Yarnmonster

A bad case of startitis

Fri, 15 Feb 2008 10:13:11 -0800

I’ve really been too swamped with work to knit much, but when I do, I’m just getting bored with finishing old projects. Yes, I know I should. Yes, I do need to get them out of the yarn bags and whittle away at the bulk. But I’m also into stash busting lately, so I’m trying to feed my ADD and desire to get rid of all the yarn by starting every new project I can. And so, we have:

Startitis #1, the next hourglass, out of 3 year old Rhinebeck Alpaca. This the one I started twice due to supposed twisting. Damn thing still twirls on the needles but I know it straightens out. It’s mindless boring TV knitting, and yet I can’t seem to get further than this.

Startitis #2, a sock. A plain old sock out of Knitpicks Essential. I needed a subway/office project. No pattern being followed, just some cute twisty ribs.

Startitis #3, started last night. I’ve had this Elann Pure Alpaca forever. ForEVAH. I kept changing my mind what to do with it, and finally decided to use half or less (I have 20 of these suckers) for the cute Lush and Lacy Cardigan that everyone is queueing on Ravelry. It’ll be a cute spring sweater - but I can’t help feeling a little bit like I am over these muted colors and wish it was a bright happy green. This sage/asparagus/avocado is so 5 years ago. But whatever. It’ll be cute. If it gets beyond this stage. Man, just started items are really boring to look at.

I hope after the nightmare that is my 56 page magazine supplement is done today, one of these items might grow a bit. Which one will it be?

A little bit of whimsy....

Jessica — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 14:15:00 -0700

Pattern: Ishbel by Ysolda Teague
Yarn: Malabrigo Lace in "Paris Night" colorway
Needles: US #3 Clover bamboo circulars
Raveled here!
I've been making good use of my Whimsical Little Knits over here (books 1 and 2) with a few last minute summer knits. My favorite thus far is Ishbel.
I love this shawl. The Malabrigo is SOOOO soft and light, it's like a little cloud settling over my shoulders. I know it will probably pill a bit, but the yarn is just so dreamy, and so perfect for this pretty pattern. The color reminds me of really dark thunderclouds--did I ever mention that I am a great lover of thunderstorms?

Next up, Ripley:
Pattern: Ripley by Ysolda Teague
Yarn: Elsebeth Lavold Angora
Raveled here!
It's not exactly hat weather yet, but a chill was definitely in the air today, so I thought I needed a new [green] hat to look forward to in the event that hat weather comes a little earlier this year. What better way to cheer oneself at summer's end than to knit up some fun winter woolens for cooler days to come?
And then there was this wee thing:You want to make one too? It will take you all of 5 minutes, with this great tutorial (yes, this is Ysolda's too--there's a theme to this post). I'm hoping this little owl imparts lots of wisdom to my brain come tomorrow, when the school year begins.
And in case you haven't seen Connie's awesome new pattern yet, stop by her blog and check it out! Seriously, her sweaters are even more gorgeous in person than they are in photos--and I'm not biased, I swear! All of her patterns are so classically beautiful.
Now it's officially time to start some fall knits. What will be next...? :)

An Evening in Jerusalem

Jessica — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 22:53:00 -0700

On Saturday night, we headed into Jerusalem to watch the world come back to life after a day of rest. We got there right at sunset:
And I insisted we stop outside the walls for some sunset-lit photos. I even managed to snag a solo one of my elusive and mildly camera-shy boyfriend: We entered the Old City, and soon found ourselves winding through the inner streets of the souk, where there are hundreds of colorful little shops to draw you in. Me, getting drawn in:They've got a lot to delight the traveler's eye: beautiful rugs, vintage-style posters, wall hangings, hookahs...
Dazzling arrays of sparkly things to buy:We headed up to the roofs overhead, where after climbing a few stairs, you can roam from rooftop to rooftop, all around the city. It was gorgeous up there, cool and breezy and quiet:
We even found a spot with a perfect view of the Western Wall, which was packed with people who'd been there for Saturday prayers:
This was a much more leisurely and relaxed trip to Jerusalem, and I found myself enjoying it a lot more. The city is so breathtaking at night, as well as cooler and less crowded. An evening trip is a definite must for anyone visiting.
Two lone smokers against the outer wall:
Next stop: The Dead Sea!

Beautiful Tel Aviv

Jessica — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 02:30:00 -0700

So it seems I am in love:Israel is beautiful!
A gorgeous, breathtaking countryside is one thing. To me, landscapes are beautiful in pretty much all of their natural forms--mountains, desert, the sea, the forest.
But often, I find myself falling for a place with a beautiful city. The kind that's not dominated by concrete and gigantic buildings, but instead full of trees and smaller, picturesque houses. The kind of place where you can walk to the corner coffee shop and sit outside, and not feel overwhelmed by big city hustle and bustle. New Orleans is like this, and sometimes I feel like my neighborhood in Brooklyn comes close.
But Tel Aviv has this feeling in abundance. Tropical and warm, full of lovely streets and beautiful buildings, coffee shops, bakeries, and places to sit outside and enjoy a cold beer with your gentleman companion. There's plenty of shade, not from skyscrapers but from palms and eucalyptus, and a constant breeze from the sea.
We visited the Old City, Jaffa, where the streets are twisty and turny and medieval, and contain surprises like this:
It seems I was really, really thrilled by this bathtub garden. A garden in a bathtub?! Who would have thought! I think I need one of these in NYC.
As always, everything's better with two:
A few days after arriving, Vitalay and I are both a little bit tanner, a little less tired, and a LOT more relaxed. We're keeping to our rigorous schedule of eating and sleeping, with the occasional sightseeing trip.
And I like to spend as much time as possible doing this:
It's the perfect knitting spot.
And last, but not least, today we discovered this:It seems that it was purchased long, long ago, and Vitalay was given the task of figuring out how it worked. Needless to say, this mission was never completed. But I managed to get the thing working today, so it looks like I may get to make that lining for my Habu bag, after all. Tomorrow, off to the fabric markets....

Belated FO's

Jessica — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 22:50:00 -0700

It occurred to me, after my last post, that there were several FO's I had neglected to blog about. The most important of which is this:
Pattern: Debardeur #402-T3-366 by Phildar, from Phildar 402 Tendances, Printemps/Spring 2004
Yarn: Jaeger Siena--sorry, don't know the color # or how much
Ravelry link
OK, let's be clear about this--it's not really my FO. Kaitlyn knit nearly the whole thing, and then realized it was not going to work for her--mainly due to Cassie's impending arrival. So, generous knitter that she is, instead of frogging the top, she gave it to me! I finished off one of the top lace sections and knit the straps, which I turned into halter ties, already knowing that the straps were going to stretch.
Thanks to Steph for taking these photos at Kaitlyn's shower! And thanks again, Kaitlyn, for the awesome summer handknit!
And then there was this:I needed a good, sturdy, large needle case for my trip to Israel, something I could put a complete set of Addi's and DPN's in. So I browsed around on Etsy for a while to get an idea of what I wanted and what I could do, and then I used up the rest of my beloved bunny fabric from last summer's skirt, along with a little Kona cotton, to make this case.
I also used some fairly heavyweight fusible interfacing in between to give it structure, and I'm glad I did. See my new little labels? :)
And last but not least is this:Catherine walked by right at this moment and caught Connie and I in mid-photo shoot on her porch, hence the laughter.
The pattern is one of the wrap skirts from Sew What Skirts, the one that is supposed to tie in the front, but whatevs, you can tie it wherever you want. The fabric is the brand Kokka from Japan, purchased at Brooklyn General. This was accomplished in the same several-day sewing spree as the needle case--I was on quite a roll. I wish I'd made it a *wee* bit shorter, but it will cover my knees for all of those churches in Jerusalem, and I can always hem it more when I get home.

