Tuesday, August 30, 2005
Well, this is just ridiculous...
So I'm still unpacking here in Chicago. I should learn to never make promises before I unpack. First I couldn't find the card reader. Now I can't find the camera which still has the memory card. Not to mention the fact that my internet connection isn't hooked up yet, so I'm writing this in a lab which may or may not let me hook up the card-reader WHEN I FIND the card.
Just keep checking back. Ugh.
Monday, August 29, 2005
A Plea
Please come back this evening / tomorrow morning for a new post. Normally I wouldn't troll for hits like this, but I've wanted to post all weekend. The problem is that my card reader has been packed up since Thursday and this coming entry really requires visual aids. You won't regret it. :-D
Wednesday, August 24, 2005
Deep End
The Boyfriend and I were on our way to the South Hills after helping a friend move some furniture. (Hope the bookshelves were a nice surprise.) Driving up Murray Ave, I noticed that the lights were on in the Knew Knitting Store. "Stop the car!" Yeah, I've made some sort of transition into insanity in the past year. But it's an insanity I'm sure most of you will understand.
We knocked on the door and asked if they were open, "not yet! But come on in!" Perhaps it was hubris, perhaps it was God's mercy, whatever the case, I had left my wallet at home. We talked to the owner, Stacey (note the spelling difference). I think she's intent on making the the store a place where people come to knit more than a place to buy yarn. As you can tell from the business card [I'm posting this at 4 AM...insomnia...and will have a pic up ASAP], her motto is that the store should be a "Close-Knit Community." Cheesy puns aside, I thinks she's built the store to do just that. It's HUGE! Just...HUGE!!! High ceilings, no walls, tons of open space. Two sitting areas for just needling away. A table in the back for classes. And the yarn, oh the yarn. Now, when I first started blog reading, all I knew about in terms of yarn was the good ol' PK&B. I would drool at projects on other people's blogs and think...ok...exactly how hard is that to find?? This store has all the "popular yarns" I've ever seen the veteran bloggers use. There's a whole blissful wall of Debbie Bliss, and one of Rowan, and one of Cascade, Manos. At this point my memory just gets blurry due to extreme fiber overload. Ask The Boyfriend. I was giddy and doing a modified happy dance (due to sitting in a booth) all throughout dinner.
Their official Grand Opening isn't until September 10th, but she's having a "soft opening" this Saturday. Hours unknown, but the card says they open at 10 AM on regular Saturdays. I considered pitching a tent...too over the top?
Tuesday, August 23, 2005
Presbyterians don't have Phone Booths, but...
Stitchin' Seminarian: Bless me Sweater, for I have sinned. It has been several months since my last FO.
Sweater: Oh dear me. That is a bit of a stretch. But sometimes it's about the process and not the finished product. So we won't dwell too much on that. Why are you really here?
SS: Well, it's um...it's. I've sinned. I've transgressed. I'm a horrible knitter!
Sweater: Talent has nothing to do with morality. Oh! You weren't talking about your skill. You feel you have done something wrong?
SS: I'm an adulteress!
Sweater: A Harlot?
SS: No, not a Harlot, just an adulteress. I don't come close to her skill.
Sweater: Have you been unfaithful to your Unfinished Objects?
SS: My UFO's! My WIP's! All of them!
Sweater: Sometimes details help.
SS: Well, see. ::sniff:: Here's the thing. I'm at the point where I have to think about the Huge Potato Sack --
Sweater: Huge Potato Sack?
SS: Yeah, the HPS, the Harry Potter Sweater.
Sweater: YOU'VE BETRAYED A SWEATER!
SS: I KNOW! I'm so close to being done! The sleeves are done, the back is done, the front is done, the front is BLOCKED (on that wonderful blocking board I found in the attic!!! Unused! For 30 years!). The pieces are around me all the time. I find myself thinking, "if only I had a few hours..." I could block the damn thing -- sorry, Sweater -- and get the neck together.
Sweater: Well, first off, swearing at the poor thing will not do it any good --
SS: That's debatable.
Sweater: -- and clearly it's going to take you some time that you simply don't have. Perhaps you could work on it Monday when you're back at school and have nothing to do for a day. I absolve you of this particular sin.
