Hm. One of the (many, many) perks of working at a yarn shop is that sometimes, they pay you in yarn!! I'm so excited, but mostly overwhelmed, by all my new yarn. I'm no where near finishing all of the projects that I had in mind for this fall/winter and now I have two more in my queue.

My worry is that I may lose interest before I have time to knit everything! Does any one else waking up, in a cold sweat, in the middle of the night, gripped by this fear? Am I the only one?

This is some Araucania's Nature Wool. It's definitely woolly, but I love it. My very first major knitted project was a massive cabled poncho out of the chunky version of Nature Wool. It's super warm and I just fell in love with the hand-dyed subtle coloring. This is equally lovely and is destined to become a stockinette, deep, deep v-neck sweater. Something to show off the coloring of the yarn.

And, well, Big Wool from Rowan. Does it get any more fun? This is going to be a J.Crew-inspired jacket. This might be the first thing that I cast on for after I clear up some stuff that's already on my To Do List. Ya gotta love that chunky knit instant gratification!

Thank you so much for all of your kind words regarding the Urban Naturalist's Ladies' Jacket! But there is knitting news on the horizon. Oh dear, that's right. There's been another update to my To Do List. Alas, (that's right, Ms. Blue Garter) the Owl Cardi is top on the list, but not the latest project to be completed.

Recently, Master P's cousin became a Proud Papa. What was the first thing I did? Cast on for a little cardigan, inspired by these awesome robot buttons.

I cast on during our vacation in Miami and finished the next week. I used the Barbara Walker Top-Down Method and 3 skeins of Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Baby. I simply adored knitting with this yarn. I will use it for all baby projects in the future. Seriously. It's the perfect gauge for little garments and it has the perfect combination of softness and stitch definition. And I, The World's Wonkiest Knitter, was able to get the correct gauge with the recommended needle. I am in love!

Soon this sweater will be off to little Harry and I will tackle the Owl Cardi, which involves intarsia, which you may recall I do not enjoy. But I know I will enjoy wearing the Owl Cardi once it's complete. Wish me luck!

What I'm loving right now.
Getting on the L train at 6th Avenue as Haitian Fight Song is starting on my iPod, and listening to it all the way home.

Good Night.

Interview outfit
(a little blurry)

Do you think I'll get the job based purely on my cute red shoes?

The Urban Naturalist's Ladies' Jacket.

This was made from leftovers from the Urban Naturalist's Ivory Buffalo sweater. Believe it or not, one bag of yarn (10 skeins) made two adult sized sweaters! I am in love!

Made from: 5 skeins of Steadfast Fibers' Wonderful Wool, colorway Sahara

Time to knit: I honestly don't remember. Not very long - less than a month.

My favorite part of the sweater is the shawl collar. It was taken from Nicky Epstein's Knitting Beyond the Edge. The collar and button band is knit in one piece with the collar being shaped by short rows. I did it in a 1 x 1 rib to match the cuffs. I am so please! It is definitely a technique that I would use again. Maybe a bigger collar next time.

I am so ready for fall!

Boy, I am one lucky girl! Look at the beautiful gifts I was given in my last week at The Point! The stitch markers are from the amazing (but blogless) Peggy and the cute, little pouch from the multi-talented (but blogless) Carol. Thanks guys!

I am constantly struck by how generous knitters (and most all crafters) are of themselves and their knowledge and, well, everything!

The few friends I've made in NYC have been through The Point. I knew 3 gals from college when I moved here, but found it impossible to meet new people. I was freelancing and not staying in one place for very long - it's hard to form friendships that way. Then I started working at The Point and I met the most dazzling array of wonderful people. Some who will be life-long friends.

I'm telling you, if you're a new knitter in NYC and you don't know anyone, just hop on down to The Point and park yourself there for a couple of days. You will meet amazing people. I promise.

What is it about knitting and crocheting and general craftiness that inspires this kind of sharing and giving community? I wish I knew the secret so I could spread it around a little in other parts of my life. Speaking of community, I received my Ravelry invite! I'm so psyched! I was supposed to be revising my resume this morning and instead I poked around on Ravelry looking for peeps I know. If you on there, come find me!

Yet another way to make friends through knitting!

Photographic proof that knitters are nutty people. This picture taken of Cityminx on Saturday (Saturday!) night at, oh, around midnight at The Room.

Also, submitted for evidence, this post from Molly Chicken in which her only worry, in a dream where she is abducted by aliens, is that she hasn't got any knitting with her.

I rest my case.

Where to start? I have a lot to discuss.

There area the projects that I've finished, or nearly finished, before and during my little vacation. I've been hoarding pictures to dole out one by one over the next few weeks.

There is this little pattern, which I wrote for The Point. I have been, on and off for the last 6 months or so, trying to start a Pattern/Yarn of the Month program for the store. Look for more in the future.

As of this past Saturday, I am no longer the manager of The Point, but I'm still involved and around and part of the general community there. If you would like more information on this pattern and the yarn used, you can head over to ViewPoint and check out my post there.

I guess that's really all I have to discuss. Not that much, really, but it seems like a lot in my head. I'm now training my 3rd replacement at The Point. All that starting and stopping is really rough on a girl's brain. Just when I started to get my freelancing life underway, I had to switch gears and take, in my opinion, a huge step backwards.

For all of you faithful freinds of The Point, I think Patty (the new manager) is going to be a perfect match. Much more so than myself. In the mean time, I'm going to enjoy playing a smaller role and being more of a customer! I look forward to seeing you one Saturday or Tuesday and actually sitting and knitting with you! Won't that be nice?