Bumazhnik (boo-mahzh'-neek)

This cute little cabled бумажник (wallet, in Russian) was designed specifically with women in mind, though people of all genders are welcome to find use for it. Just big enough to hug an ID and a couple of bucks and knit at a small, tight gauge for a slim fit, this is the perfect sort of thing to conceal on one’s person (i.e. stash in one’s bra) as they head out to a club, or to any location where a person needs some cash, but might not feel like taking a purse. However, it works perfectly well in a bag or pocket, keeping the essentials together. It can even fit a key (without a keyring attached)!

Materials:
US size 00 (1.75 mm) needles (2)
cable needle (I used a third US 00)
sock yarn (not much)
tapestry needle

Instructions:
CO 44 sts
First row: purl across.

Next:
Work as follows, using the chart:
RS rows: k13, chart, k13
WS rows: p13, chart, p13


Chart:

8 (WS) - - VV - - VVVVVV - - VV - -
7 (RS) - - VV - - VVVVVV - - VV - -
6 (WS) - - VV - - VVVVVV - - VV - -
5 (RS) - - VV - - VVVVVV - - VV - -
4 (WS) - - VV - - VVVVVV - - VV - -
3 (RS) - - VV - - CABLE - - VV - -
2 (WS) - - VV - - VVVVVV - - VV - -
1 (RS) - - VV - - VVVVVV - - VV - -

Key:
V = knit on RS, purl on WS
- = purl on RS, knit on WS
CABLE = put first 3 sts on cable needle, let rest at back of work, knit 3 sts, k 3 sts from cable needle

Repeat the chart a total of 6 times, and work the first two rows again, ending before the row that would contain the 7th cable twist.

Next row: k13, p2, k2, p1, k2tog, k2. Turn work
Next row: p2, p2tog. Turn work.
Next row: k3.

Repeat these last two rows until all sts on the right side of the panel have been incorporated into the edge (16 more rows). Break yarn, leaving a tail to weave in later. Place these three sts on cable needle or stitch holder or spare yarn or another dpn.

Left half of the panel:
Next row: k2, ssk. Turn
Next row: p3. Turn.

Repeat these two rows until only three sts are left.



Finishing:

Using tapestry needle and mattress stitch, fold the rectangle lengthwise and sew a seam up the back (I used a one stitch seam allowance on each side). (At this point you can test it to make sure your contents will fit. It might appear to be really narrow, but it should stretch quite a bit. It’s meant to be a tight fit.) Centering cable on the front and evenly dividing stitches between front and back, sew a seam along the bottom, however you see fit. I picked up stitches from around the first row and used kitchener stitch. Finally, use kitchener stitch to connect the 3 stitch cables around the top edge. Weave in ends. Employ in daily life.

Today Is A Friday Morning Full of Success

Since Wednesday afternoon: 167 pages of Stalinism. 40 yet to go.

2 miles in 21:15.

The only way it could get better: omlets. Oh, well.

New Innovations in Vocabulary

How many ways can you think of to spell a basic egg dish? I can think of three.

omelette
omelet
omlet

I had never seen the third spelling until today, as I was reading about Soviet collectivization and dekulakization in the 1930s.

Where, you ask, do 'omlets' factor into basic political movements under Stalin?

Any guesses?

"In Belyi raion, members of one brigade 'took eggs and cooked themselves an omlet' while expropriating one prosperous peasant."

Thank you, Shelia Fitzpatrick (author of 'Stalin's Peasants: Resistance & Survival in the Russian Village After Collectivization') for the new spelling of omlet. It's cute.

Also new to my vocabulary is the (apparently) Russian measurement of grain, the 'pud'. My northern Virginian roommate says it sounds like the name of a sort of large footprint. Research (Googling around) confirms that a kilogram is about 6.1% of a pud. Cool.

ALSO if you flip the second letter of 'omlet' upside-down, you get another word I really like.

Small Victories

Today, on a cross-trainer, I ran 3.5 miles in 50 minutes, and I wasn't even exhausted by the end.

This was, of course, after the full-body workout in my strength-training class. (I know it would be better to do the cardio before lifting, but that would involve me being out of the house at 7 a.m., which, if you know me, isn't going to happen. 7:50 is miraculous enough.)

For some people, 3.5 mi/50 minutes might not seem to be that big of a deal. I've always been terrible at running. I was one of those kids that maybe squeezed the mile run in under 12 minutes. So for me, this is pretty cool. And I'm doing it again Wednesday.

Mission Undesireable pt 2

Time for some updatez up in heah!

SO. I have two knitting goals for the new year. The first is Mission Possible 2008. Here's the list:

Finished:
1. Backwards Ribs Socks
2. Ravelympics Camisole
3. Glengarry (hat)
4. getting rid of a bunch of acrylic yarns I haven't touched in a year

Unfinished:
1. Stuffed Penguin (assembly)
2. Mosey (legwarmers)
3. iPod cozy
4. Dark Mark Armwarmer pattern
5. Totoro Sweater pattern
6. Blaze (sweater from Knitty)
7. prayer shawl
8. Ravenclaw scarf

Well. I've made significant progress on a few things that are still unfinished: mainly the legwarmers, which only need a couple more inches and then I-cord ties/pom poms. And the Ravenclaw scarf now has HALF of the ends woven in. Almost there! Perhaps there will be more motivation to finish those soon, now that it's starting to cool off a little bit. (I'll be motivated to wear them.)

The second goal... finishing ALL of my WIPs before the new year, with maybe one project carrying over. This is not looking so good. It would be so liberating, to feel like I can just knit whatever I want, and to not be tied down at all. I could even try to get into the habit of not having WIPs sitting around unfinished. I could start out every new year like that!

But in order for that to happen, a lot of knitting needs to get done before the end of the year. I figure if anything carries over, it will be Laminaria (the Estonian lace shawl), because I've had such an up and down time with that, I don't know how long of an investment that project will turn out to be. Other projects on the needles not listed above are: two pairs of socks: the Diamond Waffle socks from Knitty in green and orange Pace, and the socks I just started for the ExCo in orange Araucania Ranco, which I LOVE knitting. Also, the matryoshka mittens that I just started. I'm going to be making Fetching along with the ExCo later in the semester, and will be tempted to make some Selbuvotter-inspired fair isle gloves, and the newsboy cap from the Fall Knitty (Kirinlemon and I might do a Knit-A-Long on that hat). And MP2008 still requires that I start Blaze, a prayer shawl, and an iPod cozy. AND NONE OF THAT EVEN FACTORS IN CHRISTMAS GIFTS.

In other words, I've got my work cut out for me.

Here's a good question: Why am I blogging instead of knitting?