tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75761136399204065242024-03-21T18:52:30.775-04:00SchnicklefritzWhere sauerkraut meets collard greensSayschnicklefritzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06909516347700480826noreply@blogger.comBlogger93125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7576113639920406524.post-78011624609841916922011-09-07T22:58:00.000-04:002011-09-07T22:58:17.555-04:00New HomeSince leaving New York, many of my pals have expressed interest in seeing where I live now and what it's like here. I've been carrying my camera around with me for the past few months, trying to capture the feel of the area, but it's hard. Really hard.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnzzCmcn8bbIV2tMqpbnBKH0QGuVtfe9pbpVglB0FiZkZWJDjSeE2Q4ItTBOJx5hHzBLC5jC9iSJyfTi73-RcOBHOt38kYY2ftt5jLl3QgWUZeain2UdQmMTUTLlA6w9nu5dILrmy9Oxzj/s1600/DSC03933.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnzzCmcn8bbIV2tMqpbnBKH0QGuVtfe9pbpVglB0FiZkZWJDjSeE2Q4ItTBOJx5hHzBLC5jC9iSJyfTi73-RcOBHOt38kYY2ftt5jLl3QgWUZeain2UdQmMTUTLlA6w9nu5dILrmy9Oxzj/s400/DSC03933.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My favorite house in the neighborhood</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A cute Minneapolis 4-plex</td></tr>
</tbody></table>My neighborhood is pretty interesting, a mix of white hippies (young and old), black middle and working class, recent Mexican immigrants and lesbians of all stripes.<br />
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There are a lot of art cars around.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A little heavy handed, maybe?</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Luck be a lady tonight!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thelma and Louise?</td></tr>
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And several community gardens. People are seriously into gardening here, maybe because summer is such a short and treasured season.<br />
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It's been fun to see the flowers growing here, and I've been surprised at how different they are from the ones I was used to seeing in Brooklyn.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hibiscus! The first I'd ever seen.</td></tr>
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My neighborhood is called Powderhorn, named for Powderhorn Park, which is just across the street. I love the park, and it makes me miss Prospect Park just a little bit less. Powderhorn Park is about 60 acres and has a lake, jogging paths, several baseball diamonds, five playgrounds and 10 tennis courts. What?! Awesomeness.<br />
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Oh yeah, and a kids pool. More awesomeness.<br />
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The park is really well utilized by people in the neighborhood. Soccer games and BBQs have been popular activities this summer, and there's a rec center where they have pottery classes and you folks can check out canoes. Oh, and some hippies hold an outdoor church-like service in the park every Sunday. I can see them from from my living room window and hear their tambourine and guitar music. Yep.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga9yeavta4VIdbGustWSM0XaNW8LoYXVsH5DHWFNfxS_vsnZQa0lHW8-8cJ0DoGP552X7hK3mllGnDIzy-PiJwOtC0SK_jJpqL5GujLdjqWHnlyTQS1kX97HVW3cBuFtU6VbWNMhyu8Knx/s1600/DSC04554.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga9yeavta4VIdbGustWSM0XaNW8LoYXVsH5DHWFNfxS_vsnZQa0lHW8-8cJ0DoGP552X7hK3mllGnDIzy-PiJwOtC0SK_jJpqL5GujLdjqWHnlyTQS1kX97HVW3cBuFtU6VbWNMhyu8Knx/s400/DSC04554.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can you spot the Great Blue Heron?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I'm excited to see how people's use of the park changes in the winter. In the early part of the last century, it was several times the site of the US Olympic speedskating trials! Neat, right? And there are some great hills, so I'm thinking sledding will be popular. Personally, I'm hoping their might be some cross-country skiing.<br />
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Lovely as it is, the lake in Powderhorn is a small one. There are a lot of lakes in Minneapolis, and one of the ones I visit the most is Lake Calhoun. It's just over three miles in circumference and is ringed by running and bike paths.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh! Sad surfer.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>It's not apparent from these photos, but Lake Calhous is usually swarmed with people in the warm weather, sailing and kayaking and canoeing and swimming. It's so healthy and inspiring<br />
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When you live in Minnesota, there are somethings you couldn't avoid if you wanted to. One of those things is the legacy of Laura Ingalls Wilder. There are traces of her everywhere.<br />
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Another is the Scandinavian influence (although if you know me, you know how much I LOVE all things Scandinavian).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>One thing that I haven't been able to get used to is the super creepy ice cream "trucks" here.<br />
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I mean, really? Have you ever seen something more clearly reminiscent of a 1970s pedophile's "party van"? Who in their right mind would buy ice cream from a tinted-window conversion van? Not this sister.<br />
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So that's a little about things here, the stuff I see most every day. Next time I'll tell you about some of the things I've been doing here out (mid)west.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Sayschnicklefritzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06909516347700480826noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7576113639920406524.post-9105755641558629382011-08-29T12:02:00.000-04:002011-08-29T12:02:49.108-04:00Motherboy XXXGetting ready for the Balboa Country Club's annual Motherboy competition is quite an undertaking, to be sure, and like many such competitions, a good outfit is a critical foundation. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrXwlcKpWR8bvmxE92FhG1JdFSjXtm005eJi-qGtTE2UAWLAX2nn2BBMVVrL3rUouk5FaN0HUYuRNby2FdwSU5lt4UjVobssPLty8ITw7uoMsT69i06l1M_1QynIYTxU3bG-1G7-z6eSe9/s1600/DSC04146.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrXwlcKpWR8bvmxE92FhG1JdFSjXtm005eJi-qGtTE2UAWLAX2nn2BBMVVrL3rUouk5FaN0HUYuRNby2FdwSU5lt4UjVobssPLty8ITw7uoMsT69i06l1M_1QynIYTxU3bG-1G7-z6eSe9/s400/DSC04146.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">Details:</div><div style="text-align: center;">Pattern: Lilla Koftan, by Petra Orrbeck</div><div style="text-align: center;">Yarn: Lion Brand Cotton Ease</div><div style="text-align: center;">Needles: 4.5mm/US7</div><div style="text-align: center;">Start: August 2</div><div style="text-align: center;">Finish: August 8</div><br />
An excellent choice by the Bluths, to be sure. The sweater works well on both boys and girls, and the color is almost universally flattering. Worked in a washable cotton/poly blend, this will be a breeze to keep clean and lovely.<br />
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And now, a look at our favorite Motherboy contestants, Lucille and Byron "Buster" Bluth.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPl8Ukj2GVmoD-l7Ou1C8PUbAkc4-ttl0eLnRnS_HKw0tmwPvBHr97m-YsHD6UssKsJ-j487PtHYHMfHqa10QPlFyeCiGKd8y4EOxdMFGP9s13CLPjRwPwzjg7Rx8mGR6bAFQW9jGajw8G/s1600/DSC04160.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPl8Ukj2GVmoD-l7Ou1C8PUbAkc4-ttl0eLnRnS_HKw0tmwPvBHr97m-YsHD6UssKsJ-j487PtHYHMfHqa10QPlFyeCiGKd8y4EOxdMFGP9s13CLPjRwPwzjg7Rx8mGR6bAFQW9jGajw8G/s400/DSC04160.JPG" width="298" /></a></div><br />
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Lucille is the one clinging to the bottle of vodka; Buster is the 30 year old clinging to his mother's pouch. They make a lovely, lovely pair, dontcha think?<br />
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<object height="288" width="512"><param name="movie" value="http://www.hulu.com/embed/UtEM25pFcAXVPxNq_wdGlg"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.hulu.com/embed/UtEM25pFcAXVPxNq_wdGlg" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="512" height="288" allowFullScreen="true"></embed></object>Sayschnicklefritzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06909516347700480826noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7576113639920406524.post-11347431644333352152011-08-28T12:17:00.000-04:002011-08-28T12:17:40.350-04:00Nothing ventured, nothing gainedSince moving to Minnesota, I've consciously adopted an aggressive "Just say yes" attitude. It hasn't been difficult, as one of the motivations behind my move was the desire to experience and live life differently. So, since moving, I've gone to parties alone, met strangers for ice cream, canoed 16 miles down Minnehaha Creek, relearned how to drive a stick shift, biked to a Peter, Bjorn & John concert before hitting an art opening before hitting a bar with pals one night. All of that has been fun, but by far the best and most thrilling thing I've done was to agree to fill in for an injured runner on a Ragnar Relay team.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUBDeGEFah6rEuk5FXM-gfojasP9bPpTZJGrqt-Y-kBBB79aplLUGR9LdicLye_JPmQOR3loBk5S7TxwSq_-W940TtHi6uaBwlOnzvZYxI6EkXx6gsXUbTQZ1JlhxwaIx0izwlaVVZsKaH/s1600/DSC04181.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUBDeGEFah6rEuk5FXM-gfojasP9bPpTZJGrqt-Y-kBBB79aplLUGR9LdicLye_JPmQOR3loBk5S7TxwSq_-W940TtHi6uaBwlOnzvZYxI6EkXx6gsXUbTQZ1JlhxwaIx0izwlaVVZsKaH/s400/DSC04181.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A sweltering stretch on a Wisconsin highway.</td></tr>
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Ragnar relays are held in 11 or 12 places around the country and they generally work like this: teams of 12 take turns running legs of the race that are between four and eight miles long. The total distance run is about 200 hundred miles. Each runner runs three legs and you always run in the same order (e.g. runner 1, then 2, then 3, until runner 12 finishes her leg, then runner 1 goes again). The teams usually shuttle themselves in two vans of six runners per van. When you're not running, you're cheering on your teammate. When everyone in your van has finished their leg, you eat or rest while your teammates in the other van run, and when they finish their legs, you start to running, in order, again. It sounds chaotic, but it's really quite orderly and well organized.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE_l8nsaAREkovS6AvVy4CcHWWteADTZYIuLDaWIGXGx3OxoC9WI5DP7cLnbJbmgasqF636yb2nbxw6oT3Bw4ET0HjWR0jbnj-Txg2yVyaXaJCRZFR_s0G9E4NPe5siW5yDD9qRSbCFjb-/s1600/DSC04187.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE_l8nsaAREkovS6AvVy4CcHWWteADTZYIuLDaWIGXGx3OxoC9WI5DP7cLnbJbmgasqF636yb2nbxw6oT3Bw4ET0HjWR0jbnj-Txg2yVyaXaJCRZFR_s0G9E4NPe5siW5yDD9qRSbCFjb-/s400/DSC04187.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking for my incoming teammate.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
When James, a friend from college, contacted me to see if I'd be interested in filling in, and consequently running about 15 miles over 20 hours, my first reaction was to say that I was busy that weekend and so couldn't do it; my fitness level is pretty low right now and I hadn't run more than 3 miles at a stretch in several months. But the more I thought about it, the more this seemed like an amazing opportunity to see an old friend, meet new people and challenge myself in a completely unexpected way. So I said yes, and it's probably the best decision I've made since deciding to move to Minneapolis. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDkM_Cm8p0yMWs8nHabR66SwOFEbcp9BvpoxC8YC3HstC005u-hBtOn4xutjZpG8hTp7IB6d7KtKbDXUV-QiW0kUZ_sc14IB2mx6pF44kNXp2sLA9KJIfsCVNFxSDu6yO-Ea42j4-yTdRP/s1600/DSC04188.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDkM_Cm8p0yMWs8nHabR66SwOFEbcp9BvpoxC8YC3HstC005u-hBtOn4xutjZpG8hTp7IB6d7KtKbDXUV-QiW0kUZ_sc14IB2mx6pF44kNXp2sLA9KJIfsCVNFxSDu6yO-Ea42j4-yTdRP/s400/DSC04188.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Teammate in site; bouncing with excitement before my first leg.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Because I was by far the weakest runner on the team, I was quite nervous about my performance and abilities, but my teammates were incredibly warm and encouraging and supportive. There's nothing like slogging your way down blistering highway in 96 degree heat without a lick of shade and then rounding a corner to see your pals waving and cheering for you and hearing the call of the vuvuzela (yes, we had one of those) pulling you forward. Periodic improvised showers didn't hurt, either.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp9du7GGhds-Jz7Cyqro8y9hSecVDlCOEfpprcqRUbdIQsJAOmSgSLmx7b5z1bmHNz_TtiOD6NWJj_DS0h2u2E5NbuVOgbzcPH0t7ZoxPtY7qgb2M7vwdzKL3jmvCo1p-ntQHrE8in7J-m/s1600/DSC04196.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp9du7GGhds-Jz7Cyqro8y9hSecVDlCOEfpprcqRUbdIQsJAOmSgSLmx7b5z1bmHNz_TtiOD6NWJj_DS0h2u2E5NbuVOgbzcPH0t7ZoxPtY7qgb2M7vwdzKL3jmvCo1p-ntQHrE8in7J-m/s400/DSC04196.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
While the running was fun,<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisyZ6jcNDFXc5ShVYQP0RMe2SPjlCONvHDpGqt6qyx2fLykc5xT7jWqKGBhzyNEw4PKdIgQlrEY-oNz3NBJj-AZteeJhBnk9zk2lyYfF6zZPOII3FR36p5gKIFmAxreRNrNOLfxu9COirJ/s1600/DSC04198.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisyZ6jcNDFXc5ShVYQP0RMe2SPjlCONvHDpGqt6qyx2fLykc5xT7jWqKGBhzyNEw4PKdIgQlrEY-oNz3NBJj-AZteeJhBnk9zk2lyYfF6zZPOII3FR36p5gKIFmAxreRNrNOLfxu9COirJ/s400/DSC04198.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
we were all happy to be done with our legs when we finished them.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-2FweW7JoLsSfmyLFxzyRU-neW7dYHLkCK8Su43S0SdPKs2Q2v7ZX1uill517xSKETQK4-BpXO1R7rNFWTSOfB60LFXVGqhrLttXq2-yFpCFN_rg4L3h6fh5hWuq8zPAztAVIBiAVxHQI/s1600/DSC04207.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-2FweW7JoLsSfmyLFxzyRU-neW7dYHLkCK8Su43S0SdPKs2Q2v7ZX1uill517xSKETQK4-BpXO1R7rNFWTSOfB60LFXVGqhrLttXq2-yFpCFN_rg4L3h6fh5hWuq8zPAztAVIBiAVxHQI/s400/DSC04207.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The oppressive heat was a common post-run topic of conversation.</td></tr>
