I refuse . . .

. . . to throw away my magazines. It's really a problem.

Before I moved the last time (over three years ago), I consolidated my magazines into one really cool notebook. Like a Bible of all things pretty, crafty, decorate-y, delicious. It has a sections for decorating, style, tips and tricks, and beauty. I have a whole separate binder for recipes and cooking tips. But I lost my fire for it after I moved to New York three years ago, and have had a stack of Martha Stewarts, Real Simples, Luckys, Clean Eatings, Cooking Lights, and Tastes of Homes, not to mention IKEA, Webs, Lionbrand catalogues. Oy. I was able to go through all the cooking and yarn mags a month or so ago, but I have 1 year of Martha Stewart Living and 3 years of Real Simples that were just stacked in a bookshelf. I made a plan to go through them all, but it was completely overwhelming. We move in 4 days, and so there is no hope for me.

As a last resort (and to appease my husband/trick him into thinking I threw them out) I have been hiding them at the office. Every nook and cranny I can find. I genuinely plan to go through them all and add to my "bible"; it's just happening any time soon.

The down-side of using yarn as packing material . . .

. . . is that when our move date gets pushed back I can't knit anything. I am nearly finished with Baby Notre Dame Letterman sweater number 2, and eager to start on the "Golden Dome" hat I have half-designed in my head (see below for details). I was hoping to use either beige or gray yarn for the bottom; however those specific skeins are being used to pad certain fragile objects packed in boxes, stacked in my bedroom. Problem is I don't know which boxes contain which yarn. I didn't think to document which skeins were padding which boxes, because I thought I would be UNPACKING them soon!!! sigh.

My original goal was to move on June 11 . . . it being the 20th, I'm sure you have guessed that THAT plan did not come to fruition. The good news is that we close on Thursday at 4pm (YEA!!!). Bad news is that the movers we had on hold are not available on Friday, and the building does not allow weekend moves, and the closing Thursday is too late in the day to move afterwards. More bad news is that between the 27th and the 3rd is the movers' "peak" rates, so it would cost us more to move on Monday. grrr.

So right now we're waiting to hear back on what that higher rate would be (we might just have to swallow it . . . that's what she said). If it's too much, we'll just wait until "peak" is over, and move July 5th (screwing up our Independence Day family plans AND Chris's Birthday plans) if they even do "holiday" moves, or wait until July 9th . . . a full 3 weeks from now!!! double sigh.

Anyway . . . the Golden Dome hat. I wanted a hat to go with the Notre Dame jackets, and any true Domer knows that their true symbol is the Gold Dome of the "Main Building" on campus.

(Side note: you'd think that the most iconic building on campus would have a cooler name than "Main Building", wouldn't you?)

I found Jane Tanner's "Rib-a-Roni Hat"

The pattern has 16 wide ribs that come together evenly at the top (instead of spiraling); I am going to widen them and only have 8 ribs.

The bottom will be folded up and have a zig zag pattern to represent the "gables" (I know they're not true gables, but I can't think of a better word). I would love to use a "twisted knit" stitch, if I can figure out how to make the colors work. I did a twisted knit on the washcloth shown below, and I love how it makes a raised, diagonal knitted line.

If you look at the photo of the building, you can see why I would want the gray or beige yarn that is hiding at the moment. I think I might just give up and use white and blue (since I'll have some leftover when I finish the jacket). I also don't think I'll be able to replicate Mother Mary on the top of a hat, but I'll see what I can do, in a non-blasphemous sort of way.

Carnegie Mellon University

So I got an interesting email yesterday:

Subject: WHATEVER IT TAKES: Steelers Fan Collections, Rituals, and Obsessions
Date: 10th June, 2010

Hi Mollie,

We're putting together an exhibition celebrating Steelers fan art, homemade creations, and collections. We really enjoyed your Baby Steelers Jacket, where we found, http://www.flickr.com/photos/molliiieee/4441505751/.

Is this jacket available for inclusion in the exhibition this fall (late August 2010 through January 2011) at the Miller Gallery at Carnegie Mellon University? If so, we can discuss shipment and crediting details.

Looking forward to hearing back from you.

Jon Rubin and Astria Suparak
Curators
Whatever It Takes: Steelers Fan Collections, Rituals, and Obsessions


More info:

WHATEVER IT TAKES: Steelers Fan Collections, Rituals, and Obsessions is an exhibition of creations made by fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers, showcasing the extraordinary passion and anything-goes creativity that surrounds the team (such as homemade merchandise, lawn sculptures, basement collections, tattoos, pre-game superstitions, tailgating rituals, international Steelers bars, etc.). The exhibition will be on view at the Miller Gallery at Carnegie Mellon University this Fall 2010.

Facebook Group page: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=109533105742664&v=wall

Email: whateverittakes.steelers@gmail.com

Um, oh my god!!!! They want my knitting in a museum!!!! I'm so excited!!!

I have to get the sweater back from Kay and baby Xavier (who is SO CUTE) for a few months. She said it's fine, since the sweater is too big for him now anyway.

Updates to come.

When I can buy yarn again . . .

So I'm not allowed to buy yarn at the moment. First, because my husband and I are buying an apartment and I can't justify the extra expense just because "it's so pretty!!!!" Second, I don't want to pack and carry more than I have to. We are on a trajectory to have no food in the house on move day, just so we don't have to carry any extras down to the truck. Even though yarn is light, and makes for nice padding material for fragile things (see below), I figured I should cut back.

no need to buy bubble wrap!

I also had to be very strategic about which yarn I packed away, and so had to be strategic about which projects I could work on. I am currently working on the Notre Dame Letterman Jackets -- one is done except for the buttons, and the other I just started this weekend. But I have trouble working on just ONE project at a time! How is that interesting? And of course, every magazine and blog I read shows me all sorts of cool things I could be making, if I had the stash for it.

Like these, I want to make these so badly!

But I don't have any cotton yarn. So of course I want to run out to Michaels and pick up brightly colored cotton yarn and make these. Not for myself of course, but this would be such a cute housewarming or hostess gift. Because, really, who DOESN'T need crocheted citrusy pot holders?!

OH! AND THIS!!!!

HOW GREAT IS THIS?!?!?! It reminds of a latch-hook rug I did as a kid. Took me YEARS to finish, I swear! I'm not sure I'd have the patience to cut all the little pieces of yarn though.

Granny Square Lingerie

Snagged from Craftzine via Sara London.

Too bad the store is in Australia.