Avoidance therapy

I beg your pardon for going AWOB (Absent Without Blog) yesterday. It was a long and dodgy day and there was syrup in my hair for much of it. (I do not want to discuss how the syrup came to be in my hair, how long it was there, or what happens if you have syrup in your hair and then talk on the phone and get the phone stuck in the syrup. It was bad enough to live it.)

It took until about 6:30 last night for me to figure out that I had been specially selected to be the universes cat toy, and that the syrup in the hair was going to be the most positive thing that happened to me. Every once in a while the planet sets out to test me and sets into motion a law of physics. Yesterday’s choice was “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction” You know how that works, don’t you? Here’s a good example. I washed a load of laundry (action) then brought the clean towels upstairs and set them on the floor. I was so pleased with myself that I attempted to celebrate with a cup of coffee. I reached for the pot, fumbled somehow and the entire pot of coffee was poured onto the clean towels. (Opposite reaction) More? Wash the bathroom floor – discover a science project (Dear God, let it be a science project) in your teenagers room. Write 800 words – the printer commits suicide and the file evaporates. (Do not tell me that computers are not sentient. The evidence just doesn’t support it.) I’m pleased to report that today appears to be much better…though I did eat chocolate for breakfast and am planning on making few “actions” in case the “reaction” theme is still on the menu.

Considering my role in the world yesterday, I decided that the MSF mittens and I should go on “break”. I will not be revealing the status or location of the mittens until I am certain that the world is done with exacting it’s revenge with sticky or staining liquids. Instead, I worked on a new sweater.

This is a kit from “Sweater kits” and I really like it. You will note that the variegated yarn, despite there being no attempts made by me to avoid it, is not pooling, flashing or screwing around with any sort of annoying wool shenanigans. You can guess how this makes me feel, but we will not speak of anything positive happening to ensure that I’m not going to be punished. You may also note that the sweater has a clever little hem, which I would have sewn up, had part of yesterday not involved the planet removing every single stinking wool needle from the entire house.

Greenstart

As an additional tactic to avoid bringing the MSF mittens into the spiral of disaster, I’m knitting a pink hat.

This is my own handspun, and I’m experiencing mixed feelings. I’m very drawn to this pink, but am dealing with emotional issues around it. Am I the only one who sometimes feels inexplicably anti-feminist when using pink? Discuss.

Pink

Thank you gifts continue to flood toward all of you, and no wonder. Seen the total? The draw for gifts of appreciation is going to be huge. I’ve given up logging the gifts ahead of time, there are too many, and Mr. Washie and I are feeling the strain of separation on our relationship. I’ll show they to you as they go to their new homes. Donations will continue to be entered into the draw for gifts until I have finished the mittens- of- which- we- shall- not- speak.

You guys make me think that there is hope for humanity. If the kindness, decency and compassion exhibited by this group of knitters was shown by the rest of the world…the possibilities boggle the mind.

100 thoughts on “Avoidance therapy

  1. Dearest Harlot,
    When I was a teenager I refused to wear anything pink on the grounds that I was a girl and therefr tough and not int “girly” things. I’ve now decided that, being grown up (kind of), I can wear whatever I darn well please, and so I wear my pretty pink clothing and am happy to be a girl.

  2. Darn I thought I’d make it to first on the comments list.
    The sweater looks fabu. I’m loving the pink handspun too.
    The dollar total is breathtaking… bravo to all!

  3. Steph, I was so worried for you yesterday. I see *now* that I was right to be.
    Pink is indeed a “girlie” colour. My daughter absolutely refuses to wear pink. I think it is a beautiful colour and if I didn’t look so hideous in pink, I’d wear it.
    Good luck re-establishing your relationship with Mr. Washie. If I were you, I’d avoid him for another day or so. Just until the universe is done using you as a cat toy.

  4. Pink? I love pink. I’m wearing pink today. I’d be happy to wear pink every day but other people might begin to question my sanity. And the green sweaterkit is truly gorgeous. I wouldn’t dream of asking about the mittens – it’s completely understandable.

  5. No, it’s anti-feminist to NOT use/wear pink! (Unless you just don’t like it, of course.) Saying it’s anti-feminist to wear pink is like saying knitting is anti-feminist. It’s buying into the devaluation of things traditionally associated with women. Knit your pink hat proudly!

  6. Stephanie, this morning I was ordering some Morehouse Merino to make the wrist warmers by (yes!) Nancy Bush in the newest issue of Piecework. My fingers hovered longingly over the pale pink — and yet, when it came time to click the key, I chose the blue. IOW, I know exactly what you mean.

  7. Dear Harlot, I’m so sorry about your bad day! I think there is something in the air because bad days have been abounding the past couple days w/me & friends. Read my blog entry from yesterday titled “I’m Moving On…” if you want the whole scoop.

  8. The problem isn’t with pink, the problem is with any “traditonally feminine” association being automatically downgraded as unimportant, weak, or less valuble than things with masculine associations. If pink is for girls, and girls are as good as boys, than pink is another fine color to choose from. It’s my favorite color.

  9. Missed you yesterday, but it’s probably best that you didn’t blog. Computers and syrup don’t mix well (or at least I’m guessing they don’t). I know how you feel about pink. I used to feel that way, but now I prefer to embrace my femininity (sp?). I like to think that it provges that I can be girly and pink and still kick ass :). But I know others who don’t feel the way I do. Either way, I LOVE the pink. And if you don’t end up liking it I happen to know a pink-a-holic who would be thrilled with something that pretty and pink (ME!).

