the quacking fiber addict

Sunday was completely uneventful. Monday was... I've already forgotten, so one can assume it was also equally uneventful. Tuesday was not uneventful, so it warrants a belated post.

Yesterday, Mum, Emm, Charlie and I drove out to Sauvie Island. It's a large island located in the Columbia River, 30 mins outside of Portland. It's famous for having been a Native American, and later Pioneer, site. Of course I realised, as we were driving along OR-30, that I had forgotten my camera at home. Mum and Emm sighed and made snarky comments when I told them I'd use my camera phone instead. Neider, neider to them - it actually worked.

Here's the southern coast of Sauvie Island, inside the Wildlife Area, taken atop one of the dykes running along the coast:


I have to say that Sauvie Island was incredibly beautiful, and I'm embarrassed that I didn't get any good photos to prove this. Being incredibly fertile (located on an island in the middle of a river along a volcanic line), there were farms and plants of every type. We passed fields of waving purple at a lavender farm. Rippling gold and green were acres and acres of wheat and corn. And Bailey's gardening plants were being propagated, too. I even saw wild pears growing on the southern coast.

But, because I was so busy admiring, I tended to forget to take a photo until it was too late. I'm such a tourist, sorry. I can at least claim I remembered to take travelling sock photos:


Once in the Wildlife Area, we managed to get down to the beach. Charlie went crazy, because he loves to play in water. I pulled out my Crocs and Emm rolled up his shorts:




After playing on the southern beach, driving, hiking around the Wildlife Area - they have an island on Sauvie Island, can you believe it?, and finding fresh produce for Emm to devour, we went to the northern coast. The northern coast was different from the southern in a bunch of ways: the water was colder, it was windier, and there was sand:


The socks really enjoyed their time lounging in the sun. We all felt better for it, because they've been complaining incessantly about the trekking sock seeing all the action. Emm even offered to carry them into the Columbia:


By 4:30, we had to leave because I've started a Stitch 'n' Bitch at Mabel's on Tuesday nights, from 6 - 9 pm. Luckily, I wasn't too late (oops?), and I got to sit and chat and knit with 3 other PDX knitters for 3 hours. We're planning to make it a weekly meeting, if you're in the PDX area and are interested.

By the time I got home, I was completely exhausted and barely managed to keep my eyes open long enough to watch Eureka. I (still) <3 Eureka.

Today was pointless. I went to an interview for a job, but there's no way I can take it. It's too far away for too few hours for too little pay. *sigh*

But, I have my knitting. And I heard from D at Knit/ Purl yesterday - they're buying my pattern! I'll get the contract details tomorrow or on Friday. W00T!

That alone makes today acceptable. I'm gonna go and find something cool to drink, it's 92F out...

Labels: baudelaire, Charlie, family, travel, travelling sock(s)

while I wait for my brain to register...

Columbia Gorge daytrip

The family went to the Columbia River Gorge today. It's not that long a trip from Portland (1.5 hours each way), and it was absolutely lovely. We did have to get up inordinately early (for us) to get there before noon and to sightsee.

While we were there, we had the best meal I've had in Oregon (Hood River Hotel), found me some wading shoes to teach the dog to swim (partially successful), and all went down to the river:


We got back to Portland just barely in time for me to grab my stuff and meet Opus at Twisted:


Oooh, look, traveling sock friends. And, just to make you jealous, I must inform you that the sock that Opus is knitting is for me and it's being knit up with ShiBui Sock yarn.

I just lost each and every single subscriber I have with that little tidbit, didn't I?

Opus and I spent an inordinate amount of time at the store, mostly fondling their sock yarn. I actually managed to escape without buying any more (buying the 'Smooshy' yesterday immunized me, I think). Opus was not so lucky, she got a skein of yarntini. Yum.

Across the street from Twisted is the coolest Ethiopian restaurant. We decided to hit them for dinner, as Opus had never tried Ethiopian food before:


Our waitress (with a heavy accent) was very impressed with our socks and had all sorts of questions. A little girl, running into the restaurant, also identified our WIPs as socks with some glee. Sort of a Red Letter Day, really - two people not guessing that we were making sweaters.

And from there I came home and collapsed. I think I shall go back to being horizontal now.

Labels: family, socks, travel, travelling sock(s)

“Daffodils that come before the swallow dares, and takes the winds of March with beauty.”
William Shakespeare

I noticed something completely random today, as we sat outside a station, waiting for a freight to pass - there are TONS of daffodils growing in Oregon. I mean, seriously. Like weeds in some places. Now, I know what you're probably thinking. But, no, these little golden flowers weren't growing in gardens. They were growing in some strange places, that I noticed:

• between the rail tracks and an old car lot, and factory
  
• in the middle of a forest (twice)
• between the rail and a... ah... dump is the best word I can come up with
• outside a homeless encampment
• and other, slightly less strange, places.

