That meme going around - for the holidays

From too many places to count at this point.

Things you've already done: bold
Things you want to do: italicize
Things you haven't done and don't want to - leave in plain font

1. started your own blog
2. slept under the stars
3. played in a band
4. visited hawaii
5. watched a meteor shower
6. given more than you can afford to charity
7. been to disneyland/world
8. climbed a mountain
9. held a praying mantis
10. sang a solo
11. bungee jumped
12. visited paris
13. watched a lightning storm at sea
14. taught yourself an art from scratch
15. adopted a child
16. had food poisoning
17. walked to the top of the statue of liberty
18. grown your own vegetables
19. seen the mona lisa in france
20. slept on an overnight train
21. had a pillow fight
22. hitch hiked
23. taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. built a snow fort
25. held a lamb
26. gone skinny dipping
27. run a marathon - I'll stick to 5ks, thanks.
28. ridden a gondola in venice - I did ride a water taxi...
29. seen a total eclipse
30. watched a sunrise or sunset
31. hit a home run - hahaha.
32. been on a cruise
33. seen niagara falls in person
34. visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. seen an amish community
36. taught yourself a new language
37. had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. seen the leaning tower of pisa in person
39. gone rock climbing
40. seen michelangelo's david in person - I never made it to the Uffizi due to the bus accident, but I have seen other versions in Florence...
41. sung karaoke
42. seen old faithful geyser erupt
43. bought a stranger a meal in a restaurant
44. visited africa
45. walked on a beach by moonlight
46. been transported in an ambulance - I think only once, after the bus accident!
47. had your portrait painted - I do have a charcoal drawing from Paris
48. gone deep sea fishing
49. seen the sistene chapel in person
50. been to the top of the eiffel tower in paris - No thanks
51. gone scuba diving or snorkelling Definitely been snorkeling
52. kissed in the rain
53. played in the mud
54. gone to a drive-in theatre
55. been in a movie
56. visited the great wall of china
57. started a business - a very small one.
58. taken a martial arts class
59. visited russia
60. served at a soup kitchen
61. sold girl scout cookies.
62. gone whale watching - I don't think so, but I may have when I was a kid.
63. gotten flowers for no reason
64. donated blood
65. gone sky diving
66. visited a nazi concentration camp
67. bounced a cheque
68. flown in a helicopter
69. saved a favorite childhood toy
70. visited the lincoln memorial
71. eaten caviar
72. pieced a quilt
73. stood in times square
74. toured the everglades
75. been fired from a job
76. seen the changing of the guard in london
77. broken a bone
78. been on a speeding motorcycle
79. seen the grand canyon in person
80. published a book
81. visited the vatican
82. bought a brand new car
83. walked in jerusalem
84. had your picture in the newspaper
85. read the entire bible
86. visited the white house
87. killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. had chickenpox
89. saved someone’s life
90. sat on a jury
91. met someone famous
92. joined a book club - I've started a few, actually
93. lost a loved one
94. had a baby
95. seen the alamo in person.
96. swum in the great salt lake.
97. been involved in a law suit
98. owned a cell phone
99. been stung by a bee

The camera I can never find

Is invariably someplace completely obvious. In this case, in the pocket of my backpack where I always put it. Figures.

This does mean pictures! I've been doing even more knitting this week than normal. I got over my cold fairly quickly, thanks in no small part to my boyfriend G and his natural remedies. I'm an echinacea convert! I managed to destroy all that healthiness this morning, however, by slipping on some ice and ingloriously flying down five steps, landing on the side of my back. That destroyed my exciting plans for the day- running, lifting weights, brunch with some of my favorite knitters, and even latkes at Sixth and I with Chef Spike from Top Chef. DARN! I ended up chilling out on the sofa, watching The Tudors (not as good as True Blood, but better than most tv shows), and then this evening I was treated to Indian food. I even remembered to light the menorah- so a bad start to the day has ended up just fine. As long as I don't try and lean over or sit up too quickly.

I finished up a project that has been nearly complete for months- just in time to stuff it full of a holiday gift.


The cashmere shawl looks about the same all the time, and probably will until I block it, but the Endpaper Mitts are moving right along and photograph beautifully.



My favorite menorah, from the opposite vantage point of my usual sofa view.

An Annual Tradition

Last year I had the flu the week leading into Christmas. It was rotten. This year I don't have the flu (hurray flu shot!), but I did catch the cold that's been roaming around my office. All the herbal remedies and cold meds I've been taking haven't licked it yet, but it has given me a nice opportunity to slow down and enjoy the season. Albeit with a red and runny nose. I keep over-booking myself- and when I'm sick I just back out of everything (as politely as possible). And suddenly I'm faced with free time.

Free time to be festive. The gifts are wrapped on one of my chairs (being Jewish and treeless, a chair works). The ones headed off to the midwest have already been mailed. The new bright blue LED lights are strung up on the balcony, with these nifty white circles hanging beneath them. My house is Chanuka-festive, and I even found the candles that fit in my newest menorah before I go to light them.

Free time to watch TV. Last night I finally caught the first episode of True Blood, which I adored. And I am showing serious devotion to the significant other by not watching a bunch more tonight while I'm home alone. Instead, I'm watching the Muppet Christmas special. I'll never really grow up.

Free time to cook more- last night I was treated to a delicious Hungarian paprika-laced chicken soup. Spicy and perfect for my head cold. Monday I cooked The Pioneer Woman's stellar Pasta alla Vodka. Some people thought it had a bit too much vodka. I thought it was abso-fallutin-tastic. It made a great lunch the last few days, too. And tonight I tried a new recipe for vegetable stew with herb dumplings. I'm not sure it came out so much as stew as a very soupy veggie mixture, but I was extremely pleased with the dumplings for my first time ever making them. It was a pretty easy recipe, and very tasty!

