Stickin' it to Ewe

Ahhhhhhh

2008-11-05T00:30:00.002-05:00

For the first time in a long, long time, I feel like being American is something that can be respected in the national and international community. I am truly humbled by the impact that every American has been able to have on this day.

And that's all I'm gonna say about that.

(but now I don't need to move to Canada)

Daisy Cardigan

2008-09-02T17:56:00.003-05:00

Cute as a button, done just in time for Labor Day gifting to my niece, who is two and a half.
I sewed in a button stabilizer along the edge (blue ribbon), and these are technically fake buttons, I used snaps behind them, cause I didn't want to deal with the hassle of button holes, and this is just as cute. I love this sweater, and if making a two year old wear wool when it's 90 out wasn't cruel and inhumane, I'm sure she would have loved it too! She'll have plenty of time to wear it this fall I'm sure : )
Pattern: Daisy Cardigan
Yarn: handspun from roving from Massachusetts Sheep and Wool Fest
Needles: Knitpicks options, size 7 were a lifesaver as I had the arms and body working at the same time so I wouldn't run out of yarn. This is a top down pattern, my first, and I really liked the process.
And this is officially my second handspun item I've knit, I'm pretty proud of myself...

100 Foods

2008-08-29T19:43:00.002-05:00

The Omnivore’s Hundred

Here’s a chance for a little interactivity for all the bloggers out there. Below is a list of 100 things that I think every good omnivore should have tried at least once in their life. The list includes fine food, strange food, everyday food and even some pretty bad food - but a good omnivore should really try it all. Don’t worry if you haven’t, mind you; neither have I, though I’ll be sure to work on it. Don’t worry if you don’t recognise everything in the hundred, either; Wikipedia has the answers.

Here’s what I want you to do:

1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4) Optional extra: Post a comment here at www.verygoodtaste.co.uk linking to your results.

The VGT Omnivore’s Hundred:

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper (too damn spicy)
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas (addicted...they can do unpleasant things to your digestion in large quantity...)
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar (nada on the cigar)
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal (nope, never)
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini (love vodka martinis, not gin)
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant. (Hugos in Portland)
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake

Well, I've done quite nicely!! I think all of my non-bolded selections are due to lack of opportunity thus far.

Ohhh, I Should be DQ'ed

2008-08-26T07:51:00.002-05:00

So I did sign up for the Ravelympics for the Sock Put, and I totally did not finish. I barely started. I did do quite a bit of knitting, but it was on an ongoing project that has an unexpected deadline. It's almost done, which makes me feel like somewhat less of a olympics looser. I'll post pics of the FO once it's delivered this weekend.
I do like the socks I was making (froot loop socks from Knitty), I'm trying toe up, which seems to make more sense for me and the way my brain works. Instead of a short row toe, I tried the magic toe from an old Knitty tutorial, it seems to look good so far, but then I haven't made it too far up the toe...

Today I tell a Story, Aug 11...

2008-08-12T13:06:00.003-05:00

This counts as Monday still cause it feels like Monday. Today's yarn iwas a recent post, but it's such a favorite it's making a second appearance...

Ohhh, Berrocco Ultra Alpaca, how I love thee... These are my top 10 reasons why I love this yarn:

1. it comes in soooooo many colors

2. it's fuzzy-soft without being itchy

3. it comes in solid colors AND heathers

4. it's a nice gauge, even though I like to knit it tighter than called for

5. it's cheep

6. a lot of stores carry it, so it's easy to find

7. it felts, but not too fast

8. it's got the perfect amount of stretch and give and spring back

9. it knits up euqally nice on metal and wooden needles

10. It's wool AND alpaca, for double the animal fun!

I'm loving the sweater in these colors that I'm making. it's going super fast, and the knit fabric is perfect for me. This must be the most commonly used yarn I have, I've made 4-5 items out of Ultra Alpaca. It's on temporary hold while I somewhat frantically attempt to knit my Ravelympics socks (sock put, team tardis), but can't wait to pick it up again!!!

I take a break from today's story...

2008-08-08T21:50:00.003-05:00

...to note some interesting Olympic facts. We are watching the opening ceremony, and I must say, we were all blown away by the whole beginning part. I can't even think about what my favorite part was, I liked it all. Then came the walking in part, which was notable for two awful reasons.

Matt Lauer. He should shut the f**k up and stop shitting on other countries. Seriously. The opening ceremony is not a time to degrade, make attempts on humor, or talk shit about the athletes. Really Matt, your just mean. The snarks that I heard just in the time it took me to write this post:
Apparently Vietnam has won a whole lot of medals in the math Olympics, and too bad they've only won one in the real Olympics.
Morocco is here to party, but not necessarily to win a medal, cause they never have before. But it's okay cause they're the richest country in the world.
If your an athlete from Austria, apparently dating the reigning Miss Austria is better than a cash prize.
The Gobi desert in Mongolia is to blame for the smog in China.
"Marco Polo" is a legitimate cultural connection between China and Italy.
Having grandparents from Germany is "good enough" to be on the German Olympic team.
If you win getting to carry the flag via getting the most text votes, someone should check to make sure you weren't up day and night text voting for yourself.

It's a little embarrassing. On the plus side, it would make for a kicking drinking game: Every time Matt says something snarky about another country or their athlete, you have to drink. Drink twice if he can't stop himself and snarks twice. Finish your drink if he says something that could create an international incident.

And of course, our beloved president makes an appearance. My favorite parts of Bush's appearance:
Seeing him tap his leg impatiently with the little American flag.
Seeing his nutsack cause he sits like he's at a Longhorns game.
Watching him struggle to button his jacket and wave his little flag at the same time when he stood up for the Americans.
Watching him look around with desperation, either for the hot dog guy or the Bud Lite girl.
Seeing him look at his watch about one third of the way through.
Knowing that we and every other person watching can see how completly bored he looks. I think Laura poked him in the back to wake him up. And I think that inside of his Olympic program that he frequently studies he stashed a Jughead comic book.

Today's Story: #7: It's Not Wool

2008-08-08T07:43:00.003-05:00

No one will notice that I skipped #6, right? Good.

So today's story is a sad one about the wrong yarn and the wrong pattern. The yarn:

Jo Sharp DK in a nice plum color. The pattern: Sizzle, by Wendy of Knit and Tonic. The problem: I hate it. Something about the combo of the yarn and the pattern has caused it to sit in my UFO bag since at least the summer of 2006. It's just awful.

Now, one lesson I have learned about myself as a knitter is that I should never knit something that I wouldn't even consider buying if I saw one in a store. I like to knit things to wear, and reason stands to tell that if I don't own a v-neck knit tank, and haven't had to urge to purchase one, I should not knit one either. This is usually not a problem, as there are many, many sweaters that I would kill to have if it was at Banana Republic, and oh-my-lucky-stars, I can knit my very own!!!

The trouble I have with this is that there are many very funky-classy-cool-kickass patterns that I would never actually wear, but instead admire from afar; my "If Only I Got Paid to Knit" sidebar is full of them. And I got taken by Sizzle. I admit, it probabally isn't the right yarn for the pattern. Actually, I can't think of a garment that I would like the yarn in. It's not that it's bad yarn (no cookie!), but it's not wool, and that's automatically a big drawback, as I love wool. So this yarn, as nice as it is, taught mt a couple things: I love wool, I don't love cotton, and I should never fall for a pattern that isn't me.

This month I tell a story, day 5

2008-08-05T19:53:00.003-05:00

Today's Story is about Mirasol's Hacho, which I fell for in Sapphire Jade. This is one of the growing many yarns and fibers who take the fiber industry to a new level through social consciousness movements and grassroots community development. I'll quote from their website (which I would not normally do but think it's okay if it gets the word out about their project):

"Located high in the oxygen-starved sierra of the Andes Mountains of Peru near Lake Titicaca, the Mallkini Ranch was established to breed alpaca herds. The owners, Michell and Company, have always had the well-being of their employees uppermost in the running of the ranch. With this aim in view, they have sought a way of supporting their employees in the long term: the Mirasol Project. The solution is to take a percentage of every sale of Mirasol Yarn and invest it in the establishment and running of a boarding-house for local children. The proposal is focused on an infant and child-care programme and after-school support for older children so that the alpaca shepherds' families at Mallkini have a secure place where the children can develop their potential. The boarding-house will be built to provide accommodation, meals and health-care and support the children with their school-work."

As a Social Worker, I never caught the community organizing bug that is at times part of trying to change the world. I think much more micro level, and enjoy (mst days) changing one kiddo at a time. But I do really enjoy putting some of my yarn budget towards companies who take this effort on. The fact that they care about yarn and colors, want to make a profit for their company and employees, aren't based in name-your-favorite-city importing yarn blanks from random farming conglomerates are all things I want to support. And farms like Mallkini, who's efforts expand to support the development of the community that makes their yarn possible is quite admirable.

And their yarn rocks.

I'll step off my soapbox to go knit a bit now. Not this yarn though, it's being saved for a perfect pair of socks cause it's too good for anything else.

August 4's Story

2008-08-04T22:00:00.002-05:00

Today's story is about this crazy Kauni yarn, which is the Beanie Baby of the yarn world. Webs just sent an e-mail out that they have it in stock, which guarantees that their web server will crash tonight. They have many colors, including the infamous rainbow colorway, which looks eeehhhhhhhhhhhhhh in the picture, but apparently does magic things when knitted by someone like the Harlot.
See? Pretty in the picture? not so much. But the knitted garment is pretty smashing.

These colors are much nicer, and I can see myself knitting a nice sweater out of either.
The moral of my story for today? Don't judge a yarn by it's skein, but also don't jump on a bandwagon that doesn't fit with your style. No matter how great those rainbow sweaters look, I would feel like Rainbow Bright leading the GLBT club in one. I have been trying to be more planful when buying yarn, and resisting the oooohhhhh it's so pretty impulse buy, forgetting that I look absurd in yellow and pink, and especially absurd in yellow-pink. The fun names sway-me-not.

I tell this story as a prediction of the color trends that will crop up over this next month...there's alotta green boys and girls.

This Month I Tell a Story...August Third

2008-08-03T20:17:00.002-05:00

Today's yarn is technically one from the yarn pirate (I'm pretty sure). I don't actually own this yarn, it's the perfect depiction of one of my favorite qualitys in yarn...color balance. I love when color mixes in such a way that many colors I wouldn't usually pair intermingle and turn out beautiful!! The transitions between the colors somehow blend and are perfect together, even when the colors on their own would make a small child throw up in their mouth a little. I really appreciate the patience and eye that develops yarns of this quality.

This Month I Tell a Story: Day 1/2

2008-08-02T18:57:00.006-05:00

So I have been a bad blogger, slow to blog, some days wanting to blog but not making the effort to bother. Since graduating from my masters program, I no longer spend countless hours at home in front of the computer, and somedays if I've checked at work, I don't even turn the computer on (horrors! Somewhere Bill Gates just died a little). In my effort to correct this, I have an idea...

Each day this month, I will tell a little story about one of my favorite yarns. And likely post a picture. And not beat myself up if I miss a day. So this month I tell a story about my favorite yarns, and this is the first one:

This is by The Fibre Company, their Terra yarn, in Light Wode. The colors are so rich and deep, with a tricksie color on color that you just want to sink into. I made a pair of Fingerless Gloves for my internship supervisor at the completion of my year there. She was also a knitter, and spoke wistfully of the unintentional hanging up of her needles when she had children. I knew that she could really appreciate the magic that this yarn can do, and she loved them.
I have since continued to covet this yarn in other colors, but it is quite pricey and hard to find the just-right pattern to justify buying more. I love this yarn.

kitties!!!

2008-08-01T22:41:00.003-05:00

Dulce and Diapensia have a meet and greet over super-sonic catnip.

And a few nights ago, we were on the way out of the house and realized we hadn't seen the cats in a while. A few clicks/whistles later, Dulce came running from her favorite spot (under Mr. VT's dresser), Zora from hers (Mr. VT's office chair), but no Diapensia. We searched and searched, and then finally...

I dearly hope that Diapensia's favorite nap spot will not continue to be in the recycling bin inside an empty PBR box. We may very well have put her out on the curb and not noticed. Will need to be much much more careful about breaking down boxes.

Recent Pleasures...

2008-07-19T23:20:00.004-05:00

I have some FABULOUS pics of not-fiber that I will post soon, but my little bro and his weefe are visiting for the weekend, and are asleep in the "craft room" so pics will wait. So, things I have enjoyed recently...
1. I got my 2 fleeces back from stonehedge fiber mill, and again, I am very impressed. The two I sent were one of the 2007 fleeces from Aunt Sue, and the Rambouillet that the 'rents treated me to at Maryland S&W. The Ram still has some of the grease in it surprisingly, but is super soft, no shock. The other I opened, and immediately thought I got the wrong fleece, it was so soft. This is a Lincoln/Romney, and once processed was more brown-tinged grey than I remembered.
They are great, I can't wait to spin them.

2. The weefe, who is super into all natural/organic, down o the earth, wayyy more than us (she is a primitive skills instructor) was receiver of two of the fleeces I have, she is going to felt, but also is heading back to camp with my spindal and some roving I got a while back. She also bought ashford carders today, and when we got back to the house carded, spun, then knit a 3x3 swatch of some of the sample fleece from the bags I got. Kick ass!

3. We bought a cider press with an unexpected end-of fiscal-year bonus I got at work, so we can really do fruit wine this year. Locally (in Maine) made.

