Village Knitter or Village idiot?

So first I had the yucky yarn hat and mittens, 2 sets no less, now Aunt D gave me a hat her friend had knit her that was too big, she ripped it out and wants me to knit it again for her. What am I some sort of knitting machine? At least this project is easy and the yarn is quality natural fibers. But why couldn't she bring it back to said knitter friend? Sheesh!
So the big holiday/hunting season is over. I saw a picture of CB's buck (yep our little CB is a hunter). I guess she is such a crack shot, she shot one of the prongs off the antler. Who knew? We will have the last of the turkey leftovers for dinner on tonight and then Thanksgiving 2007 will be officially over. Then on to the next big holiday----yikes!

Yucky yarn v. natural fibers

I realize I have not posted in several weeks, it seems a few things got away from me. First there was the knitting of the hat and mittens on the yucky yarn, then there was the knitting of the second set of hat and mittens on the same yucky yarn.(notice there were no pictures taken of either set of hat and mittens) Then there was the death virus revisited, combined with the football banquet, egg roll sale and end of quarter. That was a bad week. Then there was this week, it was a better week, MMT turned 15, the boy started swim and GBT came home for the week for Thanksgiving. I have put that all the bad knitting memories of the yucky yarn behind me. Onward to bigger and better knitting projects--projects on natural fibers.

A friend of MMT's ask me to knit her a scarf to match these funky flip mittens she bought. While on the yarn hop earlier this month, CB used her yarn shopping abilities to help me find Cascade 220 to match (as best we could) the scarf. It took all 3 stores we visited to find 4 skeins of Cascade 220 for the project. I matched the pattern in mittens and knit the scarf, I had so much yarn left, I knit her a hat too. (modeled by GBT)

So now that I have knit for everyone on the planet, I can get back to my half sweater and second sock for the sock knit a long that ended Oct. 31. I think I will cast on some mittens, a little comfort knitting for me after the yucky yarn mittens.

Preparation is the KEY!

Yes, bad blogger, I know. I will say that on my list of blog’s to check (only eight) only three lately have been regular in their blogging. I think it’s catching. Visit Cursing Mama! She is very regular blogger her postings will make you laugh. The Harlot, naturally. And finally Knitorious (this woman works and goes to school.) Oy. We are shameful. Speaking of Knitorious . . . I received a package from her last week, I won her contest! Hmmmm. . . . Cherry Tree Hill sock yarn and a lovely little sachet. Thank you Vicki!

We stopped in Roberts on the way to the cities to visit Color Crossings. (Okay, let me inject here that as we went from yarn shop to yarn shop we were followed by other knitters that we knew from EC!) A hidden gem, truly it is! Did you know they have handpainted Cascade 220?? Beautiful!

Detour to Stillwater after listening to NK rave about "The Fun Sisters" store. Purses, sure we like purses. We had the time, why not make it a quick detour. So we did. CT practiced restraint and bought nothing (she did mention that her husband would not believe the fact she went into this store and bought nothing).

The trip to The Yarnery was wonderful as usual. Thank you Sarah, sorry we missed you. I stocked up on sock yarn. As usual. Heaven forbid I should break of my bubble. Koigu, Fleece Artist and Claudia sock yarns for me. ASJ picked up a cute little circular needle storage thingy. And CT (the one who is not knitting any more socks) picked up some Cherry Cordial Claudia sock yarn. Very pretty! Hopefully I will finish my socks again this month for Socks in the Cities! Nothing like incentive to make you knit FASTER!

Then off to Borelais. Okay, here is the big question. Why is this store not on the Yarn Hop? I love this store. They have walls of sock yarn! Walls people, whole walls of sock yarn! I digress . . . check out this store. They carry yarns I have not seen anywhere else. There is also a coffee shop attached. Take a right whilst in the store and WALA, you are in a coffee shop. Pick up a latte and go back to fondle more yarn. NK purchased some lovely knitting totes . . . you need to check out this store!

The trip was awesome. As Knitting Activities Director however, I think I dropped ball somewhat. Really where is this mysterious yarn shop in Woodbury? ASJ mentioned while we were at lunch. So we thought on our way home. Let’s swing by it. Really, how hard can it be to find, even though we don’t have an address, a name, nothing, we got nothing. Still we drove around, in the end we gave up and went to the Dairy Queen.

I am planning the trip for February 2008, an overnighter. I still have not decided what direction we should go. New territory??? North . . .South to Mad Town? Or shall we go West where there are more shops than we can hit in a two day period. What’s a chick to do? Thoughts, suggestions, comments are welcome! Have a shop to recommend, leave us a comment.

Power Knitting Shoppers...or is it Knitting Power Shoppers?

