Proof really is in the pudding

Redwood Highway, nearing Crescent City, Ca

We recently celebrated the husbeasts birthday (a little belated) with his family. They're uber cool people, real down to earth, and his mum is one of the most delightful cooks I know. So makes a fantastic Persimmon Pudding with a traditional English hard sauce. Just to die for. No really. Sometime I must share her recipe, but I have to make sure I can still find it! By the by the pudding is steamed for almost 2 hours, and it comes out thick and dark in color, not like Bill Cosby's crappy pudding.

So I know I talked all this talk about my fabulous and lovely millinery class that I had been going to, and have yet to procure any picts. Well there's a reason, see the hat I had created while the class was going on, as well as the 2 for the class, were in MHO just rubbish. Simply dooky on a stick. So I've been busy combining both the style I used to do with the wire frame and a bunch of yanking and pulling things tight, and the buckram framing that I was taught to incorporate under the fabric.
Wanna see just the buckram frame style alone, ok, brace yourself for it is hideous:
I told you, it's flat, and shapeless and looks like a form cut from a dye cast or something mass crap made. It's stiff and has no real motion. The construction isn't half bad, but honestly it should be either burned on the spot or better yet destroyed and reused. And please remember, "a passion for destruction is also a creative passion" ~old dude in the first movie Slacker (indie from the '90's)
So in between knitting the still unseen by all y'all log cabin squares, which I am currently on the seventh out of 9! I've been fusing my construction styles into something that is cohesive and readable, and much more me! And I believe I've had fabulous luck in my endeavors. And here we have it ladies and gents, the proof from the pudding:

Just click on the images to make them bigger by the by.
Here is the construction of the back:
It's so flat and has a straighter than normal seam that doesn't bulge or create an awkward shape! I'm flabbergasted that I've finally figured it out (well for now at least).
And here's a comparison shot: Do you see that difference, not only in height, but the depth and motion that the less used buckram framing has created. And the refined bias tape edging, which I will have you know that I made myself.
So I'm stoked, the new hat isn't quite finished since the cluttered picts, but I should have it done and off to it's new owner by next week. Just in time for the husbeasts company party, yes another! They're kooky people over there. This one is a hoedown in honor of their shed (a very large shed) being torn down. The company is currently constructing a new building and some more parking, and is just tickled pink to be growing. After all just a few years ago they were a small start up on a little island in the bay.
This morning I've been dreaming about turning this fabric into a cute little pair of bloomers, but I'm afraid to. I'm afraid to cut it, I'm afraid they won't be big enough, or that it would be better as a can-can skirt. Oh I just don't know. Just like I just don't know what the hell this fabric is! I was told by a friend years ago, but since have forgotten. Here's a hint, when it is washed and dried all those lines scrunch up into one bitch of a crinkle that takes a really long time to iron out. And I got it the oh so missed, Poppy Fabric in Oakland bask when I was still in Art School over there.
So there's most of all the proof, of the wonderfully fun things I've been up to.
If I finish the squares for the blanket soon, I shall show them all. As a hint I've been knitting them out of Noro Silk Garden in hoards of colors, but I believe I've already spilled that bean...
Cheers till then.

Picts!

Well as promised here are a few of the picts shot at and before the Edwardian Ball. The handsome young man accompanying me is my friend Damo, sorry though ladies, he is married.
They are rather random, and a little disjuncted, but kind of fun none the less. We are waiting! waiting in the pouring rain, waiting for the ball to begin....Terribly strange acts enlivened the stage, and terrible persons wondered the floor (7 feet tall and all)
And this, this is me wearing my lovely little Calorimetry (sp? WTF pick a decent name for your patterns knit designers!) tonight in the garage while polishing the aluminium on Betty Rocker. Betty is the husbeasts beloved '69 Triumph Bonneville Tiger. She's purple and silver and loverly, but not running yet. One of these days. Mark my words. My small hands will probably be pulling many of those parts off if the husbeast has his way!
ps please don't ask why the first few phrases are underlined. Copy and paste is a buggy blogger action obviously.
Cheers,
and later we shall discuss the Millinery Class!

obligatory boobage!

I'm the "small" set in the middle in blue. If you look real hard you can see my hands still knitting!

Sorry, but it was actually more tame than the other pict of me and my other friend and one of the glass thingies that was in the um back room that she had in ahhh her bodice, that I was in no way insinuating doing anything nasty towards with my mouth agape, or anything of that manner and stuff, like she said!........ . . . . and without much further ado, the one day Tam hat, please pardon my shiny worker-bee nosicle.

Words, Words, Pictures, Words

Since my computer is on the fritz from the evil hacker, (the husbeast is diligently working on this ~thanks baella) I assume anyone out there must be getting bored of just words, words, words. So here I do present in lieu of words, PICTURES!
These are of a weaver woman in the Galapagos Islands, (I do believe). Taken by my co-workers daughter about a year ago. Here you have silk worms growing on what looks to be a paddle from a cactus.

