My Fantasies

I found out today that local yarn store Lint is for sale.

I'm now having Owning-A-Yarn-Store fantasies.

I'm really much too matronly for Lint, though. Too Eddie Bauer and L L Bean, not nearly hip enough. Too fat, not nearly thin enough for Lint. Also, I despise their little knitted toys and the knitted food items. I'm sure I wouldn't be a great match for much of Lint's existing clientele.

I'd also work really hard on the customer service skills of their existing employees. Or just fire them. Too much chatting behind the desk, and often with a negative or gossipy tone. Not always a pleasant store to visit.

But they have great yarn, which I have enjoyed a lot, and I can visit them on my lunch hour, and there is SO MUCH new home & condo construction being nearby, I can see some great potential there. I like their emphasis on natural fibers and organic yarns. And I've had the best class experiences there of any local yarn store that I've ever been to. Their website is excellent, and their on-line class listing is perfection. I LOVE that I can quickly tell which classes are full or over (done), and focus on the ones that are in the future or still have available seats.

I wish Melissa the best of luck with her sale, and in her future life.

Powells wtih the Yarn Harlot

Will they never learn?

Too many knitters wanted to see Stephanie Pearl-McPhee. She was funny and worth the wait. Other bloggers have reviewed the evening in greater detail than I will attempt. Here is Kathy's entry, and Judy's, and I'm sure I could find others, except my internet connection is being spotty tonight.

(Oh, here's Stephanie's account. I was standing in line behind Jody, who was there on her birthday. She had driven up from Florence and seemed truly horrified when I suggested that we could sing Happy Birthday to her. Horrified. And I could have made it happen. But I refrained.)

I sat near Amanda and got to see her not-enough-superlatives-beautiful three and a half week old son. I find myself little-boy crazy these days.

I sat next to the delightful Christina (whose name I may well have misspelled, please forgive me). She introduced herself as a new knitter. "I only know how to knit and to purl," she says, embarrassed. And she didn't bring any knitting projects.

By this time, I was a little manic, so I was chatting to everyone, and poor Christina just had to withstand it. She was trapped between me and the wall. Christina is a flautist and has recently moved to my beautiful city. She lives with her husband and a black lab, a recent rescue who has devoured at least one set of knitting needles. Dear Christina, she does not know how much she is already one of us. I hope she went home and picked up that blanket project and made knit stitches and purl stitches like mad! I hope I see her around at some of the knit night events. I hope I haven't scared her off forever.

(I do think she was a little impressed by the fact that I can discuss orchestral/classical music, which not everyone can do anymore. I had been thinking about the tonal quality of the flute and whether it was primarily masculine or feminine in nature. When I said that out loud, I think I shocked her. She was also impressed by the fact that we seemed to share a high level of enthusiasm for the upcoming Harry Potter book. And that we're probably both going to read a copy owned by the Multnomah County Library. I must find Christina. We must do lunch.)

After September 2006's event at Powell's Books for Cooks, I thought the Powell's planners would have done better. Well, I suppose they did. They planned for 300 attendees. Well, the room filled up by 6:00 pm for a 7:30 event. So, we all sat there and sweated. Good thing wool is absorbent.

Next time we're going to have to have an auditorium at a local church, university or other meeting venue. Either that, or get a permit for a block party.

....HEY, that might work! Especially if there's beer involved!

YarnHarlot Worship

I've been reminded that our beloved Stephanie Pearl-McPhee is scheduled to do a book signing in Portland at our beloved Powell's books on Friday, June 8. Am I going? several knitting friends have asked. (I don't know how to punctuate that last sentence correctly, except with quotations, and even that seems wrong.)

I don't know.

I have knit. I have finished the pink socks, except for weaving in the ends, and what fun is that. I have started a new project, leg warmers for the eldest of the World's Cutest Nieces. Photos soon.

As soon as my blasted computer & modem problems are solved.

I think I will plan on attending the Powell's event on Friday. You know how much we adore Stephanie. And I can see some of you that way.

Cool.

I won't however be able to go to the beerfest and knit in public this weekend. Blech. Family obligations. I hope they'll let me knit in public at the family event.

Dave's socks proceed, but sloooowly. I'm trying to decide between trying my first afterthought heel, or doing a standard heel flap, as instructed.

I will blog more in the future. I promise. But it's just too much this week.