I wonder if the Amtrak employees throw the bulbs out the window or something? Anyway. As we paused at another small town, I took a picture:


On a 7 hour train ride (oh, yes, we were over an hour late) I had a lot of time to think. Some of the things that came to mind:

• I have a week until the Solstice-Equinox Challenge date. I need to start dyeing, spinning, and knitting something.
• I have way too many swaps going.
• There are far too many painfully impoverished families in this country (actually, one is too many) - this came to mind as we passed by shack after shack in a couple of dirt-poor towns.
• My sister's FIL is a Holocast survivor. I'm still coming to terms with this. I felt like the floor had fallen out from under my feet when I saw a portrait of him and his family, all wearing the golden Jude stars, in my sister's study. My niece is part of the "blessing" on Shoah survivors. I mused on this as we passed through Vancouver.
• And then I noticed all the daffodils.
  

Weird, the things that pop into the mind, eh? Ohwell. The house is a MESS. I leave the boys alone for 3 weeks and what do I come home to? Paint dust everywhere, the furniture piled up in the bedrooms (mine in particular, I mention), the cabinets all gone in the kitchen, no chairs anywhere... etc etc. I understand that these are part of the renovation process, but, really, we're not doing every room at the house at once - so why don't we tear the place apart as needed?

Really. Males.

I was very pleased to notice that there were THREE parcels for me sitting on the dining table (sans chairs or china cabinets). Two were from my Hogwarts Houses Swap partner, Laural. The other is, ah, a surprise. For someone else. Who reads this blog. So, nieder.

Back to the Harry Potter goodness. I opened the smaller box first and squeed to find a Gryffindor Totoro! He was on my wist, and everything! I nearly died of the squeeage. He also came with some other goodies...


... a colouring book, stickers, Harry Potter stitch markers (LUMOS, FAWKES, HARRY, MUGGLE, HEDWIG and WIZARD), and a QUILT!!:


My wonderful, magnificent, partner made me a Gryffindor QUILT!! I nearly dropped it when I opened it. It's being modelled on the 'rents queen-sized bed, so it fits my double perfectly. I had to wash it, since the paint dust and Charlie-hair clung to it the moment I got it out of the box. The second it's out of the dryer, I'm hiding it in my room. On my bed!

OMG! I think I have to go and SQUEE again... And cuddle my Totoro.

Labels: craft swaps, family, travel

"Oh, dear. 'Got up, was sick, wanted to die.' Not a gripping read, really."
Terry Pratchett (Hogfather)

First impressions of Olympia:

• 

• Urg. Dad made me drive up here why?
• Grey.
• More grey.
• Too few trees.
• Very industrial.
• Fantastic Pho. Must get more.
• Only two days until I can go home.

Two days later (whereup Dad abandoned me to 'care' for Mum):

• Oh, look!, more grey.
• A yarn store. Nice, but completely out of my price range. Book!
• Lots of tuna fish. And pita. Mmm... tuna and pita.
• I feel funny.

Now:

• Hrm.
• Less grey than before.
• Mum's tours suck much, much less than Dad's (don't tell him that).
• The place could use some more trees. And, just, stuff. What's with all the empty lots?
• Now that I can move without screaming or crying, I want more of that Pho.

It's a shame, but I really can't figure out why my parents want to more here. I don't get it. But, that's fine. I'm not moving with them (not permanently, anyway), and it's their decision. If they like it, hey, let 'em have a ball. Though, it's a bit sad that I'm really only going to think of the lone yarn store, incredible Pho, and a gut-wrenching illness whenever someone mentions Olympia for the next few months. Hopefully, I'll get over it, eh?

Not much knitting progress to report, alas. I finally get to go home tomorrow (I am near tears with joy over this, you have no idea), and have been told that two packages are sitting at home waiting for me. Ooooh, I wonder what they could be? Hehe.

And, let's be honest, I am put out with how often I've been getting sick lately (and by 'lately' I mean the last, oh, 6 years - ever since we moved to Eugene from Maryland). It may not seem like it, but I do try to take care of myself, and this is just not fair. Part of it has to do with the climate (and mold!), and another part must have to do with the northernly location (45th parallel versus 30th, anyone?) affecting sunlight intake. Stephieface is right, if this keeps going on I'm gonna need a bubble.

Blarg.

