my life in stitches

country living

lately, i've been really stressed out. i came out to the country for a few days of rest, relaxation, and freedom from the carpeted (ugh. it's one of my least favorite things in the world.) apartment that i have grown to loathe. i was really looking forward to hunkering down with my knitting, being surrounded by trees, and serenaded by crickets. i arrive in the country only to find that not only have i forgotten the 2 knitting projects that i had intended to bring, but i have also forgotten the book that i was reading! being in the country with knitting and a good book is one thing, but being in the country with next to nothing to do is practically torture to me. when the knitless get bored, the knitless go shopping. i went antiquing with my mom and scored a blue Fiestaware plate and a Yellowware bowl and then i picked these flats up at Saks last night. so much for escaping the trappings of city life.

it's back to the city today. i can't say that i'm looking forward to it. february marks my cyclical down time, so i'd probably be in a funk no matter where i was. my immediate plan is to engage in a thorough round of pre-spring cleaning, which includes shampooing the aforementioned carpeting, and i feel the urge to throw stuff out. a lot of stuff. if i can get comfortable in my space perhaps there is some hope for me feeling a bit more comfortable in my skin. there is only so much shoe therapy a girl can afford.

hot as hades

it is hot as hades and i haven't been feeling terribly well. dealing with my body while making major decisions and changes in my life during a repressive heat wave is a bit too much to handle all at once. dealing with people behaving strangely and making the decision to just not deal with them at all only adds to fuel to the fire. trying to step out of the cycle of stress and anxiety that causes me to feel unwell which, in turn, generates more stress and anxiety.

i'm meditating as much as i can stand. doing whatever i can to simplify my life. stepping away from so-called friends who don't hold up their end of the friendship and strengthening the bond with those who do. it is definitely a weird and interesting time in my life. as stressed as i am right now, i'm also beginning to feel oddly liberated at the prospect of eliminating elements that stand between me and my happiness.

i have a lot of good knitting ideas that, hopefully, i will be able to sit down and execute soon. in the meantime, i'm closing the curtains (as sunlight becomes unbearable in this heat), drinking lots of water, watching a lot of films on dvd, and keeping a low profile.

stay hydrated, people. happy knitting!

ashby update

four and half hours back and forth to the country and all we have to show for it are some lousy meds...

ashby had to have blood work done prior to his surgery. his white blood cell count came back super high. turns out he has a urogenital infection. he has to take meds for 2 weeks and then he can have surgery! it gets even better! the vet suspects that he caught the infection after having his teeth cleaned recently! damned if you do, damned if you don't. after a very stressful day we are both back at home resting. he is in pretty good spirits, sleeping mostly. after all this illness in the house, i decided i needed to check in with my feng shui person. i spent all morning and afternoon cleaning and moving things around. it feels a lot lighter now. i'm off have a cup of tea, knit, and watch tivoed episodes of The Antiques Roadshow. happy saturday!

thanks!!!!

i am overwhelmed by everyone's kindness. it has brought me to tears, really. you guys are amazing! ashby and i are so grateful. i will never forget your kindness. ok. get out your tissues - you have rekindled my faith in human beings. seriously. i'm pretty jaded and, in general, have little faith in humankind. it's pathetic, really. it was really difficult for me to issue a call for help, but i knew that i just couldn't manage it on my own and there is nothing i wouldn't do to save my best four-legged friend. i am truly stunned at your immediate response and overwhelming love and generosity. thank you thank you thank you!

my mom lives way out in the country. it's the middle of nowhere really. she found a reputable animal hospital out there that will do the surgery for a lot less than the fee being charged at the fancy surgical center here in austin. this is a huge, huge relief! ashby is scheduled for surgery on friday and, unlike the local surgical center, he'll get to go home the same day!

typepad is malfunctioning and i have no idea what's going on with my blog and when it will be back in normal working order.

it has been a strange and wonderful day.

