The Eternal Sweater

(I'm reintegrating my craft blog into my blog blog.)

The whole story:

The very first sweater I tried to knit, based on a Leisure Arts leaflet. Bought the friggin' leaflet in, what 1999? Something like that. And I so-blithely wrote:

I am knitting a V-Neck Pullover from the Quick Knits leaflet I have. Using Lion Brand Homespun "Victorian" on size 13 needles. I'm making the 'Large' size (as I like my sweaters loose), but no doubt knitting to the small length (I'm a small length person, the large would probably be a dress on me). This is knit in 2 pieces, then there's the sleeves, on straight needles, and sewn together. This yarn is smooth to the touch, yet "nubby" - not flat, very thick, and I guess....fluffy. If this works out the way it's starting to shape up, I may devise a couple one-off patterns on the straight needles (I don't have size 13 in circs). There's several colors my dad would look great in.

But Christ in a parked car, this is taking me for ever.

But wait! There's more:

2001: This past Thanksgiving [probably, what, 2 years later?] I brought this
project with me and got a LOT done. I think it's gone from 'never going to
finish' to "I'll be done by next summer". Damn!

But wait! There's still more! How much would you pay for all this? 49.95? 69.95?

Oct 2002:

Okay, not "by next summer"...but it will get done.

It's done. You don't even have to take my word for it, kids. I have Photographic Proof™. Yours truly. In sweater. And again. I deviated from the pattern when I hit the neckline on the front, and went back to the back, ripped its shaping out, knit straight for an extra four inches, did a knitted bind-off on the shoulders instead of seaming 2 pieces together, picked up stitches for the sleeves and knit down instead of knitting the sleeves separate and flat and seaming -- do you see an anti-seaming trend, here? It's not that I hate seaming, it's just, why seam when you can knit?

But it's done, dagnabit, it's done. Mid-year 2003, baby. Read it and weep.

Gore Speech on Environment

Prepared Transcript of Al Gore's Speech on Global Warming and the Environment

Carol Moseley Braun Endorses Howard Dean

The first African-American woman in the Senate. Ambassador. Federal Prosecuter. And one damn classy lady.

I have the utmost respect for Ambassador Braun, and I am thrilled to see her join forces with the Dean campaign. Two of my favorite candidates, working together. This cannot be anything but good.

Does Your State Have a Caucus?

California Presidential District-Level Delegates Caucuses

California Delegate Caucuses – February 8, 2004 (the primary is March 02 -- I'm already signed up to work as an election official!)

Go stand up for your candidate!

Democratic Presidential Primary Election Schedule -- includes links and directions for contacting your state democratic party and learning more about caucuses, your primary, and even becoming a delegate!

It's a Latin Day

On a personal note (and I know that's everyone's fave), I just ordered (from Amazon.com, natch)

Paul O'Neill's _The Price of Loyalty_
Charles Bennett's _New Latin Grammar_
Stephen Batchelor's _Buddhism Without Beliefs_
Frederic Wheelock's _Wheelock's Latin, 6th Edition_
Ann Golden and James May's _38 Latin Stories_
and J.K. Rowling's _Harrius Potter et Philosophi Lapis_

Yeah, you read that last one right.

Why all the Latin stuff? Blame it on C.J. Cherryh's Latin the Easy Way. I do. I feel like I've been waiting to order these books (except O'Neill's, of course) forever.