Off To Rhinebeck and I've Given Up Cake

So I'm off to Rhinebeck today for the New York Sheep and Wool Festival, where much merry-making and overindulging is the theme of the weekend. 

Forgive me if this post is a bit more odd than usual (I know it's a high bar I've set for myself, but...), but I am giddy on the plastic fumes of my new Discover card which arrived YESTERDAY. Yesterday!  Barely 24 hours after the reported loss. Those people know how to do business, I'll tell you. They overnighted it via UPS without us asking them to. Now THAT is service. Hello, Amazon VISA, which is going to take five to seven business days -- I'm talkin' to YOU. Turns out Discover is based in Salt Lake City, UT, and not only that, but I spoke to a young man right there in Salt Lake City -- and I don't mean Salt Lake City, India, either. A real, honest-to-goodness on-American-soil, English-speaking nice young man who thanked me for being a loyal customer since 1988 when I called to activate my new card. Now THAT'S what I'm talkin' about. One more thing for me to love about Salt Lake City. (Another is JetBlue, and several others are the individuals in my huge crowd of wonderful women friends out there.)  

So I HAVE A CREDIT CARD that I can use to do such essential things as check into my hotel and eat.  Really it's just the hotel thing, and the fact that I hate to carry much cash and I really don't even hardly know how to use a checkbook (Joan can attest to that fact, since I tried to forge her check at Vermont Sheep & Wool -- am I right, Joan?)  I kid. But STILL. A very good feeling to have that little card on my person. Truly. Now there is just that little issue that not every place takes Discover, but at least the hotel and the eateries I plan to frequent, I think, will. It's a big help.

Now, what's all this about me giving up cake? No, despite the fact that I continually whine about That Ten Pounds, I am NOT going to turn down a piece of chocolate lava cake at the Eveready Diner. No way, no how. I mean another kind of cake:

 

The yarn cake.

I've just about had it with the yarn cakes from yarn-winders. No matter how carefully I try to wind them up, I always end up with knots and tangles and problems pulling from the center-pull ball. I always seem to have to rewind it into a regular ball. What a PAIN. So though it takes a bit more time and effort, I think I'm just going to skip the multiple steps of winding the things on the ball-winder and then doing it over anyway, and go primitive again, with the plain-old round ball of yarn. Yes, I do know about the nostepinne, but I think plain-old plain-old ball-winding is just more my cup of tea. 

Look:  Here's evidence of knitting activity:

 

(Don't you love those 'shrooms?  I do not know if they are edible or not, and I'm not about to find out. The extra skeins of the luscious blue yarn came, along with the Discover card. BONUS. Look at that gorgeous blue, nice ROUND ball.)

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I know this looks a bit weird because it's not blocked out, but it is an almost-completed left front of the Lush Shaped Cardigan. The back is completed, in case you had forgotten....

 

... though Mr. Jefferies made it a bit challenging to photograph.

Hello. I'm super-cute, and I'm about to eat your lens.

  

Comments

[Cheryl S.]

There's lots of good stuff here in SLC. Come back any time!

[Kristen]

Have a great time at Rhinebeck!

[Mel]

I practically never have problems with my yarn cakes and love, love, love my ball winder. I can still wind my own center-pull ball by hand in a pinch, but I won't if I don't have to. Maybe when you come by our booth (you will, right?) we can talk ball-winding technique.

[Sarah]

I'm glad some of the wallet recovery is moving swiftly.

I think it is wonderful that you are no longer fighting against the way yarn works for you in favor of what others might insist to be the right way.

He's just too cute!

[Heather]

Have a great time in Rhinebeck! I know you said that you are no longer using the ball winder. If when you pull the ball off the winder, if you pull the center yarn through the botton it can sometimes alleviate the twisting, knotting issues.

[Carole]

He was probably a mormon, you know. See you soon!

[gayle]

Have a happy time!
I don't have a ball winder - I've always wound center-pull balls on my thumb...

