For all the dishcloths I've knit in the last few months, I have yet to plunge one into the drink. How could I toss one of my pretties into the gnarly stew of coffee grounds, dried bits of cat food, crumbs and bacteria that is our dishwater?

So I decided to make some soap. A bit of a non sequiter, since I don't plan on washing dishes with it, but thought it might create the proper frame of mind in which to begin deploying the handknits in the service of home keeping.

I've said it before and, with your forbearance will say again, once you go homemade, you can't go back. Once you feel the soft, gentle suds of handmade soap on your skin and smell the scent of essential oils rise in the heat of the shower, well, a bar of Dove just don't cut it. Not to mention the itch. Like a dog with fleas in the summer when commercial soap comes anywhere near me.

But I had run out of coconut oil and after a set-to with a dreadful online vendor, who after a month of nudging sent me the WRONG product and after another month of terse emails never came through with the goods, I found a local source for conventional and organic soap-making supplies. When I found them online, scared the cats with the screaming. Do you know how much it costs to ship a gallon or two of oil?

Wednesday after a salutary walk with the blogless Garlic Queen in the southern part of the city, I wound my way to Colorado Organics, where I scored enough organic palm and coconut oils to see me through several new batches. They are delightful folks who love talking soap and have great ideas. Literally, I was foaming at the mouth.

Do you think there's room on Ravelry for a Soapy Knitters group?

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OK, so I just searched Ravelry. Of course there's a Handmade Soapmakers group. What was I thinking?