with the bad, some good.
May 15, 2010
since my last post,
a couple happy things happened.
the first: i aced my semester.
(go me)
the second: i got this picture in my e-mail:
a little bit ago, melissa brought her baby by the shop
and i got to meet the professor
(that’s what i call him)
i held the little bugger for while and asked,
“did you put knitting needles in his hands?”
“no”
so i got the honor of being the one who put needles in the professor’s hands, ensuring he will one day be a good knitter.
they were signature needles.
he’ll be a very good knitter.
which makes me think two random things;
the first: i know that putting knitting needles in a baby’s hands is supposedly an irish superstition, but i can’t think how i know that. everyone else in the shop did too, but the internet holds no further info.
can anyone help me find a reference?
the second: i use the phrase, “he’s a good knitter” as a code for “he’s hot.” so if putting needles in the professor’s hands is supposed to make him a good knitter . . .
i’m not sure what i’ve done exactly.
though i suppose either way,
i’ve done right by him.
it’s been a day
May 14, 2010
this post was supposed to go out yesterday.
but my family lives in the land of dial up.
things take time here.
it’s been day.
or two really.
i wasn’t sure if this was the proper place to write about it,
or if it’s even appropriate to share this kind of thing with the world.
but life isn’t just amusing anecdotes and knitterly antics.
my grandma is ill.
her body and mind have mostly given up the fight, and my mom is her last line of defense. she went into the hospital two weeks ago and it became clear that, while she may get well enough to the leave the hospital, she’d never be able to go home again. my mom found a great nursing home (if that isn’t a contradiction in terms. she assured me that is passed my requirement that it didn’t smell like death) where people seem to care and can handle residents with dementia. only a couple of days after she was settled into her new home, a fever spiked, and i got an early morning wake up call from home.
switched shifts.
cap and gown unclaimed.
diploma in the mail.
5 highways and i’m back in the great lakes state.
there were many hugs exchanged back at the homestead, reunited with parents and pup under midnight clouds. but a good night sleep in my childhood bed did little to prepare me to see my grandma this morning.
i came with the sole intention of supporting my mom; i wasn’t thinking about how i’d react. i definitely ate my tears to make it through the day.
the change from the last time i saw her is stark.
it’s hard to see in this frail, confused woman the grandma who played “farm stand” and “kick the sponge” with me when i was a toe-headed boy.
she may have forgotten,
but i haven’t.
and i’ll gladly remind her of what day it is, what time it is, where she put her purse, and any other question whose answer she’ll forget the moment i give it.
it’s the least i owe the woman.
while all this is going on, i get some crazy awesome news:
i got into the yarn harlot/knot hysteria’s silk retreat
(stolen from the harlot's blog)
i received the email confirmation yesterday,
and a call from stephanie pearl-mcphee today to go over the details.
(i promptly saved the number in my cell and did a gleeful jig)
i absolutely cannot afford to go to this retreat.
(and will unashamedly accept any donations you’re willing to give)
but why have I worked for ten years to build an excellent credit score if i can’t throw caution to the wind and melt my visa card every once in a while?
i don’t think it’s healthy having this level of emotional stimulation coming from two very different places.
or fair for that matter.
all I can do is form a plan of attack;
a strategy for coping so to speak.
so far, the list includes an obscene amount of diet coke, thai food, spindling, and casting on with impunity.
i cast on this sock:
and this february lady sweater without a second thought.
i’ve got a long weekend in front of me.
i’ll see you in pittsburgh on monday.
maryland sheep and wool festival
May 3, 2010
well folks, i’m home and well.
and tired.
and a little crispy.
the weather in maryland was exceptionally sunny and hot.
the result? my fair skin is a bit brown in some places,
pink in many others.
as with many of my big life events, i’m finding it difficult to accurately describe the weekend. (i need to start carrying a dictaphone with me or something)
plus i have two final papers to finish this week so i kinda need to conserve some of my writing mojo. but as always, i’ll do my best.
here goes:
it’s the middle of the night and i can’t sleep.
i’m totally stoked for tomorrow and my mind won’t shut up.
so of course, i edited my “i’m with hotpants” blog post, and did a mini photo shoot.
after which i questioned my sanity, put late night vegas poker on the tv, spread out in my king sized bed, and hugged all six of my downy pillows.
sleep came soon after.
later that same morning . . .
we started out early and beat the traffic.
i left my friends at the fold/socks that rock line, making a bee line for. . .
the fleeces!
now, i’m not a spinner.
but as this was my first fiber festival,
i had this romantic notion that i would own the grand champion fleece.
so i waited in my own line, and put in a stupidly aggressive bid.
i also had what i feel is a pretty realistic fear that i actually wouldn’t win, so i purchased “ike’s” fleece, a border leicester/lincoln/corriedale mix ram from shepherd’s hey farm in comus, maryland.
it’s beautiful and would easily make my black sweater dreams come true.
i then braved the heat, saw some baby sheeps,
and proceeded to buy some lovelies.
not too many though.
i had to be sure i could pay for my fleece if i won.
by noon we were all pooped.