[Renee]

Have a fantastic time at Rhinebeck!!

I've never had a problem with my ball winder, now watch me start. lol

How do you get anything done with Mr Jeffries around - his cuteness is so distracting?

[Joansie]

I can attest to the fact that Norma does not know how to use a checkbook. I gave her a blank check told her to fill out the amount which she did and then promptly signed her name where I was suppose to sign mine.

Great yarn, Norma. Have fun at Rhinebeck!

[Carol]

I always use yarn from the outside of the cake, not the center. This seems to work much better. Glad to hear about the credit card!

[thea]

You can use that card if you forget your mucky boots and need to buy a new pair! Or for more hot chocolate and coffee.

The snow already started here in Boston and I've dug my red furry boots out for tomorrow -- hope to catch you there and say Hi!

Thea

[marianne]

Did you find your cardi?!??!? and sure, smack me, but that looks like some Lauren's Coral Peace Fleece. YAY on the Discover card! Scarf is looking lovely. Mr.J, I'd just about kiss you. I likes my cakes.
Have fun this weekend!!!!!

[Paula]

Centre pull balls are over-rated. I still generally use a ball winder as I like the way the flat cakes sit. I just don't pull from the centre. I use the outside tail. There is actually no law against that, you know ;-).

[margene]

Take your warmest clothes and boots. Have fun!!

[AnnaMarie]

I got rid of my ball winder and my swift a while back. I either put the yarn around a chair (or husband as you have seen) and just wind a ball, no more tangling, no more mess and two pieces of equipment no longer cluttering up the house.

As for Discover card.... most vendor won't take them because the fee is about double of MC and Visa.

[Jean E.]

Have a great time at Rhinebeck! I think most of the problems with yarn cakes come from winding too fast. Also, even though they are center pull balls, I usually just work from the outside; please don't tell the yarn police.

[Judy]

14 days to replace a debit card from the Bank of Bennington! I'm in serious trouble. I melt those things! I'm off to Rhinebeck in an hour. Hope to recognize you by all those gorgeous sweaters.

[Kym]

I LIKE winding balls the old-fashioned-way! And Mr. J is just way too cute. Have fun this weekend.

[Donna]

and HEY you forgot to tell us..did you find your cardi??

[beverly]

I'm about ready to give up cakes, too. Same issues. Balls were good enough for grandma, balls are good enough for me!

[Birdsong]

I usually slip the toe-end of an old half of a pair of nylons in my yarn cake to hold it all together and that seems to help, but I am partial to the sensual activity of winding a ball by hand. I am glad you will be covered in Rhinebeck! Service sure is something that most companies need to put more effort into achieving.

[Mary K. in Rockport]

I LOVE winding balls o'yarn the old-fashioned way. It's possible to make them center pull, too -- I do it by taping the inside end to one of those annoying cards that fall out of magazines, rolling up the card, and winding away. (Read that tip on some knitting blog.)

[Rhonda from Baddeck]

Looooove that blue! How bright and cheery it will be on a gray winter day. I read somewhere that hand-spun yarn should always be wound twice, so I tried it (for all types). Coming directly off the swift, it's under tension anyway so I wind it quickly, but after re-winding, the yarn is relaxed (and no knots). Have fun at Rhinebeck!

[kmkat]

What Rhonda said. I only have problems when tangling and knots when I have wound the cake too tightly, which is what always happens winding from swift to ball winder. For the second winding I tension the yarn between my fingers, just the lightest touch, and then the yarn cake is larger, softer, and tangle-free. Of course, there is still the problem of the tangles coming from the first yarn cake :-(

[Diana]

It looks like you and Kay are having a 'cutest puppy' photo contest! Great pic of Mr. J and love the blue yarn. I always like the round hand-wound yarn balls myself.

[Marcia]

How the hell did you get a hotel room at this late date?! Know someone? Seriously, I hope you dress about four layers warmer than you think you need....it was brutal up there yesterday in class. Actually, the restrooms were warm and toasty, so we made many trips!

