yarntherapy

My christmas hat

  My christmas hat 
  Originally uploaded by laurelann

Hey, look - I actually made something!

This is my new hat, which coordinates beautifully with my new coat. Nearly 20 years in NYC and I finally clued in to the fact that if your legs are cold, get a LONG coat! So now I am toasty and warm. I seriously love this coat, it feels like I'm wearing a sleeping bag!

The hat - pattern is Yarn Harlot's Unoriginal Hat, yarn is the scrumptious Sheep Two from Sheep Shop Yarn Co. I think these are my new favorite yarns! I had my buddy Michael as my Secret Santa giftee at work, so I got him a couple of skeins of this yarn in turquoises, and I just had to get this one since it matched my coat. I also have some of their Sheep Three, which is a DK weight silk/wool blend and I think it is destined to be a Clapotis. I'm not usually a big fan of variegated yarns but between these yarns and the Berocco Jasper that I'm using for Cherie Amour, I'm becoming a convert.

The hat is a super quick and fun knit - I cranked it out over the Christmas weekend. Some people are finding it a tad long depending on their yarn - I eliminated two rows in the second repeat and it fits perfectly. And it's so WARM!

happy new year.....

.......finally!

I hate to say it, but I am so so so happy that the holidays are over. They were slightly traumatic for a variety of reasons and it took a while to recover from it all, but I'm finally feeling a little more like myself again!

The best part of my Christmas - I was too lame to add the button to my sidebar, but I did take the Handmade Pledge. Most of what I bought was from Etsy, craft fairs, or uncommongoods.com, which isn't technically within the rules, but is a very cool site that does carry lots of handmade and fair trade goods, and allows you to donate to various non-profits when you order. OK, dad did get the groovy wireless weather station from Brookstone, but I knew he would love and use it, so the spirit of gifting was intact there. He's getting a scarf soon, too :-)

Shopping from these amazing artists was so great because there was such a sense of personal connection with every transaction. The emails and notes and sweet little free gifts were such a change from the craziness of a normal holiday shopping season.

Shoutouts to a few of my favorite etsy sellers - Bread and Badger (cool etched glass), Tiddlywinks (sweet handmade stuffed animals), jdryerart (retro art prints), Paloma's Nest (gorgeous unglazed pottery and ornaments), and Bijoujuju (neato graphic pendants). I also picked up some calendars from a graphic artist I've been following for a while, JHill Design. Read her blog, Places I've Never Been. So very cool.

Knitting is happening. I've been really unhappy with my photos recently so I'm going to try to upgrade my setup (not my camera, I like it just fine. I just need to find a place with better light!) I'm through the hard stuff on Cherie Amour, I think, and I'm trying to line up my next few projects. I have some specific knitting goals for 2008, so we'll see how that goes!

new knitty!

Ooooh, pretty!

Lots of good stuff this issue, and a minimum of sock patterns. (no offense to all you crazy sock knitters, but I've mentioned before how little I am interested in knitting socks, so to me an abundance of sock patterns is a waste of valuable pattern space.)

Though I'm not interested in knitting socks, I do love sock yarn - the colors are always amazing and I love the springy texture. There are two patterns here that use sock yarns in other ways: Abotanicity, a sweater by Cassie Rovitti of Tubey fame, which features Trekking XXL in a cute pullover that sadly will probably not work on my body, and Jeanie, a "hanging cable" wrap that made me stop breathing when I saw it. It has cables and dropped stitches and all kinds of fun stuff. Someone on Ravelry called it "Clapotis, all grown up." I totally agree and I cannot wait to make it!

Remember that leftover full skein of Tilli Tomas Pure & Simple I had left over from my SKB? Yeah, that one. I was going to sell it for a little cash, but them I saw the pattern for Square Cake, which calls for exactly one skein of Tilli Tomas Disco Lights. So I'll be making that one for sure - either for myself or as a Christmas gift for my friend Carol, depending on when I get it done.

Still knitting handwarmers (the sale got postponed, so I have more time, yay) and still in a fight with Cherie Amour.

