tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297137607691689782024-03-04T20:22:43.677-08:00A Stitch to WearDesigns, projects, and thoughts...Alichkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07818782346798046975noreply@blogger.comBlogger58125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2129713760769168978.post-54230528944196289222010-06-17T07:02:00.000-07:002010-06-17T07:59:40.443-07:00An ancient art and an ancient language<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPyDIVlHTDYQDug-MZwYLwnXO19MQYpZcHXfxBAX9hgE03u1C1bdOvVIswt-R3LkgG4Tf6sScckGWwzA6jw9Acyu_Lno1WkB95Zipm1JEt_RZjACSIuqAS94528cJv7hnEyTNwE-rXq-k/s1600/Votive_relief_Asklepios_BM809.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 171px; height: 280px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPyDIVlHTDYQDug-MZwYLwnXO19MQYpZcHXfxBAX9hgE03u1C1bdOvVIswt-R3LkgG4Tf6sScckGWwzA6jw9Acyu_Lno1WkB95Zipm1JEt_RZjACSIuqAS94528cJv7hnEyTNwE-rXq-k/s400/Votive_relief_Asklepios_BM809.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483753242929104642" border="0" /></a><br />I've spent this past year learning to knit and learning to read Classical Greek. These things (along with wedding plan) certainly keep me occupied.<br /><br />I'm kind of obsessed with languages, and I can't remember a time when I wasn't. When I was in the 5th grade I found a book in my school's library, some sort of Teach Yourself Italian for small people, with lots and lots of pictures. I taught myself sentences which were probably grammatically horrifying, because what 10-year-old has a firm grasp on noun-verb agreement in foreign languages? But I was in love. My grandparents had a set of those old, old Berlitz books, one each in German, Russian, French, and Italian, and that's how I would spend my time when we visited.<br /><br />It is true that having learned a language before makes learning another language that much easier. When my professor introduced concepts such as "adjective declension" in Greek, I sympathized with the glazed-eyed 18-year-olds, but having already learned Russian I thought nothing could scare me.<br /><br />That being said, every time I learn a new language I have to re-discover just how rich and varied (and challenging) they really are. I've learned Russian well enough that it just <span style="font-style: italic;">seems</span> simple(ish), but of course it's not. You learn a few key words in a language and then you feel like you're off to the races, but then your teacher or textbook starts dropping words like "participles" and "progressive aspect" and you realize just how little you actually know.<br /><br />I've found knitting to be like this too. I've crocheted and crocheted and crocheted, to the extent that nothing scares me any more. There are a few techniques I haven't used but I know I can learn them. Knitting is starting all over again. And I had forgotten just how rich and varied (and challenging) it can be to learn a new craft.<br /><br />But of course that would be the case. A language isn't only capable of expressing ideas like "I like to read in my free time" (the Italian sentence I taught myself in elementary school); it encompasses everything, every thought possible. And the fiber arts have been around for millenia; it was only recently that any type of cloth or garment <span style="font-style: italic;">wasn't </span>made by hand by skilled women (and a handful of men), using techniques they learned from untold generations, able to create any shape or texture or weight or function.<br /><br />It takes a lot of patience, something I am occasionally short of. I'm jealous of those generations of scholars who grew up reading Greek and Latin, fluent in both, composing dissertations in each, no longer having to slog through verb paradigms and declension charts. I'm jealous of my friends who have been knitting as long or longer than I've been crocheting, who can breeze through a lace shawl or a fair-isle sweater without needing to look down at their work. Sometimes I don't want to have to <span style="font-style: italic;">learn</span>, I just want to be able to <span style="font-style: italic;">do it.</span><br /><br />But then again, for me, learning is how I participate. And it really is lovely to get to participate. One verb form and one yarn over at a time.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKXeZKKaPEDHk-6Pm8I8cmUPNOQNA-WVnN3fncwf-0SNYVO5YkwPEHi68cuVXZveToWfrH9XV0n68WvLhMdEIIbhUiv2j2NhuSd5_QP26gWdAnDm16C1kvXtuW2I2_V-AWtiTFwFPAHTY/s1600/women-weaving-detail.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 325px; height: 327px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKXeZKKaPEDHk-6Pm8I8cmUPNOQNA-WVnN3fncwf-0SNYVO5YkwPEHi68cuVXZveToWfrH9XV0n68WvLhMdEIIbhUiv2j2NhuSd5_QP26gWdAnDm16C1kvXtuW2I2_V-AWtiTFwFPAHTY/s400/women-weaving-detail.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483751568900254994" border="0" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Greek vase detail of women weaving</span> </span></div>Alichkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07818782346798046975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2129713760769168978.post-51553176101827935062009-10-23T17:41:00.000-07:002009-10-23T18:11:08.277-07:00another yearA couple of weeks ago, the lovely Jared and I got together to do a photo shoot for my new batch of <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5819339&section_id=5473765">Best Friend Beanies</a>. It's the same friend from <a href="http://astitchtowear.blogspot.com/2008/09/best-friend.html">last Fall's shoot</a>, for three reasons:<br />1) he actually <span style="font-style: italic;">is</span> my best friend<br />2) the beanies are unisex, so I like showing them on both a guy and a girl, and<br />3) Jared takes good pictures.<br /><br />I've known Jared for...probably close to 8 years now. When you're that close to a person for so long, you obviously don't notice them aging, but looking back at photos from when I was a freshman and he was a sophomore always make us laugh and say "we look like <span style="font-style: italic;">babies.</span>" So clearly there is some boundary there, some quantifiable period of time that changes you from younger-than-you-are to as-old-as-you-are. What is that boundary? Does anyone know? Does it change the older you get?<br /><br />Here we are at almost this exact time last year:<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGwiEB0a3lnSDffxuHBtX6dR-2PZsXuVnyzQwgCsA-tg2T1E-p5wfDqRIhMACi4mpeJwiQWJV0PC0C6CrqnFBzRID78DHxnBzpJ5HcGJWjeZPZ0glL_HO5Bsjpn10ohswO9QoMZGJdjRE/s1600-h/younger+jared.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGwiEB0a3lnSDffxuHBtX6dR-2PZsXuVnyzQwgCsA-tg2T1E-p5wfDqRIhMACi4mpeJwiQWJV0PC0C6CrqnFBzRID78DHxnBzpJ5HcGJWjeZPZ0glL_HO5Bsjpn10ohswO9QoMZGJdjRE/s400/younger+jared.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395964902384167346" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifpYYuJ4jGe1MCccEZXyiEw7Od3DAKgSWKlDzAU6jLXMFm_fNUvTlc4WL7F3n9SNePvC2NrozZauh5UdfS-0rfK3put8qfb26T57OEJkcynLO1xNKlfixrW3cbHCaqy3r4YKEYs0O8ZIw/s1600-h/younger+allison.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifpYYuJ4jGe1MCccEZXyiEw7Od3DAKgSWKlDzAU6jLXMFm_fNUvTlc4WL7F3n9SNePvC2NrozZauh5UdfS-0rfK3put8qfb26T57OEJkcynLO1xNKlfixrW3cbHCaqy3r4YKEYs0O8ZIw/s400/younger+allison.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395964983689700434" border="0" /></a></div><br /><br />And here we are now:<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg00s_MkYedRjqc6TxRG-Iwtc8gtgwfLO-WRX1DmKxu911JzqG4ONibzoG3Eru_slz2zum__84H7wWP_-7b9HftO7WPcByg0oX_mFe39QutU_tMpuAbuRg-l7HGUSJ4Fz98cWLX5BcUNP4/s1600-h/older+allison.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 293px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg00s_MkYedRjqc6TxRG-Iwtc8gtgwfLO-WRX1DmKxu911JzqG4ONibzoG3Eru_slz2zum__84H7wWP_-7b9HftO7WPcByg0oX_mFe39QutU_tMpuAbuRg-l7HGUSJ4Fz98cWLX5BcUNP4/s400/older+allison.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395965576029539890" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ax1qvYUPpnF_Nx9Q3of_xCP1cIhkdDfbbZz0rGkvFo8uMokw9Uhwa1wG7h27Q8lLlShbsA3b_XK5BHzQzz3EySxGyJeNv1VUxosoaunBet3eRwKHmd_xGnRjP3xgnYTnF9IFlGp9TE4/s1600-h/older+jared.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 306px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ax1qvYUPpnF_Nx9Q3of_xCP1cIhkdDfbbZz0rGkvFo8uMokw9Uhwa1wG7h27Q8lLlShbsA3b_XK5BHzQzz3EySxGyJeNv1VUxosoaunBet3eRwKHmd_xGnRjP3xgnYTnF9IFlGp9TE4/s400/older+jared.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395965802239096402" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><br />With the rather obvious exception of one of us growing copious facial hair, do we look different? Is there another year in our faces? It's hard for me to tell.<br /><br />Not that it matters. We're still...you know. Us.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOba8JaQUn_fHKQqbn_TLFfixUzE5dNX6s7NWbMqUaHwG38gT8noM-8gkkTzvtRpz01djNi0AT0KdXkPc35TNkiHg8-fktZ6mnYCGjnlBG8hxNW2qWU0p2qFpT9NO_S6uert20t_cfKXk/s1600-h/awesome.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOba8JaQUn_fHKQqbn_TLFfixUzE5dNX6s7NWbMqUaHwG38gT8noM-8gkkTzvtRpz01djNi0AT0KdXkPc35TNkiHg8-fktZ6mnYCGjnlBG8hxNW2qWU0p2qFpT9NO_S6uert20t_cfKXk/s400/awesome.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395966844845523266" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);font-family:georgia;" >It took us I think five takes to keep straight faces for this shot, we kept cracking up. But I think it was worth it. This picture obviously has "we are awesome" written all over it.</span><br /></div>Alichkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07818782346798046975noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2129713760769168978.post-80936384019655467952009-10-22T11:22:00.000-07:002009-10-22T11:26:06.299-07:00Ayn Rand, a summaryI feel like <a href="http://astitchtowear.blogspot.com/2009/10/interconnected.html">this blog post</a> was a little disorganized and clearly written as a kneejerk reaction instead of well-thought-out. So I want to write a summary, and here it is:<br /><br />I don't believe that life is a zero-sum game among people. And even if it is I don't believe that that is any way to live.<br /><span style="color: rgb(192, 192, 192);">...</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(192, 192, 192);font-size:78%;" >and also Ayn Rand is a terrible, terrible writer</span><br /><br />There. End of all discussion of Ayn Rand for all time.Alichkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07818782346798046975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2129713760769168978.post-3255891466940912722009-10-19T09:15:00.000-07:002009-10-19T09:41:52.374-07:00interconnectedI try not to rant about things, both because it's usually pointless and also because I don't want to offend anybody by coming down on the opposite side of a controversial issue, but I just read <a href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-10-18/ayn-rand-power-dressing/?cid=hp:blogunit1">this article</a> on the Daily Beast about how Ayn Rand is "in" and fashion designers are so inspired by her writing and/or philosophy that they are designing whole collections "inspired" by her. So I feel I really must comment, and my comment is this:<br /><br />I hate Ayn Rand.<br /><br />I mean, HATE. Really really.<br /><br />Maybe not as a person, I mean after all I never met the lady. But if she was anything like her characters, she was probably a complete a*hole as well.