We do what?

I came across this article on writing today, and I think it's got some pretty good tips. However, it also has this:

Knitters leave a bit of yarn sticking out of the day's knitting so they know where to pick up the next day -- they call it the "hint."

What? That doesn't even make sense. That's not how knitting works. For my readers who are not knitters, the whole ball of yarn is connected to the work. Most knitters, unless they are knitting in the round, are rather compulsive about knitting to the end of the row, particularly if they're working on straight needles. Any "hint" about where to start knitting a pattern again, like, say, what row of a chart you're on, tends to be marked on the paper, or noted in Ravelry, or something like that. Occasionally, a knitter will come up with a non-paper system (I occasionally knit X stitches past the marker when working in the round to signify the row I'm on), but I've never heard anyone refer to anything as "The Hint" and "leaving a bit of yarn sticking out" just, well, just doesn't work. I've tried to relate this to other yarn-y crafts like crochet and weaving, and can't make it work with them, either. A quick search on Ravely doesn't reveal anything, either. So where did Doctorow come up with this? Weird.

And hey, look, pics of the kids!


Seriously, Zack, the whole Flashdance thing is just passe. Sorry you didn't get the memo.


She LOVES putting together this puzzle. This particular instance was while her father was at work, and she insisted I take a picture so he could see it when he got home, since we have to put the puzzle away when Thugsly is up and about. Yes, she is wearing two completely different socks. Yes, my house really is that messy.

posted by Laura Y. @ 8:37 AM