tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57490862012-01-17T23:59:43.019-08:00Knitting, life in the animal sheltering business, cats, dogs, herpetology, sheep, handspinning, the daily culture report, and other arcana.Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2171100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-43748249538141900762011-12-26T23:00:00.000-08:002011-12-26T23:15:43.283-08:00

We are OPEN!Somehow, my last post announcing the re-opening of the Knitting Asylum got lost in the blogosphere. I have not been able to figure out, even through the nice folks at Blogger, how this happened.But we are most definitely OPEN. As in, selling yarn and stuff.Our news:The Knitting Asylum now dwells within the confines of Fleur Du Jour, a retail co-op in which several vendors and

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-22250278322697931302011-11-26T21:23:00.000-08:002011-11-27T10:25:38.441-08:00

Back.I am. I hope. The wonderful thing about having a knit shop of your very own is that you can sit in several hundred square feet of yummy, yummy fiber goodness.For a little while.The un-wonderful thing about it is that if you are an entrepreneur with a very small business (as I am), with no investment capital except for some very modest savings (which I had), and no real ability to hire a

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-33197466085194295642010-11-07T01:59:00.000-07:002010-11-07T12:48:54.490-08:00

New Year, New Things.Halloween is a wonderful excuse for spooky celebration for people of all ages in the United States, but its true roots are in the Celtic New Year, Samhain, the one night of the year when the veil between the tangible world and the Other Side parts, and those who died during the year have an opportunity to pass on to the next life. If you have read my past Halloween posts,

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-25078103407308550162010-08-21T21:21:00.000-07:002010-08-21T21:56:48.998-07:00

Help Extend A Life.If you knit or crochet, and you are anywhere on Planet Yarn with the rest of us, you have probably heard of the wondrous dyeing abilities of Ray Whiting, and, hopefully, you have had at least one little moment of knitterly weakness on the www.kntivity.com website. Over the last several years Ray has rebuilt his life after Hurricane Katrina as a full-time dyer of wools,

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-88232142147384311102010-07-20T23:55:00.000-07:002010-07-21T00:00:18.477-07:00

Reason Number 8,576 ThatNew Orleans Is Worth Saving:My favorite door in town.Two blocks from my mother's house.

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-54203880365048012952010-07-04T21:41:00.001-07:002010-07-07T21:01:02.211-07:00

A Knitting Hero of The American RevolutionIt's the Fourth of July, Independence Day in the United States, and now that we're done with eating and watching fireworks, I want to share one of my favorite stories of the American Revolution with y'all.This is the tale of Old Mom Rinker, the humble and clever wife of an innkeeper in a small town near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Like most innkeepers'

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-83547493634481355482010-06-22T08:27:00.000-07:002010-06-22T11:00:54.232-07:00

Doldrums.We all know what "the doldrums" means. Most people think of it as that listless and dispassionate feeling one gets in the dog days of summer, when it's too hot to move or even think very much. We call it "the doldrums" because we know (and hope) that it is a temporary state, and that, unlike true depression, it will pass on its own accord in a few weeks without the need for talk

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-81214154701781785842010-06-10T09:38:00.000-07:002010-06-11T10:18:08.371-07:00

Why We StayIt has become my habit each year to greet the onset of Hurricane Season, and each year, I sit down at my computer with the fear that I may have run out of new things to say about it.Somehow, that's never a problem. Sometimes I approach the season with humour; other times, with frustration or sadness. This year, as we check our emergency kits, stock up on new batteries and

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-16982788540796919352010-05-01T11:04:00.000-07:002010-05-01T11:07:51.104-07:00

Dear Readers:In an attempt to minimize expenses I am now accepting small advertisements form the Google network on my blog. I hope no one finds these offensive, as I picked the least obtrusive format available. Onward, through the fog...

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-67017559927494241752010-04-19T12:43:00.000-07:002010-04-19T13:05:05.096-07:00

Aloha, everyone!This is Lisa Louie, posting from Maui, with supply list and homework for the upcoming classes. As Dez mentioned, Gauge Games during regular Knit Night is a fundraiser for the Battered Women's Shelter. Cost for Hot Stuff and Putting More Art in Your Craft is $25 each class, or $45 for both for early bird registration. Later registration is $35 each or $65 for both.Gauge Games:bring

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-44417295649661701392010-04-14T11:39:00.000-07:002010-04-14T11:46:48.950-07:00

Aloha, Baton Rouge!Fiber artist, designer and knitting instructor Lisa Louie of Maui, Hawaii (who is also my dear friend and occasional guest-blogger) will be on the mainland during the last week in April with featured work in the “Art Healing Lives” art exhibition at the Minnesota Textile Center, and during the first week of May, teaching classes at the Knitting Asylum here in Baton Rouge.When

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-71840809109131121872010-04-07T11:15:00.001-07:002010-04-07T12:18:43.963-07:00

Still Here; No Pictures.I say it every year:I do not mind paying our taxes. Everybody needs to pay their fair share; I think we can all agree on that. And I am not the least bit interested in all the grossly misinformed anti-tax politics flapping around out there on Faux News these days. The simple fact is that the overwhelming majority of regular people in America simply do not pay excessive

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-40928382758422422132010-03-03T11:03:00.000-08:002010-03-06T15:13:00.110-08:00

Prizes and PatienceI know it has been a long time since I promised to announce results and dole out prizes for those of you who donated to Doctors Without Borders. I'm afraid I was a bit overwhelmed with family duties these past several weeks, and I apologize if I caused anyone any inconvenience or excessive knitterly anxiety because of my delay.However, I am glad to report that, including those

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-80937674435079857852010-02-12T15:09:00.001-08:002010-02-12T15:16:19.531-08:00

