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?)