lovely.

i've convinced myself i enjoy untangling knots. and sometimes it can be satisfying. but this afternoon after unsnarling three raging knots of epic proportions, i began to think "what did i ever do to cascade and why do they enjoy me suffering?". i wanna know whose stupid idea it was to sell yarn put up in anything but a center-pull ball. seriously. this is a picture of my works-in-progress "basket". i would love to replace this stupid tupperware moonstrosity with a lovely basket but i live with two hell-raiser cats who would steal and proceed to shred anything fiberous they could get their paws on.

BUT DON'T DISPAIR OVER AESTHETICALLY UNPLEASING STORAGE SOLUTIONS BECAUSE

POINTY, THE BEST SECRETPAL EVER IS HERE TO SAVE THE DAY. do you SEE that CUPCAKE BOOK? most important volume ever published. if i made a batch of cupcakes once a week (which i won't cos i don't think all the yoga videos in the world could counteract that) it would take me roughly ten years to use every recipe in that book. TEN YEARS OF CUPCAKES!!! not to mention the lovely candy and tea and cute flipflops. thank you, pointy, you rule. when i opened the box, you can ask my husband even, i was all I LOVE MY SECRET PAL I HAVE THE BEST SECRET PAL EVER! no joke. hearts, pointy <33333.

oh and speaking of swap fever, which apparently i have, i have also joined up with what's cookin?, an adorable apron and recipe swap organized by the lovely sarah and mary. i'm excited, and they don't mind that i am a veggie! so here is my meme : )

1. first apron (that you can remember): green and floral print waist apron of my mom's with flowers for pockets. much cuter than her dumb full length "kiss the cook" type of corny one.

2. last (most recent) apron: a borrowed quasi spanish-looking waist apron of alisia's with a chicken on it, with a heart that ends up right over the wearer's uterus haha.

3. dream/favorite apron: the knitted one i made for my BFA show (it's on my flickr)

4. dream sewing machine: OH I AM GETTING IT. it's my graduation present from my dear parents. they wrote me a check and said um you can go shopping for it weeee don't know what you want. husquevarna viking emerald 118, baby, at 15% off. my other dream is that someone figures out why my serger gave up on me and refuses to serge.

5. what do you put in your pockets? or what strange thing have you ever found in them?: candy wrappers. hubby always tells me my pocket is not a trash can. but it kind of is.

6. condiment(s) you can't live without: cheap crappy yellow mustard.

7. do you wear more showy aprons or dutiful ones?: i dig the fancy.

8. favorite cooking gadget: i am crazy for my french press. it makes coffee so good i don't put sugar in it (!)

9. cooking gagdet that promised the world but didn't deliver: damn silicone pot grabber thing that totally transmits heat like a mofo YOU LET ME DOWN.

10. a recipe that you know by heart and any stories behind it: my friend tristan gave me his copy of the moosewood cookbook and i love it to death. i can pretty much make the swiss and mushroom quiche with my eyes closed. tristan soon after renounced flesh and returned to the vegetarian life, bless his little heart. maybe i would feel bad about being in possession of one of the best veg cookbooks ever if it weren't for the party where lisa and t made bacon and i ended up being the one to scrub out the pan full of ANIMAL FAT the next morning. (t you know i heart you yr my effer fo life.)

i talk way too much. big love. see you chicks_with_sticks tonight. xo.

p.r.d.c.t.

does anybody know if panicking counts as cardio? if your heart is racing does that count as excercise?

sometimes i hate the bus.

anyways. i got rowdy at LUX last night with my beloved chicks with sticks. i talk too much for sure and gin doesn't help. but the graduation day sock is done and i knit about one and a half rounds on sock no.2. no secondsocksyndrome here, y'all.

i'm crossing my fingers my bike's not been stolen and then i'm heading for home with the new knit.1. i passed on interweave knits today - i'm sure i'll end up succumbing to the urge to clutter the tiny apartment with more magazines but i almost never knit anything in it. silly erin. have a great weekend, loves. xo.

HOOTY HOO.

