There's a bit of a sale at the shop!!

Sunday, March 30, 2008

Yoga, knitting and getting back in shape

We've all heard it "knitting is the new yoga" but is it? Yes, both can be a relaxing and centering experience but are they the same? I started to do yoga again this weekend and let me tell you no they are not. Knitting doesn't make me hurt or sweat and it also doesn't make me more fit. All this knitting has made me just a little too chunky for my liking. This needs to stop. Maybe knitting can't be my yoga maybe I need a little mixture of both to keep my centered and sane but also to keep me fitting in my jeans since I'm now down to about 2 pairs I can actually fit in. I don't want to be all girly and "I'm fat" because I'm not. I know that. But DAMN am I becoming a fat me. It's time to get up off the couch and move a little. It might also help if I eat less chocolate covered pretzels...just a thought. Today marks the first day towards getting back in shape. Bathing suit season is coming fast and I am sooo not ready. The cottage cheese thighs are on their way out!

Wish me luck! I'll need it.

Saturday, March 29, 2008

Family

I was reading Ysolda’s blog this morning and she has a wonderful interview with Emily Johnson of The Family Trunk Project. I’m so happy that Ysolda did this interview because I may never have discovered this wonderful project. I love history especially the personal histories of friends, family members and even strangers. I’ve always wanted to track down more information on my family members and learn more about where I come from because I truly believe that all those people that came before you have helped to shape who you are regardless of whether you ever even met them. Each person shapes and touches the next and that person shapes and touches the next and so on through generations. It just seems like such a wonderful journey to not only explore your family but create a garment that reflects the spirit of each of those people. I think this is an absolutely brilliant idea.


Maybe this will push me to explore my own family tree. I’ve always wanted to but I come from one of those waspy family where you “just don’t talk about it” so finding out about people in the past is near impossible. But maybe if I push just a little bit they will open up and share some stories with me. I’m no longer a kid so I can handle whatever they’re hiding in their wasp-closet.

Thursday, March 27, 2008

My video debut

Thanks to knit-a-yarn my presence at Rhinebeck last year has been documented and will last forever. If you go about 4 minutes and 50 seconds-ish in you will see me and my mom with my GIANT yarn basket!

oooo I really can't wait for Rhinebeck now.

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Oh shit...

I've turned into my mother.

The scene: this morning as I'm getting ready for work...

I've got my tights on, I nice vintage looking lace top and a thin black cardi. I'm about to put my skirt on when I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror...HOLY FUCK BALLS...when did I become my mother? My whole life I've looked just like my dad. In fact once at a soccer game in high school the coach thought my mom HAD to be this other girl's mom because I just didn't look like I shared any blood with her. It took a good 10 minutes to convince him she really was my mother. Then one day my hair just stopped being blond and the bottle didn't work and then POOF I was my mother standing in my bathroom putting on a skirt! I remember when I was about 2 feet high seeing her just like I was in the mirror...very scary.

Ok time to eat something and run to knitting group!

Don't look in the mirror girls...you may see you're mother staring back at you...

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

You know what I love...

People who sing along with their ipods out loud while walking around NYC or any where for that matter. You're not in your car or your shower or the privacy of anywhere remotely private. We can all hear you and most of the time it doesn't sound good. I have to say these people must have super high self esteem because I would be completely embarrassed. I'm really good at making a fool out of myself I don't need to walk around the city singing and rocking out. Though one morning on my way to work I stood on the corner waiting to cross and this girl across the way was completely rocking out to whatever was on her ipod like she was Xtina or something but she at least knew not to sing out loud. We all have our self induced embarrassment limit don't we.

I also love when house guests bring or leave gifts. I got home tonight to find a sweet little daisy plant from Carl's sister and husband. The note she left very clearly pointed out that we shouldn't be able to kill it and in fact she had purposely tried to kill the one she has and it just wouldn't die. Now that's our kind of plant. I know I baby the orchids but I really that's my limit, two orchids. Anymore plants will have to just be a bit more self sufficient.

