Needleforhire

Oh Good Grief.

2011-10-02T14:21:00.000-05:00

Oh lookit! I finally get my butt into gear and decide to write a blog post and they went and changed it all. :/ Like I don't have enough trouble figuring out what the hell I am doing. Let's review!! I think it took me months and months to figure out how to post pictures. And then it was a pain in the ass. I don't know if it's the iphoto silliness or if it's just that the old system was annoying. Maybe it's me. It's probably me. But it is much easier now!! I'm not saying the changes are bad. I'm just saying it's gonna take me a bit to get it all figured out. Could be months. Or years. Because while I love chattering on and on, the figuring out of the technical details? Not so much. I would rather be sewing. Or drafting patterns.

Which brings me to my latest idea. Which isn't so very new as my mother very astutely pointed out to me.

There needs to be someone catering to the plus-sized women a lot more than they are being catered to now. Oh! Clothes. I am talking about clothes here. I don't really shop for clothes so much myself, I mostly make mine. But the subject of lack of attractive plus-sized womens' clothing seems to keep coming up in CPaAGG. I keep thinking, " I could so be fixing this!" When I told my mom, she pointed out that she had told me 20 years ago that I could make a fortune doing this. I pointed out that 20 years ago, not many had the intarwebz in their home and I would have had to find a rep, make a line, have the rep sell the line to stores, blahblahblah. Now? All I need is a computer and a printer. I can sell directly to the ladies via the magic of the intarnetz!! No middle man! Wholesale prices directly to you!

This is still in the really, really super early planning stages, but for the love of pete, if you are reading this and have input/opinions, please share!!

Tags. Tags would be the really big thing I can't figure out how to do with this new format. Boo. Oh hey! Found it! Go me.

Project Bags!

2011-10-02T13:50:00.000-05:00

And oh, so very, very many of them! Okay. I call them project bags because I am a knitter. And that's what we do with them. Stow one of our 50 bajilliondy projects in them. But they are good for other stuff too. Make-up, art supplies, organizing all the crap in your bag. Whatever. I have a few that I found flaws on after I got them sewed up, this happens sometimes when dealing with vintage goodies, and I keep thinking I will just list them as very price reduced seconds at some point. But I keep grabbing them and using them for things. I should probably stop this or I won't have any to sell.

MsBettiesHandmade

And while we are on the subject, I also have a shop of vintage finds, MsBettiesVintage

You know what sucks and has absolutely nothing to do with sewing?

2011-05-24T22:38:00.003-05:00

Having friends who have cancer. I am too young for this shit. Or that's what I thought. Maybe I'm getting old. (sigh)

My friend Rick has cancer. I know, I know. A lot of people have cancer. But he lives in Buenos Aires and is on their national health care. And is getting his radiation treatments on some kind of pre-Nixon era machine. Which I imagine as looking like something out of a B-grade horror film. Actually, I don't know if he's actually started treatment or not. But he did say that the doctor told him he should sell everything so that he could afford the private treatments on the more-betterer-gooderer machine. :/

So this all makes me go into some kind of whacked-out Mom mode where I want to make him soup and knit him things and junk. I don't know if soup would be edible by the time it got to Buenos Aires. Crap. Am I spelling that right? I thought I was. But spell check don't think so.

Did I mention that Rick is one of my oldest friends? Yeah. I've known him since I was 20 or 21. I forget.

Oh jeez. I left out the point. The point of all of this random muttering is that he has extra expenses now. For medical things. Like colostomy bags. He makes enough to live on, but has no savings, and is pretty much paycheck to paycheck. So what with starting two Etsy shops lately, one for vintage goodies, one for things I've sewn, I am going to attempt to send maybe 10% to him via paypal. We'll see if I can swing that. Cause we be kinda broke right now. But I feel that this is much more spot on than tithing to any church.

Wow.

2010-07-13T22:37:00.004-05:00

Sweet Mother of Maude I am so full of blogging fail of late. I last posted something in November? That's just sad. Well, seeing as to how my dad is the only one who read this, I suppose it's not really such a big deal.

What's been going on.... all kinds of stuff really.

I am down another cat. Stinkiecat died a week or so ago. Which wasn't too surprising. He had done nothing but lose weight since Alex died last August. Alex died during Halsted Market Days weekend. Which pretty much makes me want to pretend that Halsted Street Market Days doesn't even exist. It just makes me think of the cat.

But Mark's cats seem to really be warming up to me. Flash has finally figured out that he can come and beg me for love when I go to bed and then come back and get more love when Mark comes to bed. He's cute as hell, but dumber than a box of rocks.

It's odd how often I talk about the cats on this, the Needle for Hire blog.

So yeah. I have been going through the piles of fabric with stuff to sell on etsy in mind. I have so many little project bags cut out and partially put together. I got the first round done and had to order more zippers. I ordered over 100 hundred zippers. That's a whole lot of project bags. And that's just the start of it. I haven't even begun to explore the stacks of fabric that are big enough to make aprons, dresses, whatever... out of.

I'll have to post some pictures when I get some taken.

Spam Sucks

2009-11-13T18:08:00.001-06:00

Dang it. I got an email this morning saying there was a comment here on the ol' blog. It was spam. Bastards. There is a special place in hell for people who spam comments on other people's blogs. I am so totally gonna sic my computer programmer geek boyfriend on your ass. So there. Yes. I am so totally 12.

Hmph.

2009-11-11T18:48:00.002-06:00

I was just looking at old blog posts. On October 15th, I was quite excited about ComEd having some program that involved them coming and fetching old appliances and hauling them away to recycle. I was very excited about this. I just thought that I should provide an update on that. Manfriend hung around ALLLLLLLL day that day, ( I had to work) and they never never, ever showed up. I even called them. They said the dudes were running late. Hmmph. Whatever. We took off the lid and parked it out by the trash cans. It was gone by midday the next day. But I think ComEd should still give me my $25 rebate. Bastards. They didn't even bother to send some kind of apologetic email. I wish there was another electricity option.

Dad, if you are reading this, you better leave me comments dammit! :P

2009-11-10T19:42:00.003-06:00

So yesterday I sent my family an email, saying, "Yo. Can you all use my gmail for email instead of the crappy sbc?" And I got an email back from my dad. Apparently he was bored, and had read every. Single. Blogpost. But left no comments. Which is weird. Because the man will talk your ear off. I want comments golldangit!! Even if it does just end up being a conversation via blog with Dad.

And mom emailed me back through the old email address, with a long, chatty email, saying that all these different emails confused her and she would use the new one. But she didn't. headdesk

Manfriend is all moved in now. The enclosed back porch room is a whole new world! I keep wanting to hang out back there. Who would have thought that it could look so nice? And he still wants to put up bunches of shelves.

What am I doing.... hmmmm.

Well, we have a whole slew of cute little cashmere hats in the works. Those will be listed on Etsy. Cute, knit, cashmere, reversible, what more does one need in a chapeau? I might have to get my butt in gear and actually post some pictures of them when they are done. You know, so Dad can see what they look like.

I have several pairs of pants in the works for Manfriend as well. I got two pair made already. These aren't super-fancy or anything, just jamma pants for hanging around the house. I have also promised him a pair of linen jeans. Have I mentioned how cute he is? Heh. :P Oh hell, what was I talking about?

Meh.

2009-10-18T21:24:00.003-05:00

So there are now boxes of crap all over the apartment. I will spare you pictures, no one needs to see that. It's not. pretty. I seem to mainly be getting rid of books. There are a lot of cookbooks going away. It's funny how few of them I use. I mostly use the same ones that I have been using for years. Just to summarize...

I have 2 boxes of books to get rid of. This is not including the cookbooks. I think I can find homes for all of them.

I have 1 rather largeish box of clothing to get rid of. I was merciless. If I hadn't worn it in the last year, it was gone.

A whole crapton of pots for plants. I have no clue what I am going to do with these. Maybe the little neighborhood thrift store?

I have about 15 packages of varying shapes and sizes to get to the post office. I am RAK-ing a bunch of stuff. I love it when I have something that someone else really, really wants. And several small boxes of books that are going to various people.

I have another shelf of books to go through. Then I think I am mostly done with books.

I need to get this all out of my way so that I can get some sewing done. I have a whole slew of knitting project bags to sew and put up on etsy. I also have the recycled cashmere hats to get sewn and listed. If only I didn't have to go to work.

I can tell it's getting colder. Teh Stinkiecat won't get off of me. Ever. He stayed with me through all of last night. Little booger. He was curled up on the pillow nex to me with my cheek lying on his wittle fuddy butt. He is full of awesome.

Lame? Oh Hell's yeah I am!

2009-10-15T21:17:00.002-05:00

I don't seem to be blogging about much of anything lately. And now, I am blogging because I am sick of re-potting plants and trying to figure out where to put all the dishes I thought that I needed 10 years ago. Does anyone want a bunch of Harlequin dishes? I have, a lot. They are really super pretty!!! I could try to sell them on ebay, but damn, that's a lot of work. I did pass a shop on Dempster up in Evanston that had a bit of Harlequin in the window. Maybe they would be interested. I wish I could remember the name of that place.

I have so much stuff scattered all over, it's driving me nuts. But. I found someone to take the deep freeze. ComEd had an ad on craigslist. They come and fetch it, take it away and recycle it. And give you a $25 rebate! Woot!

Now if I could only find a home for the industrial sewing machine.

Huh.

2009-10-05T08:47:00.001-05:00

Well she-ooot. I don't quite know what my blog should be about anymore. I suppose I should maybe switch out the pictures of the cat who has passed on... but that requires remembering how to do pictures on here. It was a nightmare the first time around. I should probably take some kind of basic computer skills class. It would probably fill in a lot of gaps.

