Testing comments.

The main thing is you finished! Yeah for you, and enjoy Port Ludlow.

Kind of destroys the myth that knitters aren't creative because they "just follow directions.". Who knew that over a thousand of your followers were poets as well as knitters?

PS: you might find it mildly interesting to see my LMKG Project here. http://goodfruit.wordpress.com/2010/09/16/the-more-last-minute-knitted-gifts-project/

The haiku reminded me - what happened to your father-in-law's poetry? I enjoyed those posts.

Hilarious! Love the poetry and love Kevin.

the shawl even looks good to me not blocked. How big is it going to be when blocked? Looks like it might be a doozy. Cograts to the winners.

We love you too, Steph.
Even though I did not win,
I will keep reading.

(Sorry. Can't stop. Haikus are as addictive as self-striping yarn.)

"Kevin: .....Of course they are. " I love it.

Full-on, entertaining awesomeness, yet again!

I can't even express how excited I was to see my haiku in your post. I can't help but feel, however, that I am somewhat of a knitting stalker.

How fun! I tried to leave one but being at work left me unable to battle the blog. Can't wait to see the blocked shawl. Love the color. Be sure to take a picture of you wearing it in your new craft room. Love the green.

Hail Kevin for his grand ability to bite his tongue while trying to be all sangfroid about the sheer mass of crazy poetic knitters.

Congratulations to the winners!

Oh, so many good entries! They made me laugh, with both joy and mirth! Such talent out there in the big old world. I never finished mine - I stink at poetry, I guess. Or deadlines. One or the other. I loved Erica and metrorebecca's the best, so kudo's to you two!

The shawl looks great so far - I can't wait to see it all done. :)

I imagine you only do carry on. Because the thought of that lovely shawl getting lost in your luggage. . . need I say more?

I tweeted this to you when I couldn't access the blog:

Laminaria...
not the only culprit, eh?
haiku killed the blog.

And knitters love you!

The Haiku by Kathyro was so funny I literally laughed out loud!!! Thank you to everyone who participated & shared their poems with us. And thank the Blog Hostess for such a fun idea :)

Haikus! Words of brilliance
from knitter's typing fingers.
I never laughed harder.

Thank you for the fun!

Refrigerator?!?! I am still laughing so hard I think I may throw up! I am presently going to read these haikus to my husband (a mere muggle) and see how hard he laughs, too. Thanks for a great time. :)

Casting off is fun
Except for when you forget
How much yarn it takes

I wasn't able to submit yesterday, but wanted to add in my own Haiku (thankfully my co-workers are at lunch right now, otherwise they'd seeme counting syllables on my fingers!)

I don't think your Kevin-centric ISP experience is a coincidence. I think you call them, they look at their call display and say "Kevin? Will you get that?"

Oh man! That needs to Br turned into a book! Thanks for lightering my mood. I needed it.

But I had to work
missed all the fun of yarnish
circular or straight.

Wow. You're really something.

Now I've seen you knit on You Tube and you are wicked fast, but that tricky shawl-- that fast! Holy Smokes.

I sure wish you'd make an instructional DVD on Irish Cottage Knitting for those of us unable to get to knitting workshops where you teach. And for those who do go, but who can't get in your class.

I bet readers and other knitters would go nutty for it and support the project. I mean look at all the poetry?

Best to you--can't wait to see how you look in it. It is stunning.

Betsy

Most excellent knitting haiku party!!

Safe travels. I look forward to seeing Laminaria in its full blocked glory.

When I asked the assembled at SOAR how many had never written a poem? This is why I didn't believe the hands that went up.

Bring rain gear to Port Ludlow. Steady rain at present. Could get better.

Kevin needs a pair of socks.

Loving the haikus
Laughing at wit of Harlot
Kevin now gets it?

didn't get a chance to check the blog yesterday...so belated...

Cast on with big dreams
Knit on while dream glows or fades
Cast off, at last done.

Classic harlot fun.
As knitters once more astound
I T & muggles.
* * * * *
Tip for tomorrow a.m.? Just don't let the brain even think about what time is ...

LMAO - that Kevin should be immortalized. In something. I'll leave the decision to you.

And you know, who'd of thunk that poetry writing would kill the server. Every English prof needs to become a card-carrying Yarn Harlot reader. :)

Awesomeness.

ok, the haiku are hysterical. As is your description of Kevin's knitting haiku disbelief.

