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February 28, 2005
Good Company + Good Yarn = Great Time!
Oh.My.God! What a wonderful weekend!
We flew out Friday morning and thankfully the snow Thursday night, while it did nothing to help me with my class, also didn't hurt our trip. We got in around 11:30 or so and checked into our beautiful junior suite - replete with a lovely tea service waiting for us! After a quick snack, I called Colleen and we arranged to meet for lunch. Colleen didn't have a lot of time, since she was heading down to New York to take in the last of The Gates, but we had a great lunch anyway at the Parish Cafe. I had the Veal Pastrami sandwich and it was very, very good. While we were getting to know each other, Colleen filled me on all the good yarn stores to hit - and hit them I did. Thanks Colleen for showing me a good time!
After lunch I went back to the hotel and took a brief nap in preparation for Wendy and our super yarn crawl.
Wendy was so sweet and brought me a gift, thinking I'd been having some bad days lately. It was a yellow laughing bag! Seriously, there's no defense for this thing. (Unfortunately, I asked Wendy to hold it for me, and I forgot to ask for it back. So I went home without it - but Wendy, know it was very appreciated. I smile every time I think about it!)
Our first stop was Windsor Buttons, then A Good Yarn, finally Circles and then off to dinner.
Here is my haul for the weekend:
Really, there's no yarn left in Boston!
I'm going to go through shop by shop, but I figured I'd spare you the details if you don't want them. So if you want every sordid minute of my fabu trip - keep reading! {Warning - it's a freaking novel!}
Windsor Buttons
This store surprised me. When you walk in, there is a wall of buttons to your left, and in front of you is your regular, run of the mill, notions store. Not very impressive, until Wendy led me to the back where all the yarn lived. Lots of Manos, some Artyarns, lots of furry, fuzzy, fun yarns. I didn't go crazy since I was pacing myself and was waiting for A Good Yarn and Cirlces to go nuts.I did find some bright orange chenille - Crystal Palace color #2230. I'm thinking it might work very well as a border on the Pinwheel Blanket.
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I actually did try to get back to Windsor Buttons on Sunday, but alas, they were closed.
Okay - so off we went onto the T - the old-fashioned green-line - to make our way out to Brookline and A Good Yarn.
A Good Yarn
While we were walking up to the shop from the T, Wendy asked me if I read the blue blog. I said, of course! (I mean, really, who doesn't read the blue blog?) She said, well, this is Alison's LYS that she's always talking about. Good to know!
We went in and we're fondling all the wonderful yarns when someone (I think it was Johanna) calls out Alison! Wendy and I whipped our heads around at the same time with knowing smiles - and then we pounced like only blogstalkers can! Thank you Alison for bearing with us! You were so sweet. We had a fun time helping her pick out some yarn - I pushed hard for the Jo Sharp she ended up with - and didn't do too badly ourselves.
Cascade 220 in (l. to r.) #7810, #7826, #7802, #8895 and #7814.
This is for something special - photography related actually. What will it be knitted? Maybe a super crazy felted bag. Not sure actually. But I'm sure I'll find something neat to do with it eventually.
I also bought some wonderful Manos (color #114):
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For sure this is for the very cool scarf I saw on M.J.'s blog the other day. It's My So Called Scarf and can be found at Sheep in the City. Ends up Wendy's making one of these too! It'll look great with my winter puffy jacket. The pattern calls for two skeins, so of course I bought three. I want fringe baby!
Finally I bought a cute baby sweater pattern - I'm pretty sure Wendy got the same one. I'm going to use the tons of All Season's Cotton I have to match the Pinwheel Blanket.
Alison, Johanna and the gang at A Good Yarn were wonderful! It'a great shop - I'd be thrilled if I had an LYS like that near me - lots of yarn, terrific varieties, good company and great assistance.
Circles
So we jumped on a bus and headed off to Circles. Colleen was nice enough to give me a referral card, so I was good to go with 10% off my purchases (thanks again Colleen!)
My big purchase was three hanks of Chasing Rainbows Tussah/Merino combo in Mary's colorway. This stuff is amazing! I don't have pictures, because I had to order it, but trust me. It's going to be a clapotis for me! Yeah! I also walked away with two skiens of Wildfoote Sock Yarn in Tom Cat:
I also picked up a Takhi Yarns Fall/Winter 2004 Pattern book and the Interweave Knits Fall 2003. Basically, I fell in love with the Short-Row Striped Pullover in the IK:
I've got money left on a Yarnmarket.com gift certificate and I think this would look great in Rowan Wool Cotton. Don't you? That means it would be perfect for winter, spring and fall. I think I'll use different colors though.
Circles was really great - what a great place to meet and knit and relax. Some nice Elvis Costello and Burt Bacharach playing in the back room - it was a warm and inviting. You Boston gals sure are lucky!
Wendy and I moved on to dinner (we were starving!) and conversation at Village Sushi & Grill. Another great meal in Beantown! Wendy was sweet enough to drive me back to my hotel. I'm sorry you didn't get to hang out - but thanks for a fantastic night!
Newbury Yarns
Saturday morning, Georgie had more business to attend to, so I took a walk in the brisk sunshine to Newbury Yarns. Aldrich, the owner, was there and she helped me match up some more of the fire-red Manos I already have:
Now I have enough for a spicy, firey cardigan! Newbury is set-up by color. Wools, cottons, mohairs - all together by color. It's a little bit strange - but if you were looking for something specific, I'm sure Aldrich would know where it is.
I found some Cherry Tree Hill sock yarn that I liked a lot:
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Feels a lot like Koigu. I think the colorway is Tropical Storm.
Peabody/Salem
I met Georgie back at the hotel and we rented a car. Georgie's mom's family is from Boston - his parents met while his father was a student at Hellenic College. They spent some time up in Peabody and Georgie used to spend a couple weeks in the summer there with his Godparents. They own a tannery. One of his favorite places up there is a roast beef/fried clam eatery called Land & Sea. I've been hearing about this place for over fifteen years. We weren't able to make it up there when we got married, so we went this time. It was only about a 1/2 an hour away - and it was worth the trip.
We had roast beef and Georgie had his fried clams - I think his memory was satisfied. Then we drove around the city a little bit before heading off to Salem. Our first stop in Salem was The House of Seven Gables and Hawthorne's birth house. We took a tour of the house - the tour guide was pretty goofy - and his name was Nate - but it was fun. Nice step back in time.
Then we headed over to the Salem Witch Museum. Now here's a good time! The museum is basically a big room with life size dioramas around the walls. The room goes dark - and a loud booming voice comes over the loudspeaker to tell the fateful story of the Salem "witches." It's like a bad horror movie to be sure, and honestly, when I thought about it, it almost makes a joke of a very dark time in our history.
