Hard Won Spoils

Lindsay went with me to Knit Nite last week.  I don't always take her along, but when I see her working her guts out to get her homework finished in time to go with me, it's hard to say no.  Our clever friends from Abstract Fiber had been up to some very good tricks, indeed.  They brought two new colorways for the approval of the assembly.  This was the winner:

And HOW, you may reasonably ask, did it come to be in my flowerpot?  For once, it wasn't my fault.  Lindsay latched onto it and would not let go.  She displayed the entire spectrum of yarn lust behaviors in about 15 minutes. 

First she tried stealth:  She stuck it in my knitting bag.  I informed her that not only was the skein a prototype, and therefore not up for grabs, but also, everybody there had seen her try to make off with it and were guaranteed to rat her out.  Next she tried artifice:  One after the other, she made impassioned arguments to the yarnmakers, to me, to anyone who would listen, as to why she should have that yarn for her very own.  When that failed, she resorted to abject begging.  Immune as I am to the whole gamut of Smally-Simpering, I never thought it would work.  But I underestimated her;  the kid could melt ice with a doe-eyed snivel.  It was a pretty impressive display.  Worthy of her mother, actually.  Clearly she learnt at the knee of the master.

I pried the yarn from her death grip and gave it back to Susan, who stopped laughing long enough to confer with Karen on the perfect name for the new colorway:  "Lindsay".

And then she gave the newly-christened skein back to Lindsay, for keeps.

She hasn't let it out of her sight since.  Yeah, I know it's weird for a 12-year-old to want to sleep with a skein of yarn.  And no, I didn't let her.  I was afraid too much abrasion would damage the skein.  Clearly the fiber disease has failed to skip a generation.  Just tell me though (Give it to me straight; I can take it): 

Is Lindsay's disorder genetic, or did she contract it from me?

Reunion

It's taken me four days to write this post.  I've been so overwhelmed with joy, and relief, and gratefulness, that I've had trouble finding my words about it.  I'll start with a picture, because it really says a lot:
 

These two wandering waifs, if they could talk, would tell me where they have been and what happened to their friends, and the story of the beautiful, magical moment when dear sweet Elif recognized and rescued them from the sweater pile at the thrift store.

Of course, they are keeping mum about their adventures, so I can only report the obvious:  They are completely intact, unharmed, and Being Koi even still has her sample trunk tag still attached.  Wedding Belle's sewn label bears the grease-pencil mark of having been inventoried at Goodwill, but no other scars are on her.  Both will be getting a celebratory bath, but I think that's really more my need to cleanse the negative energy from the experience than actual dirt.  Lady MacBeth would understand.

Here's an interesting sidebar:  My niece Sarah, only 14 when I made the Wedding Belle, was its inspiration.  Here's her self-portrait:
 

And yes, this is pretty much exactly what she looks like, including the wings.  I have secretly hoped that she would one day wear it for her wedding, never telling her or her mother, because for one thing it's a little weird to outfit a 14-year-old for a wedding she may or may not ever have, and for another, that sort of thing is for a bride to decide, not her aunt.  But inspiration is as inspiration does, and there you have it:  I thought of Sarah, and the Wedding Belle was born.

The Wedding Belle was returned to me on Sarah's 16th birthday.  Insert harp flourish here.

I would like to thank Elif, for locating and rescuing my two lost waifs.  And KT for tweeting the update.  And KayLynn, who must have lost half her Saturday fruitlessly searching three different Goodwills.  And everybody else who wrote to tell me that they looked, and continue to look, and that they care, and continue to care.  There is no end to the generosity of Knitters.  All of you, Gentle Readers, are proof.  My Sincerest Gratitude to you all, for loving me and being my friend.  Especially to those who've yet to meet me.

Wanna Go Shopping? STOLEN SWEATER UPDATE

This post is for my friends in the Portland, Oregon area.  This morning I got an e-mail from the lovely and dear-hearted Elif, who was in the Broadway Goodwill last night and found two of my stolen sweaters.  Tina, the manager of that store says that they sometimes send sweaters out to other stores when their racks get too full, so there is a possibility that others are waiting to be found in other Goodwill stores.  If you are free to do so today, and find yourself in the vicinity of a Goodwill store in the Portland area - won't you please help me to take a look for them?  If you are lucky enough to find one or more of the stolen pieces, please take them to the store manager and ask them to hold the piece(s) until I can come collect them, then just drop me a line at mary@maryscotthuff.com. Rewards will be given to Elif, and anybody else who helps me make a recovery!

Thank you my friends!

Love Mary

PS - the sweaters Elif found are the Wedding Belle, and Being Koi.  Bless Her.