Good Company + Good Yarn = Great Time!

Oh.My.God! What a wonderful weekend!

We flew out Friday morning and thankfully the snow Thursday night, while it did nothing to help me with my class, also didn’t hurt our trip. We got in around 11:30 or so and checked into our beautiful junior suite – replete with a lovely tea service waiting for us! After a quick snack, I called Colleen and we arranged to meet for lunch. Colleen didn’t have a lot of time, since she was heading down to New York to take in the last of The Gates, but we had a great lunch anyway at the Parish Cafe. I had the Veal Pastrami sandwich and it was very, very good. While we were getting to know each other, Colleen filled me on all the good yarn stores to hit – and hit them I did. Thanks Colleen for showing me a good time!

After lunch I went back to the hotel and took a brief nap in preparation for Wendy and our super yarn crawl.

Wendy was so sweet and brought me a gift, thinking I’d been having some bad days lately. It was a yellow laughing bag! Seriously, there’s no defense for this thing. (Unfortunately, I asked Wendy to hold it for me, and I forgot to ask for it back. So I went home without it – but Wendy, know it was very appreciated. I smile every time I think about it!)

Our first stop was Windsor Buttons, then A Good Yarn, finally Circles and then off to dinner.

Here is my haul for the weekend:


Really, there’s no yarn left in Boston!

I’m going to go through shop by shop, but I figured I’d spare you the details if you don’t want them. So if you want every sordid minute of my fabu trip – keep reading! {Warning – it’s a freaking novel!}

[Read more…]

Hopefully…

if it’s around 1:15PM, I’m in Boston RIGHT NOW, having lunch with Colleen.

Meeting Wendy at 3:15.

Oh and did I mention this is where I’m staying?

Yessiree bob. Fuckin’ A to be me!
Have a great weekend everybody!

(Couldn’t get the CRON JOB to work, so probably you’re reading this much earlier. Bloody MT! Just imagine it’s like 1:15PM – or better yet, look at your clock around that time and think: Damn, I wish I was that Cara girl!)

I got nothing.

No knitting. No nothing.

I guess I pooped myself out on the Ribby Cardi the other day, because I haven’t picked it up since Monday. Oh well. They’ll be plenty of knitting tomorrow. And especially on the train back from Boston on Sunday.

Pray a little for me will ya? I feel like a third grader, but I’m really hoping for some snow! Today is Thursday, in case no one noticed, that means I have class tonight. I need a break. I figure if it starts snowing early enough (say between 1-2) and continues on they might, just might, cancel class tonight. Every other term I’ve taught we’ve had breaks galore – Monday Holidays – School closings (we use classrooms in an elementary school) – NEVER ten weeks straight through. Tonight is Week #7. It’s exhausting – well the class yes – I have to be ON for three hours straight. But moreso the critiquing. It’s hard to be honest and gentle and helpful. I take critique very seriously. I’ve seen (actually been the recipient of) VERY BAD criticism and I wouldn’t want that to happen to my students. It takes a lot of work to be a good reader. So I’m tired. And I didn’t get some of the stories until very late this week (um yesterday) and they all have to be read at least twice. I just want to crawl into bed and read – something else.

Thanks for the vent. Pray for snow.

Rejected York Peppermint Pattie Commercial Blurbs.

The Plot Against America has made it all the way to the semi-finals! Don’t forget, the next K1R2 book discussion starts on Monday!

Stash

My first order from WEBS came yesterday. I have to say, I’m going to like this store. A LOT.

I originally went there because they had ArtYarns Supermerino for a decent price – and with their discount program (the more you buy the less you pay) it was a great place to shop for Supermerino.


Lauren, that’s your three on the top!

I actually bought more of the Supermerino – I’m making cardigans for my best friend’s girls – not for a while though – but it was backordered. WEBS was very nice about it. I will definitely do business there again.

While I was perusing the shelves, so to speak, I came across some Jo Sharp Desert Garden on Clearance. So I bought two bags.


Color: Dandelion #238

I immediately swatched the yarn because it seemed so similar to Calmer. It’s springy like Calmer, not as much, but nowhere near as soft. It reminds me of All Season’s Cotton too. The yarn has that tube like appearance. It knit up nice though – I used size #7s.

The problem with this is yarn, though, is that it made me think of Calmer, and then I couldn’t STOP thinking about it and I ended up buying 12 balls of it from Janette. In the chocolate brown color. I kind of regretted it the moment I did it, but I figure it’s Calmer, right? Can’t go wrong there. (I’ll probably end up with more because I want a lighter color. Oy.) At least, I think I got a good price on it.

I barely knit yesterday. I needed the break.

Two things before I go: Happy Birthday Cassie! Cassie has the unique distinction of being the first blogger I met in real life since I started blogging! I owe you a cup, my friend!

And, I love this blog (of sorts).

Ribby Cardi Redux

I did nothing this weekend, and I really mean nothing, but knit this cardigan. Did I enjoy it? Not really. I’m not loving the yarn at all – a little too scratchy for me and one of my skeins had some annoying knots in it that were somehow fused together – and I’m so sick of stockinette I want to scream! BUT, that said, I finished the back, did both fronts (together) and am now working on the sleeves. Thank god I’ve changed color. Speaking of color, it’s really off in the picture, but here’s a reminder of what I’m working with:

grape heather antique blue

I’m not sure what I’m going to do with the collar yet – mainly what color it’s going to be.

