Stella Knits

Yes, the yarn I used for the ribbie cardie is Cascade 220, color 9407, the cool heathered celery. It's difficult to photograph and reproduce realistically. Thanks for asking, Amy & Rachael. I got it from Threadbear. :) But I saw some of it at Stonemountain & Daughter in Berkeley the other day, though not that exact shade. There is no yarn on their website, but I guess they tried to jump on the knitting bandwagon!

Whenever I finish a project, I seem to get depressed. Why is that? Then again, I'm also worried about a friend, have no money, have pms, no A/C in the office, and I saw on Moral Fiber that my friend Morgaine of Carolina Homespun got totally robbed of her inventory. I feel like I'm sitting here in limbo.

Anway, I'm spinnin' & plyin' the brown yarn so I can start that VK cabled cardigan (see below on the right). I washed the first 3 skeins last night and I hope they'll be dry tonight so I can swatch it. No, hold that thought.

I'm torturing myself by denying myself any new projects until I finish the 2nd Saffron sleeve. Why am I so unmotivated by that project? I put it on top of the yarn basket. I found the instructions. I don't really dig the color right now, but I know it would look great on me. And still. Just can't get back into it.

I also have some Forever Jacquard yarn in blue/gray/black to match the red/grey/black socks in my little finished projects gallery. It's beckoning me!

posted by Stella 11:25 AM

I spent all weekend trying to recover from Friday. Days like that give me residual anxiety. I hermitted and knitted & spun alot, in general, just did whatever I felt like at the moment. I'm feeling pretty good today. Sunday night I went to the park and listened to the drummers. I got invited to a beach bonfire later on, but I'm a responsible adult and I got a job, so I couldn't go. So I'm sitting here in this hot office, pondering if I'll have the energy for yoga and dancing later on.

Here is my Sunshine and my Ribbie!

This is the 90% installment because I still need a zipper. I would like one where the pull-tab is a big ring - I just think that would be cute. So, this is the first time I re-sized and re-gauged a pattern and IT FITS! I used #7 and #8 needles at a gauge of 4.5"/in and it fits a 36"/37" bust - the rib is so amenable.

I also got a wetsuit! My neighbor wanted to throw his suit out because it ripped a little but I salvaged it. I'd rather wear his than one that has been rented by a lot of strangers.

posted by Stella 2:50 PM

Very very stressful day. I had a doctor's appointment in the early am, but didn't make it into the office until 1 pm because I had to chase down a lab and run around town just to pee in a freakin' jar. I got a $35 parking ticket on top of that. And nobody told me to change the date on a drawing submittal yesterday, so I find out today after we have plotted... I feel like I should have verified it with the client, but the PM has told me not to contact his client unless "otherwise instructed" by him. A situation that has really pissed me off and insulted me. I did not want to be a little tattletail and tell the boss about it, but today I had to. I hate rocking the boat like that. I want them to think of me as someone who takes care of business and does not have personal problems with coworkers that get in the way of project work. This situation just sucks.

I am so glad it's time to go home!

I get to work on this:

And I get to pet this guy:

Yes, my blog has been bland lately without pictures! This is better, isn't it?

I also finally singed up for surf lessons! I wish it was tomorrow, but I have to wait a week because they were booked. It will be hot there (forecast is 79F) and the water is cold anyway, and yes, wetsuit is included.

posted by Stella 5:55 PM

I decided to end Urban Knitters. I'm just not Miss Group Organizer! We don't have a meeting place right now, and I'm too lazy to try and find a new one. I think I will go grace some other S&B's with my presence and see if I meet some nice ladies that way. I do need more friends. And I'm feeling less shy than usual. I went to City Spinning last night and I had a great time. I really like everyone that goes there, the conversation is fun, and I spun a fat bobbin full of brown yarn. I got good advice, too.

Other than that, the love hormones are confusing me. I think my starstruckness is over and I'm slowly returning to reality. But I still like him. Is it normal that the crazy dizzy feeling goes away? I told him how I felt to thank him for indulging me. Then I felt a lot relieved and much more normal. Does it mean I only get happy about unrequited love?

