one shoulder tunic by teva durham, and corgimom! in patons fresco, in calypso

one shoulder tunic by teva durham, and corgimom! in patons fresco, in calypso
Originally uploaded by CorgiMom.

That's my art in the background. I was studying biology in college, and

working on an art minor simultaneously, and thought the two should

merge in form. One day when I have my own practice, or at least my own

office in which to see clients- I hope to have my brain series framed

and on display there. This is my favorite brain drawing that I did.

art shot self photography

art shot self photography
Originally uploaded by CorgiMom.

indian food in Costa Rican bowl

indian food in Costa Rican bowl
Originally uploaded by CorgiMom.

DSCF0001.JPG

New dining room light thanks to Dh and his friend who stayed with us for the week while in the process of moving his family to MN!

New dining room light thanks to Dh and his friend who stayed with us for the week while in the process of moving his family to MN!
Originally uploaded by CorgiMom.

Trust me- it's a huge 300 watt improvement!

Another quasi- SnB update

And yes- we still call our group Stitch 'N Bitch!!

Today there was charity knitting going on at Einstein Bros bagels. Yum. Sue- arrived early (or should I say on-time), I followed 30 min. later, and Amy and Kelle also followed. Sue's knitting feautured a red chenille scarf which she bound-off and fringed all in one sitting. She has also created 3 or 4 additional charity scarves for college students without families in the Red Scarf Project. Go Sue! Amy was knitting a red and black scarf, and Kelle was knitting a blue tweed-looking yarn. She decided to donate a lovely hat and scarf set with a fair-isle hat, and striped patterned scarf. I finished my one shoulder tunic (I have yet to try it on), and begun my blue/green/yellow/gray variegated mistake rib scarf.

I plan to work hard on knitting it tonight and relaxing following a tiring day of sessions where it seemed "like there must be a storm coming" to use my Mom's words for children when they are hyper as can be, and ultra energetic. It could be cabin fever too, with our bitter gusty cold winds everyone wants to stay cozy and warm.

SnB Update

Well, there's two.

First- "someone" has stolen our TCSNB yahoo group saying that "you can't use Stich N Bitch in your title." This prompted me to want to change our name to Bitch stitchers, or something like that, as it is absolutely ridiculous how somepeople think they can trademark words. Like Oprah has the market on the letter "O", just 'cause it is the first letter of her name and she has enough money to create a magazine and call it that. Watch out, or pretty soon the whole dictionary will have to have trademark symbols next to all its entries for fear of copywright infringement, or worse, have to take out all the words, and letters- and thus be an empty book. Kind of like how the Mall of America's "Camp Snoopy" has now become the Park in the Mall of America, because it cost too much to "buy" the snoopy concept, leading to a purging of all peanuts/snoopy related references, rendering the park, well, a park, only it's in a mall. So that was that rant. No worries, there has begun a new yahoo group to replace the one that was so quickly stolen from its rightful owners. Ahh, knitting politics. And you thought knitting was a "nice" hobby.

The second update, not to be overshadowed by the grim darkness of the prior update is a happy update, an honorary chronicling of those special projects fortunate to grace last week's SnB, a haven for many, and an outlet for stitching, and plenty bitching.

First- the 2 best parts of the conversation part were hilarious tales of squirrels running around in fellow knitters' living rooms only to be chased out windows opened exclusively for their imminent departure, the squirrels with a penchant for green items- who banqueted on the green stripe of a tablecloth and gnawed on green towels, and a thorough discussion on an exclusive part of female anatomy. At this point I will offer a pricelss piece of advice to the non-waif female who visits Costa Rica. DO wear a sports bra while traveling on their roads. I learned this after my first rocky, and horrendous drive from Liberia, CR to our hotel near Arenal Volcano. And was I ever happy, and so much more comfortable on subsequent drives when they were encased and firmly anchored. It was shocking what a difference it made when the entire drive all a person's body parts are bumping around on the pothole packed roads.

tangential moment- retrieved for the purpose of the point of the update of knitting progress and process:

A big thanks to Sue for assisting me in remembering jsut what was going on in the knitting vein, and a smaller thanks to Lisa for "offering me the update task" in place of our faithful member's absence, Beth of Beth's Blue Blog. There's some alliteration for ya.

So, Chris, Our New Zealand-turned Minnesota member was knitting a striped pullover with some fluffy, cozy looking yarn. Sue was working on a fancy tiny-cabled sweater with lots of textured stitchwork, Lisa was making another Sophie bag, Ann was putting her project (was it a felted bag or a hat? I can't remember, only know that both are on her docket) on double pointed needles, I'm not sure either. Kelle was utilizing the resource that is this group in asking whether her scarf was long enough, or not. She was working on a fancy cabled Malabrigo scarf that had a middle of ribbing to wrap around the neck providing less bulk around the neck than other scarfs, plus it was knit in 2 pieces such that it's pattern was right side up on both the left and right side (smart thinking!!) I was working on Teva Durham's One shouler tunic in Patons fresco acrylic tape yarn in Calypso (pink, orange, and white). It is moving along pretty fast, but the stockinette stuff is getting boring- only 2 more inches and I get to do something different on the pattern.

Walking tree

Walking tree
Originally uploaded by CorgiMom.

The rainforest has only a thin layer of nutrients available located

near the top of the soil, so once this plant has gotten all that it can

the roots will actually trail out and the plant will "move" about an

inch or two per year to keep it's supply of nutrients steady. AKA don't

cut down the rainforests!!! Save the trees.

Volcano Lodge

Volcano Lodge
Originally uploaded by CorgiMom.

Getting to this place involved lots of super bumpy, holey roads

swerving through the mountains. I took Dramanine to prepare- and still

threw up three times in a row on the drive there. But it was beautiful

once we arrived and I got to stand on still ground.

