Friday, March 23, 2007
I was flipping through last week's Improper Bostonian last week when came across on article about Spark - the local craft studio where you can get all your crafting groove on, including jewelry-making, paper crafts, and of course knitting, and do it all in a social, collaborative setting. I've mentioned Spark way back when, and even though I was really excited about its concept back then, I found that it just wasn't for me. Not much of a surprise is it?
But the real issue is everytime I go in, I don't exactly get a cozy, inviting vibe from the decor and general atmosphere. All the plastic bins and cubbie holes of scissors and rulers and various crafting materials remind me of a first grade classroom or an after-school daycare center. I would know, as I have been both in first grade and in a daycare center. May your children never know the horrors of the latter. I can still see Bobby in the corner eating glitter-covered glue or David sticking playdough up his runny nose, amongst other things. Little children can be so vile, especially when there's more than 50 of them in one room.
And the piles of dog-eared magazines laying the tables, meant for crafting inspiration, are also how your doctor's waiting room is decorated. It's very bright, clean, sterile, uncomfortable. No disrespect to Spark, mind you. It really is a cool place. My reactions are all very unexpected ones, and entirely my own.
So anyway, Improper did an article featuring Spark, and there was one line that really made my day:
"Knitting supplies include inexpensive, colorful lion wool for beginners..."
That one little phrase is just so rich! So delicious! Lion wool! LION WOOL, with a lowercase "L"!!!
Can you just picture a non-knitter reading this line, and thinking, "Lion wool? Wool made from lions? Is inexpensive? And colorful? And for BEGINNERS?"
I am sure they meant to write Lion BRAND Wool, which indeed is inexpensive, colorful, and for beginners (I guess? Whatever "beginner" wool means), and in large supply at Spark.
But then I thought maybe I was missing something. Maybe there is such a thing as wool culled from lions, the same kind of lions who are usually caked in dried blood from eating wildebeests all day, and who use their ribs as toothpicks afterwards. I mean I am still rather new to the knitting scene, learning new stuff all the time, so why not? You get nice wool from rabbits, goats, yaks, camels...why not a lion?
And I could imagine a lion's mane as very amenable to being made into fiber. Afterall it is thick, long and lush. I don't know if it's soft as I have never had the pleasure of petting a lion, but it couldn't be any more coarse than the hair of a yak? (Never petted a yak either though.)
After much thought - probably too much thought - I realized that lion wool just can't possibly be. Can you imagine the logistics of it? Keeping a farm full of male lions, next to your merinos and alpacas? Shearing lion wool? Would you tranquilize them first? What to feed them? So many questions, not enough money.
However there's a market for everything, so perhaps cultivating lion wool is not entirely out of the question. It could happen one day. I mean through sheer force of imagination man has taken seaweed and turned it into yarn. For crying out loud, how is lion not the next logical step?
Lion wool, lion wool...There is something very pleasing in that concept. A lion is a cat. A very big cat. I like cats. I like it when they purr. Mmmm. I can just picture it now: Scout or Hello Yarn carrying lion roving in their shops. It wouldn't be cheap, oh no, but imagine yourself spinning lion yarn - from a real live lion's mane! - by the fire. How old-fashioned and wildly exotic at the same time! And wouldn't you just love to knit your own pair of socks made from Sundara Yarn 100% superwash lionwool?
I am sure that someone, somewhere, someday, will make this lion wool dream of mine a reality. I myself would totally turn this blog post into a business plan, but alas. I am too busy organizing a penpal club.
Above: Artist's rendition of a sheep and lion farm, for the cultivation of fine wools.
Filed Under: General Knitting | WTF
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
The squirrels and the Chevron Scarves have come out to play.
Pattern: None really. Used a chevron stitch pattern, details here.
Yarn: 1 skein Sundara Yarn in Troubador and 1 skein Gems Pearl in Willow
Needles: US3
This is a fresh and skinny scarf, perfect for spring. It measures about 5 1/2 feet long. I could have kept going but decided it was long enough. I'll use the remaining yarn I have for sock toes and cuffs.
Both squirrel and scarf are courtesy of cynicthelamb, who just might have produced an award-winning praying mantis. Love him! I might need one of those too!
Dottie cozying up to her new friend.
Filed Under: Chevron Scarf | Completed Projects | Postcards from Dottie
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
30 March 2007: THE KNITTERLY LETTER SWAP SIGN UP HAS NOW CLOSED! THANK YOU FOR ALL WHO SIGNED UP!
I got started on writing a couple of letters and it's a little harder than I thought it would be! I mean physically. My hand has forgotten how to hold a pen...I hope when you guys receive my letter you're able to read it :-\
OK then, since it takes only two people to successfully swap letters, and since there have been at least two people who are interested in doing so, I have decided that there enough participants to warrant a letter swap club for knitters, and that I will organize it. (!!) I'll be real creative and call it...The Knitterly Letter Swap.
