A goblin of my very own, from Goblin Road. (Shortcut to their shop here.) He needs a name, of course. Currently considering: Gilbert, Thornfield, Hareton, Jude, and Farfrae. (My Vic lit obsession, it is eating up my year.) I'm open to other ideas, of course. Suggestions/ votes? He'll be in Atlanta at Stitches South with us, in case you need to see him in person to make up your mind.
We're busy over here, packing for Stitches South in Atlanta this coming week. I don't know how communicative I'll be while we're there, but I'll give it my best. I've spent the weekend pouring through my outfits, trying on corsets, trying to decide which pieces of taffeta frippery will pack best and realizing that it really doesn't matter. All hotels have irons in them these days, right?
Outside of packing ad preparing, though, there's been some fun. We spent some time making fun of our smart- phone addictions. There are three iPhones in this picture, and that's not counting Pamela's Blackberry, which was taking pictures for Twitter at the time. We are information addicts. Oh, or my own iPhone, tucked in my pocket. I remember a time when I couldn't understand why anyone would need a portable phone at all. Hm.
This week also brought about the end of a long- standing mystery, which was wonderful. I'm usually so let down when one of my Great Mysteries is solved- those un- Google-able things that you puzzle over for months. I usually prefer the things I've imagined to the real answers, which are generally far less exciting. This, though, wasn't a let- down at all.
We've been acting like children a lot in the house- I've been chasing Kiddo around the kitchen pretending to be a love zombie, or running our dogs around until they collapse. Or, in Hugo's case, hide in the bottom of the cat tree.
The best part of this week, though, began in the grocery store. We found Magic Grow Sea Beasties. Do you remember those? The giant colorful capsules that turned into sponge critters in hot water? I always wanted to take one like a pill as a child, although now, I think that would be pretty gross... but I'm still tempted.
Look at all the options! We only allow ourselves to "release" two of them a day, and we pretend it's all very scientific at the time. Me, I'm waiting for the giant squid. Or the octopus, that would be pretty rad. Kiddo is waiting for the manta ray and Sam just likes flicking water on everybody.
These things are so cool.
That's really all that's happening, lately. I still don't have a banjo- not for a lack of looking, or desire. I have this feeling that the right banjo will come to me, or something. My Banjo Destiny. Maybe I should check Atlanta's Craigslist? Atlanta seems like a great place to find a banjo.
Long story short- too late, again- the week got better, just as we'd suspected it might, and next week looks pretty good, too. Atlanta, here I come. I hope you're ready for me.
I know, I'm a day late. There were sleep issues and updates to worry about, but I didn't forget, I promise. Translation on Flickr! Can you tell I was hungry when I wrote this one?
We're still looking to adopt a pug- happily, the one boy we went to meet today was returned to his owners. Not happily for us, of course, but that's a nice outcome. We're still looking. We were in PetSmart this afternoon and a woman walked in with a baby pug and we both, briefly and crazily, considered a puppy. Madness. I recommend a new law against puppies in public. Either way, we're not puppy people. Puppies always find homes.
This week is all about resting up and stretching for the Homespun Yarn Party this Sunday- eeep! I'm so excited to finally get to go to one- I've missed them all so far. Oh, and dyeing for our Summer and Fall releases. It's a little weird to be that far ahead of the game, but I think I could get into that. Planning and organizing and all of that.
I'm sketching out my final ideas for a sweater I've been chewing over for months- until recently, the only things I'd been 100% certain of were that there would probably be an empire waist and that I would knit it in a deep, sensual red. I've finally got a real image of it in my head- and on paper, too!- and I'm beginning swatches this weekend. The real question is: what weight yarn will it be knit in? I want a smaller gauge to keep it light and flattering to most bodies- and also, yes, because I just plain prefer sweaters knit at a smaller gauge most of the time.
Still, I'm open to suggestions. With that in mind, I've made a poll- what better way to make any decision than to ask the internet, right? Ring in! Let your opinion be heard. I want to knit this is one of our Sanguine Gryphon yarns, so feel free to use the comments to be more specific, or to choose the write- in option.
Submitted for your approval: a set of mysterious, somehow- fiber- related wooden claws, probably from Turkey.
They're remarkable, aren't they? The lovely akaGracie sent them to me, along with a gorgeous fabric stamp and a Turkish spindle. There are two full sets of fingers and then this larger, three- finger version.
There are a lot of smart, well- educated fiberphiles out there- someone must have some more information about these, and how they're used. Anyone? Anyone?
The mystery is fantastic. akaGracie tells me she thinks they're for fiber combing- which makes sense, but I want to know more. Where are they from? What are they called? How, exactly are they used? Did they give the local children nightmares? I bet they did.
(I'm barely resisting the temptation to go running amok in my neighborhood at dusk wearing both sets. Can you tell?)
I'll send a custom- dyed skein of sock yarn to the first person who can tell me what these are called and/ or where and how they are used. Any takers?
“Do not hurry. Do not rest.” -Goethe
(In the interest of full disclosure- that is NOT my perfect, tiny version of The Gardener's Sock. I wish I could remember the name of the knitter who was wearing it at SS- it really is remarkable.)
Sock Summit- or Sockacon, as Sam's been calling it- was amazing. I'm still processing it, but damn. We met so many people- really lovely people, sweet people, supportive people, amazingly talented people, funny kind people. It was a lot of work, and a lot of stress, but it was such a great way to get back into working shows.
We're driving back now, taking a northerly route; yesterday we had lunch in the Gem Theater, in Deadwood (just as touristy as you think it would be) and saw Mt. Rushmore, which is every bit as strange and tacky as it looks in pictures, but was still rather thrilling nonetheless. Tomorrow, I'll be in Jackson Park, in Chicago, which is really the best of the trip for me, I think. I might even slip on that dress and play make- believe for a little bit.
Professional dilettante, fiber junkie and avid reader, rehabbing our little house in Baltimore while fervently wishing for more hands.
Recent Comments