Miss Kalendar's Brass Needles

Playing Catch Up in 2012

2012-01-09T21:41:00.000-08:00

Well, would you believe that my BFF had a baby? Early, no less! And to top it all off, I'm barely catching my breath after the whirlwind of getting married, going on honeymoon, taking more work, and doing Dicken's Fair.

First off, to make sure that everyone is happy, here is a picture of the Christmas Wheel:

And one cool thing that I thought I'd lost, but which finally showed back up! It's a doiley for your head. I wear it during faire. It doesn't make up for the handknit Ribbi Cardi that was lost/swiped at fair this year... but it's a good start!

Oh, and be proud of this! Look at the stash closet! Look at it's reorganized glory. The goal is to either find more storage space, or to use so much stash that it all fits in this closet.

This is the shawl I've been working on. Doesn't look like much right now, does it?

And then there's my glorious first re-entry to sewing project. It's a baby blanket for Jasmin of the Knitmore Girls Podcast, also known as my BFF. Jasmin loves rainbows and the color orange. There's a lot this girl loves. Well, I wanted to make something she could love. Yes, it's for the baby technically, but Jasmin is the one who is going to have to see it all the time.

Here's a close-up of the batik-style fabric:

And here's the back (the threads are embroidery floss used to hold the layers together. There are 8 pieces, 4 orange, 4 black.

And here are the socks in progress at the moment. This is the second pair in this colorway. The first pair was given to my friend Nessa for her birthday. This pair is for me.

Here's the handspun leftovers blanket. Growing nicely, isn't it? It's kind of square now. I need to knit more handspun so i can see more growth on it. Lumpy, made from different weights, etc. - but I love it.

And here's a random upsidedown picture of the sweater that I started......It's a lovely teal. One of these days I'll even have time to work on it---- maybe after I get time to work on the shawl. :)

And this has been your catch-up post. Hopefully I can swipe a couple of wedding pictures and some honeymoon shots for you soon.

Wedding post 1

2011-10-27T15:24:00.000-07:00

So, you know I haven't been around a lot lately. And you know that it's pretty much because of this whole wedding thing that's been taking all of my non-work time (and I don't exactly get a lot of non-work time!)

So, this will be a little of a scattered post, but I'll try to briefly tell the story (since I just got married and now I'm going to be gone for 2 weeks on my honeymoon)

So, remember a year and a half ago? Well, this guy I was really into got me one of these and so I got engaged.

And then I did some of this:

which is basically spinning this:

And somewhere along the way we bought a house.
(That's its own long story!)

And then my friend on the other side of the country spent some time making me a dress, which I had pinned on by a different friend...

And the person who pinned it happened to be my "Maid of Science" so I wove her a scarf.

And then I had to make some centerpieces for the wedding. This was the original proto-type, but we eventually decided to lose the feathers...

And then my friend Snoopy had some fiber he needed spun for his mom's friend:

Oh, and then my friends lovingly did my hair and makeup on the big day and I had to make my garters talk to my mom. [Oh, were you expecting me to post pictures and be all "I'm so pretty la la la"...? Nah, first you get the funny one :) ] [besides, this cracks me up everytime I look at it. I was litterally talking in this weird low voice like my garter was a lounge singer.....don't ask)

India post 3 - 2011

2011-07-21T23:41:00.000-07:00

This post is going to be about Traffic in India. If you've never been there, it's hard to explain what traffic is like in India, but let's start with the cars. Or should I say Cabs? The parts of India I visit are commuter societies. People are always walking, running, driving, GOING somewhere. And the cars and traffic support this. For example, below I've linked some pictures of the cute little 3 wheeler cab that is very prevalent. I've never been in one as my drivers always drive either little SUVs or sedans (the luxury of a company driver).

So, here are some basic observations about Indian Traffic:

1. Lanes don't mean anything. Neither does right of way. If there is space, take it, or someone else will. Whoever noses in and pushes ahead deserves to be there.

2. Honking is required. Oh yes, Required. Honking is not rude in India - like it is in the US. I asked an Indian with whom I was sharing a cab home from work late one night what was up with all the honking. He said that it means "here I am" or "I'm coming up on you" or even "warning, I'm here." One big truck I saw had "please honk" written on the back. So go-figure.

3. If a pedestrian looks at you motions with his hand, he will walk in front of your vehicle.

4. If a pedestrian motions with his hand, he will walk in front of your vehicle.

5. If a pedestrian is anywhere near the road, he will walk in front of your vehicle.

And here is my work volunteer project - chemo caps. Work allows us to take a half day to volunteer every year, the knitting group at work decided to put our skills to use. Sadly, I couldnt be there for the knit-in - and I also couldn't afford to take the half day off since I was on business travel. So I did it on my own on the weekend. We made more than 30 hat!

And here were some socks (yarn is flat foot) that I was working on during the trip (I finished them already, this pic is from the trip).

India post 2 - 2011

2011-07-07T13:58:00.000-07:00

Alright, I promised more posts about India, so let me continue the saga with the First Hotel I stayed at. Below are some pictures of my little apartment, (you know, before I found the roaches and had to go somewhere else.......and thow away my toothbrush)

First up - the living room. You may not be able to tell from this distance, but that's a really nice leather love seat. The furniture was pretty nice in this place, overall - it did seem a little spartan, plain, but I was only there for sleeping, so that didn't really matter.

Here is the little kitchen which is in a nook next to the living room. I had a fridge, a sink, a microwave, and a toaster. There were also some plates. I had no washing supplies, though. This is where I cooked my easy mac at midnight to keep me from getting sick off the Malaria pills.

This is easy mac - my dinner approximately 5 nights in a row. I can't bare to really even think about it right now. It's not real food. Real food is not that color. Thank you, easy mac, for keeping from getting sick, but please wink yourself out of existence until I need you again. You are seriously grossing me out.

Here is my bedroom. I had two twin beds pushed togther - not quite sure why.

Here is the view from the other side

Here is my bathroom - note the bucket and pitcher where you would normally expect, oh, I don't know, shower curtain.

Here's me on my way to work in my Indian clothes

And here was a little slice of heaven after lunch. Mango Cheesecake.

And here are the famous socks, toes kitchenered.

India post 1 - 2011

2011-07-07T13:38:00.000-07:00

Well, I may be back from India, but I had no time to blog while I was there. That's the trouble with business trips - you think you'll have all of this time, but instead you end up working the full day + in meetings and trainings, etc, and then working some of the day for your normal time-zone. In India, that equates for me to working from 8am Indian time to about 7pm Indian time, taking half an hour to grab dinner at work, and then working until around 11pm (or 10:30am my office time). At that point, it's the hour cab ride back to the hotel so you can fall into bed in order to be able to get up for cab again at 7 am. That's how it goes. It's good, but doesn't leave a lot of time for other things.

Speaking of other things - do you know what my main amusement was while I was there? KNITTING. Actually, let's begin with what I did on my way to India. That's right, I knitted an ENTIRE PAIR of socks!! See below for the progress pics during my 26 hours in transit.

The Beginning.

Showing that I am at Heathrow Airport with the heel flap done and the gusset started.

Interesting aside: did you know that in England, women wear poofy mini-dresses, and have two legs (according to their bathroom signs)? I guess this is one of the big differences between American and English women. American woman (according to our bathroom signs) have one central leg and a-line knee-length skirts. According to both signs, neither group of women has any arms or feet, and all shave their heads.

Back to the sock pictures. ere is my foot with the mostly done sock in super comfy economy class. See, I could almost manage to stretch out my entire foot.

Here we are at landing. Note, I am calling these "Done" and saying that I knitted an entire pair of socks because the knitting was done. As some of you know, you cannot take a tapestry needle on the plane. So, I had to wait to kitchener the toes. If only I had learned the knitted kitchener that Gigi tried to teach me....

I leave you with a couple of pictures of the Indian countryside from my window.

I may secretly have taken a bunch of pictures, so expect a few more posts about my trip to India - provided I get the time to blog!

2011-05-25T22:26:00.000-07:00

Well, well well......been a while, hasn't it? I wish I could say that I was too busy having tons of fun to write, but mostly it was that I was working a lot because I am getting all sorts of fun responsibilities at work (no, seriously). You know what responsibilities are good for? My career at awesome company X where I work. Do you know what they aren't good for? Keeping up on the blog. The sad part is that it isn't that I haven't wanted to write, I have. I make up blog posts in my mind all the time. It's the actual sitting down and writing them that tends to be the stumbling block. As usual, it all comes back to time.

So how about a quick update?

wedding planning is continuing: next items are nailing down catering, photographer, and wedding cake flavors and style
milestone shawl was started - 3 times. The Skaska yarn (cobweb weight) is simply too thin for the shawl - the nupps just won't be done - the strands can't be moved to the other needle reliably, and my nails are too thick to assist (yeah, my frikkin NAILS are too thick. That is some thin yarn!)
work - going to India - looks like mid June
Fiber Festivals - 1 on June 4th, maybe also BSG at the end of June

So, enough with the talk - how about the pictures?

Look at this!! This is a journal made for me by one of the podcast listeners. Isn't this cool? Now, look by the girl's hand - that's a zombie. It's hard to tell from here, but it's ambling toward this poor girl from the background. Isn't that hilarious? I was DYING when I saw that, I must have laughed until I cried.

And speaking of the podcast - have you listened yet? www.brassneedles.com - you can download it on iTunes.

What's this? Another listener gift!! This awesome bookmark. You can't really see it in the picture, so let me explain. It's a zombie wrapped in yarn and it says: "Zombies are crap at Knitting." :)

But the tour-de-force, as it were, is this. Can you see this? It's another listener gift! A chenille crocheted She-Ra teddy bear! It's got a blonde web, a hand-made sword, a blonde wig, and a voice box. It plays the beginning of She-Ra's transformation sequence - from "For the Honor of Greyskull" through the first couple of "She-Ra"s. So cool. I have been hugging the crap out of this little chick, hand crocheted She-Ra outfit and all.

This may be sort of a creepy photo, but focus on the tiara!! You see that? Smartest Monkey just finished making it for me for my Steampunk Wonder Woman outfit! It's made from a silver-colored tiara with a deep blue stone. The mods were cutting off the stone, spray painting it brass, and affixing the star after drilling a hole in the tiara to accommodate it. The star was made from a 2 silver star military decoration we purchased from the military surplus store. Smartest Monkey separated the two stars, spray painted them red, and then drilled a hole in the tiara so he could slide the pin portion of the star into the tiara - then had to affix a piece of foam so that it wouldn't dig into me too much and also to cover the pin back of the star.

The rest of the costume pieces are still in progress. We have about 2 days until I need to wear it. You know, I did buy some bright red GoGo boots, which might say that I need to make a real Wonder Woman outfit rather than a steam punk one. Ah well. Costumes are always a work in progress.

April Project Round -Up!

2011-05-05T15:44:00.000-07:00

So, another month of knitting over, and what did I accomplish?
Well, not that much. Check the stats:

1 Japanese Garden Shawl (FOR MEEEEEEE!!) - note this was made from hand spun yarn :)
1 Daybreak (FOR MEEEEEE!!)
3 pairs of baby booties (for ChariTEEEEEE!!) (See what I did there?)

So, the selfish index for this month is amazing compared to earlier months this year.
Selfish index for April 11 is 40%! It would have been even better except that I felt guilty and churned out those three pairs of baby booties right before month-end.

You know the drill, photos of the projects which have not been posted are below (in other words, if you want to see my fancy handknit, handspun shawl, you have to go back one post)

Daybreak in progress is a hot mess:

Daybreak done is a hot piece: (I've worn it now two days in a row since it came off the blocking wires and may make it three days tomorrow)

And now for the crappy cell phone picture of proof! (do you see that awesome star trek communicator shawl pin? My Feff rocks)

And the preemie booties: I'm especially happy with these because the green ones are left over from my pair of monkey socks.

The Japanese Garden Shawl

2011-04-30T22:57:00.000-07:00

And here we see a picture of the Japanese Garden Shawl (by Wendy D Johnson) finally blocking. I've been calling this the "two week shawl," because that's about how long it took me. It wasn't so quick because it was super-easy, or small, it was quick because the lace patt was memorable and I had hours of dedicated knitting time when I was flying to and from CampKIP. I didn't do a lot of knitting on it when I was at camp because I was too busy being social and doing other things. But plane rides....those are just made for knitting lace off of a chart. Oh, and if you're wondering what those white blotches are - that's sheets of paper I shoved between the shawl and the blocking squares so that you could actually see the lace pattern in a picture. Does help, doesn't it? And in case it doesn't help enough, below are a couple of additional pictures of the lace (more of the close-up variety) so that you can see both more of the lace pattern and the hand spun yarn that I made it out of.

Now, on to something which has to do with crafting, but not fibre. Strange, I know. Below is a craft project that the finacee has been working on for me for my Steampunk Wonder Woman outfit. What you see in this first picture is a picture of the bracers, the practice, and the raw material.

This is his practice piece. What you can see in this picture is a bit of the pattern on the raw material. The raw material, by the way, is an old cookie tin that we picked up at Good Will. It's a thin metal with some sort of raised paper overlay - not that we could tell that at the time. The Fiancee - GMan, took some metal snips and cut the bottom out and discarded it. Then he took a portion of it off and tried different ways of putting holes into it. Since we determined that my bracers should be lace-up with leather thongs, there were two things we had to be able to do: Accomodate the width of the thongs and also give them somewhere to lace that wouldn't shred them. That meant grommets. So he worked on the material with a few different tools to find a way to drill the holes without damaging the paper overlay which had the floral pattern. He also had to think of a way that I would be able to wear the bracer without having my arm and wrist be shredded. The solution was to turn down the sharp edges he had cut as well as possible and then cover them over with superglue. Very inventive - but then, that's why I love him!

And here is the final product!

Is this amazing or what?

Weekend Shenanigans - Cooking!

2011-04-25T17:43:00.000-07:00

So, I had a fairly action-packed weekend. The Friday Night Potluck was Scottish food and So I Married an Axe Murderer - an early 90s movie starring the very young Mike Meyers. He's so young. It's flipping adorable. The Friday Night Potluck usually means that I end up sleeping in longer than I intend on Saturday - and this weekend was no different.

So, after getting up and grabbing some breakfast at The Breakfast Place, we drove out to Oakland to the theater where G-man's group (brass farthing) is holding rehearsals for the upcoming Harmony Sweeps Nationals Competition. After that, we stopped by a costume shop where I scored a military outfit (a REAL ONE) for $10 - and then to the hair shop where I got a couple of new hairpieces for upcoming costumes. I'm not making promises, but one of them, which I'm going to use for my Steampunk Wonder Woman, would be perfect for a Deanna Troi costume if I ever could see myself putting on a cat-suit.

Then it was suddenly Sunday and I had to get up for yoga after giving the fiance Easter candy in bed. Everything is better with pink peeps - that is a genuine fact. After yoga, there was a long coffee and knitting session with my Feff, Jasmin. The outcome? I ended up hitting the store for a few ingredients and then spent the day cooking - mostly to use things I'd already bought but that were going bad too fast to be used in dinners. What did I make? A quiche! What else would I make with a billion of free eggs from the neighbors? What would you have made?

I made one big quiche with asparagus, onions, sun dried tomato sausage, and garlic - and then muffin-sized quiches (the fiance's idea) with asparagus and artichoke hearts. These are pictured at right, in their pre-egg stage. you can also see the huge bowl of cheese ear-marked for these babies! After they were done, the fiancee and I ate the big one for lunch, for dinner, and probable for dinner again tonight (with salad, of course). The muffin-sized ones were breakfast treats this morning - and probably for the rest of the week.

