pepperknit

There are no words. Just the best game ever invented, and the best Halloween costume I have ever made.

I am not a Halloween fan, never have been. But Katamari Damacy? That I love. And when my friend Nanda suggested I be the Prince of All the Cosmos and she be the Katamari? And she was willing to dress up like this on Halloween proper, her birthday? Oh. Yes.

There’s a pattern for the earmuffs, which I read but mostly ignored, “unventing” the earmuffs myself. The sides of the prince’s head are really quite straight, not rounded, and I wanted accuracy! There’s a disc of cardboard in there to stabilize the edges.

I’ll put the full details on Ravelry. . . . Getting the band across to be flat was stupidly complicated; the pattern recommends double knitting, which would have made sense and solved it, but I thought I was going to attach it to a headband, but that wasn’t working right. Ultimately, I interfaced corduroy and lined it with that. Um, there is interfacing on my costume, which was supposed to be just an off-the-cuff knit. I had to find the iron in half-unpacked boxes (not to mention the interfacing and fabric!). But it’s worth it.

No one knew what the heck I was—but everyone smiled or laughed at me. People at the bar came up to ask. I was sitting in the front window of the bar, right at a busy corner on the Lower East Side, with my back to the street, and all my friends kept laughing as strangers did doubletakes. I got a lot of props from people when they realized that I’d made the costume myself. I also had a little visual aid, so people would see the prince in full—the small felt toy my friend Melissa made me!

The best moment was on the subway home. I wore the earmuffs because, being 100% wool, they are awfully warm and totally functioned as earmuffs (throughout the night at the bar I was saying “I’m sorry, what?” because I couldn’t hear anything). Pulling into one station, a throng of about 10 teenagers on the platform saw me and burst out laughing; one stuck his head against a window and howled in joy at me. They clambered into the subway car I was in, stomping and laughing, and one finally was like “Miss!!! What ARE you!” And I showed them the tiny prince and said I was the Prince of All the Cosmos, of course! He was like, “not the princESS?” And I said, “no, there isn’t a princess. there’s a queen, but the prince is cooler.” he then jumped up and started dancing around in front of me (awesome popping/locking). They caused such a ruckus that other riders were stonily irritated, but I was just enveloped into their fun times. It was so nice!

I’m one of those people who gets sick after a stressful event. In college, I got sick on every visit home; for a while in Philly I was getting sick each weekend. I moved to New York, and the constant stress was such that I didn’t actually catch a cold until the week after I stopped working at my job. So after these past few weeks, in which I had a lot of fun but did a LOT, I’m now sick! And home on a Friday night, so I’m talking to you guys for the first time in ages.

First, I started the apartment hunt. Anyone who’s lived in New York knows that finding an apartment in this city is one of the most painful experiences you’ll ever have. In truth, my search was relatively easy . . . and I found the most gigantic apartment ever, at a supremely affordable price, and near to some new friends!

Then, while packing up my life, Jocelyn_ came for a visit. She’s been a Flickr/email friend for two years, and she was my inspiration for starting the 365 self-portrait project. We played in the big city, of course.

The same day Joce left New York, I flew to Boston to visit with my closest bloggy friends. We email daily, but there’s just no match for hanging out for reals. And did you see the mittens Maritza made for me? Gorgeous. I’m carrying them around with me whenever I go out, but honestly it’s not cold enough. So I pet them on the subway.

And THEN, because I’m not greedy enough for knitterly goodness, I went to Rhinebeck! Anne-Marie chartered a bus for the Sit ‘n’ Knit New York group, so we all went for the day on Saturday. I got to see some bloggers I hadn’t seen since last Stitches, and, um, I bought more yarn. But you wouldn’t know it from the photos, because I only had eyes for the changing leaves. Just believe me, I was there.

The end to all this fun was the actual move. I packed up my postage-stamp-sized apartment on the Upper East Side and the movers carted it all down to Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. I am loving it down here—it makes me think of South Philly, actually, and in so many ways it feels like home. Unpacking is . . . going slowly. And like I said, I’m now battling a gross head cold. But the apartment is cozy and big and just totally, totally awesome.

To make myself feel better, and also to christen the new kitchen (gas finally got turned on today), I made my favorite black bean soup. The original recipe is just a jumping off point for a lot of tasty variation—today I used 2 chipotle chiles in adobo instead of fresh jalapeno, and I didn’t have a tomato so I just left it out. It’s easily made vegetarian (in which case, I highly recommend a chipotle, so you get some smokiness, which I get a double-punch of with the bacon), but please, please don’t make it vegan: the cilantro-lime sour cream is the condiment that makes this soup.

