It isn't road cycling and it isn't mountain biking... it's Cyclocross:
(or, "Hey have you seen my lycra")
*this post does not contain knitting

Tom started his day attending the U.S. Gran Prix of Cyclocross Boulder Cup. It's so local it's stupid not to go.. and beautiful too!
One of his co-workers Val, won her race:
And enjoyed her morning coffee in her winning cup.
This is the field when the professionals (Elite Men) took to the course (i showed up to watch this part of the racing):
they do a little down hill, a little up hill (with logs obstructing the way = hike-a-bike), a little sand, and a little grass and little pavement.

This is the winner Barry Wicks about to cross the finish line:
And this is Ryan Trebon, the guy who kicked ass-- changed bicycles 4 times during the 10 lap race and made up wicked amounts of time. i apologize for not being able to give your more information like teams and all the technical stuff-- but if you're that curious check out Velo News (where you can also see pictures of Lance Armstong looking quite awkward in an upright running position during the New York Marathon) or Cycling News for all the latest information:
And to top it all off: Miss Colorado filled the role of "podium girl". (she was so close, how could i not take her picture... and it was entertaining to me-- haha!):

in other news: i made four curtains for my classroom windows and kool-aid dyed a skein of yarn (i have issues with kool aid and color saturation so i don't know if i love the dye job, but that's for another post). cheers.

Solution: the Shirt Dress
my face doesn't show the excitement, but my shopping trip was a success (and i'm so darn excited and through them all on and took pictures without washing or ironing, so pardon the creases). I found three dress, all in a similar style, but with different details-- giving me the "look" i was going for: vintage, pretty, not too trendy and a bit of western flar. This top one is navy, with a wide belt and small side pockets.
a detail shot of the the front.
a brown one (with out making me look like a brownie, a nun, or a 1st grader): faux wrap dress with long ties, a full-ish skirt and smart sleeves.
this is the fancy one-- black and white polka-dots with a bright red satin tie. it has all the flare i wanted.
this one is not like the others, but i saw it while walking out the store and knew it had to come with me too. I actually really love this dress-over-jeans look (it has that perfect preschool teacher look to it)-- it's a little crunchy, but so am i at times. i bought new jeans too. You didn't think i owned a pair did ya? well i do, check these out.

they have been patched several time (love that fabric) and just keep ripping. it's like every time i move in them they fall apart a little more. i may wear them clean off! so i got some new ones.

knitting content in the next post: baby blankets galore!

Strike Two!
(or why i should stick to knitting)
i'm not sure i like this dress either. the dark blue calico fabric gives it a denim look, and the layered skirt adds a ready-for-square-dancin' look as well. it's still not the "look" i'm going for. (i'm beginning to wonder if i can ever give up cotton calicos.) unfortunately, it took up way more time than i had wanted. the jury is still out if it will make it into the regular rotation.

In other weekend news:
i carved myself a pumpkin-- bought from a local farm. i had forgotten the smell of pumpkin guts... and the feel (oh, how i love the feel. after words while washing the seeds in a bowl of water i had an "amelie" moment, running my hands through the slippery seeds). we also bought a baking pie pumpkin destined for the oven this afternoon.

but for a now i'm goin' shoppining!

i'm having a fashion crisis!! my new boots have inspired me to put the "prairie" clothing away and go for a more funky-western-vintage look. i want something with a bit of flair, feminism, and ease-- and i want to wear DRESSES (which don't seem to be in fashion this season, as there are slim pickin' at the stores-- or cost $100+). So i thought i would make something. In this picture here we have chocolate 100% wool gabardine. i modified the pattern but i DO NOT like the results. This look says, "country nun" or "grown up Brownie, gone western"-- or i look like a first grader.

i know it's the choice of fabric...and pattern but, i'm reaching my frustration level. i don't want to spend a lot of timing sewing a new pattern, but i also don't have a large bill fold to support commerical made dresses. what is a girl to do?? anyone want to recommend a good thrift store?

Observations on the road:

1. while sitting in traffic gazing into my review mirror i spy a woman wearing a gas mask. She is driving a Prius.

2. while cruising down the highway i look out my window to see a minivan filled with children ranging from adolescent to infant. All the windows are closed. The driver, the mother (?) is puffing away on her cigarette.

