Tuesday, November 29, 2005

Czechloscotsian

Thanks to my friend Jenna who made up the word Czechoscotsian I now know what I am. Heritage seemed to come up alot today. I was shmoosing a vendor with my ability to recongnize her Texan accent and at SnB I was complaining that while I inherited my height through the Vikings raiding Scotland it has unfortunately been blended with the stocky Czech peasant stock. I'm a hybrid, tall and sturdy. I think the conversatin came up when I was admiring Linda's socks that she made and that I was awed with the fact that they stayed upright on her legs unlike me and my chunky legs, which somehow make all socks slide down in a ripple. I have some Socks that Rock yarn that I was lusting for since Stiches, but maybe I should try going thicker instead of finer with my next pair, sturdy socks for study legs, yea I like that, plus it gives me the chance to yarn shop, always a guaranteed delight. My two sessin class at Lill Street is tomorrow. I'm a last minute fill-in for the teacher who bowed out. All I'm teaching is felting, so easy, knit a wool item larger than life and wash till is shrinks to the size you want it, now what to talk about for the next 2 hours and 50 minutes. I thought I would bring in my iPod and portable speakers and we could listen to some podcastings of KnitCast, that idea made me some brownie points with the director of the department. I only have four students so it should be cozy. What a pain it was to do this class though, the description was already written which required students to bring size 10 needles but when I inquired about the pattern being used, they had none and I had to find one myself on line. I found a great shaped felted bag from some free pattern site that was black with white skull and cross bones. We shall see what happens...

Monday, November 28, 2005

My Favorite Things

A few of my favorite things. Potato soup from Panera Bread. Knitting. Shopping for wrapping paper at the Container Store. Yarn. Buying shampoo and bodywash at Whole Foods. Needles. Days off. Patterns. Su Doku. Podcasts. Knitting. Ginger Snaps.

Sunday, November 27, 2005

Out With The Old..





Out with the old and in with the new. It is with sad regret that I announce the death of Dansko black clogs #1. #1 has been with me for three years of hard work, you haven't been fashionable to wear, (except around my cool knitting friends) but I loved you anyway. On the other hand I would like to announce a new member of my family, Dansko black clogs #2, proudly won form on ebay for the low low price of 58 bucks! Yes I love you ebay for saving me almost 70 dollars!! As a great bonus my co-workersold me a pair of her purple nubuk suede dansko clogs for 35 bucks because she wore them one and did not like them and is not too computer savy to know she could have sold them for twice that price. I'm thinking the purple clogs might replace the red clogs that are severly worn and badly stretched, must wear thick socks now with them, they might be relegated to camping wear...I've defied my bosses boss who thinks he can control me life and got tickets to visit the grandmother at X-mas. It's not that we're religious or anything, it's just that it's so much fun to go to christmas brunch with her at the big old hotel down the street. As part of my sacrifice that I offered to my boss (who was able to schedule me around the trip anyway) was that I would work New Years Eve. So big deal, I get out of work at 7:30, I can still party, just hope I don't have to work the same day.
The knitting's going slow, sort of, the first stocking is all made, I'm happy with it and have written down the pattern, mostly, the second should go faster. I really REALLY want to work on my own stuff, but will wait untill the commission is down, I like to think of the reward $$$!!! (which will go toward my airline ticket) I've been so go I haven't even worked on any spinning. I think I have a two-session felting class at Lill street that I'm filling in for, I just haven't gotten the contract in the mail or had a call about materials since our meeting, I need to call them, it starts this wednesday. i don't know how much that one pays, but it looks good on the resume I've already sent out...

Sunday, November 20, 2005

Forgotten?

Secret Pal 6, where are you?? This sucks, I've been very good to my person but have been forgotten. :( Ah, the drama of the knitting world, I will probably sign up again to the next secret pal go around, just thought it would be nice to get mystery knitting stuff. Blah and Blee.

Monday, November 14, 2005

Me

Your Birthdate: April ?

You have an extraordinary character - moral, responsible, and disciplined.
Your sincerely and honesty shine through in almost every situation.
Driven and focused, you rarely let your emotions get the better of you.
You're level headed and rational. People count on your to look at things objectively.

Your strength: Your unwavering loyalty and ethics

Your weakness: Your rock solid stubbornness

Your power color: Navy blue

Your power symbol: Shield

Your power month: April

Knitting Geek? Knitting Cool!







There was a time that admitting how much I loved knitting or even talking about it made me a knitting geek, but no more. Thank god it has become such a popular thing, I'm now kinda cool and have cool knitting friends. My friends are not Lincoln Park Trixies, we come from a variety of backgrounds and yet we bond over knitting. If I hadn't joined the Stitch N' Bitch group years ago I wouldn't know the people I call friends now. Enough of that sentimental crap, this is what happens when you have the day off and the time to try to be poetic. The trip to The Fold in Marengo was a blast and not that far away really. The owner was away at a show when we went but had a great time with her son, I never got his name, but the dog's name was Eric. I picked up some Socks That Rock yarn, finally, went outside my box and got a colorway that was not a typial Misslunablu color, but it's nice to try new things. I think I will try a toe-up pattern for the first time, do a lace pattern? and go all the way up my calf with an increase seam up the back, will the size of my calfs I will really need all 325 yarns per sock. Also picked up some Merino/silk for spinning and something special for my Secret Pal 6. On our way out I took a pic of the gas prices, only 2.27 a gallon! I figured out the tricky cuff on my Red Sock project and am well under way.

Saturday, November 12, 2005

Fuck Boring Knitting



In an effort to jump start my low knitting libido, I'm going on a road trip! I have been knitting somewhat, it's like my hands aren't listening to my head, because I certainly thinking about knitting all the time. I finished up my sock class last sunday at Knit1, this monday is my last beginning knitting class at Northwestern, I am getting a little tired of driving all over the place. I've got all the yarn and am starting the Red Sox Stockings that have been commissioned. I've got the width and length determined, picked out a short row heel and round toe technique but was stuck on the cuff. It's definately ribbed, but it's hard to tell by the picture is it all white with red used to show the rib, does it have vertical red/white stripes etc. I've e-mailed the commissioner and we've decided on red/white vertical stripes, I'm thinking 2 white knit, 3 red purl, or reverse, but if I do the purls in white when I switch to red for the main body I'll get that white dash when the red is introduced ahhh!!!maybe I can knit the first round of the body in both the red and white? If you don't knit and you've read this far it won't mean shit to ya right? So the road trip is to The Fold, out in Marengo, about two hours or less away depending on the traffic. My main mission is to get some Socks that Rock yarn, I saw it at Stitches, didn't get it and now regret it. No new Mona news.