Knitting Sandwich

wishes in the breeze (and under the mattress)

Some time ago I was in a bookstore killing some time and happened upon this book called the the wishing year by Noelle Oxenhandler.  It’s a memoir about a woman who decided to make three wishes, write them down and put them under her mattress to see what happens. What is really refreshing about this author and her story is that she is incredibly down-to-earth and realistic.  Despite the fact that she’s writing about wishing (and despite the incredible fact that not only does she get her three wishes over the year but gets them in precisely the way she asked for them) it is quite the opposite of the new-age, uber-positive, higher-plane type book that you feel like you have to be somewhat other worldly to believe in.  This woman is extremely practical and cynical and funny and uncomfortable with wishing and real enough that you feel like she could be your girlfriend across the table from you in a coffee shop. More than once I found myself laughing out loud on the subway- she was a nice friend to take along for the ride.

Well it just so happens that at the same time as I was reading this book, I attended this art festival  in Dumbo.  And there happened to be an interactive art installation called Up All Night Dreaming by Tara Parsons which was this flowing white bed- and in the canopy, people were supposed to write their dreams on white ribbons and pin them to blow in the breeze.  It was completely beautiful, seeing all those dreams hanging out and swirling around.  

 

So of course I had to take lots of pictures. 

 

But I got so caught up in the picture taking I didn’t even think to put a dream of my own.

I regretted that later, especially considering this book I was reading, and went back the next day specifically in hopes of finding that magical dream bed and pinning on my wish.  You can imagine my disappointment when I got there too late and the bulk of art installations were gone, and the spot where the bed had stood was left with only cobblestone.  I decided to make the best of it and wandered a bit more around Dumbo.  Low and behold, in a deserted tunnel under the Manhattan bridge, I stumbled upon the bed- the only installation left standing.

 

So of course I couldn’t waste this opportunity to make my wish. 

And then last night securely placed them under my mattress.

Can’t hurt, right?

-cmv

Community Supported Agriculture

I joined a CSA this fall.  Due to the scorching summer and torrential rains in October, Home Sweet Farm had a few weeks of rain delays. 

It was definitely worth the wait. We attacked the peppers the night I picked up the produce and they were delicious.  I'm excited to have the radishes today, I've never seen any that shape before.  And zucchini is my favorite. 

How about you, any favorite veggies, or favorite veggie recipe you want to share?

-Lindsey

getting a jumpstart on the holiday knitting

in an attempt to avoid the seemingly unavoidable holiday-knitting-sweatshop i am doing my best to get an early start on my gifty knitting this year.  (well early for me, i know there are people out there who started ages ago... but that's not really my style.  i enjoy a good bout of procrastination.)

some of the items i won't be able to share until after the holidays, but i can share one of my most recent f.o.'s.

it's a mug jacket (or as cmv and i like to call them, "coffee snugglers") by mk carroll (pattern or rav link).

i like this pattern a lot, and i have a few more in the works for my hopefully non-sweatshop holiday knitting.

has anyone else started knitting for the holidays?

-melissa

top five knits

Hooray for November fifth!  It's time for the top five!

We thought that, since we are the knitting sandwich after all- and since it's time for the Christmas knitting sweatshop to get up and running, this month we'd focus on our top five favorite knitting projects.

melissa's list:

1. meghan's hanami stole 2. turtleneck shrug (rav link) 3. justin's bearded toque 4. my squirrel mitts 5. lily's baby gryffindor (she gets two pictures because she's such a cute baby.)

Lindsey's list:

1. blankie  2. lace wrap (aka big blue)  3. loveable toys  4. lifesaver afghan 5. lace wrap  6. february lady

cmv's list:

1. blankie  2. meditation pillow (hilton of cadbol)  3. socktopus  4. brea bag  5. seed stitch baby jacket  6. communal blankie

What are your top five favorite projects you've knit?  We'd love to hear them!  (especially since sometimes Christmas sweatshops need a good pool of ideas!)

If you'd like to make a photomosaic too, you can use this easy mosaic maker.  And please feel welcome and encouraged to post pictures to our knitting sandwich flickr group.

Can't wait to hear from you!

-cmv & the sandwich

time well spent

when quiet time was over and we were supposed to go to the grocery i took one look outside and put down my grocery list, picked up my rake and took lily to play in the yard instead.

because you know what?  that grocery store will still be there tomorrow.

-melissa

(another) happy halloween!

i must confess i felt something less-than-excitement when lily decided to be tinkerbell for halloween.  but i will stand now and admit that i was wrong.  indeed worried for nothing - she rocked that tinkerbell costume with her own special lily-flair.

hope you're all having a happy halloween!!

-melissa

Happy Halloween!

This past week we have celebrated fall at work.  It all culminated in 3 competitions that were judged yesterday:

Primp you pumpkin

(my lame attempt)

"Mask"erade ball

(I was inspired by office supplies)

And cubicle decoration

This aisle went all out and had a full-blown haunted house. 

Happy Halloween everyone!

-Lindsey

warmth for the brooklyn boy

remember henry ?

he was born new year's eve last year.  ten months later he is beyond adorable- crawling around everywhere and going on endless adventures around brooklyn.  now that the weather is getting colder, i thought he'd need some help staying warm,

so i made him some mittens

and then this seed stitch jacket

thankfully the buttons passed his thorough inspection

both mittens and jacket were done in berroco comfort (which i LOVE- especially for kids' garments).

let's hope they're warm enough to keep little henry nice and warm as he continues on his adventures with his number one mom.

hope you're staying warm too!

-cmv

red scarf project

i finished up knitting my red scarf today.

the pattern is the corrugator by paula smith (pattern or rav link).

the yarn is caron simply soft, which, while it may not be the most upscale of yarns, is in fact, super soft.  and as a plus it's machine washable (which i figured might be important to a college student.  i don't ever remember hand washing a single piece of laundry when i was in college!).

the deadline for submitting scarves this year is december 15th, and if you're not already, i'd encourage you to consider knitting up a red scarf.  project details can be found at the red scarf project's official page or in the ravelry group.

-melissa

knitting repair shop

remember last christmas when i made my mom some felted slippers?

well i don't know what she did (i accused her of walking around on sharp rocks and razor blades) but she has already worn a hole in one of them.

i figured the easiest thing to do was to get some of those leather slipper bottoms and sew those on after i patched up the hole.

now everyone is happy again!

-melissa