A day at the Mall

Usually when you go to the mall you have a good time, not wind up with a sprained knee. Not so for me today.

I was walking along with Scott on my shoulders in our local mall and slipped on a puddle of water, which even security there said they couldn't see right above it. So now I have an immobilizer on, and have to go back there on Monday to get their insurance info, and get them to cover all the damn bills. Scott is fine, I'm just the hurt one, so I don't mine uber much.

Finished knitting the Veil of Isis Shawl, will block and photograph it this week. I didn't knit the edging, cause I decided I didn't like it enough to do. :-P It's pretty but this will be a baby blanket, and it's easier to block a square than a square with pointed edging.

Off to the Ren Faire tomorrow, and will have fun with that. Walking around with a cane, and can't wear the skirt I made yesterday for it. :(

Government bans Knitting!

Federal Government Bans Knitting in Public Buildings

WASHINGTON, DC (AP) -- Citing the rapid rise in the number of new knitters over the past 12 months, the United States Congress and Senate have both taken unprecedented measures in passing a bill banning knitting inside any public building, according to documents released Thursday.

Under the terms of the new law, knitters are required to take their knitting at least 10 yards from any public building. Although they are allowed to carry knitting inside, anybody caught engaging in the act of knitting may be subject to a $10,000 fine or 10 years imprisonment.

According to recent studies, the mere sight of a knitter actively knitting increases a person's odds of becoming a knitter by 200 percent. The dangers of second-hand knitting have long been a concern for Federal worker Irene Schlamp, who is happy to see the bill pass. "It's been a big problem in my department, where people often take four, five, or even six knitting breaks a day. Those of us who want to do our work can't because we're so distracted by the clacking of those damned needles."

But not everybody is happy about the news. "This is so unfair!" says Betty Schnoodle, a worker at a U.S. Postal Service processing plant in Louisiana. "Why should we be forced to huddle outside in the cold when we want to take a knitting break? We're not hurting anybody."

Human rights group AmKnitty International has already filed a suit claiming the new law is unconstitutional and violates the civil rights of knitters everywhere.

Yes, it's a joke folks. Could you see this really happening?

I'm plugging away on my Veil of Isis shawl, just started knitting the edging charts today. Already on row 7 of 31! Considering row 7 will have 504 stitches in it, that's a feat in itself. I just started knitting them today.

I'm still in MN visiting with Scott. Because of the Army screwing over the roommate who was to loan me the money for my trip back to MI I'm still here. I'd complain, but I get to spend time with Scott. Yeah, ouch, twist my arm why don't ya?

No spinning, cause the wheel is in MI.

I'll be sending out a big box to my SP12 partner once I actually have money. I may add the VOI to it, since I want to knit other ones. :) Just need a reason.

SP 12 Questions

What Olympic event would best describe you knitting/knitting style?
Um, the All Around Gymnastics? I do just about everything, and can usually do it well. Except Socks, don't know why.


Have you ever entered your knitting (or anything else) in the fair? Would you ever consider it?

I have thought about it, and really want to. Maybe Next year.

50 tricial facts you could have lived w/o knowing

Fifty things you didn't know about me. At least I don't think you do.

1. Do you like blue cheese? Deff yes on this one

2. Have you ever smoked a cigarette? nope, can say I never have

3. Do you own a gun? No

4. What flavor do you add to your drink at Sonic? Moot point, cause there ain't one around here

5. Do you get nervous before doctor appointments? depends on the Dr and what it's for

6. What do you think of hot dogs? Not a big fan, I still can't stop thinking that the ends are spiders. Thanks bunches Kathy.

7. Favorite Christmas Song? Grandma got run over by a reindeer, or any parody. Love Bob Rivers

8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? Soda or water

9. Can you do push ups? um..........we'll go with not anymore

10. Favorite movie? Ever After, Braveheart, Rocky Horror Picture Show, Love Actually

11. What's your favorite piece of jewelry? Don't wear it actually, can't wear necklaces anymore, and no longer can wear my rings. So I keep them all nearby, so I can play with them

12. Favorite hobby? knitting, crochet, spinning, cooking, reading, sleeping (when you get as little as I do, it's a hobby)

13. Do you work with people who idolize you? Nope

14. Do you have ADD? Don't think so

15. What's one trait that you hate about yourself? Temper issues

16. Middle name? Jane (After grandma)

17. Three thoughts at this moment: I hope Scott will still want me when I get there, Please let there be no freaks with knives on my buses tonight, god, i need sleep.

