Booties

At last a slipper that will keep my feet and ankles warm. These are Acorn Boa Bootie Slippers.

Staycation Coming to a Close

Ah! 5 more days before it's back to real life. I never realized how much one eats. When you're out everyday you just pick up food if you need it. When you're home it's a rude awakening to realize you've eaten through your last shopping and it's time to go forage again.

My poor neighbors have been home as well and unwell since before Christmas. Although they haven't coughed through the night this week. Another neighbor, who failed to learn that one closes the door behind it and doesn't let it slam, is moving out. Thank goodness! He's been the subject of discussion amongst us because we've all be startled by his "slamming."

I ordered a bra from Bravissimo today. The colour is buttercup.

I've piddled around with a number of knitting projects, making a little progress here, and little progress there. I have been wanting to knit the nomad hat for over a year. I need a hat to go with my purple coat and after days of surfing for the yarn, finally found a magenta that will do. There are rumors online the the Vogue Winter is available at some B&N's. I might wander downtown today in the hopes of finding a copy.

Caron Simply Soft:

The heartbreaker was

a) discovering that I bought too much Caron Simply Soft last year. I didn't realize that I'd bought the 300 yard skeins. So, I have 1800 yards of the stuff.

b) reading the reviews on Raverly that said it isn't a good yarn for a garment. It grows apparently.

I bought to make the Gurensey skirt pattern. I have decided the best course is to save up for the yarn used by the designer.

Faced with yarn needing to be worked and not fit for it's original purpose, I started the Ring of Cables hat from Knit Picks. I made this hat in February 2009. The Pigeon Twist colourway (purple and grey) was just awful on me. I think the Caron Simply Soft Autumn Sunset colourway will work much better. It's a burgundy red orange, more burgundy red than orange and the yarn has a silky sheen. In 2009, it took me an entire Saturday of concentrated knitting to knit the cable ring. Most of the Sunday to join and pick up the 88 stitches to the knit the hat.

This time the knitting is a breeze. I've now memorized the cable pattern and knitted half the length of the ring in a few hours last night. I did a provisional crochet cast on. No more Kitchener Stitch for me! I must learn one of EZ's joins.

My goal for today is to finish spending down my FSA. Good grief this is a nightmare. I have 89.00 to go. The poor shelves of my linen closet and the medicine cabinet are filled to the gills.

The weather has turned wonderfully warm (mid 40s). It's so nice to go outside and not feel like an penguin in the midst of a blizzard at the bus stop.

Double-sided Scarf

I've owned a copy of Mon Tricot's 1300 Pattern Stitches since it was first published in 1981. I have 3 copies (the last one purchased on Ebay in 2008 because my other two copies are quite sad.) In all that time it has never failed to teach and inspire. This book really is a one-of-a-kind treasure. It is primarily a stitch dictionary for both knitting and crochet. Most of the stitch photos are in black and white but very clear. The knitting terms are English, but there is a key for American knitting and crochet. Interspersed with the stitches are little gems about technique.

One of my goals for 2011 is to learn colourwork. After researching through all my knitting books, I picked up my trusty Mon Tricot and whilst looking at the colourwork designs and instructions, I discovered in one little corner on page 148 instructions for double-side stockingknit.

Doing a scarf in double-side stockingknit has also been on my want to knit list (especially as I have over 50 skeins of Palette), hence this project.

The Hat

This hat is stunning. It is the cover of Vogue Knitting Winter 2010/11. I have the yarn. I have the needles. My fingers are itching and the mag doesn't come out until January 4. Because of the cables, I doubt this will be a commuting project so I'll have to devote evenings and weekends to it in hopes of finishing in January.

Meanwhile, I've started my first colourwork project: Mittens. I've managed to loose two gloves in the last week...grr. But I can tell that the mittens are going to be toasty! I'm not doing anything fancy, just a stripe. Using Knit Picks Palette in Tumeric and Ash. I'm finally getting the hang of knitting one colour English and one colour continental. Now if I can get the hang of changing needles without dropping one. Toupie no longer looks up at the ubiquitous clink of a dpn hitting the floor.

