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Train Trips and Stitching

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I’m working on another design that’s under contract, which
is why I haven’t been posting many progress photos recently… gotta keep it
under wraps. 
Riding on the train is prime knit and crochet time for
me.  It’s partly because there’s few
distractions.  It’s partly because
something about the movement of the train. 
And it is partly because I can turn on the music, look down at the work,
and get into the zen mode.
On the way down I’ve finished the sleeve to the contracted
project, worked a little on a vest that was hibernating and I’ve dug back out,
and also worked on another square for the log cabin blanket of alternative
techniques.
Basically, I’ve been using the log cabin blanket to work out
some different ideas.  And stashbust.
I’m starting to brainstorm for the final shawl of the four
shawls I’ll be releasing in the next year. 
We’re going toward the winter one. 
I have to balance my desire to just drape a blanket over my shoulders in
the winter with something that is wearable and flattering.  We’ll see what comes out.
What have you been working on lately?

Six Week Saga

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It’s no secret that I’m not the best cook.  I’m not the worst, but if given my druthers, I’d let Michael do all the cooking, and I’d (mostly) happily do the dishes.  I’m prone to intuitive jumps in logic sometimes, which serves me well in knit or crochet… no so much in cooking.  That’s how you get meatballs that are no longer meatballs and turkeyloaf you can pour out of a pan.  (My philosophy for a long time with cooking was if I didn’t understand a step, I’d just skip it.  Hey, as long as it was cooked, it really didn’t matter how it got there, right?  Right?)

But the next six weeks Michael is going to be in in intense summer courses, which means Monday through Thursday I am responsible for the cooking, even on nights I get home late… because Michael will be getting home later.  *wince*  So before this week Michael and I sat down to brainstorm meals we could freeze, prepare before-time, and have ready to go.  That way I’m not tempted to take shortcuts that won’t work or make a mistake because I’m tired.

So… anyone have any good freezer-ready meals, or things that we can do and prep beforehand?  Anything would be good.

Travel, Alone/Lonely, Random Bits, Driving a Manual!

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Michael is traveling for work.  Sometime around my senior year of college I realized I really wasn’t a person that did well living alone.  Now, this is not to say I dislike having alone time.  Being the oldest of four children, I used to beg my mother for some time to play when I did not have to share.  But I always knew I could go back and play with my siblings, or someone.  When I went off to camp I shared a cabin with 7 other girls, and there was always someone to play with.  When I moved to college I had room mates.

That is, until my senior year, when I got a single.  Michael, who I had been dating for a year and a half at the time, was away at sea, and I for various reasons was not as proximal to my friends as I was used to. (Is proximal a word?  If not, I’m pulling a Shakespeare).  I loved being able to set up my room however I wanted for about a week and a half.  Then I kinda just fell apart.  Without a room-mate there really wasn’t anyone to say “maybe you should go to bed” or “maybe you should eat.”  There was no social pressure to shower regularly.  I went to classes because I was a rule follower and because there was social pressure to go to class, but for a semester I was terribly lonely.  It was awful, and it was about then that I realized I really wasn’t happy living alone.  It also took a while for me to develop coping mechanisms to be able to live alone, which involved numerous alarms to remind me to eat, sleep and wake up.

I was so happy when Michael, and many of my other friends the grade below me, finally came back from abroad.  My second semester went much better, especially because Michael practically lived in my room more than his.

Which basically means that when Michael travels, I wander around the apartment looking rather lost.  It helped before we moved that I had a room mate that would basically take me under her wing while he was gone, but now I just sit home alone, and well, it’s kinda sad.  Normally the second or third day I’ll remember how to live alone, but there’s always an adjustment period.