Monday, March 24, 2008

Weekend Recap

Friday night we went out like it was going out of style. I will never understand why, when we actually do go out, we always have to drunk WAY too much and party till 4 am. I don't need to stay up till 4 to drink too much. I can get in a good bottle of wine before 11/12 and then go to sleep. Why all the late night partying? Needless to say we were totally pooped out Saturday.

This exhaustion proved to be a big bummer because Carl had planned on taking me on a day date from 10-3pm. We didn't even leave the house till after noon so the date had to be modified. He took me to the zoo at Central Park which was awesome. I have never been to that zoo, or at least not without a stroller, so it was really fun. I love zoos for two reasons, monkeys and PENGUINS. I really like the penguins. Of course so made a B-line for the penguin area as soon as we got there and on our way over we noticed that the sea lions were being fed in 30 minutes. When we got to the penguins we noticed they were being fed in an hour! What good luck! We got to catch two feedings!! It was a great day. We had to be done before 4 because I have to pick up this huge leg of lamb for Easter dinner. When we got home pretty much passed out till Sunday.

Sunday was sent at my mom's house (after schlepping the damn lamb leg home on Metro North) listening to my mom and brother scream about politics, knitting and running out of yarn because I was too tired to remember to pack an extra ball, reading Atonement and drinking champagne. Then my brother and I were shoved in the car and brought to the train with arms full of left-overs because 7lbs of lamb and three people is not a good ratio. I swear my mother is incapable of cooking for less than 10 people. All in all it was a good Easter.

Now that the weekend is wrapped for you all I can share this fun little fact I just learned. Apparently my knitting obsession has inspired my 80 year old Grammy to pick up knitting again. Her goal is to be able to make socks just like her grand daughter. I think this is so cool that I could inspire her when usually its your Grammy that teaches and inspires you to do these things. I can't wait to go visit her and help her remember how to pick up dropped stitches and knit in the round. This is going to be so much fun.

OK I have to get back to cleaning the apartment. Carl's little sister and brother in law are coming up from PA to stay tonight because they have there Peace Corps interview tomorrow in the city. I just love surprise guests...

Friday, March 21, 2008

ALL DONE

The sewing machine work didn't go so well since I kept forgetting to put the foot down so the seams are all wonky but I'm happy with the way it turned out.


Finally a Day Off!

I went down to Sew Fast Sew Easy and picked up the thread I needed to finish my clutch. It was hard to match the strange puce color of the lining fabric but I found something that was close enough so I was happy. I also decided to finally by something to block on. They sold those fold up cardboard fabric cutting board things for only $16 so I picked one up. All the other blocking boards I have been looking at have been too big and way too expensive. This little (when folded up) cardboard thing is perfect. When its not in use I can fold it up and slide it in the corner by my sewing cabinet. And since I finally figured out my sewing machine enough to actually sew something on it I can use it to make my first project. Now I just need to figure out what that project will be. For now the board is being put to good use.
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What I also LOVE about this board is that I can pin what needs to be blocked to it and then lean it against the a wall so I can use My Little Steamer to block. Its not the best steamer in the world but it works. Unfortunately I can't turn it down to face a horizontal surface because the water comes rushing out of it. With the board that worry is no more. What I hate about the board is that walking with it on the wind tunnel like streets of NYC is pretty freakin hard especially on a windy day like today.
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After picking the board and other miscellaneous sewing goodies I started to walk home-ish in hopes of finding a cab since I didn't want to ride the subway back with this 4 foot cardboard thing. I didn't find any cabs so I just kept walking stopping at M&J Trimmings just to browse. Then I went into the shoe store next door where I bought some AWESOME shoes. Some short black 80's inspired booties and some killer blue suede pumps with gold trim and heel. Of course I had to pick out the tallest shoes that had but they are so sexy. Who cares that when I'm wearing them I'm over 6 feet tall and Carl's only 5' 9" they're hot and what woman doesn't love new shoes. I kept walking and I still couldn't find a cab so I stopped into H&M to see if I could find a few outfits to go with the new shoes and of course I did. I love shopping for spring clothes it takes all the winter blues away. After that I started walking up past the NY Public Library, past a wonderful street performance by some kick ass break-dancers and then finally I found a cab and headed home. This why Carl fears when I walk to far in NYC, I shop shop shop! But I don't have too much buyers remorse because I haven't been able to do this for a while and like I said Spring is here its time to trick myself out for the new season. And everyone likes a happy Alyssa!
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Now its back to knitting the skirt while my clutch dries. Carl has to work today so I have the apartment to myself which means I have full control over the TV. The downside is that our managing agent doesn't put the heat on during the week till the evening so I'm cold. But I guess when my hands get too cold to knit I can curl up with the Atonement which I'm started this morning after finishing (or re-finishing) the third Lauren Willig book The Deception of the Emerald Ring. I've been re-reading the first three to refresh my memory on the things I had forgotten while reading her latest book. If you love a good romance that's smart and not all heaving bosoms and throbbing members check out her books. I know I've probably recommend them about a million times now but I really like them, if you couldn't tell.
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Have a Happy Easter!