</tbody></table> We ran through some beautiful (and hilly) parts of Wisconsin and Minnesota<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgQiLvlBvk4OhXdJCvsl5JexYiIiTRQIfuojdnBjq3SmLoATB9wM1Aeoqjaxhdz4SycXTnQcab0T2RDZ_hUZnBZuffnwIDP1A5Wak2su1TG7PmJSn_KopmuI_FTsxpJmhDOJmDzdlXY2pn/s1600/DSC04230.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgQiLvlBvk4OhXdJCvsl5JexYiIiTRQIfuojdnBjq3SmLoATB9wM1Aeoqjaxhdz4SycXTnQcab0T2RDZ_hUZnBZuffnwIDP1A5Wak2su1TG7PmJSn_KopmuI_FTsxpJmhDOJmDzdlXY2pn/s400/DSC04230.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset on Lake Pepin</td></tr>
</tbody></table> and met some enthusiastic fans and volunteers.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU6A27aIk-Bo_bSysZTkUQS15l00xlDBCL5pwFCV7EOKE89qP3z8ffwGZpku-PR2shDyjHKESwU5qIoMDXqaWXYRKr7n49OjReRx0SSTLITfH0DWQ4S4W1VqUATQ23ZJLVD3dAe3M8oOT-/s1600/DSC04222.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU6A27aIk-Bo_bSysZTkUQS15l00xlDBCL5pwFCV7EOKE89qP3z8ffwGZpku-PR2shDyjHKESwU5qIoMDXqaWXYRKr7n49OjReRx0SSTLITfH0DWQ4S4W1VqUATQ23ZJLVD3dAe3M8oOT-/s400/DSC04222.JPG" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Best cheering: Stockholm, WI.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
The race started at 11 Friday morning, and by 10 pm Van 1 (my van), was gearing up to run our second legs of the race, which we finished around 2:00 am. We napped briefly in the town of Stillwater while Van 2 ran through the grim hours of the morning, and by 7:15 am we up and running again. I finished my third and final leg around 9 am and our team as a whole finished around 3:30 Saturday afternoon. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuRxoebrJYiz2NI7VLfjYGaYIyoIYhFXNd2YWLm9uoFZc6JU9ehYVl6wZreIfp4LJ9r3fAyHSidvx8zUMAVeMuHRQ_iokGEpYD14xv7rzXYL_rrNj7rZvQ421ct7hVr4wvWGrGQahqB_uB/s1600/DSC04255.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuRxoebrJYiz2NI7VLfjYGaYIyoIYhFXNd2YWLm9uoFZc6JU9ehYVl6wZreIfp4LJ9r3fAyHSidvx8zUMAVeMuHRQ_iokGEpYD14xv7rzXYL_rrNj7rZvQ421ct7hVr4wvWGrGQahqB_uB/s400/DSC04255.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Van 1 at the completion of our portion of the relay</td></tr>
</tbody></table>In addition to having an awesome weekend with spirited, dynamic, fun and interesting people, running in the Ragnar Relay reminded me that I can do more than I sometimes think, that it's possible to acknowledge one's limitations while simultaneously pushing oneself, that there's seldom anything to be gained in saying no, that life is wonderful if you are open to living it and that there's no better feeling than pride in a job well done.<br />
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Thank you Ragnar and Team Kittens and Yarn! Here's hoping for another adventure in 2012!<br />
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Sayschnicklefritzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06909516347700480826noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7576113639920406524.post-57229336535554059572011-07-30T13:03:00.000-04:002011-07-30T13:03:24.007-04:00Sewing the seeds of loveThis blog's been quiet recently; my life's been anything but.<br />
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Most significantly, I quit my job and moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota. This plan had been in the works for a long time and I was so psyched for it to finally roll into action. I expected the transition from New York City, my home of 16 years, to the City of Lakes to be a little traumatic, but it was shockingly easy. One friend said that's a sign that I was really ready for this change, and he may be right. <br />
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I've been having an *awesome* summer. Being sans employment has meant that I've had plenty of time to hang out with friends, scour Craigslist for furniture and make emergency Ikea runs. It's been great, but I'll get into all that another time. One thing that's been mysteriously absent is my knitting mojo. No lie, until one week ago, I hadn't knit a single stitch since relocating. My craft bug has found another outlet.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT9eTlC_W4IVWF1zCvK4izQRzu11WMDmVAgrwuOsqLtOGPKwbTPq-iflCP1zmortLpsxC-QNjX-IzZzsicIDt-fi7nqNN6nrvxX-sNUPHZ2wOt51eyVvBIGlKT8_K8Kzd2HnP6YY4UYfC1/s1600/DSC04033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT9eTlC_W4IVWF1zCvK4izQRzu11WMDmVAgrwuOsqLtOGPKwbTPq-iflCP1zmortLpsxC-QNjX-IzZzsicIDt-fi7nqNN6nrvxX-sNUPHZ2wOt51eyVvBIGlKT8_K8Kzd2HnP6YY4UYfC1/s400/DSC04033.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Now that I live in a less expensive city, I can afford a bigger apartment, one with a spare/craft room. This is amazing! It means that, like my grandma, I actually have a place where I can keep my sewing machine up and accessible. I see it. I touch it. It occurs to me to use it, and I do.<br />
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Although I've been sewing since I was a little girl, when I'd sit next to my mom and make purses on my <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/68050033/vintage-1976-mattel-sew-perfect-sewing">SewPerfect</a> sewing machine, my skills are not much improved since then. I am terrible at sewing long straight lines, which means quilting isn't a natural match for me, but it's still fun. I've learned that the modern quilts (think Amy Butler and <a href="http://dsquilts.com/">Denyse Schmidt</a>) are much more forgiving that more traditional quilts, like an Irish Wedding quilt, which involve lots of corners that must match up.<br />
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I started my first quilt about three years ago, and lost motivation until landing in Minnesota, where my pal Stephanie, 8 months pregnant and in full nesting mode, had been quilting up a storm. I was so inspired that I not only finished my long-languishing quilt but immediately thereafter jumped into another project, seen in these photos.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6kPm3esOWiZ8x67Kd4xqDFc3AKQTgM_NhnIdQkHgdK69k38-R-OOZrWVJLogQiblV7Kfk0MZQ3Uo3nxkiVdwzxCuFB7_Kvap4NT87IJ17Vai6ytMelrJjeieiTu7FrANRUkpDC7n1s4Gg/s1600/DSC04041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6kPm3esOWiZ8x67Kd4xqDFc3AKQTgM_NhnIdQkHgdK69k38-R-OOZrWVJLogQiblV7Kfk0MZQ3Uo3nxkiVdwzxCuFB7_Kvap4NT87IJ17Vai6ytMelrJjeieiTu7FrANRUkpDC7n1s4Gg/s400/DSC04041.JPG" width="330" /></a></div><br />
Sarah is a lovely friend and one of the original members of The Fort Greene/Clinton Hill Knit & Crochet Group. We also went to the same small college, although not at the same time, and that little quirk goes a long way to explaining why, though we're quite different in many ways, we got along from the get go. Anyway, she's about to have her second child, and I knew that I wanted to make something for the baby, but I'd just assumed I would knit, or possibly crochet, a gift. That is, until getting bitten by the quilting bug. <br />
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Sarah really likes green (as do I), so I tried to incorporate a lot of it into the pattern. A mostly white quilt might not be the most practical for a baby, but it's so fresh and bright. I backed it with a darker fabric to increase versatility, which I hope it does. Now I am positively jonesing for a mostly white quilt for myself.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr-glM-2UrWEHNj0ewm93o7dEJzdz1C3l5QiveZyhSR3gLTqmNgdfcZmi8CjIRe0gGI4s6bxGIS4x7uUTH8-Q-LwQuu2qCRvaAgufh9Fu2rc0WDXBNemq774iltV-iQd4Iz9VqufwKklc-/s1600/DSC04045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr-glM-2UrWEHNj0ewm93o7dEJzdz1C3l5QiveZyhSR3gLTqmNgdfcZmi8CjIRe0gGI4s6bxGIS4x7uUTH8-Q-LwQuu2qCRvaAgufh9Fu2rc0WDXBNemq774iltV-iQd4Iz9VqufwKklc-/s400/DSC04045.JPG" width="353" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I keep planing more sewing projects because I'm still not super excited about knitting these days. What I've realized is that for me, knitting was a fairly social activity, even when I did it by myself, because I would get together with my knitting pals, see new projects and yarn, get inspired and excited. I don't have that right now, and I'm not sure that I want to. For the time being, I'm content to miss them and the craft that we shared, and to continue to spread my wings in new directions.</div>Sayschnicklefritzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06909516347700480826noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7576113639920406524.post-19146837747183893572011-05-16T12:34:00.000-04:002011-05-16T12:34:45.082-04:00The Sweet Relief of Baby KnittingI'm moving soon, half-way across the country, and all of the planning and upheaval has me a bit upended. To wit: I've been knitting very little. Or, very little relatively speaking. I'm spazzy and unfocused and philosophical and OBSESSED with Lifetime Movie Network moviews, so the knitting has slowed down. I have finished several projects, but haven't been able to get them photographed, with the exception of this one:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu76Ve1MIWKzi0247IbwKTBVyRN1k2oGypDbdf4u3V-yFA6fR4MLPsflZ7p4LaK6R_eDn_2AY2rqhCmfMCT1O5VqoUcpA_3IFHg4qtv0G3NymDlKRlOaAaITmhDSIeeTcbt72yMUg7SGfm/s1600/CArdi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu76Ve1MIWKzi0247IbwKTBVyRN1k2oGypDbdf4u3V-yFA6fR4MLPsflZ7p4LaK6R_eDn_2AY2rqhCmfMCT1O5VqoUcpA_3IFHg4qtv0G3NymDlKRlOaAaITmhDSIeeTcbt72yMUg7SGfm/s400/CArdi.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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The project itself says a lot about where my head's been at. It's a baby sweater (tiny), finished in 1 1/2 days so very little attention needed. It's one color, one skein, largely garter stitch and almost seamless. It was also made for friends in my soon to be new home of Minneapolis. There's a lot of metadata embedded in this one, wee project.<br />
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<div align="center">Details:</div><div align="center">Pattern: Leaf Pattern Set, by Jeannine LaRoche</div><div align="center">Yarn: Berroco Remix</div><div align="center">Needles: 3.5 & 3.75mm</div><div align="center">Start: April 23</div><div align="center">Finish: April 24</div><br />
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I really, really enjoyed working up this pattern. It's a top down construction, so I started with the leaf pattern at teh neck, which required some, but not intense, focus, and then cruised down, almost mindlessly, through the rest of the sweater. Although I ordered this yarn special for this project from Webs, I can't take credit for the color selection. <a href="http://oiyi.blogspot.com/">Oiyi</a> made this sweater several years ago in pretty much the same color, and I thought it looked so fresh and sweet without an ounce of presciousness. Berroco Remix is a great yarn, made of recycled silk, cotton and wool, the combination of which results in machine washable yarn that has a tweedy texture with none of the itch of tweed; perfect for a summer baby sweater. I'll be using it again, fo sho.<br />
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Soon after I finished the sweater Target launched it's <a href="http://www.target.com/Calypso-Designers-Shopping-Directory/b?ie=UTF8&node=2571338011">Calypso</a> collaboration line, for which I went nuts. In addition to the silk tunics, linen jumpsuit and dresses I bought for myself, I picked up a this adorable dress, which is going to the same little girl coming this July. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5_TLtjpKf8llEJmIOs5yGNoJRwyY36sbSb2Thr6oRoq3goTXJ02ZjtHCcybd6qPwUnGd9b6WNbtbTAhPyKhzim7n9DwunEFeffgWqDtuTV3RM69KfmX9ggEe7Qh_01R8YaP5MxOcQlU5o/s1600/cardi%2526dress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5_TLtjpKf8llEJmIOs5yGNoJRwyY36sbSb2Thr6oRoq3goTXJ02ZjtHCcybd6qPwUnGd9b6WNbtbTAhPyKhzim7n9DwunEFeffgWqDtuTV3RM69KfmX9ggEe7Qh_01R8YaP5MxOcQlU5o/s400/cardi%2526dress.jpg" width="352" /></a></div><br />
I love them together. Now, get her a pair of <a href="http://www.mysaltwatersandals.com/">Saltwater sandals</a> and she's set!Sayschnicklefritzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06909516347700480826noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7576113639920406524.post-24682976358291118112011-04-18T21:44:00.001-04:002011-04-18T21:44:56.872-04:00Yes, but do you have any yarn?<div style="margin: 0 0 10px 0; padding: 0; font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.6em;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/8393461@N05/5633337890/" title="Yes, but do you have any yarn?"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5110/5633337890_20f383412a.jpg" alt="Yes, but do you have any yarn? by she_bakes_cakes" /></a><br/><span style="margin: 0;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/8393461@N05/5633337890/">Yes, but do you have any yarn?</a>, a photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/8393461@N05/">she_bakes_cakes</a> on Flickr.</span></div><p>This might be my new Minneapolis hang. The Yarn Garage (yeah, it's a converted garage), brought to you by Steven Be. Stephanie and wandered about slack jawed until settling on gorgeous, but different yarns. stay tuned for project updates.</p>Sayschnicklefritzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06909516347700480826noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7576113639920406524.post-84664910313236042642011-03-31T13:13:00.000-04:002011-03-31T13:13:20.444-04:00JuicyLiterally! Today I started a three day juice cleanse, and I'm alternating between acceptance and freak-out. The freak-outs are a result of my fear of failure. I'm not concerned that I'll wake up one day surrounded by a half-eaten cheese pizza, but that I'll cave and have a salad. I've ever been a great one for self control, so the thought of not chewing solely because I've decided not to chew scares me.<br />
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So this is what I'll be having for the next three days:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-nRbDfKbQZzrji20eHAZkRqptLkw1x01cfBDJzlnh41VpdGVsFx0ozf9oym50A13k21V1sFqQFiO-fkgWP82OUbaKmaoJQ07XbOXsWWrCrd7dabz7PXB7LaJrHZM8fo5DHwEag_lgd6hk/s1600/juices.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-nRbDfKbQZzrji20eHAZkRqptLkw1x01cfBDJzlnh41VpdGVsFx0ozf9oym50A13k21V1sFqQFiO-fkgWP82OUbaKmaoJQ07XbOXsWWrCrd7dabz7PXB7LaJrHZM8fo5DHwEag_lgd6hk/s400/juices.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />
I'm doing the <a href="http://www.blueprintcleanse.com/">Blue Print Cleanse</a> three day Renovation Cleanse, which is great for a newbie juicer like me. The renovation is their entry level cleanse, which I think means it had heartier juices/more calories than the other cleanses. It's only a little past one on day one, but I'm liking the juices (conveniently labeled in 1-6, the order in which they are to be consumed) so far. Right now I'm sipping on a pineapple, apple, mint concoction and it's delicious.<br />
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In other, less literal juicy news, I recently finished another hat.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivrYYoVwg7W9JDooQmuqNzAWfxv8rFWGBdtjUSWeMkGln41DUBX0zn9HjIfNdB5HBomNgUztN5qceByFp4WATLMjVUQG0vpfhmbOEGDLf51WzrZVZUQ79rUQc6gWS0FUUwnoAm7Bs7Vfw9/s1600/GreenHAt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivrYYoVwg7W9JDooQmuqNzAWfxv8rFWGBdtjUSWeMkGln41DUBX0zn9HjIfNdB5HBomNgUztN5qceByFp4WATLMjVUQG0vpfhmbOEGDLf51WzrZVZUQ79rUQc6gWS0FUUwnoAm7Bs7Vfw9/s400/GreenHAt.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Details:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Pattern: Rikke, by Sarah Young</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Yarn: Madeline Tosh DK </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Needles: 3.5mm, 4.5mm</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Start: March 24</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Finish: March 26</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I love this pattern, so so much. It's so simple in it's appearance, design and construction, that it's genius. All garter stitch and a subtle change in texture brought about by a simple change in needle size. This is actually the second Rikke hat I've made; the first was for me and I wear it all the time. It's black and I haven't managed to take a decent picture of it, so no blogging, but this pretty green (Jade is the colorway) shows the stitch detail and texture nicely.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I selected this yarn as part of a thank you gift I received for knitting something for a friend. The way that it's dyed, the yarn seems almost to glow from the inside, all space-agey and stuff. It's the first Madeline Tosh (side note: is she related to Peter Tosh, by chance? Because that would be cool) that I've ever worked with and now I get what all the fuss is about. It's incredibly buoyant and springy, making it a great pairing with patters in which stitch definition is a plus. I was at Purl last week and had to stop myself from pulling one of her glowing tans off the shelf and shoving it into my basket, such was my enthusiasm for this yarn. But I kept myself to the one skein of Spud & Chloe Sweater that I needed to finish another work in progress.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Last Friday I went to what turned out to be a lame party with some close friends (we enjoyed each other's company, anyway, almost as much as the Nilla Wafer banana pudding dessert that was on offer), and as we were leaving, I pulled this hat out of my bag and started working on it as we walked to the train. I asked Him if he thought he might have use for the hat, when She jumped in and said she liked it, too. Fortunatly, they're married, so Megan & David, this hat's for you!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Finally, a third, slightly more salacious and definitely funkier kind of juicy. I leave you with the 1983 R&B hit "Juicy Fruit" by Mtume. Sexy lyrics, yes, but it's still Sunday morning cleaning the house music to me.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/0sr6S5SAuKs" title="YouTube video player" width="480"></iframe>Sayschnicklefritzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06909516347700480826noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7576113639920406524.post-33266488051931958622011-03-23T23:21:00.001-04:002011-03-23T23:22:39.007-04:00What you can, when you canI've come to loathe my morning commute. It is mercifully short (20 minutes door to door), but people can be shockingly rude in the a.m. My complaints are of the mundane variety, so I'll not bore you with them; suffice it to say that nothing makes me happier than walking or riding my bike to work. I get to be not on the train and in the fresh air.<br />
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Yesterday's weather report called for a high of 50 degrees, so I decided to take advantage of the spring atmosphere and hoof it in to the office. I kind of planned my outfit poorly, so that I was both cold and sweating as I walked, but the sun was out and my iPod was on shuffle working its magic, so I didn't mind. Too much.<br />
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Today we've been experiencing what the weather forecasters call a "wintry mix." It's been raining and snowing off and on all day. I've not been too disturbed as I work indoors and have plenty of handknits with which to bundle up. The weather has, however, made me glad that I took the opportunity yesterday to spend some time in the air and sun while I had the chance.<br />
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On the topic of seizing opportunities and making the most of right now (ham fisted segue), about 10 years ago a not great movie starring one of my biggest Hollywood crushes was released. He is Keanu Reeves, and the movie is Sweet November. I'd never intended to see the movie, and in fact, I once decided that a guy was "not right for me" because he suggested we see it on our second date (which subsequently never occurred), Yet see it I did, last fall when I was dogsitting for some friends. As I said, it's not a great movie, but I'll forgive a lot when I find an actor charming. <br />
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ANYWAY, Charlize Theron stars opposite Keanu as a woman with a poorly kept secret (SPOILER: it's lymphoma) who takes men under her wing, one at a time for one month at a time, and teaches them how to be present and embrace life. Hokey, yes, but she wore some great scarves in that movie.<br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwGVQyhYdRekcZHAXCMQERaNtbkU99q_7PwEbffkgdQtj7Q_knIzOLGivD4NuTEEbURgWb3fvDckazMu-KweNqNDUxeyo2Q-izEpajShkj9wfsS8HgXXnYgUghezkI9kicVDEEN6wo-0l_/s1600/SN1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwGVQyhYdRekcZHAXCMQERaNtbkU99q_7PwEbffkgdQtj7Q_knIzOLGivD4NuTEEbURgWb3fvDckazMu-KweNqNDUxeyo2Q-izEpajShkj9wfsS8HgXXnYgUghezkI9kicVDEEN6wo-0l_/s400/SN1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh30UPW5-UjOm3N6E8tz4mZLP9c4alOCJeVlRcltYb0uD3Rqrtfnp4GXC6KBG_iH0jmCh-cVRwWK5PbE_qL-kqS1BOvKuFhTmQx2MdbNdyypjNa55OKdiR4ZYr6J6mHUq_m0buu5hEwXQ3u/s1600/SN2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh30UPW5-UjOm3N6E8tz4mZLP9c4alOCJeVlRcltYb0uD3Rqrtfnp4GXC6KBG_iH0jmCh-cVRwWK5PbE_qL-kqS1BOvKuFhTmQx2MdbNdyypjNa55OKdiR4ZYr6J6mHUq_m0buu5hEwXQ3u/s400/SN2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Had I seen the movie when it was released, I wouldn't have known what to do about these scarves I liked so much, but now I am a knitter and a crocheter and I knew what to do: Ravelry! Turns out patterns for both knit and crochet versions of the scarf are available (for free). I opted to make the crochet version, for maximum authenticity, and I'm really glad that I did.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcNe78OeI4hk2ppOnIA-tcEq1qBvbq89iR03B9yREIZm3XcpEHmWc96A40wY4Cj6BbqauWv7yTeLlbIK1CiQInSrP2Bv56ML3AjL5_mKEbQNac7SSqPr7U6koG19D638woZ3Pyox3zmcM3/s1600/DSC03639.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcNe78OeI4hk2ppOnIA-tcEq1qBvbq89iR03B9yREIZm3XcpEHmWc96A40wY4Cj6BbqauWv7yTeLlbIK1CiQInSrP2Bv56ML3AjL5_mKEbQNac7SSqPr7U6koG19D638woZ3Pyox3zmcM3/s400/DSC03639.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Details:</div><div style="text-align: center;">Pattern: Sweet November Scarf/Shawl by April Draven</div><div style="text-align: center;">Yarn: Wollmeise Sockenwolle Twin</div><div style="text-align: center;">Hook: H/5.0mm</div><div style="text-align: center;">Started: January 22</div><div style="text-align: center;">Finished: February 19</div><br />
Love the pattern, love the yarn. I bought the Wollmeise from The Loopy Ewe on total impulse and in a panic, because the stuff sells out within 5 minutes of being posted. I love how acidy bright it is, with incredible depth of color. The hype surrounding Wollmeise is not for naught. The colorways are gorgeous and it's easy to work with. It's so tightly plied that it's almost like working with cotton, so maybe it's funky to knit with like cotton, but to crochet was a breeze.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5qK-wizl1k3mMivKS8T7HZ57Iv__I7ONTP9GAAUr4R2GW7x0T1qVyQZ49Ed8fY_0DbL93doiTSn1KN6sSYeKRxpKzcLVAuCoqOubwq5xh5tH0-TtbrE4TQumkqnLSz3-R6VAzsa8-Yn06/s1600/DSC03632.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="373" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5qK-wizl1k3mMivKS8T7HZ57Iv__I7ONTP9GAAUr4R2GW7x0T1qVyQZ49Ed8fY_0DbL93doiTSn1KN6sSYeKRxpKzcLVAuCoqOubwq5xh5tH0-TtbrE4TQumkqnLSz3-R6VAzsa8-Yn06/s400/DSC03632.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
I wanted to make this big and drapey so that it could easily wrap around one's neck more than once, so I ended up using about 1 1/2 skeins of yarn. Still, it's light enough for damp and chilly spring and fall days, and possibly even summer nights if you live in a temperate climate.<br />
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So, Sweet November, might not be an award winning movie (although it was immeasurably better than that crap fest Forrest Gump) there are some nuggets of wisdom in there (like do what you can when you can (SPOILER: because you mighty not have a tomorrow), and it inspired this dope scarf, so yay for that.<br />
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Maybe next time I'll share my thoughts about The Lake House (SPOILER: I love it!)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSvEuageal-sflIBJoK4ci5KftbVWqcKK8G4fWP9W7ru1L2jBlmIfoYhY6KyOneXZzkYOfz8nXV0Yauj621-nHhh_vrHiVLFc3y4Y09wbTh2A9wATSKl3nicUFSsYF7rLOpwFd4ddPp37Z/s1600/SN3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSvEuageal-sflIBJoK4ci5KftbVWqcKK8G4fWP9W7ru1L2jBlmIfoYhY6KyOneXZzkYOfz8nXV0Yauj621-nHhh_vrHiVLFc3y4Y09wbTh2A9wATSKl3nicUFSsYF7rLOpwFd4ddPp37Z/s400/SN3.jpg" width="373" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
See! Even they're dubious.</div>Sayschnicklefritzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06909516347700480826noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7576113639920406524.post-3230379586105914202011-03-13T20:17:00.000-04:002011-03-13T20:17:49.422-04:00Calmate!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>I have a secret that's not so secret if you know me well. I can stress out about anything. Before leaving for Mexico, I had a quiet freak out about packing. Too much? Too little? More tops? Fewer skirts? How many swim suits (for the record, I packed and wore 4). When I freak like this, it's quiet and internal, my mind races, I move quickly and bump into things. I am, quite literally, spazzing.<br />
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I never spazz in Mexico. I think it's impossible for me to freak out there. Being in Mexico always feels so comfortable and familiar. It's not that I've spent an extraordinary amount of time there, but there's a vibe about Mexico that agrees with me, and heading there for vacation is like dream time.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the flight down we were upgraded to Business class.<br />
I am, therefore, enjoying a V&T.</td></tr>
</tbody></table> The impetus for this trip was a friend's birthday. Seven of us flew down, for the sand, sun and food.<br />
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We were responsible sun worshipers, all of us heavily armored with SPF and some of worshiping from the shade. <br />
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I started with SPF 15 and quickly upgraded to 30 (body) and 55 (face). The sun was intense.I brought a crochet project with me, thinking I'd have all this downtime at the beach, I'd surely get bored. Oh, no. I didn't crochet a single row. Instead I read Jackie Collins trash (Poor Little Bitch Girl, which I <em>highly </em>recommend) <br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">and stared at the sea.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Was it all fun? Pretty much.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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But there was some expanding of cultural horizons. I learned a lot, more than I can recount here so let's just say the Mayan's were pretty incredible.<br />
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And there were some physical activities. Snorkeling, anyone?<br />
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I've been back for over a week now, and, true to form, have started stressing. About unimportant weird things, like projects I want to finish, blog entries not written, photos not taken. It's not totally out of left field; I've got a lot to do before I move at the end of May, so my mind's started buzzing. When this happens, I can get compulsive about my knitting and crocheting, so I'm trying to be conscious of this and calm myself. "Calmate . . .," is what a Spanish speaking friend would tell me, "calmate." So instead of racing to the finish, I'm working, calmly on this.<br />
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It will be done when it's done, and until then, it will just be fun.Sayschnicklefritzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06909516347700480826noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7576113639920406524.post-9258795794810651922011-02-23T16:49:00.001-05:002011-02-23T16:49:00.555-05:00PlayaBy the time you read this, I will be in Mexico doing something a lot like this:<br />
