Thank you so much for "letting me sleep" this morning. In the future this would be aided by a) not opening the curtains in my bedroom b) not leaving the door open when you leave after waking me up to tell me that you're going to let me sleep c) not playing any game right outside my door, like "Spy School," which involves running back and forth in the hall screaming, "I'm bleeding!"
Sincerely,
Your Mom
March 12, 2006
March 11, 2006
Completely, Totally Side-tracked
Boy, did I go off course. I've been happily plugging away on the left front of my Knot & Cable Jacket. But yesterday I felt a strange pull. The question of what to do with all my leftover balls of sock yarn has been nagging at me. I like my socks on the short side so I usually have a two-thirds of a skein left when I'm done with a pair. Suddenly I remembered these sweet little socks that Alison knit. Eureka! I found my IK from last summer and I pulled out all my oddballs. I threw them all on my desk. The Lorna's Laces in Valentine won. And to make things more interesting I tried out Sockbug's directions for the two-socks-on-one-circular method. Before I even finished the first round I caught a glimpse of most of a skein of Jo Sharp DK Wool. That would make a good baby hat. Oh and there's a US6 needle right here. So I cast on and started a Dulaan hat. (I also found the rest of the yarn for the brown baby booties and started the second one of those on Wednesday night.)
I am now so side-tracked I'm side-tracked from my side-track.
I am now so side-tracked I'm side-tracked from my side-track.
March 10, 2006
I Think I Need This
I've looked at this coffee mug with a handy saying from Manolo about 12 times already this morning and it makes me snicker every time.
Knit-Crochet Smackdown
Okay, everybody take a deep breath. I thought it would be self-evident that the things I say on Thursday are just for fun and not to be taken too seriously. I have gotten numerous messages from crocheters who feel upset by my harsh, though tongue-in-cheek, comments about crochet. Why the knit-crochet rift? Can't we all just get along?
I don't crochet. I keep planning on learning to crochet. I keep hoping that I will find a crochet pattern that I like enough to make me want to learn to crochet. But more often than not I find things like this.
Which causes me to quip, "This is why I don't crochet." In other words, when I see ugly crochet patterns it does not inspire me to become a crocheter.
So, please, I don't mean that all crochet is ugly or that because of a single pattern I will never crochet or that no one else should crochet or anything of the sort. I'm an *ahem* opinionated person. But I never ask anyone to, as Dr. Phil would say, substitute my judgment for your own.
In a strange coincidence the new Interweave Crochet preview went up yesterday. And again, sadly, there isn't much there to encourage me to pick up a hook. Candi Jensen (if I had little girls to make things for I would definitely make some of her sweet designs) has a very cute little sweater. There are some nice bags. And this scarf looks fun, but isn't it nearly identical to the one from the cover of the last IK Crochet? But then there's stuff like this and this and--dear God--this. Remember when I said that knit dresses were dead? Guess what? Crocheted dresses are equally dead. I also don't understand why someone would take $250+ worth of Koigu and make it into an afghan that looks like it came from your great aunt's basement.
Now go forth and knit or crochet or tat or whatever makes you happy. Don't mind me.
I don't crochet. I keep planning on learning to crochet. I keep hoping that I will find a crochet pattern that I like enough to make me want to learn to crochet. But more often than not I find things like this.
Which causes me to quip, "This is why I don't crochet." In other words, when I see ugly crochet patterns it does not inspire me to become a crocheter.
So, please, I don't mean that all crochet is ugly or that because of a single pattern I will never crochet or that no one else should crochet or anything of the sort. I'm an *ahem* opinionated person. But I never ask anyone to, as Dr. Phil would say, substitute my judgment for your own.
In a strange coincidence the new Interweave Crochet preview went up yesterday. And again, sadly, there isn't much there to encourage me to pick up a hook. Candi Jensen (if I had little girls to make things for I would definitely make some of her sweet designs) has a very cute little sweater. There are some nice bags. And this scarf looks fun, but isn't it nearly identical to the one from the cover of the last IK Crochet? But then there's stuff like this and this and--dear God--this. Remember when I said that knit dresses were dead? Guess what? Crocheted dresses are equally dead. I also don't understand why someone would take $250+ worth of Koigu and make it into an afghan that looks like it came from your great aunt's basement.
Now go forth and knit or crochet or tat or whatever makes you happy. Don't mind me.
March 9, 2006
Thursdays are for What the Hell is This?
It looks like Tacky Tahki has been peeking at Berocco's playbook.
You may recall from two weeks ago some of these Berocco designs. Now mouse over for their Tahki counterparts.
Tahki even has their own take on the "town slut look."
But Berocco still has them beat for bewildering designs like this one.
And more reasons why I don't crochet.
Although Takhi might try to give them a run for their money on that too.
