FemiKnitFiti

Yarn Harlot in PDX

2011-11-08T07:45:00.001-08:00

2010-08-17T07:54:00.000-07:00

Here's my mum's house from the front. She envisioned it as a little tree house in the woods.

2010-08-17T06:57:00.000-07:00

Go around the corner on the right under the stairs and you'll see my mom's room. One whole wall is windows. niiiiiiiice

2010-08-17T06:56:00.001-07:00

Coming back out of the office into th eliving room again it looks like this

2010-08-17T06:53:00.000-07:00

THen when you walk across the living room on the other side you come to my mum's library/office space thingy on the left. She added this in a few years ago. It has two sky lights so it's always sunny.

2010-08-17T06:51:00.000-07:00

THis is from the living room looking from one corner. THe house is one big open space. Sort of. You walk in to the front door on the right there (onto the kitchen) and into this big room.

Massachusetts

2010-08-17T06:46:00.001-07:00

Here's fotoz of my mom's house. It is like a sauna outside, seriously muggy. That's why some of the pics look hazy

First we have yarn. Some noro and something I have never met before. THe ladies at Black Purl Yarn shop in Sandwich say this Jawoll Magic by Lang yarns is good for making shawls. So maybe when I'm done with Ishbel I can move on to um well something else.

mmmmmmm........cake

2010-07-10T13:16:00.001-07:00

This will be my next pair of sox. The yarn is KnitPicks Stroll Hand Painted in the color Cartoons.

Christmas cactus

2010-05-08T22:19:00.000-07:00

This things was some cheap ass plant in a gas station off 101 somewhere on the coast. Elijah saw it in the store when we stopped to get gas and just HAD To have it. (so funny, my kid doesn't want the cheap plastic action figure crap. No he wants a plant) It was less then $5. We thought it would die by the time we got home but that was probably 3 or 4 years ago and it has been the most sustained plant we have. And now it's May and it's blooming like crazy.

Pads

2010-05-08T22:15:00.000-07:00

Made em myself with my very own hands. And a sewing machine. THe fabric is flannel I got on sale. I just love the little bicycles. I also have some pads from fabric with cows in pajamas. I gotta take more pictures.

The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation

2009-09-24T08:01:00.000-07:00

I am so feeling this today. This whole deal where I'm considered part time but I'm really working full time (without the benefits of being full time) really sucks. This is a stoopid life. Driving a car (that is slowly killing the earth and all of us in it) for a half an hour with other people trying to get somewhere they don't want to be, then sitting in a cubicle for the better part of the day, droning on and on, making a lot more money for someone else, hearing someone yell at you for a mistake that doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things, then getting back in the car and driving for an hour this time, as everyone has spent the better part of the day in quiet desperation and is now trying to get home but when we do are confronted with demanding children who don't do their chores or homework but want us to drive them to the mall and all you want is to lie down and rest but there are dishes to do and bills to pay and more and more and more demands on your time and by the time you do get to lay your head on the pillow you pass out not getting to appreciate the lovely sunshine or the cool breeze and before you know it 40 years has passed you by and you don't where they went and you fear the next 40 will swallow you whole.

Brendan

2009-08-13T12:39:00.000-07:00

Brendan is my longest and dearest friend. I met him when he was in high school and I had just graduated. I hadn't seen him in about 15 years when he met me at the airport Tuesday night. I didn't even recognize him. He still has that boyish face but something about him looks different. more tired I suppose but then again so do I. But he said I looked exactly the same. Brendan and I have always been on a similar wavelength in temperament and taste in music (he plays guitar, bass, piano. I can play piano and flute) and films and books, we're both tall (he's about 6ft3 I'm 6ft1) I've got 2 years on him but we're both products of the Massachusetts public school system (he is originally from Wisconsin, came to MASS when he was 11 or 12) and we just really get along well. He is a wonderful kisser, has a great sense of humor and funny little giggle. He wears high top sneakers that have "The Who" on them. When he was a teenager he loved the Who and got me to love them too. I thought his shoes were hysterically funny. He has many troubles these days and didn't laugh as much as he used to. I am holding him in my thoughts now so that he may get through this troubled times as whole as possible.

Day 2

2009-08-07T20:58:00.000-07:00

The yarn fumes are getting to me. So much yarn, so...little money. At the market place there was plenty of free demonstrations and free yarn handed out. Thanks again to the fabulous twins of mamaLlama who showed us continental for throwers and vice versa. And giving me extra yarn samples!!!! yeah for samples. I got some from other booths as well.
I must have entered every contest there but never heard my name called, oh well. I had fun anyway breaking the world record for knitters!!! THen I got some great un-dyed yarn at a great price from yarnworkshop.com, some panda toes yarn from Crazy Monkey creations and some Brown sheep Wildfoote sock yarn from...from...oh crap where did I get that? I'll have to root around in my bag for a receipt. Anyway, here's the photos. Check out Cat Bhordi knitting on straights (!) as we break the world record for simultaneous knitting.

Sock Summit

2009-08-06T20:27:00.000-07:00

Walked into the marketplace and the first thing I saw was the yarn harlot on her walkie talkie trying to figure out some kind of snafu. I soooooo wanted to go up to her and ask for her autograph and hug her and say how wonderful she is but she was all busy and I didn't want to bother her and how dorky would that be anyway? But I didn't have time to think about it cuz right next to her was Jess and Casey from Ravelry. And right behind them was the booth for Blue moon with this looooong ass line of people waiting to buy armloads of yarn. I was star struck and yarn struck all at the same time. I was on overload people.

I made a little wee sock and safety pinned it to my Ravelry bag. I thought I was so cool....till I noticed practically everyone did that too. Oh well great knitters think alike. Got some free samples and and some free chocolate, met some cool people and saw some people I already know. Saw lots of yarn. And it's only Thursday. We have 3 more days of this!!!!!

