tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50487382013538269602024-02-20T12:20:37.572-05:00Knitwych's Yarns and TalesMy blog for knittycrafty things, random rants, and anything else I feel like inflicting upon the Interwebsknitwychhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568956616014771625noreply@blogger.comBlogger98125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048738201353826960.post-36344685678329067422011-10-26T10:47:00.008-04:002011-10-26T11:29:58.818-04:00Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair!<span style="display: block;" id="formatbar_Buttons"><span onmouseover="ButtonHoverOn(this);" onmouseout="ButtonHoverOff(this);" onmouseup="" onmousedown="CheckFormatting(event);FormatbarButton('richeditorframe', this, 8);ButtonMouseDown(this);" class=" down" style="display: block;" id="formatbar_CreateLink" title="Link"><img src="http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif" alt="Link" class="gl_link" border="0" /></span></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">OK, this </span>knitting/yarn addiction thing has gone drastic. On Friday Oct. 21, I arose at 5:15 a.m. (<span style="font-style: italic;">::shudder::</span>) in order to get an early start on the drive to Asheville for <a href="http://www.saffsite.org/">SAFF</a>. Being a dedicated night owl, this was painful -- but the yarns beckoned! Cynthia Johnson, owner of <a href="http://www.twoknitwitsnc.com/index.html">Two Knit Wits</a>, my favorite LYS in the whole wide world, fired up her RV and drove four of us to the fair. If you gotta get up at the butt-crack of dawn to get somewhere, I highly recommend getting there via RV. Once you're awake enough to be reasonably coherent, you can knit during the drive.<br /><br />Anyway, we arrived at the Western North Carolina AG Center shortly after 9:00 a.m. This was the first sign we saw:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI4DnXkolT36wLe2XNwrlmvrrXaBba2DlccDRVpgNRpo-t9WN_9NT4TEDCGMSkwgNw-rqt7PKYLVssIa0pwnltSzZuzZApXrJXTTojsXtMMk5jkU5nznVSOLdhHROXi5LvbNd2NK-TtJ4E/s1600/SAFF2011+1+%2528Large%2529.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI4DnXkolT36wLe2XNwrlmvrrXaBba2DlccDRVpgNRpo-t9WN_9NT4TEDCGMSkwgNw-rqt7PKYLVssIa0pwnltSzZuzZApXrJXTTojsXtMMk5jkU5nznVSOLdhHROXi5LvbNd2NK-TtJ4E/s400/SAFF2011+1+%2528Large%2529.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667814675598472482" border="0" /></a><br />Um, yeeeeaaah, this was DEFINITELY not the tractor show. The main building was <span style="font-style: italic;">stuffed</span> with vendors selling everything from raw was-on-the-sheep-yesterday fiber to breathtakingly beautiful dyed yarns of every weight and color. Oh, the notions and the wheels and the looms and angora bunnies!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgalba5gElv4C-n9b5z3lNSjuBACZdUf-eFXPEVzwqRH_q19M4aXNTGg8qv2A0qS1evSVwyutF1VQ3VE-YyV56IjUhbTOmSd0BR23UVHRPVghQo14m5GxrsDbPMo0YXTMvMPHWD02bBdjEN/s1600/SAFF2011+6+%2528Large%2529.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgalba5gElv4C-n9b5z3lNSjuBACZdUf-eFXPEVzwqRH_q19M4aXNTGg8qv2A0qS1evSVwyutF1VQ3VE-YyV56IjUhbTOmSd0BR23UVHRPVghQo14m5GxrsDbPMo0YXTMvMPHWD02bBdjEN/s400/SAFF2011+6+%2528Large%2529.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667818281983640866" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />The main building looked like this:<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiahkojLZaLcCasR5OXtwQTUvqQFDKxveOdJIwyjeD5givTlzNn4ChAqYAEj0iD5gzXTkJEGveKLhfhmRfzeORIqLSOjdRlMj6oDvbaIS87VRFQKNwTml5YjymP9aKgXoE3uZ7_a9F5Evmy/s1600/SAFF2011+3+%2528Large%2529.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiahkojLZaLcCasR5OXtwQTUvqQFDKxveOdJIwyjeD5givTlzNn4ChAqYAEj0iD5gzXTkJEGveKLhfhmRfzeORIqLSOjdRlMj6oDvbaIS87VRFQKNwTml5YjymP9aKgXoE3uZ7_a9F5Evmy/s400/SAFF2011+3+%2528Large%2529.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667815418950364658" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDA3BOsy5oEc5n_L1m6Jy7mlBs2E92Ca5KgaWVN9lZOtyysxjyQm6w5NJKRxKElUU4qHNIOfdB9rVHz_QSP999nRmYEmrH_EIvZXx9a1p0XH9VK_ElX4VKycJyc7OQmr93CW4-fwd68Z0A/s1600/SAFF2011+2+%2528Large%2529.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDA3BOsy5oEc5n_L1m6Jy7mlBs2E92Ca5KgaWVN9lZOtyysxjyQm6w5NJKRxKElUU4qHNIOfdB9rVHz_QSP999nRmYEmrH_EIvZXx9a1p0XH9VK_ElX4VKycJyc7OQmr93CW4-fwd68Z0A/s400/SAFF2011+2+%2528Large%2529.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667815420079358258" border="0" /></a><br />Note that there are vendors on the upper level as well as the floor!<br /><br />There was also another arena stuffed with vendors, and over in the animal barns you had sheep and alpacas:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbIz6wZGxNHaC_bN54Xb2wQ4CfT8cpXF5hHt52UONGtamhxidYknqA20XxPyksOBh0MFW7LzY6pJnlq4MED8vca_fAoqiqdeWtldmWshKSpsPNDvdGBASoyiCnBko3qOVfUCg1Sw9hQ6zK/s1600/SAFF2011+15+%2528Large%2529.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbIz6wZGxNHaC_bN54Xb2wQ4CfT8cpXF5hHt52UONGtamhxidYknqA20XxPyksOBh0MFW7LzY6pJnlq4MED8vca_fAoqiqdeWtldmWshKSpsPNDvdGBASoyiCnBko3qOVfUCg1Sw9hQ6zK/s400/SAFF2011+15+%2528Large%2529.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667816396991173506" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZX5Q9KwdqBZ80dDpDb1z0bCOyTDGXOSJM51Lpph9o364lw5PqFhyphenhyphenWrNALQfBl7ehal3PRTpgdQDZccSr1XCPXbXWWB3RsDUZWtdPmQTSmpgKqsHSpYEgnJLW5IL4DHr7Gs28CTjBsNb3r/s1600/SAFF2011+23+%2528Large%2529.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZX5Q9KwdqBZ80dDpDb1z0bCOyTDGXOSJM51Lpph9o364lw5PqFhyphenhyphenWrNALQfBl7ehal3PRTpgdQDZccSr1XCPXbXWWB3RsDUZWtdPmQTSmpgKqsHSpYEgnJLW5IL4DHr7Gs28CTjBsNb3r/s400/SAFF2011+23+%2528Large%2529.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667816396921334194" border="0" /></a><br />We spent a few hours doing our first run of the booths, then went back to the RV to eat lunch (another huge benefit of RVing a trip like this is that you've got a fridge for perishables, and electricity to run the slow cooker, so you can have a really good lunch without paying concession stand prices. Oh, and the on-board bathroom is a major bonus, too!) It was freezing cold in the morning, but warmed up to reasonably comfortable by midday.<br /><br />Although I wanted to bring home ALL THE THINGS, I limited myself to one skein of sock yarn--and a few T-shirts and a sweatshirt. The prices were great, and the vendors were all very friendly. And the admission fee? Only $3!<br /><br />On the way home, we swung through Black Mountain to stop by the <a href="http://www.blackmountainyarnshop.com/black_mountain_yarn_shop/Home.html">Black Mountain Yarn Shop. </a>(What? It was there, right off Hwy 40, and - you know - the millions of yards of yarn we'd seen at the show weren't quiiiiiite enough to sate our appetites.) We didn't stay long, though, because we had this little cutie waiting in the RV:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgff3nuFQbvZBD_I57idDr6ZO7Hv8JzzOFdZBPjGBpK_VV74F3DAnB_DL4p0dB4M6HOGB6n0t2hv2UeahdHk490oKzeOaHDd2GIUP83rzrrQu9SauhTmPULSXo9jgz9NMRhWVtoJ7wo5MSW/s1600/SAFF2011+32+%2528Large%2529.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgff3nuFQbvZBD_I57idDr6ZO7Hv8JzzOFdZBPjGBpK_VV74F3DAnB_DL4p0dB4M6HOGB6n0t2hv2UeahdHk490oKzeOaHDd2GIUP83rzrrQu9SauhTmPULSXo9jgz9NMRhWVtoJ7wo5MSW/s400/SAFF2011+32+%2528Large%2529.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667820523297578290" border="0" /></a><br /><br />He's a 9-week-old English Angora rabbit, and he's now lives at Two Knit Wits. His name is Hank. (Get it?)<br /><br />In addition to my new sock yarn and shirts, I came home with approximately eleventy thousand ideas for dyeing yarn. My dear friend Jane, she who is responsible for encouraging me to set foot on this path to yarny addiction, had given me a big box of fiber dyes some years ago. I got into them, starting Googling for instructions and dug out my book on dyeing. Most of these dyes are over 20 years old, but a very nice (and helpful) guy named Jesse at <a href="http://www.wcushing.com/index.html">Cushing's Dyes</a> tells me that shelf life is not an issue, and I should be OK using them to dye yarn. Sooo I've got four skeins in the pre-soak stage, and I'm about to begin some mad experimentation with colors and technique.knitwychhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568956616014771625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048738201353826960.post-53224832594161125442011-09-09T15:35:00.002-04:002011-09-09T15:46:00.658-04:00::HAPPYDANCE:: I won a prizeThanks to the wonderful folks at <a href="http://artbin.com/">ArtBin</a>, I shall soon be receiving this collection of awesome storage goodness:<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8qoLzilG6dM7DuD2xLFvOD_5dXafLEVz3Ab5xlCPZvn1Q51Rj03wifRsTLVVTxvftsuZOq9YN4lJ4bMxQonD98eTI7crp033a9T8qTD2RUBMgXMqOIKqbBaJLKH8kiMlC_Qfyd4YJM1F3/s1600/artbin.