Knit Sisters

Today’s the day!

With this ring…

Back with the nuptial report and wedding photos next week!

Even as you read this, my mother, father, and I are en route to Ellen’s wedding in sunny California!  (Well, Lord willing and the creeks don’t rise!)

So, Ellen and I ask for your good wishes, thoughts, and prayers that everyone will remain on their best behavior for just a few days of togetherness.

Meanwhile, our writing chairs will remain empty for the rest of the week.

Back next week with the full report of wedding adventures!

Once upon a time, lo these many years ago, I played the flute in the high school marching band.  (And I was pretty good, too, although that’s another story.)  When marching in parades, we did this complicated maneuver to turn corners that we called, appropriately enough, “cornering.”  It involved stopping, backing up in separate columns (are they ranks or files?  I think files…), marching in place, marching forward in those columns at certain times, making the turn, marching in place, and then marching forward in columns again at specified times.  All this while continuing to play.  Astute watchers could always tell the freshmen from the upperclassmen because we stopped playing during cornering and just faked it.  It was quite complex, but a beautiful thing to behold when done correctly.  Much, much prettier than simply “gating” around the corner.

Fast forward to present-day:  I have cornered on Rumpelstiltskin!  Not quite as complex as that marching band manuever, but still fairly pretty.

You realize, of course, that this is just the first corner.  I have three more to go.

I have faith that the little bit of pouchiness at the inner corner will resolve itself with ruthless blocking.

I have also begun to pack!  (Really, the line “We have not yet begun to pack!” would be so much funnier there, but I just couldn’t fit it in.  Sorry.)

 

Here you see my suitcase.  Isn’t that fascinating? 

Here’s my theory of clothes-buying: 

1.  Buy the separates you like in a limited palette, and then everything will go with everything else.  No need to buy “outfits.”  So when you pack, you just pitch in the newest and best-looking clothes in the safe and secure knowledge that when you arrive, you can start pulling together gorgeous (well, OK, at least presentable) outfits at a moment’s notice.

2.  Buy or make a few really beautiful and eye-catching (dare I say signature?) pieces that will coordinate with most of your basics (see above).  This trip that piece would be the Handsome Triangle shawl.

Of course, like all theories, this one at times works best in theory rather than reality.  But, “Reach for the stars!” I always say.

In a related but so much more important vein, I have also begun to pack my knitting for the trip.  To that end, I had to wind off more of the laceweight mohair for Rumpel.

Here you see my swift and ballwinder, one of the best fiber-related investments I have made.  I believe that the possession of these two tools really separates the women from the girls, so to speak.  (Or I suppose you could look at it as separating the still sane from the obsessed, but that would just be uncharitable.)

Anyway, winding those balls was the first step down a travel-knitting road that will end in California.  I guess you could say that I’ve turned the corner.

1.  Harvey and I have been watching Season 1 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (from Netflix, naturally) over the last week or so.  I must say, I had friends who loved this show when it was actually on TV, and I scoffed and shook my head at them.  But no more!  Now I see the appeal.  Thanks, Harve.

2.  I’m about to get to the first corner with the edging on Rumpelstiltskin.

 

It’s a long haul down those long sides, let me tell you.  And another one still to go!  Just keep knitting, just keep knitting…

3.  That cone of cashmere blend yarn is a fabulous prize.  In case any of you have forgotten, here’s what I made from my cone of the self-same yarn.

The Handsome Triangle shawl from Victorian Lace Today.  The cone that Ellen gave me had more than enough yarn on it to make the shawl with a whole extra repeat of the main pattern and that ruffled edging.  With a little bit left over for security’s sake.

4.  I have indeed been working on a cabled swatch based on the cream-colored sweater that Cameron Diaz wore in The Holiday.  Except that mine is red.

 

It’s early stages yet, but the plan is for that center cable to split into a v-neck in front and split in the back (like the sweater in the movie) for visual interest/shaping.  Oh, and it will be a pullover, not a cardigan.

5.  Harvey and I hit up the thrift stores in St. Joe today, and found some great bargains.  Sometimes you can get really lucky, you know?  What we were in search of was an old but still serviceable saucepan that we could use for popping popcorn (because I am one of the few people left in this country who make popcorn in a pan with oil instead of in the microwave–it’s lots cheaper that way and makes a girl feel like she’s actually cooking), which we found along with several other things.  For example, I found a perfect little shot glass–just one!–which I guess is really all you need when you live alone, as I do now. (Except when Harvey is with me, and I wouldn’t be doing shots with him anyway, now would I?)  I also found a very cool pair of elastic-waist rayon pants in a batik-like print.  Apartment pants, my sister-in-law would call them.  And now that I live in an apartment (for the time being, anyway) I can really use those kind of pants.

