Back on the horse

Seascape 1
Originally uploaded by The Prolific Knitter.

Just because I haven't been blogging doesn't mean I've not been knitting! ;) Above is the Seascape shawl, knitted mostly while on vacation in NYC, in Handmaiden Seasilk "Ocean." It called for 3 skeins, but I used about 1 and 2/3 of another, not terribly expensive. I loved this pattern because all the "wrong side" rows were just plain knit, versus purling all those stitches every other row! I'm currently stashing along, trying to complete 10 projects out of stash before buying new, which is easy since I'm mostly broke! Anyway, I've completed 4 things at this point, and am working on a couple more.

San Francisco JROTC

I realize this is a knitting blog, but if you read regularly you know I often speak up about other things that are going on in the world. Have you read online that the San Francisco school board has decided to eliminate the JROTC because of its "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy? The article is here, so you can read it for yourself. While I understand the plight of students who enroll in and enjoy the ROTC program (which was very big at my rural HS), I have to go with SF on this one. Not because I am gay, but because I (like most of you) have been in situations where some aspect of my beliefs and lifestyle can cause others to be hostile. While it doesn't affect my daily life as much, being a vegetarian attracts all kinds of attention - some good, some really angry. I hadn't experienced this til I got to college, but I am amazed by the people who feel I am "judging" them with my outlook. In a class once, another student was eating a pizza and I remarked that it smelled good. This person (who didn't know me other than being in class together) said in a really snotty tone, "Oh, YOU wouldn't like this because it has MEAT." And proceeded to tell me how he felt about vegetarians in general. Totally bewildering to me! Being veg isn't the thing I live for, it's just one part of the total package, albeit one that's important to me. But I don't really discuss it with someone unless they ASK - and even then, I don't consider it my business to "convert" them to the veg lifestyle. My point is, there have been times in my life where I feel like I have to be less than honest to avoid awkward or uncomfortable situations, just because of who I am.

So, while I feel for kids who enjoy the program, I feel even more for those who are enrolled or wish to, but carry the constant knowledge that their sexual orientation is not "okay." To be made to feel judged, and weird, and not as good as everyone else at that age is incredibly hard. And while an adult may have the ability to let it go (though they shouldn't have to) kids are very sensitive! Anyway, I wish those who oppose a more open policy in the military would understand that the military's acceptance of homoesexuality does not mean they have to like it! And really, I don't understand the completely irrational hatred that I have seen directed towards someone because their sexual attraction (or skin color, or whatever) was different. Perhaps of they gave me a well-thought out explanation I could understand, even if I will never agree. But I see so many comments (regarding the JROTC in San Fran) that run something like this: "Damn liberals in San F**," "What if they blow up the Gold Gate Bridge?! Maybe then they will appreciate the military!" etc. etc. Completely ignorant and hateful without any argument behind it.

This is mostly unrelated, but while I was getting my oil change (which took an hour and a half for reasons I could never ascertain) I was stuck watching that Dr. Phil "House of Hate" thing as someone had broken the remote and I couldn't reach the tv. One of the women hates all gay people; towards the end of the show, she admitted that she had walked in on her mother and another woman, and this other woman essentially booted her out of the house without her mother ever stopping her. My heart goes out to people who come by their hate this way; it is not everyone that will treat you this way. Because they have been hurt so deeply, they lash out at anyone. No doubt she didn't feel right saying she just hated her mother for not protecting her... so it became "all gay people." I hope she is able to have a little more peace now that she has talked about a wound that must be SO deep...

I jumped in!

I finally jumped in and applied for a job I've been waffling over, and emailed a guy about an apartment for rent. At the moment I'm lacking in funds, but hopefully new job + destash sale will give me a enough to pay it all comfortably. I will never again get into a position where I can't afford for someone to move out, so I've been really patient about trying to find what I need AND what I can afford. Most important? Cool roommate (OBVIOUSLY), big windows, storage space, and being able to paint my bedroom. I hate white walls, I'll never do that again unless desperate!

I don't want to say too much about the job I applied for, since I sorta believe in jinxing. But it's perfect for my abilities, and though I don't want to be in retail forever, it's certainly the best retail job I can think of for me! Anyway, cross your fingers for me. I'm wondering though... what do you wear to an interview with a corporate-owned art store? Some places seem to love the piercings and wild hair (not that I have either) and others are strictly business. What have you seen people wearing at these places?

a quick update...

I have been really busy here, busy in a good way trying to decide what I want to do. I will be selling off most of my stash to finance a move, so keep your eyes peeled! (No, I'm not happy about it. But who wants to move all yarn and no clothes and furniture?) Also, Blue Moon has updated their socks that rock colors! Despite the destashing, I saw fit to scoop up a skein of Dreidel (I feel weird buying "Jewish" yarn. Like I'm cheating for not buying the Christmas colors. Is that weird? It's just yarn...) and a skein of Henpecked. I can vouch for the beauty of Rooster Rock as well. :) Have a good weekend, and I'll be back next week!

We Love Alchemy

Alchemy Synchronicity
Originally uploaded by The Prolific Knitter.

While reading through the link that a commenter provided ( Cruelty Free Yarns) I discovered something that made me very happy - that Alchemy is run by vegetarians, who put a lot of effort into using only enviromentally-safe dyes, cruelty-free wool, and doesn't buy from companies that use sweatshop labor. Any one of those is admirable, but all of it together (plus the yarn is gorgeous, have you seen that stuff in real life?!) is amazing. I emailed to tell them how much I appreciate it when companies go the extra mile (or ten) like they have, and this is the response I got:

Here at alchemy we recieve emails from so many nice,
cool people. Howver, you are the first person who has
EVER written to speak to our vegetarian/cruelty-free
stance. I don't make alot of noise about it - even
though I wish I did sometimes, because every
vegan/vegetarian I know feels passionately about that
choice. And we work so hard to make cruelty-free
fibre, researching the farms in varying countries
where the animals live, and working only with small
farms that have real relationships with their animals;
we use eco-friendly dyes; and we do not buy from
China. I know we can get cheap prices there, as most
manufacturers do, but I cannot condone the labor
practices that are employed in mills and other means
of yarn production. So there is the whole human
rights piece, as well.


Thank you for telling me it matters to someone else.
You truly made my day. Unfortunately, my computer is
acting very persnickety tonight, and I cannot log on
to either of the links you kindly sent. I am very
eager to see your work, and will let you know when I
do log on successfully (I have a rahter wacky
server!!)


thank you again for your kindness and compassion in
writing - and please, do spread the word. I know
there are more of us out there who care!!

So here I am, making noise for them :) I know that Alchemy is pricey and not everyone can afford it. But I know WHY now... all of those things cost money. So while I can't use Alchemy for everything, even though I'd love to, I can still use it for SOME things and pass along the good news and good feelings! (BTW, I bought the yarn above myself. I don't work for them or know them personally. Just FYI!)

(mini) booga bag

patonsswsbag
Originally uploaded by The Prolific Knitter.

So, I finished and felted the Patons Soy Wool Stripes bag. Love the colors, but this stuff felts like I have never seen. There is no "partial felting". You do not get a choice in the size. It will shrink to half its size no matter how long you do/don't wash it, so go ahead and plan to knit a GIANT bag and then felt it in a tiny bag.

Also, this thing had so much fur coming out it was like Animal from the Muppets! It took an hour with dad's beard trimmer to get all that crap off. The fabric is really soft and firm, so it's good for a bag, but I'm still returning the other 7 (!!) skeins I bought to make more bags. This took two balls and a bit of a third. I'm planning on using bought handles rather than the icord ones... god knows 5 feet of icord will turn into 6" with this stuff.

Patons SWS and Fun with Yarn

Patons SWS and Fun with Yarn
Originally uploaded by The Prolific Knitter.

So, I just found out (rather belatedly) that my best friend's sister has a new little boy. Her husband's in the korean army (south korea!) so it's just her and the baby (and my friend) for the time being. I've been wanting to knit with this Patons SWS (Soy Wool Stripes) for a while, and this seemed the perfect opportunity! I'm knitting a booga bag in pink for my friend, since she is the girliest girl I know, and a larger blue diaper bag for her sister! After all, just because you have a baby doesn't mean you've got no taste, right??

It has been really busy here, with us having a huge yard sale (made out pretty good too, if I may say so.) I'll be listing the rest of the furniture on craiglist tonight, so if you're in Nashville or Middle Tennessee and like solid cherry furniture, make sure to check it out. ;)

Consumer Friendly Yarns

While I might disagree with the classification "Unfriendly" for companies that require keystone pricing (refusing continual discounting below a certain percentage, if at all) I do find this list handy. A new blog is available listing companies and whether or not they have keystone pricing on their yarns. To some, this is important in their purchasing decisions; for me, it is only one factor. I prefer a company that allows retailers to charge what they can legitimately afford, but I also don't expect my LYS a few minutes away in an upscale neighborhood with nice lighting and helpful folks to charge the same low price. I'm okay with paying more for the camraderie and assistance. Anyway, here's the blog:Consumer Friendly Yarns. What do you think of all this? In a way, having access to the information is comforting - if I decide to get passionate about this, I like that it's available. On the other hand, isn't it illegal to disclose contractual information like that? I don't know the LEAST about legal matters, I'll admit. But I don't want someone to get in trouble doing the rest of us a favor (or trying to, anyway.)

Secret pal 9 Questionnaire!

