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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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3.30.2006
It was sort of an amazing and satisfying day: I took the dogs out back for a pee before leaving this am, and I finally couldn't take anymore of the weird garbage the Bangladeshi bodega people throw back there. They've killed the plants I planted, and turned the backyard into a garbage dump. There's one guy who has stashed bed frames, dozens of metal poles, old tv antennaes and other stupid, dangerous crap back there for over 3 years, wiring and tying it together with string into rickety constructions for vines to grow on. They've completely taken over the backyard with this trash, and our previous landlord wouldn't stick up for us, and our share of the yard. Plus, there's an old tub back there that's a mosquito pond. The deli men have filled the backyard with styrofoam cups, snack wrappers, urine, beer cans, garbage bags and cigarette butts. They look into our windows in the summer. We have rats that live by the West Nile Pond. My downstairs neighbor Anna and I have been really unhappy about this for years, this morning we changed it.
I started taking the bedframes and poles down. Anna heard me and came down, and we spontaneously decided to clear the whole damn yard right then. It took about an hour and a half. We piled it up behind the bodega. This is the most satisfying feeling I've had in a while. I'm still high on the endorphins, it's worse than getting a tattoo. Anna and I were badass today, tossing metal poles and tree trunks around. Whether we have to move from here in a few months or not is irrelevant. Today, we kicked ass. I even opened the shop on time. Going to sleep well tonight. Small Flickr set to document it.  Click for set
It's so exquisite out, I can't stay inside, and feel irrationally exhuberant. Biking to the Botanic Gardens this am to get something exotic for the planter in front of the shop. I used my new window squeegees yesterday, and my windows are sparkling today! I should have fired that nut-job who was doing it years ago, I did a better job and for free. Spring cleaning is also in progress around the house.
Happy Spring, everyone! Fresh air and no jackets all around!  3.29.2006
Small set of the 3 armed pattern test has been posted on Flickr.
 click for closeup.Not that big a deal, the beauty of this pattern is in the simplicity of it, and the ease with which it can be modified...
Finished version 1 of the smock in a grey striped jersey. Has an asymmetrically attached embroidered medallion and a green satin ribbon tie, mildly ruched edges. Pix later at the shop {on a mannequin}. All I did to modify this first version is recut the arms and neck, and size it up a bit. First versions needs to stay as close to the original as possible to see what needs revising, but I knew the puritanical neck and sleeveline had to go. It's pretty cute and comfortable. I'm going to get alot of mileage out of this pattern for dresses and tops this summer.
In case it's not clear why I'm so stressed about possibly having to find a new apartment in the stupid market, this is an example of what's going on here in Brooklyn. This is not a joke. 3.28.2006
A scan of the shape of the pattern from the envelope back:
 I've seen dozens of versions of these types of smocks, but not for a very long time. 3.27.2006
I had a beautiful day on my bike, not thinking about anything but the moment for a few hours. I bought heavyduty window cleaning equipment for the shop, spending time in my beloved Home Depot.
 click for closeupNow, I'm working on a custom order due wed., planning next weeks orders and projects. soundtrack on rotation: Chopin's "Nocturn #5 in F sharp, and Wagner's "Lohengrin", from the beginning. Various Bryan Ferry. Marvin Gaye "Mercy Mercy Me". Mamas & Papas "Go Where You Want To Go", Peter, Paul & Mary "Puff The Magic Dragon". Morrissey "Every Day is Like Sunday". The Sugercubes "Birthday". hehe, also "The Isrealites". Made a new online {yet local} ad for the shop: 
Thanks to a wonderful gift of 4 bags of vintage patterns from Leigh {thank you again so very much!!}, I am now the proud owner of a 3 armed dress pattern:
 I used to wear these as a little girl, and am mildly obsessed with the structure and possibilities of them. I have a few hours today to play with and modify the pattern. Visualize this: Slash and spread to create fullness on the bottom, cut it in cotton jersey, trim/reshape the neck and armholes, add some internal shaping with sewn smocking stitch, add an attached wraparound sash for waist shape. If cut in a woven, cut on the bias, which will need a seam, but that can be strategically placed for diagonal interest. All fabric, no hardware. I love that. Then I'm riding my bike to the bank, Jacques Torres in Dumbo for chocolate, Home Depot for a professional window squeegee. Apartment hooie is currently on hold for a variety of reasons, we got a small reprieve. *sigh* So I'm trying to get in as much work as possible. {Shout-out to Nancy Gould, a former knit development colleague and fellow horse racetrack adventurer! It was fun talking on Sun.} 3.25.2006
Pictures of the oversewns are not really doing them justice, it's sort of a subtle thing, and my photography skills are a bit lacking, however, I can shoot chicken feet just fine:
 Lia says they're called "adidas" in Manila!! oh...:-) 3.23.2006
A new crop of Heavy Rotation printed tissue weight tees came in yesterday, and I'm spending this am oversewing them for season 2 of Double Labels. Pix later.
