Sell The Stash: Mini Mochi

I put up a lot of my yarn for sale when I injured my foot, hoping to pay for a visit to the doctor. My foot started to feel better shortly thereafter, but I left the things for sale, because I am trying to destash this year, donchaknow.

Last night someone contacted me about my 2 skeins of Crystal Palace Mini Mochi in the rainbow colorway, and we were able to come to a speedy and satisfying agreement. I hope to get to the post office today or tomorrow, and then the yarn will be on its way to its new home, removing 390 yards from my stash.

How come nobody wants to buy any of my ugly yarn?

FO: Burgundy Loom Hats (x6)

I don't want you guys to think that I'm all sound and no fury. I've finished like, 8 loom hats that I haven't taken pictures of. In fact, I've made six since Thursday. Have I mentioned I love loom knitting and bulky yarn?

I had two skeins of burgundy Bernat Caress, and I was able to squeeze out 3 large hats, 2 medium, and 1 small. Some have the double-knit brim and some are rolled. I started a new one in the variegated Caress I have, but it's not done yet. So here, you get a picture of me wearing one of the large hats.



I hope people want to buy these! If not, I can always donate them to charity.

Also, I am so set for Irene. All I need is a little candlelight, 'cause I got TONS of bulky yarn.

The Diet Dilemma

I've been invited by my friend to go to this year's Vermont Sheep & Wool Festival, which is awesome, except for 2 things.

1. I have like, no money right now.
2. I'm still on a yarn diet.

Through some clever cleverness, I've convinced my husband that I should get the extra money from two weekend shifts I've picked up at work. I figure I can look at tools, not yarn, but who am I kidding? I don't have enough money for a wheel, and yarn is smushy. I'm doomed.

But wait! I've recently finished a bunch of projects. Instead of starting something new, I really should fix the Binary Scarf. Yeah! If I work on that, I'll allow myself to look at and/or purchase yarn at the festival. I'm awesome!

Except I had some whiskey tonight, and the last time I drank and worked on the Binary Scarf is when I dropped the stupid stitch in the first place, so ... no.

But hey! My friend who invited me also asked me to make a ton of hats for her to sell, and I have a Knifty Knitter and a lot of stash. Perfect. It doesn't count if I'm selling it for money.

I'm using a skein of Bernat Caress someone gave me, and it's quite lovely. Except I just found a dead bug on the skein. But that's okay! Because:

1. It was dead.
2. On a skein someone gave me, so it could have been there before.
3. Oh yeah, it was in the acrylic bin, and I don't know of any bugs who eat acrylic.

I think I'm safe.

Sharing Our Stories

I got to work early today, and the sun was shining, so I settled myself on a nearby bench and pulled out my knitting. As I was working on it, a woman stopped and asked me if I was knitting. When I told her I was, she started to tell me her story.

Her mother had made her a bulky sweater-coat once, and she used to wear it under her regular coat for extra warmth. But the coat had been lost in the move from New York, and her mother was now deceased. What she wouldn't give, she said, for that coat again.

I could see in her eyes that it wasn't about the knitting -- obviously. It was to have something her mother had made for her with love. Seeing me knit was the chance for her to remember.

I thanked her for sharing her story, because how can you not? It was so touching that she was willing to share that with me, a complete stranger.

I wondered what had happened to the coat when she'd walked away. I figure it ended up in a thrift store somewhere. I always get so sad when I see handmade items in thrift stores, because I figure someone stopped loving them. But that can't always be true. Some things out there are loved and missed, and what we wouldn't give to have them back.

(If you've come across a bulky hand-knit sweater-coat in a thrift store in New York, please message me!)

(And if that story depressed you, here: have a link to some crocheted pug butts.)

IWTMT Hiatus

I'll admit, I wobbled back and forth on this. I'm putting IWTMT on hiatus for a while. I don't know how long. IWTMT was originally conceived as something that would keep me posting on a regular basis, and it's worked wonderfully for a long time. But -- let's be realistic here -- I list 52 IWTMT projects a year and usually finish one or two at most. Also, I put publishing off until the last second, and you can tell!

If you have any suggestions for a weekly post, please give me ideas!