KnitSox and Chocolate

Knitsox is Moving

2009-01-11T18:57:00.001-05:00

The new place is still kind of a mess, but you are more than welcome to stop in and check it out.

Isn't it amazing...

2009-01-06T18:53:00.012-05:00

...how you can take two weeks off and only two days after you return, be right back into the same old routine?!

Before I could say Happy New Year, I was right back to it, up early, on the road to a client meeting, writing another proposal, editing a spreadsheet, and ducking to avoid the office politics. That explains the need for this at the end of the day. Really, to be completely authentic, this blog should be titled Knitsox and Chocolate and Wine.

To try to bring my mind and heart back to that feeling of vacation joy, let's review some of the projects from the blissful two-week break.

First, there was Honeycomb.

The second photo shows more stitch detail.

I finished the back over the weekend. It is knit in Jo Sharp Silkroad DK Tweed, purchased during the amazing Webs blowout sale the day after Christmas.

Second, there is a pair of socks that will be gifted to someone very special, very soon. The first sock was knit plain old vanilla stockinette.

Then I saw this pattern for Campfire Socks by Cider Moon in a broken rib pattern that looked so much more interesting. So, of course, I began the second sock in the new pattern, which means I have to reknit the first sock, which just means more knitting, which is really what its all about, right? More Knitting!! Yippee!!

Here is a closer look.

The yarn is Araucania Ranco Multi, color 314. Jeff says they look like Grateful Dead colors and I have to agree. The first pic shows the first 28 sts in the broken rib pattern. Mostly pink and green, right? But flip the needles over to opposite 28 sts and it is blue and purple.

Some people call that pooling. I just think its cool.

So to everyone else out there who is trying to ease back into the usual work-week routine, I raise my glass and my needles in salute. Hang in there. Tomorrow is Wednesday. We are almost half way through.

A Much Needed Break

2009-01-04T17:50:00.000-05:00

For the first time ever, I took time off between Christmas and the New Year. With the holidays falling as they did on Thursdays, that meant almost two weeks off. In other words, a long break from my usual routine.

I didn't travel or do anything that most folks would consider super-exciting. Others might be bored just hanging around home for two weeks, but for me, this was the best vacation I've had in a very long time. It was a perfect stretch of relaxing, day dreaming, knitting, blog reading, organizing, and preparing for the new year.

Resolutions

2008-12-31T07:08:00.001-05:00

For what it's worth, here are some thoughts for the new year. In no particular order, I resolve to:

Knit with solid color yarns
Say thank you
Knit a sweater that fits me, that I actually will wear in public
Volunteer
Write and publish a knitting pattern
Sell at least one skein of hand-dyed yarn
Appreciate my wonderful friends and family
Use more coupons
Listen
Be patient

All the best for a happy, healthy, peace-filled 2009.

Decisions

2008-12-29T18:11:00.003-05:00

On December 26, C and I headed off to Webs for the annual blow out sale. OMG. What a scene. I'd been to Webs for the first time just a few weeks ago. That first time, the store was quite and peaceful, yet still overwhelming in its abundance of yarn. This time, the store was packed to the rafters with crazy knitters. It was true insanity. 99.9% of the shoppers were kind and friendly, but there was that one crazy lady who made a very rude comment to me and C about our use of a shopping cart. A very loud and ridiculous comment. It is the first, and hopefully only time I will come this close to slugging someone in a yarn shop.

Anyway, the bargains were incredible. In the first room, there were piles of Noro Silk Garden. Bags upon bags of color 246 for a mere $50 a bag. My friends, this stuff normally sells for close to $12 a skein and I scored a whole bag for $50!! Jeff, the ever vigilant entrepeneur wondered why I didn't buy all of it to sell on Ebay for a profit. Honestly, that thought didn't even cross my mind, though I wonder if others were doing just that. There was also boxes and boxes of free yarn. Yes, that's right. I said free!!! It was all ribbon shiny yarn. Not anything I really wanted, but I'm sure some creative crafters will put it all to good use. There was one lady who was stuffing her shopping cart full of the free yarn. She must have had twenty or thirty bags. I was a little embarrassed for her. Maybe she is going to sell it on Ebay??

So now I'm wondering what to do with all this bargain Noro...it is color 246. Green/grey/purple/and a just a hint of very ugly mustard yellow. I wonder about those nutty dyers at Noro. Do you think they all sit around and say, "hmmmm this looks beautiful just as it is, but wait, let's really screw with all those addicted knitters and throw in a pinch of baby poop yellow! Ha Ha Ha, do you think they'll buy it?? Of course they'll buy it!! They are like crack addicts. They can't control themselves." And then they add an extra knot in the skein, just to make us all extra crazy.

So, yes, I bought ten skeins of the lovely 246 with the ugly yellow and now I need a pattern. Any ideas out there? I did a quick search of Ravelry and found mostly the lovely Noro striped scarf, designed by Jared and much loved by the Yarn Harlot. But honestly, I think I have plenty of scarfs. Maybe another Klaralund? Or a Clapotis? Maybe a Gesta?

Fellow addicts, I need your advice.

Finished Just in Time

2008-12-24T15:15:00.002-05:00

Whew. It is 3:15 PM on Christmas Eve and the nephew and niece socks are done and wrapped. Apologies for lack of photos, but I was on a roll, what with the finishing and weaving in, that I just jumped right into the wrapping and never got the camera out. Maybe tomorrow I will photograph the socks during the unwrapping.

In addition to the socks I've finally finished wrapping all the other gifts, baked a tray of candy cane peppermint brownies (yum), hand washed three sweaters and finished a full load of laundry. All that's left is to make a salad to bring to dinner tonight at my sister's and I'm done. Jeff is probably right when he says why bring salad, no one ever eats it anyway. But I was asked to bring salad and bring a salad I will. Salad and peppermint brownies. (Yum).

Merry Merry Happy Happy. God Bless.

Go Elf Yourself!

2008-12-22T18:46:00.003-05:00

I should be wrapping gifts and finishing up the last pair of nephew socks. Instead I am doing this.

And, despite photographic evidence to the contrary, Jeff does not have a giant melon head and Max really is a good dog.

Happy Holidays!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

The More Things Change...

2008-12-11T18:52:00.004-05:00

1968, sitting beneath my Grandmother's Christmas tree, it really doesn't seem that long ago. And believe it or not, I remember wearing those snazzy red shoes. Even at age two, I knew a cool pair of shoes when I saw them.

Cookies, Luncheon, and Crustaceon!

2008-12-10T18:31:00.003-05:00

Another holiday season brings another office Cookie Swap! Over the six years I've worked at this company the delicious-ness of the cookies has remained top notch, but I will say I've seen the packaging and presentations improve greatly. Everyone is so creative and talented. Can you say Martha Stewart??

This year's cookies included:

Chocolate Sugar Cookies
Stained Glass Cookies
Spice Crackle Cookies
Biscotti
Chocolate Mint Cookies
Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Hazelnut Chocolate Chip Cookies (Yummy)

All were delicious and very festive. And to add to the fun, immediately following the Cookie Swap, we all headed off to a local restaurant for the company sponsored Holiday Luncheon. Perfect timing, because the smartest folks agree, it is always best to eat your cookies before you eat your lunch!

The luncheon was followed by the traditional Yankee Swap. (It was a full day of swapping, dontcha know?)

I think I've mentioned before, my coworkers are a pretty mellow bunch. The annual $10 limit Yankee Swap gifts are always very nice and cheery, but sometimes a little, well, how do I say this....they can be sort of dull. You know what I mean, a Dunkin Donuts gift card or a reindeer mug with hot chocolate mix. Nice, but not all that F-U-N.

All that changed this year, when Ms. C chose the plainly wrapped shoe box from under the tree. She held it up, gave it a little shake, started to carefully remove the wrapping paper, and then yelled, "It's ALIVE"!!!!

That is when we all noticed the antennae peeking from under the tissue paper.

Photo altered to protect the innocent.

We all had a great laugh and a fun afternoon. And I suspect Ms. C will have a tasty lobster salad for dinner this evening.

Happy Holidays!

Happy Feet

2008-12-09T07:50:00.003-05:00

Need a lift to get you through the holiday rush? Take 5 minutes and watch this before you head to the mall. Thanks to The Scottish Lamb for sharing.

Distracted

2008-12-08T18:55:00.005-05:00

I should be knitting socks. Christmas is only weeks away and the niece and nephews LOVE their hand knit woolen socks, so really what I am I waiting for?

I have no excuse, except to tell you I've been distracted by this simple beauty.

It's the MultiDirectional Diagonal Scarf (Ravelry Link) knit in Noro Silk Garden #282. I've been happily knitting on it all weekend, and with any luck will finish tonight so I can get back to the serious business of Christmas sock knitting.

Welcome to the Sports Bar

2008-12-04T18:58:00.013-05:00

It happened so slowly that I never really noticed.

When we bought this little house almost 9 years ago I spent a lot of time thinking about how I would decorate it. I'll admit, I'm no expert at interior design, but one room that truly excited me was our 'sun room' or 'family room'.

After nine years, we still haven't decided what to officially call this room. It is an addition that is comprised of four walls with windows and two skylights, located off the kitchen. It's not a large room, but it is sunny and bright. It was, and still is, my favorite room in the house. I love the sunshine yellow walls, the simple peach colored tile floor and the warm happy feeling I get when I'm sitting there.

When we first moved in, I found some simple, sweet, inexpensive prints that I thought best highlighted the "sunshine/garden" feeling of the room.

And, because I am such a tea drinker, I thought it would be nice room in which to showcase my little collection of pretty teapots.

All was well in my little sunny room. Then slowly, very slowly, things began to change.

First there was this..
A gift from my truly wonderful brother-in-law. He knows how much we enjoyed the 2004 Red Sox World Series win and wanted to help us commerate that historical, wonderful, super-fantastic, event. I love this photograph.

And then this...
Oh, the teapots are still there, but they've been overshadowed by the gang of collectibles, figurines and stuffed animals that now watch every game with us. You can't really see them all in this photo, but trust me, the Pats and the Sox are well represented.

It's not just baseball and football. A few months ago, at the end the Sox season, Jeff and I were enjoying our last game at Fenway. We happened upon an auction to support the Ted Williams Foundation and before I could sing one chorus of Take Me Out to the Ballgame, Jeff had bid on and won this photo of the best basketball player ever...
Other (non-photographed) sports related items have become part of this room too. The Red Sox pillow from ny nephew, the photograph of the Patriots "Snow Bowl" game that hangs over the doorway.

It goes on and on.

Finally today, when I arrived home from work, I saw that my little garden 'welcome' sign was no longer in its place.

It had been replaced by this...
It was then that I realized my sunny garden room had somehow become a sports bar, minus the bar.

Then I remembered that just the other day Jeff mentioned how he almost bought the Kegarator he had seen at Bed Bath and Beyond.

I love my little sports room, but I'll admit it - now I'm getting scared.

Sixth Folder Photo Meme - Oh What a Game!

2008-12-01T19:02:00.004-05:00

Don't you just love a good meme? Perfect for the Monday after a LOOOOONNNG weekend when you are beaten to a pulp by the unanswered emails in the office InBox?

How to:
--Go to your sixth picture folder and pick the sixth picture
--Pray you remember the details
--Tag five others

Ha! I wasn't sure what this picture was as I uploaded it, having the thumbnail feature turned off I only saw the picture name. "soxsmile.jpg". Remember the details I do!

This wonderfully joyous photo is not one I can take credit for. I believe I copied it from Boston.com and sent it to some friends at work via email, as we all shared in celebration of the Red Sox fantastic, improbable, most tremendous comeback in the ALCS 2004 series against the Yankees. I distinctly remember one co-worker responding with the message, "that guy looks like he ate a bad sausage".

I really hate tagging, so I'm not following that rule, but if you do want to play, leave a comment, ok?

Sunday Bread

2008-11-30T10:33:00.004-05:00

Breakfast today is delicious banana bread, along with freshly brewed coffee. Both prepared by my talented husband. Few sounds make me happier than the whir of the coffee grinder on a Sunday morning while I'm still buried under the covers. And few treats make me happier than his homemade banana bread.

Jeff has become a bit of celebrity at my office, mostly due to his superb baking abilities. He regularly bakes Amish Friendship bread*, so often in fact, that there is no way the two of us could ever eat it all. My coworkers have become the lucky recipients of this tasty treat. If you work in an office, you know that any home-baked treats disappear as soon as they are placed on the break room table. It is no different when Jeff's Amish Friendship bread arrives.

I unwrap it from its aluminum foil package, set it on a plate, place a knife and a post-it saying "Help yourself" alongside and in under an hour the treat is gone. His bread is so popular and is devoured so quickly that the folks in Accounting on the first floor are often too late, arriving only to find a plate of crumbs and a few stray grains of cinnamon and sugar. I've taken to notifying them by email so they won't be left out.

And as delectable as his Amish Friendship bread is, his banana bread is even better. So much so, that I will not share. He has tried to hand me a loaf as I'm heading off to work, but, I'm embarrassed to say, I've refused, wanting to keep all the delicious goodness for my self. It is shameful, I know.

*Amish Friendship Bread requires a "starter". If you'd like one, let me know and I'll see what I can do, or you can follow this recipe. I'm afraid copyright restrictions don't allow me to share the recipe for Jeff's Banana Bread, which can be found in The Bread Bible by Rose Levy-Beranbaum.

Don't Tell My Mother In Law

2008-11-29T09:47:00.000-05:00

Late to the party as always, I've just discovered HBO's True Blood. It happened as my television discoveries often do. I was knitting while watching TV. A commercial came on and I got annoyed.

I have absolutely no patience for commercials. Expect for those Mac PC commercials. Those are adorable. Whenever Jeff speeds by them while watching the DVR I make him rewind just so I can watch. The Mac guy is adorable - is he still Drew Barrymore's boyfriend? - and the PC guy is just so pathetically sweet. Being a PC person myself, I feel his pain. But that Mac guy has me almost convinced to cross over. Almost.

