Friday, March 31, 2006

Replacements really?

Just read about a Replacements reunion here.
Feeling happy & old all in one little package.
Think they'll tour?
Look how clear-eyed & clean they look. They probably don't even smell like beer.

Fruit Stripe


I am totally in love with Amy King's (Spunky Electric) fibers.
Her colrs are dreamy, prices reasonable and her fibers are soft, soft, soft.

Here's one called Fruit Stripe.

























Tuesday, March 28, 2006

A first

I sent in my first submissions to Interweave. They're for Knitscene, cross your needles for me.
Here's a tease:


silk








mohair & beads, but not crack silk haze







I'm starting to get the hang of my new camera, not that I couldn't RTFM, I enjoy the ongoing madness of trial and error.

Does anyone have measurement of an American Girl doll handy? Someone short and curly is getting one for her birthday & I hope to knit a few things before June.

Sunday, March 26, 2006

Knitting Kids


I've been teaching Isobel's class to knit. We started finger knitting in January and we knit every Friday afternoon.

Isobel's teacher is a knitter. She lets the kids knit at indoor recess & during choice time.

The kiddos love it. Most are still finger knitting because it goes faster, but four of them are knitting on needles. I've even had 2 parents call me to thank me.

I taught the class to spin on science day & we're making felt balls next month.

Next year school year I want to start an all school knitting club where our school kids knit for kids at a nearby hospital.


I can't just sit and knit can I?

Monday, March 20, 2006

Sucka!

Brand new vac!
I'm thrilled, sick isn't it, but I like to vacuum.
My old one was dying with leaps and bound & could not deal with yarn.
I was having to take it apart every other time I used it to get it to suck.

This baby sucks the chrome off a bumper. You can turn off the beater brush, so bits of yarn won't get wrapped around it. The cord is long enough to do an entire floor with out replugging. The attachments all ride on.





Then there's this, gorgeous attachment hose, it streches longer than the length of a flight of stairs.



Sigh, new vacuum.

Friday, March 17, 2006

Go Team!



I love March Madness!

Thursday, March 16, 2006

exotic, erotic amusement park ride?




Beaverslide Merino tweed









Fisherman's weight
Sweetgrass, Nightshade, Cutthroat Trout








flecky goodness









look at that stitch definition (thanks for swatching Carla!)




















I'm dreaming of a fitted longish jacket...........

Tuesday, March 14, 2006

I am soo counting this as exercise


Can't you feel me strengthening my core while spinning?
Exer-spinning, spinnercize, Pilataspin?

I

Monday, March 13, 2006

Knitter vs. Summer Tweed

Never try to muscle Summer Tweed into doing your bidding, Summer Tweed wins every time. Why? Because it is silk & silk does whatever they hell it wants & damn your lazy knitter ways, thank you very much.

I tried to muscle an edging on a Summer Tweed garment because I am lazy. I want a moss stitch edge on a project I'm doing for Amy's No Sheep book, but I don't want to change needle sizes or change the number of stitches between edging & body. Hey, it works most of the time with wool!

Summer Tweed you will not play along will you, you and your non-elastic ways, and moss stitch, you're no help either, seeing that you spread out like my ass on a wooden stool.

I tried many (3) times without changing anything, just trying to knit tighter (stop laughing).
Then I tried changing the needle size, then changing the stitch count seperately. No go.

I ended up changing needle size & reducing the the stitch count by 25% frigging percent.

But moss stitch in crispy, tweedy silk?
mmmmmm!

Friday, March 10, 2006

Ever have one of those days

where you just keep drinking caffeine because you can't wake up.
Then your tongue runs 40 miles ahead of your brain, spewing stuff, just stupid stuff?
So stupid & random, the people that you're talking to give you that squinty, tip their head to the side, wtf look. But still you don't stop talking.

Then you just can't quit thinking about the inappropriate, stupid things that your tongue without your brain laid out? Because now your brain has finally arisen and won't quit telling you what a total dumbass you are.
It's been one of those mornings. yuck

All of my horoscopes sucked today too.
Gemini + Mercury retrograde= not good.
Neurotic much?


In fibery goodness, behold the color symphony that is Spunky Eclectic:
It's called Fruit Stripe. It's BFL. Perfect for a gray rainy, mecury retrogradey day.








Then there's Henry. He's clearly trying hard to be some sort of badass Ninja/wizard/Jedi warrior here:
But all I can think of is "Shhhh,I'm hunting wabbits..."


Thursday, March 09, 2006

We love Big Girl Knits reviews!

From Ingram Library Newsletter

Big Girl Knits: 25 Big, Bold Projects Shaped for Real women with Real
Curves by Jillian Moreno and Amy R. Singer 0307336603
Millions of women wear a size 14 or larger, but you wouldn't know it by
looking at a shelf of knitting pattern books. Fortunately, this book
exists to help remedy that situation. The patterns are beautiful and
flattering, designed to look fabulous on a curvy figure. The authors
offer a wealth of practical information, such as choosing yarns (smooth,
lightweight fibers are best, because the chunky and fuzzy yarns add
bulk, and cotton will sag under its own weight) and altering patterns to
fit (two people who wear the same size can be shaped completely
differently). With its irreverent and empowering voice, and useful,
detailed guidelines, this is easily one of the best knitting books I
have ever seen. Your plus-sized knitting patrons will love you forever
if this is in your collection.


A linky to Armchair Interview - a fabu review

I'll tell ya the review part is the scariest part for me.
Pub date, i.e. when you can have it in your hot little hands, is still April 18th.

Wednesday, March 08, 2006

Purse Knitting

I've been gone so long I was beginning to have that old college days feeling of "well ,I've missed so many classes I may as well drop the class"......

Yes, I've been knitting. Here's my purse knitting. Not a knitted purse, but take along knitting that fits into any purse:

Crack silk haze, #7s and a garter lace stitch












fits neatly into a sandwich sized ziploc.