Knitknitknitknit

Still Knitting

2007-07-17T19:01:00.000-07:00

But posting elsewhere.

Visit my new site for my most recent-and all future-posts.

Latest Craft

2007-07-01T19:01:00.000-07:00

It's here.

Perfectly imperfect...I realize that's what I was going for, but it IS a compliment, right, Cristina?

Check out her new etsy shop.

Happy Anniversary to Us

2007-06-23T12:21:00.000-07:00

Eight years together, three years of marriage: how else can you celebrate but with gluttonous excess?

On about Wednesday, I emailed Phil with, "Holy crap! Our anniversary is this weekend." He responded, "Well would you look at that?" With that loving exchange, we settled on Friday to mark the occasion.

As a result, we finally tried Kathmandu. Kathmandu is a Nepalese/Himalayan restaurant on Solano Ave in Albany, CA. We have been trying to eat there for a month. One might think, eating at a restaurant, not that hard. However, our experience would indicate otherwise. One night we stopped by and they were closed for the week. Two weeks later, we tried to take Sarah (many visitors lately...an excuse for blog absence? Yes): closed for private party. Yesterday Phil informed me that if we didn't make it that very night, we should never go because we may upset the space-time continuum. Turned out, those crazy, crafty fates wanted to save it for our wedding celebration.

The food was well worth the effort of the two failed attempts. If for some reason you find yourself on Solano Ave, stop there and order the Khasi Ko Chhwela, which Phil had. On paper, it's lamb with onion. Really, it's the most savory and interesting lamb dish I've ever tasted. The Piro Kukhura, my meal, also tasted wonderful, but it was not unusual. It was shredded chicken with onions and ginger. The nasty surprise was the tomatoes. You've got to warn a girl before you do that to her! We washed it down with a 22 ounce Kirin Ichiban (er, each). Many people would have anniversary wine. That seems a poor, strange choice. Kathmandu had a fair wine selection, but the food was much better suited to beer. Northern California calls up images of vineyards and wine bars. In my limited experience, the beer available at almost any restaurant, domestic, international, and micro-brew all, is at least as varied and interesting, if not more so.

After, because we are extremely exciting people, we played cards and enjoyed more beers at The Pub. I highly recommend playing Spit with Phil when he's had a few. It's much easier to win. The Pub may be my favorite bar, only excepting Nick-a-Nees, which has PBR on tap for $1.00 (or did when I was in RI). Just ignore the extremely drunk middle-aged yuppies philosophizing over Sorry!, and focus on the $10.00 pitchers of Summer Solstice. A deck of cards helps as well. Because The Pub sells tobacco (nice tobacco, not like, Marlboros), the inside has that deep tobacco smell without the smoke. It looks like (and in fact I think is) a converted house, with comfy chairs and wooden tables crammed in. It's starts getting packed at 10:00PM on the weekends, which works for me and the old ball and chain, because that's just about when we are ready to go home. I enjoy being 80 years old in my 20s. I hit all the happy hours and am in bed by 11:00.

I think Phil and I are well-suited (which is good, see above re: married). I'm glad he doesn't want to have lavish plans for our celebrations; there's always so much pressure to make it PERFECT. We simply strolled out or door and wended our way through the hills of Berkeley to an evening of fine dining and romance. Well, our version of romance.

World's Ugliest Dog

2007-06-23T08:26:00.001-07:00

Winner of the competition

Mim's 7 Facts

2007-06-03T06:49:00.000-07:00

She's such a weird beard.

1) I love my Royal vacuum cleaner.

2) When I see a little baby I automatically think about my cat.

3) When I get dressed up I feel like I'm in costume.

4) I'm secretly relieved in the fall when my perennial bed dies and I
don't have to go out and pick beetles every day.

5) When everything is boring at work I put on my "Queen of Reference" hat-
a pink crown with question marks on it. You wouldn't believe how many
people pretend not to notice.

6) This summer I'm making everyone at work play either "That's your
boyfriend" or "I think he likes me".

7) Whenever anyone asks me if I want to go to the movies I always think to
myself "Why would I want to do that?" before I realize some people like to
see movies.

I am so it

2007-06-01T18:33:00.001-07:00

Cristina tagged me.

So, here it is. Some navel gazing (link posted for non-believers..ahem, Cristina and Jess).

Seven Completely Fascinating Things About Me

Rules: Each person tagged gives 7 random facts about themselves. Those tagged need to write in their blogs the 7 facts, as well as the rules of the game. You need to tag 7 others and list their names on your blog. You have to leave those you plan on tagging a note in their comments so they know that they have been tagged and to read your blog.

1. I have an extra half lung lobe.
So the doctor showed me after a bronchitis x-ray. It didn't worry me until he said, "don't worry, it's not dangerous."

2. I sometimes make up words and sayings.
I swear I've heard them before: weird beard; any who will do; taking a chowder (I think this one might be Joe's).

3. I hate Classical music.
It just makes me so angry

4. I am very sensitive to noise.
Styrofoam, the vaccuum, loud...anything

5. I think my two best features are my eyes and my feet...is that four best features? Oh, wait, I forgot about my butt.
Like you never noticed

6. I have trouble remembering lyrics.
I get this from my Dad. Of course, I haven't gone as far as he has: "What Child is this who made Joe's list?"

7. I yell at Phil in my sleep.
Not on purpose. But sometimes he wakes me up. And sometimes he tries to make me promise I won't yell at him. The trouble is, I don't remember any of this. Do I believe him?

Tag, you select few are it

Kate
Kristin
Jen
Jess (do you have a blog?)
Mim (email to me and I will post it)
Aunts (see above)

That's only six. Someone who has more friends, pass on one extra

People for the Ethical Treatment of Windows...and People...and Bethro

2007-05-27T07:34:00.000-07:00

Greetings on this gray Sunday morning.

"Oh, it's so much sunnier on the East Bay."

"The East Bay will be nice and warm."

Lies. All of them.

Treating the Beth Right

A huge thank you to my friend and craft cohort Cristina who made me the most adorable house warming gift.

Although technically they are coasters, I just couldn't bring myself to put a potentially staining substance on them.

So now they live here. The pins say "look, I may take them down and use them."

The embroidered lady bug says "Don't put your f%$#ing drink on me" (sorry, Mim and Aunts, but that's how ladybugs talk. The whole "lady" thing is like calling a big guy tiny).

Thanks again, Cristina. It may be you have discovered my subtle color preferences.

The Ethical Treatment of Bloggers

Time and again, I have been shocked by how mean people are to each other online. Is it because there is no physical manifestation of how your pompous attempt to seem superior hurts people? I don't know. It's like the internet is the island from Lord of the Flies or something.

I saw a post on a sock knitters blog on LJ where someone was asking for help with toe socks. The comments were cutting.

"Even I could find this" one began, and then when the poster explained that she needs one for six toes and also has a wrist problem which doesn't allow her to knit on small needles, someone cut her down again. "It's so simple to calculate." They all seemed to imply that not only should the girl hate herself for being just too stupid to find toe socks, she should stand in front of the microwave to prevent infesting the human race with her inevitably inferior spawn. Ugh! Send the girl to Etsy (which I did) or shut the hell up. (Sorry, that was the lady bug again).

Here's a picture of Pan's belly to make you feel better after that unpleasantness.

Finally! The Ethical Treatment of Windows

Window Treatments.

These curtains hail from Ikea, but hemmed by yours truly (with technical support from Phil). With the left over material, I made leetle curtains for the door.

They really look way better than this, but the light is bad in this part of the room.

Now, I need some advice. I made a valance from some of the leftover leftovers, and created...

When the sun shines, it matches perfectly, when night falls, I get these colors. Should I leave it? Change it? Give up crafting and move to a hut somewhere? If the first, should I make valances from the non-Ikea material for the Ikea curtains?

Hardly an Ethics Issue

It ain't a whole room, but it's a start.

My very own craft corner. I'm going to make a cover for the sewing machine and leave it on the desk. I've been whipping it out for curtains a lot, and I think having it sit around would be awesome.

If you've stuck around this long, you should go get a drink or use the bathroom or something.

Reason #298467 Phil is Weird

2007-05-22T17:27:00.000-07:00

I came home and this was on my desktop:

Phil's reasoning:

"It's a dumbo octopus. But I figure, it's like the Pan of the sea."

Judge for yourself.

More From the California Farmers

2007-05-13T19:24:00.000-07:00

One of the Bay Area's gems is Acme Bread.

According to Phil, according to his buddy who makes his trade in bread (or should I say makes his bread in bread...no, no I shouldn't), Acme is a Mecca for bakers. Another interesting fact about Acme, they sell bread at the Kensington Farmer's Market. Today we picked out "sheaves of wheat" for a French Onion Soup we will make this week.

To eat the bread (or use it to soak up onion broth), you pull off one of the little bits of "wheat."

We thought it was clever and perfect for our soup.

We also purchased a local cheese.

Spring Hill Farms Monterey Jack. It's not Gruyere, but it's local and was just too good to pass up. These plus the 8 beautiful local onions we bought make me thing we should call our soup "California Onion Soup."

Just a little picture of the ladies (lest you thought they were lost in the move and I'm signing off.

Mim's Spring Garden

2007-05-12T07:11:00.000-07:00

I can't help posting pics of flowers. It's just that time.

Curtains for the Bedroom

2007-05-09T17:49:00.000-07:00

Sunday Pictures

2007-05-06T17:42:00.000-07:00

I have no projects for you yet, but here are some pictures from our trip to the Kensington Farmer's Market.

Home Pictures

2007-04-28T12:40:00.000-07:00

We're not moved in yet, but I took some pictures in our second pre-move move.

The front.

The deck

The second deck

The yard

The living room (from the bathroom)

The bedroom

The dining room (maybe an office instead?)

The kitchen (please excuse the unpacking).

And, the view.

Mim's Felted Bag

2007-04-26T06:29:00.000-07:00

Still moving here, people. Mim sent pictures or her felted handbag to tide you over.

Update

2007-04-12T06:47:00.000-07:00

Hubby and I are officially moving. I expect to have little time for crafting and posting for a bit. Friends and family who want to email me projects so I can post them will be very welcome.