18. Three things you bought yesterday. um, 2 dill pickles and a corn dog, and some Hawaiian shaved ice

19. Name 3 drinks you drink regularly. water, cherry coke, iced tea

20. Current worry right now? Scott

21. Current hate right now? frustrated over this stupid divorce

22. Favorite place to be? with Scott

23. How did you bring in the New Year? I have no idea actually, sad to say. Stupid concussion

24. Where would you like to go? To Scott, and to CA

25. Name three people who will complete this. not a clue, no idea who actually reads this blog. If you read, wanna say hi?

26. Who's answer do you want to read the most? Again, not a clue

27. What color shirt are you wearing?black tank with Alice and the Cheshire Cat

28. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? never have, wanna give me some to test?

29. Can you whistle? sometimes

30. Favorite color? blue

31. Would you be a pirate? I could be a wench

32. What songs do you sing in the shower? I don't sing in the shower

33. Favorite girl's name? Grace

34. Favorite boy's name? Scott (sensing a theme here?)

35.What's in your pocket right now? not a thing, not even lint

36. Last thing that made you laugh? Craig Fergison

37. Best bed sheets as a child? Give hugs sheets, they had these mom/dad people, with kids. I miss them

38. Worst injury you've ever had? broken arm in 5 spots (all greenstick fractures, so NO cast) age 4) Broken arm in 7 spots, age 7, broken kneecap age 18. Take your pick

39. Do you love where you live? Yeah, so don't love this place.

40. How many TVs do you have in your house? Actually none, I don't have a home. I have a bed in the computer room of my mom's place, and that's it

41. Who is your loudest friend? Um, Justin Brito or Ross, whichever he's going by now. Love ya man, but it's true

42. How many dogs do you have? not a one

43. Does someone have a crush on you? doubtful. only person who could have doesn't want me

44. If you could marry a movie actor/actress who would it be? Not sure

45. What is your favorite book? Too many to pick, seriously

46. What is your favorite candy? 75% dark chocoalte

47. Who is your favorite sports team? um.......none?

48. What song do you want played at your funeral? Somewhere Over the Rainbow, and maybe amazing grace, but that's not a biggie

49. What were you doing at 12 AM last night? Knitting and watching clips on Youtube

50. What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up this morning? I haven't woken up yet this morning, I have yet to go to bed. Ask me later.

County Fair

Today I went to the Kalamazoo County Fair, with free tickets from Portage Public Library's summer reading program. It was fun, and I would up eating too much Hawaiian Shaved Ice. Strawberry Colada flavor, so can you blame me?

I came away with something odder than the usual fair things. A mega double handful of Border Collie hair. Now you may be scratching your head and wondering what I'd want that for. Spinning, that's what. This hair has almost no guard hairs in it, the dog was freshly washed, and the ladies thought I was a little strange, but let me have it anyway. They admitted that while they spun they had never thought of spinning puppy fluff. Almost pure black BCH is being blended with whit BFL (hehe, letters are fun things). I'm wishing I had some actual hand carders now though, cause dog slicker brushes will take me a while to blend this up.

Dog hair is often called Chiengora, and is a beautiful fiber. It's warmer than wools, up to 8 times warmer. Yes, that's as warm as it's bunny "cousin" angora. It's best when blended with wool, to minimize shedding. It halos once washed, and no, it doesn't get that wet dog smell every time it's washed. Once it's been washed and cleaned the first time it will no longer smell like a wet dog. It's slightly heavier than wools, and has almost no elasticity. Another great reason to blend it with wool.

I'll post pictures prob this weekend, of the blended fiber. Tomorrow I get to get on a bus and see my baby boy! It's been almost 2 months, and it actually has been 7 weeks and 4 days. No, I'm not counting. :) This divorce is so stupid, and I don't feel bad in the least that now there's a bill to be paid to the lawyer. Ok, a little bad, because that's money that should be used for Scott, but I suggested he go to We The People and have it done there. Not my choice to go to a lawyer, so I refuse to feel uber guilty about it.

