It's a fun pattern so far. The peplum is finished and it's on to the midriff.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Briefly
That vexing Sitcom is canceled. In its stead, a bit of Shakespeare, Titania by Elizabeth Klett, knit in violet and in the round, of course.
It's a fun pattern so far. The peplum is finished and it's on to the midriff.
It's a fun pattern so far. The peplum is finished and it's on to the midriff.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
The Oranges
Just in time for the end of the May sweeps, we join a Sitcom Chic by Bonne Marie Burns in progress. Shown with oranges to enliven the vast expanse o' stockinette and because the yarn, Lion Brand Cotton Ease in Terracotta, is flummoxing my poor digicam.
The colorway is flummoxing my eye, too. In the store it was an appealing tomato red, but under other light it sometimes looks more like the melon crayon, sometimes more like the bittersweet. I'm liking the pattern and the yarn well enough, except for the special effect. Hm... to be continued.
The colorway is flummoxing my eye, too. In the store it was an appealing tomato red, but under other light it sometimes looks more like the melon crayon, sometimes more like the bittersweet. I'm liking the pattern and the yarn well enough, except for the special effect. Hm... to be continued.
Friday, May 16, 2008
ABC-Along I Contest Winners
The entries are entered, the judges have judged, the auditors have audited – so without further ado (lest blogless Kelli lose patience) here are the winners of the ABC-Along 2008 I Contest!
The judge's favorite is: I is for... eye? by Steph (also see her blog, Stellify). Steph selected Lotus Toes, Iris as her prize.
The random winner is: mizz independent by Purlewe (also see her blog, Purlewe). Purlewe's prize is Fannie's Fingering, Indigo.
The I Contest judges, Vicki and I, enjoyed perusing the entries – they're well worth a look. I would particularly commend these Honorable Mention pix, but thanks must go to all who entered.
I is for Island by underdutchskies (also see her blog post).
I is for Illusions by Susie M (also see her blog post).
I is for Ice Cream by Wool Winder (also see her blog post).
Speaking of ice cream, I keep forgetting to mention that Applegate Farm is offering free with coupon ice cream on Wednesday evenings in May. Go get some – it's yummy stuff!
Another amusement for this rainy Friday: Friday Night Open Mic on Ravelry. It's amazing. I love the greetings, the many beautiful accents, and the remarkable voice recognition software, fascinating when it works and even more intriguing when it gets flummoxed.
The judge's favorite is: I is for... eye? by Steph (also see her blog, Stellify). Steph selected Lotus Toes, Iris as her prize.
The random winner is: mizz independent by Purlewe (also see her blog, Purlewe). Purlewe's prize is Fannie's Fingering, Indigo.
The I Contest judges, Vicki and I, enjoyed perusing the entries – they're well worth a look. I would particularly commend these Honorable Mention pix, but thanks must go to all who entered.
I is for Island by underdutchskies (also see her blog post).
I is for Illusions by Susie M (also see her blog post).
I is for Ice Cream by Wool Winder (also see her blog post).
Speaking of ice cream, I keep forgetting to mention that Applegate Farm is offering free with coupon ice cream on Wednesday evenings in May. Go get some – it's yummy stuff!
Another amusement for this rainy Friday: Friday Night Open Mic on Ravelry. It's amazing. I love the greetings, the many beautiful accents, and the remarkable voice recognition software, fascinating when it works and even more intriguing when it gets flummoxed.
Friday, May 9, 2008
Power of Two
It turns out my neighbor was having the same telcom woes as I. After much (complaining)² the repair trucks started showing up, six different trucks in one day. Alas, they came and left without resolving the trouble. It was only when a specialist repair guy showed up while another repair guy was still around that the problem was fixed. They explained (somewhat timidly, because my neighbor shrieked at them) that they're dispatched singly, but this repair requires two people. It does indeed. My neighbor and I, we should give each other celebratory flowers or something.