buy a pattern, save a crippled dog

isn't it funny how everything in your life is okay until suddenly it isn't? i survived my very stressful and super expensive surgery. i survived the biggest birthday of my life. i had relatively made peace with a lot of stuff and was feeling like my life was back on track and that i could sit back, relax, even treat myself to a fancy chair for my birthday and then BOOM! disaster strikes. yesterday, i had to rush my dog to the vet. he tried to jump up on the sofa (usually an effortless task for him) and he slipped. later, i noticed he was limping and yelping a bit. rushed him to the vet. he has to have surgery for a luxating patella. he has to have surgery soon, like within the next couple of weeks or he may no longer be a candidate for surgery. he is limping pretty severely. he is in a lot of pain. i have to carry him outside to go the bathroom. it is heartbreaking to see him suffer. the surgery will cost as much as $1600 when all is said and done. i'm still paying off the $4500 out-of-pocket for my own surgery. it is all just really unbelievable. **update** - he is having surgery this thursday.

if you love dogs, please support Ashby and buy a Tulip pattern. buy it for yourself or buy it for your mom or buy it for your secret pal. all profits will go toward Ashby's knee surgery.

Pattern $5.00 (immediate download through Payloadz)

or, make a donation through paypal. every dollar helps! everyone who donates will be entered into a drawing for some lovely yarn from my stash. and i promise not to send you any premium acrylic!

(donation button snafu fixed! if paypal is charging a shipping fee, this is wrong. i believe i corrected this. if it is still showing up try reloading my blog and try again. if it's still a problem, please let me know.)

(grr. fixed on my end, but it may still be a problem on yours. if this is the case, simply subtract the s+h fee from your donation. it all goes to me and ashby, anyway.)

Ashby and i thank you!

i'm not dead

(the photo - it's my birthday. one of my friends asked how i celebrated my 21st b-day. this is me struggling to remember. i never did. remember, that is.)

gah. i had no idea that it had been such a very long time since i posted. not a whole lot of knitting going on. i've been celebrating my birthday, saw TV On The Radio (they wished me a happy birthday on stage!), and i've been drinking lots of wine and champagne and having some really good meals. and i've been putting the final touches on my book.

this was one of those birthdays that make you ponder the meaning of life and what exactly you are doing with yours. ugh. fell into a bit of a funk just before, but it's all better now.

celebrating my clean bill of health, my upcoming book, and so many other wonderful things!

stay tuned. normal blogging will resume shortly.

smile

so much better now. thank you so much for all your blessings and good vibes. it really means a lot to me. i'm sorry that i haven't had the chance to respond to everyone individually. i am feeling better today, physically as well as emotionally. i am tired and that's to be expected, but knowing that all of this is behind me now and that i can get on with my life is a huge relief. my health has certainly been at the root of my crankiness over the past few months.

the knitting business - the 'back in black' tank top is zooming away. well, at 6.5 sts/inch it's not exactly zooming, but it is coming along.

a craft swap partner has been found! the very talented di of clementine's shoes is going to make me a quilted tote bag in exchange for a pair of long, fingerless gloves. i am so thrilled! i just know that i'm going to love, love, love it!

it is still my intention to prepare the tulip pattern for sale. it's so difficult to get motivated on this. here's a question for those of you selling patterns online - are you cranking out all the numbers by hand? or are you using some fancy software to do all the sizing? also. is it easy to create a PDF file? i hate it when little details prevent me from making progress. and, most especially, when the important part of the job is already done!

send flowers

or chocolate. or tea. or yarn.

i'm having surgery tomorrow morning and i will be confined to my bed for a day or three thereafter. send good vibes. blog lots, as i will be eager for entertainment as i lie in bed trying to keep myself amused.

happy knitting.

ugh.

i've had a downright hellish week. multiple doctor's appointments (for myself and for my dog), a bad reaction to medication, creative / technical difficulties with someone who lacks both my knowledge and experience, blah, blah, blah. i feel like i've stepped into The Twilight Zone. nothing is what it appears to be. all of this has left me cranky and tired. needless to say, there has been no knitting going on. my way of dealing with stress is to lose myself in a film. because i have nothing good to say today, i am posting a list of some of my favorite films.

