a dillydallyknitter: June 2006

Friday, June 30, 2006

Project Spectrum for June

Blue

At a few hundred kilometers altitude, the Earth fills half your sky, and the band of blue that stretches from Mindanao to Bombay, which your eye encompasses in a single glance, can break your heart with its beauty. Home you think. Home. This is my world. This is where I come from. Everyone I know, everyone I have ever heard of, grew up down there, under that relentless and exquisite blue.
--Carl Sagan



June's Project Spectrum entry comes in just under the wire! I don't have a lot of blue items in my house so I took my camera to work today and drove around the town I work in, Alameda, and took photos out the car window. As I drove around the color blue started to jump out: houses, walls in the industrial side of town and the freeway sign that leads me back home. There are some beautiful Victorian homes and tree lined neighborhoods in this city. The sky was blue and the weather made it a perfect day to around with the windows rolled down. I couldn't get Flckr to format the mosaic correctly so here's the link if you'd like to see the photos in full.

Today I received an email from my very creative Project Spectrum Postcard swap buddy, Amanda of Mistress Stash Enhancer telling me her postcard had arrived! This month, I made a blue felted postcard out of knitpicks merino style and some beads:



I also finished a pair of blue socks made out of Koigu. These are based on the baby cable rib pattern from Sensational Knitted Socks. This is the first time I've used Koigu and it was wonderful to work with. I can see why people make a beeline for the Koigu booth at fiber fairs.




My only sketch, profile, of Heaven is a large blue sky, and larger than the biggest I have seen in June--and in it are my friends--every one of them.

--Emily Dickinson

posted by cpurl17 @ 7:17 PM   6 comments

Well OF COURSE I'm the Princess

Buttercup

Which Princess Bride Character are You?
this quiz was made by mysti


My One True Love, where the F are you?

posted by cpurl17 @ 10:52 AM   1 comments

Saturday, June 24, 2006

Z'wonderful! Z'Marvelous!

If your circular needles look like this:



Then run, don't walk to your computer and contact the fabulous Zknitter


and order yourself one of these:



It unfolds and inside are all these cute pockets:


Each pocket has double slots and velcro closures so you can tuck in more than one pair

And, I am the very proud recipient of a surprise matching Mr. Sock Fish!! No more carrying my socks around in a ratty ziploc bag with all the DPN puncture holes!



And, inside were two special treats! A ball of supercute Cascade Fixation yarn and folding scissors (I've been meaning to buy myself a pair forever too!)
Edited to add: I was looking through the sock fish and found the cutest little stitch markers inside! Thank you Zonda!




As anyone who hangs out on the Knittyboard knows, Zonda is one of the most kind, talented and generous knitters out there--if you haven't yet done so, check out her blog!

posted by cpurl17 @ 11:19 AM   10 comments

Monday, June 19, 2006

I'm a Winner!!

Lynn over at wrapandturn held a contest in honor of her one-year blogiversary and yours truly was one of the two drawing winners!

My Prize was on the doorstep today:

A skein of Cascade 220 in a pretty lavender shade, (I see some felting in my future), some Choxi chocolate candies, a pair of nice lightly scented candles and handmade point protectors!

Close up of the point protectors:


Thank you Lynn and congratulations on one year of great knitting and blogging!
Check out her blog--she's a sock knitter, she's from Seattle and she likes cupcakes--what's not to love!?

posted by cpurl17 @ 8:39 PM   4 comments

Saturday, June 17, 2006

K is for...

Kokeshi


Kokeshi dolls are traditional Japanese folk art dolls and these are some that I collected when I lived in Japan many years ago.

K is also for Kyoto--yarn from Artfibers in San Francisco. I couldn't quite get the color right in the photos because this fiber is a much richer, deeper red than it shows here. It's an exquisite yarn of silk (69%), superkid mohair (25%), and extra fine wool (6%) that's been sitting in my stash ever since I learned to knit. I have enough to make a sweater and have been "saving" it until the right knitting muse visits me--but suspect it will end up being a simple stockinette V-necked sweater with slightly bell shaped sleeves.

I learned to knit at Artfibers and, since it was located around the corner from my old job, I didn't visit another yarn shop until a few months later. My friend Romy finally told me, "Uh, Christine, there are other yarns out there." Little did I know what would happen to my wallet over the next year.....




