[flowergirl]

I just have to write and tell everyone that I am going to my first stitch n bitch knitting group EVER tonight - I am SO excited!! I never thought I would find one (I'm in Australia) so I am SUPER happy. I feel a little embarrassed about the basic level of my knitting skills but I'm sure everyone will be understanding - we all have to start somewhere. Just had to share my joy.

[chickenlittle2]

hey all, it's been a while but i have a question...btw, raisin et al, i have been waiting for SOMEONE to have a baby so I can knit them that hat! please post a pic when you're done with it! it's so cute.

here's my question: i have recently started experimenting by knitting with leather lacing and some cotton cording. (I'm making bracelets in the hopes of selling them.) I was able to buy a few spools of the leather lacing at Michael's to start...but it's super expensive. Does anyone have any suggestions as to where I could find it for cheap/wholesale? (thank you.)

[raisingirl]

Hee! I'll give a full report.

[anoushh]

I love that hat! Let us know how it turns out. I've thought of doing it, too.

[pepper]

oh my goodness, that looks like a big, sweet, purple berry head-pie! ha ha, i love it!

[raisingirl]

Oooh, I'm bookmarking that article to read for later, Anoushh.

The hat I'm thinking of making, so cute you just want to eat it! http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEwinter03/PATTbabytart.html

Sorry, it's too early for me to bother with the fancy formatting like I usually do.

[anoushh]

Interesting article on craft stuff and feminism in today's Guardian:

1785002,00.html,http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,,1785002,00.html

Raisin, thanks. It sounds like you made the right decision re; not doing the blanket. Machine washable or no, not very gratifying making a gift for someone who doesn't appreciate it. And it sounds like you have enough on your plate as it is!

[tyger]

i went ahead and got it, and i loooooove the happy hooker. i swear, debbie has the *best* instructional sections for knitting and crotchet i have ever seen. plus, i knit continental, so i hold everything exactly the same for knitting and crotchet, but i can crotchet longer without my wrists hurting.

i just jumped right in after re-acquainting myself with the stitches, and i'm about halfway done one triangle of a bikini top. i had this lovely yarn which knitting just didn't highlight, but crotcheting it is perfect. it may not really be swimming suitable, but it's going to be tres belle for lounging. wheeee!

[raisingirl]

Thanks, you two. I think downgrading to a hat or something is a much better idea. Honestly, I haven't even had the time or the mental space to be able to hang out in a yarn shop for a couple of hours lingering over the yarns (yes, I do think acrylic has come a long way, you're right) and picking out a pattern. And the time that it's going to take to knit, I seriously don't know when I'm supposed to do it (all my time is being consumed by a new career and everyone in the family knows about it).

Maybe no time is part of the problem, too, but I suppose I was a fool to offer to make something for people who don't appreciate that kind of stuff to begin with. It just motivates me less to do it, you know? Maybe I'm just a selfish bitch, but I kind of value my time. AGGGGHHHHH. This is supposed to be a happy thing!

Anoushh, I have read in other threads about your pregnancy. I'm sure you'll be fine. Just this month I had a 40-year-old friend give birth to a healthy baby, her first one. Are you knitting anything for your baby's arrival? (Right, with what time, right? Aren't you moving as well?)

Sorry, Tyger, I know not a stitch about crochet! It's another world to me.

[anoushh]

raisin, I think making a baby blanket that can't be machine washed is really not appropriate anyway. I know it's hard to think that way when so much of the joy of knitting is in the fantastic fibers, but things have to be fit for purpose, don't they? New moms have enough to deal with without having to cope with picky fabrics. (I'm having my first baby in the fall, and if I can't machine wash something, it's not going anywhere near the baby. I'm not a masochist.) Aside from the hassle, I wouldn't want my baby near a dry cleaned anything anyway as the chemicals used in so called "dry" cleaning are scary scary, even for adults to be around, let alone babies.

You'd be surprised at what nice man-made fibers are out there now. Go have a look and find something nice and soft and machine washable.

By the way, I still have a blanket that I still use on my bed that someone made for me when I was born. It's been machine washed more times than I can count, it's some kind of acrylic, and it wears like iron. I'm 40 years old in a month and so it's been around a while. I treasure it even though other wise I am a natural fibers snob.

If you don't want to make it, that's another matter. It sounds like you might have mixed feelings for this person that go beyond the blanket. If that's the case, I think tyger's suggestion is very good. Don't do it because you feel you have to--nothing wrong with changing your mind and tyger's idea is a very graceful "out."

