Work In Progress Notebook

This appeared in the latest "knitting daily" email. Why I happened to read this one out of the zillion that seem to hit my inbox, I have no idea. However, it's kind of an interesting idea.

I have notebooks that I've purchased at Staples for a number of years. About a year and a half ago I realized they were being discontinued. So of course I purchased every last one in NYC! I have exactly 2 left. They are spiral bound. About 8.5" tall by probably 5" wide (about half the size of a normal sheet of paper). And I use them for all of my knitting projects. I save them all so if someone says - hey, remember that such and such that you made for so and so, I can hopefully grab one of my old notebooks and find the skeleton of a pattern in there. I also use the notebooks for ideas that never hit the needles. They are all neatly stored on my bookshelf and look might impressive (to me at least) when I think about what gems are hidden inside each book.

Anyway, I saw this notebook (pictured). It has knitting graph paper on one side and I believe plain paper on the other. This lets you think, sketch and map out your project all at the same time! Nice! However, I use my notebooks like paper towels. I go through so many sheets of paper for each project...doodling, sketching, calculating, etc. I believe these notebooks only have about 120+ pages in each. I might go through a ton of these notebooks.

Anyway, food for thought!

Back Home and Lots to do!

First up, my sister-in-law FINALLY finished Juno (Rowan # ?) with some obvious modifications. It's been a long time coming but here it is. I'm really proud of her. This sweater looks awesome on her. Seriously great job!

I spent last week with my mom. It has apparently been FIVE years since I've been to her house. I don't really believe that but that's what I'm told! It was really great to get away from the city and get some sleep, spend quality time with mom and her dogs, and visit some sites that were as of last week new to me! I tried to convince her to get some Easy Tones but I actually think she came up with a better idea...a visit to the podiatrist! Then....Easy Tones.

Speaking of Easy Tones. They were the only shoes I wore while I was away. Which means I have worn them every single day since I got them! I know, crazy, right? so the results???

I'm pretty psyched! My butt is for sure "lifted" a little. I thought my pants were getting tight (i.e. I was gaining weight) but instead my butt has scooted up slightly....weird yet oddly ok. My heals hurt like crazy when I get up in the morning but they always do. The great news is that the balls of my feet don't hurt - at. all. Major accomplishment! I'm a little worried that they will break down faster than other shoes but I have to say I don't really care. I'm happy with the results. I'd buy them again in a second. oh they sell them at the Reebok Outlet!

The opening of the second location of the Tapas Bar that I manage opened with a fun party right before I went to visit my mom. It was a bit stressful but now we are off and running. I'll be back at it tomorrow planning Sherry tastings and getting the Flamenco performances up and clapping...

I am NOT knitting. This is a problem. I didn't want to chance taking all my stuff on the plane. I'm not working on a deadline so I didn't have to take the risk. I figured I'd come up with something when I got home. Well, I'm home. Hello creative inspiration. I'm ready! I actually wrote up a pattern last night for my sister-in-law. She's got the fever and needs to be knitting! I hope it works out for her!

I'm about to go stash diving. There is a pretty heather grey cashmere in one of my giant boxes. It's calling. I can hear it. I'm hoping it has something to say when I find it!!

I spent the day cleaning out my bookshelves, organizing all of the patterns I've written and submitted over the past year and a half, put my knitting magazines in chronological order, got rid of TONs of books and then attacked my desk! phwew! I still have to go through all of my receipts and file all of my paperwork, paid bills, etc. But I can see my way through it at this point! The end is near! Yee-ha!!

Next up........TAXES!

Blanket's Finished

I'm not sure about this. I was going for a little 70's action. Which I think I accomplished. But now I'm wondering if anyone would really want a giant granny square baby blanket in these colors. I'll probably add some tassels to the ends? or maybe pom poms? But really, who wants this? If I was sending this off to a magazine I wouldn't question it at all. But that it's for a friend...hmmmm.

I've been super busy working on opening a new or rather rebranded restaurant/lounge. So I haven't had much time to do anything other than that. However, this was finished so fast! It's amazing how much faster crochet is than knitting. I still am not the biggest fan but I do (for some strange reason) like the granny square. It must have something to do with my childhood?

On a sadder note, I lost one of my thrummed mittens that I made a few years ago. It is now somewhere between Soho and DUMBO. But really, who's the dumbo? The good news is that I have another set of thrummed mitts ready to be knit up. These will be in the blue family. The old ones were in the green family. Boy those mittens were warm :(

By the way, I bought a pair of Easy Tone sneakers by Reebok. I've worn them for two days (three if you count today, but I didn't do anything all day). I haven't slept this well in years! Could it possibly be the shoes? They are supposed to work the muscles in your butt, hamstrings and calved. Hello butt, I feel you! But if a side effect of my new sneaks is better sleep. Count me as a fan!

