All posts by Chris

Knitting, Randonymity, Reading

Reports of my move were greatly premature…

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I’ll just warn y’all straight out that I’m a bit crabby this morning. Things were going well with the blog move until their tech support mentioned that they couldn’t integrate my blogger data. Um, well, that’s a deal breaker, since I know there are places that can integrate my data. So I’m taking a deep breath, waiting for my refund, and doing better research this time. Thanks to everyone who’s given me tips!

I’m also PMSy. ‘Nuff said.

On the plus side, I’m meeting Renee at Bad Waitress in Minneapolis (26th & Nicollet) at 11:00 am today – it’ll be our bit for for Worldwide Public Knitting Day. Drop by if you’re in the neighborhood!

I’ve started the log cabin baby blanket from MDK and am enjoying it. Please excuse this blurry picture, as my camera batteries were dying… These are all the colors I’ll be using, although, since I’m just doing the 4th square of 10, I have a lot further to go! The edging will be in the tan.

I’ve also gone on a bit of a joining bender… I’m participating in Dave’s Bitchin’ Mittens KAL (after getting special dispensation so I don’t have to knit any thumbs – you’ll have to stay tuned to see how I manage that). Frarochvia talked me into signing up for Scout’s Knit Sock Kit Swap (signups are Sunday, June 11 8 am EST through Tuesday June 13 8 am EST), so I talked her into signing up for Kat with a K’s Summer Reading Program. My goal is 30 books for the summer, including two nonfiction.

Here are the books I’ve read so far in June:

Size 12 Is Not Fat by Meg Cabot, 368 pages. Total chick lit and a fast read, but it was fun and Meg Cabot had a great afterward about body image.

Summer Knight (Book 4 of the Dresden Files) by Jim Butcher, 371 pages. What’s not to like about a mystery series set in Chicago and featuring a wizard for hire? This installment detours into the land of Faerie.

The Hour Before Dawn and Two Other Stories from Newford by Charles de Lint, 114 pages. Newford stories – what else is there to say?

Anyone but You by Jennifer Crusie, 224 pages. Somewhat predictable chick lit, but that didn’t stop me from reading the whole thing in a single sitting.

Fare Play and Full Frontal Murder by Barbara Paul, 252 and 251 pages. These are from a series about NYPD lieutenant Marian Larch – quick reads, and the rest of the series is now on my to-read list.

The Road to Lisdoonvarna by Charles de Lint, 190 pages. A de Lint novel with no magic, set in Ottawa in the 1980s. Although the hardboiled detective novel is a bit of a departure for de Lint, it kept me engrossed.

Heart of the World by Linda Barnes, 321 pages. The latest of the Carlotta Carlyle mysteries, this takes Carlotta and her “little sister” Paolina to Colombia. Many twists and turns!

Hmm, I’m just realizing that my goal of 30 books isn’t going to be much of a stretch if I maintain this reading pace, is it?!

Here’s what Chaos looks like first thing every morning as I get his breakfast ready:


“Food food food food food food food food food.”

I feel a lot less crabby now. Thanks for listening/reading!
Alongs

L is also for…

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Library! (I’m sure that sense of deja vu you’re experiencing will pass.) As part of my excursion downtown, I checked out the new Minneapolis Central Library. Unfortunately, it looks like the sign has already taken a few hits…

But wow – isn’t it spectacular? This is the Nicollet Mall side:

And here’s the Hennepin Avenue side:

In the lobby, nifty technology…

…was balanced with ancient wisdom…

…in this statue of Minerva, Roman goddess of crafts and wisdom. What’s not to like about a library with the goddess of smart knitters in the lobby?! Especially when the banners on Nicollet Mall were so much fun?! This one reads “Meet Batgirl, Librarian!”

Back on the home front, we return to my foot, obviously in great danger…

“You thought I maybe was kidding about snagging the socks?!”

Some things to check out: Susan’s having a contest for her birthday. Sallee’s coordinating knitting for C4C (Clothes for Crisis – showing people in trouble that we care) and KnitRed (knitting to raise awareness of women’s heart disease) – stop by and see how you can help.Let’s keep our fingers crossed that Blogger plays nice today and let’s us post and comment, eh?!!

Oh, and I found this odd little note tucked into my bag this morning:

Dear Bella,

I am writing to you out of my deep respect and concern for your well-being (and since I am convinced that you are a cat trapped in a dog’s body). I am not sure if you are aware of what is going on, but it appears that your mom is plotting against you. It sounds like she is bringing another furbaby into your household, by name of “Louie” – are you aware of this?! I suggest that you take immediate measures to thwart this diabolical plot. Such treachery cannot be allowed.

Yours truly, with purrs and licks,

Chaos

Tales of the Neighborhood

In which I venture downtown

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It’s been ages since I was in downtown Minneapolis, so yesterday after work I wandered my way downtown. I found a few Project Spectrum pictures, such as this blurb advertising the new City Center – if you look closely, you can see me reflected behind the “o” in “people.”

A map kiosk on Nicollet Mall, illustrating the somewhat confusing streets of downtown.

