Once again, I love being here in Texas so much that I don't want to go home. David tested my endurance with an 11-mile bike ride the other day (and considering I haven't been on a bicycle in at least five years, I think I did pretty well), we got addicted to Mario Kart on the Wii, and saw Iron Man. Have I mentioned that I love it here?
Oh, and I've done very little knitting. Tragic, eh? ;-)
05 May 2008
30 April 2008
A Plethora of Project Pics
I'm too braindead for a "real" post, so here are some pictures for you.
Projects I've started in the last six or seven weeks:
"Angularities" (formerly of MagKnits, now available directly from designer Sarah Wilson) in Cascade Pearls
Sunshine Socks, generic toe-up with the merino-tencel blend from Ellen's Half Pint Farm
Knitty's Branching Out in Fiesta Yarns' "La Luz" silk
delft-style mittens of my own design in Patons Classic Merino
Wannietta Prescod's Knotted Openwork Scarf in KnitPicks "Shimmer"
the sweater!
I'm going to visit David for the weekend. See y'all when I get back!
Projects I've started in the last six or seven weeks:
"Angularities" (formerly of MagKnits, now available directly from designer Sarah Wilson) in Cascade Pearls
Sunshine Socks, generic toe-up with the merino-tencel blend from Ellen's Half Pint Farm
Knitty's Branching Out in Fiesta Yarns' "La Luz" silk
delft-style mittens of my own design in Patons Classic Merino
Wannietta Prescod's Knotted Openwork Scarf in KnitPicks "Shimmer"
the sweater!
I'm going to visit David for the weekend. See y'all when I get back!
21 April 2008
Cirque, Sweater, and Stuff
My sister and I went to see Cirque du Soleil's Kooza yesterday! This is the second Cirque performance I've been to, and it was everything I expected.
This picture was way too expensive, but it's one of the few pictures of myself that I actually like. My sister, on the other hand, hates the way she looks in it, so she asked me to blur her face.
In knitting news, I've been working on my very first sweater. I figure since I'm dating the guy from Sweater Project it would be good to make my own sweater. It's not quite as impressive as his, but so far I'm happy with it.
It's about six inches longer than this now, but it's tough to take a picture of it while it's still on my only available #4 circ, which is only 24". I may be skinny, but I'm not that skinny. I'm using Knitware's sweater designer v.2.5, which is a very cool program. The yarn is a nylon/acrylic/angora rabbit blend that used to be a huge cowl-neck Old Navy sweater that I got at Goodwill for about five dollars.
I have a few (LOL!) other projects on the needles, including stranded mittens in a delft-like design I improvised based on some plates I saw online, several socks (yes, I'm still working on the Clown Socks, I have a few more inches of instep left before I turn the heel), and a narrow Clapotis scarf out of Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk I found on sale at Hither & Yarn.
I need some exercise, so I'm going to go take a walk and then work on my sweater for a while.
This picture was way too expensive, but it's one of the few pictures of myself that I actually like. My sister, on the other hand, hates the way she looks in it, so she asked me to blur her face.
In knitting news, I've been working on my very first sweater. I figure since I'm dating the guy from Sweater Project it would be good to make my own sweater. It's not quite as impressive as his, but so far I'm happy with it.
It's about six inches longer than this now, but it's tough to take a picture of it while it's still on my only available #4 circ, which is only 24". I may be skinny, but I'm not that skinny. I'm using Knitware's sweater designer v.2.5, which is a very cool program. The yarn is a nylon/acrylic/angora rabbit blend that used to be a huge cowl-neck Old Navy sweater that I got at Goodwill for about five dollars.
I have a few (LOL!) other projects on the needles, including stranded mittens in a delft-like design I improvised based on some plates I saw online, several socks (yes, I'm still working on the Clown Socks, I have a few more inches of instep left before I turn the heel), and a narrow Clapotis scarf out of Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk I found on sale at Hither & Yarn.
I need some exercise, so I'm going to go take a walk and then work on my sweater for a while.
20 April 2008
Finished: Condom Cozy
Jeez, I suck at blogging these days, huh? Sorry about that. At least I have a FO to show off this time! It requires a little introduction...
My favorite comedian is a Brit named Eddie Izzard. In one of his shows he does a bit about the performer Engelbert Humperdink. (You can watch it here [it starts around 6:15].) It's the first thing I think of when I'm trying to come up with a name, and I'm thrilled that I was finally able to use it!
