Quick Bookmark

For about a year now my grandmother has been telling us we should do bookmarks because they are fast and easy. So last night I put aside my socks and made some quick 1 hour bookmarks using cotton thread, #2s and a simple yo, k2tog pattern.

Apparently this mixture really shows off uneven tension, but I still like it.


This was my second one (the first is already in a book), and a third of a different pattern is on the needle.

Not much knitting, but...

I was pleased to find out that The Nipple Project is extending it's deadline to Spring 2007.

As much fun as it seems it'll have to be a post-Christmas project for me.

Thanks for the update Janice!

pirate socks

I decided to do Noah's pirate socks at the same time. A good decision, I think.

I'm going to dupicate stitch the skull onto the big black stripe. Sure, the skull is going to be a little further down than one would expect, but I don't think it will ruin the effect.

Parrots

Becca from Sugarbutterbex and I are at the Highland Park Farmers Market every Tuesday from 3 - 7. We have crafts available for kids, sometimes simply some paper and markers, or a special treat, like last week's sugar skulls (man, was that messy).

Early on in the afternoon we were greeted with a cacophony of squaks. There's a lot of speculation as to LA and other cities have their own parrot flock. I don't pretend to know which rumor is true, but I do know they are loud.

For several months the parrots used to wake me up in the morning (the opposum is still around, by the way), but about 6 months they moved on. I had always assumed the flock consisted of 15, maybe 20 parrots. But this flock had to have had at least 50 parrots. It was a bizarre sight. Maybe I'll see them again next week.

New yarn!

We've just got in new shipments of yarn. Now introducing:
Royal Bamboo, made of 100% Bamboo (not to be confused with 100% Bambii, for those of us who can't type)







Galaway, 100% Wool, in a nice orange for a felted pumpkin, or whathave you

Dreambaby DK, Acrylic and Nylon (I'm going to use it for pirate socks for Noah, but of course not in the colors show)









and ....
Cleckheaton Merino Supreme
Ohhhhh.
I still haven't figured out what I'll be doing for the capelet, at first I was thinking simple eyelett lace pattern, but now that I see it in person I'm thinking short cables. hmmm, choices.

Call for entries, and new needles

We just got in new needles:



















and we're restocked on the 9" Circs.
and ...

Call for Entries:
That Yarn Store in Eagle Rock will be having a fiber arts exhibit in early
November. The deadline for consideration is October 30th.

We are looking for works of art that are knitted, crocheted, felted, spun,
etc. We prefer unusual pieces, works that make people ponder, marvel, and
are generally just cool. The purpose of the exhibit is to celebrate and
recognize the vast artistic talents of Los Angeles fiber artists.

Please send standard sized photographs of your entries, no more than 3
entries per person, to
That Yarn Store
c/o fiber art exhibit
1578 Colorado Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90041
if you would like your pictures returned, please send a SASE.

or email photographs of your entry, no more than 3 entries per person, to

yarnart@gmail.com

Please send with your photograph the following information (please write
clearly):
Artist:
Title:
Description:
Bio:
Email:
Phone:
Mailing Address:

All decisions will be made by November 10th.

Thanks.

Thea
That Yarn Store
1578 Colorado Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90041
(323) 256-9276
www.thatyarnstore.com

yarnart@gmail.com

snip snip

So the haircut wasn't so much a chop chop as a snip snip.

I almost always dislike haircuts at first, I think there's only been one exception. With this one, I like the layered bangs,














but ...














not so sure about the mullett. I hope you appreciate the picture, it took about 6 tries to get a shot that wasn't just my hand or my shirt.

Sure, the mullet was big in Japan a few years ago, and if I were to judge Japan's haircut trends by those three girls in H&M yesterday, it still is. But I'm not really sure it's my thing. Lets see how I feel tomorrow.

You might be wondering why I haven't been posting any of my knitting projects. Well, that's because I don't really have any. I'm waiting for my yarn (dreambaby DK) to come in for pair of socks and superwash (cleckheaton) for a hooded capelet/poncho thing. So really, I've just been messing around with short rows and lace, trying to figure out what pattern I want the capelet to be, it's not really postable material since I rip it out immediately.

I'm going to have a booth today at the Highland park Farmer's Market (goldline station) stop by and say hi.

Chop Chop

I'm gonna get my hair cut tomorrow. yay. Not that I'm really looking forward to sitting in a highchair and awkwardly staring at myself and the hairstylist in the mirror for three hours. But, a change would be nice. I still don't know how I want it cut, so I guess we'll all be surprised tomorrow.

Pictures

Hiyal.