Back to Before

  Molly 
  Originally uploaded by laurelann

Yay, strike's over, back to work. SO glad that's all behind us.

Let's talk about Christmas, shall we?

I'm going to do my best to adhere to the "Buy Handmade" pledge, though I think dad is getting a wireless weather station. With money now being a little tight in the wake of the strike, I'm hoping to dig into the scary depths of my craft closet and make lots of lovely things for the people in my life. I will also be shopping like a madwoman on Etsy. God how I love Etsy. The Treasury feature is the best thing ever.

So the little pink sweater is for my niece Katie, who is three and a half and the cutest thing ever. She likes pink. Of course. The pattern is Molly from Debbie Bliss Junior Knits. What I love about this book is that everything is sized from toddler to like a 7 or 8, so I can use the book as she (and all the kiddies I know) keeps growing. Yarn is Araucania Nature Wool, purchased on sale at Webs and I really love it! It's soft and squishy and I love the subtle variegation of the color. I have some more in brown for a Central Park Hoodie, and I am looking forward to working with it again (and wearing it!)

My Wednesday knitting group managed to meet once during the strike, at Briana's apartment, and it was just as nice and relaxing as it always is. Some of us are working on items for a sale to benefit BC/EFA next week - I'm cranking out Fetchings and Dashings and I made a really cute little neckwarmer from yarn I bought a million years ago, so it's been great for getting rid of stash.

I did start on Cherie Amour for myself, but we're having a difficult relationship at the moment. It took me three hours to produce a 4" swatch, and don't even ask me how long it took to cast on. Yikes.

Tommy used to work on the docks...

.......Union's been on strike, he's down on his luck - it's tough. So tough.

Yeah, you thought Billy Joel was bad.....  Wait until I start singing the score of "Pajama Game."

You guys, this strike sucks. Financially I'm going to be OK, I think, but the uncertainty is driving me crazy. I just want to go back to work! I miss my people and my dressing room and my little chair in the hallway! I miss Wednesday knitting group! I miss knowing what day it is without having to double check the calendar! I have real issues with needing structure in my life, and while I've gotten a lot done in the last couple of weeks, I find myself getting more and more scattered and disorganized without the enforced schedule of a job to go to.

Ugh. And I'm cooking turkey tomorrow, but most of my original guests aren't coming - with the shows canceled, people have the time to go spend the day with family which we wouldn't normally have. So I completely understand, and I'm happy to have less pressure on myself, but I am going to have boatload of leftovers from my 12 lb turkey for three people. And I need to figure out a dessert! Both of the people who were going to bring dessert decided not to come! I'm seriously considering just doing banana splits.

Knitting is happening, picture taking isn't. I hate posting about knitting without photos, so that will have to wait.

Until then - happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Seen the lights go out on Broadway

  knitting and striking 
  Originally uploaded by laurelann

This is what it's come to, folks - I'm quoting Billy Joel.

The last week has been incredibly surreal. I truly don't even know what day it is unless I go to the theater. Something we all hoped would never happen.....happened.

Lots of mixed emotions, I won't go into specifics. I'm really happy that the parties involved have agreed to meet on Saturday - just knowing that *something* is happening makes it less stressful.

Anyway, I've tried to be productive on my little forced vacation. Moved a lot of furniture around in my apartment, painted my bathroom, joined a gym (!), caught up with my Tivo. I'm knitting quite a bit as well (of course!) What you see in the photo is a pair of Fetching handwarmers for a fundraiser in December. Such a great pattern - I made a pair of Dashing gloves by the same designer (who kindly gave permission for us to use her pattern for the sale) and they are so quick and fun to knit. I'm using up yarn I had leftover from when Julia Roberts knit on stage during "Three Days of Rain" - so it's all Broadway related! (plus I am so happy to get some yarn the hell out of my apartment!)

Oooh, and the coolest thing I did - I taught myself how to cable without a cable needle! I'd looked at a couple of tutorials in the past, but the one that made the most sense to me and finally clicked was Grumperina's. It's like having a new toy or something! One less tool to fumble with! (I'm all about minimizing tool use as you can tell by my love of the magic loop and two circs techniques.)

