4x8 Things you didn't ask to know about me...

My first Meme! My mommy tagged me, I feel so cool...

Four jobs I have had in my life:
1. window washing/house painting
2. summer program coordinator, children's library
3. curatorial and collections management intern at public art gallery
4. server/bartender at banquets, weddings, and restaurants

Four movies I would watch over and over again:
Okay, this was way too hard, so I had to break it down into loose categories instead...an incomplete list by far...
1. Pretty much anything French new wave and surrealist, especially Godard or Cocteau; Une femme est une femme. A bout de souffle, La belle est la bete, Orphee...
2. Any Audrey Hepburn film; Roman Holiday, Funny Face and Breakfast at Tiffany's are my favourites
3. Harold and Maude, and Fight Club, I see the two movies as related for some reason
4. The Before Sunset/Sunrise series(?), hopefully one day to be a trilogy...

Four places I have lived:
1. Amsterdam, NL
2. Toronto, Canada
3. Bucharest, Romania
4. Hamilton, Ontario

Four T.V. shows I love to watch:
1. Arrested Developement
2. Twin Peaks
3. The Office (U.K)
4. Deadwood
(note: I watch all of these on dvd, as I do not have cable)

Four Places I have been on vacation:
1. Kyoto, Japan
2. Arusha, Tanzania
3. Moscow, Russia
4. Nile cruise and day trip to Cairo, Egypt

Four websites I visit daily:
1. design*sponge
2. whipup
3. comedy central
4. craftster

Four of my favourite foods:
1. Sushi
2. Cheese
3. Chocolate
4. Garlic

Four places I'd rather be right now:
1. Strolling through Central Park, in between visits to the Moma and the Met
2. Reading books in a hammock on a desserted tropical island
3. At a cottage up north, sitting on a dock on a completely still lake, with no motor boats or sounds of city life
4. At the Montreal jazz festival, watching a free outdoor concert at night



Fin.

Knitting content? No way!

Yes way.
I hab a code, so this is what I decided to do with the leftover sock yarn:
















I wish we could have some sun just one day this week, I'd take a million pictures of everything and anything, then save them for all the posts I make on overcast days like this.

What is it about knitting that makes every object you own seem to just scream out for a cozy? Were my tissues cold? No. Is my ipod cold? Probably not. And yet there's an urge I have to cover everything I see in knits and purls. Sure, it's cuter than the plastic wrapping my tissues were in before, but there's more to it than that. I guess we're just always looking for an excuse to make something, no matter how unnecessary it is.

Changing Blogs

I love redecorating! I guess it has to do with my complete inability to make up my mind, but in the case of the Inter-ma-net, I think that's o.k. At least the changes I make here are free, and don't require me to enlist the help of friends to lift couches and move them to the other side of the room, and then back again. So, no harm, no fowl. Right?
I miss my rounded corners, but really wasn't liking how they read as grey rounded-triangles on top of my wood background, which I tried changing but in the end just couldn't part with. The deciding vote was cast by my roommate, who called me from work to tell me to change it back. This is her adorable kitty, Kicia. I tried to get a recent pic of him being his usual cute self, but he wasn't having any of it. Hopefully knowing he's waiting at home for her will help her get through the rest of the day! Thanks for your help, Ola.



















Now, get back to work!

Needle Roll Case

roll
Originally uploaded by Punkybeckster.

Roll 'em up, head 'em out...

needle roll
Originally uploaded by Punkybeckster.

Et, voila.
A needle roll case, as requested! I used the pattern from S'n'B as a guide. Very easy for what was, in effect my first sewing project since seventh grade. I still haven't put a ribbon on to tie it together, but when I find one I like it will be officially "finished"
You like?

I still can't figure out how to publish multiple photos from flickr to one post. I am such a newb.

You Rock, Sock.