The ribbie cardie is progressing so fast my hair is flying backward! I came home last night after spinning, and knitted, like, 8 inches. I'm getting a little nervous about the raglan shaping. I understand where to decrease, but not how often: every row? every other? I found this cool raglan pattern via Rachel's blog (how cool it is when I find a new blog I like!). I think I can figure it out with the help of the measurement chart.

posted by Stella 4:56 PM

So last night I knittted the second sleeve for the Ribbie, and instead of a total of 70 stitches, I ended up with 72. I increased every 7th row instead of every 8th. Hmmm. I guess I could have mathematically figured that out! But I didn't. And I'm not doing both of them over, just one. I think it will be fine! Then the raglan shaping will begin - the next adventure in gauge & size conversion.

City Spinning is tonight - yay! I can get critique on the knitability of my yarn. If you live in SF and if you can come to the Park Branch library you can learn how to spin, too! Very nice company, too.

My ebay tape deck came today, too. Now I can listen to the tapes. In the meantime I had figured out how hook up my walkman to the stereo, but I hope this will give better sound.

I did not go to Dead Night or Yoga last night. I had to recover and rest. I did Pilates though, by myself! It's weird when I work out by myself because there is no teacher telling me what to do, how hard to work, how many reps, etc. But I did work up a little sweat and felt like I got a workout in the end.

And then, somebody very sweet called me "just to say good night." Oh! I'm so lucky.

posted by Stella 2:14 PM

I'm just typing to stay awake today. I am supersleepy but very happy. I hope I can make it through the day and go to Yoga class tonight. Unless some magic power draws me across the bridge to Berkeley. I was told something wonderful yesterday and I'm floating & daydreaming.

Spinning: I plied! It worked and it was very groovy. I have lovely soft yarn. It's as even as I can make it right now, but the VK pattern calls for yarn with a thick & thin variation, so maybe, it will even be the same gauge!

Ribbie: I started the 2nd sleeve. I layed the first one on top of the Cheesylove sweater's sleeves, because they are both rib. But the ribbie sleeve is so much narrower, I decided to increase the second one a little more. Instead of every 8th row, I'm doing it every 7th row. So that means I'll have to knit 3 sleeves total, but they are going very fast as well.

Charlotte's Web is still in the planning stages. Go see Matt and send him some good vibes for his Mom. He's a little stressed. And check out Amy's - you will see why I want to make one! I think there will be a New Year concert I might want to wear it to. :)

I cut out all the muslin & yellow fabric for the Cherry Pie quilt, sewed strips and cut them apart again. I have 49 little squares, very cute, so far. I'm not as picky as I used to be with quilting - I will need to do some squaring off and sort out the ones that are too far off. But it's an easy pattern - just squares. No bias. No triangles. And I really just want an excuse to go visit my friend Laura in Lake Co so we can machine quilt it on her Gammil. Oops - I just found out she's moving to Alaska! In November! Holy **** batman!

posted by Stella 12:03 PM

Yesterday, I went to three quilt stores (Black Cat, Quilted Angel, Rainbow Fabrics) to hang up a flyer. I'm trying to sell a handquilting frame. Friendliest Owner: Gretchen at Black Cat. Fell prey to impulse fabric buy: Quilted Angel. Total favorite: Rainbow Fabrics (they played Jerry). ahem. I bought the Seaside Cottage book and main fabric.

Here is what I'm selling:

Just the frame, not the quilt top. One day, I will finish it.

I also stopped by a store called "Clogs." Guess what they sell? I tried on some Birkenstocks, but I had already blown my wad on fabric and could not justify another purchase. I think I will ebay for them instead.

I will go spin now and think of those of you in Rhinebeck. Resistance is futile. Buy all the fiber you can afford.

posted by Stella 8:50 AM

Costumes on Haight had the official WB Gryffindor scarf! A very important part in the recognition of the Hermione costume. The store had a bunch of cute guys working in it, too, and they all liked my bike. I have never flirted before with a bike helmet on! They gave me the idea to actually be "Harry Potter's older woman girlfriend" (sorry if this offends). I told them I just wanted to be something nice and fun this year, no need to be nasty or sexy, but they said, no, it's San Francisco, be nasty. We'll see how I can spice it up.

Here's a nice picture of her:

Then I took a bizarre quiz:

Spinning Progress: I have 3 fat bobbins of brown singles, they are in their lazy kate and I just have to get up the nerve to try this! I wish I knew how to hold my hands! How do I use the tension on the kate? I just have to experiment and I don't want to screw it up.

