07.14.08
Posted in Brooklyn, Fibers, Knitting, Lace Knitting, Scarf, Sweater(s), Yarn at 11:41 am by delipics
I think I have actually used up all the memory in my iBook G-4! I’m having troubles - I can’t download photographs and I keep getting this message about not enough space on my start-up disk. Didn’t know I might actually come to this - I bet this computer is full of too many blog photos and free knitting patterns! Now this barely-able-techy girl is going to have to deal with these techy problems, grrr.
I actually had photos to show on my Cozy v-neck. I finished the body and started the sleeves, after running to Brooklyn General for DP #10. I’m knitting the sleeves in the round. Just as I am raring to finish this sweater, grr again - my 16″ number 9 circulars are too long for me to comfortably knit the ribbing section of the sleeve. It’s Monday so BkynGen is closed so I’m going to try and find time to run into the city and stop by The Point.
While also at BkynGen, I bought yarn and needles for my stayacation project because as of Saturday, I am officially on staycation for this week! No big plans - just knitting, puttering around the house and then a long weekend trip to the Boston area. What I really should do is organize drawers and take clothes to Salvation Army - but procrastination has a hold on me. I did accomplish one thing - I packed up yarn that I am planning to donate in two boxes. I did some research on the web and I think I found a place - it’s a women’s correctional facility in need of yarn for their recreation department. I feel good about doing this.
Oh, so back to my project, I’m knitting the Lace Ribbon Scarf from Knitty’s Spring 2008. The yarn I am using is Canopy from The Fibre Company. This is the same company whose yarn I bought in MDSW and I’m using their yarn for the Cozy v-neck. Canopy is a sport weight yarn of 50% baby alpaca, 30% merino and 20% bamboo. So soft on the hands and easy to knit up. I’m knitting the scarf on #3 bamboo circs. While at BkynGen, I looked at the other yarns from The Fibre Company that they had there, and I love them all. This may be my new favorite yarn company - there is something about the quality of the line they have created and the colors too that I am responding too. Grr, I wish I could show you photos of how it looks - this yarn is gorgeous stuff. I chose a similar color that is used in the photos of the Lace Ribbon Scarf - a beautiful dusky blue grey that makes me think of a fall sky. I hope to have this done in time to casually drape around my neck during my actual go-away-on-a-trip vacation in August.
Keep your fingers crossed on my tech/computer/memory problem.
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05.29.08
Posted in Brooklyn, Knitting, Photos, Sweater(s) at 6:17 pm by delipics
Memorial Day - knitting and spinning at Brooklyn Bridge Park. My honey calls this the Sex & the Knitty photo!
Maria pulls out her spindle to spin lace weight. There was knitting, but the photos I took of knitting did not come out well.
These are the results of my knitting that day. Cozy V-neck progress - I’m pleased with how the fit is coming along nicely.
Seeehxy!
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07.22.07
Posted in Brooklyn, CTS/RSI, Cleo, Music, Photos at 11:18 am by delipics
Aaaarrrrggghhhhcccccczk! Can you tell how I’m feeling today? The cry of the frustrated fiber-less artist. The closest I’ve come to anything fiber related was letting Caroline (back from a two month stint at Peter’s Valley - she’s sooooo lucky!) go through my plastic bag collection (apparently she hit the mother-lode of plastic bags with me) for her latest cool project. The kitchen floor was strewn with plastic bags of various sizes and colors and one very happy kitty who quickly sat on a pile of bags to claim as her own. I should have taken a picture of Cleo, she looked so satisfied. As I pulled out my massive collection of plastic out of the cabinet, I was amazed to find this stowed away at the back –
What the ?!?!? I think this was a Christmas gift from many, many years ago. I had put it in the rear of the cabinet with the label facing away so I never ever noticed it the few times I may have had a reason to go fishing around in the back looking for God-knows-what. I got a good laugh after finding it but I don’t know what to do with it. I know - of course I could try and make it! But I’m afraid - does this stuff go bad? Something about it says “Warning: Disaster of immense proportions.” Right now I just keep moving it around from different spots in the kitchen, staring at it quizzically while Cleo sniffs and walks away bored.