Garlic and ginger. That's it. I need to eat more garlic and ginger.

Labels: family, The Move, travel

In lieu of actual content, here's a little open-iTunes-hit-shuffle meme. I found it over at Crimson's.

If your life were a movie, what would the soundtrack be?

1. Open your library (iTunes, Winamp, Media Player, iPod, etc)
2. Put it on shuffle
3. Press play. For every question, type the song that's playing
4. When you go to a new question, press the next button
5. Don't lie and try to pretend you're cool...

You can tell I didn't lie, just because I didn't delete out, oh, all the Pop in there...

• Opening credits: "Sweet Dreams", Eurythmics
• Waking up: "Braid the Raven Hair...", The Mikado
• First day at school: "Ya Maalem", Maurice El Medioun
• Falling in love: "Frozen", Madonna
• Fight song: "See You", Foo Fighters
• Breaking up: "Slow Like Honey", Fiona Apple
• Prom: "The Highwayman", Loreena McKennitt
• Life: "Morena me llamen", La Rondinella
• Mental breakdown: "Sometimes", U2
• Driving: "Humours of Andytown", Altan
• Flashback: "Hand in My Pocket", Alanis Morissette
• Getting back together: "Rain on the Scarecrow", John Mellencamp
• Losing your virginity: "Away", Mediaeval Baebes
• Wedding: "Ce He Mise Le Ulaingt?", Loreena McKennitt
• Birth of child: "Girl's Not Grey", AFI
• Final battle: "I'm Goin' Down", Mary J. Blige
• Death scene: "Eye of the Beholder", Metallica
• End credits: "Here's To The Night", Eve 6

I have to say, I really LIKE my soundtrack. Kinda funny.

Moving on. I am not dead, though the wish to write a suicide note hasn't escaped me in the past 48 hours. No, not depression. Just the worst stomach virus I have EVER had. I finally caught what Mum had. Contrary to what we thought, it was not the same virus I caught at A's. It was much worse. I started using a pillow as a bit, that's how much worse. It felt like someone was crunching my bones. While still violently ill (I really shouldn't be sitting upright, but I am SO DAMN BORED), I am desperately glad that part is over. The pain and misery ranked up there with Scarlet Fever, making it to my Top Two Worst Illnesses EVER.

Anyway. Haven't got much knitting done. Well, I finished a lace repeat on the Queen of Cups. Wrong. I noticed this last night. I had accidentally followed the Instep pattern instead of the Leg pattern for the second half.

I refuse to frog it.

And now I shall go and lie down.

Labels: meme, travel, update

“Rain! whose soft architectural hands have power to cut stones, and chisel to shapes of grandeur the very mountains.”
Henry Ward Beecher

Sachi was right. There IS a yarn store in Olympia. Unbeknownst to me, we had gone by it a great many times. Mostly because it's called Canvas Works I tended to ignore it:


Considering the large sailing community (and boat-making, as well), I had thought it was, well, you know, a store that sold canvas. Silly me ^_^ Another reason I hadn't given them a second glance is the fact that they're located in the more industrial section of town, see?, the neighbors:


Every time we walked or drove by, I was busy focusing on getting to somewhere more, ah, picturesque. Yes, I know, I'm shallow. But, if you look in the picture above, you can see the dome of the state capital building. Olympia is pretty small, and you can see the dome from nearly anywhere in town.

Anyway. I went into the store and tried not to moan. They had some exquisite yarns that I can neither afford nor find the space for. The sales lady (very nice, very helpful) immediately showed me to the sock yarns. I was a bit disappointed by their small selection (of sock yarns). But, that disappointment was quickly assuaged when I wandered into their book section. Oh... my. I didn't even know where to start. So, I let my eyes wander, and they immediately zoomed in on the lace books.

And do you know what I found?? A copy of Creating Original Hand-knitted Lace! OMG. I have been searching for this book for ... wow, over six months at least. Maybe a year. No one carries it. No one has heard of it. They HAD it. In hardback. At 30% off the price on Amazon. I snatched it up and tucked it under my arm, as I wandered the store some more. They also had a HUGE button collection (sigh), but I limited myself to buttons I needed. Specifically for baby T's wraplan. They had pink and green buttons that matched the yarn I'm using! (yes, I have the colours committed to memory, heaven help me). So, I grabbed 8 of them and then forced myself to stop looking, as I was over-budget already. I escaped with my finds (the saleswoman agreed that the buttons were squee!-worthy) and I nearly skipped home. Here's a pic of them on Mum's porch:


A last note on the LYS, Canvas Works. I really liked them, they were very nice. They had a great selection. I wouldn't recommend them for knitters on a tight budget, though. Their prices were a bit high. But, otherwise, I really liked them.