And then, well, I had a lot of zucchini I thought I'd use, but didn't - and it was getting.....ummm.....not appetizing. I figured, why not make zucchini bread? It can't be that hard, can it? And, besides, I should probably point out that I have been cultivating some zucchini plants from seed since Feb - I think 6 or 8 of them have survived and not been given away. If you've ever had zucchini plants, you know that if they produce, I'm going to be have enough zucchini for a small country. I'm kind of looking forward to it. I made this loaf from a free recipe online, so I won't be sharing it. But I did have to cut down the sugar -WTF does one loaf of bread need 2.25 cups of sugar for? About 3/4 of a cup did just fine, thank you. And it was super-tasty. I'm going to be taking a few pieces in to work tomorrow for taste tests from co-workers. The rest will probably be gone on or before tomorrow. Good thing I already have the next batch if zucchini grated and ready.

New Neighbors and what's on Spindlina

2011-04-22T15:02:00.000-07:00

So, those of you who have listened to episode 100 of my podcast (www.brassneedles.com) know that I'm very big on community - on making connections with others based on shared interests or other characteristics. Let me talk for a moment about neighbors.

I put "New Neighbors" in the post title - but that may be a little misleading - Smartest Monkey (my future spouse) and I are the new ones to the neighborhood. We ARE the new neighbors. But that doesn't change the fact that all the neighbors in the 'hood are new to me. When we were buying our amazing house (yet to be named), we were warned about having some nosy neighbors and had their house pointed out. These neighbors have since done the following:

Given friendly waves and smiles when we see them
Introduced themselves when we moved in on Halloween and they were taking their son trick-or-treating
Left a welcome present when the house became ours of a card and a nice flowering plant
Left homegrown peppers on our doorstep
Left us a Christmas card and an assortment of home-made cookies
And, yesterday, I came home to this:

Given these events - and that even our one next-door neighbor doesn't really seem to like to interact, I think I'll take the "nosy neighbors" over the others any day. FRESH EGGS - more than a dozen of them - waiting for me after work, for free? Yes, please!

Since we live on a corner, across the street from a nice little elementary school turned park and community center, we only have one next door neighbor and one back yard neighbor. The houses on our street all face the park, like ours does (which I like to take walks in and which cheers me up by seeing kids play in every day with their responsible and engaged parents - but that's another topic). I've noticed that, except for the nice neighbors which are leaving us occasional cards and food, there isn't really a sense of community in our neighborhood, and I want to work on that. I know some people won't care or want to participate, but others might. Since I grew up 4 houses away from my childhood best friend and always had a place to go for help when any disasters came up - I'm a firm believer in knowing your neighbors and who belongs in your neighborhood and who might be coming in to deal drugs, hurt children, or rob houses. Communities should know each other, take care of each other - keep an eye out for each other's kids/pets/homes/emergencies. That's what I want my community to be. So, that's my new goal. I'm going to enlist the present-leaving neighbor and see if she and her family are willing to work on building that community with me - starting with barbeques and potlucks. I want my future children to know the names and phone numbers of thier neighbors and who they can go to if they have a problem. I want my neighbor's children to know they can come to me if they need help someone breaks in, etc. (Can you tell I stumbled upon the aftermath of my house being robbed as a child?)

/end rant

And in AMAZINGLY BEAUTIFUL news, I give you the most recent bat I've been plying from Susan's Kitchen.

Now, I think this may be a little too warm of a pink for me - but it really is fun to spin. It's basically a touch of dark grey with a ton of warm pink and warm pinkish purple. Just like her other bat that I spun which I called my Storm Cloud - this has a neat blend of fibers and a ton of sparkle-appeal. I have two more bats from her left to spin - one is a mix of colors and sparkle that looks like a peach. The other looks like a green apple with dew on it., They are both terribly pretty. I have to spin more.....quick, someone find me more hours in the day!

Daybreaking My Heart

2011-04-21T22:48:00.000-07:00

Alright, so I'm holding a Daybreak knitalong on my podcast (Brass Needles)(www.brassneedles.com) which is part of a larger knitalong that came out of CampKIP. The Daybreak is an amazingly beautiful pattern by the extremely talented Stephen West. The reason this knitalong came about was that at CampKIP, a number of people has made and were wearing their Daybreaks. A number of us decided we wanted to have our own - and thus a knitalong was born. Mr. West even gave us a discount code for $2 off the pattern (good until the end of April '11 - you can find it by listening to Brass Needles ep 100).

So, diligent knitalonger that I am - I purchased the yarn at CampKIP and then cast on about a week after I got home. The pattern is fairly simple - very straightforward and well written. But that didn't stop me from messing it up. Best mess-up ever:

ME: *breaks yarn for color A*
FEFF: Why did you break the yarn?
ME: Because I'm done with it. I'm done with the stripes.
FEFF: Done forever?
ME: Yeah - I'm done with the stripes. *gloats*
FEFF: Really?
MeE Yeah. I'm done with the stripes. I did all of them. *looks at pattern*
PATT: Do X amount of stripes of each color.
ME: Huh - well......I guess I WILL be weaving in ends on this thing. *looks ruefully at pattern like it might change*

But, well, how could I be upset? Look at how wonderful this little piece of heaven is turning out! But it is (day)breaking my heart to have to do the same amount of stripes again - the rows are only getting longer. And I have to contact the yarn manufacturer (who will remain nameless at this point) - because the yarn is not fully saturated with color - it is not as important with colorways like this - especially in a pattern like this where variegation is a plus. However, this was pretty damn pricey for sock yarn (as in twice as much as I usually pay), so I am unhappy with the quality of the dye job. I shouldn't be able to find undyed parts in the core of the yarn.

This is twice now that I've had the same problem - and that's both in the same month! First it was with the Japanese Garden Shawl pattern by Wendy D. Johnson. It has three charts - and I foolishly assumed that I finish each one and BAM! am done with the shawl. So, after finishing 2, I realized there was a problem, went back and read the pattern, and found that I had to do the chart 4 MORE TIMES. I think this is a basic flaw in my personality - or loose wiring in my brain - or something! I also have the problem that I can't seem to follow recipes for cooking either, which seems pretty similar to me......

But, you know what, don't worry. After all............no one can be too broken up when they have shoes like this to look forward to wearing tomorrow:

The Knit Vacation :)

2011-04-16T23:15:00.000-07:00

So, as some of you may know, I spent the first week of April on a knitting vacation. Below are some of the images and good times from that vacation. We were in Missouri! The purpose for the time and place of the vacation was an event called Camp KIP (Knit in Public), organized by Jackie, who has a podcast called KIPping it Real.

Image one: the St. Louis arch! You can't get the full majesty from this picture - and for that I apologize. What can I say? It was from the car.

This second image is from a cute bistro in an adorable old part of Missouri where we were having lunch!

This picture was taken in a divine place called Bailey's Chocolate Bar. I decided on a chocolate and pumpkin dessert which came with cinnamon ice cream on the side. Who knew that Missouri was soooo tasty?

This is a picture from the actually knitting camp where I met Roue, one of my favorite podcasters. She's a sweetheart!

And now on to the knitting! This is the Japanese Garden Shawl by Wendy D. Johnson. I started it the day after steamcon and finished it the day after I got home from the vacation. It was a super-fun knit. And also, the lace was easy enough to do while on the plane and talking to others. Someday I need to block it so the lace is visible.

This is the newest pair of socks for the finacee. They are getting close to done, which is good because otherwise the selfish index for this month is going to off the charts!

At camp we saw a ton of Daybreak shawls (Stephen West aka Westknits design) and fell in love. So, a bunch of us podcaster types decided to have a knitalong. I purchased yarn for my Daybreak while at camp on the day the vendors came onsite. Below is the beginning of my Daybreak.

And, lastly, here is a picture of my poor living room as we ramp up our costume and prop-making for BayCon this year........lord have mercy on our souls

CampKIP

2011-04-15T17:21:00.000-07:00

In this photo are the fabulous Ava, Roue (Knitcents), Manda, Amy, Deb, Jasmin (Knitmoregirls) Me!( Brass needles) and Carin (KnitWits)

I have so much to say about CampKIP, but I also have to go tidy up a little for company tonight. Consider this to be your teaser :)

More tonight if I get the chance - or else on Saturday when I record ep 100!

March Project Round Up!

2011-04-03T15:37:00.000-07:00

Well, some of you might be wondering what all I made in March....well, so am I! I will try to capture it here as best I can - and there will even be pictures of some of it (yay!!). Now, I know I haven't been very good at blogging for the past month. There are a couple of reasons. The first one is that I was sick for a couple of weeks. It's been hard to be awake! The second one is that I work a lot. I've got some really great opportunities at work, and I'm trying to grab them! What? You don't care? Ok ok, on to the goodness!

The projects finished in March:

1 pink woven scarf (short)
6 pairs of baby booties/some premie (not all had pictures taken before being given away)
1 pair socks (for Smartest Monkey)
1 French Press Cosy (my own design, and out of handspun)
3 huge skiens of maroon 3ply!

9 total (yarn does not really count as a finished item because it still needs to be spun)
1 project for me (the scarf - I can't count the french press cosy since I'm not the coffee drinker in the house)
8 projects for others.

Selfish index: 12.5%
Not doing as well as last month - but ok! Baby booties really skew the ratio.

AND NOW FOR MORE PICTURES!!

See that? that's 6 premie booties on one circ.Or, you can call it 2 pairs and 2 extra. I finished all of these, plus the mates for the 2 extra and one more half pair.

Here is some more of the Debbie I've been spinning. I think I'm about 4 oz in. Not sure if I'm going to do a 3 or a 4 ply yer. She spins like butter!

Remember that blanket I was making out of scraps of my handspun? Well, it had a little growth spurt last weekend. I added some little balls I did which aren't really fit for a project and also left overs from some other projects. The purple there? It's like IRON. It's my first Navajo Ply. The hot pink and turquoise? That was my first dying experiment.

Below is the fibre I left the Nova Albion Steampunk Convention with. The middle one is a crown mountain job called "San Francisco Nights" The left one is another crown mountain. The right one is a Purlesence one off.

Because the finacee had noticed that I was having trouble with spindle spinning because of the constant filling up the shaft and having to wind it off, he bought me this beauty.

See the three interchangeable shafts? Now I can spin onto all three and then ply onto a different spindle or my wheel!

But that won't change the project I'm currently working on. I do this mostly at breakfast while we're waiting for a seat on Saturdays at our favorite cafe.

Next up, what am I weaving? Well, a gorgeous green scarf for the MAID OF SCIENCE for my wedding. She loves the color green, so this was my choice for something that she'd like.

Remember this pink weaving? This is my first Cricket project?

And look, it's done! Here it is with a pair of socks for the finacee.

Gotta love the weaving porn shots.......

But wait, what have I been working on lately? Well, here a bunch of fake flowers that I've hot-glued hair pins too. They are working well. I'm wearing one of the ones I made right now so it isn't featured. I'm starting to veer toward an orange place and that scares me very much.

Last, but not lease, the Japanese garden shawl - this was a pattern that one of my listeners gifted me over on Ravelry. I thought it was so sweet that I grabbed some handspun that I call my "raincloud" and cast on. It's different than most lace I've done in 2 ways:
1. It has some stitches which are purled on the front and knit in the back.
2. It starts on the big side and tapers down instead of starting at the point of the triangle and growing. This seems very cool to me since it means that the closer to done I get, the faster the shawl will go. What a great idea!

Weekend Shenanigans!

2011-03-14T22:03:00.000-07:00

So, believe it or not, the radio silence you've been experiencing on this blog has not been intentional. It's not that I haven't wanted to write to you, it's just that I've been so damned busy DOING things, you know? For example, right below here, I've included a picture of some yarn I just finished spinning. It's kind of washed out because I took the picture in full noon sun, but it is a cool dark maroon. It's also a little on the thick and thin side and full of veg matter. The damn thing fought me the entire way, but not as if I was spinning against it - just in that it didn't want to be too easy. As a result, thick and thin, but it plied nicely, and damn is it lofty! I've got three huge skiens of it.

I also did some knitting. This is a french press cozy that I designed on the fly (its hard to mess up when you're doing it in ribbing). This roving (roving?) was given to me by Tika (Tikabelle). It is all sort of pastels that melt into each other. That wasn'y by accident. When I spun it, I didn't have too much - about half of what Tika had left, and so I navajo plied it for practice and to try to maintain/keep control of the color changes. I think the cozy turned out nicely. It's open a bit on the back for the handle and I'm debating putting a button on it to bring in the sides underneath the handle. I'm wondering if it will fit on a teapot as well. I suppose I could take it off the french press and try it, but I get so happy seeing those Eastery pastels. It is, afterall, the right time of year for those colors.

I also engaged in making fancy sandwiches this weekend. You know, some turkey, some tomato, a toasted bun, fresh ground pepper, fresh basil, a little mozzarella, and a touch of vinegar and oil. What could be better than that? Well......maybe if I made my own bread?

Looks kinda good, doesn't it? That was my first loaf. Technically, this loaf wasn't from this weekend, but a couple of weeks ago. I made my 4th and 5th loafs this weekend - one with some added cinnamon and sugar and another with sun dried tomatoes and garlic. But here is where it all began - with this little guy. Well, maybe not so little. The loaf was huge and more than the Fiancee and I could eat in one week. The recipe (and this is super simple) can be found here, on the breadotopia website. Trust me, if I can make it perfectly the first time, so can you. And don't worry about it saying you need a dutch over - I did mine in my oven and it was great.

Those weren't ALL the shenanigans from the weekend - but I have to save something to blog about about during the week. I will, however, tell you that I am going to the Harmony Sweeps this weekend to cheer on my Fiancee in his a capella group: Brass Farthing (my guy is the one in the maroon top hat). And I had the delightful group of them over this weekend for an early dinner before we headed out to a local radio station to talk about the upcoming Steampunk Convention and where the boys even got to sing a bit. I keep meaning to play some of their stuff on my podcast and then forgetting. Ah well. At least I get to hear it on a regular basis!

Alright, take care, my bloggies. I'll be posting again soon!

Finiuary Round Up!

2011-03-03T20:10:00.000-08:00

Alright, there has been some silence from me lately.

Well, that's been for a lot of reasons. I've been trying to get a lot of the initial stuff for the wedding straightened out, for one. And, well, like it or not, I am very well employed in this crappy economy, which is incredibly lucky. I try to make sure that I don't squander this luck by not doing my job - and let's face it, I have work-a-holic tendencies.

But do you want to know another reason why I haven't been around? I've been too busy DOING my crafts instead of writing about them!

So, here's what I did in February, with pictures of the things I didn't previously post:

2 pairs of baby booties
1 sweater (tangled yoke - and I DID wear it to Stitches!)
1 weaving project - a scarf
3 hats (cotton)
2 bumps of crown mountain (they were both half bumps) plied and set
1 cowl

Total: 8 finished items, 2 finished yarns.
sweater and scarf were for me, so that's a selfish index of 25%, up from last month's selfish index of 14%. We're going the right way!

And now, the pictures!

First, the hats:

Then the finished yarn!

Finishuary - the gift hats

2011-02-17T23:45:00.000-08:00

Alright, so it's the middle of the night, but the fiancee isn't home yet and I'm having a break through. That's worth recording, right? So I actually got out my camera and made an attempt at lighting so I could take a picture.

