Wednesday 9 January 2008

Midweek Rambles

Socks for a Brain

You may recall that on Sunday I said that I had "decided I need to attack my sock stash over the next few months as I've got a silly amount of sock yarn." Now I've made some progress in this area. So far this year I've made 3 socks, 1 hat and half a kid sock. Not a huge dent in the mountain (my rough estimate is that I've got 40 pairs worth of yarn here), but a solid start showing commitment and determination.


I was feeling smug.



However, smug overheats my brain and makes me do odd things.

Today, during a quiet moment at work I suddenly found myself looking at a page confirming my order of 2 skeins of sock yarn. (Petal Shower pink and gorgeous Lipstick Lava red Smooshy sock yarn from Socktopus.) I swear I have no recollection of actually deciding to buy more sock yarn.

If the New Year Resolution police turned up I would claim that I bought the yarn because my Mom asked for a pair of socks. But between you and I, I know that I could pick out ANY of the yarns in my possession, knit them up in ANY pattern and my mom would think they were the best socks ever made anywhere.

Cake and Crochet Meet
As some of you know I am fortunate enough to work with the Caked Crusader. The key benefit of this is that every Monday I get to taste whatever amazing cake(s) she baked over the weekend, while the rest of the world just gets to drool over them on her blog. She is as well, very clever and incredibly funny, but it is the cake thing that makes the friendship work.


Anyway, this week the Caked Crusader has decided that she'd like to learn to crochet. I could claim that it was my enthusiasm for fibre arts that inspired her -- but I'd be lying. No, the Caked Crusader decided to take up crochet because I had been sharing with her some of the 'crochet discrimination' tales from Ravelry. To be honest I hadn't previously understood the cloud crocheters live under -- but it's bad. Real bad. One poor women is apparently "regularly insulted by the knitters" in her local yarn shop. Regularly insulted. Rough neighbourhood. Another poster sympathised and wondered why the owners didn't stop the abuse but figured that if they didn't see the abuse themselves it would be difficult to take action.

So the Caked Crusader is going to take on the cause and make granny squares. She may even make a toilet roll cover. She is ready to do whatever it takes to reclaim the hook.

Naturally I've had to distance myself from her since this crochet decision. I bought her a book (Happy Hooker by Debbie Stoller) to facilitate her learning, but have decided to minimise socialising until she sees sense.

(It's ok - I've arranged for someone else to pick up my cake from her office on Monday mornings.)

(And - for my own protection - here is a picture of a finished object from a few years ago proving that knitting isn't my only yarn craft. I've been crocheting for almost as long as I've been knitting. I even spent a couple of hours this week tuturing the Caked Crusader in the art of the hook. But I'll be honest, these crochet discrimination stories - they make me laugh.)


(The pattern is a combination of a couple of projects from an Anna magazine in the 90's. I centre flowers were from a pattern for a table runner, and the lower edge was from a pattern for a piano/mantle cover. I made it using a thicker cotton as a curtain to fit perfectly in my hall window. I've moved 3 times since and it no longer fits any window. It lives in the linen chest, and as this picture shows, it's in need of some blocking.)

15 comments:

fleegle said...

Holy Fleepers! That sock yarn stash is AMAZING! I am too embarrassed about my own stash to show it to anyone. Like you, I get tranced at the Wool Girl. I swear I don't recall ordering half of what I have in that closet.

As for crochet, I got a set of hooks for Christmas. I was seriously thinking of this pale green hat, adorned with filmy crocheted flower out of silk/mohair in pale peach, lavender, and cream colors. So far, it lives only in my head. But soon! Gotta try out those hooks.

florencemary said...

So, Ms Smug, not only do you have an amazing sock yarn floor cushion to loll about on, but also you have a blinkingly fabtastic crocheted curtain that you can gaze at us mere mortals through!

Btw, I'm an crochet-person-insulter and it was me that ordered that sock yarn for you! Ha!

LittleBerry said...

love the sock yarn stash it's certainly a nice collection of yarns and colours....

Linda said...

gorgeous crochet! I thought my little sock yarn stash was a bit big...!

Anonymous said...

Mmmmmm sock stash. (Smooshy is awesome yarn, btw.)

That curtain is gorgeous. Wow.

Lacefreak said...

Your sock stash would give my sister yarn envy since she's the sock knitter in our family. Don't be embarrassed by your stash. I have my stuff put in 4 different locations so I can pretend it's not so big. I won't even count the fiber stash until it becomes actual yarn. I actually wish I could crochet but I have difficulty understanding how it works. There are really beautiful crochet patterns out there. Maybe I will give it another try and join the crochet revolution!

Viknits said...

Brilliant sock stash! It's really impressive!
Your crochet is beautiful, shame it doesn't fit in any of your windows :(

The Caked Crusader said...

Ssssh. Don't tell everyone I'm crocheting.
Since I've taken up the 'hook that dare not speak it's name' I cannot honestly say I have been shunned, abused, tarred or feathered. Well, no more than before.

Angelika said...

It's no shame to be versatile, I think so anyway. And your sock yarn pile looks awfully familiar. Except mine is stuffed into a laundry basket, that seems to want to overflow.

feltboots said...

Soo, never knew you dabbled in the hook as well as being Master of the Needles. Yet again I'm in awe. Plus you get to eat cake every week.

Can I be you for a few days, huh ? :D

Batty said...

Very nice sock stash! I think mine is getting up there too. As for crochet, I'm still working on it. One of these days...

Holly said...

I am a huge believer in Dream in Color yarns, so your Smooshy purchase is completely understandable, and you are forgiven. I don't get the knit-crochet divide. I am a knitter. I woud like to learn to crochet. I can't imagine why anyone would have animosity toward a fellow crafter. Go, Caked Crusader, Go!

blog-blethers said...

Isn't sock yarn just the easiest stuff ever to stash and denial;) I tried to organise my own sock stash and when it dawned on me I could make about 40 pairs of socks and matching trainer socks, I casually hide it all again:) And love your crocheted curtain. It seems a shame that its hidden away just now - its beautiful!

Fiona Reynolds said...

Your sock stash is fab.... And you work with the Caked Crusader. That is just jammyness to the highest order!! I'm really surprised that crocheters get such abuse. I found it really difficult to learn and it doesn't come easily at all.

Vivian said...

Thanks for visiting my blog. Your Chinese Rose coat is stunning! I added you to my friend on Ravelry if you don't mind.