Distracted from my knitting by the noisy commercial, I grabbed the clicker and found my way to the wonderful world of On Demand, where I uncovered two full screens worth of HBO series just waiting to be watched. I don't know about you, but I've never met an HBO character I didn't like. From Carrie Bradshaw to Tony Soprano to Ari Gold to even Bill Henrickson, I've loved them all. Oh and don't forget Lucius Vorenus. Sadly the Roman Empire had to fall and Lucius and his crew are gone forever.

I'd seen some news about True Blood and decided to give it a whirl. (bonus points if you can name that movie...)

The first episode hooked me right away, though I must say, it's not a show to watch with the kids. It's a bit "piggy" as my mother-in-law would say, but is a show about vampires, so I guess the S-E-X is just to be expected. Consider yourself warned.

Jeff and I have watched three episodes so far and we can't stop talking about the characters. Is Sookie really human? Is she a witch? Is Sam a vampire, or maybe a werewolf? What's the story with that stray dog? Is Jason hooked on vamp blood? Doesn't Sookie look a little like Holly Hunter? Didn't she play Holly Hunter's daughter in the Piano?

Thanks HBO. The perfect alternative to noisy commercials.

Use the Good Stuff

2008-11-26T18:04:00.004-05:00

At the last minute I decided against using paper plates tomorrow and dug all of my china and my mom's silver out of storage. This meant hours of polishing and washing today and much more hand-washing tomorrow, never an easy feat in the little kitchen of my little house.

But, in the end I realized that Thanksgiving is a all about family and tradition. And you know what, my family deserves the good stuff.

And if you think about it, eating off paper plates with plastic forks on Thanksgiving is a little like knitting with Red Heart. Nothing against Red Heart if its all you have, , but if you also happen to have a big bag of Noro Silk Garden, you tell me which you'd pick.

To everyone in the U.S., happy Thanksgiving. To everyone everywhere, happy Thursday. Make it special.

For Today

2008-11-25T13:16:00.003-05:00

Inspired by Marguerite, with instructions from the Simple Woman's Daybook...

Outside my window the rain is drumming on the windowsill and I can see a neighborhood squirrel eating the last of my neighbor's Halloween jack o' lantern. November rain is so dreary. I hate to say it, but I'd almost prefer snow.

I am thinking about what last items I must pick up from the grocery store tomorrow to prepare for Thursday's dinner.

I am thankful for being so fortunate to live where I do, to have a good job, to have a pantry full of food and even some extra pennies to buy new knitting needles or some glorious yarns. Some days it is easy to forget just how lucky I am.

From the kitchen I can hear the dishwasher running. It is full of serving dishes, platters, and a collection of mismatched wine glasses which I've brought out of cupboards and uup from the basement in preparation for Thanksgiving.

I am wearing my workout clothes. They are comfy, but a bit smelly, as I haven't changed since getting home from the gym a few hours ago. It was nice to finally get back there after missing a week or maybe more. It felt good to get moving again. I could have done without the guy on the treadmill in front of me who insisted on running backwards. Show off.

I am creating a pair of socks for my niece Kathryn. Next on the list is a pair for nephew Steven.

I am going to poke around Ravelry for a few minutes before I head back to the kitchen to continue cleaning and organizing. A friend has asked me to research a pattern for a hooded scarf. I'm wondering if she's thinking about the one in IK Winter 2008? I especially like the pockets. They look pretty but do you think they are really practical?

I am reading The Big House: A Century in the Life of an American Summer Home by George Howe Colt. I've just started, but the introduction has taken me back to idyllic summers spent eating crabs and steamers on the beach at my grandparents little cottage on Buzzards Bay. My family's summer home was nowhere near as grand as Mr. Colt's, but the memories of family are just as special.

I am hearing my Blackberry buzzing as I write this post. I am trying to restrain myself. I am on vacation this week and have vowed to do my best to to ignore what's happening at the office.

Around the house things are a bit of a mess. Holidays always require much cleaning and rearranging. There are dishes and utensils on the kitchen table and a large amount of clutter that needs sorting.

One of my favorite things to do is to visit the Rhode Island Watercolor Society Gallery at nearby Slater Park. Sunday was the first day of the annual "Holiday Little Picture" show. It's a great way to see local artists' work and pick up an original painting for very little money. Jeff and I bought two, one is a gift for his grandmother and the other is for us, a little painting of the Boston skyline. Very sweet.

A few plans for the rest of the week - get the house ready for Thanksgiving, get my car inspected before the end of the month, go to the gym at least once more, finish Kathryn's socks and find an interesting but masculine pattern for Steven.

It's Not the Journey, It's the Destination

2008-11-24T17:53:00.009-05:00

We pulled into the parking lot just as the dashboard clock blinked from 9:59 to 10:00 a.m. I was extremely grateful when I saw that ours was the second car in the lot, and that the lovely ladies at Webs would not have to actually unlock the front door for us. Something about never wanting to be the first to arrive at a party I guess.

All I can say is Wow. WOW. WOW. WOW.

For those that have been, you know what I mean. For those that haven't yet made the pilgrimage to yarn mecca, I hope you someday find your way.

It is difficult to describe how overwhelming it was to be surrounded by so many skeins of gorgeous yarn, all of which I wanted to KNIT RIGHT NOW. I'm serious. They have these lovely high tables and cushioned bar seats all around just beckoning you to wind up a skein, grab some needles off the wall display and get to work. It was hard to restrain myself.

I splurged and bought two Addi Turbo circs for sock knitting. And yes, there was just a teensy bit of stash enhancement - really I tried to control myself. Some Noro Silk Garden for a multidirectional scarf, some for me and some for my co-worker and fellow knitter who was back at the office. It is always fun to shop with other people's money, isn't it?? Some Araucania Multy for socks. Some Trekking XXL for socks. And some Valley Yarns hand dyed laceweight for a stole.

Despite the title of this post, the journey was also very enjoyable. (And it's less than 2 hours from home, who knew??) Thank you Cheryl for doing the driving and thank you Carol (the awesome crocheter) for giving up the front seat. It was a fun fun day and I am looking forward to making the trip again!

Where Have All the Acorns Gone?

2008-11-16T09:52:00.003-05:00

Max's feet are happy. Last year at this time when we walked on our little street, he could barely find a spot to set his paws without crunching down on the sharp edges of a broken acorn. Poor doggie was limping on every walk. This year, there are no acorns in sight. Normally they rain down upon our little yard, and litter the end of our street, but this year we've seen none. And apparently, its not just my little neighborhood that has noticed.

The neighborhood squirrels are being very creative in their food gathering. They've completely chewed through all the pumpkins left sitting since Halloween on neighborhood porches, to reach the treasure trove of seeds inside.

So if you are like me and missing your acorns, here's an alternative. The squirrels may not approve, but they are certainly gentler on puppy feet.

Lace Knitting / Life Lesson

2008-11-09T18:45:00.003-05:00

Today was lace knitting class with Annie. It was lovely to spend another few hours in the honey-colored Slater Mill Community Guild studio, surrounded by like-minded knitting folks, learning the ins and outs of knitting lace and reading lace charts.

Today's class was larger. 20 of us today. As a result the whole experience was far less intimate, less like a group of knitters at a S 'n B and much more like a class.

As usual, I thought I knew it all, and plowed ahead. I do this a lot, not only in knitting but in all areas of my life, rushing in headlong, thinking I'm the smartest person in the room, not needing to pay attention or follow the rules. As you can imagine, this is rarely the best strategy. And so it went today.

I've knit lace projects many times and felt very confident that I could read a lace chart, no problem. I quickly knit the first two rows of the pattern and then sat smugly as Annie slowly and calmly instructed my fellow knitters who were still making their way. Smugly that is until she asked us how many stitches we had on left on our needles. We were supposed to have 5 (the magic number). What was all this "magic number" talk, I had 6.

Not such a smarty pants after all, huh?

I think Annie felt bad for me, because later she came by to check on my work and proclaimed that it was "very nice" and even held it up to show the rest of the class. She was being sweet.

After the third or fourth repeat, my brain finally clicked and I began to understand about the magic number. I guess it's all about patience, which for me is a somewhat (very much) lacking virtue.

So, I took a knitting class and learned less about knitting and more about life. There you go.

It was a good weekend.

Combination Knitting

2008-11-08T19:00:00.005-05:00

Wow! My head is spinning. The Combination Knitting class with Annie Modesitt was mind-bending. I've been knitting forever and truly didn't think I could learn anything new about knits and purls, but in less than two hours I was a convert. I will never knit or purl the same way again.

The class itself went much too fast. There were only about 10 of us, sitting around a table, knitting and learning together. Annie is an incredible teacher. She has very firm rules about who talks when, and asking questions. I imagine she would be a very good middle school teacher. She certainly kept us adults in line. (At one point someone's cell phone rang and I was just a teensy bit afraid,)

But despite her discipline, or more probably because of it, her lessons about knitting with passion, keeping the stitches happy, and her belief that we knitters are much smarter than we or the businesses that sell to us are willing to believe, were truly inspiring.

Thanks to Berrocco Yarns for the very, very generous gift bags. Not just a little skein of yarn, but THREE skeins. And not just yarns, but CHOCOLATE. What a treat!

No pictures of the class as I was too busy knitting and purling and being inspired, but here is the outside of Slater Mill on a lovely, misty November morning.

I am so excited for tomorrow's lace knitting class that I'm afraid I will get no sleep tonight. It's worse than waiting for Santa.

I didn't see any ghosts, but at one point there was a very loud crash, and we all looked over to see that Annie's bag of books and knitted samples, which was sitting on a chair on the far end of the room, had fallen to the floor. I have to admit, the chairs were a bit slippery, but I'm telling everyone it was ghost.

Yes, it was most definitely a ghost.

Friday Night at Slater Mill

2008-11-07T20:42:00.010-05:00

Just returned from the first of three events at Slater Mill's Knitting Weekend, and had to do a quick entry to say what a knitter's dream it has been so far. Last night was the book signing and Q&A with Annie Modesitt and Nora Gaughan.

Apologies for the dark photo of the mill, but I was sitting in my car, having arrived early, and took the photo without a flash. Thinking about it now, the flash probably would have not helped out at all. And during the evening I learned that the mill just might be haunted, so this spooky photo may be perfect after all.

Back to the book signing / reception / Q&A session. If you EVER have the opportunity to meet one or both of these lovely ladies in person, DO IT. Annie and Nora are so funny. What a joy to listen to how they both came to be shining stars of the knitting world, to hear them laugh and poke fun at each other with such friendly ease. And what a thrill to learn a tip or two or three from Annie.

Thanks to Ruth, Janice and Chandler for pulling it all together. Fantastic job! The Slater Mill Community Guild room is stunning, with it's beautiful wood floors (on which Samuel Slater did not stand, but stunning nonetheless), the dark beams, and the lovely old windows looking out onto the roaring Blackstone River.

In addition to Annie and Nora, I met Suzanne, who is starting her own knitting / fiber therapy group in Johnston, RI. I also met Guido of It's a Purl, Man. Be sure to check out his guild in Boston, Common Cod Fiber Guild, which on November 14 will be host to Susan Gibbs of Martha's Vineyard Fiber Farm, the world's first yarn CSA.

[Sidenote - taken from Guido's blog- Susan Gibbs of Martha’s Vineyard fiber farm is in need of your clicks. Amazingly, she is in the lead for a technology grant from Intel which is based on votes. You don’t have to register, all you have to do is click on the “I like it” button at this site.]

It is with great great expectation that I prepare for the the rest of the weekend. Saturday morning I'll be learning Combination Knitting, and Sunday morning Lace Knitting. Both with Annie.

And I'll be keeping my eyes and ears open for ghosts.

Flickr Mosaic Meme

2008-11-06T19:44:00.003-05:00

Instructions for the Flickr Mosaic Meme:

a. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search.
b. Using only the first page, pick an image.
c. Copy and paste each of the image’s URLs into mosaic maker.

The Questions:
1. What is your first name?
2. What is your favorite food?
3. What high school did you go to?
4. What is your favorite color?
5. Who is your celebrity crush?
6. Favorite drink?
7. Dream vacation?
8. Favorite dessert?
9. What you want to be when you grow up?
10. What do you love most in life?
11. One Word to describe you.
12. Your flickr name

What is that Camel Driver Looking At?

2008-11-03T18:08:00.005-05:00

You know times are stressful when you are reading the latest entries to Found Cameras and Orphan Pictures, and you think, Hey, these photos are calling out for some silly captions. It was the photo of the lady on the camel that got me thinking this.

So readers (all two of you), I invite you to leave me a comment with your best funny photo captions. I may just send the funniest a skein of yarn, hand dyed by me.

Please entertain me. I need a laugh. Thanks.

A Long Week

2008-10-31T18:32:00.006-04:00

It's been a long week. Actually, it's been a long three weeks. This week I've been dealing with a "family emergency". That's how I've been describing it to all those clients and potential clients I've had to reschedule. Last week I was in Boston, attending a three-day conference. Week before that I was in Toronto, ostensibly for work, but mostly looking out for the Yarn Harlot.

So the details. Not that you need them, but I need to write them.

Just about a week ago my Dad was admitted to the hospital with a serious case of pneumonia. He's 72 and diabetic - a man who loves to eat and does not follow his doctor's instructions well at all. It's been a week where I've learned just how broken our U.S. health care system is. (Who can help? McCain, Obama, anyone??)

I spent two days spent working out the details of signing his health care proxy form, designating me as his health care agent. A time during which not one hospital nurse, physicians' assistant, or even orderly would give me the time of day. Apparently HIPAA regulations do not allow daughters to be informed of their parents' health situations. I was fuming. Oddly, the HIPAA restrictions magically disappear when a patient is discharged. Days of no information culminated in reams of paperwork and chaotic instructions for care, upon my Dad's release from the hospital.

This was soon followed by the pharmacy battle, wherein the daughter delivers prescriptions, Medicare refuses to pay, the patient's primary care doctor disagrees with the hospital's instructions, (at 4 PM on Halloween no less) and the daughter is left standing at CVS, confused, befuddled, and then ready to kill.

