I Have An FO! ...If Buying Something Makes It An FO

Vegas was AMAZING! Your comments on that post were such a blast to read, and I wish you could have heard Travis reading the news aloud in the car on the way to the airport - I've never heard him speak so fast!

I'll talk about it in a post soon - we had a great time, incredible food, and enjoyed being out of the rain for a bit. Fay didn't do any damage to our place or have much effect on our area as far as floods or power outages, but man was I tired of the colour grey. I have hundreds of photos to narrow down to a post's worth, so for now I wanted to share something I procured recently at Orlando's Happiest Place on Earth. I'm referring, of course, to the Neiman Marcus Last Call outlet center. Have you ever felt the joy of getting something couture for 93% off? It feels a lot like what I imagine stealing would be like - dirty and kind of exhilarating - but without the guilt because at least you paid SOMEthing.

But this. This. THIS. This sounds as ridiculous as it really was, but when I saw it, everything around it went hazy and it glowed and I heard music....it was kind of like when Wayne first saw Cassandra on stage in Wayne's World. (Except I heard The Carpenters' "Close to You" rather than "Dreamweaver".) If I were to ever knit something like this, I'd lay down the needles and burn the stash, because my work as a knitter would be over.

It's stunning, isn't it?


The retail price on this was horrifying. I would not, could not (Sam I Am) ever pay that sort of money for a sweater, even being as in love with it as I am. Wanna know what the original tag said? One thousand five hundred and ninety five dollars. A sixteen hundred dollar sweater. NEVER. But it was marked down so ridiculously - I mean, obscenely ridiculously - that when I did the math, the yarn alone to knit a comparable sweater would have been almost twice as much more. And I still would have had to knit it!


The deets: It's a TSE hooded sweater coat in Oatmeal. And seeing that little TSE tag gave me joy because I know what TSE is about - TSE is about cashmere. Only the purest cashmere. Yep, 100% cashmere sweater coat.


I plan to wear it all the time. Or leave it wrapped in tissue paper in the bottom drawer with a lavender sachet like it is right now. Maybe put it on a mannequin and encase it in glass and put it in the living room. (Yep, I love it that much. Look at me - I'm wearing it in August.)


If you see me in this at Taos Wool and you ask me if I knit it, hell yes I did. Forgot the pattern. Couldn't tell ya. What's that over there? *zoom*


This is a crapload of pictures of a storebought sweater, I know. I'm just in love.


See? That's my in-love face. (I know, poor Travis. My in-love face should be cuter than this.)

I'll close with a bit of knitting news - I do still knit, when I'm not shopping for things I can pass off as knit. Miss Valerie of Yarn 4 Socks has given me permission to show a little sneaky peek of the pattern I'm working on for the October Sock Club (clicky linky to spendy). As a reminder, the yarn for that month will be Sunshine Yarns, which means it's guaranteed fabulous. (One of my favourites.) The shot I'm showing here is the heel. I just can't get excited about a plain old heel sometimes - pretty sure Cookie did that to me.

Dear Husband:

You know how I told you that I was making you take the next four days off so that we could get some stuff done around the house? Yard work, roof work, bathroom work, drywall work, all that? And you know how I've been going all over the place this summer, doing fun stuff and trips for Jessi's wedding and going on work trips to San Antonio all the time and planning my trip to New Mexico with just the girls in October? And you know how we didn't have any money to really celebrate our anniversary and we were really busy with my new-found yarn orders and all the wedding stuff and so on, and you kinda got the shaft on the trips and fun stuff this summer?

Now honestly, did you think I was going to reward you at the end of a summer like that with four days of hard work? Moreover, did you think I MYSELF would EVER take four days off work to.....work?? Come now.

Right now, you're on your way to VEGAS, BABY!!! That's right, LAS VEGAS!

AND!! Not only are you being surprised with Vegas, but you're being surprised with going to Vegas INSTEAD OF INSULATING THE ATTIC IN AUGUST. Who loves ya, baby? (Okay, and maybe it was a little mean of me to f*** with you like that, but I think you'll forgive me.)

Your bag is packed - it's in the trunk. (Yes, I remembered the camcorder.)

You'll be staying in high class accommodations (but that part's a surprise and you'll see when you get there.)

Tomorrow morning bright and early, we'll be heading off to the Grand Canyon in our Mustang convertible I've procured for a day trip.

And you were right, we ARE going to Cirque du Soleil - in Vegas! We'll be seeing the show O on Saturday night - but the rest of the trip is yours. We'll be doing whatever YOU want - this is your trip. We've been under a lot of pressure this summer, and it's been tough, but you've hung in there with me and supported me whenever I asked and I love you so much for it, so this one is all you! I know we're going to have the BEST long weekend we've ever had. We'll be home very early Monday morning - take that day for you, rest and recover, 'cuz you're back to work on Tuesday to boast and brag about your awesome wife.

(PS: That sudden weird feeling that maybe we were going to see Cirque du Soleil? You didn't really think YOU put that idea in your head, did you? Yes, all your brain is belong to me - I put thoughts there on time-release, and they sprout right when I want them to. I'm THAT GOOD.)