<br /><br />First of all, she is a bad writer. Has no one realized this yet? She is <span style="font-style: italic;">terrible</span>. I think I've even read direct quotes from her along the lines of "fiction is not my strong suit." No kidding. The characters, the "heroes" that everyone quotes/looks up to/wants to dress like (?) are two-dimensional and absurd, to say the least; the dialogue is stilted or non-existent; the exposition is predictable or non-existent...everything that you might hope for in a novel is either completely butchered or completely missing. I'm basing this on my struggle to read The Fountainhead. To be fair, I only made it halfway through before giving up entirely, but really once you've read about 650 pages, it's probably not going to get any better from there.<br /><br />Side note: in that article, Ralph Lauren is quoted as saying that Ayn Rand is his favorite author, "along with Ernest Hemingway." Aaron pointed out that this is like saying Bryan Adams is your favorite musician, along with the Rolling Stones. hahaha (apologies to any hard-core Bryan Adams fans out there.)<br /><br />And of course, the main character ("hero") of any Ayn Rand novel is a Rugged Individual, a Person Who Does Not Let Society Dictate, and also A Complete Jerk. That's what it boils down to, which gets down to the larger problem I have with Ayn Rand, which is that I completely disagree with her philosophy. And that's all her (awful, terrible) novels are, just (extremely long) novelizations of her one-note, self-absorbed philosophy.<br /><br />I do understand the context from which this philosophy developed. I understand that spending your childhood oppressed under a Communist regime might give you a different perspective on society than the one that I currently have. But.<br /><br />I have never encountered someone who espoused such a selfish, bitter, grasping worldview, who wasn't himself or herself selfish, bitter, isolated and discontent. The wise people of the world and of history (see: Dalai Lama, for one) have always said "we are dependent upon each other. To believe or act otherwise is ignorance." I cannot think of a single faith tradition that does not teach this. I cannot think of an example where "peace" and "cooperation" don't go hand-in-hand.<br /><br />Of course I believe that we should be free to pursue happiness, that we should be able to express ourselves, that we should develop ourselves as individuals. But the Rand philosophy, especially as developed and lauded by later followers I think, has a serious flaw: by trying to diametrically oppose oppression and stagnation, it has brought into its scope a complete opposition to altruism, compassion, empathy, community...in short, all of the things that, I believe at least, make us human. Or at least, make being a human worth anything at all.<br /><br />I am a member of a Unitarian Universalist church. "So, what exactly do you <span style="font-style: italic;">believe?</span>" is a question that always follows this statement. It can be hard to explain, sometimes, and to some people. But there are 7 Core Beliefs which the UU church espouses, and one that always sticks with me is this: "I believe in the interconnected web of all being."<br /><br />So it bothers me that in this time where we struggle, when we need each other most, that we look to heroes who believe the opposite.<br /><br />I probably shouldn't let an article on "Sexy Beast" get me so worked up, but there it is.Alichkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07818782346798046975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2129713760769168978.post-78993378424894735312009-10-09T14:36:00.000-07:002009-10-09T14:47:48.628-07:00What a day to forget my camera.My job doesn't pay very well. But it does come with some perks. The professors I work for/with are brilliant and most of them are also kind and encouraging. I learn something new about religion and/or academia everyday. I get book recommendations and frequent book loans. I'm getting to take a class in ancient Greek even though I'm not in school.<br /><br />And then, yesterday, one of the professors had a meeting she had to go to, so she couldn't go to the afternoon session of a conference that was in town, so she gave me her ticket. To go see this guy:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn-m6Xi00GqiQdQHDP5ucPbrNteEy6LAipWcH5Ys8EalpDJq71zADvZ5aeLqD44TXsH8NsNSNXKP0DeK5LgE8vQIWbnGK6eMFixbXCKpbEn9Q-vfOTW05mPt5paHthDsQ9-FjjHDuClds/s1600-h/dalailama.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 342px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn-m6Xi00GqiQdQHDP5ucPbrNteEy6LAipWcH5Ys8EalpDJq71zADvZ5aeLqD44TXsH8NsNSNXKP0DeK5LgE8vQIWbnGK6eMFixbXCKpbEn9Q-vfOTW05mPt5paHthDsQ9-FjjHDuClds/s400/dalailama.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390718964536951234" border="0" /></a>Um yes that is the Dalai Lama. (The 14th Dalai Lama, to be exact.)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mindandlife.org/">The Mind and Life Institute</a> was having its annual conference in DC at a Hall about four blocks from my office. So I just, you know, took a long lunch and went to hear several leading neuroscientists and developmental psychologists chat with the Dalai Lama about education.<br /><br />That's...a pretty big perk.<br /><br />(and goshdarnit if I hadn't taken my camera out of my purse and left it at home...dangit)Alichkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07818782346798046975noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2129713760769168978.post-28636602327222517232009-10-07T06:58:00.000-07:002009-10-07T07:58:15.087-07:00Crafty BoyFor my birthday this year Aaron gave me a new carry-on bag, and inside the bag was a new swimsuit and a note to pack accordingly. He was whisking me off for a week in...?? It was a surprise. I'm not sure if I was more excited or frustrated. I <span style="font-style: italic;">almost</span> convinced him to tell me where we were going, but at the last minute I decided I would regret it so I just let it be a surprise. I had to wait <span style="font-style: italic;">three whole weeks</span> to find out. He kept telling me that I would find out whenever we got to the airport...he failed to mention that we had a connecting flight, so I went to the DC airport all excited and ready to find out where we were going and he hands me a boarding pass foooooor <drumroll!>...Charlotte, N</drumroll!><drumroll!>C. Um.</drumroll!><drumroll!> My frus</drumroll!><drumroll!>tratio</drumroll!><drumroll!>n mounted.<br /></drumroll!><br /><drumroll!>Anyway, the point is, another flight and</drumroll!><drumroll!> a few hours</drumroll!><drumroll!> l</drumroll!><drumroll!>ater, we ended up here:<br /></drumroll!><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2nuunU7eyYfFx8b6_k1XOuTn88WpNSA4TuvL6nJnZ1Ukyj6skQTNvcHMUvMZIuwQKvjl0GdytaKe-e9pofwL7LZDi689iPkyZiCwwEEZmrdaamgPiFuyZeZMc9sbvdny91XWo2YSUqM4/s1600-h/little+beach+bum.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 498px; height: 373px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2nuunU7eyYfFx8b6_k1XOuTn88WpNSA4TuvL6nJnZ1Ukyj6skQTNvcHMUvMZIuwQKvjl0GdytaKe-e9pofwL7LZDi689iPkyZiCwwEEZmrdaamgPiFuyZeZMc9sbvdny91XWo2YSUqM4/s400/little+beach+bum.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389858923238219986" border="0" /></a><br />In case that huge Red Stripe advertisement and the insanely turquoise sea didn't tip you off, that's Jamaica.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Jamaica! And entire week in Jamaica! Oh yes, it was amazing. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWNsbNtxgy4YP8AwknsomMzxpZ_qZ0BlVIkPKsibmziJb_WEh200J7lWWZDwlMEeXaWGPjaioIGN76vH1TkP5G1H8ioItUAKMgQxJ8o1xH9Ph59A79vlYB66x4CmpXt9yRuna8fE1prBU/s1600-h/coffee+time.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 255px; height: 209px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWNsbNtxgy4YP8AwknsomMzxpZ_qZ0BlVIkPKsibmziJb_WEh200J7lWWZDwlMEeXaWGPjaioIGN76vH1TkP5G1H8ioItUAKMgQxJ8o1xH9Ph59A79vlYB66x4CmpXt9yRuna8fE1prBU/s400/coffee+time.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389871037990645058" border="0" /></a>Our hotel was on the cliffs, so every morning we would come downstairs and get some fresh Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee,<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnIbH0xCBqPom2ZcgkcwhjzaoqXgrCZXBjFSdo5PRAp26jlvlNQiOVlpykNe2oOhgkNDN6Y846jNR9Z93FdM9bAz2zy-0nj4P5oqL54cHdDtvJF4hRBBdFshzn_CTFqYsJSCFxlB1l-Qs/s1600-h/blue+swimming+hole.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnIbH0xCBqPom2ZcgkcwhjzaoqXgrCZXBjFSdo5PRAp26jlvlNQiOVlpykNe2oOhgkNDN6Y846jNR9Z93FdM9bAz2zy-0nj4P5oqL54cHdDtvJF4hRBBdFshzn_CTFqYsJSCFxlB1l-Qs/s320/blue+swimming+hole.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389871405210412434" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />and then take a dip in our gorgeous private swimming hole.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The place we were staying was called Blue Cave Castle (for reals!)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhp87tFxP0BXK4N-spMxPcFGJpMJseJWZh5EYWLoHAdDHR52jgG1RXq5yXaV2-dwBbfReKWR56Lmysi4vz4DVQgpRhUy4oKOGTkuudj_QnWaXSbFdnE4hLst2wcYbztosIlrG6rqiZC8U/s1600-h/blue+cave+castle.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 306px; height: 232px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhp87tFxP0BXK4N-spMxPcFGJpMJseJWZh5EYWLoHAdDHR52jgG1RXq5yXaV2-dwBbfReKWR56Lmysi4vz4DVQgpRhUy4oKOGTkuudj_QnWaXSbFdnE4hLst2wcYbztosIlrG6rqiZC8U/s320/blue+cave+castle.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389871567786176818" border="0" /></a><br /><br />and when we were coming back from snorkeling our boat was followed by dolphins (<span style="font-style: italic;">f</span><span style="font-style: italic;">or reals!)</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkDAs_HMiYKbrv8627WjcOrvErJiK_e90H4nszO-bcunnzZOIe8ci9Bf7SDnwjN4hvph2amswE198cy_tDKYXPqSkHibeGE9i_hUgh27kbg0ZBOL1AA-5P79rO1QTgpI57Jy0IyuaZ4C8/s1600-h/dolphins!!.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 292px; height: 219px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkDAs_HMiYKbrv8627WjcOrvErJiK_e90H4nszO-bcunnzZOIe8ci9Bf7SDnwjN4hvph2amswE198cy_tDKYXPqSkHibeGE9i_hUgh27kbg0ZBOL1AA-5P79rO1QTgpI57Jy0IyuaZ4C8/s320/dolphins!!.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389871772080933890" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />And there was seaside/seagoing horseback riding (did you know horses can swim with their riders clinging to them??)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDglHVsEMePFFBTjSHLtDglAJoKO2sFAObdDzwU1mkp0IrdG1kNhrLo45zkQNX9pToDJgSeIw3l_RbiL8UUiT0ux1oHYYVMLjUNY8cp9gqbKJrX8SHFJqUjr5peVqtlPyEDp4RBZyjUfE/s1600-h/horseback+ocean.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 440px; height: 275px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDglHVsEMePFFBTjSHLtDglAJoKO2sFAObdDzwU1mkp0IrdG1kNhrLo45zkQNX9pToDJgSeIw3l_RbiL8UUiT0ux1oHYYVMLjUNY8cp9gqbKJrX8SHFJqUjr5peVqtlPyEDp4RBZyjUfE/s400/horseback+ocean.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389867887195830130" border="0" /></a><br />And unbelievable food and gorgeous sunsets.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib-0M_Le-XcIUrRiaOEBIWE9nSRJBO42JnDNQzZa1Sh508MrVWGydw1xTIj60jo6Dka7EC1dLaF20x4M9heZS5Zujz0GGGEZXfO4kVeoak8VkLgU-4qcaT77Q46oWHWdEae2gRPq03wYM/s1600-h/one+last+sunset.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 438px; height: 322px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib-0M_Le-XcIUrRiaOEBIWE9nSRJBO42JnDNQzZa1Sh508MrVWGydw1xTIj60jo6Dka7EC1dLaF20x4M9heZS5Zujz0GGGEZXfO4kVeoak8VkLgU-4qcaT77Q46oWHWdEae2gRPq03wYM/s400/one+last+sunset.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389869621081990434" border="0" /></a><br />And cocktails and rum cream and Red Stripe. Lots of Red Stripe (yes I took several pictures of my many Red Stripe bottles. I'll spare you.)