All About My Mother

The American Friend (Der Amerikanische Freund)

American Psycho

Amores Perros

Badlands

Breaking The Waves

Carnal Knowledge

The Celebration (Festen)

Days Of Heaven

Dog Day Afternoon

Fight Club

The Five Obstructions (De Fem Benspaend)

George Washington

The Godfather, Part II

Grey Gardens

Harold And Maude

The Ice Storm

The Kid Stays In The Picture

Laurel Canyon

Le Cercle Rouge

A Man And A Woman (Un Homme et Une Femme)

Man On The Train (L’homme du Train)

My Life As A Dog (Mitt Liv Som Hund)

The Pianist

Pie In The Sky: The Brigid Berlin Story

The Return (Vozvrashcheniye)

Secrets And Lies

Shampoo

She’s So Lovely

Splendor In The Grass

The Tenant

A Woman Under The Influence

oh. there is one good thing. my favorite band, TV On The Radio, is playing the night before my birthday and i bought a ticket for that. definitely something to look forward to!

time for a drink...

killing moon

i saw Echo & The Bunnymen last night. it was a poignant reminder of how much fun fun used to be. yeah, that is exactly what i mean. they sounded really, really great. while i had all of their records, i was more of a New Order, Psychedelic Furs, Cure, Clash sort of fan. i can't believe what a good show it was and how wistful it made me feel.

in knitting news, i'm still waiting for some inspiration to strike me in regards to this black tank. i have some vague ideas about what i want to do, but none of them original enough to spur me to cast on.

god, am i bored.

a day in the life

i usually wake up feeling enthusiastic and energetic. this morning i woke to severe brain fog. i just can't seem to get moving. i have so many little things to tie up for the last of the book projects. weaving in one thousand ends and seaming up a 20 square afghan, trying to remember how many skeins of yarn i used on a certain project because i forgot to write it down, ripping out a failed project and giving the yarn a bath so that i can restart it, etc. i should be doing all these things, but after the yarn bath i lost my momentum. instead, i made myself a cup of tea and i've been sitting on my sofa staring off into space. ahh! sofa! here's a little pic of my redecorating. a task which is still very much in progress. this room is so-o-o white that the red makes it look even more white. i think i need more red accessories and a bit more artwork on the wall above my sofa. what do you think?

getting on with it

my new sofa was delivered yesterday! it is sleek and streamlined, which i like. it's also quite plain, which i like because i can accessorize with colorful pillows and throws and can change the look whenever i want. i gave myself the afternoon off yesterday so that i could clean my livingroom / studio, rearrange things, move artwork around etc.

i bought some really bold curtains. well, bold for me since my taste in home decor tends to be pretty minimal. i love them, but i had a moment yesterday when i felt like i was living in a circus tent! they will take a little getting used to. they match my red rug and i'm having some red cushion covers made for my sofa, so that will pull it all together. overall, it's a good change. it definitely helps my state of mind.

i've been invited to be a part of a knitting book that's coming out in 2007! as soon as i wrap up my book i'll be working on the project that i'm creating for this book. i have a pretty good idea of what i'm going to knit, but i never really know until i cast on and see where the work wants to take me. i'm not sure if i can mention the author or her website just yet. stay tuned for more details.

thanks for all the quilting info! you guys know everything!

l i f e

for the past few days, i have been struggling to post an entry. i am definitely in a bit of a funk. the book is going really well and i am very happy about that! the last of the projects are in the final stages of completion and they will be off to the publisher soon.

lately, i've had the realization that i'm not all that happy living in austin. i have less friends here than i had a year ago. one friend moved to l.a. last summer. another friend and i haven't spoken in months. our on again off again romance put too much strain on the friendship that had filled in the blanks between our romantic involvements. (actually, it wasn't the romance that ruined the friendship, but his intense fickleness that caused me to pull the plug.) i feel completely disconnected here. aside from working on my book and teaching knitting classes (which i love), i have no life. moving here from the east coast was incredibly difficult and stressful for me. most of my old friends are on the east coast or in europe. i also left behind a vibrant spiritual community that i was a part of for 15 years or so. obviously, if my life back east had been so stellar i wouldn't have left. at the time, i felt that i really needed to make a change. and i was not wrong about that. never the less, it took me a long time to recover from that move, both spiritually and emotionally. naturally, it's really unsettling to have to admit that i'm not happy here. i cannot imagine packing up and making a big move again. just the thought of it makes me incredibly depressed. i don't even know where i would want to be. i'm not really sure what i'm going to do. if i do move again, it won't be for several months. in the meantime, i am redecorating my livingroom (i finally bought a sofa! yay!), and trying to think of other things to do to lift my spirits. writing about this gives me a sense of release / relief. i've put it out to the universe and i'm open to allowing an empowering change to emerge.

