Saturday, October 27, 2007

Publically Declaring my Outlaw-y-ness

Yes, I ride my own motorcycle. Yes, I have a tattoo (just one Mom - calm down!)Yes, I reward myself with chocolate and caffeine. And yes, I knit. And I'm proud of it. Just the other day I knit in the parking lot of a Doctor's office, in the waiting room of not one but two Doctor's office's and in a park on the way home. 4 KIP's in 1 day! When I'm on the bike, there's usually a project stowed in the saddle-bag. I love pulling up right out front of yarn shops and scaring the blue-hairs inside. I take pride in sauntering in - leather protective gear creaking, helmet swinging from a gloved hand and choosing the prettiest cashmere in the bin. I also work at a race track. A dirt race track.
I'm the Official at the dirtiest corner on the oval; Turn 1 Pit Gate. Several hundred people entrust their safety and their very lives to me each week as I guide them across the clay racing surface and into the relative safety of the pits. And yes, I knit at the race track - every week. But not when I'm working. There's a fine line between being an Outlaw Knitter and just being crazy. I like it that way! Hey, do I get Bonus Points for Spindling in Public too?

Thursday, October 25, 2007

how to stay awake at a legal conference

when a bunch of other lawyers are blatting on:

This is the part I worked on at the conference:

Today it's MY turn to blat on, so no knitting. :-(

More info/pics at the blog

Sunday, October 21, 2007

Outlaw Knitter Knews October '07

Things have been happening for this Outlaw Knitter. Some good, some annoying in that they interfere with my knitting and my blogging. But that is about to change.

I've added a couple of new items to the cafe Press shop. I also got rid of a couple of things that no one seemed interested in. If anyone planned on ordering these items, e-mail me and I can put them back up.

Did any of our Canadian members knit Like An Outlaw the day after Thanksgiving? And are any of the American members going to celebrate Knit Like An Outlaw Day US? I know I am. Maybe I'll work on a pair of socks while watching the masses stand in line at Best Buy. Or maybe I'll work on a hat while I laugh my butt off at the crazy shoppers at the mall. Or maybe I'll invite my fellow Outlaw, Bobbi, over for some knitting and a movie about Outlaws. We can plot some Outlaw Knitter escapades... like wearing our Outlaw Knitter shirts while we put up Outlaw Knitter posters on the Community Bulletin Boards at the local grocery stores and other places that Outlaw Knitters hang out.

Let us all know what you have planned!

partially public project...

or "PPP" (love it when that happens!)




A combination of my two craft loves: knitting and mosaic! The knitting was done entirely on public transit, which is why I'm posting it here (and if I figure out how to do mosaic on a rush hour streetcar, I'll be very happy as I will get all of my Christmas presents done during the commute!)

For more photos and probably way more information about the project than you need, come on over to the blog. ;-)

Saturday, October 20, 2007

Hello Fellow Outlaws!

I just wanted to post a quick "HEY Y'ALL"! I'm a self-taught knitter of about 4 years now. I love it and am totally obsessed with knitting. I've never really understood the whole "fear of knitting in public" thing. As soon as I got the hang of it, my knitting went everywhere I did and it still does. I cannot leave my house without my knitting. Most people who know me expect it and will question me if they don't see my needles. I taught a lady to knit while waiting for my daughter during speech therapy. I've so far gotten nothing but positive feedback from others. Most people are curious and genuinely interested. The only flack I got was from my friends and family when I first picked up the needles. (The whole "grandmother's knitting" thing.) I got the last laugh....they now beg for me to knit them things. lol

I'll hush for now...just wanted to say hello and thanks for letting me join you. I'm proud to be an Outlaw Knitter!

Melanie (lilknitter on Ravelry)

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

I got a tee shirt!

I bought an Outlaw tee shirt from cafe press, and it is great! It's pink and comfortable! Y'all should get one. It seems to be good quality, and the price isn't too bad considering prices in general.
In other news: I am addicted to knitting washcloths. I can't stop. I love how they're fast and beautiful. I truly love the practical aspect (I enjoy doing the dishes with them!), and I can't wait to give them as gifts. My daughter even uses one in the tub. If you haven't tried them, I really think you should. If you don't like the end result, I'm sure someone would be happy to have it.
Do any of you have knitting addictions? I'd love to hear about it!

Sunday, October 14, 2007

You know your an outlaw

I went out with some friends last night after SNB. We went to one of the yarn shops to get something. We went to the one we did because the one we wanted to go to was blocked off for the stupid football game going on. So we walk in and ask if they have the yarn my friend is looking for. They tell us no. My friend said she got it from another store ect, and then the lady working goes on about how the other store has crappy hours. WTF? I went off on her. Why on earth did she think it was ok to bash this shop to a customer?

It wasn't the owners fault that we couldn't get there and the time she closes is ok. She is open on Sat so you can get there if you want to. It just ticked me off.

The we went out to dinner and we ate in the bar so we could sit down right then and have a drink. So we sat, knit, drank and ate while all the other people in the bar watched that stupid game that made it so we couldn't get to the other store. (our server was really hot, but about 12 years old) :)

Thursday, October 11, 2007

troubling news...

Hi all: I just wanted to share this little tidbit I came across regarding public knitting:

Dangerous knitting? A UK hospital locks up its needles and yarn

SIGH.

Happy knitting to all of you! I've been taking a hiatus from subway knitting due to excessive amounts of work-related reading... but will hopefully be back at it in a week or so.

Thursday, October 4, 2007

Sock Knitting

For thirty-six years I have been a knitter. My grandmother taught me when I was eleven years old, and I would knit dishclothes, afghans, etc. At nineteen I knit my first sweater. There has never been a time in the last thirty-six years that I did not have something on knitting needles. Even when knitting wasn't in vogue, you would find me happily knitting sweaters to give as gifts, or for myself and family when it turned cold. For the first time in all those years, I just knit my first pair of socks. I don't know why I never did it. It could be the yarn selection for socks just didn't catch my eye. But my LYS has a very large amount of sock yarn currently, and there was a color of Colinette's Jitterbug that I couldn't resist. And so I knit my first pair. And now I'm addicted. I have now purchased enough different kinds of sock yarn to keep me knitting socks for years. I can't go into a knitting store now without checking out what kind of sock yarn they have. I have to say, for a project to knit in public, they are perfect. I have a small clear plastic knitting tote that is large enough to hold my sock knitting project. It's easy, portable and it now lives in my car with my current pair of socks in it. I think about all the years I hauled around huge knitting bags with whatever my current project was and I wonder what the heck I must have been thinking. From now on my project of choice to knit in public will be socks.

Monday, October 1, 2007

Just for asking...

in the last post of comments. It's the only picture I have on the gift and I'm still waiting for my mother to send me one of her wearing it. The yarn was Mountain Colors Handpainted in berrys and blues.

CLAPOTIS