I knitted so much this weekend that by Sunday night, my hands were sore. I got some hand lotion, and TRHM gave me a nice hand massage while we watched a movie. I am working on my Knitted Purse Swap project and a Christmas present, since they are both surprises, I can't post progress pics. I am also working on my sock for my second Sock Wars target - I got down to the heel flap, and saw that I purled when I should have knitted in a couple of spots. I tried dropping the stitch and picking it back up, again, but it looked messy. So I ripped back to my boo-boo and fixed it. I love the color of this yarn, but I am not so crazy about the texture - it is Green Mountain Spinnery Cotton Comfort. Lisa said that it will soften up once it is washed, so a nice Euclan bath should take care of it. I only have about 1 1/2 inches to go on the sock and they are finished and I can assassinate my next target. But I have a little problem - I ran out of yarn!! YIKES!! Fortunately, Lisa bought it at a shop in Princeton, so I can just buzz over there and pick up another skein.
My knitted purse is coming along well. I really like the color of the yarn, and I think my swap partner will like it, as well. The pattern calls for some linen stitch at the edge, and that turned out really nice. I can see where it will add a lot of support to the upper edge.
The Christmas gift is coming out really well - I like the yarn, and when I washed my swatch in Woolite, it came out so cuddly soft! I am using Tahki Donegal Tweed that I bought in the market at KDO. The 2x2 ribbed edging seemed much narrower than the pattern measurements, but once I got past the edging, things are going according to the pattern. I did two swatches, one with size 8 but I didn't get gauge, and had to go down one needle size. With the size 7, I got both row and stitch gauge. I am using the new options needles from Knit Picks, and so far, I really like them a lot! They are pointier than other needles, which I like, because I normally knit a little on the loose side, and if the needles are too blunt, then I knit really loose!! The best part - when it was time to switch to the larger needles, I just unscrewed the tips and screwed on the next size! How easy is that?? I wasn't sure if I would like them, so I only ordered a couple of sizes of tips and cables, but I will probably buy some more.
I also have some other Christmas knitting that I will be starting this week. I am pretty sure that none of the recipients read my blog, but I'll be cautious with my progress pics, just in case! I am using a pattern that I bought at KDO, and I have some fab yarn in the stash. I need to use up some of my stash, and have decided to refrain from yarn buying this month. We are going to CT for a comic book show in three weeks, but I am pretty sure that there aren't any LYS near the show. And no, I'm not even going to check ;-) Next month, though, we will be in the suburbs of Chicago, in Shaumburg, so I will definately have to shop hop! I'll be ready for some more yarn by then, I'm sure of it!
When I get all of my Christmas knitting finished up, I will knit myself some socks. I bought a pair of purple slacks, and I don't have any purple socks to wear with them. I saw a very very interesting technique online today that I will have to try out. More on that later!
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Sunday, September 24, 2006
BANG - You're Dead!
There's nothing but bad news for my target. The bad news is that I am finished. The worse news is that I drive right past her town on my way to work :) When I saw where she lived, I just about fell off the chair! I am planning to leave them on her doorstep.This photo isn't a very accurate color either, they really are a lovely wine color.
Sock Wars
Friday was an exciting day. I checked my e-mail about a zillion times looking for my dossier (with the info about my target) and pattern, but nothing. I checked the Sock Wars Forum, and saw a post about bad storms over Northern Ireland (that's where Yarn Monkey lives, and she is sending out the dossiers), lots of folks without power, blah blah blah. When I got home on Sunday, I double checked, and Yarn Monkey had managed to post the pattern on her blog. I got busy, and had my sock 1/2 finished before bedtime. I guess I'm not really hardcore, because I didn't stay up all night to finish.
I didn't have my target, so I turned the heel and knit a bit, then put the first one on stitch holders and started the second one. The color isn't very good in this photo - these socks are a gorgeous wine color, the yarn is a new yarn from Cascade - 100% merino superwash.
Gotta go - TRHM says I'm wasting knitting time, LOL! Socks will be in the mail on Monday. Check out the forum - lots of warriors have ALREADY MAILED their socks - YIKES!!!!!!
I didn't have my target, so I turned the heel and knit a bit, then put the first one on stitch holders and started the second one. The color isn't very good in this photo - these socks are a gorgeous wine color, the yarn is a new yarn from Cascade - 100% merino superwash.
Gotta go - TRHM says I'm wasting knitting time, LOL! Socks will be in the mail on Monday. Check out the forum - lots of warriors have ALREADY MAILED their socks - YIKES!!!!!!
Thursday, September 21, 2006
LYS Alert!!!
This new job ROCKS!! The work is entertaining, the pay is decent, and best of all - there is a fab LYS within walking distance!! Yes!! Okay, it is a long walk, but it isn't to the ends of the earth.
When I first started this job, I was knitting in the cafeteria, and met a "closet" knitter. She carefully looked around before asking me what I was knitting, and then looked around again before she whispered "I'll show you my socks the next time I see you." Yesterday, as I was heating up my lunch, she came over (and of course, looked around to make sure no one would see) and quickly flashed me her socks. They were gorgeous - I am in awe. I didn't get to touch them, they disappeared into her bag faster than St. Nick flies up the chimney, but they looked very soft, and had little cables all over them. I asked her if there was a yarn shop anywhere near here, and she said that there was a really nice one not too far away. Well, today, I went out on a mission at lunchtime, and found it.
Y Knot Knit ( is that a cute name, or what?) is a real find! The owner (she told me her name, but I don't remember) was really really sweet. The shop is located in a very old house (I mean colonial days old). There is a small parking lot in the rear, and the entrance to the shop faces the parking lot. There is a large banner with the shop name and phone number hanging over the porch. If you go there, be sure to check out the cute cement sheep hanging out in the flower bed. I entered the shop, and found a small room with a wicker loveseat, and what looked like a reception desk. I was greeting in a warm and friendly manner, and invited to look around. Downstairs, there were bins of Noro. I went upstairs and found three rooms filled with knitty goodness.
The first room had novelty yarns of every imaginable kind - there was fluff, there was ribbon, there was glitz - it was pretty wild! The yarn was arranged in color groups. There were also two large bookcases with pattern books, magazines, and binders of pattern leaflets.
