polite demands for love and other forms of domestic hostility...

my cats are jerks. if you have a cat, you might agree. sure, they are cute, and playful, and even (sometimes) sweet, but that is how they bribe us into putting up with the moments of domestic hostility. do not be fooled by the cuteness. that is a viscous, spiteful beast.

the crazy part of life with cats is that they make you feel guilty for doing the most innocent things. i removed the contents of this box, and walked down the hall to put them away.

i returned to flatten the box for recycling, but it was already occupied. so, that box sat in the middle of the living room for the next week. it is more than a month later, and if she stands in that spot and looks in my general direction, i still feel guilty for throwing it away.

then there are the parts of life with cats that leave you questioning why you let them into your home in the first place. my two girls have decided that it is my job to keep them fed, because he... well, he is far too busy being their favorite deity.

me: [stumbling sleepily into the studio where my favorite animator is already working] uhm... do you realize the dry food bowl is totally empty?
him: oh... really? 
me: seriously... didn't you hear them crying?

at which point i look down at the two cats by my feet, one of whom is chomping at my exposed calves, while the other one delivers a loud, vocal assessment of my performance as a human being. it is never positive.

him: there was no crying. they've been fast asleep on the couch since i got out of bed. 
me: when did you get out of bed?

then comes the moment that leaves me wanting to scream.

him: i don't know... maybe a couple hours ago.
me: [speechless... and utterly defeated]!

then he looks down at the cats (one of whom is by now attempting to take a chunk out of the back of my thigh, while the other one holds me in a gaze composed of equal parts disappointment and disdain). he looks back up at me and breaks into a gigantic, smug grin, and i am left to (once again) accept the fact that my cats are sexist (and—just possibly—racist) jerks... and he is their willing accomplice before, during, and after the fact.

still, there are those awesome moments, like when i am in my quiet corner and Mama Kitty shows up and plops down next to me. she does not meow (or bite, like the little one) when she wants affection. instead, a white paw reaches out and just barely makes contact with your person. it is what we have termed "a polite demand for love".

i really hope she is using this time to reassess my performance as a human being.

obsession and other symptoms of fangirl behavior...

hi, my name is n----, and i am a drama-holic! it pains me to say it out loud, but i have started binge-watching K-dramas... and i like it. i am mostly drawn to the "historic" ones (there is even a special category for that), where they dress in old-timey clothes and blush profusely if anyone catches a glimpse of a woman's leg. it is like reading an extra-long historical romance novel—minus all the bodice ripping. plus, there are the occasional fight scenes. yep... i really like it!

this is a new obsession, so i will refrain from passing criticism on specific titles. however, i have to say that i really really really enjoyed Sungkyunkwan Scandal, which served as my gateway drug. i have seen quite a few Korean period films (and by "quite a few", i mean like maybe ten or twelve), but this was my first foray into the world of Korean serial dramas. i am currently working on the third serial in this newfound obsession, though there is already a list of like thirty more titles i hope to eventually get to, and i definitely plan on watching that first one again.

the one thing i must say about K-dramas—all two and a half of them that i have watched thus far—is that they really know how to write a bad guy. it is amazing how easily you find yourself spending twenty episodes with the phrase "i seriously hope that guy takes and arrow to the face" floating around inside your head. i do have to pause every now and then to try to figure out what is happening, but there are tons of websites for  that sort of thing. yes, it is really hard to suddenly go from viewing the world through a prism of near-nihilistic pointlessness to being obsessed with television that seems to have been tailor-made for cheery fifteen year old girls, but i am willing to give it a try.
____________________________

so, as i am already in the dangerous realm of fangirl behavior, it seems appropriate to (finally) elaborate on my fondness for knitwear designer Norah Gaughan (pronounced "gone"). i pulled out the cable book again to talk a bit more about what draws me to her work. and, yes... that is the tail end of my calico cat.

a bit of background: Norah is a veteran of the knitwear industry, and one of those people who can convincingy break all the rules, because she has already mastered them. she has a degree in Biology and Art, and her background influences her work. she is partial to fractals and other naturally-occurring shapes, and they tend to surface frequently in her designs. Norah is the genius behind the Sunflower Tam i mentioned some months ago, which is part of her book Knitting Nature, a collection that was inspired by... well...  patterns in nature.

as the title suggests, the Knitted Cable Sourcebook is focused on the design and use of knitted cables. shocking, i know.

she starts you out with simple cables...

