Best Quote I Heard All Day
It's no good running a pig farm badly for 30 years while saying, 'Really, I was meant to be a ballet dancer.'
By then, pigs will be your style.--Quentin Crisp

I would hope that XRX has not turned into a pig farm. However, I suspect that it has.

And run badly, at that. If the magazine is any indication.

Really, Knitter's was meant to be the prima ballerina of the Knitting Universe. Unfortunately, it's devolved into a dancing pig.

A magazine managed by un-managers who fancy themselves the voices of the knitting world. And to some knitters, they are. For the majority? I wonder. I could make a comparison between the current government's rampant cronyism, lack of response to its citizens and general self-congratulatory manner and XRX. But I won't.

I find it telling that there has been scant mention of Stitches East on the major lists. That's very unusual. It's already Wednesday and people are long back from AC. I'm remembering Selma the Axe Murderess's wonderful Virtual Stitches posts on the Knit List long ago.

Joe has written some excellent suggestions on improving XRX and Stitches' woeful condition. Read them. They are just what the pig farmer ordered.

I know that I would love to see Knitter's and Stitches become viable entities once again. We criticize because, ultimately, we care. A once-wonderful magazine now a sorry rag and a once-enchanting knitting event now a dull, throbbing circus. Sad.

Rhinebeck Beckons
On a more positive note, it's little more than two weeks until Rhinebeck, aka New York State Sheep and Wool Festival, opens. This has become my highlight event of the year. And I'm working to finish the Field of Flowers shawl so I can wear it there. No doubt I'll need it, too. It's getting cooler, finally.

I have one more side to edge and then it's blocking time. The edging's points are quite curled now. But this will block out nicely. For the eddyfucation of those interested in knitting lace, I will photograph that process and publish it this week sometime. I would expect to have the edging finished by tomorrow.

Ma gave me some new-style yarn bras--see picture above. They are much finer than the old ones and come four to a package. She bought extra because she knew I'd probably want some. Saved my ass with this laceweight ball because it started to implode, as balls sometimes do. A real problem when it's fine yarn.

Heirloom Knitting
I bought this book at Stitches and it's one that I knew I wanted and needed for designing lace. It's absolutely worth every penny of the $55 price tag.

If you love lace, even if you're not interested in designing it, there are many wonderful stitch patterns within.

Flogging the Public Domain
I've ordered the new Vogue Knitting On The Go: Crocheted Hats because EVIL Kathy Merrick has several designs in the book.

Kathy does great hats. Not that I generally look terrific in hats but I do like making them. And I would like to do some more crochet. Crochet that isn't too tacky. Kathy knows exactly how to make crochet look elegant.

Of course, she's an evil bitch. But then, many of us around here are. Oh well. I guess I'm not going to discuss how I knit endlessly for charity, send prayers and hugs to the world, and house 450 stray animals.

That would diminish my continuing efforts to be rare and handy.