After all was said and done, I did buy a hat and a Scarlett Letter magnet:
And what would a road trip be without a stop in a yarn store?
Arbella Yarns
I received a warm welcome here, although I went through kind of quickly. (Georgie was waiting in the car.) I did manage to walk out with some more Cherry Tree Hill Supersock Yarn in Spring Frost.
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Boston
We had a lovely dinner that evening back in Boston, at a cozy little restaurant in Boston's version of Little Italy - the North End. It was called Prezza. I'd highly recommend it.The next morning we had some time to kill before the train, so we headed out to the Public Garden to see the ducks. I promised my nephew that I'd take pictures of the statue erected in honor of Robert McCloskey's book Make Way for Ducklings.
Here we are:
It was FREEZING!
and here's the ducks on their own:
We took the train home yesterday - the Acela Express. It was a wonderful weekend! Wish it had lasted longer. But that's okay because in two weeks were off to Scottsdale, Arizona! All I have to say is it better be warm!
Hope you enjoyed our little trip...thanks for reading.
Love,
Cara
PS - Don't forget! The new K1R2 Discussion has started - c'mon over!
Posted by Cara at 03:47 PM | Comments (14)
February 25, 2005
Hopefully...
if it's around 1:15PM, I'm in Boston RIGHT NOW, having lunch with Colleen.
Meeting Wendy at 3:15.
Oh and did I mention this is where I'm staying?
Yessiree bob. Fuckin' A to be me!
Have a great weekend everybody!
(Couldn't get the CRON JOB to work, so probably you're reading this much earlier. Bloody MT! Just imagine it's like 1:15PM - or better yet, look at your clock around that time and think: Damn, I wish I was that Cara girl!)
Posted by Cara at 01:15 PM | Comments (10)
February 24, 2005
I got nothing.
No knitting. No nothing.
I guess I pooped myself out on the Ribby Cardi the other day, because I haven't picked it up since Monday. Oh well. They'll be plenty of knitting tomorrow. And especially on the train back from Boston on Sunday.
Pray a little for me will ya? I feel like a third grader, but I'm really hoping for some snow! Today is Thursday, in case no one noticed, that means I have class tonight. I need a break. I figure if it starts snowing early enough (say between 1-2) and continues on they might, just might, cancel class tonight. Every other term I've taught we've had breaks galore - Monday Holidays - School closings (we use classrooms in an elementary school) - NEVER ten weeks straight through. Tonight is Week #7. It's exhausting - well the class yes - I have to be ON for three hours straight. But moreso the critiquing. It's hard to be honest and gentle and helpful. I take critique very seriously. I've seen (actually been the recipient of) VERY BAD criticism and I wouldn't want that to happen to my students. It takes a lot of work to be a good reader. So I'm tired. And I didn't get some of the stories until very late this week (um yesterday) and they all have to be read at least twice. I just want to crawl into bed and read - something else.
Thanks for the vent. Pray for snow.
Rejected York Peppermint Pattie Commercial Blurbs.
The Plot Against America has made it all the way to the semi-finals! Don't forget, the next K1R2 book discussion starts on Monday!
Posted by Cara at 09:25 AM | Comments (5)
February 23, 2005
Stash
My first order from WEBS came yesterday. I have to say, I'm going to like this store. A LOT.
I originally went there because they had ArtYarns Supermerino for a decent price - and with their discount program (the more you buy the less you pay) it was a great place to shop for Supermerino.
Lauren, that's your three on the top!
I actually bought more of the Supermerino - I'm making cardigans for my best friend's girls - not for a while though - but it was backordered. WEBS was very nice about it. I will definitely do business there again.
While I was perusing the shelves, so to speak, I came across some Jo Sharp Desert Garden on Clearance. So I bought two bags.
Color: Dandelion #238
I immediately swatched the yarn because it seemed so similar to Calmer. It's springy like Calmer, not as much, but nowhere near as soft. It reminds me of All Season's Cotton too. The yarn has that tube like appearance. It knit up nice though - I used size #7s.
The problem with this is yarn, though, is that it made me think of Calmer, and then I couldn't STOP thinking about it and I ended up buying 12 balls of it from Janette. In the chocolate brown color. I kind of regretted it the moment I did it, but I figure it's Calmer, right? Can't go wrong there. (I'll probably end up with more because I want a lighter color. Oy.) At least, I think I got a good price on it.
I barely knit yesterday. I needed the break.
Two things before I go: Happy Birthday Cassie! Cassie has the unique distinction of being the first blogger I met in real life since I started blogging! I owe you a cup, my friend!
And, I love this blog (of sorts).
Posted by Cara at 09:00 AM | Comments (10)
February 22, 2005
Ribby Cardi Redux
I did nothing this weekend, and I really mean nothing, but knit this cardigan. Did I enjoy it? Not really. I'm not loving the yarn at all - a little too scratchy for me and one of my skeins had some annoying knots in it that were somehow fused together - and I'm so sick of stockinette I want to scream! BUT, that said, I finished the back, did both fronts (together) and am now working on the sleeves. Thank god I've changed color. Speaking of color, it's really off in the picture, but here's a reminder of what I'm working with:
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| grape heather | antique blue |
I'm not sure what I'm going to do with the collar yet - mainly what color it's going to be.
Now, don't get me wrong. While I'm not particulary enjoying the actual knitting of this project, I can appreciate how well written the pattern is and I can easily see how nice the finished product will be - it's just the stockinette lolls me to sleep. I'm yearning for something meaty, challenging, deliciously cabley. Like Vicki's St. Brigid. It's absolutely gorgoeous. I even found myself reading St. Alice last night. And then the library called today to tell me that Fisherman's Sweaters is in. It's fate telling me something, right?
There are lots of ideas brewing in my head these days. I'm feeling a little crazy with all of them. It's all this alone time - and knitting stockinette. Nothing to really concentrate on, so the mind wanders and wanders - sometimes into dark places, sometimes into the light - but it's exhausting! My dear, sweet husband has been working his ass off - all through the weekend - and today he's in Chi-town all day. Left at 5 this morning and won't be back until around midnight. I love my alone time, don't get me wrong, but enough is enough. I was supposed to work yesterday - they rescheduled. Today I was supposed to be all over with a friend I haven't seen in a while - it looks like I've been stood up.
Friday I'm off to Beantown, and hopefully meeting up with some friendly neighborhood knitbloggers for a yarn crawl and a couple of meals. I hope so - I need some play time! All stockinette and no fun makes Cara a crazy girl! (You must, I repeat, MUST click on the link.)
