tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60384262011-10-11T06:50:22.182-04:00"I knit, therefore I am." With apologies to Descartes (and to Latin purists), this blog will be an account of my knitting and writing projects, with perhaps some occasional glimpses into the rest of my life.Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.comBlogger1201100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-4512835884084332982007-06-04T09:17:00.000-04:002007-06-04T10:09:21.526-04:00

So I've been away the past three weekends. First there was the trip to PA to check on my cow and christen a new one (such is the way of farm life--that picture of Norah the cow commemorates what was probably our final encounter before she's sold).Then I spent a long Memorial Day weekend in Portland, OR, watching my little brother graduate from Lewis & Clark Law School. P.'s response to J.'s

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-59660827166843087142007-05-21T09:37:00.000-04:002008-12-10T14:07:17.478-05:00

So I thought I had decided on a yarn and pattern for my Sock Pal. She said she loved unusual colors, adventurous patterns, etc. So I found some Socks that Rock in my stash that I thought was pretty wild--by my standards (keeping in mind that the last three sweaters I've knitted have all been gray . . . ) and started in during this last weekend, the first of my three weekend trips during the rest

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-33178409489177702622007-05-20T20:04:00.000-04:002007-05-20T20:37:05.906-04:00

So Gabriella tagged me for a meme, which was a first for her, and is a first for me as well--cool!The rules: Each person tagged gives 7 random facts about themselves. Those tagged need to write in their blogs 7 facts, as well as the rules of the game. You need to tag seven others and list their names on your blog. You have to leave those you plan on tagging a note in their comments so they know

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-88431254305717028182007-05-06T09:48:00.000-04:002008-12-10T14:07:18.357-05:00

So I figured I should actually post sometime this spring, since I've signed up for Sockapalooza 4 and all. How about some pictures of that never-ending Nantucket Jacket, which (as tends to happen when I actually sit down and work on something) did actually end after all?Here's a view of the front:One with a very surprised-looking P:And one from the back to show that groovy waist shaping: Project

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-67762918721247399612007-03-22T13:29:00.000-04:002007-03-22T13:35:40.772-04:00

Despite my somewhat pessimistic limerick from the other day, the Nantucket Jacket is all over but the buttons--it turns out that I actually can get a lot of knitting done if I only have one active project on the needles. Stay tuned for pics.But this means that I've moved on to a new project, a long overdue one, using the oldest yarn in my stash. Since this is my first real foray into colorwork,

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-75523294988193444182007-03-20T12:17:00.000-04:002007-03-20T12:21:13.759-04:00

OK, here's the real knitting limerick (and it's even clean), just a few days late for St. Patrick's Day. I don't think I really need to explain this poetic form, do I?There once was a sweater from NantucketMore than once I've been tempted to chuck it.I've done cables and laceTill I'm blue in the face.Will I finish before I kick the bucket?

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-14993530901817689952007-03-19T13:56:00.000-04:002007-03-19T14:05:16.646-04:00

So there I was at Knitsmiths yesterday, innocently knitting along on my new project, when Lisa B. asks, "Are those Denise knitting needles you're using? Do you like them?" Well, yes, I was using my second-hand Denise set that I purchased off eBay many moons ago, back when I first started knitting. And yes, I did like them, even though one of the included cables had broken several months before.

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-63650773444744814092007-03-13T14:15:00.000-04:002008-12-10T14:07:18.942-05:00

So I got back into Boston on Sunday morning, although my luggage didn't arrive until Sunday evening (which is why I had to miss the Knitsmiths' yarn swap--I was waiting for my luggage to be delivered!) I did some knitting on the beach and a little on the plane. Here are a couple photos from the trip.If you want to read more details about where I stayed, you can read my review of our resort

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-38749278915335178352007-03-05T09:52:00.000-05:002008-12-10T14:07:19.113-05:00

This may be my last post for the week, since I leave really early tomorrow morning for five days with my sister at Balamku Inn, a small eco-friendly resort on Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. Kayaking, snorkeling, and lying around doing nothing are all on the agenda. It looks like the temps will be in the 90s while I'm there--here's hoping the vast swing in temperature doesn't send my body into shock!

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-44076290186528840732007-03-04T10:06:00.000-05:002008-12-10T14:07:20.459-05:00

Well, my wallet is a good deal lighter than it was yesterday at this time, but the good news is that I shouldn't need to buy more yarn for *ahem* quite some time. I'll try to write a full report of yesterday morning's Knitters' Breakfast festivities in a future post, but in the meantime I'll make do with a few photos and a humorous story.Here's what I bought: 9 skeins of Elsebeth Lavold Silky

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-48463639511535049912007-03-02T08:12:00.000-05:002007-03-02T08:24:42.662-05:00

Anybody else ever notice what a yarny (yes, I think I've just coined a new word) month March is? Well, I'm planning to celebrate by heading to the semi-annual Knitters' Breakfast at the Fabric Place tomorrow morning. Free food, a trunk show, door prizes, and serious discounts on yarn (and everything else in the huge fabric store). What's not to like (well, sometimes the trunk show, but that's

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-28804548563692273542007-02-28T08:10:00.000-05:002008-12-10T14:07:20.746-05:00

As I may have mentioned earlier, the double-knit hat I was knitting was on a pretty tight deadline. Well, it turns out that Mother Nature had a deadline that coincided with mine, too. As I was weaving in ends, we were getting Boston's first significant ice/snow storm of the year, followed by several days of bitterly cold weather. Weather that calls for a nice thick hat, right? And here it is:

