etc.

Totally inspired by this.

How is everyone? It’s Saturday morning and I’m nursing my first cup of tea and dreaming of crawling right back into bed. Instead, I’m confronted with mounds of laundry (of this magnitude), other related house-cleaning, a piece of exercise equipment that needs to be built, taxes to file, and an article to write. What better time to blog?

Here are some things:

• Hey, knitters: ever had a yarn emergency while traveling? Or perhaps a stash crisis that required immediate remedying? Non-knitters are likely scoffing at this line of questioning, but the knitters? They know what I’m saying. Well I just learned of KnitMap (via infodoodads, which BTW, is a nice little example of my librarian & knitting worlds colliding). I do hardly any planning before traveling anymore, so I often find myself in a new province/state/town wondering where the nearest yarn shop is for a bit of, you know, browsing. How awesome is it that I can now pop over to KnitMap for the necessary coordinates? I am beside myself, people.
• You might know Moni for her inspiring knitting tales and other excellent commentary (I particularly enjoy her often scathing political commentary!) on her blog Blatherskite. Well, she went and made my day today! Thank you so much, Moni! I’m looking forward to doling out my own “Blog of Distinction” awards, but not today. I need to spread out the goodness.
• I’m knitting a pair of socks with this yarn, and boy howdy, it’s a good time. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed working with the Cherry Tree Hill until my sister reminded me that I made her a pair out of it a couple of years ago. I’ve decided that handpainted sock yarn is my favourite type of yarn ever.
• Our local transit union is on strike. Not much more to say about that.
• If you read not martha you’ll know that she recently ran a contest (one of many — her blog is full of contest-goodness!) for some reusable shopping bags from Delight.com. Well, guess who won a set? Once again, beside myself. To-day is turning out to be rather brilliant.

I hope your day turns out to be brilliant, too.

Feet up, admiring a pair of socks I knitted a couple of years ago, suddenly realizing, hey — they’ve held up pretty well. Which led me straight back to this store to pick up more of the same yarn because I haven’t always been this lucky with hand-knit socks holding up well.

Are you sick of my “things” yet? I’m so tempted to annotate these as I go along, but I’ve decided to save the commentary till the end. Here they are, things 41 through 60.

100 Things to do before I go (41-60)

41. Learn to speak Japanese
42. Live in Paris for a year
43. Experience weightlessness
44. Ride a Zorb
45. Spend a night in a library
46. Go on sabbatical
47. Drink tea & read the morning paper outside on a regular basis
48. Make cheese
49. Walk the Great Wall
50. Grow a lemon tree
51. Take classes in art history & programming
52. Oktoberfest in Germany
53. Give an acceptance speech
54. Bike through the south of France
55. NaNoWriMo
56. Swim in that bioluminescent bay off Puerto Rico
57. Pottery lessons
58. Visit all 50 states
59. Sew something I can wear (proudly)
60. Eat an avocado right off the tree

Are you working on a list of your own? Post a link in the comments, K?

I swatched! Then it all fell apart.

If you follow my photostream, you’ll recognize this picture from a few days ago. Indeed, I did swatch (a first for me!) and, indeed it all did fall apart shortly thereafter. You see, I was working on the contrasting hem trick outlined here (I will admit, the contrasting hem is a big reason why I’ve had a hankering to knit a sweater at all) and the combination of a whole lot of stitches and a provisional cast-on got the better of me. A few times. Seriously, it took me 5 tries to join the beast without twisting the cast-on row. But I got it right, eventually, and I wish I had an in-progress picture to prove it. I’m about 10″ along and it’s going swell. And that contrasting hem? Makes me smile every time I look at it. Thank you for recommending this pattern, it’s turning out to be Just The Thing.

So, I really just popped in to tell you that. And to give you this: the second installment of Awesome Blogs I’m Now Enjoying Thanks to a Whole Lot of Blogroll Surfing, as a wee apology for disappearing for 3 weeks, and an advance apology for checking out for another 10 days (vacation time!). Enjoy!

