Minding one's knitting manners

What might Miss Manners say about knitting in public at events, whether in church or at recitals? Now you can find out.

Commitment to the cause

So it's no secret that I haven't had much time for knitting in recent months...or haven't made much time for it. Today I did something about it.

For whatever reason the current WIP, a hat pattern I've knit plenty of times, has me jazzed about working on it. I knew I was going to be out and about for most of the day but would have a decent amount of time in between a couple things.

First off was seat selection for the Blue Jackets. I arrived early so I could promptly check in and improve the odds of securing an aisle seat for my ten-game plan. Earliness was a virtue as I didn't have to wait until my appointed time. With my seat chosen and registered before the time I was scheduled to look for it, I had about an hour and a half to burn before my next destination. So to the coffee shop for breakfast and knitting it would be.

Perhaps the reason why I've responded so well to knitting this hat is because I made no mistakes casting on, joining in the round, or knitting the early rows. In other words, there was no miscounting of cast on stitches or twisting of them. Progress equals enthusiasm.

This was the first occasion in some time that I've knit in public on my own, and it was nice to slip back into the bubble. With the iPod earbuds in, I honestly couldn't tell you if I was drawing stares or comments. I worked on the project at hand and let the rest around me fade. This was a four movie day for me, so I also had time between two of them to wile away. Having utilized all this spare time for knitting, I'm already a good way through the slower part of the hat.

For what it's worth, knitting and crocheting made cameo appearances in two of the films I saw. A tiresome grandmother is glimpsed knitting in Grown Ups. (Typically I'm not fond of Adam Sandler films, and this one was certainly no exception to the rule.) In the 1948 classic The Red Shoes, a woman is crocheting in an early scene on the stage. Perhaps she's making a piece of a costume for a ballerina.

I feel bad for writing only about an inconsequential moment for what is truly one of the great films, so let me mention that the lengthy ballet sequence in the middle of The Red Shoes is one of the most beautiful and astounding parts of any movie I've seen. Check it out in two parts. (Watching it on a computer doesn't do justice to it like the gorgeous 35mm print I saw does, but it should still play.)

Wrong place, wrong time

You know, maybe knitting in the front row at a stand-up comedy show isn't the best idea.



(Note: the video has some not safe for work language.)

Can't say that I found the improv all that funny, although that has nothing to do with being a knitter. It just didn't make me laugh.

Knitting while a comedian does a routine is practically begging to get called out, though. If it draws looks in coffee shops and restaurants, I'm inclined to believe it might draw a little attention from a stand-up comic performing in front of you.

Also, the non-knitters don't understand.

Intent

It was without a second thought that I sat down at last evening's knit night and began working on a project in pink. There I was, knitting in public, and of all the colors I could be using, it has to be that one. Whatever will the other patrons of this establishment think?

You know what? I couldn't have cared less. OK, so I tend to keep my head down and don't know what's going on around me--and last night I was locked in on the task at hand to an exceptional degree--but if people were thinking how stupid I looked, that's their problem. I have been (and can be) self conscious about knitting in public, but last night I wasn't concerned if I was drawing weird glances.

Wednesday's determined knitting carried over to today. Awhile back I was designing a pattern but got stuck. I knew it was the next thing on my list of projects in urgent need of completion, so this morning I turned my attention to it. I had already plotted out most of the design on graph paper but had stopped a month or two ago when I wasn't sure how to create part of it in knits and purls. The break, plus the past couple days of translating someone else's charts, helped me see the solution.

Suddenly I was writing and knitting the pattern a line at a time, and voila, it was done. I actually think it turned out pretty well, although it could probably stand to be blocked. There's no time for that, and I wouldn't truly know what to do. Miraculously, my goals for a week of intensive knitting in the margins of the day are being realized. I'm not done, but the lion's share is finished.

Not much

The long weekend began with a slow day that saw some public knitting in a coffee shop, which may have elicited a half-heard derogatory comment, and in my car while waiting for a movie's start time to roll around. The scarf is progressing quite nicely, if I do say so myself.

Not really much else to say today, so how about a couple photos to tag as part of my infrequent hometown tourist postings?

This is the Union Station arch. It's across the street from Nationwide Arena. And, umm, I was pleased to find a parking meter near it with 38 minutes remaining.

And here's a closer look at the arch.

Oh, while I didn't take any pictures of it--better to avoid getting hit crossing Neil Avenue--I got a glimpse of the ballpark where the Clippers are relocating next season. It's been awhile since I've been in this part of downtown, so it was surprising to see how much is up.

In the round

Between my second and third films of the day I found time to knit in The Oval at Ohio State. There was bench in a nice, cool spot under a tree, so I set up shop for awhile and continued on the market bag. Can't say that I got a lot done--less than I expected to do this afternoon, actually--but it was a welcome pause in the day nonetheless.

I'm not sure what I think of the variegated yarn's look now that I've knitted one ball of it. There's more white in it than I would prefer. I don't know what I expected, except that it isn't exactly what I'm making. I'm not dissatisfied with what I've done, just uncertain if I like it or not. I can be weird this way, but I'll probably come around.

