Multiple Craftgasm

where's Karida

2008-01-31T23:01:00.000-05:00

So if you're looking for me, look here: Neighborhood Fiber Co.

does the word duh mean anything to you?

2007-08-11T18:53:00.000-04:00

So, I totally missed the part of rockin grrl blogger-ness where I tag 5 other ladies who rock. Because the tagging of people is what makes it a meme. Yeah. Slow day. All these people rock, despite the non-girl status of one. Because even if he's not a girl, he's one crafty mofo. And maybe that gives him grrl status.
1. Jacki
2. Libby and Karen
3. Micah
4. Olga
5. Leah
All folks who rock hardcore and are actively blogging.

The post title is courtesy of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the movie. Which I love in the way that you love things you know are really really bad. Because the movie makes me happy in the sense that it spawned the Best Show Evah and includes former love of my life bad boy, Luke Perry. Because I loved 90210 SO much. And to prove that I have not one or two, but many dorky secrets, I ask you this. Who else is dying to see Hairspray on Broadway now that it features Ashley Parker Angel, Lance Bass, and Tevin Campbell? It's like pop boy overload.

Actual Knitting!

2007-08-09T22:03:00.001-04:00

Stef tagged me as a rockin' girl blogger! Aww, she's so sweet! But on the condition that I actually update and post. So see me posting things. Things with actual knitting!

Monkey Sock in progress

And look, it's something that isn't just a sample. This sock is going on my sweaty foot! And apparently, I am the last person to knit the Monkey socks. So here they are!

Though you can't tell it here, I'm actually quite far along. Heel is turned and I'm probably only 3 or 4 repeats from toe decreases.

Life has been crazy, as usual, but I have also done some spinning. I'll post pics when I get around to getting the yarn off the bobbin. Even in spinning, I tend to put off the finishing.

Balls!

2007-07-29T22:58:00.000-04:00

Erika and I just watched Mystery on PBS and Miss Marple says something to the effect of "Balls! They're always rolling all over the place and getting lost. That's why I prefer skeins." I love Miss Marple. She kicks Jessica Fletcher's ass. And pokes her with her long, straight, metal needles.

Anyway, some of the super secret knitting and stuff is done and packages mailed have all arrived. First, pop over to see the adorable bootees I sent Stefanie. She's the only pregnant knitter friend I have, and I'm so excited for her! And I love knitting tiny things.

Other not so secret package arrived to Jacki. Go forth and see the giant hank o' yarn. She's gonna make something awesome, and I can't wait to see it.

And finally, the yarn to Rob and Matt. Rob posted pics of the sock yarn I sent his direction. Notice how he mentions that there's more headed their way. Yeah. Imagine me spending the rest of the week skeining all that yarn. Yeah. So there's my week. What are you doing?

Tour de Farce: Rehab for Lapsed Spinners

2007-07-25T11:55:00.000-04:00

All of the people doing Tour de Fleece have made me terribly jealous. Particularly Jacki. And watching Travis has made me feel very lame. He's been spinning for less than a month, and already his yarn is more even and consistent than mine. Bastard. And let's not even talk about his yarn dyeing.

So, with that in mind, I've started my own Tour de Farce! It has no particular goals other than "spin more than you had been spinning" and by the end of it, "produce something that doesn't suck ass."

A bit of background. I have a Louet S10 spinning wheel that I hardly touch. I have no time for spinning. None at all. I work 40-50 hours a week and then another 15-20 doing Neighborhood Fiber Co. So I've felt okay not touching the S10. After all, it's not like I don't do fiber-y stuff. And I'm not any good at spinning anyway. I bought the thing on a whim when I started the business with the vague idea that I'd be renting it out as part of some crazy travelling spinning lessons idea that hinged on my former business partner carting the thing around to various locations. Needless to say, we were both crazy and this didn't happen. So, now the wheel sits. And sits. And doesn't get used. And I said to myself, "Self, you are lame. If you want to do something, make time for it." And myself said, okay.

So, Tour de Farce. Starting late and finishing late. It takes 21 days to make something a habit, so 21 days. It'll be like spinning rehab. Behold the fiberish motivation.

Coke Binge Barbie:

and Halloroving:

Part of what made me drool was the exciting fiber combinations that Jacki has been combing up on her homemade hackle. You just can't buy yarn like that. You can't even really buy roving like that. You have to blend it yourself. Or email Jacki and ask her to blend it for you. So we arranged a trade and there you have it. This fiber is too delicious to sit in a bin. It must be spun! So, I will spin it and post pictures on my progress. Let the Tour commence!

Bastards

2007-07-17T11:04:00.000-04:00

This is the email I got from the people at the Crafty Bastards Arts and Crafts Fair:

Dear Crafty Bastards Applicant,

Thank you for applying to the Crafty Bastards Arts & Crafts Fair. Sadly, we can't
take you this year. Our jury judged a field of 400 applications from crafters of all
types and was limited to accepting 100 vendors. We love the indie craft community
and encourage everyone to keep on crafting!

Thank you again for applying. We wish you luck in your craft and hope to see you in
the future!

Sincerely,

The Crafty Bastards Crew

At the risk of sounds terribly self-important, wtf? Am I not crafty enough? Is my bastard status in question? I mean, don't they know who I am???

Crazy rant ended.

I've been actually working on lots of knitting and exciting projects, but they are sooper dooper sekrit. So, details coming after July 27.

In the meantime, bask in the glow of my bag lady glory.

The delightful Flo from Lexie Barnes. I could write an ode to Lexie Barnes. The prints! The colors! The amazing indestructability!

For I am Karida, the Destroyer of All Things. Seriously, I can break, rip, stain, or otherwise ruin anything. So my bags tend to get trashed quickly, which makes me reluctant to spend more than $20 on any fabric bag. But Lexie's bags are reinforced and made of water-resistent fabric. And still cute enough for me to carry around without looking like a school kid with a backpack.

Dork Out

2007-07-03T13:34:00.000-04:00

Now, I know this is a knitting blog. And there should be pictures of knitting. But not today. Today I give you the thing that has made me the happiest woman in the office. July 20 and 21 at the Avalon Theater. Buffy Sing Along. I'm so there.

blah, blah, blah yarn dyeing, blah blah blah knitting. will post relevant fiber-related pictures soon. pinky swear.

over a month later...

2007-06-19T10:09:00.001-04:00

so, i've been busy. doing yarn things that have been very exciting overall. below find a post that is heavy on name-dropping, linking, and narration. light on actual knitting content.

first, was TNNA. Many of the pro-bloggers out there have already described it in detail. It's the super big trade show where stores come to pick out their merchandise for the next season, and Neighborhood Fiber Co. had a booth. Well, not a booth. I couldn't afford a proper booth. I had a table. In a stroke of amazing luck, my table was right by the front door. I saw everyone that came in and everyone saw me.

