Thank the Gods it's the Weekend!

This week was exhausting, but I've had a nice weekend so far...
On Friday night, after work I went with eighteen of my co workers into NYC to see the Broadway musical, Memphis. We ate at Carmine's just across the street from the theater. The food was amazing. Since entering my second trimester (I'm 6 and a half months now) I feel like I can't stop eating so the meal was great for me, delicious and seemingly endless. The musical dealt with prejudice and race issues, but had a lot of humor and upbeat music. The set design was great. Not even a seriously ripping migraine could have brought me down.

And for sure I was out yesterday Knitting in Public @ Stix - n - Stitches in Montclair, NJ. Haven't been there in a super long time.

There's Mom armed with her camera. She'll have more pics from the day...
Here's Pat working on a crochet skirt for her granddaughter




While there, I purchased yarn and started on a poncho for the baby (still weird to say I'm having a baby sometimes...was beginning to feel like to would never happen towards the end there).




I'm using Vintage by Berroco to make the poncho. The pattern is from the book Knit Baby Blankets by Bev Galeskas. Here's the Ravelry LINK.
I'm only doing two colors instead of the three the pattern calls for. I have never used this yarn, but love it. It has all the squishy springiness of Ultra Alpaca without the slight fuzz - good for you to use, Mom.

My sister presented me with a beautiful diaper bag...but I'll post about all my baby stuff later.

In the evening we went to a surprise 60th birthday party for our friend, Karen. The cake was frickin' remarkable.




How cool is that!
Karen was totally surprised. The baby and I chowed down on tons of food...




All in all, a scrumptious weekend...I love my students, but do I really have to go back on Monday????

Lots'a Yarn

Last weekend Mom and I stopped at Yarn Diva in Hillsdale while out. She wound up buying me a Knit Kit. I think Pat said someone had asked her if it was a birth control kit.:)

Pat got her one and she was looking to spread the addiction. As she said on her blog, Mom added a needle to the kit. I'll be doing that too. Above the Knit is pictures from the front with some really vibrant Jitterbug yarn that I picked up at Yarn Diva. Below I'm posting a shot of the back of the Knit with some Aussi sock. That is the same yarn (different colorway) as the yarn I used for the Mary Thank You Socks.

I still have the Lapis Hederas on the needles here next to me. I'm thinking I may give those to Mary as well.

I've made a lot of progress on the BSJ for Mrs. B's new grandbaby.

I think I'm going to make something for the big brother of the new baby, Alex, but I'd want it to be crochet. I've been missing crochet so much. I also sleep with a crochet blanket every night and it's just as snuggly as any knitting! So I'm considering making this Spiderman blanket (Ravelry Link). I'd make one for Griff too, and I'd hope to make one for my other co-worker's son. We will see...that is a buttload of blanket!

Still working on my Clapotis.

It's taking much longer than I'd thought, but then again it is sockish yarn. And it does feel really nice. It's for me, so I'm in no rush.

I've done NOTHING to get ready for school. A little web design on my class site, but it sux so I'll need to re do it. The company that we teachers have our sites through makes good design difficult. Tomorrow (gulp) I'm planning to go in.

Mom, Pepper, and I were supposed to see Julie and Julia today but Pep got sick. Mom and I hadn't been to Stix-n-Stitches in a gillion years so we drove up to Montclair. I miss going there b/c the staff is great. They are so helpful and make everyone feel at home. They truly are a bunch of wonderful broads.

So I'd seen online that another store that had once been in Montclair had relocated. Mom and I decided to drive by and found that they'd moved down the block from Stix. I found this very puzzling. I wish them the best with their venture, and I know Stix will support a fellow yarn store in any appropriate way, but why would you open up a store down the block from another that sells the exact same merch? I also doesn't feel the same as Stix. If I need Rowan and don't want to drive into Hoboken to Patricia's I guess I'd go there, but otherwise I don't think I will. And I think I'd feel totally uncomfortable asking for help there.

While at Stix I finally got to spend the rest of my gift cert from Mom and Dad from December...yes, December! I was really looking for Flat Feet but I couldn't find any. Here's the loot I did get...

