The Peat Blog

Ask and Ye Shall Receive

2007-04-15T15:50:00.000-05:00

...did someone mention bluebonnet pictures and cuteness overload?

Bluebonnets!

2007-03-29T14:07:00.000-05:00

Ya know, I really didn't mean to move back to Texas and abandon my blog. Really. But I'm happy to report that if you were thinking I had entered some experimental biodome type facility to determine how long a person can subsist on fine Taco Cabana bean and cheese tacos, you would be wrong (at least, I'm not in an experimental biodome type facility).

I have been keeping quite busy assisting a number of folks' moves, one of which (Mom's) is ongoing, with an estimated completion date of 2025. And also trying to stop the baby from chewing on the long-suffering cat's ear. Jade is a saint among cats. It's been a pretty constant spin of activity since getting here.

My computer is still one new hard drive away from recovery, and it will have to wait until I find gainful employment. I'm not sure how I'm going to get my knitting pictures out of my camera, since I have to find a card reader, or hijack my brother's laptop. It'll happen, just don't know when.

So, still alive, settling in, keeping busy--and to tide you over, here's Drake looking cute:

The bluebonnets are currently blooming, by the way, which makes me extraordinarily happy.

M's Culture Report

There's been so much. The Anna Nicole babydaddy free-for-all, various people's trips to rehab, where one can apparently seek treatment for being a jerk, the stroll down Memory Lane that is TMNT (haven't seen it yet)--but I'm going to have to go with this:

There seems to have been some recent outrage in Iran about the movie "300" over the depiction of the Persian Empire, that it is part of a cultural war against Iranians. Let me assure them, however, that virtually no Americans have any idea that Iran and ancient Persia are the same place.

Sigh

2007-01-24T17:28:00.000-05:00

Okay, my hard drive converted itself into a coaster about two weeks ago, JUST AS I WAS THINKING ABOUT ACTUALLY POSTING. My apologies. I'll be back when I get the damn thing fixed (let us pray for a successful exorcism and/or the retrieval of all information). I do have knitting photos; I did finish something.

TTFN, ya'll.

Home Stretch

2006-12-02T22:10:00.000-05:00

Having received a social call from no less a personage than the Lady Linoleum herself has prompted me to get off my ass, so to speak, and post something. The semester is winding down now--my very last assignment is due in nine days, and then I'm going to do a bunch of no pressure, sheer pleasure reading (by which I mean manga...hush now), entertain my kid, graduate with my Master's and prepare for turning 28. And probably nap.

It's been so long since I worked on anything that I'll probably have to frog everything, having forgotten where I was in the pattern. Hopefully this at least will survive:

The baby hat for Mom's next auction (not 'til spring). Not frogging it will require I remember what size I am making. I really ought to write this crap down. Got a scarf started upstairs somewhere, except I have to find the pattern... SO! ORGANIZED!

M's Culture Report

I'm not going to say anything about Paris and Britney. Nope. We can only hope that the combined gravitational force of the black holes between their ears will suck them into oblivion and we will finally be free.

I have a general PSA: Gals, if you are wearing furry boots, it is too f*cking cold to be wearing a miniskirt. You don't look cute, you look too stupid to dress yourself.

And finally, I have decided that I really want to be in a Go Gos tribute band. Fortunately for the Go Gos and their fans, I can't sing or play the relevant instruments, so their music is safe.

End of bulletin. I have some reading to do and seasonal decorating to do. Peace out.

Did ya miss me?

2006-11-13T23:33:00.000-05:00

No pictures, mainly 'cause I'm lazy. Also I don't think the little hat in progress is all that impressive. And mainly, what I've been doing is writing my weekly papers, reading books and attending to projects like a booktalk and building a digital library. Yes, it's all quite riveting, although last week was nice since we were covering graphic novels and I got to read Batman for class. That was awesome.

Anyhoodle, I'll be back to blogging soon, hopefully with something new to show, or else I'll just take pictures of store bought things and claim that I knit them. Yeah!

In the meantime, here's an insight into the future of my career.

I've been busy, ok?

2006-10-15T19:25:00.000-05:00

All I can do is think about what a totally relaxing experience maternity leave would be if I weren't taking six hours.

Take a moment to review last post's FO--Fussy Feather Hat. I saw a hat just like it--I mean, same yarn, same color, same stitch--at Macy's for 30 bucks. So I'll open the bidding at $20 and sit here, smug in the knowledge that I am intuitively on the cutting edge of fashion.

For my last reserve FO, I give you a cute little baby, wearing a passable baby sweater:

The eyelet:

And one more, for good measure.

The pattern is in the book One Skein, which is great for short attention spans. It's made of wonderfully soft Blue Sky Cotton. This stuff is great. I screwed up the seaming on the sleeves, so hurray for dark colors!

Not much else to report; daily baby business, schoolwork, cat wrangling

Are you aware that your kitten cries a lot?

and between all my book-learnin' and paper-writin', I try to crochet a little on a baby hat for the next auction my mom does, and I've resurrected a dusty UFO...

Who remembers Sancho?

Temptation

2006-10-01T18:22:00.000-05:00

The temptation of which I speak is to attempt to distract from my lack of fiber related accomplishment with pictures of an adorable baby. But I cannot choose which from the hundreds. Besides, he's got his own FO photo shoot soon.

So here's a lame FO from a few weeks ago:

It's just a plain hat made from some fussy feather yarn (Bernat Boa, I think). I do have some other things in progress, but I didn't photograph the WIP Parade, and we all know I can be a bit flighty anyway when it comes to starting/stopping/abandoning/resuming knitting projects. Also, a certain damn cat, who recently appeared to be lobbying for a bigger, possibly handknit, cat bed

knocked over the WIP basket which did not win her any points. Thin ice, cat.

Well, I have a cute if slightly demanding baby to attend to, and possibly also a couple of papers and various other crap OH MY GOD I HATE DIGITAL LIBRARIES AND RUE THE DAY I ENROLLED IN IT sorry, meltdown over. Thank you all for your kind words about the socks--we wear them as much as possible--and Little D!

M's Culture Query

Alright Eileen and Suzanne--how does Tennant measure up? I didn't realize the new season started Friday and happened upon it late--and then multi-tasked during it--but so far I think he's a good Doctor. What do y'all think?

Mommy

2006-09-23T16:55:00.000-05:00

Well my goodness, it has been awhile, hasn't it?

I managed to survive labor and delivery, but let me just say: Ow.

And so here, after weighing in at 8 lbs, 10 oz, is the newest addition to the family, Little D:

This is also the shirt he wore for his official hospital picture, which is what happens when I'm left unsupervised.

It's been a couple of weeks' worth of learning curves and discoveries of the sort that I imagine all new mothers make--the Baby Noises that are so cute (except that shrill "waa" cry; that's not so cute), the looking around (look--light! Light is the MOST AMAZING THING, apparently), holding his head up as much as he can, the first real smile, the very gradual discovery that he can kind of control his arms and hands--all of those things that have a high potential of boring the shit out of pretty much everyone else, so I won't get into it all. But I have a couple of FOs, mostly finished before Little D was born, that I'll post soon.

In the mean time, here's a couple of FOs, finished long, long ago, one set of which has been waiting for a certain pair of little feet so that it could make its debut:

Welcome home, son. I'm glad the socks fit.

Acceptance

2006-08-24T19:39:00.000-05:00

I have come to accept a few facts over the last few days.

One: my cracked rib will not be fully healed by the Imminent Event. It is likely going to hurt (in addition to the Normal Hurt). I do not think they will give me an epidural in the neck to compensate for it.

Two: the Hedera socks will not be finished by said Event. Even if the first one did not currently look like this:

I found that it was too small, but the good news is I think that might be fixable by just knitting a little more loosely. I'm trying again because I really like the way the pattern looks with this yarn.

Three: if there is a bag of cheesy poofs nearby, I will eat them all.

Sometimes, it's good just to accept.

Has It Been a Week Already?

2006-08-20T18:10:00.000-05:00

Time does fly.

So anyway, it's been a little Braxton-Hicksy here lately, with a side of back pain. I am also exhausted, like, my God the effort it takes to get up the stairs, or dressed, or pretty much anything other than lift a fork. I did manage to sit on the couch and knit this weekend, though!

This is the progress as of Friday night (or possibly Saturday afternoon):

I'm still thinking I haven't quite got the hang of the lace pattern, even if it is really easy. I suspect I know what my problem is, but as it's better to leave the suspicion of idiocy than to open one's mouth and confirm it, I ain't tellin'. Might be that lace and I just shouldn't hang. That possibly being the case, I chose wisely with a simple lace pattern on a sock in a dark colored yarn. Good times!

I did make some progress today while watching Amelie (Awesome), half of Spawn (Not Awesome), Charlie and The Chocolate Factory (Awesome, and I have to say, with his dad's being Christopher Lee, DDS, I'm surprised Willy Wonka is that well adjusted) and maybe a couple of other things...because I am a SLOW knitter, alright? Anyway, here's the day's progress and the cat and a large portion of tummy.

Since the large tummy soaked up most of the flash, let me assure you that I've done the heel and am working on the gusset. Man that makes my tummy look huge. Which, I guess, it is.

M's At Home Tex-Mex Report

Do you know how many plates of nachos (paper plate sized) can be made with a package (2 cups) of finely shredded cheddar, one can of Old El Paso refried beans and a bag of Tostitos chips?