BUT FIRST! The finished cowl (it is Finishuary, after all, and I have been talking about the fact that it's done for something like a week now)(almost)

So here is the Cowl for M. in all its glory. It is was done in Zauberball (teal and black) in the Spirogyra arm warmer pattern from knitty. I simply adapted the pattern to being on bigger yarn/needles and being the circumference of a cowl.

And now - the break through!

Ok Ok, it doesn't look like much now, but IF YOU ONLY KNEW what I'd been through with this hat!

Here's the back story: I had a best friend about 6 years ago - we were best friends for a long time. We were best friends through her stint in the peace corps, her wedding, my various break ups etc. Now, I wasn't her only "Best Friend" - but we were very close. However, I went into grad school - then she had a baby and moved 45 minutes away - then I moved an hour away - then she moved to north carolina - then I had a hectic work schedule....etc. etc. Long story short, I love her as much as ever, and I feel like she loves me the same, but we're farther apart than we used to be. (And by that I mean, I no longer spend EVERY WEEKEND) watching home improvement shows and crafting with her. She has closer friends to her, no doubt, in proximity and in emotion - and I've grown as a person and am looking to start my family soon (ish) (don't get any ideas). But I still care, and I have some things to send her (FROM LAST FEBRUARY) which I've been sitting on.

Why?

Well....first it was because of her husband. I love the man - he's a gem. But I made him a devil ear beanie and he kind of ruined it and I kind of didn't get around to making a replacement and he really wants one. I kept saying I'd get to it, but I never did. Then - 3 or 4 months ago she posted something online about needing hats for her family from her knitter friends. I ran out and bought colors I knew she liked and would look good on her and her kids in a nice sport weight(ish) cotton (she's allergic to animal fibres). Then I started getting my house and re-enacting for fair, and I kind of let it go. After all, one of her other best friends, Fluffy, is an amazing knitter and seems to be able to churn stuff out even faster than me! (I don't know how she does it!) Surely she would have done it already, and nicer than I could. What good would my hats be anyway?

But it's me, so I wound one of the balls and cast on. But it looked like crap. And I know she's of the larger head variety, so I was having trouble with sizing (I am of the smaller-head variety). And then I couldn't decide on a stitch pattern. I have literally started and ripped this hat back 4 times at least - probably more like 6. Then I gave up and started it into a blanket - figuring that at least she could use the throw in her house.

But then there was tonight. Remember how I'm getting married? Well, I hit a dress snafu. The original plan turned out to cost about 4K (and I just can't spend that). So, I was looking at other options. I did not ask her to sew it. She's an amazing seamstress, but she's also got two small kids and is in grad school. I decided on my own that it wasn't worth her time and didn't ask her. But she volunteered regardless and sent me to where I could find the patterns I was interested in - figured out how we could do it and make it fit long distance, and was overall perfect.

She always is. Let me tell you - if you ever get arrested, need to come up with a plan, or just need someone to make you smile, it's her. (and any plan where you loose your hat is bad plan).(Did I mention that, until we got gummed up in buying a house, we were going to get married on her wedding anniversary?)

While I don't know what's going to happen with The Dress, it made me think of how I've been sitting on this box, unable to send it, but unable to move forward on the hat-turned-blanket. So, I came home after working a little late and did some math, pulled up several patterns online and in books for reference for stitch count, and decided on my own pattern after trying several different types of six stitch cables while working on the hat. That's right, I practically swatched for her - That's love! So, in the picture above, you have the 4 failed hats and 1 failed blanket turned into 1 successful hat. I'm proud of myself and I'm thinking I may even get to send that box after all. If doing these hats further puts the nail in my wedding shawl coffin - I won't regret them. Maybe I'll make a honeymoon shawl instead.

All I know is that she gave me the peace of mind I needed while I was panicking, like she always does. She was there to support me, like always, and she'll love the hats I make and treat them right, just like everything else I knit for her. She is, after all, in some of the very first pictures on this blog.

Finishuary continued!

2011-02-15T20:43:00.000-08:00

So, these pictures are a little late - I finished this stuff last week (If you'd believe it!) That's one cowl in progress up there. Very nice! It's the spirogyra pattern (you can find it on knitty and ravelry) but adapted to a cowl size. The yarn is Zauberball. It's lovely, and a follow-up to a set of wrist warmers that I made for the same woman last year - or was that 2 year ago. Secretly, it's already done, but I don't have a finished pic of it that's decent, so you get what you pay for - what I already had in my phone. :)

And what is this? This is an adorable pair of non-preemie baby booties! Aren't they cute? The yarn used for these came from the knitmore girls (thanks!) and was given to me Christmas before last as a gift. It was a very awesome gift, too. It was two clear paint cans, one full of sock scraps that said "Proto Bebeh Socks" and an empty one that said "Finished Bebeh Socks." This was for my preemie sock knitting kick. I have already filled up the empty can, but my sock stash, plus extra they gave me after that means that I still have the equivalent of two of the paint cans of yarn left to knit. In the case of these booties and the ones below, I am taking a break from preemie socks and instead knitting booties in an attempt to get some of my friends to have kids.

What can I say? I think they'd be good parents.

And, really, with booties like this, you kind of have to be a rad parent. Right?

What else? Well, I am trying to use Finishuary to finish some squares for a blanket that I've been working on for a few years. It is my longest UFO, but I don't have all the squares I already made - I think there was somewhere between 13 and 20. My goal is to get 5 done in the month of Feburary. I have an ENTIRE BOX of yarn for this blanket - or at least I used to.

Oh, and wedding planning. There are no words. I kinda just want someone else to do it for me. Any takers?

Check out my WEAVE!

2011-02-09T19:46:00.000-08:00

So....I did promise some pictures of my first weaving project, and I'm not one to promise without delivering. Luckily, my Feff Jasmin helped me out by taking some pictures in her amazing sort of way. You can thank her for the pictures in this post (no really, you can, she's on ravelry as cuteknitter).

First, though, a little run-down!

I learned how to weave last year right after the last day of CNCH (a weaving convention that happened after Stitches West in the exact same convention center) (I am so lucky to live in San Jose!). My Fiance's friend from childhood, Selah, is an awesome weaver, and she graciously spent her evening teaching me how to warp my table loom and explained to me some of the things I could do. Before then, I'd never touched a loom - had never passed a shuttle through threads, and could barely remember what a warp was - and why the heck would I need a leash stick?! Well, since that FATEFUL NIGHT, I have been working slowly but steadily on that scarf. And, on Saturday, I had the pleasure of taking it off the loom and wearing it for the first time.

I admit - there was some trepedation. This was my first weaving project and I had some big obstacles come up that I was too junior in the craft to deal with extremely well. For example: my warp was noro - a single ply. It broke in a few places, and in one place it broke over and over again. Also, my tension was not uniform (although it was pretty damn close). And, well, I also didn't really understand what I was doing,so I was learning on the fly through trial and error of how the fabric reacted. No doubt, I made some really silly mistakes - but all I saw when I put it on was beauty. I was so tickled that I made this on a loom, something I never thought I'd ever do. I wore it proudly the rest of the day and have worn it to work all week. It kinda makes me wish the weather weren't turning warm again......well, not really, but almost.

Now I am faced with a dillema. How long and how many ends do I make my next warp which is in a completely different yarn, a silky blue fingering weight? Oh well, I guess I'll figure something out - 'cause I want to weave something else now!

And now, your weaving pr0n:

I don't know what I was thinking in this picture, it's half sass and half head-covering like my ancestors. I can't help but think I should have had my tarot cards out and been offering to tell people's future. Come here, chil. Come close to me, look at the weaving and tell me what you see......

Ahhhh, this is more like it. See that silky smooth warp? Look at that sweet, soft weft. Actually, I kind of look like I'm marking it like a cat. Mee-ow!

Alright, this one is my favorite for obvious reasons (like me not wearing a bizzarre expression and the fact taht I have it the scarf spread out accross me so you can see what it actually looks like! All in all, this turned out better than I thought it would. Pretty darn spiffy for a first project, if I do say so myself.

Sweet Sweater Triumph!

2011-02-08T22:45:00.000-08:00

Who's got a sassy pose and an awesome sweater? This girl!

You know what that is up there? That, my friends, is a tangled yoke! You can't tell from this picture, so I'll have to take a few more - but the vintage buttons on that sweater are big flat pearly dreams with little squiggles on them much like the sideways cable on the yoke of the sweater. This sweater was a triumph for a couple of reasons - 1, because my Feff and I decided we were too smart for the pattern, we ended up doing something funky that caused me to have to rip back after I had one button band down. Then I ripped and re-did. I put on both button bands (the Feff might have picked up the button bands for me because I am LAZY), sewed the ribbon backing, and put on the buttons. I tried it on and............disaster.

Disaster!!

You know what happened? The collar was too loose! Aauuuugh! That collar puckering was what I had to rip out in the first place. It was like a 3 little bears moment: This collar is too tight, this collar is too loose! Oh what could I do? My sweater was ruined RUINED! And I had already spent so much time on the button bands and the buttons. Crap.

But wait! I have been knitting since I was 7 - I understand how knitting works, more or less. I could tell from the fit of the sweater that all it needed was fewer stitches on the collar and smaller needles. But how could I fix the collar with the botton bands intact? With scissors, that's how. So, there are a couple of ways to fix something like this that I can think of that don't include undoing the button bands. The one I choose was to open the collar and unravel it down, leaving the button bands intact, but now longer than the sweater fronts. I then picked up the stitches. But the needle was too big. So....I ran out to my car and pulled the needles out of super secret project x. I ran back in and put all the stitches on that nice little size 1 hiya hiya. (I love hiya hiyas). Then, I went to start knitting and ......promptly snapped my needle. WHAT?

So.....I grabbed the pair of sock that I was working on for myself and knitted them onto the broken needle, thus freeing up their needle. Then I used that needle to do the garter rib for the collar, taking in stitches every 15 stitches accross. Then I turned and did the same. On rows 3 and 4 I switched to taking in stithces every 10. Simultaneously, I also made sure to knit the button bands into the ends of my rows - thereby securing them back to the collar of the sweater. The bind off row, I also knitted some of the stitches together, to make sure the collar continued to cinch in.

The result? Can you tell by my smile below that I like my new sweater?

All of the surgery was worth it. I am going to wear the ever-living-heck out of this sweater. (and it is totally going to Stitches if it's not a million degrees)

Thanks to Agent J for the Awesome photo work!

January 2011 Roundup!

2011-02-03T13:17:00.000-08:00

What did I make in January 2011? (*Note, not all items were STARTED in January 2011)

2 pairs of booties (as far as I can remember, there may have been more)
1 Baby Hat (Aviatrix pattern - with modification of a big fucking cabbage rose of dooooom!)
1 Pair of socks for my Mom for next Christmas (yes, you read that right)
1 Pair of Tardis socks for a friend to give to another friend.
1 Shawl (Rowan - "Purity")
1 Cowl ("Good Luck Cowl" - pictured in an earlier post
Plied 1 braid of Pigeon Roof in blue
Spun 8 oz of assorted Crown Mountain singles (Atlantis and???)
1 Giraffe stuffed animal (featured in an earlier post)

I think that's all I finished in Jan.......the spinning isn't all done - but I consider plying to be a finished stage because I may leave them that way. The blue was plied, it is amazing!

And here's the selfish to non-selfish ratio for finished knitted items for the month: 1/7, or 14% selfish and 86% non-selfish.

7 items for someone else
1 item for me

Now, how about some pictures of things I made this month that were not shown before?

The usual baby booties in wool left overs - these, I believe, are going to be donated to the hospital

The Second Pair of Booties - in raw silk, designed by me for R&D, who have a wool allergy issue

The baby hat! Made in Organic Cotton for R&D. Used the Aviatrix pattern and made a huge cabbage rose to sass it up!

Socks for my Mumzie! These are so weird. The yarn has 3 distinct color-ways in it. Totally random. But the skiens are so generous that I am now working on a pair for me.

The Purity Shawl from Rowan. Modeled on it's lovely new owner, Ph. It's a ton of gater stitch lace. It was originally supposed to be selfish, but it really belonged to her.

The Tardis Socks! These have been making the rounds on the internet. This was a stretch for me as I haven't done colorwork in the round in a long time - and I'm not the best at any sort of embroidery. But I actually did ok! (PS - this cascade sock yarn was AMAZING)

And here are the Crown Mountain Singles I spun.

And the Pigeon Roof laceweight that I plied

Ability takes more than a fancy gadget

2011-02-02T15:54:00.000-08:00

See that? That's my fancy new camera! All of those great projects I did in January that I haven't posted pictures of are in there! Just one little problem..............the cords are in safe in the box at home and my work computer has no port for the memory card. D'Oh!

So, my lovelies, you will all have to wait until I:
1. Get home
2. Find the box with the cords
3. Get the wherewithal to do a transfer of the pictures

Now, let's make no mistake - I may have an awesome camera from my fantastic fiancee. I may have taken a bunch of pictures with it already. It might have lots of bells and whistles. My best friend may be a photographer extrordinaire..........(extraneous ellipses!)............ BUT I am really really bad at taking pi-chers. I tell you this, my friend, not as a way to denigrate or belittle myself, but as a warning.I'm setting expectations. Afterall, look at that amazing little camera! With a tool like that, some of my friends could win an award - me....well, I still have trouble keeping the camera still or my thumb out of the shot.

Consider yourself warned.

And now on to some knitting content! I just started the heel flap of a pair of socks for myself this morning! Woooo-hooo! I've decided that I need to have at least 14 pairs of hand knit socks (hopefully more) in order to be able to use only those and not have to supplement with other, lesser socks. I'm not sure how many pairs I have, but I am at least 68.3% sure I don't have 14 pairs yet. So, the socks-for-me campaign has commenced. I am also thinking about launching a sweaters-for-me campaign. I may have reached my limit of selfless knitting for the time being. I just want to have some things that I knit that I also get to keep, you know? If this sounds selfish, I'll politely wait until after I post the stats from January before allowing you to submit your final opinion.

~ Miss K

This is what currently bothers me....

2011-02-01T15:12:00.000-08:00

Alright, I just wrote a long post about finding out I have frenemies and how sad that makes me. It was long and melancholy and far too detailed for anything made public.

So I deleted it.

Instead, I offer you something short and sweet:

I'm sitting outside working this afternoon, the sun is shining, the birds are singing (yes, I live in California). My fiancee is in India safe and sound, coming home in just 10 days. I have people staying over to keep me company (and keep me safe), a job I like well enough, and a hobby that fulfills me. I have amazingly wonderful friends who are also incredibly intelligent. I bought a house and I'm getting married.

And I have a snuggly kitty who sleeps next to me purring at night.

My life does not suck. Perspective: Achieved.

Adventures in Eating

2011-01-31T15:04:00.000-08:00

You may be sitting there, thinking, what the heck does "Adventures in Eating" mean? Or maybe you're just looking at that rather gross looking picture up there and wondering what the hell that is. Either way, you're about to find out the answer.

I don't consider myself an adventurous eater, but I also don't consider myself picky. I love vegetables, different animals (sorry if that offends), and like to try new grains and sauces. There is only one thing I actually hate and will not eat: mayonnaise. I don't like things like carrots (which I tend to eat for breakfast at work anyway), or stinky cheeses (which I tend to avoid, especially those with mold, ewwwww). Eggplant, brussell-sprouts, broccoli, etc. are all fine with me.

