Tuesday Tens: Ten Reasons I Didn't Want to Buy a New Purse

I bought a new purse tonight. Guess which one's the new one?

With all the job interviews I've been going on, the subject of what to wear has been a common topic of conversation with my family. It's an interesting study in class and gender roles. There are specific "rules" in place for men that don't exist for women, and I'm confused.

I even ordered a suit from a catalog that was on clearance for only $20. It was black, single breasted, with pants. After being on back order for two months, I finally tried it on for the family. Aaron's brothers said I looked like Giovanni from Pokemon. I sent the suit back.

Since my first interview in March, Mom keeps saying if anything is making me look unprofessional, it's my purse. It's dirty and the bunny's chewed on it. I agree that I could use another one, but I don't think it's that big of a deal, especially when it comes to job interviews.

Tonight I finally got one at Target. It took me close to an hour to pick one out. I even took a bunch to the fitting rooms and asked for a mirror to "try them on."

I've been resisting getting a new purse for a while, even though (as Mom kept telling me) there's lots of cheap ones that are professional enough at department stores. The reasons are complicated. Here are some of the causes of my procrastinating:

1. For me, a purse is like a car. Personally, I don't have tons of purses. I have a little evening bag that I've had since high school. It's too sparkly for an interview. I have a small purse that's sort of like a small backpack. It's made of a similar material and has lots of zippers and pockets. I use it for traveling, theme parks and similar situations. It's more secure for going on roller coasters or being dragged through the airport, and it's lighter if I'm going to be doing a lot of walking. But it's too casual for interviews.

And then I have the one gets used constantly. That's the "car." It usually only gets replaced if it "breaks" (like the time my strap broke and I kept having to staple it together) or I see a new that's perfect. I don't switch out much, and I don't want to. I'm reluctant to buy a purse either based on job interview standards alone. And I don't want to rush the purse buying process since it'll be constant companion for a couple of years.

2. I'm really proud of myself for getting rid of so much stuff, and I can't bring myself to have another purse sitting in my closet. I've never been the type to buy lots of purses, but I have a bought a couple here and there because I liked them. I also kept old and "broken" purses for that "someday" that never seems to come. I got rid of most of those. I don't want to hold on to another purse, even if it is my "job interview" purse. And I don't want to spend money on a purse to use once and give away.

3. I want to buy a quality handmade one or make one myself. This is a big one. Anyone else suffer from the I-don't-want-to-buy-one-I-want-to-make-my-own Syndrome? I usually only wear one scarf at a time part of the year, but I would really use one good knitted or crocheted purse. But then it's hard to decide, and for one that's really functional I would need lining and a zipper.

I'd also like a purse made by someone else from Etsy or a craft show. The problem is it's more expensive. While it's understandable that it would cost more, and it would be worth the investment, I'm unemployed and can't spend more than $20 or $25 right now.

4. Picking out a purse requires me to reflect on who I am and where I am at life. Here's where sociology comes in. Walking through Target, I deemed some purses too young, some too old, some too professional, some not professional enough, some too shallow, some too dull, some too sexy, some too conservative and on and on and on. Materials, silhouettes, colors, patterns and size all evoke certain ideas and personalities in my mind. Big "hobo bags" remind me of fashionistas and soccer moms. Neutral colors seem bland. Purses with big logos on them seem shallow (even if no one's ever heard of the brand.) Straps made out of chains seem like something sexy, like you'd wear to a club. And the little envelope purses with fun prints and pictures (the ones that appeal to me the most) look like they're for teens and college students (not a good look for a job interview.)

I'm not sure how many of these ideas apply to our culture in general, but I'm sure they're there. That makes me want a "special" purse even more.

5. I feel like a shallow person for believing everything I wrote in number four. I can only hide behind sociological pondering so much. I do care about how I look and how people judge me.

6. Purses that match the image I want to convey don't match what appeals to me aesthetically. Shiny! Sequins! Eye Bleeding Colors! Prints! Cute Animals! Unicorns! Glitter! Rainbows! Weird Shapes!... usually don't make for very professional purses.

7. When it comes to purses, I still have some baggage. (Pun intended.) It took me a while to embrace the concept of carrying a purse. The feminist in me felt like I should be able to get by without one. I finally decided not to feel ashamed for having a purse. My gender is lucky to be able to carry a small bag with them and fit the social norm, rather than trying to shove everything in our pockets or carrying a full size backpack or laptop bag everywhere. Except for one item on that list, I think those are items both men and women need. I like to have my wallet, checkbook, keys, inhaler, medication, pens, chap stick, tampons and eye drops with me. Recently I've been carrying a big tape measure because I've been looking for storage ideas for my apartment. I think women have the right idea.

Yet I still have this lingering idea that purses mean weakness. So I tend to avoid buying them.

8. There's functional things to consider. There's size of course. I bought a cloth covered purse even though it will be harder to clean. I prefer one big pocket to five smaller ones. A zipper is essential. I put back one purse based on lack of zipper alone.

Because my headache seems to be related to neck and shoulder pain, I thought a lot about how it would affect my posture. As much time as I spend carrying my purse, this is a big deal. Instead of the one long strap I've been using, I got one with two short straps that hold the purse right under my armpit. I figured using different muscles would help.

9. My purse really *shouldn't* factor into my job interview at all. The car analogy alone is proof of this. You don't try to but a car to match your outfits, or buy one just for interviews. Think about luggage too. You don't worry about carrying a black suitcase while you're wearing brown shoes. I wonder thought, when men buy briefcases, do they consider how they will look with their clothes?

