« September 2005 | Main | November 2005 »
October 31, 2005
Scoot on over
to Lyssa's blog and enter her Contest!
Posted by Michelle at 09:25 AM | Comments (0)
Nervous Knitting
In less than 24 hours I will be in surgery to have my naughty Gallbladder removed. I am nervous but am looking forward to being able to eat like a regular human being again. The Surgeon has asked me to take 2 tablespoons of Milk of Magnesia today but who needs MoM when your stomach is hovering around your knees?
Knitting
I've been nervously knitting Gesta from Cornelia Tuttle Hamilton's Hand Knitting Collection Book Number Two. But I just couldn't find the right color in Korchoran so I am using the Rowan Yorkshire Tweed the Husband brought home from England. The yarn glides effortlessly over my US 9 Denise needles.
In other news I've ordered a surprising amount of Noro Kureyon, I figure it will be a nice post surgery surprise. I asked the Husband to prevent me from knitting on anything made of lace while I am sedated. He laughed and notified me he will not ever tell me what to do regarding knitting. Maybe I'll reappear later in the week with some laughable knitting mistakes if I get it into my head I must knit on Shaped Triangle or Twist Front Top. I'd start the betting now.
Halloween
Tired of pumpkins yet? Here are two examples of the Husbands Pumpkin Carving Mastery
Geiger says I wish my Mum would shut up about her outpatient procedure already, I had surgery to remove a very important part of my privates and I was just fine meow.
Posted by Michelle at 08:49 AM | Comments (0)
October 30, 2005
Miscellaneous Matter
I made a serious effort to finish the Uptown Boot Socks so I could cast on for these lovelies
One Circ, Two Socks
And I figured since I'd be medicated next week, Two Sedated Socks is better than one. At least they'll match...each other.
If you already know how to do the magic loop method for socks, it's simple to do 2 socks at once. Cast on for the first sock and divide stitches in half by pulling cable between middle stitches. Next taking care to make sure the starting yarns are both on the same side, cast on for the second sock, dividing stitches as usual. When you start knitting you will knit the first sock, and then the second one will be up on the needles ready to be knit. Basically you are knitting both socks to the left needle and then back to the right. If I feel up to it I'll post pictures of the process later in the week.
Remember the Potato Chip Scarf? Between the fingering weight yarn and the size US 5 needles I ended up with about half the length of a normal scarf. Rather than knit another scarf and graft it to the first, I decided to transform the scarf into a flower.
I think it's cute.
I've finally reached Chart 3 for the Shaped Triangle. So naturally I have one extra stitch. I'm currently deciding if I should track down the error or just k2tog. Any guesses on what I'll do?
Trogdor sez I'm going to Burninate Halloween.
Posted by Michelle at 08:01 AM
October 28, 2005
And the Winner Is...
Heidi you've won Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in the Periwinkle Colorway. Drop me an email with your address and I'll send the yarn your way.
Posted by Michelle at 03:27 PM
Contest Entries
Michelle said Madame Butterfly
Roberta made the photo montage
DebR named the flake Humbert Gersnoffely
Suan said Einstein, then Bert from Bert and Ernie
Monica said The Pieta. And that I should sell the Flake on Ebay, brilliant idea! I'm spending the Ebay proceeds already.
Vicki said Grandmother Willow from Pocahontas
Jennifer suggested it looked like A cornflake!
April named the flake Flakey McCornface
Lyssa dubbed the flake, Flakenstein in honor of the time of year
Anmiryam said Jimmy Durante
Cathy said Blackbeard the Pirate
Beatknit suggested the name Spongebob Flakeface
Stephanie said Quasimodo, Ren, or a Sleestack
Posted by Michelle at 11:39 AM | Comments (0)
October 27, 2005
Fit for the Looney Bin Surgery
I sweated and angsted my way through the Pre Op Surgery Clinic. I had an EKG, another blood draw, and experienced the indignity of peeing in the proverbial cup. Tuesday 7:30am Pacific Standard Time marks the removal of the Naughty Gallbladder from my person.
