Blizzard or Not, Here I Come

And they say snow never sticks in the city... but this was no light dusting of frost, this was a coastal blizzard. For most people snow in New York means trudging through a gray sloppy mess, train problems, and canceled flights. But for that short while as it comes down I always think it's beautiful. Tall buildings and garbage disappear,  and everything smells and sounds crisp.

Saturday, after my morning coffee and bagel I armed myself with my camera and put on my boots and thermals. I got ready to venture out into the cold.

From my window I could see that the snow had already covered stoops, cars and streets as the wind began to pick up. Constant efforts to shovel sidewalks were quickly abandoned.

The streets were far from empty as people ran their errands. We were all advised to buy extra batteries and canned goods, but some kids headed towards the park with sleds and garbage lids instead. Can you blame— when will we see this again?

Everything on the street is transformed. Snowed capped fences resembled wedding cakes more than wrought iron.  Fireplugs become litte snowmen; razor wire turns into spiraling wreaths; sidewalk grates become large waffles. I think side streets like Carlton are the prettiest.

Within hours newly plowed streets were covered again and the temperature dropped to 27°. I'm not very good with the cold. I retreated to Little Miss Muffin Bakery for jerk chicken patties and ginger beer, and headed home.

Santacon Is Coming to Town

Saturday morning brought us mild sunny weather after a below-freezing week — and an unusual encounter. My friend Wendy and I sat in front of Prospect Perk gabbing over morning coffee when something caught our eyes— small groups of people dressed as Santa Claus marched up Flatbush converging towards Vanderbilt Aveneue. It was a spectacle reminiscent of the Christmas scene from "City of Lost Children."



The person next to us said it was an event called SantaCon. I've always found Santa a bit scary, although these herds of migrating Santas and helper elves were quite entertaining. Moments such as this remind me why I live in Brooklyn. Of course I didn't have my camera on me, I was on my way to drop off laundry. This photo above was  re-appropriated from Brooklynian.com, contributed by message board moderator Carnivore.

Knit PH at Prospect Perk, Dec. 8 '09

I made my all-day-slow-cooked yellow split pea & ham soup. That's how slow the economy has been — I made a soup all day (pictured above). But I also cleaned out the fridge and threw out a ton of old computer junk. This economic downturn might prove to be cleansing or deliciously disasterous for us all if it continues at this pace. Onward... I forgot to charge my camera again, so no photos from this night of knitting.

We had a full house. Considering that Prospect Perk is a cozy café, 11 people is a full house. I bought a brownie from Murat and set up the tables. Rachel, new to the group and knitting, needed some support. Nici was kind enough to let her practice stitch tension on her tubular scarf and acted as her spot coach. The topic of support groups and enabling came up. By now most of us have known someone who's been in an anonymous program — AA, NA, GA, OA, etc. I think there's even 12-step meeting for people addicted to meetings ("poetry readings").

But there's that one step... when someone from your past calls apologizing for some terrible wrong that you may not remember. One year around Thanksgiving I had a message on my answering machine: "Hello, Tony, this is N---, I've been reassessing my life recently and..." I called him back to find that he was in fact enrolled in AA and not trying to sell me HerbaLife. We spoke about old times, I wished him luck, and told him all was forgiven. I'd completely forgotten about that painting lab incident when someone stabbed my art bin.

The conversation lead to a popular topic: unemployment. As CEO's got their bonuses, Mick was laid off from Goldman. She wanted to know what the job climate was like. Slow and ever shifting, I reported. I'm actually going to print some cards to offer private knitting instruction. As advertising and publication sectors find new ground I think we can expect fewer job opportunities in these next few months. Yet we all agree that everything is changing, software, web technology, CSS, Flash scripts, XML, content management...etc. Mick pointed out that most of the financial world still operates on Quark instead of InDesign due to grandfathered and consolidated collateral materials. For older documents I keep Mona handy, she's my G3 system. "What are you all talking about? It sounds like another language." Patricia asked. "Publishing" Lisa answered. If it all sounds confusing to us, just imaging how it sounds to one who is outside of the field.

Mari, finished her neck warmer, very chunky and varied with orange and red. She asked if anyone had any felting experience. She has a bag project in mind. I felted something once and it almost took the Jaws of Life to pry that sock from my shrunken sweater. Mick and Nici had some great tips to offer, mainly think much bigger before you felt. For something to truly felt, it must be made form at least 50% wool. One has to accept felted matter is also inherently very itchy. Rachel asked if old wool is itchier than new wool — not necessarily. I don't mind wool and acrylic blends, but I find that they tend to become scratchy after much use and a few washings. I gather from Rachel and Mari's conversation that they are both in the legal field — unless passing the bar meant walking by Sharlene's on the way here.