I get to see my boy! Happy day. 2 weeks isn't enough, but I'll take what I can get.

My love of crafting

I was thinking about it today, how I got started in crafts. Mainly because I was poking through all my mom's beads, thinking about other beads for MS4 and my Veil of Isis shawl (cause I'll make another one, I'm digging it). Hopefully everyone will get this, how I put my love of all things crafts.

I got started doing simple bead work around age 6 as a way to have another thing I could do with mom. Mom raised my sister and I on her own until I was 7, and between school and working full time, it was sometimes hard for her to want to play with us, our games. I had my sister for that, so it didn't matter much. But I wanted a connection with mom, and she used to do beading. We got me some big ol' pony beads, and away I went, stringing them, as though it was the most perfect thing in the world, cause I was spending time with my mommy. Skip ahead about 3 years, and I was doing bead weaving without a loom, which can boggle the minds of normal adults, so it's an accomplishment for a 9 year old.

Summer of '93 (I was 9), I learned how to crochet. Our roommates mom taught me one night on a trip to Wyoming. She never told me about turning chains, and that I didn't have to skip the first stitch of every row with single crochets, so I made a LOT of triangles. In fact all of my Barbies had aprons, and I was sewing them together in some cracked out quilt. But I had fun. I've since become a proficient crocheter, and will work with size 30 thread, and smaller. Again, it was something I could do with mom, though she wasn't doing it much than.

Skip to 7th grade (age 12) I learned how to spin on a spindle from my World History teacher, Mrs H Smith. She had brought in her spinning wheel to show the 8th graders, and had a spindle to let us use. I begged for a spindle and wool for Christmas, that was all I wanted. The entire family thought I was off my rocker, but mom went and talked to Mrs Smith and found out where she could get it for me. Christmas morning came, and I spun all day on this very nice Turkish spindle, and by the end of vacation I had over 100 yards of REALLY fat and lumpy yarn, but I was so happy. I crocheted Mrs Smith a little cup and felted it, for her pencils, as a thank you.

I stayed content with crochet and beading and spinning for a few years after that. I was in awe of my great grandma's knitting skills, but since she was in MI, and I was in CA, I couldn't have her teach me, and my mom couldn't remember the little she'd known. In my sophomore year of high school ('91) a friend learned to knit, and offered to show me. That didn't work well, cause she couldn't cast on, and if it hadn't been for Sister M (a sub teacher) I would have never learned than. But in 5 minutes the good sister had shown me to cast on, and how to make a knit stitch. By the end of class that day I had about 2 feet of garter stitch. I went home, and because I was out of yarn, I had to go online and find out how to cast off. Than I learned how to purl, and before the night was done, I had another swatch, this time with a weird mix of stockinette and just textures knitting. By the time the week was over I was playing with lace and cables.

I've knit blankets for friends, a sweater for a boyfriend (stupid curse), and so many baby things now it's scary. I've designed my own patterns, changed them, and through it all I still get that special rush I used to get when I was stringing beads with my mom, all those years ago. The feeling that I'm sharing something with those I love, and sharing a pastime with others around the world. You can do crafts alone, or in a large group, and you'll always be a part of something larger. When you give away a hand crafted item, it's not just about the cost of what it took to make it. You're giving away your time, and love to another person, which I feel is the greatest gift of all.

Ok, I hope that makes sense to all you readers. If nothing else, you get to learn a bit more about me. :) So it can't be that bad, right?

I'm a Plurker

I'll admit it. I've given in and joined Plurk. And I've gone a little odd with it. But what else is I to do?

Ravelry is the devil. Or is run by devils. Or maybe is just my personal heaven. I'm gonna knit the Veil of Isis Shawl by BadCatDesigns. Seriously, go and lust, than go to the aforementioned devil place, and see that she's letting us fiberholics have it for free. *happy dance*

Another happy dance, Mystery Stole 4 signup's are open. Yes, I have. The bigger question is why haven't you yet? They're always pretty, and this time PLT's mum is doing it. That's Pink LemonTwist for you heathens.

Go forth my fibery children, and lust after the lacy goodness.

Your enabler,

The Crazy Crafter