It Is What It Is

If you've arrived here by way of a Chicago Tribune article, hello there. Chances are you are a regular reader who doesn't get the paper. Believe me, my server is not in danger of crashing because of additional hits. There was an article about the Chicago Craft Mafia and the Renegade Craft Fair in the Tribune today. I'll say that it was a great thing for the Mafia, and I'm thrilled for my fellow members who got featured. This shot is of the lovely Michelle Dortch having her portrait done. Now, with that being said, I had some wishes for myself that were not realized. No mention of my website or book, or even the name of my business. I was relieved that my portrait was not chosen, given my phobia about photographs. I really didn't want to be seen by someone who may have known me long ago, for them to think that time was not kind to me. I'm in a group photo that I thought would be a feature. You really can't see what we're all doing in it, which is too bad, because it's a funny shot, and all you can see of me is my freshly coiffed hair, which does look smashing thanks to my new stylist, David. Here's another weird omission. Everyone's age was mentioned except for mine. I'm substantially older than the rest of the Mafia. Here's the thing--I was invited to belong to the Craft Mafia. It was because of the quality of my work, not because I fit into some demographic. To be left out because I was older is against what the group stands for. So the article is what it is. I'm mentioned in the paper. It won't amount to anything.

So, I'm home from work last night, and there it is. As I expected. I'm LuckyPenny on Ravelry! It's going to be such a terrific resource and data base. It already is. You (I) could get lost in there looking at everyone's projects. It makes me want to knit more, more, more.

99 People, People!

That's how many are now ahead of me at Ravelry! Maybe I'll be in tomorrow!!!!!!

Knit Therapy

I stayed home from work today, just to get a breather. I'll be working until next Monday wrapping things up at month's end. We were in Wisconsin over the weekend, driving next to rivers that looked like a glass so full that if it got one more drop of water, they would flood the streets. On the way home, after dark, our usual route was detoured because of standing water. We were on a rural road that we had never traveled, with lots of winding turns, high speeds, and very little light except for the full moon. Add a Wal-Mart truck barreling down on me, and you have tension. I was almost as frightened as I was a few weeks ago when I was driving home in a construction zone after dark and the barricades appeared to get narrower as I moved forward. So, today I just felt not good in a non specific way.
Of course nothing soothes like my knitting. I'm still in the knit for me groove that I must get over quickly. This is another Rosebud, this time in Briar Rose Fibers Celebration, a new merino/bamboo blend. It's glowy.
I've been drooling over getting in to Ravelry. It's potential as a resource just appears to have no boundaries. So, I've been so envious of my friends who are already on. I can't even lurk! But, I now have 229 people in front of me for the invitation, and it seems that about 100 or so get an invite every day, so it looks like I'm close! I wonder if there's a group of dog sweater knitting enthusiasts.

Finding a Style

How do I define my personal style? Do I have one? Here's some facts:
1. I mostly dress in natural fibers.
2. I detest the smell of dry cleaning, so most items must be either machine or hand wash.
3. I prefer dark hose to sheer. No hose at all in summer, regardless of the lack of suntan on my legs.
4. When it comes to shoes, I go for comfort first. Now I wear Danskos exclusively.
5. I wear very little jewelery. On most days, just white or yellow gold hoop earrings. I have metal allergies, so I wear fine jewelery, and not costume. Except for a phase when I wore Bakelite dress clips. Costume jewelery that doesn't touch skin sometimes works.
6. My work dress style is mostly like my out of work style, casual. This includes wearing hand knit socks every day. I don't have the kind of life that requires a lot of formal or dress up clothes.
7. While I like the look of knitted lace, I'm not sure that I can wear it successfully (see #6). Which is why I've decided that I'm not a shawl person. This is a hard thing to admit, because I think that lace shawls are beautiful. I suppose with all the knitting I do, this admission sets me free from having to knit one eventually.
This is an alternative to a shawl that I think will work. Just a hint of lace. It's a Lacy Cable Shrug, knit with Briar Rose Fibers Fourth of July. Two colors are worked alternatively for this lovely mottled blue and green effect. Just the sort of thing to throw on while I run Piccolo out to pee. Maybe no one will notice the pajamas I'm wearing underneath.

