Look what I got! This is the first All-Clad cookware I've ever owned (or used!)...yes, I know, All-Clad is stainless steel, not aluminum - but these happen to be aluminum all on the outside, lined with stainless - makes em lighter than the classic stainless line, I think. Anyhow, most of the pots and pans in the kitchen were either inherited or were picked up way back when I was still in school. I think a lot of it is Revereware, and Scanpan with a couple of Le Creuset pieces and of course a regular old Lodge cast iron pan thrown in. I'm looking for cooking with these in the years to come :)
Friday, May 16, 2008
Aluminum & Tin...
are the traditional gifts of a ten year anniversary!
Look what I got! This is the first All-Clad cookware I've ever owned (or used!)...yes, I know, All-Clad is stainless steel, not aluminum - but these happen to be aluminum all on the outside, lined with stainless - makes em lighter than the classic stainless line, I think. Anyhow, most of the pots and pans in the kitchen were either inherited or were picked up way back when I was still in school. I think a lot of it is Revereware, and Scanpan with a couple of Le Creuset pieces and of course a regular old Lodge cast iron pan thrown in. I'm looking for cooking with these in the years to come :)
Look what I got! This is the first All-Clad cookware I've ever owned (or used!)...yes, I know, All-Clad is stainless steel, not aluminum - but these happen to be aluminum all on the outside, lined with stainless - makes em lighter than the classic stainless line, I think. Anyhow, most of the pots and pans in the kitchen were either inherited or were picked up way back when I was still in school. I think a lot of it is Revereware, and Scanpan with a couple of Le Creuset pieces and of course a regular old Lodge cast iron pan thrown in. I'm looking for cooking with these in the years to come :)
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
mmm....Cookies!
I always love a good cookie - sometimes I prefer fancier cookies, sometimes I just want the quick convenience of a drop cookie - especially if I can make up a whole batch, portion out the dough and freeze them for fresh baking at a later date :) I always appreciate a cookie fresh from the oven, chased down with a nice cup of coffee or a cold cup of milk. Yum.
Of course, with my fixation on cookbooks, it is fair to admit that I have a whole shelf dedicated to cookbooks that focus primarily on desserts - cookies, pastries, cakes and ice cream - if its for dessert, its probably safe to say I can likely find a recipe for it in my cookbook collection - if not for the exact item, probably for something that can be adapted to suit.
Not long ago, I received a review copy of Martha Stewart's Cookies: The Very Best Treats to Bake and to Share
- now, I have to admit that I don't subscribe to any of the myriad of Martha's publications, nor do I frequent the Martha Stewart website (I seem to prefer Food Network, Cooking Light or America's Test Kitchen) - with that said, several other individuals have pointed out that if you are a big fan of Martha's, this book may not have a whole lot of new recipes to offer you.
For me, the book was a pleasure to look at - 175 recipes, broken down by texture. The table of contents was unique in that it shows a small full color image of the finished cookie to aid the browsing :) Each recipe also includes a large beautifully photographed image of the finished cookie, so you know what you're aiming for when you start. While several of the recipes appear to be old favorites (meringues, snickerdoodles, macaroons, cocoa crackles, chocolate chip, classic shortbread, thumbprints, rugelach, and peanut butter, to name a few) there are still plenty to investigate and bake. My sister-in-law actually baked me up a bunch of the Lime Meltaways for Christmas last year - and I have to admit they disappeared quickly!
In addition to the wonderful recipes and photographs, the book also has a small section at the end that focuses on tools and techniques - providing tips on making, portioning, shaping and decorating the cookies...and finally, there is a great section on packaging your freshly baked treats for gifting. Once the weather cools down again, I'll hopefully start baking again :) (with temps starting to head into the upper 90s and with the 100+ temps to come, I can't bear thinking about turning on the oven!) Maybe I need to learn more about solar baking ;)
Anyhow, if you're looking for a good, well rounded cookie book, this one looks to be a good fit!
Of course, with my fixation on cookbooks, it is fair to admit that I have a whole shelf dedicated to cookbooks that focus primarily on desserts - cookies, pastries, cakes and ice cream - if its for dessert, its probably safe to say I can likely find a recipe for it in my cookbook collection - if not for the exact item, probably for something that can be adapted to suit.
Not long ago, I received a review copy of Martha Stewart's Cookies: The Very Best Treats to Bake and to Share
- now, I have to admit that I don't subscribe to any of the myriad of Martha's publications, nor do I frequent the Martha Stewart website (I seem to prefer Food Network, Cooking Light or America's Test Kitchen) - with that said, several other individuals have pointed out that if you are a big fan of Martha's, this book may not have a whole lot of new recipes to offer you.For me, the book was a pleasure to look at - 175 recipes, broken down by texture. The table of contents was unique in that it shows a small full color image of the finished cookie to aid the browsing :) Each recipe also includes a large beautifully photographed image of the finished cookie, so you know what you're aiming for when you start. While several of the recipes appear to be old favorites (meringues, snickerdoodles, macaroons, cocoa crackles, chocolate chip, classic shortbread, thumbprints, rugelach, and peanut butter, to name a few) there are still plenty to investigate and bake. My sister-in-law actually baked me up a bunch of the Lime Meltaways for Christmas last year - and I have to admit they disappeared quickly!
In addition to the wonderful recipes and photographs, the book also has a small section at the end that focuses on tools and techniques - providing tips on making, portioning, shaping and decorating the cookies...and finally, there is a great section on packaging your freshly baked treats for gifting. Once the weather cools down again, I'll hopefully start baking again :) (with temps starting to head into the upper 90s and with the 100+ temps to come, I can't bear thinking about turning on the oven!) Maybe I need to learn more about solar baking ;)
Anyhow, if you're looking for a good, well rounded cookie book, this one looks to be a good fit!
Monday, May 12, 2008
A visit up the Hill
While folks out east were enjoying Maryland Sheep and Wool, I was getting a fiber fix of my own - Up at Knit 1 Bead 2 in Jerome, Arizona!
The store is arranged differently than many other knitting stores I've been to - it's actually arranged by hue - and is quite the sight to behold! Erica, the owner of the shop, is very friendly and helpful. Jerome is a lovely town to visit - best to go early to get parking - you can grab breakfast at one of several little cafes - we opted for the Red Rooster. I had a fantastic time wandering town and looking in the various galleries...
...and of course I did a wee bit of stash enhancement while I was at it. This is my first self-purchased Koigu. Erika (blogless, I'm afraid - the same one who I dyed that iceland inspired yarn for) had gifted me with some Koigu for my last birthday. This Koigu is destined for a saddle shouldered (or perhaps hybrid) sweater...it's kind of a knit along (though I am woefully behind as I have yet to ball and swatch any of it yet!) with Kiki, Erika and Illanna. Perhaps they will knit another while I get started on my first! So, what do you think, US3s or US4s? I must be crazy. Fine gauge wool sweater knitting. And not just one, but two (don't forget, I have venezia on the needles!)
The store is arranged differently than many other knitting stores I've been to - it's actually arranged by hue - and is quite the sight to behold! Erica, the owner of the shop, is very friendly and helpful. Jerome is a lovely town to visit - best to go early to get parking - you can grab breakfast at one of several little cafes - we opted for the Red Rooster. I had a fantastic time wandering town and looking in the various galleries...
...and of course I did a wee bit of stash enhancement while I was at it. This is my first self-purchased Koigu. Erika (blogless, I'm afraid - the same one who I dyed that iceland inspired yarn for) had gifted me with some Koigu for my last birthday. This Koigu is destined for a saddle shouldered (or perhaps hybrid) sweater...it's kind of a knit along (though I am woefully behind as I have yet to ball and swatch any of it yet!) with Kiki, Erika and Illanna. Perhaps they will knit another while I get started on my first! So, what do you think, US3s or US4s? I must be crazy. Fine gauge wool sweater knitting. And not just one, but two (don't forget, I have venezia on the needles!)
Friday, May 09, 2008
Distracted.
I've been a mite distracted, though have been making slow, steady process on Venezia - and she is looking lovely! It seems I am going to have to either learn how to machine reinforce my steeks or opt for hand stitching them...neither option is particularly appealing, but I figure I should be able to figure it out - how hard could it possibly be? ;) Unfortunately, even though I have been knitting for 4 years or more, I haven't a single "old swatch" laying around anywhere to test feed to yon monster the lovely sewing machine - looks like I might be spending some idle time with some scrap yarn to make swatches to see if the machine likes to eat handknits. Some kind folk on the Stranded board at Ravelry have suggested using tear away stabilizer to protect the knitted fabric from undue tasting on behalf of the machine - we'll see how it does with the appetizers sample swatches. Worst case, I resort to hand stitching the reinforcements - it can't be that bad - tedious, yes, but doable - after all, I never thought I'd handstitch in a zipper into a sweater, and yet I did that just this past winter!
