Can't UNsort the blog list

I've tried to get it to unsort but it just won't. The order is just going to be alphbetical 'til the cows come home I suppose. Getting all the small projects up to the bendy parts, well, the second set of joints. Gretchen I knit on after everyone around here is asleep. I hate to be responsible if someone interrupts me while I'm counting on Gretchen. The Aran sweater. Sheesh. Just shoot me?

Many things..

First of all over at Sarah-Hope's Blog, is a blogiversary raffle benefitting animal rescue! I'm going over there in a half second myself. The prize is gorgeous! And the agencies who will benefit are truly worthy.

The two pictures. I hope that Blogspot's uploader is intuitive. I'm sure not!

Top picture..Last night for dinner DH cut up two tomatoes, one orange, and one yellow, that he had bought at the farmer's market. They were so beautiful, sitting there in their little glass dish, that they reminded me that people used to eat tomatoes with cream and sugar for dessert. All the readers of the Little House on the Prairie books will remember that Pa did just that. These beautifully hued little fruits looked like they were made to eat with cream and sugar.

Bottom Picture: The sky shot is one taken between storms of the same little tree that showed actual Fall Colors in December, our neighbor's tree across the street. Spring isn't so far away, and this tree is a crepe myrtle, known for it's exuberant Spring displays.

A tiny, sad little tree tale:

The story of our parking strip trees is a woebegone one. Our own crepe myrtle tree was stepped on and destroyed before we bought the house many years ago. Suckers were growing up from the roots when we bought the house, but the tree was gone. We removed the brave little roots, and planted another tree. Several other tiny trees-even though in protective stakes - met the same fate due to circumstances over which we had no control, i.e., the neighborhood drug seller. You know the scene, dark and late at night, bombed out zombies parking down from THE house. They stepped on and crushed, even with the supports, everything we tried to plant there, every last little twiglet of a tree or bush received death by trampling foot. After three little trees, we just gave it up and decided to let the strip go to grass. And yes, this is a very nice neighborhood, too. The problem exists everywhere, M'friends.

Several years later we were going to plant again and all the top soil that DH carefully dug up was washed down the street and around the corner by, as is said, "a flood of biblical proportions". Now it's just too late to do much about it. We will brick it in and plant dwarf bronze New Zealand Flax.

Back to the present. While waiting for a few books, that Sarah-Hope and others suggested I read, to be sent to my local library, I've started a book called, The Silver Dove by Andrey Biely, a Russian contemporary of James Joyce and also part of what's called the European Symbolist Movement. I'm hoping that Biely is easier to read, though he belongs to the "school". Anyone who has read James Joyce's Finnegan's Wake or the monumental Ulysses may or may not agree but, to me, Joyce is an unreadable torture. I really do like my "music theory" straight up, not in a verbal barrage.

I spent one day wearing a brace but now I am knitting again. I like to practice a little preventative medicine, even without a license. Monday the windows come, and I will wear both braces. I want to knit when this is over! We are sooooo ready to have this done!

Now that I have Umberto Eco's, The Name of the Rose ,in my possession, I can tell you that's what I'll be reading first. Thank you, Sarah-Hope. :-)

Jane's Hedgerows and the two short fingered gloves progress

This is Gretchen, Inching along to perfection..limping actually

I know that this beautiful shawl will someday be blocked and worn, but right now it looks so much like a gorgeous lampshade that I'm tempted to stretch it over one of the lampshades in the last picture. Just as soon as I'm through with the repeats in that portion and move to the larger needles, it will be fit to a shade for displaying.

BTW, I did trade out the shades on the lamps by the chair to white ones. That improved things amazingly, but not quite enough! My poor sore eyes have never been better.

Latest Knitting, and the lighting solution

This Lamp(the bridge lamp in the middle) was sitting in the studio, needing a new socket for several years. After I showed DH a new OTT light on sale, he went looking for similar lamps at Office Depot and LampsPlus. Meanwhile, I pulled the little bridge lamp out of my studio and looked it over. Happily, after getting a new pull chain socket for her, and a daylight Vision Saver fluorescent, it gives such good light, right over the top of my shoulder, that I can knit at night again in the recliner. Here's my lighting set up for night time.

