wet blocking a big shawl, Bridal shawl part VI

Hello, Everyone,

Tonight is a nice, calm Thursday night after a very windy day.  Unusual for San Diego. I feel fine, listening to Julian Bream's classical guitar.

I was out of town for a few days, but I'm home now.   A friend came into town and wanted to see Palm Springs, so he said he'd pay expenses if Dan and I drove him.  So I had a nice little mini-vacation in the desert.  The desert is lovely right now, not too hot yet. This time of year it is usually already hot, but not this year.  Since people schedule vacations bassed on the usual weather, the town was empty, even though it was nice and cool.  Kind of Twilight Zoney.

On the way there we went over the "Palms to Pines" road, the one everyone remembers from the movie, "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad World".  We had a great meal at Agua Caliente casino, biggest, fattest shrimp I've seen in a long time.

Then we had a great breakfast at Elmer's.  The homemade biscuits are great. The classic Dutch Baby combo was amazing.  http://www.elmers-restaurants.com/images/menu/ELCoreMenuBrkfstSB.pdf

Date ice cream at Shields is a must do for us, too.
We stopped in the Red Earth Casino just for a break by the Salton Sea.

On the way back we went over Borrego Springs, then up the Banner grade to Julian.  More intense switchbacks.

Desert to pine forest in a brief drive.

Julian was cold, 36 degrees.  We had a great dinner at the Rong Branch Cafe.  The chicken livers appetizer was fun, Dan liked his trout and I enjoyed a pulled pork bun with Bumsteer BBQ Sauce (they sell it there, too).    Very good.  The homemade Apple pie was great, of course.

Enough about our mini-vacation.   Now, let's talk about wet blocking.    This shawl needs to be wet blocked.

We washed it and put some conditioner in to the rinse water and let it soak at least 20 minutes to make sure that the water had penetrated to the very core of the thread.  We had tea and talked and in no time it was ready.  We lifted it out of the water and let it drain.  Then we rolled it up in a towel to remove excess water.  We zipped it into a 1 gallon Zippy bag for transport. 

Then we went to a park where they had a 10-foot table big enough to stretch the shawl out (it turned out 8 feet long after blocking).  We laid a sheet on the table to keep everything clean and stretched it out until it looked like lace.  Then we pinned the center top, and then the bottom center.  Then we worked out way out to the ends of the "wings" pinning each point out with a rust-less safety pin.  This yarn is so fine that the dry time is next to nothing.  We left in the fresh breeze to dry in no time at all. 

When it was absolutely 100% dry we folded it up in the sheet and took it to Heathers, where we unpinned it stretched on the back of her sofa.   No joke on the 100% dry part.   If you unpin them too soon, the blocking doesn't hold and they collapse into their unblocked state again.   Ask me how I know....  Well, I got it right this time.

Heather unpinning.

Ta-da, all unpinned.   Lily of the Vally branches waving back and forth.   Hearts in the edging.   Points with beads.

Next time we will talk about the final stitching of the corners.

Lilo is helping me post again tonight. She is strutting back and forth rubbing against my legs and wants to be sure I tell you how beautiful and silky soft and white she is.  OK, Lilo, I told 'em.

Goodnite,
Julie and Lilo

Bridal Shawl Pattern, Part V

Hello, Everyone,

Today is a mellow overcast Tuesday morning in San Diego.   The sun is trying to break through and I'm sure it will soon.    I feel great.  I'm listening to Drew Tretick play violin, A Summer Serenade.   We heard him play live on our honeymoon, so his CD brings back nice memories for me. 

Before we get into the wet blocking, we need to add lace edging to the curved edge.

Pick up stitches as before, picking up 2 stitches for each 2 rows until you reach the safety pin marker you left at the edge (one in the "bee's knees and one between).   Then pick up 2 plus make 1 with a backwards loop for each 2 rows until the bottom section, which gives you 3 stitches for every 2 rows.   Then across the bottom pick up 1 for each stitch plus a few extra for ease.  If you held those stitches aside and did not bind them off, just knit them and add in a few for ease.   Now proceed as for the heart lace edging on the straight edging side, with the same calculations  for the fudge row.   Then add points as before and bind off with or without beads, as you choose.   Do not sew up the corners yet.   We will sew them up after blocking to make sure the stitching is loose enough to not pull in during blocking.   The corner tassels go on last.

