Party as Promised

Well, I was going to post this after the party, but I was tired. The next day I had to work and since then I just have been trying to catch up with various things.

Thus follows my report of the Yarn For Breakfast's First Annual Christmas Party and Gift Exchange.


First, the spread. There was tasty food and more tasty food. The picture I took was premature as more dishes arrived a bit later. My favorite was the peanut butter and chocolate cookies, for which I managed to get the recipe.

I brought pastry wrapped cheddar smokies which were actually made by me with no spotter in the kitchen to guide me or prevent me from melting random kitchen items. I am no cook. Baking is a skill I fluent with, but with cooking my vocabulary is limited and often requires a translator. I was very proud of the results of my cooking as the food was tasty and no cutting boards were accidentally destroyed in the process.

Back on December 2nd I aired out my tale of woe as concerns the sock. I told you of how I had ripped it back and left you with a mental image of a tangled pile of yarn next to a partial sock. What I forgot to mention when regaling you with my pain was how limited my pick-up-stitches skills are. Picking up 2x2 ribbing with size US1 needles was beyond me.
I put out a cry for help as the only thing I could think of would be to rip back the entire leg to the stockinette section as I could not thread a lifeline in the ribbing nor find the purl stitches.
My plea was answered by Carly. I promised a gift for whoever got the stitches back on the needles. She told me no such gifts were needed, but I feel she earned it after spending quite a bit of the party tucked away with a bright light working with those size US1 needles quietly concentrating on getting the sock back to a workable state. I had picked up some traditional German Christmas cookies, Domino Stones. They are made with layers of soft gingerbread, creamy persipan and fruit jelly coated in a rich bittersweet chocolate. A barely worthy reward for someone who is willing to do what I myself could not make work.

Diligently she worked and lo, the sock was ready for rows. We needed to complete a row or two to make sure all stitches were accounted for. I told her she could, but as I knit backwards it would probably be best if I did the first row. She was fine with that, but curiosity got to her and she watched me knit the row and asked how she would be able to knit a row for me without making a gap or messing up the stitch orientation. I told her she would knit with the needles on the far side of the sock purling the stitches that were purl oriented to her and knitting the knit ones. Because she would be knitting from the inside it would actually be going the same direction and me knitting from the outside. She asked to try and I handed over the sock. It was an easy success and I got to show that left-handed knitting is easily swappable with right-handed knitting. It was very nice.


Then came the gift exchange. We drew numbers and picked up gifts, then came the opportunity to steal other gifts BEFORE unwrapping the gift. I think this was the best version of the gift stealing I have ever experienced. We had much thieving and still had the surprise of what was in the gift at the end. Several gifts were stolen three times around, the max stealing. This was caused partially because knitters with gifts of yarn can't help but talk about the yarn and so many of us knew that there was some very nice yarns even if we didn't know how much or what else was in the package.
My contribution was named "Most Creative" gift. My gift was two skeins of Cascade yarn and custom designed cookies to match the yarn (plus one cookie that matched a yarn which I have). The yarn was nice, but everyone was taking with the cookies. I had gone to the Cookies by Design store in our area and taken some yarn with me. I talked with the person there and requested cookies that matched and they did an absolutely wonderful job! They even did the labels and the variegation to perfection! They had given me a sample cookie and it was so very tasty. In the gift, I included their catalogs in case someone wanted to see about ordering some.


Myself, I got the perfect gift. See, I wanted the yarns I saw other people had landed. I really did. Yet, each time I caught myself with gift envy I reminded myself of my stash at home and my roommate's comments when I had come home with more yarn after shopping for the party.
No, I didn't need more yarn. Rather, I needed something to replace the knitting bag I used to have. My friend Carolina had crocheted for me a mini-backpack complete with straps. Large enough to hold a large skein and a project. She even put a little pocket on the front and a flap lid with a crocheted button enclosure. This whole thing she made from plastic bags. It was stain resistant, easily cleaned and a great example of recycling. It was perfect, until one of my cats decided to chew off the button and a strap and put a hole in it. When I packed up my knitting to take with me to the party, I had put my projects in this little paper bags I have collected from yarn shops. In a sense, I was brown-bagging it to the party.
I needed a replacement. So when I opened my gift, it was to find the thing I needed more than yarn, a knitting bag! Add to that a super bonus WIP bag! I have been wanting one since I first saw it but have either never found one or was not really sure I would use it. Currently, it is holding the ripped remains of the sock as I work to finish it a second time. The WIP back has prevented me from having to wind the yarn and I know that I could use any ball that will fit in there and yarn won't go bouncing around the room.
Immediately I began loading my projects into the bag and the sock into the WIP bag(which now travels with me to work and back. I take calls while working a sock and can keep the yarn below the desk with no worry about it causing problems.) My roommate does not care for the colors of the bag. When he told me this I told him I could have ended up with more yarn and he shut up quickly. He is learning to accept little wins.