Valerie asked how one might tell if yarn is wool or acrylic — a very good question for unlabeled yarns and sweaters. I showed her the "burn test".
1. Gather enough loose fiber to roll into a half inch strand.
2. Burn it with a lighter and observe.
If it burns quickly, melts into a hard bead, and smells like plastic, it's acrylic. Although also in the class of polymer, I find that rayon, soy and other cellulose-based fibers smell like burnt paper.

Meanwhile, Silke worked very quietly on a scarf that she's making for her daughter — variations of gray and cream in Noro Silk Garden. It's actually a lace pattern sampler. That's a great way to explore different patterns on one project. We all admired her delicate use of #3 needles. Meg finished her apple green baby hat. She actually just purchased $80 in yarn at Knit-A-Way before she arrived at Perk. Meg said I should charge for the MeetUps, everyones does. I feel weird about charging, but in these economic times I might consider it.

I didn't bring anything to work on, instead I coached Emma, Mick, and Valerie with the A4A granny square pattern. Emma and Silke say that my Spanish is better, thanks to "telenovelas" on the Univision Network. But my friend Dan reminds I once asked for "more ice with my pee" at Tacos Matamoros in Sunset Park.

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Yarn Monkey's All-day-slow-cooked

Yellow Split Pea & Ham Soup

Yeild: 8 to 10 servings

Ingredients:

4 strips of bacon 3/4 lb. smoked pork neck 16 oz. pkg. dry yellow split peas 3 carrots, chopped 1 large head of garlic 1 medium onion, coarsely sliced 1 medium onion, finely diced 1 cup diced white radish 1 tbs. sea salt 1/4 tsp. pepper corns 1/4 tsp. celery seed 1/4 tsp. cumin 1/2 tbs. dried orange peel, finely diced 1 tbs. molasses or brown sugar 3 qts. water 1 cup olive oil 1/2 tbs. liquid smoke (optional)

Tools: 4 quart stock pot with cover 1 large colander blender

Inspect peas for foreign junk. Soak in water for 1 hour and drain.

Examine refrigerator and search for source of odd smell... hmmm not kimchi... check food containers and vegetable bin. Discard mushy discovery.
 

In a large stock pot fry bacon until crisp, remove and reserve 2 tbs. of fat. At medium heat, add smoked pork necks, whole garlic head, and sliced onion, brown in fat. Add enough water to cover 1 inch above pork necks. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer until meat falls off the bone (4 - 5 hours). Stock should be reduced to half.

Pull out tech boxes from top of closet, ponder why I have 12 serial cables, 3 Jazz disks, a 50' ethernet cable, a 28.8 baud modem, a busted 3-line phone, and a Lucinda Williams CD. Scratch head and discard items.
 

Strain stock through colander and set meat aside to cool. Pick and clean meat from bones and shred into small pieces. Bring stock a to boil, add split peas, shredded meat, water, and remaining ingredients, except for olive oil, liquid smoke, and carrots. Reduce heat and simmer, covered for 1 hour.

11 pound Macrodmedia Director 2.0 box set... Adobe no longer honors license. Laugh at paying full price for PageMill and discard items.
 

Pour half the contents into a blender and puree. Reduce heat to low and return blended soup to stock pot. Add carrots, molasses (or brown sugar), crumbled bacon, olive oil, and liquid smoke (optional). Cover and simmer on low for 1 more hour stirring occasionally. Add more water if needed. Allow to cool overnight at room temperature. This soup stock should be thick enough to hold a fork upright.

Gather old XML, Flash 5.0, CSS, Dreamweaver books into a box and take to recycling area downstairs. Use old O'Riley book to level couch.
 

To serve, heat milk in a sauce pan. For every 1/2 cup of milk, add 1 1/2 cups of soup. Salt and pepper to taste. Top with bacon or croutons if desired. This soup freezes well, so store it away in serving size containers.

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Knit PH at Freddy's Bar, Dec. 6 '09

Peg Byron and her producer Zena Kennedy are documenting craft nights and music at Freddy's Bar — working title "Freddy's: Not Just Any Bar and Backroom." Cringe Night, Opera Night, Diorama Lodge, Guitar School, Old-time Jam... and of course Knit PH. Organic yet fragile, Freddy's Bar formed like a tropical reef with a collection of the most rare and fascinating life. Among the questions I was asked, two stuck in my mind...

