Monday, October 01, 2007

Hey Knitpicks, Rush This Into Production

It's a guy thing.

The first time I heard the term "yarn bra"–I think it was over at Marilyn's blog, where just about anything can happen–I blushed to the roots of my hair. Marilyn's not one to mince words, but the apparent mention of her unmentionables in a public forum still raised my eyebrows.

Now, of course, I know what a yarn bra is (peek at one here!), but I'm neither the first nor the last man to require clarification.

When I taught Willibald to knit, he found the term mightily amusing and suggested that if knitting were a male-dominated field we would instead have "yarn jock straps."

And then, when they came up in the comments about my runaway yarn on the Megabus, a non-knitting friend of mine wrote and told me he had honestly thought a "yarn bra" must be a brassière with an extra space or attachment for holding knitting yarn.

Whereupon I doodled the following in my sketchbook.

Yarn Bra

Men. We're all alike.

65 comments:

Anonymous said...

OMG - I'm still laughing at that wonderful, wonderful drawing. And it's the quintessential in joke - as it would take too much explaining to a non-knitter for it to be funny.

Best to Dolores :)

Tracey, in MI said...

if you added a leather pocket for momentary storage of DPNS ...it would be perfect.

Why leather? Well- let's just say I've learned the hard way that cleavage, while handy- is not a safe place to hold a DPN.... can you say "shish-ka-boob?"

Anonymous said...

I hadn't a clue as to what a yarn bra was/is. When I went to the link you provided, I thought the two unexpanded examples looked like freakish "yarn condoms". Don't imagine that has much marketing value for a name though.
I completley agree with robbyn.
It's like I'm finally getting the jokes that the cool kids tell. Thanks!
patrice

Unknown said...

Too Funny! I peed my pants . . . a little!

Anonymous said...

OMG! Coffee just came out my nose! Very clever.

Alwen said...

"I blushed to the roots of my hair"

. . . that must have been interesting to watch . . .

Donna Lee said...

I never heard of a yarn bra either. Learn something new everyday. I am not even going to try to explain what I was thinking before I checked out the link.

meg said...

You are too much, Franklin. I adore your sense of humor.

Jen said...

...also used around pieces of glassware that are used under pressure in labs (to contain potential explosions). I love it when people find random new uses for things like that!

Anonymous said...

Geez. I keep thinking there has to be a better name for the things! Your cartoon made me roll my eyes and snicker at the same time.

Oh, my best friend just gave me your "Knitting Kali" tote bag! It's even better in person! (My husband wants to know if she's juggling the cat).

Anonymous said...

*snort* Love the cartoon! In my knitterly newbie-ness, I had never heard this term before. Now I know that I totally need a yarn bra. And here I was putting rubber bands around the yarn ball...

I'm the BFF who gave Anna-Liza the Kali bag. It was hard not to keep it for myself!

datatech57 said...

robbyn beat me to the punch about the "quintessential in joke." I was thinking I hope you don't put that on any merchandise in the store! Way too much explaination to the muggles.

Also, I find an old knee-high nylon stocking makes a great yarn bra! Not that Franklin has any of those. Maybe he could get one from Dolores? ;-)

Ruth

amy said...

snort. Thank you for that. I'm going to be laughing all day.

Anonymous said...

(loud laughing, accompanied by a snort.)
Franklin, that is just too much! I love it!

Molly said...

This reminds me of the images some people get in their minds the first time they hear the term "ball band." Thanks for again adding cheer to my day.

Anonymous said...

Oh goddess, I needed that! Uproarious!

Teresa said...

Franklin.
You.
Are too much!!

Mel said...

I don't know that we're all alike. I would have only tried to fondle the knitting.

Anonymous said...

Oh my, that reminds me of the contraption I worked up to go with my breast pump. Who knew that bra could be a multi-tasker?

Anonymous said...

My mother never told me about this kind of Bra!!!

Cyndilou :) said...

Actually, this type of yarn bra does exist -- I can't find a link to the one I saw on someone's blog ages ago, but apparently someone had punched grommets into the front of a hot pink oversized bra for this very purpose. I can't see wearing it in public, though. :D :D

dragon knitter said...

WHAT HAIR!

that really made me giggle, (actually, the shout of laughter made both cats bolt, and both sons come charging out of the video game room to check on me!)

shyknitter said...

Yarn bra huh? In Ontario at the LCBO (Liquor Control Board of Ontario) that is what they put bottles of wine or spirits in. Maybe they call them a booze bra?

Cindy G said...

Aw, come on. I was really hoping for a picture of the yarn jock strap.

Anonymous said...

I almost dropped dead laughing when I read this....love it love it love it!! You are killing me!!

Anonymous said...

"Men, we're all alike."

Not true Franklin, because you are truly one of a kind. That was absolutely hilarious. :-)

Marin (AntiM) said...

I'm beginning to feel my bra isn't doing nearly enough.

You've got me musing on a Swiss Army Bra.

T said...

(shaking head) Can't get the picture of a yarn jock out of my head....

Dr. Steph said...

And they keep you warm in the winter.

Love the cartoon.

Amy said...

