Presents!
I came home from a long, wet, gloomy day and found a great pick me up. PRESENTS! From my secret pal!
That's three skeins of
Crystal Palace Fizz, a bottle of Oceanus perfume/aromatherapy oil, and a little bathtub plug with a dangly shark on top.
While I'm sure the Fizz is meant for me to make more frou frou scarves to sell at the craft sale, I want it for MEEE!! I will probably make a classy felted evening bag out of at least one skein. Inspiration will come to me for the rest.
Hello, said the duck. I'm a cute little rubber duckie. What are you?
I'm a shark. I'm mean and scary. I stay at the bottom end of the bathtub and look mean. Grrr!
Eek! Please do not eat me! We can live in the bathtub together and be happy.
Oh, OK.
The shark also met Fred. Fred was unimpressed.
And now for something completely different...
Actual knitting content!
Yes, pictured below are the 12 frou frou fuzzy garter stitch scarves I have made for the craft fair. (Except for one of the pinks, which is feather and fan)
Yes, there's a lot of pink. No, I'm not quite sure why. I have one more skein of Moda Dea Jai Alai left, though I'm seriously considering going out and buying two more skeins of the stuff. I've pretty much run the color gamut, but the black, gray and silver are pretty classy and 15 is better than 13. It's more a question of 'do I want to take my expenses up to $100?' and that AC Moore is quite a hike when you don't have a car. Stupid bus system.
Four more chokers I have to make and then I have to add the findings and do end weaving. I will be posting a findings tutorial at some point.
While I'd love to be rolling in dough from this thing, I'm just praying I break even.
I have also found out that Moda Dea is actually a subsidy of Red Heart. This wounds me. Because I like the yarn. But I can't like anything Red Heart. I'm not saying you can't, but every fiber in my being cries out against it. Too much TLC when I was poor, stupid and in college, I suppose. (Now I'm poor, stupid and have student loans to pay off)
Can I also point out that I have the cutest dog in the world?
Expedition...
Yesterday, after work and a meeting downtown, I had a couple hours to kill before heading out to the thee-ay-tuh. So, I decided it was time for a yarn expedition for the secret pal.
I was at Dupont Circle in DC and decided to
take the red line to Bethesda and
Knit & Stitch. But bored and on one of those 'why not?' whims, I decided to head out to
WoolWinders at the end of the red line at Shady Grove.
Half an hour later, the train pulls into the last station and I realize that I have no idea where to go. As in, I knew that you could get to the store using only the metro, but that was it.
Down the escalator and out of the station with all of the fifty million people going home and I am confronted with a T junction. Left or right? Right or left?
Right. I will continue forward until I can find a modicum of civilaztion that is not a gigantic parking garage, find a store, borrow their phone book and figure out where to go. Or so I think. In actuality, I turn right, go all the way down the long bus line to the end of the road, which leads to nothing. An inaccessible highway and access for the busses. So I turn the corner and go back to the station (of course completely avoiding all of the people I just walked by). To spend $1.25 on getting the number from 411 or not?
After a few more minutes of looking around confused, I decide to spend the $1.25. Information connects me, and after a few confused minutes, the shopkeeper gives me confused directions. With the help of a bus driver who took pity on me and a few weird road signs, I finally walk the five blocks (to the
left of the station) to a lovely store with an even lovelier clearance bin. I made out like a bandit but I can't tell you what I got. It's a SECRET!
WoolWinders is a lovely store that I will probably never go to again. With rush hour fees, the trip cost me $8 round trip (not counting the information call!). They had a lovely stock of Noro, Rowans, Manos and Berroco, but a girl's gotta have her Cascade 220, y'know?
Then I went back to DC and saw the Scottish Play at
Shakespeare Theater. And it was pretty good.
I know, no knitting content involved in this post, but I thought you would enjoy the tale.
Autumn!
Ever notice how sometimes the seasons just switch, just like that?
This weekend, we went from the bright, beautiful sunny weather in DC to chilly. Of course, Hurricane Ivan helped. But still, it's been beautiful for the past couple of days, but it definitely feels like fall. And I'm amazed that in the space of three days it has gone from lingering summer to fall. The leaves are still green, the sun shines, but it's fall. No more flip flops.
