Knitting currently is in high gear..... Antonia 5 completed. Duh! did not take any pictures. More later on this one...... but the more exciting news is the start of Butterfly (Rowan Magazone 37). (NOTE: The front cover is the butterfly, duh, does not show hem.)

When I saw the Rowan Magazine 37, I knew I was doomed, because, I wanted the magazine and wanted desperately to make Butterfly. Almost a year after it was released, I finally gave in. When I was out shopping at Webs (Northampton), I spent some very undecided moments in front of the Kid Silk Haze Yarn.  I could not for the life of me, decide on the color. I wanted them all. But at almost $15/ball, I knew I had to choose. I gave up and got the Majestic (the color in which Butterfly is shown in the magazine).  See the Northampton Stash. I have one word.... wuss. Nah! Whatever!

Anyways, Butterfly is underway. Never has swatching been this frustrating... drove me bonkers to figure out what I should use. Baxter and Vanburren are useless in this respect. For them, yarn ball = fun to play with. They don't care about gauges or needles or lace or holes in laces...... Here are some of my swatches.

<With the suggested needles US8>                                                         

      

<With what I thought may be better US5>   



Finally, I called in the big guns and expert in this field, Li. She suggested US6............ Thanks dear. See below how that turned out.

So, with the above done, I spent all day in house, knitting. I cannot get enough of Kid Silk Haze and knitting is so darn easy, stitches just fly. Well! they do, and if you are not careful they can fly straight out and dissappear. But, I am loving every minute of it. Tonight I had plans to open a good red wine with dinner, but I doubt wine and knitting with kid silk haze will gel. So for the first time....... hang the wine..... give me more kid silk. From last night till now, here is my progress. Pretty good I think.

Decisions made for this project:

• Kid Silk Haze rocks.... I have already lined up my next two projects..... :) This yarn keeps you deadly honest. There is no hiding mistakes in knitting. and if it has ever been true for knitting, it has been for this yarn. Maybe that is why I love it, it keeps you on your toes. especially snagging. There is (a) no hiding mistakes and (b) no snagging allowed, as both these will show glaringly loud. I love this yarn. So, perfect so demanding, yet gives so much back in feel of the yarn and look is so 'eatably' good.
  Use US6, US8 too big, I could have used US5, but decided to let experts guide me in this respect.
• I did what the expert did, replaced those nasty K2tog tbl with SSK. And it looks great! It did wonders to speed up the knitting. P2tog tbl was far easier for me than K2tog tbl. So, thanks again Li.
• I did 13 repeats for the hem with the 8 row pattern..... I loved this border so much, that I could have gone on knitting this forever.
• I picked 79 stitches for the main.... and may bring them down only to 71/69. I will decide that tommorow.
• More decisions to come I am sure....... but this for now.

pssst: Thanks Baxter for keeping me company all day. He sat patiently around, or next to me, until I was done with a row, to allow me to adjust so, he could clamber onto the lap and settle down. Usually, there is no warning what so ever and viola! there is a cat on lap. But all day he waited for me acknowledge. Even as I write this, our good man, baxter is sitting on the lap with head resting on the left wrist, so mostly right hand is typing. Thanks sweetie.

This was yesterday....

Several assorted news worthy items:

MI-5 Season III Marathon on A&E
Calling all MI-5 junkies..... This Saturday, A&E will be running Season III Marathon (all 8 episodes). I know what I will be doing..... do you? Want to watch it come on over...... Nothing like a glass of wine and finger foods to go with folks from national security agency from United Kingdom. Read here more about the show. I loved the original casting with Mathew MacFaydyan, Keeley Hawes and David Oyelowo. And the new cast is steadily growing on me with Rupert Penny-Jones. I cannot wait...... for tomorrow.

Antonia 5(Adrienne Vittadini Spring 2006) 
Knitting well underway. The front and sleeves are done, just started the back last night. I will post pictures soon (over the weekend). I substituted Brushed Alpaca for the Antonia, purely because Antonia is discontinued and the yarn is expensive. But I have other projects with Antonia, that I might just splurge.

Father coming to visit
Within the next month, my father will be here visiting. He has been in the northeast in all seasons, except for the winter. And my sister and I have convinced him to come for Thanksgiving and Christmas/New Year times, when there is so much going on around. It will be nice for him to be here, and help me organize the planting world for spring. Looking forward to your visit, father. Already my friends from work want to meet him....... hmmm.... to get the 'dirt' on me. (Funny, ha ha!)

It has been a while since, my heart did a little flutter, a little skipping, and sent a tingling sensation all over the skin, but it did this morning.

In the wee hours of the morning, when the sun has not even decided to wake up the day, at the bus stop, as I was waiting for the bus.... he stood there getting rid of his jacket (it is warmer today), stuffing it into his backpack. The poor ole' heart stopped... I thought it wasn't going to start beating again (gosh.... where has this happened before!). But I think it did, because, then I was out of breath (as if I had run a marathon) and completely tongue-tied. He was in cornflower blue sweater, pale corn colored pants and sneakers that carried the cornflower blue stripes. We clambered into the bus, he sat behind me. I wish I knew what was going on in his head, sitting there behind me. He could have sat anywhere in the whole bus, it was only the two of us and the bus driver. I wish I had courage to ask.......perhaps....I can guess.....he was perhaps thinking about his day, or why on earth is he getting up this early (it is 6AM), or if he is going to catch that bus/train, or about some game or tv show, or his girl friend, fiancé or wife.....

"Achooo", he sneezed, I said "God Bless U".

The bus hurtled down towards its destination. I wish (really wish!) I was given courage, just a little, but I know I wasn't.  

So goodbye Guy in Cornflower Blue. Have a great day! I know I will. Thanks

Music for some of the movies stay with me so long that I end up shelling out $20 per CD for the soundtrack and invariably, the movie.music industry appears to know this, so they market not just soundtrack which has title something like "Music from...." but then they release another called "More Music from....". Of course, I am weak and I succumb to it all and buy them both...argh!!

So, what am I listening to this morning: Jurrasic Park.
There is history here. Long long time ago, my sister watched the movie when it was released and liked the music and she mailed me the cassette (remember those?). Without having ever watched the movie, the music caused heartbeats to quicken. And I was sold. Years later, I watched the movie, and the soundtrack went on my buy list. Just recently though, my finanical comptroller (well, that is me with a different hat) released some money to spend. And I did! I got me my own copy of Jurrasic Park. For the past few days, I have been listening to it continuously. That is what happens to me when I get a new CD, I listen to it, till I am ready to throw up.

Some of the others I love and own:
Braveheart.... and More music from Braveheart (Of course)
Gladiator.... and More music from Gladiator (duh, of course)
Pirates of the Carribean: Dead Mans Chest
Bliss
Children of Dune
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Snatch
Sum of All Fears
Thomas Crown Affair

Growing up back home, movies were a treat, a rare treat. Rarely would our theaters show any good movies. But every once in a blue moon, a great movie would come along and my father would insist on getting the family to go. As far as I remember, we never missed a Disney production. I remember being completely mesmerized with Snow White and Seven dwarfs, Lady and the Tramp, Cinderella and and..... well that is it. I knew then I was hooked on to the fairy tales, and the vivid pictures from Disney. The colors so crisp and so 'correct'. It is hard for me to describe in words the feel of pure color and all appropriately mixed to produce perhaps the world's best combinations, contrasts and hues and saturation....... but then I am getting passionately technical and horribly sentimental.

WHY THIS Nostalgia? Well, it is October, and not just any October 2006, and I have waited about 9 years for this. Well, I have waited for many things (sometimes patiently and sometimes frustrated) for 9-10 years. The Platinum release of my second¹ most favorite Disney movie........ The Little Mermaid. It was released on October 6, needless to say it was on my wish list and arrived at my doorstep this Saturday. I don't know whether the wait for 9 years was more aggravating, or was this past one week.  But like I said the wait was over......