My boss is Chinese. This really isn't at all relevant to this post except to point out that she has different culinary experiences than I do. When I first started working for her, she took me out to Dim Sum with another Chinese co-worker - since i hadn't really been to an authentic dim-sum, it was an excellent experience! Now, I've always considered myself to be easy to gross out - just eat some mayo in front of me, but they seriously upped the ante. Among other things, that day, I was subjected to fried chicken feet. They expected me to be grossed out - and I kind of was.....but it wasn't that scary and I'm sure my people have their own similar foods that I would know about if I had any real links to my Armenian or Serbian or Gypsy heritage. So I ate the chicken's foot and everything else they threw at me that day, no problem. But there's one thing I was relieved didn't come up - the 100 year old Egg.

Seriously, what an unappetizing name.

So, I thought I was safe. I was wrong. My boss, as it happens, just got back from maternity leave this week, and it's been almost a year since our last weird food fest. In honor of her return, we took some time out and went to lunch together in one of the cafes at work.

Guess what they were serving.

That's right. The Century Egg.

So, my boss made a video with her phone as I put the egg, some tofu, and some rice on my fork and waved it around, unable to stomach the thought of putting it in my mouth. That picture up there - see the brownish part? THAT'S THE EGG! The thing is like something out of Dr. Seuss! The "whites" are actually a clear brown (think the color of the cola gummies you ate as a kid). The yolk is a musty forrest/olive green. It's.......................an intense thing to consider eating if you've never been exposed to it before.

But, well, I was on camera. And I have a thing about not appearing to be a wimp in front of people. So, after lifting the fork and putting it down about 5 times, I put it in my mouth, braced for the worst, and chewed, trying not to taste anything. It was................fine. It wasn't amazingly good or horribly bad. It was ok. Not something I'd seek out, and looking at it still gives me the shudderjiggies (I just coined that word for you)(you're welcome), but I survived and am no worse for wear. I even had a second bite. I'm like a rockstar of trying new food! This was truly an adventure in eating.

On thing's certain, I prefer it to that limp, cold, fried chicken's foot I had a dim sum.

As my BFF Jasmin would say: "I eat the wierd stuff."

Small Steps to a Great Journey

2011-01-30T19:59:00.000-08:00

Some of you know that I am pretty into crafting.....and those of you who really know me know that "pretty into" is a huge understatement. One of my favorite crafts is spinning, something I've been doing for a relatively short time - about 5ish years. I say relatively short because I've been knitting for 24 years now which tends to be my main craft of comparison. With spinning, especially when you start on a drop spindle, you're not left with huge amounts of finished product - especially if you're using top/roving/fleece that you've been handed off of someone else's tuft.

Being left with smallish balls of what I first spun, and then little balls of my later handspun that I'd used on projects, I wondered what to do with them. I mean, they aren't great. The yarn is thick and thin, there isn't enough left for another project, and some of what I started with was really bottom of the barrel stuff.

So what do I do with it?

Today, while cleaning my Fiboreum, I found a few of these little balls as well as some larger balls that I may actually be able to get a project out of yet. My first thought was to make them into butterflies and then put them into a journal or something. I mean, I do have a scrapbook that I bought just for the purpose (as well as a shelf full of blank journals to use). I started a knitting/spinning journal back in 2008, and I liked what I did, but the truth is that I didn't keep up with it enough and it just isn't the same without pictures, which I've never been good about taking and pasting in. So, a spinning journal was out. I briefly considered putting the little balls into some vases or something. You know, display it. But such small amounts didn't seem like they would look very good, and I was cleaning my office while unpacking and trying to clear out clutter to begin with. What would be the point in spreading out the clutter? So that was out. What was left? I supposed I could start a spinning blog - take some pictures and then post them and then get rid of the scraps of my spinning with a clear conscience - or donate them or something. There would be a record then, so that should be enough. But, really, I'm pretty bad at keeping even one blog that covers knitting and spinning, so I doubt that I would be able to keep that up. Besides, blogging takes away from knitting and spinning time anyway, right?

So, in a brief moment of whimsy (yes, I experience whimsy), I grabbed one of the little balls and cast on a few stitches with it, knit until it was gone. I really liked knitting with it - and I remembered it - it was the first thing I spun on my very first wheel - an Ashford Joy. It was thick and thin and low quality wool - and I had made a pair of socks out of it on size 3s or so that I still have. But I loved the feel of knitting with it and the memories that came back as well as, I admit, the enjoyment of my own industriousness in creating something that I could use. I mean, really, how cool is that? When that bit was done, I grabbed another ball - this one was blue and white. I made it when I had first learned to drop spindle. I had spun each color separately on my first drop spindle while at the Renaissance Fair the year I met my Fiancee. I think it was my very first spinning. If it wasn't it was close to it. After I finished that second ball, I grabbed a third, the same blue, but plied with grey this time, from the same summer. But I had a long strip from the first two balls, so I bound off the second ball and, with the third, picked up and knit along one of the edges of the strip.

After that, I knew what I was doing. I was making a memory quilt from my own handspun. I had figured out what I was going to do with it, and it was something that not only was incredibly satisfying in that it allowed me to relive the memories of what I had spun and when as well as what I had made with the yarn originally, but it allowed me to find a use for the odds and ends that suits my personal ethic of reusing and recycling and using what I already have to make things which I can use in another form.

Each little piece of handspun that I use to make this blanket is a small step. But I think it's a great journey to make a blanket, especially with yarn that will range from about a worsted to a lace. And, in knitting this, I will get to see how my own spinning improves. Below is a picture of my first 3 steps.

Who was that masked woman?

2011-01-29T23:53:00.000-08:00

Well, not exactly masked, but I am wearing a cowl........like a bank robber. Although, might I say, if I WERE a bank robber, I would totally be the most comely masked of all bank robbers ever.

The proof is below:

I almost forgot to blog today....but I did finish the Good Luck Cowl (featured so ingeniously above) (if I do say so myself) (which I think I just did)(although I think it's more like "alluded to"), so that's a plus one for me.

But

Well, I also decided to purge my personal belongings today and, well, let's just say that one trashbag, and a box for Goodwill later I have a really messy Fiboreum floor and a lot of stuff that I wasn't able to part with. Curse you, beautiful costumes!! But I am working towards just having LESS. It's part of my greening of my life that I've been doing each month. If I can get by with less things (and we know we all can) then I am going to attempt it. Before anyone worries: Yes, the stash is safe.

And with that, time for bed. Tomorrow is the fiancee's last day before leaving for India and I have a whole 'nother list-o-chores to get through with him so I can send him off right. (and somewhere in there, I really do need to clean my office)

~ Miss K

Inquisitive Giraffe is Inquisitive

2011-01-28T15:19:00.000-08:00

Inquisitive Giraffe says: "Oh hai, whatreyou doing?"

I kind of love this little guy. This is the 2nd giraffe I've made from the same pattern (purchased from MochiMochiLand) The first was for my friend Truthy5000 (I just came up with that nickname, but it is super-accurate, trust me). The second one was made when Truthy5000 asked me to make one for a friend of hers who was expecting. This is usually when my BFF Jasmin will start rolling her eyes about how I can't say no (Does that make me an EASY knitter?) But, well, Truthy5000 is someone I like and respect, so she deserved it.

In other news, just about 3 more days left in January 2011. I'm using the end of the month as a sort of deadline for me to finish some of my projects. Think of it as a personal challenge. It's also a good way for me to focus on finishing someone that's near completion rather than working on 4 or 5 things that are all relatively new. It's quite a slog type of thing. But, along with finishing knitting stuff I also need to work on other items that were neglected over late fall and winter. Namely:

1. Unpacking (and this may be the most frightening one)
2. Upping my green-ness (still trying to make one or more little changes each month)
3. Figuring out the hew house yard set-up for gardening
4. Determining what I should plant for food as seedlings and doing it
5. Investigating getting fruit trees
6. Truly managing my yarn and fibre stash. I was AMAZED at the amount of handpun and unfished projects I have. Time to get that sorted right out!

Wish me luck, me hearties. Yo'-freaking-ho!

How I spent my Winter Vacation

2011-01-27T17:03:00.000-08:00

Ok, let's be honest, the title of this entry is entirely misleading .

#1. There was no winter vacation. I worked my normal job, moved house, podcasted, and volunteered every weekend and some weeknights at the dicken's Faire.

But, during rehearsal, sometimes this happened:

Now, don't get me wrong, that didn't happen very often....but if you're at rehearsal, in your victorian undergarments and only half in costume, with a prop and some fancy knee socks and someone hands you a hard cider............well, sometimes you'll be weak.

#2. Did I mention that sometimes I take on knitwear repair for people in my cast? Yeah, I'm a softie. I offer to fix things that people have which are hand knit and falling apart. I started this tradition the year before and fixed someone's favorite sweater. This year, it was two pairs of knit slippers. I do it for free because I love seeing well-loved handmade items get re-furbished so they can be loved some more. The person I mended the slippers for sent me a gift card - sneaky - but it was for YARN! How could I refuse.

#3 Bet you were wondering what happened to that single I had wrapped around my lazy kate that I had spun from all those samples (featured in a couple-a posts back). Well, if you weren't wondering, you don't need to look at the next picture - but you may want to anyway. That's right, an adorable cowl! To be fair,it was only about half of the samples - the other half are stll on the lazy kate, which is keeping me from being able to use it. I suppose I'll have to do something about that soon.

Isn't it lovely? Nowhere near a color I can wear, though (any of them), so it's sitting in my gift bin until it finds the person it was made for. I thought I'd found her, but it was too itchy for her. What can I say? There is pure wool in this thing - it's going to itch most people.

And that, my friends, is part of what I did from November - December 2010

2011-01-26T13:33:00.000-08:00

So here we are again. Seems like this is always the same cycle. I swear that I can't blog, then I blog once but determine I could do it more often, then blog a few more times, then drop it for a few months. By my estimation, we're in the 3rd phase, were I blog a few more times before forgetting.

Guess I'll ride this pony for all it's worth!

Which reminds me - did I ever give an update on the sasquatch socks part 2? In other words, the NaKniSoMo project? Well, I did finish them in time, in fact, I finished them early, if you'd believe that! Below is a cell-phone picture of one of the pair (I do 2 at a time) being modeled by it's owner next to my leg, wearing a sock that comes up proportionally as far on me as his does on him. See! I wasn't lying!!! The man's feet are enormous! You see my knee in the picture - his knee is not next to mine, his knee is like a foot higher up! I will also say that you should probably be impressed I even got this picture - it's very hard to get pictures of the sasquatch, as many nature lovers would attest!

So, well, what else? I wanted to upload more pictures of different projects, but my phone is at home and there is nowhere for my camera's memory card to fit into the computer. so there we are.

Currently, I'm knitting a pair of socks for me out of the same 2 balls I used to make a pair for my mom that I finished last week. Can't decide if I really like the colorway or not. When I post the picture, you'll see what I mean.

Lastly, I podcasted about learning greek in my best Rosetta Stone voice. It is now apparent to all of my listeners why I will never get a job with Rosetta Stone.

That's the update for today. Work/life balance preserved for, although I am working late tonight, I am taking time to post to my blog.

Work/Life Balance - A resolution

2011-01-25T11:56:00.000-08:00

So, many you may have noticed that I work....a lot. It's not really a problem most of the time. I find my job fulfilling and can usually carve out some time each day to work on something that's important to me - the past month it's been taking about 30-45 minutes each day (yes, I know I am technically entitled to a full hour for lunch and 2 15 minute breaks, but I consider the rest of the time used up checking personal email and the occasional chat with a friend) to take a nice walk outside. As someone who suffers from seasonal mood stuff (very mildly, but it is there), I find that this helps me maintain my cheery disposition in spite of work stress. :) It's been one of the ways I'm trying to make sure I get time for me - that I practice work/life balance. As a workaholic from a family of workaholics, I will run myself into the ground without noticing, and this is what I'm trying to avoid.

However, I overused my poor left achillies tendon from walking during the day and my new workout during the mornings. The new workout wasn't really that hard - just 3 miles on the treadmill on an incline, with about 10 extra pounds on a vest and then another 3-5 miles on the exercise bike....and sometimes 5/5miles or 6/6miles if I had time - but it was enough extra after the past two months of not working out regularly that it "overused" my tendon. I stayed off of it for 3 days (the first break I'd taken), but 2 days after I went back to exercising, the pain was back. Whoops!

So, after meeting with the Dr., I have a mandate to do minimal normal walking for 2 weeks, take aspirin constantly, and ice the darn thing. After that, I'm good to start exercising again, but supposed to work on slowly getting back to where I was. If the pain comes back.....well...let's just say she already wrote the perscription for physical therapy.

Those of you who know me know that my first instinct would be to sleep in now and/or work through the day without real breaks. But wait, I have a NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION to have better work/life balance!

What has filled the time? Well, some knitting and spinning, to be sure. But also, working on my Greek. Remember that? I promised the fiance that if/when we got engaged I would learn Greek to be able to talk to his family and also so we could have bilingual kids. And, believe it or not, the little homebody that I am, I've been spending a lot of time over the weekends away from my wonderful house at events like baby showers and helping friends with their home improvements.

Overall, I think I'm doing ok at the work/life balance thing. I know it will always be a struggle - and, like GI Joe says, knowing is half the battle.

NaKniSoMo!!

2010-11-18T10:20:00.000-08:00

Alright, a lot of people in the writing world are doing NaNoWriMo (or National Novel Writing Month) in November. A lot of knitter's have adopted this idea and decided to do something called NaKnitSweMo (National Knit a Sweater Month). Because I am a follower and am not a follower, I ended up doing my own sort of challenge: NaKniSoMo - National Knit Socks Month. What am I knitting? Well......remember the original Sasquatch Socks? Sure you do! They were for my friend Snoopy with the size 14 feet. And, oh yeah, they took forever! For pictures, see my posts in Feb or March (I think). I knit those socks during most of my trip in India and Dubai because, yes, they really did take that long!

But Because I am a nice friend and Snoopy is a really great person (and because he seems to be wearing his socks all the time), I decided it was time for me to make him another pair. Thus, I present to you:

Sasquatch Socks Part 2, Return of the Sasquatch Socks!

Those of you who listen to the podcast have already heard about these and their predecessors. And, of course, because I am always into the whole launch and iterate evolution of projects, these socks have a a few extra bells and whistles:

1. Extra 8 stitches at cuff for each - gusseted down the leg for extra breathability on the calf

2. 12+ inch long leg

3. 3+ inch heel flap

4. Purl side slip-stich heel flap for durability

5. Extra roomy heel gussets

6. Ribbed top of foot for great fit and comfort (ok, the first pair also had this, I admit)

The one drawback - I always have a hard time finishing socks without the person around to measure the foot on. So, while I think I will finish these in the month of November (which is amazing since I think they are larger than knee socks for my own more-than-ample feet), I cannot guarantee that they won't be just a touch too long in the foot. Ah well, Snoopy, I tried!

What? Where are the pictures??

Alright, alright, since I know looking at something come together over time is fun, here is the progression so far..........

The beginning couple of inches (that's right, magic loop, baby!)

Then more inches (those are size 9 feet in big chunky boots for comparison purposes)

Here they are on my work desk last week, measured against my full size nalgene water bottle and a Dicken's Fair door hanger. It's only fitting since they were knitting a fair deal during rehearsal downtimes and workshops for that fair.

Here they are stretched across the passenger seat in the car. Yes, that is a heel you see in the distance!