Allow me to introduce Slut Bunwalla. He would have been Zinglebert Bembeldack, but I thought Slut Bunwalla fit his function a little better... he's a condom and vibrator cozy. I adapted the "Condom Critter" pattern from Naughty Needles... and by "adapted" I mean I looked at the picture, skimmed the pattern, and said, "okay, I'm going to wing it."
He has a pocket on his back for the condoms (and extra batteries). The pattern puts the pocket on the front, but I wanted it to be a little more discreet.
There's a pouch inside for the vibrator!
His legs are the drawstrings for the pouch.
His eyes and beak are needle-felted with scrap yarn and sewn on.
He was a fun knit, and used up some novelty yarn that I was beginning to think I'd never find a use for.
My favorite comedian is a Brit named Eddie Izzard. In one of his shows he does a bit about the performer Engelbert Humperdink. (You can watch it here [it starts around 6:15].) It's the first thing I think of when I'm trying to come up with a name, and I'm thrilled that I was finally able to use it!
And Engelbert Humperdink, yes, he was nice. That's not his real name. He's from Britain, but that's not his name. There's very few Humperdinks in Britain. He was born Gerry Dorsey, and not Engelbert Humperdink. His parents were not Mr. and Mrs. Humperdink. They never said, "what shall we call our son so he does not get the shit kicked out of him at school?" "We shall call him Engelbert!" "Good, that'll work!" No, his name was Gerry Dorsey, and he released songs as Gerry Dorsey... songs such as [mumble]... which didn't work, 'cause no one could hear what he was saying, and then his managers obviously said, "we're gonna change your name, Gerry! It's the name that's the problem!" And his name changed from Gerry Dorsey to Engelbert Humperdink! I mean, I just wanted to be in the room when they were working that one through.
"Zinglebert Bembeldack! Yingeybert Dungleban! Zanglebert Bingledack! Winglebert Humptyback! Slut Bunwalla!" "What?!?" "Alright, Kringlebert Fisteybuns! Steeviebuns Buttricktrundles!" "No, Gerry Dorsey! I like Gerry Dorsey!" "No, we... what've we got? Zinglebert Bembeldack, Tringlebert Wangledack, Slut Bunwalla, Clingeybun Fistlebars, Dindlebert Zendeldack, uh, Gerry Dorsey, um, Engelbert Humpteyback, Zinglebert Bengeldack, Engelbert Humperdink, Binglebert Wingledank..." "No, no, go back one, go back one! Engelbert Humperdink! That's it!"
Allow me to introduce Slut Bunwalla. He would have been Zinglebert Bembeldack, but I thought Slut Bunwalla fit his function a little better... he's a condom and vibrator cozy. I adapted the "Condom Critter" pattern from Naughty Needles... and by "adapted" I mean I looked at the picture, skimmed the pattern, and said, "okay, I'm going to wing it."
He has a pocket on his back for the condoms (and extra batteries). The pattern puts the pocket on the front, but I wanted it to be a little more discreet.
There's a pouch inside for the vibrator!
His legs are the drawstrings for the pouch.
His eyes and beak are needle-felted with scrap yarn and sewn on.
He was a fun knit, and used up some novelty yarn that I was beginning to think I'd never find a use for.
28 March 2008
Overdue Vacation Wrap-Up
It's about bloody time I post, huh? Every time I come back from vacation, I have a nasty attack of depression that sticks around for a few weeks and messes with my motivation. So much stuff has happened since the last entry that the idea of blogging about it has become big and scary-like. Let's see if I can cut it down to size and get back in the swing of things.
The vacation with David was, of course, wonderful. My birthday was the 2nd, the day we drove up to Vermont, and it was one of the best birthdays I've had in a long time. We stopped at Yankee Candle's flagship store (which is HUGE and has way more than just candles) in South Deerfield, MA, Green Mountain Spinnery in Putney, VT, and White River Yarns in White River Junction, VT. Candles and yarn were purchased, food was eaten, and Jedi wookiees were discussed.
The next day I took David to Ben & Jerry's for their factory tour. If you're ever in upstate Vermont, make time for it. You get a free sample at the end of the tour! After that we went down to Montpelier to visit The Knitting Studio, and then swung up to Waterbury to visit The Wool Shed (site archived here) where we met one of the most bubbly people I've ever known. We went back later in the week to interview her.