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 133px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8qoLzilG6dM7DuD2xLFvOD_5dXafLEVz3Ab5xlCPZvn1Q51Rj03wifRsTLVVTxvftsuZOq9YN4lJ4bMxQonD98eTI7crp033a9T8qTD2RUBMgXMqOIKqbBaJLKH8kiMlC_Qfyd4YJM1F3/s400/artbin.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5650446722509701522" border="0" /></a><br />Since September is National Sewing Month (which I totally did not know until a few days ago), ArtBin is giving away prizes every day on their <a href="http://www.facebook.com/artbin">Facebook page</a>. Just Like the page, and watch for the daily questions.<br /><br />I have several ArtBin products, and I really love them. It's great to have storage that was thought out and designed by people who know what they're doing!knitwychhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568956616014771625noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048738201353826960.post-68279949166444820292011-07-14T23:55:00.000-04:002011-07-14T23:55:21.794-04:00kitten vs a scary thing (котенок против страшной неведомой хрени)<iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/_MqHN-4okZ4?fs=1" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" width="425"></iframe><br /><br />What is it with these Russian kitties that makes them so funny?knitwychhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568956616014771625noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048738201353826960.post-79195786492832666512011-07-14T23:48:00.000-04:002011-07-14T23:48:38.943-04:00Goat Stampede!<iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/IQ6xGMSOu1E?fs=1" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" width="425"></iframe><br /><br />Another vid I can't get enough of! I want goats - little bouncy silly goats!!knitwychhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568956616014771625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048738201353826960.post-32387504036359110592011-07-14T23:42:00.001-04:002011-07-14T23:45:59.069-04:00kitten vs TWO scary things (котенок против ДВУХ неведомых хреней)<iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/8-1F-CokXNU?fs=1" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" width="425"></iframe><br /><br />Ridiculously funny video I've watched about eleventy hundred times already....knitwychhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568956616014771625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048738201353826960.post-55512305671282709002011-05-17T13:46:00.004-04:002011-05-17T14:14:55.971-04:00Tutorial: Make a coupon organizer from an old planner/calender<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAzE7_IGGcFyysCLVPLo25NBu3ugIzTZR7aa-ikwvHfindovmXEkyRGiSnR5gY_q6S7FOfuSZ_AB6QHb0lIFACLd7O_essynafbo0gEVFv1tQ2t5fKC4vGHSGmk2gdrFvsO0fyEzJUXCFT/s1600/COUPON+ORG+TUTORIAL+6.jpg">So I've been sucked in to watching that show </a><a href="http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/tv/extreme-couponing">Extreme Couponing</a> on TLC. It's amazing to me how much money can be saved. A $700 grocery bill reduced to $12? Hell yeah! The trade off, though, is time. Some of these people put in 60 hours a week scouring sales flyers and the Internet for deals/coupons, arranging and sorting their huge 3-inch binders that contain eleventy billion coupons as they plan their attack on the neighborhood grocery store.<br /><br />Sixty hours a week? Uh, yeah, no, not for me. I have s**t to do. Plus, there's that scary I'm-going-to-be-on-next-week's-episode-of-Hoarders: Buried Alive aspect that seems to be a common thread among many of these extreme couponer people. I think if you have 200 sticks of deodorant in your house, it's time to <span style="font-style: italic;">stop</span>. I don't care if you're getting them for free. Stop! Sheesh.<br /><br />Annnyway, while I'm intrigued by the whole extreme couponing thing, I don't see myself getting into it. We don't use a whole lot of the products that are most commonly discounted with coupons. However, I will search and clip coupons for the things we do use. My repurpose-that-envelope-my-bank-statement-came-in method of containing my coupons wasn't really doing me much good, so I decided to look around for a better way to manage these things.<br />Remember the pre-PDA days when we all wrote down our schedules in planners? Well, here's a way to put one of those old planners to use:<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif_o5V0SGCh8Bure1i-9JWqJB7avdjd4nZZ1ZBQaTUnsdafKTOnUant48DrvTE0BYl-Jo5cwimsfjpTwpBZMWPpC1tZMQIjWAKiRE0aFMSQje3ksRA-Vq1Rf6Tu95OETEm-ROK4u2xyMD8/s1600/COUPON+ORG+TUTORIAL+1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif_o5V0SGCh8Bure1i-9JWqJB7avdjd4nZZ1ZBQaTUnsdafKTOnUant48DrvTE0BYl-Jo5cwimsfjpTwpBZMWPpC1tZMQIjWAKiRE0aFMSQje3ksRA-Vq1Rf6Tu95OETEm-ROK4u2xyMD8/s400/COUPON+ORG+TUTORIAL+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607747289585401410" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ta6hDSA33cSlh6oVzT9sUv2yo0Se-fsA5423YB0B09V5J63jhoySyuDCvk9R5nKeVkGlWy_KueIP4OXFrKhFcj_yshV8kkOQHwcVpSEoLjZHw4O-pJ_58L68TB3DCtcQBdhHIimXI3uH/s1600/COUPON+ORG+TUTORIAL+2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ta6hDSA33cSlh6oVzT9sUv2yo0Se-fsA5423YB0B09V5J63jhoySyuDCvk9R5nKeVkGlWy_KueIP4OXFrKhFcj_yshV8kkOQHwcVpSEoLjZHw4O-pJ_58L68TB3DCtcQBdhHIimXI3uH/s400/COUPON+ORG+TUTORIAL+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607747292374839922" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMriSn8dTP3YNj_sjBpaKFVIpkdP7Z_d9U6jwF6JDwOLNJPad4m6iKROeHZ8e8ZLZgziNHsVGLI1-BjZntRHAQLGejTmHe1AYbJ5ThwFfGAUW8zQn-hnPfuHDMJSvH73FrLpX1K2VbiYr2/s1600/COUPON+ORG+TUTORIAL+3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMriSn8dTP3YNj_sjBpaKFVIpkdP7Z_d9U6jwF6JDwOLNJPad4m6iKROeHZ8e8ZLZgziNHsVGLI1-BjZntRHAQLGejTmHe1AYbJ5ThwFfGAUW8zQn-hnPfuHDMJSvH73FrLpX1K2VbiYr2/s400/COUPON+ORG+TUTORIAL+3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607747296591092514" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXsmnje2N3m7wR1Sbu0KkGcZj_kakgapFZW732xYztSH8JMINN7GHvndaIFYkHTrn6pN3fw-Yp0I5Sd8eykV6fckWtThlDWc2HaK3l7cE4L5fRViXGwP1eO96kl-UE0nJ8833c7l4b27vq/s1600/COUPON+ORG+TUTORIAL+4.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXsmnje2N3m7wR1Sbu0KkGcZj_kakgapFZW732xYztSH8JMINN7GHvndaIFYkHTrn6pN3fw-Yp0I5Sd8eykV6fckWtThlDWc2HaK3l7cE4L5fRViXGwP1eO96kl-UE0nJ8833c7l4b27vq/s400/COUPON+ORG+TUTORIAL+4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607747299246728402" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtWDPu8LZFCF1bDf_nZr41EwH-iUgkTNE2fR7xb8DW6vOEU-hXlghd_CGReADxNO__GU4hMuxTab5a_VQ69SrHTUqQQHECDxgiFbSAupcj2m4pR5A5aIxwwz5MnWHy6GGl13Zu8vbUJqyM/s1600/COUPON+ORG+TUTORIAL+5.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtWDPu8LZFCF1bDf_nZr41EwH-iUgkTNE2fR7xb8DW6vOEU-hXlghd_CGReADxNO__GU4hMuxTab5a_VQ69SrHTUqQQHECDxgiFbSAupcj2m4pR5A5aIxwwz5MnWHy6GGl13Zu8vbUJqyM/s400/COUPON+ORG+TUTORIAL+5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607747298785698882" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtWDPu8LZFCF1bDf_nZr41EwH-iUgkTNE2fR7xb8DW6vOEU-hXlghd_CGReADxNO__GU4hMuxTab5a_VQ69SrHTUqQQHECDxgiFbSAupcj2m4pR5A5aIxwwz5MnWHy6GGl13Zu8vbUJqyM/s1600/COUPON+ORG+TUTORIAL+5.jpg"><br /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAzE7_IGGcFyysCLVPLo25NBu3ugIzTZR7aa-ikwvHfindovmXEkyRGiSnR5gY_q6S7FOfuSZ_AB6QHb0lIFACLd7O_essynafbo0gEVFv1tQ2t5fKC4vGHSGmk2gdrFvsO0fyEzJUXCFT/s1600/COUPON+ORG+TUTORIAL+6.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAzE7_IGGcFyysCLVPLo25NBu3ugIzTZR7aa-ikwvHfindovmXEkyRGiSnR5gY_q6S7FOfuSZ_AB6QHb0lIFACLd7O_essynafbo0gEVFv1tQ2t5fKC4vGHSGmk2gdrFvsO0fyEzJUXCFT/s400/COUPON+ORG+TUTORIAL+6.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607747707854424610" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-qtq9e4WLOV4o0vhpGtadHIongeYTyYosiTYZKp16aeXAIBMYutRdGYk3KnvZtPFaJxgq33LfqsBPbW6ZrZ8XJEOl08d8q4me6XEPoDavHS7uz5mmtYI2147_ePGskJNoqQ81-k431hj9/s1600/COUPON+ORG+TUTORIAL+8.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-qtq9e4WLOV4o0vhpGtadHIongeYTyYosiTYZKp16aeXAIBMYutRdGYk3KnvZtPFaJxgq33LfqsBPbW6ZrZ8XJEOl08d8q4me6XEPoDavHS7uz5mmtYI2147_ePGskJNoqQ81-k431hj9/s400/COUPON+ORG+TUTORIAL+8.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607747710609223170" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtWDPu8LZFCF1bDf_nZr41EwH-iUgkTNE2fR7xb8DW6vOEU-hXlghd_CGReADxNO__GU4hMuxTab5a_VQ69SrHTUqQQHECDxgiFbSAupcj2m4pR5A5aIxwwz5MnWHy6GGl13Zu8vbUJqyM/s1600/COUPON+ORG+TUTORIAL+5.jpg"> </a>knitwychhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568956616014771625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048738201353826960.post-29902614097020851402011-02-25T22:57:00.005-05:002011-02-25T23:35:35.017-05:00I teach...and I learnSo I got tapped to teach beginner sock-knitting at my favorite LYS (<a href="http://www.twoknitwitsnc.com/">Two Kit Wits in Oak Ridge, NC</a>). The first class was at the end of last year, and I think I learned as much as I taught. It was great fun, and while I did have one student bail after the first class (I'm looking at you, A.F.!), my other students stuck with it -- even the one who was knitting giant manfeet socks for her husband with the size 12 tootsies.