OK, so there wasn't a photo shoot this weekend. There wasn't much sunlight and I had to hurry off to NJ to spend the weekend with my family. So instead, I hope the following will appease you.



No trip to NJ is complete without a trip to Target! I picked up these super cute shoes and the perfect navy blue eyelet skirt! Yay!



And my co-workers got me a little present. What girl doesn't need a fancy pair of scissors?

Over the last couple of days I've been trying to compose an elegant and clever post about my knitting in this last month. It's been kind of scattered and, consequently, so have been my thoughts.
I'm just gonna dive in, OK? I promise you lots of pictures and maybe tomorrow and FO post!

It all began with the 3 Year Anniversary party at The Point. I can't believe that I've been a part of that wonderful place for 3 years! How it's changed my life! I, of course, had to buy something. The lovely ladies at my table shoved a one skein pattern in my hand and sent me off to buy yarn. I came away with this.


Malabrigo in the most scrumptious golden color that I am completely in love with. It's the color of dandelions. Or forsythia. Or egg yolks. I love it! I finished the project in a matter of days. It's a neck warmer and it used less than one skein. It's the perfect knit for when you need a little luxury fiber fix.



Then there is this monstrosity. It's a cotton bamboo blend (to be revealed later) that is to be the yarn of the month for June, for The Point. I hate it. You can see the progression of needles I used on my swatch to get the correct gauge. The top one was a #4. The last one was a #1. I now have to come up with a pattern for this yarn and knit it using a #1 needle. Oh Lord, save me now!



And saving the best for last! Da da da DA! Rowan Calmer! Why had I never knit with this before? I have to admit, I was curious. Then I had a little browse through the Rowan Studio Issue Nine, which is entirely devoted to the Calmer, and found an adorable little pattern. Only five skeins? Sign me up!
I've never experienced such joy knitting with cotton before. Never! I almost got the correct gauge on the first try with the recommended needles! I could have copped out and just used the #8s but I was worried that my gauge might loosen up over the course of the project, so I went down to #6s. That's a heck of a lot better than #1s! And look at the perfect little stitches! My knitting never looks like that!

Ladies and gentlemen, I think I'm on love!

This week has been kind of long and maybe a little difficult. It seems as though, for all the time I spend alone, I'm not very good at being by myself. I'm trying to create new routines for myself that go hand in hand with my new job and new hours. I know it seems like it's been a long time in my new position, but old habits die hard and I'm still adjusting.

This is a picture of something that makes me smile. I just love covered buttons with a passion that is maybe a little inappropriate. They make me crazy! Since I bought these little button makers, I just seem to be making them with no particular objective in mind! These were from some fabric l used for a Christmas project. I really loved all of it and, consequently, saved every little scrap that was left over.

Paris, Part 2: the food!

Le Suffren, 73 Avenue de Suffren 75007

Le Suffren is an old school brasserie in a very traditional neighborhood. It's Master P's dad's favorite place to go in Paris and it was just what we needed on our first night. What blew us away at Le Suffren was the steak tartare. I've eaten this quite a bit and this was the best we ever had. I attributed it to the super strong French mustard. Master P couldn't say. We both agreed it was phenomenal.

Les Pipos, 2 rue de l'Ecole Polytechnique 75005
Les Pipos is a very tiny, very rowdy restaurant. It also happens to be around the corner from where we used to live. Our friend, Alexis, a very big, very rowdy Norman, introduced us to this place back in 2002. I always knew I wanted to go back and I was thrilled that we did. They serve simple, traditional food. I think the menu was exactly the same as I remember it. Les Pipos is also the place where I first ate oysters and I had them again this time. French oysters are huge and briny and fantastic!

Bistro du Peintre, 116, Avenue Ledru Rollin 75011
I adore this restaurant. My good friend Lindsay (who was my roommate when I was a student in Paris) took Master P here in 2002. He took me and our two friends back when they visited us later that year and it always delivers.
This is a very traditional French bistro, but in an up and coming neighborhood, run by cute young guys wearing t-shirts and jeans. If it existed in NYC, I would say it would be in the LES.
We had the most enormous trenches of bone marrow. Again, I've had my fair share of bone marrow in NYC, but never like this. I felt like Fred Flintstone! But it was so good!