Seven.

I dream of nachos

2006-08-14T20:56:00.000-05:00

Yeah. I actually had a dream about going to Uncle Julio's resturant to have nachos. Mmm, nachos.

Clapity-clap clap!

I finished it Saturday night while watching InuYasha 3. I realize this doesn't prove the other half is done, but it is, and here the whole shebang is blocking. I will try to think of a more attractive way to photograph it. It's pretty light, since the alpaca is kind of worsted-lite, but I really like the way the colors turned out. There is, of course, cat hair on it.

I've started the Hedera socks in Cherry Tree Hill "River Run." I have no photo of it at this time, as one and a half inches of sock top is really an underwhelming visual. But stay tuned.

Speaking of feet, there was an odd development last week with my pontoons. One of them, the left one, was pretty much of normal size. The right one, however, was not.

It's hard to tell here. It happened on a doctor's appointment day, so I mentioned it to her, and she looked at my matching-sized calves and decided it probably wasn't a blood clot, which actually hadn't occurred to me. But it occurs to me now! As the single foot swelling happens about every day!

Funny you should mention that, Mary:

I recently came home to find the remaining bears scattered on the rug below. Jade does stretch out on top there but feels it's an undignified pose for a photo. Also, though I am not so much nesting as looking around at the mess in a deeply exhausted manner, the grand event is forecast for Aug. 29th, so it's coming up.

Tara, you could command me to sleep in the name of the Crumpled Tissue at the Bottom of My Purse. I obey, as much as I can.

M's Culture Report

Paris Hilton was apparently unharmed when her kinkajou bit her. She got a tetanus shot; I'm only assuming the kinkajou got one too. And possibly a rabies vaccine. On a related note, as a woman of partial Austrian decent, I am absolutely appalled.

Fun Little Known Fact About Me: I push my glasses up like Clark Kent. I try not to, but there ya go.

Wherein I Discover I'M NOT READY FOR THE BABY.

2006-08-06T20:22:00.000-05:00

I know that's entirely irrelevant. As I finished up my cataloging final today (@#$*ing MARC), I realized that HOLY SHIT I AM NOT READY THERE IS TOO MUCH TO DO AND ALSO I HAVE NOT SLEPT ENOUGH. I realize that sleep doesn't work that way. I'm just beginning to feel kind of anxious again. I really, really would like my rib to mostly heal before the Big Event. I have, besides, much washing and scrubbing and vacuuming to do. Eep.

But I promised fiber.

From top: hand dyed, handspun mohair from Wyoming, Cherry Tree Hill sock yarn in River Run and Giotto in blue saturn. Baby-sized Justin boots added for scale and unimaginable cuteness. The Cherry Tree Hill will be socks...someday...but I'm not sure about the other two. I'm still working on the Clap. It is within the realm of possibilities that it will be finished this week. Could be!

I'm eager to get snoozing...predictably enough...but on an unrelated note, the TV sentry decided to move up in the world, and displaced one of the bears:

M's Culture Report

Having been buried under a Strategic Plan and a Cataloging Final, I don't have much. But last night, continuing with the theme of my faltering literary cred in conjuction with adaptations of Dumas books, I happened to catch The Man in the Iron Mask. (France, by this time, contains not just British people, but Americans and actual French, too. History is fun!) The line I remember most? "I know that to love you is a treason against France, but not to love you is a treason against my heart." Aww.

Witty Dialogue of the Day:

[Calculon has just described his dream of sharing a vinyard home with Coilette (Bender after a sex change)]

Bender: Will we have donkeys?

Calculon: All you can eat.

Riddle Me This

2006-07-29T22:00:00.000-05:00

Let's say you have a cat. This cat, let's say it's a white male with green eyes, is frequently jumping up on things; he loves it. In fact, he's got a precision five foot vertical that gets him to the top of the cabinets in one graceful leap.

So, why would he misjudge a maybe 20 inch horizonal hop by 8 inches? And, more to the point, why does he have to misjudge it while attempting to clear something that's kind of important not to claw?

They are an even darker, rich blood color in real life. There's one on the other shin, too. Even more annoying, once the little bastard regained his composure, he sat there looking at me like, It's okay--I'm fine now. Whew! As I type, he is sitting next to me with a paw on my cheek, trying to get me to pet him, entirely insensible of the damage he's done to my legs. He's lucky he's so damned cute. At least he wasn't trying to jump over my face this time.

The Score

Knitting, 0. School, 5,686,346,902. Me, -467.

Still shooting for the 5th for a normal kind of fibery update. But as I take a few moments to rachet down the tension level to below "snapping point," feel the little one move around and maybe also the rather painful rib he seems to have cracked the other day, I can make a short

M's Culture Report

Regarding The Pussycat Dolls distinctly stripperish "Buttons": while I do think it's kind of a catchy song, I have a hard time believing any of the Pussycat Dolls would ever wear a garment so complicated as to require buttons.

Thought for the Day:

"Just once I'd like to have dinner with a celebrity that isn't bound and gagged."

--Bender

Stand By

2006-07-26T19:26:00.000-05:00

I'm expecting to post again around Aug 5. It's a little mad 'round here, what with these projects, assignments and my newly swollen pontoon feet. I'm shooting for being all done on the 5th, though, and really, even if it's just newly acquired yarn, there will be something fiber related to show.

Ta ta!

Clapping Away

2006-07-07T20:51:00.000-05:00

I am not feeling terribly sparky today. Sorry. I will be boring, but I will try to keep it brief. Plus I need to find more Rolaids. I did not know that pregnancy dissolves esophaguses. Also, the cats keep drinking out of my glass, even if I just gave them water. I just will not drink after them. I mean, would you drink after someone who uses her tongue as a washcloth? Ew.

Man, you have no idea how much I wish this was not the only picture I have. Alas. I think I am a little more than half way done with the middle section, so you know I'll finish this up in just short of forever. I'm thinking about starting some socks so that I have something different to photograph. But that would defeat the FO objective. I really just need to COMMIT. At least it's not as bad as the damn white-Rococo-yarncake-wrap.

M's [School Avoidance] Culture Report

I think I'm losing my literary cred. I was watching The Count of Monte Cristo, the newish one, the other night (what cataloging assignment?). When I watch movies based on books, I try really hard to take them as separate things--I am pretty good at thinking of the Harry Potter movies this way. But sometimes, I just end up thinking, "Hey, that's not what happened" over and over and over (I'm looking at you, Troy). So anyway, there I was, thinking, "Wow, this ending is so totally not the real ending." And I did not care--in fact, I liked it better. It was happier. Go ride off into that sunset with unabashed joy! Hooray!

Jeez. Next thing you know, I'm going to become a devotee of movies that have their own official MySpace pages. Or adapt A Tale of Two Cities for a screenplay wherein Sydney Carton miraculously escapes and finds true happiness. Might as well paint a unicorn dancing on a rainbow on the living room wall. You guys--please intervene if it looks like it's coming to that. I beg you.

I Live in Chaos

2006-07-01T17:12:00.000-05:00

For example:

This is my desk, at which nothing is ever done. I mean, look at it. Because of all the stuff on/around/under the desk, I do all my work at my tiny table in front of the couch. And while this has nothing to do with the state of chaos in which I live (...or does it?), I am mildly surprised by the presence of the orbs there.

Come to think of it, this is the first time I've ever taken a picture, and I've taken many at various scenes of battle/carnage/graves over the years, that orbs have shown up in, and it's the picture of my unused desk. Go figure.

I do have a teeny bit of knit to show.

Lady Bic: not just for legs anymore. Yup, I shaved the wee moebius basket with an old razor. Mary, the moebius part is just the handle, and it comes out rather nicely after a felting--retains the neat moebius shape, if you can imagine what I mean. The pattern is in the disturbing genius Cat Bordhi's book A Second Treasury of Magical Knitting, and I highly recommend taking a look through it to see all the crazy things a moebius can be party to.

School is about to get real exciting, so, contrary to all logic and common sense, I expect to post more. However, it is possible that my extrordinarily underdeveloped sense of scholastic responsibility might kick in, in which case I might actually be working on some strategic planning for that ^#$%* management class. Next for updating, I expect, will be the Al-Clap-a again, so I could easily just recycle an old picture and you'd never know the difference anyway.

M's Culture Report

I went to see Superman Returns (movie snack food no longer popcorn; now Rolaids). I liked it quite a bit; I plan on seeing it again at some point. I have never liked Lois Lane. To be fair, the first Superman movie came out months before I was born, and although I have seen it and the second one, I was a small child when I did. And Lois lost me when she asked Superman to name the color of her underwear. If she just had to invite the guy to look under her clothes, she should have asked something like whether she had an outie or an innie. I did actually like her a lot more in this movie. Everyone did pretty well with their characters, the effects were awesome, and Bryan Singer has my permission, if he ever feels he needs it, to direct whatever comic book/epic type movie he wants. Imagine my surprise, though, when I ran across an article that mentions a debate on whether the "S" on the costume stands for "Superman" or is in fact his family crest, when all along I thought the "S" stood for "subtle."

In case you haven't seen it yet (and you should), here are a few lessons you can take away from watching Superman Returns:

1) Little boys love their mammas.
2) John Williams is a f*cking genuis.
3) The New Agers were right; crystals are the key to everything.

