Cattywampus

Finally...a semi-sweater

Last fall, I finished two sweaters in early September, and I decided that I should settle down with the sweater knitting.  I had MORE than enough sweaters.  I cast on for Greenaway in October, but my motivation wasn't strong. I finally pulled it out this past week and finished the body, so THIS September I can get it back out and finish the sleeves.  I am not motiviated to do that right now, but I'm glad I got it to a good stopping point and deciphered all my odd notes, it would have been even harder in a few months! 

Believe it or not, I only finished one single, solitary sweater between last September and a summer sweater in I knit in April.  I do have 3 more OTN, so we'll see how far I get pushing through those this summer.  It would be nice to start fall off with no sweater WIPs lingering around.  Only time will tell...

Of cuteness and temptation

1.  Seriously.  I know she's my dog, and of course I think she's cute, but I just can't stop taking pictures of her.

2. Stephen West is doing another Mystery KAL - and where am I?  I am all on board the KAL train.  I just couldn't jump on fast enough.  I LOVE the one from last year's KAL, and I love his designs in general.  Here is my yarn choice:

I'll be honest, I didn't even TRY not to join.  I know I'm trying to knit from the stash, but some things just require the "perfect" yarn, and I didn't own it.

With ever so much thanks to the fabulous Lisa Souza for helping me choose my colors via email.  She has awesome yarn and is really great to work with, not to mention VERY reasonably priced, if you haven't tried any of her yarns, you should!  (yes, I'm a pusher, sorry...can't help it)

On the wing of a peacock?

The Peacock Shawlette, which, as you can see, is not so much a shawlette and more a full blown shawl.  I followed someone else's helpful alterations to cast on enough (it's bottom up) stitches to make a larger size.  

 I wanted to use a larger needle (size 5) so the final product would look sort of ephemereral, I think I could have gone down to a 4, as this turned out quite a bit larger than I intended, but I am happy with it.

There is something about having such a dark color be almost transparent...I dig it.

Of course, it was much too warm to actually wear it (it is cashmere/silk - sweet georgia - blackberry), but I carried all evening nonetheless.  And now, if I get a black dress for the yearly Gala that DH's work holds each fall, I have the perfect shawl to wear!

The City and The City

Well, that's a book title, and a book that I haven't read at that, but these two pictures made me think of it.  Over the weekend we happened upon a march on City Hall (that's really one of the things I love about this city, there are always THINGS happening), so I did a little googling and discovered that this march is an awareness march that is organized every year the day before the Philly Pride Parade.  This particular march is to raise awareness for gay & lesbian women's issues, and is organized before the Pride Parade yearly because the LGBT community is often focused on male voices (their words, not mine, taken from their website,

And I took this picture in a side street I often walk the dog down, this bit of rose bush poking over the top.  I love things that remind me of secret gardens - that there are hidden bits of beauty around every corner, even if you can't always see them.

Two very different cities, occupying the same space and time, and each wonderful for their own reasons.

Night Photography

I have always wondered how photographers took those gorgeous night time pictures, clearly the flash doesn't do that, and when I've tried to duplicate in the past I've gotten nothing but blurry darkness and bits of light.

We took a field trip in my class last week, and I finally, finally got to take my own night time picture of the city.  SO MUCH FUN.

Though I have to say, the people who were in the same position as me, with their equally fancy DSLR cameras, snapping flash shots of the city and then looking in confusion at the LCD screen were sort of amusing me.  I can't imagine spending that kind of money on a camera and not learning enough about it to even understand that the flash only works for about 8-10 feet in front of you.  I guess I'm probably being judgemental there, and that's a bad thing, but...I just can't seem to help myself with that one.

Hey Look - it's Knitting!

Here is Cinnie, with a very unique construction as you can see from the back. 

It is very cleverly done, and the instructions were very clear and easy to follow.  I am very happy with the result, I think it will be a great little cardigan for the summer.

Next up:  Lace, lace, and more lace!

Times Square: Where it is ALWAYS the end of the world

Okay, so if you come to my blog by actually coming to this website it looks a little wonky.  I started editing it, realized I didn't have time to finish, and left it as is.  I will finish it eventually, promise, and sorry for the half-done look.

Are you creeped out?  I certainly was.

Does this make anyone else think of Dorothy & Kansas?

I know it doesn't look anything like the movie scenes, but something about that white house all by itself with the storm coming in makes me think the Wizard of Oz.

I have more photography to show than knitting lately, I hope one hobby doesn't push out another...in reality  it can't, I can't relax on my couch on a rainy day listing to a book and taking pictures, that is still reserved for knitting, but it is eating up a good bit of the time I might otherwise have spent knitting.  Between reading blogs, how to guides, books about composition, taking a class one night a week, and going out for jaunts to take pictures whenever it's decent weather out, I have pushed knitting to the side a bit.  I have to assume after the beginning glow is gone and I've jammed the basics into my noggin that I will get a bit less obsessive about it and come back to my knitting a bit more, but you never know.