Just glad to see you're still you!

Oh. My. Goodness.

I've never thought of "yarn porn" as being anything but facetious.

"11 days away and totally possible"
Self-delusion is possible too, no? ;)

American going to vote now...

Good idea on putting the socks in time out, hopefully that will teach them a lesson ;)

And there's no question, those lovely um, cylinders of yarn just demand to be made into willie warmers.

I am so thankful the Knitting Goddess has returned to us!

I can't come up with a joke because all I can do is sit here and focus on not laughing too loud because I'm in my office...skeins of that yarn should be mandatory for all knitters' bachelor/bachelorette parties!

Sweater looks gorgeous, as always, and I'm so glad they had the same dye lot! Can't wait to see it finished. =)

Yowza,
they must REALLY have a good time knitting in Spain. I thought WE had fun when chocolate was also involved...little did i know.

It looks like laughing until the tears flowed was involved. Very funny.

Millie has impecable taste!

Oh my...those skeins are hilarious. It brings other activities to mind besides knitting. Too bad I wasn't knitting when I visited Barcelona. It would have made for an interesting side trip.

Sometime last year I purchased a copy of the Paton's "Street Smart" booklet from www.joann.com
I don't know if they still have it, but that's where I got it.

Ella obviously does not have i-m-p-e-c-c-a-b-l-e spelling skills!

OH. MY. GOD. Just too, too funny.

Nothing says Canadian like chesterfield.

I don't know as much as you do about knitting BUT I do know about about cats and well, that sweater is clearly the cats. You weren't kidding about those yarn fumes from Webs.

Love and Laughter,
Amy

Is Megan wiping away a tear of laughter?

Me too!

Dear Harlot,

The next time you have a knitting disaster of epic proportions, please don’t scare us all by not blogging the next day! I kept expecting a news report on TV last night –

“Crazed Canadian woman slashes wrists with DPNs! Last words reported as ‘%#&@ING ARSE LEAF!!!’ Film at 11:00!”

PS - Love the sweater.

I bought my copy of the Street Smart booklet at Yarn & Thread by Lisa (on the Patons website under Etailers) just in the last week or so.

Yarn Porn brings on a whole new meaning.

One of those ladies isn't going to as happy as the other tonight.

Millie is channeling Juno's cat?

I found the Paton's booklet at http://www.yarn-and-threadbylisa.biz/Patterns/Patons%20Detail%20Pages/500989_street_smart.htm.

My only caveat is that all the (lovely) patterns in it top out at a rather smallish size, and so are unsuited for us more full-figured knitters.

Totally possible. A lay-up.

Now, speaking of lay-ups, about that put-up. It has inspired me to hatch a new sock design idea. Something to do with Lysistrata....

I don't know Denny other than from your blog, but judging by the expression on her face and the FIRM grasp she has on her....yarn.... I would say that she is one happy woman!

after seeing your cardigan, I bought a copy of the leaflet at Michaels :)

The yarn skeins are too funny! I can only imagine the comments that were said and some that probably weren't.

No comment on the yarn porn, but in answer to your query about Street Smart, the booklet was available at Joann.com, but they now appear to be out of stock.

At least your cat lets you knit as opposed to sitting on both hands when full of needles and yarn and refusing to get off.

You got my vote

I found the book at JoAnns Craft Store. They also have a website to order off of.

Good to leave them leaves alone after the fall.

And, um, Denny's last expression just fibrates with vibery joy, thon't you dink?

I've been checking your blog umpteen times a day waiting for the next post. Glad to see you survived to blog again. Good move with the sock time out. I'm going to Japan in March and am looking forward to finding and exploring yarn stores. Does anyone out in Blog land know where any yarn stores are in Japan? We'll be in Kyoto, Osaka, Fukuoka, Kokura, Hiroshima and places in between.Since I'll be spending a lot of time in stocking feet at the Japanese Inn's we're staying at I'm taking all my hand knit socks. We'll be spending time on trains too so lots of time to knit, not to mention the 12 hour flight to get there. Now I'm off to vote for your blog.

I had my LYS order Paton's "Street Smarts" for me...took 3-4 weeks.

Ok, so I can't resist.

Would those skeins be FELTED?

(sorry)

Congratulations for finding more yarn of the same dye lot. That should be compensation for the misbehavior of the leafy sock. Maybe any left over yarn could become a wee kitty blanket for Millie. Cats are so mysterious that we might well assume that they are in some way related to the Knitting Goddess. Couldn't hurt to pander to them once in a while.

Pretty, pretty sweater! Pretty, pretty Millie! Very interesting way to package yarn!

Good luck with making the Canadian Blog Olympic team. You deserve it.

That pumpkin one has a smile on its yarny face; I bet it's come up with better puns than I could begin to relay.