The second room was filled with Cascade - all different kinds, everything neatly arranged. There was also a small alcove with Crystal Palace DPNs and all sorts of knitting notions. Near the alcove, there was a small set of bins with some sock yarn. In addition to the wool Cascade, there was a great selection of cotton yarns (no kitchen cotton).
The third room was filled with other natural fibers - alpaca, silk, merino, and shelving unit full of baby yarn. One of the things I really liked was a display of combinations of yarn. There was a large hank of worsted weight in a solid color with two balls of coordinating varigated or novelty yarns slipped over it. It was a great way to see how the basic yarn could be dressed up a little with coordinating fibers. There was also a large work table for classes or knitting groups.
Throughout the shop, there were lots of lovely models, and patterns. There were the most adorable decorative sheep made from balls of yarn - very cute, I might have to make some. When I went back downstairs, I noticed a large basket full of Addi Turbos, and a large selection of Crystal Palace and Lantern Moon straight needles. There were also some funky handcrafted shawl pins and polymer clay buttons.
I bought some of the baby yarn, and some DK sock yarn for Sock Wars. While I was checking out, the owner invited me to come to the shop for Sit n' Knit on Tues and Thurs nights. She said that the group of knitters is really nice, and she always puts out some snacks. I asked her if the yarn I had chosen would be good for socks, and she said that she loves socks made from it - that it is wonderful sock yarn. I told her about Sock Wars, and she thought it sounded like such fun!
If you get to the Newtown area, I highly recommend this shop. They will have a website soon, it is under construction. I know I will be a frequent visitor!
When I first started this job, I was knitting in the cafeteria, and met a "closet" knitter. She carefully looked around before asking me what I was knitting, and then looked around again before she whispered "I'll show you my socks the next time I see you." Yesterday, as I was heating up my lunch, she came over (and of course, looked around to make sure no one would see) and quickly flashed me her socks. They were gorgeous - I am in awe. I didn't get to touch them, they disappeared into her bag faster than St. Nick flies up the chimney, but they looked very soft, and had little cables all over them. I asked her if there was a yarn shop anywhere near here, and she said that there was a really nice one not too far away. Well, today, I went out on a mission at lunchtime, and found it.
Y Knot Knit ( is that a cute name, or what?) is a real find! The owner (she told me her name, but I don't remember) was really really sweet. The shop is located in a very old house (I mean colonial days old). There is a small parking lot in the rear, and the entrance to the shop faces the parking lot. There is a large banner with the shop name and phone number hanging over the porch. If you go there, be sure to check out the cute cement sheep hanging out in the flower bed. I entered the shop, and found a small room with a wicker loveseat, and what looked like a reception desk. I was greeting in a warm and friendly manner, and invited to look around. Downstairs, there were bins of Noro. I went upstairs and found three rooms filled with knitty goodness.
The first room had novelty yarns of every imaginable kind - there was fluff, there was ribbon, there was glitz - it was pretty wild! The yarn was arranged in color groups. There were also two large bookcases with pattern books, magazines, and binders of pattern leaflets.
The second room was filled with Cascade - all different kinds, everything neatly arranged. There was also a small alcove with Crystal Palace DPNs and all sorts of knitting notions. Near the alcove, there was a small set of bins with some sock yarn. In addition to the wool Cascade, there was a great selection of cotton yarns (no kitchen cotton).
The third room was filled with other natural fibers - alpaca, silk, merino, and shelving unit full of baby yarn. One of the things I really liked was a display of combinations of yarn. There was a large hank of worsted weight in a solid color with two balls of coordinating varigated or novelty yarns slipped over it. It was a great way to see how the basic yarn could be dressed up a little with coordinating fibers. There was also a large work table for classes or knitting groups.
Throughout the shop, there were lots of lovely models, and patterns. There were the most adorable decorative sheep made from balls of yarn - very cute, I might have to make some. When I went back downstairs, I noticed a large basket full of Addi Turbos, and a large selection of Crystal Palace and Lantern Moon straight needles. There were also some funky handcrafted shawl pins and polymer clay buttons.
I bought some of the baby yarn, and some DK sock yarn for Sock Wars. While I was checking out, the owner invited me to come to the shop for Sit n' Knit on Tues and Thurs nights. She said that the group of knitters is really nice, and she always puts out some snacks. I asked her if the yarn I had chosen would be good for socks, and she said that she loves socks made from it - that it is wonderful sock yarn. I told her about Sock Wars, and she thought it sounded like such fun!
If you get to the Newtown area, I highly recommend this shop. They will have a website soon, it is under construction. I know I will be a frequent visitor!
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
KDO
Last weekend, all of the Knit Chicks (well, nearly all) caravaned out to Harrisburg for Knitter's Day Out. This is the one trip that almost everyone makes - a few go to Stitches, and Jenn and I went to TKGA in Fort Washington, but everyone goes to KDO. We had a great time! We took over the hotel lobby, and knitted with some of the other guests. That is always fun because there are actually guests at the hotel that are not attending KDO, and are not even knitters! *gasp* They find it very amusing that the lobby is full of ladies knitting.
I took the Knitted Lace class with Jan Rienhardt. It was terrific - she had some lovely examples, and everyone was trying different stitch combinations, helping each other out, and having fun. Jan is terrific teacher, and has a great straightforward manner. For my first real lace project, I wanted to make the Shetland Tea Shawl from A Gathering of Lace. I was getting frustrated with it. The pattern is not difficult, but reading my work was tricky, and when I made a mistake, it was really hard to find and correct. When I showed it to Jan, she just said "Well, I think you are starting in Graduate School, when you might want to try Freshman Year." And guess what? She was right! I put it away, and pulled out a ball of KP Shine Sport, and had no problems at all! Her advice was to work my way up to laceweight yarn, using lighter yarn with each project. And I had a revelation - one of the reasons I was having problems was that I am really not in love with STS - don't get me wrong - it is a gorgeous shawl. But when I really thought about why I was knitting it, the answer was to prove that I can, not that I really wanted one. So why am I making myself nuts over it?? I will probably never use a gossamer lace shawl, but I would love to have one in heavier yarn - THAT I would use! I might even make a STS with fingering weight instead of laceweight.
My afternoon class was very challenging - it was called Sit n' Knit. I sat outside with Elaine and Carrie and knitted! Elaine is working diligently on a beautiful baby blanket, and Carrie is working (not so diligently) on her baby blanket. Carrie decided to go for instant gratification, and bought a Schoeller & Stahl "Big Ball" of yarn in pastel varigated and a hugeungous pair of knitting needles and started a new baby blanket. Lots of babies coming along in their family!
I bought a fabulous pattern for my knitted purse swap - I think it is just right for my swap partner. But don't look for progress pics - I want it to be a surprise!! I also found the perfect **** for it (can't tell what the **** means - might be handles, might be yarn, might be zipper ... hee hee). After she receives it, I will post a FO pic. I also got the perfect yarn for a Christmas present I am making, and a cashmere/merino blend for another Christmas present. I did my part to support the KDO Market.
After breakfast on Sunday, I zipped home to TRHM. He was at work, so I took advantage of the time to myself and took a little nap - we were up so late on Friday and Saturday night that I was really wiped by Sunday afternoon. When I woke up from my nap, he was home. I showed him all my loot, and he thoroughly approved of my purchases. He agrees that the yarn I got was perfect, and the cashmere/merino blend was very soft.
I took the Knitted Lace class with Jan Rienhardt. It was terrific - she had some lovely examples, and everyone was trying different stitch combinations, helping each other out, and having fun. Jan is terrific teacher, and has a great straightforward manner. For my first real lace project, I wanted to make the Shetland Tea Shawl from A Gathering of Lace. I was getting frustrated with it. The pattern is not difficult, but reading my work was tricky, and when I made a mistake, it was really hard to find and correct. When I showed it to Jan, she just said "Well, I think you are starting in Graduate School, when you might want to try Freshman Year." And guess what? She was right! I put it away, and pulled out a ball of KP Shine Sport, and had no problems at all! Her advice was to work my way up to laceweight yarn, using lighter yarn with each project. And I had a revelation - one of the reasons I was having problems was that I am really not in love with STS - don't get me wrong - it is a gorgeous shawl. But when I really thought about why I was knitting it, the answer was to prove that I can, not that I really wanted one. So why am I making myself nuts over it?? I will probably never use a gossamer lace shawl, but I would love to have one in heavier yarn - THAT I would use! I might even make a STS with fingering weight instead of laceweight.
My afternoon class was very challenging - it was called Sit n' Knit. I sat outside with Elaine and Carrie and knitted! Elaine is working diligently on a beautiful baby blanket, and Carrie is working (not so diligently) on her baby blanket. Carrie decided to go for instant gratification, and bought a Schoeller & Stahl "Big Ball" of yarn in pastel varigated and a hugeungous pair of knitting needles and started a new baby blanket. Lots of babies coming along in their family!
I bought a fabulous pattern for my knitted purse swap - I think it is just right for my swap partner. But don't look for progress pics - I want it to be a surprise!! I also found the perfect **** for it (can't tell what the **** means - might be handles, might be yarn, might be zipper ... hee hee). After she receives it, I will post a FO pic. I also got the perfect yarn for a Christmas present I am making, and a cashmere/merino blend for another Christmas present. I did my part to support the KDO Market.
After breakfast on Sunday, I zipped home to TRHM. He was at work, so I took advantage of the time to myself and took a little nap - we were up so late on Friday and Saturday night that I was really wiped by Sunday afternoon. When I woke up from my nap, he was home. I showed him all my loot, and he thoroughly approved of my purchases. He agrees that the yarn I got was perfect, and the cashmere/merino blend was very soft.
Sunday, September 10, 2006
Knitting Content!
Friday night, I finished a sweater for The Preemie Project. I used the Twist and Turns pattern with Softee Baby yarn. I still need to choose the buttons. Here in The Blueberry Capitol of the World, we have many shopping options - Wal-Mart, and ummm, oh yeah, Wal-Mart. I really wanted some lavendar buttons, but they only had one style of pink, and the little white hearts. The white heart buttons are pretty because they have a little bit of a silver sheen to them. I cast on for the hat, and there is a pair of booties to be made as well.
Last weekend, I sewed the flannel linings into three funeral buntings, also for The Preemie Project. I added ribbons, and they are ready to go. The one in the middle is mint green with a pink and green polka dotted lining. I hope having these cuddly buntings for their sweet baby will bring some comfort to the families who will use them.
My Wallpaper Padawan
TRHM's oldest (Josh) came over this weekend to help me wallpaper the guest room. He was a little hesitant at first, but caught on quickly, and did a fab job. He used the level to draw placement lines for the two patterns and the two borders. Check out the coffee cup - "Knit Happens" :)
He did a great job keeping all of the stripes perfectly vertical, and matching the pattern on the map wallpaper.
We aren't quite finished, I had to order another double roll of the stripe, and another roll of the border. I have plans to turn a small closet into a built-in shelving unit, and I have to dig out some of the accessories from storage. Of course, my plastic bins of craft stuff are already in place in the larger closet, and today, I picked up a couple of small underbed storage bins for my WIPs. The most important thing is that the mess is cleaned up, and the beds are set up so when TRHM gets home from Balitmore on Tuesday, with his friends, Rick and Steven, there is someplace for them to sleep.
Friday, September 08, 2006
Explaining socks
There was a very funny conversation at my house last night - I was explaining Sock Wars to TRHM, and mentioned that I was going to knit two socks on two circulars, so hopefully, I wouldn't get killed right away. His reponse was hilarious:
"Get outta he-ah! How are you going to do that?? You only have two hands! How can you knit with two circulars at the same time? You would need four hands! What are you going to do, knit with your toes???"
Of course the funniest part was him leaning back on the sofa "air knitting" with his hands and his feet.
I tried to explain it to him - knit, turn, slide, knit, turn, slide. But he was having a hard time picturing it. He thought the concept of Sock Wars was interesting, but zeroed right in on the avoidance angle - "So you mean that if I don't knit anything, just wait to be "killed", then I get to keep the handknit socks?" Uh-huh.
So beware packages in the mail - there are over 700 "assassins" signed up at the moment ... all over the globe, and the "last man standing" prizes are pretty cool - how 'bout some one-of-a-kind dyed-specially-for-Sock-Wars sock yarn?? Yeah, baby, I'm on it!! That new job better allow looooonnnnng lunch breaks and knitting at the desk ...
"Get outta he-ah! How are you going to do that?? You only have two hands! How can you knit with two circulars at the same time? You would need four hands! What are you going to do, knit with your toes???"
Of course the funniest part was him leaning back on the sofa "air knitting" with his hands and his feet.
