Needles in Motion

Delicous sandwiches in Seattle

2006-05-22T22:14:00.000-07:00

I cannot recommend Baguette Box highly enough. It's small (located about a block west of Bauhaus Coffee on Capitol Hill) and boxy is a fair description - but the food is, pardon the pun, outside the box. Their sandwiches are sublime - perfect creations - by turns piquant and pungent, soft and crunchy. All sorts of lovely juxtapositions. The staff is sweet and considerate (ask them to cut your sandwich in two for easy sharing), and it's a pleasurable dining experience. Perfect picnic food.

I didn't have any sandwiches with me, but I enjoyed Golden Gardens recently. Every time I see this image on my (computer) desktop, I feel as though I'm starting a journey.

Tulips...

2006-04-17T19:38:00.000-07:00

I enjoyed the tulip festival this weekend:

And, while I am not knitting voraciously, I am enrolled in a crochet class. It's amazing how effective a little hands-on instruction is; suddenly, my crochet books are making some sense.

Cherry Blossoms

2006-04-06T22:13:00.000-07:00

I took in the cherry blossoms at UW this week, and they were lovely!

The last bits of winter

2006-03-26T21:05:00.000-08:00

I had the pleasure of snowshoeing this weekend. This was my second snowshoeing "expedition", and I'm a fan. It was an absolutely gorgeous day, and we thoroughly enjoyed the lodge (really a hut sort of thing) at the top - Hyak Lake, I think (though of course it was covered in snow). I'm not sure if this picture is of the lake, or of a meadow, but it was lovely nonetheless.

I dined at Mioposto (36th & McClellan - Mt. Baker neighborhood) this week, and it was delicious! Surprisingly different from Tutta Bella [which I love], but similar enough (in good ways). I tried the pizza with crispy/garlic-y potatoes and fontina cheese, and it was divine. The beet salad was refreshing (if a tad salty) as well. It's a cute little place, very neighborhood-y, and very warm.

Knitting-wise, I'm working sporadically on the purple flower bib from One Skein.

Top o' the morn' to you!

2006-03-16T22:28:00.000-08:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day! I found (on ebay) a sweet St. Patrick's Day postcard. I also made a necklace - it was fun to create, and I finished it just in time for Friday.

And, in a green trifecta, I also ran (and walked) last weekend's St. Pat's Dash – quite pleasant on a gorgeous Sunday. The pub-hopping afterward was a nice reward for my efforts.

Once in a blue moon

2006-03-01T18:16:00.000-08:00

It's still light out, so I thought I'd 'celebrate' that fact by posting. Have not knit much (a stitch here, a stitch there - literally), and haven't finished any projects languishing in the closet.

I do have a plan for the baby knitting. I am absolutely charmed by Leigh Radford's "Alterknits" (a very thoughtful gift - thank you!) and "One Skein". The next two projects I complete will probably be from One Skein -- I picked up two sweet onsies from one of my favorite "stores" (Coscto), and have plans for a purple petal bib for one (baby girl), and two yellow hats (gender a surprise) for the other. The proof will be in the pictures, I suppose.

I took a trip this weekend with my craft group to Shipwreck Beads. I'd link to it, but the site is more overwhelming than the store. Give me Fusion Beads any day, instead - much more manageable.

This and that

2006-01-24T20:39:00.000-08:00

I spent last weekend in Las Vegas – what a crazy city. It was super fun (six of us celebrated a friend's 30th birthday), and pretty much the opposite of Seattle. The only knitting I’ve done in recent memory is from the plane rides – the way there, I discovered that this yarn, purchased in Canada this fall, is not a joy to work with, and I don't see it being a scarf anytime soon. On the return trip, I made another hemp washcloth. It's super simple, but I really like the other one I made. Besides, it's difficult for me to knit just one of something (I need to start some socks). Fortunately I have two mommies-to-be to knit for, so I can double-up on some baby items in the near future.

Diana tagged me with this questionnaire:

Four movies you would watch over and over:
Lost in Translation
Singles
Dirty Dancing
Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress

Four places you have lived:
U-District
Magnolia
West Seattle
Ballard

Four TV shows you love to watch:
Oprah
Grey’s Anatomy
Gilmore Girls
Barefoot Contessa

Four places you have been on vacation:
Southern California
Austin, Texas
Las Vegas
Bainbridge Island (it always feels like a vacation!)

Four websites you visit daily:
seattletimes.com
seattlep-i.com
gmail.com
yahoo.com

Four of your favorite foods:
Roasted vegetables (any and all!)
Caesar salad (preferably prepared by my dad)
Just-picked blackberries
Peanut butter (salted; natural style)

Four places you would rather be right now:
I like where I am right now (cozy and warm; just made a delicious dinner and am enjoying the peace and quiet after the sights/sounds of Vegas), but I wouldn’t mind the following trips:
Exploring New York (and shopping!)
Disneyland or California Adventure, with an unlimited supply of Fast Passes
Taking an extensive, guided tour of Japan
Taking a cooking tour of Mexico – preferably Southern Mexico (perhaps Oaxaca)

Four bloggers you are tagging:
Jeanne
Jessica
Marti
Molly

Exercise - who knew?!?

2006-01-11T22:25:00.000-08:00

I had the pleasure of checking out a boxing fitness class in Seattle recently. It was incredible! It was so gritty [it's a boxing gym!], so purposeful, and such a good workout. I had a lovely time, even though I thought I wasn't going to last the whole hour. But, I'm proud to say I did make it [helped along by my friend who invited me - she was super encouraging]. I need to hone my jump-rope skills, as my feet were tangled with the rope a good quarter of the time.

Knitting-wise, my snowman is propped up against a wall on my entryway table, just begging for eyes, a nose and a mouth. His little blue garter stitch scarf (three stitches wide) is a distinguished accent piece, luckily.