Comfy Cotton Baby Hat

2007-04-04T17:45:00.000-07:00

Two coworkers of mine are having a baby boy and I wanted to knit them something (how could I pass up that opportunity?). Because they seem to be allergic (combined) to most items found on the planet earth, I thought it was a safe bet that wool would not work for their baby (who, I imagine, with their powers combined, will be allergic to everything, possibly even himself). I looked hard for some soft cotton and found Blue Sky Cotton at Stash. It's cotton soft enough for a baby and still wool-free enough for all types of allergic people. Also, it's organic (which I just realized when I looked up the website for the link, but we can pretend I did it on purpose). I used the simple pattern below to make a hat in one night.

Material
Set of five size 6 DPNs.
One Skein Blue Sky Cotton in "Azul"
One Skein Blue Sky Cotton in "Indigo"

Directions
With Indigo cast on 50 stitches and divide between four needles. Join without twisting.

Knit 3 round in Indigo.
Knit 3 rounds in Azul.

Repeat all 6 rounds once more and switch to Indigo for the rest of the hat.

Knit until the hat measures 4 inches from the brim, then decrease as follows.

Knit 3, knit 2 together. Repeat until the end of the round.
Knit one round.
Knit 2, Knit 2 together. Repeat until the end of the round.
Knit one round.
Knit 1, Knit 2 together. Repeat until the end of the round.
Knit one round.
Knit 2 together. Repeat until the end of the round.
Knit 2 together. Repeat until the end of the round.

You should have 5 stitches left. Break off the yarn leaving about a 5-inch piece and pull it through the remaining stitches. Weave in ends.

Remember Darby? Doesn't he look dashing in knitwear?

Just Kidding; I Found It

2007-04-04T17:09:00.001-07:00

All I had to do was post...I was looking for it for three weeks.

Or maybe the Mim is right, and the cats finished their present for me.

I Think I Lost My Denise Kit

2007-04-04T06:52:00.000-07:00

No, it's not a joke (unless it's one of those oh-so-funny ones from On High like plagues and boils and a rain of frogs).

It didn't leave the house. I have no idea where it is. Last weekend's cleaning turned up nothing.

I think it's in the same dimension with about 5 pairs of sunglasses (including the most recent).

A New Crochet Project

2007-04-01T16:33:00.000-07:00

The Market Bag from Not Your Mama's Crochet.

It's the perfect bag for any season

occasion

or country.

New Sewing Cabinet

2007-03-31T14:44:00.000-07:00

Some paint, contact paper, and a little elbow grease turned this

to this

Practice Makes Slightly Better

2007-03-25T13:46:00.000-07:00

A colorwork swatch.

Or possibly a cool wristband for particularly fashionable sailors.

Day Trip

2007-03-24T19:44:00.000-07:00

I have projects to show, but my good camera is still in Mass.

2007-03-24T07:08:00.000-07:00

Imagine walking down the street in San Francisco, after having a lovely dinner of buffalo wings and beer, and your husband taps you on the shoulder. "Hmm?" you reply. He points to a window where you see

Yes, those are mannequins.

New Buy and Must Haves

2007-03-20T19:16:00.000-07:00

For some reason, finding a new place to live almost always means time in bookstores for us. Bookstores are like "goo." You go there so you can rest between insane exhausting runs around the playground...or rather, city. When we moved to SF, we spent days in the bookstores reading on comfy chair (it took more than a week for our furniture to come), and now we wait in them between viewing appointments (which last 20 minutes tops, as compared to the hours we spend in the bookstores).

Inevitably, I drag two chairs together so Phil and I can sit next to each other (or "side by each" in his native tongue) and then describe the knitting books I am perusing. Phil attempts to read books about math or cats or anything that grabs his attention. I take about six knitting books and verbally judge them to my poor husand who is trying to concentrate on his book about a jazz legend I have never heard of. The books then get separated into two piles "I want" and "This sucks." The piles don't make the narrating stop, instead, it is simply more focused. It could sound like one of the two following conversations (dramatized for television).

The I Want Book
Bethro: Sweetie, look at this sweater. I have to make this sweater.
Phil: Very nice
Bethro: What size needles does it use?
Phil: What?
Bethro: I said, what size needles does it use. Oh, fives. Never mind. Oh! Look at these socks. These socks are great. I could make you these socks.

The This Sucks Book
Bethro: Sweetie, look at this sweater.
Phil: Hmmmm
Bethro: Who would wear that? You know what they say, just because you can knit it, doesn't mean you should.
Phil: Very ugly
Bethro: And that model is ugly. Why is she making that face?
Phil: Don't know.

As you can see, criticisms do not remain only relevant to the patterns. The point of this long pictureless post is that I have a new knitting book, and I want particular knitting books I do not have.

New Buy

I bought Never Knit Your Man a Sweater (Unless You've Got the Ring). It is a play on the superstition and has a pattern for every phase of the relationship. Cute, no?

It is so rare to find a book all with men's patterns that doesn't include sweater vests. This book is no exception. It has two. But almost every other pattern rocks. Phil really wants the argyle socks, but yikes, colorwork. We'll see.

The two last sweaters are also high on the possibility list. The one on the cover is made with fives. See above conversation for how I feel about that.

Must Haves

Classic Knits

And

Fitted Knits

I'm all Id about these. WANT WANT WANT

Super Simple Stripey Short (Row) Socks

2007-03-19T09:11:00.000-07:00

Completed socks! For hubby even.

Materials

One skein each of KnitPicks Essentials in Ash and Dusk

Size one DPNs

Instructions

the Leg
Cast On 70 stitches in gray and, of course, join without twisting.

Knit one round even. Knit 5 rounds in k2, p2 ribbing.

Join the blue and work in the following pattern:
k 6 rounds in blue
k 6 rounds in gray
k 6 rounds in blue
k 6 rounds in gray
k 6 rounds in blue
k 6 rounds in gray
k 6 rounds in blue
k 6 rounds in gray

The Heel

Put 36 stitches on one needle at the beginning of the next round to prepare for the heel. The heel is knit entirely in blue.
K1 row
P1 row
K 35 stitches, turn the work.
Yarn over by bringing the yarn to the back of the work, then over the right needle to the front. P 34 stitches and turn work.
Yarn over by bringing the yarn to the front of the work, then to the back of the work over the right needle. K 33 stitches.
Yarn over P32
Yarn over K31
Yarn over P30
Yarn over K29
Yarn over P28
Yarn over K27
Yarn over P26
Yarn over K25
Yarn over P24
Yarn over K23
Yarn over P22
Yarn over K21
Yarn over P20
Yarn over K19
Yarn over P18
Yarn over K17
Yarn over P16
Yarn over K15
Yarn over P14
Yarn over K13
Yarn over P12
Yarn over K12 Untwist next stitch by slipping it through the back of the loop onto the right needle, then slipping it back to the left. K2tog and turn.
Yarn over, P13, slip 2 stitches knitwise and then back to left. P3tog tbl, turn.
Yarn over, K14, untwist next two stitches, put back on left needle, and K3tog, turn.
Yarn over, P15, sl 3 stitches knitwise, put back on left needle and P3tog tbl.
Yarn over, K16, untwist next two stitches, put back on left needle, and K3tog, turn.
Yarn over, P17, sl 3 stitches knitwise, put back on left needle and P3tog tbl.
Yarn over, K18, untwist next two stitches, put back on left needle, and K3tog, turn.
Yarn over, P19, sl 3 stitches knitwise, put back on left needle and P3tog tbl.
Yarn over, K20, untwist next two stitches, put back on left needle, and K3tog, turn.
Yarn over, P21, sl 3 stitches knitwise, put back on left needle and P3tog tbl.
Yarn over, K22, untwist next two stitches, put back on left needle, and K3tog, turn.
Yarn over, P23, sl 3 stitches knitwise, put back on left needle and P3tog tbl.
Yarn over, K24, untwist next two stitches, put back on left needle, and K3tog, turn.
Yarn over, P25, sl 3 stitches knitwise, put back on left needle and P3tog tbl.
Yarn over, K26, untwist next two stitches, put back on left needle, and K3tog, turn.
Yarn over, P27, sl 3 stitches knitwise, put back on left needle and P3tog tbl.
Yarn over, K28, untwist next two stitches, put back on left needle, and K3tog, turn.
Yarn over, P29, sl 3 stitches knitwise, put back on left needle and P3tog tbl.
Yarn over, K30, untwist next two stitches, put back on left needle, and K3tog, turn.
Yarn over, P31, sl 3 stitches knitwise, put back on left needle and P3tog tbl.
Yarn over, K32, untwist next two stitches, put back on left needle, and K3tog, turn.
Yarn over, P33, sl 3 stitches knitwise, put back on left needle and P3tog tbl.
Yarn over, K34, untwist next two stitches, put back on left needle, and K3tog, turn.
Yarn over, P35, sl 3 stitches knitwise, put back on left needle and P3tog tbl.
K36

The Gussett
You are now at the beginning of the third needle. Pick up and knit four gussett stitches, knit to the end of the next two needles, then pick up and knit four gussett stitches. You are the beginning of the round. K1 round.
K to the end of the first two needles. At the beginning of the third needle, k 1, ssk, k to end of the needle. K to the last three stitches on the fourth needle, k2 tog, k1.
K 1 round
K to the end of the first two needles. At the beginning of the third needle, k 1, ssk, k to end of the needle. K to the last three stitches on the fourth needle, k2 tog, k1.
K 1 round. Switch to gray.
K to the end of the first two needles. At the beginning of the third needle, k 1, ssk, k to end of the needle. K to the last three stitches on the fourth needle, k2 tog, k1.
K 1 round
K to the end of the first two needles. At the beginning of the third needle, k 1, ssk, k to end of the needle. K to the last three stitches on the fourth needle, k2 tog, k1.
K 1 round
K to the end of the first two needles. At the beginning of the third needle, k 1, ssk, k to end of the needle. K to the last three stitches on the fourth needle, k2 tog, k1.
K 1 round

The Foot

Switch to blue and
K6 round blue
K6 rounds gray
K6 round blue
K6 rounds gray
K6 round blue
K6 rounds gray
K6 round blue
K3 rounds gray.