Relating to the title of this post. I did bring an umbrella with me. I didn't use it, because the wind was so high it nearly turned the poor thing inside-out. I just toughened up and tried to ignore the chill. On the way home, the rain and wind got worse, so I was extremely happy to arrive. Of course, 1/2 an hour after I had settled in, the rain stopped.

It figures.

Just like in San Fransisco.

I must have angered the rain (and wind?) g-ds at some point. Some sort of ritual sacrifice or something must be in order. Chocolate, maybe?

Oh!, in other news, my Hogwarts Houses Swap partner, Laural, received my parcel today! Here are her pix. And here's one of mine:


The hoodie: I painted and appliqued a Gryffindor crest (t-shirt) I had (it was entirely in greyscale and needed some colour desperately) to a hoodie, along with a House patch, and embroidered around the crest with red and gold floss (A and K were bemused watching me embroider during American Idol). The DPN case: made from faux-suede, lined with Indian cotton (don't tell Mum I raided her quilting stash, but it was the perfect colour!), and with velvet trim - I have to say, was really pleased with the whole thing, it came out so lovely and it was my first DPN case. I also included some Gryffindor coloured DPNs I found at St Vinny's. The Canary Creams? I couldn't resist. And the yarn I got at Full Thread Ahead.

I'm so pleased because the hoodie fits Laural perfectly, and she seems to like everything else. Yay!

Labels: craft swaps, lace, LYS review, travel, wraplan

Word History: We are indebted to the English author Horace Walpole for the word serendipity, which he coined in one of the 3,000 or more letters on which his literary reputation primarily rests. In a letter of January 28, 1754, Walpole says that "this discovery, indeed, is almost of that kind which I call Serendipity, a very expressive word." Walpole formed the word on an old name for Sri Lanka, Serendip. He explained that this name was part of the title of "a silly fairy tale, called The Three Princes of Serendip: as their highnesses traveled, they were always making discoveries, by accidents and sagacity, of things which they were not in quest of...."

One of the stores that was so disastrous to my Stitches budget was Purlescence. They carry luxurious hand-dyed fibers for spinning (Chasing Rainbows and Blue Moon, to name a couple) and a vast array of hard-to-find knitting yarns (hard for me, anyway). As I was playing on Craftster this afternoon, I found out that the new knitty is up. I quickly sought it out and narrowed my interest to a single pattern, Queen of Cups. As I read through it, I discovered that it called for a cast on of 64 stitches (lo, the same number of stitches on my paisley socks that were causing me to pull my hair out). I decided that I'd rather knit these socks than the ones frustrating me, so I printed out the pattern and vowwed to rip out and start anew. Here's my progress as of 1/2 an hour ago:


But, anyway, returning to the title of this post. As I printed out the pattern, I scanned down to the author's bio. I laughed when I saw that the creator was none other than the owner of Purlescence - the same woman who had wound the yarn for Mum's hat and wrist-warmers 4 days ago.

How cool is that?

Labels: cast on, frogging, socks, travel

“Children are the hands by which we take hold of heaven.”
Henry Ward Beecher

I am so sleepy. I meant to write a nice, long, post to make up for my paltry updates lately. To make up for my incoherency, I come bearing pictures (I actually managed to get pictures from my digicam to the desktop). First of all, a picture of me and baby T literally 5 minutes before we left to get me on my plane:


And, here is a picture of Boston Harbor (WA) on the Peninsula. Right before sunset, ahhh, salt water:


And here's the hat and wrist warmers I knit for Mum, using Malabrigo kettle-dyed merino yarn:


They took me all of, maybe, 6 hours of knitting. I love quick knits. They're very soft, and cheered Mum up considerably (major achievement, all things considered).

In other news, I mailed my Hogwarts Houses Swap parcel to my partner today. It should arrive in two days. Hopefully, my partner won't think I'm a total freak since I got a little too into the Wizarding spirit. It was too much fun not to.

In Knitting News, I have 3 inches on my silk pullover. I'm going to rip out my socks for the third time. I'm thinking of ripping the original La Primavera stole. I don't have enough of the yarn, so I'm going to try again with my new Lorna's Laces Helen.

And, err, I've forgotten everything else. Something to do with the new Colbert ice cream? Hrm. Ahwell. I'll try again tomorrow. Night night.

