Author Archive: meri

Saturday was not a success.

From a purely “getting things done” standpoint, I cannot really call Saturday a success. After a generally quiet and lazy morning around the house, G and I ventured out into the (rainy) world with three goals: get lunch, mail 2 packages at the post office, and go to Target for prescriptions and a few basic groceries.

(Y’all see where this is going, right?) (more…)

Such pretty colors!

While the sweater is still going strong, I’ve reached the point on the body where every other row is p200, which takes forever. So, to break up the tedium, I’ve case on a new project, a ridiculously cute hat. I’m knitting this for a friend whose hands aren’t so happy with the idea of knitting anymore, but who wants to give this hat to her daughter. Proxy hands to the rescue! (more…)

Speaking of learning new skills, and a question for the people who sew.

In addition to pondering an adventure in intarsia, I think I’m going to take another sewing class. This time, I’ve got my eye on how to connect a zipper to fabric without 1) sewing the zipper shut, and 2) sewing myself to the fabric. (Lofty goals, but a girl can dream.)

For the people out there who aren’t sewing challenged: What are some good “My First Sewing Project” projects that I could tackle? I foresee making more tote bags, and probably some drawstring project bags (sewing for knitting, like that wasn’t predictable). Clothes are probably right out for quite some time. Pillow cases? That seems boring, but good skill-building for that whole ‘straight line’ thing, I guess.

Welp, time to learn a new knitting skill.

I’ve been afraid of intarsia for quite a while, and (despite a foray into colorwork with a fingerless mitt class) I haven’t forced myself to really face that fear. But, I think I may have found the catalyst for change: a Totoro baby outfit(more…)

I am armed!

20141214-sleevesBut apparently not dangerous, as I have no body. I speak of the sweater, of course.

I finished the second sleeve last night before I went up for dinner. (Smaug for scale.) (more…)

Ask the HiveMind: Seattle/Eastside: Chicken Soup / Matzoh Ball Soup?

I have a hankering for a huge bowl of really good chicken noodle or chicken matzoh ball soup. For those from the DC area, my standard for said soup from The Parkway Deli in Silver Spring. (more…)

I sense a very silly crafty project coming on.

20141214-figuresI’m not sure if I mentioned that G gave my dragons a friend, in the form of Sauron. I’ve got the little collection going on my table in the family room. They hang out with me while I geek and knit. But, Sauron has little feet (who knew?) and is very top-heavy. He tends to fall over unless he’s propped up by his dragony friends.

So, I have this incredibly goofy desire to build a dragon pen, complete with coin beds (pennies), and overseer (Sauron). And, in my brain, it’s made out of popsicle sticks.

Sometimes, my inner child is not so inner.

 

How did they know?

I was doing some research on Dropbox, and a warning came up that some of my files aren’t being synced because of bad characters in the file names. I clicked on the link to start the “Incompatible files and folders” tool. Once it got started, this status message popped up:

20141213-dropbox_pands

Think my secret identity is getting too well known?

Annual reminder: custom planners, designed just for you.

It was brought to my attention that I haven’t made my annual announcement that I have been designing custom planners (think DayRunner™ or DayTimer™ or Franklin Covey™, but based upon your designs) for more than 20 years. (That’s right. Since high school.) If you’ve been fighting to work within a system, instead of working a system, I might be able to help. Drop me a line, and I’ll work with you to design the planner of your dreams. (Or at least one that isn’t based in nightmares.)

I am starting to think this second sleeve is cursed.

After the “cuff too long” debacle, I ripped out the second sleeve and started over. I very carefully did not overshoot the length on the cuff this time, and switched to stockinette stitch, as required by the pattern.

This time, I was only 2″ past this point when I realized my mistake: I forgot to switch needle sizes (also as required by the pattern).

At least it’s tinking, and not frogging, I guess.