Interview with a Tween

Hubbub (not his real name for those wondering), was interested to hear about DH's interview the other day, and didn't want to be left out. Here's the view of my knitting world according to Hubbub.

ME: What is your favorite thing about my knitting?
Hubbub: "The hats you knit me."
ME: What is your least favorite thing about my knitting?HUBBUB:"Whenever we go somewhere you always have to stop at a yarn store."
ME: What is something I have knitted that you recall as good?
HUBBUB: "The scarves that you made us a while back"
ME: Do you think that knitters have an expensive hobby?
CUTE GUY: "No! There are other hobbies that cost a bit more. Like my model airplanes I like or flying lessons."
ME: "Do you have a stash of any kind?"
HUBBUB: "Of what?!!! A stash of change." mum thinks that he has a stash of dirty socks somewhere in his room or a black hole that sucks all dirty socks into them.
ME: Do you know what my favorite yarn to knit with is?"
HUBBUB: "Shetland?!" Okay. I'm pretty impressed that he knew what Shetland was. Still, it isn't my favorite, but am very impressed that he has paid attention to my yarn ramblings at some point in time. Unfortunately, he's never listened to my asking him to search out the missing dirty socks, or my constant nagging for him to stop watching the Science Channel and go out and play or make his bed.
ME: "Can you name another blog?"
HUBBUB: "No."
ME: "Do you read my blog?"
HUBBUB: "Yeah."
ME: "My knitting blog?"
HUBBUB: "Oh, do you mean like Ravelry?" I'm shocked that everybody in this house seems to know what ravelry is, but don't seem to know what "load the dishwasher" means.
ME: "Do you mind my wanting to stop at knit shops wherever we go?"
HUBBUB: "No, not really. I don't mind it that bad. It's just when you're in there for two and a half hours, when you said that you'd only be a few minutes; that makes me dislike it."
ME: "Have you ever left a comment on my blog?"
HUBBUB: "Mmmm. No."
ME: "Do you think the house would be cleaner if I didn't knit?"
HUBBUB: "No!!!!! You have four kids. Well, maybe, but not that much. You're pretty anal."
ME: "Have I ever taught you how to knit?"
HUBBUB: "Once. I thought it was okay."
ME: "Do you still knit?"
HUBBUB: "No. I like doing other things. I pursue other hobbies."
ME: "Do you think that boys should knit?"
HUBBUB: smirks. "They can if they want, but it's a little weird."
ME: "How much money do you think I spend on yarn and knitting?"
HUBBUB: "$500, plus, and then some, or maybe a $1,000" (dad chirps up in the background - "more like thousands".
ME: "Do you think that Dad realizes how much I spend?"
HUBBUB: "Yeah. He lets you spend that much because he loves you." (DH was in the room, so Hubbub suggested that I ask him if he knew. He said that he didn't know exactly, and didn't want to know, that ignorance was bliss.)
ME: "Do you remember that for the longest time you were adamant that when you grew up you were going to work in a yarn store winding yarn?"
HUBBUB: "No."
note: it's true. he was convinced that "a yarn winder" was the perfect occupation. i explained that the pay wouldn't be so hot, so he decided he'd be a dentist and work with his day 3 days a week, so that it could support him and then he'd donate his time doing yarn winding.
ME: "How long do you think I could go without knitting.
HUBBUB: "Days."
CUTE GUY chirps up and says "Days??!! More like hours."

Revelations

I was reading Janet Szabo's blog today and came across her interview with her dh. So, I took advantage of the car ride to dinner this afternoon to pepper the "cute guy" with a few questions.

ME: What is your favorite thing about my knitting?

CUTE GUY: "You seem to really enjoy doing it."

ME: What is your least favorite thing about my knitting?

CUTE GUY:"Being woken up at 3am by you knitting away in the chair in our room with your knitting light or on the closet floor."

ME: What is something I have knitted that you recall as good?

CUTE GUY: "It's all good! You knit so much, that I have no idea. You're always knitting something new. You don't usually show me when you've finished something. What do you do with it all?"

ME: I show you the items all the time, but you're usually absorbed in the Weather Channel watching the weather in some other state that we've never visited, or more than likely never will, or watching CNN. Thanks for listening. I also wear a lot of what I knit (when it's not summer) and give quite a few things as gifts.