YES, FRIENDS, I DID IT. I GRADUATED. WHILE WEARING HUGE SUNGLASSES AND KNITTING A SOCK. DAMN RIGHT.

the yarn is some regia i got in skanneatles and at this point i have about two more inches to go before i start decreasing for the toe.

in other news, i now work at joann fabrics in southtown by marketplace mall. tomorrow is my first real day. it's fun and i have a button-shaped nametag that says ERIN on it. FIFTEEN PERCENT EMPLOYEE DISCOUNT, Y'ALL.

other than that, secret pal 8 is upon us and i am looking forward to it. and i started doing my nerdy powerwalk/yoga video routine again yesterday and my shoulders are begging for mercy. grey's anatomy last night made me cry. tonight i am going to bake my love a quiche and make him some rice pudding out of leftover chinese take out white rice. good stuff. xox.

nautie nautie & survey says

hello meet nautie. nautie was a gift for my friend patrick the math major. we were in the most ridiculous contemporary art and criticism class together and nautie basically is the missing link in complicated inside joke. so i knit this for patrick. he laughed really hard when i gifted it to him. nautie is made out of some truly awful red heart on inox US4 dpns. love him.

also, i'm really excited about SECRETPAL8 because it combines my two favorite things which are getting mail and making presents for people. survey is go.

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?

i love brown sheep co. i love noro. i love cotton. here comes the snobby part: i'm pretty anti-fun fur and the last thing i need is more acrylic.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?

um a coffee can. ain't no good.

3. How long have you been knitting? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?

eleven years. which is half my life. i'm a hardcore intermediate.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?

no but that's a good idea. if i make one, secret friend, i will let you know.

5. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.)

i wear chance by chanel. i like things that smell like candy except cotton candy.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?

um hell yes i have a sweet tooth. dark chocolate is my biggest weakness. i also like necco wafers and those goelitz champagne sparkle thingies.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?

i have never spun but i want a drop spindle. i sew and embroider and crochet. i'm also obsessed with gouache.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)

my favorite bands are sonic youth, the yeah yeah yeahs and the dandy warhols. i like noisy music. mp3s are go.

9. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? Any colors you just can't stand?

my favorite color is pink. second is green (especially lime and apple/kelly/japanese - no forest or hunter, yucky). i love gaudy shiny gold too. i guess i never wear orange.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?

me and my darling cowboy husband live in a teensy weensy apartment with two kitty cats named norton and trixie after the neighbors on the honeymooners.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?

frequently / rarely / yes / no no no.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?

i love clever construction and a good challenge.

13. What are you knitting right now?

um i'm two rounds into a sock.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?

yes'm.

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?

i'm really sick of aluminum straights. i am digging on bamboo and hardwood.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?

no i don't.

17. How did you learn to knit?

my mom taught me when i was in sixth grade. i figured out about a month ago i have been purling "the lazy way" for years. i don't know how that happened.

18. How old is your oldest UFO?

a year. it's a black sweater with a big white skull on it. i designed it myself and it's got about 99 problems.

19. What is your favorite holiday?

valentines day because it's pink.

20. Is there anything that you collect?

vintage needlework paraphernalia (magazines and pamphlets and patterns and buttons and accountrements). i also have an unhealthy obsession with cake. especially cupcakes. if we ever buy a house i want to collect cake stands.

21. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?

i want mason-dixon knitting. i can't find filtes/king van dyck anywhere either. the only magazine i subscribe to is living.

22. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?

magic loop and needlefelting.

23. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?

yes. i wear a size seven shoe. um my foot is about 9 inches long i just measured it. it was weird.

24. When is your birthday? (mm/dd)

december first nineteen eighty-three.

THUS CONCLUDES THE LONGEST POST EVER. chicks_with_sticks, my loves, see you tonight at spot.

happy cinco de mayo, y'all.

this happy little cuppycake was a giftie for dear kim, a chick_with_sticks, who celebrated her birthday yesterday. YAY KIM HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU. i heart my knitters.

nautie's almost done. i'm thinkin about pompon socks for my next project.

thanks to rachel fr directing me here :knitta please. i love it i love it i love it it's brilliant, we need to start a crew!!!!

turn into.

oh hello i'd like to introduce you to the cutest thing EVER. i basically died from embarassment and happiness. jane loved the apron and this picture is of said apron hanging on the wall in her room. i don't think it's normal to post pictures of kids that are not yours on the internet so you can't see the picture of her wearing it. monday was a big day, cos i got to hear about the apron's reception and because sara loved her hat and pretty much my heart exploded. and now i must figure out how to make a lucrative career out of making people presents.