Market Sunday

The hubs and I spent Sunday morning perusing an LA landmark, the Grand Central Market, located in Downtown Los Angeles.



Earlier that morning we searched in vain for a restaurant we intended to try in an adjacent neighborhood to Downtown. We drove around for a good 45 minutes before giving up and heading straight for our ultimate destination. There we were met with plenty of eateries to partake in. We chose to give Tacos Tumbras a Tomas a try because they had the longest line. Rule of thumb...When you're looking for something good to eat in territories less than familiar, always follow the crowd!



Both the hubs and I settled into a couple of tortas. For him, birria. For me, carnitas...my fave. Yes, we all know I have a fondness for pork. Although, I try not to eat it often because I have to watch my girlish figure...It's okay to indulge every now and again though. Hence my lovely and delicious Mexican pork sandwich...



The tortas were typically huge and truly I could only eat half. Warm roll piled high with fresh ingredients and a mountain of pork, this sandwich hit the spot following our little driving expedition earlier that morning.

Tummies topped off, it was all about the shopping. Produce shopping that is...



We came away with bananas, beets, garlic, broccoli, carrots, yams, cilantro, lettuce, blueberries and even a cherimoya! In addition, we also acquired a generous amount of dried ancho chiles, roasted and seasoned pumpkin seeds, Mexican hot chocolate and handfuls of dried fruits. All of this cost about $20!



Definitely worth the trek from Westside to Eastside. My other half confirms this notion with a smile for the camera!



What a great was to spend a Sunday morning!

Grand Central Market
317 South Broadway
Los Angeles, CA 90013
213.624.2378

Tacos Tumbras a Tomas
Grand Central Market, Space A-5
213.620.1071

Danish Serape?

What does LadyLinoleum get when she pairs some of her lovely hand dyed yarn with the Traditional Danish Tie-Shawl pattern from the latest issue of Spin-Off mag?



Nothing short of a Danish Serape!





Both bright and bold, this cool wrap combines some of my old dye experiments with that of the new. The variegated red is Kool-Aid (and so it begins), as is the turquoise variegated, while the cobalt was achieved in a Jacquard dye bath. All of the yarn is Bare Peruvian Highland Wool (fingering weight) from Knit Picks, which is a great starter yarn for beginning dyers, oh by the way.

The shawl construction is very intriguing as it begins with a starter rectangle, stitches picked up along three sides to form a triangle, then continues with the body of the shawl, increasing at the center and ends on every other row. The beginning rectangular sequence of stitches is brilliant actually.

Ooooh, I almost forgot! The other very cool aspect of this shawl? The edging!



It's braided! Actually, it's crocheted. But it looks braided! Crocheted with two colors simultaneously, this edging is a finishing technique that I intend to use again and again. Cool eh?

Spin-Off always has wonderful knitting (and crochet) patterns in addition to great articles and project ideas for the spinner. It is my current fave mag to be sure.

Now, if I could just figure out what to wear with this shawl, I'd be sittin' pretty...literally!

Happy Friday all!

Color Me Red

I tend to go through phases with regard to color and its usage in my work. Last fall and winter I seemed to be alternately in a black/white/gray phase or a blue phase, whether I happened to be knitting, crocheting, weaving, dying or spinning. Actually, this is pretty unusual for me because, by nature, I tend to be a “red girl” (or orange). However, I had blue (and black/white/gray) padding about the recesses of my cerebrum. At the time I felt those colors constantly calling me. They wanted, no, needed, to be seen (over and over again!). So, I happily complied.

However, Saturday I knew the blues were officially over during a yarn dying session with my girl, Jenna. I just couldn’t get enough of anything remotely reddish. Or pinkish. Or orange-ish. You get my drift. Yep, I painted and kettle dyed 1500 yards of yarn in warm brilliance! I would have dyed roving too, but…um…er…I have a bit of roving backlog right now; baskets of fluff sitting patiently by my wheel(s) awaiting transformation. Keep yer shorts on, I’ll get to it!