TV...

2006-01-03T22:09:00.000-08:00

I've watched more TV this evening (almost 4 hours) than I've watched in the last two weeks, total, and I must say I've squandered the evening. The show I just turned on and feel compelled to write about is VH1's "Flavor of Love". Summary: Flavor Flav (very colorful part of the 80s rap band Public Enemy) as the Bachelor (I couldn't watch enough to discern all the similarities to the ABC show), and a couple dozen WAY YOUNGER girls vying for his love. I'm grateful I normally have the willpower to avoid "reality" TV, because what I have watched today (including snippets of entertainment "news" and bizarre MTV programs I can't begin to understand) is numbing. I think it might be time to trade in TV for Netflix, or listen to more NPR -- channel surfing can't compete with "This American Life".

Bad blogger!

2005-12-28T22:18:00.000-08:00

I haven't been diligent about blogging lately (hmm, not sure it's accurate to infer I've ever been a diligent blogger!). Knitting a bit...I finished a hemp washcloth (the classic washcloth pattern: start with three stitches, increase every row until 40 or 50 stitches, decrease every row until three stitches remain; bind off). I washed it, and while it's softer, it's also more of a diamond shape. I think this is because the hemp twine doesn't have the right spin (twist?) to it. So, that washcloth became mine. I am 85% finished with my snowman, but haven't touched it in a couple of weeks.

Today I finished an earflap hat from 'Last Minute Knitted Gifts', using Manos. It was fun to knit, though it took me much longer than the estimated "2 to 4 hours" the book suggested.

Bits and pieces

2005-12-12T21:51:00.000-08:00

I have finished a hemp sachet (pattern is from "Handknit Holidays")...I bought hemp twine at a packaging store, and I'm not sure if the twine was treated, or if hemp itself bleeds a lot, but when I wet-blocked the two pieces, the water kept running yellow. Curious. Picture to follow when it's complete (I need to sew a muslin insert for this sachet as well as a red one).

I'm presently at work on a snowman from "Holiday Knits". I'm knitting it with cotton chenille and it's cute.

Last week I visited the giant gingerbread houses downtown. Photos (lots) are here (via not martha).

Charming, delightful, and French

2005-11-30T22:13:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago, I attended a lunchtime demonstration by New York chef Daniel Boulud, at Macy's. It was amazing! Not only is DB charismatic, charming, funny, handsome, and a talented chef, he's entertaining as well. It was an amazing hour, and the pumpkin (butternut squash, really) soup we sampled was perfect - the very essence of autumn. Best of all, they raffled off the dishes they prepared during the demo, and I ended up with the poached salmon with fennel and oranges. It was divine.

Not too much knitting lately - I finished a second beaded sachet (red yarn, black beads, slightly different edge) but need to stitch up a little muslin pouch to insert in it. I keep meaning to start the little snowman from "Holiday Knits", but need to copy the pattern or at least write down the highlights so it's portable.

Canada

2005-11-20T22:39:00.000-08:00

I had the pleasure of dining at Vij's restaurant this weekend. It's always a relief (and delight) when a phenomenal dining experience recreates itself. I love the restaurant so much, it's enough to make me want to move to Vancouver, BC, and become a waitress...or a chef, or a bartender, or just someone who lives within walking distance of such an exquisite establishment.

I purchased one skein of yarn at Birkeland Brothers Wool (first photo), and may use it with this yarn (second photo). [Note: the colors match up a little bit better in person.]

And here is a picture of some lovely Canadian maple trees.

Finished objects

2005-11-20T22:34:00.000-08:00

Felted pumpkins:

Sachet:

Self-imposed deadlines...

2005-11-17T22:20:00.000-08:00

are sometimes the hardest to meet. I haven't taken pictures of the pumpkins, yet. Curiously, they are different sizes, even though they were felted at the same time. It's a mystery.

I am trying to teach myself crochet, from "Kids Crochet", and I think I might have single crochet down. An aside: "Kids Crochet" is adorable! It's a clever book, the illustrations are clear, and I like quite a few of the patterns.

Just in time for Thanksgiving...

2005-11-13T21:21:00.000-08:00

I've completed my felted pumpkins. Pictures soon. Comments about the pattern: the seams, while a great opportunity to practice the mattress stitch, do not noticeably add to the pumpkin once felted. I have all sorts of changes I'd make if I were to make the pattern again (for instance: knitting it in the round, decreasing a lot at the bottom, starting with four stitches instead of seven at the top, so the opening would be smaller; purl down instead of a seam, etc.) but I'm glad I made the pumpkins. They are ultra-felted, but still clearly homemade. Charmingly so, I hope.

I am currently knitting Susanna Hansson's "Two-thirds Sachet" with some red cotton yarn and slippery size 0 needles. It's a cute pattern and fun to knit. Next up is a snowman from "Holiday Knits" - such a cute book. There's something sweet about a book being attached to a knitting store (Imagiknit), that makes it seem even better. I love flipping through the pages. If only Churchmouse would publish a book...I visited the most perfect yarn shop yesterday and was charmed anew. (An aside: it appears that their website will be up and running in a couple of months!)

It's the small things...

2005-10-31T22:13:00.000-08:00

I am presently working on the felted pumpkin pattern from Knitty, and I am charmed by the design. I have all of my pumpkin segments made (I'm making two of the small pumpkins), and finished one stem tonight. Unfelted, the stem is adorable, and very pumpkin-stem-like, and I can't wait to felt it. I've actually been a virtual knitting machine (for me) for this project: it's been my bus knitting almost every day, and I've knit a couple other times as well. Maybe there is something to knitting something more complicated than a scarf...I am certainly enthused by the pumpkins.

