charts, apart(ment)s, hearts.

Posted on March 11, 2008 by barefootrooster

I’m back (and cheesier than ever, I might add). Thank you for all of your kind comments and happy thoughts re: my grad school news and this week’s visit to New Home. The best way to describe my visit?

Affirming.

I had the chance to meet my advisor, have dinner in his home, take walks and engage in thought-provoking talks with the other graduate student in the program with academic interests like mine, drink local beer, wander around town — and sign a lease.

It may not have the same funky character as my current southwestern casita, nor does it have the same incredibly low price tag, but for New Home, the price is fair, the dog is welcome and the kitchen is spacious! At best, this will be a space I can settle into for the next several years; at worst, it will be more than sufficient for my first year in New Home.

New Home is half a day’s drive from my parents’ house, so I got a cozy weekend with mom and dad, filled with movies, snowfall-measuring and celebratory meals. Oh — and I also did some knitting!

I present my progress on the Chevalier Mittens. I don’t know why I feared the chart — it makes perfect sense, once you get past the supposed scariness. I am a little concerned that the fabric is a bit too dense and stiff. Should make for good mittens, right? This yarn is worsted weight cashmere/merino/mohair from School Products. The pattern calls for DK weight yarn doubled, so I figured this would be fine, held single. All of the cables kept my attention through a long layover and multiple flights, but my hands were hurting by the end of the day. Once home, I picked up the Stella Hat I had brought for movie watching and all around mindless lounging.

Boh played with his very best friend, a slightly younger Akita named Radley, the whole time I was gone. When I went to pick him up, he did not want to leave, and pulled against the leash when I gave a short tug. See how tired he was?

It’s good to be back. More soon!

off to see the wizard…

Posted on March 4, 2008 by barefootrooster

Actually, I’m off to see my New Home — planning to meet my advisor, sign a lease for the fall and wander through/imagine myself in a different place.

What am I bringing with me? I’m working to keep everything in one LandsEnd tote bag (size large, which I believe they define as 2 full bags of groceries). That means no sweater projects. Instead, because it will be cold where I am heading, I am bringing a Stella Hat, recently cast on, yarn and needles to begin the Chevalier Mittens, and my Twisted Tweed Socks. (Too sleepy for links — early flight!) I can fit all of these, along with a little notions bag, into a tote that fits inside my everyday bag.

Oh — and I’m planning to wear my Debbie Bliss Bolero Jacket. (By planning to wear, I mean I’m wearing it now, have been for much of the last week, and plan to continue wearing it all week/weekend.)

I’ll be back on Monday!

more progress: grad school cardigan

Posted on March 3, 2008 by barefootrooster

I’m still slightly nervous that the shoulders are a tad big, but because this is a looser cardigan that I intend to layer over all kinds of things, I’m hoping that won’t matter. I’m halfway through the side shaping — done with the waist decrease sets and into the hip increases. Here’s an arm’s length side view:

Yesterday was a day of recovery from the excitement of Saturday’s sunshine/rugby/Korean food/gelato. I spent it knitting, catching up on podcasts, reading at a nearby coffee shop with a pot of tea, and, of course watching more Flight of the Conchords while eating delicious homemade pizza with friends (Thanks, you guys!).

Spring is here — 71 degrees on Saturday, snow on the ground this morning. Here’s a shot of yesterday’s sunrise:

Hope your week is off to a good start. I’m going to pour my first cup of coffee. Ahh.

hip-hop-opotamus:

Posted on March 1, 2008 by barefootrooster

Best rapping name ever. Go rent Flight of the Conchords. You won’t be sorry. (I thought about saving this post title for when I attempt the pomatomus socks, but that may be a long way off, and I am laughing about this now.)

Meet my new teapot. My recent house guest knows me well — a funky teapot has been on my wishlist for a long time, and this is perfect. Also, it was accompanied by a bacon bar:

That’s right. Said past roommate and I used to make North American breakfast every weekend. As he says, “in Canada, we just call it bacon”. I bought extra for his visit, and I believe we are both shocked that with all of our exploring, we did not find time to eat it! I am very excited about this.

Lest you think I am no longer knitting, and instead just lazing about, watching silly DVDs, drinking tea, and eating bacon:

I am making progress on my grad school cardigan (Brompton) — into the shaping now. I love Rowan Felted Tweed. I have some cross-country airplane travel coming up this week and next, and I anticipate much uninterrupted Brompton knitting. Hooray!

Also, because of all the bacon talk, here is a picture of Boh being a complete ham. (I blame the hip-hop-opotamus for the corny humor I am employing here. I can’t help it.)

adventuring.

Posted on February 28, 2008 by barefootrooster

I’ve been adventuring this week, sharing my home with an old friend. We used to share a house on the other side of the world, and it has been incredibly fun to explore my current backyard together. Take a look:

Mt. Taylor in the distance, covered in snow.

Chaco Canyon — incredible ruins, history and landscape.

Overlooking Pueblo Bonito.

Contemplating the view — perched atop an inactive volcano.

Popcorn preparation.

When we shared a house, the three of us (thinking of you, E) watched every Bond movie in sequence, pausing in the middle to prepare popcorn. Casino Royale had not been made at the time. Yesterday, our tradition continued, and the popcorn was delicious.

Because I am a morning person, and my house guest is not exactly one, I have made a slight bit of knitting progress this week. I completed my one row handspun scarf, and I really like the subtle transition from color to color. This particular pattern is wonderfully soothing — I highly recommend it.

One last picture: these are the mountains I photograph often from my front door early in the morning. This week’s adventures marked the first time I’ve visited these places with the knowledge that I will be leaving, and that it will be several years before I might have the chance to live here again. In many other places I’ve lived, restlessness has set in after about a year. Not so, here. This is home.

it may be sunny and 55…

Posted on February 24, 2008 by barefootrooster

but I am wearing a sweater!

(Boy, that mirror is dirty.) I can justify the sweater, though. Take a look at the mountains:

See? There’s snow up there! Also, I think there is some kind of rule that you have to wear your first sweater the second it is done. (Okay, not true. This isn’t exactly the first sweater I’ve made. Over the summer, I knit Coachella, but the neckline turned out a bit too low to be worn in most situations…More on that someday.)

Anyway, I spent much of last night finishing the ribbing. Here’s a shot of the shrug in vest form:

I spent all morning seaming. I was a bit unclear about how everything was supposed to line up — no schematic — so I ended up seaming most of the sleeve caps, looking at them, and realizing that I needed to seam a few inches more of the sleeeves to the body. This process created many ends to weave in.

Somebody was pouting. In all fairness, he did miss a leisurely Sunday stroll. (His life is extremely hard.)

A few more pictures of my finished Bolero Jacket:

The necklace I’m wearing, by the way, is made by Lisa Donald, a friend who also makes/sells jewelry. She has a great eye — this is made from a clip-on earring that feels very 1960s to me. How convenient that it matches this sweater perfectly!

Posting may be sporadic this week — a dear friend flies in tonight to spend 4 days playing with me and Boh!

pick up st.

Posted on February 21, 2008 by barefootrooster

Thank you for all of the happy thoughts on my grad school news — it has been hard not to write about all the waiting over these last several months. I am so excited — and trying to transfer this energy into my UFOs — I cannot wait to actually have some of the sweaters on my needles actually in my wardrobe. I’m making progress on the ribbed collar/edging of the bolero jacket (226 st/row takes a long time!)– almost ready to start the short rows.

I also made another boy hat — but in my sleep-deprived stupor, I gleefully gave it away before photographing it. It is just like the first one — in super soft malabrigo in a colorway of deep greens and blues.

Here’s another almost FO — just needs a button and the ends woven in. I have two entire bibs to show for the stress of the last few weeks — knitting these was calming, and I needed it.

Oh, and I must share this:

He can be such a ham. This is from dinner at my house a few weeks ago -had to check with my dear friend (of pink and white VD frosting fame) to confirm that she would not mind being featured here with Boh.

blocking.

Posted on February 16, 2008 by barefootrooster

Inspired by Mick at Much Adored — and by the arrival of a much needed weekend, I knit the last 5 rows (I know, I know, ridiculous that I left so little to complete) of the second sleeve of my Debbie Bliss Bolero Jacket, and began blocking.

The sleeves are looking a bit big to me (I say that like I’ve done this before) — but I’m intending for this to be a cozy shrug-sweater, so I hope it will be fine.

I let the pieces dry overnight, and this morning, though still slightly damp, I decided that the front pieces and the back were dry enough for me to seam the shoulders and begin picking up a million (okay, 226) stitches for the all-the-way-around ribbing that makes this sweater so cute. No pictures of that yet, but now that I have picked up said stitches, I am hoping to complete this before the cold weather leaves us entirely.

Lucky for me and my sweater, I woke up to a sprinkling of snow on the ground. I’m off to a place that likely has snow — and a crackling fire in the wood stove — for the rest of the weekend.

U R GR8.

Posted on February 14, 2008 by barefootrooster

I helped frost some Valentine’s Day confections last night — conversation cupcakes, if you will. My friend Sheri has the photo-documentation. If I can get them from her this week, I’ll share some of our creativity.

Onward to this morning’s valentine:

While listening to an episode of This American Life, I worked a few more pattern repeats of Nutkin. I love how the colors are combining in this pattern.

Also, if you haven’t taken a look at this pattern, the cuff is very cool: you knit a band, do a purl row, knit some more, and then fold over at the purl row and by picking up stitches from the cast on edge and knitting together with the live stitches, you create a reinforced stockinette cuff.

Have a lovely day.

planning (plotting?)

Posted on February 13, 2008 by barefootrooster

“What have we here?” asked Boh upon my return from our weekly knit-gathering. The answer is Sunshine Yarns sock yarn in Olive, a gorgeous, unexpected gift from Ramona, heretofore known as the yarn fairy. (Well, maybe I’ll still call her Ramona.) She also brought me Cat Bordhi’s New Pathways for Sock Knitters to borrow and peruse for ideas/further enabling in the sock knitting department.

Actually, I think I’ll go do that now: The sun is streaming through my window, I have a steaming cup of coffee in my hand, and I’m wrapped in my favorite blanket. These few hours before I leave for work are my favorite time of the day.

barefoot rooster

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Category Archives: knitting