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I love a beach vacation in winter. Adios y hasta pronto, amigos mios!Sayschnicklefritzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06909516347700480826noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7576113639920406524.post-18568247536917310022011-02-22T20:00:00.000-05:002011-02-22T20:00:04.826-05:00A hat for SarahWhen I drew Sarah's name in the my knitting group's gift exchange this year, I was pretty excited because she's someone whose taste I think I know pretty well. I thought making a gift for her would be easy. Pride cometh before a fall . . .<br />
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A couple of years ago, Sarah turrned me on to a method for extending the utility of my fingerless mitts well into winter: layering them over cheap, knit gloves. She loved it, I loved it. But as a member of the Cult of the iPhone, her layered approach to hand wear has been causing her problems vis a vis phone use. After hearing her comment that she thought she needed a pair of proper mittens, I started scouring Ravelry for mitten patterns. I eventually decided to crochet a pair, using some Sanguine Gryphon Eidos fingering weight yarn that I bought at Rhinebeck last fall. Crocheting a fabric sufficiently dense so as to be suitable for mittens was slow work, but fun.<br />
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When I finished the first mitten, it was snug on me, but my hands are extraordinarily large, so I thought it would be a good fit for Sarah. With almost two weeks to go until the gift exchange, I felt very comfortable that I'd finish well ahead of our deadline. At our next get-together, Sarah announces that she's just made herself a pair of mittens, and in doing so, has realized that she really just doesn't like mittens.<br />
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Well, shit.<br />
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Because I've known Sarah for about three years, I was able to shift gears without too much angst. She likes hats, specifically slouchy ones. Even better, she has a tendency to lose them, so could always benefit from having a spare or two. I settled on a pattern I'd made twice before because I thought it would suit her style and set to work.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">Pattern: Wurm, by Katushika</div><div style="text-align: center;">Yarn: Noro Taiyo & Jade Sapphire Mongolian Cashmere 6-ply</div><div style="text-align: center;">Needles: US7 & 8/4.5mm & 5.0mm</div><div style="text-align: center;">Started: January 30</div><div style="text-align: center;">Finished: February 4</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I love this yarn so much. I picked up the skein and as soon as I saw it in the store and carried it around with me like a greedy little hoarder until I decided to buy it. The colors are so lovely and I thought the variegation would lend themselves to the welted hat. The silk content reduced the stretch off the yarn, which resulted in welting that is less pronounced that in the other Wurms I've made. This bothered me at first, but I think that was more a matter of result versus expectations. After I sat with the hat for a bit, I decided I was happy with this variation. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">This pattern has you work an extra long brim and then fold it in half, picking up stitched from the cast on edge and then continuing to knit up the hat. I decided it would be nice to work the inner part of the brim using some super soft cashmere. Mmmm soft.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Sarah's head is about my size, so I knew that if it fit me, it would fit her.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">Bingo! It's even a tad big, but I think it's OK. Anyway, it's cute and cozy and Sarah likes it. When I was running on Saturday morning I ran in to her heading off to run errands and lo! She was wearing the hat. Color me happy.</div>Sayschnicklefritzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06909516347700480826noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7576113639920406524.post-86092836280142609762011-02-21T17:43:00.000-05:002011-02-21T17:43:25.540-05:00Portlandia<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">My hometown's all over the news these days. There's the IFC TV show, Portlandia (if you don't have cable, you can catch some clips on youtube; it's hilarious), a new NBC sitcom that's set there, called Perfect Couples (which has become a guilty pleasure; check it out on cable on demand) and then last week, NPR aired a story the gist of which was this: Portland's unemployment rate is usually 1% higher than the national average and salaries are 20% lower than in Seattle, but (young) people keep moving there anyway because it's so awesome. And there are biracial guys who work at food carts and play in metal bands. Again: it's awesome.<br />
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I was home for a week earlier this month for a sad occasion, so I was kind of off and blue much of the time, but I did find it warming to be back in Portland again. The city has changed a lot since I moved away in 1989 (!!), but some things have remained comfortingly the same, like <a href="http://oakspark.com/">Oaks Park</a>, the amusement park and roller rink where I used to skate to Van Halen, Billy Squire, AC/DC and Ratt. The park itself was rather rinky dink, as evidenced by the photo, but the skating was always good.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy0nXJrXkmZNOxd3hqV5EqCYShzbQrdZg3e9KdQgdLldqY5gFxYl20-tWztKWRJ7OanljBSdmU0VjOpFPxSJN_FLV8ICqSmXAXYhng5BTVJ8D7iAkKx3dw2N0NDHSTffYLrBGeaKccIhg-/s1600/DSC03057.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy0nXJrXkmZNOxd3hqV5EqCYShzbQrdZg3e9KdQgdLldqY5gFxYl20-tWztKWRJ7OanljBSdmU0VjOpFPxSJN_FLV8ICqSmXAXYhng5BTVJ8D7iAkKx3dw2N0NDHSTffYLrBGeaKccIhg-/s400/DSC03057.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>One afternoon in need of a diversion I drove my rented Toyota Yaris over to Burnisde Street in search of a shop owner who is a friend of a friend, just to say hi. While looking for the FoaF, something in a window of a store called <a href="http://www.hauntstudio.blogspot.com/">Haunt </a>caught my eye:<br />
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Hand knits! Like I said, I had some time to kill, so I went in and poked my nose around a bit. The woman working was talking to a friend/customer and since the boutique is small, I couldn't help but overhear their conversation. The customer was asking about a book that the shop owner had written, if she was going to do another, yadda yadda, and it clicked! The shop owner was Laura Irwin, the author of <a href="http://www.interweavestore.com/Knitting/Books/Boutique-Knits.html">Boutique Knits</a>. After the customer left, I overcame my aversion to intruding on one's privacy and asked her if she was, in fact, Laura Irwin. She was quite surprised and so friendly. She said something to the effect that not many people know of her book, to which I replied "EVERYONE, I know who knits knows it," then admitted that this is probably a small percentage of the general population, however. Then we chatted about crafting and the smallness of the knitting world. </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0DkNNeiAbD9Fogy_gS03DrcM8JnVOwkPIaeVeMjr4Fs6kSFy7Tsf4WyamBrL5de7RauhLMzdnBA5qUTf7czMM0sxwq4GQX-GxCnZoNHlvlnh6iiG4CksmD_CMYdYm2DkVVCUc0ONGdIVy/s1600/DSC03086.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0DkNNeiAbD9Fogy_gS03DrcM8JnVOwkPIaeVeMjr4Fs6kSFy7Tsf4WyamBrL5de7RauhLMzdnBA5qUTf7czMM0sxwq4GQX-GxCnZoNHlvlnh6iiG4CksmD_CMYdYm2DkVVCUc0ONGdIVy/s400/DSC03086.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">I maxed out on dorkiness when I asked if I could take a picture of her (since I'd missed out on my chance when I saw Ysolda Teague walking across the Brooklyn Bridge a few summers ago). She graciously agreed. </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvTYGphjP6h_FHyG8Ad7Aty5As2sultlxEDc2ptERT1rAsOFVHt7vaC2FMuQJ9eM5XBqhzmkuxM1GXeirvI5X3doS69VRsso7d9B2RKpeiLnPDb_NcS0mqEa_zBcT09sQR0wRosoouH-kV/s1600/DSC03087.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvTYGphjP6h_FHyG8Ad7Aty5As2sultlxEDc2ptERT1rAsOFVHt7vaC2FMuQJ9eM5XBqhzmkuxM1GXeirvI5X3doS69VRsso7d9B2RKpeiLnPDb_NcS0mqEa_zBcT09sQR0wRosoouH-kV/s400/DSC03087.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Cute, right? The dress Laura's wearing is in keeping with the vibe of the store: modern, feminine with a touch of industrialism. Because I was focusing on knits, I didn't take pics of the pretty tops, earrings, capelets and shrugs they carry. Wouldn't have done them justice, anyway, as I'm not a stylist. But Haunt stocks really lovely items and if you're in the Portland area, I highly recommend stopping in, and if you're not, Laura and her partners also maintain an Etsy shop called <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/hauntstudio?ref=pr_shop">Haunt Studio</a>. Convenient, no?<br />
</div>Another thing that made me happy when I was in Portland was getting the chance to see this dollface:<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One of the early members of the Fort Greene/Clinton Hill Knit and Crochet Group, she moved back west a little over two years ago. She's thriving out there, which is wonderful. Making and selling a lot of art (on Etsy at her store <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/thelittlecanoe">Little Canoe</a>), being outdoorsey, living the good life, which in Portland, includes eating good food. In addition to my favorite pie place, <a href="http://www.randomordercoffee.com/">Random Order Coffeehouse & Bakery</a>, she turned me on to this spot here:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUVJMgMmSgowZqhbCV2quVeEU0VB_uZlOfEmrKWrUOPkG46AU-UL9upYp37kxVvWW0vjkjitF3nEqWg9b2kHZYXEY7y57Le5McmhZopyJHOEwxyS7fdoJ3dJ7cjXeNrr0ak3MhsjaWdvnE/s1600/DSC03104.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUVJMgMmSgowZqhbCV2quVeEU0VB_uZlOfEmrKWrUOPkG46AU-UL9upYp37kxVvWW0vjkjitF3nEqWg9b2kHZYXEY7y57Le5McmhZopyJHOEwxyS7fdoJ3dJ7cjXeNrr0ak3MhsjaWdvnE/s400/DSC03104.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The Potato Champion is one of Portland's many, many amazing food carts. This one is located in a "pod" (cluster of food carts) across from the Burgerville on 12th and Hawthorne. I had a hard time deciding between the Belgian style fries, poutine, chili cheese fries and PB&J fries, but I opted for the exotic sounding poutine. It's a crazy delicious concoction of French Canadian origin that combines french fries, cheese curds and gravy. Yummy peasant food - right up my alley. The poutine was hard to believe delicious, and as I sat in one of the pod's picnic tables enjoying my snack, I felt really happy and lucky, and also a little nostalgic for my childhood in hippie, progressive, green, coffee-drinking, beer brewing, laid-back Portland.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia0DlxFb6cWLDS_aLUEBhNnr7XtUHrjpfHVpJUSIRyHbFCeJqXJIgMDqr-uNKgFVLIbFmQiPIuIAvMaJBYKknyskutsTIp67PoQ2p2VVUCLj8C1MyUc3NY5qgubyJ5uEhFhzlngJ1zKxpw/s1600/DSC09536.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia0DlxFb6cWLDS_aLUEBhNnr7XtUHrjpfHVpJUSIRyHbFCeJqXJIgMDqr-uNKgFVLIbFmQiPIuIAvMaJBYKknyskutsTIp67PoQ2p2VVUCLj8C1MyUc3NY5qgubyJ5uEhFhzlngJ1zKxpw/s400/DSC09536.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Sayschnicklefritzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06909516347700480826noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7576113639920406524.post-80044456695245908502011-02-15T08:00:00.001-05:002011-02-15T08:00:20.031-05:00Wrap it up!I'm not one to get super hepped up about New Year's resolutions. They often represent what we wish we were or could do in an ideal world rather than what we should do, or what's good or right for us. And failure to achieve them (which starts to set in right about this time every year) is depressing. <em>But,</em> I do love making lists and plans and setting goals and cleaning things out and wrapping things up, whether it's my closet, my wallet, the kitchen sink or, OR my UFO pile. <br />
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I'd had a few projects hanging about the apartment for several months now and they'd been getting me down. Looking at them was making me feel like a greedy, impulsive flake who lacked follow-through, so I decided that before I started a bunch of shiny new projects, I needed to finish a few things, set them free and give them the life they deserve. My <a href="http://sayschnicklefritz.blogspot.com/2011/01/sock-it-to-me.html">Random Order</a> socks were the first and easiest to finish up, and they gave me the momentum I needed to tackle this bad boy. <br />
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</div><div align="center">Details:</div><div align="center">Pattern: Log Cabin Square, by Sarah Bradberry</div><div align="center">Yarn: Cascade 220 Superwash</div><div align="center">Needles: US 7/4.5mm</div><div align="center">Started: February 22, 2010</div><div align="center">Finish: February 11, 2011</div><br />
Around Christmas of 2009, my friend Adrienne had asked if she and her boyfriend could commission a blanket from me. They'd seen some neat ones while travelling in France earlier in the year, but really liked the idea of having something made by a friend. Producing a commissioned work is not something I'm completely prepared to do, yet. My skills need improvement, and I am prone to see a mistake and say "I can live with that." Not quite the right attitude for work for hire.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKTscnLjX_IvBbM1hklkCRlP3Oku3QXyvDKD-Cyfbr1x-5m6u83v2mQJnFpdRXemPd0EahNZg9YFKv9kE-szA5D1ooBLrWfotgt60UPwx_R4swa7io8TzMi6mJwvrZL8wSOGf1XbdhL1OP/s1600/DSC03273.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKTscnLjX_IvBbM1hklkCRlP3Oku3QXyvDKD-Cyfbr1x-5m6u83v2mQJnFpdRXemPd0EahNZg9YFKv9kE-szA5D1ooBLrWfotgt60UPwx_R4swa7io8TzMi6mJwvrZL8wSOGf1XbdhL1OP/s400/DSC03273.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
At the same time, I was really excited about the idea of making something for the two of them, and so I suggested that if they bought the yarn, I would be happy to do the work. She was down with this idea, and so began our collaboration. <br />
