Can You Say 'Global Climate Change' Boys & Girls?

Wanna see some evidence of global climate change? Check out lilfishstudios' thermometer, then compare it to our thermometer. Brainerd, MN vs. Arcata, CA - who wins? My vote rests firmly with the latter. It still amazes me that people can even function in below-zero temps.

Seriously, it was -30F in Brainerd today, and 79F here in Arcata. Granted, our thermometer is smack up against the house, on the south side no less, so might be a tad inflated, but still... It's freakin' January!

Record setting highs & lows on the same day; something is definitely up with the climate. But don't get me wrong; I'm lovin' the warm weather we've been having. Today I walked the mile or so into town with my friend Jaimie & her dog Zukka. Perfect weather for a stroll! I needed to go to the P.O. anyway, & Cole had my bike today (he found his had a flat when he headed to work this morning), so I was gonna be walkin' anyway. It was nice having the company. (Although I don't usually stop for so many poo breaks.) Couple more pics here & here.


Yesterday I decided it was time to clean off my 'desk', the workspace where all the COLORBOMB / Velma's World magic happens. This is the 'before' shot, and, sadly, the 'after' photo as well, because I only got as far as deciding to clean it.

It started with a conversation with rawfish & oriridraco over on Twitter. Seems like this time of year brings out the housecleaning urge in lots of crafters. Consensus was that my workspace isn't *so* bad; messy isn't necessarily a bad thing! Besides, with weather like this, I shouldn't be inside cleaning anyway, right? I'm all about the easy justification for lazy.

Tags: weather, walk

Too Lazy to Write a Real Post

Not quite Xmas Eve yet, and it's probably not the first time you've seen this, but it's a (roasting) chestnut of holiday cheer. Enjoy!
(image © Scratch! Media/David Pope)


KNITTERS CHRISTMAS EVE

'Twas the night before Christmas and all around me
Was unfinished knitting not under the tree.
The stockings weren't hung by the chimney with care
'Cause the heels and toes had not a stitch there.
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
But I had not finished the caps for their heads.
Dad was asleep; he was no help at all,
And the sweater for him was six inches too small,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter
I put down my needles to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tripped over my yarn and fell down with a crash.
The tangle of yarn that lay deep as the snow
Reminded me how much I still had to go.
Out on my lawn I heard such a noise,
I thought it would wake both Dad and the boys.
And though I was tired, my brain a bit thick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
But what I heard then left me perplex-ed,
For not a name I heard was what I expected,
"Move, Ashford! Move, Lopi! Move, Addi and Clover!
Move, Reynolds! Move Starmore! Move Froelich – move over!
Paton, don't circle 'round; stand in the line.
Come now, you sheep will work out just fine!
I know this is hard; it's just your first year,
I'd hate to go back to eight tiny reindeer."
I peered over the sill; what I saw was amazing,
Eight wooly sheep on my lawn all a-grazing.
And then, in a twinkle, I heard at the door
Santa's feet coming across the porch floor.
I rose from my knees and got back on my feet,
And as I turned 'round St Nick I did meet.
He was dressed all in wool from his head to his toe,
And his clothes were hand knit from above to below.
A bright Fairisle sweater he wore on his back,
And his toys were all stuffed in an Aran knit sack.
His cap was a wonder of bobbles and lace
A beautiful frame for his rosy red face.
The scarf 'round his neck could have stretched for a mile,
And the socks peeking over his boots were Argyle.
The back of his mittens bore an intricate cable.
And suddenly on one I espied a small label,
"S.C." was duplicate stitched on the cuff,
And I asked, "Hey, Nick, did you knit all this stuff?"
He proudly replied, "Ho, ho, ho, yes I did.
I learned how to knit when I was a kid."
He was chubby and plump, a quite well-dressed old man,
And I laughed to myself, for I'd thought up a plan.
I flashed him a grin and jumped up in the air,
And the next thing he knew, he was tied to a chair,
He spoke not a word, but looked in his lap
Where I'd laid my needles and yarn for a cap.
He quickly began knitting, first one cap then two,
For the first time I thought I might really get through.
He put heels in the stockings and toes in some socks.
While I sat back drinking scotch on the rocks.
So quickly like magic his needles they flew
That he was all finished by quarter to two.
He sprang for his sleigh when I let him go free,
And over his shoulder he looked back at me,
And I heard him exclaim as he sailed past the moon,
"Next year start your knitting sometime around June!"