The Toe
Needle one - k1, ssk, k to the end of the needle.
Needle two - k to the last three stitches on the needle, k2 tog, k1
Needle three - k1, ssk, k to the end of the needle.
Needle four - k to the last three stitches on the needle, k2 tog, k1

K1 round

Repeat these two rounds until 28 stitches remain. Graft the toe using the kitchener stitch. Weave in ends.

Spring Fling

2007-03-04T10:13:00.000-08:00

In case you thought I was a craft ho, I would like to show you how faithful I am to my knitting.

After the last blocking disaster, I decided to make a sweater that was quick, attractive, and had seams. So, I give you, in its smug attractiveness...

Spring Fling

The sweater comes from the Knitty pattern, Spring Fling. I used Rowan Wool-Cotton in color 944.

I loved making this lace. It was very easy, and it looks normal, not too lacey. I knit it a size smaller than I needed, for fear of blocking. It fits now, without having wet it thoroughly (just spraying and towel-ironing).

I also made some nice seams. They usually destroy my lovely knitting, but I am quite proud of these.

Instead of a hook and eye, I made a tie. The hook and eye was hard to sew on this yarn and pulled it out of shape. I think I'll add a ribbon when I get to the store instead of the yarn.

If there were to be a next time, I would make a border along the neckline. It's kind of scrunchy. Overall, though, it is a nice sweater and was very fast and fun.

Extra-Knittal Relations

2007-03-02T17:55:00.000-08:00

Extra-Knittal Relations: noun The act of working on other crafts and domestic tasks instead of finishing your knitting works-in-progress. Primarily used at the beginning of the 21st century by Bethros and people who want to be as cool as Bethros (so...everyone).

Mim's Affairs

A well-sewn needle case.

Bethro's Affairs

Rhode Island style clam cakes from this book.

And NE clam chowder from Nana's recipe.

The Meal

The Recipe

Good and Evil

2007-02-27T17:32:00.000-08:00

Good

EVIL

Two Crafters, Two Coasts

2007-02-17T18:35:00.000-08:00

Hello on this beautiful snowy and cold/sunny and warm day.

Today both the Mimbly and I, on our respective sides of the country, had crafty excursions.

The Mim

Being a good daughter, M.M. Mim braved the snowy and icy roads of Rhode Island and Mass to bring her mother handmade goodies.

First, the rocking chair cushions.

Mim made these with fabric from Lorraine Mills. Check out the piping on those puppies.

She also went to good ol' Mass bearing socks.

The green yarn is a lifeline Mimbly put in. Looks like they fit, so no need.

Note the delicate ankle of Honey, my beloved Nana. Nana knits some mean blankets. Behold:

We have two blankets from Nana, and I can't remember which was the birthday and which was the wedding shower gift. Regardless, they are warm and well-crafted.

The Me

Those of you in SF might have noticed that today was around 70 degress and sunny. Phil and I trekked to Golden Gate Park to enjoy the sun and fresh of air of NOT STUDYING.

The fresh air (and flowers. Blooming in February. Outside)

The sun

These are my new shades, bought merely an hour before on Market St. I have been minus sunglasses since our trip to England in July. The store had these guys and their friends, which ranged from $8 to $18. Also, they carried the fancy glasses (Prada, Ralph Lauren, etc.) under lock and key. The locked glasses hovered near $250 (I found out when I asked to look at some Prada glasses so I could see the price, but not because I really thought I would buy them). NB-I can't afford things that merchants lock up.

At the park Phil read out loud

while I knit.

And then, Phil slept

while I knit.

I finished the back of this sweater and began one side today. Phew, life is tough sometimes.

Two very different days, two quite similar crafters.

Victory!

2007-02-14T19:09:00.000-08:00

In the past few weeks, our house has looked like this

and sometimes this.

Now, it looks like this.

Congratulations Phil!

I'm not Canadian, but...

2007-02-13T06:53:00.000-08:00

The Yarn Harlot's new post makes me intensely homesick.

I've learned to appreciate many things about California: the fog-covered, rolling hills I drive by every day on the way to work, the food in San Francisco, the diminished number of neurotic, yelling people, and the fact that a twenty-something knitting in public is not the weirdest person in the park. Sometimes, though, I see something like that post, and the desire to go home is so intense I can't see for a second.

Home

San Francisco (courtesy of Aunts).

Cats and Hobos

2007-02-11T09:49:00.000-08:00

New pictures from the Mim.

Here, she claims Freda is "helping" my dad. Phil thought maybe she got an important phone call. Stop hogging the phone, Dad!

Mim made these gloves for my dad and she tells me

"The gloves are for Dad to wear when he hangs around the burning barrell
with his buds.

I made them with Sirdar Country Style DK. I love the feel of this yarn
and the gloves feel very soft.

HK size 3 dpns yields 6.5 st per inch and 8 r per inch."

Phil's Famous Sauteed Steak

2007-02-09T06:56:00.000-08:00

Hello!

Recently I had a request for another "simple" recipe. I pondered and decided Phil's steak sauce recipe was perfect. Instead of emailing, I am posting because it is just that good.

Ingredients
1/4 cup worcestershire sauce
1/8 cup of olive oil (for a healthy alternative, try 1 cup of beef stock)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp curry powder
some parsley

Steak of some kind (whatever is on sale is our usual method)

Directions

Mix all of the above ingredients except the steak and set aside. Heat a small amount of oil in a pan. Cook the steak in the oil until it has only a few minutes left to finish (depends on how you like your steak). Pour the steak sauce over the whole she-bang and cook until the sauce reduces to a thin layer in the pan.

That's it!

We serve this with steamed veggies and some rice (and then we pour the sauce from the pan over the whole thing).

It's a Sweater!

2007-02-04T14:26:00.000-08:00

That title's a little shout-out to the mim.

But it IS a sweater.

See?

So the blocking worked OK. And by blocking I mean various times in the washer and dryer and driving Phil (and probably Cristina who I was out with at the time) crazy by calling to check up on it. Phil tried so hard to be diplomatic ("well it's not huge exactly...).

Anyway. Now it is the right length and a little loose (especially around the neck), but it will do with a pair of jeans.

I ended up modifying the back and k2togging a few times which worked well enough.

Enjoy the view of the butt on me.

Now it looks just like the one on the model....

right? (I probably shouldn't put those together)

Specs
Pattern 257 by Knitting Pure and Simple

Yarn - Debbie Bliss Wool/Cotton (courtesy of Aunts)

Knitting by the great Bethro. (ego provided gratis)

I Can Sleep Through Fire Engine Noises

2007-02-03T00:31:00.000-08:00

It's true, because of where I live, I can sleep through fire engines and police cars.

This, among other reasons, is why it is SO amazing that the last three hours of yelling, guitars, stomping (why stomping?), and other party noises coming from upstairs is keeping me awake.

A few of you (or perhaps everyone I have ever met) has heard the saga of the upstairs neighbors. How Phil politely asked them more than once to keep the noise down because it is three AM and most people have to work in about three hours. How, after one final (and third...or maybe fourth) conversation Phil was so frustrated that he complained to the company that runs the apartment right before Christmas (we have quiet hours 10PM-9AM). And, how for one blessed month it has been quiet.

Then, this last Wednesday (yes, that's the night before Phil's GRC), they played their guitars (poorly) at full blast (I swear they face their amps down to the floor above our bedroom and then strum with wooden spoons) until about 2 AM (actually an early night for them).

Now it is somewhere between Friday and Saturday and I swear they must be charging cover. There are actually people drunkenly singing to songs I certainly can't hear loudly enough to make Toby look at the ceiling and ask "mrrroooowww?"

After about thirty minutes of non-sleep I mentioned to Phil that I could not believe no one else had complained about them as well. Turns out, the last time Phil went up there, one of the drunken college boys (desperately in need of guitar lessons...or perhaps a different instrument like the triangle) told Phil that he, college boy, knew that he, Phil, had already complained about him. Of course Phil hadn't yet, so I am left to conclude others find these folks just as awful.

If we aren't the only ones, why are they still here and partying?

Did I mention we are supposed to have quiet hours?

The Knitting Gods Hate me or Let Them Eat Soup

2007-01-28T14:40:00.000-08:00

I have no pictures for you.

Reason #1- I made a beautiful sweater using a top-down raglan pattern from Knitting Pure and Simple. Then I wove in the ends, and "all" I had to do was block it. I washed it, took it out: It was HUGE. Now it is in a pillow case in the dryer (for the third time) after my useless attempt to shrink it in the bathtub. Then the wash. What am I missing about blocking? The sweater fit fine before. It fit well, which is an accomplishment.

Reason #2 - I've mentioned it before and I still fall for it every time. Socks knit big. One would think 80 sittches on size ones would be too small if anything. Nope, too big. Ripped and going to start over.

So, in an attempt to comfort myself with something I'm fairly certain I can do right, I will make soup tonight. Fingers crossed it doesn't accidentally turn into babyfood or something odd.

UPDATE- The sweater is no longer long, but it is still wide. Ideas? I am very sad.

I think...

2007-01-13T13:38:00.000-08:00

A stitch in time saves well more than nine.

Stalling

2007-01-10T06:39:00.000-08:00

To keep you fickle, fickle people interested, here are some projects from Mim (circa Dec 2006...I'm a little late).

The last of her Christmas aprons

And a sweater for a wee tot (on the LK150)

I DO have some projects on the needles, but the post-vacation rush has made me less likely to a) finish and b) photograph.

While we are waiting for that lazy Beth to finish her knitting, crocheting, sewing, and weaving projects, if I gave you a handmade Christmas gift, feel free to send me a picture of you enjoying said gift and I will post it here.

New Blog

2007-01-03T20:06:00.000-08:00

Check out my friend's new website.

See those log cabin squares? She's sewing them by hand.

Happy New Year

2007-01-01T06:04:00.000-08:00

Traditions

2006-12-31T05:32:00.000-08:00

Really, traditions make the holidays feel like the holidays.

Since changing coasts, my trips back home have established a new set of traditions for me. The Mimbly and I visit our two favorite craft spots every time I visit old Rhody. Yesterday we did so again.

I bought a zipper from Lorraine Mills to create this little make-up bag about which I'd fantasized since making my sister's Christmas present.

