yarn and cocktails

bringer of light

2009-12-24T13:44:00.003-05:00

At this time of year, celebrations of the return of the light abound. On October 30, my little beacon of light arrived.

She's wonderful and healthy, and tolerates wearing multiple handknits at once. I'm cherishing these moments and wish you all wonderful celebrations of light.

out of control

2009-10-09T12:18:00.003-04:00

Clearly, my hormones are out of control, because this picture made me start crying. That's our President with his little niece. Congratulations on winning the Nobel Peace Prize, and now let's see some action, there, Mr. President.

bookworm

2009-10-07T18:11:00.000-04:00

Now that we’ve entered the month in which I’ll give birth* I have added incentive to finish up some long-lingering projects that require attention. Happily, the weather is cooperating, and the cloudy and cool days seem just right for knitting. And taking naps.

I did finish one long-overdue baby gift, and shipped it back East a little while ago. It’s the Bookworm Sweater from Miss Bea’s Rainy Day (a theme!) by Louisa Harding. I adore this entire series of small books, and love the classic styles of the patterns.

The yarn is my favorite Lion Brand Cotton-Ease, in cherry red, sadly discontinued. Something odd happened when putting in the sleeves, and I hope that it doesn’t make the sweater uncomfortable to wear. It’s a touch bunchy under the arms, but I hope the lovely cables make up for it.

*As Hubby dropped me off at work today, I asked if he thought IT would happen today. He said no. I have a feeling we are going to repeat this conversation over and over and over again.

surprise, baby

2009-09-22T18:36:00.002-04:00

No, no: there's no news yet. The big day draws ever closer… reaching my feet to fasten sandals isn’t easy when I’ve got to reach around a basketball in my lap. And sadly, it’s still sandal weather here in Portland on this first day of autumn. The temperature will be above 90 degrees today, and while there’s no humidity to speak of and a gentle breeze blowing, I am not amused. It’s not supposed to be this hot here at the end of September.

Regardless of the heat (which hasn't been bad all September), I did finish a little Baby Surprise Jacket for the little one. It’s made out of Regia sock yarn, so it should be ready for repeated washing in the machine. I’m quite happy with the colors, and imagine she’ll look great in it.

I’ve got a lot of other projects going on that I’d like to finish up before she arrives* but with only three weeks to go, I’m not sure that’s going to happen! There are a couple more things that I have finished, and a bunch of yarn purchased that needs a photo shoot… all of which will appear in due time.

*While typing that, I got a kick in my left arm, as if to say, “Ha! You, finish four projects in three weeks? As if!” Guess she knows me pretty well already.

where have you gone, joe dimaggio?

2009-08-10T13:59:00.002-04:00

What I've Not Been Doing

1. Traveling to Japan

2. Climbing Mount Hood

3. Drinking cocktails

4. Eating raw oysters and sushi

What I Have Been Doing

1. Buying a house

2. Packing up stuff and moving and unpacking

3. Knitting tiny bits

4. Growing a baby (see #3 and #4 above)

Hubby, it should be noted, has been highly involved with What I Have Been Doing, #1, #2, and #4, although the "growing" in the last one has primarily my responsibility. I would really like to be drinking cocktails, especially now that I have a nice backyard and table, and it's gin and tonic season; but as that is not allowed in my current condition, the bottles are still packed in the basement. I would also really love a spicy tuna roll with cucumber in brown rice and a half dozen oysters. But enough about the food I can't eat. (I could go on.)

We have a house that is lovely, and in a great neighborhood that is closer to work, so my commuting knitting time has been reduced. But I did finish some socks a few months ago!

This past weekend was the Sock Summit in Portland, and I am so lame that I did not register for a single class. I did go to the Marketplace and shopped for two hours, and bought more yarn than I have all year. (I have not bought much yarn at all.) It was very entertaining to hear about the declaration that last week was Sock Knitting Week in Portland, see lace shawls on the shoulders of people all over town, and have a nearly full-page, front-page article on the summit in the paper today.

As I start to slow down, thanks to my passenger, I think I will be knitting more. I have lots of ideas...

whoops

2009-03-15T20:41:00.004-04:00

Hubby has been visiting New York for a few days, and I've been hearing a near-continual refrain: where's the blog? Where's the knitting? And the cocktails? Well, there just hasn't been much of any of that lately. But I currently have some motivation to work on a new project - a baby blanket - for a little girl who is going to turn 1 before I know it. I don't think that the wedding "you get a year" rule counts for babies, and I'm heartily ashamed. But knitting on size 13 needles is fun, and working on some massive lace is pretty entertaining company while I'm watching the World Baseball Classic.

This afternoon I walked to the store to return a video rental, and the weather was typically Portland: windy and rainy on the way there, then sunny and sort of rainy on the way back. But there was a huge rainbow in the sky, and you can never see too many of those. So, did you miss me?

wipe out!

2009-02-05T16:48:00.003-05:00

I didn't come close to my goal of posting five times last week, and for that, I acknowledge my lameness. But to make up for that, please go here and see some highly awesome interpretations of NYC. Yay, New York!

I'll be back!

tangled up

2009-01-27T17:19:00.000-05:00

As too many socks make you go blind (and there are more to come!), I thought I'd break up this week's posting sprint with news of a sweater - the Tangled Yoke cardigan from Interweave Knits Fall 2007. Tweedy goodness from Rowan...

I have swatched successfully - just two off on the row gauge, which is plenty fine with me - and WASHED Mlle. Swatch as well.

This is a highly important step in gauge-swatch-making, which I've never done before. I learned my lesson might well on my very last adult sweater project: washing the swatch is really super-duper important, because otherwise you might get a sweater that grows in water like nothing you have ever seen. (And no one else has seen the sweater either, because I put it on, cried, lifted the hem from around my knees, and folded it up and stashed it away in the cedar chest.)

So: I've knit a swatch, achieved gauge, washed the swatch, still been pleased with size of swatch, and now need to cast on somewhere around 200 stitches. That's a lot, and will likely be on hold until the weekend when I can sit and do it all at once. And then the knitting begins: a me-sized sweater on #4 needles. I might be nutso on this one, because that's a lot of stitches. But in finishing the sweater, I'll knock over a mile off my stashed yarn total. (Yes, I count my yarn in miles.)

warming hubby's feet

2009-01-26T14:53:00.000-05:00

Hubby is wearing some new socks today.

Fun colors - just enough to keep things interesting, but very suitable for Hubby socks. It's Brown Sheep Wildfoote yarn, in Brown Sugar. One skein had flecks of green, but the other did not... even though they were the same dye lot. The second skein also had different patterning than the first, and I think you can see the difference between the two. But they are socks, and I think that they came out well enough. The yarn had been marinating in my stash since December 2006, and it was high time for it to get knit up.

(Post #2 of the week! I'm gonna do it!)

tap, tap: anyone there?

2009-01-25T19:35:00.000-05:00

I spoke with two friends today, and both made comments about my lack of blog action in the past couple of weeks. And it's true, I just haven't had the drive to communicate about my knitting lately. But hearing that my readers are eager for more updates was a bit of a shove in the right direction.

The mornings are relatively chilly here in Portland, usually hovering just above freezing. My double-thick wool mittens aren't really necessary, nor are the polarfleece gloves, since I'm just walking and waiting for a bus. These mittens (Ann Budd's book of knitting patterns) are thin, but provide just enough warmth and coverage. They fit easily into my pockets when I get on the bus, and I'm quite happy with how they turned out.

I think I started them over a year ago, and got as far as the ribbing, and a couple of thumb gusset increases. They were so quick to make that I felt rather silly having them hang around as long as they did. The yarn is Diakeito Diamusee Fine - a Japanese import - and the color changes are subtle enjoyable to watch while it moves through your fingers. I got the yarn years ago in Cold Spring, NY at a shop that's sadly closed.

OK: I will pledge to post each day this week. There's actually a lot of knitting progress to show, s here goes!

no time

2009-01-09T00:26:00.003-05:00

I've been driving to work this week - not my choice, for sure. I haven't driven on a daily basis since my first job out of college, which would be 12 years ago. While taking the bus or light rail has it's annoyances, and finding street parking in my part of downtown Portland is a breeze (it's fun to see how close I can get to the office door!), I really miss my reading and knitting time. I haven't knit all week. It's been busy at the office and for the social calendar, and now I'm just wiped out. There's more busyness tomorrow, and a friend is in town, and then there's the amazing class I'm taking with Brooklyn Tweed Jared on Saturday... and I'm probably not going to leave home on Sunday.

(Coda to my Christmas tree-cutting escapades: in order to not pay more to have the tree taken away for composting, I had to cut it into three pieces so it would fit in the composting bins we get from the city. It looked rather disturbing, chopped up like that. But the saw I borrowed from our landlord was much better than the one at the tree farm. Note: bring your own next year.)

the time has come to talk of many things

2009-01-01T12:29:00.003-05:00

Resolutions! I like 'em, Hubby hates hearing about 'em, so this is my outlet.

1. Be highly judicious in yarn purchases this year. (Already making progress on this one: I did not buy a sweater's worth of Lorna's Laces Organic Wool at the 20% off sale, because I have other sweaters that I'd like to knit that I've already purchased the yarn for.)

2. If the light rail train isn't at my stop when I arrive, walk along its path (on the sidewalk, of course) to the next stop, look back for the train, and repeat if necessary.

3. Have lots of projects going at once, so I can always grab the right, fun thing for the moment.

4. Try for more high points, and fewer low points, than 2008.

5. Learn to crochet.

6. Start playing the piano again. (Got a fantastic deal on a keyboard on eBay. It'll be here next week.)

I think that's it. I have two socks that are begging for attention, and a mitten to start. #3 is looking better and better...

happy new year!

2008-12-31T20:03:00.001-05:00

All the best to you in the new year!

(The romanesco looks festive, right?)

secret gift knitting revealed

2008-12-28T13:56:00.002-05:00

Over the past few weeks, I've been working on a few projects that I couldn't advertise, as Mom would have discovered them before she unwrapped them! The following are the Blueberry Waffle socks, in Sliver Moon Farm superwash. The official name of the yarn is denim, but I found it to be a good match for my idea of yummy waffles. (I forgot to take a picture before mailing them off, so this is a WIP shot.)

The other handknit item she received was partially a gift from her. While on an Alaskan cruise this summer, Mom gave me a skein of yarn from a hand-dyer in Sitka. I wanted to use it with another yarn, to ensure that I'd get a big and warm scarf. Paired here with Louet Riverstone, it was cushy and should be warm enough for even an Alaskan winter. (Not that Mom will be in Alaska in the winter.)

Hope you had a very merry holiday (whichever you celebrate)!

snow day

2008-12-22T11:46:00.007-05:00

When I woke this morning, I checked the Transit Tracker website to see what the bus situation was at my stop. The answer? There was a bus headed my way, and it was only 11.6 miles from the stop! Oh, happy day: I'm not getting on a bus today. The rails aren't really working either, so I'm homebound today. There is now enough snow that even I'm impressed.

We attempted to drive to a little Hanukkah party yesterday, and the snow was not cooperating with the car. We got to meet some of our neighbors as they helped us push the car back into the driveway, so that was nice. And then we walked, with wine and brisket and potatoes for latkes and menorahs in our backpacks, through the deserted streets. There may have been snowball fight on the way back home, too, when the packs were lighter.

My new hat was blocked while on my head. A commenter asked about the pattern (Koolhaas, by Jared Flood): it was published in the Interweave Knits Holiday 2007 magazine, and I believe that you can buy it directly from the IK website as an individual pattern, too.