4. I am thinking about to commiting to a goal, likely this fall, which considering my physical shape leaves me slightly aprehensive. More to come on this one.

5. The Essense of the Essensial Stripe Sweater is coming along well; I am not sure about the color carries though. When doing a fair isle sweater, you carry the colors not used in the current row up the side, I think (and might be assuming). These extra colors are slightly showing through (like the light yarn on dark sections) and also mean that there will be extra thickness on one side which I KNOW is favorable to having ends to weave in, also all on one side. Once all is said and done, it's Berocco Ultra Alpaca, and will self-felt in as I wear it. And the colors, as I posted in an earlier post, are great.

6. I am looking forward to the CD release party of our favorite local band, The Jerks of Grass, bluegrass and amazing in all their mildly-twangy glory. We can't wait for this party, it's been a long time coming!!!

Spinning completed...

2008-07-12T23:21:00.003-05:00

See? It's the roving that I bought at Mass Sheep and Wool, I measured it and did maths, and I have @450 yards of I'm not sure what size, I haven't figured out the WPI thing yet. I know 450 yards is a lot, but I'm trying to figure how much of what it will make. But it is wayyyyyyyyyyyyyy prettier than it was when I bought it, I now know why people fawn over rovings at the festivals, it started as "oh that's pretty, but look how cheep it is!" and spun into "ohhhh that's niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice (said in the Family Guy gay-man-of-many-jobs voice)"
There are only a few sections that are not-like-the-others
I focused more on evening out the overspun sections when plying, I would stop plying and redistribute the twist to the ply around it, seemed to work well, but it was time consuming. I was hoping I'd have enough for a little sweater but maybe a little vest instead.
New sweater colors for MEEE, I was going to do the essential stripes sweater, but gauge was crazy, so I found a raglan pattern that was the right gauge, and am doing stripes. So it's more essence of essential striped sweater. In Berocco Ultra Alpaca, one of my more favorite yarns.
And, I WON YARN b from Bezzie, cause I have a lucky rooting timeframe. It's the kind of thing that if I wasn't forced into going by my insurance company so they keep paying for anti-spawn products, I might procrastinate about. This was a great treat/reinforcer for keeping my girls happy! Bert likes it too.

More KittyPicutres!! Yeay!!

2008-07-12T10:35:00.002-05:00

She grew out of this trick the next week, literally.

Diapensia watching birds on our friends i-phone
Zora is two seconds from snapping and opening the kitty-can of whoop-ass.
Now that's sisterly love.

Poor, poor Diapensia...this is one of the funniest pictures we have of her facial expression repertoire.

Finally...what I bought

2008-07-02T18:23:00.004-05:00

I finally got around to taking pics of the treats I got at the Massachusetts Sheep and Wool fest. I took so long cause it has been raining since February, and it's been bad picture taking weather.

The Wool Peddler had lots of good bargains, so I got 3 rovings from them. I was wavering, but when I found out that they were from Brattleboro VT (where Mr. VT and I met and lived for 5 yrs) I was sold. I already spun up 3/4 of the greenish blue one.
Then I got this cause it reminded me of my parent's house...ocean and sea and sailing with a little bit of fog.
One of my rovings from the Wool Peddler came with a huge hairball in it...

Double Uggh

2008-06-15T20:48:00.002-05:00

It did not wash out. It is still there. Somehow it appears to have yellowed in the sun. Why? Who knows. I am going to try dying some swatches of it and then see if the swatches yellow as well, even in a different color. And I might swing into the LYS I bought it at and see if they know anything about it that would help. And I will silently curse the person who made/found/wholesaled this yarn to my LYS. Cause they suck.

Huh?

2008-06-12T17:39:00.003-05:00

Soooo...I swatched my Rogue Sweater. Okay, it was a big swatch i.e. I knit up to the armpits and washed and pinned it cause I was worried it was too small. Yes, I PRE-swatched. And yes, it's smaller than I planned anyways. Damn math.

ANYWHOO...

I unpinned it and noticed...
See it? two different colors.
See it again?
See? You can even see it sideways. The Stumper? The DARKER side was facing up!!!!...it's not sun bleached, it's sort of sun darkened. But the sun can't do that. So what the F**K???? Maybe it was super bleached to start, and the power of the sun beams reverted it back to it's more natural state? It's dust and dirt that blew very evenly over the entire thing?

Knitty Gurus, I'm relying on you...what's going on here? Cause I tell ya, this sweater ain't progressing till I figure it out. If it's some wierd sun effect, I'm not spending eighty-billion hours on those cables to have a sweater that looks like Aunt Velma's living room drapes. Please, please help. I'm gonna wash it in a bit, I'mm report back on the results.

Presenting...Diapensia!!

2008-06-10T19:25:00.002-05:00

Our newest family member, just over 8 weeks, from the local animal shelter.
She is an excellent napper and all-around snugglie kittie, even at night (however at times the fearsome critters; aka our feet; that live under the covers and keep moving ever-so-slightly get the best of her).
She is 750mL (thanks J & B)
Everyone is eating their own food out of the correct bowl. Zora is however pleased that we bought her special (kitten) food and spend a few days defending "her" new bowl and special food..
Hee hee
The turf wars are being fought.
And this is a Dispensia...at 1 centimeter across. Tiny little white alpine flower, just like our little Maine kittie.

Yep, she's better than TV.

Shearing Part 1

2008-05-25T15:03:00.005-05:00

This is my aunt's farm where we went right before sheep and wool. These are some of her animals, including the scariest dog.

These are the sheep:

The sheep in the front was one that they couldn't catch last year, so that's 2 years of growth. The staple length is so long it can't be processed, but my sis in law (the same one whose getting the socks) is using it to felt.

Naked sheep. That pigme goat kept rearing back and butting the sheep as they were shorn, he didn't recognize them or their smell and thought he had to assert his dominance over the new infiltrators. All the other sheep were freaked out by the newly shorn sheep too.
They were fast. And reaaaaaaallllllly hard to catch, even in the small barn.

It was a fun trip. I'm not going to post pics of the actual Maryland sheep and wool fest, cause it's pretty much a bunch of pics of sheep. And I totally missed the ravelry meet up cause we got "lost" on the way and got there late. And the only person I saw that I recognized was monkeemaven who I don't really know. I did see Casey of ravelry pretty much as soon as I walked in to the fair, but missed EVERYONE else. Bummer.

Maryland Sheep and Wool...Backwards!!

2008-05-22T15:13:00.005-05:00

To begin, I have a long awaited FO, my OFFICIAL FIRST PAIR OF SOCKS!!!
TAAAAAAAAAA DAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!
They are a gift for a family member, the pattern is one of those math patterns from Sensational knitted socks; made out of Berrocco Ultra Alpaca, felted ever-so-slightly (partly cause they were a bit big, but also cause she's a rough-wearing socks kinda gal). Things I like about these socks: they are soft, they are heathered green, they were inexpensive, they are warm. Things I don't like: one is a bit longer than the other. As I discovered this was a problem, it occurred to me that in the future, I could just use my scale to wind exactly half of a skein into a ball, and cut it, thus having two balls of yarn the same approximate length. I think this is a good idea.
Next, I have my goodies from Maryland sheep and wool, which was much fun and I will go into that more once I get those pics off the other camera. I want to preface these pics with the fact that I went to MS&W with a specific and well controlled budget!!!! which my parents apparently thought was a nice-idea-and-all-but-such-and-such-is-a-really-good-bargain-and-you-better-get-more-just-in-case. They treated me to multiple fibery goodies!
I got peace fleece, these will go with the 7 or 8 skeins of purple peace fleece I already have to make a sweater that is not totally all purple, thus rendering me a big grape. Cause a purple sweater with some cool intarsia across the chest and on the arms is much less grape-ish.

I got three braids of roving, blue faced leister, in this amazing colorway that reminds me of a forest in a disney cartoon.
Then I scored. This is Brown Sheep mill ends, it's an unidentified mixture of fibers, but very soft, and a great color! I bought all they had, 1 lb 9 oz.
Then I also got 3 bags of again unidentified mill ends in a just off white, and it is SUPERDUPER soft!! Me and another girl discovered it in a big bag shoved in a corner and got a little I-need-I-need frantic. It was just such a great deal for the softness, so I was goaded by my father ("are you sure that's enough? you can't get it again if it's a mill end...maybe you should get one more bag") and got 5 and a third pounds. This will be my roving to dye and make pretty colors, once I do a dying workshop (this weekend at mass sheep and wool).

Then to my actual reason for being in the vicinity of MS&W, my aunt's shearing from this year. The black bags are this years shearing, the white bags are last years. She has Lincoln-Romney crosses, I'm really excited to get the first one processed! The shearing pics are on their way to the blog soon.
And if you look in the lower left of the pic, you can see a clear bag. Of this:

An amazing chocolaty brown Rambouillet fleece, at 9 pounds. VERY excited about this one. Only felt a little guilty to buy a fleece when I already had 7 in the car, but come on, it's a Rambouillet, which I believe is similar to merino and correndale as far as yummy-ness.

Finally, when Mr VT and I were at my parents house this past weekend, we discovered thanks to my sis-in-law that it was the RI sheep and wool fest. It was pretty small, but I did manage to find yet-another-deal, 90% alpaca 10% merino roving at $2.50 an ounce. I got 10 ozs to make Mr VT a hat, and he picked it out! It will be fun to spin.

Lost Knitting, reward offered.

2008-04-28T20:12:00.002-05:00

I had some sock pics to post, but Blogger is being suckie and not letting me post pics. The button isn't even there. Waaa.

Anyway...I have lost some knitting. I don't know where it went. I know it's black yarn, and it was only an inch or two of the very bottom of the sweater, but it also holds captive a 32-odd inch size three addi turbo, cause options don't come that small. And, I know it's here somewhere, but if it's not in my knitting bags, or in my secret hanging paper bags, or in my baskets, than it can only be in my Tupperwares, and I KNOW when I sorted my stash post move to get re-organized if I had seen it in there, I would have said "Huh? What's that doing in there?" It should be in the same general location as the PATTERN, which I found right away. And, I know I have knitted something with said yarn and needle, cause I am missing 1 ball of yarn, and found the ball band abandoned in the bottom of my knitting bag.

I am the kind of person who will go ABSOLUTELY mental and re-go through my ENTIRE stash until I solve this mystery. Please help. If you are on the bus or plane or starbucks bathroom and see a ball of black Helio and a 32 inch addi turbo with an inch or two of knitting in big-man-sweater size, send up a flare.

The First Fiber Fair of 2008

2008-04-27T09:17:00.005-05:00

Last Saturday, here in Maine we had our first fiber fair(I think) of the year, the Denmark Fiber Fest. It was in an itsy little town towards New Hampshire: Denmark, very rural and very Maine. They had booths in the arts center (think old fashion grange hall with a stage on one end) with a variety of fiber folk selling their wares. It was nice that they were all smaller producers, Peace Fleece was the only company I had heard of. Outside they had a pen with some alpacas, and the bunny lady who was doing demos of spinning right off her bunny. Across the street in a small pavilion was the shearing.

The general gist of what they did was have a shearer and a vet come in for the day, and people who had animals, but not enough to have a shearer come to them, brought them in. There seemed to be some type of reservation system for times, and there was a small row of pens that the animals were in.
This llama was from a llama education program of some type, and the owner wanted to try and sheer it standing up. I am not a llama expert, but from what I have seen, sheering llamas involves tying the front legs to one end of a barn, and the back legs to the other, and stretching. While this was a well behaved llama, it did not make it very far in the shearing process before the shearer smartly gave up.
A sheep. The cool thing was that as the sheep were getting shearer, they had a skirting table (you can see the end of it on the left) set up, and volunteers would skirt it, weigh it, bag it, and if the owners didn't want the fleece or already had it reserved, it was for sale, then and there. I was tempted by a jet black yearling fleece that came off a very cute little sheep with a pink collar, but I resisted.
Some of the sheep did not want to go where they needed to. This seemed easier to deal with if said sheep had horns. Other sheep wanted to go really fast...in the wrong direction. Again, handles aka long fleece, helped steer them.
He was very pretty, and icelandic sheep. His fleece was for sale, it had guard hairs similar to llamas.
The sheep came in all sorts of vehicles, mostly a mostly assortment of trailers and mod'ed flatbeds, this farm brought about a dozen sheep in a trailer, then opened the back of the truck, and there were 3-5 more in there!
These are some of their sheep, I know at least some of them were merino. They were sooooooo lanolin-ey, you could see it glisten in the sun if you parted their fleece.
Sheep butt!! The brown I know are merino, I think they might all be merino. They wouldn't stand still enough to take a picture, but their fleece was so curly in parts that it was kinked on itself, kinda like when you go too thin spinning and overspin and it gets snarly.
I think I stayed for 3 hours or so, watching them shear. After the shearing was even more exciting, cause they had to hold them still so the vet could give them shots, and then get them back into their pens, then later in the trailers to go home. Trouble was they sheared off the handles, so there was nothing for the farmers to hold on to. There were two near runaways, and several close calls with children being stampeded by slightly out of control sheep and their human steerers. I won't get on my soapbox about parents letting their children toddle unsupervised. I like to think that a fiber fair is one of those places it's okay for kids to wander around, but at times, a simple "Suzie! Watch out for the 200 pound sheep and two grown men barreling towards you!!" would be helpful.
I also saw the largest sheep I have ever seen. She was a four year old Corriedale, and her back was at waist height. She had been coated, and her fleece, which the owner was keeping to spin, was so long, 5 inches wouldn't be an overestimate. She was like a giant marshmallow. She got there just as I was leaving, or I would have loved to see the before and after shearing difference.

