really like the Ella Rae (it's much like Patons Classic Wool, though maybe not as soft) and am much happier with the gauge I'm getting than I was with the Cascade 220.

This pattern is so well written and the lace pattern is very easy to memorize.

My only criticism is that the pattern does not give instructions for the buttonholes. Now, I've done them a couple of times, but it surprised me that given the thoroughness of the pattern, they were missing. Thankfully, I found these instructions for the one row buttonhole that the designer, Bonne Marie, prefers. I figured it out on my second try, but I'm not really pleased with the result. I think that it's too close to the edge, and I may opt to alternate the cast on stitches to match the knit purl rib instead of the twisted purl cast on. That's over 300 stitches to tink, by the way.

Despite all of that, I feel good about the sweater. I love the color, which is more accurately shown in the first 2 photos as salmon, rather than tangerine. Hopefully I won't look like paste when I wear it!

By the way, you didn't think I was serious when I said that my little quilt from the Getaway would become another UFO did you?

A little patch of color to add to my winter weary world. After quilting it, I felt like it needed a little something extra, so I added pearl buttons to the center of the colored blocks.

The 1930's prints always make me think of spring. So light and cheery. Now, if only Mother Nature would play along!

Show'n Tell

2007-04-01T20:16:00.000-04:00

Hey y'all, I'm home! I'm tired and I never ever want to eat again, but I had a fabulous time, and I am itching to get to work on the many projects swirling around in my head. But first, some highlights of the weekend.

Since this was a quilting event, here are a few quilts presented at Show'n Tell:

A gorgeous rendition of Hunter's Star.

A finished sampler quilt, taught last year.

A sample of this year's Mystery Quilt. The instructions for a mystery quilt are mailed to participants over a period of 5 to 7 months in the year preceding the Getaway, and those who complete their quilts show them. I participated this year, but only opened my first set of instructions. Now that I've seen what it looks like, I can't wait to make it! Since I haven't finished one in over 6 years, I decided not to sign up for next year.

Here's one of the pieces I showed, just to prove that I still use my machine from time to time. This is a fused applique (machine quilted) mini quilt based on a pattern I saw in a quilt shop in Cape Cod last summer.

This cute little fabric bowl was one of many that decorated the tabletops at our banquet dinner on Saturday night. A lucky person at each table got to take one home (I wasn't one of them). The woman who made it taught a class, which I couldn't take because I was teaching a class of my own; but, I now know how to make one too... (I have friends in high places).

Speaking of friends, here I am with my friend Mary, wearing the first of my many outfits.

You remember how much time and energy I spent fretting over my outfit? Well, I never wore the crocheted vest (know anyone that needs one?) or the vintage skirt, because at the last minute I put together this little ensemble, thanks to an impromptu stop at Rue 21.

I don't think I have ever looked thinner or taller! I wish I could have brought that mirror home with me! By the end of Thursday evening, I was rolling around on the bed moaning about my bloated aching belly, and my friend Renee, who is from Texas, said "Must be that graice you ate all day".

To which I said, "Graice? What the heck is graice? Did you mean rice? I didn't eat any rice."

"You know, all that friiiied chicken, friiied mozzarella sticks, and buffalo wings y'all ate today", she replied.

"Oh!" I exclaimed, "Grease! You mean GREASE!"

Gotta love those southern accents.

These are my pals, the self-pronounced "A-Team" (because we get things done).

My outfit paled in comparison to some of the stars of the evening.

Sonny and Cher dropped by and performed "I Got You Babe"(seriously).

Goldie Hawn (sucking it in) appeared in costume from her years on "Laugh In". I added the mask to protect the identity of our mystery chick, who took home a prize for best costume. Ever the enterprising Yankee, she dyed a set of long john's to make a skin colored body suit.

I have to wonder if this is how she really dressed in the 60's...