CUTE GUY: Oh yeah, I remember one thing I really like. You always knit the hats for the kids and I in the winter, whatever style and color we like.

ME: Do you think that knitters have an expensive hobby?

CUTE GUY: "Yes! Oh wait, compared to what?" (He then smirks that cute mischievous smirk of his as he remembers his Hummer and all the extra skid plates and rocker panels he purchased so that he can go and climb rocks, and drive through mud lakes and rivers.) Well, how much does it cost, like $1,000 for a sweater.

ME: "No, it's averages somewhere between $50 to $100 a sweater."

CUTE GUY: "Oh, that's not so bad."

ME: "Do you have a stash of any kind?"

CUTE GUY: "Of what?!!!"

ME: "Well, how about all of those dental school books and magazines, or all of your Sports Illustrated and National Geographic magazines."

CUTE GUY: "I've been wondering why you don't just throw them away."

ME: thinking "Woo Hoo! Finally, I have approval to ditch some of his junk, which means more room for yarn stash."

ME: "Have I ever embarrassed you, knitting in public?"

CUTE GUY: "No! What's embarrassing about knitting?"

ME: "What's the weirdest place I've knit?"

CUTE GUY: "3am in our closet."

ME: "Do you know what my favorite yarn to knit with is?"

CUTE GUY: "No, but I'm guessing it's the real expensive kind."

ME: "Can you name another blog?"

CUTE GUY: "No, I'm way to busy to mess around with blogs. By the way, what exactly is a blog?"

ME: "Argghh! You are sooooo computer challenged."

ME: "Do you read my blog?"

CUTE GUY: "No. Wait, is your blog that Ravelry thing you're always on?"

I then explain to Cute Guy the difference between my blog and Ravelry. He still looks confused, but quite frankly I can't be bothered to go into further detail. It would be like trying to explain to a three year old the Pythagorean Theorem.

ME: "Do you mind my wanting to stop at knit shops wherever we go?"

CUTE GUY: "No, I don't mind at all. Although, I do mind how long you spend in them."

ME: "Do you understand the importance of a swatch?"

CUTE GUY: "No... wait, I don't know what a swatch is. Oh yeah I do. Isn't it that a European watch? what does that have to do with knitting?"

ME: After laughing my arse off for a few minutes, explain to him what a swatch is. For his scientific mind, it not only immediately makes complete sense, but also surprises him that anyone would consider not doing accurate calculations and doing a gauge swatch. I stop laughing and look at him thinking, "you're not so cute, when you're being annoying and questioning why I wouldn't always knit a gauge swatch. I liked him more when he though I was talking about an 80's style plastic watch."

ME: "Have you ever left a comment on my blog?"

CUTE GUY: "No. What would I say?" After pausing a moment, he winks and says "Oh, I know, Go to bed. Turn off the light, stop knitting and go to bed."

ME: "Do you think the house would be cleaner if I didn't knit?"

CUTE GUY: "mmm, No. Isn't that why we hired a maid?"

FOR THE RECORD: I hired a maid after I had EB (child #4) and I was sick, and he was very ill for a few months and in and out of the hospital and I couldn't keep up with the house and kids. Then things got better and I became attached to our maid and EB loves her like a granny. Although, to be honest, I often do knit while she's here, because she entertains EB and let's him help her clean and I entertain myself and don't clean by knitting. Perfect arrangement. Every knitter should have one. Go on girls, add it to your Christmas list.

ME: "Anything you'd like to add?"

CUTE GUY: "You're gorgeous!"

ME: "No silly, something about knitting, but thank you and your bias."

FOR THE RECORD: I smiled at that, after almost 17 years together, he still thinks I'm cute. Score 1 for me.

CUTE GUY: "It's a good hobby for you. It makes you happy when you get to knit, and when you're happy, we're all happy."


We had such a fun time doing this. I think I'm going to interview the kids too this weekend, I find it quite enlightening to hear what they think about my obsession.

In conclusion: Besides feeling greatful for such a cute guy, I'm excited that he doesn't think I spend too much on my hobby and when he compared it to his, I feel that I have plenty of spending room still available to me, so I'm working on my next yarn purchases to balance the scales a little.

Boredom Buster

Yesterday the weather was rather crummy and the wee ones were moping around, so I suggested a project to entertain them that I was sure the oldest two would love. It involved equipment - the digital camera and my laptop. They eagerly hopped on board and started photographing and stashing on Ravelry my yarn. There is still plenty to do (okay, they got as far as the tip of the icebery), but it was a good start and they are hooked. They've already asked if they can finish up the rest.