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We started by exchanging emails with lots of photos of knit and crocheted blankets and afghans. I'd skulk around flickr, mostly, for ideas. I have to admit that I was kind of hoping she'd pick a crocheted pattern, because it would be faster work, but was also quite willing to make a knit blanket, so when she picked a log cabin pattern, I wasn't disappointed.<br />
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The next step was selecting yarn. I knew she would want wool rather than acrylic, so I decided we had to go superwash (they have a toddler and practicality is key); also Adrienne hates the chemical effects of dry cleaning. I promoted Cascase 220 Superwash pretty heavily, because it's the superwash I've used the most, is widely available and affordable. Adrienne and Clayton both have very specific design aesthetics, so I left the color selection up to them. She then sent me an architect-style rendering of the blanket, which was invaluable to me in working on this. Some people are too loosey goosey with descriptions, and I'm a word person, so that can make me <em>crazy</em>. Adrienne's an architect and is quite adept at creating visual representations of ideas. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Once I knew the colors to buy, I ordered the yarn from a couple of different online stores to maximize volume discounts and free shipping. I think the total was something around $119 or so. And then, last February, I started knitting. I'd forewarned Adrienne that this may take me the better part of a year, and darned if it didn't do just that.<br />
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Despite swatching and wet blocking a square in advance, when I wet blocked the actual squares, they grew more than I'd planned. The blanked was supposed to be 4' x 6' and it's probably closer to 5' x 7'. When I finished piecing it together in January, I realized how completely unfinshed it look. "Shit!" I thought. "All this work for something that looks like an oversized dishrag." Then Sarah from my knitting group suggested I make an applied i-cord border (she is i-cord obsessed, but I can make fun of her no longer). Perfect! It totally saved the project.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0jlW2_rkReFjEeXrawVgEi8qYfr8MaaKFYF4d91ikyA8ec_D5sFcRrMAyIbk-9NMymbSGdygr9Dk3gu_GYU11UEkkZDBTmyn1z6TgzQJrrFeu5APPJ9mr0rqU26eOh4ncZWh2zcrTkcrG/s1600/DSC03279.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0jlW2_rkReFjEeXrawVgEi8qYfr8MaaKFYF4d91ikyA8ec_D5sFcRrMAyIbk-9NMymbSGdygr9Dk3gu_GYU11UEkkZDBTmyn1z6TgzQJrrFeu5APPJ9mr0rqU26eOh4ncZWh2zcrTkcrG/s400/DSC03279.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There are 24 squares in total, but I didn't have any way to photograph them all at once. I'll be mailing this off to Seattle later this week with a twinge of sadness. Why? Because it's so groovy, I kind of want it for myself. At least I know it's going to a good and loving home.</div>Sayschnicklefritzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06909516347700480826noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7576113639920406524.post-41319890154538395972011-02-13T18:06:00.000-05:002011-02-13T18:06:26.044-05:00Ups and downs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div> This past month has been a hard one with a lot of downs. The downs don't always go away, but focusing on them too much is bad for one's heart, so I try to focus on the ups, of which there are many, for example<br />
Time spent with little cousins<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Journey songs </div><br />
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Karaoke night & Korean food with the Fort Greene/Clinton Hill Knitters & Crocheters <br />
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A pretty hand-dyed (with beets!) skein of yarn from the yarn swap (Brava, Kim!)<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A groovy present I received in our gift exchange (well done, Shameka!)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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And a chocolate ice cream sundae with warm caramel sauce from <a href="http://brooklynfarmacy.blogspot.com/p/our-menu.html">Brooklyn Farmacy</a>. That place is awesome! I highly recommend a visit if you find yourself in the Carroll Gardens area.<br />
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Reflecting on these lovely people and things makes me feel a bit cheerier.<br />
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Next time, I'll share some knitting news.Sayschnicklefritzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06909516347700480826noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7576113639920406524.post-46046309380035018942011-01-17T11:11:00.000-05:002011-01-17T11:11:35.032-05:00Today <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge4TEDGpceFCbZNN8Jzj32xin3mJnidZnys8DrIEntJXc4-oaERaynT4KqVk16-pJ8nthIELkN0QvTutjbDQuD39A3C22BkHtRgIgfPRFLbus_VQ_qy2fFr4I3XzKEvuTJv1p6iKovw4uA/s1600/DSC03022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge4TEDGpceFCbZNN8Jzj32xin3mJnidZnys8DrIEntJXc4-oaERaynT4KqVk16-pJ8nthIELkN0QvTutjbDQuD39A3C22BkHtRgIgfPRFLbus_VQ_qy2fFr4I3XzKEvuTJv1p6iKovw4uA/s400/DSC03022.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Cold hands</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCwT4qTJ96c0dyCGOBF9aYjERg5ETFt7n3wNlmZd_1ulPtcmoYOerxzOWzfiGHyM1oEAHuMI9OIfs43B2OtuEpb0hRNWWQ7sgS1InNZVg_HaP8tBGPAFvhiC5dSnFqMmsfiB6hA64ZK_uA/s1600/DSC03023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCwT4qTJ96c0dyCGOBF9aYjERg5ETFt7n3wNlmZd_1ulPtcmoYOerxzOWzfiGHyM1oEAHuMI9OIfs43B2OtuEpb0hRNWWQ7sgS1InNZVg_HaP8tBGPAFvhiC5dSnFqMmsfiB6hA64ZK_uA/s400/DSC03023.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Bright sky</div><br />
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<div align="center">Runny nose</div><div align="center"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRSuyEGA2fnX-_on7x972fbryHuW7Yyx24IBh-lZzhFlS87cov-E0DmVqUa3vscEQUwysnEAiDPCwG3UEx3s2BG5lzaJgPciqHZq6WFKKPBGvuck1PHkdTAwN0s6EYeOp4HN5CizNhfm-h/s1600/DSC03037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRSuyEGA2fnX-_on7x972fbryHuW7Yyx24IBh-lZzhFlS87cov-E0DmVqUa3vscEQUwysnEAiDPCwG3UEx3s2BG5lzaJgPciqHZq6WFKKPBGvuck1PHkdTAwN0s6EYeOp4HN5CizNhfm-h/s400/DSC03037.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Sweaty face</div><br />
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<div align="center">Big smile</div><div align="center"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx8EOBALuJxDoswJ-Cvo8HjodpcNBovbVPrTFoyf1KqFBVi-mG4iN0Uc_P2R-UIlDY6USqwfm2gzd4fOKhNrBTqgdJZuY6es2Ym8dxPxMVLsPbh3ATMxefUlHWWq9DPLIWFrHtYokaZ2Rd/s1600/DSC03043.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx8EOBALuJxDoswJ-Cvo8HjodpcNBovbVPrTFoyf1KqFBVi-mG4iN0Uc_P2R-UIlDY6USqwfm2gzd4fOKhNrBTqgdJZuY6es2Ym8dxPxMVLsPbh3ATMxefUlHWWq9DPLIWFrHtYokaZ2Rd/s400/DSC03043.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div align="center">Sturdy legs</div><div align="center"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPrhQ294m71Kj9VVwzCyAmg64tV1HLLy-fsspnIbyVZvyJY90MGTwLfSBaz3lSl0-Vuidmgg47PJlYgVp4heo0J00T0B9OFpeg84nqwvn-W5krF-pFKXRYHom2fP-i9Mq0hFI7-T6ubHNI/s1600/DSC03045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPrhQ294m71Kj9VVwzCyAmg64tV1HLLy-fsspnIbyVZvyJY90MGTwLfSBaz3lSl0-Vuidmgg47PJlYgVp4heo0J00T0B9OFpeg84nqwvn-W5krF-pFKXRYHom2fP-i9Mq0hFI7-T6ubHNI/s400/DSC03045.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;">I love a winter morning run. </div>Sayschnicklefritzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06909516347700480826noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7576113639920406524.post-38505782164921164192011-01-12T22:05:00.004-05:002011-01-12T22:08:23.365-05:00There are worse things I could do (worse)I like to knit and I like to talk about knitting, but I don't really enjoy taking pictures of knitting. I like taking pictures of friends, capturing special moments, but I'm not a gifted photographer and it comes across in my photos. And that's OK! I bake better cakes and cookies and brownies than most people I know; I can spot a burgeoning romance a block away; I'm pretty good with languages and I get along really well with uncles and in-laws. I'm not looking for sympathy; I'm just stating a fact. A fact that is clear when you see these:<br />
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I did not take these. Jim, the recipient of these tweedy socks, did. I gave them to him before I had a chance to photograph them so I told him he'd need to take some snaps for me so I'd have documentation of the finished product (he's a professional, you see). Man, did he pull through. <br />
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<div align="center">Details:</div><div align="center">Pattern: My own</div><div align="center">Yarn: Rowan Rowanfleck DK Tweed</div><div align="center">Needles: 3.5mm & 3.75mm</div><div align="center">Started: January 4</div><div align="center">Finished: January 8</div><div align="center"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3bXMLUAE3Cs1q_pIR4u1nxOGhZQ7o6FfrEXzEwXd9njHyRKa_zv1J1V0DH70Hn6AAoS8XMQZwl7aaDTo49Ahw0hpYSDOsKHEFH0UGVpW_Utd19pph6aKmbie2k_qcRvbEVUCvIkDk2-LV/s1600/sox5413.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3bXMLUAE3Cs1q_pIR4u1nxOGhZQ7o6FfrEXzEwXd9njHyRKa_zv1J1V0DH70Hn6AAoS8XMQZwl7aaDTo49Ahw0hpYSDOsKHEFH0UGVpW_Utd19pph6aKmbie2k_qcRvbEVUCvIkDk2-LV/s400/sox5413.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Jim is a dear friend with excellent and specific taste. His style is a little retro, a little modern and a little Scandinavian (perhaps I should have started with Scandinavian and just have been done with it). He is one of my most adored friends, and I wanted to give him something special for Christmas, but I knew the gift would need to be both useful and tasteful. Jim is one of those people who is always pairing down, so extras hold little appeal for him. It wasn't until after the 25th (but before the Epiphany, so still in the Christmas season) that I knew what I would give him: a hand knitted pair of house socks. What I call house socks are socks that are heavier and denser than usual and warm enough to function as slippers, without the bulky sole. Perfect for someone who likes to open a window for fresh air, or spend weekends at an underheated Pennsylvania cabin.<br />
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I couldn't find a sock pattern that was quite what I was looking for, so I improvised this one after consulting a couple of toe-up sock patterns I'd followed before (for fingering and worsted weight yarns). I really like to-up construction; I especially like the Magic 8 cast on. It really is like magic because suddenly you have a toe without seams! Anyway, I started these knowing only that Jim wears a 9 1/2 or 10 shoe. Fortunately I have man-sized feet, so I was able to try these on as I knit them to see if they would fit. <br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">They do! And he loves them. What's better than that?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So, in closing, I'd say that there are worse things that I could be worse at than photography. Right, Rizz?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><object height="340" width="560"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/RGUfn930F0Y?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/RGUfn930F0Y?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object>Sayschnicklefritzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06909516347700480826noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7576113639920406524.post-69326731540246638122011-01-09T12:00:00.002-05:002011-01-09T12:00:05.462-05:00Sock it to me!One of my first FOs of 2011 is a pair of socks I started in October 2010. These were done as part of a one clue released each week knit-a-long, and I was going gangbusters for the first three weeks, until test knitting and holiday knitting intervened. I was kind of relieved to set them aside, though; I'm not sure why. They weren't particularly difficult.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Details:</div><div style="text-align: center;">Pattern: TTL Mystery Sock 2010, by Kristen Kapur</div><div style="text-align: center;">Yarn: Hazel Knits Artisan Sock</div><div style="text-align: center;">Needles: US 1/2.25mm</div><div style="text-align: center;">Started: October 9, 2010</div><div style="text-align: center;">Finished: January 3, 2011</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
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I modified the pattern a bit. The "tiny trowels" pattern on the ankle was getting to be a bit much for me, and so I decided to work in rib stitch along the foot instead, which was both faster and easier. It also made them less fussy, and as I've said before, I'm not a fan of fussy knits. <br />
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This yarn I love. I bought it when I was visiting my dad in Portland last fall. I didn't spend time with any knitters while I was there, but I do have a very indulgent friend who very kindly took me to a couple of yarn stores I'd investigated. I picked up this skein at <a href="http://twistedpdx.com/">Twisted</a>, which had a sizable collection or yarns dyed by small, independent dyers. I'd never seen anything by Hazel Knits before and I loved this color, so it seemed like a good choice. It was.<br />
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I hadn't been back to Portland for years, and it's changed a lot. In addition to drinking delicious coffee and eating delicious pie, I saw a tiny museum<br />
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saw some crazy yard statuary<br />
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saw some hippies (natch)<br />
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hung out with a super cute niblette<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEKNKWlPLJj6wJxWLJbGBQxLfFpbcf426g-PhuiTAa41EyKfqw0asWIR3PhBmEtdJz9mUbh0sGnTPJfYv5QYdy_Ev4-KcgGh_tv6mdIsylV9twvtLY76iMEitvKs7Ev3bcyzqQSpxr-Bhv/s1600/DSC09511.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEKNKWlPLJj6wJxWLJbGBQxLfFpbcf426g-PhuiTAa41EyKfqw0asWIR3PhBmEtdJz9mUbh0sGnTPJfYv5QYdy_Ev4-KcgGh_tv6mdIsylV9twvtLY76iMEitvKs7Ev3bcyzqQSpxr-Bhv/s400/DSC09511.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