Free time to knit. I've been working on my cashmere stole quite a bit. I'm halfway through the fifth repeat, of eight repeats total. Not bad! It's still luscious to work with the cashmere; I feel almost guilty it's so sinfully soft. I also cast on for a quick little gift, a new pair of Eunny Jang's Endpaper Mitts for a deserving friend. She picked out some really lovely colors and gave me a chance to re-remember the tubular cast-on. Which I enjoyed much more this time. In addition to the mitts and my never-ending lace stole, I've started working on a baby blanket again. Two of my colleagues from work are having babies in the spring, and I'm excited to have a real reason to play with sweet and cuddly baby yarns.

The only sad part of these few days of chilling at home after work, is that my camera has disappeared again. How am I supposed to document my works in progress without it? I'm sure it's in some purse somewhere around here. You'd think it would be easy to find everything in an efficiency apartment, but not so.

DC Namaste Knitters Meetup!

DC Namaste Knitters Meetup!
Originally uploaded by LollyKnit

Thanks to the joys of Ravelry, I had a fantastic afternoon knitting and enjoying a comforting yoga practice here in DC. It was so nice to reconnect with two other UMBC alumnae, and hang out with other local knitters who are into yoga. I love this group photo from Lolly!

Happy Holidays

Real-world post completed, I can get to the more important stuff. The holidays.

First, I have a lot to be thankful for. And this Thanksgiving brought that home more than usual. I am thankful for so much.
-Love from my friends and family, who are a constantly growing web of people.
-A sister who has faith in God and country, in ways different and yet not so different from mine.
-A Jewish community at the non-denominational Sixth and I synagogue, who so far have been very kind and welcoming. Even if I still haven't made it to any services there.
-A new home that is safe and warm and already full of pleasant memories, and plenty big enough for one woman.
-A job that pays the rent.
-Enough yarn to see me through this economic climate, and enough spending money to support my LYS and online retailers for just a teensy bit more should I desire.
-A local library that is sometimes my solace.
-A gorgeous city only minutes from my door- I am so thankful that I still appreciate it, and want to see more of it.

Second, after my short list of thanks, there's the holidays more generally. I don't like hearing Christmas music between Halloween and Thanksgiving. I think it's ridiculous to rush the year along, just because the weather has cooled down and retailers are doing poorly. But I admit to a hidden love for Christmas carols and festive decorations and tidings the minute Thanksgiving is over. I am already ready to bring on the holiday cheer. One of my favorite movies is Holiday Inn, a silly little thing with Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire, but it does get you in the spirit of the season. For a Jewish chick, I do love the Christmas songs. The new Stephen Colbert Christmas Special was a nice and funny kickstart for this year- all I need to watch now is the new Muppet special and I should be completely into the holiday mood.

I did a good bit of my gift buying online yesterday, during the Black Friday specials. Part of me wishes I could have done more through my own handcrafts, or purchased from Etsy sellers who handmade their items. But most of what I got, after thinking it through, were games and other things that will bring people together. I hope they will allow my family and friends to remember that real holiday togetherness later on, since I don't imagine 2009 will be much easier than 2008. We are all so geographically spread out, and will be more so once my sister deploys in January. We have so much to be thankful for, the main things we have been provided with. Despite all that, I still wish my family could be a little bit closer.

I have great hope for our new President, but I think he just signed up for an almost impossible task. I think most of us are hoping for the best, but see a long road ahead. What better way to begin the next year than with a truly festive holiday- a celebration not quantified in money or gifts or fancy food and drink, but a holiday of the spirit. Coming together for company, and to spread the love. I think it's worth considering, even for the most bah-humbug of us, to try just a little harder in the next short weeks to express that love, and to really cherish what (and especially who) we have. It's a challenge anyone can win, and I'm ready for it myself.

The worst thing that can happen to a knitter

I suspect that the worst thing that could happen to a knitter is losing the ability to knit. I'm not quite so whole-sale gone as all that... but I managed to pull a muscle in my upper back/neck, or some other cause not yet determined, and have spent the last two weeks knitting very little and taking a lot of pain meds. When the pain still wasn't gone by last Friday, I pulled in the bigger guns- muscle relaxants. Boy are these things weird. When I take them at night, I'm out pretty shortly thereafter. Took them this morning, since the pain and discomfort was pretty severe and I don't need to drive or operate machinery today. As near as I can tell they still make me woozy enough that I don't dare drive, but I seem to be awake enough to surf the web with impunity.

At any rate, all this pretty much explains why I haven't yet finished the darn NaKniSweMo sweater. I've been making an honest effort- I finished the front yesterday, and started the sleeves today. About three inches into the sleeves, in fact. But there's no way I can pull out a marathon knitting session the rest of the weekend to finish it on time. So much for that goal. I don't think I want to mess up my back further by trying to knit when my body tells me not to, but it's a hard hard thing to laze around in front of the tv all day and not have needles in hand!

My Thanksgiving this year was quiet and very pleasant. I did a fair bit of baking beforehand- something about the holidays really gets me in the baking mood. I made blueberry muffins, although I should have made the awfully sweet variety instead of the healthy sort. I like the sweet ones much better. I made a loaf of cranberry nut bread, which is nearly gone already between Turkey Day and breakfasts since. And I also made four dozen pecan tassies. I absolutely adore tassies- they're a bit fussy to make, but come out stellar. The winter edition of Bon Appetit has a recipe for chocolate almond tassies that I may try next- there's something absurdly appealing about little mini tarts with a cream cheese and butter crust. Again- not so healthy, but absolutely worth it.

