Finishing

I actually finished a project, so I feel the need to share.

My friend T and I had been going for walks with her pup but it's gotten cooler (and is now down right cold) at night.  She made a comment that she'd like a hat with ear-flaps (and she "doesn't care if she looks silly).  Enter Simpatico.  It's a more interesting pattern than a standard ear-flap had, knit with worsted weight yarn, and would give me a chance to attempt the magic loop.  I'm not sure I did that quite right, but it came out okay.

I prefer it with the ties, which I braided instead of using i-cord.  They are more for show as the ear-flaps are plenty long to stay down on their own.

Please ignore our messy living room - moving and all that jazz

 T wanted pink, and pink she will get.  I think if I were to do it again I'd use different yarn.  The Plymouth Europa Tweed is pretty but splits a bit too easily and is a little thicker than is called for in the pattern.  I went down a needle size and that made it work, but knitting bulky yarn (I wouldn't call this super bulky at all, despite the description) on size 5 needles was a bit of a pain.

End thoughts: while I like the end look, the pattern was sort of a pain.  The decreases aren't predictable and there are only two size options - Child or Adult.  My adult head is a bit too small and M's head is a bit too big.  Hopefully T's head is just right.  I don't think I'll be making it again unless someone requests it specifically.

We aren't Friends

Today should have been a wonderful day. To start it's Saturday - the only thing better is 6pm on a Friday evening. To put some icing on this particular Saturday I had plans to hit up some local yarn shops. Yet, for some reason, I was racking my brain Friday night on how I could get out of going. Me, trying to avoid yarn shops. Ridiculous you may say, but it all comes down to the company.

I'm new in town and attempting to meet people, and knitting a fellow knitter is especially exciting. So when a woman I had just meet asked if I'd like to go check out the Cat and Crow, which opened a few months ago, I jumped at the chance.

She picked me up (I was pretty sure she wasn't an axe-murderer, so I didn't feel freaked to get into a stranger's car) and the interior of the car was pretty clean. I'm always appreciative of a car that doesn't have fast food wrappers, pop cans, or the like skewed about. It wasn't until we'd traveled a few miles down the road that I notice the smell - a weird musty, barn like smell. I ignored it, because really what do you say?

So we continued down the road. I asked her how long she'd been teaching - and this lead to a long rambling story. She started teaching to pay her way through grad school, and it was all down hill from there. Grad school was great, but the actual job after the fact was not what she wanted it to be - at least I think that's what she was getting at. Thank goodness the Argyle Fiber Mill was close by, allowing for a pit stop and gap in her life history.

Life had not gone as she planned - it was one disappointing position after another. Also, she knows my boss and man was she surprised that I am actually enjoying it there. Not even the Cat and Crow or the Sow's Ear could uplift the downer. To her credit she was very nice, when we discussed knitting it was a really good conversation - but it always came back around to her career and how life gave her a raw deal.

When I arrived back home all I could think was: 1) I spent too much money in those lovely shops and 2) what the heck was the smell in her car?

She's a nice woman, we have the same hobbies, similar other interests (attempts at gardening, kitchens, local culture) and I really have no interest in becoming better acquainted. It's weird to me - but I might even avoid knitting groups that she is a part of...tragic.

Yarn Shop Reviews

Cat and Crow - The women are exceptionally nice. They carry local spun yarn, and even some yarns sheared from local sheep and alpaca. The big down fall - you won't find any of the less expensive yarns - which was annoying. I could understand if the shop intended to only carry local, or even American, yarns but there was plenty of mini mochi from Crystal Palace which is spun in Asia. So obviously the goal isn't to promote Local only. The book selection leaved something to be desire as well. It's a new shop, and I understand them not wanting to put a lot of capital into the store, but I'll check back in a few months and make up my mind then. I did find a book to add to my collection, The Opinionated Knitter. Nice find I felt.

Sow's Ear - A very nice shop. Coffee in the front, with plenty of tables to sit, enjoy a cuppa, and work on a project. All around is yarn, samples of completed projects, and accessories. (I finally found soles for my cable slippers.) They didn't have as many local yarns, but did have a lot of American yarns. And my favorite yarn brand, Cascade! I know it's not the fanciest, but its good quality and knits up wonderfully. Anyway they also have a great selection of patterns - I purchased the Swirl Shawl pattern. Unfortunately they didn't have any more of the yarn in the color I wanted. I guess I'll just have to go back and check again.