Jury Duty

Today I had my first experience with jury duty. While i will agree that it wasn't convenient, it wasn't terrible either. A lot of hurry up and wait. At least the room I was in was warm and I wasn't stuck sitting next to someone smelly. Unfortunately I was not seated next to the one cute guy in 40 people, and I was the only blond in the room. Interesting really.

Sadly I was not selected for a jury, although I feel that they wouldn't of appreciated me wanting to knit in the jury box. (I swear it helps me listen and concentrate.) So maybe that is for the best.

I am glad to be home in my jeans and Van Halen shirt contemplating what to knit and what to make for dinner.

Nerdcore

Nerdcore: is a sub-genre of hip hop characterized by themes and subject matter considered to be of general interest to nerds, though it can appeal to others as well. (I consider myself one of the others.)

Last night I went to a Nerdcore show at Triumph Brewing Co. in old city. Specifically to see Zilla Persona (aka my friend Justin). ECOMOG, and King Pheenix also performed last night, but I'm going to be that guy and say I was really there to see Zilla. The other groups were good, but I'm a bit bias when it comes to Nerdcore. Other than being friends with Zilla I like his style, his lyrics are fun (even for us non geeks) and every song is well crafted. I think my favorite thing about Zilla is his energy on stage and his ability to draw in the audience, making you feel like you are part of the show.

Not being a nerd (ok maybe a little) I don't really get a few songs (especially the one based on League of Legends), but I do love Zilla's tracks "Clubbin", "Energy", and my all time favorite "This is Not a Track". All of which Zilla preformed last night. I highly suggest checking Zilla Persona out (his is a cutie in his hat and glasses) but really check out his website, and listen to some tracks, and decide for yourself.

Zilla Preforming at Triumph

All in all a great show (except for the guy who kept yelling pants), good beer and look I even got dice. Which I need for an upcoming knitting pattern that's in the works, not for a D&D campaign.

My very own dice, a 6, 10, and a 12

I took video of one of my favorites!

Zilla Persona's latest LP is titled "You Wouldn't Think" and is available through itunes.

Staying Warm

Today Philly is a slushy mess. I must venture out into said mess to run errands, mostly we need groceries. Thank goodness that the market is just a few blocks away and that once I am done I can retreat into my warm cozy apartment and knit away.

It is however a good day for baking bread and making stew, which is what I might just do this afternoon. I've been fermenting a sour dough started in the kitchen and I think it is about ready. Simon will be glad to see it gone from the counter.

Its a good day for tea, P&P, and knitting. My cowl pattern is practically finished, just need to do the finishing work, and I've started a design or recipe that will be posted on this blog sometime next week.

Now I am off to brave the wet, cold, weather.

I Am Suppose To Be Working

Instead I watched Surfwise on Netflicks. I did knit while I watched though so that counts right?
I highly suggest this documentary it was a great story of an offbeat family and the effects their values had on their children (9 kids to be exact).

Oh and they surf. I guess I'm longing for warmer weather already and we are only half way through January. Although its sunny out today I know its cold and therefor I will not be tricked into leaving the warmth of my living room till I have too.

Happenings

Happenings, not much as of right this instance, just ate some toast with Vegemite on it. Simon bought the good bread from Whole Foods so I need to eat some before he eats it all. As of things going on in the knitting world I have two projects one is almost done and will be typed up and shipped out some time next week. The second will take a bit longer it being a top that will need multiple sizes and maybe a second test knit of the pattern.

Also brain storming as to a free pattern or knitting recipe on this here blog. I have a few ideas, but need to refine them and make a decision. Its between a hat, cowl, or shrug. I'm leaning more between the hat and cowl as I don't seem to wear any of the shrugs I make and I do like to wear what I design.

So I am off to knit away, now that I've eaten my toast.

Snow Day!

It snowed...well it snowed pretty much everywhere in the north east. I must admit that I love it when it snows in the city. First off, our building manager shovels the stoop and side walk for us, and second I don't drive so I don't have to deal with digging my car out and driving in the slush.

Thirdly we have a park across the street from our place so we have a nice little field of snow to look at. Look how quaint our neighborhood is.

Bamboo, Wood, Steal, or Plastic

With so many needle choices out there what works the best?

Well, I usually chalk it up to personal preference, but sometimes your bamboo needles are just not cutting it or your steal needle is too slippery to keep your stitches on said needle. That said I've noticed that my needles fall into two categories, Bamboo and Steal. Sometimes I am conscious of my needle choice and sometimes I will start a project only to find that I need to swap my needles for one or the other.

A good example of this is knitting lace. I usually prefer bamboo all around when it comes to knitting, unless I am knitting lace (this is also true for sock knitting) I like to use steel needles. My stitches are easier to manipulate in steel and slide effortlessly off the needle. It is also easier to get my needle in multiple stitch for k3tog and so on. When I fist embarked on a lace project I bought a pair of bamboo straight needles (size 2) to knit my delicate gossamer weight wool, only to find my stitches sticking to the bamboo. This irked me so much that two days later (I was surprised I let myself struggle that much) I switched to a set of steel circs in the same size.

This began my awareness of needle choice and an observation about myself. I am not a tight knitter or a loose knitter, but if knitting wool in a small gauge I prefer steel needles. If I am knitting a wool blend (silk, alpaca, angora) I prefer a bamboo or wooden needle. I can no longer say that I universally prefer bamboo. I can say however that I like bamboo needles most of the time.

So why is the material make up on a needle so important?
For me it has to do with the ease my stitches sliding off the needle. To little ease and it feels like you are fighting with the yarn to knit it and to much and it feels as if you might drop a stitch at any minuet. Having worked in a yarn shop for sometime I have a few other observations. For some it depends in the tension of their knitted stitches. My boss was a loose knitter. Her guage on a US6 looked like it had been knit on a US8, because of her loose tension she prefered bamboo. Again this isn't a universal statement for her as she had some beautiful Addi turbos which she would use to knit hats. Another customer we had had a tight tension to her knitting stitches so she preferred steel, because it made it easier to knit her projects.

So for all the knitters out their what's you favorite needles composed of?