Okay, I’m being facetious, but really with all the Pink Chibi wars going on I’m about to get all positive on your ass about how much I’m LOVING blogland. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
I started this blogging thing at the end of October, and I’m telling you, I can’t believe the friends I’ve made. For instance, just yesterday I was emailing my pal Lauren, who I “met” when she won my contest, and we were going back and forth about Walker Percy and Kierkegaard and then she found me this kick-ass article I was wanting. Let me tell you people, while I have the most wonderful, most generous, most loving husband in the world, the greatest family in the world, the best friends in the world – there is no one in my life I can talk about Kierkegaard AND Percy AND Knitting ALL AT THE SAME TIME! Well, that’s not true because now there’s Lauren in my life. Thank you Lauren!
Jazalicious Jen was my first REAL knitting friend. Know where I met her? Online. It ended up that she lived right near me and we’ve been on many a yarn crawl together. In the short time I’ve known her we’ve been through some heavy stuff – I know she’s a life long friend. She’s also the one who got me blogging.
That Cassie. Yeah, she’s a keeper. Listening to me babble on and on during the cold winter. She was there when I bought my first sock yarn. Still haven’t finished the socks, but whatever. I know Cassie will be happy for me when I do. Where’d I meet her? Duh. Blogging.
Annie sent me my first Random Act of Kindness EVER! Right around my birthday. I was so touched I called up everyone I knew to tell them. This blogging thing is AMAZING! Who knew there were people like this in the world? AND they like to KNIT!
And when I popped up in Boston, Wendy and Colleen were more than willing to come out in the bitter cold to meet and entertain a PERFECT STRANGER! WOW!
I’ve gotten the most encouraging emails and comments from people all over the world, some funny, some serious – all kind (okay, well there was that one comment that wasn’t too nice, but I totally blame Kerstin for that. Spillover, people. 😉 New friends have opened up their lives to me and I just know, in my heart, if I needed support, I could count on them. I see it happening before my very eyes.
Do you need another example? Back at the start of the year I had a little idea. Annie helped me expand it and now Knit One Read Too has over 130 members! This fact completely astounds me.
It’s no suprise that at times the knitblogging community can be insidious and insular, because after all, human beings are behind these blogs and everyone has bad days. But in the end, I think it’s really quite expansive and genuine.
Now, everyone turn to the blogger to the left. Give a great big hug. Now turn to the blogger to the right. Great big hug.
Now everyone go throw up. 😉
All righty. When you’ve all come out of the diabetic coma I just induced, we can move on to my Short Row Pullover. I’ve finished the the straight rows and am about to move on to the short row sections. I first have to read countless articles on how to wrap said short rows. I’m still trying to figure out what to do with the ends. Johanna had a great suggestion to knit them in as I went along – I tried it – still not so comfortable with it. Right now I’m going with the Montse Stanley method that was reinforced by something I found on the Morehouse Merino site. Carry the yarn up the sides and because I have many odd rows (lots of one row colors) I can take advantage of the circular needles I ALWAYS use and just switch sides when it’s time to change colors if the color isn’t on the right side. This means that if I need the navy and it’s on the left when the green I just finished is on the right, I just move to the other side of the needles. This also means that if you just finished a purl row, the next row – starting from the other side – will ALSO be a purl row if you’re doing stockinette. Basically if the right side is facing you, knit, if the WS faces you, purl. Clear as mud, right?
I don’t know what I’m going to do when I start the short rows though because I’m thinking it will be even harder to carry the yarn. Maybe not, because you always have to start where the last row ended? I’m trying really hard to resist the urge to rip the whole thing out and start over. I already ripped out one repeat. We’ll see how it goes after I start the short rows. I can’t think about it now.
Have a GREAT day everyone!
I read the article last night. I still don’t really understand how Kierkegaard led him to convert to Catholicism. And I’m still a bit lost on the horizontal search (the vertical search I get).
Good luck with the short row pullover. It’s going to be worth it.
You happen to be the blogger on my left *hugs*
I am glad I met you through the blogs! I love your posts, and I am always so excited to see your name highlighted in my bloglines. Yes, knitblogging is grand. I have met some great people too. Thanks for the diabetic coma–sometimes you need to be a little mushy and tell people that they are appreciated 🙂
Have a good one, Cara, and love the new pink flower photo up there!
Amen, sister! : )
You are too cute for words…
Yup, Blogland can be a wonderful place. It is a great way to meet so many knitters and other people we like. For the most part it is a happy place with very good and supportive people. Good post, Cara.
Wow !?!? What a coincidence – two fellow knitters who are also interested in W. Percy and Kierkegaard. I studied both many moons ago and just reread the Moviegoer for the 87th time. Blogs certainly do bring people together in interesting ways! Any chance that you might be able to post a link to the article you mentioned, or email me about where I might be able to get a copy? If not, don’t worry, but I just wanted to drop in and say hi and let you know that I’m enjoying your blog!
It’s good to get all mushy and sweet sometimes! Hugs & kisses — a really great post, Cara!
I know you’ll master those short rows — sometimes the thinking gets in the way and you just have to do it!
And Cara sent me my first ROAK. I think nice things happen to her becasue she is herself a positive force inclined to enjoy herself.
Hey, can somebody tell me about the Moviegoer? It is one of those books I’ve seen on shelves a million times and never quite picked up.
Yes, a complete stranger and I’d do it all again :-).
I’m feeling a bit verklept (even if I can’t spell it). I totally agree about this blogland here. I am hosting a yarn swap in a couple of weeks. I can’t wait to meet in person ladies I feel like I’ve known forever:)
Hey, that’s what happens when you associate with the likes of me. 😉
awww…not throwing up at all. i’m glad you reminded me of the cool things about blogging. some stuff lately has been real off-putting. you go right ahead with your positive self!
Very nice post. I’ve been home sick and away from the blogs for a few days. It was very nice to read this positive entry. 🙂
Hi cara–
I love knitting blogs for all the reasons you mentioned, so I’m probably not going into a diabetic coma. (Or if I am, it’s because of the easter cake.) But I am going to ask what I think is a really huge favor: I’d like to talk to you about blogging, but not in public. Do you have an e-mail address you wouldn’t mind sending me? I’d like to know why you started blogging, if you have any advice for someone thinking about it, etc. That kind of silly-but-crucial stuff. (You see why I didn’t want to waste your readers’ time with it…)