Knit PH at Perk: March 13, 08

Talk about unraveling, Gov. Eliot Sptizer will most likely resign due to a sex scandel with a 22 year-old prostitute that charged $1K per hour. $5K later, the self-proclaimed political "Bulldozer" fell to the very crimes he set out to fight: organized prostitution and tax evasion. This type of thing usually involves a televangelist. $5K? Did she also paint the bathroom and re-model the garage? On the news, his wife stood by him bearing that thousand-mile Dina McGreevy stare. Soon David Patterson, New York's first blind African American governor, will be sworn in. You can't write this stuff. Meanwhile I've been re-writing and correcting patterns for more proposals. Caitlin popped into Prospect Perk after work, same with Emily. Knit PH at Perk seems to be a good stop on the way home, coffee, knittin', hookin', stitchin', bitchin'... etc.

New to the group is Mike, a graphic designer (top photo) or is his name Steve... and is he a photographer? Well anyhow, Steve or Mike? was working on sock #2. I took this picture of him proudly holding his catch-of-the-day. Socks are all the rage these days giving way to more brands of sock yarn. Everyone seems to be big on Noro, but Classic Elite has stepped up its arsenal in the yarn wars. Archie finished that pie-shaped baby blanket (inset). He did a great job, the colors are very nice. He spent most of the evening pulling out the I-chord edge and binding it off with a sewn edge — that man has determination.

Patty Lyons sat for a spell, she is a North Sloper and the store manager of The Point Cafe, a yarn/coffee shop that has the largest group of men who knit. We talked a lot about men's knit patterns. Currently, there aren't many great books. When Patty purchases books for the store she says that a big complaint about men's wear is that it's always the same old same-old stuff, but this time in brown. True that.



Patty has seen the whole lot pass through her book shelves. We both agree that the men's market will never compete with the women's market in this arena. But should it continue to be guided by old market stats? The most innovative men's patterns I've seen are online (Knitty.com), in periodicals (Knit.1, Interweave) and from yarn companies. What book companies push are really men's novelty books. When I've spoken to acquisition editors, the blanket statement is: That market hasn't done well. Here's a reason: subject matter. Oi vey, does anyone really want a sweater to match their dog? Gevault, why is a bath mat or face towel a featured item in a men's book? Feh. Enough of my semi-yiddishisms. Feh. Who will break through this indestructible fourth woolen wall?

Now Lisa, she's been busy with sweaters. I quit calling her Leslie. Lisa is fearless, I asked about that blue sweater she worked on in class. She said "I ripped it all out and made a new one." Like a Shoalin master she has now conquered the blind short-row. I think she's made three of Jarret Flood's "Cobble Stone" sweaters. She's also been playing with a short row pattern called the "Lizard" from Knitty.com. It works well with variegated yarn (inset). Tomo invited Chris from the KraftHaus group. Tomo is trying to reach a deadline for a project called "The Knitted Room." She's had some trouble with The Incredible Sweater Machine™ that she bought. It works alright, but it takes a steady hand, a good eye, and probably a bottle of single malt scotch. By March 30 she must create these knit items: a table, chairs, walls, and carpet. It's time to consider enlisting group help or third world labor.