Buying Green?

I just came across an advertisement on one of those eco-blogs I mentioned the other day, claiming “…earth-friendly products to help people consume less…” It’s got me thinking, is this statement true, or even possible?

Can we consume something (i.e. buy a product) that offsets or reduces consumption*? I’m not sure. When I wrote about some of the changes I’ve been making, I realize now that they are almost entirely wither things I do buy, or changes to things usually bought. My new steam cleaner means that I don’t use the myriad of chemical cleaning products found in most homes, and also relies upon reusable ‘helpers,’ like tea-towels, as opposed to disposable sheets or whatnot. And yet, it is made predominantly of plastic, and will break someday — and what of it then? I try to bring into my home products that are non-toxic, non-harmful, less wasteful, and by doing so to support business that seem to be promoting positive and sustainable chance. But are my changes really for the better, or am I fooling myself?

Is the “green consumer” a myth? Or a step in the right direction? I’m not sure. I don’t think that we can completely escape consumerism,and although there are many choices that can be made towards consuming less (like say, just not buying things at all, or making X by hand), can we really achieve sustainable change through products?

Discuss!

*Not the Victorian wasting-sickness kind. Yes, my mind goes there with words like “consumption”.

Reading Green

It’s not something that I discuss often here, or even that frequently with my (highly socially-conscious and terribly opinionated) friends, but I spend a lot of time mulling over social and environmental issues. (And probably even more time being guilty about ‘not doing enough’.)

I’ve been trying to implement changes in our daily life for the betterment of a) us and b) everyone else. We get a local-organic veggie and fruit box delivered every other week. I have avoided sodium laureleth sulfate/parabens/etc. in body cleansing products for about 5 years now. I now home-clean with steam alone (ok, so it was consumerist, but I love me my new steam cleaner!), or vinegar/baking soda/lemon. Much of my wardrobe is, has been, and will continue to be thrift-store, swapped, and/or handmade. Our vehicle is diesel, and we use it about once every 2-3weeks, thanks to living in a high-density urban centre. Yet for all of these choices, I still know there are tonnes of other things I could, and probably should, be doing to help make this planet better for every one/thing to live in and grow.

I’ve recently started reading more “green” blogs: No Impact Man, Crunchy Chicken, good ol’ Treehugger, and such. Some I’m just ‘tasting’, others are fully-subscribed in my reader. One of these new blogs, Green Bean Dreams, has issued a great challenge for the month of May: Read Something!

I’ve been inspired to break out that most classic of classics, H. D. Thoreau’s Walden, both to get to the roots of part of the environmental movement and to get back to reading “smart books”*. I am also getting quite intrigued by several other books on the “recommended reading” list over there. (Perhaps I should pay off my long-overdue library fines and check one out?)

There can be nothing wrong with becoming informed, or finding a new perspective on things (even if you end up not agreeing with it). And even if you’re not sure what can be done about current socio-environmental issues, I think perhaps the first step is to start asking informed questions. So why not take up the challenge, and “Be a Bookworm” in May?

*Almost 2 years ago I finished my Masters in English Literature, and since then I’ve spent most of my time reading YA and speculative fiction, virtually dancing around saying, “nyah nyah, I’m not reading anything of literary value and you can’t make me!” I’m about over it, now. I do, in fact, still like “smart books”, have begun taking up pieces from the Canon for pleasure reading (recently, a Jane Austen), and have even been feeling the urges to polish up my Latin (or at least Middle English) once again…

A certain condition

Apparently I am too subtle.

All week I’ve been waiting for someone to ask what the “WIP” is in a one-photo post of clearly-finished Saartje’s Booties (Although yes, they are fantastically cute. It was a really fun knit, and perfectly used up the last bits of Fleece Artist Sea Wool leftover from my Elfine’s socks.) Yet no questions, no guesses.

So I might as well stop being cryptic… I’m pregnant! Those little booties signify both the first bit of baby-knitting I’ve ever done (for my own, or anyone’s really) and also about the only knitting I’ve been able to muster in weeks. I can barely begin to describe how ridiculously fatigued I’ve been these past weeks . Sooo sleeepy!! I actually went to bed at 8:30pm last week — and that was still with a two-hour nap after work! Otherwise, things are ok on the “morning sickness” front, which for me has been a null of puking — yay! — but an abundance of low-level nausea that seems to only be countered by, paradoxically, lots of snacking. (And I’m usually more of a 3-squares no-snacks kinda girl, so that’s been an adjustment.)