Toreador, don't spit on the floor

OK, OK, I know those aren't the words. I have seasons tickets to the Washington National Opera this year, through Generation O. It's their club for the under-35 set- they figure if they can get us young, we'll be patrons of the arts when we're older. The tickets are about half price, so it's totally worth it. I missed La Traviata due to work (don't even get me started), but I saw the last two major productions- Lucrezia Borgia two weeks ago, and Carmen tonight. Generation O tickets tend to be available for dates when the alternate cast is singing. For La Borgia, that worked in my favor- the main soprano got panned a bit by DCist but I found the production top-notch and the alternate soprano was superb. The romance between the trouser mezzo and the tenor was a bit overemphasized, but the dude was in love with his mother, too. Who am I to judge. Unfortunately, I missed out on the DC-native Denyce Graves in the title role in Carmen, and the alternate mezzo soprano was ... subpar. She scooped to the notes, missed them fairly often, and worst of all I could barely hear her. The production was fairly banal as well. The sets were uninspired, costumes seemed VERY been there done that, even to a girl who technically has never seen this opera staged before. On the plus side, it really is one of the most entertaining operas, musically, and the orchestra was in fine fettle for most of the night. I adored the soprano, singing the role of the good woman foil for evil little Carmen. And frankly, the tenor Don Jose was pretty stellar also. It's just a bit of a pity when the title role is one of the worst performances I've heard at the Kennedy Center. Period.
I'm skipping out on Peter Grimes (didn't I see that in its first performance at IU?), but I will be sure to let you know how the next operas after that go!

In more craft-related news, I placed an Amazon order last week and I picked it up from the front desk tonight on my way back from the opera, humming Toreador all the way. I'm very pleased with my haul. First up is Jelly Roll Quilts, an excellent book of tips and tricks and patterns for those gorgeous jelly rolls of pre-cut fabric strips. I don't actually own any yet, but I'm thinking the Moda sale going on at my Mom's local quilt store Wish Upon a Quilt might be the kick in the pants I need. I'm thinking of doing a fairly simple nine patch quilt in the Nest by Moda line. It's all little bird eggs, bird tracks, and adorable art deco style birds. Adorable!

Also in my shipment is my favorite new knitting book. It's the long awaited Knitted Lace of Estonia by Nancy Bush. There is one scarf in this book that I don't really care for. Every other project? I want. I want to knit them. I want to wear them. I want to drape them all over my apartment. I want to hang them from the windows, and on my mirror, and the backs of chairs. I want to give them away as presents to everyone I've ever known. In short, this is the best compilation of knitted lace that I've seen outside Ravelry.

And soon after NaKniSweMo, I'll cast on. OH yes. And it will be all lacey gorgeousness for quite some time around here. It's too bad about that holiday gift thing- everyone's just going to have to make do with store bought (or Etsy bought). I can't bring myself to stop knitting myself sweaters and shawls long enough to be a good gifter this year.

Knitting Content! No Kidding!

It's all in the headline. I decided to give up NaNoWriMo for NaKniSweMo, and boy am I ever cracking along on it. I finished the back already. Want proof?



Disregard the crazy coloring- it's not sage, it's actually hunter green. But that is really a finished back to the Perfect Sweater v2, knit in Ella Rae Amity. I know lots of purists get all fudgety about using wool/acrylic blends like the Amity, or Wool-Ease (pills a ton) or my general Plymouth Encore. But so far I'm loving the Amity, and the Encore has held up great in the past. My only issue with the yarn? Why would you bother with 220 yard wound skeins if they have at least two knots in them? I have terrible luck with knots. Those sneaky Ella Rae people. I hate weaving in ends, and I hate having to backtrack nearly an entire row even more. Grr.

On the plus side, this sweater got to go on a field trip to see the Capitals whup up on another hockey team. Sweaters just love field trips. Check the Flickr for more Capitals game fun. My sister, who you may remember is the real hockey fan in the family, texts me the same thing every time I go to a game: "You suck." Thanks, sis. I love you, too.

The knitting photos are pretty bad from the game- I kept laughing. It must be that old man I've been hanging around with.



That, or the beer.

Remember Remember

The... 8th of November... I don't think that's how it goes.

It's November. Well in, in fact. And I have about 2500 words of my novel for NaNoWriMo. And I don't really mind very much. It's a laudable goal, but it simply just isn't working for me this year. I didn't put in much effort, and between trying to keep up the running and the social life and the election craziness it just hasn't happened.

Instead of any self-flagellation about it, I'm just giving myself a better challenge. Why kill myself over a novel, when I could go crazy doing something more productive. Like knitting a sweater. I did it during the Olympics, which was what- 17 days? And there's 22 days left in the month. I still get to race, I still get the feeling of accomplishment... and unlike writing, which requires a laptop and time alone, I can knit while doing my other things. While watching the Daily Show and Dancing with the Stars episodes on my DVR. While hanging out with my friends and boyfriend in the evenings. And I miss knitting lately. Less than I would have expected, for how little I've been knitting... but still.

I have been doing a little knitting. I'm getting close to finishing the second ball of cashmere for my cashmere stole. And I did start the brown vine socks from the Fall Interweave Knits.

So now it's time to pick up my pointy sticks again, and knit myself a sweater. I even know EXACTLY what I want to make. It's the Olympics Sweater, redux! I have the yarn... I have the pattern... and I want to wear it desperately. It's a brilliant plan, really.

