The Ever-Shrinking Safety Net

One of the things that I have vowed over the past few years is that Piccolo will never know that the economy sucks.  My own personal safety net is shrinking.  I've been hanging on to my old professional credentials for the last few years thinking it was my net.  Considering that after 2.5 years out of the profession, it's unlikely that I will work in it again.  It's likely that I will not renew once my continuing education credits are due.  I am now a starving artist.  This was not the best week for the art part.  I made an exclusive custom order for wholesale last year, which included a special order yarn.  I was hoping that this would be the beginning of a relationship, and that I would create some sweaters every season.  Not so much, it turns out.  I was asked to purchase back the unsold sweaters that the company received nine months ago.  It really took some balls to ask me to do that, I think.  It never occurred to me to set the money I made aside for this situation.  As knitting is what I do to live now, guess what?  I spent it, probably on rent or food or something frivolous like that.  I thought about it for a while, and really got down about it.  A few nights ago I was in bed early, curled in a fetal position, with the covers over my head.  With the help of some friends who were more objective about the situation, I composed a reply email that I'm certain burned a bridge.  Given the "buy back" business plan this outfit has, I don't want to continue a relationship any way.

Work continues at the studio.  Writing some new patterns, finally.  Quilting, and building my skills in crochet.  Including my first crocheted garment, which is going to end up being a fantastic mini dress that I'll wear with leggings.  I plan on having it ready to wear to TNNA when I attend next month.

Mastering Technology

I'm slowly working my way towards being a Modern Girl.  I'm trying to get my PC and iPhone apps to interface.  This is a photo that I adjusted using Instagram, and uploaded to my PC, as Blogger is only allowing a few photos to be uploaded directly from my phone.  It's frustrating.  This was a day of frustration, as I spent the better part of it (and yesterday) trying to interpret a crochet pattern.  Now that I'm a professional, I need development in these skills.  It tickles me that in my previous profession, I had to keep up with continuing education hours to maintain my credentials.  In my new career, it still applies, although the subject matter is a lot more enjoyable.  Crochet and Fair Isle classes coming up next month at TNNA, and the photography class that I'm taking on Saturday mornings this month.
The Piccolo is still my favorite subject for photography.  She's my little muse.

A Hat in a Bowl

I have a hat wardrobe appropriate for a professional knitter.  Meaning, I have a lot of hats.  I might not look good  in all of them, but I do enjoy knitting them.  My most recent is the Slouchy Eyelet Hat, from Breean Elyse Miller's City Cables Collection.  Bree did a trunk show a few weeks ago at the shop, and I just loved everything in the ebook.   I have a French Braid Cowl on the needles as well.  The hat is knit with a strand of worsted, and a strand of a mohair/silk blend.  In this case, Malabrigo Worsted, color Polvoriento, and Alchemy Haiku, color possibly Sweet Berry Pie.  The Haiku gives the stitches some dimention, and adds a lovely halo.  This hat is going to match the French Braid Cowl, which is in another color of the Malabrigo Worsted.  Isn't that a great yarn bowl?  I ran into an old photostyling friend of mine, who's establishing her career as an art potter, in the Trader Joe's parking lot near the shop.  She told me she was making one of a kind yarn bowls.  Barbara brought them into the shop, and we went a little nuts for them.  Each one is unique!  I wanted a few, but stopped at two. 

Home Sweet Home

Learning curve here.  This photo was uploaded from my phone, but I can't figure out how to get others to upload.  The goal here is to do some mobile blogging.  This home is a work in progress.  The view being from the dining room into the living room.  Currently I'm thinking hard about some drapes to add to the window in the dining room.  Sort of like colorful scarves on either side of the windows.  The apartment stays kind of dark most of the day, so the side drapes would be just for adding color.  There's still some bulletin boards that need to be hung in the studio, and the carriage seat in the foreground is a catch all for jackets, sweaters, and scarves.  I would like to set up my knitting machine in the dining room, very soon.  I unpacked two boxes today, and found more things that could be offered for sale at the next Stash Bash, because in all likelihood, there will be another.

Stash Bash, April 28!

You may have missed this event in January, when we had a heavy snow, but Saturday, we're doing it again.  Stash Bash, at Sara's Shoes, 4723 N. Winchester, G, in Chicago.  Hours are 10 am- 6pm.  Lucky Penny Hand Made and some yarn loving friends selling designer, high quality yarns, at deep discounts.  Some human garment amounts, some for accessories, or dog sweaters, of course.  If you attended in January, more yarn is being added to the sale, so it's worth another look! 

White Lawn

At my last visit to Costco, I purchased a white rug for the bathroom.  I had crocheted a rug that had been intended for that place, but thought better of it when the bathroom was flooding every time I took a shower.  The rug also seemed better suited for the kitchen, where it is now.  For some crazy reason, my iPhone photos rotate when I upload them to this blog, even when it's from a normal posistion, so photos of the rug in action are pending. 
Back to the bathroom.   I should have purchased a taupe rug, which I probably will next time I go.  Piccolo has peed on the new bathroom rug a few times.  While I think it's funny that she knows what happens in a bathroom, I can't get the stain out of the nylon rug.  We've been having some issues with pee for a while.  She was checked out for a bladder infection, then I attempted an over the counter herbal medication called Leaks No More.  She needed fifteen drops over three times daily, and hated the taste, so I gave up.  I have been using a diaper on her when I go to bed, and she gets lots of praise for having a dry diaper when I wake up.  The last few nights she had fought being diapered a little, so I let it go.  It seemed that she wasn't as likely to wet her bedding in her sleep like she had been doing.  But now, she has the White Grass in the bathroom.  Just the length of a freshly mowed lawn. 
In the absence of a good shot of my new kitchen rug, here's another look at the State Street cowl.  Photographed at Knit 1, knit in Brown Sheep Burly Spun.

For A Baby

A sweater for a baby.  Not a baby sweater.  This is for an international baby, who will join my family this month.  The sweater is a 6-12 month size, but looks a little oversized to me.  I hope that it will still fit when he gets to the US.  This sweater is from the book 60 Quick Baby Knits, which, to me, is like a Joy of Cooking for baby stuff.   One of those books that has every type of baby thing, and most of the designs are really cute.  I was itching to knit this one.  It's in Cascade 220 Superwash, in a color that the Cascade rep describes as "hipster Gold."  Apparently all the cool kids like this color.  The only modification I made was in the center cable on the sleeves, I made one that would more closely match the one on the center body.
Spent the day running errands, and doing things in the apartment.  As always, I did not accomplish everything I wanted to.  That's the story these days.