May 2006 Archives

Let's see... where to start... Ok, so all of last week Kevin and I were house/cat sitting for our friends who live a couple of towns away. This is the reason for the lack of internets and lack of blogging. In the picture you can see what we spent most of our time doing, feeding the cats. These cats acted as if no one ever feed them, even though we had just given them food an hour ago. I think they must have some ultra amazing metabolism. The cats woke us up every morning at 5am to eat. This was not fun. But then they look at you all cute, and what can you do, but give them another treat...

This is Thomas. Thomas meows very loudly when you are in the kitchen. Thomas also apparently likes to snatch and steal bagels. We (being without cats and so not knowing the rules) left a plastic baggie with 4 bagels (2 plain, 2 everything) on the counter. We have no proof that it was Thomas, but Kevin went into the kitchen to get some water before bed and noticed there were no bagels on the counter. Then he noticed that the bag was in the living room and that the plain bagels had been mostly eaten (apparently cats don't like everything bagels).

But he looks so cute! Not only does this cat love bagels, but apparently he loves corn muffins as well. So much so that he'll steal them from right under your nose. I was putting some mini corn muffins on a plate for a snack. And within a matter of a few seconds, Thomas had jumped onto the counter, acted cute (to throw me off), sniffed pounced and snatched the muffin in his mouth. Then he was gone! I ran up and down the stairs 4 times trying to find him. I finally found him under the bed with only half a muffin left. For the rest of the week we were much more careful.

So this isn't just a cat blog now. But look what I got in the mail!! My sockapaloooza socks from Jill!! Thanks so much Jill they fit perfectly! My only wish is that it wasn't 90+ degrees and humid so I could actually wear them.

Here's another look!

And look a second pair of socks! I finished these on Sunday. As you can see the lace ends a bit too early. This is because I somehow screwed up the last lace pattern and realized this after finishing the 12 lace rows. Since I was on the train into NYC at the time there was no way I was ripping or tinking. (The train is very bouncy). So I just switched to stockinette.

To close on a dorky note for today... here I am at the APS conference with my poster. Please excuse the dazed look. It was 8 am. Riding the 6:30 train into the city is not my idea of fun, especially after a week of being woken up by cats and sleeping on a hard, hard futon.

Coming up tomorrow, what weird shows are on your tv?

I've only got a few minutes of internet time, but here's what's been going on and what to look forward to on Tuesday:

**3 trips to NYC in 4 days

**I got my picture taken with Philip Zimbardo. (Ok, probably not cool to all of you, but he is a social psychology god!)
**Cats, cats, cats!

**Not much sleep (see above... the cats, not Zimbardo you filthy minded people!)

**I may have 2 new pairs of socks to show off (Thank Jill! I just got the package today!!)

**Go buy and read "Dirty Sugar Cookies" by Ayun Halliday. Great book! Awesome writer. While you're at it, go buy and read her other books too! ("Big Rumpus," "No Touch Monkey," and "Job Hopper")

**On Tuesday, go buy and watch "Venture Brothers: Season 1" on DVD. BEST SHOW EVER!

**Gotta run! See y'all on Tuesday when I have my internet, computer, and camera all in one place for a real update!

You gotta watch this...

I'm going to be MIA for the rest of the week. We've got limited internet/computer access, so I'll post if I can, but otherwise I'll see y'all next week.

Earlier in the week, I was sitting on the couch knitting (see pic below). Kevin was over at the computer playing a game, looked over and said "nice yarn ball." I had started a hand towel from "Mason Dixon Knitting" after reading all of your great comments and suggestions for the Squares Blanket and deciding that I don't feel like dealing with it right now, and that when the blanket is in use, the curling isn't noticeable. So I started the towel, but I didn't have size 5 needles (well, I have one, but the other is broken), so I tried size 6. Unfortunately after about 3 inches it was very clear that the size 6s were too big, so I ripped it out carefully and piled the yarn on top of the ball I had previously wound.

The next night I started over with size 4s (and am much happier with the result). I was only a few rows in when Kevin commented about my yarn ball. I told him to take a picture if it was that interesting. I didn't realize he also took this picture of me. As you can see, I'm using the Squares Blanket and have the "Mason-Dixon" book on my lap. I was trying to figure out if I wanted to do the chevron pattern or not (I decided to do 1 repeat). The other important nearby items in this picture are the laptop and Playstation controller (we just got Burnout 3 and have been crashing a lot of cars). Gilmore Girls season 4 is on the table behind me, but since I'm not watching it on the laptop, we must have been watching the Mets.