Figure 1 Pre Op Picture for Posterity
I know in my mind I have to have it out, One can only live off of *&^%$#F@! Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast dipped in ketchup for so long before taste buds give up and abandon ship.
Instead of comtemplating my belly button lint I've decided to prepare my knitting bag for my Outpatient Procedure.
Do you think I have enough knitting to keep me busy? I'm also going to cast one one or two a few easy peasy stockinette caps and socks for Sedated Knitting.
Roberta has given me this glorious Brown Sheep Handpaint Sock Yarn for my birthday, with a promise of a secret After Surgery Gift to follow. Love you Bertie!
It's all I can do to keep myself from kicking Uptown Boot Socks to the curb. Steve sits on my left shoulder telling me to go ahead and Cast On. Bad Steve.
This morning while contemplating my belly button lint the Universe in the bathroom I found my first gray hair. I feel like I earned the sucker, despite the Husband's denial of any aforementioned grays. He's a smart man.
Posted by Michelle at 11:52 AM | Comments (0)
October 25, 2005
Another Day, Another Finished Object
But First, A Contest! Our houseguest, Christian deftly plucked out this unusual Corn Flake.
And your job, dear reader is to give this flake a Face (ie Abe Lincoln) and or a Name. The best entry will receive Yarn! Contest closes Noon PST on Friday.
Socktober Socks!
I enjoyed making these socks more than should be legal without a prescription. I will be making Fleece Artist socks again. The socks were knit on US 1 Addi Circs via the Magic Loop, the pattern was made up as I went along. Have I mentioned these are my favorite socks to date?
Some comments are so good they must be shared. Jane said
I am SO GLAD to know that someone else considered hypothetically filling a Scrooge McDuck sized vault full of yarn and swimming around in it! Thank God Almighty, I'm not alone!
Jane, You aren't alone. Maybe one sweet day we can swim together through the vast vault of yarn love. Or attend Yarnaholics Anon meetings together. Either way.
Lyssa, I'll make you a deal. You post pictures of your new yarn and I'll take a better photo of my Crew Neck Cardi. The picture may be momentarily delayed due to blocking. I have fears that the Cardigan is going to change shape in a strange way making me look like a Merino Mutant.
Knitting
I'm still working on the Shaped Triangle, the Twist Front Top, and the Uptown Boot Socks. I have plans for a massive cast on event, but am trying to finish some things first. My favorite knit at the moment is the Shaped Triangle. I'm nearly through the first chart repeats, and I'm enjoying the simplicity of the pattern. The Twist Front Top is up to the miters, and I vacillate between understanding how it will work and fear that I've done something terribly wrong.
The Uptown Boot Sock is just an impediment between me and the Opal Handpaint. It has turned into a sock grudge match. But I will prevail!
Posted by Michelle at 08:54 AM | Comments (0)
October 24, 2005
Post Birthday Buzz
I had a lovely birthday relaxing at home. And then I was gifted with yarn. I've yet to be given a yarn I didn't love. We also had house guests, Rainbow and Christian. They gifted me with yarn (destined to become the perfect lap blanket) which wins them an invitation to stay next year. Love you R & C!
Back to the yarn. I dream of swimming through yarn as Scrooge McDuck did through money.
Steve took a dip in my place since I'd look pretty silly flopping around like a fish smooshing all the yarn.
And to top it all off, I have a finished object! This is the Crew Neck Sweater from Fall VK. My main complaint is the #$@^%*! 1x1 ribbing. I will be substituting that in future patterns because I hate it. I plan on ordering pewter closures for the buttons as soon as Schoolhouse Press goes live.
Please excuse the dopey look on my face, I was still high off the new yarn.
Happy Monday!
Posted by Michelle at 09:25 AM | Comments (0)
October 21, 2005
You Say It's Your Birthday
You say it's your birthday
It's my birthday too--yeah
They say it's your birthday
We're gonna have a good time
I'm glad it's your birthday
Happy birthday to you.
Yes we're going to a party party
Yes we're going to a party party
Yes we're going to a party party.
I would like you to dance--Birthday
Take a cha-cha-cha-chance-Birthday
I would like you to dance--Birthday
Dance
You say it's your birthday
Well it's my birthday too--yeah
You say it's your birthday
We're gonna have a good time
I'm glad it's your birthday
Happy birthday to you.