... and tempts you further down the path to something a bit more challenging (these samples are "a bit more challenging" by Norah standards)...

then, as you are trying to get your eyes (and your mind) readjusted back to normal space, she throws something totally bonkers in your path, and you are left standing there, torn between intense curiosity and the very real fear that the universe just might collapse in on itself if you dare get too near. go on. be brave!

if you have hung around this far, you are probably thinking, "they look lovely and complicated, but what am i supposed to make with such things"? the short answer is, "you make things". the book is an invaluable reference if you are looking to incorporate cables into a design (maybe add a bit of complexity to a boring item), but it also includes fifteen patterns by the woman herself... using her own crazy cables!

that cable that looks like two strands of DNA caught in some sort of compromising position...?

it makes for a lovely focal panel in a skirt that echoes the vertical ribbing in the overall design. i can see my mom in this skirt.

and the totally bonkers cable that looks like something from a remake of The Fly...?

it is somewhere between lovely and divine on the front of this otherwise-unremarkable sweater. i feel like you are allowed to pop a bottle of champagne in celebration after you get through knitting this thing.

the first two items i plan to make from this collection are the Sideways Pullover, which is covered in relatively-tame cables...

... and (my absolute favorite design from this book) the Chunky Cardigan. i want to make it a bit longer to double as a light coat in the not-quite-Winter parts of the year.

check out the view from the back. i will need to clear all my chakras before tackling this one.

despite my constant assertion that Norah is my favorite designer, it should be noted that i do not necessarily love (or even like) every single thing she creates. there are a few knitwear designers whose entire body of work fit more comfortably into what i would call my style, but the sameness of their patterns offers neither the imagination nor the challenge that comes from looking at a collection of Norah's designs. some of it jumps out as garments i need to make and wear right away, while others fall into the category of  "interesting... for someone else's body" or (even better) "interesting... and with a few adjustments, i can bring this more in line with my style". that is when the imagination starts racing.

for example, she recently (as in, just a few days ago) released a collection of Summer patterns for fiber company Quince & Co called Framework. it should be noted that this release prompted me to (finally) sit down and try to put into words why it is that i so admire Norah's work. i instantly started a mental inventory of my stash in search of yarn to make the Walkway top, and i am deeply fascinated by the structural lines on Arris.

the collection includes some items that i like... in theory. the gentle waist-shaping and shoulder design on Gambrel create a flattering line. however, i would first have to overcome my continued avoidance of anything that reminds me of shoulder pads or football gear before attempting that one. similarly, i really love the look of Annex. however, the lovely, structural features that give this design the "wow factor" would be like walking around with spotlights pointed at my hips. still, i seriously want to make that top.

similarly, the Cable Sourcebook, contains a Batwing sweater that i would really like to make ... just as soon as i figure out how to get it de-batwingified. then there is the Flared Pullover, which screams "cozy sweater" in my mind. unfortunately, the back section would look like a collapsed tent draped across my railroad-caboose of a behind. still, i really want that sweater... once i figure out how to get it de-tentified. that is where the challenge comes in.

overall, this little obsession of mine allows me to set goals for myself while doing something i genuinely enjoy, and to push myself to occasionally live up to even a small part of that challenge. and, if i occasionally come across someone like Norah who inspires me to grow a little more each day at something i love, then that is a wonderful thing.

big-game hunting and other ways to spend a Saturday with mom ...

my maternal grandmother was a seamstress, therefore everyone in my family sews. my mom, her younger sister, and their baby brother are all proficient at the craft. my uncle even apprenticed under a professional tailor before giving it all up to enter the exciting world of architecture. the need to create is something of a family tradition one might say.