Pierre Herme, 72 rue Bonaparte 75006
I could not leave Paris without a visit to this extraodinary bakery. The owner used to work for Fauchon and left in the 1990's to open his own business. We got a box of macaron, in flavors ranging from chocolate to rose, and we devoured them!

La Cigale, 4 rue Récamier 75007
So I don't have a picture from La Cigale, but you're going to have to trust me. This is the most refined experience you'll have in Paris for under $200. They specialize in souffles and you should definitely order one, or two. For a starter a main or dessert. I had oysters (again) to start, a souffle for my main and Master P and I shared a dessert souffle.
La Cigale was the first time all week that we encountered Americans in a restaurant, but don't let this deter you. The clientele here is very sophisticated - mostly journalists and media types. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

Le Rubis, 10, rue Marché St-Honore 75001

I had a long list of places that wanted to go to that were recommended by blogger and cookbook writer David Lebovitz. This was the only one we made it to, but it was fantastic. Le Rubis is a old school wine bar that serves sandwiches and small plates of cheese and charcouterie.
We stopped in here and shared a bottle of wine and some (more) delicious pork products. The place was packed with locals and some tourists, but was lively and fun. It's in a very chic neighborhood, but is very affordable. It's definitely worth a stop for a very French experience.

Les Cocottes, 135, rue Saint-Dominique 75001
Our last dinner in Paris was at Les Cocottes, which I had read about in Metropolitan Home Magazine. I was a little concerned that it would be a total scene and filled with tourists, but it was, by far, the best dinner of the entire trip.
A cocotte is a type of little cast iron pot that is traditionally used for cooking in the south of France. Master P and I thought that this place was a little "New York", but that was a good thing. It was a new space that didn't have traditional tables. We sat at a counter and our server waited on us from behind it. Though the feeling was casual, the service was outstanding. We never had to ask for a single thing - our water was always re-filled, etc. I contributed this to the fact that our waiter was "trapped" behind the counter, but the result was a fantastic experience.
And the food? The food was sheer bliss. Following with the homey nature of the cocottes, the food was rustic, but (and this was the thing that made me feel like this was a "New York-style" restaurant) elevated. I had a perfect braised lamb shoulder. Master P had confit potatoes stuffed with shredded pig's feet and a little frisee salad. Everything was served in a little cocotte, so when the salad was added to Master P's dish, it wilted a little bit and the mustard-y, vinegar-y salad cut through the fat from the potatoes and pork. Perfect.

Ah, so that was our trip to Paris. A little bit about the shopping, but mostly about the food. I hope that my recommendations help you when you take your next (first!) trip to Paris!

This is all the yarn I bought in Paris. I really could not justify buying yarn that I could easily find in the US at a terrible exchange rate. Then I found La Droguerie. Their walls were lined with yarn of every color and fiber! I could hardly contain myself! I had to get something! Anything! Master P (thankfully) steered me clear of the bright turquoise mohair claiming that it was "crazy" and "the same color as all the yarn you have already". (He's totally right, of course.) Instead he said, "What about this one?" (He was right again.) These babies are what I (we) decided on - destined to be a very large scarf of somekind. Worked together.




The jelly beans? I brought them home from NJ, where I went to celebrate Easter with my family. Last night, Monk discovered them. He, in the middle of the night, trasported more than one - perhaps at once, maybe making more than one trip - upstairs into the loft, where he deposited them into the bed. I awoke, around 4am, to the sound of him scuffling about and with jelly beans in my bed. Crazy cat.

Hello, there. I had a long, long post planned (part one of two, in fact) about our trip to Paris yesterday. I was simply too bleary-eyed after about 12 hours of travel hell to write anything clever, so I decided to spare you all and just hit "save post".

I'm still feeling oh, so romantic about the trip though, and wanted to share something with you. So here you go. A little video of Master P at the Louvre on a particularly magical evening.

