Saturday, December 26, 2009

the sally gap hoodie!

previously i mentioned a little lake in ireland.

six or seven weeks ago, i decided to make a sweater that tried to capture the same shade of blue.

i think i've done it!


this one is a little bit of cabling, to be reminiscent of an aran sweater, but not so much cabling that i want to poke my eyes out. the cable crosses were every third row, instead of every row or every other row; so that made it a bit easier to handle.


There is cabling on the sleeves as well, so that alleviates the stressed stitches usually found in raglan style sweaters.


there is only one teeny weeny mistake that is easily corrected- one sleeve is short a cable repeat so it's about 3/4 inch shorter than the other, and the cuff is done with larger needles on that sleeve, so it's a bit too loose, but that's super easy to fix- i'll do so in few days or so.

Friday, December 18, 2009

at the risk of being a broken record....

I do love those Bouncing Souls.


THE BOUNCING SOULS "Airport Security"

Bouncing Souls | MySpace Music Videos


They are soooooo good. They have such good stuff. So true to themselves and their place in the "here and now". Agreed, as they get old, they get a teeny bit less frenetic, but they are no less emotional, original, and creative than they were twenty years ago.

The latest album is a 20 year anniversary album; called Ghosts of the Boardwalk. It's pretty good. It's got anthems and acoustics; harmony and pounders; thoughtful lyrics and some that are just for fun.

If I were a Jersey Girl, I would be at every single show at the Stone Pony next week; alas, I'm a Masshole, so while I take East Coast F*#k You directly to heart, I think it's better to let the locals have all the fun.

It's hard for me to pick a Bouncing Souls Best playlist; even harder to pick a favorite album, which is as near as makes no difference to impossible. I suppose I would have to go with most played souls album. What is it? Dunno really. Probably the self titled, but it could be Hopeless Romantic, Summer Vacation, Maniacal Laughter, or even the Gold Record. The Gold Record is a top drawer album- especially considering that it's one of the later albums. Often the later work of musicians can be the weaker of the library; but not so the Souls. I'm not sure yet if Boardwalk stacks up yet, but I didn't skip any tracks, so that's a good sign, isn't it?

Monday, November 23, 2009

here's how i do a grocery bag!


so you start with the four sheets (2 of lining, 2 of outside). each one sewn opposite pattern, right side together


then you turn one of the halves right side out.


then you take the one you just turned right side out, and put it inside the one that's still inside out, with same patterns and right sides facing.


(this is just another piccy to show you how it should look)


then you take it to your machine and sew the inside of the handle. (like the inside of a tube).


after all this, and you pull everything right side out again, it should look like this. the two patterns will be back to back, as they should be on the finished bag, and then all you need to do is sew up the side seams (right side and same pattern facing) and then do the bottom as you wish.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

if i had ny own house....

there is a moderately long list of things i would like to have. some a dealbreakers others are just wishes.

I'd like to have a sewing room. Perhaps a futon or murphy bed in there for guests, but primarily it will be a sewing studio.

I'd like a room to sit and read. a small telly can go in there too.

NO telly in my bedroom! you might think i've forgotten how to read before bed!

I'd like a small yard where i can send the cat outside. a basement to put the sandbox in would be good too.

i've got fab curtains i made for sofia's appartment. she returned them when she moved home to lisbon. It would be nice to use them. I would like my kitchen to be pale spring green. I'd like my bedroom to be blue, and the bathroom to be pale yellow again.

I'd like a user friendly kitchen, and a gas cooker would be a extra special bonus, and i'd like enough space to have people over for sunday lunch!

Thursday, October 29, 2009

i wonder why i've been so quiet

it's not that i have nothing to say, it's just that i'm distracted i guess. Some of it i blame on facebook. While i really do love the connection to long lost friends and those who live far away; in a way, it's cut into my creativity. The decrease of posting my life's inanities is directly corollary to the increase in time spent on facebook.

the thing i'm not so crazy about facebook is that it's a bit like sensory overload. it's not unlike the school cafeteria; there's a lot of talking going on- sometimes over each other. So i do like it, but sometimes it's hard to be coherent.

Currently i'm studying for the cptb exam, and i'm getting nervous, because i haven't spent enough time doing so, but on the other hand, i'm also feeling sheepish because i haven't yet worked on the lisbon photos, or holiday shopping or much of anything! yeeps! i need more hours in the day!

