This Saturday, June 9, is Worldwide Knit in Public Day. I knit in public a lot, but in the usual places: waiting rooms, the park,  coffee shops, etc. I’ve threatened to knit at a Hooters restaurant before, but never got around to it (I dislike Hooters for many reasons, anyway.) I’m going to Las Vegas in less than a month, and I was wondering if anyone had ever knit in a Las Vegas casino before. I’ve heard of people knitting in bars and at a movie theater during a film.

Has there ever been a time where you wanted to whip out your knitting, but were afraid people would think you were weird? I think it’s high time we changed that. I am hereby challenging all the knitters out there to knit in unusual public places. Do it Saturday. Do it any day.

Where is the most unusual/weirdest place you’ve ever knit (in public)? Feel free to post about it in the comments.

Heather posted on her blog today that her skin cancer has returned. I’d like to join with my fellow bloggers across the world in sending good thoughts her way. I’m sure she’ll beat it again!

On that note: May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month. It’s a good time to remember, especially with Memorial Day weekend upon us, to pour on the SPF. Wear it EVERY DAY, ALL YEAR LONG.

Here are some important facts from the Skin Cancer Foundation:

• Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. More than 1 million skin cancers are diagnosed annually. (1)
• Squamous cell carcinoma is the second most common form of skin cancer. More than 250,000 cases are diagnosed each year, resulting in approximately 2,500 deaths each year. (5)
• One in 5 Americans and one in 3 Caucasians will develop skin cancer in the course of a lifetime. (3)
• More than 90 percent of all skin cancers are caused by sun exposure.
• A person’s risk for skin cancer doubles if he or she has had five or more sunburns. (2)

For those of you who think tanning beds are “safer”:

• Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is a proven human carcinogen, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (13)
• Exposure to tanning beds before age 35 increases melanoma risk by 75 percent. (16)
• People who use tanning beds are 2.5 times more likely to develop squamous cell carcinoma and 1.5 times more likely to develop basal cell carcinoma. (12)
• Occasional use of tanning beds almost triples the chances of developing melanoma. (12)
• New high-pressure sunlamps emit doses of UVR that can be as much as 15 times that of the sun.(13)

1. National Cancer Institute, 2007 SEER Database
2. Pfahlberg A, Kolmel KF, Gefeller O. Adult vs childhood susceptibility to melanoma. Is there a difference? Arch Dermatol, Sept 2002; 138: 1234-1235.
3. American Cancer Society’s 2007 Facts & Figures
12. American Cancer Society 2006
13. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
16. IARC. The association of use of sunbeds with cutaneous malignant melanoma and other skin cancers: A systematic review. International Journal of Cancer. 2007:120:1116-1122.

I hope everyone has a safe and fun weekend!

I splurged and used my employee discount yesterday to buy some jewelry-making supplies. Here is the result:

Most of the money spent went to buy this incredible tool which I highly recommend: the Magic Crimper. Here’s a great demo of the tool. Normal crimps are kind of flat, but this makes them round like a bead, which looks and holds better. Plus, it’s easier, in my opinion, to operate.

I’m still working on the Monk’s Satchel. I skipped knitting two of the pockets until I’m sure I’ll have enough yarn to make them. I finished the back panel/flap and front panel using the two skeins of yarn with only inches to spare. Whew! I think I will have enough yarn to make the back pocket out of the leftover strap yarn. I’ll probably line the bag, anyway, which will eliminate the need to make an inside pocket. I’ll post progress pictures when there’s something to show.

I have finally set up the official “Knitting in the News” blog. All future knitting in the news posts will be there, and this blog will go back to being your source for my personal yammering. Be sure to bookmark it or subscribe to the feed today! Do it now!

I was struck with a migraine last night, and I’m still getting over it. It was a really weird one, but it definately was a migraine. I had to go home from work for 4 hours to sleep it off, which did help a great deal, combined with Excedrin.

I’ve started keeping a log to determine what, if anything, is causing them. My mother got them all the time, but hers were with aura, and I don’ t get that, just nausea, pain, and light/noise sensitivity. This time I had tingles in my hands along with dizzyness, which I hear are the symptoms of a hormone-related migraine. Does anyone else out there have any tips for me? I’ve had these headaches since my late teens, and I am sick of them!

Now, about that Monk’s Satchel I’m working on: I’m really nervous that I will run out of yarn! I bought the correct amount of yarn for the strap/gusset/pockets and the back/front/back pockets, according to the pattern, but I seem to have a lot of leftover strap yarn and (what seems to be) not enough for the front/back. (No, there were no corrections on the website, either.) It took almost one entire skein to do the back, and I’m supposed to make the front the same size, PLUS add a 7 inch flap done in seed stitch, PLUS do a back pocket that is supposed to be only a couple of inches smaller in width. It just doesn’t look like I’m going to make it! I bought this yarn 2 years ago at the Yarn Barn in Lawrence, Kansas, so it’s not like I can just go get some more from the same batch. I’ve got only a few options here, as I see it:

1. Use the leftover strap yarn to complete the flap and/or the back pocket.

2. Buy a complementary shade of the same yarn and do it with that.

3. Utilize the power of prayer to finish the project.

Luckily, I’m not the only one who had problems with this project, it seems:

http://sweaterproject.org/category/monks-travel-satchel/

…and it was on Knitty Gritty, apparently, with a change in the directions: the added a skein of yarn!! Grrrr…..

http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/na_knitting/article/0,2025,DIY_14141_4944911,00.html

Doggone it!

If anyone has any other suggestions, please email me or leave a comment, especially if you have finished this project yourself. Thanks!