One pair of Fetching: DONE!
Hahaha(insert Machiavellian voice here)....I sooo rock!
I am sooooooo going to bed now.
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
One down!!
One to go!I wasn't sure if I'd have enough of the Peacock to finish both gloves, so I added some grey stripes, including a bitty one around the thumb. It seems now that I had little to worry about, but I like the stripes: I think they're funky, and SIL is pretty funky!
Not sure if you can tell from the at-RO-cious pic (damn, I need a proper camera! this thing only does misty black-and-whites well) but there are about 16 ends of yarn hanging out of that glove, waiting to be woven in. I'll get to that tomorrow.
Off to cast on another!
Monday, December 18, 2006
Come and Get it!
Or, FETCH it, as the case may be.
Quick post. Decided that needle roll with beaded stitch markers and row marker will be SIL's Christmas gift (probably). But her birthday - remind me to ensure that I conceive my children NOT in the month of March - is on the 22nd. So what will she get for her birthday? Maybe some fetching Fetchings!
MORE leftover Patons Classic, I happened to have needles to knit to gauge, and I'll be adding some grey - possibly around the palm - to make sure I have enough of the Peacock Blue Patons to finish the Fetchings.
Good thing I'm a pretty quick knitter - you know, for a poser-knitter, who's never knit a sock, and has only knit one sweater, EVER - so the Fetchings should be done for Friday, when we meet for Thai food for the SIL's birthday dinner. Of course, I also have to finish (and by that, I mean start) my little cocktail dress for the little cocktail party Hubs and I need to go to for his job on Thursday evening. Ack!
Gotta go. Too much to do!!
Quick post. Decided that needle roll with beaded stitch markers and row marker will be SIL's Christmas gift (probably). But her birthday - remind me to ensure that I conceive my children NOT in the month of March - is on the 22nd. So what will she get for her birthday? Maybe some fetching Fetchings!
MORE leftover Patons Classic, I happened to have needles to knit to gauge, and I'll be adding some grey - possibly around the palm - to make sure I have enough of the Peacock Blue Patons to finish the Fetchings.
Good thing I'm a pretty quick knitter - you know, for a poser-knitter, who's never knit a sock, and has only knit one sweater, EVER - so the Fetchings should be done for Friday, when we meet for Thai food for the SIL's birthday dinner. Of course, I also have to finish (and by that, I mean start) my little cocktail dress for the little cocktail party Hubs and I need to go to for his job on Thursday evening. Ack!
Gotta go. Too much to do!!
Meteorological craziness
The grass outside my house is green.
It's GREEN.
This just generally sucks. Usually when people around here talk about a green Christmas, they really mean a greyish-brown Christmas, that is, one lacking in snow. Currently, I'm looking at a Christmas greener than Hallowe-en was!!! WTF??!!
Is this some sort of El Nino year? And does anyone know why Blogger won't let me use accents? I feel like a big tool using French and Spanish words without accents.
Oh, yeah, I still knit. I totally frogged that scarf for my sister, and now I'm knitting it again much narrower, possibly too narrow, and possibly on needles just one mm too small - I'm not positive. I do have the purse for her. It's little, but it's pretty adorable, so I think it will be fine if the scarf doesn't get quite finished.
SIL's needle roll...umm, not started yet. But I'm not too concerned, since it should take only a few hours to throw together in my sewing room. I have some lurvely fabric and ribbon to use: I'm looking forward to getting it done! I'm thinking I might try to knit up some wristwarmers for her, too. But we'll see how much time I end up with.
Happy Christmas wishes to you all!
It's GREEN.
This just generally sucks. Usually when people around here talk about a green Christmas, they really mean a greyish-brown Christmas, that is, one lacking in snow. Currently, I'm looking at a Christmas greener than Hallowe-en was!!! WTF??!!
Is this some sort of El Nino year? And does anyone know why Blogger won't let me use accents? I feel like a big tool using French and Spanish words without accents.
Oh, yeah, I still knit. I totally frogged that scarf for my sister, and now I'm knitting it again much narrower, possibly too narrow, and possibly on needles just one mm too small - I'm not positive. I do have the purse for her. It's little, but it's pretty adorable, so I think it will be fine if the scarf doesn't get quite finished.
SIL's needle roll...umm, not started yet. But I'm not too concerned, since it should take only a few hours to throw together in my sewing room. I have some lurvely fabric and ribbon to use: I'm looking forward to getting it done! I'm thinking I might try to knit up some wristwarmers for her, too. But we'll see how much time I end up with.
Happy Christmas wishes to you all!
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
L'amour est enfant de Boheme, il n'a jamais connu de loi
I know, I know, three posts in the same day; what's up with that?
Last year, I was involved with an amateur opera night, and it was...ok. It was expensive and a little disappointing (largely staging issues, due in great part to the SD kind of, well, not know what she was doing. Nice lady, clueless in regards to music, opera, and I would venture, staging) and I didn't think I would do it again this year.
Then I got an email from the Artistic Director/Board.
They offered me Bizet's "Habanera" from Carmen, Malika in the Flower Duet from Delibes' Lakme, and Papagena from Mozart's Die Zauberflote. Well. That's a horse of a different colour!
After explaining that I'm not in a position to pony (ha ha, get it? with the horse metaphor? yeah, my pun-filled grandfather would be so proud!) up $400 to cover costs, some other options have been presented, including seamstressing which, obviously, would work out well for me, so it looks like I'll be singing with Bytowne again this season. Which, frankly, makes me happy.
I felt it necessary to reiterate to the AD that I am not a mezzo-soprano, even though I sang a mezzo/switch part last year (Octavian from Strauss' Der Rosenkavalier which is a fabulous opera and sooo lovely to listen to, anyone with any interest in opera should have a listen. I'm partial to the trio/duet at the end of the opera, since that's what I got to sing, but really, it's all lovely!! And funny!! Try to see it, if you can!). And I got this lovely email back telling me that I have a "wide range and warm-velvety tone". !!!! I still have trouble taking compliments seriously, and maybe it's BS to try to fill out roles; either way, it's a damned fine thing to read about myself! I'm certainly don't mean to sound vain: I just want to share my joy! I honestly have trouble believing these things said about my voice; it just seems so unreal. I've been singing for years, but this is new, and very novel (which is really just a French loanword, to mean new, so that's sort of a redundant statement, isn't it?).
So, all things being equal, I'll be singing with Bytowne again this year. Anyone need tickets? Because I've got a whole wack of them to sell.
Now if I could just find my copy of Dame Joan singing the Flower Duet from Delibes' "Lakme"...I wish I wouldn't misplace cd's so often; what a pain!
Anyway, that's my happy update. I'm singing at my oldest friend's wedding this December 30 (a piece by John Denver he recorded with Placido Domingo, "Perhaps Love", very pretty) and my friend L from choir and I are planning to work on a duet someday soon, after the holiday rush. Lots of music things happening, so many I may start a second blog devoted to music. So keep your eyes peeled for a new button!
Have a great night all! I send you all lullabies!
Last year, I was involved with an amateur opera night, and it was...ok. It was expensive and a little disappointing (largely staging issues, due in great part to the SD kind of, well, not know what she was doing. Nice lady, clueless in regards to music, opera, and I would venture, staging) and I didn't think I would do it again this year.
Then I got an email from the Artistic Director/Board.
They offered me Bizet's "Habanera" from Carmen, Malika in the Flower Duet from Delibes' Lakme, and Papagena from Mozart's Die Zauberflote. Well. That's a horse of a different colour!
After explaining that I'm not in a position to pony (ha ha, get it? with the horse metaphor? yeah, my pun-filled grandfather would be so proud!) up $400 to cover costs, some other options have been presented, including seamstressing which, obviously, would work out well for me, so it looks like I'll be singing with Bytowne again this season. Which, frankly, makes me happy.
I felt it necessary to reiterate to the AD that I am not a mezzo-soprano, even though I sang a mezzo/switch part last year (Octavian from Strauss' Der Rosenkavalier which is a fabulous opera and sooo lovely to listen to, anyone with any interest in opera should have a listen. I'm partial to the trio/duet at the end of the opera, since that's what I got to sing, but really, it's all lovely!! And funny!! Try to see it, if you can!). And I got this lovely email back telling me that I have a "wide range and warm-velvety tone". !!!! I still have trouble taking compliments seriously, and maybe it's BS to try to fill out roles; either way, it's a damned fine thing to read about myself! I'm certainly don't mean to sound vain: I just want to share my joy! I honestly have trouble believing these things said about my voice; it just seems so unreal. I've been singing for years, but this is new, and very novel (which is really just a French loanword, to mean new, so that's sort of a redundant statement, isn't it?).
So, all things being equal, I'll be singing with Bytowne again this year. Anyone need tickets? Because I've got a whole wack of them to sell.
Now if I could just find my copy of Dame Joan singing the Flower Duet from Delibes' "Lakme"...I wish I wouldn't misplace cd's so often; what a pain!
Anyway, that's my happy update. I'm singing at my oldest friend's wedding this December 30 (a piece by John Denver he recorded with Placido Domingo, "Perhaps Love", very pretty) and my friend L from choir and I are planning to work on a duet someday soon, after the holiday rush. Lots of music things happening, so many I may start a second blog devoted to music. So keep your eyes peeled for a new button!
Have a great night all! I send you all lullabies!
Bed-time stories
Or, stories about bedtime.
Which is to say, I'm still sleepy as all get-out. I just realised that I never mentioned my little sleepover at the hospital, nor explained my long period of unemployment. Answers:
For about the last, ooh, let's say 6 months, I have been a zombie. Honestly, it started before that. In fact, I can't remember a time in which I wasn't sleepy or tired or burnt out. This has become my natural state. I don't like it much.
So when my time working at Hubs' office was at an end, we decided that I should take a little time, regroup, figure out what I really wanted to do, and have a break, because I hadn't really taken any sort of break since sometime in early high school (granted, not all that long ago, but still over ten years - yikes!). That was when we realised something was wrong. I slept for ten hours straight, then napped during the day. I slept for twelve hours straight, and napped. I had insomnia issues, and slept for fourteen hours straight, once I was able to sleep. Oh, we thought, this can't be right. And since most places of business will have you work for at least four hours at a stretch, and they usually want you conscious the whole time, working became not so much an option.
To the doctor we go, and she says "Sleep issues. Go do a sleep study." A month later, a fun sleepover at a hospital a 45-minute drive from our home, except for the part about it being fun, or a sleepover, because I didn't feel like I slept much. It was awful, uncomfortable, and possibly a waste of time.
So that is why I am in my house all day, every day. That is why I've started seamstressing. Because I can't stay awake long enough to have a real job. And it's no good, because I miss having a real life, although I do enjoy staying home with my puppy, and baking and cooking yummy things for me and Hubs to eat.
Yesterday, I heard from my doctor's office that the results of the study are in, so she'll discuss them with me in January when I am there for my annual physical. Here's hoping the problem is one easily fixed without weird or costly treatment! In the meantime, I'll be continuing my current practice of pretending to be energetic and lively. So far, I seem to have most people fooled!
