The Maine Monster

The Monster has been in this state for years. Condition. This state of progress. (It has lived in about 5 of these US states, give or take.)

I had discovered Fassett's Glorious Knits.

I am thinking it's frog time. What do you think? I'll venture to guess that it will relax into a huge shapeless thing.

Black sparkly chemo cap

Made major progress after the third start was scrapped. Stopped this weekend at the yarn store and picked up a second hank (denser fabric and fuzzier) AND was advised to use a tubular cast on. Those knittyheads are a fine lot. (Thanks, Ms. Mitten!)
Of course, TRY and photograph black sparkly. I'm too inept. Had to show some progress, though. Will be trying to finish it up tonight.

It is big as a bucket.

I did once say, somewhere, that I needed to frog this hat which bloomed into a bucket bigger than my head. Proof before it's gone.

I'll be happy to have it reknit to a useable size. I miss it this winter.

Oh, these fancy cameras

I was playing with color a few weeks ago and forgot that when I took this first photo.










Vivid color and whatever was happening with afternoon winter light and safety glass gives us this.










Here we go. Better color, maybe. However, the watering can arrangement doesn't let us see the side view.

Wilde ... on the holidays?

When I am in trouble, eating is the only thing that consoles me. Indeed, when I am in really great trouble, as anyone who knows me intimately will tell you, I refuse everything except food and drink. - Algernon Moncrieff, The Importance of Being Earnest

Must be time to enjoy a piece of lovely holiday chocolate.

Thanksgiving Leftovers Hat

It should have been daylight for the photos.  It isn't, so you'll have to take potluck, which suits leftovers.  And did I mention?  I STILL have a little left of the three leftovers.  Used up every bit of the handspun tidbits, though.

Gioia in Malabrigo worsted

Gioia on my knee

Different light, different room, different pose.

Are awful photos better than none?

Fresh out. None.

No pictures. No time. No dining.

Not much sleep (3 hours). Not enough people for the tasks at hand. Not enough hours for the people at the tasks at hand. Not enough time to do knitting. (How do people get halves of sweaters done in an evening or a day? Who has that much time?)

AND

No Cheese to Go with my Whine.

If I'm back to the blog before Monday it's a miracle or I've run away from home.

The Hat Spoke

"Quirky," it said. "Dumpy but warm."

I have a lovely dumpy little hat of blues and greens. I am wearing it even now, as the office is chilly, and I'm just conscientious enough to not turn up the heat when I should really head for home.

I shall take pics in the morning. In spite of best efforts to use up yarn, I still have a little bit of three of the five yarn bits that went into the hat. Not in the mood for a lengthy stocking cap. Still. Leftovers? Maybe I need mittens. Wonder what I have that could pair up with the leftovers to make up mittens. Solid and quick but with leftover interest at the cuffs?

Goodness, how alarming. One very nice little scarflet now has a quirky but dumpy hat that doesn't REALLY go with it, per se, and I now scheme about mittens? Perhaps it's because I have so much ELSE to do.

On the one project out, one project up front, I committed instantly this morning to frogging the Big as a Bucket hat. I shall be reknitting. I really enjoyed that little hat, and it HAS a scarf to match. I want it back, just not as bucket-y.

Tonight, though, there shall be dinner, wine, and sewing.

Dream weekend date

Rowan calls it a print, but it's not.  But the grey is delicious. 


If I didn't have to sew a million costumy things over Thanksgiving,

this would be my weekend.  I have JUST the cardigan for it.



A girl can dream, can't she?

Project obsessions

Interesting to look sideways at the project I've been starting and frogging and starting and frogging for 20 minute stretches most mornings and evenings this week.

I need another hat. I have two, and the one quick knit I adored fell into a puddle and BLOOMED. (Hadn't washed it, so this became it's first wash.) It falls over my face. I wear a large hat size, but this is a bucket.

