Wednesday, February 18, 2009

All the good ideas are [usually] already taken

I invented the grapefruit spoon.

When I was about 8, I was eating a grapefruit for breakfast in my grandmother's kitchen.  And as I cut each litte wedge with a knife and scooped it out with a spoon I thought "there has to be an easier way."  I thought if you could make a spoon with a serrated edge that acted like a knife, you could save yourself so much time preparing grapefruit.  I thought "this is revolutionary!"  I ran to tell my grandmother my fabulous idea.

She smiled and walked over to her silverware drawer and pulled out a grapefruit spoon...

I was sad that someone already stolen my great idea.
(now, why I was eating a grapefruit with a knife when my grandmother owned grapefruit spoons, I'm not sure)

Similar situations have played out over my life.  I have a brilliant idea and then find out someone else already had it.

Today was another one of those days.

I was at knitting group and both myself and another knitter were working with our pretty wood needles:

And we were also talking about the new popularity of drop spindles that was experienced at the Madrona fiber arts retreats.  Shelia observed that a lot of knitters must be converting to handspinning.  

Later as Tami was talking about a drop spindle video that she saw on the Knit Picks website, I thought "hmm.  I wonder if Knit Picks is going to start making spinning supplies."  "What would Knit Picks spinning supplies look like, I wonder."

Then like lightening, the idea can to Tami and at almost the same time....wouldn't it be neat if there were drop spindles that had the same pretty rainbow wood patterns like our knitting needles.  "Quick!"  I said, "Call Grafton Fibers so they can start making beautiful drop spindles."

Then, just like my grandmother pulled out her spoon, Shelia casually says "they already do."
Foiled!  Once again someone stole my great idea before I had a chance to think of it.

Speaking of Grafton, have you seen their stuff?  Beautiful!  Check out these crochet hooks. I particularly like the peacock ones:

They also have these amazing shawl pins here.

Stunning!  Pardon me, while I go wipe up my drool.

Jessie, can we figure out a way to get these guys to send Phat Fiber some stuff?



5 comments:

  1. Too funny... how we keep our grapefruit spoons in drawers... even though they are million dollar ideas!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Just to let you know...and I hate to bring more grief to you but my Uncle Jack Yolles invented the grapefruit spoon/

    ReplyDelete
  3. So those spindles are at knitpick's?((((Hugs))))Darcy

    ReplyDelete
  4. No, they are at http://www.graftonfibers.com

    Grafton is the original maker of fun rainbow wood knitting things before Knit Picks picked up on it. In fact, if the information I have is correct, Grafton was the one making the rainbow knitting needles for Knit Picks for a while befor they switched to another manufacturer.

    ReplyDelete

Comments make me happy! Thanks in advance for sharing your thoughts.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

All the good ideas are [usually] already taken

I invented the grapefruit spoon.

When I was about 8, I was eating a grapefruit for breakfast in my grandmother's kitchen.  And as I cut each litte wedge with a knife and scooped it out with a spoon I thought "there has to be an easier way."  I thought if you could make a spoon with a serrated edge that acted like a knife, you could save yourself so much time preparing grapefruit.  I thought "this is revolutionary!"  I ran to tell my grandmother my fabulous idea.

She smiled and walked over to her silverware drawer and pulled out a grapefruit spoon...

I was sad that someone already stolen my great idea.
(now, why I was eating a grapefruit with a knife when my grandmother owned grapefruit spoons, I'm not sure)

Similar situations have played out over my life.  I have a brilliant idea and then find out someone else already had it.

Today was another one of those days.

I was at knitting group and both myself and another knitter were working with our pretty wood needles:

And we were also talking about the new popularity of drop spindles that was experienced at the Madrona fiber arts retreats.  Shelia observed that a lot of knitters must be converting to handspinning.  

Later as Tami was talking about a drop spindle video that she saw on the Knit Picks website, I thought "hmm.  I wonder if Knit Picks is going to start making spinning supplies."  "What would Knit Picks spinning supplies look like, I wonder."

Then like lightening, the idea can to Tami and at almost the same time....wouldn't it be neat if there were drop spindles that had the same pretty rainbow wood patterns like our knitting needles.  "Quick!"  I said, "Call Grafton Fibers so they can start making beautiful drop spindles."

Then, just like my grandmother pulled out her spoon, Shelia casually says "they already do."
Foiled!  Once again someone stole my great idea before I had a chance to think of it.

Speaking of Grafton, have you seen their stuff?  Beautiful!  Check out these crochet hooks. I particularly like the peacock ones:

They also have these amazing shawl pins here.

Stunning!  Pardon me, while I go wipe up my drool.

Jessie, can we figure out a way to get these guys to send Phat Fiber some stuff?



5 comments:

  1. Too funny... how we keep our grapefruit spoons in drawers... even though they are million dollar ideas!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Just to let you know...and I hate to bring more grief to you but my Uncle Jack Yolles invented the grapefruit spoon/

    ReplyDelete
  3. So those spindles are at knitpick's?((((Hugs))))Darcy

    ReplyDelete
  4. No, they are at http://www.graftonfibers.com

    Grafton is the original maker of fun rainbow wood knitting things before Knit Picks picked up on it. In fact, if the information I have is correct, Grafton was the one making the rainbow knitting needles for Knit Picks for a while befor they switched to another manufacturer.

    ReplyDelete

Comments make me happy! Thanks in advance for sharing your thoughts.

 
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