These get a bit lengthy! It's only required reading for my pal, of course, but who can resist finding out about someone's knitty preferences?

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? I really don't like acrylic. I guess I'm a yarn snob? I just prefer natural fibers of all kinds - alpaca, wool, cotton, etc. I am one of those folks who would rather spend $20 on skein of yarn I really love, than $20 on a sweater's worth of yarn I will not like to knit.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? Ziploc baggies on a key ring. I have fancy needle cases, but I like this system best, especially as I have an absolute assload of needles! (great image, huh?)

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? I've been knitting somewhere between two and three years. I'm definitely an adventurous intermediate - I'll try anything once!

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? I did, but it's not really maintained. Sorry!

5. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products, etc.) All things food - vanilla, spice, lavender, you know. :)

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy? I have a big sweet tooth (and salt tooth!) but have been trying to cut back, so tasty sugarless candies will be much appreciated. I especially LOVE all things gummy! The weirder the shape, the better! (Peach flavored penguins and blue raspberry octopi are the oddest I've had.)

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin? I do spin, but not much lately. I do like batts that have crazy colors and stuff all stuck in them. I have lots of "plain" wool already.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) My computer can play cds and mp3s. I like uhh... show tunes... musicals... classical.. and movie scores! Music that tells a story, I guess.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand? I really do not like most "man" colors. Grey, navy, cranberry... they're nice, I just won't wear them. I go for springy, Easter-y colors. Butter yellow, mint green, aqua, lilac and peach, oh my!

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets? I have two parents (one each, a boy and a girl!) and three cats. And one dog.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? Yes, yes, yes, NO.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? Socks, lace, fingering weight sweaters... ;)

13. What are you knitting right now? A pair of socks, a sweater for my mom, a lace shawl... the list goes on.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? Well, sure!

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? I like circulars. I have an insane amount of needles. Please do spend your hard-earned cash on needles, though I would still appreciate the thought!

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? I own a ball winder. I have no room for a swift... besides, an excuse to visit the LYS!

17. How old is your oldest UFO? I have no UFOs. (bizarre, I know.) I really try to finish things in a reasonable time frame.

18. What is your favorite holiday? Easter! All that chocolate, pastel colors, flowers and new life and did I mention CANDY? And that I still get an Easter basket at 23?

19. Is there anything that you collect? Other than yarn? I have no room right now to collect anything. Art exhibition catalogues, I've got a lot of those. And sometimes they're free!

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? I tend to buy individual issues, if the projects appeal to me. I don't have time or inclination to go through 5,000 back issues when the internet is at my fingertips. I do love all the RYC (Rowan Classic Yarns) books - right now I have Classic Alpaca and Classic Weekend. As for yarns? Handpainted sock yarn is always appreciated, especially hard-to-get brands like Socks that Rock and Claudia Handpaint. I also love most things Rowan (avoid 100% cotton, please. My wrists will thank you!) especially in their RYC range (cashsoft, etc.) I also love laceweight mohair/silk blends, soft alpacas, and cuddly cottons (i.e. Blue Sky dyed or organic cotton.) Let's be frank: I have "expensive" taste. I know it, and I'm sorry! <:) (Actually, it's not ALL snobbery. I do have eczema, which can flare up on my hands and anywhere that I wear anything remotely itchy. If it will go on a baby, it will go on me! Actually, one of my faves is Wendy Peter Pan, a SUPERsoft 100% acrylic...)

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? Double knitting for socks, intarsia, knitting in my sleep!

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements? I am indeed a sock knitter! I usually knit "plain" socks for my tv knitting, but occasionally an interesting pattern grabs me (Pomatomus!) I wear an 8.5 US shoe, with thick calves and relatively small ankles. I don't advise it ;)

23. When is your birthday? (mm/dd) It's May 9! Sometimes Mother's Day!

is that all? I feel like I sound like a greedy jerk! But, like I said before, I am a quality over quantity kinda girl. One of my fave SP gifts (though they've all been awesome!) was a skein of Colinette Shimmer 5 in my favorite colors. I also hang out on the knittyboards under "nararabbit" so maybe you can get more of a lowdown on me than I'm capable of giving...

Icarus shawl - complete!

Icarus shawl - complete!
Originally uploaded by The Prolific Knitter.

I completed this a few days ago, but between the blocking and the finding-time-to-photograph-during-daylight-hours, it took a while to get a shot of it. Also note how blue my eyes look. I am spooookky...

Two skeins of Alchemy Haiku, bought from Knit/Purl in Portland (love that store! Hate the flat rate shipping when I'm only buying one skein!) This yarn is incredibly soft and the color just glows, much more like the closeups I have over on the Flickr page. But anyway, great pattern, no problems, knit over a two week period (I couldn't put it down. Knit it while watching tv! Knit it while surfing internet! Knit it at traffic lights!) An excellent pattern for a beginner. If you're looking for a sub yarn for the pretty but spendy Haiku, here are some of my picks that are in the same vein (mohair/silk or mohair/nylon).

Madil Kid Seta (need 3-4 balls, depending on size)
Kidsilk Haze
Lorna's Laces Heaven (huge skein tho...)
Colinette Parisienne (3 for my size, 4 for next size up). This would be my first choice, since the colorways are handpainted and gorgeously soft.
Crystal Palace Kid Merino or KM Print (cheap, about $7 per ball, but not as soft by far.)
Fleece Artist Angel Hair or Baby Kid
Some NON-mohair choices for the allergic ones in our life include:
Blue Sky Alpacas Alpaca & Silk (spendy, but beautiful. I would definitely remove a repeat since this is a thicker yarn, and thusly will make a bigger shawl.) (5 skeins)
Drops Alpaca (4 skeins)
Misti Alpaca laceweight
Lorna's Shepherd's Sock or Sport (again, thicker yarn)
Any handpainted sock yarn, like Socks that Rock or Soxie, just make sure you have at least 675 yards.
Louet Gems Pearl or Opal
Trekking XXL (imagine this in the dove grey striping... how gorgeous would that be?!)
Skacel Merino laceweight (which has enough yardage to knit two, or double it for a larger shawl.)
Handmaiden Sea Silk (2 skeins)
Handmaiden Silk & Cashmere (3 skeins)
Koigu
Jaggerspun Zephyr (just slightly over 1 630-yd ball.)
OR you could go with a thicker yarn and even less repeats in the middle, or just make a really big shawl!:
Silk Garden (7 skeins)
Misty Mountain handpainted merino/tencel blend (3 skeins & 3 repeats)
Diakeito Diamusee or Diamusee Fine (gorgeous AND warm!)
Tilli Tomas Pure & Simple (2 skeins, 3 repeats)
Debbie Bliss Pure Silk (4 skeins, 3 repeats)
Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk DK
Rowan Cashsoft 4ply or DK
Rowan Tapestry (self striping!)
Koigu Kersti
Atacama alpaca
Habu Merino roving A80 (800 yards for $20, dye it yourself!)
Suss Knits Tencel (very soft!)
Araucania Nature Wool
Webs' Berkshire handdyed (bulkier... 3 repeats, around 4-5 skeins)

I would REALLY recommend something handdyed whichever weight you choose, because that first section would be totally boring with a plain yarn! Also, weave in your ends before taking a photo. Don't be like me. :P

crazy people on the internets.

My boss, Meredith, has learned the fine art of getting over annoyances - also known as her "Oh well!" Seeing as she used to work with people all the time, she had to get over things that she couldn't control. Luckily, she shared the secret with me (Thanks Meredith!) it goes like this: A crazy person accosts you. You wonder what you have done to deserve this. Shrug your shoulders and say "Oh well!" because it's not about you, it's about them, and they're putting it onto every other person they come in contact with.

So, right now I'm destashing. I've posted in several places - Knitter's Review, Knittyboard, and the destash blog. Maybe you can tell me if I'm doing something wrong here - two women email me, both ask about the same items (i.e. how much is shipping) and I reply, the same way, to both. One woman paypals me the full amount, I ship her yarn. The other woman (who has not paid, or asked me to hold anything) goes BALLISTIC. She sends more than 15 abusive emails that I cheated her (how, I don't know.) Now, here's my question. (I replied politely, in case you're wondering. It made no difference whatsoever.) If someone emails you and asks about shipping, but does NOT pay, or tell you s/he intends to pay by x day or x time, are you obligated to hold it? I don't think so, but maybe I'm wrong. I am holding something for one woman, because she asked me to. I don't MIND. But I cannot magically know which person intends to pay, and deny other people who have their wallets out. I don't even feel bad, which is unusual for me; probably because she told me to a) go choke, b) that she was leaving it to a higher power to make sure I reaped what I had sown (??) and c) that she was going to COMPLAIN. All I can say to that is...

Oh Well!

Anyway, feel free to sound off on the topic of destashing and the etiquette thereof. If you feel I didn't act properly, say so. I don't bite. :)

This yarn was all free.

The Whole Shebang
Originally uploaded by The Prolific Knitter.