  10. $47,399?!!!!! unbelievable. i heard a guy on cbc talking about his work with msf (m for medecins, not mittens!) today and it made me really happy to think of all the money you have helped raise for them. they are doing such a remarkable thing really.
    now, to the pink: don’t kid us, you know you’re not going to wear that hat 😉 i have an odd relationship with pink as well ~ i secretly love it but think i shouldn’t. discuss indeed. i think being a feminist should allow for being feminine, especially when it’s as pretty a pink as your handspun!

  11. Yes, but pink + orange = hipster coolness (just check with Nipperknits and Needles on Fire – as soon as the latter gets her act together).

  12. What’s with the antifeminist crap? I thought feminism was supposed to be about allowing a woman to express herself in the manner that she deemed suitable for herself, not by someone else’s standards? For Harlot’s sake, *dye* yourself pink if that turns you on!
    Welcome back!

  13. I will admit to being uneasy about pink, despite the previous posters’ completely logical comments about it. I knit a pink sweater for my niece for Christmas and I felt compelled to explain to those who saw me knitting something pink that it’s for a 4 year old, it is her favorite color, and arguing with 4 year olds is fruitless. The logical bit of my brain realizes this is silly, but often it is the illogical bit of my brain that is in control.
    I’m thrilled at the donations total–yes, perhaps there is hope for humanity!

  14. I tend to think of “girly” pinks as being more of the candy variety – cotton candy, taffy, bubblegum, etc. That pink is more of a Tahitian Sunset variegated pink. Or maybe striated is a better word. Anyway, it would only be anti-femenist if you wore it while vacuuming and wearing high heels and purls. Don’t worry. 🙂

  15. My love for pink is definitely in the closet.
    Black is the new and forever pink as far as I’m concerned. When in need of some shocking pink, pick dark green or beige.
    We nevertheless have someone going through her “pink stage” in the house, so any secret urges to get/make something pink may be taken out on her. It would probably be most appreciated. Although she proclaimed this afternoon that her new doll need a *yellow* handbag!?!?!? Where on earth did that come from?

  16. My love for pink is definitely in the closet.
    Black is the new and forever pink as far as I’m concerned. When in need of some shocking pink, pick dark green or beige.
    We nevertheless have someone going through her “pink stage” in the house, so any secret urges to get/make something pink may be taken out on her. It would probably be most appreciated. Although she proclaimed this afternoon that her new doll need a *yellow* handbag!?!?!? Where on earth did that come from?

  17. Stephanie – every topic you open for discussion brings results.
    I am thrilled that so many Harloteers love pink. It has always been my favourite colour.
    Of course, when the other 200 or so Harloteers post their comments, there may be a change in the pro-pink sentiment.
    Don’t blame the universe for yesterday’s events. That’s all the significence they contain – yesterday’s events.
    If the universe were inclined to zap its inhabitants, I doubt it would choose someone who has led a very successful fund-raising campaign, for a very worthy cause.
    Send your towels to my house for stain removal and a re-wash. It’s the least I can do.

  18. So is one of your ways to make bad actions so that the opposite (good) action comes back to you to torment us by showing us that gorgeous green yarn (that would SO match my eyes) and NOT tell us WHICH kit it is?
    I hope they were at least darkish towels. And that it was good maple syrup (which I’ve found in my hair on more occasions than I would like to admit only because I finally figured out why the cats were being so affectionate to my hair.)

  19. Go for the pink — express that feminine feminist side for fun and frivolity (OK enough aliteration!).
    Congrats to all on the increasing tally — so many wonderful, generous people in the world doing good on the grassroots level. Namaste.

  20. Being a redhead, I tend to avoid pink like it was the plague. Yet my walls, beds, even socks are splashed with it. I even made myself and a few other pink scarves this year (they were in the special breast cancer awarness issue of Knitty-they HAD to be pink). However, hubby and I have noticed a (disturbing?) trend of men wearing pink, especially young men. Not just a little pink-men in pink hats, shirts and shoes-all at the same time. In fact, at Target yesterday, I was purposely strolling the men’s dept just to look at all the pink in their spring line. Hmmm-who says pink is just for girly-girls anymore? In fact, it now seems a gender friendly color. Don’t get me wrong, I think any one should wear any color they chose without being rediculed for it. But I can barely stand to dress my daughter in pink; there is no way in hell I am putting it on my son. Pretty colors in the hat though.
    Glad today is going better. I did not mean to laugh. Much. Awesome total too. BTW, it is 50 DEGREES here in MICHIGAN-what the hell?

  21. I have always loved pink, as do my girls. A few years ago, my kids (the boys too!) used to fight over whose turn it was to use the hot pink Tupperware plate (we also had green, orange, yellow, blue, and a white sparkly color called “fireworks”, none of which were ever fought for). They laugh about it now, but I notice the pink is still the most used plate for snacks and sandwiches. My 110lb daughter is the only girl on her Bantam (13-14yo) ice hockey team. She is one of the better players on the defensive line, loves to check the (usually) larger boys off the puck, is always in the midst of the action around the net to protect her goalie, and very often has a pink or lavender tank top under her jersey (sweater for you hockey purists!) If she could find them, she would have hot pink laces in her skates. She also paints her nails with sparkly polish, knits, gets all A’s in advanced classes, plays Barbie with her little sister, and rock climbs. My oldest daughter wears pointy-toed pink stilleto heels with a mini-skirt and drives a fork-lift. (‘Tho not at the same time). I guess I don’t think pink and anti-feminist are linked. Good luck with the syrup thing. I just washed syrup AND pancake chunks out of my 4yo’s hair and sticky melted popsicle off of the bottom of my foot.

