Eye Candy Friday: Fresh off the farm!

Eggs from our local farmer's market.

I don't know if anyone still does Eye-Candy Friday. But when I saw these in a bowl, waiting for Chris to scramble them, I had to snap a picture. Aren't they gorgeous?

Two of them were literally pale green (does that show up on your browser? I hope so!).

I'd love to dye up some fiber in these colors, so I could spin a luminous two-ply, worsted-weight yarn. Then I'd use it to knit myself a cozy, woolly sweater.

Happy weekend!

Eye Candy Friday: Fresh off the farm!

Eye Candy Friday...on Sunday

Look at the gorgeous lines on this sweet 'Vette...
1957 Chevrolet Corvette SS (built for the 12 Hours of Sebring)

A rather famous Mercedes...very futuristic!

1954/55 Mercedes-Benz W196 Streamliner (Formula 1)


(I took these photos at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum while at the 2007 US Grand Prix.)

Eye Candy Friday...on Sunday

Secret Garden

If you keep your eyes open when you walk around the District, you'll see many beautiful little nooks and crannies like this. My grandmother would have said these are the places where fairies live.

On another note: The thing about Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) is that it saps your ability and desire to do anything at all. And focusing or concentrating can sometimes be a real chore. Unfortunately, my health has been declining a bit in this area...I'm pushing myself way too hard.

That's why the Gentleman's Socks with Lozenge Pattern are taking me a bit longer than usual...I've been feeling particularly ill, so I'm not enjoying keeping track of the knit/purl pattern. Too much counting involved, and I keep losing my place. For now, I may just cast on a plain old sock--the kind I can knit without having to count anything at all.

Well, there's lots of rest in my immediate future (like, this weekend!). I hope yours is relaxing, as well, and that you have lots of time to do the things you enjoy with the people you love. Happy Friday!

Secret Garden

PINK

These six-inch beauties startled me when I was walking to work last Thursday...I looked to my left and there they were, in all their glory. So the next day, I tossed my camera into my bag before leaving the house, so I could share their raspberry-ice deliciousness with you.

CAT EMERGENCY O' THE MONTH
We came home last night to find Maggie breathing through her open mouth, making a horrible rasping sound, and we both thought her lips looked blue-ish. So I turned on the A/C--the District is an allergy diaster zone--and called the city's one and only animal emergency room. When they heard what was going on, they said to bring her in immediately. You see, Maggie has a heart murmur, so heart failure is always a scary possibility.

Without hesitation, as soon as I asked, our wonderful, wonderful friends Erika and Karida were on their way to drive us up to the vet, then they stayed to drive us home. True friendship, in my book. After x-rays and exam, the vet couldn't find a reason for M's symptoms. (Of course, M ceased all odd behavior as soon as we walked in the hospital door.)

Because the A/C seemed to have helped a little, probably by filtering the air, she could only assume M's "attack" was due to allergies, which she's had before, but not seriously. So home we went, with antihistamines in hand. By the time we got home, it was after 9 p.m., and we were both absolutely wiped out.

I swear, sometimes I think this cat is going to be the death of me.

BACK TO KNITTING...
Since this is a knitting blog, I thought I'd also mention that I finished Waving Lace sock #1, and really love it. Last Saturday I went to Stitch DC and picked up a really beautiful skein of Schaeffer "Anne" sock yarn for my step-dad's socks. Chris' final pattern choice was Gentleman's Sock with Lozenge Pattern, from Nancy Bush's Knitting Vintage Socks.

Between work, my sprained knee, M's emergency-of-the-month, and an overall sense of exhaustion, I haven't been very good about writing or taking and posting photos lately. To those of you who keep coming back anyway, I just want to say a huge THANK YOU for bearing with me. I love sharing ideas and experiences, and hearing about yours, too, so I'll try to be more consistent from now on.

For now, though, I'll just say: I hope you have a wonderful, peaceful weekend with lots of sun, fun, and time for knitting!

PINK

A Perfect Day

Need I say more?

Well, perhaps I do, considering my absence lately. You see, I sprained my knee...