So if you have a stationery stash that rivals your yarn stash, and the idea of writing a letter pleases you as much as receiving one, just like the good ole days before the Internet took over our lives, then the Knitterly Letter Swap is the thing for you!
THE HOW AND THE WHAT
1) E-mail me your full name and address by March 30, 2007.
Subject: Knitterly Letter Swap
- Include your name and address.
- Also include the url to your blog if you have one.
It would be preferable if you have a blog, just so your penpal can have a little bit of context before they write you. But if you don't have one, please include a very short summary or bullet about yourself - your favorite yarn, favorite color, food, etc.
2) Each person will be assigned another person to write to.
In other words, each person will initiate a letter to someone else.
Everyone's penpal will be selected randomly.
I will notify you of yours by April 2, 2007.
More clarification:
Amanda just asked: Since
every person is assigned one person randomly, this means that the
person I initiate a letter to is NOT the person initiating a letter to
me, correct? Correct! Therefore, this little project should net me 2 different pen pals? Correct again! All said, you will have 2 different penpals: one you initially write TO, and another you RESPOND to.
JUST TWO SIMPLE RULES
1) Write to your penpal within 2 weeks. Just so people have a timeframe of when they might expect a letter.
2) Respond to whomever initially writes to you.
Again, within two weeks.
So when all is said and done, you will have written two letters to different people, and received two letters from different people, all appoximately within the month of April, depending on the speediness of the postman of course and where you live. Ta da!
(Seriously, does that make sense?)
KEEP IN MIND
This is about bringing the art of letter-writing back (if not for just a few rounds)! It's meant to be low-key, and for fun, and for people who love paper goods and love writing letters.
This is just a way to jumpstart the penpal process into motion. Whatever
happens after this initial round is up to you. If you find true love with your
penpal, you can of course keep writing.
Though I am no enforcer of the law, if you join and somehow don't write, I will grrowl and your penpal will cry.
You might receive an overseas penpal. Which is COOL! But I thought I'd throw that out there in case you're adverse to licking an extra stamp.
What you want to write about is up to you, but I liked the idea of including a few personal items with your letter. You could:
1) Attach a snippet of your favorite yarn, or yarn from your current project (as if it were a lock of hair, haha).
2) Snip the current weather forecast from your local paper. To my penpal in sunny California: see how cold it still is in Boston!
3) Include a pressed flower from your garden. I can't do this because everything is still dead.
4) Include a copy of your favorite recipe.
etc. etc. etc.
And, of course the prettier the stationery, the better :)
Looking forward to hearing from you fellow letter-lovers!
Filed Under: Letter-writing
Friday, March 16, 2007
It's always nice to get flowers for no reason every now and then, isn't it? When Duck remembers this rule, he stops by the local flower shop after work, where the nice lady florist likes to come up with a medley bouquet such as the one above. Roses, hydrangeas, tulips, irises, orchids, apple blossoms...anything goes! Although I'm not sure if they do go. Hm. Anyway the flowers are still very lovely and very much appreciated, particularly on a day like today when we're getting yucky, wet snow.
Did you know I once aspired to be a florist? In fact I quit my first job to do just that. My aspirations died the second I realized what I was going to be paid. Or not paid. Former co-workers still laugh at me because I'm so good with the follow-through.
Just as I'm not surprised that most knitters own at least one cat, I am not surprised that most knitters enjoy paper goods. Duck doesn't knit and therefore does not understand the hoopla surrounding paper, and I cannot explain it to him. But there it is, and as a result of my last post, I have many letters to write, to send off to all parts of the U.S. and even Australia! I am so pleased. I will definitely follow through with writing letters, don't you worry. (If anyone else out there is interested in a handwritten letter, drop me an email with your address and I'll get write to it. Heh.)
I was very very intrigued, however, by a very intriguing comment left by blogless reader Dana, who suggested that
Someone should most definitely start a pen pal club for knitters. We could include a little snippet of yarn from in the envelope from our most recent project. Or pictures...or free patterns...or recipes...oh, my head, the possibilities are endless.