Well, if I'm to get this finished by the time the closing ceremony at the Beijing Olympics ends, I better stop blogging and start knitting.

Design experiment #1

Cincinnati Reds Logo Design Experiment #1

Yarn: Lion Cotton (100% cotton; worsted weight)
Color: Natural
Needles: US 7s
Stitches: 63
Size: 6" x 13.5"

I came pretty close to replicating the wishbone C, if I do say so myself. I knitted this to see how my chart translated into stitches. The C may be narrower in my knitted item, but it certainly captures the essence of the logo...or is close enough for my exacting standards. Frankly, I'm amazed that it turned out this well.

I wasn't intending to "make" anything, but it would appear that I've cranked out a miniature hand towel. I used yarn from my stash. I didn't knit the few extra rows on the top and bottom that would have given a uniform border. I just wanted to make this as quickly as possible and examine the result. That I've produced something of undetermined use is a bonus.

I ended up plowing through most of this experiment during knit night in the café. Although I initially thought I'd missed everyone at the Thursday gathering, I spotted two other knitters who are part of the group but weren't present last week. It was nice to meet some new people and see a couple familiar faces. For that matter, it was nice to know that the trip had been worth making. (I didn't see anyone I recognized when I arrived a little late, ate supper, and was on the way out the door until I saw KIPing.)

This experiment is on the large size, especially in dishcloth terms, but it might work as a dish or hand towel if I knitted more stockinette around the wishbone C. The major question now is how do I knit the background in red and the C in white. Intarsia is one option. Someone tonight suggested double knitting, which might be interesting if it produces a reversible FO with red on white for one side and white on red for the other. How would switching needle size affect the pattern? It's all a mystery to me at this point, but I'm proud that my design worked on this level. I imagine I'll figure it out eventually.

Anyway, here's the pattern for the rare person who wants to replicate it. I used US 7s and worsted weight cotton.

-CO 63 stitches
-Knit two rows in k1, p1 moss stitch
-[k1, p1] twice, k to the last 4 stitches, [p1, k1] twice
-[k1, p1] twice, p to the last 5 stitches, [k1, p1] twice, k1

For the wishbone C, I used the five-stitch border of moss stitch followed by four stitches in stockinette. Odd-numbered rows begin with [k1, p1] twice, k5 and end with k5, [p1, k1] twice. Even-numbered rows begin with [k1, p1] twice, k1, p4 and end with p4, k1, [p1, k1] twice.

Row 1: k12, p15, k18
Row 2: p16, k19, p10
Row 3: k8, p23, k14
Row 4: p13, k25, p7
Row 5: k6, p27, k12
Row 6: p11, k29, p5
Row 7: k4, p11, k9, p11, k10
Row 8: p9, k10, p13, k10, p3
Row 9: k2, p9, k17, p9, k8
Row 10: p7, k9, p19, k9, p1
Row 11: p9, k21, p9, k6
Row 12: p5, k9, p31
Row 13: k32, p9, k4
Row 14: p3, k9, p33
Row 15: k33, p10, k2
Row 16: p1, k11, p33
Row 17: k33, p12
Row 18: p1, k11, p33
Row 19: k33, p10, k2
Row 20: p3, k9, p33
Row 21: k32, p9, k4
Row 22: p5, k9, p31
Row 23: p9, k21, p9, k6
Row 24: p7, k9, p19, k9, p1
Row 25: k2, p9, k17, p9, k8
Row 26: p9, k10, p13, k10, p3
Row 27: k4, p11, k9, p11, k10
Row 28: p11, k29, p5
Row 29: k6, p27, k12
Row 30: p13, k25, p7
Row 31: k8, p23, k14
Row 32: p16, k19, p10
Row 33: k12, p15, k18

-[k1, p1] twice, p to the last 5 stitches, [k1, p1] twice, k1
-[k1, p1] twice, k to the last 4 stitches, [p1, k1] twice
-Knit two rows in k1, p1 moss stitch
-Bind off

Too smart by half

Fridays have always been weighted in favor of being movie day but especially now that I'm bypassing the scattered weekday press and promo screenings. I had two films to catch up with near Ohio State and a third and potentially fourth on campus that I'd be taking in "for fun". There was going to be plenty of free time, so I made sure to have the WIP hand towel for some knitting in public between films.

Between the first two I found a corner in the theater's café where I could see some sunlight and be undisturbed. I spent almost an hour knitting away with the only distraction being the TVs displaying cable news reports that couldn't be more vapid or repetitive. After the second film I had almost two hours before the old yakuza flicks started at OSU, so I set out for Starbucks for what turned out to be some really enjoyable knitting time.

A band was playing on the coffee shop's patio, providing a pleasant knitting background and food for thought. Their covers setlist was heavy on familiar songs from the 70s. When they began playing comparatively more recent stuff, it was interesting to hear what tunes from the last fifteen years have earned "classic" status. "Mary Jane's Last Dance" featured a bad approximation of a Tom Petty/Bob Dylan vocal. The inclusion of "Wonderwall" reveals Oasis' lasting contribution to American pop culture. A Coldplay song making the cut wasn't surprising, but that the trio opted for an album cut was.