Haitian Relief Giveaway:Thanks to those of you who posted in the comments and participated in the giveaway.  I'm afraid that I am running several days behind schedule, partly because we had to travel to Memphis to see Dave's oncologist for a follow-up visit (with happily unremarkable results).  Winners' names will be drawn over the weekend by an impartial committee, and I shall announce the

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-43031014898463080292010-01-14T10:36:00.000-08:002010-01-21T21:36:35.013-08:00

RELIEF FOR HAITIAs one who experienced the generosity of the entire world in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, I would like to do something, in my own small way, to help raise funds for Doctors Without Borders, who are faced with a seemingly insurmountable challenge in the aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti.Here are the rules:Go to Doctors Without Borders and make a donation in any amount you

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-6222484347829865022009-11-28T12:01:00.000-08:002009-11-28T14:29:33.458-08:00

Done.Well, almost.  I am still looking for a good tenant to rent my mother's house in New Orleans, but aside from that, in the past two months the following things have been accomplished:Mom was discharged from the physical therapy hospital, decided to move to Baton Rouge to be closer to us, and went back to her home for a few weeks to begin packing.  Dave and I went to Memphis for a follow-up

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-69753761743011297882009-11-12T12:22:00.000-08:002009-11-12T12:38:32.248-08:00

Thanks!   Really.To Lisa Louie for keeping y'all posted during these last few crazy months.andTo my customers for your ongoing patience with my erratic hours while I got my mother's belongings downsized, packed, and moved to Baton Rouge.I hope to resume normal hours effective Friday, November 27 -- the day after Thanksgiving.In the meantime, I will be open from 10am - 6pm Thursday through

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-68437919825068117432009-11-11T15:55:00.000-08:002009-11-11T16:03:31.007-08:00

Keep your fingers crossed that it's not an on-coming train...Aloha again. This is Lisa, with a quick update. Dez has almost got her mom moved in and settled, there's just one last load of odds n ends to go. Clare is busy unpacking and meeting her new neighbors. Dez will hopefully be back to post soon. The light at the end of the tunnel seems to be a completed move, and many fewer hassles for the

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-54888214987718126022009-10-19T17:31:00.000-07:002009-10-19T17:38:06.794-07:00

We interrupt Dez's regularly scheduled life....to get her mom moved safely to Baton Rouge.Aloha, all. This is Lisa, again posting for Dez. Her mom is recovering well (yeah!!!) from her summer's adventure of broken bones, and she has decided it is time to move closer to Dez and Dave. As you may expect, Dez has joined the "schlepper's union" and is helping her mom pack and begin moving. For the

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-78579337285693075522009-09-29T00:29:00.000-07:002009-09-29T00:38:46.563-07:00

Enough Already.Can who or whatever is in charge of the universe, please make a note? Note is: enough already. Dez has once again been sidelined from the blog by a blast from the proverbial outfield.Just after her mom was released from the care facility, and temporarily moved in with Dez and Dave, Dez came down with the semi-occasional, fairly virulent and really annoying sinus infection and

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-65023053149545042242009-08-29T20:56:00.000-07:002009-08-29T22:30:51.805-07:00

The Dog Ate My Blog.Don't believe that?  Okay ... um ... my little brother flushed the blog down the toilet?No?  Okay ... I set the blog on top of the car while I unlocked it, and I was in a big hurry so I forgot it was there, and I drove off with the blog sliding around on top of the car, and now the blog is smashed up on the dotted line somewhere along the Interstate ...?That last?  It's not

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-5781321544889541912009-07-15T12:06:00.000-07:002009-07-15T12:31:07.678-07:00

The Light at the End of the Tunnel....is hopefully not an on-coming trainAloha, all.This is Lisa again stunt-blogging from Maui. Dez has been exceedingly busy trying to 1. make sure her mom is getting everything she needs 2. making sure Dave has everything he needs, including regular on-going wound care after his eye surgery this spring 3. keeping the Knitting Asylum up and thriving 4. driving

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-19496088261211962962009-06-29T13:47:00.000-07:002009-06-29T13:49:32.502-07:00

Good news.I spoke with Dez earlier this morning, and her mom is out of surgery and doing well. Surgery was simpler and shorter than they thought and her mom had the hip repaired rather than replaced. Keep your fingers crossed in hopes things continue to go well.More later as it is available.Aloha,Lisa LouieKahului, Maui, Hawaii

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-79096329758153297522009-06-28T15:04:00.000-07:002009-06-28T15:22:26.821-07:00

ANYBODY GOT AN UMBRELLA?Under the heading of "It never rains, but it pours..."This is Lisa, stunt blogging from Maui. Dez has not been deliberately neglecting the blog, but again the complications and problems of life have significantly interfered with her ability to get much done besides "put out fires." Unfortunately, the pouring rain does not have seem to have done anything to offset said

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-67002095067764486022009-03-13T13:44:00.000-07:002009-03-13T14:41:01.858-07:00

Ducks.Specifically, indoor ducks.  Observe this fine specimen of Duckus touristii attractus:Aren't I the pretty mallard?(preen preen preen)More about me later.The need to write is a powerful thing, an overwhelming urge which is sometimes like the passion you feel for a lover, sometimes like an addiction, and sometimes, lest we take ourselves far too seriously, like the need to find a restroom --

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-72333232318592301802009-02-07T15:50:00.000-08:002009-02-19T10:13:28.168-08:00

Of Course, I Didn't Have a Camera.I usually remember to bring my Real Camera to the Arts Market, looking for a good photo opportunity.   But this month, I forgot.When I do think in advance  about taking pictures, I try to remember to bring the Real Camera, the one with the Real Camera Company name on it -- the one made for the sole and exclusive purpose of photography.  Because I rode my dinosaur