Stay warm out there!

grape head

2008-12-21T16:10:00.004-05:00

The yarn's official name is "Violetas", which is much lovelier than grape, but I do feel a bit like there's a bowl full of grape jelly on my head while wearing my Koolhaas hat. I think it might be time for a trip to Seattle so I can model it in front of the library that inspired the design.

Thanks to the Blizzard of 2008*, I had lots of knitting time over the past two days. This morning was just lovely: Jonathan Schwartz's 39th Annual Christmas Show over the computer (yay for free XM Radio trial periods!), knitting with Malabrigo, the noble fir tree in the corner, soy egg nog in a cocktail glass, the Times... a pretty good way to while away the shortest day of the year.

*4 inches of snow.

Can I confess that I did a happy dance upon completion?

Cushy and warm... just the thing to light up the longest night of the year.

it's a wonderful snow storm

2008-12-18T18:34:00.005-05:00

It’s pretty much chaos in the streets here in Portland. There’s snow! There’s ice! There’s a commitment to keep the rivers clean, so there’s no salt! But the panic resulted in a very empty train ride for me today, which was nice. Schools on the west side of town have been closed all week; poor east-side kids had to report in Tuesday. Panic caused the west-side schools to close again today, and since then, the sun has been shining brightly. All of my meetings and events this week were cancelled (that first week of January is not going to be relaxing). But before the winter weather hit town, I cut down my Christmas tree!

This is a fascinating article about "It's a Wonderful Life" that I really enjoyed. Check it out.

winter wonderland

2008-12-14T21:28:00.003-05:00

I finished half a scarf this past week, and took a really dreadful photo.

Luckily, the scarf is a lot nicer than this picture. I really enjoyed the little bit of lace, followed by inches and inches of plain knitting. Just when it was getting to be a bit of a slog, and I couldn't believe that all this knitting was only getting me 8" of fabric, it was time to move into high gear and start zipping along. I'll probably get the other half started tonight, to be ready for the bus ride tomorrow morning.

It's been snowing all day (well, mostly just blowing now), and we've enjoyed being home-bound. We did walk to the local coffee shop this morning, and I just walked to the store to get some spinach for dinner... so we weren't exactly trapped. But the city seems quite paralyzed by this inch of accumulation. I can't wait to see what tomorrow brings!

The good thing about being at home for the day is the fact that I got all my present wrapping done, and nearly everything is boxed and ready for shipping. Yes, I'm much later than I anticipated, but I'm fairly certain that the boxes will arrive on time.

Soon: pictures of me as a lumberjack, cutting down my Christmas tree.

my list

2008-12-06T18:22:00.005-05:00

There are a bunch of projects I want to begin, now that my holiday knitting is done! I have all the yarn, and now just want to start. All of these are going to be great on the commute...

The Koolhaas hat, in purple Malabrigo.

The Snowball hat, in a lovely burgundy Lamb's Pride.

The scarf on the right, in an alpaca yarn that's pretty close to the color shown. (I might want to do the scarf on the left, too.)

And a Monkey Cowl - which isn't quite like this one - but made in a wildly varigated yarn that never worked as socks.

thankful (a little late)

2008-11-30T17:53:00.003-05:00

Yes, I have many things for which I am thankful. They are that I (not necessarily in order of importance):

1) finally found good Chinese and NY-style pizza in Portland*
2) am one present away from finished with holiday knitting
3) am signed up for Jared's class on designing Aran sweaters in January
4) have a job - here - that I like, because it's slim pickings out there
5) went to my first yoga class in nearly two years, and almost managed to keep up
6) have a farmer's market still operating, in December! (OK, so there aren't nearly as many vendors around as there were, but some are still there with winter greens, apples, and our happy pork producers

*Yummy Yummy on 82nd across from Fubonn, and Apizza Scholls on Hawthorne for anyone still searching.

I hope that you all had a lovely holiday weekend! And feel thankful for all that you have.

two days, two good things

2008-11-22T19:35:00.004-05:00

Yes, I've been quite absent lately, and for that, I apologize. Getting back into the swing of working outside the home has been a challenge. Everything there is still good, and I'm headed off on my first business trip with them tomorrow afternoon.

Onto the good things: knitting isn't the only thing that's been suffering lately; I've been having the durndest time getting engrossed in a book. I hadn't finished a book in weeks, and even Sarah Vowell's new book couldn't hold my attention (I know, right? If not Sarah, then who?). So imagine my extreme joy when I grabbed The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society from my stack of library books, started reading at the bus stop, and then didn't want to get off the bus because I was hooked. I devoured it quickly, and can't recommend it highly enough. It's a post-WWII novel, but I won't say another word because everyone should read it right away.

And today, I found the waterproof boots I'd been searching for. And cute brown shoes as well.

I hope to start reading blogs again soon (I'm so very behind...) and also doing that knitting thing. Yay for a six hour (round trip) car ride and a long Thanksgiving weekend ahead!

diamonds and pearls

2008-11-12T22:14:00.002-05:00

Phew. Superwash yarn does, in fact, block out.

The Diamond and Pearls Shawl from the Knitter's Book of Yarn is completed, and blocked successfully. Another Christmas present is finished!

My k2tog vs. ssk problem isn't quite as glaring in the blocked shawl (k2togs: above left, ssks: above right), but I will need to try a substitute on the next lace project that I start. Maybe I'm just doing them wrong? Hm...

Detail-oriented viewers will note that I did not use the elaborate, loopy edging for the cast off. I tried it - a number of times - but never liked the final result. My alternative was to use a #13 needle for the cast off, and just cruise straight across. I'm entirely fine with the final product, and hope that grandma will like it too!

The Dream in Color Classy is a lovely yarn. The yardage is great for the price, and it's handpainted! No irritating pooling, and it did seem reminiscent of a deep seaflower.

(Also, the job is going well. People are lovely, etc., and I think that they'll keep me.)

cozy, but warm

2008-11-06T14:29:00.000-05:00

Last weekend, I finished my Herringbone Neck Warmer, and it kept me warm and cozy for the two days that I needed it. Temperatures have recently been in the 60s, making an extra layer of wool not really, really necessary.

I tried out some vintage buttons, but the the colors weren't really floating my boat. I'm sure that I'll find a great use for them at some point, and as you can see, they didn't really break the bank.

Ultimately, some shell buttons from Joann's were the best solution. I really enjoyed this project, and the yarn (Morehouse Merino) was sublime. Do you see all those pools of pink and green? They don't even bug me. They are just delicious. The weather will be taking a cooler turn soon, and I expect to get a lot of good use out of this soon. All I can say is: yay for busting lovely yarn out of the stash for a quick project!

the change we need

2008-10-31T17:13:00.000-04:00

A week ago marked our six-month anniversary in Portland. We arrived on April 23rd at around 11pm, and it was October 23rd. Things had been a little difficult lately; I didn't get a job that I wanted, another person backed out of buying our apartment in New York, our bank nearly failed (OK, this wasn't really so bad as it was taken over by another bank and we didn't actually have any real problems, and not nearly enough money in said bank to not have it insured by the Feds, but with $1 in your wallet, you don't want to hear that your bank is going under.)

Happy halloween, by the way.

So. Just about eight hours away from our six-month anniversary in Portland, the phone rang. It was another job offer, one that I was also happy to accept. A job in my field, which is considerably smaller in Portland than it is in New York. But I can't really get over the ironic timing: it did take less than six months to find a job here, but yikes, could it have been any tighter?

I start on Monday. My first time in an office in six months. My first commute in six months. Yes, I'm a touch nervous. But the trick-or-treaters don't seem to circulate in my neighborhood, so I'll have lots of candy to bring to my new co-workers.

PS: I already voted. Did you?

neck cozy

2008-10-24T11:13:00.003-04:00

My chilly neck is calling out for a cozy little scarf. I really liked the Herringbone Neckwarmer (pattern available here*), and cast on Wednesday night with a skein of Morehouse Merino three-strand that I purchased at Rhinebeck in 2007. The Herringbone pattern is the same one used in the My So-Called Scarf (pattern available here**). A couple of years ago, I tried to make one and found it nearly impossible. Even this time, when writing out the pattern into my traveling notebook, I couldn’t get my head around what the directions were instructing. But I decided to plunge in and just start. And lo, it made sense once I started knitting.

It's coming along well, and should be keeping me warm very soon. Now I need to shop for buttons...

*The comments at the end of the pattern were very helpful in figuring it all out.

**And it’s in Dutch, too!

waiting pattern

2008-10-18T12:33:00.003-04:00

Life is in a bit of a waiting pattern right now. Waiting for the election,

(this week's cover of the Willamette Week, the Village Voice of Portland), waiting for reports of all the fun that was had at Rhinebeck (the first one I've missed in years; last night Hubby commented that Oregon Flock and Fiber can't really compare to New York Sheep and Wool), and waiting to dive into the confusing cast off of my grandmother's shawl.

(My neat and tidy knit-2-togethers on the right, and sloppy slip-slip-knits on the left. I really need to experiment and find an alternative that is better for my knitting style.) Hopefully it will all block out and look lacy and lovely...

I did get to see Ann and Kay on Monday night at their reading/book signing, and took no pictures. It was quite entertaining to have Kay look over, furrow her brow, and say, "What are you doing here?" Many days, I ask myself the same thing.

brr...

2008-10-10T14:18:00.002-04:00

After that flurry of finishing projects, I had to take a little break. Planning Christmas presents has been on the forefront of my knitting thinking, and I purchased one skein of yarn to make a little shawl for my grandmother.

I like the colors of this, and it's my first Dream in Color yarn. I made the corrections in the pattern (which will be the Diamonds and Pearls Shawl from the Knitter's Book of Yarn), and just need to wind the skein.

However, I'm really tempted to make myself a neckwarmer, because it's been cold cold cold here in Portland. I'm typing with gloves on, in fact. I have tons of scarves, of course, but the ends tend to get in the way while I'm doing dishes, etc. I have the yarn... and the chilly neck... and plenty of time before Christmas...

giftie pile

2008-10-03T17:14:00.003-04:00

I finished up a couple more single skeins... just a few days past September. First up: socks for a grandmother, out of yarn purchased while on vacation last year. They are rather silky, which I find surprising for superwash merino.

I made another Unoriginal Hat out of Misti Alpaca Bulky, and loved the zippy nature of a 36 row pattern. It was over before it had hardly begun...

I have half a Jaywalker sock to finish, and then will have another completed gift for the boxes that will head east in a few months. I wonder how early I need to ship my gifts to make it across the country?

catching up

2008-09-27T17:58:00.002-04:00

Quite a few babies have arrived this summer, and I've been neglecting them. But no longer! I'm on a baby-knitting roll.

I started the Placket Sweater from Last Minute Knitted Gifts in early August, and upon discovering some very strange dye lot issues (wherein one skein - the bottom of the sweater - was considerably darker than the other two), I stuffed the whole thing in the back of the cupboard.

But then I finished the Icarus Shawl, and was so excited to be finishing up old projects that I grabbed this and decided that with the return of autumn, the babies needed some cozy garments. (Yarn = Mirasol Hacho in tutti fruitti.)

I am very happy with the little purple beads I found for the placket. If I made the sweater again (which I probably will do), I'll make some buttonholes, because it's very hard on the psyche to shove the beads through my lovely seed stitch.

