My very own warning sign...

Go on, you know you wanna :)

Christmas presents!

I am in full present-making mode (when I am optimistic of not getting tendonitis), so I thought I'd give a little hint. Some of you who are reading this will recieve presents, so I won't be too detailed...

The World is Collapsing

Lovely. In my workplace, there are five people. One is working on another project until April. One is at the moment on vacation in Italy. One is on sick leave with mouse arm, not a good thing in the internet business. The fourth had to call in sick today with a beginning mouse arm, hoping that a week's rest will make it better. Which leaves: me.

Jolly good.

There is so much to do! I am trying to work 500%, something that is not humanly possible, and tomorrow is the deadline for my paper. It is a silly little paper, with pass grades only, but I have not finished reading the curriculum. Gaaah. I will probably be up until 3 AM, and then proceed to work 500% tomorrow as well. And overtime is sceduled for the weekend...

In the meantime, you can enjoy a picture of my lovely new crocheted hat. It is très cute, even though I say it myself. And easy peasy :)


I used this pattern from DROPS (in norwegian), but made it in one colour and skipped the pom-pons.

Why am I posting when I have so much to do? I missed my train. And starting a new task will take longer than the thirty minutes I have to wait.

The finished product

This is the finished jacket. I'm actually rather happy with it :)

The fabric is still lovely, and I adore the waistband. The collar turned out nice, too.

I've been wearing it for the last couple of days, but the snaps have been moved around a bit. That's one of the challenges of changing the pattern and making it up as you go...

Sorry about the blurry picture, I think I need some practice in the self-portrait department. Or possibly get an assistant.




This is a detailed photo of the waistband. I love the fabric, don't you? I still have some left (it was a scarf in its previous life, and I made ribbons from it), and it will be used in a secret christmas project :)

So for those of you who are expecting presents, I will not reveal more ;)

I have started crocheting, and finished a slightly modified hat yesterday. Tonight I will start on Guro's hat, if I manage to buy some yarn. Pictures will come.

In the meantime, crocheting

I have been working on a slow project for a while now: a crocheted blanket made of small squares like the one above. It is supposed to fit a queen size bed, so it will take a while.

I don't mind, though. It's great having a project that is supposed to take a long time. I crocheted some in the spring, and then put it away for the summer, and now it's on again. It's great to do on the train every day, too! The squares are so small and handy...

The jacket will hopefully be finished in a day or two - I have bought the fabric and planned the rest of the procedure very carefully. I hope to get some done tonight!

I want to make a hat and scarf to go with the jacket too, most likely white. I got a lovely crochet pattern for the hat from Guro, and I don't think it will be too difficult to make a matching scarf.

Projects, projects... :)

Jacket Obsession

The jacket is now very close to be finished. I had to take the sleeves off, it turned out that the problem was the angle of the sleeve and the body. Stupid pattern.

Or rather, stupid me for not considering that a sewing book made in the seventies will have patterns that are not excactly the season's haute coutoure... The problem with this book is that all the clothes are rather bulky. Having experienced this before, I picked a size too small. The shoulder seam was still far off the shoulder, so I narrowed the width from neck to shoulder. If I had stopped to think, I would have realised that this would affect the way the sleeve hangs, but I didn't.

The sleeves had to come off (extremely carefylly), and I had to make new ones which allowed for a more contemporary look (i.e. not made supposing the wearer to be two metres wide standing with their arms straight out...). I didn't have enough fabric, so I'll have to buy more for the last sleeve before I can finish it off. And there's still the lining to do. But otherwise, I am done :) Can't wait...

Seal of Approval

I have to admit that both the pun and the image came from Cute Overload. But this li'l fella is so cute, I had to post him.

I plan to make a softie in brown velvet that looks like him, as soon as I have finished the jacket. How cute would that be, if I could give it to a baby as a present? Unfortunately, none of my friends are pregnant. Hm. Better start a campaign :)

It can't be that hard, can it?