I also finished up the little blue bag that started out as a toddler's polo shirt for Knitty Gritty. Speaking of KG, this blog is from Jenna's producer (such a sweet person; I won't list her real name since it doesn't appear to be on her blog). Here is a post (scroll down a decent amount) which includes a slightly blurry photo of Vickie and Jenna, and a cute photo of the four of us who traveled together.

Camera Cozy

2005-10-23T09:17:00.000-07:00

This week I used my new super-small needles (30cm; labeled size 10, but really size 9) to create a camera cozy:

It turned out nice and snug (4 stitches per inch), and while it kind of crushed the Lamb's Pride Bulky yarn, it did create a sturdy fabric. It's a stash reduction project - times two, really, since the white yarn is from Cass's stash (thank you, Cass!). Details: knit from the top down, jogless jog used for color changes, three-needle-bind-off for the bottom of the bag, and a single crochet chain for the cord. It fits my camera perfectly (other items are in the bag for the photograph) and it was easy and fun. A confession: It's a happy coincidence that it fits my camera perfectly, as I just wanted to knit a small bag, future contents unknown, when I cast on.

I re-felted my slippers, but I can't get them small enough to fit my feet. I made the woman's small, but apparently should have made the kid's large (even though my shoe size is a 5.5 wide). Next time...The slippers are now becoming a Christmas present for someone, and I'll post a picture once they are complete, with needle felting...but that may not occur until after December.

Knitty Gritty 2005

2005-10-16T17:38:00.000-07:00

As eloquently posted on Janell's blog, we are back from Knitty Gritty. Jenna was an even more amazing guest this year, and all around it was a very fun, relaxing experience. Everyone on the crew was really friendly (Vickie, too - she was sweet, even with the pressure of filming 4 shows on one day), and it was fun.

We visited two yarn shops - Unwind in Burbank and Wildfiber. Wildfiber is delightful - even their stockroom is spic-and-span. They had a huge assortment of everything (espescially luxury fibers; lots of cashmere). The highlight of their needle selection was the assortment of mini plastic circulars (made by Clover). I *believe* I purchased a complete set, which is a great thrill. It's the small pleasures...

Speaking of small things, I started Jenna's t-shirt pattern for the show (called Pretty Polo, Marco Polo, I don't know what) - I began knitting a smaller version for a five-year-old. Alas, it has morphed into a little purse. So far, seaming has been a start, rip out and re-start sort of process. Good practice if nothing else.

Formatting woes

2005-10-10T20:57:00.000-07:00

I apologize for the lack of pretty graphics. I think something is going on with the place those files are all stored. To be determined...

Craft Update

2005-10-09T23:26:00.000-07:00

I was inspired today by a friend’s vast collection of sumptuous yarns. She really has a knack for putting yarns together and has a couple of gorgeous afghans in the works. Makes me want to start a project other than a hat or scarf! Seriously, I am going to start a garment (a kids’ shirt) this week, and I have plans to finish it this year.

Thanks to the help of three very kind people, I am finally able to hem things! I realize that lots of people learn to sew in home ec (do they even have home ec these days? I have no idea). Suffice it to say, my sewing education is coming well after the days I could have taken home ec, and I have lots of room for improvement. But, it was nice to finally hear the sewing machine whir and it’s great to have more pants to wear.

I saw a beautiful film recently, "Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress". The scenery is absolutely majestic, the characters engaging and I learned a lot. It’s based on a book; I’m not sure how closely or loosely adapted the movie is. If you’re in Seattle, it’s playing at the Harvard Exit.

October at last

2005-10-03T22:56:00.001-07:00

Earlier this year (at an estate sale...surprise!), I picked up four charming Halloween postcards from the nineteen-teens. I have been waiting all summer to post these sweet greetings. Happy October and Happy (early) Halloween!!

Note: click on the images to enlarge them and read the poetry.

Halloween postcards

More Halloween postcards

Hat and scarf

2005-09-27T20:26:00.000-07:00

With the assistance of Jenna (a knitting math whiz!), I finished this purple hat to match my scarf. Thanks to Diana for snapping the photo at PurlyGirls!

Finished Object: The Purl Scarf

2005-09-25T11:34:00.000-07:00

I finished my favorite knitted item: the Purl Scarf. It is cushy and warm to wear, and catches the light beautifully. Two photos follow, one up close for the true color and one for the overall look of the scarf.

I recently picked up about a million new knitting books at various sales ($0.50 to $6.00, such bargains!) - everything from "Weekend Knitting" to "Knitting from the Top Down" to "Complete Guide to Modern Knitting and Crocheting" (published in 1942 - so charming) to "Domino Knitting". Such fun to read about all these new techniques, tricks, etc. Of course that means even less dedicated knitting time, but c'est la vie.

Sporadic blogger

2005-09-18T20:30:00.000-07:00

Clearly, blogging has not been a priority for me! I can't say I've made knitting a top priority, either, but I have finished some things this summer. (Or, I've come close to finishing things!)

I have completed the knitting portion of a purple scarf from "Last Minute Knitted Gifts" (I think it's called the Purl Scarf) - just need to fringe it. I cannot wait for it to be cold enough to warrant a scarf in the mornings...fortunately, it's just a matter of time/perception. I made some felted ballet slippers from the Fiber Trends book (well, Bev G.'s book) on felting. They are not small enough for me to wear without walking out of them, but should fit like a charm once I felt them again.

I also completed a hat made with Punta and a Jo Sharp yarn held together. It's very soft, fuzzy, and warm in-person:

Aside from knitting, I've been cooking a fair amount - I think I've roasted swiss chard/ baby bok choy/mustard greens/Chinese spinach/some combination of those greens twice a week for all of September. It might sound bizarre, but these turn out so flavorful (crispy, slightly browned, and salty) and are so simple, they are universally appealing.