You may recall from two weeks ago some of these Berocco designs. Now mouse over for their Tahki counterparts.
Tahki even has their own take on the "town slut look."
But Berocco still has them beat for bewildering designs like this one.
And more reasons why I don't crochet.
Although Takhi might try to give them a run for their money on that too.
March 8, 2006
Now We're Getting Somewhere
I had a moment of realization yesterday. I have been waiting for something to happen with my knitting. It's a little silly but I'd hit a bit of a lull, some post-Olympic depression combined with my entire family falling ill again--remember the three guys all had the stomach flu right before Christmas. Wes and my younger son got slammed with a really bad flu last week. It stuck around all week and they're not 100% yet. Yesterday I had to go pick up my older son from school because he had a 102° temperature. It's all left me kind of listless and uninspired. So yesterday I took control of my knitting again. I finished the chart for the left front of the Knot & Cable Jacket and got started on it.
I monkeyed around with a lamp and the flash on my camera to finally get a photo that shows one of the eponymous knots. I'm happy with my progress so far and felt really pleased to work on this again. I'm also glad I'm doing one front at a time. It's a just a mind game but it gives me more noticeable progress than if I worked the two fronts together. Plus there's less chance of twisting a cable in the wrong direction since they all go one way on each front.
Wes wanted to watch The Three Burials of Meliquiades Estrada* last night so I needed something without charts. I grabbed my shop sweater again and knit on it until I ran out of yarn--before I get any wisecracks, I do have enough yarn to finish the sweater but it's at the shop.
It's a bit of a gray blob right now but I made some serious progress on it. At the end of work on Monday I was only a few rows past separating for the sleeves.
The film was well-done but didn't reach me on any emotional level. I've seen three films written by Guillermo Arriaga--Amores perros which I loved, 21 Grams which was brutal but still great and now Three Burials. I'm starting to feel like he's a one-trick pony. And it's getting to be a tiresome trick. And looking at his next film there's more of the same to come.
*A perk of being an IFP member, Independent Spirit Award screeners!
I monkeyed around with a lamp and the flash on my camera to finally get a photo that shows one of the eponymous knots. I'm happy with my progress so far and felt really pleased to work on this again. I'm also glad I'm doing one front at a time. It's a just a mind game but it gives me more noticeable progress than if I worked the two fronts together. Plus there's less chance of twisting a cable in the wrong direction since they all go one way on each front.
Wes wanted to watch The Three Burials of Meliquiades Estrada* last night so I needed something without charts. I grabbed my shop sweater again and knit on it until I ran out of yarn--before I get any wisecracks, I do have enough yarn to finish the sweater but it's at the shop.
It's a bit of a gray blob right now but I made some serious progress on it. At the end of work on Monday I was only a few rows past separating for the sleeves.
The film was well-done but didn't reach me on any emotional level. I've seen three films written by Guillermo Arriaga--Amores perros which I loved, 21 Grams which was brutal but still great and now Three Burials. I'm starting to feel like he's a one-trick pony. And it's getting to be a tiresome trick. And looking at his next film there's more of the same to come.
*A perk of being an IFP member, Independent Spirit Award screeners!
March 7, 2006
Mindless Stockinette
Wow, I needed that. I am currently working on four patterns. One is lace, two are cabled and one is cabled lace. It was a real pleasure to take a break during the Oscars and knit this hat. Then last night as I left work to head to Purlygirls I realized I left my knitting bag at home. Fortunately I noticed right when I got in my car. I went back into the shop and grabbed one of my sample knitting projects, the Neckdown Pullover for Women from Knitting Pure and Simple. I had just separated the sleeves so I was knitting the body, which has no shaping, around and around and around. Ahhh...
Zasu approves of the hat.
March 6, 2006
High School Reunion Night at the Oscars
First knitting content: I knit a Dulaan hat during the Oscars from my handspun alpaca/wool that I used a few months ago to make fingerless mitts and some Cascade 220.
It occurred to me during the ceremony that three people from my high school were up for major awards. Bennett Miller and Dan Futterman, director and writer of Capote respectively, graduated three years ahead of me. And Matt Dillon graduated (I think) a year or two before I started high school. But I was really shocked to hear the name of one of my college professors nominated for Best Documentary Short Subject. I turned to Wes and said, "Did he just say Eric Simonson?" And then he won! Cool.
As for the clothes, too much black and too much nude clothes with nude makeup (Uma, Naomi, Nicole, I'm talking to you). I didn't think there were any real clunkers out there except for Naomi Watts's tulle explosion and Rachel McAdams's really unattractive yellow sparkly thing with the--what was that? A butterfly in the middle of her chest? And Jennifer Lopez looked bizarre with her hair pulled back so tight that I thought her eyes would fall out. Also Charlize Theron looked quite matronly with her 50s hair and brown bow (and it's hard to make that woman look bad). I thought Salma Hayek stood out for wearing a gown that played up her figure perfectly, was sexy but not tacky and a color! I was so grateful to see a color!