I fear Toupie is quite spoiled with my being around so much. But I've learned a bit more about his "daytime" life. At night he sleeps curled up next to me usually at my feet or against my legs. Every once in a while, he'll curl up next to the pillows. Since most of my previous cat companions managed to hog most of the bed at night, I found this curious. But I've noticed that his daytime naps are when he sleeps stretched out: either on the top of the bookcase or diagonally across the bed. Only once in a while does he take refuge in the computer chair. Every two hours or so, he changes position or location.

My hours have been irregular because of Monlam, so I know he spends some of the night munching and roaming around. His little kitty friend hasn't been out because the weather has been so consistently cold, so the vigils by the window have ceased.

He has some great periods when he's been quite vocal (today has been one of those days) but for the most part, I don't hear a peep out of him. Despite having me around almost 24/7 for nine days, he's lost none of his fascination with any activity I'm engaged in, except knitting.

But this really has been the most relaxing time off, I've had in years.

It's A Sock

I've finally done it: I knit a sock. I used Knit Picks Creme Brule Shine Worsted (60% pima cotton and 40% modal-a natural beech wood fiber). The pattern is from Ann Budd's Getting Started Knitting Socks. I knit the 5 stitches per inch sock top down pattern in the largest size; and yes, the sock is too large; but it's the perfect bed sock! Although the book isn't spiral bound, it fortunately lays open nicely allowing you to knit, read the directions, and consult the pictures. And the pictures are clear and the lime green yarn makes it easy to see what your stitches on the needle should look like.

What the photos don't show is the lovely buttery yellow colour of the yarn. Although I like the colour the cotton content means there's very little give in the yarn. Finally I understand the moaning about Kitchener stitch--but I am surprised how comfortable the sock toe is.

Lessons: trust the directions and the pictures.

Interesting

I bought the current issue of Vogue because of the pattern above. I fully realize that it will take me several weeks to knit and that I may not finish it in time to wear this winter. But this is the sort of classic styling that transcends fashion.

I knew that I would choose a different yarn. So I was surprise to find that the designer conceived the pattern in a yarn other than the one chosen by Vogue. Link Gosh, I like the stitch definition and fabric created by the Cascade Superwash Bulky 128 so much better than the yarn chosen by Vogue.

Though I should by now be "over it", I remain constantly amazed at how the Internet makes it possible for a resource like Ravelry to exist bringing designers and knitters together. It's not just the plethora of patterns now available, but even more valuable is the expanded universe of experience and information about patterns and yarns, not to mention the thousands of tutorial videos on You Tube and other websites. I can remember whilst knitting my first top in the 80's making weekly trips to my lys with my project, pattern, and questions.

Even better is that each knitter on Ravelry has the opportunity to contribute to the universe of information by posting comments about their experience with an individual pattern or yarn. I have been saved more times than I can count from the comments and photos about a pattern I have seen in a magazine or on a website. And I have fully taken advantage of the access to designers to query them about sizing or other issues.

Staycation, Hats, and Holey Socks

My staycation began on December 14 and ends January 4. There are been a few frantic incursions from work this week. Hopefully, these will diminish as the holidays approach.

I've been able to watch about 80% of the Kagyu Monlam and the teachings that preceeded it--which is the primary reason for taking off work (besides avoiding use or lose in 2011).

The opening ceremony was visually stunning. The teachings are stronger and deeper--or maybe it's my understanding that is better--than last year's Monlam. Also, I'm not doing the chat this year, which while exciting and enthusiastic, I now see was distracting. There is simultaneous translation of both the prayers and the teachings this year (which the chat last year did facilitate). All in all, I've learned a lot the past several days; and, as always, have a lot more to study.

I am doing a tidy and clear out. Not so exciting while it's happening, but quite satisfying once I've finished an area and the trash bags are out the door. I'm spending down my FSA on OTC items that will be disqualified with out scripts next year; and when I'm not clearing or knitting, taking long naps with puss, whom I fear will be quite spoiled by the constant companionship when I return to work.

Am resisting the temptation to veg out on movies but did see a good comedy, The Infidel.

I am attacking the stash.

