Who’s got the button? Because, except for sewing that on, this sweater is DONE. Woohoo!

I’ve got a stitch-marker marking the place, and then I just need to adjust the size of the buttonhole–it should take about 10-15 minutes, top.

(Interesting, isn’t it, how the color looks completely different in all three of these pictures? Same camera, same time of day, and except for the flash on that first picture, exactly the same lighting … always interesting!)

The only problem I foresee? The Karabella Aurora 8 is such a slick yarn, some of the ends aren’t behaving and are either sticking through to the right side or, in one particular case, standing straight at the unerside of the collar so that it shows when I’m wearing it. Minor quibble, I know, but really, that’s about the only thing that I’m NOT happy with at this moment (grin).

Of course, I haven’t sewn the button on yet, and you never know, I might hate it….

Tags: Finished Knitting, Knitting/Spinning by --Deb
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Tags: Baking, Chappy, Family, General, Knitting/Spinning by --Deb
13 Comments »

First things first: Chappy seems to be fine. It’s been about 12 hours since The Incident and he’s his usual bouncy self. I haven’t seen any, er, solid evidence of the, um, problem but I’m not really sure how long these things usually take to work through the system. It’s been about 12 hours. I gave him a smallish supper, just in case, but gave him a generous helping of Shed Stop, figuring a little extra oil couldn’t hurt . . . and it sure sounded better than a Vaseline sandwich. (Shudder–did you see Keri’s comment? I’m sure it’s effective, but . . . !)

Now, my Phildar is moving along. It’s all sewn together and I’ve got one of the button bands done. I tried it on to decide where I want the button before knitting the second one, which I’ll start tonight. Then, all that will be left is sewing on the collar and the button.

And yes, I know, you can’t really see any details in this picture, but trust me, it looks lovely. I’ll show actual details when it’s done.

In today’s nostalgia? My first contest (which was a fun one!). My lovely Peacock shawl. My little tribute to my sister for her birthday. And then there was the one for Chappy. And another one. And then there was the introduction to my new camera. Got my 1000th comment.

Tags: Chappy, Family, General, Knitting/Spinning by --Deb
15 Comments »

No, really! Baaaaad Chappy. I’ve mentioned before his habit of stealing things and then sitting in the dining room, waiting for somebody to come play the “Look What I’ve Got” game. Well, today, he took it to a new and frightening level.

Scene: Deb’s office. The phone rings.

Deb: Hello, Debbie speaking.

Mom: I was coloring my hair, and Chappy ate one of the gloves.

Deb: What?! When?

Mom: I don’t know how long he had it, but when I went back in the bathroom to rinse my hair, one of the gloves was gone. I went downstairs and could only find a couple of fingers.

Deb (taking deep breath): Oooooooo-kay. You’re going to have to give him hydrogen peroxide to make him throw it back up.

(Time lapses as Mom finds the peroxide and heads down to the kitchen.)

Mom: How much?

Deb: Two tablespoons.

Mom: Measuring spoons, or just one from the silverware drawer?

Deb: Just . . .  two spoons!

Mom: Just, pour it down his throat??

Deb: Try mixing it with a little ice cream.

Mom: I just have to find one that doesn’t have chocolate….

Deb: Well, he’s just going to throw it up anyway. It doesn’t matter.

Mom: And then, take him into the laundry room? Or the garage? How fast does this work?

Deb: Yes, definitely. It works pretty fast.

(Muffled background noises of stirring.
“Come here, Chappy.”
Lapping noises.
“Wait, come back…”)

Mom: He only ate a little bit.

Deb: Well, it probably doesn’t taste very good. Try putting a little bit of bread it in to soak up the peroxide.

(Rustling noises.)

Mom: He took the bread out of the cup and went into the dining room!

Deb: How much bread did you put in there? But, anyway, go get him back! Put his leash on him….

Mom: Oh no! He’s throwing up under the dining room table! Chappy, stop! Come . . . oh no….

Deb (holding her head on the other end of the phone): What happened?

Mom: He’s throwing up all … Chappy! … all over the dining room!

Deb (trying hard not to say “I told you so”): I told you to put his leash on him and take him to the garage….

Mom: Well, it’s a little late now!

(Vomiting noises in the background.
Dad’s voice asking what’s going on.
Instructions to go get a leash. Then…)

Dad: Hi, kiddo.

Deb: Hi, Dad.

(Sounds of scrubbing in the background,
punctuated by “ewww” and “uggh” noises.)

Mom: Well, I found a couple pieces of the glove, but not all of it, and I’m NOT going through all of this mess, looking!

Deb: No, no, I wouldn’t expect it! I’ll call the vet….

(Hanging up, dialing the vet …
Put on hold by the receptionist …
Endless 5 minutes go by.)

Vet Receptionist: Hi, are you being helped?

Deb: No. Thanks. My mother just called me–she was coloring her hair, and my dog stole and swallowed one of the latex gloves. We tried giving him hydrogen peroxide and he threw up some of the glove, but not all of it.