Now for the name dropping, I saw and accosted Yahaira, Stefanie, Leah, Amy Singer, Annie Modesitt, and others. I got to actually hang out with Stefanie, her adorable mom, and her publishers one night. She was totally good about me being a big dorky fangirl around her. I gave Amy O'Neil a big hug and finally got to meet Drew Emborsky at the end of the show after we had both been trying to say hi for 2 days. I got an awesome laptop bag from the delightful Lexie Barnes and met and took orders from some fabulous shop owners around the country. It was totally successful and I could not be happier about the show.

One of the best parts was finally meeting in person Jacki, Gail, and Travis from Cider Moon. Jacki and I had been exchanging emails for awhile about being indy dyers and freaking out about the Knitters Connection market that we were both doing. It was so great to see them in person and they totally helped me get through the madness of being in Columbus for my first two shows.

When I said I forgot my ballwinder like a doofus, they brought me one of theirs. When I was without coffee and no one could cover my booth, Travis braved the lines of knitters to order my girly assed overpriced vanilla soy latte. They even took me out to dinner after the podcast.

The podcast. Lime N Violet live podcast was Wednesday night. Violet was sick so it was Lime N Special Guest Host Fran. Fran was organizing the Knitters Connection and she was awesome on the podcast. Very natural and good at keeping the conversation moving.

Still, it was good that Violet recovered in time for the market. She and Lime had very important yarn fondling to do. The market was great. The other vendors were awesome and now for more name dropping. Yarn Love, Yarns Forever, Yarn Smith and lots of other great people. I had a big geek moment when I realized Cheryl Oberle (author of Folk Shawls) was there too. Same moment when Cat Bordhi told me my colors were beautiful.

Also got to see the Gossip Fairy and Yarmando again. And was lucky enough to have Karen as my helper on Saturday for the show. Saturday night went out with Jacki, Travis, Karen, Gerry, Don, Erika, her friend Travis, and Yarn Love ladies for dinner and copious drinking. It was such a good release after the week of high pressure yarn sales.

Sunday, Erika and I did the drive back and immediately collapsed into bed. Now, I'm just filling orders, following up, and hanging out. Thanks to everyone who made the trip a success.

in which i am an idiot

2007-05-09T22:42:00.000-04:00

So, I hadn't listened to the new Lime and Violet pocast, but apparently, Neighborhood Fiber Co. was featured in the yarn pr0n segment. It's at 55:20 in the podcast and they say wonderful things about my yarns, my website, and oddly, my appearance! Go download it here: Lime & Violet or on Itunes.

And now for it...SQUEEEEE!!!!

MS&W

2007-05-07T21:09:00.000-04:00

I think I'm the only blogger who went to Sheep and Wool with no camera. Suffice it to say based on posts from Hannah, Matt, and the whole rest of the blogging world, that it was fun, crowded, and full of adorable and smelly sheep. It wasn't my first time, and I didn't even stay all that long, but I'm still glad I got to go. Now for the shocker. I didn't buy anything. Okay, that's not entirely true. I bought a funnel cake that I split with Elizabeth and Danielle. But I didn't buy anything from any vendors. No yarn. No fiber. No random thing that I couldn't resist. I'm so proud of me....

belated

2007-04-18T21:46:00.000-04:00

So, back in December, I made Eunny's endpaper mitts as a Christmas gift for my best friend, Rachel. Rach taught me to knit and so I always knit her something green (her fave color) for Christmas and birthdays. Here she is in them:

And here they are closer up:

pimptastic

2007-04-17T09:20:00.000-04:00

so my blog has been seriously lacking in exciting craft projects and mostly full of regular updates about dyeing yarn. with that in mind, i give you the adventures of micah's pimped out mixer. it's still in progress, but go check it out. it'll give you all kinds of crazy ideas. i wanna tat mine up with some cherries perhaps...

more good news!

2007-04-09T22:22:00.000-04:00

First, the website has been updated. Now you can see actual pictures of all the yarn types and there's even a shopping cart. Go forth and shop for stuff. Or just look at stuff because I even added a new pattern for scribble lace scarf.

Second, Neighborhood Fiber Co. will be at the Knitters Connection market in Columbus, OH on June 6-10. I'm so excited and will basically be spending all my time between now and then doing yarn stuff.

Third, actual knitting content. I totally finished a sock, in my yarn and the pattern for it will be up on my site ASAP.

Phew! That's it for now. So very tired.

new website!

2007-04-05T18:54:00.000-04:00

So, in the flurry of activity doing business themed things, I have a new site for Neighborhood Fiber Co. that went live today! Go check it out along with the new color below.

Neighborhood Fiber Co.

busy busy

2007-04-01T20:31:00.000-04:00

I've been super busy this week dyeing sooo much yarn. And also things have been crazy at work. Good crazy, but crazy nonetheless.

But, it's paid off. Starting this month, I'm going to be teaching at A Tangled Skein and they'll be carrying yarn from Neighborhood Fiber Co.!

So, up next, more yarn dyeing for order filling and hopefully, I'll have more good news by the end of the week.

one. cut a hole in a box!

2007-03-25T23:19:00.000-04:00

what do you do when your cat gets on the new diningroom table (which she's not allowed to do) and gets into a box?

of course you take a picture. and sing "dick in a box" with cat instead! it's my cat in a box!

no shame

2007-03-25T22:48:00.000-04:00

i'll admit it. i have super mega awesome cable with ten bazillion chanels and i'm watching bring it on: all or nothing staring the cheerleader from heroes and lozenge or syringe or whatever beyonce's little sister is named. it's so very bad. they speak in "im" and say things like omg, imho, and tbnt n lieu of actual words. and yet, i watch. and they just started crumping! sorta...

unrelated, here are the new colors including better pictures of Brookland.

from left to right: Glover Park, a gift for Micah as thanks for all the help moving furniture and endless bins of yarn; Brookland, named for the neighborhood I thought I lived in until I realized I live in Edgewood; and Kingman Park which is basically the eastern part of Cap Hill for Ginny because she asked and just had a baby so that deserves something.

hand dye

2007-03-06T23:20:00.000-05:00

just got back from knit, purl, and hurl with the girls (no micah!). i haven't been in weeks and it was so good to be back and see what everyone was knitting. and show off my entrelac socks-in-progress, of course. speaking of, people have been asking what yarn i'm using. it's artyarns ultramerino 4 in a purple-y and green-y color. i think the purple-y one is color 108, but i can't tell from the website what the color number is for the green-y one.

and now, because i like posting a picture, i dyed a new color. a dark turquoise color with shades of purple and mauve. the picture doesn't do it justice. not sure what neighborhood this will be. i'm in brookland and i am loving this color, so maybe this is brookland...

island formal?!?

