All’s Hallowed around here but the [censored–consigned to damnation] doorbell. We’re not really big fans of All Hallow’s Eve around here. Merriam-Webster defines “Hallow” as Function: transitive verb Etymology: Middle English halowen, from Old English hAlgian, from hAlig holy — more at HOLY
1 : to make holy or set apart for holy use
2 : to respect greatly : Venerate

But frankly, none of us feel particularly holy on this day, and really, we blame the doorbell. How can you enjoy yourself when your dog is being driven crazy by the bell and running frantically around trying to protect his house, barking all the while? All of our dogs have hated Halloween, and the barking has pretty much caused my mother to hate Halloween. And, really, I’ve never been that much of a fan, either.

When I was little, I admit, I did dress up and go trick-or-treating, but really, it was for two simple reasons. Free candy and a chance to wear Mom’s makeup. Other than that, I wasn’t that interested–especially if I couldn’t wear a costume that was “pretty.” (The year Mom insisted my sister and I dress up as witches, we were pretty witches, like Samantha Stevens, with eye shadow and lipstick.) But I outgrew the Princess phase, and ever since . . . not so interested in dressing up for Halloween. There was the Halloween Parade in 6th grade when my teacher told me, “Debbie, if you don’t wear a costume, you can’t march in the parade with the other children.” She was obviously under the impression that that would inspire me to get a costume, but she never did understand that I was an independent child and the chance to stand on the sidelines with the adults was far more appealing to me than being just one of a crowd of weirdly-dressed kids. (This same teacher used to tell my mother I was going to grow up socially warped, or something, because I preferred spending my lunch break with a book than running around with the other kids. Makes me wonder–was I possibly the first independent child she’d ever taught??)

Anyway, so it’s been quite some time since I dressed up for Halloween. 1991, in fact, the first year I worked at my office. (I wore a medieval-kind of robe I’d made based on a dress from Ladyhawke, which I’d mostly made just so I’d have something warm, long, and flowy to wear around the house on cold winter nights, but really . . . I have to admit, though, that the idea of a Masquerade Ball with real, elaborate gowns and such does sound pretty appealing, but the odds of my ever being invited to such a thing (and having a suitable costume) are about as slim as my having any occasion to wear a gown of any kind. In other words, I’m not holding my breath!

What I am doing is sitting here in the living room with my laptop, on doorbell duty. Chappy’s standing guard in the dining room window and not actually barking at the moment. (He barks more as a general rule than Katy did, but nowhere near the amount our dachshunds used to bark.) I don’t know WHAT he thinks about all the kids coming to the door.

Cute story: We took him for a walk as soon as I got home from work today, and there were already some trick-or-treaters out. We were walking down the street, and up ahead, saw a family we know–two kids, two parents, and their dog, Ella, who is one of Chappy’s favorite doggy-friends. Except she was wearing a Wonder Woman costume. Ella was standing there, wagging her tail, happy to see her friend, but Chappy stopped dead in the street and started walking forward very cautiously and verrrry slowly, trying to figure out WHAT that was in front of him. A person? A child? A dog?? She took a step toward him, and he ducked over toward me (”Mommy!”) until he realized, “Oh, it’s Ella!” and started wagging his tail and saying hello. Very funny. Ella’s Dad (holding her leash) thought so too.

The closer we got to home, though, the more hyper Chappy got. Normally, he walks along pretty calmly on his leash–gets and excited and pulls sometimes, but is mostly good. Well, by the last quarter of the block we were walking around, his adrenalin was running high and he was not only pulling on the leash, but running back and forth in arcs in front of us. And when he saw a crowd of trick-or-treaters two doors up from his house? He started barking. Not mean barking, but excited barking, and barked his way all the rest of the way home.

Once everything quiets down tonight and he lets himself relax? He is going to be one, tired dog! Though, not as tired as Marley. And be sure to check out the very cool Thing 1 and Thing 2 costumes Alison made for her twins. Not to mention the pirate hat Julie made this weekend.

• Tags: Chappy, Family, General • Permalink:All’s Hallowed But the Doorbell // 5 Comments »

First, the exciting knitting news–I’ve finally finished the body of my Union Square Market Pullover. (Yay!)

I still have the sleeves, of course, and they require a whole slew of recalculations, but see? I’m so happy to finally have this part done. What with the huge difference in gauge, the short-row calculations for the neckline and shoulder-shaping, about the only part of the actual pattern I was able to follow were the words–anything that involved a number had to be adapted. Not an impossible task, but definitely not a project where I was able to just sit and follow a pattern.

On the plus side, I think I got the size just about right. It’s difficult to try on at this point, since there are no shoulder seams–nor will there be. The shoulders fasten with buttons. But I did pull it on and it seems like it fits pretty nicely around the waist–I hope! The neckflap in the front isn’t as pronounced as the one in the pattern, either, because I had so few rows to shape it in, but I’m content with that–just a small fold-over, not as pronounced a design element.

The part that I am a little concerned about? The way all the hems are curling over. Obviously, this is just off the needles and I haven’t had a chance to try blocking it yet, but it’s got me concerned. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

  In other knitting details for the weekend. There’s this apple green Debbie Bliss cabled sweater of mine. Back in February, as part of Alison’s “The Fix is In” I tore out the mismatched, light green zipper I’d sewn into the sweater, and replaced it with a black one–which actually looked better . . . but only when the zipper was zipped. Really, though, it was an unfortunate choice. (See? This is something I never gave a thought to when I picked that gorgeous shade of yarn for the sweater–finding a zipper that would match. I just assumed that I’d be able to, and then learned the hard way that it’s not always possible. Sigh.)

It’s been bugging me for months, the fact that the sweater was still essentially unwearable through no fault of its own, and finally I decided that it would be better off with no zipper at all, no closure of any kind, than one that is so faulty. So yesterday, I tore out the zipper altogether and right now the cardigan is foot loose and fancy free, as it were. I think it looks better already. I’ll consider adding a button or a frog or two for some minimal closure, but am really just happy that I’ll be able to wear it out of the house for a change.

  I had a helper, too. Chappy supervised the entire job. Or at least, carefully examined the sweater to make sure all was well.

I also cleared out some space in my closet this weekend. A big, green garbage-bag full of pants, skirts, shirts, and sweaters. (No handknits, though.) Actually, there were three wool sweaters I almost put in there until I remembered . . . in that book, Alterknits, the author describes a way to felt old sweaters and turn them into tote bags. That sounded like a much more fun way of recycling sweaters than giving them to charity, so I pulled those out of the pile, and right now they’re sitting in the craft closet, waiting for their next step. Exciting, no?

And now, it’s bedtime, and we need our rest. Tomorrow is Doorbell Day (also known to other households as Halloween).

• Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:FP: Finished Piece, Anyway // 5 Comments »

Once upon a time, there was a girl who wanted a dog very, very badly. Even though she was 32 years old, she begged and begged her Mom to let her have a puppy, but her Mom said, “No. We’ve had dogs for the last 21 years and I’m tired of taking care of them.”

“But, Mom,” the girl cried, “I’d take care of her myself! She’d be your, your . . . grandpuppy! And we could name her Katama, like the beach on Martha’s Vineyard (you know how you love anything from Martha’s Vineyard), but we could call her Katy.”

It took months, but Mom finally weakened, only insisting that the dog not be a miniature dachshund, like they’d had before. “No dog,” she’d been saying for months, “But absolutely not a dachshund.” So the girl took the second part for truth and started to look for another dog breed to love. Some were too big; some were too small. Some were too active; some were too sickly. Some were too cutesy; some were too ugly. She despaired of ever finding the perfect breed. Then one day, while scrolling through a list of dog breeds, like magic, there was one that had her name on it. A Boykin Spaniel. It was perfect. Medium-sized, smart, friendly, active but not too active–and even curly brown hair, just like her own. After that, she knew she’d won her Mom over and now it was just a matter of finding the perfect dog.

First, she looked for a rescue dog, figuring that a dog that needed a new home as much as she needed a dog would be just the right match. But that didn’t work–there is only one Boykin Spaniel rescue organization in the country, and there was never a dog of the right age or the right personality at the right time for the girl’s needs. So, she decided to start looking for a puppy. This was harder because so many Boykins come from the south and our girl lived in New Jersey, but one day in September, she called the Boykin Spaniel Society to ask if they knew of any litters that were available. They listed five, and one one of them, the girl’s hair stood up–a litter of girl puppies from Madison, NC. That was the one!