I have a boyfriend now. Met him back in February. He's adorable. And moving in the end of the month. He is good with the computer. Maybe I can get him to do the picture bits on the blog for me. Hmm.

In the meantime, I am busy trying to clear excess clutter out of my life/apartment to make room for his stuff and because I just have too much stuff. Gah.

It's going slow.

Sigh..... I knew he was old, but still....

2009-09-06T16:36:00.002-05:00

It sucks when a pet dies. Alex was anywhere between 18-20 years old. And on his daddy's birthday, he stopped eating. He still seemed to be his same old sassy self, but no eating. Given his age and his extreme dislike of going to the vet, I opted for letting him go at his own pace here at home. He died sometime in the morning of August 3rd. I will miss him dearly.

Stinkiecat seems to have gotten over it pretty quick though. Two weeks later and he's all like, " Suhweet! More Mommy for meeeeeeeeeee!!!!!"

R.I.P. Bernie

2009-07-27T10:00:00.002-05:00

So yeah. I think it's finally time to give up on Bernie. Bernie would be my 21 year old Bernina 910 sewing machine. Berninas are awesome sewing machines, but alas, the 910 was a home model. I firmly believe that I wore him out. Why exactly I have decided that my sewing machine is a male, I do not know. The good news is that about 2 years ago when Bernie started ailing, I started perusing Ebay to find a replacement. After a false start with a low-end Bernina that has no button hole feature, I ended up with a Singer from the early 60's. Which was an incredibly good buy. Sewing Machine Dude told me I should never, ever get rid of it. And I won't. My mom had a different model from the same line, same era of Singers. Sewing Machine Dude would be a guy I found in the Chicago yellow pages. He comes out to your house to fix your machine. If it needs a lot of work, he takes it away and brings it back about a week later. He. Is. Awesome.

Spring has sprung

2009-05-22T09:46:00.003-05:00

Or as what often happens in Chicago in spring, we went from freezing our asses off to the mid 80's. Why do we all keep putting up with this? =)

I am so full of blog-fail of late. I haven't blogged since freaking October for pete's sake. I. Am. Lame.

But it's okay...'cuz I haz boyfriend now! A very fun boyfriend. Who is sweet and adorable and who would seem to think the same of me. Wow. How did that happen? My dating life, not usually much to report. But the real question is how do I feel about living on a boat? This keeps coming up. Because that's his dream. It's not the solitude of it that makes me hesitate, but the being-in-the-middle-of-the-ocean-with-no-land-in-sight part of it.

I have all kinds of fun and exciting sewing projects going on. Which of course I will not put posting picture of. Because that's too much work and I never manage to put them in the right place. Dur.

I am re-covering the cushions for a chair. That is done now. Cushion jobs are a lot of fun. There is something oddly satisfying about zipping a pretty, fresh, new cover onto a old, ratty looking cushion.

Pants. I am trading pants for my February Lady Sweater. I got the yoke of the sweater done and realized that having not knit lace before, the rest of the sweater was not going to go as smoothly as I would have liked. One of my friends had just finished her's and having heard her mention that she has trouble finding pants that fit, I offered a trade. They are soooooo close! But I now see why she has trouble buying pants. I think it would have been better just draft a pattern rather than tinkering with one I have. They are just too big. Every fitting has been a case of taking in some here, taking in some there. I feel like I have been slacking. She had my sweater done ages ago. I do love, love, love the sweater!!!

I am also doing a wedding outfit. I say outfit because it is a corset and skirt, not a dress. That's gonna be a lot of fun to make! I love making corsets.

Plus, my birthday is on Tuesday. Boyfriend has all kinds of fun ideas. We are going to dinner and Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind on Saturday. Sunday we were going to just bum around downtown, but then I remembered that Memorial Day Weekend = IML!!! So we are going to the leather market at IML on Sunday instead. Mmmm, leather men..... did I mention that boyfriend is a leather worker? Heh. And I don't know what all else he has planned, but it was suggested to me that I take the day after my birthday off. So I did.

Blog #43 or, According to Blogspot, This is My #43 Post.

2008-10-17T19:57:00.004-05:00

I don't know how I got so mixed up with my numbers. Maybe I should come up with a different system. It could be a little bit tedious when I get up to a bajilliondy blog posts. As if.

There is a skunk in my neighborhood. And yes, I'm talking about a for reals skunk. Not the ward alderman. I could smell it this morning. I have heard no other talk of any kind about skunks in the city. Someone at work asked me if I was sure it wasn't pot. Um. Ew. If people are now smoking pot that smells like skunk, dude, then I really do not understand the kids today. And yes, I have smelt both and I do know the difference. I did large chunks of summers as a kid on a farm. I know me some skunk when I smells it. Besides, I saw a skunk-shaped being waddle across Morse Ave while I was waiting for the train. I wonder if he's on Daley's payroll.....ouch! I wouldn't be making that crack if the CTA wasn't talking about raising fares again. Stupid old people and their free rides. Pfffbbbbt!!! Bite me. And no, I am not giving up my seat for someone who didn't actually pay to get on the bus/train. So there. Yes, I will fake being asleep behind my big, black sunglasses.

And since I am talking about our fine city. I used to read the Tribune every day that I was at work. No more. I just really hate the new layout. I realize how stupid that sounds. But it seems like less paper and when I'm done, I don't feel like I've read the paper at all. So I have been reading the Sun-Times. Maybe I should just read the New York Times and be done with it. At least they talk about fashion and shit.

And speaking of fashion. I still haven't watched more than the very first episode of the most recent Project Runway. Sad, but true.

Blog #39, or Dude, There Is Nothing Scarier Than

2008-10-06T16:01:00.002-05:00

hearing the guys outside your apartment who are removing a big-ass tree, yelling, "NO!NO!NO!!! YOUR ROPE! YOUR ROPE MAN! NO! NO! NO! STOP!"

The tree, is(was) taller than the two story building that I live in, and, should it fall, it would mostly fall into my apartment. Especially since now it is almost gone and much shorter.

#38, or Has It Really Been So Very, Very Long Since We Were Together?

2008-09-06T20:38:00.002-05:00

Apparently, yes it has.

I have been working at the Goodman Theatre, on a musical. I am in the craft room, which is great fun. We are making hundreds, nay, thousands of ribbon flowers. Okay, maybe it is really just hundreds. Some big, new musical thing. Directed by Tommy Tune. Jeff Daniels and Rachel York are in it. Yeah, that Jeff Daniels. No, I haven't. I have never seen so many people in the sewing room before. It's crazy. I have seen this many in the craft room though, when I got to help make the crazy-ass wigs for "The Dreams of Sarah Breedlove". This whole thing involves days and days of opening at the Starbucks, and then going to the theatre. And for this show, we get to stay late if we want. So I have been leaving the house at 4:30 am, and getting home at almost 7 pee-em. I's sleepy. And Alex is giving me the cold shoulder. Booger-kittie.

I have been getting lots of odds and ends of knitting done though. The do-over on the front of my Looking Glass Sweater is done. I just have to block it. And I am making splendid progress on, er, ah, well, let's just say that some Christmas Knitting is getting done and leave it at that. Ha.

I bought a bunch of new roving off of etsy. Ooooo, the one seller has yummy-yummy colors! I bought a lot from her. I also bought myself some new earrings. A girl needs some new baubles from time to time.

I have been doing really well with finally getting gobs and gobs of project and stash pictures taken and downloaded so that I can get them onto Ravelry.

Stinkiecat is prancing about the desk, me thinks it is his way of telling me I need to get my hiney off of the computer and pay attention to him. He wins.

Blog #37, A For Reals #37 This Time

2008-08-03T20:47:00.002-05:00

So really, this post is about one thing and one thing only.

I did my gauge swatch for my February Lady Sweater. I have no idea what size needle I used, it is an Addi whose numbers have worn off, but. I have achieved gauge. Exactly. On the first try.

And, I am wishing I had enough of the Lorna's Laces in red to do it in red. It's a great red. I might need a sweater out of it.

The planets must be in perfect alignment or something.

Blog #36, In Which Bettie Realizes That She Can't Count, aka Sequence Numbers, Properly

2008-08-03T03:57:00.006-05:00

No. Please. No fainting. I know, two posts in less than 24 hours, whassupwiththat? Good question. I have no clue. But it's almost 4 am and I am wide awake. Actually I was wide awake about 2 hours ago. I only just got out of the bed. And upon exiting the bedroom, door left slighly ajar, almost tripped over Mr. Fluffiepants. Like he forgot how to push doors open or something. I don't understand this. He knows how to open doors, I've seen him do it. Maybe he was being thoughtful and considerate. Yeah, right.

So I am participating in the Ravelympics. In which we cast on during the opening ceremonies of the Olympics and attempt to have said project finished by the end of closing ceremonies. I am doing the February Lady Sweater. I forget who did the pattern and am too lazy to leave the 'puter and find out. But it is based, or perhaps I should say 'unvented' from Elizabeth Zimmerman's February Baby Sweater. But sized for 'a grown-ass woman', as it says on the pattern. It's a free pattern off of Ravelry. I am using some of the Lorna's Laces green yarn that I got at the warehouse sale. I have done the math about 6 times now. And considered and re-considered which size, how much ease or negative ease I want and all of that good stuff. The yarn is pink. Very pink. I loves it. I believe I will be swatching today at knit group. Swatching is what we do for training. Will there be pictures? I can guarantee that they will taken, whether or not I actually decide to apply myself and post here remains to be seen. Heh. I am tres lame.

Oh crap. I almost forgot. Bernie is dead. I turn him on and I don't even get the mechanical-whining-motor-trying-to-go-kind of noise. He's not even trying anymore. I turn him on and hit the gas, and...... nothing. Just flat-out, straight-up, dead quiet. I am planning on giving him a little rest, and then trying again, but man, it don't look good. Anyone wanna gimme a thousand bucks or so for my Tacsew?