Although I love blues I'd never purchased an all blue sock yarn so there it is and it feels great.

I saw that they had all this Araucania Patagonia on sale so I went nuts with that.

I really love this yarn. A few years back I made one of my first sweaters out of it. I don't think I ever posted the final result...I know it's not on my Ravelry, so here's that...

I made it with a huge hood modeled after my favorite sweater ever, some cheep, fuzzy, black cardigan I got for $5 or so at some discount store when I was in college. Both the Patagonia one and the original are very warm, only good for late fall or winter. I knitted on a smaller needle with the cotton to make it heavy and very insulating. I wear it and the original one every day under my coat in the winter.

While at Stix I picked up some yarn to make a fair isle hat with Mom from Brooklyn Tweed's new book (Mom's a Jared Flood fan). Here's the Ravelry link.

The yarn is Fresco from Classic Elite. I eliminated the white from the pattern and changed it to black (I do white as little as humanly possible; my day glow 'how is she a Latin lady' skin it pale enough for any outfit I may wear). There's a pic from Ravelry of the finished fair isle along with a pic of the crochet hat I'm working on now, Raspberry Beret, from the most recent Crochet Today magazine.

Here's what my Raspberry Beret (love that name:) looks like so far...

A bit blurry, but you can see mine it far more grapie. I was originally working on it in Berroco Ultra Alpaca and just b/c I tend to crochet and knit like I'm strangling someone I didn't like the way it was coming out. This is Cascade 220, and the feel is much softer and is better for the pattern.

I did get one more thing at Stix. I saw this woman lugging tons of bags into the store. I didn't know why she was there, but I felt bad she had to do all that on her own. I wish my knee wasn't so screwed up 'cause I would have preferred to help her bring the bags down the steps into Stix, but the least I could do and did was to hold the door so she could just breeze in once she got her shit down stairs. When she was finally done Mom joked that she now needs to pay me in yarn b/c I was such and excellent door lady. She then proceeded to ask me if I like cool or warm colors and handed me a kid socks size piece of Flat Feet.

Turns out she was a yarn company rep and was there to show Sheila (Stix owner) new Fiesta and Flat Feet (really stunning new Fiesta!). I don't ever do shit expecting things back or b/c I'm thinking of the 3 fold law, although I do believe doing good always brings you good in return simply by just feeling good. I just do whatever little shit I do for others b/c that's what every one should do. And really, holding the door? That's just a little bullshit thing. That was really nice that she gave me yarn and I was touched.

In non knitting news...I'm silly often and one silly thing I do every year is watch the tv show Big Brother. This season I've chosen to cheer for Kevin Campell to win.

He was smart to lay low most of the game and although I guess his house mates would disagree he was as loyal as he could be to his allies while still taking part in the game play and not forgetting that he's playing for money. I think this loyalty mixed with reasonable self preservation will come to be the argument for him to win a freakin buttload of cash if he makes it to the end. Go Kevin!!

And don't forget...PROJECT RUNWAY IS BACK!!!!!! More on that next post.

First Fair Isle at Stix

We missed Flynnie, who was feeling very under the weather, when half the ChalkDust Knitters went to Stix and Stitches for a Fair Isle lesson with Sunday. Pepper had already been practicing, so she and my mom took to it pretty quick. K and I, however, two throwers, stumbled a bit, but we both got it (at least I hope I did).




The second part of the lesson will be next Friday. Sunday from Stix is one of the most talented knitters I've ever met. She's really this incredible wealth of knowledge. The pattern is the Nordic Headband by Heidi Nyberg. Ravel it and the PDF is right on there for free, but here's her blog. I'm planning on turning it into a hat; the pattern is very pretty.
I've also done some more work on Griffin's Tomten, adn bought the yarn for his cousin, Sophia's as well.

I took some stash pics too for Ravelry, and took this one of two favorites...

Araucania Pehuen and Philippa Gregory. Are they making Pehuen again? I've seen some of the newer Araucania labels...they all kinda look the same...on pics of Pehuen on Flickr. That's one of my favorite yarns and I would love them to bring it back into production. It's a cotton boucle incase you haven't seen and fell in love with it, and it feels awesome.

