Wish List, Birthday 2011

Yeah, so you're going to have to wait for the trip report from August. Life has been busy. And today is one week before the big four-oh for me, so it's time for a birthday wish list. Yippee!

• Madeline Tosh yarn - any, all. [link]
• The new edition of Maggie Righetti's Sweater Design in Plain English. [link]
• Anything from my Etsy wish list - Seriously? There are amazing things over there! [link] 
• Rainboots - rain is forecast all week long, and I threw out my leaking boots in the spring. I'm between Bogs, which Isobel has and loves, and some Hunter boots. Any advice would be much appreciated.
• A job and some clothes to wear to it. I applied for the Director of Communications position at the kids' school and have had occasional work wardrobe fantasies ever since, mostly J. Crew.
• Bill Cunningham New York - this documentary was so delightful, and it's being released on my birthday. [link]
• Pampering - massage, manicure, pedicure, stuff like that. Sadly, I don't really know where to go in the city (ridiculous, I know), since all the well-known ones seem very spendy. I feel like there must be secret, cool places that don't charge and arm and a leg to work on your arms and legs. I'm probably delusional.
• A new laundry basket, preferably not plastic. I know. But I'm a Virgo, and mine is falling apart. And nice tools make the job slightly less onerous. There is a gorgeous Shaker one... [link]
• Wolff cage-bottom dress form - there's one in my Etsy wish list for $1400, which is crazy (crazier than a $100 laundry basket, even), but there must be a way for me to get one of these here in New York City...
• A new bike - not sure which one, though. Actually, I'd love a Vespa, since this is a *wish* list, but it's extremely impractical with the little ones. Maybe in ten years - then I could be the cool mom dropping Penelope off at her new high school. (OMG, panic attack.)
• Whatever one needs to run away with one's husband for a romantic weekend in Paris (in early November).
• A sleeve for my laptop. I like the Moleskine one but feel it's too cheap (plastic) for the price. So, something cool but, you know, not flimsy. [link]
• Alternatively, a new computer/laptop bag that can also hold my DSLR. The one I have is a Timbuk2, and it's fine, but sometimes you want something new, especially when you're wishing. Maybe an Epiphanie? Clover or Paris, but I hesitate over the braided handle or studding - not really me, but maybe I'd like it. [link]
• Macarons. Love them. Laduree just opened an outpost on the UES. I'm sure they will be featured on Gossip Girl in a matter of weeks. [link]

I'm sure I could come up with more cool, fun (OK, a laundry basket isn't exactly fun. For you.) things, but there is much laundry (see!) to be done to get ready for the first day of school tomorrow.

Wish List, Winter 2010

Sorry for being offline for so long, but I've been busy knitting stuff for the kids' school craft fair, throwing Isobel's birthday party, traveling to Chicago for Thanksgiving, and the usual parenting duties. I'm hoping to get back to the Twitter sweater, but it's definitely not happening for the Marvelous Mohair competition, which kind of takes a load off my back.

It's that time of year again, time to answer all those people wanting to shower you with gifts. Hehe. But, seriously, I always have fun thinking about the lovely things that are out in the world. Here are a few I'm hoping for...

• Knitpicks Options Zephyr set [link]
• madeline tosh yarn (ANY kind, ANY color, ANY amount!) or the Magnolia Society yarn club (hopefully sign-ups for the next go-round will open soon - which color family? how to choose?! probably jewels, but they are all gorgeous) or a gift certificate to an LYS (Loopy Yarns in Chicago, Three Bags Full in Northbrook, Knitty City in Manhattan, and Purl Diva in Brunswick all carry tosh yarns - hint hint) [link]
• Cloak Bag for my DSLR, which will encourage me to take it out more (I hope) [link]
• Anthology: Living with Substance & Style - a new PRINT magazine! There are so few good ones left (I still miss you, Domino and Blueprint!), that I'd love to support this new one [link]
• Some Spun-Outs, especially SO5 Bohus Yoke Sweater; SO7 Sweaters, Neck-down; SO49 Saddle-Shoulder Aran Sweater; and SO29 Bavarian Jacket [link]
• Ork Posters (screen prints for preference), especially Manhattan on orange butcher paper, Boston Blue [link]
• Jo Malone cologne set or 154 [link or link]
• lots of stuff on my Amazon Wish List [link]
• and, of course, my Etsy Favorites List - crafters of the world, unite! [link]

Wish List, Winter 2009

What's on your wish list this year? Oh, in addition to the little list below, I'd like peace, universal health care worth having, meaningful work for those who don't have it, and a new season of Project Runway or The Rachel Zoe Project. What? A girl can dream.

