wouldn't my parallel universe look something like this?

My apologies if you've seen this already, but it is too wonderful not to share on an icy Sunday morning...



Thanks, Poppalina!

My First Post About My First Quilt

The Metro Blue fat quarter set I ordered from The Fat Quarter Shop came on the same day as The Modern Quilt Workshop and Make Your Own Contemporary Quilts. I will be making the cover Zipper quilt from MQW and I'm so excited!

Wanna see the fabric close-up?



I am at home today, waiting for the ice storm instead of going to Blogless Amy's 1st birthday party for her dog, Truffle. This is because I am a giant wimp about driving in the winter. Now I am sitting here feeling like a big wimp and a bad friend.

Rock Star is skiing this weekend in Real Live Mountains. I am jealous of the topography and the warm socks and the fires and the wine but not of the swishing around in the freaking cold. Have fun, Honey! Anyway, I'm telling you this because he took my camera, which is more weatherproof and smaller than his. I wanted to show you the fabric, though, so I dug his out of the closet and guess what I found! A whole series of photos from his trip last June to Australia.

I like the fiery sky in this one best:

in which I declare Blog Bankruptcy

Rock Star had this brilliant idea. I have over 2300 unread bloglines and was stressing about it tonight and he said, 'it's too bad you can't just declare Blog Bankruptcy.'

To which I replied, 'of course I can. I shall do so as soon as we get home.'*


* this means I will not have read your past three months of brilliant and thoughtful and creative thoughts but that I *will* do so again.... starting NOW!

The Slog

Jarrett is moving along.

I actually finished the back and most of the left front before I realized that Europeans wear their sweaters tighter than do Rock Stars. So I ripped it out to make a larger size. Fortunately, I have enough time on the train to make significant progress on it without even really trying.

I hope to finish it for Rock Star before June.

I saw the saddest sight the other day downtown as I walked from the train station to work. The surface of the river had frozen and the ice was covered with snow. In the snow was a track of paw prints that led to the middle of the river - and to a hole where the intrepid critter must have slipped to its death in the frozen sludge.

That's my life lately, mostly, silently noting winter's victims as I walk to work and back. At night I come home and cook myself in front of the fire.


Last night I broke out of frying my brains long enough to join the knitting ladies at The Buzz Cafe in Oak Park. Blogless Amy finished her first scarf, ever!

Isn't it gorgeous????



I crave green growing things.

It's Mardi Gras! Show me your tits!

You've been totally fooled. That title is the biggest bit of revelry you're gonna get from me for a while.

The trip to Fargo was good as far as my work is concerned but I do not recommend going anytime in February for a fun trip. Here are some of The Best Sights on my Trip to Fargo:




The Loaf-n-Jug had the best cheddar brauts I've ever had:


Being a geomorphologist and a lover of all things neon, I was especially taken by this sign at the airport:


Continuing in the theme of blue, I've just ordered the Metro Blue fat quarter set to make a quilt for my brother and SIL.

I am really excited about *that*.

It's a Jarrett winter

I'm zeroing in on a defense date - this is why I've been largely missing from the whole cyberworld. I miss you! So I'm excited that things should calm down quite a bit after early April. Finishing this long dissertation process will be such a weight off my shoulders. I can't wait.

I'm in Fargo this week on business ('Fargo in February? Really? We're *really* going to do this??') and I think this is the coldest real temperature I've seen in my life. I know you Minnesota and Canadian gals are used to this so that's all I'm going to say about that.

Chicago was painfully beautiful at the end of last week, at the start of our cold snap.


A little stream near my house in the process of freezing


The Merchandise Mart right before Superbowl weekend. I've gotta admit, I'm happy for the Colts. Deep inside, I'm still an Indiana gal.

In knitting news, I'm working on Jarrett from Vintage Style. It's for Rock Star. It's out of Plymouth Tweed. I had to sub out Rowan because it's discontinued. I really like how this tweed in knitting up - it's making a beautiful brown fabric on US6 needles.

And it's perfect for a chilly professor.

not cool, Blogger, NOT COOL!

Has anyone recently integrated their google and blogger accounts and now commenters are only listed as 'anonymous'? If so, do you know how to fix it????