• Aesthetic Outburst
• Bloesem Kids
• bookhou at home
• Hei Astrid
• Lineanongrata
• Lost in Transition…
• montague
• perfectbound
• Ravenhill

Surfing, reading, note-taking, measuring, planning, hemming, ha’ing.

Note to self: don’t put up a picture of your dirty laundry on your blog and then take off for a week and a half. Not pretty.

I wish I could say that I actually “took off”. No, I’ve been around. Doing work things and getting ready for a conference. Here, but not really here.

So, I’m almost ready to knit a sweater. You know, I’ve always thought knitting was a bit like riding a bike — I think I’ll always know how to knit & purl — but what I sort of forgot was how much planning it takes before starting something major, where “major” = not a toy, scarf, hat, or other wearable accessory. The last time I finished a sweater? Three years ago (aside: that, right there, is why I blog: once something is committed to the archives, I don’t have to remember it, I can just look it up!). I knew it was a while ago, but three years? Shocked even me. I wrapped up some birthday knitting last week (details on ravelry) and since then, I’ve had a hankering to knit myself a sweater, so I dove into the stash, came up with enough Peruvian Pure Alpaca for a garment, and got to thinking about patterns. Because it’s been so long since I’ve done any major knitting, I really don’t want to mess around with set-in sleeves, seaming, or anything remotely fussy. Which, in my limited knitting vocabulary, means top-down raglan. But, which one? This one? Maybe this one? Or, perhaps one of hers? Or, maybe… you see where I’m going with this. I never used to be this indecisive when it came to knitting, so I’m sort of annoying myself with all this hemming, ha’ing, back & forthing.

Do you have a favourite seamless sweater pattern? Please tell me what it is and put me out of my misery. And, if you don’t have a favourite seamless sweater pattern, or if you’re not a knitter after all and are getting frankly tired of all this knit talk, then happy Wednesday! Thanks for stopping by! Sorry about the dirty laundry!

Elijah the elephant, a gift for Zach. One of the crafty things I couldn’t show you last week.

Best non-fiction book: The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals, Michael Pollan.
I’ve been at this book for a few weeks, picking away at it in fits & starts. When I do pick it up, I find it extremely difficult to put it back down again, it’s that good.

Best fiction book: Consolation: A Novel, Michael Redhill
I haven’t read a lot of fiction this year, so there weren’t many contenders, but this is easily the best of the lot. It’s set in Toronto, so I’m sure the local-ness had a lot to do with why I enjoyed it so much.

Best movie: Das Leben der Anderen (Lives of Others)
Watched in ’07, so I’m going to say it counts. Looking back over the film archives this year, I’d have to say that it’s been a slim year on movies, and even slimmer on really good ones (I still have a post in draft listing everything we’ve seen since September, will post that soon). Das Leben der Anderen definitely stands out as the most beautiful story and generally the best all-around movie-watching experience. I loved it.

Best album: Neon Bible, Arcade Fire; Reunion Tour, The Weakerthans; Under the Iron Sea, Keane; The Reminder, Feist
Four brilliant records, how could I choose between them? So I didn’t.

Best concert: The Killers.
Mind-bendingly awesome and probably my most anticipated concert in ages.

Best lip gloss: Labello Caregloss & Shine
2007 has been the Year of Lip Gloss for me, I must have tried 7 types. This one came out on top in terms of lip protection, appropriate colour subtlety, shine, and pleasant lack of taste (I don’t need my lip gloss to be yummy, thanks). But wait, there’s a minor tragedy here: I found an old tube in brown at a drug store that obviously had some pretty old stock, because I don’t think they make that shade anymore. I can’t find mention of it anywhere!

Best online experience: Ravelry
As I mentioned the other day, I got my invitation back in October, while I was in the thick of conference traveling, so I only really got around to noodling about in there a few weeks ago. It’s as addictive as everyone says it is and even more useful too. I finished photographing and cataloguing my stash (login required for that link, sorry!) last week and at one point I found myself thinking, “wouldn’t it be handy if I could find patterns based on what I have stashed?” and indeed, I could. One click tells me who has the same yarn and what they are making/have made with it. Brilliant! I keep finding fabulous little utilities like this, the more time I spend there. Plus it has rekindled my love of the craft, which is always a good thing.