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Won't You be my Neighbor...

Mr. Rogers would have been 80 today. And thanks to Ravelry I have learned that in honor of our Neighbor today is sweater day! So break out your Cardis and Pullovers in honor of a dear old childhood friend and spend some time in The Land of Make-Believe.

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Progress and a Sad Note

I'm about 20 rows away from finishing the clutch and I can't wait to see how it turns out. I think it's going to be pretty freakin hot. I hope to finish it on my day off. The only thing I need to do is find somewhere in the city to buy thread that maybe is on the UES? I really don't want to go all the way to the garment distract for just a spool of thread. I'll figure it out. I can't wait to show you all the finished clutch.
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I wanted to rave about these knit card things I bought from Knit Picks a while back. I L-O-V-E them. They are so freakin helpful especially when you're always forgetting things like what decrease slants right or left like I always do. They're super handy!
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I'm watching America's Next Top Model right now because Carl's out in Long Island visiting a family friend who's being taken off dialysis tonight which basically means he's being taken off his life support. Its a little sad around here right now. But to lighten the mood I decided that AMTM (sorry too lazy to write it out) should put really good drag queen on as a contestant and see what happens. I think that would make for great TV especially if they don't tell people there's a drag queen in the mix.
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Ok back to knitting and waiting for Carl to get home and tell me what happened. My heart goes out to Bryce and his dad. Hopefully his dad will find peace when he's reunited with his late wife.

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Ah Dreams...

I’m starting to become a human again. The pressure is easing up and I’ve stopped spontaneously tearing which is always a plus. Thank goodness for Good Friday because that’s the only way I will get a day off to rest this week. Things are super busy at work and I do not have the luxury, at the moment, to take a sick day.

Last night my hairdresser stopped by to cut my hair and I found out that my mother likes to chat to him about my knitting. He was all excited to see this “thing” I was making with bamboo yarn. He was so amazed with the yarn and its texture. He kept telling me to start my own business and that I should get people to help me knit. He was telling me about this lady back in Japan (he’s Japanese) that used make custom pieces and sell them for lots of money and how that’s what I should do. I didn’t have the heart to tell him (ok fine the complaints felt AMAZING) that I’ve never even made a sweater let alone designed my own garment. But maybe one day I can have little knitters knitting up my designs. It sure would be nice to have my job be something I love instead of something I don’t hate most of the time. Ah…dreams…

Speaking of the bamboo thing here is a look at where I am. Its slow going but going I hope it will be done soon.



I’ve also been working on a clutch. The February issue of Simply Knitting came with a handbag clasp and a simple pattern to follow (I know I told you this already but don't judge me, I'm telling you again). I decided to take a break for a day or two from the skirt (why it’s so slow going) and its knitting up very quickly. I love it.