  22. I just had to write today to say how wonderful it is to see the generosity of others! Well done on raising so much money!
    As for pink…. well, I was a teen in the eighties and the varying degrees of neon pink did serious damage.

  23. When logic and psychology arm wrestle, logic loses, so let’s try another tack. If you actually are “very drawn to” that pink, think about the Code Pink women who use pink to protest this stupid-ass war, and wear your hat with panache. Like the Norwegians wearing their red hats in WWII until the Nazis had to forbid it, this could be a Statement (and, as everyone points out, perfectly feminist to boot.)

  24. My 20-year-old daughter, voted girl in her graduating year most likely to take over the world, wears pink high-top Converse All-Stars. Boys think this is cute–when she’s queen empress, they won’t know what hit them.
    The TSF total is amazing. I can’t imagine how you find the time to tally it up and write your thank-yous. Please, don’t forget to breathe.

  25. …and I thought I was the only one who ends up having to make a special trip to get darning needles because none of the twenty or so I own can ever be found until I no longer need them 🙂

  26. Pink is an extraordinarily popular color. There are so many pink yarns, and knitters always go for them. It is perenially cheerful and young. I used to wear pink, but somewhere around my 35th birthday suddenly decided it wasn’t for me. Much to my surprise, ten years later, my favorite Christmas gift this year was a pair of Pink Converse high tops from my daughter, which are such fun. I feel that her giving me these denotes a certain “cool” vibe which I did not suspect that she felt pertained to me. Imagine my delight! So, sometimes pink will surprise you, and I like the way the hat looks, very much.

  27. I am definitely feminist, and live by the rule “Wear something pink and eat something green every day.” Maybe if it were spelled differently you would feel less anti-feminist about it. How about “pynque”? Or better yet, “pync”, as in “sync”, as in wymyn united in syncronicity and power?

  28. Confident women wear pink and any other color they damn well please.
    That’s just what I think anyway.
    Your handspun is beautiful, and I love love love the new sweater yarn. Fabulous colors and neat (future) hem! I got a spinning wheel for Christmas and am really enjoying it – but still having a bit of trouble with consistency.

  29. Light pink is the colour of Breast Cancer Awareness, it is our duty to wear it with hope.
    Bright pink is the colour that says either: 1) Check out the flower power stickers that say I’m a liberated hippie chick; or 2) Check out the pink beads they put on my braids in Cancun!!
    OK, I put the stickers on my banana bike, and had no idea what I was supposed to be liberated from. My hair was too short for beads.
    Pink and orange together could be called tropical if it was not on a cold weather garment, but it still looks wonderful!

  30. Sorry about the syrup, amazed and thrilled at the MSF $$$$, and in love with variegated yarn, esp that which spreads its wings properly. Pink is a beautiful color; the mountains here in Tucson turn pink when the sun sets and I am always thinking that I would love some yarn in “that” pink, but then the next night the pink is different and even more beautiful. Your hat yarn is lovely.

  31. I hated pink for years. Because I had a daughter in the early 80’s and got sick of all the pink.
    This past year I’ve jumped head first into the pink bandwagon. I’m even making a hot magenta/chocolate hat and bag to go with my chocolate coat and magenta gloves.
    Hey maybe if you call it magenta you’ll feel less anxiety 😉

  32. I feel the same conflict about pink… I don’t want to be a “wimpy girl”, but then there’s nothing wrong with being a “girl”! I have a lovely pink vest that spends most of it’s time hiding in my closet. When I am brave enough to wear it, I usually wear it over a navy blue turtleneck to counteract the pink… and then worry that I have no fashion sense.
    Your yarn needle story reminds me of a lock de-icer story with my parents. One day their car door locks were frozen, and they couldn’t find the de-icer anywhere. So my dad had to stand out there with our wimpy hair dryer until he could get the car door open. They bought several bottles of de-icer at the grocery store, to put in all of the many places they had looked. On the way out of the store, my dad takes one of the bottles, and says “Here, I’ll put one in my inside coat pocket, so we’ll have it when we need it, wherever we are”… he reaches into his pocket, and what does he find?
    Ever since then, when I’m looking for something, I pretend I’m putting it away where I won’t lose it. 😉

  33. I think resisting pink is succumbing to the idea in society that men are superior and women must emulate them (we are allowed to wear suits but a man wearing a skirt? not acceptable. i think this is a [subconscious or otherwise] reflection of how people aspire to be masculine but not feminine, and the logical conclusion from this is that masculinity is somehow “better”). So I say embrace the pink:)

  34. I’m not a pink person, but my daughter is. Her closet looks like an explosion in a Pepto-Bismol factory. So our relative degrees of pinkness average out to a happy medium. She wears the Very Pink and I wear the Non Pink.
    I have this niggling worry — how will the shipping of all the fantastic thank you gifts be accomplished? Did I miss something? We cannot let the Harlot pay/do all the shipping…

  35. My mom knitted a pink hat to match a coat we purchased for my 6 year old daughter. Well, she wasn’t using a pattern and it came out rather large. She had enough yarn to start another and she thought she’d just have to unravel some of the big hat.
    In the end she had about a foot left over. Lo and behold my daughter and I both have cotton candy colored hats.

