my latest

last weekend i opened a brand spanking new musical: Looking for Roberto Clemente. i loved working on this show. i love watching it. i adore the cast. the design is adorable, and the message of the piece is fantastic.

but, hey... don't listen to me, go read the washington post review. theye even have two pictures. yay! click on the "next" button in the frame and you cn see the second one.

if you want a better view of all of my design, take a look at the short video Imagination Stage put out to promote the show.

go see some children's theatre. it may surprise you!

Looking for Roberto Clemente
at Imagination Stage
by Karen Zacarías (book) and Deborah Wicks La Puma (music)
directed by Kathryn Chase Bryer

April 12-June 1, 2008
Sign interpreted performance May 11 at 3:30
Enjoyed by ages 4+

World Premiere of a rock musical about baseball and heroes
The year: 1972. The place: Pittsburgh, where legendary baseball player Roberto Clemente is at the top of his game. Sam Kowalski and the neighborhood baseball-playing kids are in an intense competition to win the chance to meet Clemente in person. But it is their hero’s fateful off-field actions while aiding natural disaster victims in Nicaragua that teach the kids about what is more important in life than winning. “Any time you have an opportunity to make a difference in this world and you don’t, then you are wasting your time on earth.”--Roberto Clemente

buy tickets here.

cast: Zack Colonna, JP Illarramendi, Derek Manson, Don Mason, Erika Rose, Matthew Schleigh, and Chris Wilson.



Roberto was a pretty amazing human being. Read a bit about him, and i am sure you will see why some call him the last true sports hero.

hey big spender

the picture is a mitten i finished a few weeks ago. i just like it and wanted to share. it doesn't have a mate yet. boo on me.

ahem.
i'm going to talk about myself for a bit. there aren't really rules for the blogging i do here, so hang in there with me while i have some me time.

life has been super crazy, and i have felt much more like a worker bee than a person for the last 4-6 weeks. so i went out and got a little indulgent to help make me feel a little more like a person. my idea of "indulgent" is laughable, but i am on an artist's budget, you know.

ahh, cotton knit. how i love thee. i hit target this week and got myself some new shirts on sale. 1 black tee, 1 black tank, 2 (very acidic happy!) green tees, and a new skully shirt. i think the last time i bought myself new clothes was back in october or november, and it is starting to show.

i really need new jeans, but with the weather finally turning and my skirts looking longingly up at me from my drawer, i may be able to put that off until the fall clothing urge hits again. new black tees make it that much easier to resist the temptation.

that and the fact that trying to simultaneously be a woman who feels good about herself and try on jeans is a near impossible feat, i think i will save the heroics for the future.

my real splurge was a few new books.

that's right, i am reading again.
i started out by icking up Tropic of Cancer again, and i have made some progress this time around. i had to put it back on hold lately because my head has been too full for a stream of consciousness frolic through Paris that utterly lacks a plot.

instead have been reading the copy of High Fidelity that rW gave me. he was going to lend me his copy and instead surprised me with my very own. i love the film, so it is safe to say the gift will get well used in my "rereading" cycles. it is a fast read, and it is very fun to see the differences between the book (set in london) and the movie (americanized and set in chicago).

now.
the books i got myself.
i picked up a copy of Breakfast at Tiffany's because i was inspired by gwen.
i bought the compact hardback for a few bucks more because there are 3 other Capote short stories in that edition. i am warming up for when i finally let myself read In Cold Blood. i know i can't do it until i am low stress enough not to get all worked up by the violent and horrible parts.

moving on.
new knitting/crochet book! i bought a sock book.... Stitch Style Socks. i don't actually own any sock books. all of my socks have been knit from free patterns or books that contain all variety of patterns. i have just never found one that is overall special enough to make me want to buy it. this one grabbed me with the cover project--houndstooth check socks. there are also some neat slippers, a pair of chunky cabled leg warmers, and knee-high skull socks. lots of fair isle and intarsia in this book, which are two techniques i want to get into more.

finally, something frivolous.
Dictator Style: Lifestyles of the World's Most Colorful Despots. this one is pure fun for designer. it is gross, opulent, and over the top. it seems sick to want to see pictures and read about Nicolae Ceausescu's bathroom or Manuel Noriega's christmas tree, but it takes design and mindless fun to a whole new level for me. plus, sometimes you just need something to be outraged about.

(and to tell the truth, it was $3 in the bargain bin.)

in addition to reading more, have also taken up cross stitch again because i have a project i want to make for a future new person. i forgot how fun it can be! i'll post pictures on my needle craft once i extract a promise from someone that he won't ruin the surprise for his wifey. ahem. (you know who you are!)

s.m.r.t.

i never update my blog. or knit. but i do get some sleep and i am trying to read a book when i can. i am not the lamest person in the world yet.

(see! i can't even do that right!)

at least the washington post gave me some love. oh, and my mom. she loves me too. at least she still says it even though i have been a bad daughter and not been calling her daily in the past couple of weeks.

the picture is the realization of the
sketch i last posted. fun, huh?

see, my lameness has a good cause behind it.

ps- there were other (mostly) good reviews for the show, but i am not feeling in much of a gilding the lily mood. i am happy with the work, as are my colleagues. that is enough.

i am truly wicked

i must be wicked because there has been no rest for me. i have worked and worked and worked for the entire week before leaving to see my family and i have done little more than work since.

i am not complaining because i have been doing things like creating Chinese Gods and hilarious peasants. i have also been enjoying the company of a lovely cast. for those locals who are interested in coming to see it....