7-23-2005, Aurora's Estate Sale, Tomten for Griffin, and Central Park Hoodie

Tomorrow Mr.G and I will have been married for three years. We were going to go away but between my knee injury and all this stuff going on with Aurora's (my late mother-in-law) estate we were unable. So we'll be bonding in the tri state area tomorrow.

Aurora's estate sale was this past weekend. I would suggest that if anyone reading this every finds themselves in the position to have to sell the belongings of someone you cared for to hire professionals if at all possible. This is also a reminder to myself...may I never forget how emotionally hard this was even with help and not do this on my own ever.

The company we hired is called Dusty Old Bags. It's two women and their husbands who come into the home, research and price things, and then conduct the sale. I just sat in the background. The sale was Saturday and Sunday. Saturday I was there with the help of the DOB ladies and their hubbies as well as Mom and Pepper. This was the more difficult of the two days. Some people came in like beasts, throwing Aurora's things around in order to find what they were looking for. Some people tried (and I'm sure some were successful) pocketing things. Loosing whatever dollar or so we would have made off the stolen items wasn't what bothered me, it was just the thought that something my mother in law had used was stolen from within her own house. Some people were very mean, I assume not knowing or caring that there were family members in the house and criticized my mother in law's taste, spending habits ("What kind of person spends so much money on herself," sort of stuff). She did spend a lot of money on herself. She was a shopaholic. She was not proud of the fact, and told me that she wished she weren't that way. It did not make her a bad person, but the way some of those people spoke...There were two girls in particular. Both had the I've-Plucked-My-Eyebrows-To -Oblivion-&-Now-They'll-Never-Grow-Back disease. Wherever you are, ladies, may this message be carried on the wind to you...you're emotional age needs to catch up to your late twenty something but somehow saggy faces! Get thee to a salon to get thy brows done properly! Three fold, man, that's just what I kept telling myself.

Some people said really nice things, ("This lady had great taste," or "This is someone's home and stuff we're going through, how sad.") Those people were like a breath of fresh air and I hope their actions come back to them as well. Kind words meant so much.

So now her house is almost empty. The basement is still a hell hole. I've found so much stuff...pictures, keepsakes, precious documents, but until Sunday I hadn't found very much baby stuff from Mr. Grimm Witch's childhood. Late Sunday night I was tunneling through the ancient grilling utensils, bills from 1987, broken glass, fake flowers, etc and found it. Like some wooden crate out of Indiana Jones, preserved and forgotten, a box of baby shower paraphernalia circa 1974, and three baby books, one for my husband, one for my brother-in-law, and a thin pamphlet dated 1927 for their dad. I also found a heap of slides with cherubie baby images of my b-i-l and husband as well as 8mm films...Disney World, Great Adventure, and all you Jersey kids...there might be pics of Jungle Habitat! I feel a lot better having found that stuff.

So I started this tomten for Griffin - who, by the way, is one of the most beautiful children ever born (aren't they all, though:)

No, I have not finished his ripple blanket, but I'm almost done. It's just the yarn felt so great! The label says Raggi Jarbo Garn. I have to look into this on Ravelry. They had a girlier yet awesomely unbabyish colorway of the same stuff at Stix and I think I'll make his cousin a tomten as well out of that so they can match.

Still working on the Central Park Hoodie.

Moving along.

ChalkDust Knitters Blog

I've been a bit busy as far as a school teacher's summer goes (I haven't worked during the summer since the summer before I got married so usually it's just sitting around at Mom's house b/s-ing and watching the View or something). With physical therapy for my knee injury, knitting, school, and taking care of loose ends my mother-in-law left behind, I've had a pretty packed summer so far.

The group of women I knit with have met up a few times. It was good because I really missed them. I made a blog for the group to help us schedule meetings, and keep connected. I suppose it may come in handy, if not I'll chuck it, but the free layout looks so darn cute, even with a pinky pink pattern (I may be a hot pink and pitch girl, but you'd never catch me in pepto pink - flashback to Catholic High School - Eek!).




Just over the weekend we went to Stix-n-Stitches one day and plan to go back soon. We went to eat at Raymond's in Montclair as per Stix-n-Stitches' Monica save-the-day suggestion. Thank you! I had been dying for eggs, and they were perfect. When we walked in I realized I'd seen the place's add in Weird NJ.

