tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-364599462024-02-08T15:14:34.616-05:00Mary McK KnitsMary McK-http://www.blogger.com/profile/15416592384003782345noreply@blogger.comBlogger39125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36459946.post-60408848780954348632012-01-06T17:36:00.001-05:002012-01-06T17:36:43.927-05:00Hey girl,<br />
<br />
Sorry it's been so long. I promise I'll be back shortly. <br />
<br />
Love, MMary McK-http://www.blogger.com/profile/15416592384003782345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36459946.post-77730084985493581412008-06-09T18:10:00.002-04:002008-06-09T18:17:04.874-04:00Movin on overHey there Ladies and Gents, <br /><br />There's a new blog in town! I'll be moving on over to <a href="http://marymck.blogspot.com">marymck.blogspot.com</a>. While knitting is still on the agenda, there is just too much other craftiness going on to just be "mcknits" anymore. And we'll not even get into how in love I am with the the three column layout! <br /><br />But thanks to the few of you who are still checking this site, hope you enjoy the new one!<br /><br />xoxoMary McK-http://www.blogger.com/profile/15416592384003782345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36459946.post-59650871968790498672008-01-19T22:30:00.000-05:002008-01-19T22:47:26.255-05:00If only it were that easyLooking at this comic panel is kind of like looking at my future children. It some how manages to mesh mine and <a href="http://genekelly.deviantart.com/">Gene's</a> interests into one tiny package. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/marymck/2205524672/" title="1506superweaving4go by Mary McK, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2087/2205524672_f270c95e5c_m.jpg" width="240" height="240" alt="1506superweaving4go" /></a>Mary McK-http://www.blogger.com/profile/15416592384003782345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36459946.post-61552665997869836802008-01-15T00:07:00.000-05:002008-01-15T00:15:18.369-05:00In which creative ADD aboundsI have been the victim of some pretty wicked creative ADD the last few months. There are just too many things in my head that all want to get made, so of course none of them get made. I've decided that the only way to get through it is to stop fighting. My psuedo-schedule be damned, I'm now at the mercy of the creative muses. <br /><br />Here was what popped into my head today while I was looking for inspiration for some custom tailored shirts I'm working on. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/marymck/2194559086/" title="Snap Crackle dragon by Mary McK, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2415/2194559086_e4b94a88da.jpg" width="368" height="500" alt="Snap Crackle dragon" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/marymck/2193771973/" title="teacups and goldfish by Mary McK, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2097/2193771973_3b63ef809b_m.jpg" width="240" height="224" alt="teacups and goldfish" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/marymck/2193772649/" title="bird sketches by Mary McK, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2235/2193772649_3b93c5f516.jpg" width="241" height="500" alt="bird sketches" /></a><br /><br /><br />Um yeah, nothing to do with tailored shirts, but I think they will make some very cool embroidery projects.Mary McK-http://www.blogger.com/profile/15416592384003782345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36459946.post-64490727183453958602007-12-16T02:00:00.000-05:002007-12-16T02:09:19.214-05:00Thank you for being a friend<a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=6668174">This</a> is AMAZING!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://images.etsy.com/all_images/b/b80/afe/il_430xN.10169241.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://images.etsy.com/all_images/b/b80/afe/il_430xN.10169241.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Having had roommates that watched an entirely inappropriate amount of Golden Girls, I am both in love and a little scared at the thought of felt counterparts of those sassy ladies. But the moment somebody puts up a Facts of Life set, I'm all over it.Mary McK-http://www.blogger.com/profile/15416592384003782345noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36459946.post-75835363936664024112007-12-08T10:43:00.000-05:002007-12-08T11:15:05.227-05:00In which I discover other uses for pot racksThis my friends is what has been keeping me busy<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/marymck/2071854850/" title="Other Uses for Pot Racks by Mary McK, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2336/2071854850_bca067ac43.