6.28.2005
chubby cheekies
Over the last few weeks, heavy decisions have been made. Decisions involving my future and my happiness. Decisions including:
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Over the last few weeks, heavy decisions have been made. Decisions involving my future and my happiness. Decisions including:
- am I making the right decision by going back to school?
- am I sure I'll like teaching?
- how am I going to support myself while I'm in school?
- should I keep my shit ass job until it's time to student teach? (feel free to answer this one for me................c'mon, you know the answer!)
- should Joe and I postpone our wedding until I finish school?
- AM I MAKING THE RIGHT DECISION BY GOING BACK TO SCHOOL?
All questions worthy of much consideration, and if my monster of a zit was any indication, all that consideration had me a little stressed out, man! But there is one more topic to consider, and it is a hefty one:
- should I horde yarn like a chipmunk now to be used later while I'm on a student budget?
OR
- should I be logical and save my money now so that I can sustain myself and pay all my bills and possibly buy some yarn when I'm a starving student?
I never said that I was logical.
Here's a purchase I just snuck in there. I bought this Jo Sharp Silkroad DK Tweed from Elann at least a month ago. Methinks it will grow up to be a Sideways Spencer one day...
And this? Well, I had some Cathay leftover from Tivoli to return to the LYS, and if you can believe it, it actually took me awhile to decide upon another project to shop for. I got some Artful Yarns "Candy" and Tahki "Cotton Classic" destined to be a Bad Penny.
Joe's mom, being the wise woman that she is, bought me a gift card to JoAnn's for my b-day. Alas, my JoAnn's has been cleaned out of the Cotton-Ease. Bastards! But fear not, Pat Catan's still has a shitload (although not onsale...and you can't order from their website either). I'm going to see if I can get this to work for Candy. I've been wanting it for so long, but mohair and I ....well, we're not friends.
And these babies are in consideration for Lelah. Both are fabulous so I know I'll find good homes for them.
Not pictured, but in the mail, is some yummy bulky merino from Handpainted Yarn to be whipped into a Hot Lava.
But you know what? That's not all! Do you remember that mustard-y Debbie Bliss wool cotton I bought for the VYC? The Rowan Felted Tweed for Salina? What about the green Handpainted Yarn laceweight for the PLS? And the blue Louet I bought for no reason???
Yes, pass the nuts, please, because this little chipmunk is ready for winter.
Now, I must leave you with this:
Snootchie booches!
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6.24.2005
take this job and shove it
Thanks for all the birthday wishes, you guys! It was a fun birthday indeed. Complete with stimulating dinner conversation regarding my parents' recent trip to Florida and how it was so stinking hot that my dad had to sleep nekked. On top of the covers.
There's no such thing as TMI in my family.
So I gave my notice at work. Actually, I gave it last week. I know, I know. I was supposed to wait for my birthday, but it just sorta happened. Sadly, my quitting story isn't as gratifying as Justin's. There was no profanity, no destruction......in short, I didn't do what everyone thought I would do and just freak out, man! But the act did make me happy enough that I actually skipped back to my cubicle from the boss's office. [7 more days....woohoo!]
Funny thing is that while I was dropping my bomb, another coworker was in with the her boss dropping a bomb as well. And neither of us planned on doing it that day... Ah well, there's still my exit interview to look forward to, and if the right questions are asked, it could be very interesting indeed.
for example:
Tara, what made you decide to leave The Company?
Well, for starters, it sucks to be treated like dogshit. If you can't be bothered to remember my name, do you think I'm going to give a rat's ass if your project goes out on time? Especially since I am too low on the totem pole to even be considered for a bonus? Or even get a computer that fucking works??? And you also might want to give all thosepigs men in the offices a few lessons on subtlety. Honestly. I worked on construction sites for 4 years, and during that time, NO ONE stared at my tits for the entire duration of a conversation. Yet, here I walk into an office to ask my "superior" a question and the crotch of my pants catches on fire from the hole their stare is burning in them forfuck'ssake.]
Okay, I need to stop before I subject you to a full-blown rant. Instead, here's some guidance on how to make your own cable-knit purse knock off.
MATERIALS: 1 ball of Cotton-Ease, US8 needles, ribbon, fabric for lining, thread, handles, fabric glue
Step 1: Knit a rectangle!
