Hat Jam

It's very frustrating that more than half of what I'm knitting right now has to be kept secret. But I can tell you I've finished two hats for the Dulaan Project, because so far as I know I only have one Mongolian reader and neither of these is for him.



The yarn for both is Patons worsted, which I bought in Indiana from the woman who thought I wanted to rob her. (Not to be confused with the lady from Indiana who wanted to know if I learned to knit in prison. Do I really look that rough?)

I've had a heck of a good time with these because they're completely improvised. All I knew when I started them was:

1. I wanted to work in Fair Isle so the hats would be double-thick; and
2. I would rip back and re-knit anything that I wouldn't put on my own head.

So I cast on, then made design decisions on the fly. No stitch dictionaries, no sketches, no measuring, no net. Yeeeeeeehaaaaaw.

This the first one, sized for a small child, was started the day after Thanksgiving and finished just after coming home.



I kept the floats as loose as possible, and yet the checkerboard section still puckered. Go figure. But the hat is still comfortable and looks good when worn.

The second, larger hat began on the trip to Los Angeles and was completed last night.



Originally the top was to be all white, but that made for dull knitting. Rip, rip, rip. I decided instead to divide the space into eight parts, alternate the colors, and run the decreases along the left edge of each section. I had no idea what would happen.

Turns out I knit a propeller beanie. Look!



I absolutely have to do this again on a hat for me. Why should Mongolians have all the fun?

Like Woodstock, But With More Yarn

Through the miracle of smoke and mirrors I may seem like a nice person, but the fact is I'm a demanding and obsessive martinet. Just ask these three lovely people, who got up at an ungodly hour on Saturday morning to help get ready for the Chicagoland Dulaan Knit-In.

Ladies and gentlemen, my dream team:



Buzz




Bonne Marie



Sean

Bonne Marie picked us up from my apartment in her rough-and-tough Jeep. In short order, we had the Alumni House fully prepared (following my very specific instructions) and awaiting the arrival of the Dulaaners. Check it out:


Encouraging messages from Ryan and Konchog. (Konchog was unanimously voted Sexiest Monk Alive.)


A table positively groaning with prizes...


...under the watchful eye of Guess Who.


Another table, covered with donated wool for Dulaan projects. (Look familiar, Penny?)


The bust of John Evans in the Library, looking far more cheerful than is his wont. Carol made the hat.


And on the buffet table, Buddha in Attitude of Contemplating Which Cast On to Use.



The Dream Team gathered for a moment of reflection before opening the doors. And then, after a pause of about forty seconds in which I actually said, "What if nobody shows up?", in came the knitters.



Lieutenant Buzz greeted arrivals at the reception desk with a smile and an overview of the facility.

And they started to knit.










Some of my homegirls from Lakeview Stitch 'n Bitch.


Aidan's extremely helpful wife Myfanwe (left), and the Two Sock Knitters Jonathan (center) and Meg (right).


Aidan (rear) and his knitting son Norbert (foreground), one of those rare children with manners and charm.


















Knitters in the window. Knitters on the floor. Knitters, knitters everywhere...


...but always room for more.












The boys in the hall.


Kneeling in front is Lauren, holding her first FO–a Dulaan hat.






This is Grace, who started knitting in February and is already knitting extempore. She made that hat at the Knit-In, off the top of her head. Scary.


Emily, who provided us with some of her luscious Sophie's Toes Sock Yarn as a prize. She made the hat she's wearing, start to finish, at the Knit-In.


Lynette and her faboo cupcakes, which she described as "portion control desserts." So true, unless you eat five of them as some of us did.

In total, we had about seventy-six folks. If there's anybody I did not have the chance to thank in person for coming out to support Dulaan, let me say it here. This event would have been nothing at all without each and every one of you.

And now I need to go lie down for just a little while.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Details, Details

I'm going slightly wiggy trying to make sure everything comes together, but still I'm delighted beyond words at the response to the Chicagoland Dulaan Knit-In Potluck on November 4.

If you're coming, please take a minute or two to read through this entry.

If you're not coming, I'm so sorry. Regular knitting content resumes next week. There's lots of it.

No matter where you are, if you want to sign up for Ryan's Dulaan Brigade (folks who are promising to knit at least five items) today's the last day so get on over there and sign up.

What time should I arrive? How long will the event last?

The doors will open at noon.

Should you arrive before noon, the set-up crew will ignore your feeble cries for help and watch with glee as the squirrels mug you to get at your casserole.

We need to shut down promptly at 6 p.m., which should give us lots of time to knit and talk and talk and knit and eat and knit and talk and eat and knit. The format is open house: arrive when you can, leave when you wish.