In other mad adventures, it seems I've decided I like knitting fine gauge sweaters - I'm planning on joining some knitting friends on a Elizabeth Zimmermann Saddle Shoulder sweater knit along. I'll show you the yarn soon - I really need to swatch - the others are way way way ahead of me (as in approximately 1/2 sweaters worth of knitting done already!)
In other mad adventures, it seems I've decided I like knitting fine gauge sweaters - I'm planning on joining some knitting friends on a Elizabeth Zimmermann Saddle Shoulder sweater knit along. I'll show you the yarn soon - I really need to swatch - the others are way way way ahead of me (as in approximately 1/2 sweaters worth of knitting done already!)
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Precious and Purple
Not from Maryland or from the trip to Jerome this weekend (yes, I did add to my stash), this lovely skein is from Cayli. It's handdyed (by Cayli) zephyr - mmmm wool and silk. Laceweight. Enough for a gorgeous shawl. I won it in her drawing by being a donor to her breast cancer 3-day fund. While her drawing is done, she still needs to raise just a bit more to reach her goal (just click the link in her sidebar).
Friday, May 02, 2008
Stranded.
This is the weekend of Maryland Sheep and Wool. I really wish I was there - instead, I feel a little stranded ;) tho I will be having a little yarn fun myself this weekend - the plan is to have a little field trip up to Jerome to visit Knit1 Bead 2 and then spend the rest of the weekend up to my elbows in yarn... Those of you going, please don't forget to stop by the Cloverhill Yarn booth and pat my yarn!
In the meantime, it looks like I will finally get some steek action going at some point in the not too distant future!
I've cast on for Venezia - a fine gauge fair isle sweater. I plan on knitting it with the 3/4 length sleeves plus a v-neck modification. Of course, I didn't select the best yarn to steek with - I'm knitting this sweater from my very own Spritely Goods Fey - since the yarn itself has subtle variegations, I've decided to go with a simple bi-color version.
Since the yarn is indeed superwash, I will be using reinforced steeks. Be sure to wish me luck when the time comes ;)
I'm loving the colorwork - though I was not so happy trying to get gauge - turns out I'm a loose knitter when knitting single stranded with this yarn, so the solid portion is on US0s...and I'm a tight knitter when it comes to colorwork - so the fair isle is being knit on US4s! Once I got gauge*, things were progressing smoothly - see?
In case you are wondering how I opted to do my gauge swatch, I actually cast on for a pair of sleeves - I quickly discovered my loose knitting on the hems, but it took several changes of needles and a 2 frogging sessions to eventually get it right completely. While I would have preferred to have cast on for the body, allowing myself a bit more latitude with figuring out how much yarn I had available for the sleeves, I am knitting the sleeves first because I actually used them for my gauge swatches. Because the swatch had to be knit in the round and I didn't want to waste the limited yarn that I have for this project (8 oz / ~980 yards each color), I cast on for the sleeves to save myself some ripping. As for why I'm knitting both sleeves at the same time, it's an attempt to keep the gauge as even as possible on both sleeves - that way I don't wind up with one somehow longer than the other...it also prevents me from having second sleeve syndrome :)
In the meantime, it looks like I will finally get some steek action going at some point in the not too distant future!I've cast on for Venezia - a fine gauge fair isle sweater. I plan on knitting it with the 3/4 length sleeves plus a v-neck modification. Of course, I didn't select the best yarn to steek with - I'm knitting this sweater from my very own Spritely Goods Fey - since the yarn itself has subtle variegations, I've decided to go with a simple bi-color version.
Since the yarn is indeed superwash, I will be using reinforced steeks. Be sure to wish me luck when the time comes ;)
I'm loving the colorwork - though I was not so happy trying to get gauge - turns out I'm a loose knitter when knitting single stranded with this yarn, so the solid portion is on US0s...and I'm a tight knitter when it comes to colorwork - so the fair isle is being knit on US4s! Once I got gauge*, things were progressing smoothly - see?
In case you are wondering how I opted to do my gauge swatch, I actually cast on for a pair of sleeves - I quickly discovered my loose knitting on the hems, but it took several changes of needles and a 2 frogging sessions to eventually get it right completely. While I would have preferred to have cast on for the body, allowing myself a bit more latitude with figuring out how much yarn I had available for the sleeves, I am knitting the sleeves first because I actually used them for my gauge swatches. Because the swatch had to be knit in the round and I didn't want to waste the limited yarn that I have for this project (8 oz / ~980 yards each color), I cast on for the sleeves to save myself some ripping. As for why I'm knitting both sleeves at the same time, it's an attempt to keep the gauge as even as possible on both sleeves - that way I don't wind up with one somehow longer than the other...it also prevents me from having second sleeve syndrome :)
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
No Epiphany Needed
I have always been a fan of Chocolate - so imagine my delight when offered this stunning book for review!Chocolate Epiphany
most certainly does not disappoint. The book is heavy, featuring stunning photographs and wonderful recipes all featuring Chocolate. Written by Francis Payard of Payard Patisserie and Bistro, this book is gorgeous and full of wonderful things - I spent days gazing at the photos and reading through the recipes.Chocolate Epiphany is broken down into several sections, starting out with what Chef Payard looks for in Chocolate as well as some tips on working with the wonderful stuff. The book then progresses into the recipes - broken into sections: Breads and Brunch Dishes, Cookies and Petits Fours, Candies and Chocolates, Custards, Mousses, Meringues and Ice Cream, Tarts, Cakes and Plated Desserts. Finally, it winds down and finishes with basics on handling and tempering chocolate and creating chocolate decorations.
While the subtitle to this book is Exceptional Cookies, Cakes and Confections for Everyone - I feel I should make you aware that quite a number of the items in the book are not your every day simple desserts - they will take time to prepare, and you may need to learn some new techniques - I would expect no less, given the who the author is. Also, if you are baking for someone with a nut allergy - you will want to steer clear of quite a number of recipes in this book - almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, pistachios and walnuts all make an appearance in various recipes in this book. Finally, if you have a corn allergy, or an aversion to corn syrup, you will need to make some modifications - especially to the recipes in the candies section.
While I would have loved to make a slew of these recipes, I simply have not yet had the time or the occasion - though I did take the opportunity to try my hand at one of the candy recipes. Click onward to view the experiment (as usual, I didn't follow the recipe exactly, but used it as a starting point to create something of my own).
Incidentally, with chocolate and caramel on the brain, I finally restocked the shop's stock of Caramel Mocha spinning batts :)
Monday, April 28, 2008
Pyromania
Finally finished after a slightly rough start :)As always, you can find the details and more photos here.
Twisted stitch cables - there's something wonderful about them that just draw me in. Mizar was covered in them (and were even more challenging with knitting the twisted cables on the purl side on the heel flap) and Bayerische too.
If you've never done twisted cables before, this is a great pattern to get started on. There are just enough to give you a taste...and if you decided they were too much, you could always decide to just do the set on the foot or the leg...
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
I Heart Leaves
To celebrate (and also for Project Spectrum), I've cast on a lace stole with heart leaf motifs. It's proving to be a wonderfully fast knit (as are most things that are knit out of DK weight+ yarn :D )
The lace pattern is simple and easy enough to knit that while the project is small, it's my travel knitting. I plan on knitting this for use as a lap blanket/car blanket to swap out with Cozy. I find it amazing how different my experience with lace is now - I'm actually at a point where I consider some lace (usually lace with regular repeats) easy/relaxing knitting - this certainly was not the case with Cozy!
Monday, April 21, 2008
Glowing Spheres
I love bowls. And yarn balls (or cakes, I like em both ;) ) I was surprised at how luminous this particular skein looked happily nesting in its bowl. Unfortunately, that glowing sphere that is also known as our Sun also seems to be gearing up for an early summer - temps are rumored to possibly hit 100 this week. *sigh* so much for wool weather!
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Subtle Transitions...
Sorry for the flashy flashy shot, I keep having issues reminding myself to go outside when there is sunlight with knitting in hand. Perhaps I'll be able to amend the blog once I remember...now that the project is actually off the needles, maybe I should tie a wee bit of yarn around my finger to remind myself ;)In case you're wondering just what you are looking at, that would be my leg...in Spritely Goods Sylph, in a limited edition colorway called Deep Blue Sea. It was knit into a pair of glorious kneesocks - of which there are more photos and details here :)
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
(almost) Shorn and Stunning
With temperatures well above average and flirting with 100 degrees F, I'm thinking I might be in need of a shearing myself...after all, I'm pretty sure I've got a ponytail long enough for Locks of Love!
Instead, I've been distracting myself with my review copy of Shear Spirit: Ten Fiber Farms, Twenty Patterns, and Miles of Yarn
. The book is stunningly composed and photographed - and it profiles ten small fiber farms and their glorious animals. Each chapter highlights one of these farms - including information about the daily goings on, insight to the people and philosophy of each ranch as well as original patterns written by the fiber artists from the farm while using yarn made from its herd.