<br /><br />My second group of students started in January. This time around, I modified the class, focusing on making it easier to learn the Magic Loop technique, and using worsted weight yarn to make nice, thick socks for winter wear. Again, I had a student who was married to a man with giant manfeet. Size 14 this time. We've dubbed him "Sasquatch." His wife has come to the Dark Side -- er, I mean, discovered the joys of sock-knitting, and has knitted him <span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;">two </span></span></span></span>pairs of socks in just a few weeks.<br /><br />I'm kicking myself for not getting photos of my first group of students. Here's one of the second group on our last night:<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikudBkbeajyDwtej8TIgiVeWhiWFaJJSJaIHs9-MDvENV-Zz0aUccCXIDnpGiYJ5xkEpDAeyErCOnPLWxO0GtBod4_8ugrE4q8IutwJzR8Wfs6gpW_GAnVuX8lGwCv4Xfu_-3R-gTNSdMw/s1600/Sock+Class+Grp+2+Jan+2k11+2.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikudBkbeajyDwtej8TIgiVeWhiWFaJJSJaIHs9-MDvENV-Zz0aUccCXIDnpGiYJ5xkEpDAeyErCOnPLWxO0GtBod4_8ugrE4q8IutwJzR8Wfs6gpW_GAnVuX8lGwCv4Xfu_-3R-gTNSdMw/s400/Sock+Class+Grp+2+Jan+2k11+2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5577848646333730370" border="0" /></a>And the first pair of Sasquatch socks:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF56xJgUzZK65b0W6QSNFe6wnQerjl6uz1o7vMhb09R4rtKbsOS61i9irFf8W9p3ulxNf-WfYfoDj86vFZDCAUVSPsILtMO5gTMNlilGbTD8UiqqcK8ODTByhZ-dfbsdM6IUOxtYMQwosD/s1600/Gail+sasquatch+socks.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF56xJgUzZK65b0W6QSNFe6wnQerjl6uz1o7vMhb09R4rtKbsOS61i9irFf8W9p3ulxNf-WfYfoDj86vFZDCAUVSPsILtMO5gTMNlilGbTD8UiqqcK8ODTByhZ-dfbsdM6IUOxtYMQwosD/s400/Gail+sasquatch+socks.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5577849219886676658" border="0" /></a><br />I'm really proud of these ladies. We had a great time, learned something new, and did a whole lot of laughing. I'm now in the student position, as I'm taking my first sweater knitting class. I've made dog sweaters, but have never made one for myself. I'm slowed down a bit by a shoulder injury, but I'm determined to get this thing done. If a newbie sock-knitter can knock out two pairs of Sasquatch socks in a month, surely I can get a damned sweater done!knitwychhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568956616014771625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048738201353826960.post-14518541712816561962011-01-20T02:07:00.005-05:002011-01-20T02:26:44.845-05:00In which I make tiny condom-ish hats for babiesSo Cynthia, the owner of my favorite LYS ever (that would be <a href="http://twoknitwitsnc.com/">Two Knit Wits</a> in Oak Ridge) has started a charity knit project for the NICU at Alamance Regional Hospital. Participants in the project were provided with a variety of patterns from which to knit or crochet wee hats for premature babies. I figured I'd give it a try. I've had a partial skein of baby-melting acrylic yarn (acrylic being preferred for these projects b/c of ease of care and low chance of allergic reactions) in my stash for a while, and I am on a quest to decrease the size of my stash this year.<br /><br />Ahem. There will be no snickering about my quest. I'm serious. Stop that snickering! Yes, I realize that one of the keys to decreasing the stash would be to <span style="font-style: italic;">stop adding to it</span>, but another key would be to knit up yarns that are already in it. So there.<br /><br />Anyway, I grabbed a pattern and began to knit. I am one of the rare knitters who has never knitted anything for an infant. I've done my share of cooing and squeeing over adorable baby patterns, but I've knit nary a bootie. This is largely because Gomez won't wear booties, I suspect. Thus, as I knit on this tiny hat, I was totally unprepared for the result:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtvVQgRNG4oBHUTLcpVXmYBPogrPqTz7FFOxYtGTMRjUanmiGo9yhtD1dzyPW4HVuGNhPxAB5n9v608hRQXQYVTQvofRIpBOW1KkeleCNjiqdQ7f1ZCsTmK7mNfWGjynAExlLm-OjqD7uc/s1600/Preemie+hat+1.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtvVQgRNG4oBHUTLcpVXmYBPogrPqTz7FFOxYtGTMRjUanmiGo9yhtD1dzyPW4HVuGNhPxAB5n9v608hRQXQYVTQvofRIpBOW1KkeleCNjiqdQ7f1ZCsTmK7mNfWGjynAExlLm-OjqD7uc/s400/Preemie+hat+1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564163901506823650" border="0" /></a><br />Yes, that's a quarter sitting next to my first finished hat. Yes, it's a tiny hat. It's for a tiny baby. What strikes me is the condomy look of this thing. What's with putting stems on tiny hats? I asked on Ravelry's LSG group (because those hoars know everything) and I am assured that yes, it's supposed to look like that. Someone suggested that the stem gives a pixie-ish look to the hat. I just see reservoir tip.<br /><br />I've made two more wee condomy-looking hats, and plan to cast on a couple more hats tomorrow. (I knit these things via ML, two at a time, the same way I do socks. I'm impatient that way.) I'm going to use a different pattern, though. Preemies have enough to contend with without having knitted condomy-looking things on their heads.knitwychhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568956616014771625noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048738201353826960.post-60885538958967038322011-01-02T01:49:00.003-05:002011-01-02T01:52:07.723-05:00Happy New Year!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_3oR7IrxNh1C3jVxoKtZUmptdOuftwNUuJi-TOaNE7o5jenmJ4xX-fC7ofhJe2omB6mc54wycfTTuDmcW6xQrKMDKj2DTmOnOTQXCEAr33IfXJbVpYmVgxNR9xIXpZDNTSdiYJO_8xAv0/s1600/happiness-fairy-picture-funny.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 341px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_3oR7IrxNh1C3jVxoKtZUmptdOuftwNUuJi-TOaNE7o5jenmJ4xX-fC7ofhJe2omB6mc54wycfTTuDmcW6xQrKMDKj2DTmOnOTQXCEAr33IfXJbVpYmVgxNR9xIXpZDNTSdiYJO_8xAv0/s400/happiness-fairy-picture-funny.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557477634455509186" border="0" /></a>knitwychhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568956616014771625noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048738201353826960.post-45685526386328014792010-10-04T13:14:00.001-04:002010-10-04T13:16:43.514-04:00OT: I should write a household instruction manual<span style="font-size:100%;">Got a start on the laundry chapter:<br /></span><div class="body forum_post_body"> <p><span style="font-size:100%;">How to Change Bedsheets</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:100%;">1) Remove cat from bed.<br />2) Remove comforter; set aside.<br />3) Remove cat from bed.<br />4) Remove top sheet; toss in laundry basket.<br />5) Remove cat from bed.<br />6) Remove pillows; toss pillowcases in laundry basket.<br />7) Remove cat from bed.<br />8) Remove fitted sheet; toss in laundry basket.<br />9) Remove cat from bed.<br />10) Unfold fitted sheet, fit to two corners.<br />11) Remove cat from bed.<br />12) Fit another corner.<br />13) Remove cat from bed.<br />14) Fit final corner.<br />15) Insert pillows into clean pillowcases; place on bed.<br />16) Remove cat from bed.<br />17) Unfold top sheet; shake out.<br />18) Unhook cat’s claws from top sheet.<br />19) Remove cat from bed.<br />20) Apply top sheet to bed.<br />21) Remove cat from beneath top sheet.<br />22) Smooth top sheet; tuck bottom end under mattress.<br />23) Remove cat from bed.<br />24) Place comforter on bed.<br />25) Remove cat from bed.<br />26) Smooth, straighten comforter.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:100%;">How to Launder Sheets:<br />1) Remove cat from laundry basket.<br />2) Hold basket high overhead as you make your way to laundry room.<br />3) Trip over cat.<br />4) Put basket on top of dryer.<br />5) Open washer, twiddle with dials and/or buttons until water starts rushing into tub.<br />6) Add soap/detergent/soapnuts to washer tub.<br />7) Remove cat from laundry basket.<br />8) Remove sheets from laundry basket; insert into washer.<br />9) Close washer lid.<br />10) Chase cat down hall to retrieve the pillowcase she is dragging away. (OPTIONAL: Shout “Oi, f**kface, gimme that!”)<br />11) Add pillowcase to washer; close lid.<br />12) Turn laundry basket upside down; place over cat.</span></p> </div><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span>knitwychhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568956616014771625noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048738201353826960.post-79892125272324809612010-09-29T00:26:00.004-04:002010-09-29T00:31:35.502-04:00Among other things...One of the reasons I haven't been diligent about updating this blog:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEQU8DSUTQNf1g90AwditdflyOuu1XhHFn-lvKpSoThyLv-8ZiopAhrmGAwDg_JQOjVUlqCJ2PFyce5OzJTgKsyggI9R_qX13mNk7qi61KVLWL0ygk06ekB3gH_gf1S2WRmfmmkrN5t2cs/s1600/pets+aug+27+006+%28Large%29.