Back to the freakin' sleeves....
Posted by Cara at 12:07 PM | Comments (12)
February 18, 2005
We Have A Winner!
Congratulations Lauren! She won, but not for other's lack of trying. Leisel wanted it so bad, her IP got banned for commenting because the machine thought she was SPAM! So she gets a consolation prize - a box of PhotoArtCards. Natalie was thisclose to being banned as well, so she gets PhotoArtCards too. My fault really - should've been more specific in the contest rules. But you gotta admire the moxie!
Have a great weekend everybody! This was fun - might have to do it again sometime. ;-) (Next one will be harder though.)
Posted by Cara at 05:55 PM | Comments (5)
How Bad Do You Want It?
Okay - we're down to the wire. Only 15 COMMENTS to go before SOMEBODY WINS! Who's it gonna be?
(Tally in sidebar ---------------> )
I'm sweetening the pot:
You get not one, not two, but THREE, that's right THREE skeins of Beautiful Supermerino from ArtYarns! In any color you want that WEBS carries (and they have A LOT). You want all three in a different color? You got it! All three the same? You got it! (If you'd like to see the yarn in action, I used it to make Picot-Boo.)
I'm also throwing in some fabulous PhotoArtCards with original photographs taken by moi:
How can you resist that?
I'm having a shitty, shitty week people. So help me cheer up by letting me give away stuff!
In other news, I was flipping through the Patternworks Catalog I received yesterday and I found lots of good stuff. I think I've decided on a pattern for my father's sweater. Of course, it'll be next year when he wears it, but he doesn't care. It's from the new Classic Elite Pattern book called Joy Ride, which apparently is in every magazine possible, but not available from Classic Elite or anyone else (Patternworks doesn't have it on their website, although it is in the catalog.) If you're interested, it's a cabled v-neck - just what I've been looking to make for him. (I actually ordered it directly from Classic Elite when I saw it on the back page of IK.)
I also found a pattern for a simple cardigan that would be great to use with my Jo Sharp DK Tweed stash. Of course, it's also from Classic Elite, so no, you can't see it. I don't feel like taking pictures from the catalog - they're shitty enough to begin with. If you want to see the cardigan is on p. 32 of the Patternworks catalog and the v-neck is on page 21. Why do you tease me people!?!
And in the ridiculous but necessary category, I was particularly taken with the electronic row counter. I may need to get me one of those babies. Because the yellow post it stickies are getting on my nerves and if I lose one more goddamn pen I'm going to .... PMS is getting the best of me these days. I apologize. (This they have a freaking picture of....)
Okay. Have you been reading Bookslut? It's beyond fantastic. It makes me laugh, makes me cry, makes me laugh again and that's what life's all about. Start reading it NOW.
Found there today:
Corny Library Pickup Lines, and How Librarians Effectively Shoot Them Down
My favorites? How about these two:
You must have been burning books, because you're looking hot.
My apologizes—the new Harry Potter is coming out and I was in the back burning the Newbery winners to make room for it.
and the ever classic:
Can you tell me where I can find books on overcoming a deeply passionate love I have for a librarian?
636.45 MICH.
Remember this post? Well, Bill Maher has something to say about those High Schoolers and that pesky First Amendment! (Don't forget, Bill's back tonight on HBO! Be there or be a part of the NeoCon Fascist Say They Love Jesus But How Could They With The Hate And Killing They Propagate Money Loving Bush Ass Kissing Intolerant Majority That Is Ruining Our Beautiful Country.
Whew! I feel better already!
Oh and one last thing - go over and check out Sandy's intelligent post on yesterday's monstrosity. She said way better than I ever could. Fuck.
Coming next week: Ribby Cardi! (even if it freaking KILLS me!)
Posted by Cara at 12:26 PM | Comments (27)
February 17, 2005
Alchemy Yarns of Transformation
Visit them here.
Well, all I have to say is if their yarns are half as good as they are, I'm in for a treat!
I was having a hell of a time finding someone who sells this yarn - if you search the Internet, it's mostly blogs coming up. I called a few of the stores I knew on their retailer list (and a few I didn't) and most, if they had any at all, had just a couple skeins in colors I didn't want. Purl in NYC told me they could order some, but I'd have to buy a whole bag and it would take six months.
So I went to the source. I spoke with Austin out in California and he was the nicest gentleman. He told me that Gina had just painted some Silk Purse in the color I was looking for (Sea of Cortez). He would call me back to find out where it was going. Great. I figured a couple of days, no problem.
He called me back like five minutes later. Gave me the names of two stores that were each getting five skeins of Silk Purse in Sea of Cortez. I had told him I needed seven (I'm guestimating here Clapotis people! I'd like to make a larger version and I know people have had problems with not enough yarn. Each skein is 138 yards. I figured seven would be perfect.) He assured me that while they were each getting five, they had all been painted together and I shouldn't worry about the dyes being off. He also told me that Gina loves to knit her Silk Purse on size 7 needles, instead of the recommened six (I had asked about that too.) Oh and he also told me about their 50/50 yarn, which is more readily available, but I told him my friend couldn't wear any wool. He said Gina's the same way. She can paint the wool, but she can't wear it. He was so very lovely! I'm glad to drop the big bucks on their product for sure.
So I called one of the shops and I've got their five on order! I called the other shop, but the owner was out and I have to speak to her - Monday I'll be calling bright and early. I'm so excited.
If you'd like to know more about Alchemy, there's a nice article about Gina and Austin and their yarns at Knitter's Review.
Posted by Cara at 04:39 PM | Comments (5)
Fuck!
fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck
fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck
fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck
fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck
In case you missed it, that's FUCK 69 times.
UPDATE!!!
Well, they certainly didn't learn it from one in three of their peers, but the kids in Blue Valley are sticking up for themselves! Thanks, Andrea, for the link!
Posted by Cara at 01:05 PM | Comments (10)
101
Ever have one of those days where everything you touch turns to POOP! Yesterday was that day for me - what do they call it? Murphy's Law? Yep. That was yesterday. It was awful. Mostly work stuff - but it was enough to send me over the edge.
I feel like I haven't been knitting either. You know, those long stretches where you don't get up for hours and the only reason you stop is because your hands hurt too much? I haven't had a day like that in a while. Hopefully this weekend. I picked up the Ribby Cardi again after what seems like years (okay months) and managed to get a few rows off. I want to finish the back ASAP so I can start on the fronts. I think I'm going to try to employ the method of doing both at the same time. I've popping into the Ribby Cardi KAL (of which I am a LAX member) and it seems a few people have been doing it that way. So why not try something new?
