Nothing knitting related to report today

Because this is more important:

1) Being gay is not natural. Real Americans always reject unnatural things like eyeglasses, polyester, liposuction and air conditioning.

2) Gay marriage will encourage people to be gay, in the same way that hanging around tall people will make you tall.

3) Legalizing gay marriage will open the door to all kinds of crazy behavior. People may even wish to marry their pets because a dog has legal standing and can sign a marriage contract.

4) Straight marriage has been around a long time and hasn't changed at all; women are still property, blacks still can't marry whites, and divorce is still illegal.

5) Straight marriage will be less meaningful if gay marriage were allowed; the sanctity of Brittany Spears' 55-hour just-for-fun marriage would be destroyed.

6) Straight marriages are valid because they produce children. Gay couples, infertile couples, and old people shouldn't be allowed to marry because our orphanages aren't full yet, and the world needs more children.

7) Obviously gay parents will raise gay children, since straight parents only raise straight children.

8) Gay marriage is not supported by religion. In a theocracy like ours, the values of one religion are imposed on the entire country. That's why we have only one religion in America.

9) Children can never succeed without a male and a female role model at home. That's why we as a society expressly forbid single parents to raise children.

10) Gay marriage will change the foundation of society; we could never adapt to new social norms. Just like we haven't adapted to cars, the service-sector economy, or longer life spans...

----------
Re-post this if you believe in legalizing gay marriage

Spiritwear

I saw this on Wendy's blog and I thought: "What a cute idea".
Moment of honesty: Kristine is having an anniversary promotion on her online store and everything is 10% off. She has Karabella Aurora 8 already on sale and I have been dying to to try it.
So I asked Principessa if she would like me to knit her a sweater in her school colors, red and white. Pause. Longer pause. Then she sighs and shots me one of her looks.
"Mom", she starts. Nothing good ever comes out after "mom", if it is good I am either "mommy" or "mamma".
"Mom, the spirit wear is sold as a fundraising for the school, you should know that".
I should know because I am on the board of the school foundation, but in my defense I will say that the PTA, not the foundation, sells the spiritwear. We do not sell, we ask for money, directly and, big checks, please.
"The only reason why I wear the spiritwear", she continues without giving me the possibility of reminding her I am not a PTA mom, "is to support the fundraising effort. Wearing something you knit in red and white would not make any sense, wouldn't it? I do not even look good in red".
May I remind everybody she is not even nine years old? I am scared.
But then, this is the child who, when four and asked what she would like to be when grown up, said: "I would like to have Greenspan's job".
Well, Miss Chairman of the Federal Reserve, I'll buy the Karabella for Paperino.
But not in the school colors, she does have a point. As always.

Well .....

I was so proud because I went 24 days without buying any yarn - guess how long it lasted?

I saw this on Etsy:



And I needed to have it. After all, there is always space for one more hank, right?

And Dani is one talented lady!

Seen that?

There, in my left sidebar, it has been 24 since my last yarn purchase. I honestly don't know how it happened, I was not even trying. I think it does something to do with the fact that I actually think "where the heck I am going to store it?" - I am beyond "hiding it" right now - every time I think of buying yarn.
So yesterday evening I decided to re-organize my stash once again - read that as "combine and find more space". I am afraid that it is more organized, but I can't say that I have space left.
I managed to get all my acrylic stash - the one that is not counted in the 521 balls total nor documented here - in two big boxes. A couple of big skeins did not fit in them, so I am sending them to this lady. Generosity? No, self-serving "I needs space" effort.
Then, beside this chest filled to the brims, I have four plastic boxes and yarn stuffed in every space available of my closet. And three baskets that contains my current projects. Well, one basket used to contain the yarn for the kids' school knitting club, but I moved that to a tote since the club is starting next week, so it is two baskets with current projects and one basket with "knit soon" yarn. Knit soon because I do not know where to put it.
Oh, and I have a bag with the traveling projects. And a very small tote with my "always with me emergency project". And I bought a forth basket at Ikea on Sunday, where I put all my small projects.

Bottom line: shuffling things around does not help.

But I finished knitting Bloom, off to the crochet edge tonight!

Of course ......

You Belong in Rome



You're a big city girl with a small town heart.

Which is why you're attracted to the romance of Rome.

Strolling down picture perfect streets, cappuccino in hand.

And gorgeous Italian men - could life get any better?

What City Do You Belong in? Take This Quiz :-)

Socks socks socks!

These are th socks I recieved for Sockapal2za:



Jessie with no blog made them for me - and I love them!

