2007 in review...

Well, this has been an amazing year.

I can't begin to tell you how happy, grateful, and blessed I feel just to have been on this planet, in this family, in this community, and in the blogosphere this year.

Coincidences and miracles, chance meetings, and emotional highs and lows have made this year a frantic cocktail of love, chaos, confusion, exhilaration, disappointment...

I have met the most fascinating people of all walks of life, learned so much about Autism since Aaron's diagnosis in February, had AMAZING clients, watched my daughter and husband absolutely BLOSSOM in their own pursuits... I've been the coach, quarterback and cheerleader and spectator.

Who knows what 2008 has in store, eh? I am excited to see what it will bring.

This quote, as seen on Kari and Kisja's blog today, sums it up best.


I'm quite a fan of Yoko Ono's "yes" painting. A few years ago, I saw a documentary about her work, and it just clicked with me. I know it may seem "out there" to some, but this piece is simply a ladder that you must climb to get the full benefit of the art piece. A small framed "Yes" is affixed to the ceiling, but it is only visible if you climb up to see it. An absolutely genius metaphor for life.

And...here's to ascending your own "ladder", whatever it may be. This is my wish for all of you in the new year.

Every year, I make the same resolution.

"Improve."

That's it. I play lots of music on New Year's Day. Mostly calm, beautiful songs that just make me ache over the beauty of life. Since you probably know the others (they are very popular, standard classic songs from a variety of genres... I'll share if you're interested), here's one of my favorites (Sting)...

Happy New Year! See you in 2008!



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Beware... fashion and video game lovers

I used to have a problem. A serious addiction.

I was a video game fanatic.

Now, they have come out with the perfect marriage of video game and fashion. I have loved the Sims forever... but have no time for them now. This version could seriously lure me back to the dark side.

But I will not buy it... promise.

An different "twist" on the Japanese shirt idea.

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

-Marianne Williamson, President of the board of The Peace Alliance

Last night, I dreamed the first two sentences of this quote were written on a wall. I also dreamed I was 40 and couldn't figure out where the last few years went. It wasn't a problem in the dream, just a weird amnesiac feeling. Last week, we watched Akeela and the Bee with our daughter, and the above quote was a big part of the story. My six-year-old loved it!

Round and round we go with my double helix theory.... I once admitted on this blog that I was addicted to the Scott Baio reality show. Apparently, there will be a second season. Not sure why.. seems like the main problem has largely been solved. Anyway, on the show, his relationship coach tells him he's "playing small" (see above quote). I know I am often guilty of the same. Placing limits on myself, on our son, on my time, on my abilities... whose voice is that? It is mine.

Last week, our family went to church, and managed to get our son to sit still for a whole 20 minutes before a full-on tantrum began. People were not understanding. We keep trying, but church is just an exercise in frustration right now. When we have to go somewhere that requires quiet AND dressing up (a deadly combination) I unusually finish the event with ripped hose, twisted clothing, mussed hair... looking like I've just finished a wresting match. Even last week, I never heard a word of the service. Hmmm... twisted clothes...

Thanks to Madhatter's inspiring post, I'm doing my own version of this. It is a great asymmetrical, twisted top, that looks casual, artsy, and wonderfully cozy for the winter months.

So, again I thought "I'd love to make it, but I don't really leave the house often enough to make use of the clothing I have." This shirt is a REASON to leave the house. We are going to stop playing small, and start doing the things we can do, go the places we can go, and look good doing them. This shirt marks the new year, and the opportunities it brings...

And, well... it only cost me $4... ha!

I'm draping mine on the form, without a pattern.

For the way my mind works, draping is a better way to achieve the fit and look I want. Madhatter's version was great, and I love the humor of making myself a "straitjacket" style top!

So here's what the process looked like...

Mine has 5 pieces (front, back, left shoulder inset with part of collar, left and right sleeve) The right sleeve I designed as twisted, but the left will not be. My collar overlaps, and I have a left shoulder overlap that will close with a covered button, so I can get in and out of the top without stretching it out. My sleeves are slightly raglan at the underarm, with a gusset-like extension that goes down to the bustline. This fabric is lighter weight than it appears in these photos, and I need the stretch of it to make the design look the way it is supposed to, so I am adding a side zipper opening on the left. A bit of boning on each side seam will stabilize the top, keeping it from twisting out of place.



I started with the bias at the shoulder, and started wrapping and pinning in place.



I matched the grainlines, and made the shoulder inset.



I added the twisted sleeve, and am semi-flat patterning the other. Should be finished today. Quick project.

How to knit using a cable needle

Why do people cut corners, when the corner being cut is such a tiny inconvenience?


I spent this morning with my father-in-law, learning to make codfish cakes, because I love them so... He is an excellent cook, and prepares wonderful food from his home (Bermuda), and seems to know everything there is to know about preparing fish, which is not my strong suit. So we had planned our "date" for this morning, during his visit at our place, to teach me how to make the cakes. I call them "cakes", because "codfish balls" doesn't sound very good, does it?

I hesitated to try making them for so long, because I didn't understand the procedure for soaking the dried salted cod. Turns out, it is very easy, and completely worth the time you need to dedicate to it. I just needed a walk-through. They were delicious, and now I know how to make them.

Can you believe... yes, this is another post about the scarf. Bear with me -- I'm obsessing.



I found a million ideas on knitting shortcuts on the web. Ways to avoid using a cable needle (a $1.75 item, by the way)... ways to make things go faster, contraptions...whatever. Why? Knitting, like sewing, is about the PROCESS and the resulting specificity of the product. If you want something fast, just go to the store and buy it, right?

I had to create this post because I had such a hard time finding a clear explanation of how to use a cable needle myself... and the search terms a novice knitter would use weren't taking me there. Besides, I don't know anyone within a reasonable proximity who knits.

See the video below...

Okay, if you can get past the fact that one of these women clearly doesn't have enough clothing on (...?), although she sports a scarf... and they are so giddy that I wonder if a little pharmaceutical help wasn't aministered... this is a clear enough explanation for me.


If you are out there in the blogosphere, Ladies featured in this video, and happen to see this post, just know that you achieved your goal -- your video was both entertaining and informative... but I do wonder what is up with the wardrobe, woman on the left...

It did give me a giggle, though.



Now, on row 14 of my test run, I can see that this pattern will work for me, and it is making sense. This is my test yarn (part of my 6-year-old daughter's supply), so I would have to make an appropriate choice, so the coils will "read" well.

I can see it setting up like a raised ridge that sits on top of the knitted background, and my strands are just at the first intersection, so I can tell that I am reading the instructions correctly. hard to photograph, becuase I can't catch it at the right angle, but it feels good so far...



So, I was thinking... if I were to come up with my own (sewn) version of this scarf, I think I would make winding trails of passimenterie or cording on a cozy sweater knit or velvet fabric. Maybe I'll add that to my list.

Overtired, overloaded, overwhelmed.

This year brought an avalanche of gifts to our home. Friends, relatives, therapists, teachers, clients and everyone else remembered us this year. I was very happy to get the gifts, but felt really guilty that I just didn't have the time or the energy to reciprocate.


When I tried to enter FAO Schwarz on December 22, (Yes, I should have known better...) this is the line I would have had to join. I just couldn't bear it.

Since my family is so large, we agreed to draw names and exchange gifts with one adult family member, and give gifts to all of the children. I don't know who drew my name; I got gifts from almost all of the adults in my family... including the divorced members!

When I spoke to one of my sisters (I have three) on Christmas day, she gently reminded me, "That's what thank-you notes are for..."

She's right.

Rather than scramble to the nearest Barnes & Noble for a pile of gift cards, or rev up the sewing machine, I will simply write heartfelt thank-you notes to all of the people who showered us with gifts this year.

I'd like to thank the academy...

When I was in high school, I crocheted a pink and grey sweater, by making long strips in the afghan stitch, and sewing them together. The sweater had sort of a Japanese, Miyake-esque thing going on, and it took me a full summer to create. By the end, I was so sick of that yarn and the repetitive motion, that I promised myself when I finished, I would never knit or crochet a sweater again.

That is why this project appealed to me. See earlier post for details.




Small enough to complete within a reasonable time frame, cool enough not to get bored, and a pretty complicated stitch pattern (for me, at least).

We have had house guests this week, so my creative time needed to be social. Good opportunity to knit, right?

Well, let's just say it has been a comedy of errors. I'm using practice yarn, though. I really like to take on big challenges... it is fun to decipher a knitting pattern, which might as well be Greek for me, since I am really learning these stitches for the first time.

So far, I have cast on the wrong number of stitches...

Funny, I thought I could count. I must be tired.

Well, anyway -- pulled out two rows when I noticed my mistake.

THEN, noticed that although I was reading the charted pattern from bottom to top... I had been reading LEFT to RIGHT on every row.

Oops, oh, okay, I get it... ripped it all out.

Learned what a cable needle is...

And why I really will need one...

Whoops.

And... with the help of these videos, got some idea of what I need to know...








Wow, this really will take a village. Did I mention that I am only working on the small trial before embarking upon the actual pattern?

On the value of customization...

Happy Holidays to all!

Funny how something that is almost right can become exactly right, when you customize it yourself...



We considered doing without a tree this year, since we knew the flashing lights and breakable ornaments would be distracting for Aaron, but then an idea hit last week... what about a tree with no flashing lights or breakable ornaments? Nadine loved the idea, and really wanted a tree both she and aron could enjoy. So we got a little tree, and I bought lots of white ribbon and white steady lights, tied a bunch of bows, and attached them to the tree. This picture was taken before it was all done, but this is the general look of our special Autism Christmas tree...

On Friday night, we went to my husband's Christmas party in Manhattan. Since I don't get out much, I thought it best to wear something I already owned. On Friday morning, my husband insisted that I should go shopping. I knew not to take it personally; he just wanted me to feel special.

Nice.

My favorite store for special occasion clothes (that I don't make) is Nordstrom. I set out with Aaron to find something do-able. I wasn't shooting for the stars; just something appropriate and flattering. On my way to Nordstrom, I decided that I should try an outlet store... just to check... and I stopped in at the Nordstrom outlet, "The Rack" at The Source Mall. (If you've been to Westbury, LI, you know where I mean)

I hate shopping. I really do.

I knew my time was limited, since I had Aaron and the stroller with me, his patience for shopping is really short, and my ability to carry a lot and navigate busy stores would be limited. I really wasn't expecting much.

But then... from across the store, tucked in-between silky baby-doll dresses, and strange, trendy, printed things, this dress beckoned...





Well, we all know ready-to-wear frequently isn't.

This dress fit perfectly, but was long, and sorta "prom-y". I lopped off eleven inches with my rotary cutter, and roll-hemmed the lining and red silky layer. Paired the dress with black, spiky heels and silky black hose, and felt like a million bucks.



The alteration took 1/2 hour, and the dress had been marked down multiple times... all the way to $32.

I kid you not.


Oh, and I couldn't help but pick up this little Eileen Fisher velvet jacket/top I passed on my way to the cash register.



Total shopping time? About 20 minutes.

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