Wednesday, September 28, 2005

not quite 20 questions

Seemingly unrelated but all a subset of my brain this week.
Jump in, please. Mind the gooey gray matter.

1) I'm trying to find a fiber producing farm, any animal, any finished product (can be yarn, wool, fleeces) that's been around for more than 2 generations. Preferably not in the New England states. But must be in the US somewhere. For a project I'm working on. Any suggestions ?

2) If you've ever been to a yarn shop called And the Beadz Go On in Wickford, Rhode Island, is it worth the detour from the highway?

3) Will stockinette knit on different size needles with the same yarn felt at the same rate? If not, does looser knit fabric shrink less? What happens if I don't use a zippered pillowcase to hold the knitting in while its in the washing machine ?

4) I want to make fun of people who make tiny outfits to dress up their bunnies and take them to the fair. peopleShould I feel guilty about this? Aren't my hobbies passions distractions equally subject to ridicule? Hello, remember karma? What if I enjoy taking pictures of them and think they're kind of sweet in a creepy way? What if Yom Kippur is coming up in like 2 weeks and I know full well this'll be one more item on the list of snarky or mean spirited remarks for which I'll be apologizing?

8 comments:

Tracy Batchelder said...

Don't have any answers for questions 1-3. As for the bunny, "sweet in a creepy way" is a perfect description. It reminds me of when the background music in the scariest part of a horror movie is a lullaby.

Anonymous said...

I can answer number 3. Yes stockinette stitch does felt at different rates when using different needles. Believe it or not, sometimes it felts more when it's looser but there is a sweet spot, usually 2 or 3 needles higher then the manufactured recommendation. And nothing really happens to your feltd item if you don't put it in a bag but you end up with fuzz and lint all over the washer and it's inner workings. Can lead to very unhappy washer! Hope that helps!

Lauren said...

Please tell me that's a fake bunny. I agree with Heather about the felting issues. Does Schoolhouse in WI raise sheep?

Lanea said...

I uh, . . . that rabbit is um . . . why is the rabbit um . . . WHY WOULD ANYONE DO THAT TO A POOR LITTLE BUNNY? I mean, I try not to be judgemental but that is just wrong. And as far as I know, speaking out against injustice is not something you have to atone for on Yom Kippur.

Yes, felting without a bag will lead to messy felt scat all over the inside of your machine BUT you can felt faster without the bag (more agitation), so it uses less water that way. It used to frighten me, but then I read a post (perhaps from the Threadbear guys?) about how to get the felt scat out of the washing machine pump when the need arises. So now I felt without a pillowcase. I am a rebel.

Anonymous said...

I can only echo what the others have said about felting without putting your item in a bag or pillowcase first. What a mess; and not good for your washing machine pump.

@Veraddi said...

Oh Man that is a cute bunny!! As to why folks do it..cuz a cat would have shredded you if you came within 3 feet of them with just the hat..

If you're gonna dress an animal, make sure it's a docile one...LOL!

Zarzuela said...

I say felt with the bag unless you want a new washer. ;)

Jessica
http://zarzuela.blogspot.com

Sami said...

As for the bunnies in drag, I can only refer to the 4Hers that knit for their sheep show (like dog show, with sheep!)competition. The sheep appear less traumatized and more fashionable.