So that is my tale of woe. Ok, not so much woe as irritation and moderate poverty. As you may note from several posts ago, I bought a pair of shoes, so obviously we aren't starving, but we certainly eat a lot of chickpeas out the cheap blue cans (whatever, I'm veggie, so I don't mind!). I just thought I should fill in the blanks, because if I was reading this blog, I'd be thinking "Why doesn't that chick go get herself a job?! What a lame-ass!" Maybe I am a lame-ass, but at least now you know why.
Happy Christmas to you all! And to all a good, slumbery, peaceful night!
For about the last, ooh, let's say 6 months, I have been a zombie. Honestly, it started before that. In fact, I can't remember a time in which I wasn't sleepy or tired or burnt out. This has become my natural state. I don't like it much.So when my time working at Hubs' office was at an end, we decided that I should take a little time, regroup, figure out what I really wanted to do, and have a break, because I hadn't really taken any sort of break since sometime in early high school (granted, not all that long ago, but still over ten years - yikes!). That was when we realised something was wrong. I slept for ten hours straight, then napped during the day. I slept for twelve hours straight, and napped. I had insomnia issues, and slept for fourteen hours straight, once I was able to sleep. Oh, we thought, this can't be right. And since most places of business will have you work for at least four hours at a stretch, and they usually want you conscious the whole time, working became not so much an option.
To the doctor we go, and she says "Sleep issues. Go do a sleep study." A month later, a fun sleepover at a hospital a 45-minute drive from our home, except for the part about it being fun, or a sleepover, because I didn't feel like I slept much. It was awful, uncomfortable, and possibly a waste of time.
So that is why I am in my house all day, every day. That is why I've started seamstressing. Because I can't stay awake long enough to have a real job. And it's no good, because I miss having a real life, although I do enjoy staying home with my puppy, and baking and cooking yummy things for me and Hubs to eat.
Yesterday, I heard from my doctor's office that the results of the study are in, so she'll discuss them with me in January when I am there for my annual physical. Here's hoping the problem is one easily fixed without weird or costly treatment! In the meantime, I'll be continuing my current practice of pretending to be energetic and lively. So far, I seem to have most people fooled!
So that is my tale of woe. Ok, not so much woe as irritation and moderate poverty. As you may note from several posts ago, I bought a pair of shoes, so obviously we aren't starving, but we certainly eat a lot of chickpeas out the cheap blue cans (whatever, I'm veggie, so I don't mind!). I just thought I should fill in the blanks, because if I was reading this blog, I'd be thinking "Why doesn't that chick go get herself a job?! What a lame-ass!" Maybe I am a lame-ass, but at least now you know why.
Happy Christmas to you all! And to all a good, slumbery, peaceful night!
Ribbit
I knit my sister a scarf last year, which I finished after Christmas because someone ate the needles it was on before it was finished (as I said about 3 posts ago, it's become a Christmas tradition). So the scarf moved from the apartment to the townhouse, and has been waiting for this Christmas. But it's too short. It just IS, you know? And I used all the yarn, and the nearest location for another ball of it is an hour long bus-ride. In the unseasonable, and yucky, rain.
Therefore, RIBBIT! I'll knit the whole thing a little narrower, and thus, longer! A good solution, I think.
Must go knit now. Too much time spent doing....nothing.
Therefore, RIBBIT! I'll knit the whole thing a little narrower, and thus, longer! A good solution, I think.
Must go knit now. Too much time spent doing....nothing.
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
I'm BACH!
Magnificat anima mea, DominumEt exultavit spiritus meus in Deo salutari meo
Quia respexit humilitatem ancillae suae ecce enim ex hoc beatam me dicent omnes generationes
Quia fecit mihi magna qui potens est et sanctum nomen eius
Et misericordia eius in progenies timentibus eum
Fecit potentiam in brachio suo dispersit superbos mente cordis sui
Deposuit potentes de sede et exaltavit humiles
Esurientes implevit bonis et divitis dimitis inanes
Suscepit Israel puerum suum recordatus misericordiae suae
Sicut locutus est ad patres nostros Abraham et semini eius in saecula
Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto
Sicut erat in principio, in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in saecula saeculorum. Amen.
And we're done! It runs about 30 minutes and features some fabulous Bach harmonies. The piece is at least 278 years old, and now I've performed it twice. Though I haven't had the very real honour of performing the two soprano solos, it is such a priviledge to be part of the over quarter-millenium legacy surrounding the work. And it's a super way to celebrate Christmas!
Magnificat being one of the most anticipated and preparation-heavy aspects of the season this year, I feel like I'm over the hump! It's all easier from here on in.
Still have some gifts to make, most specifically the needle-roll (or whatever it's going to be, maybe a small project bag with little pockets for scissors and stitch markers and such) for SIL. I think tomorrow will be a project-y kind of day. I've spent the last few days reading - for some reason, I really wanted to re-read the Laura Ingalls Wilder books. I'm not sure why. But I've read through them so back to the knitting and sewing. Benefits of knitting over sewing: I get to sit on my comfy sofa, watch movies, and sniff my Christmas tree while I do it. I can't do any of those things while I sew on my machine.
Mmm, and maybe Christmas cookies should happen soon...pretty ones in fun shapes with icing and crystal-y sugar.
Saturday, December 09, 2006
Common
What is remarkable about the Christmas story - indeed, about the entire story of Christ - is how very unremarkable it is. The great commonness of the story, of the circumstances of His birth and upbringing and death, is what underscores and places in sharp relief the unfathomable wonder of His reality.
Born to poor, ordinary people, He was also born into a regal and priestly heritage. His father was a descendant of the great King David, and His mother cousined to a member of the priesthood, but neither of these attributes in any way signify that greatness and miraculous events will stem from their marriage. And they loved and raised a Saviour. They parented God.
He was homeless for much of His life. Born in a stable, sharing hay and warmth with livestock, His parents escaped with Him to Egypt to avoid the wrath and paranoia of King Herod. It was only after Herod's death that His family brought Him back to His homeland, the people whom He was born to save. As an adult, He wandered throughout His country, relying on the kindness and generosity of strangers and faithful for shelter. He was ostracized in Nazareth, where He and Mary and Joseph had made their home after the return from Egypt. He was neither kingly nor awesome. His life, His circumstances, were decidely human, decidedly common. And that is what is most beautiful about His story.
I have often pondered the Christ-question. So easy is it to wonder, "if God wanted so dearly for us to be saved, why suffer the birth and death of His Son - of His very self - to make it so? Could He not simply allow it to be? But in reading Old Testament scripture, one comes to understand that He wishes truly to save the people He so carefully and thoughfully created out of His deep love. Merely saving us from damnation is not enough. The making right, the making whole, of our souls is necessary. We need to be put into a state of grace, a somewhat state of understanding and oneness with God, which could only be achieved through sacrifice. How better can He demonstrate our great worth while also making clear to us our painfully broken nature?
So He came, and dwelt among us, and was one of us, was one with us, and One for us. And His sacrifice also became ours, and we were made to be right with God, no longer separated from, but together with Him, despite our brokenness, despite our sin. We are made able to ascend out of the mire of sin and heartache, and live in the Love of God. A love so perfect and everlasting as to become common. For He is common; He is in common with all People. The humanity of the story, the humanity of the Nativity, is what is so deeply compelling. We are driven to act.
What will you do?
Born to poor, ordinary people, He was also born into a regal and priestly heritage. His father was a descendant of the great King David, and His mother cousined to a member of the priesthood, but neither of these attributes in any way signify that greatness and miraculous events will stem from their marriage. And they loved and raised a Saviour. They parented God. He was homeless for much of His life. Born in a stable, sharing hay and warmth with livestock, His parents escaped with Him to Egypt to avoid the wrath and paranoia of King Herod. It was only after Herod's death that His family brought Him back to His homeland, the people whom He was born to save. As an adult, He wandered throughout His country, relying on the kindness and generosity of strangers and faithful for shelter. He was ostracized in Nazareth, where He and Mary and Joseph had made their home after the return from Egypt. He was neither kingly nor awesome. His life, His circumstances, were decidely human, decidedly common. And that is what is most beautiful about His story.
I have often pondered the Christ-question. So easy is it to wonder, "if God wanted so dearly for us to be saved, why suffer the birth and death of His Son - of His very self - to make it so? Could He not simply allow it to be? But in reading Old Testament scripture, one comes to understand that He wishes truly to save the people He so carefully and thoughfully created out of His deep love. Merely saving us from damnation is not enough. The making right, the making whole, of our souls is necessary. We need to be put into a state of grace, a somewhat state of understanding and oneness with God, which could only be achieved through sacrifice. How better can He demonstrate our great worth while also making clear to us our painfully broken nature?
So He came, and dwelt among us, and was one of us, was one with us, and One for us. And His sacrifice also became ours, and we were made to be right with God, no longer separated from, but together with Him, despite our brokenness, despite our sin. We are made able to ascend out of the mire of sin and heartache, and live in the Love of God. A love so perfect and everlasting as to become common. For He is common; He is in common with all People. The humanity of the story, the humanity of the Nativity, is what is so deeply compelling. We are driven to act.
What will you do?
Friday, December 08, 2006
I know, I missed another one...
I didn't post anything again yesterday. I'm having no luck, am I? But I was really busy. Here, look at what I did:
All by myself! I've said it before and I'll say it again: IKEA rocks. The Lions Club in Ottawa and IKEA teamed up and are selling balsam firs for $20 in the parking lot. AND, you get a voucher good for $20 at IKEA in the new year! So I didn't buy a tree, I bought another little glass end table, but right now it *looks* like a Christmas tree. Fabulous!
So I drove Hubs to work yesterday morning (half-hour drive) and then went directly to IKEA (a longish drive, but still worth it!) The people there are super: we crazies who were waiting in the snow for them to open were let inside ten minutes early and given coffee! And people were chatty and cheerful and it was lovely. Got my tree from a kind Lions Club gentleman and successfully shoved it into my trunk. Did I ever mention I'm a little shrimp of a person? I'm like 5'2". I bought a 6.5'+ tree! And it's a nice fat one! I'm sure I looked ridiculous battling with it. Whatever; I triumphed!
Then I got my copy of John Denver's Rocky Mountain Christmas, waiting at a cd shop. Yay! Hubs says "It's cheesey". I said "I don't care if you like it or not: you're going to have to listen to it every year". I put up with a lot of football. He can deal with some Denver!
Hauled the tree home. Stopped off at CTire, got a stand. Lugged the tree out of the trunk to the front steps. Sawed the end of the trunk. Rearranged the living room to make room for the tree, sweeping up entire warrens of dust bunnies, prompting serious allergic reactions that have only recently abated (yeah, I know, if I dusted more frequently, it wouldn't be a problem. I'm lazy). Put the tree in the stand. Got it in the living room - still not entirely sure how I did that without knocking over everything, including the piano - and snipped the twine holding it all folded up. Tree was crooked. Nearly knocked it over and/or broke the stand in the process of righting it. But - again - I triumphed. Boo-yah! And now I have a big, lit, but otherwise naked, tree in my living room, slowly smelling up the house to be all Christmas-y. Yum!
I'm planning to post again later today, since this is essentially yesterday's post. I think I'll put my scholarly cap on for that one. Dig out my brain and see if it still works!
To conclude, when I arrived home with my tree and my cd, I discovered that the dog had opened the bedroom door, and had proceeded to eat my knitting needles. AGAIN. So that is Wembley's Christmas tradition: eating bamboo needles weeks before Christmas while there is a gift ON the needles. She's lucky she's so damned cute. But you see how I end up writing up these posts:
Any wonder they take so long to complete? What a little nut!