There was a bright spot yesterday! While I was tearing up my house looking for (literally a freaking HOUR) a check I thought I lost, I came across another skein of the Manos Flame! So I have five, not four. I thought I bought five, but since it wasn't where the rest of them were, I assumed I was wrong. I figure another 3-4 should do it for a cardigan. I'm planning on some yarn shopping* in the next week or so, and that's on my list.
I need some help. I want to make Clapotis for my best friend - but she told me she doesn't do wool - of ANY kind - she has very sensitive skin. So I thought I'd do it in a nice handpainted silk. I was looking around last night and the best I seemed to come up with was Alchemy Yarns Silk Purse. Anyone knit with this? What do you think? I found only good things on the blogs, but I'd love a first hand opinion. Think it would work for Clapotis? At around $23 a skien, it seems reasonable for silk. Who's got a good supplier? I very much want the Sea of Cortez colorway. Oh and what's the deal with knitting silk? Is it very different than wool - more like cotton? Thanks for the info!
As a way of trying to cheer myself up, I trekked out to the Jersey City Main Library, in the pouring rain, for this:
I know I'm being completely heretical here, but I'm kind of disappointed in the book. [Holds arms in front of head to protect from stones about to be thrown....] I guess I thought there'd be more patterns. The St. Brigid does look amazing - the only problem is I don't think I'd ever wear it. I will spend more time going through the history sections and the individual cables - so maybe my first impressions won't hold. But really - this is selling for more than $300! Not sure I get it.
Thanks everyone for all your comments on my sweetie honey niece and Picot-Boo! The highlight of my day yesterday. In case anyone noticed, I put the comment moderator function on - so your comments have to be approved until the system knows you. You guessed it! Along with all the other shit flying yesterday, I was spammed.
Speaking of shit, in case you need a trememdous laugh, check this out. It's the infamous Triumph the Insult Comic Dog doing what he does best - all in the name of bipartisanship!
Have a fabulous day everyone! I'm going to go feel sorry for myself - my stomach thing seems to be turning into a cold.
* All you Beantown girls! I'm coming to your hood! Where should I go for the good stuff?
Posted by Cara at 09:00 AM | Comments (14)
February 15, 2005
100!
For my 100th post, I'm going with pictures galore!
Picot-Boo's debut:
I think this is where she bowled that strike. I kid you not - the child bowled a strike and two spares! |
The blankie and pac are never far behind!
New Stash:
For the VK Flower Basket Bag: Cascade Magnum in colors (from the top) Black, Highland Green, Lichen, and Regal Red. |
For Valentine's Day, I bought myself some Manos, Color # 115 - Flame. I only bought four skeins (that's all they had), but I want more. I want to make a very simple cardigan. For me. |
Thanks for all the feel good wishes. I'm definitely feeling better - not 100% - but much better. (Read: not feeling like yakking anymore!) Tomorrow I hope to be completely better.
Almost forgot - a special thanks to Wendy. Her homemade Valentine was just what I needed yesterday. Thanks again Wendy!
Love, Cara
Posted by Cara at 06:16 PM | Comments (21)
Sick Day
Woke up this morning around five o'clock just begging to throw up - unfortunately I'm sure you all know the feeling. Didn't go away all day - my sister has it too.
The worst part is that I had to miss the second part of my intarsia/fair isle class. I was so disappointed. But the LYS is going to do the right thing, and somehow I'll get the instruction that I missed.
The weekend was a success - my nephew got a mountain of cool toys (Remind me to tell you about the super heavy weight bout between the remote control T-Rex and the remote control Robosapien. Both were very, very cool and more for thirty year olds than four year olds.)
Picot-Boo was a great success, except it was really hard to watch her eat yogurt while wearing it and she kept eating the sleeves. Worst problem was the neck was a little tight because of the hem - she didn't like taking it on and off, but once it was on she was styling. Thanks for all your comments about it! I'm sorry if I didn't get back to you, but I feel like crap.
Not too much to worry about the flu ruining my V-day, since every day is V-day in our house. ;-)
Hope you all stay well. I hate being sick. (Although I did get to watch Sense & Sensibility today!)
Posted by Cara at 12:01 AM | Comments (8)
February 14, 2005
Prove It All Night
[Sunday, February 13, 2005, 8:47 PM, New Jersey Turnpike, singing our hearts out]
I've been working real hard, trying to get my hands clean,
Tonight we'll drive that dusty road from Monroe to Angeline,
To buy you a gold ring and pretty dress of blue,
Baby just one kiss will get these things for you,
A kiss to seal our fate tonight,
A kiss to prove it all night.
Prove it all night,
Girl there's nothing else that we can do,
So prove it all night, prove it all night,
And girl I'll prove it all night for you.
Everybody's got a hunger, a hunger they can't resist,
There's so much that you want, you deserve much more than this,
But if dreams came true, oh, wouldn't that be nice,
But this ain't no dream we're living through tonight,
Girl, you want it, you take it, you pay the price.
Prove it all night,
Girl there's nothing else that we can do,
So prove it all night, prove it all night,
And girl I'll prove it all night for you.
Prove it all night, prove it all night girl and call the bluff,
prove it all night, prove it all night and girl,
I prove it all night for your love.
Baby, tie your hair back in a long white bow,
Meet me in the fields out behind the dynamo,
You hear the voices telling you not to go,
They made their choices and they'll never know,
What it means to steal, to cheat, to lie,
What it's like to live and die.
Prove it all night,
Girl there's nothing else that we can do,
So prove it all night, prove it all night,
And girl I'll prove it all night for you.
To prove it all night...
Copyright © Bruce Springsteen (ASCAP)
l o v e
Posted by Cara at 12:00 AM | Comments (4)
February 11, 2005
Happy (Belated) Birthday Max!
I'm off to see the children today - bowling party on Sunday for Max's Fourth! (If you've never bowled with small children - you don't know what you're missing!) His birthday's in January, but since he was lounging on the beach in Nevis at the time, the party is this weekend.
See how their arms are open wide?
They're both running to give Aunt Cara BIG, big hugs!
Have a great weekend everybody!
L, C
Posted by Cara at 11:00 AM | Comments (5)
February 10, 2005
Picot-Boo is Picot-Done!
Definitely not my best work, but I'm sure Charlotte won't mind. It will look so cute with her little purple skirt and tights! (I'll come back with pictures I swear - she just loves clothes. You say to her, "Charlotte, who's so pretty?" and she answers "ME!")
The collar is still messed up - but the weird thing happening on the right side (in the picture) may be from ironing it - at least that's what I'm telling myself.
