Kiss My Knits!

By the way, we still do have some Girl Scout cookies available. Get ’em while you can!

Last night’s spinning program was a big hit, both with Brownies and moms. I had an old bag of roving from an eBay seller back when I thought I’d be doing more felted soap, so I had lots of bright colors for the girls. It was fairly compacted, so we had to flap it around some (more fun) and I also showed them how to split it down the middle. It still wasn’t perfect, but it was good enough for us.

We started with thigh-rolling, then hooked sticks (I made eight out of a couple of coat hangers, filed down the ends, and let them girls keep them and some wool), then drop spindles, and finally the wheel.

I passed around different kinds of fiber, and showed them a silk hanky which I stretched to unbelievable thinness to show how strong it was. I explained that they used to make parachutes from it because it was so light and strong, and told them it was came from bug spit which got a big EWWWWWW!

On the spinning wheel, they asked where the spindle was that Sleeping Beauty had pricked her finger on, and I explained about how the wheels have changed and there wasn’t a big pointy part anymore. Which was good, because if any of them did prick their finger and fall asleep for a hundred years, I was going to have to bring in the Boy Scouts to kiss them. That got an even bigger EWWWWWWWW!

They had trouble with most of the stuff, but for the most part stayed in good spirits. They really enjoyed the wheel, and each made about a half a yard of yarn, which I doubled back on itself to ply and tied off into little bracelets for them. The program actually ran long, which is a first. Everyone was very polite and grateful that I had done this program. One of the moms was quite astonished – she had thought I was just going to bring an antique wheel to show. She had no idea that anyone actually made their own yarn. I take my right shoe off when I spin, and many people asked if I’d made my own socks, and were suitably impressed when I said yes. Thank you, Koigu!

As you might expect, it was very chaotic, with lots of kids clamoring for attention. A couple of the other moms were helpful in trying to get the kids going with the drop spindles, but it really wasn’t their area of expertise. They did give it a shot. Partway through the drop spindles, I looked over and saw Emily over at the table, playing with the chairs. I was too overwhelmed with the other girls to get to her and bring her back in. Counting the sidewalk chalk, this makes the second time we’ve done a program where I had the idea and took the lead, where it was so intensive that I had to give my own daughter short shrift.

If I were just a parent and not the leader, I would have been complaining about that and working to bring my daughter more into the program. As it was, I couldn’t do anything about it. The only reason I’m leader of this troop is so that my daughter can get some much-needed socialization practice. If that’s not going to happen, there’s not really any point, no offense to the other Brownies. The two chaotic programs have been very popular and fun, but I won’t be doing another program like this solo.

I appreciate the other moms helping with the activity. They weren’t just helping their own kids. It would have been nice if someone had also guided my daughter back into the fray, or at least given her the opportunity. At the stitch meeting last night, it was suggested that maybe they’re nervous because she’s different and they’re uncertain what to do, or maybe they didn’t want to interfere because she’s the leader’s daughter. Either of those could be true. I don’t know what it is, but I don’t need to lead a group where my daughter’s not involved. It defeats the purpose.

However, she does like Brownies. She talks about the other girls when we get back in the car. One in particular, whom I want to set something up with. We’ve been over to her house once, we need to get that going again.

So after all this, I was feeling very down. I didn’t know about going out to the weekly stitch meeting because it was almost eight when I got home, but Steve encouraged me to go. I’m glad I did. I was still down about the meeting, but attempting to set up Turtlegirl with the cute barista helped cheer me up.

Pros: Nerdy. Cute. Funny.
Cons: Nerdy. Doesn’t take a hint. Draws fan art of Superman vs. Darth Vader.

As you can see, it’s kind of a mixed bag. Well, he was definitely interested, so we’ll see if he works up his nerve to actually talk to the hot knitter in his store next time. Carpe diem, barista, carpe diem!

In Jayne news, orders are running ahead of estimates, meaning people are getting hats ahead of the time that I estimated, which is good. I always try to run long on my estimates, just to give me some wiggle room in case I go crazy or get hit by a bus or something.

It almost never happens that I run completely out of yarn, but I ran completely out of yellow yarn earlier this week – the same day that my new yarn arrived. I had had to order from a different merchant than usual, because the mill isn’t spinning my yellow again for another couple of months, so you take it where you can get it. Problem? IT SMELLS LIKE GASOLINE. The hell? I’ve bought from this seller before with no problems, so I don’t know what the deal is. I know thatin the past, she has stored yarn in her garage – did someone leave the car running?

With no options – I needed me some yellow yarn – I wound some off onto hanks and hung it outside to air out. Thankfully, the smell was completely gone within 5-10 minutes. I wrote to alert her to this problem, but I’m not sending it back (I need it!). So for the moment, there is another time-consuming step to the process, at least until my next order of yarn arrives or I can find a new source.

I’m considering raising the price of a Jayne hat soon. The cost for my yarn has gone up (the increase comes from the mill, not my vendor) and U.S. postal rates are going up next week. If it’s too substantial an increase, I’ll have to raise rates a little. We’ll see how it goes.

That’s it for now. It’s a cloudy, gray day and I’m making Blue Sun stickers and packaging stuff up for the post office while watching Arrested Development DVDs. Y’all have a good one!