The yarn is from Yarn at Lace Wings. I will be using it for...gasp...a crochet project. One of the many craft-related goodies from the Mim (she really needs to get her own blog) was Not Your Mama's Crochet. Needless (I just accidentally spelled that "needles") to say, I am very excited.

But really, that is all incidental to this post, which is about the traditions of our visits home. In the midst of our traditional outings yesterday, the Mim and I went to the salon. After my turn, and while I was waiting for Mimbly to receive her shearing, I knit. And then I was surprised. Every woman I talked to told me about her knitting. The hairdresser with whom I spoke the longest, told me, after I confessed my nerves failed me as I thought about following a crochet pattern, "nawt to worry. Crochet is no hahdah than knitting. Once you get used to it, it even goes fasta."

It felt so good to sit and knit and talk fibers and local stores with the ladies at the salon in North Providence. San Francisco is fun and often interesting, but in a break from the normal tone of this blog, I'm going to say it's freaking hard to be away from home and the crafty mimbly.

Serging Ahead

2006-12-29T16:30:00.000-08:00

Hello and Merry Holidays.

Most of us in the craft-o-sphere got new toys for our various celebratory days, I'll bet. As we all know, I have the new loom.

For example, the trusty M.M. Mim has a new Euro-Pro Serger.

Complicated, no?

Well, the Mimbly remained undaunted by all of the fancy spools and knobs. Once she had the machine up and running, nothing could be done but to try it out. Luckily, your favorite Bethro and mine (me), had a pair of gloves that she received for Christmas. Very nice gloves, but with some fuzz at the bottom that clashed with her fuzzy red winter coat. So!

Mim began.

Please note that Mim and Bethro have the same two hobbies: the fiber arts and beer.

Before trying the serger out on the gloves, Mim discovered that the chain stitch was essential to keeping the machine going.

And now, the gloves do not clash. They also make excellent puppets...in an avant-garde sort of way.

Or perhaps I am just taking unfortunate dancing lessons from Michael Jackson.

Be Very Jealous

2006-12-26T17:11:00.000-08:00

I have visited Webs.

And I have purchased yarn in bulk.

This is rug wool for my new loom. Next to it is the book that will help me make this into a properly-woven item. Hands on Rigid Heddle Weaving was recommended by both the manufacturer of my loom, and various blogs I have seen.

Also, this pattern

should theoretically help me get rid of some stash. How many times have I thought/said/posted these words?

Alicia and Kristin: Do Not Read

2006-12-18T07:01:00.000-08:00

One last post before the holidays hit in full force.

Bolster and yoga mat bag for my sister:

Hat for Kristin (with the lovely Phil modeling):

If you are Jen or Bethany Do Not Read This

2006-12-16T22:03:00.000-08:00

I doubt anyone has much time to peruse blogs lately, as it is.

For example, I skipped one party and one SnB to finish some Christmas presents this weekend (or rather, I will skip the SnB tomorrow).

News and Filler

Here is a picture of....

My New Loom!

The cats also enjoyed it.

No, I did not position them for pics. The cat-in-the-box thing merely happened as the loom went from this

to this (three hours of intensive labor...until Phil came home and reminded me we have an electric drill).

I have no idea how to use it...yet.

Presents

Jen's present

This Yarn

(Part of) Bethany's Present

Just an superior version of the pattern I used before.

I love this tea cozy. It makes me want to make 18 million more.

A Spot of Sewing

2006-12-02T18:24:00.000-08:00

You can spot a very hip and lively 20-something by what she does on Saturday night.

Tonight, I made a tea cozy.

I used the patterns and dimensions found here for my only (and well-loved) teapot.

This teapot was a gift from one of my uncles and his family and I don't know if they know how much I use it. Tonight, I gave it a little TLC by making it the cozy.

I altered the pattern very slightly because I wanted it to be reversible.

Side A

Side B

Side B is a little funky because a) I am just not that good yet and b) I messed up on the handle, which I was going to make the same way as the other side and realized after I sewed it all together it was on the wrong side.

Overall, I thought the pattern was good. I only have two complaints. The first is my fault: I bought batting that simply did not fit. I thought it was about 1/2 the width it really was and only realized my error as I attempted to pull it apart (I thought it was folded). It looks OK, but was hard to work.

I would change the dimensions of the pattern and add about and inch of width and decrease maybe the same on the top. I followed the formula she gives, but still came out with something too tall and not quite wide enough. It's very snug around.

But I'd like to make more now that I know what to change and what to keep; it took me only two hours total.

We're Home

2006-11-26T19:04:00.000-08:00

And the Pan

And the Tobes

Couldn't be happier.

Guest Blogger

2006-11-25T09:55:00.000-08:00

Well, the turkey is eaten, the pies are almost gone. So, the minds of all great American hobbyists turn to..........

oops, I mean

Your guest host and Bethro made the rounds of our favorite knit and sew spots.

Here are some sample of Bethro's finds.

Filatura di Crossa 127 print for hats.

Fabric purchases were also made. Finished products will be displayed at a later date.

To continue with the "I want to be just like my daughter" theme here is the 2nd apron:

Note the martini fabric and the never-been-used-in-30-years cam stitch.

Hope you enjoyed our family festivities.

MM Mim and Freda

Another Night in SF

2006-11-20T18:49:00.000-08:00

Tiffany's has a display in Union Square that involves knitting.

I can't even explain how cool I think this is.

Yes, I linked most of this post, but I'm not sure why.

Because I'm Sick

2006-11-18T15:26:00.000-08:00

And because I'm the kind of house-ridden, become-exhausted-easily sick that does not allow for many activities, I have been thinking of crafts (and internetting for crafts as well).

Sewing
I have found a tea cozy pattern I wish to try. It is perfect because

1) it seems quite simple and I am not yet very experienced with the machine they call sewing

2) I have a stash of fabric I am dying to use (a very nice present from someone very knottie).

Please excuse the (even more than usual) terrible picture of my little crafting corner. I have something furry and immovable on my lap.

But that fabric is calling to me. It burns the proverbial hole, ya know?

3) I like tea.

Knitting
I have been thinking about knitting a lot. Not (only) in the "I am planning items I have no time to make since I work and have three projects on the needles" way, but also in the historical sense.

Perhaps it is because I am a devoted reader of the Harlot and she has been posting muchly about the history of socks.

I sometimes envy the women who "had" to knit as part of their daily routine. But then I think, did they hate it because of that? I'm sure some of them must have or everyone would be a knitter. And those who loved it, was it difficult to have their craft treated as commonplace? I imagine hubbies and relatives would be much less understanding if, every day, the knitter in question attacked with a sock and a demand to admire her perfect gusset. Anyway, there wasn't any KnitPicks. I think I don't envy them. But sometimes on the way to work (even though I like my job), I do a little.

Weaving

For Christmas I asked for a loom. After much research I have decided on one.

Behold, the Kromski Harp.

Needless to say, I am shaking with anticipation. Or maybe that's the chills from the fever...

Guess What I bought this Weekend

2006-11-14T07:08:00.000-08:00

While I was at Stash

Soleil Revisited

2006-11-11T18:50:00.000-08:00

FO At Last

Many moons ago I began Working on Soleil (pattern on Knitty). Fewer moons ago I finished the pattern, but didn't like how it looked at the sleeves. They were too wide on me leetle shoulders.

Today, not any moons ago, I took it out and fixed it.

All I did was pick up (most of) the sleeve stitches and knit a cap sleeve.

I am quite happy with the way it turned out.

Poor Bethro

2006-11-11T09:10:00.000-08:00

OK everyone, start pitying.

Why? you ask as you peruse my blog because you either a) know me b) are so obsessed with knitting that you read even the not-cool-or-famous blogs (which I imagine would be a full time job) or c) are perhaps stalking me.

Well, I will tell you. About forty-eight hours ago I had an almost complete sock, knit painstakingly (for the first time) on size ones. I risked carpal tunnel and a divorce through my obsession of the sock (ok not really on that last one).

Picture distractor!

Anyway, I was getting ready to graft the toe (my second favorite part of a sock, the first being picking up and decreasing for the gusset...pity I loathe heel flaps), when I finally admitted to myself what I had know since after the heel: this sock would fit a giant. My options were:

1) Give to my friend of the flipper-like feet (you know who you are). But, really, while her feet are exceptionally large for someone for whom it is socially acceptable to wear dresses (outside of SF), they are merely long and not, for example, as wide as a leg.

2) Try to convince some guy somewhere that purple IS a manly color.

3) Rip out the entire sock and start over.

Guess which I did.

Silly Humans

2006-11-10T12:27:00.000-08:00

While on my lunchbreak (still am, actually), I saw the Yarn Harlot's post. Please read the "posted later" part.

Then read this:

Phil and Sarah and I took a trip to New York quite a few years ago. We were in Manhattan, pretending we were sophisticated and had money (both a lie) and when into a snooty Origins (disclaimer, not all Origins are snooty...this one was). I was trying out the product and having difficulty ignoring the attendant who was not-so-subtly stalking me. I stopped to put lotion on my hands and she finally asked me "can I help you." I assured her that no, I was fine, and could help myself, when I noticed my hands felt extra slippery. You see, that's what happens when you put hair conditioner on your hands apparently. I guffawed and we promptly left.

Problem Solved

2006-11-05T14:00:00.000-08:00

Thanks to a suggestion from Mim about "just picking up the stitches." Now Phil can have his hat (which is good, because it is kind of too dark for my pasty self).

Please excuse the bad pics. Phil was sleeping after a hard morning of video games so I was flying solo.

Brim up.

Brim down.

The Phil woke up and I attacked him with hat and camera.

Here's how to make My Most Favorite Hat Ever.

You will need:

size 6 dpns or circs.

2 skeins Noro Kureyon.

Using a crochet cast on (seen in this pattern), cast on 95 stitches. Work in Jaywalker pattern until it measures 6 inches.

Then k5, k2tog for one round (not a perfect number, you will have some leftover).
k1 rnd.
k4, k2tog for one round.
k1 rnd. k3, k2tog for one round.
K 1 rnd.
k2, k2 tog for 1 rnd.
k 1 rnd.
k1, k2tog for one rnd.
k1 rnd.
k2 tog for as many rounds as you need to have about8 stitches left. Cut yarn and pull through to close top. Weave in.

