Brooklyn Yarn and Fiber Guild

I should be doing some homework/cleaning/showering right now but I can't focus on anything until I write this up...

Today was the second meeting of the Brooklyn Yarn and Fiber Guild.  Not too many people showed up, most likely due to the crazy weather we've been having, but I think that was a good thing because it enabled us to get a lot done without a lot of distractions.  We were supposed to elect officers, but we got an email on Friday that for most of the available positions, only one person volunteered to run.  So basically they automatically got the job haha.  There were, however, two positions that no one nominated themselves for:  Technology and Secretary.  I had thought about nominating myself but figured I don't have enough experience or knowledge about technology in general to run so I held back.  If there was someone more qualified for the position then it would be more appropriate for them to take it.  But since no one nominated themselves, I emailed back volunteering myself.  A couple emails back and forth later, it was set- I am now the Technology Chair/Officer (not sure how it's going to be worded) for the Guild!  Yay!!  As if I needed to add more to my plate but being jobless, hey why not right?  Plus, a great thing to put on my resume, and great experience.

I'm not really sure what exactly I will be responsible for yet.  Definitely designing the website (so psyched for this portion) and maybe being a resource for those who don't have much computer experience.  I'd really like to do some like mini lessons or group sessions to teach the members about Ravelry, blogging, finding resources, ordering products online, setting up a Paypal account, and just other general resources.  One thing that's listed in the group's By-Laws is setting up a secure area for members only- and I have no frickin clue how to do that haha.  Also they were thinking of setting up a forum area (again, no clue) but I don't know how much it would be utilized compared to Ravelry.  It's something I guess we'll just have to test out and see how it goes or what most of the members would like.  I already told the group to think of things they want to see on the website and I've already started some sketches and lists of what should be there.  I'm such a dork haha!

As for the meeting, of course I was knitting.  I started the Land of Oz Shawl with my Magic Yarn Ball Swap yarn from Fearless Fibers.  You would think that this is the easiest shawl ever- mostly stockinette with a couple of yarn overs- but of course I managed to mess it up.  It's not that big of a deal and probably not even noticeable to a non-knitter, but I seemed to screw up a couple of the yarn overs.  I might drop stitches down to the problem areas and fix.  Even though this is simple stockinette, I might have to start throwing in some lifelines.

While we were at the meeting, one of the members (I so haven't been able to keep track of everyone's names yet) brought up a buuuuunch of knitting/crochet/fiber books.  She works at the library we hold the meetings at currently and told us that the more we take out the knitting etc. books, the more the library invests in more.  So I took out Knitting Lingerie Style by Joan McGowan-Michael.

I've glanced through this book before and though I don't have intentions of knitting anything from it right now, I'm glad I get to peruse it a little more in depth now.  Being busty, undergarments are a very important part of my wardrobe and I spare no expense on them.  I need the most support I can get so I'm particular about this stuff.  Also, I was working on knitting myself a bikini once upon a time and had to rework the flat-knit pattern so that it would fit my larger size.  I'm sorry but you can't just add stitches to the size small and expect it to actually hold larger ta-tas up.  I re-wrote the pattern with some short rows but never had the time to knit it up.  (A year earlier I had knit the entire sized small bikini for my assistant at the daycare so I'd already made it once and understood the pattern.)  Anyway, I digress.  But one of the first patterns in the book looked to be a bra so I wanted to take some time to look through the pattern and see if Joan was able to come up with anything feasible for the larger sizes.  I'll give my opinion as soon as I get a chance to really peruse it.

PS:  Check back tomorrow for a big announcement :o)

I Smell Coffee!!

On my way out the door the other day there was a box for me down in the vestibule.  I opened it up to find:

A beautiful ball of yarn from my Magic Yarn Ball Swap

The group has be planning and hiding and wrapping for about 2 months.  The gist:  you hand wrap the skein into a ball, all the while hiding little (or not) treats inside.  Depending on the price of the yarn and goodies, some people got tons of little things, or just a few big things.

Here's what I sent out to dovely:

Lots of little goodies

Wrapping it up

I of course didn't think of taking pictures of things before or during wrapping up.  But here's what I sent:  a group of stitch markers from my soon to be shop (each wrapped individually for more things to open), a Bridgewater candle, a Soap Rocks soap, a mini Camille Beckman lotion, needle connectors/tip protectors, row counter, jeweled notebook.  I think that was everything.  I was able to put extras in because I got a couple things at the card store (yay employee discount!).  

Back to my package.  Here's what BlueLatitude sent me:  

The yarn is from Fearless Fibers in the colorway Feel the Love.  It's 80% superwash merino, 10% cashmere, and 10% nylon.

As soon as I opened the box I smelled it:  yummy coffee aroma wafted up at me.  Unfortunately, I had to wait until the next evening to unwrap the ball and find it.

There's someone hiding in my yarn!

As you can see, I started getting bored unwrapping the yarn so I had a little photoshoot with my sheep.

Finally got it all unwrapped and balled up (more on that in a bit).  The coffee (smells delish) is Outpost Rost Coffee Organic Bay View Brew.

Yay for coffee and yay yay for it being organic!  Sweet :o).  My swapee is from Wisconsin and I guess cheese wasn't going to ship well in the yarn.  I like coffee more than I like cheese so it's all good with me.  The yarn is so so amazing feeling and the most perfect blend of reds.  I think Gillian (BlueLatitude) was hoping I'd knit some socks (and I did queue some from Ravelry) but I think this ball of stubborn wonderfulness wants to be the Land of Oz Shawl.  I had been so excited about making a purchase from Flocks of Yarn that I didn't take the time the check gauges and totally intended my Malabrigo Lace for that.  I'm not a shawl or lace knitter so I can't even explain what I was thinking for that.  I do have a project for the Malabrigo but my Oz Shawl has been waiting to be made.  I haven't decided yet though.  Any thoughts?

Back to the Fearless Fibers yarn...  What a bitch!  I officially don't like sock yarn.  Between this skein and the Knit One Crochet Too I used for Tijah's argyle hat I'm a little put off.  Maybe it's me.  Maybe it's the ball winder.  But I just could not get this stuff to stay on the damn winder!  It took me forever to get it wound and it's still not wound in as tight of a ball as I would like.  

There's my little sheep friend snuggling up in the loosely wound ball.

I actually think it's the ball winder.  I feel like the piece the yarn winds around is so thick that there's always such a big hole in the middle of my balls.  Guess ya just gotta make do with what ya got right?

Before today, I was going to use naming the little sheep as part of my birthday giveaway (hint hint- coming up so keep an eye out).  But I decided to name my little sheep friend Rebekkah.  I was listening to some Stitch It Podcast episodes (I've been listening from old to new marathon style) and Meghan kept saying the name Rebecca and it just stuck.  I like my spelling because it's traditional but with a kick (the extra "k").  I love this name.  So now I have a little sheep named Rebekkah.  Funny though, when I was trying to figure out if this was actually a spelling of the name I googled it and was sent here.  The name means "to bind."  Ha.