I'm at work. I wouldn't normally do personal internet stuff at work, especially since I only work 15 hours a week at the office, but something amazing just happened.
Pasadena has free street parking until 11. I typically leave the office at 10:55 and walk over to my car and feed the meter. The little ritual started the same as always, got the quarters out of the jar, went out the back door, walked over to the car. I was about to put in a quarter when I noticed that the meter was not flashing the annoying little 0s. The meter actually read 1 hour, 41 minutes. It must be a mistake, I thought, someone clearly does not understand that you must put the quarters in the meter in front of your car.
So, I walked to the big pick up truck in front of me, ready to put in some quarters. And there on the meter were the same numbers, 1.41, staring at me. I looked at the next meter, the same thing, and the empty parking space, same thing.
A parking angel must have graced the streets that day.
I've actually considered doing the same thing, just putting a few quarters in any low meters which I happen to past. I'd be able to feel good about myself and I'd be fighting against "the man." What more could you want. Of course, I have so little money I actually went over my credit limit the other day, and I can't really see myself "casually" looking at parking meters to see if they're out. And I'm not about to make a special trip just to search out expired parking meters because actively trying to improve your good-will tally is just sad, and just defeats the whole purpose of doing good for good's sake.
Thank you to whoever put in those quarters, and to all of you out there who have put money in the parking meter of a stranger. I salute you.
No longer a yarn store, and I often don't talk about yarn. But I do bake, travel, and attack wool with a needle.
Thursday, June 29, 2006
Knitted gnomester
I'm working on the store sample of the knitted gnome. The pieces on the bottom are the boots, on the left is the body, arms, and then the hat. And to think it'll look even cuter when it's put together.
I went to the Pasadena Stitch n' Bitch group today.
It's a fun group, and I wouldn't be surprised if you already know all about them since half of people have blogs.
There are a number of SnB groups throughout the country.
I hadn't been to the group in over a month, but Joan was nice enough to have made me a gift bag for the group's anniversary which was last week (I think). One of the presents was some very pretty stitch markers, I'll try to take a picture of them.
Joan says she reads the blog. So if you're out there,
I went to the Pasadena Stitch n' Bitch group today.
It's a fun group, and I wouldn't be surprised if you already know all about them since half of people have blogs.
There are a number of SnB groups throughout the country.
I hadn't been to the group in over a month, but Joan was nice enough to have made me a gift bag for the group's anniversary which was last week (I think). One of the presents was some very pretty stitch markers, I'll try to take a picture of them.
Joan says she reads the blog. So if you're out there,
Thank You!
Saturday, June 24, 2006
Hyperbolic Crochet oh my
I haven't been doing a lot of knitting lately, but I have been crocheting.
I did this hyperbolic crochet with a 3.25 mm hook. Yes, I agree, that is small hook.
I did this hyperbolic crochet with a 3.25 mm hook. Yes, I agree, that is small hook.
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Submitting your work at the county fair and the new S n' Bitch book
Everyone loves to be recognized. Here's two ways to flaunt your knittyness:
Enter your work to the LA county fair. The Entries must be postmarked by July 12th.
http://www.fairplex.com/2006/Competitions/Tapestry06/index.asp
And this is the email about submissions to the new SnB book.
Dearest stitchers 'n bitchers:
I'm gearing up to get cracking on my next Stitch 'n
Bitch book. It's going
to be an advanced knitting manual, and I'm looking
for patterns that
incorporate a bit of fancy-pants knitting such as
cables, lace, color work
(either intarsia or fair isle or, hell, both!),
beading, etc. The book will
be covering these techniques in great detail, as
well as much more.
Patterns can range from clothing to accessories to
household items to baby
things and pet items. Even first-time designers are
invited to contribute.
I'm looking for lively, fun projects, and I'm
especially interested in
sweaters and socks.
So put on your thinking caps, cause submissions are
due June 19, 2006!