more knitting coming soon!

hare krishmas to me!

i treated myself to this fabulous mimi kirchner doll for xmas! isn't he/she the best? i haven't decided what to call it yet. ashby is quite fascinated with it. i'm not sure if it's amazement or jealousy, but he definitely seems to think it's some sort of living thing.

she also sent along this fabulous handmade card / ornament. it might be cute in an itty-bitty frame.

i'll be celebrating a very peaceful hindu xmas at home. a long meditation on xmas eve. well, that's if i don't go out and meet up with friends for a little cake and champagne. ok. scratch that. i just remembered that a friend is having a b-day on xmas and that was the reason for the cake and champagne! ok. so xmas day will start coffee and opening presents, a long meditation, followed by breakfast, then a long walk around the lake with ashby. i'll spend the day knitting and watching films. i've been invited to have dinner with a couple of my students and their family, but i rather relish the idea of spending the day home alone. je suis comme le loup: solitaire!

hare krishmas to you and yours!

where i knit

this is where i knit. in my livingroom, on a big cushion, on the floor. with the iBook, ipod/speakers, cell phone, and television in front of me. often with a small dog lying next to me. cup of coffee/tea/or yucky herbals from the acupuncturist nearby.

one day soon i will have a proper studio. i crave a clear division between work and home.

it's rather orange-y in this room. part of the feng shui prescription to bring more fire into this room. i'd prefer that it was red. however, the search for a sleek, modern, red sofa that is less than $1200 has been fruitless.

it's great to see everyone's creative spaces. now that i've shown you mine, will you show me yours?

knit happens

some people really get a kick out of being sick in bed. just the idea of missing a day of work or school and lounging around in their pajamas with their pillows all fluffed up makes their toes curl. i am not one of those people. i feel like crap today. so much so that i am actually bedridden. this is truly my idea of hell. wicked cramps, dizziness, nausea. flu, you say? afraid not. welcome to my period. i can't believe i'm writing about this, but i am so incredibly bored that i'm about to poke an eye out just to amuse myself. even the combination of acupuncture, chinese herbs and serious pharmaceuticals brings little relief. it's just a ride it out and try not to go crazy and hurt anybody in the process sort of thing. anyhoo... it's been below freezing here for about 24 hours and, boy, are the texans freaking out! i'm from the northeast, so this is nothing for me. i find it hilarious that a trace amount of ice practically shuts the city down! i know that it's all a matter of what you're used to, but i can't help but find perverse pleasure in the fact that people are so paralyzed by this weather. i do feel sorry for the many homeless people who live here. i can't imagine how difficult this must be for them, but as for everyone else i think they should go spend a week or two up north right about now and then we can talk about what's cold!

last night i watched the season premiere of 'Project Runway'. looks like an interesting cast of characters. Santino is, clearly, incredibly talented and probably a bit of a diva. fun! i hate to critique someone's creativity, but i don't know how that woman from alabama even made it on the show. i mean, come on? i think they chose her purely for entertainment value. i was embarrassed for her.

in response to everyone's comments yesterday - i love 'House'. that Hugh Laurie is yummy. i haven't seen much of it lately because i think it's on the same night/time as 'The Amazing Race'. with that coming to an end soon, i'll be able to watch it again. i just started getting into 'Lost'. it's a show i want to hate because Charlie annoys me. am i the only that notices that Matthew Fox or whatever his name is, is still in Party Of Five Charlie mode? i keep thinking that it was Charlie in that plane crash and all the kids are back at home lamenting their rotten luck and wondering how they'll survive the loss of yet another family member. i find 'Desperate Housewives' pretty much unwatchable. i have absolutely no interest in those characters. blech. and that ridiculous CSI franchise? it seems like there are a half dozen or so CSIs now. forget it! bor-ing. 'Grey's Anatomy' definitely takes the prize for 'most beautiful people trying to do something worthwhile with their neurotic little lives' award. now that's a show i can get behind.