<br /><br />And then, on the next-to-the-last day, this happened:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE79TgLtaeuwAK1-larfqiv63ktTSIJqKMgQr3z4BFT48akWIHGOmmEp8-yFSKrUXftmgvS1C68wBZCNUF_TMmKwy8cySStpywzhdn_HHJsJ5JZaKOVSDxlNEcI8hjfVh2MZww1xr8j9E/s1600-h/Ring+3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 288px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE79TgLtaeuwAK1-larfqiv63ktTSIJqKMgQr3z4BFT48akWIHGOmmEp8-yFSKrUXftmgvS1C68wBZCNUF_TMmKwy8cySStpywzhdn_HHJsJ5JZaKOVSDxlNEcI8hjfVh2MZww1xr8j9E/s400/Ring+3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389869930892217698" border="0" /></a><br />AARON PROPOSED!!!<br />Do you see that ring? At first I couldn't tell if he meant it because it wasn't a diamond and also because I was 100% surprised, and I kept saying "<span style="font-style: italic;">Really?!? Are you sure???!"<br /></span>And then I started breathing again and I managed to say yes :)<br />So yes, the ring, ah, the ring. Isn't it lovely? It's handmade by this couple who lives in the forest in Canada; Aaron had it custom-designed so no one in the world has anything like it. There's this very thin inlay of lighter wood around the band, do you see it? I have no idea how human hands can make something like it. But, it's perfect.<br /><br />So, what we have learned is that Aaron* is extremely good at plotting and secret-keeping (he later said he'd been planning this trip since March or April). And also that he is pretty romantic. And crafty.<br />And also I'm about to become that girl that can only ever talk about wedding things. Yippee!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMLEr47SEwAhJtTRaXA-2pe0Lut1MgBZ3xyrYAuF4EADS775sd9NW_ljVi3x5WqrRIDCNh9Eldbh7QqjnvbOplB8cs-OXC0_RPVXOfU19zUVmPgMyaviF74mlfAk3FUhnIrjc_XLCfzd8/s1600-h/allison+and+aaron+sitting+on+a+horse.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 397px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMLEr47SEwAhJtTRaXA-2pe0Lut1MgBZ3xyrYAuF4EADS775sd9NW_ljVi3x5WqrRIDCNh9Eldbh7QqjnvbOplB8cs-OXC0_RPVXOfU19zUVmPgMyaviF74mlfAk3FUhnIrjc_XLCfzd8/s400/allison+and+aaron+sitting+on+a+horse.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389870452637793186" border="0" /></a><br /><br />*my future husband! Holy cow!<br /><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></div>Alichkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07818782346798046975noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2129713760769168978.post-25767387135255088102009-10-06T06:17:00.000-07:002009-10-06T06:55:46.291-07:00Free wedding garter patterns!One of my dear friends at Stitch 'n' Bitch is <a href="http://juliannesmith.wordpress.com/">Juli</a>. She is simultaneously a mom, a small business owner, and one of the most stylish people I've ever known. Her business is selling fabulous, unique, 100% handmade <a href="http://www.juliannesmith.com/juliannesmith/julianne_smith..._simple,_stylish_wedding_garters.html">wedding garters</a>. How cute is that??<br /><br />Recently Juli decided to offer free garter patterns on her website; she designed her own <a href="http://juliannesmith.wordpress.com/2009/09/24/the-99-cent-wedding-garter-a-free-knitted-wedding-garter-pattern/">knit garter</a>, and then we worked together to design a <a href="http://juliannesmith.wordpress.com/2009/09/30/the-1-98-wedding-garter-a-free-crochet-wedding-garter-pattern/">crochet version</a>. Both versions are super-simple, super-cheap, and, I think, pretty adorable as well. We had looked around for the right yarn together but in the end Juli came up with the idea to use ribbon, which really sells it for me.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA6sFbMLyMyBE_cS03dtOXfYY7v3t25tRglDvUk3pjQGDGpVdEUnfz0_l8rE6Df-2Uvj1Wwt0rmsF_8d1vrAoOhi96j1gFYu12ZJRHa5NR5Hbv_cWKDAuxmb4dI-sbmHdRHD40MZXp5rc/s1600-h/crochet+wedding+garter+-+juliane+smith+-+view+4.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 425px; height: 282px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA6sFbMLyMyBE_cS03dtOXfYY7v3t25tRglDvUk3pjQGDGpVdEUnfz0_l8rE6Df-2Uvj1Wwt0rmsF_8d1vrAoOhi96j1gFYu12ZJRHa5NR5Hbv_cWKDAuxmb4dI-sbmHdRHD40MZXp5rc/s400/crochet+wedding+garter+-+juliane+smith+-+view+4.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389481655475341602" border="0" /></a><br />What do you think? (check out <a href="http://juliannesmith.wordpress.com/2009/09/24/the-99-cent-wedding-garter-a-free-knitted-wedding-garter-pattern/">the knitted one</a> too, the ribbon is precious)<br /><br />If you don't have any imminent need for a handmade wedding garter, be sure to check out Juli's blog anyway; she's starting to offer a <a href="http://juliannesmith.wordpress.com/2009/09/25/garter-girl-style/">weekly style column</a> which I'm really excited about.<br /><br />***<br />I'm making some changes to this blog, did you notice? I'm still working some things out but I hope you like it. I feel like I'm in a season of big changes/improvements...more on that soon ;)Alichkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07818782346798046975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2129713760769168978.post-32499146793085679812009-09-04T18:22:00.001-07:002009-10-05T14:06:53.551-07:00We knit because we love it.<div align="left">You know how they say there's a difference between a "process knitter/crocheter" and a "project knitter/crocheter"? I'm almost 100% project-oriented.</div><div align="left"><br />That's not to say that I don't enjoy the feeling of the stitches, or having something to do with my hands, or seeing the piece come together as I'm working on it. I love and adore those things. It's just that I only ever pick projects that I want to <em>have.</em> I don't pick things to work on to learn new techniques or stitch patterns; if I learn those in the process of making something beautiful, that's fine. But I'm always oriented towards the end product.</div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">(This is true of everything in my life actually. I'd be much happier if I were more Zen about things. But I digress.)</div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"><br />This has the tendency to make me a very impatient crafter. I have a very low tolerance for a large swath of boring repetitive stitches to slog through. And, since my goal is to have a beautiful end-product, I have very, very little patience with myself when it comes to making mistakes or executing new things imperfectly.</div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"><br />On the other side of the personality spectrum is my knitter/crocheter/yogi friend Elspeth. She taught herself to knit...left-handed. And working side-to-side instead of turning the work. Basically she made it up as she went along and worked it out and she makes beautiful things, but more importantly she loves doing it. </div><div align="left">This makes her a patient, happy, fearless crafter.</div><div align="left">(This is also pretty much true of everything in her life. Is knitting always a microcosm of personality?)</div><div align="left"><br />One night at Stitch 'n' Bitch a fellow knitter was having one of those familiar breakdowns, frustrated and aggravated and ready to throw the darn thing against the wall and snap the needles over her leg (surely we can all relate). Elspeth looked up from her (patient, happy) stitching and said, calmly and cheerfully, "Remember! We knit because we love it!" </div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="left">I am officially attempting to adopt this as my crafting motto. Or mantra, more appropriately. </div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="left">A few weeks ago Elspeth moved to Boston to start grad school. (I think we're all a little or a lot heartbroken. But obviously also excited and happy for her.) In SnB DC tradition we all secretly made squares to put together a blanket for her as a farewell gift.<br /></div><div align="left">Traditionally when these things get made, what happens is everybody knits squares, and since I, up until recently, was a pure crocheter (pure non-knitter), I would crochet the border and that's all I would contribute. I was always happy to have some little piece I <em>could</em> contribute. But this time I could really knit! I was told that others would be crocheting their squares, so I could "just crochet some too", but I was determined. </div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="left">I am not a skilled knitter; I knew that everyone else's would be a lot fancier, a lot more interesting, a lot, well, better. But I wanted to show what I could do, even if it wasn't much.<br /></div><div align="left">So I made these:</div><div align="center"><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377794539843796354" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 669px; height: 542px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt5LyqHq0DXJL4gvkw30AqqG-cu9-oSkBmFldFsWj1yJruerz4YwL50mWgt6rE-dIm6xVY4pKpsCWfc48wWLyHjOPn0X6QY7Cuybloq43m4jTOugwlnnQQIkpbTxB9Q04Xe8_EB5oP1GI/s400/elspeth's+squares.JPG" border="0" /> <p align="center"><em>(apologies for the cruddy pictures, I only managed to get them when they were blocking in my dark basement)</em><br /><br /></p>The one on the left is <em>eyelet lace</em>. I do realize this is the easiest lace pattern on the planet, but man when I figured out how to do it I was <em>so stinking proud of myself</em>. Seriously. I e-mailed people to brag. So I know it's not that fancy. But Elspeth is the one who told me that lace was hard but I should do it. She's never considered anything too difficult not to try, including joining the Peace Corps (which I admit would scare me quite a bit) and teaching herself to knit on dpns (which <em>terrifies</em> me). So in honor of her I tried something new, just to see if I could.<br /><br />And it turns out I can.<br /><br />We miss you Elspeth. Happy first week of grad school!Alichkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07818782346798046975noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2129713760769168978.post-89670386257011205822009-08-12T06:36:00.000-07:002009-08-12T07:11:49.226-07:00to have and to holdA few weeks ago, one of my oldest and very best friends got married.<br /><br />As most crafters I'm sure can agree, this kind of major event can cause one to go a little bananas. The day she told me she got engaged I started searching for patterns (I finally picked <a href="http://www.berroco.com/exclusives/andalusia/andalusia.html">this one</a>); I started ordering yarn that week. I wanted something beautiful, unique, slightly ambitious, luxurious. I wanted something that could become an heirloom. As my dismayed boyfriend watched the yarn pile up around me and the blanket squares multiply, all I could say to him was, "You're lucky none of my friends have gotten <span style="font-style: italic;">pregnant</span> yet. Then you're in real trouble."<br /><br />I have to say I was a little worried that what I was making just wasn't quite good enough, not quite special enough. How can I accurately reflect all the years we've had together, all the nights talking and the trips and the parties and the tears and [yes this is a very sentimental blog post] in one single little gift?<br />I've known Anne since we lived across the hall from each other as freshmen in college.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgynRAvErure1NMfJYt9hTGU3X6CFLt-kRC5ZSRmruEV4iN94ybzgPFwkcVJMrLC5g6q43ozgxBwXTTE6GVXdNE6IyFotXHxQGyo5eKBF7q8LO8SvXv0xJin0StSsZmdPrzLrpQwzt0z0M/s1600-h/old+al+and+anne.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 272px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgynRAvErure1NMfJYt9hTGU3X6CFLt-kRC5ZSRmruEV4iN94ybzgPFwkcVJMrLC5g6q43ozgxBwXTTE6GVXdNE6IyFotXHxQGyo5eKBF7q8LO8SvXv0xJin0StSsZmdPrzLrpQwzt0z0M/s400/old+al+and+anne.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369073095843094930" border="0" /></a>Since then we've criss-crossed the globe, sometimes together and sometimes only in parallel. We had crushes on boys (sometimes the same ones.) We went to school. We graduated and got jobs. We grew up (although somedays I feel like I, for one, have a lot more to do in that department.)