A blog about my life, knitting, and other stuff.

September 28, 2004

LA Journey, Part III

Only a post about Hollywood could have two sequels...
I will wrap up all my LA talk. We visited Knit Cafe and Unwind while we were there. I was underwhelmed at the selection (no wool, for example). I didn't see anything new. Knit Cafe was so small I was shocked. But the person working there was very friendly and there were several women hanging out and knitting. Here's the exterior of the store. I was told that pictures are not allowed inside. Hmph!




Unwind was much larger and had a lot more inventory but still it didn't really thrill us. I picked up a copy of the Blue Sky Alpacas Bobbi Bear pattern. The staff at Unwind was also really nice and tried very hard to steer us toward a lunch worth eating in Burbank. Unfortunately, it turns out that this doesn't exist. We ended up having a hurried lunch at Sharkey's Mexican Grill before I was dropped off at the hotel and my traveling companions headed to the airport. I got to hang out at the hotel for a few hours working on Rogue until my dear friend from college, Rob, picked me up.

The next few days involved a lot of eating, catching up and going to museums. I spent the entire day on Friday at The Getty Center. I have wanted to see this new museum since it opened about ten (?) years ago. It was wonderful. I went to see the newest exhibition, Coming of Age in Ancient Greece. It was a very powerful exhibit for me. I found myself feeling very moved to look at a Greek urn and see tiny, delicate brushstrokes made by someone 2500 years ago. Many of the images are from funerary items like urns and tombstones. One depicted a baby boy waving goodbye to his mother as he sailed off to Hades. It brought me to tears. Maybe I was just missing my kids but it was one of those "art transcends all" moments. I instantly related to and sympathized for a Greek woman who lost her child 2500 years ago. It was stunning.

Rob also took me to see some sites downtown including the Bradbury Building. Even without it's great film pedigree, it's a gorgeous building. And we went to Pasadena and took in the Norton-Simon Museum. It's a lovely museum and much larger than I was expecting.

And so concludes my trip to LA.

I will pull out my camera and get some updated photos on my projects. I ran into a bit of trouble on Rogue last night. I'm starting the second side of the neck and got lost on the pattern. I need to just rip back a few rows and start that side again.

LA Journey, Part II

More pictures from the Knitty Gritty.

Here's Vicki wearing the sweater from Jenna's show.


Jenna getting the star treatment.


Staci on the set in her cool "Knitster" t-shirt.



A group shot on the set.


Click for the big version.

September 27, 2004

LA Journey, Part I

We flew into the Burbank airport on Tuesday afternoon. After checking into the hotel we headed for lunch and saw this.



Yes, a Hummer limo. I was in LA.

Tuesday night we went to the LA Stitch 'n Bitch. As I sat sweating in the very, very, very hot coffee shop, all the LA knitters were talking about how it feels like fall and how they had to turn their heat on. Meanwhile I was melting while working on Rogue. The LA group was a very friendly, eclectic crowd. One member, Rhonda, had brought in a Hallowig that she just finished. I got her to model for me.



Wednesday was taping day. Jenna and I had an earlier call time then everyone else. We drove the three blocks to the studio. Jenna had her own dressing room. I didn't but I still got to pose on the chaise. I met Fayla Reiss, the designer for my show and the other two knitsters--Tiffany and Jessica. We were thereafter referred to as Jessica O. and Jessica R. And actually Tiffany was most often referred to as Jessica as well.

We had been told to bring three outfits. I brought four. No one even looked at us before we taped. I had worn my GE Cardi but decided at the last moment to change into something a little cooler. Sadly I didn't plan things well with my *ahem* foundation garments so I had to wear the cardi. Mostly I just sat and knit on a sofa for three hours. They would tell us to talk then tell us to stop.

Once our show finished I got to watch Jenna, Janell, Staci and Jill tape their show.

More photos and details later. My head is killing me.

September 26, 2004

Escaped from LA

I made it back in one piece. I'm exhausted. I had a great time and have loads of photos and stories to share. I'll post as soon as my energy returns.

