i might be wrong

CIMG3531.jpg, originally uploaded by digitaltammi.

This blanket is for a couple of co-workers who are having their first child. They're having a boy. Some may consider my choice of yarn to be a bit "girly" but I think it'll be fine. The mom likes purple and this yarn has a lot of purple. I've had the yarn for about 2 years. It was purchased in New Orleans from a yarn shop on Magazine Street. Unfortunately, I only bought one 500 yard skein. I thought it would be enough to finish the blanket, but I was wrong. As you can see from the photo, I ran out of yarn with about a quarter of the blanket left to knit. It's bad enough the blanket is a bit on the small side.

Yes, it looks like I ran out of yarn and this color change was not intentional, but I do still like how it's turning out. I've started to knit these guys a blanket 4 times and I don't have the heart to tear it all out again. I do hope they like it. I plan to stretch it out a bit in the blocking. Right now it's 24 x 24 and I hope to get another inch out of blocking.

No matter. Babies are small. It'll be fine.

The pattern is from Lion Brand and it's called the Baby Love Diagonal Blanket. It really knits quickly. I recommend the pattern for last minute baby gifts. First you cast on 5 stitches and increase a stitch on every row until you have about 200 stitches, then you decrease a stitch every row. The rows come out diagonally and it looks pretty cool. Quick and easy. I just found out that my twin cousins both have children now. One had a kid 5 months ago, the other just 2 days ago. Add that to the two other co-workers having babies in December and I've got a lot of work ahead of me.

The Yarn Company
This was the first yarn shop I ever visited after learning to knit over 2 years ago. I met and fell in love with Manos del Uruguay hand spun and hand dyed yarns. Bought a pretty rusty hued yarn and made my first scarf that was way too long, but I love it anyway. I also made my first overboard purchase of yarn at The Yarn Tree. I spent a fortune on 3 types of yarn needed to make a poncho, which I never wore because it reminded me too much of a blanket. I still have the poncho and plan to take it out and make something else with the yarn one of these days.

The Yarn Tree
Favorite yarn shop in Brooklyn. I often go there after brunch with Clay when we're planning to sit around Spike Hill for a few rounds when we're hanging out in Williamsburg. The shop is owned by a woman named Linda and it's more than just a yarn shop. Linda teaches spinning, weaving and felting, among other things. I like Linda. I second time I visited The Yarn Tree I asked her why she doesn't carry Skacel Addi Turbo needles and she told me, "It's my shop and I don't like those needles so I don't carry them." Now that could have rubbed some people the wrong way, but you know what, she's right. If I had my own shop I'd probably not carry things I don't like (like acrylic yarn or other unnatural fibers).

String
Recent discovery. Last I'd heard, this shop was uptown in the east 70's, but one day I was walking from running class along 82nd Street between Park and Lexington and there it was. I'd heard this shop carried beautiful luxury yarns that I probably shouldn't buy because they're so expensive. Yeah, it was all true. They carry cashmere, luxury merino and even qiviut ($85 a skein!). I recently bought a yarn called Kersti by Koigu that is a little less expensive than Koigu's Painter's Palette. It knits up beautifully and it is oh so soft and very luxurious. I'm making a baby blanket for a couple of friends who are due in December. I will certainly buy more of this yarn from String.

The women who work there are very nice and I found them helpful when trying to choose colors. I can be a retard when it comes to picking colors that work well together so I always appreciated when people are ready to help. I was disappointed that they don't sell the store patterns unless you buy the yarn. Yes, I know a lot of shops do this, but buying the yarn for the pretty sweater they have hanging in the cash register area would cost a small fortune (Looked like cashmere to me). I'd love to have the pattern but make it with a cheaper yarn. They do have a knitting pattern of the month club that costs $135 a year.

Knit New York
I love this place. It's near my office. They have Balthazar's pastries and good unsweetened iced tea. The yarn selection isn't very exciting, but it'll do. They carry Koigu, Manos, Noro, Debbie Bliss, Cascade. The old standards. Nothing to complain about that. There just isn't anything unusual there. Nothing I absolutely have to have (which could be a good thing), but they have what I need. They do have a pretty good 20% off bin that sometimes has some cool stuff. This is another place I have been known to over spend. I once bought some Lickety Split bulky from Alchemy yarns because I liked the sweater I saw hanging in the window. I made the sweater but didn't like how it turned out. I thought the fit was too tight. I only wore the sweater once. Who knows, maybe it fits better now that I've lost weight. It was fun making the sweater and the yarn lived up to its name.