<br /><br />So I worked my little fingers to the bone, hoping to create something perfect. The squares were coming out all weird and warped and I was worried. The yarn (a wool/bamboo blend) felt a little too...fibery, in some parts. The color was listed as "polar white" which is exactly what I wanted, but when it arrived I discovered it was more of an ecru color...I panicked about that too.<br /><br />Then I started blocking all of the squares and oh. my. god.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjAHDazcjAquflE1X2oRv_4kYubVwIJe-WFXL_H0bh0Qwfu17peg4Itel9iK0fAf0aJNHg5XHMwglmWDWt8MuPVHZ8yBwS08f72GicafP-THMVeEn5Q6GCq6oPthZfhS17rDsLjD0bZnY/s1600-h/Anne's+squares+blocking.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjAHDazcjAquflE1X2oRv_4kYubVwIJe-WFXL_H0bh0Qwfu17peg4Itel9iK0fAf0aJNHg5XHMwglmWDWt8MuPVHZ8yBwS08f72GicafP-THMVeEn5Q6GCq6oPthZfhS17rDsLjD0bZnY/s400/Anne's+squares+blocking.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369074729459555250" border="0" /></a><br />I have blocked things before, but never before this project have I experienced just what a transformation it could be. The squares turned into...squares. The flowers looked like flowers. <a href="http://www.elann.com/productdisp.asp?NAME=elann.com+Superwash+Bamboo&Season=&Company=&Cat=ALLY&ProductType=5&OrderBy=&Count=48">The yarn</a> turned into this unbelievably soft, exquisitely silky material. The color looked exactly like champagne, with an added bit of sheen from the bamboo. I love you, blocking.<br /><br />I was so excited about the project at this point that I spent seven, yes, seven total hours seaming the thing over the course of two days, because I was so excited to give it to her.<br /><br />She took pictures when she got the blanket home:<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZode6gc_K3N-uNJeMwlGG6I7oczEyw1SUjbnRU2e5rAHKnIgx2f8osoo_25n1ztnN7SZk34iWr8zT9BfiRwMfLcDPevDLNayt1iDAdD5cc9oHSNi_B76rbjFu9RJssgjaUecVb8zNAso/s1600-h/Anne's+blanket+3.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 272px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZode6gc_K3N-uNJeMwlGG6I7oczEyw1SUjbnRU2e5rAHKnIgx2f8osoo_25n1ztnN7SZk34iWr8zT9BfiRwMfLcDPevDLNayt1iDAdD5cc9oHSNi_B76rbjFu9RJssgjaUecVb8zNAso/s320/Anne's+blanket+3.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369076190370841938" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiESjJ99dFNLMSWyvFcYYXVaBegdrswKH5H_c1MghZAqc9DuZAKhJ2W_GFv-0kzFAOe7XMVIzzMiRrgRGXbT3DMPf0QEqYAulIl5pQLhjvpiAHvQI6D5aYch6HGKt_emRPcc5u8Y_O8W5k/s1600-h/Anne's+blanket+5.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 268px; height: 359px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiESjJ99dFNLMSWyvFcYYXVaBegdrswKH5H_c1MghZAqc9DuZAKhJ2W_GFv-0kzFAOe7XMVIzzMiRrgRGXbT3DMPf0QEqYAulIl5pQLhjvpiAHvQI6D5aYch6HGKt_emRPcc5u8Y_O8W5k/s320/Anne's+blanket+5.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369076261529880082" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3i4kjfIm66mVg238cf7VnNy2G5tJrS00vx6gAM749kikcxi8jOeG3fLTgiyzf2PQ9fJVNkUILnlAZOEqmTKQkIEa_QZJxdJGSSsnIoD_vC3d6_2lXdYrt4NrbJKmgPya2qFHg3SyZ05Q/s1600-h/Anne's+blanket+1.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3i4kjfIm66mVg238cf7VnNy2G5tJrS00vx6gAM749kikcxi8jOeG3fLTgiyzf2PQ9fJVNkUILnlAZOEqmTKQkIEa_QZJxdJGSSsnIoD_vC3d6_2lXdYrt4NrbJKmgPya2qFHg3SyZ05Q/s320/Anne's+blanket+1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369076311931468850" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I am so, so happy with that. Those pictures make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. That blanket laying across that warm yellow comforter is how I imagine Anne and Ben's guest room looking someday, the place where I will stay when I come to visit, wherever they are, wherever I've been.<br />I really hope Anne and Ben love it.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI-9hZtBPNTCTMrTL6ws2-IDOtN7UcMhyphenhyphenVZ59O_rz_jZRGfCVL53S7EOcczXVWowEp_ZiTgjANuZEYFi_ZjiGxPaRpcNDD8laD3Ob2E14IeSZbNjEgyf60qQHGrF2Xj3KcT1cLnXxGS9A/s1600-h/girls+at+wedding.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 280px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI-9hZtBPNTCTMrTL6ws2-IDOtN7UcMhyphenhyphenVZ59O_rz_jZRGfCVL53S7EOcczXVWowEp_ZiTgjANuZEYFi_ZjiGxPaRpcNDD8laD3Ob2E14IeSZbNjEgyf60qQHGrF2Xj3KcT1cLnXxGS9A/s400/girls+at+wedding.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369078417581199842" border="0" /></a><br />I love you girls.<br /><br />Happy wedding Anne!<br /></div><br /><br /></div></div>Alichkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07818782346798046975noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2129713760769168978.post-17603173761569766272009-06-04T09:37:00.000-07:002009-06-04T10:11:01.101-07:00Letting go of project guiltI have a confession to make. I hate "finishing". I hate doing anything to my projects other than stitching them. That's the fun part. Sewing on buttons, seaming, weaving in ends, etc., all those little "finishing" details, drive me nuts and make me seek out seamless, buttonless patterns. The moment I hit a button-sewing obstacle I become the world's laziest crafter.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">Ravelry is doing a lot to show me just how incredibly lazy I can really be. I have a skirt that I made from the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Crochet-Me-Designs-Fuel-Revolution/dp/159668044X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1244134455&sr=1-1">CrochetMe</a> book.<br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvBv_EpJQACZi0bSY6O-1-H47VcmjGXuo6_TVHdi-SejIWW1GYb_zHY55ivmVsbS0wGAQz_WiYV85o5_cgt-aazXgFVvB4CTjsY6eaUvM1-cb8nVoXqTa26IxNnQWmPH29Ae1GnnDEpDk/s1600-h/skirt+mayhem.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvBv_EpJQACZi0bSY6O-1-H47VcmjGXuo6_TVHdi-SejIWW1GYb_zHY55ivmVsbS0wGAQz_WiYV85o5_cgt-aazXgFVvB4CTjsY6eaUvM1-cb8nVoXqTa26IxNnQWmPH29Ae1GnnDEpDk/s400/skirt+mayhem.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343515265079166674" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">"in progress" shot...ha</span></div><br />I vaguely remember working on it...once...long ago. I remember crocheting it, I remember it being all-but-finished. Ends woven in and everything, just needs some buttons. It's been sitting in my Ravelry projects at 95%, just waiting for buttons. I've been pointedly ignoring it. It was actually sitting in a box hidden away behind my couch. Last week I decided to look through my projects and Ravelry tells me that that poor skirt has been waiting for a button since <span style="font-style: italic;">March 2008.</span> Oh Jesus. Yes I am that bad.<br /><br />It was then that I realized, "oh wait I hate this skirt". That's why it's been so long. That's why it's hiding. I would have sewn on a button by now (surely, right?) if I had liked it at all. But as soon as I was done with the crocheting I suddenly had this insight: "Why on earth would I have ever thought that a thick, shapeless mini-skirt crocheted in acrylic be <span style="font-style: italic;">at all </span>flattering on me?" Seriously? Crafter, know thyself! Wrapping a pound of heavy-duty Red Heart around my, let's say "generous", thighsection is probably the worst possible clothing choice I could make.<br /><br />I want to be clear, I have no problem with the design itself. It worked up fast, it was cheap, it looks fine, it's a perfect beginner project, and it turned out exactly as the designer intended: a cheap, durable skirt for someone adorably petite to wear while bike-riding. I was lured into making it for myself because it looks so damn cute on the model in the book; the problem is, it looks so damn cute on the model in the book <span style="font-style: italic;">because she's the model in the book.</span><br /><br />So for over a year I've had this project sitting there, making me feel guilty every time I take up another project, ruining my crafty self-esteem and threatening to wreak havoc (again) on my body image.<br /><br />This is Knit(or Crochet) for Yourself June (per declaration of Katie), so in the spirit of that, I am officially tossing this project! Frogged! Ripped! (Thrown away!) I believe this is in the spirit of the month.<br />I am now an un-project-burdened girl.Alichkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07818782346798046975noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2129713760769168978.post-59165402082327047322009-04-13T06:34:00.001-07:002009-04-13T06:42:38.567-07:00Congratulate me! I did not poke my eyes out!I've been meaning to learn to knit for many many moons. This year I resolved to actually do it. I probably wouldn't have stuck with it very well except my friend Katie dared me to give up not-knitting at Stitch and Bitch for Lent. I'm not sure that's the kind of thing Jesus or the Catholic Church would have in mind, but I stuck with it. And just as Easter Sunday was winding down:<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTj8NqIKcAdt3tgn0PvmoS8VZF2Ox8icqB1d_odLusVfwsCL7Xux2f4nga1xjMNBbex3wLVr29OrHIqKpfetH8oEAW4k5SB6sQPpg34UDEHJfdG3EFDoLKQUs_vky10fI0ogwBb4JU8gk/s1600-h/knit+capelet.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTj8NqIKcAdt3tgn0PvmoS8VZF2Ox8icqB1d_odLusVfwsCL7Xux2f4nga1xjMNBbex3wLVr29OrHIqKpfetH8oEAW4k5SB6sQPpg34UDEHJfdG3EFDoLKQUs_vky10fI0ogwBb4JU8gk/s400/knit+capelet.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324169313461403666" border="0" /></a><br />Yayayay! I did it!<br /><br />To be fair, that shrug is just...awful. I mean, the pattern is cute as hell, and I actually ended up really liking the yarn I used for it. But. There are all kinds of uneven stitches, yarn overs in the wrong places or extra yarn overs or shifted yarn overs, increases and decreases randomly (and all accidentally) placed, etc etc. As one might expect from one's very very first knitted project.<br /><br />But I'm really proud that I finished it! I'm also really proud that I did not, as I had threatened so frequently, poke my eyes out with my size 11 needles. <br /><br />This project, if nothing else, will always be a souvenir of SnB to me. Like a patchwork quilt. Gwen taught me the long-tail cast-on, Katie taught me how to actually make a knit stitch (I was doing it wrong), Elspeth taught me how to tink back, Kelly (who I barely knew at the time) taught me how to yarnover, Tanya (who I also barely knew at the time) donated stitch markers, Beth helped me learn how to bind off. Those are just the specific examples. Basically every person in this group that I love so much is somewhere in that (tiny, misshapen) shrug of mine, so for that reason alone I will always treasure it.Alichkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07818782346798046975noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2129713760769168978.post-86112969448210834962009-03-30T11:40:00.000-07:002009-03-30T11:52:56.969-07:00T.G.I.F(inished)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE0wV0NpYxNEweHnqMqPDf7qvJVMtni8U_3tfe4KDxDaYS5VRQFJyDLJcg_MrG7ajk6uMP_iWEVCN0vTnOGBSbicFHazrgU9_lZ4RhLznCImP3ToDdGUd_P4grawjjUjnuYBlXZkp8U4I/s1600-h/2008+CAL+blanket+3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE0wV0NpYxNEweHnqMqPDf7qvJVMtni8U_3tfe4KDxDaYS5VRQFJyDLJcg_MrG7ajk6uMP_iWEVCN0vTnOGBSbicFHazrgU9_lZ4RhLznCImP3ToDdGUd_P4grawjjUjnuYBlXZkp8U4I/s400/2008+CAL+blanket+3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319055059851509650" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Oh, praises be, she is done.<br /><br />This is the blanket I have been working on since January 2008, got terribly behind on, and spent the <a href="http://astitchtowear.blogspot.com/2009/03/no-fun.html">first part of 2009 dreading</a>. I finally buckled down and worked through it, and it's <span style="font-style: italic;">done.