I'm Live!

Lookit! Here it is!

Any Minute Now....

Whee! (ETA: Er, whoops - kind of misleading. I haven't sold everything yet - I've been added to the vendor list but my stuff hasn't been uploaded for sale just yet.)

This interview thing has been going around the Bloglands, and it intrigued me, so I hit Travis up in the car on a very grown-up excursion yesterday (bedroom furniture! curtains! pillow shams!) and here are the results:

Me: What is your favorite thing about my knitting?
Travis: I enjoy seeing you create something from nothing.

Me: What is your least favorite thing about my knitting?
Travis: Oh my GOD. It is in every facet of our lives.

Me: What is something I have knitted that you recall as being good?
Travis: Everything.
Me: Nothing more specific?
Travis: My sweater, my socks, your socks - the Bellocqs, to be more specific. (Ed. note: Yes, he used the actual pattern name.)

Me: Do you think knitters have an expensive hobby?
Travis: No more expensive than anybody else. That doesn't include the knitting fanatics, though.

Me: Do you have any hobbies?
Travis: Yes.

Me: What are your hobbies?
Travis: Making you happy.
Me: Awwww.....yeah.

Me: If we compared money spent on hobbies, who would win?
Travis: You.
Me: Yeah, we both spend a lot of money on me. But I win.

Me: Has my knitting in public ever embarrassed you?
Travis: No.

Me: Do you know my favorite kind of yarn?
Travis: ....Sweet Georgia? Is that right?
Me: Hey, I do like that one. I don't know that I have a favorite, but I do love her stuff. Nicely done!

Me: Can you name another blog?
Travis: Ummm....come back to me on that one.
Me: Here's a hint: All the husbands name the same one.
Travis: Oh! Yarn Harlot. And Yarn.....Yarn Pirate....Megaknits....wait, is that her Ravelry name or blog?
Me: Blog too, yep.
Travis: I win. Wait, Wendyknits. Oh, and Aimee - what is hers?
Me: Fairieknits.
Travis: I KNEW THAT!

Me: Do you mind that I want to check out yarn stores everywhere we go?
Travis: Makes me crazy.

Me: Do you understand the importance of a swatch?
Travis: Yes.
Me: What is it?
Travis: That's your gauge for knitting the project. Lets you know how many stitches per inch for whatever that you need. (Ed. note: I think it's worth mentioning that he sounded disgusted by the question - the tone of voice had a distinct "well, DUH" quality to it.)

Me: Do you read my blog?
Travis: No.
Me: *gasp*
Travis: Well, you usually tell me all that stuff in person!

Me: Have you ever left a comment?
Travis: Yes.
Me: Without reading it?
Travis: Is the question "Have I ever read it" or "Do I read it?" 'Cuz I have read it, but I don't keep up with it.
Me: Damn literal-minded mechanically-inclined types.

Me: Do you think the house would be cleaner if I didn't knit?
Travis: Hell no, we'd both still be lazy - if it weren't knitting, it'd be some other hobby!

Me: Is there anything you would like to add in closing?
Travis: I love you.

And The Winner Is...

Michelle! Some of you were a little low, some pretty close, and some of you guessed so high I'd think you want me dead! No one got it dead on, but Michelle got the closest at 152 - off by 15. I sent 167 skeins off to Sheri for my first (I hope not last!) order - and kudos to Josiane for her guess that I kept one for myself...indeed it SHOULD have been 168 skeins, but one must have snuck by quality control at the mill, and there were some unpretty sections of it that didn't pass inspection by me, so I did indeed have to set one aside, and that's the one I'm test knitting now. (I should probably try the stuff, right?)

(Funky Salad colorway)

I'm off to San Antonio again tomorrow for the rest of the week. Any orders will ship out when I get back....I'd ask Travis to pack and ship while I'm gone, but I'm afraid he might send a free kitten with every order. (Yes, we still have the kittens. No, that was not the original plan. Central Floridians, if you know anyone on the lookout for kittens, PLEASE send them our way.)

FINALLY! NEWS!!!

I've been cryptically going on and on about how crazy it's been around here, and now I can finally open my big fat mouth! Ladies and Gentlemen, with great pleasure, I present to you, a view of the future:

YES INDEED! The YoYo is proud to announce that her offerings will soon be on proud display for your viewing purchasing pleasure at The Loopy Ewe! The yarns are on their way to stay with Loopy and will be arriving any day now - I'm so incredibly excited! You know I'll let you know the second they go live!

Here's my question for you: How many skeins did I send her? Post your guess in the comments - whoever gets closest (or hits it dead on) wins a skein of my newest nummy sportweight superwash merino/cashmere/nylon blend yarn! (Which you can view, along with some other new fun things, in the shop.) You'll have until Monday at 6:00 p.m. (Eastern) to post your guess - I'm going out of town Tuesday, so hopefully I can get your prize in the mail before I go. Take a guess and watch your email on Monday night!