Who knows, I might get around to a Culture Report that does not focus on movies, but don't hold your breath for a book or anything, unless it's on cataloging. TTFN, y'all.

Moebius! Felting! It's SO EXCITING!

2006-06-24T21:05:00.000-05:00

I've taken the time, in between thinking about studying and Celebrity Death Match episodes, to actually Finish an Object. I know. Try not to faint.

Oh, but first, I did catch the TV Sentry actually watching TV:

(He's watching "Sharpe's Eagle," and I believe he's pondering the same thing I was by this point in the movie: how can Sharpe be married in subsequent movies when by this one, it is quite clear that he's pretty much married to Sgt. Harper (although the learned Jay would term it "hetero lifemate")? Anyways...)

And now...HOT FELTING ACTION.

Here's the moebius basket, all knitted up.

Kacha included for scale. And because I lurve it.

It is pretty liberating, knitting something that's going to be felted. Stitch off when decreasing? Whatever! Big, gaping holes in the fabic? Who gives a shit, it's gonna be FELTED! WOOHOO! CAUTION, you are THROWN to the WIND.

Now, I've never felted anything before, so this really was an occasion. As is my custom, I glanced over about half the instructions and got started.

Wool felts up pretty easy!

Now, I will admit this: I didn't take the trouble to drag my ever-weightier butt up to check on it. That's a long way upstairs, and frankly, my knees aren't quite accustomed to the newly acquired 35 pounds. So by the time I did go get the wee basket, it was rather wee indeed.

The kacha can now rest jauntily on top of the basket. I was going to show another angle, but Blogger's got other ideas. I think I'm going to, like, trim it up, or something. It's a bit fuzzy. But I can recommend it overall--knit a moebius and felt it. It rocks. The Quite Wee Basket is done up in Manos del Uruguay, whose name bears a passing, and yet (to me) giggle-inducing, resemblance to the name of one of the worst movies ever made.

Speaking of movies...

M's Culture Report

You know what I really like about movies? I learn from 'em. All kinds of interesting tidbits can be picked up by careful observation of cinema. From "Ever After," for example, I learned that everyone in France is actually British. Even the Italian guy.

Awesome comic book movie news (more and more of it every day): There's gonna be another "Batman Begins" movie, which I guess makes it a Batman prequel sequel--or...something--and all the cool people will be back!

MARC 21 Makes Me Cry

2006-06-19T20:59:00.000-05:00

...tears of BLOOD.
MARC records make the magic of online library catalogs. If you're brand new at them, they also hurt a lot. So let's talk about something happier!

Mary, the Clap is alpaca (brand is Atacama). It is a purty yarn. Wee!

Oh, this is cute. My TV has a white kitty honor guard.

Can you guess which one is stuffed? (That's "Sharpe's Rifles" on the screen there. Cat barely ever actually watches good TV.)

I had a real treat on Sunday. Sally taught me how to moebius! It was great, feeling all knitting-stupid again. But it is a really cool thing, and I will probably need major handholding the next time I do one, because it is also a really complicated thing, at least to the newly knitting-stupid like me. I hope it will get easier. Like cataloging! Ha HAHA!

Here's Sally, fixing my moebius mess:

With a bit of luck, it will be a little felted basket some day.

M's Culture Report

So, I was watching "Spiderman 2" the other day, and I got to the operating room scene. Is it just me, or was Sam Raimi doing "Evil Dead 2" starring Doc Ock and a bigger budget? There was even a little chain saw involved. Bless you, Sam Raimi. Bless you.

An Open Letter

2006-06-16T20:37:00.000-05:00

Dear 95% of drivers in Richmond,

You suck.

End of bulletin (but only because I am showing great restraint).

In other news...

Oh, who am I kidding. There's no other news.

Fiber distraction!

The Al-Clap-A rolls on, amazingly enough.

I'm also busy rearranging the living room furniture. Sorry. There's really only so many ways to illustrate a Clap in progress, and I'm afraid I'm going to have to get real creative very soon.

M's [Space Filler] Culture Report

There's a new show on BBC America called "Waterloo Road." Imagine my terrible disappointment when I discovered it had nothing to do with Napoleon or Wellington. I had thought, in an apparent burst of blind optimism, that the title meant something more like "Road to Waterloo." Not the case.

Fun fact: Despite really liking "Yellow Ledbetter" by Pearl Jam, I cannot understand a damn word of it.

You should watch "The Venture Bros." But totally not in front of your kids. The episode currently available here is not one that I think best illustrates the awesome twisted humor, but these quotes pretty much do.

Next time: Something interesting! Maybe!

I'm a Real Liberrian Now

2006-06-09T20:54:00.000-05:00

Ya know how I know?

'Cause I got this in the mail today:

This here is the Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules Second Edition, 2002 Revision, 2005 Update (Kit). Otherwise affectionately known as the AACR2. And if you want a picture of the complicated nature of the AACR, just search Amazon for "AACR2." What you see above there is, apparently, the latest and greatest. It is a large three ring binder. Above the binder are the tabs; just visible to the right are the pages. It is a HUNDRED DOLLAR binder. For ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS, they could not even bother to put the pages in the frickin' binder.

This...hell, let's just call it a "book"...is what one needs to catalog books. This book is all that stands between a pile of random books and an organized library. Or it will be, provided I can get the pages in it in an organized manner.

Recently, my adventures in cataloguing started with these...

...learning how to do AACR2 description. I think. I mean, that's what I was supposed to be doing, and I assume that I did it more or less correctly, but we'll see. I know this though: cataloging is hard, y'all. Next time you see a cataloger, you give her a cookie, dammit, 'cause she does crazy insane specific work so you can find your book.

You might have noticed there is no knitting content today. Can't imagine why. I was going to show you other people's work, like Anne Margaret's heart and the fantabulous baby blanket ("Wild Stripes") made by Melanie, but they are both upstairs, and I am not.

So instead, here's an extra long

M's Culture Report

Just because you can turn a story into a musical, doesn't mean you should.

There have been protests and bannings of The Da Vinci Code all over the world. Let me appeal for perspective: people, why bother messing with The Da Vinci Code when there is so much real evil in the world, like Paris Hilton's reggae/pop/hiphop album. If you see four guys on horses about the time the first single is released, don't say I didn't warn you.

When I saw X-Men 3 (very good, by the way), I saw a couple of trailers of note: Superman Returns seems like it's going to be pretty good, and Ghost Rider. I'm trying to figure out how to incorporate Ghost Rider themes into knitting. Stand by.

In other comic news, Batwoman is back--and a lesbian. Apparently, DC thinks they are innovating.

(Check out the rest of the image galleries at superdickery.com for much comic-related hilarity.)

Alright, I've got MARC records to learn about. And also Batman Begins to watch. Ta!

Cat Laboring Under a Misapprehension

2006-05-30T15:00:00.000-05:00

We might have to have a talk.

Uh oh! A post!

2006-05-27T21:14:00.000-05:00

I say that 'cause by now y'all know that frequently, a post means there's oodles of schoolwork to be done, and I am raising procrastination to the level of HIGH ART.

And the assumption might be warranted in this case.

Onward, however. But first: hey, Mary--

Wouldn't looking at this everyday just make you kind of ill? That is what those damned Rococo-y white yarncakes do to me. This is why I could never live at Versailles, which, somehow, I don't think will ever come up.

There has not been much knitting going on of late here in the Casa de Procrastination and Cat Hair. That is because we've been deeply involved in Baby Preparedness, which as it turns out is a lot like Hurricane Preparedness, except Baby Season is a little longer. Also it might require a lot more stuff. But I digress.

Here is an FO!

It's Branching Out, all blocked and purty! Branching Out will be winging its way to its owner next week. I highly recommend this pattern, and yours will probably turn out better than mine.

Also, looky!

It's mah sock yarn stash, and considering how slowly I knit, it represents a considerable future investment. I just like lookin' at it. So much socky potential.

M's Culture Report

Did y'all ever notice that the BBC America ad for Footballers' Wive$ includes a quote from the Richmond Times-Dispatch? How weird is that?

The Last MDS&W Post

2006-05-13T15:50:00.000-05:00

I know that everyone has now done their Maryland posts, except for me. Since I am among the ones who forgot their cameras, I refer you to the following for pictures: Melanie, Suzanne and Mary, among many, many others. This has got to be one of the most well documented fiber-and-livestock-themed events. And also, a total blast. Fall Fiber Festival, we await your arrival. Maryland was so. Much. Fun.

Well, except for the sunburn. Understand, though, that I haven't had so much as a hint of a tan in a good six years, and so when we noticed the pink on our arms, I was like, "What's this? You can get a burn from the sun??" Fortunately, I don't burn easily, and even my scalp, which burned the most, stopped stinging after a couple of days. Although it did peel. Ew.

I got some sock yarns and a couple of bargain skeins, but I'll show them later. For now, let me give an update on my progress. As you know, I've been trying to finish up my UFOs, and so I've started something new:

A lacy kind of wrap for Dr Mom, soon to be Dr Gran. It is Louet Sales mohair in turkish stitch, and I really wish it weren't white. The little wound yarncakes remind me of really sugary cake, and it kinda gives me a stomach ache to look at them too much (I have the same problem with some Rococo architecture). Dr Mom picked it out, though.

