Oh, I'm all right, I'm all right I'm all right, I'm just weary to my bones

[darkemeralds]

Hello! Come in! Have some tea with me. I just made a pot.

God, I'm tired! You wouldn't think working an extra hour or two a day would make that much difference, would you? But it does. So I've been unwinding by knitting in front of the tube, half-watching episodes of Due South. Oh, look! We're up to "Some Like It Red"! Paul Gross in a drag is fun every time.

*sips tea* Oh, that's lovely. Milk? Sugar? Here you go.

I had the pleasure of reading and commenting on an older story of ravurian's last night, and though it has rocked my orbit a little and made me reconsider the word "writer" in relation to myself, I also feel challenged by his virtuosity to discover something more authentic in my own words.

We've agreed to write "single-breath" stories (one unbroken exhalation of words, without prior self-editing) to one another's prompts, and my problem at the moment (besides lacking the time to write) is simultaneously wanting and trying not to write to impress the prompter, which results in...self-editing! Before a word goes on the screen.

*waves at ravurian*

Work will slow down again in another few days and I might resume living in my right mind. Meanwhile, here, have another cup of tea while it's hot.


Yarn I'm knitting a skirt out of [/random]

Comments

[llaras]

Prettttttty. I love those colors. I'm hoping to find someone to show me how to do simple crocheted squares so I can make blankies.

[darkemeralds]

While there's nothing to beat the lovely experience of learning in the company of fellow fiber artists, there is a TON of brilliant instructional video on Youtube. If you're right handed, the craft world is your oyster.

[llaras]

That seems so crazy to me! Learning from a video! *peers at teh intertubes*

*grins*

[darkemeralds]

IKR?? Nuts. What will they think of next?

Heh. After writing that comment to you, I decided that I could hold a mirror up to the screen and see left-handed instructions just about as easily as right-handed ones. \o/

[llaras]

Rock onnnnnnn!

[branchandroot]

*curls up and sips* Hopefully the knitting will help calm your brain down enough to rest well.

[darkemeralds]

It's been wonderfully calming.

Not as calming as Benton Fraser, mind you, but nice.

[pinesandmaples]

Are you making that biased Noro skirt that sucked in the Knitty editorial team?

[darkemeralds]

The very same! I couldn't resist.

[rainkatt]

And now I want to click love (1)! I adore Noro, and I've not got the nerve to knit a skirt, but wow, that looks like fun.

[darkemeralds]

Oh, look at your lovely spinning icon! I've never tried spinning--is that something you know how to do?

The skirt is a cinch to make--no shaping or fancy stitches, just a big old rectangle. It'll be a miracle if I get it done in time to wear next fall, just because of the sheer size.

Then we'll see if I have the nerve to wear it.

[rainkatt]

That's my yarn, from a mystery fleece from a friend. I have a wheel and several spindles--not that I'm actually good at it yet, really, but I really love doing it. It's the most soothing thing ever, once you get past wanting to throw everything into the nearest river.

Are you going to Black Sheep, by any chance?

Also, wearing a knitted skirt would be... challenging... for me. Meep. But wow, so gorgeous!

[darkemeralds]

Awww, kitty and spindle!

What's Black Sheep? I googled, but didn't see anything obvious.

[rainkatt]

http://www.blacksheepgathering.org/

I usually dash in on the Saturday, eat some yummy food and get into trouble in the marketplace. And pet an alpaca, if possible.

[darkemeralds]

That sounds amazing! I bet there's some beautiful yarn to be seen there. Just what I need: more yarn.

I'm actually considering dipping my toe in (ha ha) at the World Sock Summit, which, being withing walking distance of my house, is a bit more accessible to me. I've never participated in any fiber arts events, but I was deeply involved with beadwork for several years, and I've got a bead stash worth OMG so much money still hidden in my house, so I'm alive to the dangers and very cautious.

[rainkatt]

I used to bead, as well; we will not speak of the stash that lives here still. I only went to a couple of events back then, but they were so much fun.

I'll be at Sock Summit, at least on the weekend. I saw it strictly from the Marketplace last time, and it was wonderful and exhausting and overwhelming and inspiring. I went in with a budget, and was good about sticking to it.

This time will be the same, probably with an even smaller budget. I really don't need more yarn or fiber. At all. But maybe a set of size 1 Signature dpns... mostly, though, I just want to be there. It's like soaking in a huge pool of inspiration.

[darkemeralds]

If you like, maybe we could meet for coffee or lunch near the Convention Center.

[rainkatt]

That would be lovely! I'll let you know closer to the time what my schedule looks like--I'm helping out at a booth at some point, but will be taking plenty of time to explore.

Are you planning to take any classes?

[darkemeralds]

Oh good! That'll be fun.

I'm certainly tempted by the class schedule, and I know I'll need to make a decision soon, since I'm sure they fill up.