The cover of Sublime's "What I Got" adhered to the radio edit down to the way he sang "motherf-----". Maybe he was too young to know that there was enough controversy at the time over Dire Straits' "Money for Nothing"--the second verse on the album version was altered or deleted entirely for airplay--because he sang the slur, which was kind of shocking to hear.

After 6 p.m. I decided that it was time to move my car from the side street to a prime vacated spot near where I'd be watching the next film or films. That's when I saw a parking ticket tucked under my windshield wiper.

It took me by total surprise. I'd parked on this street in an effort to avoid parking in the theater's garage and having to pay five bucks. It was a nice enough day and not that far of a walk. More importantly, I was pretty certain that I was in the clear leaving my car where I did. The ticket stated that I was parked along the street in a residential permit area. None of the signs nearby made mention of this, so I was not pleased about this. I drove around the block to see if I could spot said sign. Although obscured from my driver's seat view, I caught a glimpse of something a ways back that looked like this:

Nice trap. This sign was at the end of the parking meters, which I wasn't going to use, and before the street parking. It was covered up by a tree branch from my vantage point in the car. The other signs on the street have the other restrictions posted but lack the "Permit Parking Area". How convenient. I made an honest mistake, but I feel like I have a valid argument to back me up.

Still, it's probably not worth fighting. Downtown parking, court costs, and a gallon of gas would probably add up to near the $33 I'm out that the effort would likely be wasted. But it pisses me off nonetheless. So much for thinking I was being clever and saving a five spot. Guess I had the money to drop on the Flight of the Conchords concert here tonight after all, even if it's going to the parking violations bureau instead.

Over at the next moviegoing location I got a more pleasant surprise. One of the ticket takers asked what I had been knitting. I was confused because I hadn't been knitting there. She'd seen me knitting at Starbucks but hadn't said anything. It turns out that she's a knitter, which makes sense because experience has shown that I'm invisible when knitting in public except when a fellow knitter sees me.

I watched the first Japanese film but elected to bail before the second. When planning the day I gave myself permission not to stay for both if I was feeling tired. (I got in free, so skipping out on something I paid for wasn't a factor.) I figured three films, a couple of hours of KIPing, and a parking ticket made for a full day. I'd do it all again except for the last, obviously.

Another day, another knit night

Make it back-to-back knit nights for me, although tonight's excursion was to a café rather than a yarn shop. Best as I can tell, Ravelry brought people together for some Thursday evening knitting. I'd been considering going for awhile and finally ventured to it for the first time tonight.

Now I've never considered myself to be the most sociable person, a quality that's often misread as aloofness or snobbery but is really self-consciousness. Keeping quiet is the surest way to make others think there's something suspicious about you. When people get to know me (and vice versa), I'm something of a chatterbox, but prior to that familiarity I'm usually more than happy to keep to myself and listen.

Which makes matters such as knit nights doubly tricky. There's no blending into the walls when you're the only guy present. I'm not trying to be invisible, although the power to vanish might be useful when talk turns to, umm, womanly things. No, I'm content to knit and be quiet while I get the temperature of the room and the group.

I must say that knitters--women, all of them--have been welcoming even though I may be asking myself what in the world I'm doing there. That question emerged as I approached the place tonight. I met one of the group at the yarn shop's knit night several months ago, so I wasn't going in completely blind. At the same time, it wasn't like I knew these people. My mind decided to remind me of this less than a mile from the café. When I walked in and didn't see anyone knitting (despite deliberately arriving slightly late), my first impulse was to split. I decided to get something to eat. Shortly thereafter a face I recognized was there, and all was well.

I ate a delicious (and presumably healthful) Thai burrito and then got to the knitting. A few questions were asked of me every so often, but for the most part I was able to enjoy the company and not feel out of place or put on the spot. At most there were six other women there, all more in my age room than the older-skewing Wednesday knit night, which was less intimidating too. (There's nothing wrong with being around women most of whom are twenty to thirty years older than me, but it is sort of weird.)

I'd been there for nearing three hours when I packed it in and headed home. I enjoyed the more laid-back knitting time and appreciated the acceptance, but the lack of lumbar support in the seating and limited leg room was killing my back. Plus, I hadn't been home since work, and I was starting to wind down.

As for what I was knitting, the hand towel continues to progress nicely. There's a good chance I might finish it this weekend. I think I'm back in the zone that I couldn't find for awhile.

This is how we do it

What is a day in the life of a critic like during a film festival, particularly if you go to every session? Essentially it's about running yourself ragged, hoping you eat enough to keep up energy, drinking enough water to stay hydrated without needing to visit the limited number of urinals and stalls in the theater's single bathroom, and keeping your eyes open through it all.

Although walkways can be cramped, this event is relatively easy to navigate, especially for pass holders. Free, validated parking is available underneath the shopping center and in a nearby overflow lot with shuttle service. All the films are shown at the same location, and a food court, disgusting as it may be after a few days, is a short walk away.

