Rows Red » Ramblings

Aug 10 2010

Manic Monday (on Tuesday) #217:

Category: Internettage,Ramblings — Mistress Rows @ 5:17 pm

Right now, what’s on your mind?

What an amazing time I had at WOOL, and how I very much wish I’d taken Monday off to relax at home before returning to the rat race. No pun intended. Still, despite being tired, it really was a damned good time. If you were there, you know what I mean, and if you weren’t, I wish you had been!

My sparkly new end-of-season-clearance flop abouts.

I’ve gotten my photos edited and ready to share, tomorrow (depending on how busy things are) I’ll have my recap post written up and ready to post.

List 10 things you expect from a good friend.

Trust. I learned the hard way that no friendship can survive a fundamental loss of trust.
To laugh with you. The simple joy of laughing your ass off with a friend is one of life’s greatest pleasures.
A degree of generosity, or if you prefer, selflessness. Selfish friends can be hard to love. It isn’t about money, but about putting a friend before yourself every now and then.
To cry with you. My shoulder is there for you. Though I probably won’t actually cry, I’ll listen and try to cheer you up.
Back me up. I expect you to be loyal, and to have my back. I’ll fight with you, side by side. Just because I’m not in the room doesn’t mean it’s open season.
Space. I will respect yours, please respect mine. Absence makes the heart grow fonder! Life lesson there.
Honesty. Tell me, tactfully and with love, the truth unless I tell you I’m not interested in the truth. In that case, lie to me til you’re blue in the face.
Respect. We don’t have to agree on everything. We may even violently disagree. But we should do so with respect, and know when to agree to disagree.
Affection. I don’t need the sister I never had, or another family. But I will hold you in the spirit of friendship, which is a love of its own kind. Would I cry at your funeral? You betcha.
Play. 2/3 of our lives is spent working and sleeping, if not more. Will you play with me?

What’s something you’ve done that you wish you hadn’t?

I wish I never started eating compulsively as a teen. That downhill slide is greased with butter, let me tell you.

Tags: Internettage, Ramblings

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Jul 15 2010

Shawl or Sushi?

Category: Knitting,Loot,Ramblings — Mistress Rows @ 5:30 pm

Pandora internet radio is a part of my daily life these days; through it I have rediscovered my love of 80’s emo ballads. God, no wonder I was such a dramatic little kid growing up. Have you listened to Heart’s “Alone” recently? How about Crowded House, “Don’t Dream It’s Over”? It was a great time to be an artistic soul in a little body. Oh god, “Thriller” just came on and now I’m chair dancing. Hey, I’ll take a good mood where I can find it.

On the topic of happy things, this week’s Knit Night was just the breath of fresh air I needed. Wendy, Jess, Becky, Michelle, my mom, and I had a rip roaring good time. It’s been a while. Our venue, The Parlor, is only recently air conditioned (last year) and by two underpowered window units. Our favorite barista, Jerry, does his best to ensure that it’s as cool as possible, but more often than not attendance is low during the summer months. Getting most of the gang in one place at the same time was just what I needed, for laughter really is the best medicine.

Parade of color!

On the way home I was in for one more brief burst of joy as my Knit Picks order had arrived. Social media marketing really does work, because when KP updated on Facebook that their Seasons Shawl kit in the Fall/Winter colorway was almost sold out I didn’t hesitate one more second. I had sushi money saved up, figured it was a fair tradeoff. I know I could have just waited for the pattern to go on sale separately, but this way I didn’t have to struggle to match the right stash shades of mismatched weights and fiber contents. I’ve never knitted a shawl like this before, normally I stick to one color and that’s that. I’m fascinated by the colors in the kit, and I know I’m going to have fun knitting it.

Shawl-in-progress photos aren't exactly exciting.

My current shawls are back to being worked on regularly, which means I may not make the second half of my TdF spinning goal. That’s all right with me though, if I have to weight making that second bobbin of three ply against finishing the wedding shawls on time, yeah. I choose the shawls. I’m struck by how simple the patterns really are – and yet I’m not bored. And, by the way, they’re going to be huge. HUGE. The copper one’s going to be huge just by dint of drape and being a heavy lace weight, and the wine one is going to be huge because I compensated for using lace instead of fingering weight yarn by adding a couple dozen extra body rows. Unblocked they’d reach from the nape of my neck to my waist, and I’ve still got around 20+ rows per shawl left to go. Good thing I’m such a large woman.

