Get a little, give a little

In the past decade, I've struggled (as many of us) with body image. I was underweight due to illness and plagued with scarring lesions that even left marks over my face. Being very thin also made finding clothing rather difficult, and my lack of flesh made me feel less-than-feminine.

As seems somehow fitting, as soon as I started gaining weight, I also started experiencing bulging of my eyes (a side effect of one of the issues I live with). Then, in addition to my healthy weight gain, I am on a medication that causes my cheeks to puff out.

So I got my body back and became a bit of a butterface. All at the same time I turned 40. It's been important to me all along the way to accept myself with honesty. Not be too harsh, not gloss over anything, but just be able to see myself as I really look, and really be ok with it. I'm lucky that I had grandparents who told me I was beautiful every time they saw me, and the residuals of their conviction have always allowed me the belief that I am "pretty enough".

I wanted a head-to-toe shot, and one where I'm not all crookedly smiling, but Bob (my husband) is the worst photographer ever. Out of a dozen shots, this is the only one remotely in focus. Also, I have pool hair. It would probably be better to get a shot in the sun, at the pool, but I don't want to bring the camera or the phones there. And self-shooting a bikini pic is just too much acrobatics when I don't have a remote trigger.



Wonk eye and prednisone cheeks and all. I call the top of the bikini the boob squisher, but at least it holds them in while I swim. They didn't have my exact size, so I opted for a little smaller and I removed the padding.

I'm a little meh about posting the pic. Not my best, but my eyes and cheeks have really kinda changed a lot. I sorta almost don't recognize myself, but I'm trying to accept what I can. I'm not fishing for compliments - just being honest about how I feel when I look at myself. The changes due to lupus and medication piss me off, and I think I'm allowed that much.

Super Simple Tunisian Scarf

For this winter, I had made myself a ruffled scarf (in Cascade Superwash in a bright pretty heathered blue), but it's too narrow to provide protection against Chicago's winds. I'll still wear it when the temps are above freezing as it's pretty just over a sweater, but I decided I needed something with more warmth.

I didn't have anymore Superwash on hand in a color that would go well with my cherry red winter parka, but I found the perfect yellow in my Cascade 220 stash. I decided to go really long, so that I could wrap it around my head 3 times and still have enough left over to tie off, so the completed scarf, with fringe, is 128 inches (3.25 m) long and 5 inches (12.7 cm) wide. For this length scarf (with fringe), I used 490 yds worsted weight 100% wool yarn (Cascade 220 Quatro, colorway Butterscotch #5010).

The super simple stitch pattern:
I used Cascade 220 and a 6.5 mm Tunisan hook (from the Denise Interchangeable Set).
Base Chain - ch 20.

Row 1 - insert hook into 2nd ch from hook, yo and draw up a lp, sk next ch, yo, {insert hook into next ch, yo and draw up a lp, sk next ch, yo} x 3, insert hook into last st, yo and draw up a loop, yo and draw through ONE lp on hook , {yo and draw through 2 lps on hook} x 19. Bolded portion is called a standard return.

Row 2 - lp on hook counts as first st, {insert hook behind front vertical thread of next st AND behind diagonal thread of following st, yo and draw through both sts, yo} x 9, Tks* in last st, standard return.
*Tunisian knit stitch

Work until desired length. Bind off last row with sl sts across. I used 10 strands, each 18 inches (46 cm) long, for each tassel (a total of 18 tassels, 9 per side).

Italian Square Blanket

My most recent bit of awesomesauce to share is a blanket I stitched using a motif from a MUST HAVE book for your crochet library.

I present the Italian Square Afghan:

This blanket, stitched for my mother's Xmas gift, was intended to mimic an Italian style stained glass window, because I felt that also reflected the motif itself (named by The Harmony Guides, not me, as the Italian Square).

After I made the first square:

I tessellated it and played around in PhotoShop and I discovered that I was love with the overall relief pattern created from the tiling of the squares.  That 13 x 13 square blanket was going to use A LOT of yarn.  I'd made the first square with some Berroco Comfort that I had on hand and I really like the drape that this soft and sorta floppy yarn yielded.  These squares have a lot of bobbles, and those can add stiffness and bulk to a completed piece and I wanted this blanket to be cuddly and soft... and washable!  So I decided to go with the Berroco Comfort (and a 5.0 mm hook), and I am glad I did.  As is my custom, I washed the blanket before wrapping it up to give it away and on gentle wash/low dry it came out beautifully and even softer than it went in.  No pilling or fuzzing of note, and no re-blocking needed.

The next step was to choose colors from the available palette of the Berroco Comfort, and then play around with tiling ideas in PhotoShop.  The result was the following:

After I decided on colors, I ordered up my needs.  The color palette make me SO happy:

And I needed to make 169 of those! And weave in all those ends! And join them all together!  Whew.  But it was my special project for being stuck in bed, post thyroidectomy.  A motif project was just the thing, because each piece was quick to stitch up, and I wouldn't have to deal with a large project until the very end.  Wanna know what 169 squares looks like?  I was so proud I had to take a pic:

 

The next step was to join them all together.  Originally I had thought I would hide the outer tail in the join, but I later decided to weave in the end before joining a square to the whole piece.  

I used a join I call a "ric-rac" join. I love this join for many reasons.  First, it's a flat join so it doesn't make the fabric any thicker or change the drape in any way.  Second, it's REALLY sturdy and can handle the tugs and pulls a large blanket must endure. Third, it lines up the squares perfectly, always matching the edges of the stitches just right - so that the overall pattern is consistent and apparent.