In a week, MARYLAND SHEEP AND WOOL, here I come!!!!

It finally felt like spring, so...

2008-04-10T21:16:00.002-05:00

I went for my first bike ride of the season...in shorts and short sleeves, with no armwarmers.
I rode a hill that I thought "well, I guess I can always walk it" and did it out of the saddle.
I never used my granny gear.
My legs burned, but recovered, every time.
I can still "rid my lungs and nose of excess fluid" without snotting on myself.
I heard the first peepers of the year.
I smelled flowery purfumey smells, like someone was making soap.
I only rode 10 miles, but I could have ridden dozens more.
I re-fell in love with my bike.

Things I learned on my first pair of socks.

2008-04-06T12:05:00.002-05:00

1. They are not scary
2. They seem that they can, in fact, be comfortable
3. It is not impossible to finish one. Or two.
4. Sock yarn is purrrrrtty
5. DPN's are as annoying as I recall, which is not too too annoying.
6. Toe up socks are the way they should be made, which is to start making a sock, not a tube.
7. Short row heels are nice. And heel-ie.
8. Having the ball of yarn split in half, by way of a scale and some basic maths, cures uneven-sock anxiety.
9. My flat-across-the-top toes can be well-covered with short row toes.
10. I like short rows, but only if I use stitch markers.
11. My new purse has a handy sock-in-progress holder with drawstring top that some may use as a water bottle pouch.
12. I can allllllmost knit sock stitches without looking at the needles.
13. I am glad my first pair of socks came out so well, as they are a gift.
14. I am glad my second pair of socks will be for me.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh settle...

2008-03-30T15:50:00.004-05:00

After moving, this box is finally being unpacked. It's a fleece from my aunt, fresh back from the processor. And ohhhh, it's pretty...and big! The box is at least 2 feet square. The fleece is kinda like stone soup, the more I use, the more it puffs up and looks like I haven't put a dent in it.
But I have, on this...
Ohhhweeee!!!!! My wheel! It is the Kronski Minstral, and it's sooooo pretty!!! My dad, Mr VT and I stained it a pretty reddish brown color...see? Even the back is pretty!!
I love the different tones in it, lighter and darker areas where the stain took different. And it spins so well, even though I still am very much learning...See????
I made this first, it was fun.
Now I'm making this, it's still super fun! I'm getting the hang of it better, but just need more practice.
Today was FINALLY above 40 degrees and warm enough to be outside without a coat on, so I rallied my (ill with a cold) self to skirt the rest of last years fleeces. Thank god I was able to hang on long enough to get them done, I've been couch bound since friday at 5. Just sick enough to not be able to drag myself off the couch for much of anything, but not so sick that I wanted to just fall asleep with cold medicine. This was good though, as I finished off the ball of yarn on dad's scarf and turn the short row heel on socks, then start and progress the second sock (toe up) up to 1 inch before the heel turn. Thank god I'm finally getting back in the swing of knitting again...

almost done...

2008-03-04T21:20:00.002-05:00

moving is coming to an end, leaving us with organizing, fitting, squeezing, and decorating. While our new place is larger, nicer, and generally a better fit for us, it is lacking in the storage space area. Actually, the closets are HUGE, and it's a 3 bedroom...meaning 1 bedroom, 1 Mr. VT's home office and lab area, and one guest room/CRAFT AND KNITTING ROOM!!!! EEEEEKKKKKKKKKKKKK! I'm a little excited. The one drawback is that it is a normal apartment, meaning for the first time EVER since college, I have no basement, garage, shed, attic, or other useful "put it all in there" area. As me and the hubbie are avid (aka have all needed gear) rock climber, ice climber, whitewater and flat water canoeists, fisherpeople, skier/tele, multi-day hikers, and just general outdoors people, thus we have storage issues. When your storage needs start at 9 XL rubbermaid totes and end at 4 canoes, you've got issues. We will fit it all. Somewhere. I swear. Mom and Dad, you might be sleeping IN a canoe. In the guest room. on a matress made of sleeping bags, belay parkas, and 17 pairs of winter gloves.

I really want to post pictures,

2008-02-10T11:46:00.000-05:00

but I can't find the camera cord. Cause we're moving, and our house is covered in boxes. Now I'm pretty sure I didn't pack the cord, cause that would mean that I found it first, and would have stopped there and proceeded to upload my pics. It's here somewhere, but where...
I also have not managed to take pics of my birthday present, cause it won't stop snowing. I really want to take pics outside, but there is eleventy billion inches of snow on the ground, and I would have to shovel out a photo spot. So I will tempt you all with the mere knowledge that for my birthday, my mom and dad got me...

A SPINNING WHEEL!

It took little searching. I had a pretty specific list of requirements, including castle style, reasonable price, double treadle, scotch and double drive tension, and pretty. This narrowed my choices down to 3-4, with a couple others tossed in cause they looked fun. In the end, the one I chose was only the third from my list I spun on, but I knew INSTANTLY that it was the one. I couldn't have treadled more than a dozen times, and I was hooked. Now, as a tidbit, this is unusual for me. Past "major purchases" (like goretex pants, climbing shoes, and eyeglasses) have included spreadsheets, anal-retentive comparisons of features, and driving great distances to "just try it on". The search usually wraps up with statements from my husband like "it's a friggin' whitewater helmet, who really cares if it makes you look like a pillbug? Just PICK one." So I was very impressed with myself at the speed and steadfastness of my decision making.
Anyways, so yes, I now have a spinning wheel. A very pretty one, that my dad, Mr. VT, and I stained in a very pretty color and waxed, so it is the perfect color and finish. I'm still in the phase of ownership of feeling like it is too good and I can't take my first spin on it, cause "it's not the right time". And we pick up the keys to our new place in five days and I'm a little preoccupied with packing. But ohhh, the anticipation is killing me!!!

MY Ultimate Knitting Bag...

2008-02-08T22:51:00.000-05:00

After MUCH searching, I have finally found my perfect knitting bag. For me, it has to double as a purse so not be too big, but have LOTS of pockets for all the little things that end up lost in the depths otherwise. And I like it to have room for smaller knitting projects, scarf, hat ect. And it has to look cool, and have an adjustable shoulder strap, and did I say pockets? I finally found it...

The Sherpani Trevina...it's perfect (I hope) and is bring shipped here as we speak.

The Secret of the Scarf

2008-02-01T21:41:00.000-05:00

It has been my secret for a while that I do not knit scarfs. Now, it's not that I don't want to knit scarfs, as I have seen many patterns that I like. It's more that I think it's a cool pattern for the first 4 inches and then decide that it's akin to what happens when Dulce the cat tries to digest plastic. I've started, among others, the Column of Leaves, Little Pyramids, Henry, the Window Pane Scarf, and the Irish Hiking Scarf. All started, all frogged. I do believe that it is the length of the unchanging, same-as-same five feet of commitment that does me in. I mean really, THE SAME PATTERN, for six feet? No sleeves? No decreases, or increases? Even with some snazzy yarn-overs and lots of cables, it makes me want to stab my eyes out with a dpn. Actually I take that back, cables make scarf knitting slooooower and exaggerate the pain. The most troubling thing about my anti-scarf feelings? I decided in October that my dad really needed a handmade scarf for Christmas. Open the abyss and dive right in, huh? No just a scarf, a scarf with a deadline.

I imagine it goes without saying that true to form, my dad did not get a scarf for Christmas. He should have gotten Henry, all blocked and ready to wear. Instead, he got an options 30 inch circular needle, 3.7 balls of yarn, and one inch of Henry. Henry came back home with me, grew by maybe a row (and I'm probably overestimating), and was frogged due to the fact that it was not ever, ever going to happen. (on the bright side, if anyone would like the now-discontinued Jaeger yarn in the exact color called for in Henry, it's up for swap : )

BUUUUUUUT...dad will get A scarf. A lovely scarf that is currently longer that it is wide, and is knitting up quite fast. And I am so proud of myself that he just may receive it while he can still wear it, this season. Don't worry dad it's coming. But it's still a surprise.

Goodies a-commin'

2008-01-20T00:53:00.000-05:00

So I used some of my x-mas $$ on...knitpicks options harmony needles!!!!! I did not get the set with the dumb plastic case; cause it's dumb, and I have extra of the 24 and 32 inch cables. So I bought the same set 1 by 1, and got a set each of the 40 and 48 cables for the same price as the set. I am VERY excited about these needles, I am addicted to the regular options, and love the rainbow bright-ness of the harmonys. Plus, I do like metal for some things, and wood for others. I also got a swift from joanns (yeay 50% off coupon) and a row counter thing a week ago. Christmas for me this year has been very knitterly. And my b-day is next week, and my 'rents gift has arrived at their house......OH, GOSH, I can't even begin to express, you will all just have to wait...

I also washed the last of my aunt's first fleece and MAILED it to Minnesota. I wish I could have gotten the last bit of lanolin out of it, but my hot-ish water and the fact that it's last season's shearing might be working against me. The processor I sent it to is very reasonable, and washing is included in their price. In washing, I did discover that using the warmth of the wood stove is quite helpful!!

So I had the pleasure...

2008-01-15T20:48:00.000-05:00

...of seeing this gentleman David Wondrich, enjoying a couple of his cocktails, and having dinner with him and a group of foodies after a local bookstore sponsored event event. He gave a historical cocktail presentation at a local pub, put on by Rabelais Bookstore in Portland. He was a delight, his book is on my must read list, and he makes one HELL of a drink. He was recently on Conan, and I couldn't resist sharing, as he is truly a gentleman AND a scholar.

He's in the third segment (comes back from commercial to a penny intro).
And the Blue Blazer he makes? VERY impressive in a dimly lit bar with it's blue flaming waterfall of liquor pouring back and forth between mugs; apparently the key to not setting yourself on fire is practice, as ALLLLLL the pouring liquor is flaming: the studio lights kill it. He made it at the presentation (I missed trying it) but did sample the "original" martini.
A good bartender makes a good cocktail, leaving you thinking "that was a good cosmo".
A great bartender makes a great cocktail, leaving you thinking "I don't know what the hell that was, but yes sir, can I have another...3...and will you come live under the shelf in my kitchen cabinet" and then you find out that the base ingredient was the liquor you swore off as being deathly to drink (aka brandy) years ago!!

True Love

2008-01-09T19:21:00.000-05:00

So I fiiiiinally washed the first half of one of my aunt's sheep fleeces, and also put together the drying rack that my dad brought up for me. And discovered that it fits perfectly over our kitchen chairs for drying inside (It was warm today, but it got dark/cold too soon!)
See?????Look, isn't it pretty???????It's a wonderful snowy gray color that I am (in an insane plot to make myself crazy) dying to sping and knit into a sweater.
Look, here there's some crimp! Yeay for crimp!!!
And look, staple length! I was worried that some of the the fleeces would be matted, but not this one, it was perfect, DIRTY, but little veggie matter. After three washes and a rinse, it's still a little greasy, but I certainly didn't have the water hot enough.

And what is true love? Having it inside makes the whole house smell...sheepy, and the frame is taking up the whole table area. When I mentioned I felt bad and apologized to Mr. VT, he said "Oh, I don't mind, I kinda like the smell of sheep" Awwwwww...and he's right, I like the smell too, it smells like vermont and goodness.

Sally

2008-01-01T11:45:00.001-05:00

Sally, from the newest Knitty, is finished! She was a fun, and actually not too long knit. I think I started her the week before christmas. She's quite a bit bigger than the pattern, 18 inches. Part cause that just happened to be the size she ended up with the yarn I used (that lions brand vanna stuff) and also cause I did want her to be bigger, and on bigger needles. I didn't change much, I think I accidentally did the dress longer than the pattern called for, I did the dress neck different too by omitting the yo's. I also gave her a belly button.
As you can see, her new friend (my niece) is liking her so far, she's doing the I'm-too-tired-to-be-tired wandering around the house. I think everyone should knit a sally!!!!

I still have 10 (slightly) functioning fingers...

2007-12-29T15:16:00.000-05:00

Christmas knitting has taken up EVERY-SPARE-MINUTE of this last month. No pics yet, but here's a recap:

Dad: Henry Scarf
Mom: 2 felted potholders and Fake Isle hat
Bro: hand spun, hand knitted fingerless gloves
Sis in law: socks (Haven't even picked a pattern yet)
Neice: Sally the garden fairy
Bros-in-law: surprise, but it isn't knitted.

Now, ask me how many of the above people recieved completed gifts....NONE!!!!!! Dad's scarf is still on needle, mom's potholders were in a ziplock cause they were still drying, bro got a skein, sis in law couldn't come out, so I knew I had a freebie on that one. Niece will get the only completed gift, but I'm still needing wings. I swear, I'll take pics soon...

The New One Going Around...

2007-12-12T19:34:00.000-05:00

Found a very random meme going around, and I like random!!

1. Elaborate on your default icon:

Me on the St. Croix two(?) summers ago. One of my favorite hair colors.

2. What’s your current relationship status?
Married with two fabulous cats

3. Ever have a near-death experience?
Not that I can remember, but if I had one, wouldn't I have blocked it out?

4. Name an obvious quality you have:
Enormous dark brown eyes.

5. What’s the name of the song that’s stuck in your head right now?
Now, none, but for the last couple days it was a Death Cab for Cutie song that's going around the radio.