I went to the ER with excrutiating pain and numbness(!) after a bad fall. X-rays and a sonogram ruled out broken bones and deep vein thrombosis (DVT, a dangerous blood clot condition that can happen to anyone after any leg injury--be aware!). Final diagnosis: sprain. I opted for the cane over crutches, which I absolutely detest (ever since I had arthroscopic surgery on the same knee two years ago). So lots of rest for me and my leg.

Oddly, with more time to slow down, elevate knee, and rest, I haven't felt much like knitting! But when the mood strikes, I work on my Waving Lace sock. Almost done with this one:

I'll have to take a break between sock #1 and sock #2 to make a pair of socks for my step-dad's Christmas present...Yes, that's right. I still owe him a Christmas present for 2006! It's a long story--involving an online seller who failed to deliver a lovely gift we ordered in December. We finally got him to issue a refund.

Since it's now May, I thought it would be nice to offer Walter the hand-made gift of his choice. He loved the socks I made for my mom's birthday, so I told him I'd make a special pair for him. The saga continues: I'll show you the patterns I'm considering in my next post.

Meanwhile, to all of you, find a place in the sun or shade, a cool drink, and enjoy the weekend. Happy Monther's Day!

A Perfect Day

Café de Printemps

Weekend plans: Find a table in the sun with my honey, order some cool drinks, and read/write/knit to our hearts' content.

As for MDSW: I just can't do it. We've been a bit tight, money-wise, lately, and so I decided that it would make more sense to spend that money on:

(1) Our May rent (!)
(2) Beads for my stitch markers and fabric for my knitting bags (all under the Knit*Six “design label”), which Karida is going to sell on my behalf at her booth at the Knitters Connection in Columbus, OH, in June
(3) Our trip to Indy in June, for the US Formula One Grand Prix

Also, I have no shortage of yarn and fiber at home, and no projects planned for the near future for which I’m lacking supplies. Going to the festival is a lot of fun, but I’d be just too tempted to buy “stuff” – whether I actually want to/need to or not. And with our small space, there’s not much room to store more than I already have.

This was a carefully thought out decision, so I don’t feel left out or (too) disappointed. Instead, I’ll enjoy a beautiful weekend with Chris, and go to a DC United football (soccer) game on Sunday :-)

Finally, for my online knitting & blogging friends...I'm wishing you all a lovely spring/autumn weekend (depending on your hemisphere), with loads of time for repaxing with your needles.

Café de Printemps

Feeling Pretty

Mmmmmm. Pretty colors...


I promise to talk about something else after this, but I just had to share my recent sock yarn madness. This is the stash accumulated, mostly, during the past month...Largely rewards for meeting a goal I set for myself :-)

The two "cakes" are Lorna's Laces Watercolors and Neighborhood Fiber Co. (NFC) Brightwood. The skeins, clockwise from the top are: Claudia Hand Painted Chocolate Cherry; Sundara Yarns' Cherry Blossoms; NFC's Brookland (teal and purple); a gorgeous cranberry-colored semi-solid from NFC (I forget the color's name!); and Claudia's Pink Dot.

And, to quote Basie, "once more once," before they head to the post office today--the oh-so-pretty Orchid Socks (AKA Simply Lovely Lace Socks in Koigu KPPPM)...complete with sewn-down picot edge.

Please be advised: These socks are meant for far smaller feet than mine! (As you can tell.)



Finally, because Maggie's been getting all the attention lately...

This is Katja, looking pretty and pensive. Despite her precious "Fancy Feast" appearance, she's actually a hellion--a wannabe barn cat. We love that about her.

Feeling Pretty

Bad Yarn Karma Reversed!

First things first. Here's some belated eye candy:

The image quality sucks--I snapped this with my cell phone camera yesterday--but those colors were just gorgeous.

Anyway, I've been away for a few days. Not feeling so hot. I had a medical issue last week (Maggie wasn't the only one) and followed up with a doctor's appointment yesterday. I'm sure it's nothing, but it might be exacerbating my usual complete and utter exhaustion...

OK, enough of me. Let me show you some more cell phone photos:

That's right! The striped hat is actually DONE. Bad yarn karma (BYK) banished. And just in time, considering we went out to a Phillies/Nationals game the other night and it was COLD. Actually, I finished it just minutes before the DC United game I went to last Saturday, when it was cold and rainy.

