Monday, December 18, 2006

The world is a very small place

Read
and
this.

Wednesday, December 13, 2006

It's NOT a Matter of Opinion!

Listen to this. Listen to ALL of it, no matter how painful.

And I'm not good at math. Figuring out decreases is about the hardest math I've done for ages...but I knew enough to know that this is a very, very bad sign.

Have your children listen...for the future of the planet...listen and learn.

Tuesday, November 28, 2006

I'm A-Murican

What American accent do you have?
Your Result: The Midland

"You have a Midland accent" is just another way of saying "you don't have an accent." You probably are from the Midland (Pennsylvania, southern Ohio, southern Indiana, southern Illinois, and Missouri) but then for all we know you could be from Florida or Charleston or one of those big southern cities like Atlanta or Dallas. You have a good voice for TV and radio.

The West
Boston
North Central
Philadelphia
The Northeast
The South
The Inland North
What American accent do you have?
Take More Quizzes

Sunday, November 19, 2006

O It's Been Too Long...

I'm in the process of finally finding/buying/acquiring a home.

You?

Hahahah

No, really. DH will be here in less than two weeks, the boys are beyond excited. I am too.

But all the work and house work is cutting into my knitting/spinning time. I'm making some progress on my precious Rogue Hoodie, which I may never be able to wear here in Tucson. I've divided and nearly finished the back.

I'm stillhttp://beta.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif plodding along on my Pomatomus sock in Lorna's Laces (Purple Iris #48) (which I'm getting fonder of. It splits a bit so it wasn't fun for awhile). I'm nearly done with the first. My second sock syndrome may kick in and I'll switch to finishing Andrew's Maple Leaf Socks for Xmas.

I was going to try to make some Socks that Rock for my sister...not sure what's going to happen there.

Mostly, the world is looking a bit brighter...or it will if we can keep some moderation in the Nation's politics. Herm.

I have spent the last two weeks completly gobsmacked by my podcast listeners. I've received not one, but FOUR gifts in the last 2-1/2 weeks. I have the most wonderful people joining me on my little literary journey.

I
Am
Blessed.

I'm still VERY MUCH missing my NY friends and knitters. It's just not the same out here. It's still freakin' 85 degrees outside, so how could it be?!?! It's November 19th! What gives?!

Of course, it's 40 degrees at night, so that 40-degree-variable does give you SOME sense of Fall.

I'm off to take the boys to Grandpa Charlie and Gammy Jan's for dinner.

oooh--and look at the cool thing my sister did!

Sunday, November 05, 2006

O Dear Lord

I just signed up for NaNoWriMo.
What have I done.

SOARing's been fun. Look!

Monday, October 30, 2006

SOARing in Tahoe City

Haven't I said before that Fiber Folk were the best people?
Well, now there's definitive proof. I've spend a little over 24 hours in the company of (almost entirely) women and have yet to see/experience any of the catty, icky, high-school stuff that occasionally happens in groups like this.

EVERYone is wonderful. I've not eaten with the same people twice. And it doesn't matter. Everyone seems to know everyone else from previous SOARs and if they don't know you, they make you feel like they WANT to know you.

It's lovely.

Pics to come...

Friday, October 27, 2006

A New Rant

Okay.

Having spent much of my adult live immersed in and teaching American Lit (and, importantly, having cynically disparaged it and a lot of other things during my misspent yute) I feel I can say with some credibility that Young Jefferson felt it was important to criticize a standing president WHEN HE DESERVED IT but Older President Jefferson didn't think so much of the whole mishegas. I think Franklin thought EVERYone was fair game (including himself) and I think that John Adams was so used to being vilified that he SHOULD have been insensitive to it...but wasn't.

That being said, there is nothing more UN-American than censorship. There's a reason that freedom of speech is our FIRST Amendment. There's a lot of debate on the Second. I have my point of view (and it hovers around the words "well-regulated militia") but that's another rant.

The Dixie Chicks, aside from being an AWESOME band, have had their share of the unfortunate end of the stick being unceremoniously...ummm...you know the metaphor, I think. Now, the real horror: read then watch this.