Paris, Part 1: the crafts

I may have mentioned this before, but Master P and I used to live in Paris. We had a strictly bohemian life where he worked on his screen play and I worked as a nanny. We drank wine all the time (but not while I was with the toddler - come on guys!) and were kind of broke most of the time.

This time around we were a little more flush, and a little less bohemian. We had a really rough list of places we wanted to go that I scribbled on the back of an envelope. It was a mixture of old haunts, restaurants we could never afford before, and for me, yarn shops.

Shopping for yarn in Paris is kind of hit or miss. There's a lot of other crafty loveliness to behold. Here's the deal:



Cat'laine, 19, rue Saint-Marc
This was the second spot we visited, in one day, that was just not there. I had a little guide book from 2006 that was way out of date. This would have been a shop called Cat'laine. I was so frustrated at this point that I took a picture in disbelief.

Marche aux Puces de Saint-Ouen

If you take the metro all the way to the northern edge of the city, on the weekend, you will find the enormous flea market. There was no yarn to be had, but it seemed as if every vendor had boxes and boxes of vintage buttons. I was totally overwhelmed and couldn't decide on any at all. In hindsight, I should have just bought a bunch. I'm still kicking myself. I did score a Cartier scarf and lovely necklace, thought. Not bad.

Le Bon Marche, 22, rue de Sevres

My American friend who lives in Paris (mother of dear Nathan) told me that the best place to shop for yarn in Paris was at the top floor of their chicest department store, Le Bon Marche. Sh wasn't wrong. They had an impeccable selection of Debbie Bliss, Rowan, Button d'Or, Anny Blatt and Phildar. If I lived in Paris, I would probably shop here. The floor also houses sewing notions and fabric, buttons, ribbons, and embroidery. However, it was a little old fashioned and didn't have anything I couldn't get (yarn-wise) in the states. I took some surreptitious pictures and skedaddled.

La Droguerie, 9 et 11, rue de Jour

This was the one place I *knew* I wanted to visit and it did not disappoint! La Droguerie is hip and young and vivacious. As is the case with most stores that sell yarn, they have buttons and ribbons lining the walls. They also sell their own private label yarn which completely won me over. The wall were lined with different fiber (mohair, silk, cotton , bamboo, wool) all in the same spectrum of colors. I had a serious problem resisting buying one of each, but had to settle one two skeins (which I'll show you later). They sell them by weight and weight them in this cute scale before you pay. If you're going to Paris, make this your number one stop! (I also bought the cutest dress and my new favorite shop around the corner on the same street. Bonus!)

Stay tuned for Paris, Part 2: the food!

We leave for Paris in 2 1/2 days, and counting! I've already laid out all the clothes I wanted to pack and even found my old Paris Metro ID card. The main decision that is confounding me is what knitting projects to pack!!! Faced with a 7 hour flight each way, I'm panicking a little bit.

So, I'd like to enlist the help of you, gentle readers. I've prepared several options below and whichever you vote for, I will take with me! I'm thinking I'll need about two projects.
Vote away!

Choice A) The long, languishing Owl Cardi. I started this almost a year and half ago. The intarsia kind of drives me crazy, but if I'm stuck on the plane, I'll be forced to knit it!

Choice B) My current project, The Alpaca Super Cowl. I could potentially finish it and wear it in Paris!!

Choice C) A brand spankin' new project that I've been itching to start. Manos silk blend! Cute Rowan pattern!!

Choice D) Yet to be named, Very First Lace Project. I've been afraid of lace for so long, but maybe long flight will be the perfect place to concentrate on a new skill.

Choice E) Quick and dirty beret made out of lovely Rowan Felted Tweed. Fool-proof pattern and slightly mindless knitting. Will definitely have a hat when I come home!

With Daylight Savings this weekend, and Spring right around the corner, I've managed to finally snap a pic of my winter hat.