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-4883675388481587832009-01-13T10:23:00.000-08:002009-02-04T15:38:04.391-08:00

Knit Happens.And this is what happens for Covenant House in New Orleans when it does.  Here, deployed on the floor of my shop, are the dozens of hats, scarves and gloves donated for Covenant House in memory of Gail McHugh.  Sincere and heartfelt thanks go out to the many knitters who made this possible, and please give yourselves a round of applause:I didn't have enough unoccupied space on the

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-5660499301959602292009-01-06T19:03:00.000-08:002009-01-07T14:42:59.539-08:00

Proof...... that we really can (and do) use wool in South Louisiana.  Granted, most of the time we only make it to "near snow" conditions, meaning temperatures above freezing accompanied by rain, sometimes sleet, and snow flurries on occasion, which is still good enough reason to dig out the woolies.   If we do get any accumulation, it is usually less than an inch,  falls during the night, and

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-16322975625183135182008-12-12T19:43:00.000-08:002008-12-12T19:51:24.883-08:00

Arts Market Update:I will be at the Arts Market (corner 5th and Main, in the parking lot adjacent to the Farmer's Market in downtown Baton Rouge, LA) from 8:00 am until noon tomorrow (Saturday the 13th) with handspun yarns and spinning demonstration.  New yarn: a wool/hemp worsted in natural, and also dyed in shades of onion-skin yellow, denim blue, and black. This is a fantastic yarn for bags,

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-42103444069550057192008-12-04T14:10:00.001-08:002008-12-04T14:24:47.235-08:00

Yarn Therapy at theKnitting AsylumTonight we are having the first monthly Knit Night at the Knitting Asylum.  I'm calling it Yarn Therapy, and it's going to be the first Thursday of every month from 5:30-8:30.I can't believe how fast the past month has gone by and how very little time I have had to blog while getting this shop set up, but there is an enormous process of applying for wholesale

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-8520084079592580542008-11-08T11:43:00.000-08:002008-11-11T06:35:07.927-08:00

Coming Down From The CeilingI can finally set my feet on the ground long enough to make a blog post.  I have slapped myself, pinched myself, and woken up several times since Tuesday, carefully checking the newspaper each day to make sure that I didn't dream it, and that it is real.Here is a photo of my husband, Dave, in the voting booth, helping to make history happen:How often do you get to see

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-42133555330905069302008-11-03T20:32:00.000-08:002008-11-04T18:50:37.771-08:00

Coming Up For Air...I am remissIt has become my bloggerly tradition to write something thoughtful on Halloween, something about the flow and rhythm of the most ancient forces within us. But this Halloween, I was doing something else.I was opening a yarn and spinning shop.And even though I am only sparsely stocked so far, I decided to open anyway, and to invite my knitting and spinning friends and

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-15919954059148826722008-10-31T12:10:00.000-07:002008-10-31T12:13:13.897-07:00

This is a quick message from your "ghost" blogger today. Dez is having a Halloween/store opening party at her new store today from 4-7ish. There will be refreshments, fun, yarn, potential yarn (aka roving and fleece) and goodies at the store. The address is:Knitting Asylum8231 Summa Ave. Suite BBaton Rouge, LA 70809The store is located at the back of the center. Wish I could be there. Maybe

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-39945497447687511312008-10-22T19:59:00.000-07:002008-10-22T20:18:16.104-07:00

Congratulations to Marina McIntire...our grand prize winner in the Unofficial Raffle to Help Knitivity Recover From Hurricane Ike...and to Vicki Mikulak...our second place winner.Marina gets a skein of handspun yarn from the Knitting Asylum, a box of chocolate-covered macadamia nuts from Lisa Louie of Maui, a pound of Mello Joy Cajun Coffee, and a box of jambalaya mix.  Vicki gets a box of

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-60753125819284385642008-10-17T18:31:00.000-07:002008-10-17T18:54:26.850-07:00

We have a winner!Thanks to everyone who ordered yarn from Knitivity since Hurricane Ike dealt a blow to the Galveston/Houston area. As you know, we have been conducting a raffle here at the Asylum to encourage new orders and help Ray Whiting, indie dyer extraordinaire, get back on his feet after the storm.   The terms of the raffle were that everyone who placed an order with Knitivity before

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-78695086577621043892008-10-16T22:09:00.001-07:002008-10-16T22:13:05.742-07:00

Hi folks ...Please hold your breath for another 36 hours and we will have a winner drawn in our contest as our way of saying THANK YOU for supporting Ray at Knitivity. We had some last minute entries last night, and I want to comb through my comments as well as my email accounts carefully to make sure I didn't miss any entrants before I draw a name, so everyone has an equal chance.Anticipation .

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-83041014147967837962008-10-11T09:58:00.000-07:002008-10-11T11:17:50.428-07:00

Grab Bag Typefaces! And Also, Surprise Text Sizes!Bear with me?I have no idea what size or typeface this text will come out in. Thanks so much, Lisa, for stuntblogging. That's a huge help for the next few days. Thing the first: I can access my email, but I cannot post normally or import photos because my old Compaq computer is dying. My computer guy says it was probably damaged by a power

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-27811367842061277222008-10-10T12:46:00.000-07:002008-10-12T11:41:18.950-07:00

Stunt Double Blogger, once moreAloha, all!This is Lisa, blogging again for Dez, in beautiful downtown Kahului, Maui. Dez has stepped away from the blog briefly, and I wanted to give you a quick update. She's fine, the internet has been restored, but the doohickey that goes into the thingamajig which connects to the the dakine of the whatsit on the computer is not working. In the real world, her

