Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings
Tax the Rich 

Knitting Friday

#1 Just sittin'

O. A. Bear just sat around this week since I had not modelling jobs for her.  I knitted but no finished projects to show this week.

For anyone who's following; my diet still progresses. 50 minutes of tread milling at least four times a week and no "bad" foods. Wow! you're thinking, The pounds must be melting away. Not so. As so many of you know, it's a struggle. I'd like to say I do it to stay healthy; and, for the most part, I do. But in the US, the mantra is: You must be slim. You must be slim. Unfortunately, added to this is: By the way, doesn't that ad for pizza look tempting?

#2 LB Summer Mesh

I want to revisit this shawl (#2) from last week, because whenever I work on it, it brings me such such contentment and I think we all can use that in our lives. I don't know why this project makes me "happy" since I work a lot of lace, but it does. The link is below and it's a simple lace (the instructions for the bag with it look much trickier) with picots along each row.
  

http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/L10288.html?noImages=;utm_source=20111216_Dec16_Split2;utm_medium=Emails;utm_campaign=Weeklynewsletter;utm_content=P-rochetShimmerMeshShawlBag 

Working on it yesterday, I decided to give more details on some tips I learned. These tips are probably essential if you're working in crochet thread as I was. The trickiest parts of this project are the row ends for the two row pattern.

1. Mark the Row 2 side of your work so you don't have to guess what row you're working. (Coral colored blob of yarn in #2)
2. At the beginning of your first Row 1 (you only work this row once), you will make at single crochet. Mark this single crochet. 
3. At the beginning of your first Row 2, you'll chain 5. Mark the 3rd chain of this ch-5. (You will keep marking this chain stitch on every Row 2 throughout the project.) Work Row 2 as instructed and:
4. At the end of your first Row 2, you will approach your marked sc (3). Work a double crochet in it as instructed.
6. At the beginning of Row 3, you will ch 1 and work a sc in the dc from Row 2. Mark this single crochet. (For the rest of your shawl, you will continue to mark this sc on every Row 3.)

That's it really. At the end of every Row 2, you'll work in a  marked single crochet. At the end of every Row 3, you'll work in the third chain of a chain 5. Of course, with heavier yarn this marking is  over-kill. But with crochet thread, the stitch definition gets lost quickly.

One other quick tip: You work a picot in the middle chain of a chain-5. Just count two chains over from the left of the ch-5 and work the picot in the next chain. For some reason, this was so much easier than counting from the right.

And now, something completely different  in pic #4. For some reason, when I bought this fabric (which was not that long ago), it seemed like a good choice. At least, about half this fabric is now a skirt and it's got a lot of black in it so I can see its wear-ability in the spring and fall.

#4 A skirt

 

#5 Black, wool top

Which brings me to this black, wool top. It's from the generic shell pattern I posted some time ago. You can see strands of yarn on the right and left armholes. That's because I first decided to make this a long sleeved top until, at 3 a.m. yesterday morning, I thought: Am I nuts! Knitting with black is a bitch and I want to work long sleeves? So I bound off, cut the yarn at both sleeves (it's wool so I'll splice to crochet on the crab stitch) and probably promptly fell into a peaceful sleep. The lace pattern is very open on US 10 needles and consists of Row 1: *YO, K2tog; Row 2 - 4: K.

 

And finally, blue alpaca which has been around the block way too many times.

#6 Well-used alpaca

  I have no idea where I got this alpaca but I seem to remember that it began life as a sweater for the girl. Then she grew and it visited the frog pond because alpaca is a wool which lives forever it seems. This is the fourth variation of a shawl for this yarn. All the others were too shallow with very, very long tails. The pattern used in #6 is my own creation of CO 5 and 4 increases at the beginning and end of every row (as yarn overs) until you get to your length. (Note: Wanting to be sure this shawl didn't "grow" long tails, I ended my length before the stitches filled the 32" US 13 needles above. However, even though I'm now knitting with no increases, you can see that the stitches are bunched up. Beats me why this happens.) Once you reach your length, work straight but with a YO, K2tog or SSK at each end to keep the lace look without increasing.

I have high hopes for this project. More next week. And also next week: remember the ruffled yarn which is so hot? I was working out a pattern to make it into a shawl (no success) and I think I've discovered an oh-so-easy way to work it into a scarf - no counting, or measuring inches. More on this next week also.