Recipe for roasted greens:
1 bunch Swiss Chard or another green leafy vegetable
Olive oil or Pam spray
salt
pepper

Pre-heat the oven to 400 or 425

Prepare greens (for Swiss Chard, cut into 4 or 5 strips vertically (parallel to the stem but not including the stem), and then cut the strips into cross-sections. You may wish to cut the stems into smaller chunks, but they'll cook fine either way.

Toss the greens with a little olive oil or spray with Pam; dust with salt and pepper. Place on a cookie sheet which has been lightly greased.

Cook for 10-15 minutes, checking and turning once or twice. Some of the leaves will crisp up, some will turn brown, some will wilt together; it's a mix, and surprisingly pleasant.

Notes: you may toss 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes or garlic cloves sliced in quarters in with the greens for additional flavor profiles.

Enchanted

2005-08-02T22:01:00.000-07:00

I picked up a fantastic new book today: Knitting Over the Edge by Nicky Epstein. I have a couple other books by her, but this is my new favorite. The photos are fantastic, the knitted choices delightful...there are adorable little sheep, fun cord edgings, sweet cherries...just about everything one could want.

Finished bag

2005-07-26T20:32:00.000-07:00

Photos of my "soft drawstring pouch" from 'Last Minute Knitted Gifts':

the bag itself (in real life, the color is identical to the cover photo)

The part I am most charmed by:

tassles

The pattern includes my favorite direction: "Fill the pouch with something wonderful".

Haven't been knitting too much else, just a hat (Punta, maybe, held together with a Jo Sharp yarn. It's soft and begs for a cold day). I saw the Indigo Girls last week - I love their songs so much. Perfect sing-along music.

Updates

2005-07-16T16:15:00.000-07:00

No pictures, but a few items to note. I've been knitting the draw-string bag (pouch) from "Last Minute Knitted Gifts", in the same yarn/color of the cover photo. The 14" of 2-stitch I-cord took forever (at least an hour), but possibly that was because I was chatting with my knitting friends during that time, and not concentrating on the knitting part. I am hopeful that the bag will shrink a bit when I block it (the yarn is alpaca/silk, I think 50/50), since I opted against knitting to the suggested gauge.

STILL working (or not working, as the case may be) on that Daria clutch. I just wish it would turn out perfectly...it's perfectly acceptable as it is, possibly pretty cute, and I can probably finish it in less than an hour, should I choose to focus on it...I feel like that day is still a ways off.

I did receive a lovely gift recently, my very first sewing machine! I picked up a how to sew book "Sew Fast Sew Easy" a couple of years ago, and of course *believe* that I can sew (attitude is everything!). As it turns out, I am pleased that I finally figured out how to loop the yarn to wind the bobbin, and how to get the machine to wind it for me. I picked up some felt today, and hope that proves an easy enough medium for my first project(s).

History never repeats...

2005-07-10T09:20:00.000-07:00

but my knitting sure does. This week, I finished another Manos hat - this time, it's a sage/mint green:

I am (temporarily, at least) done with Manos hats. There is something infinitely satisfying about them, though.

I also tried rearranging my knitting needles on display - I think they look a bit better in this vase, pictured below.

Finished object, in all its blue glory

2005-07-04T12:51:00.000-07:00

I recently finished something! Lo and behold, it's a hat from Manos held double. I purchased the pattern from a local yarn store where I learned to knit; it's a breeze, though I managed to drag the knitting on and on and on and on...

Like a moth to a flame...

2005-06-26T19:23:00.000-07:00

I cannot pass by an estate sale sign without altering my route and immediately heading there. I found a couple of fun things at an estate sale this weekend:

lemon yellow mohair

pink stitch ~~markers~~ holders

I'm not sure what I will do with the mohair, but since I have about 20 oz, I think the possibilities are endless. I want a lap blanket or a shawl/wrap, but fear I would quickly tire of knitting either item (not to mention that I might not want to wear a lacy yellow wrap more than once in a blue moon).

At the same estate sale. I found some 10" pink double-points (size 10), and asked if they had any other knitting needles. "Oh, we did but a woman bought the whole box this morning". I was crushed, of course. But, lucky, lucky, lucky her...

Knitted Sculpture

2005-06-21T20:19:00.000-07:00

There is an amazing (judging from their website) show of "Not the Knitting You Know" at Eleven Eleven Sculpture Space* in Washington, D.C. I am enchanted! I especially like Karen Paust's "Harvest" (it's felted fruit) - it reminds me of a cute display I saw at Lint in Portland - a knitted barbecue scene (corn on the cob, hamburger with a bun, rings of onion, tomato; cheese, lettuce, etc.; hot dog). It's all so clever.

*Click on the images to see all of the work by that artist.

Untold treasures

2005-06-19T21:58:00.000-07:00

I received many knitting needles this weekend, from my grandmother:

Circulars

Double-points

Straights

It is a thrill to have so many new needles (I'm quite fond of the white nylon circulars), and of course a delight to know I'll be using the same needles my grandmother used. I also received her Christmas stocking pattern (she said she must have knit more than 50 of them!) and a pattern for some baby booties.

Clutch progress

2005-06-15T21:44:00.000-07:00

Daria clutch...almost finished

Estate sale finds

2005-06-15T21:22:00.001-07:00

Last weekend, I found an estate sale (they're everywhere in Ballard) with some promising items. Namely, some fun buttons:

buttons!

The mother of pearl button had the Meier & Frank tag for $0.30 attached; the red buttons are glass and have a nice heft to them. I have four of the white buttons and think one might be cute as a single-button on a baby's sweater.

No knitting needles to speak of (two sets of straights, but they'll likely be decorative), but they did have some parts of a loom (the loom itself escaped me; then again, it was a crowded basement). I also found this charming little dish for a dime:

green metal dish

It catches the light well enough in person, and is the perfect size for a set of keys.