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Other Uses for Pot Racks" /></a><br /><br />These costumes where a doozie. I had my first real taste of "designers block" and it was no fun, no fun at all. I didn't help that I only had 3 weeks-ish to design and construct them. But even with the soul sucking self doubt, they turned out amazingly. The photo doesn't do them justice in the slightest. <br /><br />Now I must exit this haze of delusion I've kept myself in and realize that Christmas is now about 2 weeks away which means I need to have presents in the mail next week and guess who hasn't bought a single one? <br /><br />Or perhaps I will just keep watching this you tube clip over and over. <br /><br /><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/YdH5i6re-6E&rel=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/YdH5i6re-6E&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object><br /><br />How in the world did I not know about this show?Mary McK-http://www.blogger.com/profile/15416592384003782345noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36459946.post-28669406051111808452007-11-13T19:02:00.000-05:002007-11-13T19:05:57.583-05:00Thoughts anyone?How does one get through a nasty case of "Designers Block"? <br /><br />I'm going with unhealthy amounts of sugar and a bottle of wine. I'm either going to be brilliant or wake up tomorrow with the worlds funkiest hangover.Mary McK-http://www.blogger.com/profile/15416592384003782345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36459946.post-71066357428095172172007-11-07T14:40:00.000-05:002007-11-07T15:20:11.322-05:00Take that KateIn response to the horrible Kate Spade Scarf, I came up with this<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/marymck/1906335939/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2274/1906335939_683058eb04_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="Chunky Knit Scarf" /></a><br /><br />It's a Chunky, 2x1 rib scarf. The only problem being that I spun the yarn myself and seem to keep underestimating how much I will need. The Yarn is a mix of hand dyed blue faced leicester carded with bamboo and plyed with ripped hand dyed silk left over from my college days. It actually doesn't look that good in skein form but I am loving how it looks knits up<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/marymck/1906348279/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2205/1906348279_9b90d62317_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="Chunky Knit Scarf- detail" /></a><br /><br />It's currently only long enough to wrap around my neck, and I just ran out of that color silk. So it will either end up with some asymmetrical "stripes" or I will make a chunk knit neck warmer. <br /><br />Either way, still WAY cooler than that $95 acrylic mess.Mary McK-http://www.blogger.com/profile/15416592384003782345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36459946.post-6880390964465385932007-11-01T23:10:00.000-04:002007-11-01T23:17:25.637-04:00Oh, Kate Spade now I remember why we had to break up<a href ="http://www.katespade.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2891463&cp=2631362.2018073&parentPage=family"><br />This</a> is why people should learn how to knit.<br /> <br /><br />I'm usually all for the "it's easier and cheaper to just buy a sweater/scarf/mittens" mentality. But a chunky garter stitch acrylic scarf? Go pick up some $3 Lion's Brand from Walmart and save your self $92.Mary McK-http://www.blogger.com/profile/15416592384003782345noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36459946.post-58820492400645911042007-10-31T15:02:00.000-04:002007-10-31T15:05:29.786-04:00Happy Halloween!Brownie Points for anyone who guess what our costumes are. Apparently they were "subtle"<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/marymck/1809184305/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2163/1809184305_2e575dfe5c.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Happy Halloween!" /></a>Mary McK-http://www.blogger.com/profile/15416592384003782345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36459946.post-50495882040611203232007-10-29T11:46:00.000-04:002007-10-29T11:50:42.371-04:00In which I am actually productiveMuch to my own surprise, I have gotten my <s>shit</s> stuff together and have finally started to update my <a href=http://marymck.etsy.com>Etsy Site</a> with some of my Handspun. <br /><br />Fraggle Rock<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/marymck/1694295642/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2270/1694295642_5d95ee73c3.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Fraggle Rock" /></a><br /><br />Little Bo Peep<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/marymck/1693876572/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2334/1693876572_5aa1eb9c85.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Little Bo Peep" /></a><br /><br />Peas & Carrots<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/marymck/1693876712/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2188/1693876712_ac1b25de50.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Peas & Carrots" /></a><br /><br />I haven’t had much time to try to rehab the antique wheel, so everything was spun very slowly, with very little cursing (well very little for me) on Lucille. Techniques were pulled a little from the <a href=http://www.pluckyfluff.com>Pluckyfluff book</a>, and a little from the amazing <a href=” http://www.amazon.com/Spinning-Designer-Yarns-Diane-Varney/dp/193149939X/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-6151587-2347100?