  36. First of all, let me say that I love pink, in all of it’s shades. In fact, the sweater I am wearing at the moment is in various shades of rose and burgundy. But I digress. My main reason for commenting was because I, also, have a syrup-in-the-hair-involving-a-phone story. No kidding.
    I’m like 7 years old, and I’ve just slept over at my friend’s house. We are sitting at her breakfast table, enjoying waffles, and I politely ask her mom for corn syrup on mine. Please consider the fact that I am of Scandanavian descent, and therefore have baby-fine straight blonde hair. Anyway, she picks up the syrup (minus the lid), when the phone rings. She answers it, and moves to cradle it between her head and shoulder. This movement causes her elbow and wrist to move in sympathy, thus slowly tipping the corn syrup bottle directly over my head. My friend screamed “Mom!!” but it was too late. I therefore spent 30 min in the shower, trying to wash it out. Her Mom STILL cringes about this story, 13 years later.

  37. There ARE days when it is easy to be paranoid, aren’t there. I am trying not to give into the idea that it’s my turn today. I’ve been stood up by 4 clients this week, and would MUCH rather be at home knitting (going to try some those two sided valentine potholders on about.com because once I get the technique down they’ll be quick…) or at least preparing for the class I’m taching tomorrow. Instead, I am wondering what is on my diet for lunch, where to get it, and whether I’ll be able to stay awake in my afteroon meeting.
    Re: Pink
    Pink makes me look healthy and nordic. So I wear it as much as possible. (Actually it’s an almost salmon color… the pastels just look wan). I think it used to be fussy, feminine and stereotypical. My husband likes HIS cranberry polo and his raspberry granita colored one.
    I have a theory. “Girls” (or grrrls, if you prefer) are biologically destined to like pink so that they diaper and wash little pink asses rather than kick them. Boys are biologically destined to like gray pinstripe, because, um, it looks like the elephant and zebra hides they should be hunting or gathering.
    And if you think I have any scientific data for THESE theories, send money to support my research.

  38. I understand your problems with pink…. I’ve never liked that one either.. too girly for me…. The idea of having to put little girlbabies in pink -“because she is a girl, but you would never do it to a boy”… to be followed by the princess-barbie-“your-most-important-task-in-this-life-is-to-look-sexy”-pinkieness that is sold to the little girls later, gives me the creep. That is antifeminist!!
    However last year an knitexchange-pall, who didnt know me, send a pair of pink mittens, and I love them.. even though they are pink… But then I do wear them with a pilot sheepskin jacket… It all depends..
    IDA

  39. May your syrup cling only to your waffles, and may your coffee pass effortlessly from mug to mouth, not even a drop teetering toward that lovely pile of washed towels.
    800 words. Oy vey. I wouldn’t have been so graceful about that kind of loss. That’s a half a day’s work over here.

  40. I once had a male teacher who wore a salmon pink shirt and matching socks. It wasn’t the hugeness of pink that got to us (and this was in 1994 where it wasn’t the fad for men to wear pink). It was rather the fashion mistake of matching the shirt and socks when in such a glaringly bright color.
    What I really wanted to say is thanks for the MSF challenge. Really astounding results like these can be achieved with your huge fan base. You’re definitely using the power for good. It may appeal to your competitive nature that you’ve received more donations than when wilwheaton.net did a fundraiser http://www.wilwheaton.net/mt/archives/001627.php . Yes, the former Wesley Crusher in Star Trek TNG turned superpowerful blogger, writer, and still an actor. Okay, it is horrible horrible to compare donation totals. But still. Look at the power of superbloggers! My own blog post about taking the harlot MSF challenge probably reached four entities. Maybe I can make my dog look at it to increase it to five.

  41. Is the hat for yourself, Stephanie? Because I admire pink as much as the others, but I’m just remembering something you said before about hats making you look phallic. . .

  42. WOW! I find the total to be absolutely ASTOUNDING! Actually,I thought that 10K was astounding, but I am really just floored at this point! Who would have ever dreamed?!

  43. I’ve never liked pink!
    Not because it is “girly” but because it is such an ugly colour. Nice primary colours for me baby.
    Ida – I think Barbie has moved away from the whole “girls can do anything” role model to the “I want to buy it all!” consumer princess. Thank god my nieces never fell under her pink plastic spell.
    Martha – I’ve been worried about Harlot having to mail this stuff out too. But then I’ve also been considering exactly how to get a “thank you” gift to her.

  44. To pink or not to pink? Get over it. It’s just a color. Fucksake. Unless it’s pepto-pink, I love it in flowers, like it in decorating (sometimes) love it on other people, even love it on me if it’s salmony/orangey pink. Definitely no labels — feminist/anti-feminist — bleh. “But do I have an opinion?” you might ask.