Anyway, I’ve been noticing a lot of blog/ravelry chatter about this Malabrigo yarn. What is this stuff? Why is everyone talking about it? What makes it so amazing? Someone please let me in on the secret!!!!

Sunday, March 16, 2008

I can't even knit

My head feels like its going to explode so I'm off to bed.

Thank you for the well wishes. I will kick this stupid cold's butt!

Saturday, March 15, 2008

Busy Busy Saturday

I had to run home to the burbs this morning to take care of some finances and pay my taxes and things like that. But because I’m well a crazy knitter crafter freak I could go to the burbs without a trip to AC Moore. Before we went to the Moore though we stopped at the local quilting store because my mother is a crazy quilter crafter and I picked up a few fabrics. I picked up four that I do not have pictures of because I left them at home with my mom so she could make me two bags, one for my knitting (or course) and one for fun. I can’t wait till she finishes them but knowing my mom that could take a while. She’s been making two pillow cases for me for the last…um…4 months maybe but they’ll be finished one of these days. But I also picked up a few more, check them out.


This will be used as lining for this clutch I’m making with the claspy thing I got with the February issue of Simply Knitting. So I will basically be making a large coin purse out of this new yarn.

I know I said I wasn’t buying anymore yarn but this was a sale and it was perfect for the lining. I’m going to double strand it and knit the purse up following the pattern that came with the clasp on I think size 7 needles. The yarn is some weird almost no name brand I just found in the sale bin but I really liked it so I picked it up.

I also picked up 2 yards each of these fabrics not that I have any plans for them I just liked them. I’m compiling a large collection of fabrics I picked up just because they were pretty.




I love the last one. It’s so different and pretty.


I also got an early Easter present from mom. Isn’t the little sheep cute?? He baas when you squeeze him!



I’m supposed to be on my way to Irving Plaza right now to see Yellow Card with our friends BUT I went and got myself sick so I have been forced to stay home and sneeze and ache and generally just be gross. I just hope Carl doesn’t come home too drunk or too late. If does though I have some nighttime Tylenol cold so I shouldn’t hear anything. It’s been a long day though so it will be nice to relax a bit. I didn’t get to see Carl that much today but luckily he’s not working tomorrow so I get him for the whole day. I’m excited for our first Friday together in a long time. Ok sneezing getting started…must stop but have a great night and have a drink for me.

Friday, March 14, 2008

Blog Scrapping? Toilets and Knitting

So I was really bored at work because I was stuck at the reception desk for an hour at the end of a very busy day (don't get me started on the whole reception subbing thing) so I had some time to kill while I was there staring at the door so I spent it on Ravelry. I found this one thread where people were talking about blog scrapping. Have you all heard of this? I haven't till now. Apparently, there are people out there who make duplicate blogs of real blogs for god knows what purpose and steal the content pretty much word for word. I'm not talking about someone stealing a post here or there (still wrong) but a WHOLE BLOG! Content, pictures, words...that's crazy. What's the point? Maybe I'm dense but I don't get it. What is wrong with people?
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Anyway, thank god its Friday! We went out for a nice little dinner at a local Italian restaurant. I think I might have TB now because this old guy was hacking up a lung at the table next to ours. I swear parts of his lung were coming out onto the table. He kept getting up and going outside the hacking was so bad. I seriously feel gross now and will be taking a shower to get the gross off me.
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We're hiding in our apartment for the rest of the night which makes me REALLY happy because The Cutting Edge is on and I have a lot of knitting to do on the skirt. I'm getting very excited about finishing it. I have over a foot done and about maybe another to go. I really can't wait to see how it comes out. I go home to visit my mom in the burbs this weekend so I'm going to hit AC Moore and Michaels for ribbon for the skirt and maybe check out the yarn to see if they have anything good at low prices. I know I was going to be good and not buy any yarn but I'm just looking.
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Ok Carl just changed the channel to The History channel and Modern Marvels is doing an episode on toilets. Yes this is a modern marvel but we really don't need to watch a whole show on it. I'm going to get back to Carl so I can regulate the TV watching.
Enjoy your Friday night!

