Yarn Diet Starts Now, Seriously

Some monetary damage was done at Cathy Montoya's this week--I bought 13 hanks of Misti Chunky Alpaca--one to finish a book project, four to duplicate same project for home use, and eight for a sweater for me. My alpaca wrap purchased there in September is starting to fray at the neck, so it may be exchanged by the vendor! Pictures will follow soon, once I establish photo time this weekend. I even have a finished sweater for me to report! It got worn tonight for the fabulous loft party hosted by Mary Neal and her sister-in-law, Mason-Dixon Ann. I had so much fun! And seriously, thought that there might be no one to talk to. The hostesses were just the best, and the guests, all delightful! Parties with knitting are always good times. I'm working on a custom dog sweater, a re-knit, actually. For the next few months, I really need to "go to the mattresses" with the book project. So, that finished personal sweater may be the last for some time. The picture here is another of Ellie the Italian Greyhound romping on the deck in my back yard.

Things That Made Me Smile

Some things seen on the streets of Chicago in the last few days
1. A Clumber Spaniel going for a leisurely walk, carrying a giant stuffed candy cane toy in her mouth.
2. A young woman at Broadway and Diversey cuddling her little bulldog puppy who had a black patch marking on one eye.
3. A man with his seeing eye dog.
Love dogs. I love my dog. I love the Man with my dog. I love the Man.

Christmas at Lucky Penny's

As my house is in a state of disarray, no invitations are being issued to have visitors come see my tree. So here is a virtual tour. I never set up trees until I lived with the Man. I now take a lot of pleasure in decorating a tree, and love to collect ornaments. This tree is downsized from our small tree that we used up until three years ago, when we moved to these small quarters. I can get it lit with one string of lights. Not all my ornaments will fit, which is probably fortunate, because I can't find the box with the ones I used last year. So the tree is a little different. Some things that are always the same:
1. I prefer glass ornaments. I like how they reflect light. It makes up for the one string of lights.
2. Ditto for the shiny bead garlands. It looks like jewelry on the tree.
3. My tree topper is a Shawnee, from the 1940's Darn (as in sock)-Aide. She's the perfect shape for a tree topper. Visible behind the tree in this shot are some paintings of Gidget and Penny, done by my friend Sandy Stutz.
4. Stieff animals, from my collection, around the tree. Dogs, mostly, and some penguins, and a tiny owl in the tree. Behind the tree is a new animated dog that sings "Blue Christmas" when you squeeze his ear.
5. Vintage 1940's pine cone tablecloth over the library table. I can't find the reproduction velvet tree skirt that I used last year. Packed in the same box with the missing ornaments, I suspect. I really want to knit a tree skirt! When time permits, I suppose.
6. A recent addition to the ornament collection are vintage pine cone elves, a gift from my mom. A set of these, made in Japan in the 1950's, were my mom's first Christmas ornaments. Love those Japanese crafts!
Notice the little Lucky Penny ornament in one of the close up shots! I'm giving some with gifts this year. I'm also giving Lucky Penny mugs. For the kids in the family, mugs with money! I'm working today, and running some last minute errands. There's still some baking to do, and wrapping. Happy Holidays to my five blog readers!

Good Times, Bad Times

Yesterday was my birthday. I took the day off for some shopping, lunch, and cake, like I did last year. When I came home on my 2004 birthday, I found an email from an acquisitions editor inviting me to submit a book proposal. Which resulted in Doggie Knits, still in progress as the deadline looms near. I had the idea of doing a book, but it was for the distant future. But, who would say no when an opportunity like that presents itself? Not me! So, I would describe last year as a pretty happy birthday. Yesterday, I was preparing to leave for my shopping/lunch/etc excursion when I got a call with shocking news. A friend found her husband of 34 years dead on the floor of their home. It knocked the wind out of me, I can tell you. So good times, bad times. I guess you just never know what's around the corner. So look for fun and laughter in every day. I'm fortunate that I have the Man and Piccolo to remind me.