growing up, mom and i would occasionally hop a on train early on a Saturday morning, and head either to the world famous Garment District section of Manhattan, or to a tiny strip of Downtown Brooklyn, along the roadway that continues on to become the Manhattan Bridge. we were on the hunt for fabric in the wild. okay, so it was more like 'fabric in the mild', but the point is that we took our sewing seriously enough to make a day out of perusing the shops. the best part of the thing was the meticulous search through the bargain bins... in fabric stores... in the heart of the NY fashion scene! you can keep your endangered species and other 'big-game'. this is my kind of hunt!

i recall winning a prize for a pincushion i hand-sewed at age six from the scraps of a dress my grandmother had made. she even taught me how to add a few colorful stitches to decorate the thing. it must have been that line of little red X's that won me first place. i tackled more and more challenging projects over the years to the point that mom would marvel at the hours i spent pinching and reshaping every dart or pleat till the garment fit like a second skin. we were mainly garment sewers (skirts, dresses, and such thing), but mom has probably produced several hundred yards worth of drapes and curtains to date. 

my interest in sewing has waned significantly over the years. there was that one time (a decade or so ago) when i grabbed a needle and proceeded to hand-stitch a curtain for the oddly-placed little window in our old bathroom (that b-word again!). i used a long running-stitch to emphasize the hand-sewn aspect of the thing. 

aside from the odd hem or a quick dart to stop my jeans from falling down (i will save the rant about my lifelong struggle with jeans that always end up being far too loose in the waist for some other day), i seldom pull my sewing machine out of storage these days. it sat in a box, nestled among other boxes in the middle of the studio since we moved almost two years ago, until i finally plucked up the courage to bring it back into the light. i wanted to sew something... anything. 

he wanted me to make him a shirt with skull fabric (or, better yet, teach him to make such a thing), but i need to clear out the cobwebs before tackling such an intimidating task. what do you make when you have not sewn in years and you are afraid you may have forgotten how to do so? i pondered that question while working on that grey sweater for him, and, as i crammed the bulky mass into a too-small project bag, it dawned on me that i too could make such things. so, i made a bag!

each side of the bag features a different section of the overall print on the fabric.

and it has been kitty approved. 

soon as i snipped the last thread, Baby Bear was already trying to nap with the thing. 

this is some sepia-toned fabric i purchased in recent years. i added a light iron-on backing to add some body and structure, as the material was rather light for the bag. i opted for a satiny lining fabric (also from stash) to reduce the friction on my precious yarn as it tumbles around inside the bag. i will use a sturdier satiny lining in the future, as getting the thread tension right on this stuff proved to be the biggest challenge. i am definitely rusty.

the most important thing was the need for pockets. i z-folded the lining and stitched along the fold lines to create one large pocket across the width of the piece, then divided that into two pockets. i may have had a strong drink before committing to making the pockets uneven. the larger one fits a pattern book, and the smaller one is perfect for extra packs of knitting needles and my Altoids tin of safety pins, darning needles, and stitch markers. it is the Swiss Army Knife of project bags.

i opted for a bright red zipper to match the few pops of red in the rather sedate fabric. 

it is a generous-sized bag that can fit a bulky adult sweater or multiple smaller projects, and the top can be folded over for use as an open basket to hold all sorts of yarn things.

it currently contains a large project i am working on at mom's request, and some of my hand-dyed yarn that may be destined to become socks for him... maybe.

library and other words that start with b...

i recognize that some people are uncomfortable with being reminded that this room exists, but there is always a short stack of books in our bathroom. so much so that it is commonly referred to as the "library" around these parts. sadly, this has become the only space within our home where i can force myself to read for any extended amount of time. many a "quick trip" has turned into an hour-long stay, and there are (oddly) moments when i dip in there just to sit and read the next few pages of some text that has completely captured the imagination. best of all, i am not alone in this insanity, as one or two of the books in the short stack are usually his.

