Knit Picks Sock Blanks

I’ve been a fan of Knit Picks on line store for quite awhile. I was introduced to it by my Wednesday night knitting group, several of whom band together with their orders in order to accomplish the free shipping price range. When I recently started getting several orders for sock blanks from my Etsy store I wondered why I was getting the orders instead of Knit Picks, especially since there’s a big sock yarn sale going on right now. A quick check showed me, the sale had run them out of on-hand sock blanks. And since one of the orders was for a woman who would be running a class on sock blank dying and needed them before Knit Picks would have them back in stock I was lucky enough to get the order.

It did point out something that had been mentioned before to me, that Knit Picks will only have limited quantities on hand when the sales begin and when they’re gone, you are expected to choose the items you want and they will notify you when it’s available again. Conveniently after the sale has ended. The items that were part of this discussion were the books, before the sale begins, several items usually just disappear from the site. Since I don’t purchase books from the site I can’t say whether that’s the case or not but I do know that if you want a specific yarn when a sale starts you’d better get in on the first day or it’s a toss-up as to whether it will still be available to you.

And, if you do miss out on the sock blanks the next time they go on sale you can always order from me at my Etsy shop.  ;>)

Talking to Strangers is Easier than you Thnk

I was in a craft store last night and overheard a couple of women discussing the fourth Doctor as they were selecting yarn. Always happy to butt in I approached and offered that if they were making the Doctor scarf there was a web site that had the colors and pattern definition. The grandmother had seen the site and she had picked up a couple of colors that didn’t correspond to the colors listed for the scarf. So, she had brought the granddaughter (the one who had requested the scarf) with her to the craft store to ensure she got the right colors.

We chatted about the scarf and the construction of it for a bit, the granddaughter is a petite little thing. I suggested she make the scarf twice as long as her granddaughter is tall to get the desired effect.

They both admired my solar system scarf since it was 12 degrees out and I was all bundled up. They wanted to know if I had made it and I told them I was going to have the pattern available on Ravelry in January, 2014.

So now I guess I need to get the pattern tweaked and get it out there for people now that I've started wearing the sample around. Lots of people have noticed it.

Doh! What was I thinking?

See that picture in the previous post with the swinging monkey afghan piece? Had to tear it all out. OK, I didn't have to tear it all out but I didn't feel like picking up 248 stitches after tearing out a dozen rows and struggling with getting them all going the right directions. So I just redid the border too.

Was forming one of the stitches incorrectly. If you look at the picture you can see a line of bars running up the right hand side instead of a smooth line of stitches moving over magically on the fabric.

Well, it's torn out now and I'm already further along than I was previously. Now I really need to get a wiggle on. This puts me even further behind than I was before. Drat!

And that Knitmeter is so lying on me. I've actually done almost 20 miles so far this year. I just don't like updating that app, it's too cumbersome.

No, I haven't dropped off the face of the earth

Although I have been distracted. For 3 whole years? ! ? How time flies when you're doing other stuff. Actually I've been watching a lot of TV and being depressed about the state of the world, my lack of success and why there's no significant other in my life. But an event can change your attitude about life in general. Recently an event happened peripherally to me that radically altered a lot of lives. Mine included. So on we go with renewed determination. I'm on Ravelry as SpaceWhisper and right now I'm working on a test knit for the Affable Knitter for a Swinging Monkey baby afghan. It's been slow going trying to read the written out instructions and it's always interesting to see how other peoples logic systems work. Here's how far I've gotten.

And I need to get a wiggle on. The requested completion date is 7/15/13. Which means I have to work on it for over an hour every day in order to make my stitch count for that date. That's 13 rows of 235 stitches every day I would be further along but didn't pay attention to the stitches that were forming under my hands and was doing one of the faux cable stitches incorrectly. It was an interesting effect but that's not what you're shooting for when doing a test knit. So frogged and restarted.

Ha! I've been invited...

to take part in a square exchange on Ravelry.

You always get this tingle when you're invited to do something. That tingle that says 'I'm special. People really like me.' That's your ego talking. In truth, I know that lots of stitchers on Ravelry have been invited to join this group but it will be a fun exercise (and get rid of some of this yarn stash).

The basic premise is that you make 11 (12, keep one for yourself) granny squares which are 12" on the side, you ship off 11 of them to the names of your group and all the people in that group will have enough squares to make a blankie, lap throw or what have you. I think this will be great, to see what other people are doing, what materials they are using and, as I said, use of some of the yarn stash that is hiding in the basement.


I just went through and repacked a bunch of that stuff. I keep thinking 'This has got to be getting smaller but I'm not seeing it. I think the main drawback is that 13 big plastic containers that are stuffed full of yarn. There are also ancillary cardboard boxes that are full of yarn and when I get rid of one of the cardboard boxes, it doesn't register as an accomplishment because the plastic containers are still there and still stuffed full of yarn.


And then, some people will donate yarn to me for my Project Linus blankets. A great, big ole Thank You to the people that do this, but where am I going to put it all? Guess I'll have to work faster.


I did get a couple of projects done for Project Linus from the last donation of yarn that I received. I had to go out and buy another skein of Hepplewhite white Lion Brand Homespun to finish the pattern on one. The things we do for charity.