Knit Night

Sorry I missed a few posts but I have been out and about in Portland. I went to the Tuesday night knit night at Yarn Garden and just like their pub knit night it was fantastic. The only drawback is it is only two hours, from six to eight pm. Everyone is great and it's fun to see all the projects.

I walked home from the knit night and found out it's just not a good idea to walk over the Hawthorne Bridge to home in ballet flats. Ouch. Maybe I should have entitled this Ouch 2.0!

Have remedied the situation by buying a pair of sneakers. Go ahead and laugh, but I didn't have a pair. Now I do.

The using up of the stash is coming along nicely, three, no four sweaters are in the pipeline and I'm working on learning how to get the pictures onto the computer. They and the first patterns will be here soon!

Regrets, Had a Few?

I love Regretsy, not afraid to say it. I know it seems a little mean, all that snarking and such, but remember these are crafts gone bad. Real bad. So bad, if it ain't actually the mess, it'll do until the mess gets here. I had heard about the site, and like many others I've met, thought it was a little mean. Well, until I looked at the regretsys on it.

Last winter I started making armwarmers and such and selling them at various places around town. I tend to be hyper-critical of my work, it's on of my many faults, along with sarcasm, sardonic remarks, forgetting to eat, (yes dear reader, I am one of those who actually forgets to eat. I only remember when I start feeling dizzy and light-headed.), occasional tardiness, (any potential employers reading this post disregard the last), and lack of finishing my knitting projects. (I'm working on the finishing of the knitting projects. The rest, I'm afraid, are here to stay.) Putting stuff I had made out there into the public domain is a hard one for me. I have to have things perfect when it comes to my knitting and that's just for me. Imagine what I'm like when I make stuff to sell. Well, it didn't work out too well. I don't know if it was the economy or the stores I was selling in but it just didn't go as well as I thought.

I don't know if it was the economy or the stores I was selling in but I just didn't sell as much as I thought I would. It's tricky when you're designing items to sell. What you like may not be what the public wants. Your pricing, while it is fair for you, may be too much for the public. The colours you choose may not be the colours the public wants. It's a sticky wicket, this crafting for the public. I'm not sure I'll do it again this coming winter. Kind of like dating. (Ego bruise after ego bruise.)

I'm not sure is more ego bruising, dating or selling your work. Probably dating. I tend to believe in my work and will readily admit when it's below par. The dating is a little more tricky. After as many years as I've been dating I still don't understand the whole thing. Please gentlemen, what exactly do you want?

After my divorce in 2008 I decided not to date. (Hey, if you'd been married to my ex you wouldn't want anything to do with the opposite sex either.) I took a year and ignored everything that was male and not gay or related to me. It was a good year. Then, I took another. I decided to keep it going. Things were just easier that way. You don't have to dress for anyone but yourself, you don't have to worry about making someone else happy, and you don't have to fight with anyone over stupid piddly things.

Also, I have never ever been able to figure out what men want. Every friend of mine who is a guy tells me they don't want the high maintenance, overly made up, always going shopping girl. (Eyebrow raises quizzically.) So when they do meet a girl/woman who is the exact opposite of that they don't choose her. Maybe she's not as pretty as those women you see in movies but, then, you gentlemen are not as handsome as some of the men we see in the movies. Hmmmmmmm. I'm sensing a bit of a quandry here people. Just like some of the crafts on Regretsy. People say they want well made, well designed crafts but then they buy something that resembles, well, to put it kindly, something Cindy Lou Who rejected. If a Dr. Seuss character wouldn't wear it, neither should you.

What all this is leading to is my very red faced admission that I dipped my toe into the dating pool this week and was immediately rejected. By the sensitive guy, his description, not mine. I'm still on the fence as to whether this is laughable or pitiful. Ummmmm, yeah. I sent out an e-mail, he responded, asked me to send him a picture, I did, and I'm still waiting. (crickets chirp) I didn't even rate a polite rejection e-mail. How very sensitive of him.

I have been told by random people that I'm cute. Some have said adorable. Some have even said pretty. Evidently the artistic sensitive guy did not think so. I had no emotional investment, just interest. A polite e-mail saying something to the effect of sorry, you're not my type would have been fine. But silence, well, that's just insulting. Kind of like seeing your stuff sitting there on the shelf while the bad stuff, or the badly made stuff, sells. Ouch.