10. The more your parents bug you to do something, the less you want to do it. 'Nuff Said.

I'll leave you with an example of how my purse got so messed up in the first place. I took this picture while I was writing this entry.

Tuesday Tens: Ten Things My Readers Should Know About the Last Ten Months (more or less)

It's been a while, and I'm not quite sure what to say. So I decided to say it in a list. A Tuesday Tens list.

1. I haven't gone anywhere, I just haven't been myself for a while. Last summer was tough. I was starting to get back in the blogging habit in October, then I got the the Swine Flu and everything came to a grinding halt. (Yes, this right before the vaccines became available to the general public.) Between that and all the other things I'm about to talk about, I just fell out of circulation. It's not just the blogging. It's the knitting, crochet, spinning, yarn sales, knitting groups, local yarn shops, Ravelry and everything else that goes with it. Some of my knitting friends probably think I fell off the face of the earth. I feel so embarrassed. I didn't know that Bluebonnet Yarn Shoppe closed, and I'm only vaguely aware that The Knitting Nest moved. I'm not sure what happened. Maybe I just needed a break. Maybe I'll be back even bigger and better than before.

So if you've messaged me on Ravelry, left a comment, e-mailed me, etc and I haven't responded, I'm sorry. But now I'm back. Feel free to contact me again. You'll probably get an answer.

2. Jules and I are no longer together. We haven't been since last October. I'm not going in to details except to say we didn't get along while we were living together. He moved into his own place in October, and then back to California in January. We still talk on the phone every now and then.

3. I'm unemployed again. Not many people can say they've been laid off by the same employer twice. But this time there was no rehire. It happened February 12, and it was the exact opposite of the other lay off. I didn't see it coming, and I was the only one (on that particular morning) that was let go.

I was having a good Friday morning when it happened. Mid-morning my pen ran out of ink and I needed a new notepad. I was finishing up entering stuff into the computer, and I was going to find the office manager to get more supplies when they called me in. They cleaned out my desk for me, and I tried to get to my car as quickly as possible before I saw anyone I know.

But don't feel sorry for me. Between collecting unemployment and a little help from The Bank of Mom and Dad, I'm doing fine and looking forward to a fresh start.


4. I'm cleaning my apartment. Seriously. After lots of false starts over the past few years, I'm really, honestly, truly making progress. The picture above is my "Wall O' Yarn." (It's all cataloged on Ravelry, except for a couple of specific categories.) You can see more pictures of my apartment on Flickr. Maybe someday I'll be brave enough to post the "before" pictures.

5. I have contacts now, but the headaches are back. Last summer I talked about my new glasses hurting. It was awful. The pain around my nose traveled to the back of my head and down my neck. It went on for months, until I finally gave in and got contacts for my birthday in December. For a while, all the pain went away. But then in March I developed a headache in the left side of my forehead (the same side as the pain from the glasses.) The pain also started traveling down my neck, so I know they must be related to the pain I had with the glasses. It's been a problem since March. I'll probably blog more about it later, but there are medications, doctors and a chiropractor involved now.

(The good news is that my contacts are awesome!)

6. I may blog about non-yarn things more often. I've had the urge to write more about other topics than what will fit in a Facebook status update. So you'll probably see more non-knitting stuff here.

7. I have all sorts of unfinished business to blog about. There's an FO that's never been seen on this blog, a follow up to the Potholder Swap and all kinds of pictures to post.


8. This is my most recent WIP. I'm calling it the "Back in the Saddle Scarf," for obvious reasons. It's the Easy Drop Stitch Scarf, only wider. I'm planning to add some fringe as well. I'm using Noro Lily from Bluebonnet Yarn Shoppe.

9. I feel incredibly guilty about crapping out on the Gauge Scarf Circle. I really owe a big apology to Gauge and all it's customers, especially those in my scarf circle. I never finished the scarves, and a couple have been lingering in my house. I was late, then I was ashamed, so I avoided going, and that made me later and more ashamed and guilty, and then I really avoided dropping them off, and it went on and on like that for months. I'm probably the reason the scarves in my circle weren't finished. And now that I've blogged it, I'm think I'm brave enough to return the scarves in my possession.

10. Guilt has been a huge factor in my absence. It's irrational, but every time something knitting, blogging or fiber related came up in the past few months, I couldn't enjoy it because I felt guilty. Guilty for not keeping up, for being out of the loop, for having big plans and not following up and, in a few areas, guilty for not following through on my promises. So I avoided it. I know this doesn't make sense, so I'm going to push myself back into it until it feels right again.

Tuesday Tens: Ten Reasons why Ravelry Should Hire Me

In case you missed it, Ravelry is hiring! It's a part-time community support position, and I think I'd be perfect for it.

Candidates must answer three questions:

1.Why do you want to work for Ravelry?
2.What qualities, technical experience (computer and crafty!) and skills could you bring to our little team?
3. If you were a yarn-producing fiber, what would you be and why?

According to the website:

"You don’t need to write a formal cover letter… heck, you can make a video, upload it to the internet somewhere, and send us the link. :) Whatever works!"

So I decided to use a blog entry for the "cover letter." Here are ten reasons why Ravelry should hire me for their community support position.

