the quacking fiber addict

My sleep cycle is all wonky after the Harry Potter release party. It's only been a week, so hopefully it'll stabilize soon. In the meantime, I'm surviving off of catnaps.

On Friday, Mum and I went to Forest Park, the largest park in any city in the US. Over 5000 acres of greenery, paths, and an Audubon sanctuary. We took the Wildwood path, which curves along a very steep drop (above a 100 ft straight down), but the sock wasn't too scared:


The dog was tenacious and general pain in the tuckus. I suppose we should consider ourselves lucky he didn't try to follow a bird off the trail, down the slope. The area is famous for it's few remaining old growth Douglas Firs - some, I'm told, are up to 8 ft in diameter. The largest we saw was about 6 ft. But, the undergrowth (secondary) was full of maidenhair ferns, Solomon's seal, and teeny-tiny wild flowers. I really do love the PNW, just for places like this:


Growing up in an area that had been lived on, and tamed by humans, for thousands of years (the Cherokee and Iroquois were settled, remember?) meant that I never saw a tree 100's of feet high until moving to Oregon. Seeing hundreds of them for the first time (in 2002), blocking out the sun and dizzyingly tall, was an experience I'll never forget. Even now, thousands of acres of wild forest, old and secondary growth, is awe-inspiring to someone raised on concrete and manicured lawns.

It also impresses (and amuses) the hell outta me that women pioneers settled Oregon wearing corsets and skirts (don't tell me they didn't, cuz they did). I often wonder at the foolishness of it all.

But, anyway, that's enough musing. I know all y'all come for the knitting content.

Today, after sitting through a series excruciatingly off-key Torah readings (oy), meeting some of the local Reconstructionist Shul (I miss East Coast Conservative services so much), and escaping narrowly from a rowdy Bar Mitzvah crowd - I dragged the folks to Lint. If you haven't heard by now that Lint is closing, you probably don't live in the PDX area and don't care.

But, as I do, and the Shul was 5 blocks away, we made a stop. This post definitely qualifies for SSE. 10 balls of Rowan 4-Ply Cotton:




For a pair of spocks with antique, enameled black buttons. I cannot wait to finish them. I just have to finish little D's pair (one nearly done!), and then I can CO my own.

Other than that? I put the spencer-bolero-thing back on the needles, because Opus wants a copy of the pattern - but I have to finish knitting the SBT before I can write a pattern for it. I'm 16 rows away from finishing Clue 2 on the Mystery Stole, and am nearly to the heels on Baudelaire.

And that's about everything. I hope this post was better than the last few... And, thank you everyone for your congrats! This is so exciting.

Labels: baudelaire, designing, Portland, SSE

I present, for your amusement and my own humility, a picture of my chipmump cheeks (a chipmunk with mumps)...

Wow, could I look any more ridiculous?

Good news? I am finally able to eat hot/ real foods again. I just managed some mini mozzarella balls (bless Mum and her funky grocery lists). Mum's even promised me lentil soup... I never thought I'd say it, but at the moment I never, ever, want to see (much less eat) ice cream again.

Other, knitting, news. 4 rows on the pair of Jaywalkers done. I've also swatched for the official wraplan pattern. And drawn up schematics (much appreciation for that term of mechanical drawing in high school). Since Emmos has offered to test the pattern for me, I'm waiting for her response to get to pattern writing.

The blog's sidebars have been updated (long overdue). I got rid of the WIP list, because (let's be honest) I'm bad at updating it and tons of smaller projects never made their way onto it. And, since the single FO list was becoming unmanageable, I went to the yearly FO lists that are so (understandably) popular across the blogosphere..

And, I think I'm going to sit and watch Dad and Emm roll up the carpets now (the area rugs are going up North tomorrow, I think). I'm a bit nauseous from the antibiotics and lovely opiates, and the puter isn't making it better.

But, I think that's everything.

Oh, and I LOVE this Shibui bag. Seriously. It deserves a post of it's own.