To submit, please send the following:
1) If you have a completed project, please send a
few good-quality photos of
the item, along with a detailed description of it.
OR
2) If you can 't get a large project done in time to
meet the deadline, don't worry. Just send me a very clear, detailed sketch
of your project idea
(include basic measurements, fit information, etc),
along with a photo of a
rather large swatch (at least 10" x 10") made in the
yarns and stitch
patterns you plan to use.
Photos of projects and swatches can be emailed to me
at
stitchnbitch@bust.com, or mailed to me here: Debbie
Stoller, BUST Magazine,
78 Fifth Ave, 5th floor, New York, NY 10011.
IMPORTANT: Please be sure to include your full name,
email addresses,
daytime and evening phone numbers, and mailing
address, along with your
submissions. Include a SASE (self-addressed stamped
envelope) if you'd like
me to mail your submission back to you after I've
made my selections.
It will take me at least 2-3 weeks to make my
selections. If your project is
accepted, you will be provided with the yarn you
need to produce a sample,
which will be photographed for the book and kept by
me (to take on tour, 'natch!). You will also be paid for your submission,
your pattern will be
credited to you in the book and will run alongside a
brief bio, and of
course, you will receive a free copy of the book
once it is completed.
If you have any questions about the process, feel
free to email me. Thanks
in advance, everyone!
(I apologize to any of you receiving this call for
submissions more than
once; I'm just trying to get the word out to as many
of you as possible.)
xxxooo deb
-----------
Debbie Stoller
http://www.knithappens.com
Enter your work to the LA county fair. The Entries must be postmarked by July 12th.
http://www.fairplex.com/2006/Competitions/Tapestry06/index.asp
And this is the email about submissions to the new SnB book.
Dearest stitchers 'n bitchers:
I'm gearing up to get cracking on my next Stitch 'n
Bitch book. It's going
to be an advanced knitting manual, and I'm looking
for patterns that
incorporate a bit of fancy-pants knitting such as
cables, lace, color work
(either intarsia or fair isle or, hell, both!),
beading, etc. The book will
be covering these techniques in great detail, as
well as much more.
Patterns can range from clothing to accessories to
household items to baby
things and pet items. Even first-time designers are
invited to contribute.
I'm looking for lively, fun projects, and I'm
especially interested in
sweaters and socks.
So put on your thinking caps, cause submissions are
due June 19, 2006!
To submit, please send the following:
1) If you have a completed project, please send a
few good-quality photos of
the item, along with a detailed description of it.
OR
2) If you can 't get a large project done in time to
meet the deadline, don't worry. Just send me a very clear, detailed sketch
of your project idea
(include basic measurements, fit information, etc),
along with a photo of a
rather large swatch (at least 10" x 10") made in the
yarns and stitch
patterns you plan to use.
Photos of projects and swatches can be emailed to me
at
stitchnbitch@bust.com, or mailed to me here: Debbie
Stoller, BUST Magazine,
78 Fifth Ave, 5th floor, New York, NY 10011.
IMPORTANT: Please be sure to include your full name,
email addresses,
daytime and evening phone numbers, and mailing
address, along with your
submissions. Include a SASE (self-addressed stamped
envelope) if you'd like
me to mail your submission back to you after I've
made my selections.
It will take me at least 2-3 weeks to make my
selections. If your project is
accepted, you will be provided with the yarn you
need to produce a sample,
which will be photographed for the book and kept by
me (to take on tour, 'natch!). You will also be paid for your submission,
your pattern will be
credited to you in the book and will run alongside a
brief bio, and of
course, you will receive a free copy of the book
once it is completed.
If you have any questions about the process, feel
free to email me. Thanks
in advance, everyone!
(I apologize to any of you receiving this call for
submissions more than
once; I'm just trying to get the word out to as many
of you as possible.)
xxxooo deb
-----------
Debbie Stoller
http://www.knithappens.com
Friday, June 09, 2006
It's starting to look like something ...
