gnitter

Winterlude

2010-02-24T11:16:00.001-06:00

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Sew fabulous

2010-02-24T10:57:00.000-06:00

Ikea fab blanket/quilt for Mitty.

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crafty bits...

2009-08-20T11:41:00.002-05:00

2009-06-23T13:56:00.002-05:00

New faves from Pic-a-Day...
June 2009

Pic-a-Day May 23

2009-06-03T16:07:00.003-05:00

My fave of these pics so far...

Pic-a-Day May 20

2009-05-21T12:20:00.000-05:00

Pic-a-Day May 19

2009-05-20T15:35:00.003-05:00

Things I made lately

2009-01-05T15:35:00.003-06:00

Tomten Jacket for Mick.Inside of Crafty Mammy Bag.
My Crafty Mammy Bag. Holds a lotta knittin'!

I Love Mister Rogers

2008-02-26T15:16:00.003-06:00

What do you do with the mad that you feel
When you feel so mad you could bite?
When the whole wide world seems oh, so wrong...
And nothing you do seems very right?
What do you do? Do you punch a bag?
Do you pound some clay or some dough?
Do you round up friends for a game of tag?
Or see how fast you go?
It's great to be able to stop
When you've planned a thing that's wrong,
And be able to do something else instead
And think this song:
I can stop when I want to
Can stop when I wish.
I can stop, stop, stop any time.
And what a good feeling to feel like this
And know that the feeling is really mine.

Really, I do knit

2007-05-02T23:26:00.000-05:00

Right now I'm working on the Baby Surprise Jacket by Elizabeth Zimmermann. It's very fun and I think I'm going to make about 4 of them right off the bat, because there is an unsettling amount of pregnancy in my social strata lately! Good thing I knit or I'd be winding up in the baby shower poorhouse (as opposed to the yarn addict/photo supply poorhouse that is my preference).

Here's the baby surprise jacket so far (click pics to see close-up):

and here's a lovely scarf thingy I'm making for my mom,
it is soooooo close to being done...

MN is a hotbed of knittin' activity---who knew?!

2007-04-24T19:50:00.000-05:00

I didn't know. I should've known, since there are about 500 yarn stores here in the Twin Cities metro, let alone in the outlying suburbs and up North, but I didn't know. I got a little lonely for an opportunity to venture out and knit with some other people, and did a google search for "MN KNITTERS" and, lo! Here is what I found that took place the very next weekend:

THE MN KNITTERS GUILD'S 21st ANNUAL "YARNOVER"

First, we got neato backpacks of goodies

Then, there was some of this:

and boatloads of this:

Annie Modesitt was the keynote speaker---wonderful and funny

And best of all, after a little conniving (begging) because I was too late to register, I managed to get into the knitting class that I'd hoped for: Bavarian Twisted Stitch with Meg Swansen, who is a wonderful human being and a fabulous teacher! I've loved reading her mom's (THE Elizabeth Zimmermann) books over the years and it was a pleasure to meet Meg.

What can I say? I'm a dork about knitting and I've found my fellow trekkies! Here's a link to a blog by a nice woman who was in my class (hi Debra!): Cashmere Dreams

Parenting

2007-04-18T13:56:00.000-05:00

Here's my latest favorite quote from my wonderful husband:

"It takes a village...and we're the village idiots!"

You people are BASTARD people!

2007-04-05T22:23:00.000-05:00

Gnitter is back, friends. And look what the hell's been going on around here in my absence! I finally got kicked out of the "Knitting Blogs" web-ring. Why do those knitches hate my baby so much?!

Oh, well. maybe it would help if I started posting about knitting again. ;-)

Baby Love

2006-10-09T21:59:00.000-05:00

Here are some new pics of Mick. What a dreamy feller! Sorry they are so giant, it's late and I'm too tired to go back and size 'em smaller...

Pure, blinding LOVE

2006-08-30T14:23:00.000-05:00

I...I...

I can't take my eyes offa that smile!!!

Trout Mask Paris...er...Paris Mask Replica?

2006-08-23T20:50:00.000-05:00

I think Captain Beefheart is HAWT!

thanks, Markie!

My beautiful friend Oni, RIP

2006-08-05T00:38:00.000-05:00

I really can't even talk much about it.

Suffice it to say that he went out with most of his dignity intact and that I will always love him. He's been a great and funny friend and my little familiar for 17 years. I'll miss my little bear.

Hold Your Head High, sonny!

2006-07-23T01:18:00.000-05:00

click the photo for many, many recent pics of mick

Song of the Week, Special Edition: Hello Josephine!

2006-07-22T01:37:00.000-05:00

Only about a week to go until...

Hello Josephine!

(this rare version brought to you by the killer and the king)

Song of the Week: Anywhere I Lay My Head

2006-07-22T01:10:00.000-05:00

We're using the phrase "of the week" very loosely while we adjust to having a new baby, okay?! "Song of every 18 weeks or so" just doesn't sound as good.

There was a time a while back when I listened to so much Tom Waits that now when I hear him I feel like I've run into a great old friend and we're catching up on old times. I never seem to be able to get a word in edgewise, though, he does ramble on so! This song always makes my eyes mist up.

I promise to get back to the gnitter. I miss you, too! For now, though, accept this meager offering of a song...

Mickey's first trip to the Walker Art Center

2006-07-10T00:08:00.000-05:00

Mickey got to meet one of Mommy's photographer heroes today! I had to sneak these shots because the punk-ass Walker prohibits photographing at exhibits.

If you live around here you should really go to this show---see how much Mickey's enjoying it?!

Click here or on the picture to see more shots...

Pictures of Lily

2006-06-20T01:18:00.000-05:00

Lily, oh, Lily...

No, not the Who song, but Helen and Joe's beautiful new daughter (born 6-6-06, SPOOKY!). Helen, you'd better comment with Lily's full name and other pertinent info if you want to. Others, look here for pics...

