After the initial jolt from the yarn influx last month, my boyfriend found a huge sale at a local fabric store near his home. Since he is a craft-friendly sort, he walked out with a bag of ten skeins of Plymouth Suri Alpaca. There are five balls of two different shades of gray which cost less than $20. Despite my ridiculous need to not accrue any more fiber, I asked him to go back to see if there was anything nice left over. He found a slew of bamboo needles and ten more skeins of Plymouth Royal Llama Silk in mauve. I am quite set for many years to come and hope I can actually begin to de-stash some of the newcomers (and old standbys) lurking in my closet.
The fiber pictured here is some loveliness that Del and Andy brought on my birthday. There is no gauge, suggested needle size or yardage. Online searches drew a blank, so my best bet is to visit the LYS where it was purchased and ask probing questions. Oh, and attempt to refrain from buying more yarn.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Yarny Days!
My birthday this year was more than a little shocking. For the first time, my friends decided to give me copious amounts of yarn. Part of me is giddy and the other part is, well, horrified. I probably have close to 8,000 more yards of yarn to knit up. See the conundrum? My birthday yielded a batch of new pretties that will serve to confound me over the coming years. The next few posts will contain photos of more delicious acquisitions since I usually only put up one picture at a time. My non-knitting friends did so well with their choices that I suspect devilry is afoot.
Dee shocked me with a baker's dozen of her beautifully hand-dyed yarn. The woman is gifted and she is mine! I officially marked my territory and everything, so all others (except Amy) can back off. I dimly recall flashbulbs going off when I opened the doughnut box and saw the fiber it contained. I believe a tear came to my eye, but only the camera knows for sure. The other yarn will be posted here within the next month, with equal respect. Thank you all for doing this because it was completely unexpected and I was just happy to spend time with you. Now I am going to roll around in the fibery goodness and maybe, just maybe, knit something with it.
Dee shocked me with a baker's dozen of her beautifully hand-dyed yarn. The woman is gifted and she is mine! I officially marked my territory and everything, so all others (except Amy) can back off. I dimly recall flashbulbs going off when I opened the doughnut box and saw the fiber it contained. I believe a tear came to my eye, but only the camera knows for sure. The other yarn will be posted here within the next month, with equal respect. Thank you all for doing this because it was completely unexpected and I was just happy to spend time with you. Now I am going to roll around in the fibery goodness and maybe, just maybe, knit something with it.
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Kill or Be Killed
Bleary-eyed, I awoke at 5:30 this morning to get to the huge yarn sale. Everything in the store was at least 35% off, so I decided to break my yarn fast with a rather embarrassing splurge. I was doing well with stash control, knitting up sweaters and socks, but this was too much for anyone to resist.
Unlike previous experiences with full-contact shopping (Sam Moon being the most memorable example), I was not elbowed in the gut or hurled to the floor. My personal belief is that most people are not fully awake and ready for a Deadwood-style brawl at 6:00 A.M. I even received at least a dozen compliments on my Natty hat, used solely to disguise my greasy hair which was sticking up in all directions when I groggily dressed and stumbled into the car.
In total, I spent far less than anticipated. Perhaps this is a good thing, since I recently dropped cash on a cashmere argyle sweater that was 70% off, but still expensive. The reason for the self-control was the lack of yarn that I need for specific projects. Yes, I could substitute in some instances, but this will require more brain cells than I care to use on a project right now. For a fraction of what I would normally spend, I brought home a trash bag full of yarny goodness. Due to the excessive amount of people grabbing up stock, I am one ball shy of a Tilted Duster and I have more than enough yarn for Ruby.
And yes, I hit the Noro like a cheap tart.
Unlike previous experiences with full-contact shopping (Sam Moon being the most memorable example), I was not elbowed in the gut or hurled to the floor. My personal belief is that most people are not fully awake and ready for a Deadwood-style brawl at 6:00 A.M. I even received at least a dozen compliments on my Natty hat, used solely to disguise my greasy hair which was sticking up in all directions when I groggily dressed and stumbled into the car.
