Life in LaLaLumay Land

Hello World

2011-05-25T09:02:00.000-04:00

I am a curious about the news of the world.
For the past ten weeks, here has been no other news in Pittsburgh other than this:

photo courtesy of Dancing with the Stars

Select City

2011-04-26T20:24:00.001-04:00

According to the distributors of Forks Over Knives, I have lived in a number of "select cities." Naturally, Pittsburgh is not one of them.

Confession: I have fallen and have landed very far from the vegan wagon, however, I do think that increasing fruit and vegetable -- while decreasing meat and dairy -- consumption is a valid dietary option for those who cannot commit to a vegetarian or a vegan lifestyle.

Since Jessica is Queen Documentary Watcher, I got an early commitment from her to see the move with me -- provided it ever plays in Pittsburgh!

Skunky Cougar

2010-05-27T23:24:00.001-04:00

If Punky Brewster were a 40-something suburban divorced woman, she would be a skunky cougar... which is how I look and feel.

This week I received a gratis cut and color for agreeing to "model" clothing and hair at a Ladies Night Out in a salon -- in mall!

I appreciate freebies, but this particular freebie combines my two most loathed hair trends --

highlights that look like 1970s "frosting hair"
the chopped up bob with various layers showing

I was explicit about wanting one length and not wanting any sort of layered choppiness to my hair. Additionally, I was very explicit about wanting subtlehighlights. Trust me when I say that photo hides a multitude of sins.

One washing and my natural wave will make those layers look even worse unless I commit to flat ironing. So much for growing out my hair. After June 7th, I will be channeling Sinead O'Connor circa 1987.

I do want what I haven't got -- my perfect hair style.

Ten Months

2010-05-25T12:20:00.000-04:00

Today marks tenth months of living my new life in Pittsburgh. I wish I could say that I do not miss New York -- even upstate -- but I doubt if I will ever stop missing New York. The city is under my skin, and it always will be.

Poke Me

2010-05-12T16:04:00.000-04:00

Late last week, my father went to pick poke with a friend. I have read about poke, but I had never eaten it. I was so pleasantly surprised.

My mother blanched it, and then she sauteed it in olive oil and (a ton of) garlic. I ate a generous portion with a baked potato for lunch yesterday. Poke reminds me of spinach, but with a much more subtle flavor. An added benefit is that poke does not make my teeth "squeak" the way spinach does.

Have you eaten poke? How do you prepare it?

Early Bird

2010-04-29T10:07:00.000-04:00

While walking this morning, I saw a bird pecking at a worm.

A Gummi Worm.

No Fooling!

2010-04-01T18:13:00.014-04:00

Earlier today, I emailed a friend to let her know about a pair of trousers that she -- and every woman in the US, if not the world -- needs to own. When I mentioned that I had bought a pair for myself, she did not believe me. You see, I have not owned a pair of trousers (or jeans) since high school, and it is April Fool's Day.

Ladies, let me just say that these trousers are Magic Pants (not to be confused with the Mormon Magic Underpants). Run to your nearest Banana Republic, and ask for the Martin skinny crop pant.

While they are anything but cropped on me (I am 5'2"), I will argue that this particular pair of "skinnies" defies the general What Not to Wear rules. Look at the close up...my thighs do not look gargantuan. In fact, I think these are the most flattering trousers I have ever worn, and I can wear them with either flats or heels.

So here is the proof that I own trousers -- and they are black trousers no less. I threw out all of my black clothing after a color analysis done in August 2003. In addition to the black magic pants, I also bought a black sweater on clearance. I had intended to wear it -- over a mustard Uniqlo layering shirt -- for football season, however, I doubt if I will have the stomach to root for the Steelers this season. Guys, stay out of bars!

Just In Time

2010-02-11T15:03:00.001-05:00

When I saw this gorgeous neck warmer/cowl in the Dreads & Purls Etsy shop, I just had to have it. The autumnal colors would complement both of my wool winter coats and compliment my coloring. It arrived today -- just in time for the third winter storm to hit Pittsburgh, PA.

Sometimes, I find neck warmers/cowls to be too slouchy for me, but I prefer the slouch to the strangle that I experience with most bulky scarves. I thought about knitting a dickey to wear this winter, but that would require 1) knitting, 2) thought about how to size it to fit over my head without squeezing it while fitting my neck properly. I avoid turtlenecks because I cannot abide even a momentary compression of my head. Just 5 seconds of wearing a skull-crushing headband gives me a headache.

Tanya (aka "Curls") knit this lovely neck warmer/cowl with three colors of Karabella Aurora 8, and it feels divine. Not to diminish the neck warmer/cowl, but I think the pin may be my favorite. Like most of the pieces in the Dread & Curls Etsy shop, it included a gorgeous retro pin. This particular pin belonged to Tanya's mother, so it makes this all the more special to me.

How is it that I look both jowl-y and haggard in these photos?

Not So Smug

2009-09-13T13:36:00.004-04:00

Ignoring the invitation of Saturday's late-summer gorgeousness, I devoted the day to sorting, organizing, and purging. I winnowed out cards, letters, and bits-n-bobs from the past 30 years of my life. I even managed to reduce the collection of cards from my parents to a small, precious stack -- which I believe can be made smaller still.

[Frankly, the only card I feel I must keep from them is the one from Easter 2009. It arrived to me in early June -- complete with a joke from my mother that this year she had a very good reason for being late. Her handwriting in that card is no different from the one from my 25th birthday. This tangible reminder of how lucky she was is a great comfort to me.]

Given all that I had purged, I was feeling rather proud, if not a little smug. Well, the smug was smacked right out of me by this bag of journals and letters.

The letters are mostly from a former friend and from former flames. Love letters are tricky because they are bittersweet (often more bitter than not), and their relevance is long-removed.

Have you kept or purged the mementos and letters of your past loves?

Maarit Shrug & Mobility

2009-08-21T16:54:00.001-04:00

Mobile phones are utterly annoying. People are too busy texting and/or yapping when they show be driving, watching their snot-nosed spawn, or conversing with their dinner companion. Thus, I resisted owning one for years, but I caved after Mum's stroke.

Am I glad I did! Without my (camera) phone, I would missed the opportnity to document this quintessential Pittsburgh gem.

For those not versed in the fine patois of Pittsburghese, "yinz" is the plural form of you. Vosotros, Ustedes, Y'all... yinz get the picture.

Get this. I have another finished knitting project. Like Lorelei, this was an easy project, but it languished because I am so lazy about finishing and seaming.

Maarit Shurg (from a Yarn Central newsletter)
June 13 - June 18, 2009. Seamed August 20, 2009 (during Project Runway's All-Star Challenge)
Less than 2 balls of Rowan Calmer, #481 Coffee Bean
#11 US needles

The finished garment pleases me in theory, but not in practice. I am not entirely convinced of the wearability. That bit of exposed skin between the the shrug and the dress annoys the hell out of me! Maybe I am more of a "wrap girl" than a "shrug girl"?

Lorelei and Other Laments

2009-08-18T18:55:00.002-04:00

Moving is hell. I cannot imagine the hysteria and the nightmare that moving (the contents of) a house and other people would have induced in me. Moving my personal belongings proved to be enough of a trauma. Actually, the moving was easy, it is the unpacking that is so difficult. Unpacking, the organizing, the finding homes for things that is so problematic for me.

If taking nearly three weeks to unpack suggests that I am a procrastinator, then
the story of Lorelei will fully convince you.

Lorelei from Yarn Play

34" size (modified the waist for a tighter fit)
~4 balls Rowan Calmer, #462 Chiffon
(from the frogged Ribby Shell)
~ 1/2 ball Noro Silk Garden #34 (left over from Clapotis)
#7 US needle

February 15 - March 5, 2009: knitting
March 5 - Mid-June, 2009 languishes forgotten in my trunk
Mid-June - July 24, 2009: struggling with crochet edges
July 25, 2009: knitted bind off results in a boa constrictoresque bottom edge
August 13, 2009: rip back to slip stitch crochet edge, ignore armholes, and call it "good enough"

Given the length of time from start to (wearable) finish, I think many were expecting me to either give up or frog the garment. Not so! I am so pleased with the result, and once the humidity reaches a tolerable level, Lorelei will be shown around Pittsburgh.

Closet Case

2009-08-03T11:59:00.002-04:00

New York City dwellers (rightfully) complain of small and/or non-existant closets. Given that so many city apartments are the size of a closet, it stands to reason that the closet would be even more confining within that space. The closet in my Chelsea apartment was terribly small, but it seems airy compared to the closet in my bedroom at my parents' house. While the house appears to be large from the outside, the lack of space and storage is almost stifling.

The closet dimensions are -- brace yourselves -- a decent 47" wide by 12.5" deep. Yes, I have a bit more than a foot of closet depth in which to smoosh my clothing. This has brought about a sort of clothing reckoning, and I have begun the process of purging clothing that I really no longer need.

Speaking of need...we are still minus internet at the house, but I am working on that.

Gone!

2009-07-25T09:15:00.003-04:00

By the time I get to Pittsburgh, I will have finished objects. See you in August!

Going, Going...

2009-07-24T17:11:00.005-04:00

My father is roughly 30 minutes away.
I turned in my office keys today.
For two weeks, I have eaten three times my body weight in "goodbye" meals.
With the exception of my cosmetics and my toothbrush, everything is packed.
Tomorrow I move to Pittsburgh.

Thank you for your comments and wishes.

Thirteen Days

2009-07-13T15:02:00.004-04:00

After a bit of soul-searching, I have made the decision to be closer to my family. In exactly thirteen days, my father and I will drive the 400+ miles from Beekman, New York to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Pittsburgh at night

The desire to be closer to my family has haunted me since 2008, but my mother's stroke pulled it all into focus for me. My future with Joe is a large gray area, which makes me sad. However, his mother is ill, and each of us is doing what we must -- while being supportive of each other's decisions and needs.

Rather than look at this as an ending, we are looking at this move as a beginning.

In Between Day

2009-06-22T16:44:00.004-04:00

Today is the in between day.

One day that falls between my birthday and Joe's birthday. With all that is going for both of us in terms of work and family, spending time alone with him was the best gift yesterday.

I do not care for birthday hoopla, but it was very pleasant to get so many birthday wishes on my Facebook wall. I do not check my work email during the weekend -- and my Facebook account is linked to that email -- so I was buried in a slew of wishes.

Thank you!

Five Weeks

2009-05-20T15:24:00.004-04:00

It always stuck me as strange how the weather became part of the discussion regarding the events of September 11, 2001. But it must be something in us that forces us to look for the beauty or the normalcy in a day that goes horribly wrong.

As I replay the events of Saturday morning, April 11th, I am struck by the truth of how fast things changed. It is trite to say that life can change in an instant, but now that I have experienced this firsthand, it does not seem trite at all.

My mother suffered a stroke that morning before Easter, and there is no way to describe what I felt as I witnessed it. In was nothing short of feeling as if I were that cartoon character whose body is broken into pieces -- all of which are moving in different directions. There is such a swirl of emotions that you almost feel calm.

Five weeks later, and I am back from Family & Medical Leave. My mother is better in some senses, but suddenly health problems are cropping up. It is maddening to be so far from my parents at such a time. Who will drive me mother to her doctor appointments? Who will pack my father's lunch? Who will decipher the medical speak for both of them?

I am thankful that both of my parents are living, but this event has made their -- not to mention my own -- mortality seem too tangible.

Jeanless Gina

2009-04-06T16:04:00.000-04:00

Apparently, my boss is not the only person stumped by the fact that I do not own a pair of jeans, so is Materfamilias. First off, I know this sounds ridiculous to those of you who regard jeans as a sort of "uniform" -- that answer to just about every sartorial question, but I am not alone. Until her pregnancy, I believe that Valentina owned and wore only skirts -- to the exclusion of jeans and trousers.

