Goodies!

I could not resist the fabric serving as the backdrop in this picture at yesterday's supply show held by the Chicago Craft Mafia. I have no idea what I'll end up making with it, but I thought the combination of purple, shades of brown and red was so lovely, I'll have to think of something. It's a nice heavy weight I like a lot. Also the black and red fabric was too interesting to pass up. Most especially the $10 bag of 11 balls of rowan cotton rope. It may be yellow, a color I'm always skeptical of pulling off, but a whole bag that will equal a nice size project for $10? I was doomed. As a side note, I did use Chuck's G1 to get on ravelry and look up what project I was thinking of that used this yarn. (it was the Frontier Blues Jacket from an issue of knitscene, scroll down about 1/2 way.) Further proof that I need my own.

Like the Winter Renegade Handmade show, this event also took place at the Pulaski Park Field House, though this event only took up one room. It's an interesting building, and I was tempted to spend more time taking pictures, instead I only took a few snapshots before getting down to business stocking up on supplies. I'm sure we'll be back, since all kinds of stuff happens there year-round. In the next room, for example, the Chicago Swordplay Guild was practicing.

Bus rider watching

I saw someone with this purse on the bus a few weeks back. I tend to like ideas like this, where somewhat silly and somewhat practical meet. Anyway, I didn't really find anywhere on the net selling it, but I did find this picture and that it's from Zambos & Siega. Which is fine, I wasn't shopping for a bag and this one is leather anyway. I just thought it was an interesting idea, and could be fairly simple to do a handmade take on it. One thing I have seen on the bus recently that I am now coveting as a result is the Kindle 2. I've come to think it might be a great way to multi-task, get some reading and knitting done at the same time. A little easier to push a button than to hold a book open and flip pages perhaps. Toni Morrison likes it. Though, I probably should lean toward a bike, with spring coming. Of course I'm not really planning on getting any of these things at the moment...just sort of a major item wish list. Though, I might get a G1, there's a bargain on amazon. It takes me a while to decide these things so we'll see.

In a few moments we're off to check out a supply show, as if I needed more stuff to play with, over at the Pulaski Park Field House called Do It Your Own Damn Self. I have no idea what I might bring home, if anything, but if I do, I will post! Should be fun regardless.

Yipes!

It's been a long time since my last post. I guess I definitely have blogging spurts, times I'm into it and times I'm just not. Sorry about that! (Wish I could figure out what triggers the pro-blogging spurts!)

Anyway, just a general round up of things. Knitting-wise, I finished a Rapunzel stocking. It comes up just past my knee. I had a bit more yarn and could have kept going I suppose, but I have to be motivated to finish sock two....which so far hasn't happened yet. Instead I've been poking around some other projects with my knitting needle:
- Nob Hill from knitty, which should be a quick project, has been stashed for and in my queue since roughly the time that issue came out, last spring. I finally settled and decided I was getting a decent gauge and I'm trying to adjust for it. Quick knit, but I think I must redo the sleeves (fortunately they are small) lest I look like Servalan from Blakes 7. (who is awesome, btw, I just don't think I could pull it off day to day, and in knitwear...unfortunately.)
- And I made sort of a large swatch for the lacy dolman from Glam Knits using the yarn my aunt sent me for my birthday. There's not enough yarn to do the full sleeves per the design, so I sorta swatched big trying to figure out how a short-sleeve/sleeveless version might work.

Oh and I've nearly finished a cabled cuff from that last issue of knit.1. That actually spawned another project, making or finding a cool button. I picked make. Recruiting the help (a lot of the help) of the boyfriend and his access to a laser cutter at school. These are in progress, many more than I need have been cut out and are ready for some sanding & finishing. They may turn up in the etsy shop in one way or another.

Which, goodness knows, the etsy shop could use some new, non-renewed items. I have a lot of ideas bouncing around in my head and I just haven't gotten to them yet. The current level of my knitting addiction could have something to do with that, though there's pleanty else to distract. Anyway, I may start to try to bring some of my knitting addiction into the shop, which may or may not involve these buttons...I've got a bunch of ideas. Plus, a few weekends back I constructed a new collapsable light box per this tutorial. This is all pretty likely to lead to some spring cleaning in the shop! Pictures of various things in progress should be forthcoming.

Thanks tweeters!

What is it that is supposed to mean people are talking about you? And is there a modern day equivalent for blogging? Well, thanks to Google alerts I don't have go on superstitions. The EtsyTwitter team members have been so nice, blogging and tweeting about me as shop of the week! Here's a list of some of the very kind tweet-bloggers who have posted about my shop this week.

http://mysweetthree-kristin.blogspot.com/
http://tamdoll.blogspot.com/
http://lelephantrose.net/content/
http://www.ginamstudio.com/
http://threepeats.blogspot.com/
http://jenco13.blogspot.com/
http://sumikocreations.blogspot.com/

If I missed anyone, post a link in the comments. Thanks team! Oh,and there's a fun Scavenger hunt happening in several EtsyTwitter team members shops this week to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. Find out more on the blog!

P.S. the 10% discount in my etsy shop as shop of the week continues through the weekend. Just send a note to seller upon check out letting me know you heard about the etsytwitter team discount, and wait for a revised invoice before paying!