Best consumer-electronic purchased: Canon Digital Rebel XTi
I love love love this camera. It might just be the best consumer-electronic purchased ever.

Best place visited: Boston, MA
Many places were visited this year, most for conferences, some for vacation: Fort Myers (FL), Las Vegas (NV), Arlington (VA), Washington DC, St. John’s (Newfoundland), Boston (MA), Victoria (British Columbia), Monterey (CA), San Francisco (CA), Huntsville (AL). Boston was probably my favourite because it was the only pure vacation (no conference! no teaching! no work!) and because it’s an awesome city, and I’m a big fan of awesome cities. Next year’s traveling is looking less far-and-wide and I’m secretly pleased about that.

Best store visited: Morba
A dusty little mid-century modern haven on Queen Street West here in Toronto. We drive past this store all the time and every time we do, I tell the mister how much I’d really like to go in some day. So last weekend, we did! We bought a trophy lamp with a chrome base and dome shade that looks like it’s right out of The Jetsons, and an orange clock for the kitchen. This is my new favourite store ever.

Best knit: Elijah (pictured above)
Full details on the project page in Ravelry (bien sur!), but for those of you who aren’t there yet, the pattern is here and I used just over one skein of Lamb’s Pride Worsted in Turquoise Depths (and a hint of Ruby Red for his scarf). It’s a really well-written pattern with no seaming, just a bunch of picked up stitches for the limbs (which was finicky, but not hard). I’ll definitely be making this one again.

Best person met: Zach
My new nephew and, hands down, my favourite person of 2007.

What are your bests of 2007?

  I’m in love with this palette! Can’t tell you what I’m knitting, but I can show you the yarn. (click for notes)

I tell you, I’m a bit tired of taking pictures around the house. Problem is, I haven’t worked up the courage to take the camera out with me yet. The mister & I had a lovely day downtown yesterday, there was strolling, and interesting shops with kitschy little things, and stalls filled with colourful jewellery, and a most photographable lunch at a Korean barbeque. And, oh, how I wished every minute that I had my camera with me, but even if I did, I probably wouldn’t have pulled it out of my bag. Why? Because it’s a big, black thing (you can’t miss it), and I feel like a big dork going on urban adventures with my camera in hand. And pulling it out in shops? Never! What if the shop person asks me why I’m taking pictures of their stuff? I just don’t think “it’s for Flickr” is a sound answer. See what I mean? No courage. I suffer no such encumbrances when I’m a bona fide tourist, but in my own city I just can’t do it.

How about you — do you brazenly wield your camera with reckless abandon wherever you go? Got any advice for a bashful photographer?

Here’s the completed Contessa Shawl (click for bigger!), the fruit of eight evenings-worth of knitting in front of the TV (what could we possibly be watching on TV during the off-season, you ask? Big Love, Meadowlands, Scrubs reruns, the final season of The Shield, Hell’s Kitchen, Entourage, CNTM, and now Big Brother 8. Bien Sur!). I had so much fun knitting this that I’ve already cast on for the Verona shawl in Fiddlesticks Zephyr (in Aegean Blue), a lovely combination of merino & silk. Yep, this knitting stuff is all sorts of fun.

Research is proceeding apace. To-day is my second last day of leave, I’m back at work next Tuesday. I can scarcely believe it’s been four weeks. I’m pleased with what I’ve managed to get done, although I haven’t done a scrap of blogging about my research, which has surprised even me. I think I’ve come to the realization that I don’t do well with in-progress-blogging: that is, blogging about things about which I am still forming an opinion. Does that make sense? I’ve generated some process-oriented ideas as a result of all the reading I’ve been doing, and I’ll probably blog those, but the rest of it is all still too amorphous at the moment. I had hopped that the blogging would stand in for a formal research leave report, but, well, obviously that won’t be the case now. Best get to report-writing.