All by myself! I've said it before and I'll say it again: IKEA rocks. The Lions Club in Ottawa and IKEA teamed up and are selling balsam firs for $20 in the parking lot. AND, you get a voucher good for $20 at IKEA in the new year! So I didn't buy a tree, I bought another little glass end table, but right now it *looks* like a Christmas tree. Fabulous!
So I drove Hubs to work yesterday morning (half-hour drive) and then went directly to IKEA (a longish drive, but still worth it!) The people there are super: we crazies who were waiting in the snow for them to open were let inside ten minutes early and given coffee! And people were chatty and cheerful and it was lovely. Got my tree from a kind Lions Club gentleman and successfully shoved it into my trunk. Did I ever mention I'm a little shrimp of a person? I'm like 5'2". I bought a 6.5'+ tree! And it's a nice fat one! I'm sure I looked ridiculous battling with it. Whatever; I triumphed!
Then I got my copy of John Denver's Rocky Mountain Christmas, waiting at a cd shop. Yay! Hubs says "It's cheesey". I said "I don't care if you like it or not: you're going to have to listen to it every year". I put up with a lot of football. He can deal with some Denver!
Hauled the tree home. Stopped off at CTire, got a stand. Lugged the tree out of the trunk to the front steps. Sawed the end of the trunk. Rearranged the living room to make room for the tree, sweeping up entire warrens of dust bunnies, prompting serious allergic reactions that have only recently abated (yeah, I know, if I dusted more frequently, it wouldn't be a problem. I'm lazy). Put the tree in the stand. Got it in the living room - still not entirely sure how I did that without knocking over everything, including the piano - and snipped the twine holding it all folded up. Tree was crooked. Nearly knocked it over and/or broke the stand in the process of righting it. But - again - I triumphed. Boo-yah! And now I have a big, lit, but otherwise naked, tree in my living room, slowly smelling up the house to be all Christmas-y. Yum!
I'm planning to post again later today, since this is essentially yesterday's post. I think I'll put my scholarly cap on for that one. Dig out my brain and see if it still works!
To conclude, when I arrived home with my tree and my cd, I discovered that the dog had opened the bedroom door, and had proceeded to eat my knitting needles. AGAIN. So that is Wembley's Christmas tradition: eating bamboo needles weeks before Christmas while there is a gift ON the needles. She's lucky she's so damned cute. But you see how I end up writing up these posts:
Any wonder they take so long to complete? What a little nut!
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Nights in blue satin...
Hee hee....
So glad that's done! After much screaming (my sewing machine went totally on the fritz, and it just about destroyed me) the dress has gone home. Finally!
My last minute trip to the fabric store proved profitable: some nice black georgette for $2.60 a metre! It's little black dress making time! Woohoo Christmas cocktail dress for $15!!
And within the next few days I should really get started on the needle roll for my SIL. Tomorrow is Tree Day, though, with the listening of much Christmas music (I get my copy of Rocky Mountain Christmas tomorrow!!). I need to complete the Christmas-ing of my house.
Have a snowy night,
D
So glad that's done! After much screaming (my sewing machine went totally on the fritz, and it just about destroyed me) the dress has gone home. Finally!
My last minute trip to the fabric store proved profitable: some nice black georgette for $2.60 a metre! It's little black dress making time! Woohoo Christmas cocktail dress for $15!!
And within the next few days I should really get started on the needle roll for my SIL. Tomorrow is Tree Day, though, with the listening of much Christmas music (I get my copy of Rocky Mountain Christmas tomorrow!!). I need to complete the Christmas-ing of my house.
Have a snowy night,
D
What?
You've never seen a dog in a hoodie before?
Totally meant to post yesterday. Let's just say: I hate satin. Gosh, I can't wait to sew up FOUR bridesmaid's dresses for my sister's wedding, all in satin. Really. Super.
I spent all day hand hemming that blasted dress. It's pretty. I hate satin. Then I discovered I'm 20 cm short on ribbon for the empire trim. So now I'm busing (oh, I also hate the bus) to the fabric store. I could have gotten it last night, before dancing, with the car, but I was still hemming. I hate satin.
Best wishes to all of you never having to deal with satin in any unpleasant way. Because I hate satin.
Monday, December 04, 2006
Christmas Get-to-know-you
NAME: Darlene
1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot chocolate. I’ve occasionally enjoyed eggnog, but it is a straaange drink
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Oh, he wraps ‘em!
3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? White lights on the house, and the tree outside, white lights on the Christmas tree, coloured lights hanging from….well, I haven’t decided yet. Maybe wrapped around the banister. But I always find they look very Bollywood, not Christmas-ey
4. Do you hang mistletoe? I’m a wreaths and garland gal
5. When do you put your decorations up? I would like to say we’re all deco’ed up over here, but not yet. I’m hoping to get it all done this week.
6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? Mum’s always made great turkey. I don’t even eat meat any more, but I’ll be cheating with a little piece Christmas day!
7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: Has to be either the annual tree party or Christmas Eve.
My aunt and uncle bought farm land outside of Ottawa about 15 years ago, and live in the old stone farmhouse (which they had to rebuild, it had no roof or floors). Previous land owners had planted firs and pines to cut for Christmas trees, so for years they had an annual party, and everyone would trudge out through acres and acres of snow to the lot and choose a tree. They pastured cattle on their land (a few were their own, and they rented the space to another farmer) so we’d have to walk past a herd of cattle, hanging out in the snow. It was always fun.
Christmas Eve we always went to church (still do) and on the way there, we’d listen to one of the local radio stations that did “reports” on Santa’s progress. They’d always get a “phone call” from on of the people at “NORAD” detailing when they had seen Santa’s sleigh, and which way he had been heading. Church was at 7:30, so this was like 6:30, 6:45, so Santa was always on his way to Russia, not to Canada yet. And the service at church was just lessons and carols, the same ones every year, with candles lit around the sanctuary, and every congregant would get a little candle and they would start lighting them during the last carol (Silent Night, always) and slowly turn off the lights…Wow, I’m all teary thinking about it. It was so beautiful.
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? Well, that whole NORAD thing kept me believing long after I had doubts. I mean, the people from NORAD wouldn’t make this stuff up!
Santa always had the same wrapping paper we had, and he wrote just like my mum. But it wasn’t until I saw the box from the dollhouse we had gotten for Christmas in my dad’s workshop that I knew (the house was set up in front of the tree, so it hadn’t been wrapped or in a box. That clinched it for me.
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Did when I was younger, living at home. Now, Hubs and I are pretty broke (yes, I know, despite my hankering for shoes) so we’ll save whatever we’re giving each other until the morning. Someday, though!
10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? Some glass balls and icicle drop things, and random things I’ve inherited from my mum/Hubs’ family.
11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Looooooove it!!! Hello, I got married in February to have pictures taken in the snow!
12. Can you ice skate? Dad taught me to skate on little bobskates when I was about 2 or 3, and on real skates the next year. I skate better than Hubs (he would contest that).
13. Do you remember your favorite gift? Bunny. My first Christmas, I was 6 months old. Parents (I think) gave me Bunny. He had a small round blanket body, and a little velour head that you could use as a puppet. I still have him, and when I can’t get to sleep (which is most of the time) I hold him in my hand and I drift right off. The blanket body is gone – dissolved, I guess – as are patches of his head. He’s more hold than not-hole. And I love him!
14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Honestly, church. I’m very churchy. Plus, so much beautiful music at church at this time of year. Do I have to mention Magnificat again?!
15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? I like homemade – not super-deluxe expensive special bakery – cookies. And pie. Mmmm…pie…
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Big Christmas dinner! Lots and lots of family!! And the annual no-longer-tree-just-lots-of-guitars-and-fiddles-and-me-dancing-on-a-board kitchen party at my aunt and uncle’s farm. Oh, did I not mention mum’s family is from Cape Breton? Yeah, that clarifies things, a bit, now doesn’t it?
17. What tops your tree? A star. Wise men followed a star and brought gifts, shepherds talked to some angels and got scared half to death. I like the logic of it. Star. Ours is a glittery wire thing I thread lights through. Maybe this year I’ll bead it.
18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? I love giving when I feel confident it’s the right gift. And I love receiving something that has obviously been thought about, even if it’s like a $2 nothing little thing in my stocking. I like seeing the intention behind gifts. Warm fuzzies!
19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? Aspenglow, John Denver. Hands-freaking-down. LOVE IT. And the rest of Rocky Mountain Christmas: Christmas for Cowboys and Please, Daddy, being my second and third favourites.
20. Candy Canes... In white chocolate bark form, yes please. Laura Secord carries it, or you can just go to Bulk Barn, buy a bag of white chocolate, smash some candy canes, and BARK’s your uncle!
1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot chocolate. I’ve occasionally enjoyed eggnog, but it is a straaange drink
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Oh, he wraps ‘em!
3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? White lights on the house, and the tree outside, white lights on the Christmas tree, coloured lights hanging from….well, I haven’t decided yet. Maybe wrapped around the banister. But I always find they look very Bollywood, not Christmas-ey
4. Do you hang mistletoe? I’m a wreaths and garland gal
5. When do you put your decorations up? I would like to say we’re all deco’ed up over here, but not yet. I’m hoping to get it all done this week.
6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? Mum’s always made great turkey. I don’t even eat meat any more, but I’ll be cheating with a little piece Christmas day!
7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: Has to be either the annual tree party or Christmas Eve.
My aunt and uncle bought farm land outside of Ottawa about 15 years ago, and live in the old stone farmhouse (which they had to rebuild, it had no roof or floors). Previous land owners had planted firs and pines to cut for Christmas trees, so for years they had an annual party, and everyone would trudge out through acres and acres of snow to the lot and choose a tree. They pastured cattle on their land (a few were their own, and they rented the space to another farmer) so we’d have to walk past a herd of cattle, hanging out in the snow. It was always fun.
Christmas Eve we always went to church (still do) and on the way there, we’d listen to one of the local radio stations that did “reports” on Santa’s progress. They’d always get a “phone call” from on of the people at “NORAD” detailing when they had seen Santa’s sleigh, and which way he had been heading. Church was at 7:30, so this was like 6:30, 6:45, so Santa was always on his way to Russia, not to Canada yet. And the service at church was just lessons and carols, the same ones every year, with candles lit around the sanctuary, and every congregant would get a little candle and they would start lighting them during the last carol (Silent Night, always) and slowly turn off the lights…Wow, I’m all teary thinking about it. It was so beautiful.
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? Well, that whole NORAD thing kept me believing long after I had doubts. I mean, the people from NORAD wouldn’t make this stuff up!
Santa always had the same wrapping paper we had, and he wrote just like my mum. But it wasn’t until I saw the box from the dollhouse we had gotten for Christmas in my dad’s workshop that I knew (the house was set up in front of the tree, so it hadn’t been wrapped or in a box. That clinched it for me.
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Did when I was younger, living at home. Now, Hubs and I are pretty broke (yes, I know, despite my hankering for shoes) so we’ll save whatever we’re giving each other until the morning. Someday, though!
10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? Some glass balls and icicle drop things, and random things I’ve inherited from my mum/Hubs’ family.