Avocado Knit Picks Special Knit Picks Palette in Forest Heather

Yarn

Both hats are from the same pattern: The Purl Beret from the Purl Bee. Just realized this morning that I have knit two green hats in a row. The photo doesn't show the nice avocado colour of first hat pictured. I made a mistake in the first row of decreases which gives the avocado hat a more ruched look. The avocado hat is sport weight; the forest green hat is fingering. I like this pattern for beret knitting. I'm not into spokes; K2 every X number of row is so much more relaxing the SSK.

I have to work on my photo taking. I keep getting fuzzy photos and not capturing the colour of the yarn. The Forest Heather is absolutely lovely. Here's the description: Forest is a medium misty yellow green color whose overall shade is lighter and includes more yellow than Ivy. Like the many shades of green found in the forest, it combines strands of yellow and a variety of greens for its beautiful heathered look. The entire time I was knitting the hat, I kept thinking cables and twisted stitches. Yesterday, Knitting Daily had a lovely cable with a stockingnette background which I think I will use in a scarf with this yarn. I can't decide if I want the cable on the edge, or if I want to stagger the cables throughout the scarf. I just don't like cables on reverse stockingnette. Watch this space....

One cool tip I learned from the Wendy Knits blog: threading in my tail ends as I work. What a difference it made on the next round. The first join stitch was just as taut as the preceding and following stitch--no fiddling with the tail end to tightened the stitch. I'm a convert. At the end of the avocado hat, I only had the tail end from the cast on and the top knot to do.

I missed the sale on Knit Picks dpns earlier this year. And I've been yearning for the darning egg. The whimpering noise you hear outside my apartment door is from the socks with holes dreading their turn on the egg. I'll post piccys of the egg in action with my next post.

My big goal: knit a pair of socks before 2011. I keep trying and failing. It's the heel thing. This time I will start with worsted weight socks. I need them anyway because my floors are so cold. I'm also going to knit a pair of laceweight legwarmers using alpaca yarn and more gloves (fingered and fingerless with tops) and I need a scarf or gaiter or two to go with all these bloody hats I've knit. Ambitious, aren't I?

Not as ambitious, it seems as Toupie, who continues to persist in his literary endeavours:

Autumn

It's been a busy Autumn...far busier than I imagine in September. But, nonetheless, I keep knitting away.

From the Knit Picks special buy wool, I've made a hat and fingerless gloves and the never ending glitter shrug continues to be knit. The total cost for the hat and fingerless gloves is about $4.00. The colourway is Claret Heather. Not sure heathered yarns go well with my complexion but warmth first; fashion statement later. I didn't use a pattern for either of these.

I have to be patient with the glitter shrug. It's one large rectangle with ribbing at the ends that will be folded in half to create sleeves and then the rectangle is opened again for wearing. I like it because it is not a "boob" hugging shrug.

Now the next picture might be a little frightening. This is my first fingered glove. The yarn tails on the fingers need to be woven in and the markers are there so that I can write down the pattern (rows) for the left glove. This glove took a day to complete. It was knit with Knit Picks Andean Silk (23% silk, 55% Superfine Alpaca, 22% Merino Wool in the discontinued Cinnamon colorway, which I bought when the yarn was on sale. The fingers were a bit fiddly and I had to do some darning between two of the fingers where I failed to pick up properly. I am using size 8 needles for the ribbing and hand and size 5 needles for the fingers because my fingers are just so darn thin and I wanted a snug fit. But I think I shall use size 5 or 6 needles with this yarn in future to get a tighter fabric. Nonetheless, I suspect these gloves will be warm!

I will post a piccy of the finished gloves (sans yarn ends) when I finish the left glove.

One of the casualities of my busy schedule was the November Novel Writing Contest. I won't win but with what I was able to write, I have the characters and the plot firmly in my head and can attack the writing during my time off in December.

I've had problems with our local Target since it opened. My main complaint has been the carry out food kiosk. They were always either out of whole wheat hot dog rolls, the hot dogs weren't ready, the popcorn wasn't ready, or there weren't any pretzels. Hence my irritation at not being able to indulge in a guilty pleasure. Until yesterday, I hadn't been in the store in over a year. Much to my surprise, Pizza Hut has taken it over. There were hot dogs, four different kinds of pretzels, and pizza (which I'm never interested in). I treated myself to a salted pretzel. Instead of spraying it with water to make the salt stick they used some sort of oil which I'm sure had it's origins in tiger habitat somewhere in Indonesia.

