Only in 3s

I don’t want to post this on Facebook, but I wanted to do it anyway, so here goes:

Three names I go by:
Elizabeth
Elspeth
Beth

Three jobs I have had in my life:
Librarian
Pharmacy Technician
Victoria’s Secret salesperson

Three Places I have lived:
Washington, D.C.
Los Angeles
New York

Three Favorite drinks:
Coffee
Cherry Coke
Milk

Three TV shows that I watch:
The Office
In Plain Sight
The Closer

Three Places I Have Been:
France
Czech Republic
Scotland

Three people who e-mail me regularly:
Chris
Carrie
Armando

Three of my favorite Bars (all in D.C. …):
9:30 Club
Black Cat
Ireland’s Four Provinces

Three things I’m looking forward to:
School starting again!
Going back to the gym.
Going to L.A. on New Year’s Eve.

Three foods i love:
Pizza
Cake
Cookies

And in other news, I completed my 7th sweater for NaKniSweMoDo. I finished my Extra Easy… Sweater by Lion Brand. I actually cut off the bottom edge of the back and crocheted an edge. It’s still a bit off from the front unfortunately. I crocheted edges on the sleeves, and only sewed on one button instead of the four required. “It’s sure warm” – Better Off Dead.

I Turn My Camera On

So about 3 weeks after my trip to NYC/Maryland, someone finally “found” my camera! Apparently Dylan decided he needed to hide it under his bed, and only brought it out when Oren decided he wanted to make a video with it! So I have a lot to discuss.

First of all, I was very, very busy on my trip. I hand sewed two items, almost 3, and knit one. I also finished a few books.

I created the “pattern” for this, based on the really easy knit shrug patterns:

I realized later I should have just used a pillowcase. It really feels like it. But I really like the look.

Then I started 2 different boleros with the same pattern. All I have to do is finish the sleeves on this one, and the other is black:

Then finally during my trip, I brought only one knit project, and finished it on the trip home:

I like it, and really just created the pattern on the fly, but the sleeves are a bit too wide for their length, and the yarn is acrylic, so I may end up passing this on to a worthy recipient.

Since I got back I started and finished another project. It’s the Rolled Collar Shrug from an old Family Circle Easy Knitting. I started with 5 balls of Tahki Cotton Colori, and knew I had at least 3 more of a pink and red version, but I could only find one ball. I ended up making this:

and THEN I found the rest of the Cotton Colori! Not to mention that I ran out of black, so I ended up substituting double stranded Elann Connemara in black, and it worked out just fine! Both are chain-looking cotton yarns. So I’ve still got 3 balls, I think, of Cotton Colori, 2 in pink and one in red. And the rest of the Connemara.

And finally, I pulled out some WIPs to finish. I am just about done with Lion Brand’s Extremely Easy Sweater. Unfortunately it is made all in one piece, and I made the back way too long. So I compensated with the front, and so it’s shorter. I don’t think it will look bad on, but it is definitely too hot to try. I just need to knit the sleeve edging and sew on 4 buttons, which I don’t have, or can’t find.

I also found this bottom of a sweater and had no idea where I was going with it, but I didn’t want to pull it out. So I started a top, raglan style, and ended up grafting (3 needle bind off) the two together this weekend while getting religion and watching “The Secret Life of the American Teenager” (HORRIBLE acting). Now all I have to do is the sleeves, and I have another sweater.

Since it is no longer portable, I started yet another sweater, for no good reason, and just brought out my Baccarat Player. More on that later.

Undone

I think when I realized I was knitting mostly sweaters this year I joined NaKniSweMoDo. I thought I should finally come clean about how that project is going.

1. Mr. Greenjeans, February 2009
2. Juliet, April 2009
3. Lollipop, June 2009
4. Malabrigo sweater, June 2009
5. Volare Bolero, July 2009
6. Rolled Collar Shrug, July 2009
7. Extra Easy, Extra Fabulous sweater, August 2009
8. Baccarat Player, August 2009
9. Fake Fair Isle sweater, September 2009
10. Diva, September 2009

Not done and/or frogged:
11. (Black) Cherry Bomb (frogged, sort of, 10/11/09)
12. Better than the Real Deal (to be frogged, 10/09)
13. Red/red sweater started using Cascade 220 and Cascade 220 superwash, both in red. ** I’m going to frog this, I’m pretty sure**
14. Pink asymmetrical raglan: as of 10/11/09: past the sleeve area.
15. Juliet in pink/red oddballs (frogged, 9/8/09)
16: Rolled Collar Shrug in red (frogged, 9/7/09)
17: Daniele Did This One (to be frogged, 10/09)

I Just Want to Have Something To Do

On vacation in Maryland – can you believe I have no desire to shop for yarn? I’m also having television withdrawal. But I am getting more sewing and reading done, and playing Brain Age more often, so I guess it’s a good thing! Only 10 more days until I’m back to normal.