PATTERN: CO 58 st. Row 1 (WS): Purl. Row 2 (RS setup): K3, P4, K8, P4, K2, P4, K8, P4, K2, P4, K8, P4, K3. Cont in pattern for 3 more rows. Row 5: K3, P4, C8B, P4, K2, P4, C8B, P4, K2, P4, C8B, P4, K3. Cont in pattern, repeating cables every 10 rows. I worked 9 cables, then worked 4 rows in pattern, 1 purl row (on WS), and bound off.
Step 2: Cut your fabric for the lining using your rectangle to approximate size (make sure to leave yourself a seam allowance)
Step 3: Seam sides of knitted rectangle
Step 4: Stitch sides of lining together (pin it first to make sure it fits in the bag), then fold down top, iron and stitch.
Step 5: Stick lining in bag and glue together at top of lining.... make sure to leave yourself one row of stitches to use when you attach the handle. (I use fabric glue b/c I always mess up my knitting when I try to machine stitch it to fabric....but that's just me. It seems to hold up well.)
Step 6: When the glue is dry, cut a piece of yarn 3-4' long and just loop it through the handle and the first (or last) row of stitches. For the ends, I just wove them in a bit and tied a knot.
Step 7: Add ribbon or brooch if you so desire.
This is just my take on these bags. The pink one was made using 1.5 balls of cheap-o Sugar and Cream, US 7s and cable repeats every 8 rows. I think I'm going to make my next one with a big ol' Celtic braid going up the middle.
P.S. The yarn I'm winding is this stuff I bought at the Waynesburg Sheep Festival. I wish they had more of it (or a website) b/c it's lovely!
Have a good weekend, kiddies! ¶ 20:27
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Thanks for all the birthday wishes, you guys! It was a fun birthday indeed. Complete with stimulating dinner conversation regarding my parents' recent trip to Florida and how it was so stinking hot that my dad had to sleep nekked. On top of the covers.
There's no such thing as TMI in my family.
So I gave my notice at work. Actually, I gave it last week. I know, I know. I was supposed to wait for my birthday, but it just sorta happened. Sadly, my quitting story isn't as gratifying as Justin's. There was no profanity, no destruction......in short, I didn't do what everyone thought I would do and just freak out, man! But the act did make me happy enough that I actually skipped back to my cubicle from the boss's office. [7 more days....woohoo!]
Funny thing is that while I was dropping my bomb, another coworker was in with the her boss dropping a bomb as well. And neither of us planned on doing it that day... Ah well, there's still my exit interview to look forward to, and if the right questions are asked, it could be very interesting indeed.
for example:
Tara, what made you decide to leave The Company?
Well, for starters, it sucks to be treated like dogshit. If you can't be bothered to remember my name, do you think I'm going to give a rat's ass if your project goes out on time? Especially since I am too low on the totem pole to even be considered for a bonus? Or even get a computer that fucking works??? And you also might want to give all those
Okay, I need to stop before I subject you to a full-blown rant. Instead, here's some guidance on how to make your own cable-knit purse knock off.
MATERIALS: 1 ball of Cotton-Ease, US8 needles, ribbon, fabric for lining, thread, handles, fabric glue
Step 1: Knit a rectangle!
PATTERN: CO 58 st. Row 1 (WS): Purl. Row 2 (RS setup): K3, P4, K8, P4, K2, P4, K8, P4, K2, P4, K8, P4, K3. Cont in pattern for 3 more rows. Row 5: K3, P4, C8B, P4, K2, P4, C8B, P4, K2, P4, C8B, P4, K3. Cont in pattern, repeating cables every 10 rows. I worked 9 cables, then worked 4 rows in pattern, 1 purl row (on WS), and bound off.
Step 2: Cut your fabric for the lining using your rectangle to approximate size (make sure to leave yourself a seam allowance)
Step 3: Seam sides of knitted rectangle
Step 4: Stitch sides of lining together (pin it first to make sure it fits in the bag), then fold down top, iron and stitch.
Step 5: Stick lining in bag and glue together at top of lining.... make sure to leave yourself one row of stitches to use when you attach the handle. (I use fabric glue b/c I always mess up my knitting when I try to machine stitch it to fabric....but that's just me. It seems to hold up well.)
Step 6: When the glue is dry, cut a piece of yarn 3-4' long and just loop it through the handle and the first (or last) row of stitches. For the ends, I just wove them in a bit and tied a knot.
Step 7: Add ribbon or brooch if you so desire.