[tyger]

raisin, could you explain that you've suddenly become much busier than you'd anticipated and don't have time to knit a blanket, but would they like a hat/booties instead? in one (or both) of the stich 'n bitches there are quick baby hats and booties.

anyone got the happy hooker? i'd love to get it, as stich 'n bitch is actually the reason i can now knit (for some reason i can only knit continental, or 'crazy backwards lady' way as my mom calls it), but whenever i try to crotchet not in a round i cannot keep the right number of stitches going, so i worry it would be a waste of money

[raisingirl]

Pssst. Knock knock.

So I've gotten myself into a bit of a bind (pun intended). I promised a family member I'd knit a blanket for the new baby. Well, I'm selfishly having second thoughts about it. This family member isn't so keen on taking good care of things. I don't know why I offered to do it in the first place. I guess I was happy about the baby being born! But I can see the baby blanket being thrown in the washing machine (and getting ruined) the first time the baby spits up over it.

Why did I say I'd make a baby blanket?

I mean, how not very practical. This isn't the kind of person to take clothes to a dry cleaner, either.

I've thought about getting cheap acrylic yarn from a crafts store (rather than a proper yarn store) that's machine-washable, but what do you guys think? So many hours are put into making something by hand and to have it potentially ruined by one stupid act by someone who doesn't see the value in nice clothes, handmade stuff, etc., just really bothers me and makes me not want to knit anything.

Plus, even if I DO get machine-washable synthetic-type yarn, who's to say that a machine still won't rip the blanket to shreds? One little snag and it's all over.

Have any of you guys ever been in this kind of situation? What did you do?

I'm kind of thinking of making something smaller (less time), but still run up against the parents not taking good care of it. I hate backing out of promises, but I just don't know what to do.

[surly]

the new magknits is up and it features a scarf that was partially knitted in my very own living room! not by me though, by the designer.

[vesicapisces]

My spinning/knitting-crazed BFF, The Empress Doctor Kate, sent me this link and I thought I should share it with you. StitchyMcYarnpants! http://www.stitchymcyarnpants.com/moks06/

[maryjo]

I can't believe I never posted in this thread before!

I just started knitting in October, but I found myself getting quite obsessed with it quite fast. I just posted these pictures of my recent knitting adventures on my livejournal...

I have some good friends who live near me (including surly!) who are knitting gurus (one has had patterns in knitty and magknits), which I think largely accounts for my not being scared to try fairly ambitious projects early on. My next trick will be a lace wrap, though I haven't decided on a pattern yet...

[battygurl]

Sorry mslongstockings, I just donated all my old bust mags to the womyn's centre at my uni.

I'm currently working on a teapot cozy for my sister in an orange and brown crazy stripe motif. I am still working on the Hurry Up Spring armwarmers from s'n'b 2--I'm finished one and halfway through another, although I don't think they'll be done in time for spring. I always hit a lull in the knitting at this time of year. Last year I don't think I was working on anything at this time.

[tyger]

i'm baaaaaaack after far too many months!. i didn't get any knitting done (other than a scarf i traded to a fellow bustie) this year. but, i found some awesome, soft, multicoloured chunky yarn on the free shelf at the university (one of those leave what you don't want and take what you want/need deals) though when i got home, i realized the two balls were different colourways. oh well, i'm thinking armwarmers, and i'll weigh the ball of yarn so i'll know when i'm halfway done. now i just need to get some fat dps and get it done

[msgoofball]

i am currently working on a sweater for my cat..(he has no fur), a pair of socks(for me, not the cat), and a variety of crafty projects using beads, clay and feathers. oh and hot glue guns..personally..i am loving my self striping yarn.

[sapphy]

Sorry MsLongStocking, I haven't seen that article (I need to renew my Bust subscription). *hanging head in shame*

What's everyone working on? I've got two knitting projects going: a halter top for me with a lace panel up the front, and also this sweater from the Spring '06 issue of Interweave Knits which I'm making as a shop sample (hopefully later to become a present for my mom). It's knit sideways and has been a really fun challenge. I seem to be in a lace phase.

I have a pile of about six sewing projects I want to do this summer also, but I have got to finish at least one of these knitting projects first!

I've been researching and trying out different spinning wheels and have pretty much decided on this one. Now I just have to save up for it.

[mslongstocking]

hello! i was wondering where i ought to post if i'm looking for something that was printed in a bust issue i no longer have?

i'm specifically looking for the resources cited in a little article about knitting in the april/may 2006 issue. i remember the spin spin zine but i'm trying to remember the resource that talks about vegan fiber spinning and i think i recycled my copy already. thank you!