Sunday Catch Up Post

The front and back of the Shaped Lace Tee are finally complete and, as I suspected, there will not be enough yarn. So, I am left with two choices. I can leave it sleeveless in which case it's more of a vest and I'm not much of a vest person. The other option is to find a matching solid colour yarn and do the lacy part of the sleeve with that. I'm thinking that picking up the blue would work. Any thoughts? I shall put it aside and mull.

In the meantime, I've started another beret using Briggs and Little Regal. I've received stunned looks from a few knitters at my choice of yarn. Yes, it's rough and thick and cheap but I like it. It makes great, warm hats and the heathering in the colour is very pretty.

So, Nuit Blanche was a total disaster. Every venue we tried to see was so incredibely crowded that it was impossible to enjoy any of the installations. I was pushed, shoved and smushed. After taking an hour to move along a few blocks of Queen West, it became clear that we weren't going to make it to Parkdale. Even if we could have, we wouldn't have been able to get near the stage. We limped home on the Dufferin bus. Thus I missed Close Knit. Bummer.

The one piece we did see and appreciate was our first stop after a delicious dinner. It was well off the main path so I guess the suburbanites didn't venture there. This neon light line, accompanied by ambient sound, was uber cool. If we had headed home then, the night would have been much better.

The Ribbon Project

I'm participating in The Ribbon Project the first week of October. I'm so excited about this. Imagine. Seven days, some coloured ribbons, a camera and an observant eye. It's the chance to briefly share with the world your particular point of view.
Won't some of my fellow knitters join up? I know we see things in a unique way and isn't that worth sharing?

I'm also planning to attend the Close Knit event at Nuite Blanche.
Toronto kills me. Most of the time it craps all over you and then events like this happen that make you not want to be anywhere else.

Finally

Got my Ravelry invitation. It's fairly daunting stuff! My user name is (not surprisingly) longyarn.

What Train Am I?

You're the Nikolaevsky Express!

You know that the shortest distance between two points is a
straight line. Lately, however, you've recalled that this is not always the
cheapest or easiest distance between two points. Straight or not, you like
to gauge things differently than most of the rest of the world. You've been
known to call most everything "capital". Your favorite saint is
Petersburg.


Take the Trains and Railroads Quiz
at RMI Miniature Railroads.

Fall Seems To Have Arrived

I finished weaving in the ends on two projects this afternoon while watching Season Two finale of Gray's Anatomy on DVD. (Boo hoo! Denny! You got tears on my wrist warmers!)
They're for a friend's family along with this scarf and this one. I suppose I designed the gray ones myself? The structure is based on the warmers from Last Minute Knitted Gifts, the pattern the purple ones are knit from. However, I wanted something more formal and substantial for the second pair so I bought some dark gray Cascade 220 and spent an evening with my pattern books trying to come up with something. I decided on a combination of 1 x 1 ribbing and off centre cables. They're supposed to be for a guy. Do they look sufficiently male to you?

Just look at those cables! The thing is, I'm not sure if they're true cables or "mock". Semantics aside, they still look smashing.

Have you seen the fall Knitty yet? Be sure to read David's article about his recent struggle with depression. He describes beautifully the role of craft and creativity in his life, even in the darkest of times. His descriptions of the frustration involved in trying to get the meds right, and the disappointment in not enjoying normal pursuits are bang on. That's why he's the writer. I cried a bit when I read it. Then I wrote a note on his blog thanking him for his writing. I'm recently weaned from my meds but am still in therapy from a similar episode. It's nice not to feel alone.

Oooh, Prettiful Present

No, it's not my present.

T'was the birthday fete of Sophia today and she held court at Alterknit. The gorgeous fleece was gifted by Jacquie. The colours looked so lovely against the flowers that I took a quick pic.

Happy Birhtday girl!

