Christine Lavin in Pawtucket!!!

Okay, those of you who know me know that I am a musical theatre geek (duh, see my blog) BUT, what you may not know is that I am also a huge fan of folk music. I was raised listening to it, and as I grew, the appreciation stuck. The humor, storytelling, and everything about it is fantastic.

Well, as I grew I developed my own favorite performers, and one of them is Christine Lavin. I think she is hilarious and wonderful. Guess what folks, she is also a knitter/crocheter. I always try to find out what she is going to be around, and GUESS WHAT she will be in Pawtucket, and there is also going to be a reading by a Providence author and she will be reading from her book "The Knitting Circle"

The tickets are very in-expensive ($16 in advance) Anyone care to join. It isn't a bad half way point between CT and MA.

okay, so info on the show:
November 15
An Evening With Christine Lavin (Tickets are $15.00 in advance and $18.00 the night of the show.)
Special guest: author Ann Hood NOTE: Reading begins at 7:00
There is no relief from laughter and tears at a concert performed by Christine Lavin. Her stories, songs and rapport with her audience leaves one with happy memories of a night well-spent. Last September, Happydance Of The Xenophobe, Christine's new topical, political, 13-song collection, was released to the thrill of the National Weather Service (“Here Comes Hurricane Season”), delight Julia Child devotees (“Whipped Cream”), enrapture caffeine addicts (“Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans”),and quite a few others.
Prior to Christine's concert, author Ann Hood, noted novelist and a Providence resident will read from her recent books The Knitting Circle and Comfort. Please note that this show begins at 7 PM: the reading will begin at 7pm and the concert at 8pm. Come and enjoy something new and different at Stone Soup!

Here is a link where you can hear some of her music.

Here is her letter to knitters.

If others want to join, let me know. maybe we can get together for dinner, and of course have some knitting and fiber fun.

Meeting My idol

Well, few people in their life can say they were close to their idol. Well, last night I was spitting distance from one of mine. Not in a "I saw him in a restaurant" way. I actually saw and spoke to Stephen Sondheim. I wish I could say it was a private meeting, it was an intimate conversation with myself and abut 800 others. It was amazing.

I almost didn't go. I didn't have a ticket, and I was planning to head down to the theatre to attempt to obtain one. I wasn't feeling well at work (running a little fever from my flu shot) but after much prodding from plurk friends, and my sister, I went.

I got downtown (after riding the PAINFULLY slow green line train) and found the theatre. There was a student there who had a ticket in his hand and wasn't sure what to do with it. I asked him "Do you have a ticket" he said yes. I said "How much" $10, and I was in. I went down, got myself a sandwich, and started texting furiously. I then looked at my ticket. Row C, third row. !!!!!!!!!!!!!

I went into the theatre to settle myself, and pulled out my knitting (duh, see my blog name). Then it began.

It was very much an "Inside the Actors Studio with a vocalist" The questions that were asked by the moderator were great. I was very impressed. The vocalist (Kate Baldwin) was fantastic.

They touched on many of his shows, but when I realized the shows that they didn't touch on it occurred to me just how much he has accomplished in his life. It is amazing.

They opened the room up for questions and DUDE I was in the third ROW!!!! I asked the question I knew everyone wanted o know. "Do you have a favorite? whether it was the process of getting there or the finished product. Is there a favorite?" He said No, but the one show that became what he and his collaborators wanted was Assassins. That happens to be one of my all time favorites. Everything about it is just so perfect. It is also one of those shows that can be done so many different ways.

They spent lots of time talking about Company, which many people consider his best work.

Well, that is the beginning of my weekend. I know the weather is going to be great, but I think I may lay low for this weekend so that I can get some knitting done, maybe start some spinning, and get organized. I would like to get my room re-arranged and prepared for a a bookshelf to help store my yarn and books.

Well, that was it. I have met someone who has always been on my list.

Oh, and he is apparently coming out with a book that is an annotated guide to all of his songs, He expects it will be out in a year or so. I will be first in line to get it.

Dear Daily Chum

I love you, really I do. You are the bright spot in my day I am having a bad day, I go to the chum. There is bound to be something there that will brighten my day. But seriously, You are not helping my condition. The condition, I understand, is terminal. Even the knitting celebrities are suffering from it, did you read yarn harlot yesterday? Startisits is a problem from which we all suffer. We are hiding WIP's and UFO's. saying to ourselves, "Of ourse I can make an afghan by December 21st, I will just deny myself sleep, hunker down in my apartment for an entire weekend, not to mention hauling projects onto the train in hopes that maybe I can get in some knitting time in the two stops that I have on my way to work.

But seriously, today you post this.knotions. The patterns are beautiful, so fantastic. . . . But we have to wait till November 3rd. SO this weekend I wil attempt to finish projects n hopes that on November third I will be able to cast on more (as I run into my closet to hide more WIP's so that I do not have to look at them.)

WIP's

Okay, so I promised a few people that I would post these. Since October is Breast Cancer awareness month, and I am making this for mom for Christmas I will show you this.

