#29: I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED

From Knitting, etc.

It has been a long week, so I thought to treat myself after work with a trip to my most favorite LYS, A Tangled Skein. I arrived with a plan: buy two skeins of Cascade Ecological Wool. An un-dyed, sturdy, beautiful, reasonably priced bulky yarn.

They were out. So I ended up chatting with the lovely gal working in the shop. Things start happening. Touching too much yarn. I get invited into the brand new storage room they're renting in the building. I'm shown an entire box of Cascade Eco Duo, an un-dyed, worsted weight, two-toned alpaca and merino blend.

It's so lovely and so soft that I think I got confused because I left the store with eight skeins and a badly dented credit card. I don't even know how that skein of Malabrigo ended up in my bag, too. It's a good thing I got a discount. Afterwards, I gleefully called my best friend on a yarn-high. A few hours later, I realized what I had done.

Lesson learned: Don't let them take you to the back storage room. You'll have no self-control.

Also... I'm still looking for some Ecological Wool, so if you have some in your stash you'd like to trade, let me know. :)

#26 - BLOG THERAPY: MY ANTISOCIAL TENDENCIES

From Knitting, etc.

Back for another round of blog therapy. So yes, my friends joke that I'm known for occasionally dropping off the radar. When things get busy or I feel overwhelmed, I'll retreat in my apartment. I start ignoring phone calls, forgetting to reply to emails, spending hours upon hours napping in bed over the weekends rather than going out.

But even when I feel like I'd prefer to be completely alone rather than dealing with the world around me, I find myself becoming more connected to the lovely crafters on Ravelry. I've found a few amazing groups of supportive people (especially in Got Friends?) who celebrate each other's triumphs and comfort one another in defeat.

From Knitting, etc.

But I took it one step further and started swapping. I didn't realize how much fun I'd have choosing and making knitty gifts for a total stranger. And the friendships that form after makes swaps all the more rewarding. Above is my first ever swap package - I knitted up a Robin's Egg Blue hat in Cascade Venezia bulky, which was so soft with a subtle sheen to it. With it, I sent pattern markers and stitch markers from Andrea Jene Designs, and a skein of Claudia's Hand Painted Yarns in Eat Your Veggies. My awesome swapette said she's thinking of knitting up the yarn into a Reverie beret, and I think it's the perfect choice.

Even though I'm working on getting myself out a little more often and returning those phone calls a little more promptly, I know I can stop by Ravelry and always feel at home with some people I feel honored to refer to as friends.