Thanks for the major giggles this afternoon. Needed them.

And can't wait to see the Laminaria blocked! (I'm sure you can't either. Except you have to. Sigh.)

p.s. And a thank you to Kevin for the perfect comeback when he was so stunned.

I was so frustrated when I couldn't get my haiku to post, but the ones you posted were so much better than mine -- as was your conversation with Kevin. Thanks for the chuckles.

omg omg omg omg
ok, having a fangirl moment. trying very hard not to convey the excitement of having my haiku posted. or thinking to hard about how not only was i thrilled to write a knitting haiku but EVEN MORE THRILLED that the Harlot liked it.

eeeeeee!

Binding off is not
The existential question
That casting on is.

-Leslie

So true Leslie!

My haiku was great
But I forgot to come back
After crash was fixed:(

I love it. I love the quirky good feeling inside from helping expand an IT guy's boundaries a bit.

...of course it is.

I'm so proud of you for reading all of them. That was more of a feat than finishing Laminaria.

I didn't read through them all, so reading your selections was delightful - although not quite as much so as visualizing the telephone conversation with Kevin. ;-)

You'll be amused to know that my office often communicates via haiku. There have been poetic series about microwaves, bike racks, coffee machine repairs, and HVAC problems. Nobody here would have been surprised at the blog breaking under the flood of haiku!

I read all the Haiku as well. There wasn't a bad one in the bunch and I found myself thinking the same things.

Thanks ever so much for posting your conversation with Kevin. I knew that little contest was burning up the internet, but hearing his replies has made my day.

Enjoy Port Ludlow - should be beautiful this time of year.

I will have to go back and read them all, when I'm alone apart from the dog. He doesn't mind if I snigger and/or snort tea down my nose. He doesn't tell on me either.

Aw, cute. I think you should just ask for Kevin next time, and tell him the 1100+ knitter-haiku artists say hello.
Just to freak him out a bit.
I wonder if he went to his girlfriend and said, "You'll never guess - I talked to someone who goes by Yarn Harlot today" and she shrieked and said, "OMG, No way I'm so jealous!"

Thank you for the wonderful selection - it was a great taste for those of us who unfortunately don't have the time to read them all.

And cheers to Kevin for almost masking his surprise

Thanks soooo much for all the fun! ♥

Maybe you should do a haiku calendar. You could get Franklin to illustrate.

hahahaha@ BO your FO Haiku! Great idea, great entries!

Could this be a knitting anthology in progress? "Knitting Haiku - Collected Works"
(I apologize if this has been suggested already - I just saw the comment about the calendar idea and have not read all of the comments.)

What terrific fun, Everyone!

Thank you, so very much, for the multitudinous haikus AND the reported conversation with Kevin. Yes, I suspect that when "They" see your caller ID come up, "They" say "Hey! Kevin! It's for you!"

So many clever fiber artists...

send Kevin a beer!!!!

Knitting haiku - do I smell a book?

ROLF @Adele! I was thinking that same thing when I was reading the post! LOL

P.S. When I have to get up at that time of morning, I choose something that doesn't wrinkle and I sleep in my clothes. (Shhh - don't tell anyone.)

PAGING KEVIN'S GIRLFRIEND... are you here? ;) LOL

Refrigerator! I think I pee'd my pants!

I cannot believe
I missed the haiku party.
At least I can knit.

What I wouldn't give to hear the conversations Kevin had once he got off work?...."You would not believe the phone call I had today..."

Will you never learn?! Another "fun" idea almost killed the blog! :)

I tried, I really tried yesterday! Ravelry and I just bemoaned the blog instead.

Wow, 1,100 haikus. That's amazing! It was fun, and I enjoyed your recap today. Thanks!

My favorite is Sally's:

What a huge relief
And yet I'm a little sad
Poor naked needles

Seriously, that (the haiku) was fun yesterday, even with the trouble posting...and I would have loved to be a fly on the wall watching Kevin's face when he was talking to Ms. Harlot about the comment traffic. roflmao

Another haiku contest or two like that could make for an interesting book, but maybe Kevin should be warned.

Can't wait for blocked pics!

