Things around Chez McYarnpants have changed in the last year. A lot. Things have changed like whoa. Things besides the book. (Which you should totally buy.)

I was doing paperwork last week and saw this exact scene on my desk and knew it was the perfect way to start this blog post. I’ve been putting off writing about it for a while because I’m not even sure what and how much I want to say about it.

Discount Valentine’s candy* and divorce papers. Or as I like to call it,  creamy divorce nougat enrobed in rich chocolate. Neither of these things make me happy, per se, but each were what I really needed. I would have preferred cardamom marshmallows and a lifetime of fulfillment. But you play the cards you’re dealt, yes? Then, once you’ve played them, you switch to a game where you can actually pick your own damned cards!

That’s what I’m focusing on now, figuring out how to assemble a good hand. Ok, I need to quit with this card metaphor before someone tells me to “shuffle up and deal!”

Jon and I separated in May of last year. It was actually just before Caro and I finished the book. A couple of weeks after we decided to separate, I had to hand in my dedication to the publisher. This really threw me for a loop since everything was so fresh, but I realized that just because we weren’t going forward, there was no reason to discount the past. I did appreciate his support during the making of the book and I thanked him for it. And that’s how I’ve tried to proceed since then.

I’m not going to go into details of our relationship any more than to say that after 15 years, our relationship was over and separating was inevitable. I don’t regret our decision and I don’t have any ill will towards him. I just want us both to lead happy, full lives. It’s like a midlife reboot. A Ctrl+Alt+Del in meatspace. A do-over, if you will. Wish us luck!

In the meantime, a new man has entered my life. He looks really young, but he’s actually quite a bit older than me. His name is Bobby and I loff him.

Bobby came to me from YarnyOldKim, who I adore and desperately want to be. Maybe if I eat Bobby, I will absorb her powers.

The cats are getting used to having him around, although he’s not as good at cuddling as Chi Chi would like.

And I suspect Bobby misses his old home. I found him surfing around on my computer the other night. He said he was just looking for photos of naked Sears mannequins, but he was looking at Kim’s Flickr stream.

But he’s settling in well. Thank you, Kim! He looks really great in my sewing room, even though he nearly gives me a heart attack every time I walk in there. That disembodied little darling keeps the ol’ blood pumpin’!

Boop!

Phew, well, that feels good to get off my chest. I wasn’t sure how to approach the divorce on the blog and I think it was kind of acting like a block. Let my prolific blogginggggg – BEGIN!

*It used to have a pretty bow, but I had to cut it off because Dot was nomming on it.

After a very productive TNNA, Caro and I are feeling renewed and refreshed and exited about promoting the book in the new year. We considered TNNA to be Knitting It Old School’s Quincea±era. Partly because we didn’t have any materials available for TNNA summer, and partly because I like the thought of our book wearing a super fancy frock on her special day.

KIOS looks so grown up, doesn’t she? (If I could think of a single reason to wear that dress anywhere, I totally would.)

So as part of our adventure in whoring promoting our book, we will be talking with Mary Beth Temple on her fibercast, Getting Loopy! We’ll be there on Monday, 1/17 at 9pm eastern. The cool thing about it is that you can call in to talk to us and ask questions! Since the show is centered on crochet, I fully expect someone to ask what the deal is with the word “knitting” in the title of the book, even though there are 9 or 10 crochet patterns in there. I’m trying to come up with something better than the fact that “Knitting and Crocheting It Old School” just didn’t have the ring we were looking for.

Visit the Getting Loopy group on Ravelry to find out more about how to listen live, call in and join in the live chat, where you can also ask questions. The show is hosted on BlogTalkRadio, where you can even set up a reminder so you don’t forget about us. Don’t worry, you can set the DVR to tape Real Housewives. Nobody wants to miss NeNe getting all up in Kim’s grill on the tour bus, am I right? We’re human, after all.