I have a finished wee sock:

And eventually I'm going to make a second one. I did decide to work on a WIP:

The long suffering multidirectional scarf, and as I finished adding the second Kureyon skein, I determined that a third will be needed, so I actually can't finish this one at all. Which makes it a great WIP to pick. Someday, I'll work up a hat to match, and they will make a lovely fall ensemble. Maybe by this fall. Hard to say!

Anne Margaret has also made a very sweet little heart that I forgot to photograph, but I'll show it next time!

Oh yes. There will be yarn.

2006-05-04T19:50:00.000-05:00

(With apologies to Saw II.)

Because Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival is this weekend! How awesome is that?? I'll tell you: REALLY #@$^ing AWESOME!

How weird that I've reached a point in my life where I can now fall asleep on Christmas Eve with no problem, but throw a wool festival in front of me and I'm all atwitter.

This will have to be short, as I have to get going on the Detailed Nine Point Plan of Attack (I have made a bit of progress on Point One, but entropy is working against me).

This is what I have been knitting on:

Hard to tell here, but it is a baby sock, pattern by Ann Budd, yarn...uh...I forget. The heel and toe are both done with short rows, and I have to say I am fairly impressed with the technique. It's like, just go about your row-by-row pattern-following business and ta da! A heel! Like magic!

But here's the real recent cuteness, and Suzanne made it, because she has mad mad skillz:

AWWWWWWWWWWWWWW! Thank you, Suzanne! It has a really cool lime green lining inside that I forgot to take a picture of. It is the best baby hat I have ever seen. Arrrgh!

M's Mini Culture Report

To the ESPN commentators who shall remain nameless: you said something a little while back. You said, "There's a misnomer out there that the Spurs don't like to run." THAT IS NOT A "MISNOMER," that is a MISCONCEPTION. You did it AGAIN in the very next sentence. I am not perfect, but you are PROFESSIONAL BROADCASTERS. So, you know, FYI.

Marketing people: If you have an Internet ad that automatically plays sound, I will make every effort to avoid your goods/product/service/vacation destination like the plague.

To everyone: Since I only get to make the joke once a year, May the 4th be with you.

Back!

2006-04-28T19:41:00.000-05:00

I was pouting because of missing the flowers, you see.

Not really; I was struggling through the end of the semester. The house has also degenerated into a Pit of Chaos. I have drawn up a detailed nine point plan of attack that I estimate will require 14 days to execute. Not 14 24-hour periods. I'm not going to be cleaning that thoroughly. I just get easily overwhelmed, and so the plan must be undertaken in small steps. I believe the next semester will go considerably easier if the place is tidy, and I use a little time management. I have no idea, of course, because these are two things I have never achieved in life: continuous tidiness and time management.

I digress. I have a small FO for the showing:

The laptop models a ballband dishcloth, which models some fetching Spurs earrings in anticipation of tonight's game (of course y'all know they are 2-0 in the first round of the playoffs). Pattern courtesy the fantabulous

Seen here, open to the autographed page. The hubby made a six hour trip to get the book and have it autographed (and, to his credit, made nary a peep about the long hours endured in its pursuit). Tee! Yarn is leftover Sugar 'n Cream.

Chloe found an alternative use for the Mason-Dixon Knitting book.

And now, I will either begin a small portion of the nine point plan, or decide that the knot in my shoulder means I could not possibly do any cleaning. One or the other.

Arrrrrrgh! Booty(ies)!

2006-04-09T16:16:00.000-05:00

Oh, you knew it was inevitable that I would make the pirate joke.

But first--

What's the opposite of a pretty pink bonnet?

BLUEBONNETS!

Yes, it's the time of year when I pout for three weeks about missing the bluebonnets and other wildflowers AGAIN. If you've never been to Texas when the bluebonnets are in bloom, you are missing out. I understand that the flowers are skimpy this year due to the dry winter, which is sad, but still.

Close up!

Purty.

Oh yeah. Booties.

Again, the cats proved uncooperative models, so the ever compliant laptop stepped up.

The laptop is a credit to the modeling profession. And it's nearly 3 pm! I am a little concerned about the opening of one of them; it might be a little tight (the Spurs were having a tense second quarter). Hopefully not, though. Wanna see another photo of them?

Awwwwww.

Well, I have now spent nearly the entire weekend successfully avoiding my List of Things To Do, so I think I'm going to go commit to at least two of the items. Probably the two least labor-intensive things on the List. Only time will tell.

M's Mini Culture Report

The movie got a good review. But I do not want to see "Lucky Number Slevin," because I cannot forgive Josh Harnett for "Hollywood Homicide." That movie sucked something fierce, and I want those 116 minutes of my life back.

It's a bonnet!

2006-04-06T20:11:00.000-05:00

Do you think David Tennant will, in the near future, Google his own name and be like, "A knitting blog? What the f**k?"

Thanks for the kind comments about the wine cozy. I'm so glad you couldn't see it up close.
But what does look good up close?

A little PINK BONNET, that's what!

Those damned ties took longer to make than the bonnet itself. I tried to get Jade to model the bonnet for an official blog photo, but he took one look at the bonnet, divined my intentions and ran like hell.

So the laptop tried it on.

And, uh, it's also modelling the Spurs' Web site, currently announcing last night's loss to the Kings. But let us not dwell. The Spurs play the Mavs tomorrow, and Robert Horry has sensed the proximity of the playoffs and begun to bloom like Spring's first tulip. And with the game on ESPN, I'll be able to watch while (neat segue back here) crocheting the accompanying booties!
The yarn, by the way, is a nylon/acrylic blend--suuuuper soft--called "Peter Pan" in the color "Wendy," as near as I can tell, anyway. I call it "Fluffy Girl Pink," myself.

M's Culture Report

Does anybody remember Snow? God, I wish I didn't.

And while this little gem didn't make me think of Snow and that @$%&*%!@# song, I have to say, I am eagerly awaiting the reviews of Paris Hilton's album, y'all. Heh.

Fugly Wine Cozy

2006-04-02T16:37:00.000-05:00

Sigh. Here it is, the poor fugly thing.

More interesting additional object played by sheep tape measure. Baaah.

Dr. Who

Eileen can rest easy now that I did manage to see a whole "Dr Who" on Friday. And yes, it would have been pretty cool had Christopher Eccleston worn a scarf, just for a minute (maybe David Tennant will be scarf amenable). As far as Dr Who sans scarf, though: when we were in London last year, the new "Dr Who" was just about to start airing there, and there was an interesting documentary on TV. If I am recalling it correctly, Tom Baker was the only Doctor to wear a scarf. He is also, incidently, the only Doctor I remember watching, although I distinctly remember characters from the post-Tom Baker era. Here's hoping David Tennant wanders into wardrobe one day and says, "Hey, I need a scarf."

Can you believe my mom thinks I'm weird?

Crochet!

Yeah, so the sheep feels we need one more picture today.

This here is the start (back of?) of a bonnet for my cousin's baby, due this month sometime. I think. Well, I'm sure someone will tell me when the baby's born. This is the size six months version anyway. Pattern from the remarkably useful Hip Knits.

Oh, it was fun to see the stash flashing yesterday. I did not flash my stash, since at the moment it happens to be more or less contained and frankly, if I open the baskets it might overpower me.

Until next time!

See? Knitting!

2006-03-30T17:37:00.000-05:00

Alright. The haunting is over.

Flames added for, you know, the accurate reflection of the truth.

The whole damned Effing Hell Sock Collection is complete. Yee. Haw. We shall speak no more of it.

But wait! There's more!

This is a wine cozy in progress. China-pattern-looking tape measure and kacha added for interest, 'cause frankly, it's boring as shit. I will let you in on a little secret. I finished the wine cozy yesterday, and it sucks. The seam is probably the ugliest in the history of sewing. I artfully and not entirely covered it with decoration. Also, the cozy is smaller than it should be. My boss did ask me, when I complained about the seam, if I couldn't just take it out and redo it. I was all, "Uh...well, yeah...if I was a QUITTER." 'Cause by then I'd spent a lot of time thinking of a good way to conceal that seam and by God that's what I was going to do. I imagine I won't learn my lesson about gauge anyway and will continue to blithely ignore it. That's the way I roll.

Picture forthcoming, I suppose.

M's Culture Report

You didn't ask, but I don't care!

Actually, I don't really have any culture-related points to make today; I'm just interested in establishing a theme here. So, I'll just express my disappointment that I have yet to watch a whole episode of "Dr. Who," currently airing on the SciFi channel. I have read--and recommend--the Television Without Pity recaps. I just might knit a Dr. Who scarf, although probably not for awhile, given that it's spring now and I'd like to think I don't knit all that slowly. I'm glad the SciFi channel is running the show; I do rather like SciFi, even when it airs movies that are totally ripped off from a Powerpuff Girls episode.

Pass the salt.

2006-03-27T19:48:00.000-05:00

This is your brain.

This is your brain on work/grad school/pregnancy.

The same, as part of a complete breakfast.

Mmm, bacon.

I have actually got some knitting done recently, and I'll show it to you soon. Or sink into that coma. Stay tuned to find out which!

Wait for it....

