The Books are Coming.

There will be 5 books, I’m listing them tomorrow, May 1st at 6PM EST. Prices will include shipping in the U.S. (we can figure something out if I mail international, no problem). All of the books are unopened, in new condition. Because my spam filter is a little overprotective, what I am going to do it list them with the price and pertinent info, and go by the order of the comments.

Special Delivery.

I finished Milo’s sweater Sunday night. Which means everything I’ve been working on for the kids could be bundled and sent off with excitement. I found it hilarious that the day I was walking to the post office to mail the sweaters, it was 95 degrees outside. Thanks to a cool breeze from our northerly neighbor, it’s become a more spring-like 65 today, so maybe they will still have a chance to wear them.

I used the LBY ‘thick and quick’ again – and I am surprised to say I really love this yarn! It doesn’t pill, it’s machine washable (good for my sister – who is only recently off of handknits-probation for shrinking all of my handknit gifts!) and it knits up quickly on my favorite needles.

Once again, the pattern is my own – freestyled from measurements. Fin’s is approximately a size 8, maybe a 10 and used a full 5 skeins plus some extra I had leftover from the wham bam cowls. Milo’s is a size 6 (I think) and used 4-3/4 skeins. I didn’t take any notes, though the pattern is really straight forward. If you’ve knit many cardigans, you could easily replicate it.

Of course, Little Miss could not be left out of all the fun. I had a few little treasures for her too!

Tunic 1.

Continuing along with projects for me, me, me…. I’m throwing back the curtain on my Japanese pattern book collection and setting myself free from the shackles of keeping them pristine.

I’m making pattern ‘21′ from this book. I can’t really tell if it’s a top, tunic or dress. It’s a bit short for a dress and a bit too long for a top/tunic (well, too long for too-short-me). May have to modify that a bit.

I chose a lightweight madras in vintage-y colors, I was smitten with the olive green in this plaid!

I may be doing a little sale here in a few days. I have 4 or 5 japanese pattern books that I don’t think I will use. They are in excellent shape, never opened. Stay tuned or leave me a comment if you may be interested!

Indulge Me.

Oftentimes, I’m reminded that I am just a wee bit out of place in this town. Whether it’s the sweet owner of the little sundry shop next door to my office telling me to my face “you don’t belong in this town”, or more subtle moments.

I am working on a local project: classic regional renovation. A beautiful, large, old Victorian, tragically massacred in the early 80’s with vinyl siding, kalwall, mirrored closet doors and alarming bathroom situations all chopped up into multiple rental units. This particular project has an even creepier feature in a basement rental unit: a hatch in the floor of the first floor ‘living room’. Upon lifting the lockable hatch, one finds a dirty basket hanging from a string and pulley system. I stumbled across it while documenting the existing conditions *shudders*.

Walking through the project with the first of many contractors, I showed him all the existing conditions in relation to the drawings and proposed work (read: full gut) to familiarize him with the scope. He was a typical local guy in that, well, he didn’t look like a “contractor”. He was about 10 years older than me, and looked more like a professor: clogs, corduroys, and a nordic sweater. His truck was not a big Dodge pickup, but a modest van plastered with bumper stickers that said things like “free tibet” and “the proud 48%” and “if you’re not outraged then you’re not paying attention”. In other words, born and raised locally. When we got to the room with the hatch, me in all my awkwardness lifted it and said in a deep voice“it puts the lotion in the basket” and then let out a very hardy guffaw at my own joke. But he just stood there looking at me, without even a trace of a smile.

Me: *awkward, stifled laugh*…. you know…haha…”it puuuts the loootion in the baaasket”.

Him: Nothing.

Me: *still awkward* You know, from Silence of the Lambs”. (Mind you, I am crouching on the floor next to said hatch and he is standing above me, staring).

Him: Rests his chin in his hand.

Me: “Have you seen that movie? Silence of the Lambs?”

Him: “Uh, no. I had no idea what you were talking about. Is that a line from the movie?”

