I can't complain about the recent weather. I saw my first robin this weekend, but honestly, I wasn't looking hard for them, because I thought spring was never. going. to. get. here.
So tonight I was flipping through the spring issue of Knitter's Magazine at the LYS and saw an little blurb about 
a very handy way to inventory your knitting needles. Don't tell my phone, but I'm a wee bit jealous.
Check this out - it's like a Swiss Army Knife - no, a Leatherman - for knitters. And it's purdy to boot.
Now, how to convince The Powers That Be at the LYS that we need this. Hmm. Must initiate clever mind-control plot. Note to self: must not post that publicly next time.
And fear not, my knitterly friends - the exchange itself doesn't happen until January, so it won't get in the way of your holiday gift knitting...
Enter early, enter often!
OK, knitters. It's go time.And by "go time", I mean that we're about to go double digits into November. Can you say HOLIDAY KNITTING IS GOING TO KICK MY ASS ONCE AGAIN?!? Dammit.
eWAC and I had a casual conversation this afternoon about said enterprise. As I left his and G40's stylishly remodelled loft, panic started to rise: 46 days to go. Man, I think I started holiday stuff earlier last year. (Just looked back in the archives, and the first mention of holiday knitting was 11/29/07. Slight whew.)
Next step, just completed: I waded through the mess that is my Favorites and PDF patterns to see what could fit the timeline. Luckily, last year I started bookmarking smaller projects for just this purpose...
And here are a few pre-holiday offerings to you, o crafty readers: Tools To Give By.
A handy-dandy reference for knitted thing dimensions (babies, hats, blankets, foot sizes).This chart from REI is a great reference for socks, slippers, and the like when the feet in question aren't with you.
Also handy is this guide to fabric/yarn care symbols (previously posted, but helpful nonetheless).
Knit on!
Presenting the latest in convertible needle sets: the addi Click. From the LYS newsletter I received today: 
The addi Click system provides 10 different sizes of addi Turbo™ tips (US 4 – US 15), three different lengths of our new, extremely pliable blue cord (24”, 32” and 40”), and one connector piece which helps to either store stitches or combine your cords. The Click tips require no tools to change; simply insert the cord deep into the tip, twist and release. The tips will remain secure until you change them.
Crikey, I don't think I want to see the price tag.
(approx. $149.95 US retail)
OK, this isn't really from New York itself, but on the way home we stopped at Chix with Stix in Forest Park, IL. Great LYS, and friendly, too! We ran in the door about 15 minutes before closing on a Sunday afternoon, and still the two women behind the counter never made us feel rushed (Mom and Dad at the counter below).
A large space, open and (fairly) bright, with yarns clearly displayed and several work areas.
I came away with three in-house souvenir patterns from this shop - adorable boy and girl booties (left), and a market bag (right) with both short and long handles. I'm working the bag in Cascade Sierra as you read this. OMG - I might have actual knitting pictures in the not-so-distant future!
And this, my knitting friends, is the mother of all ball winders (a BFBW, according to Papa) - smooooth! You can't see from this photo, but it requires two clamps, one on either side of the counter corner. This winder means serious business.
And for $200, you can have one, too.
Hope it helps you, too!
The little cakes (with the year prominently displayed - thanks a lot, Ness) were filled with fresh fruit, and made by my sister. Very tasty.
My knitting arsenal was fortified with several goodies: a cute Lantern Moon ladybug tape measure, More Big Girl Knits, The Field Guide to Knitting, a g.c. for Patternworks catalog, a Clover yarn guide, and the WPI tool (which has been long on my list - squee!).
The card my parents gave me (pictured above right) has a great quote by American knitting maven Elizabeth Zimmermann; her down-to-earth deconstructed approach to knitting coupled with a slightly self-depricating sense of humor makes me laugh often. I leave you with her words tonight:
"Really, all you need to become a good knitter is wool, needles, hands, and slightly below-average intelligence."
