Shipping with Johnny Air

Lilo's Halloween party outfit generated so much excitement, I totally forgot to blog about my receiving my recent eBay+KnitPicks orders! Yes, it's Christmas again, this time in October. I think I started celebrating Christmas way back in July, but that makes for a happier Gravelcat.

Johnny Air Cargo played Santa this time, not Philpost. My previous eBay order of bamboo circular needles did arrive on time, via USPS-Philpost (30 days shipping). I paid PhP 35 processing fee, which is correct. I figured nobody there would be interested in what looked like barbecue sticks stuck together with a nylon cord. While I was relieved at receiving my items, I still can't shake my mistrust of Philpost, and continue to dread missing items, having to deal with "creative taxation" or seeing "received partly torn" notices on my envelopes. I know current Postmaster General Hector R. R. Villanueva is trying to do something about public perception of Philpost's service, but I am not about to tempt fate yet, seeing how close we are getting to Christmas, financial crisis and all. Desperation and corruption go hand in hand.

Several years ago Johnny Air came to my attention via Pinoydvd.com. They offered safe US-Philippines shipping for dvds. While I wasn't that much of a big dvd buyer, I filed it away in my head. I came across them again this year, when I heard from my friend ECT that she had bought a Nikon D40 and had it shipped quickly and safely via Johnny Air. She picked it up in their Megamall branch.

Of course the cheapest way to send to the Philippines will always be the relatives' balikbayan box -- IF you have the patience to wait till December or January. For people who have a choice, Johnny Air's "Shop Online Service" is great. It's safe. It's fast. It's reliable.

I blog about this because I'm a satisfied customer, and you might need the information one day. (I also don't want to impose upon my relatives too much, because I love them, and their plates are full in these trying times.)

Let's say you want to buy something from eBay (vendor A) and something from Amazon.com (vendor B). Amazon.com offers free shipping for your item within the US. I mean, you wouldn't want to waste the savings if you could combine shipping, right?

1) You write an email to Analyn Diego at analynd@aol.com to advise her that you plan to buy items from vendors A and B. You let her know to combine these packages into one shipment, which must fulfill the minimum 2-lb requirement.

2) You shop online. Under shipping info you write:

ATTN: Analyn Diego/Client's Name (this means YOU)
Johnny Air SOL
6904 Roosevelt Avenue
Woodside, NY 11377
Tel. (718) 672-7080, (917) 332-7806

3) You email Analyn Diego again, with your shipping details.

Vendor
Order #
Tracking #
Item/s
Descriptions

Specify whether you want to claim it at JAC Makati or JAC Megamall. Provide your contact details so they can notify you when you can pick them up.

4) Shipping is by volume weight. As of my order it was USD 7.50 per lb + USD 5.00 handling fee. For further inquiries you can call JAC Customer Service at 631-7101, 638-8512 or 0917-8100306.

I see in the USPS international postage calculator that it would have cost me at least USD 29.93 for 6-10 days' Priority Mail shipping. What third party would bother to combine packages for me? And even then, I wouldn't even be sure whether I'd get it via Philpost or if I'd be charged extra fees.

In my case, I ordered my items on October 14, and received them October 24 from JAC Megamall. I paid USD 27.50 for 3 lbs. I showed the very nice folks my ID, and within a minute I got my box! And yes, they smile, too. Nowadays perhaps we don't count on people to smile a lot, but when they do, it really makes my day.

Now remember, it only works if that price and service are acceptable to you. If you are able to find a similar service that is also as reliable, let's hear about it!

Pinch me, PLEASE

At one point over lunch today I asked Incredible Joie to pinch me very, VERY hard.  Why, she asked. Good question.  I was feeling a little blue due to the time of month and had indulged in some online retail therapy.  Remember my eBay bleached bamboo needles?  I mentioned lusting after the carbonized ones.  Incredible Joie had bought her carbonized bamboo crochet hooks from a certain reliable seller earlier this year and I couldn't stop being amazed at their smoothness and lightness.  The seller claimed they were harder than bleached bamboo needles and weren't subject to mildew because of the carbonization treatment.  And doesn't bleaching weaken fibers or something?  At any rate, I was intending to go to great lengths to get them eventually.  Earlier today I just did.  Boy, did that drive the blues away!