Vet Receptionist: Oh no. Okay, hold on . . .

(minutes pass)

Vet Receptionist: Are you still there? Okay, I talked to a couple of the vets in the back, and they said that as long as he doesn’t have any diarhhea or vomiting, it should come out in his poop.

(And yes, she really said “poop.”)

So . . . this is where we are–waiting to see if Chappy’s glove is going to come through his system successfully, or if he shows even the slightest sign of being sick . . . because you DON’T mess around with things that can tangle in the intestines! I love my dog far too much to lose him because he swallowed a glove. This sort of thing is never fun–have I told you folks about Katy swallowing dryer sheets and a sock?–but this is the first time the, er, object has been left in my dog’s stomach with “Wait and see” instructions, so it’s a little nerve-wracking. And, of course, I wasn’t the one who had to clean up all the vomit…

Anyway, send good thoughts to Chappy’s digestive system, would you? I’m going to have to give him a firm talking-to when I get home, while he, no doubt, tells me that he thinks our ice cream went bad….

Tags: Chappy, Family by --Deb
29 Comments »

Was’t this a nice treat to brighten a Monday–a prize from Aimee at Fairie Knits, won from making a donation to her Lupus Walk. Two skeins of Patons Kroy Socks in a lovely blue/green/yellow color, and a cute little beaded bracelet, too. My only regret is that she didn’t quite make her fundraising goal of $5000 . . . though she got to 92%, which at least is close. My friend Cindy has lupus, also (and, interestingly, adores pink like Aimee), so this is a cause I’m happy to promote!

I started spinning up the Icelandic wool that came on Saturday. The colors were just so darn pretty, I couldn’t resist. I’m shooting for lace-weight singles . . . which will be a challenge for me. I’ve never done anything with my own handspun singles before. I’ve always done plied yarn with my singles. If, when I get all of this spun, I feel like it should be plied, I’ll do it, but otherwise plan on giving singles a try.

Oh, and the Chaotic Vesper BFL that I was spinning? It’s drying in the bathroom as we speak.

My Phildar cardigan? I’ve got the fronts, back, and sleeves seamed together and am working on the button bands. And, with the extra rows that I need to do, that weren’t correctly translated in the pattern? It’s possible I’m going to have to break out one of those extra skeins of yarn after all!

Okay, got to go work on my monthly reading list . . . remarkably short for me, this month. But, I have to tell you, I think it’s sweet that you all think Chappy and I look so much alike!

Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning by --Deb
7 Comments »

It’s an issue all of us have–how to take a GOOD picture of ourselves in our hand-knits. Because when we don’t we end up with the stiff, statuesque photos that flatter neither us nor our handknits. Ideally, of course, we would have a best friend or family member who moonlights as a professional photographer to snap fabulous pics of our knits, but since most of us don’t, we’re stuck trying to do it ourselves. So, what are the keys to a good self-portrait to highlight our handknits (or new haircut, or whatever)?