6. Any celeb you would marry?
No, but Johnny Depp from his Edward Scissorhands days is close. His new movie is on my must see list.

7. Who will cut and paste this first?
Hmmm...I have no idea.

8. Has anyone ever said you look like a celebrity?
I've heard Jennifer Gray and the girl from Flashdance. I totally don't see either.

9. Do you wear a watch?
Yep, but especially to work. Around the house I'll sometimes not bother.

10. Are you pierced?
Three in one ear, 4 in the other, but I never wear one of them. That reminds me, I need a pic of my newest three hole corkscrew...

11. Do you have any tattoos?
One, a celtic knot with three snakes that I mostly designed myself.

12. Do you like pain?
Not at all, I got dizzy from my flu shot.

13. Do you like to shop?
Sort of, but generally at local stores cause the mall makes me want to punt toddlers (because obviously, the mall is the perfect place to learn to walk).

14. What was the last thing you paid for with cash?
Probably coffee. No wait, a highway toll tonight.

15. What was the last thing you paid for with your credit card?
Hot chocolate for me and one of my clients

16. Who was the last person you spoke to on the phone?
Mr. VT. I don't really like talking on the phone.

17. What is on your desktop background?
A black and white pic of a cat's profile, with green eyes, I found it on the internet

18. What is the background on your cell phone?
The tree frog pic that came with it.

19. Do you like redheads?
See question #1

20. Do you know any twins?
I've been friends with one half of a set of twins.

21. Do you have any weird relatives?
I categorically plead the fifth, but I do have an uncle that was an events guy. He had actual robots that moved, and did magic tricks (and had white bunnies and the saw-the-lady-in-half-box in the garage) and costumes of characters, like 4 easter bunnies with the big hard heads like at the mall, and Rudolf, and I think carebears for some reason.

22. What was the last movie you watched?
Transformers. Way better than anticipated.

23. What was the last book you read?
I forget, I think I recently re-read the yarn harlot. Now I reading a book about sheep cheese. I love reading, but it's been slow-going lately.

24. Is there such a thing as love at first sight, or it is more likely to be lust at first sight?
Most probably lust.

25. What’s your favorite book?
Ummmmmmm...that is an impossible question. But Wally Lamb's two novels are up there.

26. When was the last time you visited the street where you first lived?
I can't even remember, 10 years or more?

27. When was the last time you googled your own name?
Sometime last year. I just checked, I apparently built a futuristic family car in England. And I died ALOT. My married name is very old sounding.

28. What was / is your favorite subject at school?
Art. But I sucked.

29. What was / is your least favorite subject at school?
Anything math or science related.

30. Do you like having your photograph taken?
I don't mind it too much

31. What time were you born?
12:42pm? If I'm wrong my mom will call me.

EDIT: yep, she called. More like 1:01pm.

32. Ever seriously questioned your sanity?
Not really, but fortunately if I do I can diagnose myself and give myself counseling ; )

33. How many phone numbers do you have remembered and can say off the top of your head?
Mr. VT, work, me, 'rents, the switchboard to my undergrad, phone # from when I was a kid (which is sung to the tune of twinkle twinkle little star, even today). My cell is my savior.

34. Can you Limbo?
Not even close.

35.Have you ever killed your own dinner?
I'm pretty sure some of the fish I've caught and eaten died of oxygen before Mr. VT cut their heads off, so technically, yes.

36. How long have you been living at your current residence?
Just over 2 years

37. What phobias do you have?
Used to be snakes, but now none really.

38. What’s your ideal breakfast?
Crabcakes Benedict with a Bloody Mary and thick bacon on the side.

39. Where are you right now?
In my computer nook

40. Why do you blog?
In grad school it was a distraction from papers and research, which would explain why I'm blogging less.

41. What would you call your autobiography?
Wouldn't that mean I'd have to write it? Not Bloody Likely.

42. What’s the longest time you’ve stayed out of the country / where?
2ish weeks in Mexico excavating dinosaur bones, and 2 ish weeks in England and Ireland.

43. Do you use ICQ, AIM, etc..?
naaa

44. Do you have nightmares frequently?
No, usually stress dreams, like I forgot to do something at work and permanently traumatized some poor kid.

45. If you were another person, would you be friends with you?
Yea, I rock.

46. Which TV character could you be friends with?
Greg on CSI, Rose from Dr. Who, and I'd like to be superficial friends with all 4 sex in the city ladies (you know, go out drinking with them but not feel obligated to hold their hair while their puking)

47. What’s on your mouse pad?
I use my desk

48. What is your ring tone?
Mr. VT is "Everybody Knows" by Elvis Costello, and most everyone else is Friday I'm in Love by the cure.

49. What did you watch on TV last night?
The awful surviving everest reality show. Some of those people really should just stay up there.

50. Scary movies or happy endings?
Well, I HATE scary movies, but happy endings are cheezy. I prefer unexpected but satisfying, and occasionally W.T.F.

I especially like the whimpering at the end...

2007-11-27T22:12:00.000-05:00

Stupid Cascade 220!

2007-11-23T09:11:00.000-05:00

Well, I bought a bunch of cascade 220 for the Olive Branch Yoga Hoodie (link to the right) in a really pretty grey with just a touch of purple. I cast on the hood, knit a couple inches, and started to become suspicious... despite using the needles the yarn called for-8's, the fabric was quite see through. And the gauge? 22 stitches in 4 inches. A faaaaaaar cry from the 18/4 inches I needed. Maybe I was remembering the yarn gauge wrong...no, a trip to the cascade web site confirmed that I should be getting 4.5 stitches in 1 inch.

What the hell?

I am not a loose knitter, and now I have a bunch of yarn in the perfect color for a great hoodie and I HAVE TO DO MATH!!!! After having to do math, I kind-of-know that if I make the "46 size on size 7 needles, it will most likely fit me. But now I have to buy more yarn. This sucks.

And this week's wheel is...

2007-11-13T21:18:00.000-05:00

The Ashford Traveler! I spun just a bit on it, and it was definitely the smoothest and so far my favorite. The slow spinning was much better than the Kiwi, and it's just so pretty! The fiber on it isn't mine, I'll post pics later this week/weekend of what I make! Yeay!!

I Have a Secret...

2007-11-11T11:27:00.000-05:00

I've been cheating on my needles. I'm taking a spinning class.
Two weeks ago, I spun on this. Louet S15 I believe. And notice, I'm in my own living room. Yes, I can take a wheel home each week to practice. I did not realize this when I signed up for the class, and when I found out, any reservations I had about spending that much on a class went out the window.
This week, I took this home, an Ashford Kiwi. It's here now. I spun a bunch last night.
And I made this...spun the first week and plied the second. It's an actual skein, not a mini skein.
See?
Super duper close up!!!!!
I'm loving the spinning, and already may have accidentally bought some dyed merino top with the intention of spinning it then knitting it into a something for Christmas. I loved the Louet, it spun very well, but for $375, I want something that is less...ummm...plywood-ey. I also like the Kiwi, but I don't like the tensioner and it's not as smooth at lower speeds, so it's really hard to slooooow down without just stopping. We'll see what I get to bring home this coming week!

Shoalwater Shawl

2007-11-08T20:57:00.001-05:00

Shoalwater Shawl, a birthday gift for my mom, is finished, ends (4) woven, steamed blocked, photo'ed, and delivered! This was a looong but fun knit with an easy to memorize repeat. The Boku has the colors I love without the itchiness of Noro. It is quite big, easily reaching fingertip to fingertip without stretching. And it was only a month-ish late! The pics are in front of my parents house, the weird plank thing in the second pic is actually the old support for a dock that washed away in the 38 or 54 hurricane. Yarn: Plymouth Boku, color 1
Needles: Options 10.5
Started in the end of August, I think?
Finished beginning of November

Blogstalking 5 addition...I had to share

2007-11-03T21:44:00.000-05:00

There is very little to be said about this statue, in Bennington, VT. After all, what's more presidential than Lincoln with a topless woman on her knees and his hand on a naked boy's head? Really, I think the picture says more than enough.

Week 5, a wee bit late...

2007-11-03T12:04:00.000-05:00

So after continually forgetting my camera while heading into town, I gave in and snagged a pic off the internet...
I present the oddest statue in Portland. It's in front of our little baseball stadium, and it's supposed to be of a typical Portland family heading off for a day of fun at the ball game. However, 1. this family is white, not very representative of the extremely diverse population that we have. and 2. they do not look like they are having any fun at all. Dad is hailing a taxi cause he had to park his Escelade in "the ghetto" but can't remember the street name, little johnny is beginning a snit because mom said no, you can not have another foot long hotdog, little suzy is not wearing any shoes (they probably fell off during the fourth bathroom visit) and mom is 2.3 seconds from smacking johnny with suzy's teddybear and leaving them all with dad so she can go back in the stadium and have a $6 bud light.
On second thought, this is actually a perfect representation of going with the fam to a ball game.

It makes me feel happy that the city art committee said NO WAY to putting it up, but the city counsel overruled them. At least someone knows blatant public advertising when they see it.

Catch Up on Blogstalking #4...

2007-10-17T21:04:00.000-05:00

Three things I love, three things I hate...
I love the smells outside...in the fall there's leaves, burning wood, dirt, in winter there's that crisp, cold smell of snow and ice, in the spring, mud, the first flowers, and that light muskiness of new animals, and in the summer, the smell of heat, cut grass, lilacs, and fresh gardens. As I get older, I am discovering I am a very olfactory person, sensitive to every smell. These smells (most of them) make me so happy. (this pic is from ohadonline.com, an amazing photographer and worth checking out)
I love starting with nothing and making something. A bag of fleece turns to yarn, that turns to a hat. Seeds turn to tomatoes, that turn to canned tomatoes and then salsa and chili. Rhubarb from the yard turns to juice, and then wine. A pile of fabric turns into curtains or pillows. Flour , water, salt and yeast warms with heat and turns to bread. There's something so amazing about using raw materials that are so simple and changing them into something that we can use and love.
And, I love my hubbie. This is him fishing on the St. Croix River in Maine last summer. I love being outside with him, playing in the woods. When we're outside, we can totally relax, put aside all the excess crap of our lives, and just enjoy each other.

Three things I hate? These don't get pictures, cause they don't deserve them.
1. I hate that there are so, so many places that people can't feel comfortable or safe being themselves. I tried to narrow this down to be more specific, but I realized I can't.
2. I hate that our entire society is constructed around making and spending money, with some people at the top, some more in the middle, and too many at the bottom. What a sad thing for us to focus on with our whole being.
3. I hate that I don't hate these things enough to say fuck the US and give everything up, move to Canada, and join a commune. Because there are too many other things that I love more.

Fryeburg Fair

2007-10-07T21:04:00.000-05:00

I went to the Fryeburg Fair this weekend, and oh wow, the animals were soooo cute!I again, reinforced my desire to have alpacas someday, cause they're so cute and fuzzy and *bonus*, they make yarn!!!
This poor sheep was so naked you could see his neck wrinkles. They had been doing shearing demos all week, so there were lots of naked sheep.
This naked sheep was actually asleep like this.
The baby pigs were cute stacked up against each other, except for that one who decided he was hungry,
and started a huge freak out. Most of them found a spot to nestle in, but two of them kept fighting and squealing like hell until they finally settled down.
Oh look, more alpacas!!
This was in the fiber barn, it's a board with all different fibers on it, sheep and goats and llamas and alpacas and bunnys and even dogs. The hair was spun up into little mini-skeins so you could compare the softness.
I watched the draft horses do their pulling competition, and despite the packed house in the arena, I still don't quite see the intrigue.
BUNNIES!! These two week old bunnies were sooooo cute, they were each about the size of a raquetball. I will admit that I think bunnies are even more cute than kittens.
See? Isn't it cute? These are 4 weeks old. Don't you just want to smush your face in them? Too cute.

Project Update...

2007-10-06T12:22:00.000-05:00

The Shoalwater Shawl is coming along well, I'm almost done with the second complete pattern repeat. I don't want to post a pic, as it's a present for my mom and I want it to be a surprise. I'm backed up on the Ink Flared sweater, I'm fearing that it may end up looking like a maternity sweater. I may frog and use the yarn for Chamomile which looks like the same gauge. I'm also DEFINITELY going to be ordering the yarn for the Olive Branch Yoga Hoodie, I already got the pattern. I just need to decide on what color, and I HATE picking colors off my monitor. Unfortunately, color cards for Knitpicks Wool of the Andes are not available now. I've been checking ravelry to try and get an idea of what the colors really look like, and narrowed it down a bit (like, to something heathered). I hate choosing.

Blogstalking #3... how do I get Around...

2007-10-06T12:03:00.000-05:00

This is how I get around...almost. If you turn it silver, get rid of the air scoop things, and cut the kick-ass horse power a bit, it's my car. I love my car (okay, it's really OUR car, but I'm the primary driver as Mr. VT is in mad love with his love-child-of-a-cooper-mini-and-a-UPS-truck AKA our Honda Element. Oh, and the element is itrium.)
We actually have a relative who races Imprezas like this, I think that would be sooooooo cool. Especially if I was in Europe.

Blogstalking #2...What's in that bag?