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1193672688&sr=8-1”>Spinning Designer Yarns</a> book. The names were all me, and probably my favorite part.<br /><br /><br />PS Is anyone else pretending that Christmas just isn’t going to happen this year?Mary McK-http://www.blogger.com/profile/15416592384003782345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36459946.post-66003380977426666052007-10-15T15:20:00.000-04:002007-10-15T15:32:52.397-04:00Me too Alex, me too.The traveling that seems to never end continued over the weekend. I’ve decided that a huge reason I am getting sick of the traveling is the motion sickness that seems to plague me on every type of transportation that isn’t my feet or a subway train. Apparently I am not the only one<br /><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g125/marymac22/Photo_10.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a><br /><br />I found this in my seat pocket on our flight from Salt Lake City to Bend. I completely agree, the Atlanta airport does suck. Big time. <br /><br />The whole reason Gene and I were on said flight was to visit my brother and his girlfriend in Bend, OR. And when I say my brother I kind of mean my sudo niece and nephew. The show pony/Golden Retriever is Mackinaw and the Cat/Bluetick Coonhound is Violet. They’re not really into the whole sitting still for photos so we have what I like to call “action photography.”<br /><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g125/marymac22/mac-violet.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a><br /><br />There was lots of beautiful scenery to be seen and some great knitting stores to visit. The amazing part was getting my brother to voluntarily venture into not one, not two but three separate knitting stores. I think it has something to do with him wanting a sweater out of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cables-Untangled-Exploration-Cable-Knitting/dp/1400097452/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/105-8752849-7335621?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1192476135&sr=8-1">this</a>. <br /><br />But I managed to pick up a set of <a href="http://www.knitdenise.com/pages/help-support-breast-cancer-research">Denise interchangeable needles</a> at <a href="http://www.gossamerknitting.com">Gossamer Knitting</a>. They're pink and scented, I think it gives them a little something extra, or you know supports breast cancer research. I also picked up some great <a href=http://www.straw.com/cpy/yarns/Maizy-scans.html>Corn fiber sock yarn</a> from the <a href=http://www.stitchinpost.com/>Stichin Post</a> because the only thing standing between me and finishing a sock (I’m not even ambitious enough for a pair, I’d just like to get one finished) is the fiber content of the yarn. <br /><br />I also got a fair amount done on a top down raglan sweater for a newborn that is set to appear on October 24. <br /><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g125/marymac22/milosweater.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a><br /><br />It’s Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino on US size 7 needles. I’m about 4 rows from separating the body stitches from the arm stitches. So of course I’m losing interest, but hopefully the deadline will keep me focused, maybe.Mary McK-http://www.blogger.com/profile/15416592384003782345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36459946.post-1626460933732288332007-10-10T00:16:00.000-04:002007-10-10T00:29:50.391-04:00Oh Patrica Fields, don't scare me like that.A few things that make me very happy at the moment.<br /><br />1. Fall has arrived! Kind of, I will take any coolness in weather as a sign of fall. I will ignore all fears that global warming is arriving, and my apartment building (conveniently located about 500 yards from New York City Harbor) will soon be under water as the ice caps melt down to the size of a cocktail swizzle.<br /><br />2. This awfulness<br /><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g125/marymac22/0310_sexcity_sn.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><br />Really was the awful dream sequence I told myself it had to be. I was ignoring all fears that Patricia Fields had crossed the line from insanely brilliant to completely insane. I may have been wrong about Britney, but Pat Fields will never steer me wrong.Mary McK-http://www.blogger.com/profile/15416592384003782345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36459946.post-2375803750792276832007-09-28T14:14:00.001-04:002007-09-28T14:47:40.620-04:00Way past retro<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g125/marymac22/antiquespinningwheel.