It's bad enough that our president doesn't get it. It's FAR FAR WORSE that NBC doesn't. Remember WE pay for their airwave license. It's appalling that they don't give free air time to politicians (so the little guys might have a shot) but now that they're censoring something critical of CENSORSHIP!?!?! You've gotta be kidding me.

I like the first comment to this post: "Anyone who still talks about “the liberal media” should be sterilized. They are clearly too stupid to breed."

And better yet is the second: “To announce there must be no criticism of the President, and to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, it is morally treasonous to the American public.”
– President Theodore Roosevelt

I love it when past presidents can make my case for me so nicely.

And Off Rant:
I'm homesick.

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

Post-dye/Post-knit

some update pics

The Faroese dyed:


The Faroese drying:

I think I'm going to overdye it with a very weak black/grey solution to try to mitigate some of the brightness. This IS what I was going for, but it didn't bleed/blend as well as the test strip I made.





The front of Jim's baby sweater:



And the glorious back:

That ugly carpet is courtesy of the Dallas-Ft. Worth Airport.

I got the pattern here, but had to play with it a bit to get it to fit the baby sweater.

Monday, October 23, 2006

A sign who's time has come

My DH sent me this link. Too good not to share.

Sunday, October 15, 2006

The Shawl: Pre Dye

NEW!
The Shawl!





The skull sweater!



The Night Blooming Cirrus (which only blooms once a year and is gone by noon)!

Monday, October 09, 2006

What Kind of Yarn Are YOU?







What kind of yarn are you?




You are Mohair.You are a warm and fuzzy type who works well with others, doing your share without being too weighty. You can be stubborn and absolutely refuse to change your position once it is set, but that's okay since you are good at covering up your mistakes.
Take this quiz!








Quizilla |
Join

| Make A Quiz | More Quizzes | Grab Code




And beyond the goofy quizzes, I've been finishing things at a remarkable rate for someone who doesn't have much knitting time. I finished the Faroese (whoo hoo!). Now I have to dye it. And, the cool thing is that the lump of goo that I knit
now takes up an entire twin bed. YEAH!


Then I finished socks for Thing One. And am 1/2 way through a sock for me (no really) a Pomotomus sock (love Knitty!).

Thursday, October 05, 2006

Thursday, September 14, 2006

SSS--CONQUERED!

First--Second Sock Syndrome, conquered!

Here are some pics to prove it.

First, the pic of my sweet 2-1/2 year old, wearing his new socks (that rock!).




Note the detail on the toe.







This kid has the squarest toes I've ever seen on a human. So I have to knit his toes especially boxy. I love that I can do that. I used the magic cast on from Knitty's Widdershins pattern, then I used the Sock-u-Lator V which is great.

Now, on pair II for my 6 year old, look at that turned heel.






I know I didn't get into a slip stitch heel, but could YOU tell that this nice turned heel-wtih-flap didn't get created from the top down? No, I didn't think so.



Nice to be able to do this when you're not sure how many socks a skein will make.


And on a completely different topic:

I heard something so ludicrous, I just had to post. There is a Navy Chaplain who is in trouble because, as a Naval Chaplain it is incumbent upon him to serve his constituency--which would include Muslims and Jews, not to mention Unitarians. Anyhoo, the problem was he kept adding, "In Jesus' Name" to all of his egalitarian prayers...thus making them more than a little NOT egalitarian.

He claims he's being persecuted and excluded and that this is an attack on Christianity.

Now, I have no problem with him praying in anyone's name...when he's not on the job. But when he represents the entire US Navy (which he does when he's in uniform) then he needs to represent all of them. That means adding a "Jesus" here or there won't fly. It's not that Jews or Muslims don't "believe" that Jesus lived, or that he did and said some really good things while he was here. It's that their religions specifically state there is only one God, and that would be...well...God. To pray in someone else's name is...well, it just isn't done.

I find this as spurious an argument as I do the attacks on churches for not allowing Gay Marriage. If a Church doesn't want to marry Gay folks, which is an eccumenical decision, then...well...that's it's decision. Marriage is, after all, a religious institution. However, if a city or county or state decides to legalize Gay Civil Unions, well that's just GREAT and I'm very happy they were sane enough to recognize how important committed relationships are to the stability of our culture. Not to mention how wonderful it would be for all of my Gay friends.

