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Spill Guts Here. It's gotta go somewhere, know what I mean? Can you stand it?
purls before swine
Geek Knitting
West Indian Parade
West Indian Parade
Dog/Cat Wrestling
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11.30.2005
I finished it! The next versions will gradually get more detail, these are still experiments. The skirt fabric is a soft cashmere men's suiting sample cut, I wish I had more, there was exactly enough.
 Click for more info and CU.
Pinning an embroidered applique to the front in preparation for sewing on, velvet ribbons will cinch the waist. I'm determined to get this in the shop's window today.
 Phone interview went smoothly, time will tell if I was coherent. :-> 11.29.2005
BARGAIN TOOL ALERT: In midtown Manhattan there is a Japanese .05 & .10 on 8th Avenue at 38th street {yellow awning, deli with flowers downstairs in the entrance}. Go in, go to the back, go upstairs. In the sewing department, I found long bamboo double pointed needles in sets of four for $.99 each. Only sizes 7, 8 or 9. I got 2 sets of each size. There are 40 or 50 more sets. Go get-um, knitters!
 On the other hand, this is how much embroidery thread $56. will buy in the garment district. It's rayon and metallic. Hoping to finish this dress tonight, I'm now pinning pleats. 
In the city all day today, taking the camera. Getting phone interviewed by a London writer tommorrow am for New York Noise II, one of the compilation albums Pulsallama is going to be included on. Coming out Feb. '06. I haven't thought about the band in detail for many years. Trying to shake the mental dust out today, hope I can answer intelligently! *sigh* Have to try and find/contact the other girls {well, we're sea hags, now} to let them know what's going on, yet another task on my list. {I WANT A DAMN CLONE OF MYSELF. NOW.} Wendy already knows. :-> {R.I.P., babe}
Taken from a moving 2 train on the way back into Brooklyn.  Click for CU.11.28.2005
Drafting/making a .pdf of the Beehive hat pattern today, GGGRRRR it's like pulling teeth. I held my breath till I passed out once as a toddler because my mother wouldn't give me a soda. When I came to, I got the soda. My soda this time will be the first pattern for sale in the webshop. Uh, have a headache... :-[ Hoping to have it ready to test knit by tonight. David? UPDATE: No, it's not ready, but it's in the rotation of what's being worked on. Less painful that way.
 This is something new. Maybe her recent mystery fever damaged her brain? I'm not kidding. Was her bottomless well of anger stored in her {now clipped} claws? Usually she's planning/executing a stealth attack on me or the dogs. WTF? {click pic for CU}11.26.2005
Oh man, trying to decipher my notes and transcribe the Beehive hat pattern. I just fucking hate this! It interrupts the actual extended design process by making me backtrack, which I despise, So:
Any technical editors looking for freelance work? I will provide a knitted sample, written notes for the basics and detailed verbal instructions {by phone or in person}. You write the pattern in a clean, succinct style. Sometimes we'll also size up and down. Ability to visually analyze essential. Experience with most, if not all knitting operations necessary. I use some unusual techniques, and you need to be able to describe them. Relatively fast turnaround is also important. Obsessed with detail? Please apply. I mostly knit using a few "rules", which determine the outcome, you'd need to translate the results of this into a more traditionally understood pattern. Everything I do is very logical, it won't actually be a nightmare, I promise. In your email, please link to or provide a few published examples, {online is fine, scans also ok} for me to look at. Resume' is not nec. I would love it if you're in Brooklyn or Manhattan, but it's not mandatory, we can work by mail {I'm not sending internationally, please be realistic}. I'm looking for someone to work with on an ongoing basis. Payment is per project, and you will receive credit. Thank you! staceyatredlipstickdotnet Please, if you have no practical experience, this is not the right gig for you. Right now, I need help, not a teaching job. I thank you for your interest, though! Oh Please, magic eight ball, send a brilliant editor my way! 11.25.2005
I want a Whovel! I like to shovel snow anyway, this sort of looks like fun. Look at the demo video.
 Swirl V3 underway. I have no idea yet how to finish the top. I have to decide soon. {click pic for CU} Final second Swirl. Third version is underway, with more dimension. As usual, click the picture to access closeups.11.23.2005
Big Swirl in development:
 Andrea Higgins paints swatches of fabric in fine, fine detail. I love her work. Mixed media pillows coming through, about 20"x 20":  Trying to use up materials in the studio, including some feather and down inserts I'm tired of looking at and moving out of the way. 11.22.2005
 11.21.2005
Alot going on now, for some reason all associated with print or music. There are three, possibly 4, album compilations that are including Pulsallama's music, it's getting confusing, and one of the things I have to do today is wade through the emails and straighten things out. Our record company honcho has reappeared after some 20 odd years, and is involved, well he owns the masters, more on this as it develops. I got interviewed Saturday for an article in the local Brooklyn Papers regarding disappearing public garbage cans in our neighborhood {sheesh}, and a few photos I took at the 2004 and 2005 West Indian Day Parades are going to be in a textbook {!} coming out next year regarding geography and culture. The "Knitting for Dogs" book has come out, and I have many patterns in it {for those not updated, I started the book, Kristi Porter finished it}.
And it's my busy season, just trying to make it through day after day. I'm organizing a baby shower for a friend carrying twins, anyone got some good links? I'm pretty clueless re: baby showers. Have to go downtown to Small Claims court later this afternoon and refile some papers. I'm cutting fabric and knitting at some point later tonight and tommorrow. Should go into town, but am going to skip it. Deciding whether to be open Friday or not, usually sucks for small shops, it's more of a mall thing. I'd rather stay home and work in the studio. Must call the locksmith for sticking front door lock and plumber for clogged drains in bathroom. Can I just crawl back under the covers and be a vegetable for a few hours? NO. shit. *huge sigh* It's not even Thanksgiving yet. 11.20.2005
When Kitty recently had her mystery fever, the vet had to re-hydrate her, so he clipped her nails. Since then, my formerly bitchy, untouchabley nasty cat has become affectionate, playful and docile. She now lets me hold and pet her {after 4 years}. It's really weird. I'm not complaining, it's much nicer, and she seems happier, too. Those nails are staying clipped. Without them, she's got no fight juice and she seems to know it.
11.18.2005
One of the best things about living here in Brooklyn, especially my neighborhood, Prospect Heights, is that there is a very high concentration of creative people of all types. I love it. In the previous post, there is the link to "Don't Fuck With Love" by The Sad Little Stars, my new favorite band, including the videos. I sent them an email to get the CDs in my store, and today I met Rachel, one half of the band. They live in Brooklyn, also, somewhat close. I found out she's the one who animated both of those incredible videos. I'm so in awe. They're spectacular in very subtle ways. It's what I appreciate most. You can get the CD's from the band's site, or now I have them in the shop.
 Handstitching abstract patterned embroidered big wool patches to puffy nylon vests. Knitting hats of all descriptions, eyeing the 7g, getting mentally ready to knit more cashmere bodices in the am.11.16.2005
I finally finished a dress. I've been staring at that blocked bodice for 5 weeks.
 The picture will take you to a Flickr set, you can see higher res images, the stitches, if you're so inclined. That's my number one frustration with the web in general, I want way better detail. This can provide it on demand. I love that!
OMG. Pee and Poo dolls and accessories. Has every other character been invented? Now your toddler can cuddle up with a plush pile of shit or jumbo drop of urine. Oy.
Spent the am experimenting yet again with fabric, in this case silk charmeuse, sewn as a skirt onto a knitted, this time cashmere, bodice. I've had some spectacular failures in this department, not sure ifit works this time either. Will post pictures later. The individual pieces are fine, it's combining them that's not working. damn it. Tired of skirts/tops. Rotating illusion. Very disconcerting. Had installment #3 of small claims court last night, with two well-meaning NYU students trying, and ultimately failing to mediate the situation {this summers un-moved-into cat-pee-smelling apt building}. Next court date is January 19th. Jeez...9 months later, I may get some justice. *sigh*. Have a load of wraps and scarves drying/blocking in the studio. 11.12.2005
11.11.2005
Ranjit's paper bath.
Opera Glove Pattern! Yeah!
11.10.2005
There's no way I'm posting pictures of just skeins or balls of yarn, {yawn} so let it suffice to say that KnitPicks yarn is a great resource! An unbelievable bargain, very close to wholesale prices. I ordered the merino/alpaca mix and the pure baby alpaca. It's not the ultimate in luxury yarns, but for the price, it's way more than sufficient. Highly, highly recommended. Their colors are very good, saturated, not washed out. {no affiliation whatsoever}
11.09.2005
Resolved some of the documentation question by unloading a ton of pictures onto Flickr. There are many, many more, these are simply the most accessible. 6 years worth, of all descriptions, the first few years need to be scanned. There are current shots of the shop, which many of you have requested {thank you!}, going to add to those regularly. Thumbnail photo <------ left will take you there. Have fun!
11.08.2005
A new Goth Knitting magazine, AntiCraft. This is so fuckin' cute, except when it's brilliant, like the armwarmers that morph a snowflake into a skull. Wow! That's really nice. A button for it has been added to the right hand bar, above Knitty.
  Got a very exciting email this am from Alex Murray-Leslie of the band "Chicks on Speed". They also have a record label, and want to put the Pulsallama song "Ungawa PT.2" on a compilation CD called "Girl Monster", to be released in April of '06. This is so cool. She says we're her "secret mothers of inspiration", and it's completely true that these girls are obviously our spiritual daughters! Look at the pictures of them! Adorable. :->The list of women bands and musicians on this thing is formidable, and we're so happy to be invited to be on it also! Nice way to start the day. 11.07.2005
Beautiful Scopitone of the Harlem Shuffle. My favorite part is the closeup of the dress and those boots.
French Knitted Hats.
Dokuro-san plush by Junko Mizuno, in by the end of the week!
 The handsewn Bear Cubs by Kim Tsai. Lots of toys in for the holidays. I love these beautiful things. 
Continuing investigation in 3D {not a flat plane} knitting this season. Somewhat flattened {scanned, not shot} example of a 13 stitch cable in peruvian highland wool and a strand of alpaca. The center "cord" really stands out when your stitches are not even {3 over 4 in this case}. There's an "extreme" version of this next, with internal increasing and decreasing to make bumps {but not bobbles}} Hope to get some of these patterns up for sale, time is too short, my friends. I would like 5 more hours per day, Please! Have all day today to run errands then knit, have to go into the city tommorrow. I want to cut fabric today, too. Wool jersey dresses, pencil silhouette, long sleeved, with embroidered motifs and chiffon applique will result.
I'm getting in a new brand of handsewn plush Bear Cubs. Kind of excited about it, they're super charming. They're going in the webshop when they arrive. Soundtrack today: Bad Religion, Jackson 5, Marvin Gaye, Al Greene.  11.06.2005
Great little interview with Lawrence Ferlinghetti. {NYT}
11.05.2005
Today was exceptional. Beautiful weather, went to the farmer's market very early, before coffee, got apple cider donuts and sourdough bread. Opened the shop early. Was serenaded by my charming little neighbor {in a fairy costume} for a while:
 Before this, she swept my sidewalk in exchange for a japanese Love Bunny lipgloss compact. I really, really love this block and my neighbors. It was a superbusy hen party at the shop today. All my favorite people came by, it was really fun. I ate Croque Monsieur {T.Y Hilary!} and salad for dinner. These are the kind of days you run a shop for. You could cut the estrogen in the air with a knife. For the first time in 6 years, I heard these words at the end of the day: "I can't hear you, you have booby in your mouth". :-> {Nursing Mimi and toddler}. Thanks to everyone who came by today! Soundtrack by Annie Lenox. This is what a cat with a fever looks like: 
There's nothing wrong with Kitty, all tests came back normal. She had a fever, most likely due some some mysterious virus. She's almost back to normal today.
11.04.2005
More chiffon and lace embroidered appliques, both on the fronts of Alternative Apparel long sleeve tees, in this case, in absinthe green.
  Kitty's doing better today, she's slightly more alert, and ate some treats this am. I've been quickly opening her mouth and squirting in a dropperful of antibiotic {clavamox] every 12 hours {before she gets a chance to scratch me}, and maybe that's helping. Will get test results back later. 11.03.2005
My poor Kitty is sick. She's been lethargic for the last 2 days, and yesterday she stopped eating. We're heading to the vet in about half an hour. Please send some good wishes into the ether for her! We love her, even though she's a cranky little witch {like her owner, I guess}.
UPDATE: $235. later, Kitty has an unspecified fever, nothing else visibly wrong. They had to do a bunch of lab and blood work, and she's now on antibiotics for a while. shit. 11.02.2005
Tuck stitch stoles this am: one end merino lambswool, one end raw silk, one end kid mohair. Raw, still needs to be washed and blocked.
  DigitalFog. Archives are also great. 11.01.2005
YOW> Gomi Taro Japanese Plush Monkey searches are sending dozens of hits to my webshop, which is really not even live yet! They're all sold out, but I'm getting a shipment of the 9"ers at $22. a pop in a week or so. Accepting pre-orders. Everyone Loves Monkeys, eh?
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