Celebrating
Posted by Lanea on Monday, October 23rd, 2006
So, it’s birthday season. Scott is a year and four days older than I am, and our friend Mikele’s birthday falls right before ours, and Alan’s is right after, and then Nessa, and I can’t even name everyone else who is in the October string of birthdays.
I think I did a particularly good job finding one of my presents to Scott.
It’s a Mongolian chess board. No, I didn’t make it. But now that I’ve met one, I want to start doing the felt work for them. The carving isn’t in my grasp though, so I’d need to gang up with someone. That’s a felt tube, decorated by pressing hot irons against the wool. Inside:
The board is another piece of burned felt, and the pieces are carved of clay, fired, and hand-painted. The pawns are turtles,
the queens are lions,
and the bishops are camels.
Scott gave me another lunikeit, this one all silver.
The discs have stags in them–I haven’t been able to get a clear close-up of them, but they’re lovely.
My gift to myself was a trip to Rhinebeck with my friends Jayme and Janet. It was wonderful. I missed being home with my fellow October-babies, since we often get together around now. But the festival was amazing. I’ll tell you about it later.
My other present to myself is finally complete.
This second picture, with flash, gives a better idea of the color.
I wanted to wear it to the festival on Saturday, but the last bit of the pattern was giving me fits. I broke up with this sweater over and over again at the end, and threatened it with immolation. We’ve come to an understanding, though. I was able to crochet the sleeves in once I got home–I have yet to become one with a crochet hook, so it takes more concentration than I can muster while surrounded by fun. It fits well, it’s warm, the color is gorgeous, and I may actually keep it.
Filed in knitting | 9 responses so far
minnieon 23 Oct 2006 at 9:43 pm 1much niceness. did you get lots of fiber/yarn? happy birthdays to all, as well
mapgirlon 23 Oct 2006 at 9:48 pm 2Glad you are deciding to keep it too. Bestest time with you at Rhinebeck, but today I have a really horrible cold.
Lissaon 23 Oct 2006 at 9:58 pm 3Happy happy birthday, dear! Love you madly…
megon 23 Oct 2006 at 10:10 pm 4You didn’t set it on fire! Hooray for you! It looks terrific, too.
So I said to J. this morning, “What shall we look forward to next?” thinking he’d say “Gypsy Moon Ball,” or “Christmas,” but instead, he said, “Maryland.”
Jaymeon 24 Oct 2006 at 9:05 am 5I’m so glad crocheting the sleeves on worked for you. It would have been really bad if you had gone to the trouble of crocheting them and had to rip it out or burn it. I’m thinking maybe we should get a hotel for MDSW just so we can meet more great people.
Junoon 25 Oct 2006 at 8:46 am 6Pretty pretty yarn = good, sweater = good, fire = bad, so glad did not destroy.
Why did you not come home with me?
Also, I must have a mongolian backgammon board. Is there such a thing?
rachelon 25 Oct 2006 at 1:44 pm 7Beautiful gifts, and gorgeous sweater! You definitely must keep it for yourself–it’s your color and everything. By the way, I’m on the second sock with the Mountain colors you sent me. Mm-mm good!
Jonathanon 25 Oct 2006 at 9:30 pm 8Hmm… crochet hooks make me wiggy. I don’t pick up dropped stitches with them, I don’t do provisional cast-ons with them… Glad you have some comfort level with it.
Annieon 30 Oct 2006 at 1:40 pm 9Wow! Great pressies there! I love that chess board- that’s amazing! And the necklace and sweaters are just gorgeous!!