(note the custom “i’m with hotpants” tees made by annette)
unfortunately, i had to wait around ’till 3 to see if i won the silent auction.
so i wandered around some more,
saw some more sheepy things,
drank my weight in lemonade and root beer floats,
and headed to the “big barn” at 2:40 ish.
when i arrived, the gossip amongst the volunteers was that a mysterious man was lurking. last year, he swooped in a bought all the winning fleeces at the last minute.
i was obviously concerned.
when he moseyed into view, the ladies quietly pointed him out.
his wife clearly wanted my fleece,
what with it being an uncoated black merino that won best in show.
the volunteers galvanized their power behind me,
handing me a pen to write in a last minute bid if i needed,
and heckled the couple, warning them of my ire should they try to outbid me.
i gave the interlopers my absolute best evil eye.
those who have met it’s gaze can testify to it’s sauron-like power.
(the few that have survived that is)
with two minutes two go,
it was reported to me that the wife said,
“if he wants to pay that much for it, he can have it.”
my stupidly aggressive bid did the trick, and i walked away with my grand champion fleece. by christmas, expect to see me in gorgeous black sweater of my own making.
i then headed back to the hotel to crash, and sooth sunburned scalp.
after a beautiful thai dinner,
and my first lesson in spindle spinning,
i proceeded to the maryland sheep and wool after party which was conveniently held in my hotel.
when i found out that the epic pakistani wedding also being held in our hotel bumped the after party outside into the parking lot, i should have taken it as a sign that things wouldn’t end well.
here’s the good of it:
there were crazy good prizes,
and i was with my friends.
(anna apparently got some good gossip)
but there were some serious issues:
there were not enough chairs,
or enough light to knit or drool over peoples hand knits.
so we were left to wait,
and wait,
and wait,
and wait some more for the raffle.
and guido, bless him, had pretty much no skills as an emcee
beyond mad geeky enthusiasm
which may have worked against him really.
and of course they did the raffle in two parts meaning,
(god help me)
we had to wait another hour to see if we’d paid for more than and evening of sitting in the dark with our friends with only the hope of a coconut shrimp and fruit skewer to warm out spirits.
of course i didn’t win.
but two of my friends did.
i took my bitter, pouting, sunburn to bed.
the next day,
after a leisurely breakfast in bed,
we made our way back at a more respectable hour to make sure we hadn’t overlooked anything we had to have.
somehow,
i resisted the cashmere,
but left with a gorgeous golding spindle
i don’t spin.
with that crazy purchase, i knew i needed to head home.
and here i am, back in pittsburgh with a pretty impressive haul.
(excuse the unnatural light please in this photo)
did i mention i got some sun?
a little pick me up
April 19, 2010
i was feeling a little woebegone today.
i’m really missing mr. mo
(he’s visiting his grandparents during finals week)
but when i got home,
i found a little pick me up.
sitting there on my davenport, was a package.
it was the tee shirt i bought from cubist literature
it’s called knit for fish & needless to say it turned my frown upside down.
nothing makes me happier than an unexpected package on my couch.
especially from a talented boy from brooklyn, like craig hunter
(i can hear you giggling in the back. grow up.)
he even left a little note.
believe me,
i won’t.
and the winner is . . .
April 11, 2010
i couldn’t believe how many people entered the girasole contest.
i had to honor that by making a bit of a to do about it.
and in order to be fair,
i had to have someone impartial pick the number
this is my roomie, veronica
she graciously agreed not to enter so she could pick the number.
(and wear an evening gown and pumps)
we had quite a photo shoot for this one
(we were cracking up the whole time)
but you don’t really care about that, do you?
you want to know who won, right?
well, we have a winner
#18
congratulations shara!
her comment was hilarious too:
*flail*
i totally want that, i’ll trade you a kidney for it….or part of my liver, if you’re not too particular.
that won’t be necessary.
mine work just fine.
and thanks again to everyone who played.
i’m sure i’ll make something else one day that i’ll need to give away.
xoxo bitches!
bitch is blocked!
April 9, 2010
first of all, i want to say thanks to all the people commenting on my last post. you’ve been so great.
here are some of my favorites:
kes says
pick me!! oh, can canucks enter? if so, me!
of course! i love my north american neighbors.
i’ll definitely spring for the international shipping.
karen says:
if you want to give it to me, i’d love it! it can join my girasole which is about 8″ across!
somehow karen, i can’t help but think you’re rubbing it in.
erin says
hell yes i would love to win this! enjoy your soupçon of debauchery, too. a blocking party is a good idea.
(ps your chicago knitters miss you.)
erin is from the knitting group i started in chicago
i miss you bitches too!
but these two, they’re my kind of bitches!
brooke says:
i want your girasole, bitch!
stacey says:
you other bitches are not worthy of such a beautiful girasole! I want to win it!
