Knitting 911. What is your emergency?

The Knitting Niece: "Aunt Angela, it's me. I have a problem. We are in the car driving to Georgia today and I was knitting. The stitches on my needle are too tight and I can't get them to go anywhere and I lost my crochet hook and I don't know what to do. So, when you get this message, please call my dad's cell phone."

Aunt Angela, calling back after getting the message: "Hi, hon. Okay, your stitches are too tight? Are you pulling too hard when you wrap your yarn?"

TKN: "Um, yes, I think I shouldn't pull it so hard."

AA: "Okay, so take your needle and try to wiggle it in to the stitch. You might have to use your fingers to pull the stitch up a little so you can get the tip of the needle in."

TKN: "They're pretty tight. Really tight."

AA: "What are you making?"

TKN: "It's a headband I started in after school knitting. Oh, and it used to be 15 stitches and now there are only 14."

AA: "Well, if it is too tight and you lost a stitch, maybe you should take it off the needles and start over."

TKN: "Well...there's a problem. I can't remember how to cast on."

AA: "Yep, that's a problem."

Poor kid. 717 miles is really far when a knitting emergency arises. If I hopped in the car, I could be there in 12 hours...

Busted!

If you watch to the end, The Knitting Niece totally busts me on my yarn consumption. (The episode is Maryland Sheep and Wool part 1.)

http://letsknit2gether.com/blog1/?p=34

Monkey/Business

On the knitting front, the Monkey Socks are finished. I love this pattern, especially with the picot mod. I also love this yarn. It's Piece of Beauty and it is great stuff.


It took longer than expected to finish them, but I am thrilled with the result. (A 70-hour workweek will keep you away from the knitting, that's for sure.)

That's the Monkey part of the post. On the Business side, I am leaving my job. I told the board a week ago Friday, and I have given them November (December at the latest) as my end date. It was a really difficult decision, but I feel it is the right one for me. Depending on the desires of my replacement and of the board, I may take on project work for the organization. I'd like to keep my options open; the company has been a part of my life for so long, I can't see walking away entirely.

What am I going to do with all my new found free time? I'm looking forward to spearheading the plans for renovations on the house, cooking again, and getting back east to see my grandparents more often. I'd like to lose a few pounds, too, so I'll need to dust off ye olde treadmill. Oh, and I'll be knitting more, too.

Doing It in Public

You dirty birds--I mean knitting, as in Worldwide Knit in Public Day. Unlike last year which was dreary and cold, we had a warm, stunning day on which to flaunt the craft. The crowd was a bit smaller than 2006, but every bit as enthusiastic. I had a great time with many of the regular Thursday night KIP-sters, and it was really fun to see so many gorgeous WIPs on the needles of others. I made some progress on the second Monkey (crazy week--no knitting until today), and I should have a pair soon.

Knitwerks was offering a discount to WWKIPD attendees, so I took the opportunity to stop down. Cheryl has done a nice job with the space, and she has some great yarns. I picked up two skeins of Dream in Color sock yarn. Gorgeous looking stuff.

Speaking of Dream in Color, I received the Tulip Cardigan kit I ordered from Lettuce Knit on Friday. Adorable. I want to make one for me, only I'd need much, much more yarn.

I didn't take any pics of Knitfest 2007, but I did add a picture to the "Husband Pointing at Things" gallery.

Monkey See

Like everyone in the blogosphere, I love this pattern. I cannot wait to make it again. (Well, first I have to finish the second one of this pair.) I am really happy that I saw the picot mod. I think it adds a lot of polish to the finished item. And, for the next pair, I am going to do a different heel. Since this one is only stockinette, I fear for its longevity.

I just packed up a fairly large box of yarn to go to Interim House in Philadelphia. They have what sounds like a really wonderful program for women in recovery, and they can put some of the yarn from the stash to better use than I have been. So, if you want to de-stash and feel good about it, send donations to:

Interim House

333 W. Upsal

Philadelphia, PA 19119