Kiss My Knits!

Last night I was thinking about whether I actually should buy more Mission Falls wool- I really want to, but should I? I recalled reading that some people had done Rogue in Mission Falls. I decided to swatch. I wanted to know if a) cables would show up in the black, and b) I could get 4.5 stitches per inch.

Answers: yes, but not extraordinarily well, and no, I get 4.125 on size 8’s. Further reflection reminded me that I look awful in all black. I don’t look classic or goth, just pasty. So much for that.


and I went to Odd Broads today, where I stocked up on addis in sweater lengths like they were going out of style. What the heck does that mean, anyway, “like they were going out of style?” Wouldn’t you want to avoid them if they were going out of style?

Aaaanywho. I saw a few Better Homes and Gardens from the war years – that’s WWII, whippersnappers – and at a buck apiece, I had to pick them up. They were full of gems like the article to the left extolling the virtues of DDT. Yikes!

The main thing I liked about these, though, was the ads. I used to be a promotion producer for a local TV station. An Addy award-winning producer, thank you. And I’m always interested in how people sell. Even now, when I write for Dragonrealms, I find that I enjoy thinking about it from a selling standpoint. I’m selling a room or item to the player, working with in the constraints of a small space, our special style, and technical specifications. Hey, just like TV! Because of this, I’m always interested in how people sell things. And most of the ads in these BH&Gs are using wartime to sell. Take the Windex ad at the right, which you can click on to see in its entirety. Honey, if your man’s coming home from war, let the windows go! I guarantee you he won’t give a hoot.

I also stopped into another shop where they had a 1950’s era Brownie beanie for sale. The guy said it was $8, but everything was half off so that was $4. I put it back, and and I wandered through the store. When we got to the door, the guy shouted, “Hey, what would you give for this hat?” “Two dollars!” I shouted. “Okay!” he hollered back. So I dug out a buck in change from my pocket, and dug out a buck from hers. , I owe you a buck.

I had a good time. We’ll definitely have to do it again.

Every five or so Jayne hats I have to knit something non-Jayne or else I go insane. I’m sorry, but I defy anyone to make the same hat, no matter how cool, 400 times in a row without getting a little “All work and no beer makes Homer something something.” And so, I turned the heel on my Tofutsies sock. Unfortunately, it looks like I knit it a little too long. It’s doing this weird squared-off thing at the back of my heel that it really shouldn’t be doing. Fortunately, I put in a lifeline just before I started the heel, so it’ll be no trouble to rip it back, un-knit a couple of rows, and do it again. Then I need to bring it in by about eight stitches. That’s because while my feet are 10 inches around, my ankles are more like eight and a half. Thanks for the wide feet, Mom!

I actually am doing Jayne hats and kits while working on the sock, but all work is going more slowly than usual this week due to Spring break. My daughter’s home, and surprisingly, my eight-year-old doesn’t want me to spend all my time knitting. Go figure. Today we went to Discovery Place, a local science museum, and looked at the fish and watched a puppet show. Emily loves puppet shows. And live theater. When the show was over, she immediately said, “let’s hear it again!” Sorry, sweetie, it was the last show of the day. I promised her we’d go again another time.

It was insanely crowded. I had accounted for it being Spring break, but I hadn’t also thought that since it was Good Friday, a lot of parents would be off work, and want something to do with their child. Add to that that the “Candy Unwrapped” exhibit is visiting Discovery Place, and that the weather was a little cool, and all the factors combined into the perfect storm. This is why we usually go to the Charlotte Nature Museum instead. Much less crowded, and they do have puppet shows. Well, we still had fun. Any day that you get to pet an iguana is a good day.

Tomorrow I go with on a road trip to Odd Broads, which is getting out of the yarn business and so has everything on sale for 40% off. I doubt I’ll pick anything up, what with the 50% off sale this coming Tuesday, but you never know. 40% off reasonably priced yarn may be a better deal than 50% off of Stitch’s generally overpriced stock.

I’m up too late again. Signing off and going to bed. G’night!

Dale Baby Ull swatch for Dad’s Charlie Brown sweater.

For some reason, Jayne hat knitting kit orders are up at least 300% this week. Why? Did someone post something somewhere that I don’t know about? Why are kit orders up over hat orders that disproportionately?

Weird.

Arrrrrr! Avast ye scurvy sheepdogs! Look what panzermama be sendin’ me out of the blue! If ye be notin’ that me brainpan is chopped off in me portrait, it’s because me first mate Emily the Snaggletoothed snapped the shot.

This was a nice lift on a day when I was notin’ that me treasure coffers be a little low. With mates like these, who cares? There’ll always be another ship to plunder! My thanks to ye, panzermama. You’re a great GM, mom, and all around wonderful wench. Arrrrrr!!

April Fool’s in bestest game ever Dragonrealms

Ah, April Fool’s. The day when GMs get to trick players in a more open fashion than usual. Piles of un-gettable coins, fake visions… I love it.

Think I’ll cause a little mayhem now.