11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Looooooove it!!! Hello, I got married in February to have pictures taken in the snow!
12. Can you ice skate? Dad taught me to skate on little bobskates when I was about 2 or 3, and on real skates the next year. I skate better than Hubs (he would contest that).
13. Do you remember your favorite gift? Bunny. My first Christmas, I was 6 months old. Parents (I think) gave me Bunny. He had a small round blanket body, and a little velour head that you could use as a puppet. I still have him, and when I can’t get to sleep (which is most of the time) I hold him in my hand and I drift right off. The blanket body is gone – dissolved, I guess – as are patches of his head. He’s more hold than not-hole. And I love him!
14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Honestly, church. I’m very churchy. Plus, so much beautiful music at church at this time of year. Do I have to mention Magnificat again?!
15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? I like homemade – not super-deluxe expensive special bakery – cookies. And pie. Mmmm…pie…
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Big Christmas dinner! Lots and lots of family!! And the annual no-longer-tree-just-lots-of-guitars-and-fiddles-and-me-dancing-on-a-board kitchen party at my aunt and uncle’s farm. Oh, did I not mention mum’s family is from Cape Breton? Yeah, that clarifies things, a bit, now doesn’t it?
17. What tops your tree? A star. Wise men followed a star and brought gifts, shepherds talked to some angels and got scared half to death. I like the logic of it. Star. Ours is a glittery wire thing I thread lights through. Maybe this year I’ll bead it.
18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? I love giving when I feel confident it’s the right gift. And I love receiving something that has obviously been thought about, even if it’s like a $2 nothing little thing in my stocking. I like seeing the intention behind gifts. Warm fuzzies!
19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? Aspenglow, John Denver. Hands-freaking-down. LOVE IT. And the rest of Rocky Mountain Christmas: Christmas for Cowboys and Please, Daddy, being my second and third favourites.
20. Candy Canes... In white chocolate bark form, yes please. Laura Secord carries it, or you can just go to Bulk Barn, buy a bag of white chocolate, smash some candy canes, and BARK’s your uncle!
Sunday, December 03, 2006
In which the author decides how best to blow her new earnings...
Every Monday evening, I teach a group of teenaged girls how to highland dance. And it's a good time, to be sure. One of my students, L, has been step dancing (that's the one with the noisy shoes and the fiddle music) for years, so I've known her for a while. And she asked me to make her Christmas formal dress. As promised, here it is:
It's very shiny! I wasn't able to get a good shot of the whole length of it, but it will be about knee-length. We were going for a look inspired by Marilyn Monroe's infamous white chiffon from The Seven Year Itch. The shape of the bodice is about the same, but we've used gathers at the bust, and at the waist, instead of pleats. The fabric is a pale blue crepe-backed-satin, with a pink satin ribbon tie for the halter at the neck. The pink ribbon will also be around the empire seam of the bodice (after we've fitted the dress at noon tomorrow).
It's been strange making a dress for someone else. I'm a big chicken; I like to fit and refit throughout the construction process, so I've felt a little like I'm working without a net, sewing my first entire dress using only measurements (but I took measurements all over her! just to be safe). It's also felt strange to make a dress that isn't something I would naturally choose to make. Don't get me wrong, it's a sweet dress, and should look lovely on her (if it fits...oh pleeeease let it fit!!! I'm soooo nervous!!!); it's just that I've outgrown my love of crepe-backed-satin dresses. I pulled out my prom dress from 1998: yeah, it's like exactly the same fabric for it's skirt. Eight years later, I'm a bigger fan of wool crepe, dupioni silk, and silk chiffon. Tastes change, huh?
Any-whoo, my oldest friend (chronological age of the friendship, that is) will be married on December 30, and I am singing during the ceremony. It's a lovely honour, to sing at someone's service, and especially lovely because she and I have been friends for about 20 years now (holy moly, where the hey-o did the time get to?). And I have a - if I do say so myself, and I do! - FABULOUS dress! It's red, a beautiful, cool, candy apple red, dupioni silk, strapless, side-pleated, column. It looks just about exactly like this:
Ooh, golly, I love that dress!! But I need better shoes to go with it. And here I need some second opinions, because, frankly, I suck at making decisions for myself. I'm a goober that way. Here are our options (and they are all within $10 of each other, so price isn't a factor in deciding):
In that pic, the left one is bronze leather, and the right one is black satin, or theeeese:
That pair is a rip-off of some Louis Vuitton shoes, and they are brown satin with a cream contrasting ribbon.
So what do I get? I'm absolutely in loooove with the brown ones, but I honestly don't think they'll work with the red dress. Boo. But maybe with the black crepe I'm wearing to the rehearsal, and you know, with everything else I can find!!! They're sooo lovely. But for the red: metallic leather, or black satin? I might be able to wear the black satin again at my sister's wedding this coming July (but they're stilettos, and she's being married outside, in a park, with the reception at my aunt and uncle's farm, outside...) so maybe I should get the leather, because it'll be a little more interesting....
You see now why it takes me so damned long to shop for anything! I'm hopeless...
Oh, yeah, and I still knit, too. I'm working on my very first attempt at fair isle: a big circle to felt into a potholder for...dunno, someone, maybe FIL's lady-friend, for Christmas (deets tomorrow!). Because now that I'm making a teeny bit of money sewing, I'm back to wanting shoes. Shoooooes!!
It's very shiny! I wasn't able to get a good shot of the whole length of it, but it will be about knee-length. We were going for a look inspired by Marilyn Monroe's infamous white chiffon from The Seven Year Itch. The shape of the bodice is about the same, but we've used gathers at the bust, and at the waist, instead of pleats. The fabric is a pale blue crepe-backed-satin, with a pink satin ribbon tie for the halter at the neck. The pink ribbon will also be around the empire seam of the bodice (after we've fitted the dress at noon tomorrow).
It's been strange making a dress for someone else. I'm a big chicken; I like to fit and refit throughout the construction process, so I've felt a little like I'm working without a net, sewing my first entire dress using only measurements (but I took measurements all over her! just to be safe). It's also felt strange to make a dress that isn't something I would naturally choose to make. Don't get me wrong, it's a sweet dress, and should look lovely on her (if it fits...oh pleeeease let it fit!!! I'm soooo nervous!!!); it's just that I've outgrown my love of crepe-backed-satin dresses. I pulled out my prom dress from 1998: yeah, it's like exactly the same fabric for it's skirt. Eight years later, I'm a bigger fan of wool crepe, dupioni silk, and silk chiffon. Tastes change, huh?
Any-whoo, my oldest friend (chronological age of the friendship, that is) will be married on December 30, and I am singing during the ceremony. It's a lovely honour, to sing at someone's service, and especially lovely because she and I have been friends for about 20 years now (holy moly, where the hey-o did the time get to?). And I have a - if I do say so myself, and I do! - FABULOUS dress! It's red, a beautiful, cool, candy apple red, dupioni silk, strapless, side-pleated, column. It looks just about exactly like this:
Ooh, golly, I love that dress!! But I need better shoes to go with it. And here I need some second opinions, because, frankly, I suck at making decisions for myself. I'm a goober that way. Here are our options (and they are all within $10 of each other, so price isn't a factor in deciding):
In that pic, the left one is bronze leather, and the right one is black satin, or theeeese: That pair is a rip-off of some Louis Vuitton shoes, and they are brown satin with a cream contrasting ribbon. So what do I get? I'm absolutely in loooove with the brown ones, but I honestly don't think they'll work with the red dress. Boo. But maybe with the black crepe I'm wearing to the rehearsal, and you know, with everything else I can find!!! They're sooo lovely. But for the red: metallic leather, or black satin? I might be able to wear the black satin again at my sister's wedding this coming July (but they're stilettos, and she's being married outside, in a park, with the reception at my aunt and uncle's farm, outside...) so maybe I should get the leather, because it'll be a little more interesting....
You see now why it takes me so damned long to shop for anything! I'm hopeless...
Oh, yeah, and I still knit, too. I'm working on my very first attempt at fair isle: a big circle to felt into a potholder for...dunno, someone, maybe FIL's lady-friend, for Christmas (deets tomorrow!). Because now that I'm making a teeny bit of money sewing, I'm back to wanting shoes. Shoooooes!!
Saturday, December 02, 2006
Old friends
Ok, I just found - finally - my very dear friend Jen's blog. She's brill; give it a check.
And she has Go Fug Yourself and The Superficial linked on her blog as daily reads. I feel sooo much less like a hollow, brainless idjit now!! ('cause, you know, I love that trashy celeb crap!! I hate to admit it, but I'm coming out!! It's true!)
And she has some not-so-flattering insights into Ignatieff. And I generally agree with her personal opinion of people (she having met the candidates on the Hill during her time as a page and a tour guide, I imagine), so I'm allowing myself to be a little more wary. Who wants a slimy party leader? Ooh, not me.
Oh! Justin Trudeau sounded like he just said he'll enter politics "when [he's] ready". Innnnteresting....
I really just want the damned results to come in so I can leave this friggin' living room. I have stuff to do, for pete's sake!
And she has Go Fug Yourself and The Superficial linked on her blog as daily reads. I feel sooo much less like a hollow, brainless idjit now!! ('cause, you know, I love that trashy celeb crap!! I hate to admit it, but I'm coming out!! It's true!)
And she has some not-so-flattering insights into Ignatieff. And I generally agree with her personal opinion of people (she having met the candidates on the Hill during her time as a page and a tour guide, I imagine), so I'm allowing myself to be a little more wary. Who wants a slimy party leader? Ooh, not me.
Oh! Justin Trudeau sounded like he just said he'll enter politics "when [he's] ready". Innnnteresting....
I really just want the damned results to come in so I can leave this friggin' living room. I have stuff to do, for pete's sake!
NaNoBloPo
We Knittyboarders have received a challenge from SarahJanet of Monkey Pants and Hippo Dignity to post daily for the month of December. And I'm going to try. I don't think they'll all be interesting, but I'll do my best.
Tomorrow, I'll blog my very first completed/nearly completed 'seamstress for hire' garment. A very enjoyable way to earn a couple of bucks! But until then, one of the funniest things - and most disturbing - I have personally witnessed.
A month ago, Hubs and I stopped by the nearby strip-mall coming home (from...somewhere, don't remember) to pick up some lightbulbs and some beer. Hubs went to the beer store for some Old Speckled Hen (nice, English, named after a car) and I went to the drugstore for bulbs, because most of our rooms were pretty dark. I'm standing in line at the cash, and these two highschool aged girls are behind me. And this is what I heard:
Airhead #1: Do you wanna get a 'Thins'? (*the thin Cadbury chocolate bar, marketed for their limited calories*)
Airhead #2: No! There's like a hundred calories in it!
Airhead #1: So?
Airhead #2: That's, like, a lot
Airhead #1: Oh. There's, like, 80 calories in an apple
Airhead #2: I know
Airhead #1: Did you know that there are, like, 1 to 5 calories in a gum?
Airhead #2: Ohmigod!! *!!* (audible shock, I think she stopped smacking her gum)
Airhead #1: I know!! Isn't that, like, the most terrifying thing you've ever heard?
Airhead #2: I chew, like, a hundred gums a week!
Airhead #1: I know!
