… and I guess I just struck upon the title for my next art installation – part of the cliche series! Who knew?

I have a confession to make up front. A couple of years back, I had occasion to meet a friend’s mother-in-law. From what I had already gathered, the mother-in-law was the one that all those jokes have been written about – and I can’t honestly say I was disabused of this notion when I met her.

The only positive thing that I learned about her was that she did crafts. Specifically, she tsked when I took out my knitting (I was working on something with 4.5 mm needles if I remember correctly and said “I don’t know how anyone can work with those huge knitting needles.”

Huh?

Turned out that she, too, was a knitter. Only, her knitting took one very specific form. She made doll clothes with needles fashioned out of … piano wire!!!

JJ was present at the gathering, and nearly lost half a pint of Keith’s through his nose at this statement. This was good for little inside jokes for the next week between the two of us – speculating on mothers-in-law and garottes, for the most part. Example: one day I came home from work to find my WIP missing. In its place, I located two long strips of the wire JJ uses to tie up plants, stuck through a swatch with a note reading: “Don’t mention the war”.

The worst part of it is, I actually got this joke!

But I digress. What is the confession? That I made fun of this woman for making miniature clothing for her dolls.

And now what am I doing? Making nine miniatures (not one, mark you, not two… nine!) derived from the Mason-Dixon knitting book.

But not with piano wire! (although it might as well be – 2.5mm doublepointed bamboo needles).

The photo shown right at the top of this post is a picture of the Baby Baby Moderne I just made, together with his grandparent, the Baby Moderne. I’d like to be able to tell you that the blurriness in the photo was intentional… but that would be lying to you.
Here is it, by itself and it is 3.75″ x 3″.

Next up: the Circle of Fun rug.
This one is approx. 4.25″ diametre. And I’m here to tell you that the Circle is not so “fun” when one is trying to knit with two strands of yarn on skinny bamboo needles – especially when one has a history of breaking them. How I suffer for my art!

This is the first modified version of this pattern I made last year sometime:

And, last but not least: the Nina shawl.

It is 4″ x 2″. This was my original version I made last year for my mother (I had doubled the pattern width to make a blanket.

And actually, knitting the baby Nina reminded me that I actually want to knit a full-sized Nina shawl for myself. Maybe if I start this week I can finish it by the time we leave for England. I’m always looking for an excuse to buy more Super 10 mercerised cotton…

Um, er… well, maybe I’d best hit the stash first.

I’ve put my freeform project on hold for the time being. I figure that doing freeform fragments will make an excellent travel project. JJ has forbidden me to bring knitting on our overseas Christmas/New Year’s trip but he said nothing about a crochet hook. Nor yarn, for that matter.

And, on the topic of crochet, I’m going to be trying out the pageboy cap from here soon, I think (having located the yarn I bought for it mixed in with the Super 10 stash – it’s right at the front of the photo).

So, no silly walking to the LYS for me, I guess!

Back to my minatures (three to go). In parting, I’ll note that four years ago today, the Concorde made its last trip. I wish it hadn’t. I’m not certain yet how I am going to cross the Atlantic without smoking. Hmm… perhaps that’s why JJ didn’t want me to take knitting needles – he might reasonably fear getting stabbed by me in a nicotine-deprived pique!!

(stamping my feet).

Here is some proof that I do (deign to) knit for those other than myself (albeit on rare occasion):
Cool, eh? Pattern from Knit One, Felt Too. I know I said “no more socks” but these don’t count as they are knitted flat. Yarn = Brown Sheep worsted in Loden leaf and Red Passion Hot (or Hot Passion Red, or…whatever!)

Of course, I had to share the wealth and buy some stuff to make myself some slippers as well:

I routinely curse Brown Sheep for coming out with the Limeade colourway. They might as well attach a pulley leading me directly to the cash register, really.

At least the slippers won’t be hard to tell apart.