I also have been known to just eat raw veggies and fruit and yogurt and corn while he is gone.  Which is kinda embarrassing.  But really, I don’t even want to eat my own cooking.

~~~

On a brighter note: I drove to the post office and back in the Manual, and only stalled once, in the parking lot, which practically doesn’t even count.  Didn’t stall out or roll back on any of the hills.  And the other day?  I drove across town for an errand by myself.  Be impressed.  This is hard work, when you learned to drive an automatic.

EDIT:  Just to clarify.  I first learned to drive an automatic.  Now I can drive an automatic AND a manual.

Birthday!

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Last week was my birthday and it has now launched me into my
26th year… that is, I’ve completed 25 years of my life.

My sister Rosemary called on the morning of my birthday to
wish me a happy day.  In the course of
our conversation she pointed out to me that I’ve lived a quarter of a
century.  “You know, you’re old,” she
told me from her vantage point of 17 years of age.  “And if you are really unlucky, you’ve now
lived about half of your life.”
“Thanks,” I told her. 
One of the lovely things about being the oldest is my three younger
siblings.  They just love telling me how
old I am.
Later, I went to work at the Yarn Spot, where I got wished
happy birthday again.  There, everyone in
the store was telling me how young I was, “a practical baby.”  It’s amazing the range of reactions turning
25 gets.
I guess I expected 25 to come through with more of a flair,
but I feel like 24 was actually a bigger birthday, in some ways for me.  More was starting or beginning a year ago,
now I’m in a rythmn, and 25 just represents another year turning, a
continuation of the story instead of a new book or new chapter.  This is not a bad thing, as beginning over
and over again can be exhausting.  That
re-forming and re-defining of yourself and your surroundings is tiring.
The weekend following Michael and I had a small birthday
party.  It was supposed to be bigger, but
many people had to step out at the last moment. 
Ellie made me a lovely rainbow confection again, this time a cake
instead of cupcakes.  Any more of this
and it will start becoming a tradition. 
It was delicious, and Michael and I were eating the leftovers several
days afterward.
My friends at the Yarn Spot got me some lovely yarn they
know I have been eyeing.  Bobbi acquired
a really neat puzzle from Interweave that I’m looking forward to putting
together.  My family also showered me
with cards and love.
How do you celebrate birthdays?  Do you make a big deal about it?  What was your 25th birthday like
(if you’ve had it), or what do you imagine it being like if you haven’t?  I’d like to know.
PS: Also, I called my mother on my birthday and thanked her
for birthing me.  I suggest that you do
that for your mother too.  And as my
mother said this year when I thanked her, she laughed and said “Oh, I remember that like it was
yesterday.”  I don’t think she was
talking about the joyfulness of the occasion.

Crafting Spaces

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UntitledInspired by a few people who where talking about their knitting nooks and where they work on the Three Irish Girls forum, and also a post or two that I cam across in the last week (which I now can’t find the source… oh well).  I thought I would share some pictures the new place Michael and I have moved into.

By new place, I mean we’ve been here for more than two months, but before now, it hasn’t really quite felt like home, just the place we crashed.  I’m starting to feel proprietary toward the place, which tells me that it’s starting to feel like home.

UntitledSo, my time is divided by two places.  Most of my blogging and pattern writing happens at the computer desk that I share with Michael.  However, since I spend more time there, I have my bookshelf right next to the desk space.  I do have to try my best to keep the desk space clean, because Michael also uses it, but now, after a few years of sharing a desk, he’s become quite tolerant of my mess.

When I’m just working on a project or a sample, swatching or doing other things, I’ll put a show I don’t have to watch on my computer (or put a book on tape on) and work at the couch.  I’ve got an ottoman where things get thrown into when I’m not working on them, so Michael doesn’t sit on them and they don’t get tangled or ruined.

UntitledStuff that needs to be blocked or needs to be spread out is put on the kitchen table.  I can add two leaves to it, and then stick my mats on it to block something big out.

Finally, if I’m just crocheting for fun I’ll settle into the comfy chair, but the comfy chair is only really for work that isn’t under a deadline, because most times when I’m in this chair?  I end up drifting off or falling asleep.  Also, this chair is comfy, but not so much when you are trying to get real work done… it doesn’t provide much back support.
Untitled
 So now that I’ve shared my work space, what does yours look like?  Tell me about it, or post some pictures and link back.  I love to look at where other people work.

Interview question

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Michael and I were talking the other night and he shared with me his new favorite interview question. “You are being mummified but only have one canonic jar. What organ would you take to the afterlife?”

“My spleen.” I said.

 “that’s what I said too.”

 Both of us, in tandem “-because it would be fun to say.”

 “And,” Michael pointed out, “How great would it be in the afterlife to be wandering around with your spleen in a jar?”

 I have to admit I agree with him. That would be cool.

So I will turn the interview question on you… What organ would you bring to the afterlife?

Good things coming, Relationships, Little Girls

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It’s been an interesting week and it’s only Wednesday.

I got a bunch of packages in the mail and had to bike to the Post Office to get them (which is about 2 miles away).  This is a huge excursion for me, even though it isn’t that far away, because no matter which way I go I  have to bike along some busy roads (which I don’t enjoy so it makes it more like work) and it’s mostly uphill (which, by definition is work.  Heh heh heh… what?  No-one remembers science class?).

This is unlike my morning bikeride, which is 4 times longer, but all along nice trails, so doesn’t seem like work at all.  Anyway, I got some really great stuff in the mail, mostly for my business.  This included:  stitch markers (which I have begun to buy in bulk), because I go through them so fast, a swift (because I can no longer mooch off of my room mate), and most exciting, a tripod!!!  This for me is really exciting, because I can now take videos of myself doing different techniques, which means so interesting content in the next few weeks.