Blog Silence Broken

Jessica — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 10:21:00 -0700

OK, I'm back! Well, I've been back for 2 months now, but it seems I always have trouble getting back into the blog after a big trip. It's like, you're taking cool vacation photos every day, and then you're catching up on paying bills and buying your books for school. Not the same thrilling fodder for the blog....
But it's not been all work since I came home! I've got a few things to share--first and foremost being:So, in June I modeled Connie's gorgeous Versailles Shell for her, and in return, she MADE THIS FOR ME!!! I still can't quite believe it--it is so pretty and ethereal and lovely, and fits me like a glove, and it was SO nice of her to do this! Thank you, Connie, you are amazing! I promise to take on-the-human photos soon.
And I've got a couple of my own FOs:
One Indigo Ripples Skirt and a Bamboo Pullover--but Vitalay and I have both been taken down by a nasty flu lately, and I just haven't quite felt like taking modeling shots in between nose-blowing. Soon to come.
In the meantime, I started some socks for Vitalay:
Being from sunshiny Israel, this guy does not have a lot of woolly winter wear, and is very excited about his first pair of handknit socks. They were inspired by these, in the "OMG, I must start a pair of those RIGHT NOW" kind of inspiration.
Also working away on my Tree Jacket:
That's some Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool there--I've finished the body, and am slogging away on the first sleeve. It's garter stitch, though, so I'm kinda dragging a little.
But I really wanna finish so I can use this:
...for a February Lady Sweater! Maya's totally inspired me, and I have a whole 11 skeins of some deep red Fibre Company "Road to China" (photo above, looking NOTHING like the actual color) that is just waiting to be cast on....
And then, for something cozy in the future, this yummy wool from Israel:
Maybe a big, fluffy cardi? The cooler temperatures are making me pull out the wool knits over here, and I'm in the mood for something soft and snuggly for the chilly months ahead....

C is for Color!

Wed, 13 Feb 2008 09:47:40 -0800

On a dreary, rainy/sleety day, all I can think about is wearing my cheerful new spring clothes.

Catching up on my ABCs

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 08:24:34 -0700

I know, I’ve been a bad girl.

E is for Early Spring

F is for Flowers

I like to keep my bathroom a happy place

G is for Green

Cooking up something yarny

D is for Desk!

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 16:00:22 -0800

I bought a new desk, with hutch and file cabinet the other day.

I took my workstation from this monstrosity…

…to this.

Big improvement, eh? Especially the tangle of wires being GONE.

December Already?!?

Jessica — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 13:06:00 -0800

Wow, this semester went by fast! And it's been such an eventful one, too!
Thank you all, so so much, for your sweet well-wishes. V and I were so excited for a while that we could barely concentrate in school--I mean, it just seems CRUEL to have to go to Physics class when you're daydreaming about weddings and chuppahs, and staring at your new ring. But concentrate we did, and now, it's already time for finals again. Where did the time go?!
In the moments when I wasn't studying like I should have been, I finished this:
Pattern: Tree Jacket
Yarn: Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool
More deets? Ravelry here.
This pattern was great--very simple, easy--perfect for someone who's in the middle of too much school to focus on a complex pattern. I bound off a little on the short side, since I knew the Silky Wool would grow, and it did. It knits up into a really nice, thin fabric, and I love the deep red and the nubbly texture.
Another FO, this one a LOT quicker:
Pattern: Honey Cowl by Jess at Fig & Plum
Yarn: Morehouse Merino Bulky, 1 skein
Ravelry
Seriously, the fastest knit, EVER! I saw Jess's post, decided I had to have one, raided the stash, and 2 hours later, I had a cowl. And I stopped to eat some Middle Eastern takeout. Awesome.
And now it's time to get ready for Christmas/Hanukkah! Is that Christmukkah? I don't know, but we've got the tree up, and the Shabbas candles lit on the fireplace, and I am SO ready for the holidays! Let the merriment begin!

Delayed Blogging: Gardens of the Baha'i

Jessica — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 22:21:00 -0700

We have been running around so much over here, all I have had a chance to do is upload new photos to Flickr. I had major posts planned, knew what I wanted to say and everything, but haven't had a morning to sit and write. I almost decided to skip over it, but everyone's comments from my last post were so inspiring, I decided to take the time--this is sort of my travel journal, too, so I know I will be glad for the perseverance later. There will be a few posts in quick succession in the next few days....
So, after our trip to Jerusalem, Vitalay was dying to take me north to Haifa to visit the Gardens of the Baha'i. I had no idea what these were, but wow, was I glad we went:
This place was, in a word, spectacular.
The Baha'i are an interesting group. This is a religion, consisting of about 5-6 million followers worldwide, who take a very holistic approach to faith, encompassing the teachings of all of the world's major religions in one. They view all of the great religious leaders as prophets from one universal religion. I really liked the sound of this one!
View from the top:
As visitors, we start at the top and go down, but this is a pilgrimage site for the Baha'i (kind of like Mecca), and they have to start at the bottom. Um, maybe this is not the religion for me? ;) But the view from up there of the gardens, Haifa, and the Mediterranean is stunning. People can only go on very carefully guided tours through the place in an effort to keep it serene and holy for the pilgrims, but it is free to anyone who reserves a place in the tour.
We got in to the first tour of the day, at 9 am, and it was already boiling hot:
You've got to be properly covered there--not quite as much as me, but knees, shoulders, and chest must not be showing--and they are serious about this, I watched an intense altercation as they refused admission to an older woman in a sleeveless top! But I wanted to be totally safe:
Vitalay refers to this as my "good religious girl" outfit, which I think he finds a bit disconcerting--like people are looking at him as though he kidnapped some nice orthodox girl.
View from the shrine, looking up:
This place was seriously so incredible, it felt like my eyes were being assaulted with beauty. It was so carefully and lovingly tended, with not a petal out of place. It sounds a little stifling, but it's not at all--it's more like a brightly sparkling jewel.
And this was the view from the street below, after we exited:
After the Baha'i Gardens, I stripped off my sweaty clothing, reverted to standard shorts-and-wife-beater uniform, and we headed out to a nature preserve. It was ridiculously hot, so the place was completely deserted:
But peaceful and lovely, and a wild and un-groomed contrast to our previous stop.
Happy and hot!
Next stop: an evening trip to Jerusalem....

