There's a yarn store on my way home from work--I pass by literally every day, but I almost never go there because other stores in the area have a better selection, and they can be unfriendly. Well, today takes the cake. I went in with certain yarn requirements in mind, but the store is not laid out by fiber or weight so I had to look around (plus I just wanted to squish some stuff). There was this woman who was kind of under my feet the whole time, who I later realized was an employee. It just occurred to me that she was following me around the store. There were other customers--okay, it was one or two little old ladies--and this woman apparently decided that I was a shoplifting risk! I didn't have a tote bag with me or anything--what, was I going to shove a skein in my purse?! (Okay, I guess there was room, but that's beside the point.) Not only that, but when I checked out they were extremely unfriendly. As God is my witness, I am NEVER shopping in that store again. This is fricking ridiculous. In fact, I bought some size 0 dpns that I don't need for this project, and they are going back to that store TOMORROW. At one point, one of the other employees (manager?) asked me if I was finding everything okay. She had to ask twice, since she'd come up behind me and I didn't hear her (hello, bum ear), and when I did turn around she had this awful look on her face like I was unpleasant in her eyes. I had come from my office job--I wasn't exactly wearing dirty sweatpants. Ugh, I am just beyond PISSED. Although...I do have to say, the yarn is lovely--not anything rare, but very nice (and also secret, for now). Granted, if I hadn't already started swatching I would return it, too...

Rant over. Here's one of Mark's finished socks:


It's a plain stockinette sock, toe-up; I used Judy's Magic Cast On and a short-row heel. He likes them, and no longer thinks the yarn looks purple.

Here are the socks I just finished for myself (Elfine's Socks):


I made the leg a bit longer than I meant to (these were also toe-up), so it's a little snugger than I would've liked. I haven't washed or worn them yet, though, so maybe the patterm will relax a bit. If not, I may frog an inch or two and do a ribbed cuff instead.

So I was going to crochet this Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired afghan for our bed, but after crocheting a test square I realized it was going to take close to 40 skeins of Caron Simply Soft. Can you imagine? I decided instead to make one of these.


I have four more squares done; I'm doing four together as suggested on Mason-Dixon Knitting, so I can minimize seaming (basically you pick up half the stitches for your new square from the cast-on row from a previous square). Still, at my gauge I'll need to knit 81 squares. So I have 7.4%* of the squares done. Then the sewing, then a border, which I will probably crochet... Well, I should be done well before next fall. The mitered squares are great TV knitting. The eight colors and all their combinations are Mark-approved, which is a miracle...

This weekend my parents came up to deliver my great-grandmother's baby grand to a storage locker we've rented (they're having carpet installed this week in preparation for selling their house). Once we buy a house (which will hopefully be soon (!!!) since we'll finally be meeting with our financial planner on Saturday) we'll have it put back together and begin the protracted process of making it moderately playable again. It will never be concert-quality again, and that's fine--but I would like to get it in good enough shape to be able to use it for my meager purposes (i.e. vocal lines, harmonies and very simple stuff--I'm a pretty mediocre player, so I won't be attempting any concertos). I only hope it's actually worth shaping up. It has been sorely neglected since my great-grandmother died in 1992--I doubt it's been tuned once since then, and my parents actually left it in their garage (disassembled) for more than a few months, which I am still angry about. I know there's a crack in the soundboard (which is apparently not a big deal), and the strings and hammers will probably all have to be replaced. I hope there's nothing else wrong... Also, it will apparently take several tuning sessions--and maybe a year's time!--before it can be brought up to the proper pitch. I have no idea how much this will cost. I guess even if it's not worth bringing up to playing, it's still a family heirloom, the delight of my wonderful great-grandmother--and plus it's an antique (made of mahogany, with scrollwork and ivory keys) made by a good New York maker. I don't know how good I feel about a half-ton knickknack holder, but what could we do?

*Edited: I made an algebra mistake! On my blog, for all to see! Oh the shame... Anyway, this is the corrected number.