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-91377227387033158582007-02-27T07:46:00.000-05:002007-02-27T07:47:20.199-05:00

Sorry I've been AWOL for the last week. I'm busy getting some work wrapped up before I leave for a short vacation with my sister next week, so my blogging time has been sorely limited. But I have a new poem today, and I'll have photos of another finished object tomorrow.Today's poem is a clerihew. It's named after Edmund Clerihew Bentley, who invented the form in the early twentieth century. The

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-49980259975756980792007-02-21T07:46:00.000-05:002008-12-10T14:07:20.930-05:00

As I mentioned at the end of my Christmas yarn saga, I decided to make a thank-you gift for the person who bought me all that yarn in the first place. I finished this weeks ago, but didn't want to post about it until I had shared the whole story, since it wouldn't really make sense out of context. Here it is:Pattern: Droplet Hat from Knitting Nature by Norah Gaughan Yarn: Tahki Donegal Tweed

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-26439592639097871932007-02-20T12:31:00.000-05:002007-02-20T12:35:50.771-05:00

Today's poem is a cinquain, the last form I'll be exploring in the haiku family.A cinquain is a five-line poem in which the syllable structure is 2, 4, 6, 8, 2. The poem should read seamlessly, without any obvious line breaks--in other words, it should sound like a sentence when read aloud. But I'll let you be the judge of that.Yarn ballsroll off my lapunwind across the floorand lodge beneath the

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-73792641680091294672007-02-16T09:07:00.000-05:002008-12-10T14:07:21.179-05:00

OK, so I (purposely) left out a big part of my little alchemical equation from yesterday's post--a receipt.Here's the story, which I alluded to way back in January, since I mistakenly thought it would be reaching a conclusion long before mid-February!I think probably every knitter has, at some time or another, received a gift of yarn. Now, if the yarn comes from other knitters, or at least from

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-69451436503607132252007-02-15T09:25:00.000-05:002008-12-10T14:07:21.745-05:00

Sorry that there's no new poem this week--I've been laid up for a few days on prescription painkillers, and although writing under the influence works well for some, I figured you all might appreciate it if I hold off on writing a cinquain until I can actually comprehend its syllable structure. So while I consider five lines of poetry, here's something for you to consider: How did I turn this:

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-75939347840607592532007-02-12T13:29:00.000-05:002008-12-10T14:07:22.010-05:00

Sorry for the lack of new posts of late--I'm frantically finishing one project and also dealing with some other issues that have kept me off-blog for a few days. You'll have to wait a couple more days for pictures of what I've been working on, but in the meantime, I thought I'd share this little tidbit. I've started reading P. some "chapter books" lately, and he's really latched onto L. Frank

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-77965317232525765432007-02-06T08:40:00.001-05:002007-02-06T13:18:19.460-05:00

This week's poem is another cousin of the haiku; a tanka, a five-line form that predates the haiku and generally has a 5-7-5-7-7 syllable structure, although it can be more flexibly interpreted to include 31 syllables spread over five lines or even a pattern of 2-3-2-3-3 accented syllables. Unlike the haiku, which is founded on concrete, literal imagery, the tanka can utilize metaphor, simile, or

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-84755227425259221122007-02-05T12:18:00.000-05:002008-12-10T14:07:22.209-05:00

What you see here is the beginning of my Doctor's Bag. I took this photo last week, and it's actually gotten a lot bigger than that now, especially after knitting on it during yesterday's little football game. This is going to be one big bag! Finished, the sides will measure just under 12" x 18"--get out the measuring tape, kids, because I had a hard time visualizing it until I was able to look

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-28069448945885497892007-02-02T12:02:00.000-05:002008-12-10T14:07:22.557-05:00

Am I making two hats?Or just one?That's right--I've made some tentative steps into double knitting, with the first of my Cascade 220 projects. This one will be dark green with orange stripes (or orange with dark green stripes, depending on your point of view). I'm enjoying it now that I understand the basic principle, and I'm excited to get to the part with the stripes. That'll take a while,

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-14728626858168229542007-02-01T08:04:00.000-05:002007-02-01T08:34:23.040-05:00

Apologies for the lack of knitting-related material this week. I promise knitting info (and photos!) will return tomorrow.In the meantime, though, I wanted to let you all know that I was selected to be a Correspondent on Gather.com. For those of you who aren't familiar with Gather, it's kind of like MySpace for grownups, with lots of articles and online "communities" on different topics. Up until

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-89031793111871077552007-01-29T08:40:00.000-05:002007-01-30T12:01:43.488-05:00

So last week I mentioned that, technically, a haiku centers on the natural world. Its cousin, the senryu, follows the same 5-7-5 syllable structure, but focuses instead on the human realm.I confess that this week's poem is not precisely knitting-centric, but when I realized--while writing at a particular coffee establishment--that one could easily make a senryu out of any number of espresso-based

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-84539617543721337232007-01-27T10:24:00.000-05:002008-12-10T14:07:22.828-05:00

No, it's not time for a knitting limerick yet. I just figured it was about time for me to blog about the main project I have on my needles right now. It's hard to believe I haven't blogged about this already, but I guess I've had a lot of smallish finished objects (and poems) to post about recently.Anyway, like just about everyone else in the world, I was immediately attracted to the Nantucket