Next time we discuss wet blocking.

I have written up a proper pattern and now offer it on Ravelry at http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/search?query=Julie+Lanner

Lilo is out chasing gophers again.

Bye,
Julie

Bridal Shawl Pattern, Part IV

Hello, Everyone,

It's a coolish Monday night in San Diego.  I feel fine.  Lilo is out hunting gophers.  No music right now.

Here is the next installment of  Shannon's Bridal Shawl pattern:

Lace Points:

Row 1, 3 and 5: knit 2, * YO, knit 3, k3tog, knit 3, YO, knit 1, repeat from * across, end with knit 1.
Row 2, 4 6 and 8: knit all
Row 7: knit 2, YO, knit across, end with YO, knit 2.

Notice that the YO, knit 1, YO sequence lines up on top of the YO, knit 1, YO sequence in the rows below in the heart pattern.   If not, make it so, as Captain Piccard would say.

Using a double thread, bind off using a suspended bind off.  It is worked as follows: knit 1,* knit 1, stick left needle through the two stitches just knit and k2tog, repeat from * across.  Break thread, leaving a long tail.

Beads: if you are using beads on the lace points you may use a small crochet hook to pull them onto the bind off stitch at each point (which is what I did) or you may sew them on later, after blocking. 

Next time we will discuss wet blocking, as it is very important to the final effect of the shawl.

Goodnight,
Julie

costs and skill levels for a bridal shawl

Hi, Everyone,

It's a cool Sunday night in San Diego. I'm happy and listening to Julian Bream play classical guitar.

My friend Kai came to town and we went to dinner at Fat City since I had a 2-fer coupon.  The food was good as usual there.  I had the pork chop.  I do not know how they get them so juicy.  The server was nice.  The salad was crispy, the dressing home-made.  The sour dough rolls with unsalted butter were good, too.  Fresh (not frozen) veggies.  Fat City really does try.  Kai had the New York steak, which they do well.  They have an ageing locker like Emeril does in Las Vegas.  Their beef is always yummy.  Good value, too. 

Afterwards we went for dessert at the Bali Hai, which sticks out into San Diego Bay on the must beautiful point.    It has been recently renovated and the Hawaiian woodwork is really beautiful now.  The night view of the city lights and ships and harbor action is to die for.  As we were leaving you could see the first wisps of night time fog drifting across the bay.  Lovely peaceful view.

I had the Rum Baba, which was very good.  Dan and Kai had the Chocolate  Lava cake.  Wow! was that spectacular!   I'm gettin' that next time.  The Hawaiian music was fun.   Gotta check 'm out when you get the chance.  They even renovated the doof on the roof.   What's that you ask?    Look up as you approach the building. 

Ruth wrote me asking about the skill level and costs to make the bridal shawl.  Thank you for the compliments, Ruth.  The yarn for the shawl cost $16.00.  My sister Evva gave it to me, but I just googled "skacel merino lace" and found it for that price.   One 100 g ball of Skacel Merino Lace and you will have enough left over for a nice scarf.   Considering the spectacular result I do not think that is expensive.   Just be sure you get the yarn shop to wind the hank into a center pull ball for you.  1375 yards is not a hand winding job for the faint-hearted.  Add a few beads if you so desire, or leave them off.   My sister Heather bought the beads so I do not know exactly what they cost, but I think not too much, they came from Michael's, not Jessop's.    EZ wrote in Knitter's Almanac that the finer the yarn the more cost effective it is.  She was right.  The yarn for an ugly chunky bulky sweater might cost $300, but the superfine lace weight for an unbelievable art shawl is $16. Hmmm,  I think I knit lace to save money.  What do you think?  Especially if you figure dollars divided by hours of entertainment, pennies for an hour of lace knitting fun.