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a><br /><br />That my friends is the amazing antique spinning wheel my lovely friend <a href="http://www.shescomeundun.com">Melissa</a> found, and that her equally lovely husband just dropped off to <a href="http://www.brooklyngeneral.com">Brooklyn General</a>for me. She told me it was broken, and very very old. It actually only needs a new drive band, some serious CLR treatment on all the metal parts, and if I feel like it a new footman for one of the treadles. Though it works just fine as a single treadle. It even has a built in lazy kate in the top. It looks and feels like the kind of wheel people made really functional yarn/twine/rope on, back when it wasn't just a hobby for the fiber obsessed like myself. <br /><br />I am hoping after A LOT of tlc that I might be able to convert it into a wheel to spin all the crazy beautiful stuff from the <a href="http://www.pluckyfluff.com">Pluck Fluff</a> book that is not going to go as smoothly on <a href="http://mcknits.blogspot.com/2007/04/and-her-name-is-lucille.html">Lucille</a><br /><br />Here keeping my fingers crossed.Mary McK-http://www.blogger.com/profile/15416592384003782345noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36459946.post-77101337239301390802007-09-27T15:08:00.000-04:002007-09-27T15:31:03.904-04:00What the.....While cleaning out my iphoto library today I found a photo from my friend Amy's surprise graduation party. I was being teased for having my knitting at the bar in my bag, so I pulled a <a href="http://www.yarnharlot.ca/blog">Yarn Harlot</a> and took a photo with my drink of choice (cough*schmirnoff ice*cough) <br /><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g125/marymac22/wtfknitting.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a><br /><br />The only problem being that I have no idea what the hell I was knitting, when I bought that yarn or why I was carrying around wool in the summer in St Louis, MO (side note, if you've never been to STL, just imagine the most humid disgusting suffocating atmosphere imaginable and you have STL in the summertime). It appears that it was knitting on a circular and is that seed stitch perhaps? I’ve ruled out a sweater, a toy, or a scarf, and it is definitely not my normal color of choice, and it is no longer in my stash of unfinished knitting. For now I guess I will just blame it on the gremlins.Mary McK-http://www.blogger.com/profile/15416592384003782345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36459946.post-51774028191661120552007-09-20T21:30:00.000-04:002007-09-20T21:31:07.761-04:00Summer: a photo essay, sortaThe summer is over and it feels like it was about 2.5 seconds long. That might have to do with the fact that we managed to travel across a good portion of the eastern half of the country in a little under 2 months. <br /><br /><b>There were family celebrations</b><br /><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g125/marymac22/smokeymoutain.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a><br /><br />We traveled to the amazing beautiful Smokey Mountains in TN for Gene’s Grandparent’s 50th wedding anniversary. Being in the hillbilly version of Vegas, Gatlinburg TN it was of course a hillbilly themed celebration. <br /><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g125/marymac22/hillbillyhufnagle.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a><br /><br />And I also procured an amazing airbrushed t-shirt from one of the ten million air brushed t-shirt places<br /><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g125/marymac22/unicorntshirt.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><br /><b>There were weddings</b><br /><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g125/marymac22/carriedress-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a><br /><br />That would be wedding dress two of three. It was my present to my wonderful friend Carrie who got married in August. She lives in the Midwest. I am in Brooklyn. Thankfully I didn't completely screw things up and the dress turned out lovely.<br /><br /><b>There was the Chicago Comic Con</b> <br /><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g125/marymac22/l_8216c057cae198ef6abfcf5e54b44de3.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a><br /><br />We met up in Chicago for a weekend of all things dorky with some of our friends from St Louis. Wendy and I only went for the first day, while we can definitely get our geek-on, we aren’t quite at the same level as most of the attendee’s <br /><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g125/marymac22/l_7aa9464127f6752a1bdd962113b1da8a.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a><br /><br />But there were t-shirt boths galore, some video game Karaoke, and the always popular baby bottles of wine in the cafeteria <br /><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g125/marymac22/wendywine.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a><br /><br />and my personal favorite, a freaking kntting convention going on next door<br /><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g125/marymac22/sadconvention.