Sunday, November 25, 2012

Toupie and Some Knitting

Toupie caught in the handle of a plastic bag
My pet companion: Toupie.  I adopted Toupie when he was just 8 weeks old. His mum had been found preggers on the side of the road in West Virginia. He was named Toupie by the women who rescued his mum because at six weeks he'd jumped from their second-story railing into the living room.
 
Toupie has never lost that sense of adventure. He loves doing "hall runs" to the trash room with me. Loves people attention and can be counted on to turn on the I am so cute charm whenever he encounters perfect strangers in the hallway. He is, of course, well known to the neighbors and staff.
 
When he was just a kitten handful, I used to cradle him like a baby or put him up against my chest with his head on my shoulder and rub his back and scratch his head. To this day, he'll get in my lap and curl up to be cradled or put his paws on my chest and snuggle.
 
He had a spate of yarn chasing today, a rarity for him. He usually perfers his toys, a balled up piece of paper, or currently, the fortune cookies in wrappers I received last week.
 
Knitting:
 
I am beginning to think knitting down my stash will take years.  Tomorrow is Cyber Monday and I am anxious to get some yarn for coat--if it goes on sale. I am encouraged in that I've finished at least one item, sometimes two a week, since before Labor Day. Here is the second item from last week:
This beret will match the ShapeIt! Scarf.

I am currently knitting this gaiter for a biking colleague:

 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Just Have to Share

 
 
Loes Veenstra is a sympathetic lady Rotterdam, in the 2 nd Street Carnisse live in Rotterdam. She is 78 years old and knits sweaters all her life. She does so with great pleasure, that her whole house now overflowing with these colorful crafts. There are more than 500. If you already have those beautiful knits together looks, you automatically think: who should really be worn by anyone, even if only for a time.

On 10 November 2012, in a special way the life work of Loes made ​​visible. Then there namely under the title "The jerseys Loes" a Flashmob place in the 2nd Carnisse Street.

Monday, November 19, 2012

A Little Can Go A Long Way

I've been moved by this article and it supports something I firmly believe: It doesn't take much to make a difference for the good but it does require thoughtfulness.

Knitting down the stash continues:

Purl Berret to match Miami Vice Shawl
 

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Neat and New

I have treated myself recently to some little luxuries:

Grapefruit Saver
Totally cute and utilitarian, except for the times when I eat the entire grapefruit.

Grapefruit Spoons
Makes separating the fruit from the rind a one-stop operation. You just have to be careful of the serrated edges when eating.

Oxo Good Grips Jar Opener
My nutcracker is feeling neglected. A bottle of Australian wine with a screwtop prompted this purchased.

New Book Release
I am sentenced to be a Gladiatrix; a mercy or so they told me. Roman Justice is for Roman citizens, not for Celts like me. My father the bard sang the wrong songs and is dead, my husband is drowned in the marshes, and none of my kin will dare raise a voice against our oppressors lest they too suffer. I must learn to fight with the trident and net. With the blessing of the Goddess I will live long enough to earn my wooden sword and freedom.
Linda Gruchy has finally released Gladiatrix. Read more about the book and Linda here.

Knitting:

I lightly blocked both these items.
Miami Vice Shawl


Shape It! Scarf
 
 





 

Saturday, November 17, 2012

Fruiting body of a subterrean mushroom

Never have so many remained in such wonder at the continual but repeated failure of an identical few to produce either a digital or print publication with correct English grammar and spelling, with in-focus photography that clearly illustrates the subject, and that doesn't reek of the derivative and rehashed. The latest attempt at cool by this crew is Truffle Magazine, a new magazine for Bishops Stortford to Saffron Walden, which has had a mere 582+ views and a two-star rating on Yudu at the time of this post. And lest there be any confusion, the masterminds behind this latest media foray are Kerrie Allman, Editor, and Claire Barzilay-Smith, Ad Sales, both formerly of All Craft Media (ACM). 

