Chickenlips Knitting

The last thing I am is a graphic designer, but I have been thinking for quite a while about starting a new blog, which would be an actual website, y'know, with my own domain name and everything. A couple of ideas have been percolating and finally bubbled up to the surface last night. Now as I said, no designer am I, however I spent some time downloading free fonts, googling pics, and trying to mortice it all together in a coherent way without having to spend money on the likes of Photoshop or Publisher (which I have neither the time nor patience to figure out).

This first notion was born of a character played by the then-adorable Mario Van Peebles as he appeared in the 1985 Clint Eastwood film, "Heartbreak Ridge." He played a wanna-be rock star in the Marines, and the character's name, Stitch Jones, is so rich with meaning if you're a compulsive knitter.

Another idea I have been tinkering with is the idea of knitting as comfort. Now when I want to retreat into that perfectly secure, insular childhood world where I don't have to deal with a recalcitrant teen and being slammed with too much work and mandatory 4:00 PM meetings at the office, I close my eyes and see the 1960's kitchens of my little-girl-hood. The coffee bubbles in the electric percolator and fills my nostrils with a tantalizing aroma, although the pleasure of drinking the rich dark liquid with lots of sugar is restricted only to rare visits to my grandmother's. Traditional breakfast dishes abound: scrambled eggs, French toast, and waffles. With plenty of butter and Log Cabin syrup, of course.

Among the threads of these musings, there is knitting. I haven't yet photographed my latest FO, which is another MDK baby kimono made of Bliss cotton cashmere in red-violet. What newborn girl (or boy for that matter) wouldn't look yummy in that? I just need to add the ribbon trim, then I will photograph and post it. My plain-vanilla lace shawl in Rowan Tapestry, which is actually wool and soyfiber, is coming together more beautifully than I imagined.

If you are so moved, your comments are warmly welcomed about my fledgling web designs! (or about anything else for that matter!)