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-25257518012628113752007-01-24T08:27:00.000-05:002007-01-24T08:27:10.841-05:00

You know, I don't think any poetic form gets as much of a bum rap as does the lowly haiku. But I discovered this week that writing a passably decent one is actually a lot harder than you would think.Everyone knows the basic structure of a haiku--three lines with a 5-7-5 syllable structure. However, did you know that, strictly speaking, a haiku should focus on a scene in nature? And that it should

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-50681244115171248332007-01-23T12:45:00.000-05:002008-12-10T14:07:23.391-05:00

I know you all are waiting with bated breath for this week's installment in my poetry project (brace yourselves--it's a haiku), but you'll just have to hold your collective breath until tomorrow, because today marks one year since my first post on this blog.To celebrate, I thought I'd share some photos of the very first project I ever knitted, a project which predates the blog by several years.

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-31559763496825577832007-01-21T09:32:00.000-05:002008-12-10T14:07:23.941-05:00

Last week, as part of Alison's massive destashing project, I was the happy recipient of eight skeins of seriously discounted Cascade 220, color 9498 (olive heather).The collective (and totally legit--I'd be wondering the same thing) question posed by my fellow Knitsmiths was: What in the heck are you going to do with that much Cascade 220? To that end, here's a pop quiz:What is Norah planning for

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-92219228249028961782007-01-18T10:23:00.000-05:002008-12-10T14:07:24.150-05:00

Remember that cabled hat I started a while ago? Well, I managed to finish it just in time for Boston's first real cold snap of the winter. I was going to have you all play a game of "spot the mistake," since I realized about 8" into the hat that I had crossed one of the cables the wrong way, but I don't think that error made it in this picture. Oh, and looking at this now, I don't know what's up

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-81990066655450299192007-01-16T08:31:00.000-05:002007-01-16T08:20:14.052-05:00

Aw, shucks. Y'all are just too sweet. Thanks for making me feel better about my booties.I might not be able to make pompoms, but I can still write (bad) poetry. Here's this week's offering, a quatrain. A quatrain is generally any four-line poem, often rhymed either ABAB or ABBA (that's a rhyme scheme, people, not a Swedish singing group), although there are other more restrictive quatrain forms,

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-61097808515053988672007-01-15T08:59:00.000-05:002008-12-10T14:07:24.389-05:00

On Saturday afternoon, the Knitsmiths had a surprise "Books and Booties" baby shower for Alison, who's expecting a Wee One this spring. Each of us was encouraged to bring our favorite children's book and a pair of booties for the new girl baby on the way. Here was my contribution: The book? Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney, a classic gem about one woman's mission to make the world more beautiful (

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-79901112123116437842007-01-12T08:37:00.000-05:002008-12-10T14:07:24.546-05:00

I mentioned that I've been a little into cables lately, right? Here's the hat I've been working on this week: This is the basic cabled hat from the Cables Untangled book. After I finally overcame my own confusion about the pattern's transition from ribbing to cabling (which led to my expression of perpetual perplexity at last week's knitting get-together), the pattern's been a dream!

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-85129387139857824822007-01-10T08:25:00.000-05:002008-12-10T14:07:24.683-05:00

I finally finished Cherry and trotted her out for an evening at the BSO, figuring that it's usually so warm in Symphony Hall that a short-sleeved sweater would not be entirely out of place. Unfortunately, it was actually a little chilly there last night, so Cherry spent most of the evening hidden under my jacket. Oh well. Here she is for your perusal--Pattern: Cherry from My Fashionable Life.

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1168375724866625522007-01-09T15:39:00.000-05:002007-01-09T15:48:44.886-05:00

A while back, I posted a couplet on my blog and promised more details later. Well, hope you weren't holding your breath, but I'm finally following up on my promise. Seeing as I had so much fun on The Amazing Lace's poetry challenge (not to mention my brief efforts on Dana's blog), I thought I'd do a little experiment. Inspired by the great poetry book A Kick in the Head, I'm going to try to do a

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1168023754906265112007-01-05T13:54:00.000-05:002007-01-05T14:02:34.920-05:00

Circumstances beyond my control (but involving the inventory at my LYS) conspired against me completing my tale of Yuletide Yarn. Stay tuned for next week's update. In the meantime, though, what are these?Is it my foray into modern art? A bizarre scanner experiment? Some kind of mutant metallic bug? Or could it be the final piece required to finish a long-neglected project?

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1167833042212148142007-01-03T08:43:00.000-05:002007-01-03T09:06:29.653-05:00

For Christmas, I got two knitting books I've been wanting. One (received from my sister) is Norah Gaughan's Knitting Nature. This book has been blogged to within an inch of its life, but I do want to just mention a couple things. First, I confess that I was first drawn to Norah Gaughan's designs because of her name (there are so few of us Norah-with-an-h-es around that I feel a particular kinship

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1167747407109852252007-01-02T09:12:00.000-05:002007-01-02T09:16:47.126-05:00

I celebrated New Year's Day by eating well, relaxing indoors (it was a soggy New Year's here in Boston), and honoring my resolution to finish my knitted garments in a little more timely fashion. More on that later this week, after the project in question is well and truly finished (which involves the procurement and application of buttons and snaps . . . ). Hope everyone is having a healthy and

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1167398718123248902006-12-29T07:59:00.000-05:002006-12-29T08:27:19.963-05:00

Another side effect of my lapsed blogging is that I fell out of the habit of taking photos of inanimate objects. In other words, I forgot to take pictures of my knitting. Now, this isn't such a big deal for something like the Hermione hat, which I can pull out of my pocket and photograph at a moment's notice.But, when you knit something for a little girl (A.) who lives in Pennsylvania, and mail

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1166878671907664062006-12-23T07:53:00.000-05:002006-12-23T07:57:51.923-05:00

I'm about to go dashing through the rain (no white Christmas here, that's for sure) down to Pennsylvania for the long Christmas weekend, so I just wanted to send out a brief message wishing everyone a safe and happy Christmas. Back next week with (I hope) more pictures of finished objects, and the current WiP.