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEQU8DSUTQNf1g90AwditdflyOuu1XhHFn-lvKpSoThyLv-8ZiopAhrmGAwDg_JQOjVUlqCJ2PFyce5OzJTgKsyggI9R_qX13mNk7qi61KVLWL0ygk06ekB3gH_gf1S2WRmfmmkrN5t2cs/s400/pets+aug+27+006+%28Large%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522187769370385586" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkABJ8R6pRxuJHp5__a2ga85yZoprDI65lrgh-K3pwzEaBOV5cUSmnwWWZiH_ZaStd4bGvjn_RIhjOyaiEq5GHL_shrsbSyhXbSAmtPQeEQOKYm9mI1ahiYS67eZxpfRezKsq6focfYKjg/s1600/pets+aug+27+010+%28Large%29.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkABJ8R6pRxuJHp5__a2ga85yZoprDI65lrgh-K3pwzEaBOV5cUSmnwWWZiH_ZaStd4bGvjn_RIhjOyaiEq5GHL_shrsbSyhXbSAmtPQeEQOKYm9mI1ahiYS67eZxpfRezKsq6focfYKjg/s400/pets+aug+27+010+%28Large%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522187787091404530" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGuGB-gdNrlTqR3embCpkwMDq7GCyJQ1E5exmxb7K-mGBFt3CmlXYkSJ9y3cx0LpPdJZqlYSK91VHOjfpe-I9Zqgk06Fd-ce_l0mPvBJpTpFVpwLn8GugDj5zte-jzIeZLZUaLVwZ4wmBm/s1600/pets+aug+27+009+%28Large%29.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGuGB-gdNrlTqR3embCpkwMDq7GCyJQ1E5exmxb7K-mGBFt3CmlXYkSJ9y3cx0LpPdJZqlYSK91VHOjfpe-I9Zqgk06Fd-ce_l0mPvBJpTpFVpwLn8GugDj5zte-jzIeZLZUaLVwZ4wmBm/s400/pets+aug+27+009+%28Large%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522187775361750018" border="0" /></a>Her name is Zoey. I adopted her from the Guilford County Animal Shelter at the beginning of August. She was as skinny as a rail when she came home, but she's putting on weight and settling in quite nicely. Well, mostly nicely. The cats are still pissed. I suspect that this is because Zoey's Native American name is Barks-at-Cats.knitwychhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568956616014771625noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048738201353826960.post-54611203001009637002010-07-18T22:18:00.003-04:002010-07-18T22:41:33.607-04:00At last!<span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">Let me preface this by saying that I love quilts. I've created hundreds of them - in my head. In the real world, though...not so much. Aside from a few small wall hangings, I got nothin'. The <a href="http://knitwych.blogspot.com/2009/02/i-am-at-war.html">Quilt From Hell </a>still sits unfinished, mocking me at every opportunity. I think sometimes I hear it snickering. I began another quilt last July, and it, too, sat unfinished for a full year.<br /><br />Until today. With lots of swearing (at the heat, snarly threads, my sucky math skills, too "helpful" kitties, and the ridiculous deadlines I sometimes impose upon myself), I finished the year-old beachy quilt:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyHmdBNX5W-YCABMgPAtC_mqYG_pMfsgPoWGsNQL83Ohp-65moQgiE_x9AX_VZR5XdzIM6KiBZ9K-d8_Nj20uxQwRQQ1ZDiBKO3z3yX3vQEeWc-vz04uyVhjziKZkfKzOzZxk9SPsFvuAh/s1600/jULY+16+2010+032+%28Large%29.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyHmdBNX5W-YCABMgPAtC_mqYG_pMfsgPoWGsNQL83Ohp-65moQgiE_x9AX_VZR5XdzIM6KiBZ9K-d8_Nj20uxQwRQQ1ZDiBKO3z3yX3vQEeWc-vz04uyVhjziKZkfKzOzZxk9SPsFvuAh/s400/jULY+16+2010+032+%28Large%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495439558869301842" border="0" /><span style="font-size:100%;"></span></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlDz62wZpevHjMqWe2OYasH9TzHQfGdPesohmwDDTUTKNYTO6a6wbLe_G2sadgMddbXJpujJbYsNmnMjZ4ZywDNcKyXRRkKhORx2Zzuli8l_ccyzyzRLF1UQGLinWCg7KNzZgdUQ3cgL8M/s1600/jULY+16+2010+026+%28Large%29.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlDz62wZpevHjMqWe2OYasH9TzHQfGdPesohmwDDTUTKNYTO6a6wbLe_G2sadgMddbXJpujJbYsNmnMjZ4ZywDNcKyXRRkKhORx2Zzuli8l_ccyzyzRLF1UQGLinWCg7KNzZgdUQ3cgL8M/s400/jULY+16+2010+026+%28Large%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495439563332613138" border="0" /></a></span>What really helped with this (besides the feline supervision) was the fact that my dad no longer has a king-sized bed. I've accepted the fact that while some quilters are indeed capable of making gi-freaking-normous quilts to fit king-sized beds, I am not one of those quilters. This one is an oversized twin, which is quite bulky enough, thank you very much. It's not square, some of the rows don't quite line up, and the binding on one side is slightly wider than the other side -- but it's done, damn it! DONE!!! I feel a happy dance is warranted.<br /><br /><br /></span>knitwychhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568956616014771625noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048738201353826960.post-86516269164522005092010-04-28T07:13:00.002-04:002010-04-28T07:21:57.236-04:00Very sad newsIt is with a heavy heart that I announce that sweet Chester H. McChattysox's FeLV/FIV test came back positive yesterday.<br /><br />I knew it was a possibility, as he was a stray, but I was still very surprised. Because we have four other cats in the house, and because every rescue and shelter I know is struggling to place healthy animals, I made the difficult decision for him to be euthanized while he was still under anesthesia. Two of our cats are in the geriatric phase, and as with humans, cats become more susceptible to illness as they age, and I just couldn't risk introducing a sick kitty into the household.<br /><br />I only knew him for a short time, but he was a sweetie of a kitty. We buried him yesterday afternoon, next to other wonderful kitties (and one bunny) with whom we've been lucky enough to share our lives.<br /><br />RIP, Chester.knitwychhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568956616014771625noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048738201353826960.post-60477363210576273762010-04-26T17:33:00.004-04:002010-04-26T17:47:58.675-04:00Another cat? Really? Really.<span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;">So this weekend, we had an unexpected visitor in the form of this guy:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4053/4554143099_59cee8a019.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4053/4554143099_59cee8a019.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />He appears to be around 7-9 months old, and once he figures out that you're not going to hurt him, he is the sweetest, chattiest kitty ever.<br /><br />Tomorrow he goes to be tested for FELV/FIV, and if that comes back clean, he'll be vaccinated and neutered. With the assistance and encouragement of the awesome Ravelry LSG hoars, I've decided to call him Chester Henry McChattysox.<br /><br />Have I ever mentioned that I hate-hate-hate lame pet names? Seriously, I do. I've met a crapton of Fluffies, Muffies, Blackies, Kitties, Callies, etc. So my guys all have unique names.<br /><br />Oh, and here's a photo of the Lion Brand Sock-Ease socks I finished a few weeks ago:<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUD0eLj0gffvjyT8w2ti5c7XSbOmSZRlseIGyj-NQDCps_lNj2fpGYJg-FxvC6BBaxXffkQU0_3rcNU5L1N0OccLRbCtesR9BgBNLzlqlbNQNfaVgqQJWeUg3oWfQBSBQrSdX-48RJdFzK/s1600/042+%28Large%29.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUD0eLj0gffvjyT8w2ti5c7XSbOmSZRlseIGyj-NQDCps_lNj2fpGYJg-FxvC6BBaxXffkQU0_3rcNU5L1N0OccLRbCtesR9BgBNLzlqlbNQNfaVgqQJWeUg3oWfQBSBQrSdX-48RJdFzK/s400/042+%28Large%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464564085252063794" border="0" /></a><br />One more thing, to follow up on my last post about Twitter and alienating one's readers: I did receive an email from the Unclutterer editor. It didn't contain any sort of explanation as to why she has decided to discriminate against us non-Twits. After a couple of exchanges with her, I decided to drop it entirely. Not worth my time trying to explain to her that if she'd bothered to read my comment, she'd have understood why I was so annoyed with the terms of the contest.<br /></span>knitwychhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568956616014771625noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048738201353826960.post-39310230955406789942010-03-29T14:19:00.005-04:002010-03-29T17:07:23.508-04:00OT: Why I won't become a TwitLike many people, I struggle with clutter in my life. Being crafty seems to beget clutter-itis, although I used to know one woman who had no sewing clutter at all. She would buy the materials for one project (pattern, notions, fabric, etc.), complete that, and then get rid of all the leftovers (including the pattern) when she was done. I think she was some kind of anal-retentive alien freak.<br /><br />But I digress.<br /><br />I'm always on the lookout for ideas to organize and streamline and all that happy crap. Over a year ago, I found a blog called <a href="http://unclutterer.com/">Unclutterer</a>. I found a ton of great info and suggestions, so I read it every single day. I dug back through the archives on occasion, and I even bought the frigging book published by the blog editor.