Out for Dinner

We were invited for Dinner to an Italian restaurant this evening. It was really nice and everything tasted great. And it was a treat. Can it get any better? Yes, it can! My friend C. was wearing the sweater I made for her, and it's always terrific when people actually wear what you knit for them. If I had known I would have brought my camera. Ah, well, there'll be a next time.

I have only about a third of the front of the vest done...good thing I have a second present for Rolf since Tuesday is only three nights and two days away. I don't feel too bad about it 'cause he is still giving me a hard time "I'm not gonna wear it"-style.

Facts of life vol.1: Caffeine

I found something out about me last night. Or should I say the "ongoing night" - it's five a.m. for cryin' out loud!! I found out that I am not immune to caffeine after all. I, who is well known for her sleeping capacity, i.e. falling asleep in minutes and sleeping for very long hours, am incapable of going back to sleep after waking up ca. 55 min. or so ago. It must be the "I am too old for this"-thing. I usually don't have trouble going back to sleep no matter when I wake up. Note to self: don't ingest a large latte after 7 p.m. or pay the price...come to think of it, I believe I did have the same problem the last time after my little knit outing. Hm...I guess this qualifies me as a slow learner.

I got to have a look at Jo's Clapotis last night. It's very soft and cuddly. And the colour is really nice, too. I am very tempted to start one myself...

Not that I need enabling when it comes to buying yarn, fondling swatches of a mixture of alpaca and silk makes it even easier - it's just my budget that keeps me from doing so. Darn. Maybe I should have another look at the job offers today...

Later that day:
It must be the after effect of sleep deprivation (or maybe the subtle hints my husband gave me) that made me do it. You want to now what makes me pull my hair? I put in a job application. Not that I haven't done it before, so far it was just to no avail. This time I actually think I have a chance and that scares me. What do I need a 40 hour job for? When I was joking about the job offers this morning I certainly wasn't thinking of really doing something about it - at least not in the 40 hours range. And so it goes...

Stitch and bitch

I was looking for a better title but it's late and I can't think of one. I just came home from another knit meetup. And today we were joined by a man. By accident, but since he was there and interested in our group he came over and pulled out his knitting, too. Love that. We are meeting more often now. Love that, too.

I finished the back of the vest. Maybe I will make it till Tuesday after all.

Organizing

That's what I am trying to do. I am having a hard time letting go of things. Especially books. I was crazy enough to bring my childhood book collection with me from Germany (there was a lot of space in the container, what can I say?) I have thrown out some over the last couple of months, but there are more. Most of them I won't read again. Some of them I really want to keep. Where to draw the line?

I need to make room - how I don't know yet. We live in an one bedroom apartment - there's not a lot of space that comes with it. My "everything knitting" collection grows steadily so letting go of stuff is high on my "what-I-have-to-learn-list". I am still a beginner. Though I know from experience that I can live sans le bagage I think necessary now.

When space is precious you have to be ruthless with your posessions. I am still much too kind...

Knitting news: The vest is growing much too slowly. I decided that I have to concentrate on it because it is (was...) supposed to be finished next Tuesday. I am not sure about the shoulder part yet...short rows, cast-off, three-way-bind-off...way too many choices...

Fashion of the 80s

As promised yesterday, get in the mood for the 80s:

I managed to save some knitting magazines from my teenage years. I did it mainly because I haven't got any photos of me wearing all the creations we (my Mom and I) knitted and sewed from them. I can't believe it's been 20 years...



First up is a pullover in Cotton flammé yarn, from the 1984 April edition of "Nicole" - one of my favourite magazine edition ever (even now):


I had to have it - layering was really "in" in those days. It seemed to be two parts but it was only one, at least in the magazine. I kept them separate because I wanted to wear the cream colored thingy with other tops, too.

The following was a surprise Christmas gift my Mom managed to keep secret from me, she was (and is) really good at surprises.


Yes, I got to have this and I loved my "Samurai"-sweater - I wore it then and even would wear it now.

Next up is a sweater I fell in love with so much my Mom just couldn't let me suffer any more and knitted it for my 15th birthday in 1985:


I still like it, though this boxy style is really not the best for me nowadays!

I remember having this pullover in an apple green, well, a bright green cotton. My grandma knitted it for me - and a lot of other sweaters I sadly don't have pictures from.



I was quite adventurous when it came to fashion, these creations only scrape the surface of the crazy things I used to wear. Actually, they are all very timid! The following jacket from 1986 I had in black/white/mustard (My Mom made three halves!). It was fun changing the parts of it - though I remember wearing mostly the black and white halves.



Last but not least:


The blouse on the left and the grey tunic on the right were a welcome addition to my wardrobe when I was 14, too. I helped sewing them and they are from the same "Nicole" edition I mentioned earlier.

I enjoyed this trip into the past immensely, maybe it's not such a bad thing the 80's are kind of back! What'dya think?