The many faces of Minky Crinch

2006-06-10T22:30:00.000-05:00

More photos of Prince Crazyfeet for Grandma

2006-05-30T21:51:00.000-05:00

Mick's feet look like someone just reached into a bag of old toes and stuck them on his little foot in any old order. Look at the photos, there's one that offers proof...

Mickey, again

2006-05-08T23:46:00.000-05:00

Here's a link to more pics of Mick to celebrate his 6th week. He's finally getting chubby and looking baby-ish!

We are unreasonably besotted with him...

More pix of Mick

2006-04-14T16:49:00.000-05:00

Well, whattya expect?! We're not thinking about much else...

Link to Mick's first 2 weeks

Hey---Did you happen to see the most beautiful boy in the world?!

2006-03-29T22:15:00.000-06:00

Here's a link to pictures of MICKEY!

So...tired...must post pics for friends...so...very...tired...

Oh My God!

2006-03-29T15:03:00.000-06:00

This is Dad! Posting for Hannah!

Song of the week: Schooldays

2006-03-03T10:31:00.000-06:00

Schooldays

Personally, I think a little Kate McGarrigle and/or Loudon Wainwright goes a long way. However, I can listen to their son Rufus Wainwright until the cows come home, and his sister Martha is no slouch, either. This is from a CD that features the whole fan-damily and several other relatives as well. It's a beautiful song by Loudon, featuring the McGarrigle Sisters and Rufus and Martha. Way better than Dead Skunk in the Middle of the Road!

Why I'm not knitting right now...

2006-02-24T22:57:00.000-06:00

Oh, well. The doctor says it will go away a few weeks after the boy is born.

Song of the Week: Tonight You Belong to Me

2006-02-24T22:07:00.000-06:00

I just remembered: I still love NRBQ!

This week is a dedication to Sharbles and Mokky Wikky. Sharbles because we always liked the sappy songs by the Q and Mokky because a long time ago we spent all afternoon with our noses in dusty used 45s at Hymie's Vintage Records looking for the original single by Patience and Prudence. NRBQs version is quite a bit less strangely spooky than the P and P version, so I'm going with this one. It's just so dang sweet...

Tonight You Belong To Me

My first sacrifice (baby, someday I'll make you feel guilty about this)

2006-02-10T11:47:00.000-06:00

I think I have mentioned here on the gnitter just how much I LOVE Ray Davies, but do you, dear reader, really understand?!

My life would bear much less poetry, paranoia, beauty and humor if my brain didn't have a little detour into Mister Davies Neighborhood in it. I was just telling my dear husband this morning that I can't wait to play the Kinks all the time for our little fella when he's born. Come to find out (thanks to the Treehouse), Ray Davies will be playing here on April 4th, and at First Avenue, no less! Ray Davies at First Avenue

Now, this is one week after our baby is "scheduled" to join us here outside the womb, and it pains me to realize that I won't be able to go...would it be child abuse to take him to First Avenue a week after he's born? Am I a complete Pollyanna for thinking I'd want to, having just had a C-section?! If I'm truly honest, I get the feeling I won't care what the f*#k is going on in the outside world for a while once I have that little bean in my arms.

Tonight is the last night of Arrested Development...?

2006-02-10T11:17:00.000-06:00

Oh, and it brings tears to my eyes! I sure hope some network that has a lick of sense will pick it up, it's the funniest thing on regular TV. Thanks to Tony for the heads-up. Y'all watch it now! Here's a clip featuring Judge Reinhold (of Fast Times at Ridgemont High Fame) and that Korean guy from American Idol: clip of tonight's Arrested Development

Song of the Week: I Wanna Pick You Up

2006-02-10T10:17:00.000-06:00

I Wanna Pick You Up
Well, as a mother to be, this song appeals to me because it's a sweet song about a parent who is really enjoying playing with his new infant. As a lifelong sicko with a morbid sense of humor, this song appeals to me because I imagine crazy drug addicted Brian Wilson in his giant in-house sandbox clumsily trying to figure out how to be a father. In a documentary I saw about Mister Wilson, his ex-wife said she finally had to pack the kids up and leave when she caught him trying to give LSD to his toddlers to broaden their little horizons. Who knows, Wilson Phillips may have been a much better band if Wendy and Carnie had taken the magic carpet ride. Well, I told you I was a sicko. Anyway, it's a sweet song and it's funny when the chorus of clunky fathers comes in to sing along with Brian.

In other exciting SOW postings, you had better check out Miss Sharblina Gordon's truly transcendent and uplifting pick for this week, especially if you're having a crappy day (make it a Happy Day!)

My Dearest Darling...

2006-02-02T22:47:00.000-06:00

Crinch is up and running!

Huang Yong Ping Retrospective at the Walker

2006-01-13T22:52:00.000-06:00

To kick off our New Years Resolution of doing things other than aimlessly wandering around bookstores (shopping) for entertainment, the old man and I went to see this exhibit at the Walker last week. I loved it! What can I say, it was right up my alley, it flipped my wig. A real wig-flipper.

Huang Yong Ping at the Walker
See the link for more info about Mr. Ping, but I think it's only at the Walker for a few more days so I don't know how long this link will work...

Song of the Week: Come On

2006-01-13T12:00:00.000-06:00

Come On
Remember this one, Sharbles? It's the one where Chuck's had a really bad day, his car's busted and he can't afford to check it and he wishes someone would come along and run into it and wreck it!
Just a good song about having a bad day. I am also posting it to quote Gob from Arrested Development, in protest of the show's cancellation. Gob's new favorite saying when in a difficult situation is "COME ON"!

PS-no comments about Chuck's rather unpleasant fetish will be tolerated! This is good clean fun, as Chuck Berry's music was meant to be! If you don't have any idea of what I'm talking about, count yourself among the fortunate.

Rare Pregosaurus Spotted!