We’ll be drawing for prizes throughout the day.

I have sufficient volunteers for morning set-up and transport (thanks to all who offered), and would like to just wing it and see who’s around at 6 p.m. to help with clean-up.

How do I get there?

The venue is Northwestern Unversity's John Evans Alumni Center, 1800 Sheridan Road, Evanston. The entrance is on Clark Street, which Chicagoans should note is not the same as Clark Street in Chicago.

There are detailed directions here.

There’s quite a bit of free parking on the adjacent streets and in the parking lot–just please do not park in reserved or numbered spaces.

I know of at least one knitter, Karen B. (a prize donor, no less), who is in need of a ride to the event. Karen's a hoot and you'll enjoy meeting her. If you’re in a position to offer a lift to her or to other knitters, or would like a ride yourself, please feel free to use the comments for this entry to arrange it amongst yourselves.

What should I bring?

1. Your Dulaan knitting, in whatever state it may be.
2. Your contribution, if any, to the food and drinks. This is not required for admission. Those who can contribute, please do. Those who cannot, you are welcome nonetheless.
   
3. A name tag, if you want to wear one. It's not required. I'm not wearing one. I'm going to assume if you read this blog and are coming, you know what I look like and won't confuse me with all the other short, bald men in the crowd.
   

Can I bring my cat?

Only if it's an ingredient in your casserole.

Are children welcome?

Depends on the child. Children who are knitting for Dulaan 2007 are, of course, welcome. Children who are small enough to spend the day happily cooing in a baby carrier are also welcome. Troublesome children will be sent into the kitchen, where Dolores will teach them to roll their own cigarettes, and read aloud to them from The Joy of Gay Sex.

Will you be collecting money for Dulaan?

No, because Dolores wanted to set up a Kissing Booth for that purpose and I decided it's best that all donations go directly to the people in charge. If you want to contribute monetarily to Flagstaff International Relief Effort (F.I.R.E.) there’s information on how to do so here.

Will you be collecting finished items to send to Dulaan?

No. All knitters will be responsible for sending their own finished work to F.I.R.E. by July 1, 2007. You can find specifics on how and where to ship via Ryan’s blog.

What should I wear?

Not this. Or this.

Can I still request an invitation?

Yes, through Friday morning. Write to d_vanhoofen at franklinhabit daht com.

When I get the e-mail with the link to the Evite invitation does that mean I’m on the attendee list?

No. Please respond (including regrets) via the invitation page. If you’ll be bringing guests, please note how many using the guest feature, not the comment box. Having a reasonably accurate head-count is important to the people who run the building–who also happen to be my bosses. So I thank you for your cooperation.

What if on Saturday morning my friend Ermengarde hears I'm going and she totally wants to go but she lives in a cave and so didn't hear about this in advance and so she's not on the list but she's afraid if she doesn't get to go she'll stop breathing and die? Should I bring her or not?

Come on over. Honestly, a few knitters more or less is not going to be an issue. One exception: Morgan Fairchild. Dolores and Morgan Fairchild don't get along, so no matter how she may beg, do not under any circumstances bring her with you. We don't need a repeat of what happened at the notorious Celebrity Tupperware Party of 1979.

Party Time Approacheth

If you received an invitation to the November 4 Dulaan Knit-In and haven't yet made your RSVP, this a gentle reminder to please do so. It's also not too late to request an invitation.

Those who have responded in the affirmative will be hearing from me soon about particular logistics and such. We're keeping it simple. The main thing will be to come, knit, have a good time and raise awareness for the project.

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank our many benefactors in advance. They've been so generous, and I type this in the shadow of a pile of goodies so large and lovely that you're lucky I haven't pocketed the lot and run away.

The lists include what's confirmed as of today.* And they're in no particular order, because honestly there's just a little too much going on in the world right now to get alphabetical.

Prize Donors

Ryan, High Priestess of the Dulaan Project
Assorted adorable Dulaan logo goodies

Sophie’s Toes Sock Yarn
Two skeins of hand-dyed sock yarn

Marlisa Mizerak
Two sets handmade stitch markers

Young at Heart Design Services
Cabled sock pattern–with enough yarn to make two pairs

Natalia Uribe Wilson of the Evil Eye Emporium
Silver necklace

Chris Gerstner of Scotts Mountain Crafts
Two hand-hammered shawl pins

Rabbitch
One set hand-made stitch markers
One skein hand-dyed sock yarn in colorway “Mustard Poo”
One skein hand-dyed laceweight yarn

Janel of Chameleon Colorworks
1 lb of hand-dyed luster yarn (70/30 kid mohair/silk, approximately 1,050 yards)