"Why knit at Freddy's?"

In 2003 Café owner Mary Cohen and I started a knitting circle at her coffee shop, Prospect Perk. That's also when the Atlantic Yards boondoggle started... a wealthy private developer, Bruce Ratner, falsely declared a large public area of Prospect Heights as blighted to drive people from their homes so construction for his arena could begin. Freddy's bar was declared the ground zero of demolition.

Mary blurted "How can you call our neighborhood blighted when it has a knitting circle?" Soon Knit PH was born. I started a MeetUp account and called Freddy's manager Don O'Finn to pitch a knit night — wish granted.

"What do you get out of it?"

There's no monetary gain, I've actually paid for all the MeetUps. The answer is much simpler — I take great pride in adding positive value to my neighborhood, Prospect Heights. I feel that people need a destination where they can socialize away from work and family, refocus and clear their minds. In a computerized world of virtual communication it's easy to lose your humanity amidst info-blather and techno-garbage. In the cold winter months the simple act of knitting with a group over a beer, wine, or coffee reconnects and re-humanizes each of us.

Diana, Meg, and Valerie waited for Peg and Zena to move the lights out of the way and took a seat at the long table. Soon everyone popped in for beer 'n' balls. Valerie's crochet hat has grown into a large doily. It's good to see Maggie, Charlotte, and Carol again. Some in the group are seasonal knitters. Carol is in mid-sweater, and Maggie is crocheting a handsome man's scarf for a friend.

Meg finished her green Big Bad Baby blanket — a great cause for celebration! She mentioned that her husband Brett created an iPhone app for counting street trees. "Trees Near You" it's called. I told her I'd get her in touch with someone at the Audubon Society. Meg still has enough yarn left over to start a few baby hats. Nici admired the apple green color, she coached Meg through 4-needle knitting. Nici is making a very warm charcoal gray tubular scarf with a cable edge. Turns out that Meg and Nici are neighbors in South Slope. I told them to check out my friend Pete's gourmet bake shop on 18th and 5th — Little Buddy Biscuit Company. Screw the diet! Pete's "Orange Cardamom, Coconut w/ Currants & Macadamia" cookie melts in your mouth.

Diana finished a perfectly knitted square for our Afghans for Afghans charity drive, then started another. She's amazing, I don't know where she gets the energy. Sarah is almost finished with her parents' tea cozy, she'll be sending it to Seattle soon. Turns out she and Meg are from the same neck of the woods in Seattle — 6 degrees of Meg Lemke.

Maggie asked when we're having Casserole night gain. We had it last year closer to spring, but this year we should plan on February 2010. By then we'll be over with the holiday gorging.

It's now December 2009...

Ratner's firm (Forest City Ratner) still declares that Brooklyn desperately needs a basketball team from New Jersey to give us "hope." Although the Atlantic Yards Nets Arena recently won an appeals case, it is still mired in court as angry residents continue to sue in protest. Ground breaking is still halted but a threat still looms.

In a recent State Court decision, Columbia University was denied use of Eminent Domain to expand and build into Harlem ("Court Deals a Blow to Columbia's Expansion Plan"). Harlem is now spared from the same reasoning that Forest City Ratner has claimed to evoke Eminent Domain in Prospect Heights. With a raised cynical eyebrow, I wonder if buying a judge and few of our boys in Albany is part of the cost of building the Nets Arena. People may not realize it, but when they knit at Freddy's they become a witness to an interesting time in Brooklyn's history.

Well... that's my part of the documentary.

A Fine Move

In November, Maxcine Degouttes moved her yarn shop to a new location. Stitch Therapy now shares a beautiful space with Brooklyn Mercantile in Park Slope at 335 5th Avenue. Maxcine, Brandy and Tamara paused for a photo.

Getting the place ready was a minor Herculean task of rearranging, but after only a few days both shops were up and running with barely a hitch. Two shops under one punched-tin ceiling offer fine yarns, and quality fabrics & trims.

Handmade throw pillows and quilts invite you on a treasure hunt through exquisite bolts of fabric and spools of trim. Brooklyn Mercantile is more than a notion shop. Tamara Lee has a beautiful collection of fabrics for upholstery and drapery as well as wares that will lend an accent to any home — antique coat hooks, note cards, wire baskets, essential oils, and scented candles. Brooklyn Mercantile also holds sewing classes in the basement studio.