This is the Pink ribbon illusion scarf. It is from Short-n-crafty's blog This pattern is fantastic. I love it. It is the first time I have done illusion and I am thrilled with it. In fact, I am thinking of making something for my future nephew with illusion.


Thanks to the wonderful peacefulknitter I was graced with some malabrigo the other day. Some random leftovers, but I knew I could make something pretty. I need a wrist rest for my work keyboard. Well, I do have some lovely Malabrigo so why not. Here it is.


I hope to have the scarf at least 1/3 done this weekend, then I can get to the second ribbon.

So, those are my WIP's/

Hey, if you are family (or know my mom) shhhhhhhh the scarf is her Christmas gift.

Wednesday Wonders

Well, it is Wednesday. Hump Day, the one in the middle Gotta make it interesting somehow right? Well. . . . . Now I introduce Wednesday wonders. Maybe it is a question, maybe it is something new I have discovered. In general I introduce the Wednesday wonder for this week.

I know, you wouldn't think that a cookie could be a wonder right? Not for me. See, for those of you that might be new to my blog, I love food. Really I do. . . All kinds of food. I like junk food, sweet food, spicy food, sour food, healthy food, salty food, fried foods and greasy foods. Yup, it all fits (But no, I did not try Haggis when I was in Scotland, I drew a VERY thick line and I stayed on my side of it)

But last night while grocery shopping I saw the cake-sters. Do I enjoy oreos, of course, they are great, and the oreo cake-sters are very good. But these, well,. . . what can I say. . . they are just happiness in a yellow foil wrapper, and there are TWO of them.

SO yes, the Wednesday Wonder of the Week.
Enjoy

rhinebeck booty

rhinebeck booty
Originally uploaded by theatreknitter

Back from Rhinebeck. I will post details later but this is the booty. I got the first Mason Dixon book, and it is signed!! This book is a staple and should be in everyone's library in my opinion. The prayer shawl book was an impulse, but a great one. The patterns are so wonderful. THe book also has beautiful stories of faith and strength that go along with the patterns. IT is just beautiful, and the authors couldn't have been kinder. The two pamphlet patterns are from Hope SPinnery. They are a completely wind powered mill in Maine. Great yarns, and AWSOME packaging on their kits (they were in glass jars). I decided to go for these two patterns (circus tent hat and cathedral hat). I have JUST ventured into multi-colored patterns, so I am excited to try these out. The lace weight was a last minute steal. It is form silver moon farms. $25, 1100 yards. That's why lace weight rocks. I really want a branching out, so that is what I am thinking. The other yarn is a DK from the knit-picker. The colors are fun and it will knit up socks wicked quick. Oh, that wooden thing. . yeah I really want to try drop spindle. That is a Turkish spindle. I am pretty psyched about it. Hoping to have some handspun by the spring.

Will post more pics later about all of the fun, it really was a great weekend. Can't wait to see everyone elses booty.

OH, and I did come home with some cash, so I didn't spend everything (though I used the plastic for books)

OH, almost forgot. I got two books that I already owned signed. I met the Yarn Harlot AND Lynn from new knitted scarves, who said I can email her if I am having trouble with drifting pleats. How many people offer that!!!!!!

Counting down. . . .

Halloween is coming.!!!!!

And so is RHINEBECK!!!!!!!!!!!. I feel like a total dork that all I want to do is go o a fair devoted to yarn. Bonuses to being up north, i get to go with Becca . We even get to go up on Saturday to go to the Ravelry party. I am PSYCHED!!!!!!!!!!!!

This weekend I went out to Salem, MA. It was great. Got to visit a new LYS for me calledA Seed Stitch. What a WONDERFUL shop. Great yarns, from the workhorses of cascade to the very fancy cashmere's. Really nice. beautifully lit, lots of space, and EXTREMELY helpful. In my opinion, any shop that will get on the computer for you to check out a ravelry pattern, they win in my book. I did get some yarn for a Christmas gift. The ONLY gift I am buying yarn for If you want to see it in process you will have to go to Ravelry, sorry guys, the soon to be owner of this gift does read the blog from time to time. I went with two types of yarn, but they are the same Gauge. Color was far more important than actual gauge, and I erally likes the texture of the lighter pink. It will be a GREAT project, can't wait to cast it on.

I will post pics of the neck warmer tonight. I do have some of the Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk left over, and I am thinking of maybe whipping up some writst warmers, but they will have to be short, I have very little yarn left. This yarn is great to work with, split a bit, but still great.

Work is still good, I am very pleased with my new position, and it is great. I like not doing the sales, I really enjoy working with the members more, and I feel that my day is a bit more structured. It is very cool. The hours are a tad longer. 9:30-6:30. I find it a bit frustrating how "relaxed'" other people in the office are about their hours, they show up after 10. Now I get that one of them has a long commute, he works on the train, okay. . valid. but the others???? Guess I was just brought into the work force on a much stronger work ethic. Oh well, I get to listen to my music for a bit longer. Cool for me.

Well, lots of pics from Rhinebeck to come, I promise. I can't wait. !!!!!!!!!