This is just my take on these bags. The pink one was made using 1.5 balls of cheap-o Sugar and Cream, US 7s and cable repeats every 8 rows. I think I'm going to make my next one with a big ol' Celtic braid going up the middle.
P.S. The yarn I'm winding is this stuff I bought at the Waynesburg Sheep Festival. I wish they had more of it (or a website) b/c it's lovely!
Have a good weekend, kiddies! ¶ 20:27
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6.22.2005
no yanky my wanky
I meant to post on Monday. I really, really did. But I feel bad posting with no pics, so you got nothing. Nada.
WARNING: RANT TO FOLLOW
I have two words to describe the event on Saturday night. Fucking. Pretentious. Walking into the building, there was a huge display declaring "See the Unscene". Explain that one to me, please. The people attending this event dished out $40 - 100+ bucks per ticket (depending on your status as a "VIP" or "common schmuck"), and in return, they get Iron City beer (in the aluminum bottles, no less) and cold, rock-hard cocktail weenies. Tres chic!
In my opinion, our little group of crafters was pretty much just there for show being that the drunk rich folk would just sashay by our table and giggle at our wares while we tried (very unsuccessfully) to mask our contempt. I'm such a bitch-at-heart, though, that I thoroughly enjoyed the people-watching/people-mocking. Whatever helps get you by, ya know? The free booze helped as well.
Okay. Rant OVER. Tara happy.
Sometime over the weekend, I also managed to finish the back of Lucky. Two more pieces to crank out in less than 2 weeks. Oh, that's a good one, but I will not surrender until I get on that plane. Howeva - Lucky's also not gonna stop me from starting a new project in the meantime. Maybe it's just me, but I get really anxious when I have only 1 WIP. (Okay, I have more than one.....but the non-cotton ones are banished until fall) While I swap my strawberry cream Cotton-Ease with Tanya, I'm swatching for the Rebecca Lace Top. Did you see Wendy's? Would be so cute to wear to the beach.... and by "beach", I mean a piece of sand immediately adjacent to an OCEAN, not river or lake thankyouverymuch.
But knitting has been on the backburner because yesterday was MY BIRTHDAY! Yes, on the Summer Solstice. The longest day of the year. Do ya wanna know what I got? Well, for starters I got a big ass pimple right under my nostril. Like right at the opening so I can't even pick my nose! (hello, I'm joking...) As Joe pointed out, I tend to get these Mountains of Nasty when I'm stressed, which would be an understatment for the last few weeks. Just be glad I'm nice enough not to post a picture of it. Today.
So there was some knitting-related stuff happening on my b-day. Swift and yarn winder courtesy of Mom and Dad. Loves it! (and Georgie does too...)
And in case you were wondering, my other prestent to myself was gaining 10lbs. I haven't verified this yet, but the b-day pig out included a dozen hot wings and about 5 lbs of bacon cheddar fries from Fathead's, artichoke and cheese ravioli with toasted walnuts and tiramisu from Del's, and assorted munchies (popcorn, cheese, olives) consumed before bedtime. Then I come to work today and my coworker had made me cupcakes!
This zit's never gonna go away. ¶ 18:47
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I meant to post on Monday. I really, really did. But I feel bad posting with no pics, so you got nothing. Nada.
WARNING: RANT TO FOLLOW
I have two words to describe the event on Saturday night. Fucking. Pretentious. Walking into the building, there was a huge display declaring "See the Unscene". Explain that one to me, please. The people attending this event dished out $40 - 100+ bucks per ticket (depending on your status as a "VIP" or "common schmuck"), and in return, they get Iron City beer (in the aluminum bottles, no less) and cold, rock-hard cocktail weenies. Tres chic!
In my opinion, our little group of crafters was pretty much just there for show being that the drunk rich folk would just sashay by our table and giggle at our wares while we tried (very unsuccessfully) to mask our contempt. I'm such a bitch-at-heart, though, that I thoroughly enjoyed the people-watching/people-mocking. Whatever helps get you by, ya know? The free booze helped as well.
Okay. Rant OVER. Tara happy.