• Timer. Almost every camera these days come with a timer-feature. Mine even has a setting so I can have the camera take multiple shots, so that, even if I end up out of breath or sprawled on the floor by the time I get around to the front of the camera, I’ve got time to compose myself for the remaining shots, before having to hit the shutter button again. I’ve got the warning “sound” before the shot set to a wolf-howl, too, because it’s silly enough to make me smile (for real) before the shot is taken.
  (Oh, and another tip? Timers are great for taking really close-up macro shots, too–you can get the picture without moving the camera when you hit the shutter button.)
• Tripod. So much easier than trying to balance your camera on a stack of books. It doesn’t even have to be one of the big, floor models that take up a lot of storage space. I’m very fond of my little Gorillapod which easily fits into my purse. The beauty of a tripod, though, is that it raises the camera up off the ground (or dresser) so you don’t have to worry about getting some of that in your shot, but also, it lets you point the camera at exactly the angle you need. Another good option is a beanbag, which can cushion your camera and lend it support for getting it pointed just so–something you can’t really do when you’re balancing your camera on a table.
• Remote. If your camera comes with a “remote” option, this is even better than using the timer. Or so I hear, because I don’t actually have one.
• Lighting.Good lighting is key, and natural light is best. The ideal? A bright, slightly-overcast day–so that the clouds more or less work as your own, personal light tent. Long, slanting light (like very early in the morning or late in the evening) is great for bringing out details in your knits, accenting cable work and stitch texture, but if it’s too bright and too direct, it will wash it out.. If you need indoor lighting, though, and don’t have a set of professional halogen lights and diffusers (what, doesn’t everyone?), you’ll want to try to find lighting as bright and natural as you can manage. Try to avoid using the Flash–not that they’re not good and useful, but their direct light is usually harsh and unflattering (not to mention causing the dreaded red-eye). Use it if you have to, but if you can come up with an alternative . . . that’s better.
• Background. Not everyone thinks this part through, which is why we see so many pictures with showers apparently sprouting from someone’s head. Try to find a spot with as neutral a background as possible–or something complimentary to your knit. Something that won’t distract from the picture. No electric outlets or showerheads in sight . . . unless you want them there. Oh, and if you can manage it, outdoor shots are great.
• LCD screen. Almost every point-and-shoot camera has them these days. (I’m told that the DSLRs do not. Not having one yet, this was something I didn’t know. So, you lucky folks can just read on to the next tip.) And if you’ve got one on your camera that can pivot to face the front, you’ve got it made–just turn the LCD so it’s facing you on the “action” side of the camera, so you can frame yourself in the shot.
• Mirror. Yes, a mirror can be your best friend when taking self-portraits. I don’t mean for the infamous “bathroom shot,” where a person points the camera at their reflection in the mirror. I see them all over the blog world and they’re almost never satisfactory. But what you CAN do is use the mirror to pose yourself–place the camera under the mirror and then use the mirror to get an idea of what you will look like when the shutter blinks.
• Mirror and the LCD screen. Here’s a trick that a lot of people don’t think of–use both the mirror and the LCD screen. Stand in front of the mirror, hold up the camera, and then use the reflection of the LCD screen to position the photo. It’s so much better than taking a picture of your reflection, but better than the “Did I center it?” arm-length guessing game.
• Don’t pose.You’re going to want your picture to look as natural as possible. And the stiff, statue-imitation picture isn’t going to make anybody look good. Even if you pose, try to look relaxed–none of those frozen, “when is the shutter going to snap” expressions.
• Smile. Or don’t smile, but whatever expression you have on your face–pride, anger, disappointment, relief–try to make it look real. If your smile doesn’t reach your eyes, it’s not a real smile. Just curving your lips isn’t enough–it’s a fake, a fraud. Think of the difference between a posed, frozen, school-picture and a candid shot of someone telling a story . . . it’s the eyes that make the smile, not the lips. Sometimes, all you have to do is think about the “twinkle” to make it happen–think about the warm, fuzzy feeling of having your handknit finished and ready to show the world, think of your kids or your pets, or how good it’s going to feel to fall into bed later . . . but if you think of something that makes you happy, and let it show on your face, it’ll show in your picture.
• Slice. Sometimes, of course, you can’t get a whole picture. If you don’t have a tripod or a timer, the only way you can get a photo of yourself in your new sweater is by holding the camera at arms’ length and crossing your fingers … and even then, nobody’s arms are long enough to fit their entire sweater into the frame. So … don’t even try. Take “slice” photos–point the camera at the shoulder of the sweater, or at the detail at the waistline. Catch the way your hair cascades down the back, show the way the sleeve falls … be creative. You can always lay the sweater flat to take a picture, but you want to show it being worn, and if you can only do that in pieces, do it!
• Use the Computer. And then, of course, sometimes you just have to be creative about how you point the camera–and remember that you’ve got a computer. My favorite way of taking finished-sock pictures, for example, is to bend over at the waist, take the picture upside-down, and then use the computer to rotate it to its correct orientation. Photo-editors are fabulous for cropping a photo just right, too, to get rid of the bad backgrounds or to center that finger-crossing-guess shot. Not to mention fixing the lighting, the brightness, the colors, the red-eye. It’s a digital age. It never hurts to take advantage.

What other tips do YOU have??
List them in the comments and then, hey, this might be a worth-while post to take advantage of that “subscribe-to-comments” feature we’ve been discussing–at Chris’s, too. Really, even though so many of us think it’s not worth the effort, it’s generated a LOT of interesting conversation–which is a good thing!

This tutorial is inspired by the Blog Writing Project.

Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning by --Deb
26 Comments »

One of these things is not like the other….

Tags: Chappy, General, Hair by --Deb
10 Comments »

Yes, I got my hair cut today. No, you’re not going to see a picture just yet. Right now, frankly, my hair looks terrible, but that’s because of the styling–I think the cut is going to be fine. My hair never looks good the day of a cut, and by the time the stylist has finished cutting and adds some gel or whatever kind of styling product, it’s really far too late for it to absorb properly into my hair, and just weighs it down. I won’t really know until tomorrow, or even Monday, how good a cut this is, but I think it’s going to be fine. Meanwhile, I took a picture from the chair while she was over rinsing out some highlights on another client. I must say, this is the first salon I’ve ever been to that had crystal chandeliers. Very nice “feel” to this salon–stylish without being too “edgy,” like that salon in August that I really didn’t like.

After the haircut, Mom and I stopped at Nonna’s to look at their button collection. They don’t have a large collection, but since we were parked right across the street, it seemed silly not to at least stop in and look. I’m glad we did, too, because I like this one. It’s mostly gray, but with a hint of blue, and it looks great on the sweater. Since this pattern only uses one, big button, it needs to be a good one, and I like this one! That doesn’t mean I couldn’t possibly find something better, but at least it’s here and ready to go and what more do you need from a button?