For those of you local to the above, a link may arrive in your email, or you might encounter the handbag-sized publication at your local market, dry cleaners, hair salon or jammed in with the other circulars in you mail or as a newspaper insert. If you are visiting, it’s bound to be in the hotel room folder among all the other flyers touting local interest. For the rest of the world, encountering this sorry attempt at lifestyle and local interest is a purely voluntary and vicarious venture.

Smitten with Mittens

That’s me. I finished my first pair of convertible mitts and finished another pair of fingerless mitts and made them convertible as well. While I intend to move on to gloves (after I finish the beret currently on the needles), I am in love with convertible mitts. They keep your fingers warm when outside. But the top flips off and your fingers are free to pull out the credit/debit card or to fumble for change.

 
 

Sunday, November 4, 2012

Found!

Well with an extra hour from falling back and to continue my successful avoidance of TV political ads (I've seen exactly one political ad in 2012, that was today during the football game), I tackled the poor chair that has suffered the brunt of the last weeks of tidying and changing over and there was the camera. So here's what I've made since I last posted pictures on Labor Day:


Shape It! Scarf
Back of Hand Convertible Mitts
Front Convertible Mitts
Miami Vice Shawl



In all the confusion, the futon at least is safe
Rats, she found the camera

Color Block Color Affection (wip)
Lucy Hat

 



 

Frustration

There's nothing worse than when you manage to make yourself miserable. I've done this by misplacing my camera. And it is frustrating because I've got projects to photograph.

The Miami Vice Shawl is finished and awaiting blocking.

The Husk is finished. I love this cowl. Some have complained that the Rowan Creative Worsted yarn feels rough to knit with and because it is almost unspun, splitty. Yes, it is a little splitty but I don't find it rough. What I love about this wool and alpaca blend is in the cold it is heavenly warm. I wore the Husk during the brisk cold we've had since Sandy. It's a just right length; no fiddling or draping. My office is located in a building that was built in 1906 and my desk is in a large open space that doesn't hold heat. The Husk was the perfect thing to slip on when I got chilled last week.

I'm enrolled in Marly Bird's Craftsy class for mittens and gloves. I've just finished my first convertible mitten and will cast on its mate before bed tonight. Great pattern, great video instruction.

I bought Sally Mellville's The Knitting Experience Book 1: The Knit Stitch about four years ago. I despaired of making anything from it. All those boxy shapes in garter stitch. But I bought a skein of KFI Luxury Collection Mohair and Silk yarn at Looped Yarn Works. Okay, it was pretty and it was in the sale basket. Thought I might use the yarn as a cuff on a pair of fingerless mitts until I remember the book and the Shape It! Scarf.  It's a simple almost boring knit once you pass the shaping. In this case, the yarn makes the pattern. This has been my bedtime knit for the past week and a half. Less than inch to go before bind off.

So you see my frustration: I'm being so good, knitting down the stash and in the midst of a clear out and switching from summer to winter clothes, I've misplaced my camera.

 

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Facebook Is NO Substitute for Customer Service

Yeah, it may seem in this multi-platform, hyper-connected age that everyone is online and everyone online is connected to everything, but guess what: Not True.

I learned today, via Ravelry, that Creative Magazine announced on 20 September on their Facebook page that they were only publishing four issues a year instead of six. Am I on Facebook? Yes. Do I follow Creative Knitting Magazine on Facebook: No. Did I expect or was I told by Creative Knitting that they would only be making product announcements on Facebook? No. Is there any announcement on their webpage that there has been a change to the number of issues a year they publish: No

Not to follow down the route of the upset Ravelry posters who have to date contacted customer service, I filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau requesting my subscription of 6 issues be honored or my money refunded.

Had I received an email or a letter from the magazine or its parent company letting me know of the change, it may not have made me happy, but I wouldn't feel like I do right now: cheated and dismissed. I don't know what the end result will be of the BBB complaint: I may get 4 or 6 issues or I may get my money back. One thing is certain: Nothing, I mean nothing--not promises of tips, tutorials, or more content--will ever induce me to purchase another product from Creative Knitting Magazine or their parent company Annie's Attic again.

And in this connected age, more than 6 people know that I'm an unhappy customer.