Lovely story of inspiration! :-)

And cute photo at the end!!

What a sweet story. Again, there's that urge to hug you....

Are you by any chance a Cancer? =)

Cute photo!

Yes, I am a hermit Cancer with my four cats, big cheeks, lopsided eyebrow and drinking problem. Are you? Please say yes, Anonymous!! ;)

I really can't tell which eyebrow has a problem. Probably because I was in awe of your beautiful blue eyes. I always wanted blue eyes, but I have brown. Laugh on!

The eyebrows look fine.
But the eyes looks great!

i also loved Pretty in Pink!! Ducky Dale!! everything john hughes!! remember 16 candles???

You HAVE to smell the yarn. Everybody smells yarn. You learn a lot by smelling yarn. Finally, smelling yarn has been shown to improve happiness in 99% of subjects in clinical trials, so there.

Maybe you could start a yarn smell-along?

Oh my god, I was reading, and then I saw the porn remark, and then I was like 'OH my GOD, I do that TOO!', and then you said that I did the same thing, and I was like WOAH. Freaky!

hee.

(I usually mention Porn more than once, and last night at my knitting group, I kept dropping my metal double pointed needles. I'm lucky someone wasn't injured - they were flying all over the place.)

and, wait, you guys have alcohol at knitting? I don't ever get to have alcohol at knitting!

Aw, baby, we all sniff yarn, some of us just pretend in public that we don't.

I wish there was a cool group of ladies here to knit with. I wanna live in a town like yours!

that's it sister all said in one posting.I'm one of those herms too and once I went to the knitting guild.I got there and never shut up once.I was so freakin excited I didn't sleep for hours.I never went back again,I figured they all thought whats with the freak talkin' 'bout blogs? whats a blog? whats koigu?maybe thats why I never returned.
and what ever happened to Molly Ringwald?

You have to admit, though, being a cancer, the hermity-ness is a given - love of home and all. :D Big props to leaving the shell! (From one Cancer to another.) When is your birthday anyway?

Laurie!

We were sooooo honored that you joined us at the WeHo SnB last night! You were a total delight...Jennifer was nice too, but she was concentrating on her knitting and couldn't quite join in like you did. We would L*O*V*E it if both of you joined us EVERY THURSDAY night at the Farmers Market, 7-9ish. This is an open invitation to all of Crazy Aunt Purl's lurkers too! Also, thanks for posting my crocheted taco!

Ellen B.

Good Job Laurie! Such a sweet storie - and the crocheted taco - COOL! and an X! You should so pin it to your front door! You are a better woman without Mr. X!

Yay for you for finding your way to a stitch n bitch! What fun! Pretty in Pink? Porn? and a little bit of alcohol? Sounds just perfect.

I think you captured a little of all us in this blog post. I am new to your blog and enjoying it! You're beautiful.

I'm glad to hear there is someone else out there who also has not seen a porno. I haven't, unless you count that snippet in the movie Working Girl or when I met my highschool boyfriend's dad and his dad! was! watching! porn! in the family room.

This is my favorite post yet. Because its one of those 'ah ha!' moments (sorry to go Oprah on ya) that can just make ya happy! May you have many more 'yarn sniffing' adventures! :)K

Thanks for showing all us Cancers that is ok to venture out! I absolutely loathe new situations and would have had knots in my stomach going to a new group. You give hope to us all! (P.S. Love the fact that picture was taken at work!)

Waa-hey! See - there are human beings out there in LA! I thought there must be 8-) Wow - I've never seen a porn movie either. Doesn't stop me dropping into the gutter a lot. If anyone can bring a conversation low I can.
Who doesn't smell yarn? Who doesn't fondle it and rub it against their neck to check for scratchiness? I hafta say sticking it in your bra is a bit much, IMO.
Let that Dixie gal out, I say. Who wants to be a hard, brittle Angelino doll anyway?

Girl! You did awesome! That was very brave of you and I am so happy to see that you feel good about it. Adorable picture!

Fab !
I sniff yarn too.And I inhale. :0)

You aren't supposed to smell yarn? ;-)

I agree with Gail, we don't have alcohol (especially Dos Equis, mmmmh) in Toronto for the Stitch 'n Bitch. Well at least in none of the 3 different stitchandbitches that I've been to.
Glad you had a good time. I use both my blog and knitting for therapy too.

It was a symbolic adult-sized chicken viking hat that did it for me! I know just how you feel. Absolutely giddy...

I was waffling about going to my first "knit in" tonight. I am such a hermit too. Now knowing that Crazy Aunt Purl can do it, I'm going to try it to.