Skill level?  Well, give it a try, maybe on a smaller scale.  If you cast on about 90 stitches and otherwise followed my pattern, you would get a triangular scarf.  Maybe that would be more reasonable for a new lace knitter to try.   Lace is just yarn overs and knit-2-togethers, arranged in a pattern.  Oh, yeah, plus nupps for this one. If you omit the nupps and just plain knit the nupp stitch instead, it also makes a pretty lace pattern, and is not so challenging.  

This fine lace means that the needles seem 'way too big at first for the yarn, but that is what it takes to do this, so just try and get used to it.  You will think it is working up way too loosey-goosey, but then when you block it out, wow, it all pulls into place.  All of a sudden you are looking at lace so beautiful it amazes even you!  So trust me on the needle size for the first one.  The yarn shop that sold me the needle told me I needed a much smaller needle for this project, so, I can tell they must not be lace knitters...

While this is not a beginner's pattern, it is also not over-the-moon hard.   Why don't you try it, Ruth?   If you get stuck, you can email me for help.  I should warn you right now that lace knitting is like eating potato chips,  you probably can't do just one...

Next post we will return to the next installment of the pattern, the edge points. 

Lilo is helping me blog, curled up on top of my blue Norwegian knit slippers..

Goodnight,
Julie and Lilo

Bridal Shawl Pattern, Part III

Hello, Everyone,

It's a nice Saturday night at home in San Diego.  I'm listening to flamenco: Nicholas Marks, My Broken Heart.  I feel tranquil. 

We had a errand in North Park, so we had dinner at Rudford's again.

I had the Hawaiian Omlette and Dan had the taco salad with a chicken substitution.

We were both happy.

Now to the important stuff, the bridal shawl, ta-da....

 Shannon's Bridal Shawl, Part III

Now we are ready to work back and forth again on the edging, beginning on the straight side.

Lace Heart Edging:   The heart edging is a slightly wider spaced variation on Evelyn Clark's edging on the Swallowtail Shawl.

First you will need to count stitches on the straight edge.   The heart edging is mitered at the corners, so expect the stitch count to increase as we go.

The heart pattern is a multiple of 10+5 (plus 8 edging stitches) in the first row.  If you have a few stitches over an even repeat, you can spread them out and make them disappear.   Working with this many stitches there is slim chance you will come out exactly even anyway, so I have built the fudge factor into the process.  Decide how many stitches you need to make disappear to have an even multiple of 10+7 (plus 2 garter edging stitches on each side).  For example, if you have 281, you are even.  If you have 283, you need to make 2 disappear.  Got it?  However many stitches you need to fudge away, that's how many safety pins you attach to your work, roughly evenly spaced.  With these large numbers of stitches, approximately evenly spaced is OK.  As the  VP of Quality at my last job told me when the product was blowing up and catching fire in the field, "anything under 2% is OK".  LOL, my fav quality joke, and he actually said that.  Anyway, back to the shawl, as you work the first edging row (the fudge row) you will k2tog and remove the marker whenever you come to one of these marker safety pins and by the end of the row you will be even on the stitch count.  The number you need to remove will be less than 10 or you are doing the math wrong.   

I have written up the patter properly and now offer it on Ravelry at http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/search?query=Julie+Lanner

Tomorrow we will work the points.

Lilo is "helping" me blog tonight.  She appears to be sleeping at my feet, but from time to time she reaches over to swat at my toes, just to see if  I will notice.  HA.  Silly kitty.

Goodnight,
Lilo and Julie

Bridal Shawl pattern, Part II

Hello, Everyone,

Today was a cool and sunny Friday. I'm at home in San Diego listening to Lena Horne's greatest hits.   It's late now, and I'm tired, so I'll just add a bit to the Bridal Shawl pattern

 Now we are going to decrease 2 stitches at the beginning and end of each right side row. Continue like this until about 48 or so stitches remain.  Try to end at the end of a repeat.   If you like a pointier bottom edge, continue to a smaller number.  48 will give you a rounded bottom edge for a semi-circle effect.  Next we do 8 rows in garter stitch. The center section is done. Do not bind off, as you be using these stitches for the lace edging.

