It’s a Purl, Man

Me, knitting mittens magic loop style with Cashmere Island on Red Line from downtown to Harvard.

You, some guy knitting on grey straights (I assume size with some lovely orangey stuff (I assume malibrigo). You were practicing seed stitch.

I gave you my podcast card and told you about the knitting group for guys.

So… did I have bad breath or am I weird to think that perhaps you would actually want to talk. Was I too forward by sitting down next to you. I did give you the straight man’s seat buffer.

I guess I am not used to knitters who don’t like to talk. Not that I excpect a whole lot, but most people will be cordial enough to inquire about my project after I ask about theres. And you are the first guy I ever met who seemed even more weirded out when there was another guy knitting  in the area. I thought it was kinda funny that two guys were knitting on the subway at around 8:00pm.

Oh well… good luck with your knitting.

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This is what my chuppah looks like to me. I pack it every morning with the hopes of knitting on the subway. Perhaps, if I am lucky I can get it out and knit at group, knit a little during lunch, or perhaps I will get a few minutes in at lunch.

It lives in this bag and until it is done I don’t think it’s work photographing.

Now this… This is a chuppah. Lucy is prominently displaying how she has passed me in knitting chuppah. While it may seem boastful, it is really lovingly, because without her and my other friends this bad boy would never get done.

I got a new camera today and am starting to post to my flicker account if you would like to see more.

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Let me introduce you to my new bag, thanks to the lovely Darcy at Tom Bihn
So this is a new knitting bag that they are going to release at the end of the week. They have sent me this sample to check out because they know I have real knitting bag issues (notice the lack of floral patterns… nice). Darcy told me about this like a year ago, so I have a long build up for this and am ready to gush about it all.

They have not come up with a name for the new bag, so I will refer to my new bag as Sam. Me and Sam have not had a lot of time yet to see if we get a long, but I will be posting progress reports as we become friends. Sam showed up with some friends that made me squee with joy… (I know this is not the experience thatDarcy was looking for, but like a child who recieves a gift and plays with the box, I was a little distracted)

Sam’s little friends are as follows:

Mark (as in holds stitch Markers) is ever so transparent and tiny, perfect for my colorful little friends.

Natalie (the notions holder) is an awesome way to hol many notions and needles

Jiles (my everything bag) is now going to be joining me on many trips, with all the things I need… I can seem them.. it’s awesome

OK… so this is the gang… I don’t know what to do with these guys yet, but I am sure that I will find something fun to do…

So I am really excited about all these things that they sent me. The clear plastic bags with the clips are ohh so useful. I can’t wait to attach them to my normal gear and stuff. I will be ptting these toys through some Boston trauma and get back to you all about how they stand up.

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There you have it, knitters in public.

From the left to the right Guido, Emily/Omly(thanks for the pic), Alexis, Susan(loves to fly fish), ?friend or Ariel?,Ariel(rabid sock knitter), Tab, Ariana.

So after hanging around the outdoor spot for half an hour, I moved to the indoor spot where I found Emily and Tab. Soon more knitters showed up, which is pretty sweet, considering I was pretty sure I was going alone. Emily and Ariel are two knitters who I met last year at WWKIP, so it was kind of fun to have them back again.

It was a nice time out… I love hanging out knitting, but you already know that. Sorry Suzanne didn’t find us (we were still there).
If you did a WWKIP, please let me know how it went.

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Clik on MAP for larger view

WWKIP 2007 Boston - The Plan

So this is the plan (with google map).

If it is nice:

• Go to Copley Square (area 1 on map) at noon
• Knit
• Meet some new people
• Scare the general public with our knitting powers
• Perhaps take a peek at the parade (it’s a block away)
• Go to Newbury Yarns and fondle yarn

if it’s not nice (which is what they are saying):

• Go to the food court in Copley Square mall (entrance is in area 2 on map) at noon
• Knit
• Meet some new people
• Eat some Japaneses food, use chopsticks for knitting demo
• Scare the general public with our knitting powers
• Go to borders books and scoof at there knitting book collection

I will be easily identifiable with my black peeps T-Shirt (you’ll see) and my huge purple/mauve Chuppah knitting project.