The jacket is progressing. I made the lining, both fabrics, and it turned out really well. Except for the fact that it is a little tight under the arms. I think I'll insert a little bit of the thinnest lining fabric to make it a little bit wider.

The outer layer is also progressing nicely. I need to make an adjustment for the boobs, one of the joys of being female... Unfortunately, I followed the instructions without thinking, and just attatched the sleeves to the body. I don't want to separate them again, as the outer fabric frays really easily. But if I make the adjustment a little lower than I normally would, and angle it upwards, it will be in line with the sleeve seam, and the sleeve needs to be taken in a bit, too. I hope it will turn out the way I planned!

The next step will be to finish off the jacket. I am going to cut up a scarf from the wonderful shop NOA NOA, and make an empire-inspired ribbon as well as edging om the sleeves and, possibly, a pocket. The collar needs adjustment, and then it's just the hemline and edges that remains. I hope to finish it during the weekend! (perhaps a little optimistically)

Exam time rushes closer as well. I take one class each semester, mainly for the student discount on trains and buses, but also for fun. This semester, it's a course in basic latin and its influence on European languages. Sounds incredibly dull, but in fact it is really interesting. Of course, I'm far behind now, what with an exhausting autumn etc, and in two weeks, I must turn in a qualifying paper in order to take the exam. Agh!

Ah well. It will turn out all right, I guess. I do it for fun, not for education. And if the two can be combined, what could be better?

how to pass time

This is perhaps the cutest way to pass time. It's a collection of small, nonsensical games featuring small, bubbly animals. It certainly improves your mood!

My personal favourite is "Cats" - it is strangely addictive! This is the link:
http://www.ferryhalim.com/orisinal/

Another meme

I have been a lazy kitty the last few days and not done anything more with the jacket. I plan on finishing the lining during the weekend, and hopefylly start attatching the layers by sunday.

And today I have pilates class after work! I look forward to it, I haven't done any pilates since june... It feels like a good thing to do, my body seems to like it :) It will be good.

Instead, I'll post a quite funny meme I kidnapped from Miss Kitty:

1. List two things that are true of you that are not stereotypically true of members of some group that you belong to (academically educated, internet editor)

• I have carried heavy things for a living
  
• I enjoy making stock, jam and other housewifey things
  

2. List two unusual talents that you have

• I read with three times the average speed
  
• I can fix almost anything with gaffer’s tape
  

3. List two unusual weaknesses that you have

• Bacon
  
• Soft fabrics
  

4. List two unusual things that you aspire to do

• Have a wardobe entirely made up of clothes I made myself
  
• Be among the top five in our sailing class nationally
  

5. List two words that you use more than most people do

• Particularly
  
• Yummy
  

6. List two foods that you dislike and most other people like

• Tofu (well, surprisingly many people like it…)
  
• Nougat
  

7. List two strange habits that you have.
Are you sure you want to know about these?

• When sharing a bed, I must sleep away from the wall and/or nearest the door
  
• My house is not clean if all my clothes are not folded properly and all my books are sorted alphabetically.
  

Food food food

The sleeves are now attatched to the jacket, but I have not taken any pictures yet. More on this tomorrow!

In the meantime, food is today’s issue. This is partly inspired by Vox’s Question of the Day from a couple of days ago:
“What's the weirdest thing you've ever eaten?”
As some may know, I was the kind of child who couldn’t resist a dare. So, aside from various plants and bugs, my answer to that question would be one of the following:
1. A small stone
2. Pine bark
3. A raw fish heart
The pine bark was very dry and hard, but tasted somewhat interesting. I suspect the stone is still somewhere inside me – my appendix perhaps? The fish heart was truly disgusting, but luckily quite small.

