Follow Me? And Maelstrom as Bag

Maelstrom as Bag
Originally uploaded by sunasak

First, see the new thing on the left margin? I got rid of my woefully outdated "work in progress" section (I kept forgetting it was there) and have added a "blog followers" link. This is where you can click that you are a follower of this blog. What happens is that you can then get blog updates on your Blogger dashboard (or ignore them completely, as I have done so far on the only blog I "follow"). It's a way to let ME know you are there, which would make me happy! You follow publicly or not, so you don't have to have your profile picture displayed. It does appear that you need a Blogger account to "follow". I know lots of my readers use other blog hosts, so that is fine and if you just comment occasionally or say hi in person/email, I will smile.

A Blog Reader who will remain anonymous asked me how to sign up for a Blogger account. So, what you do is go to Blogger.com and you will see a sign-up screen. If you have a Google account already, just type in your email address and password, and you will be on Blogger. You don't have to set up a blog if you don't want to (but honest, kids, it is so easy!). Then you can click the link and be a follower.

OK, end advertisement...I share here my photo of Maelstrom looking like a disembodied brain, a turd, or a basket for its yarn ball. Yesterday at Chicks with Sticks, more than one person vowed that the shawl IS pretty.It just grows slowly because it's on small needles and the yarn is fingering weight. Deana's version in worsted weight on what appear to be US 10.5 needles is way bigger, and she is still on the first chart! Just goes to show it is a versatile pattern!

Nancy the Quilter was making her own version of Shalom, too, in a very soft bulky yarn in purples and related colors. It was nice to see the pattern detail on it. She plans to add sleeves to hers. I enjoy seeing other people's versions of projects I have worked on.

It was a day for showing off pretty projects at the LYS yesterday. One regular who'd been absent on Wednesdays for a while brought in a couple of amazing felted bags, one of which had incredibly realistic felted gardenias. They looked like healthier versions of the ones on my porch, down to the mottled coral coloring. And she had made three cardigans! So, wow, that was a busy absent person. And two of our newer participants were each making an absolutely awe-inspiring
"wrap me up" shawl in Noro Silk Garden. They were using the same colorway, but of course each looks different. This appears to be a great project for learning a lot of knitting techniques, because it is like a sampler. I'd love to do a class in that one.

That was by no means complete list of cool projects (for example, I got to view more than one MS4 in progress), but that's all I have time to type out. I really get inspired by everyone's projects.

But mostly it tickles me when people line up to ask me questions like I am the Great Guru of Knitting Knowledge (of which I am certainly not the best, or only one there!). Or they are all asking at once, which happened a couple of times. Boy is it hard to parse two sets of knitting questions at the same time. I do love the challenge of figuring out someone's pattern issue, fixing a mistake, or (mmm I like this) giving color advice. Thank you, if you are one of the folks who patiently waited for me to finish answering one question before helping with theirs!

Also, thanks for asking, because it sure helps me improve my knitting to help someone else. Hint: if you want to learn more, help someone! I see that happening so much. One friend wrote a sock tutorial on her blog, and I am pretty sure that improved her own sock skills--it really works!

Feel free to ask me stuff in comments if you can't come in person or don't have my cell phone on your speed dial like Suzanne does. Chances are, if you have a question, someone else who is too shy to ask also has it (the thing I always said when I was teaching college classes!). There's lost of wonderful knitting assistance on the World Wide Web of course, but sometimes it helps to ask someone you know or who has seen your project.

So, go knit something. Or read another blog. I must go earn money to buy more yarn now!