Will try not to bring up porn.

PORN!
(hee hee)

I'm a yarn sniffer too. Koolaid dyed yarn is the best!

There must be something about mohair that just begs to be sniffed. Just tonight, I caught myself doing the same thing to the ball of Rowan Kid Silk Haze my secret pal sent me the other day. Lucky me - I was in my own living room and DH had his head buried so deep in the tv he didn't notice.

And, consider yourself lucky to have SnB's around where you live to go to. I've yet to find one in my part of the world. Here, I just get teased about having a granny hobby. Obviously, the knitting craze hasn't hit France yet.

Now you are funny. Glad I discovered your Blog. You're going to be a treat to read.

Keep it up!

I smell my yarn a lot, even when I've had it for a while and may have smelled it once already. I think that lady was right, its all about the whole experience. I'm in a phase where I like the yarns that smell a little bit like the barns they were made from! mmm sheep.

That sounded like just about the best night ever. I'm sooo glad you went to the SNB, met new friends, and found *real* women in LA. :)

You are in a good place, my dear, when you see how these terrible things allow wonderful things to happen in your life, which may have been the things that were supposed to happen all along, you know?

You only mentioned porn ONCE? What's wrong with you woman?

Welcome to Yarn Sniffers Anonymous.

"My name is Laurie, and I sniff yarn."

"HI LAURIE"

And I really like the "X". Now you can do things like plunge it into boiling water. Then say "Oh, I was just testing it for color fastness" while grinning like the devil.

I'm a Cancer too Laurie! I did have 4 cats but gave 2 to my Mom to keep her company now I still have 2 black ones keeping me company. Anne- thanks for the great entry.

I sniff yarn too. Blue Faced Leicester smells very nice.

It sounds like Mr. X leaving was a blessing for all the rest of us, as we got to know the real you and you discovered knitting. So glad you found all the normal people in LA at the WeHo group. Keep sniffing that yarn!

HOW FUN!! I need to find a S&B in my town!
I love the red X of solidarity.. DAMN Mr X!

OK. I may have ot learn to knit just so I can join the Down With Mr. X knit along. BUt of course being the naughty person I am I will have to knit something naughty. Then we can add it to your voodoo shrine.

Alright...I did some knitting today. And this weekend I am going to the actual yarn store near my house (as opposed to the craft store, which is where I usually get my yarn), and I am buying some good yarn, and I am making something cooler than the endlessly knitting scarves I have done thus far. I am doing the checkerboard. You have inspired me. I also bought a book today with some supposed "easy" patterns. And I might even go to a lesson. I could certainly use the therapy of the calming effects of knitting right now!

you're supposed to smell the yarn silly willy, didn't you read your memo? i like the eyebrow - it gives you that inquisitive yet haughty look.

glad you've found the fun in public knitting - cool venue too, that Farmer's Market. It was one of my fav places when I lived in lalaland. but come to san diego - we knit in a bar, a few coffee places and sometimes outdoors :)

blaine? his name is BLAINE?? that's a major appliance, that's not a name!

I am so happy to read this! (I love Pretty In Pink too!) There is happiness left to be had in this life, and I'm glad you are finding some of it with knitters and babes and yarn hos. What could be bettah? (I'm throwing in some Bahston-ease to give this blog some culture, heehee. Truth is I spent some time in the south myself and 27 years later STILL say y'all.) Have a great weekend!

Aw...I wish that I could go to the WeHo SNB! I have [how cliche] acting class that night. I'm happy to have found your blog tho.

As far as smelling yarn, I have two comments.
1. I usually smell my yarn. I don't think it's a big deal.
2. My best friend's life quote is: Always Smell It First. Words to live by. I've known her 25+ years and she's one of the best people I've ever met, so smelling can't be bad.

Glad you had a great time, hope to make it one of these days.

Hi Laurie, I'm the anonymous person who asked if you were by chance a Cancer. I wasn't anonymous on purpose, I"m just a dork and didn't know how to put my name. Anyway, YES, I AM a Cancer too. And I'm a hermit too. I love being a Cancer. June 26, that's my day!!! When's yours? BTW, I'm also SO with you on the voodooness. =)

hehe, perhaps the red x square will become the secret society badge of the Down with Mr X club. When you see people you think belong to it, you'll slyly flash them at each other.

I'm like you, socially inept (or challenged, if you're politically correct, and I'm not, basically, ever). People outside of computer land are scary!

OMG, Ellen's Taco is hysterical! And good for you for living it up! YEAH! And I love to say ya'll. I think it's a highly efficient word. Four years of college in New England -- and I made sure to spread "the gospel of y'all" thoughout!

