Thursday, June 26, 2003

 

Yesterday night I went to my first Stitch'n'Beach and met WENDY! She was the guest of honour and was great fun. It was neat to ask her questions about her amazing knitting (she was knitting a sock in case you're wondering). Wendy has a wry sense of humour and I liked her immediately.

Also attending were some great bloggers--Kate and Kathy--and a bunch of cool knitters. Everyone was great. I got to talk knitting, drink coffee and work on my Able sleeves (which are coming along quite nicely). I loved being able to hang with other knitters (a rare occurence) and will seek out some opportunities to do it again.

I don't know if you've heard but Amy editor par excellance of knitty has a knitting book deal and is looking for designs. I've decided to give it a try. I've been working on an idea that I was going to submit to knitty and well, what the hell, I'll submit it for the book and see what happens. I'm keeping it secret for now (in case it's a disaster) but if it works out and doesn't get published somewhere, I'll be sure to share it here.

In thesis news I got my Method chapter back and it was well received by my advisor. There were some minor stylistic corrections and a few areas I need to expand, but nothing major. I'm working on my literature review chapter right now and it's going a bit slow, but it's coming along--that's what matters.

10:12 AM

Tuesday, June 24, 2003

 

More on the book mix up.

I emailed the ebay seller and she told me that she noticed she sent me the wrong book on the weekend. Sheesh! She did not email to tell me or anything. In fact, she asked me to send it back and didn't offer to pay shipping (as she rightly should--it was her mistake). In our negotiations, she did not say sorry even once. I did get her to pay shipping (by buying something with free shipping and reducing the price by my costs) and I'll send it out at my leisure (I might wait until my book comes). Her prices are good, but her service is not--she's punctual but doesn't seem to see the value of apologizing to her customers. I thought I might have got to keep the book (since it will cost almost as much to send it back).

Ah well, I'm getting the book, and yarn to make Venus. All is not bad.

In other news I changed my knitting gallery, hosting it on my own webspace. I might, someday, move the blog over, but can't really be bothered. The pictures are a bit wacky (all different sizes) but it will do for now. Any comments on how to make a better gallery are most welcome since I am very new to web page making and am just working by trial and error.

5:50 PM

 

I am being punished for my folly

Okay, time to admit it. I broke my yarn die-t. I ordered some Gedifra Wellness in Turquoise (from Elann) and Rowan 33 and All Seasons Cotton (from e-bay) to make a smooch tank like Wendy's. The yarn came in yesterday and the books came in today (4 business days from England--record time!).

Do you see what's wrong? IT'S THE WRONG BOOK!!!!!! I am being punished for breaking the die-t! This is what I deserve--damn! I emailed the seller and she's sending the right one out today. So I won't be joining the smooch knit-along for a bit longer--a fit punishment I suppose.

11:38 AM

Monday, June 23, 2003

 

I had a very knitterly weekend and it was great. The weather is finally hot, which is nice too. I finished the back of Able and have both sleeves started (I'm doing them at the same time) so I might have it finished by the end of the month. Here's the back on the blocking board. I blocked it right over the front so they would be the same size. Since the Summer Tweed is silk and cotton I can steam out any bumps from the front cable.

While I was knitting away this weekend my husband remarked more than once and with annoyance that my knitting is maniacal. That is, I have a mania about knitting. That it gives me maniacal pleasure, is obsessive and compulsive and basically that it bugs him that I knit so much. I was a bit offended but when we talked about it, he revealed that he might be a bit jealous that I have a "passion" that I can pursue most of the time. Because knitting is something you can do while doing other things (riding in the car, watching tv, talking etc.) I can do it more than many other hobbies (like my husbands--reading, gaming etc.) In my defense, I didn't just knit all weekend, I played with the kids, did some errands and housework, spent non-knitting time with my husband etc. He mellowed on the knitting after that. Mind you, if I could muster that same mania for the thesis, I'd be closer to being done.

9:13 AM