a Decade in Review.

As I prepare for New Years eve I realize that this isn't just any new year, it has been a Decade. For me, this has been an extremely busy decade.

It has been such a busy decade that I get things mixed up. I decided to post this anyway. I probably need to look at some show posters and it will better tell me what I was doing. But here is goes.



2000: I rang in the new year in Princeton New Jersey. I was working as an intern for the McCarter Theatre. I bought a brand new car, drove it off the lot with 42 miles on it. I loved that car. In May (on Mothers day) I moved to High Point, NC and started working for the North Carolina Shakespeare Festival.

2001: I was still working for the festival this year. On Sat. Sept 8th I purchased my first set of knitting needles. I remember this because I returned form Michaels to a phone call from my mom saying that my Granfather was very ill. I woke up that Tuesday morning and watched the towers fall. My Grandfather died on Sept 13th. Towards the end of my second season I applied to go on tour with the Utah Shakespearean Festival. I flew out to Utah on Dec. 26th. I returned from tour in May and worked retail while living at home for a few months. This was a rough few months. Not a good time at all. . . . .but in August I got hired at the Arts center of Coastal Carolina in Hilton Head, SC. I packed up the cavalier and moved down to SC. . . . . I worked. . . . a lot.

2002: I was still at the Arts Center, and working A LOT!!! I rang in the new year prepping for Around the World in 80 Days by Mark Brown. I say this because to this day it is possibly one of the best experiences I ever had working on a show. It was fun, challenging, and a true team effort to make that show the amazing success that it was. This was also the year that my brand new car got totaled. Possibly one of the scariest experiences of my life. a really great friend got me through that experience. I owe him a lot, probably not my life. . but he saved me from major injury. I dated someone and got dumped. . . . yeah, that's all I will say about that. I found out that two awesome people were getting married. Oh, lots of knitting. I was getting better at this point.

2003: I was working at the arts center (WOW, still. . . . . . ) I made a big decision for my career. It is probably the only decision that I look back on and say what if? I know deep down it was the right decision, but I sometimes still wonder what would have happened if it had been different. I went to Cape Cod and spent two weeks with a great friend and her little munchkin. I lived in CT with Dad and worked a lot. . . . . I was working at Long Wharf Theatre and also working retail

2004: I was in Becca's wedding. It was so much fun.

2005. I worked my first season with PSF.

2006: I rang in the new year with my mom, my sisters, my step dad, and a great friend from way back when. Mom was going through a chemo treatment. I was working a lot and living at dads. I was teaching, working retail, and working at FTD as a customer service rep. I went down to PSF for the summer for my second season. i went back to CT and worked at a coffee/ice cream shop (This was such a fun job), I was also working for my uncle. I went up to Maine for Jenny and Brians wedding. It was such an amazing weekend with friends, I didn't want it to end.

2007: I rang in the new year in North Carolina. I had just moved down there. Great apartment, crappy roommate. But it was great. I started taking classes again towards my teaching license. Great classes, I love being in school. I went back to PSF for the summer. I went back down to NC and moved into my VERY OWN apartment. I took a job as a box office manager. Lorelai was born. I spent my first Thanksgiving away from my family, I got my cat Hagrid. He was fantastic.
I started this blog.

2008: I rang in the new year driving down to NC with my cat hagrid. I was working hard at my job, and met some really awesome artists as they came across the stage. I quickly saw things going downhill at work. I moved to Boston, I got a great job, I had to give Hagrid away. Patrick was born on Dec. 18th. He is amazing. I went to Rhinebeck, it was awesome.


2009: I rang in 2009 with my sister living in Boston. I visited NC with my mom and saw the 4 bitching babes, I saw lots of concerts, I moved to Salem with my sister (I really like it here), I have spent lots of time with the South End Knitters, I went on the Knitters Review Retreat (Which I WON!!!!!), I spent lots of time with my foster pug Stella. She is awesome. (in fact she' sleeping. I learned how to Spin wool. I crewed my first Avon walk for Breast Cancer. I went to Rhinebeck, I went to CT sheep and Wool, I dies my hair pink.



2010: this year a rang in the new year with my sisters watching Glee!!!

Determined

I am determined to not get start-itis. I have woderful projects that I would Like for me. These are big projects. I have got to finish my racing stripes. Maybe I can say I will wear it for my birthday at this point.

Then there is the aleinor. That was gifted to me. It will be my first top down project, and i am anxious to get it started.

But on my knitting to do list

1. Organize the knitting closet
2. Catalogue the needles
3. Organize the yarn. Post yarns that I will not use for trade on ravelry.
4. If no trades in a month, it goes to goodwill.

Once that is done I will be happy.

Racing stripes re-start

So I picked up my racing stripes sweater again. After taking a brief hiatus due to holiday knitting and running out of yarn, I forgot where I left off. I decided to start the front over. I cast on some
More stitches for the body. It calls for 88, I cast on 98. It calls for size 7, I am using size 6.

