June 29, 2009
Six Signs Knitting Has Taken Over Your Life
1. Each family outing ends with you contemplating your vice craft of the day. Sometimes you may even make suggestions to that end. Things like "lets just pop in this small zoo so Mama Maya can see the
goats Bears".
2. Work up the nerve to submit an article to the first online knitting magazine you ever read. When you are overwhelmed by the positive response when it's published in Knitty, celebrate with pie.
3. Learn to spin and enjoy learning-to-knit nostalgia. I'll never stop loving the look of a simple stockinette scarf. Knit snobs take note.
4. Get over your inner pangs of terror about writing a pattern nearly 7,000 knitters will knit by eating an entire Lemon Meringue Pie.
5. Rediscover crafty hobbies of old and resume them with gusto. Ignore whinging Husbands and Children when they want to know when you're going to stop sewing yourself skirts and fix dinner. Give them the number to the closest Take Out Establishment and shoo them away.
6. Replace "Just one more row" with "Just one more seam." Immediately buy more fabric/roving/yarn when you see how cute your kid looks in handmade clothes. Sew your newest skirt in the next size up from all the pie celebrations.
7. Pick a new hobby that burns more calories. Celebrate with pie.
Posted by Michelle at 03:38 PM | Comments (16)
June 26, 2009
I drink your Milkshake, I drink it up!
I've been without a functioning f key on my laptop for 11 days. I can no longer type my favorite bad word. I'm forced to copy and paste the letter that comes between E and G each time I need to use it. MUCK YOU sounds so neutered and unproductive.
I exhausted myself knitting all those baby socks (Sock number Nine is on the needles for those tallying the crazy) and decided I needed a break. Something more instant gratification-y, something I could wear, something that would cause 1st degree burns and poking oneself with sharp needles. And it should take about an hour according to the package.
Well I'm here to tell you 312 hours later, 3 waistbands, plus some minor burns, and a scant few wounds from incompetence errant straight pins, I made something.
And it fits! Please no histrionics, sewing is in no danger of stealing me from knitting. I've knit 9 socks since I sewed the first stitch in little skirt. Released two knitting patterns, visited two yarn stores and watched One Daniel Day Lewis latest epic movie (and I have no problems dropping my avorite f bomb while hiding my head behind a dinner napkin) . But I am a little bedeviled by Weekend Sewing. It's a sickness.
In the background my cotton grows and grows. I had to raise the Aerogarden hood because the Nankeen variety is nearly touching the lights.
When Nankeen sprouted it looked remarkably like a mohawk, or a middle finger. Of course I could be managing the stress of being without my favorite word by finding its cousin in unlikely places.
The Red foliated cotton on the other hand chooses to show its rebellion in other ways. With a third leaf that looks nothing like its brothers. This little deviant has been listening to too much Morrissey or Siouxsie and the Banshees.
What can I say? It's great sewing music, Mother Muckers.
Posted by Michelle at 11:22 AM | Comments (12)
June 22, 2009
How to Knit Obsessively by Fickleknitter
First determine your gateway drug, the pattern:
Then succomb to Peer Pressure:
"Keep Knitting Mommy or Elmo gets it!"
Worry about an intervention and seek shelter in other activities. Photography is good:
But then see your new obsession in every photo.
Give up and resume sock knitting.
Mixing obsessions like spinning, chocolate and drinking is encouraged for best results. Baby Crack Sock Knitting Pattern coming soon.
Posted by Michelle at 03:20 PM | Comments (11)
June 16, 2009
What Everybody Ought to Know About Knitting Washcloths
I love knitting washcloths. There are some people who use the term Washcloth Knitter as a pejorative. And to them I wave my finger. You know which one. A simple change in description and the washcloth takes on a whole new role. How about a gauge swatch? Or a blanket square? I can't think of many other things in life that bear the responsibility of the simple hand knit washcloth. Gentle enough for newborn skin. Washes away dirt from a kid's first mud pie. Or to clean up a newly skinned knee. A ritual cleansing of hurt and heartbreak all wrapped neatly into a small package. I could have used dozens of hand knit washcloths in the first years I spent after I moved away from home. Especially for the tears I shed as an undergraduate student studying physics.