The other part of today’s inspiration stems from Susan at Farmgirl Fare from some months ago:
How do you know you’re a foodie?
I am most definitely a foodie, as all my friends and family will testify to. This is my answer to that question:
I've had several "defining moments".
The first was when my friend pointed out that I hum while eating.
The next was when I discovered that, strangely, not all people sort their ingredients by what meal they belong to.
Most recently was a couple of days ago, when one of my colleagues (I work in a bookstore) told me excitedly that five gorgeous young men had arrived, wearing only aprons and tight boxer shorts, to promote a new cookbook. My response was: "Ooh, did they bring food?"
Everyone looked at me rather strangely.

Autumn makes me long for warm, hearty dishes like cassoulet, pasta carbonara, pea soup and meat pies. Mmmmmmmmm. I make a wicked cassoulet, if I say so myself, and I found a great recipe a couple of years ago (of course, I made a few changes). Unfortunately, it seems to have disappeared while I was moving house. I will try to dig it up and post it – it is really pretty easy. Naturally, there are some preparations to make, a lot of chopping and braising and peeling (orange zest), but once that is done, voila! The pan will simmer prettily for a couple of hours, and you can do something else. Like lay the table or take a bath or watch a movie. And it gets better if you make it a day in advance, cool it and reheat it. Great for dinner parties, or just for you. It freezes wonderfully as well.

If I can’t find it, I’ll have to try and reconstruct it. It really is good.

Hungry now? Then you are at least some kind of foodie…

New challenges

Ahahahahahaaha! I managed the collar! New problems arise, however. This is the fun part of sewing. Seriously.




Now, it turns out that the pattern expects me to have rather wider shoulders than I have. It is not the first time with this book, they seem to make the clothes very roomy... Ah well. Taking in is hardly a problem. You can barely see the pin where the seam is supposed to go - I will probably need to trim off about 7 cm.




This is what it looks like at the moment. No sleeves yet, no lining, and not yet sewn in the sides. But definitely showing promise, don't you think?




I love making things. It gives such a feeling of accomplishment. I am already full of plans of what to make next - when I am finished with the jacket.

In the woods at night

I adored the mysterious light in this picture - kind of scary movie-ish and foggy. It was taken with my cellphone camera. I plan on photographing more this autumn, it's a hobby I haven't done much with lately.

Work in Progress

This is beginning to get interesting. Why is it that the challenges always pop up in unexpected places?

Alle the main pieces are cut now. In three layers. The velvet outer fabric, the woolen lining and the inner lining. Phew. I’ve started to assemble the outer layer, and met an interesting challenge: How to make the collar. I intended something like a wide chinese collar, or a high, wraparound turtleneck, and I didn’t imagine it would be difficult. At least not that part.

Well, it is. And as this is the part where I have no pattern, I’m stuck at the moment. Until I figure out how to make it, or possibly, give up and try a different collar. Ah well. I will post a picture of the wonky collar tomorrow, and hopefully someone will understand just what I did wrong…

You see, that’s part of the problem. I don’t know why it is wrong. It is fairly obvious that it is wrong, but I’m not sure why it didn’t turn out the way I planned… hmmmm. We’ll see.

Autumn Projects

It’s been a long time now. I have been busy with work (of course) and too many obligations privately. Luckily, I was able to change my Thursday dance class to a Friday pilates class, so, now I might be able to actually go to the two classes I’ve paid for.

Sailing season is finally over, after an autumn longer than usual. I will miss it over the winter, but it is enjoyable to have Wednesday evenings off for a change.

Instead of sailing, I will start my autumn project: sewing a winter jacket / coat. I’ve got a lovely velvet fabric, deep petrol green, and I plan on sewing a chinese-style jacket, about mid-thigh in length, with a wide, standing collar and wrapover closing. It is a large project, I’ve never made a jacket before!* I’m very excited, and also a bit nervous… I am very lucky to have inherited a sewing book with patterns from the 70s from my mother. The designs are inspiring, and the book is incredibly illustrated. Usually, the paterns need a little alteration to make them look more contemporary, but this is not so difficult as it sounds. I’ll just have to be patient.

I will keep record of my progress (and maybe even take a few pictures…), so stay tuned, as they say.