In From the Cold

The scene in a frozen back yard in the Lincoln Square neighborhood in Chicago. Piccolo likes to run, usually motivated by the words "gonna get!" to come charging towards me, or running around the periphery of the little yard. Then, when she's tired of that, she'll run up the back porch stairs, and then into the apartment like she's been shot out of a cannon. Then a hop up onto the sofa for some wrestling, kissing, and sweater removal. The sweater is Blackberry Ridge wool, purchased at the Michigan Fiber Festival last summer. Not visible in the photo are the bands knit of navy Noro Cash Iroha, and tipped in a yellow hand paint purchased at a long ago Stitches Midwest. Tonight I'm working on a bag for the annual Guild exchange Tuesday night. I still need to felt it, and sew a binding to the edge, and apply handles. The materials I got were some grey and cream dk weight wool, and some funky eyelash. I ended up doing a houndstooth in the cream and grey, and knit the gusset and lining on the machine. I figured with all those floats, even with felting, a lining would be a good idea. The eyelash is going back as is. I can't get my head around adding eyelash to what will end up being a classic, tailored, dare I say, Chanel? type look. My strategy for these exchange deals is to always provide the best materials. I have not been disappointed in what I got back--and I should really take pictures now that I can post them to the blog! This year, for my bag, I provided Noro Kureyon #149, and I saw who took it, so I'm expecting something great. I've been given questionable stuff, so what I bring back is generally not something to write home about. Maybe this bag will be different. But, next year, I'm not participating! I was out of my mind to do it this year. For the book, another home piece is being knitted in my new knitting crack, Misti Chunky Alpaca. Love, love, love it. Cathy Montoya is having a 20% off sale next week, (www.montoyafiberstudio.com) and some for a sweater for me is coming home. And some Dzined sport weight!

Still Life with Knitting

Seen in the little bathroom at the Lucky Penny household. It's Piccolo's sweater wardrobe, drying after romps in the backyard snow. Also hanging on the towel bar are her mommy's hand knit socks. The dog sweaters are my favorite yarns, Lorna's Laces Bullfrogs and Butterflies, Cherry Tree Hill worsted wool, Noro Kureyon, Annabel Fox Aran, and Lamb's Pride Worsted. The sweater knit from the Foxhill Farms hand paint is in front. Yes, there are seven dog sweaters there, and more of her wardrobe is sent on to San Francisco for the color story in the book. I believe that dogs should own many sweaters, from a practical standpoint, there will most likely always be a dry one available, and because they're fun to make. My socks are Regia, Lorna's Laces, and my favorite, Mountain Colors Weavers Wool. I don't care if they are hand wash only! It's worth it, really.

It's So Cute, I'm Making it Again (and again)

A little diversion from the task at hand. This is Ekeby, from Cornelia Tuttle Hamilton's Noro Book One. Made with Noro Iro, shade 62. The backstory behind this sweater is that I was browsing in Knitting Workshop, and Mary, the owner was wearing one. The design caught my eye in the book, but to see it on a live person really inspired me to knit it. Although the person in question has a decidedly different body shape, the lean type that everything looks good on, not my lumpy shape. So, I took a risk. I made it with about 3.5 hanks of yarn in two evenings. It's the larger size, and I didn't alter the size, because it's like netting and has a lot of stretch. Really, it's mostly holes. I wore it today to work, with a black t-shirt, skirt, hose, and of course, my black Danskos. I wear a lab coat to this particular job, and the setting is pretty conservative, and I got compliments on the vest all day. It will also be good for the other job, where the dress is more casual, and the temperature is kept around hot. It's got built in air conditioning! Would I make it again? Yes, indeed. I wore it to Knitting Workshop tonight to show it to Mary, and bought color #56 for another. I have some #47, a mix of black, browns, and grays that will have to be supplemented for--another! It's instant vest wardrobe, and just the color punch needed for these drab winter days. I love that it's knit from side to side, eliminating the mismatched stripes that so many of the Noro designs have. I can see this being adjusted gauge-wise, and knit in the worsted weight Noro yarns. I'll make a little design modification for the neck, so the slash is a little deeper. I also have my eye on Grinda, the scarf in the same book, knit using the cast on/bind off thing (more holes!) only in the light weight yarns for a little more drape.