That being said, sitting on one's fanny all day is harder than it sounds. Although the seats aren't high-backed stadium models, they are reasonably well padded. It's just sitting in them for as long as I do that makes them seem less comfortable. I've learned that rolling up part of my coat can give me a nice headrest.

Here is my log of one day-plus at the festival.

March 14

12:02 a.m.: Finish hotel check-in process after a six-film day. (Midnight screenings are only for the weekends.)

12:55 a.m.: After doing my daily entry for this site, it's time for bed.

7:45 a.m.: Get wake up call. Grateful that no one is on the other end, unlike when the John Goodman-voiced Red the Bobblehead awakened Red Roof Inn guests.

8:30 a.m.: On the road. Eat two coconut donuts I purchased at Dunkin' Donuts on the way back to the hotel the night before. The franchise has little presence in Columbus, so I enjoy getting these particular donuts when up here.

8:41 a.m.: Highway traffic becomes stop-and-go.

8:48 a.m.: The regular flow of traffic resumes.

8:58 a.m.: Park underneath Tower City Center and head to the theaters.

9:15 a.m.: Knit in the dimly lit theater. Shortly before I put it away I get someone commenting about my knitting.

9:30 a.m.: First film begins.

10:00 a.m.: Scraggly looking guy comes in late, takes the seat next to me, and spreads out like he owns the joint. This could be a long day.

11:03 a.m.: First film ends.

11:20 a.m.: Write notes about first film.

11:30 a.m.: Second film begins.

11:40 a.m.: Another late arriver, this time an older woman who sits in the row in front of me. Not to sound uncharitable, but she brings with her an undeniable stench that is a mixture of the fecal and the chemical. My best effort to block the smell is to pull my sweater over my nose.

1:03 p.m.: In line at Master Wok in the food court for lunch.

1:22 p.m.: Take a seat for the next film.

1:45 p.m.: Third film begins.

2:00 p.m.: Start struggling to stay awake, even if it's just closed eyes for ten or fifteen second stretches.

2:30 p.m.: Feel like I've regained my legs, although I still have to fight off sleep for the next thirty minutes.

3:30 p.m.: Third film ends.

3:40 p.m.: Buy some cookies to stash in my messenger bag. I try not to eat too much during the festival, but having something small to snack on between films is a necessity.

3:43 p.m.: Buy Hi-C orange drink from McDonald's. I'm feeling thirsty and in need of a little pick-up. What could be better than the beverage of choice for summer camps and kids' church gatherings?

4:00 p.m.: Take my seat for the next film. Write notes from previous films.

4:07 p.m.: Knit.

4:45 p.m.: Fourth film begins. While it's nothing special in filmmaking terms, it is my favorite of the day and of the fest to this point.

6:23 p.m.: Buy Arby's regular roast beef sandwich. That's supper. Take it with me as I head back to get in line for film #5.

6:35 p.m.: Claim my seat for the film and read USA Today. While attendance has been pretty good during the day, things pick up for the evening sessions, especially on the weekend. As a pass holder, I should be guaranteed a seat until fifteen minutes prior to the film's start. I prefer to sit near the back on the side, ideally in one of the two-seat rows. The idea is to be able to get out of the theater as quickly as possible at film's end before the mass exodus. That's very important in this case, which has two sold-out houses for the film unspooling in forty minutes.

7:15 p.m.: Fifth film begins. I feel slightly drowsy at times but am generally in good shape.

8:50 p.m.: Walk around Tower City Center to shake off the rust that has accumulated by this point in the day. I discover that sports scores are displayed on a monitor in the RTA station, so I look down at it to find out how the Blue Jackets are faring tonight.

9:12 p.m.: Take seat for next film.

9:30 p.m.: Sixth film begins.

10:53 p.m.: With another movie down, I walk around again and check out the final score of the hockey game.

11:01 p.m.: I sit down at a table on the periphery of the food court for some knitting time. (Security refuses to let anyone sit in that area once the shopping center is closed.) A festival volunteer stops to see what I'm doing. We have a brief chat.

11:37 p.m.: Find my seat for the last movie and resume knitting.

March 15

12:00 a.m. Seventh film begins. I check my watch frequently and consider leaving several times. I'm feeling tired, and my feet have had enough of being in shoes for this long.

1:55 a.m. Stagger out of the last film of the day, my thirteenth in two days. End up running into a friend/colleague who just got back from the film portion of South by Southwest and will be here the next couple days. We talk for a short time before heading our separate ways.

2:25 a.m. Back at the hotel, the internet isn't working. It's probably just as well because I need to sleep.

2:35 a.m. Go to bed.

8:00 a.m. Answer the wake up call to repeat this madness again.

For what it's worth, I rarely write full reviews of the films I see at this festival simply because I see so much (and it's not like anyone is paying me to provide that type of coverage). I will do some brief write-ups of what I saw, although as you might imagine, there's not enough time to do this while at the event.