This book is one I'm going to enjoy reading from cover to cover...and when I'm too tired to read, I'll be happy gazing at it's gorgeous photos. Incidentally, those of you in NYC can meet the pair (who, like the Mason Dixon ladies, collaborated across the miles to create this treasure together)...and if you follow along on the Two Shear Spirits blog you might spy where they will be next. They featured a place here in Arizona...I'm hoping this means they might be back!
As for the patterns, they vary in difficulty and variety - from cardigans and pullovers to socks, hats and bags. One of the bags in the book is simply wet felted out of loose fiber - even faster than knitting ;) or spinning then knitting...and then felting! Many of the patterns are simple and do exactly what I would want them to do - they feature and highlight the beautiful yarn/fiber that they are made of. I'm looking forward to spending more time with this book and learning more about the life I one day hope to live :)
Instead, I've been distracting myself with my review copy of Shear Spirit: Ten Fiber Farms, Twenty Patterns, and Miles of Yarn
. The book is stunningly composed and photographed - and it profiles ten small fiber farms and their glorious animals. Each chapter highlights one of these farms - including information about the daily goings on, insight to the people and philosophy of each ranch as well as original patterns written by the fiber artists from the farm while using yarn made from its herd.This book is one I'm going to enjoy reading from cover to cover...and when I'm too tired to read, I'll be happy gazing at it's gorgeous photos. Incidentally, those of you in NYC can meet the pair (who, like the Mason Dixon ladies, collaborated across the miles to create this treasure together)...and if you follow along on the Two Shear Spirits blog you might spy where they will be next. They featured a place here in Arizona...I'm hoping this means they might be back!As for the patterns, they vary in difficulty and variety - from cardigans and pullovers to socks, hats and bags. One of the bags in the book is simply wet felted out of loose fiber - even faster than knitting ;) or spinning then knitting...and then felting! Many of the patterns are simple and do exactly what I would want them to do - they feature and highlight the beautiful yarn/fiber that they are made of. I'm looking forward to spending more time with this book and learning more about the life I one day hope to live :)
Monday, April 14, 2008
Much Better...
After tearing back the firestarters a while ago because we just didn't seem to be getting along, I re-started on US0s and things are moving along much more nicely - though my hands might disagree (the twisted cables on small needles, I'm afraid, are likely contributing to my tendinitis - alas, I suspect Bayerische will never be for me). Ah well, I'm knitting happily on the leg of the firestarters now - it won't be long before they are finished :D
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
Sheep. and Wool. and Spritely Goods!
That's right! Spritely Goods (sadly, yarn only - I won't be able to attend in person :( ) will be at the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival!
Visit the Cloverhill Yarn Shop booth to see my yarns in person. I plan on sending a bunch of colors in Sylph, Sidhe and Fey! Cloverhill has a blog that is counting down to the fun - cruise over there and have a look - they plan on doing features about the different artists that will be represented at their booth, and they also are having contests along the way!
Visit the Cloverhill Yarn Shop booth to see my yarns in person. I plan on sending a bunch of colors in Sylph, Sidhe and Fey! Cloverhill has a blog that is counting down to the fun - cruise over there and have a look - they plan on doing features about the different artists that will be represented at their booth, and they also are having contests along the way!
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Not just for Spinners!
Beautiful and inspirational - A Fine Fleece: Knitting with Handspun Yarns
is definitely not just for spinners.Gorgeously photographed, each project is showcased in both a handspun yarn and a millspun yarn - I can only imagine the work involved in getting the projects prepared for this book! A Fine Fleece opens with a tiny peek into the world of handspinning including some basic information about the wools used in the projects included in the book as well as some insight to the author's design and fiber prepararations. I found the information valuable and useful, especially as a self taught spinner with little training other than what I have gleaned from online forums or the few books that I have on the subject.
The patterns in the book vary in skill from intermediate beginner to experienced - many of the patterns are classic designs with basic shapes, and in many cases the projects feature interesting texturework that I seem especially drawn to. Because the author has an affinity for aran and gansey knitting, many of the patterns are gorgeously cabled or otherwise textured...and in a fair number of cases, the patterns can be adapted to suit a man or a woman. Incidentally there are also some very lovely lace patterns suitable for beginners included in the book...so I can get both my lace and texturework fixes out of the same source!
Projects featured in the book range from scarves and socks to vests, pullovers and cardigans. The Sweater patterns are typically written in 4-7 sizes with finished chest measurements ranging from 35-52. I've flagged a ridiculous number of patterns in this book for knitting (rare indeed for a knitting book!)...if only I didn't live in a desert where sweater season is so short!
Monday, April 07, 2008
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
Stash Enhancement!
In Colors befitting Project Spectrum, no less! Rare indeed is the occasion these days when I actually enhance the stash - I've a hard enough time putting up limited editions for sale!
Once in a while though, I feel the urge to acquire...behold: the ever elusive Wollmeise yarn, featuring super saturated dark fiery colors (that would be brombeer in Twin and Laceweight yarns) - they were fantastic for the Fire element....unfortunately, all I have done with them so far is eye them and evaluate their potential in various projects.
On the top is a skein of Franz, mostly blue and green, and suitable (I think) for the new Project Spectrum colors.
Sadly, for the Fire Element, I completed only 1 finished object though I suppose I might be able to count the hat experiments too. I still have 3 very red projects on the needles, and in line with my need to have multitudes of projects on the needles, I also happen to have 2 projects cast on in green...dare I hope that at least one of them comes off the needles during the Earth Element months?
Once in a while though, I feel the urge to acquire...behold: the ever elusive Wollmeise yarn, featuring super saturated dark fiery colors (that would be brombeer in Twin and Laceweight yarns) - they were fantastic for the Fire element....unfortunately, all I have done with them so far is eye them and evaluate their potential in various projects.
On the top is a skein of Franz, mostly blue and green, and suitable (I think) for the new Project Spectrum colors.
Sadly, for the Fire Element, I completed only 1 finished object though I suppose I might be able to count the hat experiments too. I still have 3 very red projects on the needles, and in line with my need to have multitudes of projects on the needles, I also happen to have 2 projects cast on in green...dare I hope that at least one of them comes off the needles during the Earth Element months?
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
Technically not a Big Girl...
But that doesn't mean there isn't anything for me to learn from the newly released More Big Girl Knits!
More Big Girl Knits is what you might expect from its title - a book that features patterns for the curvy among us - knit for the average sized American woman. The patterns in this book are written for sizes L through 5X (though not all patterns go all the way up to the 5X size). Finished chest measurements range anywhere from 40 to 60+ inches.
Recently, Knitting Daily has been having articles that focus on shaping and tailoring your knitting to fit your body. It is my interest in technique that made me curious about this book - while I technically do not fall into the targeted sizing for this book, I am always interested in learning new things about shaping, styling and customizing my knitwear - that is, after all, one of the reasons that I do knit - ideally it means I get pleasure in the making, customizing and wearing of a beautifully fitted garment that suits and flatters my body.
More Big Girl Knits opens with a short chapter discussing sizing and fitting (and has a handy yarn yardage guide chart for typical projects in various sizes and gauges). It follows up quickly with a short chapter on style tips (handy for anyone of any size or shape to know). Before heading into the main patterns, the book dispenses one more handy tip about adapting a pattern via the use of side panels or gussets (again, handy for anyone to learn).
As for the patterns, I found most of them to be quite lovely and stylish - several of which I'd like to modify to suit my own wardrobe. There's a steeked yoke cardigan (bountiful bohus), a richly cabled short coat (celtic cables that I think are the same as I have on Kepler), a fantastically textured jacket (the hot cocoa jacket), a very clever pullover that masquerades as a wrap, and of course - a couple pairs of socks :)
Each pattern is accompanied by at least one big glossy photo and one smaller detail shot - patterns that feature cables, lace or colorwork are also accompanied by appropriate charts - making for swifter knitting (for me anyhow). While I'm not a Big Girl by definition, I did find inspiration and useful information in this book.
More Big Girl Knits is what you might expect from its title - a book that features patterns for the curvy among us - knit for the average sized American woman. The patterns in this book are written for sizes L through 5X (though not all patterns go all the way up to the 5X size). Finished chest measurements range anywhere from 40 to 60+ inches.
Recently, Knitting Daily has been having articles that focus on shaping and tailoring your knitting to fit your body. It is my interest in technique that made me curious about this book - while I technically do not fall into the targeted sizing for this book, I am always interested in learning new things about shaping, styling and customizing my knitwear - that is, after all, one of the reasons that I do knit - ideally it means I get pleasure in the making, customizing and wearing of a beautifully fitted garment that suits and flatters my body.
More Big Girl Knits opens with a short chapter discussing sizing and fitting (and has a handy yarn yardage guide chart for typical projects in various sizes and gauges). It follows up quickly with a short chapter on style tips (handy for anyone of any size or shape to know). Before heading into the main patterns, the book dispenses one more handy tip about adapting a pattern via the use of side panels or gussets (again, handy for anyone to learn).
