Usually when the Yarn Harlot talks about something on her blog, there's a stampede of knitters scrambling to obtain the exact pattern or yarn that she's working with. Don't get me wrong, I adore the Harlot; I think she's a wonderful writer and has some brilliant insights into this world of knitting that we're a part of. She is a fabulous ambassador for our craft, and I'm appreciative of the fact that her influence will help keep yarn stores across the country in business for a long time. But for example, recently the Harlot knit the Must-Have Cardigan and the Ravelry forums were ablaze with ISO posts - the pattern was sold out everywhere, nowhere to be found (although patient knitters could have just ordered it - it wasn't even out of print). Zarah and I were talking about this phenomenon - we were like, yeah, it's a nice sweater, but it's just a cabled cardigan - there are zillions of cabled cardigan patterns out there. But because the Harlot knit it, it became in high demand.

I wasn't interested in the Must-Have Cardi because 1) the pattern wasn't written for my size and I didn't want to rewrite it, and 2) I'm not really a bulky cardigan kind of girl. But something else happened. I succumbed to the Harlot's influence on something else. Way back when, she posted about the Duet Sock Yarn in the Chocolate Crunch colorway. Now, I am not a pink person at all, but there's something about the combination of pink and brown that I am unable to resist. It's like Kryptonite - or as Darth Vader would say, "resistance is futile." Normally I try to buy my all my sock yarn at The Loopy Ewe, but they didn't have the color. Big surprise - things sell out fast. Plus, because the dyer is an indie, chances were that we'd never see that colorway again (this is why I don't feel bad about having a decent sized stash - you never want to regret not having bought something that spoke to you.). But I took a chance and e-mailed Angela of A Swell Yarn Shop, inquiring if we'd see that colorway again. She said she didn't usually repeat colorways, but said she'd make an exception for this one. I signed up for her e-mail newsletter, found out when she was restocking, and quietly purchased my Chocolate Crunch.

It lived in my stash for while, playing nicely with the other non-pinkish colors, till finally it told me it wanted to be a pair of Basket-Weave Rib Socks. I've knit this pattern before, for my sister's Christmas socks, and enjoyed it, so I said, "sure, why not?" After a minor gauge issue (which sent me back to my size 0's again), we are getting along just fine, even in spite of the pink. I think these are going to be a favorite pair once they're finished. Thank you, Stephanie, for the suggestion.

Posted by Tammy at 6:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

This morning I finished my Wendy's Southwestern Socks using Claudia's Hand Paints in Peppermint Mocha. Zarah introduced me to this pattern, and it's a quick, fun, easy knit - perfect for a first pair of socks for beginners, if you need to teach someone. Then I immediately cast on for another pair of socks - this time I'm making a pair of the Basket-Weave Ribbed socks from Sensational Knitted Socks using Duet Middy in Chocolate Crunch. While at The Spring Fling last weekend, I also purchased some Fiesta Baby Boom in Mochachino. On my Loopy Ewe Wishlist, I have items saved such as Numma Numma in both Brown Sugar and Cinnamon and Baba Ganoush, Bellamoden in Chocolat, Keegan Lane in Mint Chocolate Chip, All Things Heather in Truffle, and Seacoast Superwash in Chocolate and Caramel. Hmmm. Is there a reason all the yarn I have or want is food related?

Posted by Tammy at 8:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Oh. my. word. I'm back home from my weekend at The Loopy Ewe's Spring Fling. Could I possibly have had more fun? This was the most awesome time to be among knitters who all understand each other! It was like camp (only I never went to camp so I'm just guessing). We knitted all weekend, learned new toe and heel techniques from Wendy, learned to design our own socks from Cookie A. (no worries - we'll still be buying her patterns), we met Claudia of Wollmeise, and Sheri took us to Loopy Central for shopping. We got awesome goody bags with a specially dyed colorway of Wollmeise in it, along with patterns from Cookie and Wendy, and some Loopy swag. And best of all, we got to meet fellow Groupies and make wonderful, new friends!

Here are some photos from the weekend (there are more on my Flickr site):
Me, Sheri, and Sarah

Wendy and me

Stacy (of Tempted Yarns) and me at Loopy Central

Cookie and me

My swap pal, Stacey

While en route to Loopy Central, I had a brainstorm and wrote a song. Last night a group of us got together and sang a song of thank you to Sheri to the tune of "Part of Your World" from The Little Mermaid. I'm pretty sure a video will pop up on YouTube at some point. But it ended with, "Thank you, Sheri - for letting us be - part of your world!"

Thanks again, Sheri - it was AWESOME!

Posted by Tammy at 6:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Okay - no photos yet, but a quick update. Sarah and I are here at the Loopy Ewe's Spring Fling in St. Louis. We've both been talking about it for a while, and knew it was going to be tons of fun, but had no idea just how awesome this event would really be. We've been hanging out with Sheri, Wendy, and Cookie A, oh, and Claudia the Wollmeise! It's been surreal!

More later when we get home - today is my Loopy Room shopping day!!!

Posted by Tammy at 8:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Just when I think I'm going to get back to updating the blog more frequently, something else happens to distract me. Basically, it's life. Steve and Ginger were on vacation for a week, so when they got back, we spent a lot of time last weekend with them. Dinner and a movie - Expelled - No Intelligence Allowed - which I highly recommend, and a few rounds of Pinochle. (Steve and I won. hehe)

Saturday we bought a truckload of mulch for the landscaping, and it still wasn't enough! So in a couple of weeks we'll get another truckload. Robert was shoveling it out of the truck into the wheelbarrow, and I was spreading it in the flower beds, when surprise! I stepped on a wayward piece of the mulch and rolled my ankle. Robert jumped out of the truck to run over to me, and I was sitting on the sidewalk crying. "Are you hurt?" "You're going to have to finish mulching by yourself - I can't help." "Where does it hurt?" "We didn't even get to the side yard yet." "Can you get up?" "And we haven't done the back yard - and I can't help you!" "ARE YOU HURT?" "Oh yeah. I sprained my ankle." At least this time it was the left ankle. It's usually my right side that takes the beating for my injuries due to klutziness.

And did I mention that Robert's in Lubbock for a business trip this week? So we had a ton of laundry and packing and such to do. Oh, and did I mention that this week is The Loopy Ewe's Spring Fling? (Shhh, don't tell anyone, but I haven't done my homework yet.) And now I'm hobbling around on a gimpy ankle trying to get everything done. Yep, when I mess up, I do a good job of it!

Posted by Tammy at 7:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)