Marriage is between you, your clergy, and God. Civil Unions are, definitionally, part of the world of Civics and decided by your government.

Bit of a rant, but BOY did that irk me this morning!

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

I swear...I'll take the pics in a second...

I have to get to my camera.

I beleive I have conquered my Second Sock Syndrome. Since most of my knitting tools are in boxes far, far from me (about 2,710 miles to be precise, though it was more when we drove it), I've had to use DPNs. Something I've not done in over a year.

Don't get me wrong. This isn't a bad thing. Esthetically I MUCH prefer lovely wooden DPNs. But I have this ADD thing...which I just learned about (how nice to know there's a reason for my being the way I am!)...and I'm a sufferer of Second Sock Syndrome to prove it.

But! I just finished a pair of socks for my 2-1/2 year old, and am moments away from finishing the pair for the 6 year old. I used the Soc-u-lator. She finally made one for toe-up-with-a-flap (my fave way, and since Queen Kahuna's in a box too...). I love it. It's brilliant, the math makes sense, the patern works, and I'm a happy camper.

And did I mention the socks are made with Socks That Rock, purchased from Toni at the Fold? Here's a pic of Toni actually writing out the slip.

I love that.

Well, back to work.
Tra la la...

Sunday, September 03, 2006

Finally!

Time, place, and photos have all aligned to allow me to post.

My sister sits, blogging, next to me.

Ain't we the geek twins?

So what's new?

I'm in Tucson. I miss my husband and friends terribly. It's hot. I mean, HOT. And sadly, it's NOT a dry heat because there's a hurricane in Baja and the clouds are all up here.

But.

(There's always a but, isn't there?)

I've got a new wheel,





(Majacraft Gem II, don'tcha know)
some roving I got from Toni at The Fold on my drive out here (roving that Thing One picked out--a little like this colorway, but more purples and yellows).







Spinning in Tucson is...well...honestly, it can be depressing, as I love spinning wool. But...sigh...I guess I'll make due. I imagine we'll be taking many trips up to colder climes for skiing.

Hell, maybe we can afford some skiing now that we'll be here.

The worst worst worst part, though, is being away from my husband. I simply can't get used to the ol' pueblo without him. After 11 years it's just wrong not to have him with me.

Ah well...soon...

OTN:
  • I just finished a pair of socks for the baby (socks that rock, of course)
  • I am about to embark on socks for the older boy.
  • I'm still plodding along on socks for Andrew (Jeannie Townsend's Maple Leaf Pattern)
  • Not to mention the Faroese I want to finish, dye, and take to SOAR.
    Pics Pending.

Sunday, August 27, 2006

Humbled

There is much in the Village Knittiot to appreciate. Much I am humbled by. Read it, if you haven't before.

Monday, August 21, 2006

Have Charka, Will Travel.

There are SPINNERS IN TUCSON!
And wonderful ones to boot!

I went to Kiwi Knitting and met up with the Tucson Handspinners Guild folks at their monthly spin-in.
Lovely.

I felt right at home, right away. Some of the folks are going to SOAR too, which is great. I'll know some folks that way.

Mostly, it was just good to find people.

Adult people.

Phew!

Thursday, August 17, 2006

Just had to post...

...because this is too amazing.

I saw the WTC movie (go! It's not what you think...well...most of it isn't...) and was shocked b/c my high school is IN THE MOVIE. (And we thought everyone forgot about us). Well, it IS my school, and it isn't.

They photographed downtown with 8mpx shots, then green-screened them into the live action.

like this:





Amazing, no?

You can read the whole article here.

Friday, August 11, 2006

Too, too long....

It has been FAR far too long since I last posted. My only defense is that for the last two weeks I've had no internet service to speak of. To find out why, visit my travel blog.

More when I can get the pics downloaded!

H

Monday, July 03, 2006

Fun Gizmo

You Are 55% American

Most times you are proud to be an American.
Though sometimes the good ole US of A makes you cringe
Still, you know there's no place better suited to be your home.
You love your freedom and no one's going to take it away from you!

Tuesday, June 27, 2006

Time has, indeed, flown

I can't believe how long it's been since I blogged.
What's been going on?
Life.
I'm knitting, I'm also doing some super secret stuff I can't even talk about here yet. I'm doing some freelance curriculum for the Gandhi Institute on the side.
And I'm knitting.
And Spinning.
And getting ready for SOAR!
: )
You?

