Fashion Notebook

Following up on Harper's Bazaar "140 Best Accessories" story:

21/21
The gauge swatch jab would be too easy. Just marvel in the horribleness.


17/21 - Hey, hey, hey, it's...

They took Dumb Donald's hat, overdyed and felted it for a fresh look for fall '08.



photo cred (l) Dan & Corina Lecca

It Begins...

"Perhaps I ask too large --
I take -- no less than skies --
For Earths, grow thick as
Berries, in my native town --


"My Basket holds -- just -- Firmaments --
Those -- dangle easy -- on my arm --


"But smaller bundles -- Cram."
- Emily Dickinson

Insubordiknit Spinning Workshop (part I)

Hey, if I'm already dividing a post into more than one part in the title, you know it's going to be good.

Under the expert instruction of Jacey, my weekend went a little something like this:


1. In the beginning, there were tables laden with roving. And Courtney saw this, and said, "Awesome!"




2. Then Jacey taught us how to spin super awesome stuff. This is just the beginning. I haven't photographed everything I spun this weekend yet.

to find out what I did with these batts and roving,
tune in next time!

3. And now for something completely different:

A tall glass of awesome
aka Clementine's Lime-Basil Elixir.

The food at Clementine = Awesome+1. Even this food snob was delighted. I'm only sad that I don't live closer. Of course, my waistline probably thanks me; if I lived closer, I'd probably just stay there and eat all day. But if you're anywhere within a half-hour's drive, it's totally worth it. The thick-cut bacon sandwich with asparagus, field greens, tomato and thick slices of white cheddar... magnificent.

ZOMGEYEBALLZ!

You may be wondering why my internal monologue is set to a continual, "SQUEEEEEEE!".

On second thought, I hope you aren't wondering that, because if you were wondering that, that would mean you could understand my internal monologue and that would probably be really bad. Oh, and by the way, I think your new haircut is really flattering. Please totally forget what my internal monologue said earlier -- and no, that is not -- NO IT IS NOT a lie. SHUT UP, INTERNAL MONOLOGUE!

*ahem*

Anyway, the constant SQUEEE! is because I am signed up for Insubordiknit's artyarn spinning workshop this weekend. It is Jacey's last workshop before she packs up and leaves and takes her profound spinning knowledge with her moves to the midwest. I will learn to make wicked cool yarns that are actually knittable/crochetable.

I already have this vision of spinning up a black sparkly yarn with needle-felted 3D kissy lips (a la the eyeball yarn) and maybe some black feathers and calling it, "Voulez-vous crochet avec moi?"

No, I don't have a wheel yet. Patience, young Grasshopper. I'll get one some day (hopefully sooner, but since I'm about 80% sure I want a Schacht Matchless, it will probably be later).

BUT SRSLY YOU GUYZ! Check this stuff out!

image from / property of / spun by insubordiknit.com

I will be sure to take lots and lots of pictures and eventually put them up in a post for you -- so look for that next week!

New Beginnings

Hey, it looks like somebody was bitten by the fangs of the Cast-On Fairy*, or hit over the head with its wand, or something like that. I became so tired of knitting #$(%*#% dishcloths. In the back of my mind, I knew I was just biding my time until THE NEXT BIG PROJECT came along.

So, the other Saturday I was in Eleganza and I milled around the store for a bit... I started flipping through the Spring/Summer 2008 VOGUE Knitting. I saw the Medallion Top. Kristi had the yarn in stock in two potential color choices (the blue is my first choice, but I'm happy with the iced lavender). I bought the magazine and the yarn. NEXT BIG PROJECT: FOUND. 8-st Cable? 2 cable needles at once? Bring it on!

I bought some other things, too... such as the Stitch of the Day perpetual calender. Swatch in progress is from the Yarn of the Month Club, which ships out samples of yarn enough to make a full-size swatch and satisfy the knitter's lust for novelty. It's great because you don't have to commit to a full skein, or stand in the yarn shop fondling it, thinking, I think I like it, but what the hell am I going to make with it? and will I like it once I start knitting with it? Thank you, Yarn of the Month Club, for enabling me to fill the gap I created for myself. ;-)

Olive by Zaol

100% Tencel Color 1224 8 sts/inch on US 2s.

I love my Jenkins #2s. Check out those tips!

I'll have better photos up once I have some time and remember to shoot photos in daylight.

Medallion Top from VOGUE Knitting Spring/Summer 2008
Cascade Pima Tencel (50% Peruvian Pima cotton, 50% Tencel)
Color 9514 -- color altered in this photo -- still not right but close enough

Sirdar 1521
Reynolds Kids Wash Day Wool
100% Superwash wool (and soft!)
Color 5623


closeup of the pattern.

*The Cast-On Fairy is begging for an illustration, isn't it?

Knit One, Purl One, Drop One

Cast On, Cast Off.

Knitting needles don't kill people; old ladies do!

If you haven't heard it already, here it is, from Tim FitzHigham.

It's probably my favorite thing since Tea Partay.

EZ and MM, don't talk to me 'bout jerks like them
That 50 Cent, he ain't no better
He can't even make a nice Aran sweater.

Knitting for Horses

interesting (1) | disagree (1) | love (5)

photos from camillavalleyfarm

I suppose I could knit this in the round and then steek it...