Kitty: Day 17 of Knitting Olympics

2010 Knitting Olympics - Day 17 IT's done It's done It's done.... Through many trials and tribulation, I somehow got it done with out a lot of crazy knitting at the end. I don't plan on ever doing a marathon knit again!

Kitty: Day 15 of Knitting Olympics

MG working away at her entry for the 2010 Knitting Olympics

2010 Knitting Olympics - Day 15 Well as a dear knitting friend wrote in a comment, it just isn't worth hurting myself over knitting this sweater. So on day 14 I put down the knitting needles and gave my wrist a break. If it gets done before the close great, but if it doesn't it will still be a cool sweater after the olympics as well. MG came over and brought bento boxes for lunch and we had a little knitting party this afternoon.(Thanks MG) She is on track to finish her colourwork vest before closing ceremony. I am so proud of her, it is absolutely beautiful and so exciting. An entire colourwork sweater. :) YEAH YEAH YEAH MG GO GO GO MG

Kitty: Day 13 of Knitting Olympics

2010 Knitting Olympics - Day 13

So what is left: 8 RAFFINIERT - Lila Pulli im Look von Vivienne Westwood Pattern from Fur Sie (Free pattern) (A special thanks to O for translating the pattern for me at Christmas time when she had so much on her.) Yarn: Shambala 50% wool & 50% Cotton

Day 14 - 7 inch Day 15 - Raglan Cast off of the Sleeve Day 16 - 2 inches - Turns out that I bound off to soon for the front and need to go and rip out and continue. Day 17 - Steam and Seam (Feb 28, 2010) Can I do it?????

Kitty: Day 10,11,& 12 of Knitting Olympics

2010 Knitting Olympics - Day 10, 11, & 12 3.75 balls of yarn. The chopstick are there to denote how much knitting was done on each day. Since I forgot to take photos of Day 10's knitting.

The sleeves for this sweater may end & squash my 2010 Knitting Olympics. My hands and wrist are just killing me. The half English brioche stitch is just so hard on my hands. So we will see how it goes from now to the end. I really want to make my goal.

2010 Knitting Olympics - Day 10 & 11

Kitty: Review - Worthpoint.com "Today, I reveal my big secretes on how I actually decide what to pay for items at auction houses and ebay."

Screen Capture from the homepage of Worthpoint - Discover Your Hidden Wealth

How many times have you been on an auction site looking at a vintage button, sewing good, or vintage textiles and found yourself wondering are you about to put in some foolish outrages bid that though will make the seller's day you are going to be taken to the cleaners on. In the old days I was a full believer in the price guidebooks. I would set for days memorizing the prices of some of my favorite categories of antiques & collectibles. I wanted to know if I saw an amazing deal on a button, memorial jewelry or a hat that if I ever wanted to sell it I could make a profit. I have been known to buy those large lots of buttons on ebay for just one button that I glimpse in the stash of 1000's. As time has passed though I am really not sure how practical and useful the price guides are anymore. By the time they are actually published (& more likely if) most of the data is out of date. I was really happy to discover that Worthpoint has basically designed an online community that will now allow you to search for descriptions, photos, and prices (for members) of your favorite collectible. There are some great details and photos of objects that have sold in the last couple of years to help guide your decisions on what bid to actually place when your heart is running on a rampage. One of the strangest experiences was the day I did a search for one of the search fields (Chinese Juvenile Sports) I collect for gifts for my mom and I found several items I had purchased. Though I have never actually used it they even have a feature that would allow you to ask a Worthologist a question to help you identify your collectible and even would gives you an estimate on value. Though I have to wonder on some of the weird obscure sewing tools if they would have any better idea than the textile museums or Pieceworks magazine. So today I revel one of my big secretes on how I actually decide what to pay for items at auction houses and ebay. Though with any antique and collectible site I would love to see more articles that deal with textile and clothing there are a few blog post on Worthpoint that I thought were pretty valuable: Caring For Your Vintage and Antique Linens and Textiles—Part One Caring for Vintage Linens and Textiles – Part Two Though not in the article itself the Worthologist goes into the technique of crofting (reply #5) in the comments. Though I have never been brave enough to lay white linens on the grass in the sun, back when I worked in the historical textile collection at OSU we use to place white linens on the English Boxwoods all the time. I really enjoy these articles since it went over subjects, that though our mothers and grandmothers thought of as common sense we are not really taught today. And bottom line, you really can get a lot of stains out through just common sense and old fashion laundry techniques. How to Clean Antique Table Linen They go through a 7 step processes for cleaning table linen in the article. Some tricks that I have always used is to remember that table linens really can be soaked for several days in the tub (Sorry M, I really know you hate when I do this.) and most importantly never ever put them into a washing machine. Another valuable trick if you have small rust spots a little lemon juice and salt may take it out. There is a product called Wink on the market for removing rust stains, but I really wouldn't use it. The chemicals are just too strong in my opinion for fragile textiles.