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-55204543570130743532008-09-23T15:18:00.000-07:002008-09-23T15:22:28.723-07:00

No Internet Again.We hope this is only a brief interlude. We got internet back on the 18th, then on the 19th a debris removal truck pulled some lines down and I am without internet at home again for a few days.Many thanks to everyone who is so genrously ordering from Ray Whiting to help him get back on his feet in Houston. See my previous post and, remember, everyone who orders between now and

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-40565065388246993732008-09-18T09:16:00.000-07:002008-09-19T10:58:00.652-07:00

The Asylum Has Internet!And also, a mess to clean up.But that's all we have to worry about. Mambocat will be busy cleaning up the Knitting Asylum, mopping the floors, and calming the inmates for a day or two -- not to mention sorting out newsworthy hurricane photos -- but really, everything is quite all right here at the Asylum, and all we have had to deal with, so far, has been mere

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-35299546976341407822008-09-10T16:45:00.000-07:002008-09-10T17:15:22.264-07:00

Progress.We finally have power at our house, and, because we are down the street from a school, the main internet line has been reinstalled in our area, although we are still on a waiting list to get the damaged cable connection reattached to our house.  There is still no internet access at home and once again I am enjoying the hospitality of Ashley. Thanks so much, Ashley.About half the city is

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-636677152830753742008-09-06T19:55:00.000-07:002008-09-06T19:58:03.078-07:00

10:00 p.m. Baton Rouge time, 5 p.m. Maui time" We have power!!! I'm soooooo happy!!" Dez Crawford.Yeah. Hopefully everyone else affected has power soon, too. Pictures and more blog updates will follow when the internet service comes up.In the meantime, offer hopes/prayers/good thoughts that Ike dissipates before causing any more pain.Aloha,Lisa

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-5661024903451996262008-09-06T14:45:00.000-07:002008-09-06T15:12:58.004-07:00

In Brief.First, I want to thank Lisa Louie in Maui for stunt-blogging and keeping you all updated on what's going on down here.  Lisa, thank you from the bottom of my heart.  You are a dear and good friend and I cherish you.Deep thanks and gratitude also to my friend and loyal yarn customer Ashley, whose electricity is back on.  She invited me over to use the computer to get in touch with people

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-18934446118088236312008-09-06T14:38:00.000-07:002008-09-06T14:53:34.794-07:00

Saturday, September 6Things are moving in the right direction. I talked to Dez last night for quite a while, and she has encouraging news to report. First of all, her mom is home and has electricity, running water, and a freshly scrubbed and filled fridge courtesy of Dez. Dez's mom lives in New Orleans, up "on the rim" as Dez described it, and is very happy to be home. She is within walking

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-30333508786520799252008-09-04T15:31:00.000-07:002008-09-04T15:49:08.458-07:00

Aloha!Good news today. Dez's mom's house in New Orleans has the power back on, and Dez will take her mom and her mom's cats home tomorrow. This is quite good news, and New Orleans was fortunate to "only" get hit by Gustav masquerading as a tropical storm instead of the major hurricane Baton Rouge got. Baton Rouge, frankly, is a mess, and will take some time to clean up.Electricity and the

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-9972195961930859602008-09-03T13:12:00.000-07:002008-09-03T13:22:35.100-07:00

Hi again.It's Wednesday morning here, mid afternoon for Dez. Cell phone reception was better, but still not perfect, but we did have a brief chat. Baton Rouge is a mess. Dez says the area is in worse shape than after Hurricane Andrew in 1992, and will be some time before it is back to "normal." The information she has is that 400-450 homes took major, as in devastating, damage from trees and

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-73104258764353599322008-09-02T23:45:00.000-07:002008-09-02T23:52:15.280-07:00

Aloha, again.This is Lisa, and I spoke very briefly on the phone with Dez today. We were having horrible reception problems, but they are doing ok.Last night, we spoke for a while after I posted. She had talked to her mom's neighbor, and mom's house in New Orleans was fine!! Very, very good news.Their house had a lot of tree branches and debris on the roof. She couldn't tell if there was any

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-15888089342481195382008-09-01T18:15:00.001-07:002008-09-01T18:17:48.686-07:00

More good news.It is about 7p.m. in Louisiana, and I just talked to Dez. The winds have mostly died down, and she and her family are still doing reasonably well. The power is off, house phone is not working, and it looks "like a war zone" outside, but everyone survived the storm uninjured and the house is intact.Tomorrow I'm sure will reveal the extent of the damage this damn storm has done,

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-65604170472011581382008-09-01T13:54:00.000-07:002008-09-01T13:59:17.319-07:00

So far, so good.It's about 11:00 Hawaii time, 4 p.m. for Dez, we just got off the phone. And while this storm is doing damage and continues to be dangerous, Dez, Dave and 'ohana are ok so far. There are a lot of very, very, very large trees down (many of the trees at her house are 80-100+ tall) they are ok and safe. The worst of the storm is past, but it is still very strong and the rains can do

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-41547853655201017312008-09-01T11:00:00.000-07:002008-09-01T11:06:02.900-07:00

Aloha, all!This is Lisa, testing Dez's blog.As I write this, it is about 1 p.m. in Louisiana. Dez called a couple of hours ago, and said they were doing ok so far. The power was off, and the winds were getting gusty. She anticipated the storm was going to be bad, and would go on til tonight.Her request was that we all hope or pray to whatever Deity you choose that the trees around their house all

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-36162014713557930822008-08-30T19:44:00.000-07:002008-08-31T19:16:28.981-07:00