I ordered the Patons "Street Smart" booklet right after i read your post on the Must Have Cardigan. It's available on line from yarnbythebag.com, located in Victoria, BC, which is great for those of us with our nearest LYS located more than 150 km away. One way. I'm headed back there right now to order two more balls of Patons, as I believe a certain someone once said that the Must Have Cardigan was a great little sweater that only took 5 balls to knit ..... such a hardship, being "forced" to buy more wool!

Denny is looking W-A-A-A-Y-Y-Y too happy with that yarn put up. I wonder if it will put up or shut up?

Glad you are still with us, and knitting such a beautiful sweater. I was a bit worried about you.!!
I found my copy of the booklet at Michael's craft store West Vancouver, Park Royal, in the knitting section, they had at least 6 copies.

I picked up the Street Smart booklet for under $6.00, 2 weeks ago at the Sew 'n Knit 'n Serge outlet, 889 O'Connor Dr. here in TO. Very quirky place but the owner is great! And they ship everywhere - 1-800-836-6536. They stock all the Patons yarn you could ever need as well.

I love you so much.

Bless you for posting right now. Today's mix of snow and sleet has left the sky, and subsequently all personalities here in my office today, grey, which in turn renders the hours interminable. (WHY did I not bring knitting to keep under my desk for such an eventuality?)

In re: Street Smart, I purchased my copy from JoAnn's, online. I think it was $3 USD at the time.

The Must Have Cardigan patterns are intriguing, as if through a kaleidoscope. Hysterical, those are some wild skeins; the big smiles made me laugh out loud. Also, I notice nice warm knit items on the ladies.

Michael's stores sell this pattern book, as well as the yarn suggested for the Everyday Cardigan. I have noticed that they only seem to get one or two copies of their pattern leaflets, so if you can't find it at one store, check another one.

The jokes are too easy. I'll behave myself this once.

Must be something in the air (winter, perhaps)...
House queen Ezz...much like Millie, sits beside, doesn't bother the knitting...has become MUCHO attached to the Fiber Trends Metro jacket I have been knitting...Upon seeing this and deciding that I didn't really like the way it was turning out or fitting anyway, I started unravelling it from underneath herself and am knitting it into a kitty pi bed ala Wendy...we'll see what happens when we get a little further along in this process...somehow I think that it will never make the felting stage...

What a hoot the yarn porn is! Men who feel threatened by their wife's knitting will have new fears now!

Oh no! Your cat is turning your knitting into a Millie Nest! Now she'll never give it up, I found this out the hard way...

And I love the yarn from Spain ;D

Woohooo hilarious! The Spanish know how to make those innuendos zazzle you on the spot! It reminds me of the bull's..well...balls..that we had when we were doing research in Madrid. And no one told me what it was and I don't read Spanish too well.

Mind you, it tasted really good and then my then-boyfriend got worried that I would enjoy the taste a little too much etc etc...let's leave it lie there, no need to get into more detail. (Yes, we broke up, but it had nothing to do with that particular incident LOL)

http://www.yarn-and-threadbylisa.com had some patterns the other day when I looked.

Is that yarn in your hand, or are you just happy to see me?

(I am so making the hubby look for yarn the next time he is Spain!)

Hahaha! Those are hilarious pictures! I've never seen yarn so...interestingly formed.

Your cardigan looks nice - the stitches stand out so well! I look forward to seeing the finished product (once you get the rest of the yarn, of course. :) )

1125 + 450 = 1575

1575 > 1428

You should be fine. I would have bought, oh, six or seven more balls out of sheer paranoia (and having read your wedding-sweater story). This might go some way toward explaining the size of my stash.

And, speaking of size, what fine, upstanding yarn Denny has there.

After I thought about your post yesterday, I realized it was all a set up. You described in detail the downfall of the leaf sock (ouch! bad pun!), but I fully expected that you were just leading us on. I anticipated that the sock would re-appear today, magically fixed, after you stoically picked up the remaining stitches and re-knit the little wee leaf in-situ along with it's wee stem. After all, a woman who can fix cables with one knitting needle tied behind her back can easily fix a small sock problem. Isn't this the Stephanie Super Knitter (cue loud trumpets) blog? Or am I on the wrong channel again?

I am so glad to see that you are still with us! I was beginning to worry!

Get some more of that wool, and pull out your Magical Knitting, and make that kitty a one-sided bed! I think it'd be fun.

Time Out for the socks -- good idea.

I'll vote in a second, but before I do, I can't help but say, in the hands of the knitters it appears that one skein was much happier than the other. :o) Adds a whole other dimension to yarn porn.

