Trish Knits.com

Tag: Yarn Harlot

  • Autumn Knit

    Today, being the first Saturday of the month, the Bowie Borders knit group had our monthly meetup. As usual, it was a lot of fun!

    To view the photos in larger format, click the picture once to go to its thumbnail page, then click again to embiggen. I have no idea why WordPress makes you click twice.

    Ann also joined us but left before I could snap a photo, and Carla, who was visiting us for the first time. She was knitting a sock with some Wullenstudio yarn that was a gorgeous bronzy-brown color. There was another woman in the store who saw the group of us knitting, and came over to ask about our group and whether she could join. Of course we said yes! And we’re looking forward to seeing her next time.

    Speaking of next time, our group has decided to meet twice next month to accommodate everyone’s schedules who wants to get together. So the gang will gather on November 1 and November 15. Hope to catch everyone in November!

    Back to the knitting…

    P.S.

    Did anyone notice that the Yarn Harlot commented on my September 29 blog post? My heart is all a-flutter! What a cool surprise that was. Go look!

  • Small Group Today

    Steven, Trish, JoToday was our post-Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival knitting meetup. It was small; Jo was there, and then I showed up a bit late. We had fun chatting and knitting. I was working on my second-ever sock, and Jo was knitting a sock from her own handspun yarn. It was lovely!
    Jo mentioned that her spinning wheel is really quite portable and I think she’s going to bring it next time! I’ve always wanted to observe spinning up close so this will be a real treat for me. Our next meetup will be the first Saturday in June.
    In one of those “small world” moments, we discovered that Jo’s husband Pete went to high school and graduated with my husband, John. What’s more, they’re both obsessed with model building! (And, we wives know, REALLY into model kit collecting! So not much need to complain about our stashes, eh?) Turns out that Jo’s hubby is into military models, and mine is into all things car-related, but still… it’s a similar passion.
    Four o’clock came too quickly for me and I am already looking forward to next month, when I can see Jo again and her spinning wheel. Hmmm. Spinning yarn whilst spinning yarns. Now there’s a pun I’m sure no one has said before!

    Stash Enhancement

    Regia Nation Colors

    I finally got this yarn in the mail on Tuesday! It’s Regia Nation Colors #5399. I got it from a shop called Web of Wool, and I’m not sure about the exchange rate but I think I got it for a good price. It took nearly a month to get from them to me, but I don’t do much overseas shopping so I don’t know how long it’s supposed to take. The Yarn Harlot featured a pair of socks made from this yarn on the date that I appeared as a member of the First Sock Brigade (see April 8, 2008, post entitled, “Two for One”), and I knew immediately that I must have this yarn. It took me a few days to figure out what it was and then find it. (Several stores I had checked with were sold out–they say once a yarn’s been “Harlotted” there’s usually a run on it. Ok, so does that make me a follower?)

    Truth is, regular readers already know I’m a bit of a rainbow fanatic. So, I could not get just enough to make one pair, because I know as soon as I do knit with it? A couple other folks in my world will see it and want some rainbow socks, too. So, I have six balls, just for insurance. Even that might not be enough.

    This weekend I plan to go through my last tub of acrylic yarn. The art teacher at DD’s school teaches knitting and weaving, and she said she can always use some more yarn. So I’m gonna bite the big one and get rid of it. I’ve got plenty of other new yarn around here to keep me busy!

  • It’s a Slipper Sock, Ok??

    sock in progress


    So, the other night, the Yarn Harlot and I shared a laugh over the size of my elephant sock. Well, what if it’s just a big, roomy, slouchy, slipper sock? I’m torn between just plodding forward and ripping out and starting over. Socks in worsted weight seem silly to me anyway, but I do have good friends that make them and say they’re cozy and good on a cold winter’s day. So, maybe I will keep going. I don’t know… Am I nuts?


    The Hunt is Over

    magnificent mittens book cover

    Just gotta say I’ve been looking for this book for a LONG time. It doesn’t show up on eBay at a price I was willing to pay very often, and I got lucky a few weeks ago. But alas, just like all of my other books, I am wondering if I am going to ever actually make anything out of this book, or if I will only use it to understand the techniques, and do my own thing. I’m such a loose knitter, I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to do someone else’s charted design on something that’s actually supposed to fit. Oh well, mittens from this book are a bit of a ways off for me, but I am so glad that I found it.

    Ciao for now! ER is back, so I’m outta here.