See you then. Happy knitting.

   

 

Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings
Tax the Rich

Website Wednesday

It's interesting that on the 10th anniversary of the US invasion of Iraq, news shows and headlines are blasting out the amount of money squandered there but not reporting to whom these monies went. You know, all of those who became very, very rich during this horror. The impression is given that a sewer manhole was raised and, for 10 years, the government just poured billions of dollars into it. Like our government went to munitions makers and said: Hey, we're starting a war and we would like a huge donation of tanks, weapons, ammo......

Unless the US has huge, secret, hidden, government factories, US officials went to private companies for war supplies. The monies our government squandered during this conflict made many people very rich and very happy. Good investigative reporters would be out following this money trail. That's the story which should be hammered into the psyche of the patriotic, flag-waving American citizen.

So know now, you men who build things that kill,
So know now, those who beat my free will,
So know now, all who hear this now,
They'll wear a mask of virtue, and take many bows.
(MiniMandaRuth, My poem for war profiteers from a soldier. DemocraticUnderground.com, 12/30/05 )

OK, let's segue gently into my website picks and start with:

http://the-talks.com/interviews/stellan-skarsgard/ 

which is a short interview with actor, Stellan Skarsgard (Don't recall his acting credits? Well, he's also dad to Alexander (True Blood) Skarsgaard.) I liked what Skarsgard said about paying taxes: Of course. If you make a lot of money like I do you should pay higher taxes. Everybody should have the possibility to go to school, and university, and have good healthcare. It's the same as what uber-rich J.R. Rowlings said in another interview. Refreshing, and encouraging.

But be sure to click about The Talks (A-Z Directory) and read a lot of interesting, short interviews with celebrities you may know, or not. The interviewer asks some thoughtful questions. 

Now, on to:

http://www.123inspiration.com/http://www.123inspiration.com/

I'm creative but I'm not artistic. I create wearable garments, arrange furniture innovatively, turn out pithy phrases at times and dress monochromatically. I hope I'm clever, and creative, and interesting, most of the time. At 123inspiration, you get a lot of interesting, clever, creative sites but also some really artistic ones. People who can make that leap into art. Click around to see what I mean. It's worth it.

OK, now this site comes with a question:

http://bookriot.com/2012/10/01/the-book-riot-50-10-libraries-of-the-rich-and-famous/

These are libraries of the rich and famous; you know, my favorite people. Scroll through them and then ask yourself the question: In which library(s) would I like to read? That is: Where would I be most comfortable opening a book? I picked more than one though I could whittle it down to just one favorite. Oh, and don't let the comfortable/non-comfortable chairs be a factor. Just assume you'll be able to drag your coziest reading chair in there with you. After all, what good is a fantasy if you can't fantasize?

Oh, and if you click Trailers on top, you get to see book trailers. That's a new one for me. Check it out.

And finally,

http://www.buzzfeed.com/daves4/the-happiest-facts-of-all-time

I'm sure I've used Buzz Feed before but some of these pictures just made me smile (like the first one.) These pictures are interesting, cute, and probably hokey to some of you (and me, most times) but after a week of dank weather, let's have some sunshine. Even if you've been to Buzz Feed before, click around. It stays current though probably not for office viewing.

That's it for today. See you next week. 

Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings
Tax the Rich

 

Movie Monday - Men in Black III

 

There's got to be a lot of blathering today if I want to fill this post since my movie review could probably take just one line. 

 

To get political?, sports-minded? for a minute: What's with that multi-tatted guy and his Nazi salute? Talk about instant fame/infamy. I didn't bother to read the article because I got all I needed to know from the picture and headline in The Huffington Post which, unfortunately, probably makes me a moderately informed citizen in the US.