Yarn Tasting

2009-07-19T16:21:00.000-07:00

Art Fibers yarn store, based in California, had a yarn tasting event at Overlook Park today. Natalie organized the event (and did a very good job I might add) mostly through word of mouth and folks on Ravelry. I saw some knitters from Monday night knitting at Overlook House and some folks from the Portland Knitting Guild. It was a little chilly at first. All the yarn was under the shelter and the wind whipped right through. But as we sat in the sun knitting it heated up quickly. We all kept going back for more, "Did I already try this one?" I kept hearing. Most people kept reaching for the same thing. We all had our favorite. Mine was Kyoto. Some folks even brought snacks. The people who had the space for rent after us came early so we had to leave :( but otherwise it was really fun. I made a quilt square out of my Kyoto samples. I love this stuff.

A Concise History Of Black-White Relations In The U.S.A.

2009-07-17T21:40:00.001-07:00

A Concise History Of Black-White Relations In The U.S.A.

Posted using ShareThis

And now in biking news...

2009-07-12T21:21:00.000-07:00

I've been biking to school every day for a few weeks now.(I even biked through my period. now *that's* the shit) I still can't get up the hill on Main street after I cross the Hawthorne Bridge. Gotta walk it. But I ride everything else. Which is pretty good I guess.

Well today I rode to school and it was cloudy but by the time I came back out it was pouring. I had a feeling so I brought a little plastic bad to cover my seat. But I didn't bring any kind of rain gear. So I got soaked. But....it was OK. With the exception of my hands which froze ice cold solid, I made it in one piece and did not melt.

Thanks for encouraging me Ben. You are my hero.

Yup more yarn

2009-07-04T11:38:00.000-07:00

Spent the last of the money on Knit/Purl gift cards on three skeins of this yummy Shibui yarn. Put it up for sale on Ravelry and craigslist. After this I'm going to have to go through my stash and my books for things to sell. Today I have applied for jobs, put up ads on craigslist to sell off my worldly goods, started some laundry and graded papers for my class. Tomorrow I gotta go pick up the boy from the train station. Freedom must come to an end.

2009-06-30T18:51:00.000-07:00

Love this yarn called Poems, like Noro only softer. THis will be a soaker for the 6 gazillion babies on the way out there. Is it just Portland having a baby boom or is it everywhere?

Koigu

2009-06-30T17:57:00.000-07:00

Sock is coming along. I luuuuurve this yarn. When I win the lottery I will buy it in bulk

Stitch n Bitch

2009-06-30T17:50:00.000-07:00

We have made a lot of squares! More than I thought we did. We might be able to start sewing them together. And it only took a year! I think most of the squares were made by Ben and I but hey we made something right?

Monday Moday MONDAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYY

2009-06-22T20:39:00.000-07:00

First day of class. I had waaaaay too much material. I was going to lecture on sexism, the history of WS and then gender socialization. I barley got through the history part. Oh well, better to have too much instead of too little. Everyone got books so that was cool. In Other Words came and brought books to us this time since there are so few classes this summer. There are 20 or 22 people in the class. Looks like a good mix. A few men, too. They're all so young. Used to be I was only 5 or 10 years older then them. Now I could me some of them's mother's. They said they were only 4 or 5 during the Anita Hill hearings. It was cool when they asked "what did she say?" They were actually excited when I told them I watched the hearings live on TV. How cool is that? I'm a carrier of history?

Got some new sock yarn with my gift ceritficate the other day when the boys were gone. And can I just say how glorious it was to have them gone? Peace and quiet, my own thouhgts, no nagging. Heaven. This is my first Koigu. It is so soft and Melissa said this yarn rarely if ever pools. How do they make the colors so rich? When I win the lottery I am so buying every color of this stuff.

Impermanence

2009-06-21T10:14:00.001-07:00

I found a simple doily pattern on the web, I knit it up and then unraveled it. I knit in a circle like a mandala. THe knitting was a meditation. This is good practice of the Buddhist concept of impermanence.

knitknitknitknitknitknitknitknitknit

2009-06-18T17:31:00.000-07:00

Went to WWKIPD last weekend, then knitting nite in N Portland, finished a pair of socks and now I'm onto ....well...more knitting

Look what they got me!

2009-03-21T19:10:00.001-07:00

I guess everyone pitched in at work and got me some yummy sock yarn for my last day at work!!!

2009-03-02T12:24:00.001-08:00

more animals

I be funky

2009-02-26T18:32:00.000-08:00

I want this on a t-shirt

2009-02-16T08:11:00.000-08:00

I make Milk. What's your super power?

I know what my next tattoos will be

2009-02-09T21:35:00.000-08:00

There is a Buddhist tale (koan?) of the person walking along the beach. this person comes upon a monk picking up starfish and throwing them back into the ocean. The person asks the monk "there are millions of starfish on this beach you can't make a difference." The monk picks up a starfish, throws it into the sea and says, "it mattered to that one."

A young woman, it is told, is walking through a field when she encounters a tiger that eyes herhungrily. She runs and the tiger pursues her. She comes to a cliff, takes hold of the root of awild vine and, in a single motion, swings herself over the precipice. Dangling there, clutching thevine, she sees the tiger sniffing the ground above her. Trembling, she looks down. It is a long wayto the bottom, and she feels momentarily dizzy. Then she , sees something else. There is anothertiger below, presumably a hungry one, who has also noticed her plight. The tigers prowl, one aboveand one below; waiting for their feast. She clings to the vine. Suddenly; two mice appear at theedge of the cliff and start to gnaw at the roots that hold her. The woman notices a wildstrawberry growing nearby on the side of the hill. She reaches with one hand to pluck thestrawberry, still clutching the vine with the other, and places the fruit in her mouth. She takesone bite. Ahhhh! How sweet it tastes.

So my next tattoos will be of starfish and strawberries

List about me

2009-02-07T11:58:00.000-08:00

I hate spinach. You should know that right up front.