If only I knew then what I knew now. That the path to becoming a Physicist is paved with gold and high praise. That my college professors who wrote "Michelle what in the hell are you talking about?" on my homework would know what I now know. That being a physicist means you'll be known forever, cast into high density plastic molds for the masses to greedily consume like so many french fries.
I'm certain that in the moments after Einstein derived his Theory of Relativity he wondered How will I be memorialized as one of the brightest minds in the 20th century? Well Einstein, you're now a Bobble Head toy that comes free in a Happy Meal. My kid uses you as a hammer. Congratulations. If only some of my old professors would reach that same acclaim. I have a few repairs to make that require the use of a good hammer.
Recently Lyssa asked about my interest in growing cotton. It's twofold. Ghandi believed that if people spun their own cotton it would reduce consumerism which helped the British government flourish. Or simply put manufacturing something as simple as clothing would help usher in the revival of village economies. I believe strongly that the existence and success etsy is a refleciton of that belief. A turning away from multi-national consumerism and embracing of craftmanship.
Secondly, I want to raise cotton because I can't have a goat. I want to develop a garment --or a washcloth-- from the seed all the way to a finished object. And since city ordinance (and good sense) prohibits me from raising a farm animal cotton seemed like the next logical choice.
In the meanwhile I'm hacking my aerogarden to grow cotton (and tomatoes).
If you're curious about how I'm doing it or how things are growing have a look at my Aerograden Hacks flickr stream.
Posted by Michelle at 12:42 PM | Comments (11)
June 11, 2009
The Lazy Knitter's Way to a Happy Life
I'm lazy. Right now there are dishes overflowing in my kitchen sink. The floor is dirty and laundry goes unwashed. I'm working on my sixth year in Grad School out of a 3 year program. I have no less than 10 different projects on the needles. I need to loose 15 pounds and watch less TV.
Mostly the guilt is easy to let go of as I'd rather spend my time with my 2 year old daughter Maya and contemplating my belly button while I knit or spin the day away.
But there are merits to being lazy. For example just now I saved energy by not making this a ten bullet point list concerning sloth.
Maya's learning creativity by beating everything within range to death with her drumstick. And look she's lazy too, using half her total number of hands to hammer us all within a drumbeat of our collective existence. I'm happy because it doesn't cost us anything and it's entertaining. I think that's why parents have more than one kid, just for the laughs.
Here comes a really seedy confession about my laziness. Sometimes I buy other people's knitting like the gorgeous hand knit sweater Maya is wearing, purchased from my friend and test knitter Jennifer at YarnHoardinMama.etsy.com. Yes of course I could knit something like it myself. But Life is too short and besides if any non knitters ask I'll tell them I knit it myself.
During our drumming circle Maya discovered this "ladybugs." And I'm so happy that Children's Programming exists to teach her about insects. Because my feelings on insects are not appropriate for the blog at this time.
But they sure are cool to photograph (with a telephoto lens and maybe a ten foot pole).
I was lazy when Maya was a baby. I didn't feed her hand pureed, organic, free range baby food when she was an infant. I bought Gerber in a perfectly extruded plastic cubes and fed it to her with a plastic spoon that was washed in the Dishwasher (!?!). Since then I've wised up a little bit and found a lovely, local CSA type Organic home delivery service. It comes from a warehouse and is mostly California produce. Plus eating fresh food that's in season tastes the best and doesn't cost a whole lot (didn't I mention I'm cheap too?). So long as I don't let it go bad in the Fridge. Which happens sometimes despite my best laid plans.
