All about Downton.
21 Feb 2012 Leave a Comment
I don’t know if you’ve discovered Downton Abbey, but if you haven’t and you enjoy period dramas you’re really missing something special.
Where to start?
Downton Abbey takes place in Highclere Castle which is the fictional home of Downton. The home is presided over by the Earl and Countess of Grantham, Robert and Cora Crawley, and their three daughters Mary, Edith and Sybil.
Downton also requires the extensive assistance of a full staff presided over by Carson the butler and Mrs. Hughes the housekeeper. The series starts with the sinking of the Titanic and follows the family up through World War I and season 2 ends as the family is ringing in the New Year, 1920.
The cast is star-studded, with amazing performances by Hugh Bonneville as the Earl and Elizabeth McGovern as Cora Crawley. But perhaps the one who steals the show every time is the Dowager Countess, the Earl’s mother, played by Maggie Smith.
The costumes are immaculate, the castle grand. The plot is somewhat contrived (I believe my husband was shocked that I was watching a “British soap opera”) but the intermingling of the nobility and those that serve them is endearing and I can’t wait to watch each time.
There are the love stories: Mary and Matthew, Anna and Mr. Bates.
There are the tragedies: those lost in the War including William one of the footmen, one aristocratic young lady to the Spanish Flu.
There are villains:
I just don’t even have the word to describe how entranced I am by this series. I am only disappointed that I have to wait until the fall for more new episodes!
Zombie Day
14 Feb 2012 Leave a Comment
in A Picture's Worth 1000 Words
If we were Zombies, this is how I’d ask you to be my Valentine:
Found here!
Jolly Daze
13 Feb 2012 Leave a Comment
in Spinning a Yarn, What tales we weave
A slight variation on my usual 1, 2, 3.
The fiber arrived:
Beemiceelf, Jolly Spirits on Polwarth
I had a few different ideas, but ultimately spun it fractally:
Approximately 200 yards, worsted
And then decided to weave it:
Available now in my shop.
They tried to make me go to rehab…
02 Feb 2012 1 Comment
Yes, here it is, another knitting addiction.
Several months ago (ok it was August 2011) Target unveiled an “epic 400-piece Missoni” line of items ranging from sweaters to rainboots.
Tragically I am neither hip nor funky, and more often look like I should have stepped out of an episode of What Not to Wear (definitely the before pictures!)
Anyhow, not being particularly mod, I took note of the craze and moved on. Until I saw the cutest pattern on Ravelry. For a baby blanket.
And just like that, I’m addicted. Envisioning 20 odd versions of this blanket in scrap yarns and Wollmeise and handspun and….
Double knitting: a.k.a. How I broke my brain.
28 Jan 2012 3 Comments
in Knitting Content Ahead, Off the Needles
One of the things I love about knitting as a hobby is that there are always more opportunities to learn things. Just when I think I’ve mastered my craft, I find some new technique that makes my brain hurt so much I have to put it down after a few rows and regroup. Except, by the end of the project I’m usually swimming along (rather than sinking to the bottom of the pool in a heap) and feeling that rush of pride that comes from learning new skills.
A few weeks ago, while perusing my Twitter feeds, I saw a retweet from someone saying that Lucy Neatby was looking for test knitters. Ms. Neatby happens to be a very important person in the knitting world. (I do believe when telling a friend about this project I referred to her as Lucy effen Neatby – meant entirely in complimentary awe of her talent). I shot off a quick email and next thing I knew I was signed up to test knit.
The pattern arrived a day or so later, and I had those first pangs of anxiety – you know that sort of stomach dropping moment where you think maybe you’ve bitten off more than you can chew?
The pattern was for a double knit baby bonnet. Our good old friend Wikipedia defines it thusly:
Double knitting is a form of knitting in which two fabrics are knit simultaneously with two yarns on one pair of needles.
Clear as mud?
The pattern called for a tubular cast-on, which was also something I hadn’t ever tried. I’m sure had I invested in the collection of Lucy Neatby technique videos, I’d be well versed in this method, but I went looking for a tutorial online and found one of my favorites, Eunny Jang, here:
Duly fortified with this knowledge I set about casting on and it worked beautifully.
