I had yarn left over from my mom’s shawl so I decided to make myself a hat. I have the hardest time knitting things for myself because I am so picky. I had actually knit another hat with this yarn but decided that I didn’t like it… so I ripped it all out and gave this pattern a go.

This hat was such a pleasure to knit! The pattern was written really well and I loved that the cable decreased into the crown. (I couldn’t believe that this was a free pattern, actually, because of the clever construction.) The only modification I made was to knit the brim in 1×1 rib for 1.5″ instead of 1″ because of my own preference for longer brims.

I think it turned out really well (albeit slightly too slouchy) and I hope to get a lot of use out of it. I haven’t really worn hats this winter yet because the weather has been so unpredictable: it’s 30°F one day and 60°F the next! Overall, though, this winter has been very temperate — but I’m not complaining! It’s great biking weather so I don’t have to bundle up too much when commuting to work.

I wanted to make something for my mother but she’s notoriously difficult to shop for. Both my parents are like that, actually. It’s hard to get gifts for people who have everything they want and/or need. So I thought a shawl would be a good idea. She talks about how cold it is in her office (year-round, not just in the winter) so I figure it’d be nice to have an extra layer to bring to work.

The pattern makes a long scarf but I wanted more of a shawl. (My mom is very specific about the kinds of clothes and accessories she wears.) So I used a heavier weight of wool and slightly larger needles and went to town. Since it’s not going to be worn wrapped around the neck, I made it slightly shorter. When I finished knitting it, I wasn’t thrilled with the width so I really blocked the you-know-what out of this scarf. I got an extra 3 inches of width and maybe 2 inches of length. Its final measurements are 13″×70″. Because I blocked so aggressively, though, the yarn lost most of its sproinginess and squishiness. It really looks like a lace shawl now. Hopefully it’s retained some of its warm so my mom can get lots of use out of it.

Yep.

Most new bikes I’ve seen have aluminum frames but I’m more interested in a steel frame. Yes, it’s a little heavier but, generally, I think the benefits outweigh the negatives. (But you can read more about that on the interwebs…) There are few steel frames with good components (Shimano 105 or better) out there that won’t break the bank. The one I’m currently interested in (despite its Tiagra components) is the Salsa Casseroll:

I’ve been drooling over this bike for months now and never purchased it because it’s quite the investment. Considering I’ve only been working part-time since September, I haven’t felt I could afford such a luxurious bike. However! I’ll be starting full-time (albeit temporary) work January 2 so I’ve been revisiting the idea of getting a new bike. The library is only 3 miles away and easily accessible by bike… This is one of those purchases that will definitely have a return on investment. (A fellow Brooklyn bike commuter recently calculated that he saved $549 over 8 months by riding his bike to work. At that rate, I’d have the bike paid for in about 1.5 years.)

So as I’ve been toying with the idea of purchasing this bad boy, I learn that my boyfriend wants to get it for me as a holiday (and birthday and next winter holiday and next birthday…) present. Looks like I’m getting this bike after all :)

This is Alex knitting a cowl for himself last night. He used some of my leftover yarn to create a multi-colored (brown and cream) cowl. I only helped him by joining to knit it in the round and binding it off for him, he did most of the knitting himself.

We were at Purl Soho today and he came thisclose to buying some fancy-pants yarn to knit an infinity scarf for himself. In the end, he decided against it. I was in there to look for yarn for a shawl I want to knit for my mother… but I couldn’t find anything I liked. (Besides, the yarn is so expensive in that store!) So we both walked away empty-handed.

Doesn’t it look ferocious with those teeth? My bike was glad to finally be freed.

Sigh. My poor bike could use a bath. It’s taken a lot of abuse these past few months, what with all the rain riding and wet cement eating.

I’ve always liked my building: it was part of the reason I fell in love with the apartment. It’s a brownstone rowhouse whose stoop had been removed some time ago (which is a shame) on a tree-lined block. Inside, each floor is painted a different color, starting with a deep purple on the first floor and ending with bright orange on the fourth (my!) floor. There are mirrors and art in the halls, and a taxidermy bull’s head mounted on the second floor. On my floor, there’s a plant for which I’m responsible hanging under the skylight, which provides lots of natural light. The building is a semi-detached house, with a driveway and a garage (which is where the landlord lets me store my bike — lucky!). Tenants are not allowed up on the roof but that’s OK because I have no interest in going up there.

The downside to living in a pre-war building, though, is that my apartment never feels clean. There’s no central air so dust just settles in every nook and cranny. And my cat doesn’t help, either: his fur is on everything. I got an air purifier to help circulate the air and filter out the germs & bacteria. It helps but what I really need to do is set up a strict cleaning regime and stick to it.

This scarf is so hard to photograph! Especially as a non-scarf (in-progress, that is) and indoors at night. I should be finished with it pretty soon and I’ll have the opportunity to take better photos before giving it away to its intended recipient. I’m making this infinity scarf for my sister, who asked me for leg- and arm-warmers last year but never got them. So I’m making her an infinity scarf this year, which will hopefully make up for my tardiness. It’s a soothingly repetitive pattern that’s great for TV knitting. I’ve managed to watch all 14 episodes of Firefly, the movie Serenity, and several episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer while knitting this weekend.

…Why, yes, I have been on a Joss Whedon kick. Why do you ask?

Swamp Thing
½ pineapple
1 Granny Smith apple
3 sticks celery

Throw all the ingredients into a juicer and go. It’s light and refreshing. I highly recommend it!