Sometime over the weekend, I also managed to finish the back of Lucky. Two more pieces to crank out in less than 2 weeks. Oh, that's a good one, but I will not surrender until I get on that plane. Howeva - Lucky's also not gonna stop me from starting a new project in the meantime. Maybe it's just me, but I get really anxious when I have only 1 WIP. (Okay, I have more than one.....but the non-cotton ones are banished until fall) While I swap my strawberry cream Cotton-Ease with Tanya, I'm swatching for the Rebecca Lace Top. Did you see Wendy's? Would be so cute to wear to the beach.... and by "beach", I mean a piece of sand immediately adjacent to an OCEAN, not river or lake thankyouverymuch.
But knitting has been on the backburner because yesterday was MY BIRTHDAY! Yes, on the Summer Solstice. The longest day of the year. Do ya wanna know what I got? Well, for starters I got a big ass pimple right under my nostril. Like right at the opening so I can't even pick my nose! (hello, I'm joking...) As Joe pointed out, I tend to get these Mountains of Nasty when I'm stressed, which would be an understatment for the last few weeks. Just be glad I'm nice enough not to post a picture of it. Today.
So there was some knitting-related stuff happening on my b-day. Swift and yarn winder courtesy of Mom and Dad. Loves it! (and Georgie does too...)
And in case you were wondering, my other prestent to myself was gaining 10lbs. I haven't verified this yet, but the b-day pig out included a dozen hot wings and about 5 lbs of bacon cheddar fries from Fathead's, artichoke and cheese ravioli with toasted walnuts and tiramisu from Del's, and assorted munchies (popcorn, cheese, olives) consumed before bedtime. Then I come to work today and my coworker had made me cupcakes!
This zit's never gonna go away. ¶ 18:47
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6.17.2005
self-inflicted stress
Thank you for all the well-wishes about school! I'm so paranoid but excited at the same time. It will definitely be wild. I promise to post as often as I can, but I can't promise the frequency of FOs that I've had in the past. I guess I'll just have to start being witty instead. Crap!
(11 more [working] days being an engineer!)
So here's more of The Drama:
Last week I agreed to take part in a mini craft fair this Saturday. I’ve mentioned before that I did this craft fair last fall and had a blast. It's a very punk rock, Craftster-esque affair much like Bazaar Bizarre for you LA, Boston, or Cleveland peeps. I’ve been totally expecting to participate this November as well (until I decided to go back to school b/c now, who knows?). About 3 weeks ago, the organizer let the vendors know that she had been solicited by The Sprout Fund to provide some crafters for this swanky Hothouse event tomorrow night. [Basically, we'll just be there so these "society types" have something to look at while they drink their martinis.] At first, I declined because I don't have much to sell, but she was getting desperate so I agreed. So every night after work, I've been going mad trying to finish more bags and totally slacking inmy blogging duties!
So Lucky got put on the backburner. Again. Do I still plan to finish her before our trip to New Orleans on July 6? YES. Do I think it will actually happen? Three words.
When.
Pigs.
Fly.
In the meantime, here's my loot....
The cable-knit purses are knock-offs of these extremely overpriced clutches. I'm not taking credit for this pattern. There's a whole thread about these bags on Craftster, so you can read up here. And to be honest, I don't even know if what I'm doing is legal. (Wouldn't be the first time.) But you guys would clue me in (cause I'm a big fat legal dummy), right? RIGHT?!?!? If you think I'm in the clear, I can draw up a little tutorial for you....
And finally.....
Random Bits
1. Are any of the East Coasters going to Stitches East? Hello, Atlantic City?!
2. Does anyone have 3 balls of "popsicle" Cotton-Ease that you'd be willing to trade for 3 balls of "strawberry cream"?
3. To my fellow dog lovers, have you heard about this shit? I don't even have the words.
4. In the comments, Emily said that she loves a good "quitting the job you hate" story. ME TOO! I'm not giving my 2 weeks' notice until next Tuesday, which is my birthday coincidentally (how cool is that?), so I thought I'd share my favorite story from a friend to tide you over.
