Real-ISM

I'm sure you are all checking back here with bated breath, hoping for a picture of a finished Clapotis. (Stop biting your nails, you're making me nervous.) Yeah, right. I'm just about to drop the first stitch, but I'll spare you the picture. At a row or two per day, this could take a while. And don't ask about Superbowl knitting, because there wasn't any. After putting the kids to bed, I left DH in front of the TV and I went to the grocery store, and it was the best shopping trip I've ever had. There were only three other shoppers in the entire store, everything was fully stocked, there were no small people asking for treats, there were no lines at the check-out, and I got to eat potato chips on the way home without trying to hide the fact that I was eating potato chips. Perfect!

I did have time to do some blog-surfing while the game was wrapping up, however, and I was inspired by Sara Lamb's blog. I think that all of her stuff is amazing, but I was particularly intrigued by this post, which shows a very cool dyeing technique. The problem is that I am now having Crazy Ideas. This is not uncommon here, but it's often followed by Crazy Actions and Crazy Projects, which can have regrettable consequences. In light of that, I am trying to temper the Crazy Ideas with a dose of Reality. Feel free to help.

Crazy Idea #1: I should get my knitting machine out and I should set it up.
REALITY: This is not a totally crazy idea, although it's impractical. I actually do have a very simple knitting machine, a Bond ISM (Incredible Sweater Machine). I bought it in 1998, when I learned, via the Knitlist, that Walmart had these on closeout for $20, as opposed to the usual $100 list price. I had never seen an ISM, I had no idea what to do with an ISM, but dammit, I was bored and unemployed and I couldn't turn down such a good deal. Eighteen phone calls later, I had located a store in Connecticut that had four left. I had no idea how to get to the store, having just moved to this neck of the woods, but DH and I set off in the fog and rain and eventually found it, about an hour away. I bought all four machines. I sold two on Ebay--for $100 each--sold one at cost via a name draw of Knitlist folks, and kept the other for myself. I used it quite a lot for a year, then it got packed away when we moved and there has not been a good spot for it in our house. I keep meaning to find a good table for it and a corner where it can stay out, ready for experiments and fun. Haven't found that yet.

Crazy Idea #2: I should use the knitting machine to create lengths of knitted fabric, and then I should dye them, and then I should pull out the yarn and re-knit it.
REALITY: My house is not set up for dye-ing, except with Kool-Aid or food safe dyes. But I really want to use "real" dyes.

Crazy Idea #3: DH should build an addition on the house so that I can have a fiber workshop, complete with well-ventilated dye-ing area.
Reality: DH says no. There is no space to expand the house, and there is no money for this project.

Crazy Idea #4: I should just dye the yarn with Kool-Aid.
REALITY: Possible.

Crazy Idea #5: I should rush to WEBS today and buy coned wool to begin the project.
REALITY: I am home with my kids. We just finished making cookies and the kitchen looks like a bomb went off. The rest of the house also looks like a bomb went off, as in the middle of cookie-making my kids got bored and went off to play, without adequate supervision. DH is due home in an hour and there is no dinner (or plan for dinner). And WEBS will close soon. Today is not a good day to go buy yarn. (AND I am on a yarn budget. Supposedly.)

Crazy Idea #6: I should sell all of our valuables on Ebay and use the money to buy yarn, and to go to SOAR and take workshops in this dyeing technique. AND then to build a fiber workshop.
REALITY: DH won't like this. And I would sort of like to keep him around. (And we don't really have enough valuables, anyway, unless you count the children.) Perhaps we could explore a compromise.

Crazy Idea #7: I should finish some of my current projects before embarking on new creative paths.
REALITY: Unlikely.