  • The Knitter’s Pilgrimage

    Yarn Harlot Tour ButtonEvery Totally Obsessed Knitter has to do it once. There are some who, like the Deadheads, but with brightly colored socks in their Birks, have done it many times. Me? I was a virgin. But no more.

    I’ve been to see the Harlot! Stephanie Pearl-McPhee–The Yarn Harlot–appeared at the Borders in Annapolis last night. I was determined to be there one way or another, and my DH, bless him, was kind enough to get me there. (And Grandma and Grandpa watched the munchkins, so it was all good.)

    I left work early yesterday. It was also a Nationals baseball game, and since we’re so conveniently employed just across the street from the new ball park, I wanted to be sure to be out of town in plenty of time. Maybe we needn’t have worried. We got to Annapolis right at 4:00 and had plenty of time to grab a burger at Johnny Rockets and drop a few nickels in the jukebox. I had a BLT and the fries/rings combo, but I was too excited to eat. I did have an onion ring or two, though, and immediately panicked because I realized that I’d have onion breath in the presence of a goddess. How could I?

    list of event guidelinesIt was 6:00 when we made our way to the bookstore. It’s a good thing we got there when we did, too, because we could already hear the laughing ruckus from upstairs. The knitters were there. LOTS of them. Luckily the coffee shop was upstairs too, so John scored me some breath mints. Yes, this was all going to be fine.

    The folks at Borders were prepared! They even had these handy little event guidelines cards, in case we knitters couldn’t figure out what to do. The staff had called in reinforcements for the night, in case tons of people with pointy sticks got more than a little rowdy. It’s ok, though, because the only thing that got rowdy was the level of laughter. They even made a nice spot in front for people in wheelchairs to sit, so I could see, and hear, and get lots of great pictures! (There’s a gallery of photos of the event on this page.)

    I can’t begin to tell you how funny The Yarn Harlot is. I don’t think I could do any of her stories justice. She ended with a Q&A, and someone asked her the location of the “Calgary Story” on her blog. Stephanie said she couldn’t remember where in the archives it was, but I found it, for your enjoyment. Scroll down to the August 9, 2005 entry, titled, “There is the Downside.” (Thanks, Google. SNORT WARNING–put your cup of tea DOWN before reading near the end of this entry.)

    After much more laughter and applause, it was time for the signing to begin. I had a relatively low number, but it was getting late for Grandma and Grandpa so I made my way down to the line. A guy working the line picked up my books and put yellow stickies on the inside of each one with the names of each person I wanted them made out to.

    Trish and the Yarn Harlot trade socksBefore long, it was my turn! I showed Stephanie my first sock, which frankly, is so huge that I think it is not intended for a human foot. It’s probably more the size of an elephant willy warmer. The Harlot had a good laugh at the sight of this and took my picture for her blog! How fun is that? I’ve made it into knitting posterity. She then offered to hold my sock if I would hold hers and we took a photo together. Her sock was SO soft, and the right size. She obviously knows what she’s doing.

    book signed by Stephanie Pearl-McPheeIt was a magical night for a knitter. This morning, still basking in the afterglow, I finally, carefully, removed my book from the bag to look at the signature.

    To Trish
    Stephanie McPhee

    I was there.

  • Stephanie, Your 3-alarm System is Working!

    Yesterday morning, the Yarn Harlot lamented that she thought her trusty three-alarm system for waking while traveling had somehow failed her, or so she thought.

    I don’t know where you are at this very moment, my dear Stephanie, but I can tell you for sure that your system is fine. 5:00 a.m., and here I am, attesting to the system’s success. Only in my case, it’s the Husband snore monster, back pain that only losing 40 pounds will fix (why does my doctor have to be right? Damn her.), and that funky, off-gassing smell from a new pillow. Yep, the triple alarm works great.

    Oh gosh and it was I (hanging head sheepishly) who made such a fuss on Ravelry about ensuring wheelchair access tonight that they’ve gone out of their way to say there’s a space for me. I just hope you don’t peer out from behind your sock and find me right there, in your face, snoring away. I’ll be there with my first sock in hand. Despite my likely appearance of sawing logs during your talk, I really am excited to meet you, and I just wanted you to know. See you tonight!

    Trish the Sleepless, somewhere in Maryland

  • Yarn Harlot comes to Maryland!

    7:00 p.m.
    1115 Annapolis Mall
    Annapolis, MD 21401
    Phone: 410.571.0923
    Fax: 410.571.1782