In knitting news, I started and promptly frogged a sky-blue Manos hat; I will re-knit it with larger needles soon. I am also (still) knitting the Daria clutch. I picked up some snaps and just need to do an I-cord bind-off, create an I-cord looped handle, and I'll be done. I have a photo, but I think it will be uploaded separately.

Favorites

2005-06-06T21:42:00.000-07:00

I spent a weekend in Vancouver, B.C., recently, and discovered (by way of the NY Times and Bon Appetit) an amazing restaurant, Vij's. I was mesmerized the entire time we were there...It's beautiful, bustling but not too loud, has a lounge/bar with plenty of atmosphere that still fits into the restaurant; the service was impeccable (I think it might be termed "zone service", in that anyone could and would help you, in the most gracious way possible). The food was perfect - from their house-made Chai to the nibbles they pass around while you wait, to the jack fruit (who knew? tastes like artichoke hearts), to the wonderful curries. I loved it and while it is Indian, it's somewhat nontraditional. It reminds me of a Tom Douglas restaurant, in a way.

I visited Birkeland Brothers Wool (not a store for the claustrophobic) - I picked up some mint green Canadian wool that may turn into some felted slippers.

As to knitting, I am tangled up in Daria yarn...I'm reknitting a clutch for the third time. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it's useful.

I picked up Nancy Wiseman's Knitter's Book of Finishing Techniques a few weeks ago, and it's so handy! I've already learned a new method for the provisional cast-on (includes using a crochet hook).

Bits and pieces

2005-05-23T21:14:00.000-07:00

I completed my orange flower tote:

Another felted tote!

I also had some delightful ribbon belts made at Packaging Specialties in Seattle:

Ribbon Belts

They are so simple, and I think anyone with a sewing machine could make one (stack some ribbon together, stitch it in place, and make a small fold to enclose two D-rings). Anyway, they are quite fun, very affordable, and very easily changed.

Lara update: the sleeve could have fit both of my lower arms, together...so that project is languishing for now/for a long time.

Did anyone see Tom Cruise on Oprah? He was literally jumping on the furniture. A little too much for me.

Lara - the beginnings

2005-05-08T21:35:00.000-07:00

Look, progress!

left sleeve, Lara

(Of course that progress is pretty much from last weekend. But still.)

I went to the Weaving Works sale on Thursday with some good knitting friends; picked up gorgeous yarn for the "Purl Scarf" in Last Minute Knitted Gifts, plus some fun Daria Multi (by Noro), for a little coin purse. I am trying to wait to start "another scarf" until I have made more progress on Lara. We'll see...scarves are so very, very tempting.

Lots of activity

2005-05-02T22:43:00.000-07:00

...including knitting! I started a sweater (fingers crossed that I'll finish it) - "Lara" by Debbie Bliss. I'm knitting it in Cotton Ease (sadly discontinued) and so far (halfway through the left sleeve) so good. I felted my orange flower tote, but need to embellish it. I entered my red flower tote in Churchmouse's flower contest* - if nothing else, it was fun to head over to Bainbridge for the afternoon to deliver the bag.

*it's a part of the May art walk; flowered knitted items are on display either all of this month or the bulk of this month.

Took a whirlwind trip to Portland this weekend - lots of knitting finds, including the most perfect knitting bag ever (thanks to Jessica for the tip). Pictures later this week. Two asides: I'm so glad that all six of us are still speaking to each other! It was a lot of fun. I highly recommend the Inn @ Northrup Station.

Another new knitting magazine

2005-04-23T11:50:00.000-07:00

I found "Spun" magazine today. Looks good so far - there's an article about Vancouver (including yarn shops) and I seem to be endlessly fascinated with Vancouver, so that's a plus. Can't say I'm going to make any of the patterns at this point, and I like the emphasis on the text/commentary.

Links (you can knit/crochet anything)

2005-04-18T21:54:00.000-07:00

I'm pleased to note that I've finished knitting my second floral tote. Coincidentally, Marti is knitting one in the exact same yarn!

Browsing the web, I came across a couple of interesting sites:

*You can create anything with yarn - including a sperm (crochet; scroll down for "Spiffy Sperm")!

*You can create anything, even if you don't have a pattern. I haven't tried KnitPro, but am intrigued.

Flower Washcloths

2005-04-12T20:11:00.000-07:00

A few months ago (last autumn), I made a couple of Nicky Epstein's Flower Washcloths (I borrowed "Weekend Knitting" from the library). The one on the left is a lovely buttery yellow, and the one on the right is more tan than the picture shows. Both were gifts. I have to say, while it was fun to create a semi-practical object, the project took me longer than I thought it would. I do think they would be so cute, stacked up in spring colors, in a bathroom...but there's so many more things to knit! (Or not knit, but I am making progress on my orange flower tote.)

Knitted washcloths

Projects from "Simple Knits with a Twist"

2005-04-06T21:47:00.001-07:00

Again, time with few stitches created. As such, details about two projects I abandoned.

I purchased Erika Knight's "Simple Knits with a Twist" last summer, and was so excited about it. I still like browsing through it, but the two projects I began didn't meet my expectations.

First, a napkin ring (it's difficult to tell that it's a napkin ring from this photo):

Napkin ring

Second, we have the infamous recycled plastic carryall...the beginnings:

Plastic bags...

The napkin ring was painful to knit - the wire pinched my fingers in a most un-lovely way. The beading part was good practice, but I much prefer it with yarn.