*Later, I realized this was a lie. I actually have made a jacket, a simple kimono-style woolen one, but as it is really simple and have no lining, fitting or anything else, I don't think it counts as a jacket.

World Champion? Not quite yet.

Last weekend, or rather, a week and a half ago, I sailed in the national open championship in my class, H-boat. It was somewhat frustrating. On the bright side, we have improved a lot since last year, when we ended up third from last among thirty boats - this year, we managed 15th of 21. What keeps itching at the back of my mind is the fact that bad luck alone made us drop a lot.

Some backstory is needed. We definitely do better in calmer waters and very calm wind conditions, because those are the normal conditions were we do most of our training. As the captain loves citing, "the best sailors appear in calm wind". The sailor who said that was the late King Olav V of Norway, and thus is very citable in this country. Anyway, we really shine in weather were most others would just crank up the engine and go home. Something we really proved in the nationals. In almost total calm, we made a perfect start. Unfortunately, a lot of the other boats were caught in a stream that carried them across the starting line, and a restart was ordered. While we prepared for a new start, we were caught in a spot of dead calm behind the line, and lay completely still for ten minutes. That is not fixable in a short race. So, we finished last in a race that was ideal for us, weather-wise.

The fact that bothers me is that in sailed time, i.e. withdrawing the 10 min 40 sec we started late, we were 3 min faster than the winning boat. Damn damn DAMN!

We could in no way have won the entire championship. The top five boats are WAY out of our league. But in these conditions, we should have been able to make it in the top ten. And next year, we may not be as lucky with the weather. Argh.

This is what I feel like doing today

The last weeks have been mayhem at work. The start of the school year gets more and more insane every year. On one hand, hooray! because I'll probably keep my job what with the increased workload and the money pouring in. On the other hand, it is very frustrating while it's going on and everbody are running around pulling their hair out because of stress.

Personally, I'm not easily stressed out anymore (tell you the story behind that another time), but the increased workload means that other things will be less of a priority - like blogging. I'll pull myself together now, promise :)

After weeks of work overload and overtime, I spent the weekend sailing the national open championship (more on that tomorrow...). And while I love sailing, I haven't been able to relax all weekend. And this was the most horrid monday morning ever. Truly.

I just want to curl up and be a sleepy cat.

Lookie!

How sweet is it possible to be? All of a sudden, I want a piggy. Found this at Farmgirl's.

A tale of a nano

Some time ago, I ordered an iPod. I just couldn’t resist the lovely, shiny and above all tiny thing, it just called my name from the webpage.

So I filled in my name, address, date of birth and favourite breed of dog, and waited oh-so-patiently for my little technical miracle. And waited. And waited. And waited for bloody forever.

After quite enough time, I checked on the pages where my package had gone to. Delivered, it said. With a date and time a week earlier.

?!?

I had certainly not seen the thing, and neither had the department in my office who handles deliveries and mail and stuff. So I checked the carrier’s web pages, where it said who had signed for the packet. Not a name I recognised. Nor did anyone else.

The only person in my company with this name works, it turned out, in another department across the city. The carrier, however, claimed they had delivered to the correct address. In which case, they must have delivered to a person not working here.

The other department and the guy working there claimed that they had not seen, or signed for, my package. Whatev.

Now, what really amazes me is that the carrier is allowed to give the package to a person other than the intended recipient. It had my name on it, the correct department, the floor, even my bloody phone number (office AND mobile). So, if they were at the correct address, it’s quite amazing that they were not able to find me.

Then I complained to the seller. Who spent another week figuring things out, and then told me that the carrier had provided “proof” that the package had been delivered to the correct address and signed by the person who does not work at the mentioned address. Which I repeated to the bloody company who had received my money and not managed to give me what I’d paid for – or, apparently listen to what I told them in the first place. I wrote a very angry mail after waiting for response from the “logistics department” for yet another week.

This mail, I wrote before lunch. When I came back from lunch, a packet sat on my desk, marked with “Incorrectly delivered”. Lo and behold, my iPod.