The Good Woman of Setzuan
by Bertolt Brecht
translated by Eric Bentley

presented by Constellation Theatre Company
at the Clark Street Play House

Directed by Allison A. Stockman
Designed by Chris Baine, A. J. Guban, and Yvette M. Ryan

Cast: Katie Atkinson, Molly Cahill, Katy Carkuff, Catherine Deadman, John Feist, Kevin Finkelstein, Lewis Freeman, John Geoffrion, Keith Irby, Ashley Ivey, Hilary Kacser, Jenny Leopold, Lisa Lias, Kenny Littlejohn, Beckett Martin, Francisco Reinoso, Joe Thornhill, Meghan Tolmie, Yasmin Tuazon, Ron Ward.

Order tickets here.

gone, baby, gone.

i have been silent all week because i had to cram all the work i would have done this weekend into the week days because i am out of town friday-sunday. i promise there will be some sort of update when i get back.

oh!
i did finish a pair of mittens while i was at work yesterday.

BOOM!

yesterday we had very high winds here in the DC area. the theatre i was working in had a series of power surges that screwed with the lights (we were working upstairs by i hear the show that was running downstairs was made rather special by this event) and when i got home there was a surprise waiting for me.


yep.
that is half a pine tree that feel down out of our yard onto the cul-de-sac. picture if from my kitchen on the third floor. the branches hit my neighbor's car. he was fortunate it didn't do much damage. i heard from my other neighbors that what i saw was pretty good because there was significant clean up before i got home.

the hanging wires are just cable lines (so we have no cable. thank you to my neighbors for sharing their wireless with me until we get it fixed.) but the truck you see in the corner of the shot is the power company coming to untangle them from the power lines.

never a dull moment!

when i was awake and not working

another tech week has come and gone. this one was particularly tricky and energy draining for several reasons.

1. cast of 19 actors ranging in age from 14-40ish.
2. Chicago = musical. musical = always more work.
3. 118 mile round trip drive daily. (that is approx 60-75 minutes one way)
4. rain. lots of it.
5. i was trying to get 2 other shows under control at the same time.

but when i was awake and not working, some interesting things happened.

for instance, i learned that you can buy drain opener in a convenient 80 oz family size bottle. this is very good when you live in an old apartment and this elixir of life allow you to shower and wash dishes. i always just bought two bottles at a time in the past. score!

while picking up some props for the director of my next show i bought a second 6-drawer organizer. it is now filled with all of the notions, trim, crafty bits, and other flotsam and jetsam of being a costume designer. i used to keep this stuff in bags piled in my anne frank closet (yes, that is the name--and it is a story) with little rhyme or reason because i hadn't taken the step to get organized. now my sequins are all together! now i won't buy a 15th package of 3/8" wide non-roll black elastic!


this organizational bender (which was undoubtedly fueled by sleep deprivation) reveled that i own 9 tape measures. yes, 9. that i am aware of. new ones crop up all the time. but i can never find one when i want it. if you looks closely in my new and improved bag of tape measures (in a drawer!) you will see that one of those tape measures is still in the package. nice.


i finished knitting a mitten. production meetings are always so long, and you spend so much time talking about light cues that traveling with knitting is a must. i am lucky that my director for this show is a friend and he is married to one of my knitting BFFs. he gets it.

isn't the mitten beautiful?
i love it. i can't wait until i have two finished mittens! i am also excited about taking a picture outside in real light. the colors are amazing in real light. this is my own take on an existing pattern. don't look too closely at the top decreases they are hard to work in seed stitch and maintain the pattern.

razzle dazzle them

i got home the other night and there was a package slip in my mailbox. the
jerk subcontractor who delivers my mail on behalf of the USPS never leaves packages. (that is in no way relevant to the story. i just like to complain about it) so i go to the post office yesterday and pick it up. and i discover i have two packages. two packages in one day!

this is the highlight of my week folks.

so i open the known entity and i received all 20 yards of gold chainette fringe that i ordered. huzzah. (i also bought approximately 75 yards of sparkly metallic red plastic beads today. my life is so glamourous. these items are what the title of the post refer to. any guess what show i am designing?)

and the second box was my latest skein of the month!

it contained a skein of Fiesta yarn's Swoon, a set of sheep magnets (with fence!), and pattern i already own. but that okay because i can give it to friend. magnets may go to a friend as well. cute, but i have my fair share of magnets in my life. spread the love.

speaking of love.... i just want to rub this yarn on my face. it is super delightful. Swoon is 55% extra fine merino wool and 45% silk. it knits to 4.5 stitches to the inch on a size US 8 needle. my skein is hand painted in color #20121 "poppies".


i would never have bought these colors for myself, but they are very pretty. i think i will go with a scarf as suggested in the package and if it knits up looking sufficiently "me" i'll wear it. otherwise, pay it forward baby. or maybe not. maybe i'll knit something entirely different than i usually do.

i have been on that sort of a jag lately. ever since e sweater betrayed me and i crocheted that baby blanket, i have been crazy about making adorable kid stuff from my stash. everything is cuter in miniature.

anyway!
to get such nice color in this picture i did something typical for me that i think freaks out my neighbors. i stuck part of myself out my window and used the window ledge to support the subject of my photo whilst snapping away. my neighbor across the way saw me and was puzzled. i was singing Blitzkrieg Bop at the time (no, not very loudly) so that could have been it as well.

whistle while you work, folks.

ps- happy leap day!

squash!

i am beginning to think i am just not a sweater knitter. i have the technical skill and i have enough patience, but i don't think i can make both of those qualities merge in one sweater project for myself. i hope not, but it seems to be true.

i guess it is a good thing that i love to knit little tidbits like hats....