Finished a scarflet of Malabrigo worsted from mittenfarce and thought the leftover a suitable piece of a quick hat. Not enough, of course, but accent worthy. Add in some little tastings of homespun from soapfibergal. Still shy of yardage, of course. The rest of the airplane sock wool thought it looked nice with them. Of course, it's a much thinner worsted than the Malabrigo worsted. (Both worsted, it's true.) Last night, from the depths of a box sprung the oddball of bluespruce Green Mountain from a cable sweater done years and years ago. This morning I remembered another bit of teal that may be thin worsted, may be thinner.

I have a band on the hat that makes a rib of the gioia scarf stitch pattern. I'm striping it as whim carries me. I took the 76 trombones / stitches format from some recent IK and will PRAY that it fits. Given the relax of the malabrigo, I may be fine.

Anyway, I'm curious to see what the hat tells me it will be.

Friday night Block party

I blocked gioia. I had a manhattan.

A good time was had by all.

soup

Happy to report that on this cold, blustery day I took care of me!

Cooked the rest of yesterday's blueberry pancake batter.
Put together a crockpot of a garlic potato soup, to be served with a lovely swirl of pesto. (From the Vegetarian Slow Cooker)
Made a small pot of apple-cranberry sauce.
Cooked up a pot of Cauliflower soup with tomato & cheese. (Moosewood Daily Specials)
Ate little bits of the latter items as well as the last of the ukrainian borsch, some yogurt, and other healthy refrigerator oddments.

The crispers have been cleaned, in the process, with only salady and other fresh things remaining. My refrigerator looks civilized. I have a wonderful assortment of lunches and suppers for carrying to work for the rest of the week.

I'm so proud. Even work this evening felt better because of it. I can actually go home now and knit.

No restraint

Back from fabric shopping and swatching.

I'm sorry to report that I showed a surprising lapse in restraint, and I bought a small piece of decorator's fabric for a bag. For myself. It was an under 3.00 indulgence, and it will look smart with both red coat and black. I guess I'm not so sorry after all. (Hey. Looking out for the boss, right?)

However, permission is granted to ask me if I've made the bag yet until there is evidence of BAG.

On taking care of the boss

That's right, I mean me. Or you, taking care of you. If it were my job to take care of the boss, I'd be brilliant at it. I do not, however, look out for myself with the same regard.

Last night a body would have thought I'd made a ten course meal, the way I chirped over having been home for a rare evening. I sauted a few veg and leftover rice from forgotten takeout, tossing in a little sesame oil and soy. I tossed a little broccoli in another pan with garlic, a dab of sesame oil, soy, korean chile paste, and a little thickener. I steamed a few thai-veg potstickets - more like gyoza, with thinner wrappers - from the last Joetrader shopping venture.

I put on comfy could-be-jammies. I made a manhattan. I dined. I didn't end up knitting. Looked through mail. Half listened to non-engaging television. And despite the glamour and appeal of such an evening, (ooh, leftover rice!) I actually felt like I'd treated myself. Pathetic, I'm thinking.

So this morning I made blueberry pancakes from some of the summer's frozen stash. I made coffee and drank it from a cup. My kitchen looks cleanish. I have washed the new blue la creuset tea kettle and placed it on the stove.

I am resolved I need to take better care. I can still be excited about dining at home in my jammies with a rare adult beverage, but maybe I can indulge in this more often than once every two months.

At least I was smart enough to pick up some boxes of good soup, and I'll be taking those to work for happier quick nutrition on the fly. Carrot ginger is currently the soup in the workspace fridge.

Okay, back to work. I have to see if fabric stores I used to go to in the greater metro area still exist. These are not your chain stores but the good old fabric-district type places. Wish me luck. We're going fabric shopping!

Finished Objects, with apologies for photography

Yes, so I downloaded a few. Haven't had a chance to select carefully. In the thumbnails they don't look half so blurry. Looked at the big screen slide show but forgot some of the numbers. Such as they are, here are a few of the knitting bits in action.