As a side note, I went to a Bond celebration at BoConcept, the furniture store downtown where I purchased my sofa. Their furniture was featured in the new Bond movie, so they held this cute little event to celebrate. The martinis were strong, the food was gone before we got there- but it was an excuse to wear some of my grandmother's rhinestones and head out on the town. Not a bad time at all! In lieu of knitting pictures... check it out.

Playing Bond


And me as a Bond girl.

Dallying in Dayton

My kid sister is rocking it out with Guitar Hero (which I'm still pretty bad at). After all those years she made fun of my for playing video games- she's more into the Wii than I am.

This has been a nice visit out to the middle of the country- a last little Dayton trip before she deploys in January. Friday night we went to nearby Kettering, OH to participate in their first annual 5k "Run for Your Life"- a pretty entertaining way to spend Halloween night. It was a super hilly course through the neighborhoods in town, so we were cheered along the way by the locals and the course finished in a burst of fog machine fog and strobe lights- it was adorable. It was the first 5k either of us ran, though my sister has done half marathons before. She stayed with my slow pace, and we ran almost the whole course... except for walking up all the hills. This gave us a pretty slow time of 37'38" but I don't mind in the slightest. I wanted to beat 40 minutes, and I certainly did! Next time I'll aim a bit lower still- and hope the course is a bit flatter.

The best part of the race was our costumes. A few other people raced in appropriate Halloween attire, but we definitely got the most crowd support.



Finishing a race counts as winning in my book.


We also went to the US Air Force Museum today- it's enormous and very interesting. Heather posed in a cockpit for me.


I wrote a bit of my novel last night, slept a whole ton, and am finally nearly finished with On Beauty. And I'm zooming along on my cashmere stole. It feels like a real mini-vacation. I'm thrilled to have made it out here. I'm sad to leave... but very happy to be heading back to Arlington. Funny how that works.

Bad Blogger Time

I have not been a very good blogger. A rather sad correspondent, in fact. I've thought about blog posts (at work, where I cannot write and post them, or in bed, where the laptop is simply too far away). I've considered taking more photos, to have photos to share. I've wondered about what I might like to document- the half-finished sewing projects, and the half-finished knitting projects.

Mostly I've just been busy having a strange new social life. I'm enjoying that, but so much for blogging.

And now I know it's just going to get worse. Social life isn't going away. And now it's November. Last year I chickened out. Last year I agreed to put aside my goal-oriented type-a-ness for the sake of someone else, and spending time with them. Well, so much for that- I should have chosen writing.

Hello, National Novel Writing Month. Ah NaNoWriMo, how I have missed you. I'm hoping to finish my cashmere stole sometime before New Year's Eve, so I can wear it. That's my metro project. But my other free time? Now sacrificed on the altar of bad writing, silly prose, and unedited wanton written abandon.

Join me? It isn't too late. I'm not even 2000 words into my novel yet (though I am close).

Also of note, on the personal and running side. I ran my first 5k this evening with my sister. In costume, of course- both of us were dressed quite appropriately. Photos to come, as soon as she uploads them!

Sunday night

Until recently, my Sunday nights have had a surprising consistency. It's my day to cook. Really cook. Cook the kinds of things I just don't have time or energy to make mid-week... the long-simmering things, the big luscious stews, the soups and desserts and things. The last few weeks I've had other plans- but I haven't minded. I'm a lot like my mom about that- as long as I'm fed, I'm probably going to be happy. So long as it isn't treif, at least.

This whole weekend has been a very selfish weekend, however. A time to regroup, a time to focus in and frankly just putter around the apartment for once. I'm feeling much better as a result, as is evidenced by my making it to the gym and getting in a run before my gym buddy even got there! That may have been because I misread the clock and got there an hour early, but it definitely counts. After I got back I puttered some more, watched some bad tv on my DVR, and did laundry. And I started cooking!

I found a new beef stew recipe to try by checking out my copy of Fix and Forget It- Lightly, a pretty decent slow cooker book. I mainly chose the recipe because I had all the ingredients except two. My neighbor kindly gave me the worcestershire sauce and onion I needed, and it turned out rather delicious! I thought about getting buffalo meat at the market, and this probably would have been good with that... but beef worked just as well.



In addition to stew, I made a Tarte Tatin for the first time in ages. It wouldn't flip over, but it is still delicious. So my low-key weekend continues with apple tart a la française, a glass of cabernet, and Red Sox up by 1. I'm also back to working on my cashmere stole, now that it's cold enough that I wish I had it finished already. Perfection.

Last week I went to a book sale at my work- lots of interesting items were to be had, in addition to a lot of cheap books. This was my literary haul:


Notice the spinning book? And the gorgeous Quilts of Provence book is not only a subject I care a great deal about, having lived in Aix-en-Provence... but it is also a signed copy.


I also purchased some gifts, and the best salt and pepper shakers ever. Smiling sheep!

October-land

I am so pleased with the Red Sox. Huzzah! And I was even home to watch the game this evening, which is a super bonus.

I was not feeling very well today (in fact, quite the opposite), but I was able to recover from my sniffles and hoarse throat and so forth enough to sew like mad. I've been pretty successful! I finished the petticoat for my costume. Is it sad if this is my second petticoat- I guess now I have one in black as well as white. I also made the poodle skirt- because, yes. Jess was totally right, and I'm going as a 50s chickie. I have not added the applique yet, however, and I think I still need to cut off at least 2 inches of the skirt. 5 inches off was apparently insufficient, I am so darn short. The applique... should be interesting. It is not a poodle.