I hope not

I do hope that the gift I am making for my co-worker whose wife is having a baby soon is not becoming another of those La Boheme-like cursed project. As I said before, I frogged the Frog Hat and Socks I was making because hideous, and I decided for this sweater from Last Minute Knitted Gifts. I decided not to use the green superwash wool I bought for the hideous hat because it's dark green and I wanted something more baby-like, but at the same I was determined to "shop my stash". So I notice this - the photo is deceiving, I actually have 26 ball of the Sunshine Kissed colorway. Why on earth I have so much Sugar'n Cream? Because I wanted to make eight of this:



Yes, go ahead, laugh. Me, making eight boring to death tablemats? On my defense, you need to remember I was coming out of six weeks in-laws visit. And I survived.
So I said, "Ah, ah, I'll use the cotton to make the baby sweater, it almost has gauge". Of course I did not swatch, nor checked the measurement of the pattern. Needed 21 sts/4", after 6 inches I decided to check because the sweater seems a little bit big, I am getting 18 sts/4", and that gives me 22" chest instead of 18.5". Size 1-2 years instead of 0-6 months.
1-2 years? Look at this:



Paperino is 5 years old - I go to kindergarten! He would add.
Good news is, he really likes it, so I am finishing for him. But back to square one for this baby who is due any day now.
I am thinking this, with the same cotton, the gauge is right, the measurements completely out of quack: 22" chest is the size for a 6-9 months old baby and we have just established that a 5 years old, albeit a skinny one, wears that.
Maybe a blanket?

Tuesday was for knit-along

I am yet to cast for Buttonhole bag with Heilo.


I made a baby sweater for afghans for Afghans, but I was told that they want at least 50% and I used wool-ease. Oh, well, off I am to cast for another one.


I frogged my Peaks'n' Valley Socks - note to myself: I do not like variageted yarn and lace, how many times do I have to say this before I actually remember it?


The only pink project I have on the needles right now are the Branching Out Handwarmers, and yes, I worked on them a little.


9 summer projects done (SnB Little Top, Knee High Socks, Striped Toe-up Socks, Fragola, baby tank top, Matilde, Kidlet Tank, Haiku, and Soleil) and 2 on the needles (NBaT and Hopeful).


One more Quickie Sweater on the needles.


The scale is broken, really!


6 inches done - boring stockinette!


I have decided to make Misty Garden from Scarf Style with Etosha, then I changed my mind and I casted for Tiger Eye Lace Scarf with Twinkletoes Socks Yarn.


I got my socks (photos to come soon) and Nicole got mine!

As I promised

The photo of the latest baby sweater:



I was the knitting club last night and Hollis showed me the new Karaoke colors that are coming out - they are spectacular, pictures do not do them justice. Good thing they do not come out until November, because I have official ran out of space where to hide store my stash.

I picked up the latest Vouge Knitting: the shawls are beautiful, but I am going to make Sursa before I even thing about another shawl. And one cardigan I like, I have the yarn for it .....

Political tip bits:
Do they ever bother with facts?

No knitting, I am in love

I am in love with this:



So, no knitting whatsoever, not a stitch from Wednesday to Sunday night. My husband, who is sometime irritated at my constant knitting, does not seem to mind at all that I have been attached to my laptop for the last four days. Paperino, on the other side, is kind of worried - I overheard him asking Principessa: "What's wrong with mommy? She is not knitting".

Today is knitting night at Knitting_Click and I am going - 48 hours straight of database programming are enough. So maybe, it is not true love, but just a fling? I sewed up my last quickie baby sweater last night (photo to come soon), and every time I have knitted one of them, I have played with the pattern a little. I think I have it done exactly how I like now, and I'll probably put my version up soon.
Then I ripped the Frog Hat and Socks I was making for a co-worker (his wife is having a baby soon and they both love frogs). Good idea in theory, but no, they were hideous in practice. I'll make another baby sweater, not the quick one since it looks feminine to me, probably the one from Last Minute Knitted Gifts.

I re-arranged my queue - I need to face it, summer is over tomorrow and even here in California it is time to think about cooler weather. I need a cardi, and my chili red hemp/wool is calling me. And Pricipessa is asking daily when her winter Fragola will be done (I haven't casted for it yet). And yesterday she requested "cozy" socks (I think I have enough leftover from my Happy Soxs) . And I need to start on Misty Garden from Scarf Style with Etosha for the Scarf Me! exchange. Oh, and x-mas will be here before I know it, right?

As usual, so many projects, so little time!

Least but not last, wanna laugh? Read this.

SP6 is up and running

And my questionnaire is here.

Look what my friend sent me - a photo of hers wearing Soleil!