Ribbie: I obsessively knit the first sleeve. I 'm nervous that it is too narrow. I measured around my upper arm: 11". Then I stretched the sleeve to 13" and it had a natural look to the rib. Not overstretched. It is very diffcult to tell. I like the rib because I know it will make it look clingy and fitted. But I don't want it to be uncomfortable or weird looking. Are these reasonable considerations or am I worried about nothing?

I also bought new sockyarn! Unfortunately this has to be a mystery pair; they will be a present and I don't want to ruin the surprise. (No, not for the guy. Yet. I'm in control of myself. What were you thinking?)

posted by Stella 5:28 PM

I'm feeling a little better. I can ride my bike home and I'm going to stop by Costumes on Haight to see if they have anything graduation gown like. I will also need a Gryffindor colored scarf. And I'm not knitting something that boring! If it doesn't work out, I can always resurrect the Satanette or Vampire outfit I already have.

Started knitting the first sleeve for the ribbie cardie last night, but tonight, I have to do some mathematical thinking to convert the increases for it. I hope I can do it right, considering how much I dislike knitting sleeves. Wish me luck.

Just for your imagination: yesterday I tried on my dirndl. Oh. My. God. It's not like I would be caught dead in one back in Germany, but there is Oktoberfest at Fort Mason this weekend and I thought it might be fun to go and wear it. The last time I had it on was when my host family could not be convinced otherwise, back in 1987, that we don't wear them anymore. It fit!!! I can't believe it's taken me 16 years to actually want to get in touch with my roots...

posted by Stella 5:28 PM

So Monday night I went to the gym. :) Yay! I got motivated. Sometimes I get so bored with my workout, I have to change it. I did spinning class, rested for 30 minutes and then did Yoga class. They have a cool new class called Candlelight Yoga. It's intermediate/advanced Yoga, but the really cool part about it is that it's more real yoga, not "gym type - lets get a workout yoga". It was very relaxing and I felt my energy flowing throughout my body. My chi must have been stuck, man.

After that, I felt brave enough to go to a bar, by myself, just to have a good time. I had been wanting to go there, because they have Dead Night, but I was always too afraid/shy/paranoid/tired. Anyway, I had a great time and met some nice people! Wow! It was the first time ever that I did that! (How empowering, as we say in Northern California.)

Then I came home and I realized that was a bit much for one day. My belly started to hurt, I was dehydrated and I could not sleep until 3 am. I considered sleeping in the bathroom. It felt horrible. But I did go to work yesterday, and today, too. I'm drinking water all the time. I just have to take it a little easier.

Last night I spun some and knitted some on the ribbie. The kind of progress where it doesn't look like anything! I'm filling up the third bobbin, so I can try 3-ply soon. And then, I can start knitting the VK hoodie!

I've been wearing the cable jacket almost every day. It's great for San Francisco fall. I highly recommend that Debbie Bliss cashmerino yarn, even though it's megabucks expensive. It's snuggly and I'm not freezing!

posted by Stella 5:28 PM

Happy Indigenous People's Day. That's what the city of Berkeley celebrates and I've always loved it. How PC can you be?

Here is some progress on the Ribbie - I can't believe I got this cool Photoshop effect; usually, I Photoshop like a troglodyte, and this is pure luck.

You can see I have the back and 1 front done up to the armholes, and the other front halfway up. I'm planning to sew in a zipper, so I'm stockinetting the first 3 sts up the front.

AND... I got new shoes.

Do you like the cute little monkey?

posted by Stella 2:54 PM

Caroline is right,I am completely happy, crushed out and blissed out. Of couse there is the other side of the coin, when I'm feeling deprived and afraid of him calling to say, sorry I just can't see you anymore, I'm failing my classes... But I try not to dwell on that. You know, when this happens to you the first time, when you are like, 16, you reeally don't know what is going on. This time, it's much more fun, because I'm *aware*. I can stand back a little and laugh at it and take it a little easier. It's fun. And once in a while, I'm lucid and I think rationally until life would still be ok if it wasn't happening this way. Kind of feel my way back to reality. And no, the rent is not such a big deal at all.