2006-01-13T11:35:00.000-06:00

Seen here some time after New Years Day 2006, the Pregosaurus has crawled out of her wintery den early this year to peep at her beloved Minnehaha Falls. Could it mean spring has already SPRUNG here in chilly-willy Minnesota?!

make like a crafty gnitter

2006-01-13T11:22:00.000-06:00

My immortal beloved subscribes to MAKE Magazine and I have to say, it's pretty dang cool---chock full of fun oddball projects to try (how to make your own PEZ MP3 player, for example). He mentioned that there is actually quite a bit of knitting stuff on their website, so I checked it out and thought I'd share the link here with you all.
Note: this crafty list is not exclusively knit projects---there's other fun stuff too!

link to MAKE crafts

Song of the Week: When the Fool Becomes the King

2006-01-02T12:18:00.000-06:00

The Polyphonic Spree. What's not to love?! I just like the fact that there's this many people in the "band" and that they wear these robes! Beyond that, the group's leader Tim DeLaughter can evoke such emotion with his sweet (albeit somewhat hokey) voice, I was sold from the first minute I heard these guys (thanks Johnny E). The best elements of The Beatles and of Queen come through now and again, so like I said, what's not to love?! This is sort of a random sampling, you REALLY need to hear the whole body of work to appreciate them (you can find out more at their site, linked below). You really get the feeling that the Polyphonic Spree is not a band, so much as a way of life. And even though they refer to themselves as a "Family", they are, according to themselves, less of a cult than a "Broadway Revival". The message is so full of love, it will bring a wee tear to your cynical eye...

Warning: this file is gi-normous, the selected "piece" is 10 minutes long.
when the fool becomes the king by The Polyphonic Spree.

New Years Raz-olutions

2006-01-02T10:43:00.000-06:00

1. Knock off the aimless "shopping for entertainment"

2. Resist that almost overwhelming temptation to JUDGE

I would like to find my entertainment in things that are a little more fullfilling than wandering around Barnes and Noble pretending that because it's a bookstore, it's okay. So I'm going to try to attend some more inspiring events around town and maybe report back here on the blawg...

Re the JUDGIE-NESS---I can directly gauge my level of spiritual peace by how quick I am to harshly judge OTHERS. So that's actually a selfish move on my part, a wily trick to get myself some more spiritual peace. My friends may have to find a new nickname for me, as I am known in certain circles as "Judgie".

ADDENDUM: I still reserve the right to judge others' musical taste as much as I want. ;-)

Song of the week is back! The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead

2005-12-15T18:43:00.000-06:00

I've grown more and more fond of XTC in the last few years, I think they get better with age. I think their last couple of records (CDs, downloadable releases, WHATEVER) have been great. I heard this song on the radio today and it made me really happy, even though it's a little sad. It made me think of Paul Wellstone a little: "but he made too many enemies of the people who would keep us on our knees". Is it really so much to expect someone who's a politician to just be a good person? Now I guess I'm the mayor of simpleton for saying something as ridiculous as that! Anyway, here it is, The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead

Back to the reason why this is a so-called "Knitting Blog"

2005-12-15T18:02:00.000-06:00

This is what I've started for the boy, in a lovely dark blue so that it will look like a little pea coat! I have to admit, I always choke a bit over the price of these Debbie Bliss yarns, but I'll be danged if they aren't truly a pleasure to handle. This is from the Debbie Bliss Baby Knits Book. Here's another view:

I'm not going to make the pants---I just picture them all saggy, with a big old dirty diaper in them!

I'm All Verklempt...!

2005-12-06T14:33:00.000-06:00

For our friends who read Gnitter...

I just can't help myself, here's a portrait of our little BOY! If it's hard to see at first, it's just his face, his nose is pretty much smack dab in the middle...

Now send him your LOVE!

Bear with me...

2005-11-22T09:31:00.000-06:00

Sadly, pregnancy is really taking a toll on the blog. Oh well, the five friends who actually read this thing are likely to tough it out with the Gnitter. Look at it this way, would you prefer long gaps between posts or long posts about what it's like to go maternity clothes shopping for the first time? Uh-huh, I thought so...

Song of the Week: Mmmbop

2005-11-10T23:27:00.000-06:00

Mmmbop...
What?! Don't you ever just want a big piece of Bubblicious? The Archies had one or two good songs, The Monkees had many...Granted, I have no idea what these young fellers are singin' about in this song, but I can tell that they FEEL it, maaan! Bottom Line: I have a weakness for Hanson, especially on a sunny day, blasting in my car. So sue me.

Friday Cat Blawg

2005-11-04T11:36:00.000-06:00

It's Oni's world, we just try to brush our teeth in it.

Song of the Week: Get Him Back

2005-11-04T10:30:00.000-06:00

Fiona Apple. As my dear partner says, she definitely seems to fall into the "In Praise of Difficult Women" category. One of those who is probably high-maintenance, but worth it. I have to admit that when she first popped up I lumped her in with the Tori Amos and Alannis Morisette crowd unfairly (if you love those guys, don't be offended, they just don't flip my wig). She's much more painfully honest and at the same time somewhat painfully mean like our beloved Chrissie Hynde but with some serious composing chops. Plus she has a beautiful voice. My husband stumbled upon her last winter when there was a real controversy surrounding a record that she had recorded but that Sony wouldn't release---"Free Fiona" websites and petitions were all over the place and one rabid fan had the unreleased album (named "Extraordinary Machine") in its entirety available for download, so we grabbed it to see what all the hoo-ha was about. Both of us got addicted to it very quickly and it has been in heavy rotation here since! It was hard to pick one song to put up here, and I wound up going with a lighter, poppy number, Get Him Back. The album has since been re-recorded and released by Sony. We bought it, and though it's a little hard to get used to after listening to the first recordings 900 times, I'm liking it more every time I hear it. This track is from the unreleased version. Anyhoo, take a bite of the Apple, if you wanna, we think she's worth it...