Yay, yarn from Persones Llanes! I've got a couple of those naughty skeins in a pretty blue.

http://personesllanes.com/Home_Page.html

Man. I think maybe those Spaniards have more ways to play with wool than we do. (Apologies for what is bound to be a repeat, but I can't take the time to think of something better - I'm booking my trip to Barcelona...)

I LOVE the jacket Megan is wearing! Any info on the pattern?

So how many horse schlongs does it take to make the Must Have Cardigan do you suppose?
(I'm laughing so hard I can't type)

I think she's thinking,"Wow, where do the batteries go?"

umm, especially with the ends of the tube being a little looser - its hard to avoid that yarn porny thought.

let the leaves rest in peace.. for now. and all hail the mighty beauty of that gray cabled cardigan masterpiece! mmmmmmmmmmmm

heeeelarious! I thought 5 skeins of anything for a cabled sweater sounded odd..but hey you're the professional...

Speaking of running out of yarn... maybe enough people read the comments here that someone may have 3 balls (2 will do, though) of Plymouth/Indecia Suri Merino in color #162, dyelot #960. I can hardly find anyone selling this color, much less find the dyelot. Just askin' is all.

I am so glad to see you're ok after the incident!

Another place to get Street Smarts is at Ram Wools here in Winnipeg. http://www.ramwools.com

I bought Paton's Street Smart last week at a Joann's in Southern California. (Redlands to be exact). The ladies look entirely too gleeful holding that yarn.

I think Millie knows that she looks great sitting on that sweater. The color coordinates so well with her fur and eyes.

I used to have a cat that would sit on anything red that I set down. Other colors, meh! But red was a must sit on color. He was a sleek black cat.

Paton's Street Smart booklet with the Must Have Cardigan is available from Unicorn Books (USA) - they had 5 left on Tuesday, until I ordered 1 of them.....you can google Unicorn Books -

Glad the sock is in the time-out basket!!!

Yeah, it is irrisitable. Unlike Megan's skein, which is pretty disappointing. Since it's yarn, however, it's still good for knitting, even if it's not good for much else. ;)

*wipes coffee off of computer screen* Warn us before posting photos like that!

And I have a mystery cat who is obsessed with only ONE of my many knitting projects. It too is a wool sweater. If you ever figure out how a cat thinks, please let me know.

That's a nice strong head of yarn Denny's got there. It really is irresistible.

"I should have backed away from it a little bit when the whole thing got obsessive and weird."

Yes, perhaps, but it would have been far less entertaining.

you have to love a woman who is laughing so hard that she has to wipe away a tear. awesome.

juno has a cat on a gray creation as well... i had to shake my head there for a second.

MMMMM yarn. Going out for a smoke now.

We made Megan cry... You get points for that. Tears of joy. I love that.

I was wondering if you were "off" on the calculations for the amount of yarn. But then I thought, Harlot must be doing something different and all her own with the pattern and she will amaze and astound us when she tells us what it is! Glad you found more yarn in the same dyelot. BTW, Patternworks has the Must Have Cardi pattern. I just ordered it.

Rob and Matt at ThreadBear Fiber Arts have the Street Smarts book at the shop or you can order online (www.threadbearfiberarts.com) via email (rob@threadbearfiberarts.com) or by phone (866-939-2327) (Matt and Rob- feel free to send me a finder's fee:) ). Their customer service is excellent by all methods. I have also seen it at The Recycled Lamb in Lakewood, CO. Their email is fiber4ewe@recycledlamb.com. They are also friendly and helpful.

I think it's a texture thing for cats. Mine, Basil, is a similarly well-behaved cat -- she sits quietly next to me, and not even the wiggly yarn-spaghetti of frogging entices her. However, if I'm knitting something in a not-too-soft basic plied wool, between DK and aran weight, and it has any hint of a pattern beyond stockinette, she wants to feel it under her paws. She starts kneading it and gets this totally blissed-out look in her eyes, and it's tough to get it away from her.

I tried to make her a cat bed once, but it was before I understood her criteria, so it didn't really take.

millie is such a cutie! :)

The yarn from Barcelona weirded me out. Have e-mailed your URL to friend in Madrid for an explanation. In the meantime, I look to you for (a bad example) comfort when confronted with yarn order mistakes. I started knitting, and I measured my piece. On the left side, it took 3 skeins to go from HERE to HERE. As I got to HERE on the right side it looked like I was going to be 2 skeins short. So I ordered 3 skeins, just in case. But now it looks like I have more than enough of my original yarn to get from HERE to THERE. Why do these things happen? And does anyone want three skeins of bulky?

still trying to close mouth from ground on the yarn porn, but that said, it was too funny :-)

Hee hee - gotta love found pr0n. Although I'm sure yourself and many of the ladies are very, very busy on here, I have a question - I've been looking *everywhere* for pure white lace yarn to knit my wedding shawl, but all I can find is natural white, which won't look well with my dress. Anyone have suggestions?

