Someone found my blog searching Google for “rodent engine jetta”. Why would someone look for that? Is this a common Jetta problem? Does someone want to replace the Turbo Drive with a Squirrel Drive?
And here, fresh, in old lady pink, is the ultimate (for me) in holiday knitting:
I should have put something in there for scale. That’s about 5″ wide at the ankle. Perfect for the gout-ridden holiday reveler…who likes antique white and dusky rose.
This is, of course, done from scratch. The ribbing effect, which shows up much better on camera, is a k2tbl, k3 stitch done in the round. It’s a neat effect, if not particularly easy in cotton. Otherwise, it’s just an overgrown sock.
This finishes the xmas knitting (sorry no pictures yet on the rest of it). From here on out everything’s gravy.
Have I mentioned yet how much I hate holiday shopping? Have I mentioned I loathe shopping in general? And other people shopping? And European tourists who come to Broadway in Soho to shop in stores that could be found in most malls in any midsize American town (and manage to clot themselves on the sidewalk at the slightest distraction)?
How about thinking of the perfect gift only to find no one sells those any more? In New York City, you’d think you could find anything. Don’t bet on it. I’m sure it’s there, but where?
In my Soho shopping, I finally found Purl. It’s a tiny, tiny shop, but, boy, it’s got some beautiful yarn. Let’s just say that Saturday during the shopping season is probably more challenging than I would prefer. I bought anyway.
Are “helpless” knitters obligatory in every yarn shop? Practically everytime I’ve been in a yarn store (when I wasn’t the only one in the store (which I prefer)) there’s one person who needs a staffer’s full-time attention and isn’t satisfied with anything offered or suggested. Get a life.
I saw two craft tables in Soho, a block apart, where at each a woman was crocheting (ugly) hats as she was attempting to sell them. The gimmick seems to work. Ugly crocheted and knitted scarfs and hats are all over the place in NYC. The horrors I’ve seen in boutique windows I haven’t the words for. I should have checked out how much the hats were going for.
Jon commented on the last post that he was ambivalent about seeing Brokeback Mountain, because the two actors aren’t openly gay. While that would be nice, I can’t think of two “out” actors with the box office draw of Ledger and Gyllenhaal, which is somewhat to the point of making a movie. And I swear, not at any point, any point, did I ever think, “Those two really are not gay.” I have had to remind myself since. If you didn’t know the actors, you wouldn’t think twice.
The acting in this movie is unforgettable, mainly because it is invisible.
Which two out actors would you like to see?
The “Seasons Greetings”/”Happy Holidays” knitting is almost complete. A few more endless conference calls and late evenings and we’re done.
Either this is the most horrendous case of pooling ever or this yarn, Andes (color 05), is supposed to do this:
Of course, I don’t mean to say that the yarn knit itself into a gift bag big enough to hold two bottles of wine. I did that, and I did aim to a gauge that would pool the colors.
The Andes was in a sales bin at Knit New York and I thought it would make a good gift bag. It did. A few hours mindlessly knitting stockinette (72st/rnd on Am#5 Addi Turbo), particularly while waiting at Chelsea Cinemas for the movie to start. I do not recommend knitting over the Chelsea Cinemas carpet, a vertigo-inducing geometric pattern in electric blue, black, teal and magenta. As I focused on the needles, the carpet would move up and back, in and out of focus. Since we were at the theater an hour and a half before the film, I got I lot knitted, but had to turn away from the carpet occasionally.
I can’t imagine knitting a sweater out of the Andes. You’d get some bizarre stripes and the texture is a bit burlap-y. I like the effect, but I wouldn’t wear it.
I cannot get Brokeback Mountain out of my head. I keep repeating scenes in my head. I highly recommend it. The movie, not the repeating scenes over and over in your head.
Currently listening to: Madonna’s Confessions On A Dance Floor. Again.
I can’t count. The
Ribbed Scarf should be 38 stiches wide, not 40.
I’ve corrected the pattern.
Sorry.
We just saw Brokeback Mountain. I’m not reviewing the movie, but I will say that this was very good and very believable. The acting is good, the directing is good, the writing is amazing. Not to mention Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger.
Worth waiting in line for.
And nobody talked through the movie.
So I picked up the Jetta today. The fact that it no longer had a rodent nest and that I still had the gas that was in the tank and that the rear brakes now feel a bit more reliable didn’t quite make up for the cost and the pound or so of construction dirt liberally dusted all over the car. I love having the car washed when it’s freezing out.
In fairness, when I complained they offered a free car wash, but I know where that carwash is: on the West Side Highway along the Lincoln Tunnel approach. It was rush hour and I don’t have stupid written on my forehead just yet.
And tomorrow’s dental appt, which I entered in my PDA in the dentist’s office on the day I made the appt, has mysteriously been rescheduled to 4:30 from 5:15. Odd that. Either the 4:30 cancelled or I should have something to knit for the extra 45 minutes I’ll be waiting.