SS: But...it's not just that I haven't had big chunks of time...I have had little moments. A 45 minute car ride, a half hour or so in the evening. I could have cast on Samwise's second sleeve. I could have done a row or two of Clapotis...but... ::sniff:: ...instead... :::SOB:::.
Sweater: WHAT. Did. YOU. DO?
SS: I all happened so fast. I don't know how it quite came about! At first I thought, oh I'll just start it out, just to see how the yarn looks. Then I thought, oh, I'll just do to the end of the toe. But then! Somehow it spun out of control. Suddenly there were cables and a pattern and the varigation is just SO SEDUCTIVE!!! No pooling! No streaking!
Sweater: I see. You must sever all ties with this project.
SS: But! I'm in the middle of a row!
Sweater: Doesn't matter. Your knitter's soul is hanging by a thread.
SS: It's not thread, it's yarn actually -- Trekking XXL.
Sweater: I DON'T CARE. For your penance, you must cast on for Samwise's other sleeve. That shall be your car knitting now. And three repeats on the Clapotis. Finally, you must banish this object of your adulterous behavior to the bottom of your WIP basket, not to be picked up until you finish the Huge Potato Sack or whatever HEATHEN nickname you've given such a divine garment.
SS: ...
Sweater: I know this punishment may be severe, but I think you've done this in the past, and for such behavior to continue --
SS: Shut up...I'm at a cable twist.
Friday, August 19, 2005
So Many Things...
There's so many items for the blog today, I can't decide whether to make this random, or to pace myself and spread it over a few days.
I'll start with the good news: The camera reappeared yesterday on the kitchen counter. Somehow it ended up in my dad's car (probably cause I moved it to the bottom of the driveway for the garage sale). But it's back, so I can unleash this adorable picture on you.
Let me assure you that it all went downhill from this moment. This was right before the high point of selling the big screen TV. Aside from that, the total on the day was like $50. I have to admit, I simply don't understand people's tastes. The hideously ugly wooden owl statuette went, the almost never used roller blades did not. Nobody would deal, it seemed as if nobody wanted anything that we had to offer. By Sunday, we resorted to ironic yet humorous posters.
But none of that helps when you only get four people to the top of the driveway. I'm convinced that's what it is...the driveway. The LOOOONG daunting even to us young'ns driveway.
By the end of the weekend, we didn't do that bad, actually. The big items made up for selling less than $100 worth of chotchky (yes, Ginge, I still use that word). But I think that from now on, I'm just going to donate the little stuff to the Veterans or Goodwill or something and sell the big stuff in the paper straight.
Knew Knitting Digs
I was thinking about saving this for another day, but I'd really like to get the scoop credit on this over the other Pittsburgh Knitbloggers.
There's a new LYS moving into the Pittsburgh area, hopefully before I go back to school next weekend. I found a Post-Gazette article that mentions it close to the bottom.
Sorry there, Jill, I don't mean to betray, but a new knit store within WALKING distance of The Boyfriend's apartment! That's NOT PK&B? My heart -- it's all atwitter! I drive past it on the way back from Justin's pretty much every day. I've been watching the progress VERY carefully. At the beginning of the week, there was a big mannequin with a very loud pink boa...I think...I wonder where that went. There's boxes of yarn all stacked up in the windows. Part of me wants to go knock on the door to help unload just to get a sneak peak. Alas, there's too much to do here.
Wednesday, August 17, 2005
Fixation
The digital camera is missing. See, we had the garage sale Saturday and Sunday. Then my parents were having a realtor come do a walk-through on Monday -- the first step in listing a house. Anyway, the place had to be all neat and purty. The day. After. The garage sale. So the camera got stuck somewhere at the height of the cleaning frenzy and I can't find it. No, I don't think anyone stole it.
It sucks, though, cause there are so many things I need to take pictures of for you guys, for ebay. That was to be my plan for the day. Rah. The good news is, I'm fixated on the poor missing camera and hope to find it during all the packing that I'm doing instead today.
Buh-bye for now.
Friday, August 12, 2005
Desperation
Work is getting accomplished at Casa de Parentos de Seminariano. Check out the haul...
