Music-genius Stephin Merritt of the Magnetic Fields just opened a new musical based on Neil Gaiman’s Coraline, with no relation to the recent movie.
The heroine has a bit of a more mature look in this version.
The New York Times review that came out earlier this week is a little mixed, but it made me think that I might like it for all its strangeness.
Coraline is playing at the MCC Theater in the West Village through July 5. I’ll be seeing it later this month!
Yay another trip to Oklahoma today! It is one of my top 50 favorite states (in the US). And getting there is fun too, sometimes.
Anyone been to the fancy New Jersey Transit waiting room at Penn Station? I’ve taken the train to Newark Airport from there before but hadn’t seen the waiting room before this trip for some reason. It’s such an interesting atmosphere, combining the dinginess of contemporary American rail travel with what seems like an attempt to recapture the glamour of trains from the past. So homeless people nap and tinny classical music plays overhead. Also: an art installation!
This is “New Jersey On Parade,” a piece by George Mossman Greenamyer that was commissioned by NJ Transit in 2002, according to a plaque on the wall. It’s actually a pretty neat display of New Jersey landmarks and icons made of steel suspended from a track and constantly in motion. You see, because of trains and stuff. And here is Mr. Peanut.
The nostalgic style of the piece and the clicking mechanical sound it makes going around the tracks seems so very 1940s, I think, and strangely complements the old flickering monitors, the surly passengers, the piped-in classical music, and the smell of Auntie Anne’s Pretzels mixed with body odor.
At long last, it’s the pattern for the Stackable Cats in cross-stitch!
Click to download the PDF:
Stackable Cats Cross-Stitch Pattern
This is my first-ever cross-stitch pattern, so I would love any feedback on it from people who are nice enough to try it out.
If you’ve never cross-stitched before, it’s very easy! You can find some basic tips at the Yarntree website.
The finished size of the Stackable Cats cross-stitch is about 9 inches wide by 5.5 inches tall. You’ll need 14-count fabric and 5 colors of thread. (The DMC colors are specified in the pattern.)
Update: Thank you to Whip Up and Natalie at the Craft blog for posting about my cross-stitch!
Did you hear about the bees that attacked a NY GameStop last weekend? There’s always something simultaneously silly and frightening going on in this city!
Husband John blogged about it over on Crispy Gamer, so I encourage you to go read his humorous writing about the bee video and about his own recent trip to a (different) NY GameStop.
It turns out that Pile-able Pups come in more than one breed!
Grace of Kathryn Ivy whipped up a lovely set of neapolitan-flavored dogs…
She was nice enough to blog about the project in detail, with lots of wonderful photos.
Lisamarykay1 proved that a single Pile-able Pup can be just as cute on its own. Especially if it has some treats to keep it company!
This guy looks a little like a cross between a dog and a seal, no? So cute!
I say this a lot, but it’s always such a thrill to see other knitters’ results from my patterns. Can’t wait to see what other varieties of pups pop up!
Thank you to Grace, Lisa and Alice for your testing help!
I’ve been making a bunch of these little guys for a possible future project. Originally I thought they would be anthropomorphic moss, but they have decided that they are instead mortal enemies!
We’ll see what they eventually become.
How about a good old-fashioned music video for a Friday? It’s Passion Pit’s “The Reeling,” from their new album Manners.
Spring cleaning on your mind? Finally, it’s not just cat lovers who can stack their pets for the sake of convenience and tidiness. Announcing the newest pattern in the Mochimochi Shop: Pile-able Pups!
Make room for more with dogs you can store!
Distant relatives to Stackable Cats, Pile-able Pups feature a shape that practically demands consolidation. Perfect for OCD dog lovers! Techniques include provisional cast on, picking up stitches, knitting in the round on double-pointed needles, and mattress stitch.
You can buy the pattern as a PDF download for $5 here!
Update: Thank you to Lime & Violet for posting about the Pups!