In total, I spent far less than anticipated. Perhaps this is a good thing, since I recently dropped cash on a cashmere argyle sweater that was 70% off, but still expensive. The reason for the self-control was the lack of yarn that I need for specific projects. Yes, I could substitute in some instances, but this will require more brain cells than I care to use on a project right now. For a fraction of what I would normally spend, I brought home a trash bag full of yarny goodness. Due to the excessive amount of people grabbing up stock, I am one ball shy of a Tilted Duster and I have more than enough yarn for Ruby.
And yes, I hit the Noro like a cheap tart.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Iowa to Nevada to Dallas
My attempt to blog every day of a convention has failed, it seems. There is far too much to write about, so I will sum up, as Inigo Montoya would say.
Anime Iowa was a good time for many. The charity auction raised $5,600 to aid the Red Cross relief efforts for flood victims. We more than doubled the total for last year, so I feel this was a worthwhile trip. Having limited excursions to the Midwest in the past, I have come to find a certain calm at conventions there. In Iowa, I not only found a cute LYS, but I got 'kidnapped' to go on a field trip near Iowa State University. The person who drove me around was a kindred spirit named Jennifer and the sort of person who is extremely intelligent and would be intimidating if she was not as easy to converse with. We had a great time eating Chinese food and poking around an independently-owned craft store chock full of adorable fabric and yarn I have never seen sold anywhere else. I was a bit overwhelmed at the sheer quality of the merchandise, so I managed to leave without buying anything. I wish they had an online store, but I hope to visit again one day when funds are available to buy retro apple-patterned fabric for aprons and silk yarn.
The weekend after was Eli and Melissa's wedding in Las Vegas. Predictably, two trips on consecutive weekends sapped my energy. But it was well-worth a minor inconvenience. I will spare a detailed account of the wedding, but we stayed downtown at The Golden Nugget. I have always just gone to The Strip when I have visited Las Vegas, so I saw the 'big screen' on Freemont Street for the first time. According to the documentation I found, it is longer than five football fields. It was the ultimate blinky distraction for the drunks staggering wildly outside.
When the wedding day arrived, we took a limousine to the chapel. The 'dueling Elvises' package was everything I imagined, and the event was captured on DVD for review later. I plan to mail out some copies to people who were unable to make it. The bride and groom were very happy and I am deeply grateful they enabled me to be there.
The following weekend, I went to AnimeFest. Although we were only there to catch the events on Saturday night, we managed to see almost everyone we wanted. A few people were missed, but I am sure I will run into them soon enough.
The crafty items are coming along slowly but surely. I have finished off two socks (from different pairs, of course) and a lovely hat from Cascade Pastaza in the 067 colorway. The llama sheds more than I expected, but the hat itself is beautiful and promises to be warm in the winter.
I think the next update will contain a lot of information about Yarn School. The amount of excitement I have would be embarrassing if I actually felt shame.
Anime Iowa was a good time for many. The charity auction raised $5,600 to aid the Red Cross relief efforts for flood victims. We more than doubled the total for last year, so I feel this was a worthwhile trip. Having limited excursions to the Midwest in the past, I have come to find a certain calm at conventions there. In Iowa, I not only found a cute LYS, but I got 'kidnapped' to go on a field trip near Iowa State University. The person who drove me around was a kindred spirit named Jennifer and the sort of person who is extremely intelligent and would be intimidating if she was not as easy to converse with. We had a great time eating Chinese food and poking around an independently-owned craft store chock full of adorable fabric and yarn I have never seen sold anywhere else. I was a bit overwhelmed at the sheer quality of the merchandise, so I managed to leave without buying anything. I wish they had an online store, but I hope to visit again one day when funds are available to buy retro apple-patterned fabric for aprons and silk yarn.
The weekend after was Eli and Melissa's wedding in Las Vegas. Predictably, two trips on consecutive weekends sapped my energy. But it was well-worth a minor inconvenience. I will spare a detailed account of the wedding, but we stayed downtown at The Golden Nugget. I have always just gone to The Strip when I have visited Las Vegas, so I saw the 'big screen' on Freemont Street for the first time. According to the documentation I found, it is longer than five football fields. It was the ultimate blinky distraction for the drunks staggering wildly outside.
