Fidget

Last weekend was our annual church Family Camp. It was the usual old-fashioned good time of sports and games, water-balloon wars, and baptisms down by the river. A highlight for me this year was that our resident jewelry designer, EL, had brought all of her supplies and held bead workshops for us crafty types. I was interested in making something with shells since I hadn’t worked with them before. Here’s my finished necklace:

The most-awesomest swimming area ever is about 20 minutes from the camp, Colliding Rivers. You can jump from the rocks, travel down the rushing stream, (deep, though - no dangerous rapids) and as we tried for the first time this year, riverboarding!

I didn’t really know about the existence of this sport before this week. The picture at left is not of anyone in our group, and we didn’t have any fancy equipment - just a home-made wooden board with a normal (non-bungee) rope and a water-ski type handlebar. But we surfed! I say “we” because I did give it a go, and almost got all the way to a standing position. BN basically rocked, getting up on his first try and staying steady for quite awhile.

Before any of this could happen, the guys had to find a way to anchor the rope well upstream from our chosen rapid (a perfect spot, too - smooth, fast-flowing rapids with no big rocks sticking out.) In order to do that they had to dislodge a huge log from its perch among the cliffs, get it floated across the river without letting it get sucked downstream, and get it firmly lodged with rocks on the side closer to the smooth rapids. I was skeptical that it would all work out and be worth the effort but the group got 2 days of riverboarding out of it.

After camp, BN and I drove to Diamond Lake (with a view of Mt. Theilsen)…

… and camped out one more night to watch the meteor shower, which was at its peak during that time, and there was no moon. It was amazing. I’ve never seen so many stars, and it was actually not that dark in spite of no moon. We didn’t need flashlights to get down to the boat dock where we got all cozy in our mummy bags with camping mattresses and even pillows. The trouble was, I was all worn out from our big day of swimming and I was too comfortable. So I wasn’t able to stay awake for very long. But we did see a lot of shooting stars (compared to most nights!) and I’ve never seen the Milky Way so bright, so clearly visible, and stretching all the way across the sky. Wow!

The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

Psalm 19:1

From the Winter 2005 issue of Interweave Knits magazine; pattern by Katy Ryan.
Yarn: Katia Tundra, 50% wool / 40% acrylic / 10% viscose

In honor of the solstice (first day of yay, summer!) I’m finally posting this finished project, my first full-size sweater. I actually finished it awhile back, in April I think, and it has been cool enough to wear it a few times. It’s quite warm and cozy so I’ll be happy to have it come winter.

I think the thing I am most pleased about with this sweater is how the yarn looks, knitted up. It’s multicolored in a sort of heathery way, and space-dyed on very, very long repeats. So the bottom edge of a sleeve starts out with the yarn as a blend of aqua, purple, and gray; and then it very gradually changes to a mix of teal, pink, and brown. It was kind of a step out of my comfort zone to choose a purple/pinky yarn since those generally aren’t the colors I choose - but I figured with all those base colors this sweater would match a lot of things, whether warm neutrals, cool neutrals, denim… even pink. Though I don’t own many pink things, it matches my favorite jeans quite nicely!

The thing I am least satisfied with is the upper sleeve area. Those came out a little bulky, and my shoulders are somewhat broad for my overall size and shape anyway, so I’m sure it’s one of those things where I notice it because it’s a sensitive figure-area for me. For the next sweater I knit, I will probably go for a raglan-style sleeve instead of set-in.

I’m not sure if this had an impact on the sleeve issue, but I knit a larger size at a smaller gauge. That took some figuring, and maybe I miscalculated somewhere. But I found this trick worked out pretty well so I definitely won’t hesitate to try it again, maybe just not with a design with set-in sleeves. Another change that I made to the pattern was working the top few inches of the back in ribbing. I was afraid that just binding off stockinette would make the back neckline look really unfinished (and it would most likely curl.) Also I used short-row shaping instead of stepped bind-off, to avoid a jaggedy effect in that same area; and that allowed me to use 3-needle bind off as the shoulder seams. (I avoid seaming whenever I can.) So that all worked out well. The straps were very long, but I decided to leave them that way and wear them criss-crossed in front and tied in back (to avoid the belly-bow look. I am not a teddy bear.) Here’s the back view:

Sometimes I feel like such a pixel-pusher. Meaning that I spend a lot of time in The Adobe Zone, tweaking user-interface elements that are about 25px or less. A lot of my work is for technology-related businesses, and let me tell you, their favorite color is blue! A nice, grayish, professional/corporate blue.