1. I want to be part of "the industry." I want to make the fiber arts a career, and I've been searching for a way into the industry. I want a career like Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, Amy Singer or Norah Gaughn. I want people to come to me and ask me to design, write or speak. And I can't think of a better place to get in the door than Ravelry, the collective brain of all the knitters and crocheters on the Internet. Best of all, this position would let me get my foot in the door without leaving the financial security of my 8-5, Monday through Friday job.

2. I'm looking forward to meeting everyone. I love the idea of meeting knitters, crocheters, spinners, designers, yarnies and everyone else I'll meet. I know it will be a blast, and I'll see all sorts of new yarns and patterns.


3. Have I mentioned that I love yarn? I love discovering and learning about different yarns. I think working for Ravelry will allow me even more opportunities to get to know yarn.

(Here is a picture from when I first discovered Brooks Farm Yarn at Kid 'n Ewe 2007.

4. This position has the flexibility I want in my dream job. Someday I want to work from home on my own schedule. I'm hoping this position will allow me the flexibility to decide exactly how I want to organize my responsibilities, when I do certain tasks and what time of day I work. And I could work in a coffee shop with wifi or in my pajamas with the television in the background.



5. I've been knitting and crocheting for a while now. My Mom showed me how to crochet a chain when I was four. Knitting finally "stuck" when I was in the third grade. Serious crochet came not long after that.

I'm including this picture of the Floppy Horse Family as an example of something I knit in the third or fourth grade. It's not the best craftsmanship in the world, but I've come a long way since then. The slippers were crocheted when I was in the sixth grade. I think it's fair to say that I know my stuff in both knitting and crochet. And I'm learning to spin.

6. I speak the language of knitters (and crocheters.) I love talking with other knitters. I can strike up a conversation with strangers in a yarn shop. Or I find myself helping people pick out yarn. (Occasionally they think I work there.) In a more literal sense, I know knitting, crochet, spinning, fiber and the slang terms associated with them.

7. I have a bachelor's in Mass Communication and I have call center experience and retail experience. I've been around long enough to realize the diploma alone doesn't mean much. And it may seem weird to mention my current call center job and the retail work I did in college. But between being a newspaper reporter, dealing with inbound calls and helping people look for the right size, I know something about communicating with strangers. (Often angry strangers, although I doubt there will be much of that on with Ravelry users.)

8. What I lack in knowledge, I make up for with an ability to learn quickly. I know my way around Ravelry pretty well, and I know a little basic html. But I think my biggest asset is that I can often figure things out for myself by playing around with things. In the ninth grade my Science and Technology teacher told us that "you can't blow up Toledo." If you've ever tried to help someone who was afraid to touch a computer, you know how important this is.


9. If I were a yarn-producing fiber, I'd be hemp. (And not because I'm a stoner.)

According to Amy Singer in No Sheep for You:

"...the charm of hemp comes in the washing-wearing-washing-wearing cycle of a garment. Hemp is strong so washing doesn't hurt it; each cycle just makes it softer...Would you be surprised if I told you that fabric from knitted hemp has "sproing?" It does. Knit a big swatch and give it a tug. It doesn't just surrender to your touch..."

I fell in love with hemp when Amy Singer came to Hill Country Weavers a couple of years ago to promote "No Sheep For You." Hemp is a misunderstood and underrated fiber, and I think people underestimate me. Hemp is tough, flexible and it can be surprisingly soft, similar to the way I am both tough and caring.

Most of all, washing hemp makes it better, and I think I get better with experience.

(FYI - The washcloth in the picture above was knit with allhemp6.)




10. We'd make a great team. Don't you agree?

Tuesday Tens: Ten Goals for this Blog in 2009

I'm pretty proud of my blog, but there's a lot I would like to improve. So I've joined the Blog Improvement Project.

The week one assignment is to blog about our goals for our blog. I'm hoping my blog will be the path to someday making the fiber arts a career. Perhaps that's the biggest goal of all.

(FYI - I recommend reading this interview with Jonathan Fields from Zen Habits about making your own career path. Fields actually mentions knitting as a passion without a clear career path.)

Here are ten goals that I for this blog in 2009.

1. Have someone create a logo. I already have a lead, I just need to move on it. It's time to do some branding.

2. Completely revamp the design of my blog. I've been meaning to do this for a while. I picked one early on that I wasn't completely satisfied with, and stuck with it out of laziness. It's time for a change.

3. Fix my RSS feed and make sure I'm connected on all the social networks. My RSS feed has been doing weird things for a while now.

4. Find more ways to get more readers to participate. This goes along with number two. Blogger doesn't have a very good format for comments. I'd like something more interactive, where we could have discussions in the comments.

5. Create some sort of "Panel of Experts." I need a better way to get information from other knitters for blog entries. I'm thinking maybe some sort of Google Group or mailing list.

6. Create some sort of newsletter or way for people to subscribe to the blog. I've heard it's a good way to grow readership.

7. Increase my ad revenue. There's a lot of avenues for advertising. I need to find the best ones that aren't too intrusive.

8. Work ahead. Maybe I'll have an easier time keeping up regular features.

9. Find a better way to keep track of blog ideas. This hasn't been too much of a problem, but I think keeping some sort of running list will help me come up with more innovative ideas.

10. Have a fabulous contest to promote my blog once all my work is done. Free stuff is good.

Tuesday (or Wednesday) Tens: Ten Gifts I'd Like To Get From Etsy

Last year I took the Handmade Pledge, and this year I'm keeping it going. If you want to get a gift for me (or yourself) here are some ideas.

