some stuff I did this week.

1. With the help of WikiKnitting.com, I constructed a small light box. I didn't do the best job putting it together, but i just wanted to see how it worked and if it would make my pictures any better. The light box made a small difference, but I don't think it would be worth the effort to make a big one. I read somewhere recently that people have use those big white ice coolers that you take camping as a light box, so I'm going to see if I can get my hands on one of those this summer. Pictured above is a Jawbreaker Brooch made of felted batting. Pretty much using the same method you would to felt beads, but wrapping layers of colors and then once dry , cutting a single slice through the ball. Below that is the CROQ-POT yarn from a few posts ago. I named it Candylion in honor of Gruff Rhys' new release.

2. I started planting my lil' deck garden. I planted an organic Mr. Stripey Tomato plant (Tigerella) and organic Parsley seeds that I bought at Target. The parsley has already popped up some seedlings, and I want to get some basil planted this week. I have a small deck, but I'm packing it full of plants this summer.

In MDK, there's a small section dedicated to calamari knitting and in it there's a rug knitted from yarn made of wool potholder loops. Well, wool potholder loops were kind of price-y and not that accesible. However, Michaels just put together a cute kid's crafting section and in it was about 10 bags of cotton blend potholder loops. I pretty much cleaned them out. I know when i paid for 4 bags of potholder loops the lady was thinking, "WTF is he going to do with this?". If she had I would have been able to tell her i was making a 3lb. ball of yarn that would later become my new kitchen rug. I want to get a few more bags and loop them on before I start. Dave really likes to loop the lil' guys together, and he's pretty excited to see how big the ball will get. Who am I to take away a grown man's potholder loop induced joy?

3. I saw the Philadelphia Orchestra performance of Berlioz's "Symphonie Fantastique". They opened with a violin concerto from Beethoven and the soloist (Julia Fischer) blew my mind. I've never seen anyone move their hands so quickly. Now, don't get me wrong, I've been to a bazillion punk and indie "shows", but classically trained musicians put those skinny boys who flail around to shame. I've been to shows where after 2 songs, the band needs a break in the middle of their 25 minute set. The Orchestra played 4 movements that lasted over 45 minutes!!!! I wasn't sure that I would like going, or that I would have a nice time but I was blown away by the talent of these musicians. It was also my first time in the Kimmel Center, which was beautiful! So clean and sparkly :-) In the picture you can see the world's largest organ pipes, which were inside of Verizon Hall. Sadly, it wasn't played. I guess there's no room for an organ in a orchestra with a million violinists in it.

4. Most of you probably already know what this is, it's been a topic of discussion with a few of my blogging pals for about two weeks. CubistLiterature had made a post about eating frito pie, and I had never heard of such a thing. After realizing that is must be a Texas thing, David gave me the scoop:

"Just for KnitXcore here is a quick run down of how to (or how I) make a frito pie. You'll need a big bag of fritos, hormel chili or whatever chili you like best, and lots of shredded cheese.... I like sharp chedder myself. All you gotta do is layer some fritos in the bottom of a pan, then layer some chili on top of that, then layer some cheese on top of that, and then continue layering the fritos, chili, and the cheese until your pan is full. Then pop that baby in a 350 degree oven until it's good and hot and the cheese is melted real good and you have yourself some damn good eatin'. Try it. You'll like it. "

So tonight, we tried it. We liked it. :-)

<3.

knitxcore.

Tribble-tastic.

You maybe wondering what this is, but first we're going to discuss what it is not.

It is not a cat beret! As badly as Adrienne wanted it to be a special cat sized beret that she could wear while watching Amelie and eating stinky cheeses, this mysterious knitted circle is 1870 Pearl's Tribble dishcloth. It knitted up super quickly, involved fun construction techniques and helped me get over being really angry at the lady from the LYS. It's really absorbent, and I'm putting tribbles under all of my houseplants.

OHHHHHHH!!!! W8 a second! I forgot that I haven't shared that story with you all, yet. Midnight Purls and I frequent a Stitch 'n' Bitch (i hope I'm not infringing on any copyright laws typing that!) at our LYS. We've been going for a few months now, off and on. We can't make it every week, but who can? So, last sunday, MP calls to make sure that they are, in fact, open. The woman who answered the phone was kind of short with her but, it was assumed that maybe she was busy. MP picked me up, we stopped by Starbux, and went to the LYS. (Keep in mind, MP has already driven an hour in total.) We go in and the store is a mess, the regular ladies no longer work there and there is one customer in the store. We kindly inform the woman behind the counter that our group (who meets every sunday) will be in soon and that we were wanted to get the table ready. She said she had no clue what we were talking about and informed us that ,"there will be no bitching". Can you stand it? srsly? The woman was once again short and walked away before answering any questions. After standing there in shock for about 3 minutes, we decided to leave this episode of the "knitting twilight zone" and we would go home and order yarn online and watch a movie. What crazy events led to this strange "stitch-uation"? How am I going to get in touch with the people I liked from the LYS? Does that woman's fun fur poncho itch so badly that she was already in a bad mood when we got there?