September 20, 2004

Later Dude

I'm off to LA first thing in the morning. I've got my camera packed and a whole lot of batteries. I will be prepared with a full report when I get back.

So Much to Blog, So Little Time

Insane. My life has been insane lately.
I worked all last week getting ready for a preschool-fundraiser-garage sale* at my house. There was a lot of sorting, pricing, etc. Then Saturday morning it rained. Then it poured. Just as the weather got really terrible I had to go. I was going to the Skacel distribution center in Kent. Jill blogged all about it here. Then we had a very nice lunch and visited Pastime Yarns.

After the tour I was off for a manicure, pedicure and facial. Need to look my best for The Knitty Gritty. Then I stopped at the grocery store...all in all I left the house at 8 am and got home at 9 pm. I was so pooped. Wes and I got some last minute paperwork together for our Sneak screening on Sunday. Then I fell into bed.

Wes woke me up at 1:30 to tell me that the film print we were sent was bad and we couldn't show the film. But he said he thought he could get another film and left. Where was he going to get a film at 2 am? He went to the office of the Northwest Asian-American Film Festival (he's the director), and got a copy of a well-reviewed film that he hoped our members would enjoy. He tripped the security alarm in the process and got to explain to the police why he was there. Then he had to go to his office to get the right kind of deck to show the print. When we woke up at 8, Wes called the director of the film to get permission to show it. Fortunately, he said yes!

We went to the theater and Wes was told that the projection system had been changed and we wouldn't be able to show the film. He spent about an hour working on it and was able to get it going. Then as a final stroke of genius he worked out a three-way conference call between the two co-writers-directors-producers over his cell phone and was able to conduct a Q&A with our audience by holding his phone up to the microphone! My hero. (The film was a very, very, very low-budget but interesting movie about a Chinese immigrant who had one day to come up with money to pay part of his debt from being smuggled into the country.)

I took about an hour to myself when it was all over to go to Nordstrom to get a new pair of shoes. Then it was off to a preschool picnic (brrrrrr). And straight to my bookclub meeting.

It was both good and bad that no one else showed up. Bad because...well, no one showed up. But good because I hadn't finished the book. And I was so exhausted. Also good that a friend I haven't talked to in a while was there. So we got to catch up for an hour or so.

In all of this I didn't do too much knitting. I got about one-third of the way done with my Knitty Gritty project. I worked a little on Rogue. I'm 15 rounds from splitting the front and back. I need to figure out what knitting to take to LA with me. I also need to do laundry, dishes, pack, work at preschool, meet with my son's teacher...why am I still writing? I've got to go!

*The garage sale was a huge success despite the rain.

September 17, 2004

Do It Now


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I tried Kinja. Sucked.
I tried Blogarithm. Okay but slow.
I tried Bloglines. Perfection.
I am a blog-addict. I have 81 feeds that I'm monitoring plus another dozen blogs without RSS feeds plus dozens more on my "occasional Browse" list. Bloglines lets me organize them and lets me know in real time when my blogs update. Love, love, love it.

Oops. Someone just updated their blog. I gotta go.

September 16, 2004

It's a Fine Line Between Clever and Stupid

Is this a great idea or stupid? I can't tell.

Rogue continues to dominate my every waking moment. I will split the front and back soon.

Work was strange tonight. The shop was very busy from 4-6 when it's normally quiet. And from 6-8 when it's usually busy, it was dead. But there was still lots to do. We got in a lot of new yarn again.

Knitting at the bakery was quiet tonight too. But Laura came and brought her neighbor--who learned to knit earlier today! She also brought her newest doll. Very cute.

September 15, 2004

Union

Rogue pouch has rejoined Rogue body.

And Rogue's side cables continue to grow.

Can I just say again, I love this sweater.

When I got home today there was a package waiting on the step from Wool Needlework. I was so excited. A package for me! But then I remembered that Molly was having yarn shipped to my house while she's on vacation. *sigh* No yarn for me.

Back to Rogue.

September 14, 2004

Can't Blog, Knitting Rogue

I love knitting this sweater. It continues to grow (up to round 48). I also worked a lot on the back of Paula today while on the go. I'm in the midst of the beginning of school year crush. I won't bore you with details.

