Seven Random Things

Tabitha tagged me, so I guess I will play.

I think we've all seen the rules, but just in case.... if you are tagged, you are supposed to write the rules and seven facts about yourself. You are theoretically supposed to tag 7 other people and leave their names on your blog as well as leaving a comment on their blog, but I don't think I will do that to anyone. Besides, almost everyone has played this, haven't they? If you haven't, consider yourself tagged. ;)

Maybe Ingi should play, since he hasn't blogged in awhile.

1. I met my husband in a sleazy bar, the kind where politicians sit next to bums. Neither one of us is a bar person.

2. I am a member of Alpha Psi Omega theatre honour society, although I haven't acted since college.

3. I grew up in a city and lived mostly in city or semi-rural areas, both of which had different appeal. I live in the suburbs now and find it is the worst of both worlds.

4. I wrote a tri-lingual translation of Jean-Paul Sartre's Huis Clos for a university project, but never was able to organise a performance.

5. I find chemical (artificial) fragrances to be really difficult to deal with, they make me want to vomit. I'm not sure if it is a sensitivity or a preference.

6. I have two Dido CDs, much to my husband's horror. It ruins my reputation as an indie music fan, but it's a guilty pleasure of mine to sing along. (6a. I sing opera in the car when I am stressed.) (Does listening to Botnleðja while I write this cancel that out?? ;))

7. I have this strange desire to learn how to use a Bigsby bar, because they have such a cool sound, even though I am a horrible guitar player and haven't played really in ages.

Sheepish

We went to the Massachusetts Sheep and Woolcraft Fair today.







I really like the flowery dress on this sheep.


We didn't see any Icelandic sheep, but we saw some yarn made from Icelandic fleece (it was really nice and soft and they have some lovely laceweight). But we did see a nice Icelandic woman,. she tracked us down after we had had a chat with the sheep breeders about Iceland.

I had to buy something from the fair, so I bought some nice sock yarn, but it's too dark now to get a nice picture.

What does one do when dragging a husband to a sheep and wool fair? Make a fun sheep-themed mixed CD of course!
Lamb í grænu túni - Texas Jesús
Black Sheep Boy - Okkervil River
Blood of the Lamb - Billy Bragg & Wilco
Sheep - Bonnie Prince Billy
Feed Your Sheep A Burning Lamp - Half-handed Cloud
And Dream Of Sheep - Kate Bush
Sheep - The Housemartins (Norman Cook AKA Fatboy Slim's former band)
Sheep Go To Heaven - Cake
Black Sheep Boy - Tim Hardin (the original version of the 2nd song)

I would have put Genesis's The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway if I had it, but he's probably glad I didn't. ;) But that's the era of that band that I actually like.

Any other sheep titled songs that should have been on the CD?

Stepford Wife

I got a pool membership today, so I think that makes me officially a suburbanite. Scary.

In keeping with my Stepford Wife status, I made some food for a school fair, Swedish meatballs and Pepparkakor. (This recipe is really nice, but they aren't kidding about it making around 300 cookies. Usually when a recipe says "Makes 3 dozen" I get a dozen. But Ingi likes these one better than the Icelandic ones, so I guess it's OK that we have too many.)

I also finished the first Bavarian Rockstar sock, using my Kool-Aid yarn. This pattern is pretty fun, although there are a few errors, I have to remember to email her. I have taught myself to cable without a cable needle on these, it's really the only way to go with this pattern. I also did a funky elastic bindoff from Lucy Neatby's Cool Socks, Warm Feet. It's the only place I have seen this particular bindoff, it took a few tries to get it right, but it does make a nice elastic edge. If I can find it somewhere online later, I will add a link.





However, I am afraid I am going to experience Advanced Second Sock Syndrome. At some point between being out knitting last night and coming back to sit on my couch and finish binding off, I lost 2 of the only 4 remaining Pony Pearl needles that I was using to knit these socks. I don't have any other needles in this size. So I am hoping I find the needles in my car or under the couch, or I will have to wait until I can go out shopping for new needles.

Elfine

It's ironic, because I have a pile of finished things that I haven't been able to photograph. When there is decent sunlight, I'm busy, and my digital camera is crappy enough to not photograph things well if it's not bright out.

I finished the Elfine socks the other week, and I even wore them last week when it got a bit colder again. But so far these are the best pictures I was able to take:




If I can get a chance, maybe I will do better photos later. Also, they used stash yarn too and I forgot how much. It's kind of funny to have small feet. I did these socks kind of short (but not too short) and I used just over half a ball of Opal.

I got the new album, 23, by Blonde Redhead. I really like this album, better than their last. The title track has guitar which sounds like Kevin Shields.