Northern Elegy

From "Northern Elegy"

The grim age turned me like a river,
turned my life into another channel,
and drifting in it I do not recognize
my shore. What visions of things
I let get away! The curtain rises
without me and falls. So many friends
I've never met even once. So many faces
of cities might have moved me, yet in this world
I know only one city and discover it in dream.
So many poems I haven't written
whose secret chorus rambles near by
and one day will choke me.
I am forced to know the beginnings and ends
and life after the end, and something I don't have to remember.
An indistinct woman occupied my natural place,
with my legal name, and has left me a nickname.
I did what I could with it, thank you.
I won't lie in my own grave.
But sometimes a mad spring wind
or the combination of words in a chance book
or someone's smile suddenly pulls me
into an unrealized life.
Back then something might have happened:
I could have traveled, seen and thought things,
recalled my past or gone into a new affair
as into a mirror, with a blunted awareness
of betrayal. But yesterday I wasn't so wrinkled...
Yet if from there
I looked at my present life
I would be envious.

Anna Akhmatova

Christmas Around The World Swap Questions

Are you religious?
No, though I was raised to be and still respect those who are.
How long have you been knitting? Would you consider yourself a Beginner, Intermediate or Advanced?
I've been knitting since childhood but only seriously for about 5 years now. Intermediate.
Do you have any other hobbies besides knitting?
I bead a little, keep a diary, make paper doll clothes.
Favorite color(s)?
Purple/blue/red family. The richer the better.
Do you collect anything?
Sorry, no. At least I try not to. But I do keep mysteriously acquiring yarn, shiny trinkets, items with pictures of the Blythe doll on them.
Are you allergic to any fibers or animals?
Nope. Thank goodness.
Do you have any pets?
Three beautiful cats.
Coffee, Tea, or Hot Chocolate?
Coffee, then tea.
Cookies or Sweets?
Well, I can't eat wheat flour so I guess it's sweets.
Do you knit socks?
I do.
If not socks then what? (tell us about your favorite knits)
I go through phases - lace, garments, wrist warmers...
Do you put up a Christmas tree? If not then what do you do?
Yes a tree. I love my old ornaments.
Favorite holiday treats?
Clementines, sherry, mixed nuts.
Favorite holiday smells?
Pine, bayberry, mulled wine.
Do you celebrate Christmas in a traditional or unconventional way? Please elaborate.
Just visiting and being visited as much as possible. Unfortunately, due to my line of work, I often work a lot over the school holiday (which sucks).
What are your favorite holiday traditions?
The season always starts with Stuart McLean: A Vinyl Cafe Christmas around mid December at Convocation Hall in Toronto. Does anyone else know what that is?
Finish the sentence: “For me Christmas is all about....”
twinkly lights.
If you were a Christmas ornament you would be…….?
The chubby ballerina with fairy wings!
What was your favorite gift you've ever received? Or given?
The stuffed pink mouse with green gingham ears I got when I was wee. Saw it in the catalogue, asked Santa for it and there it was Christmas morning!
When do you start your Christmas?
Seriously get going as school ends.
Do you send Christmas cards? Do you make them or buy them?
Oops. I always mean to...
What is your favorite Christmas dish?
Cabbage rolls - now vegetarian cabbage rolls because of The Daughter.
Carolers are at your door. What do you do?
Join in, then pass out candy. I used to carol in university with my theatre group. Some of the best times ever.
When do you open presents? Christmas eve or Christmas morning?
In the morning, in pj's.
Do you celebrate with family or friends or both?
Both.

Art Is Good For You. So Is Broccoli

Here's an interesting occurrence. I went to see the Square Foot show this afternoon (found the listing on Toronto Craft Alert). It was quite overwhelming with so many pieces to look at. Challenging as well, what with the height, and depth of the grid and the bad lighting.
So, what I did was go around the room slowly once. Then I picked up the catalogue and went back to re-visit my half dozen favourites and note the artists' names. Here's the interesting part. All my favourite works were created by women. Hmm...

If you're interested, the last day of the show is tomorrow.