Transition rows:  Pick up along the garter edge 1 stitch per row (1 in the "bee's knees" and one in the "Valley") then make 1 stitch with a backwards loop.  You are picking up 3 stitches for every 2 rows.  Continue until you reach the safety pin.

Now pick up along the garter edge 1 stitch per row (1 in the "bee's knees" and one in the "Valley").  You are picking up 2 stitches for every 2 rows.

When you come to the top edge, place a marker and begin picking up 1 stitch for each cast on stitch, adding in about 20 extra stitches for ease.

At the end of the straight edge, place a marker and pick up 2 stitches for every 2 rows as above until the safety pin.  After the safety pin, pick up 3 stitches for every 2 rows as above.

Work 4 rows garter stitch in the round (knit 1 round, purl 1 round).  Work 2 rows stockinette stitch in the round (knit both rows).

I wrote up the complete pattern nicely and it is available on Ravelry at http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/search?query=Julie+Lanner

Tomorrow we will talk about the lace edge.

Lilo is napping by my side.

G'nite,
Julie

Bridal Shawl pattern, Part I

Hi, Everyone,

It's a cool Thursday evening in San Diego, too cool for spring, and I'm at home keeping warm, drinking herbal tea and waiting for my potatoes au gratin to come out of the oven.  Rossini's clarinet variations are playing on XLNC.com.  I went swimming with Heather today so I got a chance to move all my joints and I feel good.  I'm knitting on a pair of socks for Heather.  Dan says I have a sign on my forehead that reads, "Will knit for food", LOL.  You guys know me by now that I'm always knitting something, unless of course, I'm crocheting or blogging.

Ok, now that all the excitement over the shawl has stepped down a notch to a low roar, I need to write up the pattern for the bridal shawl so you can all knit one!  Needles to the ready position, get set, GO!

Shannon's Bridal Shawl

This shawl is a semi-circle of Lily of the Valley lace with an edging of hearts and simple points.    When knitting the center portion, the edges have a 4 stitch (8 row) garter edging.     The "extra" first and last K2tog are for the shaping of the shawl.    Every right side row will decrease by 2 until row 148, then each right side row will decrease by 4 until about 48 stitches remain.    The ending border is knit 8 rows garter.    The outer pointed edge is picked up from the garter edges and knit outward in 2 sections, the straight edge first and then the curved edge.   The corners are mitered.   The bind off uses a doubled thread for strength during blocking.    Beads are attached to the points during the bind off row.    The shawl is wet blocked severely.    After blocking and then stitching the corner seams first, bead tassels are added to the 2 end points.   The weight of the beads holds the feathery lace down in position when worn.    Otherwise it floats about in the air as it pleases, as the shawl weighs next to nothing.  I drew the finished shawl, beads and all, through my wedding ring, the traditional test of fineness in a wedding shawl.

Materials:

1 ball white 100 % wool very fine lace weight, I used Skacel's Merino Lace, 100 g, 1375 yards (!).   If you decide to use non-wool, make sure it will block out nicely, swatching is your very best friend.   Some synthetics do not block out.

1  40 inch size 4 circular needle, I used an Addi Turbo Lace, sharp points a must for nupps!  Crystal Palace also has very long sharp points.

about 25 markers, I used safety pins without coils

beads as desired to decorate the points of the lace

large eyed needle to sew the little corner seams and attach the tassels 

The circular needle is to accommodate the large number of stitches, we will be knitting flat, back and forth.

Size: 8 feet long and 32 inches wide at the widest point.

Gauge: 4 stitches to the inch after blocking.  Making a small swatch of the pattern stitch and then wet blocking it is a good idea. You will be able to practice a few nupps before beginning the actual shawl and you can adjust needle size if needed to produce the right size shawl. 

I finished writing up the pattern in a more proper form and now offer it on Ravelry at http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/search?query=Julie+Lanner

Let's talk about the next part tomorrow.  This is making me tired.  Even Lilo is yawning.  She approves of pure white bridal lace shawls, BTW, being a specialist in the area of pure, white lovely-ness herself.

