It has been a lot of fun reading your Bits and Bobs comments from last week’s contest. I got some new ideas, and I hope you did, too. Ruth shared that she makes Minions out of them, which sent me scurrying to Ravelry to see what a Minion pattern is. How cute are these? (And big ones, too!) I definitely need to make some of those, just for fun. Ania shared the pattern she’s using to make a cute toy for her daughter’s birthday. I like that pattern, too. Maybe I need to knit a few toys. And Diane and Michelle both mentioned that they have a jar of caked skeins, and I do, too. I love the look (and the jar is huge – those are full skeins of cakes) but now that they’re in there, I don’t know if I’ll ever really pull them out and knit them up. I forget they’re there (in the Loopy lobby) and … of course there’s always something new to knit anyway. Maybe what I ought to do is empty that container, keep the cakes with my regular stash, and start filling the container with more Bits and Bobs. I need a new container for them.
Several of you mentioned putting short pieces of the yarn outside on tree branches in the spring, for birds building nests. I keep meaning to do that each spring. Next spring for sure. A couple of you asked what I do with my yarn labels. I throw them away. Although I have thought about making something like this out of them, some day. Tracy asked if I ever use the bits and bobs up, or rotate them. I really don’t. They just sit there looking pretty until I need them for darning.
I also loved Teri’s idea of keeping a small jar of them on your desk at work. She said it helps her “get through the day.” And how about spinning them into new yarn? That’s what Cassie does, and here’s a photo. Fun idea.
Thanks to everyone for sharing ideas and participating. We used the Number Randomizer to pick two winners from the comments section. We’ve sent Loopy Ewe Gift Certificates to Jody in IL and Brianna in MA. Congratulations to both of you!
Is it annoying that I bold different sentences in each paragraph, or helpful? Because I think mixed up bolding might be sorta kinda possibly irritating after awhile. Or hey – how about bolding, not bolding and italics on occasion? So many possibilities for annoyance. Not that I want to do that to you. I’m ending the post now. Have a great weekend.
Sheri whoapparentlyneedstogetoutofthewoolfumestoday
I have a whole bag of labels (I have thrown some out), but when the de-banding happens at my swift I just throw them into a paper bag I have sitting there… NOW to find something to cover with them…. I do not have a dress form…
Sheri, I think you’re glad it’s Friday. That wasn’t irritating. It was funny, and made me smile.
Sheri, as long as you are not using the blink tag then the amount of bolding, italics or not doesn’t bother me. If you start using the blink tag, I might have to head for the hills!
Those are some great ideas, thanks for sharing all!
Hi Hi
Soo excited about the minions holy cow!!! : )
Oh and the kitty cat toys, just adorable!
I really haven’t acquired enough bits n bobs but now that I have all these great suggestions, when I do, I’ll know what to do.
There are fumes with your wool ??? Oh dear … perhaps you’re working just a tad too hard… the bold / italics vent didn’t seem irritating. I like the bolded parts when we want to see the next topic.
I’m still working on getting my furrbabies to sit still with Loopy… keep ya posted. This week they were on Mouse patrol. My girl cat is so pissed that she hasn’t caught it yet. My boy cat just really doesn’t care but wants the attention for ‘trying’. . . : )
Have a great weekend!!!
Your blog, bolding and italicizing included, is just about perfect. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!
Not annoying at all, kind of silly in a fun sort of way 🙂
My co-workers are now wondering why I’m giggling. 😀 I’m going to go pet some yarn and calm down now.
Bold whatever you want, your blog is great!
I save at least one label from every project I knit. Right now, they are just in a box. But I recently saw where someone had collaged them onto a dress form and it was lovely.
Bold away.
No, it isn’t annoying. Your last paragraph does look like a ransom note!
You can bold and italicize all you want, Sheri, just throw in a few photos of gorgeous yarn while you’re at it!
Seriously. Our old computer finally gave up the ghost; we got a new one, and now I can really and truly see the colors!
And oh yes, I keep all my yarn labels but then lose them just when I need to refer back to them for laundry instructions and such. Thank God for the Internet!
I like the bold sentences! That way if I’m in a hurry, I can scan through quickly and get the important info and I can always go back when I have more time and read the whole post.
I also like the idea of keeping a jar of yarn bits on my desk to get through the day! May have to do that! I do have my little knit sunshine with a smile and sunglasses in the corner of my desk. Love that!
I LOVE the Minion!!! I’d love to keep a jar of tiny yarn balls on my desk at work but I am afraid the old man who cleans would think they were trash and throw them out.
But maybe in my bedroom or shelf somewhere else in the house. I like both bold and italic print – they are ways of expressing yourself and beaking up a paragraph nicely. But I will have to knit up some Minions to hide here and there in my house. And maybe keep one at work as the keeper of my computer on my desk 😀
Someone told me you should not leave bright colored yarn bits for the birds to use for nest materials. The bright colors attract their predators. Never had thought about that before. Anyone a bird nest expert?
I LOVE your blogs and LOVE that you bold words, etc. I only read your blog and Wendy’s and they each make my day. As the song goes, “don’ go changin”…..
I like the bolding of sentences when you start new topics.
I really enjoy the way that you bold various bits and pieces. Especially when I’m just quickly skimming through for the highlights. Now if you were going over the top like that last sample paragraph, THAT would be very annoying.
Bold, italics, caps, etc all help to draw our eyes to certain places, to give tonal inflections that can be sorely lacking on the internet, and to break up pieces of information. Just like periods, commas, and paragraph breaks they can be used or abused. Personally I don’t think that you abuse them, keep up the good work!
Bold, italics, whatever you want to do. I’ll still read your blog. Because it’s YOUR blog and you can do what you want to with it. ( Although I will take a break if there is too much flash/tracking and it takes a while to load. But I think that is the site overlord who puts all the extra stuff in, not you! ) Fumes? Did you read Yarn Harlot’s experience of September 13?
Yarn labels…..well, I usually cut out the section that tells the fiber content and washing instructions and tie it onto whatever I knit, if it’s a gift. Or I tape it onto the page in my notebook where I keep track of my projects – copies of the original pattern (where I write who it was for and any adjustments to the pattern). what yarn I used and whether I liked knitting with it or not and I also add a picture of the finished project.
I am not a bird expert but I’ve also heard that you shouldn’t offer the birds brightly colored yarn, because of predators. After spending some time trying to find a definitive answer, which I haven’t been able to so far, it seems that most predators are attracted by smell, not color. I personally would worry about the dye smell/woolwash so I’d give it a good long rinse and drying out before offering it.
You can offer yarn that is 100% wool or cotton, natural, non-loopy (not referring to Sheri’s business, of course!) and no longer then two inches. They also love human and pet hair (that is not being treated for fleas and such), especially horses tail and mane and again cut to two inches. Natural roving is great. Dryer lint is a huge no-no.
I think it would be great irony if Sheri saved the cats hair when she brushed them and offered it to the backyard birds that they watch all day to build nests with!
Hi Sheri,
Thanks for mentioning my Minion pattern, I’m so glad everyone likes it!
Heather
Minion Designer and Loopy blog reader.
I just noticed the little flower needle holder. Tell us about that. Cute, cute, cute!
I use plastic cereal dispensers for my yarn. 2 skeins of most brands will fit into each container. When you want to switch colors, just flip the lid around 🙂