So when are all these haiku going to be bound in a book with the proceeds going to Doctors Without Borders? Would make a great Christmas gift for some knitter. Or haiku-a-day calendar there are 3.2 years of them. The Yarn Harlot Presents ____

What do you think everybody?

OMG!!!
I miss ONE day, one measly day, and look what happened!

Binding off today
Some casting on tomorrow
Knitting forever.

I see an (easy-peasy) one-a-day knitting haiku calendar in your future! ; ) Probably too late for 2011, though.

Love Kevin's stunned retort. Love your blog. Love your followers who wrote haikus.
So much love.
Would love a book or a calendar with all those haikus.
How 'bout a book of patterns inspired by haikus written by knitters?
Love!

I love this blog. Thank you for the bright spot in my day.

LAughing so hard I'm crying at Kevin's disbelief!

love (1168)

I absolutely love your support guy's "of course they are"!

But not more than the shawl as it will turn out post-blocking. It will be perfect.

And yes, I'm at the point of kitchenering my DGS's Wallaby tonight, so the haiku that I read (not all but a sampling here and there to the end) were a perfect fit for how I'm feeling just now.

They are all so fantastic! Enjoy Port Ludlow and please take lots of photos to share with those of us that cannot be there.

LOVE LOVE LOVE the one by Sarah S!

More importantly though, does this Kevin know he's now famous in knitting-blog-land?

How could I have missed
Yesterday's haiku contest?
Bloglines failed again

We thank you Kevin
For fixing Stephanie's blog
Broken by comments

Too tired to read them all but scrolling through and stopping to dip into the stream of haiku, they were wonderful!!

Tell Kevin that on occasion, when Ree Drummond does a giveaway of a Kitchenaid mixer or whatever at her Pioneer Woman blog, there are over 31,000 (thirty-one thousand) responses! Now there's a techie problem. She's pretty funny BTW. (Tech problem for someone - Why won't your comments section remember personal information as it offers to?)

Lastly, even in it's pre-blocked state the shawl looks to me like it's on its way to gorgeous!

I think mine got lost in cyberland - but that's OK. Clever, clever knitters.
Here's one for Presbyteria:

Joe's own brown gansey
will not ever be cast off
It's in the closet.

LOL - Lot's of fun! LOVE the shawl - even unblocked.

my hands move in rhythm now
ending, the colors excite
is it coffee time?

You could publish a knitting haiku compendium. I really enjoyed reading the ones you selected.

Put all the haikus into a book Stephanie! That would be ace.

I love your blog! I had been meaning to look it up for forever, but I never got around to it. But now I have and I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!
unfortunately the only one of your books I have is KNITTING RULES! but I'm hoping for some more of them for Christmas. have fun!
(did I mention that I'm only 12?)

Yesterday, I tried to post several times, but got booted out each time. Just in case everything is working today and cyberspace will finally accept my token haiku, here it is:

casting on--so slow
knitting the middle is fun
binding off--so slow

As someone who is frequently in Kevin's shoes:

"I think the load is high because there's a lot of comments."

To a website admin, that doesn't make a lot of sense. *Having* a lot of comments on a blog post should not cause a lot of load on the server.

*Getting* a lot of comments, on the other hand, can do it, because that's active traffic. A post could have ten million comments on it and it's not going to increase your server load all that much. But if you get ten million comments on a post in the space of an hour, your server is probably going to be toast.

If this happens again, tell Kevin that you're getting Slashdotted. He'll grok it.

It would be a shame
if these haiku went away
never more to be

I agree with Liz T., a compendium would be great. There are some fantastic thoughts here. (Note: not mine however)

love the haiku! knitters are amazing and multi talented
thanks for the inspiration

In my work day life
haiku is celebrated
on Haiku Monday

Mail server on fire
sending five seven and five
"reply all" to us

Loving each haiku
Even though I missed my chance.
Next time: Limericks!

I was telling one of my co-workers this morning about The Blog crashing due to the high number of haiku's. I had no idea it was that many though. We're good. And really talented.

I love Kevin. I think you've mentioned him before. What an awesome guy he must be, LOL!

Have lace yarn in stash,
Whispering to me at night.
What will it become?

Blue-grey mohair silk.
Whisp'ring, "Cast aside other
Projects. Cast me on."

"Which pattern?" I ask.
"Cannot you give me a hint?"
"Laminaria?"