 

So the guy's been banned from professional soccer for life? Which makes me think: Was he trying to make a reasoned statement with that salute? (I may be wrong but all the tatts he wears sort of tells me he may have made some unreasoned decisions in the past.) Did he really wanted the world to know he was a Nazi supporter? Does he even understand what the Nazi Party stood for? He's much too young for its heyday in the 1930s so I'll assume he's picked up bits of their doctrine from modern-day rabid right-wing European groups. Now, whether he's meant to or not, his salute has ended his career in professional soccer (I'm assuming it's professional), and these personal beliefs may have destroyed a well-playing livelihood for him forever.  Is it fair to make him the poster child for a "we will not tolerate such an attitude/belief system when it is brought to our attention" draconian punishment? Obviously, from articles I have read re: the rise of neo-nazi beliefs, this guy is not alone in his thinking. Does scoring points with the politically correct crowd with this punishment help to eradicate fascist beliefs? (And as a side: Have you heard/read the hate-speak emitting from the mouths of some US politicians?) I'm just raising the questions here. Outside of a firm belief that draconian punishments always lead to more trouble, I don't have the answers.

 

OK, down from my soapbox. I spent the afternoon yesterday sewing. I made four skirts so it wasn't a total horror but never, ever will sewing be the creative hobby which I tell everyone who will listen (usually just my captive family) they should have. I was exhausted by the end of this sewing session. And yes, I know that if I had spent the time knitting, even with very large needles, I would have only have been able to finish one garment in that time period. Still, it was such a drag to pull out the all the extras you need when you sew. (The biggest surprise was that the sewing machine, which had been sleeping for about 5 years, still worked.) But I saved DH a lot of dough: I recycled 3 garments (jumpers to skirts) and used up 2+ yards of expensive fabric (which I had to get on sale), so all ended well.

 

And while sewing, I did get to watch the missing pieces of Men in Black III for my review so you can say, I doubled-worked yesterday.

 

First, let me give you the one line review I mentioned above: Action movies should stay in their genre and leave the explanations and angst for other venues. And now let me cite my exception to that one-liner: Hancock. I reviewed this one before and I liked it because, while an action flick, there was a back story which competent actors were able to play out so that you cared. Will Smith, Charlize Theron and Justin Bateman all had a complex relationship in Hancock and while the hook was the super strength of your titled character, the handling of the story of how he got there and where he was going were extra strengths which moved this action film into a second genre.

 

Not so with Men in Black 3. Still using all the CGI aliens from the first two movies, MIB3 takes us back into Agent K's (Tommy Lee Jones) past. On the premise that Agent J (Will Smith) has to travel into the past to change history so that K is not killed in the present, the movie also tries to answer questions about both these characters' back story. It winds up not doing anything very well.

 

I look at the three Men in Black movies this way: I: a good introduction to our two action heroes (K and J) with some nice comic touches. II: More depth in that there is an action story (preventing the destruction of the earth - again), a surprise ending which is played out quite well, and again, neat comic touches. III: again the destruction of the planet is imminent, time travel to the past, our heroes' back story and just too many loose ends.

 

Let me just list some of my questions: They open the movie with K and J working together but then K disappears (before our eyes) and J is told K died 40 years ago. What? I know that Boris the Animal's escape from prison (in our time) has something to do with this, but what? Then J decides to return to the past to meet the younger K and change history. OK, got that. But as he's about to use the machine to transport him back he says something to the machine's inventor which causes the guy to say: Wow, that means you've been back there already. When you get back (to present time), you have to tell me about it. Not only did I have no idea what that meant but J never sees the guy again so that's another loose thread. And finally, we are sort of promised the reason behind K's curmudgeon behavior. I don't think the movie delivers on that either. (Aside: And the chocolate milk as a plot point was just silly.)

 

Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin, and Emma Thompson play their roles competently but I do think MIB2 could have ended this series. However, MIB3 grossed over $600 M (once again with 60%+ coming from foreign markets) so unless Jones's face fossilizes into a statue from Mt. Rushmore, the boys will be back for #4. See you next Monday.

 

P.S. Reading a comment on MIB3, I get the idea that the earlier MIBs were just dreams and K really did die 40 years ago. Oh, I am sooooo messed up.

 

 

Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings
Tax the Rich

 

Knitting Friday

 

Cripes! I just saw an error in Wednesday's post. It's "He's hoping" not "He hoping." Do I dare re-enter and edit? That could take an hour. Or do I stop trying to be so compulsively correct? What a choice!

#1 3-Triangle Shawl in cotton thread

  

You may remember my saga of summer cami cover-ups. On the right with #1, you see another 3-triangle shawl which can be found at:

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/three-triangles-shawl

#2 3-Triangle Shawl in DK

 (Note: It's a Ravelry patten so you have to sign up and the picture of the shawl there is different today [you see less of it] but I'm hoping that the pattern is still the same since this is a great one.)