Poor sock. I agree a time out will be good for it and you. :)
Love love the sweater!! The color is beautiful. Smart cat too. My kitty looks just like yours, he also has respect for me when I knit. He will watch, lay somewhere near, but never on top of my projects or will he play with the yarn. He will lay on project books and papers with directions on them. Although he insists on laying on my sewing projects???

OMG on the yarn that is so very long, and resembles the shape of a well known male organ. Although too bad the real things are not as long. lol.. The ladies look like they are enjoying their new yarn in more ways than one. lol.

I do believe I might have that pattern and the same partially completed cardigan (in some horrible acrylic no doubt, I was young) stuffed in a bag downstairs. Also from the sadly departed Lewiscraft (of Fairview Mall)

I sure hope that sock learns it's lesson in time out!

Awww, man....my hubby went to Barcelona and I all I got was a lousy spoon rest! SO jealous...

After stalking my local Jo-Ann Fabrics and Michael's (and the Paton website) for weeks, I finally did a search for the Street Smart book and found someone selling it on eBay.

Yarn Forward at www.yarnfwd.com has the Street Smart booklet.

But probably not for long . . .

Millie may be reading Enchanting Juno and getting ideas. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to go hide the mouse from my cat. Just in case.

Denny! Put that away! You'll get hair on your palms!

oh my word--that is the ultimate yarn porn.

I got my Pattern at Mary Maxim in Paris,Ontario.
I checked the website and i don't see patterns listed--but someone could call them.
:)

Knitting Warehouse still has the Street Smart booklet: http://store.knitting-warehouse.com/259906.html. Unfortunately, they only ship to the U.S.

I got my Paton's booklet at patternworks.com. I think that they still have it.

I love the sweater. It makes me feel humbled that I am not the only one that makes math errors.. But I never am able to get the same lot of yarn..or even the same yarn for that matter.

My cat is selective as well, but she picks the yarn up and runs with it when I forget to show her the attention she deserves in her opinion.

I admire your ability to set it aside, and then come back with it... the knitting gods must know better than to push you too much.

Before I read your blog, I put my sock in time out, too! It's literally sitting in the corner!

omigod, i think i have skeinis-envy!!!

btw, i just popped home for a comfort stop, as i am sitting outside a shop with four other crazies waiting for a sale to start on Saturday 9.30 am GMT to buy a chair - but i'm the only one that's knitting, so there!! ;)

thanks for your blog, it keeps me going when everything else fails.

I should always know better than to read your blog when my children have friends over. I am laughing out loud at the "yarn" and worried they are going to ask what I am laughing about!
"Don't worry dear it's just Mommy laughing at yarn!"

I have 2 copies of Street Smart left in stock. $6.00 plus $1.50 for shipping.

The Harlot Effect strikes again! When I saw your sweater, I knew I had to knit it, 'cause it reminds me of my favorite - the Coup d'Etat Cardigan. Well, after searching all my local (and not so local) yarn stores, I found out that they've been swamped with people looking for this pattern booklet. Fortunately, Paton's still publishes it, and I was able to get a copy at joann.com.
It's amazing how 1 blog post can cause a stampede to buy a pattern!

Just ordered "Street Smarts"...try www.weavingrainbow.com

Oh, my gosh, I thought I was laughing hard at your post but these comments are making me make pig noises. I love your readers --so witty. I wish we all could get together somewhere. You know what we need? We need a big Harlot Festival! Picture it kind of like Woodstock only with a lot more fiber to knit. I bet your Spanish readers would bring yarn for everyone...

Oh those wacky Barcelonans!

I bought my Paton's catalog at Herrschner's online. As much as I hate to say it, it took me years to complete the knitting of this sweater because I ran out of yarn, even after buying the entire inventory of closeout aran from my lys, and still had to have my friend find another 1 1/2 balls from some lovely woman in Florida. In the end, I knit only the diamond shapes down the sleeves to save more yarn. I think the 1428 m is a gross underestimate.

Under the second photo of Megan and Denny you commented upon: "the more 'erect' nature of Denny's skein compared to Megan's"

I think if you examine Denny's, um, technique in photo #1, you will see why.

[grins lasciviously]

The number of commenters here is staggering. It's like I've been living in a matchbox, and only today learned there's a world outside, and it's covered in yarn.

Repeat after me: "I am smarter than _leaves_. I am smarter than mere yarn. I will WIN." Then go in there, and get with it! Those leafies are so gorgeous, you just gotta. Go, girl!

The Patons Street Smarts booklet with the must have
cardigan is available at www.patternworks.com. They also carry the yarn.

pollywogs.com just a received a shipment of Street Smarts - next day shipping!

Gotta love the idea of a huge skein of yarn that grows with excitement. Beats the heck out of having 2 little balls, no?