2006-03-21T21:31:00.000-05:00

Well, Blogger can just bugger off. It wouldn't cooperate with my photo upload and then it ate my post (it was totally not my fault at all, Blogger gets 100% of the blame for my slight misunderstanding of exactly what I was doing at that moment, I was an INNOCENT VICTIM). Anyhoodle, it's not that I didn't want to post today, well actually I wanted to post yesterday, but it was one of those days when it felt like someone had been gently tapping on my face with a ball pein hammer. Y'all know. Well, y'all in the migraine sisterhood do, anyway. So, 'til tomorrow, or maybe not, depending on a number of factors, not the least of which is Blogger's cooperation.

Ta!

Whew!

2006-03-13T19:22:00.000-05:00

Things have been busy here in chez INSANITY. Tons of schoolwork and chronic exhaustion combined for rough series of days that reached their peak when I was informed that I have an "attitude problem" by someone who had clearly failed to consider the possibility that I just didn't like her. But I digress.

M's Pop Culture Report

Like you asked. But it's my blog, so there.

I saw a small bit of "Sin City" the other day, about 30 minutes into the movie. After watching for about 30 seconds, I thought, with perhaps great understatement, "Well...it does lack subtlety." A further 5 minutes did nothing to alter that impression, and since I really wanted to eat that day, I stopped watching. Though I hate to admit it, it is possible that in the dichotomy of Robert Rodriguez's body of work, I fall more at the "Spy Kids" end. Damn.
Note to Gwen Stefani: stop inserting the name of your clothing line into your songs. You dress like you've been staring at the sun; there's no way I'm buying your clothes. I also hear that you are starting a magazine. I used to really like you; now I wish you'd just look up the definition of "overexposure."

End of bulletin.

The Big Knitting News

If you've been following along for the last several months, you know that I have been tormented by the unholy knitting entity known as THE EFFING HELL SOCKS. I am ecstatic to announce that the beast has been exorcised.

They have transformed into perfectly serviceable heeless socks (pattern in Hip Knits; yarn Magic Stripes). Take THAT, you heeless bastards! You can TORMENT ME NO LONGER!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

And in closing, I might have set a dangerous precedent for my shopping behavior the other day when I bought a bag of mixed fruit, not because I particularly wanted the fruit, but because I thought the bag was pretty:

The colors!

I will put it to good use, I promise, in my ongoing efforts to avoid relying solely on Triscuits and squirt cheez for nutrition. (Just kidding! Kind of!)

That's all for now. I hope to post again soon with more actual knitting, if I can, for the first time in my life, develop adequate time management skills (hahahahahaha). Stay tuned!

What blog?

2006-03-02T22:09:00.000-05:00

I really enjoyed all the various triumphs and enthusiasm and cool stuff in the Knitting Olympics, but I have to confess that I pulled a Kwan and dropped out for health reasons.

Since most of my core readership is roughly six of my regular SnB crew and my dear hubby, most of y'all know that I am three and a half months pregnant. A few days after the move, about the time I was planning on starting my Olympic project, I ended up in the ER, and we spent the next few days wondering if I was going to miscarry. Hubby was steadfast, of course, but I had trouble focusing on anything else for awhile. The doctor told me a few days later (of course I went to the ER on a Friday night--is there any other time to have an emergency?) that the baby was still okay, and that it was really out of my hands. In a way, it is nice to know (as I was told repeatedly by Hubby, Mom and Doc) that it wouldn't be my fault if something bad like that happened; in many other ways, it's maddening that there is nothing I can do to help. It was still several days more before I started feeling comfortable in my daily routine again. I am still not quite entirely there yet. Mom also came to lend a very big hand, which was very helpful. But I also fell way behind in school, and I really must get caught up before I resume knitting.

So that's my story. I'm trying to view every problem-free day as a small success on its own. One thing in this whole mess is that since that Friday, I have actually been SICKER THAN EVER. And I hadn't thought that was possible (surprise!). It's a true wonder that I've managed to gain any weight at all. I've tried everything; nothing helps much. I'm the Sleeping Vomit Queen.

It made me very sad not to do an Olympic project, very sad indeed, and I hope to begin training for Beijing '08 soon. For now, I will have to turn my thoughts to Maryland Sheep and Wool and maybe possibly not failing out of graduate school. Ta-ta!

The Time is At Hand

2006-02-10T11:28:00.000-05:00

Yes, it begins today!

But, uh, not for me. Since we're moving this weekend. However, just because I will not be Olympically knitting this weekend doesn't mean that I am going to wuss out and add a few days to the deadline for myself, oh no. Just because one starts A LITTLE LATE does not mean one gets to FINISH THE SAME WAY. Ask any professional sports team that maybe sometimes looks as if they are having a difficult time finding their rhythm at the beginning of the game, and they will tell you that they still have to finish the game at the same time the other team does. How you finish shows what kind of competitor you are.

So let me just say Good Luck to my thousands of fellow participants; I hope to follow at least a few of you on your Olympic journey. I will be knitting a Kate, and I am hoping that the wise Harlot's challenge helps me break out of my non-project-finishing funk. So happy knitting, and join the Olympic Map!

Oh yeah--Mary: An "Al-Clap-a" is just a Clap made of alpaca. I truly hope that it has not morphed into anything since I last picked it up. Feverishly.

Totally Don't EVEN Ask.

2006-02-02T19:45:00.000-05:00

'Cause I got nothing. Seriously, not even a picture. I scrounged around to find some visual of some sort, but all of my many, many WIPs ("works," haha) are over-documented at this point. Uh, but I think this photo hasn't been used yet:

Chloe and my Al-Clap-a. (Which reminds me, ages ago Carla asked about Atacama yarn--I've had no troubles, it splits a little, and I like it quite a bit--sorry so late!) Current project tally: Al-Clap-a, Kyoto, Turtleneck Shrug, Branching Out, Boa hat, Sancho Panza, the Hell Sock Collection, and, like, possibly more. And I have made about 12 stitches of progress in the last two weeks. I am terribly fond of sleep right now. Also, the house? Has totally won. It was brutal in victory. Pray for me.

Excuses, excuses

2006-01-22T19:19:00.000-05:00

Well, I have been in the grips of 24/7 sickness, which has left me with very little will power to do school related tasks, let alone anything else, and so the knitting has suffered. Because all I really want to do is lie still and not vomit.

But a wee bit of progress has been made, and by "wee" I mean like two inches, on the Turtleneck Shrug.

Just about to the armpit. And the beat goes on...

I never said it was a good idea...

But I have decided to participate in the Harlot's Knitting Olympics. Even though I have many, many unfinished things on the needles. I have been leaning toward a lace project so I could join the USA Swearing at Lace Team. However, the one lace project I have the materials for will certainly require more than 16 days, and possibly temporary admission into a convent, or some other secluded location. Which leaves me restarting the Branching Out scarf (since I have probably forgotten what row in the pattern I'm at by now) or tackling Kate. Kate is probably the bigger challenge. I wonder if there will be a USA Cursing at Toys Team...

(By the way, jenifleur has an excellent point. Perhaps a caulking gun is in order. If you'd like to feel very literate, read this.)

In Other News

My efforts to teach the cats how to do the dishes continue to meet with failure. They remain dismally uncommitted to housework. And so am I. But I do have to maybe try to finish up some class readings tonight before I fall asleep. So, next time, my final decision regarding my Olympic entry and possibly some new way to make a rib sleeve that is only an inch longer than the last picture look interesting. Ta-ta!

Sorry. I'm Lazy.

2006-01-08T12:09:00.000-05:00

I know it's been awhile, and I plead total exhaustion. In keeping with the theme of exhaustion, not much has gotten done, although I can report that the Spurs won on my birthday, and I was there to see it.

Since it's a New Year and all, I have a service announcement for someone that I don't know but feel compelled to enlighten all the same because I am really, really tired of her.

To Paris Hilton: I think I speak for the entire known world when I say, shut your pie hole.

End of message. Moving on!

I did finish something!

This is the 5.5 hour [month] throw (thanks to Vicki for the rechristened name), with part of the fringe on (yes, I did finish fringing it). Cat included for scale. It will be auctioned off at an ALS fundraiser.

Also, this!

A little knitted angel (a way belated Christmas gift) and my new Chibi! I got a Chibi under the influence of Beth, who is the Pokemon Master of Chibis. I lurve the little Chibi and bent-tipped yarn needles within. Makes weaving in ends a much nicer experience.

Here's some of my Christmas stuff.

Sorry the photo is crappy, but, you know...tired. New yarn, new bag. All good.
And finally, a cat on a My Little Pony high:

Note the ignored cat toy in the background, and that even Jade thinks she's being a little weird. I got this My Little Pony for Christmas (I have a bunch from childhood, and also the castle and ranch house). But as soon as I opened my suitcase, Chloe stuck her nose by the pony, and when I picked it up, she cried until I gave it back to her. She spent the next couple of days trying to open the package, getting quite as far as you might expect a cat to get when she's trying to get something out of it without major destruction. She eventually lost interest and started playing with my new pin cushion instead.

Classes start this week. My immediate knitting goal is to get to the turtleneck part of the turtleneck shrug. My main goal for 2006 is to get my serious procrastination problem under control. Hahahahahahahahahahahaha!

The Coolest Guy in the Galaxy

2005-12-19T19:10:00.000-05:00

...is on my watch.

If you look closely, you can see Boba Fett there on the wristband. Yes, this is watch happens when the Fossil watch craps out. It came with a set of thermal detonators! (Ha. I wish.) Despite the woeful lack of heavy assault weaponry, I like it quite a bit, because I am a giant Star Wars nerd.

