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August 30, 2005
Moving Forward
Ah, what a week. First off, thank you all for coming through with the caption contest entries. Last night at Stitch 'n bitch I enlisted Janet's help in judging, and the winner is....
.........drum roll...........
"Mime:" French for "damn ugly."
I'm still not certain what the prize will be, but I'll be deciding and sending it off soon. I'll probably post the next contest next week, as I have Thursday afternoon and Friday off of work this week, and don't imagine I'll be spending a lot of my time of at the computer.
I've started on my second sock, and am about 3/4 of an inch past the end of the toe shaping as of the end of lunchtime today... the foot is definitely the easiest part of this sock pattern, so I expect that to go quite speedily. By the way - m1s aren't exactly super fun on size 1 needles, and the k2togs in the cuff patterning are a real bitch. They might be easier on a metal needle, but I like the not-excessive-but-still-noticeable friction of the reinforced pony pearl plastic needles I'm using. Perhaps once I get to the cuff I'll try switching and see if it goes faster.
More of the titular moving forward has happened in my non-knitting life. I filled out my divorce papers and they are being notarized today (I didn't even know my dad's a notary public until this came up. Kind of nice, though, since I won't have to pay him!) We won't be filing until early next month, when the last of the financial entanglement gets untangled, but it's good to have all of the paperwork taken care of. We should be able to waive the mandatory OR 90-day waiting period since it's such a simple matter and neither of us is contesting anything... so I'll be back to my maiden name in a matter of weeks!
Also, I lost 4 pounds this week. My mom and I decided to join Jenny Craig together - weight watchers just wasn't working for me this time... since I can't do much cooking, and I get home late most nights, etc, I just didn't have the energy, focus, and drive necessary to stick to it well. Having just finished my fist week on JC, and having no difficulties with it at all, I'm extremely optimistic. It seems to be the right balance between structure and flexibility for my life right now, and the food is shockingly good. I'm also going to be going on a cruise down the west coast of Mexico with my family this December, so I'd like to feel more confident about how I'm looking by then. Besides, less weight = less yarn and time and money required to knit something for myself!
Posted by Shannon at 04:07 PM | Comments (3)
August 25, 2005
Halfway house?
I have finished two knitted objects so far this week, but I don't have any official FOs to show for it. Why's that? Well, apparently I am knitting for half a person:
I started the fingerless glove over the weekend, in Artful Yarns Virtue (100% cashmere!!!) that I got on sale at Lint. Finished it at lunch on Wednesday - a great quick knit, and sooo soft. I have a couple of balls of this yarn in a turquoise colorway that I think I'll use to make some gloves as an xmas present for my mom this year.
The sock I finally bound off today... I didn't get any suggestions out of my blog plea, so I did a bit of looking around and used this tip for a stretchy bind-off in k2p2 rib. I have tried it on and it fits beautifully! Now to start its mate.
Edited to add: I want to do another caption contest, but I've only gotten a measly 2 entries for the first one (no offense to the first 2 captioners... they are great, but I was hoping for more VOLUME). Prizes, people - come on! Clicky, clicky and comment!
Posted by Shannon at 04:47 PM | Comments (3)
August 23, 2005
Backtack, Backtack!
You may have noticed that since I sent off my own backtack creations, I haven't mentioned it on here again - well, I never heard a word from my gift-giver... However, the organizers set me up with an angel - the fabulous Kelli, who promptly put together a wonderful package, which I received yesterday. The needle roll and tote bag are made from fabric that she brought back from Africa, and she also included some needles and notions, a great mix CD, and a bar of chocolate (not shown because I immediately stashed it in my desk at work for emergency use.)
The needle roll is already in use - all of my straight needles (most of which I inherited from my grandma, were gathered up in an old plastic grocery bag tucked in with my yarn... so I pulled it out and filled up the roll. This is so much better:
Thank you so much, Kelli - I am thrilled with my gifts.
Posted by Shannon at 03:42 PM | Comments (3)
August 18, 2005
Playing Footsy
Look!
