And She Knits Too!

Perfect Knit Night

I finally made it to Knit Night at Lettuce Knit yesterday.  I hadn't been since July and I was really missing the crazy chatter, the fibre porn and the general cameraderie that is Wednesday Stitch'n'Bitch.

Turns out it was the perfect night to drop everything and be sure I was there. 

Jenn bought a new wheel and I got to watch her get covered in green roving while getting all happy making yarn (and she brought wine, so I got that fuzzy glow without spinning). 

Denny showed off her beautiful angora creations (yes, there was more than one).  She is a woman of talent and style and her lemon squares were yummy. 

Stephanie and I lamented the design turn at Dale of Norway and the general state of the universe and the annoyance that is John Travolta. 

I got to chat academic life and possibly fleeing from it with Aven (and her comparatively tiny but expanding bump) and a lovely new hire at U of T whose name I didn't get, but who had on gorgeous hand knit red socks and who I hope to meet again.  Russian historians who knit are very cool.

I also chatted with Amy, Laura, Maria, Drea, Meagan, Melanie, Michelle, Rachael H. and a bunch of other cool knitters whose names I can't remember and who will hopefully flog me with cashmere next time I see them.

And I had a long chat with Juno who was in Toronto for a visit. Sometimes I meet bloggers and we have a nice chat and pet fibre and it's just a nice time.  Other times I meet bloggers and we do all that but I know I want to spend more time with them and realize that it sucks that I don't have more time to chat and pet fibre and get to know them more (because every blogger is more than what's on their page).  Juno is one of those people.  She's great. 

Since I don't have any photos from last night (I tend to forget my camera at important moments) I'll show you my new square (colour 40):

Twitchy

The bottom lid of my left eye has been twitching for two weeks.  I can't feel it so it isn't bothering me, but really it probably shouldn't do that.  Like a good Health and Media Sociologist I consulted the internet and I found this:

This is an innocent problem that affects most people at some time in their lives. If someone becomes aware of a twitching below the eye it's usually when they're worried about something or have something on their mind. It's extremely common when someone is under pressure or being stressed by something, by work for example.

When this is the case it's important to find out what the real problem is and to sort it out. It might be that you're not happy in your current job or have a problem with your relationship.

As far as the twitch is concerned, the best thing to do is to try and ignore it and it will go away. The problem is that worrying about it only makes it worse, so you become trapped in a vicious cycle.

Or maybe it's house hunting.  We spent the weekend in negotiations and they fell apart tonight with very very little money separating us.  I'm glad we held firm and I'm a bit disappointed.  Mostly though I'm pissed off at how they played the game making us wait all day for nothing.  Some beer, sushi and mindless tv will ease my pain.

But not kureyon.  Canada Post came while I was at work and the box is waiting for me at the post office now.  So tonight I'll spend with Cactus Flower, a good substitute, but not as good as the squares which are completely engrossing.  I finished three more this weekend.

The one on the left is colour 154 and the other two are 95.  I also did another red one in 124.  The last 95 one was a bit dicey--I was undoing a swatch from Rosedale to finish it.  But I don't think that made my eye twitch.

Full Metal Alchemist

Amidst all my Knitty frenzy, I managed to finish something for Fall.

I used Alchemy yarns Silken Straw in Full Metal Alchemist and this great pattern by Wannietta Prescod.  It was a fun knit (good for film festival lines) and I loved the yarn.  Here's a close-up of the stitch pattern:

It really needed a block to make it sing--all handknits need a little wash in Soak as far as I'm concerned--I love this stuff, it smells so good and is nice on the hands.  Now I have a jaunty little scarf that smells great.   

Where's my kureyon????

I fell in love with Lizard Ridge the moment I saw it last month.  I love kureyon and I love creative uses for kureyon that play with it's great stripey goodness.  So, a few nights ago when I had a few minutes I started my first square from some colour 124 I had in the stash.  Then I went hunting for more and found some partial bits of colour 80 from the ill-fated entrelac jacket.  Then I ordered a bunch more from WoolNeedlework because I. must. make. more. squares. 

21 colours of kureyon.  Swoon.

I did notice that it takes less than one ball to knit a square so I might get economical and make my own colourways up by combining the leftovers.  I found my first 124 square didn't utilize the bright pinks and reds of this colourway so I'm going to make another one (I have some partial balls left in the stash).  As usual I try to work with the randomness, but don't always succeed. 

Who's kidding who?  I just want to knit another square and I don't have any other kureyon to use.

KNITTY!

Ya, I know, it was up last week.  But I was in the dark all last week so I'm just getting to the big gushy, praisy post now.  This issue of Knitty rocks!  Sure, I'm a tad biased (I'm the advertising manager), but since I'm on the sales end, not the creative side, I think I'm rather impartial.  I love this issue of Knitty so much that I've already started two projects (my stash apparently also rocks because so far I did not have to buy any yarn to feed my startitis).

Both projects are so lovely they each deserve their own entry.  Tonight it's Cactus Flower.  What a gorgeous pairing of yarns--two of my favourites.  I had Summer Tweed stashed away (that was previously this sweater) and last year I went on a tiny Kid Silk Haze tear so I had a choice of pairings.  I actually did a mini swatch of each--Marmalade and Reed and Candy Girl and Reed. 

And unexpectedly, Candy Girl won.  Usually, I would go with the subtle pairing, but I found that the orange just disappeared against the browny/green and that would be a waste of this orangey-goodness.  So I'm went bold and bright and I love it.  I've only done a few inches (since I've been wildly flitting from project to project) and it's a nice, not too taxing knit.