I like those silly websites like stuff on my cat and I can haz cheeseburger
I met James Baldwin in 1984 at Emerson College
I will be first in line to test drive a genetically modified donut that won't make my ass look like one
Before the interwebs was invented, one of my favorite things to do was read the encyclopedia
I love learning
I like to sleep with a lot of pillows.
I have a brother who I haven't heard from in years. He has closed himself off from most of the family and this makes me sad
I am in contact with my mother but we don't have a very good relationship
I am on facebook and have recently connected with lots of old friends and I love it
I played the flute and piano in High School
My favorite color is blue
I am a Leo
I like to be neat but I don't have much space in my room so I end up being a slob. I hate it
I have a lot of clothes in my closet I don't wear. I am kinda of embarrassed about this
I like to sing really loud in the bathroom
I am an impatient driver but I'm trying to be nicer
I yell a lot in the car
I have a bagel for breakfast almost every morning.
I don't like collars that are too close my neck but I like scarves. yeah, I dunno
I like itchy sweaters
I wish my super power was to be able to read minds
I don't like rap music, I hate cars that vibrate with it
My son looked like my grandfather for the first few years of his life
He came out sunny side up
I don't like to wear bras and only wear them if I'm too nipply
There are 5 mac computers in my house
I like yummy smelly bath salts and lotions
I think I am addicted to chocolate
When I was pregnant I ate a record amount of PBJ
I love hot fudge Sundays
I have two tattoos and five piercings
I have very vivd dreams
I would love to live in Copenhagen
I love the feeling of being in a movie theater. Sitting there in the dark with everyone is exciting. Especially when everyone laughs together
I lurve the smell of coffee but I hate drinking it
I also love the smell of pipe smoke but I hate smoke
I want be able to live in a place where I can have chickens
I like the light the sky makes in order to have rainbows
mmmmm.........cheese
I have a mole on my elbow that I used to think was a princess when I was little
I also have a dot on my face I used to call my Marilyn Monroe dot
Speaking of Marilyn, I love that scene in Bowling for Columbine with Marilyn Manson talking about the Columbine kids. He is the only voice of reason in that entire movie
I want to paint my walls warm colors like brown and rust and burnt orange
I want to win the lottery so I can pay someone to clean my bathroom. I hate cleaning my bathroom
I hate it when I go to a restaurant and they say "just one?"
I love ginger

Tried to take a picture

2009-01-30T08:45:00.000-08:00

But my camera kinda sucks. I need a wide angle lens or something. Everything on this camera is all pushed away. I wanted to get the moon and that one star with the pale light coming out from behind the house. It looked prettier in real life.

kewl art

2009-01-29T09:42:00.000-08:00

Some folks at PSU have this art thing going on around campus. Etched into walls, floors and sometimes windows are these interesting words and stories. Here is one I saw today I thought was nice

2009-01-22T19:26:00.000-08:00

My kid in his jazz band recital. He's on the far right playing the accordion

Went for a walk

2009-01-18T14:59:00.001-08:00

And this is what I saw. Wowie that wind is strong today. I don't think anyone was hurt. physically. But their wallet, ouch.

Then I saw this funny bumper sticker

VooDOO donut

2009-01-17T21:49:00.000-08:00

MMMMMMmmmmmmm.........donuts.

Got a gift certificate for a free dozen. The thing is they pick em. I asked for one of them at least tobe an actual voodoo donut and the clerk agreed. The rest of were small mostly vegan and lot of em had cereal on em. Oh well free is free.

2009-01-11T11:41:00.000-08:00

Here's the Lorna's Laces she got me

recent projects

2009-01-11T11:36:00.000-08:00

Making more squares for the Stitch n Bitch blanket. Log cabined black around the squares. I like this much better than trying to make strips outlined in black. Haven't worked on Malabrigo scarf since xmas. I knit about 4-5 sts oer inch on size 8's so I CO 280 sts and I'm doing feather n fan lengthwise. Got some Lorna's Laces worsted from Carolyn. She always knows what to get me. Now I have to figure out what to make with it. 675 yards of Lorna's Laces. mmmmmmm

If you bellieve in numerology.....

2009-01-02T19:30:00.000-08:00

The number 9 relating to a balanced numerological personality or cyclical timing energy is most often associated with tolerance, generosity, forgiveness, passion, creative energy, success, romance, benevolence, and a deep love of life. Nine energy flows like water and is reflective of universal love.

from http://ezinearticles.com/?Numerology-and-the-Number-9&id=889152

I read the Divine Triangle once and it made sense to me. A long time ago. I can't remember what it said but I do remember this whole bit about #9 being about balance. So for what its worth, I hope 2009 will be a year of balance.

2008-12-27T22:19:00.000-08:00

My mum got this for me. I lurve it

Yeah not so pretty anymore

2008-12-23T20:42:00.000-08:00

Make it stop!!!!!!

Its snowing

2008-12-14T10:15:00.001-08:00

Sooooooo pretty

yaaaaaaaarrn

2008-12-08T22:53:00.000-08:00

So I got a sweater from Goodwill and I ripped it out and unraveled it, washed it and dyed it with kool aid. I want to try to sell it on Etsy. Maybe I can teach a class about it? Who would pay me to teach them how to do this? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

Oh Colbert

2008-12-06T21:58:00.001-08:00

This is funny

15 hours

2008-12-04T19:32:00.000-08:00

This is my day.

Woken up by my son yelling at me. We have two doors in our house. A front and back. He goes out the back door at 6am to take out the garbage. He rolls it out to the end of the driveway and comes back to the front door only he finds it locked. He rings the bell waking his father who yells at him. Then my son comes and yells at me for not having unlocked the front door for him. I get up and wait for my son to take a shower so I can take a shower. He putters. I nag. He doesn't take a shower. I get him to school, still yelling at me for other reasons. I went to school a weird way, he hates the music I am listening to on the radio, why haven't I gotten a job yet so I can buy him more things. I swear I can literally feel my blood boil. I get home and check my email to find the worker who is already screwing up is screwing up even more. A slew of emails is sent back n forth between me and other folks in the know.I get dressed/eat breakfast/gather my things all at once so I can get to school quickly. Rushing increases my stress level. I get to work/school and someone I do not enjoy is there making my life less enjoyable. I get phone calls from the boy's father reminding me to do this and that. Yet I know he will ask me questions about it I can't answer because these are really things he should/could be doing himself but expecting me to do it instead. I meet with people, I talk to people. Some people I like. Some people I like very much. Some people I want to feel my skin, smell my smell, taste my taste and say "mmmmmmmm." But these people I want to notice me do not notice me. They don't know I am alive. Well maybe alive but don't know I am ALIVE. I want them to know the depths of me. I want to know the depths of them. The world is too small and fantastic for small talk. There not much time. Why do we waste time? There is so much love to be had.

