Armed with Pointy Sticks

It's Good to be a Birthday Girl

Yes, this birthday hasn't even happened yet (for another 57 minutes) and it's already good.  Now if only Ed McMahon would show up so I can buy myself that Wii for Christmas...

Last night Chris and I went to knitting, as we are wont to do on Wednesdays.  This Wednesday the whole group was in Chester, at a Knitter's Garden.  I love this place.  Joanne has got the neatest little shop going.  And she's got sheep now. Yeah.  Two.  Well, she had two, I don't know the up-to-date report.  They're fence jumpers, you know.  Did you know sheep could jump that high?  Joanne does, now.

As we walked in the door we were assaulted with birthday greetings.  It was very unexpected, and very pleasant.  And if you thought the greetings were unexpected, you should stay tuned.  Gina got us a cake (I forgot to take a picture until it was half eaten, but if you use your imagination you can read the rest.  We ate a little more and then gave it to some poor, starving wait staff who were getting liqueured up in preparation for their after hours decorating party at Famous Dave's.  If only I didn't have to work the next day...)  Yes, a cake, and Jackie made home made cupcakes that were very yummy, and then dear Gina gave us the sweetest thing.  She had spun Chris and I each some yarn. See the orange?  That's a special Moose color way for Chris. And the white?  There's a story behind the white.

The first year Chris and I went to the sheep and wool in NH I was wandering around, thanking myself that I didn't throw myself into knitting the way the spinners threw themselves into spinning (I was a very new knitter.  This S&W was a turning point for me, I assure you).  But all these fluffy, colorful bags of roving... they were interacting with something deep within me, something primitive and convincing.  We stopped and spoke to a spinner finally.  Not just any spinner.  This was one of those colonial reenactment gals with a big, old fashioned wheel.  She broke character long enough to tell us that we could start with a drop spindle, and we could make it out of an aol cd and a dowel.  Ok, seriously, she was never in character.  It was too cold to dress up, but she could have fooled me with the wheel.  She intrigued me.

The next barn over was a vendor called Polliwog knits or something (I probably still have the card.  In fact, I know I do.  I can't throw stuff like that away.  I save it forever.  And I know I wrote on it, because that's what I do.  It probably has a full account of just what I bought and what else she had.  Anyway.) She had wonderful roving, but she had something that stopped me cold. It was a 50/50 silk/merino blend, and it felt like sex.  I bought it.  My first roving purchase ever.  That roving was going to make me a spinner.

So I started spinning.  I used cheaper stuff, I wasn't going to defile the super blend with my armature spinning.  I bought a lovely tulip wood spindle from the people at Journey Wheel when we went to the VT sheep and wool.  And... it never took off.  I just couldn't get it to do anything, so I stopped. 

I wanted the roving that I loved so much to go to someone who would appreciate it and give it the attention it deserved.  I swapped it to Gina (who had just started spinning but was having a much more fruitful experience with it) for something I could knit with (I honestly don't remember what.  I've swapped a lot of yarn with Gina ;) )  We're due for a swap.

That, right there in the white, named "Wedding Gown" is the hand spun that Gina gave me last night, and that same roving I gave her probably close to, if not over, a year ago.  Both I and the roving/yarn feel absolutely loved.  I want to use it to make something that I'll wear/have about me in my wedding, so I'm looking for good ideas.  Chris suggested a garter, and ooh boy, would that be a great feeling garter ;)  Thank you so much, Gina :)

After that, Chris gave me his present. 

Am I a lucky girl, or what?  And what's that being balled up?  Why, it's Heather's Gothic Rose!

I love this color way.  Pinks and grays, and the new yarn she's using is the perfect weight, the perfect hand, and it just twists so nice, gives it a little sheen.  This is yarn I was lucky enough to win in the drawing that she had after collecting submissions for her bunny's name.  Gaye got the winning name with Lilah (it is a winner, the bunny just looks like a Lilah) and my name was drawn from the hat.  I suggested Tobu-chan.  Tobu is Japanese for hop.  If I ever have a bunny, it'll be Tobu.  (So yes. Heather, your yarn popped this ball-winder and swift's... well, you know.  And then my sister came over and I was so geeked that I had to demonstrate the swift for her.  I broke out a skein of that 220 I have set aside for Rouge.  She was impressed, I could tell.  Maybe not, I care not.  I was impressed)

And with all the fiber intensity, you wouldn't think that I'd feel any pull in the way of the yarn shop.  Yeah.  Shut up.

