Okay Okay

The Minimalist Cardigan from the Fall 2007 Interweave Knits is finished. What a satisfying project. The moss stitch kept me busy and the yarn was very enjoyable. I used Louet Riverstone in French blue. The weather has cooled down enough to turn off the airconditioning but not enough to wear sweaters. I'm waiting fairly impatiently.


Because the pieces were distorted, I blocked them all before sewing up the sweater.


My sister, Annie, has come over to the dark side. She took a No Knitting vow a few years ago but broke down this week. She said it was just like remembering how to ride a bicycle and began again with no coaching. She is beginning with a sweater for the afghans for Afghans October campaign.


Teri-Kay is celebrating her One Year Knittingaversary this week and bringing a cake to Knit Night at The Yarn Lounge tomorrow. Her most recent FO is this huge poncho knit from Malabrigo (colored stripes) and some custom spun alpaca and wool.


I finally found the right yarn for the Sand Dollar Pullover by Norah Gaughan from Knitting Nature. It is by Zealana and is 80% merino wool and 20% delaka. What is delaka? It comes from the Australian Brush tailed Delaka (or Possum). A distant and somewhat cuter relative of our Virginia Opossum which is eating New Zealand. It was introduced in the 19th Century, escaped, has no natural predators, has lots of babies, eats new growth of plants and trees, eats bird eggs and probably more nasty things I can't remember. Anyway, I am using the color in the lower left corner of this picture. It is called Swamp.

I've been in Africa

Every morning and evening I go to Pete's Pond in Botswana. I sit and knit and watch the wildlife come to have a drink. I've seen an ostrich, elephants, lots of different birds, elands, impala, a crocodile, jackals, really big turtles, warthogs and wildebeests. It is very noisy with the sounds of bugs, birds, bats, catfish jumping and animals slurping water. I haven't seen the giraffes, lions, hyenas or zebras yet.


Finished this little sweater for the October campaign for afghans for Afghans. This time they are collecting for children ages 7 to 14. The pattern for this sweater is in Knitting for Peace.



The Minimalist Cardigan is perfect knitting for watching wild animals - lots and lots of moss stitch. The back and fronts are finished and one of the sleeves begun. Eventually the weather will cooperate and get cool enough to wear wool again.



Mimi has been the most faithful regular at Yarn Church. She finished this sweater for her husband, Danny. Yay, Mimi!

Movie Night (plus Feist)

As part of my informal completist project of watching movie versions of novels by Jane Austen I rented Bride and Prejudice by the director of Bend It Like Beckham. This tribute to Bollywood musicals moves the story of Pride and Prejudice to contemporary India. A very funny and enjoyable film, no more unrealistic than most romantic comedies. The clip is from early in the movie at a party celebrating a wedding.


This week has been a good one for movies. I also watched and enjoyed -
The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill, a very well done documentary about a flock of feral parrots in San Francisco and the man who befriended them.

Songcatcher, a 2000 film set in the mountains of North Carolina in the early 20th Century. It featured wonderful music and musicians with magnificent scenery. The script was nothing very special but the music and mountains made it enjoyable. There were two fleeting moments of knitting content. In one, the main character's sister was knitting what appeared to be a dish cloth with lots of mistakes. In the other, she was holding a skein of yarn while a young girl was winding a ball of wool. Iris Dement, Taj Mahal and Hazel Dickens all performed. Aidan Quinn played the hunky mountain man.

And, last night, I watched Finding Neverland with Johnny Depp and Kate Winslett. An excellent, somewhat true, story of J.M. Barrie's inspiration for the creation of Peter Pan. Well acted and produced.

I have been seeing Feist's name but have not really heard her music until this morning on Morning Edition on NPR. Oooh, I immediately went to iTunes and downloaded her newest CD - The Reminder. Check out her version of the traditional song - Sea Lion Woman. (aka See Lyin' Woman)



I've been contemplating what to do for a summer knitting project (besides socks) and now I think I have it. Mystery Stole 3 begins June 29.