A few others that I really enjoyed: Vintage Clothing: To Buy or Not to Buy, That is the Question! The Exquisite Needlework of Appenzell Embroidery Marghab Linens—The Finest Embroidery Ever Made Whimsical Tammis Keefe Handkerchiefs Iroquois Purses Preserving the Worth of Your Antique Carpets Hat Pins, A Deadly Weapon? Collectible Handbags and Purses

Kitty: Day 9 of Knitting Olympics

2010 Knitting Olympics - Day 9 Ok some redemption, yesterday I was able to finish the rest of the front and the back 1/4. So I am feeling a little better about my progress on my sweater. Now I am ready to cast on for the sleeves. Hope I haven't slacked to much.

Kitty: Day 8 of Knitting Olympics

2010 Knitting Olympics - Day 8 Can I distract you with Orchids or maybe a cute snail that there was no knitting on Day 8? :)

Kitty: Day 7 of Knitting Olympics

2010 Knitting Olympics - Day 7 Nothing to report, no time for knitting. :( Though I did get to see MG and her 2010 Knitting Olympics entry yesterday.

Kitty: Day 6 of Knitting Olympics

2010 Knitting Olympics - Day 6 8 balls and counting.

Kitty: Day 5 of Knitting Olympics

2010 Knitting Olympics - Day 5 7.25 balls and counting. The colours are really off due to the fact I forgot to take photos before 10:00pm at night. I only have a couple of more inches for the front.

Kitty: Day 4 of Knitting Olympics

2010 Knitting Olympics - Day 4 6.5 balls and counting. I already started the bind off at the underarm and I am working on the front 1/4th.

Kitty: Day 3 of Knitting Olympics

Day 3 of my Knitting Olympics!

kitty: Knitting Olympics 2010

Vancouver Shrimp and Day 2 of my olympic knitting!

Yes I may have totally lost my mind, but MG and I are continuing our Knitting Olympic tradition and knitting again for 2010 Winter Olympics. Four years ago while in San Fran we cast on together for my very first lace project. (Feb 2006 post from MG & myself) This olympics was suppose to be my first colourwork garment, but I wasn't able to find chunky yarn that wasn't scratchy in time. So I found something quickly in the closet that hit the gauge of a sweater I have wanted to knit for awhile, 8 RAFFINIERT - Lila Pulli im Look von Vivienne Westwood. I would be lying if the project is that much of a challenge to knit since I am already on ball 4 as of tonight, when my goal was 1 ball a night and I missed night 1. So the challenge will be to find the time to knit it in the days ahead. I basically have spent the weekend in bed with a migraine so had some knitting time.

Photo goodies from M's Flickr:

Photo Vancouver Shrimp - Photos 2 - Photo of Valentine's Dinner

kitty... sadness

… The phone beeped with the breaking news announcement from CNN. A common occurrence it seems these days with one tragedy or another, but today was different. When M picked up the phone he read the news, British Fashion Designer Alexander McQueen is dead. I couldn’t believe it. I reached for the phone I thought he was joking, McQueen is only 40 how could he be dead. It is one week until he was to show if next collection at British fashion week. I didn’t want to hear the words that had just come out of his mouth. I had to read the words for my self. Alexander McQueen was dead. My hand couldn’t even hold the phone at that point; it just fell from my fingers while utter disbelief crossed my face. Though I didn’t know McQueen I had followed his story and rise to fame in the news over the past years. What a tragic loss. A rare talent extinguished in the prime of his life. I am still just in utter disbelief. My heart greaves at his loss and goes out to his family.

GOD SAVE MCQUEEN May you rest in peace under the Union Jack you loved so much