Monday, January 31, 2011

Semi-Famous

A couple of weeks ago, a TV crew from our local ABC affiliate came to Loop to interview Craig and do a piece on making your own stylish, chunky knits.

Kathy and I continued on in the background, helping customers, winding yarn, etc., while the crew did their thing, including close-ups of us knitting (yes, Mr. deMille, we were ready).

It aired on January 22, and here I am!

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Communication

...with myself and with others.

I spent yesterday morning working on the lace edging of a shawl for Susie. I spent yesterday afternoon ripping out the lace edging of a shawl for Susie. And then putting stitch markers at each of the 19 repeats and starting over. You'd think I'd know by now that I really, truly need to use stitch markers when working many repeats of a lace pattern.

You'd also think I'd know by now that clear communication is very important when talking with the person who's about to cut your hair. Assuming that she understood what you want without repeating yourself and clarifying leads to (drum roll) a bad haircut.

I can fix the lace much quicker than my hair will grow.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Processing.....



I got word last week that Pisgah Yarn & Dyeing Company has been bought by Spinrite who is moving the whole production to Canada. This is upsetting to me on many levels: a family-owned, American business will no longer exist; 80 people are losing their jobs, among them my friend Flo Carlisle who has supported me so greatly and graciously as a designer; and on a personal level (petty when compared to losing a job), what will I do for my cotton yarn now?

I've been using their Peaches & Cream for years: when I was doing production work for my craft shows, then in my kits on my website, and also for a pretty good run of designing, including building all the designs in my book around it. It's a great product, great colors, soft, knits well, holds up well----what else can I say? Last night, I put in a pretty big order so that I'll be able to keep on offering my kits. When the yarn runs out, who knows what I'll do then.

But meanwhile, I'm saddened by this turn of economic events. And I'm also sad that Allie and I didn't get to do our road trip last summer to visit Old Fort and meet Flo in person and visit their famous outlet store. My loss, truly.