I thought all the yarn was safe

But, no!


I got out my green blob and must have dropped a ball of yarn. I put the project away again because it has gotten too hot to have a wool sweater in my lap (even with air conditioning).


I worked at The Yarn Lounge this past weekend while Stewart and Melanie were in Ohio at the big trade show. They brought me these as a present. I've been wanting a Lexie Barnes tape measure ever since Stewart brought hers home from last year's TNNA. And I love the very useful little pouch.


The Fools Rush Socks are nearly finished. They are my main knitting these days. I am anxious for them to be completed because I have found a great pattern for Teri-Kay's birthday socks. Victorian Lace Socks from the Six Sock KAL.

Birthday, Bunny & Blocking

A very happy sixth birthday to Moose, one day late! And happy birthday to his littermates - Soup, Goose, Fly & Zsa Zsa.


Teri-Kay has just a few finishing touches to make on this bunny. She named him Lambie after the angora rabbit she did not bring home from Maryland Sheep & Wool.


The Equestrian Blazer is blocked. It should be dry when The Yarn Lounge reopens on Tuesday. I'm not working that day so, if all goes well, I might finish it during Knit Night. Unless I go to Australia or South America (not very likely) I won't be able to wear it until October.

Shuffle, Blob & Knit Night Reminder

1. Michelle - The Beatles
2. Ain't It Somethin- Lyle Lovett
3. Remember - Betty Carter
4. Cowpoke - Don Walser
5. To Be Alone With You - Maria Muldaur
6. Penguins - Lyle Lovett
7. Old Adam - Hem
8. Carey - Joni Mitchell
9. Me & Bobby McGee - Willie Nelson
10. It's Tight Like That - Georgia Tom


Zooming right along on the blob. I'm below the sleeves now. It is getting a bit warm in my lap but I am determined not to turn on the air conditioning yet. I think I've made enough of the Knitting Pure & Simple top down patterns to design my own now. With the help of Barbara Walker, I plan to make a top down, set in sleeve cardigan.

For those of you who live near Richmond - don't forget this Tuesday evening is the monthly Knit Night at The Yarn Lounge. Hope to see you there!

More Movies & A New Blob

Laura Linney is one of my favorite actresses. She was just about perfect in The Squid and The Whale and Love, Actually. Since I had never seen You Can Count on Me I added it to my Netflix queue and it finally made its way to the top last week. It is another tender hearted, independent film about a family - this time a single mother (Linney), her son (Rory Culkin), her brother (Mark Ruffalo) and her boss (Matthew Broderick). The film won the 2000 Sundance Grand Jury Prize and truly deserved it. The acting was consistently good, the story was full of truth and the first time director (Kenneth Lonergan) did a very good job. I tend to like independent films because they have to rely on good acting, a good script and good direction - the budgets are just too small to disguise flaws with fancy costumes, locations and special effects.

Sometimes, though, I make a poor pick and XX/XY was one. I chose it because Mark Ruffalo was the star and the plot seemed somewhat intriguing. Too bad his character was immature, shallow and annoying. That would have been forgivable if the movie had been at all good but it wasn't. Only two scenes were worth the time - in one, Ruffalo's character (a director) is recognized by someone who has seen his film. He asks for his money back. The other good scene was a very well acted monologue by Petra Wright who plays Ruffalo's live in girlfriend. For once the commenters at Netflix were right.

All four characters in Mike Nichols' 2004 film Closer were pretty repulsive, especially the ones played by Julia Roberts and Jude Law. Lying, betrayal and sexual misbehavior were the dominant themes of the movie which was based on a play by Patrick Marber. If you don't mind spending a couple of hours with people you have no respect for, this film by a deservedly respected director is definitely worth your time. Clive Owen & Natalie Portman also star & were both nominated for Academy Awards.