Labels: designing, knitting, personal vanity, template update, wraplan

I just realised (as I sat here plotting) that I've already, um, broken my agreement with Penny on the swap conditions. Oops? Too late now... And there's no way I'm returning what I got, I'll never hear the end of it from several of the parties concerned, not after the scene Charlie caused at the shop today, and I can't keep it because that would mumble mumble mumble... nevermind.

Anyway. Ohwell. I honestly forgot. But, well, oops.

Ah. Otherwise, today went well. My parents got the news they wanted - they don't have to pay to have my wisdom teeth extracted until after I'm invited to the Peace Corps program (and 30 days before I ship off). Much rejoicing was to be found throughout the house. I spent a half hour on the phone with my recruiter covering every possible question Dad could think of, but now we're good. And N's sending down some information for my parents (a book and a DVD) so they can know what they're to look forward to. Woohoo. Mum's nearly ecstatic, since the country we think I might possibly be nominated for is, well, cool. She wants to visit me while I'm there.

Dad hasn't disagreed, so there we are. I think they just want an excuse to go to Africa.

Other news? Three movie reviews and a lot of frogging.

Happily Never After. Blah. Wasn't impressed. St M and I had tons of fun making fun of it, though. The animation was a bit wonky and stiff, the storyline predictable, and the attempts at humor failed. All in all it was lackluster. Except for Sigourney Weaver's evil/ maniacal laughter. She actually did quite well at that.

Music & Lyrics. St M and I watched this after the failed fairy tale. This one was funny, though I didn't like Barrymore's character too much. Grant was very droll (of course), but the whole thing was formulaic. Don't get me wrong, we enjoyed it (and making fun of parts of it) but it definitely wasn't a meaningful film. All told, it was funny and fluffy. The opening sequence did make me laugh hysterically.

The Painted Veil. I watched this as I tacked up Mum's hemline, after we drove St M home. I had seen a preview for it and desperately wanted to see it. Period films always fascinate me (especially when set during the '2o's) and I love Naomi Watts and Edward Norton. The film was beautifully filmed, cast and costumed (I have major clothing lust right now). But, since it was based on the book by Somerset Maugham, none of us expected a happy ending. At best it could be considered bittersweet. I enjoyed it immensely and will definitely watch it again, but it's not a pick-me-up movie by any standard.

As for knitting, I got a swatch done today and the math for that summer bolero done. I'll be casting it on shortly. Hopefully it'll be a quick project, so I can get back to work on other things.

Mum and Dad leave for Portland tomorrow, to look at rentals. I'm going to catch up on my sleep this weekend, I think. And knit. And plan for TheBon's bridal shower.

Labels: designing, movie review

I've been battling a lethargy lately that has affected nearly every aspect of my life. My knitting had dropped off, in favor of reading or watching movies. Admittedly, some of that was due to the antibiotics. But since the vast majority of my projects are stockinette right now, that excuse doesn't hold too much water for very long.

I'd pick up my cotlin project and knit a row and then find an excuse to abandon it. The silk jumper (aka peacock pullover) lay hidden in a cotton bag. Lace sitting unfinished taunted me.

When I told myself that it was too hot to knit, I decided to take the dog for a walk. It's a perfect 3 mi to and from The Knit Shop, and maybe they'd have something new I'd want - a book, a magazine, a pair of needles. Because, as my Dad says:

Buying supplies is the best way to get started without actually doing anything.

The walk was great, Charlie was a rascal (I'm working on training him to heel, sit, and stay), and when I got to TKS I tied him up outside. I walked in and greeted the two people there, and immediately the latest issue of Interweave Knits on display. Greedily, I snatched it up to check out this season's patterns. Impressed, I immediately bought it and set out (the fact that Charlie kept barking prevented much small talk).

When I got home, I let Mum look through the magazine and we critiqued each piece. Several caught our eyes. I considered ripping out my cotlin WIP in favor of starting anew. Then decided against it, out of sheer practicality.