I eat my lunch. and then there is more rushing. Back to the boy. He has a dentist appointment.. One more thing to give me stress. I will have to remind him even more fervently to brush his teeth. Such a waste of time. Not only will he not do it but will give me the finger while telling me so. In the waiting room I know I am done. I am done giving and giving and caring and wiping noses and shopping and cooking and cleaning. When babies are born it is all about love. and warmth. and hands holding hands. and more love. Babies are little miracles of molecules bound together that grow and smell delightful. and you marvel at how these cells can grow and grow and love. And then they learn how to wipe their own ass and feed and dress themselves and have a grasp of the language and they don't need you anymore. They are their own person. And they give you the finger. So now I am done. I gave all I can and they are their own person and now I need to get back to my own person hood. Its as if my growth stopped to focus on this little persons growth. And now I have to let go and get back to my own growth before the stress of helping this little person sucks me completely into a black hole and I will die.

So I drive him to his jazz group. I am proud knowing he plays the accordion in a jazz group. It sounds impressive. I don't know what it actually sounds like so I will have to keep that impression as a dream. And then its back in the car and "why are you listening to this crap?"and "why are you taking this street?" and we walk in the door and my coat isn't even off and its "when are you going to cook? or "why are you so lazy just sitting there?" and on and on and on. And Daddy is off and its just me demanding to see homework and take a shower.

And no one has told me they love me. No one has touched my face and said how soft it is. And if I died right now would anyone notice? And no one has a cure for cancer and there is still a "war" in Iraq and people are dying in Darfur and an SUV is driving around killing us all. And the animals are all laughing at us to try to find out he meaning of life with our science which we think is oh so important.

And I sit here alone in my room and I cry. for I never was and I never will be.

I heart ravelry

2008-12-03T20:14:00.000-08:00

So I go to Ravelry and I browse the threads and there is one called " There are peaches in the fridge and I eated them. " and the she posted a picture of the peach. So I think this is cute. But I read on, the next post says

the subject made me think of this poem, which I love.

This Is Just To Say

I have eaten
the plums
that were in
the icebox

and which
you were probably
saving
for breakfast.

Forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet
and so cold.

-- William Carlos Williams

Did anyone else’s mind go there?

Which then create this whole discussion of Williams and how someone hates him and someone else loves him and then everyone's got an opinion on poetry. THis made me look up Williams and want to read more about him. And Ezra Pound his friend. Which reminded me of my frien Matt who worked at the bookfair with me. He tols me he got arrested and tossed in the drunk tank. He said he spent the night with his shirt off yelling Ezra Pound poems.

My brain hurts

horny

2008-12-01T21:34:00.000-08:00

So yeah all of a sudden my body is saying "NOW." I must be ovulating or something. I got a little hard on and everything. I wasnt even thinking about anyone in particular. Just my body doing its own thing. Kinda sucks though. Sigh. OK here's a picture of the sock

Home again Home again

2008-11-30T20:25:00.001-08:00

Whew! So good to be home. Having a few days out of my reality was OK and all but its good to be home. Turned the heel on the sock and starting on the foot. Here's the sock and my messy room. I have so much laundry to do. welcome home indeed. Elijah is now addicted to this online game with his grandpa. It's like the game RISK or diplomacy where you have armies and you capture countries and go to war with other countries. So the game is between Elijah his grandpa, his uncle Carl and his dad Roger. They play for hours. At least he is learning geography. And making connections with his family. Now if he could only male connections with his black family.........

Carkeek park

2008-11-29T15:40:00.000-08:00

Went for a walk through the woods. Saw some Salmon struggling to spawn and die in a little stream that came from the ocean. Thought it would be cold today but it turned out to be a nice day.

The sock got a look at the beach

Roger, Elijah, Abby and Carl
Abby walked by herself the whole way. Last year she cried half the time to be carried

Elijah named this salmon Jerry. A crowd gathered when they saw her flopping about. Abby and Elijah cheered Jerry on, "Go Jerry go!" Jerry didn't get very far.

Must.not.eat.any.more.food

2008-11-28T21:45:00.000-08:00

We ate ourselves silly. Again. Had tons of food last night and ate leftovers twice today. No wonder everyone hates folks from the US. We are fat, greedy lot. Spent the day playing board games and going to museums. We did actually go for a walk around Greenlake this morning. Its hard to do much of anything however with a brooding teenager and hyper 2 year old. Each conversation is constantly interrupted by Elijah's rudeness or Abigails need to be the center of attention. CHildren can be wonderful and entertaining little people or complete selfish jerks. Either way its hard just trying to have a conversation or a meal.

Pie

Elijah and Roger playing suicide chess. Elijah won. He always wins.

This is Abigail. She's 2

We went to the museum of flight. It was basically a display of every plane Boeing ever made. THey had one room with space flight stuff in ti that was cool. One big room with mostly windows was for every kind of airplane. Mostly war planes. Elijah played the bored sulking teenager, Abigail dragged grammie around and everyone else read the plaques in silence. It was sort of a quiet walk through a room full of steel.

Me being stoopid

Touring Airforce one. THis is the plane JFK rode in. ITs where LBJ was sworn in after JKF died. It was mostly like a regular plane but up front was all the important buttons in the "control center."

I had fun taking pictures of Grammies cat Mocha. I posted it on Facebook under the group for the appreciation of cats who look like Hitler

www.explodingdog.com

2008-11-25T08:33:00.000-08:00

We are everywhere

2008-11-24T20:51:00.000-08:00

Even on yer iPhone

Today I feel like.......

2008-11-22T20:12:00.000-08:00

This picture

and this music (mostly just the first movement)

To believe or not to believe

2008-11-20T22:13:00.000-08:00

Just watched Dawkins documentary "Root of all Evil?" It was very good as it raised even more questions for me.

