Rules of Sarahland - Part I

One of the problems with New England winters is the lack of sunlight. These days I get up when it is still pretty gray and get home when it is dark- very dark , which happens around 3:30. Well, maybe not but it feels like it. I have found that my picture taking has suffered because of the darkness since my apartment is apparently very poorly lit. Soooo, I have no pictures to offer up to the blog gods and therefore tend to put off posting altogether. So this will be an all word post, those of you who need pictures please feel free to doodle along and submit your drawings.

Last night at SnB (that's Stitch n Bitch for you, Meg)the rules of Sarahland came up and someone actually wanted to know what they are. Beware of what you ask for! I can't really remember them all right now and new things are always likely to rile me up, which is why this is Part I. Here we go with more proof why the men in white coats are going to take me away.

BTW, Rule #1 is always Rule #1 but the rest are in no particular order.



By Decree of your Benevolent Dictator, I declare these the rules of Sarahland


1. No Public Spitting - Ew! Must I really explain this?

No hotcupping - see rant for punishment


No ear piecing for children under the age of 2. - I just don't like it.

No fruit in/on bagels. I was tempted to only allow the following bagels be served at all in Sarahland: plain, onion, garlic, salt, poppy seed and everything, but I figured I'd be a kind ruler and realize that maybe not everyone was raised by nutty New York Jews. But after a co-worker was trying to explain the virtue of an Au Bon Pain blueberry bagel with strawberry cream cheese I was forced to make the no-fruit rule. I mean he's from Kansas for pete's sakes! What does he know about bagels! Punishment to come - probably will involve sisal rye seeds and gefilte fish.

No male over the age of 16 will wear their baseball cap backwards unless they are a baseball catcher. Special dispensations may be granted for moving days, room/house painting. Related sub-rule: no one over the age of 5 can wear a baseball cap sideways. Really, you just look like an idiot.

Just a Quick Catch Up

Just a quick update on a couple of completed projects.

I finally gave my sister her overdue birthday present, Argosy. I am 90% sure she liked it and well, at least it's not black. I think it's really pretty but since she keeps getting things that are well-meaning but wrong she has had a lot of practice pretending to like things much more than she really does.



And I also finished up my Knucks this weekend. Geez, could I just knit everything from Knitty?

I am still torn on how I feel about them. I knit them with Berroco's Uxbridge Tweed which is a thicker yarn than the pattern called for. Which makes them nice and warm but a bit bulky. I am glad my first foray into gloves worked out okay, I mean there isn't a thumb coming out of the palm or 7 fingers on one hand so I like them in that respect. It's just that I'm just not really excited about them. I suppose it's likely to happen after a few projects you just have one that is functional just not flashy. Oh my, I think my gloves are Jan Brady. Well, now I just feel bad for them being a fellow middle child and all.

C'e Il Grande Cocomero, Charlie Brown!

For those not versed in italian, the title above says "It's The Great Watermelon, Charlie Brown!" I'm pretty sure they have pumpkins in Italy so I am not sure why it was translated this way unless it's just for the fact that "il grande cocomero" is just so much fun to say. Repeat it a few times you'll see what I mean.

I wish I could blame the following on some sort of drug-induced state but I can't unless too many candy corn can be considered mind-altering I have no excuse. It started last week when I saw the pattern for these really cute felted pumpkins. And since I seem to have a strong affinity for small stuffed toys and they are such a simple, quick knit - I made one, then another and somehow ended up with four. Really it's all just a blur. But does the insanity stop there? Um, no.

The Great Pumpkin was on last night and since I had my own pumpkin patch at this point it only seemed fitting to re-create it. But who to fill the role of Linus Van Pelt? (Always a favorite of mine probably due to blankie issues). So below are my casting sessions.

Yeah, I've lost it. And right now my sister is giving me that look. But if I can't be kooky on Halloween.....ah crap I'm kooky every day.

Happy Halloween everyone!

Mini Sock Monkey


Boober the Fraggle


Bunny Peep

I destroyed a UFO!!!

This is not really as exciting as the title suggests but I've learned from my local news stations that it's all about an inticing promo to get you to tune it. My favorites being "Balloons. Why are they so deadly?" and "The Hidden Dangers of Wearing Crocs" - story at 10 on Fox 25!

Whew, back from that tangent....for the non-knitters out there who read my blog (Meg) a UFO is an Unfinished Object. For some reason, my longest UFO ever has been this Brea Bag. It knit up really quickly last November and I loved the way it turned out. And then it sat and sat. It sat while I tried to find a handle for it. And it sat as I tried to find the perfect button. And then is sat for a hell of a long time waiting for me to sewing the lining. Apparently there was a very localized earthquake that seemed to bury only my sewing machine.

I never found a leather handle I liked that didn't cost 2x more that the yarn itself - so I went with a braid of I-cord and there is no perfect button, I decided simple- so as not to distract from the pattern. And it in a fit of neat freak I unearthed my sewing machine. So 11 months after casting on I present my bag.

Happy Birthday Marsy!!!!

Today is my sister's birthday and while I may (or may not) have made her something pretty I can't post pictures yet since she hasn't actually received it. So to fill up this space I'll share a few reasons why she's a cool big sister.

1. She will always be older than me, a bummer at age 12 but looking pretty good now.

2. She doesn't complain when I call her waaaaaaay too many times at work.

3. She gives me 2,000 googly eyes as a gift because she knows I will love it.

4. She is amazingly creative , far more than I could ever be.

5. She proves that there's someone normal who came out of our gene pool. The rest of us are playing Marco Polo in the deep end until we are all pruny.

6. She has put up with my request for a pony far longer than most people would.

7. She knows the difference between icing and frosting (well, now she does).

8. She is a great mom raising a truly amazing kid.

9. It's pretty easy to make her laugh hard enough for beverages to go up her nose. Every smartass (me) needs someone to crack up at family dinners.

10. She know she has to be nice to me or else I teach her daughter the bumblebee song.

I gave her a copy of this picture a few years back but it is really one of my favorite photos ever and damn, aren't we adorable?

Is It Fall Yet?

I was forced to miss Stitch n'Bitch last week because of a business trip to Philadelphia. Trust me as the bumper stickers say "I'd rather be knitting".

It wasn't really that bad, I would to have liked to see the city itself but there really was no time for sightseeing. And my boss was far more interested in watching baseball in the hotel sports bar than venture downtown for a decent meal. My boss is not one to understand that I would much rather be in my hotel room reading Crazy Aunt Purl's book and ordering room service than in a amazingly loud sports bar watching a team I care nothing about. So I feigned a headache and escaped to enjoy my book. I really liked CAP's book but I also find a lot of my neurotic-self in her blog so I am not surprised. Not so much a knitting book as a memoir but very moving and inspiring and hilarious.

I finished up my Danica scarf last week but as it's been either freakishly 85 degrees or raining (neither a good thing for wool)I have not had a chance to wear it outside yet. I love the way it turned out, the Patons SWS seemed to know to change colors perfectly aligned with the squares. And how kick-ass does my first try at entrelac look? Okay, I'm bragging, but I've been around Grandma "Look at my beautiful sweaters!" Harriet this weekend.

Note to self: next project less picking up stitches. I am not a fan of having to pick up many, many stitches.

Finally!!!

Yay! I finally got my invite to ravelry!!!! Just in time for the weekend. Maybe this will give me a good excuse to organize me stash!!! I think I should remember the mantra, if I'm too embarassed to post it on ravelry maybe it should not be taking up room in my apartment. Yeah, I'm taking to you tutti-frutti boucle!

Must go do work instead of play online. Really!