You see, when DC had its faux spring a few weeks ago, we packed all my hats away with our winter stuff. So when the day of the football (soccer) game dawned chilly and damp, I was a bit worried. That afternoon, I rushed home, wove in ends, made tassel, and caught the Blue Line out to RFK Stadium just in time.

That makes two cold RFK visits in one week. And both times, I was thankful for this hat. For months, it's languished in a bag, slung over a chair back (all the doorknobs are taken). This is the pattern you have to knit to accomplish Level 1 in TKGA's Master Hand Knitter program, and I'm not very excited about it. It's OK. Just not the kind of hat I'd choose to make on my own.

But once I got going with the new pink yarn--which extinguished the BYK--it basically finished itself. All stockinette in the round. Knit, knit, knit, change color, knit, knit, knit. Needless to say, I made it in front of the television, watching BBC mysteries from Netflix.

Here's a blurry photo of Pat Burrell's butt--the same way I saw him when I used to go to Reading Phillies games in PA. Funny to see the same view five years later and a few hundred miles away ;-)

As for the Master Hand Knitter program...I've completed all of my swatches and the hat. Haven't answered the questions yet. But for some reason, I've lost interest. Now that I've done the work, I'm just not all that concerned about having the Master Knitter title. I'd rather knit for myself, for fun, for art. Not to adhere to someone else's subjective ideas of perfection.

So, the hat I scorned for so long will go into the box with my other woolies. It's not the hat's fault that someone wrote a dumb pattern. It's kept me warm when no other hat was around...I think I've grown a bit attached to it. And all of my swatches will join their friends in my bag-o-swatches, and someday become part of...well...something. A throw, perhaps?

(I can't toss a perfectly good swatch, can you?)

Bad Yarn Karma Reversed!

Where do you find inspiration?

I find it in the gorgeous colors of a perfect spring day: Robin's egg blue; pale, sandy beige; tart, fresh green; and the glorious colors of blossoming trees illuminated by the golden morning sun.


Looking at these photos, it's obvious I've been in the mood for pastels mixed with brown. Pink and brown, pale green and brown (like mint-chip ice cream), and powdery blue and brown.
Luckily for me, I didn't have to look too far to find the perfect yarn to satisfy my cravings...It's called Brightwood, from D.C.'s Neighborhood Fiber Company (owned by the lovely Karida Collins). I love all of NFC's colourways, but this one--brand new for spring--really speaks to me. It's begging to become a sweet little scarf, like this one.

I really would love to know: Where do you find your inspiration?

Finally, I have a request: This little one isn't feeling well. She has a fever and won't eat. We're worried, because she's about 13 years old. Please say a prayer, send positive energy, meditate on her healing, or whatever you believe in--it's all good. Her name is Maggie, and she's a gentle soul.


Thank you, from all of us.

PS. Comments welcome :-)

Where do you find inspiration?

Cherry blossoms and so much more...

PS. Click on the first photo to enlarge - or, if you have very good eyes, just look closely - and you'll see the White House at the end of 16th Street...

All photos (c) 2007, Hannah Six

Cherry blossoms and so much more...

Inspiration...

I take so much inspiration from our trips to the shore. Cape May in particular. The moody colors of the sea, sand, sky, and the brilliant hues of the Victorian houses (mostly B&Bs now). And when I look more closely, I find inspiration in the lines and shapes around me: the way the grasses lie on the dunes, the windblown beach fences, the slants and curves and layers of the Victorians' architectural elements. Honestly, I could live there and never tire of it. Maybe some day...

My knitting has slowed a bit this week--as has my writing & blogging--due to indescribable back spasms in my upper back. The muscles by my left shoulderblade seem to have fused into a single, cement-hard system of knots. Like having golf balls wedged against your bones...Lovely for the nerves, as you can imagine. I can feel it all the way down to my palm. Ugh.

So, while I can't NOT knit, I've been trying to take it easy. Early in the week I played around with this:
Although I was familiar with all the techniques already, Nona's excellent improvisational knitting tutorialreally got my creative juices flowing. The swatch remains in this condition, due to my laziness about digging through my stash to pull out other bits and pieces. But it's still on the needles, so one day soon it may begin to grow again.