Fingers crossed that we'll be back at work very soon.....

NaBloPo......aw, never mind....

For about three minutes I thought I might participate in NaBloPoMo to help restart my blogging mojo, but then I decided that I would drive myself crazy trying to think of crap to write and I would bore everyone to tears and then NO ONE would read my blog and I would be very sad.

So I am not going to force myself to write every day. However, I am going to work harder on thinking about interesting things to say and to take pictures of so that you will all stay with me here.

So can anyone tell me why my stats have gone through the roof in the last day due to people googling SWTC Gianna yarn? Did the Harlot make a poncho out of it or something? Did Brenda Dayne talk about it? (wait, I think she's still in Italy) Clearly, someone in the knitting world made mention of it, but I can't figure out who. It's really nice yarn, BTW, if a little hard to find. And I still wish it came in better colors.

Anyways, welcome to anyone who is here looking for SWTC Gianna. I promise there will be all kinds of nifty content here soon.

play ball!

A couple of weeks ago I finished these fierce handwarmers that I can't wait to wear when the weather gets colder:

These are from a pattern by Christina Slattery that I found via Ravelry, based on Rose's costume in last season's Doctor Who finale. I had the perfect yarn that had been sitting in my stash forever - some Elann Peruvian Alpaca. It's a really fun pattern - complicated enough to stay interesting, but small enough for pretty instant gratification. Kind of like socks, I guess, but I still have no interest in knitting socks.

I'm currently making another pair in black for Kendra, and may make a third for the wife of our sound guy - he loved them in the purple yarn and I have more of it so I'm happy to have a reason to whittle down my stash a little more.

Aaaand - presenting the Wednesday afternoon Broadway knitters!

L-R: Jen, Me, Cristin

L-R: Briana, Ryan, Jarod

We have a couple of other semi-regulars and it is SO FUN. Please note the massive amounts of Mexican food in front of us - it's usually a nacho free-for-all while we knit. We're so lucky the weather has stayed warm - we still haven't decided on a really fab indoor location. We have lots of space at the theater, but part of the fun is getting out of there for a little while.

Speaking of getting out of the theater, keep your fingers crossed for us that the stagehands aren't locked out next week (which effectively puts us out of work as well.) There are lots of valid issues on both sides, but frankly, my bank account can't take it right now.

Oh, and because it must be said - LET'S GO YANKEES!

More stuff done!

  Anthro shrug finished! 
  Originally uploaded by laurelann

Pattern from Peony Knits,  yarn is SWTC Gianna, a soy/wool blend. Butterfly pin fron Taxco, Mexico.

This was a fun, quick project and I'll probably make more. I really liked the yarn, and I'm not usually a fan of really bulky yarns. Unfortunately, I think this one may have been discontinued - it had a very limited color selection as well.

The photo was taken at Yarntopia in NYC (right next to my very first apartment in NY!) The NYC knitters group from Ravelry has begun a Tuesday evening knitting group and I was able to join them last week since I took a couple of mental health days off from work (I had a lovely brunch date and a spa day too!) It's a really nice little shop, the owner Dona is very cool and nice and sells really funky purses that she makes. I wish I could join the group more often. Stupid job.

I have a couple of other things to post, but I'll save them for tomorrow. I know you're all very excited about that.

a simple bodice

  a simple bodice 
  Originally uploaded by laurelann

Be afraid - I have actual knitting to show you!

My (finally!) finished Simple Knitted Bodice, pattern by Stefanie Japel. I actually finished this last month but yesterday was the first time the weather was cool enough to wear it.

The yarn is yummy silk from Tilli Tomas, color is Moss. I thought I was running out of yarn, so I made the sleeves shorter. Then I found a full skein of yarn hiding on my shelf. oops!

I really like the pattern and will probably make it again. I added some length in the body, and I probably should have added some above the waist trim so it sits better on my body. Some day I will learn how to add short row shaping to a project.

I posted this via flickr because for some reason I can't get Typepad to rotate photos when I upload them from iPhoto. Am I stupid for not being able to figure this out or is it a Typepad "feature"?