swallowtail shawl – Behind the Smile

August 11, 2008June 24, 2010

I’ve fallen and I can’t get up.

…That’s what you’ll hear when my sock yarn collection collapses upon me. Yes yes, I bought more, shut up:

How could I resist real wool sock yarn from a big box chain store? I couldn’t, I tell you what. Actually, I have some Kroy socks that have held up quite well – but have never actually seen it in stores (I think I ordered one skein from Herrshners back in the day, not realizing that I probably should have gotten two…footies ahoy!). Anyway, I got the Kroy and the new Soles & More (the Joann Sensations line) at JoAnn’s Superstore the other day, after my initial shock that they Actually Had Sock Yarn wore off. The Red Heart Heart & Sole (awkward!) I got at a Michael’s in Redding. I don’t know if they have it at “our” Michael’s in Pleasant Hill, but that Michael’s kind of sucks – I prefer the Michael’s in Antioch, which always seems to stock more stuff AND I can go to when I’m killing time before a Brentwood board meeting.

Anyway, my initial impression on the yarn, just by touch is favorable. The Heart & Sole (Red Heart) feels VERY similar to the new Lion Brand Sock Ease, and also boasts aloe in it, much like the Sockease and also Austermann Step. The Kroy is surprisingly soft, and the colors quite vibrant. Also: stripey! Yay!

Anyway, the other thing I did was finally block the Swallowtail Shawl in some floral-scented Soak, and it turned out magnifique! What a great pattern.

Closeups:

Pattern stats:

Pattern: Swallowtail Shawl by Evelyn Clark (available for free on her website)
Yarn: Araucania Ranco Solid in Daffodil (Purchased at nearby LYS Fashion-knit)
Needles: US 4 29″ circulars, Susan Bates
Mods: None, except for I didn’t swatch, so I think it’s smaller than it’s supposed to be.
Thoughts: Nupps were easy, I don’t know what everyone is bitching about. I totally used a crochet hook to make them on the purl side, I didn’t even bother with that nasty p5tog. I will totally make nupps again, but then it turns out I am a shameless bobble hussy, so there you go.

Aaaaand, that’s all she wrote.

Next time on Behind the Smile: book reviews and weaving update.

July 17, 2008June 24, 2010

Enter Weaving

Well, I have been waiting rather impatiently for the UPS guy to deliver my birthday present and FINALLY yesterday he did:

It has been a light spot in an otherwise hectic couple of weeks. I have spent the last two weeks training newbies and having to be “on” all the time, which is really tiring when all I want to do is hide in my cubicle and write minutes, you know. (Well kind of, since I hate writing minutes. Anyway.)

I am feeling whingey apparently.

So anyway, yesterday I finally got the loom and put it together while watching the first episode of Project Runway Season 5. I don’t have any readily accessible candles, so I can’t make the loops to attach to the end things yet, but I think I’ll probably do that tomorrow, along with picking up my mom’s blocking wires and blocking the shit out of the Swallowtail Shawl, which is otherwise finished:

Speaking of whining, I don’t see what the big deal is with the nupps on the Lily of the Valley part of the shawl (for the uninitiated, the edge part of the shawl with the “pea pod” like sections). I rather enjoyed them. The P5tog on the wrong side? I totally used a small crochet hook, and the sections went really quick. I like the texture and would totally make nupps on another project. I also really liked the “elastic bind-off” which I think I might use forever more instead of the regular one.

I didn’t use any lifelines on this project, though there are definitely some goofs scattered here and there. I like to call one of them in particular the “Twin Peaks Fuck Up”, even though I will be the only one who knows its even there.

So yeah, Twin Peaks, a big fat WTF towards that television show. I got the first disc from Netflix and watched the first episode, which is supposed to be this iconic moment in television history or whatever and IT WAS NOT INTERESTING.

After I was done watching it I watched the alternate ending for the international release and okay, it totally had a random dancing little person (the guy who played Samson in Carnivale) so while it was weird, it certainly made an impression.

