Back from L.A.

Apparently a few people were concerned that after my trip to L.A. I would want to run away and join the circus (I mean, join the "entertainment industry.") Was it the wild look in my eye when I returned? The fact that I told my family you may now refer to me as "The Talent"? The fact that friends are now diagnosing me as suffering from the post-production blues?

Fear not, gentle readers, I have no intention of running away to the land of giant flowering trees and perpetual sunshine. I am quite content here at home with my dried-out garden and my family, and wish to be nothing other than wife, mother, and knitting-obsessed freak.

I have no intention of becoming a professional craft-show guest.



I had the most totally rockin' time. The people were fantastic. The work was sometimes stressful, but it was also really fun.

For the most part, the shooting went smoothly. I did have one deer-in-the-headlights moment, at the end of the day (8:45 p.m. my time, just for the record.) My segment was last of the three, so I had to sit there and watch the other two rehearse and shoot their segments, while experiencing the rise and subsequent crash of a Starbucks buzz. Then, there were a couple of last minute changes in my script, which made me confused. I messed up twice, right off the bat. I felt horrible, and I nearly lost it. (i.e. started crying in front of several grown cameramen.)

Then I saw the panicked look in the stage managers eyes as he gave me a huge toothy smile and told me I was going to be GRRRRRRRRRREAT. We had to finish my segment, shoot the fourth segment of chit-chat with the host, and wrap in less that half an hour when the studio closed and we got locked out of the building. Keep-it-together, Keep-it-together, Keep-it-together. I prayed, HARD, and it worked. I've always known that God is with me everywhere, but I have to admit I was a little surprised to find Him hanging out with me in a television studio in downtown Burbank.

Meanwhile, I did get quite a bit of knitting done. I knit a lot on the set and used the "Just call me Julia Roberts" line on anyone unlucky enough to be nearby.


I finished the Coffee Bean sleeve and started the front.


Made a front and a back for the Miss Bea sweater.


And, continuing the pink theme, I started a lace wrap with new yarn.

Prop Knitting

In preparation for my trip to L.A. tomorrow (CRAP, tomorrow!) I organized my knitting projects.


Here we have: Mindless Knitting. The never-ending baby blankie. Something to knit while chatting at the Wool and Company Knit Out. Shout out to my knitbuds who were there!


Next up: Plane Knitting. The slowly growing but enjoyable knitting "Hush" from Rowan's The Calmer Collection. Circulars, in case I don't want to rub elbows with the passenger next to me.


More Trip Knitting. In case I get tired of brown. Or stuck. The Windmill Sweater from Miss Bea's Colours.


Even more Trip Knitting. Yes I'm paranoid. You'd be paranoid too, if you'd ever run out of knitting on a plane with an hour left to go.


Prop Knitting. Now here's a new one. Honk if you've ever had Prop Knitting! These Fleece Artist socks for three year old Molly have been finished all except for the second toe, for a couple of weeks. I was about to finish them, when I got the idea that they would be a cute accessory for the knitting bag that I am making on the show. In case we open up the bag, I'll have a WIP in the bag, and the pink would be a great contrast for the chartruse bag.

When I get back, I'll finish them, and my girl can wear them with her new Windmill Sweater. Geesh, good thing it's a four hour flight!

See you all Monday!

Weekend Report

Thank you to all of you who have left such nice comments on Mariah and my Sunflower quilt! Soon I will upgrade to blogging software that makes it easy for me to reply to you personally, because I would like to. You guys are awesome.

Here are a few pictures from the show:






The highlight of the show: surprise visits from fellow bloggers!!


That is me in the middle, with Cathy aka "Funky C" on the right (do not drink a beverage while visiting her blog), and Jan "Be Mused" on the left (my first blogging pal I got to meet in person). Neither one told me they were coming, but I knew Jan the minute I saw her in the parking lot. Cathy came all the way from Michigan with our other quilting bud, Connie. I hate to admit it, but there was much girlie squealing and hugging. It just couldn't be helped. It was all just too much and made me very happy. I knew as soon as I saw friends, I knew that I could relax and give my talk and all would be fine.

