Why is it that people feel the need to fuel someone elses website with traffic?

Let me explain. Recently I was reading a couple of new blogs, and they were blogging about practices and behaviors that they didn't find acceptable. Namely a NYC based SEWING company that has a Stitch AND Bitch CAFE which sent a cease and desist letter to cafepress regarding a Chicago Stitch N' Bitch groups merchandise, and a link to some childish person's blog about how they hate knitting. The first we can all be understandably upset about the second, who cares?

I visited these sites as both of these posts were not brand new and I figured the ruckus would have died down by now. Apparently I was wrong. In the first instance the NYC comapny was deleting the posts from the knitters that went there to complain so I've no idea how many comments were really left. In the second instance 38 people went to this persons site about hating knitting and gave him validation for his childish behaviour. Visiting these sites was a mistake on my part.

When I was a web developer and a more active member of the web community we always ignored these kinds of things, not in the hopes that they'd go away on their own that never works. Knowing that if we went and visited these sites, and/or posted comments, we'd only be increasing their traffic and giving them more fuel for their fires. You can talk about the offense without actually having to visit the offending site.

I'm not saying that these two bloggers don't have the right to be angry with what's happening and shouldn't tell others that there are bad, perhaps ludicrous, things going on in the world. Just don't give the bad guys any fuel. Is that so hard to do?

Enough of that ranting for now. In knitting news I tried to cast on for the Triada scarf last night and don't see how there's any way in hell that you can join 30 stitches on a 24" needle. I'll have to fiddle around with the cast on and see what I can do to get it to work. Maybe make the crochet chain twice as long and pick up in every other back loop instead of every loop. We'll have to wait and see.

Also I know I promised pics last night but I was really really sick and couldn't be at my PC long enough to post the pics. I'm also going down to Ogden tonight and staying til tomorrow night for my fiance's birthday. So no pics til Monday afternoon after I get my bottom braces on. Woo hoo! Nothing but baby food for a week staring 2PM Monday. I'm so excited.

--K

Irish Hiking Scarf among other things

So I cast on for this last night and did a couple repeats of the pattern and just didn't like the way it was turning out. I don't know if it was because I was tired and knitting loosely, or if it was the yarn, or the metal needles. Yes I said metal. They were the only ones I didn't have in a project in the correct size.

Anyway the pattern came out very loose and lacy. Since the first one I'm doing is going to be for my fiance I didn't think lacy would be appropriate. So I ripped it all out. I'll do it again on smaller, bamboo, needles tonight and see how different it will look with a smaller gauge.

Also I'm just a little miffed. I bought a set of Brittany Birch Needles in size us 13 to make I-cords for my felted bags. Well yesterday while I was knitting one of them split! A big ole chunk of birch came off in my hand. (I'll post a pic when I get home. I mean it this time.) So I emailed them and am somewhat mollified for right now as they responded that they'd send a replacement and I don't have to send the old one back. We'll have to wait and see if, when it arrives.

Meanwhile I'm still waiting, albeit rather impatiently, for my Knit Picks order, shipped 5/10/2005. I'm a little concerned that the circular that I bought on the site will not be long enough, only 24". I'm thinking that maybe I'll just be able to scrunch the stitches up on the needle and then use point protectors when I have to set Rogue down. Does anyone know of a site out there that has recommended needle lengths for when working in the round?

I've also earned a whole $0.07 from my google ads. Thank you who ever click that ad. You're the greatest.

--K

I found it...

Or at least something close enough to what I needed to be quickly tweaked between phone calls here at work. When I get home and have some un-interupted time to work on it I'll make the bars on the right much much prettier.

You'll notice some of the bars are at 0%. Those are things I either ripped out or have yet to start. They are there as reminders for me more than anything else. Look for some of the almost done items to move the Off the Needles section fairly soon. I hope to have the Oregon Tote done by the end of the week and the guitar strap done sometime early to mid next week. Now onto knitting more of that damned i-cord edging.

--K

Help

I know 2 posts in one day, so shoot me.

I'm looking for a simple progress bar javascript. Progress bars like the ones found here. Yes I know those aren't JS but I'm not really interested in downloading cabs and figuring out the code. So if any of you bloggers out there know where I can find a quick easy way to add graphical progress bars to my site I'd be very appreciative of a link.

TIA,
--K

Oregon Tote

I have gotten to the applied I-Cord edging on the top of the bag. Once I got there and started doing it, it ended up being a lot easier than I thought it would be. Imagine that, me being able to figure something out from the written instructions. Makes me less afraid to start Rogue when I get her yarn sometime next week.

I have had to take an unwelcomed break from knitting as my wrist, still recovering from surgery 4 months later, is really beginning to bug me lately. I have it in a pressure bandage right now. So progress on ALL my projects is somewhat stalled. :(

I am working on my projects but only for about 15 minutes a night right now as if I spend much more time than that on them I'll end up crying in pain as I try to sleep that night. So things ARE progressing, just very very slowly.

For that reason I have stayed my casting on for the Triada and my Irish Hiking scarf knit alongs, but I did sign up for the Secret Pal 5 Today. I hope I get someone good, and I don't end up spending an arm and a leg on them, I tend to get carried away when buying for others, as them how would I knit. With one hand and one foot? That would be interesting.

--K

Rogue

I have purchased the yarn for my Rogue sweater. As soon as I get that yarn I'll be casting on for the sweater.

For those of you that have this pattern or have made this pattern I'll be making the 43.5" size. That's only 2.5" of clearance but I'm sure that it'll be fine.

I also had to add a pair of Addi Turbos to my order to get it above the $30 mark for the free shipping. Oh how horrible. I had to buy a pair of really nice needles to save myself some shipping. Oh woe is me. What ever shall I do with these wonderful needles. I know! I'll make my rogue sweater.

--K