Now, don’t get me wrong. While I’m not particulary enjoying the actual knitting of this project, I can appreciate how well written the pattern is and I can easily see how nice the finished product will be – it’s just the stockinette lolls me to sleep. I’m yearning for something meaty, challenging, deliciously cabley. Like Vicki’s St. Brigid. It’s absolutely gorgoeous. I even found myself reading St. Alice last night. And then the library called today to tell me that Fisherman’s Sweaters is in. It’s fate telling me something, right?

There are lots of ideas brewing in my head these days. I’m feeling a little crazy with all of them. It’s all this alone time – and knitting stockinette. Nothing to really concentrate on, so the mind wanders and wanders – sometimes into dark places, sometimes into the light – but it’s exhausting! My dear, sweet husband has been working his ass off – all through the weekend – and today he’s in Chi-town all day. Left at 5 this morning and won’t be back until around midnight. I love my alone time, don’t get me wrong, but enough is enough. I was supposed to work yesterday – they rescheduled. Today I was supposed to be all over with a friend I haven’t seen in a while – it looks like I’ve been stood up.

Friday I’m off to Beantown, and hopefully meeting up with some friendly neighborhood knitbloggers for a yarn crawl and a couple of meals. I hope so – I need some play time! All stockinette and no fun makes Cara a crazy girl! (You must, I repeat, MUST click on the link.)

Back to the freakin’ sleeves….

We Have A Winner!

Lauren at Almost Felted

Congratulations Lauren! She won, but not for other’s lack of trying. Leisel wanted it so bad, her IP got banned for commenting because the machine thought she was SPAM! So she gets a consolation prize – a box of PhotoArtCards. Natalie was thisclose to being banned as well, so she gets PhotoArtCards too. My fault really – should’ve been more specific in the contest rules. But you gotta admire the moxie!

Have a great weekend everybody! This was fun – might have to do it again sometime. 😉 (Next one will be harder though.)

How Bad Do You Want It?

Okay – we’re down to the wire. Only 15 COMMENTS to go before SOMEBODY WINS! Who’s it gonna be?
(Tally in sidebar —————> )

I’m sweetening the pot:

You get not one, not two, but THREE, that’s right THREE skeins of Beautiful Supermerino from ArtYarns! In any color you want that WEBS carries (and they have A LOT). You want all three in a different color? You got it! All three the same? You got it! (If you’d like to see the yarn in action, I used it to make Picot-Boo.)

I’m also throwing in some fabulous PhotoArtCards with original photographs taken by moi:

How can you resist that?

I’m having a shitty, shitty week people. So help me cheer up by letting me give away stuff!

Be the 500th COMMENTER to WIN!

In other news, I was flipping through the Patternworks Catalog I received yesterday and I found lots of good stuff. I think I’ve decided on a pattern for my father’s sweater. Of course, it’ll be next year when he wears it, but he doesn’t care. It’s from the new Classic Elite Pattern book called Joy Ride, which apparently is in every magazine possible, but not available from Classic Elite or anyone else (Patternworks doesn’t have it on their website, although it is in the catalog.) If you’re interested, it’s a cabled v-neck – just what I’ve been looking to make for him. (I actually ordered it directly from Classic Elite when I saw it on the back page of IK.)

I also found a pattern for a simple cardigan that would be great to use with my Jo Sharp DK Tweed stash. Of course, it’s also from Classic Elite, so no, you can’t see it. I don’t feel like taking pictures from the catalog – they’re shitty enough to begin with. If you want to see the cardigan is on p. 32 of the Patternworks catalog and the v-neck is on page 21. Why do you tease me people!?!

And in the ridiculous but necessary category, I was particularly taken with the electronic row counter. I may need to get me one of those babies. Because the yellow post it stickies are getting on my nerves and if I lose one more goddamn pen I’m going to …. PMS is getting the best of me these days. I apologize. (This they have a freaking picture of….)

Okay. Have you been reading Bookslut? It’s beyond fantastic. It makes me laugh, makes me cry, makes me laugh again and that’s what life’s all about. Start reading it NOW.

Found there today:
Corny Library Pickup Lines, and How Librarians Effectively Shoot Them Down
My favorites? How about these two:

You must have been burning books, because you’re looking hot.
My apologizes—the new Harry Potter is coming out and I was in the back burning the Newbery winners to make room for it.

and the ever classic:

Can you tell me where I can find books on overcoming a deeply passionate love I have for a librarian?
636.45 MICH.

Remember this post? Well, Bill Maher has something to say about those High Schoolers and that pesky First Amendment! (Don’t forget, Bill’s back tonight on HBO! Be there or be a part of the NeoCon Fascist Say They Love Jesus But How Could They With The Hate And Killing They Propagate Money Loving Bush Ass Kissing Intolerant Majority That Is Ruining Our Beautiful Country.

Whew! I feel better already!