You can see by comparing pics #1 and 2 that different weight yarns produce completely different results. The one done in cotton thread looks "dense" unblocked and I think it's going to stay unblocked because the idea is to cover the cami, not emphasize it.

#3 Model w/cotton thread shawl (#1)

#4 Back view

One of my favorite dogs is modelling the cotton thread shawl in pics #3 and 4. The drape looks like the mantillas wore by noble Spanish ladies going to church in old movies. But I'm looking forward to it being a "grab and throw on as you walk out the door" sort of garment. We'll see.

#5 O. A. Bear

Which brings me to a new member of my Knitting Friday family. Seen in #5 is O. A. Bear, a rather huge gal (I'm saying she's a girl bear) who will be a larger model for me. Bear is so named because when someone walks into the room and see here sitting in a chair, the first words are: Oh, a bear! 

#6 First modelling job

I've put O. A. to work already and 

she's modeling the same back view as pic #4 but you get to see so much more.

However, O. A. is only going to be a shawl and scarf model since no way am I stretching my tops or hats onto her massive frame. She's one big bear.

#7 Birch Vest Yoke pattern

Which brings me to pic #7, a top-down shell, crocheted in the yoke and knitted in stockinette and lace for the body. It's in a white/beige heavy cotton (what was I thinking!) and it's from the Birch Vest pattern I first mentioned in 11/12. I had trouble linking to it then but today I found this:

http://www.knittingdaily.com/media/p/95296.aspx

You must do a free registration with Knitting Daily to get it but, because it was featured on their TV show ($5.50 otherwise), you get it free. However, when you look at the pattern you are going to think WTF? since it looks nothing like what's in #7.  I just work up the Knitting Daily pattern through the yoke. Then I pick up stitches on my knitting needles just below the armhole and knitted the rest of the garment. As you can see, I hold the yoke front together with a small shawl pin. 

Anyway, it's done. I do like the combination of crochet and knit but my choice of yarn was a mistake. Now, I'm looking at a biggggggggg ball of this yarn left over. It's not going into another top. What about an open shawl? Which leads me to my last picture and project, and some back story.

#8 Top into shawl

My thrifty (OK, say cheap) soul just had to buy 2 skeins of black boucle on sale at Michaels for $1 each. On the right in picture #8, you see the top I started to make with that yarn. In fact, try to picture that top at least 12" longer (I was going for the top over tights look) before I discovered the first dropped stitch about 8" down from my needles. No problem. Black boucle is forgiving. I just carried it up as close to the needles as I could (I had done two increases along the way so it was not a straight run to the needles), brought the loop to the back, pinned it and was going to tack it and move on. That is until I discovered the second dropped stitch way down in the work. And then I discovered a gap between two stitches. What? It was almost like knitting drunk since I had no memory of making these mistakes but that's the problem with any dark textured yarn: you knit "on faith" a lot of the time.

So then I thought: A black shawl. You can always use a black shawl. And I knew it had to be crochet since I am never, ever, ever going to knit black again. (Ha!)

When you decide to look carefully, you can find some really nice crochet shawls out there in free patterns that don't have you working 30, 40, even more different rows. Here's one:

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/easy-iris-shawl

I'm so happy I found Easy Iris (only on Ravelry so you have to join to see it.) With this shawl, you crochet first to the length (the arrow in #8 shows the direction) and, when you reach it, you turn you work one-quarter and crochet only on one long side till you reach your width. What a great idea!. From the picture with the pattern, you'll see a two-toned shawl done that way but the concept would work one-toned, two-toned, striped?, variegated? ....... I see a lot of possibilities here. Of course, I'm not ruling out crocheting the length (as above), then turning and knitting the width (not with black yarn, of course.) I think I'll be revisiting this pattern a lot.

That's it for today. Did I tell you that Miss L sent us a postcard? She prints her name beautifully. She has passed her hip x-ray (It gets reviewed by Penn!) and has been sent on for her training. We all miss her.

See you next week. Happy knitting.