I've been able to work on my lace shirt recently and I finally figured out what I'm going to be doing for the top half of the shirt - knitting stockinette with big needles. Of course that meant I had to do another swatch, but that wasn't much of a sacrifice.
Debbie Stoller is doing a new book on advanced knitting - lace, fair isle, etc. and she's looking for contributions, so I'm going to be submitting the pattern. You just need to submit a picture of the work and the pattern, so I think I'm ok, unlike the LA county fair where it's actually going to be "judged" and scrutinized.
Debbie Stoller is doing a new book on advanced knitting - lace, fair isle, etc. and she's looking for contributions, so I'm going to be submitting the pattern. You just need to submit a picture of the work and the pattern, so I think I'm ok, unlike the LA county fair where it's actually going to be "judged" and scrutinized.
Sunday, June 04, 2006
Book signing and UPS
Our first book signing was today. A woman who owns a knitting store in Big Bear was the first person to come in. She actually arrived at 10:30, half an hour before Katherine. Actually, until 12:30 she was the only person to come in for the signing, and we were all feeling bad about the whole situation. Then all of a sudden, at 12:30, there was a rush, at one point there were 6 or 7 people milling around the books and looking at the samples. Janice and Barbara, two women who also go to Jewel City Knitters, a knitting guild Jessamy and I go to, came in.
We actually didn't get the books until last night. The publishers for some unknown reason didn't seem very eager to sell us the books, so we weren't able to actually make the order until last week, despite the fact that I first contacted them a month ago. David wasn't here Friday morning to receive the package, so they left a note saying it would be delivered later, David read it would be delivered from 12:00 to 2:00 on Friday, when I got in at 2:00 I looked at the UPS paper and saw it said 12-2 on MONDAY. So, of course I freaked out. I went on their website and scheduled a same day pick up, thinking that when UPS called back to schedule a time it would be at 4 or 5 o'clock. Nope, we had to go pick it up between 8 and 9 at night.
The UPS same day pick-up turned out to be frustrating and boring to the point of mind numbing, like waiting at the DMV. It worked like an oil deficient machine. There was even a line of cars to get into the parking lot, not because there wasn't enough parking spaces, but because they had to first look on several lists to find your name (they found mine), there were the unlucky (or lucky?) few who weren't even let into the parking lot and had to wait in their car by the curb.
Apparently, after the day's deliveries all the UPS trucks in LA drive to a couple of central locations where the packages are taken off the trucks and put into a warehouse. Except, some truck drivers for one reason or another don't get to the warehouse until after 8, then some of the drivers don't even bother unload the trucks. So the 5 or so people who are working at the same day pick up have to take down everyone's name and number, then go look for a package which might not even be in the right area, sometimes even going to where the truck is parked and looking through all the packages in the truck. There were maybe 40 people who came in for their package while we were there, two of which went up to the counter and complained very loudly that they want their package NOW, and about 20 of which kept pestering the workers. It would suck to work there. I ended up waiting an hour and 45 minutes for my package. Jurassic Park 3 was playing on a TV screen hanging from the ceiling. You would think, with all the stress that's associated with the job they would pick a movie that is a little more soothing and calm. But no. Instead, occasional screams echoed throughout the building. How appropriate. I think I thought it was ok in the movie theatre, not the best movie, but it served it's purpose. But at the UPS center the movie was dull and tedious, kind of fitting actually. The bizarre thing is that after all that standing and waiting (they only had three seats), everyone I saw walking out of the room were clutching a package and smiling. I guess we have short memories.
We actually didn't get the books until last night. The publishers for some unknown reason didn't seem very eager to sell us the books, so we weren't able to actually make the order until last week, despite the fact that I first contacted them a month ago. David wasn't here Friday morning to receive the package, so they left a note saying it would be delivered later, David read it would be delivered from 12:00 to 2:00 on Friday, when I got in at 2:00 I looked at the UPS paper and saw it said 12-2 on MONDAY. So, of course I freaked out. I went on their website and scheduled a same day pick up, thinking that when UPS called back to schedule a time it would be at 4 or 5 o'clock. Nope, we had to go pick it up between 8 and 9 at night.
