pokingmyeyesout

COMMENTS is BROKEN sorry ... no comments for me :(

I have been making short trips to Cali. (Translate: tiny projects for travel) but wait.... I have to tell a story.

Last night, I packed my notion bag, two circular knitting needles, crochet hooks, some yarn, books, glasses + clip ons, change purse, mouse ... in my suitcase, along with my clothes and shoes. This morning at airport security screening... I took off belt, shoes.. put them and laptop in a bin to run through x-ray, along with my carry-on. I've seen some puzzle TSA-xray-screener ... and I thought I read a screener's lips "circular needles" along with hand motions in previous trip. This time, TSA-person yelled at me.. "whose shoes are these? absolutely NOTHING on top of the laptop." WHOOPS. not paying attention, it is really early in the morning and I have not had coffee. "Nice pink laptop thought!" .. er.. "Thanks. Sorry.." Then they stopped my carry-on...

TSA-searcher: "do you have any sharp objects?"
... finds notion bag (and mouse and change purse ..) in carry on ...
me "no" (I reviewed the TSA list. I have ALL of my tools .. including my little scissors.)
"what is this?"
me: "a row counter, you click it to keep count of the rows?"
"you a knitter?" ... "how long have you been knitting?"
me: "a few years... I have to fix my dad's sweater when I get there."
"have you been to that ... Renaissance Yarn in Kent"
me: "yes! it is a very nice shop."
.... she digs up the glasses case and etc... "ah.. they should be pack flat, so we can see [through x-ray]" .. she takes everything and run through again. returns..
me: "thanks. sorry. You should go to Renaissance Yarn. It is very nice!"
"I don't know how to knit."
... the end...

Clearly, I should pay more attention when I am packing and putting my stuff through security. I know better. doh. anyways... back to some travel and knits ...

ravelry link

ravelry link

I gave Ice Queen to mom and Calorimetry to another friend who appreciates hand knits (and cute Tawashis!)

Also during the recent trips, I visited Uncommon Threads in Los Altos, Yarn Dogs in Los Gatos, Daiso in Union City (got some Antibacterial Yarn), Nine Rubies Knitting in San Mateo, Fengari Fiber Arts in Half Moon Bay.. I miss commuknity in San Jose dearly. :( Anyhoo... I have another Calorimetry (at home) that I have to finish and I am contemplating the next project - baby boy knit for a friend. Perhaps in Rowan denim.. which reminded me of a conversation with mom. We were looking at clothes? yarn? or something ...

...and she said "too bad you don't wear navy (or anything that is near the blue hue)"
me "yea. you know ... " (trails off, old stale topic) "I used to wear blue [uniforms] a lot"
mom "well, you have been wearing black longer and more than you wore blue."

Go. Mom!

Posted by E at 1:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

no knitting for the pass few days. I've been preoccupied by DH acting out his stress. So perhaps a detour into the non-crafty life...

... I have been actively looking for gainful employment - 9 mos+. I am feeling very weary, complete opposite of this fruitful tree. This morning I woke up 'writing the Christmas Letter" in my mind - sorting through the feelings and thoughts, and wondering how will this year end. Media and news stories of "great recession" not withstanding, I've had a lot of brain cells to be (more) introspective. My thoughts often turn to a) this is the longest I've been "not-working" since I was 14 b) what more can I do to increase my chances of a job c) how best to use my time d) how this recession have changed me, and others e) meritocracy, fairness f) identity, relationships, family, and communities

At this moment, all of these thoughts are all tangled in my mind. For now, I am going to let them go, stay balance, positive, and upright. Perhaps I will revisit them (or they will haunt me!) when time comes to write the Christmas Letter.

Posted by E at 3:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

When grabbing for travel projects, I always try to bring backup.. for those situations where a little something is required - hats for babies, finding myself with more project time, etc. I managed to grab some kitchen cotton and crochet hooks for this trip..

This time was a scrubbie.

ravelry link

MiL showed me a spiral scrubbie with some 'netting' a while ago ... from the description and subsequent rev-engr, J and I figured out it is probably tulle that was cut into stripes and held double with acrylic yarn. These scrubbies have been turning up around the in-law families.

A few months ago I found a similar pattern on Ravelry and been meaning to make it.. When S asked about the scrubbie, I grabbed some kitchen cotton and tested out the pattern. She grabbed some acrylic and finished one too! so there ... an unplanned project worked out ok :) I think I will be making more of these ...

Posted by E at 2:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

That was last Tueseday morning. I was so confused. What could be making my fingernails red. I did not give it more thought and continued with usual job hunting and knitting ... Then it suddenly hit me, twelve hours and may rows on habitat later, it is the red Araucania Nature Wool! er. yea.

Ravelry Link

Anyways ... another trip, another hat. For this trip, first I drove to Sacramento to visit J and W, who recently got married. J lives and works in Sacramento. W will be moving there soon. I brought along the tawashi (alley, posh, cheeky, and puddy for her. She being japanese and totally understand the antibacterial yarn thing :) I spent two nights there and enjoyed a bit of hang out time with J. We even stole a few minutes to visit The Yarn Shoppe in Elk Grove. It is a nice shop, but it sorted yarn by color. J, who has never been to a yarn shop was .. a bit lost. She pet some silk yarn and was in ... awe. (I am always in awe with silk and cashmere and baby alpaca and and and ...)

I finished the last leg of the drive to parents and hang out at home for a few days .. I had a bit of knitting time. W had asked a couple days earlier when I started Habitat "how long does this hat take" ... I think the answer is about 15 hours, with many interruptions. This is the second time around for this hat so I feel like it went a bit smoother but slower with more interruptions. Onward ... there is another trip to Vancouver, WA for labor day weekend. I have to figure out another project.

Posted by E at 9:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)