In the end, most of the prescription issues were resolved, and Dad is settled in his apartment happily eating sugar-free Jello with pineapple while watching Bargain Hunt on BBC America. Daughter is finally home, sipping red wine from a balloon sized glass, finally catching up on blogs and reading about knitting. A long week indeed.

Toronto Briefly

2008-10-21T18:37:00.001-04:00

Last week I went on a last-minute business trip. I was filling in for a colleague who wasn't able to attend a quick two-day conference in that most glamorous of cities, Toronto. Some people refer to it as home of Leaf Nation, but we 51 million knitters know that Toronto is home to the the one and only "Yarn Harlot", Ms. Stephanie Pearl-McPhee. Or as Greg Kinnear says, the "Michael Jordan of Knitting".

I flew from Boston and arrived in Toronto. While waiting in the taxi line at the airport in Toronto, I spied a thin woman with sort of "wild" hair rummaging through her bags. She was kneeling right beside me. My eyes keyed on the wavy hair, then the glasses. Oh my God! It was her!! The Yarn Harlot, right beside me! What were the odds??!! I carefully maneuvered my cellphone camera and Kinneared her.

Well, okay. I Kinneared her bag.

But turns out it wasn't HER bag. I know this because after I "surreptitiously positioned my camera low and out of her line of sight", I pressed the photo button and the flash went off. Ooopsy! Turns out, it was getting dark in the taxi line, and I'd forgotten about the automatic flash.

The woman turned and looked at me kind of funny. One look at her face and I realized she was not the Yarn Harlot. I did what any good Kinnearing photographer would do. I acted all shocked and surprised. Whoa! Isn't that weird that my camera phone just flashed!! Darn technology, must have hit a button wrong! Silly me!

Thankfully a taxi pulled up to the curb and I made my escape.

The next evening, after a day of meetings, I headed back to the hotel, and Googled my way to the Harlot's favorite yarn shop, Lettuce Knit. It was only a few miles from my hotel. Jackpot! And it was Wednesday. The shop usually closes by 5pm, but on Wednesday it stays open late. Luck was again on my side. Maybe another chance to see her! (And another opportunity to use exclamation points in my blog. Yippee!!!)

With directions from the concierge, including input from the two bellman in the hotel lobby, off I went. Soon, I was standing in Lettuce Knit, probably standing in the same spot the Harlot had stood.

Isn't the internet wonderful? Leading me to this sweet little yarn shop that I never would have found on my own? It was tiny, but filled to the brim with delicious yarns. Bins and bins of Socks that Rock. Hanks of Koigu overflowing from the shelves. In an instant the yarn fast that I'd been on for the past few months ended. I had a credit card in my purse, the U.S. / Canadian exchange rate be damned, I bought yarn. I couldn't help myself. It is Socks that Rock, in the Lettuce Knit colorway.

This little shopping spree was most certainly the highlight of my brief trip to lovely Toronto. And although I kept my eyes open for a Yarn Harlot sighting throughout my visit, it was only while waiting on my flight back to Boston that I learned of Stephanie's whereabouts. As luck would have it, while I was in Toronto, she was in Boston. Oh the irony.

Guilty Pleasures

2008-10-12T12:15:00.004-04:00

Because last week was so very busy, when this weekend arrived and I had nothing on my schedule, I was a bit out of sorts, feeling like there was probably something very important that I needed to do, and feeling like a little kid on the first day of school vacation when I realized the day was all my own and I could do anything I wanted.

So first thing Saturday morning I went to the gym. Best to get this done and over so I could get on with the really fun things.

On the drive to the gym, my odometer clicked over to 100,000 miles! Woo hoo!! This is the second car that I've purchased new and the second car I've driven to this milestone. I truly hate buying cars, so fingers crossed that my little car will last many, many, more miles. To celebrate, when I got home I dragged out the vacuum and the Windex, and got her all spiffed up. A cleaning once every 100,000 miles is about all I can manage!

So that's two chores crossed off my list. On to the fun part.

With nothing else on the agenda, I knit. I pulled the patio furniture into a patch of sun in the backyard, popped in my Ipod, and knit happily in the October sunshine for hours.

And this was the result, two knitted hats for my local knitting group's holiday charity project. The pattern is very simple.

One size fits all.

Needles: US 7 circular 16” and set of US 7 double pointed needles; Tapestry needle.
Gauge: 20 stitches = 4” in pattern.

Getting Started:
Cast on 96 stitches. Join into round being careful not to twist stitches. Work K2, P2 rib until piece measure 6.5” or desired length. (I made mine 7" and would probably do a bit longer next time.)

Decreasing for the Top:
Decrease round 1: *k2tog, p2tog; repeat from*. Now have 48 stitches.
Work K1, P1 rib for 3 rounds.

Next Decrease round: *K2tog; repeat around. You now have 24 stitches.
Next Decrease round: *K2tog; repeat around You now have 12 stitches.

Finishing: Break yarn, leaving 12” tail. Thread tail into tapestry needle and draw through remaining stitches. Pull up snug and fasten off on the inside. Weave in end.

What's New in KnitSox Land

2008-10-09T18:07:00.006-04:00

Still no word from the Nutella people, but nonetheless things are happening here in Knitsox land.

I've joined a knitting group at the local library. I'm not usually a "joiner", I usually do okay entertaining myself with the ramblings in my own head, but, I have to say this group is fun. We are about 20-30 women of varying ages and of varying knit/crochet ability. We've had two meetings so far and it's been fun to see what everyone is creating and to learn about why they joined. We've chosen a local charity, and will be knitting / crocheting scarves, hats and mittens to keep our community warm this coming winter. With the rising cost of fuel and the scary economy, I'm thinking these handmade donations will be much appreciated.

I've become a member of the Slater Mill Community Guild Studios and will be taking some combination knitting and lace knitting classes with the one and only Ms. Annie Modesitt next month. Oh joy I am so excited!!! And who knew that Slater Mill, just a few miles from my little house, is widely recognized as the birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution? Very cool indeed.

Of course the Red Sox are keeping me entertained. Jeff surprised me with SRO tix to Monday night's game versus the Los Angeles team with the too long ridiculous name. Here you can see a little picture of us, taken by the nice FanFoto man.

Notice that I am wearing a handknit scarf and holding my favorite hand knit (Noro) hat (hence the messy hat head) ! I am also wearing two pairs of handknit socks, not visible in this photo. Way to be toasty warm at Fenway in October!

SRO (Standing Room Only) tickets are a great inexpensive (a relative term in the language of Fenway) way to see the Red Sox play. We arrived just before the gates opened at 6:30 PM, climbed the ramp to the upper deck, staked out the best spot on the railing, and then stood and leaned for the next 5 hours, holding our collective breath as the boys pulled out a super exciting victory. We cheered and yelled and high-fived all the other SRO fans around us, including the very nice Romanian man standing beside me. Yes, I said Romania!!! Red Sox nation extends far and wide my friends!

So that's what's new in Knitsox land. Tell me, what's new with you?

Sunday Gratitude Links

2008-10-05T17:09:00.006-04:00

Oprah recommends keeping a gratitude journal. Here's a quick list of what I'm grateful for today.

Meeting my lovely in-law's for breakfast at IHOP
Realizing that IHOP now serves Nutella Crepes
Entering the Nutella sweepstakes. Fingers crossed!
Attending the 2nd annual Spin/Weave/Knit/Quilt Celebration at Slater Mill
Registering for not one, but two classes with the amazing Ms. Annie Modesitt
Sipping tea, while listening to Cast-On, my favorite podcast
Finishing a few more rows of my version of Smile (Ravelry link)
Wearing my gear and preparing to watch the game

Smile

2008-07-03T10:19:00.005-04:00

Have you seen this site? It's a spin-off, sort of, from PostSecret. While I'm a dedicated PS reader, checking every Sunday morning to sneak a peak into the weird, sad, sometimes perverse world of secrets that we all share, this is is so much lighter and sunnier.

While PostSecret reveals our dark side, Found Cameras and Orphan Photos reminds me of all the simple, happy, even joyful things we all have in common. It's a site born of nice people taking the time to try to return something that was lost. And the lost photos remind me of all the silly things we've all done, whether its wearing a goofy hat, posing with Elvis, looking like a tourist, playing with a baby, or just hanging out with friends.

How I Became a "Runner"

2008-06-22T09:32:00.006-04:00

Yesterday I ran my first 5k race. It was the Mike Timlin 5K Race for ALS. Actually, to be completely honest, I ran about 2/3 of a 5k race and walked the rest.

--Mike Timlin could be a movie start, don't you think?--

My journey from couch potato knitter and Red Sox fan to sort of road race runner occurred almost imperceptibly over the last few months.

It all started in February of this year, while traveling with my friend and co-worker Vicki, I found myself walking on the treadmill at the hotel gym before a day of sitting in a trade show exhibit booth. Because I'm a people-pleaser and can't ever say no, when Vicki asked if I'd "work out" with her, I went to the gym.

On that first walk, I huffed and puffed and got very, scary red-faced. Vicki and I couldn't find two treadmills side by side, so I was on one side of the gym and she was on the other. I stepped onto the machine and fiddled with the buttons to program my workout, having no idea what I was doing our how this was going to turn out. I remember setting the time for 30 minutes, and the level at "1", thinking that would be more than long enough. 10 minutes into the walk, I was breathing hard, but I continued. 20 minutes in I was getting scared I'd have a stroke. At 30 minutes, as my machine beeped that my workout was complete, I looked over to Vicki, who was still easily jogging along on her machine. So I added another 5 minutes to my walk, thinking we'd be finished soon. At the end of 5 minutes, there she was, still jogging. Oh my God, I thought, will she ever end? I could barely breath at this point, so I stopped, got off my treadmill and wondered around the gym for a bit, stopped to get a bottle of water from the reception desk, and read the spa brochure. Still, Vicki continued jogging. I found a seat in the reception area and waited.

Finally, she found me. I was so relieved to see her. That is until she said, "I'm going to go do some crunches now". Was she crazy??!! She wanted to do more! At that point this people-pleaser had had enough. I headed back to my room and watched the Today show.

Slowly, the weeks passed. Vicki said she was thinking about joining the gym near our office and asked if I'd be interested in checking it out. I said sure (people-pleaser). I thought she just wanted to go and walk around, look at the treadmills and weights, maybe take a peek at the sauna or steam room. I thought it might be fun. Then she casually mentioned that she'd brought her gym bag and we could try out the treadmills at lunch. Duh! She wanted to actually TRY the new gym, not just look at it. I'm a little slow sometimes.

So we went. I wore big sweatpants and an old ugly t-shirt. She wore a matchy matchy little gym outfit and looked adorable. She jogged. I walked and got red-faced. We did crunches. Well, more often she did crunches. I did one or two and groaned. We stretched. We lifted little hand weights.

We joined the gym. We began to go 3 or 4 times a week. I walked more. I increased the speed on my treadmill. I found I was sleeping better at night. My skin started to look clearer. I stopped eating lunch from the candy bowl on the receptionist's desk and started eating a piece of fruit and yogurt instead. I started to eat breakfast every day. I drank more water.

Then the day came when Vicki told me about the Timlin Race. She'd done it before. It was easy. People ran, jogged, and walked. It was just over 3 miles. It was easy she said again. I wasn't sure. Could I do this? I wasn't a runner, I only walked. ButI was walking 2.5 miles almost every day, and that was almost 3 miles, and if I really tried I could probably run some of that. I wasn't sure. She told me that there would be Red Sox players there. She told me that Jason Varitek was there last year. Maybe I could get an autograph. That was the clincher. I went online and registered.

And now I am a "runner", sort of. The day was hot and sunny. People were laughing and excited. I started off running with Vicki and her young son, but after the first mile, lost them in the pack when I had to stop to tie my shoe. No worries though, I continued on. I ran a bit, walked a bit, and ran some more. Strangers and fellow runners cheered me on. Little kids on bikes and elderly people in lawn chairs applauded me as I ran past driveways and front yards.

Jason Varitek was not there to cheer me on, but I did stand very close to Mike Timlin and Justin Masterson at one point. I also saw Tim Wakefield for a quick moment. It was wonderful. I finished my first "race" in 42 minutes. I wasn't first, but I certainly wasn't last. It felt great.

Deciphering The Code of Lace

2008-06-06T11:28:00.009-04:00

The thing I love about lace knitting lace is that moment when the pattern "clicks". For me, every new lace project is both a joy and a struggle. The happy moments are when I'm selecting a lace pattern and choosing just the right yarn. I'm also happy as I set up my charts, copying and resizing for my 42 year-old eyes, highlighting the repeats, and arranging it all on my KnitPicks Chart Keeper. Fiber and needles in hand, the cast on begins and my optimism remains.

The struggle usually begins about two or three pattern repeats in. One moment, all is going well, and then suddenly I come to the end of a row and realize something is wrong. Maybe there are two extra stitches or not enough. Whatever the case, I've made a mistake and the now the frustration begins. Slowly I unknit each stitch on a hunt to find my error. Sometimes the tinking is short and the error appears quickly. A missed YO or an extra knit stitch. Other times, the tinking continues for rows, the errant stitch cunningly hiding from my squinting eyes, until I throw up my hands in defeat and frog the whole darn thing.

This has happened with every lace project I've ever knit. And every time I ask myself why do I continue with this lace knitting. The answer to "Why do I do this?" is because I love that moment when when my brain "clicks" and the secret code of the pattern reveals itself to me. I can suddenly see the paired increases and decreases. I can see the structure of the pattern, the center line and the edge stitches. I am comfortable enough with the code to confidently knit each row with just a quick glance at the pattern. No longer to I need to hold the chart in a white-knuckled death grip as I go.

This time the "click" happened as I sped down the tracks from Providence to New York City on the Amtrak Acela Express. Maybe because I was sitting in the quiet car, away from the distractions of cell phones and where conversations couldn't raise above a whisper, I was finally able to focus my attention completely on my knitting and decipher the code.