Mum and I watched TV for awhile, but then I had to leave for the Peace Corps Nominee Potluck. Which went exceedingly well. I won a PC baseball cap (for Dad) by being able to name the 3 goals of the PC mission.

When we got home, I went into my room to deal with all sorts of stuff. (I'm nearly up to date with everyone's blogs now, well mostly.) Finally, when everyone turned down the idea of a movie, I admitted defeat and went to fetch my cotlin. But, something happened. Struck by a sudden realization that I don't have a pair of socks on my circs, I got up to look at my stash chest. I pulled out the top drawer and thought:


Jewel tones and hand-painted variegates, ultrafine fiber blends, exotics, and handspun sat in the drawer. I stared at the different skeins and balls of yarn, struck by too many ideas at once. 4 pairs of socks wanted to be knit. Opera gloves in teal or white? A spencer or a bolero? Two boleros? I dug and picked up different skeins, examined them, and put each back to look at another.

Eventually, I grabbed a ball (2 skeins) of Gloss and my knitting notebook and started designing. I cast on a swatch and periodically stopped to sketch, fingering the cloth I'd knit. It would be perfect for a summer bolero, to wear over tank tops on cool nights. As I flipped through the book, looking for my measurements page, I saw the design for the cotlin tank. I paused, put my pencil to the page with one hand and, with the other, I pulled the tank out of my bag and started on it again:


As of tonight, I finally have the neckline figured out. I ended up rummaging around in another stash drawer, to find the other balls of cotlin so I could work both sides of the neckline at once. It hit me, as I sat there knitting away happily for the first time in too long that this was what a stash was really for.

Inspiration. It's seductive and encouraging at the same time. And, best of all, it keeps me busy.

What is your stash to you?

Labels: designing, stash

They AREN'T in the basement cupboard, I'm certain of it. My father MUST be lying (or demented). *snarl* I'll confront him on it tomorrow.

So, sorry, no pix of Maura's package :( Nor of my progress on the knitting front, but I can detail what I have being up to, and where I am:

• past the heel and onto the instep of the first of little D's spox (royal blue cotton)
  
• finished the 4th border repeat of Vivaldi
• an inch past the last instep decreases on Monkey
• finished the sleeve pattern for the Peacock pullover, knit one, BO it off and tested it against the back - and IT FITS! I actually managed to come up with a sleeve cap and shoulder that fit together!!
• and, in spinning, I've started on the 2 oz of Chasing Rainbows merino/cashmere in 'hyacinth". It's lace-weight. I have no idea what I'll knit with it once it's plied with the matching silk/ cashmere. It's probably destined to become "core stash", in all honesty.
  

I also have a picture of baby T my sister sent me, to make up for my lack of progress documentary evidence:



I also had another book idea at around 4 am (couldn't sleep, terrible insomnia). I have to call the Peace Corps in the morning. Mum and Dad have decided to call the Peace Corps' bluff. They want assurances that I am practically accepted, before they dish out the 5 grand to have my wisdom teeth pulled out. Otherwise, it ain't happening.

Joy.

This might explain why I'm so tense. Cross your fingers for me...

Labels: baby T, designing, knitting

I was so doozy last night that I didn't manage to post the other half of my evening. I am such a ditz. Yesterday, St M came over and had our "alternative" Seder with us, I received my Knit Picks Cotlin (snarl), and the geometry is kicking my ass (hence the title of last night's post).

How is the geometry kicking my ass?? Do you remember back to the days when A*2 + B*2 = C*2? I do. Trying to apply such logic to knitting (specifically the instep decreases on a sock) is futile, idiotic, and insane all at once. I was near tears by the time I decided that I was not going to look at the damn Spox pattern for another 24 hours.

Then, this morning, hahaha. I had the crazy I idea to try something different. No, I am not going to explain it. It would take too long, and it brings back painful memories.

Anyway, that's the condensed second half of last night's post.

Onto tonight's post. Here's tonight's quote:

“Experience is the name every one gives to their mistakes.”
Oscar Wilde

The story of my life.