This blog editor is running amuck, putting things from the end of the sentences to the beginning of the line without me asking.   Wacky time.   Ok, all fixed, sigh, time to turn in.

G'nite

Julie

    

More bridal shawl, Ichiban

Hi, Everyone,

It's a windy, cold, rainy Wednesday night in San Diego.  I feel good, although tired.  I'm listening to a Violin Concerto by Vivaldi on Xlnc1.com.  ITZHAK PERLMAN, VIOLIN & CONDUCTOR.  You can tell I copied so I would not have to think about how to spell his name, LOL. 

Heather sent me some more pics from her camera of the bridal shawl.  Her camera is better than mine, so you will be able to see details better.

The process of blocking begins with a wash in shampoo, a rinse with plenty of  conditioner and a 20 minute soak.  The conditioner helps the shawl slip on itself and block out bigger.  Here we are soaking.

We went to the San Diegito Lower Park, or something like that.  It has nice 10 foot tables that are metal mesh which lets the breeze through, the better to dry the shawl with, my dear.  One pin for each point..... 

Pinning away...

All pinned out.

After the shawl was dry, we unpinned it and spread it out on the sofa back to see it.

This shows the plum beaded dangles on the tip of each shawl point.

I love this shot, you can see the lily of the valley nupps and the beaded dangles.

Heather playing in the shawl.  Heather sez the bride, Shannon saw this blog and loves the shawl.  Yeah!

Now I need to change the subject.  Dan and I had an errand in Hillcrest yesterday  and we stopped for lunch at Ichiban (1449 University Ave, SD 92103).  The sushi was very good.  We had spicy California roll because it was the special of the day.  And eel roll because we love eel. And a salad to be good and 3 piece seafood fry to be bad.  It was all great.  While we were there, the waitress, Michiyo, who is a friend of mine, asked me if we planned on entering the Sushi Eating Contest on May 16.  This sounds like too much fun!!!  Check it out, $15 to enter.  You get mass quantities of Sushi and a chance at the three prizes: $290, $150 and $80 in Ichiban credit.  Hmmmmmm.. Sounds like a great idea to me!  Need to sign up by the 14th.

Lilo is sitting by me, wishing the rain would let up.  It rained off and on all day.

Well, good night, Everyone!

Julie

Do I hear the bridal march?

Hello, Everyone,
Now I'm really excited.  We blocked the bridal shawl today.

In all eight feet of her glory...

Can you see the plum beaded dangles on the points?  Cab you see the hearts stitched into the edging lace?

See the points on the back...

Crazy good....

OO

Or as a veil?

Bead dangles on the points...

And for a more casual effect...

And the back, nupps galore.

Breathtaking isn't it?  It weighs less than 3 ounces and can fit pulled through my wedding ring !  I may be just a tad prejudiced, but I think it turned out to be a museum quality bridal shawl!  I sure hope Shannon likes it!

We had it stretched out in a park to dry when it began to look like rain, so we took it back to Heather's to finish the job.  Good thing we did.  By the time we got to her place, it was raining.

Lilo sez, G'night.
Julie, very sastisfied on a cold, wet, rainy, windy, Tuesday night, at home in San Diego. 
No music, sorry, too wrapped up in the shawl

Bridal shawl is cast off

Hi, Everyone,

I'm so excited!!!  I just cast off the bridal shawl!!!  I'm off to find a place with good light to get a pic and I'll finish this post when I have lots of pics.

So I just got back.  Dan and I went driving asround our neighborhood looking for a place with bright lights to get a good photo of the bridal shawl.  We decided Del Taco had the brightest lights!   Now, bear in mind that this is totally unblocked, and it will be a totally different animal after we block it!  I'm sure the kids at Del Taco thought we were nuts.

Here you can see the beads aqlong the bottom edge.

 One of the corners.  See that curled top edge?  That will be awesome when it's blocked out into points.  The beads are each at the end of a point.  I can't wait to block it.

 More of the beaded edge.