Coming soon:
Knitting for male genitalia is not hard.

New Skills

Yesterday I had my first in person lesson about spinning yarn.

This is another fiber related interest that I can blame on Franklin.

I have to say, it was not as challenging as I thought it would be. My first bit, a single ply at this time, varies in width from worsted weight to oh-my-it-will-snap-at-any-second. I am fine with this as I know people who buy that kind of yarn on purpose.

I got the wool and drop spindle from a nice little Learn to Spin Kit. It includes a DVD which I did watch, but I managed to hold myself back from getting into the fiber until I could attend a group event.

Our local Meetup group, Yarn for Breakfast, made plans for a get together to learn spinning. Queue, the wonderful lady giving the lessons, was brutally honest. She told us how she worked a full day then drove nine hours to pick up her spinning wheel, rather than have it shipped, and then stayed up into the wee hours playing with her new wheel. Her spinning wheel looks like this, but is a single treadle (or pedal). It is compact and folds for easy traveling. I got to pedal it a few times and it was very nice.

For now I will stick to my drop spindle. Goodness knows I can't afford a spinning wheel at this time, but someday... oh yes, someday it will be mine.
Honestly I don't know which wheel I will get, but I do rather like the center style design so far.

When I can, I will post pictures of my 'yarn'. In the meantime, I have much practicing to do.

Stash update

Many stores have sales on Memorial Day.
Many yarn stores have sales too.
But one of our local yarn stores, Ewe Knit Kits and Yarn specifically, had a stash busting sale.

It's over now and I report this having been a witness and participant.

All the yarns in a dedicated and surprisingly large section were available for $40-a-bag.
Which is to say they gave each person a very very roomy plastic bag, which could be stretched for even more room, and anything the customer put in that bag or have barely hanging in the bag (from that section only) could be purchased at a flat rate of $40.
This event was two days only and I honestly missed the first day. While I wonder about what I missed, I do not feel regret as I did do quite well.

When I arrived I had with me a friend who had finally decided she wanted to learn to knit. I explained the sale to her as we got our bags. She started off shyly while I pounded yarn in my bag to make room for more.
Eventually one of the store employees said she wasn't doing it right and went to her aid by dumping the yarn out on to the floor. Then the lady stretched the bag and started putting the small skeins in first, jamming them down and asking for more then finishing off with large 300+ yard skeins of worsted weight Llama.

In the end I scored $321 of yarn for only $40.
My friend managed an amazing $394 of yarn for the same price.

My stash is a happy stash. I will have to figure out how to store skeins on the ceiling, but I am sure I will figure it out.

After that, we did regular shopping. We found her an easy lace shawl pattern and the needles for knitting it up. I got myself a yarn spinning kit, complete with drop spindle, (which I could afford thanks to all that savings) and a $0.99 skien of yarn that had not been snatched up yet from the bargain basket.

There was a table in the back of the store with cookies, cake and candy were we snagged some seats and I taught my friend to knit. She was not the first person I have taught knitting to, but she is my first dedicated pupil. Within short order she was working lace, reading charts and learning to adjust patterns.
I am lucky to find such a gifted student. One of the other store employees said I should teach a class for them. I have to admit being tempted by that idea.

While we were knitting, others were shopping and we got to see the record deal of the whole two day sale. One lady, bag stuffed with some very very nice yarns, scored over $600 worth of yarn for forty bucks.
Wow.