She called the breeder–the very first person to ask about one of Summer’s puppies–and they arranged that she would get a puppy–the best, picked out by him–who would be (gulp) flown up to NJ as soon as she was old enough. Say, October 29th, when the puppies are exactly 7 weeks old. Excited, the girl bought and read dozens of books on dogs, puppies, clicker training, and then she bought things like chew toys and crates and treats–everything her puppy would need. On October 27th, she overnighted the check to pay for her puppy and started planning her Friday–she would go to work for a few hours, have lunch at the office Halloween party, and then leave early to go to the airport to pick up her precious little bundle of fur.

But [dramatic music here] evil forces had gathered, and had prevented her check from being delivered on time! The breeder called her on Thursday night, apologetic but firm that he would not ship the puppy without having received the money. The girl understood but was distraught (an understatement, really). She tried tracking the package, calling the delivery company, even trying to find another way to get the money to the man, but no. He wouldn’t budge. After little sleep, she went to work the next day, despondent at the thought that she wouldn’t get her Katy that day after all. All her dreams of a puppy seemed far from fulfillment, just because of the evil shipping company. (Okay, maybe not evil; just misguided.)

Around lunchtime, though, things got better. Not only was there food and wacky co-workers dressed in distracting costumes, but there was word from the breeder–the check had come! Huzzah! He made plans that he would bring Katy to the local airport at 6:00 the next morning (which meant leaving his own house about 5:00–he really did feel badly about the whole thing), where she would catch a connecting flight to Charlotte, which would then fly to Newark’s Liberty Airport. The girl had paid extra for “counter to counter” delivery of her puppy (no cargo terminal for her precious ball of fur!), and so the next morning, she and her Mom–who had sworn she didn’t even want to be around when the puppy came–were at the airport luggage claim, singing the chorus to the K-K-K-Katy Stammer Song, anxiously waiting the big Arrival.

Then, a man walked by with a little, yellow carrier. Could it be? The girl and her mom followed him to the office and peered at the crate. There, huddled in the back, was a scared, little, brown puppy. The girl leaned forward and said, “Hi, Katy. Hi, Sweetie,” while her Mom melted into a big, gushy puddle behind her. After a few moments, the girl opened the crate door to reach in to pet the puppy, who licked her fingers, but wasn’t willing to come forward yet. (It had been a pretty scary morning so far, you must admit–for the first time away from her mother, she’d been on two airline flights, all alone, in a cargo hold. Pretty traumatic for a puppy only 7 weeks old.) The girl signed the paperwork, and then picked up the crate to carry it, carefully, out to the car.

Once at the car, she opened the crate door again and dragged the reluctant puppy out to be cuddled and reassured. Then there was a blinding flash of light….

On the drive home, the puppy sat very, very still, moving nothing but her head, as if she was still afraid of her new surroundings, the new people (who no doubt sounded pretty funny to her southern ears). But little by little, she started to relax. She accepted a crumb of liver biscotti. She wagged her tail. She started to squirm just a little to explore.

The girl was very happy. She had her puppy in her arms, all was right with the world. And then, they were home.

Katy.

Born September 7, 1999. Arrived October 30, 1999. Died May 7, 2001.

. . . . Don’t miss our next, exciting installment, where Katy meets the many strange people of New Jersey (ghosts! ghouls! goblins!) in “Katy’s First Halloween!” (”You were right FurMom, Yankees ARE strange!”)

• Tags: Family, Katy, Jilly, Muppy • Permalink:The Katy Saga: Oct 30, 1999 // 10 Comments »

So, this morning, after Mom had finally gotten through on the phone to get her tickets to see Carly Simon at Lincoln Center next month . . . Oh, didn’t I mention? Mom is a huge Carly fan. These tickets were her top priority this morning, so at 10:00 we were both sitting at the kitchen table with two phones each–the main phone, my Dad’s line, her cell phone, my cell phone–dialing, redialing, redialing, redialing . . . redialing . . . until finally after 45 minutes she’d gotten through and was lucky enough to actually get tickets. She’s hugely excited–Carly doesn’t tour very often, but she did perform last December at the Apollo Theater, which Mom also got to see–but that doesn’t matter. She’s super excited.

But anyway, after that dialing marathon, we hopped in the car and headed to Montclair to Modern Yarns. This is a brand-new shop that Tina mentioned on her blog a couple weeks ago, it’s only been open a month. Nice. Clean. Friendly owner. Rowan yarns. Debbie Bliss. Noro. LHS. Manos. Naturally, to be supportive, I bought some yarn–some Kid Silk Haze in this lovely, caramel-yellow (my guess is it’s the “Swish” colorway). It looked yellow under the halogen lights, but the bag in the car looked like I was carrying buns. Really, it was quite a sacrifice on my part to buy this, but you know, had to be nice to the new shop. It’s located on Church street, right behind the movie theater. There’s even a bead shop a little way up the block which had some nice beads, but since the girl working there was too busy chattering with her friend the entire time Mom and I browsed through the selection–not even a “Hi,” as we walked in–or, for that matter, even a glance to acknowledge us–I’m not anxious to go back. The yarn shop was much friendlier.

We also noticed there was another yarn shop on the same block, and looked in the windows but it was cluttered and crowded-looking, with nary a customer in sight. I know there’s a fine line between a store that’s filled with merchandise to provide a good selection and one that’s just crammed full of, well, not junk exactly, but so much yarn that it might as well be. Maybe it’s just me, but I like yarn shops that look like they’ve been cleaned and dusted in the last decade or so; that seem to have a big enough turnaround that their yarn hasn’t been sitting on the shelves for an eon or two; that have enough room to reach your hand into a bin to feel the yarn without scraping your knuckles, or knocking over piles of yarn. A fine line, I admit–because you want enough yarn for there to be a good selection–but I don’t like a LYS that’s too cluttered. All I can think of is the amount of dust.

On our drive home, though, we saw two signs we thought were pretty interesting.

First, while waiting for a traffic light in Montclair, was this one, directing traffic to the some nearby towns and the Jersey Shore. The Jersey Shore?? You have to realize, Montclair is in the middle of Essex County–nowhere near the ocean, so far as I know. I mean sure, if you head south out of town and go past the Oranges, Irvington and keep going past Elizabeth, Newark and so on, eventually you will come to within reach of, um, water, but! This reminds me of the road signs they had at the M*A*S*H 4077 camp, giving distances to Cleveland, New York, Hong Kong and basically anyplace-but-here.

Second, a sign for an Evacuation Route on Bloomfield Avenue. Um, Evacuation Route from what? Nuclear catastrophe, apparently. But I’ve got to say, considering the length of time it took to drive down that street on a normal Saturday afternoon, with all the traffic lights and insane drivers, heaven help anybody trying to use that road to flee for their lives, is all I can say!

Now, for your sweet tooth, if you’re craving chocolate, check out this recipe for Hot Fudge Sundae Cake. I haven’t had a chance to try it yet, but the message board I found it on was raving about the recipe. I don’t know if it’s as good as Norma’s Microwave Chocolate Cake (I haven’t been able to bring myself to bake a cake in the microwave yet–it’s a prejudice, what can I tell you?). All I know is they’re both chocolately, they’re both hot and rich, and they both go great with vanilla ice cream . . . or so I hear! Yum.

• Tags: Family, General, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Evacuation to the Jersey Shore // 4 Comments »

The handles for my Berocco Knitting Tote came today. I’m very happy with them, they’re just right. Nice color, and I love the smooth curve of them. For that matter, I love the way the whip-stitch which attaches the bag mimics the way the curved handle is attached to the straight bar.

Surprisingly, there’s almost nothing about this bag that I don’t like. That’s surprising because I’m not generally that excited about knitted bags. Bags and purses, sure. Knitting? Absolutely. But bags that have been knitted? Well, I’ve seen some I like well enough, but this is the first I’ve felt like I really wanted to make. I like the texture to the pattern. I like the suede look to the yarn. I like the simplicity of the design.