Dyeing Experiment

Fri, 22 Feb 2008 10:45:33 -0800

So the other night I wanted to see how the 2 Kool Aid flavors I got would look on the boring pale green yarn. I took a small bit of the yarn and took 2 baggies, mixed some of each flavor, and popped them with the yarn in the microwave. I did 3 packets of the lemonade and only 2 of the mango, and I only microwaved for 2 minutes, so I’m sure I can get more vibrant results.

On the left, we have the original color. In the center, the lemonade, which has certainly pumped up the green to a happier place. The right, the mango, which is a little muddy, but again, only used 2 packets and 2 minutes of heat.

I know there’s concern about dyeing knitted pieces rather than just yarn so I should have knitted swatches, and still might.

The weird thing is, the lemon one has made a stiff, crackly yarn, and the mango is still pretty soft. So if using the lemon, will have to rinse/wash and block a second time. Also, the concern of shrinkage has me thinking that I will use the microwave method the whole time, and not a pot of hot water, which might felt it more.

So the verdict: if I do this, it will probably be with the lemon. I sure have enough green sweaters, but the lemon seems the least likely to cause extreme blotchiness, and it’s readily available down the street.

Finally - the big Kool Aid Dye Job and an FO

Tue, 06 May 2008 08:00:22 -0700

I know, imagine this - an actual post about knitting. I *finally* finished the Lush and Lacy cardigan and wore it yesterday. Overall, I am really happy with how it came out. I know that I took a big risk by dyeing a whole garment rather than just yarn. Even more so that it was my first dyeing experience.

As predicted, the initial results did come out a bit spotty. But I was fine with not having a uniform color - I didn’t mind some variegation as I felt it would look hand dyed and that’s ok - it’s just the old ugly color showing through looked somewhat brownish against the new bright happy green. My solution - mix up more Kool Aid in a glass - take an old pastry brush - go over spotty areas - microwave 2 minutes to set the color. I did this a couple of times, and I’m completely satisfied with the result.

Yarn used - Elann Pure Alpaca in a dull grayish green that depressed me.

Kool Aid used - Lemon Lime, 50 packets purchased, maybe 30-35 total used.

Excuse the cropped shots, we were not looking our best yesterday.

This sweater makes me happy.

Flickr Toys Meme

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 13:09:14 -0700

Copying Michelle, because even though I have tons I could post about, I have nothing to say. Very little knitting. Don’t want to talk about having to scramble to look for a job for the first time in 7 years. It’s pretty photos to distract me time, so here you go.

What is your first name? Jacqueline
What is your favorite food? Really good pizza, not the bad kind
What high school did you attend? Abraham Lincoln High School
What is your favorite color? green
Who is your celebrity crush? I’ll say Jeffrey Dean Morgan, because I can’t say who it is really
Favorite drink? A nice cold Guinness
Dream vacation? Scuba diving in the Galapagos
Favorite dessert? Ice Cream
What do you want to be when you grow up? A millionnaire
What do you love most in life? My honey boy, Ty
One word to describe you. Cranky
Your Flickr name. Jackieblue212

Habu Bamboo Pullover

Jessica — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 05:31:00 -0700

Pattern: mine
Yarn: Habu bamboo XS-32 20/18, Color Charcoal (4), 6 skeins
Needles: US 4 Addi Turbos
Ravelry link
I finally took some photos!
I love this yarn!!! It is one of the nicest yarns I have ever used, smooth and silky and soft. It is also heavy and drapey, so it's not really appropriate for anything that needs stitch definition, or to hold a defined shape. But it falls over the body like a sheet of water--it's delicious to wear.
So, I made this pattern up as I went, specifically for this lovely yarn, with some preliminary drawings, and a general idea in my head. I took no notes, and re-did the neck twice, so I'm sort of fuzzy on specifics. A couple of people have asked, however, for a clue to its general construction, so I'll try to describe it here.
Pattern Notes:
What I wanted was a completely simple-looking, seamless sweater--which does not always mean simple construction. I knit it bottom-up, in the round till the armholes. I then put the back on holders, and provisionally cast on enough sts on either side for elbow-length sleeves (sleeves are knit sideways). Then, knit back and forth till tops of arms/shoulders, and put them all on holders.
I returned the sts for the back to the needles, as well as the provisionally cast-on sts at the bottoms of both arms. Then knit up to tops of arms/shoulders.
Here, I grafted the arms together, starting at the cuff and working my way up over the shoulder. It was a little bit of trial and error to see how far to go, as I wanted a wide neckline. Then, I put the neck stitches on needles, did one or 2 rounds to get it a little more secure in the places I grafted over the shoulders (pick up a st or 2 in there if there's a big gap), and then I knit the rest of the neck back and forth, leaving the left side open. Bind off all sts. Voila!
I know it's a little vague, but I hope that helps anyone who wanted to try something similar. There are other ways to achieve the same effect, but this one was the most appealing to me. This is one of my favorite knits, much due to the gorgeousness of the bamboo yarn, but it took me a while to come up with something that was really right for such a heavy yarn. Yay for Habu!!! How I love them.... ;)

Hello, 2009!

Jessica — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 12:13:00 -0800

I'm a couple of days late to closing out 2008, but what can I say, it was a busy year! I did wrap it up with a couple of new FO's, though:
Pattern: February Lady Sweater
Yarn: Dream in Color Classy, 3 skeins of the Happy Forest Colorway
Needles: Addi US 7 circs
Want deets? Ravelry
So, this has got to be the most popular knit since the Clapotis craze, and I chose one of the most popular yarns to knit it in. Gotta say, though, I'm glad I did. This sweater is classic and wearable, just the perfect thing to throw on with jeans to make your outfit a little more interesting. Though I purposefully made it short to account for blocking growth, it grew WAY more in length than I was expecting, and I had to take out several inches at the bottom and reknit the edging. As always, the bit of extra labor was worth it, as I am now completely satisfied with the sweater.
Next FO:
Pattern: Luna Moth Cowl, using the lace repeat from the Luna Moth Shawl
This cowl was knit with some gorgeous yarn that Maya actually spun with her own pretty little hands, and gave me for Christmas at the Spiders party. It was so pretty, I just had to knit it up into something right away.I'm not sure if the photos really show it, but there's little flecks of red and blue and green in there. So pretty! Thank you, Maya, I love it!
Speaking of the Spiders Christmas party:It was hosted by the lovely Virginia this year, who graciously let us throw all of our various baked goods (except the rum cake, which Carrie wisely put a stop to before disaster struck) into her new deep fryer. Virg, you're awesome, and so is your deep fryer.
Vitalay and I finished our exams and left the next day for a week in Atlanta with my family. It was his first Christmas, and my first Hanukkah, and we had a really lovely, relaxing week:
We arrived back in NYC just in time for the New Year:
And an evening of Prosecco and SingStar on the new PS3.
On the list for 2009? Better time management; more blogging; more blog reading; utilizing Columbia's lovely gym; and planning our wedding and all of the knitting that goes with it.
Happy New Year, everyone!!!

Hello, Summer!