despite illness, looming deadlines, and a lack of good television, knit happens here in the house of shobhana. the left side of Parka is creeping along. expect its debut in winter 2007. seriously.

okay, i've extended the recommended time for sitting up in bed. head spinning. must. lie. down. now. over and out.

update

i am so-o-o busy. coming up on the 2nd of 3 project deadlines for my book. i will be very excited to ship them off to the publisher this week! 17 projects completed, 8 to go. only 2 more months until my needles are free to pursue personal projects. i am very excited about my book, but wow do i miss just picking up my needles and working on whatever i want to. i have a ton of projects lined up!

even though i'm not posting much, i am enjoying reading what everyone else is up to. i would write more, but i'm too exhausted to type.

oh, the photo! it's almost winter and autumn has finally arrived. but then it was 88 degrees here only 2 days ago...

update

hello. i'm still here. i really, really miss being able to blog about my projects. i'm heading into the final third of projects for my book. i can't believe how much has been accomplished so far. thanks to all the fabulous knitters who are helping me to fulfill my dream!

list of things to knit once my needles are my own again:

- Wings! i really miss working on this. nothing like a little intarsia madness to make you appreciate the beauty of plain stockinette.

- for 4 or 5 years now i've had some 8-ply cashmere (yum! casmhere!) in my stash waiting to be turned into a pullover. i could never find the right pattern, but now that i possess the skills to design my own that is exactly what i am going to do!

- i really, really want to knit more dolls. i've grown to love the scary doll i knit this past summer. he's really not so bad for my first go at this. he's feeling a bit lonely and would like a companion or two.

- i have an enormous koigu stash. i'd love to knit a top down raglan cardigan in a gazillion different shades. i've never knit anything from the top down. i sometimes suffer from a strange spatial dyslexia. it may take a little while for my brain to get how this works, but it will be an adventure!

- striped cushion covers! i must get rid of some of this massive stash.

speaking of stash, god, it is so hard to part with it. i wwnt through my stash, with the intention of pulling out stuff that i know i'll never knit, so that i can post it here for sale or for non-yarn trade. i only came up with 4 batches of yarn that i could bear to part with. it's ridiculous really. i'll try to post pics later this week. i just can't imagine that anybody wants it...

one year ago in knitblog history

this is what i was up to one year ago:

my experiment went extremely well, though the results were rather different than i had anticipated. i was expecting a sort of tye-dyed, bleached out, streaky pink affair, but what i got was a fire engine red, slightly fulled and very fabulous jacket! the little red cardigan made her debut at the polls this morning. i couldn't be happier with the results. now this is a sweater that i will wear!

word to the wise - don't make any bold pronouncements regarding your FOs!

number of times worn: 2
where it lives now: in a plastic bin with a few other sweaters that i never wear.

this sweater was a disaster from the start. it was a shade of red that i loath (tomato) and a very plain cardigan (boring). it made me look very frumpy. so much so that i, apparently, destroyed all photographic evidence of this garment pre-felting (or pre-fulling.) anyway. i was never going to to wear this frumpy monstrosity, so i figured what the hell, i'd throw it in the wash with a little bleach and see what happened. first, you should know that i loathe felting. a waste of good knitting, in my opinion. clearly, i was very, very desperate! long story short, this sweater is very dense and heavy and hot. also, it's a tad bit too small. chances are that it may never see the light of day again.

this ends our presentation of one year ago in knitblog history

hello.

this is just me checking in and saying 'hey'. i went to see Gang Of Four last night. (if you don't know Gang Of Four then you're just not cool enough. or, maybe, old enough.) it was a really fun show and i'm completely wrecked this morning. ugh. it was nice to take an evening off from the knitting factory and just get drunk and hang out with friends and listen to fun music. usually, it's still dark outside when i wake up. so odd to find myself still lying in bed when the sun is shining. it's always good to break up one's routine a bit. it gets your brain working in a different way. music is very inspiring for me, but in a less obvious way than art or film. it's difficult to explain. it helps me to work better, to be more creative. i just wanted to say 'hello. how are you? i hope your knitting is going well.' 7 book projects have been completed. 4 more are on needles. 14 more to go. i had better get knitting.

