# I have a new addiction. One possibly greater than this place. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 11, 2005, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-new-addiction-one-possibly-greater-than-this-place/325775 "2005-10-11T17:06:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Otanx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Otanx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otanx)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2005, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-new-addiction-one-possibly-greater-than-this-place/325775/21 "2005-10-11T22:19:55Z")
> [@Shirley Ujest](#): > > I want to…gasp raise sheep so I can card and spin my own wool. Mr. Ujest has firmly put his foot down on this one. Sheep poop is no laughing matter. Wasn’t there a thread somewhere on spining dog hair into yarn? Maybe you can’t have a sheep, but do you have a dog? Cat hair might work too. Of course you won’t get as much from a dog or a cat, and it would look real funny walking around with no hair, but you need to knit! -Otanx ---
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2005, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-new-addiction-one-possibly-greater-than-this-place/325775/22 "2005-10-11T22:41:46Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Actually I am a bit jealous. One day I’d like to learn how to knit. That could fill the down-time at Speech tournaments with productive activity. But I live in Southern California. What could I knit that I could actually _use_? Cotton sweaters, purely decorative ponchos, shawls and all the other “in” knitted/crochet items, pillows, throws, baby blankets, and … [http://warmupamerica.com/](http://warmupamerica.com/) and [http://www.afghansforafghans.org/](http://www.afghansforafghans.org/) are charitable organizations that arrange for blankets and afghans to be distributed to those who need it. Check their websites for details, but Warm Up America suggests making 7x9 inch “squares” to be made into blankets. That’s a great way to learn or experiment with new patterns. We have a group at work that’s called Yarn Yoga that gets together twice a week at lunch to work on whatever craft we want to do. I’ve been mostly crocheting (having a knitting machine at home reduces my desire to learn hand-knitting) and needlepointing. I’ve always been a crafter, but YY really sparked my interest in trying my hand at crochet again. So far, I’ve made a couple of “squares” for Warm Up America to learn the technique, and a baby blanket. Currently I’m trying to figure out how to crochet a batwing shawl. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2005, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-new-addiction-one-possibly-greater-than-this-place/325775/23 "2005-10-11T22:52:41Z")
> [@Otanx](#): > > Wasn’t there a thread somewhere on spining dog hair into yarn? > > -Otanx Oh boy - wouldn’t that be fun to wear a dog hair sweater on a rainy day - won’t you be the most popular person within a 30 foot radius. When I was in about 4th or 5th grade (many decades ago) our teacher decided to teach the entire class, boys and girls, how to knit. We all had to bring in knitting needles and yarn. My grandmother was thrilled and gave me a choice of about 200 various kinds and colors of knitting needles, and had a garage full of various yarns. At any rate, the entire class learned how to knit. Of course, the boys started making it into a competition to see who could knit the fastest and the longest scarf - I believe it was Randy O. who won with a 7 foot scarf. Our parents were bemused over the entire situation - but that teacher was no fool…she got an entire classroom of rowdy kids to shut up and knit for half an hour every day. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2005, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-new-addiction-one-possibly-greater-than-this-place/325775/24 "2005-10-12T00:36:05Z")
> [@Rufus Xavier](#): > > My new addiction is Rubik’s Cube. The original craze happened when I was 12, but I was never interested. Two days ago, someone gave one to my older daughter as a present. I’ve spent several hours with the cube; she’s spent about ten minutes. I’m going to have to get one of my own. This one’s already getting worn. Have you already taken it apart and greased it? You can’t solve it in record times if it isn’t greased. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2005, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-new-addiction-one-possibly-greater-than-this-place/325775/25 "2005-10-12T01:41:23Z")
> [@stargazer](#): > > **Shirley** , have you discovered felting? It may be even more addicting than plain ol’ knitting! I have sorta discovered felting. I felted a sweater from XL to about a size 5 in a child. I’m not sure what I want to do with it yet, but it was sure fun washing it in hot water several times. ---