Jessica — Wed, 20 May 2009 10:41:00 -0700

My first semester at Columbia is [finally] over! Now I get one luxurious week to run every errand that I didn't have time for during the last 5 months--stock up on toilet paper, go to the DMV, start in on the mountain of laundry--all before summer school starts on Tuesday. Awesome.
And with that, let's move on to the knitting.Pattern: Textured Shawl Recipe by orlane
Yarn: Indecita alpaca, brought to me from Peru by one of our family friends, Randy Green--thanks Randy!!!
Needles: US 8 Addis, 32"
Raveled here!I saw Parikha's version of this shawl on Ravelry and was, of course, immediately inspired to make one myself. I had this ginormous bag of uber-soft alpaca from my little brother's best friend's dad (who regularly brings medicine and lots of good stuff to tribal peeps in South America, check it out), so voila, here it is! I held the yarn double to get gauge, and what resulted was a perfectly sized little something to throw over my shoulders on a chilly evening.
Next up? I'm feeling ambitious:Pattern: Paper Crane by Kirsten Johnstone of assemblage
Yarn: Habu Cotton Gima
OK, so, what with school and all, I have totally fallen off of the blog reading bandwagon, but when Kirsten announced that she'd put her pattern up, I had to go check it out--and of course, once I saw it, I had to tell her how pretty it was! And then... I won her contest for a free pattern!!! I was so psyched--perhaps this means I should read blogs more often....
Anyhoo, if you haven't seen her lovely blog, you should really check it out. And hopefully I will finish this pretty cardi before summer's end.
OK, off cook some soba noodles for my hubby, watch the downloaded pilot of Caprica, and knit! Vacation, you go by oh-so-quickly.

Hexagon Love

Jessica — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 01:30:00 -0700

There has been an awful lot of awesome hexagon action around the internets lately, and I am by no means immune to their appeal:

Yarn:Noro Kureyon, colors 124 and 88, about 1.2 balls each
Pattern: Hexagon How-to from Attic24 (which is awesome, BTW!)
Raveled here!I really love Noro. Some people find it scratchy; I just don't care. The colors make up for anything lacking in the way of texture, in my opinion.
And hexagons are great too. They're about all I can handle, mentally, during this pre-finals part of the semester. Keeping track of where I am in a sweater doesn't work so well when I have to put it down for weeks on end.
Which is why I also started a blanket, using stash yarn!Yarn: Knitpicks Swish Bare (white) and Fleece Artist BFL Aran (green)
Pattern: Hexagon How-to from Attic24
Maya's super-cool hexagons inspired me--plus, I can do these without thinking, planning, keeping track of anything.... Perfect for a study-break, and some "Real Housewives of New York City".... ;)

Hiking and En Karem

Jessica — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 10:00:00 -0700

Much thanks to all of you for the lovely comments on my Summer Swing Jacket! I think it's the first time I've really designed an actual sweater all the way from scratch, so it's really nice to hear how much everyone liked it. For those of you who asked for the pattern, it's now linked in the sidebar, and on Ravelry, too.

We've been on a bit of a sightseeing whirlwind lately--Vitalay's parents went to Belarus for 10 days and left us the car, so we've fully taken advantage--despite having to travel with mashed potatoes for what has proven to be a very painful post-wisdom-teeth-removal week for V.
Last week we drove out towards Jerusalem for some hiking, first in a beautiful agricultural preserve, and then in a little mountain artists' town called En Karem.
We hiked down:
There were some ruins.
All around us were fruit and nut trees. The place is some special sort of gardens for organic farming. You could walk along and pick walnuts, almonds, olives, or figs.
And grapes:We hiked till we reached this cave:
See how I'm smiling, like, normally? Well, I was not smiling on the inside. To get into this cave, you have to walk through this crevice, in pitch blackness, and there's water running under your feet, and then you climb precariously up through a hole--all the while, in blackness, except for your teeny-tiny flashlight--and then you're in this little cavern. Also black. I never knew something like this could be so scary, but I was a little shaky! No worries, though, we made it out alive:See how happy I was to see daylight again?
Then it was off to En Karem, a beautiful little town built into the side of some mountains. It was once an Arab village, surrounded by Christian monasteries and convents, but the Arabs left it and the Israelis moved in, and now it's a very cool, artsy little community.
The Christians are still here too, though we couldn't visit any of their churches because it was quite late in the day. You can see one of the churches up in the hills:
Taken through the convent gate:
View from the convent road:
Happy hikers:
On the knitting front, Indigo Ripples has screeched to a grinding halt as, halfway through the ruffle, I ran out of yarn. There was no going back, since I'd already cut out one lace repeat, and I still need to make an i-cord. So yarn has been ordered, and shipped, from the UK, and now we'll see how efficient the Israeli postal system is.... Unfortunately, this is one of the rare projects that I am knitting solely for the end result--I WANT that skirt! Guess I'll have a few more days to wait....
Next stop: Jerusalem!

Holy Cow, It's Spring!

Jessica — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 16:43:00 -0700

Well, let's see, it's April 9th--how long has it been since I blogged? Argh, what can I say, it's been a crazy couple of months! But I have a few new handknits to share, so I'm briefly resurfacing....
But where have I been, you ask? I have only one word for you: Columbia. No, not the country. In January, Vitalay and I transferred from Brooklyn College to Columbia University, continuing our studies of all things biological. It has been, um, enlightening. I should have been worried when they kept using the word "rigorous" to describe the workload during all of our orientations, but somehow, it just doesn't sink in until it's 3AM and you're still hunched over your computer, pecking away at a paper that was due yesterday.... Perhaps I will plan myself a more balanced schedule next semester....
Anyhoo, the knitting! Not much time for it, these days, but I did finish a couple of things over the holidays:
Pattern: Harper
Yarn: Brooks Farm Four Play
Raveled here!
This lace is addictive! And it was actually a fairly quick knit--I just took for-EVAH to take photos.
I did some sewing too!
Pattern: Summer Blouse from Heather Ross's Weekend Sewing
Fabric: Liberty of London, purchsed at Brooklyn General
I got to model this blouse for Heather's book last year, and have been wanting one ever since. I even splurged for the fancy-schmancy Liberty fabric, which was truly as heavenly as everyone said it was.Ha! I didn't knit this--Carrie did!
Pattern: Flared Lace Smoke Ring Cowl
Yarn: Debbie Bliss Merino DK
This was my lovely gift from Carrie for our second annual Spiders swap, hosted by the gracious and fabulous-ziti-cookin' Marie. It is so pretty and delicate and SOFT! And I wear it all the time. Thank you Carrie!
Oops, I did it again!
Pattern:Star-Crossed Slouchy Beret
Yarn: Road to China, 2 skeins
What can I say, I needed another one.
Raveled here!Pattern: Felicity
Yarn: Jade Sapphire Cashmere
Raveled here!
I l-o-v-e this hat. It gives lots of snuggly head-and-hair-coverage.
That's all for now! Back to the books!