  

Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings
Tax the Rich 

Website Wednesday 

OK, I get just too depressed when I read the recently released tax cut plan by WI Rep. Paul Ryan (just what do they put in that cheese from Wisconsin?). He's hoping the American public will buy into it so he and his rich friends can see a fast return to feudalism (We don't need no stinkin' government programs; bring back the poor houses!)

So, I'll grit my teeth and try to really, really believe that I must just consider myself as an ancestor in a species which may someday be worth its existence. (Only speaking for the USA here and definitely NOT speaking for dogs nor horses; both of which are super cool.)

Like, The Great Gatsby's final line, I will  "beat on, boats against the current" and get to my website picks.

In keeping with last lines: 

http://flavorwire.com/167171/famous-last-words-our-20-favorite-final-lines-in-literature

There are a lot of last lines here with which I'm unfamiliar but it makes me think about a great class assignment: Pick up 10 works of fiction you like and write down their last lines. Could lead to some interesting discussions. Even out of school, I'd like to try this.

I can't believe I haven't linked to this one yet (maybe another site pick also had these pictures):

http://apartmentgeeks.net/15-apartment-space-saving-ideas/

Be sure to click around all of Apartment Geeks for other clever ideas for living in small spaces. I do love the above page though, since, for some unexplainable reason, small living/storage ideas are very comforting to me. (Number 12 is a hoot.)

Another literary site today. Below is a USA-centric page but click around for worldwide choices:

http://www.librarything.com/tag/American+novel 

This lists the most tagged American novels. Click on a book cover and go to more related tags and comments by readers. I am a sucker for comments when they are of the thoughtful type, not the "so's your old man" type. You/I won't be disappointed with these.

Finally, let me end with some pictures:

http://www.yesemails.com/interestingemails/morethan/

I'm embarrassed to say that I, who am stronger than an ox emotionally (ha!), teared up with some of them. It's a great selection. Again, be sure to click around; this is a picture e-mail mother lode site.

That's it for today. I guess I'll go out and practice being a good ancestor; that is, after I have another cup of java. See you next week.

  

Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings
Tax the Rich

 

Movie Monday - The Descendants

 

In The Descendants, there's a worthwhile movie struggling to appear; it doesn't.

 

Based on a book of the same name, it's a movie set in Hawaii. Attorney Matt King, played by George Clooney, is the sole trustee of a vast parcel of family land passed on from his Hawaiian princess ancestor. (While there are a few natives in the film, the family and cast are white.) The trust has received a very good offer to buy the land from an Hawaiian and, while Matt lives on his legal income, the family cousins sorely need the money. Also, by law, in 7 years the trust must be dissolved, so this may be the best offer they'll get. So that's one theme: Clooney must decide to sell this pristine land for development.

 

However, that's just the backdrop. As the movie opens, King's free-wheeling life-styled wife is terminally injured in a boating accident (she shouldn't have been steering) and her living will is explicit that the "plug must be pulled."

 

But, still wait; there's more. I'm not giving anything away since within 20 minutes we learn how fucked up Matt's family really is. Not only is Mrs. Matt reckless by steering the boat, she has a secret lover.

 

And then there are Matt's daughters, teen Alex and 10-year old Scottie. I just love it when a 10 year old gives adults the finger or makes obscene crank calls. But Matt does say that since he was super busy, mom raised the girls. Great job, mom.

Comatose wife, pending land sale, uber-bratty daughters, a cuckolded husband. You've got all the ingredients for Shakespeare or soap opera here. Unfortunately, as I watched this movie, I thought about Revenge of the Nerds and Airplane. Not good.

Where did this movie go wrong? First, I think it unfortunately stayed true to the book. For example, there is the annoying character of Sid who is Alex's casual boyfriend and drug supplier and who pops up and stays with the family throughout the movie, even keeping vigil at the hospital. There's really no connection between him and Alex but by the middle of the film, Matt is coming to Sid for advice. What? As played, this kid is a dip-shit and a drag on the movie. I can't believe his origins weren't in the book since no screenwriter could get that character green-lit. Second, from the explanatory voice-overs by Matt, I'm going to assume the book is narrative, not dialogue driven. Director, Alexander Payne, translates this into deep stares for the movie. For crying out loud! Let Matt talk in meaningful sentences. He doesn't have to say much (watch Clooney in Michael Clayton to see what I mean) but he has to talk. From voice-overs, we do learn early that when Matt's wife awakens, he plans to make it all up to her but once the other shoe drops, (the lover), we learn nothing about his feelings.