It seems like a great idea! A penpal club for knitters! I love those ideas! Only, who is this mysterious Someone that she mentions to jumpstart them into motion, that's what I would like to know. I would do it except, and there's no getting around this, I am horribly, UNBELIEVABLY PASSIVE. It is my greatest weakness. That, and bacon. If you have not yet noticed, I have joined no clubs, no knit-alongs, and worst of all, I barely leave comments. I am so ashamed! But no matter how I try, it is just not my nature to participate. It's an odd thing I have this blog, isn't it. But maybe now you wouldn't be too surprised to learn that I was Girl Scout for all of 10 minutes before dropping out - couldn't stand it! - and one of the most hateful activities you could ask of me is to play boardgames with you. Especially Monopoly. I will play Monopoly for no one, under no circumstances. Not even if you were Br@d Pitt and as Br@d Pitt your dying wish was that I play Monopoly with you. While naked.
Here's a more recent example of my reticence to participate, and this one even got me laughing at myself for being such a twit. Last weekend the cable guy paid us a visit. I was in the middle of watching a recorded episode of Jane Eyre from Mahstapiece Theatah, and just getting to one of the steamier scenes in the story: Jane had just seen Mr. Rochester for the first time in his night shirt, a very thin and gauzy and wide open down the front night shirt, revealing bare English skin and curly English chest hair. Also, he was on fire. It was all very sexy. Anyway they were just getting to putting out the flames when the screen went blank and the cable box froze, and I did what any rational, educated adult person would do, and that is to press every single button on the remote control, then press them at the same time, then with increasing speed and pressure, and then to do the same on the cable box when the remote stopped working.
So the cable guy paid a visit. I was upstairs working on some stuff while Duck watched the cable guy in the basement. I don't know how much time passed before I realized that a lot of it had, and the cable van was still idling in the driveway. So I went downstairs to check on the progress.
And can you believe what I saw? Down in the basement? I saw Duck. Playing video games. With the cable guy.
For how long the cable box was fixed, I don't know. He still had on his little tool belt and everything. They were in the middle of their second? third? match when the cable guy turned around and called out to me, "Hey came and join us! Come and play!" And you know what I did right? Because a stranger just asked me to Participate in Something, I instinctually hesitated. I demured and I turned red, I wanted to get out of it, run up to my room and hide just like I did when I was 10-years old and my parents had people over and demanded that I play and talk with their children, as if socializing with other people my own age were a normal, enjoyable thing for me to do!
Unfortunately I'm not 10 anymore and as I was watching him jot down his personal phone number on the invoice (so we could call him to come over and play, haha!) I finally got a grip on myself. I just got asked, by the cable guy, the so not shy cable guy, if I wanted to play my video game in my house, and here I am shaking in my boots. IN MY OWN HOUSE. Pathetic! Get over it and grow a pair! He's not going to bite!
But right as I was on the verge of participating, his mobile rang and the client on the other line wanted to know where the hell he was, so he had to go.
Ah well. I tried.
And at long last we get to the point! I want get over this passive attitude of mine and attempt to organize this penpal club thing for knitters. Even if it's just a handful of participants, even if only a couple of letters are swapped. Like me maybe you're a little nutty and you're just dying to write a letter, about anything, to anyone, but especially to someone who enjoys receiving letters as much as you enjoy writing them. Maybe.
Hmmmmm.
While I ponder about this some more , another commenter wanted to see another sketchbook doodle. Here's one I did a couple of weeks ago for Duck. He had to get up outrageously early one day for work, so I left him this scribble to find in the morning. And in case you were wondering, I really do address him as "Duck." I follow-through with that cat/duck metaphor of ours and take all the way.
Filed Under: Life
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
I have this collection of Japanese silkscreen paper. The collection is small, but the immediate, visceral feelings it illicits from me is anything but. Is it just paper? No way. For me this stuff is like my favorite sock yarn dipped in platinum and then encrusted with diamonds and covered in hot fudge and then placed next to a kitten.
What is that odd sound of a word that I've been seeing lately on blogs? Is it "squee"? If you've ever encountered Japanese silkscreen paper face to face, maybe you've squeed too (but probably not), and wonder why people don't just wallpaper their entire house with them, as I've often pondered about doing to mine. On the outside too.
 
Love love love you all.
But since just a single sheet isn't exactly economic, I have so far just had to make do with smaller projects, such as these handmade journals, which I fill with doodles of my boys.
 
I've also wallpapered the office cubby holes with them.
 
Before and after of my Very Orange Office.
But THIS is my greatest most prized collection ever.
With these paper goods I will build Shangri-la!