Go back to bottom. It will be pointy. Starting at one of apexes (with hat right side up), pick up three of the stitches (the inverted point and one on either side) and knit them. In st st, go back and forth, picking up two stitches from the side each time (either one on each side or two every other). When you get to the bottom, so it is flush with the points, use waste yarn or stitch holders to keep live and move on to next inverted point. When all five are done, pick up all stitches with circs or dpns, and make a k2 p2 ribbing for as long as desired. Mine is about two inches.

I love this hat. I think I'll make one for me in a brighter Kureyon.

If someone decides to make it, please let me know if you adjusted it because I'd like to make it a slightly easier pattern.

More Instant Gratifaction

2006-11-05T08:55:00.000-08:00

Can you say American?

Well, you probably can.

Funny!

Yesterday I decided to use some of the Noro Kureyon that was burning a hole in my stash (present (read de-stashing) from the mimbly) to make a hat.

I really wanted to do something with the amazing colors, so I adapted the Jaywalker pattern.

Here's what I came up with.

It was simple. I cast on 95 (Jaywalker requires a multiple of 19) and made three rows of ribbing and then worked the pattern for 6 inches (should have done more), then decreased in the normal hat way starting with k5 k2tog.

It was going to be for Phil, but he looks like Jughead in it.

And don't even ask how it looks with the points down: like some kind of anime/sci-fi weirdo. That's it, let the hate mail come.

But now Phil wants a hat in Noro (who can blame him?) that has the zigzags. How do I make this without the points? Is it possible?

Funny!

Aprons Abound

2006-11-01T06:47:00.000-08:00

In a fit of "I want to be like my daughter" (I imagine), my mim made an apron.

What you might see if you enlarge the pictures, is the christmas tree stitches she made.

I think it's time to begin tormenting Phil with Christmas classics from 1965 or so. Yes, Mim (and Aunts and Leesh), I DO torment him with the movies, but I DON'T sing the wrong words (but I DO sing along).

On another, slightly more important note: baby!

Instant Gratification Socks and other Spooky Halloween Tales

2006-10-29T12:49:00.000-08:00

Prepare yourself for a harrowing tale of deception and evil that includes a WIP and a few FOs. But don't worry, good wins in the end.

Instant Gratification Socks

Once upon a time there was a beautiful, courageous, and almost frighteningly talented knitter named Bethro. Of all the potential projects in the world, Bethro liked socks the most.

But one day, an evil began to pervade Bethro's queendom (did I mention she was a queen?). A rumor spread. It was possible, so said the evil gossip, to make two socks at the same time.

Two socks at the same time? What a thrill! Bethro wanted to know more. As she investigated, she uncovered the horrible truth. To knit two socks at once, she would have to give up her beloved, trustworthy DPNs, and swear an oath to serve the suspicious circs. But, one of Queen Bethro's many attributes was fearlessness, so she cast her sock yarn onto two circs.

Like many of the talented queens in the knitting world (although, not all), Bethro had two minions she had to please so they would keep her in purrs, which she could not produce herself. Two furry, mischievous, and energetic minions. Hers were,

The roly poly Pan. Pan may look sleepy, but she has vicious claws and the ability to sit on her enemies to subdue them.

And, the crazy Toby. Toby's wild mood swings make her a great fighter, but very unstable.

Both of these minions were highly attracted to the swaying and clanking of the circs.

Their inability to let Queen Bethro knit with the circs, plus the plain unnaturalness of knitting a sock without her DPNs, made the queen sad and lethargic. Her sock sat in the queen's stash for months. Bethro knit no socks during these dark days. Her people were sad and worried.

Then, one happy day, the queen's husband, King Phil, decided he wanted to knit. He made, he insisted, a kitty blanket.

But his appetite was not sated. Merely a week ago he asked the queen to accompany him to Greenwich Yarn to buy some bulky yarn for a scarf (the king decided size 13s were about his speed). The King and Queen set merrily off. Upon arriving in the magical place, Bethro found a hidden treasure: many skeins of Rowan Cork. Bethro had a special fondness for Cork, and had made a happy pair of socks with them in the past. Maybe Bethro could rekindle her sock lust with some instant gratification socks!

A week went by, and Bethro worked hard. In the end, she was rewarded with wonderful socks.

The king also made his first (real) project.

Vowing never to be fooled by fads again, Beth removed the evil circs from her beautiful sock yarn, and replaced them with some lovely DPNs a fellow queen had provided.

The minions cared not at all for the DPNs,

and happiness (and socks) once more reigned.

Also, she made an apron.

THE END

I Need to Learn This

2006-10-03T12:29:00.000-07:00

Method

Especially because I started my first sock on two circs and I HATE IT AND MISS MY DPNS.

Soleil

2006-09-30T12:58:00.000-07:00

A while ago I finished Soleil, but I've been waiting to post pictures because I think I am going to add sleeves.

You see, while the lovely woman in the picture makes the top look like a tank top, I make it look like a 70's style sweater vest.

Not attractive.

So, I decided to add sleeves. Short cap sleeves to keep the lightwieght feel of the garment, but sleeves nontheless.

Should I crochet or knit them? Any suggestions on what to do slash what not to do?

Work Safe Once Again

2006-09-29T07:04:00.000-07:00

Apparently, librarians take exception when a giant crotch fills the screen at work.

Weird creatures.

So, to make my blog work safe once more, here are some random pictures for you to enjoy. They are of the kitties from our x-country move more than a year ago.

Anyway, my story seemed to have detracted from the point of the picture, which was hilarious graffitti. Let's all take a moment to reflect on that.

Priceless San Francisco Art

2006-09-24T12:38:00.000-07:00

Walking back from Film Night in the Park, Phil and I encountered the best art we've seen in SF so far.

The picture is really a Calvin Klein ad. These googly eyes are everywhere, maybe hanging on the coattails of the BNE scandal.

The art does not just lie in the physical placement of the eyes, but also in the performance piece that came about accidentally (can there be "found" performance art? If so, SF is full of funny and sad examples). Phil and I spent at least five minutes trying to get a good picture with my phone. We stood in front of this gentleman's transformed tighty whiteys, and discussed how to adjust the brilliance so we could see the eyes. A long and loud "theeeeere it is" erupted from me when Phil finally made it work.

No one even glanced our way.

Change is Good

2006-09-23T08:22:00.000-07:00

I think I need to change my background. Suggestions?

Sound Familiar?

2006-09-15T20:58:00.000-07:00

Lysistrata

A Few Quick Pictures

2006-09-09T11:01:00.000-07:00

From my parents visit.

As usual, Phil and I remembered the camara one day out of five.

But! It was the day we went to the Jelly Belly factory. I won't go too into the jelly belly tour (it was eh), but I will tell you that my husband, all 120 pounds of him, bought eight pounds of jelly beans because the factory sells the defective ones.

As you can see, my dad declined the honor of posing with the jelly bean. So I snuck a picture of him in the car.

I'm sure he'll be pleased.

In fact, more pictures were taken in the car than in the factory.

The One Sock-A Project's Tale

2006-09-04T07:22:00.000-07:00

I've finally finished a knitting project. It's been since...about May, I think. I blame today's violent programming.

These socks are for my MIL. They were birthday presents; they are now Christmas presents.

Some of you may have looked at the title of this post, then read the first sentence and thought "hmmmm....one sock is a finished project?" But, as you can see, I do have two socks.

Let me give you a little background on the hubby. He is strange. One of his odd enjoyments is to change the text on the computer and then see if I notice (or how long it takes me to notice).

Add that to the fact that when I blog my pictures, I move them to the desktop and title them to make it easier to place the right picture in the right place. I had moved this picture

and title it "one sock." When I came back to the desktop a while later, it was titled "one sock to rule them all." If you don't get this reference, don't worry. It only means you aren't quite as nerdy as we are. If you do get it and don't think it's funny, just don't tell me because I think it is hilarious.

Anyway, these socks come from this pattern, using this yarn in bright red. I enjoyed them, but think I am going to start moving away from worsted weight socks.

Where I show even more items given to me

Lately, with my lack of projecting, I have filled this blog with a "look at my new possessions" style of entertainment. Here is more.

Cristina, feeding the sewing frenzy, gave me some beautiful notions and fabric for my birthday.

I don't know what I'd like to do with it yet. Any suggestions?

This weekend, my parents are in San Francisco for a visit. My mom suprised me with some sewing notions and also

This big black item is for using spools of thread without a bobbin. Clever, yes?

And then, because what would a blog be without a random picture taken by Phil, here is me singing into my hairbrush.

Honest Answers

2006-08-19T17:03:00.000-07:00

Please. I need to know if the fabric I buy is ugly.

I made my first impulse purchase of fabric today.

I'm thinking maybe a liner for a nice red pocketbook. What do you think?

To answer Anne's question (Anne, I'm wearing the socks today...pure coincidence), we went to

It's Ross-on-Wye, Weston-under-Penyard near Gloucestershire.

For a good laugh, go read Cristina's Post.

Guilt is an Amazing Motivator-Now with Pictures!

2006-08-12T10:16:00.000-07:00

Hemming, but no hawing

I did use Dacia Ray's hemming method (thanks for the comments, Dacia). It created

This method worked really well. I think it would have been better if I didn't have to take an astounding 4 inches up on the hem of these pants (hey, they were $10 at the Levi sale). I also ended up doing four stitches evenly around the inside to keep the inside bit up. A more experienced seamstress would have made a neater line.

Wedded Bliss
I love seeing where people are from. Going to England for Chris and Emily's wedding was awesome because meeting Em's family and seeing where she grew up gave me a lot of insight. It was also the best vacation we have ever had. Ever.

To give you an idea of how beautiful it all was, take a look at the church.

and the exit from said church

It was just beautiful.

After the wedding was the awesome and thorough reception. The best part, the dancing.

They had a traditional barn dance with a caller and it was amazing. I'm terrible at following instructions and I'm certain I annoyed many English people along the way, but I was having too much fun to really notice. All I remember is one guy (don't know who) saying "no, to the left first."

We stayed in this beautiful cottage with the other Americans. It led to fun nights.

There may have been beer involved. Reports are sketchy.

In some ways, one of the best nights was the night after the wedding when we went to Morgan St. (their place in London) and ate take out and watched TV with Em and her best friend Helen.

