Monday, February 05, 2007

Super Sunday

It was a super Sunday. I went yarn shopping, found some bargains, and finally decided on a project.

I watched a little bit of the "Knitty Gritty" marathon yesterday. I was hoping to see someone I recognized from blogland. I haven't had a chance to watch much "Knitty Gritty" in the past as it's on during the weekday and I'm at the office. If this is your favorite show, let me apologize right now. Don't get me wrong. I'm so glad that there is a show just about knitting. And I'm glad that the production values and sets are more interesting than the run-of-the-mill, but honest to God I just can't take much of this show.

The strained, "I'm so hip, I knit, so therefore knitting must be hip" message is constant and unrelenting. From Vickie Howell's uber-hip, I don't care hair (which I'm sorry looks like she did it herself with kitchen shears. After a bottle of wine. Or two.) to her saying things like, ". . . but if you knit continental, rock on with your bad self" ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Most of the guests that are demonstrating projects seem nervous and a little put-off by Vickie's never-ending, "hip-to-be-perky" -ness. I mean isn't enough to worry about knitting on t.v. without having to worry about being cool enough for Vickie? I mean do they make normal people get $600 haircuts and tatoos before they appear on the show? I salute everyone who is brave enough to appear on the show, I just wish it was more watchable. So there you go, I'm a horrible critical person. I'm not fit to carry Vickie's knitting bag. Let me have it.

I did decide that after swatching my Knit Picks alpaca silk to the point that I'm worried that it's just going to grow legs and run off screaming, "enough already, make up your mind! stop swatching and frogging!" I am going to be the last person on earth to knit Tubey. I've wanted to knit this forever, but I haven't had just the right yarn. The alpaca silk is definitely the right yarn. And I have to give it high marks for resilience. I've swatched and frogged, swatched and frogged and it still looks and feels great. I started Tubey last night during the Super Bowl and I wish I could just sit and knit today. By the fire. It's -16 outside and it would be a perfect day to stay home and knit. But I'm off to work. Have a great day. Stay warm.

12 comments:

Guinifer said...

The KP alpaca silk is going to look great in Tubey. Can't wait to see it.

Chris said...

I'm with you on sitting at home by the fire (well, the baseboard radiators at least), but here I am at work. *sigh*

I haven't knit Tubey. Or seen Knitty Gritty...

Anonymous said...

Sitting at home by the fire sounds pretty good right now, but it's not to be for me either. I haven't knit Tubey, so you're not the last one. I watched the first few Knitty Gritty shows but they changed it to weird hours. When I did get to watch it, it was always a repeat of the same show.

Karen said...

I agree with you on "Knitty Gritty". Just can't watch that show. Wish I was home knitting... only another hour and I get to get out of here.

sheep#100 said...

No, Vickie isn't allowed to carry your knitting bag. I tried today to watch part of an episode because it was labeled New and I happened to have the morning off. I was ready to gag. What grown ups host a pah-jam-uh party and knit café curtains?!
The knitsters all wore warm flannel pink pjs but Vickie's were fancy schmancy black and gold - ooh, she must be so cool, right?

Knot.

sheep#100 said...

PS - A 4 year old with bed head has a better looking 'do.

Laura said...

I haven't knit Tubey, but I'd like to. And I LOVE knit picks alpaca silk. Great. Now I'm going to want to buy more yarn.

Knitty Gritty's not my favorite either. I sort of stopped watching it last season because I do not need either (a) a knitted bikini or (b) a guitar strap. But I have recorded some of the episodes from this season because of the appearance of people from blogland.

renee said...

I have very mixed feelings about Knitty Gritty. I tape it since I'm usually working when it's on too. I happen to love Vicki's hair, but I do find her very irritating to watch. I don't think it's the uber-hipness, but there's just something about the way she hands over the samples and the questions she asks the guests that irritates me. The Knit Bits are too corny, but she doesn't bother me as much in them. I just love the fact that there is a knitting show and I've liked some of the projects. But most of the stuff is really basic or it's covered so quickly you really couldn't learn it from watching the show. Maybe that's just the nature of knitting and a 20 minute show (without the commercial breaks).

Wendy said...

I agree with your comments on the show. Vickie seems almost rude to her guest presenters. I do like seeing peolpe like Annie modisett "in person" and some of the tips I pick up, but Vickie irriates me! I can't wait to see tubey. Have fun! Wendy

sweet said...

I agree with you about knitty gritty completely, they have yet to knit something i would want to make. When they are doing something i am interested in it last 2 minutes and the projects seem useless to me. I think I would rather watch the knitters and the guests and let Vickie go to lunch lol

Katie said...

I just recently saw my first few episodes of KG too, and it was bad. I sort of felt like Vickie was doing an odd combination of A) trying too hard to make a show out of knitting, and B) trying not to seem like she didn't want to be there. She almost seems a little bit bored and, thus, sarcastic.

Like another commenter, I love seeing the greats like Annie Modesitt, and bloggers who get to be knitsters or guest designers. I mean, it's still cool to be on TV! But KG is hard to watch for me.

Ellen said...

I used to TiVo "Knitty Gritty" but I think I'm overdosed on cute, hip knitters. I like the guests, however, so I'm willing to put up with the guitar straps. I loved the knit beach chair! Where should I submit that at the MN State Fair?