"Birthday"
The White Album
The Beatles
Posted by Michelle at 11:15 AM | Comments (0)
October 20, 2005
Who says I'm Fickle?
Tuesday it was all about the yarn.
Wednesday was all about the Atomic Force Microscope, but we won't speak of it. Thursday it is all about the needles. I found a top secret distributor of much heralded wooden circular needles I'll call 'Voltz and Mine.' Do not ask me where I found them. I am silent as a stone. I haven't told anyone (except Anmiryam and Roberta. Whoops). I can be bribed.
So I find myself creating new projects just to use the needles. Roberta brought me back some lovely yarn from Chile appropriately named "Free Time" [insert laughter here]. I decided it is the perfect yarn for the potato chip scarf.
But the yarn is fingering weight, so if it's not adult sized as I will save it for my future fictional baby.
Who will also have to have the newest mortgage payment priced designer bag if she ever has a chance of getting in the right pre-schools.
I also switched the Shaped Triangle over to the Voltz and Mine needles.
My only complaint is I have to slightly push the stitches over the join. But it's only a meager problem and thusly I declare these needles beyond reproach.
Yarn Haul
The Husband bought a considerable amount of yarn from a department store(!) in England. He reported back on what he purchased, but I fainted after I heard the words "Cashsoft" and didn't hear the entire checklist of yarn. What I want to know is why have I been buying myself yarn all this time when he is the yarn snob of the family?
Random
Movie Recommendation Smoke Signals, A movie as savory on the palate as fry bread.
When I win the big Powerball Lottery Jackpot(that I haven't bought a ticket for, but my chances are just as good) I will buy this pen.
Posted by Michelle at 07:35 AM | Comments (0)
October 18, 2005
Will Knit for Fleece Artist Yarn
Dear Fleece Artist Yarn,
I can change my libertine ways. I will do my best to remain faithful to you here on out, despite my past inequities. I want to make everything out of you. The gauge may not be right, the colors unsuitable, the needle size awkward, but I can do it. I can be yarn monogamous. Let's stay together. Until the next coquettish yarn flounces through the door.
Lovingly Yours (for now),
Fickle Knitter
Exhibit A
Exhibit B
More proof of my newfound devotion
Posted by Michelle at 09:28 AM | Comments (0)
October 17, 2005
Old Faithful Versus New and Shiny
Which would you pick? On one hand you have reliability, a tested, tried and true thing.
On the other you have a dazzling new untested treat*....
I'll give you a few moments to contemplate the strength of my character.
In the meantime I've been reworking the Twist Front Top in the smaller size. I've finished the back and have an inch to go before the miters. Of which I have no knowledge. And there's lots of written words explaining what to do. I'm a visual person. I need charts that don't require reading. Because I'm lazy.
The back looks unfinished, but thankfully the instructions do indicate
a row of purl around the arms and neck. Maybe if I'm feeling feisty I'll single crochet instead.
So back to the matter at hand, my character. I am easily swayed. My eyes are easily turned, and I'm not ashamed.
Ok, maybe a little.
*Fleece Artist Merino Color J, and Opal Handpaint Color 15 from Simply Socks Yarn Company. Fast shipping for the impertinent, loose knitter.
Posted by Michelle at 07:56 AM | Comments (0)
October 15, 2005
California Garden in Autumn
This post was inspired by JoanM's lovely Rose from her Garden in Australia.
Pink Rose
Hibiscus
Plumeria
Pink and Yellow Roses
Iris
Posted by Michelle at 06:46 PM | Comments (0)
October 14, 2005
I'm all about balance
I'm more likely than not to have a variety of projects going at once. I'd even go as far as saying I maintain a project in each major category-lace, socks, sweater at any given time. So in keeping balanced I've had to chose another lace project since I finished the Pi Shawl this week. Earlier in the month I bought myself some lovely Lorna's Laces Laceweight to make something special. I had some difficulty deciding which project to make. The contenders were the Highland Triangle Shawl from Folk Shawls
I decided on the Shaped Triangle.