Soon, it'll be on it's way to Brooklyn, and I'll be casting on for another overdue baby gift.

double skein september

2008-09-25T11:56:00.003-04:00

Last week, I needed some mindless knitting that wasn't on size 0 needles. A few months ago, I made most of a Bainbridge Scarf (everything but the ties), and then ran out of steam. It sat in the cupboard, lumpy and not terribly happy. So, I yanked it all out and wound it up into a ball, and started a simple seed stitch scarf. I had another skein upstairs, and I had found my mindless, not-small knitting!

You know how they say you always need to wash and dry yarn that's been ripped from another project before starting over? The first half of the scarf, made with the frogged yarn, was kind of bumpy (see scarf half on left). I thought it might be my tension, but never the fact that I didn't follow the knitting rules about washing the yarn. So when I started the second half with the fresh skein and it was smooth sailing (see scarf half on right), I knew that I might be in for a world of hurt.

Happily, the fates smiled upon me, and once completed and soaked, the scarf turned out just fine. Smooth, mossy alpaca goodness. This is destined for the holiday gift pile, and should be lovely to wear come January.

flying high

2008-09-23T13:20:00.005-04:00

At very, very long last: the Icarus Shawl is finished. (Below, in big blob stage.)

The pattern was published in Interweave Knits in the summer 2006 issue. I purchased the yarn for it at Rhinebeck that fall, and found A Touch of Twist Zephyr - a silk and merino blend that was $5 for a 300 yard skein. (What a bargain, right? Look for them this year on my behalf.) I started the shawl in the summer of 2007, after failing at the Mystery Stole 3 knitalong. I did very little of it, before determining that laceweight yarn and train commuting weren't a great match. Off it went into a plastic bag for nearly a full year...

I picked up the project again for our road trip to Napa at the end of June, and it came with me to New York in July. It got pushed aside for a little while again in August, but I told myself that I wouldn't cast on another lace project (and there are so many interesting ones waiting!) until this was finished.

While still working on the plain portion, I discovered that many knitters were running short on yarn. I had 900 yards, exactly what was called for in the pattern, but it had been two years. I think that only one other person on Ravelry had the black yarn, so a decision was needed. I didn't do the fifth repeat of the stockinette portion, and started the lace pattern early. Looking at what I've got left, it was a good choice. Also, the blocked shawl is amazingly large. Draped over my shoulders, the ends fall to mid-thigh. It's about 80 inches across the top.

It's light, and quite lovely. Hubby asked if I was going to wear it to Oregon Flock and Fiber this weekend, and I think that I might. I never wear the lace that I knit, except for the Shetland Triangle to my office holiday party last year. But this might be the weekend for a debut...

It's light, and quite lovely. Hubby asked if I was going to wear it to Oregon Flock and Fiber this weekend, and I think that I might. I never wear the lace that I knit, except for the Shetland Triangle to my office holiday party last year. But this might be the weekend for a debut...

pity party

2008-09-21T14:25:00.004-04:00

This is the weekend when Hubby hops on a plane and goes back to the old alma mater for a series of meetings and gadding about with old friends and professors. In previous years, I've taken advantage of the weekend alone to catch up on TV series that I'd missed (e.g., House, Alias), eat microwaved food from Trader Joe's (trying to fool myself that it's healthy), and knit to my heart's content.

Unfortunately, those plans were slightly derailed by some bad news on Friday afternoon (I and all loved ones are fine, it's just some really annoying/depressing info). So instead of watching good TV series, I watched Lipstick Jungle on hulu and threw myself a pity party. With an entire bag of hickory bbq potato chips from Trader Joe's. (Note to self: while eating all those chips seems like the right thing to do at a pity party, the hangover is really not worth it.)

Come Saturday morning, I forced myself out of bed, and went to Twisted to see the Louet Fall Fashion Show, which was quite a bit of fun. There were 25 people there, or so, and I was a little surprised that I was one of only two people knitting through the event. It was a show of knitted garments in front of knitters, so I assumed that more people would have pulled out their needles...

After more work on the Icarus Shawl (sooooo close to done!), I got a message that my copy of Jane Brocket's The Gentle Art of Domesticity was ready to be picked up. Thinking that it would be good for me to get out of the house a bit more, off I went.

I passed a new wine bar - EVOE, I think, on Hawthorne - on my way back to the car, and sat down to look at the stunning pictures and browse the book with a glass of hard cider from Basque country, and a few deviled eggs (with chips of ham). I will certainly be back there as autumn approaches and we look for places to be out of the house but also out of the rain. I'm still digesting the book, and am sure to discuss more of it soon.

bamboo who?

2008-09-17T16:02:00.002-04:00

I went to The Knit and Crochet Show last weekend, which is sponsored by a big trade association (TKGA). Since I won't be going to Rhinebeck this year, I was hoping for something great - to ease the pain of missing the Duchess County Fairgrounds in mid-October. It's so beautiful up there that weekend. Sigh.

The marketplace wasn't quite as exciting as I'd hoped. There were booths for most of the local yarn stores, and new-to-me West Coast independent vendors. Of course, my only yarn purchase was from the New York-based Habu textiles - super thin bamboo and over a 1,000 yards of it! I never made it to the store while I lived there, and thought that I need to correct that (in)action in some way.

I did also buy the pattern for Chrissy Gardiner's Path of Flowers Stole (Ravelry link), and got to meet her. She's Portland-based, so I managed to do some buy-local shopping. I'm hoping that next weekend's Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival will help to lessen my Rhinebeck heartache...

single skein september

2008-09-15T22:07:00.001-04:00

It's Single Skein September! That time of the year when you decide that you really are going to get a jump on holiday knitting, and actually make something with all those singleton skeins of yarn.
I pulled out One Skein (handily titled), and a skein of Knit Picks Main Line, and cast on for a little bib, which didn't turn out quite as little as I expected. The colorway is Red Velvet Cake, which is exceptionally appropriate for bib yarn, I think.

It was a fun little pattern (with some errata, fyi), and my first experience in using the wrapping method for short rows. I was successful most of the time, but the careful eye will find the mistakes. But hey, it's a bib: anything that is purposefully designed to get dirty is allowed a few clumsy wrap pick-ups.

What was less fun was weaving in the 14 ends (carefully saved above) from this little number. That's a lot of weaving for not very much bib. They went quickly, though, and I found a great match for some yarn that needed a purpose. I am waaaaay behind on making baby gifts, so many this will get me going...

ps: hello, post #400!

trip to the big city

2008-09-10T12:31:00.005-04:00

Over the weekend, we took a trip to Seattle to see my beloved New York Yankees beat the Mariners and make up some games in the wild card race. That was the plan, at least. They managed to win one game.

Seattle is quite the sports town, and our stop for lunch on Saturday had this massive "art" on the wall. Please note the "No Yankees" symbol in the lower left corner. It made me laugh.

But I did finish some socks over the weekend (well, yesterday - it was a long weekend). These are my first socks from Socks That Rock, and since Blue Moon Fiber Arts is a Portland company, it's about time!

Sad to say, I'm not sure that I completely love the yarn. I don't really like the pooling (no news there), and it wasn't as soft as I expected. But they do feel lovely and cushy on my feet, so maybe I'll give it another try. You spend much more time wearing socks than knitting them, so it may be a fair trade.

the bakery

2008-09-04T16:16:00.004-04:00

I got the book Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day for my birthday, and over the weekend I whipped up the basic recipe. This is the dough after the two hour rise and overnight in the fridge.

Next, I pulled a hunk off and shaped a little loaf, let it rise a bit, and slashed the top to give it the fancy artisan look. (I imagine that there's something more to it than just looks, but I'm not that good a bread baker yet.)

And then: yum. Fresh bread.

It really was as easy as advertised. The first loaf was cut by someone a little too early, so it was a bit dense, but easily the best bread that I've ever made. I can't recommend the book more highly.

Lunch was fantastic. I can't wait to explore the rest of the recipes. I might become a bread baker yet!

summertime and the knitting is easy

2008-09-02T13:17:00.005-04:00

I pulled out my new skein of Socks That Rock and started a super-easy sock, and it turns out that a ribbed sock was exactly what I wanted to knit right now. It was great to have on hand during last week's convention-watching, and hopefully I'll get to work on the second one during this week's speechifying. (These two weeks are really going to negatively effect global warming - such hot air coming out of Denver and the Twin Cities!)

Hopefully I can finish up the toe this afternoon, and get the new one cast on before book club tonight. It's only my second time with this group, but I hope that they won't mind if I knit.

This weekend we are going to Seattle to see the Yankees play the Mariners at Safeco Field. We are waaaaaay up in the top deck, so it should be safe to knit during the game. We've got Saturday night and Sunday afternoon tickets, which is a lot of baseball over the span of 24 hours. Will I still be working on these socks next weekend?

omnivore's 100

2008-09-01T00:22:00.002-04:00

http://www.verygoodtaste.co.uk/uncategorised/the-omnivores-hundred/

Here’s what I want you to do:

1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.

The VGT Omnivore’s Hundred:

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake

Not too bad! There's pretty much nothing that I won't try, except for maybe the fugu and roadkill...

friday, finally

2008-08-22T17:37:00.002-04:00

Instead of knitting, I've been spending a lot of time reading. This stack represents what I've been working through lately. We've eaten through all the bread in the house, so I'm going to start my first loaf of Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day over the weekend. I was very excited to finally get The Brief Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao from the library (Pulitzer Prize winner!), but it isn't exactly what I'd hoped. I'm only 30 pages in, and will keep going, but... :(

The second to the bottom book, The Woman at the Washington Zoo, represents my latest read about fabulous women that you'd like to know who die really young of dreadful cancer. I've learned that I really need to STOP reading these books (e.g., About Alice) because their husbands are too skilled at the writing thing. I end up bawling and feeling generally rotten. So: more books about cookies, less about cancer. An excellent recipe.

While we were off at the coast last weekend, I gave myself a little birthday present: two skeins of Socks That Rock, and I just cast on a new sock with one of them. I think this might be exactly what I want to knit at this second, and hopefully will get me going again!

the coast

2008-08-19T13:25:00.003-04:00

This is why we decided to leave Portland for the weekend:

Photo taken shortly before we left that afternoon. We have no air conditioning, and it had been nearly that hot for two days. When we returned and saw some friends at a party on Sunday afternoon, one said that she slept on her cool-ish ceramic kitchen tiles Saturday night, because the heat was unbearable.

But the coast was pretty magical... and cold.

We watched the surfers at the beach above for a while.

And finally saw the ocean, after the incredible morning fog lifted.

We were lucky to have such a clear day on Saturday, because Sunday was so foggy that the huge Haystack Rock was almost entirely hidden. You could make it out once you were on top of it, but it was quite disorienting to walk along the beach, knowing that a 235' rock was just in front of you, and not be able to see a thing.

I loved the coast, and can't wait to go back. But I'll bring some more sweaters, and a wind jacket. Those Alaskan breezes are really something.

hippo birdie

2008-08-15T12:50:00.003-04:00

I celebrated a birthday this week, by eating at one of the country's best restaurants on Birthday Eve. Our server was a hoot, and graciously allowed me* to take home half of my entree for lunch on the big day itself. The meal was the finale of the brother and sister-in-law's visit, and I think that we showed off Portland quite nicely.

*Le Pigeon does not work like most restaurants. The philosophy of "the customer is always right" is not in the house, shall we say. The menu says substitutions politely declined, but I've heard that it's not always so polite. I was pleasantly surprised that they did doggie bags.

