Crochet:
Dissent Cowl by Carissa Browning*: $5.00 Currently 20% of sales will be donated to the ACLU. Fall is coming and this gorgeous cowl will keep you as warm as the quiet fire Ruth Bader Ginsburg brought to a dissenting opinion. The cowl features textured stitches and baubles to mimick the beading of many of Justice Ginsburg's jabots. 

Ginsburg Coller by Sheila Toy Stromberg:  $2.00 Lovely crochet lace collar.  This would work up quickly and easily added to a sweater set, Halloween costume, or to wear when you go out to vote.  Perhaps make it up in Purple to allign with emPower People Project.  (Information on emPower People is on the TFIL main page under Fiber Happenings)

RBandG Tank Top by Stephanie Erin*: $7.91. This very cool top down tank top has a neckline inspired by RBG's Dissnet collar.  No need to wait until sweater weather to show off your admiration for the Notorious RBG. 

RBG Doll and Finger Puppet*: $5.75 Keep  the Notorious RGB memory alive by making one of these toys for a favorite child in your life.  Or make the doll for yourself to keep on your desk, a shelf, anywhere you might need to occassionally look up and feel inspired.  Because sometimes we all need to ask "What Would Ruth Bader Ginsburg do." 

Knitting:
Dissent by Andra Rangel: $10.00 Beautiful, stranded color work yoke cardigan that evokes Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg dissent coller.  Andrae Rangel also has a pullover sweater version of this project.

Dissent Cowl by Carissa Browning: Mosaic Pattern* $5.00.  Currently 20% of sales will be donated to the ACLU. This is a knitted Cowl pattern by Carissa Browning. This cowl features mosaic pattern work and is a top down construction. It will also keep you as warm as the steely determination Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg lifted weight. 

Some things to do:

• Call, text and write your representative.  Tell them what you want them to do with the power We the People have invested in them. Resist Bot can help.
• Make a plan to vote in honor of the Judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg Dissent in Shelby vs Holder. The majority opinion gutted the Voting Rights Act.  Many BIPOC Americans have to work harder to vote than ever.  To restore the VRA we have to show up at the polls.
• Volunteer to be a poll worker in your area, again to honor her dissent of Shelby v Holder
• Do not shop at Hobby Lobby if you do not have to in honor of Justice Ginsburg's dissent in Hobby Lobby vs United States which allows some companies to deny employees health insurance that covers birth control

The last two days have been uber frustrating. Long story short, my hard drive failed. It's not completely catastrophic - I don't believe it's physical damage. I think there are corrupted files. But, the result is I am trying to back up data, some of it is working. Bought a new hard drive, that was expensive. (If you'd want to help support my channel please use one of my affiliate links, or buy me a coffee. ?) 
But, the biggest problem ... The one that's breaking my heart is, my latest video is trapped in digital limbo.

I have been trying to rescue her.  But, it's not going well.  Pretty sure whatever is going on with the disk is right where the file is living.  I can't get it to copy over to my back up hard drive.

The good news is I still have al the raw media files so I can always start over editing....from scratch...like I'm just back at the very beginning. 

No, really it's going to be fine. One thing about starting an edit from scratch. (?) are you already made a lot of decisions and you do not have have to make them again. Now that I think about it, it is not unlike knitting and frogging. The thought of starting over is so much worst than the actual starting over. Once I buckle own and do it, it will be fine. 

All of this technology failure has got me thinking of the comfort of physical, low tech stuff. Maybe this is why I prefer pen and paper for knitting patterns and recipes.  It's definitely why I have never embraced knitting apps to track my work.  Paper is easy to replace, a tablet is not. 

So how do I keep track of my work? Stitch makers!

And this week I had a really fun twitter discussion about stitch markers and progress trackers. 

I learned a couple of new from this conversation

1. There are things called progress trackers.   They are used to mark rows of knitting and track shaping
2. Progress trackers are distinct from stitch makers
3. The tools used for progress trackers and stitch makers seem pretty much the same to me
4. I have been using stitch markers as progress trackers for years. Why did no one tell me there was a name for it? Rude.

If you have watched my vides: , or , or (oh I guess that would progress trackers) then you know I have strong feelings about my bulb pins and plastic interlocking stitch makers.  

I ❣️ them.

In addition to bulb pins, scrap yarn makes great progress trackers and stitch marks. Knitters and crocheters, we always have scrap yarn. In my notions bag, there is always a small wadded up ball of it,  ready to grab and use to mark out a repeat. 

