Flour + Egg = Magic

Would you believe me if I told you that I made pasta? No? Wow, I'm not sure what to think now...but it's true, babies! I swear, it's some kind of alchemy, it is! Here's some pics, though I don't think they technically constitute proof: In other news:

• Yes, my brother got married.
• Yes, I am still working on the Shipwreck Shawl. I am working on Section 7, where you add the beads. See proof here:
• Yes, this is also proof that I have screwed this pattern up in more ways that would be considered possible by most humans.
• Yes, my BFF and I got sick on something from AQ Kafe (I would not normally mention this sort of thing, but the last time I went, my colleague got sick. 2 outta 2 is two times too many. Oh, and the service sucks, too.).
• Yes, the kittens are getting bigger and are suffering from excessive cuteness. See proof:
• Yes, I have fallen off the weightwatcher wagon and am miserable over the added lard. No proof needed.
• Yes, I have been spending time at Brooklyn's amazing Green-Wood Cemetary. See proof:
• Yes, my ravelry queue is now longer than I could complete in a lifetime.
• Yes, my favorite hair guy was fired from the salon and now I am up a tree trying to figure out who will cut my hair. Basically every stylist I've been to in the past 5 years sucks. Or maybe it's my face. Yeah, probably my face.
• Yes, I've been spending time shopping my closet. I still have a job, but one never knows.
• Back to the wedded bro: I'm going to make them this outta this in Tidepool Heather for a wedding gift. Nice, right?
• And in breaking news, the kittens are still cute!

An Older Story that Bears Attention

I came across this one by accident. It's by no means a new story, but I'm sure most of you will understand why it bears repeating. I hadn't heard it before...

Apparently, after the last horrible earthquake that hit the Abruzzo region of central Italy in April, one of the very last people pulled out alive was a 98 year-old granny, Maria D'Antuono, who kept occupied during her captivity under the rubble by crocheting. I think most of you will understand how this simple act would keep one sane under such horrible circumstances.

This will bring you to the video of Maria D'Antuono's rescue.

Spotted on Flickr...

Knitted capelet / cape / poncho in a shade of light linen, originally uploaded by Cheenara.

Spotted this on Flickr today. It's a knitted capelet by Cheenara and it is quite lovely with a beautiful vintage vibe. Here is her Etsy shop. Her work is amazing!

Fashionable, Unfashionable, Neither, Both?

There were a couple of odd craft-related posts in the news this week.

There's a lot of hoo-ha about the new Sacha Baron Cohen film Brüno and the amazing costumes within. And yes, I am SO going! As a (former) costume designer, I find a lot of what I've seen in the news to be pretty much inspired, and I'd be surprised if Jason Alper was not nominated for an Oscar. All that said, my inner yarnbitch was pissed at this comment which accompanied the photo above of knitted lederhosen:

"When the Brüno movie came around I thought, 'What's going to be the new green thong?' Coming from Austria, lederhosen are very iconic. And then I thought, 'What's unfashionable, and what aren't people doing? Knitting! So maybe we should knit him some lederhosen.'"

WHAT?? Is this guy completely out of touch? Seriously!

And then this morning, I'm perusing The Guardian and find this article.

This week, the thinktank Demos published a collection of essays exploring the idea of "expressive life". In the volume, US arts writer Bill Ivey – who coined the phrase – and Sandy Nairne, director of the National Portrait Gallery, tease out the prospect of a rebirth of the arts and crafts movement as part of the search for quality of life in a post-consumerist, recession-hit society.

At a moment when laid-off bankers are testifying to the benefits of basket-weaving, a reversion to the reformist aesthetic of John Ruskin and William Morris can feel suitably corrective. The old manifesto has serious contemporary traction: respect for nature, dignity of labour, importance of long-garnered skills, access to beauty for all.

Now, that's way more like it.

I guess when you are part of the army of crafters, you find yourself surrounded by like-minded people and figure even those outside the revolution can recognize the power of yarn. But apparently, that's not quite the case.

Thoughts?