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1166810845063214292006-12-22T12:44:00.000-05:002006-12-22T13:07:25.096-05:00

OK, so I haven't been blogging or making regular appearances at Knitsmiths lately (more on that later) but I have been knitting, believe it or not, and I actually have some finished objects to show for it. To wit:Pattern: Hermione hat, available here.Yarn: Alpaca from The Spinners Hill Shop, picked up at Mass. Sheep and Wool in June.Started: Not sure (while watching one of the Harry Potter movies

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1165521155507120442006-12-07T14:37:00.000-05:002006-12-08T13:17:13.226-05:00

Yes, it's been (ahem) almost three months since I've made an appearance here. Life's been a little hectic this fall, and with work and personal obligations, something had to give . . . I haven't been writing my own blog, and I've fallen frighteningly behind on my other blog reading, which is even less forgiveable!My intention is to get back up to speed starting next week. I've got quite a backlog

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1157738102601474822006-09-08T13:53:00.000-04:002006-09-08T13:58:18.240-04:00

For knitting, the row’s the thing; for poems, it’s the foot and the line.But whether stitching or rhyming, don’t cast your purls before swine.(all will become clear next week . . . )

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1157465977651171092006-09-05T10:02:00.000-04:002006-09-05T10:19:37.676-04:00

I just finished reviewing a new novel by Morag Joss entitled Puccini's Ghosts. Who'd have thought that a suspense novel about a doomed theatrical production would have something interesting to say about knitting? But here it is:"I fish out my counted cross-stitch. I never travel without it. . . . A lot of people in my business [opera singing] take it up, either that or knitting; it fills gaps in

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1156256555779169612006-08-22T09:29:00.000-04:002006-08-22T20:14:53.776-04:00

OK, here's something no one talks about, but I'm hoping I'm not the only one who's succumbed. We all know that knitting is expensive, that--in general--knitting a handmade garment is more expensive than buying a comparable garment at the store. We've all responded to those comments of, "Wow--you must save a lot of money by knitting your own sweaters" with knowing smiles, mocking laughs, or

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1155822602880003242006-08-17T09:10:00.000-04:002006-08-17T09:50:05.570-04:00

OK, enough is enough. Here are the details about what I'm planning (planning being the key word here, since I have yet to take needles to yarn for this project).I confess that I can't really call this a design, since about the only thing I'm actually composing from scratch is the color combination and sequence. Being a part of Knitsmiths is simultaneously an inspiring and humbling experience,

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1155560878770696262006-08-14T09:05:00.000-04:002006-08-14T09:07:58.783-04:00

And, finally, what's this?

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1155230486211503482006-08-10T13:18:00.000-04:002006-08-10T13:21:26.226-04:00

And what are these?

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1155126993243018642006-08-09T08:35:00.000-04:002006-08-09T08:36:33.280-04:00

What's this?

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1154611415723152712006-08-03T08:50:00.000-04:002006-08-03T09:23:35.980-04:00

Apologies in advance for the totally whacked-out post (I think the heat is getting to me)--but now . . .Kermit the Frog here, reporting live for Sesame Street news. It's been a while, but our viewers have been asking for updates about the progress of Norah and Anne's Amazing Lace odyssey. Inquiring minds want to know--are the teammates still at each other's throats? Has Norah made it past the

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1154008731630579012006-07-27T09:48:00.000-04:002006-07-27T09:58:51.650-04:00

A number of factors have conspired to keep me from blogging much at all lately. I've been mulling over a few things, including a very basic design project and an idea for a blogging experiment. More about those soon (I promise).In the meantime, though, I thought I'd show off the great stuff my Secret Pal sent me this week. In my mailbox on Tuesday was this delightful box . . .but what was inside?

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1152987944000016952006-07-15T13:50:00.000-04:002006-07-15T14:25:44.020-04:00

I briefly contemplated not posting about the comedy of errors that is my most recent FO. But, in the interests of serving the public, I present:Pattern: Placemats and Beaded Napkin Rings from Simple Knits for Sophisticated Living (actually from the 2005 wall calendar based on said book). Note that I actually made a set of 4 napkin rings and 4 placemats, 2 each in the 2 different colors.Materials:

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1152884162123894142006-07-14T09:03:00.000-04:002006-07-14T09:36:02.173-04:00

After just a little bit of reflection, I figured out what was causing my recent knitting funk: I wasn't choosing projects that force me to think. Socks are convenient, sure, but once you understand the basic concepts, they're really not too demanding (I know, I know, there are super-involved sock patterns out there, but bear with me here). Ditto for the placemats that I just finished. Ditto for

