Favorite Things Monday - the Catch All Episode

June 19, 2006

I’m on an MIT-vacation this week, and I’m feeling super happy. Perhaps this is why:

Because I’m cool and happy, it’s hard to pick just one Favorite Thing today. Let’s start with yarn, since presumably that’s why you’re here.

NYC indulgence, part 2:

That’s yarn from School Products, the oldest yarn store in Manhattan and former employer of my favorite local teacher/designer/commuter/pal Alison Green Will. Alison — the older (Russian?) guy who owns the place sends his love. What you see here is:

1) two 1lb cones of some mystery 50% wool, 50% acrylic (read: washable) yarn in precisely the same cornflower blue that I wanted for a sweater for Little Man, but which became a knitting bag. And … it was $12 per lb./cone. Score!
2. one cone of a mystery white laceweight merino blend that I have no idea what to do with, but it was in the $5/cone bin, so I brought it home. Any ideas?
3. Two skeins of Koigu in a slightly variegated black. I know … I know … it’s boring. But I wear black socks to work nearly every day in the winter, so these will get a LOT of use. And, if I choose a lacy pattern, I might get something closer to knee-highs.

When I write about shopping excursions like this, I start to feel guilty and … even a bit … hypocritical (she says sheepishly). After all, in my early blogging days, I wrote a scathing critique of this practice. Since then, I’ve learned a bit about quality materials, am less black-white about the topic, and I’m slightly more financially solvent (not much, mind you … but a little). However, I still prefer bargains, and recycle materials whenever possible. Perhaps I’ve found a middle ground?

The New Craft Room:
One night, while dragging my PumaQuilt supplies from one room to the next, in a futile effort to avoid Wifey and the Kitties, I decided I needed ~~“somewhere I can get the hell away from you creatures”~~ my own craft room. A few days later, it dawned on me that our landlord keeps a small room in the back of the house for his storage. Landlord – can I pay you a little more money each month so I can ~~get the hell away from those creatures~~ have a home for my supplies? Sure. (????!!!!!) After a couple weeks of finding all my hiding places, dragging piles into the new room, and creating some semblance of order, I present to you … a room of my own!

The Whole Thing (yes, it’s really small)

If you want details, the “Craft Room” set on Flickr will show you where everything is located.

The Left (her better side, I must say)

The Right

The Yarn Stash (you know you want to see it)

Random Stuff:
-Tooth hurts. Vicodin rocks! Root canal tomorrow morning. Wee!
-Lots of teaching prep and consulting work to do this week - the main reason I’m taking these “vacation” days. I hope to squeeze in some serious crafting time though, so there might be exciting FO pix.

Whoah .. I’ve been on the computer for a long time. I need a smack-down.
Mafia … let’s review your priorities for this week:

1. Consulting Job
2. Wrangling Family Finances
3. Teaching Job
4. Showering
5. Crafting

Do you see “dick around on the computer” on that list? Yeah … I didn’t think so. Go call your client.

OK. Gotta go. Ciao.

Entry Filed under: Favorite Things Monday. .

10 Comments Add your own

1. The Purloined Letter | June 19, 2006 at 6:52 pm

Congrats to you on such a terrific craft room. That is all I want: a small little private space and enough room to hold me, some yarn and fiber, and some needles and the wheel. (Please please don’t make me want to start quilting!)

And hope all goes well with Wifey and pregnancy. (While I loved giving birth so much that I’ve thought about being a surrogate, I bailed when I realized I would have to be pregnant again.) Good for her for being such a terrific friend.
2. Danielle | June 19, 2006 at 7:02 pm

If you look hard, I think “dick around on the computer” appears as item 3b. It appears to be item #1 on my “return to the office after a week away” to-do list.
3. Ashley | June 19, 2006 at 7:58 pm

Do you see “dick around on the computer” on that list?

Hee! I am actually going to start writing that on my list–it will make me feel accomplished.
4. maryse | June 20, 2006 at 12:51 am

wow. good luck with the surrogacy. wifey and you are wonderfully generous friends.

and the craft room rocks. everyone needs a room of their own.
5. roro | June 20, 2006 at 12:04 pm

Your news of Wifey’s surrogacy brought a tear to my eye - I think that’s a pretty wonderful thing to do. Hope all goes well and that you manage to duck any frying pans she throws your way.

Maybe you missed “dick around on the computer” in your Vicodin haze. Good luck with the root canal!
6. CarryFairie | June 20, 2006 at 5:58 pm

Great craft room! I’ve been reduced to a craft closet, but then I do have my own room, so I still have that “get away” space.

That is so cool about the surrogacy! I almost did that myself a few years ago. The couple ended up breaking up before anything happened though. I actually envy your wifey, just the tiniest bit
7. Suzanne | June 21, 2006 at 2:51 am

Love the room of your own. I am squatting in the study here in Brighton. Someday Mike may want a piece of this back. Or PeachPit may want to move her bedroom down here, in which case I will claim her room and line the walls with rubber. (Partially kidding on that last bit.) I read your old post on the Ehrenreich book. Nice! You might also enjoy The Overspent American (Julie Schorr?) and Class (Paul Fussell). In fact, I think it’s time to find my copy and read it again.
8. msfortuknit | June 21, 2006 at 9:35 pm

very lovely koigu!
9. Rhonda | June 23, 2006 at 2:16 pm

First of all, good luck with the surrogacy. Wifey is both generous and brave to commit herself to something so involved & emotional on all levels.

Second, what a terrific get-away craft room!! No matter what the size, a room of your own is the BEST space to have.

Enjoy!
10. Emily | June 27, 2006 at 2:29 am

Good grief I’m behind on my reading. Sorry. That room is AWE-SOME. I have black Koigu socks too (ok, one sock) Love it. Very slimming.

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