Sure it looks good. But does that put up 'put out'?

I picked up Street Smart just days prior to you mentioning it. I was in Michaels in Newmarket, ON and decided that I should have it, because I wasn't having any luck finding the book that I was looking for. If anybody can hook me up with Patons #514 Irrisitable Arans; that would be great. I've found two copies on ebay...one I missed the end of bidding date and the second was a couple of more dollars and it's in Pensilvania or something. Anybody have one that they're looking to sell/trade/or otherwise get rid of? I've had my hands on that same book I don't know how many times in my life, but always decided that I already had enough, but now? Now I NEED it and who knew that they would stop printing something from 1986? I mean what were they thinking?
Thank-you for allowing me to rant.
So, yea, try Michaels.

Switching projects during a project meltdown is always a good idea and what a good choice. The sweater looks very kewl. My cat is not so nice. He does have yarns that are his faves but he loves knitting and yarn as much as I do and only seems to shun yarn when I specifically GIVE IT TO HIM to play with. There are teeth marks on most of my tape measures and bamboo needles. He knows how to remove a safety pin, open a zippered/velcro/button/drawstring bag, remembers which of his fave yarns are in which bags and targets them for attack. Yet, when I tried to teach him how to sew stuff together for me by tying a threaded needle to his tail and yelling "look, an angora ball! go get it!" he resisted for some reason. If only his powers could be honed for good instead of evil, .

Oh, if you like those skeins look for the crochet pattern for the "beanis" on anticraft's website. It's a crocheted penis with beanie ball stuffing inside. (a beenie penis, hence "beanis") It makes a great gift for bachelorette parties. Very funny. =^)

I got my Patons booklet at Needlework Unlimited. It looks as though they have the Must Have Cardigan patter for $6 USD. I'm not sure if it is just the one sweater pattern or the whole booklet. But the web site is saying it is in stock.
http://www.patternworks.com/productdetail/100279.htm

Just another reason why I must visit Spain before I "cast off".

i would not touch this storey
with a ten foot pole

a six foot two matador maybe

i live state side check you paper
work new rules start the 31st

Damnit, how come I couldn't find that store when I was in Barcelona?? :)

We sell the book with that pattern in it at the store where I work. We can ship anywhere.

For those still looking for the Must Have Cardigan Pattern, I found it at www.weavingrainbow.com for $5.75 and it looks like they still have them in stock.

Is that a size 3 needle ?

I did some test swatches with Patons classic merino and had to go down to needles size #2 to get 5 sts/inch.

Ooooh...bad sock. Definitely time-out. And if wool wasn't so damnably squishy, I'd even tell you a good spanking is in order! (Sometimes just going from one yarn weight to another is a giant 'so there' in the face of the refractory project.) The Cardi is wonderful. I love cables:-)

So, YOU are getting a lovely grey cabled cardigan, but Joe's gansey is still a no show?

Naughty.

It seems like you have been visited by "Eunice the Hate You Fairy". She visits my house often. B&$#%. She's responsible for everything from breaking the washing machine to leaving the freezer open overnight to peeing on the toilet seat. One of these days I'm going to catch her and beat her to death with a cabbage. Then I'm going to make slaw with the murder weapon.

I've never seen a skein like those...but your friends seem to know what to do with them...and they seem to be having a good time.

Hmmmmm. . . Cabled sweaters, socks being punished, and penile yarn. . . . I feel as though I've lept into the blog equivalent of the twilight zone. It's sort of a wooly dominatrix thing. . . or maybe I should just get my mind out of the gutter.

I love the last photo-everyone laughing. I just am curious why would a yarn company make such unusual shaped skeins--what is the point to make them so long--it winds on easier in the mill after being spun?

Looks like Denny gets to make a bigger sweater.

Okay, I voted. For you. Not because you asked us to. Because you are my idol.

I to can also get Patons Street Smak Pattern Book, however its outa stock at my suppliers warehouse :-( Must be cuz of the YArn Harlot and her advertising, LOL! Anyways, I too have a cat that is a Fiber Snob and only likes wool yarn, she will even turn her nose up at cotton and other natural fibers. She chews on it and rolls on it and has even been seen loving on fresh knit socks. What fun, however the Hoodie I made for my niece outa Simply Soft yarn didnt even get a blink outa her. Silly Kitty

I think I now have another reason on my list of reasons to visit Barcelona!

Oh my :) I had to call my husband over to look at the bona fide "yarn porn" :)

Canadian, on my way to vote :)

Ok, I'm a little distracted by that last thing - how is the yarn put up, exactly? But - I laughed hard at your comment about not screwing up a garter stitch scarf. I am knitting one, and apparently the last time I picked up the needles, I picked up a DPN by mistake. And knitted onto it, only to have my yanr go off the other end. And somehow, this has messed it up in a way that needs actual attention. Do I feel stupid?!

