I’m turning into a curmudgeon. (And a non-blogger, but I’m trying to remedy that.) I’m getting older. I  try to listen to current music and very rarely do I find any of it worth my time. And I find myself thinking (or worse saying) things about “back in the day”. It’s pathetic. And when I’m honest about it, I don’t really love the music of my day. I love the music of my father’s day. Of my grandparents’ days. I love 70′s rock, and 60′s motown. I love the standards and Peggy Lee and Tony Bennett. My young adult days produced such classics as Whoomp -There It Is, and Rico Suave’, and OPP.  Yeah. But today we are actually talking about OPP.

Other People’s Patterns.

I’ve been designing for a good chunk of time now, and it seems I’m always working on my own stuff. Never anyone else’s. Sure I buy the mags, and even the pdf downloads, but I never seem to actually knit them. My designing mojo has been missing lately, so I started off by picking back up this – Elsewhere by Amy Swenson. It’s coming along. I’m nearly done with the back of it, and then I will add the side panels and the sleeves.

And then I fell in love with the Heather Hoodie Vest from the most recent Knitscene. And I realized of course that I would get way more wear out of it as a sweater, so I grabbed two more skeins of yarn and I’m rocking and rolling on it. And I love it!

So of course since I am actually doing well working on some patterns that aren’t mine, my mojo has returned. Bringing with it two tight deadlines that I really want to meet. So I need to put the sweaters aside and focus. But I think I’ve figured out how to reclaim my mojo should it hide again.

I have thoughts of making this a regular feature. Each Friday sharing with you some things I love. So without further ado…

I *love* my new part-time job. I had no idea how much I missed working in a yarn store. I love helping people, I love being around the yarn and the crafty people. And I hate to admit this, but it’s nice to have a once a week grown-up day. I actually think that in the near future I might be taking up stitching. Because there are so many beautiful things there. If you’re local you should visit. I’ll be off the next two weeks, but normally I’m there on Wednesdays. The owners are constantly getting new and beautiful yarns in, and it really is my new favorite place to be.

I love the shop, and it’s irreverent fun names and ideas, and I adore the woman. My collaboration with her on the sock clubs has been fabulous fun and it was an opportunity that was not to be missed. We’re taking the summer off, but I’m looking forward to what we’ll come up with for the fall!

Another great shop with another great woman behind it! One of these days I’m gonna get serious about spinning. I’m thinking about wheels and when I get one I will be stocking my new fiber stash with her stuff. I already have a few things and what I do have is just freaking gorgeous.

If you have suggestions for Friday Favorites, let me know. I only want to recommend things I have personal experience with (or trust someone who does) so let me know!

Why do some colors photograph well and even easy and some no matter what you do you can’t capture the color? I’m sure there is a nifty scientific explanation, but it sure is vexing. I’ve gotten pretty good at gimp so I can easily make simple color adjustments, but sometimes the true color just evades me. I have a gorgeous skein of deep turquoise Semi Precious yarn, but I can’t make the color right so I can’t list it.

And then we have these socks. Which are not icky gray brown, they are a rich, deep, chocolatey brown with hints of purple. But can I capture it? No. Not even with my lightbox or outdoor afternoon “golden hour” sun. So imagine chocolate when you look at these pictures…

On this photograph I can gimp it up so that the green is true and lush, but the socks still look greyish brown. I don’t get it!

And this one is for Sugarbee. Who yells at me for knitting my own patterns in the small sizes to save time, when I really should have a very nice wardrobe of socks. I made this one my size, and I actually plan to knit the second one. I love these socks that much.

And the good news for you, gentle reader? I’m working on the pattern for these Broken Chocolate Bar Socks and they are gonna be a freebie! So watch this space.

I started a new sweater. I think it’s gonna be an epic win. It’s the soon to be formerly named Norah sweater by Indigirl (Amy Swenson) and it’s really just made of beautiful. I love the lines. I love the fact that I had the perfect pile of Malabrigo sitting in my house waiting to be this sweater. I love that I got to start it and work on it during some really beautiful days spent in the park (hence the frisbee/picnic table portrait).

Obviously I’ve been in a foul mood lately. That’s why the absence from blogging. If you don’t have anything nice to say, well come sit by me. Seriously though. Sometimes I have to mentally slap myself and remind myself that I have nothing to be grumpy about. At all. Geesh.

Oh and the polenta? Dude. I went to Native Sun today to get some nutritional yeast. We’ve been out of it for way too long. I love a bowl of polenta with some butter spray and nutritional yeast sprinkles. Trust me, it’s really good. But today when I went to put the dry polenta away in the cupboard over the stove…

In other epic win news, the dyeing has been going spectacularly well. I mean even better than I had hoped for. The store will be opening any day now. Watch this space.

Yesterday was awesome. So many people came out! I think at one point we had a top head count of sixty. Sixty knitters in Memorial Park, on a Sunday afternoon. Wearing handknits, chit-chatting, drinking Starbucks. It was very, very good. So now we must pass out some thank-yous.

First Kimber.

Could she be any cuter? She was the mastermind behind this amazing plan. And she really did so very much. Coordinating all the prizes, adding tags, running the raffles, spreading the good word… There’s a reason we all love her so. Also, you can see on the table there with Kimber some of the raffle prizes. Two amazing local yarnstores and two indie dyers stepped up to the plate on this one. So go, visit, buy stuff from them. Because they are made of generosity and awesome.

