What have I been up to, you ask? Oh, lots. And 2008 is going to be good — I can feel it! (Even if Barack Obama doesn’t take NH tonight.)

Christmas was super-nice. We spent time with my family in NJ, then planned to head back up to the Cape to Sean’s family, but everyone had the flu! :( We’re heading up to Loon Mtn. this week with his family, so we’ll have our Secret Santa trade then. I am so fricking excited for that. I can. not. wait. to give my gift. I’ll post more when it’s been gifted.

And on to the most important part … what did I get??! A new sewing machine. A super beautiful, non-thread jamming, easy glide along, non-scary buttonhole-making Janome. It’s a real peach. I started this dress (the one on the right) in a nice goldy-yellow herringbone, but have had some achy back problems, so I’ve taken a week or so off of sewing. Among other gifts (my family goes a little gift-crazy) I also got some new Earth boots, and a really amazing pair of hand-made scissors I’d asked for.

My knitting, as usual, is slightly complicated. I have one “I’m stuck,” another “I have to back pedal a bit, but it’ll be a quickie once I get going” sweater, an inch of ribbing for a vest that that I ripped and restarted the other day, an EZ hat that I am about to rip and restart on a larger needle … and there are a few more, but I’ll spare you the drama.

For houses, we decided that neither of the two houses we’ve been looking at (see my Flickr account) are quite right, so we’re going to keep on looking. We’re leaning more toward staying in the city at this point — I don’t know if we can roll in the ‘burbs just yet.

I can’t believe I only have three more days of work, then I’m on vacation again, but you’ll hear no complaints from me! Hopefully by the next time I post I’ll have learned how to snowboard. And if that doesn’t work out, I’ll likely spend the week finishing up all those knits I mentioned …

Posted by Tina as Knitting, Funny little things, Sewing at 10:50 PM PST

If you eat your ice cream with mindfulness, you understand you are eating a cloud.

I’ve been listening to this Buddhist Dharma podcast for about a month now, usually on my way to work in the morning. I highly recommend Zencast, which is a series of lectures by Gil Fronsdal and several others. The podcast offers many tidbits of wisdom …

I’ve been knitting quite a bit, and also sewing as well. I was going to wear this dress to a friend’s wedding a few weeks ago, but it just felt a bit too tenty, and not quite wedding-y, so I have yet to break it in. I hope it’s not too much of a waste of fabric, but I may take it in a bit. I’ve been running, and I’m feeling in shape, and the dress doesn’t really show that :)

During my morning commute, I’m usually knitting if I can get a seat. As I got off and switched to the red line yesterday, a woman asked me if I teach knitting. It’s not the first time I’ve been asked, and I’m starting to wonder if it’s something I should try at some point. I shyly told her no, but sent her off to find Windsor Button.

I’ve been working on a gift for someone, so can’t really post on that, but my Rib Yoke Cardigan is done, and I’m very flattered that one of my all-time favorite knitters gave me a nice compliment.

Posted by Tina as Knitting, Funny little things, Sewing at 10:48 AM PDT

Posted by Tina as Knitting, Funny little things at 2:38 PM PST

I’m nearly done with my latest knitting project, Green Gable, by Zephyr Style. It’s been a swift little knit, but I’m getting restless with all this stockinette.

Quick little story: I was on the train the other day sitting next to a woman who was knitting. I was finishing up Morvern Callar, so no knitting right then. She was knitting a sock and I was secretly watching her out of the corner of my eye, even though I only had 10 pages left of my book… and would normally try to rush through them before arriving at my stop.

So then, I get home that night and look through the usual blogs, and what do you know? The sock… it was on Subway Knitter. I wrote her a little note to say it was coming along nicely, and she mentioned me today on her blog. Small world or maybe just small city — it is Boston after all :)

Watched the Spontaneous Celebrations parade go right by our house this morning, and then went to Ikea. For the first time ever we spent less than $100 there.