I think people immerse themselves in religion because life is scary and they need to feel loved. Many organized religions can do that for them. Trying to find a place not be scared and trying to find a place to be loved without organized religion is hard. Especially the love piece. We in this country anyway are so jaded and suspicious and have such little love that it is easy to get caught up in organized religion that promises love. Atheism has no such promises. Atheism has respect and moral principles I'm sure but mostly when I hear Atheists it's all logic and reason. Can you have logic and love?

Love is so important to us humans. It's the one thing that I feel Atheism doesn't offer people. I hear so much of Atheists debunking of religion and not enough of how to live without theism that I can see why its a turn off for people. Atheism doesn't fill that hole left when you take out god. I guess the answer is to not have a hole in the first place. We should live our lives with the belief that inter-dependence is a good thing rather than the pull yourself up by your bootstraps bullshit. Relying on one another, supporting one another so we feel safe and loved and doing that in an organized way would be revolutionary.

I'm felting I'm felting aaaaaahhhhhh

2008-11-20T22:10:00.001-08:00

So Lukas gave me his swatch to felt. He knit this Lopi with size 13 needles. It started out as 8 by 51/2 inches, I washed it twice in the washer with hot only and small load with lots of agitation and it came out 7 by 41/2. He knits combo style and you can still see the stitches. He wants to make a holder for his bows (as in bow and arrow)

playing with iSight

2008-11-17T19:28:00.000-08:00

The camera in my laptop makes much better pictures today. I don't look as washed out as I usually do. I look so serious in this picture don't I?

Let them eat cake

2008-11-17T19:26:00.001-08:00

Here is the yarn Lukas bought to make a scarf for his mother. So nice. Its Malabrigo too. mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. I wound them into cakes for him since he doesn't have a ball winder and swift.

I am so diggin this

2008-11-15T11:34:00.000-08:00

I think this song is my soundtrack

aaaaand the square

2008-11-12T18:46:00.001-08:00

Now that's a good friend

2008-11-09T17:17:00.000-08:00

Went to the Yarn Garden today with Lukas. I taught him how to knit and now he wants to knit a scarf for his mum. He got Malabrigo in lovely earth tones. THen he wants to make a felted case for his arrows for his archery thing. So I helped him with that. So for all my help he said "go pick out something for yourself." Yeah so I picked out another sock yarn. Regia Stretch Colors #81. Very happy rainbow like

We had lunch and talked and talked and talked. It was such a lovely Sunday.

squares squares squares

2008-11-08T10:36:00.000-08:00

I'm all about the squares. Used my coupon and got new sock yarn (I know I shouldn't have but who needs food when you have sock yarn!!!!) Patons Kroy sock stripes.

Knitting satisfies something in me. Calms me. Memo says I should read this book called complexity. Maybe it will confirm my suspicions that the world is so complex we need something like knitting to make things simple for us to handle this whole living on earth thing. He scared me yesterday. Said he was going to kill himself. We talked for a while about how unhappy he is. Everything he tries comes out fucked up he says. He keeps expecting things to go OK but then they just get worse. I feel the same way he does. I am so sad most of the time. So I try to breathe in Love and send out love whenever I have a minute so the sadness doesn't take me over. I don't think he can do that. I get the feeling he thinks that's too optimistic and he says optimism is wrong. There is only reality. But his reality is that life is so painful he wants to kill himself. Killing himself is the only way to cope. I say love is the way to cope. Just be open to love.

I heart I can has cheesburger

2008-11-07T15:14:00.000-08:00

more animals

funny joke

2008-11-01T11:11:00.000-07:00

This elderly lady went to the doctor for a check-up. Everything checked out fine. The old lady pulled the doctor to the side and said, “Doctor, I haven’t had sex for years now and I was wondering how I can increase my husband’s sex drive.”
The doctor smiled and said, “Have you tried to give him Viagra?”
The lady frowned. “Doctor, I can’t even get him to take aspirin when he has a headache,” she claimed.
“Well,” the doctor continued, “Let me suggest something. Crush the Viagra into a powder. When you are giving him coffee, stir it into the coffee and serve it. He won’t notice a thing.”
The old lady was delighted. She left the doctor’s office quickly.
Weeks later the old lady returned. She was frowning and the doctor asked her what was wrong. She shook her head.
“How did it go?” the doctor asked.
“Terrible, doctor, terrible.”
“Did it not work?”
“Yes,” the old lady said, “It worked. I did as you said and he got up and ripped his clothes off right then and there and we made mad love on the table. It was the best sex that I’d had in 25 years.”
“Then what is the problem, ma’am?”
“Well,” she said. “I can’t ever show my face in McDonald’s again.”

Remember this?

2008-10-31T23:02:00.000-07:00

No Anchovies Please

J. Geils Band
No Anchovies Please
This is the story of a young couple in Portland, Maine.
While waiting for her husband Don to return home from work, she reaches for
a can of anchovies. As she spreads the tiny fish across a piece of lettuce,
she notices a small note at the bottom of the can. Written on it is a
telephone number. Curious, she dials, and is told, "Don't move, lady, we'll
be right over." Placing the phone back on the hook, she turns to see three
smartly dressed men standing in her kitchen doorway. Before she realizes
what is happening to her, she is rolled tightly in long sheets of cellophane,
transported to an international airport, and placed on a waiting jet-liner.
All this being too much for her to comprehend, she passes out.
Upon awakening, she finds herself in a strange, foreign speaking nation
("Dalas nekcihc dna tihs nekcihc neewteb ecnereffid eht wonk ot suineg a
ekat t'nseod ti."). Alone, fearing her escape impossible, she seeks comfort
in the arms of a confidential agent. With the trace of her kiss still warm
upon his lips, he betrays her to the hands of three scientists who are
engaged in diabolical, avant-garde experiments previously performed only on
insects and other small, meaningless creatures. Using her as their subject,
they are delighted with the results. For the first time, a human being is
transformed into a ("shhh... it's secret").
Meanwhile, back in Portland, Maine...
Her husband Don, now chain-smoking 40 packs of cigarettes a day, sits at a
local bar and has a few beers with the regulars. Bored, everyone's
attention turns to the television set that just hangs from the wall.
("Welcome to Bowling for Dollars"). Suddenly, crazy Al says, "S-say, Don,
there sure is something familiar about that bowling ball." To which a
terrified Don replies, "Oh my God! That bowling ball! It's my wife!"
And the lesson we learn from this story is, next time you place your order,
don't forget to say, "No anchovies please."