Blog #37, I Think. But Really? I've Lost Track.

2008-08-02T16:47:00.001-05:00

So today? My mail carrier? Or are we still using mail man? Though if you think about it, that's a little redundant. But I digress. It is now 4:49 pee em. On Saturday. Waaaaaaaay later than when the mail is supposed to arrive. The mail should be waiting for me when I get home. Who cares? You might ask. Well I do and I will tell you why. In he/she's little mail cart thingey, they carry not just the neighborhoods' mail, but, and this would be the most important bit, discs #5 and #6 of season 2 of the NEW DR. WHO. Yes, I'm yelling. Deal. I was all psyched up to watch another 3 or more episodes tonight. Netflix promised! And now, the mail carrier had to get up all in the way and not bring me my mail. Asshat. What the heck am I supposed to do after dinner now? Sheeesh.

And lest we think that this post is nothing but me kvetching about the mail carrier, I would like to mention the vast amounts of garter stitch projects I have been finishing during the whole process. Which may, or may not eventually be posted here. Since figuring out how to post pictures, I have found it to be a bit of a pain in the ass and don't do it much.

Blog #30-something.

2008-07-18T19:34:00.002-05:00

I am tres lame. It's been over a month since the last blog entry. And James and Joe have come and gone. Joe is, adorable. But even more to the point, he found a hat in my apartment, that I knit, that fits him perfectly and that he loves! Ahha! Something to knit Joe for Christmas! Suh-weet! And James loves the yarn and slipper pattern for his man slippers. The boy has excellent taste, they are Malabrigo. God I frakking hate spell check! I know Malabrigo isn't a word, that's why it's capitalized, asshats!

So I just finished watching the first episode of Season 5 of Project Runway. They did the whole grocery store thing from season 1 again. Which, of course, has me thinking, WWBD? What would Bettie do? I know what she wouldn't do, and that would be going for the obvious choice of a tablecloth or napkins or paper towels or trash bags. Too predictable. I can't believe that anyone used those things. Duh. And they are, most of them, quite young this time around. Lots of 25-27 year olds. Whatever. I hope I am not bored like I was with last season. I didn't even watch the last 2-3 episodes. Once fashion week happened, I saw all of their shows on line and really didn't even care who won. I know who's clothes I liked and that's all I cared about apparently.

I haz a date tomorrow. Must. Find. Cute. Outfit.

Blog #33, or How I Got My First Sunburn Of The Season

2008-06-15T10:32:00.002-05:00

Yesterday was WWKIP day. I wore sunscreen, but clearly SPF 15 was not enough. I wore sleeveless, because I knew I would get some color, and didn't want farmer tan. Believe me, I have seen hard-core farmer tan up close. It's not a look I wish to duplicate. I had one Grandfather who was a farmer. I don't think he ever went out with less coverage than a short-sleeved shirt. But I had seen him in a tank. We are talking skin as white as the new fallen snow, right next to skin that had spent every summer of it's 60 some odd years in short sleeves out on a tractor. With no canopy. I do not wish to duplicate this look. So yeah, I am a little bit crunchy in places this morning. I have been slathering myself with body butter.

But other than that, WWKIP day was lovely! That stands for World Wide Knit In Public day.

Blog #32 Gah! 17 Day Until My Gays Are Here!!!

2008-06-10T18:17:00.002-05:00

Well, part of them anyways. James and Joe will be here June 27th through July 3rd. Just in time for ALL of Taste of Chicago! ( insert sarcasm here ) But, much more importantly, they will be here for PRIDE!!! And if you don't know what that means, then clearly you have no gay friends and should go make some. It sounds as though James has mapped out each and every meal, based on the restaurants he missed most. The thing that might throw that off is that there are literally bunches of new places littering Andersonville that he hasn't seen yet. I haven't been to any of the new places to have an opinion one way or the other. Either way, I doubt that we will want for places to eat.

My birthday was May 26th. See birthday greeting comments below with post # 31. I got all kinds of goodies and much fun was had. Mom and Dad got me a drum carder! I am busy carding the rainbow fleece Mom and I got at Crazy Girl Knits. I am thinking it will probably want to be a baby sweater. Don't ask me for who, I have no idea. I just think a little baby sized rainbow sweater would be adorable. It's got a lot of second cuts in it though. But I have always kind of liked the slightly "rustic" look in some yarns. Then I have 15 oz. of Lorna's Laces roving to spin. And 4 bumps of two different colors of roving from Crazy Girl Knits. Then. We start on the Finn Wool fleeces from Wee Croft Finn Sheep. That should give me all of the right kinds of practice before launching into the Alex shawl. I do need to do a lace sampler. And maybe another shawl or two knitwise, before doing Alex. Especially since I haven't really done much lace at all.

I have been doing a lot of alterations lately. And I still have to copy that jacket that I got the discoloration out of. Then at least I can get it put back together. I have a whole stack of easy summer tops cut out for myself. I should whip those up. I have been wearing the same boring assortment of summer clothes for the last 3 summers with no real changes. BORING. It's not for lack of fabric, that's for damn sure.

Alex went to the vet the other day. They drew blood, did a full work up. He is all good. Yay! He is said to be in very good shape for his age. Though I got a bit of a tsk-tsk 'cause he re-gained a half a pound. I was actually relieved that he gained a little bit back. I think under 18 lbs. looks a little scrawny on him. His is rather big boned you know.

Oh yeah. And I have someone to barter massages for sewing with. Life it good.

Blog #31, aka, A Few Random Thoughts

2008-05-20T21:04:00.002-05:00

#1 I think I have reached some kind of critical mass level with the knitting. I got me a swell new Ravelry tote bag. Yes, I was totally stalking the store and clicking "refresh" all afternoon that Saturday....and I gots me a tote bag!!! It is the perfect size. The straps are the perfect length. It is huge. I could fit my whole life into this bag if I wanted to. And therein, lies the problem. I have turned it into my knitting bag, duh. But instead of carrying a purse also, I have started chucking all of the purse crap into my knitting(?) bag. This would seem to me, to indicate some kind of new found level of extreme-ness. Or maybe I just think about junk too much.

#2 Alex needs to retire to Scottsdale. He was doing beautifully when it had gotten warmer, but now that it is plummeting down into the 40's at night, he is all stiff and crunchy again. He was all tucked in under my bed all evening. I finally went and crawled halfway under the bed to give him a little kitty hip rub. That seemed to perk him up quite a bit. He came out for a pill and a snack. He is now napping peacefully on his chair in the mudroom/enclosed back porch. Poor booger. Perhaps I can find him a home for retired kitties......maybe a heating pad would help.

#3 I just finished a market bag. It was way fun to knit. Good beer knitting too. Huge, open weave, and if one screws up, who cares? It's a market bag!

Blog #30 In Which Bettie realizes that she has been blogging for a year.

2008-05-08T20:26:00.002-05:00

I am sooo lame. I have been doing this blog for a year. Really? I mean, for reals? And I am on blog #30. That's not even 1 per week. But more than 1 per month. You know what would make this more fun? Comments. A purpose. Feeling like I was letting someone down if I didn't blog. I think the only people who read this regularly are my dad and James. Heh. Why does that make me giggle? I dunno

On to projectland!

My pink sweater, yeah. Got it all blocked. (!) Went to Kitchener the top to the bottom and found out why we should pull out our highlighter pens when we start knitting something. We need to mark, on the pattern, which size we are knitting so that all of the frakking pieces match up when we go to assemble said sweater. This blows. Or rocks, depending on how you look at it. Part of the cable on the bottom half of the sweater is a little wonky. I can't figure out what I did, but it just looks off. Now I can fix. 'cause I have to re-knit in anyways.

I am altering wedding gear for a lesbian couple. They are going to look fabulous! The dress-wearer got her gown at J.Crew. Simple design, gorgeous heavy silk crepe, I think it might be 4-ply, and it looks great on her too. And the jacket and pants for the suit wearer are just as lovely. She is wearing creamy satin trousers and a simple creamy colored jacket that is a cotton brocade. They both have super cute short hair. Made me want to cut mine off again. But alas, I have told myself I won't cut it until James and Joe have their official wedding. For which I will be wearing my hair down.

I am also undertaking a rather involved project involving a jacket that the dry cleaners effed up. It is a great jacket, 4-ply silk crepe, Dana Buchman. But there are these weird,very faint watermark looking marks on the back. To me, it looks like the dye from something else somehow got onto it. I don't know enough about dry cleaning to know if this is possible or not. But it sure as hell looks like very faint black dye to me. My task is to see if I can manage to get the stain out. I am very good at this. If it is, indeed dye, maybe not so much. But my other job is to copy the jacket. So that we can make her another. She loves the jacket and was quite sad to have it ruined.

I have also finally come up with a hat pattern for all of the recycled cashmere. I happen to think the hat is adorable. I am going to carry it around with me and make all kinds of random people try it on and pester them to tell me how much they would pay for this hat if they loved it to bits.

I really need to stop cutting junk out and actually sit down and sew some stuff.

Blog #29, or, Hey, We Had An Earthquake This Morning!

