It's been so long

And I don't know where my pics are.

So I've made two practice socks on needles: cuff down and toe up. I understand how toe up is great when you have a limited amount of yearn. So I'll never run short.

I made a pair of slippers on needles. The yarn was wool-ease. It was too big for the proper size needles, so I knitted them up on 6s and called them slippers. I am waiting on the Knit Picks order with Knitting Kathy to get my 2s. I have some burgundy alpaca that will become socks for me and my husband.

I am working on a poncho for my 7yo on the blue long loom. He wants royal blue, forest green, bright yellow and christmas red. I'll sew the short side of the blue to the long side of the yellow for the back and the short side of the red to the long side of green for the front. Using the long loom in stickingette is producing a thick double knit.

I am using the Orphans for Orphans sweater pattern in Knitting for Peace to make a sweater for my 5yo. Purple Patons Merino wool as a double strand to make guage. (I actually cared about gauge!) I have the front and back panels done. I'll wait until Monday maybe to get with Knitting Kathy about the next step. Or maybe I'll just read the book!

Last Wednesday Library Kim, Knitting Kathy and I met at the library's espresso cafe (LEC) for knitting. Seems the local knitting store (LKS) is casting a snobby eye upon us. When KK asked me if I had perceived some lack of courtesy from them, I told her I have been on the fringe for so long, like all my life, that rudeness from folks in the mainstream is de rigeur. I usually return to such situations to let the snobs know they have no power over me and I'll show up just to piss them off.

When one of the LKS employees leaned on the flimsy card table, her hip/butt stuck way out and fist resting on it and asked, "Is that REAL knitting?" I turned my best "let me teach you some tolerance, bitch" smile and said, "Why, yes. And this is a knit stitch."

I have usually been at the table that laughed louder than the others, startling the mundane zombies into consciousness. There was the time at a high school retreat when we spent a dinner session hanging spoons from our noses and having a royally fun time. Delia later berated me and broke my heart when she said how appalled and embarrassed she was when we went on like we did.

I wish I knew then what I know now. I would not have grieved that friendship so. I would have thanked her for her input and offered the suggestion that she step out and find other, calmer friends. But no, I cried for what we had.

So, now, I say screw 'em if that can't take a joke. (I really don't feel like dropping the f-bomb right now, so you'll hvae to insert your own. My LiveJournal entry will include it, however.) If these people think they are better than us, and just look at knitted thong hanging outta her pants and the one who admits to her OCD and the one who declares "you need a man" numerous times during the evening.

They believe their fun requires a bottle of Yellow Tastes Like Tail wine. We are content to sit, chat, ok made snide whispered remarks about thongs, catboxes, etc., knit and then put our own chairs away. No, we don't buy every time. Frankly, I have yet to purchase anything from them because they are so bloody expensive.

The Library Espresso Cafe was great! More comfortable chairs, great coffee, decaf, too. And other knitters. There were even some LARP'ers there, we think. Or maybe they were working on homework. I dunno. Then I went through the library, found some withdrawn books for sale and the dvds we have on hold. The decaf latte was free because I can fill up a frequent buzz card with my kids in less than three visits and the books are 50 cents (the cent sign is no longer on the keyboard, have you noticed that?) a piece.

A two dollar evening and I figured out what I did wrong on my slipper.

Fuck em.