1. Knitting Needles by Chelle.
I've been drooling over these for a long time. They have several with initials, and I also like the ones with funny sayings like "Knit Wit," "Knit Picky" or "In Deep Knit."

2. Handpainted Yarn from Yarn Oddities.
Beautiful, vibrant colors.

3. A Glass Knitting Pendant like this one from Chauncey Design.
This design always sells out quickly, but they usually restock it. Squidglass also has a nice selection of knitting related pendants.

4. Jewelry made from knitting needles from Saving Nine Creations, Sassafras Creations or Liana Kabel.
Saving Nine has earrings made from the very tips of metal needles that have the needle size, Sassafras uses both ends for earrings, necklaces and more (I think The Knitting Nest carries their keyrings) and Liana Kabel has bangles made out of needles.

5. Novelty Batts from Loop or Terra Bella Spun.
I have one from Butterfly Girl Designs already. After I get better on the wheel, I plan to dig into the novelty batts. I'm excited about spinning novelty yarn.

6. Art Yarn from Bugtussle Yarn.
See number 87 on my list. There are so many to choose from, but Bugtussle seems to have the wildest and weirdest. Bees Knees Knitting, Felt Studio, Pancake and Lulu, Snowberry and Lime, Ozknits and Weird & Twisted also have great selections of art yarn.

7. A Ginormous Knitting Bag from Actual Size Creations.
One of the few bags I've seen that looks like it would fit everything.

8. Alphabetical Stitch Markers from Hide and Sheep.
Sooner or later I'll dig into my Cat Bordhi Book. When I do, these will help.

9. Roving from Zen Yarn Garden.
Must Keep Knitting also has some pretty roving.

10. Knitter's Giftdex from Knit.
You want something nest year, don't you?

Tuesday Tens: Ten Geektastic Patterns

Leia Wig knit by Dyana in Lion Brand Vanna's Choice.

It started with an e-mail from one of my geeky friends with the pattern for the Leia Wig shown above. Then he sent another link to a pattern for Knitted Light Sabers. Geeks love knitting, and there's no shortage of patterns for just about any geekdom. I've featured ten here, and included the geekdom for those who don't speak geek.



1. Leia Wig by Ansley Bleu

Example knit by Ansley in Misti Alpaca Chunky.

Geekdom: Star Wars



2. Binary Scarf by Christine Dumoulin

Example knit by Shona in Caron Simply Soft.

Geekdom: Computers. (Read more about binary here.)



3. DNA Scarf by June Oshiro

Example knit by Sarah.

Geekdom: Biology, specifically genetics. (Not quite a geekdom, but close enough.)



4. Nintendo Kleenex Box Holder (Ravelry link) by Carrie Ouradnik

Example knit by Janelle in Red Heart Super Saver.

Geekdom: Nintendo. Specifically, old-school Nintendo.



5. R2D2 Beanie by Carissa Browning

Example knit by Janelle in Caron Simply Soft and Red Heart Super Saver.

Geekdom: Star Wars (Specifically, R2-D2.)



6. EXTERMIKNIT by Penwiper

Example knit by Jo.

Geekdom: Doctor Who. This is a stuffed Dalek. (Linking to the iconic scarf seemed too easy.)



7. Cthulhu Dice Bag! by A. A. Leavitt-Reynolds

Example knit by Michelle in Cascade 220.

Geekdom: There's two here. Cthulhu is from the work of HP Lovecraft, and may be considered a geekdom all it's own. Also, a lot of dice are required for Role Playing Games, hence the dice bag.



8. Lord of the Rings Scarf (Ravelry link) by Tina Yeung.

Example knit by Tempe in Brown Sheep Nature Spun Sport.

Geekdom: Lord of the Rings. This scarf features the text inscribed on the ring.





9. Jayne Cobb Hat by Dryope (She also has a crocheted version.)

Top example knit by Lisa in Caron Wintuk and TLC Essentials. Bottom example knit by Clare in Robin Double Knit and Sirdar Bonus DK.

Geekdom: Firefly



10. Geek Mittens by Gayla Oglesby.

Example knit by Gayla in Lion Brand Lion Wool.

Geekdom: Computers, specifically Linux. These mittens feature Tux, the Linux mascot.

Some Bits and Pieces

First, I want to say that Tuesday Tens will probably be Wednesday or Thursday Tens this week. I have an awesome idea, but I don't think I can make it happen tonight.

Also, a couple of weeks I posted about Jules. I regret that I brought my blog into it at all, but I really thought it was over. It's not. We're working through it slowly.

Just like I felt like he couldn't just suddenly disappear with no explanation, I felt like he couldn't suddenly show up again without some sort of explanation.

Tuesday Tens: Ten vignettes from Kid 'n Ewe that don't have pictures to go with them

Friday night I spent the night with my parents so I'd be closer to Boerne for Kid 'n Ewe in the morning. Saturday morning I realized I'd left my camera in my apartment. I borrowed my parents' camera, but when I got to Boerne, I realized the battery was dead. I contemplated going to find some fun saver cameras at a gas station. In the end, I decided to save time and money and just enjoy my time at Kid 'N Ewe experience without stressing about taking pictures.

So I don't have pictures, (the one above is just of my loot), but I do have some stories. Here are ten "vignettes" from Kid 'n Ewe.