When the wedding day arrived, we took a limousine to the chapel. The 'dueling Elvises' package was everything I imagined, and the event was captured on DVD for review later. I plan to mail out some copies to people who were unable to make it. The bride and groom were very happy and I am deeply grateful they enabled me to be there.
The following weekend, I went to AnimeFest. Although we were only there to catch the events on Saturday night, we managed to see almost everyone we wanted. A few people were missed, but I am sure I will run into them soon enough.
The crafty items are coming along slowly but surely. I have finished off two socks (from different pairs, of course) and a lovely hat from Cascade Pastaza in the 067 colorway. The llama sheds more than I expected, but the hat itself is beautiful and promises to be warm in the winter.
I think the next update will contain a lot of information about Yarn School. The amount of excitement I have would be embarrassing if I actually felt shame.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Anime Iowa - Thursday
I decided to make an account of the entire weekend, so updates will lag behind a day or two.
Thursday Pre-Flight:
In D/FW Airport, awaiting my flight to Iowa. The T-Mobile hot spot charges $10 for a day pass, so I have to go without Ravelry while I sit here. After receiving a charge of $15 to check my suitcase (and knowing I will have to pay another $15 on the way back), my financial prospects look dim for the weekend. So much for trying to treat myself with a skein of yarn from an LYS in the area!
Carrie and I have done a lot of work for the charity auction on Saturday. We are supposed to be on the same flight, but I am early and haven't seen her yet. Every time we run an auction, I am astounded at the sheer amount of time we have to spend getting signature lists, chasing down actors and figuring out pricing. This sounds incredibly boring when I see it typed out, but I can't help feeling satisfied and excited when everything is displayed. I hope all goes well. Carrying unsold items home is a huge disappointment.
Craft-wise, I am considering putting a project aside for work-knitting. There is no time to do such things on a regular basis, but I always knit when I am in the booth recording. No one seems to mind the clicking of needles in between lines. Perhaps next year I will plan a garter-stitch scarf to start in January. I will force myself not to work on it unless the need arises. This way, I will have a year's worth of shows and characters stored in the stitches; a knitted memory of sorts.
This brings up another idea. I typically relegate certain types of projects to specific situations. Simple stitch patterns are for social gatherings at home, socks are for times when I travel and complicated colorwork or lace stays at home or keeps me occupied when I can fully concentrate. My life is based on the security of routines, so why not plan projects around regular day-to-day events? I could create hats and gloves when the weekly gatherings with Michael and Joshua resume. Every time I wear the item in question, this will bring back memories of watching Doctor Who, drinking too much red wine and talking about everything and nothing until someone checks their watch and exclaims at the obscene hour. I could have a project I work on only during the times I travel to conventions, such as today. I assume this will be an easy sock project that will remind me of reuniting with old friends, making new ones and visiting strange places filled with brightly-colored costumes and the indistinguishable chatter of hundreds of voices at the same time. Most conventions pass by in the blink of an eye, so trapping each moment into a tiny stitch is a way to slow down just long enough to enjoy myself. I am so busy living in the future that I forget sometimes.
Thursday Post-Flight:
After rejoicing at the prospect of rainy weather on my dying lawn, I should have realized this was not a good sign of things to come during a flight. Turbulence was horrible and caused a poor little girl in front of me to get sick. Once the smell hit the cabin, I had to strengthen my resolve not to follow the vomit train to its destination.
We were picked up and quickly whisked to a food co-op to get some healthy snacks before hitting the hotel. I bought a bottle of wine (yeah, real healthy), but no corkscrew (typical). After joking about finding an LYS, I spotted one within the same complex. After begging the staff to take me back there on Saturday, I checked into the hotel, said hello to a few people, and piddled with charity auction items. When I picked up my badge and bag of goodies, I met a number of people, including Laura, who works on staff and is responsible for the Knit Like a Pirate website. Knowing there are knitters present makes me feel far more comfortable in a strange place.
