03.29.07
Posted in Lace Knitting at 5:34 pm by delipics
My relationship with this lace shawl is on the rocks.
It’s the border. I’ve knit this border - and then frogged it - and knit it - and frogged it - rinse and repeat. Once I was frogging with my KB@W group and someone asked me if I was stressed out - I told her I was silently screaming inside as I tinked my way across the row.
I realize I should check the corrections page on the Vogue Knitting website. I’m all excited because there is a correction listed. I think, aha, this is the answer to my knitting problems! Nope. The correction has already been incorporated into the chart. Why am I still not able to figure this out?
I’m going to have to make changes if this relationship is going to last.
This lace shawl started happily. I was enthusiastic about knitting it. I loved how it was coming along. I felt I was understanding the lace pattern. Now I’m angry at it and I don’t want to be. All this negative energy is not good. I had this idea I should persevere through knitting this border but the cost/benefit ratio is not working for me. So I’ve made a decision - I am not going to knit this border.
I feel liberated!
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03.22.07
Posted in Knitting, NYC, Photos at 6:23 pm by delipics
Ooh, it was a tough night - I had to juggle knitting and KU basketball.
Top: rows of busy knitters. Bottom: a blurry Yarn Harlot at the podium and the beginning of a seed stitch afghan square in the foreground.
You see, I wanted to go see Stephanie Pearl-McPhee represent at 6:00 p.m. and the Kansas/Southern Illinois game was starting at 7:15 p.m. I figured if I stuck around for at least an hour, and if all went well on the subway, I should get home in time to see the second half of the game. I was feeling pretty confident about Kansas. I figured even though I didn’t know anything about the Southern Illinois team, the Jayhawks were strong. I did take a glance at the CBS website and the one line that caught my eye: “Southern Illinois’ defense vs. Kansas’ offense: Which one will come out on top?” Da da da dum - ominous music - a foreshadow of things to come?
This was my first time to hear the Yarn Harlot. She got a good turnout of NYC knitters and a very enthusiastic audience. That Stephanie - she is damn funny. Lots of loud belly laughs while knitting - I’m sorry I had to sneak out at 7:30 p.m. I felt incredibly conspicuous but this was the compromise I had made to the KU fan in me. I consoled myself by promising to continue knitting on the charity afghan square we knitters were encouraged to start while waiting for Ms. Pearl-McPhee to come out.
I got home just in time for the beginning of the second half. (Warning: for those knitters not a part of the March Madness, you might want to stop reading now.) It was an edge-of-the-seat game. I’m not usually like this (my honey is completely bewildered by my behavior) but I was screaming and cursing at the television. I was mad, MAD, at the Jayhawks for their sloppy playing for the first 15 minutes. They were literally giving the ball away to the Southern Illinois dogs! And they weren’t kidding about the dogs defense - they were a wall, difficult to penetrate, on top of each Kansas player - the SIUC Salukis were a worthy opponent. Oooh, I was seriously pissed off. I felt like KU had this wide open defense, more openings than the laciest of lace shawls, and they weren’t playing aggressively when they had the ball. At about the ten minute mark, I remembered my afghan square and peeked at it in its bag, but by then the Jayhawks had begun to turn it around. First, those Jayhawks lucked out with their free-throws - those easy baskets helped them gain the upper hand. There were many close calls on the court and each team must be suffering from floor burns for all that scuffling for the ball, but the Jayhawks tightened up and won the game 61-58 to take them to the Big Eight. Phew, I can breathe now and pay attention to knitting again.
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03.18.07
Posted in Lace Knitting, Photos at 5:25 pm by delipics
Phew — I made it!
Next up: the borders. The border pattern is kicking my, ahem, derriere. I’ve frogged twice, although I admit to trying to knit the border while watching the Kansas/Kentucky game this afternoon, not necesssarily the best time to knit but so much fun! Go Jayhawks!
I wasn’t sure which would be the best way to take this photo. It was either lay the wrap on the floor or on the bed, and considering that I haven’t mopped the floor in a while (housework over knitting?!?! HA!), I opted for the bed.
Now, are you wondering why Kansas? Once upon a time, on a dark and stormy night, in a galaxy far, far away — this Brooklyn grrrl lived in the midwest. Yes, I’ve seen tornadoes and wheat fields and long, flat plains stretching to the horizon, and please, no ruby red shoes jokes.
Rock chalk, jayhawk, KU!
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03.13.07
Posted in Knitting, Subway at 4:58 pm by delipics
I am in such a grumpy mood. I’m sleepy from the time change. Work is overwhelming. I ate too much for dinner last night and I’m still suffering from it (hello Tums). Then on the subway, two people tried to squeeze into the middle seat (not at the same time) between me and some sleeping guy who was sitting with his legs wide open (I won’t even go into men and the spread legs thing). One woman actually half sat on me in her desperate attempt to situate herself into the seat! What the @#$%^?!!!? I mean really, what was she thinking? I should have pulled out my knitting; maybe the needles would have scared her off. Grrr!
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03.11.07
Posted in Photos, Travel, shopping at 3:03 pm by delipics
Last weekend, my honey took me to The Little Knittery, an adorable yarn store in the Los Feliz neighborhood of L.A. It shares its space with perhaps the second best combination that could go with yarn (number one for me being food) - clothes! - the really cute clothes of Steinberg & Sons.
I had a very nice conversation with the owner of The Little Knittery. I liked the selection of one-of-a-kind yarns and the comfortable sit-and-knit section of the store. I asked her if she has noticed if West coast knitters are becoming more interested in spinning and we laughed about people who don’t understand why anyone would want to learn how to spin or dye their own yarn.
And while I did not buy any new yarn (oh the Misti Alpaca!) I did check out the offerings of Steinberg & Sons and walked away with this:
The dress is by Lewis Cho. I like the details to it - the asymmetrical belt and the one perfect button to the side. It’s versatile - I’ve worn it over jeans and alone with boots. What I think would really add to it is a knitted garment. It’s too cold to wear sleeveless here on the East coast, so I was thinking a cropped top - maybe Stefanie Japel’s One Skein Wonder. It would cover my shoulders and nicely complement the empire waistline and gathers around the neckline. I bought the pattern a while ago and have yet to knit it up. Any other suggestions?
I close with these two funny photos of us chowing down, shabu shabu style in Little Tokyo - long lines but worth the wait!
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03.08.07
Posted in Uncategorized at 5:40 pm by delipics
I’m so mad at myself. I lost my Santa Cruz Hat! I know it’s quick to knit up but I’m still annoyed that I did that. Grrrrr.
Excuse me, I have to cast-on, meanwhile have fun with these:
- At the Pulse Art Fair two weekends ago I saw the knitted work of Kimberley Hart.
- Thank you to KB@W for this link on sweater pattern generators from the Knittingfool (I love her title and logo with the pi sign)!
- Creative yarn storage idea number one and number two.
- Next time you’re in L.A., go check out The Little Knittery (more on this later).
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