Indigo Ripples Skirt

Jessica — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 13:28:00 -0700

Pattern: Indigo Ripples Skirt by Kat Coyle
Yarn: Rowan Denim in Nashville--I think it was 9 skeins
Needles: US 4 Lace Addi Turbos
Ravelry Link

As I stated before, this was purely a project, not a process, knit for me. I did not really enjoy knitting it. That's a lot of tiny stitches it takes to encircle one's bottom! And the Rowan Denim, while a rich, yummy shade of indigo, was a little tough and it turned my fingers quite blue. But I wanted this skirt, I really wanted it. And after running out of yarn in Israel, and ordering more from England, I finished it just in time to wear it for the last month of summer.
It is breezy and cool, and the lace lets in just the right amount of air on a warm summer day. It is everything I was hoping it would be--an easy summer skirt that is flirty without being too sexy.

And mere moments after concluding this photo shoot, the new remote for my camera arrived. Yippee, no more self-timer!!!

Jerusalem

Jessica — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 22:37:00 -0700

A month after arriving, we finally made a trip to lovely Jerusalem, which is a breathtakingly beautiful place:
It's only an hour away by car, but we spend most of our time in Tel Aviv, which is a little closer to us, and a very secular town (we being kind of a secular couple, obviously). That's the mosque you see above, which was built on top of the old Jewish temple, leaving only the Western Wall accessible. Jerusalem is a holy site for 3 of the world's major religions, and as you wander around the city, you feel each of these cultures as separately and distinctly as if you were crossing into 3 different nations. I've always been one of those pacifist love children, of the "Why can't we all just get along??" variety, and pretty laughably oblivious to lines of religion and race (oft repeated conversation: Vitalay: "He's Jewish, you know." Me: "No way, really?" Vitalay: "With the name Ira Silverstein? Seriously?!?")
But even I can feel the differences between people here, the sharp change in atmosphere as we pass from the Muslim Quarter into the Jewish Quarter--a division marked, literally, by nothing but a sign, and yet as definitive a divide as a vast sea. The loud, demonstrative Christians, wandering around carrying large crosses and praying in groups, versus the quiet prayers of the soberly dressed Orthodox Jews at the Western Wall, versus the beautiful singing of the Muslim prayers being broadcast from the mosque to every ear in the city, including mine as I stood in front of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, about to enter the most holy site for the entire Christian faith.
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre was built around the spot that was, supposedly, Jesus's tomb. There is even a slab of stone that, we are told, is the one on which his body was laid after he was taken down from the cross:
There was all manner of activity happening here. People crying, stretching their bodies across the stone, rubbing scarves and other objects all over it, just generally making a serious spectacle. I grew up semi-Catholic, so I'm sort of used to this kind of thing, but it does kind of turn me off. I don't know why I feel totally OK sitting down to chant to Shiva with a roomful of Hindus, but feel the need to avert my eyes from women sobbing across Jesus's grave. It's weird, but there you have it.
The church is owned in pieces by several different sects of the Christian Church, so there are also all different kinds of priests and monks wandering around in much more severe and exotic dress than I had ever seen before. Some looked positively intimidating in their long black robes and bizarrely-shaped hats! Also groups of people praying in unison, or singing, in all different languages. It's not a traditionally laid-out church, either, with a place for services and all that, but more like a weird, twisty, turny, underground tomb, with stairs leading up and down into different chambers, all smelling strongly of incense. It was creepy, for sure, but creepy-cool, and very interesting.
Crosses etched in the wall by 2 millennia of pilgrims:
Mosaic of Jesus, taken down from the cross:
Very pretty dome:
And next, we visited the Western Wall, of course:
This was probably the nicest part of Jerusalem, for me. Most of the people there were actually praying, but not in spectacular fashion. No one appeared to be crying, no one was throwing themselves on the wall, you know what I mean. I had to cover myself up for this one--knees and elbows--or I would have stood out like a sore thumb. There's no shorts in sight here, not even a female pair pf pants. In fact, next time we go to Jerusalem, I'm donning the ankle-length skirt and elbow-length sleeves that religious women here wear, just to save myself the trouble of fussing with my shawl or worrying about my wrap skirt flipping up. Which it did, in a lovely breeze, as I was walking away from the wall, trying to both hold down my skirt and keep the shawl covering my shoulders. Leave your hot pants and tube tops at home, ladies!
We exited the Old City by Zion Gate:
Vitalay pointed out that all of those little pockmarks are bulletholes, from the war that resulted in Jerusalem being part of Israel. Sigh. These things make me really appreciate the relative absence of bulletholes where I live.
Outside the walls:
That slit in the wall was for shooting your bow and arrow out of. Bows and arrows?! Cool!
Walking along the outside of the Old City walls, we saw a pony:
Which I obviously thought was pretty funny. :)

Just in time for summer....

Jessica — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 01:54:00 -0700

Pattern: Gathered Pullover, by Hana Jason, from Interweave Knits, Winter 2007
Yarn: Morehouse Merino 3-Strand, in navy, purchased at the Morehouse store during Rhinebeck '07; 5 1/2 skeins
Needles: Addi US 8, 32" throughout whole sweater
Ravelry link
Mods: I added waist shaping, pretty much following the shaping for the Hourglass Sweater from LMKG.
I also changed the stitch counts a little bit b/c of the larger gauge of my yarn--I essentially made an XS size, one step down from the smallest size given, for the body, but followed the directions for the smallest size on the sleeves, which worked out fine.
Also added a bit of length before starting the motif, since I have kind of a long waist and don't like when sweaters are too short on me. Also a little extra length on sleeves, cuz I like 'em long.
And last, but not least, I eliminated the 5 paired dec's and consecutive inc's over the breasts. I tried it, but ripped back and took them out--it just looked weird, and left holes, and I didn't want this to be the kind of sweater with holes over the nipples, ya know?

I absolutely love this sweater. It has been a long time since I've been so happy with a finished garment. If it weren't summer, I'd be wearing it every day. It fits perfectly--no weird bits or poochy places. I wore it on the plane to Israel in desperation to enjoy it at least once before folding it away for 3 months. And three cheers for Hana Jason for creating such a beautiful pattern!
The Morehouse Merino is a dream to knit with. Soft and sort of felty-feeling, it is thick and warm and lofty when knit, and became even more soft and supple than I thought possible after blocking. I'd been dying to knit a whole sweater out of it ever since I saw Jess Fig & Plum knitting this drool-inducing thing, and it was all I had hoped it would be, and more. :)
One more happy roof shot:
And thanks again to my photographer, for indulging my possibly bizarre-seeming requests for photos of woolly handknits in mid-June.

KnitCast - Update

feedback@knitcast.com (Marie Irshad) — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 12:33:00 -0700

The return of KnitCast!

KnitCast 15 - Fyberspates

feedback@knitcast.com (Marie Irshad) — Mon, 03 Oct 2005 09:49:00 -0700

If you're a fan of hand dyed yarn you may wonder just how much work goes into creating it. In the latest KnitCast Jeni Brown, knitter, spinner and owner of Fyberspates hand dyed yarns and fibres tells me how she does it.