On Tuesday we checked out the Northeast Fiber Arts Center in Williston (they have a sweet shop dog and great spinning fiber selection) and then went up to Burlington for lunch at the Vermont Pub & Brewery. While we were in Burlington we visited ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center, where we learned about lampreys and their evil bloodsucking ways.
Nothing else made it into my notebook, but I know we stopped at Piecasso for lunch one day, did some snowshoeing and sledding, and watched A Year In Provence over the course of the week.
There was knitting, too! My skin is sensitive to mammal fiber, and while I can wear blends, I do start to itch after a while. I'd brought my Teal Diamond hat, which is a wool-acrylic blend, but it was irritating my skin from wearing it so much, so when we were at Northeast Fiber Arts I picked up a skein of Patagonia Nature Cotton. By the next afternoon I'd finished this hat (which really isn't lopsided) with this much yarn to spare.
On Saturday we headed for home, stopping in Northampton, MA, to have lunch with my mother. Since we got to town early, we killed some time at Webs, where, oddly enough, Mom was also killing time. Mom hasn't done any knitting since she taught me how nearly twenty years ago (in fact she just gave me most of her needles earlier this week), but she loves fiber and can't resist stopping at Webs when she's in the area. She liked David and David liked her, so the meeting was a success.
*whew*
Next post: all the stuff I've done and bought since then!
The vacation with David was, of course, wonderful. My birthday was the 2nd, the day we drove up to Vermont, and it was one of the best birthdays I've had in a long time. We stopped at Yankee Candle's flagship store (which is HUGE and has way more than just candles) in South Deerfield, MA, Green Mountain Spinnery in Putney, VT, and White River Yarns in White River Junction, VT. Candles and yarn were purchased, food was eaten, and Jedi wookiees were discussed.
The next day I took David to Ben & Jerry's for their factory tour. If you're ever in upstate Vermont, make time for it. You get a free sample at the end of the tour! After that we went down to Montpelier to visit The Knitting Studio, and then swung up to Waterbury to visit The Wool Shed (site archived here) where we met one of the most bubbly people I've ever known. We went back later in the week to interview her.
On Tuesday we checked out the Northeast Fiber Arts Center in Williston (they have a sweet shop dog and great spinning fiber selection) and then went up to Burlington for lunch at the Vermont Pub & Brewery. While we were in Burlington we visited ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center, where we learned about lampreys and their evil bloodsucking ways.
Nothing else made it into my notebook, but I know we stopped at Piecasso for lunch one day, did some snowshoeing and sledding, and watched A Year In Provence over the course of the week.
There was knitting, too! My skin is sensitive to mammal fiber, and while I can wear blends, I do start to itch after a while. I'd brought my Teal Diamond hat, which is a wool-acrylic blend, but it was irritating my skin from wearing it so much, so when we were at Northeast Fiber Arts I picked up a skein of Patagonia Nature Cotton. By the next afternoon I'd finished this hat (which really isn't lopsided) with this much yarn to spare.
On Saturday we headed for home, stopping in Northampton, MA, to have lunch with my mother. Since we got to town early, we killed some time at Webs, where, oddly enough, Mom was also killing time. Mom hasn't done any knitting since she taught me how nearly twenty years ago (in fact she just gave me most of her needles earlier this week), but she loves fiber and can't resist stopping at Webs when she's in the area. She liked David and David liked her, so the meeting was a success.
*whew*
Next post: all the stuff I've done and bought since then!
12 March 2008
07 March 2008
Wrap Up
Friday night, our last night here, and it's been snowing for an hour or two. David and I just walked down to the tavern and back, enjoying the village feel of the cluster of townhouses on our little hill. We watched the snow falling in the beam of the tavern's spotlight, made up stories about the dog whose footprints made a rather drunken path to our neighbor's door, and lamented the tavern's early closing time. Nine o'clock on a Friday night? Please.
It's been a wonderful week up here in Stowe, and tomorrow we'll be heading back to my place. We'll be making a stop on the way: lunch with my mother in Northampton. If we survive that, we'll drop our bags at home and go to the movie we've been meaning to see all week. Then it's a good night's sleep, and David flies back to Texas Sunday afternoon.
Like all of our vacations, this one isn't nearly long enough, but we've had a lot of fun, taken a lot of pictures, and we have a lot of good memories to tide us over until the next time we see each other. We'll both be posting more about our fibery (and non-fibery) adventures soon.