Note-taking is essential because it's hard to remember critical observations. I attended 45 sessions and saw 43 films in eight days. (I walked out of a midnight film that wasn't doing it for me and didn't see the completion of another because the DVD, which was showing due to a missing print, froze an hour in.) The story particulars can usually be gleaned elsewhere if needed.

Of course, you might be wondering if pushing myself to the limit like this is worth it. Yes and no. On the positive side, I tend to see plenty of good films that I may not come across elsewhere. (Travel expenses aside, I'm doing this for free with a media pass.) It is also good to get away for a few days. On the other hand, there are times when I feel pretty dreadful and struggle mightily to stay awake. I overdid it this year, but spring break at work begins tomorrow, so I have time to recuperate without being too busy at the office.

If you're wondering, I've provided links (but not names) of the movies in an attempt to limit crossover with my film site. Feel free to ask any questions you might have about this experience. It was fun, but I'm glad it's over...except for the written recaps.

Still secret

A problem with internet access forced my unexpected disappearance from daily blogging. Since I'm doing this Blog 365 thing, I'm backdating what I would have written at the time. There is also a change in plans for my intended Friday entry. I'm keeping outrageous hours, so I'm delaying my log of a day at the film festival until Sunday or Monday. We now returned to regularly scheduled programming...

My public knitting drew attention at this morning's early session. From behind me I hear a guy who sounded like Brian Doyle-Murray exclaim that what I was doing made me a rarity at the film festival. I have not seen anyone else knitting at the event, but of course his surprise was not knitting per se but a male knitting. I detected a hint of confusion and skepticism as to why I would be doing such a thing...but whatever. He also suggested that someone should do a piece about me knitting for the festival's daily newsletter.

Being written up in such a thing is not something I would desire. I have not been approached about it, nor do I expect to be. If I were, I would do it only if my name was not used and no identifying photo included.

Still, you ask? Yes. There are times when I feel as though I may be too candid on this site, so I'm not exactly seeking to get my name out, especially to those with no interest in the knitting. Plus, for all intents and purposes I am anonymous up here. People may recognize my face just like I recognize the pass holders who end up in many of the same screenings as me, but I couldn't tell you who they are. I am certain they have no clue who I am.

It catches me a little by surprise when anyone comments at all since I've found that knitting here tends to keep people at a distance. It's a surefire way to ensure that no one sits next to me unless practically all other options have been exhausted.

Near the end of the day a festival volunteer asked what I was working on, so we chatted for awhile about knitting. That conversation was more my speed than the one in the morning.

Thud

The aftereffects of my film festival attending and sleep deprivation were liable to catch up with me. I'd peg the moment when they hit at 5:45 p.m. while struggling to stay awake through 10,000 BC. (Yes, I'm catching up on movies for the show despite having just seen an obscene number of films over the last four days.) Since I'm ready to crash, here's a quick post with a knitting update and information about a new knitting book.

I finished the second skein for the Ruggles Reversible Scarf last night. I estimate that I knitted seven inches during the festival, which isn't bad considering that I did it in fits and starts. A few minutes here, a few minutes there. Although I have the pattern memorized, it was difficult to see in the theaters, so that slowed me down a bit. I received a few words of knitting approval during the event, but mostly I think I confused everybody.

As far as knitting in the festival movies themselves, it was seen briefly in a documentary about Ethiopian women with medical problems stemming from childbirth injuries and in a scene from an old William Castle film with Joan Crawford working the needles.

One area where I don't expect interests to cross is knitting and indie rock, yet there it was today on Pitchfork. The music site featured a story about an upcoming knitting book by Kelley Deal of The Breeders. (And there's the Ohio connection too.) Bags That Rock: Knitting on the Road with Kelley Deal is due in October.

Leap day

Here's the yarn that got me fired up to begin my scarf. My plans for doing a lot of knitting today didn't work out. This may be an extra day on the calendar, but it's been used for catching up on work that needs to be done, not as a free twenty-four hours to indulge my whims.

I was able to steal a half hour to freak out the general populace by knitting in public, but that's been it so far today. We'll see what progress I make this weekend. If I had my druthers, I'd already be finished with it.

The nice thing is that I have the pattern memorized, so if I have the project with me while in a situation where I'll allow myself to knit, I can do a few rows to utilize available minutes. That will make it ideal for the film festival next weekend. Maybe if I'm lucky I'll get it done when I'm in Cleveland.

Switching gears... I've learned a small lesson about shaping thanks to a woman who was knitting at a LYS I was in a couple weeks ago. I showed her what I was working on, and she talked about the sweater she made. She was wearing it but was less than thrilled because she shrunk it some. She explained that stretching it after a pass in the washing machine can help get it back to its original length, but not always. I've inadvertently shrunk some sweaters in recent weeks, so I thought I'd try this shaping thing that I've read, and now heard, about.

It seems to have worked! There were two sweaters I had stopped wearing because they were a little short after (gasp) putting them in the dryer more times than I should have, but shaping appears to have done the trick. How about that?

Actual knitting content

It's catch-up weekend in terms of movies, which means I had some time to kill between two films around lunchtime. There's a yarn shop near where I had been and my next cinematic stop, so I decided to pop in and knit for awhile.