Wit, based on the play of the same name, was an HBO movie starring Emma Thompson and directed by Nichols. Thompson plays a literature professor who is diagnosed with Stage 4 ovarian cancer. The film chronicles her aggressive treatment and decline. She has devoted her life to the study of John Donne, to the exclusion of most human relationships. She endures her ordeal alone with only the comfort of her primary nurse (Audra McDonald). The film was grueling, truthful, sometimes funny and very beautiful.


My new blob in progress is the Split Neck T Shirt from Knitting Pure & Simple. I am using some Elann Peruvian Highland Wool that has been in my stash since November 2004. It is going pretty quickly even though I am working again (whew!). I have even gotten a bit of knitting done while I wait for the next task at my current temp job. It sure beats staring into space or playing Solitaire.

All the parts of the Equestrian Blazer have been finished since last week but I haven't had time to block them. That should happen this weekend.

Saturday Songs, Movies, Moonlight & a UFO

Songs

1. Boogie - Paolo Conte
2. Junko Partner - Dr. John
3. Rescue - Lucinda Williams
4. Au Suivant - Jacques Brel
5. Ai Vida - Cristina Branco
6. There Will Never Be Another You - Chet Baker
7. Singapore - Tom Waits
8. Tall In The Saddle - Joan Armatrading
9. Sous Le Soleil Exactement - Serge Gainsbourg
10. She Said She Said - The Beatles


Movies

I have 133 movies in my Netflix queue. At about 4 movies a week & adding at least two for every one I watch, I will never catch up. I must have added these first two after last year's Academy Awards.

Capote starring Philip Seymour Hoffman in an Oscar winning performance as Truman Capote. The film was visually stunning and the entire cast was excellent. I particularly like Catherine Keener as Harper Lee. Hoffman is one of his generation's great actors. I first saw him in Owning Mahowny based on the true story of a mild mannered, compulsive gambler who embezzles millions from the bank where he works in order to fund his habit.

Syriana was a very effective thriller that pulled me in, despite my confusion about what exactly was going on. The story grew by fragments until it fell into place shortly before the conclusion. George Clooney (another 2005 Oscar winner) did his best to look ordinary by gaining 30 pounds, growing a beard & shaving his hairline. Can't escape those gorgeous eyes though. The rest of the top notch cast included Matt Damon, Chris Cooper & William Hurt.

Too bad I saw Casino Royale around the same time. Yes, Daniel Craig is hot but the movie was waaay too long for such a simplistic story.

And then, last night, a wonderful independent film, Lovely & Amazing, directed by Nicole Holcener who went on to Friends With Money (now in my queue). A terrific ensemble cast that included Brenda Blethyn - Secrets & Lies, Little Voice and Mrs.Bennett in the Keira Knightly version of Pride & Prejudice, Catherine Keener (again), Jake Gyllenhaal - pre-Brokeback Mountain and Raven Goodwin, a child actress who played the most sensible character in the movie.

Moonlight


The shawl is finished and ready to be blocked tomorrow. The Walker Treasury blog has a swatch of the lace - called Sunspots in Barbara Walker's book - as a recent entry.

UFO


Remember this? I got as far as completing the back and beginning the left front last November. The concentration required to follow row by row instructions eluded me and the whole thing was left to marinate for months. After Swallowtail and Moonlight Sonata, the pattern suddenly seemed much less complex so I picked it up again. I finished the left front in a day and am now working my way up the right front, increasing, decreasing and short-rowing along with ease. The pattern for Kate Gilbert's Equestrian Blazer is in the Fall 2006 Interweave Knits if you want to check out the instructions.

Blue Blob No More

Love how this sweater turned out. Details: Knitting Pure & Simple Top Down V Neck Cardigan, knit using Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece (80% cotton, 20% merino wool) in the Emperor's Robe colorway, on size 7 Denise needles. Mother of Pearl buttons. Small modifications - I knit the bottom edge in garter stitch instead of K1, P1 ribbing and made the sweater less long.


Irises are very forgiving plants. I have neglected my garden for years and these still bloom by my front steps. The camera decided that I was taking a picture of the background instead of the flower, so it is a bit blurry and you can see all the volunteer maple seedlings. Ah well.