~~~

Michael came home with a fever (100.2) today, proceeded to consume dinner (which included a rather salty gravy which he should not have found delicious, but did, which tells me he’s really sick).  He told me he knew he probably was running a fever today because he didn’t have seconds when someone offered him bagels, which would make me concerned.  Michael rarely turns down free food.  Later in the day, he was offered free cupcakes, and he didn’t feel up to eating them.  That is DEFINITELY a sign that he was sick.

Now?  He’s passed out on the couch.  It’s down to 99.8.  It’s so strange.  Normally I’m the one to get sick frequently, and Michael never gets sick.  This winter neither of us did, and now it’s spring and he’s the one getting sick.  *knocks on wood*

~~

Now that Sweetness has been biking, we’ve been taking longer and longer bikerides in order to build her endurance.  This is because Sweetness wants to be able to bike to my new house for a playdate.  I’ve explained to her that my house is about 5 miles away, which means she’d have to bike five miles there and five miles back.  I need to be comfortable with her biking ten miles, because if she gets tired on the way home, I can’t stuff her in the trailer because somebody needs to deal with her bike.  The other day she rode 7! miles, and we’ve been planning some bikerides to take her longer and longer distances.

Today I come into the house, and Sweetness runs up, excited.  Apparently they’ve discovered a new playground, and she wants to take me.  She’s trying to give me directions (to be fair, Sweetness has an excellent sense of direction, and has gotten me places I’ve never been to before with her directing me.  The only problem is, her directions are based off of well, a five year old).  The directions went something like this:

“So we go by the lake, and then instead of going the place where we saw the deer, we go up that part where it was really windy.  Then we go by the dead rat…”

At that point, Sweetness’s father and I loose it.

After we stopped laughing, we had to explain to her why a dead rat was not a good landmark.

Michael Sorting Patterns

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Michael was helping me organize some old pattern books as we worked to finish unpacking into our new place before his parents arrived the next day.  Partway through, he started flipping through some of the books and commenting on him.  This, to the best of my ability, marks his observations on some rather… interesting photos from an old knitting pattern book.  (Side note: please read all comments with as much innuendo as you can muster.  Also, Michael is a bit of an elitist when it comes to schools.  Davidson (our alma mater) is the “Ivy League” of the South, and since the South is better than the North, Davidson is better.  And, lest you argue that Duke is on the caliber of Davidson, Michael will let you know that Duke has neither an honor code or a free laundry service.)
Men’s Book: Skiing, Ducking and Golfing, Just what three guys like to do on a Saturday afternoon.  (Jen’s note: I love how one guy is planning on going skiing, another golfing, and another is just holding a wooden duck.  Put a bird on it! Takes new meaning.)

