Power Meeting

Back when I worked for "The Man", meetings were a big, fat, hairy part of every day.  My performance was actually graded on how many meetings I attended.  There were meetings to follow up on prior meetings, meetings based on what day of the week it was, and meetings for the alleged planning of future meetings.  And they never let me knit in any of them.  No wonder I always wanted to chew through my own arm to get away.

Meetings in my Brave New Yarn-Fueled World work a lot differently.  Today I visited the geniuses at Abstract Fiber to discuss the kit for our Flight Path KAL.  We started, in an extremely civilized fashion, with a home-cooked breakfast:

Fiberista Karen starts the day properly.  Note daily fiber intake in foreground.

After discussing the hard frost outside, the antics of our various dogs (3 of whom attended the meeting, and were hoping for breakfast leftovers), and the future yarn club Abstract has planned, we adjourned to the Secret Laboratory:
 

One of the dye stations in the secret Abstract Fiber colormaking lair

I chose a really gorgeous yarn base for the Mystery KAL sample project.  It's 100% BFL with gobs of "sproing" and super softness.  Behold its pearly surface sheen; and that's before it's even got color!

This is where all the magic happens, Gentle Readers: Creative creatures inspiring one another to make beautiful things for knitting.  Oh, and here's what I love most:  I didn't tell anybody making the yarn for the KAL what the project or the design is!  They are almost as much in the dark of my web of Mystery as you are!  Bwaahh ha ha hahaaaaa!  That's right: I challenged the geniuses of color to make me a combo of surpassing perfection and beauty, without any idea what it's for...I'm Eeee-vil, I tell you, Pure Evil.

Some of the pretty wares in the secret Abstract Fiber laboratory

I'm not one bit worried, either.  You can't swing a knitting needle in that place without hitting some extrordinarily beautiful pile of floof or string.  I promise, Friends, you will LOVE what they make for us.
 

Actual Yarn Label

Here's a clue, for the sleuth-y among you.  And no, it's not the color in this skein.  This is the yarn that will be in our kit.  The yarn I'm making the sample from will be freshly prepared next week.  As soon as it's dry, I'll knit the prototype, thus finding out exactly what yardage is required.  Once that is known, I'll be able to tell you the price of each kit, and when they will be available.  Until then, dear friends, stay patient.  And be glad those cats at Abstract Fiber were willing to take a meeting.
 

Knit-along, Little Dogies!

After the holidays (around the time we all are good and tired of winter), you and I, Gentle Readers, are gonna have a little Hoot.  It's the First-Ever Mary Scott Huff Mystery Knit-Along!  There will be clues, surprises, a race to the finish line, and fabulous prizes.  Click the picture below for more details (or the "Flight Pattern" button on the left sidebar):

I'll be sending out clues at the rate of one per week, beginning on January 30th.

Some knitters in Lakewood, WA, and in Gresham, OR have already planned to join in.  Will you come along too?  Are you brave enough to take my hand as I lead you on a Mysterious Knitting Adventure?  Come, on - you know you want to...All the cool kids are doing it.  And let's face it, If I keep talking about it here on the blog for the whole 30 days, you are going to feel good and sorry for yourself for missing out.  Why not ask Santa for $4.00 in your stocking so you can come and play with us!

And if those aren't good enough reasons, how about this?  When you sign up, the Knit-along version of the pattern is only $4.00.  I'll be offering the design as a complete pattern for sale after the KAL ends, but at a full price of $6.00.  Even if you aren't sure whether you'll actually participate , you'll still be getting a bargain on the pattern!

The first big surprise is here right now: Those clever colormakers at Abstract Fiber will be offering kits to match the sample.  If you really trust me (and it won't be hard when you see the yarn!) you can just grab the kit, cross your fingers, and come along with me for the ride...

Sign up today for all the preliminary information.  I'll let you know as soon as the kits are available.  Big. Big. Fun.

 

Four-Eyes

I stopped by the optometrist's to get some more of the spray-on glasses cleaner I like.  It seems I've been using it on my laptop monitor a lot, because I'm nearly out.  While I was in there, I thought I'd see when it was time for my next eye exam.  My glasses are starting to get wiggly around the hinges, and sliding down my nose in a way they never have before.  Some things just don't hold up very well.

Or so I thought.

The reason I'm out of glasses cleaner is the same as the reason my frames are breaking down:  The cruel and indisputable passage of time.

"How long has it been since you were in?" asked the nice lady behind the desk.  "Oh, around a year?" I guessed.  I couldn't actually conjure any memory.  "Oh, here you are," she said, looking it up.  "No, it's actually been four." 

Four Years.  Since my eyes were checked.  Man, you write two lousy books and everything goes all to hell.  What else have I forgotten to do?  No wonder my glasses are falling apart.  They aren't poorly-made; they're eroding.  And I can't believe the little bottle of spray cleaner they gave me lasted that long!  Good thing it finally ran out or I would never have thought to go there in the first place.

The eye doctor turned out to be a knitter, so I knew I was in good hands.  She very kindly pronounced me only a little more blind than I used to be.  She wrote me a prescription and sent me on my way to pick out some swell new spectacles.

Being made to select new glasses is nothing more than a punishment for failing eyesight.  Much like the making of coffee in the morning, or the purchasing of one's first motorcycle, the choosing of glasses is only undertaken by those least qualified to do it.  And being in denial as I was about the need to even GET new eyewear, I didn't think to bring along a friend for help.  The best I could do was to take a few pictures.  Which I also couldn't see all that well.  Here's how it went:

Sarah Palin, but without the lipstick.

Elton John, but without the Grammy. Or the Knighthood, for that matter.

Keith Olbermann, but without the biting commentary.

Every woman in The Far Side cartoons.

Don't bother voting for your favorites, because I have no idea which ones I picked.  I got so frustrated I finally just shoved a pair toward the ordering lady and promised to come back when they're ready.  Can't tell you which ones they were because, like I may have mentioned, I can't SEE!

The good news is that once they arrive, for better or worse, my new glasses will only be an eyesore/delight to those around me.  Once they are on my face, I will neither observe, nor think about them.

I suppose eyewear, like everything else, is in the eye of the beholder.