~I met this guy Justin when I went to Belize a few summers ago to work at an archaeological field school (just like Lolly in Israel!). He basically ran the camp all summer long. Something of a Mr. Fix-It and a bit of a free spirit. Now, Justin and I got talking one night about how unhappy I was with my job (different one at the time, but same engineering crap), so he shared this story. He told me that he graduated from college with a degree in Finance b/c that's the direction he had been pushed by his parents. The job he got right out of college was with some big company straight outta Office Space. He had to wear suits everyday and was stuck in a cubicle on the ground floor with the other "grunts" so that the Big Wigs could look down on them from their 2nd-floor offices. One day after staring at the computer for hours and hours, Justin leans back and closes his eyes because they're sore. In less than a minute, he was accosted by a supervisor and interrogated about why he had stopped working. So he mutters something about needing to go to the restroom. He leaves his cube and, on his way to the bathroom, something just clicks. He keeps walking straight out the front door to his car. Never went back. EVER. Never even got his last paycheck. Justin builds custom acoustic guitars for a living now and spends his summers in Belize. He's my personal hero.~
¶ 15:47
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Thank you for all the well-wishes about school! I'm so paranoid but excited at the same time. It will definitely be wild. I promise to post as often as I can, but I can't promise the frequency of FOs that I've had in the past. I guess I'll just have to start being witty instead. Crap!
(11 more [working] days being an engineer!)
So here's more of The Drama:
Last week I agreed to take part in a mini craft fair this Saturday. I’ve mentioned before that I did this craft fair last fall and had a blast. It's a very punk rock, Craftster-esque affair much like Bazaar Bizarre for you LA, Boston, or Cleveland peeps. I’ve been totally expecting to participate this November as well (until I decided to go back to school b/c now, who knows?). About 3 weeks ago, the organizer let the vendors know that she had been solicited by The Sprout Fund to provide some crafters for this swanky Hothouse event tomorrow night. [Basically, we'll just be there so these "society types" have something to look at while they drink their martinis.] At first, I declined because I don't have much to sell, but she was getting desperate so I agreed. So every night after work, I've been going mad trying to finish more bags and totally slacking inmy blogging duties!
So Lucky got put on the backburner. Again. Do I still plan to finish her before our trip to New Orleans on July 6? YES. Do I think it will actually happen? Three words.
When.
Pigs.
Fly.
In the meantime, here's my loot....
The cable-knit purses are knock-offs of these extremely overpriced clutches. I'm not taking credit for this pattern. There's a whole thread about these bags on Craftster, so you can read up here. And to be honest, I don't even know if what I'm doing is legal. (Wouldn't be the first time.) But you guys would clue me in (cause I'm a big fat legal dummy), right? RIGHT?!?!? If you think I'm in the clear, I can draw up a little tutorial for you....
And finally.....
Random Bits
1. Are any of the East Coasters going to Stitches East? Hello, Atlantic City?!
2. Does anyone have 3 balls of "popsicle" Cotton-Ease that you'd be willing to trade for 3 balls of "strawberry cream"?
3. To my fellow dog lovers, have you heard about this shit? I don't even have the words.
4. In the comments, Emily said that she loves a good "quitting the job you hate" story. ME TOO! I'm not giving my 2 weeks' notice until next Tuesday, which is my birthday coincidentally (how cool is that?), so I thought I'd share my favorite story from a friend to tide you over.
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6.14.2005
the Next Big Thing
First of all, color me Humble. I never cease to be amazed when anyone leaves me a comment, and my jaw literally dropped to the ground when I saw how many of you had shared the love! I'm so thankful for all your compliments on Tivoli, and I hope you guys go check out Kathy's pattern so that you can make your very own. You know you need another summer top......PEER PRESSURE!
And I really never expected you girls to actually try to help me de-frizz my hair. Thank you, thank you, thank you! I actually went to the drugstore immediately after work and bought several of the Frizz-Ease products. So far they seem to be working, but if my 'do starts acting a fool again, I'll be going back to try some of the other products you guys suggested. I am definitely feel the Curly Girl Love!
Okay, now on to my self-inflicted drama. Last week things took a turn for the Crazy. I usually try to not talk about my non-knitting life too much, but these goings-on may affect the future of my blog. Plus, I just kinda want to share b/c I'm excited!
Tara is going to be an engineer for exactly 15 more days. And then....................I'M FREE!!!!! Well, not really. Tara is going to be a student again. Starting July 11, I'll be taking classes non-stop until December so that I can start student teaching in the spring. Yes, you heard it right. I'm gonna be a teacher. Cue the Van Halen, please.
I'm not going to go on and on about how much I've hated being a civil engineer (LOTS) or about how good it feels to know that, when I walk out the door of this company on July 5, it's over (freaking orgasmic). I'm just gonna show you something I whipped up in the meantime. And yeah, I've already seen a gazillion of these too, but too bad!