Posted by Tina as Knitting, Funny little things at 8:28 PM PDT

This woman named Freddie Robbins is knitting houses of female killers (I almost just typed kittens, which wouldn’t be as… something), which I find super-amazingly-great. I’ve had similar ideas in the past… and I’m glad someone is representing (er, representin’)!

This local artist (photo right) is pretty awesome. I remember hearing her story a very long time ago. In Boston it’s such a small town that it’s always “a friend of a friend told me that they know this girl who…” Anyway, I think it’s really admirable that she jumped back up after her tragic surgery outcome and kept on going with her art.

And, in the non-subversive category, my brother-in-law’s latest print, Don stepped outside, is so beautiful, and so something-I’ve-visualized-a-million-times and am psyched to see it materialize.

Posted by Tina as Knitting, Funny little things at 7:41 PM PST

These ladies in Houston were bored of the monotony of knit projects and following patterns — so they started covering random objects in public with little knit covers. A tree, a doorknob, a car antenna.

Posted by Tina as Knitting at 9:53 AM PST

I’ve started the first sleeve of Sean’s cycling aran and I love this sweater. I’m glad it will remain close by. It knits up fast, I’m just a little pokey in general. Adrian of Hello Yarn was amazingly helpful when I had dopey questions.

Posted by Tina as Knitting at 2:14 PM PST

Last week I knit up a bag. Then I stuck it in the washer and felted it. I’m also making socks from the Fall Interweave Knits with the yarn my SP sent. So far I really like them, but I’ve only got about an inch done :)

Last week someone threw a molotov cocktail through the window of the Cuban restaurant two blocks away from our house. I think it’s a total loss… and really sad for the people who went there daily to catch up… as well as the guy who has run the place for something like 20 years.

Also, our friends’ band Karate broke up after 12 years… can’t believe it.

And in happier news, Andy and Sharon had a baby boy yesterday! Welcome to the world, Jinwoo!

Posted by Tina as Knitting, Funny little things at 6:17 PM PDT

I knew my birthday was shared with Lyle Lovett, All Saints Day, and Larry Flynt, but I did not know it was also World Vegan Day. Woo hoo! (I’m not vegan, but I don’t eat the pigs or cows.)

So, for my World Vegan Day this year, I’d like to request the following:
1. no surprises, just presents
2. presents should include a dog, preferably a mutt
3. a copy of “one skein wonder” pattern
4. someone pleaseforGodssake be my final iPod referral
5. lame list, that’s all I can think of right now

I have a serious problem with buying yarn. I have sofa king much yarn, but not enough of any of it to make any of the patterns I have in my nerdy knitting binder. (Except I do plan to make the the Hello Yarn Cycling Aran for Sean and if he’s into the color, I think I have the right yarn.)

I bought a bunch of this super-soft Malabrigo yarn to make the Hot Lava Cardigan and silly me did the wrong kind of increase for like 40 rows before I even realized how terrible it looked. I think I’m a total knitting spazz. I always screw something up and take ten times longer to get started than most people do. Last night I decided to dig around and found some leftover oregano-colored Brown Sheep. So I started to knit this bag that I’ll felt but the silly rabbit that made the pattern didn’t give a final size (and this silly rabbit didn’t think it through thoroughly)… so I think I’m going to rip it and make it much bigger. I have these funny black handles that I want to affix to the top.

Anyway. Today we’re sneaking in to our friends’ house while they’re on the Cape to grab a chop saw (I think that’s what it’s called). Then we get to build shelves in our closet all day — all beautiful day. It will be the greatest when it’s done though.

Posted by Tina as Knitting, Funny little things, Pets at 11:44 AM PDT

My secret pal sent me the prettiest yarn last week, before we went away. It’s from Hello Yarn in Dorchester… and I’ve always thought they had nice stuff, but never ordered from them. They had the nicest little note with their packaging and even gave me a little sample of another pretty yarn that they spun. I started to make Branching Out with the new skein, but it didn’t work out… lace and verigated colors… I’d rather make something that compliments both the yarn and the pattern more. So… I’m in search of a pattern.

All is well here… our trip was the most fun I’ve had in a long time.

Posted by Tina as Knitting at 12:47 AM PDT