i heart you

i really, really miss writing about what i'm knitting. with the exception of the same pair of socks that i've been knitting for 6 months (well 3 years if you count the frogging, bathing, and reknitting, but who's counting?), i'm only knitting for the book. it's going pretty well. 2 sweaters down, one on my needles, one on a friend's needles, and yet another is being knitted by a third friend. even more friends are scheduled to join the knit for my book marathon. but, ooooh, it is so hard not to share!

in other news, i have given my scary poppet some hair. he (that's right HE) turned out completely different than i had expected. definitely assumed a personality pretty quickly. he fancies himself to be some sort of samoan rock star. really. i'll post the pictures in a day or two so you can see what i mean. ok. off to the post office to send a package to a friend whose birthday has come. and gone. happy knitting!

MLIS: the spinoff

this is what i've been up to.

love 71, knitting 0

because i'm bored and because i love music and i always want to know what other people are listening to and because i like random, useless bits of information, i'm going to jump on kris' train...

i've changed it up a little.

my itunes library

how many total songs?

2221 tracks, 10.61 GB

top 15 most played

Universal Traveler :: AIR
Metal Heart :: Cat Power
Dreams :: Fleetwood Mac
Paris Train :: Beth Orton
Sweet Thing :: Rufus & Chaka Khan
The Way You Dream :: Michael Stipe
Maybe Tomorrow :: Stereophonics
Jesus, Etc. :: Wilco
Say :: Cat Power
Mount Washington :: Beth Orton
Your Cloud :: Tori Amos
Back of Your Head :: Cat Power
You Got Me :: The Roots & Erykah Badu
Comfortably Numb :: Scissor Sisters
Even If Love :: Bonnie 'Prince' Billy

sort by...
title
first: African Reggae :: Nina Hagen
last: Zoom Up! :: Kahimi Karie

time
first - tie: [Untitled} :: Lamb (0:07) [Data Track] :: The Roots
last - tie: Morning Arati :: G*rumayi And Group (24:46) Evening Arati :: G*rumayi And Group (24:46)

artist
first: AIR:: Moon Safari
last: Zwan :: Mary Star Of The Sea

most played song with 'sex' in the title
Do You Think I'm Sexy :: Rod Stewart played 37 times

most played song with 'love' in the title
Even If Love :: Bonnie 'Prince' Billy played 112 times

most played song with 'death' in the title
Death To Everyone :: Bonnie 'Prince' Billy played 23 times

most played song with 'knitting' in the title
0

gratuitous dogblogging

no, this photo is not upside down! ashby is feeling much better. thanks for all your advice and good wishes!

i have nothing new and knitworthy to report. the seed stitch tank is still seed stitch, but a little longer than when you last saw it. i've also been working on the same sock that i started months ago. ho-hum. i've knit another couple of rows of Wings. nothing terribly exciting going. so much so, that i actually pulled out my needlepoint the other day and worked on that for a little while. let me give you a little backstory here... a few years back i decided that knitting just wasn't enough and that i had to expand my needlework repertoire, so i decided that i absolutely MUST do needlepoint! long story short, i spent a lot of money on the Kaffe Fassett kit pictured here. i worked feverishly on this thing for about 4 days and then decided that it was just too slow-going and dull. it has been in a rubber bin ever since! anyway, doing it for an hour every 3 years or so is pretty fulfilling, but that's about as much commitment as i can make!

i've become really obsessed with softies. i really want one of Camilla Engman's crocheted characters. (click on shop and scroll down). i have to learn how to knit something like this.

a knit free post

any scrabble junkies out there? i seem to have lost all of my online scrabble partners. if you're up for ongoing, online scrabble matches email me or leave it in the comments. i will warn you that i'm a pretty tough opponent. =)

book meme

i was tagged by kris with the book meme. i've added a few questions of my own.

1. What was the last book you read or are reading?
kafka on the shore by haruki murakami

2. Where did it come from (library, bookstore, gift, etc.)?
amazon.com

3. How many books do you read per year?
knitting has seriously cut into my reading time. 8-10 a year.

4. What is your favorite genre?
contemporary fiction. lately i've been reading a lot of novels set in modern day japan. i know that magazines aren't books (duh.) but i spend a lot of time reading obscure fashion and art magazines.