As for the wrist, last week, for the first time, I was very discouraged about the status of my healing. I let myself go into a tizzy after running into another person who actually had the operation for carpal tunnel. She told me her wrist used to feel like it was on fire and since the operation she just sometimes gets stiff, but she is pain-free. When I told this to my PT she tried to calm me down - the MRI would have shown any abnormalities, it takes a long time for soft tissue to heal especially since I have to keep working, etc. Along with the funky taping, I’m wearing an Ace bandage around my forearm for more support and it does make a difference. I wear it for about three hours and then I take a break from being wrapped for another two hours or so. I’m supposed to ice it twice a day but I keep forgetting to do it so I need to improve that. I’d like to say I really am having more better days than not but sometimes it’s hard to tell. Wait, there is good news - my left wrist hardly ever is in pain!
Lest you think everything is all about bandages and ice packs at Delica’s Yarns, I was busy last weekend –
Spigga on their summer tour indulging in basil fried rice before going on at Sputnick. Thank God the Thai place delivers.
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05.11.07
Posted in Brooklyn, Photos, Techniques at 4:08 pm by delipics
This past week I have been so busy, and I am now catching up. Last week I tried out modular knitting . . .
. . . and I think I am finally understanding the mysteries of gauge. I won’t go into the math details but I am trying to think of inches instead of stitches.
This is why I’ve been so busy . . .
. . . that’s right - I’m 14 years old! I call this my madonna look. Actually I’m trying to decide on my wish before I blow the candles out. (Thank you, Shawn, for sharing your birthday cake with me - you’re sweet and HBD to you again!) It was a great birthday week - spending it with my honey, hanging out with friends, family, and for the big night - dinner and Cymbeline at BAM. I feel I do not attend enough theater or dance performances. There’s just no excuse, especially with BAM so close and so many talented artists performing there. That was the best!
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01.15.07
Posted in Brooklyn, Cardigan(s), Knitting, Lace Knitting, Photos, Yarn at 6:39 pm by delipics
I had the best three day weekend - I did not plan anything and let things happen as they may.
The weekend started on Friday night when Alex suggested knitting after work at The Point - always an excellent idea. (Ran into Veronique while there too!) I planned to start a swatch for a lace wrap from the Vogue Fall 2005 issue. I hauled my huge, bad mammer-jammer cone of yarn with me (see previous post photo, left-most yarn), and when I pulled it out of my bag with the rest of my gear, OH NO, no knitting needles! Luckily, Alex lent me her double-pointed number sevens to start my swatch. That was all well and good until it was time to go home - she needed her needles back so she could finish her project. What to do? I transferred the stitches to my aventurine shawl stick, took the rubber band out of my hair, and wrapped it around the end of the shawl stick so the stitches wouldn’t drop off. Brilliant!
I think I like.
On to Saturday: My girlfriend and I wanted to see a movie. I’ve been jonesing to see Children of Men but I didn’t feel like trekking into the city to watch it. So we went to BAM Rose Cinemas instead and saw DreamGirls. Jennifer Hudson is mouth-dropping amazing in it - I’ve got my fingers crossed for her at the Golden Globes. (Whoowhoowhoo - she won!)
Sunday started as loll around day: Staying in the pj’s and watching the second disc of the Complete First Season of The Gilmore Girls, but then I got a spontaneous invite to go brandy tasting at LeNell’s in Red Hook. Now brandy is not my thing, but it was interesting to compare. My friends and I sampled 17, 20 and 23 year-old bottles of brandy. When I think brandy, I think of 19th century literature when the women faints and someone forces her to drink brandy. I guess the burning sensation is supposed to revive you.
Afterwards, my friends took me to the new Fairway. I had not been there yet. It’s a little overwhelming. I’ve been to the Fairway in the city, but this place seemed cavernous with aisle after aisle of food I want to buy and eat. It’s never a good idea to go shopping without a list. For some reason, except for the bunch of celery, everything else was breakfast food - buttermilk pancake mix, instant oatmeal, granola, yogurt, coffee.