I am concerned about one thing, though. The pattern states, for the “ribbing” (which is actually garter stitch and would usually be called front bands or button bands) to cast on 79 stitches and knit 6 rows. Which I did. Except . . . the picture of the actual sweater shows that front band being a lot wider . . . it looks like there are at least 8 garter ridges there, under the button. So, I’m wondering if it was a typo and should have read 16 rows rather than 6. And, anyway, I think that’s what I’m going to do, any how–I like that wide front band.

But then, also, the pattern has you knit the band, ending with a few rows in a contrasting color that will be removed after the band has been sewn on . . . but what if I just picked up the stitches along the front? Instead of doing it separately? Although, part of the point would be that the transition from front to band would be seamless, and picking up the stitches clearly would make a seam. I’m not sure…. I’m also not sure I love the idea of a snap, either. The pattern calls for the sweater to be closed by a single snap, with the button sewn on just for show … I’m playing with the idea of making it a real button band instead … There are only a couple of these completed on Ravelry (link here, if you belong to Ravelry), so it’s hard to get other opinions on this. What do you folks think?

Edited to add: I just heard back from Yarnholic on Ravelry (one of the two other people to finish this) and she worked off of the French pattern and it said “19 rows / 6 cm” . . . so obviously my translation took the “6″ from the width and the word “rows” and made up something new (grin). She also picked up her band stitches along the fronts AND did button holes rather than a snap. (I say holes-plural because she decided she didn’t like the original placement and moved it, having to redo the entire band in the process.) Meanwhile, tonight, I finished the collar, sewed the shoulder seams and set in the sleeves, leaving the sleeve seams and side seams still to go . . . and, obviously, reknitting the button bands…. Okay–back to the original post…

My last Spunky Eclectic fiber of the month package arrived today. “Snow Squall,” in Icelandic Wool. I love the blue/green/gray combination and, I must say, it coordinated beautifully with the blue/gray outfit I’m wearing. As did the couch and throw pillows in the waiting area at the Salon. You know, it’s SO important to be color-coordinated.

Now, of course, I’ve mentioned the Martha’s Vineyard Fiber Farm CSA a number of times, but today there’s a new twist. Mom belongs to a group of die-hard Carly Simon fans (Carly, of course, lives on MV), and she mentioned the MVFF on her blog the other day, and one of her fellow Carly fans was so moved by the idea of something special from Marthas Vineyard that he bought one of the Fall shares. Even though he doesn’t spin. Or knit. That’s devotion for you! He said in the e-mail he sent Mom, ” I’m a nut. And no, I haven’t a clue what I am going to do with my share (LOL)… any suggestions??” What do you think, folks? Got any ideas for him? He lives out in California somewhere, so it’s not like we’re exactly neighbors to be able to help him out. He has a couple of friends who knit, though, so that’s something, but . . . what would you suggest?

Thanks for all the compliments on yesterday’s Eye-Candy Friday. It really IS a gorgeous quilt, isn’t it? I just wish I could claim it as my own work, but that’s just not practical (or honest). I CAN make a quilt, though. Several, even, see?

Tags: Family, General, Hair, Knitting/Spinning, Martha's Vineyard by --Deb
11 Comments »

A crib-sized, Amish quilt we have hanging in our laundry room. And, no, I did NOT make this. I can make quilts, and I have made quilts, but not this one. This, I bought, and it is authentically Amish. I love Amish quilts–vivid, solid colors, that dance together when “mixed” in just the right way. The pattern is called “Sunshine and Shadow,” and has always been one of my favorites. (Yes, I know, in more traditional designs, it’s sometimes known as “Trip Around the World,” but the Amish ones are almost always called “Sunshine and Shadow” because it’s made up of 3 versions of each color, so that it almost … shimmers.

Brought to you by:

.

Tags: Eye-Candy Friday by --Deb
10 Comments »

It’s a nice little Karmic twist, actually. So, you know how I ended up with four skeins of extra yarn that I didn’t really need? Well, they cost just about the same amount as a WooLee Winder bobbin. Like the ones you see here.

There are two because I had ordered an extra bobbin for my Majacraft back in July, but it didn’t come and it didn’t come. I sent a couple e-mails to Nathan, but didn’t hear anything, but still, I was patient. For six months. Then, last week, I sent him another e-mail basically begging just to hear from him–if he was truly that backed-up making bobbins, fine, but tell me! He apparently felt so badly for me that he not only got my bobbin out in the mail to me pronto, but it brought along a friend. Wasn’t that nice?

Needless to say, my Little Gem is very excited about this. I know I am! And, that’s two nice things that have come in the mail this week, which is even better. And the fact that the money kind of balances out between the unneeded yarn and the bonus bobbin makes my checkbook feel a little happier, too.