Having read about Target expanding their grocery options, I didn't expect to be surprised, but man was I ever wrong. There's not a "great" variety (no canned cream corn, for example), but what they carry is nicely priced and packaged and cheaper than the grocery store. The find of the day was a box of no-brandname fabric softner sheets (100 for $1.99) that not only softened my clothes but reduced the wrinkles and clinging cat hairs. Now I wonder if Bounce at $8.99 for 100 sheets would work as well. Somehow I think not.

There is a new IHop in the mall and I am going there with Tim for brunch next Sunday. I love IHop. It's menu so incredibly sinfully full of sugar, carbs and saturated fat. They have a menu for people over 55.

The mall continues to be a disappointment. It sits squarely in an area where there isn't much shopping and yet there are so many retail spaces available. You'd think a population dense area like ours would attract more shops.

Toupie has found a friend. Their only frustration is they can't get to each other. I suspect this new kitty lives in one of the apartments with a patio and wanders in an out. Toupie and the cat meet and see each other through the window. Such meowing, vocalizing, pacing and quick changes in direction, I've never seen. The funny bit is the poor thing is so exhausted after one of these "visits" that he falls dead asleep for hours. No catnapping, puss boy is out for the count.

The leaves are almost all off the trees and yesterday I realized that I could see the bus coming when I looked up the street. It so different seeing trees that were in golden glory a fornight ago now with just limbs and branches reaching to the sky.

Haven't seen many movies; just been too busy. But I can highly recommend Billy Elliot. About a lad in the North of England during the miner's strike who gives up boxing for ballet.

Am looking forward to a quiet December and working on the Kidney Fund Awareness Event in March.

Pineapples

September was a busy month. Hence my neglect of the blog.

I finally got a chance to take a look at the Montse Stanley book. In it, I saw the knit pineapple purse. I can take or leave pineapple to eat. Actually prefer dried pineapple to fresh. But I love pineapple as a design element. Hence by obsession to find the pattern for the pineapple purse from Jane Gaugain's 1840 book the Lady's Assistant.

The book is in open source and .pdf format on the web and a Raveler has written the pattern in Spanish and English. Here's a piccy from someone who has made the bag.

I spent about a year embroidering this; never finished and the project was lost in one of my moves. I was able to purchase a brand-new kit on e-Bay in 2008 and still have it to do.

The pineapple was a symbol of welcome in the 18th century. It's used extensively as a motif in crochet doilies. The Yarn Council of America has a pineapple afghan pattern on it's website. 2011 could be my Year on the Pineapples.

I continue on the shrug--endless stockingnette and the blue shawl. I just finished the first of my second pair of fingerless gloves. I am making these longer; didn't mess up the K2P2 ribbing this time (woo hoo).

Saw a good film, ABCD, with one of my favorite actresses, Madhur Jaffrey. Liked Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Have started the Pascoe and Dalziel series of video. It took a couple of episodes for the dramatized Pascoe character to grow on me. Ellie and Dalziel are perfectly cast.

Wonderful Link

I found a wonderful link today. Free vintage knitting patterns. Downloaded several patterns but the real winner is the pattern for a pair of Rifleman Gloves.

I'd love mittens, but when you're constantly whipping out your bus pass or using your smart card, mittens don't give you the dexterity required. The flip gloves are cute and I may still make a pair, but again it's the fiddly bit when it's cold and you have to focus on getting on the bus and doing your thing that makes me bulk.

The Rifleman gloves are a combination of mitten and glove. You knit a thumb and forefinger and the other three fingers are enclosed in a mitten. Volia dexterity and warmth.

I think I've also solved my sock knitting failures on this site as well. Heeless socks...like duh! I've bought commerically made heeless socks before. I wasn't wild about them because I could never tell which side was up, but if I knit them, I can put a design on the upside and knit the downside in either ribbing or stocking knit. Woo Hoo!

Labor Day

The first fingerless are finally finished. And yes, there is a ribbing issue on both mits, but they are my first and they are for me and I'm not bothered. The thumb for the left hand went much easier. I plan to make a few more pairs and to make them longer.