A while back, an old customer of mine caught up with me to tell me she would no longer be knitting, as she was having wrist problems. Did I want her stash? (I can hear you all, dying out there right now.) Of course, I said yes, and so swung by to visit and pick up the offending items. It filled MY ENTIRE CAR. I have a mini SUV (a Toyota Matrix). Five tubs, like the one in the background, stuffed with Noro, Fiesta, Debbie Bliss, Brown Sheep, Mountain Colors, Schaefer, and others. You can bet that at every stop light, I was ripping out another bag and sighing happily. If you want to see the whole haul, click on over to my Flickr page (just click the photo). Some of it is for sale (with her permission, of course) and that's all located in the destash album. Lots of Noro, as I'm not a huge Noro fan, and all of it around 40-50% off. I mean, I got it for free, I can't charge full price without feeling like an ass. I am willing to swap, of course, for specific things - luxury yarns, sweater quantities, and handpainted sock yarn. Just send me an email at nararabbit (AT) yahoo (DOT) com if you're interested.

I've got my safety helmet on.

Let's face it, when you have a blog, there is a responsibility to carefully think out what you say about someone else. Once it's out there and has been read by others, there is no taking it back. We can never know another person's situation, but occasionally conduct is so appalling that it is our responsibility TO comment on it, draw attention to it, rather than turn a blind eye and play nice. (This isn't going to be political, in case you're wondering.)

So, one of the LYS is owned by a woman whose behavior has become increasingly rude, to the point that is amazing to me that someone can be so "into" destroying themselves. She clearly feels that she is invincible, and that no matter how badly she acts, people will still shop there. (She's partially right; we'll get there in a minute.) I will be up front with you: I used to work for her, before she laid me off over email right before I was supposed to come into work because she "no longer needed my services" and charged my paycheck for a needle she had lent me to make a store model. I hadn't been impressed with her conduct anyway, which was very two-faced, but that's just my personal feeling on it. (I just wanted to be clear that I'm biased.) Recently I've come in contact again with many people, friends and customers that I knew while working/shopping at this particular LYS. Without fail, they tell me they will never go back, due to something she has said or done to them. We are not talking two or three people. I mean, people CALL ME AT HOME, to tell me how angry they are. I can think of three, just last week, that came in. Whether it was a rude comment ("Your mother is going deaf because you're so loud!") or not returning shop models, these people all feel strongly enough that they would rather shop elsewhere entirely than ever set foot into this place again. If I were reading this, I would be wondering how she stays open. Well, you and me both. Even on her blog, she's openly rude. When a customer emailed her, commenting that her blog contains very little about the shop or knitting (this is the blog FOR THE STORE, now!) the LYSO's response was to post the email, berate the woman and tell her that she can go somewhere to 'bitch and moan" (the original email's tone was not rude at all.) AND ASK OTHER PEOPLE TO EMAIL HER ALSO AND TELL HER OFF! I, of course, emailed her and said I was sorry she was treated so rudely. I know I would hate to get such hate directed toward me because I made a suggestion about improving another person's business! The bottom line is, no matter what special brands she gets, or what awesome sales she has, she will run herself into the ground. As much as I like to support small businesses, it is not a "get out of jail free" card for bad behavior and rudeness. On the plus side, the several LYSes that are staffed by nice and helpful people are no doubt enjoying the influx of customers that are finding new perches. So there is a good side to all this. (I, for one, will be there for her closing sale, to cart away loads of stuff at 50 and 75% off!)

..

I've only got a couple little things to report, but soon I should have an FO and a pattern available! The Vintage cardi is blocking, needing only her button bands and neckband (which I find easier to do evenly on a blocked piece.) Sometime tomorrow afternoon or evening, as the dog is going to the vet in the AM on Wednesday. (he's allergic to grass, and gets yearly shots. Have you ever heard of a dog allergic to grass? Me either!)

I was also nominated by my pal, Sourire as best pal for Secret Pal 8. Obviously my efforts to improve didn't go unnoticed! I was randomly drawn and won a prize, and I'll post about that when it gets here. No idea what it could be, but I'm very excited. Thank you, pal!

I also got paid a lot extra than I thought I would, and got a refund from the bank for an overdraft charge, so I was feelin' rich. I ordered my very first Socks that Rock, in Rooster Rock (Jaywalkers for my mom or me, not sure yet.) I also have been watching Bo Peep's Wool Shop sale for like... two months now! She had Suri Merino on sale for $25 a bag, so I got a bag of the green/purple heather that is so gorgeous. I'd link to it, but she's pretty much sold out now except for a few balls here and there. Only $30, even with shipping! You may remember that my Hourglass was made of Suri Merino, and it is so soft and warm I just had to get more of the same yarn. (It's going to become Grumperina's Knitted Bodice, FYI!)

Not much else going on at chez Bronwyn, there's a trunk show tonight at the Knaughty Knitter, I'll be working that from 5-7. I WILL resist buying anything except the pattern I need for my next shawl. Icarus has only about 20 (very long) rows left before she's finished, so I've been shopping around for a pattern. I won't show you my yarn just yet, though... you'll have to wait for that! ;)

Icarus in Alchemy Haiku

Icarus in Alchemy Haiku
Originally uploaded by The Prolific Knitter.

I've been bad lately about WIP photos; here is one of my current WIPs, the Icarus Shawl in Alchemy Haiku, Forest Waltz colorway. It's so gorgeous, I don't know if I'll be able to gift it when Christmas comes!

consider this stash enhanced!

consider this stash enhanced!
Originally uploaded by The Prolific Knitter.

Yesterday was not a very productive day. I woke up groggily this morning, realizing that I had fallen asleep around oh, 7 pm last night! (Ugh... and I fell asleep on my bed, which was covered in all my sock yarn, and stayed there, all night. I had yarn and needle impressions all over! Good thing I didn't poke my eye out...) I didn't mean to fall asleep. It's just that I'm knitting the most boring sock in the universe, and Icarus (also not that interesting right now.) Anyway...

Yesterday morning I had total house fever and just HAD to get out. I had been arranging my sock yarn stash, trying to inspire myself to finish these STR socks, when I noticed I have NO red sock yarn! (except for one lonely ball of LL sport. We'll forget that for a moment.) Combined with the fact that there was a new shipment of koigu in over at Angel Hair, I knew what my mission was. Sadly, it proved harder than I thought! They had lots of pretty rainbows, blues, purples, and a nice solid red, but only this one red variegated. And it's really more orange. But that didn't stop me from snatching it up and purchasing it! I still wasn't ready to go home, so I got directions to Haus of Yarn. I had heard bad things about this place: that it was dark, the women cliquey, the prices jacked up... all of it untrue! The women were all very nice, letting me browse but checking on me from time to time. (I roamed around the same display 15-16 times. I'm surprised I didn't wear a track into the carpet.) They have LL, the only place in Nashville, though they had no red LL. I did pick up this Watercolor, which I had wanted since I started knitting, to make Jaywalkers for my mom! (who told me they were her favorite of the socks I've knitted her. Obviously she will receive more Jaywalkers in the future!) They also carry Claudia Handpaints, and a big ol' display of koigu. How I missed this before, I DON'T KNOW. But now the situation has been rectified, and I will be going back after payday. (That's so wrong, I know. To take your paycheck from one yarn shop, and spend its money at another. Awful! I'll have to buy something at the Knaughty Knitter too, just to be fair.) In the background there you'll see eight balls of Cashsoft 4 ply for my next design. I am really excited about it! I need to find a good (inexpensive) source of Kidsilk Night though. If you have any ideas, let me know!

almost.... there...!

I was a good girl today, and have nearly finished the second sleeve (the second time I've knitted it, too) as well as updating all my pattern notes for the vintage-ish sweater. Now all that's left is one cuff, and the edgings for the bottom, front closures, and neckline. I have never knitted a cardigan OR a top-down sweater before, so if I can do this, anyone can! I think though, I'll offer it as a separate pattern rather than in booklet form. I'm hoping to move after Christmas and it will be 2009 before I get all 10 designs finished. :P I did get 8 balls of Cashsoft 4ply in a rich black to knit the next sweater with, and ideas are buzzing around. Something that hugs the bust, with baby cables and a deep vee neck. (That's a good part about being an hourglass, by the way. Most clothes won't fit you, but when they do? Va-va-voom!)

Two exciting bits of yarny news: one of my LYSes just got a new shipment of Koigu in. I'll be visiting them today, after putting out all my sock stash and realizing I had no red sock yarn! Obviously this must be rectified. Also, another LYS may be carrying BMFA Socks that Rock soon; at least, I hope that's what she meant by her cryptic message. Seeing as everyone else carries/has carried Soxie, and the colorway doesn't look like Claudia Handpaints, I can't imagine what else it could be. Too bad my heart is set on an obscure colorway, called Puck's Mischief (named by fellow blogger tapmouse! Cool!) I like that the sock club get to do cool things like name upcoming colorways and win free yarn, but I haven't been crazy about any of the colorways except the first one. Maybe next year... (who am I kidding. I am rarely pleased by "mystery" gifts...)

I did cast on for a regular sock using my STR in Peaseblossom. I am not loving the colorway, the colors in my skein just don't suit each other. Magenta and teal, ok. But cloud blue and grey, WITH the magenta and teal? Nah. I am glad I swapped for it, because now I know what everyone is talking about. It is good stuff, but I don't think I'd buy it without seeing it. It's sort of like koigu: when it's good, it's very very good, and when it's bad, you feel a little ill.

new Knitpicks stuff

Sory guys; even though the camera has been found and is charged, I worked all day and am too tired to bother with it. So you'll get a review sans picture.

I ordered the color cards for Swish and Gloss from Knitpicks, as well as one of their new circulars (the classic kind, a size 3 32".) Let's talk yarn first.

