Yarn Ball Boogie

What's "Radical"?

I went to this show a while back:

I was NOT impressed.  As a whole (as the PROGRAM COVER would indicate), the entire show, held at the Museum of Art & Design, was LOOSELY (and I use that word at its loosest) based on the idea of lacy holes in things.  There were a couple little things (and I mean little) that were such small scale they blew my mind.  Not because it was radical or subversive or cool or whatever....just because they were so damned tiny.  That part was awe-inspiring.  How on earth did they knit that small???  The rest of the show was really sculpture-based, with the occasional mention of the knitwear world, but seemed to be written by curators that hoped to tie an art show into the ever-crazed world of knitting.  And the guy that "knits" with cranes and enormous telephone poles or whatever and calls them "needles".  Don't get me started.  No wonder people like simple, good design.

And then you get to the lower level where there is a table set up with your token "come knit with us" group.  It seemed a little awkward.  If you're going to call a show "Radical Lace & Subversive Knitting" - you're going to attract a certain demographic.  And the cute little ladies downstairs certainly didn't appear to have a subervise bone in their bodies.  And the word SUBVERSIVE?  This is just downright confusing.  I would have used the word AVERSIVE instead, and would have rather gone to a Sonia Rykeil fashion show.   I've heard similar feedback from some others who went. 

Anyway, enough ranting.  Speaking of radical (or ugly) - Geometrie is done. 

I got this yarn at Seaport.  It's from the Japanese company Diakeito.  I really like their yarns, they are slightly unusual, albeit very expensive. (Diakeito, not Seaport)  But, I'm ok with the result.  Just ok. 

This is the brim:

Then I balled up the leftovers to finish the triangle top in three parts, later seamed together. 

These were all the colors in the ball.  It was an odd colorway, but I wanted to see if it all worked together.  Maybe, maybe not.  I can't decide.  I think I'm more fond of the shape, effect, etc., than the colors together.  But it was fun actually playing with the leftovers and being ok with throwing away a color I didn't want. 

DEFY, DENY, DASH, DORK

I LOVE this hat.  Malabrigo + quick = MAD LOVE

You know how brims of hats can sometimes be problematic, because they let in air?  Well, this brim is made up of a couple alternating rows of front/back post dc's and a couple rows of sc.  The sc's pull it in a bit, and it snugs up.  Love it.  ok, none of that made ANY sense whatsover.

I think I will only be making hats out Malabrigo (worsted) from now on.  I have this problem when I wear hats for a long time that the brim makes my forehead itch.  But this yarn seems to be the antidote.  I actually wore it around in my apartment last night.  So soft.  I don't know what's in that yarn, but I'm sure it's along the lines of what's in that fast food restaurant's french fries. 

A little better picture of Dash (that's what I'm calling it) that's not so "arty":

Taxy

I got this new stuff I thought I should share.  It's so soft, I can't stand it.  It's from Crown Mountain Farms.  I first saw the name, "Big Yellow Taxi", and I thought, oh yeah.  But, actually seeing it in person: even better.

Sorry about the blur in the second picture.  I'm beginning to think I REALLY like black and yellow.  Remember Calico?

Soiree update....

So I got your emails.   I've already picked out the party drink, I think.   If anyone has dietary restrictions, now would be a good time to tell me.  (and don't get all vegan, no processed this or that, I only eat wood chips on me.) So, I'm going to make the invites, around mid April, and Cassie has promised me her job isn't going to send her to China.  (So everyone must keep on her.) The official name is "The Yarn Ball"  We won't be dressing up in gowns and dancing to Lawrence Welk, though.  And the gatherers will be happy to know they will be among the founding members.  (You know, when we have to start renting out the Javitz and charging for credentials...)  Where is Stephanie when you need her.  Dammit.

Oh the gifts of music and yarn

I decided to go through my CD collection today.  Little did I know it would not only make me feel better having gotten rid of the clutter of music I just KNEW I didn't listen to anymore, but the laughter was an unexpected gift.  I've never proclaimed to have an exquisite taste for music.  In my opinion, there are fewer things that are more subjective.  Will we ever know what makes for "easy" listening?  "Good" music?  "Mood" music?  It all depends.  But two things I DO KNOW FOR SURE are:

1.  I will be throwing away Jewel's "Pieces of You"  (I can't even bring myself to donate it)

2.  I will forever wonder what possessed me to own Celine Dion's "These Are Special Times".  ---apparently they were desperate, lonely times when even Celine Dion's singing meant I had a friend.  Dear Lord.