Baby Squash Hat
designed by Tamara Del Sonno
published in 101 Designer One-Skein Wonders

knit in Plymouth Encore (sage green 75% acrylic , 25% wool) leftovers from my stash on size US 5 needles.

started: february 25, 2008
finished: february 26, 2008

this is one of the patterns that made me want to buy this book. i love it. the hat is adorable and an extremely fast little knit.

my friends need to have more babies. knitting stuff for kiddos is way too fun. it doesn't take too long. it uses less yarn. and everything is cuter in miniature.

so i wondered about the hat's name.... squash? yeah, it has the little curl at top. and i guess it could look like a pumpkin (a squash) with the wide rib. it i also modeled by a squash in the book.

and guess what? i photographed mine n a butternut myself. i searched all over my apartment from an appropriate model, and that was what i had.

funny.

back to mittens. i started the 2nd striped mitten in my class tuesday, and i have wound a skein of yarn that really wants to be a pair of mittens. can't wait! warm hands!

fascinating

i have in the past debated the merits of organic yarns (thinking also of hand spun, hand painted, or other similarly granola varieties) but i had never actually considered the question of cotton fiber cultivation vs. wool fiber cultivation in terms of environmental impact.

thank you, slate.com.

i failed to mention...

i can totally change my own flat tire. this happened on valentines day. i went around all day saying "and people wonder how his girl can possibly stay single!?!" when recounting my victory over the steep hill, lousy car jack, and general lameness of flat tires on cold days.

i shiver with anticipation!

by the end of the week my hands should be warm again. i have not had proper hand coverings since i put my own gloves into a show the first week of january. (always the shoe maker's children....)

fun stuff, huh?

more birthday pressies

happy birthday to my cousin jess. it was last weekend, but now i can reveal the pressies i made for her because they have arrived.

i know dishcloths seem kinda lame, but they work. jess likes the handmade kind, and she doesn't like when i spend money on her so this is a good compromise. all four were made from the book The Big Book of Dishcloths: 99 Designs to Crochet. published by Leisure Arts. they are made from 2 partial skeins of Lion Cotton from my stash.

i got lucky stash-wise and cousin-money-annoyed-wise because i had navy and lavender in my stash already. they are an interesting color combination, but her kitchen has navy accents and she likes purple so i will say that it works.

girl power weekend?

i didn't plan a theme for my weekend, but it sort of worked out that way. we have both a project and an event.

first, the project.

Baby Starghan
designed by Beth Espina-Cole
published on The Diva Crochets
finished size: approx. 43" diameter. if stars really have diameter....

crocheted in Caron Simply Soft Shadows (approx 5-6 skeins of "Fuchsia Flare", 100% acrylic) with a size "I" crochet hook.

started: february 18, 2008.
finished: february 23, 2008.

this was a project devoted to 3 specific purposes it could serve in my life.

1. stash busting. 5.5 skeins of stash yarn down! and now i have a reserve project for the next girly kiddo that comes along.

2. crochet, baby. i had been knitting so much that my hooks were getting rusty. this was a nice way to shake off the rust and re-earn my happy hooker certification.

3. give knitting the finger. you know which finger i am talking about. knitting more than 6 inches of the body of the gathered pullover and then having to tear it back out was a disheartening experience. that sweater is not a fan of me. ever-obedient crochet plucked up my little crafter spirits.

this pattern calls for a DK weight yarn, but yu can do it in anything, really. mine is worsted weight, but i also bet it would look great in a fingering weights handpaint like koigu. on the other extreme, i want to make another one of these blankies in super-chunky yarn so it can be an "on the floor" type of blankie you sit a baby on to play. i think it would look really cute in something like lion's wool-ease thick & quick.

now that i have the blankie done, the sweater is calling to me again, but i am forgoing project monogamy for the time being. i have a mittens and gloves class to teach on tuesday and i am knitting up my sample project. i think it is easier to share how a technique is accomplished when you are working on the project as well. picture after the first mitten is finished.

i went out yesterday and took the metro, so i did get some work done on the gathered pullover. i had to take the metro all the way out to Stadium-Armory so i probably managed an inch of progress.

why did i venture all the out into the depths of southeast DC, you might ask.....