Cast aside Sweater?
Might knit Sweater forever.
There's no end in sight.

Not the sweater's fault.
Stockinette in the round is
Like watching paint dry.

Lace patterns call me.
I search Ravelry like mad.
So much pretty lace.

1100 poems in one day! Fantastic!

Note for Kevin:

Stephanie has been in the New York Times Bestseller Top Ten List, and she is 'well-known in some small rooms', it doesn't extend to the papparazzi(?sp)following her at the supermarket, but she has a 'following'?

In New Zealand there is a soft drink that is advertised as being 'world famous in New Zealand', but the phrase doesn't have the same cachet to a non-NZer.

1100 haikus. I love it. Being part of that is well worth the wait to get my comment to post. And it leaves me wondering whether I could convince my students to write haikus on gender and language? Hmmm... The mind boggles.

1168? That's better odds than the lottery. I'm sorry I missed the chance, but loved the haiku you picked for today's blg. And your tech support Kevin makes me LOL. Really! Have fun on your trip . . .

i am furtively
tapping out the syllables
knit poems at work

I can understand Maya's haiku perfectly. :)

And, because I woke up partner last night turning the pages of a pattern and he said sleepily, "don't stay up too late knitting," I really think Sarah S's is funny.

Hi, Stephanie,

I loved the poems. Now, the important thing is, what are you going to do with the beautiful left over green yarn? That is always the existential question for me with binding off... What new treasure awaits?

Julie

I have to wonder if metrorebecca writes poetry often. I have copied her submission and plan to admire it often:

One by one the crowd
Bows to my sceptre in turn.
Now all are prostrate.

Genius. Absolute genius.

Wanted to haiku-
four hundred posts?! Why bother?
It's already said!

(Loved the haiku about making fervent love after finishing casting off! Kudos to that knitting poetess/lover.)

I am so glad to hear that you liked all the haiku! I bet that was quite a conversation piece to discuss over tea. Congrats to the winners!

Once your shawl is blocked it will look absolutely stunning for sure.

What fun!

while reading the blog, I was laughing so hard that my brother wanted to know the story.. So I had to explain knitting blogs... and the yarn harlot. so I cut to the conversation between Stephanie and Kevin. and he started shaking his head... he's such a muggle!

I told my husband about the Knitting Haiku Blog Crash and his response was "You mean if I divorce you, there's a good chance I'll end up with another knitting geek? You mean there's more of you in the world?? Good Grief." so not only did I get to laugh out loud at the Kevin interaction, I got to get a good chuckle at the husbeast. So even though I didn't win a prize...this totally made my day.

Oh, how I loved this!!! I had to do extensive research on haiku for my blog. Thanks!!

I second the suggestion that limericks are in order next. Better warn Kevin.

There are way more than 9 comments here! The haiku was great. On a totally unrelated note....will there be a Yarn Harlot calendar for 2011? I love seeing your thoughts for each day; it is the first thing I do each morning, after making the coffee!

I'm laughing so hard my eyes are wet. Which makes up for not being able to post my poetry! (And the funny thing about that was, we were in a used bookstore earlier in the day and my husband said, "Hey, you could use this book." And it was your book! Wild! I didn't know you'd written a book!) (Rather new-ish to your site, that is.) (And then, all the poetry... grand.)

But what are those winnng haikus 1 and 2? Please share.

so, how many people actually used laminaria in their poems? its a line all by itself- 5 syllables!

Kevin deserves some haiku of his own.

Four years in college
Ten more at work, come to this:
"Kevin, make blog go."

Given his demonstrated ability to embrace reality, I think he'd be amused.

Stephanie, I have never knit lace, but even to a muggle's eye the shawl is already beautiful in both design and craft.

The part about Kevin on the phone had me literally giggling to myself here in my apartment. I am glad my husband is gone so he wouldn't look at me weirdly.

The haikus were fun!!!! Can we do some more??

You are a true original. That was great fun. Thank you!

Oh Kevin... if you only knew how much we enjoyed your tech support! And wow, that haiku is truly the only haiku I ever cared about. Good job, everyone!

I hope that Kevin's girlfriend hears of his elbow brushing with the Yarn Harlot and show's him Ravelry. The haiku writing was great fun, but his pause and obvious mind-thumping confusion were best of all!