6.  I’m starting to get a little nervous about packing for the trip to CA.  Oh, not the clothes.  Clothes are just clothes, after all.  No, no.  The knitting.  What knitting should I bring?  Should I bring Rumpel?  I could get lots of edging knitted on the plane.  Or maybe the pink baby blanket I started a month ago?  Perhaps I should start a new pair of socks; that’s always good travel knitting.  Of course, I’ll have to bring more than one project, since it would be unthinkable to finish the one project you brought on a trip and then have nothing to knit!  In fact, I can’t imagine the horrid feeling of getting on the plane for the return trip without something to knit.  Or, more accurately, I can indeed imagine that desperate, sinking feeling.  Don’t want to go there.

See you all in California!

Sarah and I would like to thank all of our wonderful readers for a great first year in the blogosphere! A year ago today—when we were still figuring out just how the devil to post photos and every post took four hours to complete—we had no inkling how much sheer fun this enterprise would be, much less that it would allow us to connect meaningfully to old friends and make so many great new ones.

Like most of the best things in life, its full merits emerged gradually.

Now we’re as happy as a dog systematically killing the newly-sprouted grass by rolling on her back in the same spot every day. (Photo courtesy of the Incomparable Kate.)

We’d just like to express our gratitude to the readers who have been with us through all the knitting errors, knitting ennui, and knitting ecstasy, all the personal ups and downs, all the good luck and the bad.

To that end, we are announcing a little contest. The prize will be a cone of the same yarn from which Sarah knit the Handsome Triangle:

Ellen says: I would have included a picture of the actual cone you will receive—which is well over 2000 yards, I believe, and is a cashmere-wool blend—but you know me! I packed it already…

Here’s what you gotta do: using whatever information you can find on the blog, plus your good sense and intuition, leave a comment on this post with your guess as to the number of people who will be at:
1. Ellen’s wedding
2. Ellen’s first wedding reception in CA
3. Ellen’s second wedding reception in MA

You may also speculate regarding Ellen’s wedding gown style and when Sarah will finish Rumple, but these extras are not required for the contest.

Whoever is closest to the actual numbers for all three nuptial events will win the coveted hot pink prize. The prize will be awarded after Ellen’s second wedding reception (once all the returns are in, as it were) and will be shipped out to the lucky winner in mid-July.

Good luck! And thanks for a great year!

Love means never having to say you’re sorry for rubbing your head vigorously in something odiferous. (Caption and photo courtesy of the Incomparable Kate. Thank you, Kate!)

…on that durned lace edging, but is being made, nevertheless.

 

I’m about halfway through the first long side of the shawl.  I regret to say that this edging is a tad, um, how do you say?–tedious. 

                                          But pretty.  And you will all be relieved to know that I have not yet stuck a size 0 knitting needle in my eye!

But, on the bright side, Mother and I went shopping on Saturday, and she purchased a suit to wear to the wedding (with a jacket, no less!), so that means that I myself will be able to wear the Handsome Triangle shawl.  Soooo, that means that Rumpelstiltskin doesn’t need to be finished before the 20th, after all.  Whew.  I was beginning to think that I’d have to pull an all-nighter this weekend.  Maybe two all-nighters.  And then I’d be completely useless all week long.  So you see how once again disaster has been averted through strategic shopping.

And now, as my contribution to our one-year blog anniversary, I would like to post a couple of completely gratuitous dog photos.

 

These dogs belong to a friend of mine–the black one is Sammy, and the yellow one is Abby.  Abby is absolutely top dog in her household, and routinely pushes Sammy around, even though he is bigger and seemingly tougher than she is.

                                                         How can you say such things about me?  I’m just as sweet as can be.

Actually, now that I come to think of it, isn’t that the way things really should be?  The female is in charge, has final say in all matters, and usually (if not always) gets her way.  Gets my vote.

Happy one-year anniversary to all our dear readers!

I’m a tad pressed, so I haven’t been able to respond to all the comments the way that I usually try and like to do, but I would like to thank everyone who wrote something encouraging on Tuesday’s post. Your thoughts and kind words were very helpful.

So was the fact that some of Alex’s family members sent us a Cuisinart countertop wine cellar, something I’ve always secretly desired, but would never have bought for myself.

Suddenly, the wedding is starting to look a lot more worthwhile to me!