Fett related humor

Fett's Vette

Non-Fett content

'Member how I said that I wanted a Clapotis, too?

This be the yarn I got for it on Friday, undergoing a thorough inspection. It's Atacama--Hand! Dyed! Alapaca! From! Chile! Aqua! Woo!

I worked on it a lot this weekend, and I thereby achieved repetitive stress injury aaaaand...

Now, some weird things have happened in the course of this knitting. Once, one of the stitch markers actually moved one stitch over, I'm pretty sure on its own 'cause I sure as hell didn't do it. Another time, I looked down to find one of the stitch markers had been knitted INTO THE FABRIC and had to be surgically removed. I was really glad I have plain, rubber markers and not neato metal ones.

I hope (IhopeIhopeIhope) that I put Clapotis down long enough to finish the 5.5 hour throw. Hmm...wasn't I working on a Branching Out scarf recently? And maybe some other stuff?

This calls for a Mantra:

Knitting is my damn hobby, and I will pick up and put down projects as I please.

Repeat. That's what I do.

Update: The War with the House

Living room: Submission achieved.

Kitchen: Delicate negotiations underway.

Bedroom: Hostile territory.

Bloodied but not beaten! (Yet.)

The Clap Epidemic

2005-12-15T19:42:00.000-05:00

Many, many people have made Clapotis. Many. Although my evidence is anecdotal, I would say that it is the most popular knitting pattern ever (basic constructions notwithstanding). That's a lot of Clap.

I don't have one.

In a covetous fit, I have decided that I WANT ONE, TOO. Lorna's Laces describes Lion and Lamb as "buttery soft worsted weight." Think that plain ol' worsted weight would do? Any yarny suggestions? Does it knit up fast?

In other news...

My Bag Runneth Over

So of course I want to start a brand new project for which I have neither yarn or time! Happily, progress has been recently made on a certain sleeve...

It's coming along. It's covered in cat hair. It's a forearm's worth of ribbed glory. Thank you, Teva Durham. My big complaint here is that there was no connector in the Denise set that formed the proper length needle. That sucks.

And introducing...

The 5 and a half hour throw! Not complete. Getting closer! Blends in with carpet.

Time for me to mosey. I need to catch up on my rest and mentally prepare for attempting to beat the house into submission. It hasn't been going well up to this point. The house is kicking my ass. Messy, messy, messy.

Holiday Project Motivation

The Yule Cat

A Tale of Two Kitties: Joined at the Butt

2005-12-09T12:01:00.000-05:00

A rare compromise is reached when that particular corner is the COVETED BEST CORNER and NONE OTHER SHALL DO.

Hey! Lookie! A scarf!

Let's see, this was one skein of Noro Aurora in a two by two rib. I heart Noro. All other FOs involve school. We shall not speak of school.

Hey! Snow! Wow!

In south Texas, there is not much snow. Sometimes, there is not much cold. And when it does snow (maybe a light, brief and fleeting dusting every ten years or so), then oh my. We shriek and call each other ("OHMYGOD, IT'S SNOWING!"). We close down the whole city and giggle.

So even though I realize, on an intellectual level, that in Virginia the weather is different, I still giggle when I look out the window and see this:

This happens in the movies! It's like watching a wintry movie scene out of my very own window! Eeeeeeeeeee! I have many pictures similar to this, because I complusively take them when I see snow. Snow! Eeeeee!

However, I am not the only one so entranced:

Whoops!

2005-12-03T09:57:00.000-05:00

I'm out of town this weekend, and I was going to do up a little entry anyway, but I forgot the camera. Also there is a large project due in one of my classes in a few days. That has little to do with a lack of camera but it will be having something to do with a lack of blog content for the next few days. The fun, she NEVER STOPS.

The WIP Waltz

2005-11-25T17:05:00.000-05:00

Yes, we're dancing gracefully between all the new...and eventually, some of the old...WIPs here in the Boggy, Boggy Peat. First, though, I'd like to announce the demise of one of said WIPs.

That's right. Screw these things.

I did order the book I needed, or so I thought, but it turns out that I ordered a similarly named book by the same designer (THANK YOU SO MUCH, ELSEBETH LAVOLD). Now, the book is pretty cool anyway (THANK YOU SO MUCH, ELSEBETH LAVOLD), and it had pretty much the same chart that I needed, but when I read further in the pattern (I NEVER, EVER read a pattern all the way through--only as I go, which does sometimes cause issues), I decided that I didn't like the way it was written (re: it did not hold my hand enough). So the Tyra wristwarmers took a little trip to the Peat Frog Pond.

BUT--

they have been reborn:

As Branching Out, from Knitty. And I like it quite a lot.

But wait, there's more!

This is Teva Durham's Turtleneck Shrug in Scarf Style. Or it will be sometime soon, I hope. Nice portable knitting, since it is ever so slightly less numbing than stockinette or garter. Slightly.

Aaaaand...

Yes, I cast on the boa hat, and I fully and freely admit that it is a TOTAL PAIN IN THE ASS.

But it is shiny, appealing to my more magpie-like tendencies.

"Pride & Prejudice"

I know that some of you are surely waiting for what I have to say about the new "Pride & Prejudice" (hee). So, let me relieve the suspense. It is good. Really. The '95 BBC one has the advantage in being able to be several hours long, but this new one does well in a theatre. First off, I love it when the movie lingers on the little details, the suggestions. Next, I thought the casting was well done all around. Finally, what I heard most before this movie came out was that Colin Firth is the best Mr Darcy and that there can be NO OTHER. So let me say in Matthew Macfadyen's defense that he does a great job. There are moments when he's faced with Elizabeth that it looks like he's totally going to vomit. That's a good thing. I completely bought that the character was desperately in love with her. Keira Knightley does a pretty good job (I had been a little worried that she wouldn't), I think conveying a little more passion than Jennifer Ehle did and getting away with a more youthful kind of attitude than Jennifer Ehle could have as well. The whole cast does well; I was not disappointed at all.

So there it is. Go see it.

Next time:

A picture of the only recent FO (a scarf for Mom-Who-Bought-Denise-and-Kid(Crack)silk-Haze) and maybe even a new FO in the form of the 5.5 Hour Throw (but don't hold your breath).

UFO factory

2005-11-17T22:23:00.000-05:00

See, this is why the sexay weather pixay is over there--she changes, so there is something new to look at.

Uh, I still don't have the camera. But I'll find some images.

After Tuesday night, when everything I cast on totally bombed, and, then, you know, sometimes something like that is the last @#$#%@# straw, and I've gone into a cast on frenzy.

This cast on frenzy made possible by:

Happy Denise Needles. Thanks, Mommy!

Let's review the previous WIPs/UFOs:

Kyoto

Sancho Panza (think back, it's been awhile, and the pattern is not online)

5.5 Hour Throw

EFFING HELL SOCK, two

Noro Multidirectional Scarf

Clearly, these are not enough. So then Tuesday, I cast on the Turtleneck Shrug in Scarf Style. And then I cast on the Tyra Wristwarmers

But it turns out that I need The Viking Knits book to for the chart, so they have gone as far as they can go for now.

Next I'm going to start a feathery blue hat. And maybe I'll just start more. I don't care. I am currently incapable of working on any one thing for more than 20 minutes.

So many UFOs. I pretty much have my own Earth invasion force.

I Confess

2005-10-24T18:33:00.000-05:00

...I have no pictures. I started work on a throw for a fundraiser auction (the 5 1/2 Hour Throw, but it seems like it will end up being a 6 or 7 Hour Throw--still, not bad), and the mate to the EFFING HELL SOCK will be done...eventually. School's gettin' hard, y'all. Cut me some slack.

So, for those of you who have not been introduced to the denizens of the bathroom, I give you:

Darth Maul [body wash]. (Feel free to skip if you've seen this before. I'm just going to recycle.) Darth Maul has a three rubber ducky body guard, on account of his having trouble with that low parry. And a low parry is not the thing for a Sith to have trouble with when across the tub resides:

Yoda [bubble bath]. Forest moon scent, yo.

I'd also like to add that I lurve my weatherpixie over there. It's definitely increased the number of times a day I look at my own blog ("Ooo, the kitty moved!" "Now she's got an umbrella and is dressed in what I would consider a more weather-appropriate outfit than yesterday!"); I find it that entertaining. I defy you not to find it entrancing.

So that's it. You'll have to take my word for it that I'm making progress on various yarn related pursuits. Pictures will be forthcoming, just as soon as the camera is available.

I Fear Me

2005-10-18T15:47:00.000-05:00

And this is why.

I was looking at the new issue of Crochet Me (note to the Crochet Me People: no email? What gives? Lucky that I'm a complusive link checker), and when I got to one particular pattern, my brain made that noise.

"Eeeeeeeeee!"

My rational lobe sighed.

It was this pattern.

Cruise that materials list, won't you? I did, as it was quite clear that I was going to be thinking about that pattern a lot, against my better judgement and sense of self preservation. Size 3 thread...*sigh*...ohdearGod size 1 steel hook. And then I felt maybe I was overreacting (that's the real insanity talking). I have, in testament to my weird affection for twee hooks and thread, made several things with smaller thread on smaller hooks. Hell, size 3 thread is practically worsted weight.

I do this to myself, y'all. Don't I have troubles enough?