Of course I don't have a picture of the towel in progress and it is now about 7 inches big. I want to get a picture in the sun (which has been off and on recently) because the eggplant color is hard to get pictured well. In other knitting news, Kevin's lovely Regia sock is no more. I was about halfway up the leg and decided, let's have Kevin try this on. Well, it wouldn't go on. I started with too few stitches at the toe and never made up for it. So the sock is now a ball. This way, when I decide to start it up again, I can knit both at the same time.

This gorgeous yarn is from Heather. Heather and I came up with a little exchange. I picked up some fleece for her at MDS&W and she sent me some of her beautiful handpainted sock yarn. Scroll down to see all of her pretty colors, I lust after all of them.

Kevin and I went to a Greek festival today. Even though the weather was crappy, they had tents set up and yummy delicious food. We both had gyros (partly because it was the only food word we recognized!) and they were wonderful. We bought a bunch of sweet stuff and ate some of that when we got home. I think I have a decent sized sweet tooth, but Kevin and I split half the baklava and split the diple (honey ripple) and I felt a bit ill. It was good, but sooooooo sweet. I wanted to get some spanikopita (which I haven't had since college at a time when I was extremely anti-spinach), but there was a lot of people and a lot of confusion about how food was obtained. But overall it was fun and there was a lot of interesting people around.
Tomorrow, Mets vs Yankees!

Thanks for all the comments about the comments. I don't know why they weren't working (for me) over the weekend. So I guess they are magically better because I didn't do much to fix them.

As you can see, the sun came out here after a very rainy morning and I got a nice picture of Squares Blanket in the sun. Unfortunately the ground was still a bit wet and now Squares Blanket has a bit of a wet sheepy smell. 20 of the 30 squares had visited the laundry mat, but the whole thing could probably use a washing (gently of course). This picture also frustrates me because really, you could look at that and think I made a washcloth. There's no scale!

At picture taking time, the only thing I had on me besides my camera was my iPod. So that's my pathetic attempt at scale. Maybe when Kevin gets home I'll see if we can devise a better picture.

You can clearly see the rolling at the side edges in this picture (which are actually the top and bottom). I appreciate the suggestions for potential edgings. I have 4 skeins leftover, so that's not a problem. The problem is the 300 stitches across the top and bottom (so 600) and probably 400 or so on each of the sides. 1400 stitches total. Hmmm... I figure I have 2 choices (ok 3) 1) Pick something quick and finish it off before it gets HOT, 2) Look around, come up with some possibilities, but ultimately hold off until the Fall when it starts getting COLD, or 3) Forget the border entirely. I think unless I feel inspired in the next day or 2, I might go with #2.

I actually had a dream about the Squares Blanket last night. It involved Kevin running around with it while I tried to take a picture, and then discovering someone had hung a birdfeeder near our door, so I tried to take a picture of a squirrel and a bird on the feeder who were only a few feet away. And then a second squirrel showed up. The first squirrel jumped on the ground near me to distract me while the second squirrel jumped on my shoulder and attacked! It was surprisingly frightening... I wonder what it means...

• I finished sewing the squares blanket this morning.
• I tried to crochet a border.
• For 3 hours.
• But nothing will make it not curl.
• So at this point, I've given up on a border.
• I can knit again because my thumb doesn't hurt as much.
• I created a new yummy drink this weekend... a splash of 100% pure cranberry juice (not cocktail, pure cranberry), a splash of chambord (or 3), a splash of coconut rum (or 3), and a small can of 100% pineapple juice. Tastes like cotton candy (but less sugary).
• Pics tomorrow!

Ok, I'm a one note gal right now, but I've got a reason. Can you see the little white thing in the upper right corner where I'm holding the blanket? That's my poor thumb. I cut it on Wednesday and I can't knit!! I've banned myself from going near knives for a while. So I've just been concentrating on sewing. I'm hoping that by tomorrow or Sunday it will be healed enough that it won't hurt to knit.

Tomorrow Kevin and I are hosting a little BBQ with my parents, grandmom, and brother to celebrate Mother's Day and my bro's b-day. Happy (slightly belated) Birthday, Mike!