In fact, when Valentina and I were planning to meet for the first time, we giggled (via email) to each other "I'll be the one not wearing pants!".

So, why no jeans (or trousers)? Well, much of has to do with my childhood, my body shape, and my personal style. Skirts were the easiest option (for me) during the years I trained in ballet. Although, now that I think about it, I owned a few pairs of jeans, corduroy jeans, and trousers in high school...

But, I tend to feel most comfortable in skirts and dresses. I also think they flatter my figure the most. Largely, jeans and trousers really do not fit my personal style that incorporates a serious love of vintage. If I did not have to work at an office, I could easily lounge around in satin gowns ala Jean Harlow in Dinner at Eight.

I am not exactly a "glamour girl", but wearing a skirt or a dress gives the impression that one is dressed (up), rather than merely dressed. I feel more pulled together, more feminine even, in a skirt or a dress.

My favorite bitch, Leigh gets it. Give me Dita's maribou over denim any day!

The April Rains

2009-04-03T16:21:00.000-04:00

April is my least favorite month. The weather is a bizarre display of two or three seasons within just a few hours, but the season begs us to come out and play. I was tagged by both Sunny of Morning's Light and Mardel of Purls and Murmurs (although she tagged me on her other blog -- she maintains three!).

I am not following the rules with regard to replacing and reworking questions. In fact, I deleted several questions because who needs to read this about me. Also, I am tagging only two people -- Tanya and Nancy -- just to piss them off.

Do you nap? Napping is not natural to me. I only nap if I am ill, or after Joe and I have enjoyed alone time on a weekend afternoon.

What was the last thing you bought? A Bobbi Brown cream eyeshadow.

What are you listening to right now? The office clock that runs slowly unless I am at lunch.

What is your favourite weather? I am a sucker for gloomy and doomy. Thunderstorms are fantastic!

What’s on your bedside table? A lamp, a water pitcher and glass, lip balm, and my reading glasses.

What are you currently reading? I just finished A Homemade Life, so I need to find something sweet and charming.

Name the things you can’t live without. Oxygen, water, food, human contact.

What would you like to have in your hands right now? A sizable severance package.

What is your favourite tea flavour? Lavender Earl Grey is a staple. My current favorite is Teavana's Azteca Fire.

What would you like to get rid of? Everything. It would be utterly freeing to strike a match and walk away from stuff.

What is your favorite scent of candle? Illume's Coconut Milk Mango.

What did you want to become as a child? An archeologist, a nun, and a ballerina.

What's your favorite brand of jeans? I do not own a pair of jeans.

Say something to the person/s who tagged you: Sunny, thank you for allowing me to vent! Mardel, you are a wonderful and delightfully cool person.

Lion, Lamb, and Lorelei

2009-03-03T11:37:00.000-05:00

In spite of all signs to the contrary (see right), the Spring season is upon us.

In the past, I found Spring to be a triffle depressing. Who knows why, but I do not feel that way this year. In fact, I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of the season as if it were bringing me a new job and a mended retirement portfolio.

In a fit of Spring Fever -- not to mention a desire to make use of stash yarn -- I cast on for Lorelei from Yarn Play. I am using the Rowan Calmer reclaimed from my Ribby Shell, and it is going to be a close call if I have enough yarn.

I have reached the divide for front, back, and armholes, and I am not entirely certainly of the neckline. I think the pattern is quite pretty, however, I suspect that a wider U-neck (vs. the V-neck) could be more flattering.

I have a bit of time considering that there is roughly 10" of snow that needs to melt before I can even think about wearing a sleeveless top.

Forty Days

2009-02-25T12:01:00.001-05:00

In spite of a childhood spent in the Catholic church and a youthful desire to be a nun (and a ballerina), I am not religious. Neither are several of my friends, but with Lent upon us, we often use this time to to break a habit or to form a new one.

One friend is giving up sugar. Another is giving up meat. A forty-day Raw Food Diet would be a great challenge, but sustaining dietary extremes is difficult for me. Afterall, I share a life with a man who regards individually wrapped slices of plastic as "cheese".

I contemplated Baron Baptiste's 40 Days to Personal Revolution as the perfect undertaking, but I do not own the book. Can I start a day or two late? Will I lose points?

What are you working on in your life?

She's a Maniac

2009-02-02T21:43:00.003-05:00

My relationship with Pittsburgh, the city of my birth, has been a strange one. Growing up there I knew I wanted to leave, but living away has me a touch homesick.

While I have my fair share of criticisms of the city -- Yes, it is a city where sweatpants and over-sized sports jerseys are appropriate restaurant wear -- , it annoys me beyond words when others talk shit about the city of my birth. The Pittsburgh Steelers are an embodiment of the city. Underestimated, tough, and always surprising.

I grew up in the age of the Steel Curtain, but it is a complete surprise to all of my friends that I still keep an eye on the Pittsburgh Steelers. Last night, I was the picture of the much-discussed Steelers Cult of Loyalty.

To know me is to need smelling salts at the mention of me
1) watching a sporting event of my own volition
2) doing so at a sports bar
But the secret is out. I am a rabid fan -- type who screams for blood and curses the opposing team. After three accusations of being a johnny-come-lately fan by a slug in a New York Jets XXXXXL jersey, I gave him the full-on hate glare and simply retorted, "I was born and raised in Pittsburgh."

To come from Pittsburgh is to know the pure joy of hoping and believing that anything is possible -- even with only 43 seconds to go.

Everybody Hurts

2009-01-12T14:13:00.003-05:00

From an email sent to me recently:

SUBJECT: The gay and the sweater curse

I feel really bad for not warning my friend John about the boyfriend sweater curse. He made his beau a beautiful Icelandic Lopi sweater. Then he got dumped a week after giving it to him. I didn't know it affected the gay too.

It seems unfair that those prohibited to marry should suffer this terrible curse.

Finish Line

2008-12-31T12:31:00.004-05:00

The year is nearly over, and I am ready to "start fresh". My knitting this year was rather spotty, but I am ending on a high note. A finished object that is a 100%, unconditional winner has been a long time coming, but allow me to present...

#28 Ribbed Pullover by Heather Carlson from Vogue Knitting, Holiday 2008

I cast on December 10th, and I finished all of the knitting by December 23rd. After a week of procrastination, I spent an hour at Yarn Central yesterday grafting the underarms.

Mardel gifted me 8 balls of Jaeger Matchmaker Merino DK for the project as a means of knitting inspiration. The pullover used 5 balls.

As for needles, the body, arms and most of the ribbing was knitted using my US #6 Denise Needles. I used my US #5 and #4 Knitpicks Options for several round of the yoke ribbing.

Speaking of the yoke, I added "length" to the ribbing, as I knew that covering my bra straps would make this far more wearable. The only other modification was to my gauge. My gauge was 19 (vs. 20) stitches to 4", so I knit the 34" size.

This was my second time grafting stitches, and I gained good deal of confidence in my ability. Interestingly, this was the first garment I knit in the round where I had to join the sleeves to the body and complete the yoke. I do like the ease of knitting in this manner, I prefer the look of either a set-in sleeve or a raglan sleeve.

I am very pleased with the garment, and I offer a toast to a 2009 filled with knitting success stories for everyone! Happy New Year!

Crappy Christmas

2008-12-26T10:15:00.004-05:00

Today I should be posting a photo of my completed #28 Ribbed Pullover, but I did not finish the underarms yesterday. I certainly had the time -- six hours in the ER while Joe rehydrated and recouperated from a particularly violent stomach virus -- but I did not bring the project with me.

If Christmas Day at the ER sounds dire, please think about the woman in the room next to Joe's. Her 22-day old baby had been vomiting for nearly every day of it's life. As if the sound of a wailing baby under such conditions was not enough to break my heart, the sound of a nurse running and screaming down the corridor, "The baby is coding!" finished the job. The mother's hysterical cries sucked my heart into my stomach.

I ran to the bathroom. I felt dizzy. I felt sick. I felt the heart and soul of that poor mother slowly dying with her baby, and I did something I have not done in years -- I prayed. I prayed for a Christmas miracle.

Christmas Eve

2008-12-24T23:32:00.003-05:00

To Joe and his family, this is simply the night before Christmas. To me, this is the night for a loud family gathering, anchovy spaghetti, and smelts. I used to balk at the traditions, but I miss them. Too lazy to cook an elaborate Italian-American Christmas Eve dinner, I am the least stressed woman in the corridors at work.

Speaking of work, yesterday was my last day at the office until January 5, 2009. With so much time off and no holiday obligations smothering me, I had the day free to do some knitting. The #28 Ribbed Pullover is nearly finished. All that remains are a few loose ends to weave in and grafting the underarms.

Conceivably, I could finish in time to wear this for Christmas dinner -- if only I had a loud family function to attend!

Nachos, Not Needles

2008-12-19T12:01:00.000-05:00

Celeste, Anneliese, Mardel, Sharyn, me, Theresa, Betsy
Note the lack of needles and yarn.

Nothing says Happy Holidays like nacho chips, tequila, and handknits -- at least to the Thursday night Yarn Central knitting group.

Better Beryl

2008-12-18T11:32:00.002-05:00

If you are a knit blogger, you may remember the online friction erupting as a result of one blogger relating her experience in a yarn store and another blogger calling her out for being rude. There is a fine line between the right to free speech and speaking without thinking.

When I posted my original photo of Beryl on Ravelry, I did not think about the consequences. My beef was with how my body carried the garment, band I was trying to be funny. However, that photo would have hurt my feelings if I were Bonne Marie. I apologized privately for my thoughtlessness, but I wanted to do so publicly.

Most commenters thought Beryl looked fine on me, and a few offers some suggestions about top and skirt options, as well as the sound advice of a more uplifting bra.

Sure enough, when paired with a higher-waisted skirt, I feel Beryl is more of a winner. I still may rework the button placket -- it should be longer for my torso -- but I do feel more confident wearing Beryl now than I did the first time.

Sit Down

2008-12-11T10:01:00.000-05:00

Sit down!
Stop drinking!
Swallow whatever you are chewing!
Mark your calendar!
Stop the presses!
Alert the media!

I have cast on for a sweater!

This is the visually uninteresting start of the #28 Ribbed Pullover from the Holiday 2008 edition of Vogue Knitting. I am using the Jaeger Matchmaker Merino DK yarn gifted to me by Mardel, and it is a pleasure to knit with.

As my 4" gauge is 19 stitches, rather than 20 stitches, I am following the pattern instructions for the 34" sizing. I probably should have used an alternate cable cast on instead of a knitted cast on, but I am not ripping back to change that.

After such a long knitting slump, I feel positive about this project. So positive that I had to fight the somewhat weather-induced urge to stay home and spend the day knitting. A good sign!

Pittsburgh Stash Enhancement

2008-12-10T10:04:00.011-05:00

During my knitting funk, I systematically sold, donated, and purged much of my stash. Slowly, I am shedding my hoarding instincts, not to mention material goods. By no means am I living a Spartan lifestyle; I still own plenty of junk -- necessary and otherwise.

While it seems counter-intuitive to collect to purge and then collect again, it is difficult to resist a bargain I do know that the most expensive item one owns is the unused/forgotten bargain, but these will not go unused.

Last month, Mardel gifted me with 8 skeins of Jaeger Matchmaker Merino DK in a perfectly muted and nearly-fetid mustard. It is slated for the #28 Ribbed Pullover from the Holiday 2008 issue of Vogue Knitting (Ravelry link).

While a trip to a Pittsburgh yarn store might have yielded another project, I opted for a day of purging many of my belongings from my parents' attic in favor of acquiring more stuff. Yes, even yarn can be stuff.

However, I am not made of stone. during a quick trip to Pat Catan's Craft Center with my mother, I spotted 8 skeins of the 100% Australian wool DK-weight yarn that I had noticed in May when it was $1.00 per ball. Sometimes, patience does save, as I scored the Palette Yarn for half that price. What sweet pleasure is 792 yards of yarn for $4.00?