Godspeed. And Good Humor.On the Interstate highway near our home, the citizens of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast go by, inland bound as night falls here in Baton Rouge. Following them come the northermost long, blustery rain bands of Hurricane Gustav.I've just returned from the last few errands: a couple of bags of ice, some milk and bananas, cookies and a few extra batteries. We are all set and

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-23076437494173977172008-08-29T23:11:00.000-07:002008-08-31T07:25:53.882-07:00

Not Again.New Orleans is often compared to a soup bowl. That being the case, my mother lives on the rim, just a block or so from the docks and the massive cranes which unload cargo from transport ships docked in the Mississippi River. Her New Orleans street runs from south to north through the city, from the relatively high ground closest to the Mississippi River on through to the central part of

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-39752961393260363722008-08-26T11:11:00.000-07:002008-08-27T07:50:06.934-07:00

Knitting Olympics Triathlon: Synchronized Birthing, Stormtracking Marathon and Gumbo Relay EventsI have about eleven acres of knitting to finish in the next few days, and I'm blaming it on Bobby.I don't know what my brother-in-law put in the Thanksgiving sangria, but three of our younger relatives gave birth in a ten-day period last month, which gives me a good excuse to be the Official

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-35094866463181615202008-08-10T21:59:00.000-07:002008-08-12T00:37:15.304-07:00

For PamY'all have no idea how many times I started writing, then edited and deleted bucketfuls of words, before I could get myself together sufficiently to write this blog post. There is always a surreal quality to post-funeral gatherings, particularly when they are held in the home of the deceased. Everyone arrives in their Sunday best, someone rounds up the folding chairs, and children trot

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-27345364259457698232008-06-10T16:50:00.000-07:002008-06-13T12:35:47.583-07:00

And Now We Return To Our Regularly Scheduled Knitting...First, here's a bright new colorway of hand-dyed, handspun wool for you to look at. It's called, "Mauna Loa." This is a sample in Romney wool. I had a small amount of Romney loafing around doing nothing useful whatsoever, so it was perfect for dye experiments. Romney is not my favorite wool for next-to-skin wear, but it's fun in outerwear

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-86933127481763688842008-05-02T13:44:00.000-07:002008-05-02T13:48:27.422-07:00

MAY ARTS MARKET CANCELLEDJust got the news that the May Arts Market has been cancelled due to a conflict with Fest For All. I'm disappointed, but powerless over the scheduling gods. If I'd known this far enough in advance, I would have signed up for a booth at Fest For All, but now it's too late. Anyway, see you all at the Arts Market on Saturday, June 7. I will let you know of any change in

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-28556011616254547072008-04-30T19:55:00.000-07:002008-04-30T18:00:38.842-07:00

Real Quick:You want cotton? You get cotton. Here's a sneak preview of some of the yarn I will have available at the Arts Market this Saturday, May 3. Each colorway is one pound of best quality 100% cotton worsted mill-ends, hand-dyed for your summer knitting projects. If you buy the entire batch of one colorway, you'll have enough for a cotton vest, a baby blanket, or a summer tank top -- and if

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-40230973063621756602008-04-19T23:14:00.000-07:002008-04-21T10:15:44.890-07:00

Just Like StampsI will shamelessly admit to being sort of a Luddite. More than, "sort of." A great big stubborn, honking Luddite. I will not own a bread machine, for instance, because the whole and entire fun and purpose of baking bread is not merely to have bread (if I run out, I can buy bread) but to make bread, and making bread means sifting flour and adding yeast and kneading it and letting

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-67224193750653561852008-03-23T16:25:00.000-07:002008-04-19T10:08:38.684-07:00

For This, I PurchasedTerrorist-Proof Ziplock Bags,And Also Sat Next To A Large Man Who Did Not Smell Good....although he probably thought he was one hot potat, what with taking a bath in his cologne and all. But for this? For this I endured bad coffee in Styrofoam cups, hermetically sealed bags of airline peanuts which can't be opened without the Swiss Army knife I'm not allowed to carry on the

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-7041379664209154972008-02-21T08:58:00.000-08:002008-02-21T07:39:23.527-08:00

Before I Go Off On A Rant...I thought you might like to see how a sample of Ray Whiting's space-dyed roving came out after being spun and made up into scarf form. This 4.4 ounce sample of natural grey Jacob's sheep roving had been dyed in shades of blue and green. I'd spun it all up into singles, then plied it so that half of it was carefully aligned for a space-dyed effect and half of it plied

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-7144442623002460752008-01-25T23:08:00.000-08:002008-01-27T01:24:32.024-08:00

Soup and WoolWe are in the middle of soup and wool weather. Early this morning it was like this:Cold and foggy, intermixed with a steady rain that continued all night, through this morning, along through the afternoon, and into this evening. It didn't get out of the high 30s today, (about 3 degrees if you're doing Centigrade), and it did not stop raining for one moment. It's quite late but it's

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-52801579471258696592008-01-25T12:39:00.000-08:002008-01-25T12:55:04.634-08:00

Auction ResultsThe winner of the shawl auction is Kathryn Wagner, who won the Ebay bid at US$420 and who raised the donation amount to US$700 to benefit the Kagyu Thubten Choling Buddhist monastery in New York State in memory of Lily Chin's mother and sister. Thank you, Kathryn!Thanks to all who participated in the auction, either by bidding or encouraging others to do so. Lisa and I hope that

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-41808867968983903882008-01-09T10:40:00.000-08:002008-01-09T18:22:47.830-08:00

"Voodoo Shawl" Fundraiser AuctionRemember this? It's the beginning of a shawl that I started early in 2007 as a special fundraiser. It was still on the needles, which were tucked under the basket in this photo, to show off the Blue Moon yarn. Shortly after taking this photo of the half-done shawl, I sent it on to Lisa Louie in Maui, to finish up:Now it is finished, and ...as promised, the