Other notable titles:

"Ultimate Dance Party 2000" - another Dear Lord

"The Fifth Element" soundtrack

"The Best of the HI LO's."  (who the fuck are they?)

No Doubt's "Tragic Kingdom"

Ryuichi Sakamoto "Smoochy"

Nickelback "Silver Side Up"

And one that perhaps sums things up:

Green Day's "Nimrod". 

There are titles/artists that I will probably hold onto forever just because I'm telling myself they'll be worth a fortune one day (not sure why), or because I choreographed something to it back when my dance company was the coolest thing in Indianapolis, or because they're conversation pieces.   Take Ashley MacIsaac for example.  (Look him up if you don't know who he is) He's into watersports.  (and I DO NOT mean polo)  Now if THAT isn't a conversation starter, I don't know what is.  Oh the gifts of music.  It's truly the gift that keeps on giving.

And then, I had CD's that I obviously bought for one reason ONLY:

I don't care if this boy sang like James Blunt - I STILL would've purchased it.  Dammit.  The whole "sex sells" thing worked on me, too.

Oh yeah, and there's been knitting.  1.) another free pattern (called Viking Tight) is coming as soon as I can get someone to wear the thing and take pictures, and 2.) this pair of socks is almost done.  Then I get to start on the VanGogh swirl socks.  (that'll be a free pattern, too - I just haven't designed them yet)

Swag and Sharing

The excitement of knitting is coming back to me.  When I used to do the magazine design thing, I rarely had any opportunity to enjoy my own yarn, my own time, my own fulfillment.  I had to fit design requirements (or try to - some people are never happy people in general), work with pre-chosen yarn, and chain myself to the floor and tell my roommate things like, "If you see me nodding off with these needles in my hand, 'accidentally' kick me really hard when you walk by", or "If you see my eyes crossing or fingers bleeding, do not call 911...I like it". 

So believe it or not, I'm JUST NOW starting to make friends with it again.  It's like not talking to an old friend for a really long time, and then getting reacquainted with them and their likes/dislikes, how they behave when knitted with Addi's vs. bamboo, how they spin, which dyes they like best, and when things are too loose, you do your best to tighten them up a bit. 

It's the 'ole "When your passion becomes work, it is no longer your passion.  It's work" saying.  Remember telling me that, Cari?  Anyway, whatever.  I could go on and on about it.  I'm finding that the true enjoyment takes a while to really come back.  And now that it has, I'm going to try a little somethin' somethin'.  A little thing I'm going to call "SHARE THE PASSION".  (could be an annual thing, no?)

No rules, no nothin', but a bunch of people at my apartment (1400 sq feet) sitting around knitting and stuffing our faces.  Got kids?  Bring 'em.  Got issues?  Leave 'em at home.  I figure there are enough people here in NYC to make this successful. (that's not a prerequisite, by the way...living in NYC) I've always loved to throw parties and only recently have discovered why I don't do it more is because I hate the drunk people involved.  I can't imagine knitters being as destructive??? 

So I'm going to make up a little invite, send it to whoever asks for it, and we'll do our thing!  (I'll keep my clothes on, though, I promise.)  It ain't that kind of party.  I'm thinking mid-April?  Just when our minds are starting to wind DOWN from the knitting of winter. 

In the meantime, speaking of passion -

This is the "inner rage" roving that Scout and I developed.  It's now a colorway on her site, so go buy some.  There.

Why, I could even just wear it as a scarf and not spin it.  It's so soft, like cotton candy.

Then, I just had to buy the VanGogh sock yarn.  She nailed the colors.  Right on, girl. 

 

Please tell me, 1. if this knit-in at my apartment is a dorky idea, and I'll remove this entire post immediately.  Good grief, how embarrassing...and 2. if you've tried similar things at YOUR apartments with disastrous results.  Wouldn't want that.