I'll keep you posted!

Koolhaas

If you read my blog you know that I am pretty much obsessed with this pattern. I love it. I have made lots of adjustments to the pattern. I think I have found my favorite. The two colored koolhaas.



The green is cascade 220, the blue is blue sky alpaca. The ribbing was done with size 5's, and the chart was done on size 6's. I added one 8 sts repeat (I cast on 116 sts)

I am in love. I hope the recipient feels the same way.
(The little bit of red, that is the lifeline. not sure how it will fit the recipient, so I put in a lifeline so that I could easily re-knit if necessary)

Knitted item stalker

Hat on the train platform
Originally uploaded by theatreknitter

So I have become a stalker. a stalker of beautiful knitted items. I will admit that I actually asked this person before I too a picture of her hat. Isn't it lovely?

Motor Baby Bunting

Motor Baby Bunting:
Book: Interweave Knitted Gifts Irresistible Projects to make and give
Yarn: Wool Ease Thick and Quick
Needles: 11 1/2


This is a fantastic pattern. I loved knitting it. This is for a friend who is due in Late January/early February. I gotta give this girl some credit. She does not want people calling her constantly asking if the baby has been born yet, she would rather not tell people her actual due date. And Guess what, it is working.

I used lion brand think and quick yarn.

I am particularly proud of the hood. I did a three needle bind off at the top of the hood. On the back of the hood there are increases, the white yarn made this fantastic pattern. I am really happy.

The only thing that I have to work on is my seaming. I would like that to be better. It works for this project and for the most part I am pleased with that.


This is a wonderful quick knit for any baby shower. I love it. I will totally knit this pattern again.

What was my favorite part?

First things first, I have very few pictures to show. I made a point of not carrying my phone with me for most of the weekend. I really didn't want to be checking email, and I think I did a good job of it. I used the phone to plurk and post on facebook.

I had misplaced my camera, it has thankfully been found. But MAN what a weekend. I am still winding down from it.

The weekend started picking up two pretty awesome ladies. They had flown in from California. First stop Webs (well Duh)

We did really well. I hadn't planned on spending money. I had to buy needles for my class and then a few things just jumped into my arms. The beautiful Blue o the Right, yup, that's the Madelintosh. mmmmmmmm


I decided to look at some spindles, and got myself a Hi-Lo spindle. I also got some Arucania sock yarn. Totally not my colors at ALL but thank you to Angela for pointing out what the yarn looked like knit up, I am excited to see this take shape.

Also in the Warehouse I managed to find this little number.
A Lantern Moon Sling Bag. It is SOOO fantastic for traveling. I LOVE it for commuting already. For $25? It lacks the bonus pockets that most knitting bags have, but it makes up for that in the shape, the sling shoulder, and the perfectly placed smaller pocket for stashing the wallet.



After Webs it was off to Williamstown (FYI, in the famous words of Into the Woods (slightly modified: When going to Webs, know how to get there (it's easy to miss the street) and eat first! After 2.5 hours we were properly hungry.

Then it was off to the retreat. The drive to WIlliamstown was lovely. It got dark on the drive. Probably a good thing for my nerves. Williamstown is in a valley, and there are hairpin, and I mean DEFINITION of hairpin, turns heading into the valley. Had I been able to see the drop off's, I would have been terrified. Thanks to not being able to see the rocks, having great company, driving a great vehicle (thanks Jen) and taking it slow we got their safely, and just in time for dinner.

The Williams Inn is a LOVELY hotel. the have real KEYS!!!! no key cards here, I love that.

After dinner we gathered our stuff, and headed into our meet and greet.

(Oh yeah, we got goodie bags, I'll share that when I get home tonight, you want visuals for those)

Did i mention how amazing Clara Parks is? Being welcomed by her smiling face was simply amazing.

WE spent the evening hearing about other people's projects and their philosophy's on knitting. I think the Kris's was the most popular (As long as I have yarn to knit with I will live forever, then there was Chris of Briar Rose. . . I'm Dyin till I Die. . . . )

After a long day of travel I decided to turn in after the festivities of the night.

Oh yeah, I visited the stash room. don't worry, I will share pictures there as well.

What was my favorite part of the retreat. . . . .
Was it being able to knit at meals without getting funny looks?
Maybe it was hearing "May I touch you?" more than once.
How about "wait wait stop, I have got to show someone what you are wearing?"
Oh, how about having a conversation with Ann Budd, yeah I totally didn't know it was her.
Maybe taking a class sitting next to Melanie Falick (What a classy lady, Man can she sew!!! Seriously, she's got skills with a needle!!!)
Maybe it was people walking up to me and saying "Can I just touch you for luck?"
How about my impromptu spinning lessons
The stash room
the encouragement
Maybe receiving just the encouragement that I need to start designing some illusion knitting projects.

This weekend was truly inspiring. I spent 3 days with people who have a passion for a craft. I miss them all.

Pictures of the goodies to come.