Stitch Therapy's cubbies are stocked with jewel tone colors that brighten those somber winter days. Luxury yarns like Cupcake are yummy, and Chiara and Noro satisfy your appetite. The new poly-fiber blends are perfect for a beginner's wallet. Books and magazines perk your interest while you settle in the comfy chair as knit hats and sweaters spy from above. Always in demand, knitting needles, crochet hooks, and stitch markers sit conveniently on the counter in baskets. Liberty Print project bags hang on a Shaker peg rack. Maxcine's mother makes them for the store.

Maxcine loves the new hold-everything counter that I built to outfit her space. She worked out the traffic patterns and customer flow to figure out the dimensions. I lightly stained the birch to bring out its natural burl, and to blend in with Stitch Therapy's other furniture. The light honey colored scheme contrasts with Brooklyn Mercantile's dark wood setting.

The counter is made from furniture grade birch ply topped with a solid maple butcher block surface. The maple is raw but buffed, the birch is finished with 8 coats of water-based urethane — satin smooth, durable, and stroller-proof.

It almost holds everything: cash register, laptop, printer, books & magazines, needles & hooks, shopping bags, business files... etc. Mostly of all it plays well in the new environment.

River Folk Boatneck Sweater

James is a barista at Prospect Perk Café. A "barista" is some one who serves coffee,  not a member of a Guatemalan resistance group. He's serving up a hot panini with a half-caf latte to some cranky old wizard guy. That's the boss man in the red vest.

James is modeling another LOTR-inspired pullover that I designed called "River Folk" — a boatneck sweater with half-moon pockets. I bought this yarn last winter from Stitch Therapy but had no real plans to do anything with it until recently. Elsebeth Lavold "Silky Flammé" is a highly textured yarn with an untwisted core wrapped into various thick and thin plies.

River Folk is a typical box-cut sweater with a few extras. Ram's horn cables travel from front to back flanking each side. A bucolic Garter stitch trims the neck, cuffs, and hem. Sleeves start with a 2 X 2 garter rib leading into a plain stockinette on the arms.

The hem is vented, the back sitting lower than the front. Vents are a convenient feature, expanding on command for those beer 'n' pizza nights at the Green Dragon. They also make it easier to grab your wallet without exposing your beer gut to all at the table.

I knit flat pieces separately to get the most texture from this yarn. It almost looks like a well-worn tweed. I found that when I knit in the round I get a "hairy puff ball" pattern, which is more suitable for Orcs. The gauge is 22 sts wide by 28 rows deep over a 6" square on US 10 1/2 needles. This made for a quick knit.

The front pouch isn't very functional, but very roomy. It works better as a hand warmer. I wouldn't put my keys in there. The construction isn't complicated. Stitches are picked up through the middle of the garment, knit downward, and knit in with the body at the hem. The pouch sides are sewn to the body making them appear almost "invisible."

It takes a total of 984 yards of Old Gold (12 balls X 82 yds) to make this medium men's sweater. "Silky Flammé" is spun from Peruvian wool, alpaca, and silk which makes it feel light weight and warm. The silk gives the yarn a burnished sheen like autumn oak leaves. Overall, I think this is the quintessential "messy guy" sweater that no Halfling should be without.

Knit PH at Freddy's Bar, Nov. 15, '09

Beer and balls at Freddy's — I arrived to find Valerie meditating, she looked so at peace. "Reiki" she calls it.  I set up the swift and winder quietly and set out some yarn for the exchange – ancient Berroco poly-wool (circa 1980). Valerie put a few skeins out too.

Done! Diana's handsome cardigan is finished, pockets and all. My photo doesn't do justice to this fine piece. Honey comb cables and seed stitch make for a sweet design. The antiques button with an embossed "1" close the deal.

Eliza is sending off our blankets to the Afghans for Afghans charity. It's hard letting go of these beautiful pieces — as Adrienne demonstrated. With the way this war is going this might be an ongoing charity. Eliza brought in a few more loose squares for the next round and started on a new set. So did Diana.

Although I posted the patterns on our Meetup page, many Knit PH members would like a little instruction on the Afghan project so we decided to make the next Meetup a "granny square workshop" for knit and crochet— so I guess I know what I'm doing this winter.