I finished my first pair of socks yesterday, and was so pleased with them, production has already begun on my next pair. Take a look at the tender tootsies below to see how they turned out (and excuse the thickness of my ankles, I am wearing two pairs of socks in this picture, and horizontal stripes, blah blah blah...): The yarn: Moda Dea Sassy Stripes, in "crush." A soft, washable acrylic yarn in a pretty colourway of red, pink, purple, black and white. I have to say, though, it was a bit of a pain to get these socks to match. I had to unwind one skein to get to the other end of the yarn in order to get the stripes to match, and even then, one sock is brighter in colour than the other. I'm pretty sure they were from the same dye lot, but as this is my first experience with self-striping yarn, I don't know if I should expect symmetry and consistency. This picture really illustrates my point:

The pattern: Knitted Socks by Grace Alexander. I played it safe and stuck with the pattern that came with the yarn, a 2 x 2 ribbed sock worked from the top down on dpns. It was a good, well written basic sock pattern, and watching a heel appear in my knitting was like magic! Seriously, I ran up and down the halls shouting "knitting socks is magic!" My roommate fears for my sanity. I ended up with a bit of yarn left over, and would have liked the socks to be a bit longer, so I think for my next pair, I will try a toe-up pattern like Wendy's.

Next up: still working away on Lucky, and trying to find a small project to use up my left-over sock yarn. Also started a pair of darling lacy knee-highs yesterday that I will post pictures of later today! It's been very dull and grey the last few days, so taking good pics has been quite difficult :(

Until then, here's a completely gratuitous shot of the scarf for sale on my itty-bitty etsy shop, there's only one thing up so far, I'm just dipping my toe in the water for now to see how it goes. Id love some feedback or advice if you've got any!

The Productivity of Procrastination

Whew, I'm back!

In case you don't know what it is I am referring to, let me tell you:
For the past two days, this little blogetty-blog has been unavailable for my, and your viewing/reading pleasure. I'm sure that rioting and havoc has ensued in my absence, so I am here to tell you all - fear not, for I have returned and shall lead you all to knitting victory!

-

Umm, yeah, so for those of you who didn't notice I was gone for two whole days, you all probably have lives. As do I (I swear). Would you like to know what I did in the last 48 hours? Sure you would...
1.)"Finished" one and a half socks, but realized I've misplaced all of my tapestry needles, which are necessary for completion of any project
2.)Did tubular cast-on (5 times, I was tired and kept making the same mistake)for Lucky Clover part II: Electric Boogaloo
3.)Washed five loads of laundry by hand, including 1 duvet cover and 1 fitted sheet, 9 pillow cases, and uh, enough shirts and sweaters to clothe all the people in China
4.)Baked blueberry-oatmeal muffins
5.)Posted my first item on my brand-spankin' new etsy shop
6.)Took more pictures for Project Spectrum
7.)Cleaned the bathroom
8.)Did two sinkfulls of dishes
9.)Discovered that Eunny has incredible mind-reading abilities. See my entry
in which I debate the best way to go about knitting a brocade afghan in all the shades of the rainbow ( perhaps a horrid idea to some, but in my head it is the most beautiful knitted thing ever) Seriously. Picture Eunny's swatch (which looks almost exactly like the one I've been trying to chart) In complementing shades of pink and red, then picture a whole bunch of them in tonal combinations (not too bright, mind you, I'm thinking muted and subdued, not Rainbow Bright) of all the colours from Project Spectrum, joined together with a black border. Lovely, no? I just have to get some wool for this project before march is over!


So, that sums up my weekend for the most part. My hands are very sore from the combination of knitting and wringing out laundry (I should really get a mangle) and I am tired but happy.
As you can see, I can actually get a lot done when I'm not getting anything done. Hence the title of this post.

Must. Resist.

Okay, so I've wanted to tackle clapotis for a very, very long time, but have never been able to find just the right yarn for the job. Until today.Lorna's Laces. Lion & Lamb. 66 embers. $27 USD. 3 skeins. For one scarf.
There is no other colourway that I have found in any yarn, ever, that I have loved more than this. Hyperbole much? Never!
I am in so much pain over this. No other fibre will compare to this now - how can I substitute the subtle lustre of that silk, the gentle glow of those colours? It's as if the yarn gods dyed and spun this just for me.
Just to torture me.
Why, oh why did I have to stumble upon this today? If I had never seen the loveliness that is embers, I could have been content to knit a clapotis of my very own out of something very quite nice, and affordable, such as Knitpicks Shimmer, or Gossamer.
But neither of those yarns come even close to this colourway. If anybody out there knows of something similar to this that would be in a student's budget, please let me know. Or, if you are feeling generous...




In my dreams, right?

I Sock!

