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February 28, 2008
it saved me some gin
Wasn't that nice of my stash to make me a gin and tonic?
I guess it's happy being somewhat clean and organized. The yarn alcove is looking pretty good. Everything that's on needles is in one place (okay, three places, not including the stuff in the basement), the books are in order, and everything that's stash is sorted in a logical way.
Still to deal with: I'd like to find a better place for my swift, ball winder and big needle case. That black thing on the same shelf (in the lower center) is some genealogy paperwork, and it really ought to live in the library. Also, I desperately need a sewing basket thingy. There are needles and notions and spools of thread all over the place. And I *must* deal with the stray yarn in the basement. I think I'm avoiding it because I know that one of the things in a box is the (cue ominous music) Curliecue Blanket, which was thwarted by a less-than-perfect pattern, my stupidity, and a mysterious splotch of grease. I know I should frog the damned thing and use the yarn for something else (it would make a gorgeous sweater for Zoe), but I worked so hard on it. Clearly more gin will be needed soon.
Posted by Kate at 5:11 PM | Comments (5)February 27, 2008
that stash drank my beer!
Look at it! Right there! There's a practically empty bottle next to that Artfibers Golden Chai and in front of the Rowan Cashsoft of Doom! BASTARD!!
Screw this, I'm going to rehearsal.
Posted by Kate at 6:27 PM | Comments (2)shame
I swear, ALIENS shoved all that crap in my Jordana Paige bag.
There were hints in the bag that suggest I haven't carried it with me since Dickens two years ago, like a bunch of fake money floating around, a partially knitted fingerless glove (and its completed mate), my missing hairbrush, and the sweet note that came with the first present Nathan ever gave me.
But the worst, most horrible thing in the bag was an attractive sock made out of All Seasons Cotton, and about 80 percent of its mate. I started these in June 2005. There is NO EARTHLY reason why this second sock has never been finished. All that's left is the toe and the afterthought heel. It would take me about half an hour to finish, and I'd have a great pair of house socks. BUT NOOOOOOO. It's just sitting in the bag (well, it's on the floor now) next to my pretty orange Flicker sock and the cuff of its mate.
Also in the bag is (wait for it) that beautiful ball of Schaefer Anne attached to about forty rows of the Flower Basket Shawl, from June 2005. Lemme tell you how fun that was to untangle. There was beer involved.
Clearly I was raised by wolves.
Posted by Kate at 3:01 PM | Comments (1)"The time has come," the walrus said...
I don't think I can put it off any longer. I've tried to ignore it, though it is three feet away from me most of the day. Despite my best efforts to pretend that it isn't a huge ugly problem and a choking hazard for small children, I can no longer deny that it is time to CLEAN THE YARN ALCOVE.
The photo doesn't really quite capture the horribleness of it all. It disregards the half-finished projects languishing in tangled obscurity, it conceals the bags full of yarn and notions and mismatched needles, it can only suggest the feeling of despair and slackitude that I feel when I delve in the abyss to try to find a fucking darning needle. And it absolutely does not hint that there's more yarn in the basement somewhere.
I may not clean it today, but soon. And it will take me the rest of my life.
Posted by Kate at 10:52 AM | Comments (3)February 25, 2008
In which there is knitting and a purple cauliflower
The manly, manly boots that caught Nathan's eye at Stitches are coming along swimmingly:
I had a bit of trouble figuring out how the cuff part got started, but after a couple of tries (and some deep breathing), I got it. I like this Crystal Palace Iceland yarn. It's very similar to Lamb's Pride, only not so fuzzy.
And, as promised:
Purple Cauliflower! WOOHOO! This arrived on Thursday night in this week's CSA box. It was almost too pretty to cook, but I girded up my loins and roasted it. Dang, it was tasty. Also tasty was the kale, which went into a fan-freaking-tastic kale, sausage and bean soup from the March issue of Fine Cooking. (This is me making sure I don't lose this blasted recipe.) I had some for lunch today. The kale wasn't as pretty as it was last night, but it tasted even better, as soup usually does after sitting overnight.
That is all.
Posted by Kate at 3:38 PM | Comments (3)February 23, 2008
Super Gloat Saturday
Okay, so I don't want to cause a scene here, but I officially have the Best Husband in 5000 Counties. He not only went to Stitches with me...
...but he had a good time! Of course, he got to pick out (and buy) yarn and manly, manly buttons for new slippers for me to make him, and he bought me some yarn for me me me, and a swift and a ball winder! YAY! It's the BEST swift in the whole freakin' world. And THEN he bought me lunch and a Bloody Mary at the hotel bar, and then drove home in the rain, and now he is doing the dishes because I am as sick as a dog.
No, really, I'm sick as a dog. I shouldn't have gone out today, but how could I not? We would have missed seeing Rachel (and her very large breasts) and Lindsey, and Baa and Amy, and Nathania and her super cute new baby (who I hope does not get my horrible cold), and Nathan wouldn't have had all the knitter chicks fondle his new relaxing hat. And we wouldn't have gotten to see Vickie Howell, split seconds after Nathan made an extremely snarky comment about her. I hope she didn't hear us.