I also started working on Tahoe, using my purple Heirloom Breeze(ordered from Ozeyarn...they're wonderful!). Last week I said that I didn't want to look like a giant Easter egg, wearing all purple (egg comment courtesy of a rude coworker from my distant past). Then I figured out my problem with the yarn: I don't want to make something that's 100% purple Heirloom Breeze. It's wonderful yarn, but for me it needs some embellishment to de-purple it a little.

Then Tahoe came along and inspired me to cast on. I will probably use a dark shade of fingering-weight yarn (Koigu or something similar) to tone down the overall color a bit. And I may end the sleeves at 3/4 length and finish them with a few inches of lace edging in the contrasting color. No photos yet--it's in the boring inches-and-inches-of-stockinette phase. But someday soon, pictures will be taken and posted.

This weeekend, by the way, is not only mon cheri's birthday (HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CHRIS! I LOVE YOU!!!!!), but also our 4th anniversary--on the same day--so we both took a long weekend off.

Hope you all have a great weekend, too.

Inspiration...

Nor'easter

Beh.



(c) 2007, Hannah Six

Nor'easter

It was a gray day...

But not for this guy's sweetheart!
Happy Friday!

It was a gray day...

She used blue...

...washrags...
A little eye candy for your Friday.

Intarsia Ball Band Dish Cloth
Various "kitchen cotton" yarn
Brittany US#7 straight needles
Made on a dreary Monday afternoon...

PS. For those of you who don't "get" the title: Bask in your youth--then go look up Bobby Vinton. (Embarassing fact: When I was really little, I had a big crush on him! Yikes...how's THAT for full disclosure??)

She used blue...

Thank God It (Was) Friday...

Here's a little belated eye-candy. I meant to post it last Friday (eye-candy Friday) but just couldn't get to it...



A few shots of my new Kromski Sonata to help raise my spirits :-)

Last week was a tough one--nothing catastrophic, but I feel like communications are mixed up and things that could go wrong have gone wrong. Which can be very physically, emotionally, and mentally draining. So I've been trying to "recover" over the weekend.

Lots of knitting, of course. I finished all of the swatches for Level 1 of the Master Hand Knitter program (MHK). I started last September, but have been working on lots of other projects instead of focusing on finishing the Level 1 requirements. I'm also nearing the end of the socks I'm making as a gift for someone whose name I will not mention. Photos will follow soon.

On Saturday, Karida and I went to A Tangled Skein--our new LYS, in Hyattsville, MD--where I bought some yarn for the MHK Level 1 hat I need to make. What a lovely store! And NICE people working there. Perhaps the nicest LYS experience I've had in the D.C. area! If you live nearby, you really should check it out...it's not hard to get to, and is SO worth the trip.

Thank God It (Was) Friday...

Eye Candy Friday: Cold Heart, Warm Hands?

A little snowy (belated) Valentine, from me to you...
(c) Hannah Six, 2007

Eye Candy Friday: Cold Heart, Warm Hands?

Eye-Candy Friday: When Spring Comes...

(c) Hannah Six, 2007

Eye-Candy Friday: When Spring Comes...

Eye Candy Friday: Pure Bliss

Just imagine...

This is my favorite picture of ALL TIME...I don't remember where I found the photo. I've been "carrying it around" with me for years, using it as wallpaper.

PS. This tiny little piece of paradise is in Sri Lanka.

Eye Candy Friday: Pure Bliss

EYE CANDY FRIDAY!

Rug? Blanket? Knitted snail? What IS this, you may wonder...

This photo may or may not be eye candy to you...but it's like chocolate-dipped, dark-chocolate truffles with hot fudge on top to MY eyes.

I'll tell you why soon. Promise.

EYE CANDY FRIDAY!

Eye-Candy Friday (and Comcast woes)

Well, it's now January 19th, and I've had Internet access for about four days this month. Not once, but twice, our cable was literally cut (by a Comcast contractor or someone in the building). And to make matters worse, the building is getting an extremely "weak signal." Ugh. I can't tell you how many hours I've spent dealing with this.

Hopefully I'll have fully functioning Internet access soon. And hopefully no one will go back into the cable room and slice our wire a third time.

Meanwhile, it's EYE CANDY FRIDAY!

Enjoy....
(c) Hannah Six, 2006

PS. Click on the photo and admire the GORGEOUS curves in the shingles!

Eye-Candy Friday (and Comcast woes)