I am crying right now because your cartoon has me laughing so very hard. But I'm in a public place to I can't. But tears are literally rolling down my cheeks. I just want you to know that.

Anonymous said...

Oh my word. I am clutching my pearls and giggling my ass off.

I cut up my old fishnets for yarn bras. HEE.

Anonymous said...

So THAT was Victoria's Secret. Huh.

Anonymous said...

snort guffaw whoot whoot...

geez, franklin...thanks for making my monday!

it reminds me of the bullet bras in "austin powers".

Anonymous said...

That's funny....last week, I met up with a knitty friend of mine who is, um, well endowed in the uppermost area of her body. She was happily knitting a sock as we walked around NYC. Then I realized....she didn't have a knitting bag...and I followed the yarn thread...and it was coming from between her boobies where she had somehow pinned the ball down. I think she beat KnitPicks to it.

OceanKnitter said...

Oh my gosh, Cyndilou! I saw the same photo of that real yarn brassiere on someone's website long ago, too! The inventor had put a grommet on each cup and used it for Fair Isle knitting. She had worn it to some knitting retreat, over her clothing, and people were agog (and possibly aghast). I wish I could remember where I saw it -- it was hilarious.

Kristen said...

guffaw, cackle, howl, titter, gasp, snort, gasp

Oh, oh, oh my god! You are too precious!

Cindy in (un) Happy Valley said...

Actually, wouldn't it be yarn condoms if it were invented by men.....?

Now I have to clean up the water that came out my nose onto my desk, from that cartoon. Thanks a bunch!!

You're so twisted, but in a really good way!

Anonymous said...

I should know better by now than to drink anything in front of the computer while reading Franklin.

Luckily diet coke isn't sticky. Do keyboards dry overnight?

Anonymous said...

I've seen the photo of the real yarn bra too, she was wearing a bra with yarn stuffed in it over her shirt. I'm not sure if it started as a joke and she ended up regularly using it, or if it was 100% joke and just worn to a knitting event for laughs (but I think it was the former).

Mary said...

Very, very funny!

I recently blogged about a yarn bra I made:
http://snitnknit.blogspot.com/2007/09/resourcefulness.html

Anonymous said...

I just thought I'd mention that I'm not seeing any requests from commenters for this cartoon to be on a T-shirt.

Terri said...

I am afraid I will have remain yarn braless...

Snarled Yarns said...

Not true about the In joke. My husband doesn't knit and he found it just as funny as I did...Course that might be just because he's a guy.
Knit on!

abbenormal said...

Hee-larious! I've certainly dropped my yarn into my cleavage before but that looks much more sturdy :)

And don't go buying any yarn bras. Just go get some cherry tomatoes in the stretchy plastic mesh. It holds the yarn better and makes a tasty salad.

Sandy said...

must have that on my wall!

Twisted Knitter said...

OMG! Price.Less!

Unknown said...

Great. Now I have to sponge coffee out of my keyboard. Thank you Franklin for another hilarious cartoon. :)

Carson said...

Love the drawing :)
But as for the $3.40 for one of those?! They're just the net bags they use for fruit -no pun intended ;)-
which are like...free!
That's so cheeky.
Amazing what people will buy.

Anonymous said...

oh, holy #($*& - that is too funny!

janna said...

You are such a goofball! (And you still have hair roots that can blush?)

Anonymous said...

I was reading through the comments before saying that I had to have that cartoon on a tee shirt when I saw Ted's comment about no one wanting it on a shirt! Well, I do...

Unknown said...

Oh, that's a good one. Bravo! I hope someday you compile a book of all your sketch works. Probably Dolores would get a book just on her own. ;-)

SoapDoc said...

ROFLMAO!

SandyK said...

OMG! Hubster happened to be sitting behind me when the cartoon scrolled into view. The smart a** said he had a couple extra funnels in the garage and if I had some elastic he'd make me one. Still haven't decided if I wanted to hug him or smack him! Sent him off to bed instead.

ps.. Make friends with your friendly florist and ask them to save the nets off the flowers for you. They'll be glad not to have to deal with them and you'll be rolling in yarn bras.

Chelsea said...

That is so hilarious! Great 'toon, Franklin! :) Thanks for the morning laugh.

roxie said...

You gifted, wonderful man! Thanks for the laugh!

Carrie said...

LOL - Too funny!

Anonymous said...

Terrific cartoon!

I use the plastic mesh bags off of cellophane noodles (aka "Chinese vermicelli") for Yarn Bras...can't beat the price

dpaste said...

I so wish I understood the joke here.

Anonymous said...

Phhht! Brilliant. I would buy this on a t-shirt (or on flimsy little cami to be worn behind closed doors). Thanks for a much-needed chortle.

Anonymous said...

It never ceases to amaze me on how alike you are to each other, and how so not like us. Viva la difference! Thanks for a knitting cartoon he will actually laugh at!

Seanna Lea said...

I love the cartoon. I dragged one of my non-knitting coworkers over and she had a good laugh once she could focus past the idea of boobs with strings attached.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the vote of confidence! Bob is very excited about this new project. :)

Kelley Petkun
Knit Picks

Unknown said...

Great thoughts you got there, believe I may possibly try just some of it throughout my daily life.

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