Gossamer Stars Scarf

2008-05-25T12:06:00.003-04:00

Its complete except for the blocking. Such a fun pattern, just the kind I like - complex enough to keep my entertained, simple enough to knit while watching baseball. While I'm very happy with the finished scarf, I think I would have liked it more in a solid yarn, but I'll hold off on final thoughts until it's done blocking and I can actually wear it.

You can learn more about the pattern and the project by finding me on Ravelry.

And speaking of Ravelry, I've already queued up my next project - Print O' The Wave Stole by the lovely Eunny Jang. I really am enjoying knitting lace, and for this next project, I'll finally use the very pretty Malabrigio Lace Weight I received as a gift last Christmas.

Now I'm off to get ready for a typical American Memorial Day weekend, first a cook-out with some friends, then a baseball game. Through it all, a heartfelt Thank You to all the brave men and woman we honor today. God Bless America.

Like a Cat

2008-05-18T09:21:00.001-04:00

If there is a sliver of sunshine on the carpet, Max will put his nose in it.

Random Goodness

2008-05-17T08:21:00.009-04:00

It seems that months always pass between posts here, and I really have no explanation for that. Instead of boring you and me with the "why I haven't posted in so long" post, I will just jump right in and act as though I've been posting all along. Here is some random goodness to get things started.

Jeff and I and some good friends attempted to wait out a rain delay last night at Fenway Park. We first stood in puddles beneath the bleachers, sipping beer and eating a ballpark dinner of sausage, hot dogs and pretzels. When our feet got too wet we found refuge in a stairwell near the KidNation headquarters. For an hour and a half we stood in the dampness, talking, laughing and periodically checking the doppler radar on my blackberry. The game was finally postponed, but during the wait I had a sip or two of Smithwick's Ale, (properly pronounced "Smiddicks"). It tasted surprisingly chocolatey. Yum!

On the knitting front, I've been making rapid progress on the Gossamer Stars Scarf from the IK Summer 2008 issue. Lace knitting makes me very happy. The picture here is taken pre-blocking and about 110 rows from completion. The yarn is a lovely silk hand-dyed of unknown brand. If I don't take a nap this afternoon, I might just finish it.

But, since last night's rain out is now scheduled for 8:35 tonight and I am such an old poop who has a hard time staying awake past ten o'clock, a nap seems a neccesity. Especially if I plan to have another Smiddicks!

Snow Day

2008-01-14T17:48:00.000-05:00

The forecast last night was for 6-12 inches of snow, beginning after midnight and continuing through the day today. By noon yesterday, I'd already decided that if I awoke and the snow was falling I would was working from home today.

It is so nice to be able to boot up my laptop, switch on the Blackberry and be connected to the office. I participated in two conference calls, wrote a new project proposal, and arranged reservations for two upcoming conferences. All in all, a very productive day.

The actual office is just one town away, but on these days when the city plows have yet to clear the street, the daily newspaper is never delivered, and the snow piles up on my driveway and covers my little car, it is such a treat to be able to accomplish the day's to do list from the comfort of my office-slash-knitting room. And to not have to wash my hair.

Halfway through the second conference call, my colleagues seemed to have the situation well in hand, so I began casting on for "A Child's French Sock" from Knitting Vintage Socks. That's the problem with the office-slash-knitting room. It's a bit of a distraction. Just a bit.

Lilly-ish?

2008-01-09T18:57:00.000-05:00

I have a new and very fashionable friend who knows all the best designer names. She finds the best deals at TJ Maxx and has introduced me to a whole new world of wardrobe possibilities. She especially loves anything colorful, bright, with big crazy prints and is a big fan of anything Lilly.

I think she might like these socks.

They are knit from 2 skeins of Plymouth Knit, Col, Colorway 46 on size 3 needles.

New Year, New Look

2008-01-05T18:48:00.000-05:00

Funny how with one page turn of the calendar people everywhere feel the need to re-organize and de-clutter. My cubicle at work is sparkling clean, with files neatly filed and not a wrinkled post-it note in sight. The blog looks different today, though I'm still experimenting with new colors and layouts. Sadly, my little house has not benefited from this New Year need to refresh. The Christmas tree is still standing, though the lights are now unplugged.

Sorry Dude, You're Still a Rookie

2007-10-31T19:18:00.000-04:00

Paps is on Letterman tonight, along with David Spade and Penn & Teller.
Manny is on Leno Friday, with the Backstreet Boys.
Big Papi is on Conan Friday, with Jerry Seinfeld.
Dustin was signing autograph's at Modell's in Medford today at 3 PM.

Personally, I think Dustin and Backstreet Boys should have done a switch-a-roo.

Halloween Memories

2007-10-31T18:13:00.000-04:00

Very few trick-or-treaters come to our house. We live on a short little dead-end street, right off a main route, which is full of whizzing cars and dotted with strip malls and fast food joints. I'm waiting for the doorbell to ring, and trying to remember all the halloween costumes I wore as a kid. Here's a partial list.

Casper the Friendly Ghost - I can still remember how the mask made my face all steamy.
Geisha - wearing an authentic kimono that someone had given my parents. Probably purchased by a drunken sailor at a cheap souvenior shop, during liberty in some Asian port. Like most families, we had our share of drunken sailors.
Birthday Present - my own creation, a large box, covered in shiny yellow and red wrapping paper, with holes for my arms and a giant bow on my head. It was hard to move my arms. In fact, that was the year some big kid stole by pumpkin full of candy. I was the perfect target, utterly defenseless.
Princess - another plastic '70s mask and sweaty face. Much like the masks worn at Fenway earlier this year.
Statue of Liberty - a green sheet, a handmade paper torch, and a Burger King crown wrapped in tin foil.
Cowardly Lion - a "real" costume, with a swinging tail and a furry mane, sewn by my Aunt Mary, worn the year before by my cousin Steven.
Gypsy - many scarves, a lacy shawl, peasant skirt, hoop earrings and bangles.
Baseball Player - my cousin Steven's old little league uniform. Much, much too big for me.

Hey, there's a knock on the door! Gotta run. Happy Halloween!

Keep Your Chin Up

2007-10-22T18:35:00.000-04:00

Last weekend I finished the Madeira Cascade Scarf. Apologies for the very dark image. And no, I don't have a giraffe neck. I'm just following the advice of a kind photographer I met once while vacationing in the Dominican Republic.

You know the story. The photographer is hired by the hotel to take pictures of the guests poolside, happy, smiling, and holding umbrella drinks. You feel like a supermodel when the picture is snapped and then you see it on the huge display board in the lobby that evening on your way to the dinner buffet and you'll pay any price to get it off that wall, because you're thinking, "Oh My God, is that what I really look like in a bathing suit???"

Anyway, that kind Caribbean photographer told me to always keep my chin up when being photographed. It's one piece of advice I always follow.

This scarf pattern was enjoyable and fairly easy to memorize after a few repeats. The yarn, Crystal Palace Kid Merino, is pretty, but tempermental and sticky, as mohair can be. Undoing mistakes was annoying. This particluar colorway of purple and green looks nice with my denim jacket. In the end, I'm happy enough with it, but as you maybe can see in my very bad photo, it is a bit floppy, lacking in structure. Next time, a sturdier yarn might be a better choice.

I Am So Doing This Again

2007-10-14T21:48:00.000-04:00

My hand dyed yarn was hanging in the kitchen drying today. I kept walking by it, squeezing it and wishing it would just DRY FASTER! Finally, the temptation was too great, and I wound it up into a beautiful yarn cake with my new ball winder and swift. (Most fun toy ever!)

When I picked up the finished cake I had to admit it was still a little damp. Then I started to worry that all my beautiful hand dyed yarn would get all moldy and smelly, so I unwound it, from the outside of the ball, back onto the swift, and now have this very pretty skein.

I can't believe I actually created something so pretty. And I can't wait to do this again.

Hand Dyed Yarn!

2007-10-14T08:49:00.000-04:00

Suffice it to say I feel a bit foolish after yesterday's somewhat sappy and romantic post. Yes, Fenway is a beauty, but that game was butt-ugly after Mr. Gagne made his appearance.

Moving on to actual beautiful things, I will share with you pictures of my first yarn-dying adventure. Thanks go to my knitting addicted but blogless friend Cheryl who did all the preparation and organizing. She magically transformed her massive garage into a lovely yarn dying studio.

First we mixed up the dyes and soaked our yarn. After the yarn bloomed, we jumped right into the painting. I was having so much with the whole thing, that I didn't stop to take photos until is was all wrapped and ready for steaming.

Here is Cheryl warping her yarn in preparation of dying it in a self-striping pattern. Cheryl made the warping board herself, using directions provided by Scout. The yarn is Trekking Natural from Carodan Farms. The dyes are Jacquard Acid Dyes from Knit Picks.

You can see her hand-painted variegated wrapped and ready for the steaming too.

Here our creations are put into the steamer. And steam they did. About 20 minutes into the process, Cheryl's husband noticed the smell of steamy wool (very stinky!) and came to alert us of the mess we were making in the kitchen. Nothing major really, just a lot of water. We turned down the heat and let the yarn cook for another 20 minutes or so.

We rinsed it well with cold water.

And admired the very vivid colors.

And hung our masterpieces up to dry.

I didn't get a picture of the completed self-striping yarn, but hopefully can show you the finished product in a later post.

This was a fun, fun afternoon! And before I forget, special thanks to Sarge, who supervised all of our activities. He is such a good boy!

America's Most Beloved Ballpark

2007-10-13T17:44:00.000-04:00

The pre-game activity at Fenway is always a joy to watch, seeing the players running and stretching in the outfield, the grounds crew hauling equipment into the storage areas, the fans manuevering to their seats. It is one of my favorite parts of the game. And last night, Game 1 of the 2007 ALCS, did not disappoint.

Do you think the man who said Fenway should be imploded would feel differently if he had seen this in person?

The Internet is a Weird and Wonderful Place

2007-10-11T20:46:00.000-04:00

With only 4 hours of sleep last night, I can't come up with anything on my own, so I'm completely stealing this link from Heather, who writes:

"Photographer William Hundley gets people to jump underneath sheets and fabrics and catches them in mid-air, completely hidden behind the fabric. Eerily beautiful."

Enjoy and sleep tight.

Insomnia Induced Blog Post

2007-10-11T04:39:00.000-04:00

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!

Goofballs Unite

2007-10-08T19:08:00.000-04:00

My copy arrived about a week or so ago, the Saturday before I left for San Jose. I planned to read it on the plane.

But, because I have absolutely zero self-control, I read it all in one sitting, the day before my trip. Which meant I had to buy another book for my trip. (Am I the only one out there who is seduced time and time again by the crisp new books at the Hudson News stores in local airports?)

The book was funny and sad, and more like a letter from a good friend than a self-help, knitting book, but we all knew it would be wonderful, right? I loved the part about texting the guy at the hardware store. Brilliant.

Here's the part where world's collide. I was having lunch with my boss, the president of the company. His wife, a former librarian, is working part-time at a book store. He was telling me how she's really enjoying it, and I said something about how my perfect job would be working at either a book store or a yarn store. More specifically, I told him that either of those would be a perfect part-time job, after I retire, because, you know, right now I work for his company, and that is of course the absolute perfect job, how could it not be?? [Apologies for the excessive italics]

So he says, "Oh, you knit? Do you know the Yarn Harlot?" I just about fell out of my chair. Turns out his wife is also a knitter and she is a big fan. So instead of just saying yes and smiling politely, I start exclaiming, "Does she read Crazy Aunt Purl?? She is great, she just released her first book and I read it in one day, and it was really good..." That's when his eyes glazed over and he changed the subject.

This is way I'll never be a big important executive. I cannot contain my inner goofball.

Madeira Cascade Scarf Update

2007-10-08T18:26:00.000-04:00

Progress continues on the Madeira Cascade Scarf. I worked on this last night while catching up on DVR'd episodes of Dancing with the Stars. Poor Jennie Garth, her face was so sad and crumpled after Derrick tripped over her dress and they both tumbled to the ground. At one point I was really worried that maybe she had broken a tooth or something.

I never expected to be sympathizing for Kelly Taylor, but for some reason she's grown on me. I'm not positive, but maybe it's because she's got the beginnings of crow's feet.

Back to the scarf. I love knitted lace patterns that are (somewhat) easy to memorize. Perhaps that is why I've made at least three Branching Outs so far? There is a good rhythm to this pattern and I'm enjoying the look of the delicate knitted lace panels. The yarn is very drapey and light.

I'm also looking forward to grafting the two pieces together to make one seamless scarf with matching ends. Such clever design! And it will give me a chance to practice my Kitchener Stitch, which I vow to someday master.

I can't wait to wear my finished Madeira. Who knows, maybe it will detract attention from my fine lines and wrinkles.

Sunday, Perfect Sunday

2007-10-07T19:32:00.000-04:00

Sunday is the one day of the week when you can kick back, relax and enjoy the people and things you love the most. Today was a great Sunday.

After a tasty breakfast of french toast at IHOP with Jeff's parents, we headed home to meet up with some friends who were coming by to take away our old treadmill. As with most treadmills, it sat unused for long stretches of time, cluttering up the guest room and taking up valuable space that could be better devoted to a beloved hobby, in my case knitting. Of course, I could have used it for this, but instead we gave it to people who will actually use it to exercise. Or so they say.

After waving goodbye to the treadmill, I drove a few miles to Slater Mill, where I had the pleasure of meeting some new Ravelry friends in person. What a blast. I saw knitters, spinners, weavers, dyers, felters, quilters, and basketweavers. If you are local, please make time to visit the mill, which will (hopefully) soon be home to a new Fiber Arts Center. I'll share more details as they arrive.

And then, of course, I headed home to watch the boys complete the sweep. What a perfect Sunday.

"Fenway should be imploded"

2007-10-06T18:41:00.000-04:00

That's according to a man I met last week in San Jose, CA. I was at an industry convention and he stopped by my company's exhibit. We talked a bit about the type of work we both do and then he noticed that I was from Massachusetts and asked if I was a Red Sox fan.

