Pretty yarn, American Idol, and Eunny Jang

Posted on | March 15, 2007 | 5 Comments

Look! Pretty yarn!

After giving myself a two-day break, I’m ready to start my next design project. The yarn is Lanas Puras, a supersoft worsted weight merino handdyed by the talented Yarn Botanika – look at the subtle variation in the cream skein (gorgeous!). The skeins are wound up and ready for swatching. I find that that first stitch is always hardest for me. I like to look at the beautiful yarn and dream of the possibilities. Casting on and actually knitting seems to whittle away these possibilities, making mundane what once was boundless. But lest you think I’m overly negative, I should say that I have been pleased with final products. Still, that mental block can be hard to overcome.

Being out of a job is a weird and kind of stressful experience. I find myself watching American Idol for the first time. I never understood the appeal of this show, but this was before I watched a minute of it. Now, after faithfully watching season 6 from initial auditions to Hollywood week to the current 11-finalist lineup, I am hooked. There is something fascinating about watching these contestants go from unpolished a cappella riffing in a small room with just the 3 judges in attendance to singing in a concert hall wearing stylist-assisted wardrobes. You feel like you know the person, you have an investment in their success, you cringe at their missteps and rejoice in their triumphs. Having said that, I have yet to (and probably never will) vote.

In much the same way as I’ve come to root for certain Idol contestants, I also root for those bloggers I read regularly. Their successes are exciting; their disappointments sad. I guess that’s why Eunny Jang’s announcement generated such commotion in the blogworld — something good was happening to someone we “know”. I started reading her blog about a year ago, when her comments numbered in the 50s rather than the 100s. And even then, I joined the bandwagon late, long after her popularity had already taken firm hold. And so while I’m thrilled for her, it’s the displaced thrill of a citizen for a celebrity; does that make sense or am I babbling?

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Comments

5 Responses to “Pretty yarn, American Idol, and Eunny Jang”

  1. Angela
    March 16th, 2007 @ 5:39 am

    Good luck with your new project–the yarn looks beautiful. I miss Project Runway myself; although I did watch a season or two of American Idol, after my son got interested in it after seeing the season opener, it got kind of monotonous for me after awhile. are you familiar with the Festival di Sanremo, started in the ’50s? Apparently the Italians beat us to this singing contest idea; although the amateur involvement is a new twist, the Idol “amateurs” seem to have a lot of musical training, the last few seasons. I do know what you mean about Eunny; a good example of feeling you “know” someone because you know something about them, and perhaps have interests in common.

  2. Zarah
    March 16th, 2007 @ 9:54 am

    Hee hee – I really enjoyed reading your thoughts on American Idol. I’ve been hooked since the first season, and I get so much crap for it, but I still love it.
    Yay for Eunny, too!

  3. Melissa
    March 17th, 2007 @ 12:38 pm

    i have to admit i was an idol junkie for the first two seasons (and even voted! gasp!) I even got to have some first hand participation. When I worked for dollhouse, we participated in a fashion show in the tents at Bryant park and Justin Guarini (sp?) was there. Then we sent some clothes to one of the contestants on the second season. Apparently one of the girls that worked for us knew her (cousin? friend of cousin? can’t remember now).

  4. The Opinionated Sheep
    March 18th, 2007 @ 5:54 pm

    Since you are out of work you should be at the shop!! Where are you?? And we want to hear about Italy…..

  5. Hickory
    March 25th, 2007 @ 9:32 pm

    I can’t wait to see what lovely things Eunny does with Knits! And yeah, I know what you mean with the celeb thing, she has so many comments I don’t want to bother her with another!

    Just to toss in my vote for the long sleeve fitted cardigan in lace weight yarn, go for it! Many more knitters are asking me for finer gauge knits. Not most, mind you, just more :) Especially women who want light sweaters that won’t induce hot flashes :)

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