Friday, June 13, 2003

 

I decided to play like Wendy and do a pixel punk self-portrait. This was motivated by my reading of The History of Sexuality Vol.1 by Michel Foucault. This book (with the dark, rainy weather) is making me sleepy. I needed a diversion to wake up a bit.

It's a bit weird, but this sorta looks like me. The outfit is pretty much what I have on today (grey hoodie, flared jeans). There were no birks so I went for the sneakers--I used to have a pair just like them.

I'm sewing on my grosgrain ribbon--by hand--and I'm hating it. I dislike sewing--especially by hand. I might try to sew a bit on my swatch by machine to see if it works--it will take much less time. I'll post pics when I'm happy with it.

12:30 PM

Thursday, June 12, 2003

 

Now for something completely different

I FINISHED MY METHOD CHAPTER!!!!!! I'm dropping it off today. One down, 4 more to go. It feels good to have something completed on the thesis, even if there is lots to do.

Thanks to everyone for their kind words about my sitcom chic. I really like the sweater. I will be checking out the local fabric shops around Queen and Spadina (hopefully this weekend) so I can get the ribbon to finish. I'm saying it's a finished object though, because I've been wearing it. That's finished enough for me.

Now I'm getting back to Able and it is going along nicely. I love Rowan Summer Tweed. I started this one before I changed how I hold my yarn, and I'm finding it hard to do it the old way (which I need to do to keep the gauge the same). It's amazing how fast one can adapt to a new knitting style. Here's the work so far:

I also got my hair re-coloured yesterday. Lots of chunky highlights and lowlights to break up the lovely mousey root line cutting through my hair.

I'm not too sure about it--it seems to dark. But it's only hair and it can always be re-experimented with!

10:34 AM

Tuesday, June 10, 2003

 

The sitcom continues

I'm almost finished sitcom chic, all I need is the grosgrain ribbon to fortify the edges. Here is an account of my search that I sent to knitflame in exasperation earlier today:

So, I'm wearing my newly produced, but not quite finished Sitcom chic sweater out to the local fabricland where I wish to purchase some grosgrain ribbon to finish the edges. I am not a sew-er and don't know what the hell grosgrain ribbon is, so I ask for help.

After correcting my pronunciation of grosgrain ("It's GROW-GRAIN") and giving me a history of its use, the oh-so-friendly salewoman then asks if I knit the sweater, I affirm and then she starts in with the compliments that are actually criticisms.

"It's lovely...Oh, you have a little thread hanging out there." "We don't have the ribbon you need, but if you have extra yarn you should do an i-cord to keep the edges from rolling. You know what an i-cord is right?" "I like the eyelet pattern, but I would take the ribbon [that she doesn't have] and weave it through-that would be the finishing touch." "Where did you get the pattern [knitty I reply]--it can't be a good pattern if it's free, what are the problems with it?" "I see there's raglan shaping, did you do it like this? I actually prefer to do it like this..."

Holy shit, she was no help. She did suggest a good place to get the ribbon, which I should have went to first. But I was happy to get the hell away from her. I should have got her name so I could run away from her if I need to go to that store again...

And if I wanted to change the pattern I would have already. I just want the ribbon dammit!

******************************

The sweater is pretty nice btw, a stranger told me so while we were waiting for the light to change. When I told her I knit it, she gasped and did the "YOU KNIT THAT?!" (I love it when that happens).

I was also lucky to find the perfect button in the stash today.

And, here I am with wearing my finished piece (my four-year-old took the photo, hence the upward angle)

So, I'm still looking for the ribbon. If you know of a place in Toronto that has the stuff, let me know please.

6:21 PM

Monday, June 09, 2003

 

Just like a sitcom

I'm almost finished sitcom chic, but it's been tough going, and I'm not sure why I had so much trouble. Well okay, there was this:

Which involved frogging a couple of inches. Then I messed up the raglan shaping, more frogging. Then I messed up the neck shaping, then I struggled with the button bands. It took all weekend and I was pretty frustrated.

It wasn't Bonne Marie's great pattern--it is easy to follow. I must have had something else on my mind because my brain was NOT following instructions. It also could have been the great DVD's I was watching--The Matrix (we had a craving to see it again) and Adaptation (one of the best movies I've ever seen) --meant I wasn't paying enough attention--who knows?

All I have left is the button and possibly the sewing on of some grosgrain ribbon to stablize the edges. Neither of which I have. So for now, this means I can pick up Able and start reducing my WIPs (so I can start more!)

In thesis news, I am almost done my Method chapter. I have to get some statistics on magazine circulation from the library tomorrow and plug them in and woo hoo one chapter done. It's actually pretty good--hope my advisor thinks so too.

10:00 AM