Cheesed Off and some knitting

I’ve neglected blogging. In the past couple of weeks I’ve been a’ swatching. Mostly in the round to get gauge for garments, I want to knit. 

It is frustrating and relaxing at the same time. Frustrating because I’d rather be knitting the garment. Relaxing…well it is knitting after all.

I’ve been a bit cheesed off, lately. I’ve been keeping a tally of the number of emails I receive from Interweaves Knitting Daily, Knitting Traditions. It averages between three to five emails a day. More when there is a sale or special on. Almost all our shilling magazines, patterns, kits, classes or offerings from their “sister” whatever. When Sandi was producing the Knitting Daily emails I actually looked forward to them because at least once a week there was tip or trick that I found helpful and educational. What I really enjoyed was emails where members of the staff all modeled the same sweater sometimes with notes about modifications made. In the past year and half most of these emails just get their boxes ticked and deleted.

What put me over the edge was an email announcing the release of a book of 30 patterns by an author I’d never heard of and can’t find on the web. Worse, the book’s web page only shows four patterns. Four!! I’m used to going to Ravelry to look up all the patterns in an Interweave magazine or book because their previews are so stingy. Unlike Vogue, that not only shows you pictures but for the magazine, you get video of each garment on a live model. So on the strength of four measly photos, Interweave expects that I and thousands of others will plunk down $16.99…not!

I’ve also gotten in touch with the fact that I haven’t nearly knitted down as much stash as I set out to this year. Hence the swatching. I have started knitting the She’s Electric skirt. I used Ysolda’s provisional cast on. I frogged and restarted twice and then went to Mon Tricot knitting patterns book and discovered what I was doing wrong. Third time the charm on size 10 needles. I did a k1p1 instead of the k2p2 ribbing, but I now know how to do a k2p2 with this cast on. It makes a lovely edge for the skirt. Not fears of rolling or curling. I repeated the garter squares chart twice to lengthen the skirt from 16” to 20”. I am using Knit Picks Telemark in the Carnation colorway. I bought 10 skeins when KP discontinued this lovely to knit with yarn.

 

 

Random Thoughts and Poor Customer Service

Late last week the weather turned miraculously and unseasonably warm. As the snow finally began to melt from pavements and curbs--where it was heaped in frozen hillocks making crossing the road a challenge—I discovered the joy of wearing shoes again. Since mid-January boots were the order of the day either to negotiate the frozen precipitation or for warmth.

Shopping for light bulbs isn’t simple any more. There’s halogen, LED, spotlights, CFL bulbs that last for 9 years providing x wattage but using x amount of electricity…good grief. TMI, I just needed x wattage in a plain old light bulb that doesn’t cost the bleeding earth. So off to Amazon I went.

On my to-do list since last year has been the task to set up a corporate account with Southwest Airlines. Southwest doesn’t list its flight inventory in the usual airline databases. Booking a flight means entering traveler information for each flight and fiddling either with paper or .pdf files if flights need to be cancelled or changed. Naturally, I had a few questions about how their corporate program operated.

A little history is in order. Southwest was the first budget/low-cost airline I’d flown. It was in 1986 or 87. I was used to full-service airlines, which in those days included meals, drinks and treats served by cabin staff. It was an early morning flight to Albuquerque. Breakfast consisted of a blueberry muffin and coffee, tea, and juice. I asked the cabin attendant for another blueberry muffin and was sharply informed that it was one muffin to a customer. I looked at the cart full of muffins and then at the cabin attendant and replied, “Well I won’t be flying this airline again.” And I didn’t until 2012.

After two days, one email, two dozen phone calls, and two voice mails, I finally got a returned call yesterday evening. Before the call, I had decided, that if I didn’t have a voice mail or return call this morning, I was going to complain on Twitter. The corporate accounts person was very nice, very apologetic—more than a little relieved that his call avoided my going to Twitter—and I finally got the information I need to proceed.

I subscribed to Vogue Knitting magazine in December or January and am supposed to receive a login to download an electronic copy of the mag to my tablet. Well it’s February and the spring issue is out and I don’t have a login and haven’t received a response to my email of Thursday last requesting one. So, now that Southwest is taken care of I’ll be chasing up Vogue and maybe this week they’ll be able to respond in the 48 hour time guarantee as stated on their website.

On the 14^th of February I ordered a mobile WiFi device. I was promised an email when the product shipped. Called last week. They were expecting a shipment of the devices by the end of the week and I should have an email with shipping details by Monday or Tuesday. Called yesterday, and the shipment is due next week and I’m on the priority list. Well a simple query to the database for all orders not filled, merged with an email apologizing for the inconvenience and a statement of when shipment is expected and I suspect I, along with countless others, would be happy campers.

I started the BonBons Mitts last Friday using Harrisville New England Shetland. I just need to knit the thumbs. 

Toupie sat out his food coma this morning on the dresser. He’s just never happy when he sees the camera:

 

But the prospect of a catnip marinated toy: