Washed and Soon to be Delivered

Do you notice that something is missing from the what's on my needles section of the blog? That's right baby Olivia's BSJ is not hanging out there anymore. Suzy sewed up the shoulders and washed it today. So it is officially done. Now all I have to do it mail it. (Special hugs and kisses to Suzy.)

I gotta admit it is really cute. I did make some boo boos, but they will not stop her from wearing the sweater. It's not like I can't make her another one.

I also washed Mason's blanket and it washed really well. I will use Bernat acrylic yarn again.

Today I meet up with a girl from the neighborhood and we knitted for a couple for an hour or so and I started the first 10 rows of Mason's BSJ. I am excited to see how it turns out.

Since my goal is to only knit 25 rows of whatever project I start this month, then I am half way there for my goal of the month.

I noticed something interesting. Knitting with Vanna's Choice yarn and crocheting with Vanna Choice yarn is very different. I kept reading that the yarn splits a lot, but didn't experience until I started knitting with it. Not sure if I am going to knit with this yarn again. I think the sweater is going to cute. I am starting it with the rust color and I am going to do that for the first 15 rows. Not sure what color I am going to do after that.

I need your help, I ran into an old friend today coming back from the laundromat and she asked me if I was still knitting and I showed her the bsj and she asked me to make one to sell in her store. I told her if I have a spare moment and wasn't doing anything I would. What kind of yarn should I use and how much should I charge for the sweater?

Hello March!

It's time for me to figure out what I am going to do with my knitting life for the month of March.

What should I do? Hmmmm....March is a little nutty, so I am not going to set myself up for failure and heartbreak by starting something major and trying to finish it in the same month.

The plan for this month is I am going to start a major project and I only have to finish a 1/4 of it. That should only be 25 rows. I think I can handle 25 rows in a month.

This month's project is....a stripped baby surprise jacket for my nephew Mason. If I get really daring I am going to put a collar on it. I want to go for the feeling of a little old man sweater, because he reminds me of a cute little old man. :)

I want to do another BSJ, because I still haven't mastered the BSJ. Suzy informed me the other day that I made a little boo-boo on Baby Olivia's BSJ, so I want to try it again, but this time with stripes and maybe add a collar. I am going to use 4 colors of Vanna's Choice yarn that purchased at Micheal's over the summer.

I am sure next month, I will make something for the mystery baby.

@Rachael Younger - I can now talk about the mystery baby, because it is no longer a mystery. My sister (Janice ) and I have been thinking that our cousin in law is expecting a baby. She finally made the announcement that she is expecting. Before the end of the year, I will have a new little cousin. I am so excited, because they already have 3 little girls and they are the most amazing/beautiful children. I expect the 4th child just as amazing.

Issues!

I broke a major goal already...I purchased yarn today. After today's purchase from School Products I started to wonder if I have a serious problem, but I couldn't figure out what the problem is.

Am I addicted to yarn or am I just a cookie cutter hoarder? I must confess that I love watching reality based documentaries like AE's Hoarder's, TLC's Buried Alive and TLC's Strange Addiction. I am so fascinated by how people's mind work and how they end up living in such horrible conditions. How do they live in homes with 25 dead rabbits and 1000 pounds of shitty diapers with no running water?

When I got home after buying several balls of Karbella yarn. I was on a high thinking of all of the things that I am going to make and then I got home and opened my little storage space where I keep my stash and realized that I did it again. I purchased yarn, that I have no real plans for. It will sit in my plastic tub for years to come. When I look at all of the yarn sitting in the plastic container I realized that I had big dreams for all of them when I purchased and none of them have come true.

As I stood in my storage area I think back on the many hoarding reality shows that I have watched and I could hear the words that they all say. "I can't throw this out, because I plan use this. I know exactly what I am going to use it for. I just haven't had the time to do it, but as soon as I have the chance I will start it."

At that moment, I realized that I am no better than the woman who lives in the house filled with shitty diapers and that I do not hoard everything I just love the fiber goodness. I am afraid that one day I am going wake up in a house surrounded in yarn and AE will be knocking at my at door trying to tape an episode of Hoarders called the Yarn Lady episode.

My question is would it be so bad to live in house that is filled with yarn. I don't think so. :) Yarn is a million times better than shitty diapers.

I am not going to beat myself up over today's purchase, because School Products is a great store and I like supporting it. I like the owners and it is the oldest yarn shop in New York City. Plus I am working on fighting another addiction...french fries. I guess if I had to let one of my additions take over this week I would rather be yarn than the french fries.

With that being said...I need to figure out how I am going use my stash in March.

My Empty Knitting - What should I make in March?

I am looking at my knitting bag and for the first time in a long it is empty. It's the end of the month, so that means that I just finished something and I am asking myself What should I make for March?

Should I make Mason an old man sweater?
Do I attempt toe up socks?
Do I make something for myself?
Do I start my get rid of my stash blanket?
Do I read (ha ha not start) the sweater patterns that I purchased at Rhinebeck and Downtown Yarn?

Do I start something for the mystery baby? I will need to figure it out in 4 hours because March is quickly approaching.

Any thoughts?

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Another One Bites the Dust (month and project)

OK, so another month is over and I am still left with a whole lot on my plate, so I think it is time that I that I revamp my resolutions for 2011/smaller goals each month, so that that I can keep my goals going this year.

New Monthly Resolutions

• Finish at least one project a month
  
• Blog at least once a week
  
• Knit 5 hours a week
• Learn a new technique every 2 months

Reminder of 2011 Goal

• KNIT MORE!
• Finish at least one project a month - Plot each month's project a month in advance
• Learn 3 to 4 new knitting techniques, such as toe up socks, two socks at one time, magic loop, cables or color knitting, by the end of the year
• Blog at least twice a week and not just updates - Blog about the projects in depth
• Give 3 knitted/crocheted Christmas gifts this year
• Use stash/Get rid of all my super crappy acrylic yarn
• Make something for myself (on purpose)
  

If I can't keep these goals up for the year, then I will donate my Addi Turbo Needles to charity.

With that being said, I am happy to report that I have finished Baby Mason's First Blanket. I must say it came out really good. After seeing his stroller yesterday I realized that I picked the right colors.

February Update One

This update has very little to do with knitting and all about my new love.

Baby Mason arrived three weeks early and of course the green blanket is only half way done. I am going give him the green blanket, because it matches his stroller.

After meeting him I decided that I am going to make him a baby old man sweater with stripes because he reminds me of an old man with a comb over. I want to play around with his old man while I can.

Hopefully, I will have the blanket done in 2 weeks. Will keep you posted.

February's To Do List

Happy Valentine's Day Everybody!

Here are my plans for February 2011. My plans for January worked out better well. I think I gave myself too much to do, but I am so happy that I did finish what I finished.

So what's left over from last month:

• Hat for Mr. Crawford
• Photo of Acrylic Stash
  

February's To Do List:

• Olivia's BSJ needs to be sew (Suzy)
• Green Blanket
• Blog more
• A hat for Mr. Crawford
• Block Deb's scarf
• Start primary color blanket for Mason
  

What should I do with the random green blanket that is in the photo below? I have been crocheting this during my moments of boredom.

Should I give it to Baby Mason? I like it, but I am not sure if it screams baby boy to me.

If this was bigger, I could totally see my mother loving it. The colors scream DOT (that is my is my mom's name).

I am going to keep working on it cause it is nice and you never know. I may have a mysterious baby show up. Babies have a way of just show up sometimes without a warning.

Goodbye January Hello February!

Great News! Baby Olivia's BSJ is finally done! The only thing that is left to do is sew up the sleeves and put the button. I am not even going to act as if I am going to act as if I am going to do either thing. I have already begged Suzy to help me. I can't put a button or sew up the sleeves. Sewing is not my thing. On a whole I like the BSJ, but I am don't love it. I think I made it correctly, but I am not crazy about the cotton yarn that I used. I really need to find the perfect yarn to make a BSJ with.

Deb's scarf is also done. The only thing left to do it block it.

So what didn't get done as a part of January's to do list.

Mr. Crawford hat didn't even get started.

I did pull out my acrylic yarn, but need to figure out what I am going to do with it. There isn't as much as I expected, so I may have to buy some black yarn to make up for what is lacking. I need to post a photo of my acrylic stash, so that I can get ideas from all of you on what I should do with the yarn.

I was supposed to figure Mason, but he still up in the air. I will make him my focus for February. I have been working on the green blanket that I started for him. I still have a month to go before he comes. Not like I have ever been ready for any child. So maybe I should keep this up, because I have been late for all of my favorite little brats and they are all well. No need to break the cycle now. :)

February to do list:

1. Finish the same green blanket for Mason -finish this by Feb. 19th baby shower
   
2. Mr. Crawford's hat
3. BSJ for Mason - stripes - goal to finish by the time he is two months old

Time for bed! Night night!

January Update!

Heading to work now. Figured I would write a quick post since I have been neglecting the blog.

This month has been super busy with work. I have been working on a freelance project and I have been pulling a lot of long hours lately.

Here are my updates (I will post photos and give more details later):

I finished Debra's scarf last night! I need to block it.

I sorted all of my yarns to see how much acrylic crap I have. I gotta say I don't have as much as I thought. I think I have enough to make myself a blanket especially if I buy some black yarn to fill in the gaps.

Baby Olivia jacket is still missing the last ten rows. I will finish that this weekend. I think it is going to snow again this weekend so there is no excuse.

Baby Mason is still a TBD. When I was going through my yarn I rediscovered some Vanna's Choice that I bought for him. So this weekend I need to look at it again and figure out what I am doing.

I started an olive green and multi-colored Lucy blanket for him one night when I was bored, but I am not sure if it right for him. Seems a little old.

So it seems as if the only thing that I haven't done from my Jan. to do list is write blog post. :(, but at least I am knitting.

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January Update Number 1

This is a sad sad sad update.

I have made very little progress on my January to do list. The last couple of days have been super busy. The freelance project that I have been working on for my old company is coming to an end and now it is time that I put in a lot of long days, so there hasn't been much time for knitting. :(

Hopefully, I will get some tonight while I watch TV or maybe I will get some done on Saturday while I watch those people read.

#January's #Goals

Now that I have announced my plans for 2011, I guess I better get to work.

@The Younger Rachael thanks for the support!

I plan to do the following things this month:

• Go through my stash see how much acrylic yarn I have and see if the colors look good together for a Lucy Blanket
  

• Figure out what I am making for Mason

• Finish Olivia's BSJ The sad thing is that I only have 10 more rows to do. She should be wearing this now.
  

• Finish Debra's scarf

• Start and finish Mr. Crawford's black hat
  

• Blog about the progress of theses projects
  

#2011 #Crafting #Resolutions

Happy New Year Everyone! Hope your 2011 is off to a great start. Mine is. I started the new year really look key. Went out with two friends and had a drama free night. I hope that NYE represents the way the rest of my year will be. Surrounded by fun/chill people, drinking good drinks and eating some yummy/healthy food.

After much thought, I am finally ready to share my 2011 knitting resolutions with all of you.

For Resolutions the Urban Knits Blog:

1. Post twice a week.
   
   
2. Try to promote the blog more. I have to say I am surprised by the number of subscribers that I have now without any promotion. Thank you all of taking an interest in my blog. :)
   
   
3. Try to figure out to get more reader participation. I love that people are reading. the blog. I would love for you guys to start commenting and sharing your opinions on here. This blog isn't a one way street. Thank you to the people have been posting comments recently.
   
   
4. Revamp the look of the blog.
   
   
5. Tweet more. Use twitter more than just a place to post the posting. You can follow me on twitter @UrbanKnitsBlog.
   
   

For Knitting/Crochet Resolutions:

At first I had this crazy idea to dedicate this year to Elizabeth's Zimmerman's Knitter's Almanac and do a Julie Julia type thing. At first I thought it was a great idea, but started going through the book and realized that some of the patterns are still a little too confusing to me and I may not want to make all of the items in the book. So I decided to make my own version of the knitter's almanac. With that I will be able to accomplish all of the goals that I have for myself in 2011.

1. Knit more!
   
   
2. Can't watching crappy TV unless I am knitting
   
   
3. Finish at least 15 projects this year
   
   
4. Plot each month's project a month in advance
   
   
5. Blog about the projects in depth
   
   
6. Get rid of all my super crappy acrylic yarn
   
   
7. Make something for myself (on purpose)
   
   
8. Give 3 knitted/crocheted Christmas gifts this year
   
   
9. Make something with cables
   
   
10. Learn how to make socks toe up/2 socks at one
    
    
11. Learn how to color knit or double knit
    
    
12. Don't take 7 months to finish a simple project
    
    
13. Do something really adventurous for the Ravelympics 2011.

I hope I can create my almanac and keep all of these goals. If I start to slip, keep me in check.

#2010 Recap

In a little less than 24 hours we will say goodbye to 2010 and say hello to 2011. In this post, I will reflect on my crafting year.

I feel as if I had some success this year and some massive failures.

2010 Challenge Review:

When I came up with this idea to challenge myself. I didn't have any real goals. I just said that I would try to make things that I haven't done or haven't been able to do in the past, so I guess I completed by challenge by making a pair of socks, making the trial runs of the bsj, using patterns (something I never do), learning how to dye yarn and...hmmm...what else...I know there had to be more. I guess not. :(

I am going to pat myself on the back for 15 seconds for making the socks, but that is about it, cause Olivia is still sweaterless and I didn't make anything with cables or learn how to color knit. Considering I didn't give myself any real goal expect for do things that I never done before I guess I completed the challenge. I guess I just expected more from myself. O well, you live and you learn. I guess I better really think about the 2011 challenge.


Successes:

• Launched this blog

• Finally figured out why Raverly is sooooooooo awesome

• Made new knitting buddies (in real life and online) - Hey Rachel, Jan, Jackie, Miguel and Deena!
  

• Over 400 people have viewed my knitting a lifeline video on YouTube. The funny thing is that I put that video up to teach friends how to create lifelines. I haven't done anything to promote this video. Who knew that other people would find it useful?

• Checked out stores that I have been dying to go to- LaCasita, Downtown Yarn and Yarn Garden
  

• Went on a couple of knitting day trips - Rhinebeck and Flying Fingers
  

• Organized a knitters take over the Q Train meetup - we didn't take over the entire train, but we did take up most of a car :)

• Discovered new yarns

• Finished 9.5 objects

• Purchased my Strauch Fiber Yarn Winder - I am not sure if that is a success, but I really like it and it makes me so happy

• Cataloged most of my yarn stash, finished objects and current projects

Finished Objects:

• My first pair of socks - given to Mr. Crawford

• Meandering Rib Scarf - For Mr. Crawford - he doesn't have it yet

• Baby Surprise - Trial Run Not Given to Anyone
  

• Wash cloths - Given to Baby Olivia

• Rainbow Double Crochet Blanket - Given to Amanda

• Rainbow Lucy Blanket - Given to Baby Olivia

• Hello Kitty Dish Cloth - Not sure where it is

• Lucy Scarf - I am using it

• UGLY Blue and White Slipper Socks - Gave them to Amanda

• Dyed Yarn - Not sure if I can consider this a fo, because I didn't make anything with the yarn; I just dyed it.

Almost Finished Objects:

• Magic Rib Scarf - For Debra
  

• Baby Surprise Jacket - Baby Olivia
  

Failures:

• Can't get rid of my knitter's block
  

• Cable Black Hat - For Mr. Crawford - Kept jacking up the pattern - Frogged
  

• Gray Meandering Ribbed Scarf - For Mr. Crawford - Didn't think it was long enough, so I pulled it out and was to keep knitting it, but realized I pulled it out from the wrong end and ruined it. - Frogged
  

• Keep buying yarn and not doing anything with it

• Green Sock - Didn't have point protectors on my needles and lost my sock :( - Frogged

On a whole I am happy with my 2010 crafting year, but I really need to make my 2010 knitting challenge a real challenge with real measurable goals. I guess I should start writing them down now, so I can share them with you in my next post. Until then enjoy the rest of 2010!

Holiday Recap!

Hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas. I did. It is nothing like spending time with your family and then getting stuck on a bus for 15 hours! My dumb ass got a bus from DC to New York City during a blizzard. Don't ask me why? I was determined to get back to NYC to go to work the following day. The funny thing is that I got back and still can't go to work, because my neighborhood is shut down and I can't get into the city.

Even though I had a great time with my family and I finished all of my holiday shopping I did not meet all of my knitting goals for this Christmas. :(

• Baby Olivia BSJ is still in the same place it has been for the past couple of weeks, so I compensated by buying her a bunch of cute little shirts and leggings.

• Deb's scarf is only 50% done. I showed it to her to let her know that is being worked on.

• Mr. Crawford's box of knitted goodies turned into Mr. Crawford's box of random things. Thankfully Suzy finished a hat a scarf, so he had something handmade in the box. I really need to finish this stuff ASAP, because one I don't want to drag these over due projects into 2011 and I want the owners to have their objects.

My sister gave me a cool knitting tool in my stocking. She put a pair of Clover Knit Lite Knitting Needles - Size 8 in my stocking. Every time we go to AC Moore I look at them and wonder if I should get them. So I was really happy that she got them for me.

Knit Lite Needles Review:

Really great concept. I have been in several situations where I wished I had them and now that I do, I hope I remember to use them. Lucky for me the scarf I am working on for my cousin is being worked on a size 8 needle, so I able to use them on the bus returning to New York.

Pros:

• The light is really helpful when you are working in a dark place or you are working with dark yarn.
  
• The light isn't so bright that it will disturb the people around you.
• Great for slippery yarn.

Cons:

• Uses 6 watch batteries to power them up. I have a feeling it is going to cost me an arm and leg to replace the batteries.
  
• The batteries are not easy to put in. I had to put them in several times before they worked.
• Battery life isn't great. One of the lights had died already and I didn't use them for very long.
  
• Not the best quality needles. (I am an addi turbo girl, aka a needle snob, but they are great for this slippery yarn that I am using to make the scarf.)
  

Cast Your Vote!

Before I start today's post I would like to take a moment to let you know that I am not crazy. I may have sounded a little crazy in my last post. I swear I am not! I am just frustrated and I hate assholes. :)

I can't believe in a few days we are going to say goodbye to 2010 and say hello to 2011. As we get closer to the new year we are all going to start thinking about the good and the bad times of the past year and start laying out our plans for the new year.

I have already started to think about my knitting plans for 2011. 2010 and was my year to challenge myself and now I am thinking about if I really challenged myself in 2010 and how I am going to push myself harder in 2011. (My review of my knitting projects for 2010 and my plans for 2011 will be in future posts.)

The one special project that I have on my to do list for 2011 is to make items for soon to be born nephew. I guess he is actually my great nephew, because is going to be my nieces' son. I am excited for his arrival. I don't have any children of my own and my niece is the offspring from my siblings.

He is expected to arrive the first week of March, so I need to start thinking of I ideas now. As we all know that I am the queen of procrastination knitting. FYI Baby Olivia still doesn't have BSJ. Hopefully I can get the knitting done on that this weekend, so that I can give it to her this week as a xmas present.

I keep going back and forth about what I want to make him, so I am asking you for your help. Please take a moment to vote on what I should make for him (his name is Mason).

1. A Circular Blanket
   
   
2. A Lucy Blanket
   
   
3. Doctor Who Baby Blanket
   
   
4. Stockinette BSJ (an interesting twist on Elizabeth Zimmerman's pattern)
   
   
5. No Hole Hexagon Sweater
   

If you don't like any of the ideas that I have mentioned above feel free to suggest other patterns. I open to anything!

A Knitters Right to Say NO!

Today's post is more of a vent than anything else. Feel free to chime in. Let me know if I am crazy or if you feel the same way too. Sometimes I hate it when people find out that I knit. Not because I am embarrassed of the craft or care what others think of it. I just hate some of the questions that people ask.

Here is a list of some of my least favorites: Knitting is that the one with the two sticks or one sticks?
Did your grandma teach you how to knit?
Do you do that because you have nothing better to do?
Why do you that?
Do you have friends?

But I think the one that gets my panties in a bunch the most is....Can you make something? When it comes from people who just ragged on me for knitting. Seriously am I supposed to be flattered that you want an Urban-Knits original after you just taunted me for twenty minutes, because I knit. I usually just answer this question by simply saying no. If they keep pushing, then I get bitchy and let them know if they weren't a grade A asshole maybe I would make them something, but it is too late now. Of course they are offend and can't believe that I am not flattered by them asking for something.

I also hate when people expect you to pay for the stuff that they want you to make them or they don't want to you for your time. Does my time and my yarn grow on trees that I can get more by just going to my backyard. (Everyone close your eyes and think of a world where you can free yarn off the trees. Now open your eyes.) Back to my venting.

If I choice to make someone a gift, then I also choice to pay for the materials and suck up the time that I am using for the project, but that is my choice. Would you ask Paula Dean to make a quiche for free? Would you expect Chris Rock to tell you a joke for free? So why do people expect knitters to give up their yarn and time for them?

Here are my top reasons why I can't knit something for every Tom, Dick and Harry who wants something:

1. People don't care of their shit. You'll see them 6 months later. The scarf looks like it has been dragged around in the mud. They don't know where the other sock is.
2. I am a lazy knitter. It takes me forever to finish a project so why am I going to add in a project that I don't want to do. Look how long it takes me to do the ones I want to do.
   
3. People don't want to pay for the real price of handmade goods.

Good night! I am going to take my grumpy butt to bed.

Holiday Gifts!?

It's Thanksgiving eve and I am sitting in my Mom's living room. I'm watching tv and thinking about tomorrow's dinner. Out of now where a wave of dread suddenly came over me.

OMG Christmas is a month away and I haven't started any of the knitted gifts that I thought about making for family members.

Today's post is trying to get my myself organized and making realistic goals for the next 4 weeks. Feel free to chime in. I am going to need some quick project ideas.

Below you find a mini list of items I would like to make. It is a lot less enthusiastic than what I said I wanted to make as Christmas this summer.
The only person that I feel that I have to make something for is my Cousin Debra who has mentioned to me several times that I have never made her anything.

Person	Present
Allison	Socks
Auntie Bob	Socks
Debra	?
Janice	Fashion Scarf
One of the Middleton Girls	Big Girl BSJ

The question now is what am I going to make her. I really don't know. I know she would love a scarf, but I don't know if I am going to have one completed in a month, because I am procrastinating knitter. I know what yarn I am going to use. I just don't know what I am going to make with it. I guess I should look on raverly and see what other people have done with Eco Duo yarn.

After writing this I went on raverly and I found this. Looks simple and quick. Would you be happy if you revived that hat and scarf as a Xmas present?

Plus I need to need to finish the final objects for Mr. Crawford's goody box. I am in MD for a couple of days, so I can try to finish up/start while I am done and I will make an effort to knit everyday. I can do this! I can do this! My hands may be bleeding at Christmas dinner, but I will be done!

BREAKING NEWS!

Look to your left. Do notice something is missing from the work ino progress panel? Mr. Crawford's scarf is gone. Finally! I really liked the pattern, but hated working with black yarn. I will never work with black yarn again. It is too hard to work with. And it limits where you can work a project. You always have to work in places with great lighting. I guess the next thing to add to the needles is a matching hat. I am trying to figure out if I need to make a blk hat. I feels so good to be done, because I started this scarf in May.

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I'm off da hook!

Holla at your girl, I'm off da hook!

The crochet blanket that I have been working on for the last couple of weeks for baby Legall is finally done! Not only is it done; I have delivered it to her.

I think it was the hit the Mom liked it (she oohhed and ahhhed), the Dad said he liked it and the baby just stared at it. She is only 2 mos old, so it is not like she could express herself verbally, but she kept looking at it. I guess that is a good sign.

After months of plotting, planning and a ton of mistakes I finally completed something for her.
After months and months of working on the same project it feels good to go to Raverly to check off the complete box and see one less project on the projects in process bar on the blog.

So what next (project wise):

• Must finish Mr. Crawford's scarf (so close to being done. I just need to sit alone in a brightly lit room for about 2 hours or so.
  
• I should make a hat to match the scarf. I am hoping to have his box of goodies in the mail to him by 12/1.
• Finish Baby Legall's BSJ. I am so glad that I made the sweater large, because she grew so much in 2 mos. I am hoping to have it done by Thanksgiving. I don't have much to do. I think I am 10 to 15 rows away from being done.
  
• 2 pairs of socks and 1 simple scarf for xmas presents.
  

Flying Fingers Review

Saturday, the knitting crew (Suzy, Deena, Misha, Desmond and I) with a special appearance by my non-knitting roommate Amanda left the city for a day of shopping in the suburbs. It was our day to hop on the yarn bus and go to Flying Fingers in Tarrytown, New York.

The yarn bus is a pimped out cargo van with 3 huge balls of yarn with 2 enormous knitting needles going though them that picks people up (for free) from New York City and brings them to Flying Fingers Yarn Shop in Westchester County. What a brilliant idea! I am sure if they didn't have the bus my friends and I wouldn't checked out the store. I am not sure why other suburban stores don't do this.

