Yearly Archives: 2010

also, i haven’t done the dishes.

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For me to let the dishes pile up like this, something has to be going on. I haven’t even picked up my knitting this week. And I haven’t yet written my conference paper. (Well, I’ve written a page of it.)

I wrestle with categories in all parts of my life and work, and while I’m unsure exactly how much I want to say about my week here in this space, which is somewhere between private and public in ways that mean a lot to me, I also feel like you’ve all been here as I’ve tried to think about and work through some very personal things, especially in this last year. So it seems only appropriate to tell you that I’ve started seeing someone. He’s been smiling at me for weeks. The occasional conversation turned into the occasional email, which, last Wednesday, turned into a lecture, dinner, a movie screening, and tea (all in one afternoon-into-evening). So much is unexpected and surprising about this for me: there are many things about us that are quite different, and yet, we have great conversation and chemistry.

I probably won’t say much more about this. I don’t know what it will become, how it will develop. But my real-life community can see me grinning (and is giving me a good-natured hard time about it), and as you all are also part of my community, I wanted to tell you too.

So there it is: the reason the dishes have piled up, that my work is not getting done, that I have no knitting, or even silly Boh pictures to share — and the reason I’ve been smiling all week.

upside down/turned around.

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Another picture of last week’s daffodils as a way to say that I’m still here. I’ve had a week that has me all upside down and turned around (in good, surprising ways). And although I still haven’t written that conference paper (note to self: do that tomorrow), I am celebrating spring.

More soon.

lack of motivation.

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I snapped this photo last night. Boh got halfway off the couch, and then seemed to either forget what he was doing or lose the motivation to continue. Oh Boh, I can relate. I am having a hard time staying focused and motivated to work on many of the things on my plate right now — April is just crazy.

I’ve had a few skeins of finished yarn sitting here next to my computer, waiting for me to blog them. I might not be done reading, planning paper topics, or (ahem) writing that conference paper for next weekend, but I can blog these skeins and check them off my list!

This is that lovely blue-green merino/wool blend that my dear friend H. picked up at a Maine sustainability festival in the fall from Friends’ Folly Farm. This is 257 yards of worsted weight (maybe light worsted in some places), in 2 skeins of 181 and 76 yards, respectively. This stuff was beautifully prepped, almost batt-like, and I spun it in sort of a modified long-drawish kind of way, which seemed to allow me to get a more even single. I have no idea what this will become, but I absolutely love how the colors catch the light.

This is a scrappy 2-ply skein of all the leftovers on my bobbins — a mixture of Hello Yarn shetland in Sour Fig, the gorgeous green stuff I just finished, and Crown Mountain Farms superwash merino in Albatross and Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds. 68 yards of surprising prettiness.

And now, back to the pile! I’m hoping to get caught up on blog reading and comments soon. Apologies for the radio silence this week.

daffodils and dancing.

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My yard’s first daffodil. I woke up early yesterday and got a fair bit of work done, as well as some plying and Easter baking.

I had to request consultations with my dough advisory council (my dad and my friend K.) when my Slovenian Easter buns took forever to rise, but I think everything that was supposed to happen occurred, and the result is delicious.

I also made an enormous Caesar salad (above), and then dished myself a 2-quart mixing bowl-sized serving. Yum. And that would have made for a pretty good day.

But then I did something rather uncharacteristic: I went dancing. Something about the arrival of spring gave me a burst of energy last night, and I stayed out way past my bedtime. And had fun. And consequently, I’m having a tough time motivating myself to do anything of (academic) import today.

But I’ve got daffodils, and the sun is shining.

ear up.

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Self-explanatory, right? For a brief moment yesterday, I was feeling okay about my piles of things to do. The sun was shining, so after we finished a book, Boh and I went for a run. Half an hour, nice and slow. Though this is the first run we’ve taken in something like six months, the second I got out my running shoes, Boh began to whimper. He remembers…and when he isn’t being lazy, he loves running. It was nice to see that he needs to ease back into it too. (In fact, we probably ran not quite 3 miles, and we turned towards home because Boh was slowing down! Don’t get me wrong, my muscles certainly greeted me loudly when I rolled out of bed this morning.)

He snored for hours after our run. It’s almost as if he just plain forgot to put his ear down.

Are you taking pictures of me again?

Also, late last night I decided to put something else on the wheel. (During break,  I was spinning every day, and this week I haven’t been able to find the time. So I made some.) This is 6 oz. of 50% merino/50% other wool in a gorgeous range of deep greens and blues from Friends’ Folly Farm in Maine. My dear friend H. (her last name initial, since that’s what I call her) picked this up for me at a sustainability fair of some sort this fall and surprised me with it. I was itching to spin a 2-ply, and decided that this might be just the thing. This stuff drafts like a dream, and part of the way through putting the first 3 oz. on the bobbin, I switched to spinning this in more of a long-draw type method, and my singles became even more even. Here’s a less than awesome shot of the bobbin. I blame the lateness and the harsh overhead light.

While I was working on this, emails adding to my workload/stress for the weekend arrived in my inbox. Isn’t that always how it goes? I’m glad I claimed some spinning time last night, and I’m going to aim to spin the other half of this luscious stuff over the weekend. Happy Friday! (And if you’re in the East, happy sunshine!)

rain encourages worms (wurm?)

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Apologies for my lame attempt at connecting this evening’s steady rainfall with my current handspun hat-in-progress, the oh-so-lovely wurm. This is the knitting that lives in my bag, which means I mostly pull it out before yoga, or when I have less than 15 minutes between obligations. (More than 15 minutes, and I’m probably reading.)

It was a long Monday, so I came home and put on my cozy green sweater and my super-ripped up jeans. I actually did the same thing when I got home today. Sigh.

Boh curled up on my toes while I finished a book for a discussion tomorrow, and then he settled into a deep snore-laden sleep. Sweet, sweet pooch.

FO: tigerlily (and some shalom progress).

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In an attempt to hide from reality (spring break is over, I’m heading to campus in an hour), I spun up the second half of my AVFKW falklands fiber in the tigerlily colorway yesterday. This is 48 yards of worsted weight, navajo plied yarn, from 1.5 oz of fiber — exactly the same yardage that I got from the first half. This clearly wants to be something paired — fingerless mitts, perhaps?

And here’s where I’m at with Shalom. I knit all of that stockinette on Saturday night, at a knit-friendly dinner party, and I’m hoping that I can maintain my momentum on this sweater now that spring break is over. (Can you tell I’m still pouting about that?) Despite my lack of a gauge swatch, plan, or pattern obedience, it appears that this sweater is the perfect size. Thank you, top down sweater construction.

Boh and I are off to take a quick walk this morning before I head to campus, as Mondays are pretty busy days. Hope your week is off to a good start!

FO: bluestone.

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It’s official. I’m obsessed with navajo plying. And with Southern Cross Fibre. This merino might well be the squishiest thing to ever come off my wheel. 148 yards of plump worsted deliciousness, navajo plied, in the Bluestone colorway from the March 2010 SCF Fiber Club. I love this so much that I want to wear the hank doubled around my neck…and I’m thinking it should probably turn into a cowl, ASAP.

I went looking for something else to play with, and decided on this falklands wool from AVFKW in the tigerlily colorway. I split the roving lengthwise in half with the idea that the colors would repeat twice. And when I finished the first half, I decided to go for two mini-skeins so that I could navajo ply some more (instead of waiting until today).

I wrestled with this in places — in some spots, my singles were slightly overspun for navajo plying, and my lack of patience meant that in those sections, I had to deal with energized singles that hadn’t been given any time to rest. That said, I love these colors, and am psyched to spin and ply the other half of this fiber. What you’re seeing here is 48 yards of worsted weight yarn,  from 1.5 oz of fiber.

And here’s another shot of Shalom — I slipped this on yesterday to see if I wanted to add a fourth button hole (I do), and had to laugh at the exact matchiness of my t-shirt and yarn.

Alas, spring break has come to a close — and the grey skies are echoing a bit of how I feel today. I wish break lasted a bit longer, as I am just starting to feel caught up on a lot of of work, sleep, and play. I’m going to let myself do a bit more knitting and spinning today, amidst prep for the week, but I’m not going to lie: I am feeling a little bit pouty, and it will be hard to head to campus tomorrow morning…

pizza/plying.

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More playing in the kitchen this weekend: homemade pizza and these double chocolate muffins, with walnuts and almond extract subbed for the butterscotch chips and vanilla.

Also, some spinning. This is Southern Cross Fibre merino in Bluestone — my first club shipment! It arrived on Thursday, and by Friday afternoon it was on my wheel. I spun all 4 oz. as singles, and this morning, sat down to navajo ply the whole lot.

My Bluestone is taking a bath right now, and soon it will be hanging to dry in the kitchen. On the list for today? Reading and knitting on Shalom:

Shalom matches the book I intend to finish today! Happy Saturday, folks.

ravioli muscles.

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Oof. First of all, my ravioli-making muscles are a little sore. (That’s a technical term — they are tiny, and located in the middle of the back.) This is a small (and totally worth it) price to pay for homemade ravioli, in case you’re wondering.

My friends D and T came over last night, along with their sweet dog Coltrane, for a special dinner sort of in honor of D’s recent birthday. Just as we were about to dig in, they said something like, “Wait! Don’t you want to take a picture for the blog?” They know me well.

I followed this ravioli recipe, and the resulting meal was incredible. We also enjoyed my dad’s Caesar salad recipe, and an apple pie. It was a super fun evening, and despite the fact that my parents’ pasta maker (which lives at my house) is missing a few pieces are really requires two people to properly operate it without lots of curse words, I am jonesing for more homemade pasta…

Also, I’ve finished the yoke of Shalom! I did do an extra repeat of the yoke pattern in order to get closer to the neck to armpit distance I need, and I am excited. It is a little small right now, but I’m confident (fingers crossed) that it will block out to the slim fit I’m hoping for. My button holes look a little messy — note to self — I don’t do the bind off/cast-on button holes well, but I’m sure I can clean that up a bit with yarn needle and some extra ends. Onward to the mindless stockinette portion!

Happy Friday!