string*THEORY

And So It Became....

Remember that messy mass of cuttings + thread? Well I cut some more, and sewed, and it magically turned in to this crisp white (not quite functional) apron. Voi la...just like that.

I'm not really sure if my aunt will be crazy enough to cook in bright white linen and felt (who puts felt on an apron?)...but she'll look pretty cute prancing about the kitchen in this thing. If I do say so myself.

The preparations for my trip (leaving in 8 hours) are no where near done. In fact, I'm not even done with my work day yet as I've managed to procrastinate in every possible area of my life. No bags are packed. The house is a mess, and I have no idea where my passport is. However! My embroidery hoops are done. I had time to walk to the ice-cream shop today and I painted my nails. Toes too. I never paint my nails...but today, my nails are pink. 

So, I'm off now, to totally freak out. But not before saying "farewell", friends. I have a couple of special surprises for you this week. I wont be physically posting, but there will be new posts every other day or so. Because, ooh, I did that too. I pre-posted all my blogging for the week...because you know...all that extra time I have..too, uhm, blog. Ahem.

See you soonly...

Workings of the Day (& Night)

It's Santa's work shop around these parts, I'm telling you. I've been buzzing about at a few projects that will be soon be hand delivered to my family next week in Toledo (I'm still trying to get used to the idea). Above you see (besides those cheeky little birdies that seem to sneak their way into all my pictures these days), another  Forest Canopy Shawl. Yes, it's my 3rd. I know, I know, there are millions of lovely lace patterns out there, why is it that I keep making the same one over and over again? The pattern has become a security blanket to me. I know I can knit it, in just a few days, with relatively no pains or headaches. And best of all, I know it will look nice. Can you tell I'm trying to convince myself that this is okay? I'm obsessive compulsive, I'm beginning to realize...

And lookie here...is that another bird I see? It really is spring, isn't it? This is the beginnings of what may become an apron...or a coin purse perhaps...I'm not really sure to tell you the truth and suggestions are welcomed. I was feeling uninspired and over-stimulated with ideas last night and just started cutting and cutting and sewing and cutting and this is what I came up with. Sometimes I have to give into this way of creating I think. It's usually a sign that I'm overthinking and over-doing it, and often, I'll just let go. And give my hands a turn to do the making.

...and because any crunch-time-rush-about is not complete without some random time-consuming procrastination. I've started on my embroidery hoop kitchen decoration. It's absolutely important that this is done and my kitchen is decorated with lovely fabric before I leave...I must not board that plane before...my.kitchen.is.pretty...so so important...ahem.

...okay...and back to the procrastination work shop.

Von 4 is Moving Along

Well, what can I say about this project but that it's coming along. I'm having to get quite creative with the photos here, since as exciting as stockinette, it's....just stockinette. Have no fear, though, I have help! Those sweet little birdies up there...yes, the sweetest little things, a small memento I picked up in Portland this weekend. They're supposed to be the official keepers of salt n' pepper in casa string*THEORY (is this becoming an habit?), but instead have been traipsing about everywhere I go...in various pockets or tucked away in my sleeves.

Our trip to Portland was so relaxing and inspiring (more photos) and now, I'm almost done with the nauseatingly intense ribbing section (54 rows of like 360 stitches - yikesy!). You'd think I'd be jumping for joy to start on the next section. But I'm not. It's because I'm too busy being excited about something else....

I'm going to Spain on Saturday!!! It's a surprise to me too...and I'm absolutely beside myself with excitement. The week will be spent soaking up some much needed quality time with my beloved grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncle. It's been a couple years now since I've seen them, and I'm constantly amazed at my ability to live without them on a day to day basis despite the steady longing I feel to be near them.

The next week or so will be filled with much scurrying about the house, preparing for my voyage. The gathering and making of treasures is part of the heartbeat and ritual that usually takes place before my trips "home". I'm not going to pretend not to be a bit overwhelmed (the family explicitly expressed their preference for handmade gifts), so I'll start slow, and I'll start with this...for just one more of these. I hope my abuela will love it.

GOOD NEWS: Fresh Strawberries

It's crepes for dinner in Portland, and yes indeed, the strawberries were fresh.

Guess what today is? It's Friday - and time to pick a winner...

And the winner is....(drum roll please...)...Ingrid of Nova Scotia!! (Her currency converting skills makes her extra talented at this ridiculous guessing game!)

I ended up just adding up your total guesses instead of points per object, comparing them to my total of $46 US. So there you go- changin' the rules mid way - it was just too tough, ya'll were all over the place (in a good way). And, after reading your guesses, I have to say, I had an "ooh damn" moment...because perhaps, I paid too much for my beautiful chair. I quickly remembered though, that it's priceless. I love it that much.

Here are the answers:

1).Russian Nesting Dolls: $6

2).Owls (salt n' pepper shakers): $1

3).Wooden Russian Woman (container): $1

4).Book - Desirable Daughter: $2

5).Group of four Christmas Ornaments: $6 (I know, I know, too expensive)

6).The Most Beautiful Chair ever: $30

Congratulations Ingrid!! Thanks for humoring me, friends...