and walked the city with my dad.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlXPMwTnEPN97hN1Bb8uFweLkETB5FoagJXvVhMjomPF2TMiHFjAosCBNW9jBrbtM3WuzVwhAbBsn07C2RDVl8DlM_OnodGvGkh5IKlxb2TcQ7SYO_Zkqw20gzWbc8OMtF5VvCuZrJIfxD/s1600/DSC09532.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlXPMwTnEPN97hN1Bb8uFweLkETB5FoagJXvVhMjomPF2TMiHFjAosCBNW9jBrbtM3WuzVwhAbBsn07C2RDVl8DlM_OnodGvGkh5IKlxb2TcQ7SYO_Zkqw20gzWbc8OMtF5VvCuZrJIfxD/s400/DSC09532.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>It was a great trip. Sayschnicklefritzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06909516347700480826noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7576113639920406524.post-3843564587537926712011-01-07T12:48:00.000-05:002011-01-07T12:48:40.664-05:00From Minnesota with loveFor my birthday last year I received a super special gift from a friend and fellow knitter who lives in Minnesota: a skein of handspun. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrUogC1zQkzbdFMceupLa-4OsksyLlqlDimOqvo9s-hK4FmgtwY9fBokpoAKNCoE7602gm24FCnVMZhZEyQqq8j3NXPSmRP3GFDQKB1vyfTGNWKxxg6BRsA9ZheYiVJC6wm9mPCVESM-Gm/s1600/yarn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="310" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrUogC1zQkzbdFMceupLa-4OsksyLlqlDimOqvo9s-hK4FmgtwY9fBokpoAKNCoE7602gm24FCnVMZhZEyQqq8j3NXPSmRP3GFDQKB1vyfTGNWKxxg6BRsA9ZheYiVJC6wm9mPCVESM-Gm/s400/yarn.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
The yarn itself was really exciting, but layered on top of the gift was a coincidence that made it really exciting for me. Almost two years earlier, I had commented on flickr about a beautiful baby blanket that I saw in a friend's photo. He told me it was made by a super cool knitter/spinner he knows in Minneapolis. End of story? Not quite. Turns out, Stephanie special ordered this yarn for me from the very same spinner: Nuttnbunny. There's nothing quite like the feeling of getting a truly spot-on present.<br />
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I considered making mittens or a hat with the skein, but in the end decided to use it for something that would be treated a bit more gently: a sweater. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOV8gJsMmKAc8w4KCIlfjbKppSKWiNMHgiv22VKmme1_j3SYqcQsqrRJCEPDZDvR4b9IN5ZyN9edJZmU7_fr1wW6PTzWhN74zpbIobJ-Jnciet9bCLooWtBQnxlHgoN4AyHByGA__fpNbs/s1600/DSC09959.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOV8gJsMmKAc8w4KCIlfjbKppSKWiNMHgiv22VKmme1_j3SYqcQsqrRJCEPDZDvR4b9IN5ZyN9edJZmU7_fr1wW6PTzWhN74zpbIobJ-Jnciet9bCLooWtBQnxlHgoN4AyHByGA__fpNbs/s400/DSC09959.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I was snowbound when I shot this; perhaps that accounts for my sour countenance.</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <div style="text-align: center;">Details:</div><div style="text-align: center;">Pattern: #22 Garter Yoke Cardigan, by Melissa LeBarre</div><div style="text-align: center;">Yarn: Zealana Eco Cashmere Merino Blend (body), Nuttnbunny</div><div style="text-align: center;">Needles: 4.5mm</div><div style="text-align: center;">Start: September 5</div><div style="text-align: center;">Finish: September 20</div><br />
I had been wanting to make this sweater since I saw it in Knit 1 magazine two years ago, a feeling that was underscored when I met the designer, Melissa, during our <a href="http://sayschnicklefritz.blogspot.com/search/label/road%20trip">roadtrip to Webs</a>. Quite a few knitters have knit with the colorblock modification and my calculations told me that I would have enough of the handspun to make it work. My initial instinct was to work the body using a grey yarn, but (a) I have almost as many grey sweaters as I do horizontally striped shirts and (b) I thought the grey might accent the purple and pinks of the handspun in a rather 6th grade way. There's quite a bit of brown in the yarn, so I decided to go that route instead.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Very glad that I did. The yarn was a bit of a leap of faith for me, as I ordered it online, but it matches exceedingly well. The cheap wood buttons make me quite happy, too. I am less happy, however, with my button sewing abilities. I sewed the buttons too close to the buttonband's outer edge, not realizing that this would result in noticeable gapping in the region of my bosoms. Easily enough fixed, but let's be realistic: I finished the sweater in September and only got around to sewing on the buttons on December 27th. This is how she's going to stay for the foreseeable future. And that's OK by me.</div>Sayschnicklefritzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06909516347700480826noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7576113639920406524.post-64677372944332141422010-12-27T21:37:00.001-05:002010-12-30T11:30:21.230-05:00Pik-a-MixFor me, the holiday season is spent alternating between two modes: revelry and crafting lock-down. I enjoy them both, but I must admit that I'll be relieved when January rolls around and I can operate on a less frenetic pace. The revelry is fun and offers a distraction from the cares and burdens of normal life, but the crafting provides me time to think, plan, mull and relax. I relaxed so much this year that I couldn't seem to get off one project type: hats. It's almost become an addiction, but one that's that's healthier than wine or bourbon or easy men. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimCho5XY7QrQa24xou-Eo_hXU31JpRStiG9a4767Sl3eHL9A4qjl5AWgy9_tAc-rwP8xrxq61d3EPp85dWdUzRyj2KHIlauO-UCTH9gsXHLTqtVF_9ZJ585XQ3LGJu5Ujf-dkbajiDEz2z/s1600/DSC09889.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimCho5XY7QrQa24xou-Eo_hXU31JpRStiG9a4767Sl3eHL9A4qjl5AWgy9_tAc-rwP8xrxq61d3EPp85dWdUzRyj2KHIlauO-UCTH9gsXHLTqtVF_9ZJ585XQ3LGJu5Ujf-dkbajiDEz2z/s400/DSC09889.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Some of these hats were were made with particular loved ones in mind, but others came about only because I wanted to experiment with specific yarns or techniques.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmN-R7ogUFE984METdOwDyLLrVOOZQXHwjfrzwTkiaH10k7SjMh56X3HifBwodjgvNYdtALePt_-Sd15nWpbS0S-ieo0-pn5df_2EH-16bSXSJlaemEG6an6KRCgp44ZNVsjoe1lHldMbl/s1600/DSC09867.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmN-R7ogUFE984METdOwDyLLrVOOZQXHwjfrzwTkiaH10k7SjMh56X3HifBwodjgvNYdtALePt_-Sd15nWpbS0S-ieo0-pn5df_2EH-16bSXSJlaemEG6an6KRCgp44ZNVsjoe1lHldMbl/s400/DSC09867.JPG" width="368" /></a></div><br />
<div align="center">Pattern: My Own</div><div align="center">Yarn: Frog Tree Alpaca Chunky</div><div align="center">Needles: 5.0mm/6.5mm</div><div align="center">Started: December 23</div><div align="center">Finished: December 24</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="left">What I've learned about alpaca is that it makes terrible pullovers (because it's super warm and gets itchy) and its really drapey, both qualities that I thought would make it suitable for a slouchy winter hat. I really liked Kim Hargreaves <a href="http://www.kimhargreaves.co.uk/acatalog/KAT.html">Kat</a> hat, but I wasn't in the mood to spend $26 on a pattern book, so I improvised this hat with the help of a stitch dictionary. I used somewhere in the neighborhood of 120-130 yards of the Frog Tree Alpaca. Love it! Loved it so much that as soon as i finished, I whipped up another.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKTOGk-TK1KZLA3HP9nr8QYUVposAay81D1KSTLE_mvzCXgO5G8iVyHglAWMHg138K6QGpbL4fQp5WjMyRLYSukGOjDEqKUnqvytENxMtGqCxOSKeZoQZ86a8_UufRpa2-g1s_sQxB193K/s1600/DSC09856.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKTOGk-TK1KZLA3HP9nr8QYUVposAay81D1KSTLE_mvzCXgO5G8iVyHglAWMHg138K6QGpbL4fQp5WjMyRLYSukGOjDEqKUnqvytENxMtGqCxOSKeZoQZ86a8_UufRpa2-g1s_sQxB193K/s400/DSC09856.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div align="center">Pattern: My Own</div><div align="center">Yarn: Rowan Rowanflek DK Tweed (held doubled)</div><div align="center">Needles: 5.5mm/9.0mm</div><div align="center">Started: December 24</div><div align="center">Finished: December 25</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">While I'm happy with this project overall, I'm not great fan of the yarn. It's a wool cotton blend, but it's oddly stiff and unyielding. I had to use large needles to prevent knitting a super stiff, icky fabric that would result in more of a helmet than a hat. It's hard to tell from the picture, but the yarn is tweedily flecked. I wanted to make a black because so many of us have black winter coats and colorful scarves, it's sometimes helpful to have one accessory that can fade in to the background a bit.</div><br />
Both the yarn and pattern for this next project were selected specifically for it's recipient. David married one of my besties, Lauren, last summer. He's a fun and handsome man who hails from Portsmouth, England who, more than almost anyone else I know, is always super psyched to get a handmade gift from me, be it a cake, mix CD or knitwear. Since the UK is known for being damp and chilly, a hat was in order, and given this location, tweed seemed quite appropriate as well. Cables don't seem like his style, so <span style="background-color: yellow;">I </span>decided to go with a simple ribbed hat. <br />
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<div align="center">Pattern: Marsan Watchcap, by Staceyjoy Elkin</div><div align="center">Yarn: Debbie Bliss Donegal Luxury Tweed Aran</div><div align="center">Needles: 4.5mm</div><div align="center">Started: December 12</div><div align="center">Finished: December 15</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="left">I modified the pattern so that I worked in a k1tbl, p1 rib, which results in awesome stitch def. What makes this so neat, to me, is that when you've completed the brim, slip, turn, flip inside out move that results in your knitting in the opposite direction. This means that when the brim is flipped up, the visible rib is the same, not the reverse, of the rib on the body of the hat. Genius!</div>This next project started as something else entirely, and was, in fact, a completed project. The first iteration was a slouchy beret that had no slouch. It was awkward, at best, so I ripped it out and started on a pattern I've been wanting to make for a a few weeks now.<br />
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<div align="center"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXpqar1MRavAjdrHMiGoKcwCxBmhegsSCg3iFnht9NHgxXRP-6sjhe2jWZrgUuJ7d5Et2KVQYzeg_wJvOR-SfBfS-P8xqSoLeEol9rvOdyqLxRn48WxT2GLbubxpLIwRbcZwA08p8-FqB4/s1600/DSC09900.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXpqar1MRavAjdrHMiGoKcwCxBmhegsSCg3iFnht9NHgxXRP-6sjhe2jWZrgUuJ7d5Et2KVQYzeg_wJvOR-SfBfS-P8xqSoLeEol9rvOdyqLxRn48WxT2GLbubxpLIwRbcZwA08p8-FqB4/s400/DSC09900.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
<div align="center">Pattern:</div><div align="center">Last Minute Slouch by Madelinetosh</div><div align="center">Yarn: Manos del Uruguay Silky Blend (held doubled)</div><div align="center">Needles: 5.5mm, 6.0mm</div><div align="center">Started: December 25</div><div align="center">Finished: December 26</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="left">Not so slouchy, but I have a big head. None of the photos that I took capture the depth and shine of this yarn. If you've seen it, you know what I mean. This hat is the polar opposite of the slouchy black beret, and by that I mean it demands a neutral scarf and black coat. Bright and shiny, this one would be good to wear to a parade (easy to spot).</div><div align="center"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRHESgTQsOlSUwHkTDET0lMvcUy05ECYFdCHGMuHYYCEyBQzMZhAfuCl3SxZm5n9wcWTWAmFQFNIecUBcHFe46mA7kK-_ea7CdYJ3b12vi8kM2V_FssGABemvPXcTyceI6IhgMUX6mPQch/s1600/DSC09832.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRHESgTQsOlSUwHkTDET0lMvcUy05ECYFdCHGMuHYYCEyBQzMZhAfuCl3SxZm5n9wcWTWAmFQFNIecUBcHFe46mA7kK-_ea7CdYJ3b12vi8kM2V_FssGABemvPXcTyceI6IhgMUX6mPQch/s400/DSC09832.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Pattern: Scarab, by Jane Richmond</div><div style="text-align: center;">Yarn: Jade Sapphire Mongolian Cashmere 6-ply</div><div style="text-align: center;">Needles: I'm guessing 4.5 & 5.5</div><div style="text-align: center;">Started: December 8</div><div style="text-align: center;">Finished: December 11</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I'm petering out here, so these last two will be brief. This yarn is amazing. I want pillows made out of it. I want a hat out of it. I want a bra made out of it. This pattern utilizes a folded brim (attached to the body via picked up stitches) for extra warmth around the ears, and extra luxe in general. Faux cabling every 4th row meant an easy and satisfying knit. The yarn was a bit of a splash out, but the recipient, Megan, has been a friend since 1985, so she's earned it.<br />