Here's some pics of my world:



A handspun lace Faroese Shawl...we'll see if I spun enough...


It's gorgeously soft to work with, though.























Socks for the DH...pattern courtesy of the lovely Jeanie Townsend

















A tank for my sister...






Which, with any luck, will look like this:
























And a sweater for a new baby cousin:

Tuesday, May 16, 2006

Socks (that Rock) and Tracey's Hat



I finally finished my socks (JUST in time for Maryland) but didn't get around to photographing the beauty of them until just now. And I also didn't get a chance to snap a pic of The Hat Tracey spun and knit at our spinning retreat. Just lovely--and TRES cute on my son, IMHO.

Thursday, May 11, 2006

Goodness How Time Flies!

So much has happened, I can't believe it!
I went to Maryland Sheep and Wool with my older son.
We saw sheep!

And we saw a silk demonstration--which was truly spectacular to see.

We would have gotten a silk kit if it weren't for the unGodly smell.

Ew.

The weekend before Maryland I got to go to a CountryWool.com spinning retreat. WHAT FUN! I met the most wonderful people and had the best time. I even have some pics to prove it! You can see them at FLICKR off on the side there--->.


And one of my Yahoo Group buddies did a MUCH better job at taking pics.

Saturday, April 22, 2006

I have a PODCAST!

True!

CraftLit: A Podcast for Crafters Who Love Books

I'm having a little bit of trouble getting the feed thing down (it's not as easy as it's cracked up to be), but all should be settled soon.



And I just got a blog buzz from Amy! Check out May 4th!

Tuesday, April 18, 2006

Mrs. Pilkington Knits: Stuff, Nonsense, and Beautiful Things Made By Other People

Well, the previous post was actually an outdated bust, but this one--Mrs. Pilkington Knits: Stuff, Nonsense, and Beautiful Things Made By Other People--is rather wonderful.

But it doesn't change the fact that I need some hard core strange knitters to come forward.

You game?

Wool Festival.com: Online Calendar of events, Free patterns for knitting, spinning, crochet, felting and weaving

Oooh, lookee here: Wool Festival.com: Online Calendar of events, Free patterns for knitting, spinning, crochet, felting and weaving.

I'm going to have to put this onto the sidebar. Nicely useful place.

Monday, April 17, 2006

A Better Day!

I Got Things Done today...and I'm so thrilled, because
By God I Needed To Get Things Done.

I got the groceries.
I got the new fencing (although our neighbor "accidentally" knocked half of the already existing fence into our kid's playset...nice!).
I got flagstones.
I got dirt.
I got mulch.

I got a haircut (jury's still out on that one).

I got work done (well..."done" as it really never ends).

I finished "Melpomene" for Brenda Dayne and she liked it! She really really liked it!

Which thrills me no end as I'm a huge fan and (like all of us) feel as though I've known her for years.

I finished the SOAR scholarship.

I finished the knitting book proposal.

I took DS#1 to the doctor (only how many to go?) and he was a champ. I have to explain something about my lovely little boy. He's a goofball, but he's also got a memory that is scary. When I was preganant with #2 he decided he wanted to learn Anatomy--really. HE decided. He asked very VERY specific questions:
How does it eat?
How does it sleep?
How does it hear?
How can it breathe inside you?
When it comes out, will the light frighten it?
Do I need to be quiet near your tummy?


He was three.

So that gives you some background. Now he needed a battery of strep tests, so we had to do oral, rectal and blood. Fun, right? Especially if you're a 5-3/4-year-old.

He is TERRIFIED of oral strep tests. He had one bad one, and that did it.

He flipped out over that, but the doctor was great and thus, he's not afraid any more.

However, what the doc and nurse were worried about was the blood.

I knew better.

He asked very specific questions. The doctor answered them all. And HE WATCHED.

HE WATCHED and was very scientific about the whole thing.
What's that you're wrapping around my arm?
Is that a vein?
How does the blood go down the tube?
Why doens't it hurt once it's in?
Will it hurt coming out?
Can I take some of that home with me?


I love this little boy.