I've only been there once before, but I was welcomed and recognized by the owner, which surprised me. I hadn't been there since October, but then again, I imagine I stand out a little more than the average customer.

It occurred to me tonight that this is the first time I've been in a yarn shop all year. If that isn't an indication of how busy I've been and how little knitting I've done, I don't know what is. I purchased a single skein of wool to be put to use for the Pay It Forward Exchange. I know what I'm going to make with it, but I'm not telling what it will be or whom it is for.

How pleasant to sit in the shop and knit for forty-five minutes. Listening to the conversation, I'm obviously not the only one who feels that way. I couldn't add anything to talk of hysterectomies and breast cancer, but I understand where the other knitters were coming from when discussing the stress reducing effect. Of course, you already know that.

I'm getting close to polishing off the first of five skeins for the blanket I'm knitting. At this rate it will be done in mid-April. So I'm in need of some other projects. My mother's birthday arrives in almost a month. I'm need to figure out what to take when I go to the film festival in Cleveland in three weeks. There are plenty of lags in the schedule for knitting to fill. Any suggestions?

Snow and celebrities

The day began with light snow and slush--nowhere near as much as forecasters ominously predicted, by the way--but it was like Hollywood in these here parts.

Ed Begley Jr. was on campus as part of a lecture series, and I accompanied the students who had the opportunity to interview him. My impression: tall but not as tall as I expected.

This evening I went to Ohio State to see author James McBride interview Spike Lee, the recipient of this year's Wexner Prize. Since the weather promised awful rush hour traffic, I slipped down to the university area early, got something to eat, and found a quiet spot to knit in public. Since I haven't had much time to knit lately, it was wonderful to have a half hour that I could devote to working on a blanket.

I liked it so much that I decided to continue knitting when I got to my seat in the auditorium. A middle-aged couple sat down behind me. I could tell that they were talking about what I was doing. I struck up a conversation with the woman, who is also a knitter. She is currently working on a sweater for her son. Another woman a couple rows down also expressed a wish that she had thought to bring a sock to knit while waiting for the program to begin. Around this time I stopped knitting because I encountered a bad spot in the yarn, but I did get to kill the time chatting about knitting with these strangers.

I had high hopes for the interview with Spike Lee. I went to a similar event in 1997 when Roger Ebert conducted a fascinating talk with Martin Scorsese. The two discussions could not have been more different. Tonight's program was, in a word, underwhelming. Some other adjectives: unfocused, rambling, and, in a word I don't associate with the provocative director, boring.

Perhaps my expectations were incorrect. I thought I would get Lee talking about his body of work. After all, that's why he was awarded the prize. Instead I witnessed a scattershot chat about Lee and, more specifically, the film he has coming out later this year. (McBride wrote the source book and screenplay, which explained his presence.) We got to see a teaser montage cut to opera (?). The discussion was over in what I'd estimate was a little less than an hour, which was just as well if it was going to continue in the same vein. Definitely disappointing.

Sticks N Stitches

Tonight the knitters were let loose in Nationwide Arena for Sticks N Stitches at the Blue Jackets game. If ever there was a a good night for appreciating handknits, this was it. The frigid air and whipping wind made walking to the arena and waiting to get in quite the ordeal. Suffice it to say that I was very glad to have the scarf and hat I made myself.

Although it would have been appropriate for me to bring my knitting with me tonight, I chose not to do so because I'm not working on something small. Plus, I figured the seating area would be cramped enough.

The goodie bag made up for my lack of needles and yarn. Two US 8 straights and skeins of Lion Brad Wool-Ease, Valley Yarns-Amherst, and unidentified yarn were provided, along with some other treats (the latest issue of Interweave Knits, needle inventory sheet, a "Bob" sticker from Ravelry, two pens, a red bag from South West Trading Co., a 20% off coupon for a yarn shop in Troy, and a WEBS tape measure).

As if that wasn't enough, door prizes were given away, and the ticket to the game included a voucher for a free small soda, hot dog, popcorn, and Blue Jackets hat. (Since I don't eat hot dogs or popcorn, I didn't bother with the frank and gave the popcorn to a father and son behind me in the concession line.)

I'm not sure what the final count was, but I believe that more than one hundred turned out for the event. I'd say the Sticks 'n Stitches crew took up about four rows in section 206. When I took my seat there were already knitters doing their thing in the stands.

I was by myself in a three-seat island in the next-to-last row. The two aisle seats to my right were unoccupied. On my left was a step up to the top row. (I was sitting in front of a column that broke up the last row.) I could have kicked myself for not bringing any knitting because I had all the room in the world to knit. I probably looked like a poor soul who had accidentally been put in the section with the knitters.

The section seemed to be into the game, but it was a different experience. When the Jackets tied the game at a goal apiece, I jumped up and started clapping, which is usually what everyone else does. Not this group, probably because their laps had yarn and projects in them. (Yes, many knitted during the game.) I don't yell a lot at sporting events, but I "interact" with the players and officials from time to time. I kept a little quieter since there weren't many nearby who were shouting.