For today's visual, imagine a sock. 'Cause I see no point in wasting the bandwidth to show you something that looks remarkably like the EFFING HELL SOCK, third incarnation, when it was in progress. It's not done yet because of some gift crochet I had to get done. Which it is. So now back to the sock(s).

SCARF ADDICT

2005-10-11T16:05:00.000-05:00

Somebody call Betty Ford, 'cause OhmyGodIcan'tstop!!!

*deep breaths*

Okay. A while back, Dr. Mom (for the uninitiated, Dr. Mom is Dr. Mom because once several years ago, one of her students asked if they would have to call her "Dr" when she finished her PhD, and she said, "My children will call me 'Dr'." I continue to oblige.) entered Wendy's raffle for the Susan G Komen Foundation, when she and L-B had the Inishmore Grudgematch. Dr. Mom won a prize. It was shipped directly to me, because Dr. Mom has little to no use for yarn. It was this:

It's Crazy Yarn. And while I apprieciated the unique features of the yarn, I thought for a long time about how I was going to use it in such a way that said, "Yes, I am Crazy Yarn, and I am magnificent."

Thinkthinkthinkthinkthinkthinkthink.

And I began to look closely. Neon green, hot pink, electric blue. Some bits thread thin, others basically still roving. A teeny bit of white in some places; in others, the pink and green mixed to make a brownish hue.This does not look like my cup o' tea. This does not even look like my cup o' tequila. This is starting to look like Batshit Crazy Yarn.

No matter. The mood struck on Sunday, and somethin' was gonna get made from it.

I did basically what Melanie's Trendy Scarf pattern says to do, except I used size 15s (no candy-ass 13s here), and I cast on 12 stitches. Based on the conviction that this yarn would not consent to be a skinny scarf, I tried 16 stitches first, but it soon became clear that at that girth, it would eventually make a play for world domination. Possibly consuming me first. So, 12 then.

Woo, and what a crazy knit it was. Ever knit roving? But then, I COULD NOT STOP. I only stopped at the end of the second ball to ponder, overnight, how much longer to make it. A few minutes finished the whole shebang yesterday, and voila, she is magnificent.

I'm tremendously happy with the way this looks on. It is also snuggly. It would look just perfect with a nice demin jacket, which, obviously, I don't own, despite the fact that they were a staple of my youth. Hopefully, this oversight will be rectified before the weather warms up, and until then, Crazy Scarf will have to learn to live in harmony with a leather jacket.

Yes...for just the weekend...

2005-10-06T16:10:00.000-05:00

Nott.

I didn't stop Saturday. Or Sunday. Or Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday. I did finally stop today, because I am out of Kureyon.

That's schoolwork and one and a half cats for scale.

Chloe was so zonked that she failed to notice I was taking photos and so did not try to maneuver her best side in the shot. Jade requested that his official MD Kureyon scarf photo be taken with this pose:

He felt it more dignified than what he was doing when I first started to take the picture (laying on his back with his paws sticking up). You should see him now, though. Sleeping in almost the same spot with his mouth open.

So, back to the regularly scheduled knitting (sock).

A Bit O' Knit

2005-10-01T18:08:00.000-05:00

Yo.

Alrighty, I have this to show you:

That there is the EFFING HELL SOCK, third and final incarnation (and Svenonius, doing what it usually does, lying around being orange). It's cute now that it is a knit sock. In the interest of rapidity, and you'll know why that's funny in a second, I opted for the heelless sock pattern in HipKnits. We're (this is more of a Royal "we"--I am speaking for my fingers) about an inch into its mate. And yes, I know that it is not for me, but I have forewarned the recipient, who would probably feel all kinds of cozy about its being christened the EFFING HELL SOCK, that the socks should be washed to avoid exposure to foot cooties. Magic Stripes is supposed to be machine washable--anyone got any intel on that?

Now, as to why my concern with rapidity is so funny.

Last Tuesday, Lou showed me her multidirectional Noro scarf. It is Hott. Yesterday, I chanced upon a pattern for a multidirectional scarf. Serendipity, no? Must've been, 'cause I'd cast on my lovely Kureyon and starting multidirectioning before I knew it. Aaaah, but I discover today that Vicki, she also makes the multidirectional scarf of Noro. In fact, she is using the same pattern. So, with both feet planted firmly on the bandwagon:

I hardly need add that I cannot knit two things at the exact same time, which means the sock might suffer a little neglect. And, uh, lack of rapidity. But for tonight at least I think I will concentrate on the scarf while I slobber all over the yummy yarn, so it's a good thing that wool is so absorbent.

Mmmm, Noro

2005-09-25T17:27:00.000-05:00

Still no knitting done! But allow me to distract you.

Mmm, Kureyon 128. You can't touch it; it's all mine. Back off. I have commemorated the event in verse:

Kureyon Haiku

Lovely Kureyon

Eye feast, enthralling colors

Delicious to see.

Yum. And in other news, I have taken the "What kind of yarn are you?" quiz, and it has judged me thusly.

You are Shetland Wool.
You are a traditional sort who can sometimes be a
little on the harsh side.

Though you look
delicate you are tough as nails and prone to
intricacies.

Despite your acerbic ways you are
widely respected and even revered.

What kind of yarn are you?

*Snort* Revere up, people.

Knit what now?

2005-09-15T18:25:00.000-05:00

Not much knitting. Not much energy. But a lot of schoolwork. Got a paper due tomorrow. Haven't started. Been busy. With OTHER schoolwork. And I still didn't get it all done. And I think I've messed up this second assignment, too. So sad. So nauseous. So tired. Don't even want riesling. Or cheesecake. Want sleep.

So since I have no knitting to show, or talk about, and, actually, nothing cheery to offer, here's a cute cat that I have realized has missed out on all opportunities to nose into pictures of knitting.

So, anyway. Floor? Has cat hair coat. Laundry? Pile. Kitchen? Hazmat gear required. And "The Simpsons" is no longer airing on weekday afternoons. I mean, what the hell?

Well, there's Jade, and now I'm going to bed and hopefully will sleep.

Kyoto? What Kyoto?

2005-09-10T14:10:00.000-05:00

EFFING HELL SOCK, third incarnation.

As you can see, after another attempt at crocheting a sock (four inches done before level of suckage determined unacceptable), I have opted to just knit the damn thing. Beneath the DAMNED EFFING HELL SOCK is a matching baby sock. These socks, and all future mates thereof, are for a preggers friend who will hopefully at least receive the mommy-sized version of the socks before she is due.

The observant among you (and if you are this observant, I question your level of devotion to the details on my blog, you crazy stalker) might have noticed that the new EFFING HELL SOCK is enjoying time on the Theorectical Sock's needles. I'm thinking about granting the Theorectical Sock a reprieve and chance at a new life. We shall see.

Kyoto? Totally don't even ask.

At this very moment, I am supposed to be working on reading a few chapters of schoolbooks and working on the quiz that is due today. Here's one of those books:

The Intellectual Foundation of Information Organization, and yes, let us all heed the call to "Search Inside!"
It is bright orange, which means that someday it might come in handy for signalling the Coast Guard if lost at sea, but until then, it is just one big painful pile of intellectual hurt. The author's name is "Svenonius," and with a name like that, you just know the woman's got her own backyard fire pit of Burning Hot Academic Coals.
This is my new approach to learning the material within:

Osmosis.

I am not terribly optimistic.

I...am...so...pissed...

2005-09-04T14:41:00.000-05:00

The WHOLE day, y'all. I spent yesterday crocheting a sock, and I was quite excited. Just one day for a sock. That is kewl. I neglected everything else I was supposed to be doing. I ended up with THIS:

Okay, that translucent-looking white bit? My leg. Happy?

As far as the "sock" goes, what you can't really see is how stretched it is, that the heel isn't finished because it already wasn't working, that the sock doesn't fit around the ankle or heel and the body of it is tight and awfully uncomfortable. EFFING HELL SOCK. WASTE of my ENTIRE freakin' DAY. HELL SOCK!!!!

So. Now it is waiting to be frogged. And I have a dilemma. I need to work up these socks quickly. I really don't feel smart enough to work up my own crochet sock pattern. So do I knit up, as fast as possible, some plain no heel socks instead? My first pair of socks turned out so perfect; this EFFING HELL SOCK has destroyed my confidence in my sock abilities.

Wish me good luck.

How was "Frankenfish"?

What? I have to post again?

2005-09-02T19:07:00.000-05:00

There is something important happening tomorrow night at 9 pm Eastern.

Frankenfish will be airing on the SciFi channel. Check your local listings, watch it, and then come back and tell me how it is. I'll be waiting. No really. I'm sure it's excellent.

What? Surely you're aware of the last interesting thing that came out of Peat? What were you expecting from me here?

On an even-less-interesting-than-Frankenfish note, school has started again, and in what is surely an entirely coincidental occurrence, I awoke with a migraine the morning after my first class after a blissful three week break from ice-pick-in-the-ocular-nerve hell. That coincided with my break from school, by pure happenstance I am sure. So, yes. Pain is back! Life is normal! Refill the 'scripts, December is a loooooooong way away! Also, Tequila!

Disclaimer: To any current students, I'd like to say that I do not advocate the use of liquor, tequila or otherwise, to cope with school. I advocate the use of enchiladas. And Dr Pepper. You'll be fine.

What knitting content?