I'm finally into the knitting of the socks, which for some reason I've just never gotten around to trying. Thanks to project Spectrum, I pulled out all of my red and pink yarn the other day and this just called out to me. Now that I've started, I want to jab a pointy needle in my eye for not doing it sooner. Well, maybe that's a little harsh. But seriously folks, this could solve all of my laundry woes. I'd never have to run out and buy a new pair when I'm behind on my washing again -I could even try knitting undies -then I'd be set!
I'm using Sassy Stripes, by Moda Dea. It's an acrylic yarn, but I couldn't resist the colours. And it's actually quite soft and lovely to knit with.
The pattern I'm using is very basic, but it came with the yarn and I didn't want to take any chances with my first attempt. After a few inches of 2x2 rib, however, I'm already yearning to try something more challenging. I also wish I'd chosen a pattern that used short rows, as it's a technique I've been waiting for the right opportunity to try. I guess I'll save that for my next pair!
You may have noticed, I am knitting these on dpns. I completely agree with Wendy on the magic loop and circular needle methods, it's double pointed for me all the way, baby!

Toile de Joy!

Unfortunately, academic pressures must take priority over creative endeavors today. I am writing a paper on this lovely piece of Toile de Jouy curtain from the Royal Ontario Museum

I'd rather be sewing something with it, but c'est la vie!

What to do, what to do...

I think I may have found a solution to the IE problem, but I'm not completely happy with the way it looks, so if you're not viewing this in Firefox, you're missing out slightly. Not in any drastic way, but it just looks a little more polished.


In project Spectrum news, I have been very busy, as evident in the "portraits" you see here. As it is nearly the middle of March, I feel as though I have a lot of catching up to do. Along with the little projects I make and photos I take along the way, I'd also like to have one big project at the end of it all that combines all of the colours. An afghan might be a nice way of doing this, if I make two squares a month I will have 12 by August!


A knit jacquard or brocade pattern would be perfect if I could find one I like, if not I may design something myself. Although his patterns are usually too complicated for my liking, I am always in awe of Kaffe Fasett's amazing sense of colour and composition. Brocade, from Rowan #38 shows me that it is possible to recreate a two-colour brocade pattern with knitting, but I still don't know if it's something I should take on. I know stranded knitting is very popular right now, and I really want to try my hand(s) at it eventually, but would an afghan knit in this way be too thick and cumbersome? Or would it be snuggly and warm? Any ideas or suggestions regarding this would be quite welcome!

Dyeing to be (not so) different

Spurred on by all of you other crafters out there dyeing your yarn, I decided to try a little experiment this morning with some wool I bought a long time ago for a project that never got off the ground. It's "Ontario" by Lana Gatto (discontinued?), which photographs as a lovely off-white, but in person is unfortunately a yellowish shade of cream. I will never buy yarn off the internet without first seeing it in person again. Order a shade card if at all possible if you have not had the opportunity to see a yarn up close, because there are so many variables that can affect the way a colour appears on your monitor. Red food colouring did the trick, but I might try it with cool aid or jello if I do this with a larger amount of wool. I think it turned out beautifully. I now have a strand of yarn in a rich, luscious shade of strawberry Now, on to deciding what it will become...

flowers

flowers
Originally uploaded by Punkybeckster.

Seeing these pretty flowers on the windowsill this morning gave me the motivation to join Project Spectrum. I can already tell, this is going to be so much fun! This was such a wonderful idea, and I can't wait to see how all the participants interpret each challenge. At the moment, I am on a photographic scavenger hunt for all things pink or red in my apartment, and it is already heightening my awareness of colour more than I could have imagined.

Unlucky

Err, I screwed up.

...Thunk. Thunk. Thunk...
(in case you are wondering, this is the dull, hollow sound of mlle. defarge's head banging repeatedly on wall )
Aye, aye, aye. I am feeling really stupid at the moment. The front right piece of Lucky is no more. I was almost near the end, when I began to notice that my decreases along the neck edge were going to finish before I actually got to the shoulder. That is when I realized that I had cast on the wrong number of stitches. Doh! Now I have one big pile of blue spaghetti, and the overwhelming urge to smother it in tomato sauce, eat it all up, and pretend none of this ever happened. But that would be crazy...

I'm also having problems with this site, it's working fine in Firefox, but crashing IE. I'm trying to figure out why this is happening, but I'm a newb at this stuff, so if anybody has any ideas, I'd be so grateful! In the meantime, if you are reading this, then you've got Mozilla, and that means you rock!