Monday, another very good friend had me over for lunch. I, again, dragged the bad, mammer-jammer cone of yarn to start a swatch for the second lace pattern for the shawl. (Have now decided this project is not for the subway - I’ll end up with crooked shoulders if I do.) She served me a delicious meal - yummy zuchinni soup, and if that wasn’t enough, I went with her to Stinky Bklyn. Yet another store where I want to buy and eat everything in sight. She bought this incredible Jamon Serrano, sliced right off the bone. I walked out with a jar of fig spread. Fig spread! What am I going to do with this? Maybe it will go well spread over buttermilk pancakes, or maybe I’ll add a dollop of it to my oatmeal or swirl it into my yogurt.
But before I met up with my friend, I took a couple of photos. This was the best one out of the bunch.
Specs:
- Pattern - Cropped Cardigan by Amy O’Neill Houck, from Blue Sky Alpacas
- Yarn - Zara Merino Extra Fine
- Needles - size 11 Fiddlesticks and size 10 Clovers (circular & double-pointed)
Notes: This is a very quick knit. (Despite my running out of yarn, taking over a month to find more of the same dye lot and the holidays interrupting knitting time.) I loved that it was seamless, I love the raglan increases, I love the look of the ribbing. I changed the sleeves a tiny bit. Instead of knitting in stockinette for 7 rows then changing to the K1, P1 ribbing, I started right off with the ribbing. I thought the proportions looked better on my arms. Blocking had me worried - the yarn stretched so much when wet, and I had a difficult time arranging it on the sweater dryer to the recommended measurements. I was so happy that the cardigan dried to the right proportions. One mild frustration is the front of the cardigan - maybe it’s the yarn, but I cannot wear this without using the shawl stick. The cardi always falls open on its own without it, which would be okay if it draped open in an attractive, casual style . . but it doesn’t. I am debating with myself if I should add an I-cord tie or some other type of fastener. I foresee this being a staple for my wardrobe - perfect for casual Friday or with jeans on the weekend.
Yup, the best three day weekend.
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10.01.06
Posted in Brooklyn, Knitting, Photos at 4:47 pm by delipics
Welcome to the world little L.A. baby!
(Hope to post cute baby picture here soon)
I am determined to finish the baby project during this long weekend. To that end, I trotted over the Union Street bridge, spanning the BQE, to Brooklyn General. All that yarn, fabric and ribbon dazed me as I first walked in. I think I went into a momentary mental yarn overload.
It is so exciting to have a yarn store so close to me. It’s only about a 15 minute walk from home. I’m kicking myself for not visiting sooner.
I very determinedly ignored all the colorful yarn. I only needed double pointed needles and that was all I was going to buy, darn it. Wait, didn’t I read that Veronique found Elizabeth Zimmermann books here? Ever since Jared made his seamless hybrid sweater, I have been jonesing for her Knitting Without Tears. And look at all those books . . . I’m just going to browse . . .
The damage to my AmEx wasn’t that bad — along with Knitting Without Tears, I bought The Vivid Issue of Selvedge and at the last second, I threw in the Knitter’s Almanac when I saw it was only $7.95. Only after piling up my purchases at the counter, did I allow myself to examine all the yarn. I was looking at the Noro, when I turned and saw a very familiar caban marine cardie . . . wait, is that?
How exciting to meet a fellow blogger in person! We had a lovely chat about the store, meeting Amy, Knit-Out, our current projects, other bloggers, and all sorts of other stuff. It was so great to meet you, Veronique, and I hope we run into each other again soon!
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08.17.06
Posted in Art, Brooklyn at 8:54 am by delipics
I just learned from an artist friend about a call for artwork for an upcoming show at the Coney Island Msueum. See below for the specs. There is a form that needs to be filled out but when I went to the website, I could not locate it. If you are interested, e-mail me and I will forward the form.
CONEY ISLAND DIVAS
The Coney Island Museum Café Gallery will present an exhibition of women artists living and working in the old Coney Island District from Oct. 21, 2006 to March 2007. Looking for Divas, artists working in any media from traditional oil to found object sculpture.
Guest Curator: Ms Meridith McNeal, Artist and Director of Education at Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation.
If you live or work from Nortons Point (Seagate) to Gerritesen Beach, Nostrand Ave to Bath Beach to Newkirk Ave you invited to submit up to three (3) images for consideration.
Digital submissions are preferred; email to coneyislanddivas@gmail.com
You may send slides or photographs through the mail to:
Coney Island Divas
Coney Island Museum, 1208 Surf Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11224
Deadline for submission of images: September 15th, 2006
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