I'm floating right now but also proud that I managed to let him go do his homework. ;) heh

So while I was waiting for him yesterday, I sat in the park and listened to the drummers. There were people lieing on the hill, in the sunshine. They were watching the people playing frisbee, and hackysacking, and they had their dogs. A guy had three dachshunds that snuggled up with him napping. A very nice girl came by selling brownies. Honest. Is this too much for you yet?

(me - May2002 - same place)

I hung out there and knitted the back of the ribbie up to the armholes, and then I started the first front. It's going very very fast. I love it. It's very exciting to do the math for it, too. Feeling very smart and confident about that. (...yeah, until I rip...)

Matt and I are trading crazy emails about Koigu color choices for my Charlotte's Web. (Is anyone doing a knit-along on those? Does anyone want to?) It's very exciting as well. I feel completely spoiled getting 3 combinations from him, all of which I love. It would have taken me hours of torturous indecision if I had to put those together myself. mmmmmh beautiful, no?

My most favoritest one.

posted by Stella 1:24 PM

YES Saturday. This week at work, how shall I say, semi-sucked. Too busy, and nobody is used to it. Everybody apparently forgot how to work with me. But, thank God, I have a nice mix of layed-back to uptight people to work with. While some of them are anal retentive about their drawings, some of them are extremely reasonable, and the range goes on to those who have no clue, so that matches my gemini-esque personality.

My Hoover sucked up a ton of green yarn this morning. I'm cleaning because "somebody" will be over here today. I think I'm going to write Hoover. We need a button that runs the roller head in reverse, slowly, so that we can unwind the yarn from it, no? Anyway, here is true test of love. "That guy" is supposed to come visit after he gets his high-speed internet installed. I swear, I hate it when men pay more attention to their computers than to me. Cause I'm a spoiled princess who wants what she can't have, of course. :)))) So we shall see how long it takes him.

ladeeda... i wanna be his sugar magnolia...

Anyway. I don't want this to turn into the loveblog. I'm loving the Ribbie Cardi pattern, too. It's soo easy and I love the celery/minty-green yarn. Why is it though, that I feel guilty when I'm spinning because I'm not knitting, and when I knit, I feel guilty that I'm not spinning? Of course, I feel the guiltiest when I'm not knitting the Saffron sleeve.

Oh yeah. You may have noticed the pathetic "broke" icon. So yesterday I come home and my landlord (who is ancient) left me a message. Seems like he finally found my rent check from February. And since he thinks of himself as a nice guy, he wanted to let me know that he's going to deposit it, so I'm "not surprised at my balance." So I had to pay rent twice this month. That's more than my take-home. And I'm living off my nestegg now. It's very hard to justify making yarn purchases when the money comes out of your house/adoption fund. I was aware of the situation, of course, since May. And I never told him or asked him about it. Just secretely hoping that I'd get away with it. <sigh> Not so.

Oh well. It's only money and I'm lucky I had the resources. And some Koigu will cheer me up, right?

posted by Stella 10:21 AM

Gee, I thought for just a minute here that I could sneak in a post from work, but no. I gotta go right back and finish this annoying project (draw more sections and more elevations, I am so burned out on it.) Here is a quickie - the beginning of my Ribbie and the finished socks:

Ribbie is slightly ribbier than the pattern says, because my yarn is thinner and I'm using #8 instead of #9 needles. I cast on 97 st and so far, my math seems to be working.

I SO need to archive my September posts, too. Later. I don't know if I'll get to it this weekend. I have another date (the fourth!) on Saturday, and I might just spend the entire time sighing and gazing at his picture (I know, sorry). :))) Will I even have time for a bike ride... I don't know either.

posted by Stella 2:12 PM

New toys! Look, here is my Lazy Kate and my (3) new bobbins.

And a box full of yarn from Cascade! Thanks Rob - I hug you! Now I'm just waiting for the Koigu for my Charlotte's Web.

And, yes, you are not crazy, and I'm totally cheating. It's taken me 4 days to complete this post. It's Friday now and I've actually started my Ribbie Cardi. Pictures above.

posted by Stella 1:59 PM

mmmmmm.... Stella does not want to be at work today. Just talked to my friend who knows about the l.u.v. business. He said I look either really relaxed or really wasted, both of which is true. I went on a long ride yesterday. I started at my house, which is right in the middle of SF, through the Presidio, across the GGB, down to Sausalito, to Mill Valley, up the mountain, down the mountain, to Muir Woods, to Muir Beach, back up the mountain, down on the other side, Mill Valley, Sausalito, GGB, Presidio & home. The ride rebalanced my brain chemistry somewhat, so that's good.

