Live and Let Learn!

dropping in

noreply@blogger.com (livnletlrn) — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 18:19:00 +0000

Hey, y'all, I'm not kitting as much lately, so this blog will probably not be updated very often, but I'm still around, still online. If you want to keep in touch, you know how to reach me on Ravelry or, if you'd like to know what else is up, drop me a line (email link in profile) and I'll tell you how to find me on Facebook. I hope to see you there!

ingrid

noreply@blogger.com (livnletlrn) — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 14:11:00 +0000

Ingrid cardigan

Started in January, finished in July.

Top down funky genius knitting gymnastics construction in an extremely well-written pattern.

I think I love it, but it's July so I can barely touch it. Will let you know for sure in October.

Beautiful lace sampler scarf being knit by a friend after a raw foods potluck party last weekend. She scored 7 skeins of this cashmere for a grand total of $1!

finish-itis

noreply@blogger.com (livnletlrn) — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 14:10:00 +0000

I had a raging case of finish-itis this lovely holiday weekend and here's what I have to show for it:

Cuffs on Ingrid cardigan, project now complete and blocked and I think I LOVE it. REALLY love it. Like possibly the best sweater I've ever knit. Photos soon.

Auto-pilot 2x2 rib socks. This was my always-with-me filler knitting for a while. They've been sitting on my desk for something like two weeks, just waiting for me to weave in those 4 yarn ends. Now added to the sock stash. Yup, keeping this pair for myself.

Lacy Baktus with Edge, the 5th(?) I've knit, this one for my sister. This was the always-with-me knitting for a while too, until it got too bulky. A lot can get accomplished in those little bits of waiting time that we all have, if there's an easy project within reach.

And just to prove that it's all Lacy Baktus, all the time, around here, here are two more that my mom just finished. Seriously, most wearable handknit evah. Just enough of a touch to spice up an outfit or add that extra layer of warmth without being too bulky. Mom's living in Florida in the winters, but there are plenty of times to want a little warmth over your shoulders or around your neck, even down south, in the land of overzealous air conditioning. Once you get the pattern in your head or the chart (printed on cardstock) clipped to your work, it's the perfect mobile project. I like to wind the skein of sock yarn into two equal cakes so I'm carrying a smaller package and know exactly when I've reached the halfway point, which is when the increases become decreases.

Next up: Saroyan!

perfect

noreply@blogger.com (livnletlrn) — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 19:48:00 +0000

good live music +
good brisk walk +
good raw dinner +
good background knitting =

absolutely glorious evening

up, up, and away

noreply@blogger.com (livnletlrn) — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 15:06:00 +0000

Last weekend, Jesse and I hung out in upstate New York with a bunch of rocket scientists.

Hundreds of launches, most as expected, some spectacular catastrophes at take-off.

I took advantage of the time in the sunshine to take a long walk around the perimeter of the enormous sod farm, have a rockin' good ATV ride, and finish the Lacy Baktus for my sister.

I'm now halfway through the ribbing on the body of the Ingrid cardigan. Will be home tonight for the first time in something like 2 wks, so might be able to finish that up after a run, then only sleeve ribbing to go!

Life. Do it up!

noreply@blogger.com (livnletlrn) — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 19:42:00 +0000

I was away for only 36 hours this weekend, but it felt like a week's worth of vacation and festivities and, really, like I'll be riding that wave for a good long while. You know that kind of weekend? Yeah. Excellent.

Started off on Saturday morning in Cambridge, MA, to run my first 5K with Pa, Ben, and Jed (and others) from the Do Life movement. Didja hear that, Peeps? A 5K! Me?! Now, all you real runners, don't fall off your chair laughing. I know 5K is a warm-up for some of you, but for me, it's big. I mean, I've been walking that distance or even double that distance for many days in the past year, but running? No. Never did. Never expected to. But when the body has energy and the joints don't complain, it seems a natural progression and -- dare I admit this? -- I'm *liking* it.

I started loosely following the Couch to 5K program a few weeks ago. I say loosely because it's supposed to be a 9-week program and they warn you not to jump ahead, even if you feel like you can, but I did it in 3 weeks because I'm an ~~idiot~~ rebel like that. It was steamy on Saturday morning, though, so I (and the other couple of women I hooked up with) did a fair bit of walking during that 5K. Still, it's all movement and it's all good.