I tried to explain it to him - knit, turn, slide, knit, turn, slide. But he was having a hard time picturing it. He thought the concept of Sock Wars was interesting, but zeroed right in on the avoidance angle - "So you mean that if I don't knit anything, just wait to be "killed", then I get to keep the handknit socks?" Uh-huh.
So beware packages in the mail - there are over 700 "assassins" signed up at the moment ... all over the globe, and the "last man standing" prizes are pretty cool - how 'bout some one-of-a-kind dyed-specially-for-Sock-Wars sock yarn?? Yeah, baby, I'm on it!! That new job better allow looooonnnnng lunch breaks and knitting at the desk ...
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
My treasure
Yesterday, I told you that I bought a plaque from one of the other dealer's at the comic book show. She is an incredibly talented writer and artist, and she and her husband publish a number of very popular anthropomorphic comic books. Carole said that this plaque is from the turn of the century, and I thought it was very nice. The gentleman is obviously the object of the lady's affection, and she is thrilled to be enjoying a walk with him.
Carole explained that her granddaughter was coming for a vist, and is very curious, and into everything, so she thought it best to get rid of this plaque. I turned it over to see why ...This is destined for the guest room. I told Carole that I would be able to tell if my guests turn it over by the giggling!
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
Home again, home again, jiggety JIG!!
Whew - finally home after a long weekend in Memphis. The past two weeks have been a whirlwind of activity, and this week doesn't show any sign of being different! Two weeks ago, I got the news that my temp-to-perm job was going to be temp-to-unemployed, but it worked out well. I had a new job by Thursday, and I am looking forward to the new gig starting next week. The week before Labor Day weekend was filled with getting ready for our trip to Memphis, and getting the guest room set up. Of course, the wallpaper didn't arrive until last Monday, just in time to get shoved into a closet. I was hoping for it to be in by Friday so I could paint on Saturday and wallpaper on Sunday, but the re-decorating spirits had other ideas. I did get 12 quarts of braised beef canned, though :)
Wednesday night, after work, we loaded up the van, and shoved off for Memphis. We had a great time at the show, although sales were a bit down from last year. I made some new friends, and TRHM and I had a wonderful time. I got out to the LYS, and I have to say, I was less than impressed. I expected with a name like "The Yarniverse" I would be wowed. Uh-uh. No. Not really. They did have a nice selection of Colinette, and that seemed to be the main line. Of course, I was looking for baby patterns and yarns, and found little of either. They had a couple of those adorable "Debbie Ware" kits to make hats and sweaters, and a little bit of this and that baby yarn that contained wool. For the baby knitting I do, only the softest wool-free yarns are okay, preemies have very delicate skin. There was one bin of Dreambaby DK, all the way down at the very bottom corner, behind the rocking chair, that had about 12 skeins of yarn shoved in (yes, shoved, not even nicely arranged). There was a small basket of patterns, and I found a pattern for an adorable baby sweater. Upstairs, I found a skein of red and a skein of green Dreambaby for Christmas hat&bootie sets. Downstairs, I found some yarn that would be good for a Christmas present I am starting, but they didn't have enough of the color I liked. I bought a really great tote bag - I'll post a photo later tonight. The owner didn't really seem to "get it". I told the cashier that I wanted one of the bags hanging by the work table, and the owner said "Oh, well, I only bought one of those as a model. But if you really want it, I guess I could sell it to you." The same thing with the baby sweater pattern - the cashier looked at it, and said "Oh, this isn't seperate, It goes with that box of baby patterns." I explained that I had thought that, at first, so I checked the box of baby patterns, and it was a full set, so I thought they were selling it seperately. "Well, I guess I can sell it. I just put it there so people would see it." Maybe Tennesseean knitters are different, but when I go to a LYS, and see stuff, I want to actually BUY it ... not just look at it. What is up with that?? The thing that totally turned me off was a sign that said "Feel free to sit and knit, but only with yarn purchased at The Yarniverse". I just really don't think the restriction is necessary - they are the ONLY LYS in Memphis!!! At least that I could find on my internets. You might have more on yours. I think that next year, I might plan enough time to go to Little Rock, and see what they have to offer.
I have been knitting, but UFO August is a total disaster! Not a single FO, nope, not a one. I have two socks almost finished (I am putting off the Kitchener part - hate that part!) that are in need of a mate. LBT is nowhere near finished - but I did get almost through the 4th repeat of the lace part. I screwed up something royally with the Shetland Tea Shawl, and I am thinking that I really need to start that one over. I have a baby sweater that I started at work, and have been working on at lunch. I made good progress on it, and have the body of the sweater finished, and one sleeve almost finished. Then I will just need to sew up the seams and do the collar. That will be an FO soon. I sewed flannel linings into some burial buntings, and just have to add the ribbons to tie them closed. Hopefully, progress pics will be up later this week.
The biggest project is to get the guest room taken care of - TRHM is going to Baltimore for a comic book show next weekend with his British friend, and so we will have an overnight guest! I will get the weekend to myself, so I will be able to get caught up on some of my other projects. I bought a fabulous plaque for my guest room - it is a turn of the century brass plaque that one of the other dealers at the comic book show had. I'll post pics of that, too. It is way cool!
Wednesday night, after work, we loaded up the van, and shoved off for Memphis. We had a great time at the show, although sales were a bit down from last year. I made some new friends, and TRHM and I had a wonderful time. I got out to the LYS, and I have to say, I was less than impressed. I expected with a name like "The Yarniverse" I would be wowed. Uh-uh. No. Not really. They did have a nice selection of Colinette, and that seemed to be the main line. Of course, I was looking for baby patterns and yarns, and found little of either. They had a couple of those adorable "Debbie Ware" kits to make hats and sweaters, and a little bit of this and that baby yarn that contained wool. For the baby knitting I do, only the softest wool-free yarns are okay, preemies have very delicate skin. There was one bin of Dreambaby DK, all the way down at the very bottom corner, behind the rocking chair, that had about 12 skeins of yarn shoved in (yes, shoved, not even nicely arranged). There was a small basket of patterns, and I found a pattern for an adorable baby sweater. Upstairs, I found a skein of red and a skein of green Dreambaby for Christmas hat&bootie sets. Downstairs, I found some yarn that would be good for a Christmas present I am starting, but they didn't have enough of the color I liked. I bought a really great tote bag - I'll post a photo later tonight. The owner didn't really seem to "get it". I told the cashier that I wanted one of the bags hanging by the work table, and the owner said "Oh, well, I only bought one of those as a model. But if you really want it, I guess I could sell it to you." The same thing with the baby sweater pattern - the cashier looked at it, and said "Oh, this isn't seperate, It goes with that box of baby patterns." I explained that I had thought that, at first, so I checked the box of baby patterns, and it was a full set, so I thought they were selling it seperately. "Well, I guess I can sell it. I just put it there so people would see it." Maybe Tennesseean knitters are different, but when I go to a LYS, and see stuff, I want to actually BUY it ... not just look at it. What is up with that?? The thing that totally turned me off was a sign that said "Feel free to sit and knit, but only with yarn purchased at The Yarniverse". I just really don't think the restriction is necessary - they are the ONLY LYS in Memphis!!! At least that I could find on my internets. You might have more on yours. I think that next year, I might plan enough time to go to Little Rock, and see what they have to offer.