War, famine, AIDS, political oppression...nothing compared to the calorie content of GUM. Read the whole thing in the worst dumbass, 'valley girl'esque, teenaged voice you can to appreciate it fully. And please note: it's not pieces of gum, it's A gum. Fabulous.
In other news, I've spent the day in my pj's, watching cpac (the Canadian all-parliamentary channel, like C-span) for coverage of the Liberal Party Leadership Convention. I'm not sure how I'll vote next federal election (I think I voted Independant last time around; I was just so unimpressed by everyone else) but I'm enjoying watching the coverage having little personal opinion. It's easier to appreciate it when one is unbiased. But the more I learn about Ignatieff, the more I like him; I'm a neo-Platonist at heart, and the possibility of a 'Philosopher King' of a leader appeals to me. And he's the decendant of Russian nobility (grandfather was Count Paul Ignatieff, Minister of Education to Tsar Nicholas II) so, you know, that's kind of interesting, from a trivia perspective.
Good luck, Mr. Ignatieff and M. Dion.
Check you later, all!
Tomorrow, I'll blog my very first completed/nearly completed 'seamstress for hire' garment. A very enjoyable way to earn a couple of bucks! But until then, one of the funniest things - and most disturbing - I have personally witnessed.
A month ago, Hubs and I stopped by the nearby strip-mall coming home (from...somewhere, don't remember) to pick up some lightbulbs and some beer. Hubs went to the beer store for some Old Speckled Hen (nice, English, named after a car) and I went to the drugstore for bulbs, because most of our rooms were pretty dark. I'm standing in line at the cash, and these two highschool aged girls are behind me. And this is what I heard:
Airhead #1: Do you wanna get a 'Thins'? (*the thin Cadbury chocolate bar, marketed for their limited calories*)
Airhead #2: No! There's like a hundred calories in it!
Airhead #1: So?
Airhead #2: That's, like, a lot
Airhead #1: Oh. There's, like, 80 calories in an apple
Airhead #2: I know
Airhead #1: Did you know that there are, like, 1 to 5 calories in a gum?
Airhead #2: Ohmigod!! *!!* (audible shock, I think she stopped smacking her gum)
Airhead #1: I know!! Isn't that, like, the most terrifying thing you've ever heard?
Airhead #2: I chew, like, a hundred gums a week!
Airhead #1: I know!
War, famine, AIDS, political oppression...nothing compared to the calorie content of GUM. Read the whole thing in the worst dumbass, 'valley girl'esque, teenaged voice you can to appreciate it fully. And please note: it's not pieces of gum, it's A gum. Fabulous.
In other news, I've spent the day in my pj's, watching cpac (the Canadian all-parliamentary channel, like C-span) for coverage of the Liberal Party Leadership Convention. I'm not sure how I'll vote next federal election (I think I voted Independant last time around; I was just so unimpressed by everyone else) but I'm enjoying watching the coverage having little personal opinion. It's easier to appreciate it when one is unbiased. But the more I learn about Ignatieff, the more I like him; I'm a neo-Platonist at heart, and the possibility of a 'Philosopher King' of a leader appeals to me. And he's the decendant of Russian nobility (grandfather was Count Paul Ignatieff, Minister of Education to Tsar Nicholas II) so, you know, that's kind of interesting, from a trivia perspective.
Good luck, Mr. Ignatieff and M. Dion.
Check you later, all!
Friday, December 01, 2006
Scarves, snow, and swaddled puppies
This morning, I woke up to some lovely snow on the ground! It seems lovely and fitting that I finished the scarf for my mum for Christmas.
Back in October, when I made up my list, I planned to make her some sort of lace wrap. That turned into a lace scarf. But I fell in love with SWS in the "Earth" colourway. So the lace scarf became a "lacey" scarf. And I am very happy with it.
I used the Dream Swatch pattern from The Garter Belt, knit on 7mm needles. It turned out very nicely. Four balls of yarn, with a good bit left over from stripe matching. A nice, moderately long, lacey scarf. Blocked the heck out of it, and it drapes into a slight ripple due to the crossed stitches. She's going to love it!
Next up: things to felt and fingerless gloves. Knitting felted potholders is going to be great (ok, boring, maybe) and easy to do when I'm distracted or half asleep. Nice...
Wembley got into the spirit of the snowy season and had a bath and a nice swaddled snuggle with me yesterday afternoon. I like a clean puppy. Now she smells like flowers! Rather than stinky puppy feet.
Awww...
I have comments from Bezzie and Turtlegirl! Awwww, shucks.
The FO is still blocking; I got a late start on it, and as I started, I decided to block it within an inch of its life, as if it were lace (it's not, but it is a little "lacey") so it was still damp before I took off for choir (ohmigosh! only one more week 'til Magnificat!! Wanna come?) so I haven't a pic yet. Tomorrow, nice and early, with whatever natural light I can get, I'll get you as good a photo as I can manage with *ahem* a camera phone.
Promise. :)
G'night!
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Toooo long...
Not sure why, but I've been very unmotivated to post. Maybe it's because I'm fairly certain that virtually no one reads my blog; feels a bit like talking to myself, and I don't feel the need to post the crazy conversations I have with myself! Still, not posting is guarranteed to lose me any readers I do have...vicious circle, really.
Anyway, I'm not complaining, just explaining my absence. I've another FO to post, but it's needing to be blocked and photoed. One more tick on the list of Christmas knitting. I'm hoping to post by this evening, so I'll give you details then. Needless to say, I'm very pleased the result!
Also, I've added quite a few blogs to the right. They are all great, and worth reading. The fabulously funny Neglecting My Kids, and absolutely STUNNING knitting of See Eunny Knit, the hilarious Yorkie....take a looksee and enjoy!
The past few days I've had company at home; hubs was home with what appears to have been a fun case of rotavirus, acquired - it would seem - from our dear nephew, T-bear. T had something funny with his tummy on Sunday at church, hubs held him for awhile, then passed him on to Grampy (my FIL) as we went to leave. Found out yesterday afternoon that Grampy, the WebMaster (my BIL, T's pops) had all come down with symptoms similar to hubs'. So I'm quite glad that lilAuntie didn't feel the need to hold or even really touch T-bear. I love you, little man, but I'm all too happy to skip the entiritis, thanks.
Take care, all, and remember to keep your fluids and electolytes up!
Anyway, I'm not complaining, just explaining my absence. I've another FO to post, but it's needing to be blocked and photoed. One more tick on the list of Christmas knitting. I'm hoping to post by this evening, so I'll give you details then. Needless to say, I'm very pleased the result!
Also, I've added quite a few blogs to the right. They are all great, and worth reading. The fabulously funny Neglecting My Kids, and absolutely STUNNING knitting of See Eunny Knit, the hilarious Yorkie....take a looksee and enjoy!
The past few days I've had company at home; hubs was home with what appears to have been a fun case of rotavirus, acquired - it would seem - from our dear nephew, T-bear. T had something funny with his tummy on Sunday at church, hubs held him for awhile, then passed him on to Grampy (my FIL) as we went to leave. Found out yesterday afternoon that Grampy, the WebMaster (my BIL, T's pops) had all come down with symptoms similar to hubs'. So I'm quite glad that lilAuntie didn't feel the need to hold or even really touch T-bear. I love you, little man, but I'm all too happy to skip the entiritis, thanks.
Take care, all, and remember to keep your fluids and electolytes up!
Saturday, November 11, 2006
A bunch-a stuff
Some things that make me happy:
1. Watching my puppy watch tv. Movies, shows (especially Buffy) and football, she likes to watch with me, and it just cracks me up every time.
2. Onions. They're yummy. I like them.
3. A good rain. It's been crappy raining here for days. I don't want grey and wet, I want rain I can here thrumming against windows, not just dripping from eaves. I like a good rain, preferably with a little electrical action in there, just for kicks.
4. Having finally found my beading pliers, I am happy playing with beads again. It's been too long.
5. My sleeping puppy. With her eyes all closed and peaceful, and her feet all twitchy because she's dreaming some crazy, active dream.
6. My puppy sleeping with me. I've trained her - unintentially - to serve as both a toddler and a teddy bear. She likes to sleep right up against me, under my arm when I'm sleeping on my side. She's my little bear.
7. A perfect pointe. When I'm dancing and I can feel my foot just perfectly pointed in 3rd rear aerial, or while I'm shedding or backstepping, and especially in rocks...makes me happy.
8. When my puppy plays be herself. She throws her ball for herself, then she watches it, and chases it across the room. Precious.
9. When she tries to play with the dog in the piano. We don't have a dog stuffed in our piano, it's highly polished and she can see herself reflected. Poor thing doesn't understand why that mean ol' dog won't play along.
10. Singing. Almost anything, almost anytime.
11. When hubs cleans the kitchen, or anything, for that matter. It's nice.
12. My nephew. He's a cool little dude, and at 7 months, finds most things amusing. The walls of my living room, very funny. His cat, hilarious. My fingers, another good joke. He's a blast.
13. A newly repainted room. I also don't mind the process, unless it takes a third coat. By then I'm ready for the job to be done, and I've started getting tetchy about doing it.
14. My baguettes (that is NOT some icky euphemism). Hubs and I like the French bread I bake better than the baguettes from the bakery. Go me!
15. Silk. I love sewing with silk. I'd sew exclusively with silk if I could. Dupioni's such a breeze. Gorgeous.
16. New yarn. Starting a new ball of a yarn I've never used for a new project. Except when the centre-pull starts kicking my ass. That makes me angry. Hubs can attest to the rage.
17. Teaching people something when they want to learn. Trying to teach people something when they can't be bothered trying to learn, however, is in the Top Ten of list of Things that Enrage Me. Hear that Leah, Chelsea? Yeah, that means you!
18. Christmas decorations. The importance of Christmas is church, but decorating my home, lights and garlands and a tree everywhere: that keeps the party going from Sunday to Sunday. It is a birthday!
Might as well make this an even 20...
19. Snow. It's pretty. And it lets me wear sweaters every day.
20. A good silly laugh with hubs. We are ridiculous people, very silly, often childish. But it's fun, and we're happy that way, so there. I'm not ready to be boring (ok, I'm kind of boring, but this is the absolute limit of my boringness; I am going NO further into boring).
1. Watching my puppy watch tv. Movies, shows (especially Buffy) and football, she likes to watch with me, and it just cracks me up every time.
2. Onions. They're yummy. I like them.
3. A good rain. It's been crappy raining here for days. I don't want grey and wet, I want rain I can here thrumming against windows, not just dripping from eaves. I like a good rain, preferably with a little electrical action in there, just for kicks.
4. Having finally found my beading pliers, I am happy playing with beads again. It's been too long.
5. My sleeping puppy. With her eyes all closed and peaceful, and her feet all twitchy because she's dreaming some crazy, active dream.
6. My puppy sleeping with me. I've trained her - unintentially - to serve as both a toddler and a teddy bear. She likes to sleep right up against me, under my arm when I'm sleeping on my side. She's my little bear.
7. A perfect pointe. When I'm dancing and I can feel my foot just perfectly pointed in 3rd rear aerial, or while I'm shedding or backstepping, and especially in rocks...makes me happy.
8. When my puppy plays be herself. She throws her ball for herself, then she watches it, and chases it across the room. Precious.
9. When she tries to play with the dog in the piano. We don't have a dog stuffed in our piano, it's highly polished and she can see herself reflected. Poor thing doesn't understand why that mean ol' dog won't play along.