1. The ladies from Heritage Arts were awesome! They had several spinning wheels in their area, and they let me try them all. They were very friendly and helpful. If I had my camera, it would have been easier to keep track of the different wheels. I know I didn't care for the itty bitty wheels. I was really hunched over on one of them. They said tall people don't like the little ones, but it doesn't get much shorter than me. I guess you have to learn to lean back. Ultimately, I liked the Ashford that looked like my Mom's. I'm about 90% sure it was an Elizabeth. The difference was this one had a Scotch tension system instead of a double drive like my Mom's Ashford. (The group from Heritage Arts explained the difference.) I think I may be an Ashford person, but I'm not certain at this point.

2. Speaking of wheels, Wyatt Wheels was there. I got to try their wheels as well. I could see myself with a Wyatt Wheel. (Although I couldn't see myself paying for one.) I also got to try one of their Charka wheels. The Charka had a big spindle on the side. After spinning for a while, you have to wind the yarn back on the spindle. However, it takes less time than a drop spindle, because you have more control of the wheel with the hand crank.

3. I also tried the Schacht Ladybug. The Weavery at Indian Meridian had one. I asked if I could try it. I didn't realize that it had been sold, but the lady who bought it let me try it anyway. (Thank you random person for letting me try your brand new Ladybug.) It was ok, but I think I'm more of a single treadle person.

4. I heard an alpaca crying. Well, maybe. It didn't look distressed. It was eating hay and hanging out, but making this sort of "maaa" sound as it ate. It was weird. (You had to be there.)

5. Hokett Would Work was back, and they had mini loom kits for sale. They were the perfect size for making potholders, and the kits included all the tools, some yarn and instructions. They had some of the individual looms fancier wood, but Hokett said he made the ones in the kits with a less expensive wood so people could get everything they need at an affordable price. I'm tempted to get one. (Hokett doesn't have a website, but you can e-mail him to ask about ordering.)

6. Hill Country Alpacas was back. I bought another skein of their yarn. This one was from "Escondidos Shadow," and it was lighter in color. I may mix it with the yarn from Stonewall Jaxon, or I might not. (Or I may keep buying a skein every year until I can make an entire blanket or sweater.)

7. I wish I had taken notes when I stopped by Buffalo Gold. They explained how they got the fiber. (They don't shear the bison. It involves an enzyme bath of some sort to remove the fur from the hides. The hides are leftover from getting the bison for their meat.) They also invited me to join The Herd on Ravelry.

8. I saw some fiber dyed with real Indigo. I didn't actually do it, but I got to see the finished product. I may pay to do it myself if they offer it next year.

9. This year I avoided raw fleece. Last year I had this thing against roving for some odd reason. I wanted to make rolags instead. Now I know that I like roving. It's my friend. (And I don't have to worry about preparing it.)

10. I learned an important lesson about fiber. After getting to touch and feel all the fiber, I realize how much the dyeing process can affect the feel of the fiber. In several instances the dyed fiber was much courser, and seemed a little felted. (Or in the case some plant fibers, just stuck together.) I now realize how much fiber can vary, even if it's coming from the same type of plant and animal.

Tuesday Tens: Ten Dye Baths Good Enough To Drink (Though I Wouldn't Recommend It)

After my recent dyeing experience, I'm starting to think about other dyeing possibilities. And since I'm an amateur, sticking with non-toxic dyes may be a good way to go if I'm going to to be experimenting. I'll be sure to avoid explosions. (Hopefully.) Here are ten edibles that can be used to dye yarn.

1. Tea - There hasn't been much written on dying with herbal tea (or at least as far as I have found.) But there has been some written about dying with black tea. There is a good tutorial on KnitPicks and another one here.

2. Coffee - You can't have tea without coffee, right? Re-Nest lists dyeing as one use for coffee grounds. This blogger dyes with coffee all the time. I also found this tutorial.

3. Beets - I wonder if there's a way to make a dye bath, then eat the beets. There's a tutorial here that talks about using canned beets as a possibility.

4. Turmeric - Turmeric is a spice right? (Can you tell I don't cook?) Anyway, there is a good tutorial on instructables, and the color is gorgeous.

5. Blackberries - Blackberries are too expensive to just use for dye. Maybe I can make some sort of dessert with the leftovers? It's beautiful, though. (Check out this tutorial.)

6. Juice - Grape juice is the one that comes to mind. (It's the one that stains, afterall.) However, I imagine other juices will work as well. (I found a grape juice dyeing tutorial.)

7. Onions - I hate onions. Blech. But onion skins make a pretty yellow. (Lion Brands has a tutorial.)

8. Cabbage - I like the color of purple cabbage. I found this blog entry where they actually ended up with blue, not purple.

9. Food Coloring and Easter Egg Dye - They aren't quite food, but they are edible. Perhaps safer than some of the others, because you don't have to add any unsafe additives. The best tutorial ever on the topic, including microwave instructions, is here.


10. Kool Aid (or a generic equivalent) - I saved the best for last. How can you talk about dyeing with food grade dyes and not mention Kool Aid? In case you haven't heard, Kool Aid dyes yarn very well. (There's a reason why it's so hard to get the stains out.) I dyed the yarn above with Kool Aid and Hawaiian Punch. Knitty has an excellent tutorial, and there's even a color card online.

Tuesday Tens: Ten "Secrets" of Sally Comes Unraveled

Recently, I read about the Secrets of the J-Walk Blog, one of my favorite non-knitting blogs. It inspired me to share some of my own "secrets." Here's a (sort of) behind the scenes look at my blog.

