The Mostest

Posted on October 21, 2007
Filed Under Red Sox, craft, friends, knitting | 3 Comments

Ez and I are pals with two of the nicest people on the planet. Maybe I’ve mentioned…

Yesterday Amy and I took a longstitch journal workshop at Paper Source in Cambridge. Once again, the gluing was a little challenging, but I’m quite pleased with the results, and it was fun. Amy’s is really nice. Here’s mine:

After bookbinding, we grabbed a warm drink and had a lovely chat. It just goes to show how wonderful Amy is… she let me babble away and actually seemed interested and was listening to all of my random thoughts. They amount to something in the end, I hope.

We joined forces with Ezra and Doug for a relaxed dinner at Cambridge Common, and then because they are the most hospitable ever and because our place is still a wreck we headed over to Amy and Doug’s comfy home to visit with Theo of the big fluffy paws and to watch the Red Sox…er… sock it to the Indians. Doug let me wear his Ortiz jersey so I could feel that I was doing my part apparel-wise. Amy was working on her knitting–a super soft looking pale purple piece that looks positively edible. During the 2004 season I was working on the throw blanket I made for our living room, and the act of knitting helped me channel my nervous energy in a productive way–especially during the playoffs. Last night I didn’t anticipate wanting to knit, so I didn’t bring any knitting with me. Well, Amy, the knitting angel, offered to let me dig through her stash! I picked a couple of beautiful blue, green, and light purple variegated skeins and started knitting away. It turned into a spur of the moment moss stitch and wide rib scarf. On size 11 needles (which she was kind enough to let me borrow!), it’s going ridiculously quickly. Needless to say, I am deeply indebted to Ms. Lewis!! Amy, I owe you a serious stash raid!!

Oh, and since the Sox kicked some booty, Ez and I are going to Game 7 tonight!!! Whoop!

Artsy and Craftsy

Posted on September 24, 2007
Filed Under Blather, art, knitting | 1 Comment

When I’m not working, traveling, sleeping, reading, eating, exercising, or following Interpol, there’s a good chance that I am either watching an old movie or Frasier reruns or that I am engaged in some artsy-craftsy endeavor.

I mentioned in an earlier post that I took a bookbinding workshop a couple weekends ago. Here are the little journals I made:

Our choices for decorative papers were somewhat limited. I like these, but it will be fun to be able to select papers on my own from a greater array of choices. I’ll need to buy a number of tools to make more books on my own, but it’s not too complex.

As if I didn’t already have enough knitting projects in the works… I started a scarf a while ago for a friend of mine, but I’m not sure if I’ll ever finish it. It’s kind of a long story. It was a good project in that I learned a new technique–double knitting. But I’ve set that aside indefinitely. And of course when I saw the vegetable-dyed yarns in New York and remembered that I’ve been wanting to make myself a scarf for a while now (I only ever made a scarf for myself when I was just learning to knit and it’s not that fabulous). So… here’s the beginning of what may turn out to be a scarf, just for me!

scarf in progress

The veggie dye comes off all over my hands. I’ll have to rinse the scarf pretty thoroughly before I wear it. The yarn has a squishy, fuzzy quality–almost as though it’s lightly felted.

More art and craft coming soon…

Our Sixth Anniversary

Posted on September 24, 2007
Filed Under Blather, Pennsylvania, art, dining, knitting, wide world of vacation | 4 Comments

Saturday morning I woke up pretty late, and I admit that it took me a while to get moving. Our hotel was comfy and I was still in recovery. But it was a very nice day, and Ez and I set off for brunch at the Galaxy Global Eatery near Union Square. I’d been there once before with a friend, and we didn’t have too much trouble finding it. The waitstaff were as cute and pleasant as I remembered, and I happily ordered a healthy vegan breakfast of scrambled tofu with tempeh bacon (which, incidentally, was deeelicious). We were seated in a booth by the window. They opened the windows and the front doors and we got a pretty hefty breeze blowing through. After the yucky heat and humidity of July and August, that breeze was bliss. The TV above the bar was playing TV Land.

Ezra at the Galaxy Global Eatery, being cosmic.

…and speaking of re-runs… Not too long after we arrived, Woody Harrelson came in with a group of people and sat in the booth right next to ours.