Monday, October 12, 2009

lame journalists

honestly, i don't know why i continue to read boston.com and the globe. I mean i'm all for calling a spade a spade, and i do like it when journalists are matter of fact and all, but i also like it when they have unfailing faith and love for their team; i like it when they can say "Just wait til next year!" with the rest of us.

the way bob lobel and gil santos can do. but no. Since gil santos is a patriots guy, and no other media outlet has given bob lobel a job (foolish), we're stuck with dopes like the curly haired boy, bob ryan and tony massarotti. I used to think mazz was a beacon of hope in an otherwise dim landscape at the globe, but today he has sealed his fate with me.

i don't mind that we didn't beat the angels. honestly. i really don't. we didn't hit very well this series, and we didn't pitch championship pitching. I do not mind that the angels came in and did both those things. but for mazz to pen an entire article about the possibility of being on the decline isn't at all the same as saying the angels were a better ball club.

Do you really want to go out before the 09 season is completely over, and say 2010 is going to be a non-race year for us? is that really the kind of fan you are? Are you such a clever "journalist" that you aren't even a fan anymore? Today isn't a day to be mr prediction, it's not for being edgy and apocalyptic, you asshole. today isn't the day to flatter yourself or blind us with your quote unquote brilliant baseball analysis.

Today is a day to be a fan. Today is when you say, "wait til next year! We'll get you next year!"

Thursday, September 24, 2009

here is my list of things to accomplish this fall.

i'd better get on the stick, because today is september 24, and the list is pretty long. Gah!

knitting projects:

1. dayflower cardigan, using the stupid Rowan felted tweed that i made into the cabled raglan and haven't worn once.
2. Jade cabled hoodie using the super fab knitpicks kettle dyed wool of the andes
3. i must finish mom's pullover. it would be super fantastic if i could do so for christmas but alas, as it has sat untouched for two whole years now, i rather think that's not in the cards.
4. christmas hats for the kids. i've got some done, one i'm on the fence over. if it doesn't look a bit better after a trip through the washer, i'm going to skip hats for the girls, and only make them for the boys.
5. I'm so close to completion on the stripey socks i can taste it. trouble is, the project is so exceptionally BORING that i can hardly bring myself to complete even the last bit of the toe on the second sock. I'm still not too sure why people are SO enamored with knitting socks.

and there's more!

there are other projects too!

Argh! how am i possibly going to get all of this completed?

household projects
1. paint the cabinet boxes
2. paint the livingroom and bedroom
3. replace the dishwasher and fridgerator

work projects
1. study for the pharmacy tech exam! that's on december 3! I have to get back at studying.
2. complete the cbt's for the new fill system at cvs.

social projects:
1. christmas shopping
2. open house viewing
3. confirmation classes with catha

Friday, September 11, 2009

i have to admit, i didn't realise...

until i arrived at work. Is that a sign of complacency, or of recovery? The thing is I don't think it's adequate enough to remember September 11 just on the anniversary. And I don't think it's appropriate to simply remember those who lost their lives. I really feel that we must live our lives in honor of and as a legacy them.

We are no further forward in world stability and serenity than we were nine years ago. Is that down to the politicians? Perhaps. Probably. But i also have to admit, I think it also falls down a little bit on us.

I know in my heart of hearts that the way to world peace is open-minded compassion and caring. I know it takes two to tango, and if only one person at the pugilistic party holds these to be self-evident then they have a rather tall order, but I don't care. I'm going to be that idealist. I hold a serious responsibility to look after my fellow man (even when they make me angry); and if Ii can't look after him, then do no harm to him.

It often seems like there aren't many people willing to do that part of it (the tough part) the looking after; and for that matter, I'm probably not as good at it as I should be, but that's what I like to renew on September 11. I like to renew my effort of caring; to try to spread the message of peace. Surely I can't be alone, won't you join me?

Thursday, September 10, 2009

here's one thing i'm not sure i understand:

in the wake of the fairly substantial polemic separation, as well as all the somewhat "la la la la la! i can't hear you! especially when i shout horrible half truths louder than you!" campaigning tactics, i still haven't gotten to the bottom of WHY people are so opposed to universal coverage.
what's so objectionable about it? really objectionable, I mean. What are the real CONS to hammering out some kind of system in which everyone has health care? i'm not talking about costs, nor about illegal residents. Those are somewhat separate facets to the convo, that i'd like to keep separate for now.