Anyway, just look at the piles of color I created…

Looks perty eh?

And here is some of my hand-dyed reddish roving spun up…

This will get plied with possibly gold or another reddish iteration. Not quite sure which.

And then there are my current WIPs featuring…Yes, red!

I am working up a Feather and Fan Shawl from Cheryl Oberle’s book, Folk Shawls,in pretty burgundy and copper stripes.

I LOVE this book, which I have had in my possession for nearly a year.



Nonetheless, this is the first pattern I’ve tried. It’s an easy one. Well, except for working with the fiber the pattern calls for that is!

Un-spun Icelandic wool.

Think super thin, ultra-skinny roving, which pulls apart easily (yes, because it is un-spun). Due to the fragility of the fiber, this WIP just won’t travel well. Needless to say I will be working on this wrap at home only.

On the crochet front, I am working up a Singular Tee from my Knitscene pattern.

Mine will be in sultry red and cool blue-violet. This top is perfect for summer, crocheted in dk weight cotton from Halcyon Yarn, which is apropos because Los Angeles has begun to feel the heat of the season! Last Saturday and Sunday saw temps in the 90’s!

What colors are speaking to you at the moment? Inquiring minds you know.

Two New Patterns!

I have two new patterns for you in Crochet Today mag! The first is a super easy sweater that can easily be worn to either beach or bistro...



The pattern calls for Red Heart Hula yarn, but I can easily see this in myriad fibers. Cotton or bamboo would be lovely. I have a fairly large stash of ecru, taupe and cornmeal colored cotton, which I think would make a lovely striped version of this sweater.

The second pattern is my take on the classic tomato pincushion...



Another simple pattern that utilizes Red Heart Super Saver. Although, I think this too would look great in a shiny mercerized cotton. Methinks it would also be a wonderful gift for Mother's Day!

The newest issue of Crochet Today is currently available at your local newsstand or bookseller. Enjoy!

Bee Season Scarf

A scarf to wear as the last vestiges of winter give way to the warmth and color of spring...





This lovely woolly wonder is knit from Lamb's Pride worsted in a honeycomb pattern from one of my current favorite stitch dictionaries. (Oh, I know! You guys don't like these books due to lack of charts. I however, love them!)



The stitch pattern required every other stitch to go on a cable needle. At first this fact was a bit maddening, but soon I was motoring along as a rhythm began to develop. I think the entire scarf took me a few weeks to complete.

I finished the muffler off with a crocheted picot edge...



And six little needle felted bees...



The bees took me longer to make than the actual scarf! Although, I think they were definitely worth the effort!

Copyright 2008 Regina Rioux Gonzalez. All rights reserved.

Happy Three!

March came and went without my having acknowledged my third blogiversary. Can you believe it? Blogging is so "old hat" to me now that I cannot even remember the passing of this milestone? So sad.

At any rate, I was thinking about my journey through the labyrinth that is the blogosphere over these last three years as I sat in airport last Friday waiting for my flight back to LaLaLand. It all came flooding back to me at once, the provocation for starting this green bloggy, investigating blogging platforms, figuring out the inner workings of code and exploring the intricacies of image hosting. I reveled in the memories of my first explorations about the vast frontier that is craft blogging, attempting to figure out my place in this ever expanding world. Sharing my work in this virtual world was and continues to be exciting as well as a bit scary. It has been such a wonderful experience to have met so many people who share my addiction for all things yarn. Of this I shall never tire. Three years into the experiment I feel like corpulent sponge, having readily absorbed every possible experience a craft blogger can partake in, virtual and beyond. Memes and contests! Swaps and challenges! Ravelry! Message boards! Craft fairs! Charity drives! KALs and even more CALs! These three years past have been nothing short of amazing.

Really, blogging has changed my life. It is because of this blog that I have had my designs published. My weekly musings and crazy projects even landed me a stint on television. I teach crochet and knit classes in and around Los Angeles because I blog. I have traveled across the country attending various workshops and conferences all in the name of yarn, oh, and my blog. Finally, the only reason I even know about (and attend) my local Stitch N Bitch meetings is because I was invited to attend by, you guessed it, another blogger.