2008-04-18T08:07:00.002-05:00

and that just doesn't really happen here. I would post a link to the Chicago Tribune article I read, but really have no clue how to go about that and don't even really want to try to figure it out right now. It happened aroudn 4:30ish. I tend to wake up early, even when I am off from work. Mr. Fluffieknickers, aka Alex the cat, woke me up at 12am because he wanted out of the bedroom. I was fairly certain that no kitties came back in. I drifted back to sleep. Woke up because my bed was moving. My first foggy thought was that Stinkiecat had come into the bedroom and was up on the bed giving himself a very enthusiastic grooming. But that seemed a little far-fetched. Then I realized that he wasn't on the bed. Or in the room even. My next thought is from "The Exorcist". You know, the bit where the bed is rattling with Linda Blair in it. So I turn on the light. Nope. Everything is fine. No cat in the room, no Satan under my bed. I decide maybe I be a little crazy. So since I am wide awake, I go to check Ravelry. Read some post in the forums, see that AZ is also up and posting, so I post back. Decide to check the weather. And I'll be damned. I check the weather online via the Chicago Tribune, and they have a little blurb about the earthquake. Then AZ calls. At 5:30am. Because we are both awake anyways. This whole morning has been very surreal so far. I think I need a breakfast burrito from the Heartland Cafe.

Now for something completely different.

Went to the warehouse sale at Lorna's Laces. Wow. So totally worth standing on a loading dock in the rain for. I got some most excellent yarn. That I would be posting pictures of except my 'puter is having issues and I can't get PDF files to open when I click on them. Maybe I can show off the yarny goodness next time. =)

Blog #28, or... Do We Ever Go To The Neutral Zone For Any Reason Not Related To The Romullons?

2008-03-20T15:32:00.004-06:00

And, no, I really don't think I spelled Romullons correctly. Spellcheck agrees. Spellcheck also doesn't like the way I spell Spellcheck. I suppose it thinks it's entitled to two words. Whatever.

So if anyone reads this, and thinks of an answer to the question, please let me know. And no, I am not talking about spelling Romullon correctly.

And out of nowhere, I get the urge to put Spock ears on the cats. I think that would be highly appropriate attire for our Next Generation film fest. Perhaps I will knit some one day.......

Blog #27 or, I am up at 5:30am, might as well blog!!

2008-03-17T04:47:00.004-06:00

I finally figured out that blog posts would be the perfect early morning activity for me. I seem to be needing less and less sleep. I believe this will be even more the case as spring/summer approach. I am so used to going to bed around 9pm and waking up at 3:30, that I have been waking up by 5:30 at the latest on my days off. I should be a farmer. I never feel like sewing this early, I never feel like sewing until the sun comes up. I dunno why. Sometimes I lie in bed and read, or if I have a movie from Netflix that hasn't been watched yet I will watch a movie in bed. Stinkiecat loveloveloves this. He comes bounding into the bedroom, with his purr on, and curls up on the bed next to me. I am now on disc 3, season 3 of ST Next Generation. The theme music, makes him come running. It makes me giggle every time He so cute and funny!

I did start a new knitting project. And have a re-newed motivation on the Man Slippers. I thought I was going to knit a cute little cardigan from one of the Jo Sharp books. But alas, I have not only the wrong yarn for that, it's too heavy, but I don't have enough for anything close to a cardigan. So I am knitting a tank instead. It is probably going to be done by the end of the week. The pattern knits it in two pieces, I did it in the round. It will be a rather heavy tank, but I have a few of those already, and they seem to get worn so I reckon it is all good. Onto the Man Slippers. The soles are in a twisted garter stitch, which is a bitch to knit. Slow and hard on the wrists. But I figure if I keep at it and just do a few rows per day, I should have them done in fairly short order. I mean, they are only slippers after all. It shouldn't take too long unless I put them down and don't work on them at all.

I talked to Mom Saturday afternoon. Found out that Dad's handknit socks are always in the laundry. :) I guess it's safe to knit him some for every Christmas then. The man is a bit tricky to shop for. He doesn't give out many clues as to what he wants.

Now about the project that is haunting me..... I am supposed to knitting a sweater for a Gene doll. She's like Barbie, but a bit bigger, and with a 40's flair. WAY better than Barbie. She has better taste in clothes too. The sweater pattern that was provided, from some doll collecting magazine, HAS NO GAUGE. How the heck am I supposed to do a sweater for this damn doll with no gauge? I will have to just wing it I suppose. I. Am. Not. Excited. About. This.

Blog #26 Look Ma! Blog posts for TWO days running!

2008-03-12T14:23:00.002-06:00

Dear James,

I know that you have moved to Englalund, but I think you should come and get your son. He is, after all, your's. You found him. He loves you more. He will always love you more. And last night, he ate my finger. You can have him back now. I was only trying to give him his pill, for his own good I might add, the little blood-sucking monster. Okay well, maybe not ATE, but there was a lot of bleeding involved, none of it his. Nope, all the blood, from me. From my finger. Then he had the gall to still want his treats. You come fetch? Now?

kthxbai,

Bettie

Blog #25 or, I am the lamest blogger EVER.

2008-03-11T15:17:00.002-06:00

Because I blog what, like maybe twice a month if we are lucky? What can I say? I am trying to watch an entire sci-fi series over here. damit.

I am through all of seasons #1 and #2 of Next Generation. Dr. Crusher needs to come back, I find Dr. Pulaski annoying. Does anyone else think it kinda weird that the Dr. is named after a famous civil war hero? And I can't wait for Lt. Whorf's hair to grow out. It looks so early 60's page-boy, I want to giggle every time I see him.

I have also been watching Battlestar Galactica. The new one. One of the guys I work with volunteered it when I told him I was watching Next Generation. I have just finished season #1 of that and AM DYING to see season #2. Can you say cliffhanger? I might have to get me some Dr. Who after I am done with these two series. Why do I not have a mildly dorky boyfriend with all of my interests in sci-fi?

I have gotten a lot knitting done though. But not so much on all of the projects that I though I would. I have been working on easy-peasy charity knitting and dishcloths. The idea was to knit, and finish junk I had half done. Um. I am sort of doing that.....kinda.

I just found the scrap of paper that has my new shift supervisor passwords for work on it. It is on my desk. With some new roving on top of it. Maybe I should spin a little during this mass of sci-fi watching.

Blog #24 Dear Tilda........

2008-02-25T21:22:00.003-06:00

I have loved you for positively ages. Um, like since the late 80's, early 90's when I was roommates with one of my best gay boyfriends, James, and he was, dare I say, obsessed, with Derek Jarman films. Which means I have known about you since then. You were in a whole slew of those Derek Jarman films, none of which I can recall the name of off the top of my head. But the first time I saw you, I was in awe. And then there was Orlando. Well, shoot. Not only did I get to watch you for 2 or so hours, but holy crap, what costumes!!! It was like I'd died and gone to heaven. Then you started being in movies over here. Movies made here I should say. Here being the US. I was happy for you, and loved seeing you branch out a bit. And now. James called me all excited about you winning the BAFTA, he told me that I simply MUST look it up on youtube and watch your speech. Which was wonderful, witty and lovely. But please don't ever wear that shade of goldy yellow again. Please. Pretty please. And then. You. Won. The. Oscar. With and even wittier speech. And again, you looked fabulous, but that dress was wretched. It did nothing for you. Do you need someone to take you shopping and give you fashion advice? I volunteer myself. Or perhaps you would like to use James, he lives over there now, he is gay, he would probably faint in utter shock at first, but he is quite handy for a girl to have around when shopping. Okay, I'll stop about the dresses. That's not really what it's about anyways. Did you even have any makeup on? It didn't look like it, yet you looked wonderful.

I can't even say how thrilled I am that my mostest favoritest actress ever is finally getting all the oodles of attention she deserves.

Blog #23 Or, I've Decieded That I Need to Watch Star Trek Next Generation. All 49 or so Discs of it.

2008-02-17T11:28:00.003-06:00

And in doing that, set out to boldly go. Where no knitter has gone before. At least not any knitter that I know of. The plan. Netflix all of Star Trek Next Generation. All seasons, all episodes. And see just how much knitting I can accomplish while watching it all.

I am on disc 3 of season 1. Which is actually only the second disc I have watched as disc 2 was damaged and unplayable.

I worked on James' slippers for about 2 seconds yesterday, and then got annoyed with them. I think I need to use a different cast on. They will turn out fine I am sure. Just didn't feel like starting over. So I switched over to mindless garter stitch knitting on a Project Snuggle blanket. I think I could work on that in my sleep. And seeing as to how it's all craptastic and RAINING here today, staying in bed to watch my Star Trek seemed ideal. It's raining on top of snow. Then it's supposed to get colder and snow overnight. Yeah. Don't think I'll even bother to get dressed today.

I will be posting photos of my WIP's and UFO's. Hehehheh. Star Trek. UFO's. Heheheh,

Blog #22 or, Ravelry's Down for Upgrades So I Figured I Might As Well Blog....

2008-01-12T11:14:00.000-06:00

Yeah. So here we are. Still addicted to Ravelry. I have actually gotten bunches
Ooooooo! My box of goodies from Jamesykins FINALLY showed up! Yeah, British post sucks. He shipped it on the 21st, of freakin' November. I got it on the 10th of January. I didn't think anything took that long to ship anymore. The box was full of lovely silk fabric and some yarn, including some supersoftfluffy angora! The skeins are teeny tiny, but I reckon there is at least enough for a hat or two.

I really need to get my pink sweater done. I feel like I can't start another sweater for myself until I finish that one. And I got some Noro Silvermore photos taken. And have them downloaded into the computer and moved to flickr. It just seems like there should be a more direct way to d
o all of this. But that would require researching all the boring bits of the computerie nonsense that I don't like doing.

Had a lovely Christmas though. The parents came and we ate and watched Christmas movies Christmas eve and Christmas day. A very low-key, low-stress way to spend the holiday. Did I take pictures? Umm, no. Didn't think of it. Obviously now I am. Thinking that some pictures of Christmas would have been fun to put on the blog. Maybe if I spent more time blogging and less time being Completely Pointless and Arbitrary on Raverly, I wouldn't be having these problems. Hee.
Thaw that I am dying to knit up. Irealized it is the wrong weight for what I thought I was going to knit out of it, but think I might just have barely enough for the Sunrise Circle Jacket. I thought I had taken a picture of it, but now I can't find it. Hmmm.