Unlike, for example, my eyewear. I’m trying generally to jazz up my life and look more funky as I am rather bored with my image. This can be an inherently difficult task when one has exceedingly boring taste in spectacles. I have just seen Holly Bee’s fantastic new glasses and am seething when jealousy. Fact is that every pair of new glasses I have had since… well, since forever has been dark brown except for the penultimate time when I funked up my usual look with, ahem, silver.

So, the time came again for new glasses – bifocals, sigh – and off I trotted to my friendly neighbourhood eyeglass emporium. They had fabulous glassed in red, purple, orange, you name it… but guess what I settled for – not one but two new pairs in… well, the usual.

(a) Wire Frames


(b) Plastic Frames

You noticed the difference right away, didn’t you? No? One word for you: BO-RING!!!!

Just picture my dilemma every morning “Oh, which glasses shall I wear? I can’t decide which ones go better with my outfit!” (Of course, the real choice is dictated by which ones I can actually locate without any glasses on and very poor vision… usually after stumbling around for 5 minutes I locate one pair in the living room and stick those one, whichever they are. The second pair inevitably are located at dinner time, inside the fridge next to the Diet Coke).

But wait – here’s proof that I am funky after all! check out the sidebar of the plastic specs:

Ignore the “mediterranean makeup” under the eyes (as my mother calls it). And if you suffer from this problem, a word of advice. Do not buy any expensive undereye creams. They do not work.

SIGH. Next time I will pay Holly Bee to come up to Toronto and be my specs consultant. My current specs consultant has equally good taste in glasses but is not forceful enough to twist my arm. At $450 per pair, however, this won’t happen very soon. (Just think how much Handmaiden that would buy!! See
their newest colourway. SIGH. And for more on yarn spending, this rambling post will get to it eventually.)

So – how else will I improve my look? I’ve decided (for perhaps the 512th time) to grow out my hair. So, quite soon I will stop looking like this:

… and instead look like this:

fancy shoulder length messy look

Er… perhaps that length is not too realistic, so let’s go with this instead which is the original style I liked:
Bourne Ultimatum

And not because I want to kiss Matt Damon either – eww.

There are some logistical problems with this plan, as usual:

* my hair is about 1/5th of the thickness of hers and probably far curlier.
* given my rather lackadaisical approach to makeup, hairstyles, etc. I require something fairly low maintenance.
* the only workout my hairdryer gets is in attempts to speed block knitted goods.
* I have no clue how to use hair products. When I do, the end result typically looks like I had an accident in the Vasilene factory.

The best hairstyle I ever had resulted from my trying to cut a particular hair colour out of it that I loathed when it had only grown out about an inch. I woke up the next day with bald spots and 4 inch length in the same do. The hairstylist had to do a brush cut to try to repair it. I kept the brush cut for 3 years because I liked the fact that I didn’t need to buy shampoo (a bar of irish spring worked fine) and because I had a day job at the time that required my wearing wigs (don’t ask).

So – please do wish me luck!!

Now back to me, me, I, I and yarn spending. The below, Emailed to a knitting friend and a non-knitting shopper friend (with some modifications taken out to protect the innocent), describes one of my forays this week:

I had thought that perhaps I should start up a group spend-a-long called “What I Sought and What I Bought”. It could be either knitting-related only or re. shopping compulsions generally Maybe a colummar format or excel spreadsheet style entry with the total (plus GST plus PST… AGH!!!!! I wouldn’t mind if we were actually getting services for all the taxes… but anyway)

I’m not going to do it on my own blog because it is depressing. LOL. Also, I don’t want non-yarnie friends/relatives to see just how much I spend (especially re whining about “I still rent, I’ll never own because it’s too expensive in the city, wah wah wah). I feel like Meg Ryan in that movie where she was a big alcoholic and Andy Garcia was her husband. Can’t remember the title. She was stashing booze and empties all over the place – in the linen closet, the clothes hamper, etc. I of course was never an alcoholic because I did all my drinking in the bar and did not have to resort to such tactics. Ah… the good old days. The more things change…

Anyway, the title just grabbed my fancy, really – on my way back from the yarn store. Today’s entry for me:

WHAT I SOUGHT:

– 2 skeins of Lamb’s Pride Worsted, 1 dark blue and 1 dark green. Total projected expense: $9.25 per skein = $18.50 total.
– intended use: slippers for JJ who has been hinting that he wants something for himself since he has to watch me knit all the time, selfish bastard!

