Highs and Lows

First, the high point of the week

It just made my week to come home late Wednesday night and find a package in my mailbox (our post office kindly has package lockers, so that those of us who like to shop for yarn online can get our purchases anytime, night or day, and not just when the P.O. is open, although I bet there are non-yarn buying customers who use this feature as well). I was so beat, and couldn't figure out what I had ordered recently, or who I knew in Roanoke, VA. I had to wrestle with the packing tape at home before I could discover that Sallee had finished my knitting bag and that was what was inside... I was so delighted!


My great new knitting tote/purse (it really does have room for everything) designed and made by the soon-to-be famous guru of knitting bags, Nana Sadie Rose (also known as Sallee, my sister from another mother). Don't you just love this print! I will be able to pretend it is summer all year round, carrying this. It feels compact but can hold a lot of knitting as well as keys, phone, wallet, whatever other essentials can't be left behind, and slings onto my shoulder perfectly. I am in heaven. Bet some of you wouldn't have guessed this is the print I chose after visiting four quilt fabric websites! 

While Sallee was working on my bag and another, she was also surveying those of us on TalkKnitting about designing a larger model, the Mavis knitting bag, which she has built to knitters' specifications. People overwhelmingly voted for shoulder straps; I am sure that is so our hands stay free at yarn stores to gather up more purchases :) She also included special "pocklets" (isn't that the cutest word she made up to describe them) to hold tools such as scissors, and a large one to slide your pattern book in. However, I am short, and have chronic back and shoulder/neck issues, so I am perfectly happy to keep with the smaller model, called the Mera, after Sallee's daughter.


Peeking inside my tote, you will notice that there is a flashy zebra print lining, leopard print pockets lined in hot pink (plenty of them, and deep enough, too), and Nana Sadie Rose's label, as well as my half-finished Cotton Twist tank top... don't you just love the riot of color! Plenty of room for my metal gauge tool, the pattern folded up (it's on turquoise paper, adding to the color harmony), and a little note from Sallee. 

I am heavily promoting Sallee here, because she is my friend thanks to knitting and the Internet, but more because I admire her genius and watched the process as she solicited fellow knitters' ideas and needs and built the dream knitting bag. What a Superwoman! So, go and buy one for yourself; her website links to a huge variety of fabric suppliers, so you can pick whatever you want and make a loud personal statement like me, or a more subtle one, as your heart desires.

Now, for the low point and a call for help

The low point of the week was learning that my blog has been spammed! I found the most convoluted, ridiculous comment yesterday, and had to go in to my Blogger profile and set the comment section not to allow anonymous comments... I am not sure if that will block some of you from being able to communicate back with me, but if it does, please, please let me know through my email, which is on my profile. I started out cussing dumb people with too much time on their hands, then went on to cuss dumb computers, before waking up and realizing that smart but rude and obnoxious people are using computers to latch onto poor, helpless chum like me (and probably you, too) and stuff our inboxes and now comment sections with their mindless advertising jibberish... sorry to be ranting here, but grateful for any help or suggestions.

Home knitting has been concentrating on finishing up a chenille baby blankie, left over from my period of knitting for Sedona Godmothers (now defunct). I have to finish this weekend, and put hot pink cotton trim around the border, as we are throwing a surprise baby shower at the clinic where I have been working this summer, for our Physician's Assistant, Steve, and his lovely wife, Michelle, expecting their second child (a girl, according to the modern wonders of ultrasound - although I still prefer the mystery of not knowing, and just loving) in October. I had short notice about this event, as one of my co-workers picked an innocuous event we all have to attend in order to concoct the surprise... lucky for me they aren't knitters or bloggers!

Happy Weekend!!!