A Great Fit, and a Rant

This is the custom sweater made for Ellie, the Italian Greyhound. Body, Cascade 220, some grey marl color. Bands, Morehouse Merino worsted, some green/grey color. Tips, Lamb's Pride Worsted, RPM Pink. This sweater fit like a glove, people! I worked a flat panel of ribbing in the center so it would really expand for her curved chest. This is what can happen when you get accurate measurements, and really take into account the dog's body shape.
And now, a rant. About the strange Chicago custom of marking a parking spot with lawn chairs or assorted bad furniture or trash. In some cases, I understand if someone spent hours clearing out a spot to park. But, I've seen people put furniture in places that I know they didn't shovel out. Tonight, I drove around for fifteen minutes looking for a parking space. There were marked spots on my street. People, it snowed a week ago! And it was around 40 degrees today, so a lot of it melted. Now it's just being a bad neighbor. I'm parked one block south, and saw a rat on my walk over to the house. Ick, ick, ick. I have a garage space, but it's occupied by one of the four vehicles belonging to the Man. I forgot to mention that he sort of hoards vehicles along with clothes and papers. I don't think he's ever just owned one car. The Man is an endless source of strange blog fodder.

Poor Man's Cashmere

No photos today--I can't show what I'm working on for the book, but I'm making a piece in Misti Alpaca Chunky--and it's like butter. I've been told by the resident expert on everything in my guild that this fiber has no memory--so a garment made out of alpaca will "grow". I so want to make something for me out of this stuff when I get the chance, but this growth factor is a concern. I've made dog sweaters from cashmere, but only for tiny dogs for the same reason. I figure that a little dog that mostly gets carried will not wear a sweater the same way my dog, who is walked on city streets and romps in my snowy back yard, will. It seems like in the last few years both fibers have been more plentiful, especially alpaca. I think that it's just as soft and luscious without the steep price. I watched Project Runway tonight as I worked--twice! I'm so happy that show is back, it's completely entertaining. Last season I picked the winner of the whole thing about half way through. In my personal news, I experienced a panic attack this morning--I woke up with my heart racing, and some problems catching my breath. My remedy for this was to go back to bed and try to get myself into a mellow place. It worked, because the Man had no idea that this happened, and he was right next to me in our tiny (full size) bed.

Yes, but He's My Nut

The Man starts almost every day at his favorite greasy spoon. He takes one half cup of coffee, so it stays hot, which means the waitress has to come back more often to refill his half cup. He is a very high maintenance man. This picture of him, in the greasy spoon, cracks me up because it is quintessential Man. With the dirty hair and the shirts that have probably been worn for more than a few days. Just recently, the Man decided that if he stuffed paper napkins in his armpits, he could wear shirts even longer. He thinks this is a brilliant idea. The Man has lots of clothes, but really only wears a few things. Unless he has "a chill", then many layers go on. We have a challenge getting him to use drawers or closets. He had another brilliant idea, which he calls his "bag system, " where all like clothes go into a brown trash bag. So on my back porch, there's a 30 pound bag of underwear, and bags of etc. Then, there's the piles of newspaper in the bedroom next to his side of the bed. The pile can sometimes reach the height of the bed, until I have a complete meltdown, and then he takes it out. In boxes. Never mind that he will never read them again. Sometimes I do a little pile reduction, thinking that he wouldn't notice, really. It works most of the time, until he looks for something important that he has co-mingled in the paper pile. He still blames me for the loss, over four years ago now, of a car title that was layered in the paper pile. As I'm writing this, he's yelling for me to bring him more pizza. High maintenance.

Hello Winter

The Man in his element. Hot summer day. Not like what's going on now, with about 6" of snow, and still coming down. I had a meeting at work that ran late, and the snow started just as I was getting back into the city. I had intended to go to another work site, but scrapped that idea when the snow started to come down faster. So, we're hibernating. Working on the book tonight--the nuts and bolts of measuring, and calculating. Hopefully I can work on one project every 1-2 nights this month to really get it fine tuned. I need to make a photo list, too. The shoot keeps getting pushed back. I suspect now it may be the last thing to happen. I spoke to a friend and found out that her 16+ old dog died a few weeks ago. One of the sweaters in my book is named for him, Olly. Having grieved for three pets myself, I know how hard the loss is. It sounds like Sandy handled the whole experience in the most humane and gentle way, and Olly ended his life happily. I hope I can be like that when it happens again in my family. Gidget died cradled in my arms, exactly how I had hoped. When she got really sick in the last few months of her life, I always feared coming home and finding her dead. Not knowing if she had suffered. As hard as the loss is, I am grateful that I cuddled her as she drifted away. In better news, the Chicago city council has passed a smoking ban! I can happily go to restaurants and bars again. Thanks, Chicago, for catching up with some more progressive cities!