Here’s how I make it.

4-6 bacon slices, chopped (substitute some vegetable oil if making vegetarian)
3/4 cup finely chopped celery (a few ribs)
3/4 cup finely chopped onion (half an onion)
3/4 cup finely chopped carrots (2-3 carrots)
3/4 cup finely chopped leeks (one large leek)
2 or 3 cans of black beans, rinsed and drained (3 is preferable but I only had 2 tonight)
4-5 cups low-salt chicken broth (or veggie stock, of course, but both preferably homemade)
1 large tomato, chopped
1 cup (packed) fresh cilantro
1/3 cup (packed) chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 jalapeño chili, minced or 2 chipotle chiles in adobo or heck, both!
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander

3/4 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
Additional chopped tomato

Cook bacon in heavy large pot over medium heat until brown but still soft, about 4 minutes. Add celery, onion, carrots, and leeks and sauté until vegetables begin to soften, about 10 minutes. Add beans, chicken broth, tomato, 1/2 cup cilantro, parsley, garlic, jalapeño, vinegar, cumin and coriander. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer soup until beans are very tender, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour.

Puree with immersion blender. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to simmer before continuing.)

Mix sour cream, lemon juice, lime juice and 1/2 cup cilantro in small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls. Place dollop of sour cream mixture atop soup. Garnish with additional chopped cilantro and chopped tomato.

Some more New York eye candy, before I leave on Monday and my whole blog becomes a food blog for all I’ll eat in Singapore! (I will knit, too.)

All shots have the Empire State Building in them.

Before spring takes over completely, I’m happily remembering the fabulous snowstorm from two weeks ago. We haven’t had nearly the amount of snow the Midwest has been socked with, so I’m savoring every flake.

I’ve been itching to post here lately, for no other reason than my return to blogging has made me want to do it even more, but I haven’t had much to chat about. I’m knitting only secret projects right now, so there’s nothing to show. I’m working on some non-knitting crafts, but they’re not photogenic yet.

But I have a confession to make. I got to see Pam again. And it turns out she has something of a secret. Because though she’s mentioned the band, I hadn’t realized she was a rockstar.

I missed Empty Orchestra’s show on Thursday, and I hadn’t paid much attention to where their show on Friday would be. Turns out Long Island City isn’t way the heck out on the island, like you might think; it’s just one subway stop out from Manhattan in Queens! When she let me know that we’d completely misinterpreted their location, well, I surprised myself by bundling up and heading right out. (Another secret: When I’ve got it in my head that I’m “in” for the night, it’s normally impossible to get me out of the house.)

Note Pam’s Ravelry T-shirt. You can’t escape the knitting.

Not only did I get to meet Stephen and the rest of the band, but I met some friends of their from Flint who live in New York, one of whom makes instruments (bass). (Yay for crafty folks of all kinds.) And I even ran into someone I recently met—he’d remembered the name Empty Orchestra, was coming by the bar anyway, so decided to check them out and see if I was in attendance.

I have to admit, I had some trepidation about going to a show by myself. But I had lots of time to hang out with Pam beforehand and afterward, and I met enough people that I could have a conversation with a few different people. And I could always hide behind the camera, if necessary. So the biggest secret of all? I had a total blast.

The Twist-Front Top by Adrienne Vittadini is complete! I decided the Met would be the best spot for my photo shoot. It went great, but right as I was finishing up I was informed that if you want to use a tripod at the Met, even one as small as my Gorillapod, you have to check in with Security and get a permission slip. Apparently it’s easy to get permission, but you must seek it. Security guard who told me this? Crabby. No need to get snippy, lady.

I’m thrilled with this knit. Especially after having wanted to make it for more than two years, it’s particularly satisfying to have had it come out just right. Fits perfectly, flattering shaping, great color–what more can I say? I’ll let a bunch of photos tell the story. It was hazy up there on the Roof Garden–ah, October days in the 80s. Oppressive.

I think this top will be great for the winter/late fall under this blazer. The wool of the tank and the necessary camisole underneath (I made a special shopping trip yesterday to get one) actually made me quite warm–it wasn’t just the crazy hot weather. Which means this is a tank top that isn’t just for summer!