Pattern: One Skein Wonder
Yarn: Filtura Porto Cervo (1.25 balls)
Review: Great, as far as stashbusting projects go because it's ten kinds of cute. And it's not as bunchy in the armpits as it looks. But this thing is damn hard to take off! Requires some serious jiggling and contorting. Unless I'm just dumb and made mine too small. A definite possibility!
And the drama doesn't stop there, folks..... more to come! ¶ 08:45
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First of all, color me Humble. I never cease to be amazed when anyone leaves me a comment, and my jaw literally dropped to the ground when I saw how many of you had shared the love! I'm so thankful for all your compliments on Tivoli, and I hope you guys go check out Kathy's pattern so that you can make your very own. You know you need another summer top......PEER PRESSURE!
And I really never expected you girls to actually try to help me de-frizz my hair. Thank you, thank you, thank you! I actually went to the drugstore immediately after work and bought several of the Frizz-Ease products. So far they seem to be working, but if my 'do starts acting a fool again, I'll be going back to try some of the other products you guys suggested. I am definitely feel the Curly Girl Love!
Okay, now on to my self-inflicted drama. Last week things took a turn for the Crazy. I usually try to not talk about my non-knitting life too much, but these goings-on may affect the future of my blog. Plus, I just kinda want to share b/c I'm excited!
Tara is going to be an engineer for exactly 15 more days. And then....................I'M FREE!!!!! Well, not really. Tara is going to be a student again. Starting July 11, I'll be taking classes non-stop until December so that I can start student teaching in the spring. Yes, you heard it right. I'm gonna be a teacher. Cue the Van Halen, please.
I'm not going to go on and on about how much I've hated being a civil engineer (LOTS) or about how good it feels to know that, when I walk out the door of this company on July 5, it's over (freaking orgasmic). I'm just gonna show you something I whipped up in the meantime. And yeah, I've already seen a gazillion of these too, but too bad!
Pattern: One Skein Wonder
Yarn: Filtura Porto Cervo (1.25 balls)
Review: Great, as far as stashbusting projects go because it's ten kinds of cute. And it's not as bunchy in the armpits as it looks. But this thing is damn hard to take off! Requires some serious jiggling and contorting. Unless I'm just dumb and made mine too small. A definite possibility!
And the drama doesn't stop there, folks..... more to come! ¶ 08:45
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6.09.2005
like a glove
Wow, I've been even more MIA than usual! Chalk it up to my ever-present laziness and the attack of summer in the northeast.* I've been sweating my ass off, and even though Tivoli was sittin' on my table all blocked and purty, I just couldn't bring myself to put it on for a photo shoot and pass my icky grossness onto the lovely Cathay.
But I'll do anything for you guys. I've become such a blog ho.
PATTERN: Tivoli t by Grumperina
YARN: Debbie Bliss Cathay (just 4 balls!)
NEEDLES: US4 Inox and Susan Bates circulars
REVIEW: Loves it! It fits like it was made for me, and that's no coincidence, folks. The Grumpy One rules! And not only does it fit me perfectly, but it was fun to knit. And by "fun", I mean pretty damn easy with just enough "going on" to keep me interested. I love me some knitting in the round, baby! And check it out - it makes me look like I actually have curves. Woo hoo!
More pics! More pics!
Let me tell you something. It is SO NICE to have someone else to take pictures of you. I always try my best, but as most of you know, it's no small task to find a good spot to prop up your camera, set the timer, and then get into a decent "pose". And it's amazing how much more flattering natural light is!
And these are just for fun...
Can you see the darts? How hot are my new shoes? $15!!!
On a side note, are there any wavy- or curly-haired girlies out there who can help me tame the summer frizzies??? PLEASE? I went outside for lunch yesterday and came back in looking like Napolean Dynamite. For the love of yarn, help me! I'm not used to the hot and humid Pennsylvania summers anymore. I've become a candy ass! So much so, in fact, that all wool WIPs have been abandoned until fall. Or until my fingers boycott cotton. Or until we get that air conditioner that the landlord keeps promising us. Because it is really sexy to sweat through your t-shirt by just sitting on the couch and knitting a few rows.
*Also chalk it up to no new battery for my digi cam, the Baby Dog chewing through the DSL last night as I was trying to upload these pics, and crazy life drama, which I will be sharing.....shortly. ¶ 08:52
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Wow, I've been even more MIA than usual! Chalk it up to my ever-present laziness and the attack of summer in the northeast.* I've been sweating my ass off, and even though Tivoli was sittin' on my table all blocked and purty, I just couldn't bring myself to put it on for a photo shoot and pass my icky grossness onto the lovely Cathay.