If you'll excuse me, my loverboy is going to build us a fire, make some hot chocolate, and wrap me in his arms for a while before we crawl off to bed. Good night, all.
01 March 2008
Vacation
My sweetheart and I are off to Vermont in the morning for a week-long ski vacation. We may or may not post while we're up there, but there'll be plenty of knitting to show off when we get back.
Ciao!
Ciao!
22 February 2008
Clowning Around
New project!
Yeah, I'm manic and keep casting on new projects. But this one's happy and fun and I'm learning something new!
"But Lilith, it's your standard toe-up, short-row sock," you say... or would say if you were one of the voices in my head.
"Look again," I say,"for things are not always what they seem!" And then I pull out...
THE SECOND SOCK!!!
*ahem*
That's right, two socks at once on one set of DPNs! Shiny, eh? It's very much like double-knitting. Half of the stitches are for sock #1, the other half for sock #2.
On the near needle, the purple stitches are sock #1 (with the knit side showing) and the yellow-to-blue stitches are for sock #2 (with the purl side showing).
Why am I doing this? Several reasons:
a. I wanted to try a new skill, and this is a pretty nifty one.
II. I love making socks.
3. I am in love with this yarn. It's the Ashabee's Fiber Oasis superwash merino in the Clown Wig colorway that I got in Portland.
☺. Anything that helps avoid Second Sock Syndrome has to be good, right?
V. I had a set of #0 DPNs lying around with nothing on them.
So yeah. Clown socks! Yay!
Yeah, I'm manic and keep casting on new projects. But this one's happy and fun and I'm learning something new!
"But Lilith, it's your standard toe-up, short-row sock," you say... or would say if you were one of the voices in my head.
"Look again," I say,"for things are not always what they seem!" And then I pull out...
THE SECOND SOCK!!!
*ahem*
That's right, two socks at once on one set of DPNs! Shiny, eh? It's very much like double-knitting. Half of the stitches are for sock #1, the other half for sock #2.
On the near needle, the purple stitches are sock #1 (with the knit side showing) and the yellow-to-blue stitches are for sock #2 (with the purl side showing).
Why am I doing this? Several reasons:
a. I wanted to try a new skill, and this is a pretty nifty one.
II. I love making socks.
3. I am in love with this yarn. It's the Ashabee's Fiber Oasis superwash merino in the Clown Wig colorway that I got in Portland.
☺. Anything that helps avoid Second Sock Syndrome has to be good, right?
V. I had a set of #0 DPNs lying around with nothing on them.
So yeah. Clown socks! Yay!
11 February 2008
Painting and Pictures
Okay. Two bits of news.
I've started Babette's makeover. She made her public debut at a local business and community expo (pics here) on Sunday where the Connecticut River SnB (newer, shinier version of TVSnB) represented the area's fiber folk. Here we have before and after:
There's still some work to be done, but everyone says she's beautiful. More pics here.
Second bit of news: I have a new camera! Last year, David gave me a Nikon L3 point-and-shoot digital camera so I could shoot my projects without having to beg to borrow my sister's camera. It's a nice little camera, and it works well. I've had my eye on a digital SLR, though, so when (December 23rd) my father asked me what I wanted for Christmas, I asked if he'd consider a moderately expensive Christmas-and-birthday present. He agreed, and so last week I became the proud owner of a Canon Rebel XTi. Yum. Yum, yum, yum. Again, before and after:
I'm a happy camper. A happy camper with aching shins from six hours of spinning yesterday. Owwie.
I've started Babette's makeover. She made her public debut at a local business and community expo (pics here) on Sunday where the Connecticut River SnB (newer, shinier version of TVSnB) represented the area's fiber folk. Here we have before and after:
There's still some work to be done, but everyone says she's beautiful. More pics here.
Second bit of news: I have a new camera! Last year, David gave me a Nikon L3 point-and-shoot digital camera so I could shoot my projects without having to beg to borrow my sister's camera. It's a nice little camera, and it works well. I've had my eye on a digital SLR, though, so when (December 23rd) my father asked me what I wanted for Christmas, I asked if he'd consider a moderately expensive Christmas-and-birthday present. He agreed, and so last week I became the proud owner of a Canon Rebel XTi. Yum. Yum, yum, yum. Again, before and after:
I'm a happy camper. A happy camper with aching shins from six hours of spinning yesterday. Owwie.
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