and knitting

random - knit and otherwise

More random links and things - knit-related and otherwise:
• Wildlife on the Underground - CCTV photos of some strange guy with a giant stuffed lion.
• GO-DO - The doll with weight issues (via A Socialite's Life).
• Girls' Gadgets of the 1920's & 30's (via Shiny Shiny)
• NEW use for an OLD Pocket PC - What a cool idea for making your knit pattern more portable. Hmm...
• I heart Knit Happens. I ordered some yarn on Tuesday afternoon and it's already here. Impressive!
• The Knitting Map (via Crafty Beaver).

And, because I'm a dork, here's one of those quiz thingies...

Based on the writing on this blog you would never guess that I'd get this result.

English Genius
You scored 92% Beginner, 100% Intermediate, 100% Advanced, and 80% Expert!
You did so extremely well, even I can't find a word to describe your excellence! You have the uncommon intelligence necessary to understand things that most people don't. You
have an extensive vocabulary, and you're not afraid to use it properly!
Way to go!
Link: The Commonly Confused Words Test written by shortredhead78 on Ok Cupid

Follow link at your own risk. Some people have had a Trojan warning after visiting the quiz site.

free prize inside

I didn't get many responses to my plea for help finding a pattern to use for my handpainted fingering weight yarn and thought perhaps a wee bribe would help.

I'm looking for a geometric lace pattern, suitable for a scarf, with a simple, easy to remember repeat, so that I can bring this project with me on the bus. It's just too much of a bother to have to look at a pattern while I ride. Comment with your pattern pointers below. If I pick your idea I'll send you a hank of the same yarn.

Here are the yarn details (see this post for photos):
100% Peruvian Alpaca handpainted by A.L. de Sauveterre
200 yards
Gauge: Approximately 7 stitches/inch on US3 needles
Colorway: Water Lilies

**Update**
Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner, Ms Jillz and her lacy bias scarf. The simple pattern is the perfect thing for those not yet properly caffeinated yet morning commutes. Thank Jilly!

whinge

I thought about creating a drinking game and liveblogging while I listened to Open Source Radio's show about knitting (if there's not an archive on there, I'm sure one will be up soon). You know, take one shot every time someone whines about giant needles, one for "not your granny's knitting" and another if they mention chunky yarn. That sort of thing.

It's a good thing I didn't, because thish sposht would end up typed shorta like this (how do you imitate drunk typing anyway?).

Actually, it wasn't quite as bad as that. Debbie Stoller came off quite well. Yeah, she went into her typical take back the knit stuff, but I liked her argument that knitting doesn't have to be called an art to have legitimacy. Being a craft should be enough. And, let's face it, her books are great. Joe of QueerJoe, was also on and had some good things to say. The owners of Flying Fingers also seemed like welcoming folk.

I'm just tired of the more mature/more experienced knitting set whining about the new "hipster" knitters. Within the first 15 minutes there was a caller complaining about dumbed down magazines and ipod cases, etc. etc.. Quel drag. It's so boring to whine about what other people choose to knit, and never mind that a quick survey of the blog world would show you a high number of smaller gauge or complicated projects.

open source knitting

**Updated July 28 2005**

It looks like stitchery and bitchery will be the topic of tomorrow's tonight's Open Source radio show. The famous Flying Fingers Yarn bus is even scheduled to be in attendance.

american morning

There was something familiar about the way Miles O'Brien manhandled those model rockets while discussing the launch of Discovery yesterday.

 

I know you've seen these photos before, but could this be a young Miles O'Brien? It would explain so much.

PS: It was never very good, but American Morning just hasn't been the same without Bill Hemmer. However, he is dead to me now. I have a compulsion to watch news in the morning and really wish BBC America would just broadcast news all morning so there would at least be something palatable to watch.

bits and bobs

A few random things...
• Adorable new pattern on Glampyre. I predict this too will take the knit blog world by storm.
• Slapstick Pie! - How cute is this?
• Winter Blooms - a new collection on Kim Hargreaves' site. Nothing really appeals to me, but I still long to order Glee from her previous collection.
• This cotton tote (also available in leather) would make a great knitting bag. I know I frequently post bags from the Gap. It's actually freaking me out that I've liked so many of their things lately. I also think this would be a cute handbag, but why why why the big ass gap logo? I may buy it anyway if I find it on sale.
• a cupcake to knit (via Oiyi's crafts) and a cupcake to eat - Yum!
• air bear booty
• orgasmic orange juice

gorgeous

 

Isn't this some of the most beautiful yarn you've ever seen? And such lovely packaging. It's like receiving a present.

I ordered it from A.L. de Sauveterre for a swap I'm doing. Sadly my reading comprehension was lacking and I failed to notice that it was fingering weight yarn. I tried a mini swatch to confirm what I feared, that it wouldn't work for the project (another badonkadonk bobbles scarf)

 

All is not lost. I just ordered some Noro Cash Iroha for the swap project.

My only dilemma now is what to make out of this gorgeous handpainted alpaca yarn. I'm hoping for a project that isn't too fussy, so I can take it with me on the bus. Any ideas?

stay cool, boy

The heat makes people crazy. See photographic evidence above of what happens when you deny my sister her right to air conditioning. Obviously it was a desperate situation if we actually went to a WalMart. Can you believe they, as well as every single Target, were sold out of air conditioners?

The hot weather certainly made me crabby so I resorted to a little retail therapy:

• new shoes
• new Banana Yoshimoto book
• new yarn for a swap I'm doing

Thankfully the heat wave has now broken. I don't think my wallet or my psyche could take much more of this.

I wish there was a fabulous FO to flaunt for you here, but I've just been plugging away on Orangina. As I posted, I also swatched for the Octagon Purse. I tried to cast on for it last night though, and found myself befuddled by the pattern. Maybe it was just fatigue.

Oy, I'm schvitzing!

Yes, I'm going to whine some more about the heat. It's in the high 90s for yet another day. I am sweatier than Renee Zellweger in A Price Above Rubies. This despite the fact that I'm sitting here in a light cotton nightie with three fans pointed at me.

Things I've done to try to get cool today:

• Watched a bit of a movie about Shackleton. There's nothing like watching people freeze and starve to death in the Antarctic to make a person grateful for summer.


• Read a bit of The Long Winter. Again, more people freezing and starving to death. This time on the American prairie.

Things I'm not likely to do today:

• Knit. It's too bloody hot.

oishii

I'm swatching for another new project. This time it's the Octagon Purse from Teva Durham's Loop-d-Loop. I hope this yarn works out. It's something I accidentally bought off eBay a very long time ago, so I'd be happy to find a use for it. I guess you could call this project a stashbuster (if that term didn't make me throw up). It seems like a fun project and I'll learn a new skill -- short rows. Whee.

In other knitting news, I'm wearing Frida for the first time. I wore it while out and about this afternoon, and I really don't think it agrees with me. There is just something frumpifying about it. It could be the skirt I am wearing with it, but I felt rather like a kindergarten teacher in the outfit. Not exactly what I was going for. Oh well.

Dorky outfit aside, at least I had fun doing a wee bit of shopping. I got to try the green tea frappucino. Oishii! Dairy and me do not usually agree, but I made an exception for this. If you like matcha flavored things you have to try one!