The plastic bag, made of plastic bags, was another story altogether. Although dismissed as horrendous (hi, Janell!), I nonetheless collected colorful plastic bags for a few weeks (friends even saved them for me). One evening I strung together four or so of these bags...cut them into long extended strips (much like the peel-an-orange-in-one-piece method), and then tied them together. Lo and behold, when I started to knit with my ball, it was miserable. The plastic stretched unfavorably, the knitting was pretty ugly and uneven, and it took forever to knit anything. I think the effort photographed above took at least two hours. I should have stopped much sooner, but I kept thinking my wad of plastic would suddenly turn into the bag (pictured here, along with the pattern). It would have been great for my recycling. Alas, I gave up and recycled the recycling.

Perhaps another project from this book awaits me...the ribbon ballet slippers? Who knows.

More treasures and the new Costco

2005-04-03T09:04:00.000-07:00

No new knitting to report - I think I knit a total of 30 minutes this week. But, I did find a couple of great things yesterday. At a thrift shop in North Seattle, I found two circular needles (size 6, 16" and size 5, 32"). And on my way home, I stopped at an estate sale and picked up the other items pictured below. I spent less than $3 total!

Yesterday's prizes

On an unrelated note, I recommend the new downtown (SODO, technically) Seattle Costco. It's enormous, bright, and filled with all sorts of products I haven't seen in other Costcos. It's so nice to have the Seattle store be on par with the suburban stores, and they'll soon have a gas station. Exciting things.

New furnishings!

2005-03-30T20:45:00.000-08:00

Last weekend, I* picked up some gorgeous new fabric (at a fraction of the original price) and recovered my dining room table chairs and my desk chair (on the left).

Recovered chairs

*Well, I purchased the fabric and cut it out, but required significant assistance from my father (who was visiting) when it came time to actually recover the chairs. (Who knew you had to screw the seat to the chair itself?? And line up the fabric in the same direction on each seat??)

Anyway, I am so very pleased with the results. The brown fabric has a wonderful nap - very plush - and is fairly neutral. It was originally $100/yard...I purchased my 1.5 yard remnant for a fraction of that. The green fabric looks livelier in person (it's mint green with slightly embossed flower 'etchings'), and is so much better than the 1930's-era fabric underneath (the desk and chair belonged to my great grandmother).

I highly recommend the fabric boutique - I learned about it from Diana (thanks for the tip!):
Designer Fabric Liquidations
3204 Harvard Ave. E
(1 block south of Univ. Bridge, where Eastlake & Harvard meet)
Phone: 206-721-7981; their hours are non-traditional
It's a small shop, relatively centrally located, and certainly worth a visit - the floor-to-ceiling displays of fabric are quite captivating.

Congrats!

2005-03-28T21:59:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to Hillary and Cass, who have "won" the two ball winders. Hillary received the wooden one, Cass the red one. I hope they don't prove too frustrating; the red one might make a cute knitting-themed book end. Thanks to all who entered.

In knitting news, I cannot figure out the proper number of stitches to cast on (for a hat) for some Debbie Bliss blue yarn (Merino Chunky, perhaps) that I bought in January. So, I've started another floral felted bag (in orange). I'm looking forward to needle felting again, so I think I'll finish it semi-soon.

Famous by association

2005-03-21T22:11:00.000-08:00

I am pleased to report that my television debut was a success. As I posted previously, I was a "knitster" on an episode of Knitty Gritty. Jenna was a magnificent guest. From what I could gather on the set (the acoustics made eavesdropping difficult), she did a great job. That is an understatement -- Jenna did an amazing job. I'm so proud to be associated with the most professional episode of Knitty Gritty ever! Such a treat. Janell was very poised as well, and I remembered how much fun she made the trip. (And of course it's fun to see yourself on TV!)

The "Sassy Sweater" episode will next air:
Wednesday, March 23
12:00 pm PST

Saturday, March 26
1:30 pm PST

A contest!

2005-03-20T19:08:00.000-08:00

Three little ball winders, sitting in a row

The ball winder on the left is the one I normally use, the ball winder on the right I picked up at the same estate sale, and the red one is a prize from the Guild meeting this week.

Thanks in part to Hilary's comment, I am now going to give away two of these ball winders (the red one and the wood/cream one).

To enter, post a comment to this entry by 8:00 PST Monday, March 28, making sure to fill in your email address, or send me an email (click on "about" for my address). If you want a certain ball winder, mention it ("red" or "wood") in your post. I'll pick two winners, randomly, and give/mail the respective ball winders out.

To be fair, these are not perfect. The red one is super cute, but does not pull its weight very well. I think it might need a minor adjustment to stay on track. But, it does come with its original packaging. The wooden one is missing a couple of plastic teeth (meaning it does not stay on track well, either), which could probably be refashioned with a little epoxy. Either way, these are *probably* better than nothing, but I can't say for sure. I can say that winding yarn is an absolute pleasure with a ball winder (and a swift).

Good luck!

Somewhat exciting, somewhat selfish

2005-03-17T19:35:00.000-08:00

Last night, I went to the Seattle Knitters' Guild's annual Fiber Frenzy with Jessica and Marti. I picked up a circular needle I needed (wanted) for a dollar, a couple crochet hooks, and some red/burgundy cotton to make a little sachet. Most importantly, though, I picked up a lovely, charming, & delightful red ball winder! Or speedy wool winder to be specific. I'd post a picture, but I'm trying to talk myself out of keeping it (it's not working). The box includes this advertising on the sides:
It's wonderful !
It's simple !
Yet it is precision-built and can smoothly wind up [to] 2 oz. of wool in only a minute.

It really is delightful. And it was free!! (I just happened - seriously - to be standing by the free table when the frenzy began.) However, I already have a perfectly good blue/white plastic ball winder, a wooden back-up ball winder (with a strong clamp) (both prizes from an estate sale). Not to mention that I have but one residence...it's hard to justify keeping this red one. But it's so cute - no matter that it will spend most of its life in a drawer. We'll see...

Ta da!