I smiled and said yes and he suddenly turned from a friendly colleague to an angry sports fan. "They should tear that place down and start from scratch! The bathrooms! The concessions! That place is a pit! It is so uncomfortable!" I just laughed and told him baseball isn't about being comfortable. I'm sure any good Red Sox fan would agree with me.

He is right about Fenway lacking in comfort. Anyone who has spent nine innings sitting just past Pesky's pole with your neck twisted to the left and your knees jammed into the back of seat in front of you knows the physical pain of Fenway.

But the pain is a small price to pay for the majestic beauty of the place. Those same tortorous seats also have the most fantastic views. If you get to the game early enough you can see Tek striding out to the bullpen to prepare his pitchers. You can see Dice-K throwing long tosses to the trainer, getting ready for battle. You can be mesmerized by the brilliant green field and the red, white, and blue of the American flag snapping in the breeze above.

In the past few years, I've been fortunate enough to have enjoyed a seat in almost every section at the park, from the $12 bleacher seats in row 37 under the scoreboard in centerfield to the la-dee-da much much too expensive front row seats in the EMC club, complete with a waiter and my own personal television screen. I've been comfortable and I've been uncomfortable. I've eaten gourmet meals and Fenway franks.

And I've enjoyed each and every game.

The man in San Jose is not the first person to tell me that Fenway should be destroyed. And I'm sure he won't be the last. All I know is that it is one of my favorite places on earth and I'm thrilled to have experienced the beauty and uncomfortableness of it so many times.

Go Sox!

Friday Feast on Sunday

2007-09-30T07:36:00.000-04:00

I've been a bad blogger, spending on my time on Ravelry lately. But Marguerite inspired me to share a Friday Feast.

Appetizer: What is your favorite type of art?
This is a very difficult question. "Art" is so varied, so my favorites can vary too, depending on my mood and where my head is at any given time. Maybe it's great film, theatre, literature, poetry, sculpture, fine art paintings, photography, or contemporary art. It all depends.

Soup: When was the last time you got a free lunch (or breakfast or dinner)? Who paid for it?
Last week I attended an all-day seminar on Search Engine Marketing and was surprised to arrive at 7:30 and find an actual breakfast with scrambled eggs and bacon and home fries being served, instead of the usual mini -muffins and coffee. My employer paid for it all, so it was free to me.

Salad: On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how emotional are you?
I'd give myself a 7.

Main Course: Approximately how long do you spend each day responding to emails?
30 minutes per day?

Dessert: To what temperature do you usually set your home’s thermostat?
The highest it is set is 72 F, but only for an hour or so, on the coldest evenings of winter. Overnight it goes down to 55 F and we use lots of blankets. And the dog.

Never Refuse Peanut Butter Crackers

2007-07-16T18:50:00.000-04:00

As I raced out the door, Jeff kindly offered me some peanut butter crackers. “Take a few. Put them in your purse. For a snack” Haughtily, I refused. “Oh, I’m fine. I’ll get something at the airport”.

Traffic was slow but I did manage to arrive at Logan with time to spare. I paid my $2 to check my bag at the curb, headed inside, took off my shoes and shuffled my way through security. I found the gate, found a seat, then realized my cell phone was dead, gathered my purse and my laptop, my book and my knitting and went in search of spot near an electrical outlet. Finally I sat.

Not too much later, I realized I was thirsty, really thirsty, from all the shuffling and lugging. I checked my phone. It was almost charged. I called Jeff, told him I’d arrived safely and now I was dying of thirst, so I was off to find some water. He wished me good luck. I unplugged my phone, gathered up my possessions and walked until I found a stand selling water. The stand also sold beautiful apples and bananas and turkey sandwiches wrapped in plastic. I ignored all this bounty and bought just one bottle of water. With my computer, my files, IPod, phone, power cords, book, knitting, and purse, I couldn’t carry much more. “I’ll eat on the plane”, I thought.

I boarded the plane, found my seat, buckled my seatbelt, stowed my belongings, pulled out my book, took a sip of water and settled back for the flight. We moved about 500 feet, when the captain announced we were in a ground hold, waiting out a major line of storms from Maine to New Jersey. No westbound flights were allowed to fly. It being Boston and all, that means pretty much everyone was stuck. The waiting was inconvenient, but I had my knitting and a good book, so heck, I was ok with waiting. But I was getting hungry. I should have taken the peanut butter crackers. I searched my purse and found a few mints and three pieces of gum. I popped the gum in my mouth and opened my book. Then I knit. Then I read some more.

Finally, three hours later, we were airborne. At 32,000 feet, the flight attendant announced that the passengers in the main cabin (a.k.a. the peasants) were welcome to purchase a snack - salads for $5, chips and candy for $3 each. A snack?! She’s kidding right? Not even a little bag of pretzels? Nothing?! It had to be my imagination, but I swear I could hear the first class passengers laughing at us over the clink of their china plates and silver flatware.

I watched closely as the food cart inched its way toward me, straining to count the exact number of Asian chicken salads piled on top, at the same time scanning the passengers in front of me, trying to calculate the percentage that would choose salad over potato chips or a Three Musketeers bar. The salads were going fast, but I tried to remain hopeful.

Sadly, the very last salad went to the young girl in the seat next to me. We were in row 23. There are 36 rows on the plane. Even sadder, a bald guy in row 22 scored the last plastic fork, so it looked like the poor girl would have to eat her salad with her hands. She was resourceful though. She bought some chips too. “Maybe I can use them as a shovel”, she proclaimed.

I was next. I scowled at the flight attendant as she charged me $3 for a candy bar and I swear she did a little jig and trilled merrily, “we are only as good as our caterers”. Oh yeah, that’s reassuring. American Airlines is only as good as its caterer. The caterer who is unable to master the mathematic complexity involved in supplying one fork with each salad, never mind providing enough substantial food for over 100 passengers. Yeah, I feel much better now.

Asian chicken salad girl was very kind. She shared her chips with me.

On Flying Away

2007-07-15T09:22:00.000-04:00

This little guy was attached to the front door when Max and I returned from our Sunday morning stroll around the neighborhood.

I say attached because despite my opening and closing the door twice while trying to locate my camera, he did not budge. I expected him to fly way, but he chose to hang out at my front door. It's easy to believe that he enjoys the peacefulness of my little world.

In a few hours I head to California. Nothing major, just a tradeshow exhibit in San Diego, but I'll be away from home until Friday night. And I'll be missing this little world the whole time.

Blogging Inspiration Comes in All Shapes and Sizes

2007-06-20T17:15:00.000-04:00

After achieving the admirable (for me) milestone of writing 200 posts to this blog, I promptly lost my blogging mojo and disappeared. For whatever reason, (life, work, busy, blah, blah, blah, no knitting, blah, blah, blah) I haven't written in months. After all that time, what could possibly inspire me to write again?

This could. This very disturbing picture that Jeff sent me last week.

My first reaction was Ewww!!! That is gross!! Maybe it's me, but Wally and his new friends, Lefty and Righty, seem strangely pornographic. (Even the names give me the creeps...) Jeff didn't understand my disgust , which made me worried that I was some kind of weirdo pervert.

But on on Sunday afternoon, sitting in the Fenway bleachers, soaking up the sun and watching all the pre-game activities, I spied Lefty and Righty running around the field. I pointed them out to Jeff. Before I could say anything more than "Look!", the Giants fan sitting to my left chimed in with "Wow, there is something strangely phallic about those two."

Thank you.

So, being the nutcase that I am, I did a little more research. Seems that Lefty and Righty are not new at all. A Red Sox Fan From Pinstripe Territory wrote about Righty's love for Adam Stern more than a year ago. (click the link and scroll down, the pic is priceless.)

Wally himself first introduced his "new" buddies on his blog in May 2006. On a side note, it seems that Wally has also lost his blogging mojo. He hasn't written a new post since September 1, 2006. He does have big hands, which could make typing difficult, so I'll cut him a break.

P.S. - I can only imagine the number weirdo perves who will now find this blog as a result of this post. It's great to be back!

What I Need

2007-02-07T18:47:00.000-05:00

The alarm went off at 5 AM, I was on the road by 6:15, at a marketing seminar until 10, and back in my windowless cubicle writing and re-writing the latest client proposal til after 6 PM. When I finally finished editing and proofing and formatting and paginating, I hit convert to PDF. My computer immediately said "No way lady, it's been a long day and I am DONE", and promptly froze up, while the tears welled up in my eyes. Sigh.

I put on my hat, scarf, gloves, and down jacket, got into my freezing cold car and drove home. During the frigid ride, I realized what I need.

I need the Red Sox. I need sunshine. I need summer. I need to wear my Varitek jersey, jean shorts and flip flops. I need a hot dog and a beer. I need to hold my cap over my heart as the national anthem plays. I need soft serve ice cream in a blue plastic batting cap. I need to hear the giggly antics of Jerry and Don. I need to hear Sweet Caroline. I need to hear the deep baritone voice of the Fenway Peanut guy. I need to see Dennis Drinkwater in his position behind the plate. I need to see Papi flipping his helmet as he bounces into home.

Until then, I'm watching this. Over and over and over. It'll help, but not for much longer.

Kathryn is 10. She Looks Good in Pink

2007-01-30T18:57:00.000-05:00

The EZ Seamless Hybrid is done.

Me: [models the completed sweater] It's too small. I think. Do you think it's too small?
Him: [raises eyebrows]
Me: The neck isn't really done...Maybe once I finish the neck and sew up the underarms...
Him: [smiles nervously]

A few minutes later....after squirming out of the sweater and placing it back in the knitting basket.

Me: Maybe I'll make it into a cardigan. What do you think?
Him: For Kathryn? It might be nice for Kathryn...
Me: [lowers eyebrows]
Him: [smiles nervously]

Resolutions

2007-01-02T18:53:00.000-05:00

I wrote a long and thoughful post about all the things I learned during 2006 and all the lofty things I plan to accomplish in 2007. It was written after a nice glass (or two) of delicious German Riesling, and though wine- induced insights often have merit, I've decided to not bore you. Your welcome.

Instead, I'll show you what's been keeping me busy so far this year. Between watching old movies, the occasional college bowl game, and eating the remnants of holiday treats, I knit round and round on my future EZ Seamless Hybrid sweater.

Stop laughing, I will too finish a sweater.

The photo was taken during my lunch break today. Despite all my planning and goals and overall general "it's a clean slate" New Year's zeal, I wasn't quite ready to go a whole eight hours focused solely on the job. My hands were itching for wool, and my mind needed some quite time too. So I zipped into Subway for a lowfat turkey on wheat and a diet coke (resolutions you know) and then drove to my favorite local park, where I sat and knit a few more rounds while catching up on knitting podcasts for 30 minutes.

Maybe I should add lunchtime knitting to my list of 2007 resolutions. It is much more enjoyable than lowfat turkey.

He DOES Listen to Me

2006-12-29T17:02:00.000-05:00

Did you all have a happy Christmas, Hanuka, Kwanza, Solstice?

Like a typical schedule-crazy American I am already planning for next year. I will take off the week between Christmas and New Year's because it will only require 3 vacation days for 9 days off (including weekends). Three for one is always a good deal.

Until then, I have some wonderful gifts to keep me busy.

During all my rushing and shopping and general consumer nuttiness the week before Christmas, I saw an "Opening Soon" sign in my neighborhood for one of my all time favorite stores. In a fit of excitement, I told him all about it, never expecting him to really be interested.

He also listened when I babbled on and on about my new found love for one Ms. Elizabeth Zimmerman. And Victorian Lace shawls.

And when my SIL asked him what I'd like in the family gift grab, he suggested these. I just about died. These are the softest, most luxurious, decadant gloves I have ever owned. And I never, ever, ever would have bought them for myself.

Finally, all these photos were taken with my new digital camera. It is a beautiful, shiny thing, full of mysterious buttons and dials. But I am hopeful, no, I am confident, that I will learn to master its complexity so I can share with you all (all four of you who read this blog) some lovely photos in the new year.

Honestly, I feel a bit silly writing a post about what I got for Christmas. I am a grown woman after all - at least I'm expected to act like one - which means no going on and on about all the stuff you got.

But, you know what, I'm happy that my husband, who often appears not to be listening, actually was. And I'm very pleased that he took the time to really think about what might make me happy.

When I was a little girl my mother used to tell a story about how one Christmas, before I was born, my Dad gave her a pair of boots. Not sleek, fashionable leather boots, but big clunky nylon boots with fake fur cuffs and rubber soles. When she opened the box, looked at the contents, and looked up at him confused, he exclaimed with glee, "You can wear them when you shovel the driveway!!" The next year he gave her a hair dryer. Pretty soon, he just gave up. In early December he would hand her the Sears catalog and tell her to pick out exactly what she wanted so there would be no misunderstandings or hurt feelings. Not the best solution, but it was the best he could do.

They say the man you choose to marry will likely have traits similar to those of your father. That might be true, and I love my Dad very much, but he could certainly learn a thing or two from my husband when it comes to gift giving.

The Cookie Swap

2006-12-18T18:00:00.000-05:00

My office is a pretty low-key place. You'll find no secret workplace romances, no one from accounting wearing a lampshade at the holiday party, and no x-rated copies being made on the new color copier.

What you will find is a bunch of ladies who really get into the annual cookie swap. We spend the weekend before mixing, sifting, baking and wrapping. The day of we drink too much hot, very sweet (non-alcoholic) cider and eat way too many baked goods.

Spiced Crackle Cookies

Makes 4 dozen cookies
Prep: 20 minutes. Refrigerate: 1 hour
Bake at 350° for 12 minutes

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
¼ cup molasses
1 egg
2 cup all purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon white pepper
1 tablespoon crystallized ginger, chopped
¾ cup confectioners’ sugar

In large bowl, beat together butter, sugar and molasses on medium speed until blended. Beat in egg until blended, scraping down side of bowl. Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, cinnamon and white pepper in clean bowl. Add to butter mixture; beat on low speed until blended. Stir in crystallized ginger. Cover; refrigerate one hour.