Of course, since it's a color card, I couldn't knit a swatch. but it's a good thing too, because I wasn't impressed with the Gloss. At all. I thought for sure I would be; I mean, it's silk and wool, what's not to like? But it has a distinctly tussah silk feeling - know what I mean? Dry and a little crunchy. It's pretty, and the colors (what few there are) are saturated and well chosen. (No three shades of green here!) But the texture to me is unappealing. I get eczema very easily from sock yarns high in nylon or other thin, scratchy yarns that catch the skin. I can see Gloss doing this to me, because it doesn't have the silky smooth glide that I had hoped for. If your skin is less sensitive, maybe it will be a good choice for you, but I can already tell it will irritate the sensitive skin on my fingertips (I also knit left-handedly, so the yarn spends more time on one area of my finger than it would if I were a "thrower.")

The Swish: I like the color choices here. They kept it relatively simple, but covered the whole rainbow, down to a buttery yellow (often skipped! I hate that!) They did skip the Natural (which is in the "Bare" line apparently, but I'd rather have it all together on the same page and color card.) The feel is soft, but still maintains a bit of that superwash squeak feeling. It's not as pronounced as say, Cascade Superwash, though. It has a feel similar to the Merino Style, with a bit more loft and is a thicker yarn (of course), and definitely softer than Wool of the Andes. At only $3.29 a ball, you could easily knit a woman's medium sweater for less than $40 unless you did lots of cabling. If I order any of the new yarns, this will be it.

As to the circular - it is much sharper than a similarly sized Addi. I'm knitting my Icarus on an Addi, size 3, and once it's long enough it's definitely going onto the Knitpicks circular. The cord is softer and more flexible (thinner and plastic, so it doesn't attack you right out of the package. Yay!) The joins seem strong on the pair I have, though I decided against trying the Options line until they worked out the cord issue. (A few people have had issues with the glue not holding cord and screw together, FYI.) I also like the purple cord. Irrelevent, I know, but I like it nonetheless! And while they are just slightly heavier than my Addis, I didn't even notice it right away. It won't cause a problem for me, I feel.

I'm almost through my third of five repeats on my Icarus shawl. I'm still loving the Alchemy Haiku and feel it's worth the money, about $20 per skein. It's so soft and the colors are absolutely luminous. It's the WIP I've gotten the most compliments on by far. I'm also finding the pattern extremely easy, probably because I'm "reading" the knitting, rather than staring at the pattern. I also received the new Rowan, no. 40, in a swap and will be ripping out my "Pam" sweater to knit the lace corset sweater - gorgeous! (As much as I love Pam, I will never finish. It just takes too much damned time.)

I hope you are all doing well out there in blogland, and I'll be making the rounds again soon. :)

Christmas knitting...

I had fun felting today! I had never done it before. I mean, I did the felting with the roving and the soap and super-hot water, not the washing machine knitted kind. Sadly, the camera cable for my camera has vanished, and my mom's camera is MIA, so there are no pictures. Which is just as well, because while I had fun, I didn't produce any museum-quality pieces. :P I did make an eyeglasses case out of a piece that's cream on one side, and dark brown wool on the other. I embroidered a little eyeglass picture with some handpainted rayon thread I purchased in NZ... no idea who it'll go to. Maybe Mark? hehe.

Nothing's really getting finished right now. I know, that is not exciting for all 3 of my readers, but I am feeling the knitting ADD come on, as well as Xmas looming! Here's my Xmas progress so far:

Dad: hat in Cashsoft DK (done) and vest in Encore Chunky, baby blue (this is not a man afraid of color. thank god! I've ordered the yarn, and have an excuse not to start it til it gets here.)
Mom: sweater in Silk Road Ultra. This may not get done, as I have ripped it out a couple times and am tired of it!
My sister & her husband: gift certificates. They are nice people, but more Pottery Barn than Earth Guild, you know?
My aunt & uncle: felted wine bottle cozy (him; not done at all) and Icarus shawl knitted in Alchemy Haiku (about 1/4 done, loving it!)
My cousin Sara: I bought her a cool purple knitting bag and will gift some yarn. Saves knitting, and she likes to knit. Also, I have good taste in yarn and she has to, you know, pay bills and not buy yarn with her money.
My best friend who now lives 5000 miles away: lace shawl, all the way. Not even started.
Mark: He has requested a felted hat, with, and I quote, "No stripes. I know you like stripes (I do?) but.. just.. plain. Please." Ok!
Grandma: lace shawl. (Done!! in glorious Koigu, too!)

I am also knitting a little dress for my niece, but I accidentally gave the needles to charity and now have to find Susan Bates metal needles in sz 7 to knit the OTHER half.

Anyway; I want to knit a shawl for best-friend-across-the-sea. I rarely get to talk to her, and want to send her something fancy. She likes baby colors; pink and baby blue. I am thinking a fingering or sport weight yarn, good quality for not hoards of money. I have some Alpaca Cloud, but it's like thread and I don't know if I love her quite that much, you know? I do have all these koigu leftovers I've been saving... but... I don't know if I can part with them. Isn't that selfish?! If you have any yarn ideas, let me know. I'd prefer something wool or wool blend.

Gorgeous.

fleeceartistsock
Originally uploaded by The Prolific Knitter.

That is how I feel about my new socks. Isn't the color to die for? When I got the package, I wasn't totally convinced, especially since the seller had goofed and sent a darker dye lot than the one she had pictured. But now that it's knit up? Positively yarngasmic. Let's hope the Socks that Rock that arrived yesterday (from a swap, I'm still not buying!) will be just as lovely.

I'm also working away on my cardigan. I'm proud to say I finished the body, including the PITA picot edging, and have gotten halfway down the first sleeve (which also needs picot, but we won't go there now.) After that is the other sleeve, the collar, and the edging for the front. I think I'm going to leave a small hole on either side of the fronts so a vintage-y clasp can be slipped in to hold it closed with style. Then it will frame my woman-bits in a lovely way, something I know I always appreciate!

I also sent an email to a woman seeking a test knitter. She can't pay $$ (sad), but she does have an online store and is offering a nice gift certificate in exchange. And, once I saw she sells handpainted silk, I was sold! (I am really in a silk mode for some reason lately.)

I'm busying myself with this cardi, as it's getting cooler now (read: not muggy and disgusting) so my thoughts have returned to my Pam sweater. All those cables.. mmm.... at one time they seemed overwhelming, but now they seem so enticing!

long weekend. literally!

There is no way I'm taking pictures for such a boring post: I completed the first Fleece Artist "Vintage" sock, turned the heel on the second. I've finished the body of the cream hourglass cardigan, but there's a picot bind-off and I hate picot. I love how it looks, but HATE doing it! (Especially having to choose which row to pick up the stitches... Uuuugh! Anyway, that's stalled because I just can't do that picot any more today. But, on the good side, all it needs now is sleeves, which are knit in the round (hallelujah, SO much faster for me) and it's done! I've tried it on and am very happy with the shape it cuts, very vintage inspired, and just what I had in mind. Now to decide what sort of closure... I had thought of picot all the way up the insides with a clasp or frog closure, but the thought of that much picot is making me a little nauseous. So I thought maybe just picot on one side, with some little pearl buttons? I do love clasps though, especially if they sit right below the bustline and enhance the hourglass shape even more. I'll ask your opinions when I get the sleeves done. (did I mention there's picot on those, too?) Then I need to find a test knitter. If you find yourself absolutely dying for a project to make, and not minding my cheapness (I can only supply the yarn, and you can keep the finished piece once it's photographed) then shoot me an email and we'll talk towards the end of the month.

I'm making a surprise (to me) trip to Atlanta and won't be free again til Saturday evening. I got my SP8's final package today and LOVED it, but it deserves a proper post and so shall get one on Sat. evening or Sunday.

I am planning on going to Knitch (ATL) and Genuine Purl (Chattanooga) on my way back, so I should have more yarn shop reviews for you then. I'm thinking of putting up a little page with all my shop reviews on it, just for reference. Would that be useful to anyone?

Also, totally unrelated, but I picked up the September selection for Knit the Classics, the Time Traveler's Wife. I've not yet read it, but I'm sure I'll start next week. My co-workers from my old job at the B&N raved on and on about this book so it should be interesting, at least!

long weekend. literally!

There is no way I'm taking pictures for such a boring post: I completed the first Fleece Artist "Vintage" sock, turned the heel on the second. I've finished the body of the cream hourglass cardigan, but there's a picot bind-off and I hate picot. I love how it looks, but HATE doing it! (Especially having to choose which row to pick up the stitches... Uuuugh! Anyway, that's stalled because I just can't do that picot any more today. But, on the good side, all it needs now is sleeves, which are knit in the round (hallelujah, SO much faster for me) and it's done! I've tried it on and am very happy with the shape it cuts, very vintage inspired, and just what I had in mind. Now to decide what sort of closure... I had thought of picot all the way up the insides with a clasp or frog closure, but the thought of that much picot is making me a little nauseous. So I thought maybe just picot on one side, with some little pearl buttons? I do love clasps though, especially if they sit right below the bustline and enhance the hourglass shape even more. I'll ask your opinions when I get the sleeves done. (did I mention there's picot on those, too?) Then I need to find a test knitter. If you find yourself absolutely dying for a project to make, and not minding my cheapness (I can only supply the yarn, and you can keep the finished piece once it's photographed) then shoot me an email and we'll talk towards the end of the month.