The UPS same day pick-up turned out to be frustrating and boring to the point of mind numbing, like waiting at the DMV. It worked like an oil deficient machine. There was even a line of cars to get into the parking lot, not because there wasn't enough parking spaces, but because they had to first look on several lists to find your name (they found mine), there were the unlucky (or lucky?) few who weren't even let into the parking lot and had to wait in their car by the curb.
Apparently, after the day's deliveries all the UPS trucks in LA drive to a couple of central locations where the packages are taken off the trucks and put into a warehouse. Except, some truck drivers for one reason or another don't get to the warehouse until after 8, then some of the drivers don't even bother unload the trucks. So the 5 or so people who are working at the same day pick up have to take down everyone's name and number, then go look for a package which might not even be in the right area, sometimes even going to where the truck is parked and looking through all the packages in the truck. There were maybe 40 people who came in for their package while we were there, two of which went up to the counter and complained very loudly that they want their package NOW, and about 20 of which kept pestering the workers. It would suck to work there. I ended up waiting an hour and 45 minutes for my package. Jurassic Park 3 was playing on a TV screen hanging from the ceiling. You would think, with all the stress that's associated with the job they would pick a movie that is a little more soothing and calm. But no. Instead, occasional screams echoed throughout the building. How appropriate. I think I thought it was ok in the movie theatre, not the best movie, but it served it's purpose. But at the UPS center the movie was dull and tedious, kind of fitting actually. The bizarre thing is that after all that standing and waiting (they only had three seats), everyone I saw walking out of the room were clutching a package and smiling. I guess we have short memories.
Saturday, June 03, 2006
Book Signing/Trunk Show this Saturday
We're having our first booksigning!
Katherine Lee, creator of SweaterBabe.com, is signing copies of her first book, SweaterBabe.com's Fabulous and Flirty Crochet Saturday, July 3rd, from 11-1pm.
11-1: Book Signing.
Chat with the author, get your booksigned, and admire finished samples from all of the projects on her book.
1-2: Crochet Help Session.
Ask Katherine Lee your crochet questions, or bring in a project for help. Free with purchase of SweaterBabe.com's Fabulous & Flirty Crochet.
Also, stop in for:
light refreshments
free raffle giveaways
and more!
Katherine Lee, creator of SweaterBabe.com, is signing copies of her first book, SweaterBabe.com's Fabulous and Flirty Crochet Saturday, July 3rd, from 11-1pm.
11-1: Book Signing.Chat with the author, get your booksigned, and admire finished samples from all of the projects on her book.
1-2: Crochet Help Session.Ask Katherine Lee your crochet questions, or bring in a project for help. Free with purchase of SweaterBabe.com's Fabulous & Flirty Crochet.
Also, stop in for:
light refreshments
free raffle giveaways
and more!
Friday, May 26, 2006
Hello Hello
Spin a good yarn night was fun. There wasn't as many attendants as last time, but that'slife ok. There was a lot of general chatting. I read something from the "Good Citizens Handbook" about courteous driving. There were a lot of recitations of Ogden Nash poems (some by memory). Two people brought in original pieces. One was Sarah's friend from work, unfortunately I can't remember her name (it takes at least three introductions until I can remember someone's name.) Andrea read a piece from her just published book. I believe this was her first public reading. Everyone enjoyed it, and it's possible we might have some book kick off celebration thingy with her.
I'm trying to form a Northeast LA Craft Alliance, so I'll be stoping by two of Eagle Rock's craftie stores today. I started a new job last week (part time), an assistant to a solo practise lawyer. She's very nice. Despite this being the slowest period since we opened, I'm extremely busy and crazed, but that'slife ok.