Fate tried to interfere but I soldiered on regardless.
I'm hoping my yarn store has a broken Addi Return Policy. This is the first time I've broken a needle. Thankfully there weren't many stitches on the needle so disaster was avoided. Annoyance was not. But since I'm such a packrat so resourceful, I had another circular in the same size. Do not bother asking me how many US 3 circulars I have, I will plead the 5th.
Wool Tasting
I decided it was in everyone's best interest if the Husband had a short wool lesson before he jetted off to Europe for business. So I rummaged through my small stash to pull out varieties of wool, plied skeins, and multiple yarn weights to brief him on the nature of wool, what I like, and what I don't. He did smashingly. He could identify the different weights, merino from regular wool, and can name what animal Cashmere comes from.
I think I may have over-educated him though. At one point he said "So then fill in the blank is bad, right?" I blanched and told him to please not to call it bad in the Yarn Wool Shop, just that it's not the Wife's preference is all. The language barrier is enough, I'd rather not have him annoy the clerks when they are standing between me and Sweet Sweet Wool from the UK.
Posted by Michelle at 08:44 AM | Comments (0)
October 12, 2005
Open Letters
I'd like to personally thank the Mung Bean for last night's pain induced insomnia. They look innocuous but don't be fooled. Even when ground into flour and made into innocent seeming noodle form do they have the ability to cause Gallbladder spasms. Thank you, Mr. Mung Bean for reminding me why I am having Surgery in 20 days.
I'd also like to make a special shout out to the Husband for letting me know that I do not look like Charlize Theron at 8:20 in the morning.
Speaking of Husbands this seems like an opportune time to bring up the Video Game Machine.
Dear Video Game Unit,
I know you have paid your dues as a Cat bed, a Cat Vomit Recepticle, a Door Stop, An Eyesore, and a Conversation Non Starter over the past 10 years. I know at one time you did in fact function as a working Video Game. But these past 10 years (5 of which I've had the displeasure of watching you sit there with your beeps and bloops silenced by a wonky wire or two) have shown me that you must do one of the following or meet your maker:
1. Begin working to avoid being put out on the street by hired henchmen.
2. Get ready for resale.
3. Meet your demise in an "accident."
4. Become reconfigured for Yarn Storage.
You have 6 months to meet one of these criteria or will meet your fate as decided by the irate Wifey.
Signed,
Not Charlize Theron
Posted by Michelle at 08:55 AM | Comments (0)
October 10, 2005
Manic Monday
My Interpretation of the Elizabeth Zimmermann Pi Shawl.
I opted to do the Gull Pattern around the outer border, found in Knitter's Almanac
On to other disasters crimes against knitting topics...
I finished the body of the Crew Neck Sweater days ago. I picked up and knit one button band, but for some unknown reason I opted to pick up and twist the stitches so as to have a rolling border. Long story short I have 2 remaining button bands, and one collar to knit. This sweater will spend a minimum mandatory sentence of not shorter than one week and not longer than four months in lock down.
But it's not all bad.
Sometimes things go my way. Like this beautiful purse for instance.
I was lucky enough to find this purse for sale during Alexia's stash sale. It is solidly made with gorgeous fabric. And if there's anything I like as much as yarn, it's shopping shoes purses.
Posted by Michelle at 10:15 AM | Comments (0)
October 08, 2005
The Magic Question
The Husband is going on travel again, this time to England. This, I know, has nothing to do with questions. But bear with me. I finally(!) received my copy of BookBookBook2 and was reading leisurely through it and I came upon the Mine, Mine, All Mine Essay. I asked the Husband to read it because
1. It was about knitting.
2. It was short enough to prevent him from hemorrhaging.
3. It would show him my Stash Obsession is only slightly less much much less than the example given in the Essay.
He still thinks I'm a bit off (Doesn't everybody?). Moments after he read the Essay, the most precious words every spoken escaped his lips.
Should I pick up some Scottish Yarn for you while I'm in England?