It was mildly entertaining to watch the parade of repair guys fleeing my neighbor's wrath, a small compensation for having to wait around the house all day. My faithful companion through the many comings and goings was Nancy Bush's Tiit's Socks (in Folk Knitting in Estonia). It's my "Fair Isle" project for May Sockdown!
Like many Nancy Bush patterns, this one provides a feast of knitterly wisdom. The long cuff is biased, because knitting in the round forms an S-twist spiral that becomes noticeable with length. The charming colorwork stitch, goat's eye (I learned it as goose eye, l'oeil d'oie), is entertaining to knit and contrasts nicely with the texture of the eye of partridge heel. To keep the pattern correct, one picks up stitches along the heel flap in two colors. I dunno why, but it's never occurred to me to try two-color pick up before.
The two colors are MC Trekking 93 (grays) and CC Trekking 48 (blues). I started Anemoi Mittens with these yarns, but thought the pattern got lost in the variegations. Here, the variegation works agreeably with the pattern to give an effect of movement and shimmer. A different pairing of colors might look like snow leopard spots or Kaffe Fassett flowers. The motif could have political resonance as well – not why I picked the pattern, but it's there.
I do love political campaign buttons, sometimes known as chum – for that matter, pins and buttons and brooches in general (oh, to have Madeleine Albright's collection). Here's some of my favorite knitterly chum, pictured on a gauge swatch. (No U.S. flag pin? OMG!!!)
Top: I'm Mohair, Jersey Represent!, Tricoteuses Sans Frontières, Shawl Ministry.
Center: Moving Mud.
Bottom: Knitters Make Lovers Warmer, Designs by Romi, Zecca, I'm a Square!
This week I've been going to lectures. Last night I heard a scholar of political science assert that scandal does little to change opinion but it does consolidate pre-judgment – those already favorably inclined toward a candidate minimize its importance, those already unfavorably inclined magnify its importance – and that this has been well-known in political strategy circles for years. Something that makes me go Hmmm on a rainy Friday.
Last but hardly least, this Sunday is Mother's Day in the U.S., so here's a knitted tribute to moms everywhere.
It was mildly entertaining to watch the parade of repair guys fleeing my neighbor's wrath, a small compensation for having to wait around the house all day. My faithful companion through the many comings and goings was Nancy Bush's Tiit's Socks (in Folk Knitting in Estonia). It's my "Fair Isle" project for May Sockdown!
Like many Nancy Bush patterns, this one provides a feast of knitterly wisdom. The long cuff is biased, because knitting in the round forms an S-twist spiral that becomes noticeable with length. The charming colorwork stitch, goat's eye (I learned it as goose eye, l'oeil d'oie), is entertaining to knit and contrasts nicely with the texture of the eye of partridge heel. To keep the pattern correct, one picks up stitches along the heel flap in two colors. I dunno why, but it's never occurred to me to try two-color pick up before.
The two colors are MC Trekking 93 (grays) and CC Trekking 48 (blues). I started Anemoi Mittens with these yarns, but thought the pattern got lost in the variegations. Here, the variegation works agreeably with the pattern to give an effect of movement and shimmer. A different pairing of colors might look like snow leopard spots or Kaffe Fassett flowers. The motif could have political resonance as well – not why I picked the pattern, but it's there.
I do love political campaign buttons, sometimes known as chum – for that matter, pins and buttons and brooches in general (oh, to have Madeleine Albright's collection). Here's some of my favorite knitterly chum, pictured on a gauge swatch. (No U.S. flag pin? OMG!!!)
Top: I'm Mohair, Jersey Represent!, Tricoteuses Sans Frontières, Shawl Ministry.
Center: Moving Mud.
Bottom: Knitters Make Lovers Warmer, Designs by Romi, Zecca, I'm a Square!
This week I've been going to lectures. Last night I heard a scholar of political science assert that scandal does little to change opinion but it does consolidate pre-judgment – those already favorably inclined toward a candidate minimize its importance, those already unfavorably inclined magnify its importance – and that this has been well-known in political strategy circles for years. Something that makes me go Hmmm on a rainy Friday.