Very sweet indeed!

Pittsburgh Projects II

2008-12-09T12:05:00.000-05:00

A much as I loathe the snow, I loathe bitter cold without snow even more. The weather this time of year is a big tease. The sun is out, but the temperature is low, and the wind is so shockingly brutal that one suffers a brain freeze from mouth breathing.

It has been a bitter Autumn that I sort of lost track of time in Pittsburgh, and I labored under the delusion that Spring was on the horizon. Ha!

At least I have my Dolores Park Cowl -- knit November 28, 2008 - November 29, 2008 while watching a marathon of the third season of Dexter -- to see me through harsh elements.

The cowl used nearly one full hank of Plymouth Baby Alpaca Grande #1709, and was knit using a #10.5 US Denise circular needle.

What to knit next? There are few patterns in Boutique Knits that are in the queue, but I am toying with the idea of -- gasp! -- a sweater.

Pittsburgh Projects I

2008-12-08T12:22:00.002-05:00

Given that my knitting funk was longer and more depressing than the Hollywood writers' strike, giving precious suitcase space to yarn and needles seemed silly. I did pack a nearly-finished hat, as well as one hank of yarn for a cowl. Paper takes up far less space than yarn and/or a finished project, so I did pack a few patterns. However, I never visited a yarn store, and those languished in my suitcase.

I did visit a local craft store, but that is for another post. This post is dedicated to the celebration of a finished project that I have worn several times since completion: The Sideways Grande Cloche by Laura Irwin (Boutique Knits)

Additional Info:
November 8, 2008 - November 30, 2008. Laziness turned a two-day project into a three-week project.

I used roughly 1.5 hanks of Plymouth Baby Alpaca Grande #1709, and I had to drop down to US #7, US #6, US #5, and US #4 Denise circular needles to get gauge!

I modified the pattern only slightly but casting on six less stitches for a less “deep” hat.

I am very pleased with everything -- except for the Carol Bradyesque hair poking out from the hat that is.

Checking In

2008-11-29T12:05:00.007-05:00

While my good friend Dean is working his second job for a few hours, I am availing myself of some precious internet time. Life sans internet allowed me to do some reading last week.

The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch

Crampton Hodnet by Barbara Pym

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer

Knitting, while slow, is presnt. The Sideways Grande Cloche from Boutique Knits is two seams away from "finished object". I cast on for the Dolores Park Cowl yesterday, and I suspect it will be my quickest knit.

Two Week (S)Pa Vacation

2008-11-20T13:04:00.004-05:00

My bags are packed, and I am ready for two full weeks of rest and relaxation.

While I wish my visit was a fortnight at a spa such as the Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, it is actually a two-week visit to the city of my birth: Pittsburgh, Pa. Hence the (s).

Some may remember that my parents eschew conveniences such as an ATM card, an answering machine, and internet access; and as as such, it is a bit of a spa vacation for me. I have no choice but to step away from the computer and run at a low-tech pace.

My suitcase is filled with yoga DVDs, books, and knitting needles/patterns; and my plan is to return with a finished knitting project, a finished book or two, and a stronger commitment to my health and fitness. If I return... Today is my final day of work until Monday, December the 8th. How will I get back into the "swing" of the office after such a long break?

Early Thanksgiving wishes to everyone!

1930s Wife

2008-11-17T20:53:00.005-05:00

I used to think that I was born in the wrong time because the clothing styles of the 1930s through the early 1960s are more flattering to my figure than most "modern" garments. While the fashions may flatter the morays of the time do not. I would have been a crashing failure in the 1930s.

As a 1930s wife, I am
Very Poor (Failure)

Take the test!

I stole this from my fellow Dark Lady, Nancy. Happily, I scored as crappy as she did -- and she is married with children!

The Outcome

2008-11-05T21:41:00.004-05:00

In the days leading up to the election, I was not as hopeful as many around me. I was just as cautious about declaring Beryl a winner. While modelling the sleeveless garment for my knitting group -- the Sweater Primaries -- I was assured that it would be adorable with sleeves. I remained skeptical. The short button placket worried me.

It may not carry the same civic weight, but knitting can deliver a crushing defeat. The money, the time, the hard work, and there are no guarantees that you get a winner.

Beryl is not a resounding failure, but it is a bit frumpy-dumpy. Had I made a few modifications, it could be a different outcome. Lengthening the body/button placket, shortening the peplum, and adding bust-shaping darts would have taken this from "hopeful" to "winner".

Beryl by Bonne Marie Burns
12 October 2007 - 4 November 2008
4.24 balls of Cascade 220 Superwash, #6481
US8 Inox circulars, US6 and US5 Denise needles

Exercising Rights

2008-11-04T11:23:00.006-05:00

Is everyone ready for the longest day of the year? Sure, June 21st or June 22nd is the day with the longest amount of daylight, but this Election Day is going to be a long one for all of us -- poll workers, voters, and observers throughout the world.

There was a small line when I arrived at the polls at 5:58am. Spirits were high and moods were good. It was refreshing to see a line like this for something other than the After Thanksgiving sales.

There must be no early birds in my district (several districts vote at the same fire house), as I was able to check in and vote by 6:11am. I hit a momentary snag while waiting for the poll worker to realize that CAR was not on the roster page marked CAL-CAM.

This is going to sound incredibly silly coming from someone as cynical as I can be, but I love voting. I get misty approaching that curtained booth, and I am very near tears by the time I pull the lever to record my vote and walk out.

Buoyed by the voting experience, I drove to work in hopes of making the Early Bird Yoga class. After waiting twenty minutes, I deduced that I was either in the wrong place, or that the class was cancelled for Election Day.

I had prepared myself for the worst at the polls, when in fact the worst was discovering that I had missed the announcement that Early Bird Yoga would be held Thursday this week. Hey, at least I have my lunchtime ERG Rowing class!

Be Prepared

2008-11-03T11:40:00.004-05:00

With one full day until the election, my cynicism, distrust and penchant for conspiracy theories are all on the rise. There are unsettling reports of malfunctions, difficulties, fraud and more.

Voters, arm yourselves with the knowledge and the tools to make your voting experience a positive one.

Take nothing for granted. Even if you've voted in the same place for a decade:

Verify your registration. New York voters can verify it here. Print it out and bring it with you to the polls.
Verify your polling place.
Know your voting district.
Bring identification. This is especially important for first time voters, but do not give poll workers any reason to deny you the right to vote tomorrow.

Most importantly, find your state's Voter Bill of Rights online, print out, and bring it to the polls with you. The NY voter's rights info includes fraud hot line numbers, and I believe these numbers are listed elsewhere.

Devil's Haircut

2008-10-21T14:47:00.001-04:00

After a little more than a week of suffering with an extremely awkward and frumpy haircut, I was ready to throw in the towel with regard to growing it out. The process is generally not so pretty, but why start with not-so-pretty at the gate.

I thought a quick consultation at the MAC counter would revive me, but no luck. Bad hair puts me in a bad funk.

There are times in life when you have to cut your losses and move on. Inspired by Beverly and guided by Amy (Ravelry link), that is precisely what I did. More than two years after giving me a winner cut and loser highlights, I walked into a salon, and I rediscovered a good stylist.

Touched

2008-10-20T16:16:00.002-04:00

It was another glorious weekend in Dutchess County. Even though the leaves were a little less spectacular than they were last week, and even though I did not trek to the New York Sheep & Wool Festival, I did have a lovely weekend.

The festivities began Friday when a package arrived from one my favorite people, Tanya. Tanya sent a unspeakably soft hat that I want to snuggle until late May. In addition to the softest hat on the planet, Tanya included five balls of Muench Touch Me in Celery, which is slated for Lisa Daniel's Vintage Velvet Scarf from Scarf Style (lower left photo).

Joe and I attended the Beacon Pumpkin Festival Sunday, and it was a good deal of fun. We did not buy or carve a pumpkin, but we did buy chard and other vegetables from Stony Kill Farm.

The hat is more attractive in person than the photograph above would lead you to believe. Actually, I am more attractive in person than that photograph would lead you to believe. Tanya is calling this the Lightbulb Hat, and when it is not stretched out by my egg, you can clearly see why.

Hair Affair

2008-10-17T10:53:00.004-04:00

I refuse to belabor the point of how horrifically difficult it is to find someone who can consistently deliver the goods on a haircut. For approximately one year, I have been attempting to grow my hair to look like this (left).

I tend to favor a classic bob with a twist, as it can be simultaneously retro and modern. However, this seems to be the Sasquatch of hairstyles. A bob can flip from sassy to frumpy in a snip of the scissor. Too often I have looked more Hilary Clinton or Marilyn Quayle when I was aiming for Louise Brooks or Mary Pickford.

As if the awkwardness of the growing-out phase were not enough, nearly every haircut in the past year has resulted in the appearance of short, choppy layers where there once was smooth, longer hair. It has occurred to me that the best plan of attack maybe to cut it short and begin again. The Sartorialist's is not help in debunking this with his insistence on posting photos of this woman.

All photos courtesy of The Sartorialist.

Weekend Approaching

2008-10-15T15:25:00.000-04:00

The weekend is approaching, and there are so many events happening this time of the year that it is impossible not to start dreaming about the weekend by Wednesday. One heralded event is the New York State Sheep & Wool Festival, aka Rhinebeck.

Last year, I skipped Rhinebeck to attend to a friend having surgery. This horrifies me because the project I was working on (Beryl) is still languishing in a bag. I only need to seam the damned set-in sleeves!

As for trekking to Rhinebeck this year, I am still undecided. Joe has a work outing Saturday, and there is the Beacon Pumpkin Festival. I visited Beacon twice this month, so why break the trend?

Omit The I

2008-10-14T16:04:00.000-04:00

Should I become a rapper, burlesque queen, or pop icon, this is a potential stage name.

State Park Tour

2008-10-13T11:26:00.005-04:00

While so many complain that living elsewhere in the U.S. would rob them of the seasons, there is only one season I would loathe to miss, and that is Autumn. New colors and textures are revealed daily, and it is magical.

Our weekend was a wonderful mix of time in town and time in nature. After a delicious lunch at Homespun Foods, we chanced upon an open house at the Shambhala Yoga Center in Beacon where I got my first mehndi tattoo. At my request, the artist improvised the design. The design is lovely. Getting the tattoo before hiking Mt. Beacon was not so smart.

While attempting a hike post-henna tattoo is not entirely wise, the hike would have been a failure regardless. Due to my lack of conditioning, and I was unable to venture much beyond the base of the northern peak trail. The ascent is steeeeep. The hike is a mere one mile from trail base -- minus vertigo-inducing access stairs (see photo left) -- but that one mile is a 1,531-foot ascent!

As I struggled up and then down (my fear of heights is triggered more during a decent or when looking down), a young woman in running shoes zipped by without a slip or slide. Joe needs a different girlfriend; my idea of adventure is finding an intact and inexpensive 1920s cloche.

Sunday was a better day with lunch by the Hudson River at Lake Taghkanic State Park. After lunch, we drove further north to Schodack Island State Park. From there, we went to Grafton Lakes State Park and did a 2.5 mile hike around one of the lakes. From there, we drove south to Olana in hopes of catching a sunset. We just missed it, but the light was still shining from from behind the mountains.

Geek Love

2008-10-07T17:07:00.001-04:00

Evidence that Joe loves me even when I am a super-crankypants.
Yes, that is a scientific calculator.

Another Pretty Pause

2008-10-06T17:30:00.013-04:00

Recently a college friend contacted me in need of a "day in the country". Actually, "recently" was September 2007. We tried this September, but the month was gone before plans were set.

Finally, plans were were made, and we settled on meeting in Beacon, New York. While Beacon may not consider itself to be very country, it is smaller and less frenetic than any section of any borough of New York City.

Matteawan Railroad Depot 1930
We strolled up Main Street to the area that was once the The Village of Matteawan (which later joined with the Village of Fishkill Landing to form the City of Beacon) is now known as Upper Main Street.