Tuesday is for knit-along

With the kids back to school - I have forgotten how much work is kindergarten for the parents - little knitting going on these days. I am actually looking forward to soccer practice, when I can just sit and knit.


I am yet to cast for Buttonhole bag with Heilo.


I casted for a baby sweater for afghans for Afghans - they moved the due date to September 26, so there is still time.


Working on my Peaks'n' Valley Socks.


The only pink project I have on the needles right now are the Branching Out Handwarmers, and yes, I worked on them a little.


9 summer projects done (SnB Little Top, Knee High Socks, Striped Toe-up Socks, Fragola, baby tank top, Matilde, Kidlet Tank, Haiku, and Soleil) and 2 on the needles (NBaT and Hopeful).


One more Quickie Sweater on the needles.


The scale is broken, really!


I am finally on track!


My first shrug is done, click here for pics, and I may make Isabeau one day.


I got my match, now I need to decide between two projects.


I am mailing out my Sockapal2za socks today!

Back to regular contents

As soon as Knitty was up, I casted for Bloom. This is the first half the shawl and it took me just one evening:



It is such a clever pattern, and so easy, you just go and go and it is done. Principessa loves it, so I don't think I'll get to wear it much. I am using HPY bulky wool, so the results is not as nice as I had used Noro Silk Garden, but this is what I had in my stash that would work. You don't think I would go out and buy more yarn, don't you? Have you seen the size of my stash? People keep sending me yarn! Sometimes because I give them my cc number, sometimes just because. And speaking of gifts, look what my Felted SP sent me:



She picked done skein of each of my favorite colors, two of them Lamb's Pride no less, that I have never knitted. And stitch markers she made just for me!

THANK YOU, SP!

Are you proud to work for ..... ?

That is a question I have being asked quarterly, "Are you proud to be working for _name of my company_ ?".
We have a quarterly employee satisfaction survey and that is the question I do not get. I was told is a cultural thing, that Americans think that what they do for a living is what they are. Once someone told me about being at a dinner party in Italy, and nobody was talking about their jobs, and nobody was offering info about their profession, and or showed any interest when he tried to talk about it. Well, it was a dinner party right? Why people would want to talk about work? And the reply was, because my work defines who I am. Well, not in Europe, it does not.

Anyway, my company is matching dollar to dollar employees' donation to the Red Cross Katrina Relief Fund AND the head of my division has offered to match donations from our division plus company match up to $100,000 for donation - that means that my donation has been quadrupled as I type.

Note to myself: next time, make upper management happy and answer yes to the silly question.
Go read Mrs. Pilkington's Outrage and Action, And Some Good News.

Where to send donations:

University Presbyterian Church
3240 Dalrymple Drive
Baton Rouge, LA 70803.
The University Presbyterian Church located by Louisiana State University Campus, in need of all baby items and clothing. Contact Peggy at the church: (225) 383-0345.

First Baptist Church
ATTN: Pastor Fred Malone12329 Jackson Street
P.O. Box 552
Clinton, LA 70722
They are in need of toiletries especially toothbrushes, toothpast, soap, washclothes, shaving gear, hair brushes, feminine napkins and diapers--but much more. Also they can use some food items like granola and protein bars, crackers and peanut butter (non-perishables that are easy to pass out).

Incompetence is bad enough; not taking responsibility for it is shameful. Blaming it on others is a national disgrace.

From the Star Tribune:

If the human misery that followed Hurricane Katrina has been shocking and painful, the federal government's shifting explanations for its needless severity have been utterly shameful.

That assessment is not part of some political, postdisaster "blame game," but an insistence that accountability for preparing for and responding to a major U.S. disaster be placed squarely where it belongs: the federal government and its emergency-response program, FEMA.

The Bush administration's attempts to shift accountability elsewhere -- first to the victims stuck in New Orleans for not leaving, later to Louisiana officials and "bureaucrats" -- are an appalling use of political tactics in the highly inappropriate realm of human suffering and pain, of lives saved and lives lost.

That realm requires that officials accept responsibility, express true and deep understanding of the dislocation and misery being experienced, and redouble efforts to make up for a sickeningly bungled start.

While efforts have been redoubled, effectiveness is still in question; genuine, deep understanding hasn't been apparent despite two presidential visits to the area. And accountability? Accepting it would involve, at the least, making clear that critical changes will be made, and rolling appropriate heads at FEMA and its umbrella, the Department of Homeland Security.