As for the patterns, I found most of them to be quite lovely and stylish - several of which I'd like to modify to suit my own wardrobe. There's a steeked yoke cardigan (bountiful bohus), a richly cabled short coat (celtic cables that I think are the same as I have on Kepler), a fantastically textured jacket (the hot cocoa jacket), a very clever pullover that masquerades as a wrap, and of course - a couple pairs of socks :)
Each pattern is accompanied by at least one big glossy photo and one smaller detail shot - patterns that feature cables, lace or colorwork are also accompanied by appropriate charts - making for swifter knitting (for me anyhow). While I'm not a Big Girl by definition, I did find inspiration and useful information in this book.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Icelandic Dreams
A friend of mine had a chance to go visit Iceland a while back, and of course had tons and tons of photos to share...
...this same (blogless, I'm afraid) friend is also an avid knitter, and what better gift for a knitter than some yarn? :) I took the opportunity to let loose with the dyes and see what I could manage to match based on the photos from her album. I was especially drawn to some of the stark images from Iceland's interior. Of course, it's probably not nice to admit that I personally covet this yarn and it nearly didn't make it into the hands of its intended recipient.
As for those of you who are wondering why I don't just make another...well, I didn't take notes. It was one of those "experiments" that just happened to have everything come together just perfectly. Further examples of my experimenting can be found in my Limited Editions - each of these skeins are created freehand adding color at will until the skein looks "done."
I continue to be intrigued as I eye other dyers' works as it seems no two dyers dye alike - we each apply our dyes with different eyes and hands. Given a set palette, I'll bet each dyer would still come up with something completely different in the application of those colors to the yarn or fabric. I find it simply fascinating - I think the fact that all the colors are essentially some combination of 3 base colors + black has me equally enchanted. Even after 2+ years of dyeing, I'm still learning and excited to be doing so :) Now if I could just have some recollection of how *some* of those limited editions were made, I'd be one happy woman with a slightly bigger stash!
...this same (blogless, I'm afraid) friend is also an avid knitter, and what better gift for a knitter than some yarn? :) I took the opportunity to let loose with the dyes and see what I could manage to match based on the photos from her album. I was especially drawn to some of the stark images from Iceland's interior. Of course, it's probably not nice to admit that I personally covet this yarn and it nearly didn't make it into the hands of its intended recipient.
As for those of you who are wondering why I don't just make another...well, I didn't take notes. It was one of those "experiments" that just happened to have everything come together just perfectly. Further examples of my experimenting can be found in my Limited Editions - each of these skeins are created freehand adding color at will until the skein looks "done."
I continue to be intrigued as I eye other dyers' works as it seems no two dyers dye alike - we each apply our dyes with different eyes and hands. Given a set palette, I'll bet each dyer would still come up with something completely different in the application of those colors to the yarn or fabric. I find it simply fascinating - I think the fact that all the colors are essentially some combination of 3 base colors + black has me equally enchanted. Even after 2+ years of dyeing, I'm still learning and excited to be doing so :) Now if I could just have some recollection of how *some* of those limited editions were made, I'd be one happy woman with a slightly bigger stash!
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Enjoying the darkness...
Join me this evening, and participate in Earth Hour!
Officially Earth Hour will be observed from 8 to 9pm in your local time zone. I haven't decided what exactly I'll be doing while the lights are off - though I'm sure I'll figure something out - if nothing else, I can head to the local mountain preserve and enjoy the night sky :)
Officially Earth Hour will be observed from 8 to 9pm in your local time zone. I haven't decided what exactly I'll be doing while the lights are off - though I'm sure I'll figure something out - if nothing else, I can head to the local mountain preserve and enjoy the night sky :)
Friday, March 28, 2008
Featured :)
It must just be my luck - my Spin Off and shawl arrived at my house yesterday after I blogged :) Here's my shawl, featured on page 94 if you happen to be a reader of Spin Off. All the other shawls are gorgeous as well - and I really like how they opted to photograph them, against a neutral backdrop with nothing to distract. I also like how they did a small photo of the knitted product along with the fiber and yarn that they were knit from.
Luckily for me, Spin Off made mention of my Shop not just once (in the writeup about the shawl) but twice! Check it out! They decided to include the batt I sent as fiber reference for my shawl in their "Get This" product review section :) Ideally I would have had a more brightly colored batt to feature, but I can't complain too much.
The rest of the magazine is looking pretty wonderful too - I'm looking forward to going through it and giving their "wrap and roll" technique of coil yarn spinning a try - I'm not sure if I'm going to like it better than the current way I do coiled/core spun yarn but it's something new to attempt :)
Luckily for me, Spin Off made mention of my Shop not just once (in the writeup about the shawl) but twice! Check it out! They decided to include the batt I sent as fiber reference for my shawl in their "Get This" product review section :) Ideally I would have had a more brightly colored batt to feature, but I can't complain too much.
The rest of the magazine is looking pretty wonderful too - I'm looking forward to going through it and giving their "wrap and roll" technique of coil yarn spinning a try - I'm not sure if I'm going to like it better than the current way I do coiled/core spun yarn but it's something new to attempt :)
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Anxiously Waiting...
The new Spring Spin Off is out....and my Wing of the Moth is featured in the gallery! I hear my batts may have also made the Get This section....
Unfortunately, I'm still waiting for my own copy to arrive! I'm betting their photoshoot is much more lovely than mine was :) and I can't wait to see it!
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
A whole 'nother kind of bat
Cute, aren't they? These are California Leaf Nosed Bats - observed on a recent trip to a nearby wildlife refuge. I especially like the bat on the right - it looks like it has attitude :)Speaking of batts - I've got more fiber being prepped for the carder - hopefully I'll have some of the sold out colors restocked soon - specifically, I'm preparing some Sugar Plum and some Caramel Mocha batts...there's also a whole rack of freshly dyed rovings that are set to be labled and photographed. Lots of Falkland will be back in stock!
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Spring is Here!
Happy First day of Spring :D
We've been inundated with the wild flowers down here, and even have a small patch of wildflowers growing in our yard - sadly I didn't manage to get a photo of the goldpoppy before it past its prime :( The flowers above are Desert Globemallow - haven't seen any in bloom near my home, but I'm sure they are coming into season if they aren't already there. I'm determined to try to enjoy the spring while it passes by quickly - it won't be long before the triple-digits are here!
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Meet the Author (and the Cover Model ;)
We'll be doing a presentation and slideshow at the local Arizona REI's today and tomorrow at 6:30pm. Come enjoy the spectacle!
Monday, March 17, 2008
We have a Winner!
Congratulations to Tamara - she wins the copy of Little Cakes - Tamara, if you're reading, I need your mailing address :) I've emailed you too...
It's been a day of good things - while Tamara gets a copy of Little Cakes, it was a really good mail day for me...I got my long awaited Wollmeise yarn...all in super dark saturated colors - in both sock weight and lace weight :) (sorry no photos - camera is not cooperating) Shortly after signing for the Wollmeise, the bell rang again, and it was UPS...with my new skeiner! I'mcalibrating comparing it against my current skeiner as this one will be moving over to a friend's place to live with my other swift so I can either drive them batty with the clicking of the counter, or they can wind in exchange for yarn ;) I'll be putting everything to the test in a couple weeks (I hope)!
It's been a day of good things - while Tamara gets a copy of Little Cakes, it was a really good mail day for me...I got my long awaited Wollmeise yarn...all in super dark saturated colors - in both sock weight and lace weight :) (sorry no photos - camera is not cooperating) Shortly after signing for the Wollmeise, the bell rang again, and it was UPS...with my new skeiner! I'm
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Cali for the Cure
One of the fine folks I've met via the internet is planning on participating in her local Breast Cancer 3-day...and she's needing some help raising her funds. To make things interesting, she's offering up a contest with wonderful fibery prizes. (speaking of contests, don't forget - if you want in on the Little Cakes drawing, you need to email me! I'll be closing up the contest at the end of this week)
As the donations rise, Cayli is planning on adding more skeins to the mix - and if she manages to get to the $500 point, she'll be adding her Secret of the Stole ii to the heap!
Incidentally, this Cayli is the same one that one of my new colorways is named after - she had put in a request for a colorway, and voila, here it is:
On that field of green lace, it reminds me of fresh spring flowers. Speaking of Spring, it's finally here down in the desert - the hillsides are covered in wildflowers :) I love spring in the desert - the days are warm, and the nights are still cool enough for knits.
As the donations rise, Cayli is planning on adding more skeins to the mix - and if she manages to get to the $500 point, she'll be adding her Secret of the Stole ii to the heap!
Incidentally, this Cayli is the same one that one of my new colorways is named after - she had put in a request for a colorway, and voila, here it is:
On that field of green lace, it reminds me of fresh spring flowers. Speaking of Spring, it's finally here down in the desert - the hillsides are covered in wildflowers :) I love spring in the desert - the days are warm, and the nights are still cool enough for knits.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Books. and knitting. but mostly books.
