New Order-Dreams Never End

Posted on August 29, 2006
Filed Under Song of the Day, music | Leave a Comment

Is it girlie to report…

Posted on August 26, 2006
Filed Under Blather, Pennsylvania | 2 Comments

… that I got some superfantastic-happymaking goodies at Rag and Bone vintage in State College to go along with my swell new haircut (nothing drastic, but a good chop this time)? I am so pleased with my dresses (one with utterly stylin’ matching coat), blouse, and scarves. I’m considering finding my way back there before I leave town as I never did get to properly eyeball the many fabulous bags. Everybody can use new school duds, right?

Time stamp

Posted on August 20, 2006
Filed Under Blather, friends, knitting, music | Leave a Comment

Drinking: Ginger Peach tea out of one of my favorite arts festival mugs (light green with a sort of ropey design, a gift from Kim)

Listening: Robyn Hitchcock-Globe of Frogs (the album, on vinyl)

Web activity: Ordering Classic Elite Fall 2006 pattern books Second Edition and Tweed Four. These are the best Classic Elite patterns I’ve seen in years, probably in large part due to the fact that Kathy Zimmerman, queen of beautiful cables, is their guest designer this season.

Perusing: The Fall 2006 issue of Interweave Knits. It’s the first of my new subscription. Up to now the only knitting mag I subscribed to was Vogue Knitting. I’m keeping up my VK subscription, but I’ve liked enough of IK over the last few years that it seemed worth it to subscribe. I’m considering (someday) knitting Saffron Cables (another Kathy Zimmerman!).

Last concert: Saw X and Rollins Band last night with Amy and Doug at Avalon. We’d have been just as happy to have skipped Rollins. He was loud, the music was redundant, his lyrics were pretty lame. He seems like a not entirely stupid person; I can’t help feeling he could do better. A (solo) career built around loud, confident, and exceedingly vague and therefore dangerous pronouncements, along with a lot of spraying of various bodily fluids, seems pretty disappointing for someone who might be able to do more. It was kind of funny though… we were “treated” to a lotta lotta testosterone and the inevitable pit. As pits go, it could have been worse/less appropriate, I guess.

X were much more worthwhile all around. The setlist drew heavily from their early albums, and I can’t really complain as I love those records. I’m sad they didn’t play “Adult Books,” especially as I’ve heard that they’ve played it at other recent shows. But “We’re Desperate,” “Sugarlight,” etc. were still great. Billy Zoom is the cupie doll of the universe. I’m not really a guitarist, but he sounded pretty flawless to me. I wasn’t about to try to get my camera into Avalon, and I didn’t think to borrow Ezra’s, but Amy and Doug grabbed a couple of good snapshots.

stop. calling. me.

Posted on August 11, 2006
Filed Under Blather, rant | Leave a Comment

You know, even when I agree completely with a cause or like the products that a company sells, when somebody pulls my name from some list and calls me on the phone I start to kind of hate them. I don’t care who you represent, telemarketers–DO NOT CALL ME. Yeah, I’m on the do not call list, but Ez and I have determined that it must not apply to non-profit organizations.

My furry darlings

Posted on August 9, 2006
Filed Under Blather, family, photography, the pusses | 1 Comment

My kitties are so beautiful. Suki struck this gasp-inducingly gorgeous pose just a few hours ago. (OK… I am of course completely biased… but she IS gorgeous!)
Suki

Yarn!

Posted on August 9, 2006
Filed Under Blather, knitting | 2 Comments

So, with the slightest hint of Fall in the air (my nose is specially equipped to make this particular detection), I am all excited about my knitting again. Depending on how you figure it, I have either four or five sweaters in progress and yarn for two others. And then there’s that other cabled blanket that looks yummy, too…

Just in time, Woolcott had their big birthday sale last Friday and Saturday. At 25% off, I decided now was the time to stock up for the year, so I bought yarn for three projects.

Manos

First, I got this fuzzy-yumptious Manos del Uruguay in black and shell pink (there are two other black skeins already in use from the purchase) for a boatneck pullover with striped sleeves.

backosweather

After making a big cabled blanket and a baby dress on tiny needles, and with multiple cabled sweater projects in progress, I decided to squeeze in a simpler project that might go more quickly. Well, I finished the back of this sweater in about 3 days, which is definitely a record for me! It’s all curled up and rumpled in this picture. I blocked it last night, and now I’m about 1/3 of the way done with the front. Gratification is mine!

Next up?… this tasty pink yarn for a cabled turtleneck from an old issue of Rebecca.

Nature Wool

It’s Nature Wool Chunky. I’ve never used it before, but I like the color and I think it will work.

Along with some needles, that was my loot from day one.

bagoyarn

(That’s the pretty shawl that Brian brought back for me from Afghanistan draped over the back of the chair.)

In my trips to Woolcott and perusing online, I discovered another new sweater pattern for Fall that I really want to make. It’s a cabled (of course) pullover designed by Kathy Zimmerman, and it has this nifty sort of art nouveau look. The pattern is not yet available, though (at least, it wasn’t last Saturday), so I couldn’t figure out how much yarn I would need so that I could buy it at the sale. Well, I stumbled upon Lauren’s blog, almost felted, and saw that she had knit a sample for Classic Elite of a different sweater from the same pattern book. So I asked her if by chance she could help me out. She didn’t have the info, but she did give me Classic Elite’s phone number. Well, I called them, got the info, and went shopping (back to the sale)! I didn’t end up buying their yarn, though. Instead…

noroinplastic
(OK, yes, the yarn is still in plastic, and I’m now realizing that this picture is a tad blurry.)

I ended up with 17 skeins of Noro’s Cash Iroha in a gorgeous (I think) jewel/grass green color. I’ve never purchased Noro yarn before–it always seemed rather exotic and expensive, and I never really had a use for it… until now. The color called to me, and at 25% off, this seemed like as good a time as any to splurge a bit. The fiber content is a little different from the Princess yarn the pattern calls for, but I think it’s close enough that it will work well. Now to get my hands on that pattern…

Song of the Day

Devo-It’s Not Right 

Photos

My Photos on Flickr


The Knitting Turnip

On My Needles

Rhapsody in Tweed cabled pullover for Ezra! using Tahki Donegal Tweed in Forest, from Fall 2004 Interweave Knits. I've just picked this one up again, so it's moving up in the queue!

Sweater with Cable Patterns pullover using Araucania Nature Wool Chunky in Mauve, from Rebecca Magazine Number 28

Heather Pullover using Classic Elite Wings in Larkspur, from Rowan’s A Season’s Tale... This needs the knit doctor. I'm going to have to frog back a little bit and redo the shoulder area. Long story.

Hush Pullover using Jo Sharp DK wool in Wine, from Rowan’s Calmer Collection

Recently Finished Projects

In the Groove boatneck pullover using Manos del Uruguay in Black and Cheek (pale pink), from Fall 2006 issue of knitscene. SWEATER IS DONE!

Stash Stealer Scarf for me, using delicious yarn that darling Amy let me raid from her stash. I made up the pattern--a couple of wide ribs rimmed in moss stitch. It's soft and fuzzy and DONE!

Moss Stitch Jacket with Collar for Hope using Classic Elite Wool Bam Boo in Ivy, from Quick Baby Knits by Debbie Bliss. JACKET IS DONE!

Next in line

Brompton cardigan using Noro Cash Iroha in Jewel Green (my name for shade #100)

Eyelet Yoke Pullover using Debbie Bliss Merino Aran

Under consideration

Loads!

More scoop on my knitting endeavors can be found at my home on Ravelry (clicky here).

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