i have always been what is usually termed a "voracious reader". then undergrad happened, and that second major in Literature left me almost nauseated by the prospect of picking up yet another book. i was just falling back in stride with the binge-reading lifestyle, when grad school happened, and i have absolutely not been able to return to the habit of sitting down (either on the bed or in a corner of my favorite sofa) and reading for hours at a time just for fun. that is where the bathroom library comes in. it began with simple things—knitting magazines and the like—and gradually shifted to non-fiction reference books on whatever interest caught my fancy at that moment in time. the current short stack includes a book about yarn design and a thick book about breeds of sheep, as i eagerly await the start of wool shearing season. i expect a few books on gardening to make an appearance in the coming weeks.

we tend to buy each other books as gifts—by which i mean buying books for oneself, then declaring them as gifts from the "other". half the fun comes from finding out what you "bought" when the bell rings.

him: that must be the mailman with the book you bought me.
me: what did i get you this time?
him:  a book of Elvira pictures. it's a late birthday gift. oh... and you also bought me a guitar... shaped like Mojo Jojo. 
me: i see.

are we incredibly dull people? that is very likely the case. do we really care? not in the least.

we made some recent additions to our respective collections. they appear in no particular order, and there really is no need to point out who owns each book, as he is a B-movie obsessed animator, and i enjoy all things murder and sheep.


this is a very typical Amazon purchase around here.

he has a sizeable collection of "art of" books, most of which were gifted to him by his younger brother, who happens to also be an animator. i am sure both parents were excited when their eldest son announced that he was abandoning the family drywall business to pursue a career in animation... then his little brother, their last hope in life, decided to do the same. seriously... they are both really good at what they do.

the best part? The Art of Zootopia...

includes drawings of a sheep! that made me smile.

which brings us back to Yarnitecture. Jillian Moreno is a teacher after my own heart. her approach tends to focus of explaining why you do something, as opposed to merely demonstrating how it is done.

Dyeing to Spin & Knit does not offer much new content for the seasoned dyer, but it is still a worthwhile addition to the craft library. The Fleece & Fiber Sourcebook, however, is a MUST HAVE for anyone who even likes to fall asleep counting sheep.

it has heaps of information about different breeds of sheep, like the Bluefaced Leicester, my all-around fave breed!!!

there is also tons of info about the fleece quality of each breed. this is porn to my people.

i got Socks from the Toe Up, since someone has concluded that he is worthy of such hand-crafted things. [that object behind the book will be the subject of tomorrow's post.]

Horrorstör: A Novel is a thriller/horror set in a big-box furniture store. any resemblance to a certain Scandinavian furniture multi-national is purely coincidental. i did actually buy this one for him, mostly because i liked the cover. i am so weak.

Mama Kitty appears to like a bit of gore.

The Art of Loish: A Look Behind the Scenes is by Dutch Illustrator/Animator, Lois van Baarle.

i like the drawing on the back cover of this one.

the Loish book was purchased from our local used bookstore, along with yet another classic murder mystery by Dorothy Sayers, and a mini collection of the work of Illustrator Tim Biskup.

i want a breezy summer dress made with fabric covered in this particular Biskup design.

the favorite recent purchases however, have to be Elvira Mistress of the Dark, which was part of my birthday gift to him {updated to add Elvira photos, plus a better photo of the Norah book}.

it is a book of photos of Elvira. what more needs to be said?