Just like Romeo and Juliet

So I officially finished my Juliet today. That is, I crocheted the button loops and sewed on the buttons. I even wore it, which is a big step for me! It really looks great and was a lot of stash busting, including double stranding most of my burgundy colored yarns. Down 13 skeins of yarn!

While I was walking the kids to camp, another mom smiled at me. I thought it was because of the kids. Then maybe my tattoos. But maybe, just maybe, she is also a knitter and recognized the Juliet pattern!

I also officially finished my huge Malabrigo sweater a week or so ago. I had planned on trying to felt it down, but it’s my friend “Elaine Lowe“’s birthday on Friday, so I figured I’d start by giving it to her. She’s 6 feet tall and it was too big for her!!!! Just a bit big, though, and I told her she could felt it a bit down if she wanted. I really loved the toggle (sorry, “clasp” ) I bought and sewed on, and I think it looks great! I hope she enjoys wearing it.

Meanwhile, I’ve been reading up a storm for the Library usage challenge. I’m almost halfway done, and have a HUGE pile of library books on my kitchen table! I borrowed 5 today and I think 5 yesterday, all being impulse purchases!

I’ve also been knitting. I am on the sleeves of my random acrylic shrug/cardigan. One day it was the only yarn I had in the car with me, and I had to cast on!

I also started my shrug/cardigan thing from Knit Picks Shine that I frogged from A Good Bias from IK. D’oh … can you see what’s missing? If this were pants and I was Heather Mills, it would be fine:

But as you might know, I am not a really particular knitter, I prefer to get things done, so I’m just going to increase until I have the right amount of stitches and then move on. Talk about a Franken-sweater (Go Al Franken!)

One week

So we’re T minus 4 days left of the school year, so I spent this week getting caught up on “adult” movies and other things before I go full time into my “nanny” job for the summer. I got a lot of knitting done, did some crocheting, possibly started getting carpal tunnel syndrome, and even read a bit.

Monday: I saw “My Life in Ruins” and worked on my acrylic raglan sweater (to be called my “Julie’s February Sweater” because of it’s closeness to both Juliet and the February Lady Sweater). The movie was enjoyable. Nia Vardalos capitalizes on her Greek heritage once again by casting herself as an American tour guide in Greece who finds her “kefi” (mojo) and ends up becoming a better tour guide than the professional she works with.

Tuesday: Cinemark Theatres has a “summer movie clubhouse” every summer and I’ve signed up for the past 3 years. This year I didn’t do any research ahead of time, and it turns out that only one of our local theaters is involved and it’s mainly the movies we’ve seen last year and the year before. But I already bought the passes (each pass is $5 and gets you into 10 movies) and since the kids are still in school, I decided to go see “Igor” on my own. It’s actually a pretty good animated movie (except that Molly Shannon plays a main character and I cannot stand her). The premise is that there is a land with “evil scientists” and “Igors” and John Cusack plays an “Igor” that invents and wants to become an evil scientist himself. I don’t know that I’d want to see it again, but it was entertaining once. I brought my raglan sweater made out of Knit Picks Shine that I frogged from my ill-fated “A Good Bias” shrug years ago and am just about to finish the body on at this point.

Wednesday: I was VERY lazy and actually slept all day. The best perk of being a stay at home mom whose kids are in school. I never get sick days so I guess I can count this. I’m in trouble if I ever manage to find another job but so far no luck, so I’m somewhat rested at least!

Thursday: I went to see “The Hangover”. It was (f-ing) hilarious!!! I really would see it again, it was that good, except that some of that was the unexpected nature of the mystery and the wacky characters. Again, with the acrylic shrug thing. I’m almost done!

Friday: So many errands to get done before school ends on Friday! Well, technically, it ends on Thursday, and Friday morning is a 2 (3?) hour performance at school. Oh joy. At least this year we’re getting seats so I can knit. Anywho, I went to Target, the bank, Fresh Choice and to see “Up”. I had heard that the dogs in the movie could be scary to some kids, and I can believe that (my MIL was justifying how they got “friendlier” later on in the movie, but my kids are REALLY afraid of dogs), but really, what got me the most about the movie was how Carl’s wife died and their relationship, and how poor Russell was the product of a “first marriage” and didn’t see his dad at all. I should have brought a hankie or two! All in all, very cute and heart-warming.

