You are currently browsing the monthly archive for March, 2008.
Please forgive me, dear readers, for being away from my blog so much lately… but it was all for a good cause. I was in Ontario last week, visiting my daughter Jess, and cavorting with my adorable godson (and nephew), Elliott the Wonder-boy.
And there was knitting going on, some of which will only be revealed in the fullness of time. (I love saying that, and really, how often can I?)
The long-awaited Jaywalker socks have been completed. They were gifted to Jess, and she has already worn them. Look closely, because you are unlikely to see another pair of Jaywalkers springing from my needles!
Pattern: Jaywalker by Grumperina, at MagKnits
Yarn: Regia Strato Color (colour 5747) by Schachenmayr
Needles: Harmony 2.25 mm dpns from Knit Picks
You know, sometimes — despite having the perfect yarn (it was), a great pattern (no doubt there), no difficulty with the execution (there wasn’t), and a lovely result (check) — a knitting experience just doesn’t excite me. I’m not sure why, but that was the case with these socks. My plan to execute them in the month of February was derailed by a serious case of disinterest (better than a serious case of dysentery… hee). Forgive me; having spent the week with a couple of medical students I was privy to some talk about moderately disgusting bodily functions!
Of course I couldn’t start another pair, because I have an in-my-head rule that I can only have three projects on the go at one time, one in each of the following categories:
- portable (usually socks)
- mindless (when I’m likely to be distracted – sadly, this is most of the time)
- Herculean (something that makes my heart sing, is challenging, and requires full concentration…which usually means this one is slow-going)
I must say, however, that the Harmony double-pointed needles were absolutely wonderful; and are now by far my favourite sock needles. They’re sleek, nimble, sharp, smooth, and even pretty. This is my version of sports car love.
Since it was Easter weekend, I thought you would appreciate some themed content. Observe young Elliot’s reaction to the Easter Bunny we spotted in the wild:
It’s much better when they’re small enough to hold by the ear.
I’m sad to say that my recent knitting output has been reduced to this:
My February socks (Jaywalkers) are still not finished, and have become February/March socks.
The reason for my lack of productivity? I spent the past week in New York City, and despite my typical delusional knitting packing, I only managed to finish a few inches on the Jaywalkers, and to squeeze in an hour or two of dishcloth knitting in the dark while en route.
But New York was great fun. I was guiding some high school students and teachers and their family members, and they couldn’t have been a better group. We saw three Broadway shows (Wicked was my favourite), and had plenty of time to explore the Midtown area of Manhatten, where we were staying.
My husband was along as a helper, so that made the trip even better. He snapped this photo of me on Broadway…talking while walking, nothing unusual there!
On our last day in the city we spent some time at the Museum of Modern Art. After being delighted by works by Picasso, Van Gogh, Pollock, and Warhol, I stumbled upon this:
It is Mike Kelley’s Untitled 1990, an installation piece comprising “found blankets and dolls.”
There was something so surprising about finding these worn and kitschy handknit and crocheted pieces laid out among the more typical works of art, even though there were also honeycomb sculptures and cardboard creatures like this one:
It was a bit disturbing and yet somehow comforting to think that the artist rescued these yarn pieces out of bins at thrift shops and gave them an importance never intended by their creators.
How many times have we seen little guys like this one, and never thought that they should be in a museum with works of art by the greatest artists of the century?
Hey, little orange guy…it was great to see you at the MOMA.