Next on my list of lazy is growing my own cotton for hand spinning as it eliminates the step of pressing that tedious "buy now" button on websites. Seeds purchased from Southern Exposure Seed Exchange along with some varieties of Heirloom Tomato.
I like to buy from small businesses as much as possible and have been supporting a score of Stay at Home Mamas through Etsy. But I do shop with huge, faceless Corporations when necessary. Thankfully I'm too lazy to feel guilt over that one. Sometimes you need soft, squishy TP. That's all I'm saying.
Way back in 2004 when I started this blog I decided if any characteristic described my disposition it was fickle. Now I'd like to amend that title to lazy. I'm a lazy knitter. I'm a lazy, fickle knitter. It has a ring to it, don't you think? I don't like seams. I like knitting in the round using circular needles. I like to make things that are practical, things I can actually use even if it's used to clean up green globules from the Isle of Lucy. I wouldn't blink an eye over cleaning my floors with something knit in cashmere. And why not? Yarn is meant to be knit, knits are meant to be used. To be worn out and well loved.
Luckily my laziness works to my advantage when I design. I'm anything but lazy when it comes to my patterns. I like charts, illustrations, clear explanations and pictures that show the end result. Currently I'm knitting no less than 178 pairs of my newest pattern in the pipeline: baby socks. The pair above were knit using 11 grams of leftover Lorna's Laces. These socks first made their blog debut in January of 2008. And I'm just now getting around to getting the pattern ready for publishing. See? Lazy strikes again. Once the baby sock knitting frenzy hits you won't be able to stop (except during flights of lazy). Just ask Andria she'll tell you right after she knits her 10th baby sock.
Posted by Michelle at 12:56 PM | Comments (12)
June 05, 2009
Pick a Bale of Cotton
When I casually told my city-bred Husband the other day I'd like to grow cotton this summer he gave me THE LOOK. This is a long series of LOOKS that have happened over the years we've been together. But I am totally qualified to grow cotton as I grew up on a Farm.
When my Dad first got sick we moved to my Uncle Johnny's farm when I was just a wee child of four years old. The family farm is a hundred bucolic acres buttressing the George Washington National Forest just outside of Washington DC. There were many heads of Charlet cattle, the orphans of which I got to hand feed with a huge bucket. We had a huge garden.
Trees that had been quietly reaching their limbs toward the sky for at least a century. The neighbors had a loud and boisterous brood of chickens who provided endless entertainment for me and the farm cats. It was magical.
On the farm we also had our very own set of American Gothic neighbors. The Maucks helped me learn the tacit ways and means of country folk. First thing I learned is that the Missus and Mister had uniforms. Hers was a lovely rickrack trimmed pinafore over a flowered frock paired with sensible shoes. His was a worn looking set of overalls bought directly from the feed store and a brightly colored all purpose handkerchief tucked in the folds of his person. Both had tanned brown hands with well worn deep creases that were as strong as hands ought be.
I first learned about currency from the Missus on one simple morning when I was wandering outside in my typical uniform of grubby clothes, wild hair and no shoes, perfect for wandering in the pastures way over yonder to see the Crick. Mrs. Mauck quietly approached me and asked me to crawl in her basement window and make my way to the front door to fetch her keys since she had locked herself out. Because that's what country folk do when locked out. They ask the local 8 year old rascal to help as if breaking and entering were as normal as the sun rising in the East each morn. That basement crawling endeavor was the first time anyone outside my family ever gave me money for any reason as I was at the bottom of the list of people who needed dough. In fact, I believe it was the first time anyone gave me money at any time. The price for my trouble was a quarter. Already planning my haul at the penny candy section of the local country store I was inclined to offer my services while dreaming away about all the candy cigarettes and wax lips I'd buy with my bounty.