Saturday: I missed the first of the two official KIP weekends this year. I knit, spent time carrying around a LOT of library books (I’m up to 15 at least in the library book reading challenge!), and cooking. I also started watching the documentary “Al Franken: God Spoke”. I like Al Franken. He’s a bit weird, especially in this documentary but really smart, and his heart is in the right place. Recently I also listened to a stand up comedy podcast with Janeane Garofalo and felt a bit the same way – how can you honestly “hate” or give death threats to someone just because you don’t agree with them politically? Honestly – TURN THE CHANNEL! It’s not like either of those two are on every channel every day and you can’t get away from them. And I think both of them are very talented. “Frankly”, I couldn’t get through the documentary because his opponents were just so hateful. I’ve never understood why people need to tell you (me) what to do, especially, when they don’t do it themselves. If you want to live your life a certain way (religiously, pro-gun, anti-choice, whatever), feel free. Just don’t tell me that I have to do what you say I have to do, when you’re actively not doing it yourself.

I suspect I won’t see any movies next week (there aren’t any more to see!), and will spend the week gearing up for my very difficult summer, but at least I did a lot last week!

Lisa Librarian

I’m finally officially joining the Support Your (Local) Library Challenge (I’m joining with the caveat, if this is necessary, that I am not a huge fan of our city’s libraries, but we are connected to other cities in the county, so I’ll be using the others that aren’t technically our “local” library but are within walking distance!) I went to the library on Friday, and was disappointed to see that their system was down and we could only check out 3 books manually at the desk! I had had 6 but oh well.

So I’m going to read as many library books as I can this year. I use the library and also don’t really like to hold on to books (more room for yarn!), so this isn’t that hard, except for finding the books and the time to read. I’ll go officially for the 50 book limit. Here’s my list so far:

1. X Saves the World – Jeff Gordinier
2. I Killed – compiled by Ritch Shydner and Mark Schiff
3. Dead Until Dark – Charlaine Harris
4. Living Dead in Dallas – Charlaine Harris
5. Club Dead – Charlaine Harris
6. Dead to the World – Charlaine Harris
7. Dead as a Doornail – Charlaine Harris
8. Definitely Dead – Charlaine Harris
9. All Together Dead – Charlaine Harris
10. From Dead to Worse – Charlaine Harris
11. The Worlds 20 Worst Crimes – Kate Kray (should be titled “The World’s Worst Edited Book”!)
12. Lizard Music – D. Manus Pinkwater
13. 10 Strategies for Reentering the Workforce – Mary E. Ghilani
14. Dinosaur Bones – Bob Barner
15. No More Pumpkins! – Peter Catalanotto and Pamela Schembri
16. Wanted! One Good Mouser – Paulo Campos
17. Twilight – Stephenie Meyer (I’ve decided that ALL the humans in this series are annoying on my 2nd read of this book. Charlie being the best of them.)
18. The Education of Robert Nifkin – Daniel Pinkwater (very nice story. I thoroughly enjoyed this one. Not too long, not too short.)
19. Extreme Animals – Nicola Davies
20. Brave New World – Aldous Huxley
21. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest – Ken Kesey
22. A Family Called Bronte – Paula Guzzetti
23. Sucker Bet – Erin McCarthy (I really enjoyed this one. I’d rather read a series about Gwenna and Nate solving crimes than more Sookie Stackhouse books.)
24. Body Movers 3: Three Men and a Body – Stephanie Bond
25. The Field Guide to North American Hauntings – W. Haden Blackman
26. Dead and Gone – Charlaine Harris
27. 20 Years of Alternative Music – Spin Magazine
28. The Dilbert Principle – Scott Adams
29. Comic Relief – ed. Todd Gold (pretty funny – a collection of comedy from the Comic Relief specials)
30. I Have Chosen to Stay and Fight – Margaret Cho (Why did I like her again?)
31: Body Movers – Stephanie Bond
32: Body Movers: 2 for the price of 1 – Stephanie Bond
33. Body Movers 4 – Stephanie Bond
34. High Stakes – Erin McCarthy
35. Bit the Jackpot – Erin McCarthy
36. Notes from a Small Island – Bill Bryson (I liked Walking in the Woods better.)
37. 5 Bodies to Die For – Stephanie Bond
38. 6 Killer Bodies – Stephanie Bond (good ending of the story arc so far)
39. Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs – Molly Harper (uninteresting – I couldn’t even finish it)
40. Carrie – Stephen King
41. I Only Have Fangs For You – Kathy Love
42. My Sister is a Werewolf – Kathy Love (2/4 of these books done – they’re racy, but good. Lots of “soul mate” talk.)
43. Jane Austen Book Club – Karen Joy Fowler (I liked the movie too.)
44. The Bell Jar – Sylvia Plath
45. Fangs but no Fangs – Kathy Love
46. Party Crashers – Stephanie Bond
47. Fangs for the Memories – Kathy Love
48. Friday Night Knitting Club
49. Bled Dry – Erin McCarthy
50. Any Way You Want It – Kathy Love

8/16/09: I did it!