KnitCast 16 - Ally Pally

feedback@knitcast.com (Marie Irshad) — Tue, 01 Nov 2005 11:33:00 -0800

The Knitting and Stitching Show is the largest event of its kind in the UK and a must visit for any British knitter. Andrew Salmon is Managing Director of Creative Exhibitions, the organisers of the show. He tells me about the past and future of the show and how he was once forced to knit with a pair of golf clubs!

KnitCast 17 - Yvonne Davies

feedback@knitcast.com (Marie Irshad) — Wed, 23 Nov 2005 11:24:00 -0800

In my second visit to the Knitting and Stitching Show I meet up with Yvonne Davies in the Relax and Knit Area. Yvonne talks about teaching people to knit and the joys of buying yarn spun from an Alpaca with the same name as a good friend. email - feedback@knitcast.com

KnitCast 18 - Freddie Robins

feedback@knitcast.com (Marie Irshad) — Wed, 07 Dec 2005 11:24:00 -0800

Another podcast from The Knitting and Stitching Show! Knitting doctor Freddie Robins tells me how she makes pieces of work when she's too tired to make decisions, what it's like walking down the knitted aisle and how to subvert your knitting.

KnitCast 19 - Debbie Bliss

feedback@knitcast.com (Marie Irshad) — Mon, 19 Dec 2005 11:24:00 -0800

In the last KnitCast of 2005 I catch up with the internationally renowned British designer Debbie Bliss at the Knitting and Stitching Show. Debbie tells me about her design process and what she has planned for 2006. www.knitcast.com

KnitCast 20 - Kerrie Allman

feedback@knitcast.com (Marie Irshad) — Mon, 09 Jan 2006 11:24:00 -0800

In the first KnitCast of 2006 I catch up with Kerrie Allman, editor and founder of the UK-based online knitting magazine MagKnits. In addition to this Kerrie works full-time, has two children and an online business! She tells me how she fits it all in and still manages to find time to knit. www.knitcast.com

KnitCast 21 - Annie Modesitt

feedback@knitcast.com (Marie Irshad) — Wed, 08 Feb 2006 11:24:00 -0800

In the latest KnitCast I meet the delightful Annie Modesitt. We talk Combination Knitting, getting her first Vogue Knitting cover and what's Cheaper Than Therapy. www.knitcast.com

KnitCast 22 - First Birthday!

feedback@knitcast.com (Marie Irshad) — Wed, 15 Feb 2006 11:24:00 -0800

Yes, a year ago today I posted the very first edition of KnitCast! and to celebrate that first show I assmbled a group of knitting podcasters to talk about podcasting! We recorded it last month and here is the final result! Thanks to Brenda, Daniela, Caroline, Rhonda and Whit for giving up part of their Saturday for me! www.knitcast.com

KnitCast 23 - Ann Budd

feedback@knitcast.com (Marie Irshad) — Sun, 12 Mar 2006 11:24:00 -0800

I meet Ann Budd, former editor of Interweave Knits and talk about her projects, Grand Plan patterns, and KnitScene magazine.

KnitCast 24 - Toronto

feedback@knitcast.com (Marie Irshad) — Tue, 09 May 2006 12:24:00 -0700

KnitCast goes to Toronto where I met up with Amy Singer, editor of Knitty, and Denny McMillian, knitter extraordinaire and employee of The Naked Sheep.

KnitCast 25 - Shannon Okey

feedback@knitcast.com (Marie Irshad) — Mon, 14 Aug 2006 12:33:00 -0700

The long delayed interview with Shannon Okey author of Knitgrrl 2. And go to knitcast.com to find out how you could win a copy of Knitgrrl 2!.

Lush and Lacy underway

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 12:52:50 -0800

Finishing a deadline late last week meant that I could get in some knitting on the weekend, and I’m nearly done with the back of the Lush and Lacy. I’m not sure what I’m thinking, knitting a Spring sweater out of alpaca (I tend to be warmer than most people), and I’m still not loving the color, but Michelle gave me the idea to dye and I think I will. I want to dye it with Kool Aid since I want a bright happy color anyway, and I’d rather use something fairly non-toxic as I don’t have any big extra pots and I don’t care if I dump this in a soup pot, it’s food after all.

I had already started the sweater, so instead of dyeing yarn skeins I will be dyeing knit pieces (before sewing) - anyone have any good luck with kool aid and dyeing complete garments?

Now the problem is what color, and finding the Kool Aid. Seems every store in my neighborhood carries only the sweetened kind but I managed to find the packets of only 2 flavors in a local supermarket. Not the ones I’d hoped for, I wanted blues or greens, but you know yellow and orange are the colors for Spring around here.

I bought a few packets to experiment before picking a color. If they turn out awful on the pale green, I might have to resort to Ebay to get other packets. Looks like a dyeing experiment might happen around here tonight, folks.

Meme time

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 11:41:57 -0700

Because I can’t seem to get myself to actually post anything about knitting (there’s been some, but not much lately) or take an ABC photo - here’s that A-Z meme that’s been going around.

Accent: A trace of Brooklyn, though most tell me they can’t hear it, and some say definitely.

Breakfast or no breakfast: Breakfast for sure, usually yogurt, banana and coffee, though the occasional muffin (blueberry) or bagel sneaks in.

Chore I don’t care for: Any. Hate cleaning, HATE.

Dog or cat: Cats are cute but it’s dog all the way for me.

Essential electronics: Computer, iPhone, TV/DVR/DVD.

Favorite cologne: None. I really hate most of it. I used to wear a subtle vanilla from L’Occitane till they changed the formula and it started to make me ill.

Gold or silver: White gold.

Handbag I carry most often: I switch a lot, but this season it’s a bright orange leather satchel. I’m into the brights.

Insomnia: Very very rarely.

Job Title: Don’t really have one as I’m self employed. Freelance art director/graphic designer, I guess.

Kids: Not very likely.

Living arrangements: Studio apartment in a neighborhood I love.

Most admirable trait: Loyalty, even to those who might not deserve it.

Naughtiest childhood behavior: Plenty - probably tantrums being the worst.

Overnight hospital stay: Pneumonia when I was 2.

Phobias: I’ve developed a really bad height phobia. Never had that when I was younger.

Quote: “I have the simplest tastes. I am always satisfied with the best”.

Reason to smile: Friends, pup, sunshine over the ocean

Siblings: one older brother.

Time I wake up: Typically 9-9:30 on work at home days, 8:30 on office days. This doesn’t count how many times I wake up before actually getting out of bed.

Unusual skill or talent: I can make a neat room messy in about 2 minutes.

Vegetable I refuse to eat: Really none, but if you sun dry a tomato, I’m probably doing to push it aside.

Worst habit: Short temper.

X-rays: Teeth, lungs and shoulder are the only ones I can remember, but there could be more.

Yummy stuff: Oh, lots! Ice cream, good pizza, gummy candies, dark chocolate, a really juicy burger.
Zoo animal I like most: all of them!

Shalom!

