Knitting with Oskee

Knitting with Oskee
Originally uploaded by Tishoopaper

This pattern, which works beautifully for scarves and shawls, is what I call Broken Rib stitch. But if you Google "broken rib stitch," you get a different pattern, one that I don't especially care for, as the texture isn't very distinct. In a nutshell, this pattern is 4 rows of 2x2 ribbing broken up by 2 rows of knit stitch (which equals one strip of garter.)

If you want to try this pattern, cast on an even number of stitches which when divided by 2 is uneven, e.g. 14 or 38 or 62. This makes the edges look neater.

Row 1: K2, P2, repeat until last two stitches, which should be K2
Row 2: P2, K2, repeat until last two stitches, which should be P2
Row 3: same as Row 1
Row 4: same as Row 2
Rows 5 and 6: K

Repeat 6 rows for pattern.

If you're interested in knitting shawls for a good cause, check out the Prayer Shawl Ministry--but I must admit I don't like their suggested pattern. It's not very distinct. I like a textured pattern you can see!

Ice swords

DSCN0009
Originally uploaded by Tishoopaper

The cool thing about icicles is they can stab you in the heart!

Amish barn-raising next Tuesday!

As most of you know, I don't seem to be able to acquire a man for myself, at least not for a boyfriend or fiancee or Mr. Right or Darling Husband (DH as the bloggers like to say.) I have, however, acquired a plethora of male friends. Guys fall all over themselves and scramble around to become pals with me.

So you've all heard me say time and time again that I have so many male friends I could have an Amish barn-raising next Tuesday. My friend Erika found a plate in a thrift shop in upper NY state with a barn-raising scene on it and immediately thought of me! She mailed the plate 12/18 and it arrived today, 1/8. Go USPS. (Apparently they're not as fast as Lance Armstrong when he rode for the Postal Service team in the Tour de France, but I digress...)

Here is a shot of the plate and also a close-up, where you can see the little pioneers. I don't think they're actually Amish, but you get the idea. So if you're free next Tuesday, come over for a barn-raising, and bring extra nails--we're always running out. ;-)

Planet Tish

I don't have to be Mormon to have my own planet. I'm living proof of that. My characteristics and traits and circumstances and experiences seem to point to someone who is in a different quadrant of the galaxy. Maybe I'll elaborate on that some day. You better hope I don't.

Note: Yes, I suppose I would be considered a dwarf planet. Planet Tish is a dwarf planet.

Great in '08

I read 104 books in 2008. I counted the titles I jotted down in my reading log, which I've kept since 1996. Out of those 104 books, there were plenty of standouts. In no particular order, but featuring two dog books (unusual for a cat person like me!), here is my list of the best fiction books I read in 2008:
1. The Story Of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski (dog book #1)
2. Fire In The Blood by Irene Nemirovsky
3. Unspoken by Mari Jungstedt
4. Ice Trap by Kitty Sewell
5. The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie O'Farrell
6. The Brief, Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz (a shoutout to my homeboy Dominicano who won a Pulitzer for this novel!)
7. Mudbound by Hillary Jordan
8. Child 44 by Tom Robb Smith
9. The Art Of Racing In The Rain by Garth Stein (dog book #2)
10. The Guernsey Literary And Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
Note: Links are to the Gail Borden Public Library catalog. Please check your library's catalog when you want to check these out. I'm sure amazon.com has these titles as well.

Thinking side of the box

I've made these little boxes for several years now. You use both the front and the back of the card, and all you need are old Christmas cards (you can use any-occasion-at-all cards, not just Christmas,) a pencil, a ruler, and some glue if you want.
eHow spells out the directions better than I can:How To Make Little Boxes Out Of Greeting Cards.

I did photograph pretty much each step as I went along. Note that a lovely glass of wine is my companion. Nothing goes better with a craft than a good glass of wine--in this case, an insouciant South African Petit Chenin Blanc from the Village Vintner in Carpentersville, but I digress (and set up a possible blogpost for the future.) So follow along with a stack of old Christmas cards and the beverage of your choice! (You know, maybe I shouldn't say "stack" of cards; I hardly got any Christmas cards this year. One more thing to blame on the economic meltdown.)

Tish Kringle

Tish Kringle
Originally uploaded by Tishoopaper

This was taken at the Christkindlmarkt (or Kris Kringle Market, if you will) in Chicago. It's a good place to get your German on! Tasty potato pancakes, mulled wine in a shoe, and gorgeous glassblown ornaments (sehr ueber-koestlich, which is German for very super expensive.) The red coat does make me look like a diseased cardinal, don't it?