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-48312355278930431562008-01-05T23:41:00.000-08:002008-01-06T16:09:18.081-08:00

I Think I Have AnthraxPerhaps that is a slight exaggeration. But it is not a good thing when you look at the prescription and you realize it is the very same antibiotic used to treat anthrax.It is also not a good thing, when the doctor looks up inside your nose and says, "Oh, my."But that is what she said, when my husband dragged me to the after-hours clinic today. I was hoping to tough it out,

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-67706003275073645722007-12-31T23:08:00.000-08:002007-12-31T21:37:11.485-08:00

Into 2008I am starting to believe in the power of publishing one's New Year's resolutions for all of one's blog readers to see. My top resolution for 2007 was:"Do everything within my own personal power to make 2007 not suck."Toward that end, I managed to at least face, if not conquer, most of the resolutions on last year's list, and indeed, 2007 sucked a great deal less than 2006. Going back to

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-30187124986964598372007-12-24T22:27:00.000-08:002007-12-26T10:13:48.689-08:00

Okay. I'll Wear The Hat.But You Will Pay."Okay. I will wear this stupid, ratty, Santa Claws hat. I will wear it for exactly fifteen seconds and then I will try to shred it, as many cats before me have attempted, ever since you knitted it in a moment of cabernet-induced inspiration. Even cats know that you should never actually do something if you think it is a good idea when you are drinking.....

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-59122504148787485412007-12-17T23:12:00.000-08:002007-12-18T23:20:08.154-08:00

Beware the UnaknitterI didn't do it on purpose. It really wasn't my fault that Mr. C., the nice post office counter man, the man who has competently taken charge of my packages for more years than I can remember, the man to whom I entrust the timely management of my birthday cards and insurance payments ... no, it wasn't really my fault that Mr. C. was looking at me strangely in the post office

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-40907903058506171422007-12-15T00:21:00.000-08:002007-12-15T00:25:57.493-08:00

Knitting Asylum Yarns at the Baton Rouge Arts MarketI'll be selling yarn and spinning at the Arts Market again today -- Saturday December 18 -- from 8am till noon. Corner Fifth and Main in Downtown Baton Rouge, in conjunction with the Farmer's Market. Read two posts back for details! The previous post about Apple Leef Farm is new, so be sure to read it if you haven't checked in for a few days.

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-83300832429934658022007-12-13T12:31:00.000-08:002007-12-14T08:04:30.012-08:00

A Way-Too-Short Weekend at Apple Leef FarmThis post is a wee tad on the picture-heavy side, so I apologize to those of you with dial-up service. Go make a cup of coffee while it downloads, and come back when you're ready. You can click on all the pictures to make them larger.All done? Good.Something tells me that y'all would like to see these featherweight, hand-dyed, felted, wool stoles live and

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-31097516896162211312007-12-04T16:06:00.000-08:002007-12-05T06:55:17.376-08:00

Knitting Asylum Yarns at theBaton Rouge Arts Market!For all of you local knitters and crocheters -- I will be spinning and selling handspun, hand-dyed yarn at the Baton Rouge Arts Market on Saturdays this December. The Arts Market ordinarily takes place the first Saturday of each month, but during December, the market is open every Saturday for holiday shoppers.The Arts Market operates

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-44552575328323121002007-12-03T23:11:00.000-08:002007-12-05T07:05:30.850-08:00

The Fate of the Free World Is At StakeJust in case any of y'all are nervous about getting on an airplane anytime soon, I want you to know that before my little jaunt began last weekend, I made a ruthless assessment of those items known to present the greatest threat to public safety, namely:Toilet articles greater than three ounces in size. And not only did I assess these items based on the

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-44947888455713922322007-11-25T23:11:00.000-08:002007-11-26T10:16:47.555-08:00

Knit On, GailIt's the end of Thanksgiving week, and, in the blogging community, it has become customary, among those of us who post our thoughts for the world to read, to make a public account of the things we're glad for. I am glad to have known Gail McHugh. And I am so deeply sorry that I never got to meet her in person. It's amazing and wonderful that through this astounding thing called the

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-60982431538354847962007-11-17T11:59:00.000-08:002007-11-18T01:04:46.906-08:00

WhuppedI am whupped. I've just done two things I absolutely hate doing: 1. Going to the mall2. Buying brasSo, in a little while I need to spin this......to take the edge off.But in the meantime I will tell you about my Saturday morning.I really hate the mall, but buying a good bra presents a dilemma. It's one thing to pop yourself into a racer-back spandex sports bra from Target before you throw

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-48326336126755702942007-11-12T01:48:00.000-08:002007-11-12T10:08:44.835-08:00

Non-Sequitur Sunday:A Funeral, Trains and YarnThis has been a tiresome and disappointing week. Dave and I lost a dear old friend, Louis Jennings, father of one of our dearest friends, Simon, who is no longer with us, either. We went to the funeral on Friday. Louie was 86 years old and had been married to his high school sweetheart since right after World War Two, in which he served as a signal

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-80192216566735087442007-10-30T23:18:00.000-07:002007-11-01T12:09:39.277-07:00

Spinning on All HallowsThere are some forces on this earth far older than written language, far older than any religion, older than mankind's ability to reckon by the stars and tell tales by the fire, older even than the first creatures to mate and migrate according to these ancient rhythmns.The ebb and flow of the seasons is something acknowledged at the primordial level within each of us,

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-84367252008341655602007-10-29T22:58:00.000-07:002007-10-29T20:58:04.371-07:00