And, here–a pre-haircut look at my hair. To give that girl from November what little credit she deserves, she at least didn’t butcher it. She added so LITTLE shape to it, that they layers are nice and long, which will give the (hopefully competent) stylist on Saturday room to maneuver. The shortest layer (if you can call them layers) that I’ve got comes past my chin, so it’s not like she’s going to be trying to salvage some sort of style from a couple inches of hair. Really, she’ll basically get to start from scratch.

And, jeez, my hair looks so DARK!

Now, today’s old-time reminiscing from the early-blog-days? The arrival of my Lendrum. My Brooks Farm shawl. And my tribute to Katy and to our two Dachshunds.

Tags: General, Hair, Knitting/Spinning by --Deb
8 Comments »

So, my Phildar Cardigan is just zooming along now. Here are the two front bands, completely done. No, really. I know they look a little odd, but each one is ended with a few rows of knitting in a contrasting color. They’ll be sewn directly to the fronts of the sweater and then the waste yarn unravelled, leaving it essentially seamless. And that’s the collar, just cast onto the needles, too.

Um. So, it turns out I over-reacted a little when I was so sure I was going to run out of yarn. Which means I now have four skeins too many.

Oh, well! The collar should be done tomorrow night, the sleeves are blocking right now. I’m afraid that they’ve stretched … except that I had the same fear about my Olympic Sweater when it appeared to have grown dramatically when I blocked it and it turned out to be fine, so I’m trying not to worry. If they’re too long when it’s done, I’ll put a hem at the cuffs, and that will be that. All that’s left, really, is to assemble the pieces. And, oh yes, I need a magnetic snap and a snazzy button, too. Because it doesn’t really button. Unless, of course, I decide that the snap is too much work and just make it button anyway (grin). I think it would look good either way, right?

Still, though, I’m kicking myself for panicking and ordering that extra yarn. That’s almost $40 that I would rather have kept in my pocket!

Chappy’s being very supportive and understanding, though. Doesn’t he look wise and caring? Not to mention particularly handsome. I had just taken that yarn picture and he was over by his crate, chewing on his nylabone. I walked around and told him “Come on, let me take your picture. I haven’t taken your picture in ages.” Because usually, you know, he turns his head away from the flash, just to make it challenging for me. And not only did he not turn his head, he posed beautifully. I know I’m biased, of course but I just think I have the handsomest dog…. (grin) It’s a GOOD picture! Even if he does need a haircut. Well, you can’t really tell in that picture, but, trust me.

Speaking of which, I made an appointment for a haircut on Saturday. I really can’t wait to get this cut, that haircut in November was so bad. I’ve told you my hair woes before, and don’t think I need to go into it again. I opted to try a salon a little closer than Fair Lawn . . . because while that would be handy for coordinating visits with Risa and Jessica, with my luck, every time I’d schedule a haircut would be a day when they’d have family things to do, or be sick, or out of town, or busy doing something, in which case that’s quite a trek for a haircut. Anyway, I’m going to try the Lounge, which is where Kim goes. I grilled the receptionist about the skill of the “level 1″ stylist because I really don’t want to pay for the owner to cut my hair (grin). Although one of the owners DOES have curly hair herself, so it was seriously tempting to try her, but that’s an extra $25, and, well, I have all this extra Karabella Aurora 8 yarn now….

And, hey–Becca was nice enough to nominate my reading-meme blog, Booking Through Thursday, for a Blogger’s Choice Award. Any chance you’d like to go over and vote for me?

Tags: General, Hair, Knitting/Spinning by --Deb
8 Comments »

When I got home from work tonight, I found this envelope in the mail, taunting me. Because–unusually–Mom and Dad took advantage of their Movie tickets and went out with friends this afternoon.

But . . . An envelope from the Martha’s Vineyard Chamber of Commerce? Addressed to my Mom? I mean, literally, to Deb’s Mom. What could it be?

Well, it turns out that Susan is sneaky. And really nice. Not only does she raise adorable sheep and goats, write entertaining blog posts and e-mails with fun pictures . . . not to mention being the brain behind the first fiber CSA ever . . . but she’s generous, too.

She saw my post a couple weeks ago when I showed my CSA share certificate and mentioned Mom being jealous about my having gotten an envelope from the Vineyard, and decided that Mom should have her own package.

Isn’t that fabulous? Two Peter Simon calendars. Two “Best of the Vineyard Sound” cd’s. Two “Follow me to Martha’s Vineyard” bumper stickers. One for each of us.

I’m telling you, if that fiber is HALF as nice as the person running this CSA, it’s going to be beyond delectable. And I certainly hope her dogs like Boykin Spaniels because the three of us REALLY want to visit the farm when we go up to the Island in May.

Thank you so much, Susan! You really made our day.

Tags: Family, General, Martha's Vineyard by --Deb
10 Comments »

I still have to block them, of course, and weave in the ends, but here are the finished sleeves for my Phildar cardigan.

The next step is to knit the front bands and the collar and then figure out how to assemble everything, but clearly, progress is being made.

