Thursday, November 29, 2007

We interrupt your regularly scheduled blog

to bring you the latest in political ridiculousness. If you wish to avoid politics, skip down to the pretty picture, I promise knitting content and a contest follow.

I was blog browsing last night and caught wind of this on Kelly's blog. In Virginia, primaries are open. This is the same way it was in both Michigan and Virginia. Though I'd normally consider myself a Democrat, in 2000 I did vote in the Republican primary in Michigan to vote for John McCain, who I would have voted for in the general election. Well Virginia Republicans are apparently so scared a motley bunch of Democrats will mess with their nominee (umm, did anyone tell them the primary here is too late to actually affect the national nominee?), that they have been given the green light by the State Board of Elections to require voters requesting a Republican ballot to sign an oath of allegiance to promise to vote for the Republican nominee in November. Yes, you read that right. Anyone else floored by this? I cannot understand the legality of this. Everyone seems to agree it's not enforceable, as it would violate your constitutional right to voter privacy to essentially require a voting official to have a list of names and accompany them to a voting booth and make sure they pull the Republican lever. But regardless of enforceability in November, what about February? Honestly, because of the timing of the primary, I hadn't planned on voting because it is irrelevant after 'Super Tuesday'. If it was earlier, though, I actually would vote in the Republican primary again and vote for Giuliani. But now I feel compelled to go, ask for a Republican ballot and refuse to sign the oath. I want to see the election official try to deny me my right to vote based on Republican paranoia. This has served as major fodder on the state political blogs, and I'm sure will continue to develop as people are certain to challenge the legality. But so much for 'free and open' elections, huh?

OK, off my soap box.


So YAY! for 100 posts :) As promised, I am having a contest. The prize is this skein of Cherry Tree Hill Orenburg Lace.
The color is 'Candy Apple' but it is much pinikier than red. It's beautiful yarn, but I know I won't use it and still don't know what possessed me to buy it. So hopefully it will go to a good home and turn into a lovely shawl. How do you enter the contest? Just leave me a comment here with the following: 1) a link to your favorite blog (s) and 2) a link to (or just the name if it's not free) your favorite knitting pattern. Your favorite pattern can be something you knit, or just something you admire! The contest will stay open until next Friday, December 7 at 11:59pm EST. I will use a random number generator to choose the winner over the following weekend! Good Luck!

Last night I went to Yarn for Supper. The group was fun and chatty, as usual. I knew I'd talk to much to pay attention to knitting on the Endpapers, so I cast on for a bag for my mom. I'm using Patons Mercerized Cotton. It's not nearly as nice as the Thaki mercerized Cotton I made Laura's Dream Swatch out of. I love the red/taupe color combo though. I'm only on round 8, so you can't really see much of a pattern yet. I did my share of tinking only because you actually have to pay attention to this pattern, too! I really can't chit chat and knit anything other than plain stockinette or garter stitch, I guess!

Happy almost end of the week! And get to deciding on your favorites for me!

29 comments:

PixieRose said...

Happy 100th post! And thanks so much for stopping by last night. Glad you had fun at yarn for supper.

~Jessica

teabird said...

Congratulations on the 100th post! My favorite blog? Gracious, that's hard. I'll go with Bridget's The Ravell’d Sleave - she's a dear friend, a great writer, and a really fine knitter.

Favorite pattern has to be the ballband warshcloth because it's such great mindless knitting (after you make 30 of them, you can do them without any thought at all) and it's so much fun to play with color combinations.

I'm teabird at Ravelry - again, congratulations!

Sarah said...

1) So hard to choose just one! :) http://kathrynivy.com/
2) Ene's Scarf in Scarf Style, I just adore it, it was so fun to knit and it's beautiful

Congrats on the 100th post!

~ Sarah
eatmyoxygen on Ravelry

Redheadskydiver said...

Found the contest from Ravelry, very cool! Favorite blog? Hmm well, I like mine :) But I have to say that the Yarn Harlot always makes me laugh. My favorite pattern? Well, right now, I'm knitting Mr. Greenjeans, from Knitty.com and I'm loving it! It's my first top down one piece sweater, and it's zooming right along. I also loved jaywalkers from magknits, and the Lenore sock pattern from latest rockin' sock club shipment was awesome.

