So, I stopped by Fabric Place again. And although there was even less yarn there than there was last week, I managed to spend twice as much. How does that happen?
Well, I bought enough Reynolds Wash Day Wool to make myself a sweater--I was thinking the Tangled Yoke. I also bought enough Hempathy to make a tank top, or something.
And then, I could not resist the Malabrigo--and bought two more hanks of the beige worsted weight.
Hey, you know, I'm doing my part for the economy :P
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Monday, September 29, 2008
pssst
Hey said in a loud whisper
Do you know where my green yarn is?? You know the one I posted about a few days ago? I left it on the futon in the office and it's not there anymore. You didn't move it did you? Because no one I live with admits to touching this yarn--and yet, it is not where it should be. I have looked under (and around) that futon about 5 times so far, and I'm still thinking I might have missed it, somehow. I guess that is why I keep looking under there.
Well, if you see it lying around let me know.
Do you know where my green yarn is?? You know the one I posted about a few days ago? I left it on the futon in the office and it's not there anymore. You didn't move it did you? Because no one I live with admits to touching this yarn--and yet, it is not where it should be. I have looked under (and around) that futon about 5 times so far, and I'm still thinking I might have missed it, somehow. I guess that is why I keep looking under there.
Well, if you see it lying around let me know.
The Malabrigo
Just a quickie to show off the Malabrigo--by request. They are worsted weight, although I would call them heavy worsted. I think I can make two hats with them. The colors go nicely together.
For now, they are getting acquainted with the other worsted weight wools in the stash.
For now, they are getting acquainted with the other worsted weight wools in the stash.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Fabric Place--going out of business
So by some miracle, I left work exactly when I should have--well it was not a miracle, I was doing something in IT, which is practically in the parking lot, and I had my stuff with me, ready to run out the door. As a result, I made it to the road, where I found not much traffic--and with 90 minutes to get where I was going, I had plenty of time to make a quick stop at the Fabric Place--where all yarn is now currently 25% off.
At first I wasn't finding anything of interest. A lot of Classic Elite stuff that I've never used, some Berrocco . . . Then I found the Hempathy, which I have used, in a few nice colors. So I picked some up. Once you start carrying around a handful of yarn that is just an open invitation to keep picking more up. Let's just say I left the store $57 lighter, but I did make my first Malabrigo purchase! And some Silky Alpaca Lace too!
Will try to take pictures--but now it is time for bed.
At first I wasn't finding anything of interest. A lot of Classic Elite stuff that I've never used, some Berrocco . . . Then I found the Hempathy, which I have used, in a few nice colors. So I picked some up. Once you start carrying around a handful of yarn that is just an open invitation to keep picking more up. Let's just say I left the store $57 lighter, but I did make my first Malabrigo purchase! And some Silky Alpaca Lace too!
Will try to take pictures--but now it is time for bed.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Green socks begin
Last night L finally got to wear a pair of socks I made for him a long time ago. They are crazy colors, and I made them long, thinking they would fit the following year, but it is two years now, and he only just barely fits in them. I made them with sport weight yarn, not realizing it was sport weight. I usually knit socks on a size 1 needle. These were knit with a size 2--they probably should have been knit with a size 3. They are pretty bullet proof.
In any case, this morning he came down stairs and asked if I could make him another pair of socks. "Sure", I said. "But I want them to be greeeeen", he said. No problem. Off we go look at the yarn. Well, in my big pile of sock yarn, we did not have an appropriate (acceptable to an almost 5 yr old) green. I had some in a worsted weight, but other than for sleeping, I didn't think he would wear such thick socks.
So I suggested we dye some up. He was all for it. I still have plenty of natural fingering sock yarn. But I was also reorganizing my stash (had to move the cabinet it was in this past week) and as I was putting things back I found a yarn I had bought to make socks for him. It is Regia Silk. I have 50 grams, but it was a light brown/beige color. Hmmmm, maybe this would do. I asked him about it, and it was fine by him.
Now I know this is thick yarn, and I will knit it accordingly. I will probably split the hank, and knit toe up to make sure I use as much as I can. Some simple rib pattern--but I digress.
So we pull out the Kool Aid. Wouldn't you know--only one package of Lemon-Lime. Think, think think--but plenty of Lemonade and Berry Blue. He informs me that yellow and blue make green, "Max and Ruby made green with yellow and blue, well really it was Ruby".
So we used 3 packages of Lemonade, 1 Berry Blue and 1 Lemon-Lime. Here is what we started with:
And here is what we got.
It is still drying. There are some spots were I tied it off too tight, and a bit of the beige still shows through, but overall, I am pleased with the results. If necessary, we can always over-dye it with a bit more green, once I get some more in the house.
Not a bad morning project!