Now I by no means consider myself an expert at the technique of double knitting, but here’s how I went about it. I kept my chart close at hand. Normally I don’t need to track the chart excessively with highlighter tape, but because each stitch on the chart was actually TWO stitches (both the inside and the outside color) and because sometimes these colors were switched (to create the patternwork) I tracked it VERY carefully.
The top panel of the hat is worked back and forth meaning each time I turned my work over, I had to reverse the “main color” and the “contrast color.” In color terms: on one side red was my dominant color, with the white snowflakes in contrast, and on the other side, white was my dominant color with the red snowflakes in contrast. I only did a few rows at a time through the top panel of the hat. Also, I knit with both colors of yarn in one hand, but I switched each row so that the dominant/main color of that row was the more tensioned yarn (with the contrast color just following along). If you knit continental, this may be easier for you.
The rest of the instructions in the pattern were clear and concise. It took me a little over a week, but I got through the pattern and save one (unfortunately very visible) mistake, I completed the project.
Crazy in 2012.
23 Jan 2012 Leave a Comment
Whoops. I was doing so well and I fell off the radar again. After my last post, I hemmed and hawed and stewed a little and came up with my word for 2012.
SIMPLIFY
Whether it be my craft room, my finances, the clutter in our house, or just taking a few moments to breathe and enjoy life, I hope that this word will help me focus in 2012 and live a happier life.
One would think now that I embraced my word, that I would be doing my best to simplify my life. Well I suppose in some ways the challenge I have set for myself is a simplification. It is to spin, to enjoy spinning and to spin down my stash. To this end I have pledged to spin 12 pounds of fiber in 2012. For those who don’t spin, an average braid is about 4 ounces, meaning I need to spin 4 per month or one per week to keep up.
I’m delighted to say that I have already finished this month’s goal!
Spin #1: A 3-ply yarn made up of three different fibers from Funky Carolina, The Sanguine Gryphon Bugga and some batts I received in a swap. It was fun to see how the colors played together!
Spin #2: A spin-a-long with a group. The dyer is JulieSpins and the fiber is a gradient in the colorway December Dusk. I got approximately 200 yards of floofy 2-ply yarn and this skein already went flying out of my shop to a good home!
Spin #3: This month my friend K challenged a group of us to spin a fiber we labeled as our “precious.” This is a fiber that we had been holding onto much like the ring in Lord of the Rings – hoarding it and/or afraid to spin it. I went into the stash and pulled out my braid from All Spun Up in the sought after colorway Goldfish Wearing a Tutu. It’s bright and happy and I’m so pleased to have spun it up!
So that brings me up to 19.7 oz or slightly over 1 pound! I’ll be back with my knitting challenge for the month in the next post!
A word.
02 Jan 2012 1 Comment
A few days ago I read this post, written by someone I knew back when I lived in Los Angeles. It’s been percolating in my brain for the past several days. I don’t know if I need a necklace, or a charm or talisman, but as a thought exercise I wondered if I could find a good word for myself in 2012.
Last night, as we laid in bed in the dark, Wes and I talked about what resolutions we might make for this new year. Neither of us came to any real conclusions, but at some point I talked about that One Little Word and Wes agreed that I could use a mantra.
And so I’ve spent the last 24 hours deep in thought. I want to find a word that I will be able to use all year. I want it to be a word that is positive, that gives me a plan of action. A word that I can use as a theme in the new year to improve myself, to bring joy to my life and to the lives of those around me. And I know that when I find that word I will know it; I’ll get that feeling in the pit of my stomach and KNOW it is right.
I’m still thinking, and looking, and occasionally checking the thesaurus. I’ll share my word as soon as I stumble upon it.
What’s your word?
2011: Year in Review
31 Dec 2011 1 Comment
in Deep Thoughts, L'il Ole Me, Notes to Myself
1. What did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before?
I learned to weave. We planted a garden in our yard, with mixed success. I explored Kansas and posted for 31 days straight. I fell in love with electronic books and had a renewed affair with local libraries. I opened my own craft shop. I survived things I never thought I could survive.
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don’t know if I wrote any resolutions for 2011. Looking back on the blog it doesn’t appear that I did.
My resolutions for 2012:
* Cherish the time I spend with my friends and family.
* Whip my debt into shape.
* Knit and spin from the stash and stop buying like it’s going out of style.