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Goals...finally

I realized I never came back and let you all know which knitty patterns I liked from this new issue. I know you all must have been waiting with bated breath…haven’t you? Well I’m not as thrilled with this issue as I have been in the past BUT I did really enjoy the article about loving your stash by Tara Jon Manning. It really got me thinking about my own stash. I don’t think its as big as others might have but I do have that stash guilt. This guilt has started to get the better of me and because of this I have decided to set some goals for myself this year.


  1. I would like to work through most my stash. Really this is because I want to make a dent in what I have so I can fill it all up again when I go to Rhinebeck this year.

  2. I want to finally make a sweater. I have the pattern and yarn for the flair jacket I have been talking about for what seems like months BUT I also have all kinds of other yarn and its time that I put it to use to make a sweater or cardi or vest…SOMETHING. So to aid in this endeavour I have purchased Ann Budd’s book The Knitter’s Handy Book of Sweater Patterns so that maybe, just maybe, I can design my own.

  3. I want to finally work out all the knots in the yarn I bought to make the Doctor’s Bag from Knit-2-Together. I bought this wonderful alpaca yarn when I was in Rhinebeck this past year and I never cast on for the bag because the second skein got all tangled when I had it on the swift and I was too frustrated to ever get all the knots out. Some of the girls in my knitting group have jokingly suggested bring the mess in and they could all take turns getting the knots out. I’m going to warn you all now, I might just being do thing.

  4. I need to finish my ocean toes so that I can fall in love with socks again. Maybe after the flair jacket.

  5. Finish the scarf I started for Carl about a year ago. There is nothing complicated about it I just got bored and stopped knitting it. It happens.

  6. Finally, I'd like to complete a felt project. The challenge in this is really finding a washer in which to felt. I’m keeping my eye out for top loading washers!


For now I think this little plan should keep me busy for most of the year. And now that my goals are laid out I should really get back to my puffball skirt so I can move on and complete a few more things.


Happy knitting…thank goodness its almost Friday!

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

MCY Drama

Like so many of you, I’ve been following the MCY drama on Ravelry. It’s a little absurd what this person has done. I left a comment on the blog Knit and Kelly was kind enough to respond to me.


It is amazing! Faked death, fake illness, all these fake emails. It's like a soap opera or something! I have a feeling that this Danielle isn't a real knitter - she wouldn't be acting such a way to her community if she was. I think she just saw a bunch of marks and went for it because knitters are so trusting. Unfortunately, after this, all independent spinners and dyers might suffer because it's made a lot of cynics out of people


It made me wonder if this Danielle person really is a knitter. Knitter on knitter crime is just not cool. We’re supposed to be supportive of each other, teach each other new techniques, help pick up a dropped stitch and NEVER cheat each other. I just find this whole incident very sad indeed and I hope if comes to an end very soon. Stop the knitter hate!!

Wow I've been posting a lot today.

I'm so excited...

Spring Knitty is Here!

I'm totally reading this through tonight so I can pick out the patterns I like...YAY Spring!







(picture from www.garden.org)



Random thought I had after spending too much time on Ravelry this week (yes and its wednesday give me a break) - am I the only knitter without a cat? You all have pictures with these beautiful cats and even though I have to hate them since I'm so freaking allergic I'm starting to feel a little left out. I guess that's why I made Kiley.






Monday, March 10, 2008

Weekend in the Jers Recap

I had a wonderful weekend with my friend Meg. She was very excited when I gave her the yarn and needles I bought. She didn’t remember how to knit but she soon got the hand of it. Saturday morning we woke up early and I tried to show her how to cast on but that wasn’t working so well so I just cast on for her so she could get to the knitting. She got a lot done while I was there and I even got the chance to show her how to add a new ball. I left before I could show her how to bind off but she’s going to come up in a few weeks so I can show her.


