Thursday, April 23, 2009

KamaSuutra Yarns

I have a huge backlog of things to blog about, but I'm so excited about my friend Rue's yarn I have to move this post up in the queue.

First of all, I'll explain the name of Rue's new business. Käma means love, pleasure or yearning in Sanskrit. It's a word you most commonly see paired with Sütra (which means the rope or thread that holds things together). Suutra (with two 'u's), however, means yarn. So Kama Suutra is literally the love or pleasure of yarn.

In my previous post there is a photo of the self-striping DK Superwash that Rue is handpainting. She's also doing sock yarns and lace yarns in unique and fabulous colorways. Want some?

I have just finished making a Baby Surprise Jacket with the DK.

Isn't it adorable?

It was cloudy and dim when I left my office to met Melissa for lunch (as I often do on a Thursday), but, by the time we were finished eating the sun had come out. We popped across the street to the park to have a little photo shoot.

I had plenty of leftovers from the sweater and have always wanted to make a pair of Saartje's Booties (just because of the cuteness).

There was still plenty of yarn left over. I probably could have done a little hat, but I was worried there wasn't quite enough yarn. Instead I made some Balls.

I've made 4 balls (they are very quick) and I think I have enough for one more. The cast-on instruction is brilliant. It's a 'why didn't I think of that' solution to the hole that you often get when casting on a small number of stitches and knitting in the round. This will make no sense to the non-knitters, but the knitters will gasp 'of course' when they read this: You cast on 6 and do the first row in i-cord. Brilliant.

I would like to give special thanks to my lovely assistant who helped with the styling and holding the props. She's a trooper, and I like her even if she does own a little noisy rodent that she insists on calling a dog.

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Wednesday eye candy


This luverly yarn was created by my friend Rue. I have always been impressed by her color sense. She'll put colors together that I would never even keep in the same room and they look fabulous. She'll grab a ball of some horrible, hurt-your-eyes-and-make-you-nauseous-it's-so-ugly color and toss it in a pile with three other balls of yarn and suddenly it's the most beautiful thing you've ever seen.

I can't tell you much about this yarn just yet, but it is Merino Superwash DK. And I promise you've never seen handpainted yarn like this. More will be revealed soon. I'm using this scrumptious stuff to make a sample that will appear on Rue's soon to be birthed website.

This woman should be an inspiration to us all. Most of us just dream about quitting our jobs and pursuing more creative endeavors. And, I suspect, most of us are dreaming about it less and less the way things are lately. But Rue has a plan - a brilliant plan - and she's doing something unique. Every time I look at this yarn I am proud.

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

"Mr. Darcey watched Elizabeth and her sisters work their way outward beheading zombie after zombie as they went."

Look what just arrived in the mail! Please can anyone suggest ways that I can stop myself from dropping everything and devouring it cover to cover? How am I supposed to pay attention to work this afternoon with this sitting on my desk?

I cannot wait to read this. What better way to spend a quiet Easter weekend then reading a zombified version of a beloved novel? The possibility that Elizabeth might have to behead an infected Mr. Darcey gives me the giggles.

Let's just do a little comparison from chapter one, and then I'll go back to work...

First Line – Pride and Prejudice
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.

First Line – Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
It is a truth universally acknowledged that a zombie in possession of brains must be in want of more brains.

Pride and Prejudice
"Do not you want to know who has taken it?’’ cried his wife impatiently.

"You want to tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it.’’

This was invitation enough.


"Why, my dear, you must know, Mrs. Long says that Netherfield is taken by a young man of large fortune from the north of England; that he came down on Monday in a chaise and four to see the place, and was so much delighted with it that he agreed with Mr. Morris immediately; that he is to take possession before Michaelmas, and some of his servants are to be in the house by the end of next week.’’


Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
“Do you not want to know who has taken it?” cried his wife impatiently.

“Woman, I am attending to my musket. Prattle on if you must, but leave me to the defense of my estate!”

This was invitation enough.


“Why, my dear, Mrs. Long says that Netherfield is taken by a young man of large fortune; that he escaped London in a chaise and four just as the strange plague broke through the Manchester line.”

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Jon Stewart has ruined the Queen for me.

Seriously. I cannot see the woman without saying "Hellllooooo". Two years ago, during the Queen's visit to the Bush White House, the Daily Show ran this bit:

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c
Visit From a Nice Old Lady
comedycentral.com
Daily Show Full EpisodesEconomic CrisisPolitical Humor


I have seen that clip a zillion times and still I laugh so hard it hurts. Ian McShane was on the Daily Show last week and he did the Hellloooo Queen voice out of nowhere. I thought I was going to pass out laughing. (He also danced an Irish Jig for St. Patrick's day. Which was like the best thing ever.)

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c
Ian McShane
comedycentral.com
Daily Show Full EpisodesEconomic CrisisPolitical Humor


The thing is, all of this makes it kind of impossible for me to look at the photos of the Obamas meeting the Queen today without wondering if Michelle was holding back a Hellllloooo. I'm not sure I'd be able to stop myself.

Also there is this:
During their private meeting Obama gave Queen Elizabeth II an iPod while she gave Obama a silver-framed photograph of herself and Prince Philip.

Huh? Did the Queen want an iPod? If so, wouldn't she have just sent somone out to get her one? It's apparently already loaded with songs. Do you think some Obama aide had to research what music she would like or did they just load it with Obama's favorite songs? What I wouldn't give to see the Queen, earbuds on, dancing around Buckingham Palace (à la Hugh Grant in Love Actually), to this song. Go ahead, try not to picture that.

Sticks & Bricks

Over the weekend, while catching up on my blog reading, I saw this entry on one of my favorites - Design Sponge. I love their before and after series and nearly fell over when I saw this one was done by a Northampton artist - Liz Karney - and that that artist had recently opened a new shop in town. Traci and I went in for a visit this afternoon.

First of all the shop is adorable. Second, I wanted everything in it. Liz (whose partner owns the Green Bean cafe) takes old furniture and turns it into beautiful, covetable things. I love the letter table and the little bedside tables she's made from old wooden crates and the shelves using windows and other pieces of things as doors. I love that she uses metal numbers and old keys as latches. She makes terrific jewelry from copper tubing and keys and other bits of metal. If I had to pick a favorite it would be this coffee table. The tree is carved into the surface.


Or maybe the hat rack made from bedsprings.

If you're local, go check it out. 9 Market St. Northampton. Wed-Sat 12-5.