The Calendar Waits for No Woman

How in the world can it be a month since my last post? I mean, I've been having major computer problems, major Blogger log-in problems (darn you, Blogger, I really want to believe in you, but it's tough some days), and my cellphone won't send photos to my computer, and ... well, you get the idea. Lots of excuses, not much productivity of the bloggish sort.

I have been knitting, but not so's you'd know it. I finished two pairs of CIC socks and a Red Scarf Project scarf and mailed them off. But when I read blogs about people who already have 12-15 completed projects this year, I have to tip the Pug hat to them. I just have too many things going on elsewhere in my life right now. (And you'll just have to take my word for it that I've even knitting, since I can't seem to get the photos posted.)

Not that lack of time to knit has slowed down my yarn purchasing. I should have known that the minute I committed to knitting from my stash and buying as little yarn as possible, I'd go crazy. No will power at all, no sirree! And there is a lot of other yarn-related business going on too.

So, let's see. Well, I went to the guild shop hop knit-in at The Whole Nine Yarns which was wonderful. The owner, Debi Light, had a class going plus the guild members were there and the place was jumping -- lots of knitters engaged in knitting. Wonderful atmosphere. I brought home some Foliage yarn for a felted bag for which I've ordered the pattern but don't have yet. My HUUUGGE find of the day was the very most perfect felted button for the purse. Now I just need the pattern.

And I stopped by Why Knot Knit for some Addi Turbos since I now need 32" in every size so I can Magic Loop everything, and fell in love with a Judy Sumner pattern for socks made of Lorna's Laces in a purple iris color. Had to have those! Haven't started them yet.

And (are you seeing a trend here? want to knit, willing to buy the yarn, but no time to knit) ... I've placed orders for two sets of yarn. First, from my favorite Virginia shop, Uniquities (no website) in Vienna, the aforementioned Foliage pattern and some Colinette yarn and pattern for a snowboarder's hat for Cole. Unfortunately, there's some kind of delay, and by the time I get them, the crocuses will be pushing up in Virginia and he won't want the hat.

Second, from KnitPicks, bulky cotton yarn for two summer sweaters to wear under a jacket. The yarn was $1.99 a skein so why not get enough for two? But, of course, KnitPicks has raised the threshold for free shipping so I also bought yarn and pattern for the Landscape Bag, which is ANOTHER felted bag. How many do I need?
A friend at the guild gave me the pattern for the summer sweater, but I think I may make them without sleeves, as tanks. I'm always hot, especially in the Atlanta summers, and I really don't need sleeves. It's one of those Catch-22 situations: I never, ever show off my upper arms so I always wear a jacket of some kind. And in a tank, of course, I can't take the jacket off. But sleeves under the jacket will, I fear, make me too hot. We'll see when the yarn gets here--it's very spring-like and should be pretty.

And, speaking of the guild, I came home with yarn from the monthly meeting, but it really doesn't count because it was a double charity donation. Why a double donation? Well, we had a UFO (unfinished object) auction for charity. Basically, people brought in the projects they were never going to finish. One of the member shops also sent in a bunch of shop samples--sweaters and scarves--and we auctioned them off along with the unfinished projects. The projects were a hoot--some of them still had needles stuck in them, or markers, or stitch holders. I did not intend to buy anything but, as president, I felt like I had to jump in on the "orphans" that no one wanted so that nothing would be left. I came home with three "finds": (1) a partially knitted sweater out of brown tweedy bulky-weight wool--I ripped it out and balled it up and it will be a CIC sweater; (2) some yellow and blue Brunswick wool (has to be 20 years old, but I know the donor and although she's had it in her stash for years, she just did the knitting part a month or so ago!)--it's still partially knitted but I'll rip it out and it will be for CIC as well, probably a sweater and some socks; (3) some felted clogs that would have fit Bigfoot--I threw them into the Goodwill bag.

The auction was so much fun! The two women who ran it are long-time friends and played each other like violins. We raised over $2,000 for charity - the Atlanta Day Shelter for Women and Children -- and I got a bunch of yarn to knit up for charity. A double charity night.

Next on the knitting agenda is a trip to The Mountain next weekend. This is a guild tradition, but I've never been before. The timing could be better -- I've just been given a big assignment at work that's due the following week -- but I'll go for at least part of it, just to experience it and be with friends. Now I have to figure out what to take to work on -- I've been told that the light's not great and there's so much chatter among 40 people that it's hard to concentrate on complex projects. I'll probably take along a variety of things -- the Landscape Bag if it's here by then, maybe the cotton sweater yarn if it's here, some CIC socks, etc. Nothing too complicated -- I had thought I would take the Mission Falls sweater for my cousin's baby, but I think I'd just be frustrated trying to follow an Aran pattern.

One more thing -- I scored a major triumph today at JC Penney, of all places. I went there because I bought my Ott floor lamp there a year ago at a sale. I thought they might have a table model suitable for taking to the Mountain. They had ONE left, a floor sample, no box, no instructions. But list price $80, sale price $19.97. You gotta take a chance! I grabbed it and took it home and held my breath when I plugged it in. It works like a champ! I am so happy -- I might even finish putting Cooper's gansy together, which has been a struggle because the yarn is so dark.