And so, today.
Good day.

Thngs Got Done, and now I can knit.

Sunday, April 16, 2006

Forgive the Lapse

I just returned from LOVELY Mystic, CT and am already having panic attacks.

My "work" to do list looks like this:
1) Work gig #1 (finish a year of High School ELA Curriculum)
2) Work gig #2 (finish and fix a year of Middle School ELA Curriculum)
3) Finish and send out knitting book proposal
4) Finish and send out science book proposal

My "life" to do list looks like this:
1) Take care of kids/house/etc
2) Figure out what's wrong with DS#1
3) Figure out what's wrong with me (hands, pt, etc.)
4) Start garden/get flagstones
5) Help DS#1 get/set up terrarium
6) Get haircut!
7) Occasionally play piano/knit/write for me
8) Finish socks
9) Finish Rogue Hoodie (Ye gods it's neat looking!)

There's more, but my head is spinning.

I doubt there's a chance I'm going to get ANYthing done...ever, it seems, but don't let my blackend mood affect you. Instead, imagine with me how nice it will be later this month when I go to Claudia's retreat at the WinterClove Inn in the Catskills for her Spring Spinning Retreat (a variation on the retreat mentioned on the Fibercast) and then the next weekend when I take DS#1 to the Maryland Sheep and Wool to see Sheila and pick up my very own Charkha!

But let's get back to brass tacks.

What was that?

A knitting book?

Yes--and I need your help. If you knit it a unique way--or if you have someone in your life who does--contact me, please.

And by unique, I don't mean that you listen to underwater fluglehorn while knitting. I mean are you a belt knitter? An armpit knitter? Is there something you do OTHER than the straight-up Continental/British form? If so, I need you...and can I take your picture?

Thursday, March 23, 2006

Sock-it-to-me!

Clear Boots and Clear Clogs...who needs more for their socks?

And with Blue Moon Fiber Arts putting out sock yarn like this...? I'll have something for my clogs!

Here's what you're looking at
Socks that Rock in Stonewashed and Seal Rock


Socks that Rock in Stonewashed and Seal Rock, one end of the colourway


Socks that Rock in Stonewashed and Seal Rock, the other end of the colourway













Socks that Rock in Stonewashed and Garnet Dreams


And speaking of Socks that Rock...here's a OTN update.

Off the needles are the slippers I felted for my grandmother. I would never otherwise use these colors, but for her, it's everything.










On the needles
are firsts for me: Socks that Rock socks in Jewel of the Nile, with Cherry Tree Hill toes, and using Jeanie Townsend's Cascading Leaves pattern.




With the addition of EZ's fitted arch, which I just started, thanks to the wonderful Sole Solution software.

Tuesday, March 21, 2006

See Eunny Knit!: Technickety: How to unvent a simple cable

Eunny Jang did yeoman's service a half-year-ago with this bit on: See Eunny Knit!: Technickety: How to unvent a simple cable. Lovely work. Very clear. All can benefit.

It also reminds me of what I heard on Pointy Sticks most recent Podcast: if you don't know it's hard...it isn't.

So, too all who haven't heard otherwise--Cables are EASY! Go to it!

Monday, March 20, 2006

Long Time No Blog...

Buried under work begins to describe the Olympics/post Olympics universe I've been in. There hasn't been a lot of anything fun, but there has been a lot of...everything else.
The other problem is the basic lack of sleep afforded me by my 2 year old. I don't know WHAT is going on, but he's suddenly dependant on a plug (pacifier), screams at the drop of...a breath, and waking up constantly at night.
What fun!

So I hadn't even had time to post pics of my fun spinning day with Lucinda at KnittingSmith in Cold Spring!

To make amends--here is Lucinda with Penelope (okay, aren't their names just perfect for two fabu spinning babes?) fiddling with many wheels, lotsa fiber, and some yarn.






It was one of the truly great days I've had in months. Second only to the day I spent spinning with Lucinda and Linda up at Linda's (gorgeous!) lakefront home.

ah...vistas!



















































And here's some recent FOs:
A chemo cap for Georgia's mother in North Carolina (love that Chinchilla yarn!):
















Socks for Sam's birthday:



















Detail of the Cherry Tree Hill sock yarn: