Beware of imitators!

OK, for those of you who have the extreme fortune (misfortune?) of knowing my father, the following story will not be a surprise to you.

On Christmas Eve, my parents were running errands, doing last-minute cleaning and decorating, I was playing with the dog and finishing my Christmas knitting. (Note: Christmas knitting is still not done, T+15 days.) The UPS man came and dropped off a big package with a return address somewhere in Connecticut. I showed my parents the package when they got home, they decided it was probably a Christmas present and they'd put it under the tree to open it. I pointed out that we don't know anyone from Connecticut, the package was rather squashy, and even if it was a Christmas present, we should totally open it now, because when the UPS man brings a mysterious package, how can you NOT open said package immediately?

So Dad busts out the scissors and opens the package. This is what was inside:



Yes, I have an insomniac father with a credit card. (Hey, I come by the insomnia honestly.) I have not seen my father so excited since Chef Tony and the Miracle Blade. We all got Shamwow towels in our stockings this year. I declared that I was not going to take those ridiculous things home, no way, no how.

Until I saw the commercial (above) while we were watching TV later in the weekend. Those of you who actually watched it — can you guess what made me change my mind?

The Shamwow had its first spin with the knitting tonight. I washed a couple hats that I've been wearing almost nonstop since it first got cold and a cowl that I made on the plane on the way to Chicago. (I'd like to point out here that you should always thoroughly WASH any knitting that you take on a plane, ever. The water was FILTHY after I took that cowl out of the sink.)

I give the Shamwow a solid B. I used one Shamwow towel to dry both hats and the cowl, and it didn't get drippy and soak my bathroom floor. It wrung out quite easily over the sink, and overall, it was an OK experience, not that different from using a bath towel. I don't think I could roll up a whole handknitted sweater in it, but it does fine with smaller items.

I called my father to report that I had actually used the Shamwow, and I told him how it went. His response?

"I told you that you would like it! Sham-WOW!"