If you're ever in San Francisco, put Artfibers on your yarn shop tour. I really miss working in the City and going there on my lunch break.

posted by cpurl17 @ 8:13 PM   5 comments

Friday, June 16, 2006

It's All About Meme

I'm picking up this meme from the adorable Turtlegirl.

Rules: Please leave a one-word comment that you think best describes me — it can only be one word long. Then copy and paste this into your blog so that I may leave a word about you.

posted by cpurl17 @ 12:35 PM   10 comments

Wednesday, June 14, 2006

Seriously, I'm One Spoiled Rotten Knitter...

...But I SO Love It!!


So I get home late last night and find a parcel stamped 'Royal Mail' and inside I find the yummyness of this:

From my CheapAss Secret Pal! Apparently she forgot the word "cheap" because this was not a cheap treat!! There's delicious tea, a cute kitty keychain, cute kitty stickers, a skein of sari silk yarn and a skein of lovely mohair yarn.

Cute little kitty!


Close up of the sari silk lovely colours

THEN, today, I come home and there was a surprise package from Adriennec! She had a contest in honor of her 100th blog post and I was the lucky winner and received this:

2 Skeins of Koigu Painter's Palette Fancy Yarn and a big bar of Raspberry Chocolate!


Behold the yummy colors

So SP07, CASP 2 Secret Pal, One Skein Pal and Adriennec, y'all have no idea how special you have made me feel this past week. The past month has been hard work life-wise, and to come home to such wonderful treats is truly, truly appreciated. XOXO!

posted by cpurl17 @ 6:37 PM   4 comments

Monday, June 12, 2006

A Secret Pal Spoils the Cpurl!

Today was my first day on the job--let me tell you, after waking up when you feel like it for many months, hearing the alarm clock go off and having to drive in commute traffic was quite the shocker but that's neither here nor there because when I got home I saw a big package on the front door step!

I grabbed it, ran inside, fed the hungry gangsta kitties, and opened it to find several gifts neatly wrapped in lavender and purple tissue paper and tied with bits of yarn:

And I unwrapped them all to find this gift extravaganza!

This parcel was themed at the 'tea time box' because it came with everything I need for a wonderful relaxing evening: Some delicious scented Earl Grey tea (my fav), some chocolate orange ginger biscuits, a huge bar of chocolate, TWO British Knitting magazines and two lovely balls of yarn: Rowan Kidsilk Night and Rowan 4-ply cotton (perfect for a California summer). Oh! And my SP had threatened to send me the feared-by-many US Knittyheads, marmite but, instead, sent a charming fridge Marmite magnet. Whew!

I got the Simply Knitting mag that came with the free needles, whee! And my SP says that one of the skeins of yarn goes with one of the patterns so I'll have fun looking through it tonight!

Close up of the Rowan kidsilk. It has sparkly bits scattered throughout:

And I tried to get a close up of the Marmite magnet. It's sooo cute!


Well, time to put the kettle on for a nice cup of tea and some magazine reading. SP, if you see this, thank you soooo much! This was such a wonderful ending to a long day!

posted by cpurl17 @ 8:15 PM   7 comments

Sunday, June 11, 2006

Mailbox Fun

This has been a great weekend in the Cpurl mailbox. First, I received a beautiful hand crafted card from my Cheapass Secret Pal. "Cheap" is a misnomer for this Pal because the card is so bright and pretty!




The next day I came home and found a package from my One Skein Secret Pal! This month she's a Two Skein Secret Pal because she sent me two lovely skeins of sari silk yarn and a string of ruby colored glass beads.




Sometimes I think he's wondering what I'd taste like with a little Bernaise sauce and a nice Cabernet.

posted by cpurl17 @ 10:08 AM   4 comments

Saturday, June 10, 2006

Sometimes You Just Have to Start Over.

Good-bye Lucky Oakland A’s socks.


I was about 5 inches into this sock when I realized that it was going to be too big. I probably realized it at 3 inches but stubbornly kept knitting on as if I could will it to fit. With a gauge of 9 stitches per inch on size 1 needles, those 5 inches represented hours of work and I just didn't want to start over. But finally, I accepted the fact that I could either continue knitting socks that would fit only a giant or I could start over and make socks that would fit the intended recipient, my Dad. So I ripped and I'll start over.

