Thursday, March 19, 2009
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Balm
It's been a pretty hard week so far. I have had a headache since Sunday, Monday was a terrible day at work, and I fell and hurt myself pretty badly. In a shocking display of lack of grace, I managed to fall on and very painfully hurt the small of my back. It is incredibly painful still, over 36 hours later and there is a dark purple hand sized bruise.
I came home today and parked myself in the big soft chair and read for five or so hours until I finished my book. I didn't listen to music while I read or watch tv or even knit. I just read and read and read. I feel better than I've felt for quite a while. Now that I have finished my book, the headache is back a little, but I'm left with that quietness I've been missing.
This is something I discover over and over again. I am eternally grateful to the people in my life who taught me how to love reading. That is something that can be so frustrating with the kids at school - I don't understand the ones who hate to read; when I was in second grade I could be kept busy for hours with a stack of books. I love that books are such a big part of my life, I love the places they take me, the emotions they evoke.
Jorah and I congratulate ourselves occasionally on being books and movies people. Our idea of a great Saturday night is to wander around the big bookstore on the west side for a few hours picking out a big stack of books or movies, and then putting most of them back, but getting some. I remember a day at Oberlin where I took a blanket out under a tree and just read for most of a Saturday - one of my best days there. I remember days reading in the swing on the back porch at my parents' house, or climbing out my bedroom window and reading on the roof.
Today I read the second half of Assassin's Quest, the third book in the Farseer Triology, which is the first triology in a triology of triologies about the awakening of magic and the saving of the world in a fantasy land. The Farseer is about a young royal bastard, Fitz, and his friends trying to save their kingdom, the Six Duchies. The next is about the traders from Bingtown who live far to the south of the Six Duchies, and the third triology returns to Fitz and his friends in crisis again. They are written by genius Robin Hobb.
The Fitz books have a special place in my heart because the characters all seem so real to me. I'm a pretty introverted and often lonely person and characters like Fitz and Verity and Burrich and Molly and Chade and Patience and Kettriken and Nighteyes mean more to me than many people I used to know. That makes me somewhat uncomfortable now that I examine it. Do I love them because they cannot hurt me? Because Fitz loves so fiercely and Verity is so true and Kettriken is all honor and strength? They are certainly flawed in the books - that is one thing that makes them mean so much. Maybe it is because they are flawed, but test themselves and rise to the challenge after all. Fitz is certainly the most flawed, but you see his mind the most, how much he has suffered, and cannot help but empathize with him.
Yes, I suppose all of my Farseer friends are somewhat idealized. But I like them the better for it and being with them soothes me in a way that being with real people doesn't. As Giles says,
That isn't really how it goes in Fitz, for one thing, lots of people die. But I am comforted all the same.
I came home today and parked myself in the big soft chair and read for five or so hours until I finished my book. I didn't listen to music while I read or watch tv or even knit. I just read and read and read. I feel better than I've felt for quite a while. Now that I have finished my book, the headache is back a little, but I'm left with that quietness I've been missing.
This is something I discover over and over again. I am eternally grateful to the people in my life who taught me how to love reading. That is something that can be so frustrating with the kids at school - I don't understand the ones who hate to read; when I was in second grade I could be kept busy for hours with a stack of books. I love that books are such a big part of my life, I love the places they take me, the emotions they evoke.
Jorah and I congratulate ourselves occasionally on being books and movies people. Our idea of a great Saturday night is to wander around the big bookstore on the west side for a few hours picking out a big stack of books or movies, and then putting most of them back, but getting some. I remember a day at Oberlin where I took a blanket out under a tree and just read for most of a Saturday - one of my best days there. I remember days reading in the swing on the back porch at my parents' house, or climbing out my bedroom window and reading on the roof.
Today I read the second half of Assassin's Quest, the third book in the Farseer Triology, which is the first triology in a triology of triologies about the awakening of magic and the saving of the world in a fantasy land. The Farseer is about a young royal bastard, Fitz, and his friends trying to save their kingdom, the Six Duchies. The next is about the traders from Bingtown who live far to the south of the Six Duchies, and the third triology returns to Fitz and his friends in crisis again. They are written by genius Robin Hobb.
The Fitz books have a special place in my heart because the characters all seem so real to me. I'm a pretty introverted and often lonely person and characters like Fitz and Verity and Burrich and Molly and Chade and Patience and Kettriken and Nighteyes mean more to me than many people I used to know. That makes me somewhat uncomfortable now that I examine it. Do I love them because they cannot hurt me? Because Fitz loves so fiercely and Verity is so true and Kettriken is all honor and strength? They are certainly flawed in the books - that is one thing that makes them mean so much. Maybe it is because they are flawed, but test themselves and rise to the challenge after all. Fitz is certainly the most flawed, but you see his mind the most, how much he has suffered, and cannot help but empathize with him.
