Birthday in Portland

Today’s my birthday. I’m 35 years old today (aaaah!!!!)

So far, I’ve received 2 video birthday greetings for my birthday (along with many non-video greetings). Thanks!

1 year ago, I was in Portland on my birthday because my friends Dan and Moonrise got married on the 16th (Happy 1st anniversary!) My friend Karen spent the day with me, wandering around the city, visiting a yarn shop, going to the Rose Garden, and generally being a great friend and making sure I felt special and loved all day long. While at the yarn shop, Karen bought me several skeins of beautiful Dale of Norway Lerke in a kind of steel blue. It’s lovely, and I put it away thinking “I will have to ponder what to make with this.”

Last night, John and I went to see District 9, and I thought “I’d like to have a worsted-weight project that I don’t need to think too much about, so I can try knitting at the movies.” Well, I cast on for another February Lady Sweater using the Dale of Norway and set up my rows. The FLS does the same thing for about 20 rows– knit to the stitch marker, make 1 stitch, knit 1, make 1 stitch, knit to the next marker, etc. It’s a top-down raglan cardigan, so that yoke/top is actually cleverly simple to knit. I wanted mine in stockinette stitch, so there was a little added complexity there.

I managed to knit about 18 rows in the dark and only made 1 mistake– I added a stitch in the second row. So, I decreased a stitch in the next row and kept going. I’m supposed to be adding buttonholes as I go, but as I am slightly allergic to buttonholes, I have decided that this sweater will get pretty silver clasps instead. Because it’s a top-down sweater, there are things I can do to make sure I’ll have enough yarn without having to rip out a lot if I run out.

I don’t have a picture at the moment of the in-progress sweater, but it looks very nice and I think it will be lovely when it’s done. Since I don’t have a picture to share, I’ll show you the Cthulhu I crocheted the other night:

It’s a pattern from Creepy Cute Crochet, and it took me about 3 hours to make. I had to decapitate it and stuff the body more (Cthulhu hungry?) because his head had too much stuffing and made him topheavy.

Meanwhile, for folks in Portland, here’s the details of the party:

Bowling, pizza, and cupcakes: 7:30 PM at the AMF 300 Bowling Alley on SE Powell. I made it 7:30 so you can eat beforehand if you’re so inclined, or have pizza with us. I’m picking up the tab on the bowling for 1-2 games, depending on the fun vs fatigue levels and how many folks have to work in the morning. Bring a friend/date if you like. Some of the cupcakes are gluten-free, though the pizza probably isn’t and I know the beer isn’t. The bowling’s gluten-free, though. The frogurt is also cursed.

I’ll bring little Cthulhu with me. Whoever wins the first game gets to take him home.