Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Odds and ends.

Not a lot going on right now, and thank goodness for that. Still trying to decompress from the stupidity and insanity of the last month or so. Instead, general comments and the answers to some questions.

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TallGirl asked about Judy's Magic Cast-On. It was developed for toe-up socks and is a relative of the Figure-Eight cast-on and the insanity that is Cat Bordhi's moebius cast-on. You can find the Knitty article about it, HERE. It's not really any more complicated or fiddly than any other cast-on meant to go off in both directions. It's just that I don't do it enough to be any good at it.

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Louiz asked what I had my swatch pinned out on. It is a piece of styrofoam/polystyrene, just like you thought. Here in the US blocks of it are sold wrapped in plastic, which is utterly silly, but I left the plastic wrap on it to keep the little disintegrating bits on it a little longer. So far, so good, and I've been using it like that for about two years now. At the least, it doesn't leave a trail of crumbs everywhere it goes.

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On the subject of socks, I totally buggered up the Widdershins heel I'm working (directions HERE), and now need to go tear it back to the start of the increasing and start over. That's two projects needing to be torn back (okay, more than that, but two current ones) and here I sit thinking "I could start on a cardigan for the Goober." Ha.

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Under the heading of "what in fuck was I thinking", I got a puzzle.

It's "Starry Night" by Vincent VanGogh. Long-time readers know, this painting has gotten me into trouble before. Did I learn? Oh, hell no. Now I'm sifting through a box of a thousand pieces, trying to put together a puzzle by the directions of the brush strokes.

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Yesterday, I told the Goob to get dressed, and waited to see what happened.

I got this. Love it.

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So, anyway, we're surviving. Cyber school registration seems to be finished and we'll be getting lessons in the mail and all that crap. Plus I need to get the kid signed up for dance and martial arts classes for that whole 'social peer group' bullshit thing. The kid seems to be bearing up under the stress better than I am.

9 comments:

Emily said...

At MIT, they do those puzzles from the back, with no picture. Supposed to be easier. Hmmm.

Love the Goob's outfit!

Tesha said...

That outfit is AWESOMESAUCE!! Tutu's and skulls.... your girl is totally kick ass!

WV: Sesseck

Can we turn the boat arround? I'm getting sesseck!

Ashley said...

Boyface of mine looked at the picture of the Goober and grinned. He and I agree that should we procreate, that our offspring will dress like that :D

roxie said...

Looks like the Goober has dressed for her combined ballet, martial arts class. What DOES the t-shirt say?

I tried to imagine what she will wear as a teen. A nice tweed wool pencil skirt and a white shirt popped into my mind. With sensible pumps. Because it will make Mom NUTS!

I love doing jigsaw puzzles. They are, for me, a metaphor for life. Only in real life, it's a brazilliion piece puzzle, you don't have all the pieces yet, and a lot of the pieces you have don't belong in your puzzle. Jigsaws CAN be completed. Yayyy!

Barbara said...

Roxie, I love your life metaphor. Can I steal, um, borrow it?

I pictured the Goob in her tutu with her karate top and rank belt but the skull tee works too.

Take a deep breath, Julie, and quit agitating yourself about the school system's idiots, this is going to be much better for the Goober--and find out if there are kids in the neighborhood and enroll her in their dance or martial arts classes. That way she'll get socialized with kids she'll walk to school or ride the bus with next year and you'll meet some moms.

Louiz said...

Thanks for clearing up the blocking mystery!

I love the Goober's fashion sense. I agree with Roxie about her likely teenage style though:>

Nikki said...

Thanks for the info on Judy's magic cast on. I tried EZ's provisional cast on for the first time the other day but haven't yet got to the part where I need the other set of stitches.

I too think the Goober's outfit is fab!

Emily said...

A thought....from the eternally vengeful one over here...will those school people give you their reasons for refusing the Goob in writing? (They will think you're going to sue, but I say you'll want it to wave in their faces when she gets into MIT early.)

They might cave, with that request, but I think she'll do a lot better in the School of Samurai anyway.

Amy Lane said...

*g* Girl has fashion sense-- I LOVE it. And soccer/dance/gymnastics has taught my kid that she doesn't like soccer OR gymnastics, but that dance is sort of fun. The End.