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a><br /><br />That was me before Wendy used her awesome powers of persuasion to get the door people to let us into the market place where I got this<br /><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g125/marymac22/comicconfiber.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a><br /><br />From a women with some amazing fibers, that sadly doesn't have a website. <br /><br />All in all it was a very nice, if sort of hectic summer. And now I can pretend that we don't ever have to travel again...yes I'm delusional, I like it that way.Mary McK-http://www.blogger.com/profile/15416592384003782345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36459946.post-10866471313558834112007-09-11T19:53:00.001-04:002007-09-11T19:53:35.358-04:00NumbersToday is September 11th and I am reminded that I should be able to see the twin towers from my living room window. I purposefully never looked at any information about the WTC tradgedies before today. When it happened I was still grieving for my mother and I couldn't handle trying to grieve for the nation. I made sure my friends in NYC were safe and I compartmentailzed the rest so I didn't have to feel that ache that I knew every single family member of somebody who died that day was going through. Today I finally saw the number of people who died.<br /><br />2996 people. <br /><br />2996 families that are still healing from the loss of that day, mothers, fathers, wifes, husbands, children, who are missing somebody so important in their life it that it will never be the same again.<br /><br />Then I thought of Iraq. We have been "fightning the war on terror" since it happened. First in Afghanistan and then in Iraq. Trying to make sure that we keep something like that from ever happening again on US soil. <br /><br />The body count in Iraq from March 20, 2003 to today<br /><br /><b>135,335</b><br /><br />135,335 lives for 2996.<br /><br />Violence will never make peace, it will never make us safe, it does no good at all. It only causes more pain in a world that has already had quite enough.Mary McK-http://www.blogger.com/profile/15416592384003782345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36459946.post-12229682601402891002007-06-23T18:13:00.000-04:002007-06-23T18:21:17.714-04:00One of ThreeFor the last two months I have been spectacularly busy. Here is some of the stuff that’s been keeping me busy<br /><br />Big project #1<br /><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g125/marymac22/OTbrbsmall.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a><br /> <br /><a href="http://www.redmetalmailbox.org/">Red Metal Mailbox</a> presented Old tricks for a second time. The show did so well last spring we decided to remount it again this summer. Every time I see it I am so proud of it, I can’t believe what an amazing show we put together. If you are in the NYC on either of the next two Thursdays you should check it out at the <a href="http://www.chocolatefactorytheater.org/">Chocolate Factory Theater</a> in Long island city. <br /><br />Project #2<br /><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g125/marymac22/Photo_06-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a><br /><br />Wedding dress 1 of 3 is done and in the hands of the lovely bride. The wedding is next weekend and I will have some much better pictures afterward, but while I highly doubt her fiancé would ever stumble across my blog I’m not going to chance any bad wedding mojo by posting pictures of the dress before the big day. But I cannot even begin to say how relieved I am to be done with it, Hand beading can really cut into a girls knitting time.<br /><br />And with spectacular timing my friend Pam decided to host a “spinning weekend” at her insanely gorgeous house in Montauk. Here is the view from the back porch<br /><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g125/marymac22/Photo_06-4-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a><br /><br />Pam, Heather, Lulu and I got to escape the city and spend two beautiful wonderful days doing nothing but spinning, knitting, and walking around town, and freaking out the locals by knitting at the local bar<br /><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g125/marymac22/Photo_06-6.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a><br /><br />We also did some clamming <br /><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g125/marymac22/Photo_06-2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a><br /><br />Not growing up in a family that fished or hunted, it was pretty awesome to forage the clams from the harbor and then cook them that night for dinner. In between drinking and clamming I also learned the magic loop method and how to turn a heel short row style and got a decent amount of spinning done, a pretty amazing two days. And now that I am back its on to Two of Three and Three of Three and a few more weeks of a crazy schedule. <br /><br />But I’ll always have Montauk.Mary McK-http://www.blogger.com/profile/15416592384003782345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36459946.post-85045950138657151522007-05-17T18:22:00.000-04:002007-05-17T18:34:53.593-04:00An