DC Rollergirls.
yes, roller derby. they had a bout at the armory yesterday and my friend Price and i took it in. he had bought the tickets for he and his girlfriend, but she couldn't go at the last minute so he brought me along. it was fun.

it was the kind of fun that makes you want to put on a pair of skates and kick some ass until you remember you lack both free time and health insurance. well.... at least that is how i felt. ha.

it was a double header, but Price could only stay for the first bout. so we saw the DC DemonCats defeat the Secretaries of Hate. he was disappointed because he wanted to see Scare Force One (the current league champs) who are said to be a bunch of tough chicks any way you slice it. they were up against the Cherry Blossom Bombshells.

as you can see, clever naming goes with the territory.... and it extends to the skaters. some of their names are DC related like the teams.... (i.e Demonica Lewinsky and Beltway Betty.) others are clever plays on famous names... (Lois Slain and Camilla the Hun) and still others are just amusing. (Six5onSkates... she really is 6'5" on skates. taaaaall chick. stay out of her way.)

now the questions remains... would i go to another bout? yes, i would. i wouldn't rearrange my schedule for it, but i would go on a non-tech weekend. it was fun. who wouldn't have a good time in a place where you can drink beer while watching girls in small outfits beat the crap out of each other?

i also like a good pun, you know.

truly outrageous

with the sweater giving me fits, i said "up yours knitting!" and decided to crochet something. so i started an afghan with stash yarn. i had about 825 yards of this hot pink stuff still left in my stash box. it should make a nice kid sized throw.

i am further along than the picture. i was in the middle of the 2nd ball (the 1st was a partial) and now i am about to join the fourth. the problem with things worked in the round is that the progress looks like it slows waaaaay down. it is beginning to take 15-20 minutes to get around the blanket. whew!


other things....

the Lion Brand Fashion Show. there are a lot of ugly things, but there are also a few neat things. i think some of the crocheted throws are pretty swell.

also, who knew lucid dreaming was a goal people were willing to pay for?

happy belated valentine's day.

i've been busy, but i do want to show off what my mum sent me for the holiday. that is four more skeins of Noro Kureyon for my Lizard Ridge afghan, a postal scale (very handy both for my work and for yarn purposes), a handful of dove chocolates, and a funny card.

my mum is an excellent selector of cards. this one reads....

(outside) Men come and go, but friends are forever. (inside) And they're really handy at mocking the men who go. happy valentine's day.

we share a sorta sick sense of humour.

in yarny news, i have a project to post later in the week. i crocheted a gift for my cousin's birthday gift, and it goes in the mail tomorrow. i don't want to ruin the surprise for my FBL either (hi, mark!).

i also just ripped out 6.5" of my gathered pullover. that is 1.5" before i was supposed to start my cable chart. sigh. this will be the sweater i reknit until the cows come home. and i just don't get it. i swatched. i knit. i checked the gauge in the full piece over and over again as i went. i was knitting to almost 5 stitches per inch (i need 4.75/inch) and then.... WHAM!! out of no where my gauge is 4 stitches per inch all over and the sweater body is 34" instead of 32".

i feel like an evil knitting fairy has been spreading evil fairy dust over this project. i mean, my gauge is never this wonky. i'm going to recast on tomorrow on smaller needles, and i may even take out some of the stitches.

i am also a little rankled because blogger's spell check is not working for me. jerks.

i never used to care

now that i am no longer in school and don't have a roommate, i like to have the tv when i am working. keeps me company. 4 tv related things....

boo
Pushing Daisies won't be back until the fall.

yay
there will still be episodes of LOST shot this spring.

WTF?
why didn't anyone tell me that Jeremy Sisto joined the cast of Law & Order? now i might have to watch it.... (sorry, Peter Krause and Rachel Griffiths... you are some of my other favourite folks from Six Feet Under but i just don't think i can do your shows.)

OMG!
Lauren Ambrose is providing one of the voices in the film version of Where the Wild Things Are!!

the good, the bad, the greedy.

the good
i finished the 2nd sleeve of my gathered pullover. they match! whoo!

the bad
i need different needles for the body of the sweater before i can continue. stitch gauge is fine, but the row gauge looks like cat vomit. (rather distinct image, no?) plus, the circulars i have are a little too cramped for all 152 stitches.

i cannot imagine knitting the size 48"! (cast on 228!?!)

the greedy
the post office is raising the price of stamps again. they did it last year and they are doing it again. greedy jerkfaces. i now see that this "forever" stamp was just a ploy... a way to make us feel better abot them raising the price annually for kicks.

hmph.

3 knitting things

1. i knit through the second ball of cashmere for my scarf. i am now halfway there! yay! this is project knitting to the extreme.

i have sorta stopped enjoying the process of the scarf because it is a little too simple... but i will say that i can hit a rhythm with the yarn and knit through yards and yards effortlessly.

2. i went back to my gathered pullover after being shamed this week by a regular customer at the shop who asked me if i had finished it yet. um. no. one sleeve. languishing.

i started the 2nd sleeve.... 4 times. i hadn't knit on this sweater since december, and i had forgotten how tricky the gauge was. the pattern is written to be knit in sport weight yarn on larger needles to get a drapey, slightly sheer fabric. i wanted a sweater i could wear without a cami underneath, so i went up to a DK (ish) yarn.... still knit loosely.

man.
it was tricky. first, i am knitting intentionally a little looser than i normally do (which is already loose). second, the desired gauge is 4.75 stitch = 1 inch. 4.75!?! that is a stupid gauge. i knit a lot of 5 stitches = 1 inch projects, so it is tricky to take a tiny step to the side.
hmph.

long story short, halfway through the 2nd sleeve. finally.