</span> D.O.N.E.<br /><br />And yes, it was exactly as much of a pain in the butt to join as I was dreading it would be. Many, many hours of joining.<br />If you are considering doing a similar CAL or KAL or some such, here is a piece of advice I wish I had been given: the number of stitches along a side is WAY more important than the rough size of the square. Meaning, for every month I made squares and was careful to add or subtract rows so that they would be about 12" across. And then when I got to the joining, I ran into this nightmare: one square would be 47 stitches across, and the one I was joining it to would be 36. And the next one would be 42. And so on. So it wasn't even mindless crocheting, because I had to count each time and do careful math so that I would space out the joining stitches evenly, in order to avoid wonky seaming. It was quite the headache.<br />Also, squares in this gauge are pliable and will stretch a little to fit into the right size. So really, if you are making an afghan with different types of squares, please heed my warning and try to make the <span style="font-style: italic;">stitches</span> the same, and worry less about the exact <span style="font-style: italic;">size.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin0tD180ZcVOFST1761hMVTYQ1IRzzWHm3s2hT6mdCWIdwTH3irTwL52IE6crfK4N-0EcLVbZvaCsz6yJJC0jVgjJqcuTJd563UgHpB890_sddAT88qHaZNmk7xRGoZDO4eVPW8aMeoes/s1600-h/2008+CAL+blanket+2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin0tD180ZcVOFST1761hMVTYQ1IRzzWHm3s2hT6mdCWIdwTH3irTwL52IE6crfK4N-0EcLVbZvaCsz6yJJC0jVgjJqcuTJd563UgHpB890_sddAT88qHaZNmk7xRGoZDO4eVPW8aMeoes/s400/2008+CAL+blanket+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319055144951158098" border="0" /></a><br />This is just a simple sc join, first joining the squares width-wise and then going back length-wise, if that makes sense. It was the fastest method I could think of (hah) and also used the least amount of yarn, considering I was very much running out of the white. There's a simple sc edging around. I was thinking about adding more edging, in another color, to give it a bolder border, at which point my harried boyfriend gestured wildly and said STOP and so I did.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicnUkAdA4tUP90uVRf3JO15HydosnjS_lgfF0pQL-3HA8Y7-eJniKBHnW3zVJ10C9NemHnNQzTukDFOMVXBGFpOPB2q6LYSpq_CLlQiF6JTTMCWZym5F8_IL6iFGvonTioMzeHzZmvqIw/s1600-h/2008+CAL+blanket.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicnUkAdA4tUP90uVRf3JO15HydosnjS_lgfF0pQL-3HA8Y7-eJniKBHnW3zVJ10C9NemHnNQzTukDFOMVXBGFpOPB2q6LYSpq_CLlQiF6JTTMCWZym5F8_IL6iFGvonTioMzeHzZmvqIw/s400/2008+CAL+blanket.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319055013267848946" border="0" /></a><br />It's done it's done it's done!!<br />Now I have a beeeeautiful and warm and heavy and huge afghan, and I can make other projects with no UFO guilt!<br />Oh I can't wait to have my first house guest. I'm going to insist they sleep under this blanket, no matter how warm it might be.Alichkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07818782346798046975noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2129713760769168978.post-23803484880444517692009-03-18T06:13:00.000-07:002009-03-19T11:54:22.177-07:00Beth's comment + design notesMy friend Beth is one of the most organized and level-headed people I know. Read this:<br /><br />"when I have to cast-on (or chain) so many stitches for a project, I often place stitch markers every 25 or 50 stitches so that I don't have to keep re-counting those beginning sections more than two or three times."<br /><br />That was in response to the Madness Note at the end of the pattern in <a href="http://astitchtowear.blogspot.com/2009/03/frosty.html">this post</a>. I swear to you this strategy had never occurred to me. I usually just grit my teeth and try to power through and pray no one interrupts me. So um please use Beth's method, not mine, if you want further sanity preservation.<br /><br />Beth also asked if crocheted scarves are usually done length-wise as opposed to width-wise. I want to say that I don't think this is the case; most of the patterns I've worked with have been width-wise. But for the both of the scarves that I've designed here, I knew that the length was more important than the width; I wanted length to be a prominent design element of each. Also, the seed stitch, which I used for <a href="http://astitchtowear.blogspot.com/2009/01/snow-angel.html">Snow Angel</a>, and its variant which I used for <a href="http://astitchtowear.blogspot.com/2009/03/frosty.html">Frosty</a>, are very stretchy heightwise, and less so widthwise. I wanted my scarves to be flexible and soft when wrapping around your neck, but I also knew that if they stretch lengthwise they would have a tendency to thin out in the middle, right where you need the most warmth; so for those two reasons I chose to design both of them oriented the way they are.<br /><br />That's a long-winded answer, hope you like it :)Alichkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07818782346798046975noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2129713760769168978.post-62775102543326785372009-03-17T13:21:00.000-07:002009-03-21T09:31:05.592-07:00Frosty<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNOzr3-2jX_kvnzzkAdp7lqYomsl2vp4lD8s-q_I_j9DTFpo3a0fuyU7FgTZWOjGAuMYVe1GykaQhoa-Yh7JIINn4w0KHePy841d0U2cSqDINoLiFV6bPmucDNUTS_z7mxZbt2eB4rbHY/s1600-h/Frosty+1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNOzr3-2jX_kvnzzkAdp7lqYomsl2vp4lD8s-q_I_j9DTFpo3a0fuyU7FgTZWOjGAuMYVe1GykaQhoa-Yh7JIINn4w0KHePy841d0U2cSqDINoLiFV6bPmucDNUTS_z7mxZbt2eB4rbHY/s400/Frosty+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314257787660355490" border="0" /></a><br />Allow me to introduce Frosty, a new scarf design!<br /><br />I am wearing this scarf right now. No, it's not that cold, but I love this scarf. It's the length that really sells it for me. It feels very stylish, and the yarn is so soft. It's the same yarn as my Snow Angel scarf, so the same yarn notes apply.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieUrnC_P8mVzDd8hHPeWHWNIYcshd5WoFTWlorRAC25Zw67M_afJn7HFuecaI9Z7o81n4kS2Za2WklPFBVCYQ33g7QoY_cVHPNFGts5bmKVZ33MIUfEeG4_xNhopJFogiRoBA7XrHtgcQ/s1600-h/Frosty+2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieUrnC_P8mVzDd8hHPeWHWNIYcshd5WoFTWlorRAC25Zw67M_afJn7HFuecaI9Z7o81n4kS2Za2WklPFBVCYQ33g7QoY_cVHPNFGts5bmKVZ33MIUfEeG4_xNhopJFogiRoBA7XrHtgcQ/s400/Frosty+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314257885974645170" border="0" /></a><br />For those of you on ravelry, I hope to have both of these scarves available as free pdf downloads in the next couple of days.<br /><br />A big, HUGE thanks to my wonderful pattern testers, <a href="http://knitnday.wordpress.com/">Erin</a>, <a href="http://zenfrost.blogspot.com/">Suzen</a>, and <a href="http://madcrafterscorner.blogspot.com/">Ann-Marie</a>!<br /><br />I hope you enjoy!<br /><!--[if !mso]> <style> v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} .shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);} </style> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:usefelayout/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0pt; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:none; mso-hyphenate:none; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language:#00FF;} p.MsoBodyText, li.MsoBodyText, div.MsoBodyText {margin:0pt; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:none; mso-hyphenate:none; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language:#00FF;} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:28.35pt 28.35pt 28.35pt 56.7pt; mso-header-margin:28.35pt; mso-footer-margin:28.35pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1; mso-footnote-position:beneath-text; mso-footnote-numbering-restart:each-page; mso-endnote-numbering-style:arabic;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0pt 5.4pt 0pt 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0pt; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:shapedefaults ext="edit" spidmax="1027"> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:shapelayout ext="edit"> <o:idmap ext="edit" data="1"> </o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--> <p class="MsoBodyText" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic8m0WdJRKS5qvQr0NvdZveRWKh0xeuwFpP4X6lRWoC1EV5pr90JBTINtD1Uu508h7RvzvmDWi03ITWJ64xNOs10bHs5XEpgCULZcutQtvA708Yd2u-AOxrtYJE1xgjuPRESVXxeZw9Yg/s1600-h/Frosty+detail+1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic8m0WdJRKS5qvQr0NvdZveRWKh0xeuwFpP4X6lRWoC1EV5pr90JBTINtD1Uu508h7RvzvmDWi03ITWJ64xNOs10bHs5XEpgCULZcutQtvA708Yd2u-AOxrtYJE1xgjuPRESVXxeZw9Yg/s400/Frosty+detail+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314256283479160530" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="text-align: center;font-family:times new roman;" align="center"><u><br /></u></p><p class="MsoBodyText" face="times new roman" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><u><br /></u></p><p class="MsoBodyText" face="times new roman" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><u>“</u><b style=""><u>Frosty” Scarf</u></b></span> </p> <p face="times new roman" class="MsoBodyText">The color of this warm winter scarf reminded me of the coal eyes of a child’s snowman. The subtle texture emphasizes the softness of the yarn and makes the scarf thick and cozy, without being too heavy. </p> <p face="times new roman" class="MsoBodyText"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p face="times new roman" class="MsoBodyText"><b style="">Materials:</b> I Love This Yarn! (distributed by Hobby Lobby) 100% acrylic, 355 yds/198 </p> <p face="times new roman" class="MsoBodyText">grams: 1 skein, Black. (or 350 yds other soft, bulkier-weight worsted) </p> <p class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: 36pt; font-family: times new roman;">M hook </p> <p class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: 36pt; font-family: times new roman;">N hook </p> <p class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: 36pt; font-family: times new roman;">yarn needle </p> <p face="times new roman" class="MsoBodyText"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p face="times new roman" class="MsoBodyText"><b style="">Gauge:</b> not really important</p> <p face="times new roman" class="MsoBodyText"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p face="times new roman" class="MsoBodyText"><b style="">Finished size: </b>about 4” x 104” </p> <p face="times new roman" class="MsoBodyText"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p face="times new roman" class="MsoBodyText"><b style="">Special stitches: <o:p></o:p></b></p> <p face="times new roman" class="MsoBodyText">Seed stitch </p> <p face="times new roman" class="MsoBodyText">Seed Spike stitch (sdsp): in seed stitch pattern, dc into ch-1 sp two rows below, </p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;" class="MsoBodyText">overlapping sc immediately below.