I'm making a surprise (to me) trip to Atlanta and won't be free again til Saturday evening. I got my SP8's final package today and LOVED it, but it deserves a proper post and so shall get one on Sat. evening or Sunday.

I am planning on going to Knitch (ATL) and Genuine Purl (Chattanooga) on my way back, so I should have more yarn shop reviews for you then. I'm thinking of putting up a little page with all my shop reviews on it, just for reference. Would that be useful to anyone?

Also, totally unrelated, but I picked up the September selection for Knit the Classics, the Time Traveler's Wife. I've not yet read it, but I'm sure I'll start next week. My co-workers from my old job at the B&N raved on and on about this book so it should be interesting, at least!

ARHG! I hate that!

I resisted shopping temptation by transferring all my paypal money to my bank account. That'll tie it up for a few days til the urge passes.

I thought that I would have some progress to show you by now; I finished the first chocolate-cherry-colored Fleece Artist sock, and was THROUGH THE HEEL on the second one before I realized that I had cast on 72 st rather than 64 st. No wonder it was taking so long! *sigh* So, back to square one on sock two.

I have gotten a bit done on the first sweater for the booklet, am now into the hips, though it's not nearly over yet. There's the rest of the body, the sleeves, and all that edging... it'll be a while longer! I also wound my Alchemy Haiku, and am resisting ordering two more skeins ($$!) to make Icarus. I know it would be beautiful, but I just can't swing $40 right now.

must not spend! argh!

I have this thing about having money. I spend it. I don't what my problem is, but having money stresses me out. As soon as I get it, I start planning what to do with it (I got good with the $870 paycheck, I paid off most of my cc). Once it's spent, I feel relief. "Whew! I'm glad that's over... now I don't have to worry about it any more." I realize that this makes no sense at all. But I prefer the simple life, and having money and being a knitter are two things that combine to make more stress. There is just so much yarn out there, how can I be expected to choose?! So anyway, I've been destashing and have some $$ burning a hole in my pocket. Before you say anything, I took most of it out and will be using towards my CC and gas. But I left a little sitting in my paypal account for a rainy day

edited to say, I remembered that I'm expecting a final package from my SP, two Magic Balls from a co-op sometime in September, and a swap next week. I will not spend right now. No matter how bad I want that sea silk or peter rabbit by fleece artist... ;)

stashing along

My kingdom for a darning needle! Like sock needles, darning needles disappear at an alarming rate around here. I've tried buying a bunch at once, but whether I have 1 or 10, they all seem to vanish at roughly the same time. (it's about 1-2 months). It wouldn't be that big of a deal, but I have at least 4 projects that are done except for seaming or end weaving. While it would make sense to just go buy one, it's at least an hour trip, while there are other projects waiting to be knit on. I'm working at the Knaughty Knitter on Thursday, I THINK I can wait that long. (It is painful though..!)

I finished my wool peddler's shawl last night and blocked it, but as it needs seams woven in, it won't make a debut til the weekend (sigh). Also waiting for ends or seaming: Iris from Rowan 35, Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk hat, and a Koigu shawl for my grandma.

Still OTN: Jojoland socks (I finished the heel, but the toe was too short and had to rip it out. sigh), Schaefer Anne socks (got the heel turned and about halfway down the foot on the first sock), Fleece Artist socks, Trekking socks, sweater out of Silk Road Ultra, sweater for book, Thinking Dress from Miss Bea's Rainy Day for niece (front completed, I lost the needles on which it was knit though), a baby blanket that will be ripped out today, and Pam from Rowan 35. So including seaming and darning projects... that's 13 WIPs! How did it get this bad??

Anyway, I think I'll work on the sweater for the book, since it's fairly fast. I'd like to get that darning needle though, that'd knock my WIPs down to 9... in one day! Maybe I should allow myself...

Icarus shawl info

If you're planning on knitting the Icarus shawl with Alchemy Haiku, like the Yarn Harlot, note that you will three skeins, not two. This is heartbreaking for me, as I bought one, and was planning on ordering another from Knit/Purl. Sadly, according to YH's reader Lori Gayle:

I'm one of the Interweave Knits technical editors, and according to my notes the original Icarus shawl shown in the photos weighs 90 grams. The Suri alpaca used has 800 meters in 100 grams, so a shawl worked exactly according to the directions will require about 720 meters.



A skein of Alchemy Haiku has 325 yards per 25 grams. On the upside, you will have enough left to either make the shawl a little bigger (which you may want to do) or knit a scarf or something. :)

Also: I am trying to whittle down my WIPs (now I've counted to 10, I think) by finishing things one at a time. It's painful, so now I'm doing two at a time. :P The Wool Peddler's Shawl in Rowan Cashsoft 4ply is nearly done, lacking about 22 rows and a blocking. I'm thinking my current ball will run out (it's ball no. 3) but I have 4 more waiting so I think I'm okay. I'm just over it, over the lace pattern, glad it's easy to remember but isn't it done yet?!

sock yarn stash

sock yarn stash
Originally uploaded by The Prolific Knitter.

So I followed The Knotty Gnome's example and counted all my sock yarn. I thought I had more, actually! There're two skeins coming from a swap (one Socks that Rock, and one CTH Supersock) and that's it! Including half-knit socks, I have enough for 15 pairs. That's pretty close to where I'd like to stay - around 8-10 pairs worth? I never know what sort of sock I feel like knitting, so I don't mind having a stash of that sort of thing!

Anyway, normally I'm only knitting one pair at a time (they get done faster that way, who knew? ;) but the socks on the bottom (Jojoland fingering) are missing their mate somewhere, and I need it to make sure the length matches, so it languishes, for want of a few rows! The top left (the black blob) is Schaefer Anne, a sock I started for my dad and then in the sudden move, it disappeared! I found it again last night and started the heel flap. The middle one, the purple Trekking, I started as my "new" sock, but I hate knitting Trekking. I have to watch what I'm doing, as the stitches love to leap off my metal needles (and I dislike bamboo for socks). So these just get a few rows when I'm in a thinkin' mood. And the newest sock, on the right, is my Fleece Artist in Vintage. I was a little afraid to break into this, truth be told, as it's my last Fleece Artist for a long time (*sob*) but I needed its pretty colors and softness.

That concludes the sock portion of our tour. Note that there is no Lorna's in there; I'm waiting til I find a LYS that carries it before I buy more. Whenever I buy it over the internet, I seem to get disappointed by the colors.

ugh, temptation...

Blue Moon Fiber Arts Silk Thread in Farmhouse
Originally uploaded by The Prolific Knitter.

I was looking around online during a knitting break (knitting 8 hours or more a day will do that to you) and of course, ended up looking at Blue Moon Fiber Arts' homepage. I love their Farmhouse sock yarn, it gives me a true yarngasm. But I have about $50 to my name right now, and cannot buy ANYTHING. (And don't need to. I have yarn! Lots of it!) But then I remembered my BMFA Silk Thread. I felt sure it had only been wound once, when I purchased it. I wind all my balls a second time, to make sure the yarn isn't stretched (which can affect your gauge, after it relaxes.) So to make myself feel better, I rewound my silk. Now, I have no willpower. I am overcome with the need to see a knitted swatch. But I have yet to find a pattern that suits its beauty, that isn't boring but allows the color to really shine. Obviously knit on a fairly small needle, as bright colors tend to look faded when stretched out too much. What do you think? Have you got any ideas for me??

dr pepper berries and cream

I can't decide how I feel about it. On the one hand, the commercials annoy the crap out of me, with their constant use of "berries" and "cream". I can read the bloody can, ok? And soda is not "rich" so don't describe it as such. On the other hand, it DOES taste like it has the two aforementioned ingredients in it, tastes pretty darn good, and is.. well.. different. I hated coke with lemon (A LOT, pine sol anyone?) and lime (not as bad, but still gross). Some fruit flavors should never be combined. But berry and coke... both are dark and sorta sweet, so why not? And I like cream soda. I guess I'll drink it til it runs out and switch back to water :P

Anyway, I still have the reviews for the other yarn shops to write up. Sorry I haven't gotten to it yet! The two I haven't mentioned so far that I've really loved were Abundant Yarn (the cafe is good, the yarn selection also good) and Lint, which is in sort of a scary neighborhood at night, what with all the construction and not lots of people walking around, but the proprietess was so nice, and their selection of Brown Sheep, Rowan, Debbie Bliss, and Lorna's was so large that I have to love them. (Just search for Knitted Barbecue to find them. Check out those deviled eggs!)

I've decided to write my own knitting book and self-publish. Or, more accurately, two of them. One is different, and I haven't found ANY books on the subject yet, which means it's either untapped or a horrible idea. But I think it'll rock, and other people whose opinions (and silence) I trust agree with me. The other is a book of patterns I've designed for my mom over time. Weird, I know, but moms of us college-ish kids are not old enough to want frumpy designs; they are trendy for the most part, but still want to look classy. And while you can find all sorts of patterns that are "classic" (plain) there aren't too many with interesting stitch patterns or flattering shapes. I should also mention that the sizing goes from 28" to 52", which I THINK is big enough, but if you know of a demand for smaller or larger, let me know.

What else... when I visited Portland, I met a woman who is wanting a nanny for her two boys (both well-mannered while still being young boys.) I have no idea if this will work out, but I really like the family and the city, so I may be moving there sometime soon.

