OMG Change!

Not always so.
~ Suzuki Roshi's "two word" summary of Buddhism

I was shocked--shocked, I tell you--when my beloved Bloglines announced last week that it was going out of the blog aggregating business. I had it set up so well! I didn't want to change anything! I didn't want to have to learn HOW to change and HOW to set up another aggregator!!!

[shift camera to author throwing tantrum]

But you know, the move to GoogleReader has actually been great. I've spent the time to organize my blogs by categories, to purge my list mercilessly of blogs that haven't been updated in the last 6 months, to update subscriptions to blogs that had moved. I'm amazed at how many non-knitting blogs I read regularly--here are a few of my favorites that might be new to you:

• Existential Neighborhood
• Walking Nature Home
• Lisa Sonora Beam
• Giovanna's Trifles 

Emboldened by this small success, I have changed my purse. You heard me! I'm not one of those gals who has a closet full of purses--I find the right one, preferably black, and I use it for about 5 years until even I cannot deny the signs of wear. My current purse was well past retirement age, but I balked at the effort [focus on author with shoulders sagging] of getting used to a new purse routine. Come on, no scoffing--it's disorienting! At the Solano Stroll street fair, I found a locally made purse that seemed like it would be perfect: my criteria are simple--small, black, light. I let it age for two weeks before moving my belongings:

We'll see how quickly I get used to it....

Funny thing about change--just about every good thing in my life has come about because I was dragged (or shoved) kicking and screaming like a 2-year-old child.

Extreme Surgery Update

 
The Sea and Sand sweater has been cut open, inches added, and stitched back together. It was harrowing! I honestly don't know whether it would have been faster to re-knit the yoke than to add length at the hem as I did. If I hadn't cut the steeks, it would definitely have been faster to re-knit the yoke. However, pursuant to our discussion of change, I prefer the new color that meets the hem to the old one, so that's a plus! The photo above shows the tools you need for this type of job: knitting, chart (with the grafting row highlighted), two darning needles (one for each color), and a big bottle of aspirin.

Here's a close up photo of the kitchener line before it has been neatened up. I learned from Meg Swansen that it is best to approach the weaving in two parts: first, the weaving itself; second, fixing the tension so that the grafted stitches look just like their neighbors.

 

I'm working on the sleeves now. Getting close to the finish!

Contest Winner!

I loved all the comments about workshops that you left! Thank you so much. Twenty-six people participated--I typed out each name, put the paper strips in a basket, and Gingko drew the winner of a Feral Knitter gift certificate for $20: StephCat!

Comments

[Janet B]

I'm not afraid to cut a steek, but your extreme surgery makes me long for some smelling salts! Please bring this sweater to the STT retreat for us to see. It is lovely.

[Rebekkah]

Thank you for the list of blogs to check out!

I, too, have spent the past week migrating my subscriptions over to Google Reader. Like you, I am actually enjoying the change. And I also found a huge number of blogs in my Bloglines list that are long dead. It's really sad. I was pretty amazed at how many were dormant or just completely gone. I'd say almost half. It's definitely time for me to add new blood (wool?) to my blog reading routine.

[erika]

one for you, if you haven't already found it: ito de / by thread:

itode.wordpress.com

[StephCat]

thank you!

and glad to see you got the store link working!

[Karen Frisa]

I am so proud of you for all the work you put into your sweater!!! And congratulations on making it through!!

Very cool that you read Walking Nature Home. Susan is an amazing woman.

Sorry I didn't see you at the Stroll! I think my purchases were all jewelry.

[pj]

It's BACK! (bloglines)

[Janine Bajus]