Long time no see

I am still alive. I have even been knitting, but I have also been moving into my first house, travelling almost every week (every other month) and having too much fun inbetween.

Looks like my old server has finally kicked me off, so it is high time for a new template. Hopefully in the coming days I can give the old blog a much needed overhaul.

Some of the shit that's been superfantastic in the last few months:
* Getting to see all my knitbuds (even AMY!!!) on my last trip to DC for awhile.

(I thought someone got a pic of this, but now I can't find it)

And while we were there, we got to hear Steph give a hilarious and heartwarming talk:

(I stole that one from Sarah)

* Lots of cool shows. Including a couple of badass nights of Ween, Amplified Heat's cd release, Turbonegro, and our pals Mr. Lewis and the Funeral Five. (Also, BF's band is getting off the ground and has 3 gigs this month with a couple pending for next, so stay tuned!)

* A really awesome vacation/roadtrip up the West Coast... Some highlights:



(There were some beaches, and roadside attractions, and long lost friends, too...)

* Knitting has been going on; some secret, some not-so-much. I have been posting as much as I can on Ravelry. Don't you love it the MOST? If you aren't there yet, drop me a line... I *might* have a way to get you on board.

Arts n Drafts!

There's a new crafty meetup in Austin: Rio Rita's Arts and Drafts!

The best part about it is that ALL crafts are welcome... And they really do show up! Last night, Trey was sanding down steel handles that he had welded for his handmade barbeque pit! His friend, Shanti, was crocheting an afghan, 4 or 5 of us were knitting, Donya was weaving a basket, Mimi was doing needlepoint... Other visitors have taken a seat and started beading, quilting, or even printmaking (on a Gocco).

Here is my very blurry shot of Donya showing Shanti how a basket handle is made...


And here are Ramona, Rachel, and Mimi very engrossed in their needlearts:


Ramona is making a basketweave scarf out of Rowan's Polarspun, Rachel is making a Kitty Pi from some Noro, and Mimi is needlepointing a small stocking in multicolored thread (it is gorgeous). You can see my Clapotis on the edge of the table. I am working it in the undroppable Brooks Primero.

So far, it is impossible to just "drop" the stitches (rather, one must sort of fling them) and it sheds so much that I may never wear it. But it is fun to knit. The yarn is gorgeous, the pattern is easily memorized and even picking stitches out of mohair has its meditative quality.

Anyone else ever knit anything functionally ridiculous (and love every minute of it)?

Appletinis, crackers, and pie: a MDS$W recap

First off, I bought some stuff. But overall I did a pretty good job of sticking to my budget. One of these years I am going to go w/ cash and see how I really do.


Some Brooks Duet


The dreamy Tess Laceweight... what a great marketing ploy: gradient grab bags!


Of COURSE some sock yarn.

Other items that didn't make the photoshoot: Some festival schwag, a Sheep to Shoe kit (damn you, Jess, for saying they aren't available online... I was *so close* to not buying any fiber... but thank you for saying it, too, cause I love love love my colorway), a nostepinne for my drop spindle work (can someone please tell me how to pronounce that), and some gifts for friends. I love to enable.

But the fiber (imho) isn't even half the fun. It's the people.

1. Mini meetup part deux, 2. Awww. A lil breakfast kumbaya, 3. Ladies, show me your socks!, 4. Rossana and Lara get down w/ some lamb pita, 5. Lara, Paula, and Betsy at Bob Evans, 6. How many blog pics are being taken here?, 7. That's what friends are for, 8. Betsy and Jess at Breakfast, 9. Spinning right off the rabbit

And the VERY best part? Getting to hang with my best knitty pal:


(Maybe you had to be there...)

I can't wait for next year!

Ice, Ice Baby (now with even MORE pictures)

This post is brought to you by a high pressure system of cold air and precipitation, and a severe case of cabin fever. I have been in a hotel room for most of two days now... Here's how I got here.

Last Sunday, I headed north for work... While on the plane, I finished up some socks for my Valentine:



And as soon as I got to my hotel, I finished up a hat for Valentine's Dad:



The next night, the snow started:


I didn't make the hat, it was a gift

And later that evening I met up with one of the stylish and talented locals:


The locals really know how to coordinate

We had some tasty sushi and fried ice cream. The snow continued, and the fancy local and I met up the next night for a carb fest of noodles:



And the next morning... this morning, the airports were closed, my flight was rescheduled. And I started some new wristers:


The holiday inspired the cable pattern, if they rock I will post the finished pattern

Today, I have been working off a laptop and a cellphone. I am stir crazy. My hotel has no workout facility so I am completely keyed up. Hopefully my flight will take off tomorrow and I can see my cats and my BBE soon.