Yeehaw

Steer Riding, Cowtown Rodeo, March 2005
Originally uploaded by panopticon.

You Go, Girl

Here's another shot from the Ft. Worth Rodeo, one I feel rather confident the TGRA people will be pleased with.

That is, just so you know, a woman showing the bucking steer who's boss. We at The Panopticon are all about gender equality.

Yarn Store Review

Knitter's Niche (see yesterday's entry if you give a damn) was worth the visit. The shop isn't large, but I like it.

Yarns run the price gamut from modest to yikes, with nothing too cheap (no Lion Brand, no Red Heart). I found exactly what I wanted for my hat and scarf - four skeins of blue and gray in a wool/acrylic blend. (Yeah, I know. But I don't want to have to handwash them, and 100% wool makes my head itch. Bite me.)

They have a small selection of needles, notions, and patterns, but it was more than enough to satisfy my modest needs.

The notoriously scary owner wasn't in. The lady who waited on me was extremely pleasant. After politely asking if she could help me, she left me alone until I was ready to check out.

The atmosphere was cozy, and the scarf class (you need a class to make a scarf?) going on the back sounded like it was having fun. I'm on the mailing list now. I'll be interested to see what sort of classes they offer, even though I'm usually a learn-it-myself sort of person.

So, I survived. However, Jon, do you think I could get a lesson in walking the yarn shop walk when you're in town for Stitches? Pretty please?

Celebrity Knitting

The nice yarn shop lady and I commiserated over that poncho Martha Stewart was wearing in that photograph - you know the one I mean.

She says people have been clamoring for the pattern. Pattern? Please. It doesn't look like it was knitted, it looks like it was regurgitated. Even for a poncho, it's a washout.

Lo, the power of celebrity to sell anything.

On a related note, the scarf class women were also twittering about Keanu Reeves being spotted with a knitted Love Token from some actress around his neck. They all want the pattern.

Oy.

My First Three-Way

No, not that kind. I've never knitted anything on double-pointed needles, to that was last night's adventure as I progressed on the London beanie.

It wasn't exactly a barrel of fun at first, but I have to say the phobia some people have about them escapes me. Yes, there is a danger of stitches slipping off. So use point protectors. What's the big deal?

Of course, it's not like I've finished a project with them, so perhaps there's a dreadfully tricky passage awaiting me down the line. You sage masters who might be reading this - anything I should be careful about?