restoring my faith in humanity slightly

I am frequently frustrated by the reader comments on the CBC news website. I am astounded by the levels of ignorance and bigotry I see there on a regular basis. It disappoints me because, to be honest, I like to think the majority of CBC listeners are progressive, earnest lefties. I am probably being naive in thinking this, but there it is.

So it was with pleasant surprise that I read the comments on today's story about how this year was the first time gay Canadian Forces soldiers had been allowed to march in Toronto's Gay Pride Parade. (The story is accompanied by an utterly charming photo of three uniformed soldiers grinning happily as they march in the parade.)

Yes, there were some comments about how homosexuals are a perversion, the Bible says this, blah blah blah, but to my surprise, the overwhelming majority of the comments were extremely supportive of gays and almost all of the harsh condemnation was for the homophobic posters!

What a nice surprise.

reason number one million why I prefer the train

Every time I go through airport security, I experience some level of frustration. Sometimes it's fairly low-level, like when I make it through security with only a belt-removal. Other times I experience practically Hulk-like levels of rage, like the times when I get "randomly" selected for a feel-up by a security official. I love it when they ask if I will agree to being "patted down." WTF am I going to say, no? Uh, generally I like to actually get on my scheduled flight, so what option do I have? And by the way, I am not so sure any of this is random since I get pulled out of line A LOT. My theory is that it's not because I look like a terrorist but rather because I look fairly compliant, non-stinky, and unlikely to punch someone out for touching me. This way, the security people can do their required job of looking like they're protecting all of us without actually having to deal with some passenger freaking out on them.

So I don't even know where to start with this new 3-D body scanner they're setting up at the Kelowna airport. Kelowna! Jesus Christ, who in their right mind thinks Kelowna is a magnet for terrorists? Yes, I'm sure if I were planning world destruction/domination, Kelowna is the first place I'd go. And do I want some CATSA official looking at an image of me without my clothes? No thank you. This whole thing sounds like it was dreamed up by some people who spent their childhoods yearning for a pair of those x-ray specs advertised in the backs of comic books.

back to the garden

Knitting Pattern--Take-Out Coffee Cup

Recently I've started making hand-knitted play food for my friends' children to use with their doll tea sets and play kitchens. Inspired by ilikelemons' knitted ice cream cone pattern, I decided to design a knit take-out coffee cup.

I hope you enjoy making this as much as I enjoyed designing it.

Knit Take-Out Coffee Cup



MATERIALS

DK or worsted weight yarn in the following amounts and colours:

• Dark brown—20 metres
• Light brown—20 metres
• White—40 metres

Set of double-pointed needles to achieve a tight gauge with the yarn you are using (I used 2.75 mm needles with a DK weight yarn). Exact gauge is not important, but gauge should be tight enough that stuffing does not show through stitches.

Small, flat round object the same size as bottom of cup--I used a pill bottle lid about 4.5 cm in diameter. This will fit inside the bottom of the cup and help keep it flat so it can stand up.

Stuffing of your choice: wool fleece, cotton batting, etc.

INSTRUCTIONS

Cup

Using white yarn and one dpn, CO 6 sts.

Knit as for i-cord.

Divide sts onto 3 dpns and pm to indicate beginning of round.

Round 1: Kfb into each st. 12 sts total.
Round 2: K all sts.
Round 3: K1, kfb. Rep to end of round.
Round 4: K all sts.
Round 5: K2, kfb. Rep to end of round.
Round 6: K all sts.
Round 7: K3, kfb. Rep to end of round.
Round 8: K all sts.
Round 9: K4, kfb. Rep to end of round.
Round 10: K all sts.
Round 11: K5, kfb. Rep to end of round. 42 sts total.
Round 12: P all sts.

Turn work inside out. Continue to work in the round (now you will be going the opposite direction).

Knit in the round in stocking stitch for 1 inch.
Increase round: K until last st on each needle, then kfb last st.

Continue to knit in stocking stitch; do an increase round after every inch three more times. 51 sts total.

Knit another inch, then do two purl rounds. BO knitwise.

Put a flat, round object such as a bottle lid into the bottom of the cup. The object should fit snugly and allow the cup to stand upright. Stuff the cup with the fibre fill of your choice and set cup aside.

Coffee

Using dark brown yarn and one dpn, CO 6 sts.

Knit as for i-cord.

Divide sts onto 3 dpns and pm to indicate beginning of round.

Round 1: Kfb into each st. 12 sts total.
Round 2: K all sts.
Round 3: K1, kfb. Rep to end of round.
Round 4: K all sts.
Round 5: K2, kfb. Rep to end of round.
Round 6: K all sts.
Round 7: K3, kfb. Rep to end of round.
Round 8: K all sts.
Round 9: K4, kfb. Rep to end of round.
Round 10: K all sts.
Round 11: K5, kfb. Rep to end of round.
Round 12: K all sts.
Round 13: K6, kfb. Rep to end of round. 48 sts total.

BO all sts knitwise and set aside.

Cardboard sleeve

Using light brown yarn, CO 9 sts. Do not join in the round—you will be knitting flat in seed stitch. *K1, p1 across row. Turn*. Repeat from * to * until the strip of knitted fabric fits comfortably around the stuffed cup.

Stitch the strip together so that one end overlaps the other slightly to form a visible seam. Set aside.


ASSEMBLY

Whipstitch the coffee, reverse stocking stitch side up, to the inside top of the cup using brown yarn. It is easiest if you don’t stuff the cup to the top before seaming. When there is one inch left to seam, stuff the cup until full. Finish the seam as invisibly as possible, knot, and hide the end by pulling it inside the cup with the needle.

Slide the sleeve onto the coffee cup until it fits tightly.

You’re done!


NOTE: This pattern is for personal use only--please don't reproduce it elsewhere, try to take credit for it, or make money off it. Thanks!

ridiculous anti-drug ads

Who in heaven's name is in charge of the federal government's new anti-drug campaign? Their print, radio, and TV ads are all ridiculously, earnestly awful. I cringe every time I have the misfortune of seeing or hearing one. Has anyone else had this reaction, or is it just me? I think they're terrible, but I can't quite put my finger on why.

I'm aliiiiiiiiiive!

Yes, it's true. I am still among the living. I have been wretched about posting for a while, mostly because as soon as I returned from my fabulous trip, I got hellishly sick and then started work. And although I have really, really wanted to, I have refrained from posting about work, although it is just about all I've been able to think about for the last four weeks. It is just not a wise idea, as many who have been fired for writing publicly about their jobs can attest. I think, however, that it is safe for me to say that I have been laid off (yes, again), effective the end of this semester, and that this semester has been incredibly stressful so far for a variety of reasons, the layoff being only one of them.

But there's not much I can do until September, when I find out if my layoff can be rescinded. So I will just keep ploughing ahead and trying to appreciate my nice, hardworking students and my kind, supportive colleagues.

---

Here. Have an ice cream cone:



I've been knitting feverishly in an effort to de-stress, and I came across this great pattern, Scooped, from ilovelemons. It is fast and easy and makes a good knit toy for a baby or toddler. I have made four of these so far, all different kinds of cones and ice cream scoops (I made two soft serves). I have also knit a banana and I saw a pattern for a knit beet that I would like to try.