Then, I started knitting a bit and these next few are the results so far.

First the red Lana Grossa sock, which now shows how the colors are going to work.


I won't over tax the blogger uploader because it works completely backwards. Picasa is still acting like a pig, and frankly I'm nearly ready to trash them both and move to whatever Rissa has. This is getting beyond belief.

Tom Cruise Scientology Leaked Tape (Parody)

Aren't those bookshelves amazing? Such clean straight lines. That's what attracted me to this video, that bookcase behind "Tom". This is the cleanest Parody of the Tom Cruise melt down that I could find. I think it's hilarious.

A couple of careful, tiring days later....

What a job. You have to be so careful cleaning up lye. The residue is all gone and the shelf back together. Happily it didn't drip or run far enough to damage much more than a stack of colored tissue papers. Now to get everything back on the shelf in apple pie order. As you can tell, these shelves are well used to things dripping down them. They came from a company that was closing down a repair business. Strong and made to take it. Ugly as heck, too, in the bargain. Someday maybe I'll spray paint them purple.

Picasa has not been uploading pictures all day. I've hired the Mod Squad, on their little Vespas, to run it down in the road.

Booksies!

 

This MEME was started by LiVeBAiTSandwiches and it's a lot of fun. You can see where we've been digging things, if you are a rockhound that is, and you can sure tell that I love to read Mysteries. I like all mysteries, even non fiction ones that attempt to answer the big unknowns, like " Why are we here?". I also love to read, and attempt to write, poetry. So enjoy the book shelves MEME and join in! I don't think there are any rules, so far. Have a great day.

We have had two sort of bad things happen and are cringing while we wait for the legendary third to roll in. A major clean up in the craft room has been necessary after some lye,used to soap making, decided to leak into some shelves.

The second bad thing is that toilet guts quit working properly. Some will remember the discussion in KR about toilets lasting forever? Well, the guts, as Chemcats pointed out, don't. I'm not completely sure that the toilet wasn't listening to DH and I discussing how good it had been to us. Ah.. modern Plumbing. Well, got to go spray more vinegar on that lye leak. Tata!

A screaming shade of green... I needed this!

I want spring. The Carolina Cheeries are blooming and that means Spring to me. Until there is knitting content, i.e. pictures of progress, I give you a spring header, and tomorrow, a mememe that Sallyjo, LiveBaitSandwiches started. Check it out.

As you await knitting pictures...

Have fun with this very cute page. Use all the drawing tools and don't forget to look at their galleries. I'll put it in fun stuff, too. I forgot to do this when it was saved last year.

That's the good stuff. This is the bad stuff....

This has been a strange and certainly "flattened" week. You know, that feeling you have when you feel two dimensional, and you can't figure out why. Perhaps it's that feeling that something Very Nasty is rolling towards us all. I hope it's just the Boogieman, whom we can rout rather easily now with our uber power tazer guns and mace spray. Maybe I'm not taking enough Valerian? Maybe even a few margaritas would chase it away? Chocolate Soy Dream? A cookie?

This is not Ennui. This feels like it might steal all the yarn and flambé it. You know, something really bad.

I'm knitting. And I broke the yarn fast...

Ya, I bought some yarn to go with some I had, so now there's enough for a hat and a scarf for myself. Soywool from Michaels in a delicious color called Natural Plum. I see that it's made in China. Gah! Anyway, I'd better pay more attention to THAT in future. Just when you think you've got a handle on things, you get a blind sided slap from someone like Patons. Sheesh.

Knitting a little bit on everything so far nearly every day. Less time for reading blogs and forums but Gee, you just can't do everything.

A friend just got a howdy from the City about needing a business license. Our city blokes had some graft going on and the grafters apparently denuded a VIPension Fund, so now they are desperate for funds! I'm going to start an Etsy store or just sell trinkets on Ebay from this year. That was planned last year as there is a lot less stress than doing the show circuits!