• Backup for my digital life (all of it - 1 TB!)
• Perhaps a new interchangeable needle set -- there are lots to choose from these days. This one from WEBS comes in such a pretty case, and, of course, there are the Knitpicks Options sets (metal/the original Options , wood/Harmony, or acrylic/Zephyr). I like that the set from WEBS will have a US3 needle, since I tend to knit yarns on the finer side these days. There is also the HiyaHiya Interchangeable set, though it's not available for purchase at this time -- perhaps they underestimated the demand for a high-quality set. Usually I'm not that keen on metal needles, but I liked the brushed finish on the lightweight steel tips from HiyaHiya.
• Oh, anything and everything from my Etsy Wish List. I just love Etsy, despite Germaine Greer's tirade against handmade gifts in the Guardian a couple of days ago.
• A silicone basting brush -- my current "dishwasher safe" one keeps losing bristles, making it clear that it is not, in fact, dishwasher safe.
• A job, ideally the one I interviewed for last week. It's a design position with the university. The people seemed nice and cool and have a similar design and work philosophy. Plus the office is about halfway between home and the kids' school. Good work, good people, good location, good benefits: All around a really good fit, if they like me.
• A case for my camera (Nikon D80) -- it's pretty heavy to lug in my purse, and it deserves a little more protection.
• Lovelies from past wish lists, like Scilla, a C pin from Leslie Wind, a Mermaid blanket, or some ORK posters

2009 Birthday Wish List

It's time for my semi-annual wish list, since my birthday is a little over a week away (the other one is at Christmas-time)! What has caught my eye this summer? In no particular order...

A job! Modestly lucrative pay, meaningful work, a chance to talk to other grownups about something besides the kids. Sometimes I think that's just a fantasy. I know, work is ... work, and I'm contributing to society by doing my best to raise strong yet sensitive children, but I am capable of more.

Twist Tote - looks like a great project bag

Still crazy about the Scilla cardigan kit from Solveig Hisdal (select Bohus Stickning, then scroll down about half way) - blue for the main color, of course!

Knitpicks stuff: some options needles perhaps (the new Zephyr tips look neat, and I'm often partial to warm and lightweight plastic/acrylic like my Bryspuns), blocking tiles, maybe even a new ballwinder. A Knitpicks gift certificate would work, too ;)

iPhone - I go round and round on whether I really want to join the 21st century and be able to get online anywhere. It's really a blessing and a curse, isn't it? I read something recently that people get a little endorphin rush every time they get a message, and it's addictive. Hence all those people Driving While Texting (DWT). Right now I just have a pretty lame cameraphone, which is OK. Plus, I'm a Verizon customer, and there are rumors Apple will partner with them soon, since AT&T is dropping calls left and right with their overloaded system. Maybe I'll wait.

Some new clothes, probably J.Crew. When I get a job I will definitely need some clothes, since most of mine are three years old or so (anybody want some maternity clothes?), and I purged much of my wardrobe when the Gloucester house sold. Actually, what I'd really like is a cool, eclectic wardrobe of clothes from etsy. I am always amazed by all the creative things people are producing over there.

A remote for my digital camera, so I can stage my own photo shoots :) I'm also thinking of doing a Self-Portrait 365 starting on my birthday. I hope it will improve my knowledge of my camera. My class with Franklin reminded me to, you know, actually use the various functions on my camera and experiment, not just leave it on "Auto".

Still keen on the Ork Posters: Boston (blue screen print), Chicago (white on black screen print), Great Lakes (clear blue print), and of course Manhattan (butcher paper orange - how cool). Once a graphic designer, always a graphic designer, I guess.

A Mermaid Napper blanket from Nan Kennedy/Sea Colors. I met Nan at the Bath Farmer's Market (and had missed meeting her a few years ago at a Sea Colors trunk show at Yarns in the Farms) and had a great time talking with her and admiring her woolly wares (solar-dyed yarn, sweaters produced by Maine knitters with seaglass buttons - want some of those! -, tasty lamb chops, and these blankets). Wedgwood or Mermint are my favorite colorways, of course.

Barbara Walker's Fourth Treasury (the green one) - I used to dismiss this one, but as I've delved deeper into knitwear design, I see that there is more wisdom in there that I could benefit from, beyond just plugging stitch patterns into existing shapes.

