Assault at North Carolina yarn mill

I was just alerted to this by a crochet group I'm a part of. I'm absolutely horrified.


At North Carolina's Tuscaroro Yarns in late 2007, a factory manager sexually assaulted a woman in his office. After she reported it, an HR manager responded by suspending and disciplining her. Two months later, she left the factory in an ambulance after another, more brutal assault by the same plant manager.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) filed suit on March 30.

Here's the article from the Southern Poverty Law Center so you know this is not a hoax.
http://www.splcenter.org/news/item.jsp?aid=370

Here's the notice on the EEOC web site, also so you know this is not a hoax.
http://www.eeoc.gov/press/3-30-09.html

And here's the Tuscarora Yarn web site, in case you want to give them a piece of your mind.
http://www.tuscarorayarns.com/
Or their e-mail is imagine@tuscarorayarns.com.

I recommend writing the company letters. I wrote them a note to say I refused to patronize their company until I hear of a severe change in their policy and that both the man who attacked her and the person who chose to discipline her were fired. Please pass this on to everyone you know, and spread the word about this injustice.

"Come and get it, Potter!"

gryffindorscarf1
Originally uploaded by lauraejordan

Another recent knitting project. I knit both the sweater vest and the scarf. It's all in Lion Brand Wool-Ease (a wool\acrylic blend), lovingly knit by those two hands visible in the photo.

The sweater is actually the first garment I've knit, and I'm pretty pleased with it. I think if I was going to make another for myself, I would make the v-neck a little deeper, and add a couple more inches of ribbing at the hips, as well as narrow the shoulders at the sleeve holes.

Both of these items are available for purchase at my Etsy shop, and I'd be happy to answer any questions about the patterns or how to make the items. I'm all about sharing the love!

Cake or Death?

cakeordeath
Originally uploaded by lauraejordan

My latest knitting project: Cake or Death gauntlets. It's a heavy modification of a wristlet pattern I found a while back, with a little embroidery action. I know the Eddie Izzard reference is subtle (especially since it's not the most masterful picture of a slice of cake ever created), but I prefer small references rather than a big ol' shirt that says "Hey, I love Eddie Izzard, and he said 'Cake or Death' that one time."

The Bowie doll

Bowie 7
Originally uploaded by lauraejordan

Because life is better with a little Bowie. Made this doll for a Glam Rock craft swap I participated in this winter. The doll is white muslin, the pattern was all improvised. The jumpsuit is knit based on the design of my favorite of Bowie's Ziggy Stardust outfits. The face is done with watercolor and ink. The hair is red novelty yarn attached with a couching stitch.


Clicking the picture will take you to my Flickr account, where there are more pictures of lil Bowie.

Knit something dangerous

Scarf I made for my friend Jay for Christmas. He's a pirate, in case you didn't guess.

Project monogamy?

I feel like I used to be so loyal to my projects. If I started something, I finished it. If I stepped away from it... well, I usually ended up frogging it when I found it again, because I knew I'd either never remember where I left off or, since I make up most of my patterns as I go, I'd never remember what I'd wanted it to look like.

While going through all of the crafty bits I have here in Memphis with me, I've found not one, not two, but no less than *five* separate yarny projects that are in some state of incomplete. Two are just because they're recent and I haven't felt yet like I know where I want to go next with them. Two are because I missed a deadline I had hoped to hit, and now am waiting for a reason to continue them. The fifth was because I got the job working on the cruise ships, and left it at home. Who needs a casual sweater in the Caribbean, especially when it adds to your already-astronomical baggage weight?

I've picked up the fifth project again, though I'm fairly certain I'll have to frog it in the end anyway, because I don't think it will fit me or just about anyone else I know and would give a sweater to. Oh well, at least it's practice.

What makes matters worse is that on Wednesday, I bought lace and sock yarns and size 3 DPNs with the idea that I would start knitting socks and soon make myself a really pretty lace shawl (which, of course, I would probably sell instead, since that's what happens to most of the stuff I try to make for myself).