Oct 1 fell on a Monday this year so The Ribbon Project will take place across a work week and into Thanksgiving weekend. Interesting.
The email with Day One's colour choice came late yesterday due to an internet problem. . It wasn't until my afternoon break that I discovered the choice. So, there I was, wondering the block around my office realizing that there's nothing I "like" enough down there to note with my purple. Then I saw the Bixi stand. I thought of my friend Michelle and how she's always praising Bixi to the skies. I thought how lucky we are to live in a city with such a neat cycling program. Heck I thought about how much I like my friend Michelle. So I tied one of my purple ribbons.
Well, it's the beginning of October and that means the 7 days of The Ribbon Project. I seriously considered dropping out this year. Fewer people took part last year and I was wondering if the event still has legs. Also, being honest, I've been depressed the last while and I felt that my current state is not conducive to creativity. Then the email invitation came in that funny, familiar font, and I immediately said Yes. The project has become a bit of a touchstone for me over the past five years - a sort of annual check in. I like being part of this small group of people I've never met. Tying ribbons and snapping pics has become my autumn tradition. So let's see where this goes this year.
What a beautiful autumn day for a lawn sale. Four of my friends joined forces today for a massive de-stash. And massive it was. This photo doesn't do it justice. There's a whole other lawn full out of frame. Outside of a fair I don't think I've ever seen such a collection of yarn, crafting books and magazines, quilting supplies, scrap booking bits and on and on. Thanks to the power of internet, the afternoon became quite the social event as well. How lovely to see so many knitting friends.
I budgeted thirty dollars. For that much I picked up two back issues of Vogue (one from the 80's!), a copy of Nancy Bush's Knitting Vintage Socks, a leather bag, four skeins of a brown Kashmir Aran and this crazy/lovely Socks That Rock. The colourway is called Flower Power. Not my usual thing, I know but I've never knitted the brand before and I've always been a bit jealous of the folks in the Rockin Sock Club..
Thanks ladies, both for the great stuff and the cheerful visit.
It looks so dark the end of the world may be near.
I believe it's going to rain.
The birds in the park are silent.
Nothing is what it seems to be,
Nor are we.
There's a tree on our street so big
We can all hide in its leaves.
We won't need any clothes either.
I feel as old as a cockroach, you said.
In my head, I'm a passenger on a ghost ship.
Not even a sigh outdoors now.
If a child was left on our doorstep,
It must be asleep.
Everything is teetering on the edge of everything
With a polite smile.
It's because there are things in this world
That just can't be helped, you said.
Right then, I heard the blood orange
Roll off the table and with a thud
Lie cracked open on the floor.
Charles Simic
Walking The Black Cat
Harcourt Brace and Company, 1996
I took my doll out for her photo shoot in her newly knitted ensemble (details of which are on my Ravelry page). One of the stops on my walk was the wine store. I just couldn't resist a a quick photo of the girl gone wild. This is sedate however. You should see what she got up to in the vodka section.
I do love wristwarmers. Yes, they look cool but I wear them for practicality as well. It seems every office in which I've worked over the past many years has been cold. Be it from poor heating in winter or, as is currently the case, from over zealous air conditioning in summer, the result is the same. My wrists and finger joints ache from constant keyboarding in uncomfortable climates. So, I knit and wear a wide variety of fingerless gloves. They really do help.
My most recently completely pair is from the PassionKnit kit purchased at the Knitalong. This was my first experience knitting with Koigu and I must say that I loved it. The ply is nice and tight, yet so smooth. The yarn holds a rib and a cable beautifully. The gloves actually hug my tired wrists and hands. And these colours are just a delight. The knit was a delight from start to finish and the end product is even more so.
There's a little yarn left over so I'm making a Barbie outfit. It's almost completed so a doll fashion photo shoot is surely in the near future.
