So how do you ladies feel about polka dots?

What follows is photos of my booty from the field trip to the cities. We did make it to a couple of new shops and a couple of favorite shops!

New shops were Needle Work Unlimited Outlet store, Linden Hills Yarn Shop, Knitting from the Heart and the Yarn Garage. Plus we had lunch at a new (to us) place, Cafe 28. Cafe 28 was great. One of the best burgers I have ever had. I would definitely eat there again. The owner of Linden Hills is quite sweet and recommened Cafe 28.


But as far as yarn goes. I can’t wait to get back to the Yarn Garage! WOW! Floor to ceiling yarn, seriously. I kid you not. If you have never been there, get yourself there quick. We are already planning a trip back. I never even made it back to the sock yarn. So I really must return. I think we all agree we need to get back there for sure before our knitting retreat. A day trip!

I was a good girl, I only bought one skein of sock yarn. Some Cherry Tree Hill in lovely blues and greens. Then I added some Nashua Equinox Stripe Yarn colorway "Storm." Which shall become the Knitting Pure & Simple Weekend Jacket. I picked up this book "Fitted Knits." Plus another Knitting Pure & Simple pattern, a cable scarf pattern, and some needles to knit the aforementioned jacket.

So the polka dots. Owner Steve (we love Steve) of the Yarn Garage asks "so ladies how do you feel about polka dots." Knitting bags, lined with polka dots no less. CT asked about us getting matching knitting bags. I mentioned that we already had nice knitting bags in the vehicle. She took exactly three steps and then quickly turned around and said "but we used gift certificates for those bags. We didn’t actually purchase them." Well who can argue with that logic! ASJ/Green, CB/Brown., CT/Royal Blue, NK/Royal Blue. But they really are lovely totes.

Twice now I have tried to post this. First the computer didn’t want to go to the post page, second time I was interrupted by having to leave. Let’s hope I can finally get this uploaded. And as long as I have a little time I will post a little more!

The hotel messed with our reservation. The poor desk clerk was dreading our arrival all day. But they ended up giving us two very nice separate mini suites (instead of the mammoth suite we reserved) so we could sit and knit together. And a huge discount. So we go there again!


I did manage to finish another EZ Baby Surprise. But surprise . . . I ran out of yarn. Grrrr. I had one skein of orange Cascade 220, plus my Schaefer Little Miss Priss leftovers. Three rows to go and I stopped. I rummaged thru my stash and found some leftover red Cascade 220. Managed the last three rows, plus I went around the neck. Then wala . . . no red! Too close for comfort.

She who knits with scraps

Need I say more? Or is the picture worth a thousand stitches.

Guild Rule: Never knit with scraps.

The Winter Blues

I admit it, I am sick and tired and cranky. While there are bright spots, (knock on wood) I have not been sick, repeat not been sick. Although I will admit I feel like I have been fighting off something for the last couple of weeks. It is only the anticipation of this weekend's Yarn Field Trip that has been fighting off what ever has been trying to bring me down (yeah for me, let the trend continue).

We leave tomorrow early . . .Hallelujah. We have a list of places to go such as Needlework Unlimited Outlet & store, Borealis Yarns, Yarn Garage, Coldwater Collaborative, Knit from the Heart, there is another one too, but it escapes me right now. I wish I could remember it!

I have started packing my bag (clothes and projects). I can't wait!!!!

P.S. No we are not travelling in the knit mobile. We are travelling in NK's Ford Escape Hybrid! The money she saves on gas she can spend on yarn.

A Little too close for comfort

I got this great idea to make a pair of mittens out of the Cascade Quatro that I had left over ( I used it for the mittens for the boy's English teacher). I bought some winter white Lion Brand wool for contrast. Check out the tiny ball of yarn next to the mittens, I think I was cutting it a bit too close! But the good news, you can get 2 pairs of mittens from Cascade Quatro and 220, which makes the mittens fairly inexpensive to knit as gifts!

Fini!

The Baby Surprise Class is done! Here is the proof! Unfortunately with that snow day cancellation we had a LOT of students who couldn’t make it for the re-scheduled last session (15). We also took a knitting poll, trying to find out what kind of classes people want. Going over those surveys will be fun. And there is interest in starting from scratch again with Knitting 101.

In the mean time I have been working on socks, knit a hat for Ronbo (leftover Cascade 220), fingerless mittens (leftover Hauk) for The Girl and some dishcloths, etc. I will be looking for some yarn for a bigger project while in the cities. I do have many, many patterns, trying to decide what I should knit may be a process of elimination. I am thinking something light weight, for spring and fall, maybe cotton, maybe not. I really have not knit anything large from cotton. I kind of hesitate on that front. Cotton has no stretch, and can be heavy. Who knows.

Snow Day!

People were talking about a possible ice day at school on Monday, but I really did not believe them. When I got up this morning I thought, yeah right, they were wrong again. I turned on the news and there it was---school closed. Yippee!! After I got the husband off to work, I did what I promised God I would do if it were a snow day, clean my closet! I found clothes I forgot I had. I had that little task taken care of before 9am.

MMT and I spent the rest of the day puttering about the house doing small things, but mostly I have been knitting. I finished my mitten and started the left mitten. I am through the thumb on this pair. I think I may have over knit today, my shoulder feels like I am on the Island!

My baby surprise is essentially done, I have to put the buttons on it and have JO teach me how to put the cuffs on it. I think it turned out ok. I have to be honest, I did not think I would finish it. I have baseball theme buttons for it, which are very cute.

Back in the saddle

I am back to my old self again. Sorry to say I have ripped out my baby surprise sweater. It was a surprise as to what it was looking like. I have started again and am all the way to row 2!!!! Needless to say I will not be done by tomorrow night unless I have some magical power in knitting in my sleep and while at work......
Am excited about the trip and planning it for everyone with a few surprises thrown in! Off to lunch and then back to work. ( which is really a bad 4 letter word)
I did finish one pair of mittens while in the hospital. will take photos and post them later. Have started on second pair but will work on baby surprise first.....