The 50s costume is particularly appropriate because it will match my new specs. They are pretty spiffy. Let's just not discuss how bad my old prescription was, or how suddenly I can see people's faces again. And read alarm clocks. Now I know- if I can't read the alarm clock from bed WITH the glasses on, they really need new lenses.

Hope that I feel better tomorrow. I am feeling rotten mentally as well as physically, for skipping out on the numerous things I was supposed to do today (volunteering this morning, seeing Fools & Horses tonight, hanging out with friends). I didn't even manage laundry. Sewing is a pretty good feeling-sick activity, actually- it is very distracting, and requires you to get up and down a fair bit but doesn't actually make you move too much. I finally got a folding cardboard cutting mat to put on the kitchen table, so I didn't even have to cut everything out on the floor. This may cause me to sew more in future.

One final note about this sewing stuff... the Athena is definitely still dead. Very very dead. On the plus side, I pulled out my Rocketeer, and it is working like a champ. Maybe I'll try quilting tomorrow, since all work stopped on my Storm at Sea when the Athena went kablooey last month...

Getting Ready for Halloween

I need two Halloween costumes this year. One needs to be sweat-friendly, because my sister and I are running a 5k together in Dayton. This will be my first 5k (and possibly only my second time running with anyone besides myself!)... so I'm scared, but excited. And I'll probably walk a fair bit, since I'm not exactly training as hard as I could desire. No matter. This first costume, for running, is apparently going to be a somewhat naughty pirate costume. Including fishnets. My sister picked it out- she's going to be a "naughty nurse" which is fitting for a new RN. Neither costume should be overly risque... after all, we'll have our running clothes on underneath!

My second costume should be equally entertaining. It's not finished yet. And by not finished, I mean not started. But it includes the following materials:

Hot pink felt
black tulle
black net
black lining fabric
various small felt pieces
black sweater
white button-down shirt
black stockings

Any guesses as to what it could be? I'll give a few bonus hints over the weekend.

I will get to wear this costume to a party on the 25th, and again after the run on the 31st. I'm very excited to get to wear it twice!

Playing Tourist

This was a week full of birthdays. While celebrating a good birthday on Saturday, there was a lot of museum-going. I love playing tourist in DC- it's just so easy to do. We started at the Jim Henson exhibit, which was closing this past weekend. It was delightful to see the old advertising videos and muppets (Mahna Mahna!). After that, we wandered to the new Sant Ocean Hall at the Museum of Natural History- and we also checked out the butterfly exhibit and the soil exhibit. Who knew dirt could be so entrancing? Good times. We ended at the American Art Museum and Portrait Gallery, up near Gallery Place, for the Ansel Adams and Georgia O'Keeffe exhibit. That last one just opened a few weeks ago, and I highly recommend it! It was stunning. I think I was focused a lot more on the paintings than my birthday companion, but then I'm less of the photographer.

All this tramping around, playing tourist, was fun. But one of the highlights of the day was an unexpected music and dancing extravaganza going on at the Kogod Courtyard inside the American Art Museum. The Carnaval del Corazon Rhythm performance was pretty entertaining to encounter by mistake.





We also saw the butterfly garden, between the Natural History museum and the Sculpture Garden.



But after a busy busy weekend, all I wanted in the world was some quiet knitting time. I'm finally moving along on Mystery Stole 4!



The pearl beads are showing up much nicer than the clear ones did. I think this will be a lovely stole.

Ah, google 2001...

This is the most entertainment I've had in the last five minutes. Google Searching like it's 2001

It did remind me of this. Was I really this young in 2001? My school page from UMBC.

Obviously, that was my pre-knitting stage. I didn't pick up the pointy sticks until senior year of college. This is why I have one trillion works in progress- I'm making up for lost time!

I was at the Jenny Lewis show at the Sixth and I historic synagogue downtown tonight. It was darling, but for the cranked A/C. It is darn cold out, why on earth did we need it to be even colder inside! Jenny, of course, was as hot and brilliant as ever. She makes me want to get out the guitar and sing. Or just be an amazingly cute redhead. So right- guitar.

I was at Sixth and I a few months ago for a kaballah class, and of course I'm going there for the *FREE* High Holy Day services. It is an amazing sanctuary, and I feel quite blessed to be able to pray there. Did I mention that it is also free? There was something strange and disturbing about watching a rock show from the pews, however.

I'm so glad it will be cold and I can justify wearing a shawl tomorrow... there are definite perks to being a knitter. I might even add a funky hat from the 60s, depending on my level of bravery. If I do, I will most certainly post pics! I sometimes question my degree of fashion relevance to the 21st century, but I'm mainly ok with dressing oddly. It's normally a lot harder to get away with at work (what with the suits four days a week), but my company is participating in Denim Day and this will my first time legitimately wearing jeans to work in three years!

Definitely with a hat and shawl. I may be in jeans instead of a suit, but I still need to look put together.

New Year for me, Rosh Hashana for the world

The tiny regret for today is that I am staying up late goofing off online when I should be sweetly sleeping. Just because I'm not going to work in the morning doesn't mean I can be a night owl- I still have to be downtown to meet a friend for services at 8:45am. I despise mornings. I keep thinking I'll get older and wiser and abhor them less, but they're still rotten. Like peanut butter, a substance that should be banished from the earth.