The blogosphere has been very, very good to me. I have had some amazing experiences and palpable successes. I have had the privilege to meet some wonderful people and forged many lasting friendships. You, my fellow bloggers, have provided me with endless amounts of inspiration, laughter, candor and kindness. Thank you for embracing my weirdness and for your constant encouragement. I love you guys and look forward to sharing another year with you!

In closing, I think a few words from Eeyore are in order. Thanks for noticin' me.

Free Pattern - Knit Half Round Shawl

I use this pattern again and again. It's easy and there is no end to the different color combinations, stitch patterns and embellishments one can apply to this versatile accessory.

For instance, I've adorned this half circle with grilled delights...



And simple stripes...



Olives and pimentos...



Corndogs...



As well as these crazy crustaceans...



Despite the examples above, I feel as if I've only begun my exploration about the realm of the half-round. Oh yes, more iterations definitely to come.

Love to see your take on this one too...

Come on, give it a try!

Materials

• 800 yards (give or take) of worsted weight yarn
• US size 8, 9 or 10 circular needle (40")

Abbreviations

• BO - bind off
• CO - cast on
• K - knit
• KF&B - knit in front and back of stitch
• P - purl
• PF&B - purl in front and back of stitch
• PM - place marker
• st/sts - stitch/stitches

Directions
Shawl is worked from top down.
CO 8 sts.
R 1 - K 2, PM, K 2, PM, K 2, PM, K 2.
R 2 - PF&B of every st.
R 3 - K
R 4 - P
R 5 - KF&B first and last sts and before and after each marker. (two increases made per "section").
R 6 - P
R 7 - K
R 8 - P
Repeat rows 5 - 8 until desired length is achieved. (I usually work until I have at least 320 stitches on the needles.)
BO.

It just doesn't get much easier than that!

Copyright 2008 Regina Rioux Gonzalez. All rights reserved.

Lobster Bake Shawl

I mentioned that I've been on a nautical kick as of late right?

Yeah well, here's the latest in this series of aquatic themed projects...



And it's a stash-buster to boot! Yep, I made a serious dent in my acrylic stores with this crustacean emblazoned wonder...



The shawl itself is knit from the top down. I've made this half-rounder numerous times, beginning with 8 stitches and working until I have between 300 to 400 stitches in total (give or take). The piping around the edge is crocheted as are the lobster appliques.

Why appliques?

Because silly, you don't see the intarsia mess on the backside of the shawl!

I don't like messy.

I've also tried knitted appliques, but the finished product tends to be too stretchy for me. So, crochet the appliques I do. No give means a solid applique.

Now, if I could just find a So Cal lobster bake at which to wear this red, white and blue diddy, I'd be in business!

Heading to NYC tomorrow!

Promise, promise, promise to blog from there this time peeps!

Copyright 2008 Regina Rioux Gonzalez. All rights reserved.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Brain Embroidery
Originally uploaded by ladylinoleum

Not only does this adage apply to living a greener existence, but it can also be applied to living a more fully realized yarn-based existence. Oh, yes! You see my friends, intrepid exploration about the interstices of an idea, image or process oftentimes portends repetition of said idea, image or process, in an alternate iteration that is.

What the hell am I talking about, you ask?

Okay, remember the If I Only Had a Brain Shawl that I worked up several months ago? Yeah, well, that brain image? I just cannot let it go. In short, I feel that it has not outlived it shelf life. Nope, not in the least.

So, where has the gray matter turned up?

Inside the border of my embroidery hoop!

And looking quite fetching I might add…

Although this latest cerebrum inspired piece is quite satisfying to work on, I feel that this brain’s journey is far from complete.

Any ideas about where the brave and bold brain will show itself again? Do tell.

Anchor Tote

I've been on a stashbusting kick as of late. This latest project used up some of my Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece stores.

I give you the Anchor Tote...