Creamy

I don't know if any of you feel the same, but I think I'm at the point in my knitting/crocheting life where I just don't get tickled about much yarn.  That to say, I LOVE yarn just as much as the next fiend, but with all that's going around out there, we've kinda seen it all.  Ok, I'll speak for myself.  I thInk I've pretty much seen it all.  And then moments like this:

This is Farmhouse Yarns from Purl.  I would go so far as to say I became an annoying yarn customer when I saw this.  It's special.  Truly.  It was a yarn moment.  And in true junkie fashion, I saw it, grabbed it, said "Oh yeah..."  *moan* *moan again*....ahhhhhhhhhhh.  And made a beeline to the register.  I got my fix, for sure.  And it couldn't have happened any quicker. 

The yarn: it's called "Lumpy Bumpy" and the dyer's name is Charlene.  Wildflowers colorway on the left, Calico on the right.  I really feel like yarn of this caliber are collector's items.  You know, like a limited edition.  And when you see it, screw what you're gonna MAKE with it!  Just snatch it up!  You never know when another will come along. 

Speaking of Purl, they have posted a lovely little beret pattern calling for one skein of Koigu.  And who doesn't have ONE skein of Koigu?  Or 34?  Anyway, the pattern is on the Purl Bee, their blog. 

In case you needed more encouragement to get some Farmhouse----

Wildflowers:

Calico:

Wildflowers, Calico....Wildflowers, Cal..   OK.

NOT sexy.

I'm no stranger to lapses in judgment, believe me.  Even as recently as 20 or 30 minutes ago, maybe, who knows.  But today, while trying on clothing mostly for the lower half of me, cords, jeans, whatever - I was reminded of many styles of men's pants that are just not ok.  And whoever thought of them should be, well.... And of course I wouldn't try any such garment on in the first place if I could tell what it looks like on me.  That's why we try things "on", right?

First (I think Itried on most of these styles today), we have the "my butt is a chicken cutlet and my legs are toothpicks" pants.  Where NOTHING is fittin' into those suckers except maybe a kneecap or two.  Don't know who designs 'em, can't figure out who can wear 'em.

Next, we have what I call the "Chelsea Boy" jeans.   Somewhere in design land, someone thought it would be really, really hot to design a low (and I mean LOW) riding jean that hot boys wear on a hot summer day with probably not much else than a wife beater (a hot one). Said jeans are particularly skilled at showing off in sparkling detail one's ass, one's pubic hair (unless they've shaved it all), and one perfectly outlined penis.  SO not sexy.  I don't care if you have the most incredible body to all people spanning across all standards of what is an incredible body. And unfortunately, what usually accompanies said jeans is a SCORCHING case of plumber's butt. Men should NEVER wear these. 

This may be a hard act to follow, you think, BUT - then we have the jeans that are cut just so.  Just so your butt (which I hope is a chicken cutlet) is smashed into place and the ass-crack seam is a few inches shorter than normal, consequently creating a strategic wedgie that is supposed to lift and separate.  Bras do that, gents....NOT ass crack jeans. 

Call me cynical, old-fashioned, whatever - but I'm built pretty normal.  I can usually fit into 32 waist garments with no problem, it just depends on the brand.  So when I grab a 32 incher, I really don't expect to look like John Holmes, (not that I ever did) an ice skater in a fancy tight-pant spandex costume, or Shakira.  And the sad truth - SOOOOOO many men think these styles are flattering.  Why?  Why!!!!!!!  Men could learn so much from Women if they just listened.  Leave the ladies' styles to the ladies.  That's what I say.  Don't get me wrong, I'm all for a nice ass and what not, but must you parade it????

So, once again, I sought refuge in my knitting.  I finished WeePair, and I've started another pair.  The yarn is from Fleece Artist, sock-weight yarn, in the "Ivory" colorway.  Many times, I've been known to purchase yarn solely on its color.  Haven't we all?  The "Oh, I dunno what I'm going to make" syndrome.  I particularly feel like I've scored when I see some hand-dyed or what looks like is going to stripe up or pool really cool.  Knitters have an eye for these things.  So this "Ivory" looked like just the ticket.  What am I seeing so far????

NOTHING.

I guess I've been spoiled in the past by getting so many moments like, "OH wow!  Look at that!"  "Look at this SICK pooling!" (yes, I love pooling) "I had NO idea this yarn would do that!!" (yeah, right).

This one is just like, well, Ivory.  I know, I know, wait till the sock is done, John.   One thing I used to tell all my students - "You have no idea what the pattern will look like until you've done a ton of it."  So, I'll wait.   For some reason, the yarn in the picture looks like sandpaper.  I assure you, it's very soft. 

I need ice cream.