I've changed some of the percentages on the WIPs. The Aran sweater is growing as I've finally figured out all the symbols and what they mean. Vrang? Rett? Oh my! You've got to love deciphering a language that beautiful. Sigh.. My sister and I were in love with Oslo for several years and we used to shout out, "Norvay for the Norvegans!" and giggle, as no one knew why we were being nuts. Of course this has nothing to do with translating Swedish!!

I voted today by absentee ballot. Now, please don't forget to vote in the Primaries! You'll be a lot happier if you know that you voted and your voice, though it may be buried in a mass of contrasting votes, is still a

Sentinel of Success
For the Democratic Process.

YAY for US!

Something fun..

A friend sent this commercial web site to me, and I thought, "Why not pass along the fun?"

It's the cutest commercial web site I've ever seen. Look HERE

Posted Errata into the Pattern

It should read correctly and the corrections are made BOLD...

Sorry for any inconveniences..

I think I'll go take a nap. heehee

Thanks for all the nice comments on the cozy, and Rissa, I (*gasp*) usually make tea in the microwave now. So much more convenient!

I'll come back later and hopefully without remembering more mistakes!

More pictures

Of Course, all these pictures are the reverse of what I wanted, because Picasa2 was spitting up yet again this AM and i had to use the in house blogger uploader. Picasa2 and I have this strange, slightly romantic working relationship. I think that Picasa is half human, and Picasa thinks the same of me.

The top so there's not guess work for you there, either..

The cozy inside out so that you can see how the twisting and pulling works

This is the cozy on the pot it was made for. This pattern is very customizable.

Tea Cozy Pattern

I apologize for the errors. I've never written out a pattern before and this one was a rusty can of nails by the time my poor brain tried to dig around in it again. :)

Two colored tea cozy

3 0z Main color (MC)
3 0z Contrasting color (CC)

Worsted Weight Yarns

Cozy is knit in 2 identical pieces, on two needles, and sewn together afterward. The slipped stitches make it easier to sew together.

NOTE: If you look at the picture of the cozy, You will see that each rib is pulled up a bit tight in the back by the trailing yarn, so that it makes a little rib. The back of the knitting will be fairly flat. The twisting of the colors gently locks this rib into place.

All rows are knit rows. (this helps create the garter stitch poofiness)

For an average size tea pot. 6 to 8 cups, cast on 62 stitches. My smaller ones required only 52 stitches.

I used size 10 needles but you might need smaller ones. If it looks like it's not coming out right for your pot, try changing needle size. It should be only a little bigger than the mid center of the pot.

Cast on ( Long Tail cast on) 62 stitches in MC,

Holding the contrasting color along with the MC, slip the first stitch onto the right needle,

ERRATA: After slipping the first stitch of the main color, you should Knit the next five stitches with the CC or contrasting color. I just re-read my notes. Sorry for the bother! I'm changing the pattern now through out....

Knit 5 stitches of CC, then pull the MC to the front, letting it twist with the CC, knit 5 stitches of the MC, and keep repeating this action until the last stitch, and use the CC color for that last stitch of that row.

Second Row

Slip the first stitch as before, knit five stitches, twist the second color to the front (after the first slipped stitch and five knitted stitches)in this way changing the colors, as you did before, every five stitches in the pattern. Knit to the end, including the last stitch. END of changes.

Repeat this process until you reach the height of the tea pot LID, and then start to decrease

Decrease Rows

Decrease one stitch each color element, knitting just as before and slipping the first stitch, until there is one one stitch left in each color section.

Thread these stitches onto the tail of yarn after cutting. You will use this tail to tie up the top before adding decorative pom pom or rings.

Knit the next section identically.

Sew the two sides together invisibly in your favorite way, leaving an opening for the handle and the spout of the teapot.

Tie up the live stitches by running the tails of yarn they have been resting on, pulling tight to make a small opening. Stitch in all thread ends invisibly.

Make a pompom or rings (Crochet around Plastic curtain rod rings in the two colors) and fasten them on with the top using their little threads.

Hope this is clear, and you can email me at Zippianna AT sbcglobal DOT com with questions. Be sure to mention the Cozy in the subject of the email.

Enjoy!

PS: Sorry for the inconvenient editing and re-editing. I proof read as well as any Bot but not this AM!

