Thursday, June 29, 2006

vest-y swatch


vesty swatch
Originally uploaded by Needleworks, Inc..
What's this? Is it another Pointy Kitty? Is it Miss Class & Fabulous? Is it my Jaywalkers socks?

No. It's not.

It's Transitions by Noro and it's going to be a vest. I so was inspired by all the Vest-y Action over at Yarn Ball Boogie that I had to cast on for my very own. See that fluffy goodness in the foreground? John B. calls that a Bunny Patch.

Tee hee. Bunnies....

Wednesday, June 28, 2006

the pointy kitty, she has arrived!


pointy kitty 2
Originally uploaded by Needleworks, Inc..
"I am lovely to behold, no?"

The Pointy Kitty doesn't have a name yet, but she's happily tucked away with my cupcake and my Purple Blobby on my craft table.

All in all, she was a pretty quick project. I finished her in just a couple hours. I don't know if I'll ever finish her brother - I have such a hard time with this kind of small scale sewing. She has a bunch of sloppy seams (one of which is being hidden by her big bow) and I totally cheated and used a hot glue gun to attach her nose and eyes. I'll probably go over the stripes with a blanket stitch and add some whiskers, too.

"Au revoir, mes petits! Ta ta!"

Friday, June 23, 2006

hog wild


too hot + postcard
Originally uploaded by Needleworks, Inc..
It is hot as You Know What here in NYC. I mean, really, really, ridiculously, unbearably, sit-on-your-couch-in-your-underwear hot.

This postcard came from my Secret Pal, Stacey, who is the cutest secret pal ever. It's from her hometown, Kewanee, IL, which, apparently, is The Hog Capital of the World. I think that's awesome. I love me some hogs.

I'm not doing much crafting this week. Last night Master P and I played hookey (he from work, myself from crafting) and had a really lovely dinner. We hardly ever see each other awake during the week, so I didn't feel guilty about skipping out on my crafting duties.

I'm going to see some very dear friends tonight for drinks, so I'm not expecting to get much work done until the weekend. I guess having an actual life, doesn't allow time for other hobbies. Hm?

Thursday, June 22, 2006

weird items that i find in my building - part 5


fan?
Originally uploaded by Needleworks, Inc..
One of my neighbors seems to be remodeling or moving or something, because they keep putting stuff out in the hallway. I can't even keep up with it! You wouln't believe all the stuff that's out there even if I showed you.

(And I secretly suspect that the grill was theirs.)

Anyway, I scored this old fan. I really love the way it looks and it will match the other things that myself and Master P have been picking up over the years (we're notorious garbage pickers, we are). If you revisit this post, you can see the outlines of a vintage vacuum cleaner and a typewriter. And they're sitting on a dresser that we dragged off the curb and refinished!

The other day I actually pulled a wardrobe off the curb into the store because I wanted it and then decided I wouldn't be able to get it to Brooklyn without a tremendous headache. Back on the curb it went! Some lucky so-and-so is gonna get it.

Rats.

Wednesday, June 21, 2006

EEK!
I'm so excited!

I bought some yarn from Yarnmonster/Jess's new etsy shop! It's for my secret pal so I can't show you any pictures. Yet.

This morning I was trying to snap some photos of the newly purchased yarn and I was thinking about Jess and the name of her blog and how it reminded me of when I was a little girl. My favorite book was called, There's a Monster at the End of This Book! It featured Grover, from Sesame Street, and on every page he begged and warned you not to turn the page because at the end of the book there's a monster.

"No, no, no! Don't turn the page! Ahh! You turned the PAGE!"

It used to drive me nuts. I loved it. I would giggle and scream and beg my mom or dad to turn the page. My parents would really egg me on by drawing out the suspense - shouting and whatnot. It was good, silly fun.

Then, at the end of the book, after all the excitement and hysteria, you discover that the monster is GROVER! Old, cuddly, friendly neighborhood monster, Grover.

So, to me, Jess is Grover. She so incredibly sweet and cute and funny and she calls herself a monster. Ha. Yarnmonster. Not so scary now, are you?

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

for shame


new purchases
Originally uploaded by Needleworks, Inc..
Well, I just can't be stopped. I obviously have a problem and need an intervention.

I still have all these bits of Pointy Kitties strewn all over my work table and yet, I go and buy more fabric. Poor Pointy Kitties.

The fabric on the bottom is for another cute skirt. This time I think I may skip the elastic waist band and put in a drawstring. Some pretty gross grain ribbon perhaps?

The fabric on the top is for a bohemian, peasant top thingie. I have a favorite shirt that I bought in a thrift store in Paris, oh, five years ago and I'd like to copy it. I figure it can't be too hard. There are just two really simple shapes. I let you know how it turns out.

The lime and ginger are for Thai-style curry with noodles! Yum!

Sunday, June 18, 2006

in stitches


cw close up
Originally uploaded by Needleworks, Inc..
Finally I can share this with you! I never did get to meet Michelle in person to present her with her prize from my Leave A Comment Contest, but I left it for her where she was sure to find it - at The Point on Friday night.

This is a detail of the patch and embroidery I did on the bag. Along side is a little pin cushion I made to match. The bottom of the pin cushion coordinates with the patch. I'm sure you've seen this pattern floating around Blog Land. I found it on Whipup.net. I'm totally in love with it and am rounding up all kinds of bits of fabric to make more. I just can't get enough.

There's not much else to report from The Works. There has been a little bit of work on Miss C & F. I finished the left front and cast on for the left. There has been no progress on the Pointy Kitties. I'm in NJ for the weekend so I took my Jaywalker socks with me. It seems the only time I can bring myself to work on them is on the train.

Ok, now off to make Father's Day dinner in my parents' brand-spankin' newly remodeled kitchen! Woo!