So then I had to write another mail to the customer aservices department, explaining that I had now received my package and that it had obviously been delivered to the wrong address, something the carrier had denied. I asked them to complain about the carrier who did not do the job. They promised to do just that.

But you and I both know that nothing will come of all this hassle.

So who’s the biggest idiot? The guy at the other department, who claimed not to have seen my package (I’m pretty sure he received it)? The carrier, who delivered at the wrong department, and then denied it? The seller, who took my money and made a half-assed attempt to solve the problem? Or me?

Word!

Just a thought that I kidnapped from Dawn:

Cocaine really MUST be bad.
Everyone in the 70s smoked weed and the music was awesome.
Everyone snorted coke in the 80s and the music was fucking traaaaa-gic.
You do the math.

So very true.

Neither Out Far Nor in Deep

What is it about sailing – really?

A popular saying is that a sailboat is a hole in the water to you throw your money into. Or that sailing is getting from point A to point B and then back to point A, while getting cold and wet.

And true, you often get cold and wet. Usually, you go back to where you started. It is not about sitting in the sun and enjoying the smell of the sea. Sailing is work. You do something all the time. Adjusting the sails just that teeny bit, hopping from side to side, trying to pee while being in a 30 degree angle…

And yet, there is nothing more peaceful or relaxing than sailng. The way you try to master the wind and ride the waves, the smell of salt water, the gulls screaming… There is nothing better.

I truly am crazy about sailing. I understod the vastness of my own craziness last spring. It was the middle of March. I was standing at the outdoor platform, waiting for the train. It was 07:10 a.m. The fog was hanging around my knees, there was just that little drizzle of rain, and about 7 degrees celcius (about 44 F). My hair was getting gradually wetter, moisture seeped into my shoes, and my mascara transferred to my cheeks in that pretty eyelash-pattern.

And all I could think was “I wish I was in my boat.”

I mean. Hello?

---

The people along the sand
All turn and look one way.
They turn their back on the land
They look at the sea all day.

As long as it takes to pass
A ship keeps raising its hull;
The wetter ground like glass
Reflects a standing gull

The land may vary more;
But wherever the truth may be--
The water comes ashore,
And the people look at the sea

They cannot look out far.
They cannot look in deep.
But when was that ever a bar
To any watch they keep?

Robert Frost

meme

I haven't even been tagged.
But I found this one at Hayley's, and just couldn't resist.
Here goes (the ones I've done are in bold):