Tea Cozy scribbles.

 

You see, it's quite a mess. But anyone who would like to make it, I'll have the thing straightened into a real pattern pretty soon. Oh what you find when you are digging through the rubble! heehee

Tea Cosy from the 80's

 

In the late 80's, some friends and I noodled this cozy pattern out from a cozy that one of them purchased in Ireland, and I've never found a pattern for it on the web until today. That pattern is different in that the woman who created it from an old 1940's publication does a sort of checkerboard pattern with the two yarns.

This is the link to her pattern HERE

This makes a great, warm hat, too, but it's a bit inflexible. My kids used theirs for hats.

I will put up the pattern for mine in a few days once I get it orderly. It's a scribbled job. I'll let you see what I'm dealing with by posting the original. How we did this, from just the original cozy, I'll never know. Right now I have to go rescue my Man. Tata! Have a great day!

Inspirations from Nature-Accidental Art 10

 

 

Someday, I will make a Fair Isle sweater, that includes all these colors, and call it TidePool. heehee

Even more Postcards!

 

Gail's interpretation of Van Gogh's "Starry Night" Beautifully done!

 

Obie's Interpretation of "Evening Out" by Juarez Machado. Beautiful and what a Whoot!

 

Pina's interpretation of "The Sun and Moon" by Raphael. Stunning!

We've all been talking about ways to display the post cards and the ideas are flying!

More Post Cards

 

Jackson Pollack (just take your pick of any of his):-) Vicki called her PC, "3 Friends at the Art Museum". Hilarious! This convo has absolutely gone on, let me tell ya... hahaha

 

Eve's interpretation of Monet's Countryside. Beautiful and a First Postcard for Eve, as well. Huzzah!

 

Munch's "The Scream" My own interpretation of the motivation for the screaming damsel.

Andy Warhol's "Sun"

 

Joie's interpretation of "Sun" by Andy Warhol. Really Gorgeous!

Picasa and I are fighting again. I hope to win soon

Ok, this is a RANT! sorry, it just grew and grew....

I can't upload pictures from Picasa ATM. So, the post cards for the Famous Painting Interpretive round of our Post Card group are on hold, and so are the pictures of knitting progress. I'm going to switch to TypePad if this keeps happening, I swear it! Now that Google owns Flickr in some back door way.. check out the bottom of the screen sometime when you log into your blogspot.. they may be trying to force you to put everything into flickr. That means they will stop supporting Picasa use, like they did with Hello, a very sweet little program for uploading to blogspot and other on line things.

Knitting report, sans pictures.

Purple Hempathy sf gloves are up to the first stockinette rows. And yes, that is the color in natural light. I could eat them they are such a delicious color.

The Waterlily SF gloves are on their way up the thumb. They will go very fast because the yarn is worsted weight.

Jane's Hedgerow pattern sock is up to the pattern rows and it's just a lovely pattern. What can I say about this? It's just a terrific sock pattern. ABFAB!

Lanna Grossa boot socks also into the stockinette but the colors aren't fast in showing off. So, as more is knit, they will be more inclined to show off.

Gretchen progresses slowly. She is, after all, a lady, and a lady cannot be rushed. She will take her time and in an elegant way, unfold her beauty.

Drops Aran is still last in the running, and of course this is because it's the most intimidating! But, within his lifetime, I so want to give this gorgeous sweater to DH. He is just such a nice fellow and so patient ( and lets me buy yarn, books, and needles whenever I want to).

I'll try those photos one more time, but if you don't see then soon, you can be sure there is a big BLUE STREAK over California, drifting out over the Arizona Desert with the prevailing winds.

Post Cards!

 

And I'm very late to get these up but here goes...

First, a postcard sent from Pina, wishing DH and I a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Thank you, Pina!

A new Blog-Aversary Contest with yarn attached!

You'll like to try your hand at snagging some very nice yarn HERE

Go for it! You know you want more yarn.. heehee

Hempathy Deep Purple Fingerless Gloves

 

Oh my Eyes! This stuff is almost darker than black. It's a true purple and deeper than any purple in nature. See it HERE . I am loving this color. There actually might be a black lily that is close in color. Must go try to find it.

