yarntherapy

Ciao, Gates!

I figured that since I am a NYC blogger I should post the obligatory pictures of The Gates :

I totally get why a lot of people weren't crazy about them, but I kind of loved them! I loved how they changed the whole character of the park, especially with the snow. Yes, it was crowded, but it was quite a happening - and as I overheard one guy say "I don't really like it, but I won't argue that it's not art." And the great thing is, for all those people who hated them, they're gone! All I know is that I was thrilled to be able to experience the project first hand.

The gates seemed to inspire people, as well - like this:

And here's a sight - not sure if she's a real bride or a model:

my rockin' Sunday night

Indian takeout, the Oscars, and my taxes. Woooohoo! Least exciting Oscars in a while, I thought. I only saw The Aviator this year so I guess I wasn't really invested in anything. I'm glad it didn't win the biggie - I didn't love it. I'm beyond thrilled for Cate Blanchett, though! Ooh, and I actually know someone who was thanked in an acceptance speech!

Knittingwise, I am well underway on Tempting and the Interweave shrug. Tempting is going really well - all those lovely mindless rows of 2x2 ribbing. Perfect for knitting backstage since I don't have to refer to a pattern or count rows. I'm about halfway through with the body. I've stretched it and held it up to my chest and it looks like it will fit just fine. I will need a new strapless bra, though. And probably a bit of Topstick.  Topstick is a girl's best friend, you know.

The shrug........well, it's not going as quickly as I'd hoped, due to the damn size 2 needles I'm using. My row gauge is off, which I knew before I started. I finished the back and it's about an inch longer than it should be. It's just a shrug, though, so it shouldn't make a huge difference. As long as the sleeves fit nicely. I started the sleeves - it's a pain in the ass to cast on 205 stitches, but the ruffled edge is totally cute!

mmm, knitpicky goodness!

Check it out:

Yummy Knitpicks yarn! L-R: Alpaca Cloud in Iris, Alpaca Cloud in Moss, and Shimmer in Happy Dance. Moss and probably Iris are destined for the Flower Basket Shawl. I have no idea what I'll do with the Shimmer. It is so incredibly soft and fine, and the colors are so bright and fun! The slightly greyed colors of the Alpaca Cloud are stunning, and fit right in with all my favorite colors

I also got a few skeins of their Wool of the Andes - very nice, comparable to a slightly lighter weight Cascade 220. I'll be interested to see how this felts.

And I have a new knitting bag!

A cute little tote from Target, my very most favorite store in the universe! It's dark denim with twill edging and handles, and a sassy striped lining. It also features a detachable pouch, perfect for notions. There's a large zippered pocket inside, and the interior is divided into three parts. It measures about 9"high by 15" wide, and it's perfect for whatever project I'm toting around that day.

Here's another view:

See the cute lining and the ties at the top? I swear, I love this bag. Comes in lots of colors, too - go get yerself one!

I want my Knitpicks yarn!

Naw, it's not late or anything, I just want to see it/touch it/decide how much more of it I need to buy! I can't even remember what I ordered - I know  got some stuff for the Flower Basket Shawl.....

Yeah.........one project at a time. Sigh. But I need to start that shrug for Michelle so she can wear it to an event March 3rd.......maybe a shrug can count as a scarf? Darn.

Hopefully lots of pictures of works-in-progress tomorrow, OK?

You've got mail!

Yay! My ebay win of 10 skeins of Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino arrived today! Super fast - I ordered Wednesday, she shipped Thursday, and it was stuffed in my mailbox today (Saturday). Great seller - yarnbow. I'll be buying from her again!

I finished the Knitty Heart Scarf. Hmmmm. It called for three skeins of Reynolds Blizzard, and I finished with about 6 inches to spare. Which is actually a slight problem, since the scarf is made in two parts and grafted at the center back in order to preserve the symmetry of the pattern. And I don't think I have enough to graft with! I'll probably rip back a row on each piece and just graft it there. It's the center back, who will notice, right? Oddly enough, I probably would have had exactly enough yarn if there hadn't been a knot in one of the skeins - I lost about 10-12 inches having to restart the yarn at the side. Oh well. It's a cute scarf! I did discover that the yarn kind of sheds like crazy. Oops. The person who will be receiving it does have cats, so hopefully she's used to the odd hair here and there.

My dad is so cute - here is the text message I got from him tonight: "I just made a red velvet cake! Ha ha!"

hey, knitting content!

Again with the knitting ADD, unfortunately. I'm almost done with the first heart scarf (and remember, scarves don't count!) I'm making flowers for a couple of swaps (and flowers don't count, either.) I finally got it together to start Tempting again (and I really want this one done, because I really want to get going on Audrey!) And, well, Michelle and I were talking about shrugs the other day, and that night I was organizing old magazines, and in the Spring 2003 Interweave, I happened upon this:

How totally cute is that? The suggested cashmere/pashmina blend would run about $200, but I decided that it would be really nice in Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino. Yummy yum yum yum! I love the Cashmerino family (and I just now found out that it's actually machine washable!) I made her matinee coat for my niece and loved working with it. I'm also doing Tempting in the Cashmerino Aran. 