<br /><br />Today, the blog announced a very cool give-away: During the month of April, there would be four <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003990GMQ?tag=unclutterer-20&link_code=as2&creativeASIN=B003990GMQ&creative=374929&camp=211189">ScanSnap</a> scanners given away to Unclutterer readers. I <span style="font-style: italic;">need </span>this device. My current scanner, while decent, is slooow. I have a ton of papers I would dearly love to convert to digital format, but I don't happen to have $270 laying around. I was delighted by the prospect of winning one of these babies...until I saw the requirements for the give-away: You have to follow the Unclutterer blog on Twitter.<br /><br />I don't Tweet/Twit/Twat/Twhatever, and I pride myself on that. I know that there are a bazillion people out there happily Tweeting/Twitting/Twatting/Twatevering their brains out, but I'm just not interested.<br /><br />Wanna know the main reason why I'm not interested?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;font-size:180%;" ><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;font-size:180%;" >CLUTTER</span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br />I don't need or want Tweets cluttering up my life. The people I know in real life who Tweet/Twit/Twat/Twhatever just babble. Crap about what they had for lunch or which celebrity is the focus of their hot throbbing love this week or - in the case of businesspeople - what they've accomplished in the office today.<br /><br />I don't need that. Nor do I need a blog that is supposedly devoted to UNcluttering requiring me to clutter my life with electronic flotsam simply for the chance of winning a super-spiffy device. In fact, I think it's really hypocritical of such a blog to require someone to do that. I posted a comment to the blog, expressing my discontent with the Twitter requirement. I also said that I've prided myself on not becoming a Twit.<br /><br />That comment was removed.<br /><br />Certainly the editor has the right to do that. After all, it's her blog. If I'm the only Unclutterer fan who doesn't follow the blog on Twitter, so be it. I guess it's not enough that I take the time on a <span style="font-style: italic;">daily basis</span> to read the posts that come across my RSS feed, and frequently go to the blog to comment about how much I appreciated a certain article or answer editor requests for suggestions. I sent a private email to the editor, explaining my belief that it's hypocritical to espouse decluttering yet require readers to sign up for clutter. I've also de-cluttered my RSS feed by unsubscribing from Unclutterer. I don't know if I'll get a response (I'm not holding my breath), and I don't know if I care. There are a jillion other blogs out there on the same topic, so I don't expect that I'll waste away and die for want of information.<br /><br />I've decided to unclutter my bookshelves, too. Got a copy of "How to Unclutter Your Life in One Week" if anyone wants to buy it. Cheap.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div></div>knitwychhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568956616014771625noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048738201353826960.post-23275265290615207592010-03-04T14:41:00.006-05:002010-03-04T15:25:53.825-05:00Umm, yeah...what he said<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;">"The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated." -- Mark Twain</span><br /><br /><br /></div><span style="font-size:100%;">I have been incredibly slack about updating my blog, leading some concerned folks to question whether or not I'm still alive.<br /><br />Well, I am. I've just been crazy busy with work and stuff and snow and nefarious forces taking over my computer and a squillion other things that have kept me thinking, 'Oh yeah, I'll update that tomorrow.' After a butt-ton of tomorrows, here I am - updating my blog. Woo hoo!<br /><br />I'm happy to report that some of that "stuff" included knitting. Amongst the projects I finished are the socks made from <a href="http://purlsk2tog.blogspot.com/">Lorrie's</a> awesome handspun yarn:<br /><br /><br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8mWPzZI05rbNDSFpKRQErt3OJTJbv-WFaCcnmnNKVXcGDO6-1mYZ-AB-x7JCj2pbKIISArJot4fLEhkiQS7_75gz3MPgyVp7ZE3MJS6FyV3ss8p3x1CwdVTwGSDqNZpRuPV0eUjA_KtYb/s1600-h/039+%28Large%29.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8mWPzZI05rbNDSFpKRQErt3OJTJbv-WFaCcnmnNKVXcGDO6-1mYZ-AB-x7JCj2pbKIISArJot4fLEhkiQS7_75gz3MPgyVp7ZE3MJS6FyV3ss8p3x1CwdVTwGSDqNZpRuPV0eUjA_KtYb/s400/039+%28Large%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444870939445760642" border="0" /></a><br />I love-love-love these socks. They're wonderfully soft and comfortable. Lorrie is the Handspun Queen, IMO! I'll post more completed projects later.<br /><br />We were at the coast during the last week of December, where I damn near froze to death (I'm sorry, but <span style="font-style: italic;">frost</span> on the car <span style="font-style: italic;">at the beach </span>is just so very, very wrong) and had to keep warm in the yarn shops.<br /><br />No, really, I did. It was <span style="font-style: italic;">cold</span>, people! They have heat in yarn stores, you know. And all that cozy yarn.<br /><br />Anyway, here's the stashfill that resulted from my last shopping of 2009:<br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdbi2fezWIgA01KMmKa3JbbVmb3QHtAQuMTj_W3CaZJfTmBXOztiFLkJupoxHNwhCftwM1G2a7jOK-jcDwyfN-gv925krVx1hgrXBZvg67JwhHGP8xm2ZSaNSYygETw31eJCkNdj1wgeLQ/s1600-h/17153_1246022722804_1596495172_617647_1704304_n.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdbi2fezWIgA01KMmKa3JbbVmb3QHtAQuMTj_W3CaZJfTmBXOztiFLkJupoxHNwhCftwM1G2a7jOK-jcDwyfN-gv925krVx1hgrXBZvg67JwhHGP8xm2ZSaNSYygETw31eJCkNdj1wgeLQ/s400/17153_1246022722804_1596495172_617647_1704304_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444873330818394066" border="0" /></a><br />Stormy the Bobblybutt kitty, of course, approved all of it. Like her mommy, she loves her some yarn porn!<br /><br />Also, I have to add a photo of quite possibly the most ridiculously cute little project bag in the whole world. My knitting pal Suzanne (who created the <a href="http://knitwych.blogspot.com/2009/09/i-haz-dyed-project-3.html">Epic Yarn Barf from Hell</a>,) crocheted this little bag for Halloween. I've been carrying sock projects in it ever since. It has googly eyes and even a few little hairs sticking out of the wart on the nose.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizpIz86a0u2THW5EinPyr2jHmuYo3hSuELSSYkq46dXUtFsH64ibixcH1NzSMNuyPKPlrsBgDGoOfrbeXeVhfckL5S5uVswFDBuhL32KoSNY7VFKdD_VYDfOh2IqyGEwkvTy_fGpbGkrxh/s1600-h/Halloween+001+%28Large%29.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizpIz86a0u2THW5EinPyr2jHmuYo3hSuELSSYkq46dXUtFsH64ibixcH1NzSMNuyPKPlrsBgDGoOfrbeXeVhfckL5S5uVswFDBuhL32KoSNY7VFKdD_VYDfOh2IqyGEwkvTy_fGpbGkrxh/s400/Halloween+001+%28Large%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444875015134097330" border="0" /></a><br /><br />One of the biggest and most update-prohibiting issues I've been dealing with for the last few months was the insanity that invaded my poor old laptop. Minerva III (I name all of my computers Minerva) was purchased in 2006, and has literally been hauled from coast to coast, subjected to all sorts of computer-unfriendly conditions. After much struggling with bios problems, viruses, a full system restore, and other desperate measures, I was finally able to buy a new laptop (say hello to Minerva IV, a 250GB Windows 7-running beauty!). Given that I rely on my computer to make a living, I'm thrilled to have a computer that does NOT take 7-9 minute just to boot up! Minerva III is destined for a total reformat, and will likely become a Linux box -- just as soon as I have time to get my Linux geek on.<br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /></span></span></span></span></span>knitwychhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568956616014771625noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048738201353826960.post-70911842146210302312009-09-28T12:45:00.006-04:002009-09-28T12:56:00.541-04:00I haz dyed Project 3<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">Taking a quick break from lunch to update with a photo of my latest dyeing project and other shenanigans. My knitting group gathered at one member's house this weekend so I could show them how to dye with Kool-Aid. Naturally, we got totally distracted with other stuff, so it turned out that only a couple of us actually got to dye (I feel badly about that, but it just gives us another excuse to get together for a dye party). But we did get to d</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">rool over Suzanne's lovely stash cabinet:</span></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbQG22quVPL3mLR3gF2ihrnNxaCNjwIYOmX1fNGUgwczcEpJP3FlbyUydY9_qZqvZwFtd6zOIJNQrZ2c80mhNOO7EKmQIN_EXsnQzOO7q1kDuGm93qct7YFuFORPdc76jmTexaroSRIZLf/s1600-h/KNITTING+SEPT+2K9+002+%28Large%29.jpg"> </a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh21peky67xZ6yfD6OUsqwF6VNmCrH87nGCSsal6H2Tcy4HTRaY-1OBhMYzKhuhJddCh71Orxz09aHyNJtIW0OfqMq9vYQXpI5ICifAWS6stxhXunQ0VqnO2RG8PJQhNs1RMUj_PydOzVK9/s1600-h/KNITTING+SEPT+2K9+007+%28Large%29.