Roving, for which to spin (I picked up the bug again after "killing" the gal whose husband makes these lovely Turkish spindles in Sock Wars) and a calendar for my cube.  Yeah, all fiber animals, all the time.

But in my heart, it will always be February.

So, now it is 32 minutes to my birthday, and I have to go back through and add pictures and links.  Let me leave you with mirth.  I give you:

The baby, "talking" on the phone.

5 minutes. Time for spell check.  4 minutes. I promised Amanda I'd stay online long enough for her to wish me a happy birthday :)  Yup, she's still alive and well.

Go check out Lora's meme.  I'll post it tomorrow.

And one last thing: the drink for Gina's next podcast.  This drink is yummy.  Trust me.

Girl Scout Cookie

1.5 oz cream
1 oz creme de cacao, brown
.5 oz creme de menthe

Fill 6 oz. highball glass with ice, add creme de cacao and creme de menthe, then cream.  Shake Happy Birthday to me!  26, if anyone's asking :D

Despicable Assassins

Yeah, you know who won Sock Wars?  Some chick who sent the Monkey flowers as soon as her address was up.  Her cleverness and cunning does nothing to make me feel better about the money I spent sending a postcard global priority.  I'm super glad I didn't send it global express, though.

This will be the last time that I knit to compete against anyone other than myself.  Swaps are more my speed.

The shining spot of the whole ordeal is the messages and phone calls I got from everyone.  Heather is the one who came through with the address (fret not, she was on the phone with me while she hunted for it.  That address was hidden well!  I love you all!) but  I want to do something nice for all of you.  I've got something in the works, but it's a surprise.  I will do the drawing for the Lorna's laces, but I need to figure out who belongs to a few of the phone numbers that I got texts/calls from.  I wasn't able to get to my phone to pick up one or two calls.  I'm sure messages were left, but I haven't checked them yet.  I generally hate my phone.  Its a topic for therapy.

So yes, Lorna's laces to the winner, and something super for everyone!  By Christmas. 

The sweater will have a finished front panel by the end of tonight, and I'll start the back. :)

Hope everyone had a wonderful turkey day.  Our's was delightful.  When my family found out that Friday was Chris's birthday (a fact that he didn't want to share, but leaked. Eh.  Family.)  My sister told my cousin Laura, Laura told her mom, Bev; Bev told her sister Mary, and Mary called my Gram's house to ask what kind of cake Chris wanted.  She made him "Better Than Sex Cake" and he agrees with the name.  Except with me, he quickly added.  Chump.  Since my birthday is one week after his, we shared the cake, I got to claim the leftovers the next day as my birthday cake.  Is the blush off the rose, or what? ;)

We brought home some moose meat (I'm sure the moose's name was Cat) so I'm going to set up some moose chili for tomorrow's crock pot meal. 

Everyone take care, I hope to see a bunch of you at A Knitter's Garden this Wednesday.

Thanks are Given

Big news first:  I have finished the photography sweater and all of my Christmas shopping is done.  Most of it is wrapped.

Do you want to know the best part of that statement?  The look on your face.  Because, of course, I'm sh*tting you. Nope.  None of it done.  A few ideas in place.  The sweater, looking like I'll have the other panel done before the weekend it out, with a few inches of the back. 

I did finish the Berry Hat.  I want to thank Gina for pointing this pattern out to me.  I want to make one in my own size.  Here it is, the cat hair is a design feature commonly found in the haute couture that pours forth from chez pointy sticks.

And in other news of accomplishment, well, I've got a pumpkin cheesecake in the oven.  And I've got other great going ons, but they'll keep.

And, in final news, I have a contest of sorts.  It's not so much a contest as bribery.  You can handle bribery, right?