  45. I love the new sweater wool! Fantastic colours. I also think the wool you dyed is very pretty, but I have a problem with pink. I can’t stand it usually. I hate that people put their little girls all in pink, and that lego is making “gender” coloured lego blocks. What was wrong with the red/blue/yellow/white blocks when I was growing up! I would have been offended at receiving pink blocks as a child! But your pink is very pretty, I like the subtle yellows, and shades in it. If it had been straight pink I would have been very disappointed.

  46. The use of pink does not make me feel more or less feminine. Those close to me who understand the obsession more clearly would know that the particular shade of fuschia that I am so in love with is very much pink. But that has more to do with my OCD nature, than the femininity factor.
    The next step is what you’re going to do when it hits $50k.

  47. Stephanie dear: Anyone who can raise that much money in a week for charity can wear any heckdarn color she pleases whenever she pleases however she pleases.
    That said: I know that even though I’ve had “male” jobs (tech grrrl) previously, I always felt like I got less backtalking sass on the days when I dressed “male” versus the days when I dressed “female”. However, it also seemed that folks made more eye contact with me and listened to me more carefully when I wore makeup and lipstick than on days when I went barefaced.
    Gender stereotypes are very powerful, and still mostly unconscious. All we can do is to keep challenging them–so y’all wear whatever makes you feel good, pink or blue, male or female, and if someone is discourteous enough to misbehave about it, then it says more about them than it says about y’all.
    Re: shipping for thank-you gifts: My assumption, when I offered to donate an item, was that I would hold onto the goodie until Steph emailed me the name and email addy of the lucky winner. Then I would ship it myself. I don’t think Steph should have to pay ANY of the shipping costs or go to all that work herself. If more donations are needed for those costs, Stephanie, then PLEASE LET US KNOW AND WE WILL HELP. (You know we will.)
    The total made me gasp this morning.

  48. What Norma said, and then some. I’m wearing a pink breast cancer bracelet right now. Think Pink! It’s just as feminist as any other color.

  49. I love the green of the sweater-like a tropical island somewhere. I was always ambivalent about pink (I was a tomboy and pink was girly) then my Swedish grandmother told me how much she liked me in pink against my blond hair. So I wore it for her.
    I’m wearing a rose coloured maternity shirt today and feel wonderfully womanly (but that’s all about the baby belly!) and earth goddessy.
    I plan to donate to MSF and Sal. Army if payday ever comes. (This outfit pays us for January the second week of December. That’s six weeks without a check!).
    My biggest feminist woe was dithering about buying my niece an Easy Bake oven. Would I be pandering to outdated female stereotypes? I consulted my sister. She said she has that sort of problem frequently but bottom line my niece would (and did) love her easy bake oven. Of course, my nephew is the cook in that family now so I guess my sister has been doing something right.

  50. “Instead I worked on a new sweater.” That’s the best sentiment I’ve read in all blogdom today. I may even have to start out my post with that line today. Life would be much better if I could use that line to finish most of my thoughts! 🙂
    Since pink is now the official fight color for breast cancer I think it is very feminist. Go pink!

  51. Heh, ‘m definitely with Lisa K. I never wear pink, unless it’s blue. That being said-I really do love the color and the only new polo I bought last summer was pink. I wore it and when passing by a mirror didn’t recognize myself in it, because it wasn’t blue. I can feel the collective voice shaking it’s head and telling me that I really need to try to wear some different colors. My middle daughter is a pink fan, big time. Her room is so bright and girlie pink, I feel as though I am drowning in it the few times I dare to open the door (too afraid of the *science projects*). She is so not a typical girlie girl, but not really a tom-boy type either. I say, if it makes you happy to look at it, which I can see why it would, go with it. Happiness is a rare commodity some days, and if pink makes you happy……..!

  52. Your pink handspun is truly lovely.I could never wear it as it does,indeed,offend my feminist sensibilities.I have no real explanation for this.Perhaps it’s to do with societal assumptions.I don’t want to be seen as a ‘girly’ girl ! Are magenta or purple the politically correct pink ?
    Your MSF total is wonderful and astounding.Being in the U.K. I am giving,each month,to the Emergencies Disaster Fund.
    I wish the world banks would cancel the African nations’ debt interest as they have for the countries affected by the horrendous tsunami.
    That and worls peace would be good !
    I love the variagated greens.Looking forward to seeing how that pans out.
    I tie my locks back to avoid syrup and related substances incidents ! Bummer about the coffee and the towels.

  53. I’m tempted to say that I don’t like the sweater and hat just so as not to irritate the gods which were so against you yesterday! I just can’t help myself, though. They look fab! I love the colors of both items.

  54. I second Beth’s comment, “Confident women wear pink and any other color they damn well please.” Pink can be a girly color or a grrly color. I like to think of it as the latter. Knit & wear whatever color you damn well please.

  55. I love pink. I am a redhead and wear it often. When I found my love of pink, I eased myself into it, as in, everything else in the outfit would be black. Or grey. Or I’d also wear something not ‘girly’ as in combat boots.
    But now I am comfortable being girly in a ‘kiss my tiara’ sort of way. Keeps people guessing, too, which I tend to enjoy.

  56. Pink – yeah! I have the same problem. I NEVER wore pink until my mother had the gall to send me a pink polo-kinda shirt and then! it looked good on me. Or I looked good in it. I was mortified. How could *I* look good in this most prissy of all colors? But genetics will out, even when politics say otherwise. So I still wear it pretty often (the color, not the shirt which has long since gone the way of all flesh). And I still look good in it.