Needless to say, it will probably be quite a while before MP and I step into Fiber Arts Studio's Yarn shops again. Small, independent businesses should offer stellar customer service. After all, it's all they've got. If I wanted half-assed answers or someone to stand behind the register and grunt, I'd go to A.C Moore.

<3.

knitxcore.

in the sculpture garden.

i finally finished noni bags "in the sculpture garden", and just in time for my mom's birthday. i'm going to give it to her tonight. i hope she doesn't hate it. it's not like she would say anything even if she did. you know how moms are...

Pattern Particulars
Needles: Clover Takumi Circulars sz. 11, Clover Takumi Straight needles sz. 8
Materials: MC- Cascade 220 col. no. 8886, CC- Cascade Quatro col. no. 5012, Pink Acrylic Handles from LYS, Purple wool felt (for lining), 1" pinback buttons fron CubistLiterature's etsy shop and a sew in snap.

Loved: The yarn, the ease of the pattern, the flowers!!!

Hated: Sewing in the lining, and the bazillion tries it took to get is felted just right.

i'm really proud of it, and really beats the crap out the bag i made her last year. OHHHHHHHHH!!! P.S. i went with one pocket, you can't really see it in the pictures.

rubber ducky, you're the one.

i dyed this yarn on saturday, for the really nice lady at my LYS. i have no details on it, it was something she picked up at stitches west. i do know it's superwash merino (dk weight), and there's about 600 yards of it. i used wilton's icing dyes in x-mas red and lemon yellow. *warning* x-mas red is in fact orange! this is not the result i was going for, but it still looks pretty great. i used a dip dye-ing method where you put one end of the hank in the pot, and let the dye soak up, as it does it fades. i dipped the lighter color first (yellow), let it cool and then dipped the darker (red). whaddayouguysthink?

friday the 13th.

not really a holiday, but a good day to watch zombie videos on youtube.

the song is by my fave band, tilly and the wall. the people in it know how to party.

Hoppy (belated) easter!

we've been really busy around here. i haven't forgotten you guys, i promise.





we dyed eggs on friday, apparently i'm terrible at reading charts. it said, as plain as day, not to put vinegar in the pink or purple eggs. i get really anxious to do things and just jump in. well, they did this weird spotty thing and the colors didn't stick. the rest turned out really nice though.

mr. bunny asked to make a cameo in this entry. i made him last year for dave's easter basket. i ended up having to give him with no eyes and one ear. i thought that i could finish him in one day. there's a free pattern and a thread full of mr. bunny's relatives on craftster.org. he's been very appreciated and needs to be re-stuffed. i don't want to split his face open, but i may have to. he's seen better days.

since this picture, mum's noni bag has been completely felted and all that's left to do is sew on the handles and put in a lining. i guess i should throw a few pockets in there? what do you guys think? how many pockets do you ladies expect in a bag? it's looking really good!!! i'm lining it with wool felt just to make it extra sturdy, mum can be rough with things.

i've finally picked up my second sock, and i've been thinking of modifying topi from knitty.com for my next project. there's a million and one promo pictures of modest mouse floating around b/c of the new album, and in every one, one guy is wearing the coolest hat. i can't sew hats very well, but i can knit them. i want this one pretty badly. i'm thinking yellow and brown or some other lurid color combo.

(it's the one all the way to the left, with the tie in the front.)


<3
knitxcore.

Embrace the times...

when nothing makes sense. alanis did.




borrowed from knit like a man.

digging for content.

i don't have much for you guys today :-(

you can see pictures from the protest art show on MY VOX.

issue #7 of knitknit is out now, they go fast but you can buy one HERE. i haven't gotten mine yet, but i will be sure to tell you all about it after it arrives.

I found a site that lets you in on all the upcoming indie craft shows all over the u.s. a few days ago. pretty awesome.

i feel like i need to make the swiss cheese scarf. i love cheese <333

the noni bag needs a lining and a clasp, and she's all done. maybe i'll finally get to that second sock this week.

nataliedee.com