If you'd like some hilarious blogging, go see the Yarn Harlot.

September 12, 2004

Weekend Update

I've heard dozen of knitters say it before. "I just can't stop knitting Rogue!" It's so true. I love seeing the cables grow up the side. I'm fascinated with creating the kangaroo pouch. I just finished the pouch.



I tried to get a photo of the side cable so far but lots of tinkering in Photo Editor has yielded crummy results.



I'm working up the back of Paula too. It doesn't look like much there on the chair.


September 11, 2004

Build It And They Will Come

I work Thursday nights at The Fiber Gallery. After I get off work I meet a few friends at Essential Baking Company to knit some more. Sometimes I invite knitters from the project class to join us and Purlygirls are always welcome. Well, my goodness. We had about a dozen people this Thursday. It was really great to have a big crowd of knitters and I met Laura of Poor Miss Finch in person.

I don't have any really thrilling project pictures to show you. I have been working on the back of Paula. And I have started Rogue. It took me days to knit the hem facing for Rogue. I don't know why it was so taxing and so slow to knit 2352 stitches through the back loop, but it was. Now I'm moving faster but still not at lightning pace on the front. I knit the first nine rounds while watching Medical Investigation last night. That Neal McDonough. He's got two notes. Intense and calm and intense and manic. The show was mildly irritating in it's oversimplified characters but dammit! I needed to know what turned those people blue.

I'm very pleased with the new Knitty. I always love Knitty even if the designs don't appeal to me. All that work and effort offered up for free. What a generous group of people to do such a thing.

I'm horribly biased about the designs. Purlygirls Jenna and Megan both have designs. I got to watch them work on them and had that secret thrill of knowing a little about what would be in Knitty in advance. What can I say, I'm a knit-groupie. I do think both of their designs are great. Megan's reminds me of Futurama. Jenna's is such an elegant interpretation of an aran. Who knew that you could knit an sweater with cables all over it that would be flattering to your figure? Zig Zag has such a following that there is already a knitalong for it. It's got a matching hat too! Skating Queen makes me smile. Plus it's educational. I didn't know there was a National Museum of Roller Skating?

There were so many articles in this issue. I skimmed them all but I've only had time to read one. Jenna's graceful description and wonderful photos of camp make me ashamed of my fervid, jumbled posts after camp.

I feel a rant coming on about an eBay seller who is trying to extort positive feedback from me. But I'll save it for later. Maybe I'll calm down.

September 9, 2004

It's Here!

September 8, 2004

I Know What You Want

I could tell you all about my day. How it was my son's first day of first grade or that we all went to the dentist or about the 40 minutes I spent stuck in traffic (knitting) while trying to get to Stitch 'N Bitch only to find that the cafe was closed. Instead I'll show you want you want--a finished sweater.

Click Me for a Close Up
Click me for a closer view.
The Go-Everywhere-Go-With-Everything Cardigan from Stitch 'N Bitch
Patons Country DK and Mustachio


I did make it to Stitch 'n Bitch eventually.

September 7, 2004

The Film World of Tomorrow

Tonight I saw a preview screening of Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow. This is one cool flick. It's a B-movie cross between Metropolis, His Girl Friday and Indiana Jones. It's gorgeous and fascinating to look at. The film was created without any sets or backdrops. Everything other than props in the actor's hands was created by computer. The actors worked against blue screens. All the extras were shot by themselves so that they could be individually manipulated in composites. If you're going to see it at all, see it on the big screen. The director was on hand for Q&A. This guy is going to change the way films are made.

I completed my GE Cardi. Finally! When did I finish knitting that thing? March? Ah well. It's still damp from blocking so I can't model it for you yet. Maybe tomorrow. Paula has about four inches of her back now. And I cast on for Rogue. By which I mean that I literally have just cast on. That's it. No knitting yet.

My Kureyon 87 arrived for Butterfly. I've got a few folks signed up for the knitalong. Email me or leave a comment if you'd like to join us. I don't have an official start date for it but I think most of us won't be working on it until October.

