no subject

[firecat]

The etiquette I learned in my culture of origin makes me squirm at the LJ custom of posting one's gift wish list to one's journal (which isn't a judgement on people who do it, it's a statement about me) but this is too funny to pass up.

porcinea memes,
If there is someone on your friends list who you would like to have go buy a really nice skein of yarn for you, post this exact same sentence in your journal.

I have the beginnings of a stash of really nice single skeins of yarn and I'm trying to figure out what to do with them. I guess I could produce a weird patchwork garment. Or maybe annoy my cat by making a lot of little sweaters for her.

Comments

[kightp.livejournal.com]

*grin* I like the meme.

What would you think of the idea of a skein swap? Everybody sends in a skein of something interesting they haven't found a use for and receives back a skein somebody else sent in?

I've been contemplating organizing such a thing for a select number of my LJ friends, on the theory that it might jump-start our creativity...

On the "what do I do with all these single skeins front," I've seen some very nice triangular shawls and rectangular wraps that were knit side-to-side in plain old garter stitch, starting from the top and working down, with a new piece of yarn every row; the ends are left loose and tied into fringe. Randomize the yarns you use, and include some novelty yarns with interesting textures, and you wind up with a rather wonderful striping. Color-coordinate or not, as you desire.

[firecat]

I kinda like the idea of a skein swap. And how about a small community devoted to results of same? I like the existing communities for fiber arts on LJ but they're so busy I don't have time to keep up with them.

I have a book that shows how to make a scarf using the technique you describe. Hadn't thought of doing a shawl that way - good idea!

[kightp.livejournal.com]

I'm e-mailing you about the swap idea. (-:

My ruana, which still needs some finishing work (finishing is my downfall!) was made via that technique, although using just three different yarns, and I love the way it turned out. More yarns would be even more fun, and I'm thinking it could be a great way to use up some skein-ends from other projects, too ...

[sistercoyote.livejournal.com]

I think finishing is everyone's downfall. :) I might be interested in this, as well.

[kalmn.livejournal.com]

i want in on the skein swap thing! me me me! uh, i'm busy moving and dealing with the aftermath of same until middecember, but i am sooo excited!

[vito-excalibur.livejournal.com]

-gasp- You said ruana! Nobody but Colombians ever calls them that!

[kightp.livejournal.com]

*laugh*

Colombians, knitters and old hippies, maybe. I've known "ruana" as the term for that particular shaped cape-like garment since the '60s, and one features prominently in Interweave's Folk Shawls pattern book ...

[nex0s.livejournal.com]

do you two (or anyone else for that matter) want to join my skein swap? it's a bit different than kightp's idea. details here (http://www.livejournal.com/users/nex0s/394073.html).

n.

[firecat]

Thanks for the invite - it's more than I want to spend right now, but if it works maybe you'll do a repeat performance sometime I'm not feeling so impecunious...