Pink is for HealthyI've started, and deleted, this post half a dozen times -- and there's just no easy way to begin.My cousin Pam has been diagnosed with metastatic lung cancer. Although she has complained of extreme fatigue and upset stomach for some months, her doctor attributed those symptoms to general stress. She's a busy woman, what with her landscaping work and helping to manage a

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-65250502166584218782007-10-15T08:18:00.000-07:002007-10-15T15:16:21.347-07:00

Mystery WheelI stopped at an estate sale one day this fine weekend and what did I see for sale but this -- click on the picture to make it larger and see the details: This is a spinning wheel of considerable vintage. Likely pre-Victorian. It came from the estate of a couple who collected antiques from Europe and the British Isles.The estate sale managers were trying to sell the wheel itself and

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-66971076418306174542007-10-07T21:16:00.000-07:002007-10-08T11:53:56.247-07:00

The Early Bird Gets To Frog.Y'all, I am a day person and all that, but this business of garage sales, of getting up at 4:30am so you can be fully caffeinated and have all your battered paperback novels, old clothes and other craptastic junk laid out in time for the early birds who descend upon your merchandise at Moslem dawn (the moment a black thread can be distinguished from a white one, when

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-59044892841453125242007-10-06T04:37:00.000-07:002007-10-06T16:40:28.096-07:00

This ......is Jigsaw, and this is why I was carrying on about finishitis and shawls the other night, because she had to spend the night at the vet after having a tumor removed from her back, and a long-overdue blog update was the best possible way to distract me from climbing the walls for awhile.I found a lump on Jigsaw's back last week. She was scheduled for surgery the other day. We are

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-81021403563015768982007-10-03T22:11:00.000-07:002007-10-04T08:06:21.794-07:00

Finishitis.One of the side effects of startitis is that eventually, I do have an attack of finishitis. In between, I may not have a whole lot of knitting to report, except maybe for the occasional pair of socks or a hat. But then all of a sudden a whole bunch of things start lining themselves up to be finished and present themselves for admiration, more or less at once.Still, I don't seem to make

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-70751306153757763132007-09-20T23:26:00.000-07:002007-09-21T20:32:23.211-07:00

A Quickie With the Yarn HarlotNew Orleans is certainly the only city in the United States where two women can stroll into the front door of a tourist shop, thrust a sock-in-progress into the gaping jaws of a full-grown stuffed alligator, and take photos without the shopkeeper so much as asking a question, thinking it the slightest bit strange, or getting up off his stool.And not just any sock,

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-91531517120179946702007-09-19T08:31:00.000-07:002007-09-19T08:37:32.855-07:00

UNDER CONSTRUCTIONI have a post in progress to document the Yarn Harlot's Trip to New Orleans. However, I am backed up on work today, as I took Monday off to "tour and chauffer." It was an honor and huge fun at once. Stay tuned while I write about her keen insight into Katrina-related issues, her observations of local flora, and the fact that she took pictures of her coffee.

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-13045007390444857392007-09-14T21:08:00.001-07:002007-09-14T21:09:10.075-07:00

Slacker.I have been a blog slacker the last couple of weeks, and for that I apologize. It's not that I wanted to neglect my dear readers. I've just run out of gas. I'm sure it's happened to you. Days when a flamethrower couldn't light a fire under your butt. Like the times when you want to pour yourself a nice cup of coffee and plant yourself in a comfy chair and phone an old friend for a nice,

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-33102229305212985112007-08-29T23:28:00.000-07:002007-09-02T00:03:13.071-07:00

Knit 2, Post-KTwo years ago today, Hurricane Katrina tore through the city of New Orleans and the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Today, we take a break from our regularly scheduled knitting for a brief culture report -- the good, the bad and the ugly:Scads of our people still are living in trailers in our front yards. Our insurance companies screwed us over, we've run out of savings and now it's either

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-49068374109321066222007-08-19T10:05:00.000-07:002007-08-19T19:32:34.662-07:00

Sunday is for SpinningHurricane Dean seems to have plans for visiting its wrath on Jamaica and Mexico instead of our general area, which allows me to put local disaster planning on the back burner for just a moment and show you all a picture of the delightful hand-dyed pencil roving sample that Ray of KNITIVITY was nice enough to send me last week: Ain't it purty? This was dyed using a sampling

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-24222157401886577502007-08-17T23:40:00.000-07:002007-08-17T21:07:04.689-07:00

Why I Knit by Lisa LouieDear-Readers: Hurricane Dean is nosing into the Gulf of Mexico and Mambocat must spend some time in contact with animal rescue folks in the event this storm heads our way. My co-conspirator in yarnly matters, Lisa Louie of Maui, guest-blogs today. This post was written before school let out for the summer....Several years ago, an on-line survey asked the question “Why

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-57751844949149936512007-08-12T17:10:00.000-07:002007-08-13T00:52:38.080-07:00

104Y'all, it is hot. It was a hundred and four degrees Fahrenheit yesterday afternoon. It was 84 degrees at two in the a.m. when I woke up and had myself a good dose of insomnia, and it's 101 right now.It's the kind of hot that makes you seriously contemplate whatever posessed your ancestors to settle here. Me? I'm convinced that my own ancestors arrived in October and made their decision based

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-57058410288272403592007-08-05T22:03:00.000-07:002007-08-06T00:14:49.310-07:00

To Market, To MarketI've been keeping a secret.I have long yearned to have a yarn shop. And I have also long struggled against any notion to abandon or diminish my career in animal welfare.I do hope to be able to retire someday, and to feel satisfied that I have done my part in the world of animal welfare. And I often entertain the idea of opening a yarn shop at that point in time, if I can