On the plus side, I am twenty-eight years young! You can't go to bed early on your birthday. There's something magical about waiting up for the new year to arrive. There are lots of new year's going on this week, though- new year of my life at midnight, new year in the Jewish calendar a few hours ago at sunset, new fiscal year coming up tomorrow. The more I think about it, the more I think every year of my life just keeps getting a bit better. There were a few regressions- in fact, I think 2005 should just get stricken from the record. But other than that, I think I really am getting a little bit smarter, a little bit more compassionate, a little more loving. Even if I am still nocturnal, despite all my efforts to the contrary. 28 seems like such a strange number. When I was in college and grad school, it seemed awfully adult. Now it seems pretty young, and not really even that close to 30. Funny how quickly the perspective changes. I don't think I look any particular age anymore- I get carded about the same number of times as I always have since turning 21 seven years ago. My face looks less angular than it did at 18, and I think it does look like I have experienced life a bit more. I don't have many markers of age, though- no real wrinkles, no gray hairs, nothing to go by. I just look like me. Did you know my age, dear reader? Did it really matter either way? I suspect not.

On a brief crafty note, I finally got up the nerve to reorganize my stash and deal with the piles of junk that were covering the floor between my bed and my chest of drawers. It's like a whole new apartment, with space and pseudo-cleanliness. My fabric stash is larger than I remembered, however, so I'm going to tackle that before my little Rosh Hashana soiree this evening... while dinner cooks.

This past weekend I went to the RenFest, as is generally my wont around birthday-time. I had no desire to go in garb this year, in the mud and the thunderstorms and the muck. Nevertheless, it was a lovely time, even in the rain and mundy clothes.

Progress has Halted

The quilt was moving along swimmingly. I finished half of the outside squares. There are four small outside squares in each block of Storm at Sea- a small square with two sets of triangles around it, making a square within a square within a square. A square cubed! At any rate, half of those mini-blocks are completely done. And about a half of the remaining ones are done but for the very last seam, that very last triangle. And my sewing machine, my pretty little Singer Athena 2000, just up and halted. Bam. It tries to whir, and then the needle just locks.

I'm hoping it just needs oiling. Really.

In the meantime, I'll probably set up my Rocketeer and see how that goes. I have a sneaking suspicion I stopped using it because it also needs some love and attention from the Sew-Vac repairman. In which case all progress really will have to halt on my Storm at Sea.

ARGH!

Am I a truly terrible person for having a momentary delusion that this would be a great time to just buy a Bernina? I won't, of course. Two sewing machines is frankly bad enough for a studio apartment, if I move up to three (and none of them a serger, even) I really will be certifiably nuts. I know I have oil for the machines around here someplace, and I think I know where the closest repair shop is to the new place.

In the meantime, I guess it is back to the knitting. That cashmere stole really should be done before winter. Not to mention the mystery stole...

Shabbat Musings

I belong to a Jewish organization here in DC that sets up Shabbat Clusters a few times a year. They match interested people with a group in a particular geographical area, based in some way on religious observance, location, age group, and singles/couples. My new group met for the first time this evening a few metro stops away from my house, and it was just a lovely time. Shabbat Cluster dinners are held at somebody's home, and generally tend to go late, if the crowd is a good one- it's pretty common for dinner to spill into drinks and chatting until midnight. Tonight was no exception.

One theme that we discussed after dinner, once some people had headed out, was whether or not I am a hipster. Here were the arguments for my being "hipster":
- awareness of geocaching
- wearing all black (not entirely true- I had on a beige camisole. And I meant to wear my green/blue Seraphim shawl but it was too hot in the apartment for wool over my sweater)
- my admitting that I can rock a porkpie (it's a kind of hat- I actually look good in most styles of hats- I wish I could get away with them as a fashion accessory at work without looking like a... um, hipster)
- reading XKCD, a webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language
- my open love for the local dive bar, where my "peeps" are- admittedly, many of whom are "hipsters"
- my glasses, which are apparently uber-hipster. I was going for "sexy librarian," but I can see that.

I thought all of these were really more geeky than hipster. Except maybe the clothing and glasses.

What is hipster, anyways? I never think of myself as fitting into a people group in that way. Jewish, yes. Knitter, yes. Crazy crafter, of course. But hipster? That seems so foreign. I've never based my clothing choices on any particular group or trend, as is painfully obvious to those who know my eclectic and not very fashion-forward tastes. And I've never fit into those education-based groups- I wasn't preppy, or goth, or a jock (HA!), or anything like that. Just me. Maybe dramatic. Maybe unusual. Is that all hipster is, really?

Besides, I thought the current hipster model included skinny jeans and really long shirts. My body is definitely not aligned with these current fashion choices!

What will people remember of these early years of the 2000s- we seem to have stolen most of our fashion trends from the past. There's 70s looks, 80s looks, and even some grunge creeping in. People have taken on historical fashion (empire waists, cigarette pants). Is there some current style that kids in 2045 will look back and say "that is SO 2005!" I wonder. In the meantime, I'll just keep wearing my wacky choices on the weekends, and my formal suits Monday through Thursday. And blending the two on Fridays, when I can get away with it. I think I might wear bright red shoes and black slacks every Friday for the next month. Does that make me hipster? Or just me.

We also discussed the history of DC and the local roadways, for the record, while enjoying delicious potluck food. I baked an angel food cake, and I forgot how much better they taste homemade, rather than store bought. We even had a brief discussion of kashrut, the Jewish dietary laws, over brownies and my strawberries-and-whipped-cream-topped cake. It's pretty rare and handy hanging out with cartographers, grad students, and software engineers. Shabbat dinners in the DC area are never dull!

Rivah Quilt Guild Retreat 2008

My Mom and I drove out to join my aunt in the Northern Neck of Virginia for the Rivah Quilt Guild annual retreat. I've mentioned this for months now, and in the end it was everything I'd hoped for! I had a complete blast hanging out with these experienced quilters (nevermind that I'm 20-30 years younger than the youngest of them). They were kind and generous with their knowledge, and I think were a bit surprised that I'm not half bad for a beginning quilter. Just a bit slower than them!