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1152796897280490042006-07-13T08:37:00.000-04:002006-07-13T09:21:37.333-04:00

Hey! My poem was nominated as a finalist in the most recent Amazing Lace challenge. Head on over to the Amazing Lace, check out the other finalists, and vote for your favorite!Before we return to more current knitting content (there's gotta be some . . . somewhere), I've been very overdue in posting about two yarn stores I visited when I was on vacation in June. I know that I always look for yarn

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1152536726155150022006-07-10T08:54:00.000-04:002006-07-10T09:05:26.170-04:00

If anyone ever needed to be convinced of the near-magical properties of blocking one's knitting, this photo might help do the trick:On the left you see the "before" picture--a placemat-to-be prior to blocking--looks more like a dishcloth, right? On the right you see the results of a warm bath, some blocking pins, and some serious elbow grease (this was aggressive blocking by necessity--more on

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1152106284162479342006-07-05T08:55:00.000-04:002006-07-05T09:31:24.186-04:00

It always seems like the Fourth of July is the high point of summer. Sure, it's only been a couple of weeks since the summer solstice, but every year it happens--starting with the Fourth of July, the weeks of summer just seem to slip away until before you know it, we're on to Labor Day, changing leaves, and sweater weather.Well, this year, I'll be ready: That's right. Ribby Cardi is . . . finally

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1152032328981603262006-07-04T12:36:00.000-04:002006-07-04T14:32:31.176-04:00

Please forgive me for a little digression . . . Now, I know this isn't a political blog, but anyone who knows me knows that I've been a little down in the dumps about where this country's headed for, oh, the past six years or so, and that I've talked seriously about heading to Nova Scotia if a certain Presidential brother wins the White House in 2008 (Canada: Anne of Green Gables, sheep, and

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1151885842055510052006-07-02T20:13:00.000-04:002006-07-02T20:17:22.073-04:00

Completely lacking in originality, I am forced to resort to parody for my next entry in the Amazing Lace Challenge. With abject apologies to Elizabeth Barrett Browning, I present my entry. Actually, I like to think that old Betsy wouldn't mind too much--doesn't it look like she's wearing a fichu of her own in this picture?How do I knit thee? Let me count the ways.I knit thee to the depth and

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1151585133522534622006-06-29T08:39:00.000-04:002006-06-29T08:45:33.560-04:00

. . . to say that I don't have much to say. Knitting's not going well this month, and I'm not feeling inspired either to finish one of my current projects or to start a new one. Any advice on what to do when facing knitter's block?The good news is that the Ribby Cardi is actually in the home stretch at this point--it's off getting zippered right now, and I should have pictures by early next

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1151065763434953242006-06-23T08:17:00.000-04:002006-06-23T08:29:23.456-04:00

Hey, little sister--since you turned twenty-one yesterday, you're probably busy nursing a hangover and wondering why your big sister hasn't produced any lovely hand-knitted socks for you. I mean, come on--she measured your feet when you visited in March, she made a big point of buying non-wool sock yarn--it really couldn't have been more obvious.So, you ask: where's the goods? I reply--with much

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1150918979727708742006-06-21T15:24:00.000-04:002006-06-21T15:42:59.746-04:00

Ever noticed that after you're on vacation, it takes you a while to get back into the routine of your ordinary life? This week, I've been forgetting to start the dishwasher, empty the dishwasher, check my e-mail, take out the trash . . . you get the picture. It's like I'm still in vacation mode, even if my life isn't. Likewise with blogging--suddenly it's Wednesday, and I haven't blogged since

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1150655309080986272006-06-18T14:20:00.000-04:002006-06-18T14:28:29.096-04:00

Help! My fichu (or should I say fishu) and I have been consumed by a giant muskie!**Yes, that's really me up there (look closely). This monument to kitsch is the centerpiece of the National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame in Hayward, Wisconsin.

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1150568076988061312006-06-17T14:04:00.000-04:002006-06-17T14:14:37.006-04:00

While I was in Michigan's Upper Peninsula this week, I was entirely without Internet access. Tomorrow we'll return to our regularly scheduled knitting content. In the meantime, though, here are a few of my favorite things from our trip. 1. The many butterflies that visited the flowering bushes outside our cabin:2. The rocky shores of Lake Superior:3. The many hours of sunlight. Believe it or not,

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1149798882285369982006-06-08T16:14:00.000-04:002006-06-09T11:03:56.886-04:00

I'm getting ready for the next challenge of The Amazing Lace by doing a little extreme knitting warmup. Any idea what they are? Let's see if a little less impressionistic photograph helps: They're napkin rings for a friend of mine who's getting married this summer. I'm also making a coordinating set of placemats to go with them, so pattern details will be forthcoming once those are finished. But,

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1149775231290623292006-06-08T09:27:00.000-04:002006-06-08T10:00:31.306-04:00

I know it seems like I haven't finished anything lately, not to mention I've been giving few progress reports (which begs the question: what exactly have I been blogging about lately?) Just before leaving on vacation, though, I was able to pause for a photo of my finished Picovoli:Pattern: Picovoli by GrumperinaYarn: Cascade Pima Tencel, color 1693 Started: 4/23/06Finished: 6/1/06Comments: I

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1149597608561342402006-06-06T07:54:00.000-04:002006-06-06T08:45:42.630-04:00