At Upper Main Street, Fishkill Creek is flanked by abandoned mills and the abandoned track of the Matteawan Freight Line. The Mattawan Station Depot has been converted to offices and shops. As much as I fear trying a new hair stylist outside of NYC, I might try the shop in the old depot -- just for the sake of visiting a piece of history.

We sat along the banks of Fishkill Creek listening to the waterfall and talking about life. The sound of rushing water is so comforting, and it was that moment that I realize how difficult it would be for me to return to living in the chaos and the crush of New York City again.

Unwise Decision

2008-10-04T17:14:00.000-04:00

The knitters in my life have walked the fine line between ignoring me and badgering me about my extended knitting hiatus.

Projects have tempted me, but it seemed that the "right" yarn for a project never presented itself. If the gauge was right, the color was wrong. If the color was right, then the fabric or hand of the yarn would be completely wrong for the project.

After a string of failed knitting projects, I knew I had to get it all just so in order to guarantee a success project, otherwise, I could imagine myself bitterly walking away from knitting. Pressure. Pressure.

One thing was certain, knitting a garment was not the ideal "back in the saddle project". Something small and pretty -- a certain success -- was needed to win me back into the avid knitting fold. A scarf or wrap seemed the perfect option, and I settled on the Alpaca Silky Lace Tube Scarf from Classic Elite Alpaca Stories.

I cast on Thursday night, and I lacked the focus to work the lace segment, so I cast on for the stockinette segments. While proctoring the LSAT exam this morning, I decided to fiddle with the lace segment. I can say without hesitation that having spent the better part of the day repeatedly casting on and ripping out has me *this* close to selling anything in the house that is remotely related to knitting.

Pretty Pause

2008-09-29T14:30:00.004-04:00

One tip for easing the expense of a vacation is to make the vacation a quick trip that incorporates some sort of opportunity for self-expansion. Driving three hours to another state for a three-hour Kundalini Yoga seminar may seem nutty, but it gave Joe and I the opportunity to spend time together (away from real life) and deepen a particular branch of our yoga practices.

Point Judith, Rhode Island

The weather was less than optimal due to the approach of Hurricane Kyle, but it was a powerful reminder of the raw beauty and raw wildness of nature. If you are in the path of a hurricane, there is no beauty to be found, but we found some stark beauty seaside in Rhode Island. Thankfully, Rhode Island was spared. Even the flotsam and jetsam littering the shoreline created an oddly pretty pause.

After a month that was both physically and emotionally draining, a pretty pause was perfect for us. I look with fresh interest to the month ahead.

Sweet Snickers

2008-09-22T18:00:00.004-04:00

Non-bloggers can never really understand the power of the blog world and the community it creates. Joe's boss was highly amused by "the power of the blog" to help Snickers with her injured leg last August.

I cannot thank all of you enough for all of the support and love you showed to Snickers (and us) during her injury. Earlier this year, I delivered a State of Snicker Address that pronounced her doing well.

Sadly, Snickers developed a small, hard mass on her upper belly/chest several months ago. The vet determined that it was most likely the start of mammary cancer, and they have grown in size and number. Several weeks ago, she began vomiting regularly. It hit full stride at the end of last week when she could not eat without immediately vomiting. Since Friday, she had been living on water and milk.

Last night in a fit of silly hopefullness, I fed her a small bowl of her regular food, and a mere 10 paces away from the bowl, she vomitted. It was clear that her situation was not going to miraculously reverse and that Joe's decision (made with the vet late last week) was really for the best. In one hour, our sweet Snickers will get her final peace.

This is how I want to remember her -- before the injured leg and the belly full of tumors.

Snickers in the wild.

Feet Don't Fail Me

2008-09-18T18:37:00.002-04:00

The Plantar Fasciitis is healing, but it is still bothersome after long walks and easy hikes -- which is exasperating to me and my podiatrist. I feel hampered, and my podiatrist is certain that his heel pain handouts do not recommend long walks and hikes of any kind as part of the treatment.

When I mentioned that no walks and hikes made fitness and weekend time with Joe rather difficult, Dr. B issued this caveat: all hikes must be followed with a foot massage. Joe scoffed when I delivered this news, assuming that I was either creating fiction or bribing Dr. B to make these ridiculous statements.

During today's visit, I relayed Joe's response and joked with Dr. B that I needed a note from him as proof. With my chart at the appointment desk:

With three refills, no less!

Begin Again

2008-09-02T21:21:00.001-04:00

Often I am accused of flitting from one thing to another. A new idea, a new book, whatever. I a too often magnetically drawn to things (and people!) only to later abandon them for the greener pasture. That is the negative spin.

I like to couch it more positively. I have a strong curiosity to investigate or learn something new or challenge myself frequently, and I am not alone. A friend is a certified personal trainer, a certified software trainer, a two-time Power lifting Champion and shockingly impressive aerialist. She taught me to knit, to sew and to bind small books/journals. The knitting... well, that was the one that "took", although I am still on hiatus.

I have been exploring two new-to-me areas: working out to DVDs, and raw food.

The gym at work is a inconvenient and dominated by students, and the yoga classes are either boring and/or held while I am tethered to a desk.

Raw food is something that took root in my mind about a year ago when I partook of the CSA, however, it was an idea that needed to marinate. Honestly, I cannot imagine buying a dehydrator or forsaking two rounds at the Indian buffet in Jackson Heights, but I like the notion of leaning more towards raw and striking a personal balance. Feel free to slap me if I start nattering on a about a "raw high"...

One Month

2008-07-22T11:51:00.001-04:00

A number of years ago, I ran into a college acquaintance who was keen to ask me about London. You see, he had heard through the grapevine that I was working for Rolling Stone magazine and living in London. In my youth, I strove to live a life that rivalled (or exceeded) fiction, but here was a typical case of fiction being far more interesting than fact. At the time of the rumour I was most likely working at Kinko's in Philadelphia. Not quite as impressive.

During the long silence here, life was chugging along without much adventure or much woe.

In the past month, Joe and I each celebrated another year of life, I made a lateral -- and stress-reducing -- move at work, and I succumbed to the strange and inexplicable lure of Crocs.

I have also made several purchases on QVC, so my transformation into an unrecognizable suburban shadow of my former self is very nearly complete.

I still do not own a pair of trousers or jeans, so there is a sliver of Real Gina trapped inside this Pod Gina.

Disappearance

2008-06-11T11:33:00.001-04:00

It is rather disturbing to note that last Friday's post -- my personal Mosaic Meme -- has gone missing. I published, but it has disappeared into the mist.

Joe and I disappeared into the breeze this weekend. Friday night, he impulsively booked a room at a bed & breakfast in Rhode Island in order to escape the oppressive heat. Well done! The temperature at the beach was 71. However, Monday's weather had me convinced that I had been magically transported to Singapore.

The Plantar Faciitis has largely subsided, however, there is still lingering pain and strain in the arch of my left foot. Returning to Yoga, I have learned that I have an "awesome down dog" and that my right wrist is very weak.

As for knitting, I cancelled my subscriptions to Vogue Knitting and Interweave Knits magazines, and I have not attended my knitting group since...March?...but I still visit Ravelry. It is a glimmer of hope that my knitting light has not gone out.

Listen Up

2008-05-14T15:30:00.006-04:00

It has taken me quite some time to embrace the audio book. The book snob in me (who died whilst reading the Shopaholic trilogy and other chick-lit) did not consider audio books to be "proper" books. I believed that listening to Jane Austen was akin to gaining a knowledge of literature via Hollywood.

Additionally, I was rather challenged in the mental multi-tasking. Remember how well you could listen, absorb information and take notes during university? If it's been some time, trust me, you probably are a blithering fool at this now. At any rate, I found my attention drifting between the act of listening and the act of driving.

Having (mostly) mastered the art of dividing my attention, I have cast aside any remaining thread of snobbishness to embrace the joy of the audio book. My first re-introduction to the joys of a good listen was French Toast: An American in Paris Celebrates the Maddening Mysteries of the French. Bliss!

Quite by accident, I recently discovered Alfred Hitchcock's The Lady Vanishes. Sadly, I missed a recent airing of the film, and my request for the DVD was third in the library queue. Thus, I took a chance and rented the audio book version. What a delight!

For me, a good voice is paramount. Frances Mayes reading her one of her own books was rather painful, while the melodic, sexy voice of (the rather unsexy) Simon Winchester made Krakatoa a pure pleasure.

My latest audio companion is My Life on a Plate by India Knight which has me wishing my commute were longer. And that is something, given how I loathe to drive and the skyrocketing cost of gasoline!

Preview Day

2008-05-01T15:50:00.003-04:00

Once upon a time, the lie of the Macy's One Day Sale irked me. The Preview Day, the Sale Day, and the Post-sale Day...that is three days, not one. But last night, in anticipation of May 1st as the start of several transformative projects, I had my own productive preview day.

After gathering my financial documents to create a spreadsheet, I reorganized the documents; and then I filed them. This was just enough organizational steam to propel me to jettison the surfeit of cosmetic bags (from GWPs) and samples (most of unknown age). While purging three eyeliner pencils is not a major shedding of material possessions, it is just one step in a multi-pronged, three-month process. Thomas Mann said, "Order and simplification are the first steps toward the mastery of a subject -— the actual enemy is the unknown.", thus I aim to bring order and simplicity to my health, my finances and my possessions/surroundings.

I live with a man who is far less concerned with "pretty surroundings" than I, but it is my goal to own nothing that is not beautiful or meaningful. I feel compelled to put The Divine Law of the Great Chair into action.

May May Be Better

2008-04-30T15:33:00.001-04:00

While many welcome spring, I am often saddened by it. Only recently did I find the root of this. Spring semester of my junior year was spent in Manchester, England (England... across the Atlantic Sea, and I'm a genius genius...), and the arrival of true spring weather in England that year coincided with the arrival of the semester's end.

Spending the summer running errands for a law office in Pittsburgh was a dismal sentence after five glorious months abroad. I had tasted a bit of independence, as well as a bit of the world, and I was hungry for more. The largest Primanti Brothers sandwich could not fill the void.

To this day, there is that certain smell of spring that makes me nostalgic and melancholy for that time in my life. Rather than focus on the past, I decided that I would focus on rebirth this year. Tomorrow starts a three-month focus on various areas of my life that need to be fixed, fine-tuned or completely revamped.

I have been reading Suze Orman (I would recommend either Women & Money or The 9 Steps to Financial Freedom); thus, the month of May will be devoted primarily to money -- checking interest rates, organizing my retirement plans, and creating a plan of action to make my money work for me.

There are other changes afoot, but I will not bore you further.

Like A Hawk

2008-04-28T20:11:00.010-04:00

Joe's mother (aka my Mother-Out-Law since we are not married) lives in the same apartment building we do. On the few occasions where this proximity might have been a blessing -- locking myself out of the house with my handbag and keys inside -- she was nowhere to be found.

Typically, she is wandering around the property, looking to have in-depth conversations as you attempt to leave for work, play or some fabrication to escape. Yesterday, she interrupted my pre-brunch primping to alert me to the fact that an injured Red-Tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) was hanging out in one of the trees in the yard.

I took a few photos, then headed to Cold Spring for the day. Upon my return, I find Joe wearing an old black leather jacket and white work gloves, carrying a long stick and my vintage laundry hamper. Joe's older son is carrying a blanket, and Joe's mother is hopping around like Tweetie Bird. They are obviously attempting to rescue the hawk, and this image is enough to make me think about high-tailing back to my parents.

Life here is always a conflict of Man vs. Beast. This morning I narrowly escaped vehicular duck-slaughter. In Hooterville, braking for Mallards, Canada Geese and New York State Wild Turkey is standard fare, darling.