Happy weekend, friends!

Over halfway through my leave and I’m finding myself wondering how I managed it all, when I wasn’t on leave. I certainly feel like I’m accomplishing less being home, but I know that’s because the research I’m doing at the moment isn’t as measurable as the stuff I do at work. Still, a bit disconcerting.

I have managed to maintain the balance, however. I can’t start my day without a quick walk around the neighbourhood, I usually meander my way over a few pages of a novel over lunch, and when the mister gets home, I close my laptop and don’t open it up again until the following morning. Feels a lot like the balance I’ve been coveting, lo these many years! Which, of course, reveals the inevitable: this balance is thoroughly unsustainable. But, Oh! I’ve had a taste of it now, and it is good!

Also, I’m knitting again! While combing through my archives over the weekend (in search of this recipe), I got sucked into reading posts about my erstwhile pastime and found myself asking “do I even remember how to cast on?” Do I, indeed! I’m now a good way through this shawl (in chocolate brown lace-weight merino) thanks to laptopless evenings and otherwise idle hands. My neck and shoulders seem to have forgotten how to relax into the activity, but hopefully it’s just a matter of time before they remember. It’s good to have needles and yarn in hand again! And, hey, I might have my first finished object (in, oh, a year!) to show you before long. Anticipate!

Good news: I’ve finished course prep. Which, for you, means no more whining about being in front of my computer for too many hours, or whining about stressing when I’m not in front of my computer. And for me it means unexpected free time. Remember when I used to knit? Yeah, I’ve been doing some of that again.

The past couple of evenings have felt decidedly Fall-ish, so I pulled out Lady Eleanor, which has been languishing for months, and started to work on her again. I took most of this afternoon off to finish her and, I have to ask, does anyone else find fringing and knotting as intensely tedious as I do? I knew there was a reason I’ve never fringed anything else before. I spent three hours working on that fringe and if it wasn’t for the new single by The Killers on repeat on my iPod, I might have been tempted to stab myself in the eye with my crochet hook. I fear the final product testifies to the tedium all too well, but whatever. She’s done. I would have modeled her myself if it wasn’t for the heat in here to-day (where’s that Fall weather?), so the chair will have to do for now.

I think I’ll cast on Backyard Leaves next. Or Midwest Moonlight (both also from Scarf Style). I realized yesterday that most of my scarves are starting to look nubbly and past their prime, so I’m aiming for a scarf-collection revamp in time for the cooler weather.

And to-morrow? A day in the city with my mum & sister, with pedicures and afternoon tea on the schedule. Hip hip!

I’ve been binging on pistachios recently. For no reason at all, I bought a large handful from the bulk bin at an organics shop in our neighbourhood a few days ago. I’ve never been a pistachio fan, but that day, they beckoned to me from the nut corral and I picked up a few. I’ve been snacking on them with reckless abandon ever since, I’ve got the calluses on both thumbs to prove it. Odd. But good.

The truth, friends, is that I haven’t sewn a stitch in 7 days (my apologies to those waiting for birds!). Instead, I’ve been reading a whole lot and planning & plotting the course. I’m attending an info session next week, the purpose of which is to introduce new courses to the students, and I’d really, really like to have a finalized syllabus to give them. Complete with reading list, assignments, and due dates. I’m not sure I’ll get there (to a finalized syllabus, that is), but I’ll definitely get close. If I can manage to hammer down the assignments and due dates (and percentage worth), I’ll be happy. I don’t think they’ll be too cut up about not having a complete reading list. Hopefully.

Andrea reports having her knitting mojo back and I think I do too. Not sure what it is (perhaps August being on the horizon? Closely followed by September?) but as soon as I saw KnittinK’s progress on Lady Eleanor, I knew I was ready to assume entrelac duty. Meanwhile, it’s 35°C outside and I have a substantial heft of wool/silk on my lap. Summer knitting would be all but impossible without air conditioning, wouldn’t it?