The Cover Girl

For the last month, I've pretty much heard nothing from my editor. I called perhaps a week ago to see how things are going, and got the vibe that I was bothering her. She works on many projects in various stages of completion, so I not taking it personally. Lately, a lot of the information I've been getting on my book has been through sleuthing on my own. Like Googling my name and Doggie Knits. I downloaded an "untitled document" that was the Sterling Publishing fall catalog. In the catalog was a picture of my book cover. I had some ideas about what I wanted, and the cover isn't like that, but at the same time, I'm not unhappy. I like the photograph that was used, and the font for the book title. This is the image that was chosen for the cover. It's the Agnes sweater, a pullover with a paper bag neck treatment. The model is a Cairn Terrier named Bee, who was about thirteen years old when we did the shoot. Bee has a sweet little face, and I totally love old dogs. I'm happy for her owner, Trish Watson, who worked very hard at finding many models for the Doggie Knits photo shoot. It was so busy that afternoon, with all the dogs in the Harvey Milk Recreational Center, that I don't recall being in the studio when this was shot. This will be a lovely keepsake for Trish of her adorable little girl.
In the meantime, I'm wondering how I can get them to give me the cover on disc so I can have postcards made for my shows this fall.

An Empty Wool House

These photos are from last year's Michigan Fiber Festival. I must confess that I only took two this year, of the Man standing outside the gate with the big rooster on it. We arrived late Saturday afternoon, after dropping Piccolo off to be boarded, and then a drive that seemed to take forever to get to Allegan. I've returned with even more Briar Rose Fibers. I'm a total glutton when it comes to that stuff. Yesterday, they were set up right before the animal displays, so it was the vendor I saw first. Pretty much all the money I spent was within the first ten minutes after arriving. I had to go back to the car with my bags before I saw the rest of the fest. I bought yarn for a sweater (with sleeves!), what I think will be another (!) Rosebud, this time in a merino/bamboo blend, and some wool/mohair for Lucky Penny.
The Man loves the alpacas. We've had conversations about getting some. And, how's this for a great boyfriend--after a night of driving rain in Grand Rapids that continued today, we concluded that we were not going to take a scenic drive home along the east shore of Lake Michigan. I suggested that we might as well go back to Allegan, and he agreed!

A shot of a magnificent sheep after shearing. I love how his horns look like tire treads.
We've returned to a house full of wool, but empty. Piccolo can't be sprung from her accommodations until tomorrow. I'll have one cup of coffee, then I'll hurry to get her. It's so sad not to have Piccolo here. The Man doesn't want to talk about it, so it's a sign that he's not happy about the situation, either. My knitting guild chartered a bus to this year's event. I may reserve a spot if they go next year. The trip is a long and stressful drive, with the time change, I get anxious about not having enough time to see the fest. The Man prefers Wisconsin driving to Michigan. So, perhaps the plan for next year is to take a day trip, and leave the loved ones at home.