Jessica — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 11:43:00 -0700

I'm here!After an uneventful 12 hour flight, I arrived in Tel Aviv on Thursday afternoon. Vitalay picked me up and brought me back to his lovely home, where I finally met his lovely parents. Since then I have ate, slept, ate, gone swimming, ate, knit, and ate. And slept. The jet lag, despite a rigorous Xanax regimen, has been a little rough this time around, but fortunately, I am permitted to nap at length, whenever I want. So long as I eat properly.
During the hours I have been awake, I managed to finish the Habu paper & silk bag I meant to have finished before I left:
That would be me, on the roof of his house. Yup, for realz. Can't wait to do some yoga up there.
Pattern: my shameless improvisation of a Habu sample I saw in their store.
Yarn: Habu Shosenshi paper (100% linen), 1.5 oz; random School Products silk tape from my stash
Needles: US 8 Addi's
I'm totally pleased with how it turned out. I really wanted something organic and slouchy to throw over my shoulder while in Israel--something that would hold a wallet, a camera, and some more knitting. :)
I only wish I'd had time to sew in the linen I bought to make a lining with--I didn't bring it b/c I don't have a sewing machine with me, but it will go in as soon as I get home.
The adjustable straps solve the stretching-out problem:
One more roof shot:
It is just too beautiful for words here. Warm and dry, flowers and trees full of fruit everywhere, and I haven't seen a cloud since I arrived....

Sigh

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 08:35:31 -0700

I’ve been holding off on posting - wanting to have a new FO to show off after weeks of non-activity - but it’s just not done yet, so here’s one of those catch up lists instead.

What I’ve been up to while not blogging:

1) Going to shows. I’ve seen 4 Broadways shows since the new year - and I’m seeing my fifth next week. I’ve also been to the opera, and seen several bands. I have one of those concerts tomorrow night, too. *added later - just bought tix to the 6th show, 3 days after the 5th. whew!

2) I have been knitting. I finished the Lush and Lacy except for tacking down the pockets, and the %#^&%^# buttons that were shipped last week and still haven’t arrived. Bummed, because not only was it good blog fodder, but we have a nice cool week in which to wear alpaca. Soon it will be 85 degrees and that’s just way too warm for me to be wearing anything fuzzy. I also started the Sylph cardigan from Interweave, but it’s black, and doesn’t make for very interesting photos. And guess what else I ressurected from the dead? My Alice. Working on the second sleeve.

3) I’ve been sewing a bit. I got out the duvet cover I started last year and finished all the blocks, then realized I was grossly short on fabric for a queen sized cover. And, also discovered the fabric I bought has been discontinued. I combed the internets for places with some stock left - and it’s on it’s way. I just need the fabric and one more rainy weekend to hopefully finish it up.

4) I’ve been ridiculously addicted to a game on Facebook called Packrat. I’ve lost hours and hours of my life to this game, which is another reason I’ve had little urge to post here. Now that I’ve nearly finished what I could at that game till the devs release more of it, my free time is a little more diversified.

5) I’ve been slowly trying to update my portfolio/website. I need to get some more work and make some real money for a change.

And that’s the short list. I hope to have some buttons in my mail box when I get home and I should have a pciture happy post for you soon.

Star-Crossed Slouchy Beret

Jessica — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 09:45:00 -0800

Well, I finally took photos of yet another 2008 hand-knit:
Pattern: Star-Crossed Slouchy Beret by Natalie Larson
Yarn: Manos del Uruguay 100% Wool
Needles: US 8 & 9
Ravelry, I love you.
I knit this back in October. I think it took 2 days. It was a smaller yarn than called for, so it was not as slouchy as the original, but whatevs. Some days, I just can't think about gauge. ;)
It was a very quick, very fun, and very rewarding knit.
That's all!

Summer Swing Jacket--and Pattern!

Jessica — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 22:58:00 -0700

Yarn: Henry's Attic Normandy Linen in natural gray, less than 1 cone (800 yds. per cone)
Needles: Addi Turbo US 8, 32"
Pattern: Summer Swing Jacket by me. **Download here.**
Ravelry link
***EDITED TO ADD*** The pattern is now available above as a free Ravelry download. It's only sized for me, so you'll have to make adjustments if you're not the same size, but several people had asked about it, so I thought putting up what I had was better than nothing. Hope you enjoy! :)

I've always been inspired by all things Japanese, and especially by the designs and yarns at Habu. I find their aesthetic so simple and soothing and beautiful. But I wanted, specifically, a short-sleeved linen summer top, a little something to throw over my tank top on a cool evening, something a little Japanese, a little sweet, and very minimal. So I wrote the simplest pattern I could come up with--no side shaping, all one piece, kimono sleeves, no edgings--dutifully made and washed my gauge swatch, and went to work.
You wouldn't believe how many times I almost ripped the whole thing out. Not being able to try on as you knit, combined with having to trust in the fairly substantial shrinkage I figured in thanks to my swatch, made for a slightly more nervous knitter than I had planned to be. Even once it was put together, it wasn't until I washed and blocked it that I finally breathed a sigh of relief: it was exactly as I'd imagined it.
The linen washes like a dream, transforming from something stiff and strawlike into rows of drapey, even knitting. It hangs so nicely, in a way that I hoped it would, but wasn't sure about till the end, and now I can say that it was well-worth the experience of knitting it, which was... well, let's just say, linen is just not wool. More like a light twine scraping over the fingers for about 700 yards....
Wanna see more photos? They're here.
Relaxing on a bench in Tel Aviv:
Hooray for successful summer knits! They are not always easy to come by.
We took a break from eating (well, I was eating--Vitalay is not back on solids yet, having had a not-so-fun time getting his wisdom teeth out, WIDE AWAKE!) and picture-taking to grab an iced coffee (again, for me) and pop into a fabric store (oops, that was for me too).
Fabric shopping here is, well, it's no Purl Patchwork or Brooklyn General. But if you're up for the challenge, you can find some treasures--like this pretty printed linen, for less than $3 a meter! I nearly choked on my iced coffee.
OK, off to work on that languishing Indigo Ripples Skirt. If I just knit 10 rows a day on it, then I'll be done in, like, 4 days. Only 4 more days of indigo-stained hands....

Surprise!

Jessica — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 03:56:00 -0800

So, we have some pretty big news over here:
Vitalay and I got engaged! And married too!It was a big surprise. We went to City Hall and got married on Friday, so in the eyes of the State of New York, we're official.
But we also got engaged--complete with a total surprise of a down-on-one-knee proposal at beautiful Battery Park City, and we're going to have a proper ceremony with family and friends sometime in the next year. I have so many handknits to plan!!! All of my friends have been coming up with the coolest DIY ideas for their weddings, so I have a treasure trove of information at my fingertips.... ;)
Steph was our witness:
As were Vitalay's friends, Ilya and Eugene.BTW, they're single and on the lookout for some Belarussian twins who knit--any ideas, ladies?
Yay for love!!!