Portland is currently in the middle of a heat wave (101 today, so I'm working from the laptop in our basement living room, which we set up during the last warm spell - yay for a strong wireless signal!) and so we are decamping to the coast for the weekend. It's never more than 80 out there, and windy. I'm hoping that we can spend all of tomorrow walking the beach, freezing our toes off when we dare to step in the water, and hiking around state parks. Maybe one of these days I'll actually pick up some knitting, but I wouldn't hold one's breath.

the interview

2008-08-10T11:52:00.001-04:00

Me: What is your favorite thing about my knitting?
Hubby: It makes you happy… and your happiness is very important to me.

Me: What is your least favorite thing about my knitting?
Hubby: It’s harder to give you hugs when you have pointy needles in your hands.

Me: What is something I have knitted that you recall as being good?
Hubby: The surprise baby sweater and the tilted duster thing were ultimately both really great (though you weren’t sure going into each project)!

Me: Do you think knitters have an expensive hobby?
Hubby: not as expensive as mine, so… “no”

Me: Do you have any hobbies?
Hubby: I think you know about my hobbies, why ask?

Me: What are your hobbies?
Hubby: great wine, great food, and great highbrow live performance (with the all-too-infrequent splash of good old musical theatre).

Me: If we compared money spent on hobbies, who would win?
Hubby: Why even ask this question? I have you so beat!!!

Me: Has my knitting in public ever embarrassed you?
Hubby: Has mine?

Me: Do you know my favorite kind of yarn?
Hubby: There are just too many to choose from, how could you possibly have just one favorite?

Me: Can you name another blog?
Hubby: I know you love both Mason Dixon and the Yarn Harlot.

Me: Do you mind that I want to check out yarn stores everywhere we go?
Hubby: Sure it’s okay. You drag me where you want, and I’ll drag you where I want. Besides, I like feeling the yarn.

Me: Do you understand the importance of a swatch?
Hubby: Um… could it have something to do with the ball or skein not giving you a clear idea of how the yarn will look once it’s knit?

Me: Do you read Yarn and Cocktails?
Hubby: Whenever there is a new post – though I don’t really get the knitty techy stuff. But the pictures are great!

Me: Have you ever left a comment?
Hubby: Yes, but it was usually to correct some inaccuracy you posted about me.

Me: Do you think the house would be cleaner if I didn't knit?
Hubby: Knitting has nothing to do with it!

Me: Is there anything you would like to add in closing?
Hubby: Good bye!

is it me?

2008-08-07T12:43:00.000-04:00

Two days ago, just after convincing myself that I should knit like crazy on the Big Black Blob to finish it by Tuesday, I decided that I wanted to knit on bigger needles and with very colorful yarn.

So, off I went on a Placket-Neck Pullover (or whatever it's called - you know, that pattern from Purl that was published with so many errors that they had to release it for free because knitters were threatening to throw the book through windows) in Mirasol Hacho... the Tutti Frutti colorway.

Last night I worked on the little sleeve, starting a new ball of yarn. I hadn't felt well earlier, and thought that my eyes were tricking me, because the sleeve looks like a very different color from the body of the sweater. In today's daylight, it's a very different color.

I'll start the other sleeve using the third ball of yarn. Right now, I'm not sure if it's just a function of a much smaller tube diameter from body to sleeve, or if the dye lots (which match according to the labels) are just a bit screwy. Any ideas?

[ETA: Now that I look at that first picture, it seems like the top ball is much darker than the others - so was that the oddball? (Ha!)]

moving right along

2008-08-05T12:53:00.003-04:00

The Icarus Shawl is finally past the Big Black Blob stage. I decided to only do four repeats of the stockinette section, and started the lacy edge early. There were a couple of factors in my decision:

1. There were many reports of running short on yarn, and I purchased this in 2006, so the likelihood of finding extra at this point would be slim.

2. As written, the pattern makes the shawl 72" wide, and I didn't see the harm in cutting out 8" of that massive length. (Of course, it's not like I wear these anywhere.)

3. I was getting really bored.

I've finished the first lace chart, and there are two more to go. I wasn't so sure how I felt about the lace, but now that one is completed, I'm rather happy with it. So: yay! I would love love love to get this blocking by the Very Special Day next week, but with guests this weekend, I won't be able to watch baseball and knit all day Saturday and Sunday. Icarus has been lying around for over a year, so a few extra days won't be the worst thing in the world.

hello, internets

2008-07-29T16:11:00.004-04:00

I had a week of good food - lentils and kale and very tasty wine and fresh roasted beets. It's very easy to eat well when the farmer's markets are so filled with great fresh vegetables.

There was one bump in the healthy road, when Hubby and I went to a lounge for some drinks and a little dinner. The Sapphire Lounge used to be a House of Ill Repute, but they make some very tasty cocktails. There was the Lounge Singer, with fig-infused bourbon and pomegrante juice - a sort of Manhattan. And there was also the Concierge: cucumber-infused gin with Pimms', lemonade, and ginger beer. One of the lovely things about Portland is the relative affordability of cocktails. Most cocktails here cost around $8, and are almost always made with very high-quality ingredients. My trip to New York reminded me that it's quite un-extraordinary to pay at least $12 for a drink. And don't get me started about the specials on beer during happy hours: it's crazy cheap! Portland is nice...

The week wasn't the best for me, spirits-wise, but I'm feeling much better now. Over the weekend I attended the Pacific Northwest Salmon Bake that was part of the International Pinot Noir Celebration. I loved seeing the salmon lined up on their stakes. It isn't the most gentle cooking method, but it's just a great image that I could deal with overcooked salmon.

welcome home

2008-07-21T23:24:00.003-04:00

I'm back in Portland, and not a moment too soon. I guess that it takes a trip back to the old country to realize that I've truly adopted Portland as my home. My trip was hectic, slightly chaotic, and filled with bad news at the end.* Looking back, I can't really believe that I made it through so many New York summers with that heat and humidity. I sought refuge in the central air-conditioned basement of some friends at the very end, and knit on a sock while watching the Yankees. It was so very hot. It is so very not here in Portland. I heart Portland.

*Yes, the bad news means some bad times for Hubby and me, and some people we love, but we'll make it through.

I ate tremendously good food while I was there. The Chinese Parsley dumplings at Dim Sum Go Go nearly brought me to tears, as did the pizza on Sunday evening that was so thin - even when folded in half, as pizza should be eaten. The waterfalls were cool, but not equal to the awe-inspiring Gates a few winters ago.

Sunday morning, I was very happy to hop on my bike, and pedal off to the local farmers' market with Hubby, where I stocked up on fresh greens and produce for the week ahead. I was away, and now Hubby is in and out for most of this week, so I have the opportunity to detox from my week of gluttony to my heart's content. It is surely necessary. The gluttony also prompted my first visit to the city pool that's just three block away. I went this afternoon, and swam for 45 minutes or so. It felt great (except for when I inhaled big amounts of water through my nose), but I reserve the right to whine incessantly tomorrow. I have a feeling that there will be some very sore muscles when I awake. But it's all good here in Portland.

welcome back

2008-07-14T13:53:00.003-04:00

I'm squatting in a colleague's office this week. I walked in and found this mug on the desk. I'd left the mug here back in April, which I painted in Philadelphia back in 2000, perhaps?

It's highly strange to be back. Three months isn't a very long time, and things haven't changed much. There's new furniture in the office lobby (ugly), and lots of people I don't recognize. It's hard to believe that I lived in this humidity for so many years. My cab driver was Turkish, and we talked about food while I directed him to his first trip to Washington Heights. He kept saying, "Four years driving a cab, and I've never been up there! There are no yellow cabs there!" But it was fine. I gave him a generous tip for his trouble, and finally got to go inside the Cloisters.

I ate a lot of pizza last night - thin crusts are so heavenly - and had an everything bagel this morning. I'd forgotten how filling bagels are, and at mid-afternoon, I'm not sure if I will eat anything until dinner.

However, it might be good to make a trip to Pinkberry, because the fro-yo craze hasn't hit Portland. Yes, Pinkberry is the answer.

growing, growing

2008-07-08T12:32:00.000-04:00

My pots of herbs out front aren't growing so well (how is it that I can't even grow mint?), but the Icarus Shawl is expanding. I've finally memorized the pattern, and I'm making progress. The pictures of this aren't going to be exciting at all, but this will be the last one until I reach some fancy border action.

So, next week it turns out that I'm going to be back in New York (work stuff, but time for visiting, too). I never thought that I'd be back, especially less than three months after moving. On my agenda: the waterfalls, bagels, pizza, and Momofuku Ssam. I'm not really sure how to fit in all of my food requirements, but an unlimited Metrocard seems like it will be key.

Oh, and the personal fireworks displays here over the weekend were very freaky for me, coming from a state where they aren't allowed. People can buy and set off huge blasts. So scary. It really is the wild west!

doing my part

2008-07-03T15:48:00.002-04:00

I did a little to help the economy of St. Helena, CA over the weekend. While most of our economic stimulus check was spent on the (very dull) rent, I did buy some new sock yarn. I only had three skeins of Regia sock yarn in my stash! It was necessary!

I do love Regia sock yarn, and I've been very good about knitting from my vast stores of stash for quite a while. And Hubby says that he will knit the Kaffe Fassett yarn into socks for himself, so long as I do the hard parts. That's a deal I'll accept any day!

While struggling through some computer problems this week, I needed a little project to keep nearby, as an attempt to keep my cool. I found this hat upstairs, with about 8 rounds completed. Technical difficulties continued, and I finished this earlier today. It's Silky Wool, and an improv-ed pattern. I grafted the last stitches, and it seems to be a good solution to prevent a bump on the top of your noggin. It fits me well, very snug, and I think it will work under my bike helmet when the weather gets chilly. I'm going to try and keep working on my languishing projects from upstairs throughout the summer. The yarns aren't in my Ravelry stash, so I won't have the pleasure of marking them as used, but it'll be good to get finished objects more quickly! Instant gratification...

we made it!

2008-07-02T13:46:00.002-04:00

Leaving the town of Napa earlier this week, we hit a milestone.

100,000! The car made it, through fires and smoke (OK, we weren't really close to the fires, but there was a lot of smoke), and the heat.

We won't be doing that drive again. I will purchase carbon emission offsets to make up for the fact that we'll fly. But with gas prices what they are, we didn't save a heck of a lot of money by driving.

I finished a pair of socks, which previously were my "Emergency Office Socks", to pinch hit should I run into a knitting emergency at work and need something to do on my commute. Since my commute now involves going into our dining room, it was time to get them finished. I do love me some Regia sock yarn, and happened to acquire some more while we were away.

I also continued to have lace problems with Icarus, and the other socks I started were pooling rather unpleasantly. But I pulled out a long-lingering hat, and have been cruising along happily there. It's time to catch a bus downtown, so I'm packing up my projects and hitting the road (again).

see a swallow?

2008-06-27T12:28:00.003-04:00

I got the Swallowtail Shawl back on track (it only took frogging three rows!), and finished it up Wednesday night/Thursday morning. It feels terribly delicate, but I know how strong it is, as the unblocked dimensions were 28 by 15", and it easily expanded to the final 49 by 23" after a bath in Soak.

Look at the fantastic nupps! Such texture - I love them, now. I really like the final rows of the patterns, too - a knit row on the wrong side, then the cast off - as it gives the hem some heft.

The Swallowtail Shawl, by Evelyn Clark. Knit on size 4 needles, from 1.5 skeins of Morehouse Merino Laceweight. Done in less than a month, but surely could have gone faster if I didn't have fits of pique and let it sit on the sidelines for so long.

