how do YOU SSK?

If you are like me, not very well.
No matter what I do, my Slip-slip-knits (left leaning decreases)
LOOK LIKE CRAP!

Relatively speaking, of course. (Not 100% crap but they truly need improvement!) I want them to look just as lovely as my Knit2Togethers!

The First Way I learned a left leaning decrease was to slip the first stitch in the pair knitwise (needle tip through left side of stitch), knit the second stitch, then pass that first stitch back over the knit stitch.

For me, it left a sloppy big loop on top of the pair of stitches that were knit together.

SO I went on to this way of doing the left-leaner – a SSK, or slip, slip knit…

HIGH HOPES people!!!

But I’m experiencing almost the SAME THING! I am plagued by SLoppy L@@p!

A friend suggested that instead of slipping both stitches knitwise, I slip the first stitch knitwise (needle tip through left side of stitch), the second stitch purlwise (needle tip through right side, or front, of stitch) and then knit them together.

When I do this, the top loop IS smaller but now I have a little ridge on the bottom loop sticking out because it is a twisted stitch.

I am becoming obsessed with this – everytime I see the abbreviation SSK I see the word SUCK! Anyone want to enable/enlighten me??? :)

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Chicago Weather: “Highs: Mid 70s lakeshore,
low 80s inland.”

Purrrrrrrr-fect sip’n’knit weather…

Letizia’s 2144 W Division 7-9pm

  Monday Morning Mirth  

and the winning answer to the EXCITING contest? Drumroll please…

Deborah U: It’s a cake made to
look like a Chicago hotdog…with the works!!!!

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Right on Deborah!!! This yummy little number was found while shopping at Al’s in Michigan City last weekend. I was staying at the beach and needed to pick up some vittles and was looking for some chocolate croissants.

Now, you might laugh because I was basically in the middle of nowhere (sorry about that MC citizens, but you all say it’s TRUE :) and wanting chocolate croissant and actually getting chocolate croissant are two differnt things. Ridiculous to be sure, but when you come home from the vacation with new taste addictions (I thank miss fluffa for introducing me to dark bittersweet (more bitter that sweet) chocolate smushed into fresh french bread. She called it a French ‘sMore) you have to do what you have to do and a chocolate croissant was as close as my craving could narrow it down.

But I digress…

I saw this SPECTACULAR CULINARY CREATION and immediately scooped it up to take with me for my nephew’s Graduation Party! It had TEENAGER written all over it!

It is Pound Cake shaped to look like a hot dog bun and covered with TAN frosting. A faux Hot Dog made from BURGUNDY (!!!) frosting – yes, my friends, 100% frosting Dog – and then the trimmings were a combination of frosting drizzles in spectularly realistic colors of mustard & ketchup, and the fixin’s were some kind of gumdrop stuff chopped up to look like onions, pickles, etc. FANTASTIQUE!

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More Answers…

Cynthia from Chicago: " My guess is that it’s a cake replica of a hot dog. I can’t say a Chicago hot dog because all Chicagoans know there is never ketchup on a Chicago hot dog :-)

Kim Tang : " Hi. It looks like a brat. Did it come from Taste of Chicago? "

Carolyn C : " Hmmm

4

Metro Entrance St. Germaine iPods GALORE!

Paris is the Sister City of Chicago… Perhaps that’s why I felt so at ease and wonderful while I was there… Perhaps it was because I stayed there once before, in the exact arrondissement (11th), that I felt like I was a citizen, a worker, a neighbor…

click all small pics for larger pix Perhaps it was because of teenagers like this lively fellow that I felt right at home! Vive la Difference #1: He was skating right next to Notre Dame Cathedral…

Perhaps it was because I saw this little pup one day and it reminded me of none other than NY’s own Buddy the Wonder Dog! Vive la Difference #2: This dog was in a cafe and had wandered over to our table for some props while we were lunching…

Vive la Difference #3: Not only do little friends sometimes visit the restaurants, (I didn’t see any big dogs in the City), you might catch a glimpse of one nestled next to its owner on the subway or busline like this:

As long as your dog was encased in a nice, and fashionable, I noticed, sack, it was welcome on the subway and bus lines… A different sort of domestic sackage took place in the subway near St. Germaine, when I was boarding a train with Becky and Jackie… After a fine lunch at Les Deux Magots, we repaired to the Metro to return to Bastille. It was Rush Hour – people were running for the train. (This surprised me because the trains come every five minutes or so…)

Before I knew what was happening, a very large woman had shoved me into the door frame as she ran onto the car. I felt a tickling sensation under my arm! Someone was FISHING in my bucket bag! Instinctively, I reached under my arm and grabbed the hand and twisted it and its owner around, slamming him into the subway doorframe. I grabbed him by the throat screaming into his face, "Don’t you ever put your Mf’n hand in my Mf’n purse YOU Mfer!!!" I had no idea where this horrible language came from but it must’ve been those times my friends and I sat around drinking wine and discussing theatre. On those occasions, we would make up fantasy David Mamet dialogue and the person who could insert the most Mf’ers in one sentence was feated for the night… PICKPOCKETS! They’re all over the place in Paris! I had lured one right to me with my gaping bucket bag, which was molested unsuccessfully for its maps, camera and makeup… He and his two accomplices rode with us until the next stop – total elapsed time – 2+ minutes? Those trains are FAST… It was repulsive but fascinating to see him shaking after the loud blessing I had given him. They ran off when the train stopped. No Parisian spoke a word.

My faith was restored in Mankind, when the next day or so on the bus home from Musee d’Orsay (where we heard a recorded loudspeaker message in 5 languages warning of pickpockets on the premises), I spotted this handsome gent, also in St. Germaine… OOOhhh LA La ladies – this photo does not do him justice but had me panting. I told my travelmates that I might have to hang the sock on the door and…

Retire for the day with my vapours…

Vive la Difference!~

NEXT: Street Scenes GALORE!