ISO: Backbone

Ugh and Ugh.

The Towering Stash

Knittyboard Q: Where do you stash your stash?
Answer? Overhead in the closet.
Pictures are from spring. The tub of needles is now full of yarn. Needles are nicely organized elsewhere. Scary, innit?

Accesories Junkie

That's what I dressed as for Hallowe'en, an accessories junkie: black clothes, for the better appreciation of the accessories; pearly & gold victoriana brooch;
50's/60's school teacher sweater guard, also pearly & gold;
dangly target faux pearl earrings, very early 90's;
long black gloves, cloth, topped with a twined pearl necklace as a bracelet OVER the gloves;
red crinkle silk-like scarf;
topped with a straw hat with loverly red silk poppies and other festive red flora.

I took off the necklace I'd had on before I left the house, so as to tastefully avoid wearing too much and thus be tacky.

AND, the accessories are MINE ALL MINE, well, inherited, some, but NOT from the costume shop. Could a proper accessories junkie do
otherwise?

BOO!

BOO! Bad SCARY Kitty P0rrn

Back when I received a package from Mittenfarce, the fifteen year textile kitty became a hyper 2 yr old hunter. Most of the pictures were a TRUE blur.

ISO: better photo environment than top of copier

My finished object of the week is from scarf style, the vintage velvet,
only with some of the edge ribs removed (to make the one skein of yarn
go greater length).  Yarn is Elizabeth Lavold's Silky Wool, says
redundant girl (though not everyone wants to back up through old blog
stuff to find out details which might be there).

Fingerless mitts made by thomasina.  They are a comfy fit, and they distract nicely from nails recently whacked off in the first step of an almost manicure.
Note to self:  Find the danged emery board. Note to gentle reader: if the pictures are really too big, feel free to tell me. I may or may not solve it in a timely fashion, but it'd be interesting to know.

Little bits of personal knitting progress

Last night I indulged and stayed up late to finish the cable scarf of Lavold Silky Wool - the lovely yarn from mittenfarce. Blocked it this morning. It has relaxed, as I sort of expected, into a slightly longer and slightly wider scarf. It will double loop nicely and make a nice little neck warmer. I shall wear it this weekend, I think. Or Wednesday. Going to an art opening Wednesday.

No pictures today. Camera at office, knitting and knitting gifts at home.

Over the top.

I received a completely unnecessary and thoroughly delightful thank you package from thomasina yesterday. I thought I was getting an unsolicited book, and here the package to be picked up was a gift.

At first blush I squealed with perfect delight at the unexpected gift. As I opened it I gaped in awe. Two gorgeous specialty truffles. A slim notebook adorned with a print of a painted tabby. We could stop there. But no. A richly colored hank of Mountain Colors Bearfoot yarn. A package of handmade stitch markers and a row counter.

And.

Fingerless mitts. Perfect fit. Beautiful Cherry Tree whatsit and I've forgotten (goldfish memory moment) mohair. Cabled ribs. Wore them home in the cool damp evening. Decided I couldn't wear them this morning because my rain jacket has velcro, and there shall be no unnecessary snagging.

Even the postcard is adorable and PERFECT. It is in my new office space on the wall, which is why I can't tell you the name of the yarn, as it's in the other building. (Office east has computer, office west has clean desk.) And by the time I got back to careful reading of the note ON the card, the eyes welled up. Moved.

I can't do pictures or links to thomasina's webpage right now. Too much thinking. All I can do is type and gush. Gushing? Over the top maybe. The thank you? Thomasina, you've gone above and beyond. I'm moved. Thank you for your kindness. And it came at absolutely the PERFECT time.

Before the Painting

Had to take a few pre-painting photos. How very industrial it all looks.


Naturally we included print shirts, tags, the whole deal.

The overdying and irregular dyeing worked really well at giving layers of visual interest.