Heat oven to 350°. Lightly coat 2 large baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray. Place confectioners’ sugar in bowl. Dust hand lightly with flour. Roll dough into 1 inch balls. Immediately roll each ball in confectioners’ sugar to completely coat. Place on prepared baking sheets at least 2 inches apart. Bake at 350° for 12 minutes or until cookies have expanded and flattened; the tops will be covered in cracks. Transfer to wire racks. Cool completely.

And should she get any unexpected gifts this year...

2006-12-03T07:36:00.000-05:00

...she would buy yarn to knit and crochet.

Pictures Pending

2006-12-02T19:15:00.000-05:00

Updated, with pictures...

Tree...check

Kid sock yarn...check
Pictures...blogger, we have a problem.

Believe me, I've taken the photos, but beta.blogger seems to be suffering some malady and the nice toolbar with the 'insert picture' icon has gone AWOL. Hopefully, it will return soon, so I can share my thrilling photos with the world.

Speaking of photos, did I tell you that when we were in Florence I ruined by Kodak Easy Share Dock? Before we left for the trip, Jeff and I stopped at Brookstone to buy a voltage converter that would allow him to charge is Ipod and me to charge my cheap, but nonetheless reliable Kodak digital camera while we were on the road. Those Brookstone salespeople are so agressive. Can I help you?!!! What can I show you??? We managed to survive the attack and find the voltage converters without stumbling and landing into one of those vibrating massaging chairs.

Once in Florence, we dicussed (argued) about how the universal converter actually worked. Finally, we plugged it into a funny italian socket, which has the vertical plug openings instead of horizontal. Those crazy Italians.

Actually, we didn't just "plug it in". Jeff had to do some major finagaling (is that a word?) balancing and manuvering the plug to stabilize it in the outlet. After about 15 minutes of electrical acrobatics, the converter was in place and the Easy Share dock was connected. Then we fell asleep. (It had been a busy day filled with much walking and museum-going.And wine. And gelato.)

Ten minutes later Jeff woke with a start, jumped off the IKEA-like, low to the ground italian bed and sprinted to the outlet. Little wisps of white smoke puffed into the air. The acrid smell of burning electrical wires filled the room. The Brookstone converter was in fact, JUNK, and my Easy Share Dock was toast.

Now, to show you my yarn, I must attach two wires, first to the camera, then to the computer and to the power source. I'm shocked that it works.

Hopefully, when blogger is fixed I can show you pictures. Until then, rest assured, my weekend plans are right on course.

Hoping for Inspiration

2006-12-01T19:17:00.000-05:00

Don't you just love Friday? I plan to catch up with family, put up the Christmas tree, and continue knitting socks.

This jumble of knitted goodness will eventually become gifts for some special kids in my life. These first three pairs are for the older niece and nephews, all between 10 and 14. so the colors are fairly routine. They look a bit bright here, but believe me, the are much more muted in "real life".

The remaining yet to be knit pairs are for three handsome nephews, all between the ages of 3 and 6. I'd like to use some bright and cheery "kid" colors, but haven't been inspired by what's in my stash...yet. Hopefully this weekend I'll find just the right color combinations.

Sweet Potato Casserole

2006-11-23T10:56:00.000-05:00

I...

Found the recipe
Printed the recipe
Shopped for the ingrediants
Mashed the sweet potatoes
Beat the eggs
Mixed in the heavy cream
Packed the brown suger
Combined the dry ingrediants
Sprinkled the topping
Washed the bowls
Loaded the dishwasher
Turned on the oven to pre-heat

He:
Said "the oven just beeped"
Placed the casserole dish on the rack

Guess who wants credit for the cooking? It's great to be part of the team!

Happy Thanksgiving All!

KnitSox and Chocolate, Italian Style

2006-11-13T09:20:00.000-05:00

What a glorious week! This was the view from our charming Florence hotel, The Hotel Cellai.

Imagine my surprise to open the weathered green shutters at our window and see this majestic site. It literally took my breath away.

The week was full of walking, shopping, wine, pasta, gelato, and yes...YARN. On day three, we walked south along Via Calzaiuoli to the Ponte Vecchio, eyes open for Beatrice Galli's yarn shop.

I had dutifully done my pre-departure research, googling and printing the website map. Unfortunately, I'd left all my research on my desk at home! Not to worry, Florence is full of little internet cafes, tucked away in medieval stone buildings, where you can sit and surf while sipping an espresso or glass of chianti. After a quick stop and a little refreshment Jeff and I found what we were looking for.

Honestly, we found what I was looking for. Like a dear and wonderful husband, he took my photo, and then sat on a bench inside the shop as I ooohed and aaaahed and admired it all. The owner, Beatrice was so sweet and charming. She speaks very little english, but did manage to tell me that most of her customers are Americans and Japanese.

In appreciation of Jeff always being so understanding and supportive of my need for yarn and yarn-related discussions and detours worldwide, I found some lovely italian stripey yarn to knit him a pair of socks once the Christmas knitting winds down.

Yarn in hand, we then wound our way through little cobblestone streets and came upon a tiny shop that made beautiful homemade chocolate. Another perfect find!

Here are the results of our wandering, spread out on a little cafe table alongside the Palazzo Vecchio. Knit Sox and Chocolate indeed!

If you are my family who have asked, did you take any more pictures??? go here. Of even if you aren't family, please feel welcome to take a peek.

Big Box Blues

2006-11-05T11:13:00.000-05:00

My jacket is missing a button. With a vacation trip just a day away, I need a jacket with all its buttons. I hopped in my car and drove to the local Jo-Anne's, which had recently moved from a small shop down the street to a much larger store a few more miles away, in a new shopping plaza next to Lowe's and Circuit City and Bed, Bath and Beyond. I parked and headed through the big automatic doors.

The doors opened and I squinted. The walls, floors, and ceilings went on forever and were all painted stark white. I wished I had sunglasses. I gazed down the long aisles in front of me, trying to find my way to the buttons. One black button with four holes. That was all I needed.

In front of me were Christmas decorations. Bins and bins of green and red, glittery, shiny, sparkly, plastic and nylon junk went on forever. Fake plastic reindeer with blinking red noses, singing Santa's with white fuzzy beards and red plastic boots, bright while angels with fuzzy silver wings and sparkling gold halos, piled up high and hanging from the rafters. Christmas was everywhere.

To my right was the Scrapbooking section. Aisles and aisles of stickers and tape, markers and papers. Silver and gold trinkets and charms, frames, and glue and glitter. Neon pens and pencils. Pink and yellow dinosaur stencils and garden fairy stamps. Plastic crimpers and rollers and scissors, in every color of the rainbow.

In the far right corner of the store, was the yarn. "Okay, this is my world", I thought. I was wrong. Synthetic fluff and fur and glitter and metallics were overflowing from white wire bins. The colors were bright and loud and garish. I was reminded of a big raucous New Year's Eve party, with sparkles and confetti spread on tables, where the band plays too loud and you have to yell to talk to your date. Where was the sock yarn? Where were the solid colors? Where were the tweeds? I longed for the local yarn shop, with wooden shelves full of natural fibers.

Then for a moment, I was excited. Hanging on a pegboard at the furthest end of the section was a display of bamboo needles. Ahhh! I thought, I need a pair of 16 inch circs, #5. Hopeful, I approached the wall of familiar green packages, only to find sizes 10, 10.5, and 13. The perfect size for a fun fur scarf, but not what I needed. The button search resumed.

Finally, after walking past silver frames, black bordered mirrors, holiday scented potpourri candles, bright red and gold silk geraniums, purple polka dot fabric lined baskets, covered bridge puzzles and neon bright play-doh, I spied the buttons. After walking through two aisles of crystals, beads, rhinestones, bells, and assorted novelties of every shape and size, I saw a single rack of black buttons.

I picked up a package of two buttons, held them close against my jacket and compared. The color was right. Black around the edges, with a swirl of black and grey in the center and four little holes. But the size wasn't right, a little too small. I reached for the next largest size. Too big. They looked like dinner plates compared to what I was wearing. Sigh. I reached to put these back, when I realized that between the big and small, there was an empty hook. A million buttons, but the size I needed was sold out.

Determined to have a wearable jacket, I thought I could use the smaller size, if I replaced all the buttons. Only three buttons. That was possible. I contemplated my two choices again, and decided that, yes, the smaller buttons would do the trick. I grabbed two strips from the rack and headed back to the front of the store to the cashier.

Where was the checkout area?? I scanned the horizon and finally spotted the lighted numbers 1 through 7 overhead, that indicated seven registers lined up in a row. I headed off to the right, but then realized that the only route to the counter was a long twisting aisle, surrounded on both sides by candy. A tunnel of candy. There was no exit, except through this never-ending tunnel of candy.

At that moment, my senses overwhelmed and my patience worn thin, I cursed all the executives of the Jo-Anne's corporation. Evil, every last one of them. I imagined the poor tired Mom, who, with little time to spare in her busy day browses the aisles of the local Jo-Anne's with Junior strapped into the carriage. She is hoping to find a simple craft, something to relax her in those few quiet moments at night, after the dishes are washed and the kids are asleep. Maybe a rug-hooking kit or a scrapbook page full of jack o' lanterns to dress up the photos of Junior taken on Halloween. And after pushing that damn cart through every manner of plastic junk and synthetic sparkle, all of which is ultimately destined for a landfill somewhere, she comes upon this evil sugar tunnel. Perfectly positioned within toddler reach. Pure evil. I scowled, paid my $2 for four buttons and headed out through the automatic doors.

As I sat in my little car, and started up the engine, I took a deep breath, placed the four wrong-sized buttons in my purse, and eagerly anticipated the quiet of my little house.

Ahhhh....

2006-11-03T19:49:00.000-05:00

Our journey to Florence doesn't officially begin until Monday afternoon. Tomorrow and Sunday will be full of laundry, packing, and last minute errands. But for now, I am relaxed.

Winded

2006-10-30T18:39:00.000-05:00

The hot shot in green at the front of the pack is my nephew. Don't you just love how they all follow the ball. Defense, strategy, pass to a teammate? Nah...just chase that ball!

Actually, my life's been feeling a bit like a 7-year old's soccer game lately. Up and down, back and forth, run, run, run, until at the end of the day I collapse in a heap, light-headed and trying to catch my breath. Somedays, I achieve a goal or two along the way, but mostly, the ball just goes screaming past the net, with me kicking wildly, praying that the coach will call a time-out soon.

Only 4 more days til vacation starts. Pass the gatorade. I think I can make it.

Keep on Trekking

2006-10-23T16:54:00.000-04:00

My pants are feeling a little snug. I've been making plans to join the gym. Or at least use the lonely treadmill that sits upstairs. Just 30 minutes a day would make a difference, right?

One morning last week, I walked past the treadmill, plopped my plumpness in front of the computer and took a quick check of my email. I sipped my coffee, keeping one eye on the little clock in the bottom right of my monitor so I wouldn't be too late for work. (Now that my commute is all of 15 minutes, I find it harder and harder to get there on time. It makes no sense, I know.) Anyway, there was the nicest message from Sue at Little Knits, inviting me to check out their latest yarn sale. How could I resist? A few quick clicks, a tap tap tap on my keyboard and before I knew it I had purchased enough Trekking XXL to warm the toes of all my family members under the age of 15.

Why can't excercising be this easy?

Taking a Mental Health Day

2006-10-20T11:42:00.000-04:00

Today, I've replaced my usual to-do list with this.

47 Things You Couldn't Care Less About

2006-10-19T17:58:00.000-04:00

Hey did anyone else notice that #34 was missing?!

1. FIRST NAME? Lisa

2. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? No, every little girl born that year was named Lisa. Lisa Marie actually. Just call me the Madison of my generation. But...I am older than Ms. Presley, so that means she was named after me.

3. WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY? Last weekend, watching Once Around. I'm such a geek.

4. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? I used to, before I became so dependent on my keyboard. Now I can barely read it.

5. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCHMEAT? Does chicken salad count? I don't really do "Lunchmeat".

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Yes, but I would get mad at me for never returning phone calls, and occasionally forgetting birthdays. I would appreciate my good listening skills though.

7. DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL? Yes, it's called a blog.

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yes, I do. Wisdom teeth too!!

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? I have a strange fascination with reppelling, but Bungee jumping terrifies me.

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? I like it hot. Maple and Brown Sugar oatmeal.

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? Hardly ever, the only tie shoes I wear are sneakers. Mostly I'm a clog, slide, mule girl. Anything to show off my handmade socks.

12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? Physically, not so much. Emotionally, getting stronger everyday.

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR? Real pistachio, not that bright green stuff.

14. SHOE SIZE? 7

15. RED OR PINK? Red wine. Pink yarn. It's a toss up.

16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? My inability to keep my mouth shut when I know I should. And a close second is my inability to trust my instincts, though I'm getting better at that.

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? My mom.

18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? No, just post your own.

19. WHAT COLOR PANTS, SHIRT AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Grey pants, red t-shirt, no shoes. I was wearing black clogs, but kicked them off immediately upon getting home.

20. LAST THING YOU ATE? A slice of cold pizza.

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? The hum of my computer, and the sound of hubby coming through the front door and blowing me a kiss. Awwww, isn't he sweet!

22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Probably carnation pink, with hopes of someday becoming magenta.

23. FAVORITE SMELL? Cut grass. Firewood burning.

24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? A potential client at work. He was from Greenville, SC and kept saying y'all, which made me smile.

25. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE YOU ARE ATTRACTED TO? Smile, eyes.

26. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON you stole THIS from? It wasn't stealing, since she invited me to take it. I don't know her very well, but I enjoy her blog.

27. FAVORITE DRINK? Cold gin and tonic on a hot day.

28. FAVORITE SPORT? Duh! Pitchers and catchers report on February 17.

29. EYE COLOR? Blue

30. HAT SIZE? Small, I think.

31. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? Yes.

32. FAVORITE FOOD? Anything chocolate.

33. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy endings.

35. SUMMER OR WINTER? Right now.

36. HUGS OR KISSES? Kisses. Chocolate and butterfly.

37. FAVORITE DESSERT? Not lemon meringue pie.

38. WHO IS MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Another knitter with no knitting news to report.

39. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? That co-worker of mine who ignores all my emails. You can't hide forever you know!

40. WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING? Knitting Without Tears. Do audio books count? If so I just downloaded the Secret Garden.

41. WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE Pad? Cookie crumbs.

42. WHAT DID YOU WATCH LAST NIGHT ON TV? The Red Sox Report, some of the Mets / Cardinals, Dancing with the Stars, and Lost.

43. FAVORITE SOUNDS? The sound of hubby taking the dog out early on Saturday morning, and letting me get a little extra sleep.

44. ROLLING STONE OR BEATLES? Beatles, no question.

45. THE FURTHEST YOU'VE BEEN FROM HOME? Paris.

46. WHAT'S YOUR SPECIAL TALENT? Mind reading.

47. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Boston, MA

48. WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? Nobody, I stole it, remember?

If You Live Near Wisconsin

2006-10-17T18:09:00.000-04:00

You might want to check this out. I wish I could.

I spent some time this past weekend reading "Knitting Without Tears" and now I get why so many knitters are so in love with Elizabeth Zimmerman. She makes it all sound so simple and straightforward. The book has very few photographs, absolutely no color photographs, and yet it is a perfect book for knitters.

Christmas is right around the corner, which means for now I really must focus my energy on sock knitting so the nephews and niece all have warm toes this winter. But after the holiday craziness, EZ and I are going to spend much quality time together and I WILL knit a sweater that fits.

Too Cute Baskets

2006-10-15T08:06:00.000-04:00

Looking for a gift for a knitter? Check out these "sweater-motif" baskets! Perfect for holding a project and all the little doo-dads that usually end up in the sofa cushions - stitch markers, measuring tape, scissors.

Welcome Back Old Friend

2006-10-14T09:07:00.000-04:00

Some people can knit sweaters. I am not one of those people. Right now, I have two sweaters on the needles. Tilia and Viking Turid, both beautiful designs by Elsebeth Lavold. The designs are lovely, the yarn is a joy, its the gauge that gets me every time. No matter how much I swatch, the pattern dimesions come out all wrong.

It is just so frustrating, certainly not feeling like the "meditation" or "new yoga" that we all know knitting has become. So I've come back to my old friend, sock knitting. And I'm using an old friend of a pattern, Child's First Sock in Shell Pattern from Knitting Vintage Socks, by Nancy Bush.

Isn't the trekking yarn 105 just perfect for a chilly autumn morning?

Please Forgive Me

2006-10-03T19:00:00.000-04:00

Apologies for yesterday's rather gross post. Work and family issues have been wearing me out lately and the weird mushrooms in the yard sent me over the edge. And now I see that haloscan is not working, so you can't comment. Perhaps that's a good thing.

On to knitting. Tilia is progressing. Please disregard the blech gray color. It's really much prettier in person, a lovely blue green teal. The front is complete, but after reading Laura's post about Silky Wool gauge and sizing, I'm concerned that it is too long and too narrow. Or maybe I am too short and too wide. Either way, pattern alterations are inevitable.

While working on Tilia, I'm continuing to enjoy my iPod, spending every available moment catching up on Brenda Dayne's Cast-On. I'm listening all out of order, because I haven't yet mastered the intracacies of iTunes, but it's enjoyable nonetheless. This week I listened to episode 11 and heard Franklin's voice. His essay on the univited guest is hilarious and a little frightening.

Finally, Jeff and I leave for Florence in a month. It'll be a quick trip, just one week, but I hope to pack in as much art as possible. I've already booked tickets for the Uffizi and The Accademia Gallery. Knitting is art too, so if you can recommend an yarn shops in Florence, please let me know.

Stinkhorns

2006-10-02T20:31:00.000-04:00

Sigh. It's not enough that I have to deal with d***heads at the office, but the Red Sox season is over, we are not in the playoffs, and this lovely sight greets me in my front yard.

I'm sure there is a clever caption, but for the life of me I can't put it into words. Any ideas?

A Sad Story

2006-09-27T18:37:00.000-04:00

Stealing is never a good thing, but don't you have just a bit of sympathy for this poor woman.

A 40-Year Old Virgin No Longer

2006-09-19T19:41:00.000-04:00

An iPod virgin that is.

So I'm a little late to the party, but I finally broke down and bought a "nano" and OH MY GOD it is the absolute coolest gadget I have ever owned. Even better than my new needles and my very favorite row counter.

Jeff and I have been agonizing about whether to buy an iPod for over a year--should we, shouldn't we, can we afford it, will we really use it, how does it work, blah, blah, blah.
Finally, and quite unexpectedly, on Sunday morning he practically pushed me out the front door with a stern look and strict instructions to "go buy an iPod". Since I always follow his instructions, I headed to the nearest gadget store. And I bought two. Not so good at following instructions after all, eh?

His holds 7,500 (!) songs, while mine holds a mere 250. But, mine has plenty of space for audiobooks and knitting podcasts. So for the past few days I've been listening to chick lit while loading the dishwasher, ironing the laundry, and walking on the treadmill. I've been spotted bopping up and down the street while walking Max and simultaneously rocking out with my rock and roll boyfriend. Best of all I wear it WHILE I AM KNITTING!! I am now one of the cool kids who listens to the way cool podcast.

So since I'm still so new at this iPod thing, I'm hoping my knitting friends can show me the ropes. Should I knit a cover or buy one off the rack? I'm thinking I want the little plastic cover to protect the screen and the wheel. But a felted cover would be so cool too. What do you think? What are your favorite podcasts, knitting or otherwise? Where can I find cheap audiobooks? And has anyone invented tiny wireless earbuds so I can secretly wear this thing at the office during especially boring staff meetings?

P.S. - Thanks for the comments on my last post/rant on the evils of embedded marketing. I'm still not convinced that its the best approach, but I love the fact that you all stopped by and shared your thoughts. Happy Knitting!

Blogging Book Tours - What Do You Think?

2006-09-17T07:04:00.000-04:00

I'm sure you've noticed over the last couple of weeks that many of the stars in the knitblogging universe are writing about their experiences with the new book, Fix Knit by Interweave Press. Author Lisa Kartus has been traveling the virtual world on a blogging book tour to introduce her work.

Being a marketer, I was intrigued by the this novel form of advertising. It wasn't the obvious tile ad on the sidebar. It was stuck right in the heart of the writing. Crazy Aunt Purl and Grumperina gave us Q&A, both in their own distinctive voices and personalities. Wendy of Knit and Tonic told us a story.

I will admit, when I first encountered Lisa's blog tour,I initially felt a bit put-off. It felt contrived, and as a result my guard went up. The day before Wendy's post, she told us that she'd recently gotten the book and learned that you don't count the loops on the needle as a row. I never knew that, and based on that one bit of info, I considered buying the book. The next day, when I realized she was part of the book/blog tour, I felt differently. Maybe she was just trying to sell me the book, now I wasn't so sure. Did the blog tour participants receive a free copy of the book? Would they have purchased the book on their own? Were their recommendations genuine?

For me, it is always a little unsettling when advertising sneaks its way into my world. Obviously, I know it's always there, but its like when you see a big PEPSI billboard in the middle of a great movie - for a moment you are pulled away from the pure enjoyment of the art form to think about who is profiting.

At the same time I was pondering all this, I happened upon BrooklynTweed and admired his post on the EZ seamless hybrid sweater. His photos are gorgeous, his knitting is exquisite. In this post he links directly to the Amazon page for Knitting Without Tears. In a rush of admiration, desire, and realization that this classic book should be in my knitting library, I clicked and purchased. No Q&A, no stories, nothing other than a real photo and a post by a knitter I admire. A marketer's dream, to be sure, but I'm fairly certain that BrooklynTweed is receiving no compensation from either Amazon or the Zimmerman estate.

I read blogs to enjoy the unique personalities of all the writers, to see lovely photos of real knitting, and to learn about real people. And a big draw is the opportunity to learn from other knitters. If I want to shop there are plenty of sites to visit, but if I want to enjoy the company of a world of knitters, and maybe learn a thing or two along the way, I read blogs.

I understand the Knit Fix book tour. The next time I see Lisa Kartus' work at my LYS, I'll pick it up to see if it's really something I could use. Maybe that was Lisa's goal all along, but I'm still not sure how I feel about the approach. Am I being too cynical? Am I giving this too much thought? What do you think?

Sorry Lilly

2006-09-11T22:37:00.000-04:00

Showing great restraint, I did not buy a single skein while on vacation.

But Saturday afternoon, I broke my fast and visited my LYS with the sole intention of buying "a little bit of baby yarn" to make something for my boss' newly arrived granddaughter Lilly.

While searching through piles of bins of soft and downy baby yarns, something beautiful sparkled just out of view. It was the Elsebeth Lavold Book Eight. I realized that Tilia must be mine. 7 skeins of Silky Wool later, I convinced myself that Lilly could wait.

There's No Place Like Home

2006-08-27T17:42:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow Jeff and I leave for vacation and we don't have far too go. We were both born there. Jeff grew up there. I've lived 40 miles away all my life and have had two jobs there. Yes, we've decided to spend a week enjoying Boston like tourists.

We will stroll through the Boston Common and maybe take a balloon ride. We will stop and have a beer at Cheers. We will watch a street performer at Faneuil Hall. And of course, we will catch a game. And yes, Jeff's been warned. There will be yarn on this vacation. There are two yarn shops on Newbury Street, and of course one downtown. See you next week!

Bershon

2006-08-22T21:06:00.000-04:00

Sara defined it. Dooce asked for commentary. I couldn't resist offering my own examples.

I'm on the left, in full-blown bershon mode. My sister, four and a half years younger, has not yet been afflicted.

But just a few years later, she is the latest victim and the symptoms are undeniable.

Keeping Things in Perspective

2006-08-21T19:56:00.000-04:00

The Yankees came to town and gave us a beating. Actually five merciless beatings in four days. But during that same time the Red Sox, NESN, and WEEI raised over $2.9 million for the Jimmy Fund, the club's official charity. And they did it in less than 24 hours.

If you are from Boston or New England, you know about the Jimmy Fund. In 1953, it became the official team charity. Over the years all of Red Sox Nation has given generously to this amazing organization. Today, the Jimmy Fund Clinic at the Dana-Farber is recognized worldwide as one of the premier centers for pediatric cancer research and treatment.
Even members of the Yankees organization put aside the rivalry to do their part. Evil George gave $10,000 - he makes a generous donation every year. Roger Clemens, #21, donated $21,000. Jason Giambi gave $1,000. And Donald Trump, not a Yankee, but a well-known Yankee fan, stepped up, donating $60,000 on the spot, to ensure the telethon would break its 2005 record.

I'm wondering, do other major league teams have official charities? I know that many individual players have established foundations to support important causes that are meaningful to them, but are the Red Sox unique in the way they support this particular charity as a team?

For more information on the Jimmy Fund and to learn how you can help, go to http://jimmyfund.com

A Way to Numb the Pain

2006-08-20T16:39:00.000-04:00

Some people drink. This is what I've been doing to keep my sanity while watching the Red Sox get spanked repeatedly by the Yankees. Sigh.

It is the Viking Turid by Elsebeth Lavold from Arans & Celtics: The Best of Knitter's Magazine, done in KnitPicks Elegance, Fawn colorway. The pattern is simple and soothing, with just enough cablework to make it interesting. And no nasty hangover in the morning.

Okay, So I'm a Liar...

2006-08-12T10:53:00.000-04:00

I know I told you that Jeff and I live very un-glamorous lives. Most of the time that's true, but on Friday night we had a taste of the good life.

First, we had a delicious dinner in the fancy pants restaurant, overlooking the field at Fenway Park. Dinner was even more delicious with this amazing tableware. Can you imagine if that china pattern was available when we were completing the bridal registry 14 years ago!

Then, we moved to our fancy pants seats, which were right next to this guy!

So I put up my feet, ordered an overpriced glass of wine, or should I say cup of wine, and enjoyed a great game. My red shoes and I had a wonderful time.

The Glamorous Life

2006-08-09T19:09:00.000-04:00

Jeff and I have no kids. It's a long story and I won't bore you with the details. The thing is, since we have no kids, people who do have kids imagine that we live super-glamorous, carefree, champagne and cavier kind of lives. You know, weekends in the country, candlelit dinners, romance by a roaring fire. Yeah right.

Well, we don't have any kids, but we do have Max. And Max has allergies. Seasonal allergies. Every July and August his ears and feet get all puffy and itchy and swollen. He shakes his head and scratches his ears and chews his paws and is just plain miserable. And since candlelit dinners and champagne cocktails weren't bringing him any relief, we consulted the local vet.

The prescribed course of treatment was doggy steroids. Max took his pills obediantly for two weeks. His symptoms slowly disappeared. The treatment worked perfectly, except for one slightly annoying side effect. Doggy steroids make him thirsty. And basic doggy physiology tells us that when a dog is thirsty he will drink, and when he drinks, he will pee.

And pee he did. Despite my constant monitoring and rushing him out the door at the first sign of any pee possibility, he had one or two "accidents". And never on the el-cheapo area rug from Target. Oh no, instead, his spot of choice was the year-old wall to wall carpet in the guest room/office. The year-old white carpet in the guest room/office. The room where I blog. The room where I store my yarn. The room where my brother-in-law sleeps when he comes to visit. Hi Brian! Can't wait to see you!

So for the past month, armed with rubber gloves, paper towels, two fans and this, I valiantly battled the horrorific noxious fumes and stains. And during this time the average daily temperature has hovered around 90 degrees F. It wasn't pretty, but I just took a deep breath and I believe I am victorious.

Somebody pass the champagne.

Summertime Blues and Blooms

2006-07-11T23:21:00.000-04:00

Summer is Max's least favorite season. The nightly bursts of bottle rockets, sparklers, and whistling explosions coming from the neighbor's backyard since July 4th have resulted in one very upset pooch. Over the past four years his fear of pyrotechnics and things that go boom has increased dramatically. He currenlty spends each evening jumping from chair to sofa, lap to lap, basement to bedroom, trying to find a safe place to escape the noise. Add to that his annual bout with seasonal allergies, (yes my dog has seasonal allergies) which requires daily medication and ear drops, and you have a pup who is dreaming of winter.