Wow, that's quite a grin on Denny... :)

My favorite story is you choosing your cat because the label at the shelter said, "Likes to chase moths."

Elann.com has copies of Street Smart. I had to order another one as the original has gone on holiday some place.
Webs has color cards for that yarn, and I just ordered one. I am doing the Cabled Hoodie with Patons Classic Merino. But I like options. And I knit for Afghans for Afghans, so always looking for good quality wool

I knit a catnip mouse out of paton's Classic and the cats fight over who gets it. Even if the previously favoured cosmic catnip bags are offered as a distraction. So maybe there is something that appeals to them in the paton's Classic? I'm gonna hafta knit some more mice!

Well, it gives new meaning to my penchant for fondling yarn. I hope it's machine washable. Size does matter.

I see that www.patonsyarn.com has a store locator, a page of corrections, and some free patterns. Some of the corrections are for Street Smart projects -- but none for your cardigan.

Your sweater will be wonderful. I think there was a knit-along for this sweater.

I enjoy your blog and watching your projects develop.

Knit faster!

Joanne

First the bed, now the gansey. Clearly you and the cat have a bit of a running dispute over who is actually boss.

Your kitty is lovely. It makes me wish I had a cat. Then I realized that they shed everywhere and I don't want to be covered in cat hair.

Aaaahahaha, that's incredible. I'm glad to see that penis jokes don't stop being funny when you graduate from college and enter the real world.

Also, I can't help but notice--that grey cabled object looks rather like...oh, no, that's not a gansey. That's a sweater for YOU. I bet poor Joe is cold, you selfish wool-pig you.

[I jest, of course. I love your blog!]

Are you sure that yarn's Spanish? It reminds me of a Canadian yarn...Fleece Artist? Noooo. Briggs & Little? Nuh-uh. Wait. I've got it. Condom's.

How on earth do you explain THOSE at customs?? Can you just imagine the look on their faces????

I'm a longtime reader of your awesome blog and was also worried about a sudden disappearance from my favourite Yarn Harlot after the unexpected setback of your latest sock project. Just back away slowly... ;)

I work at the Len's Mill Store here in Guelph (near the York and Victoria intersection, if that helps any), and we've got a few copies of the Street Smarts pattern book. Feel free to swing by!

And I really wish my kitties would take after Millie. I've got two five-month-old Manx kittens who have no sense of stealth whatsoever and merely fling themselves at whatever I'm working on. Of course, it doesn't matter that I do up some cute li'l toys or a cat blanket for them to occupy themselves; it's much more fun taking down my latest project while I'm working away on it. Pfft.

Take care, sweetie.

The cables are looking wonderful. They more that make up for the tiny, little setback with the sock. And I am going to have to order some of that wool!

LOL - there is some Viagra Knitting for you. You can ask my mother - she does Viagra Knitting all the time! :-)

My first thought was to tell you that my Mom's name is also Millie, and thinking of her makes my next question awkward but I was just wondering if those skeins came with batteries?

With regards to the leaf, since it unraveled in place, won't you be able to knit it up without removing it, simply reversing the unravel? I don't know if I'm missing something, but I hope I'm right.

It's the color [no...not the porn skeins, you silly gals], the color of your almost sweater that has captured Millie's attention. She certainly does have impeccable taste; my Madame Pomfrey likes bright Pink. She'll steal fabric, yarn, thread in that color, even if it is stuffed down in a bag.
By the way - - welcome back from the plinking.

A question for you: did you adjust the ribbing to make the diamonds and cables flow out of it or did you knit it as written? I remember when much of blogland was making this sweater two or three years ago and there was much talk of tweaking the ribbing count so the patterns would flow up nicely.

Oh. My. GOD!!! Brain has now taken up permenant residence in the sewer (a good bit worse than the gutter, lemme tell ya.), and it's all the YARN HARLOT'S FAULT!!! Well, okay, a few of my friends had a hand in getting me entrenched in the gutter t'begin with... But YOU, Steph, have pushed me over the edge!!!

Oh btw, cute kitty!!! Can I adopt her? (Just kidding!) Mom loves her too!!!

hopefully your negotiations work better than mine did with my fiance's cats!

Knit Millie a Kitty Pi bed out of the same yarn as the sweater...she will love it.

Bwahahaha! :snork:

I have a the exact same 'phallic' yarn that my daughter brought me back as a present from Barcelona, maybe any other owners of said yarn should sent a photo to you ;-)

Y'know, the first time you started posting about The Leaf, I thought you were talking about Toronto's sadly beleaguered hockey team and I made a "but the Harlot never talked about hockey..." face.

These are far naughtier leaves though...