It wasn't all about the costumes though. Here I am with my students in our tote bag class. As soon as the class started, I discovered that my materials list was wrong and that two students did not have enough fabric to make the large bag. I also learned that all the proofreading in the world will not catch omitted information. Fortunately, one woman spotted my two (drat!) errors before anyone else goofed. One lady saved ~~my skin~~ the day when she shared that she had taken a class with Alex Anderson (think Lily Chin) and that there was a mistake in her pattern too!

Nonetheless, I think they all turned out terrific.

OK, confession time.

Remember that little self-imposed yarn/fabric diet I announced on the eve of the trip? Well, I started out OK...

I didn't buy anything at Keepsake, and I only bought 2 patterns at Patternworks (more on that later), so I felt perfectly justified in buying this little 1930's reproduction fabric wall hanging kit at the Quilt Shop at Vac'n Sew in Conway. It was a great deal! As "punishment", I worked very hard on it all weekend, but never touched the two UFO's I brought with me.

After several hours of diligent piecing on Friday evening, at 2 am, I discovered that my border didn't fit. Why? Hmmm. Something to do with that little line in the directions that said to square up my blocks to 4 1/2 inches before piecing. Ooops. It wasn't a fatal error. If you are going to screw up your quilt, it's best to do it in the company of 75 other quilters. A little extra strip of white on each end, and voila! it fits and no one would ever know that I have too many keys in my piano (that border is called a "piano key" for obvious reasons).

I finished about half of the quilting (by machine) and now it's another UFO, which may have to take a back seat for a little while because I have some knitting to do..

I finally found the new Vogue Knitting (some cute stuff I'll talk about another day), Patons Next Step Two book and Nashua's North American Designer Collection No. 4, which has this pattern in it, seen advertised in the pages of Interweave Knits.

I really wanted to buy the yarn called for in the pattern, Natural Focus Ecologie Cotton, but all of the colors were too washed out for my complexion, and cotton is a mean yarn to knit with.

I would have been more than happy to go home without any yarn at all, but I sold all of the kits I made up for my class and had some money burning in my pocket. Coincidentally, my friends wanted to go back to Keepsake before heading home, which just happens to be in the same plaza as Patternworks. So, I broke down and bought this Dale of Norway Svale in Sage.

And wouldn't you know it, we had to drive through Cornish to get home, where I finally found the yarn for Ariann (again)... Ella Rae Classic in color no. 11 at Rosemary's Gift (Yarn) Shop.

Even if I hadn't bought a single thing, I still wouldn't have come home empty handed.

Look at all the stuff I received! Memento's, door prizes, and goodies just for being there! There's a funny story about those spools of thread. At our banquet dinner, it was announced that each table would participate in a team trivia contest. Being only one of 4 people in the entire room born in the 60's, I figured that I wouldn't be much help. Unfortunately, my table elected me to be their representative, so you can imagine my horror when it was announced that there was a tie between two tables and that I, as spokesperson, was the person who had to answer the tie-breaker trivia question!!! "Oh No! We are so screwed!" I yelled out. I was allowed to choose one "lifeline" from my team (I felt like I was on Deal or No Deal). Feeling like we were on the Titanic, the tie breaking question was announced: "What was the title of the first protest song of the 60's, sung by Barry McGuire?". I had no clue, and neither did the other team, but my lifeline knew the words and started to sing... "The eastern world it is exploding, violence flarin', bullets loadin'..." and I'm saying "Hey! I know that song!! There was a cover in the 80's...." tick tick tick. "I know!!! EVE OF DESTRUCTION!!!???!!!" We won! Big victory dance!! Go figure.

Even if I hadn't been given any prizes, I still came home a winner. Look at all of the little treats my friends gave me! They are the best!

Including a new groovy tote bag! I can never ever have enough totes.

When it comes right down to it, it's not about costumes, shopping, eating and prizes (even though that's fun), it's about having a great time with my friends.

Ironically, I bought this little sign to hang in my craft room to remind me to stay in check.

