We took Zola to the Saturday knitting group today. Between the fun company and their great knitting creations, Felix the adorable baby, and Ms. Pokypants there were many distractions from actual knitting (like knitting groups are supposed to be just about the knitting! ha!) but I did get a few rows done on the Clapotis.

Le clap and I are old friends now but I’m to the part where I drop a stitch every few rows (on purpose!) so I finally feel like I’m making progress. For those who’ve had trouble getting theirs going I highly recommend joining the yahoo group and printing out the excel spreadsheets from the files section. Makes an enormous difference having every line written with the number of stitches counted out like that.

Anyway, I was concerned that the Napoli coffee people might not like having a little poky hedgehog in their coffeeshop so I brought her in the zip-up ferret backpack in case I had to hide her. They didn’t even seem to notice the hedgehog. Although she wasn’t as noticable (or as cute if I may say so) as the sweet redheaded five month old human baby. So a good time was had by all and much attention was paid to both cuties.

I was reminded at the group that the LYS was having their annual sale (although to be completely honest I get almost that good a discount every day with my dropped stitch knitters membership card) and I’ve been wanting to get a ball winder.

For the most part I don’t mind winding by hand but with the dyeing I’ve been doing not to mention the spinning I’ve been learning (oh, yes THAT I haven’t mentioned that have I?) if I decided to sell it on Etsy or something I think it would look neater if I used a winder. And since we were already in that part of town we went to Village Wools to pick up a ball winder.

I didn’t really think I was going to buy yarn (we’re reaching yarn overload here at chez hedgehog) but I didn’t want to leave the hedgehog in the car while we went in. I mean, I’ll be in a yarn store I could end up being there all day. So I decided to wear the backpack into the store and just not mention that there was a live animal in it. I’ve done this a few times with the much more subtle Pins n Needles Shoulder Bag that looks just like a black purse with a hedgehog button. I should take pics of that bag sometime.

So we were walking into the store, with me wearing my backpack and I saw one of the Dropped Stitch Knitter Ladies coming my way from across the street. We spoke briefly then she complimented me on my backpack. I thanked her and whispered that my hedgehog was in it. Well she had to see it because when the hell else do you run into someone carrying a hedgehog right?

So I went into the store and opened the bag so she could see Zola. Then she called someone else over. Then two employees came up. Suddenly, no kidding, we were surrounded by a dozen people ogling my hedgehog LOL. It felt like I had a tiny grumpy rockstar in my hands. Naturally they all adored her because she’s adorable and I’m just so proud of how well she behaves with lots of different hands petting and holding her. That early socialization really does make a difference.

And, get this, one of the women said, “Hey, do you have a website called The Little Hedgehog? I read your site it’s cute!” Naturally my first thought was “Gee, I hope I haven’t written anything that offends her.” but Cody visibly swelled with pride that his wife is a notorious knitblogger with such a popular prickly pet. (Couldn’t help the alliteration.)

Oh, I bought the ball winder. And two skeins of Manos del Uruguay (heehee it’s Erin’s fault) in a purplish bluish orangish color I’ve been eyeballing every time I’ve been in the shop. I think I’m going to make My So-Called Scarf with it.

Let the Saturday ballwinding and hedgehog (and husband) napping commence!