It's my sock, almost done. In fact, all I have left to do is bind off... but first I am in search of tips on how to bind off a toe-up sock in such a way that it won't be too tight... can anyone help?
As a bonus, here are my fabulous blog minions trying on a pair of Homer Simpson slippers at Target after our stitch 'n bitch on Monday.
Personally, I don't want Homer sucking on my feet, but hey, whatever floats your boat.
Posted by Shannon at 03:13 PM | Comments (1)
August 17, 2005
Caption Contest v1
Welcome to Confessions of a Craft Addict's newest feature!
I believe I have mentioned before that I brought back a number of vintage pattern books and magazines from my grandma's stash during my trip out to Kansas last year... well, I've finally gone through and picked out some of the best gems, and will be sharing them with you - however, instead of snarking on them myself (or potentially in addition to), I'll be holding caption contests. The prizes are yet to be determined, but they will exist. Just leave your captions in the comments, and be as ruthless as you want ;-)
So, here's the first installment. Ready? Set? Snark!
Posted by Shannon at 04:57 PM | Comments (6)
The Vortex and other topics
Still in catch-up mode from my oopsy-hiatus...
After the yarn harlot's visit to Portland, I immediately immersed myself in TribalQuest Northwest, a festival/convention/what have you for tribal style bellydancers, put on every year in Portland by Gypsy Caravan.
For those of you reading who aren't into the middle eastern dance scene (probably most of you ;-) - there are a few main categories that modern bellydancing fits into... Folkloric (traditional dances with ethnically correct dress), Cabaret (what you usually see in the movies/tv/restaurants, etc... sequins and beads and chiffon, etc), and Tribal (a bit earthier styling, dress borrows from many cultures but is likely to look more 'ethnic' than cabaret - more coins than sequins, etc. - also tends towards fusion with lots of other things... goth/urban/bollywood/etc...) This is a huge oversimplification, but hopefully you get the idea. Anyway, tribal is my style of choice, and the focus of this festival.
So I went to the Thursday night showcase, which was tons of fun, especially the duo from Urban Gypsy, from Texas, who came out in western-inspired costuming, including cowboy hats, and danced (complete with zill-playing) to 'dueling banjos'! Then I went to the Friday night potluck (dancing around the fire-pit, whee!) I took 1 workshop on Saturday and 1 on Sunday, did lots of shopping, and also went to the Saturday night feature show (So incredible. I would have to write way too much to review it... although I will say that I was incredibly moved by InFusion's piece) and afterparty.
Here you see me, wearing my most expensive and exciting purchase (the hair... it's in 10 sections that braid in and come back out - so fun!), along with Cammie Vance - who used to dance with Gypsy Caravan, but has now moved to New York - and a current Gypsy Caravan member whose name I don't know.
It turns out that Cammie is in town for almost 2 months, so I'm now taking a 5 week class with her - and it is the best workout I've ever gotten from a dance class. One of the odd things I noticed at TQNW was that although people from the studio I have been taking classes at, Euphoria Studios performed, vended, and took workshops, none of them came to any of the social events (the potluck, the afterparty, and nobody who wasn't performing was at the Thursday showcase.) Seeing as we're located right here in the same town, that felt a bit weird to me... although the only people who have ever seemed especially friendly to me at Euphoria are the owner, and people who don't dance there any more. I met a bunch of the members and students of Gypsy Caravan over the weekend, though, and they were all incredibly nice. So, I've decided that after my class with Cammie is over, I'll be switching over and taking my classes with Gypsy Caravan (which just happens to also be less expensive and easier transportation-wise, hooray!)
Okay, I've rambled on about the dancing enough... back to the craftier topics. I have completed about 1/3 of my rayon ribbon tank, now to be known as the Vortex:
Why the Vortex? Well, take a closer look at what happened after I started working the body in the round:
Do you see the way that the colors are arranging themselves into nested spirals? As much as I love spirals (and I do), I don't think that they would look very good wrapped around me quite like that - I don't think that "threaded like a screw" is a particularly flattering look for a fat girl - or anyone, for that matter. Fortunately, I did put in a lifeline right before I cast on the stitches for the back, so I will be able to easily rip back to that point and knit this in 2 pieces, which should alter the patterning enough to make it work, I hope.