3. Rowan has new knitwear models. just when Interweave Knits stops using more realistic women (yet still small/thin) in favor of modely long and lean, Rowan mixes it up a bit. Rowan 43 has one pretty normal gal. She's a little curvy even. the shocker is their new book All Seasons at the Mill. seriously, these are folks off the street.

same project, different yarn

i can finally reveal my first finished project of the year. these are the fingerless mitts i knit for penguingirl's birthday. i call them the "30 and fabulous" mitts. because every girl needs something happy and frivolous when she meets a milestone.

if you want to read about the pattern and such, go have a look at the previous post i did on the 2nd version of this project.

i'm so lazy. not doing full project details anymore. but i am trying to cut myself a little slack. 'tis better to post pretty pictures to share than to go silent all together.

in other news.... facebook is strange.

a friend i really wanted to get in touch with again lured me in, and now loads of folks are adding me as a friend.... and i am way lame at doing up the features. maybe because i don't entirely "get" the point of some of it.

i find it sort of funny that facebook baffles me (myspace, on the other hand, freaks me out) yet i love ravelry. just add yarn and i am good to go.

project-wise i am back on the cashmere scarf until i can more time to return to the gathered pullover... which i still hope to finish this month. keep your fingers crossed for me.

maybe my mum is right about february.

my mother hates february. she says it is cold and gey and uninspiring.... and throws you off because it is short month. boo.

i have been working and knitting. and being tired.

that is my excuse. busy and tired. i don't even feel like doing a full project breakdown on this little sweater because it is to much effort.

well, too much effort for a store model. i decided to knit it to take it off my boss' hands. it also gave me a chance to practice my finishing. i will say that i did a nice job sewing it up. the side seams are invisible and i managed to match the self-striping yarn to 99% perfection (there was a defect in the printing of one stripe.).

started it last tuesday and finished it yesterday.... and i didn't even work on it friday-sunday. it claims to be size 6-9 months, but it is about the size of 24 months. and, yes.... i was knitting to gauge.

that is all for now.

oh!
and i forgot.
the superbowl last year was when i taught myself how to knit. so i have officially been knitting for more than a year now! go me.

a few little things

not to leave you too disappointed that i have not shared my first finished object, i have two new ones i finished over the weekend. aside from the gathered pullover, which i have been neglecting, i will probably only have small projects until i am off the yarn diet because i am working from my stash, which is... well... full of small project amounts of yarn. the first...

Purl Beret
designed by Isabelle at Purl Soho
published on the purl bee blog

knit in Plymouth Happy Feet (1 skein color 06, 90% superwash wool, 10% nylon) purchased at K+S=B on size US 1 addi turbo circular needles.

started: january 22, 2008
finished: january 26, 2008

this was a a quick little knit. now if i could just knit my socks this quickly. i realized this was a whole sock worth of fingering weight yarn, so i wish i could be this focused and get a sock done with the same efficiency. alas, this was simpler than most sock, so it is no wonder it was faster.

i was also "project", rather than "process" knitting here. i enjoy going through the process of socks. i was just knitting this so i could wear it because i like the yarn and the pattern is cute.

i think i will modify a bit if i knit it again. i was knitting to the specified 7 stitches = 1 inch, and i think it is a little on the small side in terms of over all scale. of course, i have been wearing my very floppy Urchin beret, so in comparison this is much smaller.

also, i only steam blocked this to even out the stitches from the decreasing. i will probably wet block it over a dinner plate at some point to make it more beret-esque. what can i say? i go for the Little Match Girl look with my berets. (yes, i am well aware of the fact that the story is usually told with her bareheaded.)

my next stash project is a birthday gift for a friend who just celebrated her birthday while i was in tech for Life's a Dream. the details...

Fingerless Mitts
designed by Ann Budd
published in Weekend Knitting

knit in Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk (2 skeins color #8, 80% baby alpaca, 20% silk) on size US 6 needles.

started: january 26, 2008
finished: january 27, 2008

i like this pattern a lot. so much so that i plan to make a pair for myself from some Reynolds Rapture left in my stash (previously seen in the center squared hat and unseen sweater). it is simple, pretty, and fast.

on this pair i sewed up the side seam rather than doing the three needle bind off called for in the book because i sew a better looking seam than the 3 needle bind off creates.

i hope they fit. i have stupidly tiny hands, and i try everything on myself, so there is a good chance my friend will need a little more room. here's hoping that is not the case!

okay....
so i mentioned the show, and it is closing this weekend. i am a little sad to see it go. it is a good one, and i enjoy knowing it is out here running and people are watching it. so. go get a ticket local folks.

here is another picture to tempt you....



aren't they a good looking bunch? lindsay is wearing a stupid sexist veil for me, and theo grew that silly goatee just because i asked him to. and jim... well, he probably actually likes wearing the crown. go reward them for being good sports in the name of art.


