Bohemian Bluestocking

So finally some of my photos are back from the developer (maybe I need to ask for a digital camera for the holidays. hmm...) but without further ado:

this was the Web's Haul (and yes, Abi, this is all your fault; until you I never photographed yarn that I just bought.)Just a wee bit more yarn to finish up my one-button cardigan (Valley Yarn Rainbow in Red -- this is an inhouse yarn for webs, produced for them in France) and some #2 short needles for an Jaeger alpaca project I've been thinking about. This was followed up by this purchase:

Now, admittedly, I can be quite obsessed about clothes. Working for a theater can make you that. And I love talking about the free stuff I can score from our donations (Latest coup: a pair of leather Dansko half-boots with a cute buckle, a shearling coat in my size, and I 'm note a tiny person either, and a black chenille scarf -- all FREE!) So when I mentioned the shoe room to Abi and Jess, partners in yarn crimes, they were more than a bit distracted by the thought of a room full of shoes. And I'm not talking about an largeish closet either, but a real honest to goodness room. To wit:

And the big stockrooms are just as full. This is one aisle of SIX in the men's stockroom. We also have a women's stockroom, almost as big, which holds all the dresses, period and modern, plus our fabric stock. (Think about that stash!!??)

This aisle holds colorful pants, breeches, ethnic wear, vest, swimwear, hospital wear, bedroom wear, and kimonos. And yes, it's one of 6 aisles in this room alone.

Yes, I haven't posted for days. Between my projects at Shakespeare & Co and lackey work, New England has been living in a version of the Pacific Northwest -- rain, soggy ground, and none of my bath towels are drying out. Combine that with the cold weather and it makes for an oh-so lovely combination and damp *and* cold. grumble grumble. I'm in major crunch for my two shows (you trying costuming 60 kids). I'm fighting an on-going low-grade migraine and PMS-ing. I need some rest, some real food, and some chocolate. (this order might change at any moment.) All said, I am suffering from some general malaise.

And my Bohus book hasn't arrived yet. sigh.

Onto goodish news, I joined two knitalongs, Warm Hands, and Knit the Classics. Now if I can ever find time to work on this stuff.

Can you tell I'm having a grumpy day?

It's sorta like being hung over, but not quite. But I am suffering from a case of sensory overload. It was just too much information to take in.

I did keep to my budget, and ended up with a smallish bunch of loot, to wit: 4 skeins of shetland weight, in shades of burgundy, pink, brown-pink, and grass green. (Everyone will have to be patient, my photos are out being developed as we speak). And then 2 skeins of heavy worsted in granite and a great 50s style red. I think the shetland weight will become a hat (?) and the worsted a scarf.

I just bought from Alibris: Poems of Color:Knitting in the Bohus Tradition by Wendy Keele. I think I am going to have my work cut out for me for the next year, learning new techniques. For those unfamilar, this is dale of norway ski sweaters meets starmore fair isle meets estonian mittens meets 50's couture meets yoked sweaters. The cover doesn't even do it justice. I 'll let people know how this all goes, but I'm already feeling nausous about it (but in a good way.(?))

I hit 1000 visits! la la la (imagine me doing a little hula dance.) Thanks to everyone who is reading. Leave some comments!!!! So I am off the Rhinebeck with Jess and Abi this Saturday, and hope to see a bunch of you there. I might even wear a pair of the nordic mitttens. hmmmm.

Beth S noted to me that the codpiece reminded her of blackadder (woof!) and yes, I will admit, that a fair amount of my costume ideas are inspired (not copied, mind you) from british television. and that yes, one of the shows I am designing this fall, Much Ado About Nothing, is taking place just after WWI. There are no such things as new ideas. Darn.

And I want Abi to know -- that would you believe there's a much younger Hugh Laurie in this photo. Imagine that. :)

But as queenie would say: I may have the body of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a concrete elephant.

I got my photos back from Sprawl-Mart on Wednesday and took them over to my knitting group. Jess and Abi wanted to see what I had been doing for costume work this summer. I had kept talking on about it. I was the lead stitcher on Shakespeare & Co's production of John Fletcher's play, The Tamer Tamed, a sequel to The Taming of the Shrew. Fletcher wrote it to get Shakespeare's atttention and they went onto collaborate on several plays, including The Two Noble Kinsmen and Henry VIII, which when produced at the Globe, its cannons actually set the thatch on fire and it burned down the Globe. Oopsy.

Anyways, they got to this picture, and they didn't say much for awhile. I think it speaks for itself. And then, it was: "soo.... purple ribbons...." (These same purple ribbons, which I had suggested to the designer, along with the gold piping, were actually mentioned in one of the play's reviews. At one point, Petruchio is presumed dead and he comes out on a stretcher and in a bodybag. Guess what pokes up through, between the buttonholes.) My job is so much fun. :)

please mom, can I have one? I coulda got the cutest angora today for only $50. But I didn't. Krista wants a goat. A bunny doesn't seem so bad. I did however, buy a skein of bunny yarn at the fair. 190 yd of 60% merino/40% angora at $18(yea, I probably paid too much), millspun and kettle dyed, get this, "blueberry." (hey, it's Maine.) I ate divinity fudge with walnuts, and maple cotton candy, and pizza, and coffee. ooh, too much sugar. Krista and I usually play this game where we see how many people we know are at the fair. She won this year, though I did see an old boyfriend(but he didn't see me.) I got treats for Abi and Jessalu. Yippee -- treats for all.

I am up very late at my friend's Krista's house. I've known Krista almost for forever. We worked together for the Appalachian Mountain Club at Pinkham Notch at the base of Mount Washington. I ended up working for them for almost ten years; she got out with only 5 or so years. She's the only person, with the exception of maybe one other, from that era of my life that I've kept in touch with at all. The others have all gone by the wayside. So we meet up once a year for the fair, get all the girly stuff done and have a great time. I drove up last night from Mass. and stayed at my parent's house in southern NH, and then up to MWV (Mount Washington Valley) today. On the drive yesterday, I stopped at Webs in Noho, MA to ogle yarn. I bought a little bit (only 6 skeins and a pair of needles, whew) because I need to save a few $$ for the fair and Rhinebeck, which is coming right up. Right now, I am waaay too late on her computer. I also have forgotten how nippy an October northern NH night can be, if you have the windows open. brrrrr. Tomorrow we're off to the fair, to eat apple crisp and pizza, look at bunnies and goats, watch woodsman's day, and ogle the various law enforcement personnel in the forestry building. (fish cops are much too cute for words.)