In any case, this morning he came down stairs and asked if I could make him another pair of socks. "Sure", I said. "But I want them to be greeeeen", he said. No problem. Off we go look at the yarn. Well, in my big pile of sock yarn, we did not have an appropriate (acceptable to an almost 5 yr old) green. I had some in a worsted weight, but other than for sleeping, I didn't think he would wear such thick socks.
So I suggested we dye some up. He was all for it. I still have plenty of natural fingering sock yarn. But I was also reorganizing my stash (had to move the cabinet it was in this past week) and as I was putting things back I found a yarn I had bought to make socks for him. It is Regia Silk. I have 50 grams, but it was a light brown/beige color. Hmmmm, maybe this would do. I asked him about it, and it was fine by him.
Now I know this is thick yarn, and I will knit it accordingly. I will probably split the hank, and knit toe up to make sure I use as much as I can. Some simple rib pattern--but I digress.
So we pull out the Kool Aid. Wouldn't you know--only one package of Lemon-Lime. Think, think think--but plenty of Lemonade and Berry Blue. He informs me that yellow and blue make green, "Max and Ruby made green with yellow and blue, well really it was Ruby".
So we used 3 packages of Lemonade, 1 Berry Blue and 1 Lemon-Lime. Here is what we started with:
And here is what we got.
It is still drying. There are some spots were I tied it off too tight, and a bit of the beige still shows through, but overall, I am pleased with the results. If necessary, we can always over-dye it with a bit more green, once I get some more in the house.
Not a bad morning project!
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Waiting for my book
Today I did a presentation at work. It was for the group in our London office, so to fit into all the other meetings we have in the mornings (to accommodate the time difference), I offered to do it relatively early this morning. To make my life easier I chose to do it from home, so that I would not have to leave my house at 6am to make sure I did not get stuck in this wonderful September/back to school traffic. So I rolled out of bed, pulled on my sweatpants, sat at my desk and gave the presentation via WebEx.
Now my office has this lovely little program where you can thank others for whatever reason you want. You have three "Thank You awards" a year that you can give to anyone, for any reason. You don't need any sort of director approval, like you do for larger awards. My colleague in London sent me a Thank You award for going out of my way to give this presentation. I'm always tickled to get a Thank You award. It is a little thing, but it makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. With this warm and fuzzy feeling, I spent a few minutes reading my favorite knitting blogs, thinking about what I would do with my award.
The award choices are: 2 movie passes, a bottle of red or white wine, a $15 iTunes give card or a $15 Amazon gift certificate. I usually go for the Amazon gift certificate. So, I was thinking about books and reading/commenting on the Mason Dixon blog and I realized, my book should be arriving, I received notice that it had shipped. I preordered this book months ago--I think with the last Thank You award I received. So off I go to check the order status.
It says the book has been delivered. I run to the door--no book. I run back to the computer, and looking more carefully, I realize I had the book shipped to my office!! Drat! I should have been at the office today--but I'm not, so my book is sitting there waiting for me. And not only that--Friday is my usual work from home day--so I won't be getting the book until Monday. So much for preordering. Sigh
Well, at least I can order up something new :)
Now my office has this lovely little program where you can thank others for whatever reason you want. You have three "Thank You awards" a year that you can give to anyone, for any reason. You don't need any sort of director approval, like you do for larger awards. My colleague in London sent me a Thank You award for going out of my way to give this presentation. I'm always tickled to get a Thank You award. It is a little thing, but it makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. With this warm and fuzzy feeling, I spent a few minutes reading my favorite knitting blogs, thinking about what I would do with my award.
The award choices are: 2 movie passes, a bottle of red or white wine, a $15 iTunes give card or a $15 Amazon gift certificate. I usually go for the Amazon gift certificate. So, I was thinking about books and reading/commenting on the Mason Dixon blog and I realized, my book should be arriving, I received notice that it had shipped. I preordered this book months ago--I think with the last Thank You award I received. So off I go to check the order status.
It says the book has been delivered. I run to the door--no book. I run back to the computer, and looking more carefully, I realize I had the book shipped to my office!! Drat! I should have been at the office today--but I'm not, so my book is sitting there waiting for me. And not only that--Friday is my usual work from home day--so I won't be getting the book until Monday. So much for preordering. Sigh
Well, at least I can order up something new :)
A knitter's confession
I threw out something that I knit.
There I said it. Phewww. It wasn't something I could continue to wear, and in fact it had gone unworn for about a year, but still, thinking about it has me in a tizzy. I spent my time on something, made it with my own hands, and then I just dropped it in the trash.