I did knit a few things for Christmas gifts.
This is the pair of socks I knit for Mom. They are cashmere and very soft and squooshy.
These are socks I knit for me. I also knit a pair for James. Except bigger. Cause he's a boy and has bigger feet. But both pair were out of the same yarn. Which I had dyed early last year at a Dagmar Klos workshop through the WCKG. I honestly don't remember the fiber content, I am thinking maybe it is alpaca and Merino. I wore mine for work one day and the soles totally felted. Not in a shrinking kind of way, but in a thick, dense freakishly warm kind of way. They still fit.

Blog #21 Feh. I want pie.

2008-01-02T20:06:00.000-06:00

I have been pie obsessed of late. Not that that has anything to do with the fibery arts. Just stating fact. I thought I could fill the pie-shaped hole in my life with pie I could find here in Chicago. Heavy sigh. They don't have that here. I want to walk into someplace and have like 6 kinds of HOMEMADE pie to choose from. You can find this all over Iowa, but not in Chicago. I followed what seemed to be a very promising pie lead. I was told that a place called Dollop had pie. So, of course, I was imagining a magical place with nothing but dozens and dozens of different pies. No. It's a coffee shop. That had TWO kinds of pie. Pumpkin, lame! And apple. Pumpkin is lame because it is impossible to make poorly and apple, well, it's just apple. Kind boring and predictable. The crusts were loverly and all. I got a piece of gooey caramely cheesecake instead. Which was good, just not pie.

See, I used to go to Door County and get sour cherries. And make pies. Little individual pies. That would live in my deep freeze until the cold frozen months of winter when a girl really needs some pie to tide her over until spring. I would go to Indiana and buy peaches and make peach pies too. There is just something about having pie at your disposal. But, what I came to realize is that it isn't just pie I want, but MY homemade pie that I want. The Heartland Cafe has a triple berry pie. I am thinking that that is as good as it is going to get. I've had it before, and it is truly tasty. Meebee they would sell me a whole pie.......

Blog #20, or Bettie ain't Blogged in postively ages!

2007-12-16T15:57:00.001-06:00

Hmmm, what to talk about. Still obsessed with Ravelry. I keep thinking that at some point the novelty will wear off. Not so far. Was supposed to have knitting group today, but got discouraged by booku piles of snow that fell overnight. But then it turned sunny, would have gone except by the time the sun came out, I was trapped to my apartment by my Pain de Mie, aka, Pullman Loaf. It raises THREE times. And my kitchen was drafty, so I had to put it on the bathroom radiator to raise. Which just feels downright wrong to me. I miss my 1956 Universal range. That stove totally ROCKED!!! I swear to whatever that everything turned out way better baking-wise. I needs to find me a man that 'preciates these kinds of things and will buy them for me. :) You can have your big, shiny diamonds, I just want a vintage stove. And to not have to work so I can dye things all day long.

I swear that I will be posting pictures and talking about projects after the holidays are over! It's just, well almost Christmas. What if I talk about and post pictures of something and it's recipient sees the post? BAM! No Christmas for you!

But in the meantime, here we have a festive cat picture.

Blog #19 In Which Bettie Posts Several More Pigchurs, 'Cause She Knows How To Do That Now.....

2007-11-10T21:34:00.000-06:00

Another satisfied Needle for Hire customer! Not one of my cats by the way. This is a Simplicity pattern, no clue what number and we will not be hunting down the number just so that we can post it here. It was, however, MY idea to make the absurd cat tepee thing out of an old chenille bedspread. I am thinking that the Stinkiecat needs one of these. Bad. Real bad. Though he may end up wrastlin' Alex for it. I have a lovely jade green chenille spread that has no particular purpose in life.

The curtain project will be up soon. In the condo of their owner and here. I had texted their owner and well, her texts go to her work email. She tends to not read the work email.

I am hemming a wedding gown for the sister of a friend. It's the sister that she had always said I reminded her of. Too bad she is moving away after the wedding, we do have a lot in common. It was funny. She walked into my apartment, and the first thing she said was, "you knit!" The second was, "I've never seen so much Panda Cotton in one place in my whole life!" I had just been to Loopy Yarns for the first time and 6 ball of Panda Cotton, 4 skeins of Soxx Appeal, some new Addi's to try out that whole knitting-a-sock-on-two-circulars, some new cable needles and a wee bit of Fixation was the result. Oh. And two new books. 'cause I have no knitting books. Teeheehee. I made a pair of socks this week. Out of yarn from the Dagmar Klos dye workshop I went to in April? May? Something like that. I just have to Kitchner the toes together. I still have yarn left. I don't what else to make. Maybe some lil' footie socks.....

I must sleep. Big brunch plans for tomorrow and am wanting to do some sewing before going to eat brunch and drink many, many Bloody Marys.

Blog #18, HA!!!

2007-11-07T17:53:00.000-06:00

I am not dumb! I FINALLY figured out how to post the damned picture!!!!! Ha! HAHA! HAHAHA!

Now I can proudly tell everyone I know to read my blog without feeling like a lame-o-dumbass who can't figure out how to post pictures. Much more inspiring. In which I mean that it will be much more inspiring to blog more now that I am capable of illustrating all of my excellent points with photos. heeheehee.

Blog #17, Am I Counting Okay Now?

2007-11-07T17:30:00.001-06:00

Can I just say how much I adore seeing HRHMFWP every time I come here? HRHMFWP stands for His-Royal-Highness-Mr.-Fluffie-Wuffie-Pants. That would be Alex. And if you think I am a dork for calling him that, then you are CLEARLY not a person who has EVER shared their life with a pet and should be banned from the planet. No, universe. And speaking of the universe, when is someone going to make some new totally kick-ass science fiction movies? Seriously, is there an X-Men #4 in the works or anything? Perhaps I will have to accept The Golden Compass as good enough. Which you should go and read before the movie comes out. It's amazing. The book, I have no clue what the movie will be like. Dare I say it? Better than Harry Potter..... just my humble opinion.

What the fuck? Did I switch this from sewing/knitting chatter to movies and not tell myself?

I am hemming a wedding gown and making a wrappie-stole type thing for one bride, a whole more casual wedding frock for another. ( Think cocktail frock, but in white.)

I am waiting to hear when I can go and hang curtains. Which are done. Which have been done for a week now.

I am working on several other sewing projects of which I cannot speak. It is almost Christmas you know.

I do have two pairs of severely fashionable pants cut out for Jameseykins. Okay, okay, I know, he moves to Engalund on Friday. (booHOO) But I figure that I can fit them next time I see him and then mail them off when they are finished. I am knitting myself new socks to make myself feel better about him leaving. If that makes any sense at all......

I am doing much better with not spending all of my free time on Ravelry. I do still get sucked into the occasional thread on the forums, but it is much better. I do still check it before my email though. I was chosen as partner of the quarter at the Starbucks. Got a shirt, dress code, woohoo!, and a $50 gift card. I think it's time to buy me some KnitPicks Options needle. Maybe not the whole set, but the smaller ones that aren't interchangable. Then I knit socks on the train without having to worry about loosing my DPN's on the train.

Blog #16, In Which Bettie Realizes That She Ain't Not So Clever As She Thought

2007-11-01T13:38:00.000-06:00

Which means that I realized that I figured out how to post pictures to the blog, not to the individual post. Still working on that one. So ya'll will have to wait to see the picture of Dad in his snazzy new shirt. Instead you get the perpetual cuteness of Alex, being a complete whore on the couch. Photo of Stinkiecat soon to come.

You know what else I realized? I have TWO Blog #10's. And no one bothered to tell me. Nice. It's like when I go to the bathroom at Starbucks and realize that I have had coffee ground on my cheek for the last 3 hours. Was no one going to tell me this? Sheesh.

Got a postcard from the gay ex-husband. It's got his new Engle-ish address on it. He's going to be living on Petworth Dr. I don't know why, but this amuses me greatly. Now I have to go and spend a small fortune on Engle-ish stamps. bah.

Short post. Got nothing to say. Must go sew a wedding frock bodice muslin.

#15, In Which Bettie Figures Out How To Post Photos!!!

2007-10-30T13:57:00.000-06:00

And in doing so, shows off Emmet, in a shirt that actually fits! Mom says this shirt fits him better than any he's ever had. Which made me think about sizing. See, the Emmet is a rather rotund, elven,(elf?) shaped man, or a taller version of a Hobbit, take your pick, and all of his extra around-ness is in the front. Across the back, shoot, he's probably a medium even. Same in the arms. So realizing this, I cut the shirt out accordingly. Hence, the best fitting shirt Emmet has even owned. According to his wife anyways. Perhaps I should actually ask him....

On to things completely textile unrelated....

I've been listening to the ipod all afternoon, whilst sewing away. (oh, see? can't say nuthin' without managing to mention textiles.) Listening to all kinds of music that makes me think of JPT. We started out with "Everything but the Girl", album of the same name. Which to this day is one of my favorites. I first heard it when we were roommates, back in 1988. Oh god. I'm OLD. And then we went into some early-ish Indigo Girls, or more specifically, the song "Ghost". Which always, always makes me thing of him. That album came out when we worked at the painted fabric place. We would listen to it, really loud, so that we could hear it over the fans, and sing along. Yeah well, the day we had to leave work early to go to Bill's funeral, Bill would have been a friend from fashion school who died from complications due to AIDS, "Ghost" came on and we both kind of lost it a little. So I tend to think of him when I hear it.

Didn't see that coming did 'ya?