Portland - Day 2

Seriously people, my stomach hurts from laughing so hard at your comments from the "baby romper". High-larious.

 

Today was day 2 in one my known favorite towns, Portland, Oregon... LOVE this place. However, the day started off crapparific. A nasty, lonely breakfast (I really can't stand eating alone, I'm a big ol' baby about it)...followed by the crumbling of my rental car (who knew that big ol' truck was there...oops!).

A sad breakfast and minor car accident was nothing that little Ms. Knittn Kitten couldn't fix. A trip to Portland is not complete without a visit to this wonderful little treasure. It's a thrift store for craft supplies (referred to as "heaven on earth" in casa string*THEORY).

This place is unreal. Rick rack galore, beautiful antique linens, vintage fabrics, yarn yarn yarn...and the best thing of all...the sweetest owners ever. I really love the treasures I find there, but the highlight of the trip is the warmth and conversation you get with every purchase.

Amongst many other goodies, I scored everything I need to create this beautiful display in my kitchen as well as all the tools necessary to create a tutorial of this for you, my pretties.

Help Me Understand

Now, let me preface this by saying, "I am not a mother". So my lack of understanding (or appreciation) for the new "Baby Romper" in the Spring/Summer 2007 edition on Vogue Knitting might be because I don't have a little tike to torture.

It does'nt, however, mean that I can't have an opinion on this. Why on EARTH would one make their child wear this??? Why on EARTH would one take the time to knit this hideous thing?

This horrifying "romper" is right on par with this horrifying romper, and I'm pretty sure your kid will run away and then sue you for therapy charges if you make them wear either.

Just sayin'.

Guess How Much....

One of my favorite Saturday afternoon activities is going to estate and antique sales, and this Saturday's excursion was especially fun since I got to do it with my mom & the hubs.

Now, I don't know how you feel about estate sales, but the whole idea used to freak me out quite a bit. I felt sad for the person and the family, and being there, you know, for their stuff, made me feel like a morbid vulture. Well, that feeling has magically gone away, and now, I enjoy the activity quite a bit. Maybe it's because of all the interesting treasures I find, and haul home...in my vulturous beak.

This weekend I made out like a absolute bandit, some trips are better then others you know, so this was an especially good one for me. Perhaps because I had my good luck charm with me, my mama.

The process of running around to the sales, bringing the found items to their new home, setting everything out on the kitchen table to admire and discuss reminds me of a ritual I share with my mom and sisters.  It's a ritual that extends not only to estates sales, but to antique shopping...and regular shopping as well (you know, for "new" stuff). I'll just call the ritual "guess how much", because that's really what it dwindles down to, and I'm pretty sure that the process (or game, really) thoroughly annoys my dad and husband. I embrace it's tackiness.

The first step usually involves a compliment to the finder of the item, and the response that usually follows is an enthusiastic "Guess How Much". Because, you know, a lot of the thrill comes from conquering an awesome item at an unbeatable and sometimes even amazing price.

Do you want to play? Do you want to be a part of our ritual? I ask you, "Guess How Much". And of course, what's a game without a prize? My trip to Portland, OR this week will yield a little surprise for the person who can guess the most items correctly. Put your guesses here in the comments for each item by Friday, and we'll see how well you do at the art of guessing these sometimes arbitrary prices.

The items are: 1).Russian Nesting Dolls;  2).Owls (salt n' pepper shakers);  3).Wooden Russian Woman (container)  4).Book - Desirable Daughter (have you read this? Is it any good?); 5).Group of four Christmas Ornaments; 6).The Most Beautiful Chair ever.

Good Luck & Happy Guessing!

Happy St. Crafticks Day!

May you find the perfect shade of green today...

Today, I'll be wearing these socks that I still have from high school, a "gift" from a very persistent recruiter. Can you imagine ME in the Army??? That wouldn't make you feel very secure, now would it?

Speaking of something else green, I realized that I didn't provide you with any closure after seeking your advice and opinion on the Balthazar vest...so rude, I know. Sorry about that. *blush*. I will be wearing that baby, but only under very certain circumstances (that bulk, ooh that bulk, hard to reconcile it). Work? No. Sunday morning brunch, hanging out in the city? Yes! Weddings or funerals? No. Rolling around in the snow? Most definitely. Thanks again for all the advice, I really did appreciate it, I wasn't being sarcastic, I swear.

G, Thanks!

Honesty you gave. And, thank you for that. I know it can be a little risky exposing your true opinions sometimes, so thanks for taking that risk and the time to comment for the sake of fashion! Reading through the comments made me feel like I was in a room full of girl friends, bantering about while sipping on martini's. Fun.

 

Photo courtesy of gm tv.

That raw & candid honesty is totally neccessary sometimes you know. And it reminds of my time living with my best-friends in college. Honesty was always looming about. Every morning when you stepped out of the bathroom and every night when there was nothing else to do but pick on eachother. This one morning in particular comes to mind. I thought I might try out that cutesy look of sweeping my bangs to the side, clipping them back with little drugstore clips. Reminescent of that femine (and maybe even babyish-obnoxious) Abercrombie & Fitch look of total hippie whimsy. Thinking I looked pretty urban-bohemian, I stepped out of the bathroom and on my way to school, before my best friend stopped me with a burst of laughter and the announcement to the rest of the house "ooh no....no way!! You look like a 3rd grade little shit!!!".  Ooookay, uuhm, so your saying you don't like it?

Brutal honesty and a total bow of appreciation from me. Because as much as the initial blow stung a bit, it paled in comparison to potential sting of "walking out like that".

There are some situations, however, when you need that (knowingly) lying validation. You know, the "noooo your ass doesn't look huge AT ALL!" And I may just use one of these passes for my next finished knit, projected to be completed some time next century. I am, of course, referring to the Lopi Von 4 sweater/dress. Remind me again who's bright idea it was to knit a whole entire dress in relatively small guage in the #1 most boring stitch ever created? It's strange to think that the cuff on one of the arms took longer to knit then the entire Balthazar Vest. I wish I was kidding.

This thing better look good when it's done, and it if doesn't, I would appreciate if you lied to me about it.

*That mini quilted number up top is a little postcard I whipped up for a little guy named Gio. He's participating in a Jog-A-Thon soon and needed a little "good luck charm". It was also a nice little knitting break for me.

Balthazar Vest

In my initial review of the book, I promised to try out at least a pattern or two. I thought it was only fair. So, I present to you the Balthazar Vest. Warm, thick and a bit bulky....ahem.

One thing I absolutely love about blogging is all the positive energy and encouraging words I get from you. This is why I need to ask of something different today. I need brutal honesty here (not that your not normally honest, I really believe you are). Give it to me straight though. You know, as if you were my sister...tell me I look like a sausage, if that's what you think. Would you giggle a little if you saw me walking down the street? Does it look ridiculous?

The total measurements came out to be about 29 inches around - that large chest opening in the front helps a whole lot when trying to squeeze into this tiny thing. I'm about 34 inches around which means that this poor little guy was required to stretch to be 5 inches bigger, and I'm pretty sure I heard the stitches scream in pain as I was pulling it over my head.

Pattern: Balthazar Vest from Twinkle's Big City Knits by Wenlan Chia.

Needles: Size 17 Crystal Palace Bamboo 24" circluars. This was the first time I've used these redesigned needles and loved them. They have smooth connectors that swivle about to avoid wire twisting. I also used Size 15 short Bamboo circulars by Clover.

Time to Knit: 1 weekend.

Yarn: 5 hanks of Blue Sky Alpaca's Bulky Hand-dyes in Teal, color # 1011. This is the second time I've used this stuff and continue to love it. Although, as I said before, it comes at a hefty price for a mere 45 yards per hank. The look and feel of this fiber is worth every bit of the 85 some odd dollars it cost. The Web's discount helps too. I used exactly 5 hanks = 225 yards with about 1 inch to spare (yes, I needed a drink afterwards, the final hours were pretty stressful). The pattern calls for 220 yards of super bulky wool for all sizes. There is absolutely no way that one could knit this in the M and L sizes with just 220 yards of super bluky yarn.

Modifications: The pattern calls for all the ribbing to be done in size 16 needles. I did the waist ribbing in the standard size 17, because I knew it was already going to a tight fit (ooh, and also, because I forgot to start with the small needles...but we'll just pretend for the sake of my ego that I did that on purpose). I knit the shoulder caps on size 15 circulars, and the neck band on size 17's which also worked out nicely. The pattern called for picking up 34 stitches around the neck band. I only picked up 26 because that's what made the most sense when I was doing it and I needed as much support as I could get to pull this thing in tight around my bust. I'm glad I did it this way, because it provides a lot more shape, I think.

Errata: The published errata (pdf) is incomplete and only talks about yarn requirements (which is still incorrect).

I found quite a few mistakes, here they are if your planning on knitting this. If your not, just scroll down and critisize the pictures (I'm kidding, I'm kidding!!):

BACK: With RS facing, BO 2 sts, knit 16 (18, 20, 22), BO 2 sts....

SLEEVE CAP: With RS facing, starting from armpit, with smaller needles...

NECKBAND: Row 1: *K1, p1; rep from *. Work 5 more rows in K1, P1 rib as established.

Notes: The pattern is an interesting design, but very poorly written. It's vague and assumes too much. For example, it doesn't help you along to make sure that your keeping the eyelet detail along the sides. And the neck band, ooh the neck band. It just tells you to pick up the stitches and rib, providing no direction on how to create that criss cross detailing in the front.

All in all, I give this pattern a 5 out of 10 for being cute, but messy and poorly written. I'm having trouble letting this book go though, because the designs are so chic. I think it might be better served as a coffee table eye-candy type of book for friends to flip through when visiting, rather then something functional. Which, I guess is consistant with the runway in general. Interesting to look at, impractical to wear.