I'm a survivor in Sock Wars.  Still kicking.  No skill, really, I've killed two (both fantastic ladies), but I think it's mostly due to a killer who's spent a lot of time off the radar.

The deal was that whoever was still standing on the 24th mailed Yarn Monkey a pair of socks.  This was boo'd because people were upset at having 89 pairs of socks sent to the monkey, and not getting the socks meant for them.  So, its a post card.  I have to send the monkey a post card.  Its a good damned thing, because I hate these socks.  I'll finish this one and send it to it's intended target, but I'm done with this pattern.  :P

So, the contest?  I'm going to be up in Maine, the kind of Maine with no internet connection.  I will have a cell signal, and that's where you come in.  Partly, its the contest, partly its just seeing how many texts I can get in one day, but I need that address so I can send my postcard on Friday.  You'll find the address here sometime on Friday.  Then text it to me.  I'll send you my phone number (if you're not a creepy stalker) if you just leave a comment.   (seriously, no creepy stalkers)

I'll take the people who text me, put them in a hat (or their names, depends on the party, I guess) and award to the winner... (runs to stash) a lovely, lush skein of Lorna's Laces Shepard Worsted in Amethyst Stripe.  It has no label.  But I remember fondly the day I bought it.  October 2nd, 2005, after the VT Sheep and Wool, Kaleidescope yarns.  *sigh*  Soft as a cloud.

And if that doesn't do it for the winner, I've got Opal.  Or apple butter.  Think of the possibilities.  Shoot, yarn of your choice, and yummy apple butter.  Just hook me up with that addy.  I totally couldn't do this if I had more traffic.  So now, low traffic good. 

All right, I'm going to go check on the cheese cake.  I'll be home through Thursday morning, and I'll check my email before I leave.  So that's your contest sign up deadline, I guess.  :D

Scout's Meme

Scout’s Meme:
1. How and when did you learn how to knit/crochet? Who taught you?
2. How has this craft impacted your life? (besides financially!)
3. Pick at least one person to talk about who you have met through the knit-world and why you are thankful to have met them. Feel free to get all mushy.
4. Comment and let me know when you post this in your blog so I can read them all.

---

Meet Scout

Scout makes yummy yarn.

1. How and when did you learn to knit/crochet?  Who taught you?

Around about the time I was getting diagnosed with MS, I lost my hands.  Gone.  I couldn't feel them.  I could function ok when I was looking right at them (typing) but I couldn't do my job to the level I prided myself in.  I was a hospital corpsman in a US Navy hospital, in the ER, and I could get blood from a turnip. I could drop an IV in Ghandi.  I specialized in sewing up tattoos after bar fights, leaving them almost as nice as they were when the ink was fresh.  I was good at what I did because I loved it, or maybe it was the other way around, but losing my hands changed a lot of that.

They put me in primary care to work until they knew what the hell was wrong with me.  I became a vital signs technician.  It was just under a month, but I was miserable. I was stumbling, I didn't know why.  And then, one day, after a trip to the nearest naval hospital with an MRI (Okinawa, the Japanese hospitals wouldn't give me IV contrast because of my Japan-induced asthma) I had an answer.  Answers and names are powerful things.  Your name is incredibly important in magical works, it is said that it gives others power over you.  Rumpelstiltskin?  Yup.  Once I knew that it was MS, I was in control again.  And I was going to get my damned hands back.

I had picked up a copy of Stitch N Bitch when I saw it on the shelf at the NEX a few months previous, and I bought some yarn and needles to learn.  It never took off.  Same thing with crochet, which I tried first. This time, however, I was possessed.  I grabbed the book again, and I went to it.  I read the directions harder this time, and I kept reading.  And I met Mr. Continental.  All of a sudden I got it.  And I had to look at my hands anyway, so I was ok there.  I made a swatch!  I did stockinette!  I did increases and decreases!  I made Rockstar.  I figured that I had taken on and conquered Knitty's mellow, so I'd do something tangy next.  I made Boogie. By then I was back in the states (I cast Boogie on in the van to the airport, finished it after a week in the out-processing barracks).  I couldn't afford yarn, so I took what was left over from Boogie and designed my own scarf.  Yeah, even back then I was buying about two skeins too much.  I wouldn't have it any other way.