I was really disappointed that Brokeback Mountain didn't get Best Picture and also more upset than I thought I would be that Michelle Williams didn't get Best Supporting Actress though I didn't think she would.
I was pleased that many refrained from the thank-you-list-as-acceptance-speech. I particularly enjoyed the passion of Gavin Hood's speech.
I could go on but I'll spare you.
It occurred to me during the ceremony that three people from my high school were up for major awards. Bennett Miller and Dan Futterman, director and writer of Capote respectively, graduated three years ahead of me. And Matt Dillon graduated (I think) a year or two before I started high school. But I was really shocked to hear the name of one of my college professors nominated for Best Documentary Short Subject. I turned to Wes and said, "Did he just say Eric Simonson?" And then he won! Cool.
As for the clothes, too much black and too much nude clothes with nude makeup (Uma, Naomi, Nicole, I'm talking to you). I didn't think there were any real clunkers out there except for Naomi Watts's tulle explosion and Rachel McAdams's really unattractive yellow sparkly thing with the--what was that? A butterfly in the middle of her chest? And Jennifer Lopez looked bizarre with her hair pulled back so tight that I thought her eyes would fall out. Also Charlize Theron looked quite matronly with her 50s hair and brown bow (and it's hard to make that woman look bad). I thought Salma Hayek stood out for wearing a gown that played up her figure perfectly, was sexy but not tacky and a color! I was so grateful to see a color!
I was really disappointed that Brokeback Mountain didn't get Best Picture and also more upset than I thought I would be that Michelle Williams didn't get Best Supporting Actress though I didn't think she would.
I was pleased that many refrained from the thank-you-list-as-acceptance-speech. I particularly enjoyed the passion of Gavin Hood's speech.
I could go on but I'll spare you.
My Public
Yesterday I was in the coffee shop at Barnes & Noble with my kids. A woman approached me and asked, "Are you Jessica?" I said yes and she told me she read my blog. We smiled and she left. My older son asked, "Is she a blogfan?"
March 5, 2006
Greetings from the Island of Abandoned Baby Knitting*
Knitting for babies is so enticing. Those cute, little patterns. It seems like everyone around me is constantly whipping out adorable, tiny projects for new arrivals. I seem to be right at that point in my life where everyone I know already has school-age kids like me. No baby knitting in sight. I had one pregnant knitting friend and got all worked up. I was going to make her something! I tried. Then I tried some more. Then I tried again. But I have nothing to show for it but this pile of unfinished nothing.
1) Dainty Bootees from Knitting for Two. I thought I had enough yarn when I started. But when I had four rows left to knit on the first one I ran out of yarn and can't find the rest.
2) I attempted to crochet some booties. Crochet is not for me.
3) Lace hat from IK. I completely ran out of yarn about 1/8th of the way into the project. What was I thinking?
The friend has now left the state along with her unborn child so I will probably not be attempting another baby project for a while.
*The knitting is abandoned, not the babies.
Living Dangerously for a Really Long Time
About a billion years ago*, I started one of Susan's Live Dangerously, Don't Swatch (.pdf) hats. In sock yarn. Really, what was I thinking? It sat by my computer and once every month or so I would pick it up and knit a few rounds. Last night, I needed something mindless to knit (my four current projects are all charted). I finally finished the damned thing. What do you know.
This is leftover Sheep's Gift from Joslyn's Fiber Farm and Mountain Colors Weaver's Wool Quarters knit on US3s.
*slight exaggeration
All the Good Plying Puns Have Been Taken
On Friday I did a little plying.
85 yards silk/merino lace-weight. Click for detail.
54 yards of marled merino from my class with Judith Mackenzie at Madrona. Click for detail.
I don't think I'll ever do anything with these tiny bits of yarn but I got some good experience from them.
I also finally finished spinning some thick and thin singles from the last of my Butternut Woolens hand-painted top.
60 yards of heavy worsted.
I have about 250+ yards of the Butternut singles now. I'm not sure what I'll make with them. I still need to give them a good soak and block.
85 yards silk/merino lace-weight. Click for detail.
54 yards of marled merino from my class with Judith Mackenzie at Madrona. Click for detail.
I don't think I'll ever do anything with these tiny bits of yarn but I got some good experience from them.
I also finally finished spinning some thick and thin singles from the last of my Butternut Woolens hand-painted top.
60 yards of heavy worsted.
I have about 250+ yards of the Butternut singles now. I'm not sure what I'll make with them. I still need to give them a good soak and block.
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