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-31589521615513215842007-07-26T23:12:00.000-07:002007-07-27T08:59:54.375-07:00

Canned SheepSome people don't believe in Kismet (or serendipity, if you prefer a more elegant word).But I do.How else do I account for another spinning wheel coming into my life in almost the exact same way that my first wheel found me and made me buy it? And only a matter of weeks after I told the story of my original wheel in my May 29 post? Once again, I was not shopping for a wheel. I was

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-36367381579263446982007-07-23T12:49:00.000-07:002007-07-24T12:17:02.118-07:00

Cats, Tornadoes and Time ManagementSome random things from this week: Tessie, our eldest cat, she of the achy joints and great fondness for all things soft and warm, loves her new, felted pad. You can make one for your cat, too -- my Critter Cozy pattern is just a few posts back, on July 4, 2007.On Thursday, I took a weekday off to visit my Mom in New Orleans, and while I was there, a storm front

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-64149191777493237672007-07-15T22:48:00.000-07:002007-07-16T20:25:54.900-07:00

Hello ... Seattle? We have your weather, and we're not giving it back.Some Sunday mornings start out with a good, long, lazy sleep-in, to the tune of rain hammering on the roof:And when the rain stopped, I went to the door, bracing myself for a blast of superheated, humid air.But it wasn't there.I looked everywhere: in the garden, under my car, in the mailbox. But July in Baton Rouge was nowhere

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-36321787427585751242007-07-04T23:19:00.000-07:002007-07-07T22:35:21.883-07:00

Tuffet for TessieTessie is our eldest cat, nineteen years old that we know of. She was a young adult cat when she came into our lives. Lately she spends most of her time in the position you see here, as she poses with the materials for her half-done nap cozy -- curled up, usually sound asleep. Prodigious napping is appropriate for a girl her age; in human years, she's somewhere between

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-16116304276773785952007-07-01T22:18:00.000-07:002007-07-01T22:42:18.900-07:00

Happy Canada Day!Today, I want to wish a happy Canada Day to my Canadian readers, eh?Thank you, Canada, for Koigu, Neil Young, Patons, maple syrup, real beer, and many other Canadian exports, including Cajuns.Thank you for setting an example for human dignity. And thank you, Canada, for Canadians. Great folks, all.--Mambocat

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-44676409984208022222007-06-20T12:01:00.000-07:002007-06-20T16:26:02.707-07:00

Meanwhile ...3,978 Miles Southeast of Dutch Harbor...Captain Dave, Deck Boss Dez and the crew of the Brown Plaid Couch are tuning up all available weather channels and practicing our foul-weather skills by eating microwave popcorn and sitting anxiously in front of the TV, watching "Deadliest Catch" and flipping to the Weather Channel on commercial breaks to see if a giant, pulsating, red blob has

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-45925533214594163542007-06-17T18:18:00.000-07:002007-06-17T16:22:29.432-07:00

Smoke. Sheep. Spinning ... and Non Sequitur Sunday,AgainSo ... where was I? This past week has been so off-kilter at my office, I've lost track of myself. Catching up... here's the intermediate result of some Kool-Aid dyeing I did last Sunday evening ...Intermediate, because all of the reddish yarns are singles, space-dyed and waiting to be plied. I'm saving the details on these for when I post

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-78401268406768953792007-06-08T12:24:00.000-07:002007-06-08T16:38:59.117-07:00

Voodoo Shawl Update: Maui Style Lisa Louie guest-blogs today from Maui, and gives us an update on the Voodoo Shawl's progress. Lisa is test-knitting the pattern before it is offered for sale. The protoptype Voodoo Shawl will be auctioned off soon to benefit an American Buddhist monastery, in memory of designer Lily Chin's mother and sister. If you're a new reader; I designed the pattern and knit

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-6619814704492514612007-05-29T20:54:00.000-07:002007-05-30T08:25:50.926-07:00

You and me, CassidyThis is Cassidy. She is a venerable, upright Thumbelina wheel. I bought her second-hand from Hazel Davis, the master spinner and weaver who helped me learn how to spin about 15 years ago. Hazel had purchased it new, in the late 1960s or early 1970s. I had my first brush with spinning way back when I was in college. To earn extra money, I knitted chainmail for stage props, and

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-78445004072655158172007-05-16T23:21:00.000-07:002007-05-23T10:56:36.586-07:00

"Hello, Mr. Falwell, and welcome to the afterlife! We're from the wardrobe department." I'm really glad I'm not Jerry Falwell today.Not only am I grateful in the sense that I am still here, and not dead, but I'm grateful that I'm not having to deal with a tough room at American Airlines Heavenly Gate B-14.I suspect that there are a lot of angry dead people waiting to have a word with Jerry

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-77673131755337221152007-05-09T21:34:00.000-07:002007-05-10T09:44:34.059-07:00

Nebulous I've been pondering the stunning colorway of Ray Whiting's new "Carina" yarn, inspired by the Carina Nebula, and available on his web store, Knitivity. Right up front I have to admit that I am beyond admiration. I deeply and profoundly envy (but in a good way) Ray's skill with capturing color in the dyepot:I knit seriously. I spin seriously. But with dye? I am on the same skill level as

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749086.post-20834440972020012022007-05-06T23:17:00.000-07:002007-05-07T10:25:34.846-07:00

Non Sequitur SundayMy writing mojo is away on spring break, so here are some thoughts for today, in no particular order or relation to one another whatsoever.Random Cat Photo:"Hello, my name is Seven. I am three years old. When I am not busy looking fetching in my fur tuxedo, I am an Assistant Yarn Manager here at the Knitting Asylum, and I am the chief engineer in charge of Needle

Dez Crawfordnoreply@blogger.com6