(And, yes, I do have a Booga bag that’s been knitted but not yet felted. We won’t discuss it. Because while I admire Julie’s bag immensely, the fact that the knitted bag has been languishing in the closet for a year now says a lot about the intensity of my feeling about my, particular bag. They’re all gorgeous, mine is just . . . you know . . . kind of there. My fault entirely.)

  Any road, here’s evidence that I am, in fact, making progress on this bag. You’ll remember that I was only able to buy 4 skeins in the color I wanted, and so went for the 5th skein in an accent color. I decided that I wanted the bottom of the bag to be the accent. (And then perhaps the very top? But I’ll decide that later). I knitted most of the purple skein and then switched to the green this evening. I’ll be knitting 13″ of this tube before I’m done, at which time the bottom seam is sewn, the handles attached, etcetera.

I can see it’s going to be difficult photographing this properly–the purple wants to photograph as blue, and the green wants to photograph as brown. A sad state of affairs, but what can one do? At least I’m trying!

I can’t imagine wearing anything in this yarn. But, my, it knits up very pretty indeed! I love the way the color varies just a little, just like the real thing.

Now, back to my decision-making. Not a knitting decision, but I’m looking at a new laptop. I have a Fujitsu Lifebook, my second one, and like it quite a lot–so far (knock wood), practically no problems with either of them. But which one to choose? The S7000-series? The S6000-series (similar to what I’ve got)? Or the very cool, convertible-tablet/notebook T4000 series? Decisions, decisions . . . but one I should make soon. They’re having a free printer/free shipping offer that’s good until Monday.

• Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Getting A Handle On It // 4 Comments »

I really blame Sandy, of course. On my drive to work this morning, I just had to stop the car and take some pictures of the sky.

Isn’t it stunning? This is facing East into the sun as it rose, and the clouds are busy scudding off–it was mostly blue overhead, and off on the horizon, you can just see a long front of clouds brilliantly backlit. They ran the whole length of the horizon, and I wasn’t quite able to capture that gorgeous gold glow. (Hey, my Canon Elph is a great little camera, but it’s not exactly professional equipment, you know? But proper cropping can do wonders…)

It’s been raining for the last several days, of course. (You may have heard about the Northeast coast’s Nor’easter?) We were lucky enough to just get rain and some wind, though I saw a couple trees down today, and one fell on a passing car in Morris Twp yesterday and killed the driver . . . but really, we missed the worst of the storm. But still, it sure was pretty to see the sun today!

We even got Chappy out for a walk this afternoon, and my hands looked rather more green than blue, and my gloves were very happy to be out and about. And they did a decent job keeping my hands warm, too . . . except when the wind would blow!

• Tags: General, Sky • Permalink:Kickin’ The Clouds Away // 4 Comments »

  Typepad was down last night, so I couldn’t tell all of you that I’ve finished my gloves–every one of those two dozen ends are woven in.

Now, I don’t mind weaving in yarn ends that much. It’s not my favorite thing, but it’s not usually that difficult and it leaves things being all neat and tidy, and I like that. So–no biggie. This though? Now I realize why I’ve never made gloves before!

It wasn’t so much the weaving in the ends, really, as the grafting of the stitches between the fingers. On this particular pattern, there are two stitches left waiting on each side of each finger when you join them all together to knit the glove. Since the stitches were already on spare yarn as the fingers waited for me to knit all 10 of them, I just left them there, being careful not to catch the waste yarn in the stitches as I picked up the fingers. That much worked fine–when it was time to pull out the waste yarn, it slid free easily.

No, the hard part was finding those two, waiting stitches on each finger. It seems that, as I knitted the glove, the holding-yarn allowed some of the stitches to technically drop–to slide out of their last row–but with the waste yarn as kind of an anchor . . . but the space between fingers is obviously small, there were at least three yarn ends flying around at each one, the glove fingers regularly falling in the way, and since I had one hand inside the glove while doing this grafting which made it harder for my left hand to help hold everything still while the needle in my right hand searched for the stitch, and of course, weaving-in is done on the inside and I find it harder to spot where one stitch begins and ends on the purl side of the fabric . . . Basically, you could say I found the process frustrating!

What would have made it easier? If I had realized up front how difficult it was going to be to salvage those 32 stitches (four at each finger-intersection), I would not have left them on the waste yarn. I would have put them on something solid, like a safety pin so it would have been easier to locate them. Then I would also have had only one yarn-end at each intersection, rather than three, which would have made visibility easier.

What did I like about making gloves? I really enjoyed the I-cord finger idea–there’s something delicious about using a really clever, new technique for something that’s been done the same way for centuries. I have nothing against DPNS (though I admit I prefer Magic Loop when I can use it), but I-cord for the entire finger . . . it’s ingenious. I love ingenious things. I also really enjoyed using my handspun yarn, finally, for something! I was happy with the way it felt as I worked it, happy with the spinning which, if not perfectly consistent, was still effective and made a nice yarn. Besides, I’ve never made gloves before–firsts are fun.

Am I happy with the finished product? Yes and no. It’s not the pattern’s fault at all, or the yarn, but they’re not perfect specimens. The joins where the fingers were picked up to form the palm aren’t as tight as they could be–that’s my own fault. I opted for plain-jane gloves, no extra touches at the cuff since by then I was anxious to get them done. The gauge is 5 stitches per inch, so they’re not a tight-knit . . . and that means lots of little holes between the yarn loops. (Some holes are a little bigger than others because the yarn wasn’t perfectly consistent, but like I said, I’m so happy to have used my handspun, I’m not complaining about that!)

I am going to try lining them with silk glove liners–I mentioned that idea when I joined the KAL–but I’m not sure if that’s going to work. I knit these gloves to fit my hands (definitely a bonus to handknit gloves), but (1) glove liners would be standard proportions and so the finger lengths might not fit into mine. My little finger, for example, is on the short side compared to my other fingers–would I be able to cram a glove liner in there and still have room for my actual finger? Because (2) they’re actually such a close fit to my hands, they’re a little snug. Not uncomfortably tight, but I should have left a little more ease–not something I thought about ahead of time. But also not leaving room for anything extra in there other than my hands.

Ultimately, while these are adequate, and reasonably pretty to look at, I think they may fail at a glove’s main purpose–keeping the hands warm. Better than no glove at all, I’m sure, but nowhere near warm enough for taking Chappy out walking in 20-degree weather. I’ll block them and see what happens. Glad to have them, though. Thanks for the knit-along, Nona!

• Tags: Finished Knitting, General, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Full-Fingered Fashion // 8 Comments »

75. That’s how many e-mails I had in my inbox this morning when I went back to work, and for a week’s vacation, that’s incredibly good! (Other times, I’ve come back to as many as 200.) Whew! I so picked the right week for it, too–our weather from Sunday to Friday last week was perfect, and only went downhill over the weekend (right at the time my allergies decided to strike), whereas it rained the entire week before, and it’s supposed to rain a fair amount this week. I was lucky. October’s usually not this wet a month, and usually the leaves and autumn color are a lot further along than they are this year. Kind of sad, really, but maybe I’ll be lucky and we’ll end up having beautiful autumn weather for my birthday for a change?

Those of you who went to Rhinebeck may recognize these little faces–little sheep-shaped stress balls given out by the NY Ram Project. The nice lady handing them out insisted that both Mom and I take one, and so we brought home two, and I’ve got to tell you, they’ve taken on a life of their own. They have wandered all over the house, and have cropped up in the most surprising places. For instance, when I came home from work this afternoon, they were on my bed. I’ve found them hiding in the pots in the kitchen. In the cabinet with the vitamins. On the towels in the linen closet. Next to my toothbrush. Watching television. Next to the cereal. (They’ve kept their distance from my spinning wheel, though.) They even have names now, courtesy of Mom. The one on the left is Baa-baa, and the one on the right (with the pink bow) is Baa-bette.

At least I come by my silliness honestly. (Thanks, Mom!) I’m starting to think I could use a little stress-ball sheep dog to keep the “flock” in line . . . I can’t imagine how they’re getting around the house like this! Nope. It’s a mystery to me. And I’m sure if Chappy saw them, he’d try to stop them. Hmm . . . I wonder if Mom knows anything about this??