Rósaleppaprjón

I got my rather belated gift from my in-laws, but I don't mind since it's such a great one.


Rósaleppaprjón í nýju ljósi, which I thought looked like a cool book, but I was mistaken. It is actually an incredibly cool book. There is a huge section on various knitting history (mostly focused on different types of classic shoe insoles, which the designs are based on). Did you know, for example, that the tradition of knitting was spread by monks through Christian Europe? How fascinating! I want to read more about this. Anyway, so there are lovely photos of historical pieces, and interesting historical information, and some really fun inspired patterns. It also has a little section on techniques (there is a lot of intarsia) with great, easy to follow photos. My favourite patterns include a vest, the sweater in the top row (3rd picture over), a really pretty potholder, and a really cute baby sweater which isn't on the cover. Supposedly this book is coming out in English sometime this year, so I recommend snapping it up.

Also in the package were a little stuffed sheep from Scotland (how sweet of my mother-in-law to see it and think of me!) and the best kind of trivet ever, I have been wanting one of these. It unfolds to make an X, so it stores really well.

Another knitting package that came was replacement Brittany needles. I had some small sock needles which broke (being somewhat toothpick-like). I had given them up for lost, when one of my friends told me that this company replaces broken needles! So now I have a full set again!

I have to figure out what to do with the mystery project. Apparently B was right when he guessed it was a hat for a giant. Somehow mine ended up rather enormous. So... to chalk up as a very fun experience (which it most definitely was) and frog? Or turn my mostly-FO into something else, like perhaps a funky bag of some type? I haven't really decided yet. Any suggestions?

I have this tree in front of my house. I have no idea what it is, but it has fruits for the birds. There is a bird hiding in here, sadly, I don't have that great of a camera at the moment:

I spent the weekend enjoying the summer weather.

Hmm, still no idea

Well, there is one more day in the samprjón and I have absolutely no idea what this is:



A shield for a fashion-conscious Valkyrie? A colourful hat for the pope? An alternate shell for a large tortoise who has misplaced his?

I hope that last step doesn't need much yarn because this leftover stash yarn is almost gone. I had to rewind the purple yarn to finish this bit. I don't see how Sigga Sif figured this one out so fast, I feel kind of stupid for not having a clue what it is.

This was Christian Bale movie week at our house. We watched The Machinist, which was just brilliant, tragic and disturbing, but brilliant, and The Prestige, which was great fun, and stars David Bowie as Tesla, how cool is that? (Especially for us sciencey girls). It's kind of a fantasy period piece with a great cast and a fun (again, disturbing) plot.

Stitch and Bitch

No, I am not talking about gatherings with coffee and knitting.

Tonight I went to the town meeting after the town budget failed to pass. This is a peculiar New England thing (I guess anyway) where at least in this town everyone argues about the budget. We have two groups, the people who think the elected officials are making sensible decisions about the budget, and a group that just doesn't want to pay taxes, and doesn't care about our great schools and other town services. So there was a whole lot of bitching going on. My favourite speaker was the one who used the Oscar Wilde quote: "A cynic is a man who knows the price of everything but the value of nothing."

I used the time to knit the first part of the second mystery samprjón that we are doing.

So far, it bears a strange resemblence to a boat...

Kool Yarn

I dyed some yarn with Kool-aid this weekend:


I love those expensive hand-dyed yarns that get pretty variegation in the same colour. So I wanted to try getting that effect with Kool-aid dyeing. I love how it's knitting up so far.


Here's how I got the effect. I took one 100 g skein of superwash white yarn and soaked it in the sink with 1 cup of vinegar and a squirt of castille soap and warm water. Then I put it into a glass baking dish lined with plastic wrap. I took 4 packets of grape Kool-aid and mixed them as follows:
Cup #1: 1 packet of Kool-aid, 2 oz (60 ml) vinegar, 12 oz (350 ml) water
Cup #2: 1 packet of Kool-aid, 2 oz vinegar, 6 oz (175 ml) water
Cup #3: 2 packets Kool-aid, 2 oz vinegar, 6 oz water

Pour cup #1 over yarn, turning as you pour, to get it mostly covered with the Kool-aid (some white spots are OK, in fact, are kind of nice, but try to get it somewhat even).

Then take an eyedropper, baster, or a spoon, and randomly squirt/drop/pour the contents of cup #2 over the yarn in swirls. Then do the same with cup#3.

Wrap yarn tightly in plastic wrap so that it is sealed. Microwave for 2 minutes. Then check to see if liquid is running clear. Mine wasn't, so I microwaved it for two more minutes. Then rinse with wool wash or castille soap, and hang to dry.