Present!
It's a mark of how awesome my Aunt is that she remembered that I loved Debbie Bliss Wool/cotton and that it was discontinued. Apparently she visited her LYS to find what she could. It worked. I now have

Deep breaths. My hands are absolutely itching to get at this yarn. I just haven't found the right project yet.

It's All in the Model

I've been working on my apron. I need to do the gathers and attach the top and ties, and that's it. What I have now looks something like

I swear he's straight.

What to Knit Next (Once What I've Not Knit is Knit)

2006-08-12T09:26:00.000-07:00

I was browsing Knitty this morning while Phil slept on the couch (his version of "getting up").

I think I'd like to make Carpathia with the lace yarn my secret pal gave me.

While I was browsing I saw

This picture makes me so very homesick. It was taken in Vermont and that stone wall is enough to send me into a froth of longing (if such a thing exists).

Speaking of home HAPPY ANNIVERSARY (yesterday) to my beloved parents. 32 years of bliss mixed in with some more difficult ones where the three of us were teenagers and just horrible. But look at how awesome we turned out.

They called me on the way to their cape cod getaway weekend and in the five minutes we spoke, Mim reminded me I promised pictures, and then made me feel guilty about not having posted them. I'll be good; I promise.

On a purely side note, I miss going to Chicks with Sticks. I plan to go once I get a real job.

A Preview

2006-08-02T07:57:00.000-07:00

Of coming pictures.

1) How I used This Method to hem a new pair of pants (Thanks Cristina for the advice.

2) The beautiful wedding in England I recently attended

3) The apron I am attempting to sew

4) The amazing yarn my aunt sent me for my birthday.

I promise!

Bunnies, and Blue Jays, and Deer...Oh My

2006-07-05T19:21:00.000-07:00

Our first West Coast camping trip was this weekend. I did begin my second sock, but I didn't take pictures of it. I did get many pictures from Salt Point State Park.

Animals
Our campsite was overrun with blue jays. They had no fear of us...but we began to fear them.

They just kept coming until we were surrounded. We had hummingbirds and woodpeckers, too, but didn't get pictures.

Every morning, this bunny ate his breakfast with us. Of course, he had grass and we had coffee and tea, but the camaraderie was there, I think.

The morning we left, we saw these guys.

Need I say more?

The Coast
We hiked here

to get here.

We also took a quick trip to Stump Beach to see the sandy beach.

Not exactly a swimming beach, though.

It was awesome, cave and all.

Random Picture

As always, I'd like to finish with a random picture Phil took some time ago, that I uploaded with these. This time, it is of me and not Pan.

Have you ever seen such an odd face?

The Black Hole of Crafting

2006-06-25T08:48:00.000-07:00

I Believe Anne. Maybe it is a summer thing. I haven't picked up the needles in ages.

But I have been cooking. One of the nice aspects of San Francisco is that it doesn't become too hot over the summer, so cooking over an oven (and eating the resulting hot foods) never really seems unattractive. Last weekend we made a soup from

I can't say enough abut how much I love this book. It comes only second to The Fannie Farmer Cookbook. I'd love to buy his his other books

Anyway, as an offering based on my lack of posting, I will provide you what is now our favorite soup recipe. But I truly suggest getting your hands on this book.

St. Patrick Irish Cheddar Soup

Ingredients

2 leeks
2 potatoes
4 carrots
4 tblsp butter
6 cups soup stock
1 minced garlic clove
1/4 tsp thyme powder
1/4 tsp sage powder
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup milk
5 ounces grated mild Irish cheddar

1. Clean, peel, and chop vegetables. Melt butter in a soup pot and saute them for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
2. Add the stock, garlic, herbs, and seasonings. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for thirty minutes.
3. Blend the soup and return it to the pot. Add milk and cheese, reheat, but do not allow to boil again.

We ate it with a lovely hunk of sourdough bread. If you don't have the advantage of living in San Francisco, you could always make your own sourdough, which leads me to my next item...

Catching Wild Yeast

I've never done it; I'm trying to do it. Any suggestions?

Right now I've got a one-to-one mixture of flour and water sitting in the kitchen. I;I've covered it with a wet cloth so it won't attract flies. The directions I read say to stir it twice a day. Will this work? If no, what should I alter? Anyone?

Knitting Lethargy

2006-06-01T09:54:00.000-07:00

Does it have a cure?

In which I provide many pictures and witty remarks

2006-05-27T08:24:00.000-07:00

Driven to deep guilt over Cristina's post that references my serious lack of posting, I now take up my camera once again to show you what I have been doing these past few weeks.

Bags 'R' Me
First, the bag. It has been finished for sometime, and even traveled to Rhode Island with me as my project bag.

This pretty little number survived four (yes, four) airports.

It was hard to get a good picture because hubby was in bed when I went on my guilt-ridden picture taking frenzy. I am very glad the materials matched as well as I thought they would. The last bit was a bit tricky (sewing on the lining when both it and the outside were in circle form), but look at these results, people.

Look at that expert craftsmanship.

It's What's Inside that Counts

Inside my beautiful and expertly-sewn project bag lies a sock. Yes, just one.

The tragedy of my one-sock-ed state stems from the depressing fact that this sock, and it's uncreated partner, have been intended for my MIL's birthday, which is today. Oh well, I'm certainly not the first knitter to be late on a present.

Speaking of which, I have called it quits on the wedding blanket. It wasn't coming out the way I wanted and it's too late for a new project. I'm keeping it assembled for now in case I decide to keep working on it. Otherwise, stash.

A Girl's Best Friend
During my trip to my native land, Mim and I visited Lorraine Mills. If ever in Rhode Island, a trip to this store is in order. I didn't have my camera with me, but trust me, it's worth it.

After the bag, my sewing instructor informed me that I should really get a pattern to learn the basics of cutting them and etc. (well, she didn't say etc.). With this goal in mind, I selected a great apron pattern. I intend to make both of the right hand aprons.

If the patterns hadn't been 50% off, it would have been foolish of me to purchase them. However, that is the beauty of this store, which is good, because I really wanted it and probably would have paid anyway.

After the pattern selection, Mim and I trekked up the stairs to the top floor which has all fabric for $1.99/yd. I selected

and

along with some tools. Any thoughts on which material should go with which apron? Mim and I came to a decision, but I think other opinions might be helpful.

Mim bought me a "happy new sewing machine" present of

As if the new sewing machine wasn't enough. I'm saving this for when I get a little better and want to tackle something harder.

Long weekend=knitting and sewing.

It's been a while

2006-05-23T08:17:00.000-07:00

And I've been busy. Crazy updates soon (new fabric, a sock, and (I think) more).

Secret Pals and So On

2006-05-06T17:58:00.000-07:00

My final secret pal package arrived!

As you can see, it was chock full of goodies. First up, we have the cookbooks. There are two reasons these are a great surprise. First, my sp mentioned how she went to culinary school and she's been reading recipes here. I love that personal touch. Also, my mom-and sister-in-law always buy these little grocery store books. It's sort of a family joke with them, so it is highly appropriate. And I should mention, cooking with beer? Perfect!

She sent bath salts, scents, and other bath-related items. I'm a big fan of baths. The little photo album and address book (which I really need. Supposedly "grown ups" keep these things) are adorable, and Phil claims he won on the tic-tac-toe board. Whatever, we all know that's a lie.

She put in presents for my kitties (not shown: already under furniture somewhere after serious attack of Pan). How sweet and thoughtful.

But all of this, though awesome, is nothing compared to

You folks know you saw this first in the picture. Lace weight yarn. I'm thinking, maybe, Branching Out. I'm glad I have the new camera so you can see even a portion of how awesome this yarn is. Thanks, Becca. The best part about these gifts is how much thought you put into them. Oh, and the yarn.

Phil and I did some errand running/movie going/ chemming (I put liquid nitrogen in the dewars. You can bet I felt cool (no pun intended)), and stopped by Jo-Ann fabrics so I could get some supplies for when my sewing machine arrives (MONDAY!).

The red is for the outside, and the print I just couldn't pass up for lining. I'm going to make a basic bag after Cristina and I trade sewing and crochet lessons.

Finally, I uploaded the pictures and found this on the camera.

Am I always going to get a surprise with this camera?

Sockapalooza Ends (for me, sort of)

2006-04-29T18:56:00.000-07:00

I have my socks! First, pictures.

The socks fit perfectly. Thanks, Anne! They are my very first pair of hand knitted socks.

They are really much more of a red than pink, and look very very awesome, so much so that a mere two dimensional photo could never fully capture the awesomeness.

Anne is from the English town depicted in this super cool banner.

Among the socks and the flag were these fine objects including....

stitch markers!. Another first for me. No more bits of yarn, no sir.

Anyway, I sent out my socks today, but with the spring cleaning daze and all, I forgot to send out the other stuff, hence the "sort of" in the title. Anne's package reminded me. So my sock pal is going to be getting more than one package.

Am I the only one who thinks spring cleaning is a hobby?

2006-04-29T11:38:00.000-07:00

I dread it, and postpone it, but when it comes, spring cleaning is highly satisfying.

Today is kitchen day. Phil cleaned the silverware

and organized the drawer.

You can't tell me that doesn't look like fun.

In further pictures, Cristina took some with the new camera.

At first, as I was uploading the spring cleaning pictures (while taking a break from the Big Kitchen Clean), I could not figure out what this picture was. Then, I realized, it's her knitting bag and current project. It was like she left me a puzzle and I figured it out.

What the hell are my hands doing? Do I do that while I knit? I guess I do.

Ten simple pleasures

2006-04-24T17:54:00.000-07:00

Cristina tagged me.

Ten simple pleasures

1. Sunday afternoons
2. New sheets
3. Picnics
4. The contented purr of a Pan or the evil purr of a Toby
5. Getting a phone call from someone you were just thinking about
6. Trying (and loving) a new restaurant
7. Making a meal better than one that comes from a restuarant
8. When Phil makes up stories about the cats before we go to bed (fine, make fun of me. I'm a crazy cat lady and it's fine)
9. Spending the holidays with family
10. Taking your shoes off after working all day (also works with a bra)

Final Secret Pal Project

2006-04-23T08:20:00.001-07:00

I sincerely believe having a camera to show off my projects results in more work. After posting all the socks, I got to work on my last secret pal project.