<span style="font-style: italic;">(note: in .pdf version, charts will be included to explain this stitch)</span></p><p style="font-family: times new roman;" class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;" class="MsoBodyText"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;" class="MsoBodyText">With M hook, ch 252 LOOSELY <i>(see notes below)</i>. Switch to N hook. </p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;" class="MsoBodyText">Row 1: Sc into second ch from hook; sc into remaining ch; 251 sc. </p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;" class="MsoBodyText">Row 2: Ch 1 (count as 1<span style="position: relative; top: -4pt;">st</span><span style=""> </span>sc now & throughout), sc in next 2 sc, * ch 1, sk next sc, sc into next sc*, repeat from * to * until 2 sc remain, sc into each of last 2 sc. (123 ch-1 sp). </p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;" class="MsoBodyText">Row 3: Ch 1, sc in next sc, *ch 1, sk next sc, sc into next ch-1 sp*, repeat from * to * until 3 sc remain, ch 1, sk next sc, sc into each of last 2 sc. </p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;" class="MsoBodyText">Row 4: Ch 1, sc into each of next 2 sc, *dc into Row 2 ch-1 sp (sdsp made), sc into next ch-1 sp*, repeat from * to * until 2 sc remain, sc into each of next 2 sc. </p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;" class="MsoBodyText">Rows 5-13: Repeat Rows 2-4 three times. </p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;" class="MsoBodyText">Row 14: With M hook, sc in each st across. Fasten off. </p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;" class="MsoBodyText"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t202" coordsize="21600,21600" spt="202" path="m,l,21600r21600,l21600,xe"> <v:stroke joinstyle="miter"> <v:path gradientshapeok="t" connecttype="rect"> </v:shapetype><v:shape id="_x0000_s1026" type="#_x0000_t202" style="'position:absolute;"><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="_x0000_i1025" type="#_x0000_t75" style="'width:123pt;height:95.25pt'"> <v:imagedata src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\ADMINI~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\clip_image003.png" title="seed spike stitch diagram"> </v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[if !mso]> <style> v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} .shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);} </style> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:usefelayout/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0pt; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:none; mso-hyphenate:none; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language:#00FF;} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0pt 5.4pt 0pt 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0pt; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--><span style="font-size:12;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600" spt="75" preferrelative="t" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f"> <v:stroke joinstyle="miter"> <v:formulas> <v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"> <v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"> <v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"> <v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"> <v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"> <v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"> <v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"> <v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"> </v:formulas> <v:path extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" connecttype="rect"> <o:lock ext="edit" aspectratio="t"> </v:shapetype><v:shape id="_x0000_i1025" type="#_x0000_t75" style="'width:123pt;"> <v:imagedata src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\ADMINI~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\clip_image001.png" title="seed spike stitch diagram"> </v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--></span><!--[endif]--></p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;" class="MsoBodyText"><span style=""> </span></p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;" class="MsoBodyText"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;" class="MsoBodyText"><b><br /></b></p><p style="font-family: times new roman;" class="MsoBodyText"><b>Sizing note:</b><span style=""> </span>The pattern as written will produce an extra-extra-long scarf, which is part of what I love about it.<span style=""> </span>If you want to re-size it, just calculate any odd number + 5 for the base chain.</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;" class="MsoBodyText"><b>Madness note:</b> I understand that chaining 252 without losing count can be insanity-inducing.<span style=""> </span>Trust me, I know.<span style=""> </span>I strongly recommend going into a room where you can shut the door (especially a sound-proof room) before attempting this.<span style=""> </span>I think it’s worth the effort!<span style=""> </span>And everything after this is a piece of cake in comparison.</p>Alichkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07818782346798046975noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2129713760769168978.post-42313783982642636052009-03-03T06:27:00.000-08:002009-03-19T11:55:39.082-07:00that being said...It's not like I <span style="font-style: italic;">haven't</span> been doing other things, despite the massive amounts of afghan homework I have to do.<br /><br />After finishing up <a href="http://astitchtowear.blogspot.com/2009/02/shannon-coat-extensive-project-notes.html">my beautiful sweater</a> which I love so much, I immediately ordered yarn for another project from Everyday Crochet. Really once you get the hang of the construction, it's SO addictive. So speedy and satisfying. So I decided to do the "Eve's Rib Tunic", for three reasons:<br />1) it's been my favorite pattern since the first time I browsed through the book,<br />2) Winter is showing no signs of retreating and I'm really, really tired of wearing the same 3 sweaters over and over again, and<br />3) my friend <a href="http://bugheart.blogspot.com/">Gwen</a> is constantly producing lovely little knitted tops and tees and tunics and wearing them over long-sleeve shirts and I decided to shamelessly copy her look.<br />And here is the result:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdjXBkGaI23JUW7jQ9L7IuiT7bnsqz2wQIc56L1TE1cGGRfSenfCL5T2mlWugbl2TxVO8V_Y6Dc7PpKHWbBtJwOxARTKdB5QpxP9jmqi4wOtenahQ2oaCJmz7XZpYI0M9PDZG02Cyy-WA/s1600-h/Vest+2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 260px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdjXBkGaI23JUW7jQ9L7IuiT7bnsqz2wQIc56L1TE1cGGRfSenfCL5T2mlWugbl2TxVO8V_Y6Dc7PpKHWbBtJwOxARTKdB5QpxP9jmqi4wOtenahQ2oaCJmz7XZpYI0M9PDZG02Cyy-WA/s400/Vest+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308969617698724434" border="0" /></a><br />I made a few small modifications. For one thing, since I wanted this to be a cozy cold-weather garment, I changed the shell pattern from the stated (dc, ch 2, dc, ch 2, dc) to (2dc, ch 1, dc, ch 1, 2dc), just to add a little more fabric. This had the effect of give the shells a slightly raised texture, which was unintended but I actually like it. It adds to the coziness.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyeAgs7c3IE9lrBLkG5zUjUDxNm_rQH0HSIHt5VBGrc5jiI2n1YMYb0EUt_k1p2K4vem4YKHAxdZXqIpW10Z6eEWErfWYUaRLwUDE5YzkKoj57bbWhWkJapVnUcT9TzhCEnogXKDGJxWs/s1600-h/Vest+1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyeAgs7c3IE9lrBLkG5zUjUDxNm_rQH0HSIHt5VBGrc5jiI2n1YMYb0EUt_k1p2K4vem4YKHAxdZXqIpW10Z6eEWErfWYUaRLwUDE5YzkKoj57bbWhWkJapVnUcT9TzhCEnogXKDGJxWs/s400/Vest+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308970246650094210" border="0" /></a>(it's hard to tell in the pictures)<br /><br />Also, I not only added the bust short rows, but I then tapered 2 shells (from 18 repeats to 16, if I remember correctly) to give it some waist shaping, and then followed the hip shaping as written.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip-uXu_AC8EmoI6ca9UrocGIY4wpP0bEF8DG53ue0zp_gtBBrOWijVlv-Bz-Vh_L3w4UpfSHJlmpXO9SAeA8F93tz1DPUwax7cuF4Gto_1fEXduNQmAC1eTxFgOYQox9NrB1DlnywAsQY/s1600-h/Vest+5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 176px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip-uXu_AC8EmoI6ca9UrocGIY4wpP0bEF8DG53ue0zp_gtBBrOWijVlv-Bz-Vh_L3w4UpfSHJlmpXO9SAeA8F93tz1DPUwax7cuF4Gto_1fEXduNQmAC1eTxFgOYQox9NrB1DlnywAsQY/s400/Vest+5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308970896587484722" border="0" /></a><br />I was debating about the arm ribbing, but I am really glad I added it, it gives it a nice finished feel.<br /><br />The yarn I used was elann.com Superwash "Chunky", which I assumed meant it would be sorta worsted-y and I was right. C'est la elann.com. All the same, this yarn in this stitch and at this gauge makes for a lovely, huggy, squishy garment, exactly what I was looking for.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg44ehfKOna8-DnOt-Kpil6_IRuBvR35yZ0Q_gNMq-VlXy0aqhAPxTYjXPCBnlmRXa0dtK-a74eiJkJUpbDEW7tkuTNEQYw1I0XtdwEdC1mNvojxCku-hlZ7yJIw-_vpRv3cpYG2wvPojo/s1600-h/Vest+3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 311px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg44ehfKOna8-DnOt-Kpil6_IRuBvR35yZ0Q_gNMq-VlXy0aqhAPxTYjXPCBnlmRXa0dtK-a74eiJkJUpbDEW7tkuTNEQYw1I0XtdwEdC1mNvojxCku-hlZ7yJIw-_vpRv3cpYG2wvPojo/s400/Vest+3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308971748726298146" border="0" /></a>If you're wondering, this is I guess my attempt at looking cool. Obviously that is not my strong suit. My face says ennui, but in my heart is nothing but love love love for the vest.<br /><br />Thank you, as always, Ms. Chan.Alichkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07818782346798046975noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2129713760769168978.post-64598524650478110752009-03-02T10:52:00.000-08:002009-03-02T11:08:29.069-08:00no funLast year in January I joined up with the 12" Blanket Square crochet-along run simultaneously through Craftster and Ravelry. The theory is that you make 1 of these squares a month and you'll end up with a 3' x 4' blanket, or if you're more ambitious/foolhardy and want a full-size afghan, you make two. <br />At first it was so much fun! A new square to look forward to every month! Plus, since you're working as you go, you don't end up with a million ends to weave in when it's time to assemble everything! Plus, how long could it take you to make two blanket squares? Honestly?<br />Unfortunately in the summer I got really really tied up with making Fall inventory for Etsy and building up stock for my Eastern Market booth, so the July squares got done in August. And then the August squares got done in...maybe October. And then Christmas gift-making happened and oy...<br />So I started 2009 with 1/3 of a blanket to complete that was supposed to have been completed already. And now it is just no fun at all. It takes a lot of discipline on my part to work on those. And then there's the assembling, and one of my squares is all funny-shaped so I may have to do it again...And it is March. Of the following year. Blargh.<br /><br />So even though I don't have a lot of Etsy things to do and I have finally finished with a couple of design submissions and I have all the time in the world <span style="font-style: italic;">finally </span>to make fun things, I have this task that I have to accomplish. And I don't want to. But hell I've put so much work into it already.<br /><br />In college if I was supposed to have finished a paper but instead went out with my friends I would feel a faint haze of guilt in the background of every quesadilla/beer. That's kinda what this feels like (yes, I have issues.)Alichkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07818782346798046975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2129713760769168978.post-1826419271516670402009-02-27T09:00:00.000-08:002009-02-27T10:02:35.270-08:00Guess what this is??<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw9ic_IJOie_0OIiwlDPKFd-pSeEfoDLW3YI8V7YqooB6guN_gKmhTe5q7UohOfneaDViMwNAAiFSVanVEf5ZN8Gi_Q1OTIXYHZwj1s_XBUujLOZZ4TqDVZmlOa9XL14vkuFar7_sWXQw/s1600-h/submission+photo.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw9ic_IJOie_0OIiwlDPKFd-pSeEfoDLW3YI8V7YqooB6guN_gKmhTe5q7UohOfneaDViMwNAAiFSVanVEf5ZN8Gi_Q1OTIXYHZwj1s_XBUujLOZZ4TqDVZmlOa9XL14vkuFar7_sWXQw/s400/submission+photo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5307535203580160082" border="0" /></a><br />It's my very first design submission!