The Point
Another knitting cafe. They're selection is similar to Knit New York. I don't know where they get their pastries because I haven't had them, but the cappacino is pretty good there. In addition to yarn, The Point sells Crystal Palace needles (which I like) and neat knitting bags for carrying projects.

purl
purl is pretty. It is the prettiest yarn shop in New York. They have a great selection. Habu Textiles. Classic Elite Yarns. Blue Sky Alpacas. Louet. Rowan. It's all here. They've got my addi turbo needles. They've got a good selection of knitting books, including Last Minute Hand Knit Gifts, by one of the shop's owners. The prices here are not cheap, but they do carry quality yarns. Their website does have a sale section. Right now, Classic Elite's Forbidden in 100% cashmere is on sale for $30 down from $50 (for a 65 yard skein). Man, that is some expensive yarn, but you know I'm eyeing it in Natural or Marled Seagrass.

Downtown Yarns
I discovered this shop on my way to meet Clay at Croxley Ales. It's a small shop that carries some of the usual suspects. Looking for Brown Sheep yarn? They've got every color at Downtown Yarns. They also carry Blue Sky Alpacas, Berocco, Classic Elite, Rowan, Koigu, Noro, and Schaeffer. As a matter of fact, I first encountered Shaeffer at Downtown Yarns. I added a giant skein of a blue and gold colored yarn to my stash. Of course I have yet to use it. And let's not forget the Filatura Di Crosa I bought in a nice chocolate brown with yellow and orange accents.

This article in today's New York Times is a little scary, though it isn't at all surprising. Apparently, smoggy and sooty air damages the lungs. The damage is also long term.

According to a study in The New England Journal of Medcine:
'

'A study that used the mass of data included in the Women’s Health Initiative found that women who lived in communities with relatively high levels of air pollution in the forms of tiny particles — aka soot — were far more likely to die because of heart attacks than women who lived in cleaner air."

If New York and other big cities around the country continue to ignore the pollution problems caused by too many cars and buses on the roads, then we are doomed. I've never participated in a Critical Mass ride, but reading this article makes me want to add it to my schedule on a monthly.

I was on the fence about Bloomberg's congestion pricing plan because I was worried about the impact on drivers from the boroughs and how it would affect the subways. Would the system be able to accommodate more riders? How would working class people be able to afford the fee?

But now, I think a better anti-congestion plan would be to remove a lane of traffic from all the main avenues and streets in Manhattan and the boroughs. Turn that lane into the bike lane, but put in a concrete divider to keep the riders away from traffic. Since there will be less lanes of traffic, people might be less likely to drive. Since there would be a dedicated and safe bike lane protected from moving traffic, then maybe people would bike more.

I don't know it it'll work, but we should try it. The mayor should try to get funding for this type of plan.

koigu kersti, originally uploaded by digitaltammi.

I think I may have mentioned that I have a few pregnant friends due in December. I just started this blanket for one couple. I'm using the Big Bad Baby Blanket pattern from the first Stitch and Bitch book. I've made this blanket before and loved how it turned out. Instead of using Koigu's Painter's Palette yarn, I went with Koigu Kersti, a new discovery. I love this yarn. It's so soft and the colors are very pretty. It's also got a very nice hand since it's 100% merino.

I'm running in my 10th race this year tomorrow morning. I'm hoping to do this 10K race through Central Park in an hour or less. I have never been faster than 1:09 in a 10K and was really disappointed in my performance in the Scotland Run. I hope to redeem myself tomorrow morning.

Joining me for this race will be Alex and Deb. Alex has really been training. He's been at sub-8-minute pace and hopes to do this race in 50 minutes. I really hope he meets his goal. I'm not sure if Deb has a goal for this one. She's a veteran marathoner and is pretty fast. She beat me in the last 5K we ran together.

I really hope I don't just give up out there. There is always a point in 10K races that I just think to myself that it's just too long and it's never going to be over. I slow down and eventually stop to walk. Then I get frustrated and tell myself I don't care about that time — that I just want to finish. But then I'm demoralized and pissed at myself when I don't meet the time goal I had in my head. I really hope I can keep my head in the game, run fast, fill the spaces and just go as fast as I can for 6.2 miles. One hour or less!

Note to self: Dropping out of a race for no good reason feels shitty.

I didn't finish my race on Saturday because "I didn't feel like running". How lame. I will not do that again. As it stands now I will be in a bit of trouble for the half marathon because I've not run further than 5 miles since my last race in June.

On a happier note, Alex managed to run the race in about 49:47 minutes. He achieved his goal. Deb ran it in about 58:12 minutes. Very good times from both of them.

I'm supposed to run in the Run for Central Park this coming Friday. I don't think Clay will let me ditch out on this one.

Yay!

Clay asked me to marry him... five years from the day we first met (July 17th). After the shock, I said yes, OF COURSE! I am over the moon right now. I love this man and I can't wait to marry him.