Then I headed to NYC, where I trekked around and had an amazing lunch of raw gourmet foods (I ordered appetizers so I could try a variety -- tostada, hand roll, pizza, ravioli) at Quintessence and raw dessert from One Lucky Duck. I ate that mint chip sundae on a bench outside and took the tiramisu and lemon square with me for another time. Boy, it's too bad that a raw foods lifestyle is so boring and restrictive and deprivational, eh?

;-) Saw some live music, enjoyed wandering the city solo, and met up late at night with a friend who was letting me crash at his place (lest y'all get the wrong idea: platonic! guest room!).

Up the next morning for another 5K! This one was in Central Park, again with the Do Life guys (and many others). If you check out Ben Does Life, you might see my smiling mug in 3 of his recently posted pics. This time, I again met up with two women with whom to run -- all of us at about the same pace and endurance. I took 1-minute walking breaks a few times, but this one felt like I really ran it. And I was able to hold conversations while running with them. And it was fun. So. Much. Fun. I left plenty of time for chatting with people before and after, met some fabulous and interesting folks, and really got the biggest buzz from the whole thing.

Back to friend's house, we had planned to take his motorcycle to the beach, but decided the traffic would be horrendous, so instead strolled the High Line and Hudson River Park on what had to be one of the most spectacular weather days of the year.

I googlemapped my weekend this morning and came up with about 23 miles of walking/running, total. No joke. Yet another Lacy Baktus along with podcasts to keep me occupied on the train ride back to CT to fall into bed, so tired but yet so energized.

they're everywhere

noreply@blogger.com (livnletlrn) — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 17:09:00 +0000

I took a walk during Leah's voice class last week and was on the way to my harmonica class at a community college when I passed this wall of windows and noticed, sitting right inside, a cluster of knitters! So of course I made a U-turn, went inside and introduced myself.

It ends up that these three work at the college and get together to knit on Wed. evenings after work. Then it ends up that I've chatted with two of the three before and one even bought a glass button from Scott a while ago, used it on a hat with a seed stitch brim!

chillin'

noreply@blogger.com (livnletlrn) — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 14:00:00 +0000

It was a bit warm out there yesterday, but I was in a shady spot before Leah's voice class, while waiting for my harmonica class to start. I had good tunes, good knitting, a gentle breeze, and a good view of some fine young bucks practicing bike tricks. I had planned to just stay parked until Leah went into her class and then go for a walk, but it felt so good to do what I was doing that I just stayed there. I sat and knitted for a whole hour! Such a rarity these days. And I remembered exactly why I love this little obsession so much. And I still do, even though I'm walking more than knitting lately. Down 90 pounds now, so it's all good!

this wk, the stats version

noreply@blogger.com (livnletlrn) — Mon, 23 May 2011 00:43:00 +0000

miles walked: 35+

days of rain: 6

car maintenance cost: $1,900. ouch.

concerts seen: 1

average # of social encounters per visit to Whole Foods: 3

new jeans size: 12

lacy Baktus completed: #4? or is it 5?

avg # of social encounters while on walks: 1+

hoops made: 7

rocket launches attended: 1

rockets launched: zillions

evening walks/visits with friends: 3

inches left to go on body of Ingrid cardigan: ~6

kumquats munched: 20+

harmonicas bought for upcoming class: 2

hey, I made something!

noreply@blogger.com (livnletlrn) — Sun, 15 May 2011 13:53:00 +0000

New kitchen, new dishcloths.
They're small, so I made two.
Fun to crochet for a change!

Old friend, very good friend.
From Minnesota, on Long Island for the weekend.
So nice to reconnect.

The whole day felt a lot like this moment looked.
Bonus: Found a fab juice bar!

Time on the ferry gave me a chance
to reconnect with another old friend,
the sticks and string. Ahh.
Good day and home in time to walk 4 miles before bed.

anything goes

noreply@blogger.com (livnletlrn) — Sat, 14 May 2011 23:41:00 +0000

Sometimes a seamstress may feel a little steampunk.

Sometimes she may prefer the Civil War era.

At Costume Con, held in New Jersey this year, anything goes. Costume enthusiasts of all eras and genres gather together to strut their stuff, share techniques and resources, take workshops, and be inspired.

Leah was tickled to win an award for one of her outfits.

And now she's 13. It'll be fun to see where her fiber/textile passions will take her this year! Go, Goob, and happy birthday!

the big catch-up

noreply@blogger.com (livnletlrn) — Mon, 09 May 2011 22:03:00 +0000

Whoa. Yeah, it's been a while. Hold on tight and I'll do a quick summary of what's been going on 'round here. It's been a wild ride.