2007-03-04T19:06:00.000-05:00

so it's one thing to know that south florida is full of all the rich jews from new york/new jersey and it's a whole different thing to really know. i just spent a few days in boca raton and west palm beach and now i know.

my mom sits on a for-profit board of directors for a company that i won't name, and their annual board retreat was in boca. being the giant leech that i am, i went, of course. now my mom is the only woman, as well as being the only person of color (unless you can count overly tanned as being a color), so the planned spouse activities were really geared towards wives of big board types. the qintessential ladies who lunch.

we went shopping on worth avenue as an excursion, and of the group, i was the only one who had a job. any job at all. then we went to lunch and all ordered salads. and then went to neiman's and sak's to help the chairman's wife shop for a dress that met the qualifications of "island formal" for a wedding in jamaica. and oh the parade of dresses. carolina herrera, marc jacobs, oscar de la renta, etc. by the end of the day, my head was spinning. and the thing is, all of these women, who don't work for a living and could pay my rent with the cost of a pair of their shoes, were REALLY nice. like shockingly, overly, super duper nice. not fake nice. just genuinely nice. and seemingly unaware that they're the top 1% of the population. it was surreal. but still included lots of beach knitting time.

and with that, ladies and gentleman (micah), we have heel:

weather stuff

2007-03-02T12:55:00.000-05:00

it's 60 degrees again! take that february!

i love nataliedee.com

doink doink

2007-02-24T23:10:00.000-05:00

I'm watching the most amazingly wacky episode of Law and Order: Criminal Intent. A rapper named "Fulla T" has been murdered on the street in front of a radio station. It's all really controversial because he was coming out with a new public service agenda all about how it's okay to "snitch." All of this with a totally slammin' hip-hop soundtrack. Law and Order is soooo hip and street.

I'm realizing that this blog is becoming all about me watching bad tv. So, here's a picture of actual knitting. The beginning of Eunny's entrelac socks. Damn her for writing such enticing patterns...

A country of machochists

2007-02-20T21:17:00.000-05:00

The is a part of me that knows that America must be a country of masochists. At least on some level. Because American Idol, at least partly, is all about watching songs that you know and love, be destroyed and butchered by people purporting to have professional singing aspirations.

That said, I'm watching. And I'm mad at myself for it.

Loyal band of ignorant followers...

2007-02-19T20:51:00.000-05:00

"Karida is an independent non-sectarian Buddhist sangha whose members believe that only when the ignorance of the self is overcome and a pure heart is established..."

My Own Personal Religion

And I'm back.

Discuss amongst yourselves.

2007-01-01T21:27:00.000-05:00

So, I'm watching the Prince of Egypt on TV and thinking...in the current political climate with today's standards, wouln't Moses be a terrorist. I mean, he's making demands on the leader of a sovereign nation-state and he's backing up those demands with acts of violence. And now I'm picturing George W. as Pharoah saying that "Egypt does not negotiate with terrorists."

My disclaimer is that obviously slavery is wrong and Pharoah should have just let the people go and cut the collateral damage. But yeah. Moses as terrorist brought to you courtesy of Karida's Handbasket Tours of Hell. Leaving daily on the half and quarter hour.

like crack cocaine

2006-12-29T11:45:00.000-05:00

I am not dead. Yet. I'm helping my mom set up her new house in Sapphire, NC. Seriously in the mountains. And for a city girl like me, it's a stretch. A big stretch. I think we're the only black people in the county. The dry county. Which means no liquor stores or bars. The nearest liquor store is like 40 miles away. And there's nothing to do here but hike and sit on the couch watching satellite tv. You can probably guess which one I'm doing.

I'm posting from the nearest internet I could find. A Christian coffeeshop, Mountain Perk. It's cute, despite the Fox News playing on the television and Christian books. Shockingly, I have not yet burst into flames from proximity to this much bible-thumping holiness. I did tell my mom that if she comes to get me and I'm not here, I'm probably the pile of ashes next to the IBook and messenger bag.

Despite all these shortcomings, the new house is gorgeous. And last night, I saw stars. Actual stars over the mountain. For those who don't live in DC, we don't have stars. We have smog. And street lights of questionable quality. And cranes dotting the skyline. No stars. Even the grumpy, cynical, city girl was impressed.

first day

2006-12-04T23:02:00.000-05:00

I had my first day of work today! It was awesome! Everyone was really nice to me, there was free lunch, and I was home by 5:30! I know I'm abusing punctuation, but seriously, I was almost swooning at the benefits package. I have a retirement plan. Me. With a retirement plan. Actual savings. And life above the poverty line.

And tomorrow is the holiday party at the Spy Museum with an open bar. Hells yeah.

In knitting news, I've been a present-making machine. I have the endpaper mitts done, and I'm working on a matching hat. Also, the natalya fingerless mitts and matching hat are in process. Pictures forthcoming when I find the stupid camera cord thingy. Here comes the holiday.

back

2006-11-28T13:40:00.000-05:00

I have been a bad blogger. But I have been knitting, I swear. To prove it. Here's a tiny picture of my endpaper mitts, a la Eunny. Pale pink Blue Sky Royal Alpaca and green RYC Cashsoft 4ply. A gift for Rachel, who taught me to knit 3 years ago.

The real reason I've been MIA is because I've been frantically interviewing for jobs and sending out resumes. The good news is I've found a job. And it's perfect! The pay is good, there are benefits, it's 15 minutes from my apartment, and I start next week. Wish me luck!

stitches recap

2006-11-05T15:19:00.000-05:00

Stitches East was an amazing smorgasbord of stuff. I've never seen so many knitters milling around downtown Baltimore. It was actually overwhelming to the senses. I wish I could show pictures but they had a serious no-camera rule.

My friend, Elizabeth, and I set out at 11ish after I overslept and showed up at her place hungry and disoriented. After she got me fed and caffeinated, we left. Elizabeth is very methodical in covering an event like Stitches. Row by row. And then we made notes of booths we wanted to return to. I was mostly looking around to see how to run a booth and how much people bring. Also, it was good to see how people display their yarns for when Neighborhood Fiber Co. goes to craft/knit fairs too.

I was very restrained in my purchases and only bought a few things. A gift for my secret pal, a tshirt for me from Modern Yarn and a cute little felting kit.

And because I'm lame and forgot to blog about it, a big shout out to Laurie, Amy, and Destination Knits. I was at the 4th Annual Destination Knits retreat last Saturday, and I set up a Neighborhood Fiber Co. trunk show. Everyone was super nice and I sold lots of yarn. And Laurie and Amy both agreed to design stuff for me. Thanks ladies!

geek-tastic

2006-11-01T20:45:00.000-05:00

Watching Bones and just squealed when I heard Angel, erm, Booth, call to get a search warrant for convenience stores within 1 mile of the Hyperion Hotel! The Hyperion. Like the hotel in Angel! Okay, I'm a big dork. And seriously, I keep waiting for him to go into vamp-face and try to bite the suspects to get them to confess. Okay, commercial break over, back to television.

usolicited yarn porn

2006-10-20T09:01:00.000-04:00

i am the world's lamest blogger. i haven't updated in ages because i haven't been doing a whole lot of knitting. instead i've been dyeing yarn. so i give you random picture of yarn i've dyed, complete with cat whiskers in the frame. this colorway is called Ledroit Park after the neighborhood where I live and do the yarn dyeing thing. the home of neighborhood fiber co., which now has a skeletal website here. the cat whiskers are from hannah's helpful kitty, katja. have i mentioned lately, how much i love green and purple together?