I had about 2 balls of Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Chunky left over from Master P's sweater. I had been in love with the yarn and the color so I made myself a "beret" from The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns. It's a little loose, but I love how slouchy it is. It pretty much hasn't come off my head all winter.
That is except for the days when Master P is wearing his sweater. Then he forbids me to wear my matching hat. I guess I can understand that.

Ah, yes. I started this little number back in December, when I found out that two dear friends of mine had their first baby. They are the first people I know to have offspring! Yay!

I knit this with Mission Falls 1824 Wool. I used size 8 needles and improvised the pattern from the top down.
I did run into some problems. I made some grave miscalculations and the jacket came out huge. At The Point on Saturday everyone was laughing at me, saying that maybe little Nathan will wear the sweater in 5 years!
Also, I ran into my typical "back and forth" vs. "in the round" gauge problems. The body was knit back and forth on size 8 needles. The sleeves were knit in the round on size 10.5's. It took forever to finish this sweater because I kept going back and forth with needle size for the sleeves, buying needles, knitting and ripping out and generally pulling my hair in frustration.
It is, in the end, complete with mere days to spare.*

FYI, I washed and dried this according to the label's directions. I must say it came out looking kind of folded. It was definitely fuzzy is spaces and it did (fortunately) shrink, though I did not do a before and after measurement.

*I say "mere days to spare" because this ensemble will be traveling with myself and Master P to Paris where I will hand-deliver it to Nathan!! We leave in exactly one week, and will be staying exactly one week! More later!!

Whoa baby! This is a linen and alpaca mix from Punta del Este Yarns. Also known as my own personal knitting hell. I thought that 100% cotton was bad, but, mama, this is worse.

The end result is interesting, textural. A little 70's granola for my taste. The knitting of it was pure torture. I did my swatch on a size 5, but I think I could have been knitting on 3's. And getting 4.5 stitches to the inch.

If Patty and I hadn't agreed that this baby needed to be a pattern of the month for The Point, I probably would have never picked it up. It's good to be able to experiment with yarns and not feel the guilt of paying for something you dislike out of your own pocket.

If you like linen and your like knitting for the home, then this is for you. Me, I'd rather wear my knitting, thank you.

This tart looks enormous, but it's really mini. It was my backup dessert for Sunday's dinner after the guest list went from 10 to 4. I was going to bake cupcakes, but I couldn't justify baking for only 4 people. So, I had myself a Sandra Lee moment.

This is a ready-made graham cracker pie shell. Miniature sized. Into it, I put the following: Nutella mousse made from one small(ish) jar of Nutella and about a pint of whipping cream (whipped, of course) folded in. I topped it with some slices of poached pear (which are not pictured) but now I'm thinking a little round slice of banana would have been perfect and just the right size. Or two segments of a clementine. It was truly one of the most glorious things that I have ever eaten.

We also had white bean fritters with roasted shrimp and Tuscan-style beef stew (Though I did change the recipe quite a bit.) with creamy polenta. I came in second in our Oscar pool, which, alas, means nothing, except that I came in second.

More on the knitting/crafting front soon! I promise!

My week, in images:

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Ah, yes. Knitting. I remember when I used to do this all the time. Here's a little sample of my latest, top down sweater. Remember the one?

I'm really enjoying knitting with this yarn. It's Baby Twist, from Alpaca with a Twist. As someone with really loose, unpredictable tension, I'm surprised that I'm not having more trouble with it. It's supposed to be worsted weight, but I'm getting 6 stitches to the inch on size 4 needles.


I've already put the stitches for the sleeves on holders and am knitting the body. I'm doing something different with this sweater and putting darts in the front, instead of making the decreases on the side. You can't really see much of the stitch definition, though, because this fabric is so fuzzy.

I've stayed home sick today. This is my first sick day in about 7 years. It feels strange, like I'm playing hooky, though I know I'm really sick and it's OK to be home. I'm nursing this cold and for the first time in four days, I feel like knitting. I'm getting a little bit of work done on a new project while watching a long forgotten favorite. It keeps me in good spirits.