Haven't been posting much lately, been busy with actual sewing jobs. Go figure. It's enough stuff to have me coming home from 8 hours of coffee to 4 hours of sewing. And then falling into bed. I say that like I haven't been on Ravelry at all. It's like crack for knitters. I think I may need an intervention and some sort of 12 step program. No really. I had to forcefully remove myself the yarn sale forum. I can't say no to Noro at 30%-40% off. It's just not possible. I am a weak person. Very weak. Don't ask about the sale linen I got two weeks ago.

Christ, this post is all over the place isn't it?

I am almost done with some curtains. They are going to look faaaabulouse! I will take pictures and post. 'cause I can do that now. There will be many, many really cute cat photos soon.

Blog #15 RavelryRavelryRavelryRavelry

2007-10-12T18:35:00.000-05:00

I's love's me some Ravelry!!!

There is one woman on there with whos' stash is nearing 1000 KINDS of yarn. Not skeins, but DIFFERENT KINDS. She has 13 skeins of some of those nearly 1000 yarns. I am in awe. Gay Ex-husband thought I had a lot of yarn. HA! I HAVE NOTHING!!!!!! Must. Catch. Up.

I bet I have more fabric than her though. ( oh dear, I think I just turned 6 again. )

I will going to Engalund sometime ( hopefully ) next year. That should do very pretty things to my yarn stash.

I am going to go pet some reeeeeaaaalllllly pretty fabric now to make myself feel better.

Blog #14, In Which Bettie Realizes That She Is Now Addicted to Ravelry and Is Getting Nothing Done

2007-10-09T18:13:00.000-05:00

It's a dangerous place. I've been taking pictures of yarn in late afternoon when the light is better. I am hoping to get a bunch of photos downloaded into flickr and maybe, just maybe, I will be able to get them to post from flickr to here. Pictures for my blog! What an idea! It looks like the knitting group at the Starbucks is a go too. There really isn't one a decent commute from any of the neighborhoods along the lakefront. There is one at Uncommon Ground, but that's not really so close to Rogers Park. It ends up that there are enough knitters in Uptown, Rogers Park and everywhere in between to make it work. We'll see how may actually show up. If only I could bring a fluffy kittie or two.....

Caleb's blue sweater has been mailed off. And another Christmasy thing is done. I can't even talk about what I am doing next, for fear that I will figure out how to post pictures and actually tell people I know about my blog. I have only told James and my mom so far. Dumb, eh? It just seems kinda lame with no pictures.

I do have an awful lot of yarn though. I haven't even unearthed it all yet. I haven't even begun with the roving and fleeces and whatnot.

I did get all of James' shirts done. I got two pairs of pants cut out also. I haven't made it over to measure windows for my current curtain job, so have been cutting and sewing for the gay ex-husband instead.

Okay, short post. Stinkiecat has asked for nothing from me all day. Now he is asking. So I gotta go love on the Stinkiecat for a bit.....while I knit on my EZ Baby Sweater on Two Needles. This would be for baby Vesta. Vesta is going to get a lot of goodies from her FFG. One, 'cause her momma is one of my top 5 favorite people of all time, and two, because her momma is so prompt and effusive with the thank you notes it just makes me want to offer to make her entire wardrobe. It's really nice to send stuff to someone who recognizes that you MADE this just for them, or their child as the case may be, and genuinely appreciates it.

#12, Or, Bettie Realizes That 12 Comes Before 13, Not After

2007-10-07T00:45:00.000-05:00

Wow. So I got my Ravelry invite two weeks ago. Wow. And did I mention???? wow. Seriously the best thing that ever happened to knitting. If you don't knit, or have any sort of crafty obsession, you will not understand. But other knitters understand. And are jealous that they have not gotten their invitations. Soon, very soon. Word on the street is that the invites are going out really fast and thick now. What I am wondering is if there is a way I can put all of my sewing projects on there too. God, that really would be amazing!

Subject of todays' rant, Why the F#$% can't the Gap manage to sell knit clothes with properly stitched hems? You are supposed to be able to S_T_R_E_T_C_H the hem AFTER it has been sewn. Without ripping the hell out of the hem that is. It's not rocket science people! Just strectch the damn knits while they are being sewn! This is, by the way, basic knits sewing 101. Stupid damn Gap. I always end up just cutting the hem off and leaving the raw edge. Which stretches. Unbelieveable.

Even more unbelieveable is the fact that I am managing to type after an hour of open bar at a bar.

Must sleep now, must sew many things tomorrow. I have a lead on a possible solution to the photo issue, will try to resolve this week if possible. Nightie night!

Blog #13, or Bettie Blows Off Blogging,

2007-09-26T18:28:00.000-05:00

'cause she got bunches and bunches of sewing gigs! Suh-weet!

The boat cushions, done.

The blue baby sweater, done.

MY PINK SOCKS, done. ( and THOSE were on size 0 needles, thankyouverymuch. )

Mom's cashmere Christmas socks, done. Hope she don't read this 'tween now and then....

I am doing a bunch 'o' curtains for someone. Was there Sunday measuring things and then we went to Vogue fabrics on Monday. GORGEOUS fabrics, I can't wait to get it all done so that I can take pictures that I won't be able to figure out how to post on here.

Oooooo, big news to incite jealousy in any knitter who hasn't been invited to join yet.. I got my Ravelry invite Saturday. Very cool. I am very excited to get a bunch of pictures taken and posted on there. Perhaps that will actually work.

I am still getting little bits of stuff for the gay EX-husband done between other things. Am hoping like mad that I will get to fit him for some stuff before he flits off to Engla-lund. Yes, it's true. I, am now divorced. I am, the GAY divorcee, get it? GAY divorcee.

Oh. I haven't gone into that whole story on the blog, have I?

I'll do the short version. I married the best gay boyfriend on June 16th, of 2003. He is HIV + and was on COBRA, which is a huge ripoff and way too expensive. Being married and on my health insurance was half the cost. HA. Stupid country with no stupid national health care, stupid, stupid, stupid. It's not like I didn't know him, we've known each other since,,, uh, crap. If I get this wrong he will give me such shit about this....1989? Anywhoo. We got a divorce 'cause he met a cute British dude who, in fact, text-messaged him a marriage proposal as soon as he heard our divorce was final. See, gay marriage is legal there. Maybe I should move there too. Not that I want a gay marriage, but I just think it should be legal. And if I have to pay me some taxes to some government or another, I would much rather it be to a government that doesn't suck. I mean really, I think our marriage pretty much proves what a fucking sham it is. Who really gives a rats's ass if some homos wanna git hitched?

Rant over.

I gotta go, stuff to do afore the Bionic Woman comes on.

Blog #11, or Color Me Silly For That Last Blog

2007-09-08T20:27:00.000-05:00

It wasn't more than 3 days later that the LYS called to tell me that my Jo Sharp Knit #3 was in. I almost feel like I should delete last post....except that I still stand by every bit of what I said about the yarn sales and my 40% off Jo Sharp yarn. HA. I will give the LYS a chance, I hereby swear to go in and drool over pretty yarn at the LYS and buy yarn for small projects ONLY. Yeah right. That would work, were it not for The Stash. See, part of the problem is that I really have enough yarn to keep my busy for a least a year or two. That is assuming that I maintain more or less the same KRPW, or, Knitting Rate Per Week. Have I mentioned the alpaca poncho that I want to have done by fall that I haven't even started yet? Little Ms. Pink Sweater is not any closer to being done either. But I am getting within spitting distance of finishing one of the baby sweaters. And my pink socks. Then I can start Christmas. ( there were more words...but in the interest of keeping at least a wee bit of secrecy 'bout presents, I have decided to say no more. unless of course, the interested party wants to buy me my Tacsew sewing machine....)

Knitty.com had a "Sex and The Knitty" issue a while back. It was wonderful. If you haven't seen knitty.com, you really must. Unless of course, you don't knit. Then what would be the point? Anyways, they have a pattern for a men's thong. I think I need to knit one. The scary thing is that there is a pattern for a women's halte-rie kind of bra top-ie thing, which is basically two of the men's thongs, one for each breast, with a band and whatnot to make it into a women's top. And it's a cute top too.

I am wanting to get together some kind of knitting group to meet at the Starbucks I work at. We are trying to up our sales and when I suggested a knitting group, my manager not only offered the employee discount to any and all knitters who would show up, but said he would learn how to knit if it would help. I am thinking Sunday afternoons during the fall and winter. Sunday is our slowest day of the week, so it seems a likely candidate for the knitting. Plus we are not so far from a yarn shop.

Oh yes, and the boat cushions are progressing very nicely, thanks for asking! Oh, except I realized that I managed to NOT order enough damn zippers. At least it is a length that I can get from Hancock Fabrics on my way to Sunday Brunch tomorrow. Which will be at Wishbone. Jealous? Oh trust me baby, you should be!

Blog #10, or, I Didn't Actually Want To Post Picures On My Damn Blog Anyways

2007-09-05T16:37:00.000-05:00

No really, it's true. The previous posts regarding my frustration in my seeming lack 'puter-picture-posting abilities was a ruse. I really MEANT to have no pictures and thought it would be fun to rant about it like I really DID want pictures. Ha.

You know what is grossly overrated in the knitting world? ( if the knitting world ever actually gets around to reading my blog...heeeelllllooooooo out there!!!- this will get me kicked out of the club for sure.) The LYS. LYS stands for local knitting shop or store. It means we should all flit about to our local stores and pay full retail for every scrap of yarn we buy. It is the place we go to for our knitting help and questions. We hang about there, knitting and chatting....or at least this is what I imagine. The reality is that they never have the good shit on sale, and when they do, there is never enough to make a whole damn sweater anyways. I have the weirdest little bits and bobs of yarn, how many fabulouse hats does one girl need? And really, I can only justify so many pairs of cashmere mitts. I tend to buy most of my yarn online. Oh god, it's getting dark, clouds are gathering, oh, I think I see a lightning bolt headed my way.......