So, I'll take a hint from Pogonip (Thanks Matey!) and go find any glove pattern in worsted weight. I can do the changes required in yarn subs on most things but finger knitting is hard enough without THAT bit of hair pulling fun.

Knitting in the New Year

 

Doesn't this really look like Pick Up Sticks?

Well, anyway, here it is, the second part of the New Year projects. I couldn't find the book for the short fingered gloves because it was on the shelf. I'm not used to looking for books on the shelves, only on a stack somewhere. So, today the Hempathy gets cast on, while I search the whole WWW for a worsted weight pattern for short fingered gloves.

What's in the picture are the beginnings of Jane's Hedgewrow socks in Panda Bamboo/Cotton blend, and DH's socks in Lana Grossa Mega Boot Stretch.

Let me tell you about both these yarns. Panda is weird, like a braided yarn. You must keep your eyes on it every minute while starting out and probably as you go round and round. One of the stitches was hung by a thread so thin that it was almost invisible. It was just pure luck I got any of that stitch at all. I will leave nothing to chance with this yarn in future.

The LG is splitty and also collects fuzz off of ANYTHING. I'm sure it has a dust bunny gene or two because it can draw any bit of fluff to itself without moving a nano inch. And, as I was looking at it, I noticed that it was getting scruffy. It's ALIVE! I'm bagging this yarn to keep it from getting worse as I knit off the skein. DH didn't think he would like the way it was going to look when knitted up, because of the colors. I assured him that it would look just like some Ragg socks that I'd made for someone else. only with some beautiful and very subtle color shifts. He is content.

Tomorrow, one each of the two short fingered glove sets will be on the needles and knitted up a bit in the rib. Hopefully the dark, DARK purple will not cause blindness. Did I say that purple is DARK?? I see an OTT light hanging over my shoulder before the year is up. I'm trying to figure out just which one to buy. There are two small high powered flourescent ones by the sewing machine but neither of them is an OTT. Is an OTT light that much better? They are so expensive that a person would just not want to make a mistake!

Oh, I tossed the chenille yarn into the re-cycle bag for Goodwill. I really hate that stuff. Goodbye, Goodbye Goodbyeeee to it. Dreadful stuff!

Accidental Art, Number 9 in an Occasional Series

 

The Ocean, and the Glorious Sky, all according to God. And the shells aren't so bad, either.

Happy New Year!

First of the New Knitting

And I really do hope that 2008 is a much better year than the last one.

I've been digging through the yarns and planning or casting things on, two new fingerless gloves, socks, and a Snuggler for the little cats at the shelter. I ran out of sun here for good pictures because the clouds came in but I did get one of the Snuggler. DH just finished making another batch of Fantasy Fudge and he will upload the pictures as soon as the football game is over. Illinois is making it exciting, he reports.

Oh, Jane's Hedgerows are back on the list, because I found a plain blue Panda Bamboo/Cotton blend for some for the DD who can't wear animal fibers. There's been an explosion of small projects in what some might describe as "Lace or Aran Sweater Avoidance". *inserts enigmatic smiley*


I don't know what to expect out of this year. I guess the best thing to do is to wait for Chinese New Year, the Year of the Rat, which is supposed to bode well. I'm not sure about that because they, the Chinese, must not really have been aware of Norwegian Rats or Roof Rats when they chose their animals. But, it's an ancient tradition and you really can't argue with tradition. Let's hope enough people plan to make it a good year for others that it goes that way.

A word about blogging. It's come to my attention that some people think it's an ego trip for a blogger. That's not why I blog but it does cast a Jaundiced Eye on the whole MEME flavor of a blog. It can be seen that way but can't really be helped.

So, being that it's my nature to ignore negative opinions- and do what I damn well please- for 2008 I'll just keep on blogging and finding what is beautiful in life (posting pictures as available) and brag about knitting or the kids, as well as to continue to call attention to politicos-or others- who are way beyond selfish and money hungry, into flat out greed or white supremacy. Fey to you! May the Devil himself come to your door, snatch you bald, and grab you by the hinderparts and drag you to a new understanding of right and wrong.