A Little Yarn On The Side

I just got back from teaching a friend to knit. To be fair, she was able to knit 30 years ago, so it was just a matter of remembering, so I don't really deserve much credit here. I did show her some of the sweaters I've made over the years to inspire her, even though we're actually working on squares for the Warm Up America project for her stepdaughter's Girl Scout project and 49 squares is going to take some time. But I wanted to open possibilities for her and inspire her to stick with knitting after the blanket is done. Or I think I did. The other possibility is that it would be easier to justify a room full of yarn if all of my friends ALSO had rooms full of yarn..... Exactly when does "helping" end and "enabling" begin,,,,,,,?

This year I have high stash-burning goals. What am I working on? which doesn't qualify as either yarn or fabric. I have become completely obsessed with the darn thing. I guess I was finding lace knitting just a bit too speedy or something. This is what it will look like when done and that little green tag explains why I have more than one. Mark anything in the craft world 50% off and I'm a lost woman. Theo is completely unimpressed by the new hobby and Calisto is uncharacteristically lobbying for a new sewing project and she's right, of course. This is Andy's Valentines gift. Luckily, the box he's making me for my knitting needles isn't finished either, so we will be spending Valentine's Day making gifts for each other. It sounds a bit like an O. Henry story, but I promise I have not sold all my knitting needles to buy flannel to make pajamas for Andy. I love him dearly and everything, but my rosewoods???????

So the bad news is, the cold is still hanging on. The good news is the February Project of the Month is DONE!!! I'd be gloating about getting it done in the first two weeks of the month if it hadn't actually been languishing in the craft bin for about 5 years. But, it's done, washed, and ironed. Now I just have to figure out where I put the other one. It's probably off somewhere with the pajama top having a terrific laugh about my organizational skills.... I even did a little work on the baby blanket I did say "little," didn't I? Actually, there's a little more done than it appears--the blue I've been working with tonight is almost the exact shade as the ink used for stamping. A little scrounging in the sewing room has revealed that for some inexplicable reason, I have 3 copies of this blanket kit. Three--of the exact same blanket. I vaguely remember buying this on clearance, so maybe it's not just yarn sales that make one take tempora...

Those with good memories will remember that on January 1 I allowed myself to order yarn for one project for myself--along with a couple gifts, one of which the yarn is still out of stock so it might be ordered on January 1 of 2010--to make the Kauni cardigan (free pattern PDF here ). The rainbow colorway has been on backorder, but I placed the order anyway. I just received an email from WEBS today--the yarn is in and on it's way to me!!!! New yarn is coming!!!! New yarn is coming and it isn't for gift knitting!! In a few days there will be a box on our doorstep containing yarn and it will all be mine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Obviously, knitting only from stash doesn't always bring out the best sharing tendencies in a knitter.........

I don't have a picture yet, but the pink blanket is done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can now work on SOMETHING ELSE!!!! I spent yesterday in bed with a cold which gave me plenty of knitting time. You know you might be an obsessed knitter when you get sick and your first thought it, "Yippee!!! A day of rest and knitting!"

This followed me home from the yarn store...... But in my defense, I didn't buy yarn, and I bought the magazine for this pattern which will use yarn I already have. And I learned one very important lesson yesterday: Yarn diets are all fine and dandy, but it's easier to behave oneself in a yarn store if one only has $10.37 in one's pocket.

A friend is helping her stepdaughter with the "Warm Up America" project as part of a girl scout project, so my friend has asked me to go along with her to pick out yarn. I get to go somewhere where they sell yarn!!!! I get to go pick up and fondle yarn that is for sale!!!! I get to help pick out yarn colors for a project!!!! I get to go to the checkout counter carrying yarn!!!! I get to walk out of the store with yarn!!!!! AND THIS IS ALL ALLOWED!!!!!!!!! (And I think I'll be turning over my credit card to Andy before I leave, just in case........)