The other half of the older couple, Mr. Mauck taught me a different lesson about life. He had a well loved garage with year after year of retired License Plates lovingly displayed on the wall. Parked inside was a curvy, black model ford era automobile. On special occasions we'd pile in the car (with Mr. Mauck wearing his signature overalls) for a harrowing drive around the mountains at an incredible speed of 24 miles per hour. The cars would line up behind us 15 or 20 deep; impatient city bred drivers who were beeping and waving their fingers while Mr. Mauck would painstakingly tell us tales of the days of yesteryear. I'd look out the window at the green lush backdrop and wonder to myself about the waving fingers. Were they a special thank you for Mr. Mauck's careful driving? An appreciative gesture for the beauty of his automobile?
I never did figure out during my time on the farm the meaning of that simple gesture. That lesson was reserved for conversations between cityfolk where the rivers are made from concrete and no one has sampled Bambi.
One of the most shocking country lessons I learnt was that water was the real way you could tell a person was from money. The Mauck family home was the first (but not the only) home I visited that was without a privy. Each bedroom had lovely ornate, flower adorned bowls (as if the flowers fooled you into ignorance of their true nature) that were tucked under the bed but existed for the purpose which one emptied without note or complaint in the morning.
Each of these experiences are formative experiences that make me the country bumpkin in the big city today. Recently the Mauck property was purchased and populated by silly city folk who replaced the chickens with a Crèche of Guinea Keets. So what if they paid 400K for an acre of land most of which is hillside covered brush and no indoor plumbing. It's still the grounds were still where I learned how you live in the country.
My point here is those Angora Goats look perfectly close to Bearded Collies.
When I get one I'll just tell my Husband that the cotton plants are what country folk feed the "dogs" to keep their coats shiny and clean.
Posted by Michelle at 03:30 PM | Comments (8)
May 31, 2009
Wanted: Brain for Hire
In many ways waiting to hear back about my 81 paged Masters Thesis has been more agonizing than 3 years of procrastinating and actually writing the damn thing. I've not been good for much other than sitting on the couch and occasionally remembering to wipe the drool away.
If I had to post one picture that expressed in 1000 words or less my general feelings of the past week it'd have to be this one.
Yeah.
Happily things are happening in Casa de Fickle despite my sluggish thesis angst.
I've been knitting through my hand spun yarn in an effort to understand better what it is I'm making. Below is a hand knit cowl I designed. The yarn I used spun from Funky Carolina wool was the second batch ever spun on my wheel. The pattern itself looks obscured and soft caused by the thick and thin nature of my beginner yarn. Eventually I'll release the pattern, it takes 90 yards of bulky yarn and knits up lightening fast.
I also created my first Surprise! You Spun Art Yarn!1! Which accidentally occurred when I attempted to take out extra twist by quickly running the over-twisted Romney through my wheel (successfully taking out all twist). After lots of hand wringing and much cussing I took the parts that were drifting apart and plied them with the remaining over spun batch of yarn. Shockingly I love the results. Hopefully that won't doom me from repeating this technique.
Perhaps the biggest development has been the decision to distribute my patterns wholesale in print.
Scary as hell but exciting too.
Posted by Michelle at 05:36 PM | Comments (9)
May 26, 2009
Thesis Managed
I finished the first draft of my Thesis this weekend. Finally.
We spent the remainder of the holiday weekend relaxing.
This shot was taken at the Nixon Library in Yorba Linda.
My only wish is that it was possible to capture the aroma of the flowers all around us.
In other news I got a wild hair and signed up for the Sock Summit this morning. I explained it to the Husband the following way: it was like buying tickets to a Led Zeppelin or Pink Floyd show. Only replace Zeppelin with Meg Swansen and Pink Floyd with Judith Mackenzie McCuin.
A suitable reward for thesis finishing, don't you think?
Posted by Michelle at 02:08 PM | Comments (13)
May 21, 2009
Spinning Wheel Injury of the Third Kind
I had my first spinning related injury yesterday whose sole responsibility relied entirely upon user error. I was excitedly teaching Roberta to spin (!!!) at her request (!!!!) when I jumped up from my wheel to grab a book from the bookshelf to share the magic that is art yarn. The next few moments unfolded in micro holyshits. First my wheel tipped precariously toward the floor, then Roberta reached out to grab it while I simultaneously shot my hand forward somehow grabbing the flyer hooks instantly stopping the wheel descent. This delicate ballet of ass over teakettle finally came to an end with the wheel reseated properly on the floor and me clutching my thumb while shrieking louder than Siouxsie and all her Banshees.
I don't blame the wool.
The only thing it's guilty of is wiling me with its subtle shades and killer name, Leafy Seadragon. (Although the unexpected visitor pictured in top left leaves a cold wind on my neck).
At this point I'd like to reassure my readers that spinning is in fact a safe pastime and one has great rewards.
That and small gaping flesh wounds are easily closed with new skin. (But my pride will remain injured for at least a week).
Posted by Michelle at 01:43 PM | Comments (11)
May 18, 2009
Whipped
There was an Earthquake at 8:40pm last night, centered approximately 25 miles from my house. This is the fifth quake I've felt according to my record keeping. This quake was unquestionably the most intense one I've experienced, feeling like we (and by we I mean everyone inside plus the house itself) were picked up and shook like a dog. There was a loud rumbling that sounded like a truck or a train, with my ghettofied Earthquake chimes heralding like it was THE END. And stuff fell off of our shelves for the first time.
Boy was I embarrassed to find that it was only 5.0 in magnitude. Sorta makes me feel about this big.
Maya was nonplussed. Looking at us quizzically while we stood in the swaying doorway.
She's no worse for wear, plotting her next batch of naughtiness.
During the course of my thesis writing I haven't had much time to dedicate to complicated knitting or designing. So I've been working on hand spun, hand knit stockinette scarves.
This is my second in the series.
Next up is another using some Funky (almost put a bad word there, must have been all that shaking) Carolina hand spun wool.
Perfect knitting for when your brain turns to liquefied jello.
Posted by Michelle at 12:58 PM | Comments (8)
May 10, 2009
The Opposite of Lazy (on most days)
Laziness. A short photo essay (too lazy to read a long essay? Now with LESS words!) on why you should thank me for being a lazy knitter but not a lazy designer.
Exhibit One, not lazy:
One seamless sweater, knit from the bottom up with a lovely cable to keep you from death via boogabooga while knitting all that stockinette.
TWO pictures of Goody Sweater. Decidedly NOT lazy.
Exhibit Two, lazy:
Stale 3 day old goldfish. The first law of laziness "Goldfish beget more goldfish." (Wait...is that cheerio dust marring the luster of my beautiful laminate almost wood floor?)
Exhibit Three, not lazy:
Cleverly written pattern with drawings, charts and clear instructions on how to make your own Goody sweater. Six sizes available in chest measurements as follows 32(36, 38, 40, 42, 44) inches
Needles
US Size 6 (4.00mm) circulars and DPNs.
Yarn
Knit One Crochet Too Paint Box [1000% Wool, 100
yards/ 91 meters per 50 gram skein] Spring Moss
Colorway 6(7, 7, 8, 8, 9) skeins
Gauge
4.75 stitches/inch
Row Gauge
6.67 rows/inch
Hello, what are you waiting for?
Exhibit Four, lazy:
Post partum abdominal region cleverly hidden by hand knit sweater and elasticized waist band. (Unwashed hair hidden via distance shot and mood lighting.)
Exhibit Five, not lazy:
* The sweater won't pick up the cheerios your little toddler unceremoniously stomped into the grain of the wood of your floor.
* The sweater won't melt away those post baby pounds.
* The simple shaping and stockinette will allow you to quickly toss it aside when little Johnny climbs on top of the fridge to play with matches for the 7th time today. You can easily find your previous place in the knitting after the fire department leaves and the memory of firemen quitclaims your subsconsious.