I also got my yarn for The Knitty Gritty. It's Trendsetter Blossom. You know, the yarn I was complaining about a week or so ago? That'll teach me.

September 6, 2004

What Am I Doing?

It's that time again. The time where I freak out and start about 32 new projects at once. I need to organize my thoughts and get a grip on myself. First I must look at where all my current projects stand.

From my "back burner" pile.
The Candy Sam in pink Bandolino: Sam was a very bad sweater and let me knit it's fronts all wrong. I have put Sam in a time out in the back of my office closet.

Basic Gloves from The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns in gray Baby Ull: I made these to see if I could knit a glove. After I finished the first one I saw that, yes, I can knit a glove. Now there's nothing motivating me to finish the second drab gray glove. Also, since I started these last winter, I will never be able to match my gauge where I left off. I'm still not sure what to do. Ripping will leave me with a lot of short bits of useless yarn. Maybe I should finish the second one and embroider them to save them from hopeless dullness.

Beaded Wrist Warmers: I love my one wrist warmer. I haven't been able to motivate myself to string the beads for the second one. A fourteen bead pattern that needs to be repeated FIFTY-THREE times. I keep saying, "Some evening while I'm watching TV, I'll get that done." Hasn't happened yet.

Poncho in green Dale Ara: I can't remember what I did on the first half of this poncho and I didn't take notes. Bad knitter. I'm going to rip this out. I don't know what I'll do with the yarn yet. Probably some shawl/shrug snuggly thing.

From my current knitting basket.
Birch in Toffee Kidsilk Haze: I've made some progress recently. I'm now on row 5.

Mon Petit Chou Hipster in Elann Esprit: I'm stalled out over a pattern error and waiting for an update.

Go-Everywhere-Go-With-Everything Cardigan in Patons Country DK: All done except for the button loops and buttons.

Paula from the Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk Collection in Cotton Fleece: The sleeves are done. I cast on for the back last night. I need to finish the ribbing to free up the needles for the body of Rogue.

Psychedelic Squares Afghan in Cotton Classic: Six squares are done. Ninety-four left to knit.

And the latest.
Lunch Bag Carryall from Knit One, Felt Too in dark red Lopi: I bought a new clear plastic storage container for my stash overflow. The yarn was giving me a dirty look this morning. I cast on.

Rogue in Mission Falls 1824 Wool : I spent yesterday afternoon swatching. I had to finish an afghan square to free up the needles to cast on and knit the hem facing. I will cast on shortly.

Burning a hole in my stash:
I'm dying to cast on for the Felted Floral Tote and the Retro Prep. Plus Kureyon is on it's way to me for Butterfly.

What am I going to do?

Muppet News Flash!

Muppet Scientists Named Most Popular Screen Boffins

September 5, 2004

Sale Alert

Alpaca Silk by Debbie Bliss for $5.49!

Multi-Tasking Gone Off-Course

Wes took the kids to the aquarium today. I skipped the gym today and decided instead to walk to Nancy's Sewing Basket. I need buttons for the GE Cardi. (I finally sewed it all up this week and last night I did all the crochet trim.) This is a nearly four mile walk with some big hills. When I finally scaled the peak of Queen Anne Hill I found that Nancy's was closed today for the holiday weekend. Crap.

But Hilltop Yarns is just across the street. Inside I found all Jamieson's yarn at 40% off. So instead of buttons for my sweater I have all the yarn I need for the Felted Floral Tote from the fall IK. Oops.

I got myself a little brunch on my own. Ahhh.

I also made a little run (ny car) earlier to The Fiber Gallery to get a set of needles for Rogue. Yes, Rogue. At long last. Swatching will begin shortly.

September 4, 2004

New Knitalong Alert



Thanks to Eklectika for the button!

September 3, 2004

Me Tarzan, You Crazy Lady with Crochet Hook


I found these crocheted little numbers on the new Craftster.org blog (which I found through Action Hero). I know crochet is making a come back but... The new Martha Stewart Kids magazine also has an article on crochet for kids.
But Martha doesn't have this.

The horror, the horror.

September 1, 2004