Yarn yarn yarn. Although I did acquire two skeins of Swan Island Certified Organic Merino Fingering weight in Robin's Egg before leaving Maine for the summer. It's the stash pet of the moment, while I figure out a worthy project for this yarn. And yarn came home with me from Wisconsin. But you always need more yarn, right?

Wish List, Winter 2008

E.T.A. This was dated incorrectly, and I'd forgotten about Ork Posters!

I don't know why I have such fun making these lists, but I do. What do you want this season?

Pretty pearl drop earrings - they remind me of a pair Nick gave me years ago

This pretty clutch from Red Ruby Rose embroidery, silk, nickel clasp - all things I like

I am still longing for Scilla (under Bohus Stickning)

Silk (again with the silk!) Circus dress and one of Desira's Bow belts - I'm thinking of an all-etsy wardrobe for the coming year. Not truly possible with my need for Lucky jeans and all, but fun to imagine.

Silver Wellies 'nuf said

Yarn, yarn, yarn

T I M E Time to knit, write, sleep, design those patterns in my head, play with my kids

a baby who sleeps some of the time

remote for my camera

blocking board - not really sure what kind but some surface for blocking

sewing stuff - I'm getting (have gotten, actually; the box is in the laundry room) a sewing machine for Christmas, so if you have any recommendations on books or blogs or websites, please let me know. My mom taught me to sew when I was little, so I hope it comes back to me, though I should probably find a class to refresh my memory.

Starbucks card since I'm too cheap to treat myself very often (except when I'm visiting my parents 'cause there's a Starbucks drive-thru near their house - love it!)

fabulous laptop case - why is it sold out?!?

the Domino book

an ork poster (or three) - the pale blue Boston one, the Great Lakes one, the orange butcher paper Manhattan (how cool is that substrate?), the white on black Chicago - so many to choose from

Wish List

It's almost that time of year again - my birthday is next Saturday (lucky 13) - so I'm making my wish list again. Of course I don't need any of this, as I have quite a lot of yarn in the stash to knit up, but you know how we knitters are, always thinking about the next project. Just a few fun things that I've been eyeing in my travels in the world and on the web...

Lobster Pot Yarns Whale of a Skein (2) to make a super-yummy sweater - Boiled Lobster, Salt Rose, Cape Sky, or Shoreline Heather are my faves (other lovely LYSes carry this yarn, too, but Purl Soho has them to see online, and we all like to see don't we)

"C" pin (near the bottom) in silver from the talented Leslie Wind (Leslie lives in Gloucester!)

Scilla cardigan kit (under Bohus Stickning) with blue main color from Solveig Gustaffsson

kitchen scales - not sure which kind but one that does grams and small increments, like a drug scale

Sharon Miller's Heirloom Knitting and the Special Offer means I could choose one of Sharon's other patterns, too, like the Dove Shawl - some say this is the definitive lace book

Christmas is coming

In an attempt to get some stuff out of my head, here's a partial list...

russell + hazel Gift set binder deal for organizing patterns and whatnot in light blue, of course

Vogue Stitchionaries and/or Nicky Epstein's Edge series

cable hoodie from Old Navy (already have the tan one) (and the navy one!)

Bobbi Brown Lip Tints - yummy peppermint and SPF15!

Dogeared necklace - not sure which one (a silver pixie with rock crystal or pearl, silver pearl reminder necklace, silver teeny star or wishbone Make a Wish necklace or a Healing Gem necklace - see, hard to choose!)

Starbucks gift card 'cause I won't go buy a Peppermint Mocha on my own dime

Moleskine date book

Dream slippers from J.Crew in surprise! Glacier

YARN! (Yarntini, Sheep Shop, Malabrigo, Claudia Handpaints worsted, Lobster Pot two whale of a skeins in rose or hydrangea or cape sky for a sweater, DB Alpaca Silk, Alchemy, sKnitches Breath Mint, Nest Egg, or Collegiate)

Knitting Notions (Bryspun needles, black sheep tape measure)

digital kitchen scale - Soehnle, no idea which one

cast iron griddle/grill pan that flips sides and covers two burners

Merrell funky sneakers in Stone Blue, of course

The Adventures of Baron von Munchausen on DVD

drop spindle

ear light (like one of those bluetooth ear things for your cellphone but a light to knit by in the dark)

Peppermint Bark (I do make my own, but I'll always take more)

from Lush: honey trap lip balm, big blue bath ballistic, dreamtime bath melt, dream cream, skinny dip shower gel (discontinued, but a girl can dare to dream)

wireless jobby for Tivo so it can be on the home network (be still, my heart)

Netflix - like the Starbucks thing, I don't know why I won't do it myself