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh21peky67xZ6yfD6OUsqwF6VNmCrH87nGCSsal6H2Tcy4HTRaY-1OBhMYzKhuhJddCh71Orxz09aHyNJtIW0OfqMq9vYQXpI5ICifAWS6stxhXunQ0VqnO2RG8PJQhNs1RMUj_PydOzVK9/s400/KNITTING+SEPT+2K9+007+%28Large%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386561479366968242" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And giggle about her disastrous "I'll freshen these yarns in the dryer" monster, which I think she should mount on a canvas, varnish until it's crusty, and call it modern art:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihWAuuPVZpXCBXX5anq5gyw7X7i6FihGj_pIfhkyf0OShasiMgbKCJ7UwawWKO9VjB_Io_-LNU2hLL2EM32K4FeorY2P7fdvsnRCLj9tMiIgV2V9xq8zIAtGZ9DZPQzX64qYi9z3zHsUBc/s1600-h/KNITTING+SEPT+2K9+002+%28Large%29.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihWAuuPVZpXCBXX5anq5gyw7X7i6FihGj_pIfhkyf0OShasiMgbKCJ7UwawWKO9VjB_Io_-LNU2hLL2EM32K4FeorY2P7fdvsnRCLj9tMiIgV2V9xq8zIAtGZ9DZPQzX64qYi9z3zHsUBc/s400/KNITTING+SEPT+2K9+002+%28Large%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386562129229872082" border="0" /></a>Ted, a.k.a. Captain Awesome, Maker of Niddy-Noddies, suggested it could be used as a stole:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyjXA3dTigx-nc9B8FUSrm7Mb7D0dS0h_iddjYz7gzA2vid95GRnHLD22nYbcha5Q_-zr7xQ-rK5R_h001V1DYtzrYZs_8ibkvHAYxU-4bxET4mSf1nEK5KfnuDKiPmdcB2TDvnordcNKb/s1600-h/KNITTING+SEPT+2K9+003+%28Large%29.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyjXA3dTigx-nc9B8FUSrm7Mb7D0dS0h_iddjYz7gzA2vid95GRnHLD22nYbcha5Q_-zr7xQ-rK5R_h001V1DYtzrYZs_8ibkvHAYxU-4bxET4mSf1nEK5KfnuDKiPmdcB2TDvnordcNKb/s400/KNITTING+SEPT+2K9+003+%28Large%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386562375713000850" border="0" /></a>Oh yeah, and here's my sock yarn (Knit Picks Bare, Superwash Wool/Nylon, dyed with blue, orange and green Kool-Aid):<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPhcSxdrcZQd1JUrm2LbM9UD48nPUALOHCsSj75gZ60JhsY_56zggx24n9Bl7uAdoKhGt5IGl6Zj4bkSzAEFgVwLA9N4BeXCBbNuWm6QBI9m5tVipMoabvP2PubRztAlPvN7fgC6E4L2qA/s1600-h/2+KP+BARE+WOOL+NYLON+9+2K9.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPhcSxdrcZQd1JUrm2LbM9UD48nPUALOHCsSj75gZ60JhsY_56zggx24n9Bl7uAdoKhGt5IGl6Zj4bkSzAEFgVwLA9N4BeXCBbNuWm6QBI9m5tVipMoabvP2PubRztAlPvN7fgC6E4L2qA/s400/2+KP+BARE+WOOL+NYLON+9+2K9.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386562710428581986" border="0" /></a>knitwychhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568956616014771625noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048738201353826960.post-77987851167172097342009-09-25T13:22:00.005-04:002009-09-25T13:27:26.967-04:00A Visit from the Book Fairy!<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:courier new;">Earlier this week, maildude brought a package fr</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:courier new;">om the Book Fairy! My bestest pal Kayla is clearly of the opinion that I should start reading this series</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:courier new;">. (She's responsible for my Charlaine Harris addiction, too.) A celebrity werewolf/radio personality? I'm hooked already!</span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxYA-wU7OpnWt2h7yzOLvl2i6NushHYN7aY2_ER7y38PuGSFkjRYM0jgD3xPV1-99H1uD17-v68S8v8ZxuedbXkLVyYIUNbGu7-Nzg_H27QkjsPnI29HcNS9Jh1VOGpQQoS8K8AbEscGL6/s1600-h/Books+Sept+09+002+%28Large%29.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxYA-wU7OpnWt2h7yzOLvl2i6NushHYN7aY2_ER7y38PuGSFkjRYM0jgD3xPV1-99H1uD17-v68S8v8ZxuedbXkLVyYIUNbGu7-Nzg_H27QkjsPnI29HcNS9Jh1VOGpQQoS8K8AbEscGL6/s400/Books+Sept+09+002+%28Large%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385457684707216242" border="0" /></a>knitwychhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568956616014771625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048738201353826960.post-63772302680248203882009-09-14T23:45:00.005-04:002009-09-14T23:52:28.997-04:00Making Soap Part 2As promised, here's the follow-up to yesterday's post.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlw9t3GP4ACgHcBihtqvsVUfw_Xcvvh4LwoFpclTKLAXFATXVOha7rpHCiT1XXi4fu0uzXBiWEwvYjimWCocbHDHEJIqKgavmdVGNTjaEgHdyg6WFK-65Jwf3EbKzF6pMFbniwTMZltanM/s1600-h/Log+Mold+Day+2+cut+002.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlw9t3GP4ACgHcBihtqvsVUfw_Xcvvh4LwoFpclTKLAXFATXVOha7rpHCiT1XXi4fu0uzXBiWEwvYjimWCocbHDHEJIqKgavmdVGNTjaEgHdyg6WFK-65Jwf3EbKzF6pMFbniwTMZltanM/s400/Log+Mold+Day+2+cut+002.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381536719667780418" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIriZCzLRuHDfi0gvCH6eiJXBaGjlWXL5TNnCZHa-9FmbWvxtm-c7xxJCom-tqQjNc55ftw-Sj3Z2_9864lzOfvV0pCR3oxOX-0_2lj03fWNulcROoT_z_Jt7whzi5DbojwtNETx7iQ9ew/s1600-h/Log+Mold+Day+2+cut+005.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIriZCzLRuHDfi0gvCH6eiJXBaGjlWXL5TNnCZHa-9FmbWvxtm-c7xxJCom-tqQjNc55ftw-Sj3Z2_9864lzOfvV0pCR3oxOX-0_2lj03fWNulcROoT_z_Jt7whzi5DbojwtNETx7iQ9ew/s400/Log+Mold+Day+2+cut+005.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381536715569815570" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLHnPce5z7wrHT1LtQX6W2zSfB4fo4-fvgBEyOKjcYQiGUuxzH9Tn9-F6X7xmrXyYiQ1-uPIDqbODRDMN6a3iduPk6VnKp8Ap5oBBsVd_3Hu8bQmLuQqp_7naZIyBsgjBb4I7mKu9bxEOt/s1600-h/Log+Mold+Day+2+cut+010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLHnPce5z7wrHT1LtQX6W2zSfB4fo4-fvgBEyOKjcYQiGUuxzH9Tn9-F6X7xmrXyYiQ1-uPIDqbODRDMN6a3iduPk6VnKp8Ap5oBBsVd_3Hu8bQmLuQqp_7naZIyBsgjBb4I7mKu9bxEOt/s400/Log+Mold+Day+2+cut+010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381536708557790514" border="0" /></a>knitwychhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568956616014771625noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048738201353826960.post-65240499264352546192009-09-13T10:42:00.008-04:002009-09-13T12:41:12.231-04:00Making Soap<span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" >A fellow soapmaker and I were discussing soap molds (something all soapers discuss rather a lot), so I thought I'd put up a quick photo essay. I love this little mold. I won it </span><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ><span>several years ago as a prize at a soapmaker's convention. Unfortunately, the company that made it, TLC Soaps, appears to have gone out of business. I've searched all over the Internet, and while I can find listings for it and links to the home page, none of the links work. (I've tried two different browsers, just in case there was something hinky with Firefox.) I'm pretty bummed out about that, because this is a very cool mold design, and I hate to see that another soap company has gone belly-up. :-(</span><br /><br /><span>Anyway, here's part one of my how-to using a soap mold with Plexiglas inserts.</span><br /><br /><span>This mold holds approximately 3.5 pounds of soap mixture. This is a cold process batch (meaning that once the oils are melted and mixed with the lye/water/milk solution, no additional heat is applied). This batch is a luxurious one, containing cocoa butter, shea butter, a high percentage of olive oil, wheat germ oil, powdered green clay, and goat milk. I formulated it to be soothing and moisturizing, and scented it with patchouli essential oil.</span><br /><br /></span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnK53oeUl9vX-ipbJs1oMvhdxLiGF5LFUnUb0NRZyRTtG3-YfdMXArzGr8AX7F5hRrOqgbOKXbdLermvpB3aAYw6dmdaJNbrDBef3x5dAZpW8Hvn8jzmFs8kW20F72d5y5vbfW3OJ389iZ/s1600-h/Log+Mold+001.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnK53oeUl9vX-ipbJs1oMvhdxLiGF5LFUnUb0NRZyRTtG3-YfdMXArzGr8AX7F5hRrOqgbOKXbdLermvpB3aAYw6dmdaJNbrDBef3x5dAZpW8Hvn8jzmFs8kW20F72d5y5vbfW3OJ389iZ/s400/Log+Mold+001.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380964880456785858" border="0" /></a><br /><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjQ0BlBb8WfIfUjoZDptql1_kj0GxSfhyphenhyphenLeK88OI2Xsw-RW6WvgEKPzA3U4Q0eBKQTROZgD7PdskypyXGIvOrQ6GZq-LfvfDlG08rocVt2YUd9JhTjZIHBRsNappvKtou_kmbKYPV0s0y4/s1600-h/Log+Mold+003.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjQ0BlBb8WfIfUjoZDptql1_kj0GxSfhyphenhyphenLeK88OI2Xsw-RW6WvgEKPzA3U4Q0eBKQTROZgD7PdskypyXGIvOrQ6GZq-LfvfDlG08rocVt2YUd9JhTjZIHBRsNappvKtou_kmbKYPV0s0y4/s400/Log+Mold+003.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380964406724720738" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv-qeakJ4XjxsYL6GDw913AtF9fMdEJYouYlfSZYXuqg_lVFQgEp6pDnZQzPErrIW-knDwfH2t9jtcGhYfKG85vGQUMX7LXEusljwWTSJam6ne7c8AexEGT5ixA0BBqFYv_F8EqAkV9oFk/s1600-h/Log+Mold+004.