Thursday, October 9, 2008

A thought or two–maybe three

First, rocks do NOT belong in yarn. There I said it, and I mean it.

Ya see, I’m involved in this knitting thing called Hat-Attack which is is a friendly kill or be killed competition where each contestant is assigned a target to assassinate by means of knitting and mailing a hat knitted of a particular pattern before receiving one. If you are killed before your hat is completed you mail your incomplete hat to your assassin who completes the hat and mails it to the intended target.

So?? What about the rocks??

Well, the suggested yarn for the hat pattern is called Therapi, which is said to contain jade–the rocks jade, not the color jade. The colors of this yarn are really pretty and it seems all soft and lovely . . . UNTIL YOU TRY TO KNIT THE DAMNED STUFF. I guess the way they get the jade in the yarn is to somehow spin it into fiberglassy strands. They combine the jade-fiberglassy strands with wool and silk. But, the normal yummy soft properties of wool and silk are completely destroyed by the rocks which cause itching and burning of the hands. To make matters worse, the yarn is expensive–$10 for a 50gr/110 yd ball. To make matters even worse-er . . . My target didn’t complete her hat so I’m knitting that one and the next target has contacted me begging for the hat so she doesn’t have to finish hers. So, unless I get a hat in the mail soon, I will have knit at least three hats with the wretched Therapi yarn. I’m knitting especially slowly with the idea that I’ll get my death hat soon, but that strategy isn’t working very well as the game is almost a month old and I haven't received a hat.
Anyway, current politics and economic meltdowns aside, this just goes to show that every notion that comes into your head is NOT necessarily a good idea, and you do NOT need to run with every fool idea that pops into your head . . . rocks in yarn???? What is the world coming to?

Second thought, Addi Turbo Needles ROCK.

So, while I’m knitting the second death hat of a pattern I like but out of yarn I despise, the cable on my knitpiks circular needles comes un-cabled. The cable didn’t come unscrewed, but unplugged itself from the fitting. Owing to the lateness of the hour and perhaps a little to the weekly episode of beer-knitting, I did not notice until the mess was beyond repair. ARGHHHHHHH.
Addi Turbo needles do not unplug themselves, and therefore are deserving of high praise and a more prominent place on the scale of necessities.

AND, the third thought, Beer Knitting is a hoot.
The reasons for that thought are probably obvious, but there is this too. So, I show up to beer-knitting a little early and get my beer and choose a table and commence to knit. The sideways glances from the other patrons are comical. A nearby male patron emitted an expletive and turned to say "sorry maam." Now that’s funny!

2 comments:

Marianne said...

Whoooaa.. seriously! I do love rocks but holy crap, not in the wool or any other fibre puleeeeeze! so sorry.

I've had that happen with a knitpick cable... bah!

I'm in a bit of chuckles... 'sorry, ma'am'... totally cracked me up!

Knit and fall back in it said...

Beer knitting does, in fact, rock. Rock knitting, on the other hand, sucks.

I am trying to knit a hat right now for a friend having to endure chemo and I have had to rip and restart several times. I think I am no longer capable of knitting without beer.

My Tattoo

My Tattoo
A bike chain tattoo, that is It's chain lube ya know