I'm smiling now, but for a few seconds after I hit that checkout button earlier, several thoughts passed through my head.

1)  There's a global financial crisis!  The currency exchange rate is at PhP47.25 = USD1.00! (Alarm bells!  Sirens!)

2)  You don't have the carbonized bamboo dpns yet.  (Warning!  Danger!  The rabbit hole!)

3)  How about Knitpicks Harmony circulars?  (These are beautiful beech wood needles with the same flexible nylon cords I've come to love.  Dream on.)

4)  Now you'll have cheaper circular needles from 16" to 40"!  (Ecstasy!  Delirium!)

5)  Oh dear, they're only 12 oz in weight.  I have to get 20 oz more to qualify for Johnny Air Cargo's 2-lb minimum!  (More on this next month.  This was the point of no return.)

6)  NOW is the time to get yarn before Christmas!  (Knittipina in Wonderland steps off the cliff dazed at the sunset... and lands on a woolly beach seeing stars.)

To make a long story short, there was a sale in Knitpicks.com.  I ended up getting 500g of discount sock yarn and Elizabeth Zimmerman's Knitting Without Tears.  Figured that would make the Johnny Air delivery service worth it.  *sheepish grin*

And this was all because last weekend I made one sock using the new size 1 and 2 bleached bamboo needles.  The size 1 bends a bit, but because of that I don't hold it too hard.  Because I don't hold it too hard, my hands don't cramp.  Yay!  Such smooth, light and relaxing knitting! Now when the sock was done I realized the color wasn't suitable for an adult.  Too busy a colorway for my personal taste.  Maybe for a child's sock.  I won't frog it though, there is always someone in the world who likes something like that.

I decided to make another test sock, in a plain color but with texture and pattern.  I frogged the first attempt, Christine Walter's Zigzag Socks from Vogue Knitting's Ultimate Sock Book, because I realized after completing 16 rows that my ssk's were going in the wrong direction (how funny is that!).  Maybe later when I'm not so frustrated.  Or should I say, later when I'm not so excited over my retail therapy that I can't think straight.  I'll probably try one of the short-multiples stitch patterns recommended in the same book too. 

Right now I started another cable rib sock for fun, in mercerized cotton this time.  I just want to see how cables work in cotton.  I'd love a good fit.  To non-knitters this all sounds like a lot of work after a long day, but that's relaxation for me.  I like the rhythm of the needles in my hands.  Knitting stitches in a repeating pattern are sort of like using prayer beads.  There's the clicking sound for some needles that lulls me, there's that smooth glide when the two tips rub against each other.  There's that counting going on that sounds like a mantra.  This is what drives me to add needles to my collection and yarns to my stash!  The endless possibilities of lovely things I could make! *starry-eyed* 

Somebody pinch me, PLEASE.

Famous last words:  It'll be at least six months before I do anything this crazy again.  In the next breath:  Yeah, right.

Bamboo Circulars from eBay

It's Christmas in October this time! The bamboo circulars I got from eBay finally reached me after 30 days (international transaction). These are 2 lots from the same seller, US size 0 to 15 in 29" and in 32". They are smooth, not too pointy, and the joins look good. However, they are bleached bamboo and not carbonized. I still want to get carbonized ones. If later on I get carbonized ones, I'll sell these via the Pinoyknitters yahoogroup or the Pinoy Ravelers group. How fantastic though, to have needles in sizes bigger than US 10.5 (I have no bigger sizes in Addis), for quick baby afghans and the like.

For the future: Carbonized bamboo needles in 16", 24", 29", 32", 40". And dpn versions from US size 0 to 15 if I can get them.

I know, it seems like overkill (didn't I say this already in a previous post?) in these times of financial crisis. But life is short. I want them while I'm still 30 years away from arthritis. I want to knit as much as I can, no matter where I am.

Knitting with Bamboo

I found some 14" bamboo straight needles at Dreams one Saturday, and since they were reasonably priced (under PhP 100/pair at Dreams, vs. PhP 36/pair in Divisoria -- the difference of which compensates for transport and parking costs) I got them in 4mm, 5mm and 6mm.