10. Singing. Almost anything, almost anytime.
11. When hubs cleans the kitchen, or anything, for that matter. It's nice.
12. My nephew. He's a cool little dude, and at 7 months, finds most things amusing. The walls of my living room, very funny. His cat, hilarious. My fingers, another good joke. He's a blast.
13. A newly repainted room. I also don't mind the process, unless it takes a third coat. By then I'm ready for the job to be done, and I've started getting tetchy about doing it.
14. My baguettes (that is NOT some icky euphemism). Hubs and I like the French bread I bake better than the baguettes from the bakery. Go me!
15. Silk. I love sewing with silk. I'd sew exclusively with silk if I could. Dupioni's such a breeze. Gorgeous.
16. New yarn. Starting a new ball of a yarn I've never used for a new project. Except when the centre-pull starts kicking my ass. That makes me angry. Hubs can attest to the rage.
17. Teaching people something when they want to learn. Trying to teach people something when they can't be bothered trying to learn, however, is in the Top Ten of list of Things that Enrage Me. Hear that Leah, Chelsea? Yeah, that means you!
18. Christmas decorations. The importance of Christmas is church, but decorating my home, lights and garlands and a tree everywhere: that keeps the party going from Sunday to Sunday. It is a birthday!
Might as well make this an even 20...
19. Snow. It's pretty. And it lets me wear sweaters every day.
20. A good silly laugh with hubs. We are ridiculous people, very silly, often childish. But it's fun, and we're happy that way, so there. I'm not ready to be boring (ok, I'm kind of boring, but this is the absolute limit of my boringness; I am going NO further into boring).
Fun with wires!
I'm not sure why my camera is doing it, but it's taking crappy pictures and pixelating everything. Oh, right, I use my mobile for pics. Maybe some day I'll get a nice digital SLR. And maybe someday I'll wake up a perfect size 2 without ever trying. Ha.
So I do apologise for the image quality. But I promised pics, no matter how bad.
Ok, the felted purse. Here are the tiny flowers on the front of the purse. They sort of wind up the body of the bag and onto the flap. I think it's pretty:
And a section of the funkier embroidery on the strap:
And look what I found!
So I've been playing with wire! I made these:
Fancy beaded stitch markers! Some for the SIL, and some will go to my sp (hee hee, they aren't pictured, in case you're reading this; you won't know if it was me!) I'll pick up some jump rings, and get started on some pretty beaded pattern row markers a la Turtlegirl. Thanks for the specs, Cristi!
I have other things I've thought of to post, silly puppy observations, mostly, and comments on the heinous nature of suburbia. But I need to end this habit of the middle of the night posts. I'm beat.
So I do apologise for the image quality. But I promised pics, no matter how bad.
Ok, the felted purse. Here are the tiny flowers on the front of the purse. They sort of wind up the body of the bag and onto the flap. I think it's pretty:
And a section of the funkier embroidery on the strap:
And look what I found!
So I've been playing with wire! I made these:
Fancy beaded stitch markers! Some for the SIL, and some will go to my sp (hee hee, they aren't pictured, in case you're reading this; you won't know if it was me!) I'll pick up some jump rings, and get started on some pretty beaded pattern row markers a la Turtlegirl. Thanks for the specs, Cristi!
I have other things I've thought of to post, silly puppy observations, mostly, and comments on the heinous nature of suburbia. But I need to end this habit of the middle of the night posts. I'm beat.
Friday, November 10, 2006
In the time between posts...
I've played with my washing machine, and totally completed one Christmas gift. A few posts ago I listed all the holiday knitting I have planned. It seemed like a very long list. Now, I think it's not too long, but I may still revise it. Why? Because I want to felt EVERYTHING.
I finished the purse for sis (Patons Classic in Dark grey) complete with very long i-cord strap. (You ever knitted several feet of 10 st i-cord? It is NO FUN.) It was ready to be felted.
I also had this pair of mittens that were Christmas-gifted to me by a good friend several years ago. The were handknit in Nepal of wool and bits of sari-silk (lovely bright coloured silk with a purpley-blue yarn). They have never fit properly. I have very small hands (child-sized, almost) and one-size-fits-all mittens are always just too big. The gauge was pretty loose, too, and let the wind in, so I thought, "Hey, why not felt them, too?!" I was actually pretty disappointed that I hadn't thought of it earlier.
Sooo, the purse and the mittens went into the woolite wash bag, and into a very hot wash with two pairs of jeans I don't care about too much. After squidging around in there for about 15-20 minutes, I had a fabulously felted purse, and two muuuch smaller mittens. They looked too small. Oh. Dear.
(Further backstory: this is the second pair of these mittens this friend has given me. I managed to lose one of the first pair, and when she asked if I liked wearing them, I explained the mitten tragedy, and the following Christmas - pair number two! So shrinking the second pair beyond wearing them would be very unfortunate.)
But I'd forgotten that my hands are silly and tiny, and the mittens are a brilliant fit. Perfect. I put a plastic cup in the cuff of each mitten to make sure I could still get my hands in, and a day later, dry, felted mitts.
The purse, though, is unbelievable. It's super. I embroidered little flowers onto the body of the bag, and swirls, spirals, squiggles, moons, and more little flowers, along the length of the strap, using the peacock blue wool I used for the edgeing on that cardigan I knit last month.
It. Is. Beautiful.
So what can I felt next? I'm thinking potholders, maybe in fun shapes (like letters to spell out 'FOOD') or a little pocket book (I've been meaning to get a cool one).
I've just gotten myself a cool new obsession!
Ooh, and pics to follow tomorrow!
I finished the purse for sis (Patons Classic in Dark grey) complete with very long i-cord strap. (You ever knitted several feet of 10 st i-cord? It is NO FUN.) It was ready to be felted.
I also had this pair of mittens that were Christmas-gifted to me by a good friend several years ago. The were handknit in Nepal of wool and bits of sari-silk (lovely bright coloured silk with a purpley-blue yarn). They have never fit properly. I have very small hands (child-sized, almost) and one-size-fits-all mittens are always just too big. The gauge was pretty loose, too, and let the wind in, so I thought, "Hey, why not felt them, too?!" I was actually pretty disappointed that I hadn't thought of it earlier.
Sooo, the purse and the mittens went into the woolite wash bag, and into a very hot wash with two pairs of jeans I don't care about too much. After squidging around in there for about 15-20 minutes, I had a fabulously felted purse, and two muuuch smaller mittens. They looked too small. Oh. Dear.
(Further backstory: this is the second pair of these mittens this friend has given me. I managed to lose one of the first pair, and when she asked if I liked wearing them, I explained the mitten tragedy, and the following Christmas - pair number two! So shrinking the second pair beyond wearing them would be very unfortunate.)
But I'd forgotten that my hands are silly and tiny, and the mittens are a brilliant fit. Perfect. I put a plastic cup in the cuff of each mitten to make sure I could still get my hands in, and a day later, dry, felted mitts.
The purse, though, is unbelievable. It's super. I embroidered little flowers onto the body of the bag, and swirls, spirals, squiggles, moons, and more little flowers, along the length of the strap, using the peacock blue wool I used for the edgeing on that cardigan I knit last month.
It. Is. Beautiful.
So what can I felt next? I'm thinking potholders, maybe in fun shapes (like letters to spell out 'FOOD') or a little pocket book (I've been meaning to get a cool one).
I've just gotten myself a cool new obsession!
Ooh, and pics to follow tomorrow!
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Let it snow, let it snow, let it...oh, it stopped already
Those streaky white things in those two pics are snowflakes. Yay! In time for the beginning of the 2006 Winter Cheer/Spring Is Here SP (we'll be leaning towards the Winter Cheer theme up here!).
I've frogged the hat completely, and started again, but I'm feeling quite discouraged. I think I may need a break from the thing, and spend some time on something for which I have a pattern, to save myself the stress (is there anything more irritating than thinking that all the work you're putting into a project will amount to diddly?).
If I could only find my jewellery pliers (nice slender round-tipped jobbies) I could get started on some stitch markers. Bah again, to post-moving chaos.
But, oooh, pretty snow!
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Boo!
Here's to Hallowe'en, and the official beginning of the Retail Christmas Season! (*sarcasm*)
Guess who didn't get off her ass early enough to get a pumpkin? Yeeeah...
But I figure a squash is a squash, and the first jack-o-lanterns were carved out of turnips, so why not? Lucky the Basics market had a ginormous box of Acorn Squash for 50 cents a piece. So I got three...
These suckers were surprisingly hard to carve! They're as thick as pumpkins, but much smaller, so carving through them was tricky. But they looked cute, I think, in a spooky way.
And Wembley got into the Hallowe'en spirit. She got her ballet on, as you can see...
Off to teach some kids to make noise with their feet. I'm out.
Guess who didn't get off her ass early enough to get a pumpkin? Yeeeah...
But I figure a squash is a squash, and the first jack-o-lanterns were carved out of turnips, so why not? Lucky the Basics market had a ginormous box of Acorn Squash for 50 cents a piece. So I got three...
These suckers were surprisingly hard to carve! They're as thick as pumpkins, but much smaller, so carving through them was tricky. But they looked cute, I think, in a spooky way.
And Wembley got into the Hallowe'en spirit. She got her ballet on, as you can see...
Off to teach some kids to make noise with their feet. I'm out.
Monday, October 30, 2006
Gah!
Swatches, always knit swatches, everyone says. And I DON'T, because I am, you see, very dumb. I knit a swatch for my sweater because fit was so essential. But for this hat...no. And now I'm paying for it.
I need to learn some lessons the hard way. Like the "Don't Dye Your Hair at Home Using Boxed Dyes from the Drugstore" lesson. My hair looked like shit for years, and now I have vowed never to do it again. And it's starting to look better.
So maybe now I've learned the swatch lesson. Not having a pattern for a kitty hat, I improvised (it's just a tube that tapers to close at one end) but didn't calculate the number of stitches I needed.
Heh, heh.
I just measured the hat. It's over 30 inches (yes INCHES) around. That's like the size of the WAIST of the girl who will wear the damned thing.
I gotta go frog.
Damn.
I need to learn some lessons the hard way. Like the "Don't Dye Your Hair at Home Using Boxed Dyes from the Drugstore" lesson. My hair looked like shit for years, and now I have vowed never to do it again. And it's starting to look better.
So maybe now I've learned the swatch lesson. Not having a pattern for a kitty hat, I improvised (it's just a tube that tapers to close at one end) but didn't calculate the number of stitches I needed.
Heh, heh.
I just measured the hat. It's over 30 inches (yes INCHES) around. That's like the size of the WAIST of the girl who will wear the damned thing.
I gotta go frog.
Damn.
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Get a Job, Sha na na na, Sha na na na na
Having been referring to myself as a 'seamstress' for the past two months, I am happy to report I am actually seamstressing for hire! Yay! Fifteen identical dresses made to fit fifteen mid-teen girls, plus some special occasion dresses for other dancing pals. Again, I say, Yay!
So tomorrow turned into three days, so here we have my list of things to complete before Christmas. Keep in mind that for most of these I have yet to purchase or even choose yarn:
1. Felted bag for DS. Front of the bag is knit, so now we need a back and strap, to felt it, and add some ornamentation. Yoopee.