Sylvi, Rhinebeck, and Autumn in NY

Jessica — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:32:00 -0800

Pattern: Sylvi by Mari Muinonen for Twist Collective
Yarn: Briggs & Little Atlantic, Fern
Raveled here!
More photos here.
My 2009 Rhinebeck sweater just barely had made it to the festival--I literally sewed in the last end as we pulled into the motel parking lot. It was a lot of finishing, but totally worth it in the end--I love my big snuggly Sylvi.
Rhinebeck was awesome. Vitalay and I drove up for the whole weekend this year, which was a nice change, and so I was able to spend a lot more time seeing friends who travel from afar to be there. Especially my very oldest friend, Mary Heather:
photo by gleek
How awesome is it to still have a friend who knew you when you were 9, playing in a muddy creek and capturing frogs and turtles? MH has only gotten cooler over the years, but she was still one pretty cool chick in the 4th grade....
My sweater got quite a bit of attention at the festival; in this dramatic reenactment Pam is diving in to cop a feel while I am trying to act natural. MH looks on, worried. ;)
photo by gleek
There was also some serious marryin' going on around here. In the last year, no less than 5 Spiders (myself included) have got themselves hitched. Here are a few, waiting for Marie's nuptials to begin:More photos here.
My sweet husband, who has always thought the knitting obsession was actually pretty cool, recently discovered the wonder that is a pair of handknit socks, and so his enthusiasm for my hobby has increased substantially. Since I really didn't need all THREE of my skeins of STR from Rhinebeck to myself, I whipped him up a pair in his favorite colorway:
Pattern: improvised (pattern notes on Ravelry)
Yarn: Socks that Rock mediumweight, colorway: Puck's Mischief
Raveled here!
I'm all about how fast this mediumweight knits up! What better way to make man-socks, no?
So though it is now chilly November, and our leaf-viewing days are pretty much over, here's a bright bit of the glory that is autumn in New York:
I hope everyone is keeping warm and toasty in your handknits!

That time of year

Jessica — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 08:22:00 -0700

Top: Pickled cucumbers in vodka, pickled garlic
Bottom: Tomatoes with oregano, peach butter, dilly beans

The last few days have been absolutely GORGEOUS in NYC--slightly cooler (enough to turn the A/C off), and bright blue sunny skies. Vitalay and I headed to the farmer's market on Saturday and stocked up on tasty things, and received an unexpected bounty of delicious peaches from guests Jess & Casey (thank you again!!!). Yesterday we hauled out the canning equipment, and set to work! We made five different things (listed above) so it was quite an ambitious day, but we got it all done. I love looking at all of the brightly colored jars afterward--I want to decorate my windowsills with them, but I know they must be stored in a darker spot....
And I finished V's socks!
Raveled here!
I'd say that he's been very patient, but that would be a lie. But now that he has them, the long months of waiting are forgotten, and he's pretty thrilled.I never get tired of knitting with Noro--the color changes are so beautiful. I do sometimes wish they made a softer version yarn with Kureyon's amazing colorways for close-to-the-skin garments, but mostly I don't mind the rustic feel of the wool. I could knit blankets to cover my whole house in the stuff.
There's more knitting to show, but it's a wee gift that must be given first, so that will have to wait for next time....

The Dead Sea

Jessica — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 23:13:00 -0700

One of the things that I knew I absolutely HAD to see in Israel was the Dead Sea:
It must have been in some science textbook, sometime around 3rd grade, that I first saw a photo of the Dead Sea--it probably mentioned something about supersaturation, and how the high salt content of the water causes our bodies to float, with absolutely no effort--and I thought, "Whoa, now THAT is cool!"
Before we got there, I asked Vitalay if it were possible that I might be the one and only person who would not float--I was nervous about my floating potential, I guess--and he was like, "Um, no. You will have no choice but to float." And float I did:
It's really amazing--you walk out into the water sort of like you're walking on the moon, and then, all you have to do is lift up your feet, and whoosh! Your whole body sort of zooms to the top! And you'll still float if you flip onto your tummy--though my butt seemed to stick out of the water way more than the rest of me. You guys don't get to see that photo.
Walking on a sandbar:I was not expecting such a magical place, but it really is like nowhere else on Earth. I felt like I was seeing something really unique and special, one of the world's natural wonders. And I don't know what minerals and such are in that water, but you seriously feel like a million bucks after bathing in there! We were positively glowing with health.
The water was HOT, BTW! The best time to go was early in the morning, or as the sun was setting behind the mountains. Otherwise, we were boiling. And note to parents of little ones: the kiddies do NOT like this place! The salt in the water is extremely painful if you have any cuts, freshly shaved legs, or if you get it in your eyes--and it seems to really sting the private parts of children. We watched kid after kid run screaming from the water.... This is the stuff the guide books don't seem to mention.
We did the obligatory mud-covering:
My friend Noush did this when we were about 14, and I was really impressed. I can't believe I finally got to do it, too!
You smear the mud all over your body, and let it dry, and then you go in the water and pull up handfuls of salt off the bottom, which you use to scrub the mud off.Afterwards, our skin was like butter!!! Even now, a week later, my skin is still soft and smooth like it hasn't been since I was about 2.
The view from our balcony:
We stayed at Le Meridien, which was a fabulous treat. I should have taken photos of the extravagant dinner and breakfast buffets, but I was too busy gorging myself.
It was a blissful 3 days. I've never been so relaxed in my whole life. If ever you make it to Israel, this is absolutely a must!
Floating, floating....

Versailles Shell

Jessica — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 10:24:00 -0700

Made by Connie!
Pattern: Versailles Shell by Connie Chang Chinchio
Yarn: Euroflax Linen
Connie made this gorgeous tank for me, to say thanks for about 10 minutes of my time modeling for her! Can you believe it? I don't know how I ended up with not one, but 2 awesome tank tops knitted by my friends. My friends rock.
It is pure beauty:

Soft, smooth linen, in my favorite color, and the shaping in the body makes this top fit like a glove. Somehow, Connie was able to make a handknit that fits me better than any I have ever made--and I wasn't even here to try it on. Very. Cool.
Detail of front lace panel:

Connie, thank you a million times!!! I love it!

Working HARD

Jessica — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 23:09:00 -0700

... um, at knitting?Yup, I have been spending my days in various, semi-reclining positions, knitting away on a summer linen top. Occasionally I take a break to scarf down some hummus or take a shower, or read a few pages of Shogun, but that's about it. Oh, and I made this:
Vitalay's parents gave me all of these gorgeous, unprocessed amber beads in an effort to help my under-active thyroid. His mama is quite an accomplished herbalist, and a nurse, so I pretty much do whatever she tells me to.
Garlic, one of the family favorites:Their house is like a little patch of paradise, cool and surrounded by wide porches and a lush garden full of fruit trees and herbs.
I don't know what this one is, but it was described to me as "a mini-orange" and then plopped into my mouth. Perhaps it was the look of shock on my face or the hesitation before chewing that prompted the additional explanation, "And you eat the peel too." Oh. OK.
Baby strawberry!
My poor BF is getting his wisdom teeth out this week, so it's more likely that I'll have knitting to show you before any exciting travel pics of Jerusalem. Wish us luck--I was sick for a week when I got mine out, so I'm hoping it goes a lot smoother for him.