Chickenlips Knitting

The sick and twisted genius that was Chas Addams.


Scary Scarf

As promised, here is a FO with ugly all over it.

















With the best of intentions, I set out to make the Pine Cone Scarf from an Interweave Knits of a few years ago. However, I didn't want to use the yarn specified in the pattern, which was 3 skeins of Mountain Goat--I'm becoming increasingly desperate to use up my considerable stash. I know, it's OK to have lots of yarn because I'm a Bad-Ass Knitter, and Stephanie says it's OK to buy as much yarn as you want. Yet strangely enough, my first thought upon waking each day is, "I must knit up my stash!" Well, make that my second thought upon waking, the first being "Coffee..."

Anyway, I used a double strand of Naturally Aran Tussock in a dark evergreeny color. It's quite warm if nothing else. And the pattern, while the yarn doesn't give it the drama that it gets from the Mountain Goat, I guess adds some interest to a pretty blah yarn...somehow, the doubling dulls the hue, because I made a comfort shawl from it single-stranded, and the green seemed much more vibrant. No, I'm not quite through critiquing the crap out of my knitting. The last thing is that it's a bit on the scratchy side, so it will have a trip through a basin of Eucalan and tepid water before it graces anyone's neck.

OK, now I'm through. And to hell with the lawsuits...sometimes one just has to put the "Bitch" in "Stitch and Bitch."

Eat that, SFSE! (extending middle finger)

Today I'm wearing an Ichiro T-shirt. I figured, rather than deny my age, lie about it or otherwise fight it, I'd embrace it. It's been a pretty awesome day, and it ain't over--I'm going to be knittin' and relaxin' all evening. I'm working on one ugly mofo of a scarf. Pic next post, I promise.

OK, without further ado, here is the winner of the Chickenlips Photo Caption Contest. I even got Neil Peart to do the drum roll:

Christine, aka Flutter of Fluttercrafts, for her caption of Photo #3. Model wearing a knitted WTF on her head, and the caption "I, too, await the Hale-Bopp comet..." Perfect!

Congratulations, Christine! As soon as I have your mailing addy, I'll send the Recycled Silk.

Time to settle into my favorite chair and begin a knitting marathon!

Just a reminder: this is the last installment of Chickenlips' month-long Photo Caption contest. The winner will be announced Thursday evening, October 26th, and will be awarded the prize of 2.75 hanks of gorgeous Recycled Silk yarn from Nepal.

Let's see those captions, y'all!

While wishing I could have been among the Rhinebeck glitterati this past weekend, I managed to bang out this pair of Fingerless Mitts--from a free pattern somewhere on the web, I forget where, but if somebody really wants the pattern I'll dig out the URL. The yarn is from my stash: "127 Print" by Filatura di Crosa. They came out a wee bit small for me, so I gave them to my co-worker (for whom I knit a pair of these same mitts) to pass along to her friend, who was coveting same mitts but loves pink. So, everybody's happy. That yarn will be a definite repeat purchase, if it's still available--it's so smooshy soft, very warm, and wearable--not itchy. (gazing into my knitting crystal ball) I see an ensemble of hat, scarf, and mitts in my future...or someone else's future...

Rhinebeck Musings

Naw, I didn't go to Rhinebeck! I live in the Pacific Northwest, fer cripes sakes. That's what my rational mind--the part of me that shows up for work and pays the Mastercard bill every month--says. And we have perfectly good fiber events here on the west coast. Why, just this past year, I've been to Stitches West in the Bay Area, Black Sheep Gathering in Eugene, and Oregon Flock & Fiber Festival a month ago. Each trip was productive, in that I scored some fabulous yarn, pics of said yarn and FO's have appeared on this very blog. So why, pray tell, do I still have a hankering to go to the expense and hassle of attending a fiber event 3,000 miles from home?

Blame blogworld. Among others, I read Knitting Curmudgeon and follow the links of some of her posters, and it seems to me that a) Rhinebeck is the biggest fiber show in North America, and b) everybody who's anybody goes to it. Not that I'm accusing anyone of going just to "make the scene," you have to be a diehard knitter/spinner to brave the push and shove, but it seems that the fiber bloggers I'm most enamored of (did I just say that?) all go to Rhinebeck. Or maybe it's because all those folks are back East. Any thoughts?

Sweet 16



Just what kind of birthday cake do you get for a KISS fan who's turning 16? Now I don't have anything against KISS, I like a lot of their songs, although I do find Gene Simmons somewhat tiresome. (money, money, money...) But "Christine Sixteen," let me just go on record (no pun intended) as saying that I HATE THAT GODDAMN SONG!!

Well, it made the kid happy...



And when I realized that I had placed upon the cake and was lighting "Sixteen Candles," I got a little verklempt.

Anything for My Michelle.

I received my first Secret Pal package yesterday!

Chocolate...Koigu...Yarn Harlot book...and...and.. PEEPS PUMPKINS OMG!!
My Secret Pal rocks.
>^o^<

Yow.

Thought I'd start off this gray, wet Sunday (finally: Rain!) with pictures of snuggly bliss: Buster the burrower, and Jimmy the perimeter guard. In these photos, B's eyes came out looking exactly as they do, but J's somehow always seem to glow amber. Considering what I paid for this creature who has turned my hall carpeting from solid mushroom-beige to leopard-print pee spots, I'll take it as a bonus.

I Want A New Drug



I've taken to using the top of my washer as a backdrop, as every other surface in the house contains clutter which I don't feel like moving. Behold, the results of another yarn-buying bender.

I just love it when my yarn dollars help make the world a better place, and such apparently is the case with the 4 hanks of Peace Fleece , in the color "Glasnost Gold." Their story is one worth reading. The comfort shawl currently on the needles is a bit shy of half done, so the PF is on deck for the next shawl. The UU church whose shawl ministry I participate in loves these shawls, so I and others will continue to make them.

Was in (arguably) one of Portland's largest yarn shops Friday afternoon, and came away with the orangey Opal which--if I can pull it off along with the heap o' hats and fingerless mitts for folks on my holiday gift list--will be made into the leg warmers from the first Not Just Socks book. I keep seeing great orangeish yarns to make into accessories for my orange-obsessed niece, and being yarn-obsessed, well...you know.

The jewel-hued green and blue is something called "Twizzle" by Mountain Colors. It's merino and silk-- and pricey, but after I copped a feel, had to have it.

Stripes

Not to post a blog entry of this size without including at least one finished item, I give you one half of a pair of Opals, the ball of which I purchased at OFFF on 9/23. Let's see, at the rate I'm knitting these days--approximately six weeks to finish a pair o' sox, times compound interest, two trains traveling in opposite directions...

(frantically punching calculator buttons, clicking abacus beads, taking off socks to count toes)

I've no idea how long it will take me to make anything, but Mary is six years old.

And hey, I did it--this blog post is entirely themed in mid-1980s music and film.

tee hee...

can't wait to see what you guys come up with for this one!

...can't seem to finish anything. And anyway, the answer to the question "does Sharon ever have enough time to make something?" is, as we all know, "Does a chicken have lips?"

But what I do have to share, are a couple of pics from today's excursion at Dawson Creek Park. I was accompanied by my little dog Buster, and although we had to cut short our walk because it had begun to rain, I did manage to capture a couple of nice fall images. Although I've been a transplanted New Englander for going on 30 years, I still get that hankering to be among the maples every October.

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with?

I love handpainted/hand-dyed wools such as Koigu. Mmmm...Koigu... Also, wool blends or alpaca blends are great. I like worsted, DK weight and finer, I don't usually use bulky or chunky yarns very much.

What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? I'm an acrylphobe...some circles might call that yarn snobbery. :)

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? Right now, my needles are in several places! I keep some straights in a vase, I also have some stored in a needle roll in my yarn hutch along with DPN's. I keep my circs in a CD holder.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?