I'm not sure I'm liking the whole raglan thing - it's the seams that messed up the collar for sure. I'm not real postitive what I could've done better. But the arms and bottom are cute:
I'm feeling better. No snow (at all - thanks for getting my hopes up Weather people!) but I'm pretty much prepared for class.
Thanks for putting up with my craziness!
Posted by Cara at 04:17 PM | Comments (14)
Picot-Boo has a Boo-Boo
Man, I'm still dreaming about that collar.
Yesterday was pretty productive, until the end. I ran. I read through all of the stories for tonight's class (still have to read and critique them again - although I'm really hoping class will be snowed out.) I finished the pictures for the job I did the other day - thank god! In the end I was quite pleased with them, camera dying and all. So then I settled in to pick up the collar on Picot-Boo. NO biggy. It's a mere 60 odd stitches and half of them are on stitch holders anyway - piece of cake!
No. No. No. How is it that the thing looks like crap now? The problem is that on the front you had to bind off the middle 18 stitches and then continue to decrease so that you wind up with two stitches on each side of the bind off. Then you keep them on holders. Well all the decreases got so screwed up when trying to transfer them to the circulars and the whole thing was so awful and ended up ripping out the seaming, then ripping down past the cast-off edge then knitting it back up. It seems to be working now. So frustrating. I don't have a lot of time! I'm supposed to be leaving for my sister's some time tomorrow and I have SO MUCH to do before now and then. Including finishing this sweater. I know I don't have to finish it - but there's so little left to do - and I wanted Charlotte to wear it to the birthday party on Sunday (Max's fourth birthday party - bowling with four year olds! Whipee!) Plus I have to get the pictures out in the mail. I have a package I want to send my SP4 for Valentine's Day. My house is ridiculous. And I have to prepare for class tonight. The sweater was supposed to be EASY! I did a couple rounds before bed last night, but there are gaping holes that need to be seamed again (I'm praying that's what it is - I KNOW that's what it is....)
And we went to bed late again last night. It's like the fifth post 1:30 AM night in a row. I am beat. Poor Georgie is too. He's been fighting a cold and working so hard. We're both overwhelmed and don't know what to do with each other. Tonight will be late again - my class doesn't end until 10 PM and by the time I get home and eat something it's after 11.
Okay. Rant over. I need to get going.
But before I go, you MUST check out Ms. Cocoa Pebbles' styling tee-shirt! AB/CD. I LOVE it!
Posted by Cara at 08:03 AM | Comments (3)
February 09, 2005
All You Need Is A Collar and A Dream
Georgie worked real late last night, poor baby, so I stayed up, like Penelope, seaming my little heart out.
Now all I need to do is pick up the collar and knit a few rows - nothing to it - and press the hell out of the edges so I can whipstich the picot hems. Have no clue as to how to whipstitch. This yarn is so soft, it's ridiculous. I hope it fits her.
Plumbers BEWARE!
orWhat Do YOU Care What Other People Wear?
As per Norma, the Virginia State Legislature's at it again. First this, now you can't show off your Calvins - introduced by a Democrat, no less. Hey bozos - what if I wear my underwear on my freakin HEAD you fucks! (Besides the fact that this is an unbelievable waste of tax payer money and Virginia has no other issues to legislate, right? - this really boils down to nothing but racism in my opinion.) No, they're not laughing at us too much. Thank fucking GOD I live in New Jersey.I think I feel another Knitblogger Protest coming on. COMMANDO DAY! (from Cassie's great idea to go without!).
Where's Bill Maher when we need him most? (Oh, thank god, he's coming back.)
Posted by Cara at 09:43 AM | Comments (6)
February 08, 2005
Intarsia
So last night was my first color class with Shirley Paden. As I mentioned earlier - she is DIVAlicious. I'm sure those that have met her would agree - she certainly is a commanding prescence. Add to that a healthy dose of self-confidence and you certainly near diva-status. But that's okay because this woman knows her shit! When I took the finishing class last year, it was a bit overwhelming. It was a three-hour class and we covered EVERYTHING - seaming, weaving, button-holes - you name it. Given how intense that first class was, I was a little bit anxious about last night.
But it was great! It's a two week class and last night we covered Intarsia only (next week is fair isle). We started off making butterflies - Shirley said she prefers butterflies (hand tied bobbins) to plastic bobbins because when you've got a lot of bobbins hanging down the plastic ones can get really heavy. So we made the bobbins we would need for our argyle piece. I forgot to mention - Shirley had brought some of her sweaters she had designed and knit - they were unbelievable. Very intimidating to say the least.
Okay, so once we had our bobbins, we did weaving. Basically, using two colors, we knit one with the main color, then carried the second color behind on the next stitch all the way through the row. We did about ten rows just carrying and weaving in the second color until we got the hang of it.
Then it was time to knit our argyle swatch! I'm not sure why, but somehow I just got it - you carry the yarn when you expand the pattern, twist when the bobbin is right there. It all seemed very intuitive once I was actually doing it. I did almost half while we were there. When I got home I finished:
The picture is awful - ugh - still not getting the flash working. But I'm pretty happy with the results! (I messed up a couple of stitches, all you eagle eyes out there, but only because I should've done a MC when I did color B or A or vice versa.)
We have homework too. She gave us a chart for a flower we're supposed to do (using four colors) and the big assignment is to knit a ball of yarn in our opposite style - Continental if you knit English, English if you knit Continental, etc. I'm guessing when we do fair isle she'll be teaching it two handed. I feel I have mittens on trying to knit with my left hand - it doesn't work, but I'm willing to give it a go.
In the end, I was very pleased with the class. We laughed, we worked, we ate chocolate. Very, very good!
Picot-Boo
Picot-Boo is blocking. Someone please tell me it's okay that the arms look bigger than the body. Or, if that's wrong, don't tell me. Just let me fuck up in peace.
I may start seaming tonight - depends on how much "real" work I get done. It's not looking too good right now.
Bloglines isn't updating for me again. I blogged this morning before I went to get my hair done - at around 10:30. It still hasn't updated for me and it's now 4:30. I don't know how this shit works, but it's annoying me. We'll see how long it takes to update now.
ETA: I almost forgot! I picked up the NEW Interweave Knits last night at the LYS. It's nice. I find that I have to really sit on these magazines sometimes. You never know when new skills will all of a sudden make you look differently at a pattern. For now, the one I keep coming back to is the bear claw blanket. Maybe if I stock up on the yarn slowly, I might get this done in a decade or so. I'm thinking Aurora 8 might be nice for this. What do you think? I think I might change out the colors though. Or does that mess up the whole Amish quilt thing? Quilters - opinions?
Posted by Cara at 04:13 PM | Comments (9)
It's Official.