(love the attitude ladies!)
a couple people said i should simply take out the edging and add some repeats. voilà! bigger girasole.
i wish you could see the stink eye i’m giving you right now.
and way too many of you said you’d never be able to knit it.
i’m shocked at your lack of confidence.
while the project is indeed epic,
it’s a simple knit, with great charts.
i know any one of you could do it.
anyhoo, here’s the real story
yvonne, nancy, kelli, and david lent me their hands. . . .
some pins,
a few blocking wires,
20 minutes later, the bitch was blocked!
i can’t believe how fast it went.
nancy found some time to quilt…
(david was suitably impressed)
then i held up my end of the bargain
i fed my friends.
let me tell you, it was a blast!
the next day,
all dry and ready
i laid it out for the obligatory ravelry shot
(please note petey, my roomie’s chief of security)
after blocking, it grew from 4 to 5.5 feet across.
i have to admit, it came out beautifully.
i’ll be sad to see it go.
but i know it’ll find a lovely home with whomever wins it.
see you sunday!
the best laid plans.
April 4, 2010
i have some good news, some not so good news, and some pretty interesting news.
the good news – i finished the girasole
the not so good news – it’s not as big as i wanted it to be
it’s measuring out to be about 4 feet across.
i’m guessing that i can block it out to about 5 feet.
i wanted it to be at least 6 feet in diameter.
though i’d really love to blame the pattern or the designer, this one was all me. when i started, i knew i wanted to make the blanket, not the shawl. the pattern calls for a aran weight. i subbed in a worsted. the pattern called for a 10.5 but that was WAY to big for the yarn i had chosen.
so i used a 9.
plus, i’m a tight knitter.
this failure is all my own.
(but the fact that you have to fudge the last stitch in the edging is jared flood’s. take that!)
i recognize that it’s beautiful and i put a ton of hard work into this project. but the fact is, it’s like making a sweater that doesn’t fit. you gotta give it to someone it does.
which brings me to my pretty interesting news.
i’m giving it away to you!
that’s right, you can win my girasole.
(totally inspired by the yarn harlot’s most recent giveaway post)
the rules of the first bitches.get.stitches giveaway:
- leave a comment
- your comment = your number
- i’ll have an impartial person draw a random number and that person will get the girasole!
we’re on the honor system here people.
i can’t stop you from making a bunch of fake emails and pseudonyms and commenting like crazy. but i trust you bitches.
i’m having some friends/coworkers over on wendnesday to block this bitch. there will be feasting, conviviality, and perhaps a soupçon of debauchery.
and maybe some pinning. maybe.
the drawing will be sunday sunday sunday
(april 11, 2010)
so bitches,
who wants it?
edit: thanks for playing everyone, but we have a winner!
i don’t believe in breaking rules,
March 29, 2010
but i do believe in bending the shit out of them.
so even though i haven’t cast off two WIP’s yet,
i have started something new:
(pattern – naalepuder, yarn – mochi plus in autumn rainbow colorway)
now let me clarify for all you non-knitters out there.
the rule i had made for myself was that i wouldn’t cast on a new project until i had cast off two in order to get through my backlog.
this little pincushion is crocheted.
you don’t cast on crocheted items.
i have honored the letter of my rule and evicerated its spirit.
(insert devious laugh of your choice)
gotta love a loophole.
i am still working on my girasole,
but i’m finally at the edging.
aint she perty?
this has nothing to do with knitting
March 27, 2010
so i hope you’ll still find it gripping.
last night i went out and did young people things.
it’s been a while since i’ve had the inclination, energy, or time to go dancing.
but last night was special.
last night, i had the opportunity to see an icon of the queer world.
last night, amanda lepore came to pittsburgh.
since it’d been a while since i’d been to a club, i felt a bit overstimulated
but i’m a pro, and i shook my ass like one.
there were some seriously fabulous people there
(i love this queen!)
but no one could have ever topped amanda herself
(these have to be some of the best shots of my career)
i kinda wish i’d paid the $200 to get into the v.i.p. room to meet her.
i mean, did i really need to eat this week?
while many of you were probably more excited about my harlot encounter, seeing an icon in person is one of those once in a lifetime things. i know i’ll never forget that night.
how could i?
she did look a little cold though.
maybe i should have knit her something.
anyone got an aspirin?
March 22, 2010
i’ve found a problem with my new rule:
it doesn’t make for riveting blogging.
i’ll continue stitching along on my girasole,
and hope something amusing or interesting will happen.
i have sixteen rows to go before the edging
which, as you know, will then take forever to finish
i have given myself a semi-solid deadline for completion of this epic blanket, but after the socks and sweater, i don’t know if i have it in me.
also, my shoulder hurts. i can’t really afford the injury right now but i’m working through it sans pain killer. i’m manly like that.
how did i hurt myself?
let’s just say it involves three hours of sleep and a gymnastic demonstration. that’s all i’m willing to say about it.
in a last ditch effort to provide some kind of entertainment value to this post, here’s another picture of mo:
he’s quite the sentinel, guarding us from such dangers as rustling leaves and any overly ambitious window treatments.
next time on bitches get stitches: a mini rant on jared flood’s pattern the girasole a.k.a. me whining.
Bitches Get Stitches 