The yarn is 100% Peruvian Highland Wool from Knit Picks. The colourway is Pumpkin. KP received batches that were over-spun meaning the yarn is sport weight instead of worsted and came with a warning that it might knit up with a bias slant. The yarn was sold in lots of bags of 10 at $1 a skein. I had enough wool left over from the skein I used for the gloves to make a sizeable swatch for my next project: Lion Brand Glitter Shrug. So far no biasing issues.

It has taken me all afternoon staring at the picture and the diagram to figure out how the Glitter Shrug will be worn once it's made. It's basically a rectangle folded and seamed leaving armholes. I think I've sorted how the garment is to be worn. My first choice was a shrug from Creative Knitting. I kneel at the altar of Ravelry and prostrate myself in gratitude for its existence. Reading the reviews and the knitting issues the four or five people who tried it had (only one person finished it after emailing the company) saved my buns.

What a difference a year makes. This time last year I spent the entire weekend working 10-14 hours each day arranging a trip for visitors from Bhutan who were arriving on Labor Day. It was in the midst of that marathon that I recognized the years of experience which gave me the ability to move 8 people from city to city with less than six days notice of the details. It's odd how we don't often give ourselves credit for the things we know how to do.

This weekend has, by contrast, been an orgy of knitting, tidying, a few errands and chores (washed the blinds in the living room yesterday--give me strength) playing with Toupie and watching a few films on Netflix. That combined with the gorgeous, humidity-free weather--the only thing missing today was yesterday's breeze--has made yesterday and today so relaxing and tension free.

I saw an add on television for Gummy Vitamins for adults. Like finally!!! Horsepills are for horses. These are great tasting but they are totally bearable and doable. My pill chopper thanks you.

I took these snaps of Toupie, who napped on my unmade bed most of yesterday afternoon.

Is it a Bird, Is it a Plane....

No, it's my first fingerless mitt with a gusset thumb.

Here is a link to some dead cute buttons.

My current bus knit is a shawl:

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Looped Yarn Works

FINALLY! FINALLY! Washington DC has a yarn shop worthy of its knitters and crocheters. Looped Yarn Works is everything I’d hoped for and more. The shop is about a block and half north of the Dupont Circle Metro (North exit—big escalator). Come out of the escalator and start walking away from the circle until you reach 1732 Connecticut Avenue. Two short flights of stairs up and you are at Looped. It’s bright, airy and organized. Silks, DK, Sport, Fingering and other luxury yarns are in the back room. Worsted and heavy weights are in the front room.

The selection in both rooms is delicious. Yarns that I wouldn’t order online because of shipping costs and fear of being saddled with a quantity of yarn that I might end up hating are here: Berrocco, Cascade, CEY, Debbie Bliss, Rowan… The prices are reasonable and for the two skeins I bought, they were the same price as on the manufacturer’s website. I looked at a skein of merino lace weight 1573 yards for $21.00. Not outrageous at all.

I’m still on yarn buying hiatus but I couldn’t resist a skein of Berroco Ultra Alpaca Light and a skein of Cascade 220. There is a good selection of needles. Addi’s, of course, and Chia Goo crochet hooks and circular knitting needles (in Bamboo and metal) in the standard 16, 24, 32, 40 inch as well as in sock needle sizes…yes!!!

And you are welcome to show up and just knit!

What I was most excited for was the steady stream of customers coming through the door. I encourage readers to check them out. You won’t be disappointed.

Knitting
I’m beavering away using up three skeins of Knit Picks Shadow in the Stained Glass colourway that I bought two years ago. It’s a half circle shawl: Garter stitch, no design (EZ would be proud). A perfectly mindless bus knit. I loved the colourway but everything I tried with it before just didn’t work out and I’ve ended up disliking the yarn until I started this project.

Movies
I Can’t Think Straight
Oh my, was this funny. Two Muslim girls, one a Jordanian and the other a South Asian discover by meeting each other that they are Lesbians. The scene-stealer in the movie is the South Asian house servant of the rich Jordanians. She does something early in the movie that makes you watch her every time she’s on screen. Good acting all round. Great soundtrack.