Any guesses what the other new Knitty-lust-project might be?  I'll tell you when I get a chance to blog again.  Life has been...busy.  I still owe you some movie-reviews too (here's a quick one--D.O.A.P. sucked, it's was about the trial of the alleged assassin, not about what would happen to the world if a president was killed and it was pretty boring). 

Alatriste, or why I didn't get a photo of Viggo Mortensen

11 movies down, only 3 more to go.  Yesterday I saw Jade Warrior, an excellent Estonian, Finnish, Chinese co-production telling a fanatastical tale with beautiful imagery, cool fight scenes and a mythological story.  It was in both Mandarin and Finn, an unexpected combination, that completely worked.  I have to admit I nodded off a bit during the film, not because I was bored, but exhausted and I would like a chance to see it again because I know I missed a few things.  This happened to me during Renaissance too (which had very very cool animation, but a not so great story)--my body is telling me that sleep is not optional.

I also saw Alatriste yesterday.  It's a Spanish historical drama based on a series of books.  The cinematography was lush, the actors were all great and the story was very good.  And, Viggo Mortensen was in the audience.  He and some of the cast and director answered questions after the movie and then he stayed to sign autographs.  I had purposely left my camera at home and proceeded to kick myself the whole time I stared at his hotness, a mere 5 metres away from me.  I'm not a big star watcher, and really he is just a guy, but it's sorta fun getting caught up in the moment.

So the only photos I got right now are of the cool display in front of William Ashley China.  Yes that's a Lamborgini being held up by 4 china teacups.  I bet this is what it feels like to have a 300k mortgage. I'll let you know if we ever find a house.

Today it's Seraphim Falls with Pierce Brosnan and Liam Neeson (yes, I have my camera--Pierce was a teenage crush from way back when he was Remington Steele) and then Death of a President (D.O.A.P.).  It's considered controversial because it's a "what-if" movie.  The What-if being, the assassination of George W. Bush.  (And yes, that's what piqued my interest).  I gather it mixes documentary and dramatized footage to speculate what would happen if he was killed based on current policies, the whole idea of a war on terror and all that other crap that's going on in American politics.  I'll be sure to let you know how it goes.  Until then, you can laugh at this:

(from the Cadaver Politik)

Baaaah...

Nothing like a bit of sheep horror/comedy for a knitter.  Black Sheep was a great little campy horror flick that premiered this week at TIFF.  I missed the sheep in fancy dress, and attended the second screening (this mommy doesn't do Midnight Madness films anymore).  What fun!  Genetic experiments gone wrong, sheep that turn into horrible flesh eating monsters ripping the entrails out of screaming people.  Infected people turning into monster sheep.  Mayhem, entrails, laughs--  it's all there.

And WETA Workshop did the special effects, so it was rather realistic (well except for the fact that sheep don't eat people).  I particularly liked how the director, Jonathan King, created creepiness out of the normal bucolic (and freakin' beautiful) New Zealand pasture landscape.  Suddenly flocks of sheep coming over the hills was terrifying, the baaaaaaaahs were menacing (partly because of all the screaming) and the fluffy wooliness was evil--these were not sheep you would risk shearing.

Fido

I'm a little behind on my posts because it's been a busy week.  I've seen five films at the Toronto International Film Festival (with 10 more to go) and cheered on Emma at her soccer tournament, and threw in a bit of work and stuff around the house just for fun.  I'm pooped.

So far, my movies have been pretty good.  My favourite right now is Fido.  It's a funny Canadian-movie about Timmy, a boy growing up in an idyllic 1950's town, with his very repressed parents.  Oh, and his "pet" zombie, Fido (played by Billy Connolly).  It seems that cosmic radiation has caused the dead to rise again, and they begin stalking the living to eat their flesh.  Only after the zombie wars and the efforts of scientists at Zomcon, is order restored through collars which placate the zombies, and allow them to be used as helpers for the living.

It's a very funny movie.  A cross between those classic boy and his dog shows and Shaun of the Dead.  The sets are lush and gorgeous, the zombies are hilarious and the plot gives you just enough of that feel good stuff to keep it from being sentimental gushy mostly because there's lots of flesh eating.  There's a little clip here (warning: it's slow to load)

Seeing it opening night was perfect.  Billy Connolly was in fine form and we were treated to a few minutes of stand up during the Q&A. 

I believe it will go into wide release soon--be sure to check it out.

BINGO!

How cool is this?

Go here to sign up.  Maybe I'll be on your card.

Still a blob, but now with added steeks!

If you look at my WIP gallery, you'll notice I don't have much on the needles.  That's not because I don't want to cast on about a gabillion things (plus a bunch from the new Knitty when it comes out soon) but because I want to finish the "challenging Fall project" from 2004 which got cast aside when I started challenging Fall project 2005 (Mermaid).  I want it to be my Rhinebeck sweater (even if it'll be too warm to wear there).  So I gotta get going.

It's a bit slower to knit for me than my usual stuff, but I'm enjoying it and making progress.  This weekend I got to the armhole steeks and did more converting (the pattern is written flat) and read the good tutorials and made it work.

Now just 6 more inches of the tube before the neck steek.  And I plan to cast on the sleeve to take with me to the Festival--I can do the cuff while waiting in line.  First movie is Thursday--Fido.  I can't wait.