And then, as so many knitters have done, I realized the sock was a metaphor for my life as it is at the moment. After losing my job due to a corporate merger, I was having a difficult time landing the perfect next job. I was offered a couple of jobs that were not my ideal but, like the sock, I kept on looking.

When I’d arrive way too early for an interview, I would sit in my car and calm away any jitters by knitting on the sock. The sock came with me while I accompanied my Mother on her medical visits and while I sat with my Father waiting for her to come out of her shoulder surgery.

In the end I frogged the job search and accepted one of those jobs and I intend to make the most of it. Just as I intend to pick up the needles, cast on again and make the best damn lucky Oakland A’s socks ever.


P.S. My Mom is doing fine—while I sit with her, I’m working on a new sock. A pretty blue Koigu baby cable rib. As for the A's, they're currently in 2nd place in the AL West, with a 31-31 record.

posted by cpurl17 @ 8:29 AM   5 comments

Tuesday, June 06, 2006

Here She Comes Now Sayin' Noni Noni...

My finished Noni Bag waiting for a zipper and handles!

Pre-felting--this thing was HUGE. I should have put something next to it to get perspective but the thing could've been a dog sweater for a Doberman!


This pattern is from the "Three Sassy, Skinny, Tube Baguettes" by Noni and, be warned, it is a lot bigger in real life than it looks on the pattern photo--I'd say it is about as big as a loaf of Wonder bread but fatter. (Of course, I could have paid better attention to the "Finished Dimensions" information printed inside the pattern but why make my life easier?) This bag will definitely hold your purse stuff and a small knitting project and your chihuahua. The pattern photo shows it with some chrysanthemum flowers (pattern sold separately, of course) but I don't believe I'll add them on.

posted by cpurl17 @ 6:05 PM   11 comments

Saturday, June 03, 2006

Kitty Desperado


Some of you may recall that my cat, Mika, has a oral fixation for wires, especially those attached to my personal electronic devices, such as my iPod earbuds or my cell phone earbud. She seems to avoid those attached to lamps and major appliances (thank God)but today I caught my kitty Desperado chewing on my Dell AC power adapter. I've coated it with Bitter Apple spray several times but I think she just waits until it wears off. This latest chewing episode prompted an emergency phone order with Dell for a back up AC Adapter and some cheap jerry-rigging --notice the wrapping paper tube cut-out to cover the wire and the piece of cardboard that covers the on/off button (and the post card from my SP, (Hi SP)!


posted by cpurl17 @ 12:03 PM   7 comments

Friday, June 02, 2006

Postcards! Socks! Attack of the Fun Fur!

Today I opened up the mailbox and saw this happy face staring up at me:


Hello Secret Pal!!

Then, on my doorstep I found a large envelope from my Postcard Swap Pal, Joanne. She sent me a postcard she had made that featured a beautiful photo of Colorado on the front and inside was our pal Goofy! She also sent me a pattern she wrote herself for "snake" patterned socks. I can't wait to knit those bad boys up and add a photo to the "snake pit" Thank-you Joanne!



On the sock front, after a few frogged starts (sorry Kermie) I'm making some progress on my Lucky Oakland A's socks from my Dad:

The sock yarn is actually a dark forest green and not as blue at it looks here.

I started another pair of Cascade Fixation socks, this time they'll be two-toned and I'm teaching myself to knit them on two circulars. So far, so good except that I keep forgetting to let go of the one needle when I get to the end of a row and end up knitting back onto to same needle while the other one drops to the floor.



And finally, if you are of weak disposition, you may wish to avert your eyes because the other day I woke up to find THIS climbing up the stairs!


Oh the HORROR! At first I thought it was the work of da Gangsta Kitties but then I remembered--they don't touch petroyarn. So....Was it was coming to strangle ME? Or worse, climb in my Stash and attempt to cross breed with the angora? And, if you think this is silly, wait till you read about the Sisterhood of the Traveling Fug. Bolt the doors dear readers because I may show up at your home sometime soon wearing the latest in Fug fashion.

posted by cpurl17 @ 5:29 PM   4 comments