No, I haven’t finished anything lately, sewing or knitting! Been busy the last week or so working out and cooking. Tap dance class is lots of fun, I wish it was more than once a week!

Had a lovely trip to the Japanese Garden Saturday. Even though it was crawling with people I got some decent pics. Probably the last decent weekend day there before the leaves get battered off by the rain.

I love japanese maples!

Portland Japanese Garden, Portland, OR
Wide angle …

And reasons #12,023 and 12,024 why I love the Lensbaby Composer…

A Post a Month… that’s about my going rate!

I bought some of these

and a DVD.  Classes start a week from Wednesday!

Took this picture for a contest (with a little help)…  Knit ‘n Slide!

And the rejected pictures…

Please don’t knit and skate!!

(that was totally staged)

I have since sold the skates and gear to subsidize the tap shoes

(yes, there’s actually sewing content in this post!!!!)

Still winding down from a supersupersuper busy week.

Tuesday night I met some gals I met on ravelry.com:  nellum (who was visiting from Vancouver, BC), Aristaia, and thecaitycat.  We had dinner at the Virgo and Pisces in NW Portland.  They have wonderful breakfast, lunch and dinner.  I had the Perfect Pesto Crepes. YUM.  Topped off with Chocolate Hazelnut Gelato from Mio Gelato on NW 23rd.

nellum shows off her knitting style:

Thursday I took the day off for the first day of Sock Summit.  I had a 6 hour class with the famous Cookie A about sock design.  It was very educational and a blast.  I don’t know if I’ll ever design a sock… but I have the tools to do so!  I met another new ravelry friend, microbiogrl,
for lunch. After class the huge marketplace opened (over 150 vendors, I think) and I wandered around and picked up a few things. I didn’t get one picture taken Thursday, not even of microbiogrl!

Friday I had to work and missed the Guinness World Record setting for simultaneous knitting!

Saturday night was the ravelry.com party at the Forestry center.  I refashioned a ravelry.com shirt I bought in size 3XL (for that purpose!)  I have been planning it for a month, but had never gotten around to making it.  Nothing like slapdash last minute!

The front and back are from an Ottobre tshirt (2007-05 I think) that had pleats at the neckline.  It turned out pleats would hide the love so I raised the neckline about an inch and tried (really poor) gathers.  The sleeves are just basically half circles bound with bias I made and attached after the neckline (also bias bound) and front and back were sewn together.

It turned out pretty cute for probably a one time wear. I’d really like to fix the wonky neck gathers.  I also want to try this pattern with the tucks and a Full Bust Adjustment, which I suspect would solve some of the bust pulling issues!

Before and after and new short hair!

I met some gals at the Rogue Pub in the Pearl before the party. We had Kobe Beef burgers with Rogue Creamery cheese. I also had two pints of hard cider because it was really really good  I met so many wonderful gals at the party. We definitely had the rowdiest and most winning table!

Ravelry.com party… the tame pictures…  (My big flash works great even if it doubles the weight of the camera!)

And the crazy pictures…

Sunday I went back the the marketplace and got seduced by more yarn and some Pirate and Ninja stitch markers from peanutgallery. LOVE.

The day ended with the Luminary panel and the knitting goddesses that are
Cat Bordhi, Nancy Bush, Priscilla Gibson-Roberts, Judith MacKenzie-McCuin, Lucy Neatby, Deborah Robson, Meg Swansen, Barbara Walker, and Anna Zilboorg all in one room!

Sadly I had a super-bad migraine that the prescriptions meds couldn’t kill but I was determined to stay!  I think I was delusional that it was going to get better.  I’m amazed I made it home on the lightrail

Time to chill and get my act together.  Hopefully no more heatwaves!

Hi! I’m still around, just not feeling the blogging lately. Looking forward to Sock Summit next weekend and you can bet my camera will be with me!  I’ll be modifying a Ravelry.com shirt or two to wear, especially to the Ravelry party a the Forestry Center.  Hundreds of knitters and a cash bar!