Life's a Dream
by Pedro Calderon de la Barca
Adapted by John Barton and Adrian Mitchell
Directed by Alexander Strain
Produced by Journeymen Theater Ensemble
playing at Church Street Theater

cast: Maggie Glauber, Rex Daugherty, Eric Messner, Brian Crane, Theo Hadjimichael, Lindsay Haynes, Jim Jorgensen, Jesse Terrill, Andrew Vergara Retizos, and Mary C. Davis.

closing saturday february 2, 2008.

shoot your tv

one of my indulgences in life is having bad TV on in the background while i am knitting or doing my budgets for work. today i heard the stupidest commercial in the world. so stupid i couldn't let it go.

it was for toothpaste and it was chastising people for drinking acidic drinks because it is bad for tooth enamel. they use wine and orange juice as examples and go on to say that when drinking acidic drinks, you should use a straw (and their toothpaste) to avoid tooth contact.

um.
hold on a sec.
am i the only one who made the mistake in college of drinking wine from a Hello Kitty sippy cup with a straw at a theme party? in case i am the only person who ever did this, i can say now... back away from the straw. when you drink wine with a straw you will be catatonic in approximately half a glass.

no joke.
and in case none of you have ever been bitten by wine (accidentally or intentionally), rely on my straw induced mistakes and don't make this one for yourself. don't be this guy!

career goal #47
become the person who tells advertisers when they are making glaringly stupid suggestions.

skein-of-the-month

my first skein-of-the-month package arrived, and it has lots of fun goodies. first, the skein. i got 1 skein of Sheep Shop "Sheep 3". this is 325 yards of sport/DK weight 30% silk, 70% wool goodness. it is butter soft and delightful to touch. i would not have picked this color for myself, but this whole free yarn thing may be a nice way to expand my color point of view.

if i don't use it for myself, there are always gifts to be made, and i think this yarn would be fabulous for a hat and bootie set.

also included in my package was a pattern from the Sheep Shop for scarf knit in one skein of Sheep 3. it is called Silky Leaves Scarf, and they will be releasing it to the general public soon.

look at me... being all exclusive and stuff.

WEBS aso sent me a cute little retractable tape measure. yippee! enough about me.... my mom is becoming a sock knitter! and i taught her! look at her awesome progress!


i completed my first finished object of 2008, but i can't show it to you until february. soon i will get some of my tiny needle knits done and share--the hat is closing in! and i have some old projects that need to be revealed.

the accidental set

i made a set. or am making... this was an accident.

obviously it isn't matchy matchy (which i don't do) but it will be nice to have a hat and scarf that work well together. and i have a red coat that these will be great with! hooray for happy accidents.

i am really enjoying the Plymouth Happy Feet, and the hat is making me want to get more of this yarn for a pair of socks. the colors are great, and this stuff is very affordable!

after the yarn diet ends, maybe.

i am alos loving this cashmere. who wouldn't?

it was a tough decision what i woild make with it (it was a gift) but i finally decided it had to be the scarf because i wanted something that i would keep for a long time, and this baby won't go out of style any time soon.

unless global warming picks up pace.

i got a new laptop

i don't think i mentioned that. it is a very pretty MacBook, and look! it has camera right above the screen.

don't worry, i'm not going to bore you with my daily outfits or anything. but i have to say that more people need one of these things. after seeing this picture of myself, i have decided that the camera can be our friend. thanks camera, you gave me nearly angelina jolie-esque lips.

i mean.... strange, no?

anyway.
laptop = awesome.

lizard ridge #3

my third lizard ridge block is finished. this means that i have used up all the yarn that santa brought me for this project. but a little bird told me that cupid may be nice to me. that would be swell. who needs a "better" half? or even chocolate? there is always knitting.

(i will say, however, that i have alwasy had a soft sot for flowers. perhaps because i don't get many.)

in an unrelated but annoying note, the squirrels have invaded my attic again. have to see if the landlord gets back to me about it in a timely fashion this time.

knitting help 101

i have been getting a rash of questions and comments about my cross-stitch scarf on ravelry lately. it seems like the pattern is not clear enough for a lot of people, and i have been explaining what i did t people who are drooling of this stitch. in the interest of helping out people with questions, i am posting a reply i wrote to one such knitter.

i hope this helps anyone who is having problems with this pattern. it is beautiful and totally worth the effort--even if it just a scarf.

first, when they tell you to place markers to separate the edge stitches from the pattern stitches--do it! at least for the first few rows until you can really see the pattern forming.

to do the pattern stitch....
knit the edge stitches.
then insert your right needle into the 2nd stitch on the left needle through the back loop (the back leg of the stitch) and knit it.
leave that stitch on the needle.
then insert your right needle into the first stitch on the left needle and knit it as you normally would.
then slide both stitches off the left needle.

on the purl side....
knit the edge stitches.
then insert your right needle into the 2nd stitch on the left needle through the back loop and purl it.
leave that stitch on the needle.
then insert your right needle into the first stitch on the left needle and purl it as you normally would.
then slide both stitches off the left needle.

this is one of those patterns that you have to hang in there to get the pay off. things i learned....

*the first row WILL be ugly, awkward and difficult to work.
* the puring row is actually faster and easier to work than the knitting row.
*because manos is a sticky wool, you may need to tug this baby into shape to really get the pattern to "bloom". pull down firmly then pull side to side firmly to help the crossed stitches not crunch up on themselves.
* if you are a tight knitter, go up a needle size. your fabric will be dense in this stitch, and if you are too tight, it will be impossible to work the pattern stitches.
* after you knit the first 4", pull it all out and restart the scarf. i promise it will look better in the end if you restart (or swatch) because once you have the pattern stitch down, your gauge will probably relax. your first row will also be prettier if you restart.
*wet block it. i know, it is a scarf and it seems like a lot of trouble, but it really helps the manos have a nicer drape and softer hand. and the stitches really pop once they have had to sit in cold water for 30 minutes.