and another symptom of my lameness, here's the picture that i took weeks ago of the gift from my punk rock gift exchange secret pal. an adorable card and tin, both all prettied up in collage. the tin has already been appropriated for the kitchen use of storing tea in a perfectly airtight manner. and you can hardly see the blank scrapbook that has become the place to document yarn exploits. it's like a crazy scrapbook of business practice. like quickbooks, but prettier. and what gift exchange would be complete without yarn. pretty girly pink yarn that has become part of a scribble lace scarf. scribble lace is my current obsession. friends of mine will be getting lovely gifts this winter.

not dead...just lazy

2006-10-12T21:08:00.000-04:00

I have been so lazy about blogging, so I figured I better come up with something good. With that in mind, I give you 1 crocheted steek. Here it is before I cut:

And after:

All done during one episode of Law and Order:SVU, and let me tell you, I was so friggin' scared when I was cutting it. SO. SCARED. But it was okay. Now I have to do the rest of the steeks, knit the edgings, and then sew down the steeks.

I also nearly finished my own scarf version of Lady Eleanor's Entrelac Stole from Scarf Style. It needs blocking and fringe. 3 hanks of Manos and size 13 needles. Pretend you don't see all the black cat hair surrounding the scarf.

crafty bastard

2006-10-01T14:11:00.000-04:00

So in the last two weeks, I've been frantically dyeing yarn. Because in July, I decided to start a business. A yarn business. And Hannah is my partner. And we've been experimenting and playing with yarn and visiting alpaca farms and dealing with vendors all leading up to this. The first public sale of our yarn. Here it is yesterday all wound and ready to go.

Right now, I'm at the store while the yarn is at the Crafty Bastards Fair in Adams Morgan at the Stitch DC booth. Wish us luck as I worry ceaselessly and try to resist calling Jess or Libby to see how it's going.

PRGE Questionaire

2006-09-13T21:26:00.000-04:00

This is for my secret pal in the Punk Rock Gift Exchange. I was lame and procrastinated filling this out. So, here's more than anyone wanted to know about me.

1) How long have you been spinning/Knitting/Crocheting?
Three years knitting. The crocheting and spinning is newer...less than a year.
2) Do you consider yourself a beginner, novice, or experienced Yarn Artist?
I guess I'm of medium talent. I'm not afraid to try things that are difficult, but there are definitely things I haven't tried. But I'm the world's crappiest spinner.
3) What type of fibers have you worked with?
Working in a yarn store, I get to play with most fibers. Wool (duh), alpaca, cotton, bamboo, cashmere, linen.
4) What types are you dying to try?
I haven't knit with the quiviuk, but I think it feels divine. And I've never knit wiht camel.
5) Are you allergic to anything, (Fibers, Food, Smells that make you want to puke, etc.)?
I'm not allergic to anything. But I don't eat meat except seafood and chicken sometimes.
6) Do you have any Disorders, ex: Diabetes?
Is knitting addiction a disorder?
7) What is your Favorite Time/Style period, ex: Romatic, Grecian,Metal, Goth,etc?
I love the 80s. In a completely uncomplicated, free-from-irony way. Leg warmers, off-the-shoulder tops, and New Wave/punk music. But not the hair.
8) What fibers do you dislike?
I have enough cotton in my life. I need no more cotton.
9) Name some of your favorite Artist, Movie wise, Television if you watch it ex: I heart Keanu, some things cant be helped, and Rachel loves Mike Ness !?
I heart The Smiths and The Cure and The Clash and The Ramones The Pretenders and a long list of other bands that start with "The." I love Brat Pack movies, musicals from the 40s, 50s, and 60s and teen movie remakes of Shakespeare plays and Austen novels (Seriously, Clueless and 10 Things I Hate About You are two of my fave movies). I can't live without Joss Whedon television series.
10) Whos your favorite Character ex: Jack or Cpt Jack?
Buffy the Vampire Slayer, although I'm pretty lukewarm about Sarah Michelle Gellar
11) Do you prefer natural colored fibers, or handpainted/dyed fiber?
Yes. You can't expect me to choose, can you?
12) What are you favorite colors?
I love purples, pinks, and the girly colors. Green and purple are second only to red and pink as my fave color combinations.
13) What colors do you dislike?
Orange and yellow do nothing for me.
14) What projects are you currently working on?
Umm, that list is kinda long. But the big ones are the Argyle Vest, and socks. Lots of socks. And the Sizzle tank.
15) Do you have a wishlist?
No, should I get one?
16) Do you have any other favorite hobbies?
I love to read.
17) Whens your birthday?(mm/dd) (Thanks Rach')
August 25
18) What is your favorite food, candy, scents that you love!! Etc.?
I love hot chocolate. And I have a tea fetish. Seriousy, I have lots of teapots, and I prefer loose tea. It makes me feel proper and British.
19) Are you pierced at all? Any tattoos? Can you/would you wear jewelery that isn't real?
I have my ears pierced, but no tattoos. And I love tacky fake jewelry.
20) What do you like Culturally, ex: Celtic, African, Devil Worshiping, Kidding!?
I'm pretty free of culture.
21) What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
I keep my circs in a plastic case. My dpns and crochet hooks stay in the denim case I made.
22) What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
The music question is answered above, and I can play all sorts of music formats. I have a MAC and it loves music.
23) What's your favorite season and why?
I love Spring because it's not too hot and the days start to get longer.
24) What season do you abhor?
I loathe Winter. It's dark and cold and miserable.
25) How about Sports, any that you just cant get enough of or do they make you throw up in your mouth just a little?
I don't do sports.
26) What is your family situation Do you live alone?
I live with my girlfriend. In the gay sense.
27) Do you have any pets?
We have two cats, Ms. Betty Louise Plotnik (aka Kitty) and Sir Humphrey the Destroyer (aka Bogey).
28) Do you like handmade gifts?
Yes please!
29) What's your favorite thing to make, knit/crochet or other craft wise?
I love to make accessories. Socks, hats, mittens, legwarmers, etc. I love sweaters for the proccess of it and being able to show people I made a sweater.
30) Do you prefer straight or circular needles?
Circs. I love my Addis.
31) Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
Yes to both
32) Tell us how you learned to knit/crochet?
My best friend from high school, Rachel taught me. Now she doesn't knit, and I make her something green every year for Christmas and birthday. Because green is her fave color.
33) Do you enjoy getting helpful hints from others or does it just piss you off?
I like "helpful hint" but I don't promise I won't be pissed off.
34) How old is your oldest UFO?
2 years old
35) Is there anything that you collect?
Teapots.
36) Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on?
Knitting Nature looks yummy. And Folk Shawls.
37) What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have if any?
I have Interweave and Vogue subscriptions.
38) Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?
Still haven't done the Intarsia
39) Do you enjoy knitting socks? How big are yer boats (feet)?
I adore socks. And my feet are size 9.5.