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv-qeakJ4XjxsYL6GDw913AtF9fMdEJYouYlfSZYXuqg_lVFQgEp6pDnZQzPErrIW-knDwfH2t9jtcGhYfKG85vGQUMX7LXEusljwWTSJam6ne7c8AexEGT5ixA0BBqFYv_F8EqAkV9oFk/s400/Log+Mold+004.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380964404075402162" border="0" /></a><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXreMhv01bnuDf-pN6Giq3U1wpapYO3p8sQk3y_-sG-Hge6AjAd9kPZVaZuR5ROqf21itZPNcRNsxkuMu0jjRzyOGaj16D4AG9xLRYSlhVZIHw6MaGrgGB_b-aq3AMJ2JKZcojlNYD-xo5/s1600-h/Log+Mold+005.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXreMhv01bnuDf-pN6Giq3U1wpapYO3p8sQk3y_-sG-Hge6AjAd9kPZVaZuR5ROqf21itZPNcRNsxkuMu0jjRzyOGaj16D4AG9xLRYSlhVZIHw6MaGrgGB_b-aq3AMJ2JKZcojlNYD-xo5/s400/Log+Mold+005.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380964393759537282" border="0" /></a><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj14dLdKg6MTtanpG_goCBEQKNf0ifOAzYcuRX1LLSLv5rDyynCns4o642C_0sM8unVd58lFF16nn9N2vaVtK8LJ6zsLwvVYWPrpCbmbrA3fu0GtWIFPgroYrILC0O4I-59FQmtdz7dh1f3/s1600-h/Log+Mold+Day+2+002.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj14dLdKg6MTtanpG_goCBEQKNf0ifOAzYcuRX1LLSLv5rDyynCns4o642C_0sM8unVd58lFF16nn9N2vaVtK8LJ6zsLwvVYWPrpCbmbrA3fu0GtWIFPgroYrILC0O4I-59FQmtdz7dh1f3/s400/Log+Mold+Day+2+002.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380964390955915730" border="0" /></a><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzEI2EYUaepxQHudOcuQ6f7SOrFRiC9e3rxVpg9A_YrRAsjUZVtemviqY2kXDPMIpHiQKy4psr1s7uizxY5Xud8czhOCXTg1GmJChhsZJ1CULsaC0bdQYnrgl8K4jOSUdc4-24EJNN-bbm/s1600-h/Log+Mold+Day+2+004.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzEI2EYUaepxQHudOcuQ6f7SOrFRiC9e3rxVpg9A_YrRAsjUZVtemviqY2kXDPMIpHiQKy4psr1s7uizxY5Xud8czhOCXTg1GmJChhsZJ1CULsaC0bdQYnrgl8K4jOSUdc4-24EJNN-bbm/s400/Log+Mold+Day+2+004.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380964383926032626" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">As you can see, the soap lightened up considerably in color once it went through the saponification process.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Part two, which I'll post tomorrow, will show how this mold doubles as a cutting guide.</span><br /><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span>knitwychhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568956616014771625noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048738201353826960.post-50990068460021866582009-08-31T15:54:00.006-04:002009-08-31T16:12:01.402-04:00Goodies from my sister by another mother!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUZuYvX_DVYftLJfhJShEf0jzxvKcRBh40uY3XEZUPfXbsFFGS0EoGQAsNIgmuxhI3XFphsVH0C23-DxQLn2MITIWIFDWaX-NvDDAZ_S0sxl3cA-__JGiHVYK37-BuSkYGCSzNiJBGRJLT/s1600-h/GOODIES+FROM+LORRIE+083109+005+%28Large%29.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUZuYvX_DVYftLJfhJShEf0jzxvKcRBh40uY3XEZUPfXbsFFGS0EoGQAsNIgmuxhI3XFphsVH0C23-DxQLn2MITIWIFDWaX-NvDDAZ_S0sxl3cA-__JGiHVYK37-BuSkYGCSzNiJBGRJLT/s400/GOODIES+FROM+LORRIE+083109+005+%28Large%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376221939456668754" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Look what the maildude brought today - a goodie box from </span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://purlsk2tog.blogspot.com/">Lorrie</a><span style="font-family:verdana;">! Gorgeous hand-spun sock yarn (430 yards of superwash merino gorgeous goodness!), adorable stitch markers in an adorable little notions case, a cute little project bag, a 2010 Lake Superior calendar, a mesh laundry bag for delicates (such as socks knitted from hand-spun yarn), a Friendship bookmark (awww!), a magnetic note pad (seriously, how did you know the one on the fridge is almost empty???), sticky notes w/my initial, and a box of cool binder clips and a</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">nimal-shaped paperclips (animal-shaped paper clips!!! Squeee!).<br /><br />This stuff wasn't on the couch for 30 seconds before Stormy made a move on the yarn.<br /><br />Here she is giving Bertie (off camera) the "No, bad Bertie, dis MAH YAHN</span></span>" <span style="font-family:verdana;">look.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzFtd6wS3UXuk-1g7RSNKXGyrTY6rgxIdm-LAuQVr15X99_qNgXzYEUxeIGapPXCujAH7V-77msgY_qzW4u0SgqeKTiy_E2Mq5UMIBXrV5HRzycUWrHc8fQPxZXuCvUzeWMyzohRgW397W/s1600-h/GOODIES+FROM+LORRIE+083109+010+%28Large%29.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzFtd6wS3UXuk-1g7RSNKXGyrTY6rgxIdm-LAuQVr15X99_qNgXzYEUxeIGapPXCujAH7V-77msgY_qzW4u0SgqeKTiy_E2Mq5UMIBXrV5HRzycUWrHc8fQPxZXuCvUzeWMyzohRgW397W/s400/GOODIES+FROM+LORRIE+083109+010+%28Large%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376222462505161554" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZQ1IvB52zGuAaY781tMAby48xNvqJNkrYy9edYyUi_8GqY9f4XRm_WjR1DcsveBLtIjOvko2jHbJO2DjpMu2UIBb2HprjA_BJPEnMZ6roZ-Deef_rXchKepb-iyI4SoVFF5e_kSWa8xvt/s1600-h/GOODIES+FROM+LORRIE+083109+006+%28Large%29.jpg"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span></a>knitwychhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568956616014771625noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048738201353826960.post-66683930394250984222009-08-22T20:48:00.003-04:002009-08-22T21:10:16.170-04:00Such a nice guy!!So one of the ladies in my knitting group (we are currently trying to come up with a fabulously witty name for ourselves) is married to a cool guy named Ted. Ted likes working with wood, and he's good at it. A couple months ago, I mentioned to Ted that he could probably make some cash making niddy-noddies. For those of you who don't know what a niddy-noddy is, it is a device upon which you wind yarn to make hanks. I sent Ted an email with a link to some instructions, and really didn't think anything more of it - except that I needed to get off my butt and make my own niddy-noddy.<br /><br />A few words about Ted: I always enjoy talking to him. He's an articulate, thinking guy, with a great sense of humor and loads of patience (his wife has the knitting addiction, and she also leads one of the local Red Hat groups, so it's not uncommon for him to be the only guy in a sea of ladies - and he's completely fine with that). He and his wife Brenda are very supportive of the local VFW (where I've been adopted and made an honorary member), and if I'm not mistaken, Ted was the first one to bid when we were auctioning off the shovels the VFW used during the groundbreaking ceremony for the Veterans' Memorial that the VFW is going to build at the Summerfield Community Park. I know he went home with a shovel. He's also a fan of the VFW's Brunswick stew (which is really good, I must say). Basically, Ted <span style="font-style: italic;">rocks</span>.<br /><br />Well, Ted made niddy-noddies. Adjustable niddy-noddies. Five adjustable niddy-noddies with wooden dowel pegs that slip into the holes so you can wind hanks of varying footage. He made a special one for me, with an inscription:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">"Fur Alicia" in appreciation of your friendship and concern for the elderly. 2009. </span><br /><br />and his initials. The "Fur Alicia" (you have to imagine the umlat over the U; I don't know how to achieve that with my keyboard) is a play on his wife's favorite Beethoven - Fur Elise.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh7vJDyLY6f9ECTM6cQbHVo4-Nt4n5Xwi-t5AOk59CDS4Kpq8M_xmu1x2Dr_cPEnfSnmcdpJ3-E7IFFFABItyGj_aT569KtrIFA-BQia3aQEd19nSxw9Rfl-EDYn_cnQCssw0Be2rlm_Hd/s1600-h/Niddy+Noddy+Aug+09.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh7vJDyLY6f9ECTM6cQbHVo4-Nt4n5Xwi-t5AOk59CDS4Kpq8M_xmu1x2Dr_cPEnfSnmcdpJ3-E7IFFFABItyGj_aT569KtrIFA-BQia3aQEd19nSxw9Rfl-EDYn_cnQCssw0Be2rlm_Hd/s400/Niddy+Noddy+Aug+09.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372958636846536690" border="0" /></a><br />I am <span style="font-style: italic;">so</span> making this guy some soap!! I'd offer to knit something for him, but I think his wife has him pretty well supplied with knitted goods.knitwychhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568956616014771625noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048738201353826960.post-66567519957268359772009-08-17T19:53:00.002-04:002009-08-17T19:56:11.347-04:00Dye Project 2: Finished<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFSYTuazR2MlgGsyQ59tqBcUtJrYkCVlPAD1h8diswJZYbHQFIpUKiVTkbQdz1bt-YX-YiWg7-RT5EylMxv2cL4Vc5rMO5y0Ta4IdnYQc5UWppmUVitCE5WwhuENeMmUIkjxKkzZO4HZ0u/s1600-h/Yarn+dye+project+2+KP+Bare+wool+silk+cakes+003+%28Large%29.