Episode 6: Vicious Knitting

No real need for many show notes this week. But here are some links to the books I talked about.

Ann Budd's

the knitter's handy book of sweater patterns

Loiusa Harding's

Modern Classics

Knitter's Magazine

Shawls and Scarves

Blue flowers for a Blue Lady

Ah summer, thank god it's here!

I Wanna be Sedated

I'm not sure how I feel about this or even this

Give me your take and then I'll try to find some time in the next day or two to expound upon my opinions.

For now I'll just say that I have a real problem with the whole notion of "Pretty in Punk." Just saying...

Show notes: episode 6

In this episode I talk about all kinds of things; some craft related some decidedly not!

Cheryl Oberle Folk Shawls
Knit and Tonic's Temari Balls
All about Temari Balls
Dog Hair spinning websites:
Chiengora Chic
Spinning my Dog's Hair
The Spinner's Dogge (tm)

Cicadas in Illinois
I'm so not looking forward to this shitstorm emergence at all.

Closing music: The Suburban Struggle by G-Wiz>Podsafe Music Network

Episode 6: Shawls, chiengora, and cicadas!

I'm it!

Dee tagged me. So here it goes, seven random facts about me.

1. I was born on Palm Sunday. The doctor wanted my mom just hurry up so he wouldn't be late for church. I think he made it.
2. I've also never steeked.
3. I still occassionally fantasize about living in a highrise apartment in a big city. (Then I wake up to the sound of the birds in the woods)
4. I still fantasize about living on a real working farm with all kinds of animals and a big organic garden.
5. I've never been on any kind of organized athletic team.
6. I personally think that curbside garbage pickup is the second only to indoor plumbing as the greatest invention of modern man.
7. I prefer solid color yarns for actual knitting, but like to look at the pretty handpaints. I don't believe in collecting yarns just for the sake of owning them.

hmmmmm, who do I tag?

Shannon
Stephanie
Erin
Emily

Show Notes: episode 5

In this episode I talk about
dog food reviews,
recycling sport coats,
past, present, and future knitting projects (I'm going to join a class for the Lily of the Valley shawl!)


Links
My Skype account name is: Snarkdog
Dog Food Review
Whole Dog Journal
The My Eclectic Mess Message Board

Join me on my next great adventure!

The Eclectic Mess Message Board!!!!

Come on over and register and join in the fun. Actually, at this point, just come on over and start making some fun. So far I'm the only member and I need company.

For any of my readers that aren't familiar with message boards I encourage you to jump in and give it a go. It is a great way to make new friends, get ideas, share information, etc. A message board is also a great way to build community. I'd love to be the one to bring together my readers, listeners, friends, family and stalkers into one big happy community. I call dibs on being the village idiot though!

For right now I'm leaving membership to the board open to anyone that wants to join. I'm also going to keep it unmoderated for the time being. If we grow huge, get a bunch of asshats, or spammed I reserve the right to step in with an iron knitting needle and start poking people in the nupps until they behave.

Fat bottomed girls on bicycles (and a meme)

It is another beautiful day here in Illinois so I was motivated to get up off my big butt and go for a bike ride this morning. Little E rode her bike to school this morning so I rode her to the corner and then we went our seperate ways. I did a quick 3.5 miles around a neighboring golf course community and then decided to see if I could also ride to my gym. It is located in a shopping center about 2 miles from my house. With the exception of one killer hill, it wasn't too bad of a ride. Fortunately the busiest road on the route has a bike path along it so I don't have to deal with traffic.

Ironically the act of actually riding a bike TO the gym is evidentally an oddity. The bike rack is located directly in front of the windows that all the cardio machines look out toward the sidewalk and parking lot. After locking up my bike and entering the gym all eyes on the machines turned toward me and gave me the oddest look. Granted, I had a bad case of helmet hair and I was wearing my baggy "Have you given your Big Dog a hug today?" t-shirt but still. It was like they'd never considered riding an actual bike in the real world before instead of plugging in headphones and watching tv while exercising. They should all be thankful that I wasn't wearing the official cycling nerd uniform of spandex shorts and a cycling jersey, I would excuse a lynch mob if I went out in public wearing spandex in my current shape.

Anyway. I calculated that I rode approximately 8 miles total, did 20 minutes of upper body weights, a set on the ab machines all in about an hour. I also had a good excuse to jump in the pool when I got home to cool off. I won't count the two half-assed laps back and forth toward my exercise quota, that would be silly.

Knitting meme after the jump

Inspiration!

I thought I was burning out on knitting and knitting socks in particular. Then I bought Charlene Schurch's two Sensational Sock books. I also enhanced my stash two weeks ago with a ball of Lana Grossa Meilenweit Cotton in 'Teal' at Friday Knitting to make Little E a pair of socks. But she didn't like it all that much, figures. So last week before heading to Michigan, I stopped in at the LYS for a complimentary color to do some fair isle socks. Mini-Me suggested the 'Forest' color, I was reluctant and didn't think it was going to work.

I stand corrected.

So in support of Jen who now must knit fair isle, when she really wants to knit lace, I will be also knitting fair isle. Granted, I'm only doing two colors, not every color ever dyed, like some people.