2007-09-24T14:18:00.000-05:00

This is where my bag lives, by the door. It's also my collection/dump spot, so you never know what'll be there.
Lookie inside, keys, i pod, wallet, sunglasses, palm, all in all pretty neat.
And then there's the inside zipped part. Aka dumping ground for chapstick, mints, hair ties, hand lotion, tylenol/advil, shout wipes, and lordie knows what else is hiding in the bottom. Fortunatly, my purse is small, so there's only so full it can get. I've been coveting one of these...But I think small children would get lost in it.
And this is fab too, and smaller. There are too many bags I like. So I have but 3-5 and just keep switching between them.

Blogstalking Numero Uno-Who am I?

2007-09-24T13:57:00.000-05:00

Who am I??? Well, I think this is best tackled by the pages...The Lovely Bones; I'm a huge fan of a good novel with a good plot, and this has been one of my recent fav's
Prozac Nation; a nice blend of the above mentioned good novel, with my mildly odd enjoyment of reading about other people's mental health escapades.
Knitting Without Tears; of course. A favorite on my shelf.
Recreational White Water Canoing; on the plate of current preferred pass times, you know, with it being summer in Maine and all.
Buffalo Soldier; A great author from Vermont (aka our soulmate state) who writes great novels based in Vermont on current Vermont issues.
Allen and Mikes Really Cool Telemark Guide; with giving up snowboarding for free heels this past year, this book has been my bible. And they're reaaaally funny!
Amish Quilt Patterns; quilting was my first real craft addiction, in early high school.
Bait and Switch; a great book that feeds my liberal need to know that everything I believe in is right, and that there may be hope yet.
An Ice Climbers Guide to Northern New England; a perfect representation of Mr. VT and my hard core side, the ice in Maine is great, and I can't wait for things to start freezing (after fall's over of course)
The Good Beer Guide to New England; cause we love our beer.

And that, good knitty folks, is me.

I Told You it was Done!

2007-09-16T14:00:00.001-05:00

All finished! Fits great, and super warm!! I won't be able to zip up the neck cause it chokes me, but from what I hear, this is normal for hand knit zip cardigans. I've already worn it out a couple times. It's pilling a bit, again, I think others who have knit from Peurivian Highland Chunky had this issue also. But for $35 of yarn, I can give it a shave now and then.

The improved Blogger? Not so much.

2007-09-08T09:37:00.000-05:00

So I did try the "improved blogger template" which touts itsself as being easily adjustable and changable. Which it is. I liked being able to change the colors of everything and rerranging my sidebar without having to sort through HTML. But I was unable to figure out how to put buttons into the sidebar, and due to the way they have the now easy-insert template set up, I could not get them added in HTML. There may be a way that I missed, but I didn't see it. So I'm back to the regular set up, though because they make it easy to revert back, I may give it another go.

We here are enjoying the end of the summer in our new his-and-hers canoes...

His, Mad River Freedom Solo,
And hers, Old Town Pack (which despite the pic, is 3 feet shorter than the freedom). We have been having soooooo much fun canoing and fishing together in seperate boats. This may sound odd, but in our canoe trips of the past, I sit in front and so never see Mr. VT, and he sits in back and sees the back of my head. Plus, the "you fish on your side, I fish on my side, and we both fish the middle" doesn't work well. Now, we have our own space and can carry on an actual conversation! We went on a great day trip up a stream last weekend, and decided that these new toys are great additions to our family. Plus, I can go canoing by myself, at 33 pounds even I can get the Pack on the roof of my car!

There's been a little knitting going on, I did finish the Urban Aran, I started the Shoalwater shawl, and I abandoned the pattern for the Ink Flared Sweater (I was wayyyyy off gauge wanted a different flare and more side shaping) and am striking out on my own with the addition of a neck thing like in the Chamomile sweater in Rowan. I am also going to cast on for the Om Yoga Mat Bag from stitch-n-bitch nation. And on it goes...

Uhhhhh Ohhhh

2007-09-04T18:54:00.000-05:00

Everythings all wonky again, I tried the ***NEW***IMPROVED*** Blogger customization thing...easier? YES!! A work in progress? I told you so...

It's done...

2007-09-04T18:39:00.000-05:00

I swear. I've worn it twice, and it's warmer than a sheeps butt in July. Pics coming, I promise, and it's worth it!!!!!

Almost Done

2007-08-19T10:00:00.000-05:00

Blocked, unpinned, just waiting for the back to dry the rest of the way...then on to the zipper.

I have nothing to say about this picture

2007-08-18T10:22:00.001-05:00

Really, what would I say? The jockeys say it all.

My Favorite Vacation Story

2007-08-07T18:07:00.000-05:00

Kahlo is running a good contest over at her blog, so I decided to roll out one of my favorite "vacation" stories. You will understand why "vacation" is in quotes soon.

My great grandmother died, and my parents, myself, and two brothers all drove down to PA to bring some furniture back. It was winter, and we all loaded into the surburban for the drive from RI. At some point it started snowing. Then it snowed more. Then traffic kind of...stopped. In the middle of New York, and we were under the Tapenzee Bridge. Or the GW Bridge, I forget. It was apparently snowing sooooo hard that the interstate closed. So my parents, brothers and myself, along with miles upon miles of other people spent the night and most of the next day sleeping in the car and hanging out on the highway. And believe it or not, people were really nice!! There was a bread truck and the driver went around passing out bread to anyone who wanted it, people were doing shuttle runs up to some ghetto store and buying coffee by the jugful to pass out, water and juice boxes showed up from somewhere, apparently liquor was making the rounds as well. We got to play in "traffic", in the snow. The best part, one of the reeeeeally big trucks was letting all the kids come and sit in the cab and honk the horn and pretend to drive a big rig!

As far as vacations go, it was a really cool one. Which was pretty good, cause it was just supposed to be a family visit to pick up furniture and not have very much fun at all.

A Break from Insanity...

2007-08-06T17:36:00.000-05:00

I feel quite remiss lately, having abandoned my blog for so long. I've done some bloggy-pondering, some knitting, some goal setting, some traveling, and lots of new things at my new job. In order to feel more organized, I will tackle this rather overdue post in lists.

1. New Job: wonderful, confusing, hard, looooong. Eight days of orientation, then one week of work. I will only say for the sake of my own and my jobs privacy that I am working as a Social Worker with students in a day treatment program, it is a wonderful group of people who really love what they do, and I could stay here for a very long time. Drawbacks? MANY hours spent doing paperwork (which I will get faster as I learn) and learning-by-stumbling the complex computerized documentation system. I am learning a lot about my own learning style as a professional.

2. New Job Part Two: after my first week of work, I had the privilege of attending a 35 hour, week long training seminar on neurodevelopmental cognition. Interesting? yes!! It filled in a large gap I had in my own knowledge base (you know, being a social worker and not a teacher) and will be an invaluable tool for me as a professional. I can't begin to think of all the ways this will help me help my students more. Drawback: JUST as I was getting going in my new digs, bam!! A week out of the office.

3. Traveling: Last weekend, the northern portion of my bro and sis in law's wedding reception, which started last fall in Georgia. This was the party for the northern folks, and a great excuse to see all the aunts, uncles, cousins, neices and nephews who we see so rarely. This weekend, a wedding for friends in New York, and again a time to see much missed family. And I accidentally fell in love with my next new toy. Oops.

4. Finished knitting: Urban Aran is off the needles!!!!!!!!!! a few last ends to weave in, then blocking, then sew in the zipper (which I had to order from a sewing store in Illinois or something). Need a wacky zipper? The Zipper Connection is great and has a wonderful selection, which as I discovered, is quite hard to come by.

5. The Goal Setting: I have recently fallen in love with a couple new sweaters:

This one here if from the fall interweave knits, and is a cardigan with an AMAZING cable around the yoke. I will skip the high ribbing and maybe do a turned hem , or check out one of the knitting on the edge books and see if I like anything better. This MIGHT be the sweater for the sea-green cashmere from the last post, but the gauge might be too small for the yarn.
And my goal sweater...ohhhhhhhhhh...oh wow, I'm just overwhelmed by this sweater!!! I will make the sleeves long (cause I live in Maine) and the neck higher, maybe by 2 inches, still low but not nipple low. But guess what...I don't want to change the color at all!!!!!

So before I tackle this one, I'll be taking a fair isle class at the local yarrrrrn shop. Cause this is not a learning sweater!!

6. The bloggy-pondering: I've been tossing around the idea of re-designing the layout and colors and stuff. Make it a bit more classy and less cutsie. It might take a while though, so don't check back tomorow hoping for a new look ; )

The good and the bad

2007-07-12T16:27:00.001-05:00

This cashmere sweater that I spoke of recently

is now this pile of yarn! Arm, front, back, arm. It was pretty much all one "piece" with only two places where joins were, though there are a few more breaks in the yarn due to my inability to cut seams neatly.
And on the urban aran front, the second sleeve was coming along nicely until I discovered something. See it? I didn't...for like 7 inches!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yep, missed a cross. Nope, NOT ripping it back. I'm gonna duplicate stitch over it and other such surgery until it looks better. And it will, cause I'll make it look better if it kills me.

So About That Black Suit Event...

2007-07-09T22:14:00.000-05:00

No, it wasn't a court date, or a funeral, or a speech or presentation or anything. It was a job interview. For a very good job that I thought I had very little chance of getting. A job doing exactly what I like, in the exact field I just finished my masters degree in. A job with benefits for me AND Mr. VT, and real pay, and a real office with nice people all around me.

AND I GOT IT!!!!

So I am officially employed, and I am so excited! Yeay for me, and thanks for the good thoughts and well wishes!!

Why Goodwill is sometimes better than yarn stores...

2007-07-07T10:11:00.000-05:00

Cause at Goodwill, I can buy this
Made out of this...
Sooooo soft, a sweaters worth of cashmere, for $6.50. Looks barely worn, the color in the close up is very accurate, a light sea green. I'll be frogging it, and saving it until the perfect simple but just right sweater pattern falls upon me.

Fred and Margie

2007-07-03T11:20:00.000-05:00

Fred and his new girlfriend Margie are very happy together. They enjoy having their photos taken. Margie wanted to get glamor-shots taken, but Fred said that the self-timer would be perfectly sufficient.
Margie thinks this is her better side.
Fred thinks Margie is right sexy...I agree.

Too Hot To Knit!?!?!?!?

2007-06-26T21:53:00.000-05:00

It is so hot. I hate the heat. I live in Maine for many reasons, and included in those reasons is that I do not enjoy having my underwear become part of my pores. I can't even knit, I tried to work on the Urban Aran, and my hands were so sweaty that I got all tight and sticky and finally gave up. Wool's hot in the summer, who knew?

Speaking of urban, I finished the first sleeve in a BIG push when Mr. VT was in Ithaca, then ended up unknitting the wrist and adding a few inches. I'm probabally most of the way up the forearm on the second one now. This is a guess, as it's too hot to try it on. I'm currently debating how to do the collar. I'm not sure if I want the collar as in the pattern, or if I want to change it. I'm partial to hoods, but don't think I'll have enough yarn. As I'm doing it as a zip cardigan, I kinda like this idea of not doing a collar per-say, but more of a roll-neck type thing. I'll probabally seam the shoulders and arms then take it from there once I can put it on.

Had an event today that involved wearing my new suit from Banana Republic (thanks mom). I knew my instinct to buy a NICE suit in advance was the right one, as I had about three days notice to wrangle up an appropriate outfit. Normally this would involve a METRIC SHITLOAD of freaking out and obsessively hunting every store within 50 miles. This instead involved clipping the tags and taking a leisurely jaunt to Freeport to get a dressy t-shirt at the Gap. For $6.00. I am a bargain rock star. So anyway, this event (which did not involve court proceedings) went well despite the fact that I got on the interstate in the wrong direction and drove 10 minutes in the wrong direction cause after that loonie lady in Portland got charged with manslaughter or something after turning around in the median break and causing a mega accident, I couldn't bring myself to do it. This meant 1. I had to drive, like 80mph. 2. I was even more out of gas and was too scared to turn on the air conditioning. 3. I arrived at my location to discover that, like the professional that I am, I had sweat through my new Gap shirt. Remember, it was hot, actually 94 degrees. By some miracle and the #1 mention, I got there only 5 minutes late. And things went well. And that's all I'm gonna say about that cause I'm superstitious.

In more news, I finished plying the pink-orange-yellow yarn from the last post. It will probably join Fred as it is a small enough amount that I do not know what one would do with it. I am discovering that I like doing looooooooong draft pulls. I also want to make enough yarn that I can make something out of it. But not now, as it's too hot. It's so hot my finger tips are sweating from typing. So I'm gonna go and sit in front of the fan. And imagine that we live in Alaska.

Maine Fiber Frolic

2007-06-14T10:29:00.000-05:00

I went up to the Maine Fiber Frolic this past weekend, which was super cool and so cute and fuzzy all over the place!!! It was essentially a 4-H style fair, but for things having to do with spinning. So I saw alpacas, lamas, bunnies, goats, and sheep, and lots of shearing and spinning and fiber and yarn, it was cool. And the biggest reason I went (aside from the cute fuzzy things) was cause I took a spindling workshop...AND I MADE THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It was so cool. It's my first mini-skein. I will hang it from my rear-view mirror and name it Fred. (thank you twerpburger). I don't know how many yards I made, but I think it's about a half an ounce of fiber. It's thick and thin and too twisty in places, but as it was my FIRST TIME EVER spinning yarn, I think I did pretty darn good. So good in fact that while I was there and had vendors at my disposal, I bought a spindle from the Spunky Eclectic who I have heard about on Lime and Violet, but did not realize was here in Maine. She was very nice and even gave me some free play fiber, and I went home and have been working on this...