I was too gobsmacked to do anything other than mumble and mutter, and then I got sucked into the daydream where I'm running through a field of flowers to get to my love Sweet Sweet Cross Atlantic Yarn wearing my handknit wool Uptown Boot socks, Ene's Scarf, a Jaunty Knitted Cap, a Stranded Scarf over Ene, and my Harry Potter Sweater, and nothing else.
As I snapped out of my reverie I found the Husband standing over me asking repeatedly if that is what I would like him to do.
Yes. I think it's a lovely idea. And may countless blessings visit the Yarn Harlot Homestead forevermore.
Posted by Michelle at 05:57 PM | Comments (0)
October 06, 2005
Something is hot and it ain't me
I'm talking 90 plus degrees F with 24% humidity for more days in a row than I can remember. If you are from the South like I am, you know this is simply unbearable. If I were to complain of the lack of humidity out West, I would tell you about the woes of bad skin and frizzy hair never before encountered East of Ye Ole Missippi. But I'm not one to put the Rant in Rantzilla complain.
So my refuge from the heat is to curl up on the sofa and listen to Records. (I'm spinning Wings At the Speed of Sound, if I owned a Beatles album I'd be listening to that, 'cause it's just one of those days.) It makes me forget how hot it is. Which leads me to my next topic, The Beatles.
In no random order I'm going to list my favorite songs from my favorite albums (post LSD days albums being the best in my not so humble opinion). If you feel like it, do it on your blog as well.
Revolver - Taxman
Yellow Submarine - All Together Now
Rubber Soul - Norwegian Wood
Abbey Road - You Never Give Me Your Money
White Album - Happiness is a Warm Gun
I'll never forget the first time I heard Come Together from the Abbey Road Album in 1994. I was shocked at how relevant and fresh it sounded. I was hooked from that moment forward.
Posted by Michelle at 03:14 PM | Comments (0)
October 04, 2005
I've got a Plan
I always have a plan. Lazy Creative folks are fantastic at planning. We have plans for eventualities that may not ever happen. But we had a plan and that's all that matters.
I can plan plans within plans. I planned our Wedding to within an inch of it's life*, from 2500 miles away.
*Note Good Planning does not constitute being Bridezilla
So all the planning?
Didn't keep me from seaming up this sleeve wrong. I'm off by about a half an inch.
I'm trying to balance out my poor planning with good planning.
The Ugly Yarn Plan.
A. Swatch up yarn until you find stitch pattern that minimizes revulsion upon inspection.
B. Dye yarn dark blue to camouflage it's grotesque unbecoming countenance.
B.1. Note Yarn's continual refusal to show up in photographs in any way similar to its appearance in real life.
C. Find a way to name drop Elizabeth Zimmermann in Plan, specifically her brilliant half-hitch Make 1 Stitch.
D. Cut Dye Induced Emergency Room Visit Short so as to return home and continue planning.
E. Throw in Gallbladder complaint for good measure. Did you know Hot Cocoa with no sugar and no milk still throws you into Gallbladder spasms?
F. Get back on topic.
G. Incorporate Bee stitch into simple Sweater Jacket design, including body shaping and possible lining.
H. Buy new yarn for Sweater Jacket.
I. Restart Planning Process.
Posted by Michelle at 08:05 AM | Comments (0)
October 02, 2005
Woe Be to the Husband on Business Travel - A Guest Blog
Today's Blog Entry was written by the Husband, who approaches day 15 away from home.
More than two weeks have gone by, and the crew on-travel is dog tired. We have dodged hurricanes, hotels booked to capacity, marginally competent flight liaisons, sleep, and a very demanding schedule, all with reasonable success. Unfortunately, other matters have befallen us with lesser fortune: marginal system performance, meddlesome customers, an imminent test deadline, people who promise aircraft on dates that don't deliver, and immense physical, emotional and mental fatigue. Worst of all, all the married men on the crew feel the ever-increasing sensation that the Wives are gearing up to depart for their Second Choice. Perhaps I take a small, albeit perverse, comfort that Barak Obama is already married. Or gay. Or both.