No, what i want to know is why is it a BAD IDEA to have health coverage for everyone? I'm really interested in what could possibly be the drawback to achieving SOME sort of system where everyone has some kind coverage?

Up to now i've not seen anyone address this, not even the staunchest republican detractors. I just can't believe that even these detractors feel that our current system is effective. But perhaps i'm wrong maybe they really DO think our way of getting healthy and staying healthy is effective; i mean they haven't really offered any possible OTHER options. Like, Well Mr. President, democrats, and us citizens; we hear what you're saying, we need health care reform. Here's what we came up with, what d'you think of these ideas?

To this point they haven't brought anything to the table, so i need to know, Is this whole thing a terrible case of typical republican game strategy, or d'you think they really think it's disadvantageous to have some sort of coverage for all americans?

Tuesday, September 08, 2009

the cocoon lace stitch pattern clarified (i hope!)

alrighty, so someone wondered if i can clarify the cocoon lace for them. Well, as is always the case with projects that i can analyze to death, i have done so. I hope. (raspberryconverse, apologies for the crap photos)

so, here's the set up row (this is done in a swatch style, so there is a 2 garter stitch binding at each end). You should have already started the pattern and done a row or two of *knit 5, p1, k1, p1* Also note that this was done at midnight, and the pattern wasn't in front of me, so the right side wrong side might be a bit jumbled.


now, you've knit 5 tog (however is most comfortable, be it k5tog OR slp2, k3tog, p2sso) and you get to this spot here:


the next step is the actual making of one by lifting the bar. be careful that you lift the bar in such a way that there is no gap resulting from it. you don't want a lace eyelet there. then you just knit front back front, and then lift the next bar. then you knit one, and purl 5 tog to start all over again.


While these piccies are of super high quality, this one here is probably all you really needed in the first place (but what can i say? i'm a wordy person, and if there's explaining that needs doing, i'm your man, ma'am.)
=

Saturday, August 15, 2009

the first dunkin donuts run!

when you have a new car, you do silly things. Like document the first time you go to dunkin donuts!


so here it is, the first Two Donut Friday in the Super Black!

Friday, August 14, 2009

i'd like you to meet The Super Black!

isn't he fab! A special shout out and thank you go my friend sanjay. (Though he mostly knows my friends debra and ben, i sincerely hope he doesn't object to me calling him that as well) He's very skilled when working with dealers, and he's not a waffler! no wishy washing from him! (it's a good foil those of us with fold-like-a-lawnchair tendancies).

This is the first car for which i've ever really done research, test driving, comparison shopping, and consumer reports investigation. It's also the first one where i did all the appropriate research on credit scores, interest rates and so forth. I did a fair amount of searching around dealers and all, and then found the car that was within my budget, yet was also within my expectations on looks.

I traded in the trusty space pod;

and while the space pod was indeed trusty, it was close to the edge of his life- i don't believe he would have survived another winter. No, that's not true, he would have survived, but using him was no longer comfortable. the heater had gone, and the radio was beginning to crap out; so driving him was unpleasant. structurally, and mechanically, once the brakes were replaced (which was simply a wear and tear repair- not a fault of the car), he would have been good to go, if you don't mind being cold, with nothing on the beatbox. No, after ten years, and 140,000 miles it was ok to trade him in. (~sniff!)

The super black is indeed super, i love it so very much! it goes like the clappers, handles like it's on rails and goes 450 miles on a single tank! i won't even mind sending the car payment every month and really, that's the best thing. if you've gonna have a car payment, you should love the car.

Friday, July 31, 2009

even more than an 86 year drought

This will test our mettle. Anyone can hop on board in 2004 after 86 years. But i'll tell you what- this is a better litmus test of a fan's dedication than even the shittiest of shitty years.

And it seems to be pretty clear some fans in boston aren't fans at all (I'm looking at you Dan Shaughnessy, bob ryan, and regrettably, even you mazz.

How quickly you all are to dump him, seconds after it comes across the wire. The sports wire for crissakes!

How fast you are to pen your knee-jerk and reactionary articles before all the facts are released. So lets have a look at an important thing that's lacking; creditable sources. Your only source has thus far been a new york times article which in turn cites unnamed, untraceable, and anonymous sources itself. if i were writing a highschool term paper and turned in crap like that, i'd get a D.