See? It's yarn!
It's even even yarn, it looks like something that could resemble a store-bought yarn.
Ohhhhh, isn't it pretty? and even? There are some parts where I had a chunk or thin spot, but those are hidden in the pic, and there aren't too many of them. I'm having a hard time getting the spindle to maintain spin and not go backwards, but I am pre-drafting a lot so I think I just need to go faster. There's a fiber shop in town and I picked up 7oz of corrindale to practice on too.
Didn't I SWEAR I wasn't going to have any new hobbies? I guess that this is really just an extension of knitting, so I think that's okay. When I came home Mr. VT and I were talking about the way we both like making something from scratch, kind of living off the land style but minus the crunchy hippie part. We do our own beer, and try to make our own wine, and I just made rhubarb jam, and the bread thing, and pesto, we both really enjoy making things from scratch. Like here's this bottle of rhubarb wine that we made at home AND grew the rhubarb to boot! I think that spinning will meld into that style of our living well.

New Chair!!

2007-06-01T15:37:00.000-05:00

So this...
Went to this!!!!!! The super comfy Ikea Poang Chair that MR. VT's parents got us for christmas has been reincarnated as an actual fashion accessory.
So cool, tricky but not too tricky to make, I bought the piping foot for my sewing machine and that made the world of difference!!! I found the fabric at a remnants place in Pawtucket RI with my mom.
The colors here aren't super accurate, it's a rich chocolate brown and dusty greyish teal. Kickass! I do have enough to cover a second chair when we buy one, and should also have enough to separately cover the headrest thing, as well as make little cathair covers for the part where Zora and Dulce like to sleep.
And speaking of Zora, she's very pleased that Mr. VT was kind enough to buy her a box at LL Bean, but is a little insulted that it came with something already in it. She would like the fishing boots to be removed immediately.

My 100th post...with FO's!!!

2007-06-01T09:29:00.001-05:00

I had to wait a while to post these so that my brother and his wife would receive them before I put up pics. First up, Calorimetry, made out of Patons SWS. I mod'ed the pattern following advice from knittyboard, cast on less sts and made it less wide. Super cute, super cosy. Modeled by a friend, not my sis in law.This is the button I put on it. Super cute. I think she'll really like it.

Next up, a essentially made up pattern for my brother, who has a lot of hair and requested a dready hat, but not rasta or marly-ish. I started with a pattern, quickly fudged it, abandoned it and just made it up as I went. It has a SWS lined brim so it's super soft (no noro against the skin) and as it is HUGE on my little model who is 10, it should fit my bro nicely. And I forgot to put on the brim. Duh. I'll be adding that one at some point. The pinched appearance of the decreases was a surprise, but I REALLY like it, I think it makes it less sack-looking.

The 7 Random Things Bandwagon

2007-05-30T16:20:00.000-05:00

Hopping on...
1. I have an olympic gold medal. Promise. I was a coach for the RI special olympics sailing team when it went to worlds (which was in CT). In sailing, they have "unified partners" in the boat as part of the team, so, you know, no one gets killed. Part of the team=medal. I think my mom has it, it's not really something I brag about.
2. On the sports theme, in high school I was on the track/indoor/cross country team for 9 seasons. There weren't tryouts, which was good, cause I was BAD. REALLY BAD. I couldn't even place in JV events, and again, this was RI, not exactly competition central.
3. I prefer glasswear, plates, bowls, silverwear, ect. that are textured. I like the way they feel, and will wash a favorite textured item even if there is a clean regular one.
4. I won $15 dollars in a frog-jumping contest with a frog I caught in the creek at my grandparents house. It was at the local 4-H ish fair. I was around 8 and wore Richard Simmons shorts. My aunt was nice enough to send Mr. VT the pic, which is now on his Myspace page.
5. Until Mr. VT bribed me with vodka, I could not and would not eat raw oysters. They tasted like drowning, like saltwater and mucus and YUCCCCCKKKK. Now I really like them and we get some of each kind to do taste tests.
6. I was a reader when I was a kid. I mean really, over the summer one year when I was 12/13, I actually read all of the books in the young adult section of the library and had to go find adult books. Over Feb break at my grandparents house I read 30 books in 6 days (and yes, they were at or above my reading level) and won a plastic trophy from their reading challenge.
7. I do a minor hair change about every 9 months, and a major one about every three years. I sat down once and figured this out, and somehow this timing stays true. (in my book, major=a BIG cut, a BIG growout or major style change, or something involving bleach and manic panic. My profile pic was the last change, flaming red manic panic)

Look, it's me again!!!!!

2007-05-24T23:27:00.001-05:00

I swear, it's me. And considering how far away my family was sitting, I'm impressed that I'm recognizable as a person. Hint, I'm the one to the right of the President who is wearing the silly blue beret. I mean the pres is the beret wearer, not me. I'm next to the flag.

WOOOOO HOOOOOOO!!! We are done!!!!

2007-05-24T23:08:00.001-05:00

That there is $48 of high quality grad school polyester(okay, mine was $48, Mr. VT's was free AKA included-in-his-student-fees). After 3 years and a combined $100,000 debt rack-up, our schools spend the big bucks for the big day. Kinda like blowing forty thousand on your wedding but buying the dress at walmart. And being flamable. We're two shots of tequilla away from being human molotov cocktails. (disclainer, these outfits were actually donned the day AFTER graduation, when were sufficiently recovered from kegging the night before, but not yet tipsy from the mimosas and bloody marys; so as to not catch fire on the bar-b-que that was pretty much on the whole weekend.)

FYI Family... I am going to attempt the very challenging task of posting many of the grad pics on some online private site, so you can print to your hearts content. Wait for the e-mail, and thanks Dad G. for the pics (having to resize this picture from the 34 by-some-odd INCH picture in the CD you sent was really special. Just wait for the poster-size-print-of-us-once-the-keg-got-tapped that your getting for Christmas. It's going above the fireplace.)

A Wee Little Update, But No Pictures...Sorry

2007-05-23T11:28:00.000-05:00

I have a dilly of a cold, and just can't quite rangle myself into taking any pics to go along with my update. Since it's been a while, I figured I'd be all organized and stuff, so here we go...

1. finished "not-hat", a surprise gift that should be arriving to it's owner any day now. The "not-hat" is a new favorite pattern that will be familiar to the knitty-ers out there.
2. finished the world's largest hat, also a surprise gift, but it was a requested knit so it's a lesser surprise than "not-hat". Also on it's way to the owner, in the same box. After sending it off, I realized that I forgot to finish part of it!! It's totally wearable, but I'll want to add that one last bit. Feeling very silly.
3. cast on for a very special gift with this yarn, soooooo loverly! (must remember to re-size pics before posting). It has a deadline that is fast approaching.
4. made more progress on column of leaves, my first "lace" project. Does intentionally putting lots of holes in the pattern make it lace?
5. called a hiatus on urban aran, waiting until my new addi turbos in a very wee 12 inch legnth show up. Doing the sleeves using the magic loop is magic in the way that you have two places in each round where you have a natural stopping point. This is the opposite reason I knit in the round. I will resume knitting when my new needles arrive from Mr. ebay Jeff Wonderland in China. Great prices and great selection, but China shipping can be a tad slooooooooow.

In non-knitting news, we graduated! Mr. VT and I are now masters of stuff. My graduation was, ummm, nice, and I fell asleep during the commencement speaker. I felt much more special whilst being hooded and having my FULL name being read (kept my maiden name as a second middle name). I didn't trip, but I'm sure my special pic with the president of the college will look awful as I was a bit overwhelmed and was shaking a bit. Like my lips and face were shaking. Lovely. Not like crying shaking, more like on stage infront of the entire civic center simultanously realizing that three years of suckiness is over, I am officially allowed to try and fix youth's lives, and that I owe the feds $90,000 for this privlidge.
(sidebar, I think they should make it so that grad school costs a percentage of what you will make as a professional. Cause no joke, that's like three full years of my potential salery, not including interest. I could buy a house for that much. Or three cars. Or feed all of Maine's food stamp recipients for a year or so(maybe).)
Anyways, we had a great weekend, HUGE party on saturday and did up a kicking mother's day brunch in the yard on sunday complete with crabcakes benedict and mimosas. It was soooo fun. Now I just need a job.

Yarn, Cats, and Not Much Else

2007-05-05T10:39:00.000-05:00

With school and all, I've had a lot of books and binders and stuff around. Here we have:My best bookshelf spot, complete with binders, dayplanner, assignments, my testing folders, the DSM, and other assorted textbooks.
Now, HAAA HAAA!!!! It's my yarn shelf! with all my current projects including urban aran, several balls of yarn in various stages of knitting, a bag of secret knitting, knitpicks options binder, and notions boxes. This is not technically THE knitting shelf, as there's two other shelves that already had that job, but it's certainly more convenient.
And here we have yarn. These people make the MOST AMAZING YARN and I crave it in my dreams. This is not nearly representative of the actual color. It is reserved for a very special project.
This is also my new favorite yarn. It is 25% cashmere, 75% lambswool. Some lovely lady in my area had started a yarn company then didn't, and had gobs of roving that she had spun up and is selling at one of my LYS's. It's cheep. And 40% off. And is now sitting in my living room in a bag with 17 of it's siblings. Yep, 18 balls. 3,420 yarns of soft lovelyness (I had to get extra cause once it's gone, it's never going to be in stock again). It will be the Rogue hoodie for me and the Manly Maze Sweater for Mr. VT. His will be dyed though.
And lastly, I leave you with the kitties. They are both in catnip-hazes. Zora is very proud of herself cause she got the top of the perch, which Dulce usually steals. Dulce is also proud, cause she tricked Zora into staying on top of the perch so she can enjoy all the nip that's fallen on the floor. They're such dorks.

Ummm...Wow.

2007-04-29T10:11:00.001-05:00

Thanks to ZantiMissKnit for sharing this bit of movie-magic...I'm gonna go say nice things to my yarn now.

DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2007-04-26T17:49:00.000-05:00

I AM DONE. DONE. DONE. DONE.
No more papers. No more reading.
No more classes.

Two weeks till graduation...
and I am ALMOST a MASTER of Social Work!
Or the master of disaster, depending on when you catch me...

So Close...

2007-04-25T21:40:00.000-05:00

Last paper passed in, last group presentation done, one seminar and one class left to attend. As of 3:30 pm thursday, I will unofficially be done with my graduate studies. And I am so excited I could...I don't know...what's soooooo exciting? Umm...I could, well, something. I am so excited to be done with school I can't even identify something of equivilant short and long term excitement. And I'm a little fried on writing, so the english language and I are not the best of friends. As a classmate said last week, "The closer to graduating I get, the dumber I feel. Pretty soon I'm gonna be talking on the phone, setting up a job interview, and I'm just gonna start drooling and babbling like a crazy-person!"
Get me a sippy-cup, cause cap-n-hood, here I come!!

Sooo...Houston, We've Got a Problem.

2007-04-18T12:05:00.000-05:00

When your farmhouse was built in the 18-somethings, people back then planned ahead. They knew that things would leak, and that in the spring, floods might just happen. Just like the running of maple sap, every single spring. They planned ahead, and made ways for water to get out once it got in (aka dirt floors). Then came modern fasinations like electricity and oil heat, and then things went a little awry. Here in Maine, for those of you who don't live nearby or listen to the news, we've had a heck of a noreaster and more than a bit of flooding.

Sidenote...We up on the hills are lucky, as what comes in will end up going out. Folks on the coast got blasted with spring-high tides, easterly wind, and 25 foot seas. These pics are just a bit south of Portland. The bird that looks an awful lot like a bald eagle can't be a bald eagle as no eagle would be quite this dumb. But it sure looks like one!
This poor house? There are more than several that are in similar states of washed-away-ness. Entire seawalls washed out to sea. Boats sunk, roads are gone. And this is Maine, where they generally try to do a decent job of hurricane-proofing to start with. It must have been REALLY bad on the coast.
Inland a bit more, we got this...('xcuese the pj's, I just woke up)
This is at @10am, and the water was around 6 inches or so...a little higher than we've had since Mr. VT and I moved in.
By 12:30, we were to here...(to compare, look at that wierd blue pump-thing)
And it kept going. We didn't have power (no surprise) and by the time our best-housemate-in-the-world was able to wrangle a generator from Home Depot and we set it up (thank god for the quick guide that came with it), the shallows that you see in the pictures were at 9.75 inches, and the deep end around the corner was up to 11.75 inches.
Unbelievable, we didn't loose anything! The furnace seems to be okay, we didn't have anything stored down there other than the wine and beer-making supplies, lots of bottles, and our beer/wine collection, the latter I saved about 1/4 an inch from the floodwater breaching the corks!! We got really lucky.
So we had a storm party, cranked up the wood stove, plugged into the generator, called friends, and ate woodstove slow-roasted lamb and veggies, homemade bread I baked up the day before, and we all stayed up way too late drinking and laughing about how crazy this storm was.
We are now warm, dry, three days behind on schoolwork (we couldn't quite justify plugging in the laptops or internet router to the generator), and VERY ready for summer.

Spring Changes...

2007-04-02T16:19:00.000-05:00

My "yeay, I passed my test" treat, which after the healing time, will switch to this:

My new piercing is called a helix coil, or a helix corkscrew, and I love it...I can't wait to switch to the new jewelery. And no, the first hole didn't hurt, the second one hurt a little, and the third hurt more than any of my other holes (including my old eyebrow), probabally cause of the accumulated trauma to the area. I don't think I could have done a fourth even if I wanted to (which I don't).

