Knitting Quote of the Day

"The only place acrylic is good for in New York is on your nails."

~ Emily, in her Long Island accent

This stems from a comment made to a fellow member of "Sanctuary Stitchers", a group that knits/crochets blankets for kids in institutional and group homes. We use acrylic yarn because it's easy to care for, machine washable, etc. This knitter was at her local yarn shop looking for some fun colors to make more blanket squares.

Knitter: "Where do you keep the acrylic yarn?"

Shopkeeper, down her nose: "Um, people in this neighborhood don't use acrylic yarn."

Knitter: "Well, I live around the corner, so what does that tell you?"

Needless to say, she was pretty happy when they opened a Michaels on the Upper West Side.

Finished Jayne Hat

Over Christmas, I finished Kendra's "Jayne Hat" and arm-warmers. It knitted up so quickly, and with less yarn that I expected, that I might make another for my other Firefly-loving friends.

I used Smariek Knits's pattern http://smariek.blogspot.com/2007/11/jayne-cobb-hat.html.

I'm a Designer!!!

Last year I had posted a pattern on Ravelry.com, and someone actually used it and posted their results. It feels really good that someone liked my pattern enough to make it! At the moment, the link to my old website is not working, so I'm going to re-post it here soon.

In other news, I'm up to my eyeballs in pregnant ladies. 5 due between March and May. I've got some ideas narrowed down for gifts:

Rosa and Joe are getting pin-striped booties (she LOVES the Yankees)

Tuck and Cassie might get Red Sox booties, and I might ask Kay what her team of choice is. This way, I can just bang them out!

I've also started designing some Super Mario Bros. place-mats for Beth and Bob, who are getting married in March. I'm thinking a scene on each mat, and something saying "Sorry, Beth, but your dinner on another plate" (a play on each level telling you "Thank you Mario, but the princess is in another castle"). I need to find some bright cotton yarn in 8-bit colors; I'm thinking http://www.sugarncream.com/product.php?LGC=sugarncream might work well.

Knitting frustration of the week: Over Christmas, I started working on a knitted teddy bear for my god-daughter's first birthday. I'm using "The Best Dressed Knitted Bear" by Emma King.

I was using this really beautiful bamboo yarn, and it was so soft. Unfortunately, the book listed the wrong quantities needed for the pattern, and I didn't buy enough. When I went back to get more, the store didn't have any more. Grrr! So I got some different yarn, and now I have to start all over again. Now my hands hurt. :(