I started knitting that Suede tote bag last night. I decided I’m going to start with the purple, so that will be the color of the bottom of the bag, and I’ll save enough (or try to–it’s hard to know where the end of the skein is since this is rolled onto cardboard centers) to edge the top of the bag and for the tassle, but most of it will be that lovely green. It took forever to cast on the stitches–210 of them–and knitting the first row is always a hassle. (It’s not just me who thinks that, is it?) But I did get through the first pattern row last night, an interesting little texture stitch, not too complicated, not too boring. This will be nice “automatic-pilot” knitting–because there is no shaping to the bag whatsoever. It’s knit in a tube and then seamed for the bottom. All the shaping comes post-production, as it were.

• Tags: General • Permalink:Seventy-Five // 5 Comments »

Mom was watching Sleepless in Seattle while making dinner tonight–the movie forever known in our family as “The Earring Movie.” Why, you ask? It’s a long story, but I’ll try to keep it short. When I saw this movie in the theater (1993, was it?), I was taken by the earrings Meg Ryan is wearing in the car, when she’s listening to Tom Hanks’ character on the radio. They’re nice and simple–a yellow gem at the ear, with a pearl drop below it. (They even show the earrings on the 10th anniversary DVD). I was entranced. My birthstone is topaz/citrine, and I just loved these. And I talked about them. A lot.

That year, Mom and Dad went on a cruise somewhere that had wholesale gems, and they brought me home a matched pair of 5-carat, emerald-cut citrines and the news that they would get me my earrings for my birthday. I was so excited! I took the citrines to a jewelry store recommended by a friend, and, when my birthday rolled around, had a lovely pair of earrings. Except.

Well, they were kind of uncomfortable to wear. (Five carats is huge!) And, to balance the size of the gems, the pearl drops were fake. And all in all, they weren’t really “me.” The following year, I decided I was going to try again. I took the existing earrings to a different jewelry store (recommended by a different friend) and explained that I wanted the exact same thing, only somewhat smaller. And in the meantime, could he do something so I could wear the existing citrines?

So, he adapted the existing earrings–removing the fake pearls and turning the citrines themselves into drops below a simple ear wire. But the other, new earrings? Not even remotely close to what I wanted (and this, with an example right in front of him!) He gave me earrings that had both the citrines and the pearls dangling below an ear-wire, the citrines were pale and barely yellow, the pearls were irregular fresh-water pearls . . . And I won’t go into the customer service nightmares that ensued. But I was disgusted by the whole project.

Still . . . I loved those earrings! Just after Christmas, Mom and I ended up at a jewelry “club”–a single storefront filled with lots of individual sellers which therefore keeps rents and prices down–and while she dealt with some sort of Christmas exchange, I wandered around, looking at all the sparkly stuff. And . . . not citrines, but one vendor had exactly the earrings I wanted. So . . . I commissioned a pair, with citrines (for half the price, incidentally, of the trashy pair jeweler #2 tried to sell me), put down a deposit and went happily on my way. A week later, went to pick them up . . . the color of the stone wasn’t right, but . . . he tried to tell me he’d been in business for forty years and never seen citrines as dark as I said I wanted, but I knew that I had, and . . . long story finally coming to an end. . .

  A few days later, I had these. Exactly what I wanted. Classy. Comfortable to wear. My birthstone. And, finally, I’d be able to watch “Sleepless in Seattle” without moaning over how gorgeous those earrings were . . .

Funny thing. These days, whenever I admire jewelry in a movie, it makes my family nervous. Isn’t that strange??

You might be wondering why I told you this story now. Well, the movie was on, so it came to mind, but also, I don’t have a whole lot else to tell you today. I haven’t done much this weekend–my sinuses have been making me miserable. I swear, I go through this every year, not being able to tell a cold from allergies. I’m thinking this is allergies . . . but am not 100% sure. It’s either non-contagious allergies or it’s a cold I’m successfully fighting off since the symptoms are so relatively mild. But my sinuses are making me kind of cranky.

Chappy’s been glum all day–an unusual mood for him. I can’t decide if this is because I have to go back to work tomorrow, when we’ve been able to spend so much time together this week, or if he’s disappointed he didn’t get out for a walk today (we decided my sinuses–no matter which cause–could use the day off), or if he’s worrying about my health. I had something remarkably close to bronchitis last December (I remember it well, it was the week I got my Kiwi and I was too sick to try it out, poor thing). There was one night when I was coughing and wheezing and otherwise sounding pretty horrible, that he paced. The entire night. Up on the bed to make sure I was breathing. Over to the door, presumably hoping Grandma or Grandpa would come to help. He was really frantic the entire time, but the minute I got up in the morning and he saw me on my own feet? He was fine. The white night might never have happened. (Of course, I would have liked some sleep myself that night, but that’s another story!) Anyway, I think he’s been concerned today–he keeps coming over and giving my mouth and nose a sniff and then turning his head away, disgusted. I’ve brushed my teeth, so it can’t be my breath…

  I haven’t been completely lazy this weekend, though. Except for sewing a couple dozen ends, I finished knitting my gloves forNona’s Peaceful Palms knit-along. This was Meg Swanson’s I-cord pattern, from her Handknitting book, and knitted with green yarn spun by yours truly. I really enjoyed working with it, too, although, now that I’m done, I was thinking that what I really should have done was knit these larger and then felted them, so they’d be extra warm, but . . . too late now!

I also did a lot of reading. (Something that’s pretty effortless for me, even when I’m feeling less than wonderful.) I finished reading the Initiate Brother series by Sean Russell. I cannot recommend these two books (or the author) enough. Technically, they’re fantasy books since they take place in an imaginary world, but this is not a Dungeons & Dragons, Sword & Sorcery kind of place. It’s a world a lot like China (or so I imagine), and follows a young monk of Botahara as he serves the Shonto family in a war against invading barbarians and intrigues coming from the Emperor. It’s complex and beautifully written, not a fast-moving story, but not one that gets too bogged down in the philosophy of the characters, either. It’s just . . . lovely. I’m not usually a fan of oriental stories, but these are just great.

That, I followed up with one of the Liaden books by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. I love this sci-fi world they’ve created–practically perfect “space opera” stories. Highly enjoyable stories about trading and other things between Terrans and Liadens, a highly formal race just a little different from us. Love them, and am looking forward, as always, to the next new one.

And then, I started on the Mallorean series by David Eddings. He (and his wife) wrote two, separate series using the same characters–Garion, Silk, Belgarath, Polgara, and so on. This is the second one, and I like to pull them off the shelves from time to time. I started Guardians of the West last night, finished it and have so far read King of the Murgos, Demon Lord of Kalandra and have just started Sorceress of Darshiva. (My copies of the book are from when they were first published, and so I have all five books in separate volumes. The publisher has since decided to publish them together.)

So, you know, just a little reading . . . I can’t believe I have to go back to work tomorrow . . . Tonight, my Dad will be watching the World Series, even though the Yankees (his favorite team) aren’t in it . . . funny, though. An old friend who lives near Chicago sent Dad a sympathy card the other day. We couldn’t figure out why–it’s been months since my uncle passed away–and then, inside, Mel’s sympathy for the Yankees not making it while the White Sox did! Dear Mel–always good for a laugh!

• Tags: Family, General, Knitting/Spinning, Reading • Permalink:The Earring Movie // 4 Comments »

1. Tea for Two. Mom and I went out to tea today. A rare kind of thing, but definitely a nice treat once in a while. Much more fun than a boring sandwich for lunch. (Incidentally, that’s mom hiding behind the tea cozy at the other side of the table–she didn’t want her picture taken.)

I woke up sniffly/stuffy this morning. It looks like my autumn allergies have finally kicked in (sigh). Sometimes it’s hard to tell, at the very beginning, whether it’s a cold or allergies, but if this were a cold, I’d be feeling achy and miserable by now, instead of just a little . . . clogged. I think I may pull my Neti pot out tonight–I bought it last Spring when my allergies were really bad, but haven’t yet actually used it. And then, there are all the really great tips Norma posted a couple weeks ago. I do hate the whole, stuff, sniffly, clogged, swollen sinus thing–in the greater scheme of things, there are worse things to have to deal with, but it does a fair job of small-scale misery. But, enough about my nose!