Leah finished sewing another historic gown, attended another vintage ball, danced all night. Dinner at Ethiopian restaurant first. Yum.

Scott and Jesse spent a few days in Delaware for Red Glare rocketry event (just like the one last fall).

Scott and his buddies went camping/fishing for the annual weekend festivities for opening day of trout season.

Leah took a pottery class. Had fun with her first attempts on a wheel.

Kitchen electrical work done and appliances delivered. Scott's in the process of sheetrocking. Cabinet installation scheduled in a couple of weeks.

Kids and I saw the orchid show at New York Botanical Garden. Haven't been there since 2006. The place is super cool.

I moved out, got my own apartment. Not easy, but it was time. We're all adjusting.

Leah and I spent a weekend in New Jersey for Costume-Con. She won an award for one of the outfits she sewed.

Ireland 4/11

Spent a week in Ireland. Stunningly beautiful. Totally mellow. Click through for the photo album. Giant's Causeway!

hello, old friend

noreply@blogger.com (livnletlrn) — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 10:24:00 +0000

Some days are like a breath of fresh air, y'know?

The trails are finally cleared of their winter muck, so I walked six miles in some of my favorite woods.

Throughout the day, I was lucky enough to chat with three friends who I've known since I was about 16. Soooo thankful to still be in touch with these good people.

And there was even a little bit of time left in the evening to add a few more rows to my Ingrid cardigan. This is only the second time I've worked on it since February, but the second sleeve is almost as long as the first now. True to form, this super warm and wooly sweater will probably be ready to wear in, oh, July or August. ;-)

Still, it was refreshing to knit a bit, chat a bit, walk a bit.

It was a very good day.

following the bliss. again. still.

noreply@blogger.com (livnletlrn) — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 12:52:00 +0000

Scott and Jesse: In Delaware for a rocketry event.

Me: Walking 6 miles with a group of awesome and fascinating people on a sparkling early spring Saturday morning, tickled to see flowers and buds and feel the warmth of the sunshine.

Leah: Over the moon in her favorite of the 19th century ball gowns she's sewn to date, asked to dance for all but the few dances she sat out (to rest) at the 1861 Ball of the Rebellion. Months of anticipation, weeks of sewing, 4-1/2 hours of dancing and festivities, and a lifetime of good memories.

In progress

noreply@blogger.com (livnletlrn) — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 14:55:00 +0000

Pillow to match the Goob's comforter.

Granny square mania and stash diving continues.

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each one teach one

noreply@blogger.com (livnletlrn) — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 21:06:00 +0000

Outgoing learning: From Scott to Troy, winner of a lampworking workshop that Scott offered as part of a fundraising auction.

Incoming learning: From Holyoke Creative Arts Center to Leah, a Patternmaking: Bodices class. More skills added to her growing seamstress arsenal.

Meanwhile, Jesse and I hiked to a peak on Mt. Tom. Wicked cold up there, but interesting history/ruins and what a view!

Blooming hyacinths on my desk, because their smell is intoxicating and I wish I could share it with you all. Go ahead, take a deep breath. Can't you just feel springtime on the way?

To everything there is a season

noreply@blogger.com (livnletlrn) — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 14:44:00 +0000

Hike now. Knit later. WooHoo!

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a breath of fresh air

noreply@blogger.com (livnletlrn) — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 00:28:00 +0000

This post is for Rani and Laurie and anybody else who is going a little winter stir-crazy right about now.

Pics taken Saturday in NYC, where the very first signs of spring are popping up, where the sun was shining brightly and the day could not have been more delightful.

Hang in there. Warmer days are coming!

well, at least one of us is being creative

noreply@blogger.com (livnletlrn) — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 21:48:00 +0000

I was going to title this that one of us is being productive, but that's not quite right. See, we're both being plenty productive, it's just that I'm being productive at workworkworkworkwork and Leah is being productive in other ways, creative ways, handcrafting ways.

Since we got back from vacation over three weeks ago, I have knit for a grand total of 45 minutes on a scarf for my sister, while at the MIT thing with the kids two weeks ago. :::sigh::: But I'm happy for the work and the new kitchen it's buying us, so no pity party for me. Let's see what the Goob's making, shall we?

With no less than three hoop-skirted 19th century gowns-in-progress in her room right now, this week she put the finishing touches on one! Velvet from the most awesome barter evah. Braided trim from another excellent barter. Muslin from our scrap stash. Vintage buttons and cameo pin from my Gram's house. Sewn entirely by hand. Total cash outlay for this dress: $5 for pattern. Sense of satisfaction: Priceless.