Song of the Week: Autumn Almanac

2005-10-29T21:44:00.000-05:00

Oh, there will be many Kinks songs featured on the Song of the Week. There's a Kinks song for every occasion. The Song of the Week could be ALL Kinks songs, as far as I'm concerned, but my more sensible side says that it may be better to spread them out over time. Suffice it to say that I am a fan, a student, a disciple of Mr. Raymond Douglas Davies*, and that is an understatement.
So, anyway, I was thinking of what a perfect and beautiful Fall day it was here in Minne-scrapolis today, and what song I could post as the best theme for perfect Fall days, and, well, here it is...

Autumn Almanac

*Who else would pen this rhyme "Oh, my poor rheumatic back, yes yes yes, it's my autumn almanac"?

From Here to Maternity

2005-10-29T20:58:00.000-05:00

Well, I've hemmed and I've hawed and I've wondered whether it would be really stupid to 'fess up to being knocked up on the blawg. Me and the old man just decided, what the foo?! Most of our closest friends already know and I don't mind our not-as-close friends knowing now and I guess it really doesn't matter if some strangers know. So there. This is why I've been feeling sick---when they say "nauseous" and "morning sickness", they really mean it. Months of it! I had also temporarily lost interest in several of my favorite things: coffee, good tea, and knitting, though I'm starting to feel better and thankfully my knitting muse seems to be back! My posting may be sporadic---especially around late March, if all goes well...

By the way, is that barefoot and pregnant doll not the scariest?!

Song of the Week: Everybody Knows

2005-10-17T15:51:00.000-05:00

Mister Leonard Cohen

Everybody Knows
"Everybody knows that the dice are loaded
Everybody rolls with their fingers crossed
Everybody knows that the war is over
Everybody knows the good guys lost
Everybody knows the fight was fixed
The poor stay poor, the rich get rich
That's how it goes
Everybody knows
Everybody knows that the boat is leaking
Everybody knows that the captain lied
Everybody got this broken feeling
Like their father or their dog just died
Everybody talking to their pockets
Everybody wants a box of chocolates
And a long stem rose
Everybody knows"

...and, well, it just goes on from there...Sound familiar?

Song of the Week: Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?

2005-10-07T15:00:00.000-05:00

(FSA photo of a breadline during the Depression)

Bittersweet Bing. What a great song! Also eerily timely, when you see these news stories about soldiers coming back from Iraq to find their families living on canned food donations collected by the Boy Scouts.

Oh, we'll all be singing it again soon enough. We can't seem to stop these looters in the Whitehouse from completely bankrupting this country (both fiscally and ethically), so you may as well learn the words now!

Bing Crosby singing Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?

Russian Mitten Patterns

2005-10-07T09:41:00.000-05:00

I got this cool book earlier this summer. Here in Minnesooooota it's just starting to get coooooold. So I think it's time to make some of these mitties. More soon!

Jumping on the "Friday Cat Blogging" Bandwagon

2005-09-30T13:33:00.000-05:00

My new favorite knitting blog

2005-09-30T12:34:00.000-05:00

You Knit What???

So many times I've looked at a strange, ugly, uncomfortable looking knitting pattern and thought, "What were they thinking?!" Thanks to Joanna for sharing this one with me. These two gurls SET FIRE to anyone who DARES to air an ugly pattern!

Song of the Week: Day After Day

2005-09-30T09:55:00.000-05:00

I woke up this morning and this song was in my head for no particular reason. I hadn't heard it in a long time and upon listening to it, I thought it sounded great, so I'm sharing it with you.
In 1980, us tomboy-ish music fanatic girls just didn't have all that many, um, "role models" to read about in Creem Magazine. Sure there were some, but I was 12 years old and at the time Patti Smith talked too much about bodily functions for my liking and the GoGo's were too girly and goofy. I first saw the Pretenders on Saturday Night Live, must have been shortly after their first record came out. I listened to Pretenders and Pretenders II until they were literally worn out and I had to buy new copies. Chrissie Hynde was the coolest thing ever to me back then! Just look at those boots! Not too long after Pretenders II came out half the band died and things changed some musically. But y'know, I still think she's pretty cool and I still always check in and find the gems when she puts out a new record---there's always one or two. Viva la Chrissie!

Day After Day

Keee-yute!

2005-09-29T21:59:00.000-05:00

I had to update this with better photos---the others were crap!

Well, to be honest I've been having some (relatively minor) health troubles lately, and surprisingly enough it's dampened my will to knit (only because it's dampened my will to do just about anything)! Still, I've managed to finish one project, and here it is! It's from a Reynold's pattern (except that I adapted it and knit it in the round), and it's made out of Blue Sky Alpaca organic cotton---the softest yarn ever!
For a lucky (and tiny) boy OR girl!
And I do believe that as far as kid stuff goes, these are the cutest buttons I've ever seen. Ever. Anywhere.

The Eyes of Tammy Faye

2005-09-25T23:10:00.000-05:00

I happened upon this bizarre documentary the other day and could not pull myself away from the TV. I would have to say I was positively riveted by it! I also have to confess that after watching it I felt a new found sympathy for Tammy Faye and even her ex, Jim Bakker. They were pioneers and of course wheelers and dealers in the Christian Broadcasting world, but they got chewed up and spat out by the truly Satanic dark forces of Christian Broadcasting: Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson. It's a cooky little documentary with lots of fun gay overtones (Tammy is, after all, the first and probably the only Televangelist to openly embrace AIDS victims in the mid-eighties, and her mascara ran from real tears!) and it's just a damn good story! It might even make you feel a little better about those over-the-top Christian Right wingnuts who've been trying to take over our country lately. At least it'll lighten you up for a minute. Rent it!

Link to film website: The Eyes of Tammy Faye

Song of the Week: The Street Parade

2005-09-19T17:55:00.000-05:00

I love the Clash. What do you expect, I'm 37 years old and I hated the "popular kids" in junior high. I also think that Sandinista gets better with age, which is somewhat surprising considering how topical it was in 1980. The Street Parade is kind of a sleeper song, but I've always really liked it. Hope you do, too.

