the knitty gritty

Things that are bugging me today:

*Feeling sick - I suspect it's just pyschological, corresponding to the return of the gray, chilly weather.
* The building of a KFC on the corner of Alhambra and Folsom boulevards - I mean forget that I'm vegetarian and obviously not fond of the Colonel - does midtown really need an ugly, smelly fast-food joint? I think not. Such a waste of imagination, of prime real estate. So stupid, so sad. So wrong.



But here is something good -- all you crafty knitters take note:


Bust magazine editor Debbie Stoller -- author of Stitch'n'Bitch: The Knitter's Handbook -- is launching the Capitol Corridor Stitch 'n Ride in association with Amtrak. Every week you can ride three special knitting along the Capitol Corridor route.

Here's the whys-and-hows of it (from the Amtrak site):

The Stitch 'N Ride program is designed to bring knitters of all skills and ages together to sit and knit while riding the train. Learn new techniques from experienced knitters, get great patterns free from Debbie Stoller's books Stitch'n Bitch: The Knitter's Handbook and Stitch 'n Bitch Nation, and meet people that share your passion for knitting from all over the Bay Area and
Sacramento.

Every two weeks, riders can pick up a new pattern card (six in all) featuring a hip design from the Stitch 'N Bitch books ... Grab your knitting, leave the car behind and hop aboard to Stitch 'N Ride with your fellow passengers.

And here are the wheres-and-whens:

Train # 527, Sacramento to Oakland, departing 7:40am

Train # 538, Oakland to Auburn, departing 3:30pm

Train #542, Oakland to Sacramento, departing 5:30pm



It's the first such train route in the country - I find it pretty amazing that they're launching it here since Stoller's an East Coaster. In any case, Stoller will be in the area next week promoting "Stitch'n'Ride":

Tuesday, March 22 @ 8:30pm
Rumplestilskins
1021 R Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
916-442-9225

Amtrak Events:
Tuesday, March 22
Aboard Capital Corridor # 542
Oakland to Sacramento
Departing @ 5:30pm
The Stitch 'n Ride Car

Wednesday, March 23
Aboard Capital Corridor
The Stitch 'n Ride Car # 547
Sacramento to Oakland
Departing @ 7:40am


You should all check it out; I barely knit (and by barely I mean, oh my god, what am I doing with these needles, I'm going to poke an eye out) but I'll be there nonetheless ... maybe Stoller is a miracle worker and can cure me of my crafty clumsiness once and for all...