  57. I hated pink from age twelve to age 18, but I dyed my hair pink five years ago (one of my male friends had left the dye in my room; it was leftover from dying his hair), and it’s been pink ever since. I like to think I’m reclaiming pink.

  58. I never liked pink much either, but it seems that I’ve come to grips with the reality that it is actually red that is mixed with white. Red is my absolute favorite color, so I figure that pink is just a mellower version.

  59. Harlot:
    Not sure about Canda, but in the US pink is the color of feminism! the National Mall looked like a spilled bottle of Pepso Bismal last year for the Women’s March. I rarely wear pink in my daily life since it’s not good on me, but when I have a protest or something like that, I have an entire pink wardrobe I pull out!
    A bunch of us Americans are even knitting up pink wombs to throw at the Supreme Court:
    http://www.wombsonwashington.org/

  60. I view pink the same way I view the US flag — in the US, one political view has chosen to drape itself in the flag as if it belonged only to their view. Well I think it is time those with differing views take back the US flag for everyone to use. So likewise, take back pink and embrace it and don’t let those spurious anti-feminist suggestions trick you. I am an ardent feminist and I have worn pink proudly for over 50 years.

  61. I know I already commented today, but I was wondering, Steph dear, if you would be very angry with me that I am now knitting socks of Aslan (the yarn of which you do not speak), and it’s not pooling.
    Oh, and I’m a redhead and get told all the time not to wear pink or red or orange… and I NEVER get more compliments than when I’m wearing those colors. Every redhead I’ve suggested wear those shades reports back that she gets TONS of compliments. Do it. I swear.

  62. Stephanie, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you’re doing that hat flat and have no wool needles.
    I’m very sorry.
    And pink is better than purple, hands down.

  63. Love love love that total.
    My friend Lisa’s husband lets her buy almost all of his clothes. In part because of the time he asked her where his favorite blue knitted shirt was, and she had to break the news to him that it was pink. He’s red/green colorblind, he had no idea. So he also really doesn’t know how colors affect people. Makes me glad I do.

  64. Well, it sounds like an overwhelming thumbs up on the pink. Pink got a bad wrap because it was thought to be feminine. Now we know that to be feminine totally rocks. Plus pink appear in nature so often and in those exact colors you are knitting. I think the hat is beautiful. And if it is for you, and it looks too phallic, I’ll swap you a purple/magenta hat for your pink one.

  65. My bestest friend’s favourite colour is pink. Upon showing the picture of the hat, I’ve been demanded to make one just like it for him.
    As for me, I didn’t wear pink up until last year. I still don’t wear much of it, as it’s not so good for my skintone, but a little bit of it in accent is awfully fun.
    And one final note on pink: I read somewhere that pink was actually the colour for boys in the Victorian era, because a pink baby was a healthy one.
    Close to $50K. I still think you work magic, and they’ll be sunbathing in Antarctica when I’m convinced otherwise.

  66. First of all to the person who commented that pink is better than purple, I can only say that purple rules the world:) Now that I’ve got that off my chest, I understand your uneasy feeling towards pink. I too don’t particularly like pink and am completely and obsessively found of purple, I don’t hate pink the way I used to. I have been known to wear pink on purpose because of code pink:
    http://www.codepink4peace.org/
    I do like the hat that you are knitting by the way and you can always give it away or trade it if when it’s done that shade of pink just doesn’t agree with you.

  67. Dude, I understand fully about the pink. Always hated it. When I found out my baby was a girl (for seven months she was a boy, and this has always worried me a bit) I told everyone, “Don’t get her anything pink, I won’t let her wear pink!” And, of course, everyone got her pink and she looked like an Easter Peep (y’know, those yucky pastel-colored marshmellow candies) for the first six months of her life. Then I realized hey, I look pretty damn good in pink too.
    sucks about the towels. Sucks that you lost all that coffee too. Maybe next time you should just eat a banana–they’re good as energy boosts and hangover cures!

  68. Thank you. That total made my day. Totally reinforcing my belief that people have the capacity for good.
    Thank you.

  69. And on further reflection, let me say that I don’t buy the story about syrup-in-the-hair. Not with all that knitting suddenly appearing magically. Uh uh. You’re going to have to be more consistent. I’m a hard sell (i.e., my teenager is older than yours).

  70. Wnatever can she mean? I am much too high minded and pure souled to be able to imagine — and yet my sympathy for poor gansy-less Joe (another Tuesday come and gone) seems slightly diminished.

  71. Glad to hear I’m not the only one that has that reaction to pink. I swore that my daughter would never wear pink before she was born. But, then came the realization that she liked pink. Argh. I just feel like I am being a bad Mommy when she announces that she likes pink–I don’t want to raise a girly girl, so what does one do? Probably give in, as usual….