The design of this tote is the progeny of a bag design I did for Crochet Today mag, which should be available this summer. Also, this seafaring baggy is crocheted in the round with an F hook, anchor is an applique that is crocheted separately and sewn onto the bag and the handles are made from braided crocheted strips.



Neato eh?

Oh, I almost forgot about this feature...the Tote is completely reversible!



Although this bag is quite simple to make, methinks it quite stylish. It was a great way to use up all of my cotton stash too! I may be making more of these. Different themes of course.

Happy Monday everyone!

Treking The Stars!

A few weeks ago the hubs and I traversed just south of us to the Queen Mary in Long Beach, California, in order to partake in a bit of LadyLinoleum sanctioned geekdom...The Star Trek Tour! 

 

Let me tell you all, it was awesome!  We were able to stand on the bridge from the original Star Trek set as well as the bridge from The Next Generation set (and yes, I did sit in Picard's chair...love that guy!) and view all of the props and costumes from the various Star Trek franchises, both television and film.  They even had a Tribble in one of the display cases!  In my humble opinion, Tribbles are THE finest examples of fun fur usage to be seen anywhere!

 

Ahem.

 

Anyway, I put a very short slide show together of the highlights of our visit which can be seen below.  We had a faboo time!  I highly recommend this event should it travel to a locale near you! 

Star Trek Tour

OUCH!

Yeah, if you are noticing some changes with my blog template, that would be because I accidentally erased most of it this evening!

What.

An.

Idiot.

Fortunately I had a slightly older version of my beloved green bloggy template saved on my computer.  Cleaning up this mess as I type...

Jeesh.

Marching into Spring...

...with a duel-handled blade!


My newest toy, the mezzaluna.

Yep, I spent my Saturday immersed in craft and the culinary arts as well as in search of the perfect materials suitable for both activities. After a mid a.m. Saturday morning coiffing, I was joined by my girl Jenna for some shopping just south of our usual stomping grounds.

First stop was Melt Down where grilled cheese is king, or queen, depending upon your preference. Ah yes, nothing like beginning a shopping binge tanked up on melty, cheesy goodness.

At any rate, upon first glance, the menu was pushing and prodding me toward ordering one of the sweet melts. I mean who doesn’t want a hot and delicious brie and apricot sandy on grilled walnut bread? (Note to self, have to order that one when next gracing the doorstep of cheesy pavilion.) However, upon full perusal of menu offerings, I ended up ordering this sodium enriched wonder, the Italian Deli melt. Yeah, yeah, I know! Not good for the chick with the lofty blood pressure. Whatever. It. Was. Good. Crunchy grilled focaccia, slathered with balsamic and olive oil, cradling layers of thinly sliced cured meats and spongy fresh mozzarella. Hot and savory. Oh, and just in case you were wondering, Jenna seemed to equally enjoy her appropriately named sandy, the L.A. Chick.

Tummies full, we were off to our first shop stop, Surfas, the “Chef’s Paradise”.

Oh. My. God.

I really had to restrain myself! I was walking around the place, glassy-eyed, wallet at the ready, feeling the overwhelming need to purchase huge vats of gold and silver sprinkles for the millions of disco ball sugar cookies I was planning to make upon my immediate return to my own humble kitchen. Really, it was scary. I don’t know what came over me while traversing the isles containing miles of culinary treasures. It was like a spell had overtaken me the minute I stepped foot inside the building. Literally, I was planning my graduation party from culinary school by the time I had made it to the register to purchase my wares. Oh yeah, it was THAT bad.

Needless to say, I showed a modicum of restraint and left the building with only one bag in tow containing a nifty mezzaluna (always wanted one), a glass condiment jar with flip-top lid for my stovetop stock of kosher salt, a small stack of flexible cutting boards, oh, and, um, a 1 lb. jar of gold sprinkles. Hey, I don’t see any reason to deprive my sugar cookies of their much deserved bling. So there.