5. Name 5 favorite books
the red and the black by stendahl, on love by alain de botton, the secret history by donna tartt, cloud atlas by david mitchell, pride and prejudice by jane austen

5. Who will you tag now?

dorothee, because she has very good taste and i wonder what she reads. deb because she's definitely into books and probably has a lot to say on the subject. and ms. rock chick because she's just too damned cool to give a shit! =)

blah, blah, and blah

i'm close to finishing the 2nd Tom Tom sleeve. it would be lovely if i could finish that this weekend, as i am expecting to receive the yarn for Wings any day now and i don't want to cast on until i've at least finished knitting the pieces for Tom Tom. i've started knitting the first of my 2 projects for Vickie Howell's upcoming book. i'm pretty pleased with the results thus far. wish i could tell you more about that...

because i'm such a product wh*re, i can't help but jump on this bandwagon. here's Vanity Fair's questionnaire (via Nake-Id Knits):

Grooming Products

Shampoo--Pantene
Moisturizer--Kiehl's
Perfume--Pear Cassis Eau de Parfum by Fresh
Razor--the pink ones
Toothpaste--Colgate
Lip Balm--Kiehl's

Electronics

Cell phone--Sony Ericsson T637
Computer--iBook G4
Television--RCA
Stereo--15 GB iPod & JBL speakers

Home

Sheets--300 thread count Malouf linens, vintage embroidered pillow cases
Coffee-maker--French press
Car--Die Hard New York Non-Driver
Stationery--some French stationary, the name escapes me

Beverages

Bottled water--Pur from the fridge
Coffee--Whole Foods Blend, Kenya Grand Cru
Vodka--no liquor for me. i'm a Veuve Clicquot, Italian red wines sort of girl.
Beer--Stella Artois, Dos Equis Lager

Clothes

Jeans--Seven For All Mankind, Citizens Of Humanity, Paper Denim & Cloth
T-shirt--American Apparel
Briefcase or tote--vintage crewelwork bag
Sneakers--Puma Auto Mostro, Mostro Mesh
Watch--haven't worn or owned a watch in 20 years

Favorite Places

Shree Muktananda Ashram, my boyfriend's kitchen

Necessary Extravagance

good champagne, fancy soaps, shoes and more shoes

no resolutions here

no resolutions because i can't even keep them for a minute! however, i do have a few knitting goals for the immediate future. first up is to finish Freda. i am about halfway through the 2nd piece. i don't know about the whole ribbon bit, so i think i'll do a thick i-cord through the eyelets. i am a little worried about Freda, but what can you do? next up is completing Tom Tom. i am relieved that most of the knitting is done. let's not talk about the finishing just yet. i promised one of my students (hello, alexandra!) that i would knit Clapotis along with her. i'm thinking that maybe i'll knit the scarf instead of the shawl, as i am close to maximum shawl capacity. not sure what yarn i'll use, but definitely something from my massive stash! thanks to a certain Melbourne knitter (who is sending me yarn as payment for doing her chart) i shall soon be in possession of the yarn to knit Wings! yay! life is good.

hello!

hi everyone! i have landed! sbc screwed up my dsl order. i won't have a modem until the end of the week, so i am on dial-up. ugh! expect a real post on the weekend. hope everyone is well and has some good knitting going on.

p.s. i finished the back of parka last night!

calling all austin knitters!

this is a shout out to austin knitters. please respond and email me or leave your email address in the comments and i'll connect with you shortly.

if only i could sit and knit!

i am moving in 13 days and frantically packing. not much knitting happening, so don't be surprised if you don't hear from me for a couple of weeks. happy knitting. happy thanksgiving (if i don't have a chance to post before then) and god save the turkeys!

blog apathy

i've been going through a weird time and haven't been much in the mood to post. i have been knitting a little here and there. the scarf is coming along nicely and i'm still struggling to finish Tom Tom sleeve #1. hopefully this cloud will pass soon and i'll get back to posting regularly. hope everyone is well. happy knitting!

hello.

i'm back from a crazy, wonderful trip to manhattan. i met with a ton a of clients, visited a lot of my old haunts, oddly i didn't connect with too many friends, but that's okay. visited a couple of yarn shops. dropped my wad at School Products, of course. yarn photos and a proper post later. how is everyone?

why i won't be starting any new projects this month

as some of you know, in my other life i am an astrologer and intuitive counselor. here's a little piece on mercury retrograde that i recently wrote. please don't reprint or redistribute without permission. enjoy!