Arenal Volcano

Arenal Volcano
Originally uploaded by CorgiMom.

Though obscured partially by clouds, we could hear rocks the size of

cars tumbling down the country's active volcano. It sounded like

something falling down a long set of stairs. We could see the dust

kicked up by the falling boulders.

another tremendous flower that words cannot express

another tremendous flower that words cannot express
Originally uploaded by CorgiMom.

rainforest waterfall

rainforest waterfall
Originally uploaded by CorgiMom.

Viewed from Colgantes Fuentes Hanging bridges near Arenal Volcano.

El Diria, beach resort where we stayed

El Diria, beach resort where we stayed
Originally uploaded by CorgiMom.

Yup- it was wonderful.

On the other side of the world it is beautiful and flowery...

On the other side of the world it is beautiful and flowery...
Originally uploaded by CorgiMom.

Lounge dog- no lounge lizards here.

Lounge dog- no lounge lizards here.
Originally uploaded by CorgiMom.

He can pour a stiff martini.

I'm pretty sure some nature thing did this- but I don't know what it was. It makes me think of the store Target.

I'm pretty sure some nature thing did this- but I don't know what it was. It makes me think of the store Target.
Originally uploaded by CorgiMom.

Yep we ate this bug, as Alton Brown calls the lobster

Yep we ate this bug, as Alton Brown calls the lobster
Originally uploaded by CorgiMom.

Whew! Talk about Olympic reading! and writing!

So- I just blazed my way through a workout of reading all the blogs I missed while in the stunningly beautiful country of Costa Rica. Loved it- I returned at 11pm Saturday night, and woke Sunday morning longing to put on my swimsuit and go for a low tide walk along the ocean and Tamarindo. But alas. I went to church instead. Which was great, but not Costa Rica, and it's still winter here! I thought spring might have sprung early, I was gone a week, c'mon!

In my blog time, which entails upwards of 22 blogs to read with my bloglines subscription, I came across a number of things work mentioning, plus I have some of my own things to say, too.

First, there is another knitter/RAZR owner blogging person, yay for the slickest cell! Plus, she also talks about her new love for knitting podcasts, as does my SnB friend, Beth.

Second, great CS not computer science, but customer service stories are requested here. The Vogue knitting v-neck in the magazine's pictured colorway is here, knit in real life, by a real person, also an SnB'er of my cohort.

The most amazing mitten you'll ever cast your eyes on can be found here.

And, for the knitting- as- sport enthusiasts out there, join the knitting olympics. I plan to join, but need help selecting a project that meets the criteria.

Read these options, and go vote via the comments section: (time for lurkers to delurk themselves in the name of olympic knitting.

Here are some options:
Teva Durham's Lace Leaf sweater, (it's the green one) Teva's one strap tunic in Loop D loop book, Cat Bordhi moebius basket (the Yarn Harlot is making her strummed cowl), Branching out scarf, baby sweater for friends who are expecting, and I am open to other options.

Ok- time for some CR now...If you go there, use Costa Rican Sun Tours, and request Alex and "Hawaii" to be your guides. They are the best team. Our driver managed to skillfully avoid the countless potholes in the road while spying rare birds on power lines, and monkeys in far away trees. Increible!

Corgis in WI- Corgipeople going to CR

Well, we brought the froufy faces (as I like to call them affectionately) to Grandma and Grandpa in WI, since we are on our way to Costa Rica next week. It has been a bit of an ordeal packing- first I had way too much, then I started cutting back a lot, then I tried to find a middle ground. We will be hiking a lot, seeing Arenal Volcano, bathing in hot springs heated by the volcano (OOOH- Yeah...), hanging out on Playa Tamarindo (Tamarind Beach) , visiting Monteverde, the list goes on. I will not be blogging, but I might be knitting as long as my circular needles aren't taken away on the plane. I am very excited, we'll be with my family too, and my husband- to celebrate dual graduations for the children, My bro and I.

Who plays tag in the winter?

From KnitThink: Who else wants to play knitting tag?

1. What new knitting techniques did you learn this year?

Hmm, a little intarsia, how to knit an applied neckband, short rows, lace knitting, brioche, felting, provisional cast on, I think I forgot some. I am in the process of learning socks the magic loop way, but that has been abandoned temporarily.

2. Which completed project from the last 12 months are you the most proud of?
My leaf lace shawl, fixing my Noro sweater to fit better, my new lilac/ mohair Vogue Knitting v-neck.

3. What was your biggest knitting disaster from the last year?
Definitely trying to create a halter top out of cotton tape yarn. I have worn it a few times but the cotton just keeps stretching out of shape. That's an example of trying to get a fiber to do something that it is not intended to do.

4. Who or what has been the biggest influence on your knitting in 2004?

My SnB group, knitting blogs, Cast-on and Knit-cast podcasts, knitty.com

5. What knit craze grabbed you this year?

Lace knitting in the summer, sock knitting, any and all knitting!

New Year's resolutions:

In 2006 I will knit: another sweater for DH, the rest of the 51 tails that remain to be knit in on my Mom's sweater (that's after 2 nights of tail weaving in sessions), more cables, baby booties for my best friend's baby

I will learn to: make sense of the Knitting Stitch Bible- what does it mean for stitches to be in multiples, and how do you know how many stitches to cast on per pattenrn in that book, how to knit into the stitch below, fair isle, whatever else I need to know to make nice sweaters

To become a better knitter, I will: Keep going to SnB, continue my informal apprenticeship with the Knitting Wizard, surround myself with other adventurous knitters

oh- did I mention I have 51 more tails to weave in on my Mom's sweater after two nights of such work?! That will be my next goal.