this was really long, but i hope it helps!
i think this pattern is totally worth all the effort. i get so many compliments when i wear my scarf. =)

best!
kitty

lizard ridge #2

i finished the second lizard ridge afghan square on wednesday.

this one was knit in Noro Kureyon color #199. this particular skein had shorter color runs than the last skin i used, so each stripe of the pattern is more a blend of a few colors than a solid stripe of one shade. for some reason how the skein was finished at the factory made the short color runs not match up to the pattern either--so some colors are split. (i.e. the peach or lime green in the photo.)

oh, well!
still pretty.

thanks, peter.

i forgot to check the Washington Post yesterday! and it is a shame because peter gave us a rather solid review. i even got a little shout out that my aunt will appreciate.

love the picture.
go see the show.

now showing

last weekend i opened another show, and it is running through February 2. the details...

Life's a Dream
by Pedro Calderon de la Barca
Adapted by John Barton and Adrian Mitchell
Directed by Alexander Strain
Produced by Journeymen Theater Ensemble
playing at Church Street Theater

cast: Maggie Glauber, Rex Daugherty, Eric Messner, Brian Crane, Theo Hadjimichael, Lindsay Haynes, Jim Jorgensen, Jesse Terrill, Andrew Vergara Retizos, and Mary C. Davis.

check it out.
no, really. i designed the same show with a different company about a year ago, and i am much happier with this design. and i really enjoy watching the show. i know, i know.... but kitty... Spanish Golden Age drama?

just go, it is worth it.

listen to the City Paper on this one. you can also go read about how it really isn't as golden age-y as some would like over at DC Theatre Scene.... you know... in case you are still reeling from the last time you saw a bad production of Fuente Ovejuna.

and i realize this is going to make me sound ungrateful, but i have to say it.

my costume design is not 17th century Spanish.
just had to clear that up since the DCTS reviewer gives many impressive facts about the period, and i wouldn't want it to be misleading to folks who see the show. (hey, but like a good bra... i am supportive!)

no 17th century.
not Spanish.
those clothes are made up creations that blend the play's origin (Spain) with its setting (Poland) and liberally borrow from a fantasy style composed of elements of the Mongolian plains, late 19th century Algerian Jews, traditional Nordic knitwear, Native American, Byzantian, Indian (dot, not feather), and West African styles.

yep.
that is indeed a small insight into the way my mind works.

happy blog-iversary!

i started this blog one year ago today. i know. i can't believe it either. who thought i would ever stick with this?

since this is ostensibly a knitting and crochet blog, i should point out that a year ago i didn't know how to knit. i taught myself while watching the Superbowl last year. i like to think that one of the reasons i have come so far with my knitting is this blog. when you have people to be accountable to, you make progress.

so what have i created in one year?

blog posts: 213

finished objects: 63

39 of those FOs were knit, 23 were crocheted, and 1 project used both knit and crochet equally. 13 of these projects were designed by me or otherwise pulled from my imagination (hard to call a seed stitch scarf "designed").

what were those items?

scarves/mufflers
8 knit, 1 crocheted

hats
7 crocheted, 5 knit

shawls/wraps/capelets
2 knit, 2 crocheted

sweaters/vest
2 crocheted vest, 2 crocheted sweaters
2 knit baby sweaters, 1 knit adult sweater

toys/whimsies
5 knit, 5 crocheted

(but to be honest on myself i counted all 12 thread crocheted snowflakes as one project. i wouldn't want to be accused of numbers inflation. ha.)

socks
6 knit pairs
no unfinished pairs or singles.

mittens/gloves
3 knit

bags/purses
2 knit

afghans/throws
1 crocheted

washcloths
5 knit and 3 crocheted

and in case you wonder how i have the time for all of this.... i make it happen. thatisall. i have been working a lot too, so it has been no small task. i have...

opened 14 shows, and i have 2 more designed and just waiting to be put up. i also got a part time job at my local yarn shop, and there was some alterations and stitching work in there here or there.

not too shabby.

i won!

yesterday i got a lovely email saying that i am one of the 101 winners in Storey Publishing's Skein-of-the-Month contest. the contest was run in conjunction with the release of the second 101 Designer One-Skein Wonders book.

i bought a copy of the book this fall, and there was a sticker on the cover advertising the contest. on a lark, i entered and i won one of the spots.

sweet.
this means i get a free skein of yarn every month in 2008. this will make the yarn diet easier, i hope. i'm excited!

lizard ridge #1

i finished the first block of my Lizard Ridge afghan. i am glad i tore it out and started over because it looks a lot better at the tighter gauge, and the colors came out better too.

this is Kureyon color #180. yes, there is a big shadow in the left side of the picture. apologies. no time to snap the pics in the daylight hours.

still pretty, no?

i have been knitting, honest!

i just have been too busy with tech to be able to post any updates. and even these pictures are a little behind because i have finished the first sock pictured here.