This was earlier this week.

TRAGEDY!! Why is there a knot in the middle of my ball of yarn?!

And this morning's shot . Here is the specimen in the wild. If these were knee socks for me, that amount of foot would be just right. However, the foot is less than half-way done. But I do have almost 2 more weeks left. Even with Thanksgiving and Dicken's Fair, I think I can make it.....just don't ask why my house isn't fully unpacked yet, k?

And now, I return you to your regularly scheduled Thursday morning as I realize I'm out of break time and need to get back to work!

~ Miss K

OMG! Where have I been?

2010-10-21T16:39:00.000-07:00

Yeah......I was thinking the exact same thing....

You wanna know where I've been? For those of you who listen to the podcast (www.brassneedles.com), stop pretending you don't know what's going on. For the rest of you - WHAT? YOU DON'T LISTEN TO MY PODCAST?!! *dies*

Just kidding.

As some of you know and others of you will in a few more characters - I bought a house! That's right, me and the Fiance signed a ton of paper and handed over all our money, and now have a bright shiny new (well, actually 40+ year old) house. The only drawback? We haven't gotten it yet. There is a long and involved saga about that, but it's nothing you need to worry your pretty little head about....and, frankly, I don't want to see your brain leak out of your ears as I try to explain the fun ins and outs of mortgages and everything that can and did go wrong. Let's just say that we're expecting keys, a roof that doesn't leak, and no one else living in it tomorrow. We're also expecting the stove to work. I know - I'm a total Asshole for wanting the thing I paid for to actually be what I paid for. I'm sure I'll have my share of money pit stories.....just not yet, ok?

And in the meantime - for those of you who listen to the podcast, want to see pictures of those things I've been talking about?

Why, what's this? It's my handspun Aeolian!

And this? Well, it's a lovely new Citron with an extra repeat (out of Zauberball)

And this? A simple cowl out of the rest of the Zauberball

Ah, and a legwarmer for my Derby friend! (both have since been finished with ends woven in, but no buttons yet)

And what the heck is this? Ok.....this is one of my lazy kates with a heavy laceweight single spun all from samples of spinning fibre provided by some "Spindies" wrapped around it. The needle there has the beginnings of a cowl. In my mind, this will be made into two cowls, one that ends about where the bright yellow begins and the other will begin there.
The standouts for me from these samples were: Yorkie Slave (not pictured, it was so nice I spun it separately) and Bee Mice Elf (the red patch in the middle). It spun like butter!

Hopefully my next post will be AFTER I get some keys!

Messed up - but trying again

2010-09-02T17:02:00.000-07:00

Did you see that? Two days and then I forgot! Well, it's not that I really forgot to post, it's just that I kept giving myself work deadlines to meet before I was "allowed" to post. And, when I realized I was going to miss the day posting entirely......well, I was head on a pillow with eyes closed and I determined I was not getting up for a late post. After all, I was tired and who knows what would have come out?

So, today has been good in some ways and not as good in others. I have some substantial re-do work to do for my new boss - not because he's mean or picking on me or anything I can complain about, but because it's not the way he wants it and it's my job to do what my boss needs. If he wants these done another way - then I do them another way. And also, he had some really constructive feed-back, and I could see his points (and I, unfortunately, agreed with him). So more work for me. I usually find redos to be extremely frustrating, but not this time for some reason. Probably because I understand his points and also....maybe I've learned to let go a little. Anything is possible.

I'll probably be working tonight from home.....but I'm not mad. A little annoyed that it is necessary, but I understand that it's necessary, so that's a plus.

But what you want is a house/wedding update, right?
Wedding date still not set. Now I'm rethinking the MONTH. Oh dear
Fiance did not do his part of the guest list
Can't decide on theme until we square away just how big this shindig is going to be
So most plans are on hold.
In house news - I have been looking at the addresses suggested for our Sunday tour by my realtor on a website called www.ziprealty.com So far I like the website, although it's kind of annoying. It is free and I can see pictures - this is what I need. Using that website, I disqualified 2 of the houses we were going to see. That's ok, we have about 10 left. I refuse to pay these prices for a house with a completely outdated kitchen. An old house I will take, an old and ugly kitchen....not for a price so high that I couldn't afford to fix it up!

That's where we are right now.
I'm thinking there may be rockband tonight. I don't think I'll be able to play much with the crew because I should spend some time working (and my throat is really sore). If I do play, I'm calling drums!

And also, have not managed a push-up yet (other than knee pushups), but worked out with 10extra pounds on a vest. I am getting to be one buff chick!

~ Miss K

P.S. Dogsitted the most adorable Yorkie at work today (work allows people to bring in their dogs)

Trying for a record here!

2010-08-31T15:02:00.000-07:00

So, I'm trying something new, which will no-doubt fail, but it is worth trying.

Because I am spending so much time and energy on work these days, I thought it might be nice if I also did something other than work the entire time. And because I usually eat lunch at my desk so I can work extra, I thought a quick blog post might be a good way to break up the monotony of my long afternoons. This, then, is the 2nd of my daily posts. Look! 2 in a row! We'll see how long this lasts......

I finished my Citron (2nd one) yesterday. It turned out nice - and I did an extra tier on it, which made it larger. Hopefully I'll have the presence of mind to take a picture of it to post tomorrow. It's in Zauberball - lovely pinks, purples, blacks, and all colors in between. It has not cured my need to get things off my needles. Frankly, at this point I am wondering how many things I need to finish to make that itch go away. So far it's been ripping out a shrug (it was not good), finishing a pair of socks, finishing the knitting on a sweater, the citron, and the aeolian. Oh, and ripping out a sock that had yarn too busy for the pattern. Now I only have a couple things left on the needles: Melon stitch shawl, 2 cowls (one patterned, one not), a pair of socks for Smartest Monkey (the Fiancee Man) , and I think a scarf hiding somewhere....probably in Smartest Monkey's car in case I forget knitting..... oh yeah, and a blanket for the living room that looks like a net and may be abducted into my steam punk costuming.

What I really want: to start a new sweater, DerbyA's derby legwarmers, and a wedding shawl.

I think DerbyA's legwarmers will be the next project I tackle. She's hot and she totally deserves cute legwarmers. Someone restrain me, I'm feeling pom poms coming on......

And that is your daily update the second.
Now back to the salt mines.

Did I mention?

2010-08-30T16:08:00.000-07:00

So..... it comes to mind that I haven't written here for about a million and a half years....so I probably never mentioned that I got engaged.

Whoops!

Well, I got engaged. My rediculously awesome boyfriend (now fiance) took me a on a cruise to Alaska and popped the question right in the middle of it. Sooooo, I now have one of the Big-Life-Questions (tm) figured out - I know who I'm lucky enough to spend the rest of my life with. And I am lucky, trust me. My recent bout with food poisoning this past weekend showed me that. After running all the errands I'd asked him to, including going to the grocery store for specific sickie-foods, he came home and made me toast and handed me a bouquet of flowers. Do you know what makes food poisoning better? That's right, getting flowers. I don't know why it works, it just does. It might be magic.

Now I am on the mend, hoping to get a lot of work done today, and hoping to be able to cook dinner tonight. That should be a nice reward for the guy who took care of me all weekend even though he wasn't feeling all that well himself.

And in other news, I finished the Aeolian Shawl from Knitty (well, Knittyspin).
There she is in the picture, knitted out of me-own handspun and blocking cheerfully.

Friday Ramblings

2010-05-14T14:15:00.000-07:00

So, it's been a pretty nice Friday so far. I've been nicely productive this week (granted, not so much as I'd like, but close), both in personal and professional life. That gives me a touch of leeway to update this thing - something I thought I'd deny myself if I wasn't being good enough in the rest of my life.

Here, on a nice, rambly, absolutely gorgeous Friday, allow me to share with you three wonderful things.

1st: A bracelet my lovely boyfriend had made for me by an Etsy seller. It's a charm bracelet, much like I had at 11 years old. However, instead of the treble clef and saxaphone charms, this one has charms of sheep, a spinning wheel, a ball of yarn, etc. Very thoughtful of him. I an incredibly lucky that I found such a loving man to share my life with.

2nd: A Coconut smoothie. Yes, you read that right. I have a slight coconut problem. It's almost an addiction. If there is something with coconut in it, sign me up. The more coconut, the better. I don't care if it is raw and in the husk, shredded and sugared (although I like less sugar rather than more), in juice form, in water form, or in milk form, baked into things...................and smoothied!!! All I can say is that it is a rare boss who brings you a coconut smoothie on a Friday afternoon.

3rd: Knitting. (I know, BIG surprise there). I started a new shawl last night and haven't stopped thinking about it all day. I feel really fortunate to have a hobby that I love this much, especially after 23 years. I hope I continue to get my happies from it for a long time (I certainly have enough yarn to!).

Hope your Friday is going as well as mine or better!

STOP! Update time

2010-04-23T14:36:00.000-07:00

(you know, as in Hammer time? Oh forget it, I was a child in the 80s and 90s, I can't be held responsible for my references)

Whoa?! Another post in the same week? I am unstoppable! Amazing! Brilliant!.......or just having a really hard time focusing this afternoon after being up to all hours working most nights this week and concentrating so hard this morning at work that my brain tried to leak out my ears. Either way.

I have been informed that my new Ribby Cardi, which had gone to visit Aunti Jasmin of the Better Than Yarn Blog, is now being held hostage after Ms. Gigi so thoughtfully put in the zipper for me. Hostage! As in, I can't have it back unless I go visit....which I'm pretty much ok with, I mean my little doggie neice and nephew live there. And I need to get my Elphie skritches in to feel right. I'm hoping I'll be able to show said Ribby Cardi to you in the near future. Man, I need to find my camera. It's true that I am looking to upgrade and get a new camera altogether, but right now I would be willing to settle for finding the old one and getting my dubai pictures off of it and up on here.

What else? Well, not much except that I have been working a lot. I'm hoping for a relaxing weekend where I get a chance to go to the plant nursery, garden a little, and then knit and spin to my little evil black shriveled heart's content. What are you doing this weekend?

How I survived a busy week at work....or did I?

2010-04-21T17:46:00.000-07:00

Well, superfriends, those of you who know me in the flesh, listen to the podcast (www.brassneedles.com), or are really perceptive will know that I have had a rough time at work lately - this is week two of what I am affectionately calling "OHMYGODOHMYGODAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!111-11111111111!!!!" (tm)

Long story short - it's just busy at work, as it tends to be when things change and people have lives and etc. etc. and so forth. Nothing to be done but throw my back into it and press on.

What does this mean to you? Unless you are my boyfriend, my kitty, or Jasmin, probably nothing. If you are, then it means I've been working long hours and being pretty darn unavailable. I've spent time in the past feeling sorry for myself that I'm not a better friend (I would also add not a better girlfriend, but I have to admit that I am possibly the best girlfriend ever, so it's not a fair critique), and am kind of done with that whole self-indulgent feeling bad stuff. So right about now I'm in the place where I shrug and keep moving. I'm thinking about my friends, even if I am not spending time with them, and I will find time for them again.

So, as I move into my 10th hour at work today (2 more to go!), I am staring out at the rain and wondering which of the projects I am juggling is in the most need of my help at the moment. Don't turn your back on projects - and don't feed them after midnight. And all I really want to do is knit. My tangled yoke cardigan is in the car and I technically have an hour before I need to go to my next meeting....and I didn't really take a lunch.....what do you think?

That's what I thought. Bad influences, the lot of you!

Alright, break time is over, back to the grind. I'm hoping everyone is a little less busy than I am right now. If so, knit a row for me - have a cup of tea, or read some of that book you've been enjoying. I'll see you soon if I'm lucky. :)

I'm famous (on the internt)(Sort of)

2010-04-14T14:03:00.000-07:00

So, since I never take a lunch hour, and often work at night and on weekends, I've decided that I get to reclaim a little of that time during the day - not a lot - but possibly the 1 of the 2 15 minute breaks that workers here in CA are supposed to have. I promise not to get too carried away and actually use my lunch hour (at least not until I can make one of those knit-lunches that the knitting group at my work has and that I have yet to attend). So, here is my re-claimed time - I'm going to blog every now and then.

So, here are your fantastic updates for today's blog (and someday I'll even post my Dubai pictures from Feb.....once I find my camera again):

Podiversary! My podcast, Brass Needles, turned 1 on April 12th. happy brithday to my podcast! (which, incidentally, you can find at www.brassneedles.com)

I'm making modeling appearances on Etsy for my amazing friend Rachel's Steampunk Corset Busk Covers: http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=13782480
Who knew that steampunk could be so sexy?

What else?

The boyfriend had surgery just over two weeks ago - and has rocked out so hard on Physical Therapy that he is now green to hit the treadmill in a week. Life progressess.....I'm slowly losing weight myself - well, not so much on the scale, but the clothes I grew out of are starting to fit again slowly but surely. I may have to give up my bikini plans for the summer, but that's never really been a surprise. :)

Oh, and have I mentioned that I began weaving? There's been a lot of talk on the interwebs, especially in crafty communities, about this whole becoming-an-expert thing of dedicating 10 Thousand Hours to something -anything, really, to master it. While that's attractive and I am a bit of a joiner (ahem cough cough, 52 pair plunge, anyone?) I am going to say no to dedicating my 10 thou to weaving. I think I am going to work on becoming an expert at the things I like and value at the moment and not stress about marking down every hour I spend.

Hopefully there will be pictures soon of my 1st weaving project on the loom. I'm a good 6 inches in since Sunday and feel like a rockstar.

Why Juicing is bad

2010-04-07T19:04:00.001-07:00

So, some people have problems for which they have to take medication - and some of those medications are easy on the body and some are hard.

Personally, I generally live my life with as little medication as possible. However, due to unknown allergy x, I recently broke out in a random face-rash thingy and got some puffy eye-lids. The eye-lids are my standard reaction to unknown allergen x, the rash was new. The dr. and I talked about what could be up, and then parted ways after agreeing neither of us wanted me to have to take steroids and deciding to find some other option.

Later that day I took the first dose of steroids. Now, these aren't the steroids of professional atheletes or after-school specials - these are a different type. It doesn't really qualifty as juicing, although I worked out extra this week just in case it would provide me huge muscles. No such luck. - - - what I was provided with were other symptoms. I was warned, but I didn't really believe it. Apparently taking these things can throw your body into acting like it's a special time when you LOSE YOUR MIND AND WANT SALT SALT SALT FAT AND SUGAR NOW OMG NOW.

The result: I've been really careful with my nutritional intake as part of my whole clean-living desire this year, but that could not override my need to dip pizza in nacho cheese tonight. And then I ate some big chocolatey desert that would normally not appeal to me in the least. Now I'm about to indulge in another thing full of sugar. And my body is absolutely in heaven. I can only hope that this goes away as the doses get smaller and that I eventually get my body back. It is good to just give in to these cravings, I think - as my body was feeling icky and blah for the past two days of me fighting the cravings and now feels amazing. I honestly think I could go run a marathon right now......so long as there was a caramello at the end of it.

So, juicing is bad......................... Now where was that candy?

2010-02-12T15:32:00.000-08:00

Well, Here is a picture I almost broke my neck taking. Sorry for the blurry-ness. This is the Salwa that my mom purchased for me when she was in India. I brought it with me and had the arms made a little larger so it fit. While I don't find this style of clothing particularly flattering on my shape - it is very comfortable and quite beautiful.