So much for dating for this year. I've put a moratorium on it. I think I'd rather give the crafting another chance. Somewhere out there has to be the perfect fit for my knits.

Pub Knit Night

Sorry I didn't post last night but I went to Yarn Garden's pub knit night at the Barley Mill. Too much fun. I've been to some other knit nights around town but they weren't the right ft for me so to speak. I tend to believe that a knitting group should be fun and this one was! If you haven't gone you should try it. Check yarngarden.net for the next meet-up.

Well, my new yarn arrived an I immediately started swatching! I think it will make a lovely fall pullover. I will be good from now on, I will be good from now on, etc, etc, etc. Have to get rid of all this stash!

That's all for tonight!

One Down, So Many More To Go

The Stash Slimdown is on it's way with one down, only nine gazillion, (broad estimate), to go! I finished the Quick Cabled Cowl today and even went so far as to put the buttons on instead of leaving them for later. Unfortunately summer has come to Portland so it'll be awhile before I can actually wear it. Oh well.

The Scrap Cardigan is well on it's way, about 30% done. Never again will I let my stash get this out of control. On the up side, I'll have plenty to keep me busy while I'm looking for a job. (Not an easy task in this second Great Depression we're in.) I would post pictures but I forgot to take them today and the light is gone so it'll have to wait till tomorrow.

There is one thing I managed to get done this week: Treat of the Week!

This week's is a little different but trust me, once you try it you'll be hooked. It's the Palomapita bark from Sahagun Chocolates in Portland. Made of 70% dark chocolate with sea salt and toasted corn with just a pinch of chile powder, this may be the best chocolate treat I have ever tried. More savoury than sweet and the perfect balance of smooth and crunch. Divine!

Find them at sahagunchocolates.com. Enjoy!

The Queue

Okay, finally went through the patterns that I have and have found on the internet and come up with a knitting queue. Will try to post it on Ravelry too. Will be honest and admit it probably will not go in this order! Whatever happens in life you can be sure the Knittin Kitten will be honest about her knittin. (Ok! Ok! I was weak! I went on Ebay and bought those 7 skeins of pretty fuschia yarn! I couldn't help it! It was so pretty! And free shipping. Don't worry, I'll use it to make that retro style cardigan in the new issue of Knitty!)

Here they are:

1. Quick cabled cowl - Gabrielle O'Leary, free, Ravelry (Malabrigo worsted in granite. )

2. Scrap Cardigan - Tracy Hudson, free, Ravelry (Is a child's pattern but I'm a pretty small adult

so I'm going to modify it to fit me. This is the pattern that gave me the idea for the Stash

Slimdown Jumper. I have some Di've Autunno in dark blue I'll use for the base.)

3. Mr. Greenjeans - Amy Swenson Knitty Fall 2007 (Have Cascade 220 that I will use for the

cardigan, also have some Dream in Color in green that I'll use for another.)

4. Plain and Simple Pullover - Veera Valimaki, free, Ravelry (I have a bunch of Rowan Cashcot-

ton 4-ply in blue.)

5. Stormy Weather Top - JessikaAva, free, Ravelry (I'm not sure what I'll use for this one but

it's so cute I couldn't resist and it will use up a lot of my vintage mother of pearl buttons I've

been collecting.)

6. Squirrely - Berroco.com, free (This is another one where I'm not sure what I'll use but I'm

sure there's something in my stash that I can use. I know there's a big squirrel on the front

of the jumper but come on. I live in Portland for goodness sake. This won't be the oddest

thing you'll see.)

7. Women's Fairisle Pullover - Melissa Leapman for Cascade Yarns, free ( I know I have more

than enough Cascade 220 lying around for this one.)

8. Ephemera Pullover - Berroco.com, free (this is another one where I don't know what I'll use

but I'll find something. Too cute to pass up.)

9. St. James - Tonya Wagner, free, Ravelry (Cute and curvy t top with little bowtie at the side

of the neck. Cascade 220 again!)

10. $5 in Paris - Anna Peck, free, Ravelry (Love stripes. Love raglans. Stripes + raglan = Love/

using up my stash!)

