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My mom and I had our first big quilting day during the weekend's blizzard. We took over the kitchen, made a huge mess, ripped out seams, and sewed like mad. Here are some documentary shots of our day:
Our dueling sewing machines:
Artsy sewing machine photo:
Mom's nimble fingers sewing a square:
Tiny ironing boards rule!
I love this shot of my mom, looking so focused as she works:
Some finished squares, on very bright beige carpeting:
Some shots from the last two meetings of the Kelly Girls:
A patriotic scarf:
A preemie hat:
A hand model for a lovely crochet case:
Not a hand model:
From the first 2005 meeting of the Kelly Girls, some works in progress and finished projects:
Leila's lacy cotton knee highs, from Interweave Knits:
And her adorable baby wrap sweater:
Chris's purple shrug, which is coming along well:
Future felted mary jane slippers (Susanna's, I think):
Angie's sweet little hand-warmers for our (finally!) chilly January weather:
Don't you wish you had as cute a pair of baby circulars as Leila does?
If you've been thinking about dropping by to visit us, please do! We welcome new members, regardless of skill level, we're very nice, and the cafe has terrific treats and coffee!
Reflections on the TNT Original Movie The Librarian: Quest for the Spear Starring That Guy From ER
First off, let me say that there was one thing this movie hit dead on--what librarians do. The ER guy's actual job description is "the librarian." Throughout the movie, all he does is wander around a basement full of mythological artifacts. But why does the librarian do what he does? Is he supposed to be running around the world trying to protect these artifacts? His job is never really explained, and it's here that there is a similarity between the movie librarian and the real librarian. Do you really know what a real librarian does? I mean do you really think we sit around and order books for eight hours a day? Think about it.
via BookSlut
The American Film Institute (AFI) today announced that AFI's 100 Years . . . 100 Movie Quotes will be the theme for AFI's eighth annual celebration of 100 years of American movies.
AFI'S 100 Years . . . 100 Movie Quotes: America's Greatest Quips, Comebacks and Catchphrases will count down America's 100 greatest lines of dialogue spoken in the movies, as chosen by experts of the motion picture community, in a three-hour television event on the CBS Television Network in June 2005.
Some of the ballot items here are really fascinating. Many, out of context, are completely dull:
This is this.
(The Deer Hunter)
Help me! Help me!
(The Fly, 1958)
Others are far from the best lines the film in question had to offer:
They may take away our lives, but they'll never take our freedom!
(Braveheart), for example. What about:
Every man dies. Not every man really lives.
Not listed.
On the other hand, they also managed to pull great quotes from utterly awful films, such as:
Mama, face it. I was the slut of all time.
(Butterfield 8)
And sometimes they picked the best line of a movie, after all:
Do, or do not. There is no try.
(The Empire Strikes Back)
Also, some quotes, despite lacking real signficance outside the frame of the movie, are just great anyway, because you can remember so viscerally the first time you saw them uttered:
Gort! Klaatu barada nikto!
(The Day the Earth Stood Still)
and
You're gonna need a bigger boat.
(Jaws)
My dad will love the inclusion of:
Nobody puts Baby in a corner.
( Dirty Dancing), which is particularly funny since it's obviously not true. She's sitting in the corner when Patrick Swayze, who says the line, arrives.
and
BOBBY DUPEA: Now all you have to do is hold the chicken, bring me the toast, give me a check for the chicken salad sandwich, and you haven't broken any rules.
WAITRESS: You want me to hold the chicken, huh?
BOBBY DUPEA: I want you to hold it between your knees.
(Five Easy Pieces)
and especially
Get your stinking paws off me, you damned dirty ape!
(Planet of the Apes)
One frome the movie I saw last night, which we enjoyed immensely:
I need him like the axe needs the turkey.
(The Lady Eve)
And, finally, one that seems surprisingly wise, if you avoid remembering that Matthew Broderick said it before he turned 30:
Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.
(Ferris Bueller's Day Off)
via Beautiful Stuff
John Scalzi's National Lampoon piece, The 10 Least Successful Holiday Specials of All Time, includes this hilarious faux special, excerpted below:
The Lost Star Trek Christmas Episode:
"A Most Illogical Holiday" (1968)
Mr. Spock, with his pointy ears, is hailed as a messiah on a wintry world where elves toil for a mysterious master, revealed to be Santa just prior to the first commercial break. Santa, enraged, kills Ensign Jones and attacks the Enterprise in his sleigh. As Scotty works to keep the power flowing to the shields, Kirk and Bones infiltrate Santa's headquarters.
via Beautiful Stuff
Here's the bunny baby gear I cooked up for a friend's new arrival. I hope the mommy likes them!
At long last, and much indebted to the lovely folks at Lorna's Laces, I have finally completed, blocked, and actually worn my shawl. Here it is!
My mom bravely agreed to help me make a quilt which will be used as our wedding canopy, also called a chuppah. Here's most of the fabric, before we chopped the majority of it into little bits. We were supposed to do that, you understand. More in-progress pictures to come.
Just in time for the new year, the Chicago Public Library makes a giant leap into the 21st century! Free wireless internet access is now available at nearly all Chicago library locations. In addition, they are finally implementing online reservations for internet-capable computers!
Now all they need is a better online catalog, and online renewals. Oh, and the ability to return all media items at any branch.
Still, not to denigrate this terrific service. Way to go, CPL! I salute you.
Having trouble deciphering the pattern instructions from any new knitting books you may have received this holiday season? Look no further! Amy Finlay at KnittingHelp.com has posted dozens of videos with voiceover, teaching techniques as simple as purling and as complex as intarsia. An excellent resource.
Get an iPod for Christmas? Ok, first, I hate you. And second, don't forget to knit a cozy for your baby, to protect it from our fierce (60 degree?) Chicago January.
It seems a new yarn store has opened in Wicker Park! It's called Nina (not much info at the web site, yet, besides hours). If you check it out, drop me a line and let me know what you think.
I can't believe how long it's been since I posted in this blog. I shall have to make a new year's resolution to do better! For the time being, however, here are some crafty posts to stave off the guilt. I've been meaning to put these up for some time.