2. Two Years. It just occurred to me that it’s just about exactly two years since I’ve been knitting again. I started seriously knitting when I was in college–after I’d spent a semester in London being awed at all the great wool, and kicking myself for not being able to do anything with it. So, I came home, bought “Knitting in Plain English,” some yarn, some circular needles, taught myself Continental knitting . . . these last two were revelations . . . and knitted myself a Lopi Icelandic sweater in ten days. I knitted regularly for about ten years, buying as many books as I could find. I even worked my way through “Vogue Knitting” by sitting there with needles and yarn so I could actually try the cables or short rows or whatever new technique while I read about it.

But then, I ran out of energy. The neighborhood LYS closed up (after doing a dramatic shift toward knitting machines). I didn’t know anybody else who knitted. The only “good” yarn I could find was through Patternworks, which is a great source, but sometimes, you just want to touch the stuff. There weren’t any good or exciting new books coming out to inspire me, and, well, the enthusiasm petered out. In fact, I stopped doing almost all of my favorite crafts–quilting, embroidery, knitting. Because not only was the enthusiasm level low, but in 1999 I got Katy. A puppy. Who chewed on things. And required a lot of attention. Who had the energy to knit? Just as I got her to the point where she was adult enough for self-restraint and had even pulled out a skein of yarn to think about knitting, I lost her. Three months later, Chappy came into my life–a puppy. Who chewed on things. Etcetera.

So, what changed? Well first, about three years ago, I lost some weight. Not on purpose, exactly, but by cutting out as many dairy products from my diet as I could, in an effort to address the ongoing allergy mucus/sinus problem. I honestly didn’t expect the side-benefit of losing 20 lbs. Suddenly, my size 10 jeans were huge on me and I was wearing an 8–if not a 6. And all my large sweaters didn’t fit anymore. So I was faced with the dilemma: do I buy a new wardrobe, or use the yarn in my closet to make myself a new one?

Thinking I would save myself some money . . . yes, please, this would be a good time to laugh at my naivetee . . . I went for option number two. I did actually use some of my stash, too. I made myself a Dale of Norway Bjerk out of some Rowan “Wool & Cotton” in my closet. (Yes, it dated back to when there was an ampersand in the name of the yarn.) But first, to get myself going again, I bought some of the only novelty yarn I have ever bought and whipped together a scarf to compliment my new, winter coat.

That scarf, I remember distinctly, I worked on during my October vacation week, on a day when we lost our electricity for about 10 hours. I sat in the front window with Chappy, and when the scarf got long enough, wrapped it around my neck to stave off the draft coming through the window.

Two years ago, this new odyssey of mine began. Not only was I delighted to see the renaissance of knitting–exciting new yarns and patterns–great ideas like Magic Loop for socks and no cable-needle cables . . . and then, the internet. Knitters Review came up first. A hugely helpful resource for knitting questions of all kinds. And the blogs. I don’t have to tell you about the blogs. The online community of knitters was another revelation. You folks are inspiring and full of enthusiasm–even if ennui hits one blogger, there are dozens of others who are aglow with a new project or a new method. There’s always something beautiful to see on somebody’s site, some gorgeous yarn, or a stunning FO . . . who could get bored with all this excitement going on?

Don’t forget the spinning, either. It’s something I’ve been curious about doing since . . . forever. So many books I read as a kid had spinning in them, I always wanted to know how, but figured it was one of those “lost” skills that only people who worked at museums knew how to do. The mere fact that spinning is alive and well and that there are so many things available . . . who knew?

So, thanks everyone. I can’t believe it’s been two years since I picked up my needles again, but I can’t see getting tired of it any time soon. You folks are too inspiring.

And, oh yeah, did I mention that you’re a ton of fun, too?

• Tags: Family, General, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Two // 6 Comments »

Well, I have all my fingers done for my gloves.

No, really. All ten. It’s just that so far, only four are knitted into the actual glove. I know it doesn’t look that great right now, but give it a little time. Some finishing, some weaving-in. There are a ton of ends right now.

I’ve got to say, I’m enjoying using my handspun for these. This really is the first time I’ve actually knitted anything beyond a swatch or so. Why didn’t someone tell me about that extra sense of satisfaction??

And, in preparation for that nifty knitted tote bag, I ordered the handles for it this morning. It is going to be one pretty bag! But I really do mean to finish my gloves first.

My day today? We took Chappy to the park. Dogs, you may not have realized, are continually asking to go to the park. (Just listen to them: “Park! Park! Parkparkparkpark!“) So, we humored him today–not only did he get a nice, long walk, but he got to wade in the stream–though the water must have been cold, because he did little more than just wet his feet. He also met a 1-year old Cairn Terrier named Angie, with whom he played, hard. We even took him for a second walk when we got home. And, oh yeah, he got a bath this afternoon, too.

He is. One. Tired. Dog.

• Tags: Family, General, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Fingerlings // 8 Comments »

More. Stash. Aquisition.

Because, of course, I needed more yarn.

See, it started with the haircut. I stretch them out as far as they can possibly go, but it was time again and since I’m on vacation this week, I figured it would be easy to get an appointment and so . . . that’s where I was at 10:00 this morning. Afterward, though, it seemed a shame to just go home. What kind of vacation day would that be? So, first, I headed over to Nonna’s, except they didn’t open until 11:00. Back to the car (since there’s only 1 or 2-hour parking in town and I didn’t want a ticket), and in moving it, I decided to drive past the other yarn shop.

Back around May, the LYS that we had closed–this was a shop which I didn’t hate, but didn’t love, either. The owners were only friendly to me about 20% of the time, and while they had some nice yarns, it wasn’t one of my favorite places to patronize. (If I’m not going to get decent service from my LYS, then I’m going to buy my yarn cheaper online because–why would I want to give rude, unhelpful people my money?) Well, they’re open again, right next door to where they were before and with a much smaller selection . . . but they open at 10:00 and so I figured I’d stop in to check it out while waiting for Nonna’s to open. For a miracle, the owner was actually friendly, even though she was helping a patron with the sleeve for her sweater, and since I really liked the colors in this sock yarn, decided to patronize the store for the cost of a skein of yarn.

Then, back to Nonna’s–which I frankly like better–to buy some Suede in that “Tonto” spring green I like so much. I don’t remember whose blog I saw the pattern on, but this is for a knitting tote bag, which is brilliant because, while it’s a beautiful yarn, I don’t see how it could “breathe” and think it would be awfully uncomfortable to wear as a garment. Now, as I walked into the shop, the owner recognized me and greeted me by name. They were in the middle of a crochet class, so the place was full of happy, crafty people, lots of sunlight . . . much nicer. I’m glad I waited to buy my Suede from them. I needed 5 skeins, but they only had four in the color I wanted, so, I bought my fifth skein in a contrasting purple (because I love purple and green together). I’ll do a stripe, or something. But now I need to figure out where I can get the handles for that bag! (If you have a link, please let me know, huh?)

Edited to add: I think I found the handles for the tote bag here. And look, there was a nice discussion about them in August on Knitter’s Review. Just in case anybody else is interested, too!

So, even after buying yarn at Rhinebeck, I got some more today. How lucky am I?

I’ve also been doing some spinning on my adorable little Golding spindle, shown here next to my Kundert so you can see the difference in size. This is a tiny little gem of a spindle, I just have to figure out how to spin finely enough to really get my copp’s worth since otherwise it fills up far too quickly. (Of course, I’m trying it with 100% silk roving, and that’s got a whole ‘nother set of issues for my fingers to get used to.) It’s adorable, though.

Now, if anyone has any tips on how to empty the copp off my bitty spindle in such a way that I can join the end from my next spindle-full . . . there’s such a relatively small amount of singles on there, it’s not worth pulling out the niddy-noddy, and while I could wind it directly to my Noste, there’s not enough for anything remotely resembling a ball-full, so I’d ideally like to join one copp to the next to the next . . . but how can I do that without using knots? Anyone?

I knitted the first finger for my Peaceful Palms gloves this afternoon–and would actually have done more except I didn’t have any spare yarn to thread through the stitches to move on to the second finger (and was too lazy to come upstairs looking for some). I’ve decided to use Meg Swansen’s I-Cord glove pattern (from “Handknitting“)–this handy-dandy pattern creates the fingers out of I-cord, rather than knitting each one in the round on tiny DPNs. Who wouldn’t love the simplicity of that? I was going to use some leftover Manos from a sweater I made in 2004, but then I figuratively hit myself over the head. “Idiot!” (I told myself) “Use some of your handspun!”

