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

March 30, 2008

Haven't We Had Enough of This?

I just heard about a new documentary, Young@Heart, about a senior citizen choir that sings rock songs. It looks cute.



I'm not crazy about the poster.



Why is knitting still the international symbol for old age?

Nearly a Bust

Today did not go as planned. We were going to have dim sum at Jade Garden then head to the Seattle Art Museum first thing this morning. But Bella has developed some sort of medical issue (gross and not worth discussing) so Wes took her to the vet. They haven't found out what's wrong yet but she's otherwise fine. So we head off to the International District two hours later than expected. The wait at Jade Garden was long and the kids were not feeling patient. Wes ran over to the House of Hong and got us a table immediately. You know there's a reason that one place had a long wait and the other had no wait. The food was meh. We ate quickly and headed to Kinokuniya. Usually the kids are game to look at all the Pokemon stuff for a while but today they just weren't feeling patient. Fortunately I found this cute lunchbag book. I'm participating in a lunch bag swap* and this is just the inspiration I need.

We headed to the museum and scored the greatest parking spot in the world. We were feeling happy and lucky as we headed in the door. Then there in the lobby were more people waiting in line than I have ever seen on all my trips to SAM combined in the last decade. It was mobbed. I got in the line to get a membership. I waited about 10 minutes and the line didn't move. It didn't keep the woman behind me from trying to shimmy around me or just stand so close behind me she kept bumping me forward. I was feeling really frustrated and let down. We headed back to the car. Wes got the great idea to stop at Le Fournil before they closed for some half-priced pastries (we were still hungry from the sub-par dim sum). We drove over only to find the pastry case empty. We trudged back to the car. We headed to U Village to get my son a book we promised him. At this point we were all feeling hungry, frustrated and generally pissy. We got the book and got out of there. When we got home I threw myself on the couch in a fit of pique (and MSG?) and fell dead asleep for three hours.

In an attempt to salvage something good out of the day, Wes fed the kids then gathered them up to accompany us to dinner at El Camino. They were reasonably well behaved and Wes and I got to have a grown up dinner. Nice.

I've been knitting away on my socks and have just turned the heel on the second one. they should be done in a day or two.

* I have been driving myself nuts on what to make. Do I sew something or knit something? I have too many ideas and I'm afraid my sewing skills might fall short of the visions of fancy-ass lunch bags in my head.

March 28, 2008

Snow and Sew

Fear not, my knitting friends. My Go With the Flow socks are galloping along. I have one and a half socks knit. I have also been working on some sewing stuff though.

My newest Dear Jane blocks.

B-1 Bachelor Buttons
Hand reverse-applique.

B-3 Mirror Image
My first curved seams, hand-pieced.

We had a movie night tonight.

My Friday Night
17 hexagons completed during the movie.

Hexagons
52 done in all.

001
And it snowed today! I was shopping on the eastside. I walked out of the mall and it looked like a well-shaken snowglobe. Huge, fat snowflakes pouring out of the sky. It's all gone now.

Have You Tried...

hulu.com? It offers free, streaming video of television shows and movies. The mix is, er, interesting. The picture quality is fantastic with little to no buffering time. There are short commercials but it's not too bad. I've been watching New Amsterdam and The Tick. Spoooooon!

I'm also loving Jott! I am an extremely forgetful person. Extremely. Writing myself little notes is useless since I never look at the notes I write. Recording voice messages has also proven useless since I don't listen to them. Jott allows me to make a voice recording that is transcribed and sent to me via email or text. You can also send messages to other people, Twitter, iwantsandy, you can even blog with it. Pretty freaking cool. The voice recognition is top-notch provided your are someplace quiet. If there is a lot of background noise it's not as accurate. But if you don't understand the transcription you can listen to the original recording online.

March 27, 2008

Thursdays are for What the Hell is This?

Who among us hasn't had the urge to knit a sassy pair of yellow, cowboy-inspired pants? I know. And wouldn't they be so much better in yellow with a lot of random texture? But you hold back. We, as a community, have been able to restrain yourselves. Until now.



When I first saw this next photo I thought, "It's kind of Sgt. Pepper meets the Muppets." But know I don't even notice the sweaters. I just want to know what the hell happened to the front model's hand. Why is it all black? My best guess is they were photoshopping the color on her sweater and her hand got in the way. The other possibility is that the hand has died but is still attached to her body.



This last one was sent to me by Birdy.



A crocheted hamburger dress. Perhaps I'm blinded by my undying love for hamburgers or a deep appreciation of kitsch. But I freaking love this dress. It's insane. There are crocheted sesame seeds on the bust! It's so fug I think it's looped back around to fab.

March 25, 2008

Only Good Things to Report

My Go With the Flow socks are both going and flowing.