Have you done any investigative work on this project? Have you gone to the New York courthouse yourself? Failing that, have you even done any kind of due diligence and called the lawyers involved in the case to cajole them into corroborating statements? So far, i have not seen any indication that you have done so. Essentially you have been nothing more than a sports version of perez hilton and TMZ. Shame on you.

You don't even pretend to offer an innocent until proven guilty possibility. For crying out loud- you leave it to Nomar and Youk to point out the holes and reasonable doubt that is all over this stupid "list". Kudos to Amalie Benjamin and Nick Cafardo to put their byline on something that is a bit more than thinly veiled op-ed snippets masquerading as journalism.

This is going to test our mettle as fans, and my sox are red. I've long ago dismissed the late '90s and early 2000s as the steroid years; and d'you know what? those bombs over the green monster? Still pretty awesome. And d'you know what else? Steroids don't affect timely hitting; A Clutch is a clutch hit. How far you hit it is irrelevant.

Until i get ALL the facts, i'm as pleased as punch to have ortiz on our roster; and along with mike lowell- i'm not giving my rings back, so don't ask.

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

my latest sweater!

here's the sweater i finished last night.


it came out so good, if i do say so myself! it totally fits, there isn't a single mistake on it, and it's made of smooshy soft yarn made for wool and silk. Silk! ooooh la la!

'tis a bit too warm to wear it today, but i yam anyway, because i just finished it last night!



Thursday, July 23, 2009

help me with a playlist?

so i've decided that we should all dance more. the next family gathering we have were going to do some dancing! Mom even agrees that the Living room is a good dancing room, now that the orange rug is gone!

so here's my preliminary playlist. You'll note that some of them are clunkers, but are fun none the less (i'm lookin' at you captain and tenille!) Some are in jokes for heidi and i, and others are dancing staples.

Now, true to form, i have thought far too much about this, but that's ok, it's fun for me. But i'll to open it up to suggestions. i'd like tunes from all eras, but i'd rather they weren't too terribly obscure, and they've got to be dance=ish.

please, dear readers, note that this has to be moderately PG-13. a naughty word here and there is ok, but we can't have parental advisories all over the place.



post replies of your ideas, i can't wait!

Wednesday, July 08, 2009

Everyone needs a sweater style tea wallet!








and here is how you can make one!

it's fabulously easy, and is a good project for learning and practicing the very basics of knitting. knit, purl, use of a pattern and row counting. Plus, you can make it with scraps!



you can click the photo of the pattern to make it bigger, and then print or save it to pdf!

Monday, June 22, 2009

woo hoo! what a day!

first, the game. the game was early in the morning, 8.30- not my most favorite of kick offs. but we were there, and it was a full squad- and my gosh, were we all amped up. Yesterday was the championships you see, and regardless of the level of play, the league being played, or whether the players are a bunch of young studs, a collection of slightly creaking joints, or a mix of the two, the championships are the championships; and anyway you slice they are something else.

so yesterday was epic. nil-nil going into half time. 0-0! That in itself was crazy, because both of us teams were goal-scoring teams over the season. So it's no score, and at half time we regroup a little bit; but we hadn't done so enough, because they drew first blood on us, only about four minutes into the half. yeep. but lets see if i can get this right- i think dan scored the equalizer 10 minutes or so later, and then they went on top again on a bit jumbley clearance from the 18. I think Kris got the second equalizer with around 15 minutes left. gosh, High drama at lancaster!

so it went back and forth for the last 14 minutes until there was a big mix up in FC United 18 box, and Davey Pitts comes away with the go ahead into the far side of the net, with something like 1 minute 27 left on the clock. sweet georgia brown, what a play!

If i'm totally honest, we didn't really play our best soccer; But that's ok, because we sure as shit played the hardest, most aggressive, and most dialed-in soccer we've played all season long, and that was what pulled out the win. in the end, both teams really had left it all on the pitch the only thing left was to go have a bbq with a band (a real live rock n roll band!) and sit in the hot tub at kris and april's.

gah, what a day!

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

gosh but this is heavy

so, i haven't been paying enough attention to the voting in tehran. I should have but i'm remiss.