After our rejuvenating brunch we walked through Union Square a bit and stumbled upon the Union Square Farmer’s Market. It was such a pretty day… all of the fruits and vegetables and flowers looked so gorgeous and enticing! We wandered through a bit and found a woman selling vegetable dyed yarns (and lamb sausages, legs of lamb, etc.). The yarns were just calling my name… I spent probably too long gazing at them and mulling over which colors to get (I need a new scarf or two!). As I was perusing the bins of yarn, a woman came into the booth and mentioned something about a new yarn shop her friend was opening in… State College! I couldn’t help myself–I had to ask her about it. She couldn’t remember the name of it and said they were just getting started, but I was really excited! State College hasn’t, to my knowledge, had a good dedicated local yarn shop up until now. I’m anxious to check it out the next time I’m there!

Me checking out yarn in Union Square.

So… after buying a shade of mauvey pink and another of sort of teal-blue, we hopped on the train and headed uptown to the northernmost part of Central Park. We walked along the jogging road for a while, just taking it all in. At around 89th Street we stepped out of the park in search of something to drink. We walked past the Guggenheim, which is apparently undergoing some sort of exterior restoration, and ended up stopping at Cafe Sabarsky at the Neue Galerie, both of which I love. We shared a bit of Apple Strudel and just gawked at the loveliness. Before leaving, we had to duck into the gift shop, and Ezra picked up a really great book on the Wiener Werkstatte, which might easily have been something I would have purchased myself if he hadn’t done so first.

We had then hoped to go to the Cooper Hewitt Design Museum down the street, but as we’d had a late start it was closed. We did, however, take in the building itself.

We were both in need of a little recharge at that point, so we headed back to the hotel to gather ourselves before dinner. We ended up dining at a rather good Italian restaurant not that far from our hotel, Da Ciro on Lexington. After that feast, we returned to our hotel and headed to the roof bar that Ezra had enjoyed the night before. Unfortunately, we found it empty. We went downstairs to ask why it was closed and the man we asked told us it was too cold (!). I thought it was really nice–maybe a bit chilly, but in a good way. Anyway, the door wasn’t locked, so Ez and I raided our mini-bar, went out on the roof, and mixed our own drinks. It was really lovely up there. Even from that height (about 11 stories up), the view was something.

Me in Herald Square.

Sunday we managed to get up at a more reasonable hour. I’d noticed a great big newstand just down the street from our hotel, so that was our first stop. (As some of you know, I’ve lately been buying up a lot of foreign fashion magazines. This time I picked up a British magazine I’d never seen before called Wig. ) After that, it was back to The Strand bookstore via Herald Square and the Shake Shack, both of which Ezra really discovered on this particular New York trip. I do love The Strand (I’m a book-lady, so it’s only natural). Unfortunately, it seems like I’m in a big hurry every time I’m there. Next time, I vow to allot at least an hour to the Strand. This time we had to get back to Penn Station to catch our train home, where we found our two furry felines and a very comfy bed waiting for us.

Cool tree sculpture in Madison Square Park.

Mega update

Posted on May 8, 2007
Filed Under Blather, Pennsylvania, Red Sox, family, friends, knitting | Leave a Comment

I finally finished the jacket for Hope and gave it to her over the weekend. Here’s the photographic evidence.

…and I was afraid it would be too small! Huzzah! Note also that Hope is now walking!


So we were in Pennsylvania for my
Mom’s retirement party. The weather was fabulous–sunny and bright and
pleasantly temperate. We got to see the fam…


play with Hope…

Ezra making the funniest face EVER




and go to Otto’s (mmm, beer). But of course, the main event was the
retirement party. Mom seemed to like our gifts–a locket from Kim,
Glenn, and Hope, and a retirement starter kit (sewing box, book, gift
certificates, etc.) from me and Ez. The party was at the Civil
Engineering Lodge at Stone Valley, which turned out to be very nice
given the pretty weather.


Marty, Mark, and Mom (Poor Mark is losing both of his fellow third grade teachers in one year!!)


I got my hair cut, and got in some fun thrift
shopping, too (loot includes three scarves, some antique Christmas
postcards–since I can’t leave State College without some, and a swell
blazer/jacket that was only four bucks!).

Now we’re back home and the kitties are content. Thanks to Amy and Doug for looking in on them! Speaking of which…

Last Tuesday they joined us for our first Red Sox game of the year.
Unfortunately, the Sox lost, but it was still quite fun. First there
was revelry at the blissfully uncrowded Boston Beer Works–it helps to
get there early.