Justin and I are spending the day getting the "big stuff" out to the garage. Paintings, exercise equipment, and this:
Two words: Yarn Storage. Wait -- why am I selling this??? It's priced now, though. There's no turning back.
All of this garage sale/moving mania has left little time for knitting. Fear not, drastic steps are being taken so that hopefully, HOPEFULLY, I'll have an FO or two to show you by the end of the summer.
A few minutes at a time, a few stitches at a time.
(Note to bloggers: When in doubt of an entry, always go for the toilet humor.)
Tuesday, August 9, 2005
Slooow
Has the website been coming up slowly for any of you? I eliminated the buttons for the blogs that most everyone knows in an effort to speed things up, but I'm not really feeling the impact. I may have to cut down the entries per page. Hmm...
By the way, I posted the garage sale on Craig's List. There are good directions from the DownTown area posted. LOVE that website. LOVE IT!
Short post today. Mom's just returned with more boxes.
Monday, August 8, 2005
Busy Week!
First off, I hope you all have read Stacie's wonderful comment to the last entry. Phew!
Big News
There is other news afoot at the Seminarian's house. The folks have decided to move across the state to be closer to the litter grandchildren in Philadelphia. I have to say that walking around outside, I feel a little bit sad as I think about saying goodbye to my childhood home, knowing that my parents are going to be the "out of town grandparents" to my kids. The new house, while an AWESOME 80 year old shell that has been gutted and is completely new on the inside, will never be "my house" but "Mom and Dad's house." I mean, we've lived here for just under 20 years! It's the only house I really remember. On the other hand, this is going to be an excellent opportunity for all of us to clean out junk and get rid of things. My rule is that if it has no sentimental value or no historical value, it goes. Unfortunately, I'm feeling in a sentimental mood today and desire to keep EVERYTHING!
The news that goes ALONG with this news is that the smallish garage sale that will culminate my summer cleaning-out of attic/basement binge has become the "pre-moving" sale.
I'd like to formally invite all of you on the Pittsburgh Webring (as well as any other readers in Pittsburgh) to come to it. This Saturday and Sunday (I know, the Seminarian's working on a Sabbath. But the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath) 9AM-3PM. There is some yarn, but it's all acrylic. Email me for directions. stitchinseminarian[at]yahoo[dot]com
Stitchin News
While the newly announced move and the nearness of the garage sale has left little time for knitting, I did spend last weekend up in the country in Bradford, PA (maps.google it...there's nothing for around!) and got some knittin done roun' the fire.
The Lorna's Laces Lion and Lamb now smells wonderfully of camp fire. I can't describe it's old smell. Perhaps just old sheep. While I took both Clapotis and the Huge Potato Sack on the trip, I decided that the Clapper really hasn't been touched much all summer. I'm almost done with the straight section, maybe two or three more repeats. I've gotten over the trendiness of this one for love of the yarn. Man, as I had it nestled in my lap all weekend, I was LOVING the softness, the weight and the warmth of it. I'm was considering giving it away as a gift, but I'm thinking twice about it. McCormick's A/C is legend.
Probably due to the Massive Clean-Out that has started in EVERY ROOM of the house while I was gone, I was feeling a bit nostalgic last night. I chose the name Stitchin Seminarian because I've always loved more than knitting. While digging into the closet last night, I was inspired to spend about an hour before bed working on this:
(You may have to tilt your head to the left to see what it is)
I've returned to "painting pixel by pixel" as my cousin has called it. Don't expect the blog to make a total turn around to cross-stitching. Don't expect my knitting WIPS to go neglected. I just felt the need to work on things long neglected. I started this wizard eight years ago. EIGHT. YEARS. AGO. I don't even have QUILTS that are that long in the tooth. Stop drooling Stacie, you'll short out the keyboard.
We'll just have to see where this goes. I may have done it to purely justify not putting all my cross-stitch stuff in the garage sale.
Back to the pitching and packing and pilfering.
Thursday, August 4, 2005
Trivial
You ever have a moment in your day when you realize that all the events that have given you a big emotional response recently are extremely trivial, meaningless, nothing?