Being a solitary knitter was a mixed blessing.  When I screwed up I had to figure it out for myself.  The plus side was that since I didn't even figure out that there was a wide community of knitters online until after I got back to the states, I was never fed things like "purling/cabling/intarsia is hard".  I did what I wanted to do.  I chose projects based on what I hadn't done before. Hey, I've been lost in Tokyo.  If you've been lost in Tokyo you can never truly be lost anywhere again.

When it came to crochet, I can thank our good friend Marion (who needs to cut this snowbird shit and just shiver through the winter with the rest of us).  My whole fam-damn-ily crochets.  (that's another reason why I'm so proud of my knitting, but don't tell them, ok?) I tried to teach myself from a book, but I just couldn't. Years later, Marion sat me down and taught me how to make crochet flowers.  That was my Ah-ha moment.  The hook started to feel more normal in my hand, and then I made an amineko.  Yay!

2. How has this craft impacted your life? (besides financially!)

I never realized what a tactile person I was.  I like the feel of things.  I am much more aware of colors and how they go together.  I notice sheep. And goats.  And llamas.  I have yarn in every room of my house except the bathroom and the kitchen.  I have bottles of eucalan in both of those rooms. I turn sweaters inside out, I examine knitwear.  I have walked in directions completely out of my way because the person I was following was wearing a sweater that had a construction that I wanted to crack.  I take weekend trips to yarn stores.  I own 15 tape measures.  I would make a blood sacrifice to Addi if Skacel were but to ask. I am never bored.  I enjoy moments stuck waiting in line or in a waiting room.  I sniff yarn.

When you knit, if you meet a person who knits, you can connect on that and nothing else.  The rest of the relationship is based on so much more, but the spark, yarns and sticks, baby.

Which brings me to

3. Pick at least one person to talk about who you have met through the knit-world and why you are thankful to have met them. Feel free to get all mushy.

I get together regularly with a great group of people on Wednesday nights.  Some of the faces have changed, but the group is always there.  They are my lifeline, and I would probably wither and die without them. 

Two years ago, when I had gotten back from Japan, I found myself working on my yet-to-be-born nephew's, Kadin's, blanket.  It was a really cute intarsia piece with a choo-choo (trains that cute are choos choos, sorry) rolling across the blanket.  It was 9 squares of alternating white and blue.  On the blue squares the train was white and vice versa.  Yeah, you can see a pretty good pic of it here.   I picked it out when I found out my sister was pregnant, and I ran out to get the yarn after hanging up the phone when I found out it was a boy.  It drove me nuts,  I will never use Baby Clouds again, but it was all worth it when I saw his little face snuggle against it.   

I had just discovered that knitters used the internet (who knew?), and I was ready to connect.  "Oh," someone said, "you'll be able to find a group every Wednesday at Barnes and Nobles on South Willow."  One week I went, gigantic blanket in tow, and met the group.  I can't remember everyone who was there, Gina, Donna, Colin were all there.Probably Laurin.  My knitting had become a social tool.  I never had a lot of buddies even in high school.  Let's face it, I'm not an easy person to warm up to.  I'm not nuts about being touched and my sense of humor is a little on the weird side. 

And then there's Chris.  My dear man.  I knit him an Irish Hiking scarf after we had been daiting for awhile.  I used Baby Grande Alpaca (that was his first yarn sticker shock, but that's another story).  I don't know if it was that, or the fact that us knitters are a pushy group (can't be that...)  He had been coming to Barnes and Nobles with me, but leaving us and sitting down with a copy of some all-comprehensive book on motorcycles (this was back with B&N still had the comfy chairs).  One day he decided he was going to learn to knit.  He took my book, a pair of needles, and some Koigu Kersti (baby only gets the good stuff.  He showed me his first swatch and I said "wow, this is great!  Is this my Kersti?") and taught himself to knit.  The only thing I did for him was demonstrate the purl stitch.  He is an amazing technical knitter, favoring cablework, and he is the best damned enabler this gal has seen.  I think it might be part the enabling, and part the fact that when the stablizing force in your life says you should get something, its almost like getting permission.  And absolution.  All in one!