I, on the other hand, love this time of year. Summer means Sunday afternoons on the patio, reading a good book, and admiring my little garden.

Pretty yellow flowers, no idea what they are called, but they are very bright and cheerful and don't mind being neglected, as I rarely give them a drink. The neighborhood cats also seem to enjoy sleeping in the foliage. If I were a cat, I think I would too.

Vibrant orange day lilies sparkle against the grey weathered fence. Look closely for a special surprise, which I discovered only after uploading.

Hydrangeas, which seem very old-fashioned and "Cape Cod-ish" to me. I read somewhere that the flower color is determined by the Ph of the soil. Maybe someday I'll experiment with turning them from blue to pink, but for now, I will just enjoy the summer lovliness.

Victory Garden

2006-06-23T17:32:00.000-04:00

Is it my imagination or are the Red Sox growing tomato plants in the bull pen?

A Yarn Addict - The Early Days

2006-06-20T18:47:00.000-04:00

On Father's Day, my dad visited. A week or so before I'd asked him if I could look through a few of his old photo albums. I was looking for one or two pictures of my mother.

Since Dad never does anything in a small way, he not only brought the albums I'd asked about, he brought EVERY photo album he owns. All packed nicely in a gigantic green rubbermaid tub, held together with two bungee cords to keep the top from popping off.

It's been amazing sorting through all these old pictures. Each one brings me back to a time or place I'd almost forgotten. A simple snapshot suddenly makes vivid the people, places, sounds, and even scents, that up until that moment were gone from my mind completely.

Knitters, I know you will appreciate this one. It is circa 1970. I'm proudly modeling a very lovely pink and red Red Heart acrylic poncho, made by my very talented Babchie. Without her, I wouldn't be the knitting obsessed woman I am today. She taught me how to cast-on, knit, purl, and cast-off, starting me off on a lifetime of knitting enjoyment.

One Crafter's Trash

2006-05-31T18:26:00.000-04:00

As usual, it's been about a million years since I've posted. As proof that knitting takes place, I offer this one completed sock.

In other news, Jeff and I did some spring cleaning over the long holiday weekend. For months we've been complaining about the lack of storage space in our little house, so we (I) finally called Tony from Big Blue Removal Services to come and haul away our junk. Tony is the local version of that fancy-shmancy "Got Junk" service, but he doesn't have a shiny truck or a snazzy uniform. He also doesn't have a Junk Genie...(very freaky!!)

Tony's first job was to remove the broken-down shed in the backyard. Over the winter one of the doors had fallen off, and the shed turned into a very snug and cozy home for a variety of woodland critters. After he tore it all down and loaded his truck, Tony said, "Something died under there. I couldn't tell if it was a skunk or a racoon. But we bagged it, and we'll take it away." Thank you Tony.

Tony's second job was to haul away a variety of boxes, bags, and bins taking up valuable space in the cellar. Prior to Tony's arrival, I inspected each box, bag, and bin to determine if it truly was junk, and not precious treasure. I discovered at least 3 cross stitch/needlepoint projects finished but never framed, 2 large plastic totes full of a quilting fabric representing the entire color wheel, 1 ugly brown variegated Lion's Brand sweater complete except for one unfinished side seam, 1 handknit cotton summer tanktop also missing a side seam, 1 denim knit cable baby sweater sans seam and buttons, an unfinished bead and applique tree skirt, and a dot matrix printout of my wedding guest list and gift registry from 1992. (My anniversary is next week. It's still not too late to send me a nice set of wine goblets or a gravy boat, if anyone is feeling especially generous.)

The wedding stuff I'm keeping, the unseamed sweaters will be frogged (except for the ugly Lion's Brand...what was I thinking??), and the fabric and needlework stuff may find its way to ebay. Just to see if one crafter's trash truly is another crafter's treasure, I posted the tree skirt on ebay. Two bids and 12 watchers with a few days to go.

Did You Bring the Camera?

2006-04-25T19:09:00.000-04:00

Va-ca-tion - A period of time devoted to pleasure, rest, or relaxation.

Some folks think of vacation and they think sightseeing, tour buses, non-stop activity. Jeff and I are very literal folks. We stick closer to the actual definition of the word.

As proof, I offer this photo. During a lazy stroll from my beach chair to the towel shack, I saw this colorful shrub and snapped a photo. Then I pointed the camera towards Jeff. He hid behind his pina colada. I didn't argue. That was the end of the photography. For the rest of the trip we enjoyed the sunshine, the tropical drinks and the local cuisine so much that stopping to remove the lens cap seemed like too much work.

Maybe someday I'll regret the lack of photographic evidence of this trip, but probably not. It was the perfect break. Like most people, I'm not very good at living in the moment. But really, it is amazing how quickly the everyday stresses of work and life faded away on this trip.

The stress didn't disappear completely however. We did rush to an early dinner one night so we could be back to our room in time to watch the Red Sox on ESPN Deportes (completely in Spanish). Thankfully, they won.

April Comes Like An Idiot, Babbling and Strewing Flowers*

2006-04-23T16:10:00.000-04:00

Why the long departure? You've heard it all before, writing for the blog became a chore and an obligation, blah-blah-blah. Which is sad, since it began as such an enjoyable pastime, an outlet for sharing my thoughts and observations on knitting, a place for writing relaxation, an escape from my true writing chores; copywriting, value propositions, and marketing strategies.

As I re-read those words, I am more than a little embarassed and amused at my own arrogance. A chore? An obligation? While I am grateful and pleased that a small group of knitters occasionally visit, I am well aware that KnitSox is no Crazy Aunt Purl. Readers do not log in each morning to read the latest, hilarious, uplifting, or introspective KnitSox entry. Though the loyal few who occasionally stop by may have missed me for a day or two, I'm sure they quickly adjusted to blogworld without me.

Really, the obligation of writing is one that I feel to myself. I was becoming bored with my writing, which is not good. And when something is boring or uninspired it starts to feel like a chore.

With the arrival of spring and the peepers, I feel the need to start fresh and write again. So I'm back, in late April, babbling away.

* Spring, by Edna St. Vincent Millay

I'll Be On the Treadmill If Anyone Needs Me

2006-03-05T19:00:00.000-05:00

Because in less than a month Jeff and I will be sitting by this pool, under a palapa, sipping something containing rum. To celebrate the fact that we are both officially "in our forties" we splurged on a tropical getaway, and I used up all my long accumulated 60,000 frequent flyer miles to upgrade our flights to first class. No sitting with the great unwashed for us! We will have free earphones, free slippers, free champagne, and plenty of room to knit. Yippee!

A Knitter Looks at 40

2006-03-02T20:22:00.000-05:00

So today I turn 40. How does that feel? Well, I don't feel 40. I always imagined that by the time I reached this fateful age I'd have it all figured out. By 40 I'd be a "grown up", whatever that is. Step a little closer, ...just between you and me...I still don't have a clue. I still struggle to be a good daughter and hope my Dad will be proud of me. Maybe some day I'll make him happy, though that's unlikely. I'm still unsure of myself in my work. I still hope people will like me. I want to make a good first impression, but I often fail and say the wrong thing. I put my foot in my mouth and sound like a dope. I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up.

But the thing about 40 is, now none of that matters so much. At 14, I spent hours with the curling iron and the blow dryer. Now I leave the house with my hair a mess. I often forget my lipstick. I wear crazy hand knitted socks in public, with pride. My husband makes me laugh, and I laugh loudly. Sometimes too loud, with the occasional snort. I listen to the oldies station happily and I often sing along. If I had children, I would embarass them in public.

They say 40 is the new 30, whatever that means. I'm just glad to have another day, able to continue on, trying to make sense of it all.

Cheers.

Let the Knitting Begin

2006-02-04T17:09:00.000-05:00

Faithful readers know that for most of last year I was a commuter knitter. I landed a great job, working for a big impressive company. In the CITY. I was stylin'! Each day, I would happily board the commuter train, wave my T pass to the conducter, and spend the next hour blissfully knitting as the scenery whizzed by. The extra knitting time was wonderful, I was churning out socks and scarves at an astounding pace.

Then everything changed. My dream job turned out to be not so dreamy. My office was abruptly shut down in November and everyone was out of work. There was no knitting on that last train ride home. It was the middle of the afternoon, and I was lugging three tote bags full of assorted stuff from my desk. I felt like a big loser, like every other rider could immediately see that I was UNEMPLOYED.

Happily, I am working again and things are going great. My commute is so quick there is barely time to listen to Imus each morning. I'm home an hour earlier each evening, which means Max gets his walk much sooner. My job is exciting and challenging, the company is growing. Everything is wonderful. My only complaint is the lack of knitting time.

So, in an effort to carve out some precious time in my days, I did this. This could become a a regular part of my routine. No shopping, no chopping, no dicing, no peeling, NO CLEANING, just 2 hours of assembling and I have almost month's worth of week night dinners in my freezer. Joy, joy, joy! I'm seeing lots more knitting in my future.

And because it's not a blog without pictures, here I am patiently waiting for Spring Training to begin.

Nothing To Say But MEME

2006-01-27T17:49:00.000-05:00

4 jobs you have had:
Friendly's waitress
Microfilm technician and inspector
Inbound telesales at a travel/tour operator for senior citizens
Marketing Manager

4 movies you could watch over and over:
Once Around
Far and Away
Sense and Sensibility
Moonstruck
(I'm a sucker for a good romance, what can I say..)

4 TV shows you love to watch:
Lost
The Office
The Amazing Race
Soprano re-runs

4 of your favorite foods:
Good dark chocolate
Baked stuffed lobster
Creme brulee
Is red wine a food?

4 Websites you visit daily:
Bloglines
Google
redsox.com
imdb.com (almost daily)

4 places you've been on vacation:
Paris, France
Iberostar Hacienda Dominicus, Bayahibe, Dominican Republic
St. John, US Virgin Islands
Road trip to Saratoga Springs, NY - to see the Travers Stakes

4 places you would rather be right now:
Lounging on a tropical beach, eyes closed, listening to the crashing waves
In a sidewalk cafe in Paris, sipping a glass of wine, watching Parisians walking their dogs
Sitting on the porch of my new dream home, needles clicking, enjoying the fantastic view
Any one of these destinations

4 bloggers you are tagging:
Any others that have absolutely nothing to report on knitting but feel the need to post.

Never Look Back

2006-01-15T10:41:00.000-05:00

Two things made last night's disappointment bearable. Continuing progress on Kepler, and the rain-dampenend, but beautiful tickets that arrived in yesterday's mail.

After knitting three of the four cable bands for Kepler on size 9 needles, I finally admitted that the gauge just wasn't right, and started the fourth on size 8s. It's looking much crisper. A big improvement. I'll need to re-do the previous week and half worth of cabling, and the plain sleeves and body will knit up at a tighter gauge now, which means some adjustments (and the dreaded math), but I'm feeling confident.

And as for baseball...only a few weeks 'til Spring Training begins. I can almost feel the warm sun on my face and hear the first joyful notes of Sweet Caroline floating through the air. Ahhh...

Knitting is for Grandmas

2006-01-11T07:38:00.000-05:00

Though it happens less frequently now, what with all the knitting celebrities who have somehow made our craft socially acceptable, those of us who knit often suffer comments from the uninformed about how our knitting is "grandmotherly" or some other such nonsense. For those naysayers, I offer this profile of Annie. We've never met, but her story gave me a smile, and inspiration to live out loud.

First Socks of 2006

2006-01-07T04:01:00.000-05:00

Actually, I started them in 2005, but they will be the first pair completed in the new year. The pattern is from Nancy Bush's Knitting Vintage Socks. The Monday after Christmas, when the house was finally quiet, I cast on for the Child's First Sock Pattern. (Nancy adapted the pattern to fit an adult foot, so don't be alarmed by the size in the photo.)

Progress was slow to start, and stitch markers were my friends at that phase, but once I learned the rhythm of the pattern, removing the markers made the knitting move along much faster. The yarn is Lang Jawoll in Royal Blue. The needles are US size 1. The finished socks will be for me. Yay!

A One Day Sale

2006-01-04T19:06:00.000-05:00

On Monday, Filenes was having one of their infamous "One Day Sales". These seem to occur at least once a week. Anyway, I picked up a great pair of brown tweed pants at the unbelievable bargain price of $14.99. But that means, I now need a top to wear with my new pants. Upon closer inspection I realized that the tiny cranberry flecks in the tweed fabric will match perfectly with the Cranberry Galway Highland Heather wool I purchased on Saturday. Now I just have to knit very fast and finish Kepler before spring arrives.

Made Especially for Me!

2006-01-03T18:27:00.000-05:00

Cheryl is my wonderful (but blogless) friend. She is my partner in crime, always willing to check out the latest yarn sale, despite having bins and bins of the stuff at home. She understands the allure of alpaca. She sees nothing wrong with having six sets of number 7 needles. She is the only person I know in "real life" who would appreciate this.

This past Saturday, Cheryl and I met for more yarn shopping, lunch, and to exchange Christmas gifts. When I opened my gift and saw this amazing felted tote, I almost cried. Isn't it just beautiful??

I have been knitting for over 30 years - practically everyday for the last five - and in all that time the only person to ever knit me a gift was my Grandmother. But since she preferred crochet, my knitted gifts were few and far between. Last summer, I joined sock-a-palooza two, and was so looking forward to receiving a pair of socks made especially for me, but after receiving a couple of very sweet emails telling me my socks were almost done, my sock pal vanished, leaving me with no socks, no explanation, cold feet, and a fear of ever joining another swap.

So this gift is extra special. It was made especially for me, by my very wonderful and talented friend. And I love it.

PS - Yesterday, I buzzed into my local Borders hoping to pick up a quick gift card for my brother-in-law's birthday. When I saw the long line at the register I decided the wait would be too long. So I went to the "Needleworks" section and picked up this. If I have to wait in line for 20 minutes, it will be worthwhile! And lo and behold, what do I see on page 139? A picture of MY lovely felted tote.