I tried knitting with them using DMC's lovely Senso crochet yarn (cotton-rayon spun) in green (cotton) with variegated lavender-to-turquoise-to-white (thinner rayon). The result looked like a summer lawn sprinkled with tiny flowers. And I discovered few things:

1) Stitches don't slip off because of the traction on the bamboo surface;
2) Therefore I can knit American/English style (with thread coming from right hand) without too much thinking!
3) Knitting is slower but I am enjoying not hearing the metal "clinking" I get with straight metal needles.
4) The points are a bit too round for me, but that's not too bad.

And so... I embarked on another crazy mission, which was to buy sets of bamboo circulars on eBay in 29" and 32" lengths. For USD 19.98 per set, and international shipping of USD 2.98 per set, it's not too bad. Comes out to roughly PhP 69/circular. I bought from an American knitter seller rather than one of those Shanghai or Hong Kong-based suppliers because I wanted to avoid communications issues (like Joy had with Joyce Supershop in HK). I also had it posted directly to my home address because people at the post office here are unlikely to steal bamboo needles.

Although I must say, the cooking chopsticks I bought in Unimart look like a US size 10 (6.5mm). And the ultra thin barbecue sticks that we like come out to a US size 1 or 2 (2.25-2.5mm).

I really wanted the bamboo for travelling. But when push comes to shove, I'll bring the barbecue sticks, hahaha!!!

Christmas in July: Circular Needles

Several months ago when the dollar was weaker and I was ridiculously besotted with getting knitting supplies via eBay and other sites, I ordered circular knitting needles. And other stuff. Tita Lulu was coming home from the US with a balikbayan box.

Finally, these arrived last Wednesday the 16th:


Addi Turbo Premiums (2.0mm, 2.5mm, 3.0mm, 3.5mm, 4.0mm, 4.5mm -- all in 100cm except for the 3.0mm which were 80cm). [I actually ordered those first, but ended up buying 80cm sizes in local yarn shop Dreams because I was too impatient (2.0mm, 2.5mm, 3.0mm, 3.25mm, 3.75mm, 4.0mm, 4.5mm, 5.0mm, 6.0mm & 6.5mm). Fortunately their prices were roughly the same, about USD 7.50 each on the average.] I actually have several projects on the needles and am glad I have extras because I tend to use sizes 2.0mm-4.0mm a lot. These Addis I got on eBay from a UK seller in a six-pack so the price was irresistible. My first eBay experience, and a positive one, thank goodness.


Knitpicks fixed circular knitting needles (2.0mm, 2.25mm, 2.5mm, 3.0mm, 3.25mm, 3.5mm -- in 80cm) from Knitpicks.com. I got these because I couldn't afford the Knitpicks Options interchangeable needles and cables set. I heard about them from Knitters' Review. Something about being pointier than Addis. Someone said something like, "Addis are this shade of lethal. Knitpicks are lethal!" Check out the ff. picture (Addi on the top left, Knitpicks on the bottom right):


I think the Knitpicks would work really well for lace, but for other yarns people like Addis because they don't end up splitting the ply too much. But I think they'd knit pretty fast! And on the whole, are cheaper on a retail basis in the US. Addis fetch up to USD 18 for retail in some places.

And because these were so affordable (well, except for the 2.5mm which I got from Dreams), I got two Milwards 3.0mm, 40cm long from Carolina's Megamall.


These Milwards are roughly only 16" long. They're a British brand, Henry Milward & Sons (Studley, Warwickshire, England). Unfortunately with these needles stitches can bunch up where the cables meet the metal. Also please note that they are similar to Boye needles that have that angle at the base. An advantage of this is that stitches don't slide out. I plan to use these to practice the Cat Bordhi two-circular needle knitting method for socks.

And from my cousin Rosie Fe, a kindergarten teacher in Edmonton:


I know... it looks like overkill. I nearly ordered Inoxes from Paradise Fibers. And Susan Bates Quicksilvers or Silverados, just to compare. But I think I have most everything I need right here. I haven't even mentioned the inexpensive straight needles I got from different people or shops! I use the straights now mostly as stitch holders or, in the future, to lay lacework flat.

Yes, knitting is crack.