Tags: Knitting, Loot, Ramblings

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Jan 27 2010

Genetic Whimsy

Category: Ramblings — Mistress Rows @ 5:00 am

I’ve been told that I was born with a white hair. It is, on my mother’s side, hereditary that we go white (not grey, but sparkling white) very early in life. By the time I was 20 I had one I could pick out easily. By the time I turned 25 I had a little hydra-like cluster in the baby fine hairs near my temple. As I approached 30 I had “more than 60″, which is when my husband gave up trying to count them for fun. Now that I’m 31 the white hair has literally exploded, and I find myself in an interesting position. The change is happening so quickly now that if you don’t see me for several months at a time, you might literally be shocked by how much white hair I have compared to before.

Hair down, no easily visible white.

Growing up I knew very well that I would go white prematurely. My mother had been dyeing her hair regularly from the time I was a toddler. I don’t, in fact, remember a time when she didn’t dye her hair. From brunette, to redhead, to her current various shades of blonde, our house was no stranger to the dye bottle. It was just a way of life for her, and not something I thought about in any negative way. I have, over the years, dyed my own hair various shades of plum or black. For my wedding I dyed my hair back to my original dark chocolate and had professional wine highlights put in. Frankly, It was awesome. Since then, over three years ago, I have dyed my hair only once or twice, and not at all in the last year. I’ve been curious, you see, about what I will look like with salt and pepper hair.

I have no sense of youth or beauty tied up in my hair. I can thank this healthy attitude to the practical knowledge that it has nothing to do with my actual age, and everything to do with genetics. People have always thought I’m older than I actually am, just because of how I speak and carry myself. Having white hair won’t change that fact. I think having white hair is kinda cool, and it makes what little I do with my hair more interesting by defining the waves and semi-curls in my hair. Don’t let the photo below fool you, there’s an enormous amount of white hair around my face, but for some reason it’s hard to photograph.

Hair up, visible white everywhere the hair is pulled back.

The question now, is what to do, if anything?

Do I care that white hair makes me look older? I don’t know. FAR more important to me is my good skin. Primarily blemish free aside from eczema flare-ups, I have not a single wrinkle. I can guess where my first will appear (a vertical line between my eyebrows), but I am happily line free. Thanks Dad, oily skin does have a plus side! Dyeing my hair will have me passing for a late-twenty-something for a very long time, I think. I’m more concerned that once I start dyeing it now, I’ll have to continue or face the dreaded skunk roots. One of the women I admired in my old guild had the most gorgeous corkscrew curly hair and it was completely steel and white colored.

If you have any white hair, how do you feel about it? Am I alone in being fascinated by this sign of genetic whimsy and social maturity?

Tags: Ramblings

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Jan 07 2010

Once & Future Fiber Meme

Category: Internettage,Ramblings — Mistress Rows @ 11:03 pm

I mashed up a few bits and pieces from an end of year knitting meme I saw on Jenna’s blog and swirled it up with a whole bunch of my own stuff to create the “Once & Future Fiber Meme”. Have at, if you like!

Looking back, what was your major knitting/crochet/spinning accomplishment for the last year?
Hands down, my mom’s Aeolian Shawl. And I can’t believe it only took me three months to do it, working a little bit each day. Mom loves it, and taking 3^rd at Rhinebeck was the icing on the cake.

Aeolian Shawl, 3rd place in Class 27, Large Knitted Lace.

What was your biggest lesson in 2009?
I will never “swing” a sweater for Steve again. It’s a pattern or bust; that damned thing almost killed me. Sweater knitting is not my strong point, and I was pretty much ready to light it on fire by the time I was done. The damned thing still doesn’t look right on him.

He's worth another sweater some day.

What skeletons are in your project basket?
Not much, thanks to my pre-closing finish fest. I have the majority of my Tilt sweater done, and I’d like to someday finish my crocheted Prarie Star Afghan. I’m quite comfortable with only two deep-hibernation projects on my plate. I have a bobbin of yarn I have to spin the mate for, made from fiber I got at SOAR ’08. I’m procrastinating because the fiber was so compacted when I bought it that it hurts my hands to predraft it enough that it’s spinnable.

What’s your favorite yarn from the last year?
Please forgive me if it seems tacky, but my own handspun and my first hand dyed under my new venture. I do far too little knitting and crocheting with my handspun, and when I do it’s like a revelation. Knitting the Fascine socks with my own hand dyed was really satisfying.

Black Faced Leicester in Fruit Salad.

List your active works in progress.
I have my first pair of handspun socks on the needles, and I’m getting ready to cast on for either a design I have to re-knit before I can publish it, or a something I’m designing in my head. Both are in handspun, and having this much of it in play at once is a first.