My week, in images:

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Earlier this week I checked out the Goodwill near my studio. I didn't find much. Not much, that is, except for a fun fur graveyard.
And you wondered where novelty yarn went to die.
Now you know.

Almost since I started knitting, oh, back in 2003, I've kind of been winging it. There's a lot of pondering, in the knitting world, about process vs. product knitters and I am definitely the latter. I see a yarn and the yarn says to me (sounding a little like Pooh Bear), "Oh dear, I would really love to be a little cap sleeve pullover with a cowl neck!" And so I set out to make one.

Calculating and sketching all along (Wouldn't Mr. Hendrickson* love to see me now!!) I come up with something that looks like the picture above. Not a pattern exactly, but a rough guide for me to follow as I knit.

Since Barbara Walker came into my life, I haven't looked back. I use her top down method almost all the time because it's easiest for me to creep along, making changes as I go, if I'm knitting from the top. Most of my knitting happens on the couch, watching movies, so a lot of it is stockinette. I've never been able to keep anything but the simplest stitch pattern straight in my head and, frankly, fussy sweaters just don't look so cute on me. Hence, the abundance of stockinette, which I don't mind, cause I can watch TV while I do it!

Sometimes I wonder if I'm missing out. I lament the two inches of lace shawl that are hibernating at the bottom of my closet. But then I realize that in knitting, as in with the rest of my life, I have to accept myself for who I am! I admire and am inspired by the knitters who make beautiful lace and, at the same time, acknowledge that's not for me.

How liberating!

* My 9th grade algebra teacher.

*Sigh*. Work has been really tough this week. I'm desperately fighting that "the honeymoon is over" feeling in the pit of my stomach.

I'm not sure, but what I think is happening, is that I've never had to do this kind of work for three months in a row before. It's mentally and physically draining and usually, you get a little break between gigs. Not so when you are a staff member somewhere.

I'm not complaining, though. Not at all. Any job that allows you to knit during the downtime is A-OK with me, Boy-o. And there is a lot of downtime - waiting for approval on shots and hanging around while photographers fiddle with the lighting. All knitting opportunities for me! While others and flipping through magazines, I'm making myself a sweet alpaca sweater!

Suckers!!!

But I'm finding that having a regular 9-6 job has put a crimp in my production time. I've also started going to the gym down the street from the studio and by the time I get home, it's 8:30 and I have to eat dinner and there's only really 2 (if I'm lucky) solid hours of crafting time!!!! I'm starting to freak out! My To Do list is out of control!

But I asked for it. I asked for the perfect job that would let me do what I love and give me health benefits at the same time. Oh yeah, and the knitting at work thing.

Now if I could only get my sewing machine up there.

(P.S. Maybe I should stop calling the people I work for "suckers". They might catch on to me!)

needles & pins
Originally uploaded by Needleworks, Inc.

I've finally gotten a computer at work and I've been shamelessly using it to read blogs all day long.

It's a good thing that they've firewalled Facebook, because I'd probably get fired. They don't know about Ravelry, though. Suckers.

New blogs that I love:

flintknits

pepperknit

bag n' trash


Old blogs that I read faithfully:

the sartorialist

posie gets cozy

soule mama

Can I say that I'm really surprised? Those geniuses over at Vogue Knitting had the perfect method for knitting a shawl collar. Perfect and ingenious.

You are knitting short-rows, in a sense. You start by picking up stitches just along the straight part of the back of the neck. Knit back across these stitches and pick up a few more at the end of the row. Since I was working in a 2x2 rib, I picked up 8 stitches (I think their recommendation was 6, but I had to accommodate my pattern). Turn, work across stitches, pick up 8 more at the end of that row. You continue to do this until you've picked up stitches for the entire neckline!

(At the same time, when you've knit about 3/4 of an inch you add a few decreases just to the back of the neck.)

It's brilliant I tell you! Brilliant! I love it and I'm half-way home on the collar. Perhaps. I will finish. Tonight!! Bwahhahahaha!

(Oh, and can you believe that this is even a picture of the same sweater? The difference between night and day, if you will.)