Instead, the White House organized a PR effort directed by political adviser Karl Rove, master of political attack-machine tactics. The New York Times reported Monday that the administration, alarmed at the potential political fallout of its poor performance, regrouped over the weekend and mapped out its strategy. The plan has rolled out exactly as the Times' report said it would:

Administration officials appearing in public have downplayed the need to quickly assess failures, and have tried instead to discuss what's being done now. To the extent that they -- and allies who appear or write in their stead -- do discuss failures, it is to point the finger at local and state officials or "bureaucrats." Officials doing just that include Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff, whose accountability is right up there with FEMA director Michael Brown's.

These tactics are beyond outrageous. No state, no locality can take the lead in dealing with an emergency like Katrina. That's why FEMA was created. That is why Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco declared a state of emergency on Friday, Aug. 26, when Katrina was a Category 2 hurricane. It is why the Gulf Coast states requested help from the Pentagon that same day.

It is why the next day, as Katrina was upgraded to Category 3, Blanco asked President Bush to declare a federal state of emergency in Louisiana. It was declared. Thus FEMA had full authority and responsibility from the White House "to identify, mobilize, and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency."

Over the following week the world watched as an even more powerful Katrina hit on Monday and victims pitifully waited for help without adequate (or often any) food, health care or water. Meager boats rescued a few as doctors pleaded for aid, as newscasters struggled to share the story -- and as ships, trucks and outside aid waited, and waited, for approval to help, frequently thwarted, incredibly, by FEMA.

Exactly what went wrong, in both the planning and the response, must be assessed in short order. The ability of the United States to prepare for and respond to disaster -- whatever the origin -- is vital to its security. No less, it is critical to America's ability to honor its shared values, which include attending to the poor, the sick, the vulnerable -- the very people who suffered most from the government's incompetence last week. Yet the White House delays the reckoning while pointing fingers at others.

Incompetence is bad enough; not taking responsibility for it is shameful. Blaming it on others is a national disgrace.


edited to add: Carla has blogged the same article, and then she writes today:
"While you and other Americans are taking money out of your pockets to help the Katrina-area people recover, the Republicans want to effectively negate everyone's efforts by forcing a wage cut on people who might actually get jobs--to replace those they lost because of the hurricane--in the reconstruction efforts."
Go read, they have no shame.

Christine posted a katrina's timeline that will make you cry (she adapted it from Think Progress).

And no, not even the new Knitty can take my mind off all this.

Hearbreaking video of Charmaine Neville, NOLA evacuee

I got the link to this video from Carla - she has a transcript of it on her blog.

One Skein Princess

Here is Principessa not happy while modeling OSW - you know, school started, she is busy.



And annoyed.



Even her back says: "You are wasting my time!"

Go buy one

and read this.

What, is it not Monday?

Holidays confuse me, but it is Tuesday:


The August project is done, need to cast for the Buttonhole bag.


Remember when I posted this? I was at Michael's on Sunday to use my 50% off coupon, and I picked up some Wool-ease in green - quickie bay sweater, here I come.


Another Quickie Baby Sweater in pink done.


12 summer projects done (SnB Little Top, Knee High Socks, Striped Toe-up Socks, Fragola, baby tank top, Matilde, Kidlet Tank, Haiku, Soleil, Quickie Baby Sweater, another one, and OSW) and 2 on the needles (NBaT and Hopeful).


One more Quickie Baby Sweater.


The scale did say 2.5 lb less this morning.


I did work on it last night!


I re-casted for a third time, but now it is finally going!


OSW done!



I hauled a bunch of packages to the post office last week, only to discover later I have forgotten 3 at home. I sent a box of squares to LoveAfghans4PRR, and extra yarn, only to remember that I have a box for the Children's Village, Inc. still sitting in my garage. But I am very happy I sent my squares, and I am done for this year. I really can't stand working with acrylic, after a while my hands hurt and I need to use tons of lotion. I posted Soleil to my friend and I remembered that I have a package for my niece as well. Then, I had SP business to attend. I mailed my first box to the person I am spoiling for the Felted SP, but I realized that I missed one very important piece of my package for my Knitty SP5 spoilee, so that is still sitting in my office.

The curse is broken

Click on the picture for a large image

La Boheme is now a scarf and I am very happy with it.

But I am starting to wonder about Hopeful, back to square one:



So I casted for a pair of socks, Peak'n' Valley, with the yarn Deb sent me a while ago:

Katrina relief - for us in the SF Bay Area

I am on a SF Bay Area non-profit volunteers list and I received the following msg:

PLEASE CLEAR OUT YOUR CLOSETS AND GET YOUR STUFF TO PEOPLE WHO CAN USE IT NOW!

THANKS... AND PLS FORWARD THIS..

