Look out for the girl...

Do you knit in public? was anyone offended/happy/curious?

When I do venture out among the living I do knit in public.  I grew up always carrying a book around with me so it isn’t unusual for me to be engaged in a solitary pursuit in a public place.  I do not always have my knitting with me because I tend to like having the pattern handy to refer to and that means often knitting in public is like ordering hot tea in a restaurant.  There are all these extra pieces you have to pull out and pretty soon you’ve created an island of stitch markers, pattern, yarn, DPNs, and maybe a beverage.  This is why wait staff hate people who order hot tea in a restaurant.  Not because there are double pointed needles involved…although that would complicate things further. 

Anyhow! So if I have a project that’s on circulars or straight needles with an easy-to remember pattern (e.g. scarf, hat, mittens, raglan sweater) and not all kinds of fun and goofy increases, decreases, short rows, etc. then I will take it along and knit in public.

Second part of the question:

People all the time think I’m crocheting.  I am not.  This is akin to asking a rugby team  if they are playing football.  They are not.  Think about it, people, knittingneedles- crochethook. What do I have in my hands?  Okay then. 

It doesn’t really bother methatterribly much when they are legitimately clueless, but it’s the types who raise the Eyebrow of Disdain when they comment and then commentinaccurately.Guess what, if you don’t know what you’re talking about you don’t get to be dismissive.  And then I kill them with my needles.

Which is what is super fun about knitting in public, the knowledge that if anyone gives you trouble you can totally take them out with items in your knit bag.  Like Batman’s utility belt.  Only yarn-ier.

going to the big city for the second week in a row!  Author groupie first time, classic film on the big screen this time.  Then a get-together Saturday and company BBQ that I helped plan Tuesday.  It’s like I’m a real grown up or something.  I dunno about all this.  When will I have time to watch everything in my netflix queue, knit, read books and read tumblr and the rest of the internetz?  Let alone make posts about stuffs?  craziness.

16: Have you ever had a knitting related injury?

Yes. Also- Hand cramp!  Usually this happens when I’m purling and holding my yarn funny. 

17: English or Continental?

Continental.  I’d love to be able to do English as comfortably because then I could totally knit with two separate colors at the same time, one in each hand.  It would be one of the great things in life.  But I find English really…inefficient?? Why do I have to stop knitting, hold the needles in one hand, loop the yarn with the other, then go back to one needle in each hand and…argh!  It seems like so many extra steps!  Continental you just keep going.  Loop, loop, loop.  And ta-dah!  it’s done.  Continental just feels more comfortable, natural and logical to me.  Which is not to say there’s anything wrong with English.  It’s just…not for me. But someday I will learn!  And then nothing will stop me.  Or Jefferson Starship.

Side note: this slight obsession with things that seem efficient also affects my ability to learn crochet.  Why do I need to use 1/3 as much yarn and go back into the same stitches like a million times in order to come up with this fabric that isn’t as pliable as a knit? Or I might just be using that as an excuse to not learn something that will cause me to queue more items on my ravelry.

So tonight I had the privilege/pleasure of attending the Mystery Bus Tour hosted by Rainy Day Books, an independent bookstore that always puts on great events. There were four mystery authors, William Kent Krueger, John Connolly, Liza Marklund and MJ Rose. They were, as authors often (but not always) are, great to listen to and passionate about their craft and work. They told wonderful stories and while I have not read all of their books, I am definitely going to.  I can, without hesitation, recommend the Cork O’Connor series by William Kent Krueger, set in northern Minnesota.  Setting is important because of how well he brings the locale to life and the key role it plays in his series.  Good stuff!  But, based on my experience, I would say pick up any of their books and if you die in the middle you wont be embarrassed.

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random thought:

I keep songs in my music library that I have never even heard.  I figure this way if any one ever tries to analyze my personality based on the music I own they’ll be completely confused.  It’s my William Faulkner move. 

what was awesome today:

It is one of the great things in life to drive for a solid period of time and not see a single other vehicle on the road. 

Also - nachos, beef jerky and circus peanuts for dinner - not too shabby.  Not an everyday occurrence, but certainly much-enjoyed this Friday night.