October 13, 2006
Strange Doings in the Secret Laboratory
I’ve decided that I will make my next million by inventing “yarnadone,” the yarn addict’s equivalent of methadone. Needless to say, it will be high in fiber, sort of like Metamucil only, I think, strawberry-daiquiri flavored.
I realized that such a thing needed to be invented and that I needed to be on strict, regularly scheduled doses of it when, as I was packing for our recent jaunt to Eastern Washington, I took one particular skein of yarn just to have it with me. People, I was going a measly two hours away from my stash, I was going to be gone for a pathetic two days, and I had four other projects and a pantload of yarn already in my bag! So sad. So very, very sick. So very, very addicted. In my defense, it was this beauty:
You would have taken it with you, too. Yes, you would have. Yuh-huh. Shut up.
I’ve had a special request from a Dear Reader to mention this, a drive by the Afghans for Afghans folks which has a due date of November 3. While, of course, Dulaan is my personal priority, if a Dulaan vest or two were to accidentally get shipped to A4A, I would not rescind your Brigade membership, cut up your membership card, or ask you to turn in your gold-plated Dulaan knitting needles, nowh’tImean? (“The Battle of the Knitting Charities”—a new reality TV show? 10 knitters on a deserted island with one unclad child and the winner is the first person to finish a Kaffe Fassett sweater for him without starving to death?)
Cuzzin Tom informs me that the 2006 Dulaan items (and, oh, by the by, the other 40,000 pounds of clothing and supplies) have cleared MongoLEEan customs! If that doesn’t deserve a loud and enthusiastic “woot!,” I don’t know what does. Our liaison at F.I.R.E., Meredith, has also arrived in MongoLEEa and the distribution is scheduled to start soon. Even more exciting, Cuzzin Tom will be helping with the distribution this year and promises lots of pictures. He will come through, I know he will. He has to or I’ll tell his mommy.
274 people have now signed up for Dulaan 10,000 or Bust, 1,370 items are promised, 32 people are already done. And—oof! I can’t even begin to wrap my head around this—almost seventy people have signed up to go to Franklin’s knit-in. That is just plumb remarkable. Thumbs up to ya’, Franklin (although, should I take it personally that only 13 people have signed up for the Seattle one? Perhaps it’s my aftershave.)
Lastly, apropos of nothing, a quick vote. On Sunday, TMK and I will be celebrating an anniversary, so:
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It's 22 years today for Richard and me. 22!
Congrats to you two, too!
Posted by: MaryB in Richmond on October 13, 2006 11:18 AMWOOT WOOT WOOT!!!!! (for Mongolian customs clearing the much needed items). Ryan - the other day when I picked up the Avalanche yarn on my trip up to B'ham, I actually put a skein on the passnger seat beside me in case I needed a "stress relief" fondle as I was driving.... ;-)
Irina
Posted by: Irina on October 13, 2006 11:52 AMI would so have taken that yarn with me. I'd have been hard-pressed not to take it to work and show it off to all the non-knitting Muggles here. Beautiful.
Happy Anniversary!
Posted by: Beth on October 13, 2006 11:54 AMThat is some fine yarn. I would have taken it too. I would sleep with it. Wheredja get it and whatsit called?
Posted by: Carrie on October 13, 2006 12:05 PMI have to admit that I took a little Dulan diverson and knit one of those vests. I am finishing the trim. Thanks for pardoning us.
Happy whatever.
Posted by: Petrified on October 13, 2006 12:28 PMWHAT IS THAT YARN? Umm, did I just yell that? What kind of a yarn ho teases us with yarn like that and then just sort of "forgets" to tell what it is/where to get it?
Happy, happy anniv, whatever it is. Once I get past 5, I stop counting.
Posted by: martha in mobile on October 13, 2006 01:02 PMWouldn't you know it, Martha and Carrie, until a couple of days ago, I was still toting the yarn around in the trunk of my car, so I could've just hopped downstairs and taken a peek, but now the yarn is safely ensconced in my living room, 12 miles away. All I remember about it is that it is made by Great Adirondack Yarn and that I bought it at Great Yarns in Everett, here in Washington state. I'll try to remember to get the rest of the info off the label this weekend. It is yummy, no? (Oops, time for another injection of yarnadone.)
Posted by: Ryan on October 13, 2006 01:14 PMWoot!
I never "woot", btw.
I spent a very long bad week with a lovel hank of Blue Sky Alpaca baby alpaca yarn drapped on my neck/shoulder. I swear it was the only thing that got me thru in one piece.
Posted by: Cookie on October 13, 2006 01:37 PMI'm a confessed, hard core yarn addict. Guess I should sign up for the yarnadone too. A sales flyer talking about a yarn sale makes me all twitchy. :) I would have so taken that yarn along too, so don't feel bad Ryan.....it is gorgeous, and it looks so soft and fondle-able. I have several skeins like that, I was so mesmerized by them I had to buy some. Don't know what I'll make out of them, but had to have it. It's the voices in my head you know. lol! And congrats on your anniversary. Best wishes to both you and TMK.
Posted by: Nancy O. on October 13, 2006 01:37 PMNo yarnadone for me. If loving yarn is wrong, I don't want to be right. (my apologies for the baaaad pun)
Posted by: Maia on October 13, 2006 01:56 PMWell Ryan, if it's truly an addiction, you're not alone. When I travel, I pack a separate bag with more yarn (and about every needle I own!) than I could EVER possibly use - you know - just in case :) Hugs, comrade - this isn't such a bad affliction and I don't want to be cured!
Oh, and by the way - WOOT!!
Posted by: Robbyn on October 13, 2006 01:58 PMWhen I travel I often take more extra yarn than I do spare clothes. And I *always* pack the knitting projects first. What's wrong with that? Heh, heh...
Posted by: Denise in Kent, WA on October 13, 2006 02:57 PMMight as well go all out and just get a front baby carrier to wear, only pack it full of whichever yarn you are most addicted to presently. Then laugh at the people who come up to admire your 'baby'.
Posted by: Aarlene on October 13, 2006 03:24 PMNow that's a reality show I would watch. Of course there would have to be challenges for Chibi's, stitch markers and the like. And how much wool does it take to start a fire, or do you prefer your fish raw? Would the tribes be divided into 'Pickers' and 'Throwers'?
Congratulations on the anniversary, whatever number it is.
Posted by: Kat on October 13, 2006 03:31 PMIt's refreshing to hear you judging distance with time rather than miles. Since I moved to the other Washington people tend to look at me funny when I say things like "Rhinebeck is only 6 hours away".
And I don't blame you a bit for taking yarn just to have it near by. I may be known to have taken yarn to work just so I could feel how soft it was occasionally.
Posted by: Jayme on October 13, 2006 05:45 PMhubby and I just celebrated 28 yrs -- can't believe how fast it went by I am sure you feel the same -- my guess was 20 for some reason that just seems right when I think of you both.
I haven't developed quite the addiction to a particular yarn yet -- but I have only been knitting for a little under a year so there is hope for me yet. :D
Can't wait to hear all the reports from the Cuz. with pictures lots of pictures I am hoping for.
Posted by: rho on October 13, 2006 06:07 PMMon. Wed. and Fri. are special days for me because I think...yaay! Ryan's posting! Good news that the shipment has reached it's destination safely. I was knitting for A4A before I met Dulaan so I do have a sweater ready to send off to them. Well, just have to stitch up one side and sleeve. The yarn is lovely, and Happy Anniversary to you and TMK.
Posted by: sheila on October 13, 2006 08:10 PMCongrats to you both.
I guessed 20 years because my husband and I just celebrated our 20th. Where does the time go? It is fun to look at old photos of the two of us from 'long ago' as our kids say. If you can find your old photos, (it took us more than a few minutes) it is a nice way to remember old times.
That yarn is so beautiful, there is absolutely nothing wrong with packing it. The colors!
Congrats on your anniversary!
And that is some luscious yarn. Slurp!
Of course you took the yarn with you! A, to have it close enough to fondle, and 2, to protect it just in case the stash weasels broke into your house. Hmmm. Maybe you should have taken your entire stash. Those stash weasels are tricksy beasts.
Posted by: kmkat on October 14, 2006 09:01 AMThat is the most gorgeous yarn I have ever seen!! Where did you get it?
I really need to learn more about the Dulaan project. I know you are making things to keep people warm in Mongolia.
Bev Q
http://bevq.blogspot.com