It was a 45 minute (maybe less) ride from downtown NYC to the store. The ride up was fun. We chatted the entire way up. I have no clue what we talked about, but I know there was a lot of knitting/yarn/pattern chatter, bad sex jokes and silly inside jokes. I felt sorry for Dillon, the driver, and Karen, the only passenger on the bus who was not a part of our group. Karen was visiting from Colorado to see her children run in the New York marathon. I am sure we gave her plenty to talk about over dinner with her husband and other travel buddies. I am sure she never expected to go a knitting journey with a van full of chatty women of color.

Flying Fingers Review:
I am not sure what I expected, but what I saw isn't what I expected. It was small and cluttered. I had this crazy idea that since it was outside of the city that the store would be bigger than a city store and I also thought that because they have a special bus for the store that is must be the most amazing store ever.

The biggest issue I had with the store was there was too much merchandise for the little space. Stuff was everywhere. If I wanted to see yarn crammed into a little space, I would have stayed home and looked at my yarn.

Yarns were mixed up with other yarns. I had a hard time finding stuff. My poor little brain couldn't take it all in. I was overwhelmed. As soon as Amanda, the non-knitter, came into the store she told me she was overwhelmed and this store was so different than the other stores that I have taken her to. She came with us to find the perfect purple yarn for her new coat, but was quickly discouraged by the disorder.

Besides stuff being everywhere it wasn't clearly labeled. It was hard to tell what the cost or what yarns created samples. Some yarns had price tags and others didn't. Some samples were clearly labeled and others weren't. I tried my best to try to take a look at each section to find goodies, because I could tell hat there were goodies all over the store. They just needed to be hunted for.

Because of the clutter it was hard for me to find all of the Manos del Uryguay yarns. I kept hearing that Flying Fingers had the entire line of Manos yarns and that they had colors that no one else has. Because I kept hearing this I didn't purchase any during the NYC Yarn Crawl that I went on a couple of weeks ago, because I knew I was going to Flying Fingers. I wish I would have bought the yarn I saw on the yarn crawl, because I couldn't figure out what I was looking at on Saturday. I t was hard for me to really see what Manos yarns were there, because of the disorganization of the store. When I have a real need to buy Manos, I am going to Yarntopia, Downtown Yarns or Purl Soho to check out their selections because they were better organized and it was easy for me to see all of the pretty pretty yarns.

The staff was super helpful, especially Dillon, the driver of the van/salesman. I am not sure if he could tell that I was confused, because he helped me a lot when I was trying to figure out what was what. I recall looking at a yarn and he said do you want to see a sample of that yarn knitted up. As quickly as I said yes he showed me the sample. He did that a couple of times and it made my shopping experience much better. If he didn't help I wouldn't have purchased anything.

I am glad that after all of these years of talking about it I finally took the ride on the yarn bus.

Recommendation:
Would I go Flying Fingers again? Hmmmmm. Maybe. I didn't hate it to the point where I wouldn't spend my money there. I happy supported the shop and if I love the Madelinetosh yarn as much as think I am going to, I would go back and get some more.

If a friend wanted to experience the yarn bus, I would go with them. It is a nice quick trip. Or if a friend, who had a car, wanted to take a ride and get some great burgers. I would suggest Horsefeathers and take a peak in Flying Fingers just because I am addicted to yarn and wouldn't be able to resist.

Lots of good products but you be good savager hunter/detective to find them and since I really don't enjoy digging for my items it is not the store for me, but I do suggest that people check it out, because the staff is really nice. But if you are like me and you freak out from clutter, then don't bother. Cause you will get caught up on thinking about how you could rearrange all of the items.

My purchase:

• 2 skeins of Berrco Ultra Alpaca - one black and one purple for Amanda's hat

• 2 skeins of Lang sock yarn

• 1 skein of hand dyed emerald green Madelinetosh merino wool

Lunch:
After an hour or so of shopping we walked over to Horsefeathers Pub for lunch. I highly recommend this place. The food was amazing and you get a lot of food for your money. I had a turkey burger and fries. The burger was well seasoned. The fries were fresh cut and they were huge! I couldn't finish my burger. I took half of it home. My table mates enjoyed their food too.