And not books of the standard variety either. Don't forget to email me about the Little Cakes book if you're interested in being included on the Contest!I've been knitting - not much, but some - to the left is all that I can show you of that sock that I test knit (it's done)...the firestarters and Scherherazade's Slippers are still progressing - I'm almost done with the gussets again on the firestarters...and I'm at about the same place on the Scherherazade slippers. I still plan on making those "slippers" as long as possible, but I will be needing to sit down with some graph paper to see if I can figure out if adding a pattern repeat will be a simple "no brainer" or not...these days, my brain is short on computing power...I blame it on the Books.
No, I don't mean the lovely books that you can read and enjoy, or those with gorgeous photos that provide inspiration - I mean the Serious Books - the ledgers. The finances. Those Books. I've been spending the weekends transferring my semi-manual accounting system into Quickbooks and I think it's taking its toll - nothing like mundane data entry and rounding errors and troubleshooting of said rounding errors to cause a brain to look forward to some restful knitting! I'm hoping to be fully converted soon - hopefully before this weekend - I have some dyeing to do...
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Who wouldn't like...
Little Cakes, or Swift Knits?! I'm a sucker for both :)
As I mentioned recently, there was a time when I actually entertained the thought of doing some pastry cheffing, and around the holidays, I usually am looking forward to fancy sugar cookies and the decorating of said sugar cookies. This book, Little Cakes from the Whimsical Bakehouse
is a treat to look at. I am especially enamored of the various flower cupcakes...and I really like the looks of the Caramel Popcorn Cupcakes (scroll down for recipe, or read the whole interview!)
The book starts out with basic information including tools of the trade, baking tips and notes on ingredients. It also has basic information on frosting and decoration - my favorite part of these little treats! There's even a color mixing chart - that I might find cross functional use for for some of my colorways :D
For recipes, we start with the frostings, then head into the muffins and mini-coffee cakes, special occasion cakes (mmm strawberry shortcake and mini cheesecakes...not to mention the devil dog and twinkie-alikes...) and then we have the cupcakes - I'm extra happy to see a recipe for red velvet...course, I'm not sure I could bet Melati's Red Velvets...
As an extra sweet treat, the publisher is allowing me to offer up a copy of this lovely book to my readers...if you're interested, send me an email (woodlandsprite at gmail dot com) and I'll use the trusty random number generator to select the lucky winner at the end of next week.
Now then, in addition to small cakes, I also appreciate a nice quick knit. That's where Twinkle's Weekend Knits
comes into play with 20 patterns to choose from, each knit (mostly) from fast knitting bulky weight yarn. The projects range from the expected scarves and hats, in addition to some wonderful sweaters and other accessories. Photos for this book are lovely, and right up front in the book, on glossy paper - the patterns are referenced clearly and are presented in the back of the book on matte paper. The patterns themselves appear to be well written, though it should be noted that most of the sweaters assume you're comfortable wearing knits with negative ease. I've got some bulky yarn in my stash that I've been trying to figure out what to do with - and I'm especially interested in some of the sweater designs :)
If the thought of working with bulky yarn wigs you out now that we are hopefully moving into the spring, don't forget about that scarf book I reviewed not too long ago - it's now available and has projects perfect for the warming weather!
As I mentioned recently, there was a time when I actually entertained the thought of doing some pastry cheffing, and around the holidays, I usually am looking forward to fancy sugar cookies and the decorating of said sugar cookies. This book, Little Cakes from the Whimsical Bakehouse is a treat to look at. I am especially enamored of the various flower cupcakes...and I really like the looks of the Caramel Popcorn Cupcakes (scroll down for recipe, or read the whole interview!)The book starts out with basic information including tools of the trade, baking tips and notes on ingredients. It also has basic information on frosting and decoration - my favorite part of these little treats! There's even a color mixing chart - that I might find cross functional use for for some of my colorways :D
For recipes, we start with the frostings, then head into the muffins and mini-coffee cakes, special occasion cakes (mmm strawberry shortcake and mini cheesecakes...not to mention the devil dog and twinkie-alikes...) and then we have the cupcakes - I'm extra happy to see a recipe for red velvet...course, I'm not sure I could bet Melati's Red Velvets...
As an extra sweet treat, the publisher is allowing me to offer up a copy of this lovely book to my readers...if you're interested, send me an email (woodlandsprite at gmail dot com) and I'll use the trusty random number generator to select the lucky winner at the end of next week.
Now then, in addition to small cakes, I also appreciate a nice quick knit. That's where Twinkle's Weekend Knits comes into play with 20 patterns to choose from, each knit (mostly) from fast knitting bulky weight yarn. The projects range from the expected scarves and hats, in addition to some wonderful sweaters and other accessories. Photos for this book are lovely, and right up front in the book, on glossy paper - the patterns are referenced clearly and are presented in the back of the book on matte paper. The patterns themselves appear to be well written, though it should be noted that most of the sweaters assume you're comfortable wearing knits with negative ease. I've got some bulky yarn in my stash that I've been trying to figure out what to do with - and I'm especially interested in some of the sweater designs :)If the thought of working with bulky yarn wigs you out now that we are hopefully moving into the spring, don't forget about that scarf book I reviewed not too long ago - it's now available and has projects perfect for the warming weather!
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
A few more things...
I've been tagged for another meme - this time by Lalana
Here are the rules:
1. Once you are tagged, link back to the person who tagged you.
2. Post THE RULES on your blog.
3. Post 7 weird or random facts about yourself on your blog.
4. Tag 7 people and link to them
5. Comment on their blog to let them know they have been tagged.
Alrighty then...seven wierd/random things:
1) I like to read cookbooks - as in actually read them, not just browse them or look at the pretty pictures
2) I segregate my candy by color when I eat them - this goes for m&ms, skittles, smarties, sweet tarts, even nerds
3) I have a strangely high commitment to task - this can border on the obsessive, and it need not be about anything of particular importance. I once turned the house upside down looking for a missing sock. No, it was not handknit.
4) I like to save the best for last :) For example, if while dining, I am observed to be making a small pile of like objects on my plate, I may very well be saving best bits for enjoyment at the very end - or, I might be making a pile of the bits I don't like...
5) I really don't like walking on metal grating. Ever. I've an unreasonable belief that it's just not strong enough.
6) I seem to have a thing for shoes - but not fancy shoes like jimmy choos or anything like that - I've got a ridiculous pile of technical and outdoor footwear.
7) I know what it is to sit in complete darkness - and it isn't too scary once you get over thinking about monsters and scary creatures that like to lurk in such places :)
I'm going to tag: Raquel, Amy, Pam, Eva, Janet, Mariko and Thuy.
Here are the rules:
1. Once you are tagged, link back to the person who tagged you.
2. Post THE RULES on your blog.
3. Post 7 weird or random facts about yourself on your blog.
4. Tag 7 people and link to them
5. Comment on their blog to let them know they have been tagged.
Alrighty then...seven wierd/random things:
1) I like to read cookbooks - as in actually read them, not just browse them or look at the pretty pictures
2) I segregate my candy by color when I eat them - this goes for m&ms, skittles, smarties, sweet tarts, even nerds
3) I have a strangely high commitment to task - this can border on the obsessive, and it need not be about anything of particular importance. I once turned the house upside down looking for a missing sock. No, it was not handknit.
4) I like to save the best for last :) For example, if while dining, I am observed to be making a small pile of like objects on my plate, I may very well be saving best bits for enjoyment at the very end - or, I might be making a pile of the bits I don't like...
5) I really don't like walking on metal grating. Ever. I've an unreasonable belief that it's just not strong enough.
6) I seem to have a thing for shoes - but not fancy shoes like jimmy choos or anything like that - I've got a ridiculous pile of technical and outdoor footwear.
7) I know what it is to sit in complete darkness - and it isn't too scary once you get over thinking about monsters and scary creatures that like to lurk in such places :)
I'm going to tag: Raquel, Amy, Pam, Eva, Janet, Mariko and Thuy.
Monday, March 03, 2008
It's a new month....
you know what that means, right?
It means a whole whack of fresh yarn and a wee bit of fiber has hit the shop :)
Incidentally, I was able to do a mini "trunk" show for my knitting group - but since I don't travel with trunks, I used a gigantic IKEA bag instead...
that would be three and a half grocery bags full of yarn (the ziploc has one of my current projects in it) - and that's only a portion of what hit the shop this weekend!
As for the accounting, it's going slowly - I'm still trying to decide just what I think of quickbooks... after working on it a goodly chunk of the weekend, I still haven't gotten very far!
It means a whole whack of fresh yarn and a wee bit of fiber has hit the shop :)
Incidentally, I was able to do a mini "trunk" show for my knitting group - but since I don't travel with trunks, I used a gigantic IKEA bag instead...
that would be three and a half grocery bags full of yarn (the ziploc has one of my current projects in it) - and that's only a portion of what hit the shop this weekend!As for the accounting, it's going slowly - I'm still trying to decide just what I think of quickbooks... after working on it a goodly chunk of the weekend, I still haven't gotten very far!