Yes, I suppose all of my Farseer friends are somewhat idealized. But I like them the better for it and being with them soothes me in a way that being with real people doesn't. As Giles says,
The good guys are always stalwart and true. The bad guys are easily distinguished by their pointy horns or black hats, and, uh, we always defeat them and save the day. No one ever dies and... everybody lives happily ever after.
That isn't really how it goes in Fitz, for one thing, lots of people die. But I am comforted all the same.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Two Thousand and MINE
I love my new sweater.
This is the first sweater I've ever knit for myself - I've been knitting for 14 years. I've made sweaters before - my parents, my grandparents, my husband, various babies, but never for myself. I am hooked. I didn't realize it would be like this - I didn't know that it would fit perfectly, and be so soft, and just my color, with sleeves just the right length.
The Bleeding Heart Raglan is a top-down raglan that I made up pretty much as I went along. It's named after the lace panels (Bleeding Heart Lace). I love Bleeding Hearts in real life and everything just clicked together for this project. It took 19 skeins of Classic Elite Waterlily in the Bramble colorway. I initially did a different neckline, but it looked really sloppy, so I pulled out the neck and then knitted the colar ribbing up.
There are a few things I would do differently were I to make it again (not a crazy suggestion, have I mentioned that I LOVE this sweater?). I would futz with the CO number a little bit, to make the upper ribbing easier to place, and I would change the shaping a little bit too. Right now the back and front are identical - I would make the back narrower. I might make the whole sweater a smidge smaller, actually - the Waterlily grew a little bit when I blocked it. I still think it looks great though.
Now all I can think about is knitting more sweaters for myself, and more and more! A wonderful friend gave me a skein of Manos Wool Classica in the Dove colorway (my middle name is Dove, my husband calls me Dovie, which is my favorite name) and I'm knitting it into a little neckwarmer. Really I want to knit it into a sweater with a colorwork yoke all out of Manos - it's just so beautiful - gray and pale peach and sage all at once. Or I want to make a February Lady out of Happy Forest Dream in Color Classy. Or a hoodie out of Night Watch Dream in Color Classy.
Because I do not have the money to do any of these things, I've started my new Heartwarmer. The Wisconsin Heartwamer. So far I'm still in the boring (but awesome) purple section. I made this shawl once before, for my sister. (By the way, the one I made for my sister is on the Ravelry page for the pattern - pictures 4 & 5.) I really think that it's one of the most beautiful things that I've ever made:
And so I decided that it's time for me to start my very own. After I finished hers I went ahead and bought the yarn to make one for myself, so I've had it stashed for over a year. The cool thing though, is that because I could write a book called Let's Not Waste any Yarn, Shall We? I'm using the leftovers from hers and combining them with the yarn I bought four months later for mine. Mountain Colors dye lots are so different that her purple was really purpley/red, and the one I bought for mine is realy more purpley/blue/brown, so they are combining in a really pretty and subtle way. (I'm doing two rows each and then switching to the other ball.)
Sock progress remains slow. When I work on them they zip, but I'm so distracted by the Wisconsin Heartwarmer that I'm not working on them much. Jorah's Christmas Tree of Life sweater made a huge leap forward (I finished the front and started the sleeves.) But then I stopped. I'll go back to it though - Heartwarmer is on tiny needles, my hands like a gauge change every so often.
This all adds up to Two Thousand and Mine - as the Selfish Knitters on Ravelry have christened 2009. I've never knit much for myself before, but now I'm all about it.
This is the first sweater I've ever knit for myself - I've been knitting for 14 years. I've made sweaters before - my parents, my grandparents, my husband, various babies, but never for myself. I am hooked. I didn't realize it would be like this - I didn't know that it would fit perfectly, and be so soft, and just my color, with sleeves just the right length.
The Bleeding Heart Raglan is a top-down raglan that I made up pretty much as I went along. It's named after the lace panels (Bleeding Heart Lace). I love Bleeding Hearts in real life and everything just clicked together for this project. It took 19 skeins of Classic Elite Waterlily in the Bramble colorway. I initially did a different neckline, but it looked really sloppy, so I pulled out the neck and then knitted the colar ribbing up.
There are a few things I would do differently were I to make it again (not a crazy suggestion, have I mentioned that I LOVE this sweater?). I would futz with the CO number a little bit, to make the upper ribbing easier to place, and I would change the shaping a little bit too. Right now the back and front are identical - I would make the back narrower. I might make the whole sweater a smidge smaller, actually - the Waterlily grew a little bit when I blocked it. I still think it looks great though.