51. I Want You to Want Me – Kathy Love
52. Losing It – Valerie Bertinelli
53. Traci Lords: Underneath it all – Traci Lords
54. You’ll Never Nanny in this Town Again – Suzanne Hansen
55. My Life in High Heels – Loni Anderson
56. Does Anybody Have a Problem with That? – Bill Maher
57. How to Lose your Ass and Regain your Life – Kirstie Alley (horrible!!!)
58. Here’s the Story – Maureen McCormick

The End

I am in a finishing frenzy! I recently finished my Lollipop sweater, having crocheted a border around the neckline and edges. I don’t know if I love the edging, but the Berroco Softwist matched pretty well with the Noro Silk Garden I ran out of. (I still need to weave in the ends ) The front and sleeves are all color 84, and I used one ball of 84 and two other colors for the back. It looks better than I might have expected.

Even though I only have 1 1/2 inches left of my Juliet, it’s been on the back burner because there’s lace to finish and I have been in places where I need to pay less attention to my knitting lately, so maybe I’ll bring it out sometime before winter when I can wear it again

So meanwhile I have been knitting furiously on my Malabrigo sweater (formerly Clementine’s Cardi) and finished all the pieces last night! I’m in the midst of piecing it together right now!

BTW, I’m doing more tweeting than blogging because there’s less pictures and more discussion of these relatively boring projects – you can see it on my site or here.

One piece at a time

Well, I’m nearing the finish line on my Malabrigo sweater, formerly Clementine’s Cardi.  I frogged the two fronts as far as I needed to and they have become the two back pieces, because they’re in rib and I didn’t like the look of the rib as much as the stockinette.  Then I frogged back the “sleeves and top back” piece that I couldn’t get to fit with the fronts, and made them into two front pieces, in stockinette with a 1 x 1 rib border.

I am FINALLY done with the fronts and the backs. I have knit on this sweater everywhere: knitting group #1 in Belmont, CA; knitting group #2 in Burlingame, CA; walking with my kids before school; the San Francisco Zoo; and today at the park near the Maker Faire, among other places.  I also started the first sleeve (I’m thinking 3/4 sleeves) at the “Night at the Museum 2″ movie yesterday.

Sorry for the crappy picture. I’m short. I have a crappy camera.

I’ve been busy otherwise, as well. I started the Cherry Bomb tank from Big Girl Knits, and finished most of the front and back on my knitting machine this weekend. I just need to finish the upper back and the edges so the stockinette doesn’t curl, then I’m done. What to do with the rest of my Dale of Norway Sisik?

Lazy Monday

I spent last night watching the SNL Shorts show. As per usual on SNL shows this century, there were 5 amazing ones, and the rest could have been kept in the vault. Of course one of the best was “Lazy Sunday”, where Andy Samberg and Chris Parnell (one of my favorites on SNL – I was unhappy when he was fired and happy when he was brought back) discuss the movie “The Chronicles of Narnia”, Magnolia cupcakes (I went there last summer in NYC and I was unimpressed, but then again I don’t smoke so maybe when you have the munchies they taste better? ), and other snacks.

On one of my more recent trips to Portland, my friend A. showed me the You Tube sensation, Mark Feuerstein (“Caroline in the City”, among others) doing his answer to “Lazy Sunday” – “Lazy Monday” (“because in L.A. none of us have jobs so every day’s Lazy Sunday”). If you have spent any time in L.A. you will love it. I loved the Thomas Guide reference, the Coffee Bean, and watching the Color Me Mine references (one of my other favorites was when Snoop Dogg had his show on MTV and he did a sketch about his posse spending time at Color Me Mine. Classic!)

Of course I’ve loved the Martin Short, Harry Shearer and Christopher Guest “Synchronized Swimming” sketch, “You’re not angry, you’re just pointing …” and another classic that A. introduced me to, “D*** in a Box” with Andy Samberg and Justin Timberlake. But one of the funniest was one I had never seen before.

There was a sketch, apparently, where Ricky Gervais tells that his inspiration for the British version of “The Office” was based on a Japanese show, and he shows a clip. Of course this Japanese The Office is exactly like the American version of The Office, only they have added some Japanese stereotypes (the girl laughing with her hand in front of her mouth, the bowing, and Karaoke) and everyone is talking in Japanese. Sooo funny!

Meanwhile, I was getting my Clementine’s Cardi ready for updating. I ripped back at least 30 inches of knitting on four pieces, and am knitting each of the 4 back to 15 inches long, where I’ll follow a pattern from The Knitters Handy Book of Patterns and make a new cardigan. So far so good.

Also yesterday, my MIL and I did our Mother’s Day outing – the most delicious brunch at the Ritz in Half Moon Bay. It was so nice to get out of our heatwave (it’s gone, thank God, today and was around 70) and to the coast. She also lent me her camera cord, since Brett’s is the same as hers. So without further ado, I give you my Clapotis by Machine:

and modeled by Oren (as our neighbor calls him):