Here is is, the last of my custom designs for The Point, for a while. I need a little break and some quality time with my To Do List.

This is November's featured pattern with the yarn of the month, Soho Bulky Tweed from Tahki Yarns.

I really want everyone to know what a fun knit this was. I love this pattern for it's knitterly qualities. There are no pieces to sew together. You simply knit a rectangle for the back, cast on stitches along one short side for one arm hole, pick up stitches along the bottom edge, and cast on more stitches for the other arm hole. And there you are - you just knit round and around until the fronts/collar are the desired length! I seriously finished this in two days.

And the Soho Bulky Tweed is delightful. It seems boring and scratchy in the skein, but when you knit it, it's springy and forgiving. It softens considerably when worked up and is seriously warm. A good pairing of yarn and project, I think.

(And thanks for the advice with my Big Wool Jacket. I'll have the results for you in a couple of days!)

I finished work early today and squandered all picture-taking daylight hours watching "Home at the End of the World" and not knitting. Just sitting, as if in a trance.

(What a waste! Did anyone else find Colin Farrell's character more than a little creepy? I kept expecting him to make out with Sissy Spacek.)

So now we have this: A slightly blurry picture of myself with the jacket in progress. They jacket that, faithful readers of my blog will notice, is featured no where on my To Do List.

The jury is still out on the sleeve. I've already ripped it out once because it was too wide and made my arm look like some kind of black French sausage. Should I do some decreases or should it be wide like so many jackets we're seeing this season? The good news I can probably knit this all tonight (while watching Chuck, Heroes and The Journeyman) and made a decision.

Why do I love the L Train tonight? The train that causes me so much grief? The train that runs only 40 weekends out of the year? What has warmed the cockles of my commuter heart?

(Perhaps the two glasses of wine that I imbibed before boarding have changed my perspective.)

What is it that I love? The two Polish couples that I expect to get out at Lorimer Street that do not? The trio of girls in flip flops, despite the 50 degree weather? The family of supposed French tourists (MTV Store bags in hand)? Where are they going?

The train does not thin at Bedford Avenue as I expect it to. As it does every other night. The Hipsters reading Plato. Do they live on my street?

I love the chorus of voices and sounds. Everything that the L Train is - an amalgam of cultures and ages and faces.

The crowd follows me out the door. Where do they live? No one shadows me around the corner. They do not live on my block. My street. They scatter. Chatting in the many languages I recognize, but do not understand.

On Monday morning, I will be so irritated. So impatient. So tired.

Tonight I love it. The L Train.

All this dreary weather does not allow for good bloggin' pictures! I had a really productive week, as promised, and nearly no photographic evidence.

I finished two skirts earlier this week, attempted to take pictures of me wearing them myself, the decided to wait for a sunny day and Master P to do a little photo shoot. No sun = no pics.

Then there's my Anna sweater, from the Rowan Studio One. I finished the back, but it just looks like a pile of mushy mohair (which I guess it is, in all fairness) when I try to photograph it. I decided that after finishing the back and knitting NINE inches too many, that I deserved a break of the Big Wool variety.

That's where this picture comes in.

It's a jacket inspired by one I saw a while back at J. Crew ( I can't find a picture of it now) and it's made of Rowan Big Wool. I love this yarn. I've never knit with it and I don't know why. It's really, really lovely. I started this baby on Wednesday and with another entire day of rain ahead of me, I think I may finish it this weekend! I can't wait!

Oh, man. This week just blew by me! I stumbled home every night, bone tired, and had just enough energy to read my Bloglines, eat dinner and pass out on the couch.

I kept reading everyone's blogs and thinking, "I don't have the energy to knit." Can you believe it? I didn't knit a single stitch in 4 days!

I didn't do much knitting, but I made a new friend (Hi, George!). It's hard not to bond with someone when you're on your hands and knees for 9 hours a day, stapling Lycra to a wooden frames. (Don't ask.)

Since I didn't knit at all. Or sew. Or cook. I thought I'd show you what I did do. I had my very first ever paid styling job. See that picture on the left? That's my handiwork. I'm kind of a proud mama.

What's ahead? Knitting! And sewing! I have three days off staring me in the face and I plan on being plenty productive. Stay tuned.

P.S. This is my 200th post! Yay me!

Oh my. I haven't posted in a while because I feel as though I don't have much to share. How contrary to the truth that is!

On the knitting realm, I finished this cutie for The Point's October Pattern of the Month. An endeavor that seems to be eating up a bunch of my time. It doesn't allow me a lot of time for personal knitting, but it's stimulating to be designing. Stop by the store to see the sample in person.

Also on the knitting/The Point front, I have just finished designing 4 exclusive hat patterns for the store. Look for pictures here and more details, where else, at The Point!

As for that interview, I have no news, but I am scheduled out the wazoo with freelance gigs, which is wonderful. I'm pretty much working non-stop for the rest of the month of October! Now, let's just hope it keeps up! I'd love to be this busy all the time (though, again, it doesn't leave much time for personal... anything!)

Stay tuned!

Sometimes I can be so danged silly. I mean just silly.