I’ve also been attempting to employ various stress management techniques like, for instance, knitting:

The Laines du Nord Mulberry Silk is absolutely gorgeous, although I will admit that for the moment the scarf looks a bit dull…but just you wait! There are ruffles that go on the ends and those are going to be very, very exciting. I promise. (Seriously, the pattern is really, really cool. You just can’t tell it right now. Stay tuned.)

This is also my first experience with the new Addi Turbo Lace Needles, shown here in a U.S. Size 5. Thumbs up! Nice, sharp points, light needle, smooth join…what’s not to like?

I’m also extremely excited about the first shipment of Tofutsies (featured in the most recent IK, by the way) in a “limited edition” colorway:

At Woolcott, we have formed a special Tofutsies Sock Club (limited to twenty people) and each of us will now automatically get our Tofutsies fix every two months for the next year. Normally, of course, I wouldn’t want to be part of any club that would have someone like me as a member, but I made an exception in this case.

My plan is to knit this up on a pair of U.S. Size 1 Addi Turbo Lace Needles, pursuant to their claim to be “good for socks.” We’ll just see about that, won’t we? The yarn itself is and interesting blend: 50% superwash wool, 25% soysilk fibers, 22.5% cotton, and 2.5% chitin. The latter is a fiber derived from shrimp and crab shells and is, according to the marketing folk, “naturally antibacterial.” To my knowledge, there is no actual tofu in the Tofutsies—since soysilk fiber is a bit different, I believe, than coagulated soy milk.

The presence of the chitin, however, led to a great many questions about whether or not these socks would be safe for people with dietary allergies to shrimp and shellfish.

As we know, there are no stupid questions. However, if there were, that would be one.

Beyond knitting, I have also been spending an inordinate amount of time at the gym—the idea being that it is better to heave iron barbells around for a couple of hours than it is to A) guzzle half a bottle of Southern Comfort and shoot up the neighborhood; B) cash in all your retirement savings at a loss, buy an old Cadillac Seville, and run away from home with your dog; or C) burn your wedding gown and veil in the street while screaming, “I am living in the fifth ring of gender-role hell, people! Gender-role hell!”

And finally, I am reading Bringing Down the House, the story of the M.I.T. blackjack team, card counters who made millions off the casinos in Las Vegas. That is, until they were shut down by what the back cover refers to as “violent heavies.” Although it is very poorly written—almost painfully so—the tale is nonetheless highly diversionary. I was attracted to the book by my recent trip to Vegas, but also because I rather liked the idea that people could be employed full time as “violent heavies.”

I wish I had known this when I was a college counselor. It might have provided a viable alternative to college for some of our less scholarly students. One boy in particular I’m thinking of…he would have made a great “violent heavy.”

I think he now trades bonds on Wall Street instead.

Figures.

I have finished the main body of Rumpelstiltskin and have moved right along to the lace edging.

 

As with most lace edgings I have experienced, beginning this one has given me a feeling of utter and absolute despair.  It’s one hell of a long way around this shawl, and I in my infinite wisdom made the shawl even a little bigger than the pattern called for.  Why couldn’t I have left well enough alone?  Why, WHY, WHY?

And yet, there is absolutely nothing to do but push forward, in the hope that somehow I will be able to finish this project by June 20, the day I leave for California and my sister’s wedding.  Hah!  I should live so long!

(In case you’re wondering, the pink yarn above is just the crochet cast-on, which will be removed once I have circumnavigated the entire shawl and the live stitches will be grafted to the invisible cast-on loops.) 

OH MY GOD.  Let me just stick a pin in my eye right now.  This is way, way worse than the I-cord edging on Nicola, which some of you may remember.

Since I’ll be spending so much time sitting there (knitting, doncha know) over the next couple of weeks, Harvey and I picked out some new pillows for the couch.

These came from Tuesday Morning, as do many good things that end up in my house.  Well, except the ones that I score from garage sales.  Anyway, aren’t they pretty?  We’re going for kind of a soft, muted look.

OK.  Going back to that edging now.

Brace up, little friend.

To say that I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed and in kind of a bad mood is the same kind of understatement that would be involved in saying that Mount Everest is a gently rolling hill.

But seeing as that’s not really your problem and that you probably came to the blog to be entertained, we are going to shelve my various specific and miasmic complaints and see some photos of Vegas! Right on!

Here’s something unusual:

Yeah, desert ducks. Shown here swimming in one of the arroyos that carries the runoff from Lake Mead.

It ain’t easy to be a duck in Vegas:

Facing not only heat and the unsuitably arid climate, but also the consistent prejudice Duck Americans routinely confront in area casinos, these particular ducks are furthermore being stalked by a cat (see right). A cat! Nature, red in tooth and claw!