Now to go work off that credit card bill... and all that wine and cheesecake..!

addendum

Just a quick addendum to the post below; if any owners have a comment to add, or want to invite me to their shop if it's a little further afield and know how to get there using mass transit or my legs, please email or comment. I do like to give owners a chance to respond to reviews. And of course, it goes without saying these are all my opinions.

Portland Shop reviews, part 1

I'm trying to hit as many yarn shops in Portland as possible, while still giving a fairly in -depth review. You can find lists of shops and websites, and individual shop reviews, but that's a lot of legwork (mousework?) for a relatively simple request.

Portland has a LOT of yarn shops; I'm considering moving here, and I must admit, that plethora is swaying my judgment just a smidge. Today I visited three: Knit/Purl, on 1101 SW Alder was the first. In terms of location, I love it, because it's very close to Josephine's Dry Goods, a Portland staple sewing store with an amazing collection of buttons (I bought some). The shop is not huge, but airy and pleasant, with lots of windows and excellent lighting. Knit/Purl carries a good amount of harder to find yarns, especially Fleece Artist (thrummed mitten kits and BFL, no sock yarn), Handmaiden (Sea Silk), Koigu, Lorna's Laces (nearly all the lines in a good variety of colors), and their own line Shibui. The Shibui sock yarn is especially nice; it's solid, but a kettle sort of solid with rich colors and a soft base (the same base as medium Socks that Rock and Koigu). It costs about the same, however. They do (or did?) carry Blue Moon Fiber Arts, but pickings were scarce since it was all 40% off. I did manage to score a hank of their 100% silk laceweight in Farmhouse and two skeins of semi-solid Sock Candy for pretty cheap, but it didn't seem as though they would be getting more. The shop is a high-end one, but not necessarily in a bad way. The service was still VERY good (and I'm young and wasn't particularly well-dressed). One of the girls offered to wind my 1200 yards of laceweight silk, and when it tangled, she spent the rest of the day untangling it. Some places won't wind lace at all, so I was really happy with this service. (Of course, on a busy day, you may have to wait a while.) The yarns were not overpriced which happens in so many urban shops, and even though they carry almost all higher-end yarns, they're all of good quality - cashmere, merino, silk, alpaca, angora, etc. I would definitely recommend this shop if you have a good yarn-shopping budget. There's also a room downstairs that has yarn that's on sale. Today, it was hanks of llama dyed by Blue Moon. :)

Next, I hit Dublin Bay, at 1227 NW 11th. It's at the VERY end of 11th, so don't give up if you don't see it right away. Inside they have a big-screen tv and comfy chairs for anyone with you who doesn't "get" yarn shopping (I had one today, and it was appreciated). They carried most of the RYC line, some Fleece Artist (Kid Aran, some Sea Silk), lots of Cherry Tree Hill (supersock, baby loop, ribbon, alpaca lace, etc.), Rooster Almerino, which is mostly just found in the UK and compares to Cashmerino, and lots of Regia, among other things. The shop itself had a rareified air to it; very quiet except for the tv and the click of needles. The woman at the counter smiled at me, but I have admit.. I prefer to be talked to beyond just a "hello" and back to the needles we go! I walked around for about 10 minutes and left. No "what are you looking for?" or anything like that. I just found it too quiet. I prefer yarn shops where people talk and laugh, music plays, etc. If you really would like some peace (or it was a slow day for her) this shop may suit you better. I would have preferred that they carry the sock yarn by Fleece Artist since they carry other yarns by the brand, and they had room in the cubicles. All together, I wasn't crazy about it. They do offer coffee and chocolates from 2-4 on Sundays, so perhaps that would be a good time to visit for the first time, rather than right before they closed. They also had a good selection of the RYC books and good quality baby yarn, FYI.

Lastly, I hit Mabel's Cafe and Knittery, on 3041 SE Division, across the river. In a house, with a coffee bar that also serves beer and wine (good pinot noir, btw), Mabel's carries a small but well-chosen selection of wools, cottons, alpaca, and most of Debbie Bliss' yarns. There are paintings on the walls by local artists (I wanted the large cream house painting, but couldn't afford the still-reasonable price tag.) There are couches and tables, good for a spouse or friend who'd rather take a book or journal along and sip while you shop. The woman at the counter (who I am not sure was the owner, but she seemed very comfortable so perhaps so) greeted me several times throughout my shopping. She was never pushy or nosy, just pleasant if I had a question. They carry a good collection of Manos and Manos Stria, Bartlett Yarns, Plymouth Alpaca (Brushed, Suri Merino, and Grande) and lots of Opal, including solids! I liked the place so much that I bought 4 skeins of Debbie Bliss Pure Silk in 12 (Poppy/Coral) to make something dressy and beautiful. I love that Mabel's has long hours, open til 9 pm Monday-Thursday, and til 8 pm Friday-Sunday! The number of tables and the cafe would make it my choice for an after work SNB. If you're in the the area, check it out, though if you only get to hit one LYS you might skip this one since the selection is more limited.

Tomorrow: Hopefully, I'll be heading to Yarn Garden (if I can figure out how to get there via mass transit), Abundant Yarn & Dyeworks, Lint, and Knit Knot (though I must admit I've heard that Knit Knot is quite snotty, I hope to find out for myself and report back!)

Leavin' on a jet plane...

In case you haven't already heard, Interweave is having a hurt book sale right now! The pages always load slowly, and things sell out, but a good deal can be found. I waited and watched til the site went live this morning, and got a copy of The Art of Fair Isle Knitting and Alden Amos' Book of Handspinning for half price. The shipping is slow, but I consider it worth it. (Now if only someone hadn't beaten me to that sock book...!) The link is here.

I also got a copy of Yoshitomo Nara's newest book for $22. I've been watching it for a while, and when I found a copy in an NZ bookshop for $100, I figured I'd never get it. But it seems it was remaindered by some dumb store, so I got it cheap!

ALSO, 4 Rowan mags for $20. Sick, I know. Number 30 I already have, but Sara wants it, so I'll send it to her.

I'm leaving for Oregon tomorrow, and won't be back til August 5. I hope all my new books (and yarn, did I mention the 12 skeins of KP Main Line I bought for a song?) is waiting for me when I get back! Maybe I can use my Main Line for the Rapunzel Jacket! I have some white KSH that I could hold with the Main Line, for a softer look, too.

Ah well. Once the office is done I can actually use my camera etc. again!

secret pal confusion

I've been keeping up with the blogs related to the SP8 exchange, and I have to say, it bothers me that so many people complain openly about their pals. Not that there aren't slackers out there, and yes, I've been blessed with great pals both times I've participated. (By the way, pal, your tissues came in VERY handy on the 15th, when we all moved out. SO many tears needed drying, and cute tissues make even the weepiest girls smile.) Anyway, as much as I love seeing what everyone gets from their SPs, I do think it sometimes sets a standard that is unreachable by other SPs. I know my first round, I was not the best pal. I tried to find things I thought my pal would like (it seemed she did) but I did not understand AT ALL about presentation! Cardboard box, check. Yarny gifts, check. No tissue, nothing. My ears burn at the thought now! Anyway, my pals have set me straight, sending me sweetly packaged gifts.

I guess my point is that not all pals "get it" right away, and rather than complain in a public forum, even anonymously, contact your hostess. I know it made me feel bad, and wonder if I hadn't sent my pal enough emails, gifts, etc. Her final package is also very nice (a cashmere theme, y'all. To atone for my previous pal sins). I also worry other people will see it and wonder why their pal sent them something other than cashmere. *sigh*

At least I have a wonderful, kind pal (whose candle I am burning right this second, to air out the "new paint" smell) who reminds me that SP is still a good thing.

Wahoo!

So, Governor's School is over. The paycheck is about halved, since I used some of it to pay down my old cc bill (from college. *sigh*) Now it is down to about $200, which I think I can pay off pretty easily by doing odd jobs here and there. BUT, the best part? My parents told me they did not want me to work right now. At all. (I have never been without a job for the last 8 years!) I have 3-4 months of uninterrupted knitting time. Which is good, since I have a massive stash. The only bad thing is not having my own money coming in. I am still teaching privately on the side, which is about $20-30 a week, and I think Meredith at the Knaughty Knitter will need my help from time to time as well. Either way, the remainder of my summer paycheck will go unspent til I go to NY in November. (Flying Fingers and MOMA bookstore, here I come!)

Since I'll be making so little money, I figured it would be a good time to stashalong. The mod of that list is on vacation, but that won't stop me! Here's a list of OTN and upcoming projects featuring stash yarn:

OTN: Pam (towards the bottom) from Rowan 30 in Rowan Wool Cotton (Poster Blue). I LOVE this yarn; it is SO soft and squooshy. I've started on the sleeve, to get used to all the cable patterns, but thus far no problems. Two repeats above the cuff. I know this project will take a while, but if I take TOO long I'll get lost and stuck and never finish it. I'm shooting to have it done and assembled in time for winter (late september/october down here.)

Two pairs of socks are in progress right now. One is Fleece Artist Merino in Wildflower. I'd reccomend this seller for all your FL sock yarn needs. She ships faster than anyone else I've used, and her shipping is comparatively cheap! The other pair is in Jojoland fingering. It stripes similarly to Noro, so you must give up the idea of matching socks. But that's never been a problem for me!