1. My camera is an Olympus C150. I only know this because of I looked it up on Flickr. I do know it's abilities are limited.

2. I have a few tips for "point and shoot" cameras like mine. Make sure the light source is coming from behind you and shining on your subject. Don't use the crummy zoom, it will only make things blurry. Instead, take a picture far away and crop the hell out of it. The pictures are huge when you down load them anyway.

3. Speaking of Flickr... Most of my pictures are on my Flickr page. I tried putting them on Blogger in the beginning, but I ran out of room pretty quickly. I'm still toying with the best ways to format the pictures.


4. I ask permission before taking pictures in yarn shops. They're almost always
ok with it, once they confirm it's not for commercial use. I've only had trouble twice. Once the owner didn't speak English very well and thought I was publishing a book. (She eventually said yes.) The other was the picture above, taken outside of A Major Knitwork on my first trip to California. It had absolutely nothing to do with the staff of the shop. They were closed for the TNNA convention. It was a rogue security guard who got angry when I took this picture outside the store.

5. Despite, my jokes, I have more than two readers. I often talk about "both of my readers", but according to my stats, I seem to average around 30 unique visitors a day.

6. I usually blog like I have thousands of readers. Because someday I hope I will.

7. If I don't post on a given day, it's probably because I fell asleep. Chances are I conked out with my computer still on.


8. You can tell the location of the shot by the background. Well, that goes without saying, but sometimes it's less obvious with the close ups. If the background is dark green, the item was placed on my green chair in the living room. If it's light blue, the picture was taken on my bed. My "mirror shots" (like the one above) are taken at my bathroom sink. However, the layout of my apartment puts the bathroom sink outside the actual bathroom (like a Motel 6), so I'm really outside the bathroom in front of my closet door.


9. In case you missed it, Poncho Pig became my knitwear model after this blog entry. I'll warn you, I was feeling especially whiny that day.

10. I like to think I'm a good writer. My degree is in journalism and I wrote for small town newspapers for three years. My style is plain and straight forward, and this has both helped and hindered my writing career.

Tuesday Tens: Ten Vendors I Am Looking Foward To Visiting at Kid 'N Ewe

Kid 'n Ewe is coming up in November, and I can't wait. I've been saving my money. Last year I didn't buy much fiber because I didn't know how to spin. Now that I know how to spin, watch out!

Here are 10 vendors I'm looking forward to visiting.


1. FiberLady - Now that I've spun some bamboo, I'm ready for more.


2. Hokett Would Work - I bought my drop spindle there last year. They don't have a website, so it's hard to find Jim Hokett's stuff elsewhere. It may be time for a nice WPI tool.

3. Perfect Buttons - They sell dichroic glass buttons. I love dichroic glass.

4. Lynn's Texas Fiber - The website has a nice selection of roving. Mmmmm....roving.

5. Donlee Acres - They get a lot of their fiber from their own animals.

6. Fire Ant Ranch - Here's some more locally grown fiber.


7. Buffalo Gold - I probably can't afford the yarn, but now that I can spin, I might get a little sample of fiber for spinning.

8. Rosewood Yarns - They're right there in Boerne, so I may go visit the store itself. If I remember correctly, they had a nice selection at the show.

9. Spinning Straw Into Gold - The website focuses a lot on spinning your pet's fur. I'm interested in seeing what they have at the show.


10. Brooks Farm - I've been focusing on spinning, but there's one vendor I know I'll buy yarn from. Now that I know how awesome they are, I may buy a sweater's worth of yarn. They have affordable, quality yarn.

Tuesday Tens: Ten Fiber-Related Sightings from Apartment Therapy

I'm back on track with your Tuesday Ten.

While I've been trying to convince myself to organize, I've discovered the Apartment Therapy blog. I skim through most of it, looking for organization ideas, as well as some ideas for color combinations and designs. However, it's also been full of knitting, crochet and other fiber related sightings. (I already mentioned Using a Scarf as a "Chair Runner".) Here are ten entries with cool stuff for yarnies.

1. Look: Knitted Sculptures - Not a bad idea. And the cool thing is we can make our own. Check out the original artists.

2. Hot or Not? Homemade Rag Rugs - I would say these crochet rag rugs are hot. Check out the second blue rug. It's the most complex rag rug I've ever seen.

3. Knitted Power Cord Has Us In Stitches - This is actually from the Apartment Therapy's sister site, Unplgged. These are made by KnitKnit, and you can buy the pattern.

4. Felted Pet Sculptures by Amelia Santiago - I'm not sure if these are hand felted, needle felted or some other type of felted. I know they're awesome, and you can get them here.

5. Etsy Find: Knitware Vase & Antique Milk Vases from Alyssa Ettinger - There's lots of Etsy finds on Apartment Therapy. I think these are actually ceramic, but they had me fooled at first. You can buy them here.

6. ATLA On The Town: DWR's Tools For Living Store Opens in Santa Monica - You have to scroll down to the second picture to see some knitting. There's a ginormous knitted ottoman. I may try to recreate it sometime.

7. Aurélie Mathigot At Home - I'm not sure who Aurélie Mathigot is, but she has a nice little yarn display at home.

8. Crochet Nesting Bowls - These are pretty easy to make. It sounds like a good idea for gifts.

9. Creative Reuse 2008: Wool Sweater Sleeve as Wine Cozy - I tried felting a sweater to make a purse once. It didn't turn out this good. This is from another sister blog, Re-Nest.