I don't wear shawls, but really love the lace knitting process. I'm going to bring my hardly-started and long-lingering Icarus Shawl on our roadtrip this weekend. I did find a sock pattern, by going to the garage and digging out some pattern books. It's hard to have my books removed from my living space, so I think that more and more will start making their way into the house. I might be getting back on the knitting track...

berry blues

2008-06-25T17:04:00.003-04:00

I’ve been feeling bad about my knitting. Things aren’t really going right, and I’ve got all this pent-up guilt about projects that have been lingering forever. These feelings are coming up because I’ve been trying to figure out what to bring on our California road trip this weekend. Do I bring old projects that need a jump-start? There is a possibility that I’ll still be disenchanted with them, not knit, and just stare out the window.

Or do I start more projects (more projects!) in yarn that I’ve got upstairs? I’ve been very, very good and not purchased yarn this year at all.* So do I go to any of the excellent yarn shops in Portland and get something new and fresh?

*OK, there was one skein, but it was to finish a sock made from stash yarn.

One thing is going right, though, and that’s berry season in Oregon. Look at these beauties! Nearly all of them are in the freezer for use as sauces and oatmeal toppings over the winter months. I originally had grand plans for picking all of the fruit myself, but at $3 a pint it seemed like a steal to let someone else bake in the sun and do all the work for me.

Little mustard collie-flower (they are about the size of my fist) for dinner tonight. They are too adorable.

two months in

2008-06-23T19:55:00.003-04:00

Two months ago, at about 11pm, we landed in Portland. We've accomplished a lot in that time. We've gotten (relatively) settled into our new life, and learned a lot about this wacky city. There is a huge display of fireworks - boxed up - in the grocery store. And a big sign that says, "NO SMOKING." Um, right. Please, no smoking while I'm in the store. I'm now rather scared of what's going to happen on July 4th.

Our first foray into being tour guides for Portland went quite well this weekend. Hubby's parents were in town, and I think we gave them a good view of the city. Portland's weather did cooperate, and the rain did make a quick appearance. And then the weather changed 10 minutes later.

I have no knitting news to report. I've screwed up the Swallowtail Shawl (the final edging, too!) yet again, and I think that I need to rip all the way back. I also messed up a plain sock, if you can believe it. We've got a road trip planned for this weekend, with 18 hours in the car. What should I bring with me that's interesting, but I can't screw up?

my kind of town (i suppose)

2008-06-16T20:38:00.005-04:00

Our trip to Chicago lasted 48 hours - including travel with stopovers in Minneapolis. In that very short amount of time, we packed in sightseeing (a river cruise from the Chicago Architecture Foundation), Claire's wedding party, and meals with two friends. One friend moved to Chicago from New York about 18 months ago, and another just happened to be in town from New York, too. Meeting in the middle! So easy!

Of course, we've learned that living in Portland means that you can't easily get many places on a direct flight. We had the option of flying to Newark on our way to Chicago, but declined.

It was very interesting to be in a big, big city again after nearly two months of Portland. There were taxis! mass transit everywhere! tourists! high style restaurants! a truly obnoxious waitress! people walking quickly! As a result of being back in a City, I found myself very impatient with people at the airport on the trip home, and I need to get back to a Portland equilibrium. One where I'm not tapping my foot when someone isn't ready to give their gelato order upon reaching the counter. (When at Alotto Gelato, I only tapped once or twice.)

Saturday was also Worldwide Knit in Public Day, and once again I found myself at a wedding or wedding-type event. I managed half a very short round of a sock (again!), and Hubby captured my contribution on the Michigan Avenue Bridge.

we're outtie

2008-06-14T01:01:00.002-04:00

We are off in a few minutes for our 36 hour trip to Chicago. We will get our fill of big city things, like Chinese food, big mass transit, and cannoli. And celebrate the wedding of one of our nearest and dearest. More anon...

one border, one heart

2008-06-11T13:37:00.000-04:00

(Can you name the song this title comes from? It's from a very famous show.)

Although I professed my dislike of the nupps in the border of the Swallowtail Shawl, they make the pattern so elegant that I can't imagine not including them (now that I'm through the first border section). They are much easier after you've learned the trick of making them very, very loose - thus allowing more space for the dreaded purl-5 together. The nupps really capture the beauty of a lily of the valley's nodding head. There's another border section to go, and then the finishing points. I've very excited for the blocking of this shawl.

It also takes very little yarn. I'm still in the first ball of the Morehouse Merino laceweight, so I've used less than 220 yards of yarn. The final borders will take up a quite a bit, but there are no worries about running short, for a change.

I made some green tea cookies for the book club I joined, prompting one member to exclaim (rather loudly), "Are those things green?" Yes, my cookies are green, and they are very tasty. I got the recipe here, via Super Eggplant. I didn't make them as thick as recommended, but I didn't know how many people to expect at book club, and wanted to make sure that there were enough to go around. It wasn't a problem, because only one was eaten. The host assured me that club members never eat, and that her sons would love them. As long as they go to a good home...

The peony petals are falling like crazy, and they still look stunning, even spread all over the table.

it's a parade!

2008-06-09T21:10:00.002-04:00

A parade that starts out with a gang of Segways is going to be good.

Since the parade was honoring the Rose Festival, there's a Rose Court of lovely young ladies (sitting in flower-covered Ikea chairs), wearing Rose dresses.

I love this hippo. The little frogs strain to lift the ballerina up in the air. I was sorry that I didn't capture the full grimace made by the froggies. This might have been my favorite float.
Local giant Fred Meyer had a wonderful gardening display... much like their stores. I didn't get any pictures, but there were marching bands, and a ton of rodeo queens on horses completely decked out in flowers, glitter, and hoof polish (seriously). We decided that we needed to find a rodeo to attend this summer, because, why not?

And to cap it all off, there were llamas. Some pulling little carts, and most just enjoying a stroll down the 4 mile parade route.
People start camping out to get good spots for parade viewing on Friday. This made me nervous. I never enjoyed the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade experience of being mushed in a sidewalk with thousands of others. Of course, I should have remembered that things are a little different in Portland. We got there about an hour before the start of the parade, and easily found a spot (for us and our chairs!) right on the route.

strange week

2008-06-06T19:40:00.005-04:00

It's been odd being back at work for the same old company, but working out of my dining room across the country. That's part of what's made it a strange week. I took two pictures: one of the spot in my car where the air conditioning's freon leaked (in case it goes away before the appointment on Tuesday), and the other of the lovely peonies we got at the market last Saturday. They drink tons of water, and look like they'll go for another week. (I thought that picture should go up top.)

See the yellow-green colored splotch? That's the dye they put in to see where it went. Mission accomplished. And so you can see how exciting this week has been.

But we did get to go see Pink Martini in concert, and that was rather awesome. That was actually a bit of a plus for Portland, when we were doing a tally of the pros and cons; if a group that makes music that excellent calls this place home, then we'd probably like it too.

It's been cold here, so much so that we gave up last night and turned on the furnace. In June! 65 never felt so heavenly. It was below 50 this morning, so I think that we made the right decision.

There's not much new on the Swallowtail Shawl, as I screwed up the first border edging and needed to study the fix. It's back on track now, but I need to be a lot more careful about dropping stitches. It's such a drag to find a sad little stitch hanging out in midair.

Tonight is barbeque and beer, to celebrate the Big Apple BBQ fest, happening this weekend. It's always completely insanely crowded, so I'm OK with not being there. But the occasion must be acknowledged. If you go, tell me how it is... inquiring minds want to know.

new lace

2008-06-02T15:06:00.002-04:00

I wanted a little lacy project after all of the garter stitch on the Baby Surprise Jacket. I've had the Swallowtail Shawl on my queue for quite a while, and heard from many sources that it was super-quick and satisfying. I had two little skeins of Morehouse Merino Lace in my stash, and decided that the natural, undyed color would work well for the pattern. It's been a lot of fun so far, and I've got three more repeats of these little leaves before the borders begin. Even though it's a simple pattern, I can't knit it (successfully) while watching a movie. I messed up the 10th repeat - when it really should have been in my head - but was able to fix it after some coffee this morning.

We had a great weekend, and bought bicycles yesterday. I love it, and have been thinking what errands I can create to get me out on the road this afternoon. Pictures soon!

a sweet surprise

2008-05-30T18:47:00.004-04:00

The Baby Surprise Jacket is finished, and on its way back to New York to warm the heart of the parents and the body of our new little friend. It's my first entirely-made-in-Oregon project!

I remain astonished that a hunk of fabric such as this could turn into a lovely little sweater. I was so astonished that I assembled it (moved the buttonhole pieces up to where they should be... and voila!) many, many times. Hubby was getting concerned.

Ain't she purty? I opted for simple buttons, because the yarn was going to overwhelm any detailed fastenings. I think these super plain pink ones actually work really well for the finished product. There's a lot going on in this sweater. (The yarn is Hello Yarn's Fat Sock - superwash - in Softly. There was plenty in two skeins, and no, I didn't bother to check the gauge at all.)

There's a simple Cro-Kay edging around the neck. My shoulder seams, you will note, are not featured in the photo spread. There is a reason for that. Messes such as that should not be recorded for posterity.

I love the sweater, and can't wait to find more yarn in my stash that wants to be a Baby Surprise Jacket. I have some Mirasol Hacho - in an overstated rainbow colorway that's perfect for what I think babies should wear - that is itching to get knit.

But this evening, Hubby and I are going to see Sex and the City, the Movie. I'm feeling a wee touch of homesickness, and I think this will cure me. And, of course, hearing that another construction crane collapsed and killed two people. I don't see much of that in Portland.

more foodie goodness

2008-05-29T19:06:00.004-04:00

To continue the foodie trend 'round here, I made granola yesterday. It is pretty darn tasty, if I do say so myself.

4 cups of rolled oats
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
smidge of salt
1/3 cup canola oil
1/3 maple syrup
1/2 cup hazelnuts

Mix the dry stuff together, and then slowly pour in the liquids as you mix. Spread the stuff out on a sheet tray (with sides, of course) and bake at 350 for 15 minutes (oven should be preheated). After 15 minutes, take the tray out and mix in the nuts. Put it back in for another 15, and then let it cool. Bag it up and enjoy with yogurt and fresh fruit, if it's available.

If I'm making granola, you know that it's a very good thing that I start a consulting job on Monday that will keep me rather busy for a while.

Tomorrow I'll have a finished Baby Surprise Jacket for you. (It's still a little damp, so I'm waiting on the button-sewing.)

silence

2008-05-27T13:22:00.003-04:00

Whoops. Sorry for the silence, but there was a reason for it. On Thursday evening/Friday morning, I experienced sickness like I'm not sure I've ever seen.* It's been a slow recovery process, but I finally feel human again. For a couple of days, Hubby was looking at me with Sad Eyes, then saying, "But you just need to eat more! A piece of toast a day is not enough food!"

*I was calculating the time difference between Portland and New York, and trying to figure out how early the doctor's kid wakes up, so I could call dad and ask if I should really be feeling this bad... would a trip to the ER be called for, and could they do anything for me? My thought processes aren't the greatest at 3am.

But before I was sick, I made up a recipe for rhubarb crisp, and it was quite tasty.

Topping:
¾ cup oatmeal
¼ cup flour
½ cup brown sugar
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup hazelnuts (or other nuts)

Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl, then drop in chunks of the butter. Mix it together with your fingers until it looks like a crisp topping. Then mix in the chopped nuts. Set aside.