I'm headed to Minnesota soon to visit family. We're also driving up to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan (where I lived from kindergarten until second grade) to stay at a cabin for a week. But I'll be back (just) in time for this: For those of you in the Boston area, this is the spring concert of the Back Bay Ringers handbell ensemble (of which I'm a member). Our concert is Friday, June 16th at 8

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1149530597954116842006-06-05T13:17:00.000-04:002006-06-05T14:03:17.973-04:00

Last week, summer arrived in Boston with a vengeance. The warm Sunday of the Mass Sheep & Wool Festival kicked off a string of hot, sunny days that kicked people's gardens into high gear, finally dried up the last of the mud puddles from the Great Flood of 2006, and sent yours truly outdoors. A lot. Fortunately, now that I am a bona fide sock knitter, I always had a sock in my pocketbook, ready

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1149359466279392042006-06-03T13:59:00.000-04:002006-06-03T14:31:06.303-04:00

Last Sunday, Colleen, Anna, Suzanne, and I headed out West (to western Massachusetts, that is) to the Massachusetts Sheep and Woolcraft Fair in Cummington.Look, sheep!:In addition to the sheep barns, sheepshearing demonstrations (which, incidentally, were held under the blazing sun of an atypically hot May afternoon, resulting in conditions that looked distinctly uncomfortable for both shearer

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1149190220815114572006-06-01T15:27:00.000-04:002006-06-01T15:30:29.136-04:00

Thanks to everybody who voted on the yarn I should send to my dye-o-rama pal, and for the nice encouragement and comments from everybody--voting is now closed, and with a total of 58 percent to 42 percent, the greenish-bluish striped yarn won! I'll be sending it off to my dye pal tomorrow . . .

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1148997485052361902006-05-30T09:13:00.000-04:002006-05-30T21:06:53.753-04:00

Kermit the Frog here, reporting live for Sesame Street News. Today we've got an exclusive interview with Norah and Anne, ready to embark on this summer's Amazing Lace challenge. But are these two, with their long and tortured relationship, ready for a whole summer of extreme lace sports? Read on and find out . . .Kermit: Tell me how you two met.Norah: Anne and I met well over a year ago. I

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1148747671443573942006-05-27T12:30:00.000-04:002006-05-28T20:17:54.930-04:00

OK, before we go any farther, I need your help. Here are your choices: Both yarns are self-striping (if you want proof, keep reading), and I realize that the pictures aren't great, but you should get the idea. Keeping in mind that my Dye-o-rama pal gave me pretty much free rein on color choices . . . Take the pollFree Poll by Blog FluxThanks for your help! All I can say after dyeing up these two

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1148731463393588422006-05-27T07:52:00.000-04:002006-05-27T12:21:30.890-04:00

Whew, that was a rough week. You know things are bad with work when I can't even blog more than once during the week. But it's over now, and there's a three-day weekend a-starting, so I figured I'd offer up a rare weekend post.Smack in the middle of the week, when things looked most dire deadline-wise, I was pleased to find this lovely (and colorful) package in my mailbox:It's the yarn from my

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1148304028013170392006-05-22T08:51:00.000-04:002006-05-24T13:43:19.756-04:00

Many women I know have weaknesses for two things: shoes and handbags. I confess to having a fondness for handbags, as well (although I have a fair number of shoes, my collection pales in comparison with the truly shoe-mad). Unlike many of my friends, though, my handbag fixation is not for the cutest, chicest (most chic?) bag, but for the one that combines form with function. Specifically, any

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1148059091786339742006-05-19T13:04:00.000-04:002006-05-19T13:18:11.796-04:00

Am I just too picky, or is it really hard to find a semi-attractive 2-way zipper? I tried Jo-Ann Fabrics first, yesterday, and was seriously disappointed by their limited selection. Basically, I was limited to plain old dark brown, plus I really disliked the style of zipper pull (I know, I know, I'm probably being way too fussy, but, you know, if you've spent all this time on a zip-up cardigan,

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1147956616998745302006-05-18T08:34:00.000-04:002006-05-18T08:56:23.736-04:00

OK, sorry in advance about the bad picture. I had a crazy time trying to find a location to photograph the camo socks that didn't result in a) inaccurate representation of the colors or b) obscuring of the pattern. So I settled, apparently, on c) all of the above. I messed around with my photo software, and I'm not sure if it made the picture any better. But, for better or for worse, here they

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1147869953234464202006-05-17T08:33:00.000-04:002006-05-17T08:45:53.246-04:00

Anybody remember that old Ray Bradbury short story, "All Summer in a Day"? Basically, it takes place on Venus (colonized by former Earth residents), where it rains all the time and the sun only comes out for a couple of hours every seven years. It's set in a classroom where almost none of the children can remember the sun. When the sun finally does come out (an event which the children have been

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1147714695477987152006-05-15T13:23:00.000-04:002006-05-15T13:38:32.503-04:00

Well, I thought I'd have a picture of finished socks today . . . and I do! They're just not the ones I knitted (which are still on the toe of the second sock).These gorgeous socks arrived on Saturday, direct from my Sockapaloooza sockpal, Becca, in London, ON. Becca, I have to tell you, your timing was perfect for the arrival of these socks. On Saturday, we were entering day 5 of the Monsoon of

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1147436847958557462006-05-12T08:16:00.000-04:002006-05-12T08:27:27.976-04:00