And so I am.

• Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:M.S.A. // 5 Comments »

Ever feel the need to hit the road? Get in touch with your inner hippie? Shake off the bonds of suburbia and explore the existential nature of America culture?

Nope. Me, either, but these people did!

The Beat Museum from California, which we passed literally On the Road this morning. It’s a portable museum doing an East Coast tour, highlighting The Beat Generation, inspired by Jack Kerouac himself. Imagine my surprise when that Airstream passed me on the road! And, sweet, they waved but looked confused when we took their picture. (Don’t you love how you can see the reflection of my sleeve and the camera’s wristband from my car window in the picture?)

What, you’ll ask, was I doing out on the highway this morning? Well, I’m on vacation this week–and so far, let me just say, I picked a stunning week. Ever since Saturday afternoon, the weather has been gorgeous. Sunday, I just did normal kinds of Sunday things. Yesterday, we drove to Madison and dropped off some old dog toys at the shelter, and then took Chappy for a long walk around Giralda Farms, which has a great, long bike path–one of my favorite kinds of walks–no mud, and good friction for Chappy’s nails.

Today, Mom and I went to Short Hills mall for some shopping. It’s not all glitz and glamour–there are stores like Fendi, D&G, Bose Radio, and other ritzy, expensive, exclusive kinds of boutiques, but there’s also the Gap, Sephora, the Limited, J.Jill . . . nothing as budget-friendly as Sears, but you can find some good deals. (Let’s not forget the Nordstrom shoe department, which I particularly love when they’re having a sale, and who wouldn’t love the Crate and Barrel store?) You’d be proud of me–all I bought was some lipstick and an eye shadow. Oh, and some perfume since my Stella is almost out.

What, you’ll want to know, does all this have to do with knitting? Frankly, not as much as I’d like. I’ve gotten barely any done since Saturday. Does that make any sense?? No, not to me, either. Go to Rhinebeck, be inspired by tons of yarn and wool and beautiful FOs by tons of talented knitters and spinners, and then come home to work on . . . nothing? Just doesn’t seem right! I was too tired on Saturday night to knit anything, so that at least made sense. But Sunday? Well, okay, I finished the back and started the front shaping for my Union Square Market Pullover, and I did look at glove patterns for Peaceful Palms. Last night, my stomach was bothering me (too many mixed salads from the Whole Foods salad bar for lunch), although it felt better in time for me to at least get some spinning done while watching Medium before bed. But really . . . I have not gotten much knitting done this week. Clearly, this has to change!

• Tags: General • Permalink:On The Road // 3 Comments »

Argh . . . I don’t believe it . . . I lost my entire post and have to start over, and it’s never as good the second time . . .

So, finally, Rhinebeck. Not only have I been looking forward to this for months, but it took quite an effort to actually get there! The directions were horrible! Instead of what looks like about 15 minutes’ worth of driving, it took us 50 minutes to get from the exit off Rt 87 to the fairgrounds. Three major wrong turns, two stops for directions, and none of us could decipher the directions at all . . . they made no sense! (Since getting home, I’ve checked the website again–the directions are complete, but there are no margins and so they scroll off the page to the right, cutting off huge chunks of directions, including some fairly important points, like, say, mentioning Rt 209 . . . if you are in the business of writing directions on webpages, please do your readers a favor and make sure there are column widths so that they print on a standard 8.5″ piece of paper. This was completely insane.)

We did, finally, get there, parked, admissioned-ourselves in the gate, and started shopping. It was still raining at that point, incidentally. Misting more than really showering, but still–enough that I wore my raincoat into the fairgrounds, so that when the rain stopped around 12:30 (just as NOAA forecast), I was stuck carrying the thing around, crammed into the big, orange tote bag I brought as my purse today. It did turn out to be a lovely afternoon, though–the first sun in over a week, warm, but not too hot. Really nice. And really crowded.

I took barely any photos, but did snap this one of the meet-up that Cara organized at 1:00. It was so nice to actually get to meet some of you that I’ve been reading and commenting and emailing for so many months, and I’m only sorry I didn’t get a chance to say hello to everyone there. (Please know that if I didn’t, it was just because time ran out, not because I didn’t want to.) Among those I got to talk to: Annie. Rose. Alison. Laurie (who gave me a bit of a neckrub in greeting as I struggled to get my shawl back in my totebag). Julie. Julia (who bounced up in one of the friendliest greetings!). Chelsea. Wendy. Nancy. Katy. JessaLu. I caught glimpses of some, that I didn’t get to talk to, like Cassie and Norma. (If I talked to you and left you off the list, I apologize–I’m tired!! And remember, this is my second time writing this post. Please, leave me a comment so I can acknowledge you properly.)

  Of course, Cate and Risa were there, too, positively flaunting their beautiful, perfect, matching Hyrna Hergorbar shawls.

Really, I thought it was quite insensitive of them. But then, I suppose they had friendlier yarn and so were able to complete the project, so I really shouldn’t blame them for having the shawls. I mean, they’re both lovely people (with matching sets of young twins) and deserve beautiful shawls. I don’t begrudge that at all . . . I’m just a little sad for my lost one, you know . . . (sniffle)

But then, it’s not like it made my life that pleasant while it was here, and frankly, at the moment, I’m not talking to either the pattern or the yarn. They’re just going to have to manage without me for a while. Besides, I have some new, fibery “friends” to play with now.

  Like, for example, two skeins of Four Play from Brooks Farm in a lovely blue-with-a-touch-of-green colorway. I’m excited about that since I so enjoyed working with their Primero and Duet in that shawl last winter. Or three skeins of wool in a really beautiful gold-brown shade from the Sheep Shed. And did I mention the dear, little, twee Pinwheel spindle from Golding? (Please also note Chappy checking out my purchases. He was very curious about everything when I got home.)

I had hoped to get some Cormo for spinning, since I’ve heard such wonderful things about it, but didn’t see any–or at least, not in roving for me to spin. (I think I’ve established that I’m not such a fan of the whole raw-fleece processing thing, at least, not until or unless I can get a drum carder.) But I did get pretty much everything I really wanted to get . . . a small Golding spindle (5.5 oz!), some Brooks Farm yarn, some other wool . . .

You know, it’s the funniest thing, but I could swear that there was something else, but . . . gosh . . . I guess my memory’s going now that my birthday’s getting closer. (If you didn’t catch the subtle hint in there, just remember my Mom came with me and now I’m suffering from selective amnesia . . . so, anything else, you’ll have to wait a few weeks for photos.)

Now, I’m tired. So tired, in fact, that I didn’t even consider knitting tonight, and haven’t even summoned the energy to flip through the Vogue Knitting that arrived today. But I wanted to tell you about my day before I started to forget things. Fun. Exhausting. And at least for next year? I already know how to get there . . .

• Tags: Friends, General, Knitting/Spinning, Weather • Permalink:Finally, Rhinebeck // 21 Comments »

  Okay. I yield. I give up. You win. For now, at least, the Copper Zephyr/Hyrna Herborgar combination has defeated me.

I’ll have the last laugh, though.

I’m going to Rhinebeck tomorrow and I’m going to buy new yarn. Friendly yarn. Yarn that wants to be knitted by me into something beautiful. Something that will show that ungrateful Zephyr just what it’s missing out on. So, hah!

I’ve got some cash, I’ve got my checkbook, I’ve got my credit card. I’ve got my camera. I’ve got my cellphone. Now. If only I could figure out what to wear. I don’t think I’ll know for sure until I wake up tomorrow and see the weather for myself. Here’s hoping!

I’m looking forward to meeting those of you who are going to be there, and am sorry not to be meeting those of you who won’t. I hope everyone has a safe and profitable weekend!

RIP, Hyrna. I’d say it was nice while it lasted, but um, really . . .