Filling:
4 cups rhubarb
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons candied ginger

Mix all of this together in an 8" baking dish, and sprinkle the topping over... the top! Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or so (you should have preheated the oven, of course). Top with whipped cream, then enjoy!

the pay-off

2008-05-22T18:40:00.004-04:00

Last night, my spinning class met for the second and final session. We learned plying, and: wow. It makes such a difference! That crazy and ugly turnip of yarn has turned into a little skein of yarn.

It's pretty bulky, and still needs a bath to "set the twist" - or something like that. But it's yarn! And it's inspired me to keep the drop spindle out, at the very least. So fun.

gift socks

2008-05-20T11:39:00.003-04:00

I finished a pair of socks over the weekend. These are destined to be a gift, as they're a bit tight on my feet. I love the colors in the yarn (Mountain Colors Bearfoot in Mountain Tango), and it's fun to work with. I've done two pair of socks in Bearfoot, but neither have been for me. I did prowl around the Yarn Garden yesterday, hoping to find more, but they don't seem to carry it. I can't recall where I purchased this skein (I'll have to check the archives).

The pattern is based on the Swirly O Socks in the Knitters' Book of Yarn. I still haven't read the fiber information in the front of the book, but the patterns in there are really lovely. There are a couple more things that I'll work on soon, but right now I'm trying to figure out what socks to cast on next. I've got lots of varigated socks yarns, but no inspiration for a pattern for them. Perhaps I should take the plunge and try something from New Pathways for Sock Knitters?

surprise!

2008-05-18T21:58:00.004-04:00

The instructions say, "Work will start to look very odd, indeed, but trust me, and PRESS ON." And yes, the garment (which will evidently turn into a baby sweater after some crafty origami) does look very odd, and I keep pressing on.

This is the great Elizabeth Zimmermann's Baby Surprise Jacket. I'm using Hello Yarn's Fat Sock in the charmingly named Softly. Perfect for a new little girl, don't you think?

The Portland Heat Wave is waning, thankfully. It's not nearly as dreadful as 90 degrees in New York, but the lack of air conditioning is noticeable. The forecast is for highs in the low 60s for later in the week. Bliss.

(Watching the Yankees get their arses handed to them on a platter by the Mets was not bliss. But thanks for broadcasting the game, ESPN.)

demented parsnip, or...

2008-05-15T18:28:00.005-04:00

...what came from my first class on using a drop spindle. It was a good class, and I know that I've got a lot of work to do. Which is why I purchased this lovely bit of fluffiness as well (3.5 oz of merino).

I probably won't ever spin laceweight with a drop spindle, but I can see that this is a slippery slope. I've already been looking for places to rent a wheel in Portland.

In other news, it's supposed to get up to 86 degrees today, and 97 tomorrow. So far, the house is remaining pretty comfortable, which is great because our air conditioners didn't make the trip out West. The high temperatures mean clear skies, and I had wonderful views of Mounts Hood and St. Helens this morning. Ah, for a little of that snow down here!

final shawl shoot

2008-05-14T19:27:00.005-04:00

The shawl came off the blocking board this morning, and it came with me on my morning walk. After the scary experience in blocking the Cash Iroha sweater with the silk (which I'm still not showing off), I blocked this by pinning and steaming with the iron. I stayed 1-2" off the fabric, and it worked quite well.

Except for that completely different colored skein thing.

So enjoy the tulips! I'm off to my first spinning class now. ;)

rut-roh

2008-05-13T16:35:00.004-04:00

Today is, evidently, a fairly typical Portland day: light ran, all day long. So my plans for walking up Mount Tabor were put on hold. But this gave me the opportunity to finally finish the Woodland Shawl (Nikol Lohr, using Artfibers Alfabeto).

I've been cranking away on it for longer than I thought, but it was really knit during short, productive bursts. I did quite a bit of it during my short trip to Portland at the beginning of April. While on the plane back, I joined the third ball of yarn, and thought that the color seemed a little odd. I chalked that up to the fact that lighting on airplanes is not the best, and that I was so tired I probably wasn't seeing anything correctly. After I got back to NY, life got incredibly crazy, and the shawl stayed in the ziploc bag. I'd do a row here and there, but never really got it out to examine.

Well, I guess that I should have, because that third ball of yarn is a very, very different color from the other three. See that? From the middle, to 3/4 of the way down the shawl? This is all rather perplexing, since Artfibers doesn't do dyelots - there's one run of a yarn, and then that's it. (From what I understand.) It can't be from being out in light, because the entire skein is lighter than the others. I kept all four of the skeins together after I purchased them, so something happened during production. You also couldn't see a difference while they were wound up.

But anyway, the point of this shawl was to do some easy lace during the moving period, and it accomplished this goal. I'll block it, put it away, and wait for a gift-giving occasion for someone whose sight isn't the greatest.

phew

2008-05-09T15:21:00.003-04:00

Our stuff has arrived. The computer and network are up and running. I have sweaters and scarves and wool socks available again. I seem to be the only person who is cold all the time in the whole city, but wearing the Tilted Duster sweater yesterday was heavenly. Wooly goodness.

So far, I haven't found a single broken item from the move. Our box of toothpicks, unsealed, made it all the way from New York to Oregon without losing a single pick to the bottom of the box. But once I got my hands on the larger box, half of the toothpicks were scattered throughout "Kitchen - Misc." I have many boxes in my life labeled "Misc." It has been like Christmas, a little. It's certainly chilly. (Yes, enough with the talk about being cold. I could turn up the heat, and all would be well.)

The weekend is looking good: a baroque concert, haircuts, farmers' markets, and theater. And the delivery of our books and wine. Bliss!

some random thoughts

2008-05-05T15:16:00.002-04:00

I wish that I’d had a better understanding of what a forecasted temperature of 42-55 degrees Fahrenheit meant before I packed to move to Portland. What I wouldn’t give for a pair of my handknit wool socks right now. And a scarf, or three. It's getting much warmer during the days, but wow: it was cold for a while.

But things are looking up. Our old car was delivered on Saturday night, and I was very excited to see it. (Not so excited to spend the day at the DMV and other offices getting it re-registered, but what can you do?) In it was a bunch of blankets and comforters that were light and took up a lot of space. I was foolishly thrilled to pull them out of the trunk. My duvet! It’s here! Something of my old life!

The moving truck comes on Wednesday. The cable and internet installation on Thursday. We are getting some order… and I have a new library card, which I’ve been using like crazy (DVDs, mainly, since it gets pretty dark and quiet in our house at night). But I’ve already finished two books (The Doctor’s Daughter by Hilma Wolitzer and Elements of Style by Wendy Wasserstein; not the finest pieces of literature ever, but I was glad to read fiction), and I picked up two more.

We went for a walk with Hubby’s cousins on Mount Tabor yesterday afternoon. It was cool and shady under the Douglas Firs, and we had great views of Mount Hood, St. Helens, and other peaks in the Cascades. It’s really very beautiful here.

But in the meantime, a question for the fiber readers: there seem to be moths in our house, and I’ve scattered sachets of cedar around everywhere. If I put all wool into Ziploc bags as soon as it comes inside, will my wool be safe? And the cottons don’t have to be sealed up because moths aren’t interested in that fiber? (I need to do a little internet research, but my online time is so limited right now.)

powerless

2008-05-01T19:25:00.003-04:00

Moving is a really good exercise for proving how powerless you are in the face of everything. Our movers aren't coming with our stuff until next Wednesday. And there's nothing I can do about it. The guy with our car can't tell me when he's arriving with our old car (which will become mine). I'm getting rather tired of wearing the same clothes that I've been wearing for two weeks already*, and a really empty house. But there's nothing I can do but enjoy it, I guess.

I'm becoming so zen living out here in Portland.

*We can wash them, of course, but it's the same small selection that is getting tiring.

Today was Hubby's first day of work. I celebrated by getting a library card, and checking out a book I never managed to finish in New York. I google-chatted with a friend for an hour. And went to Twisted yarn shop, and fell a little bit in love. I bought two great patterns from local designers, and now really wish that my yarn was here with me. And finally, I ordered cable and internet for home, because I'm so ready to start listening to internet radio again.

still settling...

2008-04-28T18:04:00.002-04:00

Things are going pretty well in Portland. Yesterday we bought flowers and herbs, and planted them in front of the little house. We are assembling furniture, and waiting for our real stuff to arrive early next week. And tomorrow, we pick up our brand-new Smart Car. Hubby is beyond excited.

Thanks for all the good wishes about settling in!

we have arrived!

2008-04-25T13:53:00.002-04:00

Just a quick note to announce that we've arrived in Portland, and that all is going well. We don't have any chairs, but did manage to buy a bed yesterday, so at least we've got somewhere to sleep.

It hasn't rained the entire time we've been here either!

Two women are knitting and crocheting (separate) blankets across the coffeeshop from me, so me and my sock feel right at home. We are heading to Close Knit this afternoon, where I need to purchase the pattern for Felted Clogs and yarn, because our house is chilly chilly chilly.*

This weekend should allow for more writing time. Check back soon.

*We are testing the waters with this thing called a thermostat. What is this device? You can tell it the temperature you'd like the house to be at, and it responds. You don't need to open a window to make it cooler. However, we don't really know what 62 means, and it turns out that it is rather cold for a house temp. We turned it up after a while, but I still need slippers.

my last post from new york!

2008-04-23T10:16:00.003-04:00

All of our stuff is on a big, big truck heading west. We take off tonight. Our car is still here, due to a completely to-be-expected hiccup with its transport. But it'll be coming along soon.

It's all quite freaky, and I've remained relatively calm throughout. Relatively.

It's been sunny and warm for the past few days, and I'm looking forward to the gray and rain of Portland. And to starting our new life.

harder than i expected

2008-04-17T18:48:00.001-04:00

Yesterday was my going-away party at work. I've been there for eight years: one-fourth of my life. That realization really threw me. But more surprising was the large number of people who came for the speeches. It's good to be loved! But in fact, there were so many people that I got scared and gave an extremely inarticulate little talk. I'd thought of lots of little bits of organizational history and jokes to include, and then stammered out something about udon noodles (no one laughed, but it was very funny).

Today's task was to write down everything in a farewell email. Just me and the computer, no pressure while facing 75 of my colleagues.

It's starting to sink in that this is really happening. A friend came and took a bunch of furniture today. I'm going through the cupboards one more time to see if there are additional kitchen things we can donate to the thrift store. I brought a large framed picture home from the office, and my desk is stripped of its homey touches.

One of my gifts* was this fantastic basket. As soon as I get to Portland, I'm buying a matching bike. I'd been debating about whether or not to bring my 15+ year old bike with me, but this basked wouldn't look very good on the front of a mountain bike. The nice old-timey look is nice.

However, I would like my bicycle to have spokes in the wheels, and brakes, which don't seem to be present in this drawing.

*They also got me some Schaefer Nancy, in the Indira Ghandi colorway. I'm not sure why Indira Ghandi is represented by such a muted palate, but whatevs. It's pretty. And they got me "knitting sticks" too. I tried to contain my giggling (unsuccessfully).

one sock done

2008-04-15T20:20:00.006-04:00

I had a couple of knitting goals for my remaining time in New York, and I'm clearly not going to make them. That's fine. They were really pipe dreams. I wanted to finish the Woodland Shawl (I'm into the third ball of four and it was a great project for the recent plane trip to and from Portland), and this last pair of commuting socks.

The pattern is Swirly O, from the Knitter's Book of Yarn. I had the Mountain Colors Bearfoot in my stash, so I jumped on them. The second one is already in progress, but with only three more days of train commuting ahead of me, they won't be finished before we leave. THREE MORE DAYS! I'm also trying to pack in as much Yankees viewing as possible, while doing actual packing. That doesn't leave a whole lot of knitting time.

frick!

2008-04-14T12:24:00.000-04:00

Frick is my word of the week. Right now, the process of moving is all down to the gritty details, which is causing me to raise my voice in frustration rather often. However, this morning I divested myself of the most annoying part of my job*, and will now be concentrating only on finishing up larger projects and clearing out eight years of accumulation in my cubicle. I also need to figure out how to bring home a large framed picture from work – on the train. I wonder where my bubble wrap went to?

*annoying part of my job = part of my job that involves dealing with people

My going-away party is Wednesday afternoon, and I should prepare some sort of farewell speech. If there are any suggestions for witty and clever so-long tidbits to sprinkle into the standard “It’s been such a transformative experience to work with a fantastic group of dedicated colleagues” crap-o, do leave them in the comments. I’m thinking of going along the lines of “So long, suckers!” but I’m willing to entertain other ideas.

spring cleaning

2008-04-12T16:54:00.006-04:00

Today is devoted to cleaning out and making some space. Dresser drawers, and the pile of unfinished knitted objects that have been lingering for too long. Of primary importance, I needed to finish the Clapotis scarf that I started on Oscar night. I'd done some of the decrease section, but was really worried about running out of yarn. So foolishly, I just left the project in a bag for weeks.

The yarn is Handmaiden Silk Maiden, a wool and silk blend. I only found one other match for this colorway on Ravelry (surprising!), so my running-out woes were only compounded by the lack of availability. There was no colorway name, and I've decided that it's most appropriately called Bruise. After one particularly ouchy volleyball game this year, my left knee was all of the colors in the yarn: brown, black, blue, and purple. Maybe that's why it wasn't too popular?

I bought the yarn for the wrong reason: I'd just had the first thesis project meeting for grad school, and I could tell that things weren't going to go well. It was pure retail therapy, and a substitute, because Downtown Yarns didn't have an Sea Silk in stock. So I bought this (relatively) small and expensive skein of yarn. However, I did get a fairly nice gift out of it for some lucky person.

There's not much left! I wasn't kidding.

a lease in hand

2008-04-09T22:30:00.003-04:00

My trip to Portland was a success; I found a house (yes, a house!) for us to rent with favorable terms and we move in on the 24th. That's the 24th of this month, otherwise known as two weeks from now. (In fact, we land in Portland exactly two weeks from right this very second.) I saw a lot of real estate out there, and the quality varied termendously. We got something very good, I believe. Hubby hasn't seen it yet, but he likes the pictures.

I really enjoyed the time I spent exploring Portland. I learned that I need some sort of rain jacket, and stopped in an REI store. I had no idea that there were so many kinds of rain gear produced. It was completely overwhelming. Needless to say, I didn't get anything, because (a) there were too many choices and (b) why would I buy something to take back to New York that will be moved back in two weeks? But the coffee is excellent, as are the people. I think it's going to be a good fit.

I'm still a little distressed about my lack of Yankees viewing options out there. The team seems to be rather upset about me leaving, as they've been playing like crap this season. Guys: you are supposed to make me regret leaving the viewing area, not scoffing at your performance.

Tomorrow night is Hubby's work going-away party. It's going to be quite an event, and happily I get to go too! Friday is going to be rough.

opening day, take two

2008-04-02T22:04:00.000-04:00

It was a great game, in fact. Even if there was a crazy guy who shot his girlfriend (not in a life-threatening way, thankfully), stole a Con Ed truck for a quick get-away in front of some police officers, and then got stuck in traffic after the game and took his life. But that was all after the game, while I was in a sea of humanity trying to get through the turnstiles for the B/D trains.

I'm off to Portland for a few days to look for an apartment. Wish me luck!

the best game ever

2008-04-01T10:19:00.001-04:00

That was the best game EVER! Who would have thought that Chien Ming Wang would pitch a no-hitter for the first game of the season? And that every Yankee would hit a home run, and yet the whole game was filled with suspense and drama?

Well, April Fool’s Day came a little early for 55,000 of us Yankees fans. We took time off of work, trekked up to open the Stadium one last time, and then they called the game off for rain. Please note: it was not really raining. April Fools indeed.

I’m headed back up there tonight for the season opener, but my enthusiasm has drained away. I’m on my third cup of coffee, and hoping that I’ll muster some energy for the 7:05 first pitch.

three guesses

2008-03-28T09:25:00.001-04:00

Guess, just guess what I'm going to be doing Monday afternoon, thanks to uber-connected friend Bernadette?

Here's a hint:

The nephews are going to be so jealous!

putting the cocktails back in Y&C

2008-03-27T10:25:00.003-04:00

It’s already Thursday, and I’m carving out a few minutes to talk about last weekend. It was great. You can read a good recap of it here. My Sunday was different from Claire’s, as it involved knitting and relaxing and a fun dinner with the nephews.

She also requested that I put the cocktails back into Yarn and Cocktails, and took photos for me. The cocktail list at Blue Smoke is short and to the point. No chocotinis here (thank goodness), just good old-fashioned drinks. I had Sidecards, she had Lynchburg Lemonades. We then had more wine at dinner, and saw the Top Chef (Tom Colicchio) himself.

There have been lots and lots of let’s-go-out-to-dinner-and-drinks-before-you-leave events recently, and my liver could probably use a break. I’ve got a couple of free days coming up, and think that abstaining is going to be very beneficial.

Oh, and I finished those socks. Now I need to start another pair, because the shawl is a little difficult as train knitting.

leafing through

2008-03-23T15:05:00.002-04:00

I haven't had as much time as I'd like to work on the Woodland Shawl, but it's coming along pretty well. I'm nearing the end of the first ball of yarn (250 yards per ball), and it's only 11" long at this point. Good thing I've got three more, and a penchant for wet blocking that leads to very long garments.
Based on this picture, I think that the Woodland Shawl could turn into a Something's Fishy Shawl. I see lots of cute little flapper fins in this side view.

float like a butterfly, busy like a bee

2008-03-19T11:32:00.000-04:00

There’s been lots of finishing up going on lately, but none of it knitting-related. I'm trying to float above all of the uncertainity and stay busy with visiting and other farewells. There was a last trip upstate to see family before we head west, and last night a final Broadway show. We saw the new musical adaptation of John Waters’ Crybaby, and while it wasn’t the highest expression of the dramatic arts, it was fun (and free).

This weekend is going to be fun: we have a friend coming for a visit, and dinner with the nephews. The nice thing about the “fully staged” apartment in which we are living is that there is no need to do any cleaning for guests. The place is already sparkling and ready to go.

(Sorry for the crappy, blurry shot - I was rushing around this morning.)

One sock is already done, and the second one will be ready for a heel tonight. It’s my second pair of cable and ribbed socks, but I improved these by doing one sock with a right-twist cable and the next with a left-twist. So fancy! The yarn is Crystal Palace Panda Wool – a mix of bamboo, wool, and a little bit of nylon. It’s nice yarn, and I’ll be interested in hearing how it wears. I’m knitting it at a tighter gauge than recommended, but I like socks to be rather firm. There’s plenty of stretch already, and they should make a pretty nice gift.

politics edition

2008-03-12T10:31:00.000-04:00

Thanks for making my Monday afternoon zip right by, Governor Spitzer. And thanks for making a mockery of my voting to you. (Here are some great photoshopped pictures of our disgraced head of state.) Bye-bye: I hope you had fun while it lasted. Time to move to somewhere far, far away; Silda is welcome to stay.

Welcome, Governor Patterson! You seem much more likeable.

Monday morning I saw military recruiters outside the subway station at Columbus Circle. I paused to watch who they were targeting (i.e., chasing down the street). No surprises there. 30-something white women were not considered good candidates. There’s a college for criminal justice studies right near by, so I’m guessing that’s why they were there… many young men and women who are already committing to a life in the line of fire passing through on their way to class.

i'm torn

2008-03-08T14:16:00.005-05:00

I decided to start the Woodland Shawl, designed by Nicol Lohr. I had a perfect yarn substitution in the stash - Artfibers Alfabeto - and a burning desire to knit some lace. Because I'm slightly crazy, I jumped right in and cast on.

After one (entire) repeat, I started thinking that it might look better on needles just a bit smaller. So I've done a swatch on #5s, and now I can't really tell if there's any real difference.

The #5s give me a swatch that's just a bit shorter, but the leaves in the pattern seem a bit tighter, and looks to be a quarter of an inch shorter on both sides.

I think that it's time to rip and start over on the size 5 needles. I'm still reeling from the sweater disaster (maybe I'll finally post pictures of that tomorrow), and think that going tighter is a better option. Yay lace!

i have been knitting

2008-03-07T10:02:00.002-05:00

It's just quick little projects, but I think that I'll start something bigger this weekend. No sweaters, thank you; I'm still reeling from the Hourglass Sweater debacle. I've been looking at a lot of lace patterns, and will narrow down the choices tomorrow.

I love making hats and scarves, and these fit, and turned out well. Both patterns from the Yarn Harlot, and yarn from Morehouse Merino (top) and Misti Alpaca (bottom). I've also cast on a new pair of socks for a gift.

However, I can't block anything while the apartment is up for sale (as of this morning!). Some knit item was drying, and the realtor was wrinkling his nose in distaste. Hubby felt vindicated, because he's always said that yarn shops had a peculiar smell - and I've never noticed. Maybe it's a guy thing?

things i won’t miss about new york

2008-03-06T12:49:00.000-05:00

(A list that will grow over time)

1. Buildings collapsing near my train line and the subsequent very long delays to get home. New York is crumbling, people!

2. Restaurants being forced to close because of greedy, greedy landlords. God know what monstrosity will open up in this space. Le Madeleine will be greatly missed.

3. The Oyster Bar. I really (used to) like this place. It was high on my list of places to revisit before we left, so when a friend who moved to California last year was in town, we set the plans in motion to meet up there. The dinner was really a comedy of errors. I typed out all of the things that went wrong, then deleted it. It just comes down to the fact that they didn’t care one whit about our experience. Sigh.

But I’ve cast on a new sock, with yarn purchased during a trip to Portland. I’ve mentally checked out of New York and have Portland on my mind.

the originals

2008-03-01T12:46:00.000-05:00

While cleaning out the apartment, to prepare for an open house next weekend, I found some original treasures from my knitted past.

These mittens were the first (I think) successful knitted object I made. The yarn is Morehouse Merino, and I still love the varigated colors. They've been well-used, as evidenced by the blown-out thumb and top on one of them. The fabric is so soft, and I fell a little bit in love with knitting after seeing what I could make with these.

I'm not so in love with these two sweaters that I made ages ago. Therefore, off they went to the church thrift shop on Saturday morning. The blue top is very summery, but knit with the chunkiest yarn imaginable, and not terribly pratical for warm weather wear. (For me, at least.)

Yesterday we removed about a third of the furniture from our apartment, with the help of the BIL and SIL, who really went above and beyond the call of duty. They have a jump-to way about them, and announced that Sunday afternoon was the perfect day to move the furniture - and it was. It was sunny and warm, so there was no need to worry about coats or gloves or rain, and we had four people. Even though there's no moving allowed on Sundays in our building, we zipped the stuff out of there quickly, and got it into the in-law's house just as fast. If Hubby and I tried to do this ourselves some night after work, we probably wouldn't speak to each other for a week. So: thank you thank you thank you!

and the oscar goes to...

2008-02-25T16:10:00.000-05:00

While the Oscars weren’t nearly as long as they’ve been in previous years (11:48? really?), I did get quite a bit done on my newest project: a scarf-sized Clapotis.

The stitch markers are new-to-me rubber rings from Clover. I’ve always just used simple plastic rings from Susan Bates that are super cheap, which is super good for me as they always seem to be scattered around the apartment or the bottom of my bag. But during the sweater knitting (still keeping my fingers crossed that it will turn out OK), I discovered that the rings were actually slicing my fingers.

How did I discover that? By tossing a vinegarette dressing into a salad with my fingers. The vinegar jumped right into the little cut, and I promptly started jumping around and howling in pain. It’s better now, but I’m glad I made the investment in the fancy stitch markers. Much more comfy…

down and out

2008-02-24T23:58:00.004-05:00

I planned on sharing some lovely photos of a finished Hourglass Sweater, but I've run into some blocking problems.

After blocking, the sweater is now huge, and I'm very depressed about it.

Instead, please enjoy some selections from the New York Botanical Garden's Orchid Show, which opened yesterday. Lovely, aren't they?

snow day

2008-02-22T14:31:00.003-05:00

New York finally got its first big snowfall today. I'd already planned to take a personal day from work, to go in for a physical and drive Hubby to the airport in the afternoon. Well, I made it to the doctor's office, and enjoyed a leisurely visit with her, as none of her other patients were going to brave the roads. For most, it was probably a good idea, as this county isn't able to plow their roads well at all. For example, I saw a salting and sanding truck go by, immediately followed by a plow. Wouldn't you think it makes a lot more sense to get the snow off the road, and then put down the salt to melt the ice and sand to provide traction?

But my visit to Trader Joe's was great; there were fully stocked shelves and hardly any people!

Of course, Hubby isn't flying out this evening. The airline called at 1am to let us know that his flight was cancelled because the airplane wouldn't be able to make it into Newark. I fear that the airport is going to be a mess tomorrow, too, but he has far more patience than I do, so it's really working out that I'm staying home for this trip.

Today's my snow day, and I'm staying home to knit. The apartment is pretty cold for some reason. I've got my Clapotis wrapped around my neck, and pulled up over my nose. Too bad we gave away our space heater last weekend.

weekend adventures

2008-02-20T12:28:00.000-05:00

I think I've written about my and Hubby's inability to be spontanious on our travels (and in general, I supposed, since this wasn't really travel per se). Sunday morning we were trying to decide what to do for breakfast, and Hubby decided that we should call up the BIL and SIL and make a dim sum run to Chinatown. We made it into the City without any problems, but getting downtown proved rather difficult. At some point, BIL said, "The Chinese New Year is celebrated for 10 days, right?" Fairly soon, we determined that Yes, Indeed there were parades and celebrations going on, and we were having a beast of a time finding a place to park (even in a parking lot).

Our first choice dim sum house had a line of about 30 people out the door; the second place was closed. But we lucked into another place that Hubby had heard of, and we ended up having a great meal.

We've been doing a lot of cleaning out to prepare for the move, and I found my very first laptop, circa 1993:

It's SO heavy, and the screen is about 5" high. But it's adorable! I couldn't locate the power cord and should probably chuck it, but think that it's going to stick around until the last possible moment.

joining up

2008-02-17T09:27:00.002-05:00

The sleeves are done, and the body is done, so now I just need to learn how to join them together and do raglan shaping. It would normally sound pretty easy, but it requires that precious commodity, time. Which I don't have much of right now.

We are trying to do some "staging" of our apartment for potential buyers. Among other things, this means that we have to be incredibly neat all the time. I'm hoping that this will become habit, and in the future I'll always go to bed with the coffee table clean, mail sorted away, and dishes all washed. I don't think this is a likely scenario. We are also tossing stuff with great abandon, and have some lovely family members who volunteered garage space for us to remove stuff to make our place look spacious and charming. Now we need to figure out what goes permanently, what goes into their garage, and what stays. What should happen with the little Yankee helmet that they use for dishes of soft serve ice cream at the stadium? I can't throw that away, can I?

So even though I need sitting and knitting time to calm myself down, I will just have to delay it for a while. Hopefully we'll have a deck and lounge chairs in Portland. That sounds like just the ticket.

day of triteness

2008-02-14T12:21:00.003-05:00

1. Our lunch service is giving us Valentine’s Day cupcakes today. There was a line outside the Godiva store I passed this morning.

2. That little dog Uno is the cutest thing ever.

3. On this date in 1859, Oregon became the 33rd state of the union. (Not really trite, but interesting, no?)

4. I’m getting a little bored with knitting stockinette stitch in the round. The sweater is almost ready for the joining of the sleeves and the start of raglan shaping on the yoke. I’ve never done this, but maybe I’ll finish it before the end of the long weekend. And then I’ll meet the “Knit a Mile” goal for January/February. Good stuff!

westward, ho!

2008-02-12T19:17:00.000-05:00

Two years ago, I opened up Yarn and Cocktails. It was snowing that day, and because we were nesting, I finally went over to Blogger and got started. Guess what? It's snowing again today, too.

I like to take the opportunities present by anniversaries, new years, and birthdays to reassess and look into the future. And decide to change what I don't like. So I think today is a good day to share the secret I've been keeping.

Hubby and I are moving to Portland, Oregon this spring.

(I think that we've told everyone who needs to know, but this could be an interesting experiment in learning who reads and never mentions it.)

Did you know, in that place called "Outside of metro NYC", people can control the temperature in their homes? Seriously! People get to decide if they want it to be 80 degrees inside in January! And that people have their own washers and dryers? You don't have to wait in line, nor worry if someone just used bleach in a machine that you are loading dark-colored clothes into? You also don't need to pay for the priviledge of using washers that never provide really hot water (thus no felting).

And there are places where parking is not an issue that overwhelms thoughts of going out? You can just park, and not for $40 for three hours, either! And when you come home, there's a place for you to park for the night! I know, it's crazy sounding.

These aren't the only reasons for moving. A 20-minute commute is pretty darn appealing after spending 2.5 hours per day getting back and forth from the office for 11 years. And some space to breathe is rather exciting as well. We are ready to live in a place where we can get to a hiking trail in minutes rather than hours. And the farmer's markets in Portland put the Union Square Greenmarket to shame.

There's wine for Hubby (and me), and fantastic yarn shops, too. We just need to sell a lovely apartment in a tony NYC suburb first. If you know anyone in the market, do drop a line. ;)

the test drive

2008-02-10T09:41:00.001-05:00

Many years ago, when we were in Italy on vacation, Hubby and I saw lots and lots of Smart cars. Totally adorable, and the perfect size for on-sidewalk parking in Rome. Because really, why park on the street, when there's a whole sidewalk right there? (I did not really care for Rome all that much; historically it intriguied me, but the people - not so much. I would very very happily spend all my remaining days in Florence or Venice, however.)

But anyway, while in Rome we actually went to a Smart dealership, and in our very terrible Italian found out that there was a plan to bring the Smart to the U.S. in a few years. We bought little models of the Smart, waited patiently, and signed up on the waiting list.

It's now 2008, and the Smarts have landed. And they are so very adorable. We got the call for our test drive, and got to take them for a spin. Aren't they the cutest thing ever?

The driving was fine; the cars are designed so you are sitting up pretty high - about 8" higher than in our current Saturn. And for being less than 9' long and no backseat, it feels quite spacious inside. (Drat, should have taken a shot from the drivers' seat.) There's a kooky manual/automatic transmission that would take some getting used to. I don't really understand why it isn't one or the other, and the sales rep lost me in his explanation of it all. The ride isn't the smoothest thing out there. Hubby and I both hit the same pothole* and you certainly felt it. But for me, with less than stellar depth perception, it's pretty great, because there are NO hidden parts of the car. There's no hood, no trunk, and you can almost stretch out your arms to touch all sides of the vehicle. I was demonstrating this fact while at a red light. I think Eddie the sales rep wished I was holding onto the steering wheel.

*Because there's only two seats in the car, we couldn't test drive together, and our sales guy started laughing after he bumped over it again. Pretty funny. We were practically at the dealership before Hubby realized that we wouldn't be in the car together. He's so excited about this car that logic isn't always primary in his mind.

We found a YouTube video of Jay Leno checking one out, and he seems to be a super-car-guy. He was very positive about it, so that seems good. He went in-depth about the safety issues, too. It's a Mercedes vehicle, so it's not some Yugo (or Tata perhaps?). The car has a steel structure that is pretty impenatrable. But he also pointed out that the car is light, so swerving and stopping are much easier than in a standard vehicle, and certainly easier than in an SUV. And he also said that you shouldn't ever expect to be in a head-on, 70 mph collision.

After our test drives, I deemed it irresponsible to not go and see what other little cars are out there on the market. Very helpfully, the Mini dealership is about 100m down the road from Smart. At Mini, and the other SIX dealerships we visited (EIGHT in one day and I collapsed after coming home), there was nothing to compare. The Mini felt cramped compared to the Smart. All of the other small cars felt like there was no design thought put into them at all. They felt cheap, basically. And had only very standard gas mileage (around 30 mpg).

The Smart is really lovely, very cleverly designed (the engine is in the trunk and you can pop off the side panels and change the color of your car very simply and the roof is all transparent which helps it feel bigger), and gets roughly 45 mpg on a standard gasoline engine - the same as the Prius.

We'll be getting a second car soon. And it's gonna be a cutie.

bits of hourglass

2008-02-08T13:07:00.000-05:00

The sleeves are done! The sleeves are done!

Now I just have to knit the entire body. There are many, many stitches required to make it all the way around my torso. But we don’t have too much planned for the weekend, so I might hopefully make some good progress.

Tomorrow’s big adventure is going to be test driving (what may be) our new car: the Smart. I will be taking lots of pictures (while Hubby drives). Can’t wait to tell you about it!

doing the right thing

2008-02-04T12:07:00.000-05:00

Last week while walking home, I saw an insurance card on the sidewalk. It was from my insurance company so I recognized it quickly, even though it was pretty dark. I stuck it in my pocket, and then promptly forgot about it.

The next day at work, I found it and did a quick poll in the hallway about what I should do with it. It’s not like a credit card that you might use on a regular basis, and probably not a big deal for the insurance company to reprint. But under the insured person’s name there was a company name on the card, and so I went to Google and found the address of the firm.

I tossed the card in an envelope and addressed it to the Human Resources Department. I jotted down a quick note saying that I’d found the card on 57th Street, and hoped they could get it back to its owner. I guess I didn’t sign it (head cold = fuzzy brain), because…

This morning I found the following message on our e-bulletin board from one of the receptionists: “Thanks for returning the insurance card found on the street: A staff member kindly mailed an insurance card found in the street back to Gregory G with an unsigned note. Gregory's father, George, called with heartfelt thanks. He said it's very refreshing that someone would take the time to do this and wanted to express his appreciation.”

So I’m assuming that the card belonged to a son who dropped it (there are lots of high schools and colleges in my office’s immediate area). Google came through again, because this kind person found my office and called say thank you. My hallway conferees are quite excited to see what good fortune comes my way for doing this good deed. Me too! I'm ready.