Overcoming Fears

I have super ticklish feet. Mostly I can't stand having anyone touch them. I mostly think feet are kind of gross. Except for maybe the Man, who has soft baby feet that he does nothing to. I have callouses so thick that they can hurt. I'd been contemplating it for months, but today put my fears of ticklish feet aside to submit to a pedicure. I survived, with pink toes polished with a color with a sassy name: Making Love. I started knitting another Ribby Shell in Kureyon #195 during the pedicure to distract me. My stitch counts were so off, following the wrong size that it took two rounds to get things set up right. I showed my feet to the Man, who said they looked like they were bleeding. So, moving forward I'll continue with these treatments. Next up, I should attempt to overcome my other Big fear--the dentist. Something about big needles and bone just makes me cringe.
Tomorrow we're off to Michigan, and Piccolo gets boarded at the vet's. It will be the first time this summer that I've had to board her. I considered another place, that I'll identify if you e-mail me, but ruled it out after I saw the number of dogs in the kennels that pretty much barked non stop. I think that would freak Piccolo out. I was also put off by the fact that the place charges an extra fee if you want your dog played with or cuddled. At the vet's, the accommodations may not be luxe, but at least she's familiar with it, and knows some of the staff. What Piccolo usually does in that situation is go to the very back of the kennel, not move, and not make a sound, so no one knows she's there. The worst part about boarding is that we'll be home Sunday night, and I can't get Piccolo until Monday morning. That is why I was considering the other place.

I was looking for my own accommodations for the Fiber Expo in October. It's on a weekend where Minnesota is in Ann Arbor for a football game, so all the Ann Arbor hotels are booked to capacity. So, I had to go about 20 miles out. In a town called Plymouth. Looking over the map, I found a town named Hell not too far from Ann Arbor. I wanted to stay there--wouldn't it be a funny blog post, "My Night in Hell"? It appears that there are no hotels in Hell. It seems that the people of Hell have a sense of humor about the name--you would have to. They do things up around Halloween.

The photo is of the smallest police dog. I'm kind of intrigued by the uniform.

The Cosmic Conspiracy

Sometimes it's by devine design, I think, that things work so I don't make it somewhere, but I can't figure out why. Tonight, for instance. Headed north to home on an expressway where it's been under construction for two years. The traffic report says it's very congested downtown, so I take the exit to Lake Shore Drive. After I'm on the drive, I hear that traffic's backed up on it with people headed to a night Cubs game. So, I exit again downtown. I go shopping for dinner at the newly opened Whole Foods. I get back in the car to head home, and there's a downpour. I try to call home, but can't find the cell phone. I dig deep in my handbag, which at times like this, is very oversized, and can't find it. I get that sinking feeling that it has been lost somewhere between Whole Foods and my current location. Then it starts ringing. My ring tone is a cat's meow, because I think it's funny, and there isn't a ring tone that's a bark. The phone is somewhere in the car, and I can't find it. Then Western Avenue headed north is a parking lot. I turn to make a detour through a neighborhood, and the when I get to the CTA tracks, the gates are down, and won't go up. Cars are lined up behind me. I try to turn and the cars behind me won't back up. While we are all stopped, I get out of the car to try to look under the seats for the phone. In the meantime, it's meowed about five more times. I know that it's the Man trying to find me. I almost burst into tears. When I make it home, our street is flooded. The Man tells me that he was about to leave to look for me. He's out now looking in my car for the lost cell phone.
This weekend, we're going to the Michigan Fiber Festival, myself as a consumer. Although having the Man along will prove to be a deterrent to shopping.

Find Lucky Penny Sweaters at the Streeterville Pet Spa, 401 E. Ontario Street, Chicago, 60611. 312-787-7792. Just a few blocks away from Magnificent Mile shopping.

Stay Away From the Frog

Never mind how delicate or fancy looking a dog is. They all still want to eat garbage, or roll in something disgusting. I had Piccolo up in a state park in Wisconsin, and while my eyes were off her, she was sniffing at a dead frog. The little snoot I kiss all the time touching dead frog.
Last night I saw an episode of American Masters on PBS. The subject was the life of Julia Child. She had her first book published at the same age that I am now. It makes me happy to know that the possibilty of a full and creative life after a half century exists. If I have to knit the stash before I go, I'm living to 150. Besides having good genetics, I think the other way to prolong your life is to stay interested in things. The Man has a few friends who are older, have absolutely no interests, and are miserable.
So, I was really exited to have the Super Merino purchased to knit a Norah Gaughan sweater that I mentioned in the last post. The yarn is navy. I realized yesterday that I just finished knitting (it still needs to be assmembled) a navy sweater. Sort of took the excitement away. The sweater will be a completely different style, however.
I guess Ann Arbor, MI, scene of October's Fiber Expo, is a hard town to find a hotel vacancy. I'm having a hard time, and the event is almost two months away.