Linda finished her very first sock during Yarn Church yesterday. She used Trekking XXL in a lovely grey colorway.


I'm trying to complete a pattern repeat a day of the Moonlight Sonata shawl. Of course that takes more time as I go along because the shawl keeps growing. This is with the fifth repeat done.


And progress has been made on the first of the Regia Silk socks. It is my teaching, dvd watching knitting now that the Blue Blob is no longer. Maybe I should have taken the picture on a sock blocker, it is looking awfully skinny.

Swallowtail Shawl(s)

The Swallowtail Shawl blocked beautifully.


It turned out just the way I imagined.


The yarn was a gift from Kate M. She purchased it from Art Fibers in San Francisco. They design and produce their own line of yarn and you can only purchase it from them. Mine is Valparaiso in color 7. It is 50% baby alpaca, 50% merino wool. I knit the shawl using Denise needles in size 5. The pattern is from the Fall 2006 issue of Interweave Knits






Can you even see the nupps? Once I started using a size 1 needle to pick up the 5 stitches to purl together, the nupps went smoothly.


Melanie and I had a mini KAL. This is her finished Swallowtail, knitted in a Jo Sharp 100% alpaca yarn (can't remember the name).


Didn't she do a beautiful job?

Check out my start on the Moonlight Sonata shawl over at the Elann Shawl Knit-along.

Monday update

Remember this?


Melanie & I spent 3 hours on Saturday untangling. If I had known how chopped up it was, I probably would have just thrown the whole mess away. On Sunday Teri-Kay finished the job and was inspired to use the odd lengths to knit in with other yarn to make random stripes. I kept a few of the larger pieces for my log cabin blanket.


How can you stay mad at Peach when she spends 20 minutes tenderly licking her pal's head?


The Swallowtail is pinned out on the insulation foam. Melanie's version is in the background. They will be ready to photograph when The Yarn Lounge opens on Tuesday morning. Final pictures and details to be posted then.


I seem to have caught the lace shawl bug so am participating in the Elann shawl along which begins tomorrow. I am going to make the Moonlight Sonata shawl using Elann's Baby Silk.


While shopping my stash for the shawl along, I uncovered mounds of sock yarn. Cast these on using a simple K5, P3 rib to show off the self patterning.

Music, movies, a book and........OH NO!

Junior Brown - My Wife Thinks You're Dead

Friday iPod Shuffle. Tell me about yours.

1. A Little Blues - The Be Good Tanyas
2. It's Tight Like That - Georgia Tom
3. So Sad (To Watch Good Love Go Bad) - John Prine
4. Yanzi (Swallow Song) - Yo Yo Ma
5. Creeps Like Me - Lyle Lovett
6. Five Finnish Folk Songs - Yo Yo Ma
7. Hillbilly Hula Gal - Junior Brown
8. Reason to Cry - Lucinda Williams
9. Kingfish - Randy Newman
10. Young Blood - Rickie Lee Jones

Rogue, the Deerhound with his own blog, told me about a website devoted to covers of Bob Dylan songs. I should have known such a site existed.

Movies to see:
Rabbit Proof Fence, an Australian film based on the true story of 3 part Aboriginal girls. They were taken from their mothers and sent to a boarding school, escaped, and walked 1200 miles through the outback to get home. Well acted, beautiful photography, moving story.

Sisters, a very early (1973) Brian De Palma film. I wanted to see it because one of the leads, Jennifer Salt, was a student at Sarah Lawrence when I was. As was De Palma but I didn't know him. The movie had way too much scenery chewing to be scary and I surprised myself by enjoying it. Charles Durning had a part in it too and I do like him.

One of my favorite bloggers, Crazy Aunt Purl has a book coming out called Drunk, Divorced & Covered in Cat Hair. It will be published in October and, if it is one tenth as funny and sweet as her blog, it should be a huge hit. How could it miss with a title like that?