Some nice Fall patterns fer ya

2005-09-11T13:43:00.000-05:00

Get Pattern here

Get Pattern here

Please note: these are older patterns, so some of the sizing is a bit different then nowadays, and some of the sizes are British, from 40 years ago. Check gauge and see if sizing works for you, otherwise alter it. Have fun!

Song of the Week: Stardust

2005-09-08T22:26:00.000-05:00

From Wiki: Hoagland Howard "Hoagy" Carmichael was an American composer, pianist, singer, actor, and bandleader. He is best known for writing "Stardust" (1927), which has been called the most-recorded American song ever written.

And there's a reason why it's been recorded so much. Here's Hoagy himself singing it and accompanying himself on piano.

Gnitter Gnausea

2005-09-06T07:43:00.000-05:00

Sorry no posts in the last few days, I'm sick! Feeling a little like this:

More soon!

Song of the Week: My Head is My Only House Unless It Rains

2005-08-28T22:16:00.000-05:00

Hard to pick one Captain Beefheart song but who says I can't pick ten more down the line? This is a nice love song for ya...

My Head is My Only House Unless it Rains

Grizzly Man blew my mind!

2005-08-27T12:50:00.000-05:00

Yes, it was like watching a train wreck, but Timothy Treadwell is so entertaining that you almost forget about the train wreck. What a bizarre story! This is a documentary put together by Werner Herzog using footage shot by Treadwell of his time spent with grizzly bears in Alaska. After spending 13 summers "protecting" the bears, Timothy and his girlfriend Amie were killed and eaten by one in late 2003. Thankfully, we're spared the gruesome audio and photo details (Treadwell's video camera was on but covered during the attack) in the movie. We do get to know Treadwell fairly well from his footage and interviews with friends and family, and Herzog takes care to try to help us know Amie, too, though there is not much footage of her on the tapes. It's hard to describe why I liked this movie so much. Herzog is a giant, in my opinion, and it would never have been this great without his attention and not so subtle opinions about Treadwell's well-meaning but naive "relationship" with the bears being interspersed throughout the film. Herzog narrated the movie and his belief that "the common character of the universe is not harmony, but hostility, chaos and murder" droning over Treadwell's constant, excited "I LOVE you!!!" shouted to the bears is just a bizarre contrast to behold. He manages to do this without being judgemental or unkind to Treadwell. You really get the feeling that Herzog likes Treadwell and appreciates the footage on a level that no nature channel ever could.

Okay, it certainly isn't for everybody, but I loved this movie. It was NUTS!

Link to website

What I'm gnitting on presently...

2005-08-20T10:37:00.000-05:00

I used to feel guilty if I had several knitting projects going at once, like I was betraying one with the other. Somewhere along the line I decided that variety truly is the spice of life, and they do all eventually get done.
1) Ultra soft baby hoodie (no hood yet, though) made out of Blue Sky Alpaca organic cotton yarn (pattern by Reynolds)
2) Seed stitch scarf made from leftover Noro Silk Garden
3) The blue boyfriend cardigan knit in the round, made from New England Harrisville Shetland wool
and
4) "Branching Out" mohair scarf, a free pattern from knitty.com

These mutton-heads felt a need to come out and get in on the action while I was taking pics of the knitting:

Song of the Week: The Thoughtless Kind

2005-08-19T22:48:00.000-05:00

A nice, honest song about friendship. John Cale: Whatta cute little Welshman! And such a smarty, too. Here's a beautiful song for you and your friends, never ever turn your back on them...

The Thoughtless Kind
If you grow tired of the friends you make
In case you mean to say something else
Say they were the best of times you ever had
The best of times were the thoughtless kind

We dress conservatively at the best of times
Prefer the shadows to the bright lights in the eyes
Of the ones we love, the bright lights in the eyes of the ones we love
What we see, what we imagine, the eyes tell us nothing
The bright lights in the eyes of the one we love will tell us nothing
Like the scars of imagination, the scars of imagination
The bright lights in the eyes of the ones we love will tell us nothing
Except that you're the thoughtless kind

So if you grow tired of the friends you make
Never ever turn your back on them
Say they were the best of times you ever had
The best of times were the thoughtless kind

link to his site

Squirrel Bait (call me nuts)

2005-08-19T22:15:00.000-05:00

I have seen what seems like an inordinate number of little grey fuzzy dead bodies on the road here in Minneapolis in the last few years. Yesterday I actually witnessed one being crushed by a truck that could have easily avoided it. I'm starting to think that some creepy people actually enjoy killing critters on the road.
I happen to know from my experience that it's not that hard to avoid running over small animals. I know sometimes horrible accidents happen where it's you or the critter and of course you choose you---you could even call it self defense. I'm grateful to have never been in such a situation, I sure hope I never am. I watch for them, slow down a little, and usually we both come out just fine. Sorry to be a bummer, I've seen two animals killed this way, and the image kind of gets scorched into your brain (if you care the least little bit about another being's pain, that is). Give 'em a brake.

Addendum: My husband read this and said I should start a new category in the blog called "It seemed like a good idea at 3 a.m."

mmmmm...NORO...

2005-08-18T22:11:00.000-05:00

I broke down and bought these books tonight, I needed a treat...

Perhaps I'll make this cute little number...

...after I order some Noro yarn at a reasonable price from Jannette

Here's a link to a page with more pics of the patterns from these books. I like Jane Ellison's patterns. A few years ago it seemed like all you could find for Noro patterns was kinda frumpy stuff, and it's such gorgeous yarn!

HEY! You got your Intelligent Design Peanut Butter on my Evolution Chocolate!

2005-08-13T00:25:00.000-05:00

I promised myself I wouldn't rant about this stuff, so I won't other than to say if you haven't ever seen "Inherit The Wind", or if it's been a long time, you should watch it and consider the fact that it was made 45 years ago about a true story that happened 35 years before that. What kind of sick Wayback Machine has this country stepped into?

