Okay...so my head doesn't explode, I'll start with I'M GOING TO NEW YORK TOMORROW FOR VOGUE KNITTING LIVE! Big deal, right? Just a bunch of crazy cat ladies who get excited about yarn, right?
Well, I am one of those crazy cat ladies. And I love yarn. And some of the greatest characters I have ever met involve yarn and knitting. So there. Moving on. Here is the preview I wrote for it...I can't wait to see my friend Kelly Fleek and all of the organizers of Vogue LIVE and the instructors and...gosh. It's like the Oscars for knitting...EVERYONE is there. And there is me, with my fedora and the little card that says "SCOOP" sticking out, shoving a microphone into the faces of the important and getting a nugget for the next story.
http://www.examiner.com/article/vogue-knitting-live-new-york-preview?cid=db_articles
When last we spoke, I was finding focus. I think there was a weak day after that where I really, truly lost focus. I was sitting on the couch, knowing I had things to do but knowing also that I was not getting up because I could keep telling myself I didn't care, and I would keep believing it. Transition is funny. I ran across a video of Faith Hill singing "I Surrender All." It's a gospel hymn about giving up the struggle and realizing you can't do it alone. For some reason, I heard it inside and out, loud and clear.
So I focused. I finished three knitting projects in one day, including a little iPhone cover and a hat that I was making out of Malabrigo Rios. I wasn't sure of the hat, but a friend of mine said he wanted one, so I started asking typical knitter questions.
"What color?" Something normal.
"Slouchy or beanie?" Beanie.
"Are you allergic to anything?" No.
So I finished the hat and finally was able to give it to the recipient yesterday. Try not to focus on the eye-candy...I have insanely good-looking friends...and just look at the hat.
First thing he said when he tried it on was, "It's so SOFT!" That's Malabrigo Rios for you. When I saw him leaving my house, he was wearing it under his other winter hat. It was the grownup version of the woobie.
So then I finished this simple cowl that was tying up my size US9 circular needles (and I wanted to start the Scotty Hat because I brought it up in conversation three weeks ago...seriously...so I needed the needles). I also finished this little iPhone pouch, pictured here. Oh, and a gauge swatch.
Here's the thing with the gauge swatch. I did a figure-8 cast on of 80 stitches and knit until I finished up the little ball of Cascade Eco+ that I had left from the Yarn Crawl pattern last year. I wanted to see how thick it would be if I felted it. This is probably my favorite yarn of all time...it drapes nicely, the colors are beautiful, the wool isn't itchy...nothing but good good goodness.
Then, I went to felt the swatch.
It started out at 7 inches tall by 9 inches wide. It ended 4.5 inches tall by 9 inches wide. Huh.
Part of the problem, I'm sure, is me. I put it in cold water, went upstairs from the basement, went back down two minutes later, and I drained the basin. Duh. Clearly, coffee was not the order of the morning...a felted project in cold water is a bit of an impossible challenge.
Then. I checked on it about every ten seconds. Another duh...let the thing do its job! But whatever...it was a learning experience and I now know to use a different, thinner yarn with larger than called-for needles to make what I want to make. And I have a beautiful prom clutch for the next time I...you know...go to the prom. I'm 38 and a half now, so I may get asked this year...
Anyway, I'm bringing the Scotty hat and the second pink sock with me to Vogue LIVE, and that's it. That should leave plenty of room for yarn if, perhaps, a ball or two were to jump into my bag. See you there...I will be live-tweeting, updating facebook, and writing about ten articles over the weekend. My email address is amy.e.kaspar@gmail.com and my phone number is 708-912-7338...feel free to contact me at any time over the weekend. Yay!
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