11. Arbor - Melissa Burt, free, Ravelry (This is a super sweet top with a lovely lace pattern and

cable rib. Have actually started this one already with some Filatura Di Crosa 501 that I

had in my stash. Will post pictures when done.)

12. Updatedleaft - knittingschooldropout, free, Ravelry (Best designer name ever! Will most

likely modify this one to have 3/4 length sleeves instead of original cap sleeves as my arms

are too skinny for cap sleeves.) (Ask my dentist's assistant. When I went for my root canal

she went on and on about how skinny my arms are. I know. I can't help it.)

13. Shawl Collar Cardigan - Mari Lynn Patrick, free, ? (Can't remember where I go this one, do

a lot of pattern searching on line late at night. This causes problems because the building

across the way is doing construction, starting at 7 AM. This is legal, I checked. This causes

me to get little or no sleep as I'm a light sleeper and once I'm up, I'm up. I hope this ends

soon. Will most likely indulge myself and use Cascade's Eco Wool. Only takes two!)

14. Nimbus Cadigan - free, Berroco (Thank goodness Berroco has so many cute, free patterns.

Don't know what I'll use for the cardi but I'll find something.)

15. Gelsomina Hat - free, Berroco (Can't resist a cardigan, can't resist a well made hat. I'm sure

I'll be the cutest girl at the Easter Parade in this one.)

16. Owl Hat - The Moot Soul, free, Ravelry (I have a problem with owls. I can't stop collecting

them. I can trace this back to my Grandma Smith, my Dad's mom. Can't stop collecting the

owls!)

17. Georgie's Corsage - free, Rowan (Technically not a knitting pattern but it will use up all the

scraps of fabric I have and then I can pin it onto a sweater. So there.)

18. Mademoiselle Necklace - free, Berroco (Finally a way to use up sock and 4-ply yarn that

involve socks, armwarmers, or baby stuff and is jewelry I can wear without aggravating my

allergy to metal. And is fashionable.)

19. Hoot! - Ysolda Teague, free (Teeny tiny owl to be used for a hairpin or brooch. Ysolda

always comes up with the best things.)

20. Small Owl - Edie Kim, free, Ravelry (I told you I had a problem with the owls. If cuteover-

load.com ever posts a cute picture of an owl my head will probably explode from the cute.

For some people it's frogs, others it's puppies, for me it's owls. Can't help it.)

21. Ollie the Owl - free, Rowan (I know. I told you I have a problem. Someday my friends will

most likely stage an intervention. Oh, wait, no they won't, they're my friends. They like

stuff as much as I do. Ok, then, carry on.)

So this is it. I take full responsiblity if I've spelt anyone's name incorrectly. All projects appear in no particular order and I reserve the right to change my mind about doing any of them. So there. Tune in tomorrow for the ongoing adventures of the Kitten and the TREAT OF THE WEEK. Hope all of you have gone and tried the cookies at Two Tarts!

Here's a question for Portland: are there any men out there who are single and not odd in a bad way/full issues/rude/toting baggage/uncommunicative? Haven't met any yet. Lucky thing I moved to Portland because of my friends and Powells Books!

Not much happening today

Some days it just doesn't pay to get out of bed. You should just stay where you are, cozy up with a book, and forget about the outside world. Watch too many episodes of whatever comfort television show works for you and eat a BLT. Sorry kids but nothing worked out quite right for me today. We'll talk again tomorrow. Knitting wasn't even good today, finally hit knitter's block. Sorry.

Almost Done!

Ok, I've almost come to the end of the organizing and am I glad! (Took some time out today to do some job hunting which, in this economy, seems like a sisyphian task.) I've got boxes of yarn, divided into: enough for single yarn project, odds and ends, and colour families. (There will be a box count and run-down of potential projects on Wednesday.) Did manage to get a lot done on my pillow and should be ready to post pictures this week. It's fun to do something little like this and have it done in a day or two, instant gratification!

This Friday I'll be going to the Yarn Garden's knit pub night. I haven't been before but I've heard a lot of good things about it. Check back in for a review!

Littles is enjoying the new apartment configuration as only a cat having more places to perch can. I'm enjoying having more room and the prospect of having to buy a new piece of furniture, I'm woefully lacking in seating in my little place! Well, comfortable seating. Sigh, trip to Ikea I guess.