You would think I would learn after 37 years, that you can't bend, change, or break people or things to your will. Let's see - I tried to change Kenny - get him to stop lying, gambling, stealing from the cheerleaders, and taking prescription diet pills that made him crazy, and tried to get him to start shaving, go to work on time, show up in court when subpoenaed, wear a suit to court, get rid of the tie with the boy peeing into a bucket on it, and generally, be a nicer person. Hmmm - did any of that work? No, of course not. What I should have done instead of magically trying to change him into another person, was to dump him, and find that person that I was trying to make him be.

And, I've now applied that life lesson to my yarn. Yes, I have been dumping yarn.

First, I originally bought four skeins of Anne in a red, purple, orange, and pink colorway to make Geyl. As you all know, I ended up making Geyl in Koigu. Instead of keeping the Anne, I RETURNED IT. Well, I exchanged it for another color, but the point is, I could have kept that Anne in my stash, but nope - off it went when it didn't do what I told it to.

Then, I went in search of Kersti. I wanted to make the Kersti Pimlico shrug from Knit2Together (sorry no pic - I'm at work, and I can't find a pic online). I hadn't looked at the pattern in awhile, and I just grabbed the book, and went shopping. I assumed that Kersti yarddage was comparable to the KPPPM - but I was so wrong. Kersti is only 107 yards, and the darn shrug calls for 14-15 balls - I liked the shrug, but my like did not add up to $175. But, I had Kersti on the brain, and I tried to come up with a smaller project. Kersti is a DK weight yarn, 5.5 stitches to the inch. I thought I could get 4.5 stitches to the inch, and remake my Razorshell capelet that I had originally knit in Kureyon, and had also succumbed to the moth infestation. So, I bought five skeins, and went home, found the pattern. Oops - it's supposed to be 4 stitches to the inch. I plowed on anyway, and cast on on 10's. You know that I really wanted this to work, because it's a picot cast on - and 324 stitches. But, alas, it looked like crap, and out it came. Not willing to give up on this relationship quite yet, I went down a needle size, and cast on again. I still didn't love the way it looked -

but, I knit on - until I realized, I was knitting a moebius. Unbelievable -

So, I did some soul searching, and dumped the Kersti - it was not a 4 stitch to the inch yarn, it never would be, and I just couldn't make it do what I wanted it to do. Instead of trying to make Kersti into the worsted weight yarn that it's not, I've decided that when the mood strikes me to make another capelet, I'm going to by yarn that's just right for the pattern. It was an easy break-up - no hard feelings. Kersti and I will meet again someday - at 5.5 stitches per inch.

Liar Liar Pants on Fire

Remember that post, oh, just a few days ago, where I proclaimed to the world my New Year's resolutions - no more cops, and knit from stash? Well, I've been wandering around blog land, reading everyone's New Year's Resolution - knit from stash, don't buy yarn, finish started projects, yadda yadda, and I had an epiphany. For me, that's all a big ol' lie (not the cops part, that's for real for real) - I truly have no intention of trying to knit from my stash - I love to buy yarn, and dammit, I'm gonna buy it - to my little heart's content.

So, here are my true resolutions -

• I'm going to buy yarn, and I accept that.
• I'm going to buy a lot of yarn, and I accept that too - in fact, I'm counting down the days until Maryland Sheep and Wool with glee.
• I also accept that I may never knit the yarn that I buy - and I'm really ok with that, too.

It's healthier than crack, doesn't pack on the pounds like chocolate, and in actuality, it's not bankrupting me (that would be my gas bill every month). I did a lot of incredibly stupid things last year, but buying too much yarn was not one of them. I did a lot of costly things last year (like lending a schmuckhead $2500), and buying yarn didn't even come close to that.

So, for me to give up something that truly makes me happy would simply be foolhardy. And, I resolve, never to even try to trick myself into thinking that I'm going to pass on that new skein of Anne, or that no repeat Koigu.

I may need a diet, or abstinence, from a lot of things, but yarn is not one of them.

Silk Rhapsody Sparkle Scarf

Some things you just can't plan.

Oh, there was sort of a plan - I knew how wide I wanted it to be, and I swatched, and planned accordingly. I knew that I only wanted it to be a one skein project, so I knew, pretty much, how long it was going to be. But sometimes, what happens in between A and B - you just can't predict. If I had attempted to create a pattern, a stitch count, a formula, to get this Silk Rhapsody to argyle like it did in the beginning, and then zizag over to horizontal stacking, it would have been a purely impossible undertaking. Some things, say impromptu argyling, just happen -- without even trying. And some things, like a sharp turn, and sudden stacking, are unavoidable, and unpreventable.

And the result?
Not where I thought I'd end up, but please nonetheless.

I'm Back!

I had to take a time out. It's over, I'm back, 'nuff said.

After finishing the back of Lucie, on those itty bitty 2's, with my very very pretty Koigu,
knitting life became all about instant gratification. For those of you who don't know, I started working at Rosie's on Saturdays (uh oh, I'm becoming a client - client with a drug problem starts selling drugs to fund drug problem . . . hmmmm, I do see a correlation here), so when a new yarn comes into the store, I have to have it - and I have to see it knit immediately. So, here's my December knitting -

From right to left, we have a Fir Cone Scarf in Artyarns Silk Rhapsody. You can't see it too well in either picture that I took, but its a silk wool blend with a flashy sparkly thingy in it. I've never been one for sparkle knitting, but you know what, it's the new year, and dammit, I'm gonna sparkle.
Now that it's almost done, and I still haven't finished my niece's cardigan, I think I'm going to give it to her when we have our sleepover this weekend, and I'll just have to sparkle vicarious.

Next up is, yum, more Brooks Farm Four Play. This is the yarn I originally bought for Clapotis, and now that I've seen it knit up, I'm glad I didn't go forth with it for the Clap - it's just not Clap-like. Anyway, this oh so simple Tube is the turtleneck shrug from Scarf Style. On one hand, I'm a bit concerned that when it's done it's just going to be a boob enhancer, but on the other hand, sometimes the shop is so cold on Saturday, I really want the extra neck and sleeves, and I'll have to deal with the boob thing. Although, I could just wear a warmer sweater. Whatever, this was the simple knitting I needed in December, where I really just needed to dumb everything down.

And, then, finally, is my neckwarmer in Schaeffer's Esperanza, in, what else, Katherine Hepburn. There were 2 skeins of it in the shop. During the Christmas rush, many picked it up, fondled it, put it back, and I sighed - it's still there if I want it. Then, while my back was turned, someone bought one skein. I had to make my move, and I bought it - and the same evening knit the feather and fan neck cowl from Mel Clark/Tracy Ulman's Knit2Together. And, there's enough yarn left over for a pair of mitts - I knit the mitt without a pattern, and my thumb kind of went wonky, so I have to rip it back, but the bottom of the mitt is feather and fan, and it makes a nice little combo.

So, that's what I've been up to in knitting land. I started another secret project, testing knitting for a friend with a book deal - wonder who that could be? But, sssh, that's all I can say about that project - but that will probably tie me up for the month, but I'm very happy to do it. It's going to be beautiful.

So, it's the New Year, and I have some resolutions. 1. No more cops. 2. Knit from Stash. 3. No more cops. 4. If I can't knit from Stash, it had better be worth it. and, 4. No more cops.

Does anyone really need to hear about my December? No, I didn't think so.

Hope everyone had a very happy holiday season!