I cook better than Chili's

And that's all I have to say today.

August Sky

It's been an unusual August; way more rain than usual, and not big thunderstorm rain, either. Sadly it kind of feels like Fall. I like Fall but I like to get in my full Summer experience.

The skies have been so gorgeous lately. It's all purple and raining lightly right now but I can never capture the color on camera. The western sky, all different shades of violet. Maybe I can dye something like that.

These are from a couple weeks ago

I am so domestic it's painful

Last weekend: Cleaned the carpets (by myself! with one of those rented cleaners!)

This weekend's plan: Curtains.

More pictures from Sock Summit

Sock snakes at the Skacel booth! My favorite is the zauberball orange-pink-purple one.

Zardra's Rivendells in the sock museum.

I try to get some of Jenifleur's coolness to rub off on me. I'm wearing my handmade CAKE! shirt. I should get the Love Monkey to take a front & back picture.

Camille and Imbrium! (waving frantically to Imbrium) Hi Imbrium! It was so cool to actually meet with you. Thanks for hanging with me.

Fickleknitter and her hat of awesomeness. Truly, I feel less irradiated already (she let me try it on)


This is what is technically known as a metric craptonne of yarn. (hey, and fiber, too)

I like this one because they both look like they're having such a great time. That's Jen & assistant, with the colorways inspired & created by assistant.

And (mumble mumble) you can see me doing my best eeeevil expression at Camille at the Handknit Heros booth. Yeah, I need to work on the evilness.

Mesmerizing Title Goes Here

I haven't even taken the pictures off the camera yet, I was so tired after this weekend. Not only because of the complete yarn fume overload of the market, meeting a bunch of new people; I helped out a chunk of Friday, and most of Saturday and Sunday. I'm also having trouble writing after I found out Saturday that a friend of mine received some terrible news. I just keeps popping up in my head.

But these two things made me smile this week.

Jenny Owen Young's cover of "Hot In Here" by Nelly (SFW), which I saw first over at Shapely Prose


and "8 Miles Wide", by Storm Large

Bits of the video NSFW, and lyrics definitely NSFW

Total Sensory Overload

Gotta make this quick, since I am already late this morning.





All of these completely fail to show you the scope of this place. It's like 30 yarn stores all specializing in hand-dyed yarn (+ others. The booth across from Rabbitworks is all silk) have set up their favorite stock.

Met a lot of people that I don't have time to link to now. Also need more sleep. I fondled enough yarn for 30 people, and I still didn't see it all.

A conversation about greed

To set the scene: I've been biking to work every day this week. It's been lovely, especially since the temps have plummeted this week and it's perfect and cool in the mornings.

K the love monkey: So are you biking on Friday?

me: No, I'm stopping off at the Sock Summit on the way to work and I thought it'd be more of a bother than just taking the train.

K: Oh, not enough room in the bike bag for yarn? You could take the other one too.

me: I don't really plan on filling two big bags full of yarn

K: So you'd need three then?

P.S.

I feel sorta bad about talking about the SS, because I'm acutely aware that a lot of people who would have like to come can't, and I'm just here because of a lucky accident of geography. I wish I could meet you all. Also I'm hesitant because every year I read around eleventy-billion posts about Rhinebeck and Maryland and it can get really. annoying. Yes, I am a petty person.

On the other hand, I also enjoy the festivals vicariously through the blog posts & pictures. So if you prefer, I'll shut up about it, just let me know.

S-O-C, K-S-U, M-M-(pause)-I-T

The summiteers* should be showing up today. I'm looking forward to seeing the hordes of knitters descend upon the city (although not looking forward to how much my train trip to work on Friday is going to suck. Ah well, small price to pay).

I've been itching to dye the past few weeks. Here's one I did the other day.


I call it "Jungle Boogie" or "I said I wanted it really, really green, dammit"

* Like mousketeers, only with more knit.

They look like little jewels

Little cherry tomato jewels


I never liked raw tomatoes as a kid. I blame this on the fact that my father was a firm beefsteak man, and although he loved his home grown, I am not really into that much acid. These cherry tomatoes are like candy. They are best picked straight off the vine and popped into the mouth, while still warm.

Also, might I mention that these monster plants are now OVER SIX FEET TALL? The stakes aren't high enough to support them any more. As you might've guessed, I don't usually try to grow tomatoes. I might do these again, though, they're so good. And they weren't as much of a pain in the ass to grow as I thought they might be (except for all the stakes. aggh). I did do some crazy amount of digging/amending the soil, though. I live in CLAY LAND.

The pepper plant doesn't look nearly so pretty, but trust me they are as tasty (once grilled up/sauteed, then salted).
We had Pimientos de Padron first as a kind of tapas appetizer. Then I found a place at the farmer's market that sold them and we could make our own. And this year, I found a plant. mmmm, yes.

Sometimes when I can't really figure out my own life and don't know what to do with myself, I turn the left thing into the right thing.
I realize it's a bit obsessive compulsive, probably , but untangling can be very soothing. I think the key thing is that I know I really can't screw it up.

Neurotic much?

I finished some socks. I came off the Sooper Seekrit lace bender and the appeal of stockinette self-patterning was irresistible.
Here they are, trying to hide in the shrubbery.
Basil Uber Alles