Without even realizing it, I've been restricting my recent yarn purchases to basically two colors: green and brown. Right now I've got (some of) my yarn on display in two baskets in my office/all purpose room. One basket is all different shades of green, the other is all different shades of brown and rust red. So when these yarns arrived yesterday from Greenwood Fiberworks, it wasn't so hard to

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1147268581963928832006-05-10T09:33:00.000-04:002006-05-11T13:19:41.040-04:00

Look, there are rainbows in Boston! OK, not really--it's still raining and there's not much relief in sight (don't believe me? check with the experts:But, thanks to my awesome sister, we can have rainbows even when the sun's not peeking through:Tons of Koolaid colors, all the way from Minnesota, ready for dyeing. Here's hoping my dyeable yarn arrives by the weekend--I'm thinking a little

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1147201349203909712006-05-09T14:51:00.000-04:002006-05-09T15:02:29.226-04:00

OK, men's feet are really big. I had complained about my sock pal's size ten (women's) feet, but those are still a full inch shorter (and a lot narrower) than your average guy's feet. Anyway, I persevered (and actually made this first sock even longer than it had to be--oops) to finish the first of the camo socks.Surprisingly, this photo actually gives you a pretty clear idea of the colors and

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1147115048566877422006-05-08T14:35:00.000-04:002006-05-08T15:07:45.556-04:00

Sadly, I was unable to rid myself of the scary acrylic yarn at yesterday's swap (what was I thinking? Clearly the Knitsmiths have way too much taste to even consider such a monstrosity), but otherwise, my unloved yarn did manage to find its way to new homes and future projects.The highlight of the afternoon was the unveiling of Dana's completed second Jaywalker sock! Go visit her blog and

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1146833236155631682006-05-05T08:43:00.000-04:002006-05-05T08:47:16.170-04:00

On Sunday, the Knitsmiths are having one of their periodic yarn swaps. This will be the first one I've attended, so I'm looking forward to it. At first, I didn't think I had very much to swap--my stash is at an all-time low, and everything I have is allocated to some project or another. But after much scrounging, I did come up with this:I also found one skein of a seriously frightening acrylic

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1146666040240604332006-05-03T09:39:00.000-04:002006-05-03T10:20:40.273-04:00

Well, with much anticipation and a little trepidation, I'm signing up for Secret Pal 8. Ergo, here are my answers to the extremely thorough required questionnaire:1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?I love wool, as long as it's soft (merino and the like). Alpaca is wonderful, and I'm not too averse to knitting with cotton, again, as long as

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1146593488681549262006-05-02T13:46:00.000-04:002006-05-02T15:53:44.893-04:00

My sock pal's socks are packed up and ready to go.She said her favorite color was pink, so that's the theme of the package. There's a postcard from the socks' original hometown (Brookline, Mass.) and one from the socks' trip to Portland, Oregon. There's also the original yarn label (with Sunshine Yarn info as well as washing instructions). In addition, I slipped in a set of mini notecards and

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1146502143977046202006-05-01T12:26:00.000-04:002006-05-01T12:59:52.780-04:00

Safely recovered from my allergy woes, I headed to Pennsylvania for a short weekend trip. While there I didn't do much knitting but I did do plenty of a different kind of casting--of a fishing line, that is!I was, however, able to knit most of the way down and back, and the result is this:Told ya I was past the hump. Actually, this Picovoli pattern is starting to grow on me. Once I got past the

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1146245616698169122006-04-28T13:20:00.000-04:002006-04-28T13:33:36.720-04:00

So, yeah, there's a reason I haven't been posting so much in the past couple of days. Apparently Boston is the third most "challenging" place to deal with seasonal allergies this year (what "challenging" means, I have no idea--all I can tell is that every single plant in the area is blooming at the moment and shooting its pollen in my general direction). The upshot? When my eyes started watering

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1146056073859252232006-04-26T08:33:00.000-04:002006-04-26T09:40:59.536-04:00

When I was younger, our family had a running joke. We'd see someone decked out in camouflage at, say, the supermarket (this was the '80's, remember). One of us would say, "Hey, do you see that guy?" and the other one would pretend not to be able to see said individual because, well, they were wearing camouflage and therefore blended into their surroundings.Well, I'm now working on a sock in

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1145970259904902152006-04-25T08:28:00.000-04:002006-04-25T09:04:19.920-04:00

So I've started some new projects, as I wrote last week. Meanwhile, Ribby Cardi is still languishing unseamed. Too bad, too, because yesterday's cold rainy weather in Boston made for the perfect opportunity to wear said sweater. Nevertheless, I'm continuing to evade the inevitable by starting a new sweater that will (I hope) serve the dual purpose of ushering in spring.The pattern is Picovoli by

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1145639456703063402006-04-21T12:42:00.000-04:002006-04-21T13:14:23.786-04:00

I know y'all have been waiting with bated breath to see the four rounds I've completed on my next pair of socks, but you'll just have to wait another day . . . because . . .Ta da! Finished Sockapaloooza socks.It was such a treat to finish these socks at this time of year, especially since I was doing much of the knitting out of doors (aside: yesterday I was pronounced "so cool" by a couple of

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1145553402168907022006-04-20T13:07:00.000-04:002006-04-20T13:16:42.183-04:00

In my desperate attempt to add knitting content when I'm not actually doing much knitting, here's my entry in Kat's contest to name the five strangest places I've knitted:1. On the shores of Lake Bemidji while at Waldsee German Language Camp (actually where I learned to knit in the first place).2. In the dark at a library screening of Chicken Little.3. On the aerial tram at the San Diego Zoo.4.