Valerie's green hat is getting bigger. It might make for a round pillow cover if she doesn't stop. Eliza on the other hand doesn't look that pregnant yet. Sarah is finishing part two of her tea cozy, it's larger than I though it would be. I guess her parents drink a lot of tea.

Mari frogged a scarf and started a seed stitch neck warmer, Diana approved. If you think about how a scarf really works one rarely uses the full length unless it's wrapped around the neck 6 times or so. I finished the last sleeve of my sweater and went to the bar for another beer.

Knit PH at Prospect Perk Cafe, Nov. 10 '09

This fall weather has more mood swings than a poetry major gone off-meds — freezing rain one day then a muggy mid 50's the next. It's hard to figure what to wear when you leave the house. Golden ginko leaves are the last to fall on blue slate in Prospect Heights, which means the short days of winter will soon be here.

I'm digging into my stash to put aside yarn for the Afghans for Afghans charity blanket drive. As I root through my bins I'm reminded of my collection of singles gloves. I only lose the right glove for some reason. Why do I keep these things? I wonder if there's a charity that takes single left-handed gloves — a sinister charity?

"Do you speak Spanish?" Emma asked. She and Silke were the first to arrive at Prospect Perk. I'm not very good with crochet instructions and my Spanish is OK at best. The crochet instructions were in fact English, but although a long-time Brooklynite, she is from Venezuela. We definitely need a knit to crochet form of Esperanto. Mari gladly lent a hand. She took a break from her scarf. Meanwhile Silke is reacquainting herself with knitting.

Diana is new to the group, she lives just a few stops down on the 2/3 in Brooklyn Heights. She's making a handsome orange cardigan with Knit Picks "Swish  DK" for her year-old grandson. It's her own design, rich with honeycomb cables and seed. The front and back are sewn together, now all it needs are sleeves. I admired Diana's Boye™ Needlemaster, a full set of interchangeable circular needles. It's the best deal going at around $40. Diana recommends washing and blocking each piece before sewing. I tend to block the whole garment when I'm finished, but washing a large wool sweater is cumbersome — like sponge bathing a baby seal.

Sarah is also new to the group, she live towards Crown Heights. She's making a dove gray tea cozy in a  2 X 2 rib. This belated Christmas gift for her parent is a great beginner-project. At first Sarah said that it was OK if she went off pattern, but halfway through she ripped it out and started over as mysterious holes developed. Meanwhile. I've starting another sweater. As I dug deeper into my stash I found 17 balls of Elsebeth Lavold yarn stuffed in a bag within a bag. I should investigate my bins more often, or least organize them better.

As we gathered in this cozy coffee shop I marveled at the diversity of our neighborhood. Emma and Silke are both Venezuelan by way of Italy and Germany, respectively. They've lived here for over 30 years. Diana, a native New Yorker, is ethnic Cantonese from Great Neck. I'm a pacific islander, try explaining that to someone. Murat and Ori, the café owners are from Turkey. Now where is Sarah from? I forget, but she's globe trotted her way around to Africa and back.

Black Rider Saddle

My friend Heather asked if I'd been working out. "No, it's definitely this sweater." I said as I ate my slice of pizza. My Black Rider saddle sweater is finished! The saddle structure makes for very broad shoulders and a closer fit to the body. Initially I made it for myself (mens medium), but it turned out a bit snug around the chest (boy-rexic XL) — looks like Stephanie is getting a black sweater.



I think this pullover wears better on a woman. Here's my favorite sweater model, Brandy, demonstrating my point. Black Rider is knit on US 8 needles with 9 balls of Berroco Cuzco (merino/alpaca) — from the chest down US 6 for a slight taper. It's very soft, warm, and spongy, perfect for those blustery damp days.



Dragon bones are flanked by ram horns adorning the chest like hunting trophies while cables on the back roam freely like a running stream. The collar, hem and cuffs are finished with a simple 1 X 1 rib, ending in a 2-row knit roll for better definition.



Gauntlets arms frame the body like arcane wrought iron gates. They start at the forearm twisting down to the cuff. Cuzco has great stitch definition which makes for deep ribs and sharp cables. Although similar, the sleeves are not identical — cables twist at different rates ending in varying rib patterns.



Black Rider is knit down from the shoulders. The sleeves are picked up from the body and knit to the cuff. Back in April, I started this sweater as an exploration of cables on a knit ground. It's been ripped out over the course of months many times but the yarn has held up well. This is a testament to Berroco Cuzco's integrity and quality.