So then after that, we’re heading to New York City (is it just me who says “New York City?!” with a cowboy accent like in the Pace Picante commercial? Do I watch too much TV? You can tell me.) Anyway, we’re heading to New York City (New York City?!) to attend Vogue Knitting Live. I’m taking a 2-part sock class with Cat Bordhi on Friday and I’m really excited! (nobody tell that I haven’t done my homework yet.)

But we arrive on Thursday and Thursday night (1/20), we’re doing a reschedule appearance at the Lion Brand Yarn Studio! Seating starts at 5:30 and the presentation starts at 6. We were really lucky to get an appearance to begin with, but then we got trapped in LA when the snow storm hit last week, so we weren’t able to make our appearance last week. So we got even luckier that we were able to reschedule it. Those folks at Lion Brand are the bomb-diggity! So pop by and see us and buy bagloads of yarns. Woo!

We’ll be setting up more engagements soon, so stay tuned. Like the Monkees, you never know where we’ll be found. So you better get ready, we may be coming to your tooooown!

And apropos of nothing, here’s an awesome cat picture. It’s Mike and Chi Chi lounging on the bed. Mike has since gotten his semi-annual lion cut and had his anal glands expressed, so, you know, your week could have been worse.

I have been one busy-ass bee. I LOVE being busy. Being tired from being buzzing around at a million miles an hour is much more satisfying to me than being tired due so sofa atrophy in front of a reality tv marathon. And trust me, I’ve had plenty of experience with both.

When the holidays roll around, my mind goes right to craft shows. And this year, it’s been turned up to eleven. I’ve been accepted to Boston Handmade! It’s an amazing group of local artists and crafters and somehow, I got to be one of them. We’ve got a temporary holiday gallery set up in downtown Boston that you really need to check out. It’s a pretty diverse group producing all manner of handmade wonders, so there really is something for everyone. I’ll be working the 11-7 shift on the 11th, 19th and on Christmas Eve until 3. I’d love to see you there.
Boston Handmade Downtown

And if you can’t make it to the gallery, you can visit me this Saturday at the JP Holiday Fair. Dudes, it’s in a church! I don’t know about you, but when I was a kid at Sunday Mass, all I could do was imagine the way cooler things I could be doing in that church. Roller skating was always at the top of the list. So now you can shop at church!
And if you can’t make it to the JP Holiday Fair, you can visit me this Sunday at Bazaar Bizarre. Woo! See? I told you I was busy. I wasn’t actually intending to do Baz Biz, but a last minute opportunity presented itself and I couldn’t resist.
My apartment has been like a sweatshop over the past few weeks. I think the cats are getting ready to unionize. Dot staged a walkout of the sewing room last week! (She walked back in moments later because she needed a hug.) I have mastered the art of laying out decoy fabric for them to sit on while I’m working on actual sewing projects. The trick is that you have to pretend to be interested in it once in a while to convince them that they’re occupying valuable real estate. It works. Trust me.
So here is a small sample of what I’ve been working on.

These chihuahuas and kittens have undergone a radical surgery where they had their organs replaced with gumballs for increased cuteness. I’m thinking of having it done, but I’m afraid a jar will make me look fat.

See that deer fabric? I’ve had this fabric for years, it’s just about half a yard and it’s vintage and it’s been one of my preciousssss fabrics for a long time. But I finally went ahead and cut into it and it look so perfect in the mirror and opener settings. I’m going to be testing something kind of special with the button maker to make actual room decor rather than just mirrors and openers because what I really want to do is hang this up. Stay tuned for that!

Keychains! I love making these. It’s like a zen exercise. This new batch has a lot of vintage romance comics in it. They look really great, if I may say so. Some batches come out better than others and these are pretty much perfect.

The enchanting hedgehogs and gnomes have been made into drawstring project bags. Well, they almost have. I have to finish them up tonight. They’re nearly there. As are these:

I am in love with the flowered fabric. It’s Michael Miller’s Ellie. Here’s a handy dandy link, because I know you want some.
44” Wide Michael Miller Ellie Amber By The Yard
I’m considering making curtains out of this for my newly painted office (ooh, I can’t wait to post about the apartment re-do!) And thanks to Caro, the green chair fabric is lined with a killer purple cotton. I love contrasting colors, but sometimes when I’m sewing, I get too focused on being matchy-matchy. I don’t know why. I really need to work on my color palette and on listening to my instincts. That fabric is also amazing, the whole Tufted Tweets line is great. Want a link? I thought so.
44” Wide Tufted Tweets Chairs Green By The Yard
So that’s what I’ve been up to (oh, and apartment re-do!!). Once I’m done with the shows this weekend, I’ll be adding a lot of the stuff left over to my Etsy shop, so I’ll post a little shop update when it happens.
Happy handmade holidays, friends!!
I have been one busy-ass bee. I LOVE being busy. Being tired from being buzzing around at a million miles an hour is much more satisfying to me than being tired due so sofa atrophy in front of a reality tv marathon. And trust me, I’ve had plenty of experience with both.
When the holidays roll around, my mind goes right to craft shows. And this year, it’s been turned up to eleven. I’ve been accepted to Boston Handmade! It’s an amazing group of local artists and crafters and somehow, I got to be one of them. We’ve got a temporary holiday gallery set up in downtown Boston that you really need to check out. It’s a pretty diverse group producing all manner of handmade wonders, so there really is something for everyone. I’ll be working the 11-7 shift on the 11th, 19th and on Christmas Eve until 3. I’d love to see you there.
Boston Handmade Downtown

And if you can’t make it to the gallery, you can visit me this Saturday at the JP Holiday Fair. Dudes, it’s in a church! I don’t know about you, but when I was a kid at Sunday Mass, all I could do was imagine the way cooler things I could be doing in that church. Roller skating was always at the top of the list. So now you can shop at church!
And if you can’t make it to the JP Holiday Fair, you can visit me this Sunday at Bazaar Bizarre. Woo! See? I told you I was busy. I wasn’t actually intending to do Baz Biz, but a last minute opportunity presented itself and I couldn’t resist.
My apartment has been like a sweatshop over the past few weeks. I think the cats are getting ready to unionize. Dot staged a walkout of the sewing room last week! (She walked back in moments later because she needed a hug.) I have mastered the art of laying out decoy fabric for them to sit on while I’m working on actual sewing projects. The trick is that you have to pretend to be interested in it once in a while to convince them that they’re occupying valuable real estate. It works. Trust me.
So here is a small sample of what I’ve been working on.

These chihuahuas and kittens have undergone a radical surgery where they had their organs replaced with gumballs for increased cuteness. I’m thinking of having it done, but I’m afraid a jar will make me look fat.

See that deer fabric? I’ve had this fabric for years, it’s just about half a yard and it’s vintage and it’s been one of my preciousssss fabrics for a long time. But I finally went ahead and cut into it and it look so perfect in the mirror and opener settings. I’m going to be testing something kind of special with the button maker to make actual room decor rather than just mirrors and openers because what I really want to do is hang this up. Stay tuned for that!

Keychains! I love making these. It’s like a zen exercise. This new batch has a lot of vintage romance comics in it. They look really great, if I may say so. Some batches come out better than others and these are pretty much perfect.

The enchanting hedgehogs and gnomes have been made into drawstring project bags. Well, they almost have. I have to finish them up tonight. They’re nearly there. As are these:

I am in love with the flowered fabric. It’s Michael Miller’s Ellie. Here’s a handy dandy link, because I know you want some.
44” Wide Michael Miller Ellie Amber By The Yard
I’m considering making curtains out of this for my newly painted office (ooh, I can’t wait to post about the apartment re-do!) And thanks to Caro, the green chair fabric is lined with a killer purple cotton. I love contrasting colors, but sometimes when I’m sewing, I get too focused on being matchy-matchy. I don’t know why. I really need to work on my color palette and on listening to my instincts. That fabric is also amazing, the whole Tufted Tweets line is great. Want a link? I thought so.
44” Wide Tufted Tweets Chairs Green By The Yard
So that’s what I’ve been up to (oh, and apartment re-do!!). Once I’m done with the shows this weekend, I’ll be adding a lot of the stuff left over to my Etsy shop, so I’ll post a little shop update when it happens.
Happy handmade holidays, friends!!