Maybe there should be haikus with themes for your next book. Heaven knows we're all up for the themed challenges!

Laughing so hard there's tears :-)
thanks for the selection - loved this

One by one the crowd
Bows to my sceptre in turn.
Now all are prostrate.

Any chance of the lot as a Rav download? Surely there's pattern excuse possibilities at the retreat? Have a great time.

That shawl may still be waiting for its bath, but I still caught my breath when I saw the photos. Glorious! Congratulations on your perseverance, you're going to luvloveLOVE wearing it!

Loving the Silk Thread.

Loving the haikus! I read a fair sampling last night but promised myself I would come back and read more. They were and are hilarious (and so true).

No victory, just
the agony of defeat
and more casting off.

You're Laminaria is awesome! I can't wait to see it blocked. By the way, I love your books too.

THose were HILARIOUS! I loved the "fervid love" one. I am so glad that there is a place for casting off-specific knitting haiku. The sun is shining just s bit brighter now. Thanks!

Love the poetry! Love the Lam!

That was so fun!

I agree about how blocking totally changes lace into an amazing work of art. Can't wait to see.

I'm always a day late for the party. :)

Wrote anyway.

possibilities
unbound cast about for peace
settled finally

I have such a sad
server crashed for my haiku
and thus cast it off

I think you should compile all of these knitting haikus into a book or something - or find someone who will do it for you. It could be an instant best-seller!

Just the thought of causing the blogosphere to stagger under the weight of knitting haiku makes me giddy with joy.

I love how this project was a perfect diorama of knitters in general: given fairly specific guidelines, as many unique and interesting ideas were shared as there are knitters to share them. Wonderful idea!

Loops flowing quickly
Ripples of flowering lace
Over another

I love your blog. That is all.

Owning my agree--Kevin is awesome.
Secretly celebrating that being cozy with a crocheter still does not prepare him for the onslaught of knitlove.

I think I love knitters even more than i love knitting

my co-workers are looking at me strange as I am maniacally laughing reading the interchange between you and Kevin....thanks for helping me get through this long night with laughter!

WOW! That is a lot of poems!! I have to admit that I am not a daily reader, so I might have missed yesterdays' haiku challenge. SO, I can't imagine how many others did. There may have been so many more!! I did get mine in though, I think...I always come here for a pick me up and some good laughs. :)

Making your short list
of haiku -- even better
than winning a book!

Those were wonderful! I'm off to read the rest, but before I do - Hi Kevin!!! (= I wonder if he's reading your blog now, in a non-professional manner, just to see what all the fuss is about.

Gorgeous shawl, fabulous haikus.

THREE DAYS?!?! THREE stinking days from the time you blogged "I shall never reach the end of this ^$%#$%@ shawl" to the time you finished?!?!?!

Oh you just make me sick...... You're cheating. I don't know how you are doing it but you are definitely cheating.

I'm a neophyte.
Who's Stephanie Pearl-McPhee?
OMG! My peeps!

Ya'll are FREAKS!!! (And this is a very good thing!)

Hilarious! Great shawl too. I'm working on my courage to try a Laminaria someday. It's a bit intimidating....but soooo pretty......

Guess it's a group effort to educate tech support and other non-fibers to appreciate the sheer size of the knitting universe. Well done blog!

I think you need to put some knitting haiku in your next book!

Probably a good thing you didn't suggest knitting sonnets. The internet might have exploded.

Kevin's reaction was hysterical. Loved it!

I can't wait to see Laminaria in all her glory.

Now, I celebrate:
The Harlot read my haiku
and found it poignant.

Poor Kevin. I know he's in a breakroom somewhere discussing the big knitting blog full of haiku with his tech-support friends and they are all puzzling at our craziness. But the haikus were fun to read. Your shawl is lovely. Have a great time in Port Ludlow.

Hi Steph,

So, I really liked your description of blocking the last time you did one, but I think it was for something pretty basic...and dense.

Do you think you could snap photos and show/tell us how you block lace? I've never done it, and am afraid I'd lose my bed for a few days because of all the pins and lace drying on it...

Also because I never buy enough lace weight to make anything lacy...

Thank you everyone for sharing your haiku--everyone is so creative! And, thank you, Stephanie for inspiring such words and participation. The laminaria is already beautiful. I can't imagine how much more it will be when blocked.