Happy happy for me!

Flash my Stash

2007-04-01T15:48:00.000-05:00

With it all laid out, I have to say that I am impressed with how much of my yarn is stuff that I really like! And how much is wool! And I forgot how much of it I can't wait to knit with! I actually forgot I had some of it, and I don't have soooo much that that is likely to happen. Clickie on the pics for really big close-ups.

AAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

2007-03-30T16:40:00.000-05:00

So that new relaxed version of myself?...

I passed my test!!!!!!
not just any test, but my licensing exam for my masters!!! So now, once I finish classes and practicum and pay the lovely state of Maine some crazy large amount of cash, I will officially be a Liscensed Master Social Worker! Breathe a sigh of relief, put away the study guides, and whip out the knitting, cause I'm almost gradu-mated!!

Now 'xcuese me cause I need to finish my martini!

LOVE IT!!!!!!!!

2007-03-27T20:10:00.000-05:00

It's just so cute! I feel very Angela Adams...
Center Square in Knitty. Heavily modified:

Patons Classic Merino, one strand of each color. Cast on 108 stitches, ribbing on 4's, the rest on 6's. I added one stitch in each direction to the circles to compensate for the smaller gague. The decreases were just k2tog after each stitch marker to make it swirl, cause it looks fun!
Even with the smaller gague on the ribbing it's not as tight as I'd like, so I think I'm gonna get some thin elastic and weave it in around the ribbing to snug it up a bit.

Since I Read So Much...

2007-03-26T20:01:00.000-05:00

I figured I see how I stack up on the meme that's going around...

Look at the list of (100) books below.
Bold the ones you’ve read.
Italicize the ones you own.
Movies don’t count.

1. The Da Vinci Code (Dan Brown)
2. Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen)
3. To Kill A Mockingbird (Harper Lee)
4. Gone With The Wind (Margaret Mitchell)
5. The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (Tolkien)
6. The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring (Tolkien)
7. The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers (Tolkien)
8. Anne of Green Gables (L.M. Montgomery)
9. Outlander (Diana Gabaldon)
10. A Fine Balance (Rohinton Mistry)
11. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Rowling)
12. Angels and Demons (Dan Brown)
13. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Rowling)
14. A Prayer for Owen Meany (John Irving)
15. Memoirs of a Geisha (Arthur Golden)
16. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (Rowling)
17. Fall on Your Knees (Ann-Marie MacDonald)
18. The Stand (Stephen King)
19. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban(Rowling)
20. Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte)
21. The Hobbit (Tolkien)
22. The Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger)
23. Little Women (Louisa May Alcott)
24. The Lovely Bones (Alice Sebold)
25 . Life of Pi (Yann Martel)
26. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams)
27. Wuthering Heights (Charlotte Bronte)
28. The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (C. S. Lewis)
29. East of Eden (John Steinbeck)
30. Tuesdays with Morrie(Mitch Albom)
31. Dune (Frank Herbert)
32. The Notebook (Nicholas Sparks)
33. Atlas Shrugged (Ayn Rand)
34. 1984 (Orwell)
35. The Mists of Avalon (Marion Zimmer Bradley)
36. The Pillars of the Earth (Ken Follett)
37. The Power of One (Bryce Courtenay)
38. I Know This Much is True (Wally Lamb)
39. The Red Tent (Anita Diamant)
40. The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho)
41. The Clan of the Cave Bear (Jean M. Auel)
42. The Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini)
43. Confessions of a Shopaholic (Sophie Kinsella)
44. The Five People You Meet In Heaven (Mitch Albom)
45. The Bible
46. Anna Karenina (Tolstoy)
47. The Count of Monte Crosto (Alexandre Dumas)
48. Angela’s Ashes (Frank McCourt)
49. The Grapes of Wrath (John Steinbeck)
50. She’s Come Undone (Wally Lamb)
51. The Poisonwood Bible (Barbara Kingsolver)
52. A Tale of Two Cities (Dickens)
53. Ender’s Game (Orson Scott Card)
54. Great Expectations (Dickens)
55. The Great Gatsby (Fitzgerald)
56. The Stone Angel (Margaret Laurence)
57. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Rowling)
58. The Thorn Birds (Colleen McCullough)
59. The Handmaid’s Tale (Margaret Atwood)
60. The Time Traveller’s Wife (Audrey Niffenegger)
61. Crime and Punishment (Fyodor Dostoyevsky)
62. The Fountainhead (Ayn Rand)
63. War and Peace (Tolstoy)
64. Interview With The Vampire (Anne Rice)
65. Fifth Business (Robertson Davis)
66. One Hundred Years Of Solitude (Gabriel Garcia Marquez)
67. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (Ann Brashares)
68. Catch-22 (Joseph Heller)
69. Les Miserables (Hugo)
70. The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupery)
71. Bridget Jones’ Diary (Fielding)
72. Love in the Time of Cholera (Marquez)
73. Shogun (James Clavell)
74. The English Patient (Michael Ondaatje)
75. The Secret Garden (Frances Hodgson Burnett)
76. The Summer Tree (Guy Gavriel Kay)
77. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (Betty Smith)
78. The World According To Garp (John Irving)
79. The Diviners (Margaret Laurence)
80. Charlotte’s Web (E.B. White)
81. Not Wanted On The Voyage (Timothy Findley)
82. Of Mice And Men (Steinbeck)
83. Rebecca (Daphne DuMaurier)
84. Wizard’s First Rule (Terry Goodkind)
85. Emma (Jane Austen)
86. Watership Down(Richard Adams)
87. Brave New World (Aldous Huxley)
88. The Stone Diaries (Carol Shields)
89. Blindness (Jose Saramago)
90. Kane and Abel (Jeffrey Archer)
91. In The Skin Of A Lion (Ondaatje)
92. Lord of the Flies (Golding)
93. The Good Earth (Pearl S. Buck)
94. The Secret Life of Bees (Sue Monk Kidd)
95. The Bourne Identity (Robert Ludlum)
96. The Outsiders (S.E. Hinton)
97. White Oleander (Janet Fitch)
98. A Woman of Substance (Barbara Taylor Bradford)
99. The Celestine Prophecy (James Redfield)
100. Ulysses (James Joyce)

Center Square

2007-03-24T09:38:00.000-05:00

After being quite fried on the eons of 2x2 ribbing in the Urban Aran, I cast on for a new project, Center Square. Of course, I decided (as I often do) that the pattern as written was not quite to my liking and needed adjustment. In this case, I do not like to stretched out loose look of the stitches, and also did not like using two yarns held together because a) spring is almost here and I do not want another winter hat, and b) I am scared of doing fair isle with not just two, but four yarns to keep track of. So I am making it with single yarns in the same Patons Classic Merino, at 20 sts/inch on 6's (cause I can't find/don't own 7's/was too lazy to figure out magic-loop-whatever). So I DID MATHS and guessed on casting on 88 sts, cause that was about the same finished hat size as the pattern. BUT. I forgot that I was using smaller yarn, and it would be less stretchie than if I had used the pattern. SOOO...I made a very tight headband. And frogged, as you can see from the yarn ramen. Ahh well, it was like making a swatch, right? Darn...back to doing maths.

But aren't those colors so so so so pretty together? I felt hip and cool just knitting them!!!

I told you I've been knitting!

2007-03-18T11:27:00.000-05:00

So first, here's the felted beanie, pre felting. YES, I swatched. I swear. I did math. and...
here's the finished product! As you can see, there's a seam. Despite my swatch, the hat felted much more in height than in width, and I needed to cut a piece out of it and sew it back together. There's one wonky spot where the seam bumps out a bit, but Mr. VT says he doesn't mind it, so oh well. I might go back at some point to fix it, like in the summer when it's hot out and I want a quickie project. I really like the quilting I added too, it gives it a super subtle but cool texture.
My oldest un-pic'ed FO, the shedir hat from Knitty. I followed the pattern except I skipped one pattern repeat, as it seemed too long when I measured other hats I like (I have a small head). It's just a touch short, I wish I could do a half repeat, but alas, no such luck. This was actually my first cable project!
On to new project, here's the urban aran. I'm doing it in the round, cause I HATE seaming. I sized my needles way down, using a size 7 for the body. I swatched in the 10's the pattern called for, and it was a looser knit than I liked. Also, the smallest size was a small and the finished measurements were larger, more jacket-like, than the closer fit I want.
So far, I love it! It's knitting up pretty quick, and the cables look great! I figure I'll keep an eye on the arm-hole size due to the smaller gague, and with all that ribbing if it's a touch on the too-tight side I can block it any way I want! Oh and I am sooooo not doing the wierd side cables, they are slightly reminescent of life jacket cinches and there's nothing like accuntuating your love handles!!

In Two Weeks...

2007-03-16T08:50:00.000-05:00

I will be a different, much more relaxed version of myself. Why? I refuse to talk about it, as I am quite convinced that it will turn my karma around. But when it happens, you will know. (And no, it does not involve vegas, hair dye, or my fave tattoo artist).

I have also been trying to be a better blogger, which I attribute partially to the above coming change. So to be better, I will...
1. finally post Mr. VT's infamous sweater pics. Once I take them.
2. also post his felted hat pics
3. post the progress on the urban aran, which I am knitting in the round, in a smaller gague, and have done about 4 inches on.
4. get a pic of the fingerless gloves I made for mom and Utah sis...(mom and UT, send me pics!) for my FO's
5. frog the swatch I did and reswatch for mystery project # 6294, in hopes of the recipient recieving it in time for, well I guess I missed winter. Next winter?
6. Really, really try to find pattern for 1200 yds of Green Mountain Spinnery's mountain mohair. Maybe even purchase vogue stitchionary for such purposes.
7. do more work on mystery project # 6992, as I would like it done before winter next year too.
8. Congratulate myself on bucking the knitted christmas present trend and continue making things for people just cause I think they'd like them.
9. SLEEP

Hi my name is Ewe...

2007-02-23T18:37:00.000-05:00

And I'm an addict (clickie here cause I'm a pusher)

Okay, I suck, I know.

2007-02-23T18:26:00.000-05:00

I'm a bad, bad blogger. And not in a good-bad kind of way. The down and dirty on what we've been up to...
1. we blew up Mr. VT's car. Okay, no flames, but close enough. It's in the scrapyard
2. we went to Ithica for a visit with friends. Love the city, great yarn shop
3. I had a week off due to above mentioned trip to Ithica
4. I had a week off due to Feb break
5. I got minimal school work done and no exam studying done during aformentioned breaks.
6. My car is also no more...
7. We traded in my car for a newer car (by 4 years)
8. Our well planned plans of graduating with no car loans went in the shitter along with both of our cars
9. Mr VT's sweater is officially and permenantly OFF THE NEEDLES!!!!!!!

We've been busy. Very. It's been a bit of a crazy month. SO much so that I have to keep checking the calender to make sure that in our preoccupied stuper we don't miss our wedding anniversary, again. We will so do that again, I'm quite sure. Call to moms, remind us again this year, just in case... : )

My Favorite Color is...

2007-02-04T15:03:00.000-05:00

The Green Man, from my trip to Ireland and England a few years ago. I believe I bought it in the giftshop at Avesbury. He hangs next to my desk.
A Plumeria, one of my favorite plants without flowers of Mr. VT's, cause the leaves are soooo pretty!
My Nano, a huge step up in tech after my old mp3 player. I put a cool and very practical skin on it from decalgirl.com.
All of my hardcover books that are green. I'm actually surprised there aren't more. I have a lot of books. Lots.
And my bell. It's a cowbell for cyclocross races (kinda like a cross between road biking and mountain biking, in the woods. VERY spectator friendly, lots of screaming and ringing, you know, of the bells.

Works in Progress

2007-01-19T12:33:00.000-05:00

Last week's blogstalking was our wip's, so here they are...
Clock-wise starting from top center...
1. fingerless gloves for a friend. Not technically started but sinse I gave her the ball of yarn for christmas, I think it counts.
2. Carlsbad Beanie for Mr. VT, made with incorrect gague intentionally so it can be felted. I'm adding in green, navy, and chocolate stripes too. On hold until the-sweater-that-never-ends is finished.
3. Scarf for Dad. For LAST christmas. Dad, you are not going to be recieving a 1x1 ribbed 5 foot scarf, cause I am not as crazy now as I was when I started knitting it. You will, however, someday recieve a more interesting scarf in these same colors. ...to be frogged.
4. Felted messenger bag, my design for me. On hold for x-mas knitting and afor-mentioned sweater.
5. Sizzle shell. I can not knit a tank top when it is snowing. On hold.
6. front and center...THE-SWEATER-THAT-NEVER-ENDS!!!! But look...it has two arms, a neck hole, and even in fact appears to be almost wearable!! All that's left is to rip out the ribbing on the bottom, reknit three inches of legnth onto it, bind off, block, and DONE!! Trust me, when it's done, you'll all know. And since all other knitting is on hold until the last end is woven, that may actually be coming soon!!

I MADE things!!!

2007-01-11T19:53:00.000-05:00

Lookie!!!!!!!!!! First, I MADE BAGELS!!!! With my handy new kitchenaide that Mr VT got me for x-mas! The recipe is from the King Arthur cookbook that I have out of the library (think about that-a library book that is a cookbook. Look at your cookbooks and their stains. Every page in this thing is a homage to all the cooks in the area...I love it!). The bagels were pretty easy, heck everything is pretty easy when the steps to making homemade bread are 1. chuck all ingredients in bowl 2. turn on kitchenaide 3. watch it mix for 5-15 minutes. Or don't. 4. put it in a bowl and let it rise...etc.

