plants and formspring.

my garden has been growing quite well! unfortunately, two of the plants didnt sprout and the two romain bought i havent been able to save. but two remain, and they are flourishing! they are climbing up the balcony gate and curling around each other. my landlords have agreed to keep them there after we move out. i cant bring myself to move them.

today, as always, romain had to work. i settled in to waste the afternoon away watching french movies, until it was time to meet aoife for our date to rent boats and bcome pirates. just after i had started the movie, and became engrossed in the french zombies [yes, i love horror movies.], romain popped up in my living room with a bouquet of flowers! he'd had a sushi plate to deliver nearby at montparnasse, so he decided to come over for a few minutes! it was unbelievably sweet. usually he brings me potted plants, so it was nice to get a bouquet. [this wasnt the first one, its actually the third. but it is the prettiest, now that its summer!]

now that school has ended, and i havent been able to find that extra job, i have a lot of free time on my hands. so i'll answer the formspring questions that have been piling up!

i love your blog! What's your all time favourite yarn?

i love malabrigo lace or worsted, but i think that debbie bliss cashmerino chunky is my favorite. based on pilling over long time wear, amount of breakage, and color consistency between skeins, cashmerino chunky wins hands down. usually, i dont care for debbie bliss yarns. but this line had none of the usual faults. i didnt find one knot in any single skein!

ive followed your blog for a while now (and a big fan on ravelry!:), and you've definitely got me itching to travel/study abroad! What has been your favorite place in Europe?

well, i havent been many places, im sorry to say. if all of my plans work out, thats going to change! keep looking to my blog for details. but out of the few places i have been, id have to say the southern coast of france. the water is amazing, the wine country is beautiful, and the accent is so endearing!

i love your knitting jacket. Can i have the patron please. I come from the netherlands, and i love your jacket. Afcourse i pay for it Gr Helga

do you mean the truffle? well, i would LOVE to give you the pattern, but unfortunately i used a tutorial. however, i would have no problem answering any questions you may have! or even helping you get started with measurements and gauge.

just message me on ravelry [knitrawr] or leave a comment on my blog [yellowbirdknits.blogspot.com]

here is the tutorial:

http://dullegriet.wordpress.com/tag/truffle-cardigan/

what are you studying in university?

i am studying history, with a minor in art history and french. but i think that's going to change soon! in order to graduate, i need at least another year. so i might make art history my major and history my minor! i'm really not sure yet though, i've got a couple of years left!

What is currently in your purse? Post a photo if you can!

well, there is a story even behind m purse. one day, i was riding the metro to meet romain and arnold in the marais. all of the sudden, the strap on my purse snapped. all my belongings spilled out over the metro floor, sliding and clattering with every jarring movement of the train car. it took me multiple stops to finally collect everything, and after those embarrassing minutes, i ended up being thirty minutes late! on top of that, i was forced to drag them all around, going from store to store, trying buy a new purse. i finally found one from a stand on the side of the road. its extremely large, black, and a little bit manly. but it only cost me twenty euro and i love it. a warning: i never clean out my purse.

 

the contents [i couldnt fit everything in the picture]:

harry potter et l'ecole des sorciers [book one in french]
my journal
my plan de paris [my map of paris]
my knitting
my ginormous wallet which is jammed full of metro passes, tube passes, school ids from three countries, my passport, receipts from all over the world, and a melange of international currency.
ticket stubs from numerous trips
a bottle of water
a lollipop bought on a drunken trip to the alimentation generale
my half of the wishbone that ro and i once wished on
the remnants of a russian wooden ring ro once bought me
a thank you card that is yet to be filled out, for ro's mother
a pack of cigarettes [bad influence here. very bad influence.]
a pack of french playing cards [that are very helpful when my work gets awkward]
brochures from my trip to monet's house and garden
my skeleton keys [my apartment uses skeleton keys!!]
numerous pens, pencils, buttons, and knitting accessories
a cardigan
various hair accessories and makeup
a stick of gum a bartender once gave me [along with a free shot of beer]
my nintendo ds
my ipod
my unlocked phone and multiple sim cards
a pack of tissues and some cough medicine
a pair of oversized sunglasses and a pair of purple fashion glasses
finally, my camera.