(this is how I would like you to imagine Caro and I as we embark upon the book tour.)

There are so many goings-on going on, I can hardly stand it! But in a good way. I love being busy. I work best in crazypants mode, so my motor is really humming as autumn has begun rolling out the leafy carpet.

The first bit of excitement is that I was accepted to be a member of Boston Handmade!! I’ve long been an admirer of the amazing artists involved and it’s a great honor to be accepted. I’ve been wanting to immerse myself more into creative pursuits and this is exactly what I needed. It’s time to being my A-game because there is some serious talent in this group.

Rhinebeck is less than two weeks away. WHAT!?! How did this happen? Honestly, I’m stunned. I haven’t been for the last two years, so I’m really excited to get back to my favorite stomping grounds. And I fired up the Rhinebeck Bingo machine, too! The sign-up deadline is October 9th at noon, so spread the word and climb aboard the Bingo train.

Knitting It Old School has been getting some great feedback, Caro and I are so delighted, it’s almost embarrasing how much we giggle about it. Girlish glee abounds. My favorite comment so far about it is from Pam Wynne, the designer of Rally. In her words, “at least 50% this book is 100% bananas.” Ha! That made me laugh and laugh. Clearly she gets it.

We kicked off our promotional extravaganza with the WEBS podcast, Ready, Set, Knit. Check it out, we sound like we actually know what we’re talking about. I did say “um” a fair amount, but I’m working on it. Kathy and Steve have such a great rapport on the show, it cracks me up. She is an amazing interviewer, I was impressed with how smoothly it went and how comfortable she made us feel. Thanks, Kathy!

We’ll also be doing a book signing and trunk show at WEBS on October 9th, so come by and let us scribble in your books. I have to say, I still feel weird writing in books, I spent most of my childhood being told that it was just about the worst thing you could do, and now people just hand me books to deface.

We’re still cobbling together our tour schedule, but it’s filling up fast. Here are some highlights:

Oct 16&17 – We’ll be signing books in the authors tent at Rhinebeck

Oct 30&31 (and hey, maybe the 29th) – signing books at Stitches East at the Elegant Ewe‘s booth. Kelly Bridges, who created the gorgeous Apres Ski Skirts works there, too!

Nov 6th – book signing and trunk show at Purl Diva in Brunswick, Maine.

Nov 12th – Big presentation with photos and everything at the Common Cod Fiber Guild.  We’re going to talk about the whole book-making process and I promise it’s going to be really fun. We’ll be laughing a lot as we tell you some crazy stories and show you behind the scenes shots. We’ll also be showing some of the pieces that inspired the designs in the book.

I’ll update the blog as we add things. We’ll be heading to different parts of the continent later in the year, so stay tuned for details!

Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines! Here’s a quick sneak preview from Knitting It Old School. This is Speedway, it’s based on those super-cool hot rod jackets from the 60s. There’s a matching ladies version in red with black and white stripes. SO cute! The yarn is Louet Gems Sport Weight, so it’s a project, but the finished product will be a sturdy sweater that your speed demon will love.

Speedway was designed by Caryn Lantz of Fuzzy Noodle Knits. This and the sweater on the cover, Saucy Convertible, were the first two things I commissioned for the book. That was four years ago. Yikes! I can’t even tell you how amazing it is to finally have these projects ready for the spotlight.

There are more sneak peeks available at Caro’s Flickr page!

Photo by Denise Siegel