My current knitting obsession

Lately I've been watching the first season of Twin Peaks, and have fallen completely and utterly in love......with this sweater.

Audrey Horne is the ultimate sweater girl, and I've been finding inspiration in the rest of her 50's inspired wardrobe as well. Twin sets, knee length skirts, and saddle shoes, oh my!It would be impossible to recreate this, not by hand anyway. The intracacies of the branches would require a Ph.D. in intarsia. But I want to find some way to translate the essence of this sweater into something handknit. I could try using some simplified intarsia, or possibly embroidery? By coincidence, I came across Ysolda's apocalypse hoodie the other day, which is fantastic, but it's not exactly the idea I have in mind. The current issue of Vogue Knitting (winter 06) has a hideous chunky sweater with a winter tree on it as well...am I stumbling across some kind of zeitgeist I didn't know about?

I see my version in black and cream Rowan CashSoft. Adorned even with just one delicate tree and 8 of these pretty buttons I picked up a while ago from Courage My Love in Toronto:

Front Right and Side Tie

Baby got Back

Lucky Clover

Lucky Me

I bought Stitch'N'Bitch nation when it first came out almost entirely for the Lucky Clover pattern, but it took me forever to get up the courage to actually attempt a sweater of my own (and all the finishing involved in making this still has me worried, but I have yet to cross that bridge...) After a somewhat successful custom raglan sweater I finished over christmas, I finally felt ready to try my "luck". It's going at a surprisingly quick pace, probably because the lace pattern is burned into my brain after a gazillion false starts. I think I may even have a new sweater in time for spring - This spring!

I'm knitting this in Mayflower Cotton 8 on 3.25 mm needles, in a colour described as aqua, but it looks more like a pretty sky blue in person. The yarn knits up well, and I got gauge on the first try. I also learned how to do a tubular cast on for this project, and I am in love!

Driven To Succeed

I am 25 years old, and I do not know how to drive.

I'm sure I'm not the only one out there who is absolutely terrified of getting behind the wheel, although even I've never understood how one can fear doing something that most 16 yr olds can't wait to do. Maybe that's why I am afraid, because there are so many drivers out there who think driving is simply not a big deal, when to me it really, really is. I didn't get my license at 16 because I was living in the Netherlands, where the legal age to drive is 18, and when I came back to Canada for university at 18, I was too "busy" to learn. Circumstances took me to Bucharest for a year when I was 19 and you would have to be crazy to drive-let alone learn to drive. So I was twenty years old when I finally got my learner's permit, only because it was terribly inconvenient to bring my passport along with me every time I went to a bar.

I believe it is hereditary, or at least some combination of nature/nurture that can be left to other more scientific minds to decide. My mother did not get her license until she was in her 30's, which means she used to lug one crying baby and one curious toddler around the city by bus and subway. I believe she even took a bus to the hospital when she went into labour with me. I do not know how she did it, and I hope that by the time I have kids I won't have to do the same.

At this point in my life, the thought of taking public transportation in my city is even more terrifying than driving a car, and it has just become so much more apparent to me that life would be much easier if I just knew how to drive. Case in point: I live in the downtown core of a moderately-sized city, yet there is not a single yarn store within walking distance, and the nearest one accessible by bus is at one of those suburban power centers and at least 45 minutes away, a journey I'd be willing to take if the yarn they carried was at least made from natural fibers!

So, last Thursday afternoon I reached my breaking point, and I was suddenly inspired to register for driving lessons. The fear no longer outweighs my desire for high quality yarn (ordering online has always been a dissapointment, with the colour and feel of the wool never living up to my expectations). I began to fill out the online registration for the next available course, and proceeded to take my learner's permit out of my wallet to find my license # and expiration date...yeah, the very day that I was signing up for driving lessons was the day my license expired. I admit, this is completely my own doing, I should have been aware that this was about to happen and done something about it a long time ago, but come on! To add insult to injury, I am currently job hunting and got a call yesterday afternoon from a place I applied to a little while ago...the first thing they asked was if I had a valid driver's licence and access to a car- aarrgghh! Time to get my ass in gear, so to speak, and learn how to drive.


More knitting related entries to come...I promise!