Stiching for gifts and charity

Most of what I knit and/or crochet I give away. Last “winter” I mentioned to one of my SnB ladies that I only have two scarves and she gave me a look. I thought she didn’t believe me, but when I explained that I give most of what I make away she said she knew that and thought I was crazy for it. I then started to gather yarn for items to make for myself. These projects are supposed to keep me busy all through school because with the monthly tuition payment I don’t really have the money to buy more yarn. However, I’ve found it difficult to break free of the gift stitching habit which has lead to some headaches over internet yarn purchases (see below). The only other way I can fill my desire to knit for others, and not have to worry about the cost & quality of the yarn, and the washing instructions so much is to stitch for charity.

Try as I might, I haven’t been able to get anything completed for any of the organizations I wanted to help out, other than Knit for the Cure. The first year I made a scarf—crocheted, very odd looking—last year I made the cowl from one of the STC high gloss, full color knitting books that Tooraj gave me…the pattern called for cashmere, I used Simply Soft. It was a nice quick knit. I’ve also considered making neck coolers, but that involved more internet shopping PLUS finding fabric that was suitable, AND the time to make them. I also came across Project Linus, and was determined to bang out a blanket right quick…that was three years ago. I can’t finish afghans I want to give to my loved ones as gifts, what made me think I could do one to give away? Ugh. But now we’ve gotten a call to knit for soliders, and I thought I can do that. I can make a simple scarf, 1x1 rib, 7 inches across and a little more than three feet long. That’s three days of work and less than a skein of $2 Red Heart.

So, yesterday before the SnB I headed over to Joanns and ended up with $4 Essentials, and some size 9 Clover Bamboo needles and I was on my way. My scarf is dark thyme (sort of a rich deep olive drab) and only 6 inches across (why is it that when you bother with the gauge swatch the final product doesn’t match it?). I have knit a full foot of length so I’m a third of the way there and feeling pretty good about it. I really wanted to use that camouflage Red Heart, but alas Joanns didn’t have any in the bins.

I’m feeling pretty good about this. Perhaps I’ll get a photo taken of it before I hand it off to whoever is collecting them.

The only other thing I wonder about is soldiers who don’t have family here to send them care packages…I hear there are organizations out there who connect people here with them. I think I’d feel even better if I knew that someone who had no one was getting my help. I’m going to look into that.

Seraphim spent the night in the fridge at work last night so I still haven't done those last two rows and put in the lifeline...this evening I'll get to that.

Update on Needles!:
I found three different addresses, two phone numbers and two D/B/As....**sigh**
As far as I can tell at least two of the addresses is incorrect.
Neither of the phone numbers is valid. And hindsight being what it is, I checked the BBB and did find, like Mimi who hasn't been to Priscilla's lately, that they are not a member of the Charlotte, NC BBB AND have an unsatisfactory rating. I was kicking myself in the arse even more after all of this, then I spoke to Victoria--who is LOVING Utah, and even saw some black people there--and she gave me an UGH! when I told her about it. She said that she has ordered from them before and it took them forever to process her order. She said it's a small mom & pop store and only one person handles the orders. She said that every so often someone writes into the crochet webgroup that she's a member of to query whether or not any one has ordered from them before because they're having the same problem I am. SO, I've decided to just be patient and wait and see. As long as they don't charge my card I don't care how long it takes them. I've decided on this because I need what little sanity I've been clinging onto lately.

Internet Shopping

I used to be very reluctant to order items from random sites on the web. I've been lucky, and had really great service from most of the places I've ordered from. Until now.

I got sick of working on socks to gift on size 0 needles so after some web surfing and blog browsing I came across a pattern for socks made with heavier weight yarn that was knit with size 3 needles. I did a little more research and found Silja yarn for $4.50 a ball at this website. I placed this order on Friday, September 15, 2006. I used my debit card to place the purchase because I didn't want to charge it. I know...I KNOW!!!!

I haven't been charged for these items. I haven't received these items in the mail either. I have written to them twice in the last three days requesting a status update on my order placed eleven days ago. I have not received any response.

I'm annoyed, disgusted and feeling rather stupid. I can't stop the charge (well, I can but who wants to pay $15 for stupidity). And I don't have the yarn I need to make the gifts I need to finish. They. do not have a phone number or else I would have called them up already. So, any suggestions? This is worse than waiting for the Addis. Ugh!