There, Steve, that’s where we’re going to go.
Hey, wanna see my Sword.  Look at that line of eyesight.  You know what’s going on there.  They’re probably from Harvard too.  Harvard dudes would be like that.
Do I look spiffy in this Cardigan.  He also looks like Pierce Brosnan.
Huh.  He’s totaly from Yale.  Look at those eyes.  He’s like I’m holding a penicl and this is a globe. What are you doing tonight.  And I’m wearing a sweater vest-cardigan thing.  Look at him, he thinks he looks so spiffy.
OOOH.  Zippers, seriously?  That’s funny.  He’s also a Yaleie.  He’s like, I’m going to take your picture, pose for me.  I’m looking good in this sweater/cardigan.
*Laughs*  Nice… rackets you have there.  That’s what she’s saying.  He says, I know, let’s go play with my shuttlecock.  I don’t know where they’re from.,  They’re wearing white, which says southern to me, no self-respecting southerner would pose suggestively like that.  I got it.  They’re from Princeton.
Oh, it’s old man bowling!  I don’t know if he’s actually posing, he looks a little natural.  Strikes every time, with that sweater in his bowling league.
He is totally from Yale.  Just look at thsi face, he’s like, that’s right, birdies, they’re all mine.  Look at the smug cock of his left shoulder. Because he’s wearing that knit/sweater/polo thing.  He thinks he’s all that.
With English accent.  I am sir goodfrey.,  This is my knitted chain-male.  Look as I pose with my helmet with my coquests from the far east.  I think he’d look better with a mustache.
I’m not sure what to think about him.  He’s creepy.  Definitely from Cornell.  He’s just sitting there.  So, I throw the pidgen, will you shoot skeet with me?  Seriosly, who would ever wear something like that if you’re going to shoot skeet?  Obviously if you’re a yuppie going to Cornell you would.
Ooh, here’s one.  Definitely harvard.  He’s like, India. I’ve been to India once.  I saw it on my yaght, well, from my yaght.  I’m going to mark it on my globe as a place I’ve been to.
Harvard’s from Boston, right?  He’s from Harvard, ’cause he’s got ice skates.  He’s like, “want to help me sharpen my skates?”  Plus the cabling on this sweater really makes me go fast.  That and the creases in my pants.
Son, let me show you how to handle a firearm.  Gee, golly willikers, it dad, it looks like you hit him from here.  Up, no more trespassers.
Yey!  We’re so great we’re going to hold a trophy.  Okay, I’m done with this one.

Michael, who loves me.

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Michael: Is there a reason there is a bag in the scanner?

Me: Yes.

Michael: And that would be?

Me: I needed to scan it.

Michael: Ah, well that would be a good place for it.

Note to Michael: Just don’t ask questions.  It’s easier that way.

This was what I was scanning:

It’s part of a secret project, but I can tell you that it’s because I really love Loopy Yarns, and would make it my home if I was in Chicago.  Seriously.  They take cute sheep to a whole new level.

Adventures in Quilting (because all my hobbies eventually turn into careers)

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Most of you who have been reading for a while know about my fiancé,
Michael, who loves trains. 
Seriously.  When we first started
talking about the wedding, we entertained (for about oh, ten minutes) the idea
of getting married on a train.
Whenever we get the opportunity, we take the train instead
of flying.  We have two different train
board games (TWO!) that Michael loves playing. 
When we went to his parents house for Christmas, he spent a lot of time
in the garage with his father playing with their train layout.
Now, I might not be as excited about trains as Michael, but
I appreciate them for other reasons.  You
can access the internet when on the train instead of on a plane or a car.  If you are on a train, you don’t have to
drive.  Trains are far more comfortable
than cars anyway.  Plus, it appeals to
the part of me that loves old-timey things, that likes the steampunk stuff
(before it was popular) and that loves how people used to get dressed up for
train rides.  We have even been known to
get dressed up for train rides (summer 381).
So a while back I decided to make Michael a train quilt, but
I wanted to make something that was… well, not childish.  That might be able to carry into
adulthood.  I had come across some
vintage train fabric, and it gave me the idea. 
Just to note:  There are
remarkably FEW train fabrics that are not Tomas the Tank Engine/Dinosaur Train themed.  This makes me sad.  But after much perseverance, I made a train
quilt.
Like the story of my very first quilt (which I’ll share with
you sometime), this one had a lot of help. 
I also learned a rotary cutter is my friend.  Really good friend.

This last weekend, I mitered the edges of my quilt.  I had this really great train track fabric,
and I wanted it to run around the edge of my quilt like a border.  But I couldn’t just have the train tracks
running into the distance, I NEEDED to have them line up.
So I did the edge, and was VERY proud of myself.  I showed Michael.  Michael looks at it, and says, I kid you not,
“That’s really cool, but I wish they also made a switches fabric, so I could
run my train around the edges and have it switch tracks.”
So, anyone want to take on not only designing a train track
fabric, but also one that has switches that go between the two?

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