I know, I know, "but I like to TOUCH the yarn!" You know what honey? I've been doing the whole textiles thing for, mmmm, my whole life. I have also been knitting long enough to know which yarn companies suck. Add the two together and chances are pretty good I am going to really like what I buy online. Just ask me about the most recent Patternworks sale. Your LYS won't be selling Jo Sharp ANYTHING for 40% anytime soon. And guess what? Got enough for a sweater. HA!

I did try to give the LYS a chance, I thought, " You know, I SHOULD be trying to buy more local yarn. I could even be one of the gals that hangs out knitting in the shop all day!" So when I found out that Jo Sharp had come out with a KNIT #2, for summer/spring, following the release of KNIT #1, for fall/winter, I went to the Jo Sharp website to find my LYS that might be carrying said book. ( not really, I really didn't want to wait for shipping.....) So I go in. I poke about a bit....am asked if I need help. Ask about book. Say website says you carry Jo Sharp. They don't have it, but can order it. Tell me it might take a bit..... it's been two months. I could have ordered this book from Woodland Woolworks and had it within 2 weeks at the most. Whatever. They could have at least given me a call and let me know it wasn't coming. I would think that my LYS would be a little bit more mindful of creating a postive experience for a new customer. I can understand you not being able to get the book, but you know, you should call. I am fighting the urge to call and be all snarky about it. Am... resisiting.... urge.... to snark. And no, I am not going to tell you what shop it is.

This is why working at Starbucks is bad for you. You get so used to the level of customer service that you, yourself are expected to give, and then expect it everywhere you shop. I have had zero bad experiences shopping online. Jesus, when I was trying to get some yarn from Knitpicks, they let me exchange my yarn 3 times 'cause I kept not quite liking the color! They never once said, " Gee bitch, whydontcha spend the $'s on the frigging sample chart already?" Nope. Everytime, my new selection arrived quickly with no nasty comments. Purl Soho has quite the lovely selection of sale yarns, and they tend to put lovely things on sale quite regularly.

Blog #10 or, Why The F**k Can I Not Post Any Effing Pictures On Here!!!

2007-08-27T13:04:00.000-05:00

So annoying. And now my font seems to have gone all wonky and whatnot. argh. And now some dumbass spell check bull is telling me argh ain't a word. Bite me. I have tried every single thing I have found on here to try regarding photo posting. I even downloaded a new browser, I had absolutely no problem with the old one, it just seemed like with a Mac, the Firefox would supposedly work better. Whatever. I dint wanna have no damn pictures on here anyways. My prose is so poetic, me don't need no stinking pigchurs anyhows. Now it's a game, how many words can I spell incorrectly and still have people know what I am talking about.....

Okay, at least the font is only wonky whilst I am typing the post...it don't seem to be staying that way at all. It is using the same font I had before. Thank god.

I think it's time to step away from the 'puter and go downtown and file for the divorce.

Blog #9 or Fall Has Arrived in Chicago and I Sure Wish It Would Stay

2007-08-20T06:36:00.000-05:00

Okay, that was a little lame as far as sub-titles go, but hey, I got nuthin'!

So we are making magnificent progress on the baby sweater front. All of the pieces for my cousins' baby's sweater are done and drying after blocking. Later today I will be sewing them together and picking up stitches for the hood. Must, find, buttons. I also have half of a pair of baby socks for afghans4Afghans done. They have a due date in late September and I am, as usual, obsessed with getting as many little goodies knit for them as possible.

I found a pile of fabric that was meant to become stuff for the soon-to-be-ex-gay-husband. I started cutting. It's all easy stuff and the cushions project is on hold while we wait for fabric. Though the client did pick up what was done so far. He was thrilled. I rock. Going back to clothes for the gayhusband. I am thinking that I need to root around in the stash and see if I have more wool that would make fab pants for him. I have one Vogue pattern that makes a fairly skinny pant that looks great on him. I make him a test pair of these pants, but out of a funky vintage barkcloth. They are soooo funny! I must get a picture of them on here. I must get a LOT of pictures on here. Anyways, I am thinking that he could use some of these pants in more subtle wools and whatnot. So I will root around later and find some. I have to dig around and see what I can come up with for a slipcover for an ottoman for a friend.

Onto the Starbucks! I was going to avoid mentioning the day job by name, but then when discussing blogs with the roommate, came to realize that if I mention Starbucks by name, I am more likely to get random people seeing my blog due to the googling of Starbucks. So I will be mentioning them by name in a shameless attempt to gain readers.

After many, many years at the same store, I have, just this week, transferred to a new store. The old store just keeps getting busier and busier. Don't get me wrong, I love staying busy, but within reason. And the old store was TINY too. When I was first at that store, it was all gayboys. Being the quintessential faghag, this seemed like a match made in heaven. But so many of the boys have moved out of the neighborhood and been replaced by...... My new store is easier and faster to get to from home, and so far I loves it!

Blog #8, or Boat Cushion Madness and Why One Should Never Try to Re-use a 20 Year Old Zipper....

2007-08-10T17:46:00.000-05:00

So while I am all about recycling, reusing and all of that warm-fuzzy-good-for-the-planet-and-keeping-all-kinds-potentially-still-useful-crap-out-of-landfills, I will never again attempt to re-use any kind of cushion or pillow ziper again. You see, I am in the midst of a rather large job, making new covers for a whole bunch of cushions for a boat of some kind. When first told of the project, I was imagining about 6-8 cushions, about 2"-3" thick, 'bout 16" or less square....then they brought the cushions over. The client had told me one the phone that the cushions were pretty much filling the whole car. He wasn't exaggerating one tiny bit! The largest is rather a triangle, 77" along the bottom by about 3 -4 feet high. There are 3 smaller, but still rather large cushions, and then 5 that I am guessing go along the back of ... something. They are all about 18' x 30". Then there are about 6 more in assorted sizes. I ordered the zippers first. I order all of my zippers and thread and whatnot from Atlanta Thread and Supply Co. They rock, but lack zippers that are 102" long. So I figured that it would just be faster to rip out the old one and re-use it. True enough, I could not have tracked one down on-line any faster than I ripped out the old one. Fast forward a few days. I am finished with the gigantic cover and am ready to put it on. It's going much better than I imgined, the cushion is big, and the foam thin for the size of it, making it incredibly floppy, not helpful when trying to wrestle said chunk of floppy foam into it's cover. But it's going really, really well. I get about a foot from the end and the zipper pull pops off. I panic, decide I can probably get it back onto the teeth. Until I flip the pull over and realize that the pull, the METAL pull, is broken. The metal broke. WTF!?! I thought metal was pretty much indestructible. So much for that theory. So now I have to 1) find new super-longass zipper, and 2) install it into the already completed and sewn-up cushion cover. argh. Well I have now completed both. Thank fuzzykitties! Not that they were really any help, just much needed moral support.

The above is the only really major sewing thing I having going on right now. Knitting is outta hand! Still haven't gotten a single baby sweater completed, though the one for my cousin's baby is getting really close. I have also been managing to get more baby hats than expected churned out for afghans4Afghans. I have about 5 done so far. They go pretty quick. I really can't stand the thought of not sending anything in time for the due date. My pink sweater has completely fallen by the wayside. This with yarn for about 4 other things for me in the wings. I have some chocolate brown alpaca that wants to be a poncho, some buttery-beige Jo Sharp that wants to be the classic V-neck in her Knit 1 book, some pea-green silk/wool that doesn't quite know what it wants to be yet, and some purple that feels the same way. Should I list the Christmas projects I've got listed in my head? It's a little bit scary. I haven't replaced the DVD player yet. Don't want to spent the money right now. I've just gotten better at knitting in bed.

Oh yeah, and the picture posting, I am having no luck with this at all. argh. When, when will the 'puter gods ( or godesses) smile on me and make it all happen by magic?! ( makes scowling face while shaking fist at sky )

'kay, gotta go knit now.

Blog #7, or This Learning How to Post Pictures Thing is going nowhere...

2007-07-26T18:31:00.001-05:00

That pretty much sums up where we are at with that. I tried, several times after typing the last post. Got nothing to work. Does anyone know of a remedial blogging class I could take? Blogging for Dummies?

My other crisis is that the DVD player died. Which would be no big deal, cause I have a TV/DVD thingey in the bedroom. Ecept all of the knitting happens in front of the TV. And while I have actually figured out how to knit lying in bed, it just isn't as comfortable. I am guessing it will lead to even more wrist issues in the long-term. This would best be avoided. So, we are looking for cheapass DVD player reccomendations. I am all for getting shit fixed instead of replacing it, but Target has a DVD player for $50. You just know that DVD repair guy won't even TOUCH it for that little. sheesh.

This is why we don't post everyday. I have nothing else to say.

Blog #6 or, This week's goal is to figure out how to post pictures on here...

2007-07-23T16:27:00.000-05:00

Wow, that final paragraph of my last entry is a wee tiny bit incoherent. Welcome to the slightly tipsy world of Bettie. Bettie, in case we are wondering, is my alter-ego. This stemming from me saying, years ago, that were I in burlesque, my stage name would be 'Bettiebubbles'. I must have told a few too many people this, as the nickname of 'Bettie' seems to be sticking. This would have been about 1992 or so, before burlesque made a bit of a come-back. For those of you who were unaware of burlesques' return to popularity, well it has. At least somewhat. I would be doing it, if I hadn't gained ridiculous amounts of weight working at a certain huge chain coffee shop that shall remain unknown. I say unknown because I am unsure of the spelling of anonymous. See? That looks totally wrong. But then, I've found that if I stare at any word long enough, it starts to look misspelled.