 It's over 6 feet wide and about 30 inches deep.  After blocking it should be considerably larger.  Heather and I are going to block it on a big ventilated picnic table in a park near her house.  I'll keep you advised....

My friend Zee is a great beader.  I'm a knitter who occasionally strings a bead or two together.  When I showed her the juzu prayer beads I made, she told me how to finish the ends better.  Instead of putting the crimp bead on the end, she suggested putting it before the tassel bead, then run the end of the line through the tassel bead,  then the little end bead and back into the tassel bead and then into the crimp bead and the next ones as needed to hide the end. When the tension is right, crimp the crimp bead.  That way the end of the line is hidden where it can't scratch anyone and the crimp bead is protected from wear.  Youza, what a great idea, Zee!

Well, it's a peaceful Monday night in San Diego after a warm and sunny day, I feel really good  (La-da-da-da-da-da-da , as James Brown sang long ago) and the music is off.  No reason, just forgot to turn it on.  Ok, now it's on: It's raining men, hit crew.  Ha, you can tell my mood, huh?

Lilo is MIA, probably enjoying the warm night air.  As soon as I write about her, she comes in for some attention.  I swear that cat is psychic.

Cheers,
Julie

The Significance Of The Prayer Beads

Hello, Everyone,

It is a rainy Sunday night.  I just had the best Vietnamese dinner ever at Phat on Convoy St. in Kearny Mesa, same place as previously blogged.   Thank you, Dare.   Pho as you like it.   Endless appetizers and salads.  All very light.   I feel just fine. Go when you can.

On Feb 27 I posted a "reciepe" for making juzu prayer beads.  This following is in response to the resulting requests for information on the significance of the prayer beads, which we SGI Buddhists hold when chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo or when doing morning or evening prayers, called Gongyo.  It is quoted from a booklet by Ed Gwin, called the Treasure Map of Life.

"The Significance Of The Prayer Beads

The basic number of beads is 108, which is said to represent the number of earthly desires which common mortals have.

The beads form a circle with two strands (1) and three strands (2) that end in tassles. These sets of two and three strands are equal distance and opposite from each other.

Where these strands are attached to the circle, there is a large bead. These large beads are called the father's bead (3) and the mother's bead (4). Both represent the Buddha.

When the beads are used, this circle is closed by crossing them once (5). This is done for one reason. When crossed, the circle is closed so that the benefits of practicing and chanting Daimoku will not fall through.

Between the father and mother's beads, there are 108 beads of the same size that represent earthly desires. You will also find four smaller beads (6). Two of them are opposite each other on either side, seven beads away from the end with the two strands of beads attached to the figure. The second set are 14 beads beyond the first set on either side.

These small beads represent the Four Leaders of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth -- Jogyo, Jyogyo, Muhengyo, and Anryugyo. These are the four virtues of the Buddha's life:

1. The True Self of the Buddha

2. The Purity of the Buddha

3. The Boundless Eternity of the Buddha, and

4. The Happiness of the Buddha.

When we use beads during Gongyo, the end of the figure eight, with the two strands, is placed over the third finger of the left hand. The end with the three strands, over the third finger of the right. They lie on the outside of the hands, which are placed together with palms and fingers touching each other.

Directly under the father's bead, is a smaller one (7). This small bead represents the essential nature of the Law, which is absolute truth, which has existed since the beginning of time.

All together, there are five strands of beads that lie outside the hands when the palms are placed together with fingers touching.

The four strands of beads (8), which have four larger beads shaped like jars, represent "ichinen sanzen" or three thousand worlds in a momentary existence, and the mutual possession of all of them. These beads, then, represent the true and essential nature of all life, which is 3,000 worlds in a momentary existence, each one of which is a perfect manifestation of cause and effect.

These beads, shaped like jars (9), are called "The Jars" in which we store the benefits we have accumulated.

The remaining single strand of ten beads (10), are the counting beads.

If you use the beads to count Daimoku, you should count the beads on only one side - going from the father's bead to the mother's bead and returning back again along the same side. Each time you do this, you should skip over the four Bodhisattva beads.