What are your knitting/crochet/spinning goals for 2010?
Knitting: I think I’ve said this before, but I really mean it this time. I would like to try knitting a pair of color work mittens, in the old fashioned style of Norwegian mittens, but with the updated flair of more recent releases like Anemoi or the Deep in the Forest mittens.
Crochet: I want to reknit my Maja wrap (and unfortunately rename) so that I can write up the pattern. It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve designed so far, and I would love to be able to share it. It may end up being my first pay pattern.
Spinning: I don’t really have any spinning goals, I spin what I like. Ok, not exactly spinning, but related… I’d like to hand prep more fiber for my own use.

What knitting or crochet projects are on your radar for the New Year?
Knitting: I’d like to try another sweater for me, something better fitting than my Mr. Greenjeans, and definitely more feminine/sexy. Milinda is a front runner there. I also would like to finally make the Artful Elegance Afghan, I’ve been eyeing it in the Lion Brand catalogs for years.
Crochet: I want to do more crochet, maybe smaller projects. But since the project that’s screaming my name loudest is the Stained Glass Afghan (and I own the book with the pattern), I may get sucked into another mega project.
Spinning: I’d like to spin up the perfect chain-plyed yarn to make a Revontuli, finally.

Fascine Socks

Anything else you’d like to tackle?
Definitely more designing (as always), but with an emphasis on getting the patterns out there. I’m always self-conscious that it’s conceited to think other people will like my designs, but really, other than being blog or thread flamed, what’s the worst that can happen? No one will make them? Well, if no one makes them, I’ll just have to deal with that. Considering the flood of free and low cost patterns that are being released every day, it’s not like I can feel bad that mine might not jump to the top of the hive mind.

Tags: Internettage, Q&A, Ramblings

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Jan 04 2010

Have Germs, Will Crumble

Category: Knitting,Ramblings,Spinning — Mistress Rows @ 12:09 pm

Blargh… Yea, I have been laid low, and o how low it is. Despite having high hopes for 2010, I have spent every day so far of it sick, mostly in bed. Friday wasn’t so bad, but the weekend, it was a Mack truck with my name on it. You know how it goes when you’re really sick, you can’t even knit or read? That’s how sick I’ve been. Full body aches, congestion, burning sinuses (which makes my eyes tear up), and a fever. I hurt everywhere, so much so that I couldn’t brush the tangles out of my hair because the tugging hurt too much. My only two consolations have been that Steve takes really good care of me, and that it hit me over a long holiday weekend. I have only 2 PTO days left to me after taking time off for the move, and I can’t afford to call in sick.

Proof of how sick I was, see how much knitting I got done on Sunday. That’s pretty measly! Well, actually, there are a few more rows that than you see here, this photo was taken earlier in the day when there was a bit of light to be had. I’m knitting a toe up sock in my own handspun, finally. I would like to add that I found one of my size 0’s in the same week as my replacements were delivered. Figures, eh?

Purple heathered chain-plyed goodness.

The yarn was made from a gift of Romney roving that Diane gave me, and was spun at WOOL 2008. This stuff just wanted to be spun super fine, and was my first experience spinning with Romney. Big thanks to Diane for the thoughtful gift!

WOOL '08 attendees may remember mom getting her first taste of yarn whacking, with this very yarn. She LOVES the activity, and has volunteered to whack any future yarn that might need whacking.

There’s a touch of purple Angelina blended in there, but it’s really hard to see now that it’s being spun and knit up. I’m impressed with how even the yarn is, and even Steve noticed last night, saying to me “you know, if I didn’t know better, I’d say this was machine spun”. My only gripe with it is that it’s got a bit too much twist in it, and is a little ropey. It’s not kinky, in that gnarly overspun way that yarn can get, but it has zero loft and it suffers from the lack.

I have a feeling that I’ll be designing something for publication with this one, the yarn is so even that it’ll have great stitch definition. The color is so subtle and pleasant that it could show off any number of stitch choices really well, so we’ll see what piques my interest.

Tags: Knitting, Ramblings, Spinning

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Sep 02 2009

Explody

Category: Life & Stuff,Ramblings — Mistress Rows @ 4:15 pm

Tonight my husband and I apply for our mortgage, and there may be an issue with the house (septic) that’ll mean we can’t afford it… but we’re not sure. I give myself permission to freak out now.

Today it’s also mentioned that I should probably come up with an entirely new name for my renewed yarn dyeing venture to separate it from my blog in case anything should happen in the future, and it’s less than a week before I have to have the yarn labeled and ready to go. I suck at coming up with business names. Again, I give myself permission to freak out now.