One of a Kind

This afternoon I took the el downtown to the Merchandise Mart for the One of a Kind Show. A friend of mine from the knitting guild was an exhibitor, and I like to "walk" the show. It's interesting to see the art, craft, and display. Some really beautiful stuff, including some cow http://sueskowronskifineart.com/portraits that I'm lusting after. Next year, I want to buy one, at the very least a repro, for my anticipated Wisconsin home. I would love to have a space at this show, but at >$1500 for the event, I don't know if I could afford it. There's a section called "emerging artists" that I could try, perhaps. I've been wearing the scarf in the photo a lot. I purchased it at the Fine Art of Fiber. Cathy Montoya knit it, using this great wool/lycra blend from Silk City Fibers that felts when you steam it. It's still stretchy, too, and soft! I thought it might be great for a "one size fits most" dog sweater, but Cathy says it's too fine to work with my machine. I almost didn't get this scarf--I set it aside before the show started, but didn't hide it. I saw someone put it in her shopping basket on preview night! I was so upset, that Cathy said she would make another for me, which was big because she told me she hated making it, with all the casting on and binding off. Then, miracle! The lady put the scarf back! I quickly purchased it, and wore it so Cathy could see that she didn't have to make another. I still would like to get some of that fiber to play with, though. Maybe I can talk her out of some.

Because There's No Knitting Content

Here's Crazy Aunt Purl's countdown!
Ten random things you might not know about me
1. I believe in indulging my inner child, and buying her gifts, like the Steiff dogs from the 50's and 60's that I got today.
2. I've been the mom to four dogs in the last fifteen years, all except one adopted when quite old. I love those little old dogs.
3. My favorite cocktails are gin and tonic with lime, or a margarita. My limit is two drinks, or I feel horrible the next day.
4. I make latte every morning.
5. I hate to excercise, even though I know I should.
6. I skipped a grade in school--I had first and second grade in one year, so after that I was always the youngest in class.
7. My birthday is a few days before Christmas, and I often get "combination" gifts, but I'm not complaining! I usually did quite well.
8. I collect vintage Fiestaware, and use it daily.
9. I'm a good cook, but I get to do it less often then I would like.
10. My favorite tastes combine sweet and salt--chocolate covered peanuts are my downfall.

Nine places I've visited
1. SanFrancisco--my favorite city, ever!
2. New York City--just once, but I would love to go back.
3. Cincinnati--lived there for a year during my internship.
4. Fontana, Wisconsin--my mother's home. Maybe some day the Man and I will live up there, too.
5. London--the only time I've been to Europe, 1998.
6. Latrobe, Pennsylvania--to style Arnold Palmer for a photo shoot for Sears. In a previous life.
7. Detroit--to get my little Piccolo dog!
8. Niagara Falls--with my family when I was little.
9. Mount Rushmore--family camping trip.

Eight ways to win my heart
1. Be nice to my dog.
2. Take the garbage out without me asking. That's sexy!
3. Make me laugh.
4. Tell me that I look cute.
5. Wear something I knit for you.
6. Keep me company when I have to run an errand that involves driving.
7. Clean the snow off my car for me.
8. Give me a big hug.

Seven things I want to do before I die
1. Get married to the Man.
2. Have a house.
3. Have a job that I really am excited about.
4. Be in a position where I don't have to worry about money so much.
5. See the Grand Canyon.
6. See Japan.
7. Write another book.

Six things I'm afraid of
1. The dentist.
2. Doctors.
3. Vermin.
4. Living long after the money runs out.
5. The IRS--isn't everybody?
6. Illness.

Five things I don't like
1. Smoke
2. Polyester
3. Broccoli
4. Raisins
5. Any loud noise

Four ways to turn me off
1. Be cruel to animals.
2. Talk about how you want to be cruel to animals.
3. Snap gum.
4. Smell bad.

Three things I do every day
1. Knit--of course!
2. Drink lots of water.
3. Check my chin for stray hairs!

Two things that make me happy
1. Piccolo
2. The Man

One thing on my mind right now
Doggie Knits, expected release date June 30, 2007.