This picture is of the roof of the tailor shop. There are really neat light fixtures like this in many places in India, even a tiny little tailor's shop that's hidden in the recesses of a building. :)

Ah, additional sightseeing pictures from Sunday 1/31/09. This is the lovely Nizam's palace (1 of many, I'm told). All you get are outside shots as they did not allow photography inside.
These pictures are deceptive. There were several buildings for the palace, with a few nice courtyard's between, some with gazeebos and fountains.

Another part of the palace. Sadly, I tried to take some pictures of the vintage cars that were on display, but they were behind glass and poorly lit. Be aware, I saw a Rolls that was 100 years old, and some even older luxury cars. AMAZING. If you visit Hyderabad (Cyberbad), I very much suggest you visit this palace. It is wonderfully kept up and there are absolutely fabulous pictures of the family through the years. Including a very beautiful woman who looks like an actress, which was very reminiscent of Evita, for me.

Sight-seeing: TOMBS

2010-02-04T23:44:00.001-08:00

After Golconda Fort, we went to the Tombs. There are several, this is only one.

For obvious reasons, I didn't really want to take pictures inside.

This is a close-up of the outside. Look at how gorgeous the carving is! On some of the other tombs, there were pictures hidden in the carvings - mostly animals, but sometimes shoes.

Here is the tomb from a little farther away - the people walking up to it should give perspective to just how large a building it is.

The same tomb from even farther away. The domes used to be colored in blue or green, they told us. Unfortunately, after a few hundred years it didn't hold up.

And then, Natalie wanted some coffee. We asked our host to take us to a place where she could get a cup. Instead, he took us to a place, went in, and returned with a ceramic mug and saucer. per Natalie, it was fabulous coffee (to me it tasted like a mocha). No, we did not get to take the mug and saucer with us, we had to give them back. But it was our first coffee borrowed from a restaurant to have in the car moment.

Sight Seeing: Golconda Fort

2010-02-04T23:37:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, we mostly shopped, hence the picture of Charminar, which is in the middle of a huge shopping area. But on Sunday we went to Golconda Fort and marched around it's battlements. Golconda has a really awesome history - they used physics to do things like move water up into the high areas of the fort and they used accousitcs to make things like whispering walls and an area where you can clap and it can be hears in the highest battlement far above and way. Simply amazing to experience. Here are a few of the shots:

This is the view down on the fort from high up in the fort. We walked all of that to get up to where this picture was taken.

This is the view from the ground level up one of the walls. The camera is at my eye height and pointed up, so you can see that this was a very tall wall, indeed.

The view from one of the lower battlements to one of the higher battlements as we walked the stairs and halls.

One of the halls - restricted entry, but beautiful nonetheless.

And a very welcoming bit of graffiti!

Sight-seeing: CHARMINAR

2010-02-04T23:32:00.000-08:00

So, it was almost impossible to get a good picture of the charminar due to how big and ornate it is. I couldn't seem to capture both. So, here are a few shots to give some perspective.

Charminar - one of the towers

Charminar from the bottom:

Charminar from farther away:

And also, at a co-workers's house, I got to play on a 200 year old piano!!! My inner music geek was thrilled. The piano was out of tune, but still a treat.

(Blurry) Dinner out with the team.

2010-02-04T23:26:00.001-08:00

Not naming names because I haven't received permission to include people's names in the blog - but here are a few shots from our team dinner. First off, we were on the 2nd floor, on a tent-ish parlour.

Behind us in this shot you can see the trees on the lakefront. There were no windows, and the wall just stopped and the rest was open. Truly a unique experience.

I figured this was so blurry it didn't matter how many co-workers ended up in the shot, since you can't tell who they are. (I know, but then, I actually work with these people). This is the same restaurant, where you first enter, by the stairs. Our tables are in front of us (thus, not shown in the picture). Note the fancy spa-ish atmosphere.

This is the other side of our table from the open sky - the wall. Fancy pictures on the wall.....

The restaurant is called 1865 and I recommend the "Chicken 65" - which is not unique to this menu, but on the menu at several places I've been in India.

The HYD office

2010-02-04T23:20:00.000-08:00

Below are a few pictures of the office. None with company information because I don't feel comfortable posting my workplace everywhere online and because I don't intend to be speaking for my company in this blog.

Lights around the planters outside at night! Very pretty :)

Some of the snackies available

The gorgeous entryway decorated with sand because of Republic day when we arrived on 1/26

More of the lovely sand art. The floating flowers are a permanent feature, though, and appear to be changed daily. It is a lovely touch

And here I am in my favorite outdoor feature of them all, the swinging chair! I desperately want one of my own. They are great for lounging and are very comfortable. Plus, they SWING! I have noticed an abundance of swinging seats and benches since being here. The Indians totally have the right idea. I almost bought one before I realized how hard it would be to get it on the plane and home in one piece.

Dubai Airport pictures

2010-02-04T23:15:00.000-08:00

In case you were wondering, yes the DUBAI airport is lovely.
Generally, it's just like any other airport I've seen except for one important thing:

TREES AND PONDS! (Evidence below)
Yes, the Dubai airport has living plants, even trees inside it and even has water feature with a pond and Koi fish (yes, I am aware I can't spell). Isn't it pretty?

Another picture of that lovely little oaisis in the airport.
The middle? That's all water gently flowing toward us!

Oh, and here are those pesky socks again, sitting on the chair next to me.
Snoopy - you have well-traveled socks (perhaps even multi-lingual!)

Finally got some pictures!

2010-02-03T02:23:00.000-08:00

Alright. So, as of last post, I had no pictures because I had no camera cord. Well, one of my nice Indian co-workers lent me one today. So, let's have a few pictures from the India trip, shall we?

So, here a few of Natalie and I on our way over:

In the beginning, there were size 16 socks for Snoopy.....

Then there were Karl Urban and Chris Pine (of COURSE I watched Star Trek when I saw it was playing)

Then there was rough time when the Malaria pills made me very sick and nothing happened for an hour or two.

Then there were even longer size 16 socks for Snoopy

And then there was a bloody Mary

And then Erin and Nat lived happily ever after working in India (Ok, secretly, we had about 6 more hours of that flight left, a bit of troubled sleep, a layover in Dubai, and then another flight.....but who's counting?)

And let's have a few of my apartment here in Hyderabad (which I've got stamped in my passport as Cyberabad):

Here is the kitchen (picture taken from Dining Room)

Here is the Dining Room and part of the Lving Room. Please note, there in the corner is a hanging bench which is not in the picture, but on which I am spending most of my not-sleeping time in the apartment. The Internet doesn't work so well upstairs in my bedroom, so if you talk to me online from home and not work, then that bench is where I am.

Here is a veiw from the bench of the way upstairs (the stairs and the entire floor are all stone and gorgeous)

Here is the upstairs lounge. We have a big communal balcony on every floor, a private balcony in each room, and a private bathroom in each room.

This is my room. It was the most beautiful sight after being in transit for 30 hours (that's WITHOUT the time difference)

More pictures as I get time to upload them!

Hello from Hyderabad (India)

2010-02-02T04:11:00.000-08:00

For those of you who aren't in "the know" about my life - I work for a big international company - and they have sent me on a business trip to India. There is a lot to say. For one, I've never traveled before and it really is a unique experience to get 1st hand window into another culture. Granted, it might have been easier to travel somewhere a little closer to home (in mileage or in culture), but I don't regret this dicision at all and am pretty darn grateful to my company for giving me this experience (Although the work days could have been a little shorter and a little less packed full of meetings -but hey, you can't have everything)

I wish I could fill this post with the sights, smells, and even food of India - but I can't. I can't even provide you pictures since my camera is sitting full of memories without it's cord and the work computer doesn't have a memory card slot.

What I can do is promise to upload as many as I can once I get home. I'm in India for two weeks (or until the end of this week) and then in Dubai for a few days.

While this post is overall positive, I do have a few not so positive things to report:
- Malarone - Anti Malaria Medicine - It is a terrible thing with a ton of really nasty side effects. I will be happy to get off of it in a couple of weeks.
- Spicy Stomach - the way your stomach feels after eating spicy food for a number of days (provided you like spicy food enough to eat it for a number of days).
- Being stared at - kinda funny at first, and now negligible, but I can imagine it might be really awkward for people who can't get used to it.
- OMG THE DRIVING (enough said)
- Smog - while it makes for lovely sunsets, man have I been coughing my lungs out this past week.
- Homesickness - while almost completely absent from my trip, it hits at the strangest times and is brought on by the oddest things. For example: A song on the radio, but not a Video Chat with the boyfriend.
- Salad - I would probably pay $100 for a fresh green salad right about now. I love the food here, but I grew up eating salad at least once a day as a child and have maintained that habit. It's a sorely missed indulgence.

However, back to the positives - we're going to see a Bollywood movie tomorrow night!!!
And the team here are smart and fun people who I feel very priveledged to have met. I can only hope that their impressions of me have been half so favorable.

Take care everyone. I miss you, but I'll be home in a week with tons of pictures!

K

Gumby loves yarn!

2009-09-22T20:01:00.001-07:00

This is gumby, who currently sits on the dashboard of my cute little car. He has his little ball of scrap noro that he clutches in an oh-so-loving way. This is what I see every morning when i get in the car to drive to work, and every night when I head home - and I ask you: could life get any better?

Well, the new workplace is like wonderland. But there is too much food. Way too much food. Remember the "Freshman 15" from college? They call it the same thing. I will be working out as hard as I can to counteract this - and possibly lose the little last bit that I want to. Can I do it? We'll see!

2009-09-10T21:45:00.000-07:00

The picture above shows 1 thing: LOVE.

And above, here are some sprouts that I planted in August. I'll try to get a more current picture soon. Since I missed August entirely, I thought it might be nice to include at least one picture from that time period.

And, lastly, above are two pictures of the wall at the Trader Joe's by my work. I may be a little morbid, but this mural makes me think of war - specifically, Pearl Harbor bombings - my infamous birthday. So, there you are, a few pictures to make up for a month of being absent.

More posts soon if I can manage it.

However, why not check out my podcast at: www.brassneedles.com (the site is pretty nice with fancy artwork)

2009-07-31T20:02:00.000-07:00

Inspiring, isn't it? This bis a picture of one of the yarn walls at A Verb For Keeping Warm in Berkley (Oakland?) Isn't it inspiring? Rumor is that they use all natural dyes. Their stuff is even lovlier in person - I know, I went and mooshed my face against it (as one should do with all good yarn)

This picture sums up everything that is bad about the 80s coming back. Plastic glasses with stripes cut into them? How do those function as sunglasses? Really? You're not fooling anyone, Target. These glasses may convince you that you can be cool, but you will still be the dork who Molly Ringwald DOESN'T date but gives a pity dance to at the end of the movie. Yeah, you know the one. This is proof that the color red cannot solve all fashion disasters.

And now that this bit o'lace has been mailed to and received by its new owner - I can post it. This was made from a friend's stash that she had to part with based on the fact that she could no longer crochet. The pattern was taken from a button up shawl that turns into a shrug that I found in a magazine. Simple, mindless, 4 rows and every other is a purl row. boring.

I am for crap at updating this thing - I'll try to make it to at least once a week.

Ta!

LACIS part 2. SON OF LACIS!

2009-07-18T22:40:00.000-07:00

What? who are these people and where are they? Well, it's on of my good friends and the knitmoregirls. We went to LACIS today, the "Museum of Lace," if you will.

Now, I'm not going to say anything about who spent how much.........ahem. But LACIS made it's siren song VERY appealing to at least one of the people pictured in this post. I spent my fair share......but I did not "win" the day...as it were.

More pictures and more posts another time, I promise!!

And what's this? Hair Jewelry. Seriously. Go check out Gail Carriger's blog (you can google it. it's ok, I'll wait). A month or two ago, she posted tons of pictures and some information about victorian hair jewelry. It's fascinating to me. The idea of taking human hair and creating keepsakes of this sort is a really beautiful, if maybe eerie, idea. LACIS is keeping it's 1890's clothing exhibit one more week - if you can get to Berkley (California, USA), I recommend visiting them. It's free - unless you buy things (and you may!)

The Frankensocks of Doooooom!

2009-07-16T22:08:00.000-07:00

It occurs to me that I never posted a picture of the Frankensocks that I finished in June. So.....here they are in abundance. They are for a friend (redredgroovy) who has rather intense feet. (they are large and in charge.)(As in, they ARE the boss of you!)

So, here are some pictures to make everyone happy!

Mental Health Alcohol Services

2009-07-10T20:35:00.000-07:00

Here we have the very amusing sign at the hospital by my place. Mental Health Alcohol Services! Why, I agree. Alcohol is a nice way to soothe what ails! However, I think therapy might be a better thing to advise.....but that's just me.

Here are some Spirogyra that I made for a good friend. This was taken after I had to fix them because they began to unravel (due to my poor finishing work). How embarrassing!!

And lastly, here we have my glorious new orafice hook! The boyfriend made this for me the other day out of some odds and ends he had around. You can't see in this picture, but there is a beautiful brass filigree where the rod meets the beads. Simply gorgeous. I love it! And, the best part - - - it's functional! Yes, my favorite part of beautiful things is that they can still maintain their utility.

Tour de Fleece!

2009-07-07T22:51:00.000-07:00

Well, here are my first Tour De Fleece 2009 pictures. The pinks are Crown Mountain Fibre's Susie Q colorway. I spun this on the 4th of July Weekend. It's a three ply sock yarn. If I did my math right, it is just under 300 yds. I have a little bit more of it to spin up and ply before it's gone.

The Black/Purple mix is cormo that I managed to get at the Retslaff Winery Spin-In. I want to say it was Sue Roiser's, but I think that I'm wrong about that. I'm pretty sure it was another vendor, but I can't remember which. I have more roving from the same vendor, though, so I'll be able to pull the tag off of some of that when I get to it. This is a two ply fingering weight. I've already made two skiens, and have at least two more to go - this, I think, is the end of my tour de fleece goal. It should take me the rest of the 'tour to get it done.

Now, what is this knitting thing? I think I used to know what it was, but it's been so long that I must have forgotten!

A Little Catch-up

2009-07-06T00:53:00.000-07:00

In no particular order here, we have:

-- A drum carder with some fantastic red that Jamin and I dyed from plain brown. It is stunning!

-- We have a cabletini-toe-up sock being worked on for the Cabletini knit along that is going on through the Brass Needles Podcast (my podcast is located at www.brassneedles.com or can be downloaded through your favorite podcatcher).

-- We also have a finally finished baby sweater for one of the cutest little girls that ever lived. I hope it's still cool enough where she lives for her to wear it sometime!

-- And we have my writing backwards on the window "All your base are belong to us" in vain hopes that the window washers or others may appreciate it...... the joys of a window at work are many and varied.

The Lucha Statue!

2009-06-08T23:08:00.000-07:00

And here we see what happens when I have an old gauge swatch, some loose yarn on a needle, and my boss' unattended statue. This statue - usually of a resolute old man with long beard (still visible under the luchador mask) - stays facing out the window of my boss' 6th floor window. It's job was to bring in business. Now - it's job is to bring the smack-down! Because, when you're going to be out of work in three months, why not mess with your boss just a little?

I stole the statue while the boss was at a meeting. I sewed the gauge swatch to the statue at my desk, then walked it around showing my team-mates. Then I snuck it back in his office. But then I realized that I didn't have a picture - so I went and borrowed a camera from the IT guy, re-stole the statue, and ran to the mail room so I could take more pictures - dodging the boss when I ran into him, holding the statue behind my back and distracting him with political talk. Then I re-replaced the statue, returned the camera, and waited at my desk for the boss to notice, giggling to myself at my own cleverness. (yeah, I'm a dork)

Proof that it was a good decision?
1. I'm still employed
2. He left it on the statue

Rock on!!