I Will Knit a Sock Monkey

I'm back from Stitches Midwest, where lots of money was spent, and meat was consumed. I won't go back tomorrow, because we get to drive in the blazing hot sun of the Wisconsin summer. I went to the Market with a plan, but of course some impulse purchases happened. One was the Cat Bordhi book. I read a little bit of it, and already my brain hurts. This will go into my tote bag for the next two weekends for study. Some polwarth was purchased at Rovings for some shrugs. Just as I declared sleeves to be over in my sweaters, now knitting sleeves alone has become appealing. Perhaps it's because I've decided that I'm really not a shawl person. Purchased a pattern for a shrug, and a pattern for a sock monkey that can be knit with bulky yarn to 27" long. I think it would be fun to knit a completely frivolous item, and I can just picture the monkey lounging on my bed. Bigger than Piccolo! A lucky little dog was observed in his mom's hand on the market floor.
One of the total impulse purchases was from Webs. Norah Gaughan's new pattern book, and the recommended yarn for one of the sweaters. It's so cool. That sweater might make it to the top of the heap as far as personal projects go. Some yarn was purchased for Piccolo sweaters, and a hat for me.
After shopping, there was a delightful dinner at Gibson's with some friends. This has become a tradition with a few of us. In the past, dinner was during the down time between the last session on Thursday and the market preview in the evening. Next year, the expo will be in Schaumburg, at a more contemporary venue. So, no more Gibson's! We'll have to find a new place.

I'm the One with the Good Hair

Tomorrow is my Stitches Midwest day! For the past few years, I treat it like a vacation. Shopping, leisure, and good eats. I love that I can find things there that I don't see locally. I have plenty of time to do a once around, then make some purchasing decision. After shopping, I'm meeting some knitting friends at Gibson's for a big piece of steak. Any cut of meat there is huge, even with ordering the smallest thing on the menu. I hope they have banana cream pie there tomorrow. It's deadly.
Yesterday I got my hair cut just in time for the Chicago Tribune shoot tonight. I have a new stylist at the same salon in my neighborhood. I love what he did with the cut, and I think he will do something that I like with the color. I want it to have dimension and layers of color like my Briar Rose Wistful scarf. Tomorrow, I think I'll wear the linen vest, back pictured above. I'm only going to be at Stitches tomorrow, because this weekend is for driving a stir-crazy Man all over the state of Wisconsin.

Pressure's Down

I went for a follow up appointment at the doctor's today. The blood pressure is still high, but just the systolic now. The diastolic, or bottom number, is normal. The miracle of chemistry. Something had to be done immediately, as it would take months for lifestyle changes to have any effect. And, I feel better. Talking about it, I've found out that a number of friends have the same affliction, and some have been medicated for a few or more years. I've joined the club.
I've been confirmed for a fiber event in Michigan at the end of October. I'm not confident that I can get the Man to make the trip with me. He would not be happy tethered to my display during show hours. I'm working on a new design, sort of sparked by the past weekend. I'm hoping I'll have a pattern ready for the event!
I'm trying to be mellow about this--but Thursday I have to go downtown to meet other members of the Chicago Craft Mafia for photos that will be in an article for the Chicago Tribune. As most of my friends know, I avoid having my picture taken at all costs. I'm totally not photogenic. I've only looked at my passport photo twice, and have never let the Man see it. Thankfully the passport will expire shortly. So I'm going to get my hair cut, and try to put on a happy face for Thursday. The sacrifices I make for Lucky Penny!