Anyway, 6 or 7 skeins of Baby Cashmerino would run about $50 - much easier on the bank account. Then I checked eBay and found a lot of 10 skeins for $49.95! So, yeah, a whole mess of Baby Cash yumminess is on its way to me, and hopefully I'll find a couple more skeins in a matching dye lot ( I mean, black - how much can it vary, right? heh) and I can make shrugs for Michelle and for me! (And I may need it in more than one color - there's a really pretty purple......)

So, yeah.......I must be stopped. Nah, not really. I just need to get cranking on all this stuff. Um, did I mention my little order from Knitpicks? Ahem. Well, I want to learn more about lace knitting, so Flower Basket Shawl, here I come........eventually.

a few Grammy thoughts

• Melissa Etheridge kicks ass!
• Does Marc Anthony realize that his wife really isn't a very good singer?
• Does the record-buying public realize that Norah Jones really isn't a very good singer?
• John Mayer......eeew. At least he dressed for the occasion this time.
• Bono - yum!
• Yay! Wicked won! At least we won something.....
• Jamie Foxx is incredible. He'd better win that Oscar.

Some really great performances tonight. The Lynrd Skynrd tribute is right up there with the Clash tribute a couple of years ago.

Oh, knitting? Right. Later, OK?

finito!

Yeah, I don't speak a word of French, so no witty title about the completion of my Clapotis. But it's done and it is magnifique! Heh.

Hard to take pics of myself, so my dress form is helping me out.

It's a shawl!

It's a scarf!

I love it. I've gotten so many compliments on it, and it was the perfect thing to bring on my trip to Chicago this weekend - it's a great airplane wrap, and it was wonderful to have in the huge, chilly convention hall I was working in.

I feel like such a bandwagon-jumper! I just started blogging and reading knitblogs a couple of months ago, and right away I find myself making the same things all the cool kids are talking about! But there really is something magical about this pattern. As many have said, it's damn fun - every row different but easy to remember, and just when you're getting really tired of the 13 sets of straight rows, it's time to decrease! And let me tell you, the decrease rows are like a giddy downhill bike ride - so fast and fun and you can really see how your finished project will look so you knit even faster to get done as soon as you can.......

And it transforms while you are knitting. It's fun to drop stitches and unravel as you go, but there is a big chunk of time in the middle when it's still at least half solid stockinette. And in my yarn (artful yarns jazz in color #55 - miles, as in davis!) it seems a bit heavy (jazz is a 50/50 wool/alpaca blend.) Then you get to the end and all the dropped stitches are laddered and it's curling in on itself and...........it suddenly seems so light and airy! And it's a shape shifter! A shawl! A scarf! A dessert topping!

Ahem. Anyway, it's fun. And I want to make another one, maybe in a silk for warmer weather, and with a drapier hand. But that will have to wait until I finish all the other stuff currently on the burners, like Tempting, Audrey, and this:

That's the Heart Scarf from the Knitty 2004 fall surprise. I had intended to make this scarf for my mother, who recently passed away. I am making it instead for a family friend who is a physician and was invaluable to my father during the last few months. She went with him to the hospital and translated the medical language and gave great advice and was just generally there when my brother and I couldn't be. I have a second scarf planned for my mom's hairdresser who has also been a great help and source of support in the last couple of years. Hers will be bright pink!

In other news, I just finished watching the finale of The Amazing Race. Hmmm. Anyone else as disappointed as I am? Somehow I just couldn't believe that those two could ever win. They're not even bad racers. They're just..........ew. And I watched Flo win! I think this one pisses me off even more.

Oh well, new TAR in three weeks! Yay! I think.....

great big stuff

OK, you guys - I saw the invited dress rehearsal of  Dirty Rotten Scoundrels yesterday. Go see it. It's the funniest thing I've seen on Broadway in a long, long time. Just......... so funny. Tears-down-the-face, doubled-over-gasping funny. And fun! Which is not always the case with funny stuff, actually. But this show is just fun and enjoyable, with terrific performances and some terrific lyrics and sets and direction. Fun! See it!

Knitting-wise, I'm making good progress on Clapotis. I hope to have it done by the time I leave for Chicago on Sunday - even though it's not any colder there than here in NYC, it just seems like it would be colder, you know?

I'm trying to concentrate on one project at a time. Or maybe I should say, one big project at a time. Scarves and flowers don't count. I have two Knitty Heart Scarves to make for family friends, and flowers to make for various swaps. (Just signed up for another one at Craftster!) I have two sweaters - Tempting and Audrey - waiting in the wings. So when Clapotis is done, I'm going to start a sweater. Probably Tempting first. I also need to get going on those scarves, so I'm thinking of bringing one to Chicago - they're done on big ol' honking size 15 needles, which I am hoping will be airplane-friendly. (in bamboo, of course!)

Here's something I just noticed - see that last picture of my Clapotis? See the Christmas tree thingie on the windowsill? Am I the only one who forgets to put away some of her Christmas decorations and keeps finding them for weeks and months afterwards? I think the problem is that I usually decorate quite early - first week of December or so - because I love to see the decorations all month long. But I get so used to them when they're up for so long that I sort of stop seeing them, so I am constantly noticing various ornaments hanging around in, like, March. Ooops.