Since my tank wasn't working, I decided to take up porcupine wrestling:
My first sock, enjoying the view.
I'm using the Pine Tree Toe Up Socks pattern from WiseNeedle, and have actually gotten far further than that picture shows... I'm actually about an inch and a half of cuff from done. Hopefully I'll be able to show you a more updated progress pic tomorrow.
In 'my-chaotic-life' news, D and I are going to be getting a divorce, which is sad but I've really done most of my grieving already, and it certainly feels good to have a definitive decision made. I am not going to be moving to Seattle - and probably would not have even if I'd been offered one of the jobs I applied for, I just decided I'd really rather stay here. I got a nice raise at work, which also helps. And, seeing as I will be debt-free once things with D get worked out, and I am now making more, I am starting to look into buying a condo sometime late this year or early next.
Posted by Shannon at 11:13 AM | Comments (1)
August 16, 2005
Belated Harlotry
I have too much blogging to do for one catchup post so I'm going to do a number of smaller updates over the next few days to bring myself current... I'm beginning with my very late recount of Stephanie's Portland visit.
I met up with my stitch & bitch girlies at Powell's ahead of time, and we browsed a bit, then headed upstairs to claim seats. The woman who introduced Stephanie seemed to be put a bit off-balance by the crowd of enthusiastic knitters, especially when she mentioned that we could check out her blog at "www.yarnharlot.com" only to be met with a chorus of "DOT-C-A" from the audience...
Once she took the podium, and her pictures, Stephanie kept us all laughing for a good hour and a half, I'd guess. She was totally charming and hilarious and I can't wait until her next bookbookbook and tourtourtour.
See that wall? Powell's has their author readings in a section that is otherwise used as an art gallery. One of my favorite moments of her visit was when one of the audience members, who had earlier blamed the harlot for starting her on a lace habit, finished her shawl. Stephanie mentioned that she could go wet it down in the bathroom and find someplace to block it right away (hee), then someone else suggested that the acoustical wall would be perfect, and another person said "hey, aren't those T-pins?" (that the artwork was hanging from). After confirmation that they were, I'm pretty sure that the Powell's staffers in the back of the room were bracing themselves to rush in and defend their art gallery from the onslaught of rabid knitters intent on blocking. However, seeing as we were a group of Oregonians with a visiting Canadian, it didn't go any further.
I did get a picture with her in the signing line, however, I'm apparently a bit Canadian myself - I wasn't willing to ask her to inconvenience herself by actually standing up:
My photo was taken by Ilona and Josie, who Stephanie decided were my blog minions. Don't you all wish you had minions, too - particularly minions this cute?
Ok, kids, I've gotta get busy... more tomorrow.
Posted by Shannon at 04:57 PM | Comments (1)
August 15, 2005
Thought of the day
Courtesy of Duff at GirlReaction and her 9 year old cousin, Brandon:
"The Infinite Wisdom of Youth.
Some people are like Slinkies.
They're really good for nothing.
But they still bring a smile to your face when you push them down a flight of stairs."
Posted by Shannon at 04:11 PM | Comments (3)
August 03, 2005
Oops
It seems that I've gone on an unintentional hiatus from the blog... My standard posting time has been during downtime at work, and there has been far less of that lately, so I've been neglecting my poor little site... looks like I'm going to have to find a new time to post!
So, here's a condensed version of recent events, with more to come (no, really!) soon:
1- I'm off to Powell's tonight for some Harlotty goodness with my s'n'b girlies! So excited...
2- Had a job interview up in Seattle on Tuesday, looks like potentially a very good prospect. I should know by early next week if they want me...
3- Met the Purlygirls (Which google thinks should be bubblegirls, for some reason) - since I drove up to Seattle on Monday night, missing my knitting night, I went to theirs. Lovely ladies, and it was great fun getting to meet them (including the 1 week old newest member!)
Okay, I'm gonna leave it at that (call it part one) 'cause I need to get off to the bookstore!
Posted by Shannon at 04:39 PM | Comments (3)