Every package I sent my sp had something handmade in it. I was seriously alarmed when I discovered she keeps her yarn and knitting supplies in plastic bags; every knitter must accessorize! So her first package included a decoupaged bucket (in addition to some yarn and a CD). In her second package, as a result of her desire to learn to crochet, I made her a beginner's crochet kit, complete with a homemade instruction book (the camera still worked then).
Now, to wrap things up, I made her a simple bag, based on Whip-Up's post about activity bags.

San Francisco has a depressing lack of (reasonably priced) fabric stores. So, armed with another Whip-Up idea I went thrifting for fabric. Really, being a very beginner level seamstress who has a tiny machine and only self-taught skills, I don't want to use super expensive fabric, anyway.

I didn't find any fabric, or even sheets that would work, but I did find this baby blanket in colors my sp loves. Now she has a knitting bag! According to hubby, it can also be a hat.

I knitted a pocket for it, to remove any diaper-bag feelings I predicted

This is why we have stash.

Overall it came out OK. I tend to be pretty insecure about my sewing skills. As soon as I have a real machine, I am taking lessons.

Sock heaven

2006-04-22T16:22:00.000-07:00

Hello sock lovers. Through the magic of a camera that works, I, with the help of my assistant, will show you the wonderful world of Beth-made socks.

The lovely Phil is modeling the sockapalooza socks. He shows us that these socks are good for the house, or for digging clams.

The casual man about town also enjoys the sockapalooza socks while lounging on the couch.

Phil shows off his socks' easy and functional afterthought heels. Phil suggests you try some afterthought heels, today!

If you read the pattern, you'll remember I took away the ribbing in it. With this yarn it stretched out and looked ladder-y. Overall, I'm reasonably happy with these socks.

But not as happy as I am with....

The toe-up socks!

Here, you see Phil demonstrating that even one sock makes the man look well-dressed and successful.

Phil loves his short-row heels.

Even the wee-footed Beth can wear the socks if only the toe has been made.

That's all for today, friends. Be sure to stay tuned for more pictures from the amazing camera that works.

Thinking ahead

2006-04-21T07:57:00.000-07:00

to my next pair of socks.

Right now I am working on both the second sock for the dad and the wedding blanket (pics soon-camera shopping this weekend).

But, I am thinking ahead to my new pair of socks. I have some awesome red yarn (thanks to my SP) and some purple yarn. I want to do cables or lace or something more interesting.

So now is your chance; what is your favorite pattern? What socks do you always want people to knit? Don't limit by book, internet, or just what you made up. I'll take all suggestions.

She's always funny

2006-04-20T06:31:00.000-07:00

But The Yarn Harlot's post about talking with Martha Stewart is especially noteworthy

Non-knitters just don't get it

2006-04-18T22:56:00.000-07:00

"Why," one recently asked me, "would you spend 8 hours on Sunday knitting a sock when you could just buy them?"

Piffle, followed closely by pish (and maybe with a tosh thrown in for good measure).

Anyway, the point is, I completed one of the toe-up, short-row-heeled socks.

On Easter Sunday, to celebrate the holiest of holidays, I sat my rotund (yet sexy) bottom on the couch next to hubby's flat boy-butt, and knit while he watched his cartoons for about the eight millionth time.

It was SO fun. I used the figure eight cast-on and just a basic wrap and turn short row. The next one goes on the needles this week AND I'll be buying a new camera courtesy of the government (or rather, what they are giving us back). Hopefully, pictures will follow.

And I want to say we are getting such a GREAT response about Betty Crafter.

Swap swap

2006-04-17T18:36:00.000-07:00

Cristina and I have started our swap at Betty Crafter.

Check it out and sign up! We've had a really good response, even this early.

Are The Socks Big In Here...

2006-04-16T06:41:00.000-07:00

Or is it just me?

But seriously folks, I think I have some kind of sock knitting disorder. I knit a swatch for gauge. I follow the pattern, and yet, most patterns give me socks that the jolly green giant would save until he grew up.

First example-The simply stockinette socks from Knit Socks. I had to make what they labeled the "woman's size" to make them small enough for a man. I thought, OK, mild flaw in the book. After all, I made the "Shadow Box Socks," and those were perfect.

Second example-Last night I began These Socks, because, as I have mentioned before, I wish to learn the no-sew toe and to use short rows for heels.

So the pattern says heavy dk or light worsted. I can accept that; despite the supposed weight system, yarns differ. So what did I do? Well, since you asked, I made a gauge swatch. I also used size three needles because a) I have them and b) that is what I used for worsted with the simply stockinette. The gauge swatch was perfect; I began the toe, little suspecting the horror that lay in wait.

I totally killed the toe-up part. I mean, aced it right away. Feeling pardonably proud of myself, I changed to my MC and began the foot. And then, a few rounds later, I did the thing that every first-time toe-up knitter has done. I put them on my toes.

Now, my toes are petite. My feet are a size 6-1/2, but still, this sock looked suspiciously large.

"Give me your foot," I ordered the unsuspecting hubby. Of course, he obeyed-I mean, obliged.

Little symbols group suspiciously in four letters came out of my mouth. Some examples: "*$@#," and "%&!@."

The toe and foot were gigantic. I could have fit two feet inside. So I ripped (but I saved the toe part for a hat for Pan... she looks fantastic in it). Now, after some soothing no-muss, no-fuss blanket knitting last night, I will begin again, this time making the toe for a much smaller foot by the pattern, but still intending the sock for dad.

My question is not rhetorical; is it just me?

They Do Exist

2006-04-14T15:52:00.000-07:00

Thank you, Kathy and Gabby.

Once again, I am on the blog. More importantly, so are the socks.

See? To the right of me (facing me, not in picture world), hanging off the seat, located near my beer: socks!

They are a little remote; here's a slightly better picture.

So not the best FO picture ever, but at least you can see the color combination. And I am oggling Cristina's lemon socks (as she has aptly named them).

Cristina and I are thinking of doing an informal knit-a-long for These Basic Socks. We both want to learn toe-up, short row heeled socks, and these seem nice and easy. Anyone want in on our 1/2 assed KAL?

Celebrating the Bastille

2006-04-13T08:02:00.000-07:00

Stolen from Jen's blog.

After typing my birthday in Wikipedia I have discovered.

Events

1789 - French Revolution: Citizens of Paris storm the Bastille and free seven prisoners.

1902 - The Campanile in St Mark's Square, Venice collapses, also demolishing the loggetta.

1967 - Eddie Mathews becomes the seventh member of the 500 home run club with a home run at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, California.

Births

1671 - Jacques D'Allonville, French astronomer and mathematician (d. 1732)
1721 - John Douglas, Scottish Anglican bishop and man of letters (d. 1807)
1988 - James Vaughan, English footballer

Deaths

1780 - Charles Batteux, French philosopher (b. 1713)
1881 - Billy the Kid, American outlaw (b. 1860)
1998 - Dick McDonald, American fast food entrepreneur (b. 1909)

There was a disproportionate amount of French people and events. Bastille Day is one I knew of, but apparently my birthday relates to many things French.

I want to be a "woman of letters." How does one do that?

I have no idea who James Vaughan is, I'm just amazed that someone born in 1988 can be famous.

Did you folks know McDonald's first name was Dick, I'm certain there's an extremely tasteless joke in their somewhere, but I have to go to work.

The good, the bad, and the recipe

2006-04-09T12:36:00.000-07:00

The Good

They are blocking. My afterthought heel sockapalooza socks are done! They came out OK. I'm hoping the blocking does its usual magic and makes them look a little cleaner.

The Bad

My camera is throughly broken. It won't even take one picture anymore. The best I can do is remind you of the yarn I used for the socks.

Debbie Bliss Wool/Cotton

I was afraid that they would knit up to remind me of

But I decided (after much torture (through obsession) of the hubby), that they look different enough.

The Recipe

I realize most people don't want to make something they can't see first, but maybe I'll get a pic eventually. Basically, I made my own "design" through a mixture of web sites and information about afterthought (aka "peasant" heels). These are cuff down, and include any adjustments I would make next time. I striped them by hand, to make it easier to match them. Of course sock knitters know that measurements vary etc (I just felt I HAD to write that-all the patterns say it).

The Leg

Using a yarn of a similar weight to the wool cotton (Approx. 122 yds/50g) and a set of 5 size 3 (US) dpns, CO 52 with color A (red, in my case) and join in the round (13 on each needle).

Using k2 p2 ribbing, K 6 rounds in color A.

Switch to color B (green, here) and K every stitch for 6 rounds.

Knitting every stitch, and making every stripe 6 rounds, continue striping until you have 7 stripes total (including the ribbed cuff) and ending in color A.

Switch to B and K 3 rounds.

Preparing for the Heel

At the beginning of this round, drop color B and, with waste yarn, K to the end of needles 1 and 2. Go back to the beginning of needle 1 and K using B. This will have you knitting into the waste yarn for needles 1 and 2, and then back into B for needles 3 and 4. K 8 rounds with B.

The Foot

Switch to A and continue striping (6 rounds each stripe) until you have 6 stripes total (not counting the thick green stripe on the heel), ending in green.

Decreasing for the Toe

round 1 and all odd rounds-Switch to A. K one round.
rnd 2- (needle 1) k1, ssk, k to end of needle 1
-(needle 2) k to the last three sts, k2tog, k1
-(needle 3) k1, ssk, k to end of needle 1
-(needle 4) k to the last three sts, k2tog, k1

Rep rnds 1 and 2 until 6 sts remain on each needle.
Move sts from needle 1 to needle 2 and from needle 3 to needle 4. Use kitchener st to close the toe.

At Last: The Heel

Remove the waste yarn, picking up stitches on either side as you go. You will have 53 sts. Pick up 2 stitches on each side of the heel: 57 stitches.

rnd 1-starting on the right side with heel facing you, K all sts, picking one spot to decrease the extra stitch (all needles will have 14 sts now).
rnd 2- (needle 1) k1, ssk, k to end of needle 1
-(needle 2) k to the last three sts, k2tog, k1
-(needle 3) k1, ssk, k to end of needle 1
-(needle 4) k to the last three sts, k2tog, k1

Rep rnds one and 2 (ommitting the decrease in rnd 1) until 7 stitches remain on each needle.