Twist-Front Top by Adrienne Vittadini, Spring 2005
Yarn: Brooks Farm Acero, purchased at Maryland Sheep & Wool
Skeins: 2, but I still have quite a bit of the second skein left
Needles: US 3 and US 4, Addi Turbos
Started: Thursday, September 27
Finished: Saturday, October 6
Notes: I did not get the prescribed gauge, but I liked the way the Brooks Farm knit up in this stitch pattern, so I did some math and chose to work the largest size of the pattern. Even with this, I was accounting for a decent amount of negative ease–crucial since this is a lace-based stitch pattern. (Ravelry reviews support this, too.) And the Acero really blossomed when it was washed–grew a decent amount in length and opened up nicely. I think because of the laciness you have a lot of leeway for sizing down. It’s kind of a fluke that mine turned out so very very perfect.

The pattern is definitely for an experienced knitter. This is not to say that anything about knitting this was actually difficult or tricky, but the pattern expects you as an experienced knitter to understand the knitting thoroughly enough that you can accurately process the directions. Let me explain. The decreases that happen along the miter will eventually smack into the lacework. You have to know enough about the lace pattern and the decrease to ensure that you are actually decreasing on those rows (that is, know when to take out a yo). There were some other pattern oddities: When you’re working the two fronts at the same time, they expect you to imagine the work as a continuous piece. So when they say “at the beginning of the next two rows” they really mean “at the armhole edge.” If you decided to work the sides separately (I think it goes faster when you do), you can get very screwed up. While you’re knitting, it’s pretty obvious, but it’s potentially confusing.

The armhole finishing, which I really like the look of, has you pick up stitches, purl back, then immediately cast off. But I think it called for too few stitches be picked up. For the size I knit, it said to pick up 92 stitches, and it felt pinched. I took it out and picked up what seemed like a natural number of stitches, not really counting but aiming to have the same amount on the front and back, and I ultimately picked up about 104.

If I were to do it all over again: I’m very tempted to knit another version in plain stockinette, so that the twist at the front is the focal point and doesn’t get lost in the pattern. If I were to knit this again, either using the pattern or in stockinette, I would:

1. Add a selvedge stitch on both sides. Seaming this up was a little bit of a stab in the dark without them.
2. Start the miter lower and decrease slower, so that the bottom edge of the miter really comes up under the bust. They have all sizes begin the miter 6 inches from the bottom–I’m not sure if that’s really the best way to go.
3. Maybe leave the edges of the miter “live” and use short rows instead of decreases at the edge, so that when you pick up for the left and right fronts, you get a more seamless edge (this wouldn’t work with the lace pattern as written, but would be nice in stockinette, I think).

Recommendation: Do yourself a favor and purchase an undergarment that is DARK, not light, to produce flattering results. A light one will produce too-high contrast. Skin tone undergarments are a bad idea when the pattern is this open, too; you look like you’re naked. I got a brown V-neck camisole at Express for $7.99 on sale. Perfect.

PS: Rachel, I like to think this is another example of, to use your words, “Minty Makes Somewhat Questionable Knitting Patterns Look Hot” (look at some of the comments and–cough–photos on Ravelry and you might see what I mean).

The weather has been all sorts of beautiful lately. Labor Day weekend was somethin’ special.

Finally! I’ve knit something, and I’m here to shout it from the rooftops. Look here, everyone!

This sock was begun on Thursday, and I finished it around 6 today (Monday). Anne-Marie and I decided fairly last minute to get together and knit over beer and burgers on Thursday, which meant I had to find some knitting in a jiffy. I dashed home from work, ran to my sock knitting basket, found a wound-up skein, dug around for needles–any appropriate socky size would do–and ran out the door. Oh, I managed to grab some waste yarn and a crochet hook too, so I could do my favorite provisional cast-on and short-row toe. Over dinner, I finished the toe and did a wee smidge of the foot.

Simple stockinette means easy bus knitting, and I progressed a few more inches on the way to work on Friday. But I’ve got this cross-stitch project, and my obsession for that continues to grow–so in my down time during my parents’ visit this past weekend I worked on that (it’s gotten a lot farther than in that photo).

Until we decided to watch Amelie (cute!) last night. Darn those subtitles–cross-stitch is out of the question. But a stockinette sock is perfect! I decided, quite randomly, to do the Widdershins heel, so I had to look at the computer only a few times. I was way up the ankle by the end of the movie. This afternoon, after my parents left, I headed over to Central Park to enjoy the weather as I finished it up.

I have since uncovered the “matching” sock that this one should go with–it’s the one that killed my mojo last March and of which there is zero documentation. All I know about that one is that the cuff is unwearably tight. A quick glance at the first one and . . . the two don’t match at all. I didn’t take a picture of the original, but it was clearly knit on a different size needle. Don’t know what size. It also appears that I did some shaping, which didn’t surprise me, but today I did shaping of a completely different sort without any regard to the first one. Oh, and I knew full well that the original sock was a short-row heel, but I was going to just have socks with character.