Labels: baby T, finished object, travel

This is an extremely quick update, and I apologize to everyone I seem to have been ignoring (I really haven't, I swear!). Ten quick things:

1. I am alive
2. I arrived safe and early on Sunday afternoon
3. I was kidnapped persuaded by my father to visit my Mum in Olympia before we went home
4. Mum is very sick with the stomach flu (woot)
5. It took me 24 hours, but I got the cable internet in her apartment to work. Yes, I am Queen of the Internets. Mwahaha. The Cable Guy Mum called said it couldn't be done. I shall thwart him when I get the chance.
6. I have knit a hat and matching wrist warmers for Mum
7. Olympia is cute. I have many pictures.
8. I am no longer sick (thank you everyone for thinking of me!) and am heartily grateful for it.
9. I am obscenely late in sending out my Hogwarts Houses Swap package (as organizer, this is just embarrassing)
10. I want my bed. Seriously. I miss it desperately.
    

Labels: family, travel, update

Weird little bit of advice (in locum for a quote): never take TUMs with the stomach flu. I just figured this out 1/2 an hour ago.

Anyway. (Eugh, eating something small didn't settle my stomach, either, when will I learn?)

As I laid down last night, praying for either: a) Divine clemency in the form of an instant cure, or b) mortal clemency in the form of one of my relatives putting me out of my misery, I realised something. I had cast on 147 stitches that afternoon for the back of my newest sweater project. I was supposed to cast on 143 stitches.

I have no idea why this occurred to me at that exact moment, but it did, and I have to say I'm a little grateful it did. I had only knit one row, and thus only had to tink back 145 sts, and drop two. Why two, and not four?

Well, there's to be an inch of feather and fan lace at the hem and lace is darned hard to seam, so I decided to add on a seam stitch to either side. We'll see how long I remember they're there before confusing myself. Anyone want to start placing bets?

I was a bit annoyed at myself, since tinking silk boucle is no mean feat and not something to cheer oneself up with. But, it's done and maybe I can get some knitting done now. (It's take all day for me to work myself up to any knitting at all, or sitting up, really).

I have a flight home tomorrow at 12:45 pm. A and TheBon talked me into it. Bless them.

Labels: family, tinking, travel

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

Before that, as we watched American Idol (just don't ask), I worked with A on her knitting. She had just finished casting on:


And was, quite reasonably, please with herself. So, she called out to K, "Look at this beauty I have wrought!" (or something similiar). To which K replied, "I love you," and went back to her computer. "She's humoring me," A explained. "That's what she always says when she thinks I'm being silly." A looked back up and called, "Yes, my love, but you don't understand the complexity of my achievement!"

I think K actually raised one eyebrow, but dutifully came over to see what all the fuss was about. Watching A cast on another couple of stitches, K looked more impressed. "Huh. Now how do you make another row on top of that?"

"We haven't gotten that far." Right. So, I showed A and she knit a couple of rows (slowly but surely). K leaned over her shoulder, watching curiously, and finally declared, "I want to try that!"

So, she did. And to our bemusement, she started knitting:


A and I looked at each other. "Wow," was all I said. I think A muttered something under her breath. But, she complimented K on picking it up so fast.

It's amazing how humbling teaching someone to knit can be. I think it took me a full 15 minutes for me to knit my first stitch. It didn't take K 15 seconds. Nor A, admittedly. Finally, K gave A her knitting back. A proceeded to knit through AI to the end of LOST (occassionally crying out for help) as I knit a button placket and sewed on the buttons for K's socks, err, spocks.

Oh, and at some point therein, we blocked little D's gansey for the third time. Let me retype that. THE THIRD TIME. This jumper is going to be the death of me:


Something we can't say for A this morning. Somehow she has the stomach flu (half of the office does apparently), and is lying in bed. K and I have taken Airborne. Heaven help us.

Darn, I have to make Hamentashen. And something garlicky for A to eat...

Labels: family, finished object, knitting, socks, travel

“Men come together in cities in order to live; they remain together in order to live the good life.”
Aristotle

What a loooooong day. I got up just as A was about to run out the door, to work, and was given 10 minutes to decide if I wanted to go into The City (read: San Fransisco) or entertain myself in the south Bay Area. I opted for The City, but didn't have any time to get a friend's cell # or look up anything I might have wanted to see. I decided to play it by ear.