And it grows...

Last Thursday, Kathy came through big time and got me a copy of "Knitting from the Top" to take a look at. After reading Lauren's success/excitement about the book and set-in sleeves from the top, I knew I had to take a look at this book. I've been reading the chapters at night and decided that in the perfect knitting world, on the day of your first needle and yarn purchase you should receive this book. Her directions and discussion of how garments are constructed is great. Barbara Walker describes how to knit a sweater without numbers and a pattern. I'm really excited to finish reading the book and then attempt for a second time to knit Kevin a sweater. (I'm thinking Top Secret will be recycled). If I can master a sweater for Kevin, then I'll be able to knit one for Dad as well.

It is great having a Kathy in our knitting group. You should find a Kathy for your group, you won't be sorry! Kathy is a librarian and so her library has the largest knitting book collection on earth (ok, probably an exaggeration, but she's got a lot). Kathy is also great because if the library doesn't have it, she can order it. This is a good thing when you want to look at the patterns in a book that you would never buy, such as "Sexy Little Knits." I don't remember how I found out about this book, but I saw the cover on Amazon and new I had to see the ridiculousness inside. And boy, this book didn't disappoint. The book should be retitled "You Knit What!" I won't be surprised to see many of these patterns on You Knit What.com. At the end of the book is a discussion of knitted bathing suits, and why she wrote the book. And fundamentally, I don't think there is necessarily anything wrong with a knitted bathing suit because there is history there. However, I must strongly disagree with her assertion that knit bathing suits/bikinis look good an ANY BODY because of the stretch and forgiveness of knitting. Just a quick flip through the book illustrates how knitted bikinis can make attractive women look bad. There are several very... uhm, busty... women who are wearing a bikini top that is appropriate for a 6 year old girl. It basically is a glorified nipple cover. By far, however, you must seek out this book just to take a look at the angora teddy. No, not a teddy bear. A teddy. You know, the sexy little one piece you wear to impress your man/partner. Yeah, so let me repeat... angora... right next to your skin... right next to places angora should not be next to. Angora is soft, but all those little hairs! Itchy itchy itchy!

So find yourself a Kathy or a really, really good bookstore that stocks all the latest knitting books and flip through this one. (Although if you are in the bookstore, be prepared to laugh so loud and say "WHAT?!?!" that they ask you to leave the store).

My class had their final today! Yay!! By Friday, grades should be turned in and I'll have a bit of a teaching break. Unfortunately, that doesn't mean more knitting time for a variety of reasons, but I hope to finish sewing the blanket over the weekend!

On Saturday I took my last square to the Mets game. It even had its own seat at the stadium ('cause Kevin couldn't go and we didn't find anyone to take his ticket). I knit on the train, on the subway, before the game started, during an emergency pitching switch, during the 7th inning stretch, and on the train ride home. All of that added up to a finished square when I got home. After I got home from Maryland yesterday, I sewed and sewed. Tonight after grocery shopping and dinner, I sewed and sewed (sorry Mom, I forgot to call you back, I'll call tomorrow!). And I'm 2/5ths through the sewing. I'm first sewing the squares into a column and then sewing the long columns together. I figure the make a column-attach a column approach will be best. I don't want to have to sew 5 loooooong columns together at the end. I still haven't decided on what to do for a border, so suggestions are welcome!

It always amazes me that sheep hair can be turned into yarn. The cute sheepies in the first picture can be made into beautiful Toasty Toes sock yarn. Well, I don't know that these sheep become Toasty Toes, but the whole process is fascinating. I'm dying to knit with my new yarn, but I need to finish sewing, Noro Logcabin needs attention, Kevin's sock needs attention, and I'm working on another pair of socks.

I'll leave you with these pictures, which I believe need no explanation...

On Friday I received this cute package from my sockapaloooza pal. Turns out she's a new momapalooza and will be delayed in finishing my socks. Thanks, Jill! The package was very sweet. I look forward to my socks whenever they are finished. In the meantime, I will be happily resting my drinks on the better coaster!

So we went to MS&W today. It was a fun trip, though the haul was much smaller than last year. I got some more Toasty Toes yarn for socks for me, the gray/black yarn is for socks for Kevin, and the Euroflax Linen is for the pretty towels in Mason-Dixon Knitting. I've got a few other pictures that I'll post soon. But for now, I'm tired and need to veg!