Books
For my birthday, I treated myself to a Tea Canister and some tea from Teavana and bought a used copy of Barbara G. Walker’s A Treasury of Knitting Patterns Vol 1. That’s going to be my bedtime reading for awhile.

Blocking with Feline or Whose Shawl is it Anyway

Spider Stitch Shawl

The Spider Stitch Shawl

Blocking

finished

No, Toupie doesn't crave photo ops. He just has to take charge of anything new or anything for that matter.

The Spider Stitch shawl is blocking. This is the largest knitting project I've done to date. It has a few mistakes, but I'm happy with the result. I still need to improve my blocking skills and need to get more blocking pins. I didn't use the wires because I was hoping to minimize Toupie's interest in the shawl. Forlorn hope, I'm afraid; he's currently lounging on it.

Tomorrow is the 100th anniversary of the birth of Elizabeth Zimmerman. In my pantheon of craft goddesses she ranks, after my mother and my aunts, up there with Erica Wilson in opening my eyes and directing my skills to the possible. Mwaa on Ravelry has designed three incredible Pi Shawls as a tribute. If you're on Ravelry, please check them out. If you're a knitter and haven't read Elizabeth Zimmerman, I highly recommend her Knitter's Almanac. It's dead cheap (under $5.00 when Knit Picks is having a book sale) it proves that the best teachers, give you a foundation, then guide and then let you go. This little book will teach you to create everything from baby blankets to woolen stockings with a writing style that draws you in like a Dicken's novel. If you're just starting to knit, Knitting Without Tears, will help you build your skills. Knitting Workshop and Knitting Around provide hours of enjoyable reading and inspiring projects.

I've been watching a lot of films lately. Finally saw all the episodes of Collision. Disk 2 of Taggart Death Call. The original Taggart series is still the best crime series ever put to film. The new series isn't too shabby either; it's just not as intricate and riveting once you've seen the original.

Tibet: Cry of the Snow Lion has a bit too much propoganda for my liking, but was interesting.

La Vie En Rose I found a bit hard to keep up with in parts.

The Pillars of the Earth was flawed and left me wanting to read the book for depth.

Pete's Meteor was a wonderful slice of life film; not for the squeamish and not for anyone looking for light uplifting entertainment.

The Intended amazing but not light.

To Play the King Ian Richardson is so deliciously twisted and it was fun to watch because I'd forgotten how this ended.

Ken Burns' The Civil War probably the best historical documentary ever.

I've got various things on the needles but Mwaa's new pi shawl pattern and my stock of lace weight yarn is calling. I am saving and waiting to find a yarn to knit this for winter:

My plans also include legwarmers, armwarmers, a few more tams and scarves from my stash of Palette. I also have the yarn I got last year to make the gansey skirt by Kat Coyle

Skybar

Ever since I can remember, Skybar has been my favorite chocolate bar. In Pittsburgh it was everywhere but I recall after moving to DC it was difficult to find and for years it dissapeared altogether. In the past five years it has resurfaced in odd places: the Marvelous Market on 18th at K (where they are usually stale) and the Tiger Mart at Connecticut and Porter.

Imagine my surprise this evening to find a repackaged Skybar as a Twilight promotion in Walgreens. The pieces are twice the size of a normal Skybar and the filling isn't as good.

Whole Lot of Shaking

Earthquake: It happened as I was washing the coffee carafe. At first I thought the rumbling was thunder as we've had quite a number of storms in the last few days. But has the rumbling roar and shaking continued. I put the carafe in the drainer and waited. As it continued I then thought it was an explosion somewhere. Imagine my surprise to find out I'd experienced my first earthquake. It was a 3.6 and happened about 20 miles northwest of where I live. It seemed to me that it was more than 30 seconds. But I seriously can't imagine being in a 6 or 7 or more earthquake. The surprising thing was the noise. It was all encompassing rolling thunder that shook the apartment building and rumbled under my feet. Afterwards there was such magnificent birdsong led by the robins that for a moment after I stepped out of the kitchen I thought one of my nature sounds DVD's was playing. After Friday morning, I know those sound effects in earthquake films aren't made up.

The excitment of the earthquake and emergency preparedness emails during the day with instructions about what to in the event of aftershocks was followed on last night by a terrific thunderstorm with brilliant lightening and slucing rainfall. My windows were steamy and the screens still damp when I got up this morning.