Often times i get too tangled up in fairly mundane shit that's not important, as i think americans in general do as well. The thing is, there's a big huge world out there; with big, huge problems. Just because they may or may not affect us, or have an impact on our every day lives, Doesn't make them any less horrible.


go have a look at the photos,
you'll see what i mean. There's no way to tell who's who; there are no signs on anyone. Just by looking at the photos, we can't see any placards: "i voted for mousavi" or "Hell no, we won't go, Ahmadinejad all the way!" no, the only thing i see when i look at the photos are people; handsome men, gorgeous beautiful ladies, moms, dads, aunties, sons, daughters, wives, husbands, old people, children, and they are all getting beat up.

people in tee shirts and nike shoes, suits, work clothes, laptops and cell phones scattered in pieces. cops and rioters clubbing each other. Rocks and pepper spray. it's absoloutely awful. All those people- all those injuries.

A curious thing is that i don't know that there's anything i can do. Posting here helps some, but really, how can i fix it? I'm not brave like those people who go to the peace corps, i'm definitely not brave enough to demonstrate for my candidate. how can i possibly contribute to peace?

Friday, May 29, 2009

the hounds of ulster

so, mom and i have returned to the US, against my wishes, mind, but i haven't yet been able to finance a move to killaloe.

anyway, the first day we were there, we came across a band practicing. they were very good, and i bust out my super fantastic camera, and took a bit of video!


they are called the hounds of ulster, and they are a band out of belfast, and though it was very hard for me to understand what the guy was saying, we managed to learn that they were playing at Glor for the Fleadh Nua that evening, and mom and i went to get tickets.

they are very good, very polished, and if you find yourself at a music festival this summer, especially if it's an irish festival, do yourself a good turn, and stop in to see them. they are very good.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

ships in a bottle

a few years ago i posted about going to see butch walker at the paradise. At the risk of seeming like a crazed lunatic fan, i implore you; dear readers, run on over to itunes and get one of his albums and if he stops in your town, do make a point to get yourself some tickets.

here is what i love about him- he is inherently creative and truthful. For good or for bad, his stuff is true to himself, and is a true window into his personality and the lemons life is squeezing at him at the time of writing the song. At a time when real creativity and musical experimentation is not terribly fashionable, he's a refreshing oasis in a desert of my chemical romance, fall out boy and repackaged fleetwood mac and dave matthews band.

Depending on his mood at the time of writing, He's unapologetically crass and hopelessly juvenile; other times he's hair-raisingly candid and self-doubtful. He sings of break ups and new first loves, of drug abuse and recovery, of sunny days and crummy days. He sings about his grandparents, his friends and himself; when it's pretty and when it's ugly. he even makes videos that might even be called thought provoking.

Butch Walker "Ships in a Bottle" Music Video


If everyone should get to know the bouncing souls, they also should get to know butch walker!

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

one, two three, four, five, six seven eight nine!

in just nine short days me and me mam will be on the big metal bird over the big blue ocean, on our way here:

(incidentally, this fab photo came from a flickr member, go see the rest of his great photostream!)

We're going to go to ennis for the fleadh nuah, cork city and dunmanway, and we're going to go to the rock of cashel and end the trip in limerick. I say end the trip, but what i really mean is that if i find a single guy or a job, or hopefully both, i'm going to stay on!

hoo hoo hoo! one, two three, four, five, six seven eight nine!

Sunday, May 03, 2009

the springtime snap

over the past year or so, i've taken a few snaps of the wood square park, and here is the spring time snap!

I love the trees in bloom, the pretty pink flowers and the leave just beginning to unfurl. i just love this park. if i ever move away from hudson, there will have to be alovely park like wood square!

everone should get to know....

the bouncing souls.



It's been 20 years of rock n roll mayhem, and all of it good. It's been about nine years or so for me; and you guessed it, all of those were good too.

Tonight i came from the show at the paradise. it was jumping, for sure! truth be told, i think the souls are a bit too big an act for the paradise. Though they did graciously agree to play two shows to accommodate all us crazy fans, they're well beyond the days of house party antics and drunken dudes jumping on stage. There was a tiny skirmish at the end, but all in all it was a fantastic night.