Otherwise, my girl's a happy hooker, having caught the crochet bug. She dug around in the scrap yarns recently, picked up a good audiobook at the library, and emerged from her room a while later with a rainbow bunting to string merrily across the walls of her room.

So, that's that. I gots nothin' of my own to show you. When I'm not working, I'm out walkingwalkingwalking, loving the fresh air and daylight. Reminds me of similar comments on a blog post from exactly a year ago.

As a matter of fact, I managed to arrange a Whole Day Off (almost as rare as knitting time lately) for myself tomorrow and I'm going to pop down to NYC to do a fair bit of walking there. Don't look now, but somewhere along the line, the exercise (walking and a variety of other activities) became enjoyable, something I look forward to every single day and get grumpy about if it doesn't happen. Srsly. I've heard rumors of such a phenomenon, but never, ever thought it would happen to me.

Now, while the day's work is done and there's still glorious daylight out there, I'm heading out for a few miles. After that, I'll be winding yarn and gathering supplies for a new little traveling project because there will be train time tomorrow and, you know, I am still me.

They're everywhere

noreply@blogger.com (livnletlrn) — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 17:12:00 +0000

Kids had plans to participate in a math/sci/general goofiness event at MIT today.

I had to smile when we realized Fiber Camp was happening on the same day, in the same place.

Who are all these yarnies and why do they keep following me?!

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Early mornings

noreply@blogger.com (livnletlrn) — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 01:50:00 +0000

Just me, the sunrise, and some fun cables.

It's too big, so I think it'll be worn more like a jacket than a sweater. 'Sokay with me.

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Multigenerational Bakti

noreply@blogger.com (livnletlrn) — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 21:28:00 +0000

Mom and I are each knitting a Lacy Baktus with Edge by the pool.

Things could be worse.

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Having a blast

noreply@blogger.com (livnletlrn) — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 13:48:00 +0000

Shuttle launch.

Hours of waiting. A few minutes of excitement.

TOTALLY worth the effort.

p.s. Duck!

noreply@blogger.com (livnletlrn) — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 00:02:00 +0000

I have some knitting time coming up; I feel sure of it. And the Ingrid cardigan requires too much concentration for some situations, and the lacy Baktus is nearing the end. So rummage, rummage, rummage. Now, there's not much in my knitting bag, so you can imagine my surprise to find this little ditty in there:

It's Saroyan, a lovely free pattern in that Baktus-ish shape that I am finding so very wearable this winter. Perfect, I thought, and just enough underway to have all the kinks worked through and be ready to rock it out.

Wasn't it nice of me to, at some point in the past, set this up for exactly this kind of situation? It's like in Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, when their future selves left a note for them in the past, telling them where to look for the car keys and to Duck!

Whew.

Be excellent to each other and knit on! :::strikes air guitar riff pose!:::

flounces

noreply@blogger.com (livnletlrn) — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 20:44:00 +0000

As has been the case for so many days this winter, yesterday's weather conditions caused plans to be scrapped, so the kids and I shifted to Plan B, which included a romp around NYC. We visited a science center that had a traveling exhibit we specifically wanted to see, then met up with one of my old friends for a visit with his family (baby snuggles!) and then out to lunch at an Indian buffet. While wandering around his neighborhood afterward and taking in the sights, sounds, and scents of businesses of many ethnicities, Leah ducked into an Indian sari/fabric store.

Ooh, the silks, the beadwork, the colors, the light-as-air cottons, the textures!

After a few more hours of cruising around the city, back onto the train for the start of our trip home. I did some more knitting on the Lacy Baktus du jour while the Goob oohed and ahhed over the lovely blue satin evening gown of our trainmate-in-drag. He was a totally pleasant guy who was entirely decked out for a big evening in the Big Apple, including pearl earrings, a fur jacket, and vintage evening purse.

When it was his turn to get off the train, the elbow length blue satin gloves he pulled on completed the entire ensemble. Leah admired his dress. I admired his chutzpah.

Here's a gown Leah's presently working on, made of velvet rec'd in a swap with our Rav-friend Michelle.

It's far from being finished. As a matter of fact, she's unhappy with enough aspects of it that she hesitated to let me post this pic, but I think it's beautiful, and I think she's beautiful, and, well, there you go. Seamstress, age 12. Verklempt mom who definitely needs more sleep and less work, age 44. :-)