The item in question was a pair of felted (fulled?) clogs. The Bev Galeskas pattern, you know it. Everybody made these things, and is still making them. Well I made them with some bulky Lambs Pride, recycled from the first knitted item I ever made, a drop shoulder sweater that never fit right, was itchy, and ended up with a big mouse nibble right in the front, even though I had it sealed in a spacebag (see Wendy, I really did live with the mice--grrrrr). I don't think I ever even took a picture of that sweater, and the only picture I have of the clogs is this, not even felted yet:
I made the clogs in the spring of 2007, and wore them all through the summer of 2007 (I always wear slippers in the house). They were a bit slippy, and I thought, maybe I should get some of those nice leather soles?? Then I wore a small hole in the bottom of one, then the bottom of the other. I thought, hmm, maybe I will patch that up and hand felt it--but never did. The holes got bigger and bigger until really all I had was the top of the clog being held together by the edging. Silly really. So I stuffed them in a corner, and wore my LLBean clog slippers.
Now, you have to understand, I am tough on slippers. I have no idea why this is so (other than I wear them A LOT). I do not hike mountains in them--I just walk around the house. But if you saw my current pair you would know what I mean. Friends come over and say, "Well we know what to get you for Christmas/your birthday/replace your slippers day". Did I mention this is my 3rd pair of these ($50!!!!) LLBean slippers??
I wonder if maybe my felted clogs didn't hold up well was because they were knit with one strand of bulky yarn--not the two held together of worsted that is recommended in the pattern. Or maybe, I'm just a slipper killer. I don't know. I've got a lot of that Lamb's Pride left, I could try again, but there are so many more fun patterns in the queue.
So I just had to say, I threw away one of my hand crafted articles of time, money and knitted love--and I don't even feel bad about it. Is this the first step in recovery for a knitting packrat???
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Wallace & Gromit
Tonight we played Wallace and Gromit.
L was Wallace. When I asked why he was Wallace, he said, "cuz I'm just crackers about cheese. And you're Gromit".
When I asked why I was Gromit, he said, "cuz you're just crackers about knitting".
Smarty pants. The hardest part about being Gromit is that he can't talk--although he has very expressive eyes. In addition, Wallace thinks he's the boss (Gromit knows who the real boss is).
Friday, September 12, 2008
Banned/Challenged Books
I saw someone else post a list like this recently and it made me think about books. I found this list of the most challeged books from 1990-2000 on the American Library Association website. These are the books challenged in the US.
I've bolded the ones that I've read, and there is one in italics that I own but have not read yet. Some of these books stand our vividly in my mind--even 25 years later--with images that I can still see. Some are just stories that I read and filed away.
I've been reading again lately, so books have been on my mind.
Scary Stories (Series) by Alvin Schwartz
Daddy's Roommate by Michael Willhoite
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Harry Potter (Series) by J.K. Rowling
Forever by Judy Blume
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
Alice (Series) by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Heather Has Two Mommies by Leslea Newman
My Brother Sam is Dead by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
The Giver by Lois Lowry
It's Perfectly Normal by Robie Harris
Goosebumps (Series) by R.L. Stine
A Day No Pigs Would Die by Robert Newton Peck
The Color Purple by Alice Walker
Sex by Madonna
Earth's Children (Series) by Jean M. Auel
The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
Go Ask Alice by Anonymous
Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers
In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak
The Stupids (Series) by Harry Allard
The Witches by Roald Dahl
The New Joy of Gay Sex by Charles Silverstein
Anastasia Krupnik (Series) by Lois Lowry
The Goats by Brock Cole
Kaffir Boy by Mark Mathabane
Blubber by Judy Blume
Killing Mr. Griffin by Lois Duncan
Halloween ABC by Eve Merriam
We All Fall Down by Robert Cormier
Final Exit by Derek Humphry
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
What's Happening to my Body? Book for Girls: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Daughters by Lynda Madaras
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Beloved by Toni Morrison
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
The Pigman by Paul Zindel
Bumps in the Night by Harry Allard
Deenie by Judy Blume
Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
Annie on my Mind by Nancy Garden
The Boy Who Lost His Face by Louis Sachar
Cross Your Fingers, Spit in Your Hat by Alvin Schwartz
A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
Sleeping Beauty Trilogy by A.N. Roquelaure (Anne Rice)
Asking About Sex and Growing Up by Joanna Cole
Cujo by Stephen King
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
The Anarchist Cookbook by William Powell
Boys and Sex by Wardell Pomeroy
Ordinary People by Judith Guest
American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis
What's Happening to my Body? Book for Boys: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Sons by Lynda Madaras
Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
Crazy Lady by Jane Conly
Athletic Shorts by Chris Crutcher
Fade by Robert Cormier
Guess What? by Mem Fox
The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende
The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline Cooney
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Native Son by Richard Wright
Women on Top: How Real Life Has Changed Women's Fantasies by Nancy Friday
Curses, Hexes and Spells by Daniel Cohen
Jack by A.M. Homes
Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo A. Anaya
Where Did I Come From? by Peter Mayle
Carrie by Stephen King
Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume
On My Honor by Marion Dane Bauer
Arizona Kid by Ron Koertge
Family Secrets by Norma Klein
Mommy Laid An Egg by Babette Cole
The Dead Zone by Stephen King
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison
Always Running by Luis Rodriguez
Private Parts by Howard Stern
Where's Waldo? by Martin Hanford
Summer of My German Soldier by Bette Greene
Little Black Sambo by Helen Bannerman
Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
Running Loose by Chris Crutcher
Sex Education by Jenny Davis
The Drowning of Stephen Jones by Bette Greene
Girls and Sex by Wardell Pomeroy
How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell
View from the Cherry Tree by Willo Davis Roberts
The Headless Cupid by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
The Terrorist by Caroline Cooney
Jump Ship to Freedom by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier
I've bolded the ones that I've read, and there is one in italics that I own but have not read yet. Some of these books stand our vividly in my mind--even 25 years later--with images that I can still see. Some are just stories that I read and filed away.