01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink
02. Swam with wild dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
06. Held a tarantula
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08. Said 'I love you' and meant it
09. Hugged a tree
10. Bungee jumped
11. Visited Paris
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea
13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise
14. Seen the Northern Lights
15. Gone to a huge sports game
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
18. Touched an iceberg
19. Slept under the stars
20. Changed a baby's diaper
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
22. Watched a meteor shower
23. Gotten drunk on champagne.
24. Given more than you can afford to charity
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
27. Had a food fight
28. Bet on a winning horse
29. Asked out a stranger
30. Had a snowball fight
31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
32. Held a lamb
33. Seen a total eclipse
34. Ridden a roller coaster
35. Hit a home run
36. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day
38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
39. Had two hard drives for your computer
40. Visited all 50 states
41. Taken care of someone who was shit faced
42. Had amazing friends
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
44. Watched wild whales
45. Stolen a sign (well, organised a theft, anyway...)
46. Backpacked in Europe
47. Taken a road-trip
48. Gone rock climbing
49. Midnight walk on the beach
50. Gone sky diving
51. Visited Ireland
52. Been heartbroken longer then you were actually in love
53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger's table and had a meal with them
54. Visited Japan
55. Milked a cow
56. Alphabetized your cds
57. Pretended to be a superhero
58. Sung karaoke
59. Lounged around in bed all day
60. Posed nude in front of strangers
61. Gone scuba diving
62. Kissed in the rain
63. Played in the mud
64. Played in the rain
65. Gone to a drive-in theater
66. Visited the Great Wall of China
67. Started a business
68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken (just fell back out again, no heart break)
69. Toured ancient sites
70. Taken a martial arts class
71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
72. Gotten married
73. Been in a movie
74. Crashed a party
75. Gotten divorced
76. Gone without food for 5 days
77. Made cookies from scratch
78. Won first prize in a costume contest
79. Ridden a gondola in Venice
80. Gotten a tattoo
81. Rafted the Snake River
82. Been on television news programs as an "expert"
83. Got flowers for no reason
84. Performed on stage
85. Been to Las Vegas
86. Recorded music
87. Eaten shark
88. Had a one-night stand
89. Gone to Thailand
90. Bought a house
91. Been in a combat zone
92. Buried one/both of your parents
93. Been on a cruise ship
94. Spoken more than one language fluently
95. Performed in Rocky Horror.
96. Raised children.
97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
98. Created and named your own constellation of stars
99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn't stop when you knew someone was looking
103. Had plastic surgery
104. Survived an accident that you shouldn't have survived.
105. Wrote articles for a large publication
106. Lost over 100 pounds
107. Held someone while they were having a flashback
108. Piloted an airplane
109. Petted a stingray
110. Broken someone's heart
111. Helped an animal give birth
112. Won money on a T.V. game show
113. Broken a bone
114. Gone on an African photo safari
115. Had a body part of yours below the neck pierced
116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
118. Ridden a horse
119. Had major surgery
120. Had a snake as a pet
121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
122. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
124. Visited all 7 continents
125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
126. Eaten kangaroo meat
127. Eaten sushi
128. Had your picture in the newspaper
129. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about
130. Gone back to school
131. Parasailed
132. Petted a cockroach
133. Eaten fried green tomatoes
134. Read The Iliad - and the Odyssey
135. Selected one "important" author who you missed in school, and read
136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
137. Skipped all your school reunions
138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
139. Been elected to public office
140. Written your own computer language
141. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream
142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
143. Built your own PC from parts
144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you
145. Had a booth at a street fair
146: Dyed your hair
147: Been a DJ
148: Shaved your head
149: Caused a car accident
150: Saved someone's life

On commuting

Ah, the wondrous joy of commuting to work.

Getting up oh-so-early, taking a crowded train filled with arrogant misogynists with briefcases, falling asleep and drooling on the person next to you, and stumbling into the office.

In the summer, it’s actually not too bad. It’s easier to get up in the morning. The trains are not so full (because everybody are on holiday, the smug bastards). Nobody whacks you on the leg with their umbrella to get on the train before you. The office is empty when you arrive.

My eternal problem, however, is falling asleep. I can’t help it. I suppose there is something about the sound and movement of the train. And the problem about falling asleep is that you have to wake up twice. I am something of an early bird, but who actually likes to wake up? The first time is bad enough, but at least you can do the zombie thing and head for the shower without really waking up until halfway into shampooing. When you wake up for the second time, you are surrounded by people. They have all seen you sleep. And you have no idea if you snored, drooled or did any other horrible bodily things. And then you must fight your way up the escalators, stand in queue for coffee, and start work. With no shower or time to wake up slowly and nicely.

I really, really want to work from home.

holiday? no such thing.

So I went on holiday, to work on a music festival. I figured it would be a good idea to do something completely different than what I normally do, i.e. sitting in front of a computer screen.

I've been working this festival for some years now, and while seldom relaxing, it has proved refreshing. Little did I know what this year held... It's been a while since I've had so many frustrating circumstances gang up on me. New stage, new people... And by far too little preparation.

It was all good in the end. We managed every problem, thanks to my magnifient crew, and artists and audience alike were extatic. But rested, I am not. Thankfully, july is a very quiet month at the office...

holiday

I'll be gone for three weeks now on holiday, but I plan to update a lot when I get back...

in the beginning....

Ah well. Now I have a blog, too.
Because I couldn't resist posting a comment on Frankengirl's page, and wham! we have a blog.
More will come in time.