nips with steven
October 21, 2011
nips with steven: a rhinebeck photo essay
a new direction
October 8, 2011
when i decided to go fro my phd,
i understood my knitting time would be severely reduced.
however, i don’t think i realized what “reduced” really meant.
i’ve considered that it might be prudent to give up the blog,
since the frequency of my f.o.’s will be greatly reduced.
but that kinda feels like quitting.
i wasn’t sure.
just when i thought this was the end of bitchesgetstitches,
i received a comment on my baltic blossoms shawl:
“This project was the reason I decided on this pattern for my boyfriend’s sister’s wedding present – Thank you!
(She doesn’t know that, but I think she might thank you too if she did)”
and what a beautiful shawl she made!
this was exactly what i needed.
i write this blog because people read it,
because, for some reason, my knitting speaks to other knitters.
and while, in the scheme of things, that might not be a big deal,
it makes me happy.
i want the blog to continue.
and if i want it to remain relevant and interesting,
i’m gonna need to get creative.
for now, i want to thank alyssa
for reminding me of my priorities!
winners
September 24, 2011
well i guess i’ve let this drag on long enough.
it’s time to announce some winners.
first prize, my thendara, goes to tina b.
the random number generator picked her number.
congrats babe!
there was only supposed to be one second secret prize;
it was meant for the person who resposted the giveaway in most creative way. but how could i pick just one when
two ladies really stood out.
first there was tammy.
tammy got her coworkers to harass me into giving her my thendara.
i firmly believe in harassing people to get things you want.
i think it’s an only child thing.
while i couldn’t just give her my thendara
(that would be breaking the rules after all)
i have to applaud that kind of ingenuity.
then we have cynthia s.
she printed out my blog post
and stuck it out on a telephone pole.
that, bitches, is some fucking creativity.
so cynthia and tammy will be getting a copy of westknits book three
compliments of yours truly.
if either of you makes a thendara,
i’d love to see it.
until next time!
mircoblog giveaway
September 16, 2011
i don’t have much time,
but since so many people so belligerently kindly told me
that my thendara was worth it, i’ll give it away.
the bitches get stitches thendara giveaway
the rules: the only thing you need to do to enter this giveaway is share this blog post in some fashion. you can tweet it, blog it, google+ it, post on ravelry, whatever. there should even be some convenient buttons at the bottom of the post to make sharing easier.
then, just leave a comment letting me know that you did it.
we’re on the honor system here.
the prize(s):
my thendara (minus the mo, obviously), knit in sanguine gryphon bugga!.
there will also be a secret prize given to the person who(m?) i deem reposts this in the most interesting way.
good luck bitches!
edit: a winner has been chosen. thanks for playing!
p.s. you can currently pre-order westknits book three and knit one for yourself as well! go on. buy it. now!
this is just to say
September 13, 2011
i have made a,
stephen west
neck accessory,
thendara.
the yarn carried up
the side is
too tight,
it puckers.
does an imperfect
edge mean i
shouldn’t give it
away?
(seriously. i wanted to give this away on the blog, but is it wrong to give away something with a wonky edge? does anybody want it?)
more tears
September 6, 2011
i promise nothing bad has happened here.
i’m gratefully re-ensconced in my apartment,
keeping the cold at bay with a mixture of down,
french bulldog, and homework.
i took a wee break from reading what i’m supposed to read,
to catch up on those few blogs that make me smile.
but when i came to tina’s blog,
i could feel the cold-wet of tears in my eyes.
truly good blogs are a scarce these days,
blogs that post regularly enough to satisfy
and with quality content to merit their existence.
i try to share as much of myself on here as is safe.
i try not to hold back. (hell i was even naked once)
and it’s rare to find someone brave enough to expose themselves in that way, to let perfect strangers have access to your life
in a genuinely personal way.
and here we have tina,
not only writing a post so raw it moved me,
but sharing her life experiences in the colors she gives us.
a rare gem indeed.
don’t take it for granted.
taking knitting nerdery to new heights
September 1, 2011
maybe a week ago,
i was at a new friend’s apartment,
and the movie stardust was playing in the background.
i wasn’t really paying attention
until i saw a shockingly beautiful knitted shawl on some lucky extra.
i may or may not have squeed a little; perhaps i inhaled sharply.
which may or may not have required an explanation for this
new, non-knitting, friend. >embarrassing<
but still made note to google it later
so i could cast it on.
(i'm no dummy)
for i was sure that such a shawl as this had been noticed by some other knitter, and, as with all things, the omniscient internets would hold the answer and point me to the pattern.
imagine my surprise when the only mention i could find of this shawl was in a stray comment left by the pickyknitter on franklin’s blog back in ’09.
not.
promising.
since neither the picky knitter nor i have been able to track it down,
i am turning to you, dear blog readers.
i need to know the name of this shawl
and where i can get the pattern.
ignorance will no longer do!
i’ve rented the dumbass movie.
i’ve taken some shitty screenshots.
and now it’s up to you.
help a knittah out, bitches!
if you own this movie, or are crazy enough to rent it just to help me out, the scene begins at roughly 9:22.
edit: in the spirit of honesty, i feel i should disclose that i left out some information regarding my “research process” as katie puts it. when i saw how shitty the screen shots turned out to be, i was disappointed to say the least. in an attempt to provide clearer pictures, i got out my tripod, streamed the movie to my television, and attempted to take photos of the screen. the results were interesting, but not of a better quality. >not a photographer<
there.
that's everything.
microblog
August 29, 2011
ugh. i will never knit a gift for someone again.
i get too stressed as to whether or not they like it.
from now on, i’m giving my knits to strangers.
thoughts?
orienteering
August 22, 2011
let’s get cracking.