  72. I don’t mind pink as a color. But I dislike pink in clothing for the same reason I dislike beige and navy in clothing–it’s like code. Of course someone poinetd out that pink is becoming hip for guys to wear, and of course the more couture among us enjoy mixing and matching colors, but I think generally most people wear one or two colors in an outfit. My best friend always wears the same beige-khaki-ish pants and a navy blue or black polo shirt. While I have a certain, shall we say, lack of interest in what my clothes look like, I think always wearing the same color and the same thing would drive me insane, even if everything I own has become battered, torn and paint-spattered. I don’t realy care what other people think about my clothes as long as I like them. For instance, I have this green shirt I’ve had since the 7th grade, and you can tell that it’s that old man, what with the bleach stain and… but my point it, it’s bright-ass green and the color makes me happy. Wow, I’m rambling!
    re: syrup in hair– I have the biggest craving for waffles now…

  73. Oh, my. I was going to comment, but so many readings of the word “pink” has made my eyes cross.
    I personally will indulge in some occasional fuschia, but for the most part, the pastel versions of the color make me look dead. So no {color} for me!
    I really like the sweater — and since I’m a person who normally dislikes varigated yarn sweaters, that’s saying a lot! 🙂

  74. Wow – I started a pink hat for myself this morning: hot pink & raspberry twist using baby alpaca brush. It is sooo soft and I love the color. I’ve always loved pink, always been a feminist, and have never ever apologized for this much maligned color. You should see my lipstick collection!
    The total is mind boggling; the sweater gorgeous; and your day from hell heartbreaking (coffee on the white towels was especially painful to consider). Do you believe in the magical powers of bleach?

  75. About 7 years ago..I got into a very heated arguement with a teacher in my middle daughter’s school over title IX…my daughter wanted to be a manager for the boy’s volleyball team..the teacher wanted her to play on the girl’s team. Since my daughter didn’t like the girls on the team, nor the teacher herself…and was very good at organizing and teaching the new boys to the sport, I had no problem with it. After all, I had to reteach that teacher that title IX gave girls the right to CHOOSE. I’m thrilled to say, out of the 3 girls I have..they have each been allowed to choose their own paths in life…from being a girly girl(brunette), to studying sports broadcasting (football in particular)(redhead), to a dancer/engineer student(currently a streaky blonde). Add to that, they are the granddaughters and great nieces of 2 breast cancer survivors here. My house…wears all shades of pink LOUDLY!
    AND in addition..they understand the necessary involvement of giving their time to something bigger than themselves…with nothing expected in return. Just like they learned in Girl Scouts…leave it better than you found it…I hope it truely applies to the Earth, as well as communties, friendships, etc…
    I say…wear it LOUD and PROUD! women should be the ones to decide what it is they want on any given day…after all, it’s also our right to change our minds…on any day..or moment as we deem fit. That’s part of what I think make us so good at nurturing..knowing what is needed at any given time to make it all better.
    Support another female in making her own decisions…it might have cost her quite a bit to get to that point in her life!

  76. Steph – I love your pink handspun yarn – gorgeous! Isn’t being a feminist about embracing ourselves? Pink parts and all? No pun intended!

  77. I personally like most pinks except baby pink –but having my husband refer to the color pink as “titty pink” really takes the joy out of wearing it.

  78. I couldn’t find any tapestry needles to seam with the other night. I looked everywhere! So frustrating. I finally found them… in the glove compartment of my car.
    Huh? I’m claiming alien abduction.

  79. PINK musings —
    red (not anti-feminist) + white (not anti-feminist) = pink (anti-feminist only if you *let* it be!) Color associated with femininity does not equal anti-feminist. Feel your inner Goddess and scream “I will knit with whatever color I want to, dammit!”
    Code Pink ROCKS!

  80. I got a severe case of pink allergy when I was about 12 or so and suddenly noticed everything in my room was pink. The allergy has resurfaced now that I have a baby daughter: I never understood why baby girls should be dressed in pink and baby boys in pale blue. (Honestly, some mothers in my mom group actually believe so!) My girl wears “real” colours like bright red, green and blue and also has a lot of white clothes.
    I don’t object for other people wearing pink. I’m just saying my daughter will have to wait for pink clothes until she’s old enough to ask for them herself. 🙂

  81. Lauren and jae have it right on. Some feminists seem to believe that being a feminists means rejecting all that is traditionally feminine and embracing what is traditionally masculine. (Ever notice that nowadays, little girls in textbooks climb trees, play with bugs, and watch fire trucks, but NEVER play with dolls anymore?) But how can equality be gained by trying to be men? All this does is buy into the line tht traditionally feminine pursuits are inferior.
    And, speaking from a historian’s point of view, yes, sometime mid-nineteenth century, the ‘pink for boys, blue for girls’ trend was reversed. So there!
    I never wear green, but I’m considering coming to toronto to kidnap that sweater.. wow

  82. I never thought much about the colour pink before this. I didn’t wear it as a child, and swore my daughter wouldn’t be dressed all in pink as was “proper” for girls. However, given a choice, she would pink the pink clothing every time. So I gave in. Then when she was about 10 her grandmother bought her a black outfit. I don’t think she’s worn any other colour since. That was also the time she stopped wearing knitted sweaters. Only thing I’ve been able to knit for her since then was a pair of what she called “arm socks” (essentially legwarmers that went from the base of her fingers to her upper arms).
    Now that I’m older I find I wear quite a bit of pink. Usually the dustier shades, but for the past year I’ve been collecting yarns in the same type of pink-orange blend as the hat. I’m not sure what I’m doing with them, but I made a Kaffe Fassett poppy shawl with the leftovers (okay, so I used them before they were leftovers, but I knew I’d have some) – pink/orange poppies on a teal background. Looks great.
    The total for MSF is absolutely incredible. Kudos to anyone who has contributed to this or any other relief effort.