Those Italians!

Stephanie, I ordered my copy of the Street Smart booklet from Yarn Forward (www.yarnforward.com). They were the only company I could find on the Patons' website who a) had it in stock and b) would sell to the UK. I'd tried all my usual internet suppliers but they don't "do" Patons (why is that, do you think?).

- Pam

I didn't read through all the comments, so I may be repeating someone else, but I found a copy of Paton's Street Smart at a local JoAnn Fabric store. I live in the Cleveland area of Ohio. Hopefully that will help someone out there.

Oh, Millie is gorgeous!

My oh my!! I think I need to go to Barcelona!!!

I've seen the Street Smarts Paton book at Michael's craft store and JoAnn's. The nice thing is you can use coupons to get 40-50% off. Really enjoy all the great pictures of the socks and sweaters (and ahem, Barcelona yarn).

HAHA! Those Spanish skeins of yarn are HYSTERICAL. I love the look on Denny's face as she clutches hers.

what does the knitting bag that those go in look like? A condom?

Cardi looks gorgeous. Have I mentioned that I'm still bitter that my cardi was too small but looks great on my mom?

The song ""Girls just want to have fun" is reapeating in my head non stop after reading this post. Perhaps this is why the life expectacy for women is higher than men -do you think ? Thanks for the laugh. Millie wants a blankie out of that yarn for sure and the sweater is going to be a knock out. I'm gald you put that @#$% leaf in time out for now . Bet it'll behave when you next get to it . Good Luck

And the $25 wool sweater becomes a $35 wool sweater (plus shipping). Still a real bargain.

Oh! That last picture just MADE me smile. There is no way to look at that photo and not feel the infectious hilarity that had to be swirling all around. Just what I needed this morning!
(Unlike the Girl Scouts Thin Mints cookies, which I'm having for breakfast. It's Friday. That's my only excuse.)

"I've resisted the urge to knit a plain garter stitch scarf (it's the only thing I can think of that has no room for error) . . ." Ah, could you come explain that to the teenager I had to console last weekend, who knit 72 inches of garter stitch scarf (in mohair, no less), only to realize she'd dropped a stitch somewhere around inch 5.

I got my copy of the Must Have Cardigan at Patternworks (www.Patternworks.com)

it's a great sweater...if only I had knit it in the proper size...le sigh.

I love Millie's expression: "MINE!"

I am so jealous of your well behaved knitting cat! Mine tries to eat the yarn (both the cast on tail and the active yarn), the needles and my hands! And also likes to stand (not sit) on my lap while I am knitting. Currently her favorite munchies are my size 13 bamboo needles.

Pretty, pretty kitty!

Pretty, pretty sweater!

BAD sock in timeout.

My cats like to bring me yarn to play with. Apparently the poor things think that's the only toy Mama likes... and they're not far from right! They also test nap anything they find on a horizontal surface.

I just had the exact same thing happen with Webs yarn. I had some leftover in stash, started a sweater, realized after I cast on for the front I wouldn't remotely have enough yarn and ordered 2 more balls yesterday!

I have 3 cats and none of them play with my yarn unless I mistakenly drag it across the one sitting nearest me while knitting. They are very good kitties, but they will lie on top of anything I lay down flat.

The Must Have Cardigan pattern is available through Patternworks
http://www.patternworks.com/

I bought the Must Have Cardigan pattern the week before last at joannn.com (Jo Ann fabrics site)- very inexpensive. Somewhere online I found a promotion for Jo Ann that saved an extra 20% or something like that. The shipping was more than the pattern book. You can find the pattern in knitting books, (not knitting patterns) after clicking on Books and Patterns under Knitting.

I had all kinds of nice & clever things to say about your sweater, the evil leaf sock, etc. But everything flew out of my head the minute I saw the real, in-the-flesh (snort), YARN PRON! Those are the Dirk Digglers of the Yarn World.

I have a dog who thinks he's a lap dog... a 68 pound lap dog. He knows that when I'm knitting, I'm not going anywhere for a while and lays across my lap. Do you think Millie could teach him about the importance of NOT laying in Mama's lap while she's knitting?

And THAT YARN! LOL I had to look twice to figure out what it actually was. LOL

You know...about the cat? My daughter's cat has a thing for one kind of sock yarn ONLY. Show him Schaeffer, Cherry Tree Hill, On-Line, Claudia's--he's got nothin'. Doesn't care, doesn't bother, doesn't notice. But this ONE color of Kaffe Fasset--one color mind you, not the whole line--will cause him to chew up a bag to dig for it and maul it into oblivion. He's done it twice, and we had to finally stash the skeins (I REALLY like the colors--I did go out and re-buy, after the first two were reduced to yarn carnage) in a big plastic box. Cats are supernatural, uncanny creatures, and the best we can do is respect that they really do own us, and the world is a heartbeat away from being in their control. Once we respect that, and clean their litterbox frequently, our lives get easier.