But, I Continued to Knit On

One of Those Days. When I shouldn't leave the house. When I shouldn't drive. I didn't learn that is was That Kind of day until I got the ticket for running the stop sign. I was on my way to set up a display, totally distracted, and didn't see the stop sign, or the police car. So, after getting to my destination and setting up the display, I figured it to be best to get off the streets.
I soothed myself on the way home with some new yarn. I'll comfort myself with my knitting tonight.

I Need to Be Kinder to My Brain

For the last two days I was in another knitting workshop, this time taught by Sally Melville. Learned a bunch of stuff. Lots of discussion regarding the proper fit of a sweater, and how to wear it with your wardrobe to best advantage. Lots of discussion regarding the creative process. Did you know that most dream activity, essential to the process, occurs between hours 6 and 7 of sleep? I usually get much less than that. The Man normally gets between 8 and 10. Sleeps like an infant, I say. Plays hard, and sleeps deep. It takes a lot of energy to be silly. I'm up late because I'm more productive late, which is not normal, and like some quiet alone time before going to bed. I'm so into the groove of staying up late, when I tried to go to bed early for the fiber festival last month, I just tossed and turned until my usual sleep time.
Some more things learned. Sally designs some dynamite stuff. I own all her books, and the last one, Color, just glanced over. Having a chance to see the knitted garments in the book, I gave the book some real scrutiny. There's some really great things that I want to make! I think lots got lost with the styling and photography. Those things really need to convey how the designer sees the item being worn, and what wardrobe pieces look best with the knitted garments. Which is why, I suppose, when those elements are sadly out of your control, trunk shows are essential.
I had an idea for a new sweater that presented with some problems. I solved the problem in my mind, then quickly forgot. I need to sleep longer tonight. Just like my bod needs some more tlc these days, so does my brain.

An Interesting Proposal

Lucky Penny sometimes gets me on some interesting e-mail lists. Often it's from manufacturers in China or Turkey, and the text is translated to English. Offering to sell me dog sweaters wholesale made with high quality "string." Today I got one regarding sponsorship at a celebrity swag event for the prime time Emmy awards, with Sundance and the Oscars following. The wealthiest people apparently stay wealthy in part to getting lots of things for free. While part of me shudders to think about giving away a hand knit item, I'm incredibly intrigued by the whole idea of appearing at one or more of these events. I can't even begin to imagine what this all would cost. I have always thought that Lucky Penny is more of a luxury brand, and face time with a celebrity to promote it is something I've never been able to get.
Another reason August is the best fiber month is new Vogue Knitting and Interweave Knits. I'm so wanting to start some fall stuff. Must get back into the Lucky Penny production groove (especially if I'm going to follow through with the Emmy thing). There's a great article in Vogue Knitting by Lily Chin about selecting designs to flatter your bod.
This is how you know that your apartment is too messy and you have too many projects--you can't find some yarn to finish one, or can't find the project to resume knitting. I've got both situations going on right now.
In the better living through chemistry department, I started on blood pressure medication yesterday. I had been trying to be more active, and be more careful about what I eat. The result is my blood pressure went UP. The nurse at work who had been checking freaked out, and got me anxious. The weird thing was, I could feel it. Like everything was tight, and I was going to explode. Perhaps it's the placebo effect, because this drug can take up to two weeks to be effective, but I feel better already. The Man has been insensitive regarding this. Every morning my fleshy bits get poked and pinched. This morning he said the high blood pressure was all my fault. Nice boyfriend. I asked him if he told his friend who has colon cancer it was his fault. Why is it that the most ugly things to say get saved for the people who are supposed to be the most important? My initial instinct not to tell the Man was correct, after all.
Monkey socks! The vanilla sock. Easy stitch pattern, 64 stitches on a size 2 needle for a good fit using sport weight yarn. One in Dream in Color Smooshy, color Strange Harvest, the other in Lorna's Laces Shepard Sport, color Vera. I'm not so sure the pooling works with the stitch pattern, but I'm committed now to knitting the mate.