So, since I transferred my blog over to WordPress, I’ve been slowly and laboriously going through my old archives, updating links to all my pictures and the internal links that I can find–to get entirely away from Typepad. It’s tedious, yes, and massively time-consuming (when I should be putting my time to more productive use). Luckily, by clicking on “File/Save Page As,” I was able to download copies of all the pictures from each month’s archive. I mean, I still HAVE the originals, but they’re mixed up with all the other photos that I hadn’t posted each month, and trying to identify exactly the pictures I needed would have take lots of extra time. This way, for each month, I know exactly which pictures I used, and it’s been easy to upload them to Flickr … although in the size of whatever the thumbnail was.

I find (ahem) that I’m not overly concerned at the size of most of the photos in my archives.

Tedious though this is, it’s kind of interesting to have a reason to look at every single post. Relive the memories. Stuff like that.

Like, for example, when Chappy met Risa and her twins for the first time.  Or the tribute I wrote for my uncle, just a week before he died of lung cancer. (I got a little teary as I updated each of those photos.) Hey–even proof of my actually having gone to a night-time, after-dark S&B knitting group.  (Yes, I know lots of you do weekly SNB groups, but me? I am not a night person, and once I’m home at night, that’s it. I don’t want to go anywhere.) My post from when Stephanie’s first book came out, and with a comment from her, too. (You know, from back when she had more time to comment.) Not to mention a display of Mom’s embroidery over the years. And, wow, my hair was short. Though, blessedly, not quite as red as it was in the very first picture I posted–from 2001 when Chappy was only a few months old.

So, you know, time-consuming … and therefore distracting as anything … but kind of fun. Even if I’ve only made it through three and a half months so far . . . and have two and three-quarter years to go!

Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning by --Deb
5 Comments »

As I told you yesterday, I DID have a nice time this morning. I took my Little Gem and headed over to Kim‘s house. I was there for about three hours, drinking coffee, eating banana bread, talking and laughing a lot, while Liam entertained himself with movies and Playstation. Oh, and you’ll be pleased to know that I did not get lost at all on my way over there … though, having to back all the way out of Kim’s street (you heard me) is a little nerve-wracking. It’s slightly uphill and with the angle of the car and the high Volvo seat backs and my own, not-so-tall self, being able to see to do so was … challenging. I imagine I’ll get used to it eventually!

The three hours were productive, too. I finished my first bobbin of singles of my NOT “clown-barf” roving. I’m showing you two pictures because the colors look so different in both of them, even though it’s the same exact bobbin. The first one was taken at Kim’s, in the natural light coming in her window. The second was taken here, in the light of an incandescent bulb.

Needless to say, the first picture is slightly more accurate as to color.

The only drawback? Having to leave Chappy at home this morning. Most of you have never seen him pout, but trust me, he does, and he was not happy about my going out without him. I’m told that he didn’t howl (which he’s been known to do), but that he sulked. I timed my return just right, though–Mom and Dad were just putting on their coats to head out to the movies with their Christmas gift-card, and so Chappy wasn’t alone for even a minute today … though he’s still not happy about the fact that we all went out and left him. But, you know how dogs are–they expect their family to be within sniffing range all the time. Packs are supposed to stay together, you know!

Anyway, it was fun, and I’ve had a fairly lazy afternoon, too–which I needed. You know how, when you’re really, really tired, you feel it in your knees? How the mere effort of standing just seems like a strain? That’s how I felt when I got home from work yesterday. Just really, really, really tired. So a few hours of spinning with a friend followed by a few hours on the couch with Chappy and a book? Ideal. I might just be able to summon up the energy to knit tonight.

And, oh yes, I’m just tickled at how much conversation is going on in the comments over on the post where I talked about leaving comments in your own comments.  Most of us respond to comments via e-mail, but many (non-knitting) bloggers respond in the comments themselves, to generate conversation. And I’m finding it fascinating that I’m getting so many comments talking about comments. Something about the irony of it, you see. Not to mention that they’re pretty interesting–which supports the theory that, when they’re substantive comments about “real” topics having an “outloud” conversation can be at least as good as a “private” conversation in e-mails. Certainly, that post has had more comments on it than any of my others recently! And Harry–who’s a non-knit-blogger but is joining in because I linked to one of his posts–is bringing some interesting insights to the party . . . and, in a perfectly nice way, coming across as clueless about the tight sense of community we knit-bloggers usually have. Again . . . I’m finding it fascinating. I guess that sometimes the “comment on your own blog” thing really is a good idea.

Tags: Friends, General, Knitting/Spinning by --Deb
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Finally, some Saturday Sky. It’s been a while! I took these on the way to work on Friday morning. It’s really hard to see, but you can just make out the morning sparkle on the trees as the sun hits them. We had some snow and freezing rain last night, and before it melted off the trees, it was just enough to make them shine.

Tags: General, Sky by --Deb
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I know–the most boring post title, ever, but I’m too tired to come up with a better one. But, look, there’re pictures!