But, I have had the opportunity this year to get in touch with my pink side. I have 2 new projects to show in my portfolio, one of which is long overdue: Las Fashionistas. I actually finished this project around the new year. (You know you are busy with too many design projects if you don’t have time to update your portfolio!)

Sadly, the writers are no longer posting new material on this blog, but there’s a lot to be read in the archives if you have a fashion-related question.

The other one is hot off the presses, just launched last Friday. It’s a site for DBM Custom Handbags, and it was lots of fun to work on this project - not a blue pixel to be found.

A sizable bag of clay (about 25 pounds?) was included in the price of our ceramics class, and I got 14 items made during the Winter term, with some left over!

I knew the potter’s wheel was going to be challenging, but it’s still a real struggle for me, even after a whole term of practice. It’s difficult to get the lump of clay centered on the wheel, spinning it fast and dripping on water… Then you have to punch-in on center to start your pot, and you want to work it as long as you can to make it thin, without working the clay too much and having it collapse on you. Then, you have 2 more challenges - once it’s mostly dry (but don’t wait too long), to trim away enough of the thick base to make a light, balanced piece. THEN, you try to guess from various sample tiles what glazes to use and how they might possibly turn out! It’s always a surprise, it seems - pleasant or not so pleasant. I found that I was very, very happy with some of my pieces while others came out astonishingly ugly. Well, I guess I had a few mildly successful ones, too, that weren’t spectacular. It’s pretty neat, though, to hold the finished piece in your hands and think, I made this! After firing it’s basically glass on stone, so the feeling of making something that solid, permanent, and functional is very satisfying. My bowls came out mostly a good ice-cream size… That’s another thing. The items shrink slightly at each step, so the size you made it on the wheel is not how it’s going to end up.

I was inspired by BN to try some pressed-in designs on some of my pieces. He’s the kind of guy who collects knobs and shot-bead chains and other things that have interesting shapes. So we had a whole assortment of goodies to impress upon our works of clay… One of my favorite bowls, the yellow one, has blue waves that I created using a cast-iron napkin ring. I also had success with painting on designs with a brush. And, I tried drip-application, too. This quarter I am going to take a 2-week glazing workshop, so I’m excited to learn more about the glazes and how they work.

First, for a not-very-springlike picture:

This is Mount Shasta. It is 14,179 feet in elevation, and it stands alone. We get to see various perspectives on it during our travels to and from California - this shot was taken on our way back to Oregon. During winter it’s almost always got its head in the clouds, but this is a pretty clear view of the top. Shasta really has a presence to it - you have to keep staring at it and convincing yourself that it’s real, and it’s really that big. Wow.

We had a nice long spring break. BN didn’t have to take any finals this quarter, so after he got done giving his trig students their final, we were free to go. I had planned on taking the 2 weeks off from work completely, and I’m so glad I did. I did 6 loads of laundry on Tuesday… We drove down on Wednesday, March 21. We had lots of good family visits, and caught up with quite a few friends. I think this might have been our busiest visit yet - we had at least one event scheduled practically every day. I got to meet baby SI for the first time - he was born 2 months early and, since we didn’t come at Christmas, I was 3 months late meeting him! I got to go with TS and her kids to the park. They rode bikes almost the whole way - those kids are troopers! Lots of good sister time: Yarn shopping with MA, breakfast with SW, coffee with SS. The little sis’s had a little more free time - we painted with watercolors all afternoon one day and went to the San Jose art museum another.

When we first arrived in San Jose the weather was really nice. We figured we’d better head to the beach and take advantage.

Hey - there’s a stone with a hole in it. Oh, there’s another one!… Hm… What would Andy Goldsworthy do?

(Probably something much cooler than string them on a strand of seaweed. Oh, well.)