My latest and hardest Dear Jane block came out pretty well.



23 pieces! Woof.

I had a group of friends over on Sunday for crafting. Amanda is trying out English paper piecing. She handed me a stack of paper templates. "Here," she said, like a dealer, "why don't you try it?" And, like a junkie, I was immediately hooked.



My dog is still really cute.



She is HUGE. People keep asking me if she's part Great Dane. I'm hoping not but she is definitely a very tall girl. And sweet as pie.

March 23, 2008

Tangled Yoke Cardigan



Pattern: Tangled Yoke Cardigan by Eunny Jang, Fall '07 Interweave Knits
Yarn: Silky Wool
Needles: US2 and US0
Notes: Okay, so obviously this sweater has not been blocked. I hope to get some of the puckering out of the neckline with a vigorous blocking. Picking up the neckline stitches was nearly impossible. I could not see the purl bumps in the dark slubby yarn. It is also too small. I swatched many, many times for this sweater. I finally went down to size 2 needles (it called for 5s). I think my gauge must have tightened up as I knit. The fabric is very firm--not in a bad way. It looks all right unbuttoned but buttoned up it looks a little silly. I'm working on losing a bit of weight right now so I'm hopeful it will fit me well really soon.

March 21, 2008

Avoidance

I didn't feel like picking up the stitches for the last band on my Tangled Yoke last night when I got home (On size 0s. Yuck.). Instead I grabbed some of my Dear Jane supplies and made a few blocks. I had them all cut and marked and ready to go.




I was so happy with how these two came out I completed the current block for the Dear Baby Jane challenge too.



I think my hand-applique has vastly improved over the last few blocks. If I do say so myself.

Okay, okay. I'll go finish my sweater.

March 19, 2008

Thursdays are for What the Hell is This?

Have you ever wondered what would happen if Vanna White hosted a fashion show with Lion Brand? Wonder no more, my friends.





See an entire Flickr set here.

Wonder what it looks like in motion?



I, for one, cannot wait until fall.

Don't These Two Look Happy Together?



Woody Allen and Donatella Versace looking morose ensemble.

Because Tangled Yoke Isn't Done Just Yet

Do you follow Skull-a-Day? It's an incredibly entertaining mixed media year long project. Each day the artist creates a skull. Some of my favorites have been the bread skull, the chair skull and the flow chart skull. There have even been several yarn skulls.

I'm working on the collar of Tangled Yoke. Still have the button bands to do too.

March 17, 2008

Happy St. Patrick's Day



via Boing Boing.

March 16, 2008

Kitchen Conversation

Older Son (almost 10), while washing dishes: Mom, how do sperm come out of your body? Do they just come out when you pee?
Mom, trying to be nonchalant and still slightly abtruse: They come out when you ejaculate. You have to be sexually stimulated.
Son: So like when you have sex they come out and go "Wheeeee!"
Mom: Yeah, pretty much.

These next few years are going to be rough.

Not Flattering, Not Sincere

The new Spring Interweave Crochet preview is up. One design jumped out at me.



Hmmm, that seems awfully familiar, doesn't it? In fact, it's a complete, full-on copy of Bonne Marie Burns' Ariann.



I know one is knit and one is crochet. But it's the same exact sweater. This does not sit right with me.

March 15, 2008

Moving On

Thanks for all the get well wishes. I have a mighty assortment of welts and bruises but I'm getting around just fine. I'm in denial about the dishwasher. The last time I lived somewhere with no dishwasher was the summer of '91. For now I'm just letting the dishes pile up in the sink.

So what else have I been up to? Even though it's barely had a mention on the blog since I started it, the Tangled Yoke is slowly creeping toward the finishing line. I am a few rounds short of a full tangle on the yoke. I believe this photo of a crumbly, gray mass explains why I haven't been taking a lot of pictures of my progress.



Since this project is far, far from portable, I cast on a new pair of socks.



This is Evelyn Clark's Go With the Flow socks in STR Chapman Springs colorway. I started these socks once before and ripped them out. These are going splendidly and I'm not hating the variegation. I started working on them yesterday while on the way to a quilt show with Molly. It was my first quilt show. It was really interesting to see all styles and skill levels represented. I found that I am always drawn to the hand-quilted ones. I bought a few fat quarters in 30s reproduction prints while I was there. I got some of these at the Sew Expo a few weeks ago. Love the 30s stuff.



I also bought one piece of vintage fabric.



When I pulled it out to photograph I realized it matched the large-scale floral in Blossom I got for the border on my Four Square quilt.



There were two quilts based on Dear Jane at the show too. I came home and finished a block, Dad's Plaids.



This one has reverse applique and regular applique. I think I'm improving since the last one.