  83. I’m thinking now that the Harloteer button might just have to be pink – or at least have a “pink option” for those who are thusly inclined. I’m in the middle of the Great Stash Reorganization and am germinating a really super cool idea for those of us with wool winders.

  84. My mother works for a big OB/GYN clinic, and they used to work in a building with two domes with smaller glass domes on top. For years it was grey, then they painted it pink! Titty City! Alas, they tore it down….
    While shopping the other day, I saw a young man in a pink Izod polo shirt with the collar standing straight up. I thought I was in the Twilight Zone High School.
    The colors of your hat look like a sunset in Cozumel, as you break the surface of the ocean after the best dive of your life. (wish I was there now). Wear whatever color you want to, and damn what people think. Knitting used to be considered antifeminist too.
    Since people are throwing in their .02 about kids and clothes, here’s my .04. If no body parts are exposed, falling out, jiggling or wiggling, it’s not worth wasting time over. Choose your battles.

  85. My little 25 year-old sister is trying to start a tiny beer-sustained religion she calls THOG, a response to goth, and her goal in life is to freak the goths out by wearing a hot pink boa over her black clothing when she goes to clubs. It’s awesome.
    Me? I’m just trying to start a beer-sustained religion, pink/black aside.

  86. My mother spent umpteen years trying to get my fair skinned, slightly dark auburn, green eyed self into pink. I loathed it. At a MAC store in Denver about 6 years ago a darling young man convinced me with a fabulous makeover that not only is pink my very *best* color I look even better in FUSCHIA!!! So, now I am known to many good friends as not only the wax queen (I’m an esthetician) but the Princess of Pink. Being a business owner and very independent woman I don’t feel anything other than gorgeous in pink.
    Go for it!!!

  87. I”m OBSESSING over the green/blue/VERY PRETTY verigated yarn. I love it! I went to the sweater kits website and couldnot find it. 🙁 so now i’m having yarn stress. Does anyone know a) the name of that color and b)where i can get me some? (of course i wont be buying it till the yarn diet is over, but i can look at it till then)
    thanks!

  88. It is true, as someone mentioned earlier, that pink was the color for boys in the Victorian era, and blue the color for girls. It was because pink was considered a “stronger” color, and blue a “weaker” color. You should wear whatever colors you like and look good on you. I avoided the flourescent pinks and pastels of my ’80s childhood, but now I find I love rosy pinks and orangey pinks now!

  89. I love pink and as a spinner who dyes, I have to hold myself back from constantly adding it to the mix. Anti-Femnist? Naw, just a color I find pleasing!

  90. Gosh. I hate the color pink with a passion, but that pink is good enough to eat!
    (That said, I most definitely normally prefer the pretty variegated used in the sweater.)

  91. My husband always teases me about my belief in what he calls “Minnesota Karma”; the fact that if anything too good happens, or if you get too excited about something, the universe will thwack you. I detect elements of this “good is balanced by bad, so keep quite if something’s going right and maybe the universe won’t notice” (and no, it can’t be expected to work the other way round) in your post today, so perhaps it is a truth known by all northerners and not just Minnesotans, eh? Oh yes, and go pink. If you like it.

  92. I know what you mean about pink! I bought a really pretty pale pink sweater to wear to work this winter and actually felt quite shy about wearing it at first; no qualms about fuschia or shades like that, though! I love pink – it’s not that I worry about being labeled an anti-feminist, though…it’s more of a ‘grown-up’ vs. little girl thing, and..well…body image. I’ve gotten quite heavy in the last ten years, and so feel very foolish when looking at dainty, feminine things. But hey, what’s an extra 150 lbs when it comes to feeling pretty, eh?
    And those are stunning colors, Ms. Stephanie – especially the handspun.
    P.S. With regard to spinning…is ‘tops’ roving?

  93. Boy you sure are popular. Pink is just a color but feminish is a way of life. If my truck driver meat eating I’m not a sissy Dad wore a pink dress shirt with his suit I’m convinced there should be no “things” attached to colors. especially one I reall really like. I’ve already made a really big donation to the American Red Cross but could I send some sort of fiber stuff to you so I can participate and gain some good karma?

  94. Rachel, there is a beer-based religion in America. It’s called Monday Night Football.

  95. Maple syrup? PURE maple syrup? Sticky, yes, but also one of my signature scents. And, a taste of Canada! (of course, much the same could be said for whiskey) Ahh, motherhood. Sticky things you never dreamed would happen to you. If it makes you feel bettter, I recently went to a fancy skin care store, and maple syrup and sugar were ingredients in a nice facial scrub….

  96. Oh, how I hate pink. I despise it. Luckily, I’m a redhead, so people rarely think “ooh, what a lovely pink frock! I’ll buy it for Gail!”
    However, my bathroom is pink. Pink marble sink. Pink tiles covering most of the walls. Luckily, someone painted over the pink tub. If I’m feeling charitable, I might call it rose. But its pink. Blah.

  97. Hmmm. Consider the fact that Pink is This Year’s Black. Does that help? I say if pink looks good on you, wear it with abandon. And if it doesn’t, well shit–what wouldn’t look good on you??

  98. Don’t ever apologize for pink. Pink is the new black. Unless chocolate brown is. The new black. I don’t know and I don’t care. Pink is beautiful. Think PINK!

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