Filed under: Life
So a few days ago I posted about a sale gone awry on Ravelry - yarn I’d paid for Sept. 10th and have not received. The seller was sporadic about getting back to me, though not for lack of internet access. So I hounded her, went to the mods, filed a claim/dispute on PayPal - basically pulled out all the stops.
She was added to the Naughty Swapper list, and suddenly we all came pouring out of the woodwork. One person paid almost $200 was told her yarn shipped a couple weeks ago. When it finally arrived, it turned out it was only mailed a few days ago. Another person got the same story about “Your yarn was shipped, it should have arrived by now” when in fact it hadn’t been shipped yet. A third tracked her down for MONTHS before finally getting a refund. I too got my ‘refund’ today - money sent via PayPal, with $1.20 deducted by PayPal. (A side note: you can refund all or part of transaction by viewing the details of it and clicking on refund - that prevents PayPal from charging the refundee any fees)
I’m just pissed. She lied to people, she didn’t respond unless threatened, and she kept updating her blog and shop in the meantime. What was she going to do with that money if people hadn’t been so persistent in asking her where it was? Why lie about when you shipped something? It’s the sort of things politicians do where they say one thing and then the Daily Show goes back to an earlier clip showing them saying the exact opposite. How can you tell someone “I mailed your yarn a week ago” when the postmark on the envelope they receive will say otherwise? You could just be honest, give your reason for not shipping it, apologize for the delay, and get it in the mail.
I found her blog years ago, and was inspired by her photography and skilled knitting. I felt a bit of sympathy for someone else going through grad school. I was impressed when she opened up her own craft store, as I have myself tried to run my own business. But such blatant dishonesty and, for other buyers, rudeness negates any of that.
Filed under: 99 Miscellaneous Posts
85. Otherwise known as pancake/waffle batter in a can. With this an a mini coffee press, I think I could be all set to go camping.
Filed under: 99 Miscellaneous Posts
87. One of the biggest things my friend from undergrad and I would commiserate on was how much our decor looked “college-like.” You know what I mean - nothing matches and it’s mostly secondhand. To us, the sign that we’d finally moved on was being able to purchase furniture, plates, and decor that was new and went well together. So is the next step table place cards? I think place cards work well for formal dining evens, but the idea of making them a part of the home seems like going too far. I’ll be content with the matching dishes….
88. The next time you’re at the grocery store, pick up a six-pack of coke. Once you’re done getting buzzed on rum and cokes, you can use the coke as a contraceptive! Say it with me: Whaaaaa?
I’ve been on a destashing and restashing binge since I got back from Puerto Rico, and even a bit before. Early in September I sent a fellow Raveler $31 for a skein of Sundara, usually priced at $25 plus $4 something for shipping. I thought the price seemed a little high, but assumed it was because she was sending it Priority Mail as she originally received it. I returned from Puerto Rico to find the yarn hadn’t arrived, so I emailed her and messaged her on Ravelry to ask if it had been shipped and when. And got no response, even though she’d posted on her blog over the weekend. So I contacted some of the mods on Ravelry, one of whom regularly sorts out these disputes, to ask for advice. The Sundara mods suggested giving it another day before contacting her again and letting her know they knew, while the other mod said it had been over two weeks and I was well within my rights to requet a refund through PayPal. When I contacted the seller again, she responded to say my yarn had been shipped first class (??) and to give it a few more days. If it didn’t come, she’d give me a refund. Well, a few more days passed and the yarn never came. And then the kicker - I found out on Ravelry I’m not the only person she did this to. The other person is out $174!!
What gets me about this, is that she’s a blogger I’ve been reading for a couple of years. When you read about someone’s day to day life over the years, it makes it feel a little more personal when something like this happens. It’s totally artificial, but it’s there. So after reading about the other complaint, I immediately went to PayPal to file a dispute, which I’ll have to escalate in order to have PayPal decide. Wish me luck….She may come through and it won’t get to that point. But since it took me 3 emails, 2 PMs on Ravelry, contacting 3 mods, and threatening to go through PayPal to get a single response, I’m not holding my breath.
ETA: I haven’t posted her name or blog here, but she’s been added to the naughty swapper list on Ravelry for those of you who’ve asked who it is.