Here's a website that, er, addresses this issue that makes me very happy, thanks to my friend Tony for sending this link:

http://www.venganza.org/

And here is a beautiful painting by a feller named Niklas Jansson, Touched by His Noodly Appendage. You'll appreciate it if you bother to read about the church of The Flying Spaghetti Monster.

Steek Mystique

2005-08-12T09:47:00.000-05:00

Here's a good illustration:

and here's a pic that I took of my test run (click to see it bigger):

Here are a couple of links to info about the steek technique (some vary from those above), because steeky can be spooky to gnitters...

Knitty Steeks

tradewinds

Schoolhouse Press

One Step Beyond: The blue cardigan knit in the round

2005-08-11T22:01:00.000-05:00

I owe my old man a sweater, cuz I kinda blew it on one I was making for him a while ago that didn't work out well. He picked out a pattern:

These are the pretty yarns we chose to make it with (Harrisville New England Shetland Wool):

With my ongoing desire to knit in the round, I did a little research on how to do that with a cardigan. I'm gonna try to use a technique called "steeking". The first step is to knit 5 extra stitches beyond what the pattern calls for, and these fall where the front split will be. These 5 stitches have to be knit through the back loop.

Someday, when I get to the end of the body of the sweater, I will either sew or crochet along the outer steeked stitches to secure them, and then CUT right up the middle! Stay tuned, more to come, albeit slowly...

Song o' the Week: Broken Hearted Melody

2005-08-11T20:43:00.000-05:00

Broken Hearted Melody, performed by Sarah Vaughan. It's a pretty little pop song from the late fifties. I just have a scratchy little 45 of it and I like it, no big deal. I told ya there weren't no rhyme or reason to this song of the week thing...

It reminds me of Hymie, in fact I'm pretty sure I got it from him.

NOTE: The link to listen to my song of the week will only be posted for a week. after that you gotta find it yourself.

Saints be praised! Lush is done!

2005-08-07T20:49:00.000-05:00

Well, I accomplished one thing this week (I've been sick, and whiney, and basically useless since last weekend). I finished my pet knitting project! I was really sweating this, as I converted the pattern pretty drastically, and Rowan denim yarn is a little tricky to work with because you knit it 20% longer than you want it to be and then wash and shrink it. I knit it in the round, the body and the sleeves onto the body (see previous Lush posts by using the google search on this page), and I was nervous that the sleeves wouldn't shrink right with the body. No worries! It worked!
Before washing pic:
After the shrink:

It's like Miss America is right in my frikkin' face!

2005-08-05T18:02:00.000-05:00

Here's a link to make your own 3-D pictures!
Stereo View Tutorial

Song of the Week: Águas de Março

2005-08-05T18:00:00.000-05:00

Link to listen to Águas de Março, by Antonio Carlos Jobim

What a beautiful song, written by this suave mofo pictured here, and performed by he and Brazillian chanteuse Elis Regina. A lot of people have lovingly covered this number, but this is the real deal. This version is in Portugese. If you haven't heard much Antonio Carlos Jobim, I highly recommend the "Man From Ipanema" Box Set.

Luscious Lush Update

2005-07-29T14:18:00.000-05:00

I'm still plugging away at this Rowan Denim pattern for the Lush tunic-y thing (to see previous pics just use that google window up there to the left and search for "Lush"). I am so excited, as only a knitter would be about something like this, that it seems to be working to knit this thang completely seamlessly. I have finished the front and back, used a 3 needle bind off for the shoulders, and learned this VERY COOL trick from the nice person who posts PURLWISE knitting blog: Ladies and Gentleman, you CAN knit a sleeve right onto the body of a sweater from the top down. Here is a link to Purlwise's great instructions: top down cap sleeves using wrapped short rows It sounds scary, but I promise that it is not and these instructions are great. If you loathe sewing seams after all the knitting is done, this is a must!

Here's some evidence:
mmm...and lovely blue toenails to match...

There is one very scary prospect that I am facing, but I'm hoping that I've made the proper allowances for it. Rowan Denim shrinks lengthwise by about 20% after you've knit it up. The sleeve stitches in my case here were picked up very loosely in order to compensate for the shrinkage. I hope.

Song of the Week: Crepuscule with Nellie

2005-07-24T11:04:00.000-05:00

Crepuscule with Nellie

No squawking and words/lyrics this week.

Thelonious Monk will probably pop up here now and again. For me, his music is very spiritual, and like all things spiritual I feel like talking on and on at length about it tends to sully the subject and miss the point. It's beautiful, and it's a little funny a lot of the time. Crepuscule means twilight, and Nellie was Monk's wife.

NOTE: The link to listen to my song of the week will only be posted for a week. after that you gotta find it yourself.

Song of the Week: Crossing Newbury Street

2005-07-17T15:26:00.000-05:00

This song has been going through my head all week, it keeps coming up on shuffle in my ipod, and I love it, so I thought it had better be the song of the week. It's by Roddy Frame, whom some of you will remember from his band Aztec Camera a loooooong time ago. My gurlfriends and I all thought he was so cute in his little fringe jacket, especially how he couldn't say his "R" words very well. We called him "Woddy Fwame". Well, I loved him back then, and then I forgot about him. A few years ago Chris (my better half) sought him out---because he never gave up on Roddy---and he found this newer CD called "Surf". It is beautiful, from start to finish. Perfect little songs and it's just Roddy singing and accompanying himself on guitar. You may remember, Roddy is no slouch when it comes to guitar. It's an especially good record to listen to in the Fall. BUT I DIGRESS...this song is simply about looking back over your life with a sad but sweet nostalgia. Oh, but it tugs my heart strings! I know some will disagree, but I think it rivals the Beatles "In My Life" as a song about wistfully looking back. I hope you like it, too!

Link to Crossing Newbury Street

PS-It seems Roddy can say his R words now.