Perhaps I should just stop shopping on the internet!

Finally!

I ordered needles from Cucumberpatch back at the end of July. Addi turbos, five of them for about forty dollars. It was great. I was excited. Three weeks later I still didn't have them and then Nic (I think) ordered from them (yarn I believe) and got her stuff in the expected five days. So I emailed to query what happened to my order. I got sort of terse response that I could have my money back if I wanted because they were waiting for the shipment from the manufacturer. I took it in stride and assured them that I would prefer to have the needles than my money back and was just asking because I was holding a project and didn't want the order to fall through the cracks. I didn't take offense to the shortness of the tone in the email from them (not Daniel), I figured she was as frustrated as I was. I did think that she could have headed off my email by simply informing me that the items were out of stock and I would be receiving them soon. Anyway, they came in last week. Monday I believe. In the bottom of the box with the needles was a piece of Addi candy. Did anyone know that Addi made candy? Weird. I'm afraid to eat it, so it will just sit there.


I really wasn't knitting much, just socks. Then I decided to try the Seraphim Shawl, on my new Addi Turbos with Shadow from KnitPicks. It's going well. I'm still in the stockinette portion of the pattern. I think I'm about 15 rows from the first chart though. As soon as I get to the first chart I'll be putting in a life line. The stockinette portion was easy but not alot of fun. It looks a lot smaller than I think it should be, but blocking might solve that, plus I've got four charts to go. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

The quarter is over and I've got one weekend off. I'm a little perturbed by people making plans for me on my days off, but I'll grin and bare it this time. I'm going to get my car fixed and sleep as late as possible on Saturday...I'm dropping it off on Friday night for a brake job and oil change. After the car is ready I'm going to a friend in No. Hollywood and then to Van Nuys to use my A Major Knit Work coupon from Stitch~n~Pitch, and then to Octoberfest. I only plan to make and appearance at the Octoberfest, a SHORT appearance. Sunday I've got an Atwater/Silverlake SnB, whoo hoo!! And cleaning. That's what I need to be doing all weekend...CLEANING. Not sitting around watching people get drunk and do the chicken dance. :|


Oh, I've also gotten through more than half of a baby blanket I promised a friend in New York. I couldn't remember her due date, and was knitting feverishly. I found out she's not due until January so I'm well ahead of the game, until I start considering that my friend Erin is pregnant, as is my sister-in-law (Yes, Kasan's wife). I'll probably work on a blanket for Erin, and then the inlaws cause I'm not sure when Erin is due, but I know it's sooner than Kasan.

I'll do my best to have pictures on the next post...I should have a clean surface to snap pictures on by then.

New Project

I'm tired of making socks....well, I'm tired of making the socks I've been making. I think it's because they remind me of school and my lack of sleep, but I'm not sure. I've decided to start something that will take a long time (possibly forever), and be very pretty if I ever do finish, that gets gradually more difficult. I'm hoping that by the time I really need help Dixie will be available.

I've just purchased this pattern:





It's a whole lot of stockinette, which I think will do me some good as long as my hands don't ache on the purl rows. I think Mim's work is gorgeous, and she very kindly wrote and told me not to be afraid of her charts because they don't bite. Hopefully, I'll be able to do this, this is the simplest of her designs....only three charts. She designed Icarus in Interweave Knits.

I'm doing it in Knitpicks Shadow in Sunset. I've had the yarn for a while, it's not as dark and richly red as it looks on the screen but nice enough. So, hi ho hi ho it's off to lace I go....wish me luck!

I guess I agree wtih this

My Personality

Neuroticism	66
Extraversion	67
Openness To Experience	86
Agreeableness	20
Conscientiousness	79

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It also said:

You are neither a subdued loner nor a jovial chatterbox. You enjoy time with others but also time alone. Stressful and frustrating situations can often be upsetting to you, but you are sometimes able to get over these feelings and cope with these situations. Novelty, variety, and change spice up your life and make you a curious, imaginative, and creative person. People see you as tough, critical, and uncompromising and you have less concern with others' needs than with your own. You set clear goals and pursue them with determination. People regard you as reliable and hard-working.