Knitting progress

Just a quick post on my current knitting progress this morning before I head out. I'm not even done with the first knee-high yet, but it's a pretty satisfying project nonetheless. I might be able to get the first sock bound off tonight...which I suppose means it's kind of silly to take a picture right before it's a finished thing...but I like progress shots and I was trying it on anyway to determine how much further to go. I'm also virtually done with this cuff, but I've had some ideas about figuring out if I can make a button for it. We shall see. Anyway, these are both patterns from the Fall/Winter issue of Knit.1 magazine, which was really good. There are still several patterns in there I am eyeing. Good thing these stockings have kept me busy for a while, and will continue to for a while!

Oh also, that's one of my new pair of shoes, picked up last night on my way home. Just cheap, from Payless. I was just looking for something that would look cute and accommodate hand-knit socks a little bit better, so I bought a size up. Buying shoes basically as a result of knitting projects...so I didn't want to spend much at all. But I think they're pretty cute anyway.

Twitter Team Shop of the Week

I am featured this week over on the EtsyTwitter Team's Blog as the Shop of the Week! You can read more about it here: http://etsytwitter.blogspot.com/ The twitter team has been a great resource for a lot of great info including, though not limited to, twitter tools, blogging tools, and widgets. And generally they're a fun bunch! I'm flattered to be shop of the week!

Rainy Weekends are for getting stuff done

At the moment, the sky outside our window is comprised of fog that looks like it starts at about the 14th story. It's kind of cool. Yesterday was similar. So we've been staying in this weekend, and this has actually been productive.

Yesterday we finally got the Ork Posters my parents got us for christmas mounted on foamcore and hung on our bedroom wall. Well, technically Chuck mounted them friday night and hung them Saturday, but only after I purchased Foamcore and brought it home on friday, with the help of a ride from my dad. Navigating boards home on public transit during rush hour might not have been the most fun.

And then I finally got to sewing up Clauss here. We're not really sure if he's a red panda or a raccoon... but he's darn cute. I've had this stitch kit for way too long, it was purchased on a pre-christmas trip to Portland, OR a few years back. It's from Egg Press. Not sure why exactely it took me so long to get to this project, other then my general trepidation about committing to cutting fabric and sewing it up. One of these days I hope to be comfortable with that whole process. For now I have to take it small project at a time. Anyway, Egg press also provided a nice tag.

So this morning I finally got my taxes done, and I'm hoping the rest of the day continues to be productive. At the very least I've blogged! Of course, it might be less fun productiveness, I've got a whole bunch of laundry to get to, and there's cleaning around the apartment that probably should be done...but if I fit anything fun in, I suppose I'll try to post about it soon!

Nice Weeks End

Well, although I spent most of the week in denial that we had not succeeding in procuring tickets for the Leonard Cohen concert on Monday, it all turned out alright. I was, up until Thursday night, telling myself somehow we'd find tickets. Moments after they went on sale there were resellers everywhere, and though I wasn't thrilled about the idea, we were considering figuring out how to best go about getting tickets that way. But really I don't think we had any idea how to do that. So it was pretty good news to hear Thursday night that he was adding a second show. Friday morning tickets went on sale and we were much more successful this time! We'll be in the Balcony, and though the tickets were expensive, we fortunately didn't have to go as far out of our intended price range as I'm sure some people did (ticket prices went up as high as $550 for some sort of VIP package.) It's probably best not to think about how much money was spent in a matter of seconds, or particularly how much the annoying Ticketmaster people made...but I digress. We got tickets and it's going to be a great show.

Also this week I had an order from Vegan Craftastic, who was nice enough to post about it, complete with pictures of the necklace in action! She has some really cute stuff for knitters in her new shop as well, and some time soon I might have to return favor.

So although the amazing weather we were having yesterday decided not to stick around for the weekend, it was a lovely end of the week for me!

Happy Casimir Pulaski Day

Today was Casimir Pulaski Day. I didn't really know any particular way to celebrate the day, other than listening to the Sufjan Stevens song, which doesn't really have much to do with the actual holiday. So I spent some time learning about what the day was all about. Off of wikipedia, so hopefully some of it was true. Wikipedia says that Chicago has the largest polish population in the world outside of Warsaw. Neat. Also neat that the state has its own holiday that isn't really celebrated in much of the rest of the country. I guess kids got the day off, and there was a parade somewhere at some point, which I missed. Then again, not a surprise since it's not like I knew it was a holiday until my Mom mentioned it. Anyway he was known as "the father of the American cavalry."

Music I really love

Last night we hung out with my parents, ate at a nice African restaurant (so good, I always eat to much!) and watched an Episode of Elvis Costello's Spectacle featuring She&Him, Jacob Dylan, and Jenny Lewis. So we've spent pretty much the entire day listening to Jenny Lewis & Rilo Kiley.

Tomorrow tickets are going on sale for Leonard Cohen at the Chicago theater. I think I've been listen to his music for as long as I can remember, or over 20 years at least. Probably first started hearing it as a result of the Famous Blue Raincoat Album by Jennifer Warnes. A few years ago a remastered 2oth anniversary version of that was released. So that and the fact that he hasn't done touring for something like 15 years...I really hope we're successful and get tickets when they go on sale tomorrow.

This all feels a wee bit familiar. When we first moved out to Seattle, it was only a few months before we heard that Tom Waits was going to do a rare tour and play there. We were lucky enough to go and of course it was worth it. And we really haven't gotten to go to as many shows as I was hoping to be able to since we got here, so a show like this should make up for that. I can't wait! Of course we don't even have tickets yet...so wish me luck.

Meanwhile, my Dad sent me some links this morning to his concert in Manhattan via NPR's All Songs Considered