Mercury Retrograde and What Not To Do

MERCURY rules communication, commerce, writing, learning, siblings, neighbors, and short trips. VIRGO is all about organization, efficiency, compartmentalizing, perfecting, and how all the various tiny parts fit together to form a cohesive whole. thus MERCURY retrograde in the sign of VIRGO implies that shit falls apart and you can’t put the pieces of the puzzle back together because some of the pieces are broken or have gone the way of that sock you always lose or have been made to fit into an entirely different puzzle. No matter how hard you try, a square peg won’t fit into a round hole. And that carefully drafted email that took you forever to compose has been irretrievably lost in cyberspace and your mail settings have mysteriously changed and it’s not in your sent mail folder either. What’s a girl/boy to do? Here’s what not to do from August 9th to September 2nd:

• don’t change dogsitters/housekeepers/ cute boy who mows your grass or otherwise hire new help, especially if you are an ARIES.

• don’t begin new creative projects. don’t hold out to meet someone new. what’s old returns by popular demand, especially if you are a TAURUS.

• don’t ignore your roots. you can and must go home again, especially if you are a GEMINI.

• don’t take that trip to see your brother/sister/cousin. misunderstanding is unavoidable, especially if you are a CANCER.

• don’t count your interest before it accrues. make the best of money already made, especially if you are a LEO.

• don’t worry if you feel helplessly scattered. this too shall pass, especially if you are a VIRGO.

• don’t obsess over what you could have, should have, or would have done. nobody is perfect, especially if nobody is a LIBRA.

• don’t be so eager to create a new clique. your old crew is as cool as it ever was, especially if you are a SCORPIO.

• don’t tell your boss what you plan to do in the future. remind him/her of what you have already accomplished, especially if you are a SAGITTARIUS.

• don’t book a flight abroad. don’t lightly skim over legal documents, especially if you are a CAPRICORN

• don’t play dumb when it comes to past due bills. they know where you live, especially if you are an AQUARIUS.

• don’t burden your partner with a set of new issues. work through old problems first, especially if you are a PISCES.

copyright lisa shobhana mason 2004

40 boys in 40 nights

hah! don't i wish! actually, it's more like "7 doggy sweaters in 7 weeks". a good friend is opening a deluxe doggy daycare in september and has asked me to create various doggie items (sweaters, puppy receiving blankets) to sell there. so, this morning i've been going through my (extensive) stash in search of yarn to get the ball rolling. i'm very excited and also a bit nervous. but then i'm always nervous when i start something new.

in the coming months i want to launch a website to sell my doggy sweaters and other knitted items. are there any experienced web designers out there who would be willing to design a cool, lo-fi site for me in exchange for astrology services? or for super cheap? if so, please email me.

thanks, erica!

it is really, really nice when someone appreciates your work! i was having a really crappy day and reading this cheered me up more than anyone could know! it really means a lot to me!

birthday

go here to check out what i received for my birthday:

mexico

i'm off to mexico for 8 days. i am taking melly's glove along as my knitting companion. see you in a little while...

so much time, so little progress

i have 3 active projects - the red cardigan, melly's fingerless gloves, and the rambling rows afghan. only 3. yet, i can't seem to get anything finished. all of the pieces of the cardigan are done. now i'm working on the button bands. i made a silly mistake on the gloves and i had to rip back an inch and a half. no big deal. done. but the afghan, MY GOD, the afghan. i'm just not getting anywhere. i keep changing my mind about which colors go where and then i have to rip it out, but i refuse to give up. i love working with a gazillion different textures and colors, but it is not easy!!

hello.

hey everyone! thanks very much for the welcome back wishes! i'm packing up for a cross-country move, so i will be posting infrequently over the next 10 days. wish me luck!