A good time was had by all.
Really, Rachel's boobs are huge. I don't know what she's been eating.
Posted by Kate at 7:55 PM
| Comments (8)
February 19, 2008
here age relives fond memories of the past
Hey, you say, that doesn't look like a funeral, that looks like Disneyland. Yeah, yeah, you are so smart. I can't fool you for a second.
We did go to Nathan's grandmother's funeral, but we figured that since we were almost halfway down the central valley, we might as well go all the way south. And our annual passes were about to expire, and we needed some cheering up, and the Orlanders were there, and, well, I need a reason to go to Disneyland like I need new sock yarn.
There were objections, such as "I don't have any socks or underwear or blood pressure medication", "Gosh, it's such a long drive back", and my personal favorite, "There are pears at home."
Anyway, we went, and it was dandy. We hung out with my mom and dad, who are ideal Disneyland companions. Not everybody is great at Disneyland, but they're on my short list of people who I will always go with. Nathan is most of the rest of the list, partly because he and I have the same agenda at Disneyland: to have no agenda. We didn't, and we had a great time.
Of course, it's impossible to go to Disneyland and not have 99 happy haunts following you everywhere you go. You remember your honeymoon, the Parade of Stars, Steve shrieking, "FASTPASS!", the Best Fried Cheese I'd Ever Eaten, you remember that time that you and Lisa Eve ran up the Happiest Bar Bill in the World, and you remark constantly that the River Belle Terrace is a good place to watch people. And then you start planning your next trip.
p.s. TWO people have complained lately that this is, as advertised, a lame excuse for a knitting blog. "Terrible", one person called it. Neither of these people are knitters, so I don't know what their damage is. Anyway, here's a picture of me knitting in the queue for Soarin' Over California. Now quit yer bitching.
Posted by Kate at 5:58 PM
| Comments (4)
February 14, 2008
hearts and flowers
I've been trying vainly for a couple months to get a decent picture of Zoe and Ethan together. Either one of them blinks, or has a runny nose, or is gnawing on the cat, or is holding his hands up in a Sean Penn-like "no paparazzi" pose, or is scowling, or they start wrestling. It's annoying, because they are two of the most photogenic children on the face of the planet. Sigh.
I sure heart them, though.
February 12, 2008
No pants tuesday
So today is Lincoln's Dog's Birthday or some random holiday that employees of the State of California get off. Earlier, Nathan was "helping" me make some apple cake by licking the batter off the beater.
Nathan: This is the greatest thing I've ever eaten.
Me: You'd be great, too, if you had a stick of cream cheese in you.
Nathan: Well, sometimes I feel like I have a stick of cream cheese in me.
*crickets*
February 11, 2008
in which I am stymied by domestic wine
We actually had a housewarming party this weekend. Can you believe it? It only took three months. I think it was a good party. Only one glass got broken, no fights broke out, I only flashed a *couple* of people, and nobody barfed in the back yard (or anywhere else). Wait, though. Aren't those signs of a dull party?
Among the highlights were Rob and Nicole showing up 24 hours early (which was actually a blast), Liz Stone giving me a lap dance and then helping me make bacon treats, Robert and Therese's interpretive dancing, and Nathan's marathon bartending. Seriously, he was like Spencer Tracy in Father of the Bride, but less crabby.
Here's me unable to open a bottle of Piper Sonoma:
Posted by Kate at 5:32 PM
| Comments (3)
February 7, 2008
In which I discover that it is hard to photograph the top of your head
This was the best I could do.
But at least the damned thing is done and it fits a human head and I like the colors and I didn't drink myself into a stupor while flailing around trying to find the error in the chart. Now I just have to weave in 5 gajillion ends and figure out how to block the sucker.
Isn't it cool how the top of the hat goes with the living room rug?
pattern: Toque #1 from 45 Fine and Fanciful Hats to KnitPosted by Kate at 2:42 PM | Comments (5)
yarn: Cascade 220 and Lamb's Pride worsted (all stash, hooray)
needles: US #8
errors in pattern: one great big fat one
gins and tonics needed to soothe my shattered nerves: three, plus some wine
February 5, 2008
Unfair Isle
So Nathan wants a new relaxing hat. He likes to, you know, relax.
Only this time he wants a knitted one. A couple of months ago, he randomly bought me this book, and looked at me meaningfully as he showed me the interesting toques in it.
Okay, says I, I can do this. I can't do fair isle to save my life, but I'll give it a shot. Yesterday was spent knitting this out of Cascade 220 stash:
What am I doing wrong? First off, it's too small, but that's my own dumb fault. I can go up a needle size. But why is it so lumpy? I understand that I'm a fairly tight knitter and so I was trying to relax my hands and not pull the floats too taut. It still looks like crap. Oh, well, it was too small anyway, and I'm not happy with those colors. I DO heart the band quite a lot. And the pattern (once I figured out how to read it) is pretty simple. And I'm motivated. Back to the drawing board.
In other news, the left front of the CPH is nearly done. It will be an old-fashioned Christmas miracle if this sweater ever fits me.
Posted by Kate at 10:30 AM | Comments (3)