* The neck and waist shaping will give a flattering shape even if you feel like an oompa loompa.
Want more lazy inspired patterns and to keep my kid flush with goldfish and cheerio dust? Buy your copy today.
Pattern on sale now for only $6.00
Posted by Michelle at 01:02 PM | Comments (7)
May 05, 2009
Whelmed
Photo courtesy of Knitcircus, Issue 6 available for sale featuring Pivot here
Black Widow in my FRONT YARD (briefly before it met with the firm handed flip flop of fate). Funny story: my second summer internship in California was at the Eucalyptus lined University California Irvine campus. One of my coworkers told me that the Eucalyptus trees were often called widow makers because the branches would break off suddenly, piercing whomever was foolish enough to be caught below. So everyday at quitting time I'd sprint during my long walk to the bus anytime I found myself below those nefarious trees. Fickleknitter, providing free entertainment for the whole family since 19*coughity*cough*.
If any one picture can describe my child this is it. She is constantly in motion from the time she wakes up until bedtime. No Eucalyptus trees were harmed in the taking of this photo.
Handspun, just because. Wool purchased at Beesybee's etsy shop.
Elmo was in one the spinning wheel shenanigans. Next thing you know they'll be spinning up my stash of wool while I'm out. Damn that Elmo.
Posted by Michelle at 08:13 AM | Comments (10)
April 30, 2009
In Search of Swine Flu
I spent a lot of time writing this haiku which pretty much sums up my feelings on the recent Swine Flu hysteria. I hope you enjoy it in the spirit in which it is intended.
Oink Oink Oink Oink Oink
Oink Oink Oink Oink Oink Oink Oink
Oink Oink Oink Oink Oink
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This weekend we went to California Adventure in search of Swine Flu.
We looked high.
We looked low.
We even looked in our shamless plug.
Finally we located flu but sadly it was only the Avian variety.
Medical note: Transmission between hosts was lightening fast and note drunk-like expression on subject.
Maybe next year we'll get really lucky and find Swine.
PS If you are concerned that you or a loved one have contracted Swine Flu please visit this website which determines definitively whether or not you have the Swine Flu instantly.
Posted by Michelle at 12:59 PM | Comments (10)
April 27, 2009
What we did last week
Last week held a welcome(and adorable) respite from thesis-ing. We had a visit with (Sadly Blogless) Jennifer and her adorable 12 month old Sarah.
Jennifer brought her travel wheel so there was much spinning. This is my favorite hand spun so far, Abstract Fibers in the Asia colorway. Truly a delight to spin and well worth the money.
The baby cuddling last week spurned spontaneous toddler cuddling as well as a few other unmentionable incidents. At this point I'll take the snuggles however I can get them. Please note the photo jitter was caused by one of the 3 Earthquakes during Jennifer's visit. Well maybe not really but it sounds good.
I've been practicing my photography, specifically to work on my bokeh skills.
Finally last week gave me some much needed knitting time, this scarf by special request. Lene put out a call for a braille scarf and I was happy to offer my services for someone in need. Each of the scarf has one word, Never Alone. I hope the person who receives the scarf is wrapped in those words.
What did you do last week?
Posted by Michelle at 05:44 PM | Comments (16)
April 20, 2009
Idyllic? Nearly.
I like to call my sock combination "the dryer ate my other socks."
We had a few hiccups during setup. The wheel was tweaked during transit. There was much grinding of hair and rending of teeth.
But with a little help from some Ravelry experts everything fell into place.
I spun more in one day on the wheel than a month's worth of drop spindling. I'm glad I learned the drop spindle so well. It made the transition to the wheel smooth, my hands knew exactly what to do.
Which makes the term Overspun double fitting. Although it looks so pretty on the niddy noddy.
I'm going to call it the Easter Egg of Tour de France.
Posted by Michelle at 08:28 AM | Comments (6)