It must be noted that my sister's ability to predict the weather is decidedly lacking. As we ran out of the house the sky was a rich blue. A mentioned that she was envious that I got to spend the day in The City with the weather so lovely. But, by the time Caltrain arrived in SF proper there was a very large, very dark, very black thunderhead floating in overhead:


As I walked towards Artfibers Yarns (TheBon insisted that I visit them, and I'm glad I did) the weather got decidedly damper. I was very glad to dash indoors and look at yarn for a bit. This store was incredibly dangerous. Like Knit Picks, they only carry their own yarns straight from the mills. They had some amazing mixes (cotton with stainless steel) and enough lush yarn to tempt me to bankrupt myself. I managed to rein myself in and only got enough yarn for a sweater. I was drawn to the silk yarns (who could blame me?) and to two particular yarns/ colours as well. I finally gave in and paid for the yarns I really wanted:

• Zabumba: 80%/ 20% nylon boucle-like yarn in a tidepool colourway. It knits up to 24 sts/ 4 inches on size US 3 needles. It was so gorgeous and light (and expensive) that I got some to act as a decorative touch to the main yarn...
• Hana: 100% silk, smooth and shiny and peacock blue. It knits up to 26 sts/ 4 inches on size US 3 needles. It was suuuuch a deep and vibrant colour and so soft that I wanted it the moment I saw it.

Soooo... yeah, more yarn. But I'm already designing the sweater it's gonna be.

After spending too much money on yarn, I started walking. I didn't know where I was going, so I decided to follow the trail of pretty, old buildings. Somehow, I ended up in Chinatown. Noticing that everything around me was in Chinese, I decided to do some shopping for presents. No pictures, sorry. Maybe later.

Anyway, as I left a little Pho restaurant the sky opened. Soon I began to wonder if I was going to need gills. By the time I got to the Caltrain station I was literally soaked. I had ducked into 3 separate buildings (buying more hot chocolate in one day than I normally drink in a week), under several awnings (huddled with other bemused walkers), before realising that I couldn't get any wetter and just decided to walk it.

All in all, I walked 4 mi (I used the gmap pedometer and everything).

Well, that's everything. By the time A picked me up in Mountain View, at another coffeehouse (yes, I ducked into another one and bought another hot chocolate), I was exhausted and wet and soaked and a bit wet.

Now it's time to knit. And teach A to knit.

Labels: insanity, knitting, LYS review, travel

“Happiness, that grand mistress of the ceremonies in the dance of life, impels us through all its mazes and meanderings, but leads none of us by the same route.”
Charles Caleb Colton

I was awoken bright and early this morning by the cleaners arriving to scour the house (A and K engaged a company while A was pregnant). I dressed in a hurry and helped keep baby T occupied for the duration:


Then, once she was down for her nap, we returned to the cleaner living room whereupon I noticed that A was wearing the socks I finished for her last night. I demanded a photograph:

Project specs:
Yarn: Knit Picks Dancing in Jig
Pattern: ... what pattern?
Gauge: 8 sts per inch
Date started: January 7, 2007
Date finished: February 25, 2007

After a whole bunch of errands (done after baby T woke up) (and, OMG, the staff at that Thai restaurant were so funny, we're amazed the chef didn't come out to play with baby T), A and I sat down for a knitting lesson at Starbucks, during little D's piano lesson. We didn't get very far because this one:


proceeded to fall apart whenever A picked up her needles. Coincidence? We thought not. Whatever the reason, we didn't get past the cast on stage. I think I'm going to try again in a bit. I had to lay down once we got back because I was on the cusp of a migraine (was seeing auras).

So, that's it. More tomorrow. I have a sock pattern to try out.

Labels: baby T, finished object, knitting, socks, travel

I could neither remember nor find a quote I liked for this post. Ohwell. Tomorrow night.

SSE = Serious Stash Enhancement (phrase coined by Penny)

I'm writing this quickly in the time I have before dinner (the minestrone is simmering and K is blanching halibut). I promised pix of everything I bought yesterday (I refuse to look at the receipts), so here one is:


Left to right: Chasing Rainbows cashmere/ merino and cashmere/ silk in matching colourways (gonna be plied together), 3000 yards of ultrafine merino/ tencel lace yarn (120 grams), 100 grams (1500 + yards) cashmere/ silk lace yarn, Lorna's Laces Helen, then below them are 3 pairs of Lorna's Laces sock yarns (25% off! at one booth) that I have promised for myself.

So, there we have it. Luxury at it's best.

Not much to report today, other than the fact that K and little D have a frightening love of Karaoke (A and I escaped to buy snaps for my Hogwarts Houses swap package). I still haven't had a chance to teach A to knit, and baby T is still a bit fussy. Eerrr... I've forgtotten everything I meant to post, and baby T is crying. GTG.

I need to take more photos of the family later.