We all sniff the yarn - it is a MUST! Glad you had such a great time. Knitters are the best!

So glad to hear you enjoyed your first SnB. As a fellow hermit, I understand your pain. I tend to blather on inappropriately as well. I love the crocheted red X and that taco is too fun.

Okay, it's true: you have to smell yarn. The smell tells you a lot about the quality. If you get an odd fishy smell from anything with silk in it, don't buy it. Good silk's that been processed enough won't have that smell, and the cheap stuff will never get rid of it. Trust me, I tried with one skein, doing everything I could think of to get rid of the smell.

If wool smells kind of chemical-ish, it's also cheap and shouldn't be used. Chances are they either seriously over-dyed it (and all that dye will go down your drain after staining your fingers and needles) or used dead wool, which is scratchy and doesn't last as long since it was burned with chemicals. Same thing for mohair.

Good yarn smells good, as a rule, so you were smart to give it a sniff. Of course, being an American, you probably also smell your food before eating it. It's something I've noticed most of us doing. ;)

Okay, the eyebrows really don't look that bad. But speaking as a Mary Kay beauty consultant, all you need is an eyebrow pencil and you can fix it perfectly until it grows back and nobody will know. Trust me - I have blonde consultant friends who I do not recognize until they use their eyebrow pencil. It does miracles!

Listen, if you ever get to Kansas City, me and my ghetto knitting friends ALL smell yarn. In public. A lot. We will welcome you with open arms.

yarn sniffer? you're a yarn sniffer?!!! THAT IS WRONG ON SO MANY LEVELS!! not really. i don't sniff yarn, but i rub it against my face. that is the only way i can tell if it's soft. i'll have to pay attention and see if i don't take a whiff too when i've got the yarn that close to my nose.

and james spader looked 30 20 years ago because he was already married with 15 kids. a girl i used to know went to highschool with him and he was married by the time he was 19.

I smell paper and I am positive that if I was talented enough to knit, I would so smell the yarn.

I just wanted to let you know that you make me smile. Well, giggle, actually. In that "been there, done that awkward moment" kind of way. Thank-you!

You mentioned my sister!!! I didn't realize she was so famous or so famous for being a hermit. Needless to say my name is Aimee the sis because I am the sis of Gail. I don't knit but if there was alcohol involved i might try to learn.

See, Ive always believed peopel come into our lives with purpose - a lesson to learn, a pennance to pay, a gift to bestow, whatever (and hey, even sometimes it is just because we need someone to laugh with or cry with, or will be completely stupid with) And because of that belief, I try to pay attention to people a bit more closely - not to determine WHY they are they but to make sure I don't miss out on any of it. You, dear girl, have been plopped dead center in the middle of huge opportunity, AND on top of that, so has all of that SnB group. The ones who might have been offended at the turrets like porn reference? Well, maybe you were put there to unprude them a bit, who knows? But more than likely, you were all in that space because you all have things to share - so dont stress out over who thought what about you - if you were you, thats all that amtters (and, on a completely jealous note, if they don't like you, fly on out to Long Island, WE will appreciate you LOL)

Seriously, good to hear you have a haven to go and knit and have fun! It's a wonderful thing!!

Hi Laurie,

Good for you for trying the new thing. I really identify with you. I find it so hard to go somewhere and meet new people, especially if I don't know any of them yet. And sometimes I say inappropriate things. I don't think porn ever came up. But, I had dinner with my old high school math teacher and his whole family once. I made a crude joke about crapping corn AT THE DINNER TABLE. Where very nice people were EATING CORN. I can laugh about it now, and I think every one else has forgotten the incident.

It's like feeling clothes when your in a store. Don't worry about sniffing yarn -your not sniffing the other stuff. Like the picture! Continue with your stories it brightens my day . Thank you over and over again.

Why in the world would getting 60% dixie on that silly test bother you? It's Who You Are! Revel in it! Besides, anyone who would Talk About you based on how you sound, needs a good Talking About. (can you tell that post made an impact on me?)

During the Civil War, the English briefly considered stepping into the fray in support of the Confederacy. The observer they sent commented in his report how like the English we were. He stated "they even sound like us." So, be proud that you Know How to Speak like a Lady.

Hiya Laurie,

So glad you went to the SnB...I've always had a great time at mine...and although I'm not a Cancer I could be a hermit too...

I need a red X for my mr. x. Wonder if Ellen wants to go start a business? I'm sure it would be successful.

My friend, Siobhan, and I read you most everyday...we love your sense of humor, and we love your kitties!