I’m not sure why we are supposed to care about Twin Peaks, and I will not be watching any more of it. Also I went on Wikipedia and spoiled the end for myself, whatever.

The other stupid thing I watched this week was a 1999 adaptation of Mansfield Park (Jane Austen). I’d watched the recent adaption with Billie Piper on PBS earlier this year and other than Billie Piper’s hair, it didn’t make much of an impression on me, so I thought I’d get this other version to compare. I have never read Mansfield Park so I can’t say anything about plot, but I CAN say that this 1999 Mansfield Park was HEINOUS in its interpretation. Also kind of boring. You would think turning a Jane Austen story into a bodice ripper with hints of lesbianism and Jonny Lee Miller would be kind of, well, awesome, but you would be SO wrong that it is not even funny. I’m not even sure what the hell was going on during the whole movie, with Fanny Price talking to the camera and making out with Henry and then rebuffing him, and to top it all off I stayed up stupid late watching it so I was really tired all day today.

So, don’t watch that Mansfield Park unless you don’t know anything about Jane Austen. Jonny Lee Miller was pretty good, but I kind of like him so whatever.

June 28, 2008June 24, 2010

A Week In the Life

I have been run ragged this week, and it’s not over yet! OY VEY.

Last Monday was the last day I was just at home with nothing to do. Oh, Monday, you were great. Tuesday I had a large homeowner’s meeting to record minutes for, Wednesday I had another board meeting to record minutes for, and Thursday I had a Chamber of Commerce mixer, and Friday I went out with my cousin to the movies. So I kind of haven’t been home in forever. Today I am off to Sacramento for a birthday party and tomorrow I am going with the fam to Placerville and a flower farm.

Luckily, next week is a short work week and I don’t have any meetings. Friday is the 4th of July and Saturday is my birthday. I’m hoping that the smoke from the 800 fires dissipates because I REALLY WANT to go peddle boating for my birthday out at the Lafayette Reservoir. However, we are being told to stay inside and not go out and breathe all the smoke. I can understand this – yesterday I was out in Brentwood on a site inspection, and was horking up snot and ash for an hour afterwards. It was still fun, though, Phil and I went off-roading in his golf cart up on the hill, where I hadn’t been before, to survey the goat damage.

So, my cousin Amanda and I went to see Wanted, starring the fawn from Chronicles of Narnia and Angelina Jolie. It was totally not what I was expecting, but it still really great. Completely violent and excessive, which I have really been in the mood for. Earlier this week I got Shoot ‘Em Up from Netflix and THAT is an AWESOME movie, if you haven’t seen it and you enjoy a spot of violence and Clive Owen killing a bunch of people while running around holding a baby, then that is the movie for you! However, not for the faint of heart, so if you are easily bothered by gore and lactating prostitutes (hi google searchers!) then you should probably avoid Shoot ‘Em Up. I loved it a lot however and watched it twice, it was that good.

/end gushing

So I haven’t completely just done nothing. I got a couple boxes in the mail this week. I purchased Norah Gaughan Volume 3 and a couple of the new pattern pamphlets from Berroco and those came quite promptly.
I also finally got my box of stuff I bought in Texas, which had more yarn and all those beads in it. AND I was bad and ordered from the Loopy Ewe.

And I am working on a sock in Araucania Nature Multy:

And a swallowtail shawl:

I’m knitting this shawl in the Daffodil colorway of some Rio de la Plata sock yarn. I really like the yarn, it’s got a great rustic feel to it, and as you can see, the stitch definition is tops. I’m having fun diving into the stash and trying out the different yarns I have. I’m hoping to finish this shawl in time for my cousin’s wedding. Not that I am going to wear a wool shawl to a summer wedding in REDDING but it’s a timeline goal anyway.

Now I am off to the post office to mail a check and my Netflix (Talledega Nights, which was funny but stupid) and get gas, drop off some stuff at the library, and go to Target.

Later taters.