My son's haloween costume

2008-10-31T22:38:00.001-07:00

He wouldn't let me take a picture of him in it

There is no permanent truth

2008-10-31T22:12:00.000-07:00

So I had to get rid of the cable. It was just crazy expensive. Then I dropped my camera and the digital face smashed. But it still takes pictures I just can't see what I'm taking and change the fstops or anything. Now I'm trying to be less digital in my life anyway. I rely on too much fake communication. Although I am sitting here writing this to send out to the internets. Oh well. The point is to try to use my brain more. And to communicate more. I am too isolated and alone. I need to reach out.

So I'm inspired by a friends blog to examine things more closely. He is all about music and how it effects him. He likes it so much he is writing his PhD about it. I don't dig music that much but I dig that he digs it and I can talk to him about it. Most of my conversations with folks is so shallow it is refreshing talking to him. Anyway, he makes lists of music he likes so I am going to do that too.

My Little brown book by Duke Ellington and John Coltrane
One of the most beyootiful songs ever written and played by two of the most beyootiful men who ever lived.
Bad Penny by Big Black
Noise noise and more noise. I love it.
Foreign Affair sung by Manhattan Transfer (written by Tom Waits)
I like their version better than Tom's. Sorry. It's a great song to belt out when I'm cleaning the tub.
Anything by Vivaldi. He just puts me in a trance
Billie Holiday. Need I say more?
Penguin Cafe Orchestra. Couldn't tell ya if I tried. I like that they have no "genre." They are quirky yet they make sense. They are experimental and happy and free and make me feel like I want to do the same.
The Pixies.
Elliott Smith. I'm a sucker for a guy and a guitar
Bob Marley. A prophet
Cocteau Twins. Dead Can Dance. Both 4AD projects. The word "spiritual" comes to mind. Mostly for DCD. Their music is inspired by many different elasticities musical themes. Cocteaus are more heavy on the high pitched guitar and deep beats but there is this etherialness to them that I put them together with DCD for some reason. I don't know. I just dig em.
Radiohead
The Police
They might be Giants. fun.
Sam Cooke. Dam that man can sing
Weezer
Stereolab
Lydia Lunch. She is so fucked up and she is so beautiful
Tones on Tail. Used to get stoned to them a LOT. Now I just like how they mix a lot of stuff together and make great noise. Great base too.
Dexter Gordon
Joe Strummer. RIP
We are Devo
Oscar Peterson
The Ramones
Jello Biafra (and the Dead Kennedys) Music with a conscious. Gotta love it
Velvet Underground. They gotta be on everyone's list right?
Kraftwerk. Do you want to touch my monkey?
Soul Coughing.
The Cure
Morphine
PJ Harvey
Zappa
Philip Glass
John Zorn

Yes I spelled things wrong. I made up words and my punctuation sucks. Tough shit.

More squares

2008-10-19T19:13:00.001-07:00

Here's more that I've done with different yarns

another square

2008-10-19T19:09:00.000-07:00

OK I'm addicted now. I found this yarn at Freddy's. Red Heart sock yarn. Doesn't feel like insulation, its actually 75% super wash wool and 25% nylon like most sock yarns. And the color is fantastic. I've always had thong about squares. It's always what I doodle, and I collect boxes, I don't know its some kind of creative thing for me, so I love making the squares. And they knot up fast. Maybe I can whip out blankets like this?

Paaaanda Panda Panda Paaaaaanda Panda Panda. Pan. da

2008-10-18T17:50:00.000-07:00

Panda yarn from Crystal Palace. 50% wool %40 bamboo 10% nylon. MMMMMMMMMMMM. Love it. Nice colors too. Only &7 a skein but probably one make one sock. Gonna make quilt squares with it.

Red Heart makes sock yarn

2008-10-18T17:47:00.000-07:00

I think they are trying to compete with Lion Brand sock ease cuz this stuff has Aloe in it too. But the colors are much brighter then sock ease. It's cheaper but has less yardage so probably not much of a trade off. This color looks very rainbow to me but they call it "mellow." I'm going to try another quilt square with it

Red heart colors
http://www.joann.com/joann/catalog.jsp?CATID=cat2866&PRODID=xprd634000
Sock ease colors
http://www.joann.com/joann/catalog.jsp?CATID=cat2866&PRODID=xprd634000

Finished square

2008-10-04T08:46:00.000-07:00

DONE!!!

So many knitters......

2008-10-04T08:41:00.000-07:00

So our university had a big "block party" the other day. All student groups were outside in the park blocks (kind of like a quad) showcasing their group and trying to recruit new members. I got a choice spot right in front of a main building for my Stitch n Bitch group. I just had a simple sign and yarn on the table and I got about 60 people to sign up!!! Granted half of them might never show up. The deal with this party is if you visit a group then you get a stamp on your "passport" and after 4 stamps you get a free t-shirt and free food. So a lot of people visit just to get a stamp. BUt there was at least 10 people who came up to me saying "yeah knitting!!" and were really excited. So now I will have more folks to knit with yeah!!!! It was a good day.

New Knits

2008-09-24T14:45:00.001-07:00

So I'm knitting like crazy. Have three projects going at once. Made a block for the Knit-a-long Barn raising quilt, Finished the second LL sock and started the Harf pattern with my sale karaoke. I really like making squares. I like having one small thing to carry around with me to work on. It's putting all the squares together that will be the hard part.