3.21.2006
AN $11. mistake in sales tax in 2003 turned into a $387. payment I had to make yesterday. F.U, New York State. That's an extremely absurd and immoral penalty for a small business owner. F.U.
3.17.2006
One of the downsides of working with tissue weight jersey is that it's very delicate. If the thread tangles, the very elastic fabric goes along with it and the bobbin takes a bite out of the fabric. It usually happens after you've put a good deal of time into the piece. That's what happened here: Damn it!
 Click for closeup.3.15.2006
Some spring images from my shop, click them for close-up views:
 Shop window tonight. The skateboards with 14 wheels are Flowboards, they finally came in today! 
Great Starbucks rant, Brooklyn-style. Enjoy!
3.13.2006
Completely immersed in apt. hunting, negotiations, etc. this BBBLLLOOOOOOWWWWS. But must be done. I'll be back when it's all over.
3.09.2006
Halter pattern supplies, I'm using the pink. Almost have the knitted part finished, it's edged in crochet.
 Declined the gorgeous, expensive apt on Eastern Parkway. Just didn't want that much hanging over me every month. Anna and I went down to Bay Ridge this am to look at a number of places, we're very comfortable living in the same house {not as roommates, but neighbors}, and we found a building on 95th st and Shore Road that had two excellent, huge apts available, very affordable, 3 blocks from the train. It would take me about 1/2 hr to get to work, maybe a little more. You walk out of the building, and there's a park right there, and the East River, and the Verrazano Bridge, the air is very fresh. We'll see how this pans out. We're going back in the am with Mike, her fiance', to see them again. Here's the location. Looks nice, doesn't it? :-> Click on Satellite, and then go close-up. I want clean and quiet, sooo tired of relentless ghetto everything... 3.07.2006
My current mode of mental escapism:
 click to view.OMG these are the most uncool people on earth. Which doesn't mean I didn't enjoy watching it, slackjawed.
Looked at 3 apts this am: one too small but charming, one nice loft in an appalling neighborhood, and the last one, a huge, old fashioned 2 bedroom on the 5th floor, incredible views of Brooklyn, blocks from the park, and of course more than I wanted to spend, but I Ioved it!! I could be so happy there! Right on Eastern Parkway. Crunching numbers now to see if I can swing it... I'm going to make it happen somehow, and even try to be out of here by the end of this month. I'm actually looking forward to it! Had my mini-meltdown last night about packing it all up again, now it's on to better things. The living room in that place would be my studio, and it's twice or more as big as my room in this apt. I've worked in for the past 5 years, ahhhh, spacious room! Insert "silver lining" quote here. :->
3.06.2006
We {my downstairs neighbor Anna and I} found out tonight, from the new owner of my apartment building, that if we want to stay in our apartments, we will have to pay twice as much rent. The drama has been going on for a week or so, I expected this outcome, and have already gone through the classic stages of: denial, grief, anger, now acceptance that I have to repack everything and move. Oh shit. I've been not too happy in this apartment, it's been really stressful living here for many reasons {Anna came home from an extended trip recently to find huge rats in her apartment}, and along with acceptance comes brief glimmers of happiness from the thought of living in a nicer place. SO...spending time packing again, throwing even more stuff out {excellent in the long run too}. Posting lightly, aiming for mid or late April moving date. Hopefully I can find a place that fast.
big fucking sigh. but not really depressed. a little panicked. shit happens. 3.04.2006
Edward Tufte has a new book called "Beautiful Evidence" coming out in May!
3.01.2006
The first FS pattern wll be an engineered corset/halter top. I've been making them for 6 years, they're very popular in the shop, and really pretty easy to make, all my patterns are logical in construction. It uses both knitting and crochet, on not more than an intermediate level. I'll dig up some pictures tonight of past versions. I want to start with a Spring item, and this is it! Going to Knit-a-Way before opening the shop to see what current cotton yarns are a good match for the pattern.
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