Knitted Gems said...

Congrats on your 100th post!

My favorite blogs: I have too many that I read. I'll choose on of my favorite knitting blogs: Green Apples (http://stitchywitch.wordpress.com/)

Favorite pattern - well, I design my own you see and it seems wrong to nominate my own. So, I will humbly bow out. Instead, I'll list a pattern I would love to knit when I have more time on my hands: Melinda Pullover.

Cindy, aka Maxfun said...

An oath of allegiance? Crazy stuff, that! I guess paranoia runs deep, as the song says. :)

Congrats on your 100th post! Like others, I have a long list of "favorite blogs" so it's hard to choose just one. The Yarn Harlot is high on the list, but I'll give a plug to my favorite lace designer, Anne Hanson of Knitspot, too.

My current coveted lace pattern is one of Anne's newest designs, Irtfa'a (http://knitspot.com/?p=501). Pink wouldn't be a great color for it, but I can think of other things for that pretty Cherry Tree Hill yarn. :)

Squeaky said...

Congrats on the 100th Post!

I'll go with Jeanette and Knitzalot's http://thepurlygate.blogspot.com/ The Purly Gate.

For my favorite pattern, I'll go with The Yarnpath's Dragon Wings Shawl: http://thepurlygate.blogspot.com/

MamaMay said...

Congrads on 100 posts.

I don't actually have a fav. knitting blog or any other blog for that matter. Sorry, hope it doesn't kick me from the contest. I just am new to the blogging thing and really haven't had the time to make a "favorite".

Favorite pattern I do have.
http://susaninstitches.blogspot.com/2007/10/bluebell-bootees.html

Sorry I don't know how to link pretty with out taking gobs of time to look it up.

Anonymous said...

My favorite blog is (among many others) strikker's blog http://obsessiveknitting.blogspot.com/ :)
And my favorite pattern (and also on my to-do list) is Venezia Pullover (by Eunny, in IK). :)

Congrats on the 100th post!

- Your Secret Pal

Little Miss Loopy said...

Happy 100th post! I like your blog and yarn harlot. My favorite pattern is the postmodern legwarmers at knitty.com.
~Alex

Jen said...

Woo Hoo 100!

I think my favorite blogs are the Yarn Harlot http://www.yarnharlot.ca/blog/ because she manages to crack me up at least once a week and Jared Flood's http://brooklyntweed.blogspot.com/ because his photography is awesome and he really makes garter stitch look looks lovely and classic.

As for patterns, I'm dying to try any of the briliant new design in Cat Bordhi's new book New Pathways for Sock Knitters http://www.catbordhi.com/NP1.html. I'm always up for soemthing that's new to me and interesting.

wenat said...

Congrats on your 100th post! My favourite blog is the TECHknitting blog at http://techknitting.blogspot.com/. I learn something from every post. And My favourite pattern is the pomotamus socks and gloves. Just gorgeous, and worth all the twisted stitches.

Krystal said...

Happy 100th post! Hmm... my favorite blog... my favorite that isn't like, one of the top ones is probably Crafty Andy @ http://crochetandy.blogspot.com/ because he's so much fun and so very nice. Plus it's cool to see a guy knitter! My favorite pattern is probably Miriam Felton's Icarus, which, if you see my blog, I just finished... it was a HARD pattern, not because of difficulty, just because it was sooo... incredibly.... looooooong lol but I love love love the end result so... there ya go!

By the way... really, really sorry about the Michigan loss to OSU. Really. :)

Tsuki said...

well done on 100 posts!

And, you may have gained a new reader - I'll be sticking you on my blogroll!

I've been enjoying reading Grumperina's blog (http://www.grumperina.com/knitblog/) (though Yarn Harlot is my fave, many people have said that already!)

Patterns? Well, I've knit the Irish Hiking Scarf from Hello Yarn (http://www.helloyarn.com/irishhikingcarf.htm) twice now, one more to go for Xmas. So that's probably my most knit. I love the jaywalker socks and chevron scarf, but haven't had a go yet.