* Read more.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
A friend from California had a baby boy and I knit a handspun baby surprise jacket. A local friend had a beautiful baby girl and I dyed some yarn with Koolaid and knit a beautiful baby blanket.
It looks like 2012 is going to be a banner year for babies. I already have half a dozen baby gifts lined up to knit!
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Yes. Our world was shaken this year when we lost my brother in law James. We will never be the same again.
5. What countries did you visit?
None.
6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?
A vacation. We couldn’t get away this year.
7. What dates from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
April 17, 2011, the day my brother in law died.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
This year our family went through one of the toughest things a family can ever go through. And in these cases families can either splinter, or come together and become closer than ever. I’m proud to say that we have done the latter.
And I suppose I should also count finishing our wedding afghan (around our 3rd anniversary!).
9. What was your biggest failure?
Have you seen my craft room? We could talk about my out of control spending or the lack of organization. And no one ever accused me of keeping my house spotless or cooking well.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nothing that I can think of. And we went an entire year without a trip to the ER!
11. What was the best thing you bought?
For us, a Canon T3i camera – it’s been so much fun for us both to learn how to use it and become better photographers. For Wes, a remote controlled helicopter. He LOVES that thing. For me, I’m grooving on my Kindle Fire.
12. Where did most of your money go?
The mortgage, paying off the new siding on the house. I’m sure it will come as no surprise to you at all that my discretionary “fun money” went to yarn and fiber.
13. What did you get really excited about?
Belinda visiting for a few days this fall. Getting to go home for Thanksgiving. Reading books and getting to discuss them with my knitting group. Buying some new dresses for a wedding in the spring.
14. What song will always remind you of 2011?
Adele’s Rolling in the Deep.
15. Compared to this time last year, are you:
– happier or sadder? About the same.
– thinner or fatter? About the same.
– richer or poorer? About the same.
16. What do you wish you’d done more of?
I wish we’d spent more time out of doors, working in our yard and adventuring.
17. What do you wish you’d done less of?
I wish I’d spent less time worrying: worrying about money, about how things were going to turn out and just lived in the moment.
18. How did you spend Christmas?
We had our first Christmas in our house. We got a live tree (which will soon be planted in the yard) and stockings and spent the whole weekend in the house playing games, cooking and enjoying each other’s company. I wouldn’t change anything.
19. What was your favorite TV program?
As a couple, our favorite is easily Big Bang Theory. This year I was mostly disappointed that the series that I have been following were less compelling: The Good Wife, Castle and even Bones just didn’t measure up. We still love NCIS and I confess that I fell in love with watching Friday Night Lights on Netflix. The weirdest watch of the year has to be American Horror Story.
20. What were your favorite books of the year?
The Help was hands down my favorite. Others are here.
21. What was your favorite music from this year?
Listening to our local band, Flannigan’s Right Hook. Not music, but rediscovering NPR and listening to it on the way to and from work every day.
22. What were your favorite films of the year?
We didn’t spend much time in the theatres this year. We managed to see the final Harry Potter. At home the highlights were The King’s Speech, Black Swan and, surprisingly, The Hangover.
23. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
We went for our annual dinner at Piropos. We took my mother in law and her boyfriend with us, and celebrated my 33rd year.
24. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Having us all together at the end of the year.
25. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011?
Hah. I normally mock myself as “what not to wear.” Of course this year I could say it’s the year of the handknit sweater, eh?
26. What kept you sane?
Wes. My fabulous family and group of friends, both online and local. My knitting/book group. My crafting.
27. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011.
Always cherish every moment you can with those around you. Keep them close to your heart because you never know what is around the corner.
So that happened…
30 Dec 2011 3 Comments
in A Picture's Worth 1000 Words, Notes to Myself, Off the Needles
Around our house last night:
Me: Stick a fork in me, I’m done! I finished 11 sweaters in 2011!
Him: Well you got that one in just under the wire, didn’t you?
Me: Holy shitballs I knit 11 sweaters in 2011!
Why yes, yes I did.
1. Vestpa, 2. Jeweled 3. The Amazing Technicolor Dream Sweater, 4. Blue Morpho Surprise, 5. Channel, 6. Staying Warm at Camp, 7. Rosy Retro Redux, 8. Idlewood, 9. Rocky Coast, 10. Rusty, 11. Lobstah
May I never be so silly as to try that again.