Here are the watercolor paintings we did:

I thought they looked cool all tiled together like this… They were actually done using my special trick: Make-your-own “Paint with Water” pictures. I have these watercolor markers, with a brush-style tip on one end and fine-point tip on the other. You draw a picture, as detailed or as random as you want, preferably using multiple colors of pen, and then you use a wet brush to blend the lines and “color in” your image. Two keys to success: use a bamboo brush; those things practically paint on their own - they can produce anything from a fine, sensitive line to broad strokes, and even both in one movement, since they hold water really well. (It’s no coincidence that those Asian brush paintings and calligraphy look so great!) The other easy trick to achieve watercolor excellence is leave strategic areas of white paper exposed. This creates a sparkling or glowing effect that’s a pleasure to the eye.

Yesterday, we had quite a full day of non-school and non-work activities. Yay!

We got up early enough to feel like we had time for a real breakfast. I made crepes - yum!!! The basic crepe recipe in Joy of Cooking is as simple, if not more so, than regular pancakes and they are so delicious in flavor and texture. Then I just throw a bag of frozen mixed berries in a saucepan for awhile to make a fruit sauce, and with whipped cream or even just yogurt, it beats a restaurant breakfast all hollow. (Except you have to clean up the mess. That’s the main reason I like eating out nowadays - my cooking is good, but I hate to clean.)

Next we headed off to the Craft Center to glaze our most recent ceramics pieces before the term’s last kiln firing early next week. I had a flower pot, 2 bowls, and a mug to work on, and I managed to get them all done while we were there. Glazing is such an involved process. First you have to sponge down the piece and dip the bottom in wax to leave a spot unglazed (which keeps the piece from fusing to the shelf inside the kiln.) You can paint on details using oxides, which react differently under or over the various glazes. Then you want to dip your piece, either completely or partially, in 2 to 5 coats of 1 or more glazes - the Craft Center stocks about a dozen or so. All of which turn out differently depending on how you layer and overlap them. I tried a drip-on effect with some of my items, using an eyedropper. And, between coats, you’re supposed to let the piece dry pretty thoroughly. So it’s good to plan at least 3 hours to glaze a batch of pots.

I survived the marathon glazing session by snacking on some nuts and dried fruit I had brought from home, but I’m a pretty cranky camper until I’ve had some lunch. We headed over to the Glenwood for a home-style burger. Whew, now I feel better.

It was another beautiful afternoon. I knitted outside on a bench while BN finished up some more glaze, and then we sat in a coffee shop (I knitted, B journaled) and people-watched the flip-flop clad folks strolling in the sun outside.

Back at home we ate Mac n Cheese and played Settlers of Catan. It’s really better for more than 2 players, but we’ve adapted some rules and it usually turns out to be a good game. BN won by a narrow margin - this time!

We stayed up way past our bedtime to go see a movie - a video recording of a U2 concert, 1987 in Los Angeles. It was a professional recording, not some bootleg … Rock ON!!! They played all our favorites. You may not know this about me but I actually love rock concerts. I can’t resist rockstars when they’re up there in their element. The long hair, the enthusiastic stage stunts. Takes me back to 1987… just kidding, I was 10. Actually, it takes me back to 1997, when I was actually somewhat in on the “scene.” I knew some guys in local bands and my cousin was Woody, (“the Woody?!”) guitarist for 2-Car. Those were the days, in the late 90’s when ska was the thing and going to a show meant a full cardiovascular workout, dancing and jumping around. Fun, fun, fun. I’m a fairly new U2 fan but they rock so hard. Bono - yeah, he’s the best ever. Gotta love that voice, which sounded great even (especially?) in the live recording.

So, yeah - it was nice to have such a stress-free weekend to kick off Spring Break. BN’s giving his trig class their final on Tuesday, and then we’re off to SJ for a 10-day visit with family and friends.

We finished up our ceramics class last weekend. Here are some of our finished projects. Most of these are BN’s - because I missed the class devoted to glazing (that headcold was such a bummer!), I had to catch up a bit and most of my pieces are still in the pre-fired state. Glazing is fun, you have to just experiment and see what you get. There are sample tiles with all the glazes on them but there are so many variables, like how you layer them in different coats, the kind of clay you used for your pot, and even different firings will produce different results. Dad, you would love it - chemistry meets art.

I thought these all looked cool together. Most of them have flaws - rough edges, glaze blisters, or too-thick bottoms giving them an unpleasant weight. But we are already dreaming of making more and better attempts.