My coveted stash of Crane paper goods. And I don't even have anyone to write to! Nevertheless, my goal is that this stash just gets bigger and larger and wider. Even though I hardly write letters anymore, I can never get enough of stationery. It is my #1 Achilles heel, even more so than sock yarn by a mile. Just looking at that mountain of paper - all 100% cotton! - makes my little eyes well up with tears. 99% of this stash is courtesy of Duck's mother who used to work at Crane. As my dealer she feeds me paper crack every Christmas, birthday, anniversary, Easter, Flag Day. (By the way, Crane's is also responsible for producing the U.S. paper currency and I believe the Euro as well. The company has a very fascinating history.)
The obsession with paper goods has been lifelong. I have more stationery than friends to address them to, and more blank journals and more sketch books than any inkwell can fill. And I want more!
Hey! If you want help me go through my paper stash, I'd love to write you a little letter! (I love the physical act of writing too - and conveniently enough I also LOVE PENS!) Forget emails and text messaging and comments and whathaveyou - how about receiving a good old-fashioned honest to goodness handwritten letter? Honestly, when was the last time you received one that wasn't from your great-aunt Betty on your birthday?
Squeee!
Squee?
Filed Under: Letter-writing | Life
Monday, March 12, 2007
I have had this annoying, inexplicable habit of buying single skeins of sock yarn, the ones that are no more than 175 yards and obviously not enough to make a full pair of socks. See this. And this. And also this. There are more bachelors and bachelorettes hanging out in the stash. When I approach that wall dripping with those Koigu colors, fighting the urge to grab every skein and stuff them in my mouth, I think to myself: Why buy two skeins in one color when for the same price you can have two skeins in two colors? More for your money! I'm so smart! Not a bad shopping practice in general, but when the whole point of buying sock yarn is to uh make socks, full-grown socks, which you now can't do because you don't have enough yarn, well then really how smart are you? I tried justifying my single purchases by convincing myself that I only wanted to knit anklets. But again. Wool anklets. What's the point? In the end you end up wasting. These Spring Anklets I made in that buttery Sundara yarn has been worn maybe all of five times in the last year.
So I'm totally loving this Chevron Scarf craze. It's the perfect way to use up the single skeins of sock yarn, and to pair up colorways that are not particularly matchy-matchy. In fact the less matchy the colors are, the better! I'm also trying to wean myself off of making socks, and the Chevron Scarf is the perfect in-between project. Still using yummy sock yarn but not making socks. Yay!
I'm using Sundara yarn in "Troubador" + Louet Gems Pearl in the lightest green. Instead of the fan-and-feather pattern I'm using this simple chevron pattern with eyelets:
Across 33 stitches:
RS rows: [k4, yo, k, yo, k4, double-decrease] twice, then k4, yo, k, yo, k4 (35 sts)
WS rows: p2tog through the back, p to last two stitches, p2tog (33 sts) Double-decrease is: slip 2 stitches knitwise together, k next stitch, pass the two slipped stitches over. This makes for a skinny scarf. For wider chevrons increase the 'k4' part to your liking.
After the first foot of the scarf I switched up the height of the chevrons by knitting 4 rows of one color and then 4 rows of the other. So it'll be 4x4 for the middle, and 2x2 for the ends of the scarf.
I'm using US3 needles on the fingering weight yarn, and as a result the fabric is loose, but not lacey, and the sides aren't curling in. Woot! Very pleased with how this is turning out so far.
P.S. I also finished the back of Kooch. Just the sleeves left...I see the light! Slow and steady wins the race, right?
Filed Under: Chevron Scarf | General Knitting | Rowan | Kooch
Friday, March 09, 2007
Look at us, so romantic and glamorous in the glow of the setting sun.
Oooo aaaah.
Why don't you knit us already?
Here is a skein of Sundara Yarn in "Troubador" on top of a skein of GEMS Pearl in a light green. I bought the Sundara Yarn waaaay back when pureknits was selling them. It's definitely vintage, and I still don't know what to do with it, having bought just one very inconvenient skein. I attempted this awhile back and decided I didn't want to knit socks with them. I still don't. I think it's about time I knitted something other than socks for a change.
I smell the heady scent of a Chevron Scarf...
Filed Under: General Knitting | Yarn Stash
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Pattern: None, just a 54-stitch stockinette sock with gusset heel and wedge toe
Yarn: Yarntini self-striping in Pure Fall
Needles: US2 for the top half of the leg, US1 for the rest
I just rediscovered these shoes while cleaning out the closet. Oh my god do I have a lot of shoes. Anyway I bought these four years ago in a San Francisco boutique for 75% off. Ah the thrill of a good sale! But strangely I have not worn these as much as I should have. I mean how does one just forget that she owns awesome tomato-red pointy-toed shoes with cylinder heels like these?!
Especially ones that go so good with new stripey socks, no?
Filed Under: Completed Projects | Socks
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