I wanna Real Man

Since the guy who works opposite shifts from me will come into work and 90% of the time will find me knitting, he decided that he would treat me to a knitting video. He found Real Men Knit on DVD at the local library last weekend and brought it to work for me to watch on my next shift.

While I don't want to give this production two thumbs down, I felt that it lacked in a few places. Any topic that was discussed was only briefly mentioned. I was hoping for something with a bit more meat of the matter. The movie talked briefly about how, historically hand knitting was a male dominated occupation. That is, until the knitting machine made hand knitting no longer financial feasible so the task was handed off to women. (Sounds familiar!!!)


Kaffe Fassett, Brandon Mably and and host of average Joes were interviewed. It turns out that both men and myself knit for the same reasons: texture, colour, to alleviate boredom, stress relief, to make something for a loved one, because it's fun...... These are all reasons (plus several more) why I pick up the sticks and string.

From Jocks to stressed out tech geeks and everyone in between were featured on this video.

Now before I go any further, I want to make it perfectly clear that I know knitters come in all shapes and sizes and have a wide assortment of appearances from formal to very casual. A few of the knitting guys were visibly pierced and I don't have a problem with that, at all (honestly).

However...........watching a guy stick a cable needle through the piercing in his nose (because that's where you can keep it so it doesn't get lost) and then hold the tip of it in his mouth is something no one should have to see.

But I digress.....


Knitting is a craft that is so versatile that it can appeal to every different type of person. What I love about knitting could be different for someone else, but it doesn't matter. I get excited about cables and they might drive the person next to me to the frog pond. I can't stand knitting mittens and someone else could live for making them. It's all wonderful as there is room in this craft for everything and everyone.


So to use a South African saying from Brandon Mably.....when it comes to knitting "what lifts your skirts?"

Until next time
Yours in Yarn,
The Fibreholic

I Have a Problem

I like to knit socks.....that's not my problem!
I like to travel.....that's not my problem!
I like to buy sock yarn when I travel as a type of souvenir.....that's not my problem!

Here is the sock yarn that I've purchase during the last three trips.



Not a lot but so far I've only knit 2 pairs of socks from my small collection of souvenir sock stash.

Maybe it has something to do with this:





Or maybe it has something to do with this:




Yeah I think that it has something to do with my entire collection of regular stash sock yarn (there's enough for 43 pairs of socks in this picture). I tried to give full disclosure but found that 6 balls of sock yarn did not make it into the picture nor did the 7 skeins of bare sock yarn from Knit Picks.


I'm a weak woman with a problem. I enter a yarn store/wool shop and head straight for the sock yarn section. I stand amazed at all the beautiful colours. I touch, fondle and caress, then I am hooked and I can't leave the store without at least one ball or skein. Even with all the sock yarn at my finger tips I can't wait until my next fix. Eventually the urge will be so strong and I won't be able to control myself. I'll have to find a way to satisfy this urge growing deep inside and the only way to do that is to add to the stash......


I'm a Fibreholic and sock yarn is my drug of choice. I make no apologises but I think that I'll have to divide the stash again and hide it all before DH gets home tonight......just in case!!!!

Until next time
Yours in Yarn,
The Fibreholic

I should have known

Sigh....there is a lot of effort going into this. Probably much more then she'll ever realize, but it was inevitable. Once the blanket started to take shape she saw the possibility and potential of this thing. She became enamored and declared the blanket hers. I don't blame her though, if I were my teen, I'd probably do the same.

On the recommendation of Taph, I've decided not to publicly beg for leftovers of sock yarn. However being the ....ahem....the collector.....of sock yarn that I am, I'll never lack materials for this blanket. When you have your own stash that you are trying to control there is no need to add to the chaos with the help of other. I am doing a good job of it all on my own.

As with many mother/daughter relationships we have discovered that we are at an impasse in our opinion of the construction of this blanket. I see a great sock yarn and think about the wonderful socks. She sees the same yarn and wants it to go immediately into the blanket. She not quite there yet on the concept of leftovers yet...that....and patience. Since I am the one knitting this project, she has realized that she must resign herself to waiting for the finished product for however long it takes. It's a life lesson that she's not too thrilled about.

So without further ado, here is an update of my mitered square, leftover sock yarn blanket.

Until next time

Yours in Yarn,

The Fibreholic