Syndactyl Salutations

Thoughts on writing, knitting, and the world around me.

Friday, July 29, 2005

Fun with Clapotis




This was modeled my last day of work, she was the only one who tried it on and didn't try to run away with it. She did try to hold onto it with one of her wires, though.













Clapotis enjoyed Longwood Gardens at least as much as I did, doesn't she look at home against the stunning floral backdrop?


















Clapotis is about 5 feet long, she took about 2 1/2 skeins of Brooks Farm Four Play (50% fine wool/50% silk), which I purchased at Maryland Sheep & Wool. As you can see by the extra-pointy corner, I haven't done any blocking yet, I'm still making up my mind.










A slightly better view of the colors and pattern (in case anyone out there hasn't already seen the millions of other lovely examples), there was some pooling at the beginning and end, but nothing I couldn't live with. The sheen and drape are great, and the weight is slightly lighter than I expect when I pick it up.




This is what is known as showing the knitting a good time, that is if the knitting happens to like gardens. Clapotis has already become my slightly-too-warm-for-the-season-but-who-cares security blanket.

It was in the high nineties and very humid on Tuesday, but I popped it in my bag anyway, and I liked knowing that I had it with me, even though it was too hot to wear it.









Technicalities:
Pattern: Clapotis by Kate Gilbert for Knitty.com
Yarn: Brooks Farm Four Play
Started: June 5, 2005
Finished: July 21, 2005

I think this may be my favorite finished object so far. It took me a while to get into working on it, but once I did, it flew (I knit the entire second skein in just over a week). I love the colors, which is sort of odd, because I'm usually drawn to greens and blues instead.

I did take one shot of myself with Clapotis around my shoulders, but my arms are apparently too short for decent self-portraiture, so that won't be making an appearance here.


And here are my dad's socks, sorry for the artsy shadow shot. Posted by Picasa


Here is the Multidirectional scarf I made a while ago. It's either feast or famine in terms of photos with me. Posted by Picasa

Tuesday, July 26, 2005

35...Off to a Great Start!

If today was any indication, this year should be just fine. I shot five rolls of film today, so once I get them developed (yeah, I should look into digital, maybe) I'll give more details.

Today was so good that I didn't even mind the heat and the sweating and the forgetting of sunscreen.

Happy Birthday to ME!!

Monday, July 25, 2005

Why I Quit My Job

Have you ever gotten to a point with a job at which you just have to say "Enough is enough"? I reached that point with my job about a month ago. It wasn't an absolutely horrible job, I've worked worse, but I had had it for five-and-a-half years, and I knew I wasn't going to be doing much different in six-and-a-half or ten-and-a-half than I was at that moment. That thought sapped any energy I had.

I liked the people I worked with, I liked the overall creativity of the environment, but those two things were finally not enough to overcome the fact that my job was not creative in the least (people don't want you to be creative with their grades, I understand this) and I was moving toward working more with numbers, when I knew I'd much rather have been working with words. Interpreting statistics does not grab me in the least.

It was time for a change. I left on good terms. They threw me a surprise last day/early birthday party on Friday and showered me with gifts and attention. I am not a typical Leo, I do not like being the center of attention in a group. I tried a couple of times to hide under Clapotis (photos soon, promise), and the time spent opening cards and gifts was excruciating, for as nice as it was of all of them.

So, I have this week off. I'm doing housework and other odds and ends today, having a birthday eve dinner with my parents this evening, then spending the day tomorrow at Longwood Gardens with a bit of knitting, my camera, and a notebook with plenty of blank pages.

I don't have anything concrete lined up, I woke up nervous about that this morning. It's the first time in seven-and-a-half years that I've had a week off without knowing for sure what I'll be doing come next week. I'm signed with a temp agency for the time being. I enjoy temping, and I don't doubt their ability to keep me occupied. I have a few other things as possibilities, but they're out there a ways so I'm not going to get into any details.

I'll be starting 35 with a clean slate, and I'm planning on it being a good year, no matter what weirdness may rear its interestingly-shaped and -colored head, and I'm sure there will be plenty.

The time has come to take control of more of my life, wish me luck, will you?

Saturday, July 23, 2005

FINISHED!!

Thursday, July 21, 11:42 pm -- Clapotis

Friday, July 22, 4:30 pm -- my job of 5 1/2 years.

Details to follow once I decompress and develop film, or vice versa.

Wednesday, July 13, 2005

Short Update

My London people are fine, understandably shaken, but fine.

Clapotis is coming along slowly, I'm really enjoying the process and how it's turning out.

The news I referred to in my last post is that I have quit my job. My last day is the 22nd. I am happy, it was a good decision, and I am only slightly nervous when it comes to deciding what to do next. I have some options, I am currently weighing them.

I have joined the bloggers-with-ceiling-problems brigade. Our bedroom ceiling sprung a leak early Thursday morning, we're having a rubber roof put on next week, $$$ but it needs to be done. Apparently there are "soft spots" and we have a network of rusty cracks above our pillows.

Thursday, July 07, 2005

Inauspicious Day

I turned on the TV this morning to check the weather and, like many, many other people, was greeted by images of emergency vehicles and frightened people. I couldn't move, I just sat and welled up and watched for a few minutes.

I have people there. I'm sure they're fine, they probably wouldn't have been in the Tube, but I don't know for sure, and when I called my father in the morning, he hadn't even seen the news yet. I need to talk to someone tomorrow and see if I can get the contact information.

I spent most of the day thinking about the people of London and the rest of England and how they are coping with a horrible tragedy, and tried to think positive thoughts about the world, because if I don't, the possibilities and implications become overwhelming, and the urge to sit in one place and worry becomes too strong.

I have other news, but it's not the time.

Be safe, everyone. Think of those who desperately need our thoughts.