One skein down

I bought two skeins (446 yards a piece) of the Snuggly Wuggly for Yosemite, knowing that I always have a tendency of finishing pieces with significantly less yardage than listed.

Still, I felt that 70 yards short of the minimum required plus the fact that I was considering 3/4 sleeves might require a third skein.

I was prepared to return to Michael's to buy the third. I even held onto my 50% of coupon and planned to go back before it expires this Saturday.

But I did not know that I would make it this far with only one skein:



Note that there is even a small mess of yarn left from that one skein after working the entire body and the left front. It may, in fact, be enough to knit the right front.

Which I guess means with the second skein, even after I finish I can make some sort of hat. And save $2 and gas money.

Back on track

Last night I decided I was going to finish the projects I had on the needles. Finished the neckline edging of Talia, going to block in a bit. Not really sure how to block acrylic, but I suppose I'll give it a google.

Went to Michael's with my mother today and glanced down the yarn aisle. Found exactly what I wanted for Yosemite. After searching several LYS and online, I found it in Michael's.

Loops & Threads Snuggly Wuggly is only $3.99 for a skein of 446 yards. And because it's a baby sport yarn, it's soft and manages to almost perfectly catch the extremely complicated gauge of Yosemite. You have no idea how many yarns I've pulled out of the stash to try to gauge this thing.

I got this pretty green, kind of an understated version of the color as the pattern is more of a everyday type feel to it rather than HEY LOOK I'M KNITTED AND BRIGHT.



I like the stitch definition this yarn gives. It's halfway between subtle and firm.



For those of you keeping track of my life on the financial front, thanks for commenting and showing that you care. It means the world to me. Alex and I will be fine, we're both out scrounging for jobs and he's filing for financial aid and looking around for scholarships and grants and loans to go back to school for nursing.

Hope all you guys are doing okay on the financial front. This whole ordeal has definitely made me look at the broader picture of just how many people are unemployed and in trouble at any given point.

Right back down the drain

Alex's job told him they don't actually need him until next month. So he is, essentially, screwed.

My job decided to cut back my hours. I'll be lucky now if I get 16 hours a week. And no one wants to hire me because I'll be starting up school again at the end of August, so I won't be around long enough to make hiring me worthwhile.

Out of desperation, I just applied to be an ice cream truck driver. No lie.




If desperation wasn't so hard, it'd almost be funny.

Lack of yarn inspiration

I've got no new knitting. I keep making an effort to find yarn for Yosemite, but I fall short every time. I've ventured into two different LYS in the Orlando area while visiting this weekend -- even dragging along Alex and a friend V, both of whom I have discovered are not a very good yarn shoppers -- I've perused online selections.

I think my major thing going right now is that I utterly refuse to spend a lot of money on yarn. After surviving a year on scholarship money and seeing how desperate things can get, I am disgusted by project after project on Ravelry that requires ridiculous yardage of fine yarns.

I suppose I understand treating one's self every once in awhile. And I admit that when I went to the LYS to buy for my first real sweater, I bought over $100 of yarn for just that one sweater. And that sweater ended up a mess, mind you.


My Talia Vest (which, yes, still needs a neckline edging and buttons and blocking) used one full skein and MAYBE 1/6 of a second skein of Hobby Lobby's I Love This Yarn. That's $2.79 for 355 yards.

My Cherie Amour used 1 1/2 skeins of Lion Brand's Homespun, and I felt like I splurged laying down $5.49 per skein there.

But no matter what discount bin I look in, I still feel like it's the biggest rip off in the world to pay $7 for a skein "on sale" that only has 70 yards. I mean, really? Do you realize you're paying 10 cents a yard?

I guess I'm just disappointed that a craft that was supposed to be so economical and handy "back in the day" has become a rich hobby.


So if any of you have any suggestions for:

a) a place online (or in the Orlando/Jacksonville areas) that is genuinely cheap on yarn that isn't Red Heart -- no offense Red Heart, you just aren't meant for wearing near my skin.

b) a "cheap" yarn you've used that you really like that is sold in chain stores or

c) where I can find designers and free designs that utilize economical yarn options


please let me know...

Almost there

Alex got a job. Hurrah. Financial analysis assistant or something along those lines, starts Monday.

Still have to somehow come up with crazy sums of money for rent and car insurance, but at least there's promise that next month he won't be in the panic he's in right now.

Sorry, no knitting for you today. Just relief.

Need a vote

Finished the body work of Cherie Amour...



It's not the most flattering fit, but I've found that my body size rarely works with any pattern regardless of exact gauge and claimed finished sizes. Oh well. It'll do. More for something to spend my time making than something to wear constantly.

I'm debating whether to leave it like a tank, or to make short cap sleeves on it. My mother votes cap sleeves.

What do you think?