Confession number one: Up until tonight, I had never used the mattress stitch for any seaming. I was a back-stitch girl. Kinda like a back-street boy, but way more geeky. (Hard to imagine.) I was terrified of mattress stitch, and thanks to the new Knitty article, I am now a deflowered mattress. Or something. MAN, is that stitch cool. The seam is, like, invisible! (Big duhs all around, I know, but I had no idea.)
Confession number two: I left an inch unseamed tonight. I’m a damn inch from being done with the new Vogue cover tank, and I just can’t do it. I’ve been up since ten am yesterday, and I just got off work. It’s almost six am now. I have a tub running and hot water on the boil for tea. Tomorrow I’ll have pictures. But that inch will remain undone until I wake.
I have a sneaking suspicion this baby’s gonna be TIGHT. I know tanks are supposed to be form-fitting, but yipes. I may not be legal in it. We’ll see.
Best call tonight – a guy in a wheelchair goes into a jewelry store and asks to see some rings, asking the price of each. When he is told one of them is $8000, he says “That’ll do.” Then he gets up out of the wheelchair, and runs away into the night. Dude was fast. AND we had to return the wheelchair to the right hospital.
I find that hilarious.
G’night.
(PS - Bay Area people, don't forget Saturday's meet-up! See below.)

go SLEEP dear, we can't have a nasty relapse sneaking up on you...
I hope everyone has AT LEAST as much fun as the Daughter and I did meeting you and going to your Knitting Hangouts....
Party on and Pictures, please....
we want to follow along!
Posted by: greta | Wednesday, April 07, 2004 at 06:03
See, now if I was an evil mastermind, that wheelchair story would have given me lots of ideas. It's almost as cool as the guy who spent 5 years in prison getting a diploma. He was allowed to go receive his diploma at the graduation ceremony. You see him go up on stage, get his diploma, you see him down the stage and straight on through the exit to freedom, sweet freedom.
Posted by: Jacqueline Myers | Wednesday, April 07, 2004 at 06:04
Love the wheelchair story. Love it!
Get some rest girl!
Posted by: Christy | Wednesday, April 07, 2004 at 06:15
You gave me a wakeup chuckle, Rachel! Can't wait to see the tank. I'm coveting it. See you Saturday!!!!
Posted by: Nathania | Wednesday, April 07, 2004 at 07:18
You're almost DONE with the Vogue tank top?? That was super quick! Can't wait to see pictures!
Posted by: no-relation Christy | Wednesday, April 07, 2004 at 07:22
What a great schtick! I've read that people in wheelchairs feel that no one ever actually looks at them, that rather than risk *staring* people just don't ever make eye-contact. So, it's more perfect! "What did he look like, ma'am?" "Well, I don't know, I didn't want to stare....." Y'know, you hate to root for the Bad Guy, but this is pretty funny....
MaryB in Richmond, sending greetings from Maggi's stich night last night!
Posted by: MaryB | Wednesday, April 07, 2004 at 07:48
I never would have guessed. You didn't "mattress" before? Wow! You'll love seaming now!
Posted by: Marie | Wednesday, April 07, 2004 at 08:17
Deflowered mattress...you make me laugh. And that was before the wheelchair robber. Good luck seeming your tank. Microspun is not likely to block larger is it?
Posted by: Kathleen | Wednesday, April 07, 2004 at 09:59
I'm so glad you tried mattress stitch; I love it and the neat way it turns out makes me actually like sewing up my stuff. I use a slightly different version than the one in the knitty article that uses a half-stitch seam allowance instead of a whole one, so the seams don't end up quite as bulky.
Posted by: J Strizzy | Wednesday, April 07, 2004 at 10:40
Well I hope the deflowered mattress has joined the slept in mattress and that given the suspected tightness of the tank there will be no sagging....either bodily or mattress wise as you wake. just watch the circulation gal there are some things in life that need to breath, talking of lungs of course. I still don't think wonder woman wore a tank or rode on one for that matter so maybe sleep could just be a mad experiment for you eh :0)
Posted by: Daisy-Winifred | Wednesday, April 07, 2004 at 10:52
Great story - these people aren't dumb. I don't think we've had any truly good stories around our place lately, or at least none that I've heard of. I only ever hear about them though if I happen to be typing the report or if it's so good that everyone else is talking about it.
Posted by: peggy | Wednesday, April 07, 2004 at 12:45
You know, the part that makes this a great story instead of just a good story is that you had to RETURN THE WHEELCHAIR to the right hospital. *Sigh* - I love it.
Posted by: Melissa | Wednesday, April 07, 2004 at 14:15