But I'll do anything for you guys. I've become such a blog ho.
PATTERN: Tivoli t by Grumperina
YARN: Debbie Bliss Cathay (just 4 balls!)
NEEDLES: US4 Inox and Susan Bates circulars
REVIEW: Loves it! It fits like it was made for me, and that's no coincidence, folks. The Grumpy One rules! And not only does it fit me perfectly, but it was fun to knit. And by "fun", I mean pretty damn easy with just enough "going on" to keep me interested. I love me some knitting in the round, baby! And check it out - it makes me look like I actually have curves. Woo hoo!
More pics! More pics!
Let me tell you something. It is SO NICE to have someone else to take pictures of you. I always try my best, but as most of you know, it's no small task to find a good spot to prop up your camera, set the timer, and then get into a decent "pose". And it's amazing how much more flattering natural light is!
And these are just for fun...
Can you see the darts? How hot are my new shoes? $15!!!
On a side note, are there any wavy- or curly-haired girlies out there who can help me tame the summer frizzies??? PLEASE? I went outside for lunch yesterday and came back in looking like Napolean Dynamite. For the love of yarn, help me! I'm not used to the hot and humid Pennsylvania summers anymore. I've become a candy ass! So much so, in fact, that all wool WIPs have been abandoned until fall. Or until my fingers boycott cotton. Or until we get that air conditioner that the landlord keeps promising us. Because it is really sexy to sweat through your t-shirt by just sitting on the couch and knitting a few rows.
*Also chalk it up to no new battery for my digi cam, the Baby Dog chewing through the DSL last night as I was trying to upload these pics, and crazy life drama, which I will be sharing.....shortly. ¶ 08:52
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6.02.2005
can't hold me down
No siree, I will not be bested by a stupid camera and its stupid, I-will-not-hold-a-charge "rechargable" batteries! Even if this post takes me 2 hours to put together.
I told y'ins guys I don't have a life.
So here's my proof that Lucky is somewhat alive and well.
Quite a difference, eh?
Over the weekend, I was knitting Lucky full-on, balls-to-the-wall, but she has since been demoted to car/lunchtime knitting while I whip up the Tivoli T. (What? You guys don't all knit while you drive??? Just me? Well, you don't know what you're missing! It's the cure for Road Rage, I tell ya!)
Allow me to "ooh" and "ah" some more about the Cathay. Loves it, loves it, loves it! My only bitch is that the yarn can be splitty, especially if you're working with less-than-pointy needles. I casted on for the top using Susan Bates 16" aluminum circulars, and I was NOT loving them with this yarn. But then I switched to Inox plastic circs, and now it's all good.
I wish you could feel the goodness. I really do.
I'm so in love with this yarn that I've started thinking about adapting the pattern for the Vogue SST (Version 2) so that I can use Cathay. Why?
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No siree, I will not be bested by a stupid camera and its stupid, I-will-not-hold-a-charge "rechargable" batteries! Even if this post takes me 2 hours to put together.
I told y'ins guys I don't have a life.
So here's my proof that Lucky is somewhat alive and well.
Over the weekend, I was knitting Lucky full-on, balls-to-the-wall, but she has since been demoted to car/lunchtime knitting while I whip up the Tivoli T. (What? You guys don't all knit while you drive??? Just me? Well, you don't know what you're missing! It's the cure for Road Rage, I tell ya!)
Allow me to "ooh" and "ah" some more about the Cathay. Loves it, loves it, loves it! My only bitch is that the yarn can be splitty, especially if you're working with less-than-pointy needles. I casted on for the top using Susan Bates 16" aluminum circulars, and I was NOT loving them with this yarn. But then I switched to Inox plastic circs, and now it's all good.
I'm so in love with this yarn that I've started thinking about adapting the pattern for the Vogue SST (Version 2) so that I can use Cathay. Why?
- It'd be smoking hot
- The honeymoon with Version 1 is OVER.
Witness:
See the fuzz/pilling? ew!
Now I know I asked for it by using acrylic in the first place. And I was REALLY looking for a good ass-spanking by actually throwing this in the washing machine. (Hey, it said it's machine washable!) But you know, this top started as a purely stashbusting project, and it's just my rotten luck that I actually love it.
