Drop, Frog, and Roll: How Knitting is Life

I always wonder if people think it's weird that I am so into knitting. Why do I always go on and on about yarns, socks, and some other thing that involves knitting. Half of my usernames involve knitting. Everything in my room has some sort of knitting thing involved. Why has knitting become a huge thing in my life?

I learned how to knit when I was 12. It wasn't because of a grandmother or other relatives. It was all because I was being a brat to my daycare person and she said to me that if I didn't behave I would not be able to learn how to knit. Don't ask me how this worked, but it did. That day started the long journey of squares, scarfs, and lots of mistaken identities of other things. It wasn't until college when an exasperated friend that owned two god-awful scarves bought me Debbie Stroller's "Stitch and Bitch" did I move from scarf hell. Confidence grew. Information of better yarns were acquired. Yarn snobbiness was created in my habits. Another friend who really wanted funky socks was the one that inspired my sock knitting and changed the whole entire landscape of my knitting. I joined a knitting group. Everything became knitting themed.

I became an avid knitter.

But why? I believe it's because whatever you do, the skill is still your skill. Even when I did tons of those mistaken projects, I was still a knitter. I can make mistakes, and still go from it unscathed. If I absolutely hate a project, I can undo (or frog) it and start again.

And the fact that a craft can take a mistake and make it art...










(dropped stitches at the right hand corner)

Is amazing...I love it. As a clutzy, prone-to-mistakes human, I enjoy the fact that a mistake can be art, a mistake can be changed, a mistake can help make a better project. It makes life more interesting in my book.

Meltdown #1,205

So I had my obligatory semester meltdown today.

How do I describe it but hitting a brick wall.

Today was already emotional for the fact that I woke up at 4:50 a.m. not wanting to (who ever wants to wake up at 4:50 a.m.?), then remembering this is the last time I will because this is my last week at the library. I have been middle of the road about the job ending. I am not a morning person, but I love doing what I was doing. Sometimes I would get bored (I am too productive for my own good), but I still loved it. And so as I was thinking about this job ending, I start suddenly thinking numbers in my head. Oh crap. Oh boy. Wait. How am I going to afford living off just this one job? Wait...Stitches West is coming up...how am I going to afford the yarn and pay for my bills this month? Woah...not possible. So, that means I can't buy yarn. After a year (long, torturous, broken-twice) of not buying yarn, I can't even break the fast. Are. You. Kidding. Me?

So, was already sad. Then got even more sad as we had our department meeting and had to brainstorm of how to cut costs (Realization kicking in: people still don't understand that literacy is important and Government doesn't care about libraries/education). Then saying goodbye to great coworkers (they gave me a gift card to Borders). Then realizing, again, that I won't be coming back again while getting things ordered for my old supervisor to come back from leave.

Only sunny silver lining: my kids were so good. And I finally saw the moment information became knowledge. I love it. And they earned their cupcakes.

Then coming home to find an assignment due tonight (or yesterday...could never figure out the midnight deadline thing...is it tonight or was it due this morning when I was blissfully sleeping?). It was all my fault. I didn't look at my calendar. I didn't look closely to the class announcements (none of my professors really used it without using the email function as well). Luckily it was a quick assignment and after calming down I was able to get it done (although I feel like I am missing something)...but still.

Brick walls hurt.

But don't worry: I will straighten my nose (like I always do) and be okay. Just need to get the crazy out before I can get back to the scheduled programming.

Okay, done.

Knitting For Katherine website

 Hey all,

So, I have a very good friend (best friend, really) that is really sick. Because of stupid circumstances, she was having problems with getting treatment for her sickness. So I decided to try to help. All of the proceeds (and I mean all) go to my friend. So, check it out!

Also, if you are crafty and have anything that you feel you are ready to give up for a good cause, contact me. I will gladly take donations.


http://www.etsy.com/shop/knittingforkatherine

Stitches West and the Dreaded YD

Every February there is a knitting and yarn convention in Santa Clara. I was introduced to this amazing event about two years ago, and since then my yarn purchasing habits has revolved around this event. Now for those that do not know this event or have never been to this event, just imagine to yourself a huge warehouse (and I mean huge) filled to the maximum of your favorite things/hobbies/foods/etc. Imagine the joy: the pure, unadulterated, full-of-wonder joy that would fill your heart, stomach, body. It would be enough to explode, right?

Well...that's what Stitches West is for us knitters and fiber aficionados.

The rules about Stitches West (and there are rules...duh, it's a humongous convention center filled with yarn and knitting/crochet patterns) is that 1. you don't bring your credit card. Not even for emergencies because when you see a yarn that is absolutely to die for you will think it is an emergency to get that skein (ball) of yarn. And if you do have to bring a credit card, it better have the lowest limit possible ($50 or so). Because...you will be spending up to $500 at the end of it (what happened last year).

2. Bring your true friends. Don't think you will benefit from going by yourself or with acquaintences. Because your true friends will say, "Put that gorgeous purple yarn down...no...no, no, you have three more like that at home. PUT. IT. DOWN..." They will save you money and the dread of "Why the hell do I have all this purple yarn?"

3. Take a breath. Yes, I know, there are millions (I bet there are...come on, it gets majorly crowded at the Santa Clara Convention Center) of women milling around the aisles that may or may not steal that precious yarn that you have been coveting online for three months. But, it's okay. That's why vendors have more than just one.

4. And last, get there early. Doors open at 10 a.m. You better buy your ticket online two days before and camp out there at 9 a.m. Or, if you want to be first in line, at 7 a.m.

* * *

Last year I went yarn CRAZY. I bought not $100 dollars, not $200 dollars, but $500 dollars of yarn. I had to reorganize my stash baskets in order to squeeze all the yarn I bought into them. I am not fortunate to have a yarn room *cough cough I love you who do cough cough*. While reorganizing I realized that I had tons of yarn that I had bought at my first Stitches (so about two years ago thene). Looking at the pile of new yarn and the pile of old yarn I realized I need to stop buying and start knitting. So I put myself on a Yarn Diet (YD). No more buying yarn until the next Stitches West.

Well, with the exception of yarn bought as gifts and a sale that I could not pass up, I have successfully gotten through my yarn diet. And I had gotten through most of my old yarn. It was a huge task, but I did it! I got a lot of cardigans, socks, and other stuff made out of it. Some of them turned out to be absolutely yucky (I hate making sweaters...), and some turned out to be fabulous (I still love Blue Moon Fibers Socks that Rock...no matter how many skeins of them I went through this year).

Because of this perspective of what I bought two years ago, I decided that I should really reorganize my yarn stash baskets so I know how much room I have and to know what I do NOT need. I organized it so that stuff that I bought last year would be merged the older stuff. This is the result:

So...yeah...that's a lot of yarn. And that's just one basket. I have two other ones. Luckily one of the baskets is now a little empty, so now I can fill it up for Stitches West!

Well, and this year I will also be going to Stitches South in Atlanta, GA. So...I guess the YD continues...I think I can handle it.

I think...we'll see.