I've got a few projects laid out to start when I finish something else. I guess I do like to have a couple things going at once - usually socks and something else - so for socks, I have a choice of Great Adirondack Soxie in Rosewood (no picture, but it's a beautiful colorway of plum, blue, chocolate and cream), Opal Petticoat in 1291, and some varying shades of KPM and KPPPM. I have some other Opal and things too, but I prefer softer sock yarn! ;) I haven't counted, but I imagine I have sock yarn for about 15 pairs.

As for other projects? The Icarus shawl in some kind of mohair (I have many kinds and colors, though I'm leaning towards white KSH for an angelic look), matching sweaters for my niece and nephew out of All Seasons Cotton, a ruffled, beaded scarf from KSH, a tank top from some cashsoft 4ply... and that's just the beginning.

Like the stashalong, I'll be allowing myself one free day a month. This month I'm saving for when I'm in Portland (no sales tax). But I'm looking for certain things, since money's tight. Koigu to add to my collection (I hope to make a sweater or shawl from odds and ends) and 2 balls KSH in blushes for aforementioned scarf. THis entry's getting long, so I'll go, but I'll be back with pictures of all the things I knit during Governor's School!

ARHG

Did I mention I'll miss GSFTA, but I will not miss having to be mean? I don't enjoy it, yet when one of the kids does something totally boneheaded, I can't ignore it. It's my job!! Last night I had to bang on the door of the same two rooms three times each afer 11 pm to tell them to PLEASE GO TO SLEEP BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO SEND THEM HOME! And then today a kid just doesn't show up for final critique, expects us to just call him. (Apparently he is too sick to come, and must stay in. Note that he did not, you know, CALL US EARLIER, or tell his friend/roommate/girlfriend/whatever, just doesn't show up.) Then when we call his room he doesn't answer. Then he shows up in a class he's not even supposed to BE in, and comes to me fussing like it's my fault and he's going home and boo hoo. I like him and all, but part of college is being responsible for yourself. *sigh*

Anyways, I am still knitting away on Pam from Rowan 30, though it's going slowly. If I remember, I'll take a picture cuz it really is a gorgeous design. ;)

Also, I am going to Phoenix and then Portland on the 26th and will be gone 10 days. I'll make sure to send my pal's last gift, and I have to say, I'm jealous of her! Heh heh... I struggled with wanting to keep her gift for myself, but I won't.

New York, New York

So my mom and dad visited on Sunday! They took me out to Don Pablo's, where the waiter was super cool and knew all the dishes that were veggie/vegan, even though he wasn't himself. That's unusual in a small town like M'boro. Anyway, I have never been to New York, despite the fact that some family lives there and my mom grew up there. But now she's decided she wants to go over Thanksgiving, or pretty close anyway, and has decided to take me. YEAH!! She even brought me a NY travel guide, tho I'm trying to find one for ALL the art museums and things as I'm sure there are tons.


I've not felt like knitting lately. Last night I got blitzed for the first (and last) time. I hate throwing up and I threw up all morning. I hate drinking other than with a meal, and will never do that again!

My second gift! :)

My second gift! :)
Originally uploaded by The Prolific Knitter.

My mom called to tell me I had a second SP8 package waiting for me! (I'll get it Sunday when they visit.) She thoughtfully photographed it for me though, so I wouldn't have to wait (I'm not a patient person) and she's a knitter too so maybe she'll get inspired to join a swap!

Inside were three beautiful loaves of Misti Alpaca Lace, in a light blue color. I have no light blue laceweight. My pal is just that psychic, she knows the ONLY color I don't have! (Except for light green.)

I don't know if you can see the cover image for the Second Book of Modern Lace Knitting that she included (THANK YOU) but I'm thinking the thistle pattern would look so pretty in that pale blue, hehe. Not to mention the clean smelling candles, which will be perfect for this funky (in a bad way) dorm room. And the tissues - somehow she KNEW that my allergies had been going into overdrive! THANK YOU, PAL! I'll have to send you a prezzie when all is said and done. ;)

New blog

I just wanted to let you readers out there know that I started a new & separate blog about my frustrations with emigration and NZ. It's here: http://emigrationfrustration.blogspot.com. If you have any stories or advice of your own, post or email me and I'll upload it. This blog isn't just for me to blather on, but to help other people who feel helpless in this complicated and tricky process!

To the Is-land

Just dropping in quickly to tell you I finished another pair of socks, my Opal Petticoats in colorway 1297. Of course, no picture (no camera). But the're on display at the Knaughty Knitter til I leave Murfreesboro in July (too hot to wear them right now).

I also started a pair in JoJoland's fingering weight pink/blue mix. I have mixed feelings about this yarn; it is soft for an all-wool sock yarn; the colors stripe nicely, and the pattern shows well because the color changes are slow and subtle. BUT, the two balls are VASTLY different. I wish I could take a picture. One has lots of a purpley-blue and a peach; the other is mostly yellow and minty green. It isn't just the stripe sequence, one is also much brighter than the other. I think if I were to order from them (and I would, it's nice yarn and only $7 per ball) I would specifically request two balls that are the same dye lot. Unfortunately I threw away the labels for these so I don't know if they match or not lot-wise, but I am guessing NO.

I went to the library (see, being cheap!) and checked out two Agatha Christie novels (I read one a day. It's an expensive hobby.) and checked out a copy of Janet Frame's To the Is-Land. I am only 10 pages in and fascinated. I would tell you more, but I want to get to the KK and buy a needle before they close. Later!

kids everywhere!

I think this gig has me thinking of never having children. Not because they're awful or something (they aren't) but they're noisy and need constant attention (i.e. girls screaming their heads off over a stupid cockroach at 11 pm.) Obviously I am spending a lot of time knitting and trying not to cuss. ;) It is fun though, just stressful.

I finished a pair of Opal socks, the new yellow petticoat colorway which is really pretty. I also am nearing the finishline for the Knaughty Knitter sweater. I was thinking of bringing some of the fiber kids to the Knaughty Knitter block party thing tomorrow, but I think I need to get away for a while. Sorry kids!

We had good Indian at the Clay Pit. I was super friendly for some reason (glad to see another adult?) so we got free bread and soft drinks. (I love naan [sp?])

We'll talk again soon.

I am beginning to think I have psychic powers...

I am a little freaked out by recent goings-on; I'm stuck for a month in a steaming dorm with 25 14-year-old girls! One of them is apparently "addicted" (her dad's words) to oranges and eats five pounds of oranges a day. I can't leave the kids at all, lest they start smoking or having sex with each other or possibly skipping stupid social dances to read books instead. (I was not exaggerating about the five pounds of oranges. This girl eats more than 10 oranges a day.)


Anyway, lest I think life is sucking too much, I just remember all the weird coincidences that have occured in the last couple days. First of all, I cannot spend any money. But with all the summer sales of yarn, I would be completely daft if I thought I could avoid it altogether. So I made a deal with myself: only things for my secret pal, OR if I found a cashmere/silk blend on sale for a good price. I passed on the Trilly (50% of $35 per ball is still too pricey for me!) BUT, THE SAME DAY, LIKE 20 MINUTES LATER, I get an email from Posh Yarn that they have a sale page. Well, for $30 (including shipping) I got 2200 yards of cashmere/silk. In a color I like. How crazy is that, right??

I complained inwardly about having to shell out $150 to back up my laptop and replace the charger. Miraculously, the charger appeared in my mother's luggage (no idea why it would be there. It's been lost for almost 2 mos. now..) AND they apple store forgot to charge me for the dvd backup. HA. FREAKIN'. HA. If they think I'm going back to pay it, they're morons. XD

AND on my last day of freedom (see above orange girl and others) I remembered it was employee discount days at the B&N. My employment expires tomorrow, and my discount was an extra 10%. So despite my bitching over having nothing to read, I now have 2 magazines and 4 books to read. (1 knitting book, of course!)

Now if only Mark's trip was cancelled and he had the burning desire to spend the whole evening fawning over me, it would be perfect. I guess I should wait by the phone ;P

Ouch!

Zephyr scarf
Originally uploaded by The Prolific Knitter.

I'm sorry I neglected my poor blog for so long. My only excuse is that I am working on so many things at once, nothing seems to ever be "finished" and I get sorta tired of progress pics. BUT, I finished something yesterday, and have two events coming up, so there's plenty og blog fodder in the near future!

I knit this scarf over a few days when I saw that my favorite author, Laurie R King, was doing a signing here in Nashville. I LOVE her Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes books, and her new one looked pretty interesting too. There was no way I'd miss her signing! Anyway, I went along to Davis Kidd and got there a bit early. I'm glad I did, because there were quite a few people there! Thankfully their restaurant serves food and alcohol, so I was able to get a Guiness (though the bottled kind. Eugh) and somethin' to eat while I waited. I did bring along a sock I've been knitting, since the angora shrug is now just needing some shaping and I can't pay attention to both author and knitting. There were actually several people there who knit, but I was the only one who had actually brought mine.
Laurie was lovely, and an interesting and funny speaker. I'd never read any of her other series, but having heard her talk about them, I'll definitely have to read Folly and The Art of Detection. (I will always be a staunch Russell fan, so excuse my slight disappointment that I'll be waiting two years for the next book.)
She did sign my knitting bag (obviously a first request of that type, heh heh) AND spelled my name correctly without any help whatsoever! Yay Laurie!

I'll be moving into the dorms for 5 weeks on Friday to teach Governor's School. If I don't have internet there, my posts may be more sporadic, but I promise at LEAST once a week. ;)

Back from Arizona

Gorgeous octopus paperweight
Originally uploaded by The Prolific Knitter.