Don't know what the next project will be. I might make a little sweater to go with the blanket. Or I might not? Not sure....I'll be sure to let you know.

Crappy Crochet

I'm a pretty crappy crochet-er. Seriously. I don't get the whole ch 5 = 3 dc, 2 ch...blah, blah...But I do sometimes like the idea of crochet. Like today for instance.

I need to knit a little something for an acquaintance that is having a baby. It's the kind of acquaintance that I really don't have to knit something for. I mean we are friendly but I never see her. But since I'm a knitter and I NEVER get to knit for babies, I thought I'd do something. This is NOT what I had in mind! However, I'm enjoying it.

I had some Araucania nature cotton in my stash. Probably not enough for a blanket. I also have that Nature cotton stuff by (I can't remember who makes it) but it's everywhere in natural colors. Between the two I think I'll have enough. I have no idea why I started with the granny square. The girl is pretty retro. Very Susie Homemaker. Kind of 50's ish. So I guess I thought the granny square might be nice. Plus for some other unknown reason...I like granny squares!

I opted for one giant granny square instead of a bunch of little ones. This way I'll know how much yarn I have and when I should switch color. I have this color which is actually not orange but more of a salmon. I have a very sweet light green and the off white. So round and round I go with the salmon. Then I guess I'll switch to the off white and finish off with the green. I hope it turns out ok!

A few pieces from the past year

I can't remember the VK issue that this was in. I was knitting it over the summer. So maybe it was in the fall issue? I don't know. It was super fun to knit. NO SLEEVES! Every little bit there would be a change. Cast on, ribbing. Change to pockets. Change to intarsia. Change to shaping. change to....you get the idea. They had me add the fur trim around the hood. I personally would not want fur around my hood but either way. It was a really easy knit.

Again, not sure what issue this showed up in. And again, really fun to knit. Obviously it's a bit more complicated than the one above but equally fun and interesting. As I recall this knit up really quickly.

And here is a photo of my sister -in- law's sweater. Currently it has a GIANT collar on it that I haven't figured out exactly how to secure it to the rest of the sweater. I also had the button bands on but then took them off. Wasn't crazy about how they looked.

I'm hoping to get this thing F I N I S H E D before her birthday in March!

Back to the City

I forgot my phone and my knitting.

It's been snowing.

I could have used both.

I'll be home in a few hours.

A new kind of thinking

Now that the sweater is finished I have nothing to do.

I thought I was going to be SUPER busy working on some fashion week stuff but I - for the first time ever - said no to the project! I feel so relieved. The project was doomed from the start. The timing was bad. The direction was unclear at best. And I just didn't want to deal with designer angst (hers not mine). So I said no.

I feel so liberated! I feel so guilty! I feel so liberated! I feel so guilty!

I'm going to give this new thinking a try. Maybe if I say no to a few projects along the way I won't be so insane all of the time. I'm getting really tired of juggling!

So, now that I have some free time I think I'll graft the underarms of a sweater I made last year. And maybe, just maybe I'll actually knit the button band onto a gorgeous sweater that I made a year ago for my sister in law for her birthday (obviously I missed it!) I'll post a few pics when I finish them!

I also need to make a couple of hats for a friend. Some really AWESOME hats. Innovative, cleaver, gorgeous, unique, hats. Pics to come.

On a sad note, I'm shocked by how many yarn stores have closed. So many stores opened in the early 00's. It was alarming then. I couldn't believe that NYC could sustain so many shops. But now the reality of rent, inventory and a crappy economy have settled in, people just don't have the kind of discretionary income needed to buy really expensive yarn. I don't buy yarn that often. When I do it's usually Jade Sapphire cashmere (because I can't get enough of it in my life). So I don't frequent local yarn stores often. But I like knowing that they are there in case I need something. The other day when my son was having his teeth put back together I wanted to grab a couple of dpns. and I remembered a little yarn store around the corner from the dentist's office. I got there and it was GONE. It had been there since the late 80's. Now it's a dutch book store. Really?

Anyway, happy New Year. I'm going to Montauk where eating, drinking and knitting are on the agenda!

A Minor Alteration

The drama is over. The teeth are restored (bonded for a couple of years).

Christmas came and went.

Soho has been a mad house for 2 days. Honestly I've never seen it so crowded on broadway between Houston and Broome. I guess everyone is determined to bring up those retail sales!!

The down and dirty quickie sweater is finished! Well, I actually just need to graft the underarms. I'm also adding two inches to the bottom. I'm accomplishing this by snipping the rolled bottom edge, knitting backwards and now knitting down for the intended distance. I'll be done within the hour. It fits perfectly! So though it wasn't done in time for Christmas, it is finished and it is being received with a smile!