We all know yarn stashes are a wonderful thing, but who'd of thought that they could save the lives of two of my kids, because I was getting close to using a circular needle on either them or me if they didn't find some way to entertain themself. Instead, they discovered how wonderful my yarn stash is.

Yarn, Knitting, Stash .... it's a wonderful thing.

The Race So Far

I haven't posted any pics until now of the progress on the New Zealand Pullover for my Ravelympics Event, seeing as well it was just the body in nothing but stocking stitch. It's not that exciting to photograph. Now, I've completed the gussets, completed the short rows for the angle on the yoke and started the garter stitch yoke.

I know I had my problems with the look of the stitches when swatching before. I'm thinking it was really needle size, I was getting the correct gauge with the bigger needles, but was forcing it, the smaller needles made all the difference.

Loving the yarn! The color is exactly what I'd hoped for and I'm really looking forward to wearing this sweater. Deep red with flecks.

I had a couple of knitting blibs last night and this morning. I was too into watching the olympics last night and screwed up my short rows, so I ripped them out and went to bed. This morning I reknit the short rows and then started the yoke, I was watching the end of the movie Tess of D'urbervilles and screwed up the row where you knit up the wraps, so had to rip that out and reknit it. Now, I'm back on track, hopefully.

Problem Photo Shoot

Thank you for those who have commented or emailed me regarding my poorly constructed question regarding stitch ?orientation ?spacing - oh well, whatever you wish to call it.

I attempted to take a couple of pics today of the minuscule swatches that still remain on the needles. They really don't show the problem very well.

This one really shows the v's upside down because of the gappy stitches.

Rosekimknits asked to see the back of the piece (the extra strings are because I'm knitting the swatch "cheating" in the round.)

I'm letting the pictures do the explaining because I was really in the back of the line when technical writing skills were handed out (pointless waffling - I obviously fought my way to the front of that line).

I'm sure I'm over thinking and over analyzing this, but still... it's bugging me.

I have a Question!

Quick Question:

When you look at a swatch of stockinette knitting and see that the V's, although looking very pretty and producing a nice fabric, look upside down (because the space between the "n" loops is bigger than usual) do you:

a) go up a needle size
b) go down a needle size
c) don't worry about it, it will block out
d) after numerous attempts to fix said stitch origin looking problem, use needles to stab yourself in the neck (like the girl does on The Happening with her hair stick)
e) although you don't drink at all, consider that this is as good a time as any to get drunk
f) whine to your husband about it and become so desperate you seek non-knitting husband's advice on what the problem is. Listening attentively as his scientific mind attempts to make a mathematical problem/equation of your dilemma.
g) seek kind sympathetic, yet experienced, advice from your favorite knitting blog readers.
h) wish that Meg Swansen would stop by unexpectedly for Teatime and to help you with any knitting problems.

Although I'd prefer h), I'm going with the much more realistic g).

Come on , knitters, shower me with your experience and advice.

A Knitters Souvenir

Some people buy postcards, t-shirts or bumper stickers as memento's of vacations past. I'm a knitter, so I always find a yarn store on our adventures and pick a yarn (usually a sock yarn) to remind me of our trip. I also always knit a sock while on vacation that reminds me of our trip.

When our family went earlier in July on vacation to Mackinac Island, I stopped at Mackinaw City and purchased some wonderful Casbah Hand Maiden sock yarn in beautiful blues and greens to knit a sock that reminded me of all the beautiful lakes, skies and trees that we admired on our trip. I'm running out of yarn so I'm trying to locate another ball though, so hopefully that will get finished just as soon as I locate another skein.

This time, when we went on a trip to Drummond Island (also located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan) for a Hummer Invasion weekend to Turtle Ridge Off-Road Park, I grabbed yarn, Araucania Ranco Multi from the stash to knit a Coriolis sock that would remind me of our trip. I stayed up until 3am on Sunday when we returned so that I could finish the sock. I like them, don't necessarily love them, but will definitely wear them.

It was a wonderful little get away and we enjoyed all our toy has to offer us. She's definitely not a "Pavement Princess", yet she was comfortable enough that I could quite happily knit away on the sock as we went along some of the less bouncy trails.