Here are some pics of our last two Friday Night events - Martini Night and Left Over Party Night.

Knit for peace

Martini Night was a blast (thanks again, Libby), and I'll post more on that soon, but right now I want to share an email I just got (write a comment, or email if you have any recomendations on how That Yarn Store can celebrate it) :

Dear Folks,

We've just passed the autumnal equinox, it's the new moon, the New Year for some, a lovely Friday in September for others, and I'd like to start organising for 2007. These are the things that I'd like to do to get organised:

Get the Knit for Peace Manifesto translated into as many languages as possible.

Remind people so that they can start planning in their communities.

Generate contact with the press so that the word can spread.

To update you on what I've been doing:

I've updated the Squidoo lens (http://www.squidoo.com/knitforpeace)

I've (gulp) started a blog (http://knitforpeace.blogspot.com)

The reason that I've started a blog is to make current information available to anyone who looks for it--it's seems easier than pointing and clicking to bcc to everyone on a mailing list from Yahoo so that you're all anonymous to each other. Speaking of which, if you want to be removed from this mailing list please let me know and I will do so immediately. I don't expect to be sending out a lot of this type of email because (1) it's a pain to write and receive, and (2) I figure that some of these will get caught in a spam trap because the list is so long, and I don't want that to happen.

Happy knitting,

Randy

Another Knitter for Peace

What's on the needles?

Right now I'm making wee hats for Stitches from the Heart.

These two I finished at the last church of craft. I love little hats. You can whip them out in an hour and don't need a pattern. And so what if they come out a little pointy...

Babies' heads are a little pointy, right? Well, Jessamy says they are, though I can't say I've ever made a mental note of the shape of baby heads.

Can you tell I'm not a professional photographer? I think pants make a fine backdrop.

new yarns

We've recently received some new yarns.

We're most excited about the Rowan Demin. The finished garment fades and shrinks just like jeans. Like many things in life, normally that's a bad thing, but since it's purposeful it's cool.

What are these droplets?

I would like to assure you before I start my actual post that I will refrain from mentioning Singles Night (9/14 6pm). I've already posted about Singles Night (9/14 6pm) and I would guess that most of the people who read this blog also get our newsletters and are tired of being reminded that Singles Night is this Friday at 6pm and that we'll be providing some cheese, crackers, and non-alcoholic drinks (we're saving the bubbly for Martini Night (9/22 6pm)).

I woke up this morning and noticed that it was a little darker than usual. I just assumed it was a manifestation of my then current mental state, but I realized as soon as I closed the self-locking door and walked down the porch and into the foggy drizzle that it was completely stupid of me not to have looked outside before exiting the building. And it wasn't as if I was driving to work that day. I was, of course, late to catch the train (light rail system to be exact). I really need to start watching the weather channel, or at the very least not smile and nod and secretly say in my head "poor woman, she has no idea what she's talking about" when a customer tells me the weather is going to be cooler tomorrow.

Yesterday was Noah's birthday, so we ate out at Stinking Rose. Hana and Noah claim the restaurant is under new management because the menu is different and the mash potatoes don't taste the same. I wouldn't know about that, but I do know Garlic Ice Cream is good. I also know that excessive amounts of garlic make one very volatile. At one point in the evening mom asked some question which required an explanation of opossums and the news that the "Jingle Cats" CD she gave me 5 years ago has finally been appreciated, though perhaps not as originally intended.

Mom's response to the opossum story was "yes, I know, I read your blog." Oh dear, is nothing sacred! In an instant she had shattered all my dreams using this blog to air my family's dirty laundry and reduced my topics of appropriate posting to the weather.

Church of Craft tomorrow

The next Church of Craft meeting, Eagle Rock congregation, is tomorrow, September 10th, from 2:00-5:00 or so at The Coffee Table on Colorado in Eagle Rock.

I'm going. See you there.

The Love Scarf Project

That Yarn Store is supporting a new charity, The Love Scarf Project. Drop in and donate a handmade scarf or cap.

About The Love Scarf Project
The Love Scarf Project collects handmade scarves and caps to be distributed on Christmas Eve to men and women living with cancer at City of Hope, a southern CA institution dedicated to the prevention and curing of cancer and other life-threatening illness.

Singles Night, countdown begins

Singles Night is 8 days away.

So far we've had more men than women RSVP for the event and it's going to be very awkward if Singles Night turns out to be a room full of guys, Frannie, and I. Especially since Frannie and I aren't single ...

Come on over to singles night, don't be shy, it's basically just going to be a knitting and crochet circle for people with at least one thing in common - that they're single. So bring your friends, and bring your knitting, we're also looking for volunteers to teach those that don't know how to knit or crochet. Did I mention we'll have refreshments?

Opossum revisited

Last night (UFO Night) I was asked about the opossums. Well, sad to say, the issue has not been resolved.

I had done a fair amount of research, looked at several possum websites, including www.opossumsocietyus.org, etc, called animal control but apparently they only catch dogs and cats and then claimed there were no other city services that trapped wildlife, so I then called up a couple of professionals... Then nothing. I got overwhelmed, and dad's solution of get Max (he would be leaving in two days) and Noah (a sixteen year old) on the roof, at night, to board the hole just didn't seem like something I wanted to do.

I love my brothers, I don't want to send them on the roof at 10:00 at night. More to the point, I don't want to send them up on the roof at 10:00 at night, only for them to fall off and leave me with the guilt of their neck-down paralysis for the rest of my life.

After a not so brief consideration of hiring one of the trappers for $350 and more attempts at the ammonia buckets, I temporarily gave up.

Then, after a so far successful ridding of the fruit flies two weeks ago, I've been alternating between zealous fits of "must be on offensive against possum" and "I'm too lazy to sit in the backyard with an empty trashcan, a stick, and a piece of string."

The last fit of offensiveness involved going out at 9 pm and buying 3 boxes of aluminum foil at the 99 cents store and $20 of aluminum at Home Depot, the thinking being that we could wrap aluminum around all the trees, and then the possum wouldn't have any surface to cling to as it's climbing up the trees. Well, 45 minutes into the plan we (jessamy and I, mostly Jessamy) had just finished wrapping a 3 inch in diameter vine when we realized that the opossum, which had previously been on the ground, had made it's way to the roof via an unknown route. Suddenly, that plan got way too complicated for our tired little brains.

Becca, who's very nice and owns sugarbutterbex, has had a raccoon problem for a number of years, and has convinced me to rent a trap. Fortunately we have a park a block away from my house (I'll tell you about the rat relocation one of these posts), so I'll be able to relocate the animal easily. Though I just now realized that I shouldn't get my hopes up, since that advice is given from someone who has had racoons for a number of years.

Until then, Jessamy and I have decided to go the General Noriega route and blast Jingle Cats out of a stereo placed right under the ceiling (while we're out of the house, of course).

UFO Night Tomorrow

UFOs, otherwise known as Unfinished Objects to those in the knitting acronym circle.

Friday, September 1st
5:30-7
Bring in any projects that are ... well ... unfinished.
This is the chance you've been waiting for to finish that shawl hiding under your sofa.

(I'm going to be bringing that linen shirt that's been sitting in the corner for months)

Eagle Rock rocks

Today Frannie and I went around to various stores in Eagle Rock to promote our Martini Night (Sept. 22nd) and Singles Night (Sept. 15th). Everyone was very nice to us. It was interesting how some were really into the idea of a Martini Night (like the guys at the Underground store on Eagle Rock blvd.) and some couldn't care less about booze, but thought the idea of a Singles Night was great (like the guy from the ballroom store). The biggest dissapointment of the afternoon was the fact that the firestation was closed (no fires in the afternoon?), but we did put a singles night flyer in their mail box (don't worry, I'll be personally delivering singles night flyers to the Highland Park firestation).

Even though I seem to pass out flyers every few months, I'm always surprised how wonderful the Eagle Rock community is, and how the people who work and live here are friendly and great.

I heard from a number of those business that things are really slow right now, so I want to encourage everyone reading this blog to support Eagle Rock business. Instead of going to Target to buy your next t-shirt, check out some of the cool stores like Regeneration on 1649 Colorado blvd. or Eagle Rock Underground 4690 eagle rock blvd. Shop at Colorado Wine Company, 2114 W. Colorado Boulevard, the next time you're in the mood for wine (they also have a weekly Sangria Saturday which I hope to go to this weekend).

In short, please support your local business, they need your patronage in order to survive, and we need them to help make our community safe, interesting and unique.

Almost finished hat

I more or less have finished the hat for Max. I'm not sure if it's the right size for him so I haven't closed the top of the hat yet.

It's an entirely unimpressive hat, but I think that's what he wanted.
To be honest, I'm not sure. When I asked him what kind of hat he wanted he replied "you know, a hat." So that's what I made. The color's nice at least.

I'm almost tempted to leave the needles permanently on the top. It reminds me of those propeller beanies, but a lot more dangerous. Maybe I can start a line of knitwear called "At Your Own Risk." It will feature clothes with knitting needles still in them, pins holding sweaters together, rusty nails woven into socks ...

Somehow I don't think the line would be very successful.