Remember two weeks ago, when I showed you the roving Kim gave me? Blue-Faced Leister in the “Chaotic” color from Vesper yarns?

Well, here it all, all ready to spin. It’s so bright and colorful, I really like it . . . even if it does consistently make me think of a clown. (Well, really, it’s got all those primary colors like a clown, with a hint of his white face paint.) And, too, there’s an expression for some of the, um, exuberantly hand-dyed yarns, where they’re referred to as “clown barf,” or words to that effect. I don’t think this roving qualifies for that, mind you, but I think it put the “clown” reference in my head. (Because, no, really, Kim, I DO like it. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t spin it. Simple as that.)

And, see? I am spinning it. I managed a whole 12 minutes at the wheel last night before I collapsed from exhaustion. Well, not from the spinning, exactly, but I am pretty tired. It’s been a busy, tiring couple of weeks and I am so looking forward to a chance to sleep late tomorrow morning!

But not too late, because I’ve got another spinning date with Kim at 11:00. We decided that it was kind of ridiculous that we live so close to each other but only manage to get together a few times a year. Because, since we’re only about a 7 minute drive away (depending on whether there’s a train coming through or not), short visits are reasonable. My philosophy on lengths of visits is that, under normal circumstances, they have to more than equal the amount of travel time. If it’s an hour’s drive each way, you need to visit for at least two hours to make it “worth” it. Obviously, there are addendums to the rules–things like not tiring out sick people, or needing to get back home to meet the kids’ bus, or whatever–but since Kim and I are so close, getting together for an hour or two is more than reasonable. Not to mention easy to squeeze into the schedule . . . when we make the effort!

(I don’t know, though, Kim–twice in two weeks. Are we going to be able to keep this up?)

The big question, though, is whether I’m going to be able to find her house again. Mt. Tabor was originally one of those Methodist communities that grew up in the campgrounds around a tabernacle, and therefore has lots of tiny, little, one-way streets. Not to mention that–according to Mapquest–Kim’s street is a through-road rather than a dead-end. (In fact, it shows the road going right through her house!) I know I COULD ask her for directions again, but I’d rather see if I can remember this on my own. Worst case scenario. I call her on the phone and tell her I’m lost, but first, I want to test my memory. Although, it has been six months….

My Martha’s Vineyard-loving Mother just sent me this link to the site PlumTV which has a page about the island . . . and today’s article? The Martha’s Vineyard Fiber Farm! With a slideshow of pictures, to boot. You remember, I bought a share of their wool from this Spring’s shearing. It’s the very first farm in the country to do this for fiber, and, I understand the shares for the Fall shearing are available . . . Did I metion they have Cormo? And Mohair? Considering how quickly the Spring shares sold out, you might want to go check it out. And the pictures? So cute!

Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning by --Deb
7 Comments »

Just a little bit of Summer for a cold January day.

Brought to you by:

Tags: Eye-Candy Friday by --Deb
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Just a few, random things to keep the blog wheels turning….

About the ABC-Along:

• Did you know that Vicki has resurrected the ABC-along, where you post pictures demonstrating all the letters of the alphabet throughout the year? I had so much fun doing that in 2006 (even though the fact that my “Z” post didn’t win a prize still rankles a bit), I did seriously consider entering again this year, but really, I don’t have the time this time. And besides, there are some letters I don’t really think I could top. I really did have a wonderful time, though–and I’m enjoying seeing it reappear out there in blogland.
  (Hmmph. I just noticed that, on my converted-from-Typepad entry for “Z,” all my pictures have disappeared. Too many for one post? In wonder what happened? But, fine. I’m in the middle of uploading ALL 126 of those pictures to Flickr. They’re too cute not to!)

About Moving:

• If you haven’t noticed yet, the blogger to whom I was referring yesterday was Risa, who has also now moved her blog from Typepad to WordPress. Go visit and say hello!
• And in other moving news, Jessica is moving from Princeton up to northern NJ–she’s going to be a lot closer to Risa from now on.

About Hair:

• Maybe I should take Dorre up on her hair-stylist recommendation. It would be pretty out of the way from here, but within a few miles of TWO knitting/spinning friends. Maybe it would be worth it after all. Either way, I have to do SOMETHING because this haircut has reached the end of its semi-useful life, and I am desperate to find someone who can (1) give me a good haircut flattering to my hair and to my face and (2) won’t cost a fortune. This is the hard part. I’ve gotten any number of recommendations for stylists that cost $60-$75 (or more), but none that are close to the $45 I was paying that are even remotely close by.
• It’s all starting to make me feel cranky, and in the meantime, my hair is so “heavy” on my head (through the complete lack of shaping given by the idiot in November), that it’s getting tangled in my earrings every day. Now, longish curly hair is going to tangle in jewelry from time to time, and I do wear dangly earrings (because you just can’t see post-earrings unless my hair is pulled back), but this last week or so, no matter which earrings I wear, my hair is getting caught. This is not normal or acceptable behavior. I really need a haircut. Especially if I ever want it to look this good again.