Carol of Black Bunny Fibers
2 skeins hand-dyed sock yarn
1 skein hand-dyed worsted yarn

Darinka D’Alessio
1 copy of Rowan magazine (#40)

The Knit Foundry
8” Ultimate Storage Container with 4-compartment divider
6” Ultimate Storage Container with 6-compartment divider
Purple Highlighter Tape
Medium Zippered-Mesh bag

Leslie Schroeder
10 assorted balls of yarn from Elann’s “Sock It To Me” collection

Doug Brannon (Outer Banks, NC)
1 pair handcrafted hardwood knitting needles

Jackie G.
3 skeins Opal sock yarn
1 copy Stahman's Shawls and Scarves: Lace Faroese-Shaped Shawls from the Neck Down

The Knitting Goddess
2 75g skeins of hand-dyed 4-ply cashmere

Karen B.
10 balls (25g each) Jaeger Cashmina (fuchsia)

Interweave Knits/Shannon Okey
1 copy Spin to Knit which the author absolutely promises to sign for the winner if only she can make it here on time

Michael Zudonyi of Connie Pagano Hair Salon (Deerfield, IL)
Consultation, cut, and blow-dry

Andrew Brown and Michael Zudonyi
2 designer scented candles by Rigaud

And I will be putting a few of my own sketches into the prize mix as well.

Advance Donations of Wool for Use In Dulaan Projects

Penny in LA
Kathy from Cherry Valley, IL

Food and Beverage Donations

Northwestern University Gay and Lesbian Alumni (NUGALA)
3 trays of assorted gourmet cookies and brownies
Selection of canned and bottled beverages

Special Thanks

Bonne-Marie Burns of ChicKnits
Buzz Turner
Mom and Dad
Flagstaff International Relief Effort (F.I.R.E.) for providing us with a copy of their documentary about Mongolia

Dolores Van Hoofen's Personal Appearance
Underwritten by

Andrew Brown and Kurt MacKenzie of MacKenzie Brown Design (Chicago, IL)

I hope you'll consider giving our generous corporate donors the benefit of your custom, or at very least your thanks.

*If you've offered to donate and you're not here, I apologize profusely. I've done my honest best to locate and record all offers via email and in comments, but I fear I may have missed one or two. If you're so inclined, a gentle reminder to d_vanhoofen at franklinhabit daht cahm is perfectly appropriate and very welcome.

It's Raining Yarn

After yesterday's whine and cheese platter, I'm pleased as punch to offer a more upbeat report on the persistence of goodwill and camaraderie among knitters.

As of two minutes ago we have 47 folks confirmed as attending the Chicagoland Dulaan Knit-In and a further 36 who have yet to RSVP. It's okay, we got a lotta chairs and couches. There's still room for more if you haven't yet asked for an invitation.

And such a quality group this is going to be. If you're the type who likes to stalk knitting celebs, here's two for you: Bonne Marie Burns, aka ChicKnits and Shannon Okey, aka Knitgrrl. (Shannon doesn't live in Chicago, but she's appearing at Arcadia Knitting earlier in the day. Talk about lucky timing for us.)

The range of door prizes is lengthy and impressive. A full list will be posted next week for your drooling pleasure.

In addition, the post office has dropped off a donation from blogless reader Penny. Penny now lives in Los Angeles, where wool clothing is not so much in demand as it is in Mongolia. She has therefore–are you sitting down?–sent us her wool stash to be distributed at the Knit-In for use in Dulaan projects. And we're not talking crap wool, either. This is good stuff.

Here's a shot of some of what arrived in large, heavy packing box. I have included a dairy cow for purposes of scale.



Penny, may bucketfuls of silk, linen, or whatever it is you Southern California chicks knit with rain gently upon your sweet head.

A Dispatch from Knit-In Headquarters

"Dolores," I said. "Dolores, I need to talk to you right now."

She was sitting on the living room floor, cutting out Nina Simone and Ethel Waters paper dolls with Harry the Ball of Sock Yarn.

"Is this something to do with the Knit-In?"

"Yes,"

"Well then hang on, I need to change clothes."

"What?"

"Just a sec," she said, disappearing into the bedroom.

A few minutes later, she returned.



"Are you sure you're ready now?"

"Quite."

"Okay, then. Can you explain to me why someone calling himself 'Genghis' has left me a message confirming a booking for 'The Mongol Horde' on November 4?"

"Oh," said Dolores. "Yes. Well, see, I was at Currently Unfashionable Ethnicities Night at the Lucky Horseshoe,* and after Genghis was done performing we got to chatting about about his group and how perfect they would be for a party to benefit Mongolia."

"Strippers. Mongolian strippers."