Me: *awkward laugh is now a skeptical smile* ” Yeah. Do you seriously not know that movie?”

Him: *extra condescending, without a hint of humor* “Never seen it. It’s not my thing. I must have missed it”

Me: *closes hatch and moves on*

I mean, I get it if you’re not into horror genre films. I happen to love horror films, and enjoy scaring the crap out of myself. But, Silence of the Lambs is more than just horror. It’s a really great film! Unparalleled in the suspense/mystery genre of films, and in my humble opinion, nothing has come close since. But that line! Even if you haven’t seen the movie, you know that line from the film, right? Because when I went back to the office and told my bosses about it, they too had no idea what I was talking about! Granted, with wasn’t a musical or show tune I was referencing so I’m not surprised, but still. I’ve never seen ‘Gone With the Wind’, but I get the jokes!

The Thread Was Thin.

Sometimes I find when I’m walking to work, I turn childhood songs over in my mind. I think it’s the cadence/speed of my walk, but there’s definite rhythm. Most often it goes back to Jump Rope Jingles that we used to sing while, wait for it, jumping rope! We grew up in an inner city, and jumping rope & clapping games were de rigeur for the neighborhood. I don’t know if kids even jump rope any more (at least they don’t around here), but we did. In our driveway, all the time. And I made it a mission to find this book and a jump rope for the boys to mail with their new sweater coats.

A lot of our inspiration came from this book, which my mother must have purchased at some point when we were little. This copyright is 1972, originally 1961.

My sister is going to see this ‘Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear’ jingle and lose her mind.

The book arrived today and looking over the illustrations by Shelia Greenwald, memories came flooding back of our driveway, stubbed toes, hot pavement and neighborhood kids jumping rope until the sun went down.

Betwixt.

I finished Fin’s coat…about a size 8, but he will have plenty of room to grow. Fin’s coat is charcoal gray with ochre trim and a light gray zipper. Milo’s is knitted, but needs assembly and a hood. Both coats need zippers and then I can wrap them up and send them off to the boys just in time for summer. I meant to have them done by  Easter, but as always, time has gotten away from me.

I think I’ve been a little too enthusiastic about sewing adult size garments!

Words.

While babysitting last night for some friends that went to a concert, we realized we talk to Lottie a lot. Not in a commanding sort of way, more like she’s just hanging out with us. We also realized we need to get out more often.

While I fed a very sad, teething baby girl I was thinking about this article and ran through a list in my mind of words Lottie understands (am I the only one who gets crazy-tired while watching a baby fall asleep? It’s so contagious… the droopy eyelids, the crying, the eye rubbing, the zonking out). Aside from the usual Dog Lexicon of sit/down/shake/stay/heal/no, English words Lottie fully understands and we have to be mindful of:

Lottie

Potty

Dinner

Lunch

Treat (s)

Cookie (s)

Mommy

Daddy

Grandma (!)

Paul

David

Night-night

Bed

Gentle

Kittycat

Birdy

Meepers (she knows about 75% of her toys by name and will retreive them if asked)

Bye-bye

Collar (this word will send her under the couch)

Wait

Good girl

Cozy

Additionally, she fully understands human laughter and gets a kick out of making me laugh (when she’s feeling mischievous). And ANY word involving or relating to f-o-o-d must be spelled or she goes into a frenzy. It’s ridiculous, really.

Dress Two: Complete.

I finished Dress Two last weekend, but is was rainy and overcast and I never had a chance to get decent shots. And since I seem to be overwhelmed at the office right now (working late), I am getting home after dark. These photos from last weekend will have to do.

This pattern was very straight forward, and after I found an online source to straighten out the terms “front, back, right side, wrong side” I was all set. I found this pattern to be easier than Dress One. And I really liked the way the neck line was cut and trimmed.

The fabric is a lightweight cotton batiste (yellow, black and white) and I foresee wearing it with leggings and flats all summer. The length is such that it could be shortened a bit (2″ or so) and worn as a tunic as well.