My Best Friend's a Dork: Blech

I don't have a lot of knitting news that I can show you, hence the reason (well, one of them) that I have been MIA. Right now I am working on a Super Secret Knitting Project, otherwise known as Erin's Birthday Present. Yes, I am aware that her birthday was a month and a half ago. We have to chalk it up to the fact that I'm evidently a bad friend and a ridiculously slow knitter.

But as soon as the Super Secret Knitting Project is done and received by Erin I will be sure to post pictures (If I have iPhoto by then... souped up "old computer" still with i Photo) . I have to say I'm pretty proud (or will be when the stinking thing is finished).

In other knitting news. My fair city of Cedar Falls has a new(-ish, they opened in December) yarn shop. I'm over the moon about it. I have very little experience was a LYS, the previous shop is small and while the owner/ sole employee is a real sweetheart the hours for the shop don't really work with my work/life schedule. Plus it's small enough where I feel like if I go and hang out I'm in the way. Not so with this new shop. They are open 7 days a week AND open late on Thursdays. I'm starting to get over my fear of knitting in front of people, especially other people that also knit. (As Erin will attest I'm a dork). And I've learned a TON in just the 3 times I've visited. Granted 2 of those visits probably count as multiple visits, I was there so long. If the weather ever gets nicer I'm going to start walking down there from my apartment. I did that on one rare nice Saturday in the beginning of February. It's about 2 miles one way, so I figure I can rationalize to The Boy spending the day at the yarn shop (rather than helping out at the Lodge) if it's in conjunction with exercise. :)

After I finish the Super Secret Knitting Project I have a couple other projects that I am thinking about.

One of my coworkers is expecting and in the early stages (which means I have a lot of time, see comment about being a ridiculously slow knitter). So I was thinking a wee baby sweater might be in order. I have a pattern that includes BIG yarn and BIG needles so as long as I can get over my mental block about seaming (see comment about being a dork) I might be able to do it.

I also have the supplies to make myself a Sophie Bag. Or rather a modified version of the Sophie Bag. I'm thinking about making a buttonhole handle rather than a I-cord or beaded handle.

I also have a goal to go through my knitting "collection" and utilize Ravelry more with regards to that. While I was at the LYS the other day another woman there was looking into knitting a project where she wasn't sure if she had the proper needles. Pam, LYS worker/ instructor extraordinare, let the woman use the computer to pull up her profile on Ravelry. Lo and behold she did have the necessary needles. I never even thought to use this feature, especially in this way. This explains why I have a phenomenal number of needles. in mostly the same sizes (Honestly one person does not need this many size US 10 1/2!). I also want to put my yarn "collection" on there but I fear photographing my yarn in my dark apartment will make me not want to knit with any of it. This long winter and case of cabin fever does not need to bleed over into my hobby.

Seriously, will this winter ever end?