When you have done this once, you will have chanted 108 Daimoku. Each time you finish going and returning in this fashion, you slide one of the beads on the counting strand, attached to the mother bead, forward. In this way, you can count 1,080 Daimoku using the ten beads on the counting strand. "   (about 20 minutes of chanting at a reasonable pace).

I hope this was helpful for those who asked for it.  Detailed instructions for beading your own juzu are in the entry dated  Feb 27 earlier in this blog.   Note that modern Buddhists do not usually count Daimoku  (Nam Myoho Renge Kyo) when chanting, I have done it only once out of curiosity and to time it.    For example, today I would use a clock to determine 20 minutes of chanting, rather than counting one cycle of 10 counting beads.   However, before clocks were widely available...  counting beads were used in the past.

The bridal shawl is almost done, 2 rows to go.  Sometime this week Heather and I will get together and bind it off using the bead clusters she created and then block it, which is a big deal.  Then it will be revealed in all its shimmering, white, drapey wonderfulness.  I hope.

Lilo is in the sweater drawer again.  That's where she likes to hide from the rain and keep warm.

I hope you are enjoying listening to the sounds of the cars splashing through the water in the street and keeping warm and cozy on this lovely rainy night.  The flowers on the hillsides need the rain so much.

Love,
Julie


Music: Chris Botti, Italia
Location: at home in San Diego

What do Mariachis and knitting have in common?

Hello Everyone,

Today is a cool Wednesday evening.  Today was a breezy spring day, cool breeze, warm sun.  I'm feeling good.  I had a massage with Wendy, and that is always great.

Web went out to Casa de Pico in Grossmont Center for happy hour.  They are located in the same mall as the new site for the Bonita knitting group.  So,  I was able to catch a fun and inexpensive dinner of good Mexican food, complete with mariachis,  on the way to the knitting group, which meets at the Panera in the same mall.  That's what mariachis and knitting have in common. 

Here I am knitting on the bridal shawl. On the home stretch now, the last border.

The place is good, the food is good, the server was nice and efficient, the music nice and not too loud.  The colors were fun and bright, as is true of any place Diane Powers is involved with..

And below is Dan, enjoying a brewski with his happy hour  enchiladas.

After the enchilada break, we went across to Panera.  The knitting group has found a comfortable place.  I enjoyed it a lot.  The only awkward part was a bizarre old lady panhandling from table to table.  Dan told the manager and when the manager asked her to leave, she refused and stuck her tongue out at Dan, LOL.  Finally the manager firmly threw her out and stood by the door when she tried to re-enter.   I think I've seen her before "working" the Fashion Valley Mall by my house.  She must have a "Mall route".  Pretty aggressive old biddy.

Heather's husband, Ron, Likes these little speedboats.  This is the boat basin at Mission Bay Park. 

And this is Ron.

Lilo is watching a candle flame flicker.  Now that she sees herself as the great hunter, she is very interested in things that move.   This is kind of funny, but I hope she does not knock over the candle trying to "capture" it.   I'd better go blow it out.

See ya,

Julie

Location: at home in San Diego

Mood: great

Music: XLNC1, classical I-radio

Breezy Tuesday

Hi, Everyone,

Today was a cool and breezy Tuesday.  I'm feeling great.   It's getting late now, but I wanted blog anyway, so I could share some pics with you I got from my sister, Heather.  We met for lunch to have a "council" about the bridal shawl.  I bound off the straight edge with no beads and I am working on the curved one, which will have beads.  Heather is working on the bead clusters.

This is a silly hat Heather and I were working on in Mountain view.  We just could not get it right even though we remodeled it various times. 

This is the bride and groom.  Don't you think Shannon will look great in the bridal shawl I'm knitting?

My niece Byrnna and her son very involved in his video game.

I just loved the architecture of the Santa Barbara train station.

Spring!

Brad and Shannon playing with his hats.  Brad looks more and more like my dad every day.

Lilo is outside stalking gophers. 

See ya,

Julie

Location: at home in San Diego

Mood: great

Music: none