We MADE BEER!!! Okay, Mr. VT and his friend the Bio-biker made beer, I knitted and watched. I Lurrrve the idea of making beer, but the process of sterilizing and all that other stuff makes me kuukoo. And let me tell you, we make GOOD beer. YUM!

I made curtains!!! Obviously for the bathroom. It's a batiked fabric with turtles that Mr. VT picked out (he LOVES turtles). They are lovely and so fast that in the time he played Tony Hawk and watched a show on how to make Skippy peanut butter, they were done.

I (re) made his sweater!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Look, see this is the sewing machine that he got me last x-mas (do we sense a theme? I do and I LOVE it). This is the side steek, or how I made a too wide circular knit body juuuuust right!!

See? Easy Peasie! And stretchie, and totally cheating, but I don't give a shit. No way was I rekniting that thing THAT much. As it is I ripped back to the lower section of the armpits to do it in raglan circular style (ummm, why did I not know raglan should be done in the round?)

Lastly, two pair of wee-mini-fuzzie-feetsies!!! Now either I knit really tight even when knitting for felting, or patterns are a bit off. Or our washer is a mega felter. They came out quite small, and needed a LOT of stretching. But they're great, and the boys (housemates youngins) love them and spent the entire night sliding around the kitchen and doing twirls. I told them about the puffy paint but they seemed perfectly happy to slide, even after one wiped out hardcore and cried. Oh and the green yarn in the bag next to them? Actually a hulk punching hand. I had to go look, looked like skeins to me!

So YEAY for being productive, and say goodbye to it cause school starts on wednesday!

2006 in Numbers

2007-01-04T10:59:00.000-05:00

Having recovered from the post holiday diet (aka the 36 hour stomach-hurling virus) I can now sit up for more that 20 minutes at a time. Looking back on 2006, it has been a looooong year in the VT house, and we've passed some landmarks...

12 months of blogging, as of December 27th! (yes, I am retarded cause I missed the all-important one year bloggiversary)
11 gazillion pages of articles and textbooks read
10 months without any significant snowfall here in Maine (or so it feels)
9 times I have begun and ended employment at a varied assortment of seasonal and temporary jobs and internships. In one year, yes. I love being a student.
8 batches of beer and wine have been brewed, our newest favorite hobby
7 unfinished knitted projects as of 12:01 January 1st, only one being a carryover from 2005! (unsure if this is something to be proud of)
6 ty some odd miles canoed on the St. Croix, our second time down, made even better with three friends along
5 days of wedding celebration in Georgia as the last of our siblings got hitched.
4 months of academics to complete until Mr. VT and I graduate from our masters programs, as of Jan 1, 2007
3 years since we left our loved Vermont to live in Maine
2 new babies born, one to my cousin and one to my bro and sis in law, making us an uncle and auntie!
1 year that Mr. VT and I have been married

Merry Christmas

2007-01-03T16:22:00.000-05:00

And Happy New Year to you all!

I hope you enjoy a great 2007 filled with good things for you and your families!!
Loves, sssarahevt, Mr. VT, Zora, and Dulce.

See? They Don't Need Gifts!

2006-12-20T16:36:00.000-05:00

No need for gifts for Zora...we bring home a box, she thinks it's christmas! And she is NOT that big...notice they're 7oz corona bottles!

Oh Christmas Tree...

2006-12-14T20:56:00.000-05:00

This...is our tree. She is an unusual tree. She lived out her youth at Linens and Things, and when Mr. VT and I moved to Maine, we no longer had a sun porch to sequester the tree onto. So she came home with us, and we like her: she's small and unobtrusive, she doesn't shed fire-sparking needles on the floor, and she's just odd-looking enough that the fact that we have a table-top tree can be overlooked. Really, take the time to admire her oh-so-symmetrical branches, heck if you click on the picture I bet she'll get REALLY big so you can see her in all of her topiary splender. And yes, Patrick has a tree top up his bum. He's my favorite part.

PS... for you wondering knittyheads, yes, this is the extent of our decorations, except for two plug in candles in the window (but we have four windows actually so we're a bit unlit).

Ooohhh Ohhhh I just remmebered!!

2006-12-13T23:30:00.000-05:00

I MISSED SOMETHING on my holiday Meme!!!!!!!!! My most FAVORITE thing to do was to play "I Spy" with my brothers on the christmas tree!!! You know...I spy something...blue. Which morphed into I spy a star. This game was sooo fun cause dad always got THE HUGEST trees (seriously dad, you have some visual-perception issues when it comes to christmas trees). This was okay, cause we have enough ornaments to cover the ENTIRE tree, and there were always some left over that were just-not-good-enough.
So the star we were looking for was NEVER an actual star, it would be, like, a star that was the tone-on-tone pattern on an elephant holding a wreath or something. I know. It's totally silly, but I LOVED it. And yes, when me and Mr. VT go to the 'rents, I will spend much time searching for that-one-ornament-that-I-know-they-have-and-I-JUST-CAN'T-Find-IT!!!!!!
Ohhh, my aching head with the good memories!

Almost...almost...just a little more!

2006-12-12T21:54:00.000-05:00

One day of practicum and one day of school then I'm done with grad school for the semester!!!! And believe it or not, I am "done" with my paper! I need to give it a final read tomorow but it's pretty much a closed case! So 'xcuese me, I'm gonna go finish my beer...

A Holiday Meme...Cause it made me smile

2006-12-09T10:42:00.000-05:00

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Ummm... either, as long as liquor is involved

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Santa is a fat man that's paid minimum wage to not molest children at the mall. And all our gifts are wrapped, why on earth would you not wrap them? Then people would know what they got!!

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? I don't do lights outside, but it is kinda funny to see the train wreck of people who go overboard with the colored blinky lights outside. Cause you know that it's the same people who spend a trillion dollars to make sure their truck upholestry matched their gun stock. Personally, I save the colored lights for inside, on the tree. That way no one sees my lack of color coordination.

4. Do you hang mistletoe? Mistletoe?? Thars no kissin in dis house!!

5. When do you put your decorations up? Right after I start drinking cause I passed in my last paper for school.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? X-mas eve Maine style...lobster, oysters, and mussles in all their drippy, buttery goodness!

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: Ohhh...probabally when my Uncle "accidentally" videotaped Santa delivering the presents and everything. Watching that tape was a combination of holiday amazement and sheer terror (you know, like you've caught him now and he's NEVER COMING BACK).

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? Ummm...my parents were crazies and I was a bit daft. I was probabally 11.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Mr. VT and I open all our presents x-mas eve, then trek to whoever's house in the am.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? Is there more than one way? You take the ornaments out of the box and hang them on the branches. It's not too hard.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? LOVE. What's the point of it being cold if it doesn't snow?

12. Can you ice skate? Yep, fairly well. Actually it's one of the very few sports that I enjoy going as fast as I can.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? The dollhouse my dad made for me, complete with crafty furnature thanks to mom. Almost nothing in that house was store bought, and it was huge, like four feet high. The cat loved it cause she could squeeze through the doors and up the stairs. I used to find total tornado mayham inside cause she would open the door and knock over all my meticulously arranged rooms.

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? NO SCHOOL

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Mom's rum balls and 6 layer cookies

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? When we were younger, for years we would go out for chinese food x-mas eve. Something about moo-goo-gai-pan on the same night that everyone else was doing stockings by the chimney and cookies and church was just plain wonderful!

17. What tops your tree? Patrick from spongebob. We drilled a hole in his bum and there he sits. Get it? he's a starfish!

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? I love shopping and wrapping, and try to not think about recieving cause I'm not a good wait-er.

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? I'm sorry, but I have to say that 12 pains of christmas that's always on the radio. It's embarassing, I know.

20. Candy Canes? Not so into them, they're sticky and the wrapper is hard to get off and so sugary that by the end of them you get a film of processed sugar on your teeth. And there is no way to eat the hook part without poking yourself in the cheek with aformentioned sticky end.

One Little Micey

2006-12-08T10:23:00.000-05:00

We...caught a mouse! Yes, a mouse! I am only surprised by this because we have the world's smartest mice in our house. They evade the cats, the sticky traps, the snappy traps, and the dog. I think I even caught one doing calculus in the pantry the other day. But they are hungry, and eat all sorts of thinks, and find their way into everything. They have a nest behind our bed, and trust me, at 2:30 in the morning when you are woken up by scritch-scratch in the wall, it's all you can do to keep yourself from punching a hole in the wall and tossing a drowsy feline in to take care of things.

The bottom line hit last week...we found poops in the silverwear drawer. While I find it ucky and gross, Mr. VT is thoroughly repulsed by the little mice feetsies and the staphino-rabo-bactoreesum-cauckus germs that the disease-ridden buggars carry. So I loaded up with the snappy traps, the sticky traps, and the nice have-a-heart traps and boobie trapped the whole kitchen.

And last night, as I was waiting for my tea to be ready, I noticed that the have-a-heart trap had moved, and low and behold, a cute little micey!!! He seemed pretty happy in there, having eaten the cracker and peanut butter (Okay, he looked shaken and was covered in his own urine, but that kinda ruins the story).

So I put on my shoes and coat and trekked all the way across the back 40 to the woods and let him go next to a log. And I went inside and shook myself off (cause it was sleeting) and went about my night, happy that we hd one less micey to eat out stuff and wake us up at 2:30. ***Let it be said that I do not know the distance a mouse will travel and should have looked into that before setting up the traps so as to avoid the inevitable "Crap. Now what do we do with this thing?". I hope many, many yards is far enough.***

When I woke up this morning, I had two thoughts: "Sweet!! It snowed! Finally it looks like winter!!" and "Shit. That trek across the yard was wasted cause the damn mouse is probabally dead of hypothermia from all the snow and not having a little den and all. Should have just given him to the cats. I don't really feel like I have-a-heart after all." Little bastard.

Too Much Knitting?

2006-11-28T19:45:00.000-05:00

Is there such a thing? I am starting to think yes, there can be. Not as in I am doing too much of it, but I have too much to do.

Eric's sweater: almost done with the second sleeve. Need to do the body and figure out how I want to fix the raglan neck.

Messenger bag purse: about half way up the body of the bag. Going well.

Eric's felted beanie: up to the color changes for the stripes. Temporarily stopped to get more yarn (which I now have)

Secret X-mas set: FINALLY found the right needles, just cast on for first of three in set.

Mom's fingerless gloves: Not started yet, but have the yarn and needles at least.

Secret x-mas sumething: just got pattern, have needles, need yarn.

Oh, and did I mention that I have a 10-15 page paper due by the end of the semester that i haven't started? Yea. BUT, I did finish both other end-of-semester papers AHEAD OF TIME (insert happy dance for me here). So it's gonna be a busy few weeks. Fortunatly, once that paper is done, I have nothing going on and can devote much time to knitting/watching tv/fending off cats/staying in my pj's all day.
On the bright side, I'll have lots of pics!

Project Explosion

2006-11-11T10:28:00.001-05:00

We have a project explosion in my house. I went from having one project to 4. Well, one was just on the back burner, but it's in action now with the other three. First, here's the start of my messenger bag purse. While I did all the math right (so far) to knit it the correct size pre-felting, I did not anticipate the problem of knitting in the round with an intarsia section, which is essentially what the blue stripe is. So I could have knit it flat. I could have carried the yarn across somehow or something. I could have just had a billion ends that would get felted away. I could have knitted back and forth on circulars, leaving an open seam at a corner where the felted seam won't make a difference. BUT I did not do any of these. Instead I somehow have the seam at the blue/brown meeting spot. I think I may change this, cause I am anal retentive with some things, this being one of them. And oh goodie, this will give me five balls of yarn to chase around!!Next up...the slightly abandoned Sizzle. I love this tank top. I can't knit a tank top when it's getting dark at 4:30. So sizzle may hang out on the needles until spring.
Next...the current stage of Mr. VT's sweater... it is in pieces. I think I may frog the world's most beautiful neck and the top to about two inches above the band so I can knit it as more of a raglan. Cause that would be closer to the kind of fit he wants. I did think about cutting and sewing it, but I just can't.
And finally, Mr. VT has decided he wants a hat. A felted hat. So I actually found a pattern that I can knit as written with Patons Merino and it will end up the correct felted size. This is a knitting miracle. It is a sign that he really needs this hat. A pea green hat with chocolate and navy stripes and designs. It will be lovely.

whhhoooo boy

2006-11-07T20:29:00.000-05:00

Been a long time, but between being away at a wedding and catching up on school cause of it, I've been a bit MIA. But it was worth it, the wedding was FAB!!!!!

And now, a new project..
Messenger bag, of my own design, but similar in color layout to this at least, in blue and brown. I've needed a fun bag just big enough to put my day planner in. I'm keeping notes on the pattern as it develops!

Finished Object Alert!

2006-10-17T15:34:00.000-05:00

As you can see, my second gloves came out well! And yes there are two of them. Knit with lion brand superwash wool in grey and black. They are super comfey and washable, so I can muck 'em up! And look-DH has a flower in bloom!
Okay, I don't mean on his head...the white flower is Diapensia, his favorite flower, it's an alpine flower and super tiny. And lookie, a sweater! Look fast before it's in pieces again...

Very Cool!

2006-10-16T21:12:00.000-05:00