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March 30, 2003
Progress is made
I finished the center panel of the shawl tonight. I am thrilled that there will be no more purling after this. My left thumb gets tired of purling which is why it took so long to get to this point, I think.
It is being carefully watched over by sock monkey. Space monkey is, however, staring off into space. I don't know what sock monkey is doing to space monkey, so don't ask. :)
Posted by adnohr at 09:47 PM | Comments (1)
March 26, 2003
More food
Saw this while knitting and reading the LA Times at Sushi Time. That's pretty neat, I am going to have to spend some time there. I think I only have one volume of a two book set of Mastering The Art of French Cooking that I picked up for a quarter at a friends of the library sale, but I have always only used it for reference. This woman is preparing the whole thing. Check this out:
The Julie/Julia Project
Posted by adnohr at 08:31 PM | Comments (0)
mmmm good kipping
On my way home from work tonight, I stopped off for some sushi-takeout and while I waited for my food I knit a row on my shawl. My husband has taken a job that is about 4 miles from home, so I no longer get to knit while he drives our carpool. Such a bummer, I lose a good 45 min to an hour of knitting a day now that I have to drive myself to work. So I knit at any chance I get.
The sushi-woman saw me pull out my knitting while I was waiting, and came over to see what I was making. She really liked the color and asked me to bring it back so she can see how I am doing each time I go in for sushi. I usually stop in at least once a week, but don't usually bring my knitting because I always order the same thing and call it in. Today I felt like something different, but once I got inside I ended up ordering the same thing anyway. (Spicy Tuna Roll and a Foothill Roll, in case you are wondering.
The shop is called Sushi Time, and Foothill Ranch is my town.)
So, that was kind of cool. I have someone actually interested in what I am making.
What was silly is that I went to lunch at Sakura in Culver City and had such good sushi for lunch. I had a scallop sushi, tuna, and sea urchin and they were so fresh. MMMM I wish I could find the good scallops around my home. I haven't found a fish market that sells dry scallops. The ones I had from Nova Scotia this past summer were so fresh and sweet. The ones you can buy here have been preserved and taste nothing like real ones.
Posted by adnohr at 08:27 PM | Comments (1)
March 25, 2003
Cool Celtic Spiral
I found a chart for a very pretty celtic spiral sock
here. I started swatching it last night with some Kroy in a natural color, and some Regia Stretch in a forest green. I am doing the background in the lighter color, and will either only do the cuff in pattern with a green foot, or if it goes easily, I will do a pattern down the top of the foot.
These are for a gift for my best friend's mom, who has a birthday around Mother's Day, so I have to get started on them.
Posted by adnohr at 07:22 PM | Comments (0)
Rant
Why is it that people think war protesters are against 'The Troops'? I just heard some poor woman on the radio sobbing that her son is in Iraq and those of us that are against the war should stop protesting because we should be supporting the troops. Huh?
Wouldn't the best thing for the troops be standing on deck in the port of San Diego cleaning windows or the runway or lubing a jet or something, with no one firing on them? Do people really think that one can't be against the war without being against the soldiers? Holy crap, I don't want to be a soldier at any cost. I am so grateful that these people have volunteered to do this work for me, and I want them to come home. In fact, I wish their idiot leader had never sent them in the first place.
And while I'm at it, when these soldiers do come back, they better be taken care of, medically and educationally. I am still sick from the news of the last gulf war where it was denied that some soldiers were even sick for years, even though it was clear that these guys were sick. A big chunk of that $75 Billion should be going to the VA.
I am sure she has heard nothing but the shouting of a bunch of unemployed hippie-wanna-bees pounding their drums instead of the views of any of the individuals in the crowds. I wish I could find that woman I heard on the radio and buy her dinner and explain my view. Maybe she would understand that we all know that her son didn't make the decision to go to war, and that we are against the one who did make that decision. Not against the troops.
Posted by adnohr at 07:13 PM | Comments (4)
March 22, 2003
So Slow - and Bird Crap
I am still working on the center panel of my shawl. I haven't been having as many errors but still once in a while I lose a stitch and it's making me crazy. The shawl is for me, so I just march on. I have 56 rows to go, and really want to finish this before Monday, but I don't see how I can.
Today is the day of the parade when the Swallows return to San Juan Capistrano, and a friend who lives there has invited us to go. I am really going because I like bagpipes - I refer to swallows as 'those damn birds that leave crap all over my windowsills'. No one ever mentions that the swallow also return to Foothill Ranch and build nests above my bedroom windows and that I can't touch the damn things so my windowsills get full of dust and crap that they drop while they build there mud nests. What is the big deal with a bunch of birds? Don't they all migrate? When I lived in Indianapolis, it was Canadian Geese leaving so much crap on the ground you could skate through it.
Anyway.