I've seen the Paton's Street Smart Book at London Yarns, in London, Ontario. www.londonyarns.com for more info.

I'm not sure it's fair to all the other nominees for possibly the most powerful Canadian blogger to basically tell everyone to vote for her friends. That's not using your powers for good - it's using your mob following to skew a competition.

And we're to accept the moral judgments of someone who hides behind the anonymity of the internet? Compelling, but I think I'll pass.

I ordered the Must Have Cardigan from Patternworks with their part #100279 for 6.00usd and received the Street Smart booklet. Their website shows it available 10 minutes ago, lol. Those Spaniards, boy oh boy!! Good luck with the leaves, or maybe I should wish the leaves good luck?

Dianne R. in Yarn Hades, Mississippi

And the expression on Denny's face is as priceless now as when she pulled it at SOAR!

Do me a favor, please, when you see her next, give her a hug for me and tell her I said "hi"! :)

That yarn seems like a natural for a willie warmer.

Clearly, um, 'safely anonymous', Stephanie has more confidence in the ability of her readers to think for themselves than you do. Sheesh.

I'm ordering Street Smart booklets as fast as I can & have another batch that should on the way soon!

FYI, there is an email list on yahoogroups for the Must Have It cardigan called musthave_knitalong which started back in 2003...

Cheers,
Jessica

I found the Patons pattern book Street Smart at knitting-warehouse.com

someone mentioned that the patterns in the Street Smart booklet are for those with smallish figures but there has been some discussion on the knitalong group that I mentioned in my last comment about just that & I believe some of the knitters have figured out how to make the sweater bigger... just FYI! :)
Jessica

I love the cardigan.

I've been doing my best to stave off the knitting fates (I'm not sure I have enough yarn either, but I bought my yarn about 2 years ago...) by compulsively measuring how many inches I have left.

OK, I just started ball 3 and will be able to start the sleeves. So, as long as the sleeves only take about 2 balls... Yeah, I'm doomed!

don't make them sent out the flying monkeys.

re: "Some people have mentioned having trouble finding this pattern, which is in the "Street Smart" booklet from Patons. If anybody knows where to get it, could you perhaps give a shout "

another retailer, in the states, Polly Wogs Yarn and Fiber (http://www.mypollywogs.com/pollypatons.html)
PA989 Patons Street Smart Pattern booklet
ordering was a little funny, but they accept PayPal, and were quick with resonses to questions.

Are you sure those skeins aren't from Africa?

The oxygen masks drop from the ceiling, but only in extreme emergencies.

I admit to being a homebody - I have a taproot runs very deep. I'm not much of a Traveller. But I'm suddenly overcome by a vast curiosity about Barcelona! I'm also glad to see that the laptop still works, I had to throw it in the dryer (gentle cycle) after spewing an entire cup of tea into it. You couldn't even arrange those skeins attractively in a basket!

here Elisabet from Barcelona.
The skeins are sold in Persones Llanes, a great yarn shop run by Jennifer (from Tucson, AZ) and Miquel. The skeins are spanish, from León. For more information www.personesllanes.com

by the way, I've known about these skeins for a long time, and I NEVER thought of them in this way... what's wrong with me????

I already commented but this was so funny that I had to re-read it again because it just makes my day. Still fabulous.

OMG My daughter went to Barcelona this past summer and I got the same. My male horse parts are pink (way too realistically colored!) and a cream. I will read every single post about these...

You are freaking me out. I just started swatching for that very same sweater (probably on the day you started it, knowing your knitting speed).

Are you following me around? Will you be going to Vegas this weekend, too? (I'm bringing my team a knitted TROGDOR, as they are called the Burninators. No, I don't really know either.)

I hope your delivery is better from WEBs than mine. I have been waiting since January 2 for a delivery and I'm not terribly impressed with their serviced. I hope the yarn when I finally get it makes up for the frustration. I love the sweater by the way, I don't think I can tackle such a complicated project yet...ciao

I wouldn't think of laughing at you for wearing long underwear in that weather...wish I had some; as it is, I am wearing a hat INSIDE where it is somewhat above freezing temp. but still cold.

Wow, how exciting!! That yarn's from our shop! This is the last thing I expected to see on your blog. Those more, ahem, natural colors have not been the biggest sellers, which we have always attributed to the obvious similitude. The bright blues, greens and pinks are much less off-putting ;)

OMG, I might have gone to the same yarn store in Barcelona - http://crazystitch.blogspot.com/2007/08/knitters-rock.html I got me a green, um skein? I kept it in the bag to hide the shape :)

gorgous kitty : ) love that sweater its beautiful