10. Textured Pillow Covers for Fall - A good excuse for some Aran designing.

Tuesday Tens: Ten Reasons Why Scarves Are Awesome

Last night I passed out before blogging, so I owe you a Tuesday Ten. Enjoy!

A while back, talked about why I like scarves. I decided to expand on it a little bit.

1. Scarves keep you warm. I know you're thinking "well, duh!" But growing up in a warm climate, and I never used scarves. In fact when I wove a scarf in middle school I never wore it. It was more of a decoration to hang on the corner of my bookshelf. A while back I read on another blog about how essential scarves were to keeping warm. It surprised me. But now that I've been wearing scarves, I can appreciate how warm they are. They're as close as you can get to running around town with a blanket wrapped around you.

2. Scarves are great for small amounts of luxury fibers. The amount of yarn you need varies with the scarf, but they can be made with small amounts of yarn. And really, a wonderfully soft fiber deserves to be around your neck. On a related note...

3. Scarves are a good way to test itchiness. Your neck is more sensitive than other parts of your body. A scarf is a good way to see if you can tolerate the yarn before knitting an entire sweater.

4. Scarves can be used for decorating. I've been thinking about ways to display my scarves in the house. Recently Apartment Therapy showed one way to decorate by using scarves as chair runners. I imagine they could be used as table runners as well.

5. Scarves can protect against asthma attacks. I get these (mostly useless) newsletters about treating my asthma from my insurance company. I was glancing through one before I threw it out, and it recommended wrapping a scarf around your face during cold weather if cold is one of your triggers. This goes double for exercising in cold weather. I have both exercise and cold triggers, and I wish I started wearing scarves sooner.


6. Scarves are fashionable. Don't take my word for it. Some guy from Project Runway endorses them. (See above.) Code for something says: "Scarves are awesome. They suit everyone, they’re affordable, come in a multitude of styles and ultimately are totally functional!" JeniDesign says: "I love scarves! You can do so much with them, tie them around your waist, double them up around your shoulder and the same old drape them around your neck. No matter how you wear it, wearing scarves are awesome."

7. Scarves let you knit lace without the commitment. There's a reason why Strangling Vine is finished and Kiri is still in time out.

8. Gauge isn't all that important when knitting scarves. Being off by half a stitch per inch usually isn't a deal breaker with scarves.

9. You can use any yarn for a scarf. Whether the yarn is stiff or drapey, thin or thick, textured or not, you can make a scarf that works.

10. The scarf is the ultimate blank palette. I talked about it before, but scarves can be easy or hard, long or short, wide or skinny or just about anything else. The Mario Scarf is a great example of the creative possibilities of the scarf. Check out Knitting New Scarves for more inspiration. The possibilities are endless.

Tuesday Tens: Ten Knitting and Crochet Videos

Sorry I crapped out on you Tuesday. It's a good thing Thursday begins with a T. While I pack to go out of town, here are ten videos featuring knitting and crochet for your enjoyment.


1. Shreddies - Knitted by Nanas - I was completely baffled by this video of a master knitting camp where very little knitting gets done, until I saw the commercial above. Apparently Shreddies is a cereal (I'm assuming sold in the UK) with a whole Knitted by Nanas campaign attached to it. Of course, the way it's explained in the commercial, you would think a quilting metaphor would make more sense. Four layers "knitted together" doesn't quite work. (Reminds me of the Quilted Northern debacle from a while back, although less obvious.)


2. Knit Wits - This is a riot, although for such seasoned professionals, these guys seem awfully inexperienced.


3. Knitting Club Recruiting Video - A little confusing if you haven't seen commercials like this one. The best line is "I want to knit something of myself!"


4. ONE MINUTE MELTDOWN - Wanta Danish? - A short music video featuring amigurumi.


5. woodstock hooker showing off his wares (puppet hats) - Jonathan James is having a bad hair life, so he crochets surreal hats.


6. snip snip snip - I don't quite get it, but the octopus is cute.


7. Disco Knitter - Pretty self explanatory, and pretty accurate for animated knitting.


8. Knitimation - Do The Brane - Maybe fun fur is evil. (Although I still don't know how to do the Brane.)


9. DOLLS UNITED - Someone did a lot of intarsia. (Or duplicate stitch.)


10. Sheep - Funny Animation - Is there anything better than a knitting sheep?


4/4/11 - Edited to Fix Title

Tuesday Tens: Ten Travel Tips for Taking Your Knitting and Crochet With You

In a couple of weeks I'm going to California to see Jules again. I did some research before my last trip because I hadn't flown in a long time, and I wanted to see how the TSA rules had changed. Now that I'm preparing for another trip, I think this is a good time to share some tips for traveling with knitting and crochet projects.

1. Two projects seems to be a good amount to bring. Take one project that takes a lot of your attention, for delays when you need to kill time. The other project should take very little mental effort, for times when you're going to start and stop a lot, can't comfortably read instructions or just need a mental break. Having more than one project gives you an "out" if you hit a wall. And unless you're going on some sort of intensive knitting retreat, are you really going to work on more than two?

2. Choose portable projects. This probably goes without saying. This isn't the time for the intarsia project with 20 colors of yarn or a giant ripple afghan.

3. Take projects that don't take up a lot of room, but will take a lot of time. A chunky hat won't take up much yarn, but you may need to bring supplies for 10 of them to keep yourself occupied. That's why socks are considered such a good travel project.