If you love Jersey and weird stuff you need to get yourself a copy of this magazine. I've been collecting them for about nine years. Weird NJ comes out twice a year, and the web site, while cool, doesn't do the mag justice. This new one, seen here with my new clear, pink ribbon bag from Stix and the beginning of my Central Park Hoodie, is a particularly interesting issue.

9 Days Left!

I am so ready for summer to come. I want to get out of work. My school seems to be disintegrating structurally, mirroring the same errosion in the behavior in some of the staff. People are treating others with such disrespect that I've found it very frustrating, and can't seem to put some issues aside.

School is also very difficult. I'm constantly reading (and knitting at the same time), but it's so much work right now with work from work and other things. My mother helped me grade my students' finals b/c it just would not have gotten done in two evenings. Thanks, Mom!

Aurora, my mother in law who recently passed, left us quite a challenge in her home. She kept everything, even stuff people just shouldn't keep...old bills, old catalogues, etc, use your imagination. Hopefully we'll be heading out in a few moments to do some more work over there. The week she dyed we were there from early in the morning until seven or so each night working non-stop.

On the knitting front. My other friend is having her baby shower next week so I need to have these two things done... the Cotton Baby Surprise and this Easy Ripple Baby Blanket






Hopefully all this will be done before next Saturday.

If time allows, Mom, Pepper, and myself will be taking part in the World Wide Knit in Public day next Saturday after the baby shower. We'll hopefully be going to the knit out at Stix-n-Stitches. Go to the Knitting in Public web site and see if a place near you is holding an event.

Other than that, I've started a sock, my first!



And I'm still working on writing a pattern...this lace top down thing...eh...I don't know...









Crappy pictures, but you get the idea.

Ann Hood Rocked!...now check out the pics

I'm on the couch in the second pic. Mom's next to me, and Pepper's got her red bandana on....
Stix-n-Stitches Blog

And, if you stop by SnS and would like to grap a bite to eat, Monica from the store reminded me the name of the italian place is Mama Giola's. Thanks Monica:)

Ann Hood rocked Stix-n-Stitches and Pepper, Zel, and Mom bake some yarn cakes

The Chalkdust knitters had a blast last night when Ann Hood visited Stix-n-Stitches. We ate out at a near by italian place - the name escapes me - but it's up the block from SnS and the food was fabulous! We talked shop as we chowed down, and had these freshly baked scrumptious deserts. I will check out the name next time I'm up there.

Once we were done we went back to the store and were knitting when a blond with a funky leopard print winter coat blew in to the shop. Ann was humble and down to earth, chatting with people in the store before finally taking her spot in the center of the room to speak to us. If anyone reading this has the opportunity to hear Ann speak, get your tush there and make sure you stuff four pounds of Kleenex in your pockets before leaving the house. She was just as moving as she was hysterical.

While there I picked up some more of the same Filatura Di Crosa Baby Zarella I made the Vibrant Tomten from -still not done, but almost- and started this blanket. The pattern's from Stick-Legged Girl. She made it out of Cotton Ease, but I'm trying it with what I've got.



Last night while at Stix-n-Stitches we bought some ball winding parafenalia and spent the morning winding cakes of yarn. Even Maggie joined in to leand a helping paw.


I've ripped out the Cable Tomten several times, but hopefully this will be the incarnation I'll stick with. My friend's baby is not due until the summer, at this rate maybe I'll be done by the time the kid's in high school:)



PS
A pic of Mom's Bobble Sweater

The Chalkdust Knitters to see Ann Hood on Friday!!

I thought that would be a good name for us...Chalkdust Knitters...working in education and knitting...anyway...
US consists of Mom, Pepper (my sister), another middle school teacher, and an elementary school administrative assistant. We are going to Stix-n-Stitches on Friday to a book reading by Ann Hood, author of The Knitting Circle: A Novel. We're planning to eat out first (good), and then a night of literature and knitting (double good).

On the knitting front, almost done with the vibrant tomten and I started a heather green tomten with cables in the front for a friend of mine who it expecting.