Friday, February 29, 2008
That Time of Year Again....
...time to prep the finances for tax time. Eeeeek! Marble is smart - she's running away.As you can see, this year I will be upgrading to the 2008 version of quicken, and I am going to make the attempt at converting to an actual accounting program for Spritely Goods. I'm telling myself this is a good thing - and that it won't be too painful. We'll see how I feel after the weekend ;)
In much more interesting reading (or maybe not), Amy tagged me for the 6 unimportant things meme...
6 non-essentials about me (but may explain some of my oddities):
1) I aspired, at one time, to be a pastry chef...then I thought about being a personal chef...instead, I'm an engineer. And a fiber artist. But I still like to bake and play in the kitchen :)
2) I have my own unique style of organization - it always makes complete sense to me and I can most always find things when I need them....this method of organization sometimes completely baffles others.
3) Before I became an engineer, I went to a liberal arts prep school.
4) I have learned 3 languages (other than english)
5) Sadly, I only speak one moderately fluently - I'm completely illiterate in the other 2
6) I know what it is like to have a business of ferrets underfoot.
I tag the following:
Marie,
Angela, and
Cayli
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Knitting Progress
Knitting has been going on, just a mite slowly. The Miter Square blanket and the Secret of Chrysopolis lace have been languishing (Still stuck at 3 mitered squares, and the lace has stalled out in favor of easier knitting of late). Frolic has moved onto the couch, having been removed from my carry-all and replaced with a cuff down sock (I'm test knitting a pattern) - I'm currently on the heel flap...the other 2 pairs of socks are making slow progress as well - the reincarnated firestarters are at the beginning of the gusset, and the dark blue socks are also progressing quite nicely.I'm trying to decide if I want to attempt to lengthen the Scherherazade's Slippers by increasing the number of pattern repeats and various other modifications to make them knee length socks - apparently the original design ends somewhere mid-calf and may result in slightly slouchy socks...we'll see how much yarn I have to play with (I'm knitting both socks at the same time using separate needles and magic loop). Hopefully before long I'll have at least one set of finished socks to share!
Monday, February 25, 2008
I better get knitting...
I'm already 2 months behind!
I received a review copy of Twelve Months of Knitting: 36 Projects to Knit Your Way Through the Year
a while ago - and it's been sitting by my knitting pile waiting for me to tell you all about it. As you may guess by the title, the book itself is broken down by month - and right in the front of the book is a "weekly planner" that may help you plan your knitting - the planner includes the name of a pattern plus the general timelines for completion. Of course, the page for the pattern is also included for easy reference :)Projects vary with skill level (each month contains a pattern for beginners, intermediates and experienced knitters) and variety - from simple accessories like hats, bags and bookmarks household furnishings like lap blankets, pillow covers and placemats, to apparel including vests, cardigans and sweaters...even a couple of swimsuits - you're bound to find something to knit in this book. In addition to a wide variety in projects, the patterns include several that are targeted for men, others for women, and even some for children. Styling of the various projects also vary, providing opportunity to learn and develop new skills as you knit your way thorough the book.
Each apparel pattern is available in several sizes, and the patterns have easily followed directions. My only lament is the lack of charts for the cabled projects (of which there are quite a few) and some of the lace motifs. While I am able to knit easily from written instructions, my personal preference is to knit with charts when possible.
The photography in the book is beautiful - with nice clear photos of the finished projects. I know I found some inspiration just in paging through this book - I'm looking forward to queuing up some of the projects to cast on once I clear some of my current projects on needles (photos soon, I promise!)
Friday, February 22, 2008
Swoosh....
While it's cool out, my hair manages to grow out - I don't ever really realize how long it is - though photos from the half marathon (now available for browsing!) show my rather long ponytail swishing away - I guess that's a good sign, because it wouldn't do that if I wasn't actually jogging!A browse through the photos show that I apparently left the start line 6 minutes after the gun, so my "official" finish time was approximately 3:01:45. Not a sub three, but I'll take it happily :)
The skeiner and I are on talking terms again - it seems all the issues with that last skein of lace weren't necessarily entirely the skeiners fault. I had to scrap one more skein recently - seems I failed to inspect the skein properly before I dyed it - it seems a bunch of strands were either damaged or cut - I'm certain I didn't cut them in the unpacking process - mostly because the "knife" I use to open boxes isn't sharp enough to cut yarn. Anyhow, that particular skein was entirely unsalvageable and will be cut up and either used as samples or to tie bags shut. The other skeins that had more than their fair share of knots will be listed at a discount in the newly added "Naughty Skein" section of the Shop - if no one takes em, I'll be knitting with them because I don't mind the knots :)
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Let me eat cake.
Still recovering from the Half :) and still awaiting photos - almost as good as happy running photos is a photo of cake...Red Velvet - my current favorite and fascination, even though I've never baked one myself - this slice came from AJ's Fine Foods - quite tasty, but not as tasty as Melati's Red Velvet Cupcakes...her website isn't open for business yet, but she has been taking and baking orders - if you're local, you can inquire about her fantastic cupcakes by emailing her!
Knitting is photoless - but progressing - I've cast on for some rather fancy socks called Scherherazade's Slippers - I'll be trying to modify them a little as I go to accommodate my curvy calves - possibly making them one repeat longer to get up up over my calf and to my knees - we'll see if the yarn holds out :)
The firestarters and I are back at the beginning of the gussets - I'll be back to where I was pre-frogging in no time. In an attempt to eliminate bagginess through the instep, I shall be adding some ribbing in the sole.
In other news, a big box of yarn arrived - and is being prepped for photographing. I'll be having Malabrigo Silky in the shop soon!
Monday, February 18, 2008
13.1. It's Official.
Well over a year in the making*...I'm finally a Half Marathon finisher!
Weather: Sunny and cool in the morning with temps in the low 40s at the start, warming to a balmy 70+ degrees in the afternoon.
Gun Time**: 3:07:45
Watch Time***: 3:02:28
Max Heart Rate for the race: 195. Holy smokes. Looks like I need to adjust the programming on my watch ;)
* I had intended on running this half last yr but laid myself up with awful shin splints that resulted in a good 4 months or more of physical therapy plus new orthotics and a seemingly endless hunt for shoes
** read on for comments regarding the Gun Time
*** there is an actual likelihood that I actually finished in less than 3 hours - I had a post race brain shutdown and forgot to stop the timer - and then since I was wearing my Polar rather than my regular Timex, I had some operator error troubles :P
Race Wear: After much fussing, I opted for a Black 2-pocket GymGirl, a turquoise and white mid-sleeve v-neck, handknit wristlets, and my black Iron Girl hat
Apologies in advance for the lack of photos - I didn't bring a camera and DH was laid up at home with the flu - I'm now awaiting the official race photos, of which I expect to have some satisfactory images since I spotted at least 4 cameramen along the way :)
Night Before the Race, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring - except for me. With my pre-race jitters. I had intended to go to bed early and be well rested, but alas - at 11pm I was deciding on racewear and pre-pinning on my bib...by midnight I had set my alarm for 5:20am and had been laying in bed, listening to I don't even recall what program while knitting away on a pair of socks. I think I finally drifted off around 12:30am...only to be awoken by my loving cat at 3am as she uncharacteristically stomped around on top of me while purring loudly (normally, she sleeps at the foot of the bed, or next to my hip - I don't know what got into her that night!). 5:20 came all too quickly with the beeping of the alarm.
Hopped out of bed, slathered on the sun block and the body glide, donned the race wear and toasted and peanut buttered a bagel for the ride out to the race. Water bottle in hand, I was out the door with plenty of time to pick up some coffee enroute.
The drive out was dark, and uneventful with no traffic to be seen - until the exit that was designated for the race parking - but even then, with the stop and go to the parking lot, I still had a half hour or so to catch the less-than-5-minute shuttle to the start. A quick survey of the area revealed a bathroom with flush toilets! Hooray! No port-a-potty for me, thanks! After what appears to be the standard pre-race visit to the restroom, I got in the swift moving line for the shuttle....
And so the fun begins ;)
Apparently, the driver of the shuttle bus that I got on had been shuttling marathoners out to the marathon start - 25.x miles away from the parking area...can you guess where this is going? LOL - indeed, the shuttle headed out in the entirely wrong direction, then was finally stopped and redirected by a local racer - unfortunately, instead of heading back into the parking area to take the "normal" back way to the race start, they took surface streets and wound up dropping us off about a half mile away from the starting line due to the road closures for the race. This would have been okay if I had the time for the warm up walk to the start ;) but as I was walking briskly towards the starting line, I heard the countdown to the gun...and wound up watching the large field of half marathoners heading in my direction as they flooded through the start and were on their way - I still had to make it down to the start, and drop off my bag and sweatshirt for after the race!
**We interrupt this race report for more Stats for you:
The total field size was 845, the total number of women racers was 465.
My official time placed me well in the back of the pack, finishing 771st in the field and 403rd of the women.
Anyhow, I'm quite certain that by the time I had left my bag at the drop point for post-race stuff and made my way back to the starting line I had lost 10-15 minutes based on the impending countdown for the next race start time. Ah well, I was in it to finish - I had firmly expected to come in pretty far back in the pack. After all, due to my previous injuries and most of my training being relegated to a treadmill, my race strategy was to pace myself and run/walk the race with the intent of having fairly even splits as the miles progressed. To aid me in my quest, I had set up a fine selection of Podrunner Podcasts starting with 130 bpm, ranging up to 146 bpm - I figured the fixed beats would help me with my cadence and keep me on pace...after all, at these bpms, I was consistently training within my MAF zone, only having to resort to walking in the latter portions of my workouts.
...I was wrong. Apparently, the competitor in me was not happy about being so far behind - so even though I *thought* I was matching my running cadence with the 130 beats per minute of the tunes, I was apparently moving quite a bit faster...as was evident when I came up on Mile Marker 1 (11:34.5 with a Max Heart Rate (MHR) of 189 (oops - for your reference, my MAF training pace is 16:35-17:00)). Cripes. A definite newbie mistake - everybody warns about coming out way too fast at the start of a race. In order to try to calm my poor heart down, I wound up walking most of Mile 2 (15:00.6, MHR 174/Average HR (AHR) 166), mostly to see if it was possible to even get my heart rate down to somewhere close to my typical training zone - the answer for the curious is No - must have been the caffeine and the adrenaline - at least that's what I'm telling myself. Heading into mile 3 (13:09.4, MHR 184/AHR 179) I seemed to settle into my planned routine of running and walking - though I did it more adhoc rather than on a set time schedule - this was mostly done to accommodate the unanticipated hilliness of the course (It hadn't occurred to me to drive out and scope the course before hand - silly me). While the sun was rising in my face, I was still happy to enjoy the view of Superstition Mountain looming in the distance as the race course headed out along Lost Dutchman Blvd.
Mile 4 (14:12.8, MHR 182/AHR 175) was mostly dirt (as was mile 3, if I remember correctly. Graded dirt is definitely nicer to run on and noticeably softer than the pavement in some places due to recent rains). After getting past the backside of the hill known as the Dutchman's Revenge, my mind was still freely wandering while I continued to glance around, looking for early wild flowers (sadly, none to be found).
Mile 5 (13:08.3, MHR 185/AHR 179) saw the leaders coming back. They were looking plenty strong - while I highly doubt I will ever hit a pace like they were churning out (around 6:35 if I'm doing my math right), I do hope one day to be able to run the full distance of a half and look strong doing it!
Mile 6 (13:30.3, MHR 187/AHR 179) still going strong, and still passing people (hooray!) As I was getting closer to the turn around point, the leaders of the Full Marathon started to pass me by - they were moving at quite a clip and were seemingly untroubled by the distance. Some of these runners lapped me twice - as a leg of the race had all of us going up a street and then turning around - the full Marathoners had to run a bit further out before making their U-turn, thus the dual laps.
Mile 7 (14:03.7, MHR 187/AHR 187) I was still run/walking and still enjoying the light playing on Superstition Mountain.
Mile 8 (13:50.1, MHR 186/AHR 180) Starting to feel the burn, and slight aches, I switched from water to gatorade at the aid stations.
Mile 9 (14:14.8, MHR 188/AHR 180) As my focus began closing in more on the road and the immediate terrain (while still drifting off now and again as I spotted the occasional "for sale" sign on houses that we wererunning wogging by), I began wondering to myself if this was such a good idea. My shins were starting to give up the occasional prickle, and once or twice my calves had started to make initial noises of protest. I slowed a couple times to stretch and evaluate, and coax my legs into behaving.
Mile 10 (15:47.1, MHR 185/AHR 175) the Dutchmans Revenge. An aptly name hill, it's a tenth of a mile long, and rises 50 feet in that short distance - it's definitely a killer. I didn't even attempt to run it, instead, I took the opportunity to walk up while stretching my calves out along the way. The course at this point is mostly down hill with a few dips and corresponding rises along the way.
Mile 11 (13:44.0, MHR 187/AHR 178) I can see the the finish line in the distance as I continue on my quest - I'm still moving, though it's definitely taking more effort to remain running rather than walking.
Mile 12 (13:39.1, MHR 188/AHR 178) Thank goodness for the slight downhill grade - it's just enough to assist, without requiring the quads to chime in with braking power. I'm still determined to run as I can, slowing to a walk as demanded on occasion by my cardiovascular system.
Mile 13 (14:46.9, MHR 185/AHR 175) After beating back a hostile takeover by my calves and shins (I wound up walking longer than planned this last mile to calm the impending revolt), I rounded the corner back into Prospector Park and the finish line. Laid out before me was the finishing chute - and a mere 0.1 miles to go - determined to finish it strong, as I neared the mile 13 sign, I broke into a full out sprint, passing several folk along the way, it was such a joy to hear my name called out over the loudspeaker. I had finished!
I'm officially a Half Marathoner. It feels good - painful, but good :) My calves, shins and core are still having their revenge - I was hobbled a good portion of yesterday after the race (there were no options for an immediate ice bath and by the time I got home, I really didn't even want to contemplate burying myself in ice. Course, that may well have been my downfall.) Today, I'm still hobbling, though stairs don't hurt quite as much as they did yesterday. Laughing and sneezing though, are serious killers - I forgot how much my core hurt after I did my 5k last December...
I guess the big question is would I do it again? I think I have to say yes :) though I hope to be better trained next time - and will hopefully be able to run more than walk it. I managed to astonish myself with my finishing time, though now that I'm checking, the McMillan Calculator actually predicted my finish time pretty closely - at 3:04:26.
What's next? I've not decided - though if I can get my body back into a happy state, there's another 5k happening on February 29th!
Yes, I know the Half Marathon route is an out and back, and therefore the race profile should mirror itself starting at the 6.55 mile marker - I have no idea why it doesn't - isn't technology wonderful? I just find it hilarious that the hill called the Dutchman's Revenge appears as a rather prominent spike right at the end of Mile 10 - because that's exactly what it felt like!
Weather: Sunny and cool in the morning with temps in the low 40s at the start, warming to a balmy 70+ degrees in the afternoon.Gun Time**: 3:07:45
Watch Time***: 3:02:28
Max Heart Rate for the race: 195. Holy smokes. Looks like I need to adjust the programming on my watch ;)
* I had intended on running this half last yr but laid myself up with awful shin splints that resulted in a good 4 months or more of physical therapy plus new orthotics and a seemingly endless hunt for shoes
** read on for comments regarding the Gun Time
*** there is an actual likelihood that I actually finished in less than 3 hours - I had a post race brain shutdown and forgot to stop the timer - and then since I was wearing my Polar rather than my regular Timex, I had some operator error troubles :P
Race Wear: After much fussing, I opted for a Black 2-pocket GymGirl, a turquoise and white mid-sleeve v-neck, handknit wristlets, and my black Iron Girl hat
Apologies in advance for the lack of photos - I didn't bring a camera and DH was laid up at home with the flu - I'm now awaiting the official race photos, of which I expect to have some satisfactory images since I spotted at least 4 cameramen along the way :)
Night Before the Race, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring - except for me. With my pre-race jitters. I had intended to go to bed early and be well rested, but alas - at 11pm I was deciding on racewear and pre-pinning on my bib...by midnight I had set my alarm for 5:20am and had been laying in bed, listening to I don't even recall what program while knitting away on a pair of socks. I think I finally drifted off around 12:30am...only to be awoken by my loving cat at 3am as she uncharacteristically stomped around on top of me while purring loudly (normally, she sleeps at the foot of the bed, or next to my hip - I don't know what got into her that night!). 5:20 came all too quickly with the beeping of the alarm.
Hopped out of bed, slathered on the sun block and the body glide, donned the race wear and toasted and peanut buttered a bagel for the ride out to the race. Water bottle in hand, I was out the door with plenty of time to pick up some coffee enroute.
The drive out was dark, and uneventful with no traffic to be seen - until the exit that was designated for the race parking - but even then, with the stop and go to the parking lot, I still had a half hour or so to catch the less-than-5-minute shuttle to the start. A quick survey of the area revealed a bathroom with flush toilets! Hooray! No port-a-potty for me, thanks! After what appears to be the standard pre-race visit to the restroom, I got in the swift moving line for the shuttle....