Filed under: 99 Miscellaneous Posts, Socktoberfest, Stash enhancement, WIPs
89. One disappointing thing about my trip to Puerto Rico was that someone stole my GPS out of my checked suitcase. Why did I bring my own, when I could have rented one from Hertz? Because I’m used to my GPS and can work it with minimal distraction. And why did I put it in my checked luggage? Because I was already carrying enough onto the plane, and didn’t think the pilot would need it. However it turns out Continental doesn’t cover the theft of anything, as evidenced by their extensive list. The fun begins with the line “liquids, perfumes, liquor, jerkins, zamzam water“. Methinks that list doth present a typo (given the only result Google could find for Jerkins)
To continue my quest of learning more during Socktoberfest, not only do I want to learn more about the basics of socks, but of sock yarns. Those of you on Ravelry can see I have an extensive sock yarn stash, some of them on the ‘higher end’ of sock yarns. Reading a comparison of Sundara and Wollmeise on one of the boards a few weeks ago, I’ve decided to knit a pair out of each this month (or this year, I’m sure I won’t finish them this month).
From left to right: Wollmeise in Rharbarber for Nutkin socks and Sundara in both Charcoal over Cobalt and Pale Sky over Sugared Violet for Garden Gate socks
I also picked up a few other yarns, based on recommendations of Sundara knitters, that I’ll be trying out as well.
From left to right: Sunshine Yarns Soft Sock, The Sanguine Gryphon Eidos Sock, and The Sanguine Gryphon Little Traveler Sock. Both dyers have wonderful color sensibilities, and the yarns are beautiful
Shibui Sock Yarn. Mmm….squooshy sock yarn!
Good thing I have so many sock needles…..
Filed under: 99 Miscellaneous Posts
90. I’m posting this a day early because, well, because that gives me a break tomorrow. You know, when I lived in Sherman Oaks, I learned the area was well know for a certain type of film. From someone at work. I always wondered why someone, as a male coworker, would say that to a new hire. Really? That’s all you have to say when I tell you I live in the Valley? Porn capital of the world? Thanks.
headdesk.
91. Wasabi macarons. I love macarons (and here’s an interesting article on the difference between macaroons and macarons), but I don’t think I could handle the addition of Wasabi. I do like this trend though of taking things not typically used in desserts and making them work (ie bacon ice cream is an interesting example)
Today begins Socktoberfest - a celebration of socks inspired by Lolly. This year for me it’ll be all about figuring socks out. I love sock yarn - the colors, the fibers, the relatively instant gratification (for anyone but me - I take forever to knit socks). So this month I will be redoing those socks I wasn’t happy with - the knee highs that came out at two different gauges, the Noro sock that was too big in the ankle, possibly the Jaywalkers that were too long in the foot. Last night I sat down with a notebook and a calculator to figure out when to start the gusset increases for the Noro sock, how long to make the heel, and how narrow to make the ankle. This month will be all about understanding the elements of a sock and how to make it fit me.
And next month will be spent drinking all the beer I’ll have missed out on while knitting 
Happy Socktoberfest!
92. You’ve probably all read this already, but if not take a minute to check it out. And smile at someone.
Well, Marie has been happy to have me back
When she’s not staring at me, she’s sitting on my lap.
I’ve also had quite a culinary weekend
I’ve been very busy knitting - so busy in fact, that I’ve actually finished something!
Pattern: Jaywalkers, by Grumperina
Yarn: Regia, Canadian Color
Needles: US 1
Mods: Worked toe-up, and used Mim’s heel tutorial. They’re a little long in the foot and loose in the cuff, but overall I’m psyched.
And in my future? Well, Soctoberfest is coming up:
Time to get crackin’!
Filed under: Uncategorized
93. Shoes represent Golden Gate Bridge Suicides and Out of Darkness Walks. The comments on the first article, while full of plenty of the usual inane comments, are leaning more towards the “learn before you speak” mentality. My parents participated in a walk this weekend, and a friend of a friend is participating in one later in October. Friends of my brother and another person who died formed teams for the walk in their memory, which was a beautiful gesture.