Last but hardly least, this Sunday is Mother's Day in the U.S., so here's a knitted tribute to moms everywhere.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Fade to Black
May Day May Day May Day. M'aidez! This is not a drill. I am declaring a blog emergency – or at least another rant. I need help! As an inducement to gentle readers, I can offer pix of May Day flowers and SoS yarn.
Here's the flowers, rare yellow Clivia from the Philadelphia Flower Show. Clivias are long-lived, slow growing plants, so it's a treat to see a large specimen in flower.
Here's the rant: I just spent a longish amount of time talking to my telcom. What I thought was a simple service call has turned into a tumble down the rabbit hole. It makes little difference to the outcome, but I'm glad I asked a lot of questions.
At the moment I have no dial tone on my landline telephone, but do have DSL Internet service. That's supposed to be impossible. I'm told that if dial tone isn't restored within 48 hours, the Central Office will recognize something impossible is happening and will delete my line share, which will terminate my DSL account. I'll not only not have Internet or email, but also will lose all uploaded files, some of which are graphics that decorate this blog. Once dial tone is restored it will take about a week to establish a new line share and a new DSL account. The kicker, to paraphrase Ronald Reagan, is I am paying for these services.
It would seem Doom is certain. After Doom falls, the blog will still be here, but it will look somewhat different. What to do? Scream? Cry? Rampage like I'm on Annuale? Of course not. Knitters knit on. The bright side of an Internet blackout is less time spent on Ravelry, more time spent knitting and planning knitting.
Here's the yarn: I've been thinking of a personal theme for my Summer of Socks 2008,
something to do with carbon footprint reduction and stash reduction. I certainly have enough yarn already in stash to symbolize carbon footprints, yea, more than sufficient for my SoS (I'm so not a candidate for the Most Socks competition), and perhaps even enough to demonstrate over-consumption.
I'm looking forward to a season of knitting carbon footprint socks. The muted shades will provide an opportunity to explore fancy stitches and texture. Not to mention good warm handknit socks keep feet happy when the thermostat is set low.
As my Internet access goes bye-bye, let me leave you with this Fox News blooper. Fair warning: don't sip any beverages whilst reading.
Here's the flowers, rare yellow Clivia from the Philadelphia Flower Show. Clivias are long-lived, slow growing plants, so it's a treat to see a large specimen in flower.
Here's the rant: I just spent a longish amount of time talking to my telcom. What I thought was a simple service call has turned into a tumble down the rabbit hole. It makes little difference to the outcome, but I'm glad I asked a lot of questions.
At the moment I have no dial tone on my landline telephone, but do have DSL Internet service. That's supposed to be impossible. I'm told that if dial tone isn't restored within 48 hours, the Central Office will recognize something impossible is happening and will delete my line share, which will terminate my DSL account. I'll not only not have Internet or email, but also will lose all uploaded files, some of which are graphics that decorate this blog. Once dial tone is restored it will take about a week to establish a new line share and a new DSL account. The kicker, to paraphrase Ronald Reagan, is I am paying for these services.
It would seem Doom is certain. After Doom falls, the blog will still be here, but it will look somewhat different. What to do? Scream? Cry? Rampage like I'm on Annuale? Of course not. Knitters knit on. The bright side of an Internet blackout is less time spent on Ravelry, more time spent knitting and planning knitting.
Here's the yarn: I've been thinking of a personal theme for my Summer of Socks 2008,
something to do with carbon footprint reduction and stash reduction. I certainly have enough yarn already in stash to symbolize carbon footprints, yea, more than sufficient for my SoS (I'm so not a candidate for the Most Socks competition), and perhaps even enough to demonstrate over-consumption.I'm looking forward to a season of knitting carbon footprint socks. The muted shades will provide an opportunity to explore fancy stitches and texture. Not to mention good warm handknit socks keep feet happy when the thermostat is set low.
As my Internet access goes bye-bye, let me leave you with this Fox News blooper. Fair warning: don't sip any beverages whilst reading.
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