I don't use the ballwinder anymore, either. Nancy Bush showed us a neat way of using a thumb or index finger as a noste pinne which makes a beautiful, flat cake. A regular, wooden noste makes more of an egg shape, that, like a ball, does not SIT still on a table! If I catch you Sunday, I'll show you. Only a wee bit more trouble than winding a ball.

[Elisabeth]

I have given up on center-pull anything and just pull from the outside. No more knots in the yarn or pulling out half the yarn trying to find the start of the center of the skein or center-pull balls or skeins or cakes falling apart.

Congrats on your card arriving so soon and have fun at Rhinebeck!

[Ally]

Oh man, that gorgeous blue color has to be my favorite color... makes me want to jump into it and swim around :-)

[Joannah]

I use a swift to manage the skein of yarn, but I make a ball of yarn the way I was taught...way back in the olden days before there were these newfangled things like ballwinders.

Mr. Jeffreys...You are beyond cute!
Happy Rhinebeck.

[Charlotte]

Why not just pull the yarn in the ball-winder cake from the outside? The yarn doesn't tangle when pulled that wayas much as it does when pulled from the outside. I like to know how much yarn I've got left, so I always pull the yarn from the outside of the ball/cake/skein (unless I've got 2 socks at once being pulled from the same ball).

[Seanna Lea]

I used to wind my center pull balls with my fake nostepinne (an empty tube of the mini M&Ms), but it was much slower than just winding a ball into a nice round. Especially if you wanted it to look nice.

Besides, round balls are where it's at.

[LaurieM]

I also vote for pulling from the outside.

[Mary Fran]

OK, that picture of Mr J just makes my day. I have a couple on my BlackBerry of my youngest looking just like that. Hand him the device to play games, and he finds the camera and starts snapping away.

[Rockzann]

I work in Salt Lake City for Discover Card! There are lots of nice people who work here that aren't mormons too. I'm so glad you got good service, that is what we pride ourselves on! Have a great time buying yarn. Lots of places take the card so you should be OK.

[Cookie]

Did you find the cardi? Can you get a cash advance with that card? Have you ever tried to use the outside end of a yarn cake? Did you pack for snow?

[sandy]

LOVING your knitting! Knit on, sistah!
LX

[elizabeth a airhart]

i hope you have toasty toe boots

but wine will warm you up

jeffries really we all love you

why dont people invent acrylic sheep
then we could spin our own yarn
not envy all the wool yarn we see
but can not knit with have a good one

[gale (she shoots sheep shots)]

Norma, you must be very special. My new Discover card didn't come with any yarn at all.
See you tomorrow!

[Diane H.]

What a cute doggie face!!! Mr. J, we could just eat you up!

On Cakes vs Balls - what evah you want to do! I haven't had any mishaps with cakes but I tend to wind more loosely and I usually wrap the label around the cake with an elastic band to keep it all together. Plus the cake doesn't roll around picking up lint.
But, ball if you want to. Never mind, you know what I mean.

[Dorothy]

Aw, who's a cute puppy?! Yes, you're a good boy, aren't you? Oh yes you are. oop, 'scuse me. Nice yarn.

Relative to none of your beautiful pictures, if you were planning to take the "scenic" route to NY, down VT 7 and across the bridge at Crown Point, change your plans. Sorry to say, the only way across the lake here in the middle of New England's west coast is by ferry, either in Charlotte or Shoreham. They've *sniffed* closed the bridge.

[kellys]

LOVE the new layout
You make the neatiest-o things, you awesome knitter you ... mmm, seems I blended my awe of you with the cute-puppy-yes-aren't-you voice.
:)
Guess the promptness is why Disc feels they can charge so much APR? Glad you're ready to charge and enjoy your trip!

[Kristin]

I never have problems with my ball winder, but have experienced ball winders that were horrific at the Sock Summit (only thing that went wrong there). Hope you have a ball at Rhinebeck!