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFSYTuazR2MlgGsyQ59tqBcUtJrYkCVlPAD1h8diswJZYbHQFIpUKiVTkbQdz1bt-YX-YiWg7-RT5EylMxv2cL4Vc5rMO5y0Ta4IdnYQc5UWppmUVitCE5WwhuENeMmUIkjxKkzZO4HZ0u/s400/Yarn+dye+project+2+KP+Bare+wool+silk+cakes+003+%28Large%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371085423721843762" border="0" /></a><br />My second dyeing project DONE! I wound the yarn into cakes a few minutes ago, and I'm pleased with the variegation. I have no idea how this will look knitted up, but it is guaranteed to be colorful!knitwychhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568956616014771625noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048738201353826960.post-833815782437690842009-08-16T18:57:00.007-04:002009-08-17T12:23:41.141-04:00I haz dyed Project 2: OH YEAH! KOOL-AID DYEING ROCKS!Yarn: Knit Picks Bare (70% Merino Wool, 30% Silk) fingering weight<br /><br />Dye: Kool-Aid and Flavor-Aid drink mix (unsweetened) in Lemon-Lime (2 packets), Tropical Punch (2 packets), Orange (1 packet), and Lemonade (2 packets)<br /><br />Hot (just boiled) water in a pot large enough to hold 3 canning jars.<br /><br />I've wanted to try Kool-Aid dyeing for a while now, but just hadn't go around to it. This process is dead easy, inexpensive, fast, and fun. After soaking the skein of yarn in hottish water for about 30 minutes, I mixed the drink mix with about 1.5 cups of water (temperature was about 5 minute post boil) in each jar, placed the jars in the pot of hot waterdivided the skein into three loops/bunches of yarn, and shoved them into the jars. I spooned some of the colored solution up over the area where the three bunches were attached, but didn't go heavy on the color because I want this yarn to be variegated. I noticed that the lemonade yellow wasn't as intense as I wanted, so I quickly opened a packet of orange and dumped that into the lemonade jar, and gently squished it around. Then I slapped the lid on the pot and let it sit for 30 minutes. The color was completely sucked into the yarn, leaving the water in the jars crystal clear.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiom2umnpG5GXsG6J2NLm9EQlBcqh-DQvjb0iOO_gZlL_W7vMTlvHF4bLE2jcm5AScqWJTmy1Le2MNSnt5cf808vXiAKKDFLT2mkpOvTBu-81ETnwGpPgvcwlzcBNT-6POn1lQW8hYmWH4-/s1600-h/Yarn+dye+project+2+KP+Bare+wool+silk+004+%28Large%29.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiom2umnpG5GXsG6J2NLm9EQlBcqh-DQvjb0iOO_gZlL_W7vMTlvHF4bLE2jcm5AScqWJTmy1Le2MNSnt5cf808vXiAKKDFLT2mkpOvTBu-81ETnwGpPgvcwlzcBNT-6POn1lQW8hYmWH4-/s400/Yarn+dye+project+2+KP+Bare+wool+silk+004+%28Large%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370702782830012930" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The end result is a very brightly colored skein with red/pinks/pale yellow/orange/greens. Pay no attention to that snarl of strands at the bottom; I'll deal with that after it has dried and I go to wind it into balls for sock knitting.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8q-f8q5NOedmkEaXTDaThYYdMfvqyZaCqxLZq90kAtOXij1O0NgfyzRg_wUtrbOl5TMRN4Ax-ZBZvkSnccyAKk7FQlx1ryWY_WCJS81acLt8dAHuJirxty1yPrd96lMuwvRgZq7hdEvyO/s1600-h/Yarn+dye+project+2+KP+Bare+wool+silk+011+%28Large%29.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8q-f8q5NOedmkEaXTDaThYYdMfvqyZaCqxLZq90kAtOXij1O0NgfyzRg_wUtrbOl5TMRN4Ax-ZBZvkSnccyAKk7FQlx1ryWY_WCJS81acLt8dAHuJirxty1yPrd96lMuwvRgZq7hdEvyO/s400/Yarn+dye+project+2+KP+Bare+wool+silk+011+%28Large%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370703500614378498" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTi-98PtESXws7AA1ms0I5vlSUoWyLnqLj-5GikALbhk7bCQcaeqNgdo4taPlsoMOy4R_oVca4Hqy3Efvj7W24xAA6ethARv-Jc8EEpt266DxafSgrvOSQJuOj8n9rwb4nB2kXCRp2eEVn/s1600-h/Yarn+dye+project+2+KP+Bare+wool+silk+010+%28Large%29.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTi-98PtESXws7AA1ms0I5vlSUoWyLnqLj-5GikALbhk7bCQcaeqNgdo4taPlsoMOy4R_oVca4Hqy3Efvj7W24xAA6ethARv-Jc8EEpt266DxafSgrvOSQJuOj8n9rwb4nB2kXCRp2eEVn/s400/Yarn+dye+project+2+KP+Bare+wool+silk+010+%28Large%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370703503045116066" border="0" /></a>I've got another skein of dye-able yarn, but I want to wait until I can get my version of <a href="http://www.scoutsswag.com/warpingboard.html">Scout's Ghetto Warping Board </a>made so I can dye self-striping sock yarn. Meanwhile, I'm waiting for this yarn to dry so I can wind it into balls.<br /><br />Edit: typoknitwychhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568956616014771625noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048738201353826960.post-46980474042441762012009-08-14T11:54:00.004-04:002009-08-14T12:08:23.104-04:00OFF TOPIC: If you get raped at Marriott, it's your own fault<span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:100%;" >Sometimes I really hate the world. Well, not the whole world. Just certain people/entities. Today it's the Marriott Corporation.
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<br />Three years ago, a woman was raped at gunpoint, in the presence of her two small children (ages 3 and 5), in a Marriott-owned parking garage. Marriott has decided that *she* was negligent in this matter. See USAToday <a href="http://blogs.usatoday.com/ondeadline/2009/08/hotel-claims-rape-victim-negligent-in-attack-in-its-garage.html">story</a>.
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<br />The <a href="http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/ci_13048639">Stamford Advocate</a> has a lengthier article, describing how the woman gave the guy her wallet, told him to go, and he proceeded to assault her while threatening to assault one her children.
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<br />Another <a href="http://www.connpost.com/ci_13048604">article </a>on the case.
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<br />Here's a letter I'll be mailing to Marriott Corporate today:
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<br /></span><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link style="font-family: verdana;" rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CAK8E1A%7E1.COS%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C02%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:100%;" ><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PostalCode"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="State"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="Street"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="address"></o:smarttagtype></span><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> <p style="font-style: italic; font-family: verdana;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Corporate Headquarters
<br />Marriott International
<br /><st1:address st="on"><st1:street st="on">10400 Fernwood Road</st1:street>
<br /><st1:city st="on">Bethesda</st1:city>, <st1:state st="on">Md.</st1:state> <st1:postalcode st="on">20817</st1:postalcode></st1:address></span></p><p style="font-style: italic; font-family: verdana;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><st1:address st="on"><st1:postalcode st="on">
<br /></st1:postalcode></st1:address></span> </p> <p style="font-style: italic; font-family: verdana;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-style: italic; font-family: verdana;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-style: italic; font-family: verdana;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">To Whom It May Concern:</span></p><p style="font-style: italic; font-family: verdana;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span></p> <p style="font-style: italic; font-family: verdana;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-style: italic; font-family: verdana;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Enclosed please find a Marriott pen I received as a free promotional item at an event I recently attended.</span></p><p style="font-style: italic; font-family: verdana;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span></p> <p style="font-style: italic; font-family: verdana;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-style: italic; font-family: verdana;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Upon reading that Marriott has decided to level allegations of negligence against a woman who was raped at gunpoint, in the presence of her two small children, in a Marriott-owned parking garage, I found myself so disgusted with your corporation that I don’t even want your freebies.</span></p><p style="font-style: italic; font-family: verdana;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span></p> <p style="font-style: italic; font-family: verdana;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=""> </span></span></p> <p style="font-style: italic; font-family: verdana;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Because I felt it would be negligent on my part to fail to alert people with whom I communicate on a regular basis, I’ve made a point of posting links to the articles regarding your treatment of rape victims to every social networking site to which I hold membership.</span></p> <span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:100%;" >
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<br /></span>knitwychhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568956616014771625noreply@blogger.com2