Spin a good yarn night was fun. There wasn't as many attendants as last time, but that's
I'm trying to form a Northeast LA Craft Alliance, so I'll be stoping by two of Eagle Rock's craftie stores today. I started a new job last week (part time), an assistant to a solo practise lawyer. She's very nice. Despite this being the slowest period since we opened, I'm extremely busy and crazed, but that's
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Spin a Good Yarn Night - Wednesday night
Spin a Good Yarn Night
Wednesday, May 24th, 7:00
Spin a Good Yarn Night will feature poetry, jokes, passages from novels,
improvisational storytelling, and the soothing click, click of knitting
needles. Everyone is invited to share or to simply listen and relax.
We already have one published author promise to share some of her works, we're on the top 7 of LA City Beat, and on a podcast at LAwithkids.com. It's looking like it will be a very interesting evening, so stop by.
Wednesday, May 24th, 7:00
Spin a Good Yarn Night will feature poetry, jokes, passages from novels,
improvisational storytelling, and the soothing click, click of knitting
needles. Everyone is invited to share or to simply listen and relax.
We already have one published author promise to share some of her works, we're on the top 7 of LA City Beat, and on a podcast at LAwithkids.com. It's looking like it will be a very interesting evening, so stop by.
Monday, May 15, 2006
Live Music Tomorrow (Tuesday)
Daughters of the Purple Sage
Tuesday, May 16th, 7:00 pm
Our next installment of Music To Knit To features a wonderful group called Daughters of the Purple Sage. Daughters of the Purple Sage specializes in songs of the Golden West and classics such as Tumblin' Tumbleweeds and Shenandoah.
Named "Rising Star of the Year" by the Academy of Western Artists, Daughters of the Purple Sage was nominated "Group of the Year" by the Western Music Association. Please join us for a pleasant night of yee-hawing.
www.thedaughters.com/
Tuesday, May 16th, 7:00 pm
Our next installment of Music To Knit To features a wonderful group called Daughters of the Purple Sage. Daughters of the Purple Sage specializes in songs of the Golden West and classics such as Tumblin' Tumbleweeds and Shenandoah.
Named "Rising Star of the Year" by the Academy of Western Artists, Daughters of the Purple Sage was nominated "Group of the Year" by the Western Music Association. Please join us for a pleasant night of yee-hawing.
www.thedaughters.com/
Thursday, May 11, 2006
Men's night and legal pollution
Two guys came for the Men’s Night (not including David and Noah, of course). And both were named Daniel. Coincidence? According to Dad they had a wonderful time talking and that it was just like the knitting groups we have at the store, except they were talking about guy stuff (like how their wives don’t understand why they buy so much yarn??)
I got my car smog-checked yesterday. The mechanic said it barely passed, and that I was lucky. Yes! I get to spew out barely legal amounts of pollution. Good thing it’s in such crap condition that I can only bring myself to drive it two days a week. The mechanic was a super nice guy, and he’s right across from us, ok, right across and half a block from us.
I got my car smog-checked yesterday. The mechanic said it barely passed, and that I was lucky. Yes! I get to spew out barely legal amounts of pollution. Good thing it’s in such crap condition that I can only bring myself to drive it two days a week. The mechanic was a super nice guy, and he’s right across from us, ok, right across and half a block from us.
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
Men's Knitting
So, my dad was sitting in the store today, minding his own business, when the door flies open and a woman shouts "see, there's a man in here." As it turns out she was talking to her son, who was standing outside the store. She had taught him how to crochet when he was young, but he was so ashamed of being a guy who knew how to crochet that he hadn't taken crochet classes, or told the people at yarn stores that he was buying the yarn for himself. Anyway, he ended up asking dad a lot of questions and was happy to learn that we had a men's night.