I'm fat. Yesterday I tipped the scale slightly passed my "that's it I'm fat" zone. So I'm doing this. I'm hoping that blogging about my success or lack there of will spur me on. Nothing like a little public humiliation to get you off your ass. I did go out and run yesterday - I do the beginning runner's pyramid program in The Runner's Handbook by Bob Glover. It's worked before, goddammit, it will work again! Stayed tuned as I get physical.
[Besides, if we're thinking about trying again in the Summer -- SHHHHH, don't say it out loud!!! -- it might be good to be in some kind of shape. You know, so I can get fat again.]
Thank you Secret Pal!
I received a box from my secret pal!
How did she know I was just looking at this pattern the other day? Particulars: 12 skeins of Schoeller Esslinger Bermuda in Color #25 and the Summer 2004 Interweave Knits, with the suggestion that the yarn might work well with the pattern on p. 21, The Caberet Raglan.
Thank you Secret Pal! Thank you! The yarn is beautiful, and even better, not something I would've thought to buy for myself. Great choice. Thank you!
Okay, I'm off to get coiffed. Cut and color today. The big bucks. I'll be back later to tell all about my color class last night - it was GREAT and Shirley Paden is divalicious. Stayed tuned.
Posted by Cara at 10:11 AM | Comments (9)
February 06, 2005
Night-Blogging
I'm blogging tonight, before I go to bed, so I can concentrate on working tomorrow. Also, I don't have much to say, so it should be kind of quick (famous last words, I know.)
Progress has been made on The Pinwheel Blanket. Thanks again for all the support thrown out there - it was definitely worth the frustration. It's so cute right now - I'm thinking the pattern would make a great hat. get it to the width I want then start ribbing for the edge. It would be very, very cute. Maybe I'll do that since I'll probably have a TON of left over yarn. I think I found the yarn for the edging too - instead of going with a silky/satiny type edging, I think I'm going to go with a soft/chenille type. I was searching around to day and I found Wendy Velvet Touch. I'm thinking the Jewels color might be perfect. Anyone ever knit with it? Is it luxuriously soft? Would it go well with the All Season's Cotton?
I stayed up last night until around 2 finishing up the second sleeve on Picot-Boo. Then I couldn't fall asleep until 3:30. I was the walking dead all day. The sweater is blocking and I hope to start seaming maybe Wednesday. I've never knit a raglan sweater before so it should be interesting. Then I have to hem the sleeves, bottom, neckline etc. Never done a whipstitch either. Love learning new things.
Speaking of learning - tomorrow night's my Color class with Shirley Paden. I'm a little bit nervous. She can be tough - not like she'll yell at you or anything it's just that she is very exacting and straightforward and she jams like five weeks of lessons into a three hour class. This class actually meets two nights - this week and next week. But I'm excited to learn color knitting FINALLY. I've never even tried it on my own, so we'll see how it goes. I've heard she teaches two handed fair isle - I can't do anything with my left hand. I'll report back Tuesday.
Be my 500th Commenter, and win three skeins of Artyarns Supermerino! Winner will get to choose the colors. I'll try to update the count as often as I can. And yes, I'm not above buying love! |
Oh and congratulations to the New England Patriots and their fans. At least we didn't get our asses kicked. I'm still not over '81. That shit can scar an eleven-year-old for life.
Posted by Cara at 10:53 PM | Comments (10)
February 05, 2005
The Pinwheel Baby Blanket
Have I mentioned lately how much I LOVE to knit?!?
This isn't the best color representation - it's much more yellow, almost like a butterscotch. But the pictures are taken with my new OLD camera, which seems to be working fine (although all my settings were wiped out!) |
I'm on the 16" (which I could've switched to MUCH earlier - damned DPNs!) and I can probably move up to the 24" - if I didn't have three freaking projects currently on #7 24"s. Lucky 7s I guess.
Posted by Cara at 12:17 PM | Comments (10)
Thank You!
You all made me feel SO much better! I was feeling completely incompetent, like any decent knitter could cast on five stitches in the round, increase to ten the next round and start doing YOs two rounds later. Thank you, thank you for making me see that this task was completely ridiculous!
But guess what? At about 1:45 AM I fucking did it.
[Okay, I promise that's the last fuck for awhile. I'm sure I'm scaring away readers (while at the same time gaining some? ;-)) The combination of fucking and big humongous boobs can't be good for the googlers out there!]
Was it the cake? Was it the chocolate IN the cake? Was it the wine? After literally cutting away half a skein (thankfully I've got a lot) to get to some good yarn and throwing the sticks across the room (and then immediately scrambling to find them - I mean c'mon, I just lost two of those buggers, I wasn't about to lose five more. They're expensive - even if they are killing me), I left the house to pick up Georgie at work. We went to dinner. I had some wine. Some delicious meatloaf and mashed potatoes (read: comfort food) and some triple mousse chocolate cake for dessert. I was frankly a bloated cow and more than a bit tired on the way home. But at the last light before our house, I had a realization.
When I was casting on, I was actually casting on six stitches because I like to do a K2TOG at the join of the round - so I was casting on six and splitting them up as two, two, two - and then I'd move the last stitch to the first needle for the join. That lonely last stitch kept getting dropped as I tried to knit the round. Every single fuck sorry time. So while we were sitting at the light and I was half a sleep feeling a tad nauseous, I thought, why not leave the one stitch on the MIDDLE needle, not the end. Maybe it would somehow be tighter or something so it would stay on. Honestly, I think that's what did it. I came home, immediately sat down with the yarn and while it didn't work right away, I could tell pretty quickly it was going to work. It still took another ten tries and I'm going to have to change out the yarn sooner than I thought, but I did it. And it looks pretty good if I don't say so myself. I did about twenty rounds before I went to bed last night - and I don't know if the center is actually right or not, but it looks really nice - it's all closed up and has a neat little circle around it before the pattern starts. I'm going to work hard to get it on the 16" Addis today. I really don't like DPNs (did I mention that?) although, as promised, they're getting easier to work with as the rounds progress, but I also really hate wood needles. I'm using Crystal Palace bamboo and between the wood and the cotton, everything keeps getting stuck. Very NOT nice. I want my Addis and I want them now.
I promise to have a picture soon. Very soon. As soon as I get them on my circulars. But, again, I thank you for making me understand that this was not an easy task. I am very, very proud right now.
Have a wonderful, fantastic, spectacular weekend. And I leave you all with this:
PS - Don't forget, Sunday is International Pajama Day! Are you ready?
Posted by Cara at 08:57 AM | Comments (3)
February 04, 2005
Fucking DPNS!