Talk about a triple whammy: wife comatose. land must be sold, wife unfaithful. And where does the movie go with this? OK, I'm not expecting Matt to disclaim like Richard III: Now is the winter of our discontent. But what does Matt do when DD, Alex, gives him this verbal sucker punch regarding the lover: he decides to track down the lover so he can say good-bye to the wife!!

Matt has got to be one cool character. Bam! His world turns upside down and he decides some detective work is the best course of action.

 

And that's how it goes. It's rather like watching an alternative universe. There is a lot of rich material here but nothing is handled with any depth. Sometimes, not even with a touch of common sense for even a rather touching scene of confrontation towards the end (which I won't give away) that could have been played quietly to show how emotionally battered people must reconcile, is allowed to go over the top. (This is the place where I remembered the scene in Airplane when the passengers lined up to "help" a woman with hysterics. I'll let you figure out the Revenge of the Nerds connection.)

I can forgive John Carter, Sherlock Holmes, the CGI flick, because they are pure entertainment. You go in to them for popcorn and escape. But The Descendants has some very good actors and some excellent thematic issues. Everyone, however, skims across the surface. A multifaceted tale is being told but the message is: Hey! It's just a story. Like that opening speed boat, we're just skimming the surface. What a disappointment.

See you next week.

 

 

Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings
Tax the Rich

 

Knitting Friday

 

Not wanting to forget, let's start with Knitty's Ice Queen cowl at:

 

http://knitty.com/ISSUEwinter07/PATTicequeen.html\

Here's the picture from last week where I took that pattern and made it into a scarf:

#1 Ice Queen as a scarf

I promised the how-to's for this Friday, so here they are:

What I did as shown:

1. I worked the scarf in stockinette (K RS, P WS.)

2. I started with a Picot Cast-On (easy to google.)

3. I then worked 2 rows in K.

3. After that, for each row, I worked 2 K stitches each side and 1 stockinette
ES so it would look like this: 2 K edge, 1 st st - pattern - 1 st st - 2 K edge stitches.

4. I worked the pattern for Chart B starting on Row 1 at stitch 4 and ended with stitch 21, (That way, I eliminated the 2 decrease stitches and kept the stitch count even. Pattern stitch count is 19 as I did it.)

5.Using only stitches 4 through 21, I worked Chart B in repeats of Row 1 through Row 16.

6. As a raveler suggested, I used nupps instead of beads (the B).

What you should do (what my sample swatch doesn't show.):

1. Follow the pattern directions and make a provisional cast-on.
2. Start my directions with #3.

3. When you have reached your length, end on Row 1 (YO, SSK, K2tog but no nupps.)

4. K 2 rows.

5. Work a picot bind off.

6. Remove your provisional CO and work a picot bind off.

7. This will give you the "sculptured" end you see in pic #1 on both ends.

Ice Queen is a lovely pattern and if I looked good in cowl/hats I would love to make it as written. But this way I get a lovely Ice Queen scarf. If you want to make your scarf wider work it as:

2 K edge stitches, 1 st st, *pattern (19 sts), 1 st st* across, end 2 knit edge stitches.

#2 Sampler lace scarf

OK, some other stuff. On the left and right are my sampler lace scarf, all done. It's 105" long and 11" width.  I only made one mistake on all the patterns and that's in the middle of the scarf so no worry. 

#3 One end

I used 4 balls of KP fingering which were left over from other projects. Different hues, but the families were close. Since I made a list of all the patterns as I knitted them, if I don't lose the list, I'll know which ones I want to make again. Any bets on my losing this list?

And finally, if you're under stress, crochet lace in a simple pattern. Don't knit it because frogging will just lead to more stress. You need concentration with type of crochet, but you'll get just enough, not too much. In picture #4 is:

http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/L10288.html?noImages=;utm_source=20111216_Dec16_Split2;utm_medium=Emails;utm_campaign=Weeklynewsletter;utm_content=P-rochetShimmerMeshShawlBag

#4 Summer Mesh shawl

This is a Lion Brand pattern so you must do a free registration but it's worth the bother. Summer Mesh is a two row pattern with little picots throughout. That big yarn wad on the left shows me that this side is Row 2 and the red strands on the end mark the last stitch. However, that may be overkill. This is the second crocheted shawl I'm working on. (Pics of the first next week.) I don't like summer camis without a little cover-up and since jackets/sweaters are too warm and I've never really understood the shrug, I like these cotton thread shawls. Just enough cover-up and plenty of cool.