Portland crochet and knit show

2008-09-13T09:56:00.000-07:00

Yeah yarn!!!How wonderful it is to be in a room full of knitters. Sigh. OK so I went and looked at every booth first then I was starving so I went to lunch. Came back and they had a fashion show. THen I went and bought $30 worth of yarn. I shouldn't be buying anything but I could n't help myself. I did get in for free since I am a member of the knitting guild. I also got free yarn and needles in one class. I learned some new crochet. Annie Modesit was supposed to be there but I couldn't find her. She was the only "star" that was there. THe crowd was made up of white, middle class older women. And some men. I counted three black women and one Asian woman. THere was a booth selling African baskets by an African man and woman so I guess that's 5. So that was weird. I always feel out of place that way. But everyone was so friendly and happy and having such a good time too. And it was nice to have a little bit of a day off to do my own thing. Here's some photos.

OSWALD WEST STATE PARK

2008-09-06T17:25:00.000-07:00

Went last weekend and it was bee-yoo-tee-ful. Cold and overcast when we got there turned into a sunny day after about an hour. Got my feet wet, collected rocks, did some knitting, we brought snacks and just sat. It was lovely. Except Elijah kept saying "let's gooooooooo." How can you be bored at the beach? That is not my child. We stopped at a view point and took pictures. Hit Tillamook and got ice cream. Aside from the whiny kid, it was a nice day.

I heart Jon Stewart

2008-09-05T14:59:00.000-07:00

http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=184086&title=sarah-palin-gender-card

Watch out! Cuteness ahead!

2008-08-26T09:24:00.001-07:00

more animals

duduza doll

2008-08-15T21:55:00.000-07:00

This looks cool. I might knit one. When it stops being 100 degrees

http://twistedpdx.com/2008/06/06/duduza-doll-project/

birthday business

2008-08-11T14:34:00.000-07:00

So yeah it was my birthday yesterday. I talked to my mum and she told me she was shopping at Stop n Shop in Milton (Massachusetts) and she walked outside with my grandmother and her water broke. so they went home and called the doctor and waiting till the contractions got further apart. Then they went to the hospital (Beth Israel) and waited some more. My dad had to wait outside in the waiting room. They didn't let fathers in the delivery room yet. It was afternoon and it was hot and finally I was born. around 7 pounds 20 something inches. that's all she told me.

I lurve this store

2008-08-04T19:04:00.000-07:00

Yeah my favorite yarn store in Massachusetts has an online store/blog

http://www.sageyarn.com/Default.aspx

When my son and I go back to visit my mum at her house in Sandwich we usually make a trip to Falmouth. We go to Eight Cousins book store and visit some fancy boutiques, have lunch, get a black dog t-shirt and go to Sage. They are the best store. They are so nice and have such great yarns and always have something yummy on sale. If I lived in Falmouth I would be so broke, I'd go there all the time. So I guess its a good thing I live 3000 miles away.

Sock yarn

2008-07-28T23:06:00.001-07:00

I could seriously get addicted to it. After making all those EZ BSJ now I see interesting patterns for making blankets. The barn Raising quilt and mitered square everything. Then socks of course. But also those bears for the mother bear project and I've got shawls on the brain too.

Why oh why does sock yarn have to be so expensive????

What are the cheaper alternatives? TLC, Caron, magic stripe. Well Lion Brand did put out that new sock ease. Gotta keep an eye on those sales.

Now Malabrigo has a sock weight yarn!!!!!!

ribbit ribbit

2008-07-08T09:31:00.000-07:00

Had to frog Thorpe hat. It was waaaaaaaaaaay too huge. It came down past my nose. Sigh. I guess I need to go up a needle size (and I think I did one too many increase rounds). I'm also kinda distracted by my lace yarn. I found a great lace KAL group on Ravelry and they have some great ideas. OY! I'm in a knitting quandary! re-knit the Thorpe hat? Start on some lace? Finish one of the two sweaters I'm "working" on? Rip out the Goodwill sweater find (100% white wool cable sweater. $6) and kool aid dye it? Work on my mitered square blanket? column of leaves scarf? Socks from the new ball of sock-ease I got a fabric depot? Decisions decisions..........

Next project

2008-07-04T13:33:00.000-07:00

Thorpe from this website http://throughtheloops.typepad.com/through_the_loops/2007/12/working-hats.html

My mum bought this yarn at a craft fair in the Adirondacks and sent it to me. So now I’m making a hat for her with it. I have no idea what it is made of or how many yards or weight or anything. She just said she got it at a craft fair in the Adirondacks. It is most likely some kind of handspun, worsted weight wool.

nother EZ BSJ

2008-07-03T22:44:00.000-07:00

This one is for my friend/co-worker Brian in AV. I brought to him to day and he was SOOOOOoooo happy!!! He said "the wife will probably cry" though he ooked like he was going to cry. I think the whole I'm-going-to-be-a-dad thing is finally sinking in. Anyway, I felt good making someone happy today.

Cincinnati

2008-06-21T15:42:00.000-07:00

So it's been a couple of days here and I think I have spent more time walking around then actually going to the conference. I'm just n ot feeling it. I mean cmon how am I supposed to understand "polyphonous praxis"and "dialogic" this and "hegemonic" that. My brain needs a rest.

So I went to the art museum (its free, has air conditioning and bath rooms) and saw this great sculpture by a black woman of Phyllis Wheatly.

You might not see it from this photo but this painting of Marie Danforth Paige looks a lot like Drew Barymore

This is a big fountain in the middle of a square. I don't know what it's called but it was a big open courtyard kind of place with tables and umbrellas and people hanging out. and yes that is a big TV screen showing a baseball game of I think the Cincinnati Reds. Very weird. Then I went to Carew (sp?) tower, 49 stories, I think the tallest building in town and saw the sculpture from the top

At the bottom of Carew Tower was a little mall. They had a cute little british tea house but it was reserved for a private party so I didn't get to go in and get some yummy tea. But it had a lot of interesting Art Deco stuff everywhere. And they had Chick-fil-A!!!!! I love that place.