Every profession I can think of (the only exception perhaps being midwifery) in our male-dominated society was once, well, male dominated. It seems as if there are a good handful of professions which are now female dominated – teachers, art conservators, nurses, and yarn store owners (Funny enough, although there seems to be a dearth of male yarn store owners, many of the owners of the yarn manufacturing companies are actually male). Knitting was once chiefly done be males (for fishing nets, as the hypotheses go), and is still chiefly done by guys in other cultures, but in American culture a man knitting or crocheting is looked upon as something out of the ordinary. But here we women are, trying to level the playing field, convince guys that it's ok to knit and crochet. We have to convince, in some cases beg, guys to try knitting.
And if there was any point I was trying to make in this blog posting, I've forgotten it. Maybe just pointing out the general idea that gender stereotyping is stupid? Hmmm, nothing original there.
We should have a weekly contest. We can name it the "Try and guess where Thea was going with her post contest."
Or maybe I can just try and post in the daytime, while my brain is still functioning.
In any case, we'll be having our next Men's Knitting and Crochet Night this Wednesday, May 10th, from 5:30 to 7ish, so tell all the guys you know!
Lame post, I know, I can't always be brilliant.
Every profession I can think of (the only exception perhaps being midwifery) in our male-dominated society was once, well, male dominated. It seems as if there are a good handful of professions which are now female dominated – teachers, art conservators, nurses, and yarn store owners (Funny enough, although there seems to be a dearth of male yarn store owners, many of the owners of the yarn manufacturing companies are actually male). Knitting was once chiefly done be males (for fishing nets, as the hypotheses go), and is still chiefly done by guys in other cultures, but in American culture a man knitting or crocheting is looked upon as something out of the ordinary. But here we women are, trying to level the playing field, convince guys that it's ok to knit and crochet. We have to convince, in some cases beg, guys to try knitting.
And if there was any point I was trying to make in this blog posting, I've forgotten it. Maybe just pointing out the general idea that gender stereotyping is stupid? Hmmm, nothing original there.
We should have a weekly contest. We can name it the "Try and guess where Thea was going with her post contest."
Or maybe I can just try and post in the daytime, while my brain is still functioning.
In any case, we'll be having our next Men's Knitting and Crochet Night this Wednesday, May 10th, from 5:30 to 7ish, so tell all the guys you know!
Lame post, I know, I can't always be brilliant.
Saturday, May 06, 2006
Friday, May 05, 2006
These women could be your neighbors
What? Why? How?
I just hope the "try to look like a creepy plastic mannequin" trend doesn't have a comeback.
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
The Black Creepy Rider
On Saturday I went to see a performance of The Black Rider at the Ahmanson. The play is directed by Robert Wilson, who's famous in England for his original and unconventional plays, written by William S Burroughs (who based the story on German Folklore), with music by Tom Waits. Combine those three together and you have one trippy play. I had actually seen it in San Francisco two years ago (that cast was better) but even with a second viewing it was still bizarre. I had bought 2 tickets for my sister for her birthday, since she can appreciate the stranger things in life, thinking that she and her boyfriend would go. But, her boyfriend is so anti-snob (a form of snobbery, if you ask me (but he is a nice guy)) that he refused to go. In any case, if you have the chance, go see it. The directing, stage design, music, etc, all blended into a perfect and unsettling performance. But if you do go see it, forget everything I said! It will probably be best if you're surprised.
knitting in today's la times kids section
There's a little editorial today in the LA times, page E14, about boys knitting .
Friday, April 28, 2006
Second Sock Syndrome
So a couple of months ago I got on a knitting socks kick, proclaiming that socks were going to be the only thing I knit from now on. About three weeks ago I decided to knit a pair of socks for me (all mine), then ... the second sock syndrome hit. On Wedenesday I finally start the second sock, lets hope they don't look entirely different.
Friday, April 21, 2006
It's been long enough (over a month) since the whole knitting olympics tragedy, so I've started knitting my linen shirt again. I spent a very long time looking for the perfect lace pattern, but couldn't find it, so I made one up (or rather, reinvented, since most every stitch has probably been done before).
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
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