Miscellany

I'm always amazed at how something you thought was all your own turns out to be happening in other places simultaneously. Seems I started a Noro Striped Scarf at the same time as another Famous Blogger and I'm sure there are at least several other knitters that cast-on with us. Wonder what was in the Knitting Stratosphere to inspire this unplanned group knit-along? Can't be weather because it's still summer temperatures here in Southern Cal.

Is anyone else having trouble with their Bloglines updates? Some days there are duplicate updates and then other feeds have no updates for days. When I go to check on bloggers that usually have daily entries I find Bloglines has missed three or four daily entries. What's the deal? Am I really going to have to transfer all my feeds over to Google Reader? What do you use to keep you updated on all the Blogs you like to read?

Wednesday, at the Yarn Shop where I work, several of us that teach or have taught knitting were having a discussion on teaching Provisional Cast-on (click link for a YouTube video by Lucy Neatby) in a class setting. What method is the best for what purpose and which is the easiest to teach in a limited amount of time? We all agreed that the Crochet Cast-on was the quickest and easiest for us to teach. Of course, having many cast-on options at your command would be ideal but in a class with several students time constraints limit the time you can spend on any one topic. The Shop has tried a class on Cast-on and Cast-off methods which is always poorly attended; our customers seem to be project oriented. I'd like to hear your opinion on teaching a Provisional Cast-on.

And to show how crazy the weather is... I have an epiphelium in bloom. These plants normally bloom in this area in May. The big Epiphelium flower show in Balboa Park is always on Mother's Day. How crazy is that!!!

There are no pictures of the Epi; it's hanging in direct sunlight this morning which is beyond my abilities to get a decent photo. Maybe this afternoon.