I spent most of the retreat working on my Storm at Sea quilt. The blocks will fly together once I get all the fiddly bits done, but before starting to assemble the parts in assembly line fashion, I completed one beautiful block. The colors are exactly what I was hoping for, and the blocks together will make beautiful stormy waves. I plan to finish this one as soon as I possibly can, because I want to hang it over my sofa!


Mom started and finished her quilt top while we were there:


And Aunt Barb completed her quilt top, too:


We were set up in stations, two to a table. My neighbor, Jeanie, was a very lovely and very helpful lady- she gave me lots of tips and tricks for working on my aunt's gorgeous Bernina. It's going to be hard to go back to my (perfectly adequate) machines. First, my station:


And the rest of the working area:


One afternoon we worked on a challenge to complete a Sudoku puzzle, and then piece fabric squares in order based on the puzzle to make a completed little quilt top. My family all rose to the challenge, but none of us completed it first to win the prize! This is one of the ladies showing off her work in progress, with the completed sample quilt in front:


Another fun part of the trip was that every person was paired with a Secret Pal. My Secret Pal treated me well- I received some great quilting supplies (needles and little cutting mats and things), an adorable flowerpot pincushion, and a good bit of chocolate. Mom loved her little gifts, too!


I also cast on for my Mystery Stole 4 again- this time with white pearl beads. It looks so much better than it did with clear beads, so I hope to get caught up with clues 1, 2, and 3 this weekend before I go back to work.

The only unfortunate part of this trip was entirely my fault- I took Autumn Rose to work on, and as my mom and aunt and I are looking at it on a kitchen table, we all realized that it is just too darn small. So I finally had the gumption to check my gauge. Despite having done a gauge swatch, my fair isle was significantly smaller than when I did that little bit of test knitting, and I was off by at least 4-6 stitches from gauge. Across a sweater, that was enough to take it from my size to WAY too small. I'm suitably upset with myself, but so be it- I ripped out the whole thing, back to the corrugated ribbing (which was plenty big for my hips, at least). I didn't even tear up, but it will be some time before I attempt that one again! For the record, I apparently need to go up at least two needle sizes- it calls for a 2, and the 3 was too tiny. I'll try a four next time, and check my gauge a lot sooner!

In closing, I am so glad that we were invited to go on the retreat. The food was amazing (catered, delicious, plentiful, and we only had to cook breakfast!). The women were informative and welcoming. The campground where we were staying and crafting was well maintained, and the staff treated us very well. I hope to be able to attend next year! In the meantime, I have found a local guild that meets on Monday evenings, and I might just join them. I am not an accomplished quilter, but I have a lot of interest, and I feel like I have so much to learn. I don't feel daunted by anything in knitting, really- I figure with a pattern and time I can do just about anything I desire to knit. I can teach it, I can fix my own and others' mistakes, and generally I feel perfectly comfortable with it. I'm finding the challenge of sewing to be very suited to me at this moment in my life- I'm ready for something a bit harder, a bit foreign. I don't know all the terms, or how to do a lot of it. I don't know the tips and tricks like I do with knitting, my more native craft. It's exciting- and unlike sewing apparel (or knitting sweaters off-gauge), I don't have to worry about whether or not it will fit. What a delight!

Fun in Virginny

I'm heading out shortly for my quilting retreat 3 hours away in historic... someplace I don't know... on the Rappahannock near the Chesapeake Bay. I always craft on vacation, but this is going to be one epic craft fest.

Just to make sure I don't run out of things to do, I'm bringing the following:

One lap quilt in patriotic colors. Already have cut nearly all the fabric, nearly ready to sew.

One batch of fabric in muted blues and greens to make Storm at Sea. Not begun at all, but lap quilt size.

The cashmere stole (for anytime we're just sitting around- I don't need to pay much attention to the lace at all now, more than a third in.

Mystery Stole 4, which I had started but am now re-starting with a different color of bead. They're more like pearls, which will show up a lot better against my burgundy yarn.

Autumn Rose, which is still plugging along.

Yeah, I know this is a quilting retreat. But I tend to use a bit of profanity when I sew- don't know why, I just get frustrated quickly. When I'm knitting, I still get frustrated, but very rarely. Besides, I'm 9 million times more likely to poke myself with a sewing needle than a knitting needle. Finishing the little table topper is proof of that. Although sewing binding doesn't really release colorful language- it takes forever but at least it isn't difficult. The thought of binding a queen size quilt gives me the shivers.

I really did finish it, before 2am, even. Isn't it pretty?





I'll be back Thursday, hopefully with some great photos from the trip! Happy crafting.

More Fools & Horses

The boys of Fools & Horses came back to Arlington Friday night for some fun... and to play a lot of covers. It's what the crowd goes for. I have to say, I love their music best- but they do a fine cover of The Darkness, and Hey Jude brought the house down after a really crazy raucous song that I'm blanking on now.

Just a couple of piccies from the show. I was in a better spot this time for some really great photos of the guys. And I got some even better shots of my friends! I even got a free CD for bringing them with me- I'm frankly ashamed I hadn't bought their new album yet (even if the release party is officially tonight). I am not their biggest fan, compared to some of the ladies who show up every time... but I do love 'em. Maybe focusing on these delightful good times will help me get through the eternal slog that is hand sewing the binding onto my itty bitty table topper. I really am the slowest hand sewer on earth...