**Author:** ![Rhubarb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/59ef9b/32.png) [@Rhubarb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhubarb)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2005, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-new-addiction-one-possibly-greater-than-this-place/325775/26 "2005-10-12T04:15:21Z")
Ah **Shirley** , you’re a purl! [sub]Sorry, just needling you. :d&r:[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Rufus\_Xavier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@Rufus\_Xavier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rufus_Xavier)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2005, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-new-addiction-one-possibly-greater-than-this-place/325775/27 "2005-10-12T13:19:08Z")
> [@adam yax](#): > > Have you already taken it apart and greased it? You can’t solve it in record times if it isn’t greased. Gosh, no. Is there a record for fastest ungreased solve-time? I usually shy away from smearing my playthings with grease. I said usually. ---
**Author:** ![js\_africanus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@js\_africanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/js_africanus)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2005, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-new-addiction-one-possibly-greater-than-this-place/325775/28 "2005-10-12T14:28:33Z")
Knit me an Elvis wig. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2005, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-new-addiction-one-possibly-greater-than-this-place/325775/29 "2005-10-12T15:25:58Z")
> [@Shirley Ujest](#): > > No naked ninja surfer pizza chickies there! Just hands, yarn and kneedles. but…but–I WANT ninja surfer pizza chickies! ( I think–what exactly are they?) I need to practice casting on, but first, I hafta go to work for a meetin–boo, hiss (oh, yeah–I’m getting paid…so I can buy more yarn! yay) thinking of making a shawl for my mother. ---
**Author:** ![stargazer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb8c5e/32.png) [@stargazer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stargazer)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2005, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-new-addiction-one-possibly-greater-than-this-place/325775/30 "2005-10-12T15:47:02Z")
> [@Shirley Ujest](#): > > I have sorta discovered felting. > I felted a sweater from XL to about a size 5 in a child. I’m not sure what I want to do with it yet, but it was sure fun washing it in hot water several times. Was that, um, intentional? 😉 I like making felted bags – there are a bunch of good free or cheap patterns online, and felted bags are useful! They make great gifts, too. And they knit up pretty quick – I think I did the Sophie bag in about 3 days, knitting mostly in the evenings after work. 'Course, I don’t have kids to mess up my evenings. I just have cats, and they usually leave my yarn alone, miraculously. (It’s the needles they like.) ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2005, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-new-addiction-one-possibly-greater-than-this-place/325775/31 "2005-10-12T15:54:51Z")
Oh Shirley, it gets worse. Sooner or later you are going to run into the heavy stuff, and that’s when it gets really bad. Koigu. Stay away from Koigu as long as possible. And Kidsilk Crack. And colorwork. And lace. If I’d only _stopped_ when it was all acrylic scarves, I might have gotten out of it all and been clean now. Alas. ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2005, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-new-addiction-one-possibly-greater-than-this-place/325775/32 "2005-10-12T20:57:56Z")
> [@stargazer](#): > > I like making felted bags – there are a bunch of good free or cheap patterns online, and felted bags are useful! They make great gifts, too. And they knit up pretty quick – I think I did the Sophie bag in about 3 days, knitting mostly in the evenings after work. I’ve made two Sophie bags so far, and I figured up that they only take me about 10 hours, all told. I lined the one I made for my daughter and she is actually using it! I did it in black with ten rows of a blue-purple-grey Charm novelty yarn added near the top. My bag is navy, and I just finished a hot water bottle cover in Landscape Spring Meadow, plus I have a swatch to felt for some mittens, and swatches of **Lillith Fair’s** to felt. She’s making an entrelac market bag…she got me hooked on knitting, and I’ve returned the favor by getting her into felting. So tomorrow is going to be Felting Day! I loved the Sophie bag so much I ordered the pattern for the Elizabeth bag…bigger, with slightly more shaping. And as soon as I skip up to JoAnn’s with the 40% off coupon I just printed out and buy a size 13, 16" circular, I’m starting another felted bag in grey, blue and purple for my daughter. Yeah, I’m hooked. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2005, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-new-addiction-one-possibly-greater-than-this-place/325775/33 "2005-10-12T21:34:30Z")