Moving on. Today I received my Handdyed Roving Swap parcel. Since I have too many photos, I'm going to direct you to the pictures on Flickr. After that (and battling the bloody Spox pattern) I went to Homework Club. Or so I thought. Apparently (although we hadn't been told) it was cancelled. Emmos took me, instead, to see her workplace. We then went on to dinner and the EWES. A local spinner we (the "babies", *snark*) all really like was this week's hostess. Here's Emmos, laughing, with her wheel:


(I spun the hand-dyed roving I received from girlbotgoods). I'd say C's first EWES hostessing gig went well, as Emmos and I didn't leave until after 10. We got there at 7. Twas lots of fun. Emmos offered to show me the "scenic" route home, and we proceeded to get lost. So, I got home at 11 pm after lots of star-gazing on some rural highway. I didn't care, it was fun.

Mum wanted to watch Casino Royale again, so I cast on a new project. I made it through the first 30 mins before I saw this:


I am very annoyed. I usually really like Knit Picks. I've been pleased with their lace and sock yarns. This, though, is really unacceptable. It's just awful, and I'm going to have to cut the entire mess out and weave in the ends. Joy.

It was as I stomped upstairs that I decided that, damn it, I needed to knit something for myself that required no shaping and yarn I knew wouldn't give me a headache. Mum's shawl is out of the question. The Queen of Cups nearly reduced me to tears. My silk pullover is beautiful but the yarn has slubs that I have to watch for (or else regret it eternally). The Spox, it turns out, are too big for me and are going to go to Mum.

So. I am casting on SOMETHING tomorrow with my Lorna's Laces Helen's Lace. I've wound it and know for CERTAIN that there are no knots, slubs, weird ends, or general ickyness.

This isn't Startitis. It's self-preservation.

Labels: designing, friends, handspun, idiocy, insanity, knitting

Well, no, not really. That's the "colour" of the yarn I'm working with on my new and improved Spox. I'm currently working on the gusset right now of the left one. And, uh, I was wondering if anyone was terribly interested in doing me a favor and trying out the pattern? I'm working out the math and should have it ready in a day or two... any completely crazy wonderful takers? (actually, it's not that bad, the sock's knit flat for most of the pattern, and only requires two intermediate/ advanced techniques: picking up stitches purlwise and p2tog tbl,. both of which are very easy to learn - I taught myself)

Other knitting news? I finished the back of the peacock pullover tonight! And, even better, it actually matches up to the sweater I modeled it after:


The neckline is curling so, even though it doesn't look it, I swear it does match. I was so pleased with myself for several hours, because I had finally cracked the armhole/ sleeve cap code. I couldn't just copy the red sweater, since the gauge is tiny and that wouldn't have taught me anything. But, after a costume construction class and many a failed sweater (my own and others') I figured out that the curve of the sleeve cap is the same as the armscye and that the armhole measurement corresponds with the sleeve width. (yes, I am a slow learner)

Now I just have to figure out how to standardize it. (read above in parentheses)

Right-O. Once I understand that, I can get Sauci started. And, just to mix things up a bit, here's tonight's quote at the end of the post...

“Experience is the best teacher, but a fool will learn from no other.”
Benjamin Franklin

Labels: costume construction, designing, knitting, socks

I am exhausted. Long, long day. A is still sick, and I'm praying that the nausea I'm feeling is just from eating too many hamentashen. Little D and I made 2 dozen hamentashen - triangular filled cookies to celebrate the defeat of Haman (he wore a triangular hat), an ancient Persian who tried to annihilate the Jews. Purim is the celebration of Hadassah (or Ester) a Jewess who defeated Haman with her uncle Mordecai. Since Purim is on Saturday, I volunteered to make hamentashen for little D use. So, here we are making them:


They came out very well, all things considered (I played fast and loose with the recipe). After a disastrous dinner, I finally finished swatching for my next project, the peacock pullover:


And, um, that's it. I'm going to go and sit quietly now. Cross your fingers for me, since my train ride home is tomorrow night...

Labels: designing, knitting, travel