Don't get me wrong. I had a good time and am glad I went, even if the rapidly cooling team, which lost in a shootout, is starting to get on my nerves. The previous paragraph is intended to convey the differences, not to criticize.

A big thank you to LittleWit for all of the organizing she did to make this happen. Just look at the goodie bag preparation she and her family did. I might be wrong, but I think one of the reasons this gathering got off the ground was because of Ravelry's ability to connect knitters. The idea was floated a few months ago, enough people responded with interest, and tonight was the culmination of it all.

Coffee, tea, and me

Catching up on some old business on a completely uneventful day--work and napping--I dip into the nearly empty sack of reader questions. Donna inquires, "When you go knitting at the coffee shop, what's your drink of choice?"

I have a totally boring answer for this question, but perhaps the power of punctuation can jazz it up. When I go knitting at the coffee shop, my drink of choice is...coffee! More often than not I'll order a dark roast regular coffee and add a little half and half to it. I try to avoid something bigger than a medium/regular/grande to keep me from getting the jitters. I can usually nurse one of these for an hour or so, which is plenty of time for a solo session of public knitting.

Occasionally I will get a hot chocolate, latte, or mocha; however, those drinks aren't quite as good once they've cooled, something more likely to happen if the beverage is poured in a mug for in-store consumption. Yes, I realize it's ridiculous that I've given this much thought to it.

It's probably been two months since I've gone to a coffee shop to knit. I've been busy, for one thing. Buying a French press (#24) and grinder have seen me making coffee and tea at home most of the time. (Currently I'm partial to Starbucks Christmas blend and TehKu's Earl Grey De La Creme.) It's a less expensive way of indulging in the good stuff. Right now the only time I'm buying coffee on the go is prior to seeing a movie at A.M. Cinema. The theater employees haven't raised any objections about bringing in an outside drink, but I figure that carrying in my own thermal mug might be pushing it.

I've developed a taste for coffee and enjoy it as a daily or semi-daily drink, but it's not something I need to get me going in the morning. Not usually. I didn't start drinking it until late in high school. Even then it was something I'd get occasionally when out with friends. (There was a 24-hour donut shop where we would hang out from time to time.) I didn't drink it regularly through college, although I imagine I had it more then. This was in the midst of the national coffee craze, when shops were sprouting like weeds.

I'm not sure when I started liking it without being dressed up with a lot of sugary syrups and such. Maybe it's when I had a decent cup of the stuff. The first time I remember drinking it was one of the many times my grandmother served the Rotary club. (She did this week in and week out for decades. She always made enough extra that my family would come and eat in the church kitchen or Sunday school classroom.) It was probably Folger's or Maxwell House coffee from a big percolator. Yuck. Coffee wasn't around at home. My dad doesn't drink it, and I don't remember my mom having it much when I was a kid. She keeps it around now, except it's always decaffeinated.

Fascinating, eh?

On ice

There will be no more knitting at the hockey games. It's not worth the hassle.

No, I didn't have a bad experience with anyone observing me knitting in public. It renders me invisible, so the non-reactions of others isn't the issue. Security is the problem.

I'm beginning to wonder how the arena became the first place I knitted in public on my own. It seems like they're cracking down on what can pass through the doors. Earlier this season I was told that backpacks are not permitted into the venue. Since they look through all bags and purses, I'm not sure why backpacks are forbidden. Arbitrary and seemingly nonsensical rules are just part of security, and there's no use fighting it. Now that my messenger bag is fixed, I thought I'd slide through unscathed at the next game. I've brought it before and not had anyone check it all.

Tonight's game was part of the ticket package I bought a few months ago, so I didn't need to go down early to line up for a cheap seat. Still, I felt like grabbing a quick bite at North Market and doing some knitting before the game. I was happily working on my dad's hat when I was informed that the market was locking up. Seemed a little earlier than I thought they closed but no big deal. Since I'd spend extra time waiting in the arena, I figured I'd take the knitting with me rather than return the bag to the car.

At the arena I went through the routine with security of opening up my coat and thought I was good to go. Then the security guard wanted to know what was in my coat pocket. Gloves. He wanted to see. Fine. Here they are. He asked me to open the bag. What's inside here? A planner, my knitting.

Get this. He extracted the planner and wanted me to show him what it was. Weirdly, this isn't the first time the planner has been called into question. Prior to a promo screening of Enchanted the security guards wanted me to unzip the case and show it to them. It's no different than what thousands of others use, so I don't know why it falls under scrutiny. Maybe it's how heavy it is?

What's stranger is that he patted the bag down and made no mention of the digital camera or iPod, both of which are permitted but more likely to feel like questionable objects, in my opinion. He didn't see the circs or feel their pointy ends, or so I'm guessing.

I was allowed to enter. The amusing thing in this rigamarole is the security guard overlooked the regular-sized pair of scissors in a case in the bag. If this were really about searching for weapons, which I'm fairly sure it wasn't, I would have understood an objection to the scissors. I expect that the shakedown is primarily about keeping outside food and drinks--OK, alcohol--from getting inside.