They played a fair few new songs (which i rather groove on) but the very best is when they hopped in the wayback machine for some real gems. No Rules, Quik Chek Girl, Here We Go, and Single Successful Guy. I don't know that i ever heard Single Successful Guy in concert. There were a few notable missing pieces, East Coast F*ck You was not part of the show, and i would have liked to hear Lamar Vannoy, but there were some edgy replacements- Lean on Sheena was in the set- interesting Ah Ha! and a gem of all gems! these are the quotes from our favorite 80's movies!

It's true, they're approaching middle age, but methinks that when i get there, that i would like to be as good at my job as they at theirs. Clever as Greg, solid as papillion, smooth as Rockabilly silk as the pete and rumbly rockin as mike mcD. I also hope I'm as hardworking as they are. there was a nifty article about them in the globe a few days ago, all about their hard work over these 20 years.

So i implore you, dear readers; run on over to itunes and download yourself a Bouncing Souls album. Any one of them; new or old, studio or live, you'll be glad you did.

Really, Everyone should get to know the Bouncing Souls!

Friday, May 01, 2009

whshew! it just gets worse and worse!

little wonder they had to close HCHS! they've got a million in payroll expenses! oh, and lest you think that's for the entire archdiocese, Au contraire mon frere! that's just for four people!

$1,125,000 for four employees.

Now i'm no economist, nor am i an HR coordinator, but that's kind of a lot. Here's the thing, how can the diocese possibly think that their parishioners are going to be ok with that? I rather thought the entire archdiocese ran as skinny as my own parish has done for the 33 years i've been a member. I thought rather thought ALL the employees of the archdiocese made the same financial sacrifices to benefit the greater good. Much the same as when the HCHS faculty agreed to teach for the paltry salary. If i worked for a diocese school and i saw that salary, i'd be hacked, that's for sure!

Now i see i was wrong, i see that even in the Boston Archdiocese there are haves and have-nots. At first, i thought it was simply a power struggle; some have power, and some have not, and those that do have the power simply can't cope with the thought of reliquishing even a smidgen of it. But now i realize that it also involves money. Those who have the money are LOATHE to share it; how bout this? this is a time of raise freezes, furloughs, pay cuts, and even layoffs. A million dollar payroll for four employees is EXACTLY the same as million dollar payrolls for AIG- criminal.

The whole thing just gets worse and worse. This is exactly why there is attrition at catholic parishes, and increased membership at presbyterian and episcopalian churches. Because people are TIRED of being treated like shit.

Monday, April 27, 2009

Hey Hold Up!

A steal of home, and it works! Jacoby Ellsbury Has Stole Home!



That is so good, Jon Miller declines the use of correct grammar! And on top of it, he'd already stolen off pettitte that night. And! he even stole second on friday night, and then came around to score on a wild pitch! be sure to make a special note of how silly joba chamberlain looks, and how ellsbury is modeling his heisman trophy pose. (Hey, why not football too?)



hoo hoo! Whomever says baseball is boring clearly doesn't watch the same games i do!

Friday, April 24, 2009

where did all this come from?



I'm just a family of one and a cat! We live in a one bedroom apartment! I've only been here for five years! How did i get all this stuff? I try not to be a pack rat, I really do; but alas, I guess being sucessful is much easier said than done. Can you believe- this isn't even the stuff form the closets, or the sewing center, or from under the bed! This is only the stuff from my bedroom and dresser drawers!

So tomorrow all this stuff is going to the St. Vincent de Paul Society. Then, I'm going to start all over again, and do my best to unload yet more stuff. I mean geez, if I haven't used it or worn it since I moved in, what's the sense of keeping it?

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Some say that he can hear the sound of colour...

And if you give him a really important job, he'll skive off and play croquet. All we know is...he's called The Stig
Photobucket

i'm really sorry, but i cannot keep it to myself any longer. I think i've got a crush on The Stig. it's preposterous, but i cannot help it. he's like a mystery, but he's the best part of a mystery man- he can drive any sort of car, he has a fab outfit, that makes him look all slim and tidy, and he never really says anything aggravating, because; well, because he never says anything at all! Perhaps it's the arms folded in complete omnipotence that i love most, perhaps it's when he was driving the diesel beemer in the 24-hour race. i don't know. but if he showed up to drive me home from work, i would swoon!

Ride along here!

Sunday, April 12, 2009

what a great night tonight!

After last week's moderately unhappy post about HCHS, i'm so pleased to post this one tonight! Tonight was our fifteen year reunion, and i hate to admit it, but i think that the last time i saw many of my classmates was at the ten year.