We knit up pieces on needles ranging from the size 50's down to 13's.

Construction - as simple as you please - scraps of matching or contrasting t-shirt yarn to create a variety of styles of vests invoking bits of chainmail breast plates, etc.

Views of one side above and of the other side below.

I'm having too much fun. And really, we did have fun. Painted pictures will follow some day this week.


P.S. They were done by Thursday, with the exception of one headpiece done Friday. A few pieces may get a little extra detail or paint this week. I'm not above refining. However I have a WHOLE LOT of life to catch up on. I'm a little behind on the personal upkeep.

Catch-up

As a concept, it has merit. As an accomplishment, it has some satisfaction.

As what seems to be a day-in-day-out pattern, not so much.

Piles of knitting, great big mess

This isn't all of it.  Can't stay.  Must sew.

The knitting gets painted up a bit today.

You're not seeing double. I couldn't decide. When one rises to the top, I'll edit.

Too much drama

Stage-wise, that is.

Finished one that overlapped with the second. Second opens end of the week. Auditions held for the third.

At least my hat changes with each of those three.

Costuming hat is upstairs with my tea. Gotta get back to it.

On the lack-of-sensible-restraint front, I bought yarn today. Had some holding for a gift for a god-child. Bought a nugget of loveliness for meself. Wool of the Woods, Pizzazz. Outrageous. That's the color, not the behavior.

Maybe a photo later, if I can make the break.

Must. Go. Back. To. Work.

Sew, woman, sew! Knit those t-shirts!




Sheep? Something loosely related to knitting?

Confession: I shop around

When I go out of town in a big way - out of state, out of region, out of the country - I love to go grocery shopping. I will purchase the most mundane little treats for myself that would be on the import or specialty aisles at home. Heck, I even traipse across the metropolitan area via differing paths so I can hit the Polish markets, the Korean markets, etc.

Today I realized I am nearing the end of part of my Canadian tea stash. And it's about as mundane as you please. President's Choice herbal teas. Oh sure, there's SOME Pres. Choice stuff avail. through one of the markets here, but NOT the TEAS & TISANES. Ginger Peach. Sniff. I don't even LIKE peach flavored things, but I really liked that one. Fortunately I still have a bit of the Cranberry and some of the little round cannisters of Tetley's.

However, I will be a good sport and be glad that I can't get everything here. Globalized marketing, that omnipresent McGap's StarSecret drives me more nuts. I'll be looking forward to my next trip to Toronto, that's for dang sure.

Oh yes. Happy Canadian Thanksgiving!
I shall be dreaming of lovely squash soup.

Bach Progress

Here's BWV 96, toward the home stretch. I am sneaking in some knitting time.  However, I haven't been cooking at home.  Looking forward to real breakfast.  Coffee from a heavy enameled mug or late 20th c. middle class every day china with the
gold rim. 

Sigh.

See, I am wearing it.

And my colleague brought me some opening night floral wishes.
Which reminds me.  I should water the plants in the window.
Poor geraniums are looking pathetique!

I really did finish some projects this summer.

I bought this boucle when I lived out east. I worked on it one summer or more at camp in Maine. It was frogged back and repurposed to follow an actual pattern, when I found a swing shape I liked. The bands and cuff bands included a carry-along of a black heather regia cotton sock. I have been meaning to steam the seams lightly, but I keep dodging it. So today I give up. I have worn it to work. And now I have placed it on the floor for a photo.

Must have been gremlins.

Photo came back. None of the others were missing yesterday. Just the one. It's back. I did nothing.

Ain't this computer jazz just wacky?

Where'd it go?

There was a photo there. I'd swear to it. However, I might not be in my right mind.

Or the wishful thinking where I thought I could share some anonymity with the poor model and figure out how to put a fuzzy dot over his face just worked too, too well.

Must channel that wishful thinking for greater good. It made a whole photo disappear.....

Good gravy, I have to model this thing for a PHOTO