4. Take projects without a lot of starts, stops and finishing. It will be a pain to get out scissors and tapestry needles over and over again to sew together those granny squares.

5. If you fly, print this out and take it with you. TSA isn't exactly known for consistency. A physical print out of the rules should help if there are any problems.

6. Be prepared in case they take your needles (or anything else) at the airport. Bring a self-addressed stamped envelope so you can mail back your supplies. Also, take some scrap yarn and a (preferably) plastic tapestry or yarn needle. That way you can put your stitches on the scrap yarn if you lose your needles.

7. Clean out, stock and organize your knitting bag. Take out the projects you aren't taking, leftover yarn and whatever else has accumulated. Make sure you have all your notions, even ones you don't think you'll need. Depending on where you going, picking up a tapestry needle may not be possible. Empty medicine bottles are good for notions and plastic Ziploc bags are good for organizing projects and extra yarn.

8. Get a row counter that fits around your neck. I think this one comes with a cord, or at least a place to thread a cord. This is actually one tip I don't follow, but I probably should. I'm thinking about putting a Barrel Counter on a cord. (This probably isn't necessary if you can fit the counter on your needles.)

9. Use point protectors. Some people do this all the time. Sometimes I use point protectors, sometimes I don't, but I make a point of using them when I travel. You want your stitches to stay on when security is messing with your knitting bag. This goes double for dpns. Use something like these tubes or this. Or make your own. If you're crocheting, it's not as critical, but I would use a bobby pin or a stitch marker like this or this.

10. Visit the Ravelry Plane Knitters group. - There's good stuff there, even if you're not flying. You can also read about knitters' experiences in specific airports. (If you're not part of Ravelry, go join. It's free.)

Tuesday Ten: Ten Books I'd Like to Own

Sorry I'm late tonight. Here's your Tuesday Ten.

KnitPicks had their summer book sale recently, but I skipped it because I was trying to save up money for the (now canceled) yarn crawl and for my next trip to California.

I'm not as pattern crazy as I used to be when I was little, so I'm pickier about the books I purchase. I love flipping through them at the bookstore and checking them out from the library, but I usually want something I'll refer to again and again before I actually buy. Here are 10 books I'd love to add to my collection.


1. More Big Girl Knits by Jillian Moreno and Amy Singer - I already havet the original Big Girl Knits, and I have knit the Cherry Bomb tank. This one has even more advice and several promising patterns. Besides wanting to support all things plus size and all things Amy Singer, I want to knit the Susie Hoodie, which looks a lot like A Cardigan for Arwen.


2. Son of Stitch 'n Bitch by Debbie Stoller - I've missed two chances to meet Debbie Stoller. Once I made the mistake of asking my boss for the day off to see her in Tampa when I lived in Florida. My boss wouldn't let me, even though I had plenty of vacation days, and ended up losing some of them because I didn't take them. Everyone who hears that story tells me I shouldn't have asked, and just called in sick. But that's what I get for trying to do the right thing. (Not that I'm bitter.)

Anyway...

The other was time stupid. When she was at Hill Country Weavers, I didn't open the e-mail about it until it was over.

At any rate, the Stitch 'n Bitch series has helped set the tone for knitting today. They have great patterns, great tutorials and interesting cultural tidbits. Son of Stitch 'n Bitch has some background about the history of men and knitting, and I really want to knit the double knit argyle scarf on the cover.


3. The Yarn Lover's Guide to Hand Dyeing by Linda La Belle - I've been looking for a good reference for hand dying. I almost bought this one, Along with More Big Girl Knits, at the KnitPicks book sale. After listening to the review on KnitPicks and flipping through it at the bookstore, I was sold.



4. The Knitter's Book of Yarn by Clara Parkes - From the good folks at Knitter's Review, this book incorporates all the same close detail to fiber and construction that is discussed in the website, and gives an overall view of fiber and yarn.


5. ColorSense: Creative Color Combinations for Crafters by Susan Levin - Another area where I want to learn more is color theory. I'm looking for more resource, especially related to knitting, crochet and fiber in general.


6. Knit with Beads: Stunning Shawls and Wraps by Scarlett Taylor - This is another book that I want after hearing the KnitPicks review. According to the review, this books goes into great detail about the different techniques for working with beads. I have a couple of ideas involving beads, and I think this book would help.


7. Intertwined by Lexi Boeger - I'm borrowing this book from the library right now, and I want to own it. There's so much good information and inspiration. I was sold after reading about the yarn spun to represent Reagan's trickle down economics. It was designed to be knit from the top down, so the top is white and sparkling and the bottom is dark and dirty. I love this stuff!


8. The New Knitting Stitch Library by Lesley Stanfield - I've already checked this one out of the library twice, and I want to check it out again. There's a lot of great stitches in that book.


9. Aran Sweater Design by Janet Szabo - I was really inspired by the Stash and Burn interview with Janet Szabo. Her accounts of the swatching that goes into her designs inspired me to swatch every Sunday. (Although I need to get back on track with that now that the Ravelympics are over.) According to the KnitPicks review, this book goes into great detail, not just about the cables, but how they work together.


10. A Treasury of Knitting Patterns by Barbara Walker - This is the grandmama of all stitch dictionaries. Walker's stitch treasuries are almost a religion. The Walker Treasury Project is dedicated to preserving and sharing her work. Eventually I plan to get this one, along with A Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns, Charted Knitting Designs: A Third Treasury of Knitting Patterns and A Fourth Treasury of Knitting Patterns.