I've been reading again lately, so books have been on my mind.
Scary Stories (Series) by Alvin Schwartz
Daddy's Roommate by Michael Willhoite
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Harry Potter (Series) by J.K. Rowling
Forever by Judy Blume
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
Alice (Series) by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Heather Has Two Mommies by Leslea Newman
My Brother Sam is Dead by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
The Giver by Lois Lowry
It's Perfectly Normal by Robie Harris
Goosebumps (Series) by R.L. Stine
A Day No Pigs Would Die by Robert Newton Peck
The Color Purple by Alice Walker
Sex by Madonna
Earth's Children (Series) by Jean M. Auel
The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
Go Ask Alice by Anonymous
Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers
In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak
The Stupids (Series) by Harry Allard
The Witches by Roald Dahl
The New Joy of Gay Sex by Charles Silverstein
Anastasia Krupnik (Series) by Lois Lowry
The Goats by Brock Cole
Kaffir Boy by Mark Mathabane
Blubber by Judy Blume
Killing Mr. Griffin by Lois Duncan
Halloween ABC by Eve Merriam
We All Fall Down by Robert Cormier
Final Exit by Derek Humphry
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
What's Happening to my Body? Book for Girls: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Daughters by Lynda Madaras
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Beloved by Toni Morrison
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
The Pigman by Paul Zindel
Bumps in the Night by Harry Allard
Deenie by Judy Blume
Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
Annie on my Mind by Nancy Garden
The Boy Who Lost His Face by Louis Sachar
Cross Your Fingers, Spit in Your Hat by Alvin Schwartz
A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
Sleeping Beauty Trilogy by A.N. Roquelaure (Anne Rice)
Asking About Sex and Growing Up by Joanna Cole
Cujo by Stephen King
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
The Anarchist Cookbook by William Powell
Boys and Sex by Wardell Pomeroy
Ordinary People by Judith Guest
American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis
What's Happening to my Body? Book for Boys: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Sons by Lynda Madaras
Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
Crazy Lady by Jane Conly
Athletic Shorts by Chris Crutcher
Fade by Robert Cormier
Guess What? by Mem Fox
The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende
The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline Cooney
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Native Son by Richard Wright
Women on Top: How Real Life Has Changed Women's Fantasies by Nancy Friday
Curses, Hexes and Spells by Daniel Cohen
Jack by A.M. Homes
Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo A. Anaya
Where Did I Come From? by Peter Mayle
Carrie by Stephen King
Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume
On My Honor by Marion Dane Bauer
Arizona Kid by Ron Koertge
Family Secrets by Norma Klein
Mommy Laid An Egg by Babette Cole
The Dead Zone by Stephen King
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison
Always Running by Luis Rodriguez
Private Parts by Howard Stern
Where's Waldo? by Martin Hanford
Summer of My German Soldier by Bette Greene
Little Black Sambo by Helen Bannerman
Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
Running Loose by Chris Crutcher
Sex Education by Jenny Davis
The Drowning of Stephen Jones by Bette Greene
Girls and Sex by Wardell Pomeroy
How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell
View from the Cherry Tree by Willo Davis Roberts
The Headless Cupid by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
The Terrorist by Caroline Cooney
Jump Ship to Freedom by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
In the last week . . .
I worked on my lace:
I took a walk in Gloucester:
and Rockport:
I went letterboxing, to find the dragons:
I received a lovely swap package!!
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
FO--a long time coming
Finally finished the sweater. I blocked it last night, and it was (mostly) dry today. Dry enough to take some pictures at least. Here it is:
Fair Isle Yoke cardigan
: Fair Isle Yoke Sweater by Elizabeth Zimmermann
me!
38 inch chest
: Harrisville Designs New England Shetland
Six months in the making, but finished before the snow. I have not added closures. I may leave it this way. We'll see how things work out when I start wearing it.
Six months in the making, but finished before the snow. I have not added closures. I may leave it this way. We'll see how things work out when I start wearing it.
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