Now all I can think about is knitting more sweaters for myself, and more and more! A wonderful friend gave me a skein of Manos Wool Classica in the Dove colorway (my middle name is Dove, my husband calls me Dovie, which is my favorite name) and I'm knitting it into a little neckwarmer. Really I want to knit it into a sweater with a colorwork yoke all out of Manos - it's just so beautiful - gray and pale peach and sage all at once. Or I want to make a February Lady out of Happy Forest Dream in Color Classy. Or a hoodie out of Night Watch Dream in Color Classy.
Because I do not have the money to do any of these things, I've started my new Heartwarmer. The Wisconsin Heartwamer. So far I'm still in the boring (but awesome) purple section. I made this shawl once before, for my sister. (By the way, the one I made for my sister is on the Ravelry page for the pattern - pictures 4 & 5.) I really think that it's one of the most beautiful things that I've ever made:
And so I decided that it's time for me to start my very own. After I finished hers I went ahead and bought the yarn to make one for myself, so I've had it stashed for over a year. The cool thing though, is that because I could write a book called Let's Not Waste any Yarn, Shall We? I'm using the leftovers from hers and combining them with the yarn I bought four months later for mine. Mountain Colors dye lots are so different that her purple was really purpley/red, and the one I bought for mine is realy more purpley/blue/brown, so they are combining in a really pretty and subtle way. (I'm doing two rows each and then switching to the other ball.)
Sock progress remains slow. When I work on them they zip, but I'm so distracted by the Wisconsin Heartwarmer that I'm not working on them much. Jorah's Christmas Tree of Life sweater made a huge leap forward (I finished the front and started the sleeves.) But then I stopped. I'll go back to it though - Heartwarmer is on tiny needles, my hands like a gauge change every so often.
This all adds up to Two Thousand and Mine - as the Selfish Knitters on Ravelry have christened 2009. I've never knit much for myself before, but now I'm all about it.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Coming Soon
I finished the Bleeding Heart Raglan at 2:30 this morning and now it's blocking. I can't wait until I can post pictures for you - it really is a great sweater. It's extremely comfortable - warm, a good size without being baggy, the sleeves are just the right length - I could hardly be happier.
Now it's time to start thinking about what I've got coming up.
In progress right now I've got:
Of course, there are other random, unfinished things in this house, but I couldn't really tell you what or where they are. Off the top of my head I can think of a scarf and a pair of gloves, but that's about it. I'm hoping to ride the exhilaration of finally having finished a sweater for myself straight to finishing all these other projects.
We're going on a big trip this summer so we're trying to be a little more careful with what we spend. It's keeping me from buying Classy and a bunch of Socks that Rock. That's a good thing though - I actually have a pretty small stash, but it'll do for the time being.
I love my new sweater!!
Now it's time to start thinking about what I've got coming up.
In progress right now I've got:
- Flamingo Pie Socks
- Rustic Rib Socks
- Hey, Tomato
- Christmas Tree of Life
- Two sweaters for custom work
- En Vino Veritas Socks
- Alpaca Sox Socks
- Anastasia Socks
- And, inspired by this thread, another Heartwarmer (for which I already have yarn.)
- MG Saddleshoulder Sweater for my dad
- Colorwork sweater for my mom
Of course, there are other random, unfinished things in this house, but I couldn't really tell you what or where they are. Off the top of my head I can think of a scarf and a pair of gloves, but that's about it. I'm hoping to ride the exhilaration of finally having finished a sweater for myself straight to finishing all these other projects.
We're going on a big trip this summer so we're trying to be a little more careful with what we spend. It's keeping me from buying Classy and a bunch of Socks that Rock. That's a good thing though - I actually have a pretty small stash, but it'll do for the time being.
I love my new sweater!!
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Things I Love About the Internet
I was reading Slog just now and Paul posted a preview for a new Lord of the Rings movie. A bunch of fans got together in the UK and made a movie based on the appendices in the LotRs books. It takes place before Fellowship, and it's basically the Rangers trying to hunt down Gollum and get him before the enemy does. You can watch the (amazingly well-produced) film here: The Hunt for Gollum.
I'm not even really that into Lord of the Rings - my brother is screaming a silent scream of dismay just hearing me type that - but this looks pretty sweet. I quite enjoy the Peter Jackson movies (watched all three this weekend while working on the Bleeding Heart Raglan) but haven't ever been able to finish reading Return of the King, despite what I would call a great effort, if not a Herculean one. This 40-minute movie could convince me to try again though, even if part of it is just that I'm impressed with the people who banded together to make it.
This is what I love about the internet - it gives creative people a voice and a way to do their own thing: all you have to do is be cool enough and the people will come. To cite some recent high profile examples, The Guild and Dr. Horrible. Both of those are things that could never have come to pass in a traditional format and they are amazing. It's inspiring, and it's one of the things that keeps me from despair over my own hopeful knitting career - if you are passionate and awesome and willing to work hard, you have a real chance to reach people. Based on the examples I cite, it also helps if you are a big geek.
