Obsession escalation!

I used to knit at home, occasionally. With some small projects, (like socks) I’d take a little something in my bag to knit out on commutes, but NOW! How many WIP are in this little knitting bag? (8x10 page for scale). The razor shell socks the sea silk lace scarf, the Lopi in alpaca and the ISE alpaca scarf. Wait, wait, did you say lace? Ya’p! I made the plunge. Sea silk, its all Dave’s fault. If he had not written about the ISE, I would never have seen sea silk, or happen to stumble upon it. (I really did not know LYS had it, honest, I went in for a 40” circ for my scarf) So here I am, proudly lacing away. Ok, so its not heirloom pattern, ok, but I am getting the ideas behind it. It’s a starter project. And I know enough now, (I have not been reading blogs for nothing) to wait untill it is blocked to see the full effect. By the way, at harlem purl, suggestion I let my son help with winding the yarn, and they may be a bit uneven(...) they it was team work!! Just to clarify, yarn that is used right away for a project is not stash enhancement, its a WIP; so that was a minor one. Besides, I am not a stashoholic, I am a Collector! ( next time I will tell you about some irresistible stash enhancements! I am surprised when people are not comfortable Knitting with many colors together, for me, it’s natural, yet they lace so well, and I don't (yet. Cause practice makes perfect, kids)! Anyway, I am doing it! I feel after this I will be more ready to attempt the VK scarf I have wanted to make. Also on the agenda is the bird’s nest shawl from Folk Shawls. I got the book, and it was my first favorite out of the book, AND I saw the one Elaine (blogless) made at the 2006 Knit-Out Crochet too in NYC’s union square.

You do know that working on a few WIP at the same time is GOOD for your brain. It keeps the brain challenged, not just the project, but the texture, needle size, etc. now, I am NOT talking about the UFO rolling in dust in that basket you got in the corner. You got to have them IP. And that stocknitt in the round we all crave from tiem to time? That is excellent for you at times as well. It lowers blood pressure, lowers heart beat, calms your stress and helps you get a grip on the day, so both are good.
By the way, the 2006 Knit-Out Crochet too event was great. Our group of sit n knit had a great time. Blog buddies Annie, Patty, Necia and more, were there. Check out some photos (scroll down to see the fashion show of dogs and knitters...).
Some discussion centered on the obsessive nature of our crafting. For instance, how many stops on the bus will you miss if you are in the middle of a row?? Cause you know you are not supposed to stop knitting in the middle (my grandma was ADAMANT about that!!) or, how about, you rush out of the house to work, grab your bags, and when you get to work, you realize you forgot your work bag, but not the knitting bag (for lunch time folks) but the sick thing- you think, it could have been worse, I could have forgotten the knitting bag! ☺
And this one- I am sorry Stephanie, knitting is not a sport. You can argue: “is it a craft, or an art form?” (Personally I think these days the line has been erased. I believe many of us are Fiber Artists.) What do you think?? But a sport?? Apparently the Yarn Harlot is going all over the country and telling knitters that its ok to knit, cause its like a sport. NO IT IS NOT! It appears she and other young hip knitters have been mocked for loving to knit, and they feel the need to explain. Well, maybe I am older than Stephanie, or I have been knitting longer, I am not sure- but I never feel I need to explain it to anybody. Actually, even when I was younger I did not. It was hip to be ME, why do I (or YOU) need to explain? How do you feel about this?
London. OK folks, I am not rolling in dough, hopping to London for a knitting show. It’s my first vacation by myself in 4 years! My wonderful brother will come and stay with my son, and I will go and have some me time. I am long due this sort of mini vacation, for me. (Read here-Why is me time such a big deal?) Speaking of London, I signed up for 3 classes (Sasha Kagan- Intarsia De-mystified, Lucy Neatby Knit Savvy, Ruth Lee Knit & Turn (short rows) and a knitting Opera (Tete a Tete: Odysseus Unwound). I wanted to take Di Gilpin's Creative Colour Work in Knitting, but all the sections are sold out already, I guess I’ll just have to get the book… Di Gilpin ‘Shorelines’, the book which launches the new Scottish Tweed yarns. Maybe they'll have a spot last minute.

Please join the Red Scarf Project. (please feel free to take the button, to your own bandwidth)

Blogging takes a long time... I better get back to all my WIP, to give my brain some exercise.
At least some part of me will do it today...