I have been knitting, but UFO August is a total disaster! Not a single FO, nope, not a one. I have two socks almost finished (I am putting off the Kitchener part - hate that part!) that are in need of a mate. LBT is nowhere near finished - but I did get almost through the 4th repeat of the lace part. I screwed up something royally with the Shetland Tea Shawl, and I am thinking that I really need to start that one over. I have a baby sweater that I started at work, and have been working on at lunch. I made good progress on it, and have the body of the sweater finished, and one sleeve almost finished. Then I will just need to sew up the seams and do the collar. That will be an FO soon. I sewed flannel linings into some burial buntings, and just have to add the ribbons to tie them closed. Hopefully, progress pics will be up later this week.
The biggest project is to get the guest room taken care of - TRHM is going to Baltimore for a comic book show next weekend with his British friend, and so we will have an overnight guest! I will get the weekend to myself, so I will be able to get caught up on some of my other projects. I bought a fabulous plaque for my guest room - it is a turn of the century brass plaque that one of the other dealers at the comic book show had. I'll post pics of that, too. It is way cool!
Thursday, August 17, 2006
A weekend in Rhode Island!
We drove to Rhode Island last weekend to spend some time with TRHM's family. We had a fantastic time - as always!
TRHM did the Yard Sale thing with Mom, Jane, and Jane's neighbor. Personally, I've had enough flea marketing to last a while, so while they were plying their wares, I went on a nice Saturday morning drive to visit the yarn shops. When I set out, I was determined not to break out the debit card, and the only yarn I was going to buy was something green for the Mystery Sock KAL, and if I found it, some of that cool Possum Yarn (can't wait to get my paws on that!)
First stop - Sakkonet Purls in Tiverton.
The drive to the shop from Warwick was very nice, and this is a very scenic area. I arrived a bit early, about 30 mins before the shop opened. So I was forced to sit in the car, enjoying the view, and knitting on the LBT. When the shop opened, I went exploring. They have a wonderful selection of yarns - lots and lots of everything! The had enough skeins of each color for each fiber they stock to complete a large project. There were bins and bins of yarn neatly arranged all along the walls of each room. This is a really cool shop because it is an old house that has been converted. Interspersed among the bins of yarn were patterns and lots of lovely samples. Most shops may have one or two items for each main knitting category (ladies sweaters, baby, shawls, etc) but rely mostly of little swatches to give the shopper an idea of the knitted fabric. Not Sakkonet Purls! They had lots of samples, and with the baby samples, a boy and girl version. There were lots of hats cleverly displayed near the register. I saw lots of sock yarn in addition to all of the other yarns they stock. The best treat was waiting for me in the back room, though. It is a very cozy working area with a comfy couch and tables. Hanging on the wall behind the couch were the most amazing needlepoint canvases I have ever seen! Some of them were very large - about the size of a 5x7 area rug. In addition to the most exquisitely detailed florals, there was a lovely canvas in an oriental rug design. It almost made me want to give needlepoint another go!! I was very good, and only purchased a couple of baby patterns for The Preemie Project and LucyBug, and some Snuggly.
From there, it was off to Warren, to Bella Yarns.
This is a very cute shop, but rather small. The yarn selection is very nice for a small shop, and I picked up a skein of Mountain Colors Barefoot for my Mystery Socks. Here is a close-up of the yarn, blurry, but at least a better idea of the colorway. One of the
things they had there was a basket of 70% off patterns. So, of course, I had to look there, and SCORE!! A Skacel sock pattern booklet for $1.50!! Woo-hoo!! I also scored the pattern for the Debby Gumdrop Hat. That is the cutest thing ever! I've been wanting to try some of those hats, but I don't want the kits. This was the first time I've seen the patterns sold seperately. They oughta put them together in a book - I bet they would sell a zillion copies!
After Warren, I drove into Providence to go to One Stitch at a time.
This is a cute shop, with a nice selection of yarn. The shop is split in half, with one half being for knitting, and the other being for clothing (pants, shirts, skirts - not knitted items). They are right next to Brown University, and near Johnson & Wales, so they cater to the collegiate community. They had a flood the night before, and some of the patterns were in a clothes basket. When I started digging through them, I found another Sirdar pattern booklet for babies. This one has a gorgeous pattern for boys - we always need more boy outfits for The Preemie Project. I just couldn't resist this pattern for the green and red stocking cap and booties. Perfect for Christmas!
Remember the shop whose website the company internet filter classified as "Criminal Skills"?? Well, that was the last stop - Yarn on Lace Wings in Warwick.
The woman working there was so nice!! We got to talking, and I mentioned that I was using KP Shine Sport for my LBT. I went out to the car to retrieve it, and there was much swatch and yarn petting. I scored some really great baby hat patterns.
After all that yarn shopping, I went home to Mom and Dad's and the yard sale was over. TRHM was pretty happy, he sold a bunch of stuff, and made more $$ than I spent on patterns :)
That night, we went to WaterFire with TRHM's brother and SIL (Steven and Jane). It was very nice, and although it wasn't very exciting for the kids, we had a good time. It is very pretty - if you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it! They have huge braziers in the river, and light bonfires in them. Volunteers tend the fires throughout the evening, and the smell of the wood burning, and the soft glow is really nice. They also have a theme for the evening, with music and other activities. If you have deep pockets, you can also book a gondola ride with wine and cheese. Personally, I don't see the attraction - riding in a gondola with about a zillion people gawking at you kinda takes the shine off that penny for me.