Can’t wait to see you there… If enough people show up and there is an interest I am happy to break down around 3:00pm to go on a yarn downtown yarn crawl. There are three shops within fifteen minute walk.

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Well…

I went to the Porter Square Book’s Happy Hooking event and learned to make the One Skien Scarf from the new Deb Stoller book, Happy Hooker. I finished it in two days and it looks… well… it’s done I guess…

Try as I might I can’t get into this weird hooking lifes style. I have two issues. One, it’s maddening to work off a chain… I really don’t see how you can make things straight and tidy like knitting. Two, I really haven’t found any patterns that suit me in the Stoller book. ( I really wanted to buy a copy from the store, suppoerting them and all)
But I am now interested in returning to Kim Werker’s Get hooked book and try and maks some of the little crocheted anime figurines (I’ll be damned if I call them dolls). I know that most of the book is teeny-bop stuff, but I really like the cute little toys. I have some youngens I can make them for.

So, you are probably thinking to yourself, Guido… Why have you not posted pictures of this awesome new talent?

This time I have a real excuse (no more using that tired I forgot or the dog ate my image excuse anymore). My pumpkn and her pumpkn posse have taken over all rights to my digital camera for the next three weeks while they go wedding dress shopping and take super secret photos. So I am powerless to rebel against the powers that be and will have to wait to post new images.

Finally, a little show house cleaning… I have removed the explicit tag from my show. I dont’ think I am that explicit and if other shows don’t do it, why should I. It’s not like I’m dropping the F-Bomb or discussing the intimate relationship my privates and yarn have…(not that it isn’t amusing to hear this on other shows, but I am way less explicit than that) Anyhow, while I am not completely family friendly, I am friendly enough for most families.

So that’s that…

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I am accompanied on this episode by the fantastic Stitchy McYarnPants. We take a trip in her Museum of Kitschy Stitches to find some of the origins of the male patterns. She has promised to add images of the exhibits on her site.
Some background, I have the following categories of male sweater patterns:
Mud Colors (most sweaters for guys are grey, black, navy, brown, or some combo of such)
Man Stripe (think abercrombie and finch)
The Cosby Sweater (nuff said)
Cable, rib, gansey (usually in a mud color)
NEW Lil Boy’s (upsized childrens sweater)
NEW Women’s Matchy (designed for her first and should have been left at that)

Please comment about this show, I am really interested in anything you have to say about the guy man issue.

MUSIC : Katrina’s Sitch and Bitch by Kentucky Jelly

IMAGES: Sttchy has posted the images in this post

 

 IAPM26: Going Old School [34:29m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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So I have been kicking around the idea of doing a skit for the show called:

Yarn Beard (The Knitting Pirate) And The Curse Of The Black Purl

Copyright issues aside, I’m sure that Disney could have a field day, is this such a bad idea?

My Pumkin, you may remeber her as the one who refers the the show as dead, thinks that this may be a little too corny. But I spent the weekend re-assuring her that there is no such thing as too corny for you guys gals.

So I put it to you, is a skit about a knitting pirate and his shaggy crew too much?

Also… new show and happyness at the end of the week.

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This week I am in Baltimore, next week I will go back to normal, I promise…

Tommorrow I will update the links.

 

 Knitting Out Loud Boston [28:12m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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No one has anything to say about knitting for guys and how they recieved it??

 Well… if you would like to vent or share your experiences about knitting for a guy, this is your chance. An you might even be rewarded for it. Please post commonts and i will get the books ready to send.

In other news:

I finished my hat that includes my first hand spun. I will post this image over the weekend. I am now frantically trying to complete a baby hat for a friend and get packed for a weekend trip. The trip will include family, firends, and foreign people(family). Even thouhg I am only traveling four hours each way, it feels like I will have little to no time to hang out once I get there.

I will see if David, my borther, will participate in Sunday’s show. I think he should do some non-knitter reviewing.

My pumkin and I have decided to knit a large series of scarves and then sew them into a chuppa cover for our wedding. This will become the true test of our affections.

 gotta run, lunch time is coming to a close and I still need a little more sugar.

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