Why do I love it so much? (in random order)
* Of course the colors...... something about under the sea, blues-greens and fantastic colors of corals, shells and sea creatures (notably some are horrid). Colors play, perhaps the most important role in these movies, and they convey feelings far far more, and in more depth than any words ever can.
* Oh.... the music.... & lyrics.... oh man! It is haunting.
* Sebastian and Scuttle.....
* Perhaps most touching, most intense moment for me (call me a sentimental old fool)...... is "Part of Your World"

Pssttt: Saturday night became a tissue box and wine night..... and Little Mermaid. Watched with a full box of tissues..... hmmmm.... have always watched this alone, maybe because it is too embarrassing to admit (forget share) that I cry buckets in some movies (read: most disney). But, there I said it, I do cry at movies.

¹The first is hands down without a doubt.......Beauty and the Beast...... 

After completing the three sweaters and the Allegra, I was itching to start something for me again. So, took a trip to Northampton, MA.

I cannot believe I have not been here before. Few days ago, I thought I needed a break, a getaway or rather a runaway from town. I thought to going to Webs in Northampton. As I was still mulling over whether to go or not. I asked a colleague at work, if his wife, (equally avid knitter), would like to go. One thing led to another, and it became a field trip to Mecca of Yarn.

We started early around 9AM, had a great drive to Northhampton. I love this town! We parked to get coffee at La Fiorentina Pastry Shop, on 19 Armory street. Had a cappacino with two biscotti's (one Anisette and the other Almond). Coffee was to die for, and so was the Anisette biscotti. Once fed, we were ready to tackle webs. Driving up to it, felt like driving up to a warehouse, and I had butterflies and was so nervous, that my hands were shaking. I had no idea what to expect, but it just felt so exciting and fun and content and happy. I had not even stepped over the threshold.

The place is insane!!! Insanely great! I am so hooked. Why did I not get here before. So much yarn, so many books, so little time. Man, I need to get more hands to knit everything. And prices are so unbelievable. If this is how it feels to be in love, then I am in love. I came away with  the following in my cart.

1. Adrienne Vittadini Catalogs (Love these, I want to make them all): Spring 2004, Fall 2004, Fall 2005.
2. Plymouth Yarh: Baby Alpaca Brush (in light steel blue) for Vittadini Fall 2005 Antonia 5. Needed to do substitution as Antonia is either too expensive or discontinued.
3. Elsebeth Lavold: 1 skein Silky Wool in Moss Green for a scarf. Hmmm, loved the yarn so bought a skein in cream and maroon. No idea what I am going to make of these, but loved it, so it had to be adopted. :)
4. Rowan: 3 skeins Kid Silk Haze for Butterfly project from Rowan Magazine 37
5. Rowan: 1 skein Kid Silk Haze White/Pearl.... just because.....
6. Reynolds Yarns: Saucy Sport, 100% Mercerized Cotton: 2 skeins brilliant Green, 2 skeins light Blue, 4 skeins in Cream for a Crochet Shawl, pattern TBD. I think I got these because the colors and sheen so vibrant and so yummy.

(Note: The colors look all washed out, because they are most pastels and I took the picture in full sun.

I am heaven, so happy, so content, so needed to be back to start knitting!! But this was just the beginning. We parked in town, and walked along Main street. What a fabulous town! I just love the feel of town centers, with plenty to do, just rightly balanced at being laid back and active.   We ate lunch at a Mediterranean restuarant. I had fabulous lamb kabob plate with salad (best I have had in ages or rather first I had in ages).  After that we wandered around, stopped in used book store and bought a knitting book (of course). Couple of hours later, we stopped at HayMarket, a hole in the wall, with plenty of space once, you made through the hole in the wall. Again, had great coffee with Coconut Almond Shortcake cookie. Yum..... Forget counting the calories, I was there to savor every darn minute of it, and by god, I did. I am glad I don't this often, but when I do, I really do relish it and it stays with me for the long long time.... and the cookie and biscotti and lamn stick to my... you know where for a long time too. But what the heck. We wandered around a  bit, and was glad to be walking to work off the 5000 calorie day. It was great to see the place with friends who knew the place well (they went to school in the neighborhood and were married in this town)...... hmmm definitely a town worth saving.