wow, its hard to believe i carry all that around with me every day. no wonder my shoulders are always sore.

but this brings me to my next portion! a few days ago, i received a package in the mail! i love receiving mail so i opened it excitedly to find knitting patterns from the lovely siga! i couldnt find them here in france, so she was lovely enough to send them to me! she even sent me an extra magazine! watch out blogosphere, i will soon be making this. [ravelry link.]

also, its not looking like im going to be traveling much around europe. its a shame i know, but hopefully, this next idea will pan out and my frugality wont be wasted. if i missed seeing you, i'm really sorry. but ill be here in paris for at least another two months. come visit me!

formspring friday, art inspiration, and five days.

first some art: 

 

[berges de la seine à chatou, maurice de vlaminck.]

we studied fauvism in my art history class yesterday. it was then that it hit me: i am studying about a movement of art in its home country, and in its native tongue. beyond that,  in the early 20th century, a new movement was formed that combined fauvism and cubism. it was labeled "l'ecole de montparnasse", because all the artists lived in montparnasse. guess where i now live? montparnasse! i tend to forget, get wrapped up in my money troubles, but i am amazingly lucky.

well, my first week on formspring? it was much more fun than i expected, although i did feel a bit narcissistic each time i answered a question. it got to me think about things that i had been avoiding for a while now, so thank you! if you have a formspring, let me know! i want to know more about you.  

questions i have answered this week: 

whats on your needles now? and next?
well, a few weeks ago i finished my manu. sadly, i havent cast on anything since then and am starting to feel just how much i miss it. problem is, none of the patterns out there are catching my interest. i really want to make a lacy cardigan or featherweight hoodie, but nothing is striking me as interesting. i chose manu because of all the little details, which were quite interesting. manu is a wonderfully written pattern and produces an amazing garment. but even that got a little old with its miles and miles of stockinette.

i want a challenge. i think its high time i start designing.

either that, or ill just make a summery, v-necked version of this thing of beauty.

do YOU have any ideas for me??

If you could go anywhere after you leave your semester abroad, where would you go, and what would you do?

i've been thinking a lot about this, because my desire for a prolonged return to the states is not strong. dont get me wrong, i want to go home and see my family. i just dont want to stay.

in a perfect world, i would return to france with noodle in tow.

in an ideal world with no money problems, i would spend a semester teaching english or studying in greece.

in my highest hopes and dreams, i would live on a farm in south america and learn to spin wool into yarn from llamas or sheep.

Delete Your Response favorite thing you ever knit? link to pattern?

that's easy! my truffle cardigan, hands down.

project page. blog post. tutorial.

Who's the most overrated athlete?

now, you know i pay no attention to sports... so, you tell me.   

Girl, you crazy. How'd you get so CRAZY?

hahaha no clue but im definitely glad i am!

what do you miss most about the states?

it's hard to think of things like that right off the top of my head and not in the moment... um... i definitely miss my family, my dog, speaking without feeling self-conscious of an american accent, and peanut butter. oh, and everything being open on sunday.

How do you support yourself while living abroad? Did you save for a long time? Do you have help? I would love to study abroad, and I was just wondering how you do it :]

i took out an oversized loan, to be honest. i really wish i had saved up instead, but i was unable to find employment over the summer. in paris, i have a job which really really helps. in addition, im planning on getting a babyspeaking job after school ends. my parents, and especially my sister, have been a huge help, i couldnt have done this without them. if you can study abroad, do it! it is worth it, no matter how hard you have to save or how much debt you incur! 

Where do you get inspiration for your knitting?

when i was living in arizona, i would scour the internet through ravelry or various fashion blogs. thats changed since living in london and paris. i now just watch people on the streets and sometimes am even inspired by the architecture. also, the cold weather and rain really make a person want to knit! 

Do you have any plans to write your own knitting patterns?

yes, i do! i actually have two sketches drawn up already. i have a very rough draft of the one i'm most excited about, and even a few swatches. i'll be looking for test knitters once ive actually finished the garment!!


Have you broken any bones? If so, how?

surprisingly, i have never broken any bones.

Do you want to be buried or cremated?

cremated, with my ashes spread along the coast of oregon.