That's it for this week. Happy Knitting. See you next week.

Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings
Tax the Rich

 

Website Wednesday

It was good sitting with the girl yesterday and helping her study for a test on 300+ years of imperialism. Well, it wasn't good for the girl's understanding of history because 300 years worth of studying for any kid is a drag and a turn-off but I doubt this history teacher's  methods are going to change this year. (Though apparently a group of kids cornered him verbally with a sea of complaints. You go, kids!) But this review sort of lessened the angst for me about modern day imperialism as I remembered those heady days of the likes of the East India Company or Cecil Rhodes. Money and greed have produced such a dark side in the human species for so long.

Let's start with a visual:

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/your-shot/wallpaper/2010/img/0915wallpaperys-3_1600.jpg

This picture grabs me. It's so lonely. It's spooky. It's not light nor dark. And it has a goal. Just what are you going to find at the end of that road? Of course, we're not talking about nature in the raw here because nature never made railings to hold back the foliage. But for me, this is one of those "stops you in your tracks" pictures. Just thought I'd share.

I like people who think out of the box so here's:

http://www.ecochunk.com/6603/2013/03/01/hungarian-artist-creates-impossible-looking-sculptures-from-pencils/

I would never write with these pencils though. It would be like eating the pig who could sing.

Then go to the main page of this website:

http://www.ecochunk.com/

and click around for works by very creative, eco-friendly artists/inventors. Eco Chunk says of itself: At Eco Chunk, we aim to bring the best and latest in environmental technology, sustainable architecture, green gadgets and environmentally friendly vehicles.

Which is all a very good segue into my next pick. While I really believe that some very creative inventors who get the necessary financial backing may provide the changes in our technology which we need if we don't want to fry the planet and us on it, I also understand the flip side of this ecology friendly movement which I found here on the Mother Nature Network:

http://www.mnn.com/your-home/organic-farming-gardening/stories/infographic-home-gardening-in-the-us

It was the commenter, Ecokid, on this page who attracted my attention.
 
Here's what he/she said:
Ecokid Aug 03 2012 at 12:26 PM
I want to point out something, because it's very important, and often ecological efforts "fail" on this account. The cost of human effort can be very high. Many people have jobs paying $10/hr, and quite a few have jobs paying $20/hr. Or more. So a diagram like this one, claiming that only $70 of labor go into a 600 sq. ft. garden is clearly wrong: It couldn't be gardened in 3 1/2 hours, or even 7 hours! This same fallacy carries over to a lot of other ecological efforts that look reasonable -- until the real cost of human labor is accounted for. Aluminum cans? Cardboard? Probably should just be thrown away -- unless it's good work experience for some preteen. We need to be really realistic about what's feasible, economically, and not just what makes us feel good. In the case of gardens -- I'm a gardener -- of course there's a lot going on that positive that wasn't mentioned. Having fresh herbs, and not having to fuss with buying and storing them is a huge time and money saving. But again, probably not every home crop is worthwhile. Cucumbers? Summer squash? Onions? Those are easily enough purchased at the store, organic, at reasonable price.

Some times I'm waiting in the car in the parking lot and get to see the Wegmann shoppers leave their big SUVs and enter the store  with their armload of cloth, PC, grocery bags. They are driving gas guzzlers but pleased that they are doing their bit to save the environment.

The push to save the environment, if it ever comes in earnest and soon enough to make a difference, is going to make real difficult changes in the lifestyle of the first/second worlders. I think it's important to remember, as Ecokid points out, We need to be really realistic about what's feasible, economically, and not just what makes us feel good. Having said that, I still think sites like Mother Nature Network: http://www.mnn.com/ are very worthwhile. Be sure to click around for tips, ideas, recipes. It's a fast, informative read.