More knitting patterns for the few, the proud, the knitters who look at this site

2005-07-17T15:02:00.000-05:00

PLEASE NOTE: These patterns are around 60 or 70 years old, so I'm betting you may have a tough time finding the yarn they're referencing! The sizing may be a bit different than today, too, considering the corsets they were wearing and all (or were they calling them "girdles" by then?)! I'm thinking the best thing to do is just do the math: find a yarn/needle combo that works to give you the suggested guage and make sure that the suggested gauge with the number of stitches cast on will give you the size you desire (stitches per inch X inches around you). Adjust from there. Not for the fainthearted, but really not that hard, either.

Click here for link to this pattern---I'd make it just for that collar!

Click here for link to this pattern---and how about that hat?!

Click here for link to this pattern, if you're feeling very ambitious!

I'm with David Lynch...

2005-07-13T19:54:00.000-05:00

On his Daily Weather Report today (look to your right for a link), David Lynch broke from his "sunny, blue skies and 70 degrees" tradition to inject: "Where is the next Joseph N. Welch?!"

Don't know who that is? That's okay, he was an attorney, most well known for standing up at the Army v McCarthy Hearings and saying: "Until this moment, Senator, I think I had never gauged your cruelty or your recklessness...Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?"
This moment was apparently the beginning of the end of the McCarthy witch hunts.

Don't know why that's significant? Then you can keep kissing your civil liberties goodbye, one by one...

Where the hell is the next Joseph N. Welch?

Link to the audio, thanks to Mark: McCarthy and Welch

E-Z Felted Slippers part III

2005-07-13T19:39:00.000-05:00

My Dad got his felted slippers and sent me this X-Ray vision shot of them. I can't believe he put them on even for a second in this sweaty heat, but I'm glad to see that they fit!

This Old Camera

2005-07-13T19:22:00.000-05:00

Well, we're supposed to be on a spending freeze in this here household, but my friend Larry showed up with this Seneca 5x7 view camera (born sometime in 1906) and offered it to me for a very reasonable price...so really, I can't afford not to buy it, right?! I mean, it's not mindless consuming of packaged goods, it's helping my friend clear out his pile of cameras and, and...Oh, why do I bother trying to justify? You'll be seeing some gorgeous scans of 5x7 negs here before too long.

Gnit Shells

2005-07-13T18:16:00.000-05:00

I like to buy old knitting magazines, and here are some smart, crisp little shell patterns from the late 60's. Feel free to have at 'em, I'm thinking they're so old I won't get hunted down by the pattern police.

Click for pattern

Click for pattern

Click for pattern

SOW-a great Song Of the Week acronym!

2005-07-10T16:22:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Sari for pointing it out! Here's her SOW...it's a lovely song (note the complex saw solo)! Now we're really wallowing in sound!

My Song this Week: Bob Dylan Blues

2005-07-10T11:30:00.000-05:00

Well, I was going to pick Bjork's "All is Full of Love", but I decided to pick a song full of snide resentment instead---just because it's so dang funny! This is Syd Barrett's angry little jab at Bob Dylan, Bob Dylan Blues. I'm guessing it was recorded somewhere around 1969, not too long before Syd went right off his nut. He seems pretty darned lucid on this number, though, and Bob Dylan had better watch out!

For those of you who would like some of Bjork's love as well, here she is performing that song for Live 8: All is Full of Love
Here's more info about Syd (there are lots of Syd Barrett websites out there, but most of them are, uh, out there, so I used Wikopedia here).

NOTE: The link to listen to my song of the week will only be posted for a week. after that you gotta find it yourself.

Holga Harvest

2005-07-08T18:47:00.000-05:00

Here's some of that Holga magic I was looking for! These are from two rolls of film, one 400 speed and one is Ilford 3200 (the more grainy ones). Link to More Holga Pics

Pinholes for pinheads!

2005-07-06T21:09:00.000-05:00

Here's a neat link to a site about pinhole photography. You can download your own plans for a cut-out paper pinhole camera! It's called a "Dirkon".

Looking for a little Holga magic

2005-07-04T13:11:00.000-05:00

My very kind friend Mark (see bitterpill) sent me a Holga last week. Here's the Wikopedia definition for Holga: "The Holga camera is a medium format toy camera. First produced in Hong Kong in 1982, its name may be a corruption of the Cantonese phrase 'ho gwong'—'very bright'." Images taken with the Holga tend to be unpredictable and often (hopefully!) better for it. I've just loaded it up and taped it up (they can be prone to light leaks), so stay tuned to see if I get any magic on the first outing with it.

If you're interested, this guy has a good site about using Holgas, with some cool images he's caught with his...Argonauta.com

My Song of the Week: I'm Shakin'!

2005-07-04T01:10:00.000-05:00

This week I'm pulling out Little Willie John from my dusty but loved record collection. I don't know much about him, but I did read somewhere that he died in Walla Walla Penitentiary at the tender age of 31. What a shame, he looked so darned happy on his record covers...
Anyhoo, I was riding around with my friend Marky T (talk about a record collection!) in his old Monte Carlo and this song came on---it flipped my wig! Check out those crazy drum breakdowns! I ran right out to find some Little Willie John records of my own. He has a lovely voice, and he also does smokin' versions of "Fever" and "Cottage for Sale".
---CORRECTION: Little Willie John was apparently the FIRST to record "Fever"! (see Mark's comment)

Little Willie John - I'm Shakin'

The link to listen to my song of the week will only be posted for a day. after that you gotta find it yourself.

I want to ride my bicycle!

2005-07-01T14:11:00.000-05:00

This is my new bike, I love it very much. It makes me happy to move my lazy bones! I'm going all Peewee Herman over it (the bike obsession, not the porn house bust)!!!

Some things I've knit recently

2005-06-30T07:49:00.000-05:00

Here are some photos of some of the stuff I've knit in the past year or so. I'm not crazy about the photos because I never think this stuff looks good hanging up or tossed across something. Maybe I'll find someone to model them next time or get my old man to take pictures of them on me.

some things I've knit

Dolly always gets left out...