It really was a wonderful day. And to make it all better, we raised $320 for the Hubbard House in Jacksonville. Kimber and I will be heading over there with a cashier’s check this week. Look for pictures and an update on that later. If you came out, I hope you enjoyed yourself. And we hope to do more Jacksonville Knitting Events in the near future! If you click on the picture below it will take you to pictures I uploaded from the event. If you have pics to share, let me know, I’d love to add them!

Put a note on your bathroom mirror… but don’t forget the Jacksonville Knit In Public tomorrow! Memorial Park in Riverside – 12 noon til whenever, you know you don’t wanna miss it!

The dates now just amuse me. Yes I realize I’ve had nearly ten years to get used to them, but all of the 0′s just look weird to me. But I digress. I’ve done a bit of yarn shopping lately, so I’m doing a Yarn Pr0n Friday entry. I don’t do it regularly, but the cool kids do. So let’s see what I’ve been buying. I don’t drink wine, but I do love wine inspired colors…

Dream In Color Smooshy in Ruby River

Prism Saki

More sock yarn of course – a lovely springy Melody

And some very manly Kroy – on sale for $2.50 a ball at Michaels! Holy crow!

This yarn said write a pattern for a soft beret out of me! Madelinetosh Worsted in Dusk from Sonny & Shear.

And then the beautiful stuff. The cashmere so soft I shouldn’t be able to afford it, but I could. And reasonable yardage for the price. Plymouth Ecco Cashmere, 354 yards, from A Stitch In Time.

I’ve petted it probably the last 5 times I’ve been there, but the other day I decided I deserved it. It’s going to be a beautiful floaty lace scarf. As soon as I write the most perfect pattern ever. Don’t you wanna touch it?

Local to me? Here’s the thing. We are having the winter edition of Knit In Public, right here in Jacksonville, Florida. Because let’s face it. Florida in June? Were they kidding us? Sure there was a great turn out (I missed it sadly) but everyone who came was felting their wool with their hot sweaty hands.

And this is not just because I missed the last one. This is serious. And not even my idea. This is courtesy of the brilliant and beautiful Kimber, who everyone knows and loves. If you don’t love her, you haven’t met her. I’m not kidding. Everyone loves this girl. Even my 9 and 10 year old sons who think girls are icky.

So here’s the deets… WAIT! Before you read the deets, I need you to do something for me. Post this on your blog. We want as many people there as possible. We want to meet new friends. There will be all sorts of fiber crafts, spinning, knitting, crocheting, the whole nine (hundred) yards. Heck if you’re local and don’t know how to knit come anyway. We’ll find someone to teach you! So copy and paste the portion that starts right below this and blog it. BLOG IT! (please!)

NE Florida * Knit In Public Day * Winter Edition

Any Floridian knows that the middle of summer is just too darn hot to be knitting or sitting anywhere outside. So presenting the Winter Edition of Knit In.

Who: You and all your fibery friends
What: Knitting, spinning, chit-chatting
When: Sunday, January 25th from noon til ???
Where: Memorial Park on Riverside Avenue
Why: Because it’s fun!

Please bring a chair and your knitting (or crocheting or spinning). There are plenty of restaurants and a Starbucks within walking distance.

Also just in case this wasn’t enticing enough, there will be door prizes. Prizes just for showing up and gracing us with your presence.

Bring some single dollars! We will be doing a raffle with 100% of the proceeds to benefit the Hubbard House, Jacksonville’s Womens Shelter.

For more information please e-mail Kimber at chevy8lady@msn.com or corrina@picnicknits.com

Prizes donated by: The Local Needle, A Stitch In Time, Sugarbee Studios, Palm Valley Fiber, and PicnicKnits

Hmmmm…  I finished a lot this year. Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond my control (bwahahaha!) I don’t have custody of some of my projects. But I’m not bitter. At all. Ok, so I’m slightly bitter. Actually this has been a good year and a bad year. I’ve had some very good times, and I learned some lessons about myself and other people. I actually finished about 36 projects this year – 3 per month – not bad at all! But here are the 27 I can show without grumping myself out. Oh and just in case you are worried about the bitter, don’t be. I’m giving it up with the year. I have some business stuff to take care of, but the bitter is riding out with the chiming of the bells.

I was a sock knitting girl, wasn’t I? This year there will be more socks in the works. Sugarbee Studios is having another sock club. The Naughty Girls Need Knit Socks Too club still has spaces available. But you need to sign up asap! You’ll get her amazing yarns and my patterns, and trust me, the extras alone are crazy fun! If you want an idea of what her beatiful yarns are like, the 3 socks at the top are from this past club. She is amazing!

One of the amazing things about this year were the good friends I made. I strengthened some old friendships and I picked up some new ones. I consider myself truly blessed in the friendship department. And my little designing experiment that started this past summer? I really think it’s gone amazingly well. I have 18 patterns listed on Ravelry – 3 for a yarn company, 7 for sale, 5 for free, and 3 (the aforementioned socks) that will be for sale come January. Plus my Saltwater Taffy bag is being test knit as we speak. So 19 designs in a little over 6 months. Not too shabby.

And I have amazing plans for this new year. Our family is getting serious about being healthy – the man and I are starting a plan tomorrow and we’ve recruited the boys to keep us honest and exercise with us. I still have a book full of design ideas and I think I’m gonna give a serious attempt to submitting my designs in addition to self publishing. I’m in my final semester at the community college and I will have my AA after this semester. Yep, big plans. Watch out world!

I used to love that song. The Billy Joel version and the Garth Brooks version. But we aren’t talking about love here folks. We’re talking about shameless self-promotion and shameless pleas for direction. First up, shameless self-promotion. I’ll say it again, if I don’t promote me, who will? The MacDuff Hat. Now for sale!