*sigh* One step at a time, right?

So, when trying to figure out what I’ll call my fantasy yarn shop, I’d come up with one name in particular that I liked, “Stash & Co.” Short, sweet, and open to possibilities. I’d love to have a name that evokes mystery or myth, but I’m at a complete loss other than single words that are popping into my head. Words like Bittersweet or Nightshade. But none of those are quite right, I think. I try to think of all the yarn lines I like or have heard of, things like Collinette, Trekking, Noro, Plymouth, Patons. Not very sexy, is the bar set that low?

There’s a LOT of dyeing to be done and very little time. I’ll have to draft Steve for reskeining, but I only like how *I* reskein, so then I start bugging him and fussing and I should probably do it all myself. Oh god, I think my head’s going to explode. I should have started much, much sooner. I blame house hunting and massive amounts of stress. I’d ask a friend for help, but my kitchen is too small to have two people in it. What I really need are extra pots and another stove. Then I could do a bunch of colors at once.

Did I mention the mortgage thing?

Tags: Life & Stuff, Ramblings

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Jul 15 2009

Did I Mention I'll Say Just About Anything?

Category: Knitting,Life & Stuff,Ramblings — Mistress Rows @ 1:34 pm

I’m a pretty “lay it all out there” kinda gal. My blog should probably have a warning that reads something like:

“WARNING: I will probably offend you, and I’m completely comfortable with that fact. Hopefully you are too.”

Or maybe:

“Adjectives that accurately describe Mistress Rows: bawdy, loud, occasionally crass, blunt, thoughtful, irreverent, possibly offensive, well-meaning, part time depressive, and terribly enthusiastic. “

I’m in a really weird mood today. I have a lot to do, and everything needs my attention Right Now. The garden needs to be moved around. Now that all our tomatoes are dead due to early blight, I have extra space. That space can best be used by rescuing my beans and pepper plants from the marauding yellow squash and zucchini plants (one each). Those things need a warning label. I thought by buying only one pot of each plant I’d be ok… yeah… not so much.

Also tonight we are looking at two homes, one about 20 minute from our house out towards my parents, one 15 minute from our house in the complete opposite direction. Since we can’t go see them until Steve gets home, that means we’re not to be at the first one until 6:30. Christ on a cracker. We won’t be home ‘til 9 or so.

We had no internet this morning, so please excuse my lack of reply on the social networking and email fronts.

I really do feel weird. Weird, weird, weird. Maybe I had too much fun last night at knitting? It was a really good night, complete with a discussion about why men feel the need to run around naked at home, and whose husband does or does not sleep nude as well. Most of us are married women, so we had quite the sample group. This was made even funnier due to the fact that most of the husbands were having a LAN party in the same room with us at the coffeehouse. I asked one husband if he was also inclined to this kind of thing and he said I’d have to ask his wife. So I asked her, and she said (completely deadpan) “Of course, he has to be ready to service me at all times”. You should have seen his face, I thought I was going to pee my pants I laughed so hard.

Holy super-saturated, Batman!

Also in a positive vein… I recently finished a row on mom’s Aeolian shawl, which meant I could take a reference picture for size. The ball of yarn in the photo is about the size of a lemon.

Each stitch like a single blade of grass in a might and manicured lawn. Or something.

Each stitch like a single blade of grass in a mighty and manicured lawn. Or something.

Sorry for the funky photos, I’m still getting used to my new camera. I love it for most things so far, but apparently it really doesn’t like taking photos of ivory colors on grass. That shawl really isn’t blinding white, it’s a soft, creamy off-white. The camera’s got a bitchin’ macro setting though, I’m very pleased about that.

Tags: Knitting, Life & Stuff, Ramblings

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Jun 26 2009

Happy Place

Category: Gardening,Ramblings — Mistress Rows @ 1:02 pm

Steve and will be sharing a rare Friday night together this evening. I like having a night to myself once a week (he gets Tuesdays), but it’ll be nice to spend the evening together. It’ll be even better when we have a new house and new living room furniture so we can sit next to each other again, the seat next to mine is sprung and he has to sit all alone on the sofa as it stands now.
The farmer’s market opened last weekend while we were away! I can’t wait to take our first stroll of the season through the giant warehouse by the river, which is also right next to the dock where we got married.
The Stitch & Spin is tomorrow, and despite a more current forecast of possible thunderstorms, I’m still hopefull we’ll get a little sun. I’ve reserved the gazebo, hopefully it’ll be warm enough so that even if it rains, we’ll still be ok. Please? Can I get a little sun?!
Freeing up bobbins is an awesome feeling. With the Romney done, and the silk blessedly behind me (though still on the bobbin), I can finally start spinning the second half of the stormy roving I bought from Cris. If you see me at the Stitch & Spin NOT using my spinner’s gauge, please don’t hesitate to remind me. I really want to start remembering to use it, especially when I’m ‘coming back’ to a project.