2005-03-14T22:06:00.000-08:00

I now present to you my first foray into needle felting:

Finished Flower Purse

The needle felting design is (clearly) my own (aided by a mini cookie cutter)...I might re-do the center on the pink flower (it reminds me of a sickly egg), but we'll see. The needle felting itself looks fine, and certainly better than the unembellished purse, but it is not the most sophisticated result. It was fun, though, and I have a ton (well, a bit more than 2 ounces) of carded New Zealand wool to needle felt with for future projects.

An update on my mini-flower-clutch things: Reducing the # of stitches in the pattern in half did not work out (can't really divide 13 by 2), and knitting the whole thing on smaller needles with smaller yarn (tip from Marti) made it adorable, but too small, pre-felting. I may have abandoned all future versions of this pattern...but that would be an anomaly.

Crochet Bonanza

2005-03-12T14:14:00.000-08:00

Look what I found this morning:

Jar of crochet hooks

I found the jar at an estate sale this morning for $1.50! It has some normal sizes, and some of the tiniest crochet hooks I have ever seen - down to size 14. That hook is almost tough to see, and came with a little "hook protector" (which looks like a weirdly shaped icing tip, which is too small to photograph accurately).

Crochet hooks on display

Dulaan Project / Unfortunate Yarn

2005-03-09T21:56:00.000-08:00

I finished my first contribution for the Dulaan project. Marti is collecting a box of items, and I am hopeful that someone will like this hat. I made it for myself, originally (I bought the yarn half off at the January Acorn Street sale), but couldn't get used to the colors. (To be polite, the colors seem sickly to me...sort of like what happens when someone 'gets sick', if you get my drift.)

Dulaan hat (looks like I didn't fully erase the background)

I also tried this yarn out in one a multi-directional scarf, but frogged it.

The failed multi-directional scarf

The yarn (Gitano) ended up being appreciated by someone at the PurlyGirls' swap. (I decided not to take pictures of the yarns I ended up with...mostly because the yarns seem to have ended up here, there, and everywhere.)

A fraction of the yarn at the swap

Movie Meme

2005-03-09T21:10:00.000-08:00

I'm long overdue in responding to Jessica's "tag" about movies.

THE MOVIE MEME 1. The last movie you went to see in a theater: "Bride and Prejudice" - the textiles were amazing. Beautiful colors, embellishments, everything. I did feel like I was watching an Indian teen flick, though.

2. The last movie you watched at home: No idea. I borrowed "The Ref" from Molly, but it's been almost a month, and I've yet to open the package.

3. How many movies do you own? Strictly movies - 3. I have a bunch (~15) of concert films or music documentaries, plus the first three seasons of "The Sopranos" and all but the first season of "Sex and the City".

4. What was the last movie you bought? "Top Gun" - I gave it to my friend for her birthday, watched it, and realized how much I like it. So now I have a copy, too.

5. Got Netflix (or a similar service?) No. I'm not inclined to watch movies at home very often.

6. List five movies you adore/mean a lot to you:
"Singles" - I was fascinated by it, and was so thrilled when I found the apartment building! It looks much smaller in person, but you, too, can check it out (I forget exactly, but it's on Capitol Hill and near 18th & 19th and is on Thomas (or John?). It's near the Miller Community Park/Field, I think.)
"Lost in Translation" - I love the cinematography, the nuances of the characters, the palpable culture shock...and the last scene, in the street, is one of my favorites.
"The Sound of Music" and "The Wizard of Oz" - we'd watch these every holiday season, when they came on TV.
"The Graduate" - even if it is about adultery, I love the feeling I get watching it.

7. Name your guilty pleasure movie (or genre): Hmmm....semi-cheesy romantic comedies. For instance, I felt compelled to see "In Good Company" in the theater.

8. I'm passing this on to Diana, Janell, and Marian.

Deja vu

2005-03-08T22:34:00.000-08:00

I recently finished the knitting portion of the felted flower purse from Fiber Trends (by way of Knitty Gritty), in a lovely raspberry (Lamb's Pride Bulky). As soon as I finished weaving in the ends, I cast on for the exact same purse, in orange (same yarn).

Luckily/unluckily I worked the increases incorrectly, and was forced to start over twice. (I could not imagine repairing small hole after small hole, and then weaving in all of those ends...I know felting is magical, but is it really that magical?) The third time I started the orange version, I stopped myself. This time, I'm going to shrink the pattern - perhaps by 50% or 60% - and create a little clutch like thing.

I'm hoping I can make a couple of them in orange, decorate them with some needle-felting (I can't wait to try it), and turn them into gifts. They shouldn't take long, once I adjust the pattern. And how cute would they be, stuffed with an Easter egg or two?

So, really, it's not even the same project. If only...

Flower "pins"

2005-03-03T19:12:00.000-08:00

Not knitted, but still enjoyable. My grandmother recently gave these to me - they were made by my great-great grandmother, and I am smitten.

Beaded pink flowers

Pearl flower

Able to blog again at last!

2005-03-02T23:22:00.000-08:00

I have lots of updates, but want to share with you this super simple but cleanly designed (if I do say so myself) hat.

Orange Hat
Lamb's Pride Bulky
Size 11 needles
CO 54 stitches
Knit 8 rows of garter stitch border*

*This idea came from "Last Minute Knitted Gifts"

Actual Knitting Content

2005-01-29T15:56:00.000-08:00

Knitting progress: I've been working on my multi-colored drop-stitch scarf. But, since I was pulling the yarn from the center, it kept tangling up. So, I've re-wound it into a couple of smaller balls and am again making progress . I am also working on a mesmerizing yet mindless mint green scarf, out of some GGH Esprit yarn that I received in an under-the-table yarn swap with/from Amy. It's fluffy and doesn't look like yarn, but it feels so soft and squishy (it would make the cutest pillows), and I enjoy knitting with it. Also, I fringed my black drop-stitch scarf, and I'm anxious to wear it.