Back of Kyoto continues. Boring. Stockinette. Miles of it. No photo. Deal.

But I have scrounged around for some knitting photo to post. And I found one!

Remember Sancho? Sancho Panza? I do. Quite fondly. Wanna hear a secret? I have no idea where Sancho is. Under the Couch? The deep recesses of the craft room? Could I look? Could. Will eventually. I just hope that Sancho is safe in a bag somewhere and not frogging itself in retribution.

In the meantime, there are going to be some small projects to keep me from sinking into a finely knit coma.

Peace out!

Intarsia: What the hell?

2005-08-28T13:05:00.000-05:00

Now that the recipient has this, I can share it on the Internets (CAP vocabulary homage):

This would be the Imperial insignia, and if you don't recognize it, you aren't a Star Wars freak. (This was nominally intended to be a coaster, but when I put the back on I left the bottom open so it can also be an Imperial hand puppet.) Normally, this design would be round, and the pattern, done up by Melidomi of Craftster, is pretty much on target, shapewise.
Now, I have done intarsia before. I do not believe my work has suffered from this kind of distortion in general. So what the hell is up with that? Knit stitches, I have repeated read, are wider than taller. I'm pretty effing sure, though, that mine are NOT. I measured the stitches of the Imperial hand puppet, and they seemed fairly square. Reality and I occasionally have a remarkable amount of distance between us, but I think the stretch of the design indicates that this is not one of those occasions. So...eh?

Speaking of things that make me break out the crankypants, did y'all see the comment last post about the exciting opportunities in timber?

Moving on...

Note to Suzanne: this brings a whole new meaning to "yarn porn."

And, it is official: Chloe has made it into every single picture taken of The Socks (I have edited her out of some of them). Even on the occasion of this next photo, I am, although you cannot see them, wearing The Socks. However, I think the special attraction here is that when I fall asleep on the Couch, I make an excellent cat cushion.

Keep Your Damn Creativity

2005-08-17T20:30:00.000-05:00

Save it up, 'cause you are not going to require it for this post after all. Well, I take it back. It's not really an interesting update. So mentally embellish to your heart's content.

As you see, the sash is done and present in this photo. It is moss stitch, which is code for "utter pain in the ass." Now on the needles there is a fraction of the back of the sweater. I have over a foot of stockinette to do. Yee. Haw.

Anyway, I have nothing remotely clever to offer. So, laters.

$20 Socks, Some Assembly Required

2005-08-15T20:48:00.000-05:00

I feel the Headache gathering steam, but here's a short post to announce:

THE SOCKS ARE DONE.

First up, the sock in progress shot sort of promised last week:

Isn't it cute, with its little newly made heel?

And, making their first appearance together in Blogland...

I am currently about an inch shy of finishing the Kyoto sash, but since it will look remarkably like the first photo I posted of it, you can make do with that. When I give the word, imagine it slightly longer and not on needles.

So be prepared for a little creative visualization next time. Ta!

One of These Things is Not Like the Other.

2005-08-12T18:23:00.000-05:00

Regarding the Theoretical Sock--no, Mach, I'm not gonna finish it. It's cute, though, isn't it? All sweet and blue. It's the Little Sock that Could, if Only I'd Do Something About It. But I won't.
As long as I am committed to keeping it Theoretical, I know that it will always be there for me, until it slips off its cheap plastic needles and frogs itself in protest.

On Sunday, I went to The Yarn Lounge for a little post-semester knitting. But I was not alone.

There was Beth:

And the uber-skilled Lindsey-Brooke:

...who is hiding behind the most damned complicated intarsia sweater I have ever seen. Seriously, I am in total awe of her abilities. Hail, Lindsey-Brooke, She Who Knits Like the Wind.

And, although I was working on the second sock, guess what I don't have a photo of? That's right! Foot cozy 2 remains mysteriously absent from Blogland. But dear little Foot cozy 1 got to participate in a little situational symmetry.

Look closely--Lindsey-Brooke's got only one sock on too! Hers is also currently mateless. And much more technically complicated, natch. I'm tellin' ya. Uber.

Soooo. Sock photos? Dunno. Got one. Took it just now. Possibly you'll see it next time. I'm confident that you will, but all the same, don't hold your breath. Wouldn't want any passing out on account of a sock. That'd be silly.

The End

2005-08-06T12:55:00.000-05:00

...of the semester! WOOOOOOO!

Okay, really, I'm more tuckered than that enthusiastic "WOOOOO" indicates. But before I pick up the sock (and a few books that need to be read), I'm going to put these little gems...

... some place where I cannot see them.

And then I'm going to eat. Cookies. And brownies. With margaritas. 'Cause I deserve it.

But, keeping with the theme, I have something rather academic to offer.
I give you...

...the Theoretical Sock.

I started this sock right before I left for London as something to knit while there and in transit. I worked on it there. I did not work on it when I got back.
I did work on it again while waiting at the theatre for "Revenge of the Sith" to start. It is simple and mobile. But it will never be finished.

This sock, the poor thing, has been relegated to "nothing else to work on" status. I carry it in my bag, getting the yarn hopelessly tangled, just for those times when I need to knit and have nothing else handy. It is my Process project. As such, it has value as long as it is not done. And so, while it is in theory a sock, it will never be an actual sock. Ergo, it is a Theoretical Sock, a sock in progress forever. But don't pity it. It got to go to London.

Stay tuned for what does get finished during this respite from school!

Project Redux. Woo! Yeah!

2005-07-29T16:46:00.000-05:00

Hello. Yes.

Funny thing about the other end of this couch. It is so, so far away. And usually where the stuff I need ends up.

Now, I promise I have been working on the second sock, but I have no pictures of that particular sock. However, I do have a picture of the first sock in progress, and they look remarkably similar.

Please note, the second sock is currently a bit more done than this--in the neighborhood of four or five inches now. But this is the photo I have.

I have been thinking about what I'm going to do next, and possibly it's time to liberate a couple of sets of needles that have been tied up for quite some time. Cause, you know, they don't deserve to be abandoned, not the needles or the projects. And so I have ventured, Indiana Jones style, into the craft room:

Bet you had no idea how big it is, did ya?

So anyway, through the darkened entrance I went. I deftly navigated the internal chamber, narrowly missing the guest bed by executing a swift maneuver around the orchids as their flower stalks jabbed at my calves. Roving leapt out from the dark recesses. The light on the sewing machine tried to lure me to a dead end passageway, but I was not fooled. Finally, I crawled under the worktable and emerged in the inner sanctum to retrieve what I had come for:

The multi-pocket project bag.

As you might have surmised, taking the bag set off a wild chain of events involving my being chased by a huge boulder. Unfortunately, I have no footage of that. But trust me, it was truly thrilling.

Finally, I limped back to the Couch and tossed my machete and hat at the other end. Cracking open my prize, I found this.

The Kyoto sweater! Well, the sash anyway! Part of the sash!

I would like to finish this poor, very, very neglected project. I think it will be lovely. Little projects are awesome, and really, given the amount of time I have to devote to knitting, the little ones take a LOT of time to finish, but this is such a nice sweater. It's not too much sweater for me. I can do it.

So that's the plan. Perhaps current photos of the second sock await you. Perhaps not. We shall see.

Re-Peat Blog

2005-07-24T14:27:00.000-05:00

Hi! Welcome!

First, I need to make a little belated celebratory gesture:

We love the D. The D is the Way.

And with a little help from a shooting guard who defies physics,

YAY!! 2005 CHAMPIONS!

The San Antonio paper showed its customary low key restraint:

So, yes, I might have been the only person screeching for joy that night on the East Coast, but the morning of Game 7 I pinned a rhinestone "SPURS" pin on my sweater at work and put on the knitted Spurs tank that night, and I'm sure that's what gave us an edge. Then I spent the next several days telling people who pretty much couldn't have cared less that the Spurs had won. Anybody wanna hear about Horry's winning OT three pointer in Game 5 again? No?

But then, I do contend at the top of this thing that it is, in fact, something of a knitting blog, so here's some knitting content for you:

Chloe lurves the sock yarn. She didn't play with it or anything; she just jumped up on the couch and cuddled up with the ball of yarn (note the partial sock behind her--yes, that is attached to the ball).

Awwwwwwwwwww.

But, the sock did get finished.

That's the tip of Chloe's tail there to the left. She managed to get into all three pictures of the lovely, lovely sock (foot cozy!). I heart this sock. I heart it soooo much. In fact, I've started the second one and feel no pangs of second sock syndrome at all.

Now, the pattern's aaaaaall the way at the other end of the couch, so I'm going to guess at the name, because I am not getting up. I believe it's "Autumn Socks" from the book SocksSocksSocks. I could be wrong. If I am, you'll be the second or third to know.

In non-sock related news, school has been dragging me across the Burning Hot Coals of Academia. Since I'm blogging now, y'all might have guessed that there is a Massive, Grade-Deciding Project coming up, along with a few smaller assignments. Oodles of time! Feel great! Tequila!

"Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince" sits at that far end of the couch, still in the bag, softly whimpering. It says it is cold and lonely and only wants to be read. But no! I must disappoint it for a little while longer, because I don't want it to be responsible for my failing out of grad school. No children's book should shoulder that burden.

That's enough for now; I have an appointment with a vacuum. So welcome to the new home of the Peat Blog. Feel free to drop by anytime. BYOB.