I've tried to fucking cast on five fucking stitches about fifteen fucking times and I can't get it to fucking work. I can do one round, and then when I have to start increasing, I fucking lose it. Even sweet Jen tried to help me, and I did fix one thing I was fucking up, but this is crazy. I am so fucking frustrated.
I might be back. Or I might not. Depends on how many people I take out with these fucking DPNs.
Posted by Cara at 09:48 PM | Comments (7)
Big, Humongous, Gigantuan BOOBS!
Georgie and I are laughing our asses off! Everyday, without fail, someone hits my site looking for big boobs. big heavy boobs. All because of this post.
It's pretty fucking funny. Those poor lurkers - so disappointing for them I'm sure.
Beforewarned, this post will have little to no new knitting news. That's right folks. I've got nothing. No progress, just inertia. The best I've got is that I've decided on a pattern for the baby blanket I'm knitting for my new niece or nephew. Actually, despite my best Stephen Wright impression, I'm exceedingly happy about the choice. I look at the picture everyday and think this will be perfect! Oh, yeah, here's the pattern.
I'm going to use the All Season's Cotton mentioned here and I'm going to try to find some kind of variegated silky acrylic type stuff for the border. I can just imagine my future favorite baby all wrapped up in it. I'm excited. I really am.
So what's the problem you ask - since I've got 24 skeins of the aforementioned ASC. No needles. I don't have DPNs to start it. I don't have needles for anything these days. I lost two of the DPNs I was using to knit the sock, so the KBS hasn't gotten any air play - no needles, no knitting. (Besides, now I really want to make these socks in the same colorway. I'm really loving both the retro rib and the Koigu color.) I'm awaiting my Flower Basket Bag yarn shipment - but it won't matter because, you guessed it, no needles. [they just called from the lobby, I have a package - bet you it's the yarn!]
But Jen is saving me. Today we're heading up to Handknits and I will hopefully have a nice long shopping list. Needles, for sure (Jen - DON'T LET ME WALK OUT WITHOUT THEM!) and yarn. I want to buy some yarn. Because it's not like I haven't spent a shitload of money on yarn lately. But I want some red yarn for valentine's day. For this and for this. And maybe some blue Koigu, if they have it, for those retro rib socks.
In other news, my class is kicking my ass. They are a very smart bunch - with lots of good criticism. They write long though, and I try to be very precise with my critiques. We're halfway through, so that's good, but I always feel very hungover the next morning. (This morning.) Takes me a day to get going. I don't feel like thinking at all. So I watched TV this morning. I know I've mentioned this before, but I really, really like The Gilmore Girls. It's corny I know, but I look forward to seeing it everyday. (They show the re-runs on the ABC Family channel - right after the 700 Club. Blech.) They've got some kick-ass knits on this show - anybody every notice? Someone on there is a knitter because these are not your run of the mill knits. Anyway, saw a good episode this morning. Made me cry. Happy tears. I'm such a sucker for love.
I'm done now. Thanks for hanging. And as a reward for my legions of faithful readers, (you two know who you are! ;-) ), I'm starting a contest. As of the writing of this entry, I have received 332 comments. I will give a fabulous prize to the 500th commenter! (Prize details to come as soon as I figure out what it will be.)
So get going.
Posted by Cara at 11:06 AM | Comments (7)
February 02, 2005
Test. This is ONLY a test. I passed the test.
My feeds aren't updating, so I'm posting this as a test. If you have had a bloglines update today, and want to drop me a note, thanks!
Back to regularly scheduled programming.
Apparently the crisis was averted. My feeds are updated, thanks in no small part to Cassie (she will claim that she had nothing to do with it, but I know it was her magic email that turned the bloglines updating machine back on!)
Thanks everyone for letting me know they were working for you!
Posted by Cara at 04:55 PM | Comments (7)
Cinema Verite
At Kerstin's insistence...
1. The last movie you went to see in a theater:
Bend it Like Beckham. Which is pretty funny because it was Georgie’s idea to see it – he thought it would be all about Soccer and it ended up being something of a chick movie. We liked the music though.
I should mention that we rarely, if ever, go to the movies. We used to go – when we could agree on something to see - but in the last five or six years I can count the number of movies I’ve seen in an actual theater on one hand. I used to go all the time – especially by myself, in New York City, to all kinds of artsy fartsy movies (read subtitles). Somewhere along the way I began to hate the noise and the people and the fact that even when there’s only three people in the goddam theater the whacko weirdo guy STILL has to sit two seats away from you so that you can’t concentrate at all on the movie – all you can think about is the psychokiller next to you. So I stay home and watch on my big TV and knit and pee whenever I feel like it and eat whenever I feel like it. Thank god for Georgie – he’s always so sweet about picking up the candy wrappers on the floor.
2. The last movie you watched at home:
Ooh. Tough one. With the advent of cable, it’s incredibly easy to watch 864 movies in a day and never see a whole one. The last movie we actually sat down to watch, together, as an “event” if you will, was Spiderman 2. I dropped like a million stitches trying to knit in the dark.
3. How many movies do you own?
A decent amount. Not sure of the number though – maybe fifty? We always buy a couple of flicks before we go on vacation for DVD watching on the plane. Who can forget the cross-country flight watching Dr. Strangelove? Classic. Or the time we luckily turned off Mulholland Drive right before the Sapphic scene – I bet the Mom with the kid behind us watching the movie would’ve been pissed! Also, since it’s so freaking expensive to go to the movies we tend to have the “it’s cheaper to buy the DVD and watch it in the comfort of our home” attitude – so we buy them. I also have the complete collection of Scholastic DVDs – they are the greatest videos ever. Puts the Disney crap to shame. And I have two Rugrats movies. So sue me.
4. Got Netflix (or a similar service)?
Yeah, it’s called digital cable with a gazillion stations and lovely On-Demand. We don’t even have a decent video store nearby – so no, no Netflix or a similar service.
5. List five movies you adore (or mean a lot to you.)
[Warning: Carolyn accused me of being very sentimental in my music meme choices – so if you disapprove of sentimentality – turn your head here. ;-) ]
In the they-always-did-it-better-in-the-old-days department:
Gone With the Wind. I could’ve easily chosen Casablanca or Rebecca or Laura or Dark Victory or Now, Voyager or Mr. Skeffington or Rear Window or ….but I’ll stick with GWTW. Why? Because for my eleventh birthday my father gave me the book and I loved it like only a very imaginative romantically blossoming eleven year old can. When I first saw the movie, I loved it almost as much. Rhett and Melanie in the nursery after little Bonnie dies and Scarlett and Rhett after he rapes her and she’s so happy (my god – what was I thinking). The movie is perfectly cast and when the fiftieth anniversary came around and they showed it on the big screen at Radio City Music Hall and I was living in New York, I bought myself a ticket. Went by myself. I’ll never forget it.