I uploaded most of my pictures from AZ to Flickr. Head on over to check them out! (Click on the photo to go.)

I had a wonderful time soaking up the sun and relaxing in the spa. Between the massages, pedicures, and body wraps, I am downright glowing and gorgeous (hehe).

By the way, I picked up a new cd at B&N - The Wreckers "Stand Still, Look Pretty." It's Michelle Branch & her friend who've started a country band. The cd is gorgeous; the best song so far is "Tennessee." Really, she makes the transition smoothly, but it's not so country that pop folks couldn't get into it too. Not to mention singer-songwriters - it does have that quality too.

I finished a pair of socks, the Fleece Artist ones, so I'll add a photo of those too to the FO 2006 section. I ended up gifting them to my counsin who was graduating. :) Congrats Jen!

Leavin' on a jet plane...

Just popping in to say I will be on vacation until Tuesday, May 23rd. Sorry about the lack of photos lately. I did take some with the parents' camera, but I can't figure out how to upload them. (*sigh*) I solemnly swear to have my dad show me how it works (hate these PCs, everything's so dang complicated!) so you will not only have photos of two pairs of socks and a sweater and some new stash yarn and knitting books (Fleece Artist!! Rowan! WendyKnits! More Rowan!) but also, of lovely Arizona.

Wish me luck that my DPNs don't get confiscated! ;)

P.S. to my secret pal: I'm glad you got your package, and you can make whatever you want with the contents. Also, I will not be able to check my email while gone, so don't think I've forgotten you!

Wahoo, the spinning wheel came!

LL Wool Top in Child
Originally uploaded by The Prolific Knitter.

My spinning wheel came, and my dad put it together for me so it was waiting when I got home from work! Yahoo! Too bad my dang laptop isn't working or I'd show you a picture (sigh). However, to celebrate, I bought myself some pretty (rainbow!) roving off ebay. 10 oz too, so enough to actually make something! I can't wait til it gets here to use it!

Also, yellow sweater needs about 5 rows on the neckline and it's done. THANK YOU, LAWD. It is so soft and sunny, I want to wear it tomorrow~! But only if I can sew down those dadblamed hems.

wheee....

Welp, tomorrow's my 23rd birthday. Man, I suddenly feel older! I've not been blogging much because I'm trying to break my addiction to the internet (it's working!) so I've been walking or knitting when I'd normally be websurfing. I've almost finished a sweater in less than a week! That tells you how much I use the internet. ;)

I'm trying desperately to knit this thing before I see Mark for b'day dinner tomorrow. My parents aren't able to celebrate it til this upcoming weekend, so we're going out instead, muahaha.

Anyways. If I am victorious, I will take a photo of me in the sweater and post it tomorrow before bedtime. Wish me luck!

SP8 and some other stuff

I did not realize it had been 10 days since I last posted. Sorry! I guess I haven't felt much like talking on the web recently, especially since I seem to be constantly answering questions IRL. (What happened? How's Mark? Where are you living now? etc. etc.) Anyway, I don't feel like talking (or thinking) about it, so I guess I just sort of turn off!

Regardless, I finished one thing and started a sweater. I'll take a picture once my mum gets home; I don't know how to work their digicam and my laptop's shot. (Yay!)

But... SP8 is starting! Wahoo! So here's my questionnaire, and an excuse to post!


1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?

I love Plymouth Suri Merino. I think I have knitted in in 3 colors now and have plans for one more. I also love Elann's Baby Silk, anything Lorna's Laces (especially worsted, mmm.) I love handpainted things. I am not a fan of mohair with other fibers, just on its own. I also love a good stretchy yarn, regardless of content.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?

Ziploc baggies. My gadgets and stitch markers are in a clear zippered pouch I received from my previous SP. I love that thing!

3. How long have you been knitting? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?

Intermediate with aspirations towards advanced. I'll try anything (except steeking. I'm too scared!)

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?

I sure do! Just search for my name and you should find it. (Hint: it's the one with all the knitting books.)

5. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.)

Anything comforting, like lavender or vanilla. I also like spicy scents if they aren't too strong. Mulled cider and orange citrus come to mind.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?

I love all sweets equally, with two exceptions: I hate licorice, and circus peanuts. Red licorice is ok though.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?

I spin, sew, quilt, draw, paint, build... pretty much everything.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)

I loved my mix cd that I got last time. My car plays them, but I don't have a stereo right now.

9. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? Any colors you just can't stand?

I like most colors. It's easier to say what I don't like! Reddish-browns, green-yellows, and super dark colors. Anything that is the color of an Easter egg is probably safe!

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?

(*sigh*) I live with my parents and their 4 cats and a dog.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?

All of the above except ponchos. I need freedom of movement!

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?

Anything lacy. I don't really have a favorite thing.

13. What are you knitting right now?

As I type I'm knitting the body of the Hourglass Sweater from Last Minute Knitted Gifts in Plymouth Suri Merino (butter yellow).

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?

I love all handmade things (especially books and cards!)

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?

Circulars and DPNs. All my straights are dusty from neglect!

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?

I do indeed.

17. How did you learn to knit?

From a book! (SnB, if you must know.)

18. How old is your oldest UFO?

Maybe a couple weeks? I don't tend to let things languish (any more).

19. What is your favorite holiday?

Easter, followed by Christmas.

20. Is there anything that you collect?

New Zealand things (though not touristy stuff...) And books.

21. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?

I don't subscribe to any knitting magazines. I'd love a copy of Alterknits. Also, lace patterns from Blackberry Ridge. I dearly love old mystery novels, so paperbacks of Agatha Christie would be nice. There is a book "out there" about designing lace shawls, but I can't remember what it's called. I'd LOVE that!

22. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?

*gulp* Fair Isle.

23. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?

I wear a US women's 8.5. I do love to knit socks, too.

24. When is your birthday? (mm/dd)

05/09! Right around the corner! Come wish me Happy Birthday and make me feel special! :)

baby gift

baby gift
Originally uploaded by The Prolific Knitter.

I started this "shawl" as a gift for a friend. Let's say it was a learning experience - increasing up the middle makes a diamond, y'all, not a triangle. So, instead, I have a baby blanket. Too bad no one I know is having a baby! I'll tuck it away in the gift box for when a new family member is on the way.

Yarn used was Fleece Artist Curly Locks or somesuch, purchased on Ebay. It ended up being soft and plush, and relatively easy to work with, for a boucle anyway.

Not much else to say at the moment - during the day I feel fine, at night severely depressed. But that is just life, and if I have to take a sleeping aid for the first couple weeks that is what I am going to do.

whole milk is a little too whole for me, thanks.

I deleted the last post, since I couldn't self-edit at the time apparently. Let's get one thing straight - this sucks, and it will not get easier til I am out of here and not seeing him for a while. Though he may be a good person and a sweetheart, right now it is not good for me to see him. Period. (I feel guilty saying that, even.)

So I'll skip the moving commentary til it's all past. We're getting together first week of May to watch LOST, til then I think I'll eschew the contact just to give me some time to mend.

I couldn't apply for Arrowmont, as I needed 3 letters of reference, and only found it a week before I had to apply. I'll apply again in July for the fall session. Wish me luck! :) I'm donating some art books to the studio today and there's a show of some artwork that's been restored. I was hoping to pick up Wendy's new book at the Barnsie, but it seems I'll have to settle for looking at it til Friday!

(Also, I finished my Mother's Day Jaywalkers, but as my mom is currently wearing them, I have no picture. Sorry!)

Anita's Kiri Shawl

Anita's Kiri Shawl
Originally uploaded by The Prolific Knitter.

Man, I am on FIRE. No pun intended; I'm going to a fire breather's show tonight that Mark saved a ticket for me for. Also, I have a free ticket to see HOOT on Thursday! yay!

Anyway, knit over 5 days with 4 balls of Elann Baby Silk in Raspberry. It's relatively small, but I like it and it seems appropriate for my aunt (who it's for anyway) since she's always on the go and has no time for frou frou things like ginormous shawls. Mmm... soft...

bunnies

bunnies
Originally uploaded by The Prolific Knitter.

Happy Easter, y'all. I have a shawl pic for you but I'm not at home to upload it. I thought this was hilarious though. :)

Dammit!

I had a post all ready to go about the new shawl I've been working on as an early Xmas gift (yes, you heard right.) But then I saw my paycheck, and my hours at the store, and I just about had a heart attack. The ONE REASON I was happy about moving out was not paying rent for the time being. Too bad my hours got cut, so I am STILL barely making it! Can you imagine surviving on essentially $100/week? Because I am, right now. And it is damn painful. *sigh*

On the very happy side, I am getting a "big surprise" from my parents for my birthday. Seeing as I already have a car, I can't imagine what it would be. I also got hired on for 5 weeks at the local college mentoring to HS students, but that doesn't start til JUNE. *sob* (Even if the money is good, hehe.)

Just for once, can I make more money than I spend in bills? I am not a shopper, really. I have not bought one thing in over a month, except groceries. NOT EVEN A CD, y'all! And still I have $15 for the whole week left over after bills. Did I mention the baby shower is at a restaurant, and food is not free? Personally I do not think you should hold parties at restaurants without everyone's support, because some us just can't afford it right now.

I'm gonna go mope and be grumpy. :P