This is a set of accessories that I knitted off-and-on for the past year or more… I started out with a scarf, knitted the long way, on a long circular needle. This is actually a really fast way to knit a scarf, because you knit fewer, longer, rows, and there is less turning. At the end of each row, I cut the yarn and joined a new one - automatic fringe, and best of all, no ends to weave in!

I had bought this green fuzzy yarn many years before, way before I even learned how to knit. I think I bought it around the time that those “tube scarves” first appeared, thinking I would learn how to knit and knit a tube scarf, like the one my co-worker’s aunt had knitted her… Little did I know how learning to knit would open up such a new world of creativity and fashion… I still haven’t made a tube scarf!

Next came the hat. I knitted this hat “on the bias,” inspired by a pattern I saw in a book. You increase on one edge and decrease on the other, to make a diagonal stripe. It’s a bit tricky to plan and estimate yarn, so I knitted up a parallelogram and ran out of yarn before it was big enough to go around my head… at this point, summer came along and I wasn’t motivated to knit a fuzzy wool hat, let alone one that had to be unraveled and started over!

So, this winter I got out the hat and re-worked it. I had an extra skein of the multi-colored yarn - the fancy Japanese kind that gradually changes color from one end of the skein to the other with no repeats!

I decided to make fingerless mitts out of it, from a pattern in Weekend Knitting. Because I just had the one skein, I knew the colors would be different on each mitt. So, I decided to capitalize on this and do stripes from different sections of the yarn skein. The pattern, unlike typical accessory (sock and glove) construction, has you knit these sideways, from wrist to knuckles.

They are a wool-silk blend and very stretchy and warm.

The three items, along with having the yarns in common, are each knitted in an unconventional direction. I’m very pleased with how they came out. It also felt good to wrap up a project that had been on the back burner for awhile. If you run into trouble with a project, it’s a good idea to tuck it away and ignore it for awhile - when you come back you’ll feel like you have a fresh start!

This is a hat I finished a while back. It’s based on the Luggy Bonnet pattern in Weekend Knitting. It looks pretty different from the pattern, which was multi-colored stripes with star or heart motifs. But I had this fluffy blue yarn with coordinating novelty yarn, multi-colored yellow and orange with little nubs that knit up into a thick terry-cloth fabric, and I wanted a hat with earflaps and a crocheted border so I could get the nubby yarn in an even edging all the way around. The ear-flaps curled up a bit more than I anticipated, but I guess the overall effect is super-funky but in a cute way…

One of my Christmas projects - an inkjet/rubber stamp card with origami ornament and photo of the two of us. The theme was Light.

How was your HolyDay? Ours was really very nice… Too short, really, for all the things we wanted to do. We started our day by singing some worship songs together. We had played Santa for each other and filled up the handmade personalized Christmas stockings that my Mom had loaned us for our away-holiday. I got lots of candy, protective goggles for chopping onions (they really work - no more tears) and Napoleon Dynamite chapstick! I’m just like ND when it comes to being obsessive about chapstick…

Then we cooked a big breakfast. I made Crepes for the first time and they came out really yummy. They’re so easy, and so good! We enjoyed them with fruit sauce made from frozen mixed berries, whipped cream, and side orders of hash browns just like my Dad (the breakfast expert) makes, and sausages (with maple syrup of course.)

Next was presents. We had lots of boxes that had come in the mail from various family members. What a wonderful batch of gifts! Thank you so much, everyone. BN and I had decided to get ourselves a big shared gift this year - we are looking to get one of those kitchen “island” carts - for storage and use as extra counter space. But we did give each other several small gifts. By far the most special gift I received this year was the solid teak hand-carved comb that BN designed and made for me. It’s elegantly shaped and wonderfully smooth - he’d been sanding it every day while waiting for the bus. The wide teeth are perfect for detangling my damp hair (which is approaching waist-length after growing for 2.5 years!) and the teak wood is water-resistant by nature. I’m quite a lucky woman to have such a skilled and creative husband.

Our afternoon was spent talking on the phone with family & relatives, playing a favorite board game, Settlers of Catan, and before we knew it the time came to go to the K family’s home for Christmas dinner (with Figgy Pudding for dessert!) We had a great time and stayed up very late playing Pictionary and “speed Scrabble” with the K’s and their 2 teen daughters. It was a blessing to be with church “family” friends on Christmas.