I went back by the house of the people who were giving away their Dead tapes, but alas, it looked lost & forlorn. I asked the neighbor dudes and they said the people probably had gone back to Maui as they had seen the new owner in the last couple of days. Maui, man. Sometimes I ask myself where do you go from here, and Hawaii is one of the answers. So no more tapes for now, hopefully some other Deadheads score them and are happy.

By the time I got back from the ride, Carolina Homespun was closed, so no new bobbins & lazy kate yet. But soon. Like, tonight, I will try again. Since I'm getting in touch with my inner hippie girl, I SO want to spin. I met Morgain, the owner, just when I learned to spin at the peace marches when we Spun for Peace in front of city hall.

The second sock is almost finished but I was watching a disturbing German movie called "The Experiment" last night and I messed up on the toe decreases. If you watch that movie, you'd know why.

And I really really feel like making a Charlotte's web shawl! I saw it on Amy's blog today and I LIKE it. I feel an impulse buy coming on! I need a shawl! Rob get ready. I'm already drooling for my Cascade 220, so why not continue on that path?

posted by Stella 10:45 AM

I'm back home from my date last night. I feel like I'm slowly feeling my way back to reality. My head was spinning for much of it and I'm feeling so many intense emotions. I'm having such a crush. It is so ridicilous. I want to experience it and live it out but it feels like such as high stakes game. Like I am on a very narrow edge. I need to rebalance and chill out and decrease the intensity a little. I need to think rationally so I face the possibilities without the pointless worry that "it" may not work out. I'm telling myself, God has the infinite plan and we are all right where we are supposed to be. That's right. So, nothin' left to do but...?

Still not knitting anything exciting. This is the most boring knit blog right now, so I'm entertaining you with my silly personal life. I will probably have a finished pair of socks by the end of the weekend - oh boy! And once the Cascade gets here (no, that's Quinn the Esquimo.... never mind) I can start my exciting adventure in gauge conversion! Yes! I will boldly go where I have not gone before!

Sunshine is giving me bedroom eyes - I'm so adorably cute, don't I deserve some fancy feast? ... time to go.

posted by Stella 7:04 PM

Yes it's quiet here and no interesting knitting is taking place... Rob from Threadbear ordered my Cascade 220 yesterday, though. So there is hope the drought will be over soon. I am so grateful for Bonne's links to gauge converters! I knew this could be done. It just has to be possible. I thought I would have to do tons of cross-multiplication, and I had no idea how to convert rows. But it all seems much easier than I thought. Ribby Cardie in Cascade 220 is a definite possiblity! I got paid and Sunday I will get some more bobbins & a lazy kate, so we can make some progress on the brown yarn as well. I made a baby skein and it is indeed snuggly soft.

I have a third date tonight with somebody extremely cute & special and I am to-die-for nervous. I can't believe it. I'm on such a rollercoaster over a guy... sheesh. I was floating on a cloud on Monday, missing him by Wednesday and I'm SO edgy today. I could go on and on and get totally sweet and sugary and cute here but I'll spare you. I'll just keep my little sweater knitting fantasies to myself for now.

I've also been lazy and avoided the GYM (my God, what is wrong with me) for the last 2 weeks. Ever after that major mountain we biked up, I just wanted to rest a little. And before I know it, I'm out of the habit. I'm still riding my bike to commute, but no Pilates or weights or elliptical machines lately. Somebody guilt-trip me, quick!

posted by Stella 3:40 PM

I'm still alive, gentle reader, I'm just busy with work suddenly. Very annoying & stressful and I don't know how it happened. In other words, I don't have to try to look busy by blogging.

I'm making progresson the gray/black/red second sock. I'm turning the heel. And I started to wind my yarn onto a niddy yesterday, but it came apart so I've finally broken down and ordered some more bobbins and a lazy kate. I didn't know how to fix a single without tieing it, but I know if I was plying it, then I could just make a join.

In my personal life, I'm extremely happy. Like floating on a pink cloud. I did not think I would ever feel this way again after divorce. But I guess it happens! It's pretty funny. I'm singing all kinds of love songs in my head, and I'm smiling all the time.