February 07, 2005
Time to Start Counting Backwards
A sure sign that you're getting old: If, by the time the last candles on your birthday cake have been lit, the first few candles have melted down to the icing. Next year, I vote for a flame thrower. It’s the only way to get it done.
Yes, I turned the big four-five this weekend, but The Mysterious K did an excellent job of making it painless with birthday breakfast oatmeal, complete with a lit candle stuck smack in the middle of the oatmeal goo; a surprise trip to a new LYS that serves high tea and sells yarn—bliss!; dinner out; fudge brownies (yes, they of the candle fiasco); and an obscenely mountainous pile o’ presents, contributed to by Big Sister, my “mother-in-law,” and Cuzzin Tom.
We spent hours at the LYS. We first had a scrumpdillyishous high tea with hot tea, delicate scoops of lemon and raspberry sorbet, scones, fruit, finger sandwiches, croissants, herbed cheeses, raspberry jam, clotted cream, and lemon curd. The ever-prepared TMK then whipped out a book and buried herself in the trials and tribulations of a fifty-ish divorcée rediscovering her Southern roots while I figured out how best to spend my $25 gift certificate. Thanks to the certificate and a skosh of padding from my own wallet, I am now the proud owner of:
And
The book I currently have borrowed from our Guild library but it’s turned out to be a must-have (it's the kind of book that keeps you honest, the kind that doesn't allow you to say anymore, "I can't do it because I don't know how") so I am thrilled to own it. The yarn is an Opal self-striping sock yarn with a delicious pine green in it that I fell in love with. This is the first time I’ve bought self-striping yarn without knowing what it’s going to look like when knit up, so quel mystère!
The blue Cascade 220 is for the vision quest socks I need to knit by this summer; the yellow and green are most likely for Dulaan projects.
Dulaan Update
Latest activities:
- The Dulaan Knitting Brigade list has ballooned to fifty names! If you want your name added to the list, just let me know. Anyone who is supporting the project, be it through spreading the word, making a fleece blanket, or making something knitted, qualifies to be a member of the Brigade!
- I delivered some Dulaan flyers to my LYS Acorn Street and to Village Yarns.
- 100 flyers went to Susanna to take down to Stitches West. Susanna, bless her heart, decided on her own to hand them out at the classes she is teaching, and to perhaps paste a flyer on an easel and make a display area to highlight the project! Thank you, Susanna!
- Tonight, at Ferals, I’ll be delivering 150 flyers to Andrea to take to the Gig Harbor Winter Retreat.
- Dear Reader, fellow blogger and Guild newsletter editor Karen is publishing an article about Dulaan in the monthly newsletter.
- In reading the comments on this blog and others, I see that our “helpers” are working very hard at getting the word out. Also, Janine has scheduled a Dulaan Knit-In on February 25 (see her blog for details), and Cuzzin Tom has an interview tomorrow with his local NPR station about the project.
In between birthday festivities and running around to deliver flyers, I have been knitting some items for Dulaan.
First, the Psychedelic Pscarf, which taught me two important lessons: (1) Just because you can knit something, doesn’t mean you should. (2) Just because you want to reduce your stash, doesn't mean you're entitled to commit crimes against humanity.
This excrescence was knit with turquoise, red and purple acrylic which I received for free aeons ago and have wanted to get out of my stash ever since. A big kudo goes out to TMK who pointed out to design-challenged moi that, no, the stripes don't all have to be the same width, which allowed me to reduce the amount of screamingly bright red. Which I then turned around and used for the fringe, but whatevuh.
On the positive side, as a result of this project, I’ve really become a fan of the lengthwise method of knitting scarves. There are no, or minimal, rolled edges, the shape is a perfect rectangle, and the sideways stitches give it more of a woven than a knit look.
And, here, our aborted attempts at getting Frankie to model a Dulaan hat for us:
And the picture we took when we gave up:
My Dulaan gaiter is 'bout 1/2 done... looking for a small person sweater to knit next for the project.
The red in that scarf is...amazing. Let's just leave it there. Be consoled however, that no one wearing that scarf will ever be lost for long. ;)
Posted by: Lisa in Oregon on February 7, 2005 11:26 AMI believe that Corgis do not appreciate the idea of hats. I have a pretty hilarious series of photos of Rikki first very VERY briefly in a birthday hat in honor of the Queen Mum's birthday, then the attack with the hind leg to GET IT OFF, then, happily, chewing on the hat. I am glad you aborted the idea before the chewing of the hat phase.
