Yarn elitism: For people with small dicks

Not a whole lot of knitting since the SnB on Thursday night. I had intended to go to First Fridays, but the discovery of my parents' insurance company (which hasn't covered me in months) playing in my bank account to the tune of $300 when I went to go pay rent really put me in a bad mood (It's been resolved now, supposedly. We'll see if they decide to charge my card again the next time my parents order their perscriptions, though). So I stayed home instead, and spent the part of the weekend I didn't spend at work translating songs.

I started the Clapotis which everyone seems to be doing and raving about, because I was curious. I also like dropping stitches when it's intentional. No pics yet, because all it looks like now is a triangle. I'm using some yarn I kool-aid dyed that fucked up. The skein I had originally intended to be purples and yellows like a pansy turned out almost completely purple, with shades of green and blue-purple and red-purple throughout. Grrrrr. But in any case, it looks interesting when knitted, so I guess I'm not as pissed about the failed dye job anymore.

My grandma socks were mailed out this morning. I hope they fit her.

And now for some hilarity: I got banned from Livejournal's knitting community because apparently a lot of people have a bug (and it's a big old Florida 'hit it with a brick and now it's armed!' bug, too) about the term 'yarn snob'. Hi-lar-it-y. I can say that it is probably the stupidest Internet drama I've ever been part of, and I'm more than pleased with myself that it got me banned.

Because seriously, yarn elitism? Stupidest fucking thing ever. If I ever turn into the person who shuns anything acrylic simply because it's acrylic, I want someone to hit me. Yarn elitists refuse to admit that acrylics have their place. Apparently they've forgotten these people:

1. Those who are allergic to wool and other natural fibers
2. Those who are knitting on a budget and cannot afford expensive yarn
3. Vegans
4. People knitting projects that are for babies or small children
5. People knitting projects that are going to get a lot of wear and tear
6. People who want stuff that easy to care for (no handwashing required with acrylics!)

The excuses I've seen doled out to justify their elitism is silly, too:

1. Afghans made with acrylic fall apart (I've got one that's over 10 years old that's in near-perfect condition from my granma. So do many of my cousins, and theirs are in good condition, as well. The kicker? My dog sleeps on the afghan, and it's STILL in good condition).
2. You can't felt acrylic (So what. You can't felt cotton either. There are plenty of projects - in fact, the vast majority - that do not require felting).
3. Acrylics pill (As if wool doesn't?).
4. You can't block acrylics! (They say this as if it's a bad thing. I hate blocking very much).
5. Acrylics are scratchy! (... as if a lot of wool isn't scratchy? I've found plenty of acrylic yarns that are far less scratchy than many high-end wool yarns).

... you get the idea.

Now, while I probably wouldn't make a sweater out of something like Red Heart, I sure as hell would make an afghan or a scarf out of it with no qualms at all. In fact, one of the unfinished projects I have on needles is an afghan made out of super-cheap walmart brand yarn. Another one of my unfinished projects is a sweater made out of Lion Brand's Homespun - another acrylic yarn. It's soft and fuzzy. Furthermore? The most comfortable, nicest looking, most durable (so far), softest pair of socks I've knitted have been out of Schachenmayr micro color... a yarn that is 100% acrylic.

So I invite all yarn snobs to cordially bite my pasty white ass.