Thursday Pre-Flight:
In D/FW Airport, awaiting my flight to Iowa. The T-Mobile hot spot charges $10 for a day pass, so I have to go without Ravelry while I sit here. After receiving a charge of $15 to check my suitcase (and knowing I will have to pay another $15 on the way back), my financial prospects look dim for the weekend. So much for trying to treat myself with a skein of yarn from an LYS in the area!
Carrie and I have done a lot of work for the charity auction on Saturday. We are supposed to be on the same flight, but I am early and haven't seen her yet. Every time we run an auction, I am astounded at the sheer amount of time we have to spend getting signature lists, chasing down actors and figuring out pricing. This sounds incredibly boring when I see it typed out, but I can't help feeling satisfied and excited when everything is displayed. I hope all goes well. Carrying unsold items home is a huge disappointment.
Craft-wise, I am considering putting a project aside for work-knitting. There is no time to do such things on a regular basis, but I always knit when I am in the booth recording. No one seems to mind the clicking of needles in between lines. Perhaps next year I will plan a garter-stitch scarf to start in January. I will force myself not to work on it unless the need arises. This way, I will have a year's worth of shows and characters stored in the stitches; a knitted memory of sorts.
This brings up another idea. I typically relegate certain types of projects to specific situations. Simple stitch patterns are for social gatherings at home, socks are for times when I travel and complicated colorwork or lace stays at home or keeps me occupied when I can fully concentrate. My life is based on the security of routines, so why not plan projects around regular day-to-day events? I could create hats and gloves when the weekly gatherings with Michael and Joshua resume. Every time I wear the item in question, this will bring back memories of watching Doctor Who, drinking too much red wine and talking about everything and nothing until someone checks their watch and exclaims at the obscene hour. I could have a project I work on only during the times I travel to conventions, such as today. I assume this will be an easy sock project that will remind me of reuniting with old friends, making new ones and visiting strange places filled with brightly-colored costumes and the indistinguishable chatter of hundreds of voices at the same time. Most conventions pass by in the blink of an eye, so trapping each moment into a tiny stitch is a way to slow down just long enough to enjoy myself. I am so busy living in the future that I forget sometimes.
Thursday Post-Flight:
After rejoicing at the prospect of rainy weather on my dying lawn, I should have realized this was not a good sign of things to come during a flight. Turbulence was horrible and caused a poor little girl in front of me to get sick. Once the smell hit the cabin, I had to strengthen my resolve not to follow the vomit train to its destination.
We were picked up and quickly whisked to a food co-op to get some healthy snacks before hitting the hotel. I bought a bottle of wine (yeah, real healthy), but no corkscrew (typical). After joking about finding an LYS, I spotted one within the same complex. After begging the staff to take me back there on Saturday, I checked into the hotel, said hello to a few people, and piddled with charity auction items. When I picked up my badge and bag of goodies, I met a number of people, including Laura, who works on staff and is responsible for the Knit Like a Pirate website. Knowing there are knitters present makes me feel far more comfortable in a strange place.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Dress Nightmares
My nemesis has finally revealed itself in the form of a bridesmaid dress. Many hours online and a full day at the mall have failed to bring me closer to finding the perfect outfit as maid of honor at my friends' wedding in two weeks. I am horrified at best and the least expensive contender is awaiting the bride's approval tomorrow. I sincerely hope she likes it, because this girlish behavior is unsavory to my sensibilities.
A few nice things have happened recently. A coworker unexpectedly bought a present for me. I have always needed a business card holder, but one that has a knitting goth girl was not something I imagined. The artist has some very cute stuff available. Also, Dee has some items for sale at Wool Girl. I am so happy she had her first wholesale order and the yarn has had regular sales. Of course!
Amy's baby shower was a lot of fun. I normally despise these types of activities, especially when games are present. In true fashion when Amy is in the mix, there was a hilarious game involving toilet paper and a diaper creation. Poor Dee was the recipient of the torture. I can't believe I had to say, "I am sorry for what is about to happen."
