Knit and Plenty

Seventeen Seventy Knits

Can you believe that its already the Fourth of July weekend? Every year as we toast our first hot dog, my mother says, "Well, you'll turn around and it will be Labor Day before we know it!"  Ain't that the truth.

If you get a chance this weekend, go see the new Sandler flick, "CLICK"  It's all about slowing down, being present, celebrating all the mundane things that happen every day.

So, this weekend - enjoy a burger, mow the lawn, curl up in the lounge chair with that second sock you 've been meaning to finish. Start knitting for Christmas.

I'll be making GTK Kits - about 1776 of 'em.

Happy Fourth.

Forging Ahead

Call me crazy. Call me impulsive. Call me an ambulance. I've just gone and signed up to have a Gettin Knit Together/Knit and Plenty booth at the Knit and Crochet Show that's being held at the Valley Forge Convention Center in mid-July! It's a 4 day event, filled with tons of classes - and the Marketplace. Looks like there's about 60 - 70 cool vendors - and now ME. They say about 3000 of us fiber folk attend the show - plus now that you know about it, I'm sure you'll be changing all your summer plans to high tail it to Valley Forge. Hey, there's lots of history there, and Sesame Place, and now ME.

Gotta go, ambulance has arrived!

Summer Safety

Beautiful, Too went off to summer camp on Sunday. She's been going for years but this time she's going to be a counselor-in-training. This camp is right out of the movies, like the Parent Trap.  When I was a kid, I wanted to be Hayley Mills. but I was too afraid to go to sleep-away camp. I was the kid that couldn't get through a sleepover without going home at 1 a.m. And besides, there were bugs and spiders at camp - and my mother was quick to point out, "YOU'D GET EATEN ALIVE!"  Not bit. Not stung. EATEN ALIVE.  It went along with hearing "YOU'RE GONNA KILL YOUSELF" if I went on the playground monkey bars- or "YOU"LL FREEZE TO DEATH" if I went out without a coat.

Well, i sent Beautiful, Too off for six weeks with lots of OFF, Calamine Lotion and a StingKill stick. I hope she doesn't poke her eye out!

At Least Someone's Making Progress

With all the goings-on lately, I have had so little time to knit, so I was delighted to get together with the girls of Saturday Knit Live over at Major Knitters and check out all the great progress of these wonderful knitresses.  We hadn't gotten together in awhile, and in that time, Lindsey has crossed over to the other side...to...the sock knitters. I'm proud, jealous and fearful of the day when I might also make the leap. (and boy, you're certain to hear about it.) Lindsey's doing a great job leading the way!

Susan also has made a lot of headway on a sweater with one sleeve almost done. She took a finishing lesson from our friend Adelaide in Barnstable, MA and we can't wait to see her put what she learned into action.

Everybody else shared lots of great things that I didn't get pictures of: like Regina's beautiful (albeit pilly) pink cashmere wrap and Betsy, who is  actually knitting seahorses and shells and starfish and who-the-hell-knows-what-else into a shawl. It's amazing.

It's nerve racking.

I really do hope to get knitting again one of these days. If you've noticed, my project bar as been on that damn one skein lacy shawl for about two months. I am convinced, by the way, the "one skein shawl" is an oxymoron.

Gettin' a little Rrrr-AUDI.

Champagne. Cash. Men in Uniform. As we learned from your comments in my last posting, it's good to know that we'll stop knitting for something! I had to stop knitting this weekend to pick up Purl's new supa fine ride. Isn't she a doozy??

I'm about to put together my emergency Yarn-11 kit for the trunk and I'm planning a few summer yarn-store road trips to meet with shop owners about the GKT Kit  Now, I know the kit is a great idea - but I may already be onto the next  great invention:

Chocolate-covered Firemen!

Any takers?

What's better than knitting?

I have to say that I was really surprised that yesterday's impromptu sex survey seemed to indicate that more knitters  prefer to knit than have sex. Personally,  I want the sex, as long as I know that  I can have some post coital stockinette. Sort of like smoking afterwards.

But it got me to thinking, if we prefer knitting over sex - what is it that we think is BETTER than knitting?

So, bring it on. Finish this sentence:

I'll put down my needles anytime  for: _________________!

Knit Tonight Dear, I Have a Headache

Today, scientists announced that stress can cause infertility in woman. Women with hectic jobs are most at risk, they say. They say it has something to do with the production of the Cortisol hormone.

Corisol, shmortisol. I had an 60 hour/week job once, and I can tell you first hand, I was just too friggin' tired to have sex. Simple. The last thing I wanted to do was come home after a long hard demanding day to a long hard demanding husband.

Now granted, sometimes sex can be a great stress reliever. But sometimes, all ya want to do is knit.

So, here's today's knotty question:

If you're stressed, how often would you rather knit than have sex? Your answer in percentages will do.

Or how about this question, how many of us wish we could, or actually do, get a few rows in after the deed is done?

Ah, let's see who's brave enough to comment today?

Measured Progress

Don't be frightened. This isn't a picture of the spawning of the eggs of some new sea creatures. Look closer and you'll see, it's just a box of Knit and Plenty tape measures. 1000 of them, actually. Which for me, is pretty terrifying.  I have to say that they really do add even more fun and practicality to the Gettin' Knit Together Kit.

For those who have been with me on this new product adventure since it began, you've been terrific cheerleaders and focus group members. I always want your feedback.

I'm just waiting for one last piece (the magnifying rulers) before launching my first marketing effort to attract more retailers.

How about this idea? If you email me the name of the owner of your local yarn shop, with their contact information - I'll pop a tape measure in the mail to you!

email me at Purl@knitandplenty.com

Knit didn't happen.

I did. I plum forgot to write. It's late on Monday, and yeah, it's been a hell of a day. Actually, a hell of a few days. Computer virus that lost about 25% of all my files and required re-installing all my software. (Please do your back-ups). Laryngitis. (Had no voice for four days.)Next, my daughter's 1994 Chevy Blazer needed $750 worth of repairs, before it crapped out all together - putting her without a car for the summer. Then realizing that she has to have a car, and that I am going to have to solve THAT problem. Then a ceiling light totally fell out of the ceiling - and oh, my youngest cat (Dewey) had a $600 vet bill, - and of course, its only about three and 1/2 weeks since my surgery. So all and all, its been a hectic few days, and I haven't picked up a knitting needle all weekend, and I absolutely forgot to blog.

And I'm certainly not complaining. This is just all small inconvenient life stuff. SH*T happens.

So, do forgive me - I hope to get back on the normal schedule,

Not much cooking.

I couldn't resist nabbing (and sharing) this little cartoon. It seems to say to me what my mother always said, "For every pot, there's a cover." It was her way of saying that people find each other, and that in some way, they are made for each other.  Being recently single (again) after a really nice 5 year relationship which ended amicably (so far), I've decided to put the whole pot/cover/relationship thing on the back burner.

And if one more person tells me that it always happens when you least expect it, I think I'll hit them in the head with a shovel and say, "Gosh, that always happens when you least expect it."

So, what does this all have to do with knitting?  For those others out there that are single, you know exactly what it means. Especially on a Friday, before a weekend. Maybe I'll even finish a shawl, or two.

Have a great weekend. See you Monday.