<br /><br />Okay technically I sent in another design last week but it was all electronic so it didn't feel as real as this lovely, tangible thing. With swatches and proposal pages and sketches and photos, all sealed up and carefully hand-carried to the post office. It is <span style="font-style: italic;">thrilling</span>.<br /><br />I was really stressed this past week trying to get it done, and was really stressed right up until the point when I put the whole package together, and now I'm just SO happy. The project itself came together really beautifully and I'm enormously proud. Hopefully the editors of [<span style="font-weight: bold;">name of publication redacted</span>] will be as excited as I am!<br /><br />Oh and to my Tuesday night ladies (and gent), I hope you'll be proud too: <span style="font-style: italic;">it's a felted project. </span>:)<br /><br /><br />Fingers crossed!Alichkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07818782346798046975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2129713760769168978.post-1987787849196391292009-02-17T10:00:00.000-08:002009-02-17T10:08:38.088-08:00Fish in waterRight now I know exactly what I want to be when I grow up, and that is a crochet-designing professor living with a hot architect.<br /><br />I am so driven by my desire to be an academic that I managed to convince one of the professors in my department to make me his grader for the semester. Usually grad students fill this role but I tricked/persuaded him into agreeing that there was no way those kids were more qualified than me (there might have been something bordering on begging in there too) and I got the job.<br />Also, this past week I have tracked down some submission guidelines for some magazine-type things, and I actually have (what I think are) good ideas, so I think I'm really going to for real submit some designs.<br /><br />So yesterday on our day off from work, I found myself sitting in a chair drinking coffee, alternating between grading book reports and working on a design idea, and Aaron was at his drafting desk working on his own design competition, and we were listening to <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Murmur-Deluxe-r-e-m/dp/B001H5HWSU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1234894034&sr=1-2">a great album</a> we just rediscovered, and the sun was shining through the window, and it was one of those <span style="font-style: italic;">this is it</span> moments. I was happy as a clam.Alichkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07818782346798046975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2129713760769168978.post-74131549035761935332009-02-02T06:52:00.000-08:002009-03-19T11:55:56.955-07:00Shannon coat: extensive project notes<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEireBVNOwNSVph1b4SXGKo0oSgBOMhHME_Cpw0s0t-rNw1a3WuK916xlRlPGM2Mdkj4akWxZ2XUN5FFXG-42Qu04UFs-7O6ZE-JtWqGIJQvmy0JGdUGVgc4bqVk9V3dRfISawj851vrqjQ/s1600-h/Shannon+3.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEireBVNOwNSVph1b4SXGKo0oSgBOMhHME_Cpw0s0t-rNw1a3WuK916xlRlPGM2Mdkj4akWxZ2XUN5FFXG-42Qu04UFs-7O6ZE-JtWqGIJQvmy0JGdUGVgc4bqVk9V3dRfISawj851vrqjQ/s320/Shannon+3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298214481078231074" border="0" /></a></div><div class="notes markdown"> <p>So, this is probably my favorite thing I've ever made. It's from Everyday Crochet by Doris Chan (I'll do a book review of this soon, there are a lot of things to say about it...) For this project I kept actually day-by-day notes of my work, for once, and instead of taking up all the space on my Ravelry projects page I moved all of the notes over to here.</p><p>Just a few comments: I would agree with the "experienced" rating this pattern has. There are some initial frustrations, but after you "get" the pattern, it is SO speedy and SO satisfying. And lovely. And squishy and cozy. Etc etc.</p><p>January 3-4: Started this late Saturday night, by the end of Sunday had already gotten through the yoke and underarm joining and a bit of the body. So, it seems to be a rather quick pattern (it is a pretty huge gauge after all), even though it takes sooo much extra time trying to decipher patterns/hunt down other pages in the book. That part was giving me fits. But otherwise I’m really pleased. I LOVE the Sierra yarn, especially for this pattern right now.</p> <p>January 5-6: The cuff in the picture made the sleeve look a little bulky in my opinion so I’m omitting the cuff altogether; I decided to do the sleeves before the body to make sure I had enough yarn to get the length I want.<br />I’m done with right sleeve and started on left. Sleeve length in pattern is supposed to be 25 rows, I ended up making mine 36, due to a combination of my gauge is slightly short, my sleeve needs to be longer, and I apparently have what my boyfriend affectionately dubbed “gorilla arms”.</p> <p>January 7-11: Scratch that. Arm rows = 39. Gorilla arms being what they are. (Note: after blocking, the arms stretched enough for me to be able to fold them up into a different kind of "cuff")</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg314JVPn0O4fEofwKnci88zwNdLlkMGzy3f5QXUaKroPoUP1j86nlGb2FfqZXFRgAN3t7m7LA1azxXpGf6UGl0WvRs-CEyNGziWhMhu02IHc8wDWwO9rNXMSAZCbgNJTkp4Fm0A8T3z2o/s1600-h/Shannon+cuff+detail.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg314JVPn0O4fEofwKnci88zwNdLlkMGzy3f5QXUaKroPoUP1j86nlGb2FfqZXFRgAN3t7m7LA1azxXpGf6UGl0WvRs-CEyNGziWhMhu02IHc8wDWwO9rNXMSAZCbgNJTkp4Fm0A8T3z2o/s320/Shannon+cuff+detail.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298215363692069842" border="0" /></a></p><p>I apparently also have gorilla torso because the hip shaping is supposed to start at 8”, but mine don’t start increasing until about 9.5”. So I’ve lengthened smaller part of the body. I’m at about hip-level right now but I’ve only got 1.5 balls of yarn left. Yikes. It’s not going to be coat length at this point. I’ll just keep working on it until I’m out of yarn and decide if I need more or if it’s okay.</p> <p>January 12-13: Yarn ran out when “coat” was about 18” from underarm, instead of the prescribed 25”; after staring at it for a long time I decided I kinda like it. It’s a bulky jacket and if it were any longer it would accentuate my, erm, bulkier parts, but at this length it’s actually very flattering I think. So! Body done, ends woven in, need to start swatching for collar.</p> <p>January 14: The stated gauge for the collar section is bananas. Granted, the Superwash Worsted is on the very fine end of “Worsted”; I had to go all the way up to an L hook to get anywhere near the gauge, which made the fabric look totally unrecognizable and very flimsy, so I am just going with the J hook and being careful to work evenly up the edge.</p> <p>January 21: Finally finished the collar, which, after the speediness of the body, seems to take forever and ever. But I tried it on, and, wow. It’s, wow. I love the collar. I love love love the whole thing. Now I just have to make the sash and block the whole thing. Oh, how I love it.</p> <p>January 26: Spent the whole weekend trying to power through the “Sash-A” that’s supposed to go with it, and finally gave up. That thing is surprisingly difficult, and slow, and will make your hands curl up and cry. So I scrapped the whole thing and started over, made a sash that is just like the stitching on the collar and the exact width of the narrowest section of the collar. Also attached little belt loops with what little Sierra yarn I had left over. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR-pPUefEKuRPNQad_mFt4H1UWl_yInID63jThXN_rovsqZln-mld_0idBasXqaYUJ8HA8VSdkY-HEGYe7AGIP3zBUNeUlfnK5CcbmxzpW50fGu8kslrXrrHTafmApobUqvzEjeN50YJQ/s1600-h/Shannon+belt+loop+detail.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR-pPUefEKuRPNQad_mFt4H1UWl_yInID63jThXN_rovsqZln-mld_0idBasXqaYUJ8HA8VSdkY-HEGYe7AGIP3zBUNeUlfnK5CcbmxzpW50fGu8kslrXrrHTafmApobUqvzEjeN50YJQ/s320/Shannon+belt+loop+detail.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298215292100157890" border="0" /></a></p><p>Blocked the whole thing. Tried it on. Did a little dance.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWADJfDmqVFNIK01Um63Qwc3LSiS7vX7Chjm7DQdNYThNycJf6ZbAD4c2lGb-IGhV-Dvk3ORAeNl_RJqUCDzKTi1iZX7izScmdmxYG_REv5gjZF6u09eQ7X_E_76qtL_qdjV33adu40aw/s1600-h/Shannon+back+2.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWADJfDmqVFNIK01Um63Qwc3LSiS7vX7Chjm7DQdNYThNycJf6ZbAD4c2lGb-IGhV-Dvk3ORAeNl_RJqUCDzKTi1iZX7izScmdmxYG_REv5gjZF6u09eQ7X_E_76qtL_qdjV33adu40aw/s320/Shannon+back+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298215238556996354" border="0" /></a> <--I love you, sweater. </p> </div>Alichkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07818782346798046975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2129713760769168978.post-56813979036603032122009-01-28T10:50:00.000-08:002009-01-28T10:53:36.145-08:00for something completely differentI have started a new blog:<br /><a href="http://myeasternblock.wordpress.com/">myeasternblock.wordpress.com</a><br /><br />I've been planning on starting this up for a while now; I wanted a place for one of my other loves/obsessions, namely travel (and living in DC). I'm hoping this will be a way for me both to practice travel writing and to document my time here on the East Coast, and maybe, just maybe, improve my photography skills in the process.<br /><br />I hope you like it!Alichkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07818782346798046975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2129713760769168978.post-53196744695384336462009-01-28T08:15:00.000-08:002009-01-28T08:31:22.813-08:00Details<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP8m2UNwZ-F880ZNquoqBARIOdnHwDStxDQeac6m6O3pP9nrC54tPKjHTeWbyLS15EQ1kwv_E-11lw1WqGnePCsaGI2i-pWLt4TY13gfw_XmwHwXO5OpMRVtNlmkYxNG2Y1d5pyrqYbnQ/s1600-h/Snow+Angel+full.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP8m2UNwZ-F880ZNquoqBARIOdnHwDStxDQeac6m6O3pP9nrC54tPKjHTeWbyLS15EQ1kwv_E-11lw1WqGnePCsaGI2i-pWLt4TY13gfw_XmwHwXO5OpMRVtNlmkYxNG2Y1d5pyrqYbnQ/s320/Snow+Angel+full.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296382485187677682" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><br />I'm realizing that my previously-shot pictures don't really do justice to the lovely texture of the Snow Angel design (and the yarn used for it) so I took advantage of the lovely winter scenery around here and got some better photos.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7wYaf99XmM7M_rVcct8DrRqTS-GW9oBINwFG6MxCfV9CPI3UpgxyWhBFHN9SLR7b0DHmszLNcFsmjCxZ-M-pSuC-NrPRsO4ozEL1och7wSK9pA_3pbaXcpsE1Yxdg5wmeu4-phuWImjw/s1600-h/Snow+Angel+edge+2.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7wYaf99XmM7M_rVcct8DrRqTS-GW9oBINwFG6MxCfV9CPI3UpgxyWhBFHN9SLR7b0DHmszLNcFsmjCxZ-M-pSuC-NrPRsO4ozEL1och7wSK9pA_3pbaXcpsE1Yxdg5wmeu4-phuWImjw/s320/Snow+Angel+edge+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296382389953033682" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge-5ZmVQdT7iXXmDMOV6pqMnnaRkU0sfwLDP4_-VX6u6mMpiz-DfCM6Kh2iye6Lada2X1uWZ9OZMSxYcmDWG05C7AfkpQp8_M__YFz5ptZFq-lRi8fI6rEHI5CI_82kj0Pt42Qsy1Rbl4/s1600-h/Snow+Angel+detail.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge-5ZmVQdT7iXXmDMOV6pqMnnaRkU0sfwLDP4_-VX6u6mMpiz-DfCM6Kh2iye6Lada2X1uWZ9OZMSxYcmDWG05C7AfkpQp8_M__YFz5ptZFq-lRi8fI6rEHI5CI_82kj0Pt42Qsy1Rbl4/s320/Snow+Angel+detail.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296382330272188018" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXhx0pHgYQauMydOqsfxme-9AKs-1Ca11dtAYTx4QCj2T2pyHz_WCOJvK_SjZg5dBAwAr7HnoXSvagDKcM1XouX6UN2pyuLiNh0PxWbw4ZCQXR_CAtxXdp8u_Bso7MBAgX78yKo4i42RM/s1600-h/Snow+Angel+detail+2.