Here I was with all of this amazing produce that my grandmother gave me. From her garden. She's such an incredible woman who, at eighty years old, still grows tomatoes and beans and corn (to name a few) in her little patch of garden in New Jersey.

She only gave me a little bit, but it was too much for me to eat all by myself. I thought I could pickle some of it. I've always been interested in canning and pickling. I have fantasies of having my own little patch of garden and putting up veggies and preserves to last me all winter.

So I set out to do some research on the internet on pickling. I went to several websites and got a lot of different information. So much that it just set my head a-swimming. I was about to throw in the towel when I realized just how dense I was being. I had a wealth of knowledge at my fingertips.

So I called my Baba.

She told me over the phone everything I needed to know and I set out a-pickling. I had a bunch of beans that I put up with garlic, dill and red chili flakes. I also picked up some fennel and put that in with some fennel seeds, garlic and shallots. I am so proud! And I feel as though I am carrying on a little bit of something that my grandmother taught me. I hope you're proud Baba.

OK, so it is not a cardigan with an owl on it. Though I did finally put the Owl Cardi back on the needles and knit two rows, just to get my chart reading back on track. It remains untouched.

With another exclusive Pattern of the Month for The Point under my belt, I decided that I was entitled to cast on for a new project. That means I only have three Works in Progress on the needles right now. Not bad.

This is Anna from Rowan Studio One. I'm using Alize Angora Special (I can't find any info for it online, but you can view details on my ravelry page), which is this crazy yarn that is about 600 yards per skein. I only had to buy two! This is a nice mindless knit to entertain me when the intarsia chart from the Owl Cardi proves too much. I forgot how nice it is to knit from a pattern and have all of the thinking done for you!

Hm. One of the (many, many) perks of working at a yarn shop is that sometimes, they pay you in yarn!! I'm so excited, but mostly overwhelmed, by all my new yarn. I'm no where near finishing all of the projects that I had in mind for this fall/winter and now I have two more in my queue.

My worry is that I may lose interest before I have time to knit everything! Does any one else waking up, in a cold sweat, in the middle of the night, gripped by this fear? Am I the only one?

This is some Araucania's Nature Wool. It's definitely woolly, but I love it. My very first major knitted project was a massive cabled poncho out of the chunky version of Nature Wool. It's super warm and I just fell in love with the hand-dyed subtle coloring. This is equally lovely and is destined to become a stockinette, deep, deep v-neck sweater. Something to show off the coloring of the yarn.

And, well, Big Wool from Rowan. Does it get any more fun? This is going to be a J.Crew-inspired jacket. This might be the first thing that I cast on for after I clear up some stuff that's already on my To Do List. Ya gotta love that chunky knit instant gratification!

Thank you so much for all of your kind words regarding the Urban Naturalist's Ladies' Jacket! But there is knitting news on the horizon. Oh dear, that's right. There's been another update to my To Do List. Alas, (that's right, Ms. Blue Garter) the Owl Cardi is top on the list, but not the latest project to be completed.

Recently, Master P's cousin became a Proud Papa. What was the first thing I did? Cast on for a little cardigan, inspired by these awesome robot buttons.

I cast on during our vacation in Miami and finished the next week. I used the Barbara Walker Top-Down Method and 3 skeins of Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Baby. I simply adored knitting with this yarn. I will use it for all baby projects in the future. Seriously. It's the perfect gauge for little garments and it has the perfect combination of softness and stitch definition. And I, The World's Wonkiest Knitter, was able to get the correct gauge with the recommended needle. I am in love!

Soon this sweater will be off to little Harry and I will tackle the Owl Cardi, which involves intarsia, which you may recall I do not enjoy. But I know I will enjoy wearing the Owl Cardi once it's complete. Wish me luck!

What I'm loving right now.
Getting on the L train at 6th Avenue as Haitian Fight Song is starting on my iPod, and listening to it all the way home.

Good Night.

Interview outfit
(a little blurry)

Do you think I'll get the job based purely on my cute red shoes?

The Urban Naturalist's Ladies' Jacket.

This was made from leftovers from the Urban Naturalist's Ivory Buffalo sweater. Believe it or not, one bag of yarn (10 skeins) made two adult sized sweaters! I am in love!

Made from: 5 skeins of Steadfast Fibers' Wonderful Wool, colorway Sahara

Time to knit: I honestly don't remember. Not very long - less than a month.

My favorite part of the sweater is the shawl collar. It was taken from Nicky Epstein's Knitting Beyond the Edge. The collar and button band is knit in one piece with the collar being shaped by short rows. I did it in a 1 x 1 rib to match the cuffs. I am so please! It is definitely a technique that I would use again. Maybe a bigger collar next time.

I am so ready for fall!

Boy, I am one lucky girl! Look at the beautiful gifts I was given in my last week at The Point! The stitch markers are from the amazing (but blogless) Peggy and the cute, little pouch from the multi-talented (but blogless) Carol. Thanks guys!

I am constantly struck by how generous knitters (and most all crafters) are of themselves and their knowledge and, well, everything!

