Destined for… not for greatness, for the other thing. What’s that called?

Here is one of many partial knits that I’ll probably never finish:

Just a heel. I just needed to make sure everything was right in my pattern (the pattern isn’t for booties, but I wanted to get right to the business at hand). But look how cute it is. And how sturdy and no-nonsense and cozy. It sure would be nice if it one day became a real sock–or better yet, half a real pair of socks!

Look what that little bitch Tinkerbell did to my hand! Up until a few weeks ago, I really loved that watch. It used to have this dangly rhinestone that took a whole year to fall off. But about a month ago, the stainless mesh of the band started kind of going crazy. First it warped to such a degree that it would no longer unbuckle, which wasn’t too bad, because I keep my watch loose. Then it actually started to fray, with little angry sprigs of wire poking out and scratching me and catching on any fabric I brushed. Then it started to fray a lot more, and I kind of succumbed to the claustrophobia of knowing it wouldn’t come off, like it was some evil thing that would tighten uncontrollably and tourniquet my hand off. And I need that hand! I tried bending down the frayed metal with pliers, but it just got worse, so I tried to cut it off, but it wouldn’t budge (if you’ve ever cut cabled wire, you know how much harder plied wire is to cut than solid wire—this is the same, multiplied into cloth), it just got all warpy and jagged and scary looking. I panicked and just tried to slide it off, which of course didn’t work, and it got all jammed around my hand at the thumb, so I had to run and slather my hand with lotion and suck it up and pull it off and try not to run over to the Anschutz’ screaming Get it off me! Get it off me!

Anyway, it came off and all’s well

Oh, and look at this fantastic book! I got it last week with my store credit from the Yarn Barn. It was expensive ($30), but I think it will be very worthwhile. It’s in Japanese, but it’s well photographed (and Kelly Sue is taking Japanese! How handy!)

I also got a lovely bone crochet hook (I wanted abalone, but they didn’t have the size I needed) that I’ll have to show later. And stork embroidery scissors, that I’m sure to lose in the next week. But not yarn, even though I didn’t officially join the stashalong until that night! Which is actually really nice, because normally I would never have treated myself to expensive books and tools, hoarding the balance for yarn. I’m proud to say I bought no yarn for personal use, even though I had an extra $20-something remaining. Only something to swatch for a replacement for a yarn that’s discontinued for my book. Work yarn that isn’t even fun is spirtually not yarn, it’s a pain in my asshole. And, as it turns out, it’s not that great of a substitute, either (it’s pretty & works for the letter of the pattern, but not quite the spirit of it). Oh! The yarn’s Katrina–does anyone know a good Katrina substitute? Not Fixation or Candy; ideally something shiny. I’m thinking of trying the Oze Breeze, but because I’m a cheapskate, I’m balking at paying shipping on just one ball (and I can’t buy myself any to make it worth my while); besides, I think it would take too long to get here.