Our final stop for the afternoon took me to my primary shopping danger zone…yarn AND roving. Culinary, schmulinary! This is my true downfall. However, I felt that Jenna really needed to be introduced to one of our most beloved Westside yarn haunts, A Mano Yarn Center. The fact that I have no self-control regarding stash acquisition should have no bearing upon the situation at all. Let’s just say I was providing a service, a charitable service, by acquainting a dear friend with a resource previously unknown to her. Yep, I’m a Good Samaritan through and through. A Good Samaritan who happened to leave the store loaded down by several balls o’ mohair and wads of roving. Jenna loved the store though, so the fact I dropped a little cash while simultaneously helping out a friend is quite acceptable. Quite acceptable indeed!

Ahem.

After Jenna and I parted ways that afternoon, I went straight home and occupied myself in a little nautical themed yarn play. Okay, “little nautical themed yarn play” is a euphemism for one large knitting project, two crochet projects and possibly a bit of embroidery too. Yeah, it’s all striped with anchors and such. I will probably want to burn all things navy and white when I’m done with this stuff, but well, right now I’m having a blast. You know, I tend to be a bit spirited with my efforts.

What brought on this sudden need to be at one with the sea? Well, I just came off three design projects for Crochet Today mag, which were as you might have guessed, notedly nautical! Oh yeah, there will be crocheted lobsters in your future, people!

I need to go back to Surfas and get some crustacean themed cookie cutters…oh, and some red sparkly sprinkles…

Winged Things

I have not been a very good blogger these past several months. This problem is mostly due to the fact that my employer has blocked any and all blogs from my view. It sucks and I've yet to come up with a viable solution for posting to my own blog as well as regularly checking out what's going on with all of you! Short of giving up crafting in the evenings to catch up with the blogosphere, I'm stumped as to how I can rectify this situation. Any suggestions are welcome!

Needless to say I have been making stuff. What follows is a load of FO's waiting for a post all their own.

First we have a lovely knitted Black Bat Wing Shawl with crocheted red sparkly veins AND its accompanying crocheted Batty Beanie...



This has been sitting on my "to be photographed" pile for months! For shame!

Here's a detail of the veins...



And the hat...



I used my Chicken Beanie pattern (sales pitch: available for just $5 on my sidebar!) as the basis for the Batty Beanie, which can also easily translate into a Kitty Beanie. I think there are more themed beanies in my future...

Next up, the knitted Blue Bat Wing Shawl with crocheted veins of in the same yarn...



This one is sparkly all over!

And just because wings seem to be my thing for this post, how about a pair of crocheted flight implements...



I plan to use this hand painted ribbon as the tie for these babies...



Feels good to get these off of the "to be..." pile. The sad part is that I have so much more sitting there waiting patiently.

I cannot stand feeling so behind! Oh well, maybe I need to put in a few super early mornings to get back to my posting schedule...

I'll figure it out....eventually.

Happy Monday one and all!

The Three Y's

I don't speak much about my trials and tribulations, but suffice it to say that life has been pretty difficult for my family over the past several months. The accompanying stress is really beginning to take its toll on me. Many days I am exhausted from the moment I awake in the wee hours of the morning and often I find myself in the act of withdrawal from friends and family in an effort to catch my breath, if only for a moment. Oh, don't worry, my personal acts of withdrawal do not include semi-catatonic states, rocking back and forth repeatedly, mumbling unintelligibly. Not yet anyway...No, I tend to withdraw accompanied by what I like to call "the three Y's": yoga; yarn; and youthful creativity.

Yoga is my savior. No, I'm not being dramatic! A few years ago I began to suffer from vertigo. Every few months I would succumb to this condition, dizziness and nausea plaguing me for days, sometimes weeks, at a time. However, since beginning to practice yoga last April, I have suffered little to none from this debilitating state. In addition to the virtual eradication of vertigo from my existence, yoga always, ALWAYS has the ability to subdue my stress induced agitated soul, no matter my level of discombobulation. Then there are the added benefits that partner with a consistent practice: flexibility; muscle tone; balance; core strength and of course, an inner calm that goes beyond the mat into everyday life. Yoga is nothing short of amazing!