While there hasn’t been much knitting happening around here, there has been a bit of stash enhancement! You know you’ve found a good man when he picks you up at your office, chocolate bar in hand, and says “I think you need some new sock yarn”. (Also that he has been very patient and supportive with all my new pregnancy quirks, from not cooking ihis favourite spicy foods to playing WoW with headphones on when I need to go to bed at stupid-8:30-pm — and hearing my sobbing despite them when a sentimental novel overcomes my hormone-addled emotions.) Here’s my unexpected little luxury:

Socks That Rock Silkie (superwash/silk blend) in “raven series” colourway Valkyrie.

I know that I won’t get around to actually knitting this (or anything at all, perhaps) for a while, but I have little fantasies about some fingerless gloves and a headscarf or the like. Although, with the Springtime weather finally here, I may not need such things for a while! I do hope that the tiredness will leave soon (I’m almost through the first trimester) and bring my knit-mojo back — there are large sweaters and teeny socks waiting to be knit…

FO & WIP

Saartje’s booties

They knit me!

You know what rocks? Seeing other people’s blog posts about a pattern that you designed, and not being able to read a word of them! (without translation)
Icewine Mittens: approved by Nordic knitters!

It’s also awesome that since Amy’s and Lime & Violet’s signal-boosts, the Eye-of-Partridge Shawl is getting some pretty far-reaching distribution!

I am getting such a huge kick out of seeing other people knit things that I made up from my own head. (Thank you, Ravelry! And begrudging thanks to you, wacky new WordPress dashboard.) Must be careful, or this will really inflate my ego!

(Not that there’s much to worry about there! Considering my current knit-progress — i.e. next to nothing — I’m feeling like a total underachiever these days. So, no photo here today.)

Inexplicable

Even though Tuesday was a regular-ol’ workday, I managed to squeeze in some Inexplicable Knitter Behaviour!

I was up in the not-yet-bright and early (uhg), but caught a few sock-scavenger hunt photos on my walk to work…

Any bonus points for “Stephanie” street, d’you think?

I bravely did inexplicable things at work…

Yes, I took a photocopy of the sock, too. And scored a photo with my boss, who was a good sport.

Krista and I did some mad dashing around downtown after work to get in as many points as we could…

Geese!

Statue!

The policeman was bemused.

The TTC driver was possible harder to convince than the cop.

I scored about 30points all told, which i think is not bad for someone without the whole day to collect neighbourhood signs and landmark-points! You can see my whole scavenger hunt photos at my Flickr account.

Of course, that wasn’t it by far! The theatre was packed with knitters…

who got to enjoy the Skydiggers…

the scavenger-hunt awards…

and of course, Stephanie Pearl-McPhee!

Stephanie was humorous, thoughtful, open, and engaging, as always. It was so great for me to see her in a public venue again; I got to reflect on how less than a year ago when I went to her last launch I was start-struck and hadn’t ever knit with others before! How things have changed… I also got to meet up with some great folks I don’t see very often, and meet in person others I’ve only known ‘online’ (though looking at that first launch post, it turns out LadyO and I had met before! lol). Then it was off to the pub for shared food and fun.

All in all, it was a fantastic time. When can we do it again?

Ready, Set…

Are you ready for a day of Inexplicable Knitter Behaviour?

I’ve got my checklist all printed. (Yes, I’ve scouted out likely locations for my sock photos. I’ve got to work during the day, so I’ve got to be efficient!) Likewise cash has been taken out, in prep for prime snack- and book-buying, pretty notebook is at ready (for taking down blog addresses, of course), and little cards have been hastily printed (yes, I am that dorky) for this giving to others (how much am I wanting a set of MOO cards?).

I’ve been in touch with my knitterly friends from far and near (give me a shout if you’re coming!), and hopefully will meet up with some of them before the event — someone save me a seat!) and the rest at the pub afterwards.

This is me! See you there?

A sock is in progress, of course.

Arucania Ranco, basic sock “recipe” (my own, but in the spirit of Stephanie).