Attributed to Nancy Massaroni (according to Google), I found this last year on Ravelry, courtesy of ChristmasAngel who blogs at Babies & Bits of Yarn (now defunct?). Happy Holidays to all the knitters who read Velma's World!

Tags: poem, christmas, xmas, knitting, christmaseve

What a Weekend!

Such a great weekend I had, how about you? Started out Friday night with my first visit to the Firiday Night Free-for-All at my LYS Handmade Memories. Janice stays open 'til midnight once a month for a knit- and crochet-in, and besides Bea, Eileen and me there were about 10 other women there. While there, I took advantage of the knowledge base, and Janice taught me how to crochet! I've been wanting to learn forever, so I can make stuff like this, and this. So while I'm not there yet, I did manage to make this wee bonnet for the Knitted Babe I'm making Sophie for Christmas. Sure it would look better on a smaller head, but you get the general idea, right? This hat will be the first piece of clothing in what promises to be a wardrobe fit for a queen; I've sent my request to join the KAL and am waiting to be sent an invite.

I also finished up 2 WIPs, this Xmas scarf for myself in handspun yarn "Land of the Bubble King" from Jenny Neutron Star, and the watchap my friend Jeff commissioned from me, done in Manos del Urugauy. It was fun doing the scarf, as it was knit up on US35 needles and went lightning-quick, plus I hadn't knit a scarf in a couple of years. Quickies are nice sometimes. ;)


Oh, and locals, Handmade Memories has some good in-store deals: for frequent flyers there's a discount card, and if you visit the store in costume on Halloween, Janice will take 10% off your puchase! She's got some new Debbie Bliss Pure Silk and the book Not Your Mama's Knitting by Heather Dixon, 2 of my Lust-For Things, so I'm thinking about doing it.

Saturday, after a Los Bagels breakfast (best combo bagelry/Jewish bakery anywhere, I'd wager), I headed south with Eileen and Sophie to Redway and the annual Natural Fiber Fair at the Mateel Community Center. Although I didn't find the right drum carder like I'd hoped, boy did I score in the fiber department! Check out the pics of what I got: yak, camel & alpaca from Herndon Creek Farm; Cormo/silk waste and mill ends from Aunt Janet's Fiber Mill; silk hankies from Chasing Rainbows Dyeworks; and mohair locks and angora from Nebo Rock Textiles. Like the dork I am, I got so caught up in shopping before 3yo Sophie ran out of steam and sent us packing that I didn't think to pull the camera out of my bag and snap a few photos of the displays. Doh! Although I noticed that the trend of snarky fiberistas extends beyond the brick-and-mortar shops to fiber fests too (one seller had all her fiber bagged and refused to open one so that I could touch it before buying; that's like buying a peach without holding it to see if it is ripe, in my book), I found Nancy Finn at Chasing Rainbows to be the epitome of a gracious seller. She gave me a little demo on spinning silk hankies on a drop-spindle, right in her booth. And both Marie (the fiber side of the biz) and Jim (the woodworker) Pritchard of Herndon Creek Farm were lovely to me. Jim helped me evaluate the 2 drum carders on offer at the used equipment booth (almost bought the Strauch double-wide, but I dislike the seller so much I'd rather pay full retail than save the 2 C-notes of her price). He even went so far as to show me how his lazy kates could be easily fabricated by my carpenter boyfriend. If you are in the market for a beautifully handcrafted, handturned nostepinde, yarn gauge, or orifice hook, look no further than the ones Jim makes from exotic woods. Going to this festival gave me a taste of what Eileen and I will find at Rhinebeck next year (this year is out, sadly, as I have one last seminar to attend for my graduate program); we are planning on going in 2007, come hell or high water.

Sunday was a lazy day; I hung out on the couch most all day, watching t.v. and working on this attempt at crocheting a hat (what the hell is up with the ruffling along the side?? And now I can't get it to "tube" down from the crown into sides; I'm stumped). Cole puttered in the garage making me a frame for an earring rack (similar to this one); he'll be finishing it tonight and I'll post a picture of it tomorrow, natch.

Ooh, want to share a spankin' new blog with you: Stuff & Things is the brainchild (or red-headed step-child, you decide) of my friend and frequent commenter Rebecca, aka OneTwistedKitty. She hasn't posted much yet, but the photostream she posted is ethereal and beautiful, so go check it out and pester her to write more. Thanks, R, for joining me in the blogosphere!

Tags: LYS, knitting, knit, crochet, fiber, fiber festival, blogging