Tell you the truth, I wish I had just stayed in Vegas. Make a note of it, because you’ll probably never again hear me say that I wish I could have spent more time in Vegas. This is a “special time” (as we’ve been told ad nauseam by the bridal industry and well-meaning observers who have forgotten their own pre-wedding experience) and leading up to our “special day” there are a lot of things to do. Most of them are neither very interesting nor very rewarding. But yet here we are! Busy, busy, busy!

Meanwhile, back in Vegas, there’s the Bellagio Fountain:

In what may be one of the most ironic moments I have ever experienced in my life, this fountain display was done to the musical accompaniment of the Shaker hymn, “Simple Gifts.” You know the one: “Tis a gift to be simple/tis a gift to be free/tis a gift to come down/where you ought to be./And when you find yourself/in the place just right/it will be in the valley of love and delight…” and so forth.

I like to hum that little ditty while I’m playing blackjack and enjoying a free cocktail, don’t you?

The Bellagio’s so big (I understand it cost $1.6 billion to build and I simply cannot think of a better use for that money, can you?) that you could drive a car in there:

Somebody was getting his kicks.

I also visited the Palace of the Mighty Caesar and captured the beauty of this “sculpture” on film. This one sits just outside the entrace to the shopping mall at the Palace of the Mighty Caesar, the Forum Shops:

All hail the great Shopimus Maximus!

La Tour Eiffel still stands in the desert:

Shameless Replicas ‘R Us!

And speaking of shameless replicas, I finally made it to the Venetian, which cost $1.2 billion to construct. Fine place like this don’t come cheap, people!:

Phoney baloney frescoes on the ceiling of the second-floor shopping area. Ask not “Is it art?” for the answer should be obvious.

They also have a replica of the Grand Canal, complete with gondoliers…

…and more gondoliers:

As you might expect, there is a special wedding gondola:

Two lucky people whose wedding is over. How I envy them!

In my current predicament, I can’t help but feel that those two were the smartest people in the room. Why Alex and I didn’t realize that the Vegas wedding was the royal road to happiness right from the beginning, I’ll never know.

In spite of all we’re juggling, Lord willing, I’ll be back with some knitting later in the week.

In the meantime, if you have any thoughts about why the modest family wedding with a traditional ceremony in a place that isn’t a casino is actually really worth it, please leave a comment. For the moment, I’ve forgotten entirely why it seemed like a good idea.

Yesterday I watched The Holiday, a sweet but rather predictable movie starring Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jack Black, and Jude Law (always easy on the eyes, if nothing else).

In the end, I was more interested in the knitwear the main characters wore than I was in the storyline.  (Although, if truth be told, I didn’t miss much by losing focus on the plot for a little while in favor of figuring out the sweaters.)

As a matter of fact, I had to load up the movie again this morning and do some selective forwarding, reversing, and pausing in order to get some sketches of those sweaters.  Lots of good inspiration there.

I was particularly interested in this cabled sweater, worn by Cameron Diaz.

It has some very clever shaping on the back, which both moves the cables around in a flattering way and provides some waist shaping.  Very cool.

Also, it has a striking attached shawl collar/buttonband which is one large, bold cable.  Then that cable is repeated in a smaller incarnation on the fronts and back.  The wheels in my head are turning…

I myself have been having my own little holiday–hanging out at my parents’ house and dogsitting while they’re away for a long weekend.  I get to hang out with their bassett hound, Izzy.  (Or as Harvey tells people, “Izzapoo.”  Her full given name is Isabella Maria.)

                                           “Aren’t I sweet?  How could anyone not love me?”

She is very sweet, and it’s a good thing, too, because she is also very spoiled.  My mother fixes her oatmeal every morning, and she has her own couch.  I think she’s been a little unhappy this weekend with the lack of breakfast oatmeal.  Yesterday, when I went upstairs in their house (where she cannot go because of the steepness of the stairs) to write my post, she got mad and started pulling yarn and knitting out of my knitting bag.  I guess she showed me.  (Well, I suppose she really did, since today I brought her over to my place to write this post, where I can keep an eye on her.)

You will all be happy to know that I have been working diligently on Rumpelstiltskin, and I am almost finished with the main body of the shawl.  Just 2 1/2 more repeats to go, and then I’ll start the edging.

(That’s my parents’ couch that Rumpel is reclining on.)

Two and half weeks to go.  Place your bets, ladies and gentlemen.

Oh, and one more thing.  I forgot to picture this yesterday in the roll call of my garage sale finds.

An Oneida silver pitcher.  $5.  Pretty, huh?