About Comments:

• I was reading this post about how to get more comments on your blog, and it made me think–I almost NEVER leave comments on my own blog. I respond via e-mail to just about every comment I get, but I don’t actively participate in the conversation going on in the comments . . . which means that it’s not so much a conversation as a . . . what? Message board? Just a whole slew of nice pat-on-the-back comments for me, but nothing really to warrant having you come BACK to follow up later on. Because, why bother? You’ve gotten a response from me, we’ve possibly exchanged a few e-mails, but there’s no interaction with the group as a whole. But really, there should be, don’t you think?
• Tell me what you think! And, if you haven’t noticed, there’s a “subscribe to comments” option these days so that we CAN have a group conversation without your having to remember to come back to see if there are any responses.

About Charity:

• Here’s a chance to raise some money for Autism with a click of your mouse–just go watch this video. It’s that simple. In fact, there are a number of videos on the site, What Kind of World do you Want, all of which are connected to some, worthy charity. Since it just takes a couple minutes of your time, well, what are you waiting for?

Tags: General by --Deb
63 Comments »

First things first–it’s my blogiversary. Three years of blogging by yours truly. This, not even counting the new-tangent blogs I’ve since taken over at Booking Through Thursday and started myself at Punctuality Rules!. Naturally, Chappy’s been a great deal of help, too.

Now, there are actually a couple big, blog-landmark kinds of things to celebrate, so I’m throwing myself a contest.

Here’s what you have to do: I’ve already mentioned that it’s my three-year blogiversary. And, as you know, Chappysmom has only just moved to its new internet home 11 days ago. What else is there?

So … two questions

1. What is the other blog-milestone that Chappy and I have just passed? It’s something I mentioned at least a couple of times before the big move.

And,

2. What do you think the precise statistic will be, as of midnight tonight?

Let’s say that you’ve got until, oh, January 31st to enter the contest–but that you must leave your answers here in the comments on this post to be eligible. (And yes, I’m well aware that that might help late-comers with question number 1, but you’re still on your own for the second.)

---

The other announcement–remember last month when I asked for help with a survey?
Well, I had offered a prize for that, too, and today was the deadline for responses. I was touched, you know, because I had over 730 people start the survey and a whopping 584 who were willing to give me their e-mail addresses (a requirement for being eligible for the prize because, how else would I contact them?) I asked Random.org for a random number and it selected respondent #70. As luck would have it, this person responded that she is an intermediate-level knitter, which is good for both of us because, of course, the prize is yarn. (And, really, seriously, this was my first and only attempt at pulling a winner, but wouldn’t it have been dreadful if the winner had been some nice person who didn’t care to knit at all?)
Anyway, her name is Cathy. I didn’t ask for blog/internet addresses in the survey and while I’d happily share a link, I don’t, er, think she’d appreciate me posting her e-mail address for all the world to see, but I’ll be contacting her directly. If it turns out that she does have a blog, you know I’ll let you know. (And if it turns out that the e-mail address doesn’t work or she doesn’t want to give her address, I’ll select somebody else.)

---

Sheesh. What else?
Well, I mean other than this lovely yarn I finished plying last night.I started spinning it, you’ll remember, with Kim a week ago, and I finished the singles on Sunday while the family was here. I plied madly while watching Medium last night (a welcome break from the computer) and, ta da! Here it is.
This, again, is 4 ounces of Blue-Faced Leicester from Spunky Eclectic in the “Vineyard” color. It’s a lovely yarn and just about to take a nice, relaxing, hot bath while I take my shower. (And what does it say about life in the modern age that my yarn gets warm, relaxing baths and I get quick showers? Although, I’ll tell you, I really prefer showers–the whole sitting and relaxing in a bathtub gets really old for me after about 10 minutes. My favorite activities–reading, knitting, spinning, baking, petting Chappy, doing stuff on the computer–all require dry hands, you know?)
And, did you know that I’m not the only knit-blogger moving from Typepad to WordPress this month? Guess who the other one is? I’ll give you a hint–she’s on my Bloggers-I’ve-Met page and is known for being handy with a computer…. Although I should tell you that, for this question, there is no prize for the correct answer (grin).

Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning by --Deb
34 Comments »

Surprisingly, I don’t have that much to say today–can you believe it? I mean, it really doesn’t happen that often!

I can tell you, though, that my 3rd blogiversary is coming up tomorrow, and I’m toying with the idea of a contest to celebrate three years plus a new blogging home. (It’s Teresa‘s blogiversary today, if you want to go send her good wishes–she’s got a new look too.)

Also, Chappy is very disappointed with Mother Nature today. The weathermen promised my boy a snow storm and we got . . . a dusting. Nothing to romp in. Nothing to make snowballs in. Nothing that let Mom stay home from work. Really, he’s a little disgruntled about the whole thing.

Um . . . and honestly, that’s about it. Pathetic, huh?

Tags: General by --Deb
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