Books, a Rant and Another Square

Yay! Today was a good mail day. Several books arrived from Amazon's crazy knitting book sale (less than $6 a book). I actually already have a copy of Knitting Nature, but the price for it with Last Minute Knitted Gifts was so crazy that it was worth getting the duplicate. Keep tuned as I will giving the extra away in the near future for my upcoming birthday.I also picked up Charmed Knits, although it was not part of the sale, because really how could I resist? I had heard good things, and flipping through it I am really pleased. I know that I won't have time to knit for the movie release, but I could definitely think about it for Arisia.

Okay so now for the mini-rant. I don't knit with a lot of "craft store acrylic", but I do have quite a bit in the stash that I have been crocheting. Today when I was working with the Lions Brand Pound of Love I pulled at the center end only to get the dreaded "muppet guts" phenomena. When I looked carefully at the yarn connecting it to the center though, I saw that there were 2 strands. Two. That means an end was going in and out, so how was this connected to the end I was pulling?
Well it turns out that it wasn't. What is the only thing worse than knits in your yarn? Randomly cut lengths of yarn! Above is the photo of the how much yarn was in the cut "end."

I also got started on Learn to Crochet Lesson 3. This week's topics are shell stitch, popcorn stitch, V stitch, puff stitch and bullion stitch.
Pattern: Circle of Hope from Craft Daisies' Crochet Lesson 3
Hook: H Boye Aluminum Hook
Modifications: This square was a little small, so I ended up doing a hdc border rather than a sc border. This is beginning to be a trend. Perhaps if I was a more knit-picky crocheter I would start going back to try another size hook. Oh well.