November 15, 2006
A Fast Start Out of the Gate!
Even this early in the game, Dulaaners, we have a count from F.I.R.E.:
1,249!!
I tried to visualize how many Mongolian recipients that represents and, after a few calculations and one phone call to TMK because what do I know from baseball, I came up with 83 rugby teams, 113 football teams, 113 cricket teams, 138 baseball teams, 250 basketball teams, 312 polo teams, and the entire population of Pitcairn Island, six times over. Woot!
TMK’s yarn survived the torture by pot and was wound into these kicky little skeins, complete with TMK Brand Homespun labels. (It’s a “thing;” I name all of our vehicles, she slaps logos on everything. I recommend not standing still too long when she’s around or—woo-pah!!—logo on yo’ ass.)
The smallest of the skeins was then knit into a swatch by your blogmistress. Look, self-striping yarn!
The fact that the swatch looks a little wonky (read, holey and irregular) is purely mea culpa; I used whatever needle was within arm's reach (a 6) instead of getting up off my lazy bootay to get the one I really should've used (a 3 or 4). My bad, TMK. Perhaps I can knit a better swatch this weekend? (Actually, TMK doesn't care; she's just thrilled that when I blocked it, it didn’t revert to it's severely kinky, curly, spring-loaded natural self, leap across the table, and try to strangle us. Which it absolutely didn’t. Apparently one night on the stretching rack was enough.)
TMK and I both agree that the yarn is sort of rough and scratchy, but I blame that on two things: 1. I think the romney itself was just rough, period. Sow’s ear, silk purse, blahblahblah. 2. As TMK explained in her comment, she was in that precarious world between two wheels in which she was mixing and matching equipment. I think that made one ply wrap around the other instead of the two wrapping around each other evenly. But she has a lesson with Fleece Street Kim this Friday and, I predict, will soon have knitters beating each other senseless in an attempt to get to her yarn.
What’s that? When did this become a spinning blog? Uh, yeah, well, okay, sorry (looking down ashamedly and kicking my toes into the dirt). I have indeed been knitting. Here’s proof. I finished the School Bus Yellow sweater and slapped on some ladybug buttons. This sweater took a surprisingly long time to knit, thanks to the dad-blasted garter stitch, and came out short and wide but I’m still happy wid’ it.
The requisite sweater-on-a-bear portrait:
buhahahahah! Both at the red yarn and the yellow sweater. snicker. You crack me up. The red yarn, being the first of many hand-spun skeins, will become a beloved heirloom, at least the part of it you save just for fun, 'k?. And the yellow sweater will be loved for its own sweet glorious self by many someones in Mongolia. It will be passed on, no doubt. No doubt at all. It shall be here in 40 years, warming small stature children along the way, each cherishing the buttons and it's yellow warminess. Well done. Both.
Posted by: Rebecca on November 15, 2006 05:05 PMThe red yarn is so pretty! What are you going to make with it?
Posted by: lyssa on November 15, 2006 05:10 PMSo . . . has she put her logo on your ass? hehehehe, sorry, I know, I'm bad.
TMK - great yarn!
Ryan - Love the schoolbus sweater, so cheerful (especially with the weather lately).
Posted by: Ginger on November 15, 2006 05:41 PM"—woo-pah!!—logo on yo’ ass"
You nearly killed me with this one. I'm a very visual person. I pictured TMK wandering around Seattle with a label maker, accosting unsuspecting pedestrians... Oh, tears in my eyes, stitch in my side!
Posted by: Kristen on November 15, 2006 06:15 PMThat bear looks SO cute and comfy in the adorable yellow sweater. He will probably cry if you take it off him, so you may have to send him to Mongolia wearing the sweater. At least then he will see the adorable child it is really for and give it up willingly, as long as the adorable child falls in love with him (how could s/he not?) and keeps him warm with bear hugs for the rest of his life!
At least, if I were that bear, that's how I'd feel.
"and they all fell down, at the ladybug picnic!" sorry, channeling sesame street, ther. i love the buttons, they're darling!
tmk's yarn is delish! you could use it for a prize, if you decide not to knit it on your own. and i've finished hat #3 & 4 and have cast on #5. i'm contemplating a sweater at this point.
Posted by: minnie on November 15, 2006 07:30 PMLet's hear it for Pitcairn Island!
Posted by: Wren on November 15, 2006 09:04 PMI'm with Kristen - that line really was funny!
Posted by: Sarah on November 16, 2006 02:14 AMLove, love, love your little bear model! And the sweater is adorable and cute as a button too.
Yay for Dulaan!
Posted by: Robbyn on November 16, 2006 06:16 AMGo Team Dulaan!
I love TMK's yarn--it's gorgeous! Would she consider selling some of it? I would love to have a skein to work with. And the sweater.......oof! It's adorable! And the model you used, well, I could fall in love with him. Where did you find the cute buttons?
I'm working on some kid's hats, so after I waddle away from the turkey next week (yay! long weekend! And Yay! elastic waistband pants!) I'll have box #4 ready to roll to FIRE. Mom's got her first 6 scarves in it, and I'll fill the empty spaces with hats.
I'm thinking that I'll have to make a button to wear that says "Knit me something", so I can strong arm......oops, I mean encourage more people to knit for Dulaan. :)
Posted by: Nancy O. on November 16, 2006 09:29 AMI've been influenced by my kids; I'm channeling Timmy Turner's Dad. "Don't you have eyes? This yarn's delicious!" :) TMK, that yarn is fabulous, darling. And the schoolbus sweater! So! Damn! Cute! I should not swear at a child's sweater, but it is really so adorable.
And for Dulaan: Woohoo!
Posted by: Julie on November 16, 2006 12:31 PMWoot! Nice team effort there - I am really glad to see the swatch so politely not getting all funky and all the stripey goodness.
Posted by: Anne on November 16, 2006 03:13 PM