The trip to the various yarn stores in the cities was a success. Especially if you count a great lunch at Cafe Latte' and a stop at a (new-to-me) Dairy Queen! Was I thrilled to find that, or what!?! Four crazy women (one of whom pulled the silent-laughing trick at least twice), maneuvered their way through three yarn stores (tried to find a 4th store, but found a DQ instead) and a purse store, and we were even home for supper.....now that's power shopping at its finest. CB bought a new purse at the designer purse knock-off store, so she's sporting a new bag and looking quite stunning, I must say. I'm totally loving my new circular needle holder, and I'm inspired to finish my fair isle mittens, so I can start on some more. I've kind of ditched the scarf theme for the time being, and am back on mittens. I figured it would happen sooner or later, but I did get bored with my scarves, and now they're just there to be picked up for mindless knitting. Still working (no, laboring) on my socks.......and I did NOT buy any more sock yarn! Tempted as I was, I didn't get sucked in, even at the 15% off price. We got all the yarn swifted, so I can't wait for the next trip!

Princess Half-done

I think I need a new Indian knitting name. Princess half-done. My half sweater is half done (or does that really mean 1/4 done?) My socks for the KAL are half done. Perhaps someone with one arm and one leg will enjoy them?? My papers that need to be graded are half done. My laundry is half done (only because I had to go back and re wash what I had already washed-so should count for all done) But, the porch is DONE! Done I say, trim and all! I foresee many Guild events in the porch next summer. Guild meetings, ribs and porn nights, mojito knitting sessions, oh the possibilities are endless.
As for the trip to Chippewa Falls on Saturday, it was a great little yarn shop, of course they had my favorite Kathmandu! I really wanted to by some bulky alpaca (ASJ and I want Alpacas for Christmas--hint hint). Lunch at Lucy's Deli was very tasty, I am thinking a few short yarn hops for the Guild this winter.

I am really excited for Saturday, yarn shopping and lunching with my favorite buddies. I can hardly wait. Starbucks (by Shopko) 8am for coffee and on the road by 8:30? Roberts, Yarnery, Borialis Knits and 3 Kittens? Lunch, we can't forget lunch (NK and I have already decided to share again)! Call me if you want Guild pick up service.

Four Highschool Seniors does not lend it self to Blogging or Knitting

Or "this is our excuse for dropping the blogging ball." We have all be negligent. But each of has a senior, three of the four were involved in fall sports. Then CT and I were the co chairs for the Pasta Football Feeds (there were eight), and thank God they are over. There has been little time for knitting or blogging. I have finished my socks for the KAL. I have not posted their photo as of yet, but they are complete!

November 3 we boogie to the cities for the day for some much needed "guild" time, yarn shopping and our favorite restaurant. Not coming soon enough. Actually considering I just spent a small fortune on The Boy’s photo’s (he is totally gorgeous), I am shocked I have any money at all for yarn.

I haven’t really started any BIG projects, mostly small, socks, mittens, scarves. Although I do have the Interweave pattern for that totally cool shawl (I am contemplating it). CT had to knit with really bad yarn (ask her about it) and now that same person wants her knit to knit more with the really bad yarn. NK is almost done with her sweater (Chief Half Sweater). And if you read ASJ's entry, she is up to her eyeballs in scarves!

Tomorrow evening we have "Purly Gates" ASJ and I have taken that group on with the support of CT and NK (NK even volunteered to bring the treats). Thank you! It was one of those groups at our church that would have fallen by the wayside with the resignation of our "Yarn Teacher" Pastor. And the ladies in the group did not want to disband, so we did the honorable thing, took a step forward, and said sure. We can do this. Sit and knit. No problem.

Socks,Scarves, and more Scarves

So, as I participate in the sock knit-along, I realize that I'm just not a huge fan of knitting socks. It's tough to not like knitting socks. I love sock yarn, I realize the portability factor of the sock-in-progress, but I have to admit, I haven't found CB's passion for socks. Not even a partial passion. Mittens are ok, I dig the felted stuff, but I haven't completely found my knitting niche.........or is that knitting kniche? Until now. At this moment in time, I'm a scarf knitter. One of the reasons I like scarves is that one size fits all (or most, anyway), so I'm not relegated to the infernal knit-and-rip for which I'm so famous. Also, it seems to go well with my a.d.d. knitting style. So, this past week, I spent all my knitting time making scarves. I have now completed 6 scarves since August, and I have 3 more cast on, just waiting for the right moment (I have to be in a scarf mood) for me complete them. The scarves are being knit for the "Scarf Project", a community event which calls on people to knit scarves which are distributed to the Cancer Centers in town. The scarves are then given to people undergoing cancer treatment. The nurses bring the container of scarves into the chemotheraphy rooms, so that patients can select their own scarves. My mother-in-law received a scarf last year, and she told me that it warmed much more than her neck - it warmed her soul. Previously, I didn't much enjoy knitting scarves, since I found them to be a little, well, boring. Plus, I'm not a huge fan of the fritzy (that's a technical term) yarns. In my "adventures with knitting", after I graduated from scarves into other, more interesting knitting patterns, I haven't truly enjoyed knitting scarves, until now. Now, with each scarf I knit, I pay tribute to my special friend who died of cancer last February. Just like with prayer shawls, I feel like I am knitting a piece of her spirit into each stitch, as I pray that these scarves will bring some comfort and joy into the lives of the cancer patient who receives the scarf. Things do change, don't they? I'm sure I'll be sick of scarf knitting soon, but it's good therapy for me now. Knitting warms the knitter as well as the "knittee" (that's another technical term).