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!