Oh, and my camera, of course! Have I forgotten anything?

Linked In

Apparently, one can be “harlotted” by other bloggers as well!

My Eye-of-Partridge shawl just got a shout-out from Amy, in solidarity for her “Liberate your Lacewieght” campaign. And boy-howdy, must she have some readership, because they’ve all stopped by here today!

*waves to new blog people*

Thanks to everyone who’s left me a comment, and to the vastness of you out there who have climbed my “stats” page to new heights, providing me with great entertainment :) I hope you’ve enjoyed seeing my mindlessly-easy-but-very-fun shawl pattern, and think it would be awesome if other folks knit one too. (I have a few other patterns, too, if you’re interested.)

I’m just sorry that the blog’s been so dead around here otherwise! I’ve barely been out to knit-nights, let alone done any actual knitting. Maybe I should cast on a stockinette ‘tube’ scarf a la Amy — I think that’s about all my brain has the power to deal with lately!

Good Mail; Busy Week

What a week!
Fortunately it was perked up by the arrival of not one…

…not two…

…but three packages of ‘good mail’! (and all within 2 days!)

The first little surprise had a lovely set of stitch markers (package & makers both photographed terribly, so no pic yet) sent to me by Vicki. I entered some suggestions in her “What can I make with…” contest, and if you’ve got odd balls or small skeins lying about and are looking for stash-busting ideas, you should definitely check out her amazingly long list of free patterns for small yardages.

Next up was a fantastically fibre-laden package from Allena (of Spindle and Wheel) — seriously, that photo above does not give a good indication of the scale of it!

Here’s a peek inside:

From left to right, there’s a large grocery bag of lovely red/bugrundy (hand-dyed, I’m sure) roving, another large bag full of small twists of brightly coloured roving, one full bag of soft, crimpy unwashed fleece (my guess is Shetland), three handmade cotton washcloths, and that little orange case contains two needle-felting needles! I am so thrilled by her generosity!

(I think that needle-felting is going to quickly get a place on the list of crafts I do obsessively — I’ve only made two little cat toys so far, but wow is it ever fun to stab at fibre with sharp things!)

And last, but certainly not least, there was a gorgeous skein of sock yarn from the Knitterman Ray (of Knitivity.com).

Ray’s a one-man hand-dyeing wonder, and this skein was given in trade for one of my spindles. Who says “barter and trade” economy doesn’t work anymore?

As you can see, this skein is a one-of-a-kind, but if you’re wanting some of your own it’s close to his “Cygnus” colourway.

It was really nice to have these goodies waiting for me, as I’ve really been keeping on my toes lately. Beyond the usual office business and household chores, I taught two classes at the Purl this past week!

On Wednesday I taught my first knitting class, an introduction to stranded knitting. I’d made up little swatch-charts (that could be easily seamed an tuned into little coin purses), let my students mix-and match their front design and background pattern (like you’d have in a mitten), and then showed them the one-yarn-in-each-hand trick (basically teaching Continental style to English knitters and vice versa). I think that it went over well — there were several moments of happy-dancing in their seats, and a couple of “I thought this was going to be awful, but it’s really easy!” comments. I hope they all go forth and knit with many colours for here on!

On Sunday I taught my beginner drop-spindle spinning class again. It seems like this is becoming a once-a-month regular class! I’m really please with that: it’s so much fun to watch people turn fluff into real live yarn for the first time, and the students are always so different! This time around one of them had been given several bags of fiber already, so we even had some “show-and-tell” time, and she even had collected some qiviut (musk-ox down), fresh from the rocks, in Greenland (what a lucky new spinner!). I’m really please to be able to hook in more people to hand-spinning, and think that I should probably start working on a “Beyond the Basics” spindle class for the future…

So, while I have accomplished practically no spinning or knitting of my own recently, there has certainly been a lot of two-way enabling going on!

Knitty: Spring 2008

Spring has sprung (for Knitty.com anyway)!

Go see the new Spring 2008 Issue of Knitty!!

There are lots of new patterns for lighter-wight sweaters, socks, kiddie-knits, even something for the dogs… Great articles, too.

And of course, fantastic advice for spinners in KnittySpin. I can’t wait to get my hands on some flax! (It’s been something I’ve wanted to try for a while now, so this just gives me that extra boost.)