And so the fun begins ;)
Apparently, the driver of the shuttle bus that I got on had been shuttling marathoners out to the marathon start - 25.x miles away from the parking area...can you guess where this is going? LOL - indeed, the shuttle headed out in the entirely wrong direction, then was finally stopped and redirected by a local racer - unfortunately, instead of heading back into the parking area to take the "normal" back way to the race start, they took surface streets and wound up dropping us off about a half mile away from the starting line due to the road closures for the race. This would have been okay if I had the time for the warm up walk to the start ;) but as I was walking briskly towards the starting line, I heard the countdown to the gun...and wound up watching the large field of half marathoners heading in my direction as they flooded through the start and were on their way - I still had to make it down to the start, and drop off my bag and sweatshirt for after the race!
**We interrupt this race report for more Stats for you:
The total field size was 845, the total number of women racers was 465.
My official time placed me well in the back of the pack, finishing 771st in the field and 403rd of the women.
Anyhow, I'm quite certain that by the time I had left my bag at the drop point for post-race stuff and made my way back to the starting line I had lost 10-15 minutes based on the impending countdown for the next race start time. Ah well, I was in it to finish - I had firmly expected to come in pretty far back in the pack. After all, due to my previous injuries and most of my training being relegated to a treadmill, my race strategy was to pace myself and run/walk the race with the intent of having fairly even splits as the miles progressed. To aid me in my quest, I had set up a fine selection of Podrunner Podcasts starting with 130 bpm, ranging up to 146 bpm - I figured the fixed beats would help me with my cadence and keep me on pace...after all, at these bpms, I was consistently training within my MAF zone, only having to resort to walking in the latter portions of my workouts.
...I was wrong. Apparently, the competitor in me was not happy about being so far behind - so even though I *thought* I was matching my running cadence with the 130 beats per minute of the tunes, I was apparently moving quite a bit faster...as was evident when I came up on Mile Marker 1 (11:34.5 with a Max Heart Rate (MHR) of 189 (oops - for your reference, my MAF training pace is 16:35-17:00)). Cripes. A definite newbie mistake - everybody warns about coming out way too fast at the start of a race. In order to try to calm my poor heart down, I wound up walking most of Mile 2 (15:00.6, MHR 174/Average HR (AHR) 166), mostly to see if it was possible to even get my heart rate down to somewhere close to my typical training zone - the answer for the curious is No - must have been the caffeine and the adrenaline - at least that's what I'm telling myself. Heading into mile 3 (13:09.4, MHR 184/AHR 179) I seemed to settle into my planned routine of running and walking - though I did it more adhoc rather than on a set time schedule - this was mostly done to accommodate the unanticipated hilliness of the course (It hadn't occurred to me to drive out and scope the course before hand - silly me). While the sun was rising in my face, I was still happy to enjoy the view of Superstition Mountain looming in the distance as the race course headed out along Lost Dutchman Blvd.
Mile 4 (14:12.8, MHR 182/AHR 175) was mostly dirt (as was mile 3, if I remember correctly. Graded dirt is definitely nicer to run on and noticeably softer than the pavement in some places due to recent rains). After getting past the backside of the hill known as the Dutchman's Revenge, my mind was still freely wandering while I continued to glance around, looking for early wild flowers (sadly, none to be found).
Mile 5 (13:08.3, MHR 185/AHR 179) saw the leaders coming back. They were looking plenty strong - while I highly doubt I will ever hit a pace like they were churning out (around 6:35 if I'm doing my math right), I do hope one day to be able to run the full distance of a half and look strong doing it!
Mile 6 (13:30.3, MHR 187/AHR 179) still going strong, and still passing people (hooray!) As I was getting closer to the turn around point, the leaders of the Full Marathon started to pass me by - they were moving at quite a clip and were seemingly untroubled by the distance. Some of these runners lapped me twice - as a leg of the race had all of us going up a street and then turning around - the full Marathoners had to run a bit further out before making their U-turn, thus the dual laps.
Mile 7 (14:03.7, MHR 187/AHR 187) I was still run/walking and still enjoying the light playing on Superstition Mountain.
Mile 8 (13:50.1, MHR 186/AHR 180) Starting to feel the burn, and slight aches, I switched from water to gatorade at the aid stations.
Mile 9 (14:14.8, MHR 188/AHR 180) As my focus began closing in more on the road and the immediate terrain (while still drifting off now and again as I spotted the occasional "for sale" sign on houses that we were
Mile 10 (15:47.1, MHR 185/AHR 175) the Dutchmans Revenge. An aptly name hill, it's a tenth of a mile long, and rises 50 feet in that short distance - it's definitely a killer. I didn't even attempt to run it, instead, I took the opportunity to walk up while stretching my calves out along the way. The course at this point is mostly down hill with a few dips and corresponding rises along the way.
Mile 11 (13:44.0, MHR 187/AHR 178) I can see the the finish line in the distance as I continue on my quest - I'm still moving, though it's definitely taking more effort to remain running rather than walking.
Mile 12 (13:39.1, MHR 188/AHR 178) Thank goodness for the slight downhill grade - it's just enough to assist, without requiring the quads to chime in with braking power. I'm still determined to run as I can, slowing to a walk as demanded on occasion by my cardiovascular system.
Mile 13 (14:46.9, MHR 185/AHR 175) After beating back a hostile takeover by my calves and shins (I wound up walking longer than planned this last mile to calm the impending revolt), I rounded the corner back into Prospector Park and the finish line. Laid out before me was the finishing chute - and a mere 0.1 miles to go - determined to finish it strong, as I neared the mile 13 sign, I broke into a full out sprint, passing several folk along the way, it was such a joy to hear my name called out over the loudspeaker. I had finished!
I'm officially a Half Marathoner. It feels good - painful, but good :) My calves, shins and core are still having their revenge - I was hobbled a good portion of yesterday after the race (there were no options for an immediate ice bath and by the time I got home, I really didn't even want to contemplate burying myself in ice. Course, that may well have been my downfall.) Today, I'm still hobbling, though stairs don't hurt quite as much as they did yesterday. Laughing and sneezing though, are serious killers - I forgot how much my core hurt after I did my 5k last December...
I guess the big question is would I do it again? I think I have to say yes :) though I hope to be better trained next time - and will hopefully be able to run more than walk it. I managed to astonish myself with my finishing time, though now that I'm checking, the McMillan Calculator actually predicted my finish time pretty closely - at 3:04:26.
What's next? I've not decided - though if I can get my body back into a happy state, there's another 5k happening on February 29th!
Yes, I know the Half Marathon route is an out and back, and therefore the race profile should mirror itself starting at the 6.55 mile marker - I have no idea why it doesn't - isn't technology wonderful? I just find it hilarious that the hill called the Dutchman's Revenge appears as a rather prominent spike right at the end of Mile 10 - because that's exactly what it felt like!
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Can't we all just get along?
Behold! The firestarters....and what appears to be a perpetual sock line, even though I haven't been out hiking in quite some time. LOL - the things that become apparent with photographs!Sadly, it seems I'm having a run of bad luck with my projects, those socks that look so lovely up above actually have some issues.
It seems that even though I already made one needle size change after knitting the toe, I wasn't able to bring the gauge down quite enough - while they fit, they are a little baggy and loose - especially noticeable at the heel....so I've frogged em and started over on US0s.As if that wasn't traumatizing enough, my skeiner ate a skein of lace weight yarn last night - it was the first and last skein of the evening, the skeiner was put into the corner for a time out. We'll be having another discussion tonight. (Why yes, that does mean that the dyepot has been busy :) ) The good news is the skein wasn't a total loss - it just has too many knots for me to want to put it up for sale, so I'm now looking for a suitable lace pattern to cast on for.
I'm thinking I might have to knit the Irtfa'a Faroese lace shawl - it's gorgeous....and newly added to the shop. I've knit rectangular lace, and triangular lace - faroese lace would be new :)
Monday, February 11, 2008
the Long and Short of it.
Elbow length cabled gloves, knit by me - details over here - not too many details because I made them up as I went along and failed to take notes.Wrist length mitts, knit by Kiki - out of Spritely Goods Sidhe yarn in the Garnet colorway - Kiki had heard me talking about how my hands get cold and work less properly when I get stuck on the computer for long periods of time and she took pity on me by gifting me those lovely mitts. I adore how they pooled - they look really neat when they are on too with the expansion of the 1x1 ribbing and the way the colors stack up in the fabric - sadly I had to take these photos of the mitts on the table since I had no helper to assist with the photography.
I thought both projects were fitting with the current Project Spectrum element of Fire - partially due to the color, but the cables on the long gloves also remind me of the licking flames of a large fire.
In other fiery news, the Firestarters were off to an exceptional start, and I turned the heels and finished the heel flaps yesterday - sadly, I suspect they are going to the Frogpond to be ripped and redone on US0s. I'll take photos so I can show you the glorious colorway though - I'm really enjoying the knit, so I don't think I'll mind re-doing it (at least not too much anyhow). Stay tuned :)
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Happy New Year!
Happy Chinese New Year :) It's the Year of the Rat, which is typically marked as a year of renewal and opportunity. May your year be wonderful and full of health, good cheer and prosperity!
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