Gfit Knitting

2008-04-21T17:58:00.004-04:00

You would think that the combination of no internet and sitting hospital watch would have given me prime knitting time, and it would have had I brought a project with me. So in a knitting slump am I that I cannot even think of a project. Nothing stirs me. Although some strange force of habit resulted in my packing my Denise Interchangable Needles. I was cursing the space they consumed when I returned from my trip laden with additional books.

During my absence, Joe was kind enough to ship a parcel for me to a blog buddy in the siren city of San Francisco. Returning the favor of shipping a personal gift to work, I wrapped up the Diagonal Lace Scarf -- along with a Moleskin mini cahier pocket book -- hoping to surprise Rona. It worked!

Specifications
Diagonal Lace Scarf
1 skein Southwest Trading Company Bamboo, #133 Intensity
US 7 needle

Modifications: Accidentally knitted as a four-row repeat instead of a six-row repeat, but I like the result. I knit until I finished the ball.

My gift knitting has been fairly minimal, but it feels wonderful to make someone smile. And I could use a dose of smiles.

Finished and Off

2008-04-02T21:43:00.002-04:00

It was my intention to post about the now finished Diagonal Lace Scarf from Midnight Purls (view sidebar for PDF or download to Ravelry library), but I never managed to photograph it.

Tomorrow, I fly out of town at the crack of heinous for a family matter.

As my parents are fully entrenched in their Luddism, in spite of my slow introduction of "advanced" electronics, the quiet will continue here. You have grown accustomed to the silence, I fear.

Thankful Thursday

2008-03-27T23:23:00.001-04:00

Although it is quite close to the end of the day, I am filled with gratitude. The two-day migraine is finally subsiding enough to allow me time at the computer without wanting to gouge out my eyes or tear out my hair.

I cannot say for certain, but I believe Anna's Spring Surprise package may have started the healing process. Even if the migraine had not begun to ease slightly, the package would have cheered me mightily.

The knitted kitty looks on as the miniature kitty statue poses atop a bar of Anna's handmade soap. That scarf is my newly-designated walking scarf. Now that Spring is in the air -- until tomorrow night when snow and/or sleet will be in the air -- I am committed to a daily walk. In spite of the increasingly pleasant temperatures, the air is still sharp enough to require some neck protection.

Joe is understandably bewildered by these gifts from "people you don't know", I just put the crazy right out there to halt the conversation.
Joe: What's that?
Me: A gift.
Joe: From whom?
Me: My imaginary friend.

Spring Awakening

2008-03-13T09:35:00.006-04:00

The Spring knitting patterns are slowly filtering through my consciousness. There are a number of appealing patterns in the Berocco Nora Gaughan Vol 2 book. Currer, Ellis, and Porthos are lovely, and each of them would suit my style and my figure.

In spite of a tepid response to an online preview of Rowan 43, Tanya assures me that I will love the magazine. Noted.

Magknits' Josephine is so well-shaped that I am nearly convinced that the shaping could mitigate the inherent bulk of Rowan Big Wool. Almost. Marjorie and Speckles very much recall the vintage-inspired work of Sarah Dallas that I so loved.

The Vogue Knitting Spring/Summmer 2008 preview did not stir me, mostly because the trends and silhouettes are a bad fit with my style and figure. The Mirabelle Cardigan from Interweave Knits is still on my radar.

Scarves have always appealed to me as an accessory item, however, many of the printed squares are too "mature" or "ladies who lunch" for my taste. Yet there are times when I require a touch of warmth around the neck but desire a touch of fashion with that warmth. The textural quality of Jyri is so seductive that I will make it in a multi-season-friendly yarn. And I should mention that I have already set aside two hanks of Alpaca Sox for my Lace Ribbon Scarf.

Pile On The Pepper

2008-03-10T19:00:00.013-04:00

The musical destined to make Delysia LaFosse a star has become a particularly poignant phrase for me. However, my star is not rising.

Pile on the pepper!
Literally. Last night, the shaker lid of the coarse-ground black pepper stuck to the screw-on lid as I was seasoning my dinner.

Pile on the pepper!
Last month, I spent a frightening amount of money on my car. 81% of my monthly net to be exact. The pain is compounded by the fact that I repeatedly forgo beneficial things -- a gym membership, a 10-week Yoga & Weight Loss Program -- because it is impossible to justify non-essential spending on my annual salary.

Pile on the pepper!
My service engine soon light came on -- again! -- today. Something is amiss with the gears shifting during acceleration. I am not a mechanic, but that sounds expensive.

Pile on the pepper!
I did not get either of the internal jobs for which I applied, but I was the #2 candidate for both positions. Oddly, I am flattered, but it still leaves me struggling cover the costs of gasoline and car repairs.

Pile on the pepper!
There have been no resume nibbles from outside firms. Apparently, moving to Poughkeepsie and taking an Administrative Assistant position is a career-killer. I honestly believe a stint in rehab would be more understandable to the corporate-types than re-evaluating my life.

Pile on the pepper!
My laptop has been acting funky lately -- shutting down without warning. Today, it refused to turn on until I spent 15 minutes trying every outlet in the apartment. Even now, I know this is merely borrowed time.

With so much pepper piling on, I was struck by this line of dialogue from Stephanie's dream: "She's got a sad story, but she hasn't gone sad." Wonderful, no?

The Simple Plan

2008-03-06T15:50:00.005-05:00

Once I had a friend who refused to make proclamations on New Year's Eve, as she felt this would jinx her for the coming year. While others were toasting in hopes of good health, happiness, a better job and finding love in the new year, this woman was staying silent. Worse, she would state her desires in reverse -- I will not find a better job this year, I will not find a great guy -- so as to reverse jinx herself.

I do not know if how much credence I give the reverse jinx, but I give the standard jinx it's due. Shortly before casting on for the Diagonal Lace Scarf, I made a joke about me bungling the simple lace pattern.

And bungle I did. I printed the pattern and committed the four-row repeat to memory in order to knit while watching television. What a surprise when I returned to the printer to discover a second page to the pattern and that the lace pattern was actually a six-row repeat!

Cue music: wah-wah-wah-wahhhhhh.

I have no intention of ripping. It is perfectly pretty as is.

Much Improved

2008-03-05T09:15:00.001-05:00

Interviewing. I dread it more than the dentist. More than nearly anything. It feels terrible to be judged on some piece of paper that is a snapshot of a sliver of yourself.

As of late, I have been asked a few tough questions, a few trite HR questions, and two stellar laugh-out-loud questions. In a roomful of New Yorkers, one interviewer asked, "Yankees or Mets?". I smiled broadly, shook my fists in supreme fandom and chirped "Pittsburgh Pirates!". My diplomacy was duly noted. Will it get me the job? Who knows? If offered the job will I still be interested? Who knows?

I am like that. Mutable. Changeable. To some it is a bad trait, while others see it as a sign of an adaptable person. I see it as a large component of me. A component which has me California dreaming, pondering a buon natale in Italia, and ripping out the Valentine Sequin Scarf rather than ripping out my hair.

The SWTC Bamboo will now become the Diagonal Lace Scarf. The pattern is varied enough to keep my interest and simple enough to bungle somehow. It is always the simple pattern that get me... My version will be more open, more lacey, which is perfect. This is meant to be a fashionable, not entirely functional, scarf.

Something Different

2008-03-04T15:02:00.001-05:00

After finishing the neck warmer for Sunny, I decided I need one more small project to get me through my knitting doldrums. I wanted something simple, but something outside of my usual.

The color is definitely a walk on the wild side for me of the banana yellows and mossy greens.

At first flush, the Valentine Sequin Scarf seemed a good match for the SWTC Bamboo, but I'm not keen on the result so far. The variegated yarn and the small edge cables seem to complete with, rather than compliment, each other.

After further pondering, I may settle on a simple lace pattern. Both Yarn Closet's Leaf Scarf and Midnight Purls' Diagonal Lace Scarf are strong contenders.

Out With The Old

2008-03-03T14:47:00.004-05:00

March is one of those strange months that makes me feel completely out of sorts. While the masses are anticipating the arrival of spring, typically, I am caught in a dark net of ennui that is suffocating.

Part of this is a bit of restlessness for a new season and the need to make changes. There is some tinkering that must be done in life and work, but the easiest and quickest route is to start the process of "spring cleaning" in anticipation of its arrival.

During the month of March, I will work daily to reduce my possessions. I suppose it would be more quantifiable if I set a concrete number by which, or to which, I reduce. However, that seems like a recipe for stress and/or failure.

Quite simply, I will devote 30 minutes daily to ridding myself of stuff either at home or at work. The 30 minutes can be gathering items to sell/donate, throwing out old papers, or neatening my desk.

This weekend, I zeroed in on that last bit of unsatisfying yarn stash that needs to go, but is too precious for the donation bin.

The Details
All costs included shipping (within the US only, sorry). My home is smoke-free. I prefer cash-funded PayPal. If you are interested, please contact me via my gmail account (lumay1996) with the subject of MARCH YARN PURGE.

Diakeito Diacouture Silklame, #909, lot O
8 balls for $65

Rowan Calmer #485, lot 7L5
6 balls, 1 swatched slightly (shown) for $50

Jakobsdals Bahamas #4146, lot 887
Worsted weight (20-4") 100% mercerized cotton, 50g/100m
6 frogged balls + 9 intact balls for

Filatura Di Crosa Elena #17, lot 0020
2 boxes $50/box or $90 for both

Questionable Quickie

2008-02-28T14:35:00.004-05:00

The Quickie Cowl is complete, although I question just how "quickie" it was. Somehow, I am able to bungle the most simple pattern. How many times did I have to rip back because I forget to keep three stitches at each edge in garter stitch? Many. Too many really, but the Quickie Cowl is a gift, so it was worth it.

Specifications
The Quickie Cowl by Fawn Pea
1 skein Plymouth Baby Alpaca Grande
10.5 US needles
02/26/2008 - 02/28/2008

It may be worth it for me to re-work the seaming. At first, I could not slip it over my head!

I have several hilarious photos of me wearing it as a touqe, but nothing I am willing to post. My skin is a post-peel mess. See me in a week for radiant skin.

Real Knitting

2008-02-26T21:10:00.002-05:00

The internal conflict over my stash is not just about the physical space it occupies, but the psychic space as well. Stephanie's post about yarn serendipity made me realize that I do not want to be a hoarder of yarn -- or much else for that matter. Spiritually, I have too much yarn.

I recently traded Amy (friend and co-worker) my ex-Tubey charcoal Cascade 220 for one kitten-fur-soft skein of Plymouth Baby Alpaca Grande. I was at a loss for a project, but when I saw Amy's Quickie Cowl by Fawn Pea -- knitted in Plymouth Baby Alpaca Grande -- I knew it was Yarn Kismet!

In spite of the proximity of the book, I am not a knitter who can read and knit. Real Food: What to Eat is very interesting and educational. It pre-dates Michael Pollan's In Defense of Food, however, I found Pollan's book a more fluid read. I wish this book were a bit better written and better organized, as it could be a solid reference book in that case.

As for the knitting project, the pattern is easy enough to allow me the luxury of some television knitting. The yarn is an absolute pleasure. As it stands, this project has an excellent chance of being finished -- and surviving.

Dismantled

2008-02-22T14:39:00.001-05:00

Behold a small selection of my knitting projects: the Ellen neck warmer, Calorimetry, and both the ChicKnits H2O Hat and Point 5 Bulky Scarf (no longer available on the ChicKnits site). I feel as if I have hit the bottom with my knitting. Not only can't I find a project that moves me, I am hunting down finished projects to dismantle.

I know many knitters delight in finding that perfect one skein or stash-busting project, but frankly, I find it more of an annoyance. It feels too forced to be enjoyable or pleasurable for me.

Thanks to the constant falling snow, I have gained a three-day weekend. Idle hands and idle stash...

As of late, I have been consumed by both Kim Hargreaves' Heartfelt, The Dark House Collection and Weardowney Knit Couture. The Dark House Collection, and to some Extent the Weardowney book, and magical. Transformative. Life-altering.

Their arrival on my doorstep will trigger my transformation and blossoming into a slender, dewy-skinned, Neo Gothic English Rose. Nancy concurs.

As inspired by these collections as I am, I do not want to knit them. I simply want the clothes -- knitwear and all -- to arrive and work their magic.

Walk This Way

2008-02-13T10:16:00.005-05:00

During my Thanksgiving visit to Pittsburgh, I committed to a near-daily walk of 30 minutes. A mere day into this new lifestyle, I suffered a small setback. As I strutted along, I felt a "pop" in my left arch. I hobbled home, iced my foot, and rested a day or two before getting back at it. The pain continued intermittently, and my right foot started aching as well.

I scaled back on the walking -- with some unpleasant results on the scale -- so I braved the pain. Which only made it worse. In short order, I was barely able to stand or walk in the morning. Welcome back, old friend, Plantar Fasciitis. It sounds whimpy, but it could make Andre the Giant whimper. My left foot is wrapped and strapped for relief, and my Easy Spirit walking shoes (purchased late November) are two steps away from extinction.

Foot pain has a way of making you feel rather dowdy and old, and one of the shoes recommended by the podiatrist will do nothing but advance that...quickly. I know that vanity is secondary to health, but these make me want to cry.

I am slowly battling back from knitting near extinction. Ellen qualifies as Mission Possible project, using the lingering, lone ball of Karabella Aurora 8 in my stash.

But let me say this. I am barely enjoying the process. I am knitting with obligation -- because I should knit, because I should use stash yarn -- and it stinks. Obligatory knitting is anything but enjoyable.

Make My Super Fat Tuesday

2008-02-05T10:57:00.000-05:00

After a job offer in Japan went belly up, I did the only thing I could possibly do -- move to a new city. My decision was largely based on the single premise that I had never lived in the South. This is how I became a resident of New Orleans for six months in 1992.

New Orleans was not the best place I ever lived, nor was it my favorite. It does, however, hold a unique place in my heart, which is why I was particularly touched by last evening's Anthony Bourdain No Reservations show.

On the eve of Fat Tuesday, two years after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, Bourdain showed us the truth -- not some FEMA fantasy of recovery and battling back.

While New Orleanians (and tourists) celebrate Fat Tuesday, New York State is celebrating Super Tuesday. To me, voting is a celebration and a privilege. Women struggled to win the right to vote, and I do not take it lightly. This is the most disheartened I have been in years. The candidates presented to me do not excite me, nor to they infuse me with any sort of confidence that real change can take place. Thus, I must choose from a pool of "meh".

Last week, Frances bestowed upon me the Make My Day Award. I so enjoy her writing on everything from her knitting to the blooms and mud along the local roads, I must say that reading her blog makes my day.

Sunny and Rona make my day with hilarious rapid-fire ping-pong emails. Similarly, no day would be complete without a post or an email from three ladies who appreciate red-blooded bitchery as much as I: Bronx Girl Knits/Nancy, Tango Diva Tanya and Stephanie.

Frankly, the numbers of blogs and websites that make my day are too numerous to mention, so I will stop here. I have to vote and plan my next vacation to New Orleans.

The Possibilities

2008-02-04T10:10:00.000-05:00

There are times when I ask Joe a simple question, and I am met with silence. Most likely, it is not a long silence, but I am an impatient sort. I want an answer now!

My impatience had me in a quandry over my Mission Possible 2008 projects. A few of the patterns were selected because they matched a stash yarn, but they failed the Klosekraft tests. Why bother knitting a pattern that does not excite you?

Feeling bound (rather than inspired) by the knitalong, I decided to cull my queue and my stash sooner rather than later. several yarns were swapped or sold. Perhaps that was bending the rules, but I feel lighter without the burden of unwanted yarn. Yesterday, I deleted the Corset Pullover and the Chocolate Creme Square-Neck Top from my Ravelry queue in spite of having Filatura di Crosa Elena and Diakeito DiaCoutoure SilkLame in my stash. I will either for suitable patterns for the yarn or sell it.

By selling and swapping, I have narrowed my stash to:
20 balls of copper-coloured Filatura di Crosa Elena - Cabaret Raglan?
5 balls of Rowan Big Wool - Storm
5 balls of Rowan Calmer (Laurel)
4 balls of Rowan Calmer (Chiffon) - Lorelei
3/4 ball of Noro Silk Garden - Lorelei
4 balls of Classic Elite Classic Silk - Molly Ringwald
10 balls of Classic Elite Wool Bam Boo
8 balls of Diakeito Diacoutoute Silklame
15 balls of Jackobsdahl Bahamas
1 ball of Schaefer Anne
1 ball of Year of the Goat Handspun
1 ball of unknown multi-green yarn
3/4 ball of Noro Iro

Of course, there is more yarn, but it is listed for sale/swap on Ravelry:
6 balls of Rowan Calmer in Kiwi
2 balls of Berroco Comfort
2.5 balls of Katia Celian
2 balls of Bemidji Wool

Even if I manage to unload the remaining unwanted yarn, what remains still feels like a burden.

The State of the Snickers Address

2008-01-29T19:13:00.000-05:00

Thanks in no small part to an economic stimulus package, the state of Snickers is a good one.

After numerous vet visits and consultations, she spent two full days with her regular vet who managed to reset the hip while Snickers was sedated. However, there was still the issue of the blown ligaments in the knee, and only knee surgery or amputation could fix that.

Neither of us were keen on amputation, so we sort of ignored the situation, and it paid off! Within three weeks, she appeared to be putting more weight on the leg and limping less. Joe did not notice a difference until she treated him to a special late-night spree of rambunctious galloping through the apartment.

She is getting around quite well, and she still pleads to go outside. I am considering a kitty harness and leash to give her a taste of the outdoors. While she will never sit in full Sphinx pose again, that jutting leg is kind of cute!

Thank you all for your generosity and support!

Got The Knack!

2008-01-28T14:27:00.000-05:00

A package arrived at work today addressed to me -- that was for me.

While this sounds strange to say, one typically does not expect to receive personal mail at their place of employ. I did not recognize the originating company, but I assumed it was a package catering to some channel of our business. I assumed wrong.

In fact, the package was from the darling Rona, and it contained various bath goodies and a much beloved Bloc Rhodia No 08. Rona and I share a particular weakness for both pens and paper. We agree that they possess magical and powerful healing properties. Thank you, Rona!

'Tis the "state of the..." season, and I owe everyone a State of the Snickers Address. Stay tuned. The outlook is more promising than what we are bound to hear tonight.

Preview

2008-01-24T10:14:00.000-05:00

With the end of freezing temperatures nowhere in sight, I was particularly pleased to find a link to the IK Spring Preview at Rose-Kim Knits.

The Holly Jacket (left) reminds me very much of the belted tweedy cardigan Winter 2007 Vogue Knitting (right), which reminded me very much of ChicKnits Beryl. I am not suggesting anything untoward; I know all about magazine publishing lead times.

Beryl is my favorite, but I am drawn the sleeves on the Holly Jacket. As I have yet to set-in Beryl’s sleeves, perhaps I should reknit them to the specifications of the Holly Jacket.

While I am hatching grand and delusional knitting plans, I must say that this issue a very strong issue for inspiring knitting dreams. I do not think there is a dud in the bunch, although some styles spoke to me more strongly than others. From those, I culled the list to highlight those that would both flatter my figure and convey my personal style.

The Auburn Camp Shirt is surprisingly sweet and feminine, and it is a definite consideration. I particularly like the look of the wide seeded ribbing.

Mary Jane Muckelstone's Banded Peasant Blouse conjures up images of a young and sexy Sophia Loren sporting bare feet and a peasant blouse. I had been considering the use of belts to play up my waist, and this knit would be perfect for that. Without the belt, it is far too blousey for my figure and my style.

The Aleita Shell will be added to my Ravelry queue post-haste, and Kat Coyle's Linen Trumpet skirt may well get me to the gym post-haste.

The absolute standout for me is the Mirabella Cardigan. The detail and the shaping at the waist makes me want to cry. In a good way. All of those buttons make me want to cry. In a bad way.

Which styles will be added to your project queue?

City Lights

2008-01-22T14:27:00.000-05:00

As my silence may indicate, I am suffering from a distinct lack of blogging material. Which is not to say that all is as it should be or that nothing is happening. In fact, there is quite a good deal happening, but it is largely happening in my head.

Personal matters, self-reflection, introspection and jumbled thoughts do not make for good blog fodder. As I read this, it all sounds a bit too cryptic and rather worrisome, but I assure you there is no cause for concern.
Quite simply, I need to make some changes to be true to myself. Work and geography are getting me down. The full power of my love for Joe is not enough to change one simple fact: I love a city!

This is my motivational soundtrack:

If you cannot stand to watch, lyrics are here.

The little old lady sat on the porch of the farm-house.
The little old lady rocked back and forth and crocheted.
"Oh, listen to the cricket, look at the rooster, smell the hay," I told her.
"And see the pretty little egg that the hen just laid."
The little old lady took off her glasses and squinted.
And how she responded literally had me floored.
She said: "I'm glad to meet someone who appreciates
the beauty that nature initiates.
It's sweet to hear, but me, my dear, I'm truly bored.
I miss those city lights, those sparkling city lights,
those twinkling city lights blurring my eyes.
I love those city lights, the color of city sights
that shine under city lights tinting the skies.
New mown hay gives me hay fever.
There's the rooster, where's my cleaver?
So laid back, my mind might crack,
and when the thresher's up my pressure's up.
City lights, oh, I long for those city lights,
the bulbs of those beaming brights beckoning me there.
Be there.
Take the crickets and go shove 'em,
urban crises, how I love 'em!
Grime and grit and pretty city lights.
Walking lanes to pick a daisy,
that could drive a person crazy.
Home-made bread lies here like lead,
and Polly's peach preserves--
oh, please, my nerves!
City lights, how I long for those city lights,
the bulbs of those beaming brights beckoning me there.
Be there.
Sties and stables sure are smelly,
let me sniff some Kosher deli,
brightly lit by pretty city lights.
Pluck your lillies of the valley,
let me sally up some alley
dimly lit by pretty city lights.
Country air means zilch to me,
I won't breathe nothing I can't see.
So let me quit and hit those pretty city lights.
Hit them city lights!
Love them city lights!
Fairs and socials ain't no pluses,
I saw more on cross-town buses
brightly lit by pretty city lights.
Hold that udder and churn that butter,
me, I'd rather shoot some gutter
dimly lit by pretty city lights.
Slop those sows, go on and fill your pails,
Honey, just let me plant my buns down in Bloomingdale's.
Yes, let me quit and hit those pretty city lights.
Love them city lights!

Back From The Bowels

2008-01-16T23:44:00.000-05:00

Quite literally. A nasty stomach virus knocked me out of commission early Monday -- 3:41am to be precise. Why do I always note the time when I awake at an unusual hour and/or in an unusual manner?

Stephanie's "as goes the (New Year's) day, so goes the year" statement is haunting me. I ushered in 2008 way under the weather, and I have yet to make a full recovery. Can I clean the slate and re-celebrate New Year's Eve on January 31st?

It is been all books and no yarn with me lately.

If you watch BBC America, you may be familiar with Dr. Gillian McKeith and You Are What You Eat. Her focus is simple: eat a nourishing, organic and largely vegetable-centered diet. The section on the physical manifestations of mineral deficiencies is interesting. I am pondering a raw food diet come spring. Winter requires warming foods, but spring is detox season -- perfect for going raw for a limited time.

Skip Hip Tranquil Chick if you are searching for a yoga reference book -- do these three poses to relieve insomnia -- as this is more about approaching life with the same intent as yoga practice. It is motivating. Last week, I applied for a job, I took four yoga classes and I "sat" for two Yoga Nidra (Yogic Sleep) sessions. Today, I took action on a some languishing investments.

Just call me Hip Tranquil Sick Chick Raring to Go Raw.

A Mission

2008-01-05T16:05:00.000-05:00

How nice to have allies this year as I purge the unsavory remains of my stash. Jen and Claudia are hosting an "along" for 2008 that is right up my alley: Mission Possible 2008.

Shortly before the New Year, I took advantage of 10-cent listings on eBay, ridding myself of the following:
10 balls of Tahki Linguinie - no project planned
6 balls of Lang Viva - Cabaret Raglan
6 balls of LB (original) Cotton Ease - Cabaret Raglan second contender
6 balls of Jaegar Albany - Arctic Circle
6 mangled balls of Louisa Harding Fauve - Coachella survivors

My surviving stash is largely bags of yarn without a project and one-skein orphans.
SALVAGED YARN
880 yards Cascade 220, #8400 Charcoal Gray //Tubey
Minimalist Cardigan (body), IK Fall 2007

450 yards Bemidji's Original Homespun Oxford Grey //Retro Redux Shrug
Minimalist Cardigan (front piece), IK Fall 2007

540 yards Classic Elite Classic Silk, #6950 Buttery Yellow //Molly Ringwald
reknit Molly Ringwald

700 yards Rowan Calmer, #462 Chiffon (lilac) //Ribby Shell
Lorelei, Yarn Play

875 yards Rowan Calmer, #464 Laurel (green) //Elspeth then CeCe
no project planned

558 yards YarnArt Jeans, #JN-21 (pinky peach) //Rebecca #33 Sweater w/ Frills
no project planned

368 yards Rowan Handknit Cotton DK, #254 Flame //Sizzle
no project planned

YARN
2 balls (420 yards) of Berocco Comfort, #9730 Teaberry
Lorelei, Yarn Play

2 hanks (956 yards) of Cascade Eco+, #0958 Cinnamon
Cozy V Neck Pullover, Fitted Knits

6 balls (654 yards) and 981 yards frogged Jakobsdals Bahamas, terracotta
no project planned

8 balls (1108 yards) Diakeito Diacouture Silklame, #QL909 Dark Olive
Chocolate Creme Square Neck Top, Knitting Lingerie Style

10 balls (792 yards) Muench String of Pearls, #18 Olive
Farrow Rib Cardigan, IK Winter 2007

10 balls Rowan Silk Wool DK, #307 Velvet (purple)
no project planned

10 balls Classic Elite Wool Bam Boo, #1605 (lilac)
no project planned

10 balls Jaeger Matchmaker Merino 4 Ply, #714 Moss
no project planned

20 balls (1980 yards) Filatura di Crosa Elena, #17 Copper
Corset Pullover, IK Spring 2003

ONE SKEINS only one project planned
1 ball (220 yards) Cascade 220 Superwash, #824 Yellow
1 ball (98 yards) Karabella Aurora 8, #705 Heathered Pumpkin
1 ball (1460 yards) Prism Lace Wool, ?
1 ball (560 yards) Schaefer Yarn Anne, ? - Montego Bay Scarf
1 ball (93 yards) Katia Celian, #85855 Muted Sage
1 ball (93 yards) Katia Celian, #5869 Muted Peach
1 hank (55 yards) Year of the Goat Handspun Merino/Alpaca, Banana Split
1 ball (? yardage) multi-colored green mystery yarn
1 ball (100 yards) Great Adirondack Yarn Co. Sequins, Paprika

Calorimetry Complete!

2008-01-05T11:39:00.000-05:00

It is Friday, and I have my first Finished Object of 2008. No, it is not Beryl. Those damned sleeves!

Calorimetry
Knitty Winter 2006
1 ball Reynolds Odyssey (salvaged from Mary Jane's ~~Painful Purse Stitch~~Pithy Hat)
#7 US Denise Needle
01/03/2008-01/05/2008

I ran out of yarn, so I ripped back a two rows and cast off. In spite of that, I think I could have 10 rows less and the result would have been a perfect width for my head while still covering my ears.

Similarly, I could have knit this on a #6 needle for a tighter fit around my head. Given the shitty knitting year I had in 2007, I am pleased that I was able to complete something. Finally!

Ring, Rang, (W)Rung

2008-01-02T11:46:00.000-05:00

The New Year has me wrung out. Allergies, hives, asthma, a sinus headache, PMS and a migraine all showed up in force for the New Year's Eve celebration.

By 12:01am, I was in bed and slept until 3:32pm, awakened by the roar of my stomach. The day consisted of some benign and forgettable food, several naps and as much of the America's Next Top Model Marathon as my migraine would allow.

I managed to convince myself that I was due back to work January 3rd. Alas, I was due back today. Given my migraine "hangover", anything beyond sipping tea in my nightie and napping is out of the question. Thus, January 2nd is my first official sick day of the new year. I do not waste time!

As for cleaning my knitting slate, Beryl is still sleeveless, but I am determined to do them myself. I ripped out the Montego Bay Scarf because I wanted more drape. If knitting the Schaefer Anne on #8 needles doesn't produce the desired drape, I may consider the Handmaiden Sea Silk (or something comparable fiberwise).

Six Hours

2007-12-31T17:55:00.001-05:00

With a mere six hours to go before I celebrate the start of a New Year, I cannot express how profoundly blessed I feel for my life.

The Travel Channel is running coverage of New Year's Eve celebrations around the world, as well as a Anthony Bourdain No Reservations marathon. Finally, I watched the episode I had twice avoided -- No Reservations: Beirut.

If you have seen that episode, I do not need to tell you how compelling it was. Nor do I need to tell you why I found it particularly touching today -- as the world slowly turns into a new year. Let us hope and work towards a good one...

Happy New Year!

A Needle-ing Feeling

2007-12-30T22:02:00.000-05:00

Sharyn and I met at Yarn Central today for the purpose of "getting our knit on". I manhandled Beryl for 10 minutes before switching to the Montego Bay Scarf.

With roughly 1/2 of the yarn "cake" used, Montego is measuringa mere 35.5" inches, and the fabric is more "sproingy". As I am knitting with Schaefer Anne, I would expect a slightly different drape than the original.

Ravely revealed others who had substituted a variety of yarns, including Anne. However, the subbers used a size 8 needle (as per the pattern!) versus my size 6. The resulting fabric is far more drapey and airy than mine.

That feeling. Those voices. I am going to knit a few repeats with a larger needle to see if I prefer it. If so, I suppose this could be my final "frog" of 2007.

Beryl Button Dilemma

2007-12-29T12:20:00.000-05:00

Buying buttons without a garment is like buying a hat without a head is a popular saying at my local yarn store. After purchasing four "perfect" buttons for Beryl there, I discovered (in the big black knitting bag, naturally) five vintage yellow buttons that might be perfect for Beryl as well.

Upon closer inspection, the vintage buttons are too big for Beryl's buttonholes, and I am not re-knitting that button band again. Also, two of the buttons are faded, and the inconsistency would drive me b-o-n-k-e-r-s. I am almost convinced that the texture of the buttons compete with, rather than complement, the texture of the seed stitch.

Top button it is!

The sleeves are not yet set into the garment, and I am having a devil of a time of jiggering the fit that handing it over to a professional finisher is most tempting! Is paying another to help you finish illegal in Clean Slate by 2008?

Spoils

2007-12-28T01:09:00.000-05:00

Yesterday started on a low note. My plans with Nancy fell through as neither of us were feeling well. My knitting group had decided not meet, and my plans for yoga were squashed. The high note was being home to receive my UPS delivery from Nancy...

It is not what you think.

I wouldn't dream of letting you do this job.

Prior to Christmas, the darling Tan ya had sent me two mixed ~~tapes~~CDs and a hunk of Malabrigo Lace in a pretty color (deep pink, purple, green and yellow are present) for which I am unable to find the name. If my knitting pace on the Montego Bay Scarf (which doesn't count in the Clean Slate by 2008, by the way) is any indication, this Malabrigo may find life on my knitting needles in 2010.

Are You Kidding Me?

2007-12-27T10:09:00.000-05:00

Once I dated a man who too often said that if it weren't for bad luck, he'd have no luck at all. What an optimist! Generally, I am a lucky person, however, I am not feeling lucky today.

The much-anticipated and long-awaited Annual Dark Lady Christmas Break Bonanza with Nancy was cancelled due to that lovely combination of soupy eyes, burning sinuses and heavy, feathery lungs that started brewing yesterday in Pittsburgh.

As for the knitting that I brought to Pittsburgh... As usual, my mental knitting far outpaces my actual knitting. I had packed the enormous black knitting bag (the one that keeps spontaneously generating projects) filled with with various yarns, knitting magazines, and knitting needles for nothing.

I worked on the Montego Bay Scarf from Interweave Knits Summer 2007, and I have not made much progress in spite of the easy pattern and several hours of knitting time.

The yarn is Anne from the Schaefer Yarn Company, and the color is either Emily Dickinson or Minnie Pearl. Which makes me giggle. For many reasons.

Pre-Trip Panic

2007-12-22T19:19:00.000-05:00

In roughly 12 hours, Joe and I will embark on a nine-hour drive to Pittsburgh, and I do not have a knitting project for the trip.

This Joke Isn't Funny Anymore

2007-12-18T11:19:00.000-05:00

While I love to laugh, most comedy films leave me cold. Groundhog Day is one of my favorite comedies, and it is the scene with Ned Ryerson that gets me every time. Watch out! That first step's a doozy...

Let me just say that I suffered quite a doozy last night. First, I quickly learned that ripping out a garment knitted with one row of stripping in three different colors is quite the hellish project. Later as I was gathering the Bella oddballs from the bowels of my big knitting bag, I discovered...Frilly Milly!

Sweet Christmas Fruitcakes! Will there be no end to these excavations? No sooner do I wipe one project from the slate than another one appears. I do not have Starteritis. I have Project Dementia.

The process of ripping Bella proved to be too arduous for one evening's work, so I neatened the armholes of the long-neglected Tank with 3D Crochet Embellishments. This baby is finished. All embellishments will be bought or scrounged from my current brooch stash. There will be no 3D crochet of embellishments. The tank and I are done. Done.

My Clean Slate by 2008 status is coming along.
~~Basic Camisole~~ Completed 12/15/2007.
~~Bella~~ Partially ripped 12/17/2007.
Beryl Seam sleeves. Set in sleeves. Sew on buttons.
Frilly Milly
~~Mary Jane's Pithy Hat~~ Ripped 11/09/2007.
~~Point 5 SuperBulky Scarf~~ Completed 11/05/2007.
~~Tank with 3D Crochet Embellishments~~ Neatened armholes 12/17/2007.
~~Tubey~~ Ripped 12/15/2007.

Beleaguered Bella

2007-12-17T12:05:00.000-05:00

If there is one thing that is sure to make Joe and I quarrel, it is my insistence that he give me an opinion about my knitting projects. You think I would have learned after he "wasn't grabbed" by Weekend, but I have to make the same mistake several times before I learn.

Last evening, I asked Joe for his opinion on Bella. Rather than addressing the issue (Does this convey my personal style and flatter my figure?), he addressed the fact that the shoulder seam colors did not match and that there was a strange "blip" in the knitting -- right between my breast. Funny that he'd notice...

Bella is not being shown to her best, I know, but I am having serious reservations about this one. I know I was nearly mad with desire to knit Bella last year, but I have the niggling feeling that I have misjudged.

The fact that I feel as if I am wearing a knitted wool cervical collar is easily fixed. However, there is something about this particular garment that makes me feel like a dowdy clown. Is it the striping? Could it be the lack of neckline?

What do you think, is Bella a pass or a pardon?

Cleaning The Slate

2007-12-15T19:18:00.000-05:00

Beryl accompanied me to work several days last week, however, she is far from completed. The sleeves must be seamed and set in, and seaming is so tedious to me. As Beryl languishes, Tubey perishes. After months of second-guessing my color selection (charcoal) as a tad too harsh against my skin, I pulled the plug on Tubey. The color would be better suited to a cardigan, not a pullover.