Sunday morning, we spent some time visiting with Mom and Dad before shoving off for NJ. Mom made sandwiches for everyone, and packed us a great picnic lunch. I got the big bonus - she knows I don't care much for coldcuts, so my sandwich was made with real ham. Aren't I the lucky girl??
TRHM did the Yard Sale thing with Mom, Jane, and Jane's neighbor. Personally, I've had enough flea marketing to last a while, so while they were plying their wares, I went on a nice Saturday morning drive to visit the yarn shops. When I set out, I was determined not to break out the debit card, and the only yarn I was going to buy was something green for the Mystery Sock KAL, and if I found it, some of that cool Possum Yarn (can't wait to get my paws on that!)
First stop - Sakkonet Purls in Tiverton.
The drive to the shop from Warwick was very nice, and this is a very scenic area. I arrived a bit early, about 30 mins before the shop opened. So I was forced to sit in the car, enjoying the view, and knitting on the LBT. When the shop opened, I went exploring. They have a wonderful selection of yarns - lots and lots of everything! The had enough skeins of each color for each fiber they stock to complete a large project. There were bins and bins of yarn neatly arranged all along the walls of each room. This is a really cool shop because it is an old house that has been converted. Interspersed among the bins of yarn were patterns and lots of lovely samples. Most shops may have one or two items for each main knitting category (ladies sweaters, baby, shawls, etc) but rely mostly of little swatches to give the shopper an idea of the knitted fabric. Not Sakkonet Purls! They had lots of samples, and with the baby samples, a boy and girl version. There were lots of hats cleverly displayed near the register. I saw lots of sock yarn in addition to all of the other yarns they stock. The best treat was waiting for me in the back room, though. It is a very cozy working area with a comfy couch and tables. Hanging on the wall behind the couch were the most amazing needlepoint canvases I have ever seen! Some of them were very large - about the size of a 5x7 area rug. In addition to the most exquisitely detailed florals, there was a lovely canvas in an oriental rug design. It almost made me want to give needlepoint another go!! I was very good, and only purchased a couple of baby patterns for The Preemie Project and LucyBug, and some Snuggly.
From there, it was off to Warren, to Bella Yarns.
This is a very cute shop, but rather small. The yarn selection is very nice for a small shop, and I picked up a skein of Mountain Colors Barefoot for my Mystery Socks. Here is a close-up of the yarn, blurry, but at least a better idea of the colorway. One of the
things they had there was a basket of 70% off patterns. So, of course, I had to look there, and SCORE!! A Skacel sock pattern booklet for $1.50!! Woo-hoo!! I also scored the pattern for the Debby Gumdrop Hat. That is the cutest thing ever! I've been wanting to try some of those hats, but I don't want the kits. This was the first time I've seen the patterns sold seperately. They oughta put them together in a book - I bet they would sell a zillion copies!After Warren, I drove into Providence to go to One Stitch at a time.
This is a cute shop, with a nice selection of yarn. The shop is split in half, with one half being for knitting, and the other being for clothing (pants, shirts, skirts - not knitted items). They are right next to Brown University, and near Johnson & Wales, so they cater to the collegiate community. They had a flood the night before, and some of the patterns were in a clothes basket. When I started digging through them, I found another Sirdar pattern booklet for babies. This one has a gorgeous pattern for boys - we always need more boy outfits for The Preemie Project. I just couldn't resist this pattern for the green and red stocking cap and booties. Perfect for Christmas!Remember the shop whose website the company internet filter classified as "Criminal Skills"?? Well, that was the last stop - Yarn on Lace Wings in Warwick.
The woman working there was so nice!! We got to talking, and I mentioned that I was using KP Shine Sport for my LBT. I went out to the car to retrieve it, and there was much swatch and yarn petting. I scored some really great baby hat patterns.After all that yarn shopping, I went home to Mom and Dad's and the yard sale was over. TRHM was pretty happy, he sold a bunch of stuff, and made more $$ than I spent on patterns :)
That night, we went to WaterFire with TRHM's brother and SIL (Steven and Jane). It was very nice, and although it wasn't very exciting for the kids, we had a good time. It is very pretty - if you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it! They have huge braziers in the river, and light bonfires in them. Volunteers tend the fires throughout the evening, and the smell of the wood burning, and the soft glow is really nice. They also have a theme for the evening, with music and other activities. If you have deep pockets, you can also book a gondola ride with wine and cheese. Personally, I don't see the attraction - riding in a gondola with about a zillion people gawking at you kinda takes the shine off that penny for me.
Sunday morning, we spent some time visiting with Mom and Dad before shoving off for NJ. Mom made sandwiches for everyone, and packed us a great picnic lunch. I got the big bonus - she knows I don't care much for coldcuts, so my sandwich was made with real ham. Aren't I the lucky girl??
Friday, August 11, 2006
Consider yourself Meme'd
Things about me, I have:
01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink
02. Swam with wild dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
06. Held a tarantula
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08. Said 'I love you' and meant it
09. Hugged a tree
10. Bungee jumped (Does Dare Devil Dive count?)
11. Visited Paris
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea
13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise
14. Seen the Northern Lights
15. Gone to a huge sports game
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
18. Touched an iceberg
19. Slept under the stars
20. Changed a baby's diaper
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
22. Watched a meteor shower
23. Gotten drunk on champagne
24. Given more than you can afford to charity
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
27. Had a food fight
28. Bet on a winning horse
29. Asked out a stranger
30. Had a snowball fight
31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
32. Held a lamb
33. Seen a total eclipse
34. Ridden a roller coaster
35. Hit a home run
36. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day
38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment (I do most of the time)
39. Had two hard drives for your computer
40. Visited all 50 states
41. Taken care of someone who was drunk
42. Had amazing friends
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
44. Watched wild whales
45. Stolen a sign
46. Backpacked in Europe
47. Taken a road-trip
48. Gone rock climbing
49. Midnight walk on the beach
50. Gone sky diving
51. Visited Ireland
52. Been heartbroken longer then you were actually in love
53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger's table and had a meal with them