And, oh, are the Wives pissed. Every last man on the crew has a story, and a corresponding pennance to offer up to his womanfolk upon return. For some, it is a working vacation abroad. For the more anniversary-challenged among us, granite kitchen countertops: many of the crew have asked the person in question for the number of his contractor. For me, I know it will be yarn, whether procured by the Wife or not is immaterial, perhaps enough to knit the much-needed house cozy. The cost is the same for all men (except for the anniversary-challenged, which is much higher); the means dependent on the individual. $2000 in yarn is the same as $2000 in vacation.
Let all Husbands who follow our footsteps learn and heed what this humble Servant of Science deems the Laws of Penitent Business Travel. Any physicist or engineer who had a competent thermodynamics professor will find that the Laws dovetail surprisingly well with the Laws of Thermodynamics (although, perhaps with the exception of the Third Law, the lay person should be able to follow without need to read Kittel). The First Law is what we have learned to refer to as "conservation of marginal revenue":
The amount of overtime dollars earned for work away from home is offset exactly by the penitent offering to the Wife in exchange for the time spent away from home in the first place.
That is to say, money is neither created nor lost in the process of business travel. He who thinks he will have $1000 more to add to the nest egg at the end of his travel will soon find that he has no more or less than he did when he started in the first place. Example: the Husband's two-week trip to a test in Nevada away from home last year resulted in a windfall that was offset exactly by the Las Vegas vacation that followed it.
The Second Law deals with the concept of "Increase of Familial Entropy", and is stated thusly:
The accumulation of overtime dollars earned for work away from home results in a small, but non-negligible, increase in familial disorder that cannot be recovered completely by exchanging said dollars for penitent offering to the Wife.
That is to say, the yard doesn't get straightened out, the dog and kids don't get as much play time, and the wife doesn't get as much sex home cooking as she's used to having. In the limit of constant travel, the disorderly outcome is usually along the lines of the Wife leaving the Husband for her Second Choice (I'm watching you, Obama).
Except for the anniversary-challenged amongst the crew, most of us are comparatively safe in that domain; most Husbands learn the amount of travel away (and perhaps most importantly, which lock-out dates to avoid) from home per year they can reasonably expect to get away with, and most wives accept begrudgingly the range of travel time that the Husband imposes on the family. Most Husbands aware of the first two laws strive accordingly to minimize their travel so as not to strain the limits of Familial Entropy. However, most fail to recognize and accept what this humble Servant of Science refers to as the Third Law of Penitent Business Travel, stated as follows:
As the amount of work performed away from home (and the associated overtime dollars earned therein) approaches zero linearly, the amount of associated familial disorder approaches zero logarithmically.
Example: Husband goes on travel for ten days. Assume for this instance the Wife's "anger factor" is 1.0 (where 0.0 is "morning nookie" and 2.0 is "cut off"). Husband instead learns that he goes on travel for two days. Wife's "anger factor" has only reduced to 0.8, not the hoped-for 0.2. Because some amount of business travel is inevitable, the Husband is always screwed, "morning nookie" reference notwithstanding.
So to summarize, we have encapsulated the three Laws of Penitent Business Travel in a simple nutshell:
1. You can't win.
2. You must lose.
3. You can't quit.
And that, fellow Husband, is a true lesson learned.
Posted by Michelle at 10:19 AM | Comments (0)
October 01, 2005
I blame Lyssa
She mentioned Cheryl Oberle's Folk Shawls, leading me to pull out Folk Shawls and Meg Swanson's A Gathering of Lace. Which coincidentally I've been sleeping with and dreaming about. Books make good bedfellows when Husbands are out of town, especially those about knitting.
And I also blame the lady at my LYS for giving me 20% off for my birthday this month. Before the Blame Game is completely over I'd like to throw some culpability to the Husband for being gone for more than two weeks, and additionally for having to be away on my Birthday. Also Roberta has been out of the country, so she can't escape the blame either.
It's just been me, the dog, the cat, the dead fish, and the yarn. I got sick of all that old, already fondled yarn just lying around the house.
Baxter blames my Gallbladder, he says it is clouding my judgment. He also blames the Cat for distracting me from giving him his treats.
If you'll excuse me I'm going to blame myself into a stiff drink new shawl.
Posted by Michelle at 12:42 PM | Comments (0)