Speaking of the gallery talk, my wonderful mom has said to me "I'm proud of you honey" at least twenty times the past 2 days. "I've never heard you speak before." Apparently, my mom was quite taken with my talk.

"So, Mom, which part did you like?"

"Well, the part where you spoke...and waved your arms."

Golly Mom, thanks. Glad to hear those years of reading art books and learning to talk intelligently about my work have really paid off in the Arm Waving Department.

It was hard to decide whether to title this post "Show opening," "Visit to Mom's", or "Cotton Ease Yarn Buying Bonanza Throughout the States of Illinois and Indiana". Ever since the Great Cotton Ease Enabler Lauren mentioned CE at Tuesday Morning (I had never heard of Tuesday Morning so I looked it up. There's one right here in St. Charles! Who knew?!) I have been on a bender. Those crazy Hoosiers have colors I have never seen before like Banana Cream and Mint! I now have enough CE to clothe a small army. Which is fine, since most days I feel like that's what I'm in charge of.

Knitting progress up next.

Quilt is Finished

Today is Wednesday.

My solo show opening is Saturday.

On Saturday, I fully intend to show to the world (well, to the few friends and neighbors who stop by for free food) my calm, self-assured exterior. But to you, my bloggy friends, I admit that Mommy is a bit high-strung. Which means: this family of five is a bit high-strung.

Yesterday I finished my quilt:


Sunflowers. (c) Emily Parson, 2005.

Today, I photographed her:

I thought it was a blog-worthy thing to do, to take a picture of my set-up for taking pictures. That's my garage, with 3 doors covered with black felt hanging on the outside. I've used this method for 8 years, and it works pretty well (unless it's raining, of course, or the middle of the night.) Today I was blessed with a beautiful overcast day. Perfect.

Here are some detail shots:





On the knitting front, there's not a ton to report. A few false starts with making the fronts of my Vogue bolero match up. It really does help to read the pattern.

I have part of it sewn up and it feels wonderful on. That's Rowan Cash Cotton if you are just joining us. This would be great to take to L.A. next week for my trip to shoot Uncommmon Threads/see my brother. But no pressure.


The three-year-old-girl socks are cute as pie. (Fleece Artist sock yarn.)

Ok, if you know me, you know what I do when I am stressed, is cast on new projects. The more the merrier! Here's what I did today, the start of the sleevee, "Hush" from Rowan's The Calmer Collection.

Can knitting with Calmer make a person, well, calmer? Probably not, if the color is "Coffee Bean."

Finally Mariah

At long last,
I give you Mariah.



The best part, the cabley-goodness.



Back view.

Time will tell if this becomes a favorite or just another sweater. It was definitly a favorite to knit, even with all the tinkering on the hood and neckline. The beautiful cable on the sleeves and hood was fantastic to knit, and the stockinette of the body gave some relief (and allowed me to finish it this decade.) I love a sweater that has a combination of mindless knitting and challenging parts.

It may not be a favorite to actually wear because I don't think it is very flattering. Hence the deletion of the full view picture. It is a little too long, and the 5 inch cable/rib around the bottom is just not flattering on me. What was I thinking? Even though I added stitches so it wouldn't pull in, still, it looks like a five inch band drawing attention to my stomach. The sweater would be just as great with some kind of shorter rib treatment, even a hem. In fact, I may cut it off at the bottom next fall and knit down something different. I would have to take the zipper out, but I could put in a shorter zipper or change to buttons.

Speaking of zippers, I love the way they look, they are totally stylish, but with a couple of zipper cardigans now, I am discovering my habit of buttoning the top couple of buttons on a cardigan and letting the bottom hang free. I can't do that with a zipper. So, maybe, I am a button girl.

Specs:
Pattern: Mariah, from Knitty. Thanks to designer Jodi for such a great pattern!
Yarn: Brown Sheep Nature Spun Worsted (really a light worsted, I used size 4 needles)
Color: Platte River Blue
Zipper: From Zipperstop, first time ordered from them(and second, I advise letting them pick it out rather than pick the color from the monitor, but that's another story) totally recommended.