Oh and one last thing – go over and check out Sandy’s intelligent post on yesterday’s monstrosity. She said way better than I ever could. Fuck.

Coming next week: Ribby Cardi! (even if it freaking KILLS me!)

Alchemy Yarns of Transformation

Visit them here.

Well, all I have to say is if their yarns are half as good as they are, I’m in for a treat!

I was having a hell of a time finding someone who sells this yarn – if you search the Internet, it’s mostly blogs coming up. I called a few of the stores I knew on their retailer list (and a few I didn’t) and most, if they had any at all, had just a couple skeins in colors I didn’t want. Purl in NYC told me they could order some, but I’d have to buy a whole bag and it would take six months.

So I went to the source. I spoke with Austin out in California and he was the nicest gentleman. He told me that Gina had just painted some Silk Purse in the color I was looking for (Sea of Cortez). He would call me back to find out where it was going. Great. I figured a couple of days, no problem.

He called me back like five minutes later. Gave me the names of two stores that were each getting five skeins of Silk Purse in Sea of Cortez. I had told him I needed seven (I’m guestimating here Clapotis people! I’d like to make a larger version and I know people have had problems with not enough yarn. Each skein is 138 yards. I figured seven would be perfect.) He assured me that while they were each getting five, they had all been painted together and I shouldn’t worry about the dyes being off. He also told me that Gina loves to knit her Silk Purse on size 7 needles, instead of the recommened six (I had asked about that too.) Oh and he also told me about their 50/50 yarn, which is more readily available, but I told him my friend couldn’t wear any wool. He said Gina’s the same way. She can paint the wool, but she can’t wear it. He was so very lovely! I’m glad to drop the big bucks on their product for sure.

So I called one of the shops and I’ve got their five on order! I called the other shop, but the owner was out and I have to speak to her – Monday I’ll be calling bright and early. I’m so excited.

If you’d like to know more about Alchemy, there’s a nice article about Gina and Austin and their yarns at Knitter’s Review.

Fuck!

FUCK

fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck
fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck
fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck
fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck

In case you missed it, that’s FUCK 69 times.

UPDATE!!!
Well, they certainly didn’t learn it from one in three of their peers, but the kids in Blue Valley are sticking up for themselves! Thanks, Andrea, for the link!

101

Ever have one of those days where everything you touch turns to POOP! Yesterday was that day for me – what do they call it? Murphy’s Law? Yep. That was yesterday. It was awful. Mostly work stuff – but it was enough to send me over the edge.

I feel like I haven’t been knitting either. You know, those long stretches where you don’t get up for hours and the only reason you stop is because your hands hurt too much? I haven’t had a day like that in a while. Hopefully this weekend. I picked up the Ribby Cardi again after what seems like years (okay months) and managed to get a few rows off. I want to finish the back ASAP so I can start on the fronts. I think I’m going to try to employ the method of doing both at the same time. I’ve popping into the Ribby Cardi KAL (of which I am a LAX member) and it seems a few people have been doing it that way. So why not try something new?

There was a bright spot yesterday! While I was tearing up my house looking for (literally a freaking HOUR) a check I thought I lost, I came across another skein of the Manos Flame! So I have five, not four. I thought I bought five, but since it wasn’t where the rest of them were, I assumed I was wrong. I figure another 3-4 should do it for a cardigan. I’m planning on some yarn shopping* in the next week or so, and that’s on my list.


I need some help. I want to make Clapotis for my best friend – but she told me she doesn’t do wool – of ANY kind – she has very sensitive skin. So I thought I’d do it in a nice handpainted silk. I was looking around last night and the best I seemed to come up with was Alchemy Yarns Silk Purse. Anyone knit with this? What do you think? I found only good things on the blogs, but I’d love a first hand opinion. Think it would work for Clapotis? At around $23 a skien, it seems reasonable for silk. Who’s got a good supplier? I very much want the Sea of Cortez colorway. Oh and what’s the deal with knitting silk? Is it very different than wool – more like cotton? Thanks for the info!

As a way of trying to cheer myself up, I trekked out to the Jersey City Main Library, in the pouring rain, for this:

I know I’m being completely heretical here, but I’m kind of disappointed in the book. [Holds arms in front of head to protect from stones about to be thrown….] I guess I thought there’d be more patterns. The St. Brigid does look amazing – the only problem is I don’t think I’d ever wear it. I will spend more time going through the history sections and the individual cables – so maybe my first impressions won’t hold. But really – this is selling for more than $300! Not sure I get it.

Thanks everyone for all your comments on my sweetie honey niece and Picot-Boo! The highlight of my day yesterday. In case anyone noticed, I put the comment moderator function on – so your comments have to be approved until the system knows you. You guessed it! Along with all the other shit flying yesterday, I was spammed.

Speaking of shit, in case you need a trememdous laugh, check this out. It’s the infamous Triumph the Insult Comic Dog doing what he does best – all in the name of bipartisanship!

Have a fabulous day everyone! I’m going to go feel sorry for myself – my stomach thing seems to be turning into a cold.

* All you Beantown girls! I’m coming to your hood! Where should I go for the good stuff?