This was followed by actual baseball.

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.

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…

Finished knitting project

Posted on July 19, 2006
Filed Under Blather, family, knitting | 6 Comments

Woo hoo! I have finished another knitting project–mid-summer, no less. I had hoped to finish a little white dress for my niece Eva in time to give it to her when we first met her in Montreal this past April, but I couldn’t quite make it–sewing up the pieces and finishing all the trim takes time! So, this past weekend I worked on the dress in the car on the way to Saratoga Springs to see Simon, Frances, and Eva. I finally wove in the last of the ends on Sunday morning in our hotel in Glens Falls, and this is the result:

It’s my first-ever knit dress, and I learned a lot in the process of sewing up the pieces and putting on the finishing touches. I modified the pattern a little, too.

Proof that I don’t just talk about knitting

Posted on March 24, 2006
Filed Under Blather, knitting | Leave a Comment

After repeatedly telling everyone that I was “almost” done with the blanket I’d been knitting since late 2004, I can now finally say that it is “completely” done. Here’s the proof:
cabled blanket
The color is a little off–it was too dark in the house when I took the photo and I couldn’t get it quite right. I’m quite pleased with the blanket, though. I used Jo Sharp Classic DK wool and I love it love it love it.

I’ve started another project in the same yarn (different color–again not reproducing well), which I probably won’t finish for a while since it’s among a total of 4 sweaters I have in process. NOTE: Those are not bobbles! I don’t like bobbles so much. What may look like bobbles in this picture is actually blackberry stitch. The “blackberries” are little and protrude less than bobbles.
wine sweater

This one, for Ezra, will probably happen sooner. For this one I’m using Tahki Donegal Tweed. So far so good. sweater for ezra
Again, the color is a bit off. This one is a woodsy green.

We wandered into Woolcott last night, and there were so many lovely yarns, but I have so much going right now that I feel guilty buying any new yarn. I will need a new scarf for next year, and I wouldn’t mind actually knitting something for summer, and then there are the babies in my life, and friends (you know who you are) who wonder why I’ve never knit anything for them. Well, I knit in waves, and I’m hesitant to make anything if I’m nervous that it won’t come out well or that the recipient won’t like it. Not great excuses, but it’s all I’ve got.

Let’s talk knitting

Posted on January 4, 2006
Filed Under Blather, family, knitting | 1 Comment

I want to talk about my knitting. I’ve been wanting to, but my last project–knitting Christmas stockings for Kim, Glenn, and Hope–was a surprise, so I couldn’t post about it here until I actually finished the stockings and gave them to Kim, Glenn, and Hope on Christmas Eve. I meant to take a picture of the finished stockings before I actually wrapped them up, but things got a bit nutty and busy and I totally forgot. Kim has promised to photograph them for me so I can post the picture(s) and prove that yes, I really do knit! It probably seems like I just talk about it.

Now that the stockings are done, I’m back to working on the blanket/throw I’ve been knitting for a while. It’s about 3/4 done and I kind of love it. It’s this cabled thing I’m doing in Jo Sharp yarn… very smooth, soft, and elastic. I posted pictures of it when it was only 1/3 to 1/2 way done back in December 2004, but since this blog is still in the piece of crap category functionality-wise, I can’t even direct you to a nice link to go see. Ugh. Anyway, I still have the same additional projects in various stages of incompletion, and there’s another (surprise) that I’d like to start, too.

Knitting update

Posted on September 19, 2005
Filed Under Blather, knitting | Leave a Comment

So, I said that there weren’t any patterns out there that I especially want, but finally some more interesting fall patterns have appeared (literally) on my doorstep. One that caught my eye is Reynolds Andean Alpaca Regal Cabled Pullover (of course it’s a cabled pullover!)–not sure yet what color I would use. Maybe dark mauve or iris. Celdon is lovely, but one of the sweaters I have in progress is a similar color. I have so many patterns already–we’ll see if this one ever rises to the top of the pile. I might do one from an old issue of Rebecca next–after I finish/get going on all the projects I already have yarn for! I should knit for others, though. Well, I am doing that one sweater for Ez, and some other little goodies.

I’m thinking of trying Jaeger Matchmaker Merino DK for a project, as a nice machine-washable DK yarn in yummy colors is called for. Anybody reading this tried it before? Is it nice to work with?

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