And because my bulb pin or scrap yarn is part of the work it never goes missing the way row counters, ore scraps. of paper can. 

The thing is I usually love computers and technology and finding an app to make my life easier. I have a much easier time keeping files on my computer organized than pieces of paper in my house.  But, actual, tangible things can be comforting and satisfying. And don't we all need a little bit of comfort and satisfaction right now.

I swear I had no intention of writing another blog post about NuRav. But, today Ravelry released a THIRD "Readability" survey about NuRav.  I took it.  I have thoughts.  I did tweet about it but, I'm writing this blog as well to go more in depth describing the survey and to expand some of my thoughts after taking it. 

And if you're wondering why you should care about Ravelry and accessibility please read this  by Kathleen Sperling, aka @wipinsanity.  Because really accessibility is about all of us. 

Hello Knitting Friends,

It's been quite the ride lately in the Knitting and Crafting world.  But, that's 2020.  (Remember when we thought the biggest Stories of the year would be impeachment, Australian Wild Fires, and Murder Hornets? Ahhh simpler times) 

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Ahh finally, getting back to shooting videos!

Last week, was a tough week for me personally.  A major allergy attack - which is new for me - kept me from getting in front of the camera.  But, Sunday I finally felt well enough o shoot a video and it's a banger.

Finally, I'm doing the long awaited video: Knit Tea: English vs Continental Death Match!

Yes, I sat down and went through why I prefer English knitting over Continental.  I hoping to have the video up by the end of the week! 

Also, I got another craft and chill in the works.  Here's a sneak peak of what I made. 
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Yarn isn't just for knitting!

I've been under the weather the last two days. I woke up on Tuesday with a very upset stomach, exhaustion, and mild headache.  I spent all day in bed wondering if I was experience allergies, a stomach bug, or Covid-19.  My temperature remained in my normal range which is a good sign.  But, out of an abundance of caution, locked myself away from hubby and daughter.  Of course, if  what I was/am experiencing was/is Covid-19 my family is already exposed. But, you know.  

I won't hold you in suspense. I'm feeling much better this morning.  I'm still fatigued but it's not as bad.  My stomach has settled down. (Yay, not a stomach bug).  I did wake up with congestion and sinus pressure.  I took an allergy pill and the chest congestion has subsided although the sinus pressure remains.  I still have no fever.  I think it's allergies. 

Like a good American, I took this unexpected time of solitude to be productive and  move my blog off of Blogger and onto Weebly.  (Finally I have the layout control I've always wanted!).  ​  

​I received an email fromKnit Picks yesterday. Due to public health concerns, they are still accepting orders but are not shipping .  They are offering 15% off orders today.  

I've always had a good experience with Knit Picks, so I have no doubt they will fulfill orders when it is safe to do so.  
​
I applaud Knit Picks making the decision to suspend shipping so their employees cans social distance.  Although for obsessed knitters, yarn is an essential, it is not an essential business.   

I worry about the small craft businesses surviving this pandemic.  When this is over - and it will end -  there will have to be a concerted effort to support these businesses and the local LYS.  ​

My latest was a tough one for me.  I didn't plan it.  I was upset hearing Kamala Harris was out of the race and wanted to talk about it, in addition to racism and issues in the crafting community.  I turned out far more emotional than I expected and there's footage I didn't use because well...reasons.


But, I'm proud that I not only said what I had to say, but that I posted the video.  These are hard times right now. I know for me knitting is not just a hobby but an act of self care and yes temporary escape.  However, I do think we need to be careful of confusing self care with denial.  When we deny that the knitting world is just as susceptible to racism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, and other prejudices we allow those things to fester.


The knitting world is a wonderful world. But, it does not exist in a bubble.  And I hope that we can have open, honest conversations that allow all of us to grow as people. 

​

Modern motherhood is figuring out how to balance potty training, laundry and managing your new YouTube channel.

Am I crazy taking up the challenge? Probably.  Am I having fun?  YES!

Well, potty training isn't so fun. It's messy.  Todder's are gross.

But, the YouTube channel is fun.  Even though I'm a tiny grain of sand in the YouTube universe,  I've gotten such positive and helpful feedback.   But, I'm only human and realized this is not the week to upload. 😞

But, the good news is I am commiting to a regular upload schedule! Mondays and Fridays.  And next week I have two videos that I think are bangers.