I knitted in my seat for about twenty minutes, so it was worth the inconvenience this time. I don't feel like putting up with it any more, though. If I bring my knitting with me to the arena district in the future, I'll deposit the bag in my car before heading to the game.

I should finish the hat before going to bed tonight. That's one more knitted Christmas gift that can be checked off. Speaking of gifts, I'm being pestered for a Christmas list. As usual, I'm drawing a blank. My mom even asked if there were any knitting things I wanted and put books, specifically Vogue Knitting: The Ultimate Knitting Book, as a possibility. I'm unfamiliar with the book and can't think of any knitting supplies. Any thoughts?

Knitting the friendly skies

Today was a good time to be a knitter. I arrived at the airport about two hours before my flight was scheduled to depart. It ended up being delayed about an hour and a half, so I had plenty of time on my hands.

My concern about getting knitting needles through security, particularly those pointy circs, proved to be unwarranted. I breezed through the metal detector and my belongings passed through the x-ray machine with nary a word from the guards. I settled in at the gate for some knitting, took a break to get online, and returned to more knitting when the flight was bumped back another thirty minutes. I got a lot done.

A couple of old women were intrigued with my activity and struck up a conversation with me. Neither of them knit--crochet and sewing are their bailiwicks--but they were genuinely interested in the hat I'm making. The flight attendants also were curious to know what I was doing. I feel a little guilty for getting the attention. The truth is that what I'm doing isn't hard, even if sometimes I make it that way for myself.

The flight itself was fairly unremarkable. I am in full support of my time on airplanes being unremarkable. I knit for a good portion of the trip, which kept me more relaxed. I'm not afraid of flying, but I get stressed about the popping ears that take forever to equalize and headaches. The descent was kind of rough on the ears, and I still feel like the right side of my head is in a bucket.

Per a tip from those savvier than me regarding aviation travel, I requested a change to an exit row seat and got one. The bonus was that I had no one sitting beside me and extra leg room in front of me. It was like flying first class without the $90 upgrade fee.

So, now I'm in Texas, although I did get momentarily disoriented while at the grocery store with my brother. Where am I again? I arrived in the dark, so the only difference I have noticed is the warmer temperature, which I've been told will not be sticking around for the duration of my stay.

I gave my brother the hat I made for him and his wife the blanket for both of them. Both were well received, although neither item would seem to be needed for the time being in this southern climate.

On Tuesday I'm meeting up with Donia, who has been gracious enough to offer to take me to lunch and show me a couple of yarn stores in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Another southern adventure begins...

Respite

Whether it's been a matter of available time or endurance, I haven't been knitting as much as I would like. Maybe that's part of knitting with patterns. I have to think about it enough that I'm not able to maximize the time or it wears me out quicker. I've been working a lot too, and the drain of ongoing issues there have contributed to my perceived lack of productivity. Whatever the reason, I've been mildly concerned that the Ruggles Reversible Scarf I'm knitting for my International Scarf Exchange 5 pal was going to take a big bite out of my Christmas gift knitting.

I can put that small fear to rest after today. I've knitted. A lot. My Saturday has been composed mostly of alternating knitting while digging through the DVR backlog and going online. Such heavy lifting also called for a wonderful afternoon nap. I'm feeling a lot better. Recently I've been having more headaches than is the norm--I don't get them regularly--and I lay the blame on how tight my back and shoulders have been. I can tell myself not be so tense. If only it were that easy.

Knitting goes a long way toward relieving that stress. It's amazing what kind of focus I can get. I've even absorbed the pattern to the point where I don't feel as though I must keep referring to it. Sometimes I get in the zone too deeply and forget which row I'm on--four sets of rows are the same within the ten in the repeat--but amazingly I've continued where I should. I will give myself a little credit for reading the knitting, but there have been some lucky guesses too.

Since I'd been burrowed into my apartment for most of the day, I ventured out to TehKu Tea Company. The owner dropped off some tea the other night when I was knitting at a LYS. I thought tonight would be a good time to check it out. I could always use another place for knitting in public.

The shop offers 65 varieties of tea, all produced locally. That is way too many choices, but the owner helped me winnow the options. I ended up ordering the Key Largo blend, a Rooibos tea with marigold petals, orange peels, papaya, mango, and peach bits contributing to the flavor. As you might imagine, it was like drinking flowers and fruit. The tea was refreshing and relaxing. (I opted for a tea without caffeine.)

The place wasn't packed, which might be why I got some questions about my knitting from customers and employees. I was happy to talk about what I'm doing and show off the scarf. The pattern, color, and drape have come together better than I could have anticipated.

It never fails to surprise me how people will ask me about knitting and wish that they could do it while expressing their doubt in their ability to pick it up. I think that the only things separating them from me is patience and determination. I'm willing to put in the time to learn and do it. There's no secret.

Anyway, this was the kind of day I've needed: slow, relaxing, and entirely on my terms. The last two months of the year are sure to be like running on a treadmill stuck on its fastest speed, but hopefully I'll be able to squeeze in a few days like this before 2007 comes to a close.