Big Sister

Xmas Xrafts

Monkeys!
Originally uploaded by Big Sister.

After the night of 1000 sock monkeys, I took an unrelated quilting class at Stitch Lounge. Included in the course materials fee was all the fabric for the quilt top. In the piles of fabrics that the instructor offered us was this adorable sock monkey fabric by Moda. I was planning this as a gift for my niece, so I wanted it to be as lively as she is. Now, some might say that the sock monkeys were lively enough. However, when given the choice between subdued and loud, I will always go for the choice that pops. So, the crazy floral became the secondary fabric, with a more subtle light blue with cherries as the third. I am very excited about the results:

Despite cutting myself with the rotary cutter and sewing the side of my finger, I really enjoyed this project. I want to make more children's quilts! I want to make more sock monkey quilts! (To that end, I purchase quite a bit of the monkey fabric and a package of fat quarters in different sock monkey related fabrics in flannel). I am also obsessing over the quilt in this issue of Craft.

Any experienced quilters have advice for me?

Merrrrrweeeeeee Cwistmas!

Sock monkeys on the brain

Lately, there have been sock monkeys everywhere. It started in November when Danny's friend Jan had a show at the high school. There was an opening for the show and a night of sock monkey mayhem in the Arts Department. Over the course of the two hours I helped over a dozen teenagers make sock monkeys of their very own, but there was no time to make one for myself. I did leave that night with a sock monkey t-shirt and a few buttons. And while my sock monkey masterpieces are not blog-ready just yet, I came across this movie the other day. Good Grandma, it's funny.

Knitting resolve

Babette's beginnings
Originally uploaded by Big Sister.

On the request of BijouxMaster for Texas Purl Girl, I am posting my knitting resolutions for 2008. While I am hesitant to write checks my needles might not be able to cash, I can't resist the urge to put this out there.

(1) Participate in MamaMarce's Knit All Year Long Along to prevent the inevitable holiday stress-fest.
(2) Crochet 52 squares of Babette
(3) Keep working the stash. I can't say I won't buy, but I am going to try to stay away from large amounts of yarn and sock yarn. When I buy I want to try to use it at the time.
(4) Try my hand at spinning.
(5) Swatch. I swatch for projects, but I would like to take some time to swatch for the love of the knit.

This list is short, but I wanted to try to keep it realistic and fun for me.

I-just-saw-Waitress-pie

Jesus, this is good pie
Originally uploaded by Big Sister.

A couple of weekends ago I watched the movie Waitress. It's a sweet fairytale about an unwanted pregnancy, Nathan Fillion, and pie. Well, not exactly, but the story of the movie (and the story behind the movie) is not what I want to talk about. What I want to talk about is pie.

Love of pie is a recent development in my gustatory life. That's not entirely true, my brother, mom, and eventually my step-dad and I were regular diners at the Baker's Square at Howe and Fair Oaks. However, back in the day, my sights were almost entirely set on Snicker's Pie. My new love of pie can be traced to the opening of Mission Pie, augmented by last summer's peach season. Yet, I never once made a pie. Even after my friend Melissa gave me a copy of the pie recipe/story book that she wrote, Big Pie Country, I never busted out the rolling pin.

Then, I saw Waitress. There was something about watching her make those pies that made me realize how exciting and creative baking can be. So the very next morning I opened up Melissa's book and found a recipe for Chocolate Banana Creme Pie. It goes something like this:

1 package of instant chocolate pudding
1-1/4 c milk
1/4 c Brandy
1/2 c chocolate chips
bananas

Cut up bananas and line the pie crust with them. Ignoring the pudding instructions, make instant pudding with milk and brandy. Melt chocolate chips and then mix in with pudding. Pour delicious drunken pudding mixture over the bananas. Chill. Eat. Be happy.

Celebrity sighting: Stone Pony edition

photo by Kevin Dooley
Some rights reserved

Saturday was one of those great days. The weater was cold and clear. I ate a huge breakfast. I drank Philz coffee. I went to a craft fair and bought something. I saw Andrea. I watched two episodes of Freaks and Geeks ("Kim Kelly is My Friend" and "Tests and Breasts"). I knit a ton (started and knit 3 repeats of the Rainy Day Scarf, worked on the Curiously Clever Clogs). Then when things just couldn't get any better we went to see music. Music that started before 9pm. I love that! John had read about a band from San Pablo called Los Cenzontles playing at the Make-Out Room as part of MAPP this month.

Before we even got there we ran into two of John's former co-workers, who were also headed to see the band. It was a banner day! We were being social! Then, to top things off, the band was awesome. They perform a mixture of Mexican pop and traditional folklorico music. People (included us) danced, sang along, and generally whooped it up. As we were chatting with one of the former co-workers at the end, she said, "I think someone said that Linda Rondstadt is here."

Wha?

At that moment I turned slightly to my right and sure enough there she was. Linda Freaking Ronstadt!! At the Make-Out Room! I grabbed Paul who was hanging in the back and pretty much at that same time, several other people discovered she was there. Some guy even appeared with a record to sign (swift thinking!). She looked kind of like someone's mom (actually with the same haircut as MY mom), wearing Uggs and going to see a band at the Make-Out Room. It was an excellent ending to an excellent day!