Each haiku a pearl!!
Love your description of the tech support discussion!!!

Colin Firth rather than George Clooney, but, yeah!

Eleven hundred? And the shawl is done. I love knitting.

I can hardly wait for a Limerick Challenge. Give Kevin lots of notice so he can put it in his schedule!

Betsy from 11/9/10 at 2:24PM, you are a genius! Steph, I second, third, and fourth her idea of some instruction from you on cottage knitting and knitting for speed & efficiency. Since a 50-state US tour on the topic seems unlikely, a DVD would be great! I have not been able to find anyone who teaches your technique in my area, and I live near WEBS, so you'd think we have everything around here.

Speedy needles blur
Holy crap, did you see that?
Lace shawl in a week!

Another vote for making them into a Knitting Haiku book!

Stupid computer
Takes all my creativeness
Stuffs it up it's arse!

Wine with yarn to start
Two teas to keep me going
Bind off! Wine! Bind off!

I really wanted to get that in there! Refridgerater...Brilliant! Funny! Amazing!

You have to admit...it is not every day that knitting haiku's happen. I can totally understand Kevin's...hesitation. And just for the record, my haiku was lost in cyberspace too, and now that I read all the others, I'm sorta glad. :-) (It wasn't that good.)

I totally pissed my pants. And missed like 4 stitches (I knit stst or garter whilst reading, and failed miserably today!)

The haiku should be published in a book! How wonderful it would be to have a poetry knitting book!

Bwuahah! Those are awesome. Also awesome is the conversation you had with Kevin.

I don't think my Haiku got posted, though because I was at the end of my lunch break and the server was mad. =(

I love Kevin!

The haikus were amazing; knitters are so clever and creative. And your conversation with Kevin brought a smile to my day. Just what I needed after wresting with my newest project.

I too think a book of knitting haikus would be fun. Or perhaps a haiku at the start of each topic.

Oh to have the ability to "LIKE"/"LOVE" some of the comments and the Haiku.

Love Kevin!! Such professionalism should be rewarded!! or at the very least applauded with maybe a letter to his Supervisor?? or some such?

Lush
Sydney, Australia

Stephanie,

I think your next book
has just written itself. Yeah!
Love to see it soon.

(with illustrations by Franklin, of course)

You've got your next book written for you!

I agree - fabulous haiku(s?). Please do compile and publish them all.

My husband is an IT specialist (software consultant/programmer). I read him the Kevin exchange. This lead to a very funny laugh out loud moment - with the party chewed sandwich he was eating ending up on the floor. You have another fan Stephanie.

I'm copying this post by another knitter, and re-entering it.

I'm glad someone agreed with me and I hope you might consider such a thing.
Thanks.See below:

Betsy from 11/9/10 at 2:24PM, you are a genius! Steph, I second, third, and fourth her idea of some instruction from you on cottage knitting and knitting for speed & efficiency. Since a 50-state US tour on the topic seems unlikely, a DVD would be great! I have not been able to find anyone who teaches your technique in my area, and I live near WEBS, so you'd think we have everything around here.

Speedy needles blur
Holy crap, did you see that?
Lace shawl in a week!

Posted by: Solarmama at November 10, 2010 11:34 AM

That was her response to my idea.
She said it better than I did.

Oh, Kevin, Kevin,...
You should know by now - Knitters
Will have the last stitch.

I hope I haven't missed the contest. I was kind of busy . . . actually in labor.

Casting off at night
Just one candle's light shines
A new life arrives

What size are Kevin's feet? I think a (maybe many) pair of hand made socks are in order!

I was so inspired by all these Haiku and you influencing all these people to write them, that I have declared this week (starting Monday, tomorrow) Haiku week on my blog. I will attempt to write at least one Haiku every day and I am encouraging people to join me. More culture in our lives!

Love the shawl -- adore the Haiku!

Laminaria are a type of witches in The Spook series of children's novels; the feral kind are very scary winged, reptilian things. Not at all like your garment...

Hi, perhaps this is not on theme but in any case, I have been reading about your web site and it looks truly good. impassioned about your writing. I’m building a new blog and hard put to make it appear great, and provide really good content. I have discovered much on your site and I look forward to more updates and will be coming back.