I've just talked to this wonderful woman Mari (see below) and she's adding drop-off sites by the hour, and can't keep her website updated! If you don't see anything below or on their site, just call her and she'll call you right back if you get voicemails on her two numbers - she'll give you updates on where you drop off donations..

I'm taking 20 bags of clothes, towels, etc. etc. to a guy in Berkeley (Aaron- 510-357-8359) who's rented a U-Haul truck to collect stuff and then he'll take it the Operation Ryan place in Newark when full.

Thanks for whatever you can do.
===============

COME HELP OPERATION RYAN'S HOPE, Katrina relief
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply to: marisolcompany@aol.com
Date: 2005-09-03, 9:42PM PDT

Please come help Operation Ryan's Hope!! We are accepting donations this Labor Day at our Newark wareehouse 38505 Cherry St.Door #40, Newark 94560. We will be there on Monday from 10 am to 4 pm and Tuesday from 10 - 7 pm and Wednesday - Friday from 10-3. We have a truck coming on Wednesday, a full semi that will ship supplies to Louisiana.

We are accepting all types of donations, please see our list. We can get these items to the shelters. Please help us help those that are in desperate need!

For information on Operation Ryan's Hope go to our website at www.operationryanshope.com or see an articles on us on the San Matteo Daily Journal.

Below is our flyer:

My son started this operation and it has grown in the past two days to tremendous levels. We have hired a 53' semi truck to deliver the supplies to an Alexandria shelter and a Marksville, LA shelter. We are working with the Mayor's office in Marksville. I can supply phone numbers to confirm the above. Below is an article that was written by the SM Daily Journal and today NBC11 came to do a story on Ryan's efforts. Below is some information:

Please help us send supplies to the Victims and Evacuees of Hurricane Katrina.
We are preparing to send a full semi truck of supplies to Marksville, LA to help with the victims. The items will be distributed to over thousands of victims who are now homeless and living in homes, schools, shelters, on the street. Everything helps!


Items needed:

Clothing, light clothing, socks, shoes, t-shirts, pants, shorts

Baby clothing, diapers, baby wipes, formula, baby bottles, baby blankets.

Pillows/blankets, sheets

Children clothing

Over the counter pain relievers; tylenol, motrin, tums, alka seltzer, pepto bismol, band aides, antiseptics, First Aid kits

Coloring books, board games, books for kids, small stuffed animals

Batteries, Flashlights, tarps, pots and pans. Coleman stoves, air mattresses, washcloths, bedding, etc.



We are coordinating several drop off locations, Burlingame, San Bruno, Newark,

DALY CITY:
1019 WASHINGTON DALY CITY
THE UPS STORE - DALY CITY AT THE WESTLAKE VILLAGE

MILL VALLEY:
Mill Valley Police Department
One Hamilton Drive
www.millvalleypd.org for directions

1483 Rollins Road
Burlingame, CA
Monday 9-11 am
Tuesday - Friday 9 am to 3 pm.

We are adding locations to the South Bay, Martinez, Sacramento and East Bay. Please contact us if you can become a drop off location. 650.784.1126

Our warehouse in Newark at 38505 Cherry Door 40 is the central area for the donations. We will be accepting donations on Monday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Please call if you can help. 650.642.6791 or 650.784.1126.

Mari Richardson

Operation Ryan's Hope.

Happy, happy

Remember when I posted this and I was disappointed by Burt's Bees?

Just read this on their website:

"As far as fragrance goes, we use it only when necessary, and it's always Phthalate-free."

Happy, happy.

A little bit of this, a little bit of that

Four skeins of Noro Gemstones, a gift of my wonderful SP4 Stacey, there hours of knitting and here I go:



Why, it's a scarf!



This yarn is soooo soft, and the colors! Well, Noro colors. Of course, being so fabulous, it has been discontinued. But I have my scarf!

I joined another knit-along:



Actually, we were waiting for the new Tivoli pattern, that now is out on MagKnit. I love this issue and I want to make Sesame too - like I don't have enough projects that I want to make. Maybe if all the knitting publications would just stop for a year or so, I could catch up.

I am working on yet another Quickie baby Sweater for a co-worker who is going to have a baby girl soon. Those sweater are so easy and quick to crank out that I am going to make one for afghans for Afghans - I have some Wool of the Andes in green that is perfect for it.

What about Gioia? Frogged. I tell you, that yarn is cursed.
Here is the thing: I love the color, I hate the texture of the yarn. As for the pattern, I love the stitch, I don't care for the funny shape.

So La Boheme is now becoming this:



The same pattern as the Gemstones scarf, easy and quick. And I am going to finish it. Promise.