Just because I dont eat fish doesn't mean I can't have fun....

for a complete fish-free sushi treasury click here

30 day challenge

So yesterday was Ash Wednesday and even though I am not a religious person, I always try to fast for 40 days. Well, I use the word "fast" in its most liberal way possible. I will give up one thing completely and try to educate myself on the topic.

This year I will try to go Vegan. I will be honest, my family is not too excited about it. I think they are afraid, I might hide all their meat. But no fear: PETA is here to save the day! They offer a 30 free trial, which includes daily support and info, right in your mailbox, as well as a calendar. For all of you that don't speak German, you can pledge here.

If going Vegan is too big of a step for you, try this: a vegetarian starter kit.

I also went shopping and was super excited to find things at the regular grocery store without having to spend an arm and a leg. Don't be fooled I am doing this on a tight, very tight budget. And I also have one missing: to make the best vegan brownies/cupcakes/cinnamon rolls you can think of.

It took me twice as long to finish my trip, since I had to read every single label. A lot of companies here will offer vegan products but don't carry the label to keep their products affordable (nice thought, right?). So I noticed everybody else just put stuff in their cart without paying much attention, and then there was I.....Later on this day we had a conversation about milk and cartons. We realized they don't put pictures of missing children on the back of soy milk cartons. I wonder why. Since people that buy regular milk are to 99% unlikely to read the back since they know what's inside. BUT people that HAVE to know what's in their carton will read the back, hence see the pictures.

What do you think?

some days I am so tired I am way past giving a sh**

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE …

 

enough money within her control to move out
and rent a place of her own,
even if she never wants to or needs to…
something perfect to wear if the employer,
or date of her dreams wants to see her in an hour…

 

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ..

 

a youth she’s content to leave behind….
a past juicy enough that she’s looking forward to
retelling it in her old age….
a set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black lace bra…
one friend who always makes her laugh… and one who lets her cry…

 

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE …….

 

a good piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in her family…
eight matching plates, wine glasses with stems,
and a recipe for a meal,
that will make her guests feel honored…

 

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ..

 

a feeling of control over her destiny…..
how to fall in love without losing herself..

 

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…

 

how to quit a job,
break up with a lover,
and confront a friend without;
ruining the friendship….

 

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW….

 

when to try harder… and WHEN TO WALK AWAY…

 

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…

 

that she can’t change the length of her calves,
the width of her hips, or the nature of her parents..
that her childhood may not have been perfect…but it’s over…

 

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…

 

what she would and wouldn’t do for love or more…..
how to live alone… even if she doesn’t like it…

 

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW.. .

 

whom she can trust,
whom she can’t,
and why she shouldn’t take it personally…

 

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…

 

where to go…
be it to her best friend’s kitchen table..
or a charming Inn in the woods…
when her soul needs soothing…

 

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…

 

What she can and can’t accomplish in a day…
a month…and a year…

Flat Fish Pattern

I fell in love with this but needed it for a spa/bathroom set. So I decided to knit this baby flat. Here are my altered directions:

DIRECTIONS
BODY
Tail:
Using one double-point needle and MC, loosely CO 8 sts.
Rows 1-3: K all sts.
Row 4: Ssk, k4, k2tog. 6 sts.
row 5-7: k all sts
Body:
Rounds 1-3: K all sts.
Round 4: Kfb, k4, kfb 8sts.
Round 5: K all sts.
Round 6: Kfb, k6, kfb 10sts.
Round 7: k2, p6, k2
Round 8: Kfb, k8, kfb 12sts.
Round 9: k2, p8, k2
Round 10: Kfb, k10, kfb 14sts.
Round 11: k2, p10, k2
Round 12: Kfb, k12, kfb 16sts.
Round 13: k2, p12, k2
Round 14: Kfb, k14, kfb 18sts.
Round 15: k2, p14, k2
Round 16: Kfb, k16, kfb 20sts.
Round 17: k2, p16, k2
Round 18: (Kfb, k18, kfb) 22sts
Round 19: k2, p18, k2
Round 20: (kfb, k20, kfb) 24sts
Round 21: k2, p20, k2
Round 22: (kfb, k22, kfb) 26 sts
Rounds 23-28: K all uneven rows and
k2, pX, k2 all even rows
Round 29: Ssk, k22, k2tog 24sts.
Round 31: K2, p20, k2
Round 32: Ssk, k20, k2tog 22sts.
Round 33: K2, p18, k2
Round 34: Ssk, 18, k2tog 20sts.
Round 35: K2, p16, k2
Round 36: Ssk, k16, k2tog 18sts.
Round 37: k2, p14, k2
Round 38: Ssk, k14, k2tog 16sts.
Round 39: k2, p12, k2
Round 40: Ssk, k12, k2tog 14 sts.
Round 41: k2, p10, k2
Round 42: Ssk, k10, k2tog 12sts.
Round 43: k2, p8, k2
Round 44: Ssk, k8, k2tog 10sts.
Round 45: k2, p6, k2
Round 46: (ssk, k6, k2tog) 8sts
Round 47: k2, p4, k2
Round 48: (ssk, k4, k2tog) 6sts
Round 49: k2, p2, k2
Round 50: (ssk, k2, k2tog) 4 sts
Round 51: k4
Mouth
kfb 4times, 8sts
join to knit in the round
k 2 rounds
Next Round: K1, kfb, kfb, k1twice
K 3 rounds.
Loosely BO all sts. Weave in ends. Roll BO edge outward to form lips.
Fin
For long fin, begin picking up sts in first increase round after tail as shown below.
Co1, kfb turn
k1, kfb turn
k3
with a spare needle pick up stitches along the side (the bumps only) 14sts.
next row
k2 k2tog (last stitch+first stitch on spare needle)
turn
k3
turn
until 4 bumps of body remain before base of mouth
k2tog twice
turn
k2
turn
k2 k2tog
repeat last 2 rows till you run out of stitches. BO
repeat on other side. reverse instructions and work from the mouth toward the tail.
weave in all ends. and block if necessary. since I wanted this to be more a washcloth and less a toy, I skipped the additional fins and googly eyes.