I received two knitting calendars this year, both of which appeal for different reasons:

Knitting calendars
(Note the drop-stitch scarf on the cover of the second calendar...what a coincidence!)

I also made these stitch markers a while ago:

Stitch markers

I have to say that they pale in comparison to the lovely green set Marti gave me, but it was a fun exercise.

More Birthday Treats

2005-01-29T15:47:00.000-08:00

Thanks to everyone for the birthday wishes! It was a lot of fun.
I even had delicious, homemade bread pudding:

Dessert!

And I received more flowers than I knew what to do with! (I used Photoshop's Magic Eraser or (Background Eraser? I forget) to doctor these photos....some more successfully than others.)

Flowers

More flowers

Even more flowers!

Birthday cake!

2005-01-23T17:31:00.000-08:00

Birthday cake!

On Friday, I participated in a pre-swap yarn swap at Cass' house (there was a PurlyGirls yarn swap at Jessica's yesterday - I ended up with great stuff from both swaps, but don't have any pictures yet). They (Cass, Janet, Jeanne, Jessica, & Molly) were so sweet and helped me celebrate my birthday early! Cass made a delicious, very dense chocolate cake, and Molly decorated it, writing in icing more neatly than I write normally. (I forgot to take a picture before I started slicing!)

Knitty Gritty!

2005-01-23T17:20:00.000-08:00

Janell pointed out (see 1/19 entry) that our episode of Knitty Gritty is airing fairly soon. Episode title: "Sassy Sweater" - March 21, 7:30 pm PST, DIY network.

Background: In September, Jenna was the guest on an episode of Knitty Gritty, for her Ultra Femme sweater in Deb Stoller's "Stitch 'n Bitch Nation". She was generous and sweet, and invited Janell, Staci, Jessica and I to accompany her. Janell, Staci and I were the three Knitsters (essentially, background knitters with a few comments) on her episode (Jessica was a knitster on an episode which just aired). We all flew to L.A. together and had quite a time. It was a lot of fun, and I have to thank Janell for driving us here, there, and everywhere through the vicious L.A. traffic. We visited a couple of yarn stores (Unwind, Knit Cafe), but it was novelty city. Overall, it was a very memorable experience and I'm thrilled to have been a part of it. It was fascinating to see the inner workings of a TV show, and to realize just how much is done in editing.

On the set of "Knitty Gritty", from left to right: Jessica, Staci, Jenna, me, Janell

Off to such a good start,

2005-01-21T13:43:00.000-08:00

but then I changed ISPs at home and now am stuck without internet (gasp) for about a week. More from a coffee shop or perhaps this masterpiece (I love it here!) next week.

Dropping stitches left and right

2005-01-19T22:15:00.000-08:00

...on the bus, no less.

I put a photo of yarn (my homage to the cover of "Knitter's Stash" -- partially included in my blog graphic) on my work computer and I have received many compliments. Well, "many" might not be as accurate as two (though if counting how many times I thought "I love that photo", it's many, many compliments).

As long as I'm discussing "Knitter's Stash" - how quickly tastes change. I think I bought it in the spring (so two or three months after I started knitting) and I was convinced that I would make many of the patterns, that I *had* to have the book. I looked through it again last week, and while I like flipping through it and reading some of the extra info (tips, yarn store bios), I don't see myself buying yarn for any of the projects any time soon. (Perhaps this is related to the guilt I feel over starting and temporarily abandoning a cardigan from that very book. I will force myself to take a picture one of these days.)

Third time's a charm

2005-01-18T22:16:00.000-08:00

My latest knitting project is (surprise, surprise) yet another variation of the Lily Chin pattern that came with the AB kit. This time, I'm using Merino Ribbon from Mountain Colors ("Northern Lights") and Douceur et Soie (burgundy) wound together. [I love, love, love the Merino Ribbon. It's so soft and the colors melt into one another beautifully. Not to mention it was on sale! Both yarns were, actually.] My original intention was to copy a local yarn store pattern, but I like the drop-stitch look much more. You can't really see the Douceur et Soie in the close-up image, so I've included the ball for reference (with both yarns wound together as one - that tip has proved so useful).

Ribbon / silk yarn wound together

Ribbon / silk scarf up close

Copying myself...

2005-01-17T10:24:00.001-08:00

It could be said that I knit the same thing over and over again (felted bags, hats, scarves)...It's true, but still satisfying. I am working on this scarf, which is pretty much the Annie Blatt kit/pattern, except with Serpentine ribbon instead of the AB ribbon (thanks to Jessica for the idea). I love the feel of this combo - if it didn't shed tufts of angora, it would be perfect.

Close-up of black drop-stitch ribbon scarf

I need to add the fringe, which was in quite a state of disarray earlier this week (thanks to Brian for the idea of using bobbins, and for making some!).

The fringe...all tangled up

Luckily, I have rescued the yarn from itself. My intention is to double-up on the ribbon yarn to give the fringe more body (and to blur the fact that I should have knit a few more rows...all problems can be solved by longer fringe!).

The fringe - all wrapped up

Welcome!

2005-01-16T21:10:00.000-08:00

Welcome to my new knitting blog! I'd like to say THANK YOU SO MUCH to Amy of Quixotic Musings - she did fabulous work designing this site.

I'm currently working on a few knitting projects and I will share "in progress" pictures in the next few days. Meanwhile, here's a quick knit that I gave as a Christmas present. I was pleased with the ease of the scarf kit (and especially pleased with the 40% off coupon from a Redmond craft store...it was worth the drive).

Details: Annie Blatt scarf kit; I followed the pattern to the letter. I'm really happy I added the fringe.

Annie Blatt scarf kit in orange/red/pink colorway