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This last one was the first of the holiday batch that i made. Easy pattern that results in a well textured hat with a pattern that's noticeable yet subtle. I really like the soft effect of cabling without the use of purl stitches. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbuWH8XrxE4SMrfSQL1u7MrlBI6dG-31HKunNrJVZsGMsy-SaRt0ChYh43w_gZyaD70R2bKJTOwVIoFYCKswmXxzqzau2F5fZNYtrzQP6KadAEWOtuv5pX2AwaTA4YLzhny4-StVGlPFzF/s1600/DSC09839.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbuWH8XrxE4SMrfSQL1u7MrlBI6dG-31HKunNrJVZsGMsy-SaRt0ChYh43w_gZyaD70R2bKJTOwVIoFYCKswmXxzqzau2F5fZNYtrzQP6KadAEWOtuv5pX2AwaTA4YLzhny4-StVGlPFzF/s320/DSC09839.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div align="center">Pattern: Isotope Cable Hat by Tonya Wagner</div><div align="center">Yarn: Rowan Lima</div><div align="center">Needles: didn't make note, but I'm guessing 5.0mm</div><div align="center">Started: November 13</div><div align="center">Finished: November 15</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="left">This really isn't a Christmas gift. I was a bit lax with one of my birthday presents last year, so this will be going to Lauren, wife of David of the green tweed hat as part of a belated anniversary of your birth gift. Lauren's lovely with long dark hair, and I'm thinking she'll look a little like Ali Macgraw back in the 70's.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrMag0aoRIFXICyop-hlLDCgZCjn5LFUebaqa7i1OJc27k1s-h09uwr5Qh02indnXjHLVBd42ItY-VcBVFb1JOC1nhCUQoVwKKAu0h-8cm4Q7sEmDM6okKCItIEtWCpiifdiaL-ixI70E/s1600/actress+playlist+love+story.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrMag0aoRIFXICyop-hlLDCgZCjn5LFUebaqa7i1OJc27k1s-h09uwr5Qh02indnXjHLVBd42ItY-VcBVFb1JOC1nhCUQoVwKKAu0h-8cm4Q7sEmDM6okKCItIEtWCpiifdiaL-ixI70E/s1600/actress+playlist+love+story.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Cute, right? Steve McQueen knew how to pick 'em.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>I'm beat now. Need a wee drink and then to bed. Happy New Year!</div>Sayschnicklefritzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06909516347700480826noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7576113639920406524.post-54106595162944608122010-12-24T20:24:00.000-05:002010-12-24T20:24:19.813-05:00Merry Christmas to all y'all!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9ZsMbawsl_p_l9aSLmR5GpWz-3y6q2ucmlMA-fqyFelZ7W12O5Z9zsrU_YeNbCtZfoB7wUB1FU0xpQ9uzPQNxb8nP7ToD6poVDFDwMtK3AVA59XafVJtspbql26K-tx0SBW2y8AuQsUjs/s1600/DSC06789.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9ZsMbawsl_p_l9aSLmR5GpWz-3y6q2ucmlMA-fqyFelZ7W12O5Z9zsrU_YeNbCtZfoB7wUB1FU0xpQ9uzPQNxb8nP7ToD6poVDFDwMtK3AVA59XafVJtspbql26K-tx0SBW2y8AuQsUjs/s640/DSC06789.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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Wishing you all life's blessings in 2011!Sayschnicklefritzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06909516347700480826noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7576113639920406524.post-19686312486729696552010-12-13T22:20:00.000-05:002010-12-13T22:20:27.562-05:00Little QueenThere are a lot of chic people in New York City, and fall and winter are the chic seasons. Spring is flirty and summer is sexy, but fall and winter are when style takes center stage. Sweaters and tights and corduroy and boots and coats and scarves: there are a lot of elements, including textures and colors, to consider when dressing oneself for cold weather. It's easy to look clownish, which I sometimes do.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4bULOnzPTnp41CIvtKc4uYX3Bjq1Gn-ieM4HWJSQLUjtdOY4lekHvuiccYQ3XV5F0vwROFdmXLhJ5HKpU8mDAaTidEG_K8dX0kFCWVpXox3bb0LEYbBEVco2ipUKl_dfpkDgtbTofNrm5/s1600/DSC09822.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4bULOnzPTnp41CIvtKc4uYX3Bjq1Gn-ieM4HWJSQLUjtdOY4lekHvuiccYQ3XV5F0vwROFdmXLhJ5HKpU8mDAaTidEG_K8dX0kFCWVpXox3bb0LEYbBEVco2ipUKl_dfpkDgtbTofNrm5/s400/DSC09822.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Lately I've been finding myself enraged when I see impossibly chic women with gigantic scarves and cowls wrapped round their necks. I want! I want! I want! And sometimes, the best gift to give is one that you would like to receive (assuming, of course, that the recipient would enjoy it as well).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJyi5Er1nOBcbTSuwfUuitNYojUJZc11r_oOC8ezLz7B5rN28MIjufeQ_gHcWf5-P__5jEbPmJTpOnEKJRQLR8l-sVGSsGXFVDr_saOdYbvjhyphenhyphen0jFlel4ClRT_YCiaQ8XW_uGVxh2yspCM/s1600/DSC09823.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJyi5Er1nOBcbTSuwfUuitNYojUJZc11r_oOC8ezLz7B5rN28MIjufeQ_gHcWf5-P__5jEbPmJTpOnEKJRQLR8l-sVGSsGXFVDr_saOdYbvjhyphenhyphen0jFlel4ClRT_YCiaQ8XW_uGVxh2yspCM/s400/DSC09823.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Details:</div><div style="text-align: center;">Pattern: Snickerdoodle, by Lindsay Ingram</div><div style="text-align: center;">Yarn: Quince & Co. Puffin</div><div style="text-align: center;">Needles: US 15/10mm</div><div style="text-align: center;">Started: November 22</div><div style="text-align: center;">Finished: November 28</div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQxxaEBMC9TuSMD2uSrwrhHTRA05agkhheIG8UoRlPwTXMAipWmbUR0x8skwdx_P50O6kPgWLIHItCm3wwv85CtV-xDuf6U9eMq4rFcQFfeAJ8vXNCmSuTUYJhtESre6kuSBP5g4XqVzLu/s1600/DSC09824.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQxxaEBMC9TuSMD2uSrwrhHTRA05agkhheIG8UoRlPwTXMAipWmbUR0x8skwdx_P50O6kPgWLIHItCm3wwv85CtV-xDuf6U9eMq4rFcQFfeAJ8vXNCmSuTUYJhtESre6kuSBP5g4XqVzLu/s400/DSC09824.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
When I saw this pattern, I freaked out a little bit because it was EXACTLY what I'd been wanting, and I also knew it would be perfect for my friend Amy. Initially I planned to use the yarn called for by the pattern (Rowan Cocoon) but in the end I decided to use Quince and Co.'s Puffin, a bulky yarn that comes in a beautiful variety of colors. Peacock is the one I selected.<br />
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Working on this was a little tricky, as the recipient is my roommate; I couldn't exactly knit it up while we were sitting on the couch watching 30 Rock. Fortunately, some friends asked me to house and dog sit while they were away over thanksgiving, so I decamped to their home and knit this linen-like stitch demonically for four days. I was both sneaky and productive.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLavamYKO2P1kE3o77jdc5LFVUQJJztpSQuvJwpT-W8ffAIxeQDdtAU67SnYdGhqj7nnDye9Viy4ni4Npd3e87oniJcVUB0I0TdGqzCDGspbqxPiobl0S9QZxGqol4t4J_rqOIp-KD9RBc/s1600/DSC09825.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="315" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLavamYKO2P1kE3o77jdc5LFVUQJJztpSQuvJwpT-W8ffAIxeQDdtAU67SnYdGhqj7nnDye9Viy4ni4Npd3e87oniJcVUB0I0TdGqzCDGspbqxPiobl0S9QZxGqol4t4J_rqOIp-KD9RBc/s400/DSC09825.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I was worried about blocking it, but she Amy was called out of town for work and I seized upon the opportunity to wetblock (I always wetblock) the 56" long cowl and dry it on the floor under a fan. The stitch opened up a bit with blocking, but it didn't grow a tremendous amount, which was a relief, as it was sizable to begin with. The yarn did soften a bit, though, which was nice. It's soft and flexible, yet has good body. There's definitely going to be more Quince & Co. in my future. Amy's going to Minnesota tomorrow for the Christmas holiday, and since it's been blizzarding out there (I'm not joking; their football stadium collapsed under the weight of the snow), this should prove quite useful.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj64PwUGR6hrdppI4FfM3PA02felYMucQNH3-9LLUlZgpQLHT1COKWgTAKMXDWyxprEYM-ZNchK8dgvImdQ_L-jsYNnVDWGUEMOZ_P1ZnKq11PZDMoaOuXv0ZHBZ-tJvp2xytKs4bG8njEo/s1600/DSC09827.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj64PwUGR6hrdppI4FfM3PA02felYMucQNH3-9LLUlZgpQLHT1COKWgTAKMXDWyxprEYM-ZNchK8dgvImdQ_L-jsYNnVDWGUEMOZ_P1ZnKq11PZDMoaOuXv0ZHBZ-tJvp2xytKs4bG8njEo/s400/DSC09827.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A few of my knitting pals and I got together on Sunday to say "Bye for now" to one of our ranks who is heading to India for two months. It was a lovely afternoon and I took advantage of the daylight to snap these photos. I was excited to see the cowl (dubbed Little Queen", another homage to Heart) on women of different heights, sizes and coloring.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY_4_pmbsljVOjUDn2KzlPWxok69ODqC4EfNxyKR4H9lw2SnuwrBuEYnAq9b1woXNAq_bhGGxSInaNTNPCfPGDMYYI1p3RE6cwmHc8orCRAnRkKug4ASV5ftJ-MkrMihK7FAy5YTmxw24b/s1600/DSC09829.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="337" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY_4_pmbsljVOjUDn2KzlPWxok69ODqC4EfNxyKR4H9lw2SnuwrBuEYnAq9b1woXNAq_bhGGxSInaNTNPCfPGDMYYI1p3RE6cwmHc8orCRAnRkKug4ASV5ftJ-MkrMihK7FAy5YTmxw24b/s400/DSC09829.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Thank you to all of my sporting models. And good luck with your holiday knitting!Sayschnicklefritzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06909516347700480826noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7576113639920406524.post-32598969638033245632010-12-06T14:43:00.002-05:002010-12-06T14:51:35.580-05:00On presents and scarves and 70s rock legends<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I'm not a crazy Christmas nut, and I deplore much of the excess of the season, but I do really enjoy selecting gifts for people. Mind you, I don't give gifts to a ton of people, as that's not fun and makes each gift less special, but I enjoy the process of thinking about a person and what would make a nice present for them. I like it so much that I considered working as a personal shopper at one time. But that's another story. </div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The key to picking a good gift is obvious, but often overlooked: what's important is the recipient, not the giver. It's inevitable that the gift that I give will say something about me, but first and foremost it should be something of use to, needed by or desired by the recipient. Or maybe something which the recipient has never seen, but which is <em>so</em> <em>totally them </em>that when they unwrap it, they can hardly stop marvelling at it. You know, cashmere mittens are luxurious and wonderful, but I would never give a pair to my Uncle Roger, a dairy farmer. He'd smile and appreciate them and then they would sit on a shelf in his closet, never used. Buy him a Thinsulate lined wool cap that would be useful in the barn during a Minnesota winter and he'd brag on that gift for weeks. </div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Since this will be my last Christmas in New York, I've been giving a lot of thought to my friends and their presents. This year's gifts will be equal measure Merry Christmas, I love you and I'll miss you. I've been busy making stuff, but I've purchased a few items as well, because while knitting brings me endless joy, there are only so many hats with which I can surprise someone. One of the most exciting gifts I've purchased so far is a flower pin from <a href="http://www.emersonmade.com/collections/flower-pins">Emerson Made</a>. So festive, so femme and so her. I'd love to have one myself to jazz up my many all black, I've-lived-in-New York-since-1995 outfits. Someday.</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I also received a package this weekend from Brooklyn based natural skin product maker, <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/soapwallakitchen">Soapwalla Kitchen</a>. I've been eyeballing her products for about a year now, and this holiday proved the perfect excuse to place an order for a couple of friends who, like me, worry about the preservatives and petrochemicals contained in so many bath and beauty products. The woman behind Soapwalla Kitchen has Lupus (an autoimmune disease) and started making things out of her own need for healthier skincare products. Right on, I say. If you can't find what you want, make it yourself!</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">In addition to prezzies, I've been busy shopping for holiday cards. Some years I make my own, but last year and this, I decided to hand the reins over to talented letterpress artisans so that I can focus on under-the-tree items. I won't give away this year's designs, but last year I ordered sweet New Year's cards from <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/34255045/letterpress-happy-new-year-cards-6-pack?ref=pr_shop">Ink and Iron</a>, and some Christmas cards from <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/16493588/copper-noel-holiday-card">Ruby Press</a>. I'm rather particular when it comes to stationery and I like to write, and receive, letters, and I like my holiday cards to express this (this is one part of my holiday season that's almost entirely about me).</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">One might get the impression that with all of this shopping, I've been left with little time for knitting, but that's not the case; I've managed to work up a gift or two, including this:</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Details:</div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Pattern: Quick, Easy-Peasy Scarf, by Nicole Okun</div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Yarn: Berroco Peruvia Quick</div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Needles: US 17/12.75mm</div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Started: November 20</div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Finished: November 21</div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: left;">Quick and easy is right. I knit this giant in 2 days, and I'm not a particularly fast knitter. The pattern as written called for a lopi style yarn and US 11/8.0mm needles, but I decided to follow <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Terezka/quick-easy-peasy-scarf">Terezka</a>'s mods and use heavier yarn (held double), bigger needles and add fringe. I wanted a warm and dramatic scarf for a tall and lovely friend who lives in Paris, and I could not be happier with the results. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGbEZfCmaciYZ_g3kD0dF3O1mFXi_zs-kRhQgUdduEpKqywqCwUwyDjfgY1CxeEtSCgL8vvVvoPAT1V_CMQZWu0YYteNszlu7bXQXaiImvflddIky6wEUa2-tMK7hj2cCUmEkZeN9Z0P1b/s1600/DSC09815.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: right; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGbEZfCmaciYZ_g3kD0dF3O1mFXi_zs-kRhQgUdduEpKqywqCwUwyDjfgY1CxeEtSCgL8vvVvoPAT1V_CMQZWu0YYteNszlu7bXQXaiImvflddIky6wEUa2-tMK7hj2cCUmEkZeN9Z0P1b/s640/DSC09815.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thanks Amy for modelling!</td></tr>
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div>I call it Barracuda, a wee homage to the Wilson sisters, Ann and Nancy, aka Heart. I don't "heart" heart, I love them. Powerful, sexy, dramatic, talented rock and rollers. I mean, look at them!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://30daysout.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/ann-and-nancy-wilson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="292" ox="true" src="http://30daysout.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/ann-and-nancy-wilson.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
I know they've rocked their fair share of loooonnnng scarves in their day, so the name seemed appropriate.<br />