• Tags: Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Concedo // 9 Comments »

Last Thursday, I had a dentist appointment, and out of idle curiosity (not to mention stalling about actually walking into the office) shot the following pictures of the Rockaway River:

And then, of course, it started raining on Friday. It poured all day Saturday. Rained on Sunday. Drizzled on Monday. Rained on Tuesday. Poured on Wednesday. Rained on Thursday. Showered on Friday . . . all this moisture made me curious. How much had the river risen in a week? So, after I left work but before I came home, I voluntarily drove to my dentist’s office and took these pictures:

Note how in the first pictures, you can actually see the ground of the river bed. One week ago, we were in a drought. I think it’s pretty safe to say that we’re not exactly experiencing drought conditions any more. Morristown has had 10.43″ of rain in the last week; the previous record was of 9.05″ for the month of October in 1995. You can see some articles here, here, here, here, here, and here. And that’s just New Jersey!

If there can be this kind of flooding just from several days of heavy rain . . . widespread throughout the Northeast, and yet confined more to individual houses or small sections of neighborhoods . . . I feel for these people who, yes, just had their houses and their memories washed away. But at least their towns are still here, and the police, the fire department. The grocery stores are still open. And there are neighbors willing to open their houses to help.

Let’s take this moment, shall we, to consider once again the victims from Katrina and Rita? They’ve slipped down the newsstream a bit, but the people themselves are just as much in need as ever–under shelter, yes, but not yet, not nearly recovered. These people lost everything–not just their homes, but their towns, their counties, everything and every place they knew. Let’s not forget them, shall we? And, of course, the Pakistanis are in desperate need after last weekend’s devastating earthquake. American Red Cross. Mercy Corps. Habitat for Humanity. Network for Good. Noah’s Wish. The Humane Society.

I’m reading right now a book called “Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed” by Jared Diamond (author of “Guns, Germs, and Steel”). It’s fascinating–exploring the reasons why some societies failed in the past, or are collapsing now–the Polynesians of Easter Island, the Norse on Greenland, the Maya in Central America, and so on. Environmental factors are huge, as are others, but so, too, are the presence of friendly societies willing to help when things get rough (Iceland’s Norse population survived partly because it was close enough to trade with Europe).

Look at some of the catastrophes we’ve faced lately. The Tsunami in the Indian ocean last December. Hurricane Katrina. The earthquake in Pakistan. Other hurricanes here, and cyclones hitting Japan. Wildfires in California. It behooves us, I think, to be aware that in this age of a shrinking world and greater interdependence, that we all are going to stand or fall together. Ultimately, we’re on one ship here in the universe, and have to rely on each other when the weather goes crazy, when the earth rises beneath our feet, and when flames come falling from the sky. No one society can stand entirely alone, anymore, or aloof from the needs of other, less fortunate societies. We’re all in this together, and you can just never tell when it’s going to be your own turn.

Please give a little.

• Tags: General, Reading, Weather • Permalink:Rockaway River Rising // 1 Comment »

  In knitting news today, I’m almost ready to frog that entire Hyrna Hergorbar shawl. It’s still being difficult, and now, somehow, my stitch count is off by 3 stitches between the first half and the second half. Don’t ask me how. The entire thing is a mystery at this point.

And, I’m starting to blame the yarn, too. This is copper-colored Jagger Zephyr that I’ve had in my closet for a while. I bought three cones of it last Spring, with no specific project in mind, and this is the third thing I’ve tried to make with it. It vehemently vetoed the first two patterns–it’s an opinionated yarn–but I thought it liked this one. It was all going so well . . . or, if not actually well, at least tolerably through most of the first section. A couple glitches, but nothing too difficult to fix . . . at least, not until I had to frog 4 rows and had trouble re-picking up the double yarn-overs (even tinking back that final row, they caused trouble). Maybe I should have taken that as a sign. Maybe I should have just given up then. But I persevered, convinced that by the time I got to the middle section, things would be better. But things have just gotten worse. I think the yarn hates this pattern. I don’t honestly know why, it’s a gorgeous shawl, and everyone speaks so highly of the Zephyr . . . but nobody told me what a diva it was. (If anything, people have praised its flexibility.)

But . . . either the yarn hates the pattern, or they’re in collusion together against me. Because I know I can still knit. I can still count. (And, really, this section of pattern doesn’t require you to be able to count above three and I’ve been able to do that since before I was three.) The needle is adequate–not too slippery, not too sticky. The joins are fine and not causing any trouble. I swear, I don’t know what the problem is. I’ve made it to row #94. But if things don’t start behaving themselves, I AM going to frog the entire thing and give away the yarn. (Honest! If it doesn’t want me to knit with it that badly, I’ll give it to somebody who can reason with it.)

On the plus side, I’ve almost got the back of my Union Square Market Pullover done. I’ve just got a couple more rows for the contrast-color shoulder, and then get to finish the front . . . Although, this part, I’m dreading. I really, really am! I don’t want to whine, but there’s a LOT of math built into that–something like 26 short rows, in addition to the neck-flap shaping, and since my gauge (as I keep harping on) is so very different, I can’t possibly end up with actually 26 short rows. It’s going to be more like 18 . . . or something . . . and over dramatically fewer stitches, and . . . sigh.

You know what this means, don’t you? In another day or so, I’m going to have two projects, both of which are being difficult. This is not to be confused with an actually difficult, advanced-level project. That I can handle. No, these are being difficult as in tempermental and obstinate. The shawl (the yarn?) being completely uncooperative, and then the excessive math needed to modify Kate Gilbert’s beautiful pattern to fit my (obstinate, uncooperative) gauge. Nothing fun. Nothing easy. Nothing mindless.

Except, I suppose, for the socks I’ve had on the needles since July and, well, I lost inspiration for those. I’ve got the toes done, but kind of want to do something different than a plain, stockinette sock, but I don’t know what, and I certainly don’t want to undo the toes I’ve finished (nor, really, should I), but since I don’t know what I want to do after that . . . a lace pattern? A cable? All the way around? Or just on the top until I get to the heel? Too many questions. No wonder I haven’t worked on them! But meanwhile, this means that all of my knitting right now is hard (obstinate, obstructive…).

Hmm . . . maybe I’ll work on some spinning….

Or gloves. Nona’s started a “Peaceful Palms” knit-along for gloves. And–as I said in her comments–I was just thinking about gloves the other day, and thinking how the one pair I’ve knitted wasn’t particularly warm because the cold air always snuck through the loops of yarn. And of course, you can’t make the fingers too bulky, or how would you bend and use your fingers? But then I thought about those silk glove liners you can buy. They’re nice and insulating and can shield from the wind, but they’re kind of inconvenient . . . but what if you actually inserted them into the knitted gloves and then stitched them in place so they were permanent? Handknit gloves with extra warmth without extra bulk . . . Sounds pretty tempting, huh?

Oh, and please, go over to Stephanie’s blog, and send her some love–she’s had a devastating day.

• Tags: Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Hyrna Who? // 7 Comments »

It seems like there’s some kind of “virus” going around–a lot of bloggers seem to be sick this week! Stephanie. Stitchy. Norma (who may not be sick herself, but is generously helping those who are). Cate (a cold and PMS–deadly).

Am I the only one who’s noticed that all these people are planning on going to Rhinebeck on Saturday? And they’re the ones blogging about being sick?? I sense a conspiracy, an internet virus of some kind, no doubt started by those who are not planning a trip to the Hudson Valley this weekend. It’s all mighty suspicious if you ask me!

They probably have something to do with the weather forecast, too, which, right now, according to www.weather.com is “Showers. Highs in the upper 60s and lows in the mid 40s.” I’m hoping that this will be one of those times the weathermen are wrong and that the sun will miraculously come out. At least there will be plenty of wool to keep us all warm….

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I was thinking it might be nice to make a little room in the closet–you know, before Rhinebeck. Let me know if you’d be interested; make me an offer for:

• 20 skeins Jo Sharp Silkroad Aran in “Casket” a deep orange
• 13 Skeins Jo Sharp Silkroad Aran Tweed in “Wintergreen,” a mossy green.
• Then there’s an assortment of other skeins of Jo Sharp Silkroad Aran: 4 in “Batik” (really almost 5–the leftovers from a sweater), 1 in “Licorice” (lighter version of the Wintergreen), 1 in “Temple,” a light beige.

All of it is in great shape, I just went really overboard when it was on sale on Elann last year. I’ve made one sweater and a hat/scarf for Dad for Christmas last year. I gave some away last Christmas. Lu just bought 20 skeins from me the other day . . . And I’m still keeping enough for a sweater that’s not on this list. I’m a big fan of having a stash, but . . . I’m trying to be reasonable. I really don’t need this much.