It's been hot again this week, but there was a nice breeze yesterday afternoon. But the mugginess is getting to my sinuses and I had to take an Aleve to lessen the inflamation that was making my right eye feel like it was ready to pop out.

I Write Like: I submitted this bit from A Catered Affair:

Ricky stifled a giggle as they took their seats on the chintz covered chairs and couches in Lady Elizabeth’s morning room. Mark could barely contain his awe at meeting a real aristocrat or being in such opulently appointed surroundings. He stared at the elaborate silver teapot, creamer and sugar bowl occupying on the silver tray on the table in front of Lady Elizabeth. Both men seemed mesmerized as Lady Elizabeth poured, prepared, and handed out the delicate china cups on saucers. Ricky caught Mark’s eye and lifted the little finger of one hand. Mark gawked at her.
Lady Elizabeth settled herself comfortably against the pillows of the couch and crossed her legs holding her cup and saucer easily in one hand.
“This must be important.” She said looking at them.
Ricky looked at Trevor. His uncertain expression told her he didn’t know where to start.
“Detective Forrest is with the MPD in Washington.” Ricky began. “He’s been investigating a murder case, and in the course of that investigation, learned that a person wanted for questioning is a citizen of the UK. He contacted Trevor, and asked him to make inquiries based on information. Trevor did so, and reported back to him on what he learned.” Ricky took a breath. “Through an anonymous tip, it was learned that the person, who is female, was seen in London and items found in her residence in Washington, led the police to consider her a suspect. Detective Forrest came to London; Scotland Yard agreed to open an investigation to locate and question this woman. Since her whereabouts in the UK was unknown, a press release was put out with her picture, asking for information.” Ricky took a quick sip of her tea. “A response to that press release, came from Washington DC, from someone who knew the woman and saw a British newspaper. That person was interviewed along with other people that he led the police to. Information from those interviews, as well as other information collected by the police on both sides of the Atlantic, has led the police to believe there is an association between this woman and Senator Jed Stanton.”

And this was the result:

I write like
David Foster Wallace

I Write Like by Mémoires, Mac journal software. Analyze your writing!

I'd not heard of him before and so looked him up on Wikipedia.

Knitting:

Gaiter (Gator)

This is my contribution to Operation Helmetliner . This is an effort to replace the DOD issued helmet liners, scarves and gaiters given to our troops in Afghanistan. The DOD-issued articles contain polyester which means that when they are subject to high heat (an IED explosion) they melt creating terrific injuries. Knitters are responding to the need for wool replacement. Wool does not burn. Wool also breathes. The gaiter or gator will go around the throat and can be pulled up to cover the mouth and nose for warmth.

Winter Leaves Stole by Colleen Archbold

This was just one of many Ravelry patterns that caught my eye. What engaged my imagination was the thoroughness of the instructions (both written and charted in colour) with not only row count and section notations, but stitch counts for each row. To top it off, the pattern is free. An amazing feat of detail and generousity which I felt compelled to honour by knitting it.

Spider Stitch Shawl

No it's not this one. More info here. This is the Spider Shawl designed by Sarah Fama from Yarn Forward Issue 18. This is a fun triangular shawl which has gotten too unweidly for the bus knitting. But thanks to the World Cup, I was able to make good progress.

Speaking of bus knitting and bus knitters: I spy more of us everyday. We're out of the closet and coming to bus near you!

Olive Oil: Interesting study. I am a notorious ingredients reader in supermarkets. I've noticed that in salad dressings most claiming to be "olive oil" + whatever are most times a combination of one to several other oils + sometimes olive oil and in a few cases no olive oil listed in the ingredients.

Now why is this interesting or important: I'm focussing on eating at least one salad a day sometimes two. I'm always concerned about fat, sugar and carb content in any food and wanted to make sure that I'm getting what's advertised. How disheartening that more often than not, you can't trust the labels.

A History of the World in 100 Objects. Click This has to be one of the best BBC World Service Programmes I've ever heard. It fullfills the promise and exceeds the mandate that educational programming should aspire to achieve. Without being interested in the subject being presented, the listener finds themselves drawn-in, intrigued and transfixed thereby in the end learning. I applaud the programme for it's global focus.