She coughed. "I believe they prefer the term 'body revelation artist'."

"Dolores," I said, "We're trying to clothe Mongolia, not get it naked."

"Did you leave your sense of irony out in the rain again?"

"We cannot have strippers at the Knit-In."

"What if they came in wearing half-made sweaters and we just sort of...frogged them."

"No."

"Hey," said Harry, "Does this mean I can tell the guys to stop knitting the thongs?"

"No," sniffed Dolores. "There's always my birthday party."

Other Knit-In Details: Kids, Animals, and Tobacco

There have been some questions put to me about what's ok and what's not at the Knit-In. Although those who inquired have been answered privately, I thought it might be a good idea to post the information here as well.

The John Evans Alumni Center is a non-smoking facility. Use of tobacco products is prohibited in the building.

A lady wrote to me to ask whether it would be okay to bring children to the Knit-In. Here's my answer: you must be honest with yourself and use your best judgment.

The house where we will meet is a grown-up space, owned by my employer. I am responsible for it while the event is going on. It's over 100 years old, furnished with antiques and oriental carpets. There are no child-proofed rooms and we can't provide childcare services, either formal or informal.

If your child is comfortable in such an atmosphere and won't continuously disturb the other knitters, your child is welcome. If your child is, shall we say, high-spirited, this may not be the most congenial setting for him or her. You know (or should know) your own child well enough to make the decision for yourself. My chief concern as host must be the comfort of all guests, whatever their ages.

Another lady wrote to tell me her cat would really like to come with her. On this issue, I must state firmly that only service animals are permitted in university buildings. No exceptions. (Dolores counts as a service animal. Just ask Genghis.)

Now. Enough with the freaking rules and regulations and prohibitions. Very soon I will be posting about what will be happening at the Knit-In and my dears, it's going to be lovely. We're up to nearly sixty people on the list. Don't forget to ask for an invite if you haven't already.

*For those of you just tuning in, the "Shoe" is a venerable Boystown night spot to which Dolores repairs to watch dancing when there's nothing going on at the Joffrey Ballet.

Hot Date

Chicagoland Knitters: Mark your calendars.

Why?

We're going to have us a Dulaan Project Knit-In Potluck on November 4, 2006 from noon to 6 pm.

The location: the quite lovely John Evans Alumni Center at Northwestern University, 1800 Sheridan Road, Evanston. We have the entire ground floor, comprising the Edwardian-era library, sun porch, breakfast room, conservatory, and dining room. It's terribly grand, yet cosy.

The Alumni Association is graciously donating use of the space for the day. There's ample free parking all around.

What Will We Be Doing?

We'll be knitting (or crocheting, if that's your pleasure) our nimble fingers off on behalf of the Dulaan Project. There will also be prizes, incessant chatter, and noshing.

What, No Sex?

No. We just had the carpets cleaned. And shame on you.

Do I Need to Sign Up?

Yes, please. One of the requirements is that we must have some idea of who's coming, so e-mail invitations will go out via eVite. To be added to the invitation list, do this:

1. Send an email to dolores at franklinhabit daht cahm.
2. Use the subject line "Dulaan".
3. Make sure the body of the message includes your name and email address as you'd like them to appear on your invitation.
4. Watch your e-mail for an invitation. Sometimes evite messages can get flagged as spam, so be vigilant.
   

If you know someone who wishes to come but does not use e-mail, you may sign them up as your "and guest" when your invitation arrives. Also, asking for an invite doesn't mean you're saying you'll definitely attend. It just gives you the option.

[Late addition: I realized it's possible to set up the invitation so that those attending can invite other people to attend. Feel free to do so–no need to go only through me. Just don't spam people in my name, okay?]

The list of e-mail addresses will only be used for this event, then securely discarded. I'm not building a mailing list or getting anything out of this event aside from the pleasure of your company. The point is to encourage participation in the Dulaan.

Nota bene: Pretty please with Rowan Kidsilk Haze on top do not ask to be put on the list via any other e-mail address or the comments.

What Should I Bring?

First and foremost: your Dulaan knitting, whatever it may be.

Also: this is going to be a potluck. (Ooh. Suddenly I feel all lesbian.)

I've got the venue secured in my name, and will be putting some of my own time and resources into the provision of food and drink. However, I can't do it all alone, so I'll be in need of a few lieutenants to help with set up and clean up.

You'll be able to sign up to bring something or help in a specific way via the invitation page.

If you're in a position to offer a prize or some sort of catering/provisioning, please so note in your e-mail and I or Dolores will be in touch. We can't offer much, beyond credit on the site and at the event, but we'd be grateful.

Are You Sure There Won't Be Sex?

Knock it off, Dolores.