Knitting Makes Everything Better

Eheheheheh, yeah. We can all see how well I'm doing at the posting-with-regularity thing.

Anyway. Today got off to a bad start (I was awake when my alarm went off, I swear! Why my body decided to go back to sleep until one hour after I was supposed to be at work, I don't know) so I decided I needed yarn therapy so I should head to the yarn store after work and hey, when was the last time I updated that knitting blog of mine?

So yes, here I am, and I bring pictures of a current project. ...Er, sort of.

Behold, yon Jaywalker socks in Regia Canadian Colours, colourway #...oh hell, I forget:



Or at least, yon Jaywalkers before I got as far as you see in the picture before I decided they were too tight and I'd never be able to get them on if I kept going, so both socks (I have 2 sets of DPNs in my sock-knitting sizes so I can do both socks at the same time) had to get frogged. The good news is that after starting over using the number of stitches for the larger size Jaywalkers, I've already got one sock about that length again, and the other... Well, okay, I'm about half done the ribbing, but the pattern section goes so quickly that it'll be that length again in no time. Particularly as that one is my carry-along sock: the one that gets stuck in my purse and tote bag and travels all over the city with me.

I am a shameless knitter-in-public. I take public transit everywhere, which, particularly in this town (where routes run every 30 minutes), means I spend quite a bit of time waiting at bus stops. Personally, I value not being bored more than I do not looking weird, so knitting at the bus stop it is then. Unfortunately I don't get to do it as much as I'd like around this time of year, as if I did, I wouldn't have fingers left to knit with thanks to frostbite. I also knit while on the bus (pointy sticks and a bigass tote bag are, of course, the best way to keep the weirdos from taking the seat next to you), sitting and waiting for movies to start...basically anything where you need to fill up a small amount of time.

I've pretty much been doing this since I started knitting, back in university (which is a story for another day), as I quickly learned it was a great way to have some quiet time to relax before lectures started, or during the 10-minute break most profs let us have during 2- or 3-hour lectures. As going to and from my residence in downtown Peterborough to the Trent University main campus meant at least a 15-minute bus ride, it was also a nice way to spend time on the Trent Express (provided I actually managed to get a seat).

I know some knitters have said that when they KIP they get weird looks, odd comments, that kind of thing. I have to wonder where these people live, as when I do it, if anyone's staring they usually look fascinated--or at least interested--and any comments I get are the usual, friendly, "oh, what are you making?" type. 99% of the time, as far as I know, no one really gives me a second glance.

I fail to see why knitting in public would be seen as weird, though. People read on the bus, listen to their iPods on the bus, stare out the windows and daydream... Knitting, really, it's just something to take up time in public, like anything else. Maybe it's because the people who make odd comments about it have some mental block about knitting being something you do at home, sitting in a rocking chair in front of a fireplace. Not something you do while sipping a peppermint hot chocolate in one of the comfy chairs at Starbucks, which is of course, one of my favourite ways to spend an hour on my day off.

And now that I'm finished ranting, it's off to medicate myself with some Irish Breakfast tea, cashmere/merino/microfibre yarn and Kiefer Sutherland kicking ass on DVDs of 24.

The Debriefing

Am slowly recovering from post-Closing Ceremonies fatigue.

A recap of my weekend:

Sat. 8:00pm - Check Greyhound schedule. Decide to take 10:40am bus so that I have some time before the 2pm official gathering time to eat/take TTC there.

9:00pm - Realize Mom and Dad are going to church and won't be able to drive me to bus terminal. Also, city buses don't start running until 10:45 am on Sundays. Resolve to take a cab.

9:05pm - Realize that I have no money on me.

Shit.

Come up with complicated plan to go to convenience store the next morning and pray they're open and the ATM is still there and working.

Sun. 8:30am - wake up, get up, check email, have shower.

9:15am - Sset out for convenience store. ATM is there and working. Success!

9:25am - Return home, do laps around house checking and rechecking that I have everything I want to bring with me.

10:00am - Call cab company #1. No answer. Swear. Call cab company #2, hold breath as phone continues ringig. Someone picks up on the 4th ring.

10:20 - Arrive at bus terminal. Buy ticket. Twiddle thumbs.

10:40am - Get on bus, luckily not crowded so I can listen to podcasts and knit with Very Tiny Pointy Needles without worrying about people hearing me giggle/poking people with needles.

12:00pm - Arrive in T.O. with Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" on iPod. Eat. Head to subway with "The Drop" from the Bourne Supremacy soundtrack playing because it is cool and purposeful sounding and good for running around using public transit.

1:00pm - Arrive at corner of King St. W. and Niagara St. Decide to walk up to Queen and see where the hell I am (please God, close to Romni Wools).

1:10pm - Queen & Niagara and--hey, Romni is just over there! W00T! Browse books, but still do not find copy of "Knitting Vintage Socks" aka That Book I'll Have To Kill Someone To Get.

1:40 - Arrive at Old York, still rather early.

1:45-5:45pm - Meet people, coo over projects, joke around and talk knitting.

This? Is brilliant. Loved meeting so many people and being able to talk about a passion of mine with many like-minded individuals, as well as enjoy the general camraderie. I definitely have to approach the LYS owner here about starting a knitting group, because I really enjoyed the experience yesterday and am envious of all those people who have their weekly S'n'Bs.

6:15 - Arrive at Dundas station, buy ticket home, call parents. Run over to World's Biggest Bookstore. Again not find "Knitting Vintage Socks". Swear.

6:50 - Head over to HMV. Notice sign on door saying they're closing at 7:00. Craaaaap. Hurry over to appropriate bin and grab the second Vienna Teng CD which for some reason store in St. C. never has in stock.

7:00 - Grab munchies for bus, then wait. And wait. And wait. wonder why my arms are cold under my jacket but my bare hands are perfectly toasty.

7:30 - Board bus, start heading home. Have seatmate this time so no pointy sticks.

8:55 - Arrive home in middle of pretty snow squall.

After that it was vegetate in front of TV, then attempt to be coherent on the internet, though the people I was talking with will attest that I was very much not so.

In all, v. busy, but v.v.v. fun day. How long is it until 2008 again?