Retail Therapy

I hate to shop. No wait, I love to shop. I mean I hate to shop for clothes, but love to shop for yarn. When someone says, "Let's go shopping!" I don't think mall or clothes or shoes or furniture (ok, sometimes I do think shoes). I think yarn. Where's the nearest yarn store?

I haven't bought a new article of clothing since, let me think. . .last summer! My closet is half filled with tired, ill-fitting clothes, and my shoes are falling apart. I hate my wardrobe.

The den closet, on the other hand, is filled with vibrant, soft, luscious yarn - all waiting to be handled, squished, sniffed and eventually knit into something equally vibrant, soft and luscious (and sniffy). As soon as I use up one ball of yarn, I replace it with 3 more. I have more skeins of yarn than I have pairs of shoes, and that's saying something. I love my stash!

Last week, I realized I have a problem. I told my husband I was going to the post office. Truth. Then I made a side trip to the yarn store. I just wanted to have a peek around (honestly, that's all) to see if there was anything new.

There was.

Oh boy was there!

Would I like a basket? No thank you, I'm just looking.

But I couldn't keep my hands off the yarn.

Malabrigo Twist!

Malabrigo Sock!

Jojoland Melody!














I walked out of the store with 4 new hanks/balls. But before I did, the shop worker asked if I wanted a bag to carry it in.

I said yes.

And then I said, "It'll be easier to hide it from my husband that w--."

I paused, my mouth still forming the unfinished word, shame filling my soul. Shop guy stopped, looked up at me and said, "You don't know how many times I hear that in this shop."

Oh yes I do.

Would you like to see what I've done with some of my stash?

Miller's Hat (rav link)
Yarn: Cascade 220

Sideways Grande Hat (rav link)
Yarn: Malabrigo Twist

TTL Mystery Sock '09 (rav link)
Yarn: Jojoland Melody Superwash

Ulmus Rectangle (rav link)
Yarn: Shaefer Yarn Nichole, Pagewood Farm Glacier Bay

Tiny Elephant Terrors

One day, about two years ago, my dear friend told me in secret that she was going to have a baby.

"What joy!" I thought.

And then I wondered what I would make for the little darling? A blanket? Yes a blanket would be good - let's go with that. The days and months passed and I held on to the blanket idea.

"I've got plenty of time", I reassured myself.

"I'm sure I can find the perfect pattern tonight", I said as I turned on the TV.

"No worries, I'll go to the yarn store tomorrow", a forgotten statement before I even finished it.

"I can whip one out quick as that!" I lied to myself.

And so the days and months continued to pass until one day, a couple of weeks before the due date, I sat myself down and gave me a talking to. "No blanket will make it off your needles in time for this baby. Have you forgotten how slow you are? Do you not remember that sweater you promised your sister last Christmas that still isn't finished?!" And so I bonked myself on the head and decided I needed to take a different route.

Something simple, perhaps a toy. Something quick, that won't annoy. (Boo! bad attempt at rhyming.)

Amigurumi looked interesting, simple and quick. And a tiny elephant would be adorable. So I set forth to make the cutest little toy animal a baby girl could want.


Or, in other words. . .

Last August. . .no, wait. . .the August before that, in 2008, I set about to make a cute little crocheted toy for Jordyn's soon-to-be-born baby.

3 1/2 inches and 17 months later I finally finished it.

Thank you, thank you.

Let's just say me and amigurumi are not friends. And that this little project just reinforced my dislike for sewing (my apologies to the new sewing machine sitting unused for 3 years now (or is it 4?), and to my husband who was sweet enough to buy it for me when I asked for one). Eight separate pieces, crocheted and placed and sewn together. . .and then ripped out and placed and sewn again. Add to this misery my amateur status (which I thought I had overcome, but apparently not). Instead of using my brain - and putting two and two together and thinking ahead - and leaving nice long ends to use for sewing the pieces together, I cut short ends, ends too short to use for anything. Why? You tell me. I have no good answer. It was so long ago. This meant that I would end up with at least twice as many ends to weave in and hide.

So I gave up.

But last night, upon realizing that I would be seeing Jordyn and her sweet Eedy in a couple of days, I set about to tackle the beast. And tackle I did. Deep into the night. All to bring you this tiny accomplishment.

Cute, no?

Remember: 3 1/2 inches tall.

I hope it was worth it.

Booger Bruise and Other Random Thoughts

1. I looked down at my leg and there it was - a booger bruise. A bump, blue and black and red, with a tinge of purple. Later, it will turn green, then yellow. Booger colors. It's new, and I have no idea how I got it.

2. I have a new primary class. I mean I have my old primary class back. My old sunbeams are my new CTR 5's. How cool is that? One boy said to me, "You were my favorite sunbeam teacher". Thanks kiddo, I was your only sunbeam teacher.

3. My hands are covered in elephant skin.

4. The Cat hates when humans whistle. One day I will record on video how supremely annoyed he gets when we whistle. Violently annoyed. It's supremely hilarious to the humans.

5. Time for some knit pics. I forgot to photograph half of my finished Christmas projects before hastily sending them off. Here are the ones I didn't forget.

A hat and scarf set (ravelry link) for Jake.

A hat (ravelry link) for Elise.

6. This picture makes me think turnip. It doesn't look anything like a turnip. But I still think turnip when I see it.

7. An accidental upload. Random. But too cute to delete.
And there you have it.

Merry Christmas!

May your every wish come true.