54. Visited Japan
55. Milked a cow
56. Alphabetized your cd's
57. Pretended to be a superhero
58. Sung karaoke
59. Lounged around in bed all day
60. Posed nude in front of strangers
61. Gone scuba diving
62. Kissed in the rain
63. Played in the mud
64. Played in the rain
65. Gone to a drive-in theater
66. Visited the Great Wall of China
67. Started a business
68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
69. Toured ancient sites
70. Taken a martial arts class
71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
72. Gotten married
73. Been in a movie
74. Crashed a party
75. Gotten divorced
76. Gone without food for 5 days
77. Made cookies from scratch
78. Won first prize in a costume contest
79. Ridden a gondola in Venice
80. Gotten a tattoo
81. Rafted the Snake River
82. Been on television news programs as an "expert"
83. Got flowers for no reason
84. Performed on stage
85. Been to Las Vegas
86. Recorded music
87. Eaten shark
88. Had a one-night stand
89. Gone to Thailand
90. Bought a house
91. Been in a combat zone
92. Buried one of your parents
93. Been on a cruise ship
94. Spoken more than one language fluently
95. Performed in Rocky Horror.
96. Raised children
97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
98. Created and named your own constellation of stars
99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn't stop when you knew someone was looking
103. Had plastic surgery
104. Survived an illness that you shouldn't have survived
105. Wrote articles for a large publication
106. Lost over 100 pounds
107. Held someone while they were having a flashback
108. Piloted an airplane
109. Petted a stingray
110. Broken someone's heart
111. Helped an animal give birth
112. Won money on a T.V. game show
113. Broken a bone
114. Gone on an African photo safari
115. Had a body part of yours below the neck pierced
116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
118. Ridden a horse
119. Had major surgery
120. Had a snake as a pet
121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
122. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
124. Visited all 7 continents
125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
126. Eaten kangaroo meat
127. Eaten sushi
128. Had your picture in the newspaper
129. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about
130. Gone back to school
131. Parasailed
132. Petted a cockroach (with the toe of my shoe ...)
133. Eaten fried green tomatoes
134. Read The Iliad - and the Odyssey (in Latin, no less!)
135. Selected one "important" author who you missed in school, and read
136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
137. Skipped all your school reunions
138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
139. Been elected to public office
140. Written your own computer language
141. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream (every day)
142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
143. Built your own PC from parts
144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you
145. Had a booth at a street fair
146: Dyed your hair
147: Been a DJ
148: Shaved your head
149: Caused a car accident
150: Saved someone's life
Have you done these things? If so, consider yourself meme'd. Leave a comment on my blog, and put your list on your blog.
01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink
02. Swam with wild dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
06. Held a tarantula
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08. Said 'I love you' and meant it
09. Hugged a tree
10. Bungee jumped (Does Dare Devil Dive count?)
11. Visited Paris
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea
13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise
14. Seen the Northern Lights
15. Gone to a huge sports game
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
18. Touched an iceberg
19. Slept under the stars
20. Changed a baby's diaper
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
22. Watched a meteor shower
23. Gotten drunk on champagne
24. Given more than you can afford to charity
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
27. Had a food fight
28. Bet on a winning horse
29. Asked out a stranger
30. Had a snowball fight
31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
32. Held a lamb
33. Seen a total eclipse
34. Ridden a roller coaster
35. Hit a home run
36. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day
38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment (I do most of the time)
39. Had two hard drives for your computer
40. Visited all 50 states
41. Taken care of someone who was drunk
42. Had amazing friends
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
44. Watched wild whales
45. Stolen a sign
46. Backpacked in Europe
47. Taken a road-trip
48. Gone rock climbing
49. Midnight walk on the beach
50. Gone sky diving
51. Visited Ireland
52. Been heartbroken longer then you were actually in love
53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger's table and had a meal with them
54. Visited Japan
55. Milked a cow
56. Alphabetized your cd's
57. Pretended to be a superhero
58. Sung karaoke
59. Lounged around in bed all day
60. Posed nude in front of strangers
61. Gone scuba diving
62. Kissed in the rain
63. Played in the mud
64. Played in the rain
65. Gone to a drive-in theater
66. Visited the Great Wall of China
67. Started a business
68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
69. Toured ancient sites
70. Taken a martial arts class
71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
72. Gotten married
73. Been in a movie
74. Crashed a party
75. Gotten divorced
76. Gone without food for 5 days
77. Made cookies from scratch
78. Won first prize in a costume contest
79. Ridden a gondola in Venice
80. Gotten a tattoo
81. Rafted the Snake River
82. Been on television news programs as an "expert"
83. Got flowers for no reason
84. Performed on stage
85. Been to Las Vegas
86. Recorded music
87. Eaten shark
88. Had a one-night stand
89. Gone to Thailand
90. Bought a house
91. Been in a combat zone
92. Buried one of your parents
93. Been on a cruise ship
94. Spoken more than one language fluently
95. Performed in Rocky Horror.
96. Raised children
97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
98. Created and named your own constellation of stars
99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn't stop when you knew someone was looking
103. Had plastic surgery
104. Survived an illness that you shouldn't have survived
105. Wrote articles for a large publication
106. Lost over 100 pounds
107. Held someone while they were having a flashback
108. Piloted an airplane
109. Petted a stingray
110. Broken someone's heart
111. Helped an animal give birth
112. Won money on a T.V. game show
113. Broken a bone
114. Gone on an African photo safari
115. Had a body part of yours below the neck pierced
116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
118. Ridden a horse
119. Had major surgery
120. Had a snake as a pet
121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
122. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
124. Visited all 7 continents
125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
126. Eaten kangaroo meat
127. Eaten sushi
128. Had your picture in the newspaper
129. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about
130. Gone back to school
131. Parasailed
132. Petted a cockroach (with the toe of my shoe ...)
133. Eaten fried green tomatoes
134. Read The Iliad - and the Odyssey (in Latin, no less!)
135. Selected one "important" author who you missed in school, and read
136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
137. Skipped all your school reunions
138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
139. Been elected to public office
140. Written your own computer language
141. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream (every day)
142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
143. Built your own PC from parts
144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you
145. Had a booth at a street fair
146: Dyed your hair
147: Been a DJ
148: Shaved your head
149: Caused a car accident
150: Saved someone's life
Have you done these things? If so, consider yourself meme'd. Leave a comment on my blog, and put your list on your blog.
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
Aaawwww, MAN!!