1. i made a knitter. my student on saturday was amazing, a natural, a joy to teach. she will very soon spread her knitter wings and take off. i shall always remember alejandra, the scrub nurse from colombia and my first real knitting student. (actually, i’ll probably forget which is why i’m writing it down here).
2. today was my first day of t.a. orientation. for some bizarre reason i was really nervous about it and only slept for about three hours last night. but of course when i got there, it felt totally natural and, even though i feel really nervous about teaching, i am clearly more competent/less nervous than a lot of people in that room today. and a lot prettier which is of course a bigger comfort.
3. i saw a girl i went to highschool with at t.a. orientation. she either didn’t recognize me, or purposely ignored me. i’m not sure which is worse.
4. perhaps even more random, i saw the guy i bought my new craigslist couch from. he too either ignored or didn’t recognize me. either way, freaky right?
5. i was the only person in the big lecture hall knitting. this didn’t surprise me, but i was a little disappointed.
6. this week, i have been eating, on average, a half an onion and a clove of garlic per day. i am single, and mo doesn’t seem to mind so i’m going with it.
7. i’m getting really close to getting my wheel. i’m waiting on an email about it.
8. speaking of emails, i sent a bunch out to the knitters of the world, but only one responded. i fear that this is because i am a knitting nobody and do not merit a response. worse still, they could absolutely know who i am and have decided not to respond. it couldn’t possibly that they’re just busy people like me and have yet to respond. never. clearly, they either don’t know, or hate me.
9. i have an insane amount of laundry to do. rather than haul my ass to the laundromat, i just keep opening new suitcases to find clean clothes. or else i “sniff test” clothes i’ve already worn, and wear them again. (more evidence of my transition to manhood) this plan has worked for me for three weeks, but i see the end is near. today i had to go commando to my orientation. i made to sure to wear a belt, but kept obsessively checking my fly after the sexual harassment segment of the day.
11. since this is technically a knitting blog, i better show you a picture of some knitting
i have embraced the fact that i am a shawl knitter. if other people can be sock knitters, i can be a shawl knitter. give me a triangle and i’m happy. of course, i’m using smaller yarn and needles meaning i’m going to have to do some maths to make the lace section work, but i’m sure that won’t pose any problems at all later on.
12. my rereading of the yarnharlot’s blog continues to be an inspiration. i’m pretty sure that’s why i’m doing a list post right now.
13. i recieved the awesomest of text messages today from a dear friend of mine:
“i’m knitting! also, loved the ‘sleep with as many people as possible’ note.”
what can i say, i’m part knitter, part scholar, part slut apparently (sorry mom). miss you jenny!
14. i thought rhinebeck was out of reach this year, but i may just have found a way to get there. this of course means i must find a pattern i like, and knit a new rhinebeck sweater.
15. fuck.
16. i’m toying with the idea of getting my knitting mastery. is this a stupid idea? has anyone done it? help a boy out.
17. now that mo and i are reunited, my mother wants to alpacanap steven jr. i think this is some kind of manifestation of her desire for a grandchild. watch out sally.
18. extra large eggs are stupid.
19. mo has let me know in his not so subtle way it is time to be let out or else i’ll have a date later with the paper towel. later, bitches.
many things make a post
August 16, 2011
if you decide you want to blog,
there will come a time when you won’t know how the fuck to start.
when this happens to me, i steal an idea from someone else.
today, i’m stealing from adrienne martini
and giving you many things
to make this post.
steven jr. is doing well
and apparently likes the ladies already.
my man.
i was told i must share the booty from the summit.
i only bought three skeins of sanguine gryphon little traveller.
but my most precious possession, a notions bag from splityyarn
has gone missing in the move.
>devastation<
i hope it turns up soon.
i warped my first loom (did i use the terminology correctly?)
and learned the important lesson, “don’t drop the cross!”
you weavers’ll know what i’m talking about.
now, i’m learning to weave.
i will not buy a loom.
i promise.
i got salty, delicious caramels in the mail from stephen a.k.a. hizKNITS
i am doling them out, savoring them.
as opposed to stuffing them all in my face.
thanks stephen; you’re a sweetie.
*smooch*
i think i might really be into these guys
or else, it’s wicked annoying.
maybe both.
i’m fickle.
i am (still) thoroughly jealous of helloyarn’s photostream and all its glory. i shake my jealous fist in your general direction!
another canadian is fighting squirrels. it’s amusing.
and finally, mo is still cute
in case you were wondering.
that is all for now.
thanks, adrienne.
Bitches Get Stitches 