Fortunately for me, I've got that geek part covered.
I'm not even really that into Lord of the Rings - my brother is screaming a silent scream of dismay just hearing me type that - but this looks pretty sweet. I quite enjoy the Peter Jackson movies (watched all three this weekend while working on the Bleeding Heart Raglan) but haven't ever been able to finish reading Return of the King, despite what I would call a great effort, if not a Herculean one. This 40-minute movie could convince me to try again though, even if part of it is just that I'm impressed with the people who banded together to make it.
This is what I love about the internet - it gives creative people a voice and a way to do their own thing: all you have to do is be cool enough and the people will come. To cite some recent high profile examples, The Guild and Dr. Horrible. Both of those are things that could never have come to pass in a traditional format and they are amazing. It's inspiring, and it's one of the things that keeps me from despair over my own hopeful knitting career - if you are passionate and awesome and willing to work hard, you have a real chance to reach people. Based on the examples I cite, it also helps if you are a big geek.
Fortunately for me, I've got that geek part covered.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
New Obsession!
After making all of the pieces to the sweater mentioned in the last post, I held them up to my body and realized, with some dismay, that I was going to look and feel like a chunkster nugget* if I sewed them into a sweater and attempted to wear them. Since that defeats the purpose of knitting for oneself, I am now unknitting that sweater into a brand new sweater of my own design - a sweater I am loving more and more the farther I get into it.
Ladies and Gentlemen, meet the Bleeding Heart Raglan:
I began my unknitting on Thursday night and I expect to finish tomorrow or Thursday, making this a week-long sweater. And I even stopped to work on my Flamingo Pie sock for awhlie today. Ecstatic knitting at its finest.
*I stole the term chunkster nugget from my friend moknitting. It makes me very happy somehow. I think of Chris Farley in Tommy Boy singing "Fat Man in a Little Coat."
Ladies and Gentlemen, meet the Bleeding Heart Raglan:
I began my unknitting on Thursday night and I expect to finish tomorrow or Thursday, making this a week-long sweater. And I even stopped to work on my Flamingo Pie sock for awhlie today. Ecstatic knitting at its finest.
*I stole the term chunkster nugget from my friend moknitting. It makes me very happy somehow. I think of Chris Farley in Tommy Boy singing "Fat Man in a Little Coat."
Monday, February 9, 2009
Obsession
Eight days ago I finally bought the yarn for the Sideways Cardigan that I've been dying to make since Classic Elite Autumn came out. It is truly beautiful Waterlily yarn and I have been knitting like a maniac ever since. I took a two day break after I finished the skirt, but now I'm well into the arms/bodice and I'm just knitting at the speed of light and loving it.
Jorah is on a trip for work right now and won't be back until Thursday night. I have delusions of finishing that sweater and the Christmas Tree of Life sweater I started for him in December. It was supposed to be a Christmas present and now I"m thinking he'll be lucky to get it by Valentine's. It's my own fault for picking a small gauge with repetitive knitting.
I just cruised over to the Fox website a while ago to double check what time Dollhouse is on Friday. I have to admit I'm SUPER excited. I watched two clips too. My devotion to Joss is unparalleled. I have my fingers crossed for another great show. I also love Eliza Dushku - both Faith and Tru were awesome and I can't wait to love Echo too.
I'm dulling the pain of anticipation with doctor-ordered high doses of Angel. I'm into season 3 right now - Birthday is next.
Time to make some dinner, walk some dogs, and knit while I watch some vampire-with-a-soul and his merry band of sidekicks. I also may watch Poirot. Or Zach & Miri Make a Porno.
It's going to be a lovely evening.
Jorah is on a trip for work right now and won't be back until Thursday night. I have delusions of finishing that sweater and the Christmas Tree of Life sweater I started for him in December. It was supposed to be a Christmas present and now I"m thinking he'll be lucky to get it by Valentine's. It's my own fault for picking a small gauge with repetitive knitting.
I just cruised over to the Fox website a while ago to double check what time Dollhouse is on Friday. I have to admit I'm SUPER excited. I watched two clips too. My devotion to Joss is unparalleled. I have my fingers crossed for another great show. I also love Eliza Dushku - both Faith and Tru were awesome and I can't wait to love Echo too.
I'm dulling the pain of anticipation with doctor-ordered high doses of Angel. I'm into season 3 right now - Birthday is next.
Time to make some dinner, walk some dogs, and knit while I watch some vampire-with-a-soul and his merry band of sidekicks. I also may watch Poirot. Or Zach & Miri Make a Porno.
It's going to be a lovely evening.
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