Move sts from needle 1 to needle 2 and from needle 3 to needle 4. Use kitchener st to close the heel.

Weave in your ends. And there it is.

I'm a bad blogger

2006-04-06T19:13:00.000-07:00

But my camera is broken in a truly annoying way. I can take THREE pictures on a new set of batteries, and then they die. This weekend I am going nuts on my socks, and that will be worth two batteries.

For now, enjoy the pictures my mim sent me. This yarn was all purchased for $25 in Central Falls, RI. The birdhouse, she assures me, is for perspective.

What are the vitals on these cones, Mim?

All Sorts of Pals

2006-03-27T19:25:00.000-08:00

The Secret Kind
OK, so everyone on the LJ Secret Pal page always mentions how their SP fixed a crappy day.

Well, mine did, too.

I had a crappy day on the icky low spot of the alleged totem pole (alleged because I read that the lower figures were actually the more powerful on traditional totem poles), and then I came home to a package.

Amazing. Let's start with the awesome stationary.

Look how cool it is. So me, and sort of modern art deco (if you can have such a thing). I LOVE stationary. And notes for lists. And it's just so pretty.

And candles. She sent a note with them saying they were from her best friend's company .

OK, Jasmine, my favorite scent ever (just refilled my stock with some roll-on scent this weekend), and lavender runs a close second. The fan is, according to her note, from an "Asian tradition of using wooden fans to spread the scent throughout the house."

Screw that, I'm taking a bath and snuggling in with a book. All the scent for me.

Last, and in no way to be construed as least.

RED YARN. What, what, what do I make? This yarn rocks my dubious casba. Socks? Is there enough for a shrug? I may die.

The Married Kind

Phil made chicken Marsala and bought red wine for dinner. He deserves well more than an honorable mention. How did I get a cutie pie who cooks? Was I some kind of saint in a former life? Do Catholic saints reincarnate?

The Family Kind

A shout out to the M.M. Mim and the Aunts (can you tell we like nick-names in the fam?). Your comments in the Darby post made my day.

The Baybins

Baybins is a term Phil uses for the cats.

I just love them, is all. Aren't they sweet tonight?

Darby's Story

2006-03-25T08:40:00.002-08:00

Whip Up , a site to which Cristina led me, has become a favorite of mine. The writers seem to have an instinct for what attracts the crafty mind.

Recently, they posted a fantastic piece about sentimental childhood objects. The article refers to the Velveteen Rabbit , a story that used to make me cry when I was a wee tot (although, as the M.M. Mim can attest, everything made me cry...My favorite story being one about a book on tape I used to listen to every day and cry until she took it away because it was so distressing).

My well-loved object was Darby. He is a stuffed animal given to me by my (maternal) Uncle Red and Aunt Noel when I was about seven.

I believe I named Darby after the main character from Darby O'Gill and the Little People. The reason for this naming remains a mystery, because the movie scared me much, as a little person myself (a fact I discovered while I was in college via my Aunt. The conversation went something like this

Me: I just watched Darby O'Gill and the Little People for the first time since I was little. It was kind of scary.
Aunt: That's funny; it scared you when you were little, too.)

I have a few specific memories of Darby, most centering around anxiety. One stems from a trip to Disney World we were taking. Mim told me there was no room for him in the suitcase. I was completely distraught. I bawled and she relented (hey, I was seven, and I already told you I cried a lot).

The other comes from an event instigated by a mishap. I was snuggling with my dad and he spilled beer on Darby. Mim insisted on washing him (which I now realize makes sense, but at the time I was certain it was unnecessary). To be without Darby for two nights was unthinkable. He went through the washer and then hung by his ears to dry. The result was a Darby with a little more junk in the trunk, but at least I had him back.

You can tell by Darby's fur that he has been much loved by a certain Bethro. Only one spot, just under his tail, if you know what I mean, remains even close to his original silky softness. I asked him if I could take a picture, but he assured me he was a gentleman dog, and it was unthinkable.

I don't have any pictures of a young me with him, but as you can see, we remain very close, even if a certain chubby kitty has taken his place next to me in bed o'nights.

Il Giorno di San Giuseppe

2006-03-19T12:11:00.000-08:00

Although any Italian Catholics, or Italian-American Catholics, or half Italian-American, half Irish-American knitters from Catholic families, have probably celebrated St. Joseph's day before, many of you have not.

Should you wish to celebrate St. Joseph's Day, do the following:

1) Call all the Josephs in your family (my count is three) and wish them a happy St. Joseph's Day.

2) Eat zeppole.

There are a lot of American versions of zeppole. I have it on good authority (an Italian (as in from Italy) girl with whom my brother (Joseph, in fact) works) that the Rhode Island version is the authentic one (I always knew we were a smart bunch).

Since I am now on the west coast, and so far away from Crugnale's Bakery, I have to make my own. I struggled last year to find a good recipe, and again a little this year. I now have the perfect recipe combination to make them taste just like home.

use the pastry from this recipe (scroll down)

use the filling from this recipe

Now if only I could find a good recipe for bakery pizza

"Applause"

2006-03-14T08:07:00.000-08:00

I stand amazed.

My mother finished her first knitting machine (LK 150) sweater, which looks completely professional. I have permission to show it.

This sweater is actually her second project. Her first is a pair of fingerless gloves that she says I am not allowed to show (I did show them to Cristina, Mim, but she said they were great) because she thinks they look terrible. I love them.

So, applause. And not just the polite golf-clap kind (is that some kind of PGA STD?), but the roaring stadium, kind.

Fearful Knitting and Blogging

2006-03-10T09:26:00.000-08:00

The batteries on my camera died, making now an excellent time to pose some questions/theories I have about both knitting and blogging, since I can't update in the regular way.

Fearful Knitting
As I have said many times, both in the cyberworld and in the real world, knitting is easier than it seems.

Very rarely do I attempt to knit something for the first time and find out that I can't (well, except maybe the simple act of making yarn overs).

But I still fear certain techniques/projects. My fears include

1) raglan sweaters
2) changing sweater patterns to work in the round
3) fair isle
4) that, no matter how hard I try, I will never graft as well as I wish.
5) that all of my knitting looks like hell and everyone is just too polite to say so,

So I ask of you, first, can you alleviate any of the first three fears (don't bother with the last two; I just won't believe you). I also would like to hear the fears of others, partly so I can alleviate your fears, and partly because I want to know I am even a little normal.

Fearful Blogging

In case I haven't made it painfully clear yet, I tend to be pretty insecure. The insecurity drives me to second guess what should be fairly simple concepts and actions. As a newcomer to the blogging world, blog etiquette falls very decidedly in the category of "things Beth questions."

Some blog etiquette questions

1) If someone comments on your blog, do you comment back on theirs, even if they have a very busy blog and you are certain that they read 39303824348 comments a day?

2) How much do bloggers welcome comments?

3) Will everyone think I am a weirdo if I comment on a stranger's blog?

4) Does everyone think I am a weirdo after reading this post?

I'm famous

2006-03-07T16:29:00.000-08:00

or rather, my picture is on the chicks with sticks blog.

Go down to the last picture on the Monday post. I'm the one who looks like she's thinking something naughty. I don't think I was...

A Little Suntin'

2006-03-03T11:10:00.000-08:00

Well, a little knitting suntin' anyway.

I made little bags for Kristin and her boyfriend for a game he created.

The whole color knitting thing (except stripes, obviously) while not completely new to me, is still a work in progress.

And, because I know you care just as much about those two inches as I do, I present, my Soleil progress. How great is it to be a knitter with internet resources?

The Sockapalooza socks go on the needles today. Updates when I have something of interest.

Alicia: do not read

2006-03-01T08:26:00.000-08:00

Seriously, Leesh, don't scroll down unless you want to ruin the surprise.

You're not reading.

Are you?

OK, so for all of you who aren't my sister (which is the world's population minus one (onless one of the parents is not telling me something)), I finished the socks!

The cork did, as predicted by Jen, knit up really fast.

They require blocking. The pattern makes them slouchy, but I'm hoping I can convince them to be a little tighter.

I've decided that I am never doing socks without a pattern or stripes again. I had no difficulty making these match (I know the toes look off, but that's because I have freakishly small feet and the right one is folded a little).

I'm excited to begin my sockapalooza socks. I don't know how long I'm going to make them. I need to compare what I have with the suggested yardage.

I've been working very slowly on my top.

The top takes little concentration, but I can already tell I will not finish it soon; I like the way tops knit on smaller needles look, but I'm so impatient.

Soccer Mom Sweater

2006-02-24T09:06:00.000-08:00

My yarn from Webs arrived on Wednesday, and I pretty much went right to work.

I really needed those extra balls of yarn. I ended up picking up on the bottom and adding another two inches (it looked like a crop top before I did).

Please excuse the feet.

This is the Soccer Mom Sweater from the Yarn Girl's Guide to Beyond the Basics with Filatura di Crosa Super Soft in color 6.

I changed the pattern around a little. In addition to using a different yarn (I loved using this yarn; I kept making Phil look at it and touch it, but I don't think he loved it as much), I used only 15s instead of 17s and I ribbed it rather than using st st. I made the small with the medium sleeves (so the ribbing wouldn't impact the fit), and, as I said, I added to the bottom.

You can imagine how poofy it would be without the ribbing, since it still poofs a little with it, as you can see. Overall I love it and I am so glad I made it.

PS-The sweater isn't crooked-I am. I just realized how obvious my crookedness (in a purely physical sense) is in that picture.

Olympic Gold

2006-02-22T11:29:00.000-08:00

I have completed my Olympic knitting. You are completely welcome to hum various victory marches while you read this post.

I was going to wait until the scarf was finished blocking before I took pictures, but the whole situation just thrills me too much.

The scarf ended up about 40 inches long.

The detail looks so great, I took a could of pictures to try to capture it, but inevitably failed.

The side view on the blocking table (i.e. ironing board) looks OK

But I had to place a piece of paper underneath to get something even close to what it looks like in person.

Overall, I am fairly happy with it. The project challenged me, but I don't think I've changed my mind about lace knitting. It just isn't my favorite thing to knit.