3. while waiting for the light to change from red to green i read the bummer stickers of the car beside (and slightly in front) of me. "Go Vegan", "Fur Kills", "The Greatful Dead", "Green Peace".
The driver appears to be enjoying her cigarette mightily.

Read On!

People! there are finally new posts uploaded, but you'll have to scroll through a little bit.

And in other non-knitterly news:

i've got new kicks! i'm totally in love with them. I completely wore out my previous pair of lace-up style dansko boots, so now ya'll with be seeing me walkin' around in these here boots. Giddy-Up!

p.s. this new foot wear may lead to a style/wardrobe change in the near future. stay tuned.

the horror!

Bunny has been rescued.

did you know Bunny was missing?

first let me introduce you to Bunny:

sure he's a little dirty-- and was once white. but he has a very valuable job. see:

to my discovery and horror, Bunny was not found in the knitting basket-- when i needed some stitch markers-- the project came to a screeching halt! I remained calm. I took everything out of the basket. i unfolded, untangled and neatly sorted through. No Bunny. Next i looked in my purse-- again with the emptying out. Not there either. I looked on the end table, underneath the couch (oh, there were bunnies, but not the kind i was searching), underneath all the projects accumulated on the "craft couch", in other random baskets dutifully tending yarn. Again, i looked through my basket. No Bunny.

Then it struck me-- a glimmer of hope amoung all the despair of loss: Bunny was not in the house. I went over my steps. No, I didn't drop my basket in the parking lot lately (sending balls of yarn though an obstacle course of grease stains, debris and sand). No, i hadn't taken my knitting out during work and scattered it about in the break room. The last place i was knitting and making use of Bunny was.... AMANTE!!! (suspense music ends here--- dun-dun-daun.)

That was Wednesday night and here we are, lost and seperated on FRIDAY night! Calmly, I found their phone number: "ring.ring.ring"
"Amante. how may i help you?"
"hi. do you guys have a lost-and-found?"
"sorta. why"
"well, i lost- i mean i think i lost it in your store. I was wondering if you had a white, white-ish, bunny coin purse thingie?"
"oh yah. we have that here" (now, i have to describe how he said that. his tone and speed, a remarkable quick reply, that also said "can't miss that odd thing?!?! what kind of person looses a bunny coin purse. what kind of person has a bunny coin purse? Sure, lady, we have that thing here.")

The fine adventure, and reunion concludes with an immediate drive to Amante (in which tom orders, "a small Latte and one white bunny.) and the recovery of Bunny. On the ride home i could only think of the adventures Bunny had while spending a few nights at Amante. It's a little bit like the story of Corduroy. Perhaps Bunny now needs a "if lost, call...." tag.

package recieved: check. package sent: not yet

there's a mitten swap in progress. i've been knitting along-- there was some rippin', changin' of patterns, chanin' of needles, and changin' of yarns, but it's all worked out now.


And what's more, i've already recieved my package!


A box filled with wonderfully wooly yellow mittens, hand-made glass buttons-- fish, how did she know i was a pisces?!, a wee-little note book and a funny little connection: (1)my package came from Virginia, (2)the person i send to is in D.C-- who wrote on her blog about visiting a fiber farm outside of Warrenton, VA., and the final connection: (3)my husband grew up in Warrenton, VA. It's interesting how connected to strangers you can be?(anyone wanna play 6-degrees of seperation?)

Thanks to my wonderful knitter for such a lovely pair of warm mitts!

Project Update:

#1. Baby-boy blanket:
using brown sheep cotton fleece, size 5 needles and the stripe-ing pattern from the wild stripes blanket... um scratch that,
i'm doing log cabin.



#2. my hope-chest baby blanket:

nothing fancy except for luxurious organic cotton-- the blanket feels like chenille.

#3. the silky-wool stripey sweater-y:


cardigan on size 2 needles, my own pattern.

#4. Mitten swap:


manos del uruguay in color 110, size 6 needles.

i know this will be making the rounds in the knitting world, but i feel i need to share it with you as well! truely, you must link yourself over there, you will not be disappointed!