(Tsuki on Ravelry too)

Ooh! I've just realised I'm on my 409th post, so maybe I'll do something for my 500th!

Anonymous said...

Cool! 100 posts eh?! Wow!

Fav. Blog?
Knit And Tonic
(http://knitandtonic.typepad.com/)

Fav. Pattern?
Flirty Skirty from DYI's Knitty Gritty (episode: DKNG-412)

Anonymous said...

I have quite a few favorite knitting blogs, but the one I like the best has no knitting content.
It's blogs from the dogs
http://tighgadhar.blogspot.com
It's about a crazy bunch of rescued hounds, and their home in the UK.
Check out the post where one of them ATE the oven door to get to the brownies.
Now, THAT's determination!

kasiaiscarly said...

Oh my gosh, Tami! I LOVE those dogs!!! They are AWESOME!! Thanks for the link!

Anna said...

One of my favourite blogs is stick å brinn, http://brinn.typepad.com/
I also love the pictures at http://brooklyntweed.blogspot.com/ but I have to confess that I rarely read what it says. I just gawk at the pictures.

And my favourite pattern at the moment is here: http://www.magknits.com/Oct07/patterns/burridge.htm (but I admit I'm biased....)

Lauren said...

1. favorite knitblog: ysolda

2. current favorite free pattern: Thermal

Congratulations on your 100th post! I'm planning on doing a contest at that point also (25 posts from now) at knitting in the dark!

Anonymous said...

Congrats on the 100 posts!

One of my favorite blogs to read is Yarn Abuse (http://www.yarnabuse.com/), but there are so many others that I love to read!

My favorite pattern has to be the Octopus designed by Hansi Singh. It isn't free, but it is definitely worth the money!

Anonymous said...

Happy 100th post!

My favorite free pattern right now is the Herringbone Mittens (PDF) by Elliphantom Knits. I just can't seem to get enough of this pattern!

It is nearly impossible to choose a favorite blog, though I always enjoy reading Very Pink :)

LaLa said...

HAPPY 100TH!!! I have to say that one of my favorite blogs is Lime and violet's daily chum found at http://limenviolet.com/blog/ My favorite pattern would have to be the Monkey Socks by Cookie and found at www.knitty.com

TopHat said...

My favorite blog... Well, I recently found The Boogeyman's Wife which I'm really enjoying. My favorite pattern right now is Mr. Stegs because he was SO MUCH FUN to knit!

Emily said...

Since it would be uncouth to claim that MY blog is the bestest and favoritest of all time, I'll have to give all the credit to my awesome Secret Pal. It was really neat to watch her design and publish this pattern while I was still staying stealthy!

GirlyWithATwist said...

Happy 100th post!!! Favorite blog? That's a tough one. But I am gonna pick this one: nuttinbutknittin - ok, and Sofee too! Lil Sofee is just too cute.
I think my favorite pattern would be the 4 Corners Dishcloth cuz it is such a quick knit.

Stephermay said...

Thanks for the pattern suggestion - I might want to try it!

My fave blog is the Yarn Harlot. She just cracks me up every time. And she makes me feel less obsessive about my own knitting...


My fave pattern right now, wow.. I think it'd have to be Fetching. from knitty.com. I made a pair a long while ago, but I keep having a voice in my head telling me to knit more...

Anonymous said...

I just reached my 100th post too! But did not have any contest. Hahaha. Grats!

1. My favourite blog is http://www.carrieoke.net/

2. Favourite pattern is the Central Park Hoodie. :D

Rachael Hutchings said...

Congrats on 100 posts!

My favorite blog is Posie Gets Cozy: http://rosylittlethings.typepad.com/posie_gets_cozy/ -- her blog is eye candy to me, and always inspires me to get down to crafting.

My favorite pattern right now is probably the Bee Fields shawl from http://knitspot.com/?p=428

I'm fujimama on Ravelry.

Unknown said...

Congrats (found you trough Ravelry).
1: soulemama.typepad.com
2: mm, swallowtail shawl, interweave knits I guess!

Have fun, and happy knitting!