Labels: SSE, Stitches West, travel

Well, today was interesting (and exhausting) day. Today (in chronological order):

• little D returned from his grandparents and turned the house inside out for a short period of time
  
• baby T was a bit fussy (but adorable as always)
• A, baby T, and I set out for Stitches (see photo below for pic of baby T in the minty raglan and bootees getting into her car seat...)
• I spent WAY too much money. Pictures tomorrow (err, later today), I promise.
• We lost the car keys and had to call for help (literally), only to have them resurface at the Lost and Found desk.
• Grocery shopping (I promised minestrone soup for tomorrow night) and a very late dinner... slight 'oops' to be reported on the pasta front.
  
• And, finally, Babel, one of the more depressing movies I've seen in a while. It was good, don't get me wrong, but it definitely wasn't a pick-me-up type of movie.
  

Oh, dear, baby T is crying again.

Labels: Stitches West, travel, update

“If your knees aren't green by the end of the day, you ought to seriously re-examine your life.”
Bill Watterson

I consider it a major achievement that I managed to get grass stains on my green trousers this afternoon (beat that). I was trying to photograph the socks I'm making for K in their backyard, only to have the socks blend in too much with the grass to be noticeable. Ha. Their stone patio served as a better backdrop:


I had planned not to show any pictures of these until they were finished (I had wanted to submit the pattern to a knitting magazine), but I've decided that I don't like the particulars of this pattern and shall try anew. Just in case you're wondering, they're called spocks (spats + socks), and they're made from the Opal yarn that L sent to me. The buttons are functional and, despite my annoyances with the particulars of this pattern, I still like the concept.

I'll just have to try again, this time without an eyelet insert. Mum wants a pair anyway.

I just hope they fit K and that she'll like them. Uh oh. I think they're home. GTG.

Labels: knitting, socks, travel

“Everywhere is walking distance if you have the time.”
Stephen Wright

One of the first things I noticed today as I made my way towards downtown Los Altos was the fact that I was the only person walking for most of the way. Sure, several Mums and children passed by with strollers for the first 3 blocks, then... nada. Cars kept whizzing by, though.

Very strange.

But also nice, as I didn't have to worry about being run over by bicyclists or groups of joggers as one does in Eugene. Of course, to make matters perfect, I lost the map my sister set out for me - the one with all the local areas of interest highlighted (I added some myself) - within about 10 minutes of setting out.

I doubled back for a couple of blocks and then gave it up as a lost cause. I had the major streets memorized along with the cross-streets for the shops I wanted to hit. I made it to Los Altos without incident, people were very polite, and stopped at the first place on my list (ha! I remembered where it was and everything), Full Thread Ahead.

They're a very dangerous LYS for me to step into. They were very polite, but in frenzied action getting ready for Stitches West, and left me alone for a while and didn't treat me like a shoplifter (always nice). They had a wall of books, some of which I hadn't been able to get my hands on in the (almost) five years I've been knitting. I must have spent 1/2 an hour wading through their collection (one of the women told me to at least make myself comfortable and cleaned a table off for me), and finally decided on E Zimmermann's Knitting Workshop. I like all the designing notes on traditional patterns for things like lace shawls and guernseys. While there, I also picked up a skein of Cherry Tree Hill's sock yarn (which was on sale!), in African Grey, and a Clover knitting counter pendant. I have to say that I have a very positive review of this shop, they were very friendly and chatty and somehow managed to get me signed up for their frequent buyers program. Since they're going to Stitches, they also gave me a coupon for a ticket discount, too. I finally dragged myself out, just so I wouldn't buy more yarn.

My next stop was to be Uncommon Threads, whose location I was a bit less certain of. I actually found them by accident. Whilst looking down a cross street, I saw a large sign for "Exotic Silks". Without even stopping to think about it I started walking toward the siren sign. I turned and saw the LYS I had been in search of. It was right across the street from the silk shop. Oh, my. Conundrum. Well, yarn must come first, so I went into the shop and determined that I would get the supplies to teach A to knit (before I forgot again), which was lucky since this shop had more beginner's supplies. They also had a fantastic supply of buttons (which I regretfully pulled myself from) and Nashua yarns. I only let myself get one ball (it'll work with my Silk/ Alpaca!) with the supplies for A. I liked this yarn shop as well. They were a lot quieter than the other, and more traditional as well. But, they were friendly and encouraging and, again, didn't treat me like a shoplifter (yay!).