I have managed to finish up quite a few little bits in the sewing room. I have even gotten all of the cushions that I need to recover measured so that I can figure out how much more fabric the client needs to order. I have made quite a bit of progress on one of the baby sweaters, and gotten everything that has been sewn shipped of to the happy parents. No one else that I know is allowed to have a baby this year! Okay, fine, but if you do, you get nothing! I got an email from afghans 4 Afghans the other day. They need baby stuff. Seeing as to how I still have more wool, I am now feeling extremely guilty because I have no time to knit wee baby sized chapeaus to send off to them.

Really, someone simply MUST think of a way that I can sit at home and do nothing but knit and sew....oh wait! Rich husband is that answer. Shit, being a 39 year-old, overweight woman puts me WAY out of contention for anything anywhere near that reality. Crap.

Oh, and in case anyone was wondering. after my last entry, I feel asleep for 3 hours, woke up with a huge headache, read a little bit more of Harry Potter, head still hurt, watched a Netflix movie, still had a headache, gave up and went to sleep. I did finish Harry Potter by about 2pm on Sunday though. No, I will tell NOTHING!

BLog #5, or, I took the day off of work to read the new Harry Potter book, but really I'm only at chapter 6 or so and went out to a big, drunken,

2007-07-21T15:17:00.000-05:00

gay brunch with the best gay boyfriends. My plan was to drink very little, come home, finish reading Harry Potter, sew.

Reality, Gay brunch, too many moitos, come home, eat something hope like mad that the alcohol burns off, eat some potatoes, watch cooking shows on PBS, THINK about reading Harry Potter, squint at 'puter screen, wait for boring cooking show to be over....think about reading some more, afraid of falling asleep, blogging instead. Typing and spelling are hard when you have had too many drinkies.

am...trying....very...hard....to.....make.....mildly....coherrent...blog entry.....

I have a huge project right now, sewing. The problem is that I was told I had 10 yards each of the two fabrics, in reality5 yards of each. I wasn't even sure that 10 would be enough. Now I have to call and say, "your interior designer friend was really off, we need way more fabric. " Oh fun. I am also knitting like mad, not now, tension would be too loose. I swear to god, everyone I know who could have possibly had a baby, has, All in the last 4 months. So I am backed up with sewing baby outfits for right now, and making WAY too many promises for knit baby sweaters. egad.

I still have to finish my pink sweater.

I think I am going to SIdetracks tomorrow, it's sing along with music from musicals night and I found out that one of my dearest friends goes every Sunday night.

Blog #4 or, Love Sucks and why didn't I just stick to dating girls? Lord knows they are a hell of a lot prettier, even the butchest ones....

2007-07-06T21:11:00.000-05:00

And the title pretty much sums up my feelings on that.

Onto sewing!

I have been getting lots of little bits and bobs done up. I actually finished up a pair of pants, ( lies! I have yet to sew the button at the waist..) that I cut out something like 3 months ago. Pants that took me all of about 2 hours to sew up. The 2 hours includes kittie petting breaks. I managed to order about 15 new Hot Patterns, which I highly recommend. Very cute, very sassy. And they have the back crotch seam that curves quite unlike any other I've seen. Guess what? They fit better. Amazing. I've been seeing the same back butt seam curve in every pattern I've ever used and BAM! Hot Patterns comes along and re-invents the wheel. Did I mention how highly I recommmend them? This would probably mean more if someone was actually reading this, and could go and order some patterns and stuff. The other really, truly great thing about them is that they have the patterns in 3 size ranges. Slinky Girl, Glamour Girl and Curvy Girl. The different ranges are designed to accomodate different bust sizes. Thank god! Did you know that almost all pattern/clothing manufacturers design EVERYTHING for a B cup? I don't think I was ever a B. Oh wait, maybe my first bra...in 1979.

Onto the knitting. Am busy like mad with the baby sweater. My cousin Matt and his wife Janet just got a lovely little baby boy through an open adoption. He is adorable. He is getting a little cotton cardigan. Seed stitch. Buttons up the front and a hood. A darker sort of periwinkle/biue kind of colour. I also have to knit a little girl sweater. The owners of the pet store I frequent had her just about 2 weeks ago. And then there is the sweater I am knitting for myself. It is pink, Shine Worsted from Knitpicks. It is my very first venture into the wide, wide world of cables. It is a pattern I ripped out of Interweave Knits. I actually did swatches for it and all of that good junk. My mom pointed out that relatively new fondness for swatching is probably all due to reading all of Stephanie Pearl-McPhee's books. I think she is onto something with that. Both Stepanie and my mom that is. Anyways, the sweater is looking very promising, well, okay, the back of it is looking very promising. The front is only about an inch long at this point.

Blog #3, or my obsession with Harold's Chicken Shack

2007-06-10T17:23:00.000-05:00

Yeah, about that. You see, they just put a Harold's Chicken Shack about 4 blocks from my house. I ain't never seen one this far onto the north side. When I was a kid, living in the South Shore neighborhood of Chicago, there were a couple of Harold's Chicken Shacks. They always had this neon image of a guy in a chef's hat chasing a chicken with a cleaver. Pretty cool I thought. Then my brother and I ended up in a YMCA day camp one summer. The camp counselors would go and get lunch from Harold's, often getting lunches for some of the kids also. It always smelled so damn good! I should also explain that my mom, was the kind of mom who, while being an excellent cook, never made anything nearly so decadent as FRIED chicken. Fried chicken is bad for you, it still has the skin on it....we never got to have any kind of fast food, least of all fried chicken. Hence, my apparent obssesion with Harold's. I haven't caved in and gone yet. I am scared that once I start, there will be no end to the reasons I will be finding to frequent the place. By the way, the one near me does not have the neon of the chicken being chased with a cleaver.

So I suppose since this is supposed to be about the sewing stuff, I should mention some sewing stuff. I have been trying to finish up a lot of little loose ends in the sewing room. Getting little half-done and almost done projects finished and outta here!
I did finish many, many hats for afghans4Afgahns, but only the one blanket. I took pictures, but have yet to figure out how to post them.

On the knitting front, we have socks almost done for mom, which would be good, since I am seeing her tomorrow. I am hoping to finish them yet tonight so I can fork them over tomorrow. These would be her bribe for handing over her yarn stash for the afghan project. I had told her I would knit her socks if she gave me all of her yarn. I thought it was a pretty good deal. I am hoping she thinks so too. I am also working on a sweater for myself. I haven't knit a sweater for ages. I am doing it the right way this time, you know, swatches and gauge and all of that jolly crap. I am hoping like mad that it works out. I am also finding that my knitting speed had increased quite a bit. I hadn't really realized, must be due to all of the hats I've been knitting.

oh god. Yeah, so all of the mail order sources I like to use for yarn buying.....bastards are all having sales!!! Irresistible sales I might add. Patternworks had gobs and gobs of Jo Sharp yarn on sale. There are about 5 sweaters in Jo Sharp's KNIT #1 that I want to make, for myself. They had the exact yarn for two of them on sale. So Bettie did a little bit of shopping......KnitPicks is also having a sale, but I already bought some chocolate brown alpaca for a poncho from them so managed to resist. I am completely effed if Purl Soho decides to have a huge sale..... I need a higher paying job or rich boyfriend or something. Is it wrong to whore oneself out for the benefit of stash expansion?

Blog #2

2007-04-23T08:04:00.000-05:00

I am so thrilled! The local PBS station here in Chicago has put Dr. Who back on the air! I have not watched Dr. Who since high school. Which was the mid-80's. Crap I'm old. I am a bit of a science fiction nerd, not inclined to go to conventions and all of that, but close. When I found re-runs of the original Star Trek on one of the channels here, I found myself not leaving the house when it was on so that I could watch.

Which sounds a little bit lame. Except I don't watch TV without knitting in hand and right now the knitting project of choice is hats for afghans4Afghans. There is a deadline on Mother's day and the goal is hats, mittens and socks for children 0-7. That and baby blankets. I don't usually knit quite so many items for them, but my mother just recently realized she was never going to get around to tapestry weaving, or the random kind of knitting that uses up little dribs and drabs of yarn. She had been buying odd bits of yarn for awhile and had it all divided by color in her quilting studio. It made me jealous everytime I saw it. I wanted it all. I kept telling her how much stuff I could knit for the people of Afghanistan if she would only fork over the stash. After she got back from her last quilting retreat, she decided I was right. Heehee. I burned bits of it all, it's about half wool and half acrylic. They don't want acrylic items for Afghanistan, so I will knit animal blankets for Project Snuggle with that. I am completely addicted to making blankets using the log cabin technique in Mason-Dixon Knitting.

Blog #1

2007-04-18T18:35:00.000-05:00

First, let me start this all out by saying right here and now, that I am not super great with the whole technical side of the 'puters. So we will just apologize right now for any 'puter glitches due to the bloggers' ignorance of said issues. This will be my excuse for anything that appears to be upsidedown, sideways or otherwise missplaced on said blog. Yes, I am a clever woman, I am quite confident that I could figure it all out, but frankly, I'd rather be knitting, sewing, spinning or dyeing something another color. So there. Or petting the cats. Or hell, really, I'd rather clean the apartment than figure out the magic that is 'puters.

So you may be wondering what this 'needlforhire' thing is all about. After all, that is my code name. I put that on everything. It is the name of my business, ha! I say ha, 'cause I don't even have a tax id number or license or anything. It's just what it sounds like. I will sew pretty much anything. Clothes, cushions, slipcovers, pet beds, drapes, curtains, I could go on and on. I will be adding pictures shortly. As soon as I figure out how and take some. The goal is more sewing, less making coffee. Yes, it's true, I have the other job which is how I really pay my rent. Costume work, I have done costume work. I have made corsets, though they are extremely overdone as of about 2 years ago.

Dang, this is kinda fun! I get to babble on about whatever I want!