In other news:
The pool is open and almost ready for action. I fully intend to spend my Mother's Day lounging and floating, weather permitting.

My trip to Marlette, Michigan this weekend was a nice time. The drive always sucks but what can you do. The sea of orange traffic cones and one lane interstates did allow the girls and I an opportunity to check out my old stomping ground. We hit the East Lansing area right at rush hour. We later learned that this past weekend was Michigan State graduation and Friday was "move out" day on campus. So in order to wait out the traffic congestion on I-69, we exited at the Haslett/Okemos exit and visited my home away from home for the years 1985-1989, the Okemos Meridien Mall. Times have certainly changed, lots of development and new stores. Case in point, you can now get body piercing and tattoos at the store next to Victoria's Secret. Fortunately, you can also still get a Three-Cheese Olga at the Food Court. Yummmmmmm.

Because we dinked around at the mall a little longer than necessary, and we encountered yet another spring crop of orange traffic barrels around Swartz Creek, we didn't pull into the old homestead until 10:30pm. That darn time change messes me up every time.

Saturday morning found the girls and I clearing the local drug store shelves of mascara and pantyliners and prowling the aisles of the Marlette Thrift Store and Antique Shop. Didn't find any must haves but it was fun to look at all the goodies with the girls. Saturday afternoon we drove 30 minutes to my childhood BFF's house. She and I lived together in East Lansing the summer after high school graduation. Obviously we've settled down a lot in 20 years. We shared one six pack of Coor's Light and I was home to the farm by 8:30 so E could play a game of Dominoes with Grandma and Grandpa.

After another fun-filled car drive home the girls and I were home safe and sound. I wish there was some way to convey the experience that is taking a car trip with me and Mini-Me. We plug in the iPod and listen to whatever we feel like, from Pantera to the Wiggles with some Avril Lavigne thrown in for good measure, and when we get tired of that we listen to MuggleCasts and compare our latest Harry Potter theories. We also make up weird car games. I thought we'd discovered our claim to fame, but someone beat me to it, Roadkill Bingo.
I had some variations however. First of all, if you are the cause of any roadkill, you must clear your card and start over. Also "Rubber Necker Full Card Bingo" occurs when you are in stop and go traffic jam caused by rubber necking an accident scene and you witness the actual removal of victims. I'm sick I know, my only excuse is that it was late in the drive and I was getting punchy.

I didn't get to go on the big Magic Bus trip but I obviously had a fun road trip anyhow.

Podshow PDN {podshow-045d3d0eb682489478a5edf4c6ab01c1}

Episode 4: take two

the other post wasn't going to the feeds right so I'm trying again...

Someday it won't take me all day to get this shit together.

can.mp3

Episode 4: shout outs, art dolls, book reviews, and music!

I just relistened to this after some editing. Seems my editing ghost struck again. Don't freak out, it was just a ghost in the machine as it where...

Show notes: episode 4

Direct Link to this episode: CLICK HERE!

Shout Outs:
Pamela Penney
Emily Parson
Flip Books

Bookshelf
Sensational Knitted Socks
More Sensational Knitted Socks
Hypocrite in a White Poufy Dress
Haute Handbags
Twilight


Artdoll links
Edwina Dolls
Fairy Wool Dolls
Doll Street

Notes about Podcasting
I think I've fixed the problem with listening to my podcasts directly through the java player embedded in the blog. This next one shouldn't sound like Alvin on Crack.
If you want to listen to these on the go, I'm now up and running on iTunes, Zencast, and Podcast Alley. You don't need an iPod to listen to podcasts. Stick it to the man (apple) and get another brand of mp3 player if you'd like and download them to it instead. I personally have a Zen MicroPhoto (IN PURPLE!) and use ZenCast to download all my podcasts. I've found many of my "flashing 12" answers at Podcast411.com

Closing Song
Take off your Tshirt if you can't name a song by the band that's on it by WWIII on Podsafe Music Network.

Ready for summer!

The sun came out to motivate me to finish the Hempathy Essential Lace Tank. All it took was some pattern reading for comprehension, a few notes to keep me on track, counting of stitches, more counting, recounting just to be sure, and then just knitting both the front and back to length and casting off. The crocheted edging around the armholes finishes it off nicely and makes up the shoulder straps. I'm so glad I knit this in the round to the armholes. If I had to seam it when it was all said and done, well, it probably wouldn't BE done!

Details:
Pattern:Essential Lace Tank, IK Lace Style (I knit the 45" size)
Yarn:Elsebeth Lavold's Hempathy, color #017, six balls (take that Carla! I totally called that it would only take 6.)
Modifications: I knit it in the round to the armholes, eliminating the selvedge stitches.
Notes: The Hempathy (34% hemp, 41% cotton, 25% hemp) is a perfect substitute yarn for this tank. It knits up with a lovely soft drape and I think the hemp/cotton blend makes more sense for a summer tank that the alpaca lace weight called for in the pattern. I also think this "green tea" color is a nice hue for summer, it is one of my newer favorite colors.

Now it just needs for me to lose 35# and tone up my arms a bit to be a perfect summer accessory.