Wednesday, June 14, 2006

weird items that i find in my building - part 4


grill?
Originally uploaded by Needleworks, Inc..
This is a picture of a grill. In my hallway.

Where did this come from? I live on the second floor and there's no elevator. Did someone drag it up 2 flights of stairs and leave it in the hallway? Or did they have it in their apartment and decided to put it out for someone else to take?

There is no way *anyone* should be using a grill like this IN MY BUILDING!

Crazy people. Damn.

Tuesday, June 13, 2006

progressing


jacket front
Originally uploaded by Needleworks, Inc..
Oh, my, oh, my. An entire weekend with an extra day off and this is all I have to show for it. How far I have fallen.

Friday, my extra special bonus day off was spent finishing Michelle's prize. It's all done, but I can't post about it until Michelle and I manage to co-ordinate ourselves to meet up. Soon, I hope!

Saturday I worked.

Sunday and Monday were spent mostly knitting Miss Classy and Fabulous. (I did take a break to go see The Omen, which I thouroghly enjoyed.)

After a marathon knitting session on Monday the progress can be noted here. I know it's hard to see. It's doesn't help that the jacket I'm using as a template is black and I photographed it on my dark brown dining room table. But here she is. I'm just about ready to start shaping the neck and then cast on for the right side. Perhaps tonight.

I'm rethinking knitting the back in two pieces. The color patterning changed so much on the front once I began the sleeve-shaping that I've kind of given up the dream. I figure, that's what spaced-dyed yarn is all about right? Right.

Thursday, June 08, 2006

preparing


pattern pieces
Originally uploaded by Needleworks, Inc..
This is the last of my photos from this past weekend. The last little bit of work I did.

I'm preparing to make two Pointy Kitties. They'll be different, but complimentary, colors with the same markings. Just like my kitties - Monk and Penelope.

I schlepped down to P & S Fabrics today to pick up some felt and ribbon for the kitties, but forgot to get any felt to make eyes and noses. Maybe I'll just end up embroidering them....

I have a reprieve from work tomorrow, so I think they'll be some kitty-makin' at The Works!

Wednesday, June 07, 2006

plotting


EL Angora
Originally uploaded by Needleworks, Inc..
I scored this Elsebeth Lavold Angora this weekend. What business do I have buying yarn when I have so many projects in the queue? None.

But this is going to be perfect this fall as this sweater from Knit 1.

It was $4 a skein, people! 60% off! I've already swatched it (part of my very productive weekend) and it's so amazing to knit with - soft and sturdy at the same time.

Thank goodness that it's still cool enough to be thinking about knitting sweaters.

Tuesday, June 06, 2006

planning


planning
Originally uploaded by Needleworks, Inc..
I had a really productive weekend. I mean really. I wanted to show you everything all at once, but I decided to post the most important item first and then spread the rest out over the week.

These are the very preliminary stages of Miss Classy & Fabulous. I finally got out my tape measure, calculator and copy of Ann Budd's The Handy Knitter's Guide to Sweater Patterns and started planning.

She's about 5 stitches and 9 rows to the inch on a size 3 Addi Turbos. I've cast on for the right front and I'll be doing some decreases around the waist. I'm making it less boxy than the original Chaiken jacket, because that's just not flattering on me and because I want to conserve yarn. The Chanel suit pictured there is now my source of inspiration.

I'm going to knit the back exactly like the front, in 2 pieces, because of the way the yarn is dyed. I'm afraid the color pattern will look too different if I knit the back in one piece.

Ok, so now it's just a lot of knitting until it's time to do the sleeves. It's kind of slow going because I'm using size 3s and because the boucle is a bear, but so far it looks, well, fabulous!

Monday, June 05, 2006

exciting news


sharpies!
Originally uploaded by Needleworks, Inc..
First piece of exciting new is that when I came home from a rather exciting, but exhausting night on the town with my buddy, Berhan (I will fill you in on the saga of my lost shoe at another time),I found this in my mailbox! Mini Sharpies from my Secret Pal! Have you ever gotten a gift or a note from someone that made you just smile? Even though you were totally alone and no one was there to see you, you sat down and just grinned? This is how my SP8 gift made me feel! Only the people who really know me, know how truly happy Sharpies make me. Others may scoff, but my true friends will indulge me.

Second piece of exciting news is the winner of my (not) radio contest is...........

MICHELLE!
of michelleknits.

I'm so excited that some new people decided to post some comments. To all of you out there who I know read my blog on a pretty regular basis, it was a little bit of sarcasm people. I hope I didn't really offend.

(Michelle, expect your bag to be delivered in a week or so. I was waiting to make the actual bag until I knew who won.)

Thursday, June 01, 2006

I'm sure I'm not the first one to ever utter the phrase, "Statcounter.com is amazing!"

I am completely amazed by the different things it can tell me like, where people are reading my blog or did you come by blog by another blog or webpage and what that webpage is, not just how many times my blog has been viewed in one day! ( I know, I know. But I'm new to this, people!)

Apparently, there are some people in Canada reading about The Works! Who are you people?! How did you find me?! As far as I knew the only people who read my blog were my parents and John B.

Oh, and this is the best, there is one person from Estonia! And I think this is his blog. This one is just too weird, because I know people in Estonia! Granted they live in a tiny village that just got its first indoor toilet and I don't know if they've ever seen a blog, let alone have their own, but, man, that is weird.

The point of this whole rant is this: I'd like to get to know the people who are out there reading my blog anonymously.

So, let's pretend like I'm a big radio station and I'm promoting a very fancy give-away. To the 10th person to leave a comment, I will send one of my embellished reusable bags, hand-stitched my me! As I never seem to get more than two or three comments, I think this is fair.

Sound good? Great! Now go leave me a comment! If no one does, I will be really, really sad.