Heh heh.

tick tick tick

2007-03-28T21:50:00.000-04:00

In 11 hours and 10 minutes, I will be on my way, and I'm waiting for the last load of laundry in the dryer so I can finish packing, but I couldn't leave without sharing this vision of loveliness:

Dozens of flowers, violently ripped from their stems and tossed in a pile. If you ever want to work out aggression, popping the heads off flowers does the trick. All the while, I kept singing under my breath "Momma had a baby and her head popped OFF!". Where did that little rhyme come from? As a kid, we used to sing it when decapitating dandelions. How odd. Maybe it's a Maine thing. Never let anyone tell you that kids aren't violent little beasts. Lord of the Flies? Yeah. OK, all that aside, aren't they pretty? I put together 6 kits for my class and of course bought way too many flowers (they were on sale!).

I accomplished most of what I set out to do. I feel like my outfits will be theme appropriate, but not as over the top as I'd like them to be. Oh well. I keep telling myself that I will have fun no matter what.

Seeing as this is a quilting weekend, I packed 2 UFO's that I plan to finish: a wall hanging and table runner that only need to be sandwiched and quilted. I'm amazed at how much stuff I have to bring with me to sew: machine, power cords, power strip, foot pedal, scissors, thread, cutting mat, cutting ruler, rotary cutter (by the way, even when the blade of an Olfa rotary cutter is retracted, you can still slice yourself pretty badly), fabric, and batting. Jeez! I'm spoiled by the portability of knitting. Of course a I also packed a sock to work on but it only took up one sandwich baggie. Ha! I can't go 4 days without knitting.

Speaking of knitting, one of our destinations tomorrow is Keepsake Quilting in Center Harbor, which just so happens to be in the same plaza as Patternworks. I have no business whatsoever buying yarn or fabric, but I am allowing myself to buy 2 skeins of Koigu KPPPM at Patternworks (they have a huge selection) and enough fabric to make one tote bag at Keepsake (because, as you know, I really need another bag). We'll see how well I stick to my self-imposed "diet". I have no illusion about sticking to a food diet this weekend. Tomorrow evening we'll be going for our annual dinner at Bellini's in North Conway. If you ever go to North Conway, you MUST go to this restaurant, but be warned: they don't take reservations.

Ta ta for now pals! I'll tell you all about it when I get home, with lots of pics, and then I promise I'll start talking about knitting again!

Peace man.

Hippy Hooking

2007-03-25T22:34:00.000-04:00

I've turned to the dark side my friends. I've been hooking...

Under pressure to create an authentic feel to my Getaway ensemble, I found the perfect pattern for a Groovy Hippy Dippy Granny Square Vest online and have been working my little fingers to the bone with nasty acrylic day-glo yarn, trying to complete it this weekend.

I'm this close, but oh, the pain.

I seem to be developing a callous on my middle hooking finger, and my thumb. Oh how it aches.

If this picture would talk, it would say "voom voom voom", which is the sound of blood pulsing through my cramping muscles. Is it worth it? Abso-freaking-lutely!

Just to give you an idea of the kind of pressure I am under, here are some photos from past Getaways:

2006, The Wild Wild West. I went as a bar maid of sorts, posing here with Sheriff Jacquie (yes, a woman) ...
And the same year, with my friend Mary, a real "rhinestone cowgirl".

In 2005, I was Queen of the Red Hatters. Yes, I know, the "rules" say that you have to be 50 to wear a red hat, but I was chair of the committee that year, and I decided that the idea of having rules was against the rules, and did my own thing anyway. I am so envious of Mary's eyelashes. Stupid glasses.

Lest you think that I am the only one who goes to these extremes, here are some other ladies of evenings past.
I sweat that I did not even recognize the woman on the right (with red hair).

Do you see now? The pressure I am under?

OH!

Only 3 more days to prepare! I still have to make my bag pattern and kits and gifties for my pals and make bell bottoms out of old jeans and pack and and and Oh!

In knitting news, I finished the second sleeve of the cardigan, and no, I didn't frog it. When all this Getaway madness is over, I'll finish it. Until then, you'll have to put up with my pre-party madness!

3 more days! Oh!