I’m still trying to decide if I have the heart to get rid of my Manos stash. I really do want to make an afghan out of them someday–the skeins I have, the color would be perfect for a throw for my bedroom, just . . . so many other projects to make, too. I don’t know if I’ll ever get around to it . . . but . . . so pretty!

And then–there’s my Ashford Kiwi spinning wheel. I haven’t touched it except to dust it since I got my Lendrum, and I’m feeling guilty about it. It’s second-hand and I got it in December, it’s in great shape, came with something like 7 bobbins, plus oil, and . . . it just sits in my room watching the Lendrum spin. It’s enough to make you cry, really. The practical thing would be to sell it to some other new spinner who would give it a good home, but . . . I guess I just have a hard time letting go.

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• Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Making Room // 8 Comments »

I was driving along today and a car–same color, same make as mine–pulled in front of me. And, silly as it is, I caught myself looking at the license plate, almost as if checking to make sure it wasn’t my car . . . you know, the one I was actually driving. (Sheesh) But it made me think . . .

So, here’s the thing. For those of you going to Rhinebeck on Saturday . . . now, obviously, nobody’s going to be wasting time in the parking lot–we’re all going to want to get IN to the show as quickly as possible–but still . . . Points for anyone who can spot my car. I’ve mentioned the manufacturer in the past. I’ve got vanity plates AND there’s a license plate frame around the back plate. I always say that anybody who knows me would recognize my car if they saw that license plate & frame combo . . . so. IF you see my car . . . say something! (Although, please don’t post my license plate number on the internet.) Send me an e-mail, or say something TO me on Saturday. Leave a note under the windshield wiper (if you’re confident enough). There may just be something in it for you . . . This isn’t quite a contest, but . . . something!

And, about Rhinebeck. I’m really looking forward to shopping. And one of the things I want to get is enough wool roving to make a sweater for myself, but don’t know what or how much. Not only will I want a color I’ll like, but also something that will make a nice, soft yarn. Any suggestions on what kind of wool or wool-blend I should get? And, how much??

One other question for those of you who’ve been to Rhinebeck . . . is there going to be anything my mother’s sensitive stomach can handle for lunch? Nothing too greasy? Or would she be better off bringing a turkey sandwich in her purse?

(Oh, and of course, I’m looking forward to meeting people, too. I’m going to have to remember to bring notepaper to jot down names and blogs . . . but, ooh! I just remembered. My camera can do voice memos–that could come in handy!)

I’ve worked on my Hyrna H Unpronounceable Shawl again last night and tonight. I’ve decided that it’s an unpronounceable (to Americans) shawl because . . . not only does it make profanity easier (not that I use that kind of language) but also . . . it’s just uncooperative all around. I do not know WHAT it is about this shawl, but every single pattern row is giving me grief. Every one! I’m simply alternating between two, simple rows, and have been for quite a few rows now. I’m not losing track of which row I’m on. I’m not miscounting. I’m not forgetting the pattern . . . and yet. Every. Single. Pattern. Row. Argh!

On the plus side, I’ve been getting work done on my Union Square Market Pullover. It feels at least like it’s going faster since I split for the front and back. About an inch to go on the back before doing the few short rows up there, and then at least part of it will be done. I feel like I’ve been making no progress at all, which is ridiculous. But . . . there are so many nice, finished ones over on the Knit-Along. Please check out some of the finished products! They’re fabulous, and putting me to shame.

• Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Driving to Rhinebeck // 5 Comments »

You know, I like to think of myself as the kind of person who finishes what she starts. And, really, usually, I am, and yet, there still end up being loose ends . . .

  Sometimes literally–like for this face cloth I made over the summer. It’s the one I brought to see Ragtime and whose double moss stitch ended up being messed up as I worked on it in the dark. I repeated the “ribbing” later on for balance, and finished knitting it weeks ago, but never got around to weaving in the ends.

  Or, maybe, my Booga Bag which I made a year ago (I worked on it while watching Presidential debates last year), but which I still haven’t gotten around to actually felting.

  Then, there are the pants with the torn hem that have been waiting in my closet since around June to be fixed. Not because I can’t do it, mind you, just that I hate mending. I can sew a hem or attach a button, and I can sew a seam so it won’t come undone, but beyond that? Patching? Darning? Fixing a hole? Nope. I’m better at making something new than I am at fixing . . . but yeah, a hem I can do. I just . . . haven’t wanted to.

Well, you’ll be pleased to know that I took some time this morning–since the office is closed this year for Columbus Day–and addressed these items. I finished off the ends for the knitting, sewed up the hem for the pants. I even finished off that Christmas item I mentioned the other day (I’m loving the way it came out, and with only three repeats!) I do still need to felt the Booga Bag, but . . . I’m still not sure when that’s going to happen. The instructions say to toss in jeans or something heavy, but I’m NOT washing my jeans in hot water, and haven’t I heard that felting with towels causes lint issues?

Still, though, there’s one, big, unfinished object that is nagging at me. (You know, other than my novel.)

  This poor, neglected, (dusty) quilt. See, I redid my bedroom three years ago–the first time it’s been painted since I was 17. It went from pink with gray carpeting to gold with hardwood floors with an area rug. New dressers. New chair. Painted my old bed and bookcases. Completely new color scheme, everything. Only the quilts I’d been using on my bed went with the old colors, and I needed something new, fast. So I whipped up this quilt. One, huge quilt square. I even did the piecing on my sewing machine (I usually quilt by hand) so that I could get it put together in a weekend. And then I started the quilting–bare minimum to hold it together. Working from the center out, I’m on the last side of the blue stripe. . . but see, it’s that procrastination thing again.

See, the one thing I didn’t really think through is that, while it’s a tall bed, I have a twin bed. It’s narrow. What on earth was I thinking making a quilt that was 8 feet square? It’s enormous! (Look at the quilting hoop and Chappy for comparisons here.) So I decided that what I really needed to do was trim that green stripe to 6-inches rather than 12 . . . except, well, that’s never happened. You try drawing a straight line down an 8′ long square, with a puppy romping around trying to “help” and really, not enough floor space to do it properly. It’s not something you can risk having crooked! And then, the quilting was supposed to be symmetrical from stripe to stripe, but once that stripe is narrower . . . well, that won’t work . . .

And so, the poor thing got rolled up into a ball (hoop and needle in the center because of Chappy’s fondness for rubbing his head against all things fabric) and has barely been moved since.

Obviously, I have an unfortunate habit of just ignoring projects when I hit snags, rather than buckling down to really address them. You don’t know how surprised I am to realize this about myself. But, there are these projects, the Rowan Elfin cardigan that I finally just pulled off the needles. My novel, stuck because there’s one, esoteric bit of 1912 adoption law I can’t find out. Even my Union Square Market Pullover, which I’ve been dragging my feet on because I’m dreading all the recalculations for the short rows in the front. I guess I don’t really like tackling problems after all. . . .

But then . . . sometimes I do, and I relish it. And these ARE the only unfinished projects I’ve got lying around. I really do finish the vast majority of the things I start. I wonder what the difference is? I started all of these projects with the same amount of enthusiasm, so why do some challenging, difficult ones get finished when others languish in dark corners? Especially since many of the languishers are projects that I’ve got significant percentages finished. (You know, like all the knitting except for weaving in TWO ends. Gosh, all that extra work. Let’s put it aside, I’m too tired….) Usually, if I’ve gotten something to that stage, I’ll finish it because it’s ridiculous not to . . . so, what’s my excuse? I don’t think I’m a lazy person, and I can appreciate a challenge as much as the next person. I usually have things done early rather than late and am famed around my office for being right on top of things. It’s a mystery, really.

Poor quilt. It really does deserve to be finished . . . and laundered!

Incidentally, Chappy and I are both excited–we just won a $25 gift certificate from one of our favorite dog-supply sites: www.sitstay.com. I’ve been ordering treats, toys and all sorts of things from them for years, and every month they give out certificates to something like 25 people. I never thought I’d actually win one, but I did! Great . . . so now I’ve got Chappy’s Christmas shopping started. (Got to replace all those toys we just got rid of, you know!)

• Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Unfinished //