Posted by: joan on February 7, 2005 12:30 PMHAPPY B-DAY RYAN!!!!!!!!!
a pair of socks out of homespun and two and a half pair of the cutest wee toddler mittens done for the Project. Flyers are sent to my Dad for his fiance to distribute among the ladies at the nursing home she works at and I put some up at the local coffee shops where a lot of collage kids knit.
A very Happy Birthday, Blog Mistress! It sounds like you had fabulous time.
And don't fret about the scarf. Unlike we Americans, who seem to fear color, most cultures love to wear bright colors to celebrate life. Besides, if it get's that darn cold, who wants to wear dull colors?? Plus, whomever is the lucky recipient of said scarf will never have it mistaken for another person's scarf. They will be able to say with pride that they have the only scarf like that in Mongolia. A true one-of-a-kind original.
Hope everyone has a great day!
Posted by: Stalker Angie on February 7, 2005 01:17 PMHappy Birthday!
I agree with the other posters--the scarf may look a tad, um, color challenged to adults, but I can name at least one small child who would think it was the most beautiful thing ever. So, keep knitting!
I have one hat done...
Posted by: Kristen on February 7, 2005 01:19 PMHappy birthday! :D I wish you much laughter, joy, wonder, good times, FOs and an enthusiastic response to the Dulaan Project in the coming year!
Also, thank you for the link to a new LYS. I'm going to be up that way later this week, and hope to check it out.
The scarf looks very PNW with those colors. I can see them in a something like a First Nations Orca painting, you know what I mean? And? That first show with the hat and Frankie's paw? LOVE!
Posted by: perclexed on February 7, 2005 01:33 PM*H*A*P*PY* *B*I*R*T*H*D*A*Y* !
Welcome to the 45 club ! So pleased you had so much fun over the weekend.
Posted by: Emma on February 7, 2005 02:04 PMHappy Happy Birthday dear RYAN!
Please add me to the list of Knitters who will be donating...
xoxoxox
Happy Birthday, Ryan. Great loot you got, there. The Nancie Wiseman book is definitely a must-have in one's library. I refer to my copy regularly.
I've always thought that a loud scarf keeps the chill away far more effectively than a subdued one, especially if one is under the age of 10. So, I think yours will be happily accepted by its recipient.
Re: Frankie, I'm not sure that there's a kid out there who'd look as cute in that as he does!
Posted by: Samina on February 7, 2005 02:24 PMHappy Birthday, Ryan. My Bandit dog, who is a mutt but everyone thinks has come Corgi, wouldn't stand still for a hat either.
Posted by: Jane on February 7, 2005 02:51 PMA yarn store AND a tea shop?! the best combo ever. I'm so beyond jealous right now because I don't live anywhere near a tea and yarn store . . .
Posted by: Anna on February 7, 2005 03:15 PMHi Ryan,
Just sending you a comment to let you know that my blog has already been supporting Dulaan. I've emailed friends, put a link on today's entry, and we've made two fleece blankets for the cause. Dulaan is also on the top of my list of Knitting for a Good Cause.
Please include my name on the list of helpers.
PS: I have a dog, Reuben, who looks a lot like Frankie, even though he's not a Corgi. He says Frankie should not be forced to model any more knitwear lest it give his mom ideas. LOL!
Posted by: Michele on February 7, 2005 06:43 PMI'm going to be the caboose of this train, my intentions are out ahead of my actions. But I will do it, I will....
Posted by: CarolineF on February 8, 2005 05:22 AMHappy birthday!
I posted to Purlygirls about your project and there are several interested knitters. We promise you a mess o' knitting by summer.
Please sign me up for the Dulaan Project! I will be distributing the flyers to my knitting meetup next week in San Diego and everyone else I can think of.
Oh, I am desperate for a Corgi:) There were two of them in the grocery story yesterday (here in SD you can bring all your pets to the store with you:) Love them!
Posted by: Janet on February 8, 2005 12:54 PMHello! Please count me in on your list of volunteers, if you need me to bring some more flyers to stitches west, please let me know
thanks!
Go Frankie! I get my fur kids to model socks, they won't sit still for hats. I'm very jealous about the yarn shop tea shop, very jealous. A bit snarkily jealous. Probably just cranky because I sent Agatha to San Jose to see a boyfriend, sigh.... the trials of breeding corgis. I'm off to get a scarf started to send to you for the project.
AnnaMarie
Posted by: AnnaMarie on February 8, 2005 06:44 PMI finally finished the second Dublin Bay Sock! As soon as my son, his digital camera and the socks can get together I'll send a picture. For some reason the second sock was alot easier to knit than the first one.
My 16 year old and 14 year old daughters are working on Dulaan scarves and I've found a pattern that will work with the unclaimed yarn in my basket.
Posted by: laura on February 10, 2005 12:14 AM