The Foshay Tower, as reflected in the IDS Center.

The famous spot on Nicollet Mall where Mary Tyler Moore tossed her hat in the air in the credits of the show.

And away from downtown, here’s the other, very Project Spectrum side of that cat-infested billboard. I love how the cat butts stick up over the top! (As always, click on the picture to see it better.)

I finally finished my Meilenweit Cotton socks! I confess to making sure I finished them in June, so they’d be both May and June Project Spectrum…

“You shall pay for the bib incident! Pay in snagged socks! Bwah ha ha!”

Knitting, Those Cats

Bibbed

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Little did Chaos suspect what evil lurked in the heart of his mom as he lounged by the newly finished Mason-Dixon Knitting baby bib (knit from one ball of Sugar’n’Cream, color possibly Midnight Magic).

“What have I done, that you would punish me so?!”
“No, I can’t bear for everyone to see me like this…”
“I’m so ashamed.”
Alongs, Tales of the Neighborhood

L is for…

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Library. I love the public library. I only live about six blocks away and I’m at the library two to three times every week. (And no, it’s not just because of the cute guy who works there. Sheesh.)

The old Walker Library. It’s been a thrift store and a spa and is currently sitting empty and for lease.

Across Hennepin Avenue, the new(er), mostly underground Walker Library.

The library is underneath this lawn!

While Chaos has never been to the library (I’m thinking he would be a bit disruptive), he is very fond of library books…

Randonymity, Those Cats

Red tuna at night

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A big thank you to Just a Knit Wit (aka Kelly), who sent Chaos and I a sweet care package. Great timing – it arrived during a totally crazed day at work on Friday and cheered me up immediately.

It included a lovely skein of Kureyon, some mini Tootsie Pops (used to calm my equally crabby coworkers!), a tin of Knitting Girl mints, a Hershey’s pencil, red and grey mini-tuna toys for Chaos (clever!), a mysterious tin…*

and a great cd of Celtic music to listen to while knitting!

The tin contained a stunning black cat bookmark and two very fun bracelets, one of which has a little sheep and says “I Luv 2 Knit.”

Thanks, Kelly! Oh, and I think that Chaos likes the tiny red tuna (TRT):


“Yeeeeeee-ha!”

*As always, click on the pictures to see larger versions.
Alongs, Those Cats

Trek that lace, baby

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For Trek Along with Me, I’ll be knitting with Trekking 78, a lovely combination of purples and a hint of blue for Project Spectrum June.

“This is a particularly tasty shade of Trekking. I recommend it to all discerning kitties out there.”

I’m sort of hindered in the first Amazing Lace challenge, because unlike some, I’ve never seen the Amazing Race. Hey, I don’t get any tv stations. Cut me a break, will ya?So, last night the team met for the first time. On the left, we have Mim’s Adamas Shawl pattern, handily mounted on a magnetic board and stand (gadget geek alert!). In the front, we have a skein of Christine’s Fingerpaints laceweight yarn in Cabernet (with some blue, for Project Spectrum June!). On the right… we have, well, chaos.

“Cabernet? Are you sure? I’m thinking it’s actually a really good pinot noir.”

Greetings are exchanged among the team members.

*sniff sniff sniff*

Oh, dear, I’m afraid that not all team members have the same goal…

“Bwah-ha-ha!”

Dyeing

In which I discover that purple is hard to photograph – who knew?

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You might become confused while reading this post and think that we’ve skipped right over June Blue to July Purple in Project Spectrum. Do not be alarmed. Do not adjust your calendar. June still awaits.

When I posted about our weekend dyeing adventures, everyone was most interested in seeing the shocking purple yarn. Of course, I managed to not take any pictures of the ultraviolet before I started overdyeing it with black, but Jeanne will affirm that it was too purple. Neither of us believed such a thing was possible, either – until we saw the yarn.

Anyway! Here’s the first skein – it was a cream-colored fingering weight 80% wool/20% cashmere blend, courtesy of the thrift store. I think I have enough yardage for a lacy winter scarf. Dyed with Country Classics Spring Violet, overdyed with Raven.

This skein was dyed with Spring Violet and a dash of Raven and came out the exact shade I wanted – no overdyeing was necessary. The yarn was cream-colored laceweight Zephyr, 50% merino/50% silk. Um, yardage is a lot. I have to weigh it later and figure out how much I actually have. It will become a shawl someday, but probably not for the Amazing Lace. I need to start this shawl business slow, with a smaller first project!

This tangle was two skeins of cream-colored Silky Wool (65% wool/35% silk), wound on a warping board to stripe. I’m planning to make a pair of cushy house socks for next winter from this (assuming I get it untangled sometime this year). The purple was Spring Violet, later overdyed with Raven. The grey was Blueberry and Raven, later overdyed with Raven. I’ll probably try overdyeing the grey with Raven one more time, to see if I can get it to be a more true and less blue grey.

“Did you see that?! Shhhh… I’m trying to distract Mom so I can drag this comfy cat bed away to my lair.”