Which means it's sweater weather! And for some reason, I don't seem to have a sweater! At least, not a jacket. What I really want is
Rogue as a zippered hoodie with no kangaroo pocket. But the yarn is in California and it requires time, and I've been spending my knitting life making frou frou eyelash scarves and wire chokers. Not to mention the whole problem of neither the 42.5" or 39" sizes are right for my particular bust and waist.
I guess this just means that I have to spend the $12 to get the shoulder pads taken out of that plether jacket I got thrifting in Baltimore.
Uck.
I swear I swear I swear I'll update soon.
Life is mad crazy and all I've been knitting are fun fur scarves and more wire chokers. (As a side note, I was all set to attach the fastenings to the chokers tonight until I realized that I had everything except for
lobster claws)
More on this stuff later. It's late and I really need to go to bed.
The invites that will not die!
I have 6 gmail invites that refuse to go away. Leave a comment if you want one.
A real entry at last!
Here are the 5 squares of the mitered rug that I've done. I left it in California, so I'll finish the other 10 when I get back. It'll make a great Christmas present for my mother, who is already thrilled to have it in the bathroom.
And if you actually read through the 21 questions (and more power to you, because I wrote a LOT), you'll remember that I'm knitting wire jewelry right now.
k8 has a table at an upcoming craft fair and asked if anybody wanted to share space. I said YES! ME! PLEASE! And so I've been knitting these:
I bought a sampler back of various colors and weights of wire at Michaels. That was a mistake. A finite amount of wire makes it really hard to stretch the materials given to the right size. I have one that would make a great bracelet, a bunch of weird, in between, foot long chokers (that I'll probably add some wire and make adjustable), and chokers that actually fit my neck.
I'm hoping there are quite a few people who'll pay $5-$7 for these. And I'm going to buy some fun fur and make some scarves that I'll sell for $15. Talk about selling out.
Should you wish to knit your own chokers, use high gauge wire. 24 and 26 knits up pretty well on 8s, 22 works well on 10.5s but requires some arm strength, and I don't know what I'm going to do with the one spool of 20 gauge that I have. Use the backward loop cast on and don't bind off- thread the remaining wire through the last few stitches.
Tomorrow I head out to AC Moore for more wire, findings, jump rings, a bit more beads, and three or four skeins of too cute eyelash.
I may do what
k8 is doing and snag some fisherman's wool to koolaid dye and make into a hat or something, too.
Ah, the ubiquitous SP3 questionnaire...
But, see, I wanna get good stuff, so there you go!
21 Ways to My Fiber Lovin' Heart
1. Are you a yarn snob (do you prefer high-end/natural fibers)? Do you avoid Red Heart and Lion Brand? Or is it all the same to you?
I am... sort of a yarn snob. I don't want to knit with acryllic unless I absolutely have to. I'll do baby stuff and cat toys out of acryllic, maybe the occasional hat, but that's it.
I do enjoy acryllic blends (but only if it's a pretty even blend - 50/50, 60/40, etc... or majority non acryllic). As for Lionbrand and Red Heart - I've used Lionbrand funfur, I think Cotton Ease would be good to work with, stuff like that. BUT NO LIONBRAND HOMESPUN! Not Magic Stripes either - not a sock fan.
2. Do you spin? Crochet?
I spin. I sort of crochet, as in, I can do single crochet edging, chain stitches, things like that. I crocheted a scarf, once.
3. Do you have any allergies?
I suppose I'm allergic to kitties. And heavy perfume annoys me. But that's it.
4. How long have you been knitting?
Since late October 1999. I went home for my freshman year fall semester break and told my mother "teach me to knit!" And she did.
5. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
Yep.
Here it is. Should you wish to gift me one of these... please don't give me ones marked library or the Interweave subscription (I don't have a settled address right now).
6. What's your favorite scent?
Ummm... I like the
Oceanus scent, and rose and lavender are also very nice.
But subtle. Subtle is very good. I don't wear perfume a whole lot, especially since my housemate is very fragrance sensitive.
7. Do you have a sweet tooth?
Oh HELL YES. But I'm trying to diet! But HELL YES.
8. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do?
I bead, I use a drop spindle to spin... I think that's about it.
9. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s?
My musical tastes are pretty eclectic. I'm currently in love with Mountain Goats and Fountains of Wayne. But I also love whiney girl empowerment bands like Indigo Girls and Dar Williams and musical soundtracks (Wicked, Avenue Q, etc...). I really, really like soundtracks and mix CDs because I love to find new bands that I wouldn't have heard of otherwise (hence the Mountain Goats and Fountains of Wayne). I've found that I enjoy a lot of what
Cyn and
Lara listen to. (But if you ask Lara, beware of the LESBOtron. For she is evil) My computer can play MP3s and I may soon be getting an MP3 player. (yay!)
10. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer?
I love all colors. Except orange. And yellow, don't forget the yellow. Or flesh tones. Or browns. Hrm. I wear lots and lots of french blues, wine reds, and I'd like to add some forest greens to my wardrobe (hence the
criss cross tank). Both whites and off whites look good on me, I look good in the blacks, and I'm not afraid of pink either. And I want to start wearing more purple.
11. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
I am currently living with my Auntie, who is a wonderful, kind, caring person for putting up with me for the past few months. Over a year. Longer that this point. I moved to DC for an internship and she put me up and has continued to put up with me and is reluctant to let me leave, apparently.
Also, I have the
cutest dog ever.
12. What are your life dreams? (really stretching it here, I know)
::makes face::
::makes face::
I DON'T KNOW, OK?!?!
OK, seriously, I'd love to make knitting a career. Specifically, designing patterns and writing knitting books. I also love the theater and would love a career as a dramaturg or lit manager (alas, that requires grad school!) and a side career as a playwright. I will settle for a good job at a nonprofit or an organization that is not The Devil.
13. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with?
Hrm. I haven't thought about that. Nice wools. Cascade 220 is great. I've never knit with fun stuff like silk or alpaca, so I'd love to try that. The softer it is, the happier I am.
I really like blends. I love the way Lavold's silky wool feels, as well as some of the cotton/nylon blends I've petted at stores.
14. What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
SUGAR & CREAM COTTON. I've found that cotton yarns, especially worsted cotton yarns, are very hard on my wrists, so I've tried to stay away from them.
The feel of acryllic has started to make me feel squidgy, too.
15. What is/are your current knitting obsession/s?
Lately, purses. I made two this month, and I want to make a strawberry purse at some point (and submit the design to knitty!)
My total knitting obsession is knitting for your body. I love color, I love texture... I love Fair Isle designs, intarsia, and heavily cabled designs, but I find it easier for my body type to wear simple knits. Shaping. All of those sorts of things. Because of this, I stay away from variegated yarns and horizontal striping, stuff like that. This is why I don't understand the current obsession with Noro yarns. They're lovely, but utterly unflattering. The only thing I could see myself making out of Noro is
Gripsholm. (And if you want to give me that, I have the black and I like the blue green!)
Check out my sidebar - I have the pattern & yarn for Rogue that I want to start (at some point), the majority of the yarn for the Moorish Patterned Pullover (I need the accent color- I'm pretty sure I have it picked out), the yarn, beads and everything for Juliet... actually, now that I look, the only thing that I need for my intended projects is the lava silkywool. 9 skeins worth. Just saying.
16. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
I really, really enjoy making sweaters. Unfortunately, I have serious gauge issues and everything I make has to be taken in significantly. I love the candy bar feel of working on scarves and hats, as well as felting a good purse.
I'm not a particularly large fan of socks or mittens. Because of my wrists, I'm trying to stay away from small needles.
17. What are you knitting right now?
Wire chokers with beads (and it is pretty hard on my wrists!). Also, a tank top to match my
Bella.
18. What do you think about ponchos?
DEATH TO PONCHOS.
DEATH.
They look good on no one. They are unflattering. They hide your curves. You might as well wear a burlap sack. The only thing worse than ponchos are ponchos with horizontal stripes. With my luck, someone will make a Noro Kureyon ponch, publish it, and then there will be a Noro Poncho-along and I will just watch the extremely expensive carnage. And then I will cry.
19. Do you prefer straight or circular needles?
Circs. Easier on the wrists, you never forget the other needle, they hold more stitches and if the needle falls out of the work, it won't fall on the ground and make a loud clanging sound.
20. How did you learn to knit?
My mommy taught me the very basics on a school break. Then I went back to college and learned things like how to cast on properly and a terrible casting off method. The rest (increasing, decreasing, casting off properly, circulars, DPNs, ribbing, seed, etc...) I learned from books.
21. How old is your oldest UFO?
Um... umm... I have a sweater that I started in... umm... November? December? Somewhere in there. I have the two body pieces, but I haven't wanted to start the sleeves yet. And I still don't. But I will. When it gets colder.
Wow. That was insanely long. I'll have to post some pictures soon.