Heat Stroke

It must be the heat. Why else would I have two shawls on the go with a plan in my head to start designing the M shawl on paper.

Movies:

The Last King takes all of the political intrigue, challenges, issues and events covering 1649-1685 and makes them interesting watching.

The Piano Teacher features two of my all time favorite actresses: Annie Giradoux and Isabelle Huppert in a movie that I could not finish watching.

Howard's End. I have seen this before and fell asleep before the ending and now I have to rent it because I can't remember what happened. Excellent cast: Helena Bonham-Carter, Emma Thompson, Anthony Hopkins and Samuel West (who is just to die for)

All this between knitting, end of year at work, and the World Cup.

Writing:
Nothing on paper, but I've got characters, scenes, and actions in my head. Emma is going to be the character through which the Littlejohn family and events that affect it our viewed. She's querky. She's very concerned with security...feeling safe and being able to protect herself. She's a little nerdy with her collection of words and attachment to books. But she has her mother's spunkiness and temper; and like her mother, the world views her as secure and self-assured. But events that happen just before the novel opens finds her changing. The most outward sign of that is she's making a real effort to keep her entire bedroom tidy...not just the shelf with her fireman dolls. She's going to bond with Jane (Pink Fringe) who has come to live with the Littlejohn's after the death of her mother. This will make interesting writing because Jane is giving in a very different way from her mother and Scissor. But all this mental work has me looking forward to November.

Watch This Space

It's been blazing hot here for days. Today even the breeze was hot. I sit here with the AC on high and it's warm. Toupie walks a few paces before laying down.

The morning commute was a nightmare. I should have listened to the news before leaving for work. It seems a truck containing cooking oil dumped it's contents on U Street between 16th and 14th. The pavement had to be sanded. Although traffic was diverted on some of the north south streets, the spill started or stopped at my street. What a mess.

I treated myself to a Lion Bar today. Very odd. Still trying to figure out the contents. Gooey and crumbly all at the same time.

Now for the Lantern Moon advert from the 2010 July-August Piecework.

In 2007, ideas were solicited from the various programs at work to include indigenous products from the regions where we work in the members' catalogue. After looking at a variety of different products, the woven beaded cloth produced by the Ta Oi women in Vietnam was chosen to represent the Mekong Program. I worked on the project with the field and Marketing to get table scarves woven and beaded as an offering in the holiday catalogue.

In 2008, the opportunity arose for me to travel to Vietnam. The one place I wanted to go was to the village to meet the weavers. I did that at the end of my trip. Spent an afternoon seeing a weaving demonstration, touring the small farms in the mountain valley, and then was treated to an evening of traditional song and dance. Returning to Hue, I was taken to the Hope Center charity shop which employs handicapped people in making everything from uniforms to table cloths to laptop covers. They also support the traditional handicrafts of women like the Ta Oi by incorporating their weaving in items sewn in the shop.

Ta Oi men weave rattan baskets which are used for foraging in the forest
Ta Oi performing traditional song and dance.

A water buffalo grazing.

I was amazed by their skill, excited at the prospect that their traditional craft could be a source of non-forest income. That year, we were able to fund their attendance at the Hue Festival. Last year the women sewed tigers for this year's Year of the Tiger campaign. So retrieving the current issue of Piecework, flipping through the pages as I walked through the halls of my apartment building, I stopped in my tracks when I saw the Lantern Moon advert.

The morning mist shrouding the Ta Oi village.

The rest of the mail was dumped as soon as I returned to my apartment. I immediately went to the Lantern Moon website. Now I knew that Lantern Moon works with village communities in Vietnam to source bamboo knitting needles from sustainable bamboo. As I read about the bags,
I was so excited. Could these be created by "my" women? A few days later, I had confirmation from a colleague in the Hue office. The women have a contract with Lantern Moon to weave the cloth and the bags are made up by the employees of the Hope Center.

Employees at the Hope Center Charity Shop



Traditional Ta Oi Cloth

Germany vs England

From the 54th to the 85th minute, Toupie sat facinated by the action on the screen.

I wasn't alone watching the game: