Tuesday Book Review (or the joy of being a knitty librarian)

The joy of being a knitty librarian is that you can Interlibrary loan whatever knitting book you want to use. Or in my case, check out before deciding to buy. The only bookstore in town is a used bookstore, the closest town with a yarn shop (and presummably a book store, I haven't actually been anywhere but the yarn shop) is an hour or so away, so generally my purchasing happens via the good old World Wide Web.

The current ILL knitting books include Knitting Rules by the lovely Yarn Harlot and Mason-Dixon Knitting by the ever amusing Kay and Ann at Mason-Dixon Knitting.

Knitting Rules is fun, amusing and, what I like best, not only patterns but also 'recipes' for various items. During my phases of sock knitting I've found myself too dependent on this sock pattern here and that sock pattern there and it helps to have someone sit down and say 'You know, all you really need is your gauge swatch and some thinking and you don't need those'. (Even if I already knew that.) Kinda opens up the possibility for, oh say, fun stitch patterns on my socks if I do say so myself. In all it goes on the wishlist. The Guy (TG) even had fun with it, ambushing me with the stash quiz - according to him you have to be out on the sidewalk to be at least 10 feet away from the stash. But I don't even have a sidewalk! And I think there may be a room somewhere without any yarn in it. Errr... The kitchen! (If the knitted up poncho laying over the back of a chair don't count.)

Mason-Dixon Knitting is a good book with several new variations on old ideas and a lot of things that aren't your typical knitting project. I like the fact that instead of have 30 different gorgeous sweaters there are instead rugs and bedspreads and curtains and cushions. Big plus - quick and easy baby items. I have a cousin with a baby due this month, another due in February (neither of which I found out about until last month) and a boss due in April. There was no way I was going to get the in progress baby blanket as well as a second finished in time. I figure I'll get to start knitting for myself in about May. But it was TG who (while flipping through the M-D K) pointed out the baby kimono that happens to be the perfect use of some Plymouth Encore languishing in the stash (I bought it last Christmas for some mittens but it wasn't a good match at all - which is sad considering it is white). And I pulled out some leftovers of pink (as a semi-yarn snob I confess, Caron Super Soft or whatever it is) from the second (and working) attempt of said mittens that I may use with other leftovers for a striped kimono (I figure there has to be a girl in the works there somewhere).

Tonight, however, this knitty librarian is working late, swapping an evening shift with a co-worker. But tomorrow will be the interesting part. Tomorrow I may just end up helping to introduce two other librarians to the wonderful world of the knitty-ness.

(TG has also claims to have resigned himself to the fact that I'll probably end up teaching him to knit. I plan to get him a copy of Knitting With Balls when I do so.)

Two posts at once!

Well, we'll see if it works. Wireless has been up and down my entire lunch hour. Makes me wonder just how great it is to have the most wired (or technically wireless) campus if you can't get a signal on the only side of the library where the electrical outlets are actually wired themselves.

Not a lot of knitting related accomplishments to regale. Though my buying yarn on Saturday was apparently the motivation I needed to get other knitting projects finished (probably has something to do with the potential 'can only buy yarn for one project once finish two projects' rule and the fact that I'm already 'in the hole' since I had the unexpected acquiring of yarn). In other words, I finally seamed that one shoulder seam and did the neckband of my vest. Still have another shoulder seam and then it's side seams (ick!) but I have made progress on a project that has sat at 90% complete for nearly two years. And I also have made enough progress on the travel sock that I'm nearly to the heel. Yay! As soon as I get those finished I'll have two projects finished and won't feel so guilty about yarn purchases on Saturday.

I also finally got that survey/meme thinger posted for SP5 (with a little helpful poking by my secret pal).

I had a great Memorial Day weekend. A friend travelled down to visit, and it was her birthday on Saturday. So we went to the winery and did a wine tasting. And then were thankful we had a DD, as we were just tipsy enough that we knew we shouldn't drive. There was supper at a cow palace, great big hunks of meat were consumed and margaritas were drunk. Sunday was a cookout, the THE - toss, hit and eat. Though actually the order was toss (lawn darts and horse shoes), eat (brats and salads and incredibly wonderful banana puddings) and hit (fizzball). Fizzball is an idea they pulled from a comic book years ago. Buy the cheapest, nastiest beer you can, someone pitches and someone else hits it with a baseball bat and sees who can get the best explosion. Very good times, though I now know from experience that Schlitz isn't fun to get in your eyes. Monday was hang out time before our friend headed back home, and then resting and working on the vest. So, in all a great time, though I was tired tired tired yesterday.

Well, lunch break is nearly over and I've got to head back to work. Hopefully I'll have some picture when I post next. Either of knitting stuff or maybe my new drop spindle I just won from eBay or of the weekend. :D