With the working end of the yarn held behind/under the blanket-in-progress, I slip stitch into the corner of the square I am adding, then I slip stitch to the corner of the square I am joining to.  Then I slip stitch over one on the same square, then I slip stitch to the next unworked stitch on the square I am adding, and so on.  Here's a graphic:

If you love this motif, you can find it by purchasing the Interweave Press Harmony Guide: 250 Crochet Motifs.  Click the pic of the cover to see the Amazon information page.  I can't recommend this, or the other Harmony Guide editions, enough.  While I can't say I am the designer of the blanket, I was able to take a component provided by the book and make it completely my own through use of color, tiling, join, etc.  The Harmony Guides are great launching places for fabulous ideas.

More than just a deli

One of my favorite aspects of city living is having an abundance of small grocers (and specialty food shops) as close (or closer) than super-stores.  Conte Di Savoia, an Italian deli on Taylor Street, has been the grocer of choice for my Italian side practically since my great-grandparents landed in the US.

Conte Di Savoia is one of those magical places that is much bigger on the inside than it appears from the outside.  For instance, they have nearly an entire aisle of imported olive oil:

They also carry specialty ingredients, and Italian treats, like cannoli shells, anise rosettes, lady fingers and Ciao Bella gelato.  And then there's the Italian butter cookies and fine chocolates and biscotti and dried pastas... 

Besides serving up the best Italian subs in Chicago, their deli is stocked with amazing cappocollo, mortadella, pastrami, several kinds of salami and an ever-changing array of imported cheeses.

While all of that certainly makes Conte Di Savoia a destination, what keeps it on my weekly circuit of grocers-to-visit is their store product line of freshly made sauces, filled pastas, and jarred spreads.  Their house lupini are perfect - just the right amount of saltiness.  Their pepper spread is not for the faint of heart (or heat) - I recommend sticking to the medium if you are putting it on a hot dog or beef sandwich  (their hot variety should be reserved as an ingredient for stews, soups and sauces because full-strength could burn a hole in your tongue).  And their sauces... well, I rarely make my own any longer because Conte's are Just. That. Good.

'Tis the season for tights

Even though I turn 39 in a few weeks 11 days, my inner Punky Brewster still gets a little silly for funky socks.  And while I hope bejeweled vests stay put in the past, the revival of '90s style opaque tights makes it a lot easier to dress up for a Chicago winter.

StockinGirl has it all: houndstooth tights (only the socks are shown in photos), paisley thigh highs, even winter weight opaque cotton tights in fabulous colors.

What I really love for winter is their selection of wool tights.  Yes - you read that right: wool tights.  If you live south of I-80, you might not understand the need, but us northerners need to protect ourselves from the elements!

The wool tights come in 3 varieties.  The first pair are non-textured:

Next up are the ribbed tights:

And finally a cabled version:

Airy Earth

Up In The Air Somewhere is a great name for Susan Dwyer's website as she takes heavy earth, in the forms of clay and wood (paper), and makes them light.  I love her work so much it was very difficult for me to choose only two items to highlight.

Her hand-crafted papier-mâché bowls have a gold-leafed interior.  Oh, they give off such warmth!  Can't you see them filled with ribbon candy and sitting on a holiday table?

And her factory-shaped trinket boxes - Oh My!  I'm thinking that perhaps one could stuff the smokestacks with dried flowers and keep potpourri in the bottom.  Or use the stacks for bracelets and keep other bits of jewelry inside.  The striped one could be a sugar bowl, with the spoons kept in the silo.  I could on (and on), but instead I recommend that you click the link, check out Susan's wares, and be inspired all on your own.

Delish Dolls

As a little girl, I was somewhat obsessed with Colleen Moore's Fairy Castle at the Museum of Science & Industry in Chicago.  I even had a large hardbound book, filled with detailed macro photography, that spoke to the history of many pieces in the castle, and how Ms. Moore came to possess them.

My love of the Fairy Castle comes from  my love of intricate details that take focus to achieve, and a lot of soul to envision.  It is for those reasons that I also adore Spookbot Dolls by Lori.  Her dolls are the sort that inspire a girl to make wee little furniture.  I'm sure you know someone who would love to give these a home:

Oh - I can totally see my nine year old self spending rainy Saturdays making a Fimo playhouse for the sweetie on the top.  And the gal below has zombies to fight, dontcha know?  Or maybe I'm just partial to handmade dolls that don't already come with someone else's story... :-P.

Because I said so

In order to have a place to share the really good stuff I've come across, I decided to create With A Side Of Awesomesauce.

I enjoy the good life - on a budget.  I'm always suspicious, and sometimes resentful, of spending money.  I think it is why I avoid mass-market products: the chances of being disappointed about the quality seem much greater than when purchasing from artisans and local businesses.  That's not to say that all widely available goods are crap - I'll be featuring a few of them here I'm sure - but that I tend to be happier with my purchases from "little guys".

In our current economy, I think supporting artisans and local businesses is more important than ever.  When we buy cheap imported goods, we don't just put Americans out of work - we also send those profits overseas.  When we buy from our neighbor, our neighbor can then buy from us, and we keep our resources within our communities.

These days, there's a lot out there to choose from... but that can make it overwhelming, especially when considering a purchase from an unknown entity.  I understand the thinking that at least one knows what one is getting from a mass-produced product, including where the quality is likely to suffer.

With A Side Of Awesomesauce is here to offer reviews of the really good stuff.  Please feel free to offer suggestions in comments!