Susie Cupcakes

Since it's now past Memorial Day, I think we can officially declare it summer! I hope to spend less time at work and more time at home, with friends, with yarn, reading books, seeing movies, and traveling. Mr. Cupcakes and I have plans to visit Ocracoke Island in July, then go to Chapel Hill for a few days. Cross your fingers that hurricanes don't interrupt these plans. Like last time.

Angela came to visit this weekend and it was delightful. Rebecca and I gave her the whirlwind western New England tour. Angela even took my crazy neighbors and insane cat in stride. Now THAT is a friend.

Last night, Rebecca and I went up to Northampton to see the Yarn Harlot, who is too awesome for words. I'm too lame for words, and forgot to bring my camera and chickened out when I saw how long the line for book signing was. Nevertheless, the Harlot is so funny and whip-smart and generous, and managed, along with WEBS, to get all attendees free yarn and needles to make squares for Warm Up America, and to encourage us to donate food to a local food bank.

I showed tremendous restraint and only purchased two skeins of yarn from the discount warehouse, Regia's 6fadig Tweed in a nice blue gray. It's important to feed the stash regularly so it doesn't get angry. Same with cats.

Labels: Angela, Rebecca, vacation, yarn

My sister has had a blankie for as long as I can remember. It is (well, was) white with a tiny pink flower pattern on it. Now it is a washed-out gray with frayed edges. It was cut up (with surgical precision by Mom) so she could take part of it with her when she studied abroad in London. It is, truly, a great blanket.

But I think it might be lonely. It might need a pal.

I'm working on a wedding blanket for Laura and Anil, using an old Victorian pattern. The color is not accurate here; it's really a deep, winey red.


I wanted something that could be assembled in small pieces, so I didn't have a heavy blanket draped over my lap during steamy Connecticut River valley heat waves.

It is so pretty in Deerfield, with its baby alpaca and silk.

I have decided to make 30 squares, and use Nicky Epstein's Knitting on the Edge to create a botanically-themed edging . . . maybe leaves, maybe floral, maybe just an interesting scallop.

I hope Blankie will make some room on the bed! And I hope I can finish this in fewer than eleventy million years.

Labels: sister, wedding blanket, yarn

While on the cruise, there was also lots of wonderful gifted fiber, not the least of which were a pair of socks from Michelle, owner of the Sweet Sheep, an online yarn store. Can you think of a more fabulous occupation than ordering and sending beautiful yarns all day? I am so lucky that she was my sock swap buddy! She made me these beautiful socks out of Colinette Jitterbug.

Check out those clocks! Now go order some of her yarn right now. Even if you don't knit, it's pretty enough to be a decorative item in your home. Put it in the fruit bowl!

Just to gild the lily, Michelle gave me a skein of the rare and elusive Black Bunny Fibers yarn, too!


I was too eager to get started, so I don't have a picture of the unwound skein, but it was purdy. All Funfetti cake colors! Using some of the great advice I got at one of the sock knitting "courses" on the ship (taught by the fabulous Eunny Jang), I did a slip stitch pattern (slipping every fourth stitch every other row). It's my usual sock pattern--derived from Nancy Bush's Knitting Vintage Socks.

These are so cheerful and lovely. I can't wait to wear them in the fall with some jeans.

We also got a skein of Mama-E's incredible hand-dyed sock yarn. Mine is in the colorway "Seasick" but it's way cuter than that sounds.

Off topic: Thanks for the ANTM sympathy--I totally agree that their description of Renee as "old" was terribly insulting, since she looked about 17 and a half in most of her photos. I do hope that she and Natasha carve out careers of their own, possibly as globe-trotting model roommates on a Bravo reality show. I just really love Bravo reality shows.

Must dash--Masterpiece Theatre is on!

Labels: antm, cruise, yarn

I showed a little bit of restraint in my yarn buying while on the cruise. This is probably because there was not a yarn store on the boat, and it's hard to buy yarn while at sea. But when we stopped in Victoria, B.C., we had the opportunity to go to Beehive Wool (sorry, link appears broken), a really beautiful store that was understandably very excited to have 70 crazy yarn ladies stop by.

I bought this really pretty "blueberry" shade of Fiddlesticks Zephyr Laceweight wool/silk blend.


It is so soft. Maybe I'll get into lace sometime soon--my stash seems to have a rather large amount of laceweight yarn. You buy a little here, a little there....and suddenly you have 4000 meters of yarn looking neglected.

But I have an obligation to socks, too.


This is Fleece Artist Merino 2/6, and it could not be left behind all by its lonesome in the store. Especially not in those gorgeous green and blue colors.

Next post: all the yarn I got for FREE!

P.S. I can't believe Jaslene won ANTM! I don't remember feeling this disappointed about a winner since...well, ever. It's cool that she's the first Latina to win, I just find her obsession with being a model a little tiresome. Where is the backstory? What are her hobbies? When asked to portray four emotions, this is what she chose:

Okay, drag queen and cha cha diva are essentially the same thing. Sentimental? Or is it "boo boo on my shoulder"? Modelesque is not an emotion. It's not even a word. Except for Jaslene. I will grudgingly admit that she looks a lot like Janice Dickinson in these pictures (especially drag queen), which is AWESOME.

I guess I'm just disappointed that we weren't able to explore the life of a mail-order bride with Natasha. Here's looking at you, Nata.

Labels: antm, yarn

The knitting cruise was a big success. There was laughter, tears, food, drink, slot machines, barf bags, buses, planes, mustaches, boats, yarn, Ico the waiter, and a salt-water swimming pool. And that's just what I can remember! Seriously, it was fantastic. Boats are crazy, especially such a big boat, the W(V)ision of the Seas. Twice as big as the Titanic! That's a mite terrifying. One can only imagine how many people were packed in steerage. I imagine they had a separate dining room, one without a constant flow of "savory bites."

And maybe not with nightly display of animals, sometimes horrifyingly displayed, made up of bathtowels.

My camera (read: I) kind of messed up and my pictures are pretty limited. But here's what the Golden Gate bridge looked when we passed under it at dawn.

And this picture is from the very first day, when we were waiting in the hotel in Los Angeles to let us check in.
Can you feel the stress leeeeeeaaaving?

After 7 wonderful days of vacation, it's back to olde Newe Englande. It's so beautiful right now, though, that it's a little easier to come back.


I'll write about all the knitting and yarn and socks next. But for now, it's just nice to be home with Mr. Cupcakes and the kits. And to feel confident about not finding an unexpected towel animal.

Labels: cruise, Sea Socks, vacation