~ miss k

2009-06-06T17:27:00.000-07:00

In this post we see the Borg Beanie in it's initial stages. First, the borg beanie during creation (during fabrication?). Next, we see a pictures of the Borg Queen. According to my scribbling, she is both gooey and scary. I still maintain this view.

in this doodle, we see me designing the borg beanie. The doodles are me deciding what hardware and knitting need to be where, and also rough sketches of a really happy little cartoon person wearing the completed beanie.

Spinning at a winery is a-ok by me!

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

Why hello!

I just got back from Livermore, at the Retslaff (sp?) Winery. It was a spinning event with a potluck lunch and wine tasting available for $5. Wine and spinning do mix! Who knew? However, drinking and buying don't mix, so I made my meager purchases before I did the wine tasting. I am smart! I did purchase 1 fleece in a medium gray, but I dropped it off for processing, so I won't get it back for a few months. I am going to end up with parts of a dark blackish-brown and a white as well. Those, Jasmin and I will settle up over later, when they are back.

What else? Sleepy, happy, working on my cabletini socks for the knit along on the brass needles podcast.

BayCon

2009-05-25T18:38:00.000-07:00

Ok, so i don't have any of the pictures in yet - and I forgot my camera, so it might be a while until I can track some down, but we just finished baycon 2009. baycon was again a very fun convention, sort of light on the panels this year, with two of the main big names (the only ones I recognized except Peter Beagle - and I know I just misspelled that) cancelling last minute due to illness. However, as I don't attend for the panels (which is, to my mind, like saying that you read playboy for the articles, it might be true, but no one believes you), I wasn't upset. I did, however, make it to my first panel ever at a baycon - and it was on podcasting. And, as I feared they might, they poked a little fun at the fact that I was a knitting podcaster. Although, I will point out that one of the panelists enjoys BOARDGAMING podcasts. Ahem. And they think knitting podcasts are lame? We'll just leave that one alone, shall we?

What else? Many parties, I made friends with the Klingons again (so goes my tradition), and even got my copy of The Unincorporated Man signed by the authors! yay! I helped JD Sawyer of the Polyschizmatic Reprobrates Hour (say that 5 times fast) podcast do a team interview of the writers. Hopefully I'll get some of that from Dan soon to put on my own podcast.

in other news, have great plans to design a borg beanie (don't ask - well, go listen to the podcast for explanation). Not going smashingly yet as I keep not being sure where I want it to fit on the back of the head, and worrying whether or not I can get away with enclosing an entire eye for the lazer. Desicions, decisions!

Oh! And I received a Hall Costume Award at Baycon for - wait for it - originality in Knitted Steampunk accessories. Hilarious and wonderful!

Pictures when i get some!

I'm Famous!

2009-05-21T23:11:00.000-07:00

Well, maybe not famous, but I did just find that part of a short interview I did while teaching knitting at SteamPowered Convention in October made it into an article online. The article is with Bizarremag.com. I would like to point out that I did not drop a stitch. link here. http://www.bizarremag.com/bizarre-world/parties/7664/steam_powered.html

There's even a picture of me teaching someone to knit in the sidebar! Squeeee!

Victory Garden Creation

2009-05-12T22:57:00.001-07:00

Over at Casa de Kalendar, we decided to put in a victory gardent, reminiscent of WWII campaigns to conserve. See the pictures below for the miraculous transformation.

Mother's Day Purse

2009-05-12T22:51:00.000-07:00

When you have an idea that is perfect for someone, you just have to move on it.
Case in point - the mother's day bag for the Fiend's mom. It's all silk purchased at Stitches West this year in February, but i didn't want to post it until after it was gifted. It's about mid-knee length with the full strap, and expands large enough to fit about a 7 year old kid (if you'd be interested in putting one in your carry-all bag).

Ms Kalendar Wears an Awesome Red Dress to a Wedding and Drinks Beer

2009-05-12T22:40:00.000-07:00

Oh my God do I love that dress.

So here I am in my native habitat - dressed up, drinking, and haging on men. Sigh. Could life be more fun? The wedding was completely non-traditional and a lot of fun. And, well, anywhere I get to wear a dress that's been sitting in my closet for over a year with the tags still on is a good outing, in my opinion.

Miss Kalendar Does Easter Weekend.

2009-04-18T14:38:00.001-07:00

Well, I just uploaded Episode 2 of Brass Needles, which you can find at Brassneedles.com or get from Itunes. I feel accomplished.

However, why not see what I was up to on Easter Weekend? As you can see from the pictures, Meri_Sefket and I were out at Lacis on Saturday. This would be the textile museum in Berkley/Oakland. it is fabulous. And beware, there are great things to buy, like busks for corset making or lace-making supplies, books (such as the one I was perusing), and bone knitting needles and crochet hooks, as well as thread, yarn, etc., for all of your dirty little hobbies. It was hard to walk out of there with just a set of bone needles and a copy of piecework about re-creating WW2 socks.

There are no pictures of my sassy 1950's cocktail dress on Easter morning, but there are pictures of drinking wine and watching Xena from Easter night. Now that's what I consider to be an excellent Easter Weekend. Nothing says good times like 90s television and good red wine. Of course, Miss K loves her red wine any day of the week, with any hobby.

Podcast!

2009-04-10T19:03:00.000-07:00

Brass Needles, my knitting, sci-fi, steampunk, cosplay, gaming, etc. etc. podcast is now up.
(thanks for J D Sawyer of polyschizmatic reprobates hour and antithesis. Visit him at www.jdsawyer.net

It is not on Itunes yet. But I will work on that soon.

You can visit it and download at www.brassneedles.com

Ta!

Miss Kalendar's new 'do and friend.

2009-04-05T21:33:00.000-07:00

Posted by request of C.L., the Metamor City mastermind.
So, I posted a picture of he and I hanging out to make it fair.

Shawl for grandma finished

2009-04-05T21:25:00.000-07:00

Here are the pictures of the shawl I knitted for my grandmother. It's the swallowtail shawl from Interweave. I believe you can purchase the pattern through their website.

Miss Kalendar has been knitting a bit

2009-04-03T07:40:00.000-07:00

There will be a longer post later, but I wanted to pop and say that I finished a shawl and a pair of knucks, both of which I am very happy with. I am in the middle of the frankensocks, and just a few pieces from being ready to sew the baby sweater together.

Never doubt the power of Star Trek movies to help the knitting mojo along!

Monogamy in Knittin? How disgusting!

2009-03-20T00:16:00.000-07:00

I've somehow managed to become a fairly monogamous knitter in the past month. This is good and bad. While it means that I finished my grandmother's shawl (a congratulations on kicking cancer's butt again gift) and it is out blocking, and also have already almost managed a recycled sari silk market bag for an SOs's mom, it means that the project not currently foremost (the baby sweater) has moved only incrementally closer to completion. I know that the issue with this is that I don't like the yarn. But as this is the correct type of yarn (aka, not going to trip the baby's allergies and is machine washable and drier-safe), I need to stop winching and just get going. I believe there are three pieces to the sweater and I am almost done with the 1st, which leaves me 2 smaller pieces and some finishing only. My goal is to have it done by the end of the month, so long as work doesn't eat me first.

Then, I get to focus full time on the frankensocks. I am in love with them - so it's only fitting that I am making them for someone very cool. This guy seems to appreciate knit gifts, so I won't be as crabby making the largest size and going on forever because he is endowed with large feet as I could be.

In other news, Miss Kalendar got a brand new car. I'll have to go take a picture of her so I can put it up on here. She's GORGEOUS. I am in love with my car - but I'm pretty sure that's a normal American thing to do.

~ Miss K

Miss Kalendar Likes to Dress Up

2009-03-17T10:42:00.001-07:00

Cosplay, Re-enacting, and Dressing up in general are all parts of my life. One of the things I like best is to get into costume and then go somewhere mundane. I like that people stare and I like to think that they may get inspired to dress up as well. Once, at a Burger King after Dickens Fair, in my full Christmas Victorian, a little girl was staring at me. In a whisper, not moving her eyes from my dress, she asked her mother, "Is she a princess?" I loved that moment. I love feeling like I'm showing people, especially children, that dress-up doesn't have to end just because you grew up. That you can be who you want and wear what you want in your free time. Granted, I can't dress up this way at work, but that's why they pay me to go there, not the other way around.

So, here are some pictures of my friends and I going to the Scarlet Pimpernel Ball (I know I must have just misspelled that......) Miss Kalendar is in the cream flowered dress, they man is in pirates, and the fiend is in red.

Miss Kalendar takes up Spinning

2009-03-17T10:22:00.000-07:00

So......I have been wanting a spinning wheel for a long time. I have browsed craig's list for one for months, and have practiced my drop spindling for about 2 years. Drop spindles are great for re-enacting because they are period (for some of what I re-enact) and because they are portable. With a background in knitting and drop spinning, I determined that I should get a wheel if I could find one at a decent price. It would save me money in the long term because I would buy my knitting supplies in roving form, spin to yarn, and then knit. Thus, I would be adding in an extra step of entertainment for my money - and I was sure that the roving would cost less than the completed yarn, giving me a way to effectively 'work-off' the cost of the wheel. And if this went well, I could try getting raw fleeces or non-dyed roving and process or dye it myself. This may sound very silly to the more experienced spinners, who will assume that I don't know what I am getting myself into, but I have spinning friends with whom I have debated the merits and flaws, and I am the sort of person who follows through.

Well, I did find a wheel at a decent price - an Ashford Traditional, already built, stained a lovely warm color, and the proceeds went to a weaving website much like Ravelery. How could I say no? I'd already decided that my first, and maybe only wheel would be an Ashford and had read up on the wheel and spinning on them. I purchased the wheel and brought her home. Then, a friend gave me some roving out of her stash (and some locks, and some cotton, and some linen), and I begun. I will admit, I spun several singles together, working on tension and evenness, and then ruined the whole lot by plying them together backward. I ended up with the dog's breakfast....and only made it worse when I tried to re=ply them the correct way. This is why I began with my lowest quality, oldest roving, from when I was just learning on my drop spindle. I haven't had a chance to finish enough singles to ply again yet, but I'm hoping that I will now that I have finished and submitted my knitting masters level 1.

~ Miss Kalendar

Miss Kalendar goes to Stitches West!

2009-03-17T10:09:00.000-07:00

Well, it's official, I am a yarn nerd. This year, I finally made it to Stitches West. I'd only heard of it last year and then, only after it had come and gone. This was a huge disappointment, and one that would have been repeated this year if one of my friends hadn't booked it on my calendar for me. Stitches was a few days after I returned from my Florida/NC trip, and there is no way I would have remembered through the haze of catching up at work and at home (and dealing with the ending paperwork and mechanic stuff from my accident in December), if she hadn't been sure to remind me of it.

So, these pictures, in no particular order, are my friends and I at stitches. I won't be using names as I'm not sure what they want to be called. Needles to say, there were no cameras allowed inside, so the countless times I smooshed my face into yarn will live on only in the memories of those present. (Which is good since it's sort of yarn-perv habit). The haul was pretty good. I purchased a bag of sari silk yarn, 10 small skiens, on the way cheap, some gorgeous wool/silk fibre, and a device to hold the yarn from my wrist for walking and knitting. I was very careful with my purchases.....but that was mostly due to the restraining influences of my friends rather than any tendency for restraint on my part.

The last thing I bought was a Navajo Spindle. It was the largest one I had seen at the convention. I then walked around flaunting it in an attempt to inspire "Spindle Envy." I don't yet know how to use it, but I intend to learn. Besides, if I am still re-enacting the Rennaisance, it makes a hilarious prop as an overgrown drop-spindle.

One of the best things about Stitches West was that I met the Knitmore Girls, our local San Jose area podcasters. They were just as charming in person as their podcast. I very much enjoyed talking to them.

Needless to say, I can't wait to go next year and see another room full of yarn and fibre and my kind of people.

- Miss Kalendar

Miss Kalendar is homeward bound and what she knitted on the trip

2009-03-17T09:49:00.000-07:00

The two flights home from North Carolina took all day, literally, even though I had to run through the airport to make my connecting flight and, thus, didn't manage to get anything to eat (note the deathly pallor). This post features pictures from the airport and what I knitted while on my trip. I'm in the Lime and Violet sock marathon 2009 in Ravelry, and this trip allowed me to double my goal and knit two pairs of socks in one month. Good thing, since I don't know if my job and upcoming podcast ambition will allow me to keep up with the marathon over the next few months.

The completed items are the Kew socks from Knitty.com and the Whisper Lace Socks that were available on Ravelry. The Whisper Lace Socks had a picot cuff with a construction that I'd never seen before. Ingenious picot! I very much enjoyed making both pairs of socks. The Kew have a great leafy lace that is just charming, and the Whisper Lace socks have a darling eyelet back, which is nice and stretchy in order to hug the ankle and widen over the calf.

Miss Kalendar's Trip to North Carolina

2009-03-17T09:42:00.000-07:00

After Florida, Miss Kalendar went to North Carolina to visit some of her favorite people. Obviously, one of these people is very photogenic.......and very adorable.

Those bright blue eyes and little smile, could you just die? Miss K had a lovely time playing with the baby, and has a baby-sweater on the needles because of this trip.

(And I just couldn't resis the cute little shower-smiley picture. Do all babies love bath time this much?

Miss Kalendar's Trip to Florida

2009-03-17T09:19:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone. Normally, I try to post things around when t hey happen, but I've been busy at work and then I lost my camera with all of the pictures in it. Luckily, the camera has been found. Not so luckily, I am home sick with the flu (again). But this does afford me the ability to catch up on my posts - and it's a good thing, too, because a lot has happened. First, my trip to Florida to visit my grandparents. Grandma just got out of surgery, and my mother and I went to help.

Featured at right are the daily Plate 'O Fruit that Grandfather takes an hour or more each morning to cut. Every person is required to eat their share.

Next is his Portrait of Che. This explains so much about the old man.....

Lastly, a picture of the patriarch, himself, pretending to have a heart attack over the price of red peppers at the grocery store.

2009-02-18T11:25:00.001-08:00

Miss Kalendar's Knitting Masters swatches are done.

2009-01-19T21:49:00.001-08:00

Here you go - all of my swatches for my Knitting Masters Level 1. The first 15 (without #12) are shown on the blocking board. I am a blocking novice, so we'll see how this blocking turns out. I've still got all of the swatches on the board since I'm afraid to take them off.

Also featured in this post is something I've deemed the "ugly Charlie Brown hat" because, sweet God in heaven, would you look at it?

Anyway, here we are.....swatches all knitted, ends hidden, mostly all blocked.....Wow, am I really going to finish this? What scares me is not the questions I've still to answer or the essay I have to write - it's thinking about someone looking at and judging my swatches and possibly finding them too poor to pass. I've always been more or less the best knitter I know - so the idea that someone can tell me that I'm not good enough at this or that technique is upsetting.....especially if it means any re-knits. I guess I'll just have to wait and see.

All of these are knit in cascade 220 except the yellow, which is lionbrand wool. The blue I bought for the masters - the brown and yellow were in my teaching box (or scrap box, whatever you want to call it.)

I'm sort of excited about what the level 2 will want from me. So, I guess if I pass level 1, I will go ahead and order level 2. We'll see how that goes.

