Hobbies

[kafka]

Please forgive me for living under a rock, but what is NanoWriMo?

[Deleted]

National Novel Writing Month, more info here[/color]. The goal is to write a 50K novel in one month from November 1st-30th. It doesn't have to be good, or award winning but it can be fun or a headache.

[Deleted]

calamity said:

I learned to knit a few months ago and, well, on one hand, I like looking at patterns, choosing yarn, and most of all the feeling of creating something with just a ball of yarn and some pointy objects. But I am so, so impatient. Most of the time I end up either making small objects like hats or wrist warmers (because they're quick) or making things with big needles (because they're quick... see a pattern here?). I've been working on this pattern on and off for the past month or so and it's KILLING ME. The pattern is easy but it just takes so long! GRAAAAAH! I am clearly not cut out for knitting, and still I continue doing it. I guess it's that "fun in a masochistic way" thing again.

I usually have several things going on at once - if I get bored with something, I put it aside for a while and work on something else. I also knit while I watch TV, so I don't notice how long it's taking to knit something. Plus, practice brings speed.

kostgard said:

TA question for fellow knitters - does anyone have any recommendations for websites where you can buy good yarn at decent prices? I have a hard time finding it around here - the selection in most places sucks and if I see one more skein of "Fun Fur" I'm gonna slap somebody.

Lots. I'm a huge fan of Elann.com. They deal with a lot of discontinued lines, and there is a lot of frou-frou, but they do carry some great basics in their own lines, and there's always something new. (They're based in Canada, but ship from the States if your order is under $200.)

Knitpicks.com gets lots of press for their great prices. I've never used them (hell, I couldn't pull up the website for months for some reason), but lots of people have and adore them. They do not ship anywhere but the US and Canada, though.

There's also DiscountYarnSale.com. I ordered the Lorna's Laces I used for my Clapotis from them, and was satisfied. (They no longer sell LL.) It's generally slower than other places, since they don't appear to keep much inventory on hand - you order, they order and when they get it, they ship it to you. They also sell mostly by the bag instead of the ball, so if you only need a small amount, it's not convenient.

Limey's suggestions are good, although I haven't ordered from either.

If you've got a particular type of yarn in mind, ask about it. I spend way too much time trawling the internet for yarn bargains. Or if you're not in North America (which I doubt, since I don't think Fun Fur is quite as common yet in Europe, although the amount of fluffy crap I'm seeing in Phildar these days is worrying), say so and I'll see what I can find out from some Euro knitbuds.

(I'm a yarn geek. I have come to terms with this. Reap the benefits, people!)

[kostgard]

Thanks for the links Limey and Spordelia!

I'll have to check the patterns for the projects I'm considering for gifts to see which kind of yarn they ask for, and if I need help tracking some yarn down, I'll be sure to keep you guys in mind!

[tinyshoes]

limey said:

National Novel Writing Month, more info here

[/color]. The goal is to write a 50K novel in one month from November 1st-30th. It doesn't have to be good, or award winning but it can be fun or a headache.
[/quote]I've done NaNo for couple of years now. The fact that I could sit down and write at least 1667 words a day really amazed me. Okay, the fact that the novel didn't have to be perfection also took the pressure off. Now if I could only find enough bum-glue to get through draft three of my "real" novel...

[hobocamp]

My current hobbies are knitting, gardening, and playing backgammon. God, I live like a 65 year old. When I get a new hobby, I become OBSESSED. After a while, I think everyone around me gets really sick of me talking about yarn and compost.

My boyfriend just started brewing his own beer. He awesome.

[chonies]

I love NaNoWriMo, but I have never finished. I justified my participation in it the last two or three years by describing it as "training" for writing my thesis.

[Deleted]

I really wish that NaNo wasn't during November. The whole Thanksgiving break messes me up because I inevitably have to travel to see my family or my in-law's and they don't take too kindly to me sitting at the dining room table with the laptop so I can work on my silly crappy novel.

If only they rescheduled it to March or July or some month without holidays.

[shawnalanne]

I finished a really cute purse a couple of weeks ago that I made out of a thrift store terry cloth found fruit covered kitchen towel. The only problem is that I put handles on that keep sliding off. I'm gonna have to fix it.

[petals]

I cross stitch. Like an old lady.

I read all the time--I've taken books on outings with my family. When they bore me, I pull out the book.

I draw, or I try to draw. I write, because someone once told me I had talent. I don't, but I enjoy it.

I read comic books, and collect superhero toys.

"Hello, my name is Petals, and I'm a comic book geek."