tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73626552024-03-23T11:21:08.256-07:00Yo La TejoNotes on knitting, school, and random stuffUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger184125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7362655.post-80187261114017342862008-02-09T12:44:00.000-08:002008-02-09T13:17:50.778-08:00FO: Back to School U-Neck VestBe careful what you wish for:<br /><br />I've been fighting off the snifflies for about three weeks now, and just the other day, I said to my friend, You know, I'm tired of being vaguely sick. I need to either get sick for real, or really get better. Guess which wish the genie gave me? <br /><br />Yesterday it was all I could do to hold myself upright on the futon, and I was only able to watch two episodes of <span style="font-style:italic;">Alias </span>(separately, in small doses). Today, I feel much better, enough to work my way through two episodes of <span style="font-style:italic;">The L Word</span> (consecutively), and blog this much-delayed FO:<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />Back to School U-Neck Vest</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2117/2218936906_5d899b4a0a.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2117/2218936906_5d899b4a0a.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2032/2218936976_71e5ccb096.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2032/2218936976_71e5ccb096.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Specs<br /><br />Pattern: Back to School U-Neck Vest, <span style="font-style:italic;">Fitted Knits</span> by Stefanie Japel<br />Yarn: Cascade 220, 2.5 skeins<br />Needles: 7 and 5 <br /><br />Notes: I left the bottom garter band off, because I'm just not down with all of the garter bands that Stefanie likes to throw on her designs. I like Greek architecture, but do I want to look like a Doric pillar? In the same spirit, I knit fewer rows onto the armbands, but left the neckband as written in the pattern. If you're planning to knit this, also take note of some comments I made in my last <a href="http://yolatejo.blogspot.com/2008/01/espadrilles-or-wedges.html">post</a> about the <a href="http://www.glampyre.com/fitted-knits-errata/">errata</a>.<br /><br />It took me quite a while to finish this (let's just say that this "back to school vest" was an appropriate name for this knit), but mostly because y'all know how ribbing goes. I really enjoyed wearing it the other day, and see myself getting quite a bit of use out of it before it starts to warm up around here. <br /><br />And that's all she wrote! Looks like a nap is next on the agenda...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7362655.post-54237916296057767052008-01-22T07:31:00.000-08:002008-12-09T09:51:54.422-08:00The espadrilles, or the wedges?Do you all know that cell phone commercial, where a couple is out shopping, and the girl asks her guy--"what do you think? the hoops or the danglies?" "the espadrilles or the wedges?" And no matter what the poor guy says, he never gets it right. "the danglies???" "I think the hoops!" (Of course, he finally wins in the end with the phone he really wants.)<br /><br />I feel a bit like that girl, with my hank of Fleece Artist Blue Faced Leicester DK: "Do you think the Clapotis, or entrelac?" "Socks, or a cowl?" Thanks to everyone who left helpful suggestions; I think I may have responded to each one with a different whim. First I was sold on the entrelac, based on all the fun everyone else seemed to have with it, but <a href="http://nepenthe.blog-city.com/">Meg </a>thought that the variegated yarn might not do so well as, say, Noro, with it's longer color repeats. Now, I'm back to thinking Clapotis, not because I think it'll be a fun knit, really, but because I really want a yummy scarf, and I want to use all of the yarn, without any left over (there's a generous 500 yards in this hank, approximately).<br /><br />In the meanwhile, while I dither away, here's a better picture of that fine woollyness:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0IlwfwNSnocKpbvQLKzM716XJ8ZFNaLe6aYGVwUr8CiriPb86Yv9p2PTBkf-A9oeEs9wNo8mB3Wsox4iOMXLGmVdcqDoA1RicZQYLJGMPoUdbfM6oePB0KDss-oJwbhF2K0Zg8A/s1600-h/DSC04080.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0IlwfwNSnocKpbvQLKzM716XJ8ZFNaLe6aYGVwUr8CiriPb86Yv9p2PTBkf-A9oeEs9wNo8mB3Wsox4iOMXLGmVdcqDoA1RicZQYLJGMPoUdbfM6oePB0KDss-oJwbhF2K0Zg8A/s320/DSC04080.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5158334852580472754" /></a><br /><br />In the almost-finished-object department, I'm finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel on the Back to School U-Neck Vest! Just two armholes to finish, and ends to weave in:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgINZIpKgkEjd99bGQSXG87zuyAadZY1AMbfUQxko-KFlRhbofTMiCCdCE0y5_tye7hwhrEWh63f4NuGlziDM7s48Zpr6kBHiALd7c-9xyurBEbOWwASwr3ZxUKE3R1fouorQaYbg/s1600-h/DSC04079.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgINZIpKgkEjd99bGQSXG87zuyAadZY1AMbfUQxko-KFlRhbofTMiCCdCE0y5_tye7hwhrEWh63f4NuGlziDM7s48Zpr6kBHiALd7c-9xyurBEbOWwASwr3ZxUKE3R1fouorQaYbg/s320/DSC04079.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5158334843990538146" /></a><br /><br />I had to rip out the back because I didn't do the decreases right--they're once at each end, while I did them as for the front, at every other end. If anyone is thinking of knitting this, be sure to check the <a href="http://www.glampyre.com/fitted-knits-errata/">errata</a>, but also look at the Ravelry discussion boards, if you're on there. The pattern is sprinkled with mistakes, and when you get to the part about decreasing for the back, the numbers don't add up and they aren't corrected on the errata. It's OK, though, because you can just do an extra decrease or less here to make the number of stitches fit what the book calls for. <br /><br />Got something else cooking too. Next up on the needles is a project that a friend asked for--a guitar strap. I took him to <a href="http://www.gaugeknit.com/">Gauge </a>over the weekend to pick out the yarn, and give him a lot of credit for not doubling right back out. You see, Gauge has become my Cheers, where everybody knows my name, and since I haven't been there in over a month, it was all about squeeing and catching up and showing off my in-progress Malabrigo <a href="http://www.knitandtonic.typepad.com/EasyFlameLaceScarf.pdf">Easy Flame Lace Scarf<br /></a>:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2DcOf1668bBV2lq22b3yjz-wM2NdlBCI8KyeoB_NFVbmVLw9wESzCaNoKHBqbJqEYuTby5Ig8_KEPZ0kz_6EY295hX2jGUMpv1fsLGxV_j6clY3KUgOp216284V7GMcJ0USDx8g/s1600-h/DSC04082.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2DcOf1668bBV2lq22b3yjz-wM2NdlBCI8KyeoB_NFVbmVLw9wESzCaNoKHBqbJqEYuTby5Ig8_KEPZ0kz_6EY295hX2jGUMpv1fsLGxV_j6clY3KUgOp216284V7GMcJ0USDx8g/s320/DSC04082.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5158334861170407362" /></a><br /><br />We also walked in on Lisa Shobana Mason's signing for her new book, <a href="http://wild_deer.typepad.com/yarnplay/">Yarnplay at Home</a>. She was super nice, and had on the cutest grey felt skirt. <br /><br />Despite all the excitement, I managed to concentrate on the task at hand, and my friend and I picked out these colors, to reflect the colors of his favorite soccer team (Barcelona, I think?):<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHLi1eMtUJ7uRqLEfAVm9ImvpfDj6N6BO-UO3-rOXYmxXacNHTnA05H-3vYAmeeMT-Blc1BAwkqopx6kuiW5ppPB6XsE8txoPTwKmf1KG1T5HcwBUIBmPm3reiZcXAjV9cqOabKw/s1600-h/DSC04083.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHLi1eMtUJ7uRqLEfAVm9ImvpfDj6N6BO-UO3-rOXYmxXacNHTnA05H-3vYAmeeMT-Blc1BAwkqopx6kuiW5ppPB6XsE8txoPTwKmf1KG1T5HcwBUIBmPm3reiZcXAjV9cqOabKw/s320/DSC04083.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5158334865465374674" /></a><br /><br />I also may have walked out with a new skein of Malabrigo, for a hat and neckwarmer. More on that next time.<br /><br />I was thinking of swatching for the guitar strap a couple of different ways, one with a crochet stitch, and another with a knitted slip stitch, inspired by Anna Bell's <a href="http://autoscopia.com/amelia/archives/fashion_for_free/index.html">tweed stitch belt pattern. </a> The fabric should be firm and not stretch out too much. My gut tells me crochet, but I'm not too confident in my crocheting skills yet. Does anyone have any other ideas?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7362655.post-33096409648878720862008-01-01T16:53:00.000-08:002008-12-09T09:51:54.861-08:00A winter dispatch.Happy New Year!<br /><br />I was going to wait until I got back to Austin to post about my newest yarn purchase, because I forgot to bring my camera cord to Chicago for the holiday break. But I just couldn't wait, and opted to do violence to the beauty of this Fleece Artist Blue Faced Leicester DK by snapping a picture with my cell phone:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEOk-gQhoLTC_7XSf6NX1NTuMOXncQqiIx5AcO_Xas991MZ3BiKaLF5HphTQcp4CkZHaGHAYDcAGXGwOAMmQmQLGR1xAxBn5bM4KsQiiNT1a5dGWRA69PJtjr5ZevU3f8np2m5gg/s1600-h/fleece+artist+bfl.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEOk-gQhoLTC_7XSf6NX1NTuMOXncQqiIx5AcO_Xas991MZ3BiKaLF5HphTQcp4CkZHaGHAYDcAGXGwOAMmQmQLGR1xAxBn5bM4KsQiiNT1a5dGWRA69PJtjr5ZevU3f8np2m5gg/s320/fleece+artist+bfl.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5150677703280785282" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Ohhhh. The loveliest shades of pinks touched with a hint of brown. The colorway is "burgundy," but really, if you wanted to be poetic about it, it should have something about chocolates and cherries in the name. Yum!<br /><br />After a nice lunch of Indian food catching up with old friends from grad school (hi, Vim!) <a href="http://doggedknits.com/">Ashley </a>and I escaped from MLA madness on Saturday and had ourselves a little yarn excursion to <a href="http://www.loopyyarns.com/">Loopy</a>, on south State Street. I was going to take some sock yarn, but Ashley pressed this hank of BFL into my hands and declared that it was the best thing she'd ever knit with, or some such thing. Well, how do you walk away from yarn with <span style="font-style: italic;">that </span>kind of endorsement? It was the perfect way to spend some holiday money and treat myself for post-MLA exhaustion.<br /><br />So now the question is, what to knit? Ashley suggested a hat and some mittens. There is definitely serious yardage (metrage?): 450 meters. Other possibilities I found by combing through Ravelry: <br /><br />Clapotis (I haven't knit one yet. No, really.)<br />Cowl (perhaps ala Joelle Hoverson's in <span style="font-style:italic;">Last Minute Knitted Gifts</span>?)<br />Counterpane accessories pouch (from <span style="font-style:italic;">Handknit Holidays</span>)<br />Entrelac scarf<br />???<br /><br />Any other suggestions? What to do with this pretty, pretty yarn?<br /><br />In other news, I saw this at my local Target:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcC54nkk3HEscdaBKUJJNYjEGhvAXbsD412ZaVz4MGNyaVP2UEoMiPY6oez8qfq7Jj0FiFmkb3KEDnB4RC1cbeHqJYozUPfWWNsjoA1_n8fkdc5Gw6hw6cnoIdyY4bTpGgsDu6mA/s1600-h/ipod+sock.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcC54nkk3HEscdaBKUJJNYjEGhvAXbsD412ZaVz4MGNyaVP2UEoMiPY6oez8qfq7Jj0FiFmkb3KEDnB4RC1cbeHqJYozUPfWWNsjoA1_n8fkdc5Gw6hw6cnoIdyY4bTpGgsDu6mA/s320/ipod+sock.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5150677707575752594" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Thirty dollars for a set of six sock-type sleeves for the Ipod. <span style="font-style: italic;">Really</span>????Unknownnoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7362655.post-60926166367114014462007-12-04T15:45:00.000-08:002008-12-09T09:51:57.872-08:00No dissertation yet, but there's been some knitting.How can I account for my time? It's easier to answer that question from you guys, than if it were coming from my dissertation advisor. I'm taking a cue from <a href="http://aastrikke.blogspot.com/2007/11/pictures-start.html">Kate</a>, and posting my month and a half in pictures, because there is no possible way I could catch up otherwise.<br /><br />I finished my niece's sweater, (Judy's Grandmother's Baby Sweater, from <span style="font-style: italic;">Greetings from the Knit Cafe</span>) and made her a little bag. I used this <a href="http://happythings.typepad.com/happythings/2006/04/dsb_301_better_.html">tutorial </a>for the drawstring pouch.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgor1yRJD7zpaVzUEjdscAQX6VxdEu50VoMs67HME5dPHu2P10BbNV9G5xcUMdqSFiQOPjFJiapw_BIl0p81vBu17KbSwhm_aHSZbivZ0DmGLj08PjCTINKvN8bgjTCUuOdHNly9w/s1600-h/DSC03842.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgor1yRJD7zpaVzUEjdscAQX6VxdEu50VoMs67HME5dPHu2P10BbNV9G5xcUMdqSFiQOPjFJiapw_BIl0p81vBu17KbSwhm_aHSZbivZ0DmGLj08PjCTINKvN8bgjTCUuOdHNly9w/s320/DSC03842.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5140271991931180594" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhMjl7WPDeNCRNn1VZjdrvpFSm2QQxKUJXvSUMvT6Ao3Qpy7AvFTsEbu0XPGHqOmYQ33iv0GqaB5TGG6Yc8H8eKddYdcoADybYDzZAhSQC5vThQkjUpNmmq6TjxLXnMBUbBsAvwA/s1600-h/DSC03941.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhMjl7WPDeNCRNn1VZjdrvpFSm2QQxKUJXvSUMvT6Ao3Qpy7AvFTsEbu0XPGHqOmYQ33iv0GqaB5TGG6Yc8H8eKddYdcoADybYDzZAhSQC5vThQkjUpNmmq6TjxLXnMBUbBsAvwA/s320/DSC03941.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5140272357003400770" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Inspired by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/49923194@N00/1797003175/">this</a>, I dressed as Frida Kahlo in drag for the annual Dia de los Muertos parade; this year, they celebrated Frida's 100th birthday by calling for 100 costumed Fridas to lead the parade from the East Side to Congress Avenue. I had fun, but I discovered I make a damn ugly guy. Let's just say I enjoy being a girl.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwfGinxhD25qZ_NKhyXujBkMScpDYB0M2M6b64Zf2vvQ527JmhF8_e4BuBuSdFCG9TtPn4i6DSP64gkrugq1CzMK8i6E-DdVez-htCwOp-a4oWL1RQlnbpkeBXZXjUPigUUgcJJg/s1600-h/DSC03872.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwfGinxhD25qZ_NKhyXujBkMScpDYB0M2M6b64Zf2vvQ527JmhF8_e4BuBuSdFCG9TtPn4i6DSP64gkrugq1CzMK8i6E-DdVez-htCwOp-a4oWL1RQlnbpkeBXZXjUPigUUgcJJg/s320/DSC03872.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5140275840221877842" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I swapped socks with a couple of lovely women; <a href="http://radicalfemiknits.blogspot.com/">Femiknitter </a>sent me the <a href="http://knitty.com/ISSUEwinter06/PATTmonkey.html">Monkey</a>, and I sent <a href="http://librarian-in-training.blogspot.com/">Ariel </a>the Fancy Silk Sock. We must now knit the second sock, and given my current state of distraction, it may take me a while to have my second Monkey. Thanks to Femiknitter, though, for a beautiful first sock, and a new project bag that I love, love, love.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmzR53AOrFC7Vg4zH4WwPmjnw0GlGYot65olPjy-qjYVYhg7otDq3gHL2_TexVnYE0HyXMuq40BWay7r1toOWgkMGA4wMknFYpRx08HZodb3vtR5KrAAqb0fKCeESUg7cbw1dv6w/s1600-h/DSC03925.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmzR53AOrFC7Vg4zH4WwPmjnw0GlGYot65olPjy-qjYVYhg7otDq3gHL2_TexVnYE0HyXMuq40BWay7r1toOWgkMGA4wMknFYpRx08HZodb3vtR5KrAAqb0fKCeESUg7cbw1dv6w/s320/DSC03925.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5140275853106779746" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSAdfmJq9AFoLjYwulwmW3L8kVAifvzj4Utv34947HjHe6TqLk-FzIQZeeaBeVF0M5vr2KE6pEbSB7gHRz9UrmIwCoXNvftXWQPeLNWbOuzIid4QZWu9WRHpj01F8UprFSaH7VaA/s1600-h/DSC03930.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSAdfmJq9AFoLjYwulwmW3L8kVAifvzj4Utv34947HjHe6TqLk-FzIQZeeaBeVF0M5vr2KE6pEbSB7gHRz9UrmIwCoXNvftXWQPeLNWbOuzIid4QZWu9WRHpj01F8UprFSaH7VaA/s320/DSC03930.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5140279645562902258" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://amingledyarn.wordpress.com/">Elizabeth </a>came for a visit. We got stinking drunk on margaritas, passed out, and woke up covered in yarn. (Just kidding. She came for <a href="http://www.stitchaustin.com/">Stitch</a>, and we had a fantastic time and maybe had a couple of margaritas and did a little shopping.) She gave me this gorgeous handmade scarf.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTMFJSmpZtSpjc8D1gXEAo7KWd7GJ80xwMftG7AsQR6k3qXMHnzwdHpq-q-nTpzTE6M_AiPnaLAy5iF1Z8-g68jqpPLu6KItgQDzTlOF9Go4VWwz6wzn0JDQZRaDhSjvy6ul34Ow/s1600-h/DSC04018.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTMFJSmpZtSpjc8D1gXEAo7KWd7GJ80xwMftG7AsQR6k3qXMHnzwdHpq-q-nTpzTE6M_AiPnaLAy5iF1Z8-g68jqpPLu6KItgQDzTlOF9Go4VWwz6wzn0JDQZRaDhSjvy6ul34Ow/s320/DSC04018.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5140276742165010098" border="0" /></a><br /><br />In a fit of knitting ADD, I made a hat and a hat-like covering, and a couple of washcloths.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc4b1479pN9JcjMV7VfOdylXVYZlhlZYzGCJKPnfAF-jY6lcEq1d5TM-J-OvLSeJ8_WPGjTnCImkuWhrWmDF7ZlyOC5YJ4swaUnG2F1kpwQ8bHgLSvlMJAIOUyqkAYwuNf_im-iw/s1600-h/DSC03952.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc4b1479pN9JcjMV7VfOdylXVYZlhlZYzGCJKPnfAF-jY6lcEq1d5TM-J-OvLSeJ8_WPGjTnCImkuWhrWmDF7ZlyOC5YJ4swaUnG2F1kpwQ8bHgLSvlMJAIOUyqkAYwuNf_im-iw/s320/DSC03952.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5140276729280108194" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Cue the music...you know you hear the song, people. My Raspberry Beret (Kat Coyle's pattern from <span style="font-style:italic;">Greetings From the Knit Cafe</span> Knit with Blue Sky Alpaca Silk--it took a skein and a little bit of a second. The book says it's only one skein).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM-NxAMtQmTsRnStTfpI8G2GkFHHUnW4DFa_HIwod_Hoqup2amsEEq2Y51kscmA7PoWHP9bgyTqfKl5gfoPO_XiiPQmudSpZQq8QCxBrWYUPIghXiaZd9nesr2YhpixlL6rCu1eQ/s1600-h/DSC04033.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM-NxAMtQmTsRnStTfpI8G2GkFHHUnW4DFa_HIwod_Hoqup2amsEEq2Y51kscmA7PoWHP9bgyTqfKl5gfoPO_XiiPQmudSpZQq8QCxBrWYUPIghXiaZd9nesr2YhpixlL6rCu1eQ/s320/DSC04033.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5140276746459977410" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And a <a href="http://knitty.com/ISSUEwinter06/PATTcalorimetry.html">Calorimetry</a>, with less than half a skein of Malabrigo. I cast on 90 sts for this one.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHal6DMCoWF6xS575yQ8rjGEBU7zFBUzTPcgCwywuHtW6HB6H6lhrpEvphSvnooZljhUjtbiGcalW8vhkcf5KmkZcURUMdB07fG6a92SSqGefY_irdtrvjc0SC1ltsjcyuRkDKWg/s1600-h/DSC04049.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHal6DMCoWF6xS575yQ8rjGEBU7zFBUzTPcgCwywuHtW6HB6H6lhrpEvphSvnooZljhUjtbiGcalW8vhkcf5KmkZcURUMdB07fG6a92SSqGefY_irdtrvjc0SC1ltsjcyuRkDKWg/s320/DSC04049.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5140276750754944722" border="0" /></a><br /><br />A sedge stitch washcloth, the pattern which is available on the Lion Brand website. I saw <a href="http://lauraknitting.blogspot.com">Laura</a>'s and monkey see, monkey do, I had to pick up my crochet hook (even though I can't manage to hold the hook in any other way than with the Grip of Death).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmOr7JeoTY7cnk5A_9kt8nyUoCkjlEnQgE4sLzLtXQyI2Lv0yNNWgplkUllIGaR-Lyg0L2IFxbjE_zApFptQAp5IYLuC0fBom_PCZAvRsgMulAiTwozyJQceQmsomtdHHRA68APQ/s1600-h/DSC04051.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmOr7JeoTY7cnk5A_9kt8nyUoCkjlEnQgE4sLzLtXQyI2Lv0yNNWgplkUllIGaR-Lyg0L2IFxbjE_zApFptQAp5IYLuC0fBom_PCZAvRsgMulAiTwozyJQceQmsomtdHHRA68APQ/s320/DSC04051.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5140283291990136578" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And a fun little washcloth <a href="http://knitwithkt.blogspot.com/2007/08/dimpled-washcloth.html">pattern </a>I found on Ravelry. I knit this with Lily Sugar & Cream, I think, in really pretty ombre colors.<br /><br />'Kay, kiddos, that's all I got for now! I'm going to try not to let too much time go before I post again...I'm working on Stefanie Japel's Back to School vest, and perhaps another couple of holiday gifts. Hope all is well with you!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7362655.post-16483854857935375032007-10-16T19:55:00.000-07:002007-10-16T21:12:20.833-07:00This is how I roll.Things have been pretty busy here at Chez Yo La Tejo, what with teaching and grading, working and writing, and all kinds of looming deadlines. It's kind of killing my joy. <br /><br />But there are two things that I can always manage to find time for, no matter how crazy it gets: friends, and knitting. My good friend Marisa came to visit Austin a couple of weeks ago for the Women's Flat Track Derby Association national championships. Marisa, a.k.a. May R. Daley, kicks ass as a member of the <a href="http://www.windycityrollers.com/">Windy City Rollers</a> home team, and she was in town to cheer for the road team. Woot! <br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/49923194@N00/1468809643/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1089/1468809643_8f401abd9b.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="DSC03854" /></a><br /><br />I'd never been to roller derby before, so getting to see it for the first time at the finals was really the way to go. We got there for the first match at 11 am, and then bought ourselves Bloody Marys and settled in for a full day. I'd heard that the sport was pretty rough and while that was true, I was just mesmerized by the grace of the skaters. <br /><br />Marisa tried explaining <a href="http://www.windycityrollers.com/gameplay/">the finer points of the game to me</a>, but all I knew was to look for the lead jammer to break away from the pack. The jammers score once they catch up again and pass other team members. <br /><br />When the lead jammer breaks away, the crowd goes nuts, and she gets her own referee, who follows her from the inside of the rink, with one arm raised in the air and the other pointing directly at her. It's so cool. I want a lead jammer referee in my day-to-day life, giving me points when I teach a good class or make a good cup of coffee. On second thought, having someone following me around pointing at me might be kind of creepy. <br /><br />Later that day, the Windy City Rollers went up against the Texecutioners, but sadly lost after fighting hard. It was a bummer, but just seeing all the hardcore fans that traveled to Austin from Chicago to support their team was pretty amazing. <br /><br />The second day, we went back for the last bout at night, and I took a sock project like a big geek. I brought it out for a little while, and sure enough, the derby girl next to me (decked out in tattoos and short, brightly colored hair) asked me about it. Turns out she's a knitter too, but she bluntly admitted to collecting more stash than she was able to knit. Huh. And that's a problem because...? <br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/8682541@N08/1594098880/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2326/1594098880_848c52dd14.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Fancy Silk Sock" /></a><br /><br />Here's the beginnings of the Fancy Silk Sock from Nancy Bush's <span style="font-style:italic;">Knitting Vintage Socks</span>, in Regia Silk; I've gotten quite a ways up the cuff and will soon make it to the heel, <span style="font-style:italic;">si dios quiere</span>. Sweet Jesus, please, yes.<br /><br />Finally, it would seem that my birthday keeps getting celebrated, waaay beyond the birthday month. My friend Vero, who was in Japan for a whole month, brought me back some lovely gifts. (It should be noted that I am famous (or infamous) for roping my friends into celebrating the Birthday Weekend, or the Birthday Week. But I've never before succeeded in making it a Whole Month. Mwahahaha.)<br /><br />Among the very cool presents Vero and her husband Mike gave me (which included the perfect erasable pen, pretty stationery, and a cute-ass bento box), there was this little guy:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/49923194@N00/1594030897/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2307/1594030897_d7b68aa60b.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="DSC03870" /></a><br /><br />I wish I could tell you what his given name is, but the tag is in Japanese, which I do not read. He is wearing a track suit that says Hokkaido on the back (which is the second largest island in Japan, according to the infallible Wikipedia).<br /><br />Oh, and that codpiece, you ask? Well, you can pull it. And when you do, he vibrates and giggles merrily.<br /><br />Joaquin looks concerned.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7362655.post-87134406457063763912007-10-16T08:38:00.000-07:002007-10-25T09:57:00.554-07:00Gauge yarn store.<span style="font-weight:bold;">UPDATE: Gauge is reopening on Saturday, October 27, at 11 am. They are located at 5406 Parkcrest Drive Austin, TX 78731. Yay!</span><br /><br />This post is for you Austinites and Central Texans out there: <br /><br />Gauge, the new local yarn store that I <a href="http://yolatejo.blogspot.com/2007/09/lacey-days.html">blogged about</a> recently, is temporarily closed for internal restructuring. <b>Only temporarily</b>.<br /><br />I've been in contact with the owner Karli, who hand-delivered a book that I'd ordered (EZ's Knitter's Almanac, yay!) to me last night. She assured me that the store is not closed for good, but that she is working out the business issues and that she hopes to be open by the end of this month. <br /><br />I'm on their email list, so when I get the notice that they've opened their doors again, I'll let y'all know.<br /><br />Real knitting content to come soon, I swear.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7362655.post-2964558154635539852007-09-25T17:58:00.000-07:002008-12-09T09:51:58.093-08:00Cotton-knittin' blues.Thanks, sweet readers, for your comments on my finished lace tank! I got some great ideas for layering it and wearing it into the fall (although the only layering I can possibly consider right now that it's still 92 degrees is the kind that lasagna does. Mmmm...)<br /><br />And the warm weather knitting continues to drag on here at Chez Yo La Tejo, as progress on this baby cardigan goes slowslowslow:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Nf3ksRTPKvSjoeTTEnRe98YJGRaXfzLaHNtflyeKKKPddXa2m2GlUTNm0ElQ5aeqy6Gl-c-QGmkbdP-VCtOhyphenhyphenlt8S43T44gTNnvtOTIvVKnsHv7tA4ny_JZUkZ4RzozaZgGzdw/s1600-h/DSC03842.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Nf3ksRTPKvSjoeTTEnRe98YJGRaXfzLaHNtflyeKKKPddXa2m2GlUTNm0ElQ5aeqy6Gl-c-QGmkbdP-VCtOhyphenhyphenlt8S43T44gTNnvtOTIvVKnsHv7tA4ny_JZUkZ4RzozaZgGzdw/s320/DSC03842.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5114311431194072130" /></a><br /><br />I don't think I've blogged much about this project; it's Judy's Grandmother's Baby Sweater pattern from <span style="font-style:italic;">Greetings From the Knit Cafe</span>. It's for my baby niece, and I specifically looked for a kimono-style pattern because they're just so darn cute. I found the yarn in the sale bin at my LYS; it was part of a Classic Elite sweater kit so old that they couldn't even tell me if the company made that yarn anymore. <br /><br />It was in perfectly good condition, so I happily started the six month size, but the closer I got to finishing, the more unsure I became about the measurements. Specifically, I think the gauge is off (but because it's for a baby, I thought, heck. It doesn't have to fit like couture.) <br /><br />Plainly speaking, though, I think it looks a little weird. Like it's going to be too long, and have these little mini-sleeves dangling off the top, to make my poor niece look like Randy bundled in his snowsuit in <span style="font-style:italic;">A Christmas Story</span>. <br /><br />I was on verge of ripping it out, before I started the first sleeve. After months of work, I really don't like the way the slit gaps in the back...but then I said the hell with it. <span style="font-style:italic;">Ya basta</span>. Enough. I want to knit with wool. So I'm gonna finish this little sucker. <br /><br />I'm off to knit.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7362655.post-91109819164404966142007-09-17T17:53:00.000-07:002008-12-09T09:51:59.039-08:00Lacey days......not lazy days. Oof, I wish. Now that the semester's started, I don't know that I'll see another lazy day in...oh, probably months. AND. Now that I'm.....(wait for it)....actually doing some WRITING for my dissertation, even my stolen moments knitting and blogging will probably be colored by severe guilt.<br /><br />But enough with the whining! (Actually, I secretly love that I can now whine about writing my diss. I feel like I've joined the club..."demented and sad, but social.") I have a finished object for you all.<br /><br /><strong>Lace Tank</strong><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5111343915596295250" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit3P09bpW1Di_B1Cq_5rDoATGtzVKycoNXoAfncptn5Qy4SBBdTIPm7wHXFNZ8duEjYvHOvdKAFr5O8B5FgEgexBdHUMx6v8XtJusfRP8QBC5E2-mOD6wP7Okavsqvnn_WRvxWjg/s320/019.JPG" border="0" /><br />(this is my "dreamily holding the hem like they do in IK" pose.)<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5111343915596295266" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx2OiPpJ5QfQXc13ukfMDekAA9LlYWfLkwsJyLubfc8SCgEYU2-apnFSxLKQyPAo5h-bNXyn5oOLKZFWsoDydo3DnoSejMKZjD09rWzjd1hwRoy0moRLnq_65YSeIy6nYpBKRfqw/s320/043.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><strong>Specs</strong>:<br /><br />Pattern: Lace Tank, from <em>Vogue Knitting </em>Spring/Summer 2007<br />Yarn: Euroflax Linen, 2 100g skeins, color champagne<br />Needles: Size 6<br />Size made: 34" <br /><br />Notes:<br /><br />First of all, don't be intimidated by this pattern, or the dumb magazine copy that's on page 71. They say in the techniques section that when knitting the edge, "it will be helpful to count the stitches at the end of every row to make sure you have the correct number; a missing yarn over would be disastrous." <em>Disastrous</em>? Way to go, Vogue...you've just scared away half of your knitters. The truth about the edging is that it's only ever 14-20 stitches long, so if you make it to the end of your row and you're missing a stitch, well, you just tink back a row of 14-20 stitches. <br /><br />Because the lace is double-sided, I actually was pretty intimdated at first, but once you get past the edging and the razor lace, you're more than halfway done. The more complicated lace near the top demands your attention, it's true, but it's not that hard (there's no crazy "knit 5 together through the back loop" action going on here). There are also charts available on the VK site, so be sure to look for those.<br /><br />I wore this tank all day today, and I'm actually pleased with it. Which surprised me, because as I was knitting it, I was convinced that it was going to be one of those FOs that spent more time in the closet than in the light of day. Why, you ask? Well, I love knitting lace (as those of you who've been reading for a while well know), but the tank tops I've knit haven't really worked out well for me, either stretching out or not fitting right. And, because the yarn was so scratchy to begin with, I was sure that wearing this would be akin to wearing a big heavy dishcloth.<br /><br />Not so. I ran it through the wash in a lingerie bag, and it softened up considerably. I know that the more wash it gets, the texture and the drape will improve. <br /><br />I did find, however, that it was just too long on me. What they don't show you in the magazine (but what you can kind of see here if you look closely) is that the armholes are really roomy. Also, I felt that bust portion was hanging too low. After cutting into the single crochet edging on the sleeves and neckline, I frogged about an inch from each of the straps, kind of eyeballing it, which was a mistake. I botched one of the straps, ripping back too much, so I knit it again in garter stitch until it was even. <br /><br />I wouldn't recommend the reckless approach! I would recommend, however, trying the darn thing on to see if you're happy with the armholes before seaming the straps and working the single crochet. Common sense? Yes. Do I have any? Apparently not.<br /><br />After those adjustments, I picked up the crochet and finished the edgings, weaved in the ends, and ta da! The fit is much better. <br /><br />In other knitterly news, I visited <strong>Gauge</strong>, the new LYS in town. The space is airy and modern, with that just-painted feel to it. Yarns are arranged by gauge (of course), and although the store owners kept saying that they weren't completely settled in yet, they had a nice selection. <br /><br />I was stupidly excited to see shelves of Cotton-Ease. Ha! I thought this was brilliant, since I can't find the stuff either at the other LYS or at Hobby Lobby. I was also pleased to see Malabrigo worsted weight, and brought home two skeins in the American Rose color.<br /><br />The owners were super sweet and very helpful, and Karli even offered to start a "favorites" list for me. They have a spacious, comfy lounge area in the back for classes and, as Karli explained, just for hanging out; the place has wireless, a selection of tea, and a library of books and back issues of IK and Vogue. <br /><br />Oh, and also! Free knitting classes! I think they're beginner classes, and one to a customer. <br /><br />As if yarn, wireless, and free classes weren't enough, they also had some cute t-shirts and jewelry for sale. All in all, a hip little yarn boutique that I'm sure will do well in this town.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7362655.post-75909836003146166702007-09-09T19:15:00.000-07:002008-12-09T09:51:59.643-08:00All for fall.Whelp, it's certainly been a while since I posted last! I was still in L.A. and had just finished my niece's folklorico skirt; since then, I made a whirlwind visit to Chicago to help care for my mom (who was just out of surgery) and then back to Austin...the day before the semester started! Obviously, some things had to be prioritized--preparing a syllabus or blogging? Oooh, tough decision. I don't even think my students know how close we came to just winging it all semester. :-)<br /><br /><br />Thanks to everyone who left comments on the skirt I made for Isabel! She wore it to her recital and according to my sister, danced to the left while everyone else danced to the right. When asked later if she had forgotten the steps, she simply said, "no." Apparently everyone <em>else</em> had gotten it wrong.<br /><br /><br />Knitting has been progressing at a sluggish rate, but the planning? Ooh, the planning for fall knits. I pretty much pushed myself to finish the lace tank from <em>Vogue Knitting</em> (spring issue, I think?) just so that I could cast on with some wool.<br /><br /><br /><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5108397148691833858" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKKwIw0FAa33J6dtz3Xp6ZYWXbbgfkAS6XiY1ihYOxSryl9KIWg13Rqb69yVl9vcCbDdFB5N4hoQxdtOITDOF5GjQ98DPk0UI4JjNt4tBvpMNxdRlYaV6EBhvy8eLDMJGhLuuM_w/s320/426.JPG" border="0" />I begrudgingly did the crochet edging around the sleeves and neck while starting the third season of <em>Angel</em>, and now it just needs a few ends woven in and a good blocking. I would have just soaked it, but because it's Euroflax linen, I want to run it through the wash to see if the yarn will soften up some. </p><p>Meanwhile, since my birthday's coming up, I treated myself to a set of Addi lace circs and a skein of <a href="http://www.dreamincoloryarn.com/pages/yarns.html">Smooshy </a>sock yarn at my LYS's monthly sale (all 20% off). Even though I have a stash of sock yarn waiting for me, I couldn't wait to cast on with the Smooshy, which poses here with some Cascade 220 I have queued to knit Stephanie Japel's Back-to-School vest from <em>Fitted Knits</em>. </p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5108397157281768466" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvc_jMC15ql57Jh366Eweyc-nQ1TX_LqTIO3fuK79dzefxs6iiy3svmZqHVUldIo81_iY_bKZys9s0H1Ky0VX-Vsm1KLMf18X2jhS4nOD1qpFqD2QCp_Af3xIRjAcsy-AJczijhQ/s320/424.JPG" border="0" /></p><p>I was literally standing there at the LYS, minding my own beeswax, when a woman came up to me and asked me if I'd seen the Smooshy. I was all, the whuh-huh? She pointed to the stock on the lower shelf and declared it to be the softest yarn that made the warmest socks. And that her Sockapalooza pal was very happy with the pair she'd made out of Smooshy. Well, with that kind of testimonial (and the name Smooshy), how could I resist? I picked out this green, which in person looks positively incandescent. (I also privately marveled at how she threw out the concept of Sockapalooza without wondering if I would even know what the heck that was, in addition to what the heck Smooshy was.)</p><p>Speaking of LYSes, Austin is getting a new one! Woot woot! But before I tell you more, I know you'll get a kick out of the little story about how I found out it was coming...</p><p>At the end of last semester, I was grading papers at a favorite local <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/uLihBq095KIQC92PsNlqoA">coffee shop</a>, when I noticed that three women next to me were having a business meeting. (Noticed or eavesdropped? Potayto, potahto.) One woman looked super familiar, but I couldn't remember where I knew her from. Well, I continued grading papers, but I heard them talking about sock yarn. Could have been some other thing going by the name of Regia...</p><p>Finally, one of the women pulls out a bag of Claudia's Handpainted, and I just could. Not. Restrain. Myself. I leaned over and commented that I couldn't help but notice all the yarn and were they by any chance opening up a new yarn store? (Pause. Bated breath.) Then I realized that the woman I'd recognized before was Karli, who used to work at really what's the only LYS in Austin (there's another in Cedar Park). I mentioned this and a friendly discussion ensued during which Karli threw a skein of sock yarn at me to see what I thought of the color. I got to help pick out a color for the stock, y'all! </p><p>Anyway, it turns out that Karli and a partner were planning to open an LYS called Gauge (cute!), and they took my email and blog url down. I just got an email from them letting me know that they just opened. Hurray! It's almost like having another birthday present. For you Austinites out there, the address is 5406 Parkcrest Drive Austin, Tx. 78731. </p><p>Coinciding with the start of a new semester and a new season, is the arrival of a very special someone in my house. Meet Joaquin P. Pickering:</p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5108397161576735778" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyvdDWbXXgNLLw6v24uodKxL5YYhOH7VL7zKX1wLaWxJn83k4p5YdEZqS8rCwwUNSqv8Mn01J1k_Pe8Q4ofGEQsvqANf0qrZE0gTBb6jmST9_RIEGZPHGmUUJCnEcQGtbD52irvg/s320/427.JPG" border="0" /></p><p>Joaquin's creator is the lovely and talented Floresita of <a href="http://unafloresita.blogspot.com/">Things I've Made</a>, and to celebrate her blogiversary, she held a little contest offering up some monkey love, which I won! If you do nothing else today, you have to go see the <a href="http://unafloresita.blogspot.com/2007/08/have-monkey-will-travel.html">portraits </a>of Joaquin with his brothers and sister, taken before he embarked on his journey from NYC to Austin. As soon as he got here, he devoured the felt bananas I had waiting for him! Here here is perusing my book collection and considering the perennial question--is he a Sandra Cisneros fan, or an Ana Castillo devotee? Hmm. Take your time, Joaquin...it won't be an easy choice!</p><p>For next time--an FO post!</p><p>* <em><a href="http://http//cgi.ebay.com/All-for-Fall-by-Ethel-Kessler-Leonard-P-Kessler-1_W0QQitemZ110151665355QQcmdZViewItem">All for Fall</a></em> is the name of a children's book I used to have that I read to pieces. I don't remember exactly how it went, but it probably had lots to say about falling leaves and new school supplies and hot cocoa. Maybe even something about wool sweaters.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7362655.post-82254402677896025832007-08-18T21:02:00.000-07:002008-12-09T09:52:00.127-08:00De colores.I spent most of the day Friday working on this:<br /><br /><br /><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb4Zll39Qg1RzcI49SKoR5bNN3kBKgXNwdXMIAMvO7ILhyadUg99kzExbR_9UScVFjx6Uha96ic1pPtBQWsH94nk_s3Sy0K43Om-7GmptSWzIVqVe18zy_geR-raPZPCuJuwgFsA/s1600-h/DSC03778.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100262089791185874" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb4Zll39Qg1RzcI49SKoR5bNN3kBKgXNwdXMIAMvO7ILhyadUg99kzExbR_9UScVFjx6Uha96ic1pPtBQWsH94nk_s3Sy0K43Om-7GmptSWzIVqVe18zy_geR-raPZPCuJuwgFsA/s320/DSC03778.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />My niece, who is already involved in more extracurricular activities than I ever was in high school, and who hasn't even hit kindergarten yet, will be performing in her <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baile_Folklorico">baile folklorico </a>recital on Monday. Sadly, I leave tomorrow and won't be able to see her, but at least I managed to finish this skirt for her to wear!<br /><br />If you've ever seen a Mexican baile folklorico performance, you'll recognize the skirt that the girls wear and that are very much a part of the dance as they twirl the hem edges around with their hands...OK, this is very poorly described, but you can watch a clip <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E29mTiNiPWY">here</a>.<br /><br />My sister asked if I would make the skirt since the one she ordered via Abuelita Express wouldn't get here in time (granny's on a trip to Durango and was supposed to bring one back but has been delayed). Sure! I said. I'd been wanting to sew something for the kid but didn't know her measurements, so this would be the perfect opportunity.<br /><br />The pattern's Simplicity 3863. Looking at the pattern instructions, which don't run longer than a page, I smugly said, oh, this'll take about two or three hours. Ha! Oh, the hubris. Can you see why that guess was very, <em>very </em>off?<br /><br />The ruffle. Oh yeah...Satan's invention, that ruffle was. Applying the ribbons was pretty straightforward, albeit time-consuming. Gathering the ruffle and setting it in place? Not so much fun.<br /><br />But otherwise! The skirt's as "easy" as they get...no buttons, no zippers, just two ties on either side. All in all, it was worth it just so that she can twirl with the others on Monday. </p><p>My sister asked me what my must-do things were before leaving L.A. We came up with the following:</p><ul><li>The Knit Cafe</li><li>Pedicure (so cheap here!)</li><li><a href="http://hexod.us/a/2005/05/me_gusta_bionic.html">Bionico</a></li></ul><p>We headed over on Melrose Avenue until we finally found the Knit Cafe. I averted my eyes from the help wanted sign on the door (it said "knitting experience required"! I have that!) and walked in with my nieces, sister, and brother-in-law. They wandered around while I handled, in a very star-struck, googly-eyed fashion, the sample knits from the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Greetings-Knit-Caf%C3%A9-Suzan-Mischer/dp/1584794836/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-2712932-7041711?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1187501534&sr=8-1">book </a>(Kat Coyle's pink dress! The pom pom awning! The cashmere shawl!). </p><p>I finally settled on two pretty skeins of Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock yarn in white and bright pink, which is actually quite fitting because when I visited Purl Soho last year I bought some LL in white and blue, which turned into some <a href="http://yolatejo.blogspot.com/2007/04/new-socks.html">very pretty ribbed socks</a>. </p><p>I was a little too self conscious to have my sister take a picture of me there, but I snapped one of my niece, who was only too happy to ham it up while my brother-in-law wondered where the coffee was (it's the Knit Cafe, after all! turns out the coffee maker's tucked away and i didn't see it until just before we left):</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwe1UJENFEUR95Ah-0bTVWZIsRMtKg1us89IyHiVZzJQgdmW-RaunoZesCqwrSJEVN5EP83O6rhIBzk9WlFDBh_YOzURIMn5EGmOBMf1TkDf3_Fc556nY4sMBTQMyE4F1vLw2tVg/s1600-h/DSC03781.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100262098381120482" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwe1UJENFEUR95Ah-0bTVWZIsRMtKg1us89IyHiVZzJQgdmW-RaunoZesCqwrSJEVN5EP83O6rhIBzk9WlFDBh_YOzURIMn5EGmOBMf1TkDf3_Fc556nY4sMBTQMyE4F1vLw2tVg/s320/DSC03781.JPG" border="0" /></a></p><p>Afterwards, we went to the Grove shopping mall, which was fun but also scary in that kind of pseudo/simulated small-town aesthetic that seems to be popping up in sprawling cities where no one ever gets out of their car (Austin has the Domain). The Grove has a "town square" that looks like it came straight out of a Gilmore Girls episode. The farmer's market at the end, though, was really fantastic--almost anything you can think of to eat. I had the best glass of lemonade, which I slurped down eagerly in the 95 degree heat.</p><p>We stopped in East L.A. for the much-talked-about bionico. My friend V., a native Angeleno, told me to make sure to have one for her. When I found out what it was--apples, bananas, strawberries, melon, raisins, granola, and coconut doused in sweetened condensed milk--I was more than happy to oblige. The shop we went to (whose name my sister can't remember, even though she took me there specifically because they do bionicos best, in her opinion), also had a dizzying array of ice cream flavors:</p><p><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2tyV0suFpZ0Ffsho-Fn2tJdGTEcbtI3Ip1FP085G7cteare7-2D7zLsPCkeIUBKC0lr_0Ye2w85fzVAMCO0cOOIjyol24vbiODpxYabwb9xMDHpQE-6mTSlPCR6nOsetEpBfogw/s1600-h/DSC03782.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100262102676087794" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2tyV0suFpZ0Ffsho-Fn2tJdGTEcbtI3Ip1FP085G7cteare7-2D7zLsPCkeIUBKC0lr_0Ye2w85fzVAMCO0cOOIjyol24vbiODpxYabwb9xMDHpQE-6mTSlPCR6nOsetEpBfogw/s320/DSC03782.JPG" border="0" /></a> I guess I'll have to plan another trip to L.A. so that I can try the pineapple flavor! We finally rounded out the day with the pedicures, and my sister got one too, which was a nice treat. We sat side by side as my niece bounced around us, testing the water in the foot spa with her finger and checking out the acrylic nails on the hand mannequins.</p><p>I'll be back in Austin for a day and then off to Chicago for a week to check in on my mom, who had to have some minor foot surgery. And then the semester starts! Where did the summer go?</p><p>P.S. Thanks to close quarters with a five year old, I am currently obsessed with <a href="http://www.charlieandlola.com/">Charlie and Lola</a>. Please tell me I'm not the only one.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7362655.post-12117408220458652872007-08-08T11:50:00.000-07:002008-12-09T09:52:00.311-08:00Riches.As in, "an embarrassment of."<br /><br />That's what happens when you wait to post for so long...you queue up your news and your projects and your tidbits until you have an embarrassment of riches to talk about and well, something's going to be forgotten along the way and then two weeks later, you go, OH heck. I forgot to post about the funny thing so and so said to me as I was knitting in public the other day and about how good the tuna was in my sandwich.<br /><br />This week, since I'm in L.A., I have extra family-related riches to add to my general feelings of contentment and happiness. I shared some of the special nuggets of wisdom that my niece, Isabel, came up with in my last post. No doubt about it, you will never giggle more than when you're hanging out with a five-year-old.<br /><br />(In fact, as I'm sitting here blogging, she just came up to me utterly BEDECKED in her Sleeping Beauty costume, complete with stand up collar and velvet headband, a big grin on her face. )<br /><br />(And in the time it took me to write this down, she went to her room and changed into her Snow White costume.)<br /><br />Here we are at Bugsy's Cafe the other day (located in the Kidspace museum in Pasadena), wrangling over whether I ordered the Poo Poo platter or not:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/49923194@N00/1046264971/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1296/1046264971_9046a59b79_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="This isn't exactly what I ordered, m'am...." /></a><br /><br />And swimming lessons are a must, of course:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/49923194@N00/1046266847/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1376/1046266847_807afdf6ba_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="Swimming lessons" /></a><br /><br />Knitting lessons? Got some of those, too:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/49923194@N00/1046264473/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1237/1046264473_a4a9dcd893.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Learning to knit" /></a><br /><br />I confess, I don't know if she's really still too young to pick up this hobby--she learned the steps perfectly well and can knit a few stitches on her own, but jumps up every so often to get a drink of water, or to go look at the baby, or to watch <em>Zack and Cody's The Suite Life </em>(there's something about that show that's like fingernails on a chalkboard for me). Short attention span, a bit?<br /><br />We started with ten stitches on these Red Heart needles I bought for her, and pretty soon she was asking how long it would be before it would become a Dora skirt for her. Uh, uh, I said. How about a headband? OK. How long before it's a headband? We settled on a wrist warmer. Which turned out pretty freakin' cute, if I do say so myself. At the moment, it's pretty freakin' lost, so pictures of that particular FO will have to wait.<br /><br />On the blogging front, there's been lots of great stuff, too: I've been super-honored with the Rocking Girl Blogger award--not once, but twice! <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgawJeHlOB45rfDLj1pOQlh_cAULUIeZauRIfLUzksOKE8mc_11FisXbLPfa0sz1LHTQzsrtqis5pu-WwuaV0uQj7S2eG6oJCdQ-jMTiEFGKYvpyFuDS5QMBRb5m2KB81D_JomY4Q/s1600-h/arockingirl_3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgawJeHlOB45rfDLj1pOQlh_cAULUIeZauRIfLUzksOKE8mc_11FisXbLPfa0sz1LHTQzsrtqis5pu-WwuaV0uQj7S2eG6oJCdQ-jMTiEFGKYvpyFuDS5QMBRb5m2KB81D_JomY4Q/s320/arockingirl_3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5096420981998574434" /></a><br /><br />Once from <a href="http://lauraknitting.blogspot.com">Laura</a>, and once from <a href="http://www.mostlyselftaughtknitter.com">Karen</a>, two of my oldest knitblogger friends. And because my blogiversary slipped past last month, that means we've been corresponding steadily for two years! I've been blessed to have these two amazing women in my my life, and to be continually inspired by their wonderful energy and huge hearts.<br /><br />I don't know where this blogger award emerged, but I can only guess that it was thought up to address the perceived disparity among male and female bloggers--meaning that the mainstream bloggers that get the most attention are largely dudes. Well, being sheltered in this cozy corner of the blogiverse, I get to see women of all ages and pursuits; I visit their blogs for the crafting content, but stay for their stories and senses of humor. <br /><br />Having received the Rocking Girl Blogger award, I now get to make five nominations of my own:<br /><br /><a href="http://alohanoreos.blogspot.com">Aloha and Oreos</a>: Sock knitter and fashionista extraordinaire, this girl kicks some serious butt.<br /><br /><a href="http://unafloresita.blogspot.com">Things I've Made</a>: I love Flor's blog for the way she incorporates elements of our Mexican art and folk traditions, but also for her sense of whimsy and her lovely photography.<br /><br /><a href="http://saunshine.blogspot.com">Saunshine</a>: I admire this talented designer for leaving everything comfortable and safe behind and striking out on her own to NYC to start at FIT this fall. New York in the fall...love! I'm so jealous.<br /><br /><a href="http://grrleighknits.typepad.com">Grrleigh Knits</a>: For her laugh-out-loud irreverence, her scathing fashion reviews, and her <a href="http://grrleighknits.typepad.com/grrleighknits/2007/05/twinkles_big_ci.html">brilliant observation </a>about Twinkle's pattern sizing issues. Holla!<br /><br /><a href="http://johnwaynesdaughter.blogspot.com">John Wayne's Daughter</a>: This is the only non-knitting blog on my list, but JWD definitely is a Rocking Girl Blogger--her vignettes can make you laugh or they can make you cry, but they always hit close to the heart. And she skates in roller derby! How awesome is that? (Even if she did nothing but chronicle her lunches every day, this fact alone would score her the nomination from me.)<br /><br />You ready for this? Another round of nominations, this time via <a href="http://craftylilly.typepad.com/">Craftylilly </a>for the Schmoozer award!<br /><br /><em>As it goes, schmoozing is the natural ability “to converse casually, especially in order to gain an advantage or make a social connection.” Good schmoozers effortlessly weave their way in and out of the blogosphere, leaving friendly trails and smiles, happily making new friends along the way. They don’t limit their visits to only the rich and successful, but spend some time to say hello to new blogs as well. They are the ones who engage others in meaningful conversations, refusing to let it end at a mere hello - all the while fostering a sense of closeness and friendship."</em><br /><br />Thank you, Jennifer! I'm incredibly flattered, especially seeing as how I was always the kid on the playground with her nose buried in a book...so not a schmoozer! <br /><br />Here are my nominations for the Schmoozer award. I can't really say more than what the above paragraph already says, except for saying that these women have a talent for genuineness and warmth:<br /><br /><a href="http://kodachromeknits.blogspot.com">Karen of Kodachrome</a><br /><a href="http://www.mostlyselftaughtknitter.com">Karen of Mostly Self-Taught Knitter</a><br /><a href="http://amingledyarn.wordpress.com">Elizabeth of A Mingled Yarn</a><br /><a href="http://lauraknitting.blogspot.com">Laura of Affiknitty</a><br /><a href="http://doggedknits.com">Ashley of Dogged Knits</a><br /><br />Thank you, ladies! I probably wouldn't still be doing this blogging thing if it weren't for you all.<br /><br />And see? Now I've got to stop because we're heading out for Universal Studios, and I'm SURE I forgot to blog about something. Oh yes...the baby quilt I made for my sister's new baby! Oh, well...that's more blog fodder for next time.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7362655.post-3696323383445434322007-08-05T09:58:00.000-07:002007-08-05T10:05:54.848-07:00Morning conversations."The Easter Bunny gave me a basket at Easter. It had toys and candy. And Hot Cheetos."<br /><br />******<br /><br />"I have an idea. When you finish school and find a job, you could live with us in L.A. and we could teach you how to drive. But you'll have to leave your car in Texas." I asked why. "Because it won't fit in the plane!"<br /><br />******<br /><br />"I don't like those," my niece says, pointing to the scones. "I like Froot Loops." I wrinkled my nose. I don't like Froot Loops, I say. "Do you like macaroni and cheese?" Yes! "Do you like tuna fish?" Yes! "Do you like cucumber rolls?" I say, what do you mean? "Sushi!" I ask, do you like salmon? "Yes! I eat salmon every time I go to sushi." Do you like unagi? "No. I love octopus!"<br /><br />Having a great time in L.A.! I'll post about nieces and baby blankets as soon as I can get set up with my own laptop here. Hope you're all enjoying the hot lazy days of August.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7362655.post-73866723985846602212007-07-25T13:47:00.000-07:002007-07-27T13:42:25.803-07:0080 degrees and wooly.Hey, kids! I've finally emerged from <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/">Ravelry</a>! (For my sweet non-knitting faithful readers who come here to keep up with me and not my projects, Ravelry is like a Friendster, for knitters.)<br /><br />I haven't really posted very many of my own projects, but it's taken some great willpower to not browse endlessly. In spite of my excellent restraint (cough! ahem.), I came across <a href="http://marniemaclean.com/words/index.html">Marnie's </a>gorgeous version of Annie Modesitt's<a href="http://www.anniemodesitt.com/patterns/#Corset">Corset Top </a>), and have decided to add that to my must-knit list.<br /><br />This is the kind of thing that Ravelry was built for, I suppose--I'd never seen Marnie's FO, despite having been a long-term reader of hers. But on Ravelry, I was browsing the pattern and came across Marnie's corset, and completely fell in love. I had no intention of knitting that project anytime soon. But today, I even ordered the same yarn Marnie used, Filatura di Crosa Brilla, which is on sale at Elann! Monkey see, monkey do.<br /><br />In the meantime, this is all the knitting I've been doing. Eighty degrees and humid in Austin, and I've been knitting with Malabrigo: a warm cabled hat as a thank you gift for the <s>enabler</s> friend who's been loaning me her Buffy DVDs.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/8682541@N08/898770308/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1357/898770308_0687499b90.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="DSC03353" /></a><br /><br />M's leaving for a fancy university teaching job up in Wisconsin, so I thought she might be able to use a nice cabled hat. I know there's a billion hat patterns out there, and a million cable patterns, but I've used this <a href="http://www.headhuggers.org/patterns/kpatt11.htm">one </a>twice and have been pretty pleased with it. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/8682541@N08/898768102/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1383/898768102_524e88563b.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="DSC03355" /></a><br /><br />Here's a gratuitous shot of the yummy ball of Malabrigo I used, in the Hummingbird colorway:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/8682541@N08/898770096/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1380/898770096_bc3a57870d.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Malabrigo" /></a><br /><br />I had been trying to eke a hat out of half a ball of Malabrigo I had lying around, but after two attempts, decided to suck it up and hit the LYS and maybe find some nice Manos. To my surprise/delight/astonishment (pick your favorite superlative), Hill Country Weavers had stocked up on some Malabrigo! Hurray! Hurrah! There weren't a whole lotta colors to pick from, but the saleswoman said that they were testing it out and would probably order some more stock. They even had laceweight! <br /><br />I think my life is complete now.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7362655.post-79289144656196418392007-07-15T09:10:00.000-07:002007-07-15T09:13:50.452-07:00If you don't hear from me in a few weeks...don't hesitate to send a search team.I got my Ravelry invite today! <br /><br />Wish me luck, I'm going in.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7362655.post-82043648540613331522007-07-09T14:13:00.000-07:002008-12-09T09:52:00.721-08:00Goodwill goodness.I'm so excited about my latest thrift store finds that I had to share:<br /><br />Sigh. I love this blouse <em>so</em> much. I think I may marry it.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj9I-TMab6oZz61_BxAs3PhK9e3bQiT-VSiREejXT6Y-RRfSlrB_4aG56e5bqjTcZc7lbdF2X3HYoWZZf_bZ42qSo2LbCZQ3FMesfa5OwIITTg0EiZtr_VB5ckRMjccAm6teUVag/s1600-h/mexican+blouse+2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5085308667330159698" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj9I-TMab6oZz61_BxAs3PhK9e3bQiT-VSiREejXT6Y-RRfSlrB_4aG56e5bqjTcZc7lbdF2X3HYoWZZf_bZ42qSo2LbCZQ3FMesfa5OwIITTg0EiZtr_VB5ckRMjccAm6teUVag/s320/mexican+blouse+2.jpg" border="0" /></a> I washed it by hand so that I could wear it right away, since I'd just done my laundry last Friday. And I <em><strong>loathe</strong></em> handwashing. There was a teeny little spot on the front that came right out with the help of my Clorox bleach pen. Which is the best invention since...oh, maybe the lightbulb. Seriously.<br /><br />And then, in spite of my ongoing efforts to declutter, I couldn't help but bring back this beauty.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh85bWBO5yE-MX7yvCYGGui28sexUOEFgoUbX7l7ndxAF6_i3AZUktRppKPff3iUjzaFHe2oiAewY7PQes2T_YPuTJ7yhP5qgzg-tkMyTDxT5WwOq-3DfuC3ZEj7q0YqLto8Rpx2w/s1600-h/DSC03325.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5085308675920094306" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh85bWBO5yE-MX7yvCYGGui28sexUOEFgoUbX7l7ndxAF6_i3AZUktRppKPff3iUjzaFHe2oiAewY7PQes2T_YPuTJ7yhP5qgzg-tkMyTDxT5WwOq-3DfuC3ZEj7q0YqLto8Rpx2w/s320/DSC03325.JPG" border="0" /></a> It's a handmade pitcher/vase, and I couldn't resist the color and the glaze. <br /><br />I'm not always this lucky, but I went in completely on the spur of the moment and just skimmed around to see what popped out at me. It's one of my favorite ways to have a weekend adventure.<br /><br />PS: Has anyone seen <em><a href="http://www.edithpiafmovie.com/">La Vie en Rose</a></em>, the Edith Piaf biopic? Just to add my two cents worth--Marion Cotillard as Piaf is astonishing. She portrays the singer from young womanhood to the last years of her decline, transforming herself seamlessly from a wild young girl to an unconventional beauty, to a prematurely old woman, shriveled by addiction and poor health. The movie itself is entertaining. Definitely worth seeing!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7362655.post-18933684204180978552007-07-07T09:57:00.000-07:002008-12-09T09:52:01.736-08:00Recovering.It's been a long time since I've posted, and a really long time since I've blogged about anything substantial. Coming back from Cancun with the worst cold I've had in a while really took the wind out of my sails for a while--I couldn't even dredge up the energy to knit, and what's the point of a sick day or two if you can't indulge in some knitting?<br /><br />I'm also admitting to myself now that I think I lost some of my blogging mojo for a while there...posting joyless little entries that don't have much of the same energy and gusto I used to load up my writing with. Looking back over earlier entries, I couldn't believe the way I used to go on, and on, and on...and on. (You get the picture!)<br /><br />I imagined that maybe my blogging style was evolving to shorter entries, more to the point, and while that's true, I also think that I wasn't very juiced up about the writing. You know the state of mind, where you get this great idea for a post and think of the clever title and start composing it in your head long before you actually fire up the laptop?<br /><br />Luckily, I've had all of you to draw inspiration from and keep me interested! I feel that things are about to take a turn for the better, which probably also means good things for my dissertation-to-be, since any kind of writing feeds the professional writing I have to do. Anyway, I hope to post more often, and with more joy.<br /><br />Here are a few things to update you on:<br /><br />Cancun! I've already shared a few pictures, but here are a couple of highlights:<br /><br /><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Yv0_v8Ui9hJ0SwM8E8DDD13VvyKvfds5EQLnblok8AbLlGQPdDmt8zjl3o0xQiALN6vzKORQACHbwTh7cGDXu2gkjtMyPnDGy66Wdq4OAe4PoEI-zV_T9SB4nwzIcSgnmURqCA/s1600-h/Tulum.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5084507655929455618" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Yv0_v8Ui9hJ0SwM8E8DDD13VvyKvfds5EQLnblok8AbLlGQPdDmt8zjl3o0xQiALN6vzKORQACHbwTh7cGDXu2gkjtMyPnDGy66Wdq4OAe4PoEI-zV_T9SB4nwzIcSgnmURqCA/s320/Tulum.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />These are pictures of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulum">Tulum</a>, taken by <a href="http://jennsjourneys.blogspot.com/">Jennifer </a>and her dad. These Mayan ruins are, in a word, astonishing. I'd been to the Aztec ruins of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenochtitlan">Tenochtitlan </a>before, which are spectacular in their own way, but I was in no way prepared for the magic of Tulum. It's a walled city overlooking the ocean, so before you walk through the tiny doorway in the stone wall, you have no idea about what lies behind it. The claustrophobia of the passage only intensifies the astonishment at how the city opens up in front of you.<br /><br />Iguanas sat and posed regally for us. I imagined that they were ancient Mayan princes who remained to dwell among their ruins and keep guard. They so obviously gave off an air of ownership.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWwu2wwrTm2eetm9vjYbB0Tyq4OQ8yotU36kDkSukyuHAPEYSuyrmjpZmv2bGJQ2f81pesdFFELfnS3L9y169cbgrqX04d12Au1Yf53gP4H9ODpa2vVzmEgEBZctvaxAr782ewbw/s1600-h/iguanas+rule+tulum.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5084511512810087442" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWwu2wwrTm2eetm9vjYbB0Tyq4OQ8yotU36kDkSukyuHAPEYSuyrmjpZmv2bGJQ2f81pesdFFELfnS3L9y169cbgrqX04d12Au1Yf53gP4H9ODpa2vVzmEgEBZctvaxAr782ewbw/s320/iguanas+rule+tulum.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />The city drops off at the edge of a cliff, opening out to the Caribbean. The water is the bluest, warmest water I've ever seen. I wish I were floating out there right now.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.slide.com/s/folo5WHA7T8Y759qfpx5EfZN4hIwgyYr?referrer=hlnk" target="_blank"><img title="Host unlimited photos at slide.com for FREE!" alt="Host unlimited photos at slide.com for FREE!" src="http://widget.slide.com/rdr/1/1/2/S/700000000aa024a/1/71/UhbF32W04j97NzQV8SZK9qIXIHIhao7e.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Another of our outings was to Isla de Mujeres, where we scooted around the island on a golf cart, had lunch, and did a little shopping. I took some pictures while trying not to bounce off the back of the golf cart (watch out for those speed bumps!).<br /><br /><a title="Photo Sharing" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/49923194@N00/640236565/"><img height="375" alt="Isla Mujeres" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1318/640236565_1c22e9afcd.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /><br />All in all, a truly wonderful vacation.<br /><br />In crafty news, I didn't have a chance before I left to Mexico to post about the tote bag I made for Jennifer. This is the All-Day Tote from Lotta Jansdotter's <em>Simple Sewing</em>:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEgUCXoIty2BwL9Qel_PQnkTzrLMyi_cS72KvnFfXCIJd5VjdoFR9IPv_khMqksXO_ncvThHLVC_4tF5KDBN4YFbG2S8QCjPWZ51aokqKx-zHXRtNog3iyWJIs3czcGVV5giQ2Sw/s1600-h/DSC03262.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5084514085495497762" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEgUCXoIty2BwL9Qel_PQnkTzrLMyi_cS72KvnFfXCIJd5VjdoFR9IPv_khMqksXO_ncvThHLVC_4tF5KDBN4YFbG2S8QCjPWZ51aokqKx-zHXRtNog3iyWJIs3czcGVV5giQ2Sw/s320/DSC03262.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />How happy am I that I finally broke down and bought a self-healing mat and a rotary cutter? That made cutting out all the pieces for the tote super easy, since everything was basically a square or a rectangle.<br /><br />I'd found this Alexander Henry fabric, the Sexy Wrangler Cowboy Pinups, at my local quilting shop last year after having seen it on the blogosphere in a few places. (I think it's out-of-print now, but you can still find it on Ebay occasionally; I just checked and saw some fat quarters.) I instantly knew I wanted to make something for Jennifer out of it, since she was leaving Texas to move back to her home state of California and, well, I wanted her to have a little something to remember us by.<br /><br />Ha! Well, it's almost been a year since she moved away, and I finally got around to making the tote. I decided to use the fabric for the lining, and found some pretty denim to complement it for the outside. I love the way the red stripes make it look a little tailored, and completely fail to prepare you for opening up the tote and finding this: </p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5084521807846696002" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB4uz2c2HxNbTW9Wm-hXa1pPdprW4uDrf3hy38K_kThUjNjiIV41tm-ymJ1GjVOmEIbIbfA8bs9aVfKdANhBSipfIOhvojWI5PZZs7weH5o-lwG7l6nvdy773mZkmVuwizADo8qA/s320/DSC03265.JPG" border="0" />(That's Vanessa Minillo on the cover of <em>Lucky</em> in there, looking utterly content to be surrounded by all that beefcake. Ahem.)<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT0jAQe_WicSmO3vUsrA6RTSEOCBbVATAZCOq9oggroD8vzxTOnEcHaIJvuitqJ5AE5b-0obe7U4eRWUqbsYbThCO2iQkkpckZc0cIQaHkCrSVzwjmN8Nf9kLt3F7xQxtAMV8wKA/s1600-h/DSC03266.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5084514094085432370" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT0jAQe_WicSmO3vUsrA6RTSEOCBbVATAZCOq9oggroD8vzxTOnEcHaIJvuitqJ5AE5b-0obe7U4eRWUqbsYbThCO2iQkkpckZc0cIQaHkCrSVzwjmN8Nf9kLt3F7xQxtAMV8wKA/s320/DSC03266.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />The cutting of the pocket was utterly serendipitous. I swear I cut this piece without any kind of planning.<br /><br />The surprised scream and giggling when Jennifer looked inside was totally worth it. She also loves the tote in general, and used it on the beach, and has brought it with her for her summer visit back to Texas. A success!<br /><br />One thing, though--I think the tote could use some reinforcement, in the form of interfacing or a cardboard bit on the bottom, and Jansdotter doesn't mention either in her instructions. But since I wanted to make this tote very packable and washable, I decided to leave all that out.<br /><br />Next time, I'll update you all on my lace tank from the <em>Vogue Knitting</em> Spring/Summer 2007 issue. I've realized that knitting complicated lace while watching Buffy leads you to only one place: Tink City. So it's coming along, but a little sloooowly.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7362655.post-87896036542309985922007-06-27T12:22:00.001-07:002008-12-09T09:52:02.804-08:00What I did on my summer vacation.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqNAyfAk7xDK4nVskcQYGgX7lqLUNJlJtPiEwTKGbnlxMiBeYy0VdUmanb-8Rrm4UqOqCZGXLlcjjEVqiNBLexjaPFOW2O9Q_3DVBthXchDDazP5ObTPMBjuETnTEF1cYf2JCJ-Q/s1600-h/DSC03302.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5080828028597953506" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqNAyfAk7xDK4nVskcQYGgX7lqLUNJlJtPiEwTKGbnlxMiBeYy0VdUmanb-8Rrm4UqOqCZGXLlcjjEVqiNBLexjaPFOW2O9Q_3DVBthXchDDazP5ObTPMBjuETnTEF1cYf2JCJ-Q/s320/DSC03302.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5080827362878022578" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdY19Aujnm9hTOo4y_ItDS936g_U95sbMcWnyWyZ6udFfv1ynoMsv8DHIXzEoKPuYPK1XqmjBweRgSLk7X3xWm36oY-WknGidGCHRmxk1S0t4yynLzyfIBdLrptdgCb4XqlKVS9A/s320/636632086_db74303576.jpg" border="0" /></div><div align="center">(pier photo by <a href="http://jennsjourneys.blogspot.com/">Jenn</a>)</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZALVquLt9NnyYikTF8GqQnK85Rbk1RStiDRpqPyYZNGnn7MWRGpyry_BVAe477M5GOWVLNW1EWYpb8DQoH1Vk0zSgZ8AKqgO-wEg9OwFsxi2H1SxQMP9W8ZeDP6IiwtCXFc7OgQ/s1600-h/DSC03283.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5080827358583055266" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZALVquLt9NnyYikTF8GqQnK85Rbk1RStiDRpqPyYZNGnn7MWRGpyry_BVAe477M5GOWVLNW1EWYpb8DQoH1Vk0zSgZ8AKqgO-wEg9OwFsxi2H1SxQMP9W8ZeDP6IiwtCXFc7OgQ/s320/DSC03283.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5080827367172989890" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitcwWtbLSyGHG9exIoXwR2xeSI8Pkz_i3K519HxtqplEauKmGAJxXA-qaYum_ino8FFnuMeikiQqjZqvvKhcrCLhZ1PLU1t_ZjmJZyn_3WSpCBaOY3zi46y7q6joNs8X6J74g9-g/s320/DSC03310.JPG" border="0" /></div><div>Just got back from my Cancun vacation, y'all! Seven days of swimming, and reading, and lounging about...oh, and some knitting, too. I decided to start a new project with yarn that wouldn't be unbearable to the touch in 95 degree weather with 100% humidity, so I settled on this sweet top from the latest <em>Vogue Knitting</em>.</div><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5080831043664995314" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7DJV6_tRd1MmzSjwB6VQdIUQNW4peDIJ3_3e6j455nwn6tcMJX1K58CLNY8_lsY5CvRr18mUnvl0zHWyGRDoX9ysH0VET3XmooEikALD13HewvZOyMEzZPZSRZzFRP7eZbenuxA/s320/lace1.jpg" border="0" />The Euroflax linen was the perfect choice; in fact, its roughness was softened up a bit by the humidity in the air. I could tell the yarn was drying out on the flight back because it got scratchier!<br /><div></div><br /><div>Anyway, I'd love to write more, but I got laid up with a nasty cold bug the day after I got back and the only thing I'm really good for right now is lying on the couch to watch Buffy and bad afternoon television programs. I missed you all, though, and maybe I'll try rousing myself later to catch up on some blog reading.</div><div></div><br /><div>In the meantime, I made this awesome <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/237029">soup </a>for myself last night. If it's not too hot where you are, you really need to try it!<br /></div><br /><div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7362655.post-21333848226945444942007-06-08T14:29:00.000-07:002008-12-09T09:52:03.261-08:00Happy days.<div>To borrow a line from Melanie Hamilton Wilkes: </div><div><br /> </div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5073810842338345842" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd0mHm4YwZMBUInfLpQJEP6hbqFTEh4o_o8weI8jXglx8gSR4VH_mS1bDpjbrpeScvOKmHBMWp_9du32zT1WjApdgjXuX3x9vY9X59oiB4FYPx5lB2r7hdb05ruwujvO1lv7Yxdg/s320/melanie.bmp" border="0" /><br />"The happiest days are when babies come."<br /><br />My new niece, who wasn't supposed to be here for another month, made her way into the world on Tuesday! Her name is Clara Victoria, and although she is a tad premature, she's doing absolutely fine, as is her mom. My sister, who'd been scheduled for a c-section, went in for a routine check, and the doctors were concerned about the baby's heartbeat (which was too fast or not fast enough, I'm not entirely sure). So they decided to have her out that very day! <br /><br />My mom, who flew out to California with my dad the very next day, reports that the baby has a lot of dark hair, is beautiful, and doesn't even look like a preemie. I'm pretty much jonesing hard for a picture, and will definitely hold a long grudge against my brother-in-law if he can't get me at least one little picture, soon! (ha ha! just kidding, J! I'll settle for a cell phone shot!)<br /><br />Because babies don't respect schedules, especially knitting schedules, my projects are now officially late:<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5073810846633313154" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo87QRrxrw7s-PR6_BMoOgX4WSjj8YVjAjXJe2WBaf3J9rJuk0YiU1vZLtNSvg-cg1JTK-AbA-SRC7br2S_DXF3vQdB90Ul-uG3OSH4ZwKIOrMfmLnJqMXyMVLGJQckFtgZm2tyg/s320/DSC03261.JPG" border="0" /><br /><p>Story of my life. I've got to get cracking. </p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7362655.post-25989937687096875432007-05-31T19:11:00.000-07:002008-12-09T09:52:03.603-08:00Sahara.<div><span style="font-size:85%;"><em>The young man agreed<br />He would satisfy their need<br />So they danced for his pleasure<br />With a joy you could not measure<br />They would wait for him here<br />The same place every year<br />Beneath the sheltering sky<br />Across the desert he would fly<br /><br />Tea in the Sahara with you<br />Tea in the Sahara with you</em></span></div><div></div><br /><div>I got this song in my head as I started to write this post. Remember? It's The Police, from <em>Synchronicity</em>. Do you think the sisters wore this lovely number as they danced for his pleasure? I think they might have.</div><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw6TtH1wQ-AaYkRNVUm06Tgd1mwxKmp8j-cyr6f32dz02fjRyh7IPktbxCoArqtneZr9rGDZNInYklv3v-5L6kd8QqR1jrL5QhSLeD89oHkpUzND0qFNf0bT-LTZHTaY9m29SpFA/s1600-h/DSC03250.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5070914700134848098" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw6TtH1wQ-AaYkRNVUm06Tgd1mwxKmp8j-cyr6f32dz02fjRyh7IPktbxCoArqtneZr9rGDZNInYklv3v-5L6kd8QqR1jrL5QhSLeD89oHkpUzND0qFNf0bT-LTZHTaY9m29SpFA/s320/DSC03250.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUAPPIfZn4ZARjXQShazgXQKy-aAKzLhJgzToDNmqoIFIqnLwluQc3mR0mY8p2Kg9Q60qYgAb29ZmbEZwex-aN602JghsHcjA6el0EiJ5vH1jL0OMtPcALoTQeNh_ZkGvcTa1x5g/s1600-h/DSC03258.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUAPPIfZn4ZARjXQShazgXQKy-aAKzLhJgzToDNmqoIFIqnLwluQc3mR0mY8p2Kg9Q60qYgAb29ZmbEZwex-aN602JghsHcjA6el0EiJ5vH1jL0OMtPcALoTQeNh_ZkGvcTa1x5g/s320/DSC03258.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5070922448255850114" /></a><br /><strong><a href="http://www.stitchdiva.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=SDS-031">Sahara</a></strong></div><br /><div><strong>Yarn</strong>: Tilli Tomas Pure and Simple (2 skeins) and Disco Lights (1 skein) in Hibiscus</div><div><strong>Needles</strong>: Sizes 4 and 6</div><br /><div><strong>Notes</strong>:Wow. This really is the most luscious yarn I've ever worked with. I knit the XS size after reading in the pattern notes about the tendency of the yarn to stretch. I think it'll be fine, except that I may need to tack the neckline together a bit more because I think it's already starting to stretch out a little and if I'd turned a little sideways you'd all get a nice glimpse of my bra. </div><br /><div>A word about binding off: I learned that just because the pattern says to bind off loosely, it doesn't mean that you can just take really loose stitches with the needles you're using. I bound off the neckline with the size 4 needles I was working with and the neckline was so tight that it hiked the bottom of the lace panel all the way to my cleavage. </div><br /><div>I undid the cast off and because I was working with Disco Lights, I stripped the yarn free of all the sequins, because let me tell you what, it is a nightmare to pull out the stitches if you have to frog. </div><div> </div><div>I then cast off with size 6 needles, and it was better, but I undid it again and tried Elizabeth Zimmerman's sewn bind off, which is a super stretchy bind off (here's a nice <a href="http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEsummer06/FEATsum06TT.html">tutorial </a>from Knitty). Ta da! Like magic. I went back and redid the hem with this bind off, as well.</div><br /><div>Because I am a relatively new short rower, I was wrapping the stitches on the cap sleeves without picking them up and knitting them. That little piece of information (about picking up the wraps) is at the beginning of that section, but of course I missed it, and a little voice inside my head kept saying, this isn't right, this isn't right. Sure enough, at 2:30 in the morning when I had finished the first sleeve, I focused my bleary eyes on the pattern again and realized that it does say to pick up the stitches. It just doesn't say that in the instructions where you might expect it to spell that out for you. Doh.<br /></div><br /><div>This just may be the most beautiful thing I've ever knit. Now, I just need to find a party to wear it to! (hey, if I open some wine, I can start the party right now...*grin*)</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7362655.post-50854095329664649462007-05-26T11:50:00.000-07:002008-12-09T09:52:03.721-08:00Coming soon, this holiday weekend.I hope.<br /><br />It's <a href="http://yolatejo.blogspot.com/2007/05/possibly-most-beautiful-thing-you-will.html">Sahara</a>. Here's the diamond rib hem:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8a7OPJINb7qQRM2cL_LfsSmAGjSqw4Et8xLHISDYlaQvKI7O9UMAnMCFDUCOLFupU2al2cxlYgkWLfEjITpmrHclrufyRxpLo3mo8OZQkGte_u6dKQLQQPZoP8yBpIdoY9b_j1g/s1600-h/DSC03235.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5068945753982375458" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8a7OPJINb7qQRM2cL_LfsSmAGjSqw4Et8xLHISDYlaQvKI7O9UMAnMCFDUCOLFupU2al2cxlYgkWLfEjITpmrHclrufyRxpLo3mo8OZQkGte_u6dKQLQQPZoP8yBpIdoY9b_j1g/s320/DSC03235.JPG" border="0" /></a> I think I see an end in sight. I'm currently taking a break to rest my aching arm from the p3 tog through the back loop on the neck band. This is a technique that is the Devil's plaything, I am sure. <br /><br />Hope you all have a fun Memorial Day weekend!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7362655.post-40349525633297652422007-05-21T14:36:00.000-07:002008-12-09T09:52:04.159-08:00This 'n that. And a meme.Hoo, boy. It's been a while since I've posted, and while I haven't made much progress on my Sahara, I've been kept busy with lots of other little projects, here and there.<br /><br />It's been the busiest gift season for me since Christmas, what with baby showers and Mother's Day. A little knitting, a little sewing, and a little painting, and I got through it...I even managed to work on a little something for myself:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSvFP1qCml5WLOKpngM-20Up5jw_Au6HezKeGTyY0BPlUq2Gy9tYRGMi9o7fxDCVP4FNRhenb_DJWjLR-S_wtzQN1dG3bpUwr320kA7c1LxdxDf6f3vQklQ8MZGLSt__IedrhDnQ/s1600-h/maneja+tshirt.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5067132152502031874" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSvFP1qCml5WLOKpngM-20Up5jw_Au6HezKeGTyY0BPlUq2Gy9tYRGMi9o7fxDCVP4FNRhenb_DJWjLR-S_wtzQN1dG3bpUwr320kA7c1LxdxDf6f3vQklQ8MZGLSt__IedrhDnQ/s320/maneja+tshirt.jpg" border="0" /></a> Yay! I finally tried freezer paper stencils, after watching everyone else turn out adorable projects. This is a stencil of a graphic from one of my favorite local bands, <a href="http://www.manejabeto.com/">Maneja Beto</a>. They haven't gotten around to making and selling band t-shirts yet, so I finally decided to take matters into my own hands. <br /><br />I have a sticker that I based this sketch on, and then traced that sketch onto the freezer paper. I love the way it turned out! I've now washed it, and the only small problem is that the paint is cracking a little where the ribs are on the tank top. <br /><br />You should also know that I brightened this picture with <a href="http://snipshot.com/">Snipshots</a>, an online photo editing tool that one of y'all turned me on to (sorry! I can't remember exactly who it was, but I'm very grateful!). It's got limited capabilities, but it's great because you don't have to go through the hassle of creating an account or anything like that. You just upload your picture, fix it, and save it back to your computer. <br /><br />I was so happy with the stencil that when my friend Lena got a baby shower invitation that specified "homemade gifts only," I helped her paint some onesies with a giraffe and an elephant stencil I found <a href="http://www.freewebs.com/stencilry/home.htm">here</a>. I think we had the most fun we've had crafting since kindergarten fingerpainting. I got the same shower invitation, but I just finished the <a href="http://knitty.com/ISSUEwinter04/PATTpasha.html">Pasha </a>I was working on and wrapped it up. I didn't get any pictures for the blog, but both gifts were a big hit, and I actually think that the mom-to-be might hoard Pasha for herself! <br /><br />And here is an apron I made from Lotte Jansdotter's <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lotta-Jansdotters-Simple-Sewing-How/dp/0811852571/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-1722666-9315366?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1179784434&sr=8-1">Simple Sewing</a></em>:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPzjmFes6FfkjB5XbRkWBrw-MoOrGfycqj7D0FUqZ5TO9yADDbNOdRvN5XwQKIF2Ul3-Hot1WkamlYZkAlDlcJGiHjes4MIqO909kov4h88ddoqjpoFJ0ll6I28cQS0v8Mo6Lpyg/s1600-h/DSC03183.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5067131761660007922" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPzjmFes6FfkjB5XbRkWBrw-MoOrGfycqj7D0FUqZ5TO9yADDbNOdRvN5XwQKIF2Ul3-Hot1WkamlYZkAlDlcJGiHjes4MIqO909kov4h88ddoqjpoFJ0ll6I28cQS0v8Mo6Lpyg/s320/DSC03183.JPG" border="0" /></a>This is for a friend's mom, for Mother's Day. She and I were shopping at Williams-Sonoma and she was admiring an expensive, overpriced apron. I joked that I'd make it for her and only charge her half, and she got excited and asked me to do it. We went straight to Jo-Ann's and she picked out this pretty home decorating fabric, and because the apron is reversible, we got some lightweight cotton for the other side. I modified the pattern slightly by adding a pocket and trimming the top and bottom edges with bias tape. <br /><br />I really love this book! I joked with <a href="http://k-knit.blogspot.com">Karen</a>, who made me want the book in the first place, that some of the patterns seem sort of ridiculous (napkin? Um, isn't that just a square?), but the simple patterns are definitely a good place for beginners to practice their straight seams. <br /><br />I mostly bought the book for the tote bag and the duvet cover (um, isn't that just a really big square?), but all of the designs are adorable and practical--now I want to make the wall organizer, the magazine holder, the bedside pocket, the sun hat... I'm sure the book will keep me busy for a while.<br /><br />Whelp, it looks like the 7 random things meme is making the rounds again, and <a href="http://beekeepersgranddaughter.typepad.com/weblog/">Nancy </a>tagged me this time. In fairness, <a href="http://johnwaynesdaughter.blogspot.com">Marisa </a>tagged me a few months ago with the 6 weird things meme, but since I couldn't think of anything weird or eccentric about me (ahem), I'll let this one count for both. <br /><br /><strong>Seven Random Things About Me</strong><br /><br />1. My childhood names were Cookie and Lili. My niece now calls me Tia Cookie. <br /><br />2. When I walk into stores like Banana Republic or J. Crew, I have to touch everything I'm interested in, and sometimes I pick things up and smell them. Silk and leather smell the best to me. <br /><br />3. I've had the same pair of Rollerblades for 12 years, although I've switched out the wheels once. I still use them, but have lately been considering an upgrade. <br /><br />4. I hate bathrooms on airplanes and refuse to go unless an accident is imminent. <br /><br />5. I love horror movies, but am having a hard time watching them alone the older I get. I'm borrowing my friend's husband to see <em>28 Weeks Later</em> tonight, because all of my other friends are too chicken to see it. <br /><br />6. I love nothing better than to organize someone else's mess, but hate cleaning my own desk/office/apartment. <br /><br />7. I've only had two "real" vacations in my adult life, which I call those trips that had nothing to do with visiting friends or family: Grand Cayman and Paris. I'm about to take my third in June...Cancun! Yay! With my friend <a href="http://jennsjourneys.blogspot.com">Jennifer </a>and her lovely family, who agreed to let me tag along on their annual vacation. I. CANNOT. WAIT.<br /><br />I'll tag <a href="http://jennsjourneys.blogspot.com">Jennifer </a>and <a href="http://suenitosdeunarebelde.blogspot.com">La Rebelde</a>. If you want to play along, consider yourself tagged!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7362655.post-44470106413301402332007-05-09T17:08:00.000-07:002008-12-09T09:52:04.523-08:00Possibly the most beautiful thing you will ever see on this blog.Two skeins of Tilli Tomas's Pure and Simple, and a third of Disco Lights. It's the <a href="http://www.kpixie.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=3989">Sahara kit</a> from kpixie.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ3oI2x1xZSuqbnj0DU5JqIy1m5vdS6N50-zQHwF1v3ysiIAtgM9urE4lyoIscuXekgD-Mm0G6FUkUV8OzJhvC0w6gwCVv8kAy0gY3X9CnwL_NgTj6nDOBAgZIuVYj3LTxwbrTrg/s1600-h/DSC03149.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5062717553620077810" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ3oI2x1xZSuqbnj0DU5JqIy1m5vdS6N50-zQHwF1v3ysiIAtgM9urE4lyoIscuXekgD-Mm0G6FUkUV8OzJhvC0w6gwCVv8kAy0gY3X9CnwL_NgTj6nDOBAgZIuVYj3LTxwbrTrg/s320/DSC03149.JPG" border="0" /></a>This was the bundle of self-indulgent yumminess that was waiting inside that priority mail package the other day. I didn't mean to leave you guys hanging for so long! I wanted to post about this right away, but the grading of student papers is totally cramping my style right now.<br /><br /><div></div><div>I'm not usually this extravagant, but this is a special package. I was emailing with <a href="http://doggedknits.com">Ashley </a>a while ago about feeling blue due to some personal stuff that's been going on, and offhandedly mentioned that a trip to the LYS might improve my mood. Ashley, being the amazingly sweet, generous person that she is, sent me yarn therapy, in the form of a kpixie gift certificate. </div><div> </div><div></div><div>I should say that Ashley is the only knitblogger I know in person, and that's because we met in graduate school. We were friendly, but I feel like I've really gotten to know her since she got her job as a real professor (yay!) and moved away (boo!)...and we began to read each other's blogs. </div><br /><div></div><div>We commiserate <a href="http://doggedknits.com/?p=904">about Texas, and Willie Nelson,</a> and <a href="http://doggedknits.com/?p=77">Nature's Most Perfect Food</a>. I'm glad that I'm able to keep up not only with her <a href="http://doggedknits.com/?p=896">creative genius</a>, but also with updates on her adorable <a href="http://doggedknits.com/?p=820">nephew</a>, and of course, Bailey (do I even have to post a link? Girl has the best banner ever). Your thoughtfulness humbles me, Ashley. Thank you so much! I'm lucky to have found such a good friend in you.</div><br /><div>Needless to say, when I got the kpixie email., I was completely floored and literally moved to tears. After I pulled myself together, I went yarn shopping! I decided to go all out and use Ashley's gift towards this kit, which was on sale for the short sleeve Sahara, in this hibiscus color and another pale yellow color. </div><div></div><br /><div>Clearly, pure silk is the best kind of mood enhancer. This is how beautiful it is: I cast on provisionally and knit the first row instead of purled, which is how the instructions tell you to start. I'd gotten all the way to the armhole shaping (37 rows), realized my mistake, and happily frogged back without a second thought. Would my mistake have mattered? Probably not. Could I have continued? Sure. But I got to knit that section <em>again</em>. With <em>that</em> yarn.<br /></div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5062729661132885250" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwNYJU6_0AqCnfN3wQF0ucRgB_NKO5jK0fZoBqEHCYX2jODcELHgBNrgwMzICjwZC9jw2LXEK9w-fvi_qOgm3JaQkWBLsnMKPWlRCx5e0L9Bxc7q0kAMdvR09vTCQ-sjPUpZQpcA/s320/Gkit-sahara-special.jpg" border="0" /></div><br />In fact, this yarn is so magical that I fully expect that it will make me look <em>exactly</em> like that otherworldly, glowy-eyed nymph in the ad.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7362655.post-89112876903581215152007-05-04T11:46:00.000-07:002008-12-09T09:52:05.541-08:00Knitting ADD.I've got what you might call a severe case of knitterly ADD lately. Could it be because the semester's over! (Woo hoo!) Could it be because I unofficially stopped teaching two weeks ago because I smartly built in student presentations on the syllabus? (Can I get a whut whut?)<br /><br />Well, the celebrating's a bit premature, because, alas there are still papers to grade. But behold the fruits of my work avoidance:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxZn5zD1mMqUfoWBOBw6GevMYDGpmAKnhMhyOAq8r6yfz6rmurWWFKuYnT1Y3e2oCX1eJbjaaB8Wt1G91-K0QZlHPrFsDcwrwlm9GzbyFUKbgOyfBpQUvolHRZ1E-PbRs5v-emcw/s1600-h/DSC03155.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5060780566319254690" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxZn5zD1mMqUfoWBOBw6GevMYDGpmAKnhMhyOAq8r6yfz6rmurWWFKuYnT1Y3e2oCX1eJbjaaB8Wt1G91-K0QZlHPrFsDcwrwlm9GzbyFUKbgOyfBpQUvolHRZ1E-PbRs5v-emcw/s320/DSC03155.JPG" border="0" /></a> This is the Roundabout Leaf Tank (I think that's what the name is) from <em>Knitting Nature</em>, in Berroco Denim Silk (such a misnomer, there's so little silk in there and so much synthetic fiber). I started this a while ago, and have been knitting a little on it here and there.<br /><br /><br /><p><a href="http://knitty.com/ISSUEwinter04/PATTpasha.html"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5060780570614222002" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiModrEOKNS5VOBzftHAcAF5HY_vWyqTfz_1oo3RGLVo3nObtWgFBdVVfGXUh8Igj5LM5T58IgVf-NRqEp-BXpTB9HkZKVITYyGBzScexd2Y5_h323pKu5mZ6ouevZV0PVTR_159A/s320/DSC03154.JPG" border="0" />Pasha</a>! It's a penguin! Look, look! The magic of short rows. So cool.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQCtWVnfx5GJi0GryzmlxNBzofINtr2vf7Ad8iNyMrEy88UXliH7YDGX1Vf5QO3ybY9sBbeod5-XX345-bG-Em82HsXbeWfI3UAbztDdZiAXHxAMGe41Cdfcoz4Tn8a3QplLitbg/s1600-h/DSC03153.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5060780574909189314" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQCtWVnfx5GJi0GryzmlxNBzofINtr2vf7Ad8iNyMrEy88UXliH7YDGX1Vf5QO3ybY9sBbeod5-XX345-bG-Em82HsXbeWfI3UAbztDdZiAXHxAMGe41Cdfcoz4Tn8a3QplLitbg/s320/DSC03153.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://yolatejo.blogspot.com/2007/01/gift.html">Sweet Mary Jane</a>, which I started a very, very long time ago (mmm, maybe around Christmas?). At first the lace pattern was giving me some grief, but ever since I switched from jump rings to regular Susan Bates stitch markers, it's been easy going. I've made quite a bit of progress lately! Which you can't really tell from the little bit of progress I had before, but trust me on this one.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJTQ_ZEPng9KjFNSaPxfxxxrJuMnlyHJH_8ompw_6_tamVpXDs5ZfjYJo5pWS_bZQWROaQ7yW_lf__toAdxC3iF9jdGI1X50ncM-DnAKtKhFcIwa_NJeXSP3EZblWU9aaHTrtHNg/s1600-h/DSC03150.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5060780579204156626" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJTQ_ZEPng9KjFNSaPxfxxxrJuMnlyHJH_8ompw_6_tamVpXDs5ZfjYJo5pWS_bZQWROaQ7yW_lf__toAdxC3iF9jdGI1X50ncM-DnAKtKhFcIwa_NJeXSP3EZblWU9aaHTrtHNg/s320/DSC03150.JPG" border="0" /></a>The Lullaby baby blanket for my niece-to-be. I finally chose...you got it, Caron's Simply Soft in this pretty mint green. Searched though I might, there is no Cotton-Ease to be had in the Austin area Michael's or Hobby Lobbys. S'ok, though, because I'm really happy with this color, which seems to have a pearly luminescence. Not bad for acrylic, eh?</p><p>Today, though, I got what I think will be my cure for the knitting ADD. The yarny equivalent of Ritalin, if you will.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5zgEwgHJyxLGFq7kyVeWG8uIDzyze87GWDmj2AZkupX7XWZiUPqtJo8GaR14GDayWfZoKe3wcaQWrdzfW3jCbQAeWrecDK94yEkuV75Balz_kCOAUuPX2J4qIzT7AJgrsPsshcA/s1600-h/DSC03146.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5060780587794091234" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5zgEwgHJyxLGFq7kyVeWG8uIDzyze87GWDmj2AZkupX7XWZiUPqtJo8GaR14GDayWfZoKe3wcaQWrdzfW3jCbQAeWrecDK94yEkuV75Balz_kCOAUuPX2J4qIzT7AJgrsPsshcA/s320/DSC03146.JPG" border="0" /></a></p>The big reveal for next time!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7362655.post-239550162589293152007-04-27T13:27:00.000-07:002008-12-09T09:52:06.478-08:007.5 minutes.I love how knitting blogs sometimes find their way into news stories about the upsurge in blogging. <a href="http://beekeepersgranddaughter.typepad.com/weblog/2007/04/press_clippings.html">Nancy </a>(of Beekeeper Granddaughter's fame) recently was <a href="http://www.dailysouthtown.com/news/332077,081NWS2.article">quoted </a>in her local newspaper about her take on the whole matter. And guess what? I piggybacked on her 15 minutes of fame! The reporter used one of my comments on Nancy's post about the White Sox to demonstrate the kind of lively dialogue that goes on, I suppose. So maybe that would really be only, like, 3.25 minutes of fame for me, huh? Paris Hilton better watch her back.<br /><br /><br />Now that the semester's winding down to a close, I've finally had a chance to break out my sewing machine, which has been collecting dust in a corner. Occasionally, I'd give it longing looks as I typed away at a conference paper (three conferences this semester! total madness!). Since I'd already cut out the pieces for this dress, I decided to spend the better portion of last weekend sewing it together:<br /><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRSKDdTkHxsQPFxVgQaRwOvlgWuEfuDb2TUfrag81KSnu7mSOMj83rX6MLz9acStIHB_M9VdFgS0VpRabkyk0oJxt7j0A0fo9ZGwDsRGqC96dMbAfN1FRVBLP6kBEBNo7VP6qCpA/s1600-h/duro+dress+green+background.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5058211338357623922" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRSKDdTkHxsQPFxVgQaRwOvlgWuEfuDb2TUfrag81KSnu7mSOMj83rX6MLz9acStIHB_M9VdFgS0VpRabkyk0oJxt7j0A0fo9ZGwDsRGqC96dMbAfN1FRVBLP6kBEBNo7VP6qCpA/s320/duro+dress+green+background.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbYX7POCkNF0ffukf9ui6Q2tRk8HMpB1wlInO0eZQA4g-zege8uRrbplL38Bug1FC0CeZtupTATn9krPxL4rjeMlBoVLXNgKPY6FYEm8OpeQQi9-VsdMmD2hsEVDRWfKNJKX46yg/s1600-h/duro+dress+porch.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5058211338357623938" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbYX7POCkNF0ffukf9ui6Q2tRk8HMpB1wlInO0eZQA4g-zege8uRrbplL38Bug1FC0CeZtupTATn9krPxL4rjeMlBoVLXNgKPY6FYEm8OpeQQi9-VsdMmD2hsEVDRWfKNJKX46yg/s320/duro+dress+porch.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Reading Erin's posts about the Duro dress on <a href="http://www.dressaday.com/dressaday.html">Dress a Day </a>was like experiencing subliminal persuasion. (<a href="http://www.dressaday.com/2005/11/duro-olowu.html">This </a>may possibly be the first post that got that bandwagon going.) Every time I'd read one, I'd go, ooh, pretty dress. Oooh, pretty dress. Must make that dress. Must make that dress now.<br /><br />Like the good little follower that I am, I picked up the <a href="http://www.mccallpattern.com/item/M5137.htm">McCall's version </a>next time Joann's was having a sale. I thought it might be nice in cotton, but because I don't listen to my instincts and instead read the pattern envelope, I bought some rayon challis on clearance for the body, as well as the silky blue fabric. </p><p>If I were to make this again, it would definitely be in cotton. There's a whole lotta fabric in this dress, and the rayon definitely adds some weight. (In fact, if I had turned sideways in these shots, I'd bear a striking resemblance to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Importance_of_Being_Earnest#Characters">Lady Bracknell</a>!)<br /><br />Overall, I'm pleased with the way it turned out; I think this is probably my most involved project yet, although it wasn't technically that difficult. Just a whole bunch of steps you have to get through, what with all the pieces (the sash ties in the back, but it's not all one piece...it's actually five).<br /><br />I did have a crisis moment when I attached the bottom band and tried it on. It was waaay too long, and almost fell around my ankles! It was one a.m., but I was determined to not wake up in the morning with this project still cluttering my kitchen table.<br /><br />I ripped out the bottom band (which I'd spent two painstaking hours blindstitching by hand), cut it in half, and then just machine sewed it back on. The stitching is sloppy, but you can't see it unless you're up close (and if you're that close, what the heck are you doing hanging around down there anyway???).<br /><br />So, guess what I saw in the dumpster outside my house this morning?<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggECyx2GclNFt30hEuueqeo4loYxlAuTHSenII8mqNfAL9sEJW3uyguZyQC0GaFK9elbDx6mW3zPoWPAEc7XqqnV32FJD79tU2P0SFg4d9dlzNat7YS26DIWFs8C7nYOUpAY1zPw/s1600-h/crochet+dumpster"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5058217969787128978" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggECyx2GclNFt30hEuueqeo4loYxlAuTHSenII8mqNfAL9sEJW3uyguZyQC0GaFK9elbDx6mW3zPoWPAEc7XqqnV32FJD79tU2P0SFg4d9dlzNat7YS26DIWFs8C7nYOUpAY1zPw/s320/crochet+dumpster" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Weird, huh? Although it does make me sad to see abandoned afghans, I do stop short of picking them out of the garbage. But even more than that, I just want to know how the heck it got there! And why is it draped over the top instead of being stuffed in? Is this some drive-by fiber art installation? </p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7362655.post-797970290359475912007-04-23T11:52:00.000-07:002008-12-09T09:52:06.944-08:00New socks.While a lot of procrastinating goes on at Chez Yo La Tejo, some things do manage to get done.<br /><br /><br /><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2izRfAquT0FNy26Qwtr3N4CvIaIaDslzz0uICmpqZ6UZBcugy4s_XoQ31PPBt1yIH_tqhobpNxx5WXXVzltw7mT8v5nN3fVLjpbsFkeNCXeczSG9s92Zbo3OBG5-N76zCh9QbUw/s1600-h/DSC03131.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5056700134133654898" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2izRfAquT0FNy26Qwtr3N4CvIaIaDslzz0uICmpqZ6UZBcugy4s_XoQ31PPBt1yIH_tqhobpNxx5WXXVzltw7mT8v5nN3fVLjpbsFkeNCXeczSG9s92Zbo3OBG5-N76zCh9QbUw/s320/DSC03131.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3iCa_NHbagc6U-ozpMGa4dGM0UELxBNUG4hyphenhyphen6tjVNjwqURgnKwLcujqKQkAA_JCsLD0a7TnCLweXxQCY4TymiUkWkLcbtnSq_7_tdSB7NDEG0QSHf-s_6CsQ1vpRXSktJlP3rvw/s1600-h/DSC03132.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5056700138428622210" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3iCa_NHbagc6U-ozpMGa4dGM0UELxBNUG4hyphenhyphen6tjVNjwqURgnKwLcujqKQkAA_JCsLD0a7TnCLweXxQCY4TymiUkWkLcbtnSq_7_tdSB7NDEG0QSHf-s_6CsQ1vpRXSktJlP3rvw/s320/DSC03132.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Pattern: Madder Rib Socks from <em>Knitting Vintage Socks</em><br />Yarn: Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock (I forget the exact name of the colorway, but it was something like China Blue, or China Stripes)<br />Needles: Size 1<br /><br />Yay! Socks for me! After knitting three pairs of socks for other people, I finally decided to put some on the needles for myself. Selfishly, I've decided not to join Sockapalooza this year, simply because I want to knit stuff for me (and the occasional baby blanket for a new niece). Besides, my confidence in knitting something to fit a stranger who can't try on as I go took a hit last year; my sockpal never posted a modeled shot, leading me to believe that she probably couldn't get them on over her heel, but was too nice to say so. </p><p>As I've posted before, this is the yarn I originally started Jaywalkers with. I hated the pooling, ripped the sock, and then settled on a simple rib pattern, which shows the colors to much better advantage.<br /><br />I knit the socks exactly to the pattern, and am not entirely pleased with the extremely pointy toe (I think Nancy Bush calls this the Star Toe). You need to stop knitting the ribbing about three inches below where you want the sock to end, which means that on my small foot, the ribbing ends about halfway up the instep. Also, the square heel doesn't lie flat, really, and kind of pulls down the heel (you can see this in the picture if you look closely).<br /><br />Who cares? Ill fitting or not, I love them to pieces. Sadly, they will have to get tucked away for next winter, since it's flip flop weather here already. Don't hate! :-)<br /><br />I leave you with a clip from <em>Angel </em>that makes me giggle every time I watch it (I think I'm only on my fifteenth view). I switched to <em>Angel</em> after my <s>crack dealer</s> friend with every <em>Buffy</em> season on DVD couldn't find the fourth season to loan me. In desperation, I told her I'd take the first season of <em>Angel</em>. I don't like it as much, but find myself developing a huge crush on the brooding, tortured vampire. (Brooding? Tortured? What's not to love?) Which are the qualities that make this video such a hoot.<br /><br /><object height="350" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/PwO8smpOM7Q"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/PwO8smpOM7Q" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com11