Most of you don't know Stacie, but she's a regular reader / friend of mine here in Pittsburgh. You guys who read all owe her some thanks because last year around this time, when I had pretty much given up on blogging, she said, "I check your blog every day to see if you've posted." She got me started again. And when I lapse in posting, thinking of her checking every day "on a break" ;-) to see if I've posted is always ALWAYS what gets me posting again.
She needs all of our good thoughts today. She and Adam. "Hold them in the light" as the Quakers would say. Say a prayer for them if that's your thing. We just need to wash her and Adam in waves of positive thoughts. It could be another bad day, or it could turn out to be a really really "Thank God, the Goddess, and Everyone In Between" Day. Let's all work to make it the latter.
Stacie, you have all of our support.
Which One of These is Not Like the Others?
Which one of these things just doesn't belong? Can you tell which thing is not like the others before I finish this song?
This is where I store my yarn while in Pittsburgh:
Classy, antiquey. To me, it's an ancient cabinet that my grandparents used to store decks of cards and other board games. The rumor was that my great-grandfather made it, but I somehow doubt it. For those of you with a well-trained eye for antiques, you'll be able to tell me that it's a washstand (or as one Pittsburgh Seminary professor put it to me: "It's a toilet! You'd put your chamber pot in the lower section!" Greaaat. Now it's where my yarn sits while I'm at home. Yes, I transport my whole stash back and forth. You never know when inspiration will strike.
This is where my yarn rests while in Chicago:
Now admittedly, I did jazz it up with the wonderful bowl-o-yarn sitting on top, but you really can't deny that these are just a bunch of plastic bins better left in a dorm, a closet, or under the bed. Certainly not for display. When I moved into the new, "more adult" apartment, I decided that I couldn't really dress up the plastic bins enough to make them blend in with the decor. I began the quest for a less refugee-esque yarn cabinet. I checked out Target, Ikea, to look for ideas I tried out the Old Allegheny Shoppe but was not yet willing to spend $600 on a corner cupboard for my yarn. I needed something about as skinny as the old bins, and perhaps a bit taller to allow for some expansion (although I could move the more "embarrassing" portions of the stash into the plastic bins in the closet).
Here's what I found yesterday:
I found it at a store called Furniture Emeritus down in the Strip District yesterday. God bless The Boyfriend for having a broken car and needing me to pick him up! This store is wonderful horrible. Don't ever go there and steal all the stuff I want! The skinniness is perfect! The look is perfect! It even matches my apartment furniture! The three shelves are remarkably deep and have plenty of space for stacking skeins. There is one downside, though.
For those of you who remember Bertha, you'll know that my knitting finds tend to come with a unique...bouquet. In the case of the new yarn cabinet, which shall be named Phyllis, the scent is not stale tobacco cigarettes but stale...illegal cigarettes. Well, no, not really. But the wreak of petchuli certainly makes me feel like I'm at a Grateful Dead concert. I will NOT have my yarn smell like a college radio booth. Any suggestions? Lysol is my first plan of attack.
Into the fray!
P.S.
The first Samwise Sleeve likes the yarn cabinet too.
Monday, August 1, 2005
Decisions, decisions...but good ones
This past weekend, The Boyfriend, the Momster and I went out to Chicago to move my stuff out of hell and into my new living space. I kept singing the Annie song, "I think I'm gonna like it here." No pics of the new room, you'll have to wait til it's fully decorated.
The weekend did produce some good knitting news. With more than 8 hours of total knitting time on the way out and back, I was able to spend a little time on the Isle of Sleeve.
While it wasn't as much as I expected to get done (I admit that an optimistic outlook as bright as the sun is a fault of mine), I've been repeating the mantra "you had an inch when you started, you had an inch when you started" which has greatly improved my disposition this morning.
More good news arrived on a wing and a prayer this morning.
YAY!!! Thank you efficient British post! My second Harry Potter Pack arrived today! Rejoice, I say! Rejoice!
Hmm...but which do I continue? Which do I commit to finishing first? While I started Samwise the Sweater first, I swore I'd finish the Huge Potato Sack first. While I have more finished on the Huge Potato Sack, I'm more curious to see how Samwise will fit.
Did I mention that indecisiveness is also one of my traits?
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