[rainkatt]

Well, last time, they did fill within hours, but the server also crashed, and there were openings for most of them once everything calmed down. I'm pretty sure that the number of teachers and classes this year is a response to that, and I'm also pretty sure the server wouldn't DARE crash this year. :-) But yeah. Decide on what you want and a couple of alternates.

Since I'm still underemployed and can't predict my schedule very well at this point, AND I'm trying to buy a loom, I'm going to skip the whole class thing, unless there's a one-hour wonder that looks good and is still up for grabs on the weekend. Just being there will be enough.

[darkemeralds]

I've just added the Sock Summit to my Twitter feed so I can see when they open registration. I found a class that I think I might benefit from even though I don't knit socks now and have no plans to start. Socks embody much of what all knitting is about.

[rainkatt]

Socks embody much of what all knitting is about.

Exactly. I used to be afraid of knitting them--didn't think I could do it. (I've been the designated klutz since I was very young.)

Once I learned, so many things opened up for me. I actually love socks (though I'm slower than frozen molasses), because they are so very portable, but I don't for a moment think you need to be a sock knitter to love/enjoy/learn from Sock Summit. There's so much going on there, for any knitter, crocheter, and spinner. And probably the weavers, as well.

[darkemeralds]

Thanks for the confirmation. I really hope I can manage to fit a class into my schedule and my budget!

[(Anonymous)]

Ooooh, pretty yarn. Hope there will be pictorial evidence of the finished article.

I'd guess that doing anything (creative) without self-editing would be the hardest thing possible for me. Maybe impossible. It was one of the greatest challenges of therapy.

[lamentables]

It is I, lamentables!

[darkemeralds]

You know there will be pictures!

I've been thinking all morning about whether it's even possible for me to stop self-editing. It's been a challenging morning! It probably isn't possible to attain some complete change of personality, but you've got me thinking about techniques and tricks for at least diminishing the mass and density of the giant self-editing wall in my brain.

[executrix]

Icon love!

Although your yarn looks like it will knit up as a heather (and I wouldn't call the skirt biased, just opinionated...)I note that it is NOT GREY...

[darkemeralds]

Ha! It's definitely an opinionated skirt--it thinks it looks good on everyone, and it may be right.

The color changes are very long and gradual in this yarn, so the effect is subtle striping more than heather. And no, it will not be gray! Yay. But every other row IS black. I'll post pictures, undoubtedly, very soon.

Well, I've Got Knitting Needles

[executrix]

It's not within the same order of magnitude, but I'm knitting a sort-of-Chanel, sort-of-baguette shoulder bag with one strand of multi beige/maroon/tan yarn and one of leftover Jayne hat orange and rust yarn.

Re: Well, I've Got Knitting Needles

[darkemeralds]

That sounds promising! Strands knitted together? Or alternately in stripes or something?

Re: Well, I've Got Knitting Needles

[executrix]

Double strand and seed stitch, so it's tres tweedy.

Re: Well, I've Got Knitting Needles

[darkemeralds]

I love seed stitch. Wonderful texture and it makes such a nice stable fabric.

From LJ Happytune

[(Anonymous)]

Oo - is that Noro? Very nice.

Re: From LJ Happytune

[darkemeralds]

That is Noro. Noro Kureyon, to be exact. What a fabulous yarn.

[runningwater]

"single-breath" stories...I love that!

I keep staring at the skein of green yarn I have, and wondering just what I could attempt to crochet with it...

[darkemeralds]

Hat?

[runningwater]

No, I am the hat-hair Queen. *L*

[executrix]

String shopping bag that fits in your purse and saves millions of paper and plastic bags?

[runningwater]

Oooh, I like that! Thanks for the idea!

[darkemeralds]

Oh, and the concept of exhaling a story in a single breath belongs to the inimitable ravurian. It's a lovely way of thinking about writing without undue self-editing, isn't it?

[ravurian]

Oh, you wally. I'm already consistently impressed with and by you. I'm possessed by a similar sense of anxiety, particularly since I've not written anything in six years, LOL. And I have to write from the point of view of my phone...

[darkemeralds]

Wally, huh?.

You write every day! Fiction is a special case, but wordcraft is wordcraft.

I have every confidence in your ability to write a mind-altering and chilling tale (that, or porn) from the point of view of your phone, though I wouldn't blame you if disinterest made it difficult.

I'll take a shaggy dog story. A joke. A children's tale. A bit of doggerel (Latin, English, French, surprise me), a limerick, a riddle, a sci-fi time-travel cliché from the 60s, something handwritten in a spiral...

And it can be someone else's phone, if that helps. Or someone else's android.

[ravurian]

Gosh, what a hideous dress! And the wailing ovary: yikes. Yes, not quite the wally I had in mind. (Wally, by the way, is also East End slang for gherkin. No, I've no idea why).

[darkemeralds]

:P

Wailing ovary??? Take it back. She has a lovely voice.

[donutsweeper]

that yarn is GORGEOUS

[darkemeralds]

Isn't it pretty? I've been out of the knitting world for several years, and am astonished at the explosion of innovation in materials, colorways and techniques.