In the quirky-only-I-love-it department:
Baby It’s You by John Sayles. Set in mid-60s Trenton, I love this movie for its teenage romance, that Rosanna Arquette falls for the big, bad Sheik (I did the same thing once), that the one and only sex scene is awkward and awful and still endearing, that I have a huge crush on Vincent Spano. I didn’t say anything about the Springsteen soundtrack because I may have loved this movie before I loved Bruce – but clearly it must be mentioned that when Spano walks into the cafeteria and Hard To Be A Saint in the City is cranking in the background we have the Best. Movie. Scene. Ever.
In the comedy must-have-every-line-memorized department:
Beetlejuice. School of Rock may replace this someday, only because it’s gotten much more air play as of late, Flirting With Disaster is on the list and Midnight Run holds a very close second – but in the end I have to go with Michael Keaton as the ignoble, irrepressible, grotesque Betelgeuse. Love the Harry Belafonte. Catherine O’Hara is fabulous as Prince Valium’s bride. Who can forget Otho? Dick Cavett makes an appearance and Winona is brilliant as the depressed, suicidal teenager who’d rather be dead than live with her step-monster. Never trust the living.
In the banished-from-the-US-for-sex-crimes department:
Frantic. Roman Polanski’s masterpiece (okay, maybe I'm the only one who thinks this). The best movie ever where Harrison Ford gets to say “With an S, for shithead” and “You’re talking about my wife, but you must be thinking of yours.” I’ve discussed this movie before, so I won’t go into it here. Let’s just say I can’t turn away. Ever.
In the Merchant-and-Ivory-couldn’t-have-done-it-better-if-they-tried department:
Sense and Sensibility. I saw it in the movies with my sister and we cried and cried. Then for her bachelorette party we got big thick milk shakes and rented it. And cried and cried. How about when Willoughby comes down and sweeps Marianne up on her horse. Or when Eleanor cries to her sister that even she can produce evidence of a broken heart. Let's not forget the scene when Edward Ferris’ sister gets into the fight with Lucy. And oh my god Alan Richman is, I don't know, so noble in this movie! The whole thing is just lovely. Really and truly lovely. I just love this movie.
In the I'm-adding-an-extra-movie-because-I-can department:
A Little Romance. Because Diane Lane was oh so beautiful and because her character was smart and sassy and Daniel was French and romantic and had a temper and because Laurence Olivier was old and frail and charming and just a little bit scary and because the music was beautiful and the scenery was beautiful and everything was beautiful. And most of all, because, when my sister and I both went to Venice, separately, with our husbands, we believed that if we kissed under the Bridge of Sighs while the bells tolled at sunset, we would be in love forever.
6. What’s in the Netflix queue?
Well, since I don’t belong to Netflix, I’ll give you a list of the movies I’d like to see, but will wait until they’re out on DVD or whatever format they’re using when I get around to watching them: Sideways. Hotel Rwanda. Meet the Fockers (even though I heard it sucks.) Million Dollar Baby. Closer. The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. Whatever Crap Shows Up On Cable.
7. Name three people you are going to send this to:
I’m going with the J’s today:
Jen
Jo
Juno
Posted by Cara at 01:29 PM | Comments (6)
February 01, 2005
A Death in the Knitty Family....
While we were driving back from the Canon Service Center (details to come), my best friend said to me:
her: I've got some bad news.
me: What?, I said, my heart starting to beat wildly.
her: The poncho. It's toast. The neighbor dog got to it.
me: Oh thank god!
her: I cried. Delenn cried. We all cried.
me: Did you bury it in the backyard at least?
I can honestly say I was slightly ahead of the poncho fad. I made the RetroPoncho pattern, available in the Summer 2003 issue of Knitter's (the one with the uncomfortable looking guy on the cover) for my best friend's daughter, in the Summer of 2003 - the end, more like Fall. I used Patons Classic wool and it was the first project I made that included knitting in the round and increases. It was actually my first wearable project. Delenn had grown out of it, but my best friend's younger daughter had taken to wearing it everywhere with her Disney princess shoes.
Here's a picture of Delenn and the poncho when it was brand spanking new:
Doesn't she look so happy!?! Rest in Peace RetroPoncho. May you wear well in knitty heaven.
In response to RP's untimely death I'm going to make both girls new sweaters in Artyarns Supermerino! I'm also going to make my best friend a scarf (which she requested) using the famed Clapotis pattern. She can't wear any kind of wool, so it looks like it's silk for my best friend! (I've got time though. I was informed that spring is just around the corner in Las Vegas, so the sweaters will be for next fall. The Clapotis will be for my best friend's May birthday!)
Pity Party's Over, Thank you very much!
Thanks for all of the pick me ups. Seems I was a tad premature in feeling sorry for K1R2 - the converstation is hopping.The camera will be fixed for free, by the kind folks over at Canon. I have to say I was a tad triumphant. The guy intimated that maybe, just maybe, they would try to get it to work and it would be fine. Happens all the time, he said. Ha, Ha, I told him. The shutter's shot! This baby ain't working for no one no how. And I was right. The shutter's shot. They will be fedexing it back to me when it's all better.
[Full disclosure: I was kind of hoping they'd say it wasn't fixable (like they'd do that!) I wanted another brand new baby. I know. Gluttony never looked good on anybody. But it's a WORK thing. It's my JOB! wink wink]
My best friend and I then headed back to my house where she so wonderously indulged me by listening to all my knitting adventures. After I had pulled out all the stash and shown her all the intended projects I asked her: "Do you really want to hear all this?" She, in her best best friend voice said, "Of course I want to hear it because it makes you so happy." A better best friend has yet to exist. Thank you, thank you! I miss her so much since she moved away.
Then it was off to dinner in the big city. We had a marvelous meal at Gigino's in Tribeca. The food was great, company even better. After dinner I dropped her off at her hotel and said goodbye! Thankfully Georgie was home for lots of cuddling last night. I needed it.
But I feel refreshed today. It's off to the shrink and needle shopping at Purl. Maybe some red yarn.
I'll be back later - Kerstin tagged me on the movie meme. (Can someone please tell me what exactly a meme is? I looked it up in the dictionary and can't find it. Is this the answer?)
Oh and I want to send some big, fat, suffocating hugs to all of you out there surviving the infertility torture test that life sometimes surprises us with. It sucks more than anything could possibly suck. To the root, to the core, to the depths of our hearts and minds. Hug your mates really tight and be kind. To your partner and to yourself. Be truly, necessarily kind.
Love, Cara
Posted by Cara at 10:29 AM | Comments (6)