I then, eagerly, crossed the street and went into the silk shop. It turned out that they were the actual business location of Thai Silks. THE Thai Silks that I got my pink silk dupioni from. I just stood in the doorway, staring, and knew that I was facing one of the greater Temptations of my life. It was as if Satan himself were standing by me, whispering terrible terrible things in my ear. It's not fair that they were having a 50% off sale on things like painted silk charmeuse or, oh heaven help me, rayon/ silk devore. I finally decided that I would only buy a silk scarf and 2 yards of batik cotton (for my Mum) before I consulted with St M and D. Mostly because I'd feel justified in spending more with a plan in mind. Before I left, I memorized several of the more promising fabric's prices, widths, and general info. Right now I can still hear a pink/ green silk jacquard calling my name along with a chorus of several rolls of raw silk noil.

Thinking back on it, it's a good thing that I escaped when I did, all in all. By that point I was starving (I ate a banana for breakfast, yay me) and made my way back. On the way, I stopped in a fantastic (and quite popular) bakery and got a yummy sandwich. I even made a dork of myself dropping several things and being a general nuisance. Woot.

Just as I was about to cross the (invisible) line between Los Altos and Mountain View, it started to rain. I mock this rain. Having lived in Eugene for several years, this rain was pitiful. I just pulled up my hood and kept going. But, despite my own indifference to the weather, there was no way I was going to photograph my spoils outside. So, you'll have to settle for an indoor, washed out, picture (sorry!) taken on my sister's dining room table:


The first thing I noticed when I set everything out was that everything kind of matched. Weird. After that, I kind of collapsed, as I had a migraine (I'm an idiot and forgot to get my birth control refilled before leaving) and slept for several hours. Sooo, now here I am. That's all.

Hopefully I'll be able to do some more exploring tomorrow. I'll even walk ^_^

Labels: cloth, LYS review, travel

“I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read in the train.”
Oscar Wilde

Before we get to the 17 hour long train ride, here's a pic of St M carding Misty the Shetland ewe's dyed fleece the night before TheBon and I departed:


Anyway.

You might guess from this post that I made it to my destination in one piece, if not entirely coherent. Some day, hopefully soon, I will admit to myself that I am no longer 16 and cannot sleep anywhere anymore. Or function well (actually I was okay) for 36 hours without sleep.

TheBon and I got on the train at 5:45 pm in Eugene (1/2 an hour late) and settled in. She had armwarmers to knit, I had socks. Socks that kept me sane for 17 hours of rail-travel, it is worth mentioning. Mostly because I had to knit the heel 4 times before getting it right. I kept getting it confused with my other socks and... eugh. It's nearly done, though, and that's all that matters.

There isn't much to say about the majority of the trip - it was dark. So dark that the term ebony doesn't even encompass it. The only times we could see anything out the windows were when we passed through a station. At around 4 am, TheBon managed to sleep for a couple of hours.

I gave up on knitting at around 2 am since the lights were very dim and pulled out a book I bought yesterday, Sorcery and Cecelia, by Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer. I absolutely loved it and was hard put to keep from laughing too loudly (and, thus, bring down the collective wrath of the conductors on me). It's written in the style of Lady Susan (epistolary) and takes place during the Regency. You'd have to be a fan of Austen (and Regency Society) to really understand the undertones of much of the plot (lucky me ^_^). It is written for the young adult audience, so it strays away from most things considered "unseemly". I'd definitely recommend it for a light, fun, read.

And now I want the sequels. I'll have to go book hunting tomorrow. At the same time I go hunting for yarn and groceries (my sister's kitchen is, ah, sparse).

TheBon woke shortly before dawn and we both grumbled about various things. Don't even get us started on the other passengers in our car. Most weren't bad, but since Amtrak serves alcohol there were quite a few inebriated travelers making a din earlier on in the evening. By dawn they were sprawled about and snoring so loudly you could actually hear them over the train's roaring.

Luckily, once the sun rose, the scenery was enough to distract us until we arrived. TheBon took several photos, that'll hopefully show up on either her blog or flickr page soon. My stop was 2 past TheBon's (1.5 hours), so I got to see quite a bit of the local flora. And graffiti. Some of it was quite impressive. Others, simples tags, weren't worth the paint it took to make 'em.

So harsh. I know.

Finally, though, I arrived (1 hour late) and B, A's FIL, was there to pick me up. Thank goodness he recognized me, since I wasn't really focusing too well at that point. By noon, he had me at A's house and I had quickly cleaned up and collapsed.

Soooo, here I am now. That's about it. The house is frighteningly clean and orderly. I'm not certain whether I want to touch anything, or not. I think I'll stick to my knitting for now. In the morning, I have to call several people and, like, do stuff. But I'm going to veg now...

Oh!, and it was really interesting reading everyone's memes! Thank you for filling it out ^_^

Labels: literature, travel