> [@eleanorigby](#): > > thinking of making a shawl for my mother. Whether she wants one or not, right? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2005, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-new-addiction-one-possibly-greater-than-this-place/325775/34 "2005-10-12T23:36:27Z")
> [@Shirley Ujest](#): > > Whether she wants one or not, right? :dubious: 😃 She really does like them–she tends to wrap up in an afghan while reading–and if I ever make her a shawl, she won’t have to! I am getting a wee concerned re the addictive properties portrayed here. The last thing I need is another obsession. Please tell me there are social knitters out there, please? I promise to never knit and drive. I promise to never knit alone. I promise to never start knitting before I go to the open knitting–just a few rows, to get my energy up… ---
**Author:** ![stargazer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb8c5e/32.png) [@stargazer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stargazer)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2005, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-new-addiction-one-possibly-greater-than-this-place/325775/35 "2005-10-12T23:39:51Z")
> [@Sattua](#): > > Oh Shirley, it gets worse. Sooner or later you are going to run into the heavy stuff, and that’s when it gets really bad. Koigu. Stay away from Koigu as long as possible. And Kidsilk Crack. And colorwork. And lace. > > If I’d only _stopped_ when it was all acrylic scarves, I might have gotten out of it all and been clean now. Alas. And Manos del Uruguay, too, especially the variegated. That stuff’s like crack. Ask my checkbook! ---
**Author:** ![ENugent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/4af34b/32.png) [@ENugent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ENugent)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2005, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-new-addiction-one-possibly-greater-than-this-place/325775/36 "2005-10-12T23:46:05Z")
[Two](http://www.crochetmycrotch.com/) [links](http://secure.elann.com/frames.asp). Two dangerous links. (Well, ok. The first one’s just weird. The second one is like finding the special _discount_ crack dealer.) ---
**Author:** ![elelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f0a364/32.png) [@elelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elelle)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2005, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-new-addiction-one-possibly-greater-than-this-place/325775/37 "2005-10-12T23:46:12Z")
Uh-Oh, Shirls, you’ve become a Knitwit… :eek: 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![TJdude825](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@TJdude825](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TJdude825)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2005, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-new-addiction-one-possibly-greater-than-this-place/325775/38 "2005-10-13T00:28:19Z")
> [@Rufus Xavier](#): > > My new addiction is Rubik’s Cube. The original craze happened when I was 12, but I was never interested. Two days ago, someone gave one to my older daughter as a present. I’ve spent several hours with the cube; she’s spent about ten minutes. I’m going to have to get one of my own. This one’s already getting worn. No no! They turn much easier if they’re worn! This must be nationwide or something, because the things are making a comeback at my school too. ---
**Author:** ![TJdude825](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@TJdude825](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TJdude825)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2005, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-new-addiction-one-possibly-greater-than-this-place/325775/39 "2005-10-13T00:31:47Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Actually I am a bit jealous. One day I’d like to learn how to knit. That could fill the down-time at Speech tournaments with productive activity. But I live in Southern California. What could I knit that I could actually _use_? A friend of mine knitted an iPod cover. I don’t knit, but I would guess you could google for instructions if you can’t figure it out on your own. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2005, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-new-addiction-one-possibly-greater-than-this-place/325775/40 "2005-10-13T00:39:14Z")
And to think that for lo, these many years I have hung on every perl of wisdom to fall from your knits. Er. Lips. Why, you yarny slut you. 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-new-addiction-one-possibly-greater-than-this-place/325775.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-new-addiction-one-possibly-greater-than-this-place/325775.md?page=3)