Open LetterTo the gremlins that have been stealing my seam rippers,<br /><br />I am willing to start hostage negotiations, <br /><br />Please leave your demands next to the Bernina, at the site of the disaperance. <br /><br />If it has anything to to do with me calling you gremlins instead of your prefered term mogwai I am very sorry and will work on correcting my language, but can not make any promises until I no longer have to try to take out stiches with 7 inch scissors. <br /><br />Thanks<br /><br />McK-Mary McK-http://www.blogger.com/profile/15416592384003782345noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36459946.post-30490431329077373682007-04-30T18:54:00.001-04:002007-04-30T18:54:36.916-04:00Henry the Dinosaur<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/marymck/479017152/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/182/479017152_be5b1925eb_m.jpg" alt="" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 0.9em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/marymck/479017152/">Henry the Dinosaur</a> <br />Originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/marymck/">Mary McK</a>.</span><br clear="all" /><p>Meet Henry the Dinosaur<br /><br />After months of procrastination and putting other projects first I finally have items for sale at the Coffee Den<br /><br />He is the first pattern I’ve made that actually turned out how I wanted him to, which is extremely exciting. I have a few more toys still just in “prototype” mode, but they should be full on toys with in the next few days. <br /><br />In other news I volunteered to spin at the Prospect park zoo fiber festival this weekend. My random observation from the weekend, did you know that children can felt wool rologs with just their tiny sweaty little palms? I am hoping this information will come in handy one day in life. You know whenever I am having a felting emergency all I will have to do is scrounge up an irritable toddler and I’m all set. That’s the way it works right?</p>Mary McK-http://www.blogger.com/profile/15416592384003782345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36459946.post-47692868227769048102007-04-20T10:15:00.000-04:002007-04-20T10:18:29.606-04:00Philly is kinda tropical...right?So any one else ever have a sewing machine literally bend its gears rather than to continue to sew for you? I’m not sure what I did to piss of the craft gods, but well they were not happy with me yesterday. <br /><br />My sewing machine decided to basically die, 4 hours before a final fitting. Which now due to an unexpected last minute trip to Philadelphia this weekend I won’t have time to make any last adjustments. Lets just say it was an unpleasant afternoon, But I didn’t have to go buy a new machine, which was looking like a very real possibility, And I was able to hand sew what was necessary before the tech rehearsal and they looked amazing if I do say so myself. <br /><br />So now my Bernina is in the shop having mighty expensive repairs, the poor thing has been in storage since my first apartment in Chicago, two moves ago (It was my cheap Kenmore machine that bit the bullet) Lets hope that they repair it before the end of next week otherwise I will be doing a lot more hand sewing. <br /><br />But yeah lots of other random stresses this week and I am ready for some kind of tropical vacation right about now. But instead of the Caribbean I do have my gift from my Secret Pal, I received The Knitting Circle by Ann Hood in the mail and so far it is really a beautiful book. I have to read it in small doses though. It is the story of a woman who deals with the loss of her young daughter by learning to knit. So while really touching it hits a little close to home, especially during a hard week. But I am thoroughly enjoying it and am taking it with me on the train to Philadelphia this afternoon. Lets hope I don't cry like a baby in font of all the NJ commuters on the Path train.Mary McK-http://www.blogger.com/profile/15416592384003782345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36459946.post-11984339155728419182007-04-05T18:29:00.000-04:002007-04-05T18:34:33.898-04:00Nostalgia in a random post .There are few things I miss about living the midwest but here is one of them<br /><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g125/marymac22/l_67ca33eed057642f150a093b7770ebae.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a><br /><br />There is nothing quite like a thunderstorm rolling over a cornfield (or if you want to be technical soybean field). Second only to a field full of fire flies on a summer night. <br /><br />End Random post.Mary McK-http://www.blogger.com/profile/15416592384003782345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36459946.post-51002197373214281872007-04-04T16:55:00.001-04:002007-04-04T17:19:14.236-04:00And Her Name is Lucille.So I ordered my spinning wheel, the only downfall was that I was going to have to wait until July since they were on crazy back order. Well apparently somebody cancelled their order and a wonderful package showed up at <a href="http://www.brooklyngeneral.com">Brooklyn General</a> yesterday.