Okay, I know I'm not supposed to be surfing for yarn at work, but we are going to Rhode Island on Friday, and I got some great tips from Claudia, and so I have some strategic planning to do. Well, I guess the network had a different idea:
Check it out - Criminal Skills - give me a break!! I wonder if TRHM had anything to do with that??
And just so you know, that message did not deter me ;) I did manage to get to that website, and I am planning to visit Yarn's at Lace Wings in Warwick this weekend. So TAKE THAT network filter!! PLPHT!! (makes raspberry sounds).
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Knitted Purse Swap
Dontcha just LUV knitted purses?? I do! And I really like making them, too. That is why I am signed up for the Knitted Purse Swap. What a fun way to get a lovely knitted purse! Come and join us!
The rules are easy - knit a purse, then swap. The only requirement is that it must be knitted. It can be felted, or not. It can be lined, or not. Whatever other options you want to build into your purse are up to you! And there are lots of links to free purse patterns, in case you need one!
The rules are easy - knit a purse, then swap. The only requirement is that it must be knitted. It can be felted, or not. It can be lined, or not. Whatever other options you want to build into your purse are up to you! And there are lots of links to free purse patterns, in case you need one!
High Tech Knitting
When I am knitting along, I really hate it when my stitch count is way off. And I am really not very good at remembering to turn the dial on those row counter thingys on the ends of my needles. Well, a design student at Brunel University in London came up with this nifty device:
It automatically counts your stitches and rows for you! Check out the details.
It automatically counts your stitches and rows for you! Check out the details.
Saturday, August 05, 2006
Show me your knitting basket
At the end of July, Terri asked "What is in your knitting basket?". My basket has been sitting in the corner of the bedroom, on a rocking chair, since I moved to Hammonton last November. It was still in the plastic bag that protected the contents while it was moved. I pulled it out and found an assortment of UFOs that really only needed a little bit of work.
The first UFO is a red, white, and blue afghan that I started last year. I really like this pattern a lot. It is a free pattern from the Lion Yarn website, and the afghan is made up of squares that are sewn together. Each square is either red or blue on the bottom, with a white strip at the top. When they are sewn together, it makes a really cool zig-zag pattern. The yarn is Bernat Soft Boucle. I would like to finish this, but the yarn is very dusty, and my dog totally loved this afghan, so it is rather dog-hair laden. I'm not sure my allergies can take finishing it, lol!
This is a hat that I was making with the leftovers from my first skein of yarn. When I learned to knit, the very first thing I made was a hat and scarf with this yarn for my daughter. These are the DPNs that I used when I learned to knit. When Jenn taught me to knit, she knew that knowing how to use DPNs was a critical knitting skill.
This is the first pair of socks I ever made. Yes, I did say pair of socks. I know there is only one in the picture, and I am sure that the other one is around here somewhere ... These are "house" socks made with Red Heart worsted weight. I used a pattern from the "Knit Socks!" book. These will keep my toes toasty this winter, because TRHM is a New Englander, and will have the thermostat set low. I think I'll make a couple more pair.
This is the first baby sweater that I ever made. I was really proud of it, and I think it turned out pretty good. It still needs the buttons sewn on, and I have them in my stash. I'll add this to the UFO list to be finished this month. It has raglan sleeves, with a simple cable up each side. It is made from Jaime sport pompadour. I think I'll wash it, and send it to my girlfriend Adrienne's granddaughter that just arrived last month.
This is a Saxon braid swatch. I was practicing this braid for incorporation into a vest I was considering. I decided not to make the vest, so this swatch is destined for the frog pond. I have no idea what I will make with this yarn, so it will go back into the stash.
This is a black and gold hat and pair of booties that I made for the upcoming Preemie Project donation for the University of Iowa. I started making these from Red Heart worsted, but it doesn't pass the softeness test for preemies. The larger hat and bootie set would fit a smaller full-term baby, so I will finish the booties, wash and send this set. The smaller hat will go into the frog pond. I have a large bag of hats and booties in my desk at work that are made of Caron Simply Soft. All of these booties will be sewn up, all the ends will be woven in, and these sets will get washed and mailed by the end of the month.
So that's what's in my knitting basket. What is in yours?
Friday, August 04, 2006
A new project
I started a baby blanket last night. This morning, over our morning bowl of Wheaties, TRHM asked me why I started it when there were so many other things I was working on. So I 'fessed up. I had left my knitting bag with my LBT in the car, and it was too hot and humid, and I was too lazy to go out to the parking lot to get it. My crochet hook and the yarn were in reach. We were watching the second episode of North and South on DVD, and I wanted something to keep my hands busy.
I made a "to do" list, and one of the things I am planning to do this afternoon is gather up all my UFOs and make a list for my "UFO August" KAL. I think I have more UFOs than I realize ... fortunately, next weekend is a long car ride - we are going to Rhode Island to visit Mom and Dad - Woo-Hoo!!!!
This weekend, I will be putting up some tomatoes, braised beef, and more blueberry jam. Stay tuned for interesting photos!!
Thursday, August 03, 2006
Great idea!
I was reading knitting blogs this morning, and Melissa had a GREAT idea!! She decided that she would somehow make this awful steamy weather we have all been having work in her favor. She solar dyed yarn in her car! Way to go!!!
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
Ready for Felting!!
I finished knitting my NORO Booga Bag this weekend. I had planned to finish this and have it felted and lined for the craft sale for The Preemie Project, but it didn't happen. I have a couple of other bags of my own design that I am working on, and when I get a couple of them finished, I will felt them all in one load. My front-loader doesn't felt very well, so I'll take them to the laundry mat.
When I was in Alabama, I went to Yarn Expressions, and they had lovely sherbety colors of Cascade 220 and Galway. I didn't mean to buy it, but it was begging to come home with me, and jumped off the shelves. They are destined to be felted bags. I also plan to make some felted coasters with the left-overs. Hopefully, there will be pre-felted pics next week!
I saw a GREAT tip for making felted bags with i-cord handles - make the i-cord first, then you don't have to worry about running out of yarn, and you can use all of the remaining yarn for the bag. If you are really caught short, you can always use a crochet cast-off!
Hats for babies
At the end of June, the Yarn Harlot put out the call for baby hats in a fruit theme. These are going to one of her readers for an event promoting good nutrition for babies. So, of course, I got right on it! And I spread the word to the Knit Chicks. Lisa and Janet made very cute tomato hats, and I made these:
I wonder if she has been completely inundated?
I wonder if she has been completely inundated?
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