Yesterday my brother and I had either the conversation that we have every couple of years, or another installment in the conversation that never ends. Each of us is struggling with a type of artistic blockage (ironically, mine is music and his is writing), and both of us are struggling with the physical blockage of Too Much Effing Stuff In Our Way when we go to create. We had a Long Talk about the possible reasons for Why This Is So. I think that each of us is ready to start letting go of the physical things that are getting in our way both metaphorically and tangibly, but there is still a bit of magical thinking involved. My master plan involves winning a lottery I haven’t played more than five times in my life, and his involves a housefire that destroys every possession except his cat.
Okay, so it needs some work. But at least we are talking about how to move ourselves forward. I’m going to start by publishing this blog post, walking the dog, and crawling into my beloved bed and getting the sleep I haven’t been getting on my mother’s couch for the last few days.
Knitwise, I was able to deliver the Pink Project to its recipient last week. I did make a feeble attempt to get the different shades from the different skeins to blend by washing the item in hot water and letting it soak in that water for a few minutes, but nothing really happened. It is still a project that’s going to be lain upon by cats, so eventually it’s going to be pink with white highlights. Or maybe even white with pink highlights.
One of the cats, the all-white Lucy, has already lain upon it and seems to like it. And my mother, when chilly, has already wrapped herself in it as a blanket/stole. We’re going to call this one a success even if I didn’t add tassels to each end. (Lori, I know that I still owe you for the yarn. I can pay you now!)
While I was visiting my mother I also visited a Goodwill store and scored some really nice yarn. All of the local thrift stores that MiddleSon and I usually visit over the holiday were pretty picked over, so we pulled out our smartphones to search for additional stores. Lo and behold, within walking distance of where I lived in the late 90s there was a new Goodwill location. While MiddleSon looked through the CDs and vinyl, I searched for alphabet mugs and yarn. On the first pass, I didn’t notice any yarn at all. This wasn’t too surprising, as the other stores had been pretty well picked over with regard to any craft supplies that would make easy holiday gifts.
On a second pass, when I started looking under and behind other things in what seemed to be the craft section, I noticed a plastic bag that was stuffed with a few skeins of yarn and a ball/skein of crochet thread in a rich burgundy. The whole bag was priced at $6.99, which was already a steal. When I got to the counter, I asked the clerk if we could remove the crochet thread and donate it back to the store. “Oh,” she said, “I don’t know if I can do that.” But she did take it out, and without saying a word she reduced the price by $2 (MiddleSon and I checked the receipt afterwards).
So here are the three skeins of worsted weight fine Peruvian Highland wool from Blue Sky Fibers, still tagged at $8.75 a skein, that I bought for $3.99 for the three. The colors are Spring Ice, Dark Chocolate, and Loon Lake. Gadzooks! they are pretty. Spring Ice is a bit darker in person, and the other two colors are a bit lighter. Many, many thanks to the knitter (or non-knitter) who donated them to Goodwill. And thanks to the Goodwill employee who ignored the original price tags!
Unfortunately, I didn’t find any reasonably sized knitting needles at the thrift stores while I was out of town — just teeny crochet hooks and enormous aluminum needles. But I have plenty of needles at home, and I can squish these lovely skeins until I think of something to do with them. Maybe a Fair Isle pillow?
The vintage Packer scarf sat at home while I was away, so there is no progress to report or anything new on the needles. Let’s see what happens by the end of next week.
Chocolate Sheep 