WWKIPD

2008-06-14T10:48:00.000-07:00

So I scheduled Portland in Pioneer Square for WWKIPD since so many local contingents were at yarn stores. I figured the whole point is to knit "in public" where people usually don't knit so somewhere public like Pioneer Square, Portland's living room, would be just the place. I got there early, found a great parking spot and the sun was out. There is also the festival of flowers going on so I got to sit in an "urban filed" of flowers. Cool huh? Well my son had organized a monopoly game with his friends and it started at noon, so that's why I took the car so I could leave and be home on time to supervise. Well one friend couldn't make it cuz of some pre-arranged thing, then another friend got sick and the last friend has to come early cuz of some other pre-arranged thing. So I only got to knit for an hour. But Janet, Shawna and Shawna's mother Marsha was there. I hope more knitters show up and make it a real event.

baby baby baaaaaaaaby

2008-06-10T09:38:00.000-07:00

Finished TWO count em 2 EZ Baby Surprise Jackets!!! THe first one was HUGE. Made out of worsted weight yarn (JoAnn's Sensations: Rainbow Classic) with size 7 needles. THen I read up on Ravelry you gotta use smaller yarn and smaller needles for a smaller size. So I used TLC baby print and size 3 needles and got the smaller one. I luuuurve this pattern. I am so making more. I actually know people with new babies or soon to be babies.

EZ BSJ

2008-05-27T10:27:00.001-07:00

So I started over with Joanns Sensation Rainbow Classic yarn instead of doubling the TLC. This works so much better. I made it to the neck this time. I finally figured out what EZ is trying to do. Ya know I love her patterns but sometimes I just want a row by row instructions instead "oh just knit a little here and do a little that" pattern. Anyway so far so good.

2008-05-17T22:19:00.001-07:00

It's so hot I'm sitting ina pool of my own sweat!!!!!!!!!

Yarn Harlot in PDX

2008-04-23T08:24:00.000-07:00

Gotta love knitters!!

This is a picture I took with my cell phone. OY why didn't I bring my camera?????

I had to leave ealry cuz I had my 12 year old with me. He got bored and kept saying "let's go mum!" really loud. And it was a school night. She didn't start talking till about 7:30! Doors opened at 5. They had a little raffle and gave away stuff the knitting scavenger hunt, the winner had 88 points! She said she would've gotten the Mayor but he was out of town. So I did get lots of laughs before I had to go. And it was free so I gotta be glad I got to see her at all.

I love this

2008-04-18T22:41:00.000-07:00

2008-04-16T10:33:00.000-07:00

OK so Im getting sick of working on the baby blanket. I'm going to go back to the EZ BSJ. I'm using different yarn this time so maybe it'll go better.

So more folks are coming to stitch n Bitch. yeah. Hopefully SOC will let me know when we'll be an incorporated PSU group and start acting all official.

OK no more knitting for now gotta gowrite some papers, pay some bills, clean house, excercise, slap around some slacker workers and be a good mum

2008-03-28T11:59:00.000-07:00

Made a square for Sandy. She's making an afghan for Afghans.

Spring Break

2008-03-28T11:54:00.000-07:00

YIPEEEEEE!!!!!! Got the whole house to myself for 3 days! The boys went to Washington to visit family and I went to yarn stores and walked around and did whatever I want and slept in and knit and left dirty dishes in the sink!!!!!!

Here's some sock yarn I got at Twisted. They have so much sock yarn its dizzying!!
Started this little guy with some of my Lambs pride stash. I finally got the Jess Hutchison booklet. I don't know why she doesn't publish a full on book. She could clean up. People are selling thier booklets on eBay for $300!

Who is Vladimir Kramnik?

2008-03-22T12:34:00.000-07:00

Moving on

2008-03-16T15:59:00.001-07:00

So I'm moving on to baby blankets. I started this one with some Bernat acrylic worsted and CO a uch of stitches and I'm just working in Feather n Fan. So much easier. So meditative. I luuuurve it. I got some Rainbow Classic Sensations at Joannes on sale, maybe I'll use that for a BSJ instead. I'm just in baby mode so who cares......

dog

2008-03-13T08:36:00.001-07:00

Why have I been jonesin for a dog lately? I got two cats already why do I want even more respnsability? Oh but wook at dat widdy biddy face ain't is cuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuute!

EZ BSJ

2008-03-06T09:36:00.000-08:00

I made an ice cream cozy for the boy. He loves it

I have started this thing 3 times now and I keep messing up!!!!!! AAAARRRGGGGG!!! THere are a certain number of stitches that have to be on each "side" of the pattern and every row it always ends up uneven. i don't know what I am doing wrong.

So I joined the BSJ yahoo group looking for tips so maybe the 4th time will be a charm?

Baby knits

2008-03-03T08:40:00.000-08:00

I am going to attempt the EZ Baby Surprise Jacket. I got some TLC baby (cute rainbow of colors) with my Joanns coupon and I've CO. Her directions are hard for me. SHe wants us to be empowered knittiers and just go do it but I don't think I'm that empowered. I need to be taken by the hand (at least for the 1st time) and shown how to do it before I go off. So I'm checking Ravelry, and KH and other websites to find charts or other helps. I know one person who has a new baby and another person with a baby onthe way so I got plenty of chances to screw up on this one.

Lace is kinda hard

2008-02-24T12:28:00.001-08:00

Started the Lacy Candle Flame Shawl from KnitPicks. It's a free download on thier website. Using the stainglass colorway I just got on sale, I started a few days ago. I kept screwing up and had to start over again. Stitch markers are a big help. DOH! It's strange knitting with yarn so thin and light. Using the bigger needles, size 3, as opposed to using a 0 for this thin of a yarn, is supposed to make the lacy-ness of this shawl. It's not very satisfying. Lace requires patience and I want instant gratification!!! So now after a few days I've calmed down and gotten more patience. I think its cuz I've got other yarn too!

This comes from the fabulous new store in Portland (yarn mecca) called Yarnia

Check it out. She has cones of one play yarn and this cool machine that can ply several different yarns together to make a whole new yarn! It's awesome. I got a little bit to try out and I want more!!

2008-02-18T13:16:00.001-08:00

I find this image to be racist. The mammy image or Uncle Ben or Aunt Jamima are slave images. And I don't believe they are used in the context of telling the story of a particular slave. I think it generalizes black folks as Toms and otherwise ignorant black people and I think its insulting.

What do you think?