I learned to knit at the age of 17, was taught the basics by a neighbor lady. However, I didn't begin to develop my knitting ability until about 6 years ago. I can do lace, cables, intarsia, so I guess that makes me intermediate to advanced.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?

Not yet; maybe I should make one!

5. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products, etc.)

I love lilac, pear, sandalwood & patchouli.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?

Dark chocolate is my favorite.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?

I sometimes do cross stitch, but knitting is the only DIY activity I do daily.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)

I love classic rock, some easy listening, New Age & alternative. Yes, we're MP3 compatible.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?

Oranges, purples and greens--rich, saturated hues are the colors I'm most drawn to. I like earth tones, soft blues, and deep reds.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?

Married, teenage daughter, 2 Mini Dachshunds (my 2 little boys--spoiled rotten,) and 2 low-maintenance kitties.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?

I tend to overheat easily, so I'll wear a scarf or poncho when it's super cold, otherwise no.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?

I most enjoy making sleeveless tops/camisoles for myself.

13. What are you knitting right now?

On the needles I've got a prayer shawl; the 1st of a pair of Opal socks, and a Log Cabin Moderne blanket.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?

Sure! Since I make gifts for others, I have a true appreciation for the effort and thought behind it.

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?

I do most of my knitting on straights, and like bamboo & rosewood.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?

Yep!

17. How old is your oldest UFO?

OMG, how embarrassing. At least five years old. I baked it cupcakes (kidding.)

18. What is your favorite holiday?

don't really have one, but if I had to pick, it would be Halloween.
19. Is there anything that you collect?

Yarn! (lol)

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?

I currently subscribe to Interweave Knits, and would like to get the Mason-Dixon Knitting book.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?

Lace is always intriguing--I can do simple lace but haven't tackled anything more advanced. I'm also interested in trying my hand at Fair Isle.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?

Love making socks! When knitting for myself, I knit the foot to 10-1/2 inches (wear a 9 1/2 shoe.) I have thick ankles that tend to swell, so the kind of socks that fit me best have a ribbed cuff that's on the short side.

23. When is your birthday? (mm/dd)

10/26

I'm not gonna say a word.

Go for it!

Contest time!!

Wouldn't you like to win yourself some of this?















"This" being two full skeins of Recycled Silk. (I can almost make out the "Made in Nepal" label.) I also have a partial skein, more than half actually, which I'd like to add to the ante, so the winner will have enough to make a scarf, or maybe a little bag--something which will make a great gift, perhaps. (humming "Jingle Bells" as I type.) Oh, but I'm keeping the hanky, sorry. I've been a closeted handkerchief collector for years, ever since my first trip to Japan in late June/early July of 1994, when it was hot as a mofo and twice as humid. People dab themselves with hankies in the mushi-atsui ("sticky-hot") weather, and I have been known to fish one of my pretty hankies out of my purse in summer--or whenever a hot flash hits--and mop myself down.

Back to the contest. What does she want us to do this time, you may be wondering. Well, the good news is, you don't have to write haiku. No, this is going to be a Photo Caption contest. Ya know my Wayback Wednesdays, where I post the retro knitting photo of the week? It happens that there are four Wednesdays in October. I will post the photos on October 4th, 11th, 18th and 25th. You are encouraged to submit your captions, as many and as often as you can come up with good ones. Be silly, outrageous, Stoli-martini-dry, filthy-- whatever. This ain't a family blog. The goal here, people, is to make me spit whatever beverage I may be sipping all over my monitor. Got it?

The winning caption will be announced on Thursday, October 26, which just happens to be my birthday. How old am I? To quote the late, great businesswoman Mary Kay Ash, "A woman who will tell her age will tell anything." So I'm not gonna say, except that it's the same number as Ichiro wears on his uniform. Oh, and the same as Area 51.