Admittedly all of us felt a little bad, as if we were taking advantage of the deal, but I don't think there is a single one who actually regrets our purchases.
And why should we? The employees were encouraged by the store owner to help us stuff our bags as much as we could. If nothing else, they have more room for new yarn and an amazing amount of word of mouth advertising for their store. Oh, and my friend lives close to that store, so she will be going there for her supplies.

Before we left, I told them they should do this sale again but with a couple of differences. I suggested smaller, large-envelope style bags and the sale be $60 or $80 for selected books, magazines and patterns. I do hope they will do this. My stash is set, but my library could use some padding out.

For now, I have my hands full photographing my new yarn and posting in my Ravelry stash.

I got a lot of yarn.

Blast from the past - April 15th, 2008

It has been a couple of weeks since my injury. My last visit with the doctor was just this past Friday and I was sentenced to two more weeks out of work.

What have I been doing with this time?

At first I was limited to the couch and watched much TV.
I was hooked up with a Wii and some time was spent playing various games. There was also some reading of books. The first weekend after my injury some friends of mine kept me busy with various events, including dinners. I have since learned which vehicles are comfortable for a person with a bum leg, which is only one. The car in question has a dozen or so buttons for adjusting the seat.

Some time last week I realized that I was getting nothing done during my downtime and I quickly figured out it was because the TV was sucking up hours of the day. I have since cut the TV out of my daytime activities and focused more on knitting.

This has lead to two finished projects and a third secret project that should be done by 6pm today, yarn willing.

I completed the Alaska Drops headband, which is awaiting pick up by the intended recipient:















I also made a knitted coffee sling. The pattern can be found
here. I do not yet have a picture of this one, but that will be forth coming. (ETA: A picture will be forthcoming when I redo this one.)


I found a lovely podcast for knitters called Cast On. A full directory of episodes can be found here.

Where before the TV was sucking away my hours, now knitting is doing so.
The pod casts are around an hour each and I am up to episode 27 as we speak (ETA: I completed all episodes before the 21st of April). I only found this podcast a few days ago. Sunday, I believe.
I am neglecting other activities as I focus on making things from yarn. There are actually enough engaging projects before me that I am not really hurting to bad from lack of work.

It is amazing to me. I used to hate not having a job to keep me busy. Nine hours of my day was easily kept from boredom via work, even when I hated my job. Now, I find the day gone without having once stared at the walls. I keep busy enough that my lack of interaction with other people doesn't bother me, until someone from my office calls me and I am reminded that I have my own store, my baby, and I am sure it is becoming a horrid mess without me.

With my current job it is easy for me to put in ten hours at work. I have often stopped by on my day off to fix something, drop something off or even just check in and make sure all is well. This is the first time I have had a job that I loved and I am finding that I am almost as much of a workaholic as my friend Jason. So imagine my surprise when I learn that I can have downtime without going crazy.

Of course it helps to have four or more hobbies, new books and a Wii.
Once I am back at work all of these other things to do will slide back onto the shelf as my job takes the fore, but I can at least look back at this time with fond memories. I know that if I win the lottery and retire (yeah, right) that I will have things to do that I enjoy and can fill my days with.

My how busy I have been

I just got back from Yarn for Breakfast, a local knitting Meetup. This particular event usually is held in Portsmouth, but due to an Arts Festival, it was moved to my neighborhood. Go me! '-)
We chatted and knitted from 9 am until around noon when people started packing up and wandering off.

In the past 24 hours I have completed three projects.

Last night I cast off on a personal designed Wine Bottle Gift Bag. I will finish drawing up the pattern and will be posting it for free here.

This morning I finished the first panel of my easy lace curtains, which is based on the the Jan's Sensational Scarf pattern in the book One Skein Wonders, by Judith Durant. When I actually finish the whole thing and get the pieces blocked and sewn together I will do a write up on it.

I also finished a kids shawl for a friends little girl this morning. I want to add little bows as a finishing touch, but I have to find the things first. A full write up and pics will be upcoming.

So, three projects completed in a very short time. And all in time for Mother's Day.
Mad skillz are here! '-)

Currently my needles are empty.
In an hour or so that will change as I have a friend coming over to take me yarn shopping. She wants to pick up yarn for me to knit her a stuffed nautilus.