Posted by adnohr at 09:17 AM | Comments (1)
March 20, 2003
To borrow a concept
... from The Knitting Curmudgeon ...
The best sign hanging from a freeway overpass I've seen all day
Who Would Jesus Bomb? - Anonymous
Posted by adnohr at 08:19 PM | Comments (0)
March 18, 2003
Something non-knitting...
I spent a week with my Grandparents this summer, and found a book amongst their things. As I was leafing through it, I found a picture of my Great Grandmother and various cousins and such. How cool!
I have been searching for it on line since returning from Canada and wanted to get my own copy, and last week I finally found it. I ordered it from abebooks.com and the author even autographed it for me. Neat-o.
The book is by Caroline B Norwood, called Life On Brier Island Nova Scotia: Stories and Photos About the Place the People and the Boats.
If you happen to have the book, there's a lovely picture of my Great Grandmother Viola Garron on her 90th birthday, on page 59. She had her 101st this year, and my uncle visited her over the summer. She had a bottle in her knitting bag, to keep her warm. You go, girl!
Posted by adnohr at 08:11 PM | Comments (0)
This little piggy went to market
So, I spent Saturday in lovely, wet, Burbank at the TKGA market. I have to say, I wasn't impressed. In fact, I walked around the place all day and only spent $100. There was a whole lot of the same stuff at most booths, and the Yarn Lady, which is my LYS, had 6 spaces, but I can just coast down the street to see that stuff so I didn't stick around there much. And I confirmed my suspicion that she's over priced on a lot of stuff. Everyone had Trendsetter, there was one booth with some Prism, and lots of books but none that I was looking for.
Don't get me wrong, there was plenty of stuff there, but I was looking for fingering weight wool, maybe some sock yarns in solid colors like pink or mauve (for a gift for someone) and maybe something crazy that might jump out at me. But nothing did. The sock yarns were all boring or baby colors.
It was pretty dead, I imagine because of the rain, and the fact that it was so close to Stitches West, I'll bet a lot of people already spent their money up in Oakland.
So, what did I get? Some yarn from Shelridge Farms which was almost the only booth without the eyelashy frou frou. I found 12 colors of their Shelridge Soft Touch Ultra – 100% Wool Fingering Weight Yarn, in the colors that I want for my fair-isle design that I haven't designed yet. I'll take a photo of it later this week.
I picked up Joan M-M's Heirloom Lace Jacket which I have been eying forever, but seeing it in person I just had to pick it up. Didn't decide on yarn for it yet. Giggled at the i-cord butt floss.
The drive to Burbank and back was so stressful! I was exhausted when I got home and how silly is that to all you northern folks who drive in rain all the time! But this was big crazy rain and a whole lot of people who just don't get it.
I guess I was expecting it to me more exciting than it was. I am a terrible shopper, I have to admit. I hate shopping. But I am happy with the purchases I did make.
Posted by adnohr at 07:44 PM | Comments (2)
March 13, 2003
Frugal tip of the day
OK, I am sure I won't come up with one each day, but still, I thought I would share when they come up.
Having seen these and these and even some done in cloisonne and gold and stuff, I thought I could come up with a better idea come spring. And I did! Now, I wasn't as frugal as I could have been, I could have waited til the day after Easter and probably done even better, but $1.49 for a dozen, I think I can swing it. Even if I break a few, I should come out ahead.
If you are wondering why I bought them, it's because I am new to knitting, and I am sure some of my Kitchenered toes will need some help before the whole sock wears out. I am ready!!
Posted by adnohr at 07:21 PM | Comments (0)
Anyone going to Burbank?
Since I didn't go to Stitches West, and Burbank is about 60 miles away, I am going to go and check out the market on Saturday. I didn't hear about it soon enough to sign up for any classes, maybe next year.
I did join the TKGA, and also ordered the Level 1 Handknitting course. I even made my first swatch over the weekend. I am using the Lion Brand Fisherman's Wool for it since I have some left over from Christmas presents. I may do a kool-aid dip on some of it later on, if I need another color. I haven't read ahead to see if I do. I also have some blue worsted wt wool that I could use if there is a need for a color change. We'll see.
Still working on the shawl and I had to tink 4 rows last night because I somehow messed it up again! I guess it's all the carpool knitting, sometimes I lose my place or something. After all that tinking, I put markers in every 10 stitches. They move around because of the YOs and (Sl 1, K2tog, psso)s but between the markers there should always be 10 stitches. I think that I don't need the markers on the knit side, but on the purl side is where I keep losing stitches, so this should help. I did 10 more rows last night and didn't make any more mistakes, so I think it's helping.