That's all folks.

public service announcement

2006-09-13T12:45:00.000-04:00

dude, friends don't let friends knit drunk alone.

ETA: friends should always knit drunk together.

warm legs

2006-09-11T22:45:00.000-04:00

i needed a little break from the argyle vest. the knitting is done, but no steeking yet. i'm waiting for jess to do it with me. after all, you should never steek alone. only with friends. so i made myself some legwarmers.

manos and kidsilk haze. size 11 needles. and thus begins my back-to-school knitting. this fall, i'm wearing all the funny clothes i wanted to wear in high school but was too self-conscious to wear. so if you see someone wandering around dc in really slouchy legwarmers, it's me. and i think i look awesome.

drive-by douching

2006-09-11T09:26:00.000-04:00

Or would it be a ride-by? On a bicycle. With bold lettering. I kinda love Jess. Although, I think Micah, Rebecca, and I scared some people when we kept saying douche.

jesus would take the metro

2006-08-29T11:06:00.000-04:00

So, yesterday, Hannah and I spent my day off doing fun stuff. Fun colorful stuff. First we dyed some roving for Hannah to spin up. Pictures forthcoming. Then we dyed a whole crapload of sock yarn. It was so exciting to see what colors would come out after the dye was set and the yarn was rinsed. So much fun! And the colors! You can tell I'm excited by my abuse of exclamation points!

On an unrelated note, I'm less than 20 rows away from steeking my argyle vest. I'll post pics of the steeking process. And the drinking that will likely follow.

And thanks to everyone who wished me a happy birthday. It was awesome. Full of family, friends and food...my favorite three Fs. Plus presents, including beautiful Manos wool from Jess to make my fantasy bag that I posted about earlier. So, thanks!

5 reasons why I'm in love with the new Rowan Magazine

2006-08-23T15:33:00.000-04:00

5. Argyle Fingerless Mitts (notice my argyle obsession)

4. Knee-High Lace Stockings

3. Frilly Lace and Cable sweater in Wool Cotton (I have a LOT of Wool Cotton in my stash)

2. SIZES ABOVE 40" BUST!!!!

1. SERIOUSLY, THERE ARE BIGGER SIZES. I can finally knit a Rowan pattern without doing a shitload of math. Words cannot express how happy I am.

argyle update

2006-08-16T17:21:00.000-04:00

I feel a bit like Pygmalion. Without the icky paternalism issues. I mean that I am falling in love with my creation. I keep looking at the vest and thinking how pretty it looks. And the detail. Oh, the detail. So much detail. 16 pages of detail. Notice the begininng of my steek for the v neckline with the stitches that are on hold. I readily admit to being very proud of myself and being obnoxious about telling people. Such a great knit.

And my fantasy yarn for the Wobbly Circles Tote from Spring 2006 Interweave. If only I could justify dropping the cash for the Manos...

random acts of violence

2006-08-13T16:18:00.000-04:00

Is it okay to punch people who walk into the store and manhandle the Deep V Argyle Vest-in-progress? Are there allowances made for their non-knitting friends who also pick up the vest and then play with the stitches?

still a big dork

2006-08-13T14:35:00.000-04:00

Sometimes fate smiles at me...

Last night, after work, Erika and I went to visit our new local comic shop (LCS), Fantom Comics. Yes, I know how dorky it is to have an LCS. Anyway, Matt, the owner, informed us that the store is planning a Buffy/Angel trivia contest. I am so there! He says he's planning to wait until the college kids get back. I told him that I'd be ready to kick those college kids' asses!

The prize is $500 worth of merch, which is awesome. But my main motivation is bragging rights. I want to demolish the other fans and then swagger out of the shop with my girl on my arm carrying a crapload of stuff, secure in the knowledge that I am officially the most knowledgeable Buffy fan in the area. In my imagination, "We Are The Champions" is playing in the background.

The fate part is that Rebecca and I just started re-watching Buffy from the beginning, and I'm 99.99% sure that someone is going to get me The Chosen Collection for my birthday, which is soon. Now, all I need is flashcards.

geek out

2006-08-08T16:43:00.000-04:00

Someone has made the movie I've always wanted to make. It's a movie about fans. Non-Trek fans. My kind of fans. Joss-verse fans. It's a documentary about Firefly fans and the making of the Serenity movie. I am so freaking excited. Read here

And by the way, the Pretenders concert was fantabulous. Chrissie Hynde is so freaking hot.

Fo' shizzle my knizzles (actual knitting content)

2006-07-30T20:15:00.000-04:00

Bombshell and I are on hiatus. We're taking a break and seeing other people. Our relationship will resume after a reasonable separation period. I'm thinking August 15. Because right now, our lives are just going in different directions. Below find my new commitments.

First, the Deep V Argyle vest by Eunny. We're in it for the long haul. I'm thinking serious long-term relationship. We're still not monagamous yet, but the courtship is quite nice. My first fair isle project and I'm in love with the pattern as well as the quick slip and slide of the multiple strands of yarn through my fingers. The BS Sportweight Alpaca is perfectly suited to this project. So soft and just the right amount of tension. Lovely.

This is the Sizzle tank pattern. A Wendy Johnson pattern that Jess has re-named Fo' Shizzle. So that's what I call it in my head. And then I make a rap song about knitting in my head. Fo' Shizzle is a summer fling. Short and sweet. I'm halfway through the back of it. I'm using the Cascade Pima Silk. It's a bit fuzzier than I'd like, but I think it'll chill out once it's blocked.

And this. My back-up project. Kinda like a back-up date. That guy in high school you knew you could count on for a last minute Homecoming date. The Duckie to my Andie (you can tell I watched Pretty in Pink this weekend). It's not to say I don't love it. It's just that I only work on it when watching TV. And now, I only work on it when I'm watching old Buffy the Vampire Slayer eps with Rebecca. So, there's no sense of urgency. It's the Counterpane Carpetbag from Handknit Holidays and it's actually much better looking than this picture suggests. The colors are a lot warmer. It's Handmaiden Stretto yarn and the bag will be much smaller than the one pictured in the book. No hurries to finish it, but it's a fun knit.

And why didn't anyone tell me I sound like a cross between a crazed stalker and demented fangirl in the last post?

some people just suck.