Baby Panda is modeling the sock as usual.

this is the Anastasia sock pattern from pepperknit. i am knitting them in ShiBuiKnits Sock in the "orchid" colorway. i am really excited about this pattern with this yarn because i have seen this yarn knit up in a plain sock, and it pools/stripes in a way that i am not fond of in this color combination, but the yarn-overs and knit two togethers break up the colors runs in a way that the striping is much prettier and less concentrated.

notice something else? yep. those are two circular needles. i decided to give my double points a rest and try these. i was mainly motivated by the fact that i have to knit fingering weight yarn on a size US 0 needle to get my gauge, and i tend to bend wooden needles smaller than a US 2. so i got myself some addi turbos for knitting fingering weight socks.

people keep asking me if i will go back to DPNs or stick with circulars and which i like better. i like them both. right now i guess i will pick what i use based on the gauge of the yarn. i can't afford to buy more circulars for sport/DK socks right now.

i have not cast on for the second sock yet because i needed a project in a different gauge for a little bit--change things up and all that. so i knit the first square of my Lizard Ridge afghan. then i ripped it out because i wasn't happy with the gauge or the way the Kureyon was striping.

i rewound the yarn into two balls and switched the ends i was working from to get a better color pattern, and so far it is looking much better. i also went down a needle size, and that is working much better too.

i'll post a picture of the square when it is finished.

lookie!

i almost stepped on this little guy when i came home tonight! isn't he cool! i think he is out because it is unseasonably warm here.

funny how something like a tiny creature can bring simple happiness to life. i moved him off the steps and into the flower bed so he would not get smashed. way too neat to be flat!

serious doubts

saw this article over at nuttnbunny's blog, and it makes me very sad about the cashmere yarn i adore.

my boss gave me some truly delightful cashmere for christmas, and i am sad to say that after reading this article, it may be my one and only cashmere knitting opportunity. desertification and air pollution is not worth knitting happiness.

sigh.

aw, shucks.

i don't know what came over me. i was reading the first Knitting Daily post of the year, and Sandi asked the question--how will you be a fearless knitter in 2008? i just had to comment. before i even knew i had done it, i hit submit.

and she included me in the mini-round-up of inspiring fearless knitter moments. how sweet!

Yvette R. inspires because she pretty much wins the Fearless Knitter 2007 award, hands down: I tried to be a fearless knitter in 2007. I taught myself to knit last January and since then I have knit socks, cables, lace, my first fair isle project and a sweater I designed for myself! Um, Yvette? You did not just try to be a fearless knitter. You ARE a fearless knitter. AWESOME!!

full post here. i am touched. knitters are great people.

so how did i conclude i would be fearless in 2008?

argyle socks.
that's right. intarsia + socks = swoons of delight

no swoons of fear!

tasty holidays

on my way home to visit my parents for the holidays, i stopped off to visit my cousin and her husband. this was one of several high points in the out-of-town festivities.

yes, it really was that exciting! do not judge by how long it has taken me to write about it. there is a plan behind all that. you see, my FBIL (Fake Brother-in-Law) Mark is a total foodie and he writes a rather witty food blog called Eating Cleveland . so the food on that leg of my journey was a major focus (aside from the relaxing, visiting, and gifting) and he can cover it a heck of a lot better than i can.

i will keep it simple and say that we went to a rocking little place called Melt Bar and Grilled. they specialize in grilled cheese sandwiches served with many varieties of beer. this is the kind of food that will put you in a coma--in the good sorta way. read about our visit right here.

Adventures in Food Coma Part Deux

as if grilled cheese was not enough, the next day Mark made an amazing lunch before packing me off to my parents' house. now if you read his remarks on Melt, you will know that Jess and I are on opposite ends of the eating spectrum. no meat for me, and she is convinced that carrots can bite. so he had his work cut out for him when it came to feeding us the same dish. there is one thing she and i are in 100% agreement on... mushrooms.

meet Mark's mushroom tart... it was delicious, and happily he has posted the recipe. like many good recipes, it is flexible and a little different every time. you can throw in any sort of seasoning you like to make it special. happily, i was present for what mark and jess declared to be his "best tart ever".

it is very easy to make, but if you make the filling a day ahead, you will have an even more simple dish on the day you wish to serve it. the happy couple were talking over the many little tweaks mark made on this particular occasion, so i would say that you should have at this recipe with a flair for customization.

i can't wait to make it for myself! who wants to come over for dinner? yum!

2008

it is already here. happy new year, folks.

i have one major resolution for the new year, and it involves getting my finances under control. like most americans, i am spending a little more than i bring in over the course of a year. not too much more, but enough that i need to do something about it so it doesn't become a real problem.

plan for the new year....

1. yarn diet.
i am not buying any new yarn for 6 months. the only exception to this rule is unforeseen gift circumstances that cannot be met by my stash. (i.e. one of my friends has a baby or i need to make a birthday gift) i should have enough socks to keep me busy. and i have a sweater to get back to!

2. optional food services.
new kitty rule--no frivolous eating and drinking out. 1 drink, 1 coffee, 1 plated meal out per month. looks like friends will need to start coming over if they want to "go out" for coffee. penguingirl and i are already good at this, so i am assuming that others can catch on. i think i will get the occasional get-out-of-jail-free card when it comes to tech rehearsal weeks.

3. cut out the junk.
i don't really need to buy things like shortbread cookies. i can make them, and if i want them and other things of that sort, i will have to make them at home. i guess this has the perk of being good for me health-wise too.

4. contracts.
i am way too nice as a freelance designer. i am going to be much more of a stickler on my contracts for design work. the date it says i am getting paid, i will have a check in my hand. period. same goes for reimbursement of money i front for companies.

that's the plan for now. i am sure there will be updates on how i am doing.