OK, that was fun.  Thank you so much, Scout :)  That was cathartic.

Finished the baby hat, I'll take pictures when the sun is out.  Back to our regularly scheduled knitting.

The Knitter Updates

Firstly, for Gina's third podcast (which is expected any minute now) I give you The Snow Bunny.  It's been crappy rainy, I want a warm drink.  This one is simple.  I have everything to make it already in the house.  Crap.  Never mind, I don't have any hot chocolate.  Oh well.

• 1 1/2 oz Triple Sec
• Hot Chocolate

            

Pour Triple Sec into a mug, fill with hot chocolate. Add a cinnamon               stick for a stirrer.

So, in my knitting news, mine, I've finished the left front of the photography sweater.  The right front is well on its way.  It's like a good twin/bad twin thing.  Every problem that the first part gave me is just a memory to chuckle at with this side.  Knock on wood.  In idiot knitting, well, I don't have any right now.  No sock on the needles, I still haven't heard from my sock wars killer, but I have heard from her killer, who is sick of waiting for the half-finished socks and wants to become my killer.  Meh.  Whatever.  I asked her if she thought that not waiting for my actual socks and instead knitting me up another pair was maybe against the rules.  Then I gave her my address.  She emailed me back and agreed with me.  No word on if she's sending the socks or not.  I'm beyond caring.

So, no idiot knitting.  I did cast on the "potty" scarf from Grand View.  Count around, people, three knitting in the bathroom references made in knitblog land in the last two days.  For those that weren't there, let me tell you about the potty scarf.  In the loo at the Grand View there is a few posters, a cute chair, and then the normal stuff that you'd expect to find.  At least, that's what was there the first time.  Last time I saw that a pattern had been added, taped to the wall by the chair with "potty scarf" scrawled on it.  I had to ask Viv about it.

Apparently, a few weeks prior, there was a knitting group from down South.  As a group they were all trying out the Super Simple Single Skein Scarf from Posh Yarn. I've killed the pattern name, I'm sure, I don't remember it having that many "s"s.  I could riffle through my knitting bag, but no. Anyway.  One woman, sitting at the head of the table got up to go to the bathroom several times during the knitting.  The whole group was having an awful time with the pattern.  It's not hard, 8 row repeat, purl the wrong side, but lace knitting with a group of friends can be taxing.  Turns out, the woman was purling at the table, but then went into the other room so she could sit down and knit the right side with quiet and concentration.  So, of course, I had to get the pattern and a skein of Frog Tree Alpaca to crank it out on.  I cast it on today at work and got two or three repeats done.  I did have to pull back once, but the pattern actually calls for a life line ;)

No, I need idiot knitting at work, and I'd like to start that Fiber Trends Berry Hat for a couple at work getting ready to have a little girl (any minute now, listen for the splash) and I figure I can turn that out for them before the weekend.  I do most of my knitting at work. Funny, that.  I've got lots of stuff to do at home, but at work, I just kinda sit there :)  No, put the resume away, you do not want my job.  Anyway, I've got to find that pattern.  It's around here somewhere.  I swear.  Chris found it! Needles... right.  Hmp.

And in other news, I've heard nothing but good things about the new Interweave, and I'm being super good and precious and special and haven't run out buy it yet.  Yep.  I need a cookie. Tomorrow, my sweet, I shall have the IK in one hand and a big honking sugar cookie from the cafe in the other. 

I fucking love Wednesdays! 

On that note, I'm going to try to stop swearing as much.

Maybe for new years...

In Which Ericka Channels Chuck Norris

That right!  I am going to do a roundhouse kick of a web-wide look around, followed by a hook-punch of a weekend follow up, finished off with a clean knee to the "look what I got!"  Observe the sensei.

Firstly, after listening to our Gina's podcast, I've decided that taking shots for our little drinking game would be neither smart nor safe, so, with each podcast she posts, I will post a wonderful mixed drink.  Guaranteed to make you the life of the party, while letting you still feel like a lady. Why does Jackie's face come to mind when I say that?  Jeez.