2005-06-29T17:58:00.000-05:00

Don't cry Dolly, we love you too! By popular demand, here is Dolly.

E-Z Slippers Part II

2005-06-29T07:20:00.000-05:00

Vi-ola! They turned out very nice. Now that they've dried (takes a couple of days) I've added some strips of suede to the bottom to keep them from being too slippery. They are very slippery on the bottom if you don't do this. It's easy: just cut bits of suede to make sure it's under the heel and ball of the foot and glue it on with fabric glue (I used "Unique Stitch" glue). I went for maximum foot shaped coverage here, cuz I don't want my dad slipping all over the place!

E-Z Felted Slippers

2005-06-27T22:00:00.000-05:00

Here are some slippers I am making for my dad for a belated Fathers Day/thank-you-for-the-terra-cotta-warrior gift. I used Nancy Lindberg's pattern for "Felted Scuffs". Note that the first time I made these felted slippers a few years ago, it was as a Fathers Day gift and they turned out GIANT---around size 13 (my dad wears 9). He wore them anyway, to show his love for his, er, slow daughter. You need to make sure of these things: that your water is very hot, that your detergent does NOT say "safe for hand washables" on the label, and that you put your item to be felted item into a zippered pillowcase or some such thing to keep fuzzies from really messing up your washer. It's also helpful to throw some jeans or towels in with it, as agitation and "roughing it up" actually help the process along. I use the timer on my stove and go down to the laundry room and check them every 5-7 minutes to check sizing. If you have an old washer that lets you keep re-setting the initial wash time you can get buy with one fill up of hot water and just keep setting the time back. Since the water's so hot I use tongs to pull the pillowcase out.

This is the "before" pic. They are about 14 inches long for a men's size 9. They should be shrunk to about 10.5 inches long. I made an extra bottom for each and sewed it on to make them nice and comfy. The "after" pic will follow shortly.

My new friend from China!

2005-06-27T18:30:00.000-05:00

I remember getting the National Geographic magazine that had a huge spread on the "Terra Cotta Army" discovered in China in the mid 70's. I was amazed by them then and I'm still blown away at the size and beauty of the most quiet army in the world. My dad just went to China, and I had one request for a souvenir...

Look! he's asking me to marry him!

Thanks, Dad!

Here's a link to the Museum of Qin Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses

terra_cotta_army

The spectre of Spector

2005-06-26T12:05:00.000-05:00

My husband really wanted me to post this here. Thank you, Chrissie, for sending us this enlightening photo of Phil Spector. It seems that Phil believes his hair will save him from the long arm of the law. As Chrissie said, "River Deep, Hair High".

Not what Tennessee Williams had in mind

2005-06-26T11:57:00.000-05:00

I was just out behind my house calling for Angelo and I admit, wearing a nightgown. Just when I thought I could get back in without being seen, some churchies came walking by (there's a church across the street from our house). I felt like I must look like Baby Doll or some other tawdry "Sunday Morning Coming Down" loser---out in her yard in a dirty nightie at 11:00 on a Sunday, for heavens sake. Oh well, judge not lest ye be judged yerself!

Oh, Don Gato was a Cat...

2005-06-26T10:04:00.000-05:00

This is Angelo.

I have lived with cats all my life and have never known one quite like Angelo. He has a really great sense of humor, and he talks a lot. He is also the poster child for that whole "curiosity killed the cat" thing. He sticks very close to home now, but in his younger days he liked to roam a little and he came home with:
1) a black eye, if a black cat can get a black eye, from what the vet decided was "blunt force trauma"
2) an abscess on his chest that we had to lance and pack with hot compresses for a week (pictured here), and
3) a broken scapula and other internal injuries from deciding to climb into our neighbors yard at the very moment when they let their two big dogs out to toss around the old catskin.
It was while Angelo was being treated for the tangle with the dogs that our vet diagnosed him with Feline CRF---Chronic Renal Failure. We were pretty broken up about it, but that was almost 2 years ago now and he's still with us, he's actually gained a little weight and looks great. We have to give him subcutaneous fluid injections (100 mL of lactated ringer solution) every other day, but it's a small price to pay. If you have a kitty with CRF, don't give up hope! They can still live quite a while, happy and relatively healthy if you're willing to give them the special care they need. He is, at this very moment meowing at the door and tormenting one of our other two cats to get us to let him outside to play in the grass. He is still allowed to go outside if either my husband or I can hang around with him and keep him close to home. Going outside is absolutely his favorite thing in the world, it would be torture to deny him this. Our other two cats (one of whom is pictured in the "good Morning Judge" entry below, my old friend Oni, who is 16 and golden!) are thankfully a little less interested in exploring. Here's angelo now:

Lush so far...

2005-06-25T19:49:00.000-05:00

My big idea is to knit this (flat) pattern in the round. I dread seaming, and with this specialized yarn that shrinks by 20% after you've knit it up, I thought it might look more even if I was able to put it all together before washing it. You can't sew together a Rowan Denim item before washing it because the seaming yarn will shrink and it will get all bent out of shape. Anyway, I wanted to try converting patterns to knitting in the round, so here goes...
First I knit the bottoms of both the front and back separately for the first 4 inches or so, and then joined them where the side splits end on the pattern. I actually shortened it by an inch or so by leaving out one of the vertical diamond shapings on the lower edge. I am short and don't want it to be too long.

I marked the side "seam" stitches, and then decided to just purl each one to create a fake seam.

I have opted to purl where the pattern calls for beads this time. I want to be able to concentrate on the changes I'm making in the pattern and the purled stitches still make for a nice design.

Here it is so far. I have gotten to the armhole shaping, where you actually do have to divide it and knit the front and the back separately from here to the shoulders. I found that my guage changed when I switched from knitting every round to stockinette (because I'm now going back and forth). I had to unravel a bunch and switch to a smaller needle, hope it works well and doesn't show...