Thanks for blogging.

Not only not drinking things ending in -tini but drinking good beer by the looks of it (and yes, there is bad beer but Dos Equis isn't it). I like me some beer drinking knitters.

and that crochet taco is beautiful (as is the X).

You are clearly coming out the other side of this divorce thing.

This is my first visit and, I gotta say, your are a hell of a blogger doing a hell of a job! Keep up the work, Aunty!

I love your sneaky-yarn-sniffing-at-work pic, very secret joy.

Looks like a fun SnB, great light and room for all. Of course, if you do happen to find yourself in San Diego on a 1st or 3rd Sunday of the month, check out the Whistlestop for some ill-lit knitting action with beers on tap. There's lots of fellow yarn-sniffers out there, we can all get together and discuss the "bouquet" of it --as long as we don't go so far as "mouth feel," as that'll felt the wool.

Two things:

1) James Spader? He so needs to call me. (I love that Buffy and I have the hots for the same guy)

2) Holy moly, Laurie -- there are 65 comments ahead of me. Day-um!

I think we must be twins separated at birth. I'm such a hermit. Hence why I havne't yet made it to a knit night. Maybe your story will motivate me some. You smelled yarn, how cute!! :)

We're not suppose dto be smelling the yarn? Well, day-um--now you tell me. At least that would explain why the Israeli knitting guild broke up and why they'd never come to my house. (I thought it was just politics.)

Why do you always learn the facts of life too late? {sob}

A word to the wise - don't sniff yarn that contains mohair while wearing lipgloss. You'll be picking fuzzies off your face for the next 15 minutes. (Did that on Friday)

I thought everyone sniffed yarn. I always smell yarn. Especially if it contains silk.

What I would like to know is: why don't the other people smell the yarn? What is THEIR issue?

Hey Laurie!

I just discovered your blog! There is a Burbank Stitch and Bitch on Wednesdays at 7:00 at Priscillas (which is on Riverside and Pass I think) that might be a little closer to you, and you would not have to leave the valley (something I think about if no one else around here seems to)!

I am recent midwestern transplant (from Indiana) who is also very hermit-like, and stitch and bitch is indeed wonderful.

i smell yarn all the time. but first, do you know what the term spinster means? did you have a light bulb moment just then? not so bad, huh?
it seems like you are really getting happy, and starting to like yourself. keep at it. you seem to be so much better. knitting has brought me back to art, along with being incredibly soothing and calming and exciting. it is so wonderful to meet smart cool likeminded people, and have that sense of community-especially with women.

Smelling Yarn, hun???? Well- you know what that means-- You Are A Fluff-a-holic!!!!!! Certified! Verified, and Fullified--Welcome to the Club!! It is a wondeful, cozy, wooly place to be> And you will find a lot of people there with you! Enjoy, set yourself free and Just plunge your whole face in, not just your nose!!!!

You mean there are Knitters who DO NOT sniff their yarn????

yarn needs to be smelled! there's no other way!

although to be honest i'm always a bit disappointed with the smell of it; for some reason i expect it to have a flowery scent or something. not, well, SHEEP.

i agree with kris. i keep expecting to get a sweet fluff of baby powder and vanilla when i fondle the alpaca at my LYS. well -- not the animal, coz i'm sure that would be illegal, yo.

Smelling your yarn is as important as touching your yarn in my book. I am a wool-smell addict.

P.S. I love your blog!

Don't feel bad I smell yarn too. My husband smells buttons. Each day at lunch I go on my walk, I pass my LYS twice. I always take a deep breath. This is a good thing, except for Friday when I took a deep breath to smell the yarn wafting from the inside of the old building filled with yarn, and realized a dog had pooped on the sidewalk.

So go ahead, smell the yarn. It really does have a nice warm smell.

So, I think I'm going to design you a shirt that says,

"don't forget to stop and smell the yarnses"

I don't usually smell the yarn, but I've been known to carry a particularly soft skein around with me, petting it lovingly. In public.

And I'm another one who relates to the horrifying experience of FIRST ATTENDANCE to an event WHERE I KNOW ABSOLUTELY NO ONE. I hated that first day of classes each semester in college for that reason (at least in high school odds were with me I'd know someone, but at UCONN, not so great). I'm so glad I went to the early incarnations of our SnB though...now I'm a "veteran", lol.

And, yes, I'm a Cancer also. Right smack dab in the middle Cancer - July 9th. I am the EPITOME.

I can't tell which is the "unfortunate eyebrow." They both look fine to me. But then, I cry and sneeze when I have to pluck, so my eyebrows are trying to join my hairline at the temples.