Isn’t it pretty yarn? Love how the different textures make stripes of nubby, eyelash and ribbon.


And here she is knitting away! I’ve brought another lost lamb back to the flock!


Friday night we were hanging out at her place with a few friends. This one guy, Joe, who works with Meg was so fascinate with my knitting. I kept looking over and he’d be staring. He said he just couldn’t help listening to the sound of my needles. It’s amazing how knitting can relax not just the knitter but those around the knitter.


Saturday night the power went out so I couldn’t knit so we went out to dinner and to a local bar. I met a few other people she works with and he a great time.


Meg made me wonderful breakfasts and generally spoiled me. It was a wonderful weekend! I miss having her around. I’m trying desperately to get her to move to New York.


Yummy bacon…she really does spoil me.


I’ve been working away at my skirt but with the stitch count at 780 its slow going. I have about 12 inches done and I have finally started a new stitch pattern which is exciting. The cable is break again which is infuriating. I have to call knit picks and get these replaced. This is just getting ridiculous. I will post pictures soon of my progress. I really like how the skirt is turning out despite the cable issues.

Friday, March 7, 2008

Girly Weekend

I’m off to New Jersey this weekend. That doesn’t sound very fun or romantic or interesting BUT I’m going down to Princeton to see an old college friend that I haven’t seen in a while. She’s the closet thing I have to a sister and I haven’t seen her in a long time. I miss her terribly. I’m looking forward to a weekend filled with girly things like girly movies, no sports, wine not beer, playing with makeup and all the other things I never get to do because I’m just not that girly and all my friends tend to be men.


I’m most excited about knitting with her. We learned to knit at the same time. We were each taught by our mothers during college. We were sisters in yarns! We knit together or at least what was an attempt at knitting. We both loved it but I think she got distracted over the years whereas I became obsessed which is painfully obvious when you consider the fact that I blog about knitting and she maybe has some yarn in her apartment.



So to encourage her to knit again I have purchased 3 balls of Trendsetter’s Pandora in Olive, see the above picture that I stole from their website (sorry don’t hate me Trendsetters, I love the yarn!). They had a sample of it knitted up in garter stitch and it looked fabulous! I figured why have her knit something boring because she only knows how to knit when I could get her just the right yarn to make something extraordinary! I really can’t wait to get her cast-on and on her way to beautiful new scarf. I’m bring her back to the fold, wish me luck!


Talk to you all again on Sunday!

Thursday, March 6, 2008

The Problem with Living in a 1st Floor Apartment in NYC

Last night after a wonderful time at my Upper Eastside knitting group I came home to snuggle into our armchair to knit and watch American Idol and the finale of Project Runway. I crawled onto the chair, knitting in hand, and started to get comfy. I’m knitting with a maroon/red ball of yarn that’s getting rather small and unruly. Out of the corner of my eye I think I see the ball of yarn fall and move a bit. I stopped myself from reaching down to pick it up when I realized the ball was moving MUCH too fast to be a ball of yarn. A GIANT cockroach ran across our carpet and into the air tube thing on my subwoofer! The most girly of girly screams (and I'm not girly) came out of me and I jumped up onto the chair for safety. Carl came running out of the bathroom to...uh...rescue me…kinda. We (yes WE, not HE, WE!!!) tried to get the cockroach out of the sub so we could kill him but no he had crawled somewhere deep into the nether regions of the sub. My sub is now sitting in a big plastic bag that’s sealed like Fort Knox. Every time I have to walk by it I expect to here all this rustling as all the cockroaches hiding in my subwoofer try to escape their black plastic cage. YUCK YUCK YUCK. And yes in my mind one cockroach has turned into thousands.


I used to be all attached to the apartment because it was our first apartment together and it was romantic and blah blah blah. I’m over it. We need to move to a new place, preferably MANY floors up. We’re clean people, we have a maid, we don’t leave food all over the apartment so I know it’s not us but our location in the building. The bedroom is next to the garbage area for the building and the living is on the first floor so all those giant dead suckers we see in the foyer on the way into the building have a chance of hiding in our apartment for safety. I’m over this. I want to move to the suburbs.