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1145537331546265292006-04-20T08:42:00.000-04:002006-04-20T08:48:51.556-04:00

. . . include photos of cute kids and baby animals.Yesterday we went to a mobile petting zoo and spent close to 45 minutes with the animals. P. had a great time, although he kept alarming the animals' owners by trying to ride the lambs.In other news, I should have photos of a new project (imagine that!) tomorrow. I'm eager to finish up these Sockapaloooza socks so that I can go back to my usual

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1145465850520152792006-04-19T12:44:00.000-04:002006-04-19T12:57:30.600-04:00

So I'm at a loss as to what to blog about, since right now I'm working on/starting a few projects whose intended recipients read my blog. Hopefully, I'll be able to update soon with pics of a) a new summer sweater for myself; b) the almost completed Sockapaloooza socks (I've reached the toe of sock #2); and c) a new pair of socks. Tried casting on for those today, and it was a disaster. Actually,

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1145286154700619942006-04-17T10:39:00.000-04:002006-04-17T11:02:34.796-04:00

Some of P.'s favorite books are from a British series about a boy named Harry and his bucketful of dinosaurs. Previously, we've always checked them out from the library, but now, thanks to a certain rabbit, P. now owns five Harry books in one collection:He also has his very own bucket basketful of dinosaurs: Yep, I finished just under the wire. A very late night on Saturday (followed by a very

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1145035761397666892006-04-14T13:23:00.000-04:002006-04-14T13:29:21.406-04:00

Not much news here--I spent last night seaming up Bronty and finishing the knitting for Triceratops.With any luck, I'll have photos of the whole gang by Sunday, but probably not much posting between now and then.In answer to questions, the dinosaurs I'm making (who will be making their debut in time for Easter) are the same ones Grumperina (as well as Jofrog and Thea) has been making. Patterns

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1144890287636581972006-04-12T20:57:00.000-04:002006-04-12T21:04:47.646-04:00

A lot? I love knitting, but I absolutely dread this:What you see here is (on the left) Ribby Cardi, which has been done for a while, blocked for a week, and is now . . . just . . . sitting. Chances are I won't be touching this for a while because of Sockapaloooza and because of the oh-so-scary pile on the right.Those are the parts (limbs, bodies, etc.) of 2.5 dinosaurs. They need to be finished

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1144760308879463522006-04-11T08:41:00.000-04:002006-04-11T08:58:29.206-04:00

No new sockapaloooza photos here today (I finished the leg on the second sock and am ready to start the heel, but that didn't seem photo-worthy), so I figured I'd blog about anotherpalooza.This weekend P. and I went to Woolapalooza at Drumlin Farm in Lincoln, Mass. It's basically a sheepshearing festival, but with more educational components. They have the "sheep to sweater" trail, which (as the

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1144673891653166202006-04-10T08:41:00.000-04:002006-04-10T08:58:11.733-04:00

I promise this will be it. Really. After today, it's back to all knitting all the time. Actually, it's a good thing that I do have all this vacation blogging, because I've been so busy with work that I have been doing very little knitting outside of Knitsmiths. I didn't even pick up my Sockapaloooza sock (other than to take a picture of it) between last Sunday's Knitsmiths meeting and this one!OK

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1144242684281166012006-04-05T08:51:00.000-04:002006-04-05T09:13:35.406-04:00

On our last day in Portland, we spent time with my brother, who is there attending law school at Lewis & Clark. He picked us up in the morning and then showed us around the campus. The law school is right at the edge of this park, so the buildings are all designed to show off these great views of the trees right outside the windows. There are also plenty of walking paths, outdoor seating areas,

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1144157524804015512006-04-04T09:11:00.000-04:002006-04-04T12:39:30.140-04:00

Hopefully not too late for today's Sockapaloooza update.First, the loot I picked up on my trip:Second, the completed first Sockapaloooza sock (with proof that I have not entirely succumbed to the dreaded second sock syndrome)

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1144073692808291092006-04-03T09:40:00.000-04:002006-04-03T10:56:07.493-04:00

For our first full day in Portland, we got up and headed to Multnomah Falls, along the Columbia River Gorge east of the city. There we did a hefty loop hike past not only Multnomah Falls but also up to Wahkeena Falls, which is part of the same system but much less well known. Not only did we see some lovely waterfalls and do some pretty strenuous hill hiking, I finally got to test out the

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1143827793526073922006-03-31T12:42:00.000-05:002006-03-31T13:22:10.530-05:00

What's really impossible to impart, either through words or photographs, is just how amazingly green the temperate rain forest is. March is actually the perfect time for a visitor from, say, Boston, to go to the Pacific Northwest, since everything is so brown and dreary back home that the intensity of the green seems almost shocking by contrast. As we hiked through the woods, where every surface

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6038426.post-1143727859058779832006-03-30T08:43:00.000-05:002006-03-30T09:19:46.313-05:00

The downside of hiking three miles to see a beautiful coastal sunset, of course, is that you also have to hike three miles back. In the dark. Fortunately, there was still some reflected sunlight lighting our path, and the trail itself was fairly well maintained. All in all, though, it made for a late night, since we still had a long drive to get back to our hotel. By now, we were more or less

Norahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14811823631056620795noreply@blogger.com0