Why do corporate craft stores insist upon SUCKING?

I'm just wondering. I walk into Micheal's or Joann's looking for needles when I can't get to my LYS (because they close at 4, which is ridiculous in my opinion), but I don't know why I do it. They never have what I need even if what I need seems to be a common need held by most knitters. A few months or so ago, I needed DPNs in smaller sizes for socks. They only had enormous ones. I shook my head and said, "Yes, people like to make bulky hats and such." I understood. However, last night, I was looking for DPN's in larger sizes (9, to be exact) and I was very disappointed to find that they only had two sizes: 8 and 10 1/2!

OK, first of all, WTF? I can't imagine that the client base would want a size 8 and size 10 1/2, and not want a size 9 (or just a regular old 10) to go along with it. It wasn't that they had run out of the size I needed. That wall was packed to capacity, with nothing I would ever buy. I keep telling myself that I will never go back there again for my knitting purposes, but I always do. I always do because with a new project comes a glimmer of hope for that project. "Maybe they'll have it and I can cast on for it tomorrow instead of waiting until Saturday for a chance to go to my LYS when they're actually open at a time most people are able to come." That excitement of starting something new is what keeps bringing me back, but I'm going to say it again. I'm not getting my hopes up again! Those huge, corporate craft stores can kiss my needy little butt! And that's all I have to say about that.

Phew, that felt good! Now for socks:


Max's sock is well on the way to socky nirvana (which really only means Max's feet). I'm ready for it, let me tell you. I want so badly to finish these monsters. MONSTERS!


My socks are sitting still, as they should be. They aren't really important to me...I'm only making them to make them and I have two pairs for myself already. So, I'm not feeling the desperate need to knit them like I felt with Breeze and Child's First Sock in Shell Pattern. Still, these will be obnoxious socks, to say the least. They are the Yarrow Ribbed Sock from Knitting Vintage Socks, knit in Socks That Rock Medium-weight Farmhouse colorway.

Remember the movie Rockadoodle? I sure do.


I'm almost half-way done with my Estonian Garden Stole. I've gotten 26 repeats of the center lace pattern completed. The pattern says to do 42, but I'm shortening that to 30. I'm petite and, by looking at it, it will be plenty long after 30 repeats. We'll see how I feel once I actually reach 30. I may decide to keep going after that, but I doubt it. I know that this stole will be beautiful when it's done, but I have to say, It's sort of a boring knit now. 42 repeats is just too much for me, I guess.


My Lace Blouse is coming along. I have finished the arm increases for both fronts and have started decreasing for the neckline. I do have one worry here. It seems like the number of rows it will take me to finish the neckline is going to be more than the number of rows I had knit on the back before I started the shoulder shaping. This is really irritating me because there would be no problem if I had knit the fronts first. It might still be ok, but I'll not be a happy camper if I have to rip out the back of the blouse because of something so stupid. It's not even a real mistake, you know?? It's all because of the order of the pattern. Note to self: When you start designing cardigans with a similar sleeve construction, write it such that the fronts are knit before the back. Really now, come on...I'm getting sick of learning lessons here, :)

Now that you've gotten the run down on my WIPs, I'm going to tell you about how and why I'm not going to be working on any of them for a while. Once I get my hands on the needles (which will probably be Thursday) I am casting on for this. I'm hoping to finish Max's sock on Thursday (probably won't happen, but I'm hoping) so I can start this new project completely guilt free! I got some cheapo, Vanna's Choice from-a corporate craft store-and really need to get going on it if it's going to be done in time for Helloween. Actually, I need to get my costume together (as well as the rest of this one) too. Oh yeah, this is for Max, not me. I think mine will require sewing up a dress and doing something else which will be completely out of character for me...

On a completely unrelated note, I think I have decided to sign up for National Novel Writing Month. It seems like it might be a lot of wack-ass crazy fun!

How was that for a proper post? I know that I've not really been good about giving "proper posts" lately. I'm not sure why.