We had such fun. the interesting thing is that any clicks we might have been in at school were totally gone. As a mater of fact, we hardly even spoke of high school, we really focused on today, on now, and the future. it was such a great night. Any petty grudges we might have held have simply melted away, and we could focus on having a laugh with each other (and perhaps at each other a few times!). After all these years I've finally realized that people don't have to be close friends to be dear friends.

I'm so pleased i went, and Big Props go out to Dave for organizing the whole thing.

What a great night.

Wednesday, April 08, 2009

can't save the Wave, Sniff!

So here it is. It's about a week and a half or so since we heard word that my high school alma mater is closing. My reaction has been a strange amalgam of emotion, running the true gamut from indignation, to sadness, wistfulness, nostalgia and back again to anger.

Yet in a way, the anger is not really from the fact that the school couldn't survive, its financial viability has been uncertain for many years. No; for me, the anger stems from being the last one to know; from having the rug pulled out from under me (and especially from my sister and my mother). I'm rather aggravated that the Church in general and St. Michael in this case have not learned from recent upheaval and reconsidered some operational procedures.

One would think that that this ship didn't sink overnight, nor did it sink over a period of a few months, more than likely this ship has been sinking for several years. I mean going beyond the general "one sheet of paper per art project" budget. So why are we, the parishioners, the people who are supposedly the focus of the parish, the point of the parish (the people who are the best source of capital) the last ones to learn about it? And why have we found out about it after the decision has already been made? I have a feeling it's because generally, the parishioners point of view is still largely irrelevant.

Perhaps this is the latest in the long line of perpetual punches in the gut. Perhaps the Church is banking on parishioners to turn the other cheek again and concede to the mandates and dictums, regardless of how it affects us. Adding insult to injury is the fact that any attempt for St. Michael's parishioners and HCH students to make their jumble of emotions known, have fallen on deaf ears; not just deaf ears; plainly dismissive, and outwardly aggressive and hostile ears. How is it possible that the spiritual leader of the parish might close the door in the face of his parishioners? And how is it possible that the layperson principal of the elementary school might punish a student for clinging to the hope that their school might be saved. Is that actually Christian? Is that actually practicing the concepts you teach?

My anger over this entire thing is how poorly it's been handled. How poorly parishioners, students, current faculty, and alumni have been treated. I'm equally upset that some of these injured parties have resorted to unseemly letters and comments, but that being said, much of the reason for this entire episode spiraling out of control, can be laid at the feet of the pastor and the group he selected to handle PR.

Hudson Catholic High School is immensely important to me. Much of who I am, and most of my values can be attributed to both the school and the parish with which it is associated. Much of how I behave and act toward others can also be tracked back there. How interesting that a parish that instilled Kindness, Patience, Compassion and Service as core values in me can seem to throw them by the wayside when situations most demand them.

HCHS is closing. It is unfortunate. But even more unfortunate is how parishioners; no, people have been treated during this episode. At this rate, no one is going to come out of this without injury, and that is what never had to happen.

Generally I don't say things like "I'll pray for them." That's not really my style. But really that's all that can be done right now.

Friday, April 03, 2009

p2tbl

so, i am not a filmmaker, as you can see. i will never have a project greenlight. this is how i purl 2 together through the back loop.

Monday, March 30, 2009

you guys have to have a look

at this great sweater!

if i were a better colorwork knitter i would make one, but i'm crap at colorwork, so all i have is to be jealous.

Monday, March 23, 2009

Zig Zag Tweedy Sweaterlet

so, last weekend i did this sweaterlet. it's mad easy, and super quick. I've worked up a pattern for it, but i can't post it's link yet, because i'm not sure it's ready. My intention is to make it available for free, but I need testers. Are you a knitter? Would you be interested in testing it out for me? send a message to kmsmaverick AT yahoo DOT com to let me know.




it's got a button closure at the top only, the bottom is unfastened, so it behaves a bit like a capelet.

it's also got a nifty zig zag border

Thursday, March 12, 2009

this just in!

How utterly serendipitous! boston.com is running this article about shopping bags today.

my hannafords offers a 5¢ rebate for reusable bags, and a 2¢ rebate for recycling plastic bags. I'm pleased that massachusetts is making an effort to be less wasteful, and i'm glad the supermarkets are partnering on it too.

