Movin' Right Along, Footloose And Fancy Free

Two weeks ago, Hannah and I decided to visit some yarn shops after our shifts were over so we hopped in my little car and headed first to Mabel's. Who should we see when we arrived but our mutual friend Larissa typing away at her laptop. Larissa has a book about knitting and the communities that keep it alive coming out next spring. There are lots of innovative patterns, most of which have the aim of connecting knitters with each other through their work. Hannah actually has a pattern in there for a baby blanket which is meant to be knitted in strips by several knitters and then sewn together. It's awesome.

Also? Mabel's has some yarn that I love. Bartlett's is woolen-spun yarn, so the texture is not as smooth as the yarns you're probably used too but there is NO DOUBT that it is just as lovely. I think that my hat of woolen-spun yarn is warmer than any of my other hats that I've knit. I wore it frequently over the winter. Someday I will take out the shoddy crochet crown, get double points and end it properly. Anyway, give it a try, and if you think it's too itchy to wear next to your skin, just imagine all the lovely jackets and hats you could make. Mabel's has 2 weights, I think, and a good selection of colours.

After that we dropped by CloseKnit for knit night and saw our friend Stephanie who used to work at Abundant with us. CloseKnit was having a sale and I picked up two balls of Noro Sakura in mostly-Green and mostly-Purple colourways. I'm making another sideways hat. Because I think it's fun. Short-rows are more fun when you don't wrap-and-turn, which is a lot of hooey and bull if you ask me since there are several good ways besides that are easier, neater, and less of a bitch to work. My personal favourite comes from an Elizabeth Zimmermann book. Perhaps I will attempt a tutorial sometime, if anyone's interested.

P.S. The sleepover was AWESOME, but Heather has all the pictures on her camera so a post will probably be coming later in the week.

Wanna Have A Sleepover?

Holy Crap.

Vacation feels niiiiice. Sorry for the unexplained abscence. I was caught in a whirlwind of packing up my dorm life, moving home, and then an unplanned weekend at a beach house with a big group of friends. Now I'm excited for this weekend.

Saturday night at the shop we'll be having a Knit All Night Marathon. There will be workshops on needle felting, drop spindling, and crochet. It's a potluck dinner, but we'll be providing breakfast. It starts at 7 PM Saturday and goes to 9 AM Sunday. It's the shortest night of the year, and what better way to spend it than by knitting with fellow insomniacs? There is a fee to help pay for staff and the food. But really, 30 bucks for 12+ hours of knitting help, workshops, and great company is a steal.

I had an unfortunate mishap with my bog jacket. The yarn and I have decided that this project has abused us both beyond our tolerances and will soon be relaxing in a nice frog pond, hopefully a little woolwash and lanolin will revive us both to tackle something healthier for us both.

Until then, some Shepherd's Worsted in Baltic Sea has been treating me very nicely in a ribbed cardigan pattern that I am making up as I go along. There will be extensive finishing, and we are both looking forward to the time together. He's a very cozy knit, and his strong ribs have soothed my betrayed knitter's heart after the scorn of the Bog.

Pictures soon, and maybe a better recap of my Week O' Sleep And Other Stuff.

A Sweater, A Harlot, And A Rockin' Good Time

I finished the sweater.

And here it is doing what sweaters do best.

Being worn.

Pattern: My Own Design, Shawnathan's Sweater
Yarn: Galway Plymouth, a Heathered Brown and Chocolate Brown
Design Elements: Drop Shoulders, Half-Underarm Gussets, Tunic Flaps, Shaped V-Neck
Gauge: 4.77 Stitches Per Inch
Chest Measurement: 34 Inches
Ease: 0
Start Date: November 2006
End Date: May 2007
Needles: Size 3 Inox Circulars, 24 inches.

Today the Yarn Harlot visited Portland and came to Powell's. Here is a graphic representation of how Powell's still hasn't learned about knitters. Spanning a time from 4:30 to approximately an hour before Yarn Harlot.

Her talk covered a range of topics, including an informative section on the newest threat to knitters. C.H.O.K.E. Cultural Humiliation Of Knitters Everywhere. C.H.O.K.E. works in ways both irritating and threatening, ranging from snarky comments to actual interference with business transactions. Tell your friends, call your congress people, and above all be sure to fight C.H.O.K.E. at every opportunity. Be Proud, Be Loud, And Knit.


The lady looking my way in the read Green Gable sweater? That's Heather. She's the new owner of the store, she's fabulous, and I believe that she is going to do great things with the store. Do not fear the red-garbed woman, for she will bring you many pretty yarns, an extensive class list, and she's keeping us all.

Yeah, that would be nearly half of the crowd in that last. The rest is wound around the back of aisles, through the store, and standing against the back. Stephanie was an intelligent, articulate woman. Her sweater was faaab. So much love for that lady.



My friend took a picture as I held her sock. And she took a picture of the sweater I knit for my friend. Somehow, that seems right.

I hope I can actually give it to him

I finished it.

It's done done done.

YAY for Brown Lump Sweater being DOOOOONE.

w00t, yay, and other exclamations of pleased knitterliness go here.

Pictures today or tomorrow, when I give it to him and make him try it on and do a Rowanesque photo shoot.