I also knocked off two tiny new sewing projects. A needlebook and a camera case with a quilted lining for my new camera.


March 14, 2008

Investigating Replacement Options

I was standing at the stove tonight starting to make dinner for the kids while my older son was putting away the dishes from the dishwasher. (He gets paid $.75. It's the closest I'm going to get to having a maid.)We were joking around and he, while standing on a stool to reach the shelves, gave me a shove. I lost my balance and hit the open door of the dishwasher and came crashing down on it. We are both in pretty rough shape. My entire left leg is sore and throbbing. While I was sprawled on the floor, weeping from pain and shock, my younger son came over and peered into my face.

"What?"
"I just wanted to see if you were all right."
"I'm okay."
"Can you get me something to drink?"

The dishwasher door is so bent out of shape it won't close.



I'm looking into replacement options.

I'll need to do something about the dishwasher too.

March 13, 2008

Thursdays are for What the Hell is This?

I get it. Being a designer is hard. Always having to come up with something new. A new twist, a new angle.

Or you can just make a lot of random crap for people to wear around their necks.

Randomly crocheted "necklace."



Randomly bumpy lariat.



Randomly furry.



Just plain random.

March 12, 2008

Random Awesomeness

Betty White is my role model on how to be 86.



The new Pixar film looks so good I want to see it right now!



And in case you still haven't seen it, Sarah Silverman on Kimmel.



And Kimmel's response.

March 11, 2008

Reverse Applique

Yikes. I just tried my first hand reverse appliqued block for Dear Jane. I realized way too late that I should have used a dark thread to match the brown fabric. Instead it looks a bit like Frankenstein's monster in the stitching department.



In real life, it doesn't look so bad. The flash really highlighted the crooked, ecru stitches.

From a distance it looks just fine.



See?

Looking for New Talent

"The Fiber Gallery has a part-time sales position for an experienced and enthusiastic knitter. We are committed to friendly, helpful customer service, so sales experience is strongly preferred. Crochet and needlepoint/cross-stitch skills would also be nice. You must be comfortable helping and teaching other knitters, and be able to lift boxes and stock shelves. Work schedule will include at least one weekday plus weekend hours. We offer a relaxed work environment and a generous yarn discount. To apply, please email fibergallery@comcast.net with your work history and information about your recent knitting projects."

Kureyon Sock Shawl



Pattern: My own.
Yarn: Kureyon Sock (just 1 skein)
Needles: US6 Addi Lace Needles
Notes: I made this shawl for a shop model and for a class. I wanted as simple a pattern as possible. I think I got it. The shawl starts at the center back neck like an Evelyn Clark shawl. It makes for great stripes. One skein made a petite shawl.

Gloves



Pattern: Class handout from Nancy Bush. A basic glove pattern with a two-strand double start cast on.
Yarn: Elemental Affects Shetland
Needles: US2 Crystal Palace circs and Brittany dpns
Notes: I managed to break three double points while knitting these. One needle got broken in two places. This pattern is pretty no-frills. One great feature are the mini gussets between all the fingers. By picking up lots of stitches between fingers then decreasing down the little holes, so annoying to glove knitters, are virtually eliminated.

March 8, 2008

Tulip, A Colorful Cardigan for Baby




Pattern: Tulip, A Colorful Cardigan for Baby by Lindsay Pekny
Yarn: Handspun from color and fiber blending class samples and llama/merino/tencel/silk for edging.
Needle: US7 and 5 Addi Turbos
Notes: I found it difficult to pick up an adequate number of stitches along the fronts with the slipped stitch edges. I might not slip the stitches if I knit this again. Otherwise it's a very fast pattern and easy to follow.

March 7, 2008

Joining the March

After seeing Brainylady's post and Nicole's follow up I feel inspired to get this load of nearly finished knitting out of my life this month.

1. My simple gloves have just three fingers left to knit.
2. I need to complete the yoke and edging on my Tangled Yoke.
3. The handspun baby cardigan just needs one more sleeve and some edging.

I finished the Noro shawl/scarf this morning. Why did it take me so long to knit 460 yards of simple, simple lace? I can't explain it. Then I overshot the finish last night and ran out of yarn while binding off. I ripped back a few rows and reknit the edging and bind off. It's on the blocking board. (Sadly my blocking wires are MIA. The edges aren't all that straight on this.)



I had this much yarn left.



No waste here. Makes my frugal heart feel good. I've already picked the baby cardigan back up. Just a little bit more and I can cross another item off my list. I love crossing things off lists.

March 6, 2008

Thursdays are for What the Hell is This?

Something you need to get off your back, dear?



Kind of the knitted version of "Don't tread on me." It begs the question, "what coat do you wear with that?"