I’m too wiped by all this 100+ degree F heat to write…

I do have some pictures of my nieces from my trip to Texas in May…

Let’s try this new plugin…

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I was done with the flu (or something mysteriously as nasty) for a few weeks, I had a nice visit with my parents just before that.  Coming later this week… actual sewing content!

I’ve had been playing with my new Lensbaby Composer before I got sick (love!). It’s a selective focus lens that you can move around and create interesting effects with.  I also picked up some macro lenses and a wide-angle lens.

Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm (too bright for awesome pictures)

Tillamook Creamery…

and of course, the BF’s cat.

The local Fred Meyer is renovating and seems to have stuck the wine section in an appropriate place…

I’m doing some charity knitting…  I have some 12″ sock legs knit by a lady in Klamath Falls on a Circular Sock Machine (example) that I’m adding feet too.  (It would take me ages to knit legs that long!)  These will go to a soldier in the Middle East or Afghanistan.  I join and organization called Socks For Soldiers that sends high quality socks and beanies and care packages to soldiers.  Evidently there ’s a huge waiting list and having the legs done on one of the hand crank machines really helps the socks get done faster.  Too bad I’m not a fan of Olive Drab!

Charles would like me to leave him alone.  Or alone with the knitting.

Spotted one of the new MAX trains being tested while I was out catching a ride with my bike to the Zoo.  Verdict:  I need to work on hills.  Pushed bike half way up hill to Sylvan.  Where there was a magical Starbucks I didn’t know about!  After an hour there knitting, I did the 3 miles home, all down hill in about 15 minutes.  Wheeeeeee!

I found this while cleaning out my bedroom.  I have no idea where it came from.  It appears to be a King George V Penny from 1919 (and not worth anything according to the internet).  Anyone in my family know where it came from?  Well worn on the back side!

Long time no posts!

I’ve been busy since I got back from Texas.  Besides lots of work I’ve been cooking a lot and working out.   January’s total is 6 pounds lost. Lots of knitting done during commute and tv but nothing finished… knitting post to come soon!  I will now treat you to a picture heavy post!

I dragged a friend out Sunday during the Superbowl to take some freeway light pictures. I managed not to take any pictures in January! First stop was Gustav’s Bierstube. They had an “Economic Stimulus” special with a personal fondue and an entree. (I got roasted pork loin and hot German Potato Salad, seemed a reasonably sensible choice).  The place was deserted!  Of course they still had the Superbowl on the TVs.

Next stop was US Grant Park next to Grant High School off of NE 33rd Avenue.  I had heard there was a Beverly Cleary Sculpture Garden and I wanted to just futz around with the camera (having not used it for a month).  The “Garden” was really just 3 statues around a fountain (turned off of course).  The statues are just south of the playground off of 33rd (you can’t see the statues from 33rd).  I found them a little creepy.  Not quite my sculpture style.  These came out quite nice considering how dark it was getting. The three sculptures are of Ramona, Henry, and Ribsy.

Here’s my favorite shot of the day, from the playground at US Grant Park…

On to the freeway…  taken from the 12th avenue overpass over I-84.  The overpass is just south of Lloyd Center and the MAX stop.  It is an old overpass that has no high fence, making it great to set up a tripod.  It is really hard to find fence free overpasses in the area. This one also is near a nice curve in the freeway.  Unfortunately there is a streetlight over the freeway to the right causing glare problems.

Sigma 10-20mm wide-angle lens (Judging by the lovely stars from the streetlights I should have taken off the filter). 20 second exposure, aperture f/32, ISO 320 (stupid me).  This one was taken early at 5:51pm and there’s more lovely blue sky.

6:10 pm with my Nikon kit lens (18-105mm i think).  15 seconds at f/36, ISO 320, focal length 98mm.  I love the neon-y light trails and the Made in Oregon sign!

Have I mentioned how much I like my new camera?
Nikon D90 DX 12.3MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED AF-S VR DX Nikkor Zoom Lens