Lastly, my garden makes me ridiculously happy. It may look runt like compared to everyone else’s due to all my plants being grown indoors as seedlings instead of store bought, but oh my god does it make me happy. I’ve always wanted to grow things as an adult, and as a Pagan I have a deep seated conviction that you should grow things besides houseplants, that you should nurture green life from seed to flower or food.

My bed.

I check on my garden twice a day, every day. I can’t help it! Now that it’s stopped being so overcast, I check to see how they’re growing… if they’re healthy, do they need water? That last part is a joke, it’s rained almost every single day for the last two weeks on and off. But still, if the sun has shone I go to see how they’re doing. The raised beds, of which I have my one allotted, are small but full of life. I love just standing there looking at them, knowing I made them start from a sleeping seed to a green and living thing. They’re happy, healthy, and I didn’t screw them up! I really need a good book on vegetable gardening for beginners though, my ignorance is profound.

I could use more sugar snap peas, but alas.

Because I still had some room, I did go and augment my bed with some nursery plants. Mistakenly, I bought lemon balm instead of lemon basil, so if any of my local friends would like two very healthy 1’ high lemon balm plants (good for teas, oils, and healing balms) let me know. Along with those two came a yellow squash, a zucchini, two bush style cucumbers, and two culantro plants (cousin to cilantro, but very different in looks). I’m planning to take the lettuces out and put them in old window box planters I have at home to free up space for more herbs. I’m thinking some thyme, actual lemon basil, and maybe some oregano?

Yeah, proud mama here… don’t worry, I’ll keep the garden chatter down as much as I can. At least it’s not house chatter! More on that when we hear back from everyone involved as to whether our negotiating pans out or not. Enjoy your weekend!

Tags: Gardening, Ramblings

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May 22 2009

Friday's Are for Random

Category: Festivals,Ramblings — Mistress Rows @ 9:50 am

Today is about the random, as every Friday before a holiday weekend tends to be.

There are few things in life as pleasurable as Lindt’s Intense Orange bar. Velvety dark chocolate, intense candied orange peel and delicate wafers of almond… all layered into thin squares of absolute delight. Almost as good as their Cherry Chili bar. Almost. There’s never been a better time to be a chocolate snob when I can get chocolate this good at my local Super Wal-Mart. It might not be gourmet, but it’s damned good.

My friend Robin has had a hard time during her semester abroad in Argentina. If you’ve got a moment, would you consider heading on over and saying a few kind words? Robin doesn’t even like to read thrillers or anything macabre (she’s a complete opposite to me) because she likes to focus on the good things in the world. Robin believes in the human spirit and nurturing the light, for her to be so abused twice in two months is like kicking puppies.

So, today (aside from forgetting my iPod at home) is a very good day. Not only is it Friday, but I’m leaving at 2, AND we had a coworker bring in an 11 week old Scottish Terrier puppy to work as a treat! His name is Charlie, he’s pitch black, and he cries when he’s away from his owner too long. I just want to snorgle him all up. If I hadn’t been overcome with squee I would have remembered to take a photo.

Tomorrow is Cummington, WOOHOO!!! Yes, there is so much woo in that sentiment that I really do need all three exclamation points. This is, I believe, my fourth Cummington, and I am no less excited for the passing of time. Buckwheat Bridge says they’re going to be there, and I’m tempted to call Sara just to make sure. I don’t know if I can stand the blow if they’re not there, friends who were with me at Clermont can testify to the vacant, forlorn confusion as I stood where they should have been and repeated “but… but… where ARE they?”

I feel that familiar sensation, that fine tingling of the nerves that happens to me before a wool show. My senses sharpen, my fingers twitch, and I swear that if I had fangs they’d elongate. It is the response of a hunter about to be let loose upon the lambs… lambs in this case being eager vendors. Oh my pretties, I am coming, have no fear. I shall be gentle as I rampage (politely) through the stalls.

It’s not just about the shopping though, it’s also about the people! I’ll be picking Michelle up at 8:30 and then it’s pedal to the metal though Massachusetts. (Blogless) Wendy may also be riding with me, and I am looking forward to seeing Jenny, Jess, Risa, Harriet, Tim, and many others.

Huzzah!

Tags: Festivals, Ramblings

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Apr 29 2009