So, for podcast #2, I give you Sex on the Beach.

1 oz peach schnapps,
1 oz vodka
fill the rest of the glass with half cranberry and half pineapple juice. Mix, serve in a high ball glass (or a martini glass, or an empty fluff container.  Tip your pinky so you can still feel classy)

There you are.  Mix up and head on over to Gina's podcast, affectionately entitled "The Drinking Game".  She's on to us, Biff!

Elsewhere on the web you will find that the mavens behind the Anti-Craft "are summarily pleased with themselves to announce that they, too, have sold out and gotten a book deal." (I ripped that right from Craftzine's blog. I just think it sounds so nifty, and my brain is fried.  I'm putting what little I have left into this blog post.  For yoooooouuuuu!)  So yes, Anti-Craft book, and they're calling for submissions.  Get you on over there, you indy goth!  (You'll have to race Amanda)

Well, I think that puts me up to date, perhaps?  Enough to be cutting edge, but not so much as to make anyone think I'm losing my callous exterior, right?

Anyway.

This weekend we took our selves, our knitting, and a whole lot of alcohol up to the Grand View Lodge.    The Grand View is a wonderful place.  A yarn store/lodge tucked right in the White Mountains.

The amount of knitting that you can get done in two days is really quite amazing to most people.  That's why I like to throw in alcohol.   I like to give random answers in the Gallup polls, too.


See, that's the evil, and I love Sarah for it.  I was going to post a wonderful pic of our Lovely Lora, but I decided that I could be bribed for the recipe to those Tequila balls.  What do you say, Lora, trade that recipe for the super star status?  She really is a superstar, people, we need to get her out to a karaoke bar, stat.

We didn't just drink.  We did a lot of knitting.  A lot of shopping, and some frogging.  No, the frogging was not related to the alcohol. In fact, I dropped back a cable four twists (to a point done while sober) and fixed it with a whole lot of booze in me.  Maybe I'm better when I'm drunk...

So for the shopping, I got mostly books.  My proudest achievements? Barbara Walker 2 and 3.  1 and 4 are still on my wish list.  I got a book or two for Chris, and some Fixation.  Exciting, no?  I also picked up a fist-sized jawbreaker.  I've never attacked one of these before, but I love it lots.  I had forgotten that jawbreakers don't get sticky, they actually dry.  The little ones were always my favorite candy growing up...

So, that was my weekend.  And today my little sister turns 21. Perhaps its time to pass the torch...  I don't drink every night, I don't even drink every week.  But when I do, I enjoy it.  As with everything in my life.  Eh.  And as with everything in my life, I don't suffer crap.  No crap yarn, no crap cheese, no crap beer.  Treat yourself.

When I got home, I had presents waiting for me!  Two crochet arimigumi books!  And Chris.  I missed Chris. 

And now, the cous de gras.  Look what I got!

A wonderful, new Turkish spindle from Jenkin's Woodworking.  The wood, Kingwood, is just gorgeous, obviously worked by someone with a love for it.  The spin... this thing is a dream.  You can tell what kind of geeks Chris and I are, we just spun it for awhile.  It doesn't say anything, but it almost seems to sing.

I'm not good, but I'm confident I'll get better.  Wanda, Fiberjoy (alas, we had to meet through an assassination) enclosed some Corriedale roving to get me running.  And run I did, right through it.  I also learned a bit about the fiber that I'd spun with before.  I pulled some roving out of the chest, and whatever it is, the fibers are much shorter and I can't draft it as well.  I need to get some more of the stuff that Wanda sent... fiber pusher ;)

So, I am incredibly pleased with the events of the last few days.   I did manage to get a very legnthy clip of some hijinks up at the Grand  View, and I'd post it, if it weren't for some pesky moral issues.  Darn those pesky moral issues... Gina, Jackie, Heather, Lora, Sarah, Laurin, Gigi, Caroline, and our new friend Lisa had all better hope that these issues keep breathing ;)