<br /><br />Meet Lucille, She is a Louet Victoria in oak and she is beautiful, <br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g125/marymac22/S95Victoria.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a><br /><br />Yes I know it’s kind of weird to name inanimate objects, but well I never claimed to be very normal just ask Sally my Lap top. <br /><br />So yeah, yesterday was basically like Christmas for me. Not to mention that I got to go to an amazing place called <a href="http://www.mtfa.org">Material for the Arts</a>. Its basically a huge warehouse space that takes donations of great stuff that is then passes it on free to non-profit organizations in the area. Not only did I get some great fabric for an upcoming project, it was also Crazy Hat Day<br /><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g125/marymac22/274.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a><br /><br />Yeah we totally won. Not the most flattering photo of myself ever, but its hard not to bask in the glow of victory.Mary McK-http://www.blogger.com/profile/15416592384003782345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36459946.post-69757686647007843692007-03-18T17:50:00.000-04:002007-03-18T17:55:15.048-04:00Oh The BeautySo if you have read my “about me” blurb, you know I am not really an organized person. It’s in my nature to pile things in stacks and plan to deal with them later. Or my personal favorite of hiding things in boxes and planning to deal with them later because then they are out of site, and often forgotten about. Well last night I had an oh so clever idea (well clever to me, my standards aren’t that high) To go buy some PVC pipe have it cut to 65” and carry it home (It’s PVC, how much can it weigh?) And finally put all my yardage of fabrics on them so they are not just in a folded mess on my studio shelves. In Theory it sounded so easy I couldn’t believe my great idea. <br /><br />I need to remember that I don’t live in the Midwest anymore. There’s a reason people say “If you can make it in NYC, you can make it anywhere.” Even the simplest task can end up being the most difficult, exasperating, soul sucking experience you can imagine. Long story short, PVC is not that light, and carrying 40 feet of it no matter how manageable the pieces have been cut and taped together, its still freaking heavy. Especially over the mile of sidewalk I have to navigate between my house and the Home Depot and I won’t even get into negotiating the subway. <br /><br />Also the Home Depot might want to evaluate their customer service. Expecting a customer to navigate through a crazy busy store with 4 pieces of 10ft PVC pipe down an escalator into the basement with 8 foot ceilings, by themselves isn’t great idea and when the customer points that out, eye rolling from the employee is not appreciated. Why the hell can’t they put the PVC pipe cutter near where they store the PVC? <br /><br />But I am now the proud owner of several lengths of PVC that are great at holding my yardage neatly. I have only gotten through the wedding dress fabric so far but it still makes me quite happy to look at<br /><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g125/marymac22/bolts.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a><br /><br />I’m going to ignore the not so organized yarn stash behind the bolts and just focus on the beauty of neatly rolled fabric.Mary McK-http://www.blogger.com/profile/15416592384003782345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36459946.post-34630304197118589272007-03-09T23:34:00.000-05:002007-03-09T23:56:36.515-05:00Toddler CoutureMy prediction was correct I am quite obsessed with spinning at the moment. Here is my newest, less bulky yarn. <br /><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g125/marymac22/bamboyarn.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a><br /><br />It’s a bamboo and tussah silk blend, and quite possible the softest yarn I have ever felt. I haven't set the twist yet, so we'll see if washing it affects the feel of it. Eventually I am going to dye it but for now I just like to admire it and show it to friends and family who feign enthusiasm. <br /><br />I did take a break from the spinning to try my hand at Toddler clothing design. <br /><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g125/marymac22/mabledress.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a><br /><br />It's a birthday present for the coolest two year old I know. And I am hoping I didn't make her a dress that she'll have to wait another two years to wear. I guess I'll find out on Sunday. I am also in a mad dash to finish an octobot for the same little lady by Sunday. I have most of the robot done, but have only cast on for one tentacle of the octopus...looks like its going to a long Saturday with me on the couch with Veronica Mars. On second thought that doesn't sound so bad.Mary McK-http://www.blogger.com/profile/15416592384003782345noreply@blogger.com1