2. A hat to match the My-So-Called Scarf I knit for DS LAST year, but couldn't quite complete before Christmas (because SOMEBODY ate my knitting needles with the scarf on them).
3. A lacy wrap for Mum.
4. A knitting-themed gift for SIL: a knitting caddy (sewn by moi) with hand-made stitch markers and stitch-row markers (thanks for the fab directions, Cristi!), possibly with funky needles
5. Knucks for Dad (lots of carpentry in a BARN in Ontario winters requires Knucks, I think).
6. The promise of kilt hose for Future-BIL.
7. Maybe some knucks for Mum's BF...
8. Maybe a cool scarf and matching wristlets/gauntlets/gap-warmers for Dad's W.
9. BIL and FIL: I can't knit samurai books or fantasy lit, so I think we'll be visiting Chapters.
Yikes. I have my work cut out for me. I need to finish that kitty hat pronto. Here it is so far:
Looks a little like a bat hat...I'm a little concerned it won't be 'kitteny' enough. Maybe I'll embroider "meow" with the CC near the brim, to clarify.
Huh.
So tomorrow turned into three days, so here we have my list of things to complete before Christmas. Keep in mind that for most of these I have yet to purchase or even choose yarn:
1. Felted bag for DS. Front of the bag is knit, so now we need a back and strap, to felt it, and add some ornamentation. Yoopee.
2. A hat to match the My-So-Called Scarf I knit for DS LAST year, but couldn't quite complete before Christmas (because SOMEBODY ate my knitting needles with the scarf on them).
3. A lacy wrap for Mum.
4. A knitting-themed gift for SIL: a knitting caddy (sewn by moi) with hand-made stitch markers and stitch-row markers (thanks for the fab directions, Cristi!), possibly with funky needles
5. Knucks for Dad (lots of carpentry in a BARN in Ontario winters requires Knucks, I think).
6. The promise of kilt hose for Future-BIL.
7. Maybe some knucks for Mum's BF...
8. Maybe a cool scarf and matching wristlets/gauntlets/gap-warmers for Dad's W.
9. BIL and FIL: I can't knit samurai books or fantasy lit, so I think we'll be visiting Chapters.
Yikes. I have my work cut out for me. I need to finish that kitty hat pronto. Here it is so far:
Looks a little like a bat hat...I'm a little concerned it won't be 'kitteny' enough. Maybe I'll embroider "meow" with the CC near the brim, to clarify.Huh.
Monday, October 23, 2006
In purse-uit of happiness
I have finally finished the cabled purse!
A quick trip to the fabric store in O-town hooked me up with some fab lining fabric in a smooth printed non-silk satin. Black with white print (the white background would have gotten too grimey looking, I suspected) in a Chinese theme (ooh! dragons!) which topstitched up nicely. After blocking the front and back pieces (I felt the gusset was already very straight and lay quite flat, due to its moss-stitchiness, and I didn't want to risk it growing in length) I used the gusset and a front/back piece as pattern pieces to cut out three lining pieces, then I added a pocket to one side of the lining to hold various small girly things. Stitched the pocket to the right side of the fabric (lots of neat topstitching for that bit) and then the front and back to the gusset (a slightly tricky finagle on the curvey corner bits). This didn't take long on Friday evening, and I went to bed to crochet the gusset to the front and back of the bag, stitch on a faux-horn button and add a button loop. I discovered that gusset was at least 15 cm too long, so Saturday morning there was a quick frogging and re-knit of the decreases for the very end.
Then I topstitched the lining into the knit bag itself. I wanted the topstitching on the inside to be neat and tidy and as close to the edge of the lining itself as possible, so I used red bobbin thread, and a spool of black thread for the needle (top) thread. Worked out nicely and the stitching is very difficult to see (ok, if you look closely and try to see it, you can, but it's certainly not obvious, and hides nicely in the cable pattern). The lining wraps around the D-ring at the end of each gusset to insure the gusset doesn't stretch oddly under the weight all those loonies and toonies I always end up carrying around. Wrapped each end of the gusset through a D-ring and topstitched down using only red thread. Having successfully (and tearlessly, thanfully) frankened the strap off the suede messenger bag...
Oh, dear messenger bag...
...and here's a big part of the reason I haven't carried the thing in years: the strap was held on with a safety pin!
I topstitched one end to one D-ring, checked the length, trimmed to length, and topstitched the second end. Ta da! One completed purse!
Here's the finished deal:
...in all its red-dy cable-ness!
Here's a rather blurry detail shot of the closure:
And in the spirit of all the blogstalking that's been going on, here are the contents of my lovely bag (today, at least):
So here we see the effects of teaching highland dancing to a bunch of kids. Above we have, from the top: a fiddle cd by Natalie MacMaster, with hand written notes for a choreography number for the girls, my sunglasses (cheap, Fossil) my keys on a purple carabiner, and my ghillies (ooooohhhhhh...capezio split-soles).
And the contents of my handy-dandy pocket, from top left: driver's license, Shopper's Drug Mart points card, key card to get into my church, OHIP health card, BMO interac card, business card from the cobbler where they do great work on dance shoes (I need some extra eyelets put in those ghillies!), my Starbuck's card (totally spent, waiting to be refilled), a $10 bill, silicon earplugs (DH plays a lot of gigs at crappy O-town clubs where the soundguys...well, frankly, they suck, and think louder is always better), some L'Oreal Glam Shine in Diva (how appropriate!) and MAC lipliner in Soar.
And here's what helped me get this bag finished:
Thanks, Wembley! I couldn't have done it without you!!
Tomorrow: Christmas gift knitting plans!! If you're family, don't read it, you're probably on there somewhere!
A quick trip to the fabric store in O-town hooked me up with some fab lining fabric in a smooth printed non-silk satin. Black with white print (the white background would have gotten too grimey looking, I suspected) in a Chinese theme (ooh! dragons!) which topstitched up nicely. After blocking the front and back pieces (I felt the gusset was already very straight and lay quite flat, due to its moss-stitchiness, and I didn't want to risk it growing in length) I used the gusset and a front/back piece as pattern pieces to cut out three lining pieces, then I added a pocket to one side of the lining to hold various small girly things. Stitched the pocket to the right side of the fabric (lots of neat topstitching for that bit) and then the front and back to the gusset (a slightly tricky finagle on the curvey corner bits). This didn't take long on Friday evening, and I went to bed to crochet the gusset to the front and back of the bag, stitch on a faux-horn button and add a button loop. I discovered that gusset was at least 15 cm too long, so Saturday morning there was a quick frogging and re-knit of the decreases for the very end.
Then I topstitched the lining into the knit bag itself. I wanted the topstitching on the inside to be neat and tidy and as close to the edge of the lining itself as possible, so I used red bobbin thread, and a spool of black thread for the needle (top) thread. Worked out nicely and the stitching is very difficult to see (ok, if you look closely and try to see it, you can, but it's certainly not obvious, and hides nicely in the cable pattern). The lining wraps around the D-ring at the end of each gusset to insure the gusset doesn't stretch oddly under the weight all those loonies and toonies I always end up carrying around. Wrapped each end of the gusset through a D-ring and topstitched down using only red thread. Having successfully (and tearlessly, thanfully) frankened the strap off the suede messenger bag...
Oh, dear messenger bag...
...and here's a big part of the reason I haven't carried the thing in years: the strap was held on with a safety pin!
I topstitched one end to one D-ring, checked the length, trimmed to length, and topstitched the second end. Ta da! One completed purse!
Here's the finished deal:
...in all its red-dy cable-ness!
Here's a rather blurry detail shot of the closure:
And in the spirit of all the blogstalking that's been going on, here are the contents of my lovely bag (today, at least):
So here we see the effects of teaching highland dancing to a bunch of kids. Above we have, from the top: a fiddle cd by Natalie MacMaster, with hand written notes for a choreography number for the girls, my sunglasses (cheap, Fossil) my keys on a purple carabiner, and my ghillies (ooooohhhhhh...capezio split-soles).
And the contents of my handy-dandy pocket, from top left: driver's license, Shopper's Drug Mart points card, key card to get into my church, OHIP health card, BMO interac card, business card from the cobbler where they do great work on dance shoes (I need some extra eyelets put in those ghillies!), my Starbuck's card (totally spent, waiting to be refilled), a $10 bill, silicon earplugs (DH plays a lot of gigs at crappy O-town clubs where the soundguys...well, frankly, they suck, and think louder is always better), some L'Oreal Glam Shine in Diva (how appropriate!) and MAC lipliner in Soar.And here's what helped me get this bag finished:
Thanks, Wembley! I couldn't have done it without you!!Tomorrow: Christmas gift knitting plans!! If you're family, don't read it, you're probably on there somewhere!
Thursday, October 19, 2006
A quick note before choir practice
Ha ha...get it? Note?
Ok, a few little things before I leave for the first choir practice I'll have attended since early September (for reasons I will explain later):
1. Knittyheads are fecking hilarious. Hi-f*cking-larious. I'm (slowly) compiling a list (a little down and to the right) of awesome knittyhead blogs. Check 'em out.
2. How long can a shih tzu go without a trip outside? Because mine is refusing to go outside due to the nasty rain. Surely my puppy needs to pee! It's been nearly 24 hours!!
3. Also regarding knittyheads: it would appear that many of you are Whedonites. While our logic may not resemble your earth-logic, it is, in fact, far more advanced. And if you don't understand, you obviously haven't watched enough Buffy. Send me a message, we can look into a lending programme of my dvd's to get you started. You'll be better for it, promise.
Heather, if you happen to read this, I'll bring your hat on Saturday so you can get a look at it mid-knit.
Later, all.
Ok, a few little things before I leave for the first choir practice I'll have attended since early September (for reasons I will explain later):
1. Knittyheads are fecking hilarious. Hi-f*cking-larious. I'm (slowly) compiling a list (a little down and to the right) of awesome knittyhead blogs. Check 'em out.
2. How long can a shih tzu go without a trip outside? Because mine is refusing to go outside due to the nasty rain. Surely my puppy needs to pee! It's been nearly 24 hours!!
3. Also regarding knittyheads: it would appear that many of you are Whedonites. While our logic may not resemble your earth-logic, it is, in fact, far more advanced. And if you don't understand, you obviously haven't watched enough Buffy. Send me a message, we can look into a lending programme of my dvd's to get you started. You'll be better for it, promise.
Heather, if you happen to read this, I'll bring your hat on Saturday so you can get a look at it mid-knit.
Later, all.
Why does it always rain on me?
I need to recommend...
It's a rainy day in Ottawa, and DH is off to Toronto for a conference on education gifted children. One night away, I'll miss him tonnes, but I have the bed to myself, and sometimes, honestly, that feels pretty luxurious. Just me and Wembles, and possibly some sort of girly movie watching. Can you say Gene Kelly musical?
I have to say, I'm much happier with my blog now; after doing some alterations, it's nearly a perfect fit. I suspect that this will lead to better and more frequent blogging, because now I actually want to look at the darn thing, instead of just feeling disappointed by it. Yay!