... and the new bible of knitwear design, Norah Gaughan’s Knitted Cable Sourcebook, because she really is the master of such fantastic things. i can seriously gush about this woman for days. she will always be my fave.

now, pardon me while i return some of these books to the bathroom library.

brutalized bunnies and other things i blame on the Brits...

i recently found myself baking a pound cake in the middle of the night, a fact i blame in part on Australia, South Africa, and Denmark. but, most of all, i blame the Brits. you see, we—like most people in the world—are fans of The Great British Bake Off. problem is, GBBO is a cleverly-disguised gateway drug, because we keep discovering franchises set in different locales... and we are totally hooked!

we have seen all the episodes to date of The Great Australian Bake Off, most of Den Store Bagedyst (in the original Danish, which neither of us speaks, but we still love every second of the show), and now—just as we were finishing up the first season of The Great South African Bake Off and starting in on season two—we discovered that there exists something called the Great Irish Bake Off. madness!

all the off-viewing is starting to take a toll on my quality of life. watching people bake delicious things makes it very necessary for me to do the same. so, there we were at the end of one episode of Irish baking, when the urge suddenly hit.

me: i need to bake something!!!

now, this is when he usually stops me by offering a cautionary reminder of my allergy to all things wheat. however, he had also just sat through watching people bake delicious things.

him: if you're sure... [with a poorly-disguised tone of gleeful anticipation].


i hopped over to my list of favorite recipes and weighed the possibilities.

me: it has to be something relatively fast, because i am not spending the whole night waiting for dough to rise.
him: what about flan?
me: i could kill for a victoria sponge, 'cept i have no cream for the filling. 
him: what about flan...???

... at which point, i gave him THAT look. [full disclosure: i hate hate HATE flan and most other wobbly, eggy, custardy things. naturally, he loves all those things.]

him: ...or, maybe cinnamon rolls?
me: that is an all-day operation.
him: scones? 
me: i always make scones. i want something different.

then it hit me like the proverbial ton of bricks.

me: you know that box of really flavorful clementines we bought a few days ago?
him: yes...?
me: i'm gonna make my famous lemon pound cake... with clementines!!!
him: go for it!

so, i did, and after it was out of the oven and resting on the cooling rack, i issued a "will you be needing me for anything in the next hour or so, because i plan to be up to my earlobes in a hot bath" warning, when it happened.

i need to take a moment to paint you a picture that perfectly describes the next part of this tale: imagine if you will, a five year-old child whose two favorite things in the world are his pet bunnies and the family dog. now, imagine that this child comes home one day, and you have to break the tragic news that the dog ate the bunnies... so the dog is being put to sleep!

do you see it? that look right there on the face of that five year old child who has just gotten the news of the brutalized bunnies and the soon-to-be-dead dog...? that was the look on my favorite animator's face when i told him that he would have to wait for the cake to cool completely before he could have a slice. seriously... i have not laughed that hard in a very long time.

later that night, as we sat together over slices of freshly-baked cake and large mugs of tea, we realized just how much off-viewing we actually do together, and it is not all about baking. i like to sew every now and then, so i was excited to discover The Great British Sewing Bee, but i did not expect him to get equally caught up in watching it. by the end of the first season, he was looking at fabric swatches online and asking me to teach him how to use the sewing machine. then there was The Great Pottery Throw Down. we had talked about taking pottery classes together at some point, so we were instantly drawn to this title. then things got weird. i came across something called Den Store Strikkedyst while searching for some knitting-related thing, and my head near exploded. 

me: uhm... sweetie. i just found another "off" to watch.

him: what is it this time? origami?

me: it's knitting... in Danish!

i went through the customary ritual. made tea, lit a candle, fluffed all the cushions, then sat cross-legged on my favorite sofa, while he wandered off to the studio shaking his head. 

me: sure you don't want to join me?

him: i guess i'll check out the beginning, but i am not going to watch a bunch of old women sitting around knitting. 

he came and sat on the arm of the sofa, poised to make a quick exit back to his happy place. fast-forward a couple hours, and he is sitting next to me with my legs stretched in their customary position across his lap, while we debate which contestant is most deserving of elimination at the end of the episode. i think that counts as 'totally hooked'. 

so, there we were tonight, discussing our food options for the coming days.

me: other than a few cans of wet cat food, i don't think we need to buy anything till next week. we have stuff to cook, but there's nothing for snacks or light meals.

then it hit me like the proverbial ton of bricks.

me: would it be wrong if i made another clementine pound cake?

him: go for it!

i blame the Brits.