Self portraits

I never end up taking photos of myself unless I'm modeling knitted garments (badly) or I have a new haircut. I have just tons of haircut photos, because I am always excited to document the new 'do. Taking photos today, after my first haircut in far far too long, I realized I take the same photos, from the same angle, pretty much every time. Instead of doing a little comparison, I'll just post a few typical shots. My hair, as I suspected, is just plain brown now. The last of the highlights has been cut off, and for now at least I'm pleased with having entirely my natural color. Even if my natural color is about 5 shades darker than I ever dreamed I could handle. Still no gray, so no reason to think about coloring for some time yet.





It's not all skipping out on work early to get long-needed haircuts around here. I'm still plugging away on Autumn Rose.


Here's a very depressing shot of all the ends to be woven in. I'll probably start soon, since it might take as long as knitting the sweater!

My favorite blog

My all-time favorite blog of the past...year or so since I discovered it... is Confessions of a Pioneer Woman. Her stories are hilarious, her photography breathtaking, and really. Lots of pictures of cowboys.

There is something exceedingly depressing about it all, though. I love her cooking recipes, and the romance of her marriage (as told in a nine trillion installment series, High Heels to Tractor Wheels). But I could never live her life. It isn't the ability to cook steaks, which I've never learned, since my income is more vegetarian friendly. It isn't the romance, which is strangely absent from my life right now. It isn't even the cute kid stories and photos of beautiful wild life, though of course I don't see a lot of cute kids or beautiful wild life in my apartment or at work.

I go into anaphylactic shock around horses. Deathly allergic. There goes my dream of growing up and meeting a cowboy.

Life is just not fair.

Growing Autumn Rose

Delicious.

Recuperation

I apparently have been feeling more down and exhausted than even I realized- I slept until a pretty obscene hour today, getting a solid eleven or more hours of sleep. Sometimes after oversleeping you end up feeling even more tired and out of your head, but apparently I needed it- I feel really lovely. Like I've finally caught up a bit. I took the recuperative feeling and did a whole bunch of laundry and tidied up a bit. Just having a clear area near the front door makes a huge difference in this little efficiency. I started putting together my projects to take on the quilting retreat, and have just started sewing down the binding on my handmade gift for the gift exchange. I spent a fair bit of the afternoon working on Autumn Rose, too.

I am the slowest hand sewer on the planet, I think. I'm a good 15 minutes into watching Project Runway, and have completed about an inch of this binding. Thank goodness for sewing machines. I still feel like if I practiced more, I'd be better at it- and I'm thinking I would like to hand sew and quilt a doll quilt in the not so distant future. I also am definitely going to be making this out of a jelly roll at some point: Quilted Patchwork Hot Pads. I adore the thought of pre-cut fabrics that can be quickly stitched together, removing a lot of the prep work.

I also wound up some yarn for a few projects I'd like to start this weekend- obviously I don't have enough going on. The first is Mystery Stole 4. I participated in MS3 until it got to the wing, and nearly completed the symmetrical version. I'm hoping I like MS4 a bit better. The first clue came out on Friday, and it's so tiny that I feel certain I can finish it before week two comes out next Friday morning.

The beads are from Beadworks in Cambridge, MA, and the yarn is Tess Designer Yarns Superwash Lace- the same yarn I used for Hanami and absolutely loved. It's gorgeous and a breeze to work with.


I also pulled out some Dream in Color Smooshy in a beautiful barely variegated brown to make the vine socks from the latest Interweave Knits. I can't believe my sock yarn stash is large enough that I can make both sock patterns in this issue- I'm a very slow and inconsistent sock knitter, but I love the thought of little vines and bobbles on my legs. I think I'll only put the bobbles above the shoe line, so I can wear them with my adorable little red embroidered shoes.

Home again home again

I had all these fantastic plans for this weekend. But with a hurricane (tropical storm) heading my way, I'm thinking this would be a great weekend to be a complete recluse. I want to hit up the farmer's market early before the rain hits, and then just hide in my apartment and knit like the wind. Maybe I'll even make my RenFest skirt, so I'm prepared for October.

I would like to get out on Sunday, if the rain isn't bad, to see the Jim Henson exhibit downtown. I hear I could get a Kermie lanyard there for my badge at work- it's just the fashion statement I need. I also want to see the exhibit. I'm just awfully excited by the thought of a Kermit the Frog lanyard.

I finally watched Obama's speech. I've been pretty uninspired about this election. Mostly regretting being here in DC, where it is generally the only topic of conversation. What can I say? I'm finally a bit inspired.

I'm watching I'm Not There and knitting on Autumn Rose. It's the most frustrating thing I think I've ever knit- I watched a half hour speech (plus some applause on either side) and finished one row. It is definitely not a quick knit, but it's getting more familiar. And it's stunning. Most frustrating? Sure. Most beautiful? You bet. I had these silly hopes of finishing it in time to wear for my birthday, at Rosh Hashana services. Never going to happen. That's just as well- it'll probably be 80 degrees here, anyways.

Ah, DC. Land of politics. Land of exceeding warmth. And somehow, home.

Labor Day weekend recap

In a few photos and a few words:

I love books. I finished The Book Thief, which was truly amazing, on Friday before I left. I read another two books while I was gone.

I love the train. It's such a beautiful way to travel, so spacious, easy to knit, and no security check-in at the airport. Also, costs the same and takes the same amount of time (in traffic) as driving. What a win.

I love my parents. We had a very quick and enjoyable time- good amount of card games, Mom conquering her fear of the slide at the pool, crafting. Always good to see the folks, and not having to drive there made it all the sweeter.

I love crafts.






And yes, mother, I swear I will sew the binding down soon. As soon as I watch my third Netflix disc of the day (did I mention long train-ride?)