2006-07-12T18:19:00.000-04:00

do you read eunny jang's blog (here)? because if you don't, you should. her patterns make me want to rise to new challenges. i'm dying to make the deep v argyle vest and can hardly wait for her to write out some of her other sweater and sock patterns. the way that she visualizes and explains things makes me drool. i love a well-written pattern, and apparently, so does she. plus, she's friggin' brilliant. she uses stitch patterns to make the shaping happen and appreciates the good things about seamless construction without seeming too lazy to sew seams.

all that said, i was just sighing in awe over her latest sweater, the twisted stitch sweater, and scrolling through the comments. of the over 200 comments, most of them are like me. full of gushing love and compliments on her awesomeness. but some are a bit haughty. jess pointed out one in particular. it says, "SO . . . to make a long story short Eunny . . . you're young, don't waste too much time knitting, or else you will age quicker than you thought and your body will show it! The hours of bending forward and looking downward is killer on the shoulders, bustline, and neckline! Ya heard it from me -- a living testament to the dangers of compulsive knitting!" umm, wtf?

and now someone has responded and they're conversing in her blog about the link between knitting and a sedentary lifestyle. i have no serious opinion on the subject, but i do wish they would shut the hell up and stop distracting me from the gloriousness of the knitting. and frankly, you just don't tell someone that their masterpiece of artistry is great but all that talent is gonna make her fat. it's just tacky.

i still can't find my camera cords and the bombshell is pissing me off. i think i need to work on small projects for awhile. like socks. and dishcloths. and other tiny shit. i'm just grumpy.

Anachronistic Knitting

2006-07-01T13:25:00.000-04:00

Because who wouldn't want a knitted motorcycle. More random awesomeness at Extreme Craft.

you know you want it...

2006-06-29T12:21:00.000-04:00

Most of my friends know I've been experiencing a kind of newfound love for punkish/new waveish/popish rock of the late 70s and 80s, particularly chick rock. So I was super excited when I realized Joan Jett and the Blackhearts were playing in the area inAugust. Then I realized they're playing Nissan Pavillion. Outdoor venue seriously in the boonies. And they're playing the Warped Tour. An all day punk-themed concert that's mostly filled with fake skater punk high schoolers. Not my scene. So no Joan Jett for me. Then today, I was browsing the 930 club website and the music gods smiled on me.

The Pretenders in concert. 930 club, Sunday, August 6. Who's coming with me? We can wear our crafty cut-up tshirts and get wasted.

and the moral of the story is...

2006-06-26T13:27:00.000-04:00

it could always be worse.

So last night, as with the night and day before, it rained in DC like it has never rained before. We're talking animals two by two, wrath of God torrential downpour. It rained so hard that Metro stations flooded, delaying trains. Streets closed all over town. It wasn't this bad in the hurricane in October 2003 (which was when I learned to knit).

Yesterday, in a break in the storm, Erika and I moved into a spacious and wonderful new apartment. But we left a lot of stuff in our old apartment because we don't have to be out until Friday. This morning when I went back to the old apartment to finish packing the last of our stuff, I found that for the first time in the last year that we lived there, the apartment had flooded. Picture stacks of boxes, mostly with books and clothes, sitting in an inch of water. Picture framed pictures and prints taken of the walls and leaning in a corner on the floor, also in an inch of water. Then picture how much worse it would have been in we hadn't already moved all the furniture out. So, it sucks, but it could be much worse.

In actual crafty news, before we started moving I defeated the evil bust shaping on the Bombshell. I'll post pictures and instructions as soon as I unearth my digital camera from the wreckage of moving.

Fuck Short Rows

2006-06-24T14:44:00.000-04:00

Bust shaping for Bombshell, Take 3. Maybe this time I'll like the way they look.

bad words and birthdays

2006-06-23T12:02:00.000-04:00

Libby's super secret birthday present isn't a secret anymore. Instead it's just Libby's super belated birthday present. Her birthday was last Sunday, and I'm still not done. But I should be finished by the time she's back in town on Monday. And the project is embroidered cherries on napkins that I bought at Target. Super cute, no?

In terms of bad words, I decided I'm taking back the word patriot from right wing jerks. I always get all twitchy around this time of year with July 4 coming up and Juneteenth just past. So patriotism has become the property of nativist, conservative, extremists, fundamentalists, and pandering politicians. And it sucks. So, while we're taking back pink from breast cancer and reclaiming the rainbow for all people who love bright colors, I think we should take back the word patriot. Because I love this country so hard even if I hate some of the things it does. Fuck you Pat Roberts.

disney melted my brain

2006-06-16T21:45:00.000-04:00

buffy the vampire slayer + crouching tiger, hidden dragon = wendy wu, homecoming warrior = AWESOME! as in awesomely bad angst. so very bad in the best way. that is all.

actual craft content later perhaps. i'm working on libby's super secret birthday craft project.

Dorkgasm! and FOs too

2006-06-12T18:49:00.000-04:00

Look at my Orangina! Isn't she perfect and wonderful? I loved this pattern and would not change anything except that maybe I wouldn't have sized it up. It fits now, but once the cotton grows a bit I fear it will be too loose. Honestly, this is the first sweater I've made that I'm 100% satisfied with. Stay tuned for photos of it actually on my body.

Also, see the lace and cable hat in red shiny Fiesta La Luz. It's for my girlfriend and her baby dreadlocks. It is super cute and was a super fun knit. Word of advice though that I got from Libby: don't actually start on DPNs unless you have really long ones. Because keeping 121 stitches on 6" DPNs is not feasible. And circular needles are just easier.

And the dorkgasm is courtesy of Libby's dorkiness. Harry Potter crafts. We all know about the wide world of Hogwarts house scarves and Hermione hats and mittend, but did you know about the Dark Mark bag? How about the Potter quilting projects? The real question is, are you really geeky enough for it? If you're me, you're already thinking about putting the Dark Mark on a laptop case. So there's your answer.

first drunk post!

2006-06-06T23:14:00.000-04:00

i just left jess and becca at knit, purl, and hurl and i'm home and i'm a little drunk. it's totally because of shaun/sean/shawn ( i realize i have no clue how to spell his name, jess) and his kamikaze shots. ellie escaped without taking shots to take the scary 92 bus home. they were indeed delicious and wonderful even though i usually hate kamikazes. luckily i still didn't fuck up my knitting and it was an awesome evening and rebecca gave me the high school musical book to read for the awesome angst-along. i'm pumped and will def read it on the metro tomorrow.

i finished orangina and will post pics when i can be bothered to actually upload the pics to the computer and stuff. and i'm a bit tipsy and ready for water, bed, and smoochies wiht my erika before i fall asleep.

Bandwagon, what?

2006-05-30T18:30:00.000-04:00

see me joining shit.

finally a little justice

2006-05-26T13:31:00.000-04:00

so, nearly two years after martha stewart was sentenced to 5 months in prison for lying to investigators, those enron fuckers are finally found guilty. i won't start my rant on how martha was only prosecuted so swiftly and harshly to make an example of a strong woman in business. and i certainly won't say that her crime was completely over-exaggerated and that she wasn't guilty of anything besides being a stone cold bitch in a male-dominated industry. instead, i'll just be happy that those theives were found guilty. and, you know, hope that they end up getting beat up in prison a lot.

article on enron verdict

Spam. A lot.

2006-05-25T13:55:00.000-04:00

So, I'm always trying to get the ladies to get together to do the creativity excercises from Alterknits. And then everyone tells me I'm a big dork, and I'm okay with that. So, I have secretly done some of them by myself, and I'm posting the results of the most recent one. This is the Dream Knitting Party.

Instructions: If you could invite any three people (alive or dead) to hang out and knit with you, who would you invite and why? Assume they already know how to knit or would be willing to learn.