Yarn is my constant companion. Literally! My project bag crammed with fuzzy WIP's goes with me everywhere. Retreating into the act of making loops, knots, weaves and strings, regardless of circumstances or locale, is the creation of an instant inner sanctum, giving myself the ability to regenerate and recharge whenever I find the opportunity.

Youthful creativity, yarn's best friend, is my foundation. Some time ago, amidst the career proceeding my current employment endeavor, I reacquainted myself with my inner child. In doing so I learned that art unhinged, unrestrained, explorative, full of honesty and discovery was the kind of art that I wanted to be making. I gave a nod to my art school training and preconceived notions about what made a good piece of work and set sail on a journey beyond my known creative borders. And in the uncharted territories I still find myself. For me there is limitless solace in this exploration.

Though I know my road ahead is still at an incline, I am comforted by the knowledge that each day I can find a rest stop within the three Y's...

Scoring Fluff

2lb. Bag O' Fiber Crack
Originally uploaded by ladylinoleum

My supply was starting to run dangerously low.

Definitely time for a fix.

Revealed current distressed situation to fellow addict.

Fellow addict (Hi Jenna! I can’t link to you due to work blog ban!), ever resourceful in situations such as this one, contacted mutual dealer (Hi John! Ditto as for Jenna!) to determine whether he had any inventory to move.

Dealer flush.

Fluff to move.

Addicts drove over to mutually agreed upon destination to score some fluff.

Crumpled up bills exchanged for big bag of white in the corner of a Culver City parking lot.

Addicts' thirst sated...for now...

Repeat After Me...

At present, my days are filled with a constant level of pandemonium: demanding career; familial obligations; scads of bills; a plethora of appointments; making time for friends despite the perpetual fanfare; all amidst the backdrop of the ever so lovely and uninterrupted teenage tumult courtesy of my adoring daughter. Life’s mélange, so to speak. Needless to say I need to decompress from my daily toils in the evenings or I shall not be long for this world. So, how and where do I find a degree of downtime?

I find my brand of solace in repetition.

Yes, the act of pulling a loop of yarn through another loop of yarn over and over again is very meditative. Feet to treadles, wheel in motion, gentle twist entering strips of carded wool in a seemingly endless cycle is definitely calming. Aiding shuttle in its journey to and fro across the taught expanse of warp threads is nothing short of sheer tranquility. Moving brush from dye pot to fiber again and again, each stroke an explosion of color, pigments seeping into the essence of the yarn’s being, is my serenity.

This kind of repetition is the ultimate in restorative power.

A power that is produced from something as simple as reworking a familiar pattern in an unfamiliar colorway…



A power that is honed while working a pattern repeat ad infinitum.



A power that is all at once supportive and expansive with every lap around the niddy noddy.



A power that is generated at the end of each and every day in the humble environ that I call home.

What would I do without yarn???

Did You?

I Voted Sticker
Originally uploaded by ladylinoleum

Makin' Yarn

I know. Lately I haven't had much knitting and crocheting to show. Rest assured that I have been working both processes weekly. I've just been working on some substantial projects so I don't have anything to show you just yet.

I do have some yarn FO's to share though!

I made some real strides on the spinning front. Take a look...





Aren't they purty? I've been making tons of the two colorways above in the hopes of having enough of each to actually make something cool.

I just love spinning.

I love it as much as crocheting and knitting actually. And that's saying something! In fact, I've even been reading about spinning every night before bed...



This book is such a great reference for those interested in spinning art yarns! Right now my homespun looks a little, well, conservative. After perusing the pages of Intertwined, I am hoping to push myself right outside the proverbial box soon. Have no fear! There will be all matter of errata hanging off my singles and plies in no time! I've got a ton of goodies in my stash that would be perfect fuzzy embellishments...

On that note, I've taken to dyeing my own roving too. In fact, I spent my entire Sunday with fellow fiber fanatic, Jenna, dyeing piles of it. We also painted some yarn. Hey, that's what dye parties are all about!





I cannot think of a better way to spend a Sunday can you?