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When Barracuda was finished, I decided I had to have something similar for myself, and while it was a fast knit, I couldn't stomach the idea of working that 2 row stitch pattern again so soon, so I went in search of scarves with similar vibage, and came up with this:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ3smi7TKXC_FbgEa2iS6fDur1hBqXD7JFQfocxHmiTH3GqYrl8KA55X2Yt-d7AaSZlPv1fRwaIb03NFj6mkg9kJ7b7wFuSFGbNLYYm9cvlk5IW2kBp_c4QtS3qsNWCjnxX78KyPOBRUnD/s1600/DSC09768.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="367" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ3smi7TKXC_FbgEa2iS6fDur1hBqXD7JFQfocxHmiTH3GqYrl8KA55X2Yt-d7AaSZlPv1fRwaIb03NFj6mkg9kJ7b7wFuSFGbNLYYm9cvlk5IW2kBp_c4QtS3qsNWCjnxX78KyPOBRUnD/s400/DSC09768.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">Details:</div><div style="text-align: center;">Pattern: Chunky Alpaca Scarf by Jane Richmond</div><div style="text-align: center;">Yarn: Malabrigo Chunky</div><div style="text-align: center;">Needles: US 9/5.5mm</div><div style="text-align: center;">Started: November 28</div><div style="text-align: center;">Finished: December 2</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Your basic feather and fan stitch pattern got me what I wanted: a cozy scarf that would fold and scrunch nicely around my neck while looking a bit more feminine than garter stitch. This took exactly four skein of Malabrigo Chunky (colorway Glazed Carrot, although one friend labeled it Persimmon).</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQPrKnKlYYbDlQF7aUkvtG-h-OFb3xzH4kAfX9NgxPfMTC0lVIWxIhIa0aKhVumFzzCbcPIAFFqU8zsZBkC_93RwKbA6w4-KZOEg4PPQIbuCOOcBPcJb0zv0GJpKlEcfVxtkdqKCfc0aee/s1600/DSC09767.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQPrKnKlYYbDlQF7aUkvtG-h-OFb3xzH4kAfX9NgxPfMTC0lVIWxIhIa0aKhVumFzzCbcPIAFFqU8zsZBkC_93RwKbA6w4-KZOEg4PPQIbuCOOcBPcJb0zv0GJpKlEcfVxtkdqKCfc0aee/s400/DSC09767.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
I wanted the scarf to be as long as possible, but I also knew that I wanted fringe, so when I finished knitting the third skein, I made fringe with the fourth skein, attached them to the cast on edge, made the same number of fringe (fringes?) for the other end then knit with the remaining yarn until I ran out. Easy and stress free. I call her Bebe Le Strange.<br />
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A couple of weeks ago when I was at Rhinebeck, I saw a skein of yarn at a booth that I really, really wanted, kind of how I really, really wanted to make this hat, and it just kind of came to me that they might be a perfect match. So I bought the yarn and now I have the hat.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOza1gy4GGi1cb-HUX0u4LYr3NWMBshn373iwySvIGR39fhGnufgKAvOVzDOOJBZTiWfrHOrj4tFq_0rCEn76-fZeX3OzSG5ZpOZlhdFmRwOAluY2YFmGZvDAAIwBYdKyVixPbrZRiTeyo/s1600/IMG_8240cr%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOza1gy4GGi1cb-HUX0u4LYr3NWMBshn373iwySvIGR39fhGnufgKAvOVzDOOJBZTiWfrHOrj4tFq_0rCEn76-fZeX3OzSG5ZpOZlhdFmRwOAluY2YFmGZvDAAIwBYdKyVixPbrZRiTeyo/s400/IMG_8240cr%255B1%255D.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div align="center">Details:</div><div align="center">Pattern: Orchids and Fairy Lights, by Tiny Owl Knits</div><div align="center">Yarn: <a href="http://jamierainbowyarn.com/">Jamie Harmon</a> Merino/Angora 2-ply</div><div align="center">Needles: 4.0mm & 5.0mm</div><div align="center">Started: November 10</div><div align="center">Finished: November 13</div><br />
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Tiny Owl Knits is the same person who deigned the Some Cloudy Day legwarmers that I made earlier this fall. She's got a whole foresty, magical fairy vibe going on, and while I'm not really able to pull that off myself, I find myself drawn to many of her designs nonetheless. For example, one of the things I love about this hat is it's softness, like the way the bobbles are set at the tips of the cables like buds at the tips of branches, and even how the cables aren't typical cables in that they never cross, so they're never cut off. They just look to be stretching and growing like saplings. So cute! But not twee. At least I don't think so.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVmBITVujiNsVMOSQwh-hEKf2TIBZmZpKXXr0NW22ZJaRHmISWsdPkJUVldQ1R3WmkGWquDL1dQE7nj6a5twK0oNyNSbxiGTAV8_unbCqjD38qeUiiZ_WGUybFioZJLcTNtqVEo4mOx08j/s1600/IMG_8239cr%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVmBITVujiNsVMOSQwh-hEKf2TIBZmZpKXXr0NW22ZJaRHmISWsdPkJUVldQ1R3WmkGWquDL1dQE7nj6a5twK0oNyNSbxiGTAV8_unbCqjD38qeUiiZ_WGUybFioZJLcTNtqVEo4mOx08j/s400/IMG_8239cr%255B1%255D.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photos courtesy of Oiyi and Penny.</td></tr>
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I'm not exactly sure how much of this yarn I had because it wasn't labeled, but as I worked, I realized I wouldn't have enough yarn to complete the hat as written, so I eliminated one pattern repeat from the length. Still, it fits, so that's good. For such a soft yarn, the Jamie Harmon produced great stitch definition; I'm quite pleased with how the bobbles pop. It's super annoying to go through the work of making bobbles only to have then turn out flaccid receding. Blech. <br />
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So, I am happy with my little luxury purchase and with the pattern it paired with. This cozy little thing fills a "neutral headwear" void in my wardrobe. Now, if the weather would cooperate and stay below 6o, I could bust her out.Sayschnicklefritzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06909516347700480826noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7576113639920406524.post-3186025935753546842010-11-11T09:35:00.000-05:002010-11-11T09:35:45.448-05:00The most wonderful time of the year<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Some people say it's Christmas, but if you know me, you know that to my mind, the most wonderful time of the year is the first Sunday in November, or as I call it: Marathon Sunday. Even writing about it gives me chills.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBBogEVohGUAhANNPvl9xzgL4tWdzYF8ve_CAy3m67nASs4KOyXiFV5KoERD_5AoyHr63-ZVhBSa_lJLK2mtfp8GLZZyZQM_c6rY024pI_c2dezDTszsWu66q_SI9HYCuEZg8Zey0guMF_/s1600/DSC00169.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBBogEVohGUAhANNPvl9xzgL4tWdzYF8ve_CAy3m67nASs4KOyXiFV5KoERD_5AoyHr63-ZVhBSa_lJLK2mtfp8GLZZyZQM_c6rY024pI_c2dezDTszsWu66q_SI9HYCuEZg8Zey0guMF_/s400/DSC00169.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">The New York City Marathon is an amazing event, the largest marathon in the United States, possibly in the world. This year, more than 45,000 met in New York City to run, wheel or walk 26.2 miles in a single day and, incredibly, thousands of New Yorkers in all five boroughs turned out to cheer them on.</div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGBNsnZYuMGCppbfhQ0lVwo8W80FAgsrjDh54gDTUM-_yFnQSJTVBNQ3xUmHbLEZ4GjnSPjqUl0y9MNbdnbt5jcRwCXceIL9bcxOFNpVAkMLWHuVyZlC5Zolpkuoaz4P6qKk6zzXdICSla/s1600/DSC00171.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="291" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGBNsnZYuMGCppbfhQ0lVwo8W80FAgsrjDh54gDTUM-_yFnQSJTVBNQ3xUmHbLEZ4GjnSPjqUl0y9MNbdnbt5jcRwCXceIL9bcxOFNpVAkMLWHuVyZlC5Zolpkuoaz4P6qKk6zzXdICSla/s400/DSC00171.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">My love affair with the Marathon began 10 years ago, when a friend invited me to a boozy marathon brunch at her home on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. We ate bagels and lox and then ventured out to 1st Avenue to see the competitors in action. I was in tears within 10 minutes, no joke. Young people, old people, slim people, fat people, able bodied and disabled people. It was such an amazing sight, thousands and thousands of these people from all over the world doggedly working their way to that finish line. </div><br />
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So affected was I that the next year, my cousin Paula and I entered and ran the New York City Marathon together, which was even more fun than I'd imagined. There's this tradition with the Marathon of putting your name on your shirt so that supporters can shout personal encouragements to you and damn if it wasn't unbelievably exciting to hear "Go Rebecca! Looking good!" while we were running. I could not stop waving and smiling, and it took my mind off of the long slog that lay ahead of us. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNda14LRkX7a5DCYj0Y_xhIFbHHN7suQeEOL1lOPh8gN6vUUe2z8iA_iGeP3ZlRgY1mJzvAZQufALqI58ks-ZIBEiG_FsXhNaXuzaSmLr12RC3TNTVPXC6A72b2DTy5MCLypUZiw2KTOwK/s1600/DSC00177.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNda14LRkX7a5DCYj0Y_xhIFbHHN7suQeEOL1lOPh8gN6vUUe2z8iA_iGeP3ZlRgY1mJzvAZQufALqI58ks-ZIBEiG_FsXhNaXuzaSmLr12RC3TNTVPXC6A72b2DTy5MCLypUZiw2KTOwK/s400/DSC00177.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Two years later, I moved in to an apartment that was right on the Marathon route, between miles 8 and 9. Right on, as in step out of my door and hit a runner on. I started hosting a brunch people who wanted to come to Brooklyn and watch the race. It started small, but last year, at least 50 people passed through my door to enjoy Mimosas, coffee cake, strata and cheer for the racers. </div> <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUZ1Wr0EhvaQ_z_CqLCTE-410RF6-KIZdapqTLtSE8tMWSDKsMyGiVp4kOn68a-wFAMjuzVSXsSS3mjJ4djRnEyXYX3XVyG6hMiRbvpYNVZtrrSAdlwLLjAnucXn1jgvz0Z13Mt4NWxlrw/s1600/DSC00180.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUZ1Wr0EhvaQ_z_CqLCTE-410RF6-KIZdapqTLtSE8tMWSDKsMyGiVp4kOn68a-wFAMjuzVSXsSS3mjJ4djRnEyXYX3XVyG6hMiRbvpYNVZtrrSAdlwLLjAnucXn1jgvz0Z13Mt4NWxlrw/s400/DSC00180.JPG" width="400" /></a></div> <br />
The true race enthusiasts would come early (8:30 a.m.) to cheer for the wheeled athletes, who are among the most inspirational. They're followed in start times by other disabled athletes, the elite women, the elite men and then the masses. By 1 pm almost all of the atheletes have passed, but it's still hard to leave. How can you turn your back on these people??? Especially when you know you;re leaving them to go stuff your face and have another drink. Eventually the street cleaners would come by signaling the end of the race, but the eating and drinking would continue until the evening (last year's last guests left at 9 pm). It was always a fun and exhausting day. <br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT5XmF53K8srvn_CqkDRwPNNKx570uqrZ4mnUd_gntXqswCPnBaAMQKwG6V8BySJb8dWggxuiVKOV2KWElsIEEHrozF-oLO0WOmrwubdr9GBsMe9lzzSghIX2pS3ofFWc7sbjgYvuWbIkc/s1600/DSC00186.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT5XmF53K8srvn_CqkDRwPNNKx570uqrZ4mnUd_gntXqswCPnBaAMQKwG6V8BySJb8dWggxuiVKOV2KWElsIEEHrozF-oLO0WOmrwubdr9GBsMe9lzzSghIX2pS3ofFWc7sbjgYvuWbIkc/s400/DSC00186.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Since I moved two weeks ago, I no longer live right on the Marathon route and so, no big party. I was a little sad about this for a bit, but I had something even better to get excited about: my friend, neighbor and sometimes running buddy, Dawn, was running the race for the first time. It's an amazing feat, but made even more so by the fact that she's a 40 year old mother who also has MS. No getting her down.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNSaRT6rtJ2sSG81oZT5jxCqmhpJRx3hColRSvj7PyKCZevfMqqPDRoFJd_9gqfH3kNvm0s_j3CC0tmja-aIIqKmfD2iaUnLJx9575AM_VH-GGtJc7vFQw4c2PxMHcrTuWlb0Lf45vXaqQ/s1600/DSC00196.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNSaRT6rtJ2sSG81oZT5jxCqmhpJRx3hColRSvj7PyKCZevfMqqPDRoFJd_9gqfH3kNvm0s_j3CC0tmja-aIIqKmfD2iaUnLJx9575AM_VH-GGtJc7vFQw4c2PxMHcrTuWlb0Lf45vXaqQ/s400/DSC00196.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">You can see I wasn't her only fan. Due to a wardrobe malfunction, we almost missed Dawn and Julie, but they were eagle eyed and spotted me bent down in the street trying to pick up a hat. Squeals and jumps and cheers and waves, and then they were off to finish, and finish they did. Woot woot!</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">While they wound their way up to Queens, across the East River into Manhattan, up north to the Bronx and back to Manhattan towards the finish line, we kept on cheering and enjoyed some pumpkin doughnut muffins, inspired by my friend <a href="http://littlebirdbigcity.blogspot.com/2010/11/falling-into-it.html">Little Bird, Big City</a>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg9u2a0bjbNhND3xjynxg7SmQzJY1IdIHIgmOcVQOJ4VGZsEpCRETk3QlfuAy_YtEbN_l9o84LC9qtU2UHQzC08LbGvOUyWkSvSbQFdq_-gnn9AvmJeu7zIOgLurzTezV44hGPijbnTZMT/s1600/DSC00205.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg9u2a0bjbNhND3xjynxg7SmQzJY1IdIHIgmOcVQOJ4VGZsEpCRETk3QlfuAy_YtEbN_l9o84LC9qtU2UHQzC08LbGvOUyWkSvSbQFdq_-gnn9AvmJeu7zIOgLurzTezV44hGPijbnTZMT/s400/DSC00205.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">No doubt about it</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN8pYNDPH-5yN7V05gnpWQOx-xNNh22uzvav-6yuUp6KgWQ93H8dbg7gEdcSJGpF27AfCnnDNUXp40UcENhw68Ks4KHEffQlAelqGkf7_sV_Ed-iu9y1y0t8RnUNEW4QxDFdig8HGAlWy0/s1600/DSC00206.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN8pYNDPH-5yN7V05gnpWQOx-xNNh22uzvav-6yuUp6KgWQ93H8dbg7gEdcSJGpF27AfCnnDNUXp40UcENhw68Ks4KHEffQlAelqGkf7_sV_Ed-iu9y1y0t8RnUNEW4QxDFdig8HGAlWy0/s640/DSC00206.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">this certainly is the most wonderful time of the year.</div>Sayschnicklefritzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06909516347700480826noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7576113639920406524.post-89511585594544556112010-11-09T22:10:00.000-05:002010-11-09T22:10:57.425-05:00Whoops!In the words of Elvis Costello: accidents will happen.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCJs6YExzDYkrnO0alOQRX-ObyCcCWMh57Q7PZXO5szpgq23SOYNviLSDBj-T7s6h2Wluu-k3vUgHEduD0O_mtsioqrlorjWeypQkrgUeGtp5rDanJZfLbA-Kci_Ry-VP5ETkOvHdE4IQQ/s1600/DSC00207.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCJs6YExzDYkrnO0alOQRX-ObyCcCWMh57Q7PZXO5szpgq23SOYNviLSDBj-T7s6h2Wluu-k3vUgHEduD0O_mtsioqrlorjWeypQkrgUeGtp5rDanJZfLbA-Kci_Ry-VP5ETkOvHdE4IQQ/s400/DSC00207.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
This particular one involved a red onion, a sharp knife and the tip of my thumb. Later, some gauze, packing tape and a Bloody Maria got involved.<br />
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If you look closely, you can see the amputated bit about half way down the blade of the chef's knife.Sayschnicklefritzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06909516347700480826noreply@blogger.com3