New knitting rules

I woke up obnoxiously early this morning – I think it was 5:30. Maybe I'm excited about my doctor's appointment this afternoon or something. I have been very productive – cleaning up the kitchen, which looked like students from the culinary institute were living in our house, and doing laundry. Both Joe and I are messy, so our house gets out of hand every single week, especially the day before the maids come. This is why we are having a kid, we're hoping he likes to do dishes and carry out the garbage.

Yesterday I decided to try and graph an illusion scarf. Of course I can't just make one that someone else has made already, I had to create my own pattern. Let me tell you something – those graphs are hard. I made a math mistake (big surprise) on the graph and it was all out of whack. When I finally cast on I ended up ripping out four times. Four!

Here are some rules I need to follow when knitting:

The pattern is most likely correct. If you start to think you're all fancy and better than the pattern writer, you are wrong.
If you think you are capable of modifying a pattern and copying things down correctly, you are wrong. Double check your work. (I sound like my high school algebra teacher. I hate to think she was right.)
If it looks wrong it probably is. If the pattern says you're on the right side and it looks distinctly like a wrong side, you have messed up.
If you have to rip something out, don't get mad at the thing. It's your own fault.

So now I have about 20 rows of the scarf complete, the illusion is showing up correctly, and I'm not sure I like it. I think the colors are too harsh. I may have to rethink the entire project. Of course it's a gift, and of course it is going to someone who reads my blog, so I can't post it here. I will keep going for a bit and see how I feel.

Last night we met at Mama Javas for Stitch n Bitch. It was our biggest turnout there yet – I think there were about 30 people. They were giving me a hard time about being afraid of tuna, but I don't think they realize how big a tuna is. Bigger than some people I know, and entirely too big to be staring out at me from a wall.

I missed the Red Sox game for knitting. Not that I'm a big baseball fan or anything, but I am happy for them. With so much speculation about the curse being lifted I think the pressure may get to them again, but who knows? Maybe Babe will have pity on them.

You might have noticed above that I mentioned casting on again. Yep, that's right, four projects on needles. I'm not even counting the swatches I'm doing for the 5th graders for tomorrow. Vincent's hat should be quick to finish and so should the secret project, but the scarf and sweater vest are going to take a while. Yikes, it's five projects. I keep forgetting about my cabled blanket on needles in a drawer.

I took a look at Illana's Knitted Gifts book last night. I've decided to add it to my Amazon wish list for Christmas. I looked at the scarf pattern for the Rowan Kidsilk Haze and it was somewhat of a disappointment. It was just a row of yarn overs and knit two togethers followed by 10 rows of knitting. Not very interesting. I'd like to find something with a bit of a scalloped edge to it. I might just make something up using the stitch guide on about.com. Not that I need to be worrying about that right now anyway.

So I finally tried to take back that black Alpaca Boucle yarn I have. I went to Arizona Knitting and Needlepoint where I bought the yarn, but for some reason the receipt wasn't in the bag. The woman at the counter said "You have to have your itemized receipt for an exchange. Otherwise there isn't a way for us to know if you bought the yarn from us or from some other yarn shop." Okay, I see the logic if I was trying to get money out of them, but they clearly sell this yarn, I clearly bought it there, why would I try to return something to a store other than where I bought it? The owner was there, the woman said she would go get her to talk to me. About 30 seconds later she came back and said "I'm sorry, there is nothing we can do." Rebecca, the owner, didn't even bother to come up and talk to me herself.

So here's the moral of the story. I will look for the receipt and if I find it, go back to make the exchange. And that will be the last time I darken the door of that horrid little yellow house. If they were the last people selling yarn on this earth I would knit grass from my yard before I would give them another dime. I even took their link off my sidebar. I'll show them.

I know I'm inherently cranky right now due to this humungous child I'm carting around in my belly, but still. I just want a different color yarn. I can't help it if I don't want a black sweater.

And now, ten more things about me:

51. I believe all people are inherently good and do the right thing.
52. But, they often don't. I haven't figured out why.
53. I was married once before, very young, to the wrong man.
54. I love the sound of windchimes.
55. I also love rain, but not too much. (In Northern California it rained from November to April. That's too much.)
56. I once met Ben Affleck and was so completely star struck I couldn't say a word.
57. I was pro-choice until I got pregnant.
58. I think Chris Rock is funny.
59. I can't swallow most pills – just advil and coated Tylenol. I had to get chewable pre-natal vitamins.
60. Joe and I were blessed by the Pope in Rome on our honeymoon.

Don't forget there is a knit-in at Jesssica Knits tonight! I probably won't be able to make it but it should be lots of fun. Her store is a perfect place to hang out an knit.