As pictured, the Wendy socks are coming along nicely. I love this pattern in the red yarn, but the gauge is a little small. She really needs to try one on before I knit the second sock. The pattern was chosen partially on the way it looks and partially due to the moniker of the designer. I will leave anyone who knows better to guess which was more important.
A few nice things have happened recently. A coworker unexpectedly bought a present for me. I have always needed a business card holder, but one that has a knitting goth girl was not something I imagined. The artist has some very cute stuff available. Also, Dee has some items for sale at Wool Girl. I am so happy she had her first wholesale order and the yarn has had regular sales. Of course!
Amy's baby shower was a lot of fun. I normally despise these types of activities, especially when games are present. In true fashion when Amy is in the mix, there was a hilarious game involving toilet paper and a diaper creation. Poor Dee was the recipient of the torture. I can't believe I had to say, "I am sorry for what is about to happen."
As pictured, the Wendy socks are coming along nicely. I love this pattern in the red yarn, but the gauge is a little small. She really needs to try one on before I knit the second sock. The pattern was chosen partially on the way it looks and partially due to the moniker of the designer. I will leave anyone who knows better to guess which was more important.
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Hiatus Over
I am now safely ensconced in Evil Lair 2.0, complete with new roommate and small, spoiled dog. I am partially at fault for the last bit, but who would dare judge me?
Very little knitting has been accomplished, with the exception of a few socks. My craft room is housing a long- term guest and will not be accessible until the end of the month. For the time being, I am content with reading the latest issues of Interweave Knits, Vogue Knitting and Craft Magazine that arrived within the past two weeks. My long-suffering boyfriend found a heavily-discounted copy of For the Love of Knitting and surprised me two nights ago. Although many of the essays were previously published, I have not read them before. This has become the book du jour for my nightly reading requirements.
In the interest of taking a fiber-related vacation together, Dee and I have booked our tickets to Yarn School this fall. We are horribly excited about spending four days away from our real lives, immersed in fiber. Harassing my stalkee will be no trouble if we are staying in the same room. Knitting + Dyeing + Spinning + Stalking. What more could I want? Dee and I have decided to drive there, which will be much cheaper and easier than booking flights. And what will we talk about for over 7 hours each way? You guessed it...
Next weekend, I will be at Anime Iowa to help with the charity auction supporting the local chapter of the American Red Cross. The flooding caused a lot damage, so we are trying to help with recovery efforts. We put together a huge box filled with rare items, so I am hoping for the best this year.
Later in the month, I will be in Las Vegas for a very special wedding. Since I have agreed to be the maid of honor, the onus falls on me to make sure the bachelorette party is nothing short of disgraceful. If I am not up to the challenge, who is?
Very little knitting has been accomplished, with the exception of a few socks. My craft room is housing a long- term guest and will not be accessible until the end of the month. For the time being, I am content with reading the latest issues of Interweave Knits, Vogue Knitting and Craft Magazine that arrived within the past two weeks. My long-suffering boyfriend found a heavily-discounted copy of For the Love of Knitting and surprised me two nights ago. Although many of the essays were previously published, I have not read them before. This has become the book du jour for my nightly reading requirements.
In the interest of taking a fiber-related vacation together, Dee and I have booked our tickets to Yarn School this fall. We are horribly excited about spending four days away from our real lives, immersed in fiber. Harassing my stalkee will be no trouble if we are staying in the same room. Knitting + Dyeing + Spinning + Stalking. What more could I want? Dee and I have decided to drive there, which will be much cheaper and easier than booking flights. And what will we talk about for over 7 hours each way? You guessed it...
Next weekend, I will be at Anime Iowa to help with the charity auction supporting the local chapter of the American Red Cross. The flooding caused a lot damage, so we are trying to help with recovery efforts. We put together a huge box filled with rare items, so I am hoping for the best this year.
Later in the month, I will be in Las Vegas for a very special wedding. Since I have agreed to be the maid of honor, the onus falls on me to make sure the bachelorette party is nothing short of disgraceful. If I am not up to the challenge, who is?
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