OH NO! This is how close I got to finishing the Swallowtail Shawl before I ran out of yarn. Rather than ordering one ball from the only place in the world where it is available, I tinked back and eliminated the row before the bindoff so I would have enough yarn to finish. I hope to block tomorrow so should have FO pictures Sunday or Monday.

Catching Up

We finished a Beginning Class and the talented knitters are showing their ribbed scarf progress.


Carolina completed another baseball jersey from Knit 2 Together. This one is made from Rowan Wool Cotton. It is an easy, fun pattern. When I have a real job again I plan to buy the book so I can make one too.


This blob is my Swallowtail Shawl (Interweave Knits Fall 2006). I have spent more time tinking than knitting on this project. I am not exaggerating, I truly have. Most recently because I noticed that some nupps were out of alignment three rows back. I haven't lost patience because it is going to be beautiful and because the yarn is still fabulous. It has held up perfectly to repeated knitting and frogging. I could have knit at least two pairs of socks in the time I have spent on this shawl.


My Knitting Pure & Simple v-neck cardigan has had progress because there are times and situations when lace knitting is impossible (when I am teaching, during Knit Night, etc.). The body is finished except for the button bands.


The first sleeve is partly done. I am really enjoying the Cotton Fleece from Brown Sheep. I am curious to see how much it stretches when worn.

Music and movies tomorrow (Friday).

Songs, Socks & a Shawl

Songs
1. God's Song (That's Why I Love Mankind) - Randy Newman
2. How's It Gonna End - Tom Waits
3. Still I Long for Your Kiss (Alternate Version) - Lucinda Williams
4. Un Mundo Raro - Chavela Vargas
5. Red Clay Halo - Gillian Welch
6. Still a Fool - Muddy Waters
7. Louisiana 1927 - Randy Newman
8. Ain't That Lovin' You Baby - Jimmy Reed
9. Diamonds & Rust - Joan Baez
10. Wedding Song - Maria Muldaur

Socks

Smoking Hot Socks (Although I think these look more like Blazing Hot Socks). A free pattern by Monika Steinbauer.
Knit using Fleece Artist 100% washable merino wool in the Tiger colorway on size 1 dpns. Just about my favorite yarn for knitting socks.


Modifications: (Accidental) bottoms of heels knit in reverse stockinette. (Deliberate) ribbing on leg is K3, P3 instead of K2, P2 so it will align with the mitered squares.


I was worried that the legs might not fit but they did.

Shawl

I am trying again with lace and have begun the Swallowtail Shawl by Evelyn Clark in the Fall 2006 Interweave Knits. So far I have spent as much time frogging as knitting. Melanie (the angel of The Yarn Lounge) & I are having a mini KAL. We may have inspired Stewart to try as well. The yarn was a gift from Kate M., purchased at Artfibers in San Francisco.

FOs & a Beginning

Kate finished this top using some luxurious yarn from Artyarns in San Francisco. If it fits her, she is going to keep it. If not, she will send it to her daughter. I hope it fits.


Teri-Kay finished these fingerless mitts. She used Blue Sky Alpaca & Silk.


I finished my Snap Cardigan, a Blue Sky pattern, using Blue Sky 100% cotton. I washed the snap tape & the sweater before sewing on the tape. The sweater grew at least one size. Next time I wash it, I am going to dry it on Hot. It is very comfortable and soft. Notice the amazing coincidence of my only pair of Crocs matching the sweater as if planned.


The Fleece Artist Ruby socks are finished. They are my favorites. I plan to wear them on Tuesday for Knit Night at The Yarn Lounge.


My next socks are the Retro Rib Socks by Evelyn Clark in Favorite Socks. I can't remember the name of the Fleece Artist colorway but it is an excellent green.

Can you tell I finished my temp job on Tuesday? I have been knitting nonstop since then. I've turned down one job so far. It involved a commute to Petersburg (45 minutes). I didn't want to add that much time to leaving the dogs for the day. Also I didn't want to spend the money on gas & the extra wear on my car.