The few friends I've made in NYC have been through The Point. I knew 3 gals from college when I moved here, but found it impossible to meet new people. I was freelancing and not staying in one place for very long - it's hard to form friendships that way. Then I started working at The Point and I met the most dazzling array of wonderful people. Some who will be life-long friends.

I'm telling you, if you're a new knitter in NYC and you don't know anyone, just hop on down to The Point and park yourself there for a couple of days. You will meet amazing people. I promise.

What is it about knitting and crocheting and general craftiness that inspires this kind of sharing and giving community? I wish I knew the secret so I could spread it around a little in other parts of my life. Speaking of community, I received my Ravelry invite! I'm so psyched! I was supposed to be revising my resume this morning and instead I poked around on Ravelry looking for peeps I know. If you on there, come find me!

Yet another way to make friends through knitting!

Photographic proof that knitters are nutty people. This picture taken of Cityminx on Saturday (Saturday!) night at, oh, around midnight at The Room.

Also, submitted for evidence, this post from Molly Chicken in which her only worry, in a dream where she is abducted by aliens, is that she hasn't got any knitting with her.

I rest my case.

Where to start? I have a lot to discuss.

There area the projects that I've finished, or nearly finished, before and during my little vacation. I've been hoarding pictures to dole out one by one over the next few weeks.

There is this little pattern, which I wrote for The Point. I have been, on and off for the last 6 months or so, trying to start a Pattern/Yarn of the Month program for the store. Look for more in the future.

As of this past Saturday, I am no longer the manager of The Point, but I'm still involved and around and part of the general community there. If you would like more information on this pattern and the yarn used, you can head over to ViewPoint and check out my post there.

I guess that's really all I have to discuss. Not that much, really, but it seems like a lot in my head. I'm now training my 3rd replacement at The Point. All that starting and stopping is really rough on a girl's brain. Just when I started to get my freelancing life underway, I had to switch gears and take, in my opinion, a huge step backwards.

For all of you faithful freinds of The Point, I think Patty (the new manager) is going to be a perfect match. Much more so than myself. In the mean time, I'm going to enjoy playing a smaller role and being more of a customer! I look forward to seeing you one Saturday or Tuesday and actually sitting and knitting with you! Won't that be nice?

The Raleigh Hotel
Originally uploaded by Needleworks, Inc.

Thanks to everyone who sent us Well Wishes for our vacation - it was much appreciated!

So, we went to Miami. In August. Crazy, I know. It was hot, but it was just what the doctor ordered. Nothing but lots of sun, Cuban food and rum. That's a pretty good prescription.

This is a picture of The Raleigh Hotel. It wasn't out hotel, but we fell in love with the beautiful pool and ended just about every day there. Can you get a good look at that tree? There were live orchids growing in the nooks and it was hung with lanterns that lit up as the sun went down. It is a truly magical place.

My beach tote got a great deal of use and it proved to be a perfect design - just right size for magazines, books, water and beach towels for Master P and myself. I was very, very pleased.

I used to go to Miami at least once a month for work, and Master P used to live there, oh, about 10 years ago, so we didn't take many tourist-y pictures, but for more of our trip, go here.

I was really busy the week before my vacation so there will be more updates, as I promised. Stay tuned.

I'll leave you with this cozy image of dear Monk snuggling on the couch. He's never really this calm and sweet. Well, he can be sweet, but mostly he's a trouble-maker.

I finally got pillows to stuff the cases I bought a while back. And you'll remember the black and orange one is from my grandmother. I really am pleased with them. (Note: if you live in NYC, Economy Foam is the coolest. You can get every kind of pillow there.)

So, I'm off to Miami for 5 days. This blog will be quiet during that time, but when I get back, I'll have so much to share with you: a finished sweater, a few new projects and pictures from my trip!

I sure am making some headway on my list! Can you believe it? I've had a huge surge of productivity these last weeks.

I made this bias tape using one of those handy dodads. Does anyone know what I'm talking about? For someone who dislikes finishing, custom bias tape is a Godsend.

This is a detail of the totes I made. I love how all the stripes are going in different direction.

This tote is going with me to Miami in two days! Master P and I are jetting off to South Beach for five days of sun and relaxation. It will be a nice change from the gloomy weather we're getting here in NYC.

We have pillows! I'm quite pleased with these. I love the sparse, graphicness of them. I'm thinking of making another set with the body of the pillows in felt as well.
I don't know what my obsession of late has sprung from, but when I piled up all the pillows I've either made or bought in the last 6 months, I had quite a pile indeed. At least a dozen. They're certainly not all going on my couch!

Luckily, at least one is going to my contest winner. (I'll leave it for you You-Know-Where on Saturday, Karen.) I have another contest brewing since I got harassed by Veronique for not making the last one very hard. You just wait, Veronique, you just wait! (Insert wickedly mischievous laughter here.)

Oh, and I'm making quite a dent in my list, no? My goal was to have everything done before fall, when I would start a new list. In my mind, Fall begins after Labor Day. In which case, I'll never finish in time. But technically, it doesn't begin until mid-September. What's the consensus on that one?