A diving expedition

Feeling a bit whiny about the paper I have to finish for tomorrow, I took a break to delve into my yarn stash and dream a bit. I was pleasantly surprised. I thought that everything in there was cheap-o acrylics, but I found some nice surprises, the nicest of which is the CashSoft above, a gift from my sister, from which I'd like to make myself a hat.

But, here, dear readers, I need your help. I have a lot of this:



left from a shawl I just completed. It's a roughly worsted weight wool/sparkly blend, a lovely hand-dye from Cherry Tree Hill. Any ideas? I bought 1440 yards, and would estimate that I have about 600 yards left.

Another use for stash yarn

I love New York. I just placed this ad on Craigslist:

Free, but slightly crappy, futon
Date: 2006-06-24, 11:51AM EDT
I'm about to drag this 4-year-old Ikea futon to the curb, but wanted to give any starving artists/students/etc. in need of seating a chance first. If you're broke and slightly handy, this may be the couch for you. The cushions sit on little frames, one of which is broken (hence the sinking cushion on the right). No major stains on the cushions, but the covers could use a good wash. E-mail via the Craigslist address if you're interested.

for this has-seen-better-days futon:



And already have someone coming to pick it up. I wanted to bundle the cushions to make his pickup easy, but thought, "Oh, I don't have any string." Then I noticed the massive bag of yarn sitting on my shelf. Aha. :)

TGI...S

Yes, indeed. Thank God it's Saturday. Fridays never quite seem to bring the rest they promise, but today has given me a chance to sleep in, linger over a coffee, joyfully browse through the new issue of CrochetMe, and it's just now 9:30. Next on the agenda is to rejoin my cup of coffee for an hour or so of reading, praying, and writing... the kind of stillness my soul needs after a very busy week.

So, I'm moving. Not out of my beloved New York, but off my precious "My Island." (That's what I started calling Manhattan the day I thought I was going to have to swim across the East River to get back here from Brooklyn. MTA + weekends = trouble.) My Island is an amazing place, by all of My City is pretty fascinating, diverse, and fantastic, and I'm going to go live in a part of it that requires half the monthly investment.

So, to Sunnyside I go, and with roommates I'll live. When I assessed my financial situation, thinking I'd have to move, I was initially very sad to leave My Island. But I'm actually excited, now. I love seeing how God is able to use an event I perceive as tragedy to bring outstanding blessing. Here's to (a) my last five fabulous weeks in Manhattan (for a while), and (b) an incredible new beginnning.

P.S. Apologies and thanks to the photographer from whom I "borrowed" this image. His work is really quite beautiful; go check it out and buy something.

I might like knitting better

I was such a faithful crochet girl, and still am... but how flipping cute is this? It's the "Cleo's Colors" cardigan from The Yarn Girls' Guide to Kid Knits, in Lion Brand Microspun. I think it's my new favorite baby yarn. Cheap, colorful and machine washable!

2:43am

OK, progress is good.


Shawl blocked. Just have to let it dry and wrap it. I just used steam and a mister bottle (read: emptied out my hair product bottle and filled it with water). It was quick, but I do miss the magic of a full wet block. But I wonder if that might have stretched too much.



Onesie components crocheted. Assembly remains, which is not my strong suit, but the morning will be good for that.

11:15pm

In the last 15 minutes, I've:

• Realized that the baby shower starts 2 hours earlier than I realized.
  
• Panicked about the head opening on the onesie.
  
• Learned about the head circumference of young baby boys.
  
• Slipped the onesie over my thigh (oh, yes, I'm serious) to make sure it was big enough to match the head circumference.
  
• Rented Just Like Heaven on Pay-Per-View.
  
• Lost my F hook.
  

Things are going... OK.

10:32pm

I have to redo my first sleeve, and, as I'm sewing the shoulders together, I'm afraid the head will be too small to slip over baby's 6-9 month old head. Why don't I just do blankets and booties?

I'm going to make some tea.

8:32pm

Tonight I need to finish a onesie, block a shawl, and (hopefully) crochet a hat for a friend's baby shower tomorrow. Here's the status check in. More to come. (It has to!)

I'm plagued by UFOs

No, no, sillies... not THOSE kind of UFOs. The craft world version--UnFinished Objects. Two of which must get finished for tomorrow afternoon's baby shower: a shawl for mommy and crocheted onesie for baby boy. What kind of crazy person pulls an all-nighter to finish crochet projects? (Um, yeah. Me, I fear. :)

I'm excited to finish and present--I hope that will give me energy to start a gift for the baby shower next weekend!