It's in the crumpled mess stage, so I don't think I will post a photo until the center is done, before I pick up around it for the inside edge. My brother-in-law's birthday is this weekend, plus a day of shopping at the TKGA market might cut into my weekend knitting time, but I hope to finish the center panel this week and start on the edges. I can't wait to wash it and see what happens, the swatch looked nice but it's tiny, I want to see the whole thing done!
Posted by adnohr at 05:37 AM | Comments (1)
March 09, 2003
Actual Lace in Progress
I have been toiling away at my fir cone shawl. I don't know what I am doing wrong, but keep losing a stitch when I transition from one pattern to the next. I can't see where I am messing up, although I am reading my previous rows so in general it's all lining up. It's just the ends that are not stable. The thing will need a good wash and block before it's ready for prime time, so I am hoping that it won't show. If I could figure out the problem, I would just fix it. I am only about 4 inches from the cast on, so if I do figure it out, I will be able to drop a stitch and break out the crochet hook.
I am totally sounding negative, so I should say that I really like the yarn and the pattern is going to be really nice once it's done, I am just frustrated with it now. Perhaps I was too ambitious, but really, it's just a 10 stitch pattern, what's wrong with me? I need to get over myself!
Ok back to work.
Posted by adnohr at 08:06 PM | Comments (0)
Frugal or just cheap? You be the judge
So here's my solution to storing circular needles in their 'not in use' place. Index cards, a stapler, a binder clip thingy, and something to make it stick to the wall. I was thinking of breaking out the sewing machine and making something a little nicer, but I saw the index cards before I got to the sewing machine so they took over. Just sort of bent them without creasing and attach one to the one before it with a staple. It works for me!
Posted by adnohr at 08:01 PM | Comments (5)
March 06, 2003
Good news for me
A while back, I wrote to VY regarding the Sand Dollar (Adult) sweater asking if they were working on a reprint of the book. I just got a reply that didn't answer that question, but does say that with the book the Children's Collection, there is an amendment for an adult size that could be sent if I order the book and yarn. I had thought about the book anyway, maybe as a practice run for an adult size Fair Isle, but maybe now it's even more worth it. I am going to think about it a bit and write them back.
Posted by adnohr at 06:36 AM | Comments (2)
Moving right along
I was having trouble reading my knitting on this lace pattern and kept making it worse while trying to fix my mistakes. So, I ripped back to the first row and have started over. Now that I am looking at the knitting and not the pattern, it's working and I am almost back to where I ripped from.
I really like the color of the yarn. It's called Plum, and has occasional flecks of blue in it that are really pretty.
Posted by adnohr at 06:29 AM | Comments (0)
March 02, 2003
Purling from the front
...or knitting back backwards, I have heard it called. I love this, now that I have figured it out.
There was an article in one of the knitting rags last fall that explained it and I tried it, and for the life of me could not get it. They really made it sound a lot more difficult than it is. (I guess the writers get paid by the word?)
A few weeks ago I just tried to figure it out myself the most obvious way, looking at what the needle does when purling, and looking at what the yarn does when purling and there was the Eureka! moment. I used this technique on the bag that I fulled, and got lots of practice.
I purl much too tightly, so doing it this way makes it much more in line with my knitting. I will have plenty of practice too, since the Fir Cone Square Shawl that I am working on has every even row purled for the center square.
Posted by adnohr at 10:53 AM | Comments (0)
March 01, 2003
Next Project
I did make it to the shop for some Harrisville Shetland yarn, and here it is: 
I bought 3 cones in purple for a Fir Cone shawl from Cheryl Oberle's book, Folk Shawls. It sure is a lot less expensive to buy a cone of yarn than skeins! The yarn washes up nice and soft, even though it's kind of rough in the hands while knitting with it.
I also bought a ball winder, because I am sick of fighting with rogue balls of yarn. I will wind them, dammit!
Posted by adnohr at 10:26 PM | Comments (0)
Done
And here they are, aren't they cute with their little bug buttons? I hope the babies' mom likes them too.
Posted by adnohr at 10:21 PM | Comments (2)
New Books!
I found a copy of Celtic Collection and some other OLD AS books at the library this week, and for the most part, I agree that her stuff is really nice. I think I am becoming a fan. Two of the books are really old, Scanidnavian and Brittish Isles, and they are sooo dated! But the newer ones, I like. Aran Knitting and Celtic Collection especially. I might go to a shop later today that supposedly carries Harrisville yarns and see what kind of colors they have. I am thinking of many projects, a shawl, Elisabeth I, or something fair-isle. This is hard being a beginner, because I haven't tried everything yet!
Posted by adnohr at 10:34 AM | Comments (0)
Almost done
I found some cute buttons that look like VW Beetles for the Baby Albert sweaters. I am going to see mom on Monday, so I have to finish up one sleeve and seam up the second one and put the buttons on by lunch on Monday. I think I can do it.
Posted by adnohr at 10:28 AM | Comments (0)