Such dirty rotten luck that I'll just have to knit it again with a fabulous yarn in a color that won't blind innocent bystanders. It's a tough life.
¶ 17:49|
6.01.2005
THE VERDICT
Ribbit Ribbit.
Lucky is the Queen of the Frog Pond. Thank you all so much for you support and suggestions, but I think I knew all along that she needed to be ripped. I just had that sick feeling in my gut, you know? I even contemplated going all Bonne Marie on Lucky, but then I realized that that woman has bigger balls than most men I know.
I wish I could post some pics to prove that the going is good now, but A) my camera battery died, B) I'm too lazy to go buy a new one, C) the rechargable battery I have is a prick, and D) you dudettes know what Lucky looks like anyhoo. But here's a quick recap: fixed the sleeves (ka-ching!) and am about 1/3 of the way through the back. And since alot of people seem to wish their Luckys were longer, I am modifying the shaping a bit to account for that. (Kathy, are ya proud?)
NOW!
Allow me to get googley-eyed and babble on about the latest love of my life.
It's soft and smooth.
You get shivers when you hold it in your hand.
It's so silky and shiny that you want to rub it all over your face.
And when you start working with it, you don't want to stop.
Debbie Bliss Cathay, I love you. [What did you pervs think I was talking about? hmmmm?]
Yes, friends, I stashed. And it was GOOD. Just a 40 -minute jaunt to Yarns Unlimited and about $70, and I was spent. Panting like a dog and shakey all over. My knees are still a little wobbly.
Along with the amazingly fabulous Cathay (which, by the way, is being knitted in to a Tivoli T designed by the infamous Grumperina!), I also walked away with some new size 1 and 4 circulars, and Rowan's Calmer Collection. I hadn't checked out this book/mag until Carolyn started working on Loll, and I was intrigued. And then I checked it out and my jaw hit the floor. Holy balls. So many fab designs! Now just need to A) hit the lottery [note to self: must play lottery to win], B) rob a bank, or C) find some suitable-yet-affordable-yet-fabulous substitution for Calmer so that I can make, like, EVERYTHING!
[And don't think that I haven't noticed that Cathay is almost the same gauge as Calmer. I can't think about it anymore or I'll get the shakes again.] ¶ 09:43
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Ribbit Ribbit.
Lucky is the Queen of the Frog Pond. Thank you all so much for you support and suggestions, but I think I knew all along that she needed to be ripped. I just had that sick feeling in my gut, you know? I even contemplated going all Bonne Marie on Lucky, but then I realized that that woman has bigger balls than most men I know.
I wish I could post some pics to prove that the going is good now, but A) my camera battery died, B) I'm too lazy to go buy a new one, C) the rechargable battery I have is a prick, and D) you dudettes know what Lucky looks like anyhoo. But here's a quick recap: fixed the sleeves (ka-ching!) and am about 1/3 of the way through the back. And since alot of people seem to wish their Luckys were longer, I am modifying the shaping a bit to account for that. (Kathy, are ya proud?)
NOW!
Allow me to get googley-eyed and babble on about the latest love of my life.
It's soft and smooth.
You get shivers when you hold it in your hand.
It's so silky and shiny that you want to rub it all over your face.
And when you start working with it, you don't want to stop.
Debbie Bliss Cathay, I love you. [What did you pervs think I was talking about? hmmmm?]
Yes, friends, I stashed. And it was GOOD. Just a 40 -minute jaunt to Yarns Unlimited and about $70, and I was spent. Panting like a dog and shakey all over. My knees are still a little wobbly.
Along with the amazingly fabulous Cathay (which, by the way, is being knitted in to a Tivoli T designed by the infamous Grumperina!), I also walked away with some new size 1 and 4 circulars, and Rowan's Calmer Collection. I hadn't checked out this book/mag until Carolyn started working on Loll, and I was intrigued. And then I checked it out and my jaw hit the floor. Holy balls. So many fab designs! Now just need to A) hit the lottery [note to self: must play lottery to win], B) rob a bank, or C) find some suitable-yet-affordable-yet-fabulous substitution for Calmer so that I can make, like, EVERYTHING!
[And don't think that I haven't noticed that Cathay is almost the same gauge as Calmer. I can't think about it anymore or I'll get the shakes again.] ¶ 09:43
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