Result: I always botch instructions, so my party is a general crafting party and my guest list is more than three people. So, if I could host any party I want, it would be a crafty tea party with tiny cucumber sandwiches and delicate madeleine cookies that I made from scratch. I would serve pear flavored white tea because it's light and fruity. I would give people the option of spiking it with whisky. I would invite Elizabeth Bennett from Pride and Prejudice because she's clever and funny, Tara from Buffy becauase she's sweet and I think she's more snarky than she seems, Mac from Veronica Mars because she I think she's super-crafty, and The Donnas because they're hard-drinking and I think girls who stick together that long must be awesome. Jessica Vikus woudl coordinate the projects because her book, AlternaCrafts is awesome and she was inspired to craft by Molly Ringwald in Pretty In Pink, and I love that.

Now I tag Rebecca to do the same excercise, since she is as dorky as me and likes the creativity exercises too. R, you're it! And anyone else (blogless people) should do it too and post it in the comments.

Progress!

2006-05-25T13:26:00.000-04:00

See my happy little bit of ribbing! Witness my overuse of exclamation points to indicate my excitement! Isn't it cute!!! (Jess, that was for you).

more pomp for your circumstance plus blog love

2006-05-23T17:30:00.000-04:00

i graduated on saturday. there are no pics because my cap looked seriously stupid. maybe later i'll post some of my gown and hood. it was very elf-ish, a la orlando bloom.

i am joined for working in the round on orangina. pics later.

i love ysolda's blog. in addition to adorable patterns, such as matilda jane, her blog features her doing things that make me wanna go home and craft right now. i think i need a knitting uniform too. check it out, yo.

ETA: erm, a link might help. Ysolda's blog

i kinda love google

2006-05-17T15:45:00.000-04:00

So, Rebecca gave us all a Google story about her Prepster Jacket, and it reminded me of the convo we had last night at knit, purl, and hurl about the santorum effect. seriously, if you haven't googled rick santorum lately or at all, you should. and look at the second hit that comes up. it comes up before his official-conservative-closetcase-asshole-reelection-website. so check it out. becasuse it's seriously funny. the frothy mix. hee.

and the highlight of knit, purl, and hurl was cindy's ott lamp. frickin' awesome. for when you're knitting and drinking and you drop some stitches because you're kinda drunk. and then you have to pick them up in the bar and do a celebratory shot and the lamp makes it all possible.

War on oil prices, erm, I mean terror

2006-05-15T14:43:00.000-04:00

Washington Post says today that we're officially renewing diplomatic ties with Libya. You know, because they totally renounced terror and now we can be BFF. And we'll totally overlook that Libya is one of the worst human rights offenders in the world. Because you know we're okay with that. As long as we can lower oil prices. And Libya is totally with the oil.

And now back to your regularly scheduled crafty blog content. I'm working so hard on Orangina, and I'm almost done with the back panel. I'm not posting pics though until I can join to work in the round.

The pics below are of my super-cute crochet/double point needle case. Same pair of jeans as the apron and some random fabric. I embroidered the little stars on it. Note the addition of the adorable rainbow ribbon. I love me some rainbows.

still an idiot

2006-05-08T13:13:00.000-04:00

i totally left my keys at home this morning. my keys for the store. the stupidest part is that i left early this morning. i went to the bank and stopped at the bookstore and got coffee before arriving refreshed and ready to open the store. but not with my keys. so i had to get in a cab and rush home to get them and then take the cab back. and apparently there's an angry woman wandering the streets of georgetown waiting to get her yarn fix. sucktastic.

I am an idiot

2006-05-07T21:51:00.000-04:00

Remember when I said I was doing shaping on my Orangina to accomodate my, erm, amplitude? Well, it was a Very Bad Idea. Bad like that Heather Graham show that lasted only one week. Bad like the Hulk movie. Bad like Halle Berry's acting.

On a less bad subject, I conquered my sewing machine. The sewing machine I've had for months and been afraid to use. I made a gardening apron from the book, You Grow Girl. I used an old pair of jeans that don't fit any more and an old pillowcase. Next up, I'm gonna make a skirt out of another pair of jeans and help Libby fix her friend's skirt.

The other picture is of my cotton log cabin knit potholder squares. I'm gonna use that purple fabric to back them and bat and quilt them for my grandmother for mother's day. All together now, "Awww!"

Oh Interweb. How I love thee.

2006-05-06T11:00:00.000-04:00

So, the stolen internet at my house has been down for the past few days. The nerve. I mean, you'd think whoever on my block is paying for wireless internet would be a little more dilligent about maintenance. Anyway, on to updates.

Knit, purl, and hurl was a raging success. Rebecca has already posted some pics, but here's one that Ellie took of me and Libby in all our drunken knitting glory.

I also have been doing actual knitting but I needed a break from the hard projects (Orangina's short row shaping), so I churned out another Mason Dixon dishcloth and got to work on the knitted/quilted potholders I'm making my grandmother for Mother's Day. Pictures forthcoming, but I've got store stuff to do. Customers!

Knit. Purl. Hurl. At Pharmacy Bar.

2006-05-02T11:22:00.000-04:00

I know what I'm doing tonight. What about you?

Karida Does Breast Cancer. Awareness

2006-05-01T22:41:00.000-04:00

So, I like pink. A lot. And pink is the color of breast cancer. Awareness. So I have a lot of pink breast cancer research stuff. It makes me wonder about all that money that I've apparently been donating to breast cancer. Awareness. I hope it actually goes to the research. And not just more money to the Kitchen Aid people. Anyway, my girlfriend, Erika bought me the mixer for Christmas two years ago. Her name is Maude, and her favorite thing to make is large amounts of whipped cream and pizza dough. She is pictured with her brand new friends, the colander and the kettle. The kettle is wearing a pretty knit and quilted potholder. The potholder is Rowan all seasons cotton from Mason Dixon Knitting. Then I backed it with batting and pretty polka dot fabric. Now on to actual knitting content.

Orangina progress. I've done like another inch. Not terribly impressive. But isn't she pretty. And look at that detail. Plus I did work out the math for the bust darts. Because my girls need shaping.

And I finished the stupid flowers. They're now attached and hanging in the window of the store. I'm not sure if I like it or not. We'll see how I feel tomorrow.

Unsolicited Book Reviews

2006-04-30T10:21:00.000-04:00

I confess. I'm a packrat. And I hoard books like nobody's business. While my yarn stash is quite prodigous, my collection of books is frightening. And knit books is like a double threat for me. I can't resist the lure of glossy photos and patterns that I might one day make. Nevermind that knitting books seem to be mostly in the $30 price range now. I must have more! So, below find book reviews.