~what's that you say? where the hell have i been? no where. but i'll be back later with more: mitten swap, baby blankets (yes, plural), and a sweater. ~

The Letter *
To The Knitters (you know who you are),
I really love knitting with you in the evening. After taking care of little children who want to bite each other, pull hair and dump their lunch on the floor, you are the light at the end of my tunnel. I love the conversations we have. I like when the topics connect from tangent to tangent, theme to theme and then turn around 180 degrees. I like when we relate to eachother and when we agree to disagree. But, please, do not let me order fancy drinks like soy mocha latte's-- even if they are only 8 oz at 6:30 pm. What were you thinking? Did you know i go home and sit on the couch watching syndication after syndication of sitcoms. Sure i didn't see the episode of Will and Grace with Kristen Davis when it was regularly one, but i did't need to watch it the other night either; with those testing- sometimes troublesome toddlers to contend with at 8:30 in the morning. And what's more, it makes me sleep really oddly (i won't go into the detail, but it was weird and dreamless).

Okay, Thanks for you help-- see you at the next knit-night

The Surprise

Imagine me surprise, the flop of excitment i felt in my stomach, when driving around on Boulder streets i saw one of the these, a la bumper! "My god! another knitter who wants the tailgater to know it!" I thought nothing of it, my "aw" and excitement still running away with it's self, when i saw it on a Subaru-- they're practically the offical state car. And then it hit me. That's Anne's car. I just knit with Anne. Anne and I left the same parking lot at the same time. Anne said she was driving this direction. That sticker belongs to Anne. Of course (!) Anne has a "KNIT" sticker. But I'm still thrilled to see one around town!

The Project

I took this picture several weeks ago when i was just begining this--

thought it would make a lovely and timely post, but it didn't. now all the wonderful (simply wonderful, i want to do as make as many projects as i can with this yarn) has been knit up into the final product:

* at the time this was a timely and current event, but sadly it is now weeks old-- but i still find it entertaining!

**and i changed the border of the blanket-- added a garter stripe do-da, and i'm going to sew navy blue 100wt. poly fleece to the back.

Nothing like wool socks in the the summer! Fresh off the needles are the Hedera Socks. Made from 100% merino wool (well except for that bit of reinforcing wooly nylon you see there at the toe and it's at the heel too) in a green color that sometimes strikes me as perfect ivy or camo-green, depending on the light. The yarn is Koigu, the needles are US 1 and i did a star toe instead of a kitchner'd one.

With this project complete, i'm in a bit of knitting project limbo-- i'm relativly caught up on projects and ready to start a new one, but don't know what to do, or what to make it with. i don't like this feeling-- but hopefully it will pass soon (i'm this close to making a KnitPicks order to make this as a gift.)

Dear One Skein Secret Pal, er, I mean Alyson,

Thank You Berry-Much for the thoughtful August package-- and what quick postal service as well!
First I must start with the hand-made: the beautiful and aromatic eye pillow-- the color is wonderful for the organic lavender scent (and organic flax) that creates its stuffings. It arrived during a week when i wasn't falling asleep easily, and so it went direct to my bed with me the very night it arrived at it's new home. I slept wonderfully! I want to take it every where with me. Not so i can sleep every where but, rather so that i can relax every where. Thank you. It's wonderful. The tea will be great to sample (when it isn't 90+ degrees outside)-- they sell this tea at one of my local yarn stores-- funny yarn connection, eh? The braclet is perfect! i can wear it to work where it can get wet, chewed on, played with and not break-- i love it! The note cards are also wonderful-- how did you know i was pondering those at the book store. I have thought to myself before, "if i had one of those embroidery machines i could make those." But then that thought is immediatly followed with, "I don't believe (as in value it's crafty-ness) in embroidery machines." And last but certainly not least, thank you for the hemp yarn (and the handy tip of soaking it first before using it-- i will do just that!). I can't wait to make something with it, my first thought is a market bag, but then again, i'm not sure. It will have to wait for my creative juices to capture it.

Thank you for all the wonderful packages this summer. It was a fun exchange, and i'm thrilled to know who you are-- i'll definately be reading your blog during my blog-reading-times.

Here's to Knitting,
Good Little Granola Girl

i know it seems like i don't even update anymore. but i do. i guess i'm not one to share every dust bunny i find, but i do like to share the big stuff. the done stuff.

For example, a lovely little arrowhead lace shawlette in 100% alpaca (bought at the Estes wool market a few years ago, and beyond that i have no more information).

loverly isn't it? it's recipiant is my One Skein Secret Pal (who i am almost postive doesn't even know this here journal is in existance).

