More Laundry rant, and I Won Yarn!

Well, since my Made in China capris are already IN my wardrobe, and I have a sewing machine, and just by coincidence a tiny bit of thread that almost matches the goofy "decorative" random zig-zag stitching that was already on them - I will repair them.

Today's clothing inventory includes a Reitmans top, Made in CANADA for a rare change, but that I bought second hand at a consignment store! I'm guessing it came from an era before Reitmans current sourcing arrangements, because last time I was there I could not find ONE SINGLE LABEL other than "Made in China". Denim skirt from a slightly more upscale store than Reitmans, unfortunately ALSO made in China though that particular store is one that often has first-world manufacturing tags. And my Crocs Mary Janes, which, very disappointingly, I found to have a Made in China stamp even though all of LAST year's Crocs were Made in Canada or the US. Go figure.

Not gonna check right now what country my underwear originated in, as that would involve removing more clothing than is appropriate in the cube farm.

One step I can make in more conscious consumer progress is with sweaters, I guess. Since re-discovering knitting, I will no longer need to buy sweaters. Helping me boost that little intent, my fave Online shop, Pick Up Sticks, just awarded me a yarn prize! I get to check out a skein of Dream In Colour Classy. Connie had a guess-how-much-I-ordered contest on her blog and I guessed right! She's let us pick our own colour so I'm trying out Black Parade, which looks to be a midnight-sky blue-black-purple-black sort of tone. It's Merino, but much heavier than the sock yarns which are most of my stash, so I'll have to ponder what to do with it. I'd have to buy 4 or 5 more at least for a sweater, but one might make a hat or mitts.

But, alas, the Dragons still loom. I did start another sock after saying I wouldn't, but it might be a frogging experiment, as I'm not sure I have enough yarn to complete the 4-stitch Reticulated pattern from Sensational Knitted Socks that I've picked. The yarn and the effect are amazing, but I'm trying it out of one of Connie's Mix-and-Match combos which is 1 sk Louet Gems and one Claudia Handpained, and the Claudia was only 45 grams. Normally my socks take ~70 grams, so the two should do even if short of the usualy 100gm per pair allowance, but the reticulated pattern has you carrying the non working yarn around all the time, so you have a stitched layer and a string layer eating up yarn on every round.

We shall see. It is currently the bedtime-with-audiobook knitting project. A scarf is in my purse for the carry-around project, because I can take neither dragon sewing nor Java homework out to stand in line with me. The Dragons, however, are the at-home project between now and when they're done. I am still procrastinating badly.

*sigh*