I'm working on some way to make a few of my bags (Say two flat bags and five or six singlet bags) available as some sort of raffle prize in a fund raiser. for food pantries, probably; i just have to work out in my head how to do it. An ebay auction? perhaps i'll do the auction, and then the funds raised can go to the food pantry of choice for the winner. i.e, for me, it would go to my town's food bank, where my friend molly might rather it go to one in the twin cities.

I think the first one will be bags made of stash fabric, so they may be a bit of a jumble. If it's successful, I'll make future fabric purchases with the intentions of having them be a matched set. Though, i wonder, if they are a jumble, d'you think people would be less likely to bid on them?

Post a comment, and pass along to people for their thoughts as well.

weeknight sewing

When one is stricken with the productivity bug, one must seize it, right? even if the end result is yet more crafty goodness, and still fewer clean dishes? well, that's where i'm at. I've gotten this urge to sew like crazy lately, even though i don't actually need any of the things i've been making, it doesn't make sense to have the fabric on hand unused.

In the past i've made some of those singlet shopping bags we all know and love, but those look best if they are fully lined.


This makes them very sturdy, durable and really nice to look at, but they aren't really Fold-up-able, so they are a bit bulky. They take up some space in a person's handbag. Enter the Hodges and Figgis Souvenir bag, which me mam so selflessly gave me; (every so often i call her up and say "Ma! guess what! I've gt a Hodges and Figgis bag!) and which i have meticulously reproduced!



anyway, that is a fab bag, because it's flat, and it's only a single layer of fabric, so it's foldable takes up very little room in one's pocketbook. so it's always ready if you need it!

The things that i don't like about single layer bags are the raw seams. They generally look- well raw. they fray and pill, and just don't look very nice. So, i looked around, and found the answer to my problem, the Flat-Fell Seam!

This makes the bag look fantastically finished and very tidy. plus it makes for a pretty sturdy seam, so the bag will be a bit more useful.

I added on the little pink tag to make it look more clever. the only thing i'm not really over the moon on this bag for is the handles- all i had on hand was flannel. I would rather have used the same weight percale as the yellow and blue; but you know how it goes, needs-must.



I'm going make a few more of these, i might give them away, if you know anyone who can use a few shopping bags in surprise fabric, send a message!

Monday, March 09, 2009

saturday sewing

Over the weekend i got busy with the little-engine-that-could. I do like that sewing machine, and it does me pretty well. One thing i learned how to do is button holes. they are so easy, once you get a few done on practice scraps.

And here's the thing, once you get a little good at them, they are SO MUCH LESS WORK than snaps! i wish i would have given them a try ages ago!



Now i'll be trying to think of ways to work them into all my new projects. look out!





This is a new dress i made for kristin. it might be a teeny bit too short, because i was trying to stop the stash, when i remembered that a half yard was enough when she was still a littlest googie, but now she's a toddler googie, so i needed to punt. this one is totally reversible too, thanks in large part to the great new buttonholes! yay!

Saturday, March 07, 2009

spaceman shirt!









so, i had this idea that i want to get back to sewing a bit more. I do love to sew, as much as i love to knit. but i really neeeed to use some things that are already in my stash, there is nothing more aggravating than having a shelf full of fabric unused.

then i saw someone's craftster post, and thought, well, those look really great, i bet i could do those too. so, i looked for a pattern, and settled on simplicity 3856. I shopped the stash and found this space man flannel i purchased for a duffel bag project that didn't pan out.

now, clothing is not without challenges, and the only way to get good at it is to have a few pancake pieces. (pancake, because they are much like the first pancake off the griddle; they generally go to the dog) But this one is only a little bit wrong. Just the collar in the back. the rest of it is totally correct! yay! even the button holes came out perfect!

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

cast on a few extra stitches

so when you get to where you need to cast on, in this example, it's a button hole.


you loop it around your thumb, like so


then you slide the right hand needle in front of the yarn, and behind your thumb, pull the working yarn tight, and zip your thumb out.


pull the loop tight-ish, and close to the working stitches. you'll have to finesse this a little bit, you don;t want the stitch to strangulate the needle, but it shouldn't be too loose.


you keep repeating it until you get the number of stitches you need.


now, a word about the number you'll need, i like to cast on two stitches more than the number i'll need, then on the subsequent row, i knit two together one on each end, to make the fabric a little neater.