Upper Haight Features World’s Coolest Garage Door

Works like MAGIC!

here is the original post

BOWS BOWS BOWS!!!

For a while now I have been supplying RAG in San Francisco with my beautiful hand crochet bow ties. They come in all colors of the rainbow and can be worn as a hair tie, bracelet or (with the longer elastic) even as a regular bow tie.

Then a few days ago I found this: Blakely (one of the owners) is a FAN

"Blakely's new favorite purchases to wear all the time: Royal Redneck crocheted hair bows in assorted colors (in pic: grey) $12"

Indestructible Socks?

A few weeks ago I posted the following on Ravelry:

My husband loves to wear socks over his regular socks. Kinda like slipper socks but with a soft sole. My problem is that he walks a hole in the toe in no time (never takes him more than two weeks). He likes them thick and cushioned, so I always use worsted weight.
I have tried everything:
-knit the whole sole in the slipped stitch heel stitch
-knit on smaller needles to get tighter gauge
-knit 100% wool socks and felted
-reenforced the stressed areas
-used a wool/acrylic blend
-knit two strands together
-put leather sole on - to thick
-tried to cover in rubber/latex -he hates it
I am hoping to find good yarn that will last more than two weeks :-) I prefer to get my yarn at store rather than online since I like to feel before I purchase but ANY and ALL suggestions are welcome. If you have some tips and techniques that would allow me to knit socks that are longer lasting, I would appreciate those aswell.

I received a lot of good ideas and very valuable input. After discussing things back and forth, this is what I came up with:

so here is what I decided on trying:
-I bought real sockyarn (meilenweit and fortissima clori socka color) meilenweit has a cotton nylon blend and the socka is 75%virgin wool 25% polyamid
-I will knit this pattern
-I will use some nice and really soft yarn for the top and the sole will be three strands of sockyarn
-I will use the slipped heel stitch all through out the sole
-if husband walks through this I will stop knitting socks
-I will knit this sock a little tighter both in gauge and in fit. maybe if there is less room to move there will be less friction. less friction means less holes.
-if I ever get my hand on some kevlar, I will make bulletproof socks

If you are interested in reading the whole thing, click here

Right now the socks are in the wash. All my socks need to be machine washable and preferably survive the dryer. I will post pictures soon.

Sometimes all it takes is some wise words to soothe a troubled heart...

 I found this card from quotable cards at a stationary store. I really like their cards for the simplicty and their environmental aspect. I am one of those people that reads fineprints :-) So, the back of the cards says: 100% post consumer recycled paper, carbon neutral, acid-free and chlorine-free. printed in the usa with certified wind power using vegetable based ink. What more can you aks for?

Stitches West Santa Clara 2011

In sticking with the whole "think global act local" idea, I try to visit more events in my neighborhood. Stitches West seemed to be just the right thing for a knit-aholic like me. Since this was my first time here, I decided not to take any classes but to take in the atmosphere and enjoy all the yarn. Oh, I wish my mom would have been here...

As I was strolling around and getting dizzy with all the cashmere and alpaca, I came across the booth of these to lovely ladies: Knit Princess and Handknit Heroes. I was talking with Allison from the Knit Princess and really liked her attitude about sharing a booth : "since there are not a lot of us out there, I don't see it as competition but a support network" Way To Go Girl!

My favorite project idea is the Stash Busting Tunisian Crochet Blanket from Stitch Diva. She made it look so easy and fun. Now how do I explain to my family I need even more yarn?

More on the really nice yarn I scored next time....