WHAT I BOUGHT:

(Lamb’s Pride colours):
– 2 skeins of Lamb’s Pride Worsted, 1 red hot passion – M-197 on the website although they call it “red house passion” there!) and one loden leaf M-87 (apparently not on website – greeny brown) because I figured JJ needed a change.
Cost $18.50

So far so good… then:

AND…

– 2 more skeins of Lamb’s Pride Worsted (because why the hell should I go to all the effort to knit JJ some slippers and not have one for myself?!) – 1 blue boy (M-79 – and you can just have a look at the skeins I sent you because I’m sure there was a blue boy in there and which I think you did receive! hmm) and 1 limeade (M-120. They might as well call this colour “green crack” as far as I am concerned, really). Cost = $18.50

Not too bad… but wait for it:

AND…

– (ED NOTE: having just received 7 skeins of Berocco Suede in a swap with one of the receipients of the Email)You will surely laugh… 2 skeins of Berocco Suede. http://www.berroco.com/shade_cards/suede_sh.html 3775 Sangria (and it’s a good thing for me that they don’t put the colour name on the label – I wonder why not, anyway… Super 10 doesn’t either and the colour names are great! – anyway, otherwise I’m sure I would have walked out with 6 or so). Intended purpose: a cute page boy hat from Stitch Diva for which I bought the pattern yesterday. A necessary expense really, given that I am growing my hair out – and just think of all that money I’ll save on haircuts! The fact that I don’t really know how to crochet is just a minor barrier, really). Total cost 2x$12.50 or $25.00.

And then…

– a book – The Best of Interweave Knits. The worst of this is that I had talked myself out of buying it yesterday (where, by the way, I bought 6 skeins of Jo Sharp Aran Desert Cotton – but those were on sale so they didn’t really count, did they?). In fact – you said you enjoyed my Good/Evil Kristina debate. Well, part of the debate (the “good” part) took place verbally out loud at the store while I was looking at the book. I might write out the debate at some future point… And, I don’t even particularly like the sweater patterns in the book. I did like one lace shawl and one felted bag. The lace shawl is WAY beyond my capabilities and the felted bag I didn’t need instructions for. The way Evil Kristina ultimately won the battle (which continued during my subway journey to work this morning) was by convincing Good Kristina that, as someone who only started buying IK two years ago, this was necessary archival material for any knitter, really. See what I mean about “evil”??? Why couldn’t all the advocacy skills have gone to Good Kristina (it must be true what they say about lawyers, I guess). Cost: $31.95.

So – total spent $104.55 with GST, PST etc etc. Price of the intended purchase with the taxes: $21.09. Difference: $83.34. SIGH.

Phew!

And this is the end of Kristina’s Excellent Adventures for today. Off to finsh the slippers and then start on the River Rock scarf which I must have finished for 30 September as part of the Do Something New KAL. (augh!)

PS log cabin update (photographed on top of my deep freezer – 22×27″)

Autumn is approaching, bringing with it that unmistakable and ever so common scent of… ahem… fertiliser wafting its way through the clear Toronto sky from Queen’s Park. Yep – it’s that time again in Ontario… back to the polls!

So, the promises are flying fast and furious and so is the cynical rhetoric. As I sit here mulling over the thought of yet again traipsing my dutiful way to the polling station come October, to check off yet another box next to yet another name of a person or party who has the potential for doing the least damage (and right now, quite frankly, no party comes to mind), I had a brilliant idea.