Ahh some good ol' back strap weaving. I believe the back strap itself is hand woven.

Also check out the back wall, are those llamas? How cute are they.
Well tonight's the Beer Bitch Meetup, I get to show off the results from the Faire hat, and figure out what's on the real needles next, you know no more mittletts...even though there is one on the dpn's as we speak. It's actually whispering to me from my handbag here on the floor, oh yoo hoo~oh you who~come knit my instead of blogging or working...yes I'm a bad employee.

Lately I've been hankering to start making a new handbag, perhaps solely for knitting goods, as if the 1960's makeup case isn't enough. I have some lovely handles that are burning a hole in my stash, with little strawberries of color. But they're square, so there's no over the shoulder business in that bit. On the same note, I have 2 silver coin purse closures, a bejeweled larger clasp closure, clear handles with a slight scallop, and a sporran/antique clasp closure. Now why haven't I been making and felting more handbags? I think maybe because I don't want to waste the yarn, or I'm lazy. There really isn't any good excuse.

Perhaps I should make a resolution now. I will make a felted handbag, and I will use the cute handles in my stash, as a reward to myself for finally following through with this plan I will purchase a needle felting tool. That way I can embellish the handbag in swirls and flowers or little lady birds. Yes that's it by Jove. Now to only stick to my guns.

Cheers and go wish the Yarn Harlot a happy birfday, cause she works her little buns off for the recognition that we knitters deserve.

I like getting up early

This was taken a few weeks ago when the computer was on a bit of a fritz. But gosh the sky was just so brilliant. And the color quality is rather similar to what you *hopefully* see. I swear the sky was like a watercolor. All murky and dreamy. What you can't see is that we have a rather decent view of the bay from the hill. Also behind the stupid Eucalyptus tree is actually the San Francisco skyline, but we can't really see it that well, again that darn tree.

I'm liking this moving in thing. It's taking forever though, perhaps that's because I move like 5 boxes at a time. Slowly though, it's piecing all together. Very daunting. I can't imagine what I would do if the place didn't have 4 rooms. 3 of which the husbeast and I occupy with our crap.


I have to admit though, I'm multi~tasking, so if my words seem wonky, that's because I'm working, and making reception to do lists, and writing. Eeeh! We finally decided on a reception date, Aug. 11. But we're holding it at my mum's house. It's a rather nice place, but needs a lot of yard work, and everything else...

I'm excited. Currently the husbeast is en route to my office from his with sushi! on the segway. Yes the company has 3 segways. Neat things they are, I just hope the arse-holio coppers on the island don't pull him over. mmmm sushi good.

Oh that's right did I skim right by the pict of the turkeys doin' it. Doin' it and doin' it and doin' it right. Mmmmhum yeah right. You like how they're just looking at me all "excuse us~we're um, busy...can we help you." Funny thing is, they just stayed there as I took numerous pictures. Freakin' weird birds. They deserve it though, if only you knew the raucous they make night and day. I've even caught the buggers pecking at the neighbors vehicle. And let's not mention their propensity for motorcycles. They like to stand there, or even come after ya. Cheeky beaks.

So onto knitting news, the stash is being organized, and it's a bit bigger than I thought it was. Last night I was filling some wonderful book cases a girlfriend had given me Sun. The shelves are adjustable, which is great for books and bags of yarn, but when I lifted my old hard suitcase I queried why oh why could it be so heavy, looked inside and low and behold there's more yarn. I have yarn coming out of so many crevices I had no idea. And here I am all knitterly blocked.
Tonight I must begin a second pair of mittlets for the best friend who's going to Ireland with some other friends and her hubby. The first pair, well one was lost, so they're necessary, and I really don't mind. It's just that I have to give up more of my lovely yarn. Just kidding. I may love Noro Silk Garden, but I can totally afford to hand out a lovely matching pair. After all she has to help me plan my reception. hhehehhehhhhehheehhehhmhumhmmmmhuuuuhe.

On the Gocco front, I realized that I neglected to say where I got mine from, it was out of Florida, go here: I really like the gal, Judy, but through a series of Unfortunate events, I still have no ink, and still have no idea when it will get here. So I have the machine, I have paper, I have screens, but just the ink... So she's super nice, and super apologetic, and at the same time there was a family issue she was attending to in Canada, so I can give her that much. I suppose a note in the last shipping explaining where the ink was would have been the appropriate thing to do, or an email. That's the only thing I don't like. Or a response to my email...
I'm just eager though.


PS I don't seem to be able to email people back when they leave a comment, so please note that I'm not being rude. I will make an effort to comment back anything on your own blog, if that is what needs to happen.

How 'bout's a Junk Knit Pict