Alas, there is some good news!
Basic Camisole, Knitting Lingerie Style
August 3, 2007 - December 15, 2007

yarn
Katia Ceilan #5869 (muted peach) 5-1/2 balls
Katia Ceilan #5855 (muted sage) 1/2 balls

needles
#6 camisole
#4 camisole waist shaping
#10 collar

This simple project is a testament to my laziness as a finisher. Finishing the armholes and sewing on the collar turned out to be a three-month exercise in avoidance.

Actually, the armholes was a breeze, but the collar was another matter. I agonized over the appropriate stitch, and Tanya suggested I whip-stitch it. Whatever stitch I did, it is anything but pretty on the inside. In fact, I would call call it sloppy on the inside -- the opposite of Courtney Love, no? Wearing it will be the test.

The Clean Slate by 2008 stats are improving:
~~Basic Camisole~~ Completed 12/15/2007.
Bella Seam sides.
Beryl Seam and set in sleeves. Sew on buttons.
~~Mary Jane's Pithy Hat~~ Ripped 11/09/2007.
~~Point 5 SuperBulky Scarf~~ Completed 11/05/2007.
Tank with 3D Crochet Embellishments Crochet border on neckline and armholes.
~~Tubey~~ Ripped 12/15/2007.

Ray of Light

2007-12-10T09:34:00.001-05:00

Look who came to work with me today.

Beryl!

Should I Be Worried?

2007-12-06T14:51:00.000-05:00

I did not, nor did I have the desire to, knit in Pittsburgh.
I did not, nor did I have the desire to, visit a yarn store in Pittsburgh.
I have not, nor have I had the desire to, knit since my return.
I have not, nor have I had the desire to, visit a yarn store since my return.

I am thinking about skipping my Knitting Group tonight.

Planes Trains & Automobiles

2007-12-05T16:30:00.000-05:00

In spite of the crappy weather in Pittsburgh, New York City and the Hinterlands, my flight Sunday went off without a hitch. Joe was concerned about driving to LaGuardia, so I decided to run the transportation gauntlet from Queens to Manhattan to the Hudson Valley.

My flight arrived 27 minutes early, and as I contemplated the formidable taxi queue, the Q33 bus arrived. The math was simple. No wait + $2.50 fare = Hell yes.
From the bus, I connected to the 7 subway with a mere 2 minute wait.

The 7's first stop in Manhattan is Grand Central Station, and I was standing at the Metro-North ticket vending machine with 7 minutes to spare before the 11:48 train departed. Two sets of buffoons (one set of which cut in front of me but my Spanish is nowhere good enough to have cursed them properly) were unable to work the machines properly, and time was ticking away.

If I failed to catch the 11:48, it would be a full hour's wait for the next train. Hell no. Thankfully, Buffoon Set #2 gave up, and I secured a ticket and a seat on the train with 2 minutes to spare.

My time in Pittsburgh was delightful. My Internet-free visit was wonderful. I am dreading the 521 blog posts that accumulated during my time away. What did I do in the Steel City? I read, I took yoga classes, I walked. I did not knit. Not a stitch.

In December

2007-11-19T21:25:00.000-05:00

Sure, sure... the song is See You in September, but that is not the tune I am singing. In twelve hours, I will be flying to Pennsylvania for Thanksgiving -- and then some. My return flight is December 2nd.

Beryl is joining me, and I am keen to sew on the buttons and finish the neckline at the airport and during the flight. Setting in the sleeves and seaming the sleeves is probably best saved for the kitchen table.

Believe it or not, but I did not pack any other outstanding projects, and I am kicking myself. I will have nothing but time. You see, my parents do not have internet access, which does not seem entirely bizarre until you factor in the lack of answering machine and ATM card. Can you envision me wearing a white bonnet, reading by candlelight and darning socks while listening to the radio?

See you in December...

2 Forgotten and 8 Random

2007-11-18T22:22:00.000-05:00

When Tanya mentioned her Basic Camisole I suddenly remembered my two unfinished projects from Knitting Lingerie Style -- stuffed in the trunk of my car!

Thus, the progress made by finishing the Point 5 Super Bulky Scarf and by ripping Mary Jane's Pithy Hat has been negated by the discovery of the Tank with 3D Crochet Embellishments and the Basic Camisole. The tank needs a bit of crochet around the armholes and neckline for a more polished look. I am two armholes and one sewn on collar away from finishing the Basic Camisole.

Just as I had forgotten about a few knitting projects, I also forgot to mention Blogging without Obligation. I had stumbled across this whilst reading Purls & Murmurs, and it was perfectly fitting. Be it overwhelming malaise or overwhelming holidays, we should not feel an obligation to blog daily. Who needs that kind of pressure?

While she fully respects my right to blog without obligation Materfamilias Knits tagged me to list 8 random things about myself. As a new-to-me blogger, she is too fun and interesting to deny.

I am allergic to turkey, to dogs and to Macrobid.
I consider a stomach virus a great diet jump-start.
My dinner the night before my most recent cholesterol test was sausage and cheese.
I eat pizza with a knife and fork -- crust first.
My ear canals are narrow.
One of my toes has a beauty mark and is known as Cindy Crawford Toe.

Ready to Runway

2007-11-14T17:07:00.000-05:00

Remember how the entire world waited an entire summer of reruns and so-so programming to find out who shot J.R. Ewing? Similarly, I have waited, maybe with slightly less anticipation, for the new season of Project Runway. Truthfully, I would like to see more design process and less designer drama.

My superficial pursuits are not limited to the television. I have been doing my fair share of light reading as well. Apparently, Victoria Beckham's treatise on style That Extra Half an Inch is a "smash UK bestseller". This could be the seventh sign, or just further proof of the further decline of the British Empire and possibly Western Civilization.

Visually, the book is too distracting for me to read with any great concentration. There are tons of photos, extra-large fonts for call-outs and a meager 10 point Times Roman typeface for the bulk of the text.
Break out the readers and save your receipt!

With every sentence of Neeeeenah Garceeeeeah's Little Black Book of Style, I am able to visualize the petite pepper perched on her PR judging chair. There is the ubiquitous chapter on dressing for various occasions. While this might be new news for a 20-year old, I hope most of us know appropriate wedding or funeral attire from the inappropriate. Perhaps not.

One thing that Garcia emphasizes a bit more strongly than other books of this type is how to find inspiration. She cites several examples of how style is influenced by film, art, music and travel, and her suggestion of creating a character and costuming that character is a great exercise for defining personal style.

While I am enjoying the book, it might not be a keeper. If I thought I could borrow a copy with ease, I would do so. However, within the vast Mid-Hudson Library System there is but one copy of this book. I imagine that the 53 stylish women peppered throughout the five counties are profoundly perplexed to discover that the wait for this book is so long. They are wondering, "Could there really be that many of us in the Putnam - Orange - Dutchess - Greene - Columbia County area interested in fashion?".

You would not know it, judging from the offerings at the local shops.

Bad Block

2007-11-13T22:34:00.000-05:00

My grand plans of finishing Beryl's sleeves over the weekend in order to have the seaming and button bands completed by Thursday went awry. Frankly, I had little inclination to knit since last Thursday. While I carried my knitting to and from work Friday, I left it sitting in my car over the weekend.

The good news is that I finished knitting the sleeves, and I have laid Beryl out to block. The bad news is that I have laid Beryl out to block.

This is my first experience with superwash wool (Cascade 200 Superwash), and after a quick dunk in a Eucalan bath, Beryl felt like a wiggly pile of tripe. At the moment, Beryl is horribly wonky and horribly oversized. Should I throw the pieces into the dryer rather than allow them to dry flat? Will the dryer restore the "beef" to this now-soggy superwash wool?

I absolutely adore this pattern, and I absolutely cannot bear a oversized failure.

A Sleeve Grows in Poughkeepsie

2007-11-09T10:44:00.000-05:00

Admittedly, my title is not quite as poetic as the original novel (which I am ashamed to admit I have not read), but it inspires a near-Nobel Prize winning glee within me. After ignoring Beryl for two weeks, I finally rekindled our friendship.

I started well with the body of Beryl, but I had stalled at the sleeves. My stall was not the general sleeve dread that seems to effect so many knitters. Rather, mine was a combination of things. Firstly, I knit the bulk of Beryl's body during my tenure as post-operative "nurse" to Alyssa. Between knitting time on the train and nursing an undemanding patient -- who also knits -- I finished the body in record time.

Then there was the bleakness. The seeping miasma of my work life casting a soul-sucking net around me from which I have finally (somewhat) broken free. It is a challenge to knit when you feel as if you are bound and near to hyperventilating.

Alas, my love of (superwash) wool has returned, and I devoted myself to the task of sleeve progress at last night's knitting circle. I have only to finish the sleeve cap shaping, and I can move on to the blocking and seaming.

Clean Slate Out of the Gate

2007-11-05T23:05:00.000-05:00

Determined to start strong, I vowed to knit a few rows of something this evening. I struck upon a brilliant plan, which required digging in, under and around my desk at the office to find the bag with the long-abandoned Point 5 SuperBulky Scarf.

I remembered that I did not have much to knit to finish the scarf, which made it the perfect knitting project for tonight. Simple and destined to be the first item wiped from the Slate before 2008.

Tucked inside the bag with the Point 5 SuperBulky Scarf was a finished Chic Knits H2o Hat. Voilá! A finished set!

Chic Knits Point 5 SuperBulky Scarf
1 hank of Colinette Point 5, Castagna
#17 US Brittany Double Point Needles
April 6, 2006 - November 5, 2007

Let's review my Clean Slate 2008 projects:
~~Point 5 SuperBulky Scarf~~ Completed 11/05/2007
Tubey
Bella
~~Mary Jane's~~ Pithy Hat Purse stitch bites. Ripping probable.
Beryl

Lest you think I am being smug, I am not. My list and type of projects to finish before 2008 is child's play compared to most. However, a classic Gemini, I often start strong only to lose interest too quickly. My challenge will be to focus my efforts over the next two months to avoid bleeding from the eyes and fingers at 11:57pm December 31st.

Gray and Yellow

2007-10-26T16:04:00.000-04:00

My fashion industry days may be far behind me, but I am still au currant enough to know that gray and yellow is a stunning combination. Yellow compliments and wakes up gray without being overly bold. Yellow perks up the gray day. Yellow put a small dent in my gray mood.

But yellow looks best with one gray tortoise shell kitty.

Prior to injuring her leg, our bed was off limits to Snickers. Last week, she started slinking her way onto the bed during the night, and neither Joe nor I could bear to make her scoot considering the monumental effort it must have taken with a lame leg. Now, as you can see, our bed is her bed. Not even the knitting, the fussing or the camera could rouse her from this afternoon snoozing spot.

In spite of days of neglect, Beryl has proven to be one of my faster-moving projects. There is still a fair amount of work to be done -- two sleeves, seaming, seed stitch collar, seed stitch button bands, not to mention finding the perfect buttons.

Post-Op Update

2007-10-20T15:05:00.000-04:00

I may not be the most sympathetic person, but I am surprisingly empathetic. I barely slept Thursday evening, worried about Alyssa's surgery. Alyssa, on the other hand, slept like a rock.

Her surgeon was touted as one of the most thorough, but one still worries about patient volume and surgical error. It never hurts to communicate clearly with the surgeon and the surgical staff.

Alyssa's surgery took longer than expected, which gave me ample knitting time.

I could have progressed further, but I ran a few errands while Alyssa was under the knife. And when I was sitting at the hospital, there were times when I was just too distracted, too tired or too achey to knit steadily.

My trip to The Point for buttons for Beryl and possibly some yarn for Annie Modesitt's Pinup Queen, was a disappointment. I have had a store credit there for ages, and I never seem to find what I need.