And finally since I started talking about teaching history, let me end with a site on education:

http://www.course-notes.org/  

My latest BFF, Gavin Newsom, whom I mentioned on Monday, says that we have to change our educational paradigm. He's preaching to the choir here and I'm even hoping for just a little change at first: The common sense realization that since first worlders are living into their 90s, stuffing education into only the first 2 and 1/2 decades of their lives is a joke.

But now, we have to play the educational world as it lays and Course Notes is a very good site to 1) keep current with educational ideas and tips 2) read important/interesting forum topics (Ex: Big or small colleges, which is better., 3) produce study flashcards (I plugged in "Lincoln" and "Most Recent" and got the mother lode 4) Read outline reviews of entire textbooks.

And all this I clicked without becoming a premium member. A generous site. Be sure to bookmark it.

That's it for today. See you next week.

Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings 

Tax the Rich

 

Knitting Friday

 

I had to go out early on Wednesday and needed a sturdy shawl over a blazer. Didn't have one. Which led me to:

 

http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEdf10/PATTcaireen.php

 

OK, it starts with a cast on of 420 stitches but some one on Ravelry modified that to 300+. I'm thinking about one in a light beige wool, larger needles and a smaller cast on. I like the pattern and you decrease to the top so your stitch count goes down. Every once and a while I think: I really do need a "grab and run" warm cover-up. This may be the one. Maybe, more on this later.

 

Picture #1 is a wool crocheted shawl that I finally blocked. Not much warmth, but pretty.

 

#2  Blocked 3-Triangle

I

I finally blocked my wool Three Triangle Shawl (#2):

 

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/three-triangles-shawl 

 

(sorry this is a Ravelry link so you must join to view but some many designers are posting there)

It got so long even though I didn't stretch it. It's a great indoor shawl.

 

Remember last Friday I told you about placing a garter ridge between patterns in a sampler scarf. Here's an example of what I mean:

In pic #3, you get the whole sample. T

#3 Garter ridges in white

he white shows the garter ridges and the blue is the pattern.

 

#4 A lot of stockinette

  In order to make two garter ridges (each row looks like a purl row on the RS), you have to knit 4 rows. That becomes problematic when one of the patterns you're "connecting" ends or begins in stockinette. Take a look at pic #4. The pattern in blue at the bottom is: Row 1: *YO, K2tog*; Row 2: *YO P2tog*: Row 3: K; Row 4 P. So rows 3 and 4 produce stockinette, If you follow this by a garter ridge, (K four rows), that first row is another K which gives you more stockinette than you need (#4). Here's what it should look like in pic #5; no extra stockinette before the garter ridge.

#5 Good stockinette

There are a few ways to eliminate the excess st st in #4 so it looks like pic #5. Here are two I use: 1) On the 4th row of the lace pattern which is on the WS, work it as a K row. That will give you your first garter ridge on the RS. K one row on the RS (gives you a smooth RS row) and then K one row on the WS (which will give you your second garter ridge on the RS.) You're now ready to work on the RS, so just start your new pattern even though you have only worked 3 rows for your garter ridge. 2) If you want to finish your lace pattern as usual. Start your garter ridge as P one row on the RS (first garter ridge on RS), P one on the WS (smooth K row shows up on the RS), P one on the RS (second garter ridge) then P one row on the WS (smooth K row shows up on the RS). You're doing the reverse stockinette stitch

 

I know this may sound confusing but just practice a few times and remember you just want to make two purl rows (garter ridges) on the RS. It really doesn't matter how you get there. I would rather fudge around to get the results in #4 than be a purist and work the pattern as written and get the results in #3. (P.S. This problem was a hot topic recently on Ravelry.) Note: It looks better if there is a smooth K row between each garter ridge on the RS so you wouldn't want to P on the RS (garter ridge produced) followed by K on the WS (second garter ridge.)

#6 Ice Queen

 

Another quick project in the works:

 

http://knitty.com/ISSUEwinter07/PATTicequeen.html 

Pic #6 shows Chart A from the Ice Queen cowl. But I'm not making it a cowl. It's a scarf with nupps instead of the beads recommended for the pattern. (Got that tip from a Raveller.) What I love about this pattern is that it has three rows of lace and you can memorize them very quickly so this becomes one of the very few portable lace projects I have seen. Got to run now but next week I'll list my mods for the Ice Queen because it is such a lovely pattern.

Happy knitting. See you next week.