With all these differences, though, I think the original one will be redone, complete with a matching heel. I’m not sure how I feel about the Widdershins–it fits great, but it caused unsightly pooling over the instep, which short-row heels don’t generate. So . . . lukewarm on that heel when using variegateds. Otherwise okay.

Of course, now that I’m between projects again, the cross-stitch is calling my name . . .

She’s just as sweet and delightful, though. I don’t know why, but I had it in my head that Jennie was going to tower over me. Turns out she’s just a little taller than me (or about the same height; we were not on completely level ground for the photo).

I’ve compared these blogger meetups with first dates (not that I know what a first date is really like), but this one was more like falling in step with an old friend, I thought. I was a bit late for our lunch date on Friday, so when I dashed outside and turned and saw her–I don’t know–it was like, “Right! There’s Jennie, waiting for me.” Not “Woah! I just met Jennie!”

Jennie is a fan of all foods that come with rice, so I took her to Won Dee Siam, where I took Rachel many months ago. It’s so tasty and so inexpensive, it’s hard to resist. We were there chatting for a long while–until there were no other patrons in the place–and then we went to Central Park for some knitting and more great conversation.

I started on a baby hat for one of the twins (Jennie suggested cables so I went with 2×2 cables all around, separated by 2 purls, and I knit about 2 inches). Her approach to an afternoon of knitting was different. She did something I’ve seen other bloggers do, and which mystifies me–she knit for some time on the baby bootees, then set them aside and got out her Icarus shawl. I’m a monogamous knitter, so this is completely foreign to me.

She did have a surprise in store–one completed Leyburn sock! Hers is so beautiful. She had a bit of trouble with the heel (making it roomy enough). I am not entirely sure how to guide folks if you have a need for a larger/taller heel, since the short-row heel (the lazy knitter’s heel, in my lazy opinion) doesn’t allow for much height. Maybe do a Widdershins heel flap, so you can get a taller heel? It’s a little tricky to maintain stretchiness with the floats, which is why the pattern has some increasing built in before the heel. I guess increase more, and then decrease it away?

Anyway, the afternoon was over all too soon–next time I’m in Philly, I hope Jennie’s in town!

Since finishing Swallowtail, I haven’t been exactly sure what I wanted to knit next. I swatched for Sahara, and once I did I recalled my intention to knit it with a different gauge, which as you know means extensive math, and well: not in the mood. I decided that doubling the yarn for the Cabled Bandeau is not being true to the yarn, so I’m going to frog that entirely and find new yarn to make it out of. I started designing a new pair of socks, but the Koigu felt really thick and rough compared with the laceweight I used for Swallowtail and the luscious Tess Silk & Ivory I was using for Sahara. I wanted something light, something sweet, something that would feel good to work on and brighten my day. I wanted to work with some soft sock yarn, like the Lisa Souza Sock!Merino. So I did.

A New iPod Cozy
Pattern: My own
Yarn: Lisa Souza Sock!Merino in Peacock
Needles: US 1 Knitpicks Circs (used Magic Loop)
Started: 8pm, Sunday June 3
Finished: 10pm, Sunday, June 3
Movie Watched: Ocean’s Eleven, on TBS

I’m very happy with this FO. So fast, so easy, so practical, and feels like a vast improvement over my last iPod cozy, though that one served me well. In fact, I think I had that iPod cozy for two and a half years. Here it is, in a photo taken a year and a half ago, when it was a year old.

That was knit using an acrylic yarn that actually had some sparkle, which I felt was appropriate for the iPod what with it being white and all. But it’s become really dirty, and stretched out, and though it still functioned fine, I wanted something shiny and new.

This was a great use of leftover sock yarn–used very little yarn. I love the color (this yarn was used to make my top-down+toe-up pair of Pomatomus) and having this in my bag today brought a smile to my face. I used the same “pattern” that I made up for the first one, using moss stitch for the flap and top edging and a bobble for the closure, but of course I adjusted for gauge. Mostly I decided how many stitches to cast on (46 stitches total), used magic cast-on, and knit a tube using Magic Loop. To make the holes for the earphones and the bobble, I cast one stitch off in the middle and on the next row did a yo to both create a stitch and increase the size of the hole. I know current iPods don’t have the earphones come out the middle of the top like that, so you may not even need to know how I did it!

Unfortunately, knitting something so fast means I’m back to trying to decide what to knit next!

Photos taken on the penthouse patio of the woman who hosted the alumnae board meeting I attended tonight on the Upper East Side. I can only dream of someday living in a place like that!