Big Girl Knits - I can't say enough good things about this book. I am a big girl. And the standard Rowan pattern is sized to accomodate a 40" bust. My bust hasn't seen 40" since I was in middle school. Seriously. And some patterns will go up to the larger bust sizes that i need (ususally Interweave), but the shaping isn't always flattering. Enter this book. Even without the patterns, the beginning pages of instructions for measuring and properly customizing patterns make it worth it. Lo, I will fear short-row bust darts no more. Amy Singer and Jillian Moreno have given me back Rowan patterns. As far as the patterns go, they're mostly beautiful. There are a few things I would never go near (i.e. the variegated cable sweater) because they're not my style, and I would never survive endless stockinette for the Yo Ga Pants. But mostly, the patterns are fantastic. And because it's such a nice, glossy book, it's like pattern porn. Overall, best knitting book I've bought this year.

Mason Dixon Knitting - Most people have read Ann and Kay's blog and appreciate their fun style of writing and their obsession with log cabin knitting. I did not expect to love this book. I like their blog, but I usually like books that I feel are targeted to me. I tend to think of myself as a little more punk with an alterna-knit perspective. I curse like a sailor on shore leave with Turrets Syndrome, and Ann and Kay always seemed too nice to really appeal to me. I was wrong. Sure, the book isn't full of Stoller-esque puns and there is no profanity in the name, but it inspired me. I had never knit a dishcloth. And why should I, when I could make a sweater or socks instead. But the simple joy of picking up something I made every day when I'm at the sink is pretty intense. It's daily use, functional knitting. And so quick to make. Now I'm thinking my apartment needs a knit bathrug, more knit potholders, etc. And when Ann and Kay came to the store, they were wonderful. They helped inspire me to get a blog, and were so friendly. And didn't seem at all fazed when I dropped the f-bomb. And even though they spelled my name wrong in their blog, I loved seeing my picture up there.

SuperCrafty and Bizarre Bazaar - Both all purpose craft books with a little bit of everything. For the kind of crafter who still hasn't found his/her niche. I prefer Super Crafty because it has more projects and is glossy. Glossy photos are key. Bizarre Bazaar is seriously punk styled, and I consider myself fairly punky. But apparently, I'm not. I don't know that I'll make many or any of the projects in the book. Super Crafty has some awesome ideas and is very girl-focused. Think Martha Stewart with attitude. And seriously, the sheer number of projects is overwhelming. I've already used it a few times (cupcake card and a line skirt), and it's more my style.

Stitch N' Bitch: The Happy Hooker - Debbie Stoller does crochet. Awesome. Some of the patterns are silly, but most of them are pretty great. And it's written with subtle attempts to convert knitters to crochet as well. I do both, but I'm new to crochet. I prefer the fabric that results from knitting. I think it looks more professional. But I'd wanted to learn to crochet. I'm a DIY gal, so I figured I'd teach myself. Not so much. I kept getting pissed off and switching to knitting. But once I learned, I was converted. I sitll prefer knitting, but crochet goes so fast. Seriously. So fast. And it's simple, once you get going. And easier to make certain motifs. And adds a nice finish to knitting. So knitters out there, learn to crochet. You'll be glad you did even if you only ever use it to finish knitting projects.

The New Crewel and Subversive Crosstitch - I think I'm the only crafty lady that had never done crosstitch. But it's simple, and now I have even more opportunities to surround myself with profanity. Julie Jackson is the queen of rude language surrounding by happy cutesy scenery. And I love it. All my friends should watch out for gifts from me that say "Happy Fucking Holidays" at Christmas. Check out some of her kits at her website. You'll be itching to stitch some swear words in no time. The New Crewel is a collection of patterns by Katherine Shaunessy of Wool and Hoop. I did one of her kits, and loved the precision of crewelwork. And her patterns are mostly abstract geometric shapes that are very modern and abstract. The book has awesome ideas for crewelwork pillows, a lampshade, and a journal. Very sophisticated gift ideas for people who wouldn't be caught dead with a crosstitched pillow.

So, now go buy books. Or, you know, borrow mine.

I'm So Excited!

2006-04-28T15:28:00.000-04:00

I am done with comps! Woo Hoo! See me running madly through the fields. Frollicking in the daisies. Or maybe just vegging at home with my cat and my computer. I did have a Le Tigre dance break though.

Anyway, meet my new crush. Her name is Matilda Jane, the second, and she's so pretty. Check out that bow. I know I don't need anymore projects, but I feel a fling coming on...

Spam!

2006-04-27T14:08:00.000-04:00

I was looking at my newbie blog and decided that it was seriously lacking in crafty content. So, below find vague updates on the projects I'm currently making. Now these are just the projects that are actively being made and within arm's reach of the bed. I'll not mention the 6 month old sweater in a bag under the bed (Oh Sugarplum pullover, why have you forsaken me?)

Anyway, projects. On the left, we have a collection of 34 crochet flowers for the store. Imagine a store window draped in a beautiful garland of crochet flowers. Now imagine making it. Not as much fun as the visual. But I'm chugging along, and I should be done soon. I used a random crochet flower motif pattern and Rowan cotton glace from my stash (see plastic bag of yarn at the top of the mess).

Above the flowers on the left is a summer wrap made in Artyarns Regal Silk, also from my stash (noticing a theme?). This shawl is my own pattern and will be used in the lace course I'm teaching at the store.

Next is a grumpy kitty. She's grumpy because I keep moving around and she wants to sleep. But only if she can do it on my lap. Just below her, is the beginning of the Bombshell sweater from Big Girl Knits in Rowan Calmer. Yarn is also from stash. Yes, I'll admit, I had an entire bag of Calmer in my stash.

In the center is a housewarming gift for a wonderful couple of friends who live nearby. They bought their house ages ago, but I'm just now making them something. Lame, I know. Anyway, it's cross stitch from Subversive Cross Stitch. Homo Sweet Homo is the pattern. Because I love me some gay jokes.

And the whole mess is on top of my Orangina, which is more V8 in color. Oh, Orangina. Everyone thinks I'm insane for knitting a top on 3mm needles in Rowan 4ply cotton, but I'm kinda loving it. The pattern is Stefanie Japel's from her website (Glampyre), and it's wonderful. The lace is simple enough to memorize, but detailed enough to keep it interesting. And the construction is so simple that it's easy to make changes. I've finished one panel, and I'm a few inches into the next one. Perfect summer top.

Now, I'm off to maybe do some work. Or maybe not. We'll see

Pro-craft-in-ate!

2006-04-27T13:29:00.000-04:00

Am I preparing for my comprehensive examinations? Of course not! Not when there's internet messing around to do. So, with the introductions, I am a compulsive crafter. A dilletante in all things domestic. A goddess of glue guns. The Yoda of yarn. Okay, not so much, but still fairly obsessed and unable to commit to just one. It's like, why smoke pot alone when you can smoke pot, drop acid, and get drunk too?

I work for Stitch, DC, the LYS in my DC 'hood, where I push the yarns I love on the unsuspecting populace. I'm graduating with a Masters in American Studies in May when I'll use my considerable skills and knowledge to work full time at Stitch DC, which is more fun anyway. Future posts will include silly pictures of things I've made as well pictures of my cat draped in knit goods and yarn. See, much more exciting.