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 272px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXhx0pHgYQauMydOqsfxme-9AKs-1Ca11dtAYTx4QCj2T2pyHz_WCOJvK_SjZg5dBAwAr7HnoXSvagDKcM1XouX6UN2pyuLiNh0PxWbw4ZCQXR_CAtxXdp8u_Bso7MBAgX78yKo4i42RM/s320/Snow+Angel+detail+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296382206543061522" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsd5v6Mv19oiC4fqhj88EQMjtP6tr7X3Alad5rwZGe4Tcql4Pda-425Wgu74iaUrVPhKj4UXlkKee7u_bbUm1MG4Cz2qnPPT345jbz4Y6rqh_lBk9xGtf3kB5d_ThVvrv8cau9eMaQInY/s1600-h/Snow+Angel+edge.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsd5v6Mv19oiC4fqhj88EQMjtP6tr7X3Alad5rwZGe4Tcql4Pda-425Wgu74iaUrVPhKj4UXlkKee7u_bbUm1MG4Cz2qnPPT345jbz4Y6rqh_lBk9xGtf3kB5d_ThVvrv8cau9eMaQInY/s320/Snow+Angel+edge.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296382439287425250" border="0" /></a>Alichkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07818782346798046975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2129713760769168978.post-41088331565132861242009-01-27T12:12:00.000-08:002009-03-19T11:55:15.938-07:00Snow AngelIn honor of the glorious, picture-perfect snowy day we are having here in DC, I decided it was time to finally publish my first pattern!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinspfyCQwiUHMu_VNqo9FTYKmBv4BiAES2P1h9DdtPHPUMd9nNxYvNGP4SVcRBIeJfe_QhF6bTGdFgfBZlYUEJGZJp24aU2SIs1EwE_ESBRtyvWkOWwAHmPH3Nu8y8FCyRLnrf1s-v410/s1600-h/Snow+Angel+3.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinspfyCQwiUHMu_VNqo9FTYKmBv4BiAES2P1h9DdtPHPUMd9nNxYvNGP4SVcRBIeJfe_QhF6bTGdFgfBZlYUEJGZJp24aU2SIs1EwE_ESBRtyvWkOWwAHmPH3Nu8y8FCyRLnrf1s-v410/s400/Snow+Angel+3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296070989224281570" border="0" /></a><br />A big thanks yet again to my tester <a href="http://warmweatherknitting.blogspot.com/">Celeste</a> for her help editing this pattern. I'm hoping to have this available as a Ravelry download in the next couple of days.<br /><br />Please enjoy!<br /><div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold;font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:130%;">“Snow Angel” Scarf<br /><br /></span></div><span style="font-family:arial;">With a fresh blanket of snow, the world looks clean and soft, and we </span><span style="font-family:arial;">get to indulge in our warmest, snuggliest clothes. I wanted to capture all of these elements o</span><span style="font-family:arial;">f winter into one simple but luxurious scarf. The stitch pattern is warm without being dense, and the light frilling on the edges remind me of a dusting of snowflakes.</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Materials:</span></span><span style="font-family:times new roman;"> I Love This Yarn! (distributed by Hobby Lobby) 100% acrylic, 355 yds/198 </span></span> <span style="font-family:arial;">grams:<br /> 1 skein, White. (or 350 yds other soft, bulkier-weight worsted; see yarn notes below)</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /> L hook</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /> M hook</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /> yarn needle</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Gauge:</span> not really important for this patter</span><span style="font-family:arial;">n</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Finished size:</span> about 6” x 74”</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" ><br />Special stitch:</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> Seed stitch</span><span style="font-family:times new roman;"> (sc, ch1, sk next st, sc in following, repeat) </span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">With L hook, chain 206 LOOSELY.*</span></span><span style="font-family:times new roman;"> </span><span style="font-family:arial;">Switch to M hook.</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Row 1:</span> Sc into second ch from hook, sc in next 2 sts, *ch 1, sk next st, sc in next st*, repeat from * to * until 2 sts r</span><span style="font-family:arial;">emain, sc into each of last sts (100 ch-1 spaces). Turn.</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Row 2:</span> Ch 1, sc in first two sts, *ch 1, sk next st, sc in next ch-1 sp*, repeat from * to * until 3 sts remain, ch 1, sk next st, sc into each of last 2 sts (101 ch-1 spaces). Turn.</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Row 3:</span> Ch 1, sc in first st, *ch 1, sk next st, sc in next ch-1 sp*, repeat from * to * until 2 sts remain, sc into each of last sts. Turn.</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Rows 4-18:</span> Repeat rows 2 and 3.</span><span style="font-family:times new roman;"> </span><span style="font-family:arial;">Switch to L hook.</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" >Edging:</span><span style="font-family:times new roman;"> </span><span style="font-family:arial;">Top and bottom edges (long sides): Sc in each st. (205 sc) Ch 1 at corner, turn piece.</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">Side edges: Sc again into corner st. (Sc, ch 1, sc) in each st along side edge (18 ch-1 sp). Ch 1 at corner, turn piece.</span><span style="font-family:times new roman;"> </span><span style="font-family:arial;">At fourth corner, fasten off.</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />*Note:</span> This pattern</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> can be made longer or shorter, depending on your preference; ch any multip</span><span style="font-family:arial;">le of 2 and follow pattern as directed.</span><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">**Yarn note:</span> The I Love This Yarn is actually quite a nice acrylic; very soft and definitely on the bulkier side of worsted, although it doesn't feel "heavy." Feel free to substitute your own favorite yarn that is lofty and squishy without being weighty; the texture of the pattern definitely benefits from the wider gauge of the yarn.</span><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrYeksMPuKxEqdw8qx4loRFCzxXHlDdPg6_ILDk30K2ws-JQwpKbRTpDJERjaooD66YeQJDxkIV0zCaEIBSW0lMzvskAD1osnVGC2ECvktl5x1d-1k6smSGE2tSYYoEdPRnaJmEVCJ0U0/s1600-h/Snow+Angle+1.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrYeksMPuKxEqdw8qx4loRFCzxXHlDdPg6_ILDk30K2ws-JQwpKbRTpDJERjaooD66YeQJDxkIV0zCaEIBSW0lMzvskAD1osnVGC2ECvktl5x1d-1k6smSGE2tSYYoEdPRnaJmEVCJ0U0/s320/Snow+Angle+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296074280543955746" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG1cu-2py41abnaekMJR4-2GgXNqJRe51LV8jbQt6qe82hJiFjAIeJP36nYMix77h0bgUpvtiSRJov4bfCubbJRLHvbSwFoKMP-JJqAjKImTFSuljDHFWjCEU0rrpLJEnu_Tpb6REvmz8/s1600-h/Snow+Angel+bnw.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG1cu-2py41abnaekMJR4-2GgXNqJRe51LV8jbQt6qe82hJiFjAIeJP36nYMix77h0bgUpvtiSRJov4bfCubbJRLHvbSwFoKMP-JJqAjKImTFSuljDHFWjCEU0rrpLJEnu_Tpb6REvmz8/s320/Snow+Angel+bnw.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296074366091911058" border="0" /></a><br /></div>Alichkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07818782346798046975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2129713760769168978.post-92147977029676878952009-01-27T10:09:00.000-08:002009-01-27T10:15:44.383-08:00FemmeToday I am wearing my brand-new Doris Chan <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/shannon-3">jacket/cardi</a> (of which I have yet to take pictures). I love, love, love this sweater. So much so that I was sitting at breakfast with some faculty members, and I got really tired of waiting for them to ask me about the sweater, so I just flat out said HEY I MADE THIS.<br />This started a whole discussion about whether or not it was "feminist" of me to spend my time sitting at home crocheting. The old (male) farts seemed to think that it is a bit old-fashioned, which might be true, but my argument to them was that I find it very empowering, not to mention the fact that I feel so privileged to get to take part in a tradition that women throughout time have carefully cultivated. I realized that the bra-burning feminists would have eschewed any kind of handicraft or domesticity, but I think that this generation's feminism (are we third- or fourth-wave??) has come around to a more thoughtful and appreciative mode. Then again, I don't know that much about feminism I guess. I just like what I like.Alichkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07818782346798046975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2129713760769168978.post-17876712200944760382009-01-22T07:23:00.000-08:002009-01-22T07:36:30.107-08:00Where I was<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBcOd7Aif-cylE4oHvqIAaFvVm3JDxSB_kR312dUMh0bz07XAd0mp1XiRt0n_F0zCXNyimNPnQHOmku79L3MGogLMqfKBe3XcBPiIApEeSFdaoyOAR_3p2CflxV4MCtc5ufW3aGpP5x30/s1600-h/washington.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBcOd7Aif-cylE4oHvqIAaFvVm3JDxSB_kR312dUMh0bz07XAd0mp1XiRt0n_F0zCXNyimNPnQHOmku79L3MGogLMqfKBe3XcBPiIApEeSFdaoyOAR_3p2CflxV4MCtc5ufW3aGpP5x30/s400/washington.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294139743758330242" border="0" /></a><br />On Tuesday the boy and I found a spot on the hill of the Washington Monument. Close enough to (sorta) see a couple of Jumbotrons; if we had been willing to get to the mall at 5am we might have gotten closer. As it was, standing in the 10 degree windchill for several hours was enough to make me terribly, knock-out sick yesterday. I'm better now. And of course it was worth it.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXNpZJbyiXTq9j-fCdpauxsNiSr8Uy7BKBYMg1qOczWVzV3xTB2H7XLARewWNOab0EXfJqDimSbTVkEkaXOMkKjklzdLlHAFVLAKnu0wwubDyV-1BqygfSffghKpap8M7ujwdZsA0J7NY/s1600-h/swearing+in.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 273px; height: 204px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXNpZJbyiXTq9j-fCdpauxsNiSr8Uy7BKBYMg1qOczWVzV3xTB2H7XLARewWNOab0EXfJqDimSbTVkEkaXOMkKjklzdLlHAFVLAKnu0wwubDyV-1BqygfSffghKpap8M7ujwdZsA0J7NY/s320/swearing+in.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294139832743805858" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBQ7CVg8kguF1Lmz2tsnMV1Mjzrlblql6ckqN5JTcsfq9Lzusn1ph2NaN_lfpBKBvMJuZnxo0JJMOPbgCG9DmjN32e06KFSMy5UHev7Q61clA1qQ8CEyDFYpqcIMx-ZxfmQ1lW6LWb5vY/s1600-h/yes+we+did.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 279px; height: 191px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBQ7CVg8kguF1Lmz2tsnMV1Mjzrlblql6ckqN5JTcsfq9Lzusn1ph2NaN_lfpBKBvMJuZnxo0JJMOPbgCG9DmjN32e06KFSMy5UHev7Q61clA1qQ8CEyDFYpqcIMx-ZxfmQ1lW6LWb5vY/s320/yes+we+did.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294139928276271218" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The family standing in front of us was amazing; four sweet red-headed kids, ages maybe 7 through 12, freezing their poor little ears off but so excited to be there, asking questions about the role of the vice president and term limits for senators and if reelected presidents get sworn in all over again and similar questions that would make any junior high Civics teacher well up with tears of joy and pride.<br />The crowd became disproportionately elated when Biden was sworn in; I think it was that moment when everyone realized a) those guys are really <span style="font-style: italic;">leaving</span> and b) these new guys are really <span style="font-style: italic;">staying</span>.<br />There was absolutely nothing mundane about that day.Alichkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07818782346798046975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2129713760769168978.post-8932677601781142342008-11-05T08:37:00.000-08:002008-11-05T08:39:47.689-08:00last nightwas an amazing night to be in DC. Among other things.<br /><br />I am so in love with my city and my country and my president-elect right now.Alichkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07818782346798046975noreply@blogger.com0