On to the knitting!! Let's start with the newly completed addition to the wardrobe (currently worn by moi!). This sweater was a great first sweater largely, I think, because it wasn't a great first sweater. I've looked at patterns for beginner sweaters (and beginner sewing patterns, crochet patterns, classical vocal pieces...you get the idea) and, quite frankly, I'm usually bored by them. If I had the money - and I don't - I would be wearing designer clothes. Why? Labels? No, detailing, cut, attention to the little aspects of what make some garments beautiful and interesting to the eye, and an understanding that without said little aspects, simple, classic garments can quickly look common. So when I'm faced with a simple, knit-in-the-round turtleneck, I am often not impressed. This cardi was different. I used over one ball of Paton's Classic on just the band of ribbing around the body. It's nearly 15 cm deep, with matching ribbing at the cuffs. It has contrasting colour yarn on the outside edge of the ribbing, and the ribbing is slightly flaired. The body piece required a great deal of shaping, as the sweater is quite round. I am totally in love with it.
Before I started the sweater, I knit a purse from this pattern. Biggest fun? Casting 129 sts of double-stranded Paton's Classic onto 14" long bamboo.
Here we have all the stitches:
The bag is knit as a half-moon, so the stitches begin decreasing immediately. After working the cables for this bag, I must say, I appreciate a proper cable needle. I've used dpns, I've used hair pins! but I quite liked how well the little zigzag in the cable needle kept the stitches from falling off. I have issues with sts falling off needles. Can you comprehend the fear I had when I was knitting that last GIANT band of ribbing on the cardi, I had over 500 sts on the circ, and I pulled a couple of stitches OFF the needle?!! I very nearly had a cow.
Anyway, the purse. Adorable cable pattern. Comes out looking like this:
Knit another one to match, and a band in moss stitch to attach the two around the bottom of the bag. The problem? It really should be lined. With wicked awesome fabric (I'm damned proud of this thing, I want the inside looking as cool as the outside. Also, I need a pocket for my mobile, and another for lipstick. I am, you know, a big girl) of which I have none. And a strap, since I am NOT sending away to M&J in NYC for a $20 usd (plus S&H and duty) purse strap. That strikes me as the not wise. So I'm going to Franken-purse.
I have an old suede messenger bag that I wore to it's absolute end when I was an undergrad. I think I got it between 2nd and 3rd year at Old Navy, for about $20. It's plain, it's brown, it's perfect. With careful arrangement, I could get my clipboard for lectures, at least one or two of my smaller texts (novel-sized paperbacks) my wallet, my half-litre Nalgene, my discman, and a handful of pens and some lipgloss into this thing. I LOVED IT.
But it's old now. The suede has gotten all pressed down and shiny in spots, the stitches are starting to go, and I am not in undergrad anymore. Boho philo-student chic isn't really my look, now, and I haven't carried this bag in years.
It has a plain suede strap.
I'm going to go hack it off, and use it for my new cabled bag.
I feel guilty, like I'm hacking a part of an old comrade. I anthropomorphise to the extreme.
I'll let you know how it goes, if there are any tears....
Other WIP's: a small felted purse in dark grey with peacock embellishments (more Paton's Classic...I have a new fave!) for DS for Christmas, and a black hat in Bernat Boucle with kitten ears and bright pink pompoms on the chin strap for my friend Heather. It started off looking like this:
Because I'm doing the ears as a series of increases, I needed to knit the hat top down, or the ears would look rather...upside down. Kind of a pain, but it's a manageable size now, and the ears have just started. I hope they work: this stuff is a b*!ch to rip out!
May join my puppy in a snooze...rainy days are good for snoozing!
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Holy Construction, Batman!
After concluding that my page was boring as all get-out, I've begun construction. It's all a little higgledy-piggledy at the moment, so I hope you'll excuse the state of it, and keep checking in.
I have two works in progress, one waiting to be blocked and constructed, and one still on needles. After spending 3 hours messing around with Blogger, Photoshop, and Photobucket, and considering I actually have to be up before noon tomorrow, I'll have to post them tomorrow for you. Ooooh...I'm sure you're all just quivering with anticipation....
A thought for the evening: a nice marriage to come home to is, perhaps, made up of little things. I came to bed last night and my husband was already asleep. My feet were cold - they always are - and in his sleep, he slid is feet over to mine to warm them. A sweet, little thing, but it's special, I think.
Have a good night!
I have two works in progress, one waiting to be blocked and constructed, and one still on needles. After spending 3 hours messing around with Blogger, Photoshop, and Photobucket, and considering I actually have to be up before noon tomorrow, I'll have to post them tomorrow for you. Ooooh...I'm sure you're all just quivering with anticipation....
A thought for the evening: a nice marriage to come home to is, perhaps, made up of little things. I came to bed last night and my husband was already asleep. My feet were cold - they always are - and in his sleep, he slid is feet over to mine to warm them. A sweet, little thing, but it's special, I think.
Have a good night!
Sunday, October 15, 2006
I did it!!
First completed sweater, ever!!
The sweater is knit in Patons Classic "Paprika", with "Peacock " trim, and the pattern can be found here.
More super-fascinating blogging soon. In the meantime, I leave you with a picture of Wembley snuggling with my lovely new cardi while it was in process, and wearing some yarn herself (her right eye looks entirely wonky in the pic, but I swear to you, she's normal enough looking in person, or I should say, in dog). Enjoy.
The sweater is knit in Patons Classic "Paprika", with "Peacock " trim, and the pattern can be found here.
More super-fascinating blogging soon. In the meantime, I leave you with a picture of Wembley snuggling with my lovely new cardi while it was in process, and wearing some yarn herself (her right eye looks entirely wonky in the pic, but I swear to you, she's normal enough looking in person, or I should say, in dog). Enjoy.
Thursday, September 07, 2006
Errata
Isn't it lovely to discover you're doing things wrong?
I delivered the scarf and gauntlets from my previous post to the recipient, and she was delighted; really really thrilled, which, of course, was a thrill to me! As I suspected, her younger sister - who has punk aspirations, as well - took one look at the gauntlets and coveted. It was adorable, really, super cute. So they negotiated, and I brought home the left-over balls of yarn to knit some more gauntlets.
After many, many froggings, I got a look at the first pair I'd made. Low and behold, I hadn't cast on 20 stitches, I'd cast on 32. Big difference. For the record, though, if you're looking to make child-sized gauntlets, 20 would be just right.
I should really write these things down as I do them...my memory is trashed!
I delivered the scarf and gauntlets from my previous post to the recipient, and she was delighted; really really thrilled, which, of course, was a thrill to me! As I suspected, her younger sister - who has punk aspirations, as well - took one look at the gauntlets and coveted. It was adorable, really, super cute. So they negotiated, and I brought home the left-over balls of yarn to knit some more gauntlets.
After many, many froggings, I got a look at the first pair I'd made. Low and behold, I hadn't cast on 20 stitches, I'd cast on 32. Big difference. For the record, though, if you're looking to make child-sized gauntlets, 20 would be just right.
I should really write these things down as I do them...my memory is trashed!
Sunday, September 03, 2006
We'll travel round the world, just you and me, Punk Rock Girl
Sometimes a punk needs a big red scarf...
Several weeks ago, a very dear friend of mine asked me to knit her a scarf. She knew that I knit, and she hadn't been able to find the scarf she wanted, so she asked. And of course I happily agreed!
She picked out some soft, fluffy yarn from which I could knit my punker friend a punky scarf: Paton's Melody in bright red, and Bernat's Harmony in black. I knit them together; it made a nice marl, very rockin'.
My very bestest dog, Wembley, agreed. She kept trying to use the scarf as a bed...
...sometimes while I was knitting it. Nothing better than knitting in bed, watching some Buffy, hangin' with my puppy!
And here's the finished scarf. It's giant. It's huge. It's verging on ridiculous. But she asked for an oversized, chunky scarf, and by gosh, by golly, that's what she's got!
Here's Michelle's scarf:
While we were at Michael's finding her yarn, she says to me "Now we have to check out the Halloween section to look for skulls." Because that's part of the thrill of being friends with a punk: you're always on the lookout for another good skull.
Which got me to thinking: a big marl-y scarf is nice, but one that comes with matching skull-adorned gauntlets, fab!!
So I used this pattern for the gauntlets (4mm dpn, casting on only 20 stitches) and I used this pattern for the skulls. This was my first colourwork attempt, so it was an interesting experiment. The wrong side looks rather horrific, all crazy strands going every which-way, but I think the right sides turned out well. I'm very pleased!
Here are some pics of the completed gauntlets, perfect for a rib-breaking mosh pit, or *ahem* catching a quick cig between bands at a show.
I like this pic, shows off my manicure!
Thanks for having me do this for you, Michelle, it was fun!!
Several weeks ago, a very dear friend of mine asked me to knit her a scarf. She knew that I knit, and she hadn't been able to find the scarf she wanted, so she asked. And of course I happily agreed!
She picked out some soft, fluffy yarn from which I could knit my punker friend a punky scarf: Paton's Melody in bright red, and Bernat's Harmony in black. I knit them together; it made a nice marl, very rockin'.
My very bestest dog, Wembley, agreed. She kept trying to use the scarf as a bed...
...sometimes while I was knitting it. Nothing better than knitting in bed, watching some Buffy, hangin' with my puppy!
And here's the finished scarf. It's giant. It's huge. It's verging on ridiculous. But she asked for an oversized, chunky scarf, and by gosh, by golly, that's what she's got!
Here's Michelle's scarf:
While we were at Michael's finding her yarn, she says to me "Now we have to check out the Halloween section to look for skulls." Because that's part of the thrill of being friends with a punk: you're always on the lookout for another good skull.
Which got me to thinking: a big marl-y scarf is nice, but one that comes with matching skull-adorned gauntlets, fab!!
So I used this pattern for the gauntlets (4mm dpn, casting on only 20 stitches) and I used this pattern for the skulls. This was my first colourwork attempt, so it was an interesting experiment. The wrong side looks rather horrific, all crazy strands going every which-way, but I think the right sides turned out well. I'm very pleased!
Here are some pics of the completed gauntlets, perfect for a rib-breaking mosh pit, or *ahem* catching a quick cig between bands at a show.
I like this pic, shows off my manicure!
Thanks for having me do this for you, Michelle, it was fun!!
Saturday, September 02, 2006
First blog ever!
Woohoo! So...blogging...alright! I swore I wouldn't get sucked into this (you know, like I said about MSN and text-messaging....) but here we are. At least I haven't bought into myspace, right?
In my explorations of the 'interweb' of late, I have noticed the proliferance of knitting blogs. Hey! I knit, and I'm proud of what I knit, and I frequently make mistakes from which others may learn - or gain much, much amusement. I should blog my adventures in needle-iness!
More importantly, I am days (perhaps a couple weeks...) from embarking on the fabulous odyssey which is handspinning. Yarn is expensive, particularly the lovely lumpy handspun I crave; unspun fiber is not, hence spinning.
Join me on my quest to spin the Golden Fleece.
In my explorations of the 'interweb' of late, I have noticed the proliferance of knitting blogs. Hey! I knit, and I'm proud of what I knit, and I frequently make mistakes from which others may learn - or gain much, much amusement. I should blog my adventures in needle-iness!
More importantly, I am days (perhaps a couple weeks...) from embarking on the fabulous odyssey which is handspinning. Yarn is expensive, particularly the lovely lumpy handspun I crave; unspun fiber is not, hence spinning.
Join me on my quest to spin the Golden Fleece.
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