In addition to knitting, i have found myself at the sewing machine lately... and the fabric store, but of course! (i do not like the fabric store i go to, but still manage to find something. it's all rather depressing at times. My favorite fabric store did away with it's cotton/calico/quilting fabrics, which leaves me, the "cotton girl" with out one of my fabric fibers.)
This is my new favorite dress. i want to live in it all times. and so i have made several in the same style. And what a great style it is! my kindred spirit (who i want to spend all sorts of time with-- i may have a little crush on her) was the owner of this circa 1970's pattern. And after i saw hers, much like in knitting, i had to have one for myself. i am forever greatful for her generousity, and may even like the hot weather better for it.

Also occupying my attention lately was my kindred cousin's wedding.

I was a reader at the ceremony which was a perfect honor for me. It was a beautiful outdoor mountian wedding. I'm so very happy for her and look forward to our relationship growing-- we grew up pretty close but have lost touch with eachother a bit more than each of us would prefer. And isn't it cute how similar we look to eachother?

Oh, and before I end this post, I must THANK my one skein secret pal for yet another wonderful package.
For July she sent me 100% Royal Platinum Alpaca. 1600 yards of it no less. It's 2ply, with a recommended needle size of U 1-3. It's beautiful and fine and soft. and i have no idea what to make with it yet. but what i really like is the colors of autumn and nature she selected for me.

Hush-Hush.


It's done. It's done. It's DONE!! off the needles, ribbons threaded and tied, and hung to photograph. I'm in love with it and i'm going to give it away. It's a bridal gift for my cousin, next week. I used 3/2 Perle Cotton, US 3 and 2 needles and only a minor change to the straps at the top.

*thanks to Maggie's heater (and dress form too) for giving it that old fashioned feel it deserves.

on the road again.

dallas divide 2
Originally uploaded by good little granola girl.

we've been on the road a lot lately (see some pictures here) and i haven't been in a "take time to post" mood.

and i've done a bit of knitting these days too.

i'll be back with more soon.

I've been having grand times with The Knitters.

There was one good bye party.

Kate is moving to Philly, via Boston and Copenhagen, to earn herself a masters in knitting. i think she will be quite successful! And you can get yourself a part of the history by purchasing her yarn.








Then we had a very happy (almost zealous) gathering. Us with 50 bazillion other knitters at the Estes Park Wool Market. I got this: 50% merino and 50% alpaca-- and i have A LOT of yardage here! Any suggestions on what to make?
I also got this:Bee-u-tea-ful Organic Cotton! and for a great price too! I think i am going to make this into a small to medium size blanket!


Then there was lunch at Cilantro Mary in Lyons-- (The Knitters and i are enjoying lots of meals together these days) after the wool-spree at Estes. And for the record, i am stating the Market was much more crowded this year then years past. I'm not sure if it's the craze of knit-blogs and word spreading via the web, the continual increase of new knitters into the craft, or the increase in yarn stores around the metro area. Needless, to say it was PACKED! Packed in the sense of waiting on line to get into the small vendor areas and have a decent look-see before getting crowded out by the next eager yarn-addict with her bag full of booty.

All that said, i was one of the big-bag ladies myself. And i am quite pleased with my take-home. (although i think i want more Organic cotton. who'd of thunk it?) But more than all the yarn, and the event, I had a really grand road trip with some increasingly special pals.

i am participating in the One Skein Secret Pal Exchange (but you knew that already). I'm not quite sure why, but i feel compelled to share this:
HI SECRET PAL OH MY!!!! i love the yarn u sent me.thank u :) just so u know,i havent had the time to keep up with my blog. so im saying thank u here. its wonderful!!!!!!!!!!

see all those exclaimation marks? that makes me very happy. I had quite the dickens of a time selecting a good yarn for my pal and now i don't feel so bad after seeing the exclaimation. i feel a wave of enthusiasm for selecting the next skein i send her.

coming up soon: why do i keep buying and knitting yarn in the color green? seriously, i have several projects in my basket and they all are the same hue.

I'm not sure what name to give these socks. I'd call them 'My Kate Socks' for the reason that Kate dyed the yarn... for her yarn business. I'd call them 'My Emily Socks' for the reason that the colorway is named after me! I'd call them 'My Rib and Cable Socks', because that's the pattern name. Or, i'd call them my 'Gentlemen's Bicycle Stockings Socks' because : 1) I started them while SAGging the BVBF for Tom, and 2) Ms. Nancy Bush derived this pattern from those of the same title from Weldon's Practical Needlework Vol. 2.