And thus may well be born Canada’s newest political party. The Marijuana Party? The Communist party? The Pay No Taxes and Get Full Services Party? No, no and no. Something far more productive and exciting than any of those options…

Knitters’ Action League (a.k.a the KAL)

Before you drop your needles on the floor and start either laughing at me or shaking your head… bear with me. It’s my view that a knitting party is better placed to rule the province than any other party in recent… heck, any history … for the following reasons:

– knitters tend to learn from their mistakes rather than repeating them over and over again;
– knitters always remember their promises (and, most often, fulfil them although sometimes this may take years… for proof, just check the back of your closet!);
– knitters know how to make economies when they have to, and also when it is important to go all out and spend;
– knitters are kind, gentle and civil to one another and to others and tend not to engage in useless self-aggrandizing shouting matches in public or print;
– have you ever seen a television advertisement in which one knitter disses another?!
– knitters have patience and tenacity;
– knitters as a group have a tremendous skill set. We are lawyers, doctors, accountants, homemakers, shop assistants
– knitters are charitably minded. They also play well with others.
– just think how much more fun it would be to watch the parliamentary channel if all of the suits were replaced by cheery and colourful knits!

The only downside I can think of is that some knitters experience problems with balancing a budget, for example, when they lay their eyes on that must-have pile of Handmaiden Sea Silk in teal, bright blue and raspberry (did I say that?!?). However, perhaps we could relax our standards and import one or two non-knitter economist types to point out that we can’t spend the entire budget for the 2008 fiscal year on, for example, enough Super 10 to cover the whole province in a big log cabin blanket!

It’s obviously too late now to get this act together for the upcoming election. However, there may very well be a federal election coming this way soon – so let’s put on our thinking caps! Any suggestions, platform ideas, etc. welcomed.

I can get quite addicted to these online questionnaires… maybe should set up a “meme” but I don’t want to hassle others. So, if you’re interested, why not cut and paste into your own blog or Email me if you don’t have a blog…?

This one is from Joan’s weblog (FugueStateKnits – link in the sidebar)

What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?

Preferences: My all time favourite is Butterfly Super10 (known as Takhi Cotton Classic in the US) – best for me in terms of affordability, sheen and colour range. However, I’ve developed a love for Handmaiden silks (I know, not too original).

Detestable: Right now, Lang Opal. I am working with it and HATE it. I am also not fond of curlicue novelty yarns.

What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?

Straight Needles (which I don’t use and haven’t for years. Will take any offers! :-D): a Toronto Public Library bookbag.

Circular Needles: a fancy sturdy shoebox (I have another one for notions. My mother works in a high-end shoestore…!)

How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?

I learned to knit 25 years ago. Have been obsessive with it for the past 10 years or so. I would consider myself advanced in most regards. (perhaps, to paraphrase Joan, “pretentious advanced”.

Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?

Didn’t know such a thing existed. I rarely shop on line.

What’s your favorite scent?

Vanilla; “bounce” laundry sheet smell (the regular)

Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?

I have a salty tooth. When I have sweets, they are usually jelly beans/jujubes and other stuff like that. I also love Portuguese custard tarts. Not a big fan of chocolate, but don’t let me near the chip aisle in the supermarket!

What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?

I don’t spin (except when I’ve had one too many alcopops!). I do a bit of crochet, and have also done needlepoint tapestry and counted cross-stitch. My major alternate craft is mosaic with stained glass, tile, old plates, etc.

What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s?

I listen to a lot of greek music and classical on CBC radio. I like pretty much everything aside from rap, hip hop, opera and punk. My stereo is too antiquated for MP3s but my computer plays them. I also have an iPod nano.

What’s your favorite colour(s)?

This week, deep blues, periwinkle and purple. Last week, scarlet and orange. Next week… who knows?

Any colors you just can’t stand?

beige, yellowy-toned greens.

What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?

“married but not churched” for the past 3-odd years with JJ (not that they’ve been odd except where my behaviour is concerned). No kids and no desire to have kids. No pets. Just the yarn. I would perhaps have a bird but am too careless re. leaving windows open in the apartment.

Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?

I wear scarves and hats for much of the year. Mittens: no. Ponchos: none too flattering for a 5’1″ individual, so no.

What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?

Depends on the day of the week. Overall, I really like knitting blankets, actually.

What are you knitting right now?

Finishing the Goddess tank from Stitch Diva at present (with the dreaded Lang Opal yarn). Also working on a log cabin using scraps and one-skeins from the stash. Next project after the Goddess is done: the Montego Bay scarf from IK Summer 07.

Do you like to receive handmade gifts?

Depends on what the gift is, doesn’t it? 😉

Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?

circular (I can’t see ever using straights again). Bamboo or AddiTurbo, depending upon the type of yarn.

Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?

No. JJ helps out in a pinch!

How old is your oldest UFO?

1 year or so old.

What is your favorite holiday?

Any holiday that lets me stay home from work with pay and doesn’t involve seeing relatives
😉

Is there anything that you collect?

Does yarn count? :-). I also collect items made from blue glass.

Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on?

If I had unlimited funds, I’d get every size of needle that Addi Turbo sells. Yarns: I’m intrigued by Hempathy, Needful Ceramic and cotton/linen blends but right now have a (necessary) yarn spending moratorium. Doing pretty well with pattern books right now – I just got Norah Gaughan’s Knitting Nature which I had coveted for some time.

What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?

None. I buy them at the LYS. I am pretty consistent in buying IK. Other mags I only get if I see at least one “must make” pattern in it… i.e. about 1/2 to 1/3 of the time.

Are there any new techniques you’d like to learn?

Lace. I’ll be starting my first lace project tomorrow if all goes well…

Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?

I have knitted exactly one pair of socks. I have since divested myself of all sock yarn and sock sized needles, never to return. My foot size is 8 Cdn ladies/6 Cdn mens/37 european.

When is your birthday?

16 August (the day Elvis died, apparently, but a few years before that earth-shattering event).

Are you on Ravelry?

Yes – just got on last week. I’m KristinaB over there.

I’m sad to say that I have not been able to photograph this in a way that does it justice. However, I’m quite happy with the result (although I would tweak it a bit)…

(headless wonder shot)

(fuzzy attempts at self-portrait in a bedroom which was really supposed to be cleaned this past week during our week off – oh well…)

(on the hanger – doesn’t look as good there as on, I don’t think)…

Yarns: Trendsetter “Segue” (polyamide ribbon) and Fleece Articst Curlilocks
Needle size: 9 mm plus 7 mm crochet hook
Time spent: 10 hours approx
Design by: ME!

I am motivated to keep working on the design and can already see where I went “wrong” and what I would like to change. I think I’ll try it next in some Berroco Suede (which I bought to do a very funky handbag, before making about 50 other funky handbags… would rather make a dress. Plus, another excuse for a trip to the LYS as I will not have enough to finish the dress).

…led to this new summer knit (I don’t think I’ve knit as many summer things in all my life as I have this week!).

And it is my own design, so I’m feeling quite chuffed as they say in the UK (I think, anyway!)

Yarn: South West Trading Co Phoenix Soy Silk and Kerzner Sari ribbon (2 skeins of soy silk, one skein approx of ribbon)
Needles: 6 mm circular + 4.5 mm crochet hook

The tank was knitted in the round – no sewing!! (did I mention I hate sewing?) It was my attempt to avert the twin disasters of not liking the ribbing I had picked and realising about a thrid of the way through that I would have only enough of the soy silk to finish halfway up the armpits. After panicking and running around my apartment like a jackass for about 20 minutes I raided the stash and found the sari ribbon which I had bought (just because it was so pretty and it cost only $1 per skein). So, all was good again.

I’ll call it “Silken Sunset”, I think. 😉

Neckline and hem are crocheted in 2 rounds hdc. The armhole edging was knit in with a slip stitch pattern.