Also, the limenviolet sock marathon 09 starts on Feb 1st, and I am signed up with a modest goal of a pair a month or a pair of knee socks every two months. This may seem like a really small goal, but I only have 3 miles of sock yarn, so I don't really have enough to knit more socks than that.

Miss Kalendar goes on a finishing spree

2009-01-18T18:16:00.000-08:00

So, here we see some of my most recent projects. There is a scarf for my hairdresser, some nautilis toys for my best-friend's daughter, a pair of thickwoodsman socks for my boyfriend, a pair of monkey socks for myself, and a button-up shrug that moves from a shrug to a stole.

I've always been a rectangular shawl/stole sort of girl, I don't generally like the triangular or pie shawl. But I am thinking of making an exception and trying out some EZ pie-shawl patterns or a pharosee shawl.....or even one of the nice not rectangular shawls from Victorian Knitting.

There is also a picture of Miss K, herself, looking partially maniacal as I contemplate more of my finishing. And because I was in the mood to get things off the needles....

I picked up the knitting masters level 1 again and actually tried my hand at blocking the 15 swatches that I'd knitted. I only have one more swatch and a hat to knit - and then some questions to answer and a short research essay to write. About now is when my SOs began asking me why I was doing this and why I was paying for the priveledge. My only reply is that I want to know that I could do it and I wanted to learn more about knitting. I feel like there are holes in my knowledge, and I want to fix them. I figured this would be a pretty comprehensive way to do that. Besides, if I am teaching knitting workshops and steampunk knitting groups, etc., I should have the skills and certification to back up my teaching. It's like knit-teaching street cred - beyond my ravelry projects and patterns.

So, enjoy the pictures. There will be pictures of the dreaded blocking soon!

Oh SNAP!!

2008-12-18T21:25:00.000-08:00

The flow chart - and the most important part of the flow chart, as demonstrated by a rather ill-feeling corporate automaton.

More recent knitting pictures

2008-12-18T21:21:00.000-08:00

My two recent projects: a branching out scarf from Knitty.com and a viney looking scarf of my own devising.

Miss Kalendar, the victorian lady/ actress

2008-12-12T20:01:00.000-08:00

And here we have Miss Kalendar, all decked out in her honest victorian spendour. I believe credit for the headshot, the one of Miss Kalendar and Gail Carriger, and the one of Miss Kalendar and Mr. Roger U. Rightley after their curtain calls belongs to RJ.

I believe the last one is by Brittney Hart.

Here we see Miss Kalendar in her somewhat authentic victorian state. Yes, those curls are actually hers, and yes, she is in correct dress, all the way to the bone.....but that is not what interests you. So let me tell you something that might, yes, she was knitting in every available moment, and yes, she may have been devising a lace corset-cover to steam-punk....

But then, you probably have guessed that....

Oh, off to the christmas party!

2008-12-12T19:20:00.000-08:00

Knitting for the past week and a half:

I present a pair of socks that I improvised out of Trekking's Pro Natura. I learned to hate that colorway. The jury was out among those I polled, but the top two comparisons were either baby crap, or vomit. Personally, I thought it looked more like vomit. -however- because the socks I made up (I was backstage at Pirates of Penzance waiting for my cues) didn't take nearly all of the yarn, I also made up some simple wristers to go with. I have a candidate for the socks, who happens to love the browns, green, and mustard color...so she's getting both.

I also made two pairs of wristers in other sock yarns I had scraps of, or that hadn't made it into socks yet. The gorgeous cold blue and grey colorway (my favorite so far) is left over from a pair of monkeys made earlier this year. The other is a green, teal, and dark blue that I don't care for as much. Both of those pairs are also gifts - they are thank yous to a guy and girl who helped make my recent 29th birthday the spectacular success it was. It's hard to feel special when you're running around fair performing, so I really appreciate what they and my other friends did.
Why are they the only ones with thank you gifts at the moment? Because their generosity was really really really unexpected and touched me - and because I see them very rarely, and my other friends already just pipe up when they want something knitted.

So, I shall post additional pictures as soon as I can of other knits and things. I just wanted to be sure to get this one up before the work christmas party I am attending tonight.

I would also like to say: look at the photography. I'm 29 and, apparently, I have begun to actually learn to use a camera.

Knitting masters 1 update

2008-11-13T22:51:00.000-08:00

Have finished all but the last swatch of the knitting masters level 1
Yay.

I have woven in the ends on 7 of the swatches so far. That is 14 ends woven in invisibly. Now I only have to weave in all the rest - which, once the color work swatch is completed, will be something like 30 more ends. Great.

Then I have to block them and write the essays/questions, prep into a binder, and send.

The only problem?
-- I have no blocking board of any sort.
The solution?
--I purchased one two days ago online after doing a google search. Online purchase, $55 dollars on sale with the shipping, but it is a small one: 20 something by 20 something inches. but large enough to block 4X4 squares.

Wish me luck - have about a million projects started and a wicked need to make a cardigan. Why? Because it's another project I don't need to get involved in right now, apparently.

Take care, drive safe in the rainy days. Now little drunkie pie me is going to start a branching out scarf in some Rowan "Cork" in bright green. (merino woveny yarn, yummy!)

~Miss Kalendar

Gooooooooooooal!

2008-11-06T18:03:00.001-08:00

I have acquired the URL www.brassneedles.com

I am going to attempt to have this blog embedded into that site, as well as hosting email, a gallery, etc.

We'll see if it works. I have another URL that I will also purchase, probably tonight, to re-direct there.

Nothing is up on brass needles yet. Don't bother looking. This was just my personal squee.

-Miss Kalendar

Steampunk Con Pictures!

2008-11-03T21:53:00.001-08:00

Miss Kalendar says:

So, here I have two pictures of each of the costumes I wore at the Steam Punk convention from 11/01-11/02/08

I had 4 costumes, but I didn't manage to get there before everything closed up on Friday night, and I opted out of the concert on Saturday night. So, you get two costumes: the Tally HO (named for the ho-ish-ness of the outfit), and the Black and White Eyestrain (named for the tiny stripes on the jacket). Note the steampunk armwarmers are being worn at con! I wore them all day, with the boots I accessorized, with no issue. Great accessory. I will do up the pattern for ravelry, as I was asked by about 6 people if I could make them some.

Also featured is a lovely woman, who is crocheting me a gorgeous necklace. I don't know what name she wants to go by, so we'll leave her anonymous for now.

There is currently no knitting for the Eyestrain outfit - I'm thinking a reticule. How about you?

And - true to form - here is a picture of me knitting in costume.

More hair pics - because I am vain

2008-10-30T23:24:00.000-07:00

This is me before work a couple of days in the past week.
I hope you can see the red in these - and where it is placed.
I am still in love with this hair color. - But the countdown is going until I turn it back.

Steampunk armwarmers with boot accessories

2008-10-30T22:59:00.000-07:00

These are pictures of steampunk armwarmers that I designed and the boots that I accessorized to match the arm warmers. These are for my Safari Outfit for Steamcon this weekend.

2008-10-26T19:52:00.000-07:00

10 swatches down, 6 to go.

Calling it quits on that one for the night and will resume the masters tomorrow night.

Am going to pick up one of the scrap scarves and veg.

Still annoyed by the lack of coming up with a good lace for the corset cover. Blast!

Knitting Masters 1

2008-10-26T17:11:00.000-07:00

Alright, now that Grad school is over, it's time to work on my Knitting Masters, Level 1.

I did 4 of the swatches out of 16 earlier this year as a stress-break during school when school wasn't that bad. So, this afternoon, after fruitlessly trying to make up a lace stitch for a corset coverup I am designing, I remembered that I only have until March or so to get all of these in. So, why not start them up again? I am hoping to learn a lot as I work my way through these levels.

Wish me luck.

4 down. 12 to go.

Sweaterboots and Arm-Warmers

2008-10-21T23:32:00.000-07:00

Hello all,

I was thinking of putting up a sweater-boot tutorial. I have finished one self-improvized sweater-boot (except for the buttons, as it will be steampunked), and have begun my improvised steampunk arm warmers. While I had originally intended to make the Slither pattern from Knitty, as it is v. steampunk, I have both time constraints and yarn constraints.

- The time constraints are that con is on Halloween and I have to finish my armwarmers and a work costume by then, so something in Stk st that I can knit in the car is ideal (ie: no pattern)

- The yarn constraint is that I have one color to match what I am wearing (the green was matched wonderfully, the brown is both too cool and to grey to match any yarn in the store I looked). The slither pattern calls for three colors and butt-ton of buttons and snaps, which I frankly do not have the time to sew on (see time constraint above).

Thus, I am, again, improvising a design.

Current knitting goals:
- Finish armwarmers (which means more than the ribbing on one that I cast on last night) and attach buttons
- Begin and end 2nd sweater-boot (write up pattern into real language instead of Kalendar-scribble)
- Test out Gnome hat alternate patterns and post the PDF with pictures to Ravelry's free section
- Begin matching steampunk spat/boot and arm-warmer pattern. (this one I really hope works because it looks awesome in my little brain)
- Make some swatches to demonstrate knitting techniques usefull to steampunk for the Steampunk Convention's knitting How-To that I have been offered. (Because if people are interested, I am going to teach 'em everything I can!)

Wish me luck. Like my old Music Theory teacher said at a party right after our last final:
"Those of you passed should be proud. Those of you who failed, should be ashamed."

He, being a Russian ex-patriot also had this gem when it was suggested that a large lecture might intimidate those with low self-esteem:
"I don't believe in self-esteem. You think this is intimidating, try living in communist Russia!"

Sexy new Hair

2008-10-17T19:43:00.001-07:00

Alright.....so, I've wanted crazy red hair since I was a kid. My favorite color is red and it appears I have a little bit of a red-fetish. Well, about half a year ago when I was really struggling with my engagement with the MBA program, I promised myself that when i graduated, I would dye my hair red - not normal red, a great not-natural red.

Well, today was two days after I finished grad school and earned my MBA. So....I went and got it done. Here are the pictures that are the proof. Yes, I do have awesome hair. Too bad I can only keep it for a month before I have to go on stage again (and it's victorian re-enactment). Besides, I work in the banking field - mortages - compliance - liaison with Law Enforcemnt, blah blah blah. Sooo......having fun hair is not really an option. I went through two levels of management for the approval to do this much. And when I start looking for a job next year, there's no way I can keep this sort of color. Too bad. I really really like it.

Haight Street

2008-10-17T19:38:00.001-07:00

The Fiend and I went to Haight Street on Thursday, my first non-school day. I conveniently was able to take both Thursday and Friday off in order to mess around after I finished school.
There are pictures of the wierd traffic jam.....then of all the bags, of me passed out on those bags, and my Fiend ordering ice cream. We came, we saw, we conqured. As soon as we get the stuff steam-punked out, I will post it.

Hats hats hats

2008-10-17T12:00:00.000-07:00

I made the Flowers on a Grave pattern into 2 hats, a grey and a pink.
I also made a hat for re-enacting that my friend will have to wear under his German Renn. armor.
I did not like the Flowers on a Grave hat as it was when finished, although I loved it pre-felted....so it got the brim turned-up into a cute different style of hat.

Alas, since all hats have been given away - I am left hat-less again. One of these days I will make one for me....but only after I get through some STEAMPUNK knitting. And I am now obsessed with turning my old high heels into sweater-boots, steam-punk style. Oh yes. I have caught the BUG. (the gear??)

(at the bottom here are some pictures of the un-felted hat to show the size. As you can see, it's pretty large pre-felting. It was actually sort of cute at that size, as well as very comfy. Being wool, it was still warm even with the gaps in the stitches - and it was comfy since the weave was loose)

Scarf and felted Hats

2008-10-17T11:40:00.000-07:00

After a lot of work, and a lot of fascination with color, I finished my "scrap scarf 1."
This is the first in a set of scarves that I had planned as a way to get through a ton of (ROWAN!) stash that I inherited from my X-future-mother-in-law. It had originally been the makings of an outrageously difficult and ludicrously 80s sweater. I had decided, after the first few inches I did on the already-begun sweater (also begun in the 80s), that it just wasn't my sort of project, and that it would be too small for the intended recipient. SO, after shoving it guiltily in a bag where it sat during the majority of my MBA coursework, I finally took it out and began a scarf. Enjoy the finished project! I love the color changes!

Next up - the billions of hats I just made!

Knitting little bits here and there.

2008-09-18T23:14:00.000-07:00

Well, here I am, again. Smiling at the camera after photographing my most recent finished object. It's a drop-stitch stole for my buddy, Frannish. The close-up is so that you can tell how shiny and how very vereigated the "yarn" is. It's a ribbon yarn, obviously. The Brand: Lucci. The colorway: Versacce. Not sure Versacce (or however that is supposed to be spelled) would like or want to be associated with a colorway so chaotic. But, oh well. I'm off to shower, and then to Faire again. Two weekends down, three to go.

2008-07-08T23:46:00.000-07:00

The foxy knitter in pajamas and pigtails in her native habitat - giving the I-know-what-you're-doing-and-I-don't-think-I'd-approve look.

What else? How about some knitting pics?

And here I am on the blanket I just finished for Baby Melody.

And, lastly, the boyfriend playing with a gift I just finished for a friend. The other photos don't seem to want to post right now. Will try again later.

2008-06-30T22:00:00.000-07:00

Working on what I am calling a "Stash Scarf." If this stops being so yarn-hungry, I will eventually have 6, all moving gradually through at least 3 colors. However, the stitch I'm using (From My-so-called scarf) is really really yarn-hungry. The small snippet to the right is almost 5 skeins. It began with a light olive green wool and moved into a greenish brown part mullberry silk, part mohair. After using a lot of the greenish brown, it is moving to a light brown wool. I might run out too soon and have to combine it with the colors picked out for the next scarf.

Overall, I've been really pleased with how it's turned out. These "Stash Scarves" are being made from the remnants of a sweater I was supposed to finish for my X-Finace's mom's friend. She had bought the pattern and yarn (over $300 dollars worth in the 80s, if I don't miss my guess) as her first project. It was, years later the sweater, the back partially done, backwards to the pattern, in too small a size, was given to me to finish. I began it last year - but only later realized that it wasn't going to work. Not only did I not want to weave in all of those ends (hundreds, literally), the sweater was too small for the recipient, with no good way to increase, and it seemed not quite enough yarn in any case. I also did not care for the pattern, which involved some very intense color work, and a carry along of 2 colors for every stitch. To make matters worse, I noted some holes which would have required ripping, which would have resulted in too little yarn. So, on Saturday a friend and I ripped and salvage what we could. I let her take any that she wanted, and I determined to make some scarfs with the leftovers. This is the first one I attempted, and I tried to use the two strand carry-along, swapping 1 at a time to gradually change color. This is the one element that I am keeping from the original sweater. The downside is that I had to rip a sweater in progress. The upside is a lot of free Rowan Stash in many assorted candy colors.

2008-06-16T22:47:00.000-07:00

Here I am, working on my scrap knee-highs to send to my crafter pen-pal in Connecticut, Meg. They are my first two-circ in-the-round project. Seems pretty easy so far, but I haven't made it to the heel yet. I intend to steal the heel from the Monkey Socks (shown below) because the heel on those fit so well. Very excited and hope I can finish these soon - but I also have three blankets that I am currently working on........................ oh yeah, and then there is grad-school. I have my final on Wednesday night and am starting 2 new classes the week after.

Good thing I'd rather knit than sleep!