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

I've resist talking about American Idol for a while but...

...why is David Archuleta so FUCKING good. You're like 17 you should be making out with girls and pimping out your car...wow...I predict he wins.

K no more American Idol...back to knitting.

Monday, March 3, 2008

Another Ribbed Hat

Last night BFG came over for dinner and a hat fitting. Somehow I ran out of yarn even though I made the same hat for Carl with the same yarn and only needed one ball. Luckily I had another ball in a similar colorway just a little darker. In the end I like the effect. Dinner was lovely but Carl can’t have curry anymore since his stomach thing a few months ago. He had to stay home sick today because of our dinner. BFG and I are fine which at least means I’m not a bad cook.


BFG doing the dishes in his new hat. He’s single ladies if you want him!


Carl modeling the hat because I didn’t want to disturb BFG while he did the dishes.


I went to a different knitting group tonight and it was nice. There were a few crossovers from my Upper Eastside Knitters group which was nice. At least I knew someone there. I had a great time. Everyone was nice and there were great conversations to be had. The dynamic is a little different, but that’s expected. I think the members of this group are a little more experienced then most the people in UES group which changes the knitting conversation a little. Overall I’m happy that I branched out and met more people. I think I’m going to attend more meetups with this group as well.


What I loved about tonight was that we had a little circle of young knitters and in another corner there was a little circle of older knitters. It was funny, at least to me. I think we should have joined circles. I’m sure we all could have learned a lot from each other, maybe next time.


Anyway back to taking care of Carl. I hate when he’s sick.

Sunday, March 2, 2008

Knee Britches



MMM Anthony Andrews in the knee britches is just yummy. I decided to pull out the 1982 version of The Scarlet Pimpernel today. I’ve been reading Lauren Willig’s books on the Pink Carnation and other fictional English spies during and after the French Revolution and I thought it would be nice to see the movie that started my obsession with this particular literary theme.



This was the best britches shot I could find of him in the movie (the one in the foreground). Jane Seymour is pretty stunning too.



I seriously used to dream about this man when I was a little girl. He was everything I thought I man should be. Fit, smart, brave, good with a sword (there is a shocking lack of duels these day!!) and above all else a romantic. Ah fantasies they do make coping with the real world rather difficult sometimes.


I must pull myself away from all this romantic dreaming. I have about 2 hours left to work on the skirt before Carl comes home and I have to start dinner (yummy chicken curry if you must know) and then BFG comes over for winescream, tv and a hat fitting. Busy day!


Oh and my knit pick options are pissing me off. The cables are falling apart. The metal join at the end keeps falling off. I now have three or four useless cables. I’m not happy about this. I’m going to send them an email.

Saturday, March 1, 2008

Lazy Saturday

Carl left early this afternoon go out to New Jersey to help his dad move some furniture or something so I have the apartment to myself for the day. I’m taking this time to start the hat I promised BGF. It’s just another simple fitted ribbed hat like the one I made for Carl a few months ago. It’s out of di.ve Autunno again but a different color way. I let BFG pick out which color he liked and he picked this beautiful blue/black yarn. I love the way its knitting up.



I made a lot of progress on the puffball skirt last night but unfortunately it looks the same, just longer. I just don’t think it’s worth showing the next few inches. I think we’re at about 600 maybe 700 stitches now. This is getting out of control.


What I’m most happy about today is that my orchid is finally blooming again. Last year for Valentine’s Day Carl bought me a beautiful orchid. It lived for a year and only bloomed once. I bought myself another one about 6 months ago which stopped blooming and is now blooming again! I’m so happy that I didn’t kill it. I also received another orchid from Carl this year. But that was because the florists never delivered my roses (or 200 other people’s roses that day). I don’t care what the reason I love my orchids and I’m happy I’m not killing them anymore.

One more because I’m excited about the new blooms!