Regardless of their name, I love them. I love the pattern, the colorway of the yarn, the softness of the merino, the great fit, the repitition of the pattern and last but not least, the new toe decrease i learned-- that involved no grafting!
So, I was working away on my socks, in the Emily colorway when i realized the similarity they had to this bag. That's right, I have a Degas's Ballet Dancers tote bag. I'm in love with it too. I simply love that Kate named a colorway after me, but she could have named if Degas, or the Ballet Dancers, or something art-history like, i would still be in love with it!

Dear One Skein Secret Pal,
A big warm, western Thank You for my beautiful skein of yarn. I love it! How did you know that i have never layed eyes, or finger tips for that matter, on camel! Especially those baby camels (fitting for me, a infant care-taker). Do the baby camels spit like their elders? And the color, creme, so beautiful. Did you know i have a collection of creme hued "rare" fibers? Oh, yes, llama, lamb and alpaca. Everyone, please welcome the baby camel. I'm not sure what to make with it yet... i'm thinking lace.
Additionally, thank you for the lip-balm with loss-prevention. I won't make any rash statements about it's security, but perhaps there is hope. And if i manage to keep the clip and the black topper, i can use it for other lip balms as well. See, here it is on my bag, the one i take with me everywhere. It's all ready to go.
And in other blogging worthy news:
The Kitchen is an excellent place to enjoy local farm fresh eggs and ham benedict on brioche toast with the best darn potatoes i've ever put in my mouth, and knit socks (scroll way down!)-- with The Knitters. We had an improptu brunch and knit session. Seriously, an event that is worthy of repition (true, it is not a cheap meal, but i can taste every pennies worth. (I am not kidding, when can we meet again?)

i have had a dream. not a good dream. but not a frightening one either. simply a bizarre one (do "simply" and "bizarre" belong in the same sentence?)

~ So i was driving along in "my" truck with a very remote yarn store as the destination. it was cold, gray and visability was not so good. (i should note here, that the covers were probably falling off the bed and the air contidioning was blasting.) Once i found a place to park, in a parking lot with jalopy trucks, men with farm hats and strange looks, my cell phone rang. It was my husband. He needed something, but i told him i had already made the long drive, was about to go see the store and, "no, i would not be coming right home. I will when i am done at the yarn store." When i arrived at The Remote Yarn Store it was located at the back of the mercantile store that looked like something out of an old west movie. I wandered around, like i normally browse yarn stores; lap after lap touching each yarn. When I was done, i went back out to my truck and sat on the bench seat (and this is where i began to feel stressed) and tried to figure out the kitchener stitch by memory on thick, brown wool. I had the yarn needle threaded in one hand and the project in the other. Yet, for the life of me, struggled with that damn technique. i kept running the needle through the live stitches, pulling on the yarn and creating a tangle. I tried to remember it verbally: through like a knit stitch in the front, like a purl in the back, purl through the front stitch... on and on it went stuggling madly with the work, the stress to not loose the live stitches, the remote strange area and why oh why would there be a yarn store in a mercantile out here? where am i? is this wyoming? why can't i remeber this technique i've done it a million times?

** and then the alarm rang. and it was all gone. but my goodness, that was not a happy knitting dream!

growing up, i wasn't a fan of math. but in knitting i now love using it.
For example: One Skein of Blue Sky Alpacas Organic Cotton,

Minus one Baby Bolero,

Equals one little ball of said yarn!

The results of the one skein book are rather exciting. at the last little bit of the pattern i doubted there would be enough yarn ("what if my tension is different from Leigh Radford's? Maybe the little changes i made would dash the end results?" But wait a minute. The changes i made actually saved on yarn yardage. ) So i just waited, and continued to knit to see the result. Turns out, the baby bolero really only takes one skein (hehehe).
US size 8 and 9 needles. Changes: 3 needle bind off at shoulders (and save live stitches at back next edge for border), picked up and knit the sleeves down instead of knitting them flat and having (icky ol') seams at the arms.

In other (social) news:

I knit with the knitters at Alex's house. I can't decide if we are watching the best television program or using the world's largest computer monitor? Thanks Eunny.

and for a little more social recap, Jenifer has posted about the yarn swap party from some weeks ago (scroll down a wee bit). there is a very charming picture of moi. and now i will be done talking about it. done.

oh. and just so you and me know: i have started way too many projects with not enough time to finish them (i.e. gifts with "deadlines").