Knitting Blog Chic Knits

  Monday Morning Mirth  

just remembering I forgot to tell you who
my favorite actor of 2008 was…

Some interesting Chicago Achievements from 2008 (from the Red Eye):

10.Tax factor
The buck tops here: Chicago has the highest sales tax of any major U.S. city at 10.25 percent.
My wallet is screaming “UNCLE!”

9. Olym-pick us
Chicago is carrying the torch for the U.S. in the race to host the 2016 Olympics.
WTH! Fix the Subway first!

8. Come fly with us
Chicago is the place to be–or the top stopover, at least.
Incredibly inescapable…

7. Chart toppers
In 2008, the ego landed at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart for the third straight time: Kanye West…
uberYAWN…

MORE…

4. Murder capital
We can only hope we’re the Second City in this category: Chicago is neck-and-neck with New York.
Somebody please save us from ourselves! SOS, Caped Crusader!

3. Knighted No. 1
The Batman flick, the No. 1 grossing movie of the year, was shot predominantly in Chicago over a three-month span.
And baby you haven’t lived until you’ve come face-to-face with Christian Bale on a dark Chicago St.

2. Corruption central
Federal authorities arrested Gov. Blagojevich earlier this month on charges he attempted to sell Obama’s Senate seat.
MORON!

1. The worldwide leader
On Nov. 4, Barack Obama, a Chicagoan, was elected the first black president of the U.S.
Celebrate this hopeful event horizon!

SWEET HOME CHICAGO, indeed…

But back to the imprtant things: Christian Bale, those eyes, that bod, just enough chest hair…

It’s all about Heat Management the next few weeks!

I saw part of the Times Square New Year’s Eve show on TV last night (with the bubbly Ryan Seacrest, what’s up with that guy? Are there three or four of him, he’s everywhere! don’t get me started on the minty fresh snowstorm in heaven mouthwash commercial he did awhile back…) and everyone was just FRIGID (and I don’t mean c.o.o.l.) standing on Broadway in the 1 degree wind chill…

I did my hours outside the Governor’s house yesterday myself and let me tell you, there is about a 15 degree difference between standing in the sun and standing in the shade. I was standing in the shade.

Secret of WarmHead Success!? A polar fleece headband covered by a warm, wooly hat!

I’d hoped to have this Cassidy’s Cap done by today to ring in the New Year but it’s going a little slower than I’d expect. This is SERIOUS wool, people — left over from a project from long ago. It makes me a little misty tallking about it because, well, I destroyed the sweater this yarn was purchased for. It actually made it into the washer with a load of blue jeans and faster than you can sing

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind ?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And days o’ lang syne ?

CHORUS:
For auld lang syne, my jo,
For auld lang syne,
We’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.

it was FELTED! And not in a good way. And I was broken hearted.

But I love this yarn, this color, it’s tweedy lamby nature and decided to Cable It. Intriguing to me in 2008, more than ever before? Cables on dark, dark yarn. Black, navy, brown. YUM!

They do not POP out like merino (ask me how I know) but they are sophisticated and subtle and when the light hits them just right, they amuse and delight.

Something else new this season? Mariah, my East Village neighbor, who is a fabulous model as well! This shot was taken in front of some buildings around the corner from me. Now WHO could be cold in colors like these…

New Threads TUESDAY!
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I found my hats! Lurking under a pile of old purses, they frolicked, playfully in a box in a remote corner of my closet, under some other boxes.

Clueless to why they were packed in such a silly manner, but delighted that they were finally back in the mix, this pile enjoyed a refreshing bubblebath!

Nothing better to face the weather challenges of the New Year (I’m looking forward to the new year, how about YOU?) than a warm head, which I think is the Secret to being outdoors.

Joining this lovely pile is a new, and what I predict to be, favorite in the line-up at Chez Chic: an H2O beanie made from Colinette Pt. 5 in a most intriguing combination of Black & White, that is called ZEBRA.

Now, does anyone have an idea what type of wool is used for this yarn? I adore it! And it really is warm; all lofty and puffy and it hugs the head when wearing to the point one does not want to take it off.

That, hmm, is my MO this winter, though: the Inside Hat!

Keep the heat down and the spirits UP!

I also had fun learning a new seaming technique: Invisible weaving on Stocknette St (One-half Stitch Seam Allowance) found on pg.72 of The Knitter’s Companion (by Vicki Square). For want of a better term, this is a lot like mattress stitching but works only the center part of an edge stitch-to-edge stitch. When finished, the two halves make a whole stitch and on bulky (or in this case, SUPER Bulky yarn), it makes a very fine low bulk seam. I liked this SO much, I’m going to try it out on a sweater next time…