Perspective

-- rant alert -- rant alert --

OK, I love reading Heather Armstrong's blog - she is the queen of snarky mamahood. Today, though, she hit on one of my pet peeves.

You know how a mobile hangs above a baby's crib to distract and stimulate them, comfort them when their grownups' faces aren't hovering above? Someone please tell my WHY people insist on manufacturing mobiles that are visually pleasing ONLY to the ambulatory adults in the room? This mobile, installed over Dooce's new crib, WILL LOOK LIKE TINY ROTATING LINES TO THE BABY. Hello, edges of paper? Not so engaging.

Face 'em down, people. This is all I ask.

Bright eyed and bushy... tailed

And in church choir news, eWAC brought his blankie to rehearsal for show-and-tell last week. It is fan-freakin'-tastic. (Regrettably, I didn't photograph the reverse, which is dancing hibiscus ladies.)

And it was only a little distracting to the altos and sopranos in the front row - well, some of them, anyway.

The Wright stuff

(I'm sorry - the title had to be writ.)

Today marks the 50th anniversary of the death of Frank Lloyd Wright (1867–1959). My, but he was long-lived. And creative. And prolific. And genius. And durn clever at financing his grand architectural works of art (read: squeezing every penny and then some out of his customers).

I'm convinced I was born a century too late. Living in south Minneapolis I grew to adore the American Arts and Crafts movement, to the point where I have dreams about Stickley. I could (and have) spent hours pouring over tile and wallpaper friezes and light fixtures and did I mention furniture?

Wright took the A&C movement and married it to the "modernity" of the 20th century in a very organic and non-offensive way. (Can you tell je deteste International architecture? Blech.) The way the walls of windows in his Prairie School homes (Fallingwater, at left) embraced and framed the natural view as art, to the conch-like structure of the Guggenheim (right) - he totally does it for me.

Thanks, Frank.

Note to self:

Check the homework before it leaves the house.

Exhibit A: The Artwork

Exhibit B: The Explanatory Note

Heroes

For those knitters who collect/read/enjoy comic books graphic novels, meet your new best friends:

Handknit Heroes! Each issue comes with a pattern in the back. Subscriptions are $20/year for quarterly issues mailed right to your door. No e-publications here - you can almost smell the ink...

Barbie turns 50

As much as I generally eschew the Barbie empire, it is a landmark year for Her Plasticness. The fashion world's take on this injection-mold diva is inspired.

As for Kidlet? I don't think she's been exposed yet, but my childhood dolls (and a couple of Nana's) have been secured in an undisclosed location...

Check your gauge

If it's not 3 stitches per yard, you may need to change needle sizes.

All laced up

I checked my e-mail this morning and, in one of the kntting newsletters I subscribe to (yeah, I'm a geek, but I embrace it), this caught my eye:

The Dutch design house Demakersvan produced these lace fences. You can see more of their artistically functional work here.

Grrr.

Crochet your piano pretty

Dear Going40 and eWAC,

Hi! How are you two? After seeing the varied offerings at the State Fair, are you still committed to only the knitted arts? Well, this may motivate you to start hooking (no, no that kind):

If you ask Joana Vasconcelos nicely, she may share her piano cozy pattern with you.

Have a good day at school and the office!

Love,
Meema

I [heart] Franklin

If you're like most knitters, there is someone you've met or someone you know or someone you're bonded to by blood [sigh] who doesn't understand The Knitting Thing. You can try to explain it 'til you're blue in the face, or gift them a work of beauty from your needles, but they still deem the enterprise "trivial" or "quaint" or "cute".

Franklin Habit has written a marvelous essay on knitting and its place in our society, so I'm going back to my knitting which has amazing integrity AND IS SO WORTH MY TIME, and you may read Franklin's prose.

Have a fiber-rich day!

painting: Girl from Dalecarlia Knitting